Odd heroic NPCs

[RandomNPC]

So I've got this idea my players are going to run into, ya know how the hero sometimes runs into someone much more powerful, but the other person doesn't want to help or hinder them because they've literally got no ties to one another, except on the most wide scales imaginable?

Imagine, your adventuring party walking along, looking for a good spot to set up camp, when they come to a good spot, that's already got a fire going. Across the fire they see an Ogre, wearing fine leather armor, resting against a large backpack. He has his feet propped up on a woodpile for the fire, and is reading a thick book, there's a good sized rabbit cooking over the fire.

What they don't know is he's a 14th level bard. He's heard of the party, and has used his bardic lore to learn more. He knows they don't have any quests that interfere with one another, so he'll identify items, tell stories, and occasionally sell them random items (like the cape of billowing, that billows in the wind behind the wearer anytime they strike a pose) just because, hey, why not?

Questions? Comments? Similar ideas others have done?

[Kol Korran]

an idea i like is a changeling that has his/her hand in all kinds of ventures across the country and beyond. as the party gets fame, s/he in is intrigued and meets with the party, under some guise. the changling continue to meet with the party under different guises. some the same, some new. at times s/he shares rumors, or advice, or help, sometime they ask, and the party is surprised to learn all these seemingly unrelated people have quite intimate knowledge of them!

the changeling may become important to the plot later on, either on the party's side, against them, or on both (or more sides). it may evolve intimate relations with one (or more under different guises) members of the party.

i think rogue, bard, chameleon and more are well suited.

[Accordion Twome]

There is a member of my group who solos alot, I have a kobold npc that is everywhere any time he needs something the kobold happens to be close and gives it to him for a price.
The kobold is only interested in money so he sometimes puts him in a trap and offers to get him out for a price.

the bard sounds fun.

P.S. can I use the cape of billowing?

[Radar]

As long as the PCs won't try to kill him on sight, it's a good idea.

There's most likely more then one villian at a time, so it's logical, there will be more then one heroic adventuring party on a world-scale quest. They might even meet each other. It can be either a reference to a popular book, comics, TV series, movie, game or a thinly veiled party from player's previous campaign. If you like jokes with long duration, you can first make the PCs meet another party without describing it in detail - just that they are questing for some thingmabob called X. In the next campaign the PCs will be questing for thingmabob X and...

They can always meet a planewalker, who's just visiting.

[Cisturn]

I've done this in a few games. A few different parties have run into an unkempt man holding an everful decanter lounging just off the road. He wears mud splattered armor, carries a full pack and has just finished making a quick camp.

The PCs don't know that this man is Leori Agris, a mid to high level Rogue/Paladin. If the party is mostly good or neutral aligned he'll offer some wine, information or maybe some healing if needed. Unless the PCs are traveling in secret, Leori probably has some notion of their quest but can't offer much to help them other than what I've already mentioned. He helps them because he is generally amicable and it's nice to see some friendly faces when your far away from home.

[RandomNPC]

P.S. can I use the cape of billowing?

I got it from a random item thread on these very boards a while back, also I think it's mentioned on tvtropes, but I dare not go there....