Most bridge trolls demand gold or your life. This one offered three choices that changed everything about how my players approached every NPC afterward.
After 40+ years behind the DM screen, I can tell you that players forget epic battles, legendary treasures, and even world-ending plots. But they never forget the NPCs that made them choose who their characters really are.
Meet Glucinda. She’s a bridge troll, but not the kind you’re thinking of.
The Encounter That Broke All the Rules
There she stood in her chainmail half-shirt and homemade cow-hide miniskirt, big blonde hair teased to the heavens, makeup applied with questionable skill. When my players approached her bridge, she didn’t demand gold or threaten violence.
Instead, she gave them three options: “You can pay me, you can lay me, or you can slay me. No one crosses my bridge for free.”
Every group handles it differently. Some pay the toll. Some fight (she’s a worthy opponent – usually costs the party a death or two). And yes, some choose option two… and walk funny for a week with bruised hips.
Why This Changes Everything
Here’s what separates memorable NPCs from forgettable ones: consequences that ripple through your campaign.
Glucinda doesn’t just exist for one encounter. She becomes part of your world’s living history, and smart DMs milk that for everything it’s worth.
The Gift That Keeps on Giving
When one party first approached Glucinda’s bridge, the cleric was ready to pay the toll like a sensible person. But the rogue had… other ideas.
About four days later, that same rogue was finally walking properly again. That’s also when he started noticing a constant itch in his groin region.
But here’s where it gets really interesting – different parties, same NPC, ongoing consequences.
A year later, a completely different party was heading to the town near Glucinda’s bridge. As they approached, they saw her emerge from underneath. When she recognized one of them (word travels fast in small kingdoms), she whistled loud and clear.
Up crawled a snot-nosed, ugly little troll child with bright red hair – exactly matching the color of a character from that previous party who’d chosen option two.
The current players went absolutely silent. They’d heard the stories. Now they were seeing the consequences.
What This Teaches Us About Great NPCs
The best NPCs don’t just create moments – they create living world continuity:
- Actions have lasting consequences – That itch wasn’t going away
- The world remembers – Even when players change, NPCs don’t forget
- Stories become legend – New parties hear about previous encounters
- Consequences cross campaigns – One party’s choices affect future groups
Most DMs create NPCs for single encounters. The memorable ones create NPCs that become part of the campaign’s DNA.
When you design your next NPC, ask yourself: “What happens after this encounter ends?” The answer might just define your entire campaign.