I had some time this afternoon, so I skimmed through this thread, and something stood out to me. These sorts of debates always come down to one of two sides, pro pvp vs anti pvp, but like the big world outside that this community is a microcosm of its often more nuanced than that for the majority of folks.
For example, I know dudes that have played this game for 20 years and could in theory be some of the scariest players this server has ever seen in regard to pvp. But they actually never get into pvp, not because they are pvp adverse even though they are often called that when they offer an opinion about the state of pvp on arelith, but because it often accomplishes nothing save making their character appear more and more cartoonish over time.
Does that mean they hate pvp? No, because again if they went that route they would probably murder all but the most seasoned pvpers on the server. But while they certainly have stuck around NwN for something, it's not to prove how good they are mechanically at the game. Being mechanically good at nwn was impressive 20 years ago, but I doubt there are any Tick Tock videos of someone showing off their skills in this game, and if there is I doubt it has many views.
So why do the above two paragraphs matter to the topic at hand? Because those same people are the most likely to make good antagonists. They have the wherewithal to hold their own if pvp breaks out, and they have played the game for 20 long years for a reason, a reason that one can deduce if they follow my logic is to tell stories. They are the type of folks that inspire others through their (sometimes) brilliant play, thus ensuring that the tradition of days past on nwn rp servers continues. They are the type of people that will not go for the fast kill, instead taking time to let a story develop even if that means that they give up a clear advantage to be at a disadvantage tomorrow.
Unfortunately, these types of players have fallen into three categories in my time here. Won't even try Arelith, or if they do it never lasts more than a day or two. Have tried arelith, got frustrated with x or y, and left. Or found a niche in Arelith, but avoid pvp and doing antagonistic things because regardless of the situation around it that's going to consume their in-game time for the next couple of months, often fighting folks you killed a few days before again and again...and again. I'm a bit of a unicorn in this aspect, because while I to get frustrated when things break down into the absurd, I always come back after a long break ready to attempt to catch lightning in a bottle (A story worth telling) one more time. I'm sure there are more like me in that sense.
So, what's the answer? I can't say for certain. I have theories, but they would make this post 5 times as long as it already is. But I do think a good first step would be to allow as a community honest debate, instead of just going to your team immediately and accusing someone of hating pvp/loving pvp too much. Everyone here loves the game after all and wants it to be the best version of itself it can be. It would be silly to spend as much time as we do in debate about it if that weren't true.
As a side note, I just want to say that there are some fantastic players in the community that make spectacular antagonist characters, and many of them have been mainstays of Arelith for a long time. I just don't want to make it sound like I am ignoring that those folks exist, because they do. This is just a generalization of how things are, and why I personally think there could be so much more.