I'm interested in establishing a set of epic NPCs for my game world, similar to Mordenkainen, Bigby, etc. Most of these NPCs I would like to place in the past history of the world rather than the current time. I'm more interested in lore than game stats. Each hero or villain should have some sort of epic story (or two or three) surrounding them, though I'm not looking for over the top things like the 12 labors of Hercules but instead things that are more believable and yet important enough that they would have been written down, told at the campfire, etc.
I think a handful of about 8-12 heroes would be nice that I could scatter throughout the world's history and another 8-10 villains. Any 5th edition race is open to use, any 5th edition monsters as well.
The idea is to entrench the individuals into the history of the world. It is these NPC's that would be involved in the creation or use of famous artifacts, great dungeons of horrific reputation (like Tomb of Horrors), epic wars, world altering events, the worlds first cleric, first wizard, etc. rulers of long lost kingdoms, that sort of thing.
I'm hoping people will be kind enough to add their favorite ideas to this thread so that I may sort through it and select the best ideas that fit into the world. Write as much or as little as you like.
Individuals entrenched in world-altering events? Well, these are probably incompatible with your world, but...
For centuries, the Kingdom of Lurline was ruled by a trio of powerful hags known as The Covey. Their tyranny was abruptly broken - in the year 0 of the current calendar - with the arrival of a quintet adventurers later known as the Hand of Justice, who destroyed two of the three supposedly immortal members of The Covey. (No one knows where the third member fled.) One member of the Hand even ruled Lurline until he was deposed in the year 4 and replaced by the current dynasty.
Or how about this?
Gnomes are not native to Lurline. In the year 10, an army of gnomes - thousands in number - abruptly arrived from another plane of existence in an attempt to take Lurline by surprise attack. (Or they might simply have teleported from a distant kingdom, if that fits your world better.) Fortunately, thanks to the daring exploits of a party of adventurers - led by a member of the defunct Hand of Justice - the invasion was foiled, and the bulk of the army of gnomes fled back to their native plane, leaving behind only a few hundred of their number trapped in Lurline. Although the invasion is ancient history, the gnomes descended from those left behind still face prejudice and even persecution in some areas.
What can I say? I happen to be reading that series on and off these days. It IS what first made me a fantasy freak. If I ever created my own campaign world, I'd probably start with that. I'd have halflings farm the east part of Lurline. There'd be territorial dwarves guarding the mountains in the south, yet the most skillful smiths would be the elves of the west, forging magic weapons.
And creation of famous artifacts? There are so many ideas there! Where would I begin?!
...with the arrival of a quintet adventurers later known as the Hand of Justice...
D'oh! I meant a quintet of adventurers.