The Psychology of an Abomination

[Myyrth]

I'm curious as to what some of your thoughts are on the mentality of a Myrddraal.  How do they think, what emotional and intellectual capacity do they have?

 

I for one see a Myrddraal as something that is at least partly human, yet has some essential human component severed from it both in a physical sense and a spiritual sense.  The Eyeless have no souls, and in one way or another are tainted and warped by the Dark Ones influence.  All of this is on top "being out of phase with reality as we know it" paraphrasing Aginor.

 

This to me leads me to compare them at least psychologically to a sociopath.  At least that would be a human diagnosis for the mentality, but for a creature that is so far removed from any vestige of it's potential humanity it is perhaps not appropriate.  Still I think it captures the mind state that a Myrddraal exists in.  A Fade is a thing lacking entirely in conscience or empathy.  They are predators incapable of feeling love, or compassion.  Incapable of even feeling hate as a human would understand it, they are hollow inside and thus seek to fill that hollowness with the pain of other living things.  Some part of them understands what an abomination they are and strives to fill that void.  So when a Myrddraal feels pleasure, it's not so much pleasure but a satiating of some desperate need to feel anything at all.  They are like the shadows they blend into, ragged and empty vessels thrive on base activities.

 

What are your thoughts?  This is mostly out of simple interest in how others interpret the natures of the creatures that exist in Randland.  Trollocs always struck me as simply beastial, similar in many respects to traditionally evil Orcs or other barbarous monster races.  The Myrddraal seem to have a compelling amount of psychological depth, even if what lies beneath is nothing but a horrifying and murderous abomination incapable of remorse.

[Liitha]

well they have a human x animal base, there is a section on how they are created in the wiki, its a change happening due to a power battle, but they are concepted/conceved? or rather created as trollocs, and then the fetus change later on

[Myyrth]

 

Guess i'm more curious how you see their pysychology.

[Myyrth]

Could I moderator just remove this topic?  Looking for a wider discussion and i'll get that in the general discussion section!  :P

[Liitha]

its just a little quiet around these parts, the division aint that big

 

in general we dont really get to know any fades but shadar harran very well, and we get to know he is atypical

 

he smiles, thats not to say that just cause your blank outside you cant laugh inside, and i sort of think all the creatures in jordans books are complex in their own way, so its hard to say really, they do grow up among trollocs so even if apart it wouldnt be totaly unatural that some stuff rub off from the enviroment

 

but yeah not sure need to think more on it, atm i am just ranting lol

[Quibby]

A Fade as a sociopath makes sense, but it's implied that they can feel pleasure, of sorts.  They are shown as a creature that will 'play' with a woman if available, but not one that is driven to do so.  I think that they are more likely to be a creature that simply doesn't have a concept of right or wrong, similar to the animals which make up part of its genetic background.  This makes them perfect for service to evil.

[Myyrth]

Well that's true, but I guess sociopathy doesn't prevent you from feeling personal emotions.  A sociopath is eminently self-interested.  They are just shallow emotions lacking in any depth beyond blind self-interest.  That's what can cause a sociopath to go to ever more depraved methods of killing, it's a rush, mere physical stimulus.  They are addicted to whatever "gets them their fix" whether it be killing or torture.

 

Human sociopaths are similar in many ways, but the majority are not just killers.  Just people with no empathy obsessed with controlling their environment and others around them.  Often seeing everything in terms of "winning"

[Jehaine]

Heh, my own Myrddraal (who gets angry when called a Fade btw) is pretty much like the Clan she grew up in. People behave according to what they see around them while growing up, and since all she's seen around her is fighting and weaponry it makes sense for her to be driven for combat in much the same way.

 

For that reason, she believes in giving her opponents a fighting chance, 'stealth kills' are out unless absolutely necessary. She 'gets her fix' by being better than the one she's fighting, regardless of whether the odds are even or uneven.

 

There is a comic (which i bought after creating the character btw) i have that ended up describing her way of thinking perfectly in the opening narration. If you're interested i could post it here?

[Liitha]

fades and trollocs arent up my street of imagination for interpeting, which is why i got a darkhound :p T'an makes more sence to me play wise, i read the info and such but i just dont feel i got it in me to create a char and play it well