Originally Posted by MarbleNest
now, we add character assassination of what, in my opinion, is one of the most well-written and complex characters in RPGs?
It was brought up earlier but there's a fair amount of reason to believe it's not "character assassination" but rather following step with WOTC and a book they wrote called "Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy". It's unclear whether WOTC gave Larian notes to follow or if WOTC liked what Larian was writing, but this is what WOTC canonized. Sarevok canonically turns back to evil in the greater WOTC lore, and while there's plenty of argument to be had about Viconia's different values between games, Shar is the exact goddess that would be most likely to manipulate Viconia to be who she is in BG3 and the book doesn't make a statement on it either way except that she carries out Shar's orders faithfully.