Plot Advice - Orcus...

[crazy_monkey1956]

First, some background: I tend to hodge podge a lot of stuff for my campaigns, pulling names and basic concepts from everywhich-where and then seasoning to my tastes. For example, my Circle of Eight are the rulers of my version of Thay and are all Red Wizards. All of my Aberrations are the front-runners for an impending invasion of my version of the Far Realms. So, that being said, while I'm asking for advice about Orcus, I've pulled the name and some of the basic ideas about him and ran in a totally off direction with him.

So, with that in mind...

My version of Orcus is currently trapped in the sub-conscious of an NPC half-gold dragon Paladin. Until recently, that paladin wasn't aware of Orcus' presence, but Orcus was able to subtly influence the Paladin to take unneccessary risks in the hopes of the paladin dying so Orcus could be freed. Well, now the paladin, aware of Orcus as well as Orcus' escape plan, has intentionally fallen and become a blackguard "following evil to fight evil" in the hopes of eventually thwarting Orcus' plan. The paladin hopes to divest himself of Orcus and imprison him, rather than dying and setting Orcus free.

However, what I need help with, is how to make this former paladin actually evil, given his motivation for becoming evil to begin with. Also, now that's he evil, Orcus has a greater influence and foothold in his consciousness, so, if you were Orcus, how would you manipulate this turn of events?

My wife's PC (the only PC, which is why I have a lot of NPCs floating around) will have a chance to save the paladin from himself, but my depictions of Orcus within the paladin's subconscious have been lacking "scare factor" thus far. How do I go about making Orcus fearsome, especially given his current weakened state?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Voadam]

The paladin could pledge himself to a rival of Orcus', say Demogorgon, so that he will have the power of a being intimately familiar and opposed to Orcus. Becoming a black paladin, devoted to an evil power in order to fight an evil power is a neat story concept.

Another option is to pledge to a devil if you use the whole Blood War concept, Chaotic Evil countered by Lawful Evil. This way the paladin could even be tempted down this dark path by one of the archdevils.

 

[Brainfreeze]

Well if the idea is to make the Paladin actually evil through the workings of Orcus, a good way about it would be to have Orcus let a few thoughts "accidently" be heard by the Pally, things along the line that the good king of <wherever place you use> is a key part of his plan to conquer the known world and beyond...should he only live til his 40th year.

Make the Pally decide weather or not killing this person is worth what in his mind would be the salvation of everyone, if he chooses it is..well he has comitted murder, and if he chooses it is not then he could very well be responsable for the destruction of everything.