New Shades are gathering...

[Jack the Reaper]

Following the success of my articles in QtR 25, 50 Shades and 100 Shades of Dark, I started gathering more NPCs and darklord for the next issue. My conjuring is going well, about 14 shades and 35 shades of dark have already answered the call, and more are on their way...

Since there's still a lot of time until next Halloween, I thought to open here a thread in which I'll post occasionally some of my ideas, in hope to get feedback from the esteemed peers here, and make them better and darker for the final article.
So here's the first one:
What happens when you blend Ravenloft, gnosis, some Black Mirror episodes and Sims games?
You get...

The Demiurge
When darklords or other villains want to run simulations of future schemes, test large scale effects, or just play gods, they call the Demiurge (an Elohim, PF Bestiary 4). He creates and sells glass baubles containing miniature settings, ranging from single beings to cities and even realms. The owner has full control over the setting, and may run different simulations on it, ending and restarting it at will (like Sims games). All the humans and creatures in the mini-worlds are real and sentient, though not aware to the nature of their surroundings. It's hard to imagine a fate worse than living in a world whose god is a darklord!

[DustBunny]

What happens when you blend Ravenloft, gnosis, some Black Mirror episodes and Sims games?

Ahh, video game cruelty potential (warning TVTropes link).

Sims-Ravenloft could get a bit messy if you lock the inhabitants in the toilet with no door, or steal the ladder when they are in the swimming pool.

[Jack the Reaper]

Evan Loom, the Spectre of Meaningless Death
Evan lost his wife and children in a tragic accident, and came to believe the world is a meaningless place ruled by blind chance. He started setting deadly accidents, using sabotage and hidden traps to cause lots of random, meaningless deaths, until he accidentally got killed himself. Now he is a spectre and the darklord of a domain with high rate of fatal accidents and sudden deaths. He can kill by snapping his fingers, making the victim sneeze and drop dead, and can also resurrect with the same ease (though he rarely does the last - unless the dead is already buried), reflecting his view of how life and death are both meaningless; but he loves planning more elaborate deathtraps (Final Destination style). The denizens consider him a legend, though many of them reported seeing his deathlike apparition shortly before their unexpected demise.

[Jack the Reaper]

Morgana
This domain is a cavern so vast that visitors might not realize they are underground: a primal landscape of forests, swamps, sea shore, mountains and even clouds and glowing moon. It is inhabited by feral humanoids of all types, more horrid looking and brutal than in other lands. The "moon" is actually the floating abode of the mad scientist Morgana, who hates natural life, and its radiation gradually transforms natural organisms into "superior" monstrous forms, which constantly evolve into larger, more powerful beings (e.g., man-orc-bugbear-ogre-ettin, etc. She hopes to get a tarrasque eventually). Visitors in the domain must both survive the monsters and escape or defeat Morgana before becoming monsters themselves. (Morgana looks like the Baroness from G.I.Joe. She has a golem whose brain is her lover's and his body composed of monstrous parts, which she often replaces.)

[Jack the Reaper]

Ling Mei
Ling Mei, princess of the ancient island kingdom Tong Dao, was blessed by the gods when she was born to never feel pain or suffer injury. She became curious about pain, trying obsessively to understand it. She summoned the most expert torturers, sadist mages and even kytons, to demonstrate and practice their craft on slaves and prisoners, hoping in vain to grasp its meaning. Torture became the main sport and art of the realm, with public competitions carried out often. The old king is the ruler, but Ling Mei is the real darklord - a lovely, kind looking girl apparently in her teens. She often approaches prisoners secretly, pretending to help them and plan their escape, raising their hopes only to crush them later. The most chilling thing about her is that she never shows any malice or cruelty; even when she administers the most fiendish tortures, she retains her kind demeanor, speaking and acting like a caring nurse.

(I would really appreciate some more feedback, guys)

[Mistmaster]

So, is she the ultimate affably evil?

[The Lesser Evil]

Evan Loom, the Spectre of Meaningless Death
Evan lost his wife and children in a tragic accident, and came to believe the world is a meaningless place ruled by blind chance. He started setting deadly accidents, using sabotage and hidden traps to cause lots of random, meaningless deaths, until he accidentally got killed himself. Now he is a spectre and the darklord of a domain with high rate of fatal accidents and sudden deaths. He can kill by snapping his fingers, making the victim sneeze and drop dead, and can also resurrect with the same ease (though he rarely does the last - unless the dead is already buried), reflecting his view of how life and death are both meaningless; but he loves planning more elaborate deathtraps (Final Destination style). The denizens consider him a legend, though many of them reported seeing his deathlike apparition shortly before their unexpected demise.

Seem like this guy would like Zyphus a lot https://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Zyphus

However, like Zyphus, this guy faces the problem of the deaths he causes not really being accidental. Moreover, he is not simply passively killing people but taking quite active steps (thereby defying his belief in blind chance). I would think that an entity that would want to spread accidental deaths would take a more insidious approach: encouraging negligence, sloth, or cutting corners for in the name of efficiency.

More general feedback: while not necessary for all darklord entries (as you only have so much space in these tiny entries), mention or implication of the darklord's curse in some of the entries might be helpful.

[Jack the Reaper]

Seem like this guy would like Zyphus a lot https://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Zyphus

Indeed, my main inspiration for him was Zyphus + Final Destination.

However, like Zyphus, this guy faces the problem of the deaths he causes not really being accidental. Moreover, he is not simply passively killing people but taking quite active steps (thereby defying his belief in blind chance). I would think that an entity that would want to spread accidental deaths would take a more insidious approach: encouraging negligence, sloth, or cutting corners for in the name of efficiency.

His point is less about "accidental", more about "meaningless". And by setting random traps or accidents, not knowing who will be captured, the factor of blind chance is kept.

More general feedback: while not necessary for all darklord entries (as you only have so much space in these tiny entries), mention or implication of the darklord's curse in some of the entries might be helpful.

You're right, but as I limit myself to 10 word lines for each, there's not always enough space. Leave something for the readers... However, I think it's obvious that Evan's curse is his feeling of meaninglessness, and Ling Mey's curse is her frustration from inability to understand pain. Got any idea for curse for Morgana?

[Mistmaster]

Morgana's goal could be to give back humanity to her lover; so her curse, is never manage it.

[Jack the Reaper]

Morgana's goal could be to give back humanity to her lover; so her curse, is never manage it.

Well, actually I imagine her as having a fetish for monsters, so it won't work...

[Mistmaster]

Then, her lover regress to human form anytime.

[Jack the Reaper]

Then, her lover regress to human form anytime.

That's a good one.

[Jack the Reaper]

So, is she the ultimate affably evil?

I wasn't familiar with the term, but yes, so it seems.

[Jack the Reaper]

Ain Karanok
Ain Karanok, the Annihinator, was a member of House Karanok in the Forgotten Realms (see FR Lords of Darkness), who worshipped the sphere of annihilation called Entropy, feeding her with many innocents. He became obsessed with the concept of annihilation as blessing, and eventually threw himself into the sphere, yearning for the peace of absolute oblivion. The Dark Powers, however, kept his mind intact and merged it with the sphere, transforming Ain into a deadly umbral blot (blackball). He can destroy everything with his touch, but his existence is eternal torment of unfeeling emptiness. He hovers in the center of his temple domain, projecting his image into dreamers' minds in other realms, implanting an urge to pilgrim to him and be cured of their suffering. Unlike other umbral blots, he can communicate telepathically. Annihilating sentient beings gives him some measure of relief, for a short time.

[Jack the Reaper]

King Arthur
This version of king Arthur has found the Holy Grail, but Morgan le Fay corrupted it with her witchcraft; when Arthur drank from the Grail, he has indeed gained immortality - as an undead deathknight. Most of the Knights of the Roundtable became undead as well, beginning a reign of terror from Camelot. Ironically, the leader of the resistance is now sir Mordred, an evil but still human knight, with the help of the druid Merlin and surviving knights. The domain reflects mythic ancient England and Avalon from King Arthur's legends.