Café de Nuit

Guess I'm really out of sync with most of you, for many of your top lists coincide with my bottom lists. It's not easy for me to say one who are my favourite darklords, but I can give you a list of my most despised ones:

Kharkov
Hazlik
Polarno
perhaps Harkon Lucas in this set too.

As for favourites, perhaps, in no specific order

Tristen / Malken
Van Riese
Strahd
Adam
ApBlanc
Anton Misroi

lukewarm:

Godefroy
Ivana and Ivan
Tristessa
Soth
Meredoth

not easy, I guess I will not classify the rest. I'm more fond of their domains and what I can do with them, than with the darklords.

Ail

My top 5...

#1) Azalin

Because, well, he's Azalin! I mean, he's the sole darklord who seems willing and able to do stuff about his condition without wimping out. Gotta love that titanic, earth shattering ego.

#2) Dominic D'Honaire

I love political games. Love them, I say! And he is the master of politics. The way I run him, he has more fingers in more pies than Strahd and Azalin combined, merely because he focuses on the little stuff. He's not concerned about mystical demi-planes and Dark Whoosits that punish people... he wants to control it all, and he's doing a damn fine job of it.

#3) Ivana Boritsi

Again, politics. But politics tinged with death. Gotta love it.

#4) Wilfred Godefroy

He became so much cooler with his 3.X update. He's a frightening man because he is patient, he is greedy and he is vindictive. 3 great qualities to make him a perfect nemesis, but if that weren't enough, you got the House on Gryphon Hill as his personal abode.

#5) Tristan ApBlanc

The concept behind his curse is great. And I love his dual nature; great for confusing the heck out of your players.

As for my least favorite darklord, that's an easy one:

#1) Crocodile

I have never cared for this domain or for the concept of an animal being judged by the Dark Powers the same way as more sentient creatures. Animals are basic and primal; imposing tragic depth or dark undercurrents to them is silly in my opinion.

BBG

I like:

Death
Hazlik
Azalin

I can do a lot with them and each has a great story and their own character that is original.

Huh. Everyone goes on about the darklords. What about the poor hardworking paladins that daily chop up the rising evils of the land, so that your favorite darklord can still remain at the top of the heap for your enjoyment. I mean does anyone ever give them any recognition? *Starts sobbing*

AMEN BROTHER!!! Testify!
Est sularus oth Mithas 4EVER!!

And I just turned over 250 posts! YAAAAAAAYYY!!!

Being a paladin is all about the thankless rewards and lack of respect. No one picks that career for the respect and adoration.

Heroes don't accept the world the way it is. They fight it. Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh and cruel. That's why there's paladins.
They live as though the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be.

That or to get killed really quickly by the cool villains who use the disembowled corpses as warnings to be smart and just deal.

Well, you all probably know who I'm going to say for fave darklord but I'll say it anyway. I'm a softie for ol' Buckethead. I dunno there's just something about him that I really feel for, although I will admit he was a bit sedentary for a darklord. He could've been a bit more active.

That said, I'm back and I should be on pretty often since I'm coming up here every other day to check my e-mail.

I think that Strahd and Azalin have the same "darklord value" because they are the most manipulating, power craving tragic bastards. And we should not forget that they worked together, they fought each other, and nearly ripped apart ravenloft itself with their experiments.

Have to be Adam and his creator for me...both locked in an unalterable battle of wills, neither taking responsibility for the other's suffering, neither willing to forgive...
And both damned for thier actions.Even now, a peace of sorts could be achieved, a relationship renewed...Only Adam's father would be unorthodox enough to accept his creation as a friend and partner, and only Adam could understand the passion and genius of Victor behind the cold, emotionless mask. The emotional link they share-as part of the curse they bear jointly-could be turned into a bond unbreakable, capable of uniting the two into an unstoppable engine.
Perhaps, together, Victor and Adam could even restore thier mutual Love-and even if the Dark Powers would never allow it, they would at least be able to find solace in mutual bereavement...
But it will never happen.
Because neither will forgive.
And that, to me, is the very essence of Gothic.

David of the FoS wrote:Being a paladin is all about the thankless rewards and lack of respect. No one picks that career for the respect and adoration.

Heroes don't accept the world the way it is. They fight it. Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh and cruel. That's why there's paladins.
They live as though the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be.

That or to get killed really quickly by the cool villains who use the disembowled corpses as warnings to be smart and just deal.

Actually all I really wanted was money off drinks at the bar..

Sir T wrote:

David of the FoS wrote:Being a paladin is all about the thankless rewards and lack of respect. No one picks that career for the respect and adoration.

Heroes don't accept the world the way it is. They fight it. Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh and cruel. That's why there's paladins.
They live as though the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be.

That or to get killed really quickly by the cool villains who use the disembowled corpses as warnings to be smart and just deal.

Actually all I really wanted was money off drinks at the bar..

But the bar burnt down, though I'm sure Chandra will give you a discount on coffee.

Top 5

1. Strahd. The coolest vampire of all time. He's the one that got me into Ravenloft. He has a great motive for his actions, and his castle freaking awesome.

2. Harkon Lukas. Most people seem to like him because of the monacle, but I personally like that hat! I also love how whimsical, yet vicious, he is.

3. Godefroy. This guy lives in a hounted house. 'nuff said.

4. Tristen. He plays bagpipes, and wears a kilt, awesome.

5. Azalin. He's just cool.

Jacqueline Renier
Lord Soth
Marquis Stezen D'Polarno (rpga adventure was pretty cool)

Azalin
Soth
Death
Vecna
Meredoth
Morgoroth

Yes, I notice the death theme there.