How to stop high-level NPCs from overshadowing the party, Part I

Inspired by this thread.

A frequently-cited problem in games like D&D where high-level characters are vastly more powerful than low-level characters is this: How do you prevent the high-level characters from overshadowing the low-level characters - such as the player characters when they are still young and inexperienced? Why don't those powerful NPCs quickly solve all problems of the world before breakfast, leaving nothing for the PCs to do?

The easiest answer is, of course, that those powerful NPCs don't exist in the first place. This is partially true with Eberron, for example. Alternatively, the PCs might start out in a region with few powerful NPCs - a distant frontier province a long way from the capital, for instance, which few high-level characters bother with. And indeed, this is how a great many campaigns, including published ones, start.

But this isn't a workable solution for all settings. City-based settings especially, such as Ptolus, Sigil of Planescape fame, and my very own Urbis assume that very powerful characters live, if not exactly next door, then at least in a not-too-distant neighborhood. So what to do about the high-level NPCs in such places?

I think a good idea would be to compare those people with modern-day corporate executives and major political figures. These people are very, very busy. Time is their most valuable resource, and thus the time they can spend on any one problem at hand is severly limited. The same is likely true for high-level NPCs in most campaign settings. They constantly have to deal with one crisis or other, the schemes of their enemies, and truly countless requests for aid. So unless the PCs can convince them that there is an impending disaster of truly epic proportions, they won't just drop everything they are doing to help out with the current adventure of the PCs.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let's look at the issue one step at a time.

Gaining Access

Politicians and corporate executives surround themselves with all sorts of secretaries and flunkies mainly for one reason: To limit access for people who would otherwise waste their time. As I've said, time is their most valuable resource And unless the PCs have made a name for themselves, this means that said flunkies will prevent them from accessing the NPC. Failing to gain access is likely to be a very frustrating experience for the PCs (especially if they think that the renewed hostility of a local goblin tribe should receive top priority), so you might consider showing them how many ludicrious requests these people get every day. For example, before them in the waiting line in front of the secretary's office could be someone who insists that a demonic presence is taking over the logal pigeon population (especially sadistic DMs might make this into an actual adventure seed if the PCs are as skeptical as the secretary they want to talk to). Another possibility would be to show them another petitioner with a request that sounds reasonable, but who is well known as a fraud and a time-waster to the secretary. A couple of encounters like this, and the PCs should begin to understand that they can't just be taken at their word about their problems - they either need to have some real proof, or start schmoozing up to the right people to gain access (which could represent an adventure in its own right).

Even if their stories are believed, it doesn't mean that they will actually get to meet the NPC in question - in many cases, an underling will tell them: "Okay, we will look into that" or "I will tell him about this". Some useful help might actually be forthcoming, even if it's not the direct intervention of the NPC. If they do meet the NPC, make them wait a while until the meeting. He should storm in, clearly coming from some other business, ask the PCs questions (with instructions for being precise and/or brief), and if he believes them, say: "OK, we will look into this" and start rattling instructions to his underlings while storming out of them. The PCs should understand that even this short meeting is a privilege, not a right. Extended meetings will come only after they have gained his confidence and trust, and they should feel truly honored.

Getting Help

So the PCs have convinced the NPC that yes, their situation is serious, and yes, they could use some help with their problem. But does that mean that the NPC himself will accompany them?

Not necessarily. After all, his time is still very limited, so if at all possible he will help them in a way that doesn't take up much of his time. Crawling through dungeons or investigating problems in a province is a rather lengthy affair, and he might have to deal with other problems elsewhere. So he will try to help in other ways - by loaning them magic items which should help with the problem, giving additional money and resources to tackle it (which allows the PCs far greater freedom with solving the problem, which in turn is more satisfying in an adventure), or by sending some of his own underlings with them. These won't be as powerful as the NPC, but they are useful in a fight without overshadowing the PCs. Only if the NPC believes that only someone of his power is able to deal with the threat will be accompany the PCs back - but even then, it makes sense to split the group, with the NPC and his underlings dealing with the main threat while the PCs deal with a related problem that is solveable at their level.

Reasons For Not Getting Involved Directly

If the PCs are upset because the NPC doesn't get involved in person, use one of the following excuses (after all, you don't want the NPC stealing the show):

• Another crisis in another province: There's more than one ongoing crisis right now with which the NPC has to deal. These crises could actually be related (which might only be recognized in hindsight) - after all, if an Evil Cult wants to cause widespread chaos and destruction, it makes sense to attack a number of places at the same time precisely for distracting powerful people. And even if it isn't, the NPC likely watches over a large number of places, so it's not unlikely that his attention is divided at crucial moments.
• Plausible Deniability: The NPC is likely to have many powerful enemies - and even non-enemies who view his moves with suspicion. So if he shows off at a random location and blasts a few dozen goblins (or demons) with fireballs, observers are left to wonder: Was he really merely doing a public service, or did his presence have a more sinister motive? Was he perhaps responsible for the problem in the first place? Think of what conspiracy theorists come up in the real world. Even the most saintly NPC will have people questioning his motives, so it will make sense if he limits his public appearances to avoid giving his enemies rhetorical fodder - which in turn would reduce his political influence and make it harder to get the authorities to cooperate at crucial moments. Empowering the PCs and giving them the tools to solve the problem themselves makes a lot of sense from this perspective.
• It's a trap: Powerful people tend to have equally powerful enemies. The crisis the PCs are trying to deal with might be nothing more than an elaborate trap to lure the NPC into the open and discover his tactics and weaknesses. It only takes a few incidents like this to make anyone wary. On the other hand, the relative weakness of the PCs protects them in such cases - after all, said enemies will hardly waste springing their trap on low-level flunkies (though alert PCs might discover myterious observers lurking nearby - who might become their own enemies in the future).
• The King has requested my services: Even powerful people need help from the authorities from time to time - such when a nation-wide effort to combat a threat is needed. As a result, such NPCs will have to spend a fair amount of time cultivating contacts with the local rulers - attending their social events, advising them on matters within their area of expertise, and so on. Will they truly risk upsetting the King to accompany the PCs on an adventure? Or will they try to solve their problem in another way?

To be continued...