Banemaw

[GreenWood]

I don't like Elena Faith-Hold. I think the religious persecution idea is much better applied in G'henna. So for awhile now, I have been using this idea. The Dark Powers made Banemaw real. What better way to introduce the dragon that to fly in out of the blue, and devour the false Paladin. The Shadowborn cluster has always had a very Arthurain flavor to me. What better addition than a dragon? I used an ancient red dragon for Banemaw, and the dragons curse was simple, no one will ever fear it's name, or even hear it for that matter. The people of Nidala fear Banemaw. For a dragon to have it's identify taken is a huge blow to it's pride, and dragons are huberistic creatures. Even when the dragon roars it's name, all the people hear is Banemaw.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

What if Banemaw turns out to be a rare good chromatic, redeemed by its own choice and struggling against its base impulses and upbringing? Its fight with Elena reflects its inner struggle; even though Banemaw is mighty and it can undo much of the harm Elena does by driving off her patrols and providing for the afflicted, it can no more destroy her outright than erase its own memories of villainy.

Meanwhile, Elena's psyche ties itself into ever-tying knots as her lies and self-deceit have come home to roost ... and are proven false for all to see.

[tomokaicho]

I think Nidala is a good domain because it is a fantasy horror domain, and fantasy horror was sidelined in Ravenloft 3e. Nidala should be played as fantasy horror not gothic horror. If you want to fit Nidala into the gothic horror genre then its not a good domain.

[GreenWood]

I think Nidala is a good domain because it is a fantasy horror domain, and fantasy horror was sidelined in Ravenloft 3e. Nidala should be played as fantasy horror not gothic horror. If you want to fit Nidala into the gothic horror genre then its not a good domain.

It does have a high fantasy appearance. The whole cluster does

[GreenWood]

What if Banemaw turns out to be a rare good chromatic, redeemed by its own choice and struggling against its base impulses and upbringing? Its fight with Elena reflects its inner struggle; even though Banemaw is mighty and it can undo much of the harm Elena does by driving off her patrols and providing for the afflicted, it can no more destroy her outright than erase its own memories of villainy.

Meanwhile, Elena's psyche ties itself into ever-tying knots as her lies and self-deceit have come home to roost ... and are proven false for all to see.

Rock, I have just never liked her as a Darklord. Her whole story just seemed tacked on, almost as an afterthought.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Fair enough!

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

If it floats your boat, go for it, but I've never really liked the idea of a "real" Banemaw. I've seen many attempts at it over the years (illusion, outlander dragon, product of a dreamscape, mechanical dragon, etc.), but never seen one I like as much as a "paladin" blaming a dragon that doesn't exist for her own misdeeds. That's a story you don't see in most worlds, and I love the hypocrisy of it. But then Elena's one of my favorite darklords, so we're bound to disagree on this one.

[GreenWood]

If it floats your boat, go for it, but I've never really liked the idea of a "real" Banemaw. I've seen many attempts at it over the years (illusion, outlander dragon, product of a dreamscape, mechanical dragon, etc.), but never seen one I like as much as a "paladin" blaming a dragon that doesn't exist for her own misdeeds. That's a story you don't see in most worlds, and I love the hypocrisy of it. But then Elena's one of my favorite darklords, so we're bound to disagree on this one.

Ron I completely agree to disagree! I just feel the religious persecution angle is much better executed by Yagno. I honestly couldn't say who my favorite Darklord would be, Strahd or Meredoth perhaps? Or maybe Kas or Draga Salt-Biter

[High Priest Mikhal]

One thing I always planned on doing in the Lost Journals was having real red dragons (a great wyrm and an adolescent) appear and proceed to slaughter Elena's forces when she rides out to confront them, destroying her people's faith in her ability to protect them. To rub salt in the wound an outside force would defeat them, triggering a mass revolt as the people of Nidala realize Elena isn't any great hero but a petty tyrant. What ultimately happens I don't plan on detailing. Maybe she puts the revolt down, finally casting off any pretense of still being a paladin? Or she realizes what she's become and retreats into Faith Hold as the people tear down her power structure, completing her fall from grace and leaving her to face the full personal and spiritual consequences of her actions before becoming a darklord and after? That would seem like the worst possible fate for her since she's left alive with her own guilt and horror.

Just food for thought.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

If Elena Faith-Hold is forced to face up to her crimes, if all the illusions are stripped away... wouldn't she be facing the first step to redemption?

[Mistmaster]

I agree; Helena hold on the conviction to be a Paladin, and to be right in her actions, thanks to the powers she has and her misinterpretated detection. That fuel her evil behaviour. That's the reason she does not appeal to me as a Darklords.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I agree; Helena hold on the conviction to be a Paladin, and to be right in her actions, thanks to the powers she has and her misinterpretated detection. That fuel her evil behaviour. That's the reason she does not appeal to me as a Darklords.

See, that's exactly why I do like her. She's the ultimate cautionary tale in blind faith. If she could entertain the idea for a moment that Belenus is not sanctioning what she's doing, she could start toward redemption. (If the realization didn't completely break her first.) She's trusted her "detect evil" power for so long, and seen the world through it, that it doesn't occur to her that there is nuance there, even back on her homeworld, before the power had been twisted. The idea that something else even could twist a power from her god has never entered her head, because she can't accept the possibility of something more powerful than her god. So she continues to put all her trust in it, and believe she's doing right, even as her acts become more and more objectively wrong. I don't see this as making her a victim pushed to evil by forces beyond her control, rather I see this as a prime example of the hypocrisy of zealotry.

[High Priest Mikhal]

If Elena Faith-Hold is forced to face up to her crimes, if all the illusions are stripped away... wouldn't she be facing the first step to redemption?

Not necessarily. I always felt like she would go completely insane, either embracing her monstrosity or falling into a catatonic state if she didn't commit suicide outright. If the delusions she's built up were stripped away, she'd lose everything she has to live for and be forced to find something else or give in to utter despair. If other zealots are any example.

[The Lesser Evil]

If Elena Faith-Hold is forced to face up to her crimes, if all the illusions are stripped away... wouldn't she be facing the first step to redemption?

Not necessarily. I always felt like she would go completely insane, either embracing her monstrosity or falling into a catatonic state if she didn't commit suicide outright. If the delusions she's built up were stripped away, she'd lose everything she has to live for and be forced to find something else or give in to utter despair. If other zealots are any example.

Certainly it would be to Ebonbane's desire if Faith-Hold fell into complete depravity. If the demon seduced her with power and darkness, that would probably enable Ebonbane to absorb her domain into his Phantasmal Forest of floating pseudo-domains.