This is easier than most people seem to think, if the number of complaints about the inability to get an RP is anything to go by. I don't know where this problem stems from. The only thing I can tell you is, be engaging.
I don't mean have a wonderful character that people want to RP with. That's part of it. But you can't expect people to appreciate your wonderful character if they never talk to them. So how do you get people to talk to your wonderful character?
You don't.
The harsh fact is if you don't make any attempt to engage players in your RP you'll never get RP.
You have to go over to
them and talk to
them. But talk is rarely enough. You need some reason for them to want to tal to your character. Something interesting, exciting and alluring.
1. The promise of romance
Flirting, hitting-on and general innocent temptation of romance is
great. However, moderation is the key. You can't have the two of them hook up and decide to get married the moment they meet. They have to actually know each other. Flirting is fine, heck even a one night stand is fine. But you must remember to follow up with plot hooks. Like 'Oh, now that we actually like each other, here is whats going on in my life. Howabout yours?'.
You won't be forcing the plot onto them, you'll just be including them idly be association. Which I personally believe is one o the best ways to do it. 'You walked into the mud with me now we both have to sink or find a way out together' so to speak.
2. The promise of action
Plots can easily be started with adventure. A drunken man or a social scholar telling people about a hidden treasure buried deep south of here to which only he has a map. Tell them you need guards or help, or that the treasure is great and wonderful. There are many opportunities to include players who are just after a bit of action instead of drama. An adventure means bandits, trolls and maybe even guardian monsters.
3. The promise of interaction
And then there are some people who are just so ignored they are grateful for any interaction. Just talking to their character, no matter how small, and communicating with the player, can make them feel involved.
Wait for interaction and it will never come. Go out there and get some.
Ah, but now How to Villain, like I promised. Bar Style.
1. The Digger
Dig dig dig, that is this villains goal. He goes to a person and he positively gouges them for information. He asks questions in polite and calm ways while secretly trying to whittle down defences with charm and alcohol so he can uncover dirty secrets to use against the character. He'll make an enemy from them just by being conniving.
2. The Deceiver
This villain wants people for some reason, but people are often in short supply and kidnapping can get ugly. So he'll usually lure them out away from others and then betray them. For example I had a villain who wanted blood or test subjects for his experiments, so he'd get them drunk then tell them about this great idea, bring them to his house, and then he would strike, trying to incapcitate them for one reason or another.
3. The Derp.
Duh, my villain is gonna go attack Gambit's lol, people will realise he's evil and sewious then, uhuhh.
I highly highly recommend never to attack any location without a very good established reason that cannot for any reason be achieved elsewhere. Kidnapping people? Easier to do one at a time. Conducting large experiments? Safer to do on captured people in a controlled environment.
Here are some examples it can work...
A) Trying to get people interested in whatever is going on.
These attacks are the riskiest as they most borderline 'lolrandomtest'. Your aim isn't to start or win a fight, your aim is to lose and perk the interest of potential players. Its best to have one or more of your characters attempting the 'engage players' actions up above before pulling this.
B) Targetting players already involved in the RP who have grouped together.
In Gambit's? Go ahead. Outside of Gambit's weigh this one up very carefully. It's all well and good to make the players have to face a constant threat, but by golly if they are trying to do something like have a romantic dramatic character developing moment and you wreck it by marching in a demon? You've made a mistake in pacing, my friend.
Additionally, if you are playing the villain the two best ways to make the heroes come after you is to have the players want to see the villain taken down in a good way. The best two ways? Have the villain make them an enemy as a result of something he does not directly targetting them (takes the treasure they wanted because he wanted it) or betray them (use them to defeat the things guarding a treasure, then take it all for himself).
Final notes...
Pick and choose your interaction carefully. Sometimes, no matter how hard you force it, two characters just don't mesh, or a character won't be involved in what's going on. And you have to accept this and move on. You can try to manipulate it so the character will care, but too much can just as easily backfire completely, and chase off not only the character but the player.