Do you take your players "behind the scenes"?

[Gothmog]

Nope, never use things like that. If the players want info, they have to research and interview others for it, then draw their own conclusions. I find that fiction for between game events and backstory ruins the game for me. It feels more like a scripted novel then, and less like an interactive storytelling exercise. One DM I played with demanded that players all write a journal for the events of the session and between sessions in fiction form, or else they only got 50% XP award. I tried it a few times (and I'm a reasonably good writer), but it was too much of a time commitment for me to make to a very mediocre scripted ultra-herioc game. Plus, I have better things to do with my time than write fiction about in-game events or NPC motivations (like designing the next adventure, or working on REAL LIFE concerns).

 

[BSF]

I use cut-scenes at times. I have used dreams to really freak the party out. Heh - I once gave out some dream sequences that everyone started comparing and realized they had the same dream - until they got to a few characters that had a completely different dream. Those player had the same dream from different viewpoints. That really tripped them out for a while. If the players are really interested, I will give them insight on what transpired to create a specific NPC. But, I usually only do that after the fact. If the characters are interested enough to pursue it, hey - all the better.

In your case, I think the background info on the NPC is very interesting. If you think your players can differentiate between IC and OOC knowledge, it is very cool. (Mine usually can.) You have created a humanizing element to his villianous intent and he probably feels more like a real person. That's always a good thing.