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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
USA
544 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 17:47:53
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I was wondering if anyone out there has ever used some of the 'lesser' villains as main baddies in either an adventure or a campaign. Not the Zhentarim, Cult of the Dragon, or Red Wizards, but rather the Twisted Rune, Arcane Brotherhood, and Cult of the Kraken, to use just three examples.
And while I know there's nothing stopping me from using them as I wish in a campaign, is there any particular reason within the Realms why they haven't expanded outside small local areas? The Rune is in Calimshan, but they look to have so much power (they've got level 20+ undead spellcasters all over!), I have a hard time figuring why they let some bunch of punk Thayans or Zhentarim scare them.
I.e., a dracolich swoops down into a Thayan enclave, bearing a withered lich upon its back. It dismounts and says in a hideous, rasping voice: "Who among ye is master here?"
Proud Red Wizard steps up, warded by his two Thayan Knights: "I am, bony one!"
Lich to Dracolich: "Aurgrauglar, be a fellow, will you?"
Blue Wyrm Dracolich spits lightning. Thayans do the 100,000 volt jig and drop, bearing a striking resemblance to charcoal.
Lich: "NOW, who among ye is master?"
Surviving Thayans, in trembling tones: "You are, master!"
Unless it's Elminster they're scared of. ("Let the northron Zhentarim barbarians face the brunt of the Old Sage's wrath. No reason for us to throw away eternity for pride... We'll establish an empire down here before he or his fool Harpers even notice what we're doing!")
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 18:12:23
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 Excellent, Ardashir, I like it 
I haven't used any "lesser" villains a such, nothing that extends outside of a city, such as a thieves guild (the Night Masks of Westgate). I do intend to use the Emerald Enclave soon though, although I guess they're not quite "lesser" these days. |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 18:15:29
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| Currently using Kaanyr Vhok and the Demonfey. I'm playing Vhok as completely ruthless and not above shielding himself with elven children slaves fully capable of butchering them when they are no longer useful. My players are hot on his trail right now and want to kill him soooo bad. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 18:20:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
Excellent, Ardashir, I like it
I haven't used any "lesser" villains a such, nothing that extends outside of a city, such as a thieves guild (the Night Masks of Westgate). I do intend to use the Emerald Enclave soon though, although I guess they're not quite "lesser" these days.
Druids are villians?  |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 18:23:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Druids are villians?
Ack! I do apologise... i'd started thinking "organizations" over "villains" after recently reading another scroll  |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Edited by - Lord Rad on 03 Dec 2004 18:23:56 |
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Capn Charlie
Senior Scribe
USA
418 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 18:29:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Druids are villians?
That depends wholly on which side of the wood-chopping axe one stands. |
Edited by - Alaundo on 03 Dec 2004 18:37:54 |
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 19:10:13
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here is a short list of some "minor" villains i use in my campaigns:
nijel turnbottem, the "lichie lich":
my "personalized" version differs slightly from the official one. i use him not as a villain but more a "collegue" for one of my pc´s, an undead-hating necromancer. he is aware that nijel is a lich, but he also knows that, as strange as it is, he is not evil. the two have an ongoing correspondence over many things arcane (giving me a chance to drop spells and plot hooks into the game). the necromancer is aware that nijel can be influenced towards good, or at further least away from evil, giving the character much moral satisfaction. of course there´s always the possibility that nijel turns into a villain. after all, he is a lich... 
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cc/20020401a
aurgloroasa the Sibilant Shadow, a shadow dracolich that lairs beneath the Storm Horns: i just discovered that she´s not covered in the "wyrms of the nort"-series... she has a writeup in "the cult of the dragon", however. none of the players know or even suspect her behind several side-plots, but that may change as the campaign continues. at the moment she is one reason why several of the powerful allies the party knows behave relatively passive (i.e. don´t support them the way they could due to their "power-level"): they are occupied with countering plot after plot and still don´t know who´s behind them. as with nijel, augloroasa is more a tool to drive the story than a real foe.
oblivion, priest of malar
one of the critical threats from dungeon magazine (can´t remember the issue #). he killed one of the pc´s, which lead to a sidetreck in which the pc´s had to travel into the abyss to get the soul of their comrade back. he´s a story-tool but may one day become an enemy that the players can kill (and it´s guaranteed they´ll enjoy it!).
kyorl oblodra, ex-matron mother of the 3rd house in menzoberranzan: again a part of the story-arc, behind many adventures in another campaign. none suspects her presence (or even her survival), which will change sometime after the party leaves faerun behind and spelljamms the chrystalspheres- she´s a good reason why the party won´t like to return to toril...)
another sideplot:
three evil cults, each one tries to bring their god back: a cult-cell of tharizdun, a bunch of moander-worshippers that want to free the divine part of their god that was trapped under hunters down (see volos guide to the dalelands), and a group that wants to free a banished demon (turaglas the eternal hunger, covered in dragon #312). those three will soon get to know the presence of each other, and start trying to manipulate each other. some of them the pc´s already met or learned of.
there are several other minor villains that play only minor roles in different story- arcs: a red wizard of thay in disguise maintains tilvertons (1370 dr) cementary, an ancient vampire that got freed from an old netherese dungeon under the anauroch is still hunted by a doomguide of kelemvor (solo adventure), a self-invented small village at the southeastern border of the anauroch (between the rivers, see map) that the zhentarim use as trading outpost (and where said vampire will arrive soon, leading to a convoluted mess of an intrigue ), the beholders of ooltul, and several others.
all those can be called "minor" villains, because they are only sparsely covered in canon lore. |
Edited by - tauster on 03 Dec 2004 19:19:56 |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 19:56:59
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quote:
And while I know there's nothing stopping me from using them as I wish in a campaign, is there any particular reason within the Realms why they haven't expanded outside small local areas? The Rune is in Calimshan, but they look to have so much power (they've got level 20+ undead spellcasters all over!), I have a hard time figuring why they let some bunch of punk Thayans or Zhentarim scare them.
The sourcebooks describe a status quo situation, but what's actually going on is a continual cut-and-thrust of manoeuvre and intrigue -- one that takes place over decades and is bound by pacts, threats, magical constraints, long-term considerations, side-deals, behind-the-scenes peacemaking, and so on that contribute to a situation of relative inertia and stability. Brute might-at-art is nothing to the social and economic infrastructures and local knowledge and potential alliances organizations have on their own turf. Also, the mentality of Faerűnwide conflict is a modern-Earth idea -- despite 3E's proliferating portals, the Realms is much more local than 21st-century Westerners can easily imagine.
Most of the published organizations are relatively well known to those who know about such things. There are many, many more that are genuinely 'lesser'. |
Edited by - Faraer on 03 Dec 2004 19:57:47 |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 22:59:33
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Ardashir, The Twisted Rune hasn't expanded outside Calimshan is because they don't need to. As you have said, they are a cabal of high level liches and they don't want to dominate. If The Twisted Rune wanted to take over the Empire of Calimshan, they could have done it a long, long time ago. Right now, they control half the noble families in Calimshan and has a skeletal hand in the businesses of the nation. The liches are doing this for amusement, for they have no real wish to be known and rule a nation. Secrecy is their best defense for hardly anyone even knows about them.
The members of this organization aren't scared of Thayans or Zhents. They just don't want to start a war with them, for the they know that it wouldn't be profitable and would just get them exposed to the public. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2004 : 23:38:15
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quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
Ardashir, The Twisted Rune hasn't expanded outside Calimshan is because they don't need to. As you have said, they are a cabal of high level liches and they don't want to dominate. If The Twisted Rune wanted to take over the Empire of Calimshan, they could have done it a long, long time ago. Right now, they control half the noble families in Calimshan and has a skeletal hand in the businesses of the nation. The liches are doing this for amusement, for they have no real wish to be known and rule a nation. Secrecy is their best defense for hardly anyone even knows about them.
The members of this organization aren't scared of Thayans or Zhents. They just don't want to start a war with them, for the they know that it wouldn't be profitable and would just get them exposed to the public.
Well now hang on here because there are some agents of the Rune in Tethyr. :) Yes thier main base is Calimshan but they are also have agents in Amn and Tethyr. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2004 : 01:37:50
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kuje, yes The Twisted Rune does have agents outside of Calimshan, but they are only simple lackeys and thugs. Most of them probably don't even know who their real employer is.
My real point in that post was to explain that the Twisted Rune haven't "expanded" because they don't want to, not because they don't have the ability to do so. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2004 : 02:12:56
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quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
kuje, yes The Twisted Rune does have agents outside of Calimshan, but they are only simple lackeys and thugs. Most of them probably don't even know who their real employer is.
My real point in that post was to explain that the Twisted Rune haven't "expanded" because they don't want to, not because they don't have the ability to do so.
Has to disagree that they are just "simple lackeys and thugs" and that "they don't know who thier employer is" when some of them are nobles and the like. Two of them are drow who are husband and wife and the wife in 2e was a 13th fighter/12th wizard. And Empires of the Shining Sea says 30 of the 100 agents DO know who they are working for. But er and the Rune has expanded into Amn and Tethyr, that was my point. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 04 Dec 2004 02:22:04 |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2004 : 05:55:11
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| I have not looked at the Twisted Rune section of the Empires of the Shining Sea. The information I used to base my assumptions and what I had posted was all from Lord of Darkness. In LoD, it said that the Twisted Rune likes to manipulate lackeys into working for them who don't know who their true employers are. Sometimes tehy even hire good adventurers to do tasks for them and scry on them. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2004 : 06:17:44
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quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
I have not looked at the Twisted Rune section of the Empires of the Shining Sea. The information I used to base my assumptions and what I had posted was all from Lord of Darkness. In LoD, it said that the Twisted Rune likes to manipulate lackeys into working for them who don't know who their true employers are. Sometimes tehy even hire good adventurers to do tasks for them and scry on them.
Aye but the 2e material is better flushed out. :) Any how lets drop this because it gets even more off topic. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Gray Richardson
Master of Realmslore
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2004 : 08:24:13
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I have been using the Arcane Brotherhood and Archmage Arklem Greeth in my campaign. I have also used the Kraken Society briefly too. A mysterious aquatic elf agent of the Kraken Society (who is actually a malenti sahuagin) has popped up on occasion to provided needed bits of intel on the Brotherhood to the players... the Kraken Society is actually working to subvert the expansionist plans of the Brotherhood Arcane.
In exchange for helping him to attain lichdom, Greeth has allied with the hosts of hell to bring about the fall of the Silver Marches. He has engineered an alliance between Obould's orcs, Frost Giants from the Spine of the World, Aboleths, Phaerimm and legions of Baatezu (gated in by Maraenoloths) to unite as an army to lay siege to Silverymoon.
This campaign has taken my players from Waterdeep to Silverymoon into the Underdark and across the North to Neverwinter, Luskan, the City of Glass on the Elemental Plane of Water, the Greycloak Hills and many places in between. This campaign has entertained my players for going on 2 years trying to defeat the machinations of the Brotherhood.
I have found the Lords of Darkness supplement to be an invaluable aid along the way, and have had the players run across quite a few of the organizations in there during the course of their adventures. I go back and mine it for information and ideas quite a bit. |
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Deverien Valandil
Seeker
73 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2004 : 21:11:19
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I'm not sure if these guys count as 'lesser villains', but an FR story I'm currently writing involves the Night Parade (freaky-ass monsters that kidnap children) and the Knights of the Shield (sneaky-ass nobles who try to gain power through political and economic methods).
I'll admit that it also involves the Zhentarim, but they play a very, very minor role. |
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Lina
Senior Scribe
Australia
469 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2004 : 10:23:36
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It's not in my nature to be a villian. Everytime I try to play as one I end up being a goody-goody as it makes gameplay easier (people don't hate you as much so you get favours from people without having to resort to blackmail). Well that's just me. |
“Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows! Buried in the flow of time. In thy great name. I pledge myself to darkness. All the fools who stand in our way shall be destroyed…by the power you and I possess! DRAGON SLAVE!!!”
"Thieves? Ah, such an ugly word... look upon them as the most honest sort of merchant."
-Oglar the Thieflord |
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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
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The Other Villains
