Recurring Bad Guys

[Paladin]

How have you integrated "higher level" / "big picture" bad guys into your campaigns? How so?

Do you use cinematic "cut away scenes" that help flesh out the baddies/their plans/actions?

News reports? Rumors?



I was on the verge of integrating a couple lower level baddies and a grander scale one and the campaign took a MAJOR left turn. I'm not the kind of GM/Ref that likes to railroad too strongly so I'm backpedalling to adapt some things before the next session.

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Well in my campaign that ran for some 20 yrs, set in the Verge Sector I used a constant conflict between (3) Sector Corps. They were called; Pell, GTE, and Trecheon Corp. These three Corps made everything and had their hands into everything. At times their was open warfare between them and the Imperials seem to turn a blind eye to what they did. Now the players were FreeLance Troubleshooters, that worked mostly for Pell but sometimes GTE as well. They had their own 400-ton armed Merchantmen (named: StarScream) that had been heavly modified and was paid off by them over that time. Actually they were quite successful and help to make certain NPC's careers and ruin others. In all organizations there are good guys and bad guys, and all three of these Corps were just as good/bad as the others. They worked mostly for Pell but were also spys for the Imperials as well too, reporting in on all matters. That got them Credits, and allowed them to get away with certain 'matters' when it regarded the 'Law'. In the end they stepped on the wrong Ex Officer and caused to much trouble and had a group of Bounty Hunters on their butts. Another group like themselves that they always seemed to be at odds with, that seem to use a extremely heavy hand on thier approach and lots of folks always ended up dead. Took me about 9 months to set up the final battle but they all went out in a Blaze of Glory that the PCs still talk about till today. Team 'Starscream' took out team 'Fist' but at great cost to them both. It made a great running fight on multiple levels. So there is always room to have villians on multiple levels, I like to use organizationas the main plot and then just add a whole range of NPCs from there.

Penn

 

[Brutorz Bill]

Paladin,
I use news reports to allow for "cut-aways" to what's happening in areas that the PC's might not be directly currently involved with. The news isn't always accurate so I can insert rumours, disinformation etc. My players have enjoyed hearing bits about a certain NPC over the course of the campaign, so when they finally meet him or his minions they feel like they already know about them.


Penn,
Sounds like an awesome campaign. I'd love to be a player in a campaign like that! Awesome!!

 

[Bygoneyrs]

I tell you to GM a campaign well requires for me to run it every-other week and on the off week I need to spend a good 8-12 hours setting up for the next game(Prep work). I always have plots within plots within plots and try to plan ot many different lines of game play that the player could go in if they so choose too. I have tons of data set up for lots of the systems that the campaign has played through over the 20 years run that never ever even got touched, but if ever they go back I have tons to work with as well.

Now for me the Verge sector after 20 years is played out, so I am redoing my own gaming universe for my next campaign For me half the fun is creating the stuff for the campaign, the the rest is GMing for my players and seeing the fun they are having on their faces. There is nothing greater than sitting back from the table as the GM, and see ones players roleplaying and trying to work out something. I love just sitting there and watching it all, especially as the GM and I don't even have to talk at times!!!

Also there is nothing better than face to face table top RPGing, with glass covered checkered gaming table to play on. using those grease pencils to draw what-ever, and using painted (in my case mostly Lead figures) or what-ever on the table top. All the tons of dice and so on, with mood music playing, and using many paper drawings, chalk-board, hand-ots, and etc as props can't be beaten. Keeping a gaming group of 5-6 players plus myself the GM happily gaming for 4-6 hours at a time is awesome. Oh at 46 years old married with two kids, I can NO Longer go/spend like 12+ hours gaming like I did years ago (before kids, wife, household matters, and etc)...ah the good old days!!!

Enjoy these times you all have, because they will never come again! Be thankful for what you do have and try to do the best one can at it. Everything comes with time and to have fun for all is the main goal here.

Penn