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- I Cast...Brainstorm issue 8!
I Cast...Brainstorm issue 8!
A weekly newsletter of ideas and advice for D&D Dungeon Masters, players, and fans
Dave Palmer
May 30th, 2025
This week — Villain motivations, a villain, and two new monsters
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In this issue...
Villain Motivations and Goals
I’m very much a DM and player who likes character-driven adventures, instead of more plot-driven games. For me, a great campaign will provide a world, a situation, characters, relationships, and events, and then the PCs are dropped into that concoction to just find their way. Ideally, once they enter the world, the PCs are the story-drivers, and their decisions and relationships will develop into an amazing tale we’re all telling together.
When I DM, there are inevitably villains in the mix. In terms of the classic conflicts, things like “hero vs self” and “hero vs nature” both create great moments, but I tend to like stories with Big Bad Evil Guys and other foes to battle. And when I understand their motivations and goals, AND those things feel very reasonable and logical from the villain’s point of view, I have a much easier time playing them.
When I understand why the villain is acting the way they are, and why they’re willing to go to such terrible lengths to achieve their goals, its so much easier for me to make decisions as the NPC, and stay consistent in the role throughout a long campaign — the motivations and goals act as a guiding light. Keep in mind that even though the motivation and the goal can sound reasonable — revenge for a murdered loved one, for instance — the villain’s way of achieving that goal should be twisted and awful.
Here are some example motivations and goals you can use, or adapt, for the major and minor villains your PCs meet along the way:
Personal
Personal motivations include things like revenge, love, or pride — anything that drives the villain from some internal, emotional place.
Perhaps the villain was betrayed by a friend, and has vowed to destroy their former friend’s reputation, family, or city. Or they were abandoned by their clan as a child, and have vowed to conquer not just the clan, but the whole surrounding area to prove their worth.
Emotional pain is a powerful and understandable driver for a villain, and can be used to justify all sorts of horrible acts, as they strive to heal that pain.
Political
Political motivations can be based on the quest for power by overthrowing the leadership of an organization or even a kingdom, or can be more ideological in origin.
A villain may believe that a recent influx of some species — orcs, dwarves, elves — into their city or kingdom is unseemly or dangerous, and incite violence and suffering to convince everyone that the danger is real. Or a villain who values the law above all else might decide that the free-folk in the small towns along a river as agents of chaos, and need to be forced back into line by a strong hand and united under one banner, whether they like it or not.
These villains can desire some sort of reasonable change, but their quest goes horribly awry due to their cruelty, racism or other major flaw.
Religious
Fervent religious beliefs are a incredibly strong driver for villains, and not just in the imagined worlds we create.
A follower of an evil god (of whatever pantheon exists in your game-world) can try to remake the world in their god’s image, or serve up as much suffering, war, disease, or whatever is in the god’s portfolio, as possible. Maybe there is a good god that’s worshiped throughout the realm, and the villain decides to destroy and desecrate as many of the temples of this “false god” as possible, putting any infidels to the sword.
And how interesting would it be if the villain is motivated by some fanatical worship in a good god, either out of some misguided holy quest, or the twisting of the god’s message?
Insane
Your classic serial killer is a good example of an insane villain, but really the only limit to this category is your imagination. It might just be the trickiest, too, because its a blank canvas, though I find it helps to keep the focus narrow no matter how weird the motivation or goal.
For example, maybe the villain hears voices coming from the sewers and wells throughout a city, becomes convinced a great and dangerous evil has infested them, and decides the only way to protect the world is to destroy the whole city! Or perhaps they believe they’re destined for godhood, and all they have to do is consume the hearts of 100 halflings. Simple, yet horrible.
The goal doesn’t have to make any sense to anyone else — it just has to be SO compelling to the villain that they will do absolutely heinous things to achieve it.
A Villain and Two New Monsters
Here’s a high level villain and a couple new monsters (CR 3 and CR 5), which he created and thoughtlessly released out into the world. Your PCs might encounter these monsters, or other creations, long before they even hear the name Kindr’iim Kaa.
Kindr’iim Kaa
Kindr’iim Kaa tragically lost his family at a young age to a fire that consumed his home, and left him horribly disfigured. Left to make his way through the world on his own, Kindr’iim found it a cruel place, and with each insult and beating he took, he became more confused — surely his attackers could see he was a good person, and a useful person, despite his outward appearance?
As he grew older, the indignities he suffered only increased, and he often spent time alone in the wilderness. In his 15th year, his fortunes changes when he saved the life of an old wizard, far from the safety of his nearby mountain laboratory. Thankful for Kindr’iim’s help, the wizard made the boy his apprentice. For years, the two lived and worked in harmony, but Kindr’iim’s interest in transmutation magic — specifically the alteration and combination of different creatures — drove a wedge between the wizard and his apprentice.
When the wizard discovered some of Kindr’iim’s grotesque “children” hidden in his chambers and destroyed them, Kaa went into a fury that left his mentor dead. Staying in the mountain retreat, he studied and honed his craft, and learned over the years how to create more powerful and dangerous creatures — creatures that look horrible to the eye, but serve useful purposes. To Kaa, this makes them truly beautiful.
The following are two of his favorite “children”, created to work in perfect synergy as they complete their simple tasks. The creeping harvesters are sent out from Kindr’iim’s hidden lair to look for magical spell components, and the pterovines assist them by protecting them from danger, and by collecting and tossing potential sources of valuable components down to the creeping harvesters. If only the creatures could discern that some of these sources are actually sentient creatures, or hear their terrified screams.
Creeping Harvester
Large Monstrosity, Neutral
The creeping harvester looks like a large, muscular quadruped, with a boar’s torso and legs, and a large maw with protruding tusks, but where the eyes and the top of its head would be, and all along its spine, is an eruption of plant matter and vines that writhe like tentacles.
AC 15
Initiative -1 (9)
HP 110 (13d10 + 39)
Speed 30’, climb 10’, swim 40’
STR 18 (+4)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 5 (-3)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 5 (-3)
Skills — Perception +3
Resistances — Cold, Fire
Immunities — Lightning, Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion
Gear — None
Senses — Blindsight 60’, Passive Perception 10
Languages — None
CR 5 (XP 1,800)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Actions
Multiattack
The creeping harvester makes three Lightning Vine attacks. It can replace one attack per turn with Charging Gore, and one with a use of Throw.
Lightning Vine
Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 10 ft. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) Bludgeoning damage plus 5 (2d4) Lightning damage.
If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, the creeping harvester pulls the target 5 feet straight toward itself. Instead of damage, the creeping harvester can choose to grapple the target (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The creeping harvester can grapple two targets at a time.
Charging Gore
Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Piercing damage.
If the target is a Large or smaller creature and the creeping harvester moved at least 20 feet straight toward it immediately before the hit, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) Piercing damage and has the Prone condition.
Throw
One Large or smaller object held or creature grappled by the creeping harvester is thrown up to 40 feet into the air. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If there is a pterovine within 40’, the creeping harvester will throw the grappled creature right to it, so the pterovine can catch it, (on a successful DC 14 Athletics check).
Habitat: Forest, Hill, Mountain
Treasure: 4d4 random material components for spell casting.
Pterovine
Medium Monstrosity, Neutral
This creature looks like a writhing mass of glistening vines, held aloft by large bat wings. It is often mistaken for a giant bat when it rests upside down with its wings folded around its mass of vines.
AC 13
Initiative +3 (13)
HP 85 (10d10 + 30)
Speed 10’, fly 60’
STR 18 (+4)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 17 (+3)
INT 2 (-4)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 6 (-2)
Damage Immunities — Poison
Immunities — Poisoned, Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion
Senses — Blindsight 120’, Passive Perception 10
Languages — None
Gear — None
CR 3 (XP 700)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Vine Squeeze
Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: The target takes 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and it is grappled (escape DC 14).
Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and it takes 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning and 14 (4d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The pterovine can grapple only one target at a time.
Prey Drop
If the pterovine is grappling a creature, it dashes as high as it can fly, then drops the grappled creature to the ground to take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10’ of falling distance. If there is a creeping harvester nearby, the pterovine drops the grappled creature next to it, so the creeping harvester can break it apart it for useful spell components.
Habitat: Forest, Hill, Mountain
Treasure: None
Brainstorming Links
If you love D&D and other RPGs as much as I do, you probably already know about the folks below, who are real inspirations to me. If you haven’t already, please check ‘em out!
The Arcane Library — masterpiece adventures, and Shadowdark, too!
https://www.thearcanelibrary.com
The Angry DM — so angry….so many great ideas….
https://www.thearcanelibrary.com
DnDSpeak — an astounding volume of great ideas and the d100 lists are perfection
https://www.dndspeak.com/
DMDave — on point analysis of D&D rules, and a ton of fun ideas
https://bsky.app/profile/dmdave.bsky.social
RPGBot — whip smart critique and explanations of 5e rules
https://rpgbot.net/
Sly Flourish — a DM’s best friend who is also a better DM
https://www.slyflourish.com/
Treantmonk — years of helpful advice and clever ideas
https://www.youtube.com/@TreantmonksTemple
What I’m DM-ing
A weekly Curse of Strahd campaign via Roll20 using 2014 5th edition rules
A weekly Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, in-person, with 2024 5th edition rules
A series of one-shots in a bi-weekly game at a bar in LA
Two different campaigns with my kids, (Rime and Storm Kings Thunder) when schedules align
What I’m Playing
A 5th ed. Dragonlance campaign as a 9th level Tinker Gnome Gadgeteer Rogue, named Professor Flondersnoot
About to start playing Vecna: Eve of Ruin as Clybb Thistlebridge, a 9th level Halfling great-weapon Fighter
And in all my free time, I play a LOT of Hearthstone!
Ye Olde Shoppe
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www.totalpartykits.etsy.com
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The original ideas in this issue of I Cast….Brainstorm! are covered under the Creative Commons BY-SA license — all content is free to use (including commercially) and change, with proper attribution.
You can read about the license here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
