Hi all! I'm needing some ideas/advice. I've not really written any campaigns before but I'm wanting to. I'm still early on with the writing, but I'm struggling to figure out who I want the BBEG to be or their motive. I don't plan on have EVERYTHING planned out for the campaign but I think having an idea of where it could be heading could help me figure out some of the stuff along the way.
I'm going to do a short version of what I've got planned then go further into what I'm needing help with.
The party was hired to safely deliver gifts to the leaders or people of influence of 4 or 5 towns, unbeknownst to the party the gifts were cursed in some way. The party had started figuring things out and the BBEG's plan, but before they could do anything they were "poisoned". Whoever poisoned them didn't want to kill them/ didn't side with the BBEG/ maybe wasn't paid enough or for whatever reason didn't kill them and instead gave them something to put them in a deep sleep and forget the last x# of months. So when the party wakes up they know who they were and their backgrounds, but not who would try to kill them or why, so they find clues and retrace their steps to figure things back out.
I'm planning that each of the towns they visited having some sort of problem that was caused by the cursed gifts that they also have to solve/fix as well, but my biggest problem is I don't know who to have as a BBEG or their motive. I thought maybe the BBEG should be one of the leaders, and their cursed item is a red haring but idk if I like that. I also thought that maybe the BBEG is an underrated person (like a random wizard or lich or something) but then what's the motive. I thought maybe the BBEG is wanting power and take over the towns, but if that's the case they would probably just try to kill the leaders not just curse them. So what does the BBEG gain for send out these cursed items?
Cursed items and poisons sounds like your typical Hag/Hag Coven activities. Depending on the type of Hags you choose their sole reason might be just to cause a bit of chaos and in a generation or two their plans come to fruition and the notable families they cursed start giving birth to Hexblooded children that are naturally inclined to aiding the Hags. Their plans are long term corruption of the families so as not to draw too much attention, the party were merely a means to an end and the Hags may even have alter-egos/identities in those towns as merchants, peddlars, wise women/faith healers etc so you can have lots of investigations, hide and seek and general shifty shenannigans for the party to look into.
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Without knowing the specific details of your campaign world, my initial thought was to have your BBEG be some sort of fey noble that resides (or rules) in the nearby area…
Perhaps, the fey noble was offended/insulted in some way by the leaders of these 4-5 towns, such as not being included on the invitation list of some major celebrations between those townships. Whatever the reason for the offense, the fey noble wants revenge on those who insulted them. Although not necessarily deadly, the cursed items bring chaos and misfortune. The leaders and by extension their citizens suffer until the fey noble feels avenged (or some heroes step in to rectify the situation).
Maybe the one who poisoned the party and wiped their memory was another fey creature or minion of the fey lord’s court? The intent of the memory theft might have been maligned, so the party couldn’t repair the discord they helped sow. Or, maybe the memory theft was meant to be beneficial, so the party wasn’t haunted by their deeds.
Could use similar concept with creatures, such as fiends and undead. However, I went with a fey creature first since it allows some more flexibility with morals and ethics (versus a more obvious evil intent from a demon or lich, as examples).
I would spend time thinking on why the BBEG is motivated to send the cursed items around. Most villany can be chalked up to the pursuit of power, wealth, hate, revenge, or survival but those aren't the only motives. Maybe the BBEG is doing all this because they believe they serve the greater good and their actions are just a means to an end. You could play the angle that the BBEG has a noble goal in mind but is willing to pursue it at any cost including villany. Or, the BBEG motivation could just be pure random chaos like the Joker or maybe Lloth, which can be really scary simply because nobody can wrap their minds around their motiviations...instigating chaos purely for chaos's sake...
As far as 'who' the BBEG is...maybe it's not a single BBEG (the Scream movie). It could be multiple or even a member of the party, NPC, or a close ally (think Mr. Glass in Unbreakable).
You could go for someone who is not a BBEG but the party just think there is something bigger afoot. Take a waundering priest of Beshaba (CE Goddess of MIsfortune, Accidents, Bad Luck and Random Mischief) and have them going around the world dishing out cursed items which they view as "Blessings".
To the Priests eyes they are doing good by sharing the bounty of the Goddess but to the world at large these "blessings" range from petty annoyances upwards; random adventurer finds a cursed item but loses something in turn, farmers with an item find crops failing, merchants find their fortunes dwindle, local lords find the populations become more unruly etc.
If the party is posioned and lose time/memories then that was just an fortunate/unfortunate side effect and a blessing of Beshaba.
Hi all! I'm needing some ideas/advice. I've not really written any campaigns before but I'm wanting to. I'm still early on with the writing, but I'm struggling to figure out who I want the BBEG to be or their motive. I don't plan on have EVERYTHING planned out for the campaign but I think having an idea of where it could be heading could help me figure out some of the stuff along the way.
I'm going to do a short version of what I've got planned then go further into what I'm needing help with.
The party was hired to safely deliver gifts to the leaders or people of influence of 4 or 5 towns, unbeknownst to the party the gifts were cursed in some way. The party had started figuring things out and the BBEG's plan, but before they could do anything they were "poisoned". Whoever poisoned them didn't want to kill them/ didn't side with the BBEG/ maybe wasn't paid enough or for whatever reason didn't kill them and instead gave them something to put them in a deep sleep and forget the last x# of months. So when the party wakes up they know who they were and their backgrounds, but not who would try to kill them or why, so they find clues and retrace their steps to figure things back out.
I'm planning that each of the towns they visited having some sort of problem that was caused by the cursed gifts that they also have to solve/fix as well, but my biggest problem is I don't know who to have as a BBEG or their motive. I thought maybe the BBEG should be one of the leaders, and their cursed item is a red haring but idk if I like that. I also thought that maybe the BBEG is an underrated person (like a random wizard or lich or something) but then what's the motive. I thought maybe the BBEG is wanting power and take over the towns, but if that's the case they would probably just try to kill the leaders not just curse them. So what does the BBEG gain for send out these cursed items?
If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them.
Cursed items and poisons sounds like your typical Hag/Hag Coven activities. Depending on the type of Hags you choose their sole reason might be just to cause a bit of chaos and in a generation or two their plans come to fruition and the notable families they cursed start giving birth to Hexblooded children that are naturally inclined to aiding the Hags. Their plans are long term corruption of the families so as not to draw too much attention, the party were merely a means to an end and the Hags may even have alter-egos/identities in those towns as merchants, peddlars, wise women/faith healers etc so you can have lots of investigations, hide and seek and general shifty shenannigans for the party to look into.
Without knowing the specific details of your campaign world, my initial thought was to have your BBEG be some sort of fey noble that resides (or rules) in the nearby area…
Perhaps, the fey noble was offended/insulted in some way by the leaders of these 4-5 towns, such as not being included on the invitation list of some major celebrations between those townships. Whatever the reason for the offense, the fey noble wants revenge on those who insulted them. Although not necessarily deadly, the cursed items bring chaos and misfortune. The leaders and by extension their citizens suffer until the fey noble feels avenged (or some heroes step in to rectify the situation).
Maybe the one who poisoned the party and wiped their memory was another fey creature or minion of the fey lord’s court? The intent of the memory theft might have been maligned, so the party couldn’t repair the discord they helped sow. Or, maybe the memory theft was meant to be beneficial, so the party wasn’t haunted by their deeds.
Could use similar concept with creatures, such as fiends and undead. However, I went with a fey creature first since it allows some more flexibility with morals and ethics (versus a more obvious evil intent from a demon or lich, as examples).
I would spend time thinking on why the BBEG is motivated to send the cursed items around. Most villany can be chalked up to the pursuit of power, wealth, hate, revenge, or survival but those aren't the only motives. Maybe the BBEG is doing all this because they believe they serve the greater good and their actions are just a means to an end. You could play the angle that the BBEG has a noble goal in mind but is willing to pursue it at any cost including villany. Or, the BBEG motivation could just be pure random chaos like the Joker or maybe Lloth, which can be really scary simply because nobody can wrap their minds around their motiviations...instigating chaos purely for chaos's sake...
As far as 'who' the BBEG is...maybe it's not a single BBEG (the Scream movie). It could be multiple or even a member of the party, NPC, or a close ally (think Mr. Glass in Unbreakable).
Just my $0.02.
Aut Inveniam Viam Aut Faciam (Find a way or make one) - Hannibal Allegedly
Lessons learned in blood are not soon forgotten. - Clyde Shelton
The truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is and you must bow to it's power or live a lie. -Miyamoto Musashi
You could go for someone who is not a BBEG but the party just think there is something bigger afoot. Take a waundering priest of Beshaba (CE Goddess of MIsfortune, Accidents, Bad Luck and Random Mischief) and have them going around the world dishing out cursed items which they view as "Blessings".
To the Priests eyes they are doing good by sharing the bounty of the Goddess but to the world at large these "blessings" range from petty annoyances upwards; random adventurer finds a cursed item but loses something in turn, farmers with an item find crops failing, merchants find their fortunes dwindle, local lords find the populations become more unruly etc.
If the party is posioned and lose time/memories then that was just an fortunate/unfortunate side effect and a blessing of Beshaba.
This sounds to me like an elaborate revenge plot.