Roleplaying Evil
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Roleplaying Evil
by Keeshi of OES
The theory of evil roleplaying is both vast and extensive. There are so many facets of evil that it is nearly impossible to discuss all of them, however; I shall endeavor to do so in this essay. First and foremost we must define what Evil truly is. Society governs what is evil so in various places different things are considered evil and good. For the most part anything that goes against the beliefs of society are considered evil. Thus in some areas, the slaying of innocents is considered evil, and in others, the healing of wounded soldiers of 'high moral standing' is considered evil. This however is unimportant in the realm of Sosaria. In the UO world, Lord British and the 'Red Gods' have deemed what is good and what is evil, however it is this writers opinion that they have done so horribly. Only you can decide what is evil, and thus you must portray your character in that manner. I shall go in dept on a few different forms of evil, so that you may understand their ways and mannerisms.
The Thief
Thieves for the most part are considered evil, simply because they acquire things that do not belong to them, however; can this not be done for the purpose of good as well? That is another story though, we shall focus primarily on the evil persona of a thief. Evil thieves are most normally corrupted by an overwhelming sense of greed and the hunger for power. They steal from all, for the sole purpose of personal gain. The true evil thief does not believe in the saying "that's not worth stealing," for any bit of coin, or item is an addition to his own wealth. True thieves are natural con-artist, they do not solely rely on stealth and slight of hand, but also upon their mind and the power to persuade others to do they're bidding. Thieves normally have two types of personalities; they are either very solitary, or they mask their true profession by being overly kind, causing others to take them into their confidence and even to befriend them, until the time is right for betrayal. Yet there is also the bandit, the thief that doesn't hide his nature, but waylays innocents on the road, forcing them to give up their possessions on threat of their life. Roleplaying a thief is much more complex then macroing up a skill and hanging at a bank. The true enjoyment can be found in the RP portion, unfortunately, most don't explore this area.
The Assassin
This class of character is normally associated with thieves and the like, due to their conniving ways. Assassins are the ultimate form of killers; they rely on stealth and cunning to take the lives of unsuspecting targets. True assassins do not let others know their trade, and in fact will go out of their way to avoid the detection of their true trade. Many pose as merchants or alchemist while in reality they focus on the study of poisons, and secret art of the silent death. Most assassins are lured to the trade by greed; the sums they gain from their trade can make someone wealthy quickly, however; there are the rare cases where people take on this trade for the sole enjoyment of 'being able to get away with it.' It is these last assassins who are the most deadly and the most dangerous. They choose their victims at random and in most instances are highly unstable. Doing business with these can be as detrimental to your own health as to that of your intended victim, so be wary. In the UO realm, most use Assassins solely for the purpose of poisoning their weapons, and leave them in homes where no one sees them. I suggest trying to RP your character, try to find those who will hire you out, offer your services. A poisoned loaf of bread is just as deadly as a poisoned kryss.
The Manipulator
This character is probably the least played of them all, for it brings with it the hatred of many people. The manipulator is by far the most intriguing character however; for his persona and his ways are a mystery to all, even unto himself at some times. Manipulators are those who use finesse and flattery to find their way within guilds and destroy them from the inside out. They are also masters of political intrigue, they often find their way into guilds and wait for peace treaties or alliances to be made, then hire out henchman to mask themselves, and to destroy said treaties. Manipulators are motivated by greed, and a pure sadistic nature. They take joy from watching others suffer, and knowing that they are the cause of such torment. This character is solely playable in an RP fashion, unless you hang with k3wldoods, in which case there isn't even a need to be a manipulator.
The Undead
Undead are usually the first thing that most people think of when the think of evil. These creatures where once living and now walk the land in eternal torment. What motivates undead is dependent upon the type. Some of them seek to destroy humanity because they are jealous of those who can still feel, others seek to conquer the mortals for they find them inferior, and finally there are those who feed of humanity as sustenance for their eternal life. The many faces of the undead are explained in more detail in other essays, so I won't go into them here. However, I shall endeavor to give you a grasp of them as a group. Most undead are tribal and run in packs, finding the company of like beings a comfort in their undead form, however; like anything else there are exceptions to this rule. These undead, the loners, are normally hunted by packs, for they are a weak link in what could be a mighty force. Most undead who are solitary are such because they have lost all social skills and know only the emotions that rule their behavior. Roleplaying an undead character is a chore in itself.
Character Development
How to develop your character's skills and stats will be discussed in the more detailed character sections. The point I wish to focus on now is the naming of your character. A character is defined by his name, so think long and hard on what you wish to call him or her. For example, "Pkdewd" will get you no respect from anyone; also try to avoid the more common names used. A prime example of this is an Evil Mage named Raistlin. I personally know of about eight of these on the Atlantic shard alone. Be creative, and above all have fun.
Why Evil Roleplaying
I have gone over some of the basics types of evil roleplyaing characters and now you ask, why would I wish to do this? The answer is quite simple. What is good without evil? How would we know love if we did not hate? What would valor be if there was no cowardliness? The monsters and creatures in the realm are not evil, they simply live the only existence they know, they don't understand the laws set forth by Lord British, thus they are not evil, merely existing as they see fit. The true evil in the land are those players who oppose the laws set forth, for many reasons. Most importantly remember that roleplaying evil does not give you the right to be a random player killer, in fact a true evil roleplayer will show his vileness and disdain without ever taking the life of an innocent.