Creating an Intresting Plot or Villain for your Campaign

[Phantom's Eye]

Ah i wanted to post this after getting some help on the two threads I have posted up a week ago. My first post was about the concept of a NPC or a player character creating a angel or angel avatar. I wanted to know if it was possible without just hand-waving it. The second post i have posted was about getting into 4th edition as either a dungeon master or a player.

I've decided to pickup DMING in 4th edition and i wanted to create a good overarching villain and use the above concept in my story. After racking my brain i created two scenarios to use for the main story that I'm not sure how to go about it.

The plot is making the good player characters into the bad guys.

Here is the main plot/idea: A former king stripped from his power and throne by a evil necromancer lich who overthrew him and now seeks aid from the adventurers to help he reclaim his kingdom. He doesn't care how long it would take but he wanted to free his people, slay evil, and of course reclaim his throne. He promises the adventurers whatever they wanted that is within reason.

The adventurers for their own reasons agree to help the fallen king in his quest and start their adventure of slaying the lich overlord. When they travel to the land of the overlord they combat the hordes of darkness, slay the evil lords that ruled over land, and horror strikes as they have to combat a angel corrupted by the evil overlord. After combating the angel and countless of battles they made their way to evil overlord.

The Adventurers recount all their deeds, slaying the evil lords, mercy-killing the corrupted angel, freeing the fallen kings men, and now they were finally ready to kill the evil overlord. This is where I'm stuck well not stuck just not sure how to proceed.

Here is one way

After a fierce battle the overlord kneeling asks a request to the adventurers, to spare his men, and he will surrender to them.

The adventurers more then likely confused by this small act of compassion will ask why should they listen to his request. As he has slay countless of men, stripped the king of all of his power, and imprisoned the human race in the king land. The evil overlord replies saying that he did no such thing as he free the land from tyranny from the former king as he ruled with a iron fist.

He ruled with fear, showed no remorse for his enemies, and killed many innocent people. The ''evil overlord'' saw this and decided that it he will overthrow the king. He started from a town and taught the locals about necromancer to bring back the dead using willing spirits to defend themselves from the king's men. He personally went to town to town freeing them from the lords that ruled them. The town's people grateful to him pledge their allegiance to him. With their help they marched to the kingdom and overthrew their king.

The people of the former king land proclaimed the evil overlord as their new good king. He leads the kingdom into a brighter future. The former king gathered allies from neighboring kingdoms proclaiming that the lich took over his land and now plans to overtake the entire land. The allied forces attack the overlord's kingdom and it's people but the people fought back using everything their king has taught them.

The overlord sensing that he cannot protect his entire kingdom and wanted to show that he was good he created a angel to be this. The embodiment of justice, hope, and protection. (This backfires as they saw her a slave to his will.)

The Eternal Kingdom (the overlord kingdom) prevailed as the others feared his power and left the kingdom untouched for many years until now.

The Adventurers believing the overlord and his words now seek out the former king for using them. As the former king disappeared into the shadows, with help from the overlord they find the king, and finally end him for good. The question now is what should they do next?

This is one way

[Phantom's Eye]

The Second option is:

The Adventurers after their countless of deeds slaying the evil lords that ruled over the land free it's people, mercy-killing the corrupted angel, they finally made their way to the overlord.

After a fierce battle they managed to kill the overlord and his loyal subjects. The death of the overlord and restoring the former king to his rightful throne they lead the land to a brighter future...or so they thought. After a few years/months the adventurers are tasked with cleansing a temple that worshiped the evil overlord. The Adventurers agreed and make their way to the temple only to find the corpses of the angel and overlord preserved on the alter.

The townspeople still loyal to their beloved king begged them not to harm the temple or their bodies. Of course the adventures think they are still under control of the overlord attempted to kill them but stopped seeing the rest of the people after seeing their faces. Something bothered one of the adventurers, he asked why do they still worship the evil overlord.

The townspeople tell them what the overlord did for them and of course this is shocking to the adventurers. They were used by the king feeling a mixture of emotions they make their way to the king and demand answers. The king answers them and they ''kills'' them.

They managed to survive but now they got an entire kingdom to fight (again). Now there is a third option if they discover the clues and hidden lore s about the main plot if the adventures are smart and lucky enough to stumbled upon them and how they react to them.

I'm on the fence as i like both of them. Anyways, i want to know if you created some interesting villains or plots and if you would mind sharing.
Thank you for your time. If you had tips or advice please do share.

--Phantom's Eye