The Baroness

Basic Information

A staple of Cold War-era spy stories, The Baroness is an adversary with a thick Eastern European accent, an aloof, aristocratic attitude, and a way with a riding crop. She often wears a uniform and works for a totalitarian regime. According to TV Tropes, (which would not lie to me), she comes in two sub-types: The Sexpot, who wears tight-fitting leather or slinky outfits, is gorgeous and might be interested in the hero; and the Rosa Kleb, who wears leather or slinky outfits, is middle-aged and ugly, and might be interested in the heroine.

Sources

Bibliography

1. TV Tropes: The Baroness

Game and Story Use

• The Baroness makes a good lieutenant for the BBEG or leader of the Mini Boss Squad
• She is often a Lady of War - Amazonian beauty is optional.
• The Baroness is usually on the bad guy's side, but a PC might also be a Baroness if she's an Action Girl with a taste for leather and a the right accent.
• The Dragon Lady is the Asian equivalent of the Baroness.
• Other common users of this basic trope would include BDSM Dominatrices (Sin City style or otherwise) and Nazi fetishists (as per Preacher's Miss Oatlash … who was also the very small bad evil guy's Dragon).
• Elvira, "Mistress of the Dark" probably fits into this slot as well. Which is more than she did for her dress…