[Channel Teaser]
Why All BBEGs Are Not Big, Bad And Evil
Hi everyone.
All Things DnD is back with another story.
This brilliant story is going to make you
question everything you know about evil.
Tell us if you agree with the BBEG or not,
and we’d love to hear about your “are
we the baddies?”
stories after you listen to this:
It’s my first time DMing and I’m running
a 5e homebrew campaign.
My party rolled a rogue, sorceress, barbarian,
and a ranger.
I notice a distinct lack of tank and healer
and the party’s overwhelming squishiness.
So I introduce a DMPC that I can phase out
as the plot progresses and characters are
less squishy… or one of them dies and rerolls.
I decided to put a twist on an age old story.
The party is following up on bounty to clear
out a local Orc camp.
The rogue overhears, "the last sod that volunteered
never came back, damn shame."
He figures it might be a rescue mission and
an obvious plot hook, and these players love
a good story as much as I do.
The party makes decent progress into the orc
stronghold and ventures into a bloodpit sort
of arena.
Sitting in a cage is a younger man I described
as "Geralt of Rivia if he'd been born in a
kind world" - not a rugged hunter but just
a bright eyed, pale-haired noble-looking dude
in chainmail, sitting in prayer.
Meet Werner.
Orcs swarm into the bloodpit and surround
the party.
The orc Chieftain comes out to gloat, prep
for slaughter.
Pretty boy calls out from the cage, "I challenge
you, Chieftain!"
Cue proper character introduction time.
"I will stand with these four against you
and your choice of champions - for honor and
power!"
I figure it’s a good way to learn to operate
as a team and so the Chieftain and his two
Lieutenants open the cage and square off against
the party with their new Paladin buddy.
The barbarian and ranger steal the show with
some rule-of-cool crits, and Werner makes
the killing blow against the Chieftain.
Werner is an Oath of Vengeance paladin.
The Party gets to lootin, and Werner declares,
"Your chieftain and his lieutenants lie dead
by our hands.
You are to leave these lands - but should
you seek to reclaim glory, march west.
The Shieldbreaker Tribe awaits you in the
shadow of Mount Kurst."
He turns to the party and drops the stern
faced nobility and goes into full on grateful
glee.
"Bless you, bless each and every one of you…
I can only hold that sort of bravado for so
long.
All of you have my deepest gratitude, and
in-exile though I may be, I owe you all at
the very least good drink and food before
you collect your justly earned reward."
Fast forward to a tavern where the party collects
their bounty and they buy the food and drink.
They can practically see the quest giver icon
floating over Werner’s head and get the
proper backstory.
"I was the only son of my family - we held
a modest kingdom to the west.
I blame myself for being too trusting, but
we were betrayed.
The families of the Lower Court rose up in
a bloody purge.
In shame, I ran, and have been working to
find allies, build power to reclaim my homeland.
But I am no fool: the coffers of my kingdom
are denied to me, and I would never ask adventurers
to fight for the promise of coin alone."
They pass every insight check, to see he is
a completely earnest and grateful noble.
And so starts the main quest.
The party starts to notice a few things throughout
campaigning.
Werner speaks most of the beast-tribe languages
fluently: Orcish, Kobolds, Goblins and so
on.
He is a blushing schoolboy around the Infernally-bloodlined
Sorceress who seems to reciprocate.
He is a dutiful tank/healer - but damn if
his spells aren't particularly offensive.
He makes a habit out of trying to gain control
of tribes and groups rather than outright
murder them.
Reveals as they approach the outskirts of
his kingdom's territory a few months later,
that he has been at work for a few years gaining
control of the tribes.
Things are made MUCH easier having "new and
truest friends" at his side.
The bestial army is awaiting their Warchief
south of the border.
Werner dons some nice darkened plate armor,
and places a wicked-looking helmet over his
head.
"I gained the allegiance of these tribes by
honoring their traditions, and if it is their
tradition for the one who gathered the army
to wear this helmet, I shall not disrespect
them in such a manner."
The party realizes they're going to storm
a kingdom with a dark-plated paladin of vengeance
who had an orcish army at his side with the
intent of seizing the throne.
The rogue finally asks, "Wait… are we the
baddies?"
Insight again reveals that Werner sees them
as his best friends from the bottom of his
heart.
"My friends, I know the thought of war is
terrible, and with luck it shall be done quickly.
You have helped me get this far - will you
stand with me still?"
The party deliberates - he's been nothing
but good to them - plus he is a general bro
and HAS been keeping the Orcs and such from
pillaging villages.
The ranger asks, "It's just one kingdom?"
Cue a siege.
The orc army makes quick work of the city
defense and swiftly swarm through the city
streets.
They storm the castle, capture, and ceremoniously
execute the traitor families.
They established Werner as Emperor Werner
Kurst von Dietrich the Returned.
He embraces the party as noble heroes who
restored him to the throne.
Right away he gets to work, integrating all
of those beast tribes into the populace - set
on building his kingdom up as a new multicultural
center of civilization.
The party has a permanent invitation to consider
the Grand Keep home between their adventurers,
as Werner's responsibilities will keep him
largely relegated to the throne for some time.
So the party has a new home base, and is strong
enough to go solo - but Werner always has
jobs for them in the name of security and
safety, and always paid more than fairly.
He freaking loves those guys.
So the party adventures and notices things
each time they come back.
The first time they returned, many red banners
were draped around the keep and city with
a crest of scales weighing a fanged skull
and a human skull in equal balance.
"It is a symbol of our new civilization of
equality and understanding!"
The next time, there is construction of a
large, black spire in the center of the city.
"The tribal warlocks and I have been in discussion,
and we've found a way to channel the sun's
very energy into nearly-free energy and power
for the people!
It turns out the color black absorbs the heat
better, and so while a bit garish it will
improve the quality of life for everyone here
immensely!"
The rogue starts getting uncomfortable.
Next visit, tower is complete, ominous, red
banners flickering in the wind - banners popping
up in villages further and further out.
"It is my duty as Emperor to make sure that
all within my borders are safe, and secure.
I shall not be one of those reclusive, self-absorbed
leaders who would let his people suffer, no
matter how far away they might be!"
True enough, banditry and crime is at an all
time low, but Werner is now wearing black-and-red
finery, bearing some grim imagery, and has
large portraits commissioned and displayed
in every village - "So that my people never
have to fear that they've been forgotten or
neglected!"
Insight rolls and he still super means it.
Main threat is the Dragonborn up in the mountains,
which he hopes his Dearest Champions will
be able to handle.
But the ranger is uncomfortable.
"But I would never send you into any sort
of danger unprepared.
As such, I had our artisans and smiths craft
for each of you enchanted arms and armor."
The ranger is no longer uncomfortable.
Werner goes full wizard of oz.
To Barbarian, "For you, my mighty friend,
I have commissioned an Axe that shall transfer
the strength of your foes into your own person
- I know your rage is one of your mightiest
weapons; as such, I would see that your enemies
fall long before you ever will!"
He tosses in some spiked light armor as well.
To Rogue, "You, old chum, are the cleverest,
sly-est, most true gentleman I have had the
pleasure of fighting alongside.
For you I had my warlocks pluck the essence
of shadow and fold it into a cloak so that
danger shan’t find you.
If you were ever hurt, I do not know what
I would do with myself!"
Sure, it makes him look like a horror when
activating the effect, but damn it's nice.
To the Ranger, "My friend, your bond with
nature, I am sure, would put many a Druid
to shame.
Never has there been a more fierce Huntress
or a keener eye - and thus only a bow made
of dragonbone and blackpowder arrows is worthy
of you."
The Ranger is not sure whether to be grateful
or uncomfortable.
To the sorceress, trying not to blush, "And
you, my dear…
It… may not be a secret that I am loath
to see you go every time.
But I know in you there is an adventurous
spirit that cannot be tamed, and so I count
my blessings every time you return here.
For you, I bequeath a family Heirloom - so
that your power never ceases to grow.
An amulet of… some wonder.
I pray that it keeps you safe till you return
to me."
He gives her an amulet that lets her convert
the soul of a fallen enemy into an equal leveled
spell slot: 1 enemy for a 1st level, 2 for
2nd, etc - with a degeneration rate of 1 soul
per week.
Alternatively, 8 souls could be 2 4th level
slots.
Not that I am ENCOURAGING my party to be murderhobos…
but the Sorceress is super duper comfortable.
Next adventure they return from - there are
smaller spires in villages popping up.
"The luxuries of the Capital should not be
restricted to the capital!
That, and we are working on setting up a portal
network through each of the Spires!
That way, no village, no town nor city shall
ever go unprotected!"
Ranger says: "... Hey… it's still just…
one…
country…"
I decide to see how far I can push this.
Werner sends a summons to his Champions.
They arrive to see a distraught Emperor Werner
hunched over the map of the Empire and surrounding
kingdoms and territories.
A year or two has passed in game.
"… My friends, truly the crown has never
weighed so heavily.
My people are happy and flourishing, our cities
are expanding, the tribes continue to learn
and join civilization… but therein lies
the problem.
Resources are beginning to run thin.
I have sent envoys and invited foreign dignitaries
to open trade, but all are loath to deal with
us due to what I can only consider to be racism
that flies in the face of all rationality
and civility.
And yet I have a duty to my people - I see
that we have a higher standard of living than
all of our neighbors, and they stockpile resources
that we could share and all profit from."
Ranger and Rogue start getting uncomfortable.
Werner begins pacing around the map, cape
trailing, arms folded, skull-themed crown
a new addition to honor 'the new traditions'.
"I have purchased copies of ledgers, and I
know that there is more than enough for everyone
if they would only trade.
And yet…
I refuse to let my people down.
So I ask you, my friends who I trust as family…
Which of my neighbors should I spread my reach
to first?"
The party deliberates.
The rogue asks, "Werner… what if we tried
to stop you?"
Me, rolling a Nat 1 on Insight.
Werner is wide eyed, shocked and hurt.
"Why, I'd be devastated.
Completely and utterly heartbroken.
After all we've been through, I adore you
all as kin a--... oh, OH!
Oh you cad!
HAH!
Haha, you sly little…
I see what you did there… that's such a
ludicrous idea - you have a roundabout way
of trying to boost my spirits, my friend,
but it worked.
Gods, I am lucky to have been saved by you
all."
The Party is half-guilted half-bribed into
leading an invasion force
Not the first or last time.
Now, near the end of the campaign, the Empire
had spread over half the continent - black
spires rising in every major trade hub, allowing
Imperial Forces quick access to any potential
threat while also pushing every new conquest
into magitek-high-fantasy.
The party has gotten the reputation as the
Overlord's Chosen.
Werner keeps showering them in appropriate-high-end-but-super-menacing
gear and rewards for their quests and loyalty.
Follow the Evil Overlord Checklist to the
letter.
The party is getting up near level 20.
I have them allying with-slash-putting down
Dragons - "so that we might benefit from their
wisdom, and never risk those that would seek
chaos and naught else."
Barbarian is my field Warchief and loving
it
Rogue is less spymaster and more the Black
Hand of the Emperor and best stabby friend.
Ranger is the Mistress of the Hunt - helps
find any criminals or foreign insurgents or
any corrupt leaders who might give the Emperor
a bad name.
Surprise, surprise: insurgents are all foreign
- Werner adores his subjects and is ultimate
Dad friend to his Empire.
Sorceress pretty much decided to be Mrs. Evil
Overlord when she gets tired of the adventuring
life.
She also has gotten good at perma-charming
any disloyal Viceroys.
Created new alignment.
Friendly-Evil.
All hail the BFFEG!
Are we the baddies?
In this case.
Maybe…?
Do you think they are villains or heroes?
Please let us know what you think and comment
below!
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