3.5 Custom Game with modules

[MaxMAnAtArms]

Im running a game where the party works/quests from a singular town which grows based on there actions or changes on who they help or assit. One thing i have made clear is that the normal citazens/merchants/guards do not like the mayor and his elite knights who guard his home and overwatch them all. Merchants hide gold and platnium and when asked they are very worried about the EK and mayor finding out. ive hinted at a past event that has happened to the town when it was first founded and why high end coins are secreted away

My big issue im trying to figure out what to make the Mayor into offically. I have the knights stated out and the guard captain rigged up just trying to figure out what would be the best sort of "monster" the mayor to possible be. ive thought of dragon or some sort of "illsion" made from a lich or vamp and etc. Anyone have any suggestions for Rich wealth seeking monsters that could either change shape or use magic to look human?

[zlefin]

what's wrong with just having an evil human?
aside from that I think you've already thought of the best choices yourself.

[Mike Miller]

Im running a game where the party works/quests from a singular town which grows based on there actions or changes on who they help or assit. One thing i have made clear is that the normal citazens/merchants/guards do not like the mayor and his elite knights who guard his home and overwatch them all. Merchants hide gold and platnium and when asked they are very worried about the EK and mayor finding out. ive hinted at a past event that has happened to the town when it was first founded and why high end coins are secreted away

My big issue im trying to figure out what to make the Mayor into offically. I have the knights stated out and the guard captain rigged up just trying to figure out what would be the best sort of "monster" the mayor to possible be. ive thought of dragon or some sort of "illsion" made from a lich or vamp and etc. Anyone have any suggestions for Rich wealth seeking monsters that could either change shape or use magic to look human?

I like dragon as the answer. Making a custom Mimic would be rather amusing. It depends somewhat on the tone of the campaign. A Mindflayer could work behind the scenes, controlling a human mayor.

[Crake]

Any dragon with at least level 5 sorcerer casting can take the alternate form feat to give them the ability to take humanoid shape, so dragon's not a bad one, rakshasa are great "economic" villains, lawful evil fits the bill, strong spellcasting, ability to change shape, all slapped onto an outsider chassis, and also the ability to detect thoughts as an Su ability (so no hostile tingle if you pass the save, they can keep prying for days).

[MaxMAnAtArms]

I have a general idea for what he is or will be as its a literal "middle of nowhere" and other moduels ive taked on howling horde a dark knight etc. have helped form the area around the town some. So I wanna thank you all for the ideas as well as the suggestions for possible classes/monster thoughts.

[Quertus]

and also the ability to detect thoughts as an Su ability (so no hostile tingle if you pass the save, they can keep prying for days).

... What? Are you saying that if it's "Su" (as opposed to "Sp" or a spell), that you don't notice making a save?

[the_david]

I'd usually start by figuring out the why, and then I go from there. That usually goes much better than going with some random plot and figuring out the villain's motivation and species mid game.
So for example, I'd come up with a hybrid deep one cleric who worships a mythic horned devil because he'd rather go to hell than lose his humanity, while his brother is trying to wake up the elder deep one that is currently sleeping in the bay. Because, you know, that's what deep ones do. From there I'd just start filling the world with devils who are preparing the world for an invasion. (More of a pathfinder thing. Horned devils can become Malebranche by conquering a planet on the material plane.)

As for greedy villains, dragons are the stereotype, but would any dragon impersonate a mayor for monetary gains? I'd say he'd aim a little higher than that. The Golarion campaign setting had 2 dragons that both ruled a country while disguised as human.
Dwarves/duergar can get pretty greedy too, just read the Volsung saga. They pretty much bash each other's heads in for gold. Ofcourse, the gold was cursed so that might qualify as mitigating circumstances. Funny thing, dvergr had shapechanging abilities in mythology. The Volsung saga had them transform into a fish, an otter and a dragon. They also turned to stone in direct sunlight, but that was a rather permanent transformation and not very useful, except as garden decorations.
And ofcourse humans. Humans are greedy. What if it's just a human disguised as the mayor?

Edit: I forgot about doppelgangers. They can transform into humans.
A mercane is all about the money, so it wouldn't be to farfetched. I'd never use a mercane in that way though. They can't transform into humans either.
What if the mayor is feeding gold and platinum to his pet aurumvorax? You know, the one he wants to kill so he can wear that luxurious golden pelt.