Advice for BBG in 17-18th level adventure

[john wood]

I am developing a continuation of Mummy's Mask AP for my group. The adventure takes them into the Pyramid of Kamaria, specifically to the Market of Souls (see Dungeons of Golarion). I have decided that the Cult of Rovagug is managed by a Larabay (Bestiary 4, CR11) who is a megalomaniac that loves intrigue and orchestrating complex plans. He has stayed in power by playing power players on this level of the dungeon (and others) against each other. The story I am developing will have him fascinated by the PC's, they will be his greatest conquest ever, to the point that his obsession with them drives him to want to make them his friends. His position in a chaotic evil cult make it impossible for him to go about this in a conventional sense (he is chaotic neutral himself) without losing face or power. This adventure will focus heavily on role-playing and using rules from PF Ultimate Intrigue.

One of the angles I am struggling with is that one of his goals is to have the whole party indebted to him, without it being obvious that it was him who orchestrated the circumstance. It must look like the party is at this disposal to the rest of the denizens of this dungeon layer. At this time there are no "family" members that the PC's have to use against them, besides the thread of this story overlaps with the next in that they are searching for some kidnapped allies (who eventually are found being held in a dark elf/mind flayer prison in the 19th level installment I am writing) so I can't do more kidnapping.

Any and all thoughts or suggestions are welcome!

[Claxon]

So you want to force your PCs to be indebted to someone?

I can tell you if your players catch wind of this at all they will probably hate this. They could possibly choose to ignore whatever you do to mess with them.

That being said you need to find something that wont choose to ignore, and that is usually something that relates to the mechanics of their character, more specifically their gear.

Just be careful though. As a player it gets real old real quick when the GM messes with you by holding characters' friends/loved ones hostages or stealing characters' stuff to get you to go along with their story line.

[john wood]

Claxon wrote:

So you want to force your PCs to be indebted to someone?

I can tell you if your players catch wind of this at all they will probably hate this. They could possibly choose to ignore whatever you do to mess with them.

That being said you need to find something that wont choose to ignore, and that is usually something that relates to the mechanics of their character, more specifically their gear.

Just be careful though. As a player it gets real old real quick when the GM messes with you by holding characters' friends/loved ones hostages or stealing characters' stuff to get you to go along with their story line.

I agree with you 110%, Claxon. I am trying to avoid the old cliche of stealing their belongings or messing with any personal relations. I don't see it working successfully and as a player not a fan of it myself. This BBG I am working on is supposed to be different, more evil mastermind.

My most recent concept since the original post is to have another NPC posing as the leader of the cult, only to have the real cult leader later save the PC's from the faux cult leader. After being saved and owing their allegiance to the real cult leader for saving them he reveals his true identity. Problem is it feels to clunky and doesn't mesh well with the rest of the story line I am developing.

[hyulf]

I would reward their paranoia (if they have it). Have this fellow offer to give them some item or knowledge that they really want (answer to riddle, +2 to an ability score, etc)...in return he needs them to work for them.

or

After reading up about Larabay they sound a lot like Arcade from the X-men comic. Perhaps he has designed a gauntlet of traps/tests and wants the PCs to enter the contest (send an invite) or they enter the contest willingly because they think they are so great.

Players know there are story/play hooks out there to get them. I just encourage them with more and more cheese until they can't get out (if that analogy makes sense).

Hope that helps.

[hyulf]

Also I would suggest applying the Cunning template from 101 Simple Templates from Rite Publishing. This type of villain would get great mileage from it. The Mystic template from there is also helpful.

With his Solid Fog ability, a ring or potion of Freedom of Movement would also be helpful for escaping as needed.

[Claxon]

john wood wrote:

My most recent concept since the original post is to have another NPC posing as the leader of the cult, only to have the real cult leader later save the PC's from the faux cult leader. After being saved and owing their allegiance to the real cult leader for saving them he reveals his true identity. Problem is it feels to clunky and doesn't mesh well with the rest of the story line I am developing.

You would probably need to set this up as a long con, over several sessions.

If the players see the NPC helping the people against this other threat and work with them for a long time they might develop a relationship and want to work with him. They go on missions helping the BBEG and helping the city. But over time the nature of the missions start to change and eventually the party realizes they've be conned into doing some pretty questionable things.