Who or what is the Tom Bombadil of your game?
- Thread starter Goodsport
- Start date
Almost always my own PC, because only I know the best bits. 
Not entirely responding to your question, but this is my favorite interpretation of Tom Bombadil:
It basically argues that Tom is actually a new Dark Lord, waiting for Sauron to be defeated so that he can pick up his mantle after the Wizards and Elves have departed Middle-Earth.
Oldest and Fatherless: The Terrible Secret of Tom Bombadil
It basically argues that Tom is actually a new Dark Lord, waiting for Sauron to be defeated so that he can pick up his mantle after the Wizards and Elves have departed Middle-Earth.
Oldest and Fatherless: The Terrible Secret of Tom Bombadil
Ulfgeir
Hero
aco175
Legend
I recall a Dragon article by Gygax about the lower levels of Greyhawk having a gold dwarf or gold man that appeared to be made from gems and gold itself. He was too fast for the PCs to catch and they never did even though they made several plans to catch him over several adventuring parties. This was a time where XP equaled gold gained so they all thought they would gain a level or two if they got him. Gygax left it vague what he was actually worth.
I always liked having a living world where NPCs and such are in multiple campaigns. My Phandalin campaigns all have most of the townsfolk and Gungren appear across the 4 campaigns that started there. I also have a traveling merchant that makes rounds periodically with some minor magic and is guarded by several flying swords he can control. The players all like it when he shows up since he has a small chance of having something good.
I always liked having a living world where NPCs and such are in multiple campaigns. My Phandalin campaigns all have most of the townsfolk and Gungren appear across the 4 campaigns that started there. I also have a traveling merchant that makes rounds periodically with some minor magic and is guarded by several flying swords he can control. The players all like it when he shows up since he has a small chance of having something good.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
Right now, it's Nyr Ahthen, the Crowmage. She's an enigmatic NPC wizard that specializes in flight and transportation magic and is friends with a large murder of crows. Her appearance is entirely based (ripped off) from Eileen the Crow in Bloodborne. The party has perhaps relied on her friendship a bit much of late, so I think it'll be time for them to do her a favor.
She was offended when the party rogue asked if he could buy one of her crows...as if they were chattel to be bought and sold!
Ah, poor Tom Bombadil, never made it to any film adaptation. In a just world the Fellowship of the Ring movie would've had Bombadil and the Barrow Downs and the Hobbit movie would not have had the barrel fight scene.
She was offended when the party rogue asked if he could buy one of her crows...as if they were chattel to be bought and sold!
Ah, poor Tom Bombadil, never made it to any film adaptation. In a just world the Fellowship of the Ring movie would've had Bombadil and the Barrow Downs and the Hobbit movie would not have had the barrel fight scene.
Imaculata
Hero
My campaign has plenty of enigmatic characters, but few as extravagant as Tom Bombadil. I think the closest character would be a traveling wizard who calls himself The Great Whamboozy. He travels from town to town, showing off his magic tricks, and often involving the audience (and coveniently the players) in his performance. The catch is, that his tricks are anything but innocent. A seemingly simple vanishing trick that he often performs, actually temporarily banishes his volunteer to another dimension, before bringing them back right around the time they start panicking. It is no surprise that he never performs in the same town twice.
He is the sort of character I throw into the campaign whenever I want some lighthearted fun that is totally unconnected to the rest of the plot.
He is the sort of character I throw into the campaign whenever I want some lighthearted fun that is totally unconnected to the rest of the plot.
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Achmed/Achmed's Axe and Arrow. He's a weapons dealer who can teleport his shop to any of a number of places on the continent. He curates the best stuff, though he's a bit pricey, and has capitalized on the adventurer market. He's about the only source who can also afford to buy/trade magic items.
