Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Neo_Leviathan 06-06-05, 09:25 AM	Ok, I've got a main 'antagonist' for my campaign that I'm about to run, I know what I want him to do but I'm not sure how to build his personality etc so that he would actually do it (if that makes sense). Ok, this guy had the potential for power, but like all people with that power in my world, he was bound by the cleric of the deity 'governing' city he is located in, so that he could not access that power unless he served the church. Now, he refused to serve the church, because he wanted his freedom, and basically was only a few steps above living ont he streets. With the help of the PCs, he will shed that binding. Now as he builds in power, he will wonder about the others that were similarly bound, and what they could have become, and eventually he comes to the decision that the practice must be stopped, and the only way to stop it is to kill the god whose name it is done in. As such, since this city is the only place that god is worshipped in, he plans to cause a cataclysm and wipe out the entire population, then while the god is reeling from the loss of his entire worship base, he will teleport to the god's throne room and destory him. The trouble is, I'm not sure what kind of personality would go from being a good, kind person who knows what it's like to suffer, to someone who could anhilate the tens of thousands of people living in the city. Can anyone help me??
Vapthorne 06-06-05, 09:50 AM	The trouble is, I'm not sure what kind of personality would go from being a good, kind person who knows what it's like to suffer, to someone who could anhilate the tens of thousands of people living in the city. Can anyone help me?? He still sees them suffering under the iron fist of this diety. This god and the power his church holds is a poison, and in the BBEG's mindset the only way to free the city is to destroy the gods. Even if he must destroy the city and it's populace, in the end it'll be worth it because the 'city can always be rebuilt by the few survivors' or 'the souls of the dead will not be shackled by the tyrant god'. Basically, he's convinced that this plan is the only way; I'm sure the making an omelet analogy applies. Spoilers for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: Have you played KOTOR 2? This character's motivations is similar to the Sith crone Kreila. She hated how the Force influenced everyone's destiny and was bound to severe it, which would kill quite a few people.
Neo_Leviathan 06-06-05, 10:32 AM	Yeah, I have ployed KOTOR2 actually, I spose it is kinda similar. Heh, I think he's about the only one 9and a couple of others like him) who feel that this is an 'iron fist', for everyone else the deity is simply the god that protects the city and surrounds. I guess the other big thing is that part of the help the PCs will give him will turn him into and Elan (from Human), so he'd begin to grasp an immortal's view of things...
Morka 06-07-05, 09:54 AM	I guess the other big thing is that part of the help the PCs will give him will turn him into and Elan (from Human), so he'd begin to grasp an immortal's view of things... Excellent point. That could explain why he don't care about sacrifying almost all the city's inhabitant because in the end, he will rebuild the city. When he is first freed by the PC, he should create a thieves guild, devoted to free the other bounded characters. Then, with the frustration of the Church manipulating the general opinion, he should slide toward evil, and finally figure out only destroying the God will free everyone. You should perhaps plan a few attacks on the city by goblinoïds, that the protector God will easily wipe out. That should show to the players the God is not totally evil. I've once imaginated a similar BBEG. The PCs first meet him as a low-level fighter, he is a devoted soldier for his city; he also have some kind of magical power, and is investigating this aspect of himself. Later, he should be FTR 4/SOR 1, and continue as a Dragon Disciple, from the Gold Dragon variety. Knowing he is of the noblest blood, he thinks he should govern the city, and that he can only take good decisions. Unfortunately, he takes decisions that turn him into a LE ruler, using violence to get to rule the city.
Neo_Leviathan 06-07-05, 11:06 PM	Excellent point. That could explain why he don't care about sacrifying almost all the city's inhabitant because in the end, he will rebuild the city. When he is first freed by the PC, he should create a thieves guild, devoted to free the other bounded characters. Then, with the frustration of the Church manipulating the general opinion, he should slide toward evil, and finally figure out only destroying the God will free everyone. You should perhaps plan a few attacks on the city by goblinoïds, that the protector God will easily wipe out. That should show to the players the God is not totally evil. I've once imaginated a similar BBEG. The PCs first meet him as a low-level fighter, he is a devoted soldier for his city; he also have some kind of magical power, and is investigating this aspect of himself. Later, he should be FTR 4/SOR 1, and continue as a Dragon Disciple, from the Gold Dragon variety. Knowing he is of the noblest blood, he thinks he should govern the city, and that he can only take good decisions. Unfortunately, he takes decisions that turn him into a LE ruler, using violence to get to rule the city. Hmm.. not sure if thieves guild would really fit.. He's going to be a Warmage/Druid/Psion. Ah, if I added in somewhere the church harming the natural environment, that would be another point towards wiping them out. The catch to do with the 'god isn't totally evil' thing, is that the god *is* evil *Grins* the god is actually a long forgoten god of slaughter who is pretending to be the god of the region in order to gain worshippers. He is going to orchestrate several large scale attacks by orcs and planar beings. After all, when your city is being attacked by those not native to the plain, who do you turn to? The god of the city and area who holds this planar locattion together, and the power from desperate worshippers is so much stronger than normal. Of course nobody knows about any of this except the god himself. What I think I will add, is the NPC/BBEG going to others like him who *have* joined the church, and offering them the chance to start over as free men, and have them all reject him in favour of the church, having him conclude that they've all been 'corrupted' or 'brainwashed'.
Amalric 06-09-05, 01:35 PM	He's also probably got a big ol' personal vendetta against the god in question. Maybe he's convinced himself that this god is evil and must be destroyed. If this is the case, then the loss of a few human lives is certainly a tragedy, but after all human life is fleeting when balanced against the eternity of the gods. If this god is allowed to survive, untold eons of man will suffer under his thrall. Humankind's only chance for freedom lies in the god's death. Basically, to make an omelet you have to slaughter a few cities full of innocent people. Or something. Another possibility: maybe the city in question is an expansionist power, and if it goes unchecked eventually the whole world may be under this god's power? If that's the case, destroying the city now is almost like nipping this terror in the bud. To follow this idea, maybe the BBEG aligns himself with a neighboring city-state that the god's city is trying to invade - and maybe that neighboring city-state has its own dark practices (armies of zombies, black magic, whatever), but from the BBEG's perspective, they're still a step up from having this god conquer the world.
Morka 06-10-05, 10:30 AM	Like Staline said, "A death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic." It fully suit your BBEG. So basically, you have a BBEG opposing an... evil god? And this evil god is asking his worshipers to make war agaisnt... evil orcs? I love that! 3 evil powers, opposing each other. And some innocent cityzen in between! Here, you got a :cookie:! Yes, I guess the city's god should push his worshipers to attack the nearby orcs & goblins. After all, the best defense is the offense, no? He's going to be a Warmage/Druid/Psion. What about a Prestige Class like Mystic Theurge, but for Divine & Psion? Your BBEG should then be a Druid/Psion/MT, casting higher level spells.
Neo_Leviathan 06-10-05, 11:11 AM	Like Staline said, "A death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic." It fully suit your BBEG. So basically, you have a BBEG opposing an... evil god? And this evil god is asking his worshipers to make war agaisnt... evil orcs? I love that! 3 evil powers, opposing each other. And some innocent cityzen in between! Here, you got a :cookie:! Yes, I guess the city's god should push his worshipers to attack the nearby orcs & goblins. After all, the best defense is the offense, no? Not sure how well that part would work, since the god is going to be also pushing the orcs and outer planes creatures to attack the city.. though on the other hand I guess he *is* a god of Slaughter (in disguise), so he's not really going to care who wins, as long as he ends up with many worshippers. If the humans/'allies' win, they're faith is at an all time high, and he gains power from the slaughter of the 'horde'. If the 'horde' wins then he gains power from the slaughter of the 'allies', and the horde is under orders to imprison the allies, and the faith of desperate captives is strong... hmm... What about a Prestige Class like Mystic Theurge, but for Divine & Psion? Your BBEG should then be a Druid/Psion/MT, casting higher level spells. Oh, thats not the full build, he's going to be a Gestalt Warmage/Druid/Psion/Beastmaster/Mystic Theurge/Arcane Heirophant (yeah, bending a couple of rules...) Basically, we're looking at d8 hit dice, +19 bab, 18th level casting in Warmage, Druid and Psion, *and* a massively advanced Tiger Companion Familiar (that may end up Celestial and Dire as well). If the PCs end up trying to take this guy out, they're going to have.. problems..