Its as if *insert your favourite dictator* would have risen to power by scaring potential allys away and being utterly rude and uncharismatic. Even ruthless tyrants usually offer something. Be it protection, wealth or religious freedom. The absolute offers, well if it has something to offer its priests certainly don't like to talk about it
The whole "they are just religious zealots and crazy people join up with them because they are crazy" does not work when the PC is a rational being 99% of the time. The Absolute really needs a few missionaries to entice you with.
Who knows, Icewind Dale
had the narrator as the antagonist. But it probably won't happen with present tense narration.
Imagine if Malady shows up in Act 2 lol.
