Paths to Wickedness:
How to Make a Villain
This section is intended for players. So feel free to
make a copy for personal use and distribute it.
Introduction
Guilty. You are a lawbreaker – the worst of the worst.
Too dangerous to live amongst the good people of Talingarde,
they dragged you in chains before a magistrate and
condemned you. They sent you to the worst prison in the
land and there they forever marked you. They held you
down and branded you with a runic F. You are forsaken.
You won’t be at Branderscar Prison for long. Branderscar
is only a holding pen. In three days – justice
comes. In three days – everything ends.
What a pity. If only
there was a way out of
this stinking rat-hole.
If only there was a way
to escape. If only…
No. No one has ever
escaped from Branderscar
Prison. This is where your
story ends.
What is Talingarde?
Talingarde is the most
virtuous, peaceful, noble
nation in the world today.
This land is ruled by
King Markadian V called the
Brave of House Darius. He has
only one heir – the beautiful princess
Bellinda. This benevolent monarchy is heavily
intertwined with the Church of Mitra, the Shining Lord.
You are from Talingarde. This is your home. You have
lived here your entire life. And if they gave you half a
chance, you would have your revenge on all of them.
Who is Mitra?
Mitra, the so-called Shining Lord, is the god of the
sun, bravery, honor, justice, charity and other such pusillanimous
rubbish. The Church of Mitra is the preeminent
religion of Talingarde these days. The Knights of
the Alerion, the elite warriors of Talingarde, are a Mitran
order. The monks of St. Macarius, who travel the
land healing the sick and the helping the needy, are also
a Mitran order. The House of Darius, the royal family of
Talingarde, are devout followers of Mitra.
It wasn’t always this way. Before the Darians took
over, Talingarde worshipped an entire pantheon of deities.
Preeminent among those deities was Asmodeus,
Prince of Hell, Lord of Ambition and Order. Now it
is forbidden to worship Asmodeus. To do so is to be
condemned. The Mitrans destroyed all the Asmodean
temples and burned his books and priests. There are no
followers of Asmodeus anymore in Talingarde – at least
none you know of. Devout Mitrans will not say the name
Asmodeus. He is simply “The Fallen” or “The Enemy”.
How did they catch me?
You tell us. You must pick a crime (there is a list provided
below) that you were condemned for. They
are only two requirements – you got caught
and you really did it.
It’s not surprising that the Talireans (the
people of Talingarde) caught you, though.
Talingarde is a fiercely lawful and good
society. Crime (especially
heinous crime
like yours) is not tolerated.
System
Making a character for
the “Way of the Wicked”
Campaign is similar to
making characters for any
campaign using The Pathfinder
Roleplaying Game
with just a few modifications.
Step 1 -- Determine
Ability Scores
Any method will do, but
we present here an alternate
method appropriate to this adventure path called ‘Focus
and Foible’. Besides that one, the 25 point buy method is
also recommended. It’s challenging being a villain with
the whole world against you.
Focus and Foible
Choose a Focus, an ability score at which you excel.
You receive an 18 in that score.
Choose a Foible, an ability score that is your weakness.
You receive an 8 in that score.
The other four, roll 1d10+7 four times in order. There
are no rerolls or moving of ability scores. Those are your
other four scores.
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Paths to Wickedness
Why this Method?
This method makes slightly more powerful characters
on average. A ’Focus and Foible’-built character costs
25 build points to make on average but more powerful
characters are not uncommon. It compensates for the
potential increase in power by making characters slightly
random. Randomness never completely hamstrings a
character though (the lowest total you can roll is ’8’ after
all) and never gives them an ability score higher than
their focus.
Therefore your wizard might have a high dexterity and
charisma as well as having a high intelligence and a low
strength. The writer finds this tends to create slightly
more interesting, unusual and diverse characters. If the
randomness and potential for character inequity bothers
you, you can always use point buy instead.
Step 2 -- Pick Your Race
This is unchanged. All races in The Pathfinder Roleplaying
Game are permitted.
There are certain races that will be more difficult to
play in this campaign. Extremely unusual or monstrous
races are likely to be troublesome. PCs of those races
may find themselves uninvolved in certain parts of this
campaign.
The PCs after all are on a secret mission to infiltrate
and destroy Talingarde. It will be more difficult to infiltrate
anything if you are travelling with a minotaur,
goblin or serpent man for example. Tread carefully with
these choices.
Step 3 -- Pick Your Class
All classes are permitted except the Paladin. Paladins
do not walk the Way of the Wicked. A few classes require
some special consideration below.
The Anti-paladin from the Advanced Player’s Guide is
well suited themetically for this campaign. Alas, the class
requires a chaotic evil alignment which is not permitted.
Thus it is recommended that your GM allow the house
rule “The anti-paladin may be of any evil alignment”.
Further, the anti-paladin may have cohorts, followers
and henchmen who are of any evil alignment instead of
the usual “chaotic evil” requirement. Also, a lawful evil
anti-paladin may not use their fiendish boon to add the
‘anarchic’ property to a weapon. Instead, they may add
the ‘axiomatic’ property.
Assassins are a great choice for this campaign. Subtle
killing can potentially be useful again and again. Yes, this
is a prestige class not a core class. But it’s a great prestige
class to be working towards at level one.
Barbarians can be a good choice, but since chaotic
alignments are not allowed (see below), neutral evil or
neutral are the only two possible alignment choices.
Barbarians have the challenge of coming up with a good
reason why a class as chaotic and rebellious as this one
would cooperate with a group of lawful evil followers of
Asmodeus. Perhaps a cleric of Asmodeus (another PC?)
saved your life and now you owe that priest your service.
Cavaliers are a fine choice for a PC but must be careful
about their Order selection. Orders that defend the
common folk (The Order of the Shield) or pledge allegiance
to the king of Talingarde (The Order of the Lion)
are probably not appropriate. Self-serving orders (for example
the Order of the Cockatrice) are very appropriate
indeed.
Clerics and inquisitors are allowed but must worship
a god who approves of the villainous path ahead of you.
Worshipping the lawful evil god Asmodeus is strongly
encouraged. At the GM’s discretion it may be required
for divine classes.
Druids are permitted though neutral good druids are
not. Evil druids are a perfectly valid choice but you must
decide why such a character would ever join an organization
that honors a lawful evil god.
Gunslingers are permitted but this adventure path assumes
by default that firearms do not exist. There are no
guns found in the treasure or adversaries who use firearms.
If you want to play a gunslinger, you should talk to
the Game Master about this. If they approve this choice,
then they will need to modify the campaign accordingly
to accommodate your character.
Monks may not be lawful good and are recommended
to be lawful evil. A lawful neutral monk is technically allowed
but would be a difficult choice. Why would such a
law abiding character seek to destroy Talingarde?
Ninja and Samurai are permitted but the campaign
as written makes no special allowances for them. Thus
there are no eastern weapons or armor in the treasure
(katana, wakizashi or naginata, for example). Further
you must explain how your villainous ninja or samurai
ended up in the western nation of Talingarde. Much like
the gunslinger above, talk to the Game Master and work
out these special needs.
Rangers will find that Humanoid (Human) and Outsider
(Good) are solid choices for their favored enemy.
Sorcerers of any bloodline are permitted. Infernal
blooded sorcerers are a particularly good choice.
90Book One: Knot of Thorns
Step 4 -- Pick Skills and Select Feats
This step is unchanged.
However, this campaign lends itself more than most
to a house rule that gives everyone two more skill points
per level. The PCs will be on their own for much of the
campaign and will have difficulty relying on others for
skills. This house rule will make them more self-reliant.
Besides, villains should more competent than the average
man.
Step 5 -- Buy Equipment
The characters begin with nothing. They have no
money, no weapons or armor, no gear, no animal companions
of any sort and no material possessions besides
tattered, dirty prison clothes. Equipment will be acquired
in game.
Alchemists begin without their formulae book, extracts,
bombs or mutagens. They must have access to an
alchemical lab or chemicals to have any of these abilities
restored.
Bards begin without their instruments.
Cavaliers have lost their mount. Presumably their
mount was slain or given to another during their capture.
It can be presumed that their week of mourning is
already in the past.
Clerics begin having chosen all their spells for the day.
They do not have their holy symbol or any material components
however.
Druids also begin having chosen all their spells for the
day. They do not, however, have their animal companion
with them. Presumably such a companion was slain
during their capture or escaped and awaits them outside.
Regardless, such beasts would never be allowed inside
the prison. Only if they escape from Branderscar prison
will they have a chance to reunite with their companion
or conduct the ceremony to acquire another.
Inquisitors and Oracles lack their holy symbol if they
need one.
Summoners begin the game with their Eidolon unsummoned.
They begin the game shackled so they are
unable to perform the necessary ritual until they are free.
Witches, Wizards and Magi do not have their spell
books, material components, familiars or bonded objects.
They do however begin with a full selection of
memorized spells from before their incarceration.
Step 6 -- Finishing Details
As normal except that good and chaotic alignments
are not allowed. Every character must be lawful neutral,
lawful evil, neutral or neutral evil. Of those four alignments,
lawful evil is definitely the preferred choice. At
the Game Master’s discretion, lawful evil may be the required
alignment.
Further, every character must choose a crime that
landed in them in Branderscar. They were not wrongly
imprisoned -- they are guilty of their charge. If you are
using the trait system in the Advanced Player’s Guide,
choosing this crime counts as one of your traits.
There is a further requirement and it is something of
an intangible quality. At some point in this adventure
path every character is going to have the chance to join
an evil organization and swear allegiance to the master
of that organization and its patron – the lawful evil god
Asmodeus. The adventure path assumes you say yes to
this chance. Therefore, you should make a character who
can say yes.
The Path of Vengeance
Perhaps right now, you may be experiencing a little
cognitive dissonance.
This campaign is about breaking out of prison, joining
an evil organization and then seeking revenge. Above,
we recommend that characters be lawful evil. You may
be asking yourself right now “how is breaking out of prison
and getting revenge lawful?”
It isn’t.
Lawful evil is the recommended alignment not because
your character is obeying the laws of Talingarde
but because your characters seek to impose a new order.
This is not the campaign for chaotic loners or freespirited
vagabonds. Those campaigns exist in abundance
and if they are what you are looking for, perhaps you are
in the wrong place. This is a campaign about joining an
evil organization with a wicked agenda. Eventually, you
may even come to control that evil organization.
“Way of the Wicked” is a chance to play an unusual
sort of character. You will play a burgeoning dark lord
-- someone who will rise from imprisonment and destitution
to become one of the greatest villains of this age.
At first, you will be a minion in service to a sinister plot.
But eventually, you will be a minion no longer. You, if
you can survive, will become the master.
And that is almost the definition of lawful evil.
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Paths to Wickedness
Crimes of the Forsaken
Each character chooses one heinous crime that has
earned them a place in Branderscar Prison. Each crime
grants a different benefit, similar to a trait. You may have
committed many crimes during your lifetime, but this is
the crime that finally got you branded and condemned.
This list of twenty crimes is not intended to be comprehensive.
Feel free to invent your own crime, punishment
and benefit (with the GM’s approval of course).
Besides simplying choosing a crime, you should also
consider how the crime was done. Was this a wellplanned
criminal enterprise or a crime of passion? Did
you do it alone or did you have accomplices? Was this
the first time you did this crime or are you a repeat offender?
Answering these questions will help flesh out
your character’s background.
This has been said before, but it bears repeating. Your
character actually perpetrated this crime. You may have
done it for what seemed like noble reasons. You may have
gotten entangled in this criminal enterprise unwillingly.
But there is no doubt that you are
guilty. You have not been sentenced to
the worse prison in Talingarde unjustly.
You are here because you deserve to be.
Arson
You have willfully started a fire that destroyed property.
To be sent to Branderscar, you didn’t start just a minor
little trash fire. Your act of arson threatened a major
town, city, church or castle and likely cost someone their
life. You’ll be punished for your crime by facing the fire
yourself.
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: Whenever you score a critical hit with a fire
attack, you receive a +2 fire damage bonus to your
damage roll. This bonus is a trait bonus.
Attempted Murder
You tried to kill someone and botched the job. To be
sent to Branderscar Prison, you did not try to kill just
anyone. You likely assaulted someone of great
importance and prominence.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate
checks, and Intimidate is always a class
skill for you.
Blasphemy
Either you have defamed the great god Mitra or you have
been found guilty of worshipping one of the forbidden
deities (who preeminent among them is Asmodeus).
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (religion) and
Knowledge (religion) is always a class skill for you.
Consorting with the Dark Powers
(Witchcraft)
You have been found guilty of summoning an evil outsider.
Likely you were captured by the famed witch hunter
Sir Balin of Karfeld. The last thing he said to you was,
“May Mitra have mercy upon your wretched, damned
soul.” If only you could get a chance at revenge!
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge
(planes) and Knowledge (arcana) checks, and one of
these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
92Book One: Knot of Thorns
Desecration
You have violated one of the churchs, cathedrals or holy
shrines of the great god Mitra. To be sent to Branderscar
this was no minor act of vandalism. Instead you have
done something flagrant and spectacular to dishonor the
Shining Lord.
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: You receive +1 trait bonus on all saving
throws against divine spells.
Desertion
You have deserted from the Talirean military and been
recaptured. To get sent to Branderscar this was not some
minor or routine dereliction of duty. Instead, you abandoned
your post during a time of crisis -- perhaps battle
or while defending the Watch Wall. Regardless of the
exact circumstances, your laziness and cowardness must
have caused loss of life.
Punishment: Death by hanging
Benefit: You receive one bonus skill point per level
that must be spent on the Profession (Soldier) skill.
Profession (Soldier) is always a class skill for you.
Dueling unto Death
You have engaged in a duel to the death and mortally
wounded an opponent. The opponent was honorable
enough to say nothing before he expired. Alas that his
family or companions was nowhere near so honorable.
Dueling was once common in Talingarde before the
House of Darius came to power. The House of Barca all
but encouraged duels of honor. Now, dueling of any sort
is punished severely. Dueling to the death is a sure way
to be sent to Branderscar Prison.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus to Fortitude saves
Extortion
You have defrauded money from someone by holding
information of their wrongdoing over their heads. To
end up in Branderscar, this was no minor act of merely
threatening to expose someone. Instead you ave attempted
extortion against someone of great prominence
and for exorbitant stakes.
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate
checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.
Forgery
You have forged documents issued either by the crown
or by the Church of Mitra. Alas, that your forgery while
competent was not entirely undetectable. To be sent to
Branderscar, this was no minor finagling of paperwork.
This forged document could have cost lives, undermined
the reputation of the Church or endangered the security
of the realm.
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You gain a +3 trait bonus to Linguistics skill
checks to commit forgery and Linguistics is always a
class skill for you.
Fraud
You tried to bilk someone out of their cash. To end up
in Brandescar Prison, this was no petty con job or penny
ante racket. Instead, you brazenly tried to defraud someone
important of a huge sum of money. And it almost
worked too!
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Bluff checks
and Bluff is always a class kill for you.
Grave Robbery
It is forbidden by sacred law to dishonor a corpse after it
is been sealed in its tomb by a clergy of the Mitran faith.
Some may not honor this ban: necromancers, golem
crafters, self-styled scientists, and alchemists delving into
the forbidden secrets of life and death. These ghouls can
expect no mercy from the Talirean Magistrates. And by
sending you to Branderscar Prison, you have received
none.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to confirm critical
hits
Heresy
You have denied the supremacy of Mitra and been condemned
for it. For this to be a crime, you were not content
to keep your heresy to yourself. You tried to sway
others. Likely you were captured by the famed witch
hunter Sir Balin of Karfeld. The last thing he said to you
was: “Mitra may forgive you yet for your lies. Talingarde
will not.” If only you could get a chance at revenge!
Punishment: Death by burning.
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus on all saving
throws against divine spells.
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Paths to Wickedness
High Theft
You had a foolproof plan to steal some great treasure.
Alas, the scheme had a fatal flaw and went horribly awry.
To be sent to Branderscar prison, this was no ordinary
robbery attempt. You tried to steal something of great
value or religious significance.
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Reflex saves.
High Treason
You have willfully worked to bring down the current
Monarch of Talingarde -- the beloved King Markadian V
called the Brave of House Darius. To be successfully tried
for High Treason you have done more than merely dislike
the king, you did something tangible to undermine his
rule. Alas, that you failed at your plot and are now headed
to Branderscar Prison. Treason is the only crime that
is still punished by the gruesome ritual of being drawn
and quartered. Your stay at Branderscar will be brief.
Punishment: Death by drawing and quartering
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Will saves.
Kidnapping
You have abducted someone perhaps to ransom them
or do unspeakable things to them. Unfortunately, you
were caught and your victim was rescued (if they weren’t
rescued -- you would be guilty of murder instead). To
be sent to Branderscar Prison, you must have abducted
someone of great importance or in a particularly gruesome
manner.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to both Disarm
and Grapple attempts.
Murder
You have killed without just cause and been condemned
for it. To be sent to Branderscar Prison, this was no typical
killing but a particularly savage and unforgiveable act.
You may also have killed someone with powerful friends.
Note: You are not allowed to have killed someone in
the royal family of Talingarde. You may have tried (his
would instead be High Treason -- see above) but ultimately
they are too well protected.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You deal 1 additional point of damage when
flanking a foe. This additional damage is a trait bonus.
Piracy
You have been caught in the act of piracy on the high
seas. This is a rare crime these days since Markadian I
called the Victorious burned the last major pirate fleet to
threaten these isles. Still the crime is punished harshly.
Likely you are the sole survivor of your ship.
Punishment: Death by hanging
Benefit: You may select either Bluff or Intimidate.
The selected skill receives a +2 trait bonus and is always
a class skill for you.
Sedition
You have attempted to covertly stir up rebellion against
your rightful sovereign. This differs from high treason
in that you attempted to convince others to make war
against Talingarde instead of taking direct action yourself.
A subtle difference to be sure. But it is the difference
between receiving the swift justice of the axe instead
of the slow suffering upon the rack.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Bluff checks
and Bluff is always a class skill for you. Further if you
ever take the Leadership feat, you gain a +1 trait bonus
to your Leadership score.
Slave-Taking
Slavery is illegal in Talingarde and a very rare crime. Still,
once in a great while, slavers from the mainland will foolishly
make an incursion into Talirean protected territories.
When they are captured alive they are always made
an example of.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to both Disarm
and Grapple attempts.
Slave Trading
Slavery is legal in other parts of the world and it can be
tempting to the most decadent of Talingarde’s nobility
to acquire a “souvenir” when traveling abroad or to
purchase the object of their desire from a less reputable
merchant. However you ended up trading slaves in Talingarde,
you were caught red handed and now you will
lose more than simply your freedom.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive one bonus skill point per level
that must be spent on the Appraise skill. The Appraise
skill is always a class skill for you.