So every good roleplaying campaign, as well as story, needs a well thought out bad guy. Oh, you are going to have those bad guys you just throw in, the thugs, the bandits, etc. But to make a campaign come alive, and a book, for that matter, you need a good protagonist. Here are some ideas that might help you.
1) Flesh the main bad guy out. Not just the main bad guy, but some of his henchmen, as well. Where did he or she grow up? What is his motivation? Did he yearn to be Knight, but was scorned because of his low upbringing? Give him or her some depth.
2) Think of a good name. You do not want your bad guy named George, (no offense to those of you named George). In the Princess Bride, Wesley makes the point that no one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Wesley. The name is very important. It should drive fear into your players, or at least get them to sit up and take notice.
3) Description. You don't have to make him or her look creepy, but the description can give a clue or two about the protagonist. Does he limp? Carry a sword? Walk with a staff? And some bad guys are going to carry something to fool their enemies. Who would believe a wizard walks around in chainmail?
4) Think out when you want to bring the main bad guy in. He might make a cameo appearance at the beginning, but afterwards may not show up for awhile, but instead send out his minions. Does he always seem to be one step ahead of the party or taunting them from near by?
Happy Gaming!
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