Evil Campaigns

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'm currently playing in the second module of the Way of the Wicked campaign, at 5th level. It's certainly an interesting take on an evil campaign, but I'm already getting the feeling that it doesn't stray far from the "evil just backstabs itself" meme. Time will tell.

I'm a bit surprised at that response. Between the Pact of Thorns and the low survivability of PCs in that particular part of the module, that is the worst time to backstab each other.

 

[Ryujin]

I'm a bit surprised at that response. Between the Pact of Thorns and the low survivability of PCs in that particular part of the module, that is the worst time to backstab each other.

Oh, I'm not talking about us backstabbing each other. I just have this sinking feeling that all the NPCs want to do us in at some point. We have a rule in our group, that we stick to pretty religiously. It's called "Lawful Good to the party."

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Oh, I'm not talking about us backstabbing each other. I just have this sinking feeling that all the NPCs want to do us in at some point.

That is not correct. Not all of them I don't want to spoil it, but that won't happen... much. If an evil NPC is nice to you, they probably aren't going to stab you in the back. Barring an exception or two, of course.

The LG to other PCs is the way thri-kreen behave, oddly enough. (Especially funny because the generic thri-kreen in 2e was chaotic neutral.)

 

[Ryujin]

That is not correct. Not all of them I don't want to spoil it, but that won't happen... much. If an evil NPC is nice to you, they probably aren't going to stab you in the back. Barring an exception or two, of course.

The LG to other PCs is the way thri-kreen behave, oddly enough. (Especially funny because the generic thri-kreen in 2e was chaotic neutral.)

Given our party mix I suspect we aren't long for this world. We also have an Anti-Paladin and a Sorcerer as PCs, but those guys never show up. The Summoner has been carrying most fights with his instant meat walls. We're pretty vulnerable to many of the usual evil opponents, like undead, which I suspect we'll be running into in a razed evil temple. If not, then they're missing a trope or two.

I always figured that they made Thri-kreen CN simply to try and simulate the 'alien intelligence' angle. Humans can't understand their motivation, so make them Chaotic.

 

[Savage Wombat]

Nobody here's read Evil by Necessity?

Best evil PC campaign ever. Party of evil characters discover that they are, in fact, the LAST evil characters in the world. Seems the forces of good so totally won the last round of campaigning that they've been able to wipe out the evil monsters, and have now started mind-wiping the evil humans into being greengrocers. So it's up to our villains to strike a blow for the right to be dark and selfish. Bonus: one of the PCs is the last druid, since of course the druids had to switch sides during the conflict when the good side started getting too strong.

 

[the Jester]

I always figured that they made Thri-kreen CN simply to try and simulate the 'alien intelligence' angle. Humans can't understand their motivation, so make them Chaotic.

I'm pretty sure they're CN because they're a knockoff of the phraints from Arduin Grimoire, but I no longer have any of the old AG books (), so I can't verify that any more.

 

[Umbran]

Villains by Necessity (by Eve Forward, but currently out of print) is a great book.

But, to be fair, most of the characters aren't capital-E Evil. They may be small-e evil. Most are neutral-selfish, but aren't actually looking to hurt anyone - as the title says, they are villains *by necessity*, not by nature or inclination.

 

[amerigoV]

Its not fantasy or D&D, but one Savage Worlds setting is call Necessary Evil. Its a Supers setting. The base premise is Aliens made contact and promised all sorts of goodies for us. In the big celebration, all the "good" Supers were exterminated by the Aliens and the invasion began (never trust an Alien, I always say). Thus, only the evil supers were left to resist the Alien takeover of Earth.

I am not much of a Supers fan, but that is one campaign I would love to play in.

 

[Ryujin]

Nobody here's read Evil by Necessity?

Best evil PC campaign ever. Party of evil characters discover that they are, in fact, the LAST evil characters in the world. Seems the forces of good so totally won the last round of campaigning that they've been able to wipe out the evil monsters, and have now started mind-wiping the evil humans into being greengrocers. So it's up to our villains to strike a blow for the right to be dark and selfish. Bonus: one of the PCs is the last druid, since of course the druids had to switch sides during the conflict when the good side started getting too strong.

Must make that death battle for the position of Grand Druid pretty easy.

 

[Alzrius]

Villains by Necessity (by Eve Forward, but currently out of print) is a great book.

But, to be fair, most of the characters aren't capital-E Evil. They may be small-e evil. Most are neutral-selfish, but aren't actually looking to hurt anyone - as the title says, they are villains *by necessity*, not by nature or inclination.

That was my take on it, too.

The cast of characters are all criminals - a thief, an assassin, etc. - but none of them have any particular inclinations that make them "truly evil," per se. The assassin treats what he does like any other work-for-hire, albeit being obsessive about getting the job done. The thief is a grifter-type, pulling cons rather than muggings. The black knight only fights when necessary, and with a code of honor. Hell, the druid is a D&D-neutral style druid. Only the witch seemed evil, per se, and that was more in reference to having a domineering personality and references to various off-screen things she'd done ("why yes, I've eaten unicorns. They taste like chicken.").