The only line I am puzzling over is "Death's design shall be complete" - hokeyness aside does he mean the God of Death, and if so which God? Or is he speaking of some larger concept of death in the Forgotten Realms?
Hopefully it's not just a throwaway line and actually has some context behind it.?
I wonder. It wouldn’t be surprising if one or more of the Dead Three were involved somehow given the history of the BG series, and the implied interest from Jergal, via Withers, suggests that whatever’s going on might have ramifications for the pantheon of death gods, or death in the Realms more generally. I’ve no idea how that might reasonably connect to mindflayers, though.
"You may call it 'nonsense' if you like, but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!"
Sadly, bad writing is a problem in the game, not Simmons. If it were the actor's fault, it wouldn't affect the game that much.
Kethric just seems really uninteresting villain. It seems we're treated to yet another clueless pawn who is thinking he can somehow realize his dreams by serving the absolute. Or, given his subdued tone, maybe Kethric just goes through the motions, and is a self-aware pawn. At best he might have some information on who is behind the flayer cult, but that whole "Death's design" portion of the storyline seems like a convoluted mess, that's seemingly there to make using the tadpole less fatal. There just doesn't seem to be much, if any, person underneath Kethrics misguided singular fixation, which makes his family life monologue a bore.
Also, it's not like there's a short supply of (male) characters in fiction/reality that go on a murderous rampage after losing their loved ones, or their ability to love anything. Sure, you can make such a character interesting, but the lines about his family are about as awkward as a badly written voice over. I'd not expect someone like him to just open up to a perfect stranger/enemy he's presumably just met about his inner life in such stunted detail.
It's also kind of strange how non-frightening they made him into. I'd say even the redcaps or the gnolls are more scary than him. You'd think that with the game setting being firmly so in body horror, they'd present a necromancer general as foreboding figure; maybe zealously preoccupied with his coping work instead of just idly moping on his throne in a party get up. The only horror element prominently on display in the trailer is Larian's "bow to the tadpole" -fixation, which is just cringe.
The promise of being led to death is reason enough to follow.
The only line I am puzzling over is "Death's design shall be complete" - hokeyness aside does he mean the God of Death, and if so which God? Or is he speaking of some larger concept of death in the Forgotten Realms?
Hopefully it's not just a throwaway line and actually has some context behind it.?
I wonder. It wouldn’t be surprising if one or more of the Dead Three were involved somehow given the history of the BG series, and the implied interest from Jergal, via Withers, suggests that whatever’s going on might have ramifications for the pantheon of death gods, or death in the Realms more generally. I’ve no idea how that might reasonably connect to mindflayers, though.
Exactly. I put that under spoiler because I didn't want to say who I thought he meant but I think that warrants discussion. Myrkul is a Quasi-Deity at this point, same with Bane and Bhaal. They have fallen so far from thier former heights - they must be desperate and they are weak (relatively).
So did THEY approach the Mindflayers, or MAYBE they got captured by the Mindflayers and they are tapping into their Divine Essence to fuel the Absolute's powers? Mindflayers don't have faith in the traditional sense, they cannot tap into the Divine themselves.
Imagine if we had the option to RESCUE the Dead Three from the Mindflayers?! That would be awesome!
Ok, after some thought I think this is correct. The Mindflayers are Desperate because they are losing to the Githyanki. The Dead Three are desperate because they lost all their power. The Mindflayers have access to Mind affecting abilities, the Dead Three have access to Faith!
If I was allowed to bet on these forums I would put money on this.
Myrkul is a Quasi-Deity at this point, same with Bane and Bhaal. They have fallen so far from thier former heights - they must be desperate and they are weak (relatively).
Plus there’s Cyric. I don’t know if it’s possible he’s involved. Looking at the FR wiki, it seems he’s still probably imprisoned as of the BG3 era, but at least has manifested as a vision in the years beforehand and presumably is keen to escape.
"You may call it 'nonsense' if you like, but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!"
Myrkul is a Quasi-Deity at this point, same with Bane and Bhaal. They have fallen so far from thier former heights - they must be desperate and they are weak (relatively).
Plus there’s Cyric. I don’t know if it’s possible he’s involved. Looking at the FR wiki, it seems he’s still probably imprisoned as of the BG3 era, but at least has manifested as a vision in the years beforehand and presumably is keen to escape.
Shouldn't have read his own crazy book. Haha
But I am betting Cyric isn't involved and is still imprisoned...or dead.
The only line I am puzzling over is "Death's design shall be complete" - hokeyness aside does he mean the God of Death, and if so which God? Or is he speaking of some larger concept of death in the Forgotten Realms?
Hopefully it's not just a throwaway line and actually has some context behind it.
Does he mean Myrkul - the former God of death, now quasi-deity?
Is that how he is tied into this?
Considering, a deity of death who claims our encounter was fated stalks our camp for entertainment...
Sadly, bad writing is a problem in the game, not Simmons. If it were the actor's fault, it wouldn't affect the game that much.
Kethric just seems really uninteresting villain. It seems we're treated to yet another clueless pawn who is thinking he can somehow realize his dreams by serving the absolute. Or, given his subdued tone, maybe Kethric just goes through the motions, and is a self-aware pawn. At best he might have some information on who is behind the flayer cult, but that whole "Death's design" portion of the storyline seems like a convoluted mess, that's seemingly there to make using the tadpole less fatal. There just doesn't seem to be much, if any, person underneath Kethrics misguided singular fixation, which makes his family life monologue a bore.
Also, it's not like there's a short supply of (male) characters in fiction/reality that go on a murderous rampage after losing their loved ones, or their ability to love anything. Sure, you can make such a character interesting, but the lines about his family are about as awkward as a badly written voice over. I'd not expect someone like him to just open up to a perfect stranger/enemy he's presumably just met about his inner life in such stunted detail.
It's also kind of strange how non-frightening they made him into. I'd say even the redcaps or the gnolls are more scary than him. You'd think that with the game setting being firmly so in body horror, they'd present a necromancer general as foreboding figure; maybe zealously preoccupied with his coping work instead of just idly moping on his throne in a party get up. The only horror element prominently on display in the trailer is Larian's "bow to the tadpole" -fixation, which is just cringe.
I wouldn't say he's not frightening. Don't get me wrong, I'm not scared of /the man/. But, I do think the tower plays a large role on enjoyment of the arc, and there's some terrible abominations around. He's overshadowed by just how creepy the place is. I can live with an average first villain If the journey to cut his head off is fun.
... this being a video game, he may also transform into something terrible himself mid fight. Someone said we can't loot the armour. Could be a reason for that.
I always thought of Simmons as a typecast bureaucrat who could only play forgettable characters until I watched counterpart and I thought he did as well as Maslany in Orphan Black. It looks like he's playing a boss that turned to evil out of despair and that seems right in his wheelhouse:
Simmons playing both his depressed Soyjack and his Darth Vader character in one scene:
I always thought of Simmons as a typecast bureaucrat who could only play forgettable characters until I watched counterpart and I thought he did as well as Maslany in Orphan Black. It looks like he's playing a boss that turned to evil out of despair and that seems right in his wheelhouse:
Simmons playing both his depressed Soyjack and his Darth Vader character in one scene:
That was amazing!! I am now angry that I have not seen this show and am going to go watch it! What a great scene! *cheff's kiss*
Unfortunately, I'm an native speaker and can't explain away my struggles with the English language by claiming to have learned English as a second language. I can only produce pretty words on the 5th or 6th revision
The scenes where Vader Howard is pretends to be Soyjack Howard are really impressive . . . so upset this was cancelled.
Unfortunately, I'm an native speaker and can't explain away my struggles with the English language by claiming to have learned English as a second language. I can only produce pretty words on the 5th or 6th revision
The scenes where Vader Howard is pretends to be Soyjack Howard are really impressive . . . so upset this was cancelled.
It's Starz, they are really terrible at marketing. I am watching this now and its incredibly good but its the first I am hearing about this show and its been out for 5 years.
It's also what killed American Gods. Just bad at marketing.
They should have been tossing Season 1 at other streaming services for free to get people into the show, but its never been handed to another streaming service to run. I've never even seen an ad for it.
Too many young artists nowadays influenced by Fortnight and Animal Crossing. Making a scary + interesting villain is turning into a lost art. Can't remember the last time I shivered in excitement, surprise and horror when playing an RPG video game. Wonder if evil WOTC has a say in this. "Larian, make your D&D villains relatable to 13 year olds."
Last edited by Count Turnipsome; 01/03/2302:28 PM.
It just reminded me of the bowl of goat's milk that old Winthrop used to put outside his door every evening for the dust demons. He said the dust demons could never resist goat's milk, and that they would always drink themselves into a stupor and then be too tired to enter his room..
Hmm... Not sure 13 year olds are going to relate much to the pain of losing a partner. Or, a child. Possibly, not even a grandma.
The altar of human sacrifices, the undead walking around and whatever he did to curse this land... sound more like Diablo aesthetic. About every other place in every diablo game ever, lol.
Even the owner is some guy, in questionable state of alive Who. Will. Just. Not. Learn. Stay dead, god damn it!
To add insult to injury, we're destined to kill This Guy. And his boss. And his boss's boss. During all this, we're the last people alive protected by o̶u̶r̶ n̶e̶p̶h̶a̶l̶e̶m̶ b̶l̶o̶o̶d̶ some bauble. Where did o̶u̶r̶ b̶l̶o̶o̶d̶ the artefact come from? I dunno.
It's impossible to write a villain who is both personally scary and a man child, yes. For some reason, we seem /also/ destined to meet people with about every personal motivation twistable. My guess is, corruption will be a big theme. Particularly, people are twisted Into a sort of... shadow personality? Kagha is a mockery of the protecting mother. Ketheric... a paladin, or perhaps a cleric. Maybe the selfless hero. He's a man who sold himself piece by piece after all. Thus, the worst kind of self-less.
You could also say neither was ever a protecting mother or someone serving selflessly. It's the story in their heads vs. the complete reverse... their actual effect on the world.
It's Starz, they are really terrible at marketing. I am watching this now and its incredibly good but its the first I am hearing about this show and its been out for 5 years.
It's also what killed American Gods. Just bad at marketing.
Yeah it's a real shame. I also thought thought suffered from "one too many cooks" - Season 2 was brilliant so why did they get rid of the director and some of the best writers?
*season two spoilers*
Simmons after he violates his oath and become a blackguard
