I expect a certain amount of cliches to show up in CRPGs but it really seems like they are stretching to try to fit in as many as possible here.

Why on earth would they feel a need to include studying with a hermit monk to learn self control? Sure it works in a story about Heracles but to use it for an Elven Rogue is just silly.

Come to think of it, since when is rage associated with Drow blood? Last time I checked they were ruthlessly evil in an organized societal sort of way, certainly not ogre/orc/barbarian "Hulk Smash" rage types.

At least they didn't use the old product of rape origin to explain her being half Drow, although the "found the Drow injured and nursed her back to health and so she reformed and became a good elf" story is probably equally as cliche. Somehow I have the feeling that rating concerns were responsible for selecting which cliche to use in this case.

It was hard to imagine that the other characters could match the cliche level of the Rogue's background story but the sorcerer's origin of "Daddy threw me out because I didn't become a warrior like the last 800 generations before me" is probably even more cliche.

GameSpy have posted character sketches for Demon Stone. Here's an excerpt from what they write about Zhai:

Growing up without a mother was hard on Zhai. And her mixed blood made everything much harder. She was never trusted. While her father was loving and kind he didn't understand how to deal with her hard-hearted nature and the rage that came along with her Drow blood. The villagers and strangers she came into contact with didn't trust her because of her Drow heritage and kept her at arms length.

All of this has made Zhai independent, secretive, and sarcastic. It has also helped make her become an exceptional rogue. Being forced to sneak everywhere to avoid the accusing looks, Zhai quickly perfected her stealth skills. She developed her fighting and acrobatic skills by studying with a hermit monk. Her father sent Zhai to him to calm the rage that burned in her.

Three words: cliche, cliche, cliche. Remind me not to buy any more Salvatore books. I know it's the roleplaying value of her chest that counts, but still.

Read the whole thing (http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/forgotten-realms-demon-stone/544567p1.html?fromint=1) at GameSpy. Links to the other sketches are at the bottom.

[ September 09, 2004, 15:28: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

Zhai's mother had never been convinced of the Drow cause of chaos and eventually became tolerated in Cedarleaf.Drow cause of chaos? This goes against everything I ever learned about Drow. Sure they are full of political games and treachery, but even then, Drow society is very strict and lawful . Oh, and apparently the assumption of child of Drizz't was not far off, since she is apparently the child of Drizz't-with-boobs.