PSA: Military

Unarmed 6, Projectile 4, Beam 4, Melee Weapons 2, Demolitions 3, Computers 4,

Now we need to detail some organizations.  I believe Tom is working on cadres and cults, should be a good list. :-)

PSA: Biosocial

Enviromental 2, Medic 6, Psychosocial 5, Computers 2, Technician 1, Beam Weapons 3, Unarmed 1, Melee 1

 Race Human 

 Sex Male

 Homeworld Unknown

 Known Associates Warren, Malthar

 Base of Operations Dramune, Outer Reach

 Last Known Location Hardrain, Minotaur 

 Threat Malthar weapons dealer supplying a number of worlds with illegal and deadly weapons.

 Threat Rating Extreme: Frontier-wide (shoot on site)

 Submitted by Tibley McDoog (deceased)

 Submitter Notes (garbled communication from the late Ranger McDoog) I have appre.... ..thar.... lately supplying Minotaur rebels with high-grade weapons. His local c... arren.

The Villainous Non-Player Character's Master-Plan

Have you ever wanted to create a villain NPC that starts about the same time as the player characters? As the characters progress so does the villain and often finds himself running into or  around the player's adventure areas. Use the following process to guide the villain along his carrier. These are typical steps an ambitious NPC would follow in order to obtain ultimate power and control. Some may stop at controlling a town while others may want frontier-wide control.

STEP 1

Seek a way to control others by charm, greed or technical knowledge
The villainous NPC may start his career with cohorts who are of the same mind; however he will ultimately be the one that comes out ahead. He may eliminate the others or have a way to control them.

STEP 2

Obtain personal power by gathering followers
This NPC hangs out in slums, bars and shady areas of civilization seeking those that want the benefits he has to offer in exchange for muscle.

STEP 3

Establish a base of operations
Depending on the job sector this NPC has a base that may be hidden from society or within an established corporation. Other areas include religious areas; abandon mining camps or a spaceship.

STEP 4

Make connections outside the NPC's job sector
The NPC exchanges favors, credits or others goods and services to make connections outside his job sector. This spreads his influence into areas he may not be accustomed with.

STEP 5

Control an area
The NPC gains control over an area such as a town, city, corporation or government. What he says is law and there is little or no opposition. He may be the dictator type or use subtlety to get his way in the controlled area.

STEP 6

Form an external security force
In Step 5 it's assumed the NPC has a security force to control his area. This particular security force is used outside his influence to do various nefarious tasks. The force will be highly trained commanders who have low-level followers although a single small force will be all high-level commodes. The force will most likely have access to vehicles and smaller spaceships.

STEP 7

Remove rivals
The NPC uses his connections and security force to further remove rivals within his domain and expand his controlled area. He may even call in a favor from Step 4 to have someone eliminated in someone else's domain.

STEP 8

The ambitious may never stop
At this point the NPC has vast resources, influence and a mobile military force. He may desire (or already be involved in) frontier-wide politics and plan on taking over the frontier (or a sector of it). He will continue to spread his influence, amass military might, expand his area and place informants in political positions.     

Final Notes

Survival
A good villainous NPC always has a path to escape.  He spends a great deal of time planning his exit strategy - whether his master plan is successful or is foiled by meddling heroic characters.  A good villainous NPC returns in a later adventures. The NPC villain might always seek to obtain items which enhance his ability to get away quickly, or surround himself with thugs to handle the meddling heroes so he can secure his exit.  For example, the NPC villain might plot his nefarious schemes in locations which have cliff faces nearby, and he might have an air car driven by a trusted minion ready to swoop by and catch him when he leaps off with his concealed parachute. 

Death.
 Keep in mind that villains should always be defeated by the characters at some point during a campaign. If the NPC villain is killed early in the campaign perhaps the body or mind can be cybernectially "resurrected".    

Georgie just edit a document I submitted to the magazine including most of these posts. Got any more? I now you do!

:-)

Anyone want to do another round - if so we can start a new thread. 

Thanks!