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The subtle takeover of a powerful nation. A game of politics, intrige and bloodletting. You could even include battles with angels at a powerful church, battling paladins, Noble dukes.
You could also include the takeover of a part of elysium or heaven for kicks. Or you could always battle other evils, make yourself look like good guys then slowly use that to get in good with leaders of the nation. Wipe them out, assassinate them, make it look like another nation, destroy said nation. Wash, rinse, repeat ;)
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I recommend starting at lower level.
Media often presents evil characters as self-defeating and impulsive morons, who, if they weren't already in charge of a criminal empire, would never actually be trusted by anyone to be in charge of anything, ever, because they attack their own allies, abuse people who can hurt them badly, etc.
Starting at lower level, IMO, makes it more likely that the players will unlearn the bad lessons of scorpions and fables and bad-guys shooting loyal employees who bring them bad news (thereby training the rest of their employees to *not* tell them the truth...), etc. and figure out how to be *smart* evil, since they won't get to start out with followers and reputation and a big book full of spells.
While not adventure seeds/quest lines per se, your characters might want to keep the following in mind:
Things an Evil Overlord should keep in mind...
Sorry about not being much help... Oh! (˚o˚)!
Since your characters' homebase is between two continents, why not have your characters instigate a war between said continents (& play both sides of the war)? Hopefully they would weaken each other enough that it would be much easier for your characters to conqur (either both weakened continents, or the weakened 'victor' of the war).
Good luck!
Carry on!
--C.
<EDIT> Somewhat ninja'ed...
You'll want this for starters.
After that, it's just a matter of doing bad things for well defined reasons.
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The subtle takeover of a powerful nation. A game of politics, intrige and bloodletting. You could even include battles with angels at a powerful church, battling paladins, Noble dukes.
Yes! Also read elantris by Branden Sanderson for inspiration. I have a friend doing this now. It is easier and likely more fun to gm a lawful evil party rather than a chatic evil one. Or at least have a lawful eavil anti-paladin PC babysitter to keep them from total chaos.
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Way back I played a smart but powerful LE human fighter, along side a CE elf Clr/Wiz, and a NE drow ninja. throughout the campaign we went about a lot of things that other adventurers would do - taking jobs, finding treasure, etc, but obviously with an evil twist including stealing things, lying, cheating etc. As things progressed we were approached by an evil organization to join them. We went through a bunch of tasks to prove ourselves. Over time, we did so, and as it goes with evil organizations, made enemies within it. We did one job where we stole the jewels of a powerful duke or something, and killed him, and became hunted and wanted men/women. We eventually exacted revenge on our enemies within the organization, and eventually destroyed it from within, then used our new found power to fulfil our own desires. I decided to take over a nation. As we were wanted people, that was more difficult than it would have been.
In any case, I underwent so changes physically (grew my hair back, changed its color, etc), and started injecting myself into the high society of the nation. Behind the scenes, I was the leader of a new cabal, bent on taking over the nation. I had undergone a lot of things to gather followers, gain a secret headquarters, and started creating problems within the nation. Among the high society, I portrayed myself as a champion of right, and eventually worked my way into the government, and was given charge to end many of the bad things going on (which I was covertly behind of course) Over time I worked my way up to becoming a Baron within the nation, keeping the lands I was placed over safe, keeping the people happy, while injecting my most trusted men and followers into positions of power under my command.
Again, after a while I was given the rank of Duke, and continued to infiltrate the government and military with my men, until eventually, I was in a position of being the most trusted advisor of the King, who had no heirs. He had arranged it that I would become his heir once he was gone. As my old drow ninja partner was a part of my secret organization (and her own ninja clan allied with me), I ranged the king's assassination, and I became the leader of the nation. As time passed, I became a powerful dictator, changing the lows, creating my own secret police, and ensuring obedience, loyalty, etc. My nation prospered under my leadership, and it became one of the strongest in the lands.
It was a lengthy campaign, and a bunch of the latter stuff took place out of campaign time, separate form my other players, as each of them also wanted to fulfil their own dreams too (creating a ninja clan, establishing a wizards tower, and creating an undead army to take over the world). One of the best things to do when running an evil campaign and wanting to take over a nation is to ask your players what their goals are a players/characters, and work off of those to create and develop situations, encounters, etc. to help them accomplish those goals.
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Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
Read this. Learn It. Live it.
I can't overstate the importance of #29 on that list.
Too many Evil Overlords don't put enough care into their fashion choices.I would recommend something like this:http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2009CTR-VALENTIN/#30 from Valentino's Spring 2009 Couture collection. A look in a cheerful colour which still contains enough gravitas for the discerning Evil Overlord.
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For the best guide to taking over a nation while looking like the good guy I can think of, check out the villain from Baldur's Gate 1.
Thus my plan would be:
Step 1: Create a problem.
Step 2: Frame some scapegoat for it.
Step 3: Only you can solve the problem from Step 1 - look like a hero.
Step 4: Prove scapegoat from Step 2 works for the current government.
Step 5: Leverage your popularity and the government's disgrace to gain power.
Naturally, defer to the Evil Overlord list at all times.
Before challenging planes of goodness, have them topple an empire.
Either through backstory or in game events, a kingdom gives great insult (real or perceived) to evil character, who then plots, schemes, and quests for 6 levels to topple the kingdom in question.
Sounds like you really want to do a Way of the Wicked campaign. Which, incidentally, is very well reviewed. Covers all the wonderfully evil things your group might want to do.
Having read it, I would highly recommend it.
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Step 1 on becoming an evil overlord:
Offer advice and services to anyone seeking to become an evil overlord. For 19gp and 9sp per month you too can become an evil overlord!
Secondly, you can take the advanced overlord class by stepping into my lair, I mean office.
Intelligence is key. Not just your brainpower, but in the spying sense. You should know pretty much everything about everyone.
As well as knowing your enemy's class, race etc you should be able to find out from spies what specialist equipment or magical gear they keep around. Once you do, you can have a simple plan to nullify it. Our hero keeps his bow in an efficient quiver? Drop him in an extradimensional space (any pit trap) and he can't draw it. Mwahahahaha.
Who else has power? Where do their loyalties lie? Which of their allies can be convinced to defect, and which of your allies might betray you? Who is close to them that you can use for leverage? What personality quirks could you take advantage of (arrogance, caution, mistrust of certain individuals)?
When you finally choose a confrontation, it must be a foregone conclusion. You need to know in advance everything they can do, and have put in place measures to make it ineffective. "My friends will save me? Those same friends you sent beyond the borders to deal with my bandits?", that sort of thing.
There's always Fire Mountain Games Way of the Wicked Campaign (that link is to purchase it here on Paizo)
In Book 5
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Read this. Learn It. Live it.I can't overstate the importance of #29 on that list.
Too many Evil Overlords don't put enough care into their fashion choices.I would recommend something like this:http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2009CTR-VALENTIN/#30 from Valentino's Spring 2009 Couture collection. A look in a cheerful colour which still contains enough gravitas for the discerning Evil Overlord.
For a female evil overlord, fashion is a tricky subject. While you want to look benevolent and attractive, you also want to project maturity and power. This outfit might work for the wife or daughter of a monarch, but not for somebody who actually wields power.
For a male evil overlord, this outfit is of course ridiculous.