Path to Villainy: An NPC Kobold's Tale

by S.L. Rowland, Alex Knox (Narrator)

Villains aren’t born, they’re made. Witt was an ordinary NPC—a non-player character in a video game. As a kobold skald, he sang songs to empower heroes before they entered the local dungeons.Every day was a fresh start. Every day Witt woke with no memory of his previous encounters with all those so-called heroes. And every day he forgot the countless beatings and deaths he took at the hands of the murder hobos he valiantly buffed.But when all of those memories suddenly come flooding back, he only wants one

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Novella, Magic, Amazon

Audible Audio

First published August 17, 2020

About the author

S.L. Rowland is a cozy fantasy and LitRPG author known for crafting immersive worlds filled with adventure, heart, and a touch of humor. A lifelong gamer and fantasy enthusiast, he draws inspiration from tabletop RPGs, video games, and the fantastical. When he’s not writing, he enjoys weightlifting, hiking with his Shiba Inu, and enduring the heartbreak of being an Atlanta sports fan.

Reviews

[Faerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Path to Villainy: An NPC Kobold's tale' cleverly depicts the harsh reality of life as a sentient kobold, trapped in a fantasy RPG.

The game mechanics governing this lovingly crafted world are described in vivid, often humorous detail, that is sure to amuse fantasy roleplay gamers and fans of science fiction alike.

An accessible yet compelling writing style weaves brutal battles with surprisingly emotive revelations, while maintaining a satisfying pace.

The novella explores themes of existence and morality through the eyes of a newly awakened bard. The development of the lead is a core strength, illustrating the karmic impact of betrayal with finesse.

Overall, this witty, dark little story is wildly enjoyable, skillfully paced and an altogether surprising addition to the fantasy genre.

Genre:
-Fantasy
-Sci-Fi

Tropes:
-Magical world
-Discovery of powers
-Sympathetic villain
-Revenge

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read #2 of 2026 via Cloud ☁️ Library book 📖 :

Still love it 😀 ❤️ Narrator did an excellent job also


The author is planning on expanding this into a full length book, intrigued to see what else he'll do with it.

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Original review:
A fun story... new to the GameLit genre but loved this author's other books so had no qualms of diving in.

Been wanting to read stories where the villain wins and doesn't get killed off so this one was extra fun for me :).

Some of Witt's choices left a bad taste in my mouth... I could see the long game he was playing and how things unfolded in his head... can't help being me *shrugs*

Still rooted for him and cheered for him.

This quote works for the story :

"I don't like bullies, I don't care where they're from"

Would love to see more of Witt and everyone :)

Writing review with headpain so bear with me.
(Anyone else read the 🐉 dragon's voice in Benedict Cumberbatch's voice.. Tom Hiddleston would work too methinks).

[S. K. Pentecost · Rating 4 out of 5]

rollicking. If online role playing games adopted this book's plot as an option, I'd probably just stay inside and play online role playing games.

the repetition of middling song lyrics was an annoying wordcount grab, especially in audiobook format, but I'm willing to pay that price again for the next installment. It would've been a lot cheaper a price if I'd been able to just skim over the at least 3x repetitions of several poorly rhymed and metered songs. (Seriously, if the publisher is needy for wordcount, adding the word "very" in front of each adjective would be less annoying.)

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a casual gamer myself I really enjoyed this one. People/players can be so toxic, especially online and with NPCs where it doesnt "really" matter. This kind of made me think about how AI might be used in games to create characters who could learn and remember in the games.
Even on his path to Villany, Witt remains a lovable character, sure he makes some questionable decisions, but his heart is generally in the right place. I enjoyed some of the side characters, though in such a short novel they were very surface level characters.
Overall a very fun and unique little adventure story :)

[Taleah Ushendibaba · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not my favorite of his book, but still a cool concept.

[Z.S. Diamanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun! Makes you wonder about all the NPCs you’ve interacted with over the years. How many of them turned into villains after talking to you? This one totally cracked me up.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun dive into the GameLit genre!

It was pretty short and a quick read but I enjoyed the characters and it’s a reminder how toxic players can be in games. As an avid gamer myself I appreciated this one!

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why are they called heroes?

This story is from a not so simple NPC’s viewpoint. He does his job, supports his village and is almost always on time. But what happens on those days where he is late, why can’t he remember? These questions and more are answered when our MC becomes Aware. And the “heroes” won’t know what’s coming...

Great novella from Steven and lays the groundwork for yet another interesting world for us to visit. Take the time to read this, encouraging this author to produce more. You won’t regret it....

[Brent Matley]

DNF at Chapter Twelve.

I just couldn't get into this one. The concept is great, a lowly 'NPC' Kobold getting revenge upon the supposed 'heroes'. The writing is consistent in its quality, but it just felt flat to me. The pacing felt off too, I wasn't hooked in by the text.

For other readers, give it a try, you may like it more than I did.

[Lacrima Mundi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Witt, a Kobold skald NPC who goes from buffing heroes in front of a dungeon to, after said heroes bully him repeatedly and kill him several times, into full villain mode over time - via a quest to villainy.

This was a perfectly solid - more or less typical, despite being kind of backwards - LitRPG, fantasy story. It's entertaining, makes sense, and is well-written.

But, I found myself craving a little bit more. After having read the first two books of the Tales of Aedrea series by the same author I was expecting a bit more wit and humour.

This is probably entirely down to my own - slightly misguided, perhaps - expectations, but the story did not deliver in that regard. Aside of that it was a solid story that was perfectly enjoyable to read.

If you are looking for a short LitRPG story that doesn't go from zero to hero, but instead from well-meaning punching bag for heroes to villain - this is for you.

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Transparency info: Read via Kindle Unlimited.

[Chandler McNaughton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved most of it

I loved this idea of an NPC gaining consciousness of the fucked up shit in the world and working to raise up to better his world. But sweet Jesus there should be a drinking game of every time he felt a fucking chill in his spine

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun, fantastic story! I started to feel a bit guilty for all those NPCs I have killed 🙊 but honestly, recommend for any fans of fantasy that want a light, easy going story.

[Kris Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who's really the villain in this story? I think that's what makes the story's intrigue work. The characters are a bit basic, but they are NPC's. For once, them being basic is a bonus because it fits the video game style of the story and the surrounding 'hero' characters. A fun, quick little audio.

[Ky Briscoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed with this story! I really hope there will be a sequel

[Charles Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kobold Power!

In the D&D game worlds, Kobolds are likely the most under appreciated of the "monster" races. These small (rarely more than thirty inches tall) reptilian beings were considered the weakest, if most numerous, fodder for beginning characters to slaughter for experience. However, played with cunning and uncompromising viciousness by the Dungeon Master, a tribe of Kobolds could take down a party of level twenty characters. After all a mob of forty Kobold archers would be counted on to hit a single well armored target with at least two poisoned arrows arrows.
The key to using Kobolds as an effective challenge was to grind the Player Characters down by continuous harassment. Kobolds excelled at ambush tactics, guerilla warfare, building traps, using poisons, and infectious agents; which weakened PCs to the point that by the time they got to a face to face fight with the Kobolds the players' characters were down to ten percent of their hit points and had expended all of their potions, spells, and items. It took a certain brutality to play them thus, but it worked and strangely enough most players took it as a challenge to be proud of surviving an assault of a Kobold warren.

This novel should appeal tho fans of the fantasy and LitRPG genres and to RPG players, especially those who have a fondness for the older versions of AD&D.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story

I’ll be honest. I am enjoying these stories of NPC’s in the Game lit genre. Especially from the view that they are not just XP for the “Hero’s”.

The growth of Witt and his initially subtle changing of his beliefs that snowballed into a vast hatred for what his people were put through. From his view he wasn’t evil or a villain, he is saving his people from abuse torture and murder. How is that evil? His embracing and sacrifices made of the being a villain to gain the power to protect his people is applaudable. Not sure most people would be willing to make those sacrifices.

I like morality tales that make you reconsider your own belief structures. And fun simple stories that can do that is a 5 star win for sure.

[Ariel · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25*
Unsure where a lot of the reviews are coming from with their "fun" comments, but either they enjoy carnage or... idk. But between the reviews and the synopsis, this one does suffer a little from a "not what I was expecting" aspect.

This is incredibly dark and twisted, being a story more of someone getting pushed so far that they suffer a psychotic break instead of a true villain arc. For what it is, it's really good.

Unfortunately, it sinks itself even further for me by having a "femme character must be killed for plot reasons" and ingloriously with Mind Control, to boot. Which is why it's such a low star rating for me.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly fun!

[Rana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
That was a fun read. But that's it. I wasn't invested in seeing Witt win or get his justice. Tho it was fun seeing the story from an NPC's POV

[Elruin Elmsroot · Rating 2 out of 5]

The starting few pages are good. But after that, the story lost it’s soul. It became bland and boring.
The ending has a slight bit of twist and that's all the book had to offer.

[Ricky Beckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what it might be like if an NPC in a video game were to get revenge for all the horrible things players have done to them? That's what this cozy fantasy explores. A kobold NPC in a fantasy video game is brutally mistreated by players every day. Every day, he wakes up with no memory of what happens to him, until one day when he remembers everything he has ever suffered, as well as the "heroes" responsible. And now there is only one thing he wants: revenge.

Obviously, this is a book gamers will enjoy, although there's very few of us out there (I think) who are both avid readers and avid gamers. If you're not a gamer, there might be some gamer lingo that'll go over your head, such as what a "buff" is, what NPC means (non-playable character), what XP means (shorthand for "experience," which increases your character's level), why a "dungeon" is attractive to players, and others. But that doesn't mean this book isn't for you if you're not a gamer. You can just Google the terms. After all, what's the point of reading if you don't learn anything?

This was my first cozy fantasy book, as well as GameLit (which is a genre I just heard about), and probably my first book with the protagonist as an antihero as well. It's also my first signed copy. This is definitely short enough to read in one day, but I took my time with it to really enjoy this new genre for me by an indie author.

As a gamer myself, it makes you rethink how you treat NPCs in the video games you enjoy. Not that I think they'll ever gain self-awareness to seek vengeance on the character I worked so hard on, but the way you treat them, I think, is rather indicative of your true nature, which should give you pause if your inclination is to murder and abuse NPCs without provocation (excluding times, of course, when you want to roleplay as a villain to see how it affects the game narratively).

The book perhaps brings us to ask more unsettling questions: The society the kobolds live in are set up in a way that they're systematically oppressed, some worse than others. So, are there ways in which our own society has set up systemic oppression for certain groups of people? And if so, how do we change that system? Will we allow ourselves to follow a path to villainy, or find more noble ways to reform a flawed system? The line between vengeance and justice is very thin, after all.

Critiques: some unnecessary repetitions, such as it being rumored that kobolds are descendants of dragons, the character Hux being the only kobold mage in Witt's town, and the enumerated list of Witt's abilities. Readers can be trusted to be smart enough to remember these things, especially because the repetitions are so close to each other.

But I'm just being nit-picky. Otherwise, I really enjoyed my first experience with the new GameLit genre in this book, as well as cozy fantasy, and I want to read more of these genres and from this author.

4.5⭐️

[Stephan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever found a new weapon or spell in an RPG and got an itch to try it out, but there's no enemies nearby? Have you ever just hit Quick save and then attacked a random NPC standing around? I mean, you can just reload the save slot later on and everything will be back to normal again. But what if one particular NPC remembered what you just did, and started remembering every time you've attacked or killed it. Or every time you've lured it away to a monsters lair, or lured the monster to the NPC? Or every time you've pushed it from a cliff or drowned it in the nearby river?
That NPC would be quite pissed I'd guess. Now imagine the NPC grinding monsters, or Player characters and actually gaining levels and getting stronger. That's exactly what's happened to Witt, the kobold skald. And he's out for revenge.

The story's quite interesting and as a game master and role player it hits close to home. There's been a few times I'd have loved to release a Witt upon my players, but knowing my players it would most likely have been a total party kill. Unfortunately it's not enough to have a good story, it has to be well executed as well. And, sadly, Path to Villainy: An NPC Kobold's Tale, is not. There's far too much repetition and when the story really kicks off it ends to soon and in a quite unsatisfactory way. I would love to have seen more of the defence of the kobold's village, of how Witt and his followers moved to the mountains. Why not have a Hero join his cause? Also, Witt is an interesting character, but only as long as he fights for his people and against the heroes who's oppressing them. But as soon as he enters true villain territory and only focus on killing heroes... well I lose interest then. As it is the story ends too abruptly with a couple of failures and a newfound instant-win-button.

Still it's a fun read with awesome characters and a new take on the role of both the villains, heroes and the common NPCs between.

[Ava Van den Bergh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for 'Path to Villainy' after loving the series 'Tales of Aedrea' , but this one just didn't click for me. The premise is great - an NPC rising to power and embracing villainy seems interesting - but I struggled to immerse myself in the story. I just couldn't relate to Witt, the main character.

Some of Witts' choices felt questionable. I get that he's a villain, but I wanted him to be a hero in his own way to the kobolts. Instead, he treats them more like pawns than people he's trying to protect. He starts out wanting to earn them respect, improve their lives, and stop 'heroes' from killing them, but by the end, he sacrifices some of them for his own goals. You could say that one life is worth the cost for the many, but Witt mostly does it for revenge. The way Witt gains the kobolts' loyalty - through influence rather than real trust - made it feel hollow. Early on, before he gets that power, he convinces others too easily, without much pushback or denail. I wanted to see more moments of genuine belief in his cause rather than just following because of his abilities.

That said, the book has potential, and I can see why others might enjoy it more than I did. Maybe LitRPG just isn't the genre for me, or maybe I just didn't connect with the characters the way I like to. The book just felt too short for any of the worldbuilding I loved in 'Tales of Aedrea'.

[Nikki's Dragon Den · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life as a NPC is not easy job, helping hero's is thankless, demanding and often times dangerous, but each day NPCs start anew, forgetting the horrors of the past. Until Witt, a buff giving bard, remembers every cruelty he has been dealt by those so-called hero's. Revenge doesn't come cheap, what will Witt sacrifice on his path to villainy

✨️ A LitRpg from the NPC point of view
✨️ Short, sweet and humorous
✨️ Packed with character progression
✨️ Who are the real heroes and villains
✨️ Will you ever play RPG games the same after reading this?

I really enjoyed this read. I was immediately hooked by the plight for the Kobolds and I felt sympathy for Witt and the others. And even though we see his decent into Villainy, I wanted him to succeed because sometimes you need to be a villian to do right by your people (and self lol).

I found the writing witty and laughed a lot the whole way through and although it is quite a short book, I felt like it had a lot of character progression; levelling up and gaining new abilities, and a lot of fight and action so it felt like a much larger story.

I was a tiny bit 'disappointed' by the ending, in the fact that it ended (lol) and by the way it felt incomplete, I went in thinking this was a standalone but now im hoping for a book 2 and maybe that's still coming. Either way, I did enjoy this read a lot!

[Neil Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced novella following an innocuous NPC from his violent awakening to attaining full-on bad guy status.

I enjoyed the character growth and the empathy one has for this 'villain'. I'm sure Witt is considered such by the game world because he is against the heroes and not because he is a villainous individual.

The descent into being Mr Badman seemed to take a rapid dive at the end when Witt met Vang. The sacrifice of Kessy seemed to come from no where. I can imagine Witt would do that but not so early in his journey... and then suddenly he is King in the epilogue. That was fast.

There were no obvious spelling or grammar mistakes which often plague these independent authors, so that's a huge plus here. Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Witt and I look forward to the next installment.

I loved it - 4 stars

[Kevin Lawlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic fantasy snack this is! And I call is a snack simply because I wanted this story to be 3 times longer! Witt, a Kobold Skald has recently has a eureka moment and realized the “heroes” of his world have been killing him and his kind for pointless sport for god knows how long.

By gaining this knowledge and the unique capability of recalling each death, Witt finds himself jacked into the system, whatever it might be (video game? Table top? Another medium? Unclear), and now he aspires to become the infamous villain the heroes deserve and bring infamy to kobolds everywhere.

Sigh. “Chef’s kiss”. Too short! But as breezily enjoyable a fantasy treat I’ve had in some time! Will 100% pick up more of SL Rowland’s stuff!!

[Jordan Encee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was fast paced and cool. One major thing I wished of the story was it could have been longer. However I do understand why it’s fast paced, the skills unlocked made it easy, as RPGs do. I can get behind the concept of the NPC. However, I would have thought it be funny to see what players think of the villainy stuff happening. However, I can see why if the author wanted to keep much more contain for the story which does make sense. I wonder if there would be more of this character in the future because it does feel like a beginning.
Again, sadly I’m not into RPG games but, I don’t like the perspective this book gives. Very fun.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I picked this book up, I was really looking for that immersive perspective, something different. I found that with the character Witt there was some of that, hints when he makes sacrifices that only someone self interested would make. The catalysts events for the MC hatred, were few, but described well from the slaughter of their people to the bargains made for power. But perhaps it was the shortness of the story, that it still felt a little hollow. Overall there was decent character progression but nothing that really clicked for me as saying wow this character was really relatable but also hate-able in that complicated way that great anti-heroes so often have.

[GG · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a friendly NPC wakes up and realizes that the Player Characters he had been helping were abusive to him? Why he takes the path to villainy of course! Though stationed outside a dungeon to buff PCs as they entered, Witt was also abused and slain by some. Each day born anew with no memory of it he would go back to his post.

And one day he remembers.

Kobolds were born of dragons, at least that's what the programing in this game says and Witt does his best to live up to it as he progresses.

It's a fast and fun read.

[Charlie Loup · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and honestly I hope the author makes a sequel or expands this story somehow. Even though its title is "Path to Villainy" it really makes you cheer for the main character and hope they win. There are parts where there's comedy and festivities that makes you smile while reading but there are also parts where you'll feel righteous anger at what the MC goes through.

(If you're reading this, Rowland, trust when I tell you that I really WANT an expansion of this story in whatever form you're willing to give me. I have adult money and I'm not afraid to use it XD)