A Touch of Character #2
Today's NPC is a villainous mage who uses deception and subterfuge to get what she wants. Meet Vierra.
Name: Vierra Thorngage
Occupation: Wizard
Bio: Vierra wants power, plain and simple. Born with a degenerative disease that left her frail and sickly, she was often teased by others for being so weak, even for a halfling. Though most of the jabs at her were harmless, she took them very personally and swore to herself that she'd find ways to become powerful. She found what she was looking for in the realm of the arcane, and soon learned that with the right spells, she could manipulate people into serving her and doing her bidding, often without them having the slightest clue about who she really was or what her true intentions were.
Vierra is a villain, through and through. She cares nothing for others and will stop at nothing to reach her highest potential.
Villain Goals: Thanks to some unbelievable luck, Vierra stumbled upon an ancient tome in a long-forgotten library. The book contains many secrets as well as hints of a mysterious orb that grants its possessor the ability to fully control the minds of others. Vierra has spent a fortune tracking the orb down but hasn't found it yet.
Preferring to work behind the scenes, the frail wizard persuades others to fight on her behalf. She's very smart and conniving, always coming up with new plots and schemes to cause mischief, to gain favor with rulers, nobles, and other powerful figures, and to gain power and wealth.
Weakness: When Vierra began to read the ancient tome, she did not realize that the magic of the book had begun to possess her and influence her. The book has actually attuned itself to her and has bound her will to its own. If the book is destroyed, it consumes Vierra's mind as it perishes, leaving her permanently enfeebled.
Vierra could make for a fun main villain - or even enemy on the side - for a campaign. She could be the actual power behind a perceived threat, one working in the shadows and remaining hidden from the PCs until they discover that she is the real threat they've been facing all along.
Let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or on the Facebooks or the Twitters!
