Designing a Villain

[Diana]

In any roleplay or story you need to have an antagonist. This is a person that creates conflict for the characters, and more often than not is a reoccurring problem for them. There are a lot of different KIND of villains. From the born evil types, to the good intention types, to the utter failures, the best friends turned betrayers and even the henchmen.

In this exercise you are going to create and describe a villain and WHY they are a villain!

Some Villain Notes and What to Keep In Mind

• What kind of villain are they? Are they just born evil? Did something happen in their past that made them the way they are now?
• What is the motivation of this villain? Do they want money? Power? Revenge? Death? Even the most dastardly villains have a goal!
• How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain? Is it someone they've met before? A friend? Someone new that has just now become a problem?
• What are the STRENGTHS of this villain. What makes them a huge problem for your heroes.
• What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain. The things that are their eventual downfall?

NEED A LITTLE HELP? HERE ARE SOME OF IWAKU'S VILLAIN WORKSHOPS!

• Character Design: Creating Antagonists
• Creating Great Villains
• A Story is Only as Good as its Villains: A Guide to Making Convincing Antagonists

 

[Minibit]

Can we link off-site? I would recommend these resources as well:

Tips on Writing Better Villains
http://springhole.net/writing/write_better_villains.htm

Tips on Writing Better Heel-Face-Turns (Villains who become good guys)
http://springhole.net/writing/write-better-heel-face-turns.htm (really can't get enough of that site!!)

• What kind of villain are they? Are they just born evil? Did something happen in their past that made them the way they are now?

Dayren isn't the main villain, but he is the main villain's best general. He was recruited into the evil army and adopted their ways first just to stay alive, and then later because he discovered something about himself; he's good at it, and he enjoys it.

• What is the motivation of this villain? Do they want money? Power? Revenge? Death? Even the most dastardly villains have a goal!

The country has been assaulted and is pretty much guaranteed to be taken over by Evil Lord VonDouchewinkle. Dayren, when promoted for his exellence in the field of war on the side of Evil, was offered Lordship over his homeland once the war is won. This way, in addition to having power and security himself, he will be able to protect those people and places he cares about through subjugation. At the very least he can guarantee they won't be neglected to the point of extinction.

• How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain? Is it someone they've met before? A friend? Someone knew that has just now become a problem?

He was kidnapped as a child soldier when the war began, and grew up in the ranks, advancing as he learned and became accustommed to his passion for war

• What are the STRENGTHS of this villain. What makes them a huge problem for your heroes.

Dayren is a tactician; it's difficult to outmanoeuvre him because he has an almost unparalleled ability to see all possible moves. Because he as advanced in the Evil ranks as well, he has numerous formidable forces under his command. He is also a charismatic leader, being able to win not only the trust of the Evil Lord, but also the complete loyalty of those under his command.

• What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain. The things that are their eventual downfall?

Dayren does not often rely on brute force. He prefers to use strategy to spread his armies and attack several points at once, instead of amassing them on one point at a time; a concentrated force large enough and sneaky enough to surprise him could be his undoing. His charisma can also work against him; if he is struck down, his minions will have no leader, and no inspiration; if you want to kill a snake, cut off the head.

 

[Elflady]

• What kind of villain are they? Are they just born evil? Did something happen in their past that made them the way they are now?

Zhu Hien isn't pure evil and in his eyes he is not the villain but the savior. As a teenager Zhu Hien was more of a thug and as a middle child he felt neglected but after a terrible accident he learned what he was capable off, in fear he pushed that side of him aside and changed his ways. As an adult though a bandit raid on his village caused the death of his wife and three children, that event brought out his affinity for magic again and this was what sparked his madness.

• What is the motivation of this villain? Do they want money? Power? Revenge? Death? Even the most dastardly villains have a goal!

Revenge and change. Zhu Hien wanted revenge on the King who didn't put much effort in the work against bandits and other common criminals, a lack of action that in Zhu Hien's mind led to the death of his family. When he got his revenge his full attention is on how to change Aldeor to a land where the common people can feel safer and crime is non-existant, he punishes any crime with death and the nobility gets no special treatment from the commoners, to his help Zhu Hien has his own private army that carries out his orders. In his efforts to see his goal come true he wont shy away from any deed even if it makes him the villain; the end justify the means.

• How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain? Is it someone they've met before? A friend? Someone knew that has just now become a problem?

He is unknown to them from the beginning, he hailed from a small village to the west and spent many years in Cinna to study magic. Not untill his return and slaying of the royal family did he become known across the country and various events led to the characters down the path to defeating the mad usurper and break his tyranny.

• What are the STRENGTHS of this villain. What makes them a huge problem for your heroes.

Zhu Hien is a skilled mage with control over fire and dark magic as well as being both intelligent and cautious, if it's not wise to attack he will wait for the moment that will assure the best chance of victory. His simple upbringing and straight forward speech gather many to his cause despite his iron fisted rule and he is even liked and praised by some people of Aldeor who also works against the characters.

• What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain. The things that are their eventual downfall?

Zhu Hien is gradually falling deeper into madness, the dark magic only worsening what had already been seeded years earlier with the loss of his family, it makes him more suspicious and paranoid, prone to rage and harsh behaviour. He is also arrogant despite his cautious side, believing himself incapable of loosing, which earlier led to the fault in his spell that allowed his created minions to break free and gain a will of their own.

 

[Zizikitty]

• What kind of villain are they? Are they just born evil? Did something happen in their past that made them the way they are now?

Ah. Villains. With out them, there are no heros. No conflict, drama and there for no story. Well I suppose you could have a story with no villain but it's so much more fun to add them in. I have worked a while trying to make a good villain.
Kezan was once a human, a regular man but one that was extremely dark. A twisted cop. In this life he was a little insane. But he always got the job done. Although his methods were extreme. But he went too far when he took his affinity for beating and raping to his wife Alana. Her father killed him. Kezans father didnt take this well, despite his son being crooked he still loved him. Once being bitten by a werewolf he sought out the aide of others like him. To learn how to control the beast. But along the way he found love again, and a way that the tribal sages could bring a spirit back.
Against their wishes he brought Kezan back when his new wife became pregnant. But Kezan was forever changed. Like a bitten wolf who could never learn to control his beast, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His memory was tainted by the life he had before. The alpha wolf within him demanded he take what belonged to him. Power and his 'mate'. Utterly and completely obsessed with finding Alana, and killing the man that took her from him. And once he finds out his twin brother is a vampire clan leader when an entire city under his command, he seeks to take that power as well.

• What is the motivation of this villain? Do they want money? Power? Revenge? Death? Even the most dastardly villains have a goal!

Kezan's drive is obsession. His lust for power and revenge. Its that drive to control something that he already doesn't. It's a mixture of an alpha wolf refusing to give up mixed with a mind that should be clinically insane.

• How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain? Is it someone they've met before? A friend? Someone knew that has just now become a problem?

He's mostly a problem for Alana. She used to date his twin brother (before all the supernatural things happened aka becoming vampires and werewolves). So much time has passed that he's nearly forgotten until he pops up again. The same goes for the rest of the clan. He's someone they knew from before.

• What are the STRENGTHS of this villain. What makes them a huge problem for your heroes.

Kezan has quite a bit of strength. As a werewolf, theres not too much that can kill or harm him. He's also cunning and incredibly smart.

• What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain. The things that are their eventual downfall?

His weaknesses is his unstable mind. He just snaps sometimes and the wolf takes control of his actions, which leads to much blood and slaughtering. His rage can blind him so in theory he could be irritated enough to not see a trap if it were laid before him. He's also egotistical, which could also be used against him.

 

[Jae- The nonexistant]

Jake the Villain

• What kind of villain are they? Are they just born evil? Did something happen in their past that made them the way they are now?

He is very dangerous, unpredictable. When he was young, his father gave him a small ring right before he was killed. (unknown how/when/where he was killed). The ring had an evil spirit that had controlled his father. (why he was killed)

• What is the motivation of this villain? Do they want money? Power? Revenge? Death? Even the most dastardly villains have a goal!

Thirst for pain. He just loves the sight of pain. Anything that creates screams of agony, looks of pain, tears of terror.

• How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain? Is it someone they've met before? A friend? Someone knew that has just now become a problem?

My character, Jae/Kate, used to be the sister to Jake. When their father died and Jake received the ring (he was older by 2 years) she ran away. Something felt wrong about him. Every once in a while, since she ran away, he will appear, teasing her, but never really causing her permanent pain like almost every other one of his victims.

• What are the STRENGTHS of this villain. What makes them a huge problem for your heroes.

He is unpredictable, and he can blend in with the background, making him seem invisible. One minute he'll be sleeping quietly in a jail cell, next he's red fiery and ripping people apart with his bare hands in the next city over.

• What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain. The things that are their eventual downfall?

He is a VERY sore loser. If you beat him at anything, he gets VERY upset and will act as a young child, stomping his feet and crossing his arms yelling "It's not fair!" and at this point, all you have to do is strap handcuffs on him and put him in a jail cell or whatever.

 

[Kylulu]

• What kind of villain are they? Are they just born evil? Did something happen in their past that made them the way they are now?

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Lyth has always been one of moral ambiguity, but it never truly got out of hand. It started with little things; cutting a classmate's hair just to see her cry, cause property damage and have it blamed on others. Steadily, he began to push the limits, growing bolder. Everything came to a cusp when he was brought under charges of murder. This wasn't a product of neglective parents or abusive teachers. Perhaps he was born with violent tendencies, or perhaps he is simply a bored teenager.​

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• What is the motivation of this villain? Do they want money? Power? Revenge? Death? Even the most dastardly villains have a goal!

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Lyth's motivation is incredibly simple. He is bored. Bored of aristocratic life. Murder and mayhem happen to be the most fun activity he has found to occupy himself. He may find something else, in time, but for now, murder is the name of the game.​

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• How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain? Is it someone they've met before? A friend? Someone new that has just now become a problem?

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Characters tend to come across Lyth by accident at first. Maybe they stumble into the middle of his latest murder. Or he's in the process of pitting nations against each other for his own enjoyment. Heroes will actively seek him out afterwards, chasing him down to end his murdering sprees. If the characters do somehow know him, it is likely Lyth does not remember who they are. Unless they've somehow caught his interest.​

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• What are the STRENGTHS of this villain. What makes them a huge problem for your heroes.

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Lyth is unafraid to stoop to some disturbing levels. He will hold hostages, he'll torture friends, kill family members to emotionally cripple. He's a master of speed, wicked with a blade, and a hell of a lot smarter than he first appears.​

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• What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain. The things that are their eventual downfall?

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Lyth isn't one for planning ahead. He's impulsive and disorganized, striking when he feels boredom set in. This can leave him ill-prepared for interference for outside parties. While he can dish out damage, he's not particularly tough, and is physically hurt easily if one can catch up to him.​

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[Eve lilith Angelson]

What kind of villain are they?

Akasha was not born pure evil but over the years of abuse from both her mother and father, she learnt that the only way to get what you want in life is to kill maim and destroy. Akasha's earliest memories is of her crying as her so called family hadn't feed her for 3 whole days so she was crying out for food, but when her parents walked into her room that only help a cardboard box for which she was to sleep in and a bucket for her to use as a toilet, they hadn't bought any food with them just 10 small pin's and a small headed hammer, remembering her Mother walking up to her and picking her up she felt happy that she had finally been accepted into the family but alas the good feeling didn't last long as her mother laid her down on the floor near her fathers feet where he knelt down and her mother held her in place with her small arm outstretched and her hand flat on the floor. Looking up at her Mother she smiled but the woman just spat at the face and told her husband to get on with it, Akasha looked over at her Father and saw as he took one of the pins from the pile and placed it just under her small fingernails she closed her eyes at the sharp pain that went through her whole arm but it was nothing compared to how she felt when he hammed the pin in until there was no more than a centimeter showing. He continued with every other nail on her hand and then moved to the next, once they where done they walked out and Akasha just sat there trying in vain with her teeth too pull the pin out. This was the start of her evil ways her family done worse to her until the day she grew older and stronger and killed them both by doing what they had done to her over the years. Akasha started to get a taste for blood and gore and even begin to enjoy inflicting pain on others, so she became a hired interrogator for who ever paid her the most.


What is the motivation of this villain?

Akasha doe it mainly for the money, but also for the enjoyment of watching other's scream as she had for all them years, she like's to know she's not the only one to be hurting.

How does your character (or the characters) come to know this villain?

The one way they are sure to meet Akasha is if they have done something to someone who can afford to pay her highly Akasha has no care what they have done or for what reason as long as the one who is paying has the money she will do what she does best. But if she does the job and no money shows up then she will be after the person who ordered her and they will have a worse fate then her original victims. Akasha normally ask for more than half of what she will need to do the job first on the understanding that the price will rise if they have not been honest with her or if it takes her longer than she feel's it will and the price isn't always money.

What are the STRENGTHS of this villain.

Akasha care's not for anyone and has no fear of death, even when people call her names and there have been many it has no effect on her. The way she see's it she is being paid to do a job and thats the end of it, she will do that job until she is happy with the outcome.

What are the WEAKNESSES of this villain.

Akasha's past is her weakness not no one knows everything that has happened to her but if she opens up to any one person she could falter in her job and break down, Akasha has spent many years alone so if someone was to ask her about her past she doesn't quite know how to react to them.