Page 153 - Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

R AKDOS VILLAINS d8 Villain
Rakdos villains range in power from demented cultists 5 A skilled puppeteer uses skeletal marionettes
to sadistic demons. Most of them are driven by a desire to recreate historical acts of violence between
for unfettered mayhem. A hunger for a certain form of guilds-which are inexplicably repeated in the real
immortality (being an artist who is remembered forever) world within the next few days.
often feeds that desire, and insofar as Rakdos can be
6 A ringmaster has discovered magic that fills the
considered the "god" of his cult, objectives related to
whole audience with blood lust and sends them
magic- carrying out his wishes, offering him sacrifices,
rampaging through the streets.
and rousing him into action- are also significant ob-
7 A hypnotist is programming audience members to
jectives for some cultists. Driven as they are by selfish
impulse and emotion, Rakdos villains also sometimes go into a murderous rage when a triggering event
pursue schemes related to passion, power, or revenge. occurs.
Specific examples appear on the Rakdos Villains table. 8 A crazed blood witch (see chapter 6 for the stat
block) hopes to rouse Rakdos by driving captured
RAKDOS V I LLAIN S sacrificial victims into his lair.
d8 Villain
A coven of blood witches (see chapter 6 for the stat RAKDOS AS CAMPAIGN VILLAINS
block), seeking Rakdos's favor, uses magic to turn You could build a campaign around the Cult ofRakdos's
members of other guilds against their own allies. efforts to stir its demonic patron into action against the
other guilds. The campaign might unfold amid steadily
2 Word spreads that a retiring performer wants to go
increasing violence, escalating to episodes of wide-
out with a bang, and their final performance prom·
spread rioting and rampaging demons.
ises to be explosive.
At lower levels, the adventurers might encounter
3 Mocking the absence of the Guildpact, a Rakdos incidental violence spilling over from Rakdos venues:
troupe takes over the Chamber of the Guildpact a brawl outside a nightclub, overenthusiastic devils
and performs its satire before a captive audience. spreading fires around a street stage, or the "acciden-
4 A demon captures people and makes a game of tal" death of a few performers at the climax of their act.
As the campaign progresses, the characters might be
thwarting their efforts to escape.
drawn into combating the efforts of blood witches who
are trying to exterminate the cult's most active enemies.

152 Cl!t\PTl::R I 1 CR~o\llNl. AUHNIURIS