VILLAINS

Is it time for another 'Library Post'? Perhaps it is. Don't worry, content after the links

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CONCEPTS

Intro

A World Without Violence

Goose-Gold & Goblins 

MECHANICS

Looking for a Mechanic

Char Gen 

THE VILLIAGE

Crappy 1st attempt at Shinto

Shinto in Cumbria

Eight Houses

Village Shops

DANGEROUS STRANGERS ("Monsters")

Monster Brainstorm

Ratmaster

Gelly Cube

Dragons 

Men-of-Bones 

Owlbears 'BomblenOwls 

Trap-Dogs (Kobolds) 

Mind-Flayers 

Goblins 

More Goblins 

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Alright, I have a whole bunch of low-level threats, the ones that get sent out to steal your Goose and mess with you, what I need more of is the MasterMinds behind the operation, the 'Big Bad'.

Lets see what I can rapidly brainstorm...

CREATURE FROM THE UNKNOWN

From the 'Herbie' Comic Book

Base concepts; tear in space, surreal frankenmonster, Morrisons Doom Patrol, formless being, Mr Mytzelpyk, Fairytale wish-delivering creature with nebulous but dangerous powerset, a strange motivation and a Highly Specific defeat clause.

I imagine a Creature from the Unknown to be quite lonely and existential, as its from the Unknown and doesn't know what it is. Very possibly childlike and wishing to know who, what and why it is.

In this case, the main challenge for the PCs would be surviving the Creatures strange moods and either performing some kind of detective thing to work out what it is or, more interesting, performing a kind of counterpoint detective adventure/persuasion performance to give the Creature from the Unknown an identity and place.

That could be something as simple as being a Baker or something. Or a Cow.

I suppose this is the GG&G version of a 'Demon', something from totally outside this reality. But what it, instead of being inimical or destructive to our reality, beings from beyond it were just neutral, or anxious, or terribly incomprehensibly strange.

That might mean that the Creature from the Unknown could be effected by others perceptions and views on it. PCs might think the local Goblins are working for a giant super-goblin or Horned Goblin, but in fact they just encountered a Creature from the Unknown and, since they both fear and desire a villainous dominant ruler, that's what they got. But in reality the creature itself is simply playing a role.

There is opportunity there for some sort of potential didactic lesson about identity and assumptions, which usually I loathe but it might actually work.

Since the Goblins will talk up the power horror and cunning of the 'Horned Goblin' when they speak to PCs, when they PCs meet it, if they believed the goblins, the Creature will become more like that, more powerful and monstrous. But if they don't believe them, or encounter the Creature by chance, or in different circumstances, they might appear to be quite different.

Needs more activity really. 

A lot of non-evil outsiders are tricksters so maybe some of that could be added in.

The Creature being a supreme version of whatever encounters it, or a nightmare enemy of whatever first encounters it, has potential.

Concept to be worked on I suppose.

Maybe it always has something horned or ridiculous about it, like very googly eyes or something.

Maybe they are always BLUE?

CRIME BIRD

Still a classic

No I am absolutely not going to leave this idea alone

What was the original??

" The Crime bird.  Its beak is prized as a lock pick, it picks pockets, pillages houses and roosts on stolen jewellery, trading up whenever it can, the lesser stuff stashed in obscure nooks. Why is it not long dead? For one , it voids itself on its stolen goods, imparting a stink near impossible to remove, and secondly its beak, originally evolved to pluck deep borrowing rock worms, will take a eye out faster than you would believe. Lastly and most importantly ; it is a complete and utter cunning shit of a bird."

I mean this is pretty much perfect as it is but we already have a trillion stealing-creatures and I kind of need this to be a boss Sooo

Instead of a Thief it’s now a boss of reluctant thieves. Now it’s retired and a bit plumper and fatter, more ragged feathers, just as cunning and nasty, but now boastful and braggardly with its cowed underlings. Like a much more abusive Fagan figure.

Can definitely have a buff waistcoat now, possibly a pipe.

Crossing a crow with a shoebill with a living lockpick with a regency 'John Bull you sah? Me sah? Well I'll be demned for a dashed daigo do ye take me for a milkmaid sah? For a pauperish pennysniffle? Eh? Why that eye sir, is mine, and I mean to have it demn you sir, demn your toes! - type figure.

Just much more abusive, bullies and terrorises its underlings, shits on all wealth, rules over a stinking black roost, LOVES crime, always up for a sneaky deal and always ready for a backstab. Sends Goblins out to get it stuff so it can shit on it, will probably try to shit on your Goose. Maybe the only creature terrible enough that it would ever dare to think of such a thing.

A DRACULA

Classic Ravenloft Strahd

Does much need to be said? Lives in a castle. Possibly has a double-identity. has a SHITLOAD of built-in powers. Wants to take over the world and will drink the blood of a Goose to do so.

Definitely tragically in love with some dead person who happens to look exactly like someone the PCs have happen to met in the Village or somewhere.

Moons around really, but in a cool looking goth way. More stalks around. Keeps its underlings in line with hypnotic powers, personal charisma, fear and the fact that apart from the Blood-Drinking the Dracula is actually a pretty OK boss. Doesn’t want to destroy the world, just rule it.

Kind of a cultured and interesting person to talk to, probably likes the PCs because they have spunk. Shows up a lot to bawd and toy with them before disappearing and turning into gas or a bat or something.

Weak in sunlight, dies in *double-sunlight* (you need something as bright as the sun, like the worlds yellowest cheese or most beautiful flower or a shard of fallen lightning. But even when they die, they just turn to ash and of course, they will rettuuuuuurn whOOOooOO.

By https://www.instagram.com/delfis_art/

I will not miss the opportunity to put goth girls on this blog

Probably not that arsed about being killed. Doesn't really hold a grudge but definitely wants that Goose. And will not make the same mistakes twice.

May be the Pawnbroker, who wears dark glasses and sits way at the back of the shop with smokey windows.

GHOST QUEEN

By Grace

Obviously this should be a Queen of Ghosts, but there is no reason that they shouldn't also be the Ghost OF a Queen.

Probably what happens is if a Queen is killed by her King, whether that’s her Husband, Father or some kind of complex regency situation has taken place, then she is double-Queened, just like in chess. Made a Queen once while alive and then Queened AGAIN by being killed by a King who was also HER King.

Or maybe she has to be killed by a Royal Ghost, meaning double-ghost, double queen??? That would be interesting since to de-ghost her you would need to find the ghost that killed her and de-ghost that so that’s a nice chain of problems, and since that ghost was a royal ghost, likely it will involve you in some pretty crazy politics.

Since mortals and Ghosts have separate and different hierarchal structures (the Ghost one is complex, based on memory, age, tragedy etc) and the Ghost Queen now occupied both roles (sort of), she is now obeyed by all Ghosts (apart from the Ghost of a Sinister Pig). (As well as causing trouble for anyone who became Queen after her as many of her old living subjects (or their descendants) will still obey her if she spooks through a room or something.

This would be something like a 'King across the water' situation where there is this whole other line of descent that people valorise because they were backstabbed but also because they aren't really around to annoy them right now. Except in this case, it isn't a line of living people but one Ghost.

The Ghost Queen would be beautiful and imperious, tragic and quite mad. Ghosting around in her Ghost Palace (?). Maybe a palace of glass or mist or something that forms in fog from a still lake or exists in the reflection of the world in a drop of dew hanging eternally from one particular leaf in one particular tree but you don't know which one.

She wants the Goose because it is a fundamentally royal creature and should obviously be with her as the most royal and important person there is. Now in the ghost-world its eggs will lay Ghost Geese and she will fly on these to the Castle and retake her throne.

Dealing with her would have all the difficulty of dealing with a super ghost, a bunch of lesser ghosts AND all the living people who still kind of think that really she kind of is the Queen after all maybe just let her have the Goose.

OGRE

You know what’s with this guy? He's really fucking big and kinda dumb and pretty nasty and will just beat the shit out of anyone. I mean he will flip the fuck out man.

Look at the folds

A lovely 3D model, available here 

There is really nothing good about the Ogre. He isn't even really rich like the Rude Orcs, he's just a fucking prick.

His servant creatures serve him totally out of fear (apart from a few fucked up ones who seem to be into it). 

He has no taste, no complex motivations, no twisted background. He just wants stuff because he wants stuff and he will punch and scream at his peons until they get him the stuff that he wants. You can't really argue with him because he’s too stupid and aggressive. I WANT IT BECAUSE I FUCKIN' WANT IT JESUSFUKINKRYST DO I HAVTADOEVERYTHINRHANDERE!!!!???? I KHANTFUKINBELEEVIT JUST GET ME DAFUKINGOOOSE!!!!!

He is totally planning to try eating the Goose. Will it work? Who knows? He's not even really planning it he's just gonna do it.

Less manipulative clever and inherently scary than the Crime Bird. Won't lie intelligently, turn you against each other, tell you he has your own best interests at heart and that of course you can trust him JUSTGETMEHTHAFUKIN GOOOOOOSE!!

Also too lazy to actually go out and do stuff themselves, just rolls around in a dirty bed surrounded by bottles and takeaway food and threatens their underlings to go down the shops and rob them.

Presumably the Ogre is ensconced in some place, or sitting on something of great value and needfulness to its underlings, or there is some other reason that they can't just move away from him.

SKY WITCH

We already have something for her don't we? What do we have?

"So - if her house is in the Sky, and her power comes from the Sky, then presumably if you are *under* things, like roofs and trees and under the earth or under your bed, then her power is limited.

How does the Sky Witch come down from the sky? Presumably with a Sky Ladder, so if you can find that ladder (and its glass, to keep it secret, and so heavy people can't get up it) then you can find the Witches Sky-House.

She wears and very heavy hat, which squashes her down, and heavy shoes, to keep her on the ground so you can spot her in disguise that way, and if you can trick her into taking off the hat and shoes then she will float away, up into the sky again. (But she will hold a grudge). Also she might grab someone on the way up so you will have to go and rescue them."


Ok a Witch who lives in the Clouds and who might be watching you from them is pretty good.

Witch powers already give her a wide variety of ways to manipulate and affect the local populations of Goblins etc. She can give them things they want, like magic spells and special foods, manipulate them with lies and tricks and just straight up fucking terrify them.

And because she lives in the sky even they don't know really and entirely where she is. Finding her servants won't necessarily mean you find her.

Inversion here is that typically underground creatures, who might be trouble the rest of the time, are pretty good at hiding from the Sky Witch and could be useful allies against her. The Sky Witch would not like going underground too far from the sky.

She has a bird-legged house but instead of walking around on chicken feet the house flies around and has eagle claws which it uses to swoop down and grab people, and in fact, whole houses, and carries them away and possibly feasts on them somewhere, or just drops them for fun. If she does that to your house you would need to climb up on your own roof, climb up the claws into her house and find some way to make her put your house back.

Also there could be the mystery of the disappearing houses. the village wakes up to find one just gone... Maybe they moved away?

Why does she want the Goose? For its feathers presumably, and she will place its golden egg atop her hat to keep her weighted down when she strides about the earth.

KING SLIME 

Yes I am stealing from that Isikai and no I haven't watched it.

Look, just google 'slime isekai', its pretty popular

It’s just a slime, but it is a natural leader, a hero even, but a hero for MONSTERS! You've got a goddamn monster revolutionary on your hands, building a lair, unifying the local creatures, planning on taking over!

And King Slime doesn't collect followers or motivate them through fear (except for maybe very occasionally when he absolutely has to) but instead by being a Responsible Leader who does things in the Interests of his Community. Yes just like the Clone Wars, there are 'heroes on both sides'.

Soon there will be a whole Monster Village.. actually this is too fun not to do or allow to happen. Its still going to be a massive problem though since these creatures do not recognise your Goose Rights, or any rights really, they are a revolutionary culture!

What does it mean when the monsters also have a society, and a noble heroic leader who is an innocent Slime? Can you really argue with their desire for a world of their own?

Probably the PCs are going to want to join the growing monster nation. Ok this is going to be a complex one to see play out. What happens if the Slime absorbs someone you know and kinda like? 

What happens to the slime? What happens when I am sued by Crunchyroll???

The King Slime is just going to keep getting more and more powerful and gaining more and more powers. Surely this is going to be a serious problem at some point.

GHOST OF A SINISTER PIG

By M. Broom / HatisWorst

That pig was evil as shit to begin with, and now it has the spooky powers of an undead??

Basically a Chaos-Terrorist in the form of a Spectral Pig. Likely the most truly-evil of all the possibly Top Monsters as it really has no desires apart from Chaos and Horror itself. Joker Stuff baby! Heath Ledger Joker rather than the others.

Actually in a game for children that might be a mistake. Ok depending on the Age range of the players could be anywhere from Ceasar Romero Joker to Jack Nicholson to low-key Heath Ledger Joker.

And it doesn’t dress up like the Joker or even look like him I'm just describing the aims, strategies, tactics and moral outlook here.

Really the Ghost of the Sinister Pig should looks spectral, looming, awful, somehow hollow inside while retaining the foul massy roundness of a Pig. Its grin and human expressions add to the horror.

Probably it has plans to drive everyone mad.

I may have made an error here as I already have The Worlds Most Evil Dog as a potential supervillain-level threat. I guess maybe the Dog can be a Lone Operator, one dog against the world, while the Ghost of the Sinister Pig will actually try to put together some kind of terror group, gathering servants, radicalising Goblins to its cause, turning them against each other until only the most crazed and frightening remain. 

This is not to mention the Ghost of the Sinister Pig retaining all its Ghostly Powers, like floating around, spooking people, maybe turning them old and white with fear. Together with an innate control over pig products like gammon, sausages, pork pies etc, these being the flesh of its kind. Huge sausage-golems.. Also has control over sausage dogs due to a technicality, seven black sausage dogs are the heralds of its apocalypse.

Really, in a sense, we might be talking about a vegetarian message here. The Pig *is* evil but we do eat them, so if it forms a nightmare world of grease and black pudding to terrorise us, do we really have grounds to complain?

EDIT - oh my fucking god Pig Products make Glycerin for explosives, violin strings and brushes, violins that play themselves and brushes painting by themselves, American Footballs that bounce themselves and drums that bang themselves.

The Master Thief

Nope, that was not the Master Thief

This is a complex and difficult one. Hard to integrate into an adventure.

Pretty much everything in GG&G is a potential thief, the ability and willingness to steal your Goose, and ability to do so is a key element for inclusion. So what difference does it make if there is a Master Thief?

A Thief that never gets caught, that's so good they can't be caught.

Would they even have a gang, or a lair. Well they would have to have a lair to store all their ill-gotten gains. Their gang might be Thieflings, whatever those are. (Little black fox-men?)

Another supervillain character, this one more like Phantomas, mainly into pulling heists, largely for the pleasure of it rather than pure greed. (Though they will still keep the stuff in their lair of wonders).

The Master Thief would be as happy to steal from the Village, the Wilds, or from you.

This might be the opportunity for a kind of sherlock holmes detective adventure in which its more of a game of puzzles and tricks rather than like a real crime.

I feel certain there should be The Master Thief in the Game, and maybe they should even be someone in the village in disguise. But probably not a main villain for the players to oppose. They would be more like an element of the world, ghosting through it, effecting things, causing drama, guards chasing them across rooftops etc. Playing a part in a larger drama beyond the intrigues of this small village. Not necessarily an ally of the players but not an inherent enemy either. Just a black-clad figure on a rooftop, in an ally, tipping their hat as a clue is found or a discovery made, and perhaps while the players were getting their Goose back, the Master Thief was about their own scheme, in which the PCs played an unwitting part.