New take on the Gorgon

[the Dwarf]

I was thinking one day, what if the Gorgon was actually a good guy?
I mean, he is LAWFUL Evil. Maybe his whole purpose in life was to protect his younger brothers the best he could, and by any means possible (hense the "evil"). He believes Azrai will return (and the other old gods as well) and is doing everything in his power to slow Arai and speed up the return of the other gods.
Maybe he has discerned a deeper truth than most of the world and has discovered that the bloodline derivation is only the leader in a particular being but that all blooded beings carry a touch of every derivation within them. This would indicate a potential reason for why bloodline strength only goes up a certain amount when bloodtheft occurs (the recipient draws primarily from the part in the victim that is the same derivation as their own derivation). This could also explain the chance to change derivations when slaying one of Azrai derivation ... the blood of Azrai is "stickier" because the land refuses it.
This leads to the "partial derivation theory". When Bloodtheft occurs, part of the bloodline points goes to the slayer directly proportional to the percentage the victim had in the bloodline derivation the slayer has. Less of other derivations would be carried because the slayer is the "third choice" (aka, the land and the old god are ahead of the slayer). In the case of the points from Azrai's blood, the land takes none, and therefore more goes to Azrai and to the slayer (Azrai first, than slayer, with land getting none). If the victim was of Azrai then they get first, then Azrai, then the rest is divided again between the slayer and Azrai. Cursed lands would work differently because they would accept Azrai's blood, but not that of any other old god.
How this relates to the Gorgon as a hero:
The Gorgon is trying to gather as much of Azrai's blood into living vessels as possible while freeing the blood of the other old gods as fast as possible. He is the number one vessel, and goes about "housecleaning" every so often to free more of the blood. He leaves enough heir around so that they will continue to draw the other old god's blood from the land (the power comes from the land for new borns, and flows back in when one dies of "natural causes" usless it has been redirected). Increasing bloodline score via RP would draw pure main derivation to the regent.

Just a few weird ideas and concepts I have had regarding bloodlines, "dark quickenings", Lawful Evil, and the Gorgon. :)

[ConjurerDragon]

the Dwarf wrote:

>This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
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>the Dwarf wrote:
> I was thinking one day, what if the Gorgon was actually a good guy?
>I mean, he is LAWFUL Evil. Maybe his whole purpose in life was to protect his younger brothers the best he could, and by any means possible (hense the "evil").
>
By any means possible would translate into chaotic, not evil. Best
example is the chaotic good paladin of cuiraceen - trying to do good
equally how...
bye
Michael Romes

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[Ariadne]

IMO lawful evil is the true horror alignment. Maybe he was good once, but his blood was currupted (I don't think an atonement will restore his maybe former alignment)...

[Zero]

I always viewd Raesene as a tragic hero, the tragedy of his life being that he let his rage and bitternes consume him during the War of Shadow.

In my own little world I looked at Prince Raesene and tried to put character motivation to him. He believed in merit, but also believed that he was destined to rule, blood or not. I often fancy that his party words to Reole, as he slipped into the lowlands after his brother's death, went something like this:

"Rest uneasy brother, for I spit on your grave. What was to be mine by right of blood shall one day be mine by might of arms, and on that day I shall laugh at the pitiful attempt of an empire that you have wrought."

That to me symbolizes who and what the Black Prince is. Of all the beings on Cerilia, he is the only undisputed heir to the bloodline of Reole, being he first emperor's half-brother. Of course, that doesn't make everybody line up to follow him, but...

Of course, each is free to set him up how they wish.

--Zero

[PCyric]

IMV (in my view) the Gorgon is far more complicated a personality, than most of us think. The Really wants to claim the throne of Roele, but not through bloody and destructive conquest. He is a being who was always feared or held in contempt by others. I believe that he deeply wishes to be respected by his people (the Anuireans I mean), but he is somehow confused as to the way he should try to achieve this. His wishes to achieve greatness and respect from his pears, always trying to prove himself to the eyes of the others, led him to his distruction. He performed good acts only for effect. He always led his life in a way trying to impress the others, never caring on the deepest meaning of Good and Evil.
Easily Asrai claimed his soul, simply by respecting him and raising him to the status of his right hand. Prince Raesene felt obligated towards his tutor, and tried to serve him. The rest is known history.

([_]