Can someone give me an idea of what an acceptable evil path would look like? Just the broad strokes. As someone who naturally plays "good," it's hard for me to understand what folks are looking for.
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Below, I'm just kinda thinking out loud, trying to work through what evil would look like.
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Assuming I'm Tav. I'm evil. I wake up on the nautiloid and rush to escape. I might run past Shadowheart; I might not, but neither has anything to do with me being evil. If I run past her, it's because I don't think I have the time to bother with the pod. If I save her, it's likely because I realize I need whatever help I can get.
So. I managed to get to the transponder! The ship crashed. That was crazy, and I have no idea how I'm alive. There's that Shadowheart lady. Maybe I steal her stuff? Or I wake her up and see if she can help me?
***
Nice, I made it to the grove. Had to help them fight off some goblins to get inside. Can the druids help heal this tadpole in my head? Guess I'm gonna find out.
Well, crap. That's a big fat no. Maybe I can find this Halsin fella?
***
Hmm. Weird, there seem to be people who worship folks like me. That's an interesting turn of events. Crazier still, some compulsion came over me, and I absorbed the powers of another tadpole. I'm definitely not back home on the farm anymore.
It's gets weirder. While I was looking for the druid Halsin, some goblins ambushed me. I thought I was a goner, for sure, but... the goblins had this glowing mark on their flesh, and they just... they listened to me. They obeyed me.
Am I going crazy? Is this what it means to become a mind flayer?
***
I found the goblin camp. They let me in and seem to accept me, perhaps even revere me. What a loud and filthy place. They're disgusting little creatures, both crude and violent, but not entirely without their small charms.
It appears that the goblins worship a being called the Absolute. And as "True Soul," I'm some kind of honored disciple of the Absolute or something. I don't know. I don't entirely get it.
I've pieced together enough to suspect that the bear they have imprisoned in the worg pens below is likely Halsin. I'm sure I could free him easily enough, but there's a bit of a wrinkle.
One of the goblins' leaders is a drow named Minthara. She wants me to tell her where the grove is located. Obviously so she can send a war party and slaughter them all.
It's been a while. I'm not sure what to do. Am I going to turn into a mind flayer or not? Minthara hasn't. Neither have either of the other two goblin leaders. Whatever's going on here, it's clear I don't understand.
Probably for the best that I play both sides for now. I'll tell Minthara where the camp is, and then, after she leaves with her war band, I'll free Halsin and see if he can heal me. If not, well, I guess I'm on Minthara's side.
***
Halsin's so full of crap. Couldn't do a thing to help me. Just mentioned some place called Moonrise. He barely knows more than me, and well, now I guess he doesn't know anything. If I hurry, I can probably catch up to Minthara.
***
I'm not entirely sure why we had to kill everyone in the grove, but what's done is done. I'm in tight with the Absolutists now.
Speaking of tight, we had an... interesting evening. Unfortunately, in the morning, Minthara tried to kill me. Not sure what that was all about, but we managed to work through it. She said I should go to Moonrise to be in the presence of the Absolute. Maybe I can get some answers there?
Or maybe I went batshit a long time ago. Who knows? I mean, I am hearing voices after all. Or rather, a voice.
***
It's been a long road, but I've finally made it to Moonrise! They sure have let the place go to shit.
The voice in my head is telling me I have to kill the Absolute. But maybe I could just be a high ranking member of the Absolute's church or army or organization or whatever. Wouldn't that work too? Besides, I haven't changed yet, and it's been a while. I mean, it still feels pressing, but not as pressing, I guess? I don't know.
They've got a full on army. I seem to be developing super powers. There are certainly worse ways to live. Not sure I care to be surrounded by all these goblins and ghouls, though. I'm not the cleanest fella, but these things are ridiculous. Not to mention all the shadows. Tav likes to get a tan, you know.
Anyway, maybe all will become clear when I meet the Absolute.
******
So. This is where I start to question what the evil path really should look like. Should Tav just join the Absolute? Get missions in the shadow cursed lands, maybe getting information from the Thorm relatives in Reithwin? Maybe taking out the harpers in the last light inn? Maybe capturing Isobel for Kethric?
Then get a position leading the army to Baldur's Gate? Or maybe get sent to Baldur's Gate to work for Gortash? Or work against Gortash?
Should Tav have a chance to meet the Absolute in the shadow cursed lands if he completes enough missions, and thereby become more evolved? Kind of like the Emperor evolves Tav, but this time just being evolved by the elder brain.
Anyway. It seems to me that playing "evil" means either toppling a good organization *or* working up inside the ranks of an evil organization. Or both, of course.
Whereas the "good" path is the opposite. Toppling an evil organization, in this case, the Absolutists.
So, at least from my perspective, it would take quite a bit of work to realistically offer both options in a game of this size.
