PDA

View Full Version : Betrayal Ideas



Balain
2010-05-06, 09:09 PM
Okay here is the situation. We are playing an ongoing campaign. Early on I had a main bad guy picked out and here and there they heard about him. At some point they would encounter an oracle of sorts and be given visions of the big bad guy.

I would have characters made up for them to Role play out the visions. The time has arrived sooner than I would have thought and I don't have all the visions I want yet.

The basic background on the big bad guy. He is an elf that has ended up wanting to kill all humans. He's okay with all the other races (unless they hang out with humans). He has formed an army of all sorts of races except humans. So far from stories they believe he made some sort of pact with a demon or evil god. Why he hates humans so much they don't know yet. Which is where the visions come into play. They would be of various times through out his life.

Ideally each vision should have some form of betrayal, but not totally needed.

here are some rough ideas for the visions so far.

Vision 1: A peace treaty is trying to be formed between elves and humans. War hasn't broken out yet between the 2 groups, but there have been skirmishes. The elf, who as lead some of the skirmishes against the humans is trying to convince his father to not sign any peace treaty with the humans. His sister is on the other side trying to get her father to sign any peace treaty.

Vision 2: The elf is a courtier, his sister is queen, married to a human. He plans to get a group of mercenaries and fight the humans. But first he needs to get his sister out of the castle and any other elves he can. He wants the mercenaries to kill everyone but the elves. The mercenaries who are also human are nothing but rogues and want at the castle treasury. With a way into the castle they betray the elf and enter early killing almost everyone including his sister.

Visions 3: Not sure what I want here yet.

Vision 4: The elf is now an adventurer. After a long final fight, a huge amount of treasure is found. The thief in the party is a human, who tries to steal some of each of the other members share of loot. The elf is furious and attacks the human. any of the other members that try to help the human or stick up for him in any way will also be attacked by the elf.

Visions 5 or 6: The elf is in an adventuring party with a tiefling, some other character and 2 or 3 humans. It's actually a trap. he is leading the humans to be sacrificed to make a pact with a demon, He wants to slaughter as many humans as he can.


So I need some ideas for one or two more visions. They need to have a few different characters so each player can role play through the visions.

if anyone could help get the creative juices flowing again That would cool. I'm off to go watch some movies, maybe get some ideas.

Ubercaledor
2010-05-06, 10:04 PM
Some good ideas.

So is the concept to explain why he hates humans? It seems as though you're trying to make the characters sympathetic, is that what you're aiming for? That he becomes a sort of "gollum" character that is a sad tragedy that must be dealt with rather than a "card-carrying" evil?

That's personally what I like to do, and I think you've made some head-way, but one thing you're lacking is what I call "Frustrated redemption", which can be 2-directional.

For example: The villain entreats the human society diplomatically. He wants them to admit fault and in some way repent on their wrong-doings. He offers them to call a 'cease-fire' while the situation is resolved. He shows up unarmed after long discussions with no help, only to be ambushed and imprisoned while the remainder of his militia forces are round up and executed.

and/or, in contrast: (this one would fit in early, while he still regarded humans with some level of respect) He has a trusted advisor/friend who is human, that he considers to be trancendant of the rest of the race, and he begins to realise that not all humans are so bad. In a human city, they are accosted by some bandits and the villain's friend is murdered. After the struggle, the guards find him with the body of his friend. These guards are used to fighting elves and are slightly Xenophobic, so rather than investigate, they blame the villain for the murder and apprehend him. He is greif-stricken and angry that the guards won't listen to him. So he kills them both and flees the city, swearing never to return.

Does that help?

The concept is to show that he has made attempts to in some way forgive the humans, but he was rejected and betrayed at every step.

Balain
2010-05-07, 11:04 AM
Thanks, that did help