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Hello Loremasters!
Just curious if any of you have used Golem/Smeagol in your campaign? Thoughts on his inclusion? Many of the iconic characters are included in the Free League books (Balin, Saruman, Gandalf, Bilbo) as patrons. Others are included as potential antagonists like the Witch King of Angmar. I know Golem goes to Mordor after The Hobbit but then he's released. There's a long period between The Hobbit and the War of the Ring, plenty of time for him to be up to something. I believe he also goes to Moria as well. So the question is, how to use him? Preserving him seems to be the right choice considering his significance to the story but leaving him out completely to do so seems to be the wrong choice as well.

I appreciate your insight. Cheers!

I have not personally encountered Gollum/Sméagol (not Golem; a golem is something else entirely) as an in-game NPC. I would consider it though if it made sense in the campaign. Gollum's actions circa 2965 are not entirely clear. Around this time he might be haunting the lands of the Woodmen of the Anduin Vales (having passed through Mirkwood for the second time), seeking a way to cross the Misty Mountains in search of the Shire.

I have not personally encountered Gollum/Sméagol (not Golem; a golem is something else entirely) as an in-game NPC. I would consider it though if it made sense in the campaign. Gollum's actions circa 2965 are not entirely clear. Around this time he might be haunting the lands of the Woodmen of the Anduin Vales (having passed through Mirkwood for the second time), seeking a way to cross the Misty Mountains in search of the Shire.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It's really not clear what he's up to. Seeking a way to cross the Misty Mountains in search of the Shire makes perfect sense - retrieving the ring being his primary concern. Thanks for the feedback!

Hello Loremasters!
Just curious if any of you have used Golem/Smeagol in your campaign? Thoughts on his inclusion? Many of the iconic characters are included in the Free League books (Balin, Saruman, Gandalf, Bilbo) as patrons. Others are included as potential antagonists like the Witch King of Angmar. I know Golem goes to Mordor after The Hobbit but then he's released. There's a long period between The Hobbit and the War of the Ring, plenty of time for him to be up to something. I believe he also goes to Moria as well. So the question is, how to use him? Preserving him seems to be the right choice considering his significance to the story but leaving him out completely to do so seems to be the wrong choice as well.

I appreciate your insight. Cheers!

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Hi SleepingOrc, you can really use Gollum in all sorts of situations. Considering each character's agenda according to Tolkien's timeline... you could easily need Gollum for a campaign in the north to lead a group to a shadowy lair that only Gollum has ever seen... aside from the orcs and other servants of evil... you keep Gollum as an NPC, and will he betray the group and lead them to a place worse than Barad-dûr...

If the timeline allows it, and it remains a plausible time period and location.

Arthur.

Oh! That's it! I super like this idea, Arthur!
That's exactly how I'll put him into the campaign. I like that he's not just a nemesis that can't be killed (to preserve canon). Needing him as a guide is the perfect idea to include this iconic character.
Thanks Arthur!

If you use Gilraen (Aragorn's mother) as the Patron for your group of players, and if the timeline allows, Gilraen might suggest taking Gollum as a guide for an adventure in the north (or elsewhere), but with a warning: never trust Gollum completely if he's the only one who can lead them to a place only he knows.

Once things become dangerous for Gollum (there are fights with orcs, or the players want to kill him for some reason), he'll escape and disappear, never to return. Gollum may have planned this in advance and stolen a magical sword or some other valuable artifact from the group. The group will have to find Gollum to reclaim their property in a second adventure of your campaign.

All these ideas are good, Arthur.

Another great idea, Arthur; thank you. I just realized recently that Gilraen's grave was in the LOTR movie (extended version). I like the idea of introducing her as a character in my campaign.

Another great idea, Arthur; thank you. I just realized recently that Gilraen's grave was in the LOTR movie (extended version). I like the idea of introducing her as a character in my campaign.

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Excellent, SleepingOrc! You can even run Aragorn with your party for a while (if the timeline allows) and add some juicy elements from the official timeline with a little research...

Arthur.

True!
I just realized that Aragorn's mother was in Rivendell and that she's actually burried there. Her grave appears in the extended version of LOTR too. That might be a way to introduce Aragorn.