The Enemy Within

[Galeros]

Anyone else like Tristan's background as presented in this novel better than his official backstory? If I were to run a Ravenloft game I would use the novel version of Tristan and Malken.

[Manofevil]

DAMN STRAIGHT I DO!!! .....Ahhh I'm not gonna get started.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

I like the novel's version of his backstory as well. It's much deeper, and a lot less redundant with other RL characters.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

*raises hand* I never got a chance to read the enemy within, so would someone please enlighten me as to the differences?

[woodsdarkman]

There are many differences. I think the biggest difference is that as it is Tristan just seems to kind of live with curse, he kind of lives with it. And Malken is never really given any depth. He is pure evil unfettered by any good and he comes off as kind of an underwold mob boss. In the book all the characters are given depth. Tristan seems to want to really eliminate his evil side while Malken is bestal sadus who is unfettered by any restraint. Does what he wants when he wants and does not care who he hurts doing it. Alot like the 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

[HuManBing]

I feel like I should read this novel now.

I bought a dozen or so Ravenloft novels in a set from ebay about four years ago. I have only read a few of them - the one about Soth's entry to Ravenloft, and then Vampire of the Mists.

Vampire of the Mists was very good - I read it after I finished reading I, Strahd and I was surprised to find that I liked it more.

[Lost Heretic]

I've read The Enemy Within and Secrets of the Dread Realm. I really like the novel but I can't even recall the entry in SotDR, for what it's worth.

[G man]

I am going to revisit this book. It has been many years.

[Mortavius]

Although I love "The Enemy Within," as I recall, it has a flaw that the newer backstories of Tristan try and fix: he's undeserving of being a Darklord. I remember the newer versions specify that part of him *likes* his dark urges, thus making him at least have somewhat of an evil side.

The novel portrays Tristan as a noble saint, and again, although I love the story, if it's taken in context with the campaign setting, one must ask, why is this guy the Darklord?

[Garudos Celestar]

The novel portrays Tristan as a noble saint, and again, although I love the story, if it's taken in context with the campaign setting, one must ask, why is this guy the Darklord?

Tristen isn't the Darklord. Malken is, and Malken's curse is to be attached to a nice guy who is resolutely (if not absolutely) resistant to his diabolical urgings... and because the rest of the family seems to be following grandpa's example and modeling themselves on noble champions, it looks as though Malken won't get attached to anyone who shares his outlook anytime in next few generations.

[Mortavius]

But who *is* Malken? As the novel and other products (and posters here have said) he appears to be evil incarnate, a portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A character who is pure evil by nature, is not normally the candidate for a Darklord. There is (usually) some fall from grace, or something recalcitrance about the character.

Malken always seemed to me to be the evil nature of Tristan's family made manifest; but he was a *part* of Tristan's family. And his evil nature seemed to come from them; it was just magnified when Malken came forth.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I can't remember where or who it came from (I'm thinking Mangrum? but I could be wrong.) But there was the idea floated that Malken is Romir Hiregaard, Tristan's father, and that he is sort of a spirit cursed to move from good descendant to good descendant.

[Galeros]

Well...

VIEW CONTENT:

Tristan does do some bad things of his own free will in the novel, such as breaking the spell Malken has on all the plains cats and letting them devour the children, and killing his best friend because he does not want him to go and tell other people about what is wrong with him (Tristan). Granted, both of these were done under extreme stress, but I think they still count.

[Deewun]

I had always assumed Malken/Tristan was just a darklord to represent the Ravenloft curse rules. Just like there is a standard dark elf to represent drow, and a standard wizard to represent evil wizards, and a standard Lovecraftian Illthid place to represent illthids, and a standard half-vistani to represent half-vistani. He is there to show off the rules of how curses work.

Of course, that is purely a simplistic, meta approach to his existence.

[ewancummins]

I had always assumed Malken/Tristan was just a darklord to represent the Ravenloft curse rules. Just like there is a standard dark elf to represent drow, and a standard wizard to represent evil wizards, and a standard Lovecraftian Illthid place to represent illthids, and a standard half-vistani to represent half-vistani. He is there to show off the rules of how curses work.

Of course, that is purely a simplistic, meta approach to his existence.

I'm a bit confused by some of your references.

What standard dark elf? The Banshee? She's undead. That's not the typical condition for the drow. (I prefer them to simply be dead, but maybe that's just me. )

Standard half-vistani? Do you mean Gabrielle Aderre? There were no rules on half-vistani when she was first presented, and she's non-standard in her 3e incarnation.