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I'm having a problem with a gaming resource I'm developing. I think it boils down to the question of-

How smart does a creature have to be to become a DarkLord? Or for the Red Death to take an interest?

Let’s consider a hypothetical situation. I assume most here have seen the movies Alien and/or Aliens. Let’s say an arthropoidic animal like that, which gestates inside other living creatures then destroys them as it bursts from them and takes on the characteristics of the creatures it gestates inside of, chooses an exceptionally intelligent person and develops a certain level of intelligence. This creature is effectively an egg-laying queen but unlike an standard arthropod, has enough intelligence to realize it only has limited resources to work with since it’s trapped within a misty barrier that it’s animal instincts recognizes as unnatural It’s smart enough to farm it’s resources carefully in spite of it’s driving instinct to procreate. Its need to procreate tortures it as it is forced to control itself. Its presence also tortures all the people who live in the trapped area with it as they could be used to gestate a new creature at any theme.

I guess another way to put this is:

Is an almost human level intelligent animal trapped between it’s instincts and it’s developed common sense good enough to qualify for DarkLordship?

I would put it at the intelligence or sapience level where you can tell wrong from right and choose to do wrong.

alhoon wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 3:36 am I would put it at the intelligence or sapience level where you can tell wrong from right and choose to do wrong.

... indeed, and to be able to choose to make all the bad decisions needed to become a darklord.

I agree.
Its like the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil from the Book of Genesis. If someone does not have knowledge of that then any action can't be perceived as evil by the Dark Powers. In the example of the Alien series I believe the being deserving darklordship more than any other character is David8 (android Fassbender).

Thanks guys. You’ve helped me realize that I needed a completely different approach. I’ll finish it up tonight. Go ahead and leave this topic up for the next person who has questions about DarkLord viability.