Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sphyre 11-20-06, 09:07 PM	I always seem to be quite inspired by reading what others have done on the forums. In fact, the forums here are one of the biggest source of my DM inspiration. I love reading about traps, rooms, scenarios, PCs, etc and it inspires me to create some really fun adventures for my players. That being the case I wanted to pitch what I'm currently cooking up for my players. I figure any responses should be able to help me make more decisions on how I'm going to play this out. Currently I'm running a campaign in which my players were actually planeshifted to someplace that's completely different than their home. This area is full of magic, power, wealth and skill. Because of it there's a lot of struggle in the area, and the PCs have been trying to find a lead on getting back to their home. They have followed a few leads, and are trying to get in touch with a group of mages that they beleive to be present in there, despite the fact that people say they died out a long time ago. They met one of the mages back on their home plane, and this plane was the home plane of the mages, so that's their lead for now.... Anyway, the PCs have been making use of their time mostly by being self motivated. When they come by someone in distress they take that tangent, and then when that's finished they go back to trying to figure out how to get home, each time getting one step closer. Ok, sorry for the long background, here's the real meat and potatoes. I've decided since many villians tend to send people out to do their dirty work and rarely get their hands soiled themselves, I want to make an enemy that does exactly this. An evil aligned Beguiler. He stalks the party from the shadows, sends anyone that submits to his mindtricks to thwart them, and when personally assaulted, uses a golem or 2 to defend himself. I'm also thinking that he wants something the PCs have, be it an item or more likely... information. The PCs are looking for a group of mages that supposedly died out a long time ago... wouldn't that seem quite odd? More-so, the same group of mages were the one who enchanted the continent that they are on with such a powerful enchantment that everyone knows about these days. While i have a base idea here, I'd really like to flesh this villian out, and possibly make him a running villian throughout the whole campaign, even though the PCs goals are something completely different. So may I hear suggestions/stories about villians that are similar to this? Indulge yourself in your memories of a villian you really liked who didn't quite take the center stage.. I'd like to hear them :)
kelvinaw273 11-20-06, 10:01 PM	There are a LOT of ways of creating this kind of enemy ... Boxing Shadows One of the best kinds of foe is that which works through proxies. He doesn;'t just coerce others, he hires them, tricks them and manipulates them into doing what he wants. He keeps his identity secret and often hides behind a disguise. For example, your Beguiler is the BBEG; he is running a crime syndicate through the local thieves guild, and this is how the PCs have encountered them first. There is also a revolt in the kingdom against the ruler, supposedly against unfair taxes. The Beguiler is behind this, too, and this plot will be assisted by the agents of another kingdom. The PCs will find a helpful friend in court with a courtier/councilor to the ruler who will assist them in finding evidence, tracing the links and trying to get the ruler to repeal the unfair law. In the end the plot is uncovered and war is declared. The PCs discover an assassination plot from a third kingdom against their own ruler, and thwart it, and the war spreads ... now the PCs have found out there is some kind of evil mastermind behind the wars, the intrigue and the coups. They know that there is somebody manipulating events, but who and why? Eventually a plot succedes, the ruler of their land is murdered, his children vanish and their ally in court is elected ruler by default ... and of course, it is them all the time! They are eventually revealed to be the foe that the charcters have been boxing shadows with, and only some very clever work by the PCs or some sheer dumb luck reveals it. Now all they have to do is put everything right! And so on, until they finally discover that their 'ally'
SerraAdvocate 11-20-06, 11:38 PM	Well... interesting. My encounters with BBEG are generally fun, so you should make it an interesting fight when it gets too it. I had a character i called Charyn, and he was a totally demented man, who was a mass murderer. Great Guy. Anyway, he was hanged, and i went 'huh, what can i do here?' A Morhg of course!:D Anyway, thats what i'm running right now, and the cleric virtually swore when he saw that tongue lengthening. Let them suspect, let them attack, let them guess all they want, but don't reveal it until the time is right. When they think they know, the PC's get complacent. When they are all ready for a big fight with the King's Advisor, they won't be ready for an attack by the rogues on a rooftop across the river. When you want to continuea storyline, i would make him dissapear. Then, he slowly comes back. ~Serra
rjjr71 11-20-06, 11:47 PM	I used an aranea (MM) for a lower-level BBEG. THrow in a few levels of rogue or sorcerer and you have a potent combatant, intelligent, manipulative, secretive, able to walk among human(-oids). THe one I used was the leader of a smuggling ring who had some corrupt town guards working for him (even they didn't know what he actually was!)
Cyresss 11-21-06, 09:13 AM	I've always been fascinated with this type of villian and love to use it when ever possible. Some thoughts on this scenerio... If he wants information and is truly manipulative, he might approach the Pc's with a story that he too is looking for these mages and want's to help them in their quest if he too can get to meet them. He could then give them the "information" he has( this being all made up and a ruse to get them to trust him". He could also ask them to go get this or that saying it will help him with his research into the location and identity of these mages. Having him act as their patron and or confidant will allow him to more completely charm and betray them. I have even had this kind of villian send the pc's against his own minions to build trust. So long as the minions and the party don't know he's pulling all the strings. Just make sure that he is played intellegently and he can provide many many sessions of play! :) Good luck