Paladin Inspiration - Soul Reaver video game

[Zak Arntson]

It occured to me last night how similar the Soul Reaver game's world is to the default Paladin world. Only from the point of view of a semi-repentant Undying.

Quick synopsis: The ruler of all vampires has risen to take over the world. The world is now filled with vampires except in one last bastion of humanity, a massive steel and brick-walled city. The flavor is gothic medieval. The only thing missing are the actual Paladins. In the history of the game world, there were a band of paladins, but they've been long dead when you start play. There's other stuff, but it would give away the game's story.

Anyhow, I'd highly recommend it (PC/Playstation) for Paladin inspiration.

[wyrdlyng]

If you like the game play the 2nd Soul Reaver game. SRII not only explores the order further (you run across them several times) but it also furthers the legends of the keepers of the pillars and why things went to crap. Once you beat the game you unlock some neat extras including a timeline and explanation of the world along with the scripts for all the cut-scenes (in which many of the setting's mysteries are explained further).

The world of Nosgoth would make a good setting for Paladin regardless of what time period you choose for it. You can go with the default Paladin order fighting vampires (and later on demons), to an extrapolated order of vampires fighting against the despotic and corrupted order of paladins (during the time period of Blood Omen II) to an order of noble vampire elders from before the founding of the pillars fighting against their alien enemies. Or, create an order of temporal knights charged with restoring balance to the world by correcting time shifts (there are a lot, caused by both Kain and Azrael). There's always an enemy force in the setting regardless of the time period.

[Mike Holmes]

What's the dark side that these Paladin's can dip into?

Mike

[wyrdlyng]

What's the dark side that these Paladin's can dip into?

Mike

The corrupted versions of the Paladins (the Paladins are known as the Sarafan), after they ended up falling, seemed to revolve around Pride and Arrogance. They used their position to oppress the people they once protected and there were those who used Glyph energies (a kind of magic) which were linked to the Demons and the Vampires' ancient enemies.

I would say that as a Sarafan your laws would be similar to those of D&D paladins: don't use this for personal gain, defend the innocent, don't kill the innocent, etc. Their darkest aspects showed when they became fanatics during the Vampire Hunts. They killed anything and anyone which stood in the way of "their quest".

I could go into a whole, huge description of the setting and the different orders (and perhaps I will) but it'll be too much for here. I'll put some notes together and throw up a link. Just give me a little time.

[Zak Arntson]

If you like the game play the 2nd Soul Reaver game. SRII not only explores the order further (you run across them several times) but it also furthers the legends of the keepers of the pillars and why things went to crap.

Yeah, I played it, but I'll have to play it through again to catch more information. It occured to me today that Soul Reaver I is a pulp fantasy (a la Sorcerer & Sword) complete with weird architecture, terrible demons, humanity issues, a spirit realm and more. Soul Reaver II is a mystery (a la Sorcerer's Soul) with an interesting Relationship Map (and, interestingly, the big Lovecraftian monster is no longer interesting parly because it isn't woven much into the Map) and a lot more discussion on fate & free-will.

Both are great games (I lean towards the first one), and both are good candidates for Sorcerer or Paladin inspiration. I would consider Paladin first because the background is ripe for the Paladin mechanic. Though the Soul Reaver blade could be turned into a Sorcerer demon a la Elric's Stormbringer.

Pre-fall Sarafan - Fanatic vampire hunters whose dark side would be fervor, bull-headedness and spite. Enemies would be vampires.

Post-fall - Risen vampires (like Raziel, the fallen vampire resurrected as the Soul Reaver -- he eats souls instead of blood) with a dark side of malaise and becoming too much like the vampires they once were. Enemies would be vampires, humans (perhaps) and their own recovered memories.
Post-fall Vampires - Vampire lords who operate under their evil leader, with the dark side being compassion, weakness and pride beyond their leader. Enemies are competing vampires and humans.