Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stormbrand 06-21-06, 10:48 AM	Looking to create an NPC villain. This one an Aasimar blackguard. Forgotten Realms setting. High level. Probably fallen paladin. Any thoughts? The theme I'm aiming for is the dark and twisted heart behind the beautifully smiling face. What would be an appropriate god? He makes an issue of his angelic heritage, so probably won't serve fiends. What would have made him fall? - no raised by evil, is more interesting if his evil is his own fault.
CyperionTheShadeBlade 06-23-06, 04:02 AM	Perhaps he failed in an attempt to save a bunch of innocents and ended up being responsible for their death, then overvelmed by anguish and decided that evil was a better path.
Myer Lynk 06-23-06, 01:41 PM	Perphaps he was shunned by his god or followers of his god which lead to his death and resurrection by evil forces who persuaded him/her that true believers stand behind each other.. offered for him/her to join their religious meetings to see the wisdom in the word of their god. I would recommend a LE aligned god to ensure that they are cunning, methodical, well planned.
Stormbrand 06-23-06, 04:02 PM	Thanks. Some good thoughts. They certainly give me ideas. This is what I've thought of. Working on Myer Lynk's suggestion - the aasimar attempted a quest and tried to do something which the others of his faith/order would not allow (going too far in the war against evil). When his brethren tried to intervene he turned on them, when the other paladins retaliated the conflict escalated to the point that the aasimar was now killing other paladins in place of the 'righteous war' he was on initially. Seeking allies, the aasimar came into contact with the church of Bane (Xvim at the time?) and allied with them against his former friends - this of course went further quickly resulting in his transformation to blackguard. Using Shadeblade's thought, the reason the aasimar went too far was to avenge the innocents he was unable to save. I should also make a note for his backstory that he had followers from early on, so they would have backed him up against the other paladins. What do people think? Would that work? Also I would like a few suggestions for interesting ways to make him evil - he is a nasty piece of work, I'd like him to do it memorably. Thank you.
Myer Lynk 06-23-06, 06:32 PM	Thanks. Some good thoughts. They certainly give me ideas. This is what I've thought of. Working on Myer Lynk's suggestion - the aasimar attempted a quest and tried to do something which the others of his faith/order would not allow (going too far in the war against evil). When his brethren tried to intervene he turned on them, when the other paladins retaliated the conflict escalated to the point that the aasimar was now killing other paladins in place of the 'righteous war' he was on initially. Seeking allies, the aasimar came into contact with the church of Bane (Xvim at the time?) and allied with them against his former friends - this of course went further quickly resulting in his transformation to blackguard. Using Shadeblade's thought, the reason the aasimar went too far was to avenge the innocents he was unable to save. I should also make a note for his backstory that he had followers from early on, so they would have backed him up against the other paladins. What do people think? Would that work? Also I would like a few suggestions for interesting ways to make him evil - he is a nasty piece of work, I'd like him to do it memorably. Thank you. With his appearance and knowledge of the previous religion he can use that "appearance" to get into areas openly evil people could not. For example: meeting with the local magistrate to discuss a problem.. only to remove his head and name himself the new ruler or some such thing.
Cifer 06-23-06, 10:04 PM	You might want to go down the Shadowbane inquisitor route: This prestige class can fall from paladial grace without noticing, since their features are powered by their own zeal - it's in the Complete adventurer. The class takes an end-justifies-means stance which could easily become a blackguard-in-the-making. He might have joined more and more radical sects of his church (for inspiration, look at warhammer and WH40k) before being discovered and hunted for his heretical beliefs. When his deity makes known that he no longer has its favor, someone might come along to offer some help at surviving.
Tramp4life 06-24-06, 12:16 AM	Had a character that went Cipher's route...was a paladin (great guy). He was after someone (mass murderer/DM plot device) that kept GETTING AWAY. Have I mentioned that the DM eventually gave this character a "blessing" from an evil church? He KNEW whenever this guy killed someone (or caused the death) and he knew the name. He couldn't forget the names...they ran through his head constantly. The names and faces of the innocents this man was responsible for killing. He would repeat the names as they fought. In the end, he went insane (still lawful, thoroughly evil). The ends justified the means...he kept going after the guy, then went after him even when innocents were in the way. NOTHING was too much to wipe this guy off the planet. If we had shadowbane inquisitors, he would have went that route...as it was, he was just a fallen paladin and went cleric to get some powers back (didn't want him chaotic).
Jedipilot24 06-24-06, 10:17 AM	Sounds like Prince Arthas from Warcraft III
Stormbrand 06-25-06, 01:38 PM	Interesting. Your thoughts are being very helpful. With his appearance and knowledge of the previous religion he can use that "appearance" to get into areas openly evil people could not. For example: meeting with the local magistrate to discuss a problem.. only to remove his head and name himself the new ruler or some such thing. That is exactly the attitude I had in mind for him, although perhaps a little more subtle - he could only do that the once, after that he would perhaps be more known as a villain and tyrant and would be less able to use that advantage in future. One thing I have thought of is mob control: he could quietly orchestrate atrocities or disasters and use his "heroic image" to whip up a crowd against an innocent target. The class takes an end-justifies-means stance which could easily become a blackguard-in-the-making :lightbulb Aha! This thought is a little different, but it uses the aasimar angle. If he is just an *anomaly* then he loses his impact, so I want his angel blood to play a part in the concept and his resulting fall. PEACH this thought: he was raised with constant praise and adoration for his celestial heritage. He was trained by a paladin who worshipped angels. Initially his deeds were good and noble and he was hailed as a hero, gaining many followers. Soon he started believing that his angel blood gave him special privilages such as an inherent right to power. There were those who challenged that "right" and the aasimar began viewing them as enemies, after all, who would dare challenge a child of the heavens? Sounds like Prince Arthas from Warcraft III Not intentional, although I think Arthas is an excellent story of a paladin fallen to evil. Making him more original is a goal, any suggestions towards that? Thank you all for your advice and help so far. :)
Stormbrand 06-28-06, 01:10 PM	First of all. Bump. So any ideas on a fittingly evil personality? Something that makes him interesting?
Eshu 06-29-06, 05:20 AM	star war, make him evil by apealing to his bad self, it's for the greater good kinda story
Stormbrand 06-29-06, 04:29 PM	star war, make him evil by apealing to his bad self, it's for the greater good kinda story Seriously, what does that mean? That sentance doesn't make the least bit of sense. What has star wars got to do with anything? The 'apealing to his bad self' seems meaningless from here. If you have a real point I am interested but you will have to explain it better than that. As for the greater good bit, the guy doesn't care about the greater good anymore. In fact he opposes good itself on principle.
CyperionTheShadeBlade 06-30-06, 05:12 AM	What about making him appear to be an open and cheerish guy in public but beneath he is still wracked by guilt and anger which could show in outbursts of rage (controlled, icy cool rage, not the screaming barbarian way) in the middle of a battle or when talking to someone who knows he is rotten.
Need_A_Life 06-30-06, 12:53 PM	Okay, don't take the star wars approach, SW:III did a poor job describing the corruption Anakin underwent. I think your idea that he believed to be of a superior race is quite fitting. You could also combine it with the earlier suggestion that he went too far trying to avenge innocents and ended up tainted by evil in the process.
Stormbrand 06-30-06, 01:26 PM	I like the thought of him holding utter fury for anyone who has seen his true self, maybe suggests there is a bit of self-loathing over what he has become? Suggests he is the sort who resents others rather than accepting his own failings. Thanks Cyperion, I like that. It gives me alot to work with. Has anybody made much use in the BOVD during their campaigns? I think I might need it, since I intend for the aasimar to be "vile" as in EVIL and well-deserving the capitals. Most of my villains just have a goal or a principle that they refuse to compromise. This is my first try at a truly nasty piece of work and I want to get it right, and make it believable enough to scare people, any tips?
Stormbrand 07-25-06, 10:56 PM	:bump: :allalone:
Wyrmul 07-27-06, 07:24 PM	While SW:III handled the concept of taking the path of evil with the intent to serve the greater good does not mean that it is a bad model, just that Lucas pulled it off poorly. JMS did it better with Londo Mullary in B5. He starts out seeking greater power to serve his people, and ends up as Emperor and his world in flames. Play up the "road to hell is paved with good intentions" angle. He made choices that should have done good in theory, but his lack of looking at the long term, or being unaware of all the facts, caused it to seriously backfire, causing more harm than what the character was trying to prevent. I am using this particular struggle as a backdrop in a current game. For the last 90 years the kingdom was ruled by a necromancer who enforec his will with undead armies. His grand-neice recently showed up and overthrew him, freeing the kingdom from his oppression. However, now the kingdom no longer has the undead armies that protected it from monsterous humanoids from the south and invasion by neighboring kingdoms. The intent to save the country has caused death, famine, and mass displacements that are still unresolved in game. The good party overthrows the evil tyrant and ends up doing more damage in two years than the "Tyrant" did in 90 years.