Near Epic: PC's defeat a Storm giant citadel and get many huge and large magical items, including vorpals and +5 full plate of heavy fortification. They sold them all for a lot of money. They didnt care who the buyer was, but now when they face the next group of demons/devils they will recognize the armor and weapons being used against them.
A pit trap dropping the PC's into water. At the bottom is a symbol of cone of cold - which instantly freezes the water.
An Albino Silver dragon (old dragonlance short story)
A BBEG that the PC's grew up with, were friends with, and that understand and maybe sympathise with his motives (e.g if you were a Roman, would you care the Ceasar and his armies were buthering dozens of nations and tribes?)
Have the BBEG guy win, conquers the land and then builds hospitals, police stations, schools, roads, fair taxes - because even evil he is smart and wants a highly productive and happy populace so he gets more taxes and can field bigger armies.
The 'good' nation has slaves.
The 'evil' nation does not believe in slavery.
A pit trap dropping the PC's into water. At the bottom is a symbol of cone of cold - which instantly freezes the water.
An Albino Silver dragon (old dragonlance short story)
A BBEG that the PC's grew up with, were friends with, and that understand and maybe sympathise with his motives (e.g if you were a Roman, would you care the Ceasar and his armies were buthering dozens of nations and tribes?)
Have the BBEG guy win, conquers the land and then builds hospitals, police stations, schools, roads, fair taxes - because even evil he is smart and wants a highly productive and happy populace so he gets more taxes and can field bigger armies.
The 'good' nation has slaves.
The 'evil' nation does not believe in slavery.
