New Villain

[ghosty]

Starting a new campaign and I need it up and running by next Sunday so I'll need ideas quick and fast. First up, the new Enemy.

The campaign is going to be set about a decade after the War of the Ring so the usual ones are tapped out. I'm thinking of using a corrupted Noldor Elf...or is it impossible to corrupt an elf?

Alternatively, one of the 2 missing wizards returns. Corrupted by his time in the East, he is prepared to challenge the power of the West with secrets he learned beyond the land of the Easterlings.

The basic premise is that the new villain has set up shop in Angmar and has claimed the Witch King's old domain as his own. He will spread his war south into Eriador and threaten the northlands, with King Elessar deep in his southern campaigns along with the bulk of the armies of the west, a new leader must emerge to unite the north against the new foe.

[Jason Durall]

I'd definitely consider one of the Blue Wizards for such a role, corrupted and fallen and grasping for power of their own.

Another consideration would be Thuringwethil, a sort of vampiric Maia spirit able to change form into a bat with iron claws, who served Sauron and whose fate was completely depicted.

She may have lost her physical form in the First Age, but that doesn't seem to be too much of an impediment...

You might also seek out a copy of "The New Shadow" by JRRT himself, a small chapter of a rising of evil in the Fourth Age.

[ghosty]

Hmmm...

I like the discorpreal vampiress, maybe I can combine the two. One of the fallen wizards, a sorceress in an attempt to gain more power in the East stumbled on a ritual which allows her to draw life force from her victims to increase her magical prowess but at a price. As she uses up her "power" she slowly becomes insubstantial until she feeds again.

[Jason Durall]

Also, I would consider using the Mouth of Sauron, escaped, as a threat in the Fourth Age.

The line of succession seems to favor henchmen picking up after their former masters were thrown down - Sauron was Morgoth's henchman, so the Mouth of Sauron might be the one to continue Sauron's work.

[ghosty]

Not so keen on the former henchman idea...prefer to use a threat the PCs haven't read about or seen in the movies. A outside villain with new troops, dark elves if I can manage it.

Another idea, how about a Dragon? Was Smaug really the last of his kind? Or were there others hiding deep in the mountains awakened like the Balrog of Moria, it has taken up residence in a Dwarf lord's hall and is recruiting troops to make war on Middle Earth.

[Theron]

Why go for the small potatoes? IIRC, Ungoliant was never defeated, but merely went to the south. Perhaps it is time for the Gloomweaver's return.