The "Gandalf" in your campaign

[Michael Morris]

Telsindria is the highest level character who works for good, but over time she's become a tired isolationist that would rather attend to weaving her tapestries than help characters. Still, I've had groups seek her out. She's more analogous to Circe than Gandalf though - though she's not quite as mean spirited as Circe.

 

[nyrfherdr]

In my campaign, the guy the PC's went to for advice and council was the Dwarven Brewer, Ragnar.
It just so happened that Ragnar was more than he appeared and now the PC's don't know whether to trust him or kill him. Poor Rangar, who has never steered the characters wrong, is suspected of consorting with the enemy and plotting the demise of the characters. Wise old sage, indeed.

I like the idea of someone the characters can seek for advice,council, information, research, etc.

I don't like the idea of someone that actually gets involved in the decisions or heroic actions of the characters.

Game ON!
Nyrfherdr

 

[Henry]

In my Homebrew campaign, I had two: Evanost and Alissa, 67th and 72nd level wizards respectively, who acted as the Elminster-god-types in my campaign in the 2nd edition days before there was a concept of "Epic Levels."

In the 2nd edition game in its last days, Evanost contracted a wasting disease that gradually started removing his magical ability, and he and Alissa moved to another plane to halt the spread of the disease, leaving the PCs in charge. It was my way of removing "Mom" and "Dad" so the adventurers didn't have them to fall back on.

 

[eris404]

In my last two campaigns:

In the Victoria campaign, Dr. Livingston, the kindly and wealthy old adventurer who the patron of the party (and who turned out to be a gold dragon)

In a Star Wars campaign, there was a curmudgeonly jedi living in an ancient temple; she decided the jedi in the party was in much need of her guidance and authority (much to his dismay)

 

[The Shaman]

I never thought about it before, but this is so true. It even extends into other game genres.

For example, one of the NPC NCOs in our Modern military game is an eighteen-year veteran of the Foreign Legion - he's served in every major campaign of the Legion since 1938, and when one of the characters has a question about the Legion, the standard response will be, "Talk to Sergent Verdurand" - if it's about something that happened during WWII or in Indochina, there's a good chance that Sgr. Verdurand was there, and it if happened from about 1890 on, then it's likely that either his grandfather or father were there, as service in the Legion is a family tradition.

Hmm...Sgt. Verdurand as Gandalf. Too funny!

And yes, my fantasy games include the archetypal wizened sage, but the setting I'm working on, there is a twist: the sage of the setting is profoundly evil, so in this case, it's more Saruman than Gandalf.

 

[jrients]

Whoever plays the wizard/sorcerer in my campaign gets to be 'Gandalf.'

That's pretty much how I approach it. However I have been known to peddle in false Gandalfs from time to time. Like Randolph the Red, a real jerk of a wizard who was often seen in the company of a dozen dwarvish marauders and a halfling thief named Mr. Daggins. (Never ask him his first name unless you're looking for a fight.) Then there was the mysterious greycloaked wizard who was really a grey slaad using the party to advance the cause of Limbo.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Do you have that good willed, ancient wizard/sage/seer who walks the world with the greatest of respect? The one that may come to the aide of your PCs from time to time?..

Not really. As close as my campign comes is Eritobulus, the court wizard of Duke Harmon of Kandlmir. He is only about 5 levels higher than the PC's (lvl 11) and doesn't exactly "Stride the world" solving everything

Nice guy though. Gave the PC wizard his spare first level spellbook at one point, despite that being against the Charter of his Wizardly order

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

I have 3 "Gandalf's" imc that I DM:

1) A nearby noble-mage, polite and helpful, hides a terrible secret from his loving family & followers. He justifies his secret as it allows his people to live relatively prosperously and he only preys on the wicked or those whom uncover that which should be secret. Within his power he provides genuine help and advise and is a friend.

2) Ghost of a Loremaster who haunts his extensive library. He is completely aware of his state but has no idea how to transcend it, he just reforms if 'slain' and he himself is haunted by his family. He can dispense lore or direct to readings but he needs to be bargained with and quickly so because he is quick to kill ever since he first murdered. Clergy and holy symbols enrage him.

3) The newly placed leader of the church. She is very reasonable especially with divinations but she needs to be convinced of the need & morality of the task. Given the nature of the PC's, they are reluctant to be in her presence.

 

[Desdichado]

I've used wise benefactors before in my games, but never one that is as world-reknowned or well-respected as Gandalf. The one meddling benevolent sage-like wanderer who I did have in my game was set up by some demon-worshippers to appear to be corrupt and evil, and was hunted down and executed by witch hunters. I run a darker game than most though, so a benevolent sage figure isn't really all that appropriate in such a world.

I run a darker game than most as well. The sage in my campaign, if you want to call him that, is corrupt and evil, and he most likely would have infiltrated the witch-hunters organization to keep anyone else from rivaling him. He's old, but he either doesn't look it, or he'd be some kind of undead, or both (haven't decided for sure.) Any favors or advice the PCs get from this guy; if they're smart, they'll be really careful of.

 

[Driddle]

Is it true that Gandolf was originally designed as an alter-ego of a real person named Gary Flodnag?