Black Metal Adventures

 

This would be a fun approach:

The player characters are like a black metal band. One of those crazy outfits from Scandinavia who burn churches and worship Satan.

The villagers hate these guys. They want them dead. So every chance they get, they tell the adventurers, "I heard there's gold in that cavern. Ogres? Easy killing for a bunch of warriors like you."

And they hope that this is it, that this is the end of those violent bastards. Always talking about treasure and magic weapons, delving into ancient crypts, stirring up long-forgotten ghosts and demons, making trouble for all the hard-working people who do what they're supposed to do, who sweat and toil and pray like decent folk.

Because the adventurers have skills. They have swords and armor and they can curse you or blind you or throw magic fire at you or put you to sleep. They can make you like them and obey them -- against your will. They are witches and fiends, and they are to be shunned and feared. In a world with very little magic, people who can practice sorcery aren't admired, they're freaking horrible and scary.

They also need to die, because if they become powerful, they could kill the village elders and take over -- or even raise an army against the royals and take over the country!

Thus, the villagers are very helpful. "Here's some torches, and some rope. What? No, no, your money's no good here, you take it. Go on, have fun exploring those catacombs. I hope you find some gold!"