The probably only slapped Bloodrayne on there because of her *ahem* successful movie franchise. (Yes, the evil Mr. Boll is working on a sequel.)
But yes Morrigan would have been an awesome choice.
Also, notice there was no SNK love?
Where's Mai, Nakoruru, & Charlotte?
I can see Ivy, she is pretty mainstream as far as "Hot Girls of Gaming" things go, though I about gagged at the opinon that J.Lo should play her in a movie!
What gets me is they mentioned two girls from the D&D RPG's Planescape:Torment and Bulder's Gate, but no mention of Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande, who is a central character in "Neverwinter Nights", and in the 2nd Expansion, "Hordes of The Underdark".
Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande
Her tale is a tragic one, marked with a unique strength that persists even beyond the grave, and simultaneously marred by betrayal and failure.
Central to Aribeth's background is her training as a paladin. Widely regarded as one of the champions of Neverwinter, she shares a romance with the cleric Fenthick, rumor telling that the two will be wed before the year's end. She seeks to end a mysterious plague that has infected the glorious city, and it is around this theme that the prologue takes place. The player takes the role of a student in the school, battling alongside Aribeth when the school is attacked to sabotage the cure for the plague. She then becomes the central NPC with whom the player interacts in the first chapter, wherein the various reagents to find the cure are retrieved. Her level of dialogue in this particular chapter is somewhat less than enthralling, so I shall move ahead to the chapter one finale. The reagents having been gathered, the efforts to halt the plague are once more stymied when Desther steals the cure and runs, followed by Aribeth's lover Fenthick. She does little more than keep the portal open that the player can pursue, although if pressed she will express concern over what her lover has done. Well she should, for the closing scene after Desther is brought to justice is the public execution of Fenthick, a tableaux of a tear-scarred, hard-eyed Aribeth being the final image before chapter two begins.
In the second part, Aribeth appears to be staunch, relatively unmoved by her lover's death-- or more accurately, seeking to give that impression. She largely passes the role of primary NPC to Aaron Gend, but as the player gains levels (and persuade skill points) it is possible to talk with her more readily, even to become her friend. She confesses to the gamer her confusion over Fenthick's death, both the sense of loss and the sense of uncertainty over how she might have reacted in his place. She tells of a nightmare that she has of being abandoned by her god, the holy lord Tyr, to a cacophany of voices and an envelope of darkness. She relates the story of how she came to be a paladin, believing herself rescued by Tyr himself after a somewhat shadowed past. If the player is sufficiently persuasive and powerful, she might even relinquish her ring as a token of said friendship. All the more shocking, then, does the second part of the chapter seem.
As it turns out, Aribeth departs from the company of Gend to seek out her own personal agenda. As the player nears the final area, her journal is discovered, wherein she describes that she will be giving herself over to Maugrim in the service of Morag, ostensibly in vengeance for the execution of her lover. A climactic end at the top of the highest tower depicts her renouncing her faith, the betrayal of her allegiance, and fully becoming a servant of the dark lizard goddess. The player's only recourse upon this discovery is to complete the chapter, returning with the dire news to Gend. It is her betrayal that fuels the setting for the next two chapters, although she herself makes little appearance as an NPC, for her knowledge of the secrets of Neverwinter fuels the utter destruction of all that stands in her quest for vengeance.
It is not until chapter four that the player once more has the opportunity to speak with her, but far has she fallen from the noble paladin that she once was. Embittered by Fenthick's death, she rages against the people of Neverwinter who screamed and cheered as he was hung, and insists that she cares for nothing now. She attacks, and when she is badly wounded, she interjects once more. Here the player can either finish her off, or attempt to persuade her to turn herself in. Either way, death hangs over her like a shroud, for even should she be convinced to return to await her judgment, she says little more than it was good to see her friend, the player, one last time. So ends her fate in the original campaign, with either death or uncertainty.
All uncertainty is removed in the Hordes of the Underdark expansion, where other heroes of Neverwinter simply tell tale that she died. The manner of her death is not described, but surely one could speculate it was quick and violent. Nothing more is mentioned of her until the beginning of chapter three in the frozen wastes of Cania (i.e. Hell), where a story of a spirit who led an unsuccessful rebellion against Mephistopheles the demonlord. Now she stands frozen in a cavern of ice... but the player has the option to revive her, fight her, and learn more of her tale.
As it turns out, she states that she once cared enough that she did seek to stop Mephistopheles, but he revealed to her the terrible truth that she had lied to herself about. She had never loved Fenthick, always thought him a fool, and his death only served to give her an excuse for her betrayal. In short, every monstrous action that she had taken was for naught, no redemption to be found. Although it is said that she can be hired as a henchman in her fallen state, what fascinated me more was the ability to tell her that all was not yet lost-- that Tyr himself could still discern whether or not he would take her, fallen or no. So begins the redemption of the fallen paladin, who proves to be a worthy ally.
One of the interesting side notes on chapter three is that male characters can flirt with Aribeth, particularly in the cavern of the mimic where the player is deprived of armor and stands rather... exposed... before her. How successful the player is at fostering this flirtation can impact the ending significantly, particularly in the finale with Mephistopheles. If she loves the character, she can be persuaded to stand with him (I do not believe female characters have this option) in the final hour. Alternately, she can be forced into service using her true name, after which point she will stand with the player and eventually find her way back to Neverwinter as a spirit. Her other main options are betrayal and death... or, if she betrays the character and Mephistopheles is beaten without a battle, she will beg for mercy and become a loyal ally forever after.
If I may make a few closing remarks, in my opinion, Aribeth always provided a example par excellence as a conflicted character. The romance with Fenthick was expected, a perfect ending for a noble paladin, while all the time she was confined to the pedestal upon which Neverwinter had placed her. The fact that she was willing to fight Mephistopheles even in death, and to have the chance once more at redemption, indicates to me that her will remained strong despite what she had suffered. Discussions on her character and the overall plot of the Neverwinter series abound, but if nothing else, Aribeth stands out for me as a story of redemption, guided throughout by the mysterious force of Tyr.
Lady Aribeth was far more than a just another piece of video game eyecandy. She had a sprit and and a grand tale all her own, though she is but one of many you meet throughout your quests, she will be one who most touches your heart and leaves an impression on your mind.
*******!!!! I FUCKING HATE IT WHEN THEY PUT THAT DAMNED LARA CROFT FIRST!! GRAAAAAAHH!!
to the person who answers correctly)
