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David the Wanderer -> RE: =DF= Design Notes February 9, 2016 - Jaania's Thorns (2/10/2016 17:02:21)
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In defence of Jaania, her backstory is a bit more complex. She was trapped in Magic Ice (TM) during a duel between her two best friends, the last thing she saw being one of these friends catching fire and screaming in agony. When she finally breaks free of her prison, she finds out that said friend, who was a well-mannered and shy boy, has become a clinically crazy flaming skeleton who has murdered thousands and laughs at the agony of others, while the other friend has turned into a demon tyrant who has destroyed a world and is now trying to destroy her world too.
Plus, we don't really know what happened in the five years she was frozen. I seriously doubt she had everything planned the moment she frozen Warlic, Xan and the Hero. Sure, she had the vague idea of "magic is too dangerous and must be stopped", but it's unlikely she had already decided to create the Rose and find a way to eliminate magic from the world. In any case, Jaania is definitely a variation from the usual "destroy/conquer the world" villain, since her goal is definitely more of a "good intentions, awful execution". I mean, on paper, Jaania IS right: magic has caused LOTS of problems, and the fact the Rose has so much support is the proof. The fact the Rose has so much support is the proof people (in-game) AGREE with Jaania. But the way the Rose goes around making a "safer world" is wrong, because it infringes the freedom and right to choose of other sentient beings. In fact, Jaania is the first (or one of very few) DF villains who can make players hesitate; with Sepulchure and Wargoth, it was clear they were 100% Evil, no doubt about that, and they had to be stopped. The Rose, however, poses the question of what to do: they have made some places safer (Sandsea, Amityvale), and, again, magic IS dangerous, so even after we defeat them (I mean, we WILL win, because of narrative laws, we know that), there will be resentment, and there will be the question of "what to do NOW? Do we really want to undo everything done by Jaania and the Rose, even the good things? Is there something that can, that SHOULD, be salvaged?"
Jaania is not Sepulchure, that's true, but you know what? It's better that way. You can only have so many Dark Overpowered Overlords of Evil and Death before they get before it gets stale and boring. I much prefer an adversary that stimulates me mentally than another brawl with a powerful fighter. Nothing against beating up enemies, mind you, but it's refreshing to be challenged in other ways, from time to time.
And to all those saying Jaania is stupid because she thinks she has the solution to the world's problems... We all do that. We all (or at the very least, most people) believe that if everybody else did as they say, the world would be perfect. And in case you don't, well, you most likely don't have the answer either, so who are you to judge? Are you really accusing Jaania of trying to make the world a better place? Is her way of doing it questionable, at the very least? Of course, but the intent behind her actions is the same behind the actions of the Hero: she wants to save people, to keep people safe, and so she acts. Questions her methods, question her ideology, question everything about her, but do not accuse a character of being "shallow" for trying to do something.
quote:
Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
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