Guild Wars 2

Despite him being one of the Nightmare Court, he didn’t seem to be in it for the evulz like pretty much all the others. He seemed to actually believe what he was doing was right for the sylvari as a whole, and had a sense of honor (not attacking from behind when prompted to by Sariel, and rebuking her for suggesting it, as well as willing to face us in an honorable duel for the Stag).

And then he dies and is never mentioned again.

Sad thing is, if more of the Nightmare Court were like this guy, not necessarily good, but doing what they thought was right, then they could be understandable. Maybe even likable. Instead, the rest of them are all into killing and maiming because evil.

Sigh.

That is how villains are. They have to be in it for the evulz or they are not rel bad guys, but “ends justify the means” kind of guys.

When i first played through that storyline i thought I’d accidentally done something wrong when all of my options in dialogue were “NIGHTMARE COURT BAD SMASH NIGHTMARE COURT” i was honestly expecting an option to join them as they are presented as imperfect yes but no worse than the Sylvari.
Caithe is a pyschopath during the Sylvari section of the personal story (later on she seems to calm down) and insists murder and torture are the only possible ways to ever deal with nightmare court and that every single one of them is irredeemable. A theory of hers that has no proof because nobody in any of the quests ever tries to “redeem” the nightmare court they just kill them on sight. No wonder nobody defects back to the dreamers if all that’s waiting is death.

The Nightmare Court during the early segments of the game are depicted as people who embrace all of their emotions rather than clinging to positivity and optimism when it is unwarranted, they are ruthless and view others as prey because they are predators, they are following their nature and rejecting Ventari’s teachings. Later segments of the game show them as villainous sadists who just want to cause suffering but early on the overwhelming message of the nightmare court is “all things have a right to grow” isn’t something the pale tree believes AT ALL. Any kind of political dissent is met with at best fear (the soundless are heavily distrusted) and more commonly violence. If you dont conform to exactly what the Pale Tree wants the Pale Tree SENDS PEOPLE TO KILL YOU.

Overall i really wish the Nightmare Court had been written more consistently as either a viable alternative as the white stag storyline shows them or as super evil sadists that higher level zones show them off as.

Either way Bercilak was a jerk though.

Actually, all the NC with any story background have motives beyond being evil for the sake of evil.

Sariel and Bercilak are jerks, but they have their motivations (hubris, mostly). They aren’t just cartoon villains.

Bercilak’s motivations were unclear, he obviously wanted to be a well known fighter, but he also had that thing for that one lady. But i never understood if he did what he did because of that affection or he started on a rampage THEN fell for her.

Gavin was good, but the thing is the nightmare court supports doing evil stuff….

Basically, those in it for ‘decent’, rational reasons are going to be drowned out by the guys in it because “I CAN KICK PUPPIES AND SET QUAGGAN ON FIRE. YAAAAAAAAAAAAY”

Eh, they started out weird (NC founder was upset mommy didn’t like him as much as the Firstborn, decided to corrupt the tree so Sylvari could choose their own destiny, gets killed off in TA story) and when Faolain took charge everything just got worse.

None of them are evil just to be evil. Not even the Krait, or the dragon minions, or the dragons themselves are saying “let’s be evil”. They all have different reasons for what they are doing.