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Hello fellow gamers
I’m going to be running an evil campaign soon and so I made a video to help introduce the setting.
Check it out:
"Am I Evil?" - Evil Campaign Concept
Please let me know what you think of the video. Is there anything I should include or exclude?
I also have some content (plot ideas) written out – see below. I would appreciate any related comments or suggestions.
-How would I make this game as fun as possible?
-what other back-story elements would be fun?
-Do you have any other fun plot ideas?
-What was your most “fun” plot/stories/hooks and why?
-How do I encourage the evil PCs working and playing nice together? – (I was thinking maybe I should give them a bonus feat if they have some common relationship or back-story with another PC. Or, I could introduce maybe an important teamwork feat that only works when they are all together.)
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“Evil trait” description:
To enhance roleplay, each PC has a unique “evil trait” and an associated “trigger”. A PC with a provoked (triggered) “evil trait” must role a will save.
In general, there’s a - “DC 8 will-save” - to resist their “evil trait”. They can still decide to resist if they fail the save, BUT they receive a “-5 initiative” penalty in their next fight.
If they fail the save or “give-in” to their evil trait, then they gain a +1 moral bonus to everything (to-hit, damage and saves) for 2 hrs.
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Pre-generated Player Characters:
Six condemned souls...
Name: “Vark” Cloven Hoof
Class/Alignment/Race: Barbarian – CE – Human
Backstory: He has a fiery temper and is prone to uncontrollable outbursts.
Evil trigger: Any social interaction involving disapproving, hostile or abusive NPCs and sometimes PCs (d%20 for PCs).
Evil character trait: Will save or enter rage and attack whatever causing anger. The rage lasts a minimum of 2 minutes and does not usually affect the “number of rages per day” (if used outside of regular combat).
Name: “Malt” Daiwinde
Class/Alignment/Race: Fighter – NE – Human
Backstory: Drunkard.
Evil triggers: Any social interaction with other NPCs and sometimes PCs (d%20 chance for PCs).
Evil character trait: Will save or spout verbal or physical abuse to whomever.
Name: “Aarenzer” Harala (brothers)
Class/Alignment/Race: Magus – CE – Half Elf
Backstory: spell-sword. Older brother of Pieter. Nearly sacrificed by witch mother (Vira). Mentally scarred.
Evil trigger: Whenever in “emotional duress” (during a hard fight or in tense social interactions).
Evil character trait: Will save or go on a crazy rant (-2 to any charisma based checks).
Name: “Erbor”
Class/Alignment/Race: Ranger – LE – Half Orc
Backstory: Lover of the witch mother (Vira Harala) who was burned alive. He is cursed.
This curse cannot be removed by the “removed curse” spell. The curse manifests itself in strange ways. It will usually cause Erbor to light up and change color either in bright ash-grey or blood-red (the color change produces light - the same amount of light as a torch). When this magical affliction “acts-up” it lets others know that he has been “marked”. In some encounters, others might make fun of him for this (the curse is seen by most others as “uncool”).
Evil triggers: Rolling a 5 or lower on any d20 die roll.
Evil character trait: Will save or his curse will come into effect – his skin turns color and lights up like a torch.
Name: “Pieter” Harala (brothers)
Class/Alignment/Race: Rogue – NE – Half Elf
Backstory: Younger brother of Aarenzer. Son of the witch Vira Harala. Lust for blood. Psychopath.
Evil triggers: the sight of blood or a weak & defenceless enemy. He could also be roused by “passion”- such as after a fight (not during, unless it’s bloody), or the sight of a beautiful temptress.
Evil character trait: Will save to resist, or act in a sadistic manner. This is a compulsion to torture, cut, hurt, or otherwise cause injury to others.
Name: “Zog” Zul Zorander
Class/Alignment/Race: Wizard – LE – Human
Backstory: Intelligent, but can’t remember past. A seer. He has visions and can predict certain things. Conjuration school master. Sometimes threatens others by saying he’ll make them small.
Evil triggers: An uncooperative “less powerful” NPC
Evil character trait: Will save to resist, or will impulsively attempt to make the NPC smaller (either by “reduce person” or “reduce monster”) (he has 2 free “reduce person/monster” spells per day and 1 free “enlarge person” spell per day (he can enlarge only himself). These free spells are not useable while in combat)
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Plot Ideas:
The PCs start at level 3. Max HP. 25 point-buy. Zero starting gold.
GM Explains that the PC starting alignment is Evil but it doesn’t have to stay that way. The PCs are evil mostly because of the circumstances they were in previously. The PCs will be given some choices to either pursue good or bad.
No ranks in “knowledge local” at the start.
PC will take 6d6 fall damage at the start of play (ie: 6-36 damage average ~21 average). Successful DC 15 Acrobatics check removes 1d6 damage.
The PCs have no possessions to start with except for worn traveler's clothes.
The melee characters will find basic improvised (-4 to hit) weapons (1 hand club – 1d6) (pieces of old bone) for the initial encounter.
The initial creature encounter:
After falling into the abyss, the PCs are surrounded these are Evil Wisps. Known as "Farroth Nog" (or BlackBiters).
The BlackBiters have wicked looking teeth and red evil glowing eyes. They are small size and can float off the ground. They laugh at lot. They're chaotic evil and quite weak, and easy to kill (1 or 2 hits and they die screaming.) They travel in groups and feast on dead or defenseless flesh.
Morale: They attack for about 3-5 rounds (GM discretion). After they take the dead bodies, they fly off. They are chaotic and will laugh almost always - especially if one of the PCs is hurt or even if one of their allies dies. When killed, an Evil Wisp will bleed black foul smelling ichor and explode like a powdered jelly doughnut.
The group that attacks the PCs will be huge (large numbers) and will scare the shit out of them. (+2 swarm bonuses)
Players can take “Psychic” (psych) damage - that can make them go "crazy". (PCs begin this campaign at 50 pysch.) Pysch normally starts at 100 points. You regain pysch over time. At 30 pysch or less PCs start going crazy and must roll a d% every round.
1-25%: Screams fanatically, tears out hair, collapses. Babbles incoherently about mother.
26-50%: crouches to the ground and in a defensive posture. DC 18 will to do anything.
51-75%: Runs away from the source in any direction dictated by a d8
76-100%: +2 Str bonus (adrenalin fuelled frenzy) to attack any opposition
The light off in the distance is a small town run by Tieflings. The leader of the town (who magically moved the town to greet the PCs) will welcome them. He wants to see them because he's curious. His grandfather entered Helgate the same way the PCs did.
He'll explain that they (the PCs) have "the mark" and will eventually be forced to go through "the trials" (a ritual/ gauntlet type event where they will be hard pressed to survive) His grandfather survived - he will proudly say.
He will point them in the right direction to finding a new place to stay.
The PCs will be interrupted from normal "town interactions" by an encounter with a “blood-bath/storm” (an army of wailing ghosts). The PCs will witness the terror that that brings to the town of NPCs. They will all seek cover. [A horn sounds, and a cacophony of screams and wails follow on the wind (DC 15 fear check for everyone). A sense of urgency fills the air. Everyone (all NPCs) inhabitants know to go undercover during a “blood storm”. An army of evil chaotic spirits rip apart anyone in plain sight. Anyone caught will usually die a terrible death.]
After finding equipment, the PCs will go on a quest find to a new “base of operations” (magical house) where they can live secretly. But before they can live there, they must rid the house of its evil inhabitants.
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Other Plot ideas/Brainstorm:
-kill the necromancer
-find the goat – funny little animal gone missing
-madman starts toying with the NPCs – an old king who will either help or hurt them (give them a rod of random spell, or curse them)
-Must pass through “the gauntlet” (called “the trails”) – big magic door people are afraid to pass.
-PCs become possessed. They must fight to gain control over their own minds again.
-PCs must ally themselves with a demon or an evil power (fighting for dominance of underworld).
-kill the multitudes of goblins or scummy rat folk..
-A god speaks to them in whispers – telling them to do things. They hear the voices. Telling them to do things – either good or evil.
-The PCs have a confrontation with a succubus – a beautiful woman who tries to marry one of them, but is actually an ugly hag.
-The PCs encounter scattered children -they look sad and weak at first but eventually they form a large group – surrounding and attacking the PCs.
-“Role reversal”: the PCs have a shared dream(s) where they are all very good
-There is epic hero/demigod (good-aligned, 1 man army) named “Farhad” who is lost underground. The PCs encounter him. He is looking for the arch-demon that killed his son. The PCs can choose to aid or kill him.
-the PCs find a survivor like themselves – who’s is now old and feeble. The PCs can help him do some stuff, or rob him and leave him vulnerable.
-stumble upon a hidden dwarven/gnome/dark-elf kingdom
-gaining new powers/custom items – the power to “shout”. To hit multiple targets at once with a staff. Example: power shoes that let them run & jump at great speeds. An item with a “one-time use” kill touch to any opponent of their choice. Flying ability item. Super strength once a day item. Immortality stone – be immortal/deathless/invulnerable for a short while.
-wounded angel/fallen (pitiful, innocent and pure creature) – tortured by demons – The PCs can help it, kill it or use it. (The Angel’s name has some significance: Mercy, Redemption, Forgiveness)
-fight off an giant creature from attacking a town
-gain control over the body of a giant creature/Golem.
-Find a safe place to live. Base of operations. Magical home – must clear out and make safe.
-find an item – for an NPC, for themselves.
-find godly item that gives incredible power. One item or two? If two, then one is good and the other is evil. Both items must be used at once but by separate people – to maintain balance.
-ghostly visions – the ghost subtly encourages the PCs to fight an ancient evil king
-powerful items given to those who serve MolagBaal.
-have all armour and weapons removed. Fight unarmored
-disrupt a summoning
-Frequent (blood storms) “blood summoning”. A horn sounds, and a cacophony of screams and wails follow on the wind (DC 15 fear check). A sense of urgency fills the air. Everyone (all NPCs) inhabitants know to go undercover during a “blood storm”. Army of evil chaotic spirits rip apart anyone in plain sight. Anyone caught will usually die a terrible death (all except Erbor).
-fight a group of trapped Paladins
-dimensional gate opened
-flying bat race
-army of skeletons the PCs must battle with strange magical weapons.
-greatest fear comes true
-two powerful demonic forces vying for power. Must choose side – the lesser of 2 evils.
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Backstory related plot ideas/brainstorm:
-Erbor’s curse takes on a new meaning
-Zog remembers new things. Those he killed. Visions of the past and present and near future.
-The PCs meet Vira (the witch mother) in another form.
-The PCs are Offered "redemption" from evil. A way out of Hell. Help from paladins/angels trapped good NPCs.
-Erbor is kidnapped.
-Zog has a strange vision. “the path to power”. An item that will grant him “ultimate power”
-Zog re-gains his memory.
-a group of disgruntled NPCs confronts Malt
-a demoness takes a liking to one of the PCs
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Potential Plot Problems:
-lack of taverns in the underworld
-players might not want to play a pre-made character.
-no light
-too dark & serious a storyline? Not as many light hearted, funny moments.
-evil characters will not work together as well. Players might fight. Need mature players.
-players might want access to the surface and will keep asking about it. They might be annoyed by the lack of a traditional world to explore – i.e.: druids/rangers need forest.
Good touch there with the video, how did the campaign turn out?
Looks like you did a lot of good prep work.
Looks really cool, I'd play in it. My only complaint would be that I would not want to do a pregen character
Right, I just won't play a Pre-gen except for a demo or playtest.