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The contest is apace, and what I love most about it so far is the sheer variety of answers you guys are giving. We’ve got cackly evil-doers, embodying everything wicked in the world. We’ve got self-serving jerkwads, looking out for number one. We’ve got empires who are too big and too far along their journey to think about steering the ship, and organizations who truly believe they are doing what’s right. We’ve even got an argument that a traditionally “good” organization like the Harpers can be considered evil if you’re standing on the farther side of good.

Love these answers. When you get down to it, villains are the conflict generator (and often they  mirror you hold up to the main character), and depending on what story you’re telling every one of these types might be the right one.

I definitely prefer the villain who makes too much sense, the one you almost side with. The guy you find yourself agreeing with and agreeing with, and wondering if he’s really so bad…until you realize you’re agreeing to wipe out half the kingdom. That villain does something really scary in my opinion: he points out that there’s a shadow of darkness in all of us, that we all are capable of doing wrong if we’re not careful. It’s easier to believe the only bad things are out there, that monsters all have a DMS-IV entry and a crazy eye. But we’re not that lucky.

Second best, the villain you have to side with, because the alternative is worse. The world’s a complex and scary place, and no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. When you have the Evil Empire riding down on your little village, that Assassin’s Guild isn’t so bad —for the moment—and might be all that stands between you and that rampaging horde. And what happens afterward? Well, that’s another story.

So who are my favorites?

1. The Covenant from the Halo series. This was my gut answer. Right from the first game, I liked the idea that this terrifying war with aliens gets interrupted by more terrifying aliens who “want” (as much as the Flood want anything) to kill all of you. The second game, featuring the Arbiter is one of my favorite game stories. If only the Covenant would keep killing the Flood when you showed up and turn on you after it would be perfect.
2. Ygrath…but really just Brandin from Tigana. Okay, this is more the person than the “organization.” But he’s the perfect example of the villain you love. You hear his victims’ story, and you hate this dude: he wiped their country off the map and then wiped the very knowledge of it from everyone else’s minds. If you’re from Tigana, you’re now homeless and no one can even process what you’re talking about—they’ve never heard of Tigana and they even can’t hear you say it. But then you start to hear his side, and realize he’s pretty sympathetic too. And you realize what the “good guys” are willing to do to dethrone him…and you realize if you could have one wish it would be to find a way for everyone in this story to be happy. And Guy Gavriel Kay nods and pats you on the back. And then you realize that’s not patting: he’s stabbing you. But it’s a good stabbing. (…Just read this book, especially if you want to write fantasy).
3. Vlad Li Tam and his children from The Psalms of Isaak. There are so many twists and turns here that I hesitate to try and explain them all. Vlad Li Tam runs a very complex network of spies, informants, and people who just generally affect the the Named Lands. He goes from mastermind to villain to villainous ally to sympathetic character—and I’m not done reading this series. Ken Scholes does some interesting stuff with this character. (You should read these too).
4. The Nine Hells. Of course.
5. The Zhentarim. What I like about all Forgotten Realms elements is simple: I love the deep history. The Zhentarim I write about are the result of the Zhentarim Ed Greenwood created and crafted passing through the Era of Upheaval, being betrayed and overreaching, collapsing, reforming, and reaching up for that evil brass ring again. Once, they were a world-spanning network of pure self-interest. The Zhentarim can be scary because of what they’ll do when you’re in the way—assuming they can’t bargain with you, of course. By 1478 DR and Lesser Evils, they’ve had it rough. The city of Shade destroyed their former holdings. The Church of mad Cyric rose up and wrenched control from the Church of Bane, the god of tyranny who once claimed the Zhentarim. The farther you get from Manshoon—the organization’s otherwise occupied leader—the more the Zhentarim are fractured and fractious, scattered cells with varied allegiances, vying to claim control. Ready to rise up again…

If you’re still trying to think of a good evil organization, keep in mind 1) I’m really not judging your answers; go with your gut and 2) “organization” is kind of loose. To my mind kingdoms count, generally allied people count, and basically any answer that you can make a plausible argument for. In fact, there’s probably a better word. If a plurality of ravens is an unkindness and a bunch of crows is a murder, what do you call a group of villains? A wickedness? A clash?

Ooh–a plot of villains!

No? What do you think a group of villains should be called? Post in the comments.