Darkness is creeping across the realm of fantasy

December 5, 2002

Darkness is creeping
across the realm of fantasy
By Michael Lafferty

Is the world of role-playing
games growing stagnant once again? Why are so many titles predicated on the same
base plot? Perhaps there is room for new ideas within the realm and designers
should turn its fan base for input. Maybe a twist on the core plot like …

What is destiny? Is it an unalterable fate
that makes a mockery of free will and leads us down a path we may not wish
to travel? An intangible predisposition blueprinted onto each living soul
by powerful forces playing a game for their own amusements or purpose?

* * *

At
the dawn of the Second Age of the rule of the House of G’lynda, a seer named Hols Denayr predicted that before
the Third Age ended the House of G’lynda would fall beneath the face of
innocence. Further, he foresaw that the innocence was a mere mask for the
consummate evil that lurked beneath its surface.

That any should challenge the rule of the
G’lynda was beyond comprehension. Denayr was branded a heretic and was,
of course, executed.

The time of prosperity under the seemingly
benevolent rule of the G’lynda line increased and over time the people
forgot the dire predictions of the seer.

As the Third Age began, a new order known
as the Thalmage was created in the palace by the fourth son of the king.
They were led by the High Talmage Listros and spread across the land, ministering
to the spiritual needs of the people. Each community had one. If a field
needed to be plowed the local Thalmage was there, laboring in the hot sun.
If a member of the community was sick, chores were taken care of and the
needs of the ill tended to.

In the Vale of Saani, the lush and fertile
heartland of the kingdom, the Thalmage was Cros Xandri. Like other Thalmage,
he had risen to the status of community leader. He had also taken a wife
and lived on a small farm of his own. The community rejoiced on the day
that a child was born into the Xandri household. As Cros held the tiny
newborn, he looked deep into the baby’s eyes and beheld a wonder. “You
are destined for greatness,” he whispered, tenderly kissing the child’s
forehead.

Seventeen years passed. The child, Arron,
was grown and had begun training in the ways of Thalmage. Though on the
cusp of being an adult, his carefree days growing shorter, he still find
time to enjoy the idyllic life of the young. Often he would leave for days
on end, journeying to the mountains to hunt with his best friend Markus.
That’s where the two were on the day the world changed.

A rider thundered into the Vale with news
that the king and his entire family had been slain, their bodies dismembered
and scattered around the bloodstained palace. Runes were written on the
walls in the blood of the dead. Many of the palace’s other inhabitants
had simply vanished, among them the aged Listros. The community, fearful
and uncertain, turned to Cros for guidance and leadership.

In the mountains, Arron and Markus were
hiking along a game trail when a black arrow flew from the forest and caught
Markus in the shoulder. The lad crashed to the ground, giving voice to
his surprise and pain. Three black-robed figures emerged from the forest,
drawing steel and rushing the two young men. Arron reached for the long
knife he carried at his waist, then everything stopped.

Arron blinked. The three attackers lay
dead before him, their bodies twisted, broken and bloody. He looked down
at Markus. His friend was dead, his body cut open and runes drawn in the
blood-soaked dirt around the body. Arron’s knife was embedded in the chest.
He recoiled in horror. Had he done that? His hands were stained with blood.
A scream of anguish erupted from his throat, followed by body-wracking
sobs.

As he bent over his friend’s lifeless form,
caught and carried on the jagged edges of his grief he whispered, “My god,
what has happened? Help me, please?”

And echoing down from the reaches of the
mountain and into the valley below came the answer: laughter, rumbling
low, deep and evil.

* * *

Several years ago the role-playing fantasy
game genre was huge. Games flooded the market, but then the whims of game
players turned to other genres and the number of titles trickled to few
and far between. At E3 in May, it was apparent that the RPG genre has had
a resurgence ­ but how long will this one last?

From the indication of titles being released,
not too long. The reason? They are all the same. A hero emerges to combat
an ancient evil, which has returned. Under equipped and not entirely the
hero type, the central character needs to become strong enough to battle
his (or less frequently, her) way through a myriad of quests to face the
ultimate boss monster at the end of the game.

In some cases we are told that the gameplay
is open-ended. But that isn’t necessarily so. After all, the game does
have a beginning, and it does have an end-game. Perhaps how you traverse
from point A to point B is up to you, but you will arrive there all the
same.

Some games have toyed with the central
character trying to discover who he or she is. Arx Fatalis did a good job
with that, but revealed too much too soon. The Blood Omen series touches
on it as well by making an evil creature the sympathetic hero.

But what if the character’s choice is decided
by fate. The snippet above isn’t a game, nor a book that I’m aware of.
But what if the central character was drawn to a fate he or she did not
want. Falling on a sword is out of the question because it diminishes the
humanity of your character. Deep within is great power, but unleashing
it is a fear. Is the power capable of good? Is the confrontation with a
boss monster really necessary when the most incredible monster you can
face is yourself. Suppose the journey is to a throne. Sitting in the throne
is allowing the evil to win out. Destroying the throne delays but doesn’t
eradicate what lays beneath the surface.

Of course, killing your humanity is the
goal of all the evil creatures emerging within the realm. The nature of
who “Arron” might be draws the warriors of good to rally against him. No
friends, a world of enemies, not knowing who to trust, trying to maintain
the balance of your humanity and desire to be good with the impulse to
unleash the horrifying and magnificent power locked within.

There are questions to be answered, of
course, and they would form the basis of some of the quests. They may be
those who would offer aid, to partner with you, but to what end? Are they
sincere in their offer of help or hoping to capitalize on your “rise” to
power by betraying you?

The ideas are flooding through the keyboard,
but enough for now.

All I really want is a role-playing game
that dares to walk away from the usual path, and embarks upon new ground.
Enough of the return of ancient evil! Evil doesn’t have to be ancient to
be nasty. Human history has proven that. If you have indulged your passion
for fantasy by reading ancient legends, you know that even the heroes had
dark sides, and the mighty were more than capable of acts of cruelty or
deceit.

Sure we all like the exotic races and beasts,
and no need to walk away from those, but twist it up, be bold. Develop
a storyline that challenges the minds, and not just with puzzles.

There would be those who would say, just
embrace the evil and the game ends. Not necessarily. Suppose the game’s
AI is so evolving that merely unleashing the terror within has dire consequences
that could cost you the life you are desperately trying to salvage.

Stagnation is the dearth of the gaming
world. As players evolve, games must also. Pushing the limits in terms
of graphics may be well and good, but the core element is the story. Without
a compelling storyline, games are little more than eye candy ­ if they
manage that status.

There may be no truly original storylines
left, but it doesn’t mean that game designers should quit trying to come
up with one. Human nature is one of duality, good versus evil, constantly
at war. Maybe some of that can find a place in the realm of RPGs.

* * *

Those are some thoughts about the state
of the current RPG market. Certainly I have not had the opportunity to
play every single game that has been released, but I have played a fair
number. If there are some that really do stretch the imagination, drop
me a line and let me know, and I will be happy to check them out.

On occasion I do receive well-written comments
about what I have penned. Recently two individuals, on differing sides,
contacted me about a recent review of a massively multiplayer online role-playing
game. Upon discussion with them, the three of us have decided to co-write
about what we feel would make a truly amazing MMORPG experience. Look for
that next week.