Darklord, Colin Craven

Colin Craven,  Lord of Misselthwaite Domain, and one of the few child Darklords, is a figure of tragedy. Cursed with a frail body, he found solace in dark magic, which granted him power but bound him to his domain. He is both the master and prisoner of Misselthwaite manor, his soul intertwined with its very foundations. His greatest torment is the Secret Garden, a reminder of the purity and innocence he can never reclaim. 

Appearance

Colin Craven, like many Darklords, does not physically age. Thus, while chronologically he may have been born decades or centuries, he is still physically (and in many ways, emotionally), still the age he was when he first invoked the Dark Magics.

While his outward age will not change, Colin Craven is cursed with a shifting appearance that oscillates between a semblance of health and a monstrous, sickly form. This transformation is a physical manifestation of both his inner turmoil and the dark forces at play within his domain, reflecting the dual nature of his existence. 

In moments when Colin taps into the dark powers at his disposal or when the fear and suffering of others temporarily alleviate his own curse, he appears as a young boy with an eerie, ethereal beauty, almost as he might have without the curse's influence. His skin takes on a healthier pallor, free from the sickness that usually plagues him. His eyes, a deep, penetrating gray, hold within them a mix of wisdom and sorrow far beyond his years, and a dark charisma, commanding attention and respect. His posture straightens, and he moves with an ease and grace that belies his usual frailty. This transformation is not complete nor true health; it's merely a shadow of what could have been, a temporary reprieve bought at a great cost. This form is as much a part of his curse as his monstrous state, serving as a bitter reminder of what he can never fully reclaim: his humanity and innocence. 

More often, Colin embodies the physical manifestations of his curse and fears. His skin becomes pallid and hangs loosely on his bones, marked by veins and splotches that speak of his internal torment. His eyes, though still bright, are sunken, surrounded by dark circles that hint at his perpetual suffering. His body is twisted and frail, each movement accompanied by a grimace of pain or discomfort, making his reliance on a wheelchair or the support of his servants a necessity. 

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Background

The Curse

Colin's curse is manifold.

Like every Darklord, Colin commands his domain and its inhabitants absolutely. The spectral staff are a manifestation of Colin's curse, their existence tied to his own. They reflect the complexity of his affliction—a curse that provides for his every physical need while denying him the emotional sustenance required for any semblance of happiness. In their silent, diligent care, they embody the paradox of his life: surrounded by those who serve him, yet utterly alone. 

The servants obey his every whim, but they cannot provide the companionship he most desires. 

Colin is far from being the stainless innocent that he was years ago, and ironically, should actually Colin ever gain entry to the Secret Garden, the only place of purity in the entire domain, unwittingly, his mere presence as Darklord would immediately corrupt and ultimately destroy it. Every domain in Ravenloft is an extension of its Lord, and Misselthwaite is no exception.  Gaining access to the Secret Garden would cause corruption within its Lord's nature to essentially expand into this new area -- akin to a virus invading a bacterium. The once-lush foliage of the Secret Garden would wither into a macabre spectacle; nine-tens of the vegetation dies, and what plants remain to twist into grotesque new forms, and flowers grow thorns that bristle with a new hunger for the warmth of the living.

At the sight of what he longed for so long be corrupted and destroyed his eyes, Colin would immediately lose all previous semblance of sanity and patience for subtle scheming. His alignment would shift from Neutral Evil to Chaotic Evil, his intelligence, wisdom, and charisma scores would correspondingly halve, and he would become craven in both name and nature -- essentially a ravening beast in the body of a frail child. His servants would still tend to him in his new state, but the domain would begin to lose its coherence and gradually fall apart as its Lord's mental state further deteriorates. 

Current Sketch

At the core of his character lies a cunning intelligence and a manipulative streak, honed over centuries of solitude and the unyielding grip of his curse. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, his persona is layered, a tapestry woven from threads of vulnerability, bitterness, and a deeply buried desire for redemption. When it suits him, Colin will present himself as a fragile, ailing child, a guise he has perfected over the years. However, beneath this facade lies a tumult of emotions and plans.