> I think he had a single goal in mind
> the whole time (defeat of Gbaji)
And destroyed his humanity in doing it. Shades of Captain Ahab there.
> and used/exploited whatever means seemed
> best to achieve it.
Well, that's speculation on both your and my part (but so are most of the posts
here). My opinion is that Arkat believed sincerely when he was in a particular
cult or magical path that that way was The One True Way To Save The World. When
that turned out to be not the case because the leaders of the cult
aren't prepared
to Sacrifice Everything For The Greater Good, well then, this cult
over here, it
must be the Real One True Way instead. He just changed his mind a
lot, that's all.
Both points of view are appealing, though. I'd prefer Arkat to be a serial
fanatic rather than an amoral utilitarian hypocrite like Nysalor,
because it makes
him the "opposite" of Nysalor.
Nysalor brought about its own destruction because it had no
principles to restrain
its actions, Arkat believed that principles were the sole reason for existence,
but in the end had to change them so often to accomplish his goals that he
destroyed all that was good in him.
But in any case, both Arkat and Nysalor exploited different religions and magic systems for their own ends.
Nysalor tried to incorporate different traditions by assimilating them into the
Bright Empire, in the same way the Benevolent Lunars are trying in our
contemporary Lozenge. Arkat went through a series of different cults, even
changing race, until he'd accumulated enough magical goodies and
kick-ass skills
to take on the biggest, baddest boss nasty in the Lozenge.
Now. The big question. Given this behaviour, was Arkat really an AD&D munchkin?
Will the Stygians vanish in embarrassment when a Lunar archeological
expedition in
Dorastor unearths Arkat's +6 Vorpal Sword, Rod of Lordly Might, Ring of 1000
Wishes, and +8 Plate Mail of Etheralness?
Tom
> From: "Meirion Hopkins" <Meirion_at_ukgateway.net>
> Subject: Re: All Hail Whatsisname
>
> > "Thomas McVey"
> >
> > Hmm, wouldn't that be an interesting scenario - A Storm Bully getting a
> Lunar
> > revelation, and becoming a Lunar evangelist?
> >
> Isn't this what happened to Blackmoor the Rabid
Who? Any more details on this character? (excuse my ignorance)
Tom
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