I am slowly but surely working on a custom campaign for nwn2 and am currently planning my story. Despite how cheesy it sounds I think for a D&D type story saving the world is an acceptable final goal. But to save the world there must be someone who wants to destroy it and that someone must have a reason.
So my question is if you were a villain why would you want to go kill a whole bunch of people? It could be absolutely anything! From becoming a god to revenge to I don't even know!
Could take a leaf out of FFVII's handbook and have the villain use it as a way of gaining untold power. Struck a deal with one of the god's of some variety.
I think we should draw a line here though: Are we talking destruction of the entire planet or slaughter of the people for furthering material goals?
I'd definetly be backing a "Deal with the Devil" kinda scenario though. It'd allow you to include a number of demons into your campaign legitimately.
Other options are crazy psychopath who enjoys killing people, person who is doing it to break a curse of some variety (therefore allowing you to have a redemption side to the quest) and Fallen Paladin taking vengeance upon the god-following people who scorn him.
Why do villians need reason? Why not have your bad guy kill for the fun of killing. Say he has nothing better to do. The kind of person who asks somebody a question, then kills them after they answer weather it was a good or bad answer.
Edit: or better yet, make your players think that the bad guy is killing people indiscriminately, but have it turn out that everyone he killed was actually evil, making the bad guy the good guy and the players the ultimate killers of the world. Then have it turn out that the bad guy was really a bad guy and after helping him to try and fix your mistake, find out you did something just as evil as him.
So slaughter for slaughter's sake? I can run with that, leaves great potential for a good character to become corrupted with all that hack and slash through dungeons!
Are you sure your villain *wants* to destroy the world? Why is there even a villain at all? People do lots of things that can result in terrible destruction yet aren't motivated with the purpose of causing destruction. Likewise natural disasters can be a lot more threatening--you can't reason with them and you don't have to explain their motivations.
But, sticking within your parameters, here are some suggestions:
The world sucks (e.g. the Goth Teenager motivation)
Villain has failed his bid for control of the world and is pouting (e.g. the Sour Grapes motivation)
Revenge for some specific wrong (e.g. the It's Society's Fault motivation)
Villain is non-human and humans are in the way of villain plans (e.g. the Independence Day motivation)
Villain accidentally released something he made(e.g. the Frankenstein motivation)
Villain thinks humans are destroying the environment (e.g. the Silent Spring motivation)
Villain has not gotten laid in a long time and has gone round the twist (e.g. the Blue Balls motivation)
Some cool thoughts there, a couple couldn't really work I mean how is a hero supposed to prevent a flood? But I'll definitely give more thought to the Independence day and sour grapes motivations.
Charnel: "I assure you I do not want to destroy the world! That's where the best slaughter takes place! But I do have a little... something in mind..."
On the contrary, a good writer can give shape and reason to that mindless violence also. example: you have a city of hostages. you need to interrogate the hero/force him to do something or you start killing people. you COULD kill them one by one, but you're impatient and kill whole city blocks at a time because you are bored and want it done NOW.
Some cool thoughts there, a couple couldn't really work I mean how is a hero supposed to prevent a flood? But I'll definitely give more thought to the Independence day and sour grapes motivations.
you don't need to have a villain attempting to physically destroy the world.
having a villain attempting to attain some mythical godlike power that will cause him to control the world, whether he's benevolent or not (could be an interesting dichotomy, a good character fighting against a good character who's trying to attain some god like power to protect teh world from itself)
there could be some great disaster on the horizon that the villain either wishes to assist in happening, either due to insanity, or some belief (misguided or not) that they would be spared the fate of the rest of the world if they help. Look at Saren in Mass Effect.
He saw that the reapers were intent on destroying the galaxy, so he helps them succeed in order to gain favor with them
you could easily modify that story and make it seem fresh.
It could also be a villain with no stake on the survival of the world. The reapers in the previous example would be a good example, or a great demon who wishes to extend his hell into the world.
The villain could believe in the cleansing power of destruction, so they are seeking to undo everything in the universe to fix some wrong that's happened in their life (it could be something very personal, such as the loss of a loved one that twists the villain into this destructive point of view)
there are lots of good villain archetypes who have few qualms about destroying the world.
You could also shrink down the destruction. Destroying a major country could be the focus of the story. Even if the villain doesn't have the world in mind with his destruction, saving a country of millions could be more then enough reason for the heroes to want to stop him.
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