Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > Roleplaying in General

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-09-2017, 06:57 PM   #11
hal
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by L.J.Steele View Post
Look for some good fictional examples and see what the authors do to establish character. Gus Fring from Breaking Bad and Marcone from Dresden Files are both good criminal mob bosses who exude menace without being obvious about it.
I haven't ever watched BREAKING BAD, largely for the same reason I've not watched THE GODFATHER or THE SOPRANOS. Mind you, I'm not some "prude" per se, but I largely have a distaste for movies or shows that glorify the Criminal elements of society. Some movies I watch just to glean nasty ideas from. One was inspired from a movie with a grenade attack in an elevator...

One of these days in my current campaign, I will likely inflict the "Grenade" in the elevator attack where the player character is in an elevator going down, and while between where he started, and where he wants to go (say, ground level lobby perhaps), the elevator stops at a floor with a woman standing there. She'll look into the elevator and say "I've changed my mind, I'll take the next elevator. Her hands will be behind her back and as the elevator doors begin to close, she'll wait until the absolute last second to pop a grenade through the closing doors.

The player himself will likely go "OH <censored"! and then think there is nothing he can do.

If I have another NPC in there, I may have the NPC land on the grenade (especially if it is an NPC the player has come to enjoy) or perhaps have the grenade be a dud or dummy or what have you. I try not to be a killer GM unless the player has really EARNED it (a sniper round once finished off a player's character who earned it, but the player had warning of it as well...)

But, the Dresden Files books I have access to, or perhaps I should take your advice and maybe watch the specific episodes in Breaking Bad (Netflix has it).

Any specific Episodes you'd suggest I watch?

By the way Lisa, Nice to bump into you again!!! :)
hal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2017, 07:11 PM   #12
lwcamp
 
lwcamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: The plutonium rich regions of Washington State
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Fleshing out a major villain?

I'd start with field dressing the villain, then hanging and skinning him. Use a sharp knife - filleting knives work well, but utility knives can always be used in a pinch. Remove the major cuts of meat, and ... oh, wait, not that kind of fleshing out? Never mind then.

Luke
lwcamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2017, 07:26 PM   #13
hal
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by lwcamp View Post
Fleshing out a major villain?

I'd start with field dressing the villain, then hanging and skinning him. Use a sharp knife - filleting knives work well, but utility knives can always be used in a pinch. Remove the major cuts of meat, and ... oh, wait, not that kind of fleshing out? Never mind then.

Luke
In honor of this particular post...

There will now be an Encounter in my game world for GURPS NIGHT CITY, where an individual is a serial cannibal. He started doing this for his own reasons, but his infamy will grow over time. Eventually, the news agencies will start to call him the Donner kid, and the running joke is "If that don't take a bite out of crime, nothing will."

Many will speculate that the man has some connection with law enforcement, or is a hacker who can access police records. To date, the Donner kid has never attacked anyone without a felony to their name.
hal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2017, 09:24 PM   #14
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
There will now be an Encounter in my game world for GURPS NIGHT CITY, where an individual is a serial cannibal. He started doing this for his own reasons, but his infamy will grow over time. Eventually, the news agencies will start to call him the Donner kid, and the running joke is "If that don't take a bite out of crime, nothing will."

Many will speculate that the man has some connection with law enforcement, or is a hacker who can access police records. To date, the Donner kid has never attacked anyone without a felony to their name.
What happened after Dexter Morgan underwent psychotherapy with Dr. Hannibal Lecter. . . .
__________________
Bill Stoddard

I don't think we're in Oz any more.
whswhs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2017, 09:26 PM   #15
L.J.Steele
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
But, the Dresden Files books I have access to, or perhaps I should take your advice and maybe watch the specific episodes in Breaking Bad (Netflix has it).

Any specific Episodes you'd suggest I watch?

By the way Lisa, Nice to bump into you again!!! :)
I've been lurking here off and on...

Actually, try Better Call Saul -- less to catch up on, somewhat less morally ambiguous -- the actors playing both Fring and Nacho do a heck of a job, particularly this past season. Saul is a morally ambiguous figure in this series -- more so than Walter White in his first seasons, I think.

I came in late to Breaking Bad -- crime/cop/forensic shows are too much like my day job, but the writing and the cinematography on Breaking Bad are first rate.
L.J.Steele is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2017, 02:11 AM   #16
jason taylor
 
jason taylor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
And then, if someone DOES rid the troublesome priest, two things happen. Publically, the action is condemned as "But that's not what I meant", and privately "Oh, yeah, I feel bad about being imprecise. it wasn't your fault, but mine. Tell you what, here's a consolation payment to keep things quiet. Ok?"

Maybe something along those lines perhaps?
Actually in King Henry's case, oddly enough I'd take that as evidence of innocence. He was a notably smart dude and likely had plenty of seamy connections who could more smoothly eliminate a troublesome person. The fact that he said it aloud means he was just venting whereas he would have been quiet if he had actually commissioned a hit.
__________________
"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison
jason taylor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2017, 02:26 AM   #17
jason taylor
 
jason taylor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

One of the better villains(and this would be a good cross-reference to the Competent Villains thread) was La Grenouile in NCIS. He sold arms to anybody who would buy but treated it like business and himself like a businessman. He was ruthless in defense of his patrimony because he was in a trade where he couldn't trust the law's protection for the obvious reason that his trade was illegal besides being Not Nice. But he prided himself on having an aesthetic taste in the way he protected himself being more likely to say ruin someone's life by digging up a secret then to break their leg. In the meantime he made a point of being cultured and refined as if somehow knowing things about cognac makes up for sponsoring gang wars and tribal bloodbaths.
__________________
"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison
jason taylor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2017, 04:00 AM   #18
dcarson
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

From Lois & Clark

Quote:
It's always such an embarrassment. Having to do away with someone. It's like announcing to the world that you lack the savvy and the finesse to deal with the problem more creatively. I mean, there have been times, naturally, when I've had to have people eliminated, but it's always saddened me. I've always felt like I've let myself down somehow. — Lex Luthor
dcarson is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2017, 09:34 AM   #19
lwcamp
 
lwcamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: The plutonium rich regions of Washington State
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
In honor of this particular post...

There will now be an Encounter in my game world for GURPS NIGHT CITY, where an individual is a serial cannibal. He started doing this for his own reasons, but his infamy will grow over time. Eventually, the news agencies will start to call him the Donner kid, and the running joke is "If that don't take a bite out of crime, nothing will."

Many will speculate that the man has some connection with law enforcement, or is a hacker who can access police records. To date, the Donner kid has never attacked anyone without a felony to their name.
If you want to beat 'em, eat 'em.

Luke
lwcamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2017, 11:41 AM   #20
hal
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
Default Re: Advice sought for fleshing out a major villian

Quote:
Originally Posted by lwcamp View Post
If you want to beat 'em, eat 'em.

Luke
I find that the concept parallels Dexter, although I've not watched Dexter. Having the press announce the name of Donner Kid or perhaps some other name - I'm tempted to give the character the first name of Luke. With my list of names from THE EVERYONE EVERYWHERE LIST - it shouldn't be hard to come up with something.

The encounter with the Donner Kid almost writes itself as far as the player might be concerned...

"Suddenly, without warning, an overwhelming feeling of electrocution with its characteristic seizing of the muscles in a painful locking sensation overwhelms you. Darkness descends. <after an unknown time> you begin to feel some sort of sensation, first your hearing returns, and slowly, awareness seeps in of every single ache your body is experiencing. The feeling that a local marching band used your body for a practice field is too painful to ignore - but what is even harder to ignore is that shrill annoying sonic like drone in your ear. Trying to make it go away, what ever it is, results in a voice being heard as if from far away "Good, you're awake. Don't panic if it feels like you can't move. You're strapped into a frame with a lie detector device attached. There is also a stomach acid analysis unit that has been pushed through to your throat, so, please, don't feel you have to talk. All we're going to do is a word association like test. Your responses to the questions will either confirm or deny the issue, as the questions will all be yes/no questions. You may have heard of me by now, as the Donner Kid. Unless you fit a very specialized criteria, you're off the menu so to speak.

Do you have any friends?
Do you know of any of your friends who have committed Felonies?
Have you committed a felony?
Do you suspect that your friends may have committed a felony?
Is your friend a Man?
Is your friend under the age of 18?
Have you ever shot an unarmed man?
Do you know of anyone who has shot an unarmed man?

Well, those questions are enough. Our organization will be in contact with you in the future. If you are sent Black Roses - I would suggest that you show up at the Town Hall fountain by 3 PM. Failure to do as instructed will result on you becoming the guest of honor at our next banquet. Oh, one final question. You don't have a nickname like Meatloaf or anything like that do you? We don't want to be gauche and emulate a scene from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. What, you don't know of it? Pity."

Whether the player character goes to the authorities and relays this to them would be interesting enough, but as I've told my player in the past, if He's not yet paranoid, I'm not going my job...

;)
hal is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.