Thoughts on...Zherisia

[Carrion Crow]

Now, this started as an aside on my "Thoughts on...Nova Vaasa" thread, but as Zherisia was another Domain I was intending looking at, I thought I'd start a new thread regarding it. To reiterate what has gone before:

That's what I like about this forum - you suggest an idea and someone comes back with a way of looking at a particular character that you might not have previously thought of.

I had not considered the Batman/Joker analogy in relation to Sir Tristen/Malken and really, really like it. I seem to remember that there was an Elseworlds comic 'Batman: Two Faces' which suggested that both Batman and the Joker were the same person, just opposite sides of the coin.

However, saying that, whilst I do like Sir Tristen/Malken as a character, I just don't feel that Nova Vaasa is the right setting for him. But now you've opened my eyes to a new way of looking at the character, one that makes sense to me, I can see certain possibilities for him...but elsewhere.

As I mentioned in the first post, I was planning on transplanting the character to Paridon, as I felt this was a better fit for the character and your comments have now set the fuse burning for this idea.

If we think of Paridon as a turn of the Century Gotham, with Sir Tristen as one of the only righteous men in a city rife with corruption, this equates to the Bruce Wayne archetype. Occupying a possition of power, such as chief of police or somesuch and being uncorruptible, his enemies decided to try and reduce him to their level. Maybe a potion or a Helmet of Opposite Alignment was used, but the end result was that his force of will caused his personality to fragment, with his darker impulses creating firstly his alternate ego of 'Malken', but seeds of darkness spreading out across the city and finding fertile ground in a variety of other places. A doppleganger who had quietly and peacefully blended in with Paridon society suddenly found his head filled with thoughts of conquest and murder. A wooden puppet, doted upon by his creator, suddenly brought to unholy life...

Sir Tristen, the righteous crusader for justice, was now confronted by a veritable 'rogues gallery' to combat, none of which he can truly vanquish, as each criminal is actually a facet of his own personality. And in the background, orchestrating the depredations of these unpleasant individuals, is the gnarled, shock-headed Malken...

NB: I had planned on intergrating Odiare into Paridon as a Pocket Domain, but having a "Little Italy" part of Paridon just seemed to good an opportunity to miss.

Jamesfirecat, I thank you! My players, however, will probably be cursing you!

"Quick, to the Sir Tristen-Signal!"

EDIT: I'd just like to point out that prior to posting the above, I hadn't actually read the "Batman in Ravenloft" thread, so independently came up with the above.

I'm glad that you found my post enlightening to why I like the Malken/Tristen dynamic.

When you talk about Tristen being chief of police, remember that in Enemy Within, that sort of was his job, he was Captain of Kantora City Guard if memory servers properly.


Also just to refresh the "Batman in Ravenloft" idea if you need more Rogue's gallery ideas for Tristen.

Poison Ivy: This one is like the easiest transplant ever. Paridon is the second most advanced domain in the Core (beaten out only by Nosos) which makes it "fertile soil" for a NE druid who sees everything that is wrong with Paridon (the corruption of its civilization, the over abundance of dopplegangers, the whathever) as blame to be laid squarely at the feet of the fact that humanity has "advanced" to the point that it is has gotten out of synch with nature, nothing is keeping humanity's natural vices in check any more, and something/someone needs to do that particular job. Her path of corruption would probably involve picking up a bunch of plant like abilities, druids automatically get Ivy's "immunity to poisons" ability eventually, but she would also probably gain a plant like immunity to mind affecting spells/abilities, which helps mark her a thorn (pun intended) in the side of dopplegangers because it makes her immune to their mind reading ability. Would also be why she surrounds herself with plants and plant themed minions, they're the one thing she can count on to be loyal to her in Paridon.

Mr. Freeze: Alchemist has beautiful wife, who comes down with one of those mystical diseases that even D&D magic can't cure (maybe "Elevens" if you want to bring some Nosos to this version of Paridon?) and so needs to put her into suspended animation until he can fix it. Things go wrong because of X, and he ends up awakening latent sorcerer powers and or being transformed into an ice golem.

Killer Croc: Do something with the Marikith.

Catwoman: Natural Werecat (IE maintain personality while transformed) with a "harmless" catlike love of shiny things, and causing mischief. May or may not be a woman who Tristen secretly loves and barely manages to avoid being killed by Malken as the curse says should happen, because Lycanthropes are had to kill/Malken has no idea who she really is, since Tristen only ever sees her in hybrid/cat form, never in how she looks normally.

Riddler: Bored nobleman who is tired of traditional noble pursuits and so wants to make life entertaining by matching wits with supposedly some of the most brilliant men in the city, and seeing if they can stop his crimes/solve his puzzles...

Two-Face: Doppleganger who dove too deeply into the thoughts of one of his "victims" and now has issues with remembering if he's supposed to be the evil doppleganger who killed him, or the kind hearted human who was killed.

Ventriloquist: As you already suggested using Maligno and Guiseppe in place of Scarface and Arnold Wesker fits perfectly.

Joker: Malken himself.

So, that's where we've got so far.

As before, I'm basing my overview on resources I have, so we're looking at 2e material. And I have read the Zherisian Gazetteer, so am aware of the excellent work already put together for this Domain, as well as the thread regarding "Batman in Ravenloft". However, what I'm presenting is a 'Dread Alternative', which should avoid me being hunted down by the Fraternity and made to pay for my presumption...

So, firstly, where is Zherisia? Well, I've never been happy with the island of Liffe, although I will admit certain parts of it I do like. In the Batman thread, I was struck by the map of Gotham 'island' and my first suggestion is to replace Liffe with the slightly smaller, industrialised island of Zherisia. Due to it's location in the Nocturnal Sea, this would make the climate and weather similar to a fantasy version of Gotham, with constantly overcast skies.

Secondly, lose 'Timor' and the Marikith. I was never really struck by this particular Domain, as I felt it was not really suitable for the Gothic Fantasy feel of Ravenloft. Seems more like a fantasy version of 'Aliens', so might be better suited to "Masque of the Black Dome" which was a alternative setting suggested in a thread relocating Ravenloft to the far future.

Next, gather a few of the 'civilised' Domains together into a cluster that suit this particular version of Zherisia. So the Zherisia cluster would consist of Paridon with Sir Tristen/Malken as Darklord, with a couple of Pocket Domains within it, Odiare previously an Island and relocating Dominia. The last would also make Duke Gundar's quest for vengeance against Dr. Dominani a bit more frustrating for him, as I can imagine him chartering a ship to where Dominia previosuly was in the Sea of Sorrows, then losing his rag completely when the ship's captain tells him "Well, it was here last week..."

As for a 'Rogues Gallery' to provide Sir Tristen with a variety of foes, whilst we could provide him with analogues to the standard Batman foes, I think it would be more fun (and in keeping with the overall Gothic setting) to use existing characters that may not have been fully utilised within the setting.

So, if we are considering that Sir Tristen is our Gothic version of the crusading knight of justice within Paridon, with his alter ego of 'Malken' as our Joker analogue, who else can we add to the mix?

As noted above, adding Odiare as a district within Paridon,we immediately have Maligno as another force for evil within the city. Adding Dominia gives us an 'Arkham Asylum' type of district/pocket Domain, especially if Sir Tristen is unaware of the nature of the good doctor, even in Malken knows exactly what sort of creature resides within its walls.

If we then turn to the Ravenloft MCII, several characters within are ideal to add to this setting. Salizarr the Meazel, previously occupying the sewers of Il Aluk and presumably perishing during the Grim Harvest would easily fit within this revision. Desmond LaRouche, the half-golem, is also another character who would fit well, as whilst he's partially good, there are echoes of Two-Face about him. And if we retain Goldendale from the Fraternity netbook Children of the Night: Demons, we can add the Straw God. As Zherisia has always had issues with providing enough food for its populace, this could be part of that problem.

And I haven't even mentioned Sodo and his clan of Dopplegangers. Whether I retain him as Darklord of a Pocket Domain within Paridon or reduce his stature and make him another threat within the city I haven't yet decided.

So, generally speaking, we now have a corrupt island Domain, heavily industrialised with a few outlying villages/farms, which do not provide enough resources for the city. Our overall Darklord is the split personality of Sir Tristen Hiregaard, bastion of justice and head of the Paridon City Guard, desperately trying to maintain law and order in a city rife with corruption, filled with a variety of criminals, killers and parasites, the chief of which is his own alter ego, the shock-headed, gnarled Malken, who constantly mocks and taunts Sir Tristen and always seems to be one step ahead of him.

[Mistmaster]

At this point, you could promote Tristan up as Lawful Good, instead his regular Alignement L/N, since he now has not the burden of being a part of the oppressive aristocracy, like in Nova Vaasa; Now he can be a genuinly good character locked in a fierce battle with the evil Malken.

[jamesfirecat]

So, generally speaking, we now have a corrupt island Domain, heavily industrialised with a few outlying villages/farms, which do not provide enough resources for the city. Our overall Darklord is the split personality of Sir Tristen Hiregaard, bastion of justice and head of the Paridon City Guard, desperately trying to maintain law and order in a city rife with corruption, filled with a variety of criminals, killers and parasites, the chief of which is his own alter ego, the shock-headed, gnarled Malken, who constantly mocks and taunts Sir Tristen and always seems to be one step ahead of him.

I'd suggest changing the last part slightly.

Remember, this may be Ravenloft and so it will be dark, but Tristen, is not the Darklord who is cursed with Malken, Malken is the Darklord who is cursed with Tristen, which means that like any good comic book, Joker doesn't get to win.

I refer you to a particular quote from Batman Arkham Asylum

The Joker: [Joker has just injected himself with Titan] I can take it... I can take anything you throw at me, Bats. You can't beat me this time, I'm actually going to win! Ready for the next round?
Batman: Always.
The Joker: *What*?
Batman: I'll never let you win. *Never*!

So Malken is not "always" one step ahead of Tristen, or if he is, it's only because the criminal has to come up with an evil scheme/start enacting it because it can be thwarted.

Malken's great curse is that the most wonderful awesome evil scheme possible... is always going to fall just out of his reach, always fail at the last possible moment, because of Tristen's actions.

Look at how his entire "Claws of Sekhma" scheme went down in Enemy Within to get a good feeling for how Malken's schemes probably go down. Malken is brilliant, ruthless, has vast resources at his command... but he never quite wins at the end even when all "logic" says he should.

[Mistmaster]

I agree! Batman/Tristen win, even if Joker/Malken can and will inflict him terrible blows.

[The Lesser Evil]

I would suggest doing something more than merely creating strict Ravenloft equivalencies of Batman's gallery of rogues. That makes things pretty transparent and predictable. You might consider creating characters which might, in the right light, be viewed as homages or pastiches of Batman characters, or maybe even create composites of several characters and roll them into one. For example, you could roll Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy together to have an ecoterrorist that goes after Malus Sceleris type industrialists because of personal reasons rather than strictly ideological reasons. (The tycoon's business empire rendered extinct a plant the Freeze/Ivy composite needed to save his/her significant other. "Frozen Ivy" (i wouldn't recommend using that name) might want to render the tycoon into a similar debilitating and ultimately terminal condition with no cure to make them feel the same pain.)

I would also look at more obscure villains to draw inspiration from. (if you look around on wikipedia or the various fan wikis, you can find a lot of bios on minor characters.) The Clock King (Temple Fugate, from Batman: the Animated Series) would make for an excellent inspiration, and you could relate him to your equivalent of Big Ben. The Sewer King (from the episode, "the Underdwellers") can almost be dropped right in as he has a roughly contemporary feel to Paridon (though perhaps a few decades earlier.) Put him in a basement a few layers above Timor. In the BTAS show, he had the kids digging/mining for no apparent reason. However, things could be different in a retool of Zherisia. For example, Not-Sewer King could be searching for the lost treasure of Timor (see below)

Timor is originally a rich and fantastic kingdom driven to ruin by two successive evil queens/darklords (the latter of which is the Hive Queen). In official Ravenloft lore, Paridon and Timor began as separate but very similar islands of terror. There's no reason why Timor couldn't have been buried deep beneath Paridon all along. The Hive Queen and her spawn could have just been (re)awakened recently (by said Sewer King or somebody else probing into the dark below. Doppelganger hunters or a sect of the Dark Delvers might work here too.)

[Manofevil]

I still think you're limiting yourself by using established stuff rather than creating new, Carrion Crow, but to each his own. Anyway, Kudos to Jamesfirecat for mentioning Tristan's foiling Malken's scheme in 'The Enemy Within' but I feel that an important aspect of that was left out. It's true that Tristan foiled Malken's scheme but he only succeeded in doing so after everyone who was important in his life had been murdered or victimized because of it. His son, his best friend, the pretty girl member of the watch, all were dead or messed up badly before Tristan finally shut down Malken's plan. Plus there were a whole lot of people caught in the crossfire who were dead. I truly appreciate the idea of Malken/Joker being cursed with Tristan/Batman's countering his scheme's but it seems that Tristan lacks Batman's ability to ability to do so before the undertaker is needed to carve some more tombstones. Granted that was supposed to be Tristan's first clash with Malken and he may have gotten better at it since, but given the fact that this is Ravenloft, we could probably expect respectable body counts. I've often looked at slasher movies as super villains acting without the presence of the super hero. The villain goes on a tear, leaving a trail of dead bodies and/or shattered lives behind him until one of his prospective victims gets lucky and takes them out. If Tristan's role in this spy-vs-spy type battle is to be something more than clean-up man, Malken is going to have to lose more than just his scheme when Tristan shuts him down, though as to what that would be, I can't guess just yet.

[jamesfirecat]

I still think you're limiting yourself by using established stuff rather than creating new, Carrion Crow, but to each his own. Anyway, Kudos to Jamesfirecat for mentioning Tristan's foiling Malken's scheme in 'The Enemy Within' but I feel that an important aspect of that was left out. It's true that Tristan foiled Malken's scheme but he only succeeded in doing so after everyone who was important in his life had been murdered or victimized because of it. His son, his best friend, the pretty girl member of the watch, all were dead or messed up badly before Tristan finally shut down Malken's plan. Plus there were a whole lot of people caught in the crossfire who were dead. I truly appreciate the idea of Malken/Joker being cursed with Tristan/Batman's countering his scheme's but it seems that Tristan lacks Batman's ability to ability to do so before the undertaker is needed to carve some more tombstones. Granted that was supposed to be Tristan's first clash with Malken and he may have gotten better at it since, but given the fact that this is Ravenloft, we could probably expect respectable body counts. I've often looked at slasher movies as super villains acting without the presence of the super hero. The villain goes on a tear, leaving a trail of dead bodies and/or shattered lives behind him until one of his prospective victims gets lucky and takes them out. If Tristan's role in this spy-vs-spy type battle is to be something more than clean-up man, Malken is going to have to lose more than just his scheme when Tristan shuts him down, though as to what that would be, I can't guess just yet.

Maybe Tristen ends up dealing Malken such resounding defeats that Malken is shoved down/bottled up and isn't allowed out again for X amount of time (13 years?) so while his "tears" are the most dramatic/horrific of Tristen's foes, they're also the least frequent?

[Manofevil]

Maybe Tristen ends up dealing Malken such resounding defeats that Malken is shoved down/bottled up and isn't allowed out again for X amount of time (13 years?) so while his "tears" are the most dramatic/horrific of Tristen's foes, they're also the least frequent?

That's a possibility. Perhaps Tristan and Malken could have another confrontation on the mental plain the way they did in the novel only these times, Tristan kicks Malken's ass so hard that if/when Tristan goes into depression over the loss of life, Malken is too busy picking up pieces of himself to take advantage of it. Or perhaps Tristan's depressions are key to Malken's reassembling himself though not reasserting himself.

[Carrion Crow]

Thank all for the input. Yes, I realise that I got it back to front, which upon reflection, has now crystallised the new ‘origin’ of the Darklord of Paridon…

Sir Romir Hiregaard was a pillar of the community and a member of the Council of Lords of Paridon. Unlike his peers, he truly believed that his position of privilege and political power should be used to better the lot of his common man, an ideal he strove to impart into his twin sons, Tristen and Malcolm. The boys were almost identical, the only difference being that Malcolm had mismatched eyes, one of brown and one of blue. They were also very competitive, always striving to outdo each other in all pursuits, be it physical and mental. Whilst Tristen took any defeat with good grace, Malcolm, being the elder by a couple of minutes, always felt he should be superior and took each defeat by his brother as a personal slight.

This darkness within him only grew as the boys matured, their differing natures leading them down different paths. Tristen strove to uphold the ideals imparted by his father and joined the Paridon City Constabulary, using his physical and mental traits to work his way up through the ranks. Malcolm, on the other hand, took a darker path, utilising his position and wealth to indulge his fancies.

Each brother’s form began to echo their chosen lifestyle, with Tristen becoming lean and hard, whilst Malcolm’s dissolute lifestyle left him corpulent and aged before his time. Sir Romir noted these changes and spoke to Malcolm, encouraging him to apply himself. This fell on deaf ears and Sir Romir then gave Malcolm an ultimatum – either he changed his ways or Sir Romir would disown him, leaving his entire estate to Tristen. Malcolm was incensed, arguing vehemently with his father and demanding what was rightfully his. Sir Romir, still a powerful man, ejected Malcolm from the premises and called for his lawyer.

Malcolm retired to one of his favoured drinking dens and whilst nursing his anger with strong liquor, formulated a plan. If Sir Romir was to die before he changed his will, Malcolm, as the elder, would inherit the entire estate. Utilising the contacts he had developed over the years, Malcolm gathered a group of like-minded individuals and descended upon Hiregaard Manor that very night. Whilst Sir Romir would have been a match for just his wayward son, Malcolm’s associates shifted the balance in his favour and Sir Romir was murdered in his own study.

However, it was all for naught, as Sir Romir had already changed his will and Tristen inherited everything. Malcolm, blaming the laws of the land for depriving him of his birthright, swore to reclaim what was rightfully his by working outside the law. Thus began the reign of the crimelord known as ‘Malken’.

The Dark Powers had already taken an interest in Malcolm Hiregaard and as he slid further into darkness, they enticed him with raw physical power, balancing this with a twisting of his form. Whilst enjoying the strength coursing through his body, the changes to his physical appearance bothered him, especially when his ‘wonderful’ brother still retained his good looks. Whilst accruing a vast criminal network and proving to be a constant thorn in the side of his law-abiding brother, who had no idea that the shadowy ‘Malken’ was his own flesh and blood, Malcolm searched for some means to restore his looks.

He eventually came across rumours of a magical device that could transpose the souls of two individuals, effectively swapping their minds between their bodies. And Malcolm had the ideal ‘donor’ in mind…

Having constructed this ’Apparatus’, using all his cunning and guile, Malcolm set a trap for his sibling, offering him the chance to finally catch the elusive ‘Malken’. Although Tristen’s intellect and wits matched that of his brother, the chance to finally cut the head of the snake was too good an opportunity to miss and he fell for the elaborate ploy.

Tristen awoke in a crystal chamber, and was addressed from the shadows by a familiar voice.

“Ah, so you’re finally awake Chief Constable, or should I say…Brother?” Tristen was shocked when the shadowy figure stepped forward, as although its form was thickset and twisted, he could still recognise the features of his brother.

“You never suspected that the constant thorn in your side was your loving twin, did you? Where once I was Malcolm, now there is only Malken, physically and mentally your superior. Although you are…prettier. But that won’t last. This wonderful device will take your mind and soul and place it within this twisted form and vice versa. Soon, I will reclaim what is rightfully mine and you…well, what’s one more body floating in the harbour?”

Malken climbed into the other crystal chamber of the apparatus and motioned for his minions to activate the device. Power coursed through the device, a loud thrumming building to a crescendo as each chamber and the crystalline rod connecting was infused with light. However, the Dark Powers then intervened…

A dark mist infused each chamber and the thrumming changed to a high-pitched whine, until the machine overloaded and exploded. A single form, that of Tristen, emerged from the wreckage and called for a mirror. Looking into the glass, he began to laugh, as whilst the features were Tristen’s, the eyes were mismatched, one of blue and one of brown. It had worked! However, there was now no trace of the physical form of ‘Malken’ and the builder of the device theorised that this had been destroyed during the accident.

However, this was not the case, as ‘Tristen’ found when he first lost his temper – he was wracked with pain and his physical form transformed into that of Malken. This was only temporary and ‘Tristen’ learned that he could voluntarily become ‘Malken’ through force of will, but would involuntarily become him if he lost his temper in the form of ‘Tristen’. What he failed to notice, however, that was when he was in the form of Malken, he cast no shadow...

Now Malcolm had all that he desired – he retained his criminal empire as ‘Malken’ and had reclaimed his birthright, lands and exalted position within Paridon society as ‘Tristen’. However, as he became accustomed to his dual existence, he noted subtle differences to the city of Paridon. There were areas of the city he could no longer physically go, as though some unnatural force were preventing him from entering. In addition, his undisputed rule of the criminal underworld had been eroded, with several new crimelords seemingly springing up overnight, although his minions seemed to believe they had always been there – the Puppetmaster, Mr Gone, Jack of Many Sides…

Whilst he could use his position as Chief Constable of the Paridon City Constabulary as ‘Tristen’ and his criminal underlings as ‘Malken’ to combat these pretenders, neither of these resources seemed able to deal with a shadowy vigilante that had arisen, striking against Malcolm’s criminal empire and overturning his carefully laid plans. Striking from and returning to the shadows, this vigilante whom his underlings had dubbed ‘The Fox’ for his cunning and ability to evade capture, seemed to instinctively know which of Malcolm’s many holdings to disrupt or expose, causing him the greatest setback. Those underlings who had encountered ‘The Fox’ and survived told of his ability to paralyse with a touch, seemingly merge with shadows and escape from seemingly locked rooms. Malcolm believes that his nemesis has been trained in the espionage technique of the East. The truth is far more strange…

When the Dark Powers intervened in Malcolm’s attempt to transpose his soul with that of his brother, it was initially believed that both Tristen’s soul and Malken’s body perished. However, the bodies of both Tristen and Malken were merged and now Malcolm can assume the form of either. Tristen’s soul also survived, but in an altered form. It now occupies Malcolm’s shadow and gains independent existence when he assumes his Malken form. As Tristen now exists halfway between life and death, he has gained certain abilities that are more commonly associated with the undead – he can paralyse limbs with a touch like a Ghoul, temporarily drain strength like a Shadow and shift between material and immaterial form like a Ghost. Most of his personality has been burnt away, but the kernel of his soul remains, thirsting for vengeance against the person responsible for his cursed half-existence.

Malcolm reclaimed his birthright, position and fortune, claimed his brother’s face as his own and now wields power both publicly and in secret, all through murder and betrayal. However, where once the whole city was his, now there are areas he can no longer enter. Where once his criminal empire was unassailable, he is now beset by pretenders to his throne, having to effectively become his brother in order to curb their excesses. And he has gained an implacable, cunning and deadly foe, one who knows his thoughts and desires and how to thwart him at every turn and can never be truly defeated, as he is truly a dark reflection of Malcolm…his shadow.

Apologies for the length of this post, but I was inspired. The above retains the dual aspect of Sir Tristen/Malken in a way that makes sense to me, allows for a variety of ‘other’ crimelords, both Darklords in their own right and characters borrowed from other places, and still has the flavour of a Gothic version of Batman and the Joker.

The Puppetmaster is obviously Maligno, Mr. Gone is Edmund Bloodsworth (sp?) the ‘Invisible Man’ form the Zherisian Gazetteer and Jack of Many Sides is Sodo the Doppleganger. I’m considering adding an Ermordenung as a ‘Poison Ivy’ type character, who’s literally poisonous, but there are now so many options for alternative ‘crimelords’ and making them non-Darklords allows characters to defeat them, possibly having been hired by ‘Sir Tristen’ himself.

[Mistmaster]

Mmm, I liked more the idea of duality beetwen Malken and Tristen.

[Manofevil]

Me too. That said, How about a Dryad angry at all industry for Poison Ivy?

[Carrion Crow]

There is a reason for this slight re-jigging of how the Malken/Tristen dynamic plays out. If we continue with the Batman/Joker analogy, one of the defining aspects of their interaction is exactly that...their interaction.

Whilst Batman thwarts the Joker's schemes on nearly every occasion, there is always that part of the tale where the two foes confront each other, the Joker gloats about his latest scheme and Batman vows to always stop him. If we leave the Malken/Tristen duality as 'canon', as each is the alter ego of the other, they will never directly confront one another and you won't get that interplay between the two.

So that's why I re-worked it as above, if that makes sense. Plus it adds to the Malken's frustration, as with all the power and resources that are his to control, he can't uncover the identity of 'the fox' nor can he seem to stop what he sees to be as one, if particularly skilled, man.

[Mistmaster]

Then, I would expand on the Fox character; He should have the whole of Tristan old personality, and he should be active even when Malken is in is Tristan persona.

[jamesfirecat]

Me too. That said, How about a Dryad angry at all industry for Poison Ivy?

Echoing this, I'd suggesting using a Dryad/Druid (or a dryad who has class levels in druid) for Poison Ivy, if you want her to be literally poisonous have her cover herself with some poison substance like the villain from the first part of the Death Trilogy of adventures, but use her Venom Immunity Power to counteract it rather than some ring which could be snatched away.

The ecological avenger aspect of Ivy has always been far more interesting than the fem-fetal one in my opinion.

[jamesfirecat]

There is a reason for this slight re-jigging of how the Malken/Tristen dynamic plays out. If we continue with the Batman/Joker analogy, one of the defining aspects of their interaction is exactly that...their interaction.

Whilst Batman thwarts the Joker's schemes on nearly every occasion, there is always that part of the tale where the two foes confront each other, the Joker gloats about his latest scheme and Batman vows to always stop him. If we leave the Malken/Tristen duality as 'canon', as each is the alter ego of the other, they will never directly confront one another and you won't get that interplay between the two.

So that's why I re-worked it as above, if that makes sense. Plus it adds to the Malken's frustration, as with all the power and resources that are his to control, he can't uncover the identity of 'the fox' nor can he seem to stop what he sees to be as one, if particularly skilled, man.

I think it's a good interesting approach to Tristen and Malken and the changes you made all make sense.

That said, do you want to keep Malken's power over/affinity for cats or are we shifting all that out of his character since cats don't play as important a role in Zherisia as they do in Nova Vaasa?