Rahvin, oh you handsome man

[Caelan Arendor]

Today, we turn our attention again to one of the Forsaken: a cunning, treacherous, and manipulative figure who prefers to wield power through subtlety rather than overt violence—the one they call Rahvin. To uncover the inspiration behind this character's name, I consulted Wikipedia and discovered Ravana, the demon king from Indian mythology. He once implored Brahma for immunity from harm or death at the hands of gods or demons alike, but in his arrogance, he overlooked extending that boon to mere mortals.

 

In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Ravana emerges as a formidable, charismatic yet profoundly malevolent ruler—militarily adept and a master seducer. These traits echo strikingly in Rahvin's portrayal as an alluring, shadowy lord, politically and strategically proficient, who corrupts his surroundings with charm and dominion.

 

Like so many potent figures in modern politics, business, or the arts, Rahvin meets his undoing through his weakness for beautiful women (does that ring a bell?), a flaw that at least hastens his violent end. Compassion toward him, I believe, is utterly unwarranted.