Who's your Gandalf now, baby?

[Huw]

Finnegan the gnome. He's short (for a gnome), wears green and speaks with a Limmerick accent. Don't mistake him for a certain fey beginning with 'L' or he'll be offended and you'll have a hard time.

Despite the above description, I play him straight (the comic relief comes from the players, both those who've met him before swapping in-jokes and newcomers who blurt out "leprachaun"). He normally turns up, trades some magic, and reveals helpful metaplot information. I don't overuse him - at least, no player has complained.

 

[Mycanid]

No - not really. I mean, there ar more powerful npc's and stuff like that who can help steer the story in the "needed direction" (AHEM! ::cough, cough: but npc's that the party would have met anyway.

 

[Sejs]

Not exactly, though kinda, a bit.

The PCs employer is a diviner a few levels higher than they are (four, currently) that basically spends his time figuring out What We Need To Do Next while the PCs are out taking care of What Needs To Be Done Now.

He's a whiz with information, and various things that relate to getting or protecting information (certain enchantments, abjurations, and the like) but he's a bit of a lame duck when it comes to the rest of the whole wizarding schtick. The highest level damage-dealing spell he knows is Magic Missle, for example.

So he's not so much the mysterious far-seeing benefactor that swoops in and sets you on the path of destiny, so much as he is the project manager. He's only one, maybe two steps ahead of the PCs themselves, ultimatly, and he can't see all ends. But he does his best.

 

[caudor]

Mr T

The Gandalf in my campaign is Mr. T; or rather, a celestial agent that looks somewhat like Mr. T. It is somewhat comedic, but my players love it.

"Say fool, what you doing bang'in on that Sphinx! Get over there and find you some villians!"

 

[Baron Opal]

Not a Gandalf, but a Saruman.

There is a wizard that the PCs can go to for advice, and he is usually quite helpful if abrasive. He is also a lich wanting to depose the current head of the main wizard's guild.The PCs don't know that yet, which adds to my amusement.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Nope. And no "DM Avatar" either. My PCs can't be pointed towards the plot, since the plot is what they choose to do and its respercussions.

I have two handfuls of powerful NPCs triplet sisters being the moster powerful wizards in the world, but I never have these NPCs influence the PCs unless they actively seek the NPCs out, which is an adventure in and of itself.

 

[Clueless]

I've had several, but I've never really had them seek the PCs out, it's usually been the PCs seek them out and then they point the PCs to something. I certainly don't have some Elminster-type randomly show up to save the PCs from certain doom and metaphorically allow the DM to stroke his ego's giant wang...

J-man?

Though admittedly even there it was the players seeking him - not the other way around.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Magocracy Über Alles!

Does your campaign have a Gandalf?

No, but it does have Aznar Thrul.

-Samir Asad

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've got members of the clergy of Lothian and agents of the Baron of Midwood to boss the player characters around. But the group is pretty self-directed (a blessing and a curse!) and they have a wide variety of sources of information they draw upon.

 

[Crothian]

No, though I did have a high powered wizard that likes to contact the PCs and ridule them, confuse them, and trick them.