Well, it's only fair that I offer an example, eh?
I think humor is particularly effective when you're playing a villain. It can take the edge off the constant menacing and mustache-twirling.
For example, the new Emperor-by-coup on Chiaroscuro - Zolor Zahir - had this little encounter the other night:
The herald follows the newcomers into the throne room and announces their arrival. Zolor Zahir glances through the torch-flickered shadows toward the trio and beckons Tomassa closer to the dais.
Talk about being in here way too often lately. Lucius enter the throne room, gauntleted hand opening and closing. His eyes pass from Tribunal soldier to soldier, noting the particulars of each of them. He of course follows Tomassa.
Obediently, Tomassa moves up the room's center, her steps drawing her closer to the Emperor. "My liege," she offers with an inclination of her head. "Forgive the intrusion."
The two guards follow, masking their nervousness with forced looks of neutrality.
Fionnlagh just follows along behind Tomassa and Lucius, looking ahead briefly to check for obstacles he might trip over, and identify the new Emperor upon the throne. He keeps silent, just trying to stay a bit ahead of the two guards and a bit behind the leaders. Once Tomassa stops, he stops behind, and kneels quietly. Obeisance is rarely a bad choice in front of thrones. It's a healthy encourager of attachments of heads to torsos.
Zolor Zahir lifts his eyebrows, but nods at Tomassa. His gaze shifts toward Fionnlagh and then back to the chamberlain. "So. Another one for the loyalty pact?" One of the heralds shuffles over to grab a parchment scroll and a tray bearing an inkwell and quill.
Lucius Nepos stops his walking as per usual, in the middle of the room. He doesn't have any testimony to spill to Zolor that he knows about, so he offers a bow from afar, and watches.
"Aye, Your Majesty," the rumpled Chamberlain admits. While her body is clean, her clothes are showing signs of the repetitive wear they have been getting. "As well as to ask a question."
Fionnlagh just stays in his spot, glancing aside at the decor briefly, but returning his gaze to the Emperor and Chamberlain once speaking begins.
"Ask your question, then," the Emperor says to Tomassa. "Then we will resolve the matter of the pact for the prisoner."
Both guards drop to their knees before returning to stand stiffly at attention, eyes looking straight ahead.
"Did you know the Justiciar removed Shardwood from the dungeons?" Tomassa simply inquires. Her hands are loosely clasped behind her back. "When I went to fetch her, I found her cell empty and the door ajar."
Lucius Nepos listens to the proceedings carefully but remains as stony as an ancient statue.
Fionnlagh just works on growing roots into that floor where he kneels, patiently waiting till matters concern him.
The taller guard starts to nod at Tomassa's comment, catches himself and grows still again.
"Did he?" Zolor inquires, scratching his chin. "Intriguing." He sighs and shakes his head. "Unfortunate. I had so wanted to hear her sanctimonious blathering in the absence of her tongue." His mouth starts flapping up and down and he utters: "Yuh ah uh vewwy bah mah, Empahwah Zaeeah!"
It's not slapstick or anything like that. It's just an indication that Zolor Zahir has a dark and rather cruel sense of humor. The fact that a villain/anti-hero can have a sense of humor about things adds a dimension of humanity to them.
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