Favourite NPCs

[zedturtle]

So I think this could be a fun thread... we all know* that Shanker is best 'man of mystery' and Amaleoda is the best love interest for certain heroes, but what other NPCs (official or from your games) are out there and are fun to be around?

For myself, I'll start with two:

Irmgard (unofficial) - Irmgard is an itinerant farmhand and was first seen at the Easterly Inn with a hurt foot (to give my healer heroes something to do that wasn't an Encounter). He's since been seen there every time someone comes to visit, and seemed to be some sort of lazy lie-about. However, it was recently revealed that he's actually spying on the Viglundings for Beorn and comes back to the Easterly Inn on occasion to report in.

Viglar (official) - Viglar in my games has been pushed around by his father and other power brokers in the Viglunding establishment. He loves his wine (and ale, and mead, and beer, and...) and is a fun NPC to play (especially if he's drunk, which is pretty much all the time). When one of my groups decided that he was worth trying to save (or at least redirect), it took me by surprise. We haven't seen yet if they were successful, but mercy is always a good choice...

- - - -

* For certain values of we, and certain values of know.

[robert_pat]

Dragar (unofficial) - Dragar, the Captain of the Guard in Dale, is a staunch ally and long time friend of King Bard. For a middle aged man he is very energetic, and below his thin, business-like exterior he is a very optimistic person, who is very passionate about his work. If a Fellowship is ever looking for (relatively) straightforward opportunities for Heroics with immediate, tangible results, he's your go-to man.

Garindel (unofficial) - Garindel is very much the stereotypical mirthful Woodland Elf. Almost suspiciously so. . .
Although his motives (and identity, and history. . .) are often in question, no Hero ever leaves his company bereft of a smile. Couple that charisma with a seemingly endless supply of enigmatic, intriguing tasks and suddenly a Fellowship can't help him enough! While his requests all seem benign, one can't help but wonder to what end they all might be working towards.

[farinal]

Brienne: unofficial Brienne is a mix of the Bride and Amaleoda. She was a brief LMNPC joined the company for one adventure and then retired to be a full time non participating NPC and find her way to being the leader of Black Tarn settlement. Had a brief and light romance event with one of the players now enjoys being the leader of a Woodmen tribe. The personal friendship of the NPC and the company brings out some interesting things when Mogdred tries to subjugate Black Tarn to his own rule or by tributes.

Ruithel: official I like Ruithel because she is kind of an Elven captain I would imagine her to be. She bested my companions in the Lake-town Archery Contest some years ago and they met again during the Questing Beasts. I like her own arc too with the dwarves and the Wayward Elves. I am planning to use her usually when I need something from Mirkwood or my players to involve in the affairs of the Elven-king. Currently she is at the eastern borders of the forest to see the situation with the Dale woodcutters and the Elves.

Ceawin (under the thrall of Wights): official I really like this storyline with the Ceawin and the wights. I enjoy playing as this NPC. The way he acts with his new crown and his claims to build a new kingdom worthy of the Northmen of the old...etc. Really fun and interesting. Sunstead is one of my favourite places in Darkening of Mirkwood.

[Blubbo Baggins]

Viglar (official) - Viglar in my games has been pushed around by his father and other power brokers in the Viglunding establishment. He loves his wine (and ale, and mead, and beer, and...) and is a fun NPC to play (especially if he's drunk, which is pretty much all the time). When one of my groups decided that he was worth trying to save (or at least redirect), it took me by surprise. We haven't seen yet if they were successful, but mercy is always a good choice...

That was fun, and not what I expected us to do at first, either.

Witherfinger - (however you spell) was fun, and a bit crazy.
Irime - now it was probably 3 or 4 years ago, but for a tabletop game, our LM played her extremely well. You just felt sad all the time being around her and it was pretty effective.
Brunhild (of Stonyford) - perhaps not the most interesting NPC, but the scene between her and one of the PCs who went to talk to her was very surprisingly touching; completely opposite emotion-wise from what typical adventures bring. (On another side note, that is probably my favorite TfW adventure, though it is more "down to earth" considering it is about men; it is very well-written and I like how the story really grows, and that it is about redemption.)

[Lorimez]

Mogdred

Party hate/loath him but I've made him an important ally to the Woodfolk - relying on his strength of arms in tough times. Never got voted in at the first moot but is beginning to "worm" his way in. Party realise he needs to be in the fold and are struggling to put their own personal suspicions ahead of the needs of the Woodfolk. Developed a "love" story with him and Amaloedda - party knew that she was marrying him in exchange for more support in her failing community given that Ceawin was no longer helping trade! (I wonder why . . .)

Even managed to manipulate a party member to becoming his chief aid and having his family move from Rhosgobel to Tyrannts Hill!

He's the complete anti hero that the party don't trust but can't find a way to bring him down or accuse him of anything. Ticking time bomb waiting to unfurl!

Lorimez

[zedturtle]

Oh, awesome! My heroes met Mogdred a little whiles ago (about a month ago in game time, and two or three months in real time), and they seem to be unimpressed with him, but somewhat sympathetic to his past.

[zedturtle]

Oh, awesome! My heroes met Mogdred a little whiles ago (about a month ago in game time, and two or three months in real time), and they seem to be unimpressed with him, but somewhat sympathetic to his past.

[Fenton Hardy]

My favorite (and my players too, I think) NPC so far is Durbag, a Mount Gundabad orc held prisoner by the orcs of the Greydelve. My players encountered Durbag as a tortured prisoner in the dungeon beneath an abandoned dwarf watchtower. They could not kill him without acquiring shadow and could not safely let him go, so the orc traveled with them for some time. I thought Durbag would pose an interesting problem for the companions, but he became a really interesting NPC in his own right. The interactions have been prolonged, tense but always rewarding. From him, the players learned a lot about tribal factionalism and animosities in the period after the Battle of Five Armies. The encounter got the companions thinking how they might use internal orc conflicts to their advanatge. The players put Durbag safely on the road to Gundabad, but I think they will meet up again.

[Majestic]

Lots of great stuff here; I especially like the ones for Mogdred and Durbag (sounds like Gollum!)

In our game, Mogdred had mostly been an unseen boogeyman, until recently. He made a plea to the Council of the North (with two PCs on the Council) and was soundly rejected, as one PC chastised him publically for the raids of his men on caravans travelling between the Woodmen communities in the west and Sunstead.

But now the Black Tarn has come under siege. The PCs humbled themselves and went to Tyrant's Hill to plead with him for his support, and he seems to have reluctantly agreed to help them...

[Rich H]

My players like Radagast; I'm pretty sure they all think he's a time lord and that his house is a TARDIS.