Rescuing Viconia as a lawful evil blackguard

Thesblah

I just restarted the game as a lawful evil blackguard. Balancing between lawful and evil is difficult (as well as being charismatic and relatively intelligent). I'm about to get Viconia, but I see some RP problems in freeing her from the stake.

Why would a lawful evil character free some drow that will likely be a liability to him wherever he goes? Wouldn't it be far more evil and careless to let her burn on the stake? Also, how would it be very lawful to have a drow run around with me? Finally, as a character with decent intelligence and wisdom (as well as keeping up charm through high charisma), why would I free Viconia?

I planned on having her in the party, but I need to justify it somehow.

jackjack

Just remember that Lawful alignment is not directly related to any societal code of laws.

Blackraven

If your Blackguard sees Viconia as a liability rather than an asset, then that's a good RP argument for letting her burn. On the other hand, having a highly magic resistant party member that's indebted to your Blackguard could sound like an appealing prospect as well, especially for a Lawful Evil character who attaches great importance to debts and duties. Another possible justification: being in need of a Cleric after you've just been through a bloody battle that reminded you how useful divine backup can be.
And yet another RP reason for rescuing Vicky would be to have your Blackguard take a decision guided by his hormones rather than his rational mind. He wouldn't cease to be LE in my book.

As to the lawfulness of associating with a drow, it might not be strictly lawful if your character's lawfulness would consist in honoring the laws and moral codes that (racist, anti-drow) society imposes. However, to be lawful can also mean to strictly adhere to the rules that a character's patron deity (or demon) imposes, or to adhere to a personal (internal) code of conduct.

Long story short, I see no roleplaying obstacles for your Blackguard to recruit Viconia.

dib

If you used her in BG1 then you know that she is an excellent addition to your party. So you rescue her for your selfish needs so that you can use her abilities to further your own goals. Having a drow in your party might be risky of course since pretty much everyone despises them but if you weigh the damage to your reputation against her usefulness you realise she is worth the risk. And you can always count on her being loyal to you since every time she's been travelling alone she's ended up hunted or captured. This is a guarantee that you don't have with any other joinable character, especially the evil ones.

Kamigoroshi

This old thread may come in handy for the OP:
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/30305/save-that-drow-sword-coast-edition/p1


That said, one reason for saving Viconia's life as an LE character could mean that you basically *own* her. Slavery is always a fine business choice for Blackguards to practice. And in the case of a Drow it might just be worth your anti-hero's reputation trouble.

lunar

Viconia is an excellent underling. Fiercely loyal and does not want anything but to serve you in return of your protection. Not egomaniac like Edwin or bloodthirsty crazy like Korgan, nor on never ending missions like Dorn and Hexxat. Just the perfect exotic and useful pet for a domineering LE mastermind.

Thesblah

Thank you for the insightful comments.

They were helpful in forming a reason as to why my character should save Viconia.