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How to play an evil cleric
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<blockquote data-quote="humble minion" data-source="post: 7959407" data-attributes="member: 5948"><p>One thing it'd be interesting to think about is how the evil deities marketed themselves (for want of a better word) to would-be worshippers. I mean, the great majority of people believe that they are mostly good (with a few lapses, flaws, etc - everyone's human after all). 'Roll up, roll up, and worship the master of evil!' isn't really going to strike a chord with many. So the priest of Bane maybe isn't going to 'sell' Bane as the god of tyranny, he's going to talk about Bane offers strength and the disciplined rule of law and will crush the evils of [insert locally disliked other here] under his iron fist and will stop the Youth Of Today playing that terrible noise they call modern music and make them get haircuts etc. The stern father-god who will do what's good for others even if they're too childish to see it. All sorts of gods of necromancy etc could market themselves as goods of strong-minded elite free-thinkers, who dare seek out knowledge where others do not.</p><p></p><p>(It'd probably be different for gods like Bhaal whose portfolios are necessarily secret by nature - that might be a more conventional 'evil cult' arrangement where a lone priest would target and slowly indoctrinate his recruit over a period of time. Kinda like a grooming technique.)</p><p></p><p>Perhaps Hextor sells himself as almost the survivalist god - the world is brutal and full of violence, if you don't believe it, you're naive and will be helpless meat when harsh reality comes for you. All that stuff about honor and mercy? Yeah right, you know full well that all goes out the window when the battle starts. Would you rather win, or play nice? But with my teachings, you'll be ready. Worship me and you'll be the toughest guy in the room when it all hits the fan.</p><p></p><p>Shar from FR has always had a pretty good sales pitch. She's the god that tells you that no, you don't NEED to forgive, it's ok to hold on to your bitterness, and that your anger and sorrow and pain are the most important things in the world and they justify anything you want to do, no matter how extreme, and anyone who tells you otherwise is an interfering busybody who doesn't understand...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="humble minion, post: 7959407, member: 5948"] One thing it'd be interesting to think about is how the evil deities marketed themselves (for want of a better word) to would-be worshippers. I mean, the great majority of people believe that they are mostly good (with a few lapses, flaws, etc - everyone's human after all). 'Roll up, roll up, and worship the master of evil!' isn't really going to strike a chord with many. So the priest of Bane maybe isn't going to 'sell' Bane as the god of tyranny, he's going to talk about Bane offers strength and the disciplined rule of law and will crush the evils of [insert locally disliked other here] under his iron fist and will stop the Youth Of Today playing that terrible noise they call modern music and make them get haircuts etc. The stern father-god who will do what's good for others even if they're too childish to see it. All sorts of gods of necromancy etc could market themselves as goods of strong-minded elite free-thinkers, who dare seek out knowledge where others do not. (It'd probably be different for gods like Bhaal whose portfolios are necessarily secret by nature - that might be a more conventional 'evil cult' arrangement where a lone priest would target and slowly indoctrinate his recruit over a period of time. Kinda like a grooming technique.) Perhaps Hextor sells himself as almost the survivalist god - the world is brutal and full of violence, if you don't believe it, you're naive and will be helpless meat when harsh reality comes for you. All that stuff about honor and mercy? Yeah right, you know full well that all goes out the window when the battle starts. Would you rather win, or play nice? But with my teachings, you'll be ready. Worship me and you'll be the toughest guy in the room when it all hits the fan. Shar from FR has always had a pretty good sales pitch. She's the god that tells you that no, you don't NEED to forgive, it's ok to hold on to your bitterness, and that your anger and sorrow and pain are the most important things in the world and they justify anything you want to do, no matter how extreme, and anyone who tells you otherwise is an interfering busybody who doesn't understand... [/QUOTE]
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