Durkon and evil-Durkon spirit - Is it what it appears?

[Czhorat]

Thus far, there's nothing textual to contradict the overwhelming sentiment here that evil-spirit-vampire Durkon is anything other than he and Hel says he is: a dark spirit created by the evil god for nefarious ends. I have a crazy idea that the end might be different than we expect, with Durkon accepting not-Durkon as not merely a reflection of himself or an interloper, but an actual part of him - the chaotic, emotional side he keeps hidden deep inside.

This would work thematically in that Haley, Belkar, Elan, and Vaarsuvious each started as one-note characters whose stories were about overcoming their central character flaw. You ended with a more trusting Haley, a more thoughtful Belkar, a less naive Elan, and a less power-obsessed V. Durkon's character flaw seems to be his slavish devotion to duty at the expense of all else. I'm wondering if we see him either tap into a side of himself he didn't know existed or draw the darkness into himself and become, at last, more of a "whole" person.

[Gift Jeraff]

On a related note, I think it's interesting that the vampire spirit looks more like Durkon than the vampire body.

[Mastikator]

I would theorize that as the spirit learns Durkon's memories it absorbs them and make them a part of him. By the way Malack spoke about how he used to be alive (as if he's someone the same person in part) makes me think that this spirit will think itself to be Durkon (of a sort) once it finishes absorbing Durkon's memories.
Sort of molded by Durkon's mind, but also twisted and evil. A mockery.

[Mith]

This story arc reminds me of the book Elminister in Hell, where a archfied tries to steal all of Elministers memories and become more powerful, due to Elminister being one of Mystra's Chosen and one of, if not the, strongest Mage of his time.

[Kish]

Thus far, there's nothing textual to contradict the overwhelming sentiment here that evil-spirit-vampire Durkon is anything other than he and Hel says he is: a dark spirit created by the evil god for nefarious ends. I have a crazy idea that the end might be different than we expect, with Durkon accepting not-Durkon as not merely a reflection of himself or an interloper, but an actual part of him - the chaotic, emotional side he keeps hidden deep inside.

The problem with that, is that the dark energy spirit is at least as Lawful and repressed as Durkon himself is. "Service is my sole purpose, my Lady."


[...]Durkon's character flaw seems to be his slavish devotion to duty at the expense of all else. I'm wondering if we see him either tap into a side of himself he didn't know existed or draw the darkness into himself and become, at last, more of a "whole" person.
Now, I could potentially see him becoming less slavishly devoted to duty--not by embracing the dark spirit as part of himself, but by recognizing the fundamental lack of morality in "I obey and that's all that matters," as personified by the High Priest of Hel and the late Priest of Nergal.

[Keltest]

The problem with that, is that the dark energy spirit is at least as Lawful and repressed as Durkon himself is. "Service is my sole purpose, my Lady."

Admittedly, he was saying that to a literal goddess. Regardless of where you fall on the law/chaos axis, it takes a special kind of crazy to mouth off to a goddess, especially one who created you.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

The High Priest seems to be less a Chaotic version (or side) of Durkon and more of an Evil version of Durkon. To me he seems quite Lawful and dutiful toward his goddess. I feel that he embodies many of the same principles as Durkon, only with an Evil twist. I'm expecting that the main thing that Durkon will gain from this whole experience is having to step into the spotlight and handle his own affairs without anyone's help, rather than a perspective/alignment shift.