Roleplaying the Gentlemen Caller

[Undead Cabbage]

We know him, we love him, we sit on the edge of our seats waiting for the unravelling of his master plan. He's perhaps the most influencial and famous of NPCs out there to not have a canon character sketch (or at least not to my knowledge he doesn't).

The question is, how do you roleplay such an awesome, yet subtle character? I'm planning for a meeting with the Gentlemen Caller in my campaign, and one of my players has already been looking for him for some time. Now naturally, they aren't going to figure out that it was the Gentlemen Caller until he is long gone. So far for some inspiration, I've looked to the Merovingian from the latter two matrix movies, albeit more subtle and less flaunty. Other then that, I'm a little unsure of exactly what to make of him and still maintain the character he's supposed to be. What are your experiences with playing everybody's favorite Incubus?

[Lucius]

In 11 years of my campaign (he being the central villain) he appeared 2 times to the players. Two VERY brief apparitions, all the other times the PCs only hear about "a handsome gentleman".

He never talked with the PCs, well, he said one or two cold ald brief words. The men feel a strange sensation of fear and despair in his presence, and the women (now he talks hehehe) con´t resist to his charms, generally when he talks with the female PCs he starts with seduction to get what he wants, and after the seduction he is a little more cruel, giving scary warnings (something like what he did with S in Gaz 5), or binging tragedy to their lives.

When he deals with NPCs, again he seduces women making them believe they are doing a favor for their "lover", only to discover their doings resulted in catastrophic events that ruined their lives. When dealing with mela NPCs he generally poses like a freiend, someone who always seems to know how the best way to solve problems, or to reveal occult and miraculous means to acchieve someone goals. Again, when their vitmis realize it´s too late, he´s gone and all that remais is tragedy (after dealing with all the chaos the Pcs discover about the brief passsge otf a "Gentleman Caller).

Phisically I describe him as a handsome man with long black hair, a mysterious and dark gaze, always dressed in fine clothes. Even before his picture in Gaz 5 (and in my avatar) I described him this way.

[BlackBoxGamer]

The one time I used him in a game was when two of the characters shared a carriage with him one evening after ruturning from a ball. I RP'd him as very charming and mysterious, having been only briefly seen during the night speaking with an affluent NPC who the characters were investigating for necromancy and murder (hence the reason that they were at the ball). When the characters started questioning him (in a round about manner) I made sure that all of his answers were vague, non-commital and hinted at some hidden motivation. Getting into his psyche, I thought of a cruel thing to do to the characters after one of the players was a bit fed up with his answers and cast a charm spell upon the GC. I told the player it worked (when it didn't) and when he asked the GC if the Necromancer had killed the townsfolk, I had the carriage come to a sudden halt, the GC step lightly out of the carriage and with a sardonic smile turn to the spellcaster and say (rather teasingly) "You shouldn't be asking about the affairs of the wealthy in such a manner. You never know what horrible truths you might dig up. Instead, perhaps you should be asking 'What are those dead townsfolk up to now?'" And with that, he disappeared into the mists.

Needless to say, that little cryptic quip had the players digging up the all of the graves of the dead townsfolk (who were still, all, quite dead), which resulted in the authorities arresting them for attempted graverobbing and it alerted the Necromancer that the PC's were onto him. He disappeared later that week (to return for a later adventure).

Now, for what motivated the GC to send them on that little goose-chase, I retconned it to wanting to let the Necromancer escape for some mysterious purpose, but at the time, I felt he was more than a little perturbed by someone, let alone a mere mortal, trying to charm him.

And that is the only time I have ever used the GC in any of my campaigns.

[Stygian Inquirer]

We know him, we love him, we sit on the edge of our seats waiting for the unravelling of his master plan. He's perhaps the most influencial and famous of NPCs out there to not have a canon character sketch (or at least not to my knowledge he doesn't).

The question is, how do you roleplay such an awesome, yet subtle character? I'm planning for a meeting with the Gentlemen Caller in my campaign, and one of my players has already been looking for him for some time. Now naturally, they aren't going to figure out that it was the Gentlemen Caller until he is long gone. So far for some inspiration, I've looked to the Merovingian from the latter two matrix movies, albeit more subtle and less flaunty. Other then that, I'm a little unsure of exactly what to make of him and still maintain the character he's supposed to be. What are your experiences with playing everybody's favorite Incubus?

Well, the time I used him, you were in my campaign. As I recall, I played him with a very knowing yet evil demeanor. For example, when he met the PC that was his progeny he would answer her questions with an evil grin and then would leave. It kept everyone guessing (at least I hope it did) when he would show up to assist the PCs and then left them with no clue of his intentions. He also manipulated the party against such other NPCs like Hazlik and Inajira because of his occasional help and link to the party. And then, if that weren't enough, when the PC severed her relation with him (thanks to the Apparatus), he kept appearing with his creepy smile so it really intrigued and yet frightened the players. He was helping them but why?

[Mortepierre]

He's perhaps the most influencial and famous of NPCs out there to not have a canon character sketch (or at least not to my knowledge he doesn't).

Actually, his stats can be found on p.74 of the VR's Monster Hunter Compendium III.

[The Giamarga]

Huh?!?! That's right! I just looked. But afaik those stats are only the standard 2E stats for an incubus. Of note though is the Corruption index 3. His landbased power is Suggestion and his reality wrinkle a 1,320 foot- radius.

One of the netbooks has an article on him where 4 different versions of his supposed 3e stats are posted. Normal incubus (i.e male SRD succubus), advanced incubus, incubus with some sorcerer levels and advanced incubus with some sorcerer levels. That article was very nice too!

Though both sources use succubus stats I could swear incubi did get different stats than succubi in 2E. I just ca't remember where...

[Bluebomber4evr]

I went straight to the source when I needed advice for portraying the GC in our NWN persistent world...I asked Steve Miller, and this is his reply:

I always played him as helpful and friendly when he was manipulating the PCs. He virtually never tells the truth, but he is so earnest in his lies and includes just enough of the truth in them that they hold up. (His greatest coup in my personal campaign was to sic the party on Isolde's Carnival.)

Even when being threatening, he behaves in a charming fashion. (Keep in mind, though, that PCs hate nothing more than an NPC who threatens them, or seems smug and superior. With the GC, even after they discover he's evil incarnate, they should think, 'But he's a nice guy, despite it all.')

Steve, if you're reading this, it worked like a, well, like a charm!
Thanks!

[alhoon]

I needed advice for portraying the GC in our NWN persistent world...

On topic: GC has only performed one power ritual? I thought he would have done 2 or 3.

[Undead Cabbage]

Alright, cool. Great advice so far (I like the bit said by Steve Miller).

One question though, would you consider him to be slightly territorial? My players are soon going to be encountering Lou'gal the smiling one from Gaz III (the demon that was found in the old Gauldemon manor in Mordent, pg50). Would it be fair to say that the GC would want the players to get rid of Lou'gal, since Lou'gal is probably just a hording demon who will frig-up the GC's plan? Or would the GC care about this?

[Jasper]

I would play it as a "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer* kind of plan. The GC would not just go right out and set into motion Lou'gal's death untill he has exploited Lou'gal to his fullest. A nudge here, a adventurer sent to his death thiere and the GC could play Lou'gal without the demon ever knowing. And when the demon has served its purpose the GC lets slip to a few adventures where they might find Lou'gal's phylatery and what symbols to include in the circle of protection.

[tec-goblin]

Hmm... in my campaign I have strayed from canon... But still the GC is always charming...

HEY, MY PLAYERS, DON'T READ THIS!! [points 1 and 2 are out of topic, you can skip right to 3 or even 5]
1) IMC, GC has STATS... well. havine a divine rank greater than 16 and some unique abilities still leaves him very very far away from the province of PCs. But, I always use stats because they make me feel I am not cheating/manipulating things (it's just a kind of playing).Ηe has 5 levels in a swordsman school, 10 charismatic, 3 smart, 1 fast and 20 acolyte .
[are you still alive or died from shock? ) - we used a strange mixture of systems, resulting in him having many divine spells, a swashbuckling finesse with parry/riposte/slip and other Swashbuckling Adventures broken and renerfed things , as well as appearence above average/dangerous beauty (some feats of SBA).
2) Strangely, no outsider hd (IMC he is a "fiend" regarding the few people who know him, but in reality, he is an agent of the Mists. Actually something like an avatar of the mists. A child that has its own schemes, and manipulates history to create interesting situations, in a vain attempt to feel a real sentiment - always keeping, though, this relaxed and charming attitude).
Of course, he's an acolyte of Mists - and himself.

3)I was influenced from Masque's of the Red Death Maestro to create some parts of the personality and tactics of Gentleman Caller. While in fact he needed only a couple of special divine powers to accomodate for the myriad abilities of Maestro (after all, reaching +120 bluff and +85 diplomacy is enough for most of them), it was mostly a roleplaying attitude and approach of manipulating people and torturing them that affected mostly the result.

4) Ok, we are getting into topic now: the first time the players learned something related to GC was when Gabrielle Aderre explained them her version of the history of Malocchio Aderre. That was their first contact with "a fiend who is Malocchio's father". After a very impressive moment with Malocchio Aderre (where he tried to erase the memories of their discussion with this mother from their heads, with not exactly 100% success) they continued their travels with the carnival (yes, they used carnival to travel safety back to their home - after all, they were almost outsiders and 100% lost) until they show a strange scheme failing (the adventure in the end of Carnival where there is a confrontation with Gentleman Caller).
They saw Gentleman Caller from afar, in his relaxed tone, toying with Isolde, but still having failed his plan. They were upset he disappeared. Discussion with Isolde left them with "there are some things you are not ready to know - you have to understand some other things about this world first". In this encounter, he was referred to as a gentleman... As far as I remember, the fact that he was Malocchio's father wasn't yet reveiled.

Their history brought them to ancient prophecies, trying to face the schemes of Malocchio. Their contacts very very slowly reveiled them the truth and the connection of this "strange Gentleman" to Malocchio's father, as well as the fact that he has some relations to the Mists. By this point, he was still an untouched mystery and a threat...

It took many months to reach the point of the campaign where the players caught really the attention of Gentleman Caller, with their efforts to spoil Malocchio's schemes. He started toying. A woman (one of the characters' ex lover and also a girl another character also liked) was found horribly murdered, having left created a pistol, and blackpowder (which they investigated, to learn that some of her own bones were used). Investigating the inside of the pistol (with some very clever ideas of them), they saw there was a drawing there, depecting an old woman, some insect-like monsters and ice. They recognized only the monsters (another element of the campaign - some outside force that had allied with Malocchio in his apocalyptic schemes). They found out also, that a charming gentleman with a foreign accent was seen with the lady during the last days. One of the players/characters imagined the relation (even though months have passed)... which was still unsure.

One month later (slightly more in in game time), they were on a ship to a long voyage, where they were caught in a sudden but horrible maelstorm, after having won a great victory over these insect-like monsters. As a cutscene (for which the characters are not aware), I described them somewhere among the clouds a gentleman and Malocchio having an interesting discussion, revealing that Malocchio was fed up with them, calling GC for the first time to act against them, while GC had some plans of his own - it was the second time I described to them GC, this time even more relaxed and gentleman... This convinced the players about GCs involvement, but the characters were still just suspecting it.

In the following sessions, they made some great discoveries in icy Antarctica (where the malestorm had left them). They found the old woman and her relation to the monsters. And the ice. They also learned a bit more about GCs relation to the Mists - actually that he was some kind of agent of them. But still his motives were strange (the players - don't ask me why, it's a long story, KNEW that the current schemes of Malocchio were not in the liking of the Mists). They were confused.
It took not long for them (in their trip, leaving Atarctica) to learn that another of their friends (also a girl they had liked very much), disappeared. A man's eau de toilette could be smelled by the team's werewolf (I duck to avoid flying objects towards me). They were HORRIFIED. It was when in game they started to realize that a gentleman, possibly (probably off game) the same gentleman they had encountered a long ago was chasing after their loved persons.
They found the girl - and found another clew of their travel. They actually started thinking of the possibility that GC actually was lefting them some clues in this gruesome manner! (having an ally who slaughters your loved persons is an unsettling idea).
They confirmed the validity of the clue soon after... and the went on to the far away land they were heading to. Where, among others, they found out one of the PCs' mother (actually it was one of the reasons they got there). They had just confirmed her location and crafted a plan to immobilize her without doing her much harm (yes, she was not the epitome of being helpful, actually she had stolen the magic abilities of her baby son through an untold ritual)... Only to found her in her dying graps, nailed to the ceiling... She told them it was GC and that even if they raised her, she had an oath with him... After a lot of effort they resulted in raising her, while still she could not help them against GC.
Now they were furious. I mean as PLAYERS. One of them still (months after the events) tells me by msn at times that he will KILL THE *()*() BASTARD.... .

Cut... even more revelations on the other part of the campaign. One of them: Malocchio, their greatest threat and enemy, was dead (actually, through the combined efforts of many players and alts, but still, for one of the players, it was then he learned that their greatest enemy was already dead!). Ok... now the field cleared: they had a clearest goal... Even though they had realized by now that they had not much hope in confronting GC... this part of the campaign was to end with them facing GC... (I had to leave to France for a year)

They saw him (playing with the head of the last friend of theirs he killed, but still using white towels to avoid having blood on his lovely pants). Some were very calm and discussing about it. Some other FURIOUS with him. Actually there were 3 characters (and a cohort, ready to die with here compatriots should they chose it):
1 - normally very trigger finger, but at this point very calm and waiting to see what will happen
2 - FURIOUS, she was ready to kill Gentleman, kept only by his calming smile, but still ready to shout horrible things on him
3 - she had realized what's happening. She carried a big part of the discussion, having realized that he was playing with them. She impressed GC.

What happened in the discussion? GC was really helpful. Actually he said they did very well, that he had confiance on them! That he had set up all this story from the beginning, but didn't know how it will turn up and all the small details and turns it took. That he was the one forcing them to adventuring by making Leon (another big story) a ghost. He actually said in the end...


I am your storyteller.

Character 2 protested. A strong advocate of free will, she couldn't accept it.
"you can die with one single WORD of mine"
And she died [actually it's the life and death power from deities and demigods, but the notion of dying without a single roll was something COMPLETELY alien for players who had played with me for years and knew my adherence to the rules]
Finally, they convinced smartly GC that it was not a good idea for the story for her to die now - there were dramatic choices to be done. It would be better for her to die a bit later. And he raised her with a word.


They feeled strangely. Player playing character 3 didn't imagine THAT much. He was asking about the "narrator" part afterwards. The fact that I hadn't a stat sheet in front of me (I had it close at hand, and memorized everything important) was confusing them a bit... Was GC their narrator? But, in the end... they know me... Bah... Probably not, I will have a sheet close by. Probably...

But still, this worked with my group. I played with the notion of confusing in/off game, being very very gentle and sure of myself, and also the notion that GC wasn't making rolls - which was, as I said very alien for my way of playing.
I would have done it differently with a group who doesn't know me.