A Different Take on an Evil Darklord.

[shadow]

The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice.

-C.S. Lewis - The Screwtape Letters


I have been dusting off my old homebrew setting and revamping it a little. For a while I was debating on whether or not to keep the "big bad evil darklord" that I had envisioned when I first started my homebrew. Although I like the idea of having a really bad, evil villain for the PCs to rally against, the idea of the darklord is so cliched. Moreover, the stereotypical image of a darklord clad in black armor, living in a castle adorned with human skulls, didn't jive with my campaign theme of evil being tempting (so that characters have to watch that they don't become what they seek to destroy).

Suddenly I had an idea for a unique take of a darklord - a Stalin-esque "dear leader" with his own personality cult. Much of the great atrocities in real life are commited not by psychopathic murderers, but by smiling civilian and military leaders who promise their people a brighter future.

The darklord in my homebrew is a charismatic leader that controls a police state. Children are be indoctrinated from birth that only their "great leader" could guarantee a bright future. Anyone who says otherwise is a traitor who needs to be dealt with. People are taught to spy on their neighbors; children on their parents. People who are suspected of being disloyal simply "disappear".

Of course this leads to the question of how would much of this play out in a faux-medieval setting. Would magic be integrated to keep survellience on the people? (My homebrew is very low magic.) What would the secret police force be like? How would the "re-education" camps be run in medieval technology level?

Anyway, what do you all think?

 

[S'mon]

In the modern age such leaders can be secular or religious, but both appeal to quasi-mystical ideas (so do non evil charismatic leaders). In a medieval era the leader would almost certainly be religious, the first secular revolutionary leaders IRL appeared in the 17th century at earliest, and even they had a strong religious bent (eg Cromwell). Perhaps the leader represents the New Faith that has overthrown the 'corrupt' Old Order, or he could be defending the True Religion from 'evil forces' that seek to overthrow All That Is Good.

 

[Mallus]

Of course this leads to the question of how would much of this play out in a faux-medieval setting.

I wouldn't worry to much about his. Most D&D settings are far more faux than medieval.

Would magic be integrated to keep survellience on the people? (My homebrew is very low magic.)

Magic isn't necessary. Surveillance is best done through spies, through neighbors willing to report on neighbors, for real, perceived and/or imagined crimes.

How would the "re-education" camps be run in medieval technology level?

Inquisition-style, I should think.

Anyway, what do you all think?

It's a fine idea, just don't sweat the historical accuracy (or if you do intend to use history as a guide, look into states like Cambodia under Pol Pot).

 

[mlund]

The Religious Inquisition is the go-to Medieval stereotype for this sort of behavior. The reason is actually very simple: religion is a direct threat to state control. Such a "dear leader" can not rule as he wishes while opposed by another focus of devotion and moral instruction for the hearts and minds of his subjects. History shows us that creating such a state requires seizing control over religious expression in one of two ways:

a.) Establishing a State Religion - controlled completely by "dear leader"
b.) Purging Religion - typically by demonizing it just like one does rival political parties and philosophies

Either way, there is only room for one belief system in "dear leader's" State - the party line. The plurality of belief and the model of liberty that stems from religious plurality is anathema to the tyrannical State.

So you'll either have a single religion run by "dear leader" (perhaps worship of Bane or a facade of worship for a good deity) or a fanatical hatred of any and all things religious. Either way, those deviating from the State Orthodoxy will be branded heretics, infidels, or heathens and brutally repressed. A villain with particular finesse will simply incite mobs to do this work, rather than extended visible State presence - which could be construed as a sign of fear / weakness.

- Marty Lund

 

[Engilbrand]

Have you looked at Eberron? One of the major nations is run by a vampire who replaced his great grandson. He gained his power from an evil cult, and gradually decided that he didn't want to be their pawn anymore. The nation uses undead for troops, and it's definitely a repressed dictatorship. BUT, the king does everything for the good of his people, even to the point that he did everything in his power to broker the peace that ended the Last War. Definitely check out King Kaius from Eberron.
The best way to get people on your side is to point to their enemy. The Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Equilibrium. Even the new Merlin TV show does a good job with this. These all give an idea. Even Hitler used the tactic. People would only be willing to follow horrible things if they think that the alternative is worse.
Don't just decide what's in place. Decide who the "enemy" is, then figure out how things were able to get to your point. You've moved outside of medieval into the realm of Nationalism.

I would recommend having the enemies be either Doppelgangers or Wizards. People who can alter the appearance of things. This is how the idea of subversivness would really enter the society. "Spies" become anyone different, and kids would be doing whatever they could to distance themselves from their parents.

 

[El Mahdi]

For a Medieval take on a cult-of-personality type leader, try Peter the Hermit, leader of the People's Crusade (or Peasant's Crusade) during the First European Crusade to the Holy Land. His movement didn't last very long, but you could modify the character to be a bit more focused, efficient, successful, and of course - much more malevolent. I don't think Peter the Hermit will fit your model perfectly (he seems a bit more rustic and simple than your concept) but reading up on him could give you some good insight into how such a personality forms in a Medieval setting.

 

[balard]

Another Eberron option is the Nation of Riedra. There isn't a head figure, but show a nice police state with misinformation and control.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Remember, Fearless Leader is not just helping them grow up right; he is protecting the people of His nation from all the evils that are threatening them and on the verge of overwhelming them all.
a) Every nation that is not a close ally is a threat somehow;
b) Anybody within the borders that is different is a threat (elves, dwarves, halflings, orcs, goblins, clerics of a different religion, etc);
c) If the nation/kingdom/theocracy lost a war before the Fearless Leader took over, it will be because the dwarves or elves or wizards, stabbed them in the back before. See this link - Stab-in-the-back legend - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - the people did not lose the war, they were betrayed by somebody that now needs to be persecuted.
d) Lots of large “public works” types of projects dedicated to the glory of the nation and the fearless leader will be built – if it is a theocracy, a huge religious structure of spectacular proportions; if religion is banned outright, then a huge structure dedicated to something else – a coliseum, gigantic fortifications, etc.
e) Lots of public events dedicated to Fearless Leader and to the greatness of the nation and its people – and, if people do not salute properly and vigorously enough, they will be noted as public enemies and possibly executed.

 

[El Mahdi]

Oh, and don't forget, informing on your neighbors and friends is not only encouraged, but compulsory. This is enforced by plants (an undercover governmental informant tells you something that is against the government - if you don't inform on them, you fail the test and are arrested yourself as a subversive). This will make fear and paranoia the rule.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If "dear leader" is a powerful druid of non-good alignment who just happens to be able to talk to plants & animals, he won't have as much need to turn commoners into quislings or paying for a massive spy network...nature is his spy network.

(Commune with Nature is pretty good for this, but as I recall, the Greenbond from AU/AE has a slightly better version of it as a class ability.)

In addition, judicious use of Awaken makes his spy network even more powerful. Awakened critters as minions is bad enough, but sentient flora can be virtually omnipresent. (The quote below is from my favorite thread, linked to in my sig.)

Here's an interesting fact: Aspen Trees are a clonal species- they can spread by runners. One of the largest organisms on Earth is an Aspen grove in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains that has 41,000+ trunks.

That inspired this:

No Man's Land:

5000 years ago, a druid (whose name is lost to humanity...) of great power picked a large and remote island devoid of human life as his home, choosing a grove of aspen trees his most sacred space. At some point, he chose to cast Awaken upon one of the aspen...and the entire grove came to life! He had forgotten that Aspen spread by runners...the entire grove was actually one plant- and now it had a mind equal to his own. He trained it in the ways of the druids.
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