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<blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 5472921" data-attributes="member: 8835">now that I've eaten lunch....I'm not as far planning as the OP.Let's say the party is 8th level, and have been dealing with a hierarchy of monsters that have been doing stuff.For the next game, I decide that Lord Jerky has actually been behind the whole thing.&nbsp; So I write up some monster encounters like previous ones, but this time, I include some clue to lead to Lord Jerky.I then assume the PCs will track it down (because I know my players), and build out Lord Jerky and his troops. I think Jerky should be level 10, so I make him that, plus some leveled henchmonkeys, etc.In this example, prior to writing that session, Lord Jerky was an NPC that the party may not have even heard of (though there was room for him on the map).In knowing my players, if I've got them willingly defending the town regularly from various monster threats, they'll no doubt go chasing after the instigator of these threats.&nbsp; so it's not a presumptious assumption that they'll bite the hook.As a GM, what will be a surprise to me, is their approach.&nbsp; Do they go in diplomatically?&nbsp; Do they stealth in and straight up assassinate? Do they go to the king?Furthermore, in this pattern of NOT being a long term plan, the NPCs will be Level Appropriate, because that's what I think the situation calls for.&nbsp; I probably don't need Lord Jerky to greatly out-level the PCs.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Janx, post: 5472921, member: 8835"] now that I've eaten lunch.... I'm not as far planning as the OP. Let's say the party is 8th level, and have been dealing with a hierarchy of monsters that have been doing stuff. For the next game, I decide that Lord Jerky has actually been behind the whole thing. So I write up some monster encounters like previous ones, but this time, I include some clue to lead to Lord Jerky. I then assume the PCs will track it down (because I know my players), and build out Lord Jerky and his troops. I think Jerky should be level 10, so I make him that, plus some leveled henchmonkeys, etc. In this example, prior to writing that session, Lord Jerky was an NPC that the party may not have even heard of (though there was room for him on the map). In knowing my players, if I've got them willingly defending the town regularly from various monster threats, they'll no doubt go chasing after the instigator of these threats. so it's not a presumptious assumption that they'll bite the hook. As a GM, what will be a surprise to me, is their approach. Do they go in diplomatically? Do they stealth in and straight up assassinate? Do they go to the king? Furthermore, in this pattern of NOT being a long term plan, the NPCs will be Level Appropriate, because that's what I think the situation calls for. I probably don't need Lord Jerky to greatly out-level the PCs. [/QUOTE]

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