Players love NPCs, especially those that buy in to whatever your party is trying to do. When an NPC is gung-ho, players are reminded that the GM is not only there to referee, maim their beloved heroes and facilitate, but also play. GMs want to have fun. A down NPC is how they do it. Additionally, from a GM, an NPC if connecting with the players, can add a good social reason to pursue whatever plot point or quest the GM has set up for them.
In this article, I'm going to walk you through how to use the betrayal of an NPC for a brilliant and emotionally tumultuous quest for power. Inspiration for this is from the Pro-Wrestling space (cause it's f*cking cool), specifically the Undertaker's podcast, and also kinda pulls from Shrek 2. This NPC is for a quest where the party has the option to install a new king/queen/leader generally and how painful it is when underdogs betray you.
The Character Inspiration:
credit for the pic: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cody-Rhodes
Second-generation professional wrestler,
Dashing,
Weird but cool phantom of the opera kinda thing,
space themed glam-rock freak,
Pugilist,
EVP and Nightmare,
and finally, the old-school champion
This character is inspired by The American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes is an American professional wrestler whose father was a beloved wrestler that had a charismatic, champion pursuing, heroic blue collar theme going on. Cody's brother, plays a sex fiend alien wrestler. Both matter for the nuances of his story, but what I really want to focus on is his comparison to his father. I want you to use the Cody character like this:
Your players come across an underground or minor league fighting ring where it benefits them to participate in. Assuming they agree, as they are getting ready for their match, a young fighter enters the party's view. They're frustrated, obviously dejected, but have an air of importance around them that fills your players with a sympathetic disappointment at the fighter's obvious frustration. This NPC is walking towards them, looking at the ground just upset, they obviously are battered and bruised, but not to the point where they got jumped, but like they had a hard-fought bout and lost. They approach a bench in front of your party by about 25 feet, and huff out as they sit down. Bonus points if they throw fight gloves, a mask, or some combat gear onto the ground in front of them. If your party rolls perception, insight, or whatever you give them the description that their anger is not just surface level, but underneath it your emotionally in-tune players feel a layer of fear and loss of purpose from this person.
Find some way to naturally transition to an interaction, and get them talking. Have the NPC which could have some subtle action-hero kinda name like Jackie Bash or something. Then have them explain that, they've been a fighter for a few years, after finally convincing their parents to let them, and now they just cant connect with the crowd and/or beat a certain level of fighter and get to the next step. All the better if you can parallel a personal dynamic with at least one of your character's backstories and align with a different desire for respect from another one of your party members at least. Assuming your players offer some level of encouragement, have the Jackie give them a tip or a little inside information about the party's upcoming opponent, the way the crowd can help them, whatever. Just something that is actually plot or mechanically valuable to the players' ability to succeed. Jackie needs to not only be a compelling interaction, but more tangibly prove their value initially at helping the party win their fight.
Afterwards, put them in the tunnel cheering them on, or something. Have them take the party on a celebratory bar crawl or something, and then get deep into it. Connect with them, make them laugh, do some low stakes shenanigans with them. Y'know, lock in and make them the party's friend. Make it easy for the party to want to help Jackie achieve their goals. They learn during this outing Jackie's backstory, their well known or beloved parents. Whatever fits for getting emotional investment. Remember, the NPC is a character, but even more than that it is a tool for your party to use to buy into a plot advancement or story beat.
Now, connect Jackie's success with party success for the rest of the campaign, but don't use them too much, make Jackie like a beloved NPC that is not there all the time because that may overuse them and they may become perceived as less valuable because of their constant presence with the party. Jackie has their own goals, dreams, obligations and that should be clear to the party.
Assuming you do this, and Jackie achieves their goal or is about to depending on how long you want to run the "chasing" arc now you build tension. Something small, tactically or socially the party and Jackie disagree about something. Jackie should stay in that disagreement, and whatever the party does unless they comply with Jackie's idea, have Jackie express their frustration in a small way. All the better if the party's decision does not align with Jackie's idea and there is a small, but real consequence to Jackie.
Jackie can forgive them or something later on, DEPENDING on how the party responds. But this should start to show that Jackie's goals do not totally align with the party's anymore. This should be the start of a consistent divergence, not on everything, but on things the party has conviction to do and that Jackie's character also needs. If the party is famous is some respect, then they should get cued into the fact that people are saying that Jackie is a nepo baby and now riding on the party's coattails. "Jackie was made by you all", "Jackie is not their own person, first the parents now y'all sheesh, what a nepo baby", the more dismissive the better, but have some things that stroke party ego in it.
Build this dismissal of Jackie arc for a lil bit, even better if Jackie starts to succeed in a more brutal or scumbaggery fashion WITHOUT party help. This should be a plausibly deniable build where they know tension is there with Jackie, but they are still considered the party's friend.
Trust your dm skills, steal from other media, y'know lock in, I'm not gonna write out a total step-by-step cause my battery is at 4%. This is free. You'll be fine.
THE CULMINATING INCIDENT OF "HOW DARE YOU?!":
Practice your monologuing, cause this is the emotional pain-inflicting fun part!
Depending on what angle you've taken with your players, I'm going to give you 2 ways to play each of them out. 2 things for free. Never say I don't spoil you.
Scenario 1: The Prizefighter Succumbs to Arrogance
Jackie's now a top face in the fighting world, they've either won or about to win the championship belt or whatever mcguffin you want. Something their father never could. Even with all the nepo baby dismissals, the clout chaser allegations, and increasingly negative crowds, Jackie keeps winning. Eventually getting their own posse of friends/training partners/fight team that act as their day to day companions. Essentially, mirror the party a little bit, or build Jackie's team to expose party weaknesses. Hint at how they have actively taken steps to not need the party anymore, but don't let that be how they act towards the party. Let them be kind, extra nice and generous. A little pompous but that could just be written off as newfound fame making them act a little different. Have the reason the party is here at the fighting arena again be relevant for the story, and then have Jackie ask them out to the ring for a public thank you after Jackie has won the championship mcguffin . They deserve a thank you from Jackie for all their help along the way. Get them out in public with Jackie. That's step 2.
When they're out in the ring, monologue a little, keep it vague but positive. Then get specific, have them thank the party for their kindness and sportsmanship the very first night they met. Retell the story from their POV. Recount the good times and how the party was the boost they needed to overcome whatever mental block they had. Talk about how finally, they are living up to their family name. They're, "just as good as their daddy was. Hell, they're better than their daddy was. Daddy never wore silks like this (referencing their outfit); daddy never made money like this (flash some cash or expensive sh*t); and.....DADDY NEVER WON ANYTHING (holds up mcguffin) LIKE THIS!!!"
Then after kinda a negative and confused crowd reaction, Jackie turns to the party and says "Regardless of whether I could've, I did not get here without y'all. So, thank you. Thank you for helping pick me up and dusting me off. A lotta people say I'm nothing without my daddy, that may be true. But now, (looks at mcguffin with a smirk) I've done something my daddy could never do. And you all, the (says the party's name)...lotta people say you all made me, you cleaned me up, made me all pretty again. (Jackie chuckles to themselves) Well, you did clean me off, pluck me out of the rough I was in, but you and everybody seem to have forgotten, that I was THE diamond in that rough."
Then have Jackie and their crew jump your party!!!
You want your party to win, great, make it really matter for your campaign. An even better idea, is to have the fight be an unwinnable one, not just cause Jackie is damn good, but because something with the mcguffin disrupts the fight, or allows Jackie to screw your party over and get away all b*stard like.
Scenario 2: Jackie In Power
This scenario is when Jackie is in some position of political power. Why does this make sense? Because one of the Paul brothers will probably be president. There are no rules, only what is "normal" which is a continually fluid facade of just working to get through the day.
This is where we borrow from Shrek 2 as well, Prince Charming combined with Cody Rhodes. Jackie somehow becomes a commander or something high-powered in government. Hell, maybe it's a gang her runs, a fief, whatever. Copy and paste the nepo baby and party made them zeitgeist here, but shift it to Jackie seeking to establish power via an army or something of their own. This one is more easily utilized in campaigns where a villain like Vecna or some other figure is trying to take over the world, because Jackie is the perfect character to be susceptible to temptation, because they desperately want something of their own that no one can reduce or take away. If the BBEG can offer them that, Jackie would even reluctantly do horrible things, because below that sadness or trepidation, is a fear of loss and jealousy that is a more potent motivator.
Even without a BBEG, Jackie could be a relatively good guy interpersonally, but the methods they use to cement their power could be barbaric. The party when they enter his lands could even attempt to intervene, and regardless of whether they reluctantly agree, strongly disagree, or whatever to Jackie's methods, have Jackie accommodate their requests. Jackie changes their ways, in response to the party, but, he seems a bit down in the dumps about it. Play if off as stress and remorse. Which does not have to be a lie, it can be a reluctant "I hate that I had to do that" kinda thing.
The incident of departure with the party can be sad, upsetting, or both. In my mind, it goes something like this, the party are big time adventurers, who have been dealing with problems related to a power vacuum in the world. Pick a reason for your world that makes sense. However, make it so even if they like Jackie, they're not the obvious person to fill that vacuum. However, they know Jackie should have a role to play. Then i would have them be asked by Jackie or some other figure to help them solve a problem with terrorists or a cult, whatever. Some extreme group that wants to take over the region and do some f*cked up stuff. Make this group secretive, not obviously aligned with any powerful person in the area, but have them be harming Jackie's civilians, and others. Jackie suspects some powerful person is behind the cult, and notes some other lord or leader in his section of the world that the party should have some prior negative experiences with. Not too negative, just like, dismissive or a bit callous in character. Have Jackie make a big deal publicly about how if the party accepts his request for help, he will reward them lavishly etc.
Make the reward worthwhile. Fast forward, the party does better against the cult than expected, they kill or capture a lot of them, more than anyone thought they would in such a small amount of time. In fact, too quickly for Jackie. The party should find evidence that Jackie is supporting this group as a way to justify expanding their territory and consolidating power. Have them confront jackie about this and bam, villain time.
Jackie shouldn't be like just despicably evil about it "fine, you caught me", that's not as compelling. They should be sad, like "I hate that using those nuts was what was best", Jackie should be sad looking here. Regretful, but not too much. Have them go on about how power is tough, and with people questioning their authority all the time, they were trying to find a way to be the hero this time. The party is confused, and asks Jackie how that was to be done when they were sent to find the cult. Jackie exhales solemnly, and notes how the party was supposed to find evidence (if they didnt role high enough this is what they find or piece together and they are Jackie's puppets which changes this situation, but not the confrontation too much) that the guy Jackie wanted to blame was responsible. Because, if that was found, then Jackie would have reason to go to war with that group.
The party understands a bit more, but is still confused, because how would that make Jackie the hero?
Jackie sadly tells them, that he appreciates them for all they have done for them, but this is where they would come to an end. Jackie would then hopefully initiate the party into his group and lead them all to war and after capturing the fake enemies lands and resources, Jackie would be able to fill the power vacuum. However, this is where jackie reveals the plan. They note how the party would make the war winnable quite quickly, and that could not be done without them. So, after the final assault, Jackie had made a deal or plan to have the party killed. They would die heroes and Jackie is a good man, a just ruler. Sure, power can mean doing some bad things or not-ideal things sometimes, but Jackie is a good leader. People need something to believe in and a banner to look to for protection these days.
The aura and room they're in becomes more threatening. This is where to reveal that fact that Jackie possesses some magical something or other that is really dangerous to the party; or Jackie has made a deal with a real enemy of the party that is quite powerful. They emerge and now Jackie's ambush can start. With the party's death, Jackie would have an opportunity to build off all they've done, and become the leader of the world people need. He is never going to outrun all the party has done for them, but they ensure that going forward, Jackie is the athority people yearn for. he is now the protector. Sadly, the party needs to die for that.
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT I LIKE SCENARIO 1 MORE, BUT 2 HAS A GOOD BASIS TO BUILD FROM.
Alright, that's it. Use this. Thanks!
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