Brendanicus
2015-05-18, 10:04 AM
So, I'm working on a plot for my game over my summer break, but I've hit a rut.
The villain is a Rakshasi (Not a typo; that's what female Rakshasas are called) who is trying to run an island kingdom into the ground in the most spectacular manner possible. I have a very basic backstory that gets the job done, but it needs more fleshing out if I want her to be a really memorable villain.
Ravani the Rakshasi was summoned by a circle of goblin shamans who lived on the island of Crownglade, 300 years before the events of the game took place. The goblin clans who ruled this land were in deep trouble, as an aspiring human warlord named Amala the Conquerer was doing what anybody called "the Conquerer" does. Goblin tribes were subject of genocide as Amala was rapidly colonizing Crownglade for human settlement.
The goblins needed a strong leader, and Ravani fitted the bill (For sufficient payment and promises of power, of course). However, she was summoned too late to stop the Amala. Ravani was slain personally by the warlord, and the last of the goblins were driven from Crownglade soon after.For some bizarre reason (and this in particular could use fleshing out), Ravani was sent to hell for much longer than most Rakshasis after death, about 230 years, actually. When she finally got back to the Material Plane, he found that the humans of Crownglade have formed a peaceful and prosperous kingdom, ruled by Queen Amala IV (Amala the Conquerer married a Wood Elf). Upon seeing that the brutal warlord had accomplished so much while she had suffered in Hell, Ravani swore revenge on the Amala dynasty and the humans of Crownglade.Being a Rakshasi, Ravani has a lot of tools to manipulate the powerful and all the time she wants to do it. Her first step was Dominating Amala IV, and ordering her to raise taxes stupendously, cut military spending, and quietly forge alliances with the ogre tribe of the neighboring swamp continent.
Phase 2 of her plan was to get as many ogres as possible into Crownglade, in hopes that Amala IV would get blamed for the resulting riots, pillaging, and violence. To do this, Ravani flew into Ogre lands, and proceeded to concoct a plan with the ogres' Oni Chief.
Ravani and the Oni created a fake story of a plague running rampant among the ogres. Oddly enough, the plague only affects ogres, and even then only at night. Ravani would then assume the disguise of a powerful noble, who would hire several trading ships to transport ogres from the swamps to Crowngade as a relief effort.
This is where the party comes in. They were in turn hired by one of the trading ship captains as mercenaries (transporting ogres is risky business).
Once the ogres arrive in the capital city, all hell breaks loose. Seeing as Crownglade's army was weak in the best of times, the ogres overwhelmed the city's defenses and are running loose across the country.
At about this time, the players should be investigating the pot in the countryside. While they are doing so, things have gotten even worse in the capital.
Ravani has hired several wizards from the Mages' Academy through the Queen. These wizards are instructed to use necromancy in order to raise dead ogres as soldiers. This would, in the Queen's worlds, allow Crownglade to quickly raise an army just as strong as the ogres are. Ravani plans to eventually dominate the necromancers. Once they are all under her control, she will assume control of the zombie ogre army, and use it to conduct genocide against all the humans in Crownglade.
Once every human in the country is dead, Ravani plans to execute Amala IV by throwing her into hell.This really needs some fleshing out. Rakshasas typically like the more decadent things in life, so I will keep that in mind, especially given Crownglade's current tax rate. Ravani is something of a functional alcoholic, and usually keeps a bottle of wine on her, even when disguised. That's something of a tell and a distinct quirk, but I feel like I need more. EDIT: Maybe the quirk transfers to those she has dominated? Like the Queen can now typically be found sipping on some wine.
Thanks for tolerating my wall of text, especially because the latter parts were more crunch than fluff. What could be improved on here, and how? Please note that I'm keeping the PC's goals intentionally vague, as they will likely evade Ravani's notice for quite a while.
The villain is a Rakshasi (Not a typo; that's what female Rakshasas are called) who is trying to run an island kingdom into the ground in the most spectacular manner possible. I have a very basic backstory that gets the job done, but it needs more fleshing out if I want her to be a really memorable villain.
Ravani the Rakshasi was summoned by a circle of goblin shamans who lived on the island of Crownglade, 300 years before the events of the game took place. The goblin clans who ruled this land were in deep trouble, as an aspiring human warlord named Amala the Conquerer was doing what anybody called "the Conquerer" does. Goblin tribes were subject of genocide as Amala was rapidly colonizing Crownglade for human settlement.
The goblins needed a strong leader, and Ravani fitted the bill (For sufficient payment and promises of power, of course). However, she was summoned too late to stop the Amala. Ravani was slain personally by the warlord, and the last of the goblins were driven from Crownglade soon after.For some bizarre reason (and this in particular could use fleshing out), Ravani was sent to hell for much longer than most Rakshasis after death, about 230 years, actually. When she finally got back to the Material Plane, he found that the humans of Crownglade have formed a peaceful and prosperous kingdom, ruled by Queen Amala IV (Amala the Conquerer married a Wood Elf). Upon seeing that the brutal warlord had accomplished so much while she had suffered in Hell, Ravani swore revenge on the Amala dynasty and the humans of Crownglade.Being a Rakshasi, Ravani has a lot of tools to manipulate the powerful and all the time she wants to do it. Her first step was Dominating Amala IV, and ordering her to raise taxes stupendously, cut military spending, and quietly forge alliances with the ogre tribe of the neighboring swamp continent.
Phase 2 of her plan was to get as many ogres as possible into Crownglade, in hopes that Amala IV would get blamed for the resulting riots, pillaging, and violence. To do this, Ravani flew into Ogre lands, and proceeded to concoct a plan with the ogres' Oni Chief.
Ravani and the Oni created a fake story of a plague running rampant among the ogres. Oddly enough, the plague only affects ogres, and even then only at night. Ravani would then assume the disguise of a powerful noble, who would hire several trading ships to transport ogres from the swamps to Crowngade as a relief effort.
This is where the party comes in. They were in turn hired by one of the trading ship captains as mercenaries (transporting ogres is risky business).
Once the ogres arrive in the capital city, all hell breaks loose. Seeing as Crownglade's army was weak in the best of times, the ogres overwhelmed the city's defenses and are running loose across the country.
At about this time, the players should be investigating the pot in the countryside. While they are doing so, things have gotten even worse in the capital.
Ravani has hired several wizards from the Mages' Academy through the Queen. These wizards are instructed to use necromancy in order to raise dead ogres as soldiers. This would, in the Queen's worlds, allow Crownglade to quickly raise an army just as strong as the ogres are. Ravani plans to eventually dominate the necromancers. Once they are all under her control, she will assume control of the zombie ogre army, and use it to conduct genocide against all the humans in Crownglade.
Once every human in the country is dead, Ravani plans to execute Amala IV by throwing her into hell.This really needs some fleshing out. Rakshasas typically like the more decadent things in life, so I will keep that in mind, especially given Crownglade's current tax rate. Ravani is something of a functional alcoholic, and usually keeps a bottle of wine on her, even when disguised. That's something of a tell and a distinct quirk, but I feel like I need more. EDIT: Maybe the quirk transfers to those she has dominated? Like the Queen can now typically be found sipping on some wine.
Thanks for tolerating my wall of text, especially because the latter parts were more crunch than fluff. What could be improved on here, and how? Please note that I'm keeping the PC's goals intentionally vague, as they will likely evade Ravani's notice for quite a while.