The "hook" of his week's entry was initially inspired by the above tome, Gene Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer, and its main character Severian. Now, when I say hook, I mean, in a sense, a gimmick or theme, a sort of departure point for a concept. The character that follows, however, is very different from those in that book.
My need for creating this character, one that has been ruminating between the teeth of my mind for a while (I've yet to have a GM approve such a character when I ventured to ask), was born out of my occasional frustration in situations where I felt a need for a real mentat in whatever party of PC's I find myself in. And while the Paradox is not quite a dedicated spymaster, it is a role he is capable of filling.
It is important to establish that once, the Paradox was a very bad man. He was a murderer, at the least, and while this was likely not born out of a pathological urge, it was not done out of passion, but rather of expediency. Theft, extortion, violence, these things were not done in the name of (misguided) righteousness either. The Paradox was selfish, cruel, and without principle. His wider background is perhaps superfluous to the core concept (I welcome you to embellish this as you will, should you find this character useful). However, eventually, he finds himself afoul of the man or woman who will be his mentor.
Perhaps the crime he commits is directly against this master, or rather this sensei of painful penance is guided to the would-be Paradox by a past victim. Regardless, the character is arrested, subdued, and restrained.
I will buffer what comes next by espousing the master's, and thus the Paradox's philosophy. First, the Paradox is vehemently against the execution of sentient beings. Life is sacred, and death obliterates justice. The embrace of the reaper wipes away any lessons that might be learned (this may not be true in all settings, but will apply to most). It is not that no crime is so great that it warrants death, but that death is both a mercy and a lost opportunity for change.
Second, the Paradox believes in the infinite nature of reform. No criminal is so twisted that he can't be molded into a beneficial shape, his mind set into a belief-driven actor for good. Whether you believe this is true or not (I'm not so sure myself), the Paradox's mission is assisted by the presence of accessible magic/technology in the setting (the Paradox is not ethically troubled by the idea of mind manipulating supernatural/scientific power, though it would be strictly used in concert with more traditional methods, as it is important that the criminal come to their change on their own). It is vital to note here that the Paradox does not employ direct psychological torture; any that exist are born out of the Paradox guiding the criminal to these feelings of guilt or remorse, not forcing them into existence.
Third, the Paradox's mission is justice, not the enforcement of the rule of law. If he feels a law is unjust, he will break it in the service of his mission. His code is his own, but it is unbreakable (think Rorschach). This code is purposely vague, but it will be important for you to establish it before the character enters the story. Basically, it revolves around respecting the physical and psychological "rights" of others (it seeks to punish those who inflict suffering). The Paradox is not bothered by truly victimless crimes, and rarely has time to enact punishment against theives, except where this theft results in suffering. There are worse bastards out there to reform.
Fourth, and perhaps most core to the concept, is that the Paradox believes in a modified version of an eye for an eye. If he lacks the ability to heal permanent disfigurements or dismemberments (should those be the criminal's deeds), he will attempt to find an equivalency. The Paradox wants to make sure that physically, the criminal he is reforming emerges from his punishment whole. The Paradox feels it is important for a transgressor to feel, as closely as possible, the kind of suffering he inflicted on others.
The master performs his process on the character, until he is completely reformed, reforged in the fires of white hot pain. The master observes the process, and sees that while many criminals are made gentle and docile by the re-education, the Paradox takes the lessons to heart, feels true remorse, but does not lose his edge or wits. And so the master decides to take an apprentice...
The Paradox is, primarily, a talented physican. He is skilled at keeping alive those who have been inflicted with trauma. These talents he gives to the community when he can, always at no cost. Secondarily, he is a hunter of humans, an investigator, tracker, and adept at gathering information. He pursues his targets relentlessly. The intention behind crimes, unless for the purpose of self-defense or the defense of the innocent, matters little to him. A psychopath and a seeker of revenge are both valid targets of his art (though the reforming process likely differs for each). If needed, he can step into the role of spy, bodyguard, or sherrif with ease.
While playing this character as a PC or as the main protagonist of your work may be difficult (I'm still going to give it a shot some day), the Paradox makes a wonderfully complex supporting cast member or gray villian. It is crucial to keep in mind that in no way is the Paradox a hypocrite; he would impose nothing on others that he did not have imposed on himself.
Pic via Wikipedia
0 comments:
Post a Comment