Campaign notes

How to keep track of NPCs between sessions

Don't try to remember every shopkeeper and guard. Keep a short record of what changed, where you wrote it, and which NPCs could affect the next session.

Give each returning NPC one stable entry

Use the same name every time. Under it, keep the last confirmed change rather than copying a fresh biography after each session. A useful entry can be as small as a role, current attitude, last location and one open commitment.

Keep facts separate from guesses

Session notes often mix what happened with what you were considering. Mark uncertain ideas for review. If you wrote “Mara might know the captain,” don't let that become campaign history until you decide it is true.

Review by next-session relevance

Before play, pull the NPCs tied to the party's current location, an unresolved promise or a likely scene. Leave everyone else searchable. This keeps preparation focused without deleting older material.

Preserve the source

A page number, session number or line reference lets you check a surprising detail against the note that created it. It also makes corrections easier when two entries conflict.