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The Price of Hiring a Villain


DrFaust

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It's not WWYCD, but more like What Would the NPC Do?

 

Suppose for a moment there were a plague or virus of some sort spreading through the city. The heroes, lacking a biologist or doctor amongst their numbers, find themselves turning to a Teleios-style villain for his services in devising a cure. What do you suppose he might want in return?

 

Things I've thought of so far: he asks the PCs to steal something he can't get hold of himself -- a DNA sample of a well-guarded and shielded person, maybe, or chemical X-19 -- and putting his latest monstrosity through its paces.

 

Any other suggestions?

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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

It's not WWYCD' date=' but more like What Would the NPC Do?[/quote']If this is Telios, I would think he would either want A) DNA from the supers (or some other prominent entities) involved or B) Immunity from any crimes he committed that happened prior to "today." :eg:
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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

1. amnesty

 

2. DNA samples from all known superbeings

 

3. five (or 23) nuclear bombs

 

4. rulership of the campaign city and its status as a sovereign country (ask the UN, or whom?)

 

5. the heroines of the group must join his harem

 

6. ban the heroes from this reality

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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

3. five (or 23) nuclear bombs
"I've considered your offer, and I'll cure this plague for you. But at a price! You must deliver to me five nuclear bom...ah...indeed. Yes! Yes of course! 23! It must be 23 nuclear bombs..."
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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

Hell' date=' DNA samples of the heroes themselves might be a price to ask for.[/quote']

 

Yeah I'm sure that's not going to come back and bite us in the ass. I mean, tailored viruses, planting DNA at a crime scene or to help fake our deaths while we're imprisoned, growing clones to infitrate our base and attack us, the reasons this is a bad idea (from the heroes point of veiw are legion.

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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

Yeah I'm sure that's not going to come back and bite us in the ass. I mean' date=' tailored viruses, planting DNA at a crime scene or to help fake our deaths while we're imprisoned, growing clones to infitrate our base and attack us, the reasons this is a bad idea (from the heroes point of veiw are legion.[/quote']

 

That was one of the first possibilities that sprang to mind, but it seems like one of those ludicrous GM plot-hammers. "Hur, hur. You guys are going to screw yourselves to save the city because I ensured that was the only option available."

 

I think Teleios may ask them to steal someone else's DNA. This is all assuming they even go the route of bargaining with them. I'm just covering my bases.

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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

From the original post, it reads more of "What would the villain ask for" not necessarily "what does the villain receive." I would think a criminal such as Telios would ask for DNA (that's his area after all) and a pardon/immunity/amnesty, though he'd only expect to receive at the best immunity from the crimes he admits to, which puts him in the double-edge "If I admit to something they know nothing about, what will they discover?" crossed with "If I don't admit this and they find out about it" quandry. Considering the heroes/authorities had to find a way of contacting this villain once, then they have the means in place to finding him in the future.

 

That's my opinion of it. YMMV.

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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

Although there are some monomaniacs who would turn it down, some amount of untraceable cash or valuable commodities should suffice for most.

 

'We can't give you our DNA because we're sure you would use it against us in horrible way, but we CAN raise 10 million dollars. What do you say?"

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Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

Well' date=' the NPC could always subcontract it out to the villain, but then the PCs might accuse you of railroading.[/quote']

 

That is a very interesting idea! I might just use that.

 

I'm so not railroady that if I used that twist, the players would have no reason to complain at all.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Re: The Price of Hiring a Villain

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cygnia viewpost.gif

Well, the NPC could always subcontract it out to the villain, but then the PCs might accuse you of railroading.

 

That is a very interesting idea! I might just use that.

 

I'm so not railroady that if I used that twist, the players would have no reason to complain at all.

 

Well, the boffin may realize s/he's in over her/his head and think it's the only way to solve the problem. Then it becomes "What did the boffin give in exchange for the cure?" :sneaky:

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