Help I introduced a too powerful NPC

[jelmore]

The faeries had a massive lead with the stolen children and the PC wizard has asked his mentor to teleport them ahead to meet them. Without thinking, this high level (level 10) ex-adventurer wizard has ended up getting involved in the action because they emerged directly into a combat situation and it would seem strange if he didn't help.

[...]

However he's ten levels higher than them. I don't really want him riding about and stealing their thunder. But it's hard to think of a way for this wizard to leave the group, without him seeming a cold-hearted bastard who doesn't want to save the children, some of which he knows personally.

[...]

I don't want to accidentally end up with a ridiculous DMPC type problem NPC.

You've already done that by letting the players use the NPC as a mode of transport and support. No big deal, it happens.

There are plenty of ways to remove the NPC as a factor without going against his already established personality.

1) He is neutralized in some form or another by the faeries -- killed, charmed, a promise of non-interference extracted, etc. This could be a way to introduce the power behind the kidnappings if need be.
2) An even bigger threat comes to his attention, and he has to leave the party to deal with "a few bothersome faeries".
3) He holds back in combat or insist on that the PCs solve a riddle or a clue as "a test". If they press the issue the NPC may end the mentorship of his PC student, saying there's not much point in teaching someone if they're going to come running to him every time they get their nose bloodied.
4) Just because the NPC was an adventurer doesn't make him a saint. He could be paranoid and accuses the party rogue of plotting to steal from him, or maybe is prejudiced against half-orcs and dismisses their concerns as coming from a "dumb brute".
5) Maybe the NPC is not a perfectly competent strategist. His orders to the melee type could place them into a tactical disadvantage or steer them into a trap, or he assumes the spellcasters have access to spells they don't possess. ("Well, why didn't you just fly over the heads of the archers?")

Another thing to consider; if the higher-level NPC is doing all of the heavy lifting, then the PCs' XP awards should be adjusted to match. That may discourage the players from finding another NPC to hide behind the skirts of.

 

[WalterKovacs]

A simple idea would be to reach a "fork in the road" juncture where the PCs follow up one lead, and the wizard follows another potentially more dangerous lead. This is, of course, if you wish to keep the wizard alive and usable as a recurring "helpful" NPC. Likely after this adventure he can make some comment about "getting too old for this" and gets put into more of a mentor type role. Teleports them where they need to go, and can send them information, etc.

 

[Voadam]

He's used teleport and contact other planes.

Wizards are highly variable in power depending on their spells.

A diviner with no offensive combat spells but odd utility ones and personal defense ones does not steal PC's thunder in combat.

"Not to worry, I know hold portal!"

"If you have a 100 gp pearl I can identify it for you."

"This ones really powerful, I can make that field look like a forest. Well at least a part of it."

Combat round 1 blur

Combat round 2 shield

Combat round 3 expeditious retreat (just in case, its standard wizard survival procedure, I have complete faith in the party's fighters).

 

[DMShoe]

Who's to say that this no-longer-adventuring wizard managed to bring along his spell book, or prepared any but the most utilitarian spells?

I mean, if I were an ex-adventuring wizard, would I really want to prep fireball or cone of cold? (well *I* would, but this guy might not) Especially if I'm the sort who typically sells 'services' like teleportation -- I'd be more likely to have spells prepped like sending, or comprehend languages.

If you can't justify him not bringing along a spellbook -- then perhaps it gets stolen while he's resting, leaving him with a limited use of some subset of utility spells. Something like what Voadam suggests, among the many other good suggestions in the thread.

 

[IanB]

Kill him off, in a way that sets up the next adventure. I did this with poor Elmo back in the day with TOEE and it made a good impression with the players.

 

[rgard]

He was hired to be the court wizard in some far away kingdom.

 

[MichaelK]

Thankyou everyone for your advice. The session has just finished.

I combined a few ideas from this thread and ended up with a fairly effective solution. The best part was that it didn't use anything that hadn't already been established and I didn't need to fudge anything.

I had already established that the Jaebrin was in constant contact with the other fey, the players realized this when they discovered that he only had one day's food on him. They'd discussed a plan of waiting for his contact and to disguise themselves in his clothes (Jaebrin always cover their faces), but ended up falling for the ruse instead. They teleported off leaving the corpse of the Jaebrin in plain sight in adventurer's 'He doesn't deserve a burial' style.

When following the faeries they ended up at the site where the Jaebrin had been waiting, this was now several days after they had killed him. An ambush was waiting for them, four pixies, invisible and knowing that the mage was the greatest threat.

They saved their memory loss arrows for the mage and aimed their sleep arrows at the PCs. A pretty vicious combat scene later and without fudging any rolls the mage got hit and failed a save (well, for the second arrow, the first arrow missed). Bam, instead amnesia.

The mage was out for most of the combat, unsure who were his friends and who were the enemies. At the end of the fight the PCs finally managed to convince him that they were friends.

He has a heart attack from the stress of the situation. The rogue (who had succeeded on a spot roll earlier in the session) had seen him secretly palming and taking pills throughout stressful situations, got the pills out of the mage's pocket and gave him one.

They decided that it was far too dangerous for him to be out in his condition and thus his apprentice took him back home.

In other words... Success. Also as an unexpected bonus, the player playing the apprentice, is extremely pissed off at the fey for stripping away his father figure's memories of their time together and has become twice as dedicated to the quest.

Later on, I can have a follow up quest to return his memories to him (it requires a heal, limited wish or miracle, so it won't be easy at their level).

 

[roguerouge]

It would be amusing if he retired from adventuring on doctor's advice. All of this excitement, leads to him gasping and clutching for the pills the alchemist has given him to treat his faulty ticker.

Knowing the group of players, they'd probably try to encourage him to go home and take care of himself, while he'd try to protest that he's fine. Eventually the PCs browbeat him into getting some bedrest.

That could work.

Seconded.