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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(Psi)SeveredHead" data-source="post: 3631239" data-attributes="member: 1165">But based on real life. I'm a big fan of history, so I read about all these puppet kings. It's very rare for a dynasty to have "real kings" for long; three generations in and the dynasty has already decayed. Pretty soon they have to turn to advisors.And I have to wonder, if that king dies, wouldn't his son take over? And couldn't he be just as bad?Possibly people more deserving of the title of BBEG. (And no, the PCs don't have to kill him to oppose him or his servants. It's not necessary to kill the bad guy leader, BBEG or whoever.)I think we just disagree on who counts as "the source of the opposition". I think it takes more than just saying "do this" to be a BBEG. I think they need to take some kind of active role, even if it doesn't involve combat or direct contact with the PCs.But since we're talking fantasy, and not real life, does anyone have examples from fantasy novels? [sblock]The only one that's coming to mind right now is A Song of Ice and Fire. Kings like Balon Greyjoy, despite being villainous kings, just didn't seem worthy of the title of BBEG. He ordered pirate raids, but he kept getting his butt whooped. His brothers Euron and Victarion are more deserving of the title. When Balon died, his brothers kept going, regardless of who was the next king, even though they were also sharpening their knives for each others' backs ^^.Or the Tyrells. Mace Tyrell is their leader, but he's just an oaf, without even charisma to his name. The real "BBEG" on his side is his mother, Olenna, "the Queen of Thorns". (It's arguable if she's a villain, though, but she deserves the title of leader far more than her son does.)[/sblock]</blockquote>

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