Golden Anvil

Holy cow, I need to make my bad guys more bad I'm thinking...

Taken from another message board...

Struck with the Sadistic DM syndrome that we all must face one time or another, I had created the perfect villain, Prince Thaddeus. A tyrannical ruler of the Wasteland, who had enslaved all of humankind as laborers and as food (eating human flesh... ick...). Known for his brilliance, deceptiveness, and charismatic ruthlessness, Thaddeus was a dangeous foe... more so this time now that he had captured the fiance (Diesa Goodfellow) of one of the players (Jack the Dwarf)...

(and yes, this adventure was inspired by Tales from Ravenloft)

Thaddeus: "May I offer you some wine? Or perhaps a meal?" (servants set down trays and glasses)

Jack: "No. I know what the food is... I just want to see Diesa."

Thaddeus: *sigh.* "Please, you insult me as a host... eat something." *smiles.*

Jack: *unhappily eats the food and drinks the wine.* "Now where is Diesa?"

Thaddeus: "Well... I would indeed happily show you to her... but I'm afraid she would prefer to stay with ME now. We have... become better acquainted."

Jack: *sputter.* "What??? How could she like YOU?"

Thaddeus: "You wound me, my friend..."

Jack: "I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND!!!"

Thaddeus: "Calm down, calm down, and let us negotiate... you will do her no good if you lose your temper."

(At this point the player looks very unhappy but settles down)
Thaddeus: "Would you do anything for your beloved?"

Jack: "Yes."

Thaddeus: "Anything?"

Jack: "YES."

Thaddeus: "Very well then. I want your tongue."

Jack: *look of utter horror.* "Did you say my TONGUE??????"

Thaddeus: *smile.* "Yes, your tongue. Give it to me and you may talk to Diesa. If you can convince her to go with you by sunrise, then she is free to go."

Jack: "YOU'RE PSYCHO!!!!"

Thaddeus: "Do not insult me, dwarf. Now, should you fail to convince her to go with you by dawn, you are to be my... guests... for an indefinite period. I simply want your tongue... it is... all that I ask. A bargain for a chance to see your beloved."

(At this point the player is horrified and angry, and is asking continuously whether it will be possible to reattach or regenerate the tongue, whether he can keep the tongue after it's ripped out, etc.)

Jack: "All right. I agree."

Thaddeus: *smile.*

(His goons hold him down as Thaddeus reaches down Jack's throat, grabbing the tongue from the root and ripping it out. He laughs madly and dangles the fleshy pulp before Jack for a moment before the poor dwarf chokes and passes out on the gushing blood. He wakes up only about an hour until sunrise, and the palace seems empty. The tongue sits in a small bowl, somewhat soaked in blood. He proceeds to search around the palace, groping along the dark walls for a while, until he comes to a room with sounds of a woman sobbing. He rushes into the pitch-black room and gurgles.)

Diesa: "Please!!! PLEASE KEEP AWAY!!! Leave me alone!!!" *sob!*

(Jack points to himself and gestures. She can't see who he is. He rushed over to her, and tried to take her arm. She pulls away, screams, and hides herself against the curtains as the first rays of dawn streak across the mountains.)

Diesa: "PLEASE DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" *screams hysterically.*

Player: "I take Diesa and pull her to the window so she can see who I am!"

DM: "Very well, Jack. You pull her to the window, and gasp in horror. You fall to your knees, weakened. It is dawn. You are to become Thaddeus' prisoners, and all you can do is scream... and scream... and scream..."

PC: "What??? What do I see???"

DM: *smile.* "You stare in horror at the bloodied pits that were once her eyes."

PC: *pause.* "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Evil... is... good..