NPCs · Mythic/ Historical · Knowledge/Lore
Red Erring
Yes, it's the wise old man you alway knew you'd meet.
Special Equipment:
Staff, wry wit, an archtypical long white beard and hair, pointy hat.
Appearance:
Old. White hair. Long white beard. Pointy hat with a large brim. Gnarled staff. Squinty eyes. Glasses (sometimes).
Very hard to pick out of a line up of Gandalf or Dumbledor look alikes.
Background:
He's the guy that the players meet when you need to give them a nudge towards what you want them to see. The only older trick is to have them start the adventure in a bar. Some think he's an agent working either for or against the fates. He just seems to know when to show up, when to leave, knows when to hold 'em, knows when to fold 'em
The trick about this guy is he's been on the job a long time. He has tried to get the right persons to the right places so the course of life can continue on in a timely manner, but people are so damnably contrary. He says 'Don't go in the field, the gaurdian there is too powerful for you.' and whoosh, off the kids go into the field. After far too many experiances, he has learned.
When he apppears before the players, he tells them the wrong directions.
'The quickest path to the kingdom lies along the north fork, not the south fork bearing the tax collector's wagon and armed escort.' This is how he would get the players to go south, whether or not there was a tax wagon.
'There are two ways to enter the duchy. the mountain trail, while shorter, is often rainswept and shelter is sparse. The forest trail has small villages and taverns spread out along it's length, but it will take an extra 3 days of travel.' This is how he gets them to meet someone in a tavern at the forest's edge.
Just give a moment's thought on what the players want and where they would go if they thought something they wanted was there. He's not a very helpful old guy, or accurate, but he knows how to get the job done.
Roleplaying Notes:
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Also in
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- Red Herrings manfred
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Links to this article 1
- Red Herrings manfred linked by Murometz
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Ah, I knew there was something missing in my NPC reservoire. Finally those damned players will go where you need them! Hope so.
1. 'There's no inn this way and travelers speak of monsters... you really wouldn't want to go there would you?'
2. 'And carry this herb on your clothes, it may help you along.'
3. (Did not listen?) Coming to the Inn of the Smart Dragon, hear voices marily singing and asking for more ale. As they enter the dark passage inside, the building suddenly collapses and shakes as if in earthquake...
The dragon chews them and spits them out. 'Blah,you people are really disgusting! OK, I won't kill you, but you will serve me instead...'
Yeah... Sometimes the heros don't get it... Good way to deal with that.
Dungeon Master. :) I like him, very useful for any game.
Not bad....
Reverse psychology?
Not bad for filling out a Gandalf type figure.