Exemplars of Evil

CHAPTER 1
GREAT
VILLAINS
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minion is one level lower (or one Challenge Rating lower)
than the previous minion.
Dead Lackeys: Lackeys are weaker than minions, and villains
expect to go through them more quickly. For each week
that a villain spends recruiting (or enslaving), she can regain
a number of lackeys equal to 1d6 + her Cha modifier.
INTRODUCING A VILLAIN
Armed with a fully fleshed-out villain, you are just about
ready to send him after the player characters. However, while
you have established all the details and honed the mechanics,
you cannot simply drop your bad guy into the game: It is crucial
to give him a proper introduction. Sure, having him lurk
in the shadows, send minions after the PCs, and make their
lives miserable from a distance is fun, but the first meeting
with a villain establishes his unique relationship with the
PCs and sets the stage for all the encounters down the road.
As such, it should be special. Consider using or adapting any
of the following methods of introduction.
FORESHADOWING
The easiest way to introduce a villain is to establish his character
and nature before he comes onto the scene. The PCs
might pick up a few pieces of information while dredging for
rumors in a tavern, or they might stumble across a dead lackey
while exploring the city’s streets. Worse, the adventurers
could encounter the villain’s handiwork, and particularly in
the case of a disturbing villain (see page 7), the unsettling
scene could fan the fires of hatred early on.
Example: For days, the player characters move through a
veritable forest of corpses impaled on spikes. On each victim’s
forehead is a strange sigil: a coiled serpent devouring an orb.
When the PCs reach the next village, they find it has been all
but burned to the ground. By interviewing the few survivors,
they discover that the cruel warlord Roderick the Bloody has
passed through these lands in search of his missing wife.
HERO-MADE VILLAINS
Player characters step on toes. They fight in the defense of the
poor and downtrodden, brave horrid subterranean depths,
expose and destroy cultists, thwart plots to kill kings, and
try to right many other wrongs. But often, as soon as their
job is done, the PCs move on to their next mission, and the
people they leave behind are stuck cleaning up the mess.
Sometimes the PCs’ exploits can set in motion a disastrous
series of events that result in the creation of a nemesis.
The player characters can encourage the birth of a villain
in a distressing number of ways. They might dishonor or
mistreat a villain-to-be without realizing it. They could make
a bad decision with a ruinous outcome that leaves many folks
craving revenge. The PCs might antagonize a foe on purpose,
never suspecting that they are provoking him into becoming
a lifelong enemy. Or perhaps the minion of a defeated
master villain escapes before the PCs can catch him, and he
now sets his sights on the party. No matter what his origin,
a hero-made villain is memorable because the PCs played a
role in his creation, making him—and his crimes—partly
their responsibility.
Example: Between adventures, the player characters
overhear gossip about a haunted castle a few days to the
north. The locals claim that the place was run by a grim lord
who killed himself in shame when his son was hanged for
being a servant of Erythnul. Sensing that the site might still
hold some treasure, the PCs head off to plunder the castle.
After a few days of butchering goblins and other squatters,
they fill their bags with loot and ride off. However, they
inadvertently awaken the spirit of the dead lord, who is
enraged at the looting of his house. He vows revenge and
calls up a horde of hellish ghosts to help him torment and
punish the thieves.
VILLAINOUS SERVANT
On occasion, you can introduce a villain by having him pose
as a merchant or a servant of the player characters. He might
be a hired companion, a henchman, or an NPC who sells them
magic items or offers healing. This method also works if the
PCs employ a monstrous creature, such as one tied to them
by a planar ally or planar binding spell.
Example: The party has made several forays into an old
dwarf hold that has been overrun by trolls. The locals claim
that the creatures answer to a dreadful witch. Because trolls
are so dangerous, the PCs proceed with care, retreating from
the tunnels to rest and receive healing from a wise woman
at the edge of town. The adventurers do not yet realize that
she is the witch, and that she is assessing their capabilities
so that she can design the perfect trap.
PARTY AS SERVANT
Another twist is to place the party in the service of the
villain. In this approach, the villain hides his motives well,
presenting an agreeable front to ensure that the characters
serve his interests. The PCs might be unwitting pawns, or
they might be the victims of a magical compulsion, such as
a geas, undoubtedly foisted on them by the same villain.
Example: When his nation is attacked by a horde of barbarians
from the ice-capped mountains of the far north, a king
calls upon the PCs to help defend the country. In truth, the
greedy monarch provoked the attack by sending his minions
to steal an heirloom sword, which is said to hold incredible
power and give the wielder command over the barbarians.
ALLY IN DISGUISE
Some villains are born from alliances gone sour. Perhaps a
trusted friend is corrupted, possessed, or misled into opposing
the PCs. On the other hand, the villain might have been
a pretender all along, working with the characters for a time
to study their strengths or gain valuable information.
Depending on your group, you might consider permitting
one of the PCs to be a villain in disguise, or you could tempt
a genuine player character into betraying the rest of the
group. However, this twist is not recommended for parties
of inexperienced players, who need every advantage they
can get, or for newly formed gaming groups, whose players
might take a double-cross personally.
Example: The PCs belong to the Watch Knights, a group
of warriors who guard the border between their own realm
and a land infested by orcs and goblins. While on patrol with
NPC allies, the group is ambushed by the monsters. During
the attack, one of the PCs sees a member of their party run
into the woods after firing a crossbow bolt into the patrol
leader’s neck.