Companion Analysis: Fall-from-Grace

"I believe in Experience. I believe there is a truth to the multiverse... even if that truth is that there is no truth at all."

Truth, objectivity delivered in a universalist fashion is simply not to be within the Sigil, the City of Doors. Faith, belief in one higher calling over another, one district of a city causes the fractious plane dozens of specialist companions with disparate paths in the protagonist’s orbit.

Planescape: Torment’s ludonarrative exploration of the concept of experience points, and the Factions (essentially classic D & D Guilds combined with a take on trade unions and political parties) and characters brilliantly links to the experience of any RPG, and the Sensorium location later. To pay attention to a stranger’s past being beneficial to life is a fantastic thing to bring into the real world; how often are we captivated and changed by the sheer shock of unexpected feeling or a tragic backstory?

Torment, part of the title for this particular story aims not at a particular wide-reaching tragedy, but the pain of what we have been; the harder and more unique observation of how we suffer being detached from what we would be. The loss of ideal and the presence of the contradictory.

Who we would rather not be, the heartache that creates and reaches into the audience is something I believe all storytelling aims to reach us with. Enough to make sure it does not happen.

An abstinent succubus, Fall-from-Grace at once defies her nature as a Lawful Evil spirit of Baator, yet bears remnants of the seductive and lethal way of living, making her if anything both more realistic, and engaging as a character attempting a truly morally intended uplift. Coquettish comments, the venomous kiss she uses as a weapon which kills mortals, it is made plain that Fall-from-Grace is beauty with no union, and in a sense no reproduction. It seems that companionship is the bond she uses to live, and furthermore transitions from a woman overseeing an institution of non-physical pleasures, to follower of the questing hero’s will.

Fall-from-Grace in a former time would have been unrecognisable. She would have given her body or pounced on the allure of temptation to devour others and potentially damn their souls. Now, she does not reproduce those acts of evil, no longer feeds the Devils of the Nine Hells. There is no need for a flashback, a theatrical event or enemy that compelled her to make this change. What makes Fall more interesting is her life now she is ‘clean’.

It is pointed out, and quite accurate that while not spoken of, surely hidden well; Fall-from-Grace is monstrously powerful for the mystery of bending back and breaking her nature. It goes beyond an accident altering the machinery of her mind (as is the case with another companion to discuss later), but removing an addictive compulsion, a corporate hierarchy, a belief system and every primal urge to consume.

Fall-from-Grace denies her nature, not of physiology, or purpose; but as another creature of the Blood War’s backdrop. As another torturing denizen of hell, within the framework of a predator consuming others, subsumed within the politics of a literal series of Hells, not even to enjoy, but even be a part of it. Within the setting it is taken that the angelic is hopelessly simplistic, mired, not present. But the isles and circles of damnation are, a rich tapestry endlessly crashing, a tumult and industrialised institution of war contained within the planes. It is not so much a matter of the alignment system being maligned, or supporting good or evil, lawful or chaotic. But the presence of such conflicting and knowing factions. A hateful denizen of Baator accepts their bloody nature, but abstinence -as in reality- is a rare bird, scorned, disliked, and difficult to persist in maintaining said state for any length of time.

It is noteful in her fantastic unravelling and probing of the companions that Ravel Puzzlewell, the wise and clever Night Hag says “Every word you SPIT screams of your torment!”, assuming the awful nature of Fall’s existence regardless of her demeanour

It is worth noting, worth asking, truly how many individuals in fiction or reality make the attempt to turn upon their nature, often we see a paragon fall and spit upon their oaths of fealty, but how many succubae without ulterior motive turn from a cycle as unconsciously ever-present as the furnace of the unthinkingly lustful victim, and the peddler of vices draining power and vitality from their own enslaved audience?

The name implies a present as well, Fall-From-Grace. The event, the state of being, the sensation in a sense, as lifestyle, pain and experience is a living series of sensations. This embodies what all companions bear in common; contradiction and difficulty existing without paradox. It’s interesting that the name also suggests a divide from an artistic, but transactional, and somewhat depressing profession, being the madame of a brothel. Fall-from-Grace is aromantic, pointedly and likely quite deliberately non romanceable, to draw out the sexuality of what ordinarily is the most sexualised creature in fantasy.

Because something felt for a true companion, friendly or more, is something else from desire. Fall stands out as being initially uninformed and untied to the events of the protagonists past, yet loyal into the future of The Nameless One’s story rather than far in the past by her stated quest being to seek them out after judgement.

Fall-from-Grace is one of almost all the Planescape: Torment companions sharing the same optional nature, at first seeming to be an interesting vignette and story that grows out of proportion. It is unknown during many interactions whether she can even be found, an optional person to pass along the road, intrigue through dialogue and description that aids travel in an admittedly very break sand filled metropolis. Her mystery and history is never close to solved, but for the brief duration of the player journey, Fall-from-Grace breaks the notion of what a succubus, a hedonist, and a monk must be. It appears to be in the domain of present action, and principle which dictate the character on a being through life.

This is certainly a motif that will continue as we delve into Planescape: Torment’s companions more.

References:

Planescape: Torment. Black Isle Studios. 1999.