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View Full Version : Villain help? Characterizing a Kumiho swashbuckler



MonkeySage
2015-05-17, 09:52 PM
The villain in question is an undead kitsune, that sates it's hunger by eating the hearts and livers of humanoids.

He creates a fascade of shyness and frailty to lull his victims into a false sense of security. He's actually a ruthless killer and a formidable fighter. He hates all forms of life, but particularly despises his own living kin.

In the day, he's a tradesman, a member of a sea bound merchant company, which is convenient as it means that he can keep his trail cold.

At the moment, he's stranded, his only company being the adventuring party, which includes a curious, chaotic good kitsune sorceress. They believe he's just an innocent, lost in a strange land.

I am worried that I'll end up loosing his secret too soon, I had some pretty big plans for him later, and just wanted to introduce him to the party.

TurboGhast
2015-05-20, 08:16 AM
This character seems like you might need to just plain have different personalities based on whether the secret is out. In order for the secret not to come out quickly he's going to have to act against what he would normally do. He will have to hide his hatred for other kitsunes in the first appearance scene, or only have it appear subtly e. g. a glare at the kitsune sorceress.

MonkeySage
2015-05-20, 11:30 AM
I think his real personality is probably somewhere around axe crazy and sadistic.

Necrus Philius
2015-05-20, 01:24 PM
This is easy enough, you just said he has a shy facade correct? Turn it into a full on mask. Make this guy likeable so they don't WANT to think he's a villain. Give him a sob backstory where his family was killed by (insert hated race here). Make him shy away from contact with the kitsune because of it. It'll also explain any mean things that slip out from his mask. She may even decide to try to atone, and then your climax on his reveal can be a heart rending moment where they must defeat him to save him from his anger.

Or are you just afraid of him laying all his cards on the table and getting killed?

Vitruviansquid
2015-05-20, 01:44 PM
I don't see the dilemma here. You appear to have gotten his motivation, methods, and backstory down quite well. What exactly do you need help characterizing?