@Kayless ...
Sarevok's main problem is that he's had no healthy relationships or support system in his life. Unlike the PC, Sarevok doesn't really have any friends or family to help him work through his Bhaal issues without smashing something. (...)
Wow, that's quite an analysis! I don't really have anything to add to what you and Vehemence have written, except one comment: great!
The dreams of the PC in BG1 were nightmares.
I love those visions and cannot get enough of them.
IMO, they are more than just dreams. At the very least, they'd be very vivid, involving all senses, and some (like the Chapter 2&3 ones in BG1) almost seem to be out-of-body experiences.
How many dreams are there in BG2, BTW? I had three pre-Spellhold ones, the dream in which you fight your essence during Irenicus' ritual, the Slayer dream, and one visitation by Ellesime, but there are two other ones in the dialog.tlk file that look like they're supposed to take place after those five. It seems they were left out, though the sound files for one of them are in the game. <sigh> The second one would have been really neat.
Here's a question for everyone: Do you think that the Irenicus in the BG2 dreams is actually Bhaal, or at least that part of you which is his essence? The first dream left me with the impression that Imoen was indeed Imoen ... the distressed siblings were unconsciously reaching out for each other ("Irenicus" says that "You brought us here".) ... but in the second and third, and the ritual dream, she embodies your soul, while in the Slayer dream, she was quite obviously your essence. But I don't think Irenicus was Irenicus. Then again, in BG1 Bhaal spoke to you as a disembodied voice, so I'm not sure why he'd change that ...
@Kayless & Vehemence RE: Sarevok's dreams ...
I'm pretty certain he had similar experiences, since dreams seem to be Bhaal's primary method of influencing his offsprings' minds (or trying to, at least). In fact, Sarevok actually mentions one such dream in his journal, and it was about the person you both guessed at: his mother. He wrote that she was pleading with him for help while the assassin was creeping up on her, but that he did not interfere because it was "just a dream". This reminded me a bit of the evil version of the first BG1 dream, in which the PC "gets used to" the sight of Sarevok slaughtering Gorion. Both seem to be a case of "weeding out traits Bhaal finds distasteful", as Kayless mentioned. Pretty scary stuff, IMO.
Originally posted by Kayless:
I think Sarevok's dreams, as torturous as they might have been, only served to strengthen him.
Same with the PC's dreams in BG1 -- each allowed her to access her heritage a little more, regardless of what Bhaal thought about her actions.
@Vehemence ...
I couldn't agree more here. On first glance, I would say that Isolation could be a factor here, but I quickly dismissed this due to the fact that Isolation does not breed hatred.
It most certainly can.
Just think of the victims of bullying, mobbing and other forms of vicious ostracism. Sarevok's situation does qualify as isolation of a kind. So don't be too quick to dismiss your own ideas.
One could argue that due to his bhaal soul his future is predetermined and would always have an evil streak throughout.
The evil streak is part and parcel of being a Bhaalchild, no matter how good and pure you try to be. But ... this brings up a question about destiny.
"For some rare beings, the coin lands edge on - and these luckless few can forge their own fates, for they have more freedom over their destinies than the powers themselves." The PC is one such being ... but SoA and apparently ToB too are awash in references to her "destiny". So does the thing with the coin mean that while Bhaal had special planes for the PC (to answer aVENGER2k's question: I think that prophecy you mentioned does refer to her), this rare condition will allow her to avoid or twist the fate that her Father has in store for her?
I wonder if there'll be any references to the coin in ToB.
"Beware of the blindness of those who would follow, and the damnable lure of those who would lead."
- Tamoko
"Mmm? What's this? You gots hammer? Bhaal once drop hammer on big godly toe. Jump around and swear for days, he did. Kicked poor me all the way to Baator. Very bad week, that."
- Cespenar the imp