Favorite Villains
- Thread starter Gunnar
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OrcFighterFTW
Mentor
The Forsaken of SoMN (defeated)
Vampiric Elemental-infused Barbarian Shamans, one for each element. They were intelligent foes, as they waited until a large, PC-led, and very publicized (on the dream realm) fighting strategy meeting/training that took most of the big cards out of town. Then they were the first major NPC force who, through their minions, rolled through town and actively hunted down PCs, including going into the tavern and killing those who unsuccessfully tried to hide. I was the only PC to successfully hide in the tavern and in-game witness the assault (by pure dumb luck), and those minutes of pure terror ig/oog as 15-20 NPCs stormed through had my heart racing like its never done before or since. It is easily my favorite scene in my entire LARPing career.
I really liked this as it broke the mold of only finding villains on mods and never having the villains come to you so very directly. It also led to some great personal RP, as my Barbarian character had some explaining to do for why a bunch of Barbarians came and killed the entire town except for the one Barbarian who happened to survive. These conversations were on the themes of "prove your loyalty" and "why didn't you fight back?" which greatly influence my character today as a now Spirit-Forged fighter (formerly artisan) who vows to protect others through pure brute force.
Vampiric Elemental-infused Barbarian Shamans, one for each element. They were intelligent foes, as they waited until a large, PC-led, and very publicized (on the dream realm) fighting strategy meeting/training that took most of the big cards out of town. Then they were the first major NPC force who, through their minions, rolled through town and actively hunted down PCs, including going into the tavern and killing those who unsuccessfully tried to hide. I was the only PC to successfully hide in the tavern and in-game witness the assault (by pure dumb luck), and those minutes of pure terror ig/oog as 15-20 NPCs stormed through had my heart racing like its never done before or since. It is easily my favorite scene in my entire LARPing career.
I really liked this as it broke the mold of only finding villains on mods and never having the villains come to you so very directly. It also led to some great personal RP, as my Barbarian character had some explaining to do for why a bunch of Barbarians came and killed the entire town except for the one Barbarian who happened to survive. These conversations were on the themes of "prove your loyalty" and "why didn't you fight back?" which greatly influence my character today as a now Spirit-Forged fighter (formerly artisan) who vows to protect others through pure brute force.
Roan Dari Alki
Virtuoso
Magus the Drider, Oregon chapter, ~ 2 years + ago.
He made an impression because he was a smart bad guy, he started out just being a background person who the PCs heard about and who may/may not have been influencing various political dealings going on. The first time the PCs actually met him he circle res'd an influential PC, followed in events later by capturing and enslaving PCs, debilitating and capturing our Queen, and generally killing people. He was not evil for the sake of evil, he had an agenda and didn't particularly care what he had to do to get there.
He was powerful, not over powered, showed up always with minions and we had multiple encounters before we were able to get him long enough to Obliterate him.
He was an NPC that my PC came to absolutely hate with a burning passion and I appreciate getting to feel such strong emotions at a game.
-Carmen (Seattle/Oregon chapters)
He made an impression because he was a smart bad guy, he started out just being a background person who the PCs heard about and who may/may not have been influencing various political dealings going on. The first time the PCs actually met him he circle res'd an influential PC, followed in events later by capturing and enslaving PCs, debilitating and capturing our Queen, and generally killing people. He was not evil for the sake of evil, he had an agenda and didn't particularly care what he had to do to get there.
He was powerful, not over powered, showed up always with minions and we had multiple encounters before we were able to get him long enough to Obliterate him.
He was an NPC that my PC came to absolutely hate with a burning passion and I appreciate getting to feel such strong emotions at a game.
-Carmen (Seattle/Oregon chapters)
evi1r0n
Exemplar
Tiberius in the OR chapter. Current villain. He has my character's IG sister. He is everything my character hates. Good job. :thumbsup:
Wraith King from Seattle back when I played. Anything that begins encants with, "I call upon chaos, rot, and decay," before smashing you with an oblit is super metal.
Wraith King from Seattle back when I played. Anything that begins encants with, "I call upon chaos, rot, and decay," before smashing you with an oblit is super metal.
RuneBrighteyes
Apprentice
Mithraku (and Dur Namarie)- HQ
I was there at the start of this plotline, and I LOVED having a plotline that will KILL YOUR CHARACTER. Completely defined one of my favorite PC's and the reason I kept playing him.
Dame Lydia- Caldaria v1
Depth of evil, emotional involvement, and surprise of having a betrayal by an NPC that was around for a year first at every event. Made it EASY to retire the character attached to that NPC. There would NEVER be a satisfying follow up after that tragic love story.
Chickenbone- Caldaria v2
I play(ed) this guy. SUPER powerful undead who was transformed as a 3rd lvl guy. Has no idea how tough he is. Complete coward. Cajun accent.
I was there at the start of this plotline, and I LOVED having a plotline that will KILL YOUR CHARACTER. Completely defined one of my favorite PC's and the reason I kept playing him.
Dame Lydia- Caldaria v1
Depth of evil, emotional involvement, and surprise of having a betrayal by an NPC that was around for a year first at every event. Made it EASY to retire the character attached to that NPC. There would NEVER be a satisfying follow up after that tragic love story.
Chickenbone- Caldaria v2
I play(ed) this guy. SUPER powerful undead who was transformed as a 3rd lvl guy. Has no idea how tough he is. Complete coward. Cajun accent.
I'll second Ray, the Voodoo Undead are a favorite (including the minions). They're scary when they decide to attack (like send the APL 20+ town running and hiding scary) but usually they're verging on functionally moronic.
Bjorn from Deadlands. He went from void-infused Barbarian vampire to elementally infused, and has morphed from a town enemy to a sort-of ally, in that "the enemy of my enemy" sense of things.
Darkman, from Catskills, and the Husks that come with him. There was a wave battle defending a ritual circle that scared the bejeebus out of the PCs playing, and any time you're actually fighting a 9 foot tall monster is a fun fight. Fighting him appropriate to my primary's APL and the Husks that were also ramped up is one of the maybe 3 or 4 times I've actually run in fear IG.
Bjorn from Deadlands. He went from void-infused Barbarian vampire to elementally infused, and has morphed from a town enemy to a sort-of ally, in that "the enemy of my enemy" sense of things.
Darkman, from Catskills, and the Husks that come with him. There was a wave battle defending a ritual circle that scared the bejeebus out of the PCs playing, and any time you're actually fighting a 9 foot tall monster is a fun fight. Fighting him appropriate to my primary's APL and the Husks that were also ramped up is one of the maybe 3 or 4 times I've actually run in fear IG.
dreadpiratebill
Elite
Isenvervector Tagas Reidic, HQ
The head of the Dominion military. The guy my primary learned military tactics from and a wonderfully driven character. Honorable in combat and devious off stage.
Orlantha Reidic
I spent three years under over a ommiting evil acts to get in her good graces so I could kill her. I eventually got my one on one right with her. Still my top combat moment in 10 years of playing.
The head of the Dominion military. The guy my primary learned military tactics from and a wonderfully driven character. Honorable in combat and devious off stage.
Orlantha Reidic
I spent three years under over a ommiting evil acts to get in her good graces so I could kill her. I eventually got my one on one right with her. Still my top combat moment in 10 years of playing.
wowy319
Adept
My favorite villains in NH have always been the ones that have the greatest potential for RP when encountered. Pretty much all of the Council of the Black Keep, as well as Skylar are on my list of favorite villains because each of them is a lot more complex than just "we're bad guys." Characters like Bjorn and Demia are fun to interact with for me because part of me knows that had things gone differently in the past, we could have been not just allies, but friends. Characters like Aklead(sp?) and Sashi are great because they're dynamic and well-developed, meaning interaction with them is always a unique experience. Skylar was a villain way beyond my capacity to harm in combat or even remotely handle, and as the first major big bad I encountered, I played Caillen as having a paralyzing fear of him. Gary took note of that, and took the time to do things as Skylar to play off of that. Villains like that lead to fun and intense RP before, during, and after their arrival, and I love every second of it.
The Flanismir (sp?) in SF started off as rumors of dream-invading squidlings sneaking up out of the town well...they turned out to be the deepest, darkest, and oldest enemy of all that is good and light in the world (and even an entire Plane of it!). This started with my first event and has been subtly (unbeknownst to me) influencing my character over the past 2 years. The reveal on this storyline gave my character reason to leave behind everything that he knew: his family, his homeland, the new town (outside the main city) he was helping to build, the people he was helping in the neighboring farmlands...in order to pledge himself to an ancient society whose mission is to combat these creatures to the ends of Fortannis.
-Luke
-Luke