Villain For Home-Brew Campaign Setting

[S.I.N.26]

Note: I use the names "Vader" and "Mara Jade" in the below villain. They are just code-names right now, so in case any PCs snooping on my computer come across it. I just thought that the "Vader" and "MJ" characters were reminiscient of the ones I'd created.
Also, there is information that requires knowledge of my campaign setting in it, so here's some info.
Cadia: A now defunct nation, once ruled the entire continent, but was split up when a mercenary coallition took over
Knolland: A nation Cadia had conquered before being defeated by the mercenaries.
Redwater: A northern nation, which used to own Northdale (below) but lost it to seperatism.
Northdale:: The northernmost civilized nation. Succeeded from Redwater.
Greycliff: The capitol of Fauchard, a southern mountain nation.
Stahlmen: Dwarves of Fauchard.
I also know some names have been taken from Rich Burlew's Campaign Setting in the "Gaming" section. I don't plan on publishing, so I don't see the harm.
Also, concerning my login name, it stands for "Secret Identity Number 26" not some emo stuff. Just sayin'

Kade Gibson:
Class: Bard
Race: Human
Driving Emotion: Revenge
Reason: Cadia annexed his nation and assimilated them, effectively destroying their culture.
Inspiring Emotion: Anger
Motive: Cadia assimilates Knolland, Kade gets pissed.
Goal: Kill all the surviving Cadians, and recalim his old nation, which is now northern Redwater and southern-central Northdale.
Quirk: Never without Vader or Mara Jade, served in Cadian military
Scale: A defunct people, and two nations (moderate)
Necessities: One or more of the following: powerful nation-specific genocidal ritual, continentally cleansing magic, great seat of authority, spies, powerful scrying magic, must take Greycliff to make use of the Stahlmen’s libraries, must overthrow a government; possibly Greycliff or create own nation, a great army, membership in the noble’s court in either Redwater, Northdale or both.
Obstacles: Needs to find specific magics, has no connection to the ruling class or Noble‘s Court, no army to fight Greycliff, Redwater or Northdale.
Influence: Publicly speaking out against Greycliff to incite rebellions, manipulation, attempting to get a position in the Noble’s Court to incite a war between Redwater and Northdale
Resources:
-Superb Charisma
-Great leadership and manipulation skills
-Power of a 15th-level Bard, with appropriate magic items
-Secretive motives; only his two bodyguards know of his plans
-The tension between all the nations
-Disenchanted peasantry of Greycliff
-Angry Knollanders in Redwater and Northdale
-His bodyguards, a 12th-level Knight and a 12th-level Cleric
Plan:
-Acquire knowledge possessed by the Stahlmen in Greycliff concerning a ritual that will help him destroy the Cadians
-Incite rebellions throughout Fauchard through public rebellious speaking
-Use ensuing chaos to crush Greycliff and overthrow the government
-Gain knowledge of some sort of magics that will wipe out the Cadians
-Do the required steps in order to activate the magics
-Assassinate a minor Noble in Northdale
-Become a servant of the noble, Lord Galt.
-At night, while Lord Galt sleeps, kill him
-Hide the corpse
-Bury the corpse in the tomb of Manning
-Take his place using a Disguise Self spell
-Spark war between Northdale and Redwater
-Convince the remaining Knollanders who are loyal to Knolland to make raids on Redwater or Northdale
-Tell the Noble’s Court in Northdale that the raids are caused by Redwater
-Suggest that Northdale send out a scouting group to investigate the raids
-Kill the scouts

[There is information unwritten here. I need help writing some stuff or any tips on anything]

-Have Vader and Mara attack the scouting party and kill them all a few kilometres into Redwater
-Prove that it was Redwater who killed the scouts
-Use an image spell to create a “survivor” of the scouts that tells the Noble’s Court of the supposed Redwater aggression
-Annex the contested territory and reform Knolland
Boundaries: Will not do anything that will have an adverse effect on the culture of any nation
Personal Threat: Moderately-low. The PCs could likely take him in a fight.
Minion Treatment: He treats them well, although, he is not above stabbing anyone in the back to further his own goals.
Visual Quirk: Prefers Dominate and Charm spells to control innocents as temporary soldiers and bodyguards, and to aid his public speaking, uses a green-and-gold heavy mace, wears mostly green, steel and gold.
Escape Plan: Image spells, invisibility spells, and dominate and charm spells to cause innocents to stop people from chasing him.

I need suggestions, criticism and tips. Thanks.

[S.I.N.26]

Anyone? Help?

[GunMage]

You really don't seem to need any help. This appears to have been well thought out and planned.

If you do actually want help though, you might consider posting something about the P.C.s this villain is opposing.

[Anxe]

So what exactly do you need help with? Seems like you've got everything for that guy.

[S.I.N.26]

The PCs Kade is opposing are:
Captain Shore, a Cadian captain
Norrik, a Cadian soldier
Fjornod, a Westerling (a barbarian tribe that Cadia is fighting)
and Davin, a human from Northdale

I need some more information for his plan to wipe out the Cadians, and something that will actually kill the Cadians (I have no ideas besides the cliched "magical ritual thingy")

[GunMage]

The PCs Kade is opposing are:
Captain Shore, a Cadian captain
Norrik, a Cadian soldier
Fjornod, a Westerling (a barbarian tribe that Cadia is fighting)
and Davin, a human from Northdale

I need some more information for his plan to wipe out the Cadians, and something that will actually kill the Cadians (I have no ideas besides the cliched "magical ritual thingy")

Do these P.C.s have class levels? build specific definitely help here.

[Lapak]

Anyone? Help?As others have asked, do you have any specific requests? You seem to have a good grasp on the villain and his plans and motivations - though 'won't interfere with the culture of existing nations' seems to clash with 'wants to break a chunk out of two neighboring nations to restore a formerly-existing one' a bit. Not to mention 'wipe out an entire ethnic group that has no current political power', which works as revenge but strongly clashes with his apparent desire to avoid Doing Unto Others As Was Done Unto Him. I'd either drop the genocidal plans in favor of going all-out on the nation-building or adjust his boundaries accordingly.

Who are the PCs? Are they already 15th level, or is this a long-term villain who'll be introduced as they level up from 1? Where do you expect them to intersect with his plans - are they part of the scouting party, hirelings of the noble he assassinates, what?

What is the non-player opposition he faces? How will he protect himself while inciting unrest? When does he plan to drop the disguise and how? Does he plan to rule the restored country, or does he have someone else in mind to do so? Do his plans extend at all beyond the re-establishing of traditional political boundaries?

Who is going to providing the magical mojo for his sounds-like-epic spell? Is it an artifact, or a circle of mages, or a sleeping god, or what?

If there are any specific concerns you have, I'd be happy to offer any suggestions I can.

EDIT: So of course you respond while I'm typing up my message. :smallsmile:

Anywho, as far as the ritual for wiping out Cadians goes, as I said: it's easily epic-level. Choosing out a particular group of people and only those people and wiping them out continent-wide is no small undertaking, and he needs a Majorly Magical MacGuffin to provide the juice. Exactly what format that should take should probably take into account the wider flavor of your world. In a setting with ancient history full of mighty wizards, it could be an artifact; in one with an established and meddlesome pantheon, it could be a rogue god; in one with no significant supernatural history he might be using more subtlety and less brute force: magically altering a nasty plague to attack only Cadians somehow, maybe.

[S.I.N.26]

Cap'n: Duelist (homebrew gun-slinger class), level 1
Norrik: Ranger, single sword with archery back up, level 1
Fjornod: Silver Dragon Shaman, level 1
Davin: Rogue, archery build, level 1

[S.I.N.26]

As others have asked, do you have any specific requests? You seem to have a good grasp on the villain and his plans and motivations - though 'won't interfere with the culture of existing nations' seems to clash with 'wants to break a chunk out of two neighboring nations to restore a formerly-existing one' a bit. Not to mention 'wipe out an entire ethnic group that has no current political power', which works as revenge but strongly clashes with his apparent desire to avoid Doing Unto Others As Was Done Unto Him. I'd either drop the genocidal plans in favor of going all-out on the nation-building or adjust his boundaries accordingly.

Who are the PCs? Are they already 15th level, or is this a long-term villain who'll be introduced as they level up from 1? Where do you expect them to intersect with his plans - are they part of the scouting party, hirelings of the noble he assassinates, what?

What is the non-player opposition he faces? How will he protect himself while inciting unrest? When does he plan to drop the disguise and how? Does he plan to rule the restored country, or does he have someone else in mind to do so? Do his plans extend at all beyond the re-establishing of traditional political boundaries?

Who is going to providing the magical mojo for his sounds-like-epic spell? Is it an artifact, or a circle of mages, or a sleeping god, or what?

If there are any specific concerns you have, I'd be happy to offer any suggestions I can.

Right, I agree, I don't know he'll do it without destroying culture.
I figure, he'll get the Knollanders in Redwater and Northdale all into the "new Knolland" I guess? Do you have any suggestions?
I wrote about the PCs earlier. I figure, the noble will hire them, while Kade kills him.
He faces opposition from Fauchard, that's about it. He become part of the Northdale Noble's Court, and Redwater has no knowledge of him. He'll protect himself by either moving around, or keeping his location secret. He'll drop his disguise probably when he reforms Knolland. As far as I have planned, he has the intent to rule New Knolland and no intention to expand in the near future.
Also, I'm trying to avoid the magic-mojo stuff of wiping out the Cadians. Too cliche. I want something interesting. Suggestions?

[GunMage]

I'm curious. Why a level 15 character for the first villain. That seems a bit, well, overkill.
I notice he has an escape plan; do the players have one too?

Also, his goals and resources seem rather powerful. Granted they probably should be, but at this rate you won't be able to have the characters directly interfere with any of his plans for another 11 or 12 levels or so.

What level do you plan on introducing him to the party?

Edit: for killing the cadians, I suggest poisoning their water supply or somesuch.

[S.I.N.26]

About your divine-intervention stuff, Lapak; I'd already decided that the deities never interfere with the world, except through granting Divine spells.
Sort of like the Watchers from Marvel, if you're savvy.

[S.I.N.26]

I'm curious. Why a level 15 character for the first villain. That seems a bit, well, overkill.
I notice he has an escape plan; do the players have one too?

Also, his goals and resources seem rather powerful. Granted they probably should be, but at this rate you won't be able to have the characters directly interfere with any of his plans for another 11 or 12 levels or so.

What level do you plan on introducing him to the party?

I figure at first there'll be no direct conflict. He'll be doing the politcal intrigue parts of his plans, while the PCs maybe deal with rebels in Fauchard and raids on Redwater, instead of him directly. they don't have to stab him to hurt him, if you catch what I'm saying.
EDIT: Cadia doesn't have a water supply. They're just people, no longer an organized nation, spread throughout the continent.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Hm. Good ways of killing a lot of spread-out people.

1) Incredibly Specific Virus. Probably a plague of some sort magically engineered (and thus having similar middle steps to a magic ritual) to only affect Cadians.
Pro: Efficient, can be released before the grand climax without an instant game-over scenario.
Con: Risk of karma mutating the virus on you to wipe out everyone.

2) Same thing, but the virus turns the victims into undead/mindless drones under your control.
Pro: As above, but also humiliating, makes the risk of the virus spreading less harmful, and you get a free zombie army.
Con: Any player who's played WarCraft 3 or WoW will beat the crap out of you.

3) Racism. Convince every other government on the continent to round up the Cadians and kill them. Go for the countries with big armies first.
Pro: Quite feasible with Bard abilities, much less chance of horrible spiraling out of control.
Con: Nazi comparisons, convincing Good leaders to do Evil things.

[S.I.N.26]

Nerd-o-rama, you're a genius.
I love your racism suggestion. I had already decided I wanted to make Kade as Hitler-esque as possible. I'll go change his information accordingly now.
You're the best. Thanks so much!

[Nerd-o-rama]

I end the thread with a Nazi reference. Go figure.

/takes a bow