Next day, I'm looking to move the plot along, and learn a little more about the interface. I get a quest to remove an unwelcome necromancer from a nearby mausoleum. The skeletons inside are easy pickings, but yield a measly 65 xp. I need 4,000 to get to the next level, so this is some poor farming. Especially when it seems like there are hundreds of xp you can collect in some conversations. I run into a giant skeleton, and its bad news - every swipe from its sword takes my hp down by a quarter. Time to run away, and I'm glad I can. I hide out in an NPC's hut (Shilandra), let my character regenerate, and do something else for 15 minutes. This is boring, I'll revisit this area later, when I'm more powerful. And the road to more power is laid out before me, as I can see pages of empty spellbooks I don't have yet, and I can see them in the keyboard binding options.
Aside from resting, I can also get started on inventory management here in this NPC house, as there are two containers within. I start stashing items that I guess will be useless (though you never know) and lesser weapons. I can't even talk to this NPC yet, but at least it seems I can use their containers without penalty. Outside the house, it seems like local thugs become aggressive occasionally, but they are easy to put down. Again, low xp yield, low loot yield. I need to explore now.
What else is on this map, two exits, and Angyar's House. That leads to a conversation that leads to combat. I might be ruining a future storyline, so I reload, and I'll save that house for later. I can go northwest or southeast. What would The Nameless One do? I'd head for Pharod, who seems to be the prime plot token at the moment. More aggro thugs, I run back to Shilandra's house to drop off loot and heal. There is a rest function, but it doesn't seem to work anywhere, yet. My character must be very weak, that these common thugs can force me to retreat for lengthy regeneration sessions.
Aside from resting, I can also get started on inventory management here in this NPC house, as there are two containers within. I start stashing items that I guess will be useless (though you never know) and lesser weapons. I can't even talk to this NPC yet, but at least it seems I can use their containers without penalty. Outside the house, it seems like local thugs become aggressive occasionally, but they are easy to put down. Again, low xp yield, low loot yield. I need to explore now.
What else is on this map, two exits, and Angyar's House. That leads to a conversation that leads to combat. I might be ruining a future storyline, so I reload, and I'll save that house for later. I can go northwest or southeast. What would The Nameless One do? I'd head for Pharod, who seems to be the prime plot token at the moment. More aggro thugs, I run back to Shilandra's house to drop off loot and heal. There is a rest function, but it doesn't seem to work anywhere, yet. My character must be very weak, that these common thugs can force me to retreat for lengthy regeneration sessions.
I probably should have started as a fighter. I didn't have to pick a class to start with, and it looks like I can dabble in any class, maybe even switch as I go along. Fighters usually have it easier in the beginning, but I usually accept the additional early difficulty so I can be a mage class. Maybe I could have had both. But I really wanted to start with a high Intelligence so I could get all the dialogue and story options. And what if I don't want to play through again?
Load last save, heading to "northwest portion of the Hive." Avoiding the other path, "Alley of Dangerous Angles", because I got my ass promptly kicked, and I ran. The backstory is some unknown but powerful mage destroyed the neighborhood - what if it was my character, The Nameless One? I'm guessing he loses his skills as well as memory, so he might have. Also skipping "southeastern portion of the Hive", for now. Into "The Flophouse". Ah, finally a place I can rest, and at $5, its affordable. If I can find a place to sell the minor loot I'm getting, and resting restores all my health, than this might be a worthwhile base of operations. Nice, I can do a minor NPC quest and resting here will be free. There's another creature here, Bariaur, who I can't talk to yet, but I feel certain will be a character who can join my party. Maybe its because he's better drawn than most characters.
That's weird - as I was leaving, Morte, the only member of my party (and a floating skull) issues some random voicework for us to get moving. From an NPC I pick up a random quest to deliver a box - why couldn't I just say no? Oh well, this early in the game it'll probably work out. There's a guy named One-Ear standing around - and he's holding a fork, just like I need from a previous quest. Resolved, that was a nice little quest, now I have a place to rest, and a thousand more xp. Too bad the place only has two places to stash loot, I like to organize my stuff a little better than that, but it'll do. I'll go back to my last stash when I can find a place to sell stuff.
I'm trying something new here in this blog, describing my every move in the game, and its already starting to get tedious. It will probably be useful to refer to while I'm playing, but I don't know if it will have any lasting value. I'll keep it up, but it will probably get terser.
I meet an NPC in the street called Mhult, he tells me that the Collector (freelancers who gather dead bodies to sell to the Dustmen, a profession here) called Pharod is the leader of a gang, and he's been fought off by another faction of Collectors led by Sharegrave. File that away for later. I've left the keyboard for a while, and now my skull friend tells me we're being watched, so act casual. Is this a specific or random tell? A small dragon walks by, tooltip says its Black Abishai. I tried talking to it earlier, it had nothing to say.
I might as well get rid of this box delivery quest before I go too far. I pass the Gathering Dust bar, where I've already been. There was something I did there, can't remember, might as well hit the journal. OK, first live NPC I met was Dhall, a Dustman in the Mortuary where I woke up. The Dustmen process the dead, and are served by Collectors. Pharod is a Collector, who is my only current lead on my lost journal, which can hopefully tell me who I am.
Apparently there was place in the Mortuary where I could rest, but I never found the "crooked fingerbone" that I would need to open the portal to get there. I met the ghost of Deionarra, who told me several important things: she used to be my girlfriend, I can resurrect any members of my party, I will meet three enemies (evil, good, and neutral), I will come to a prison of shadows, and there I must make a sacrifice so I can become mortal. If I can resurrect party members, why couldn't I restore Deionarra? Other items of note in my new journal: I saw a strange fanged symbol on a zombie, my friend Morte has the power Litany of Curses, and a few other odds and ends. There was another entry about a Dustman I met named "Death-of-Names", who can "bury" names by inscribing them on the memorial walls. What does "burying" a name even do, just acknowledge someone's death? I met a woman named Sev'Tai, and I got a quest from her to kill three Chaosmen. Norochj gave me a quest to go to the Mausoleum, and there I met another spirit that wants me to kick out a necromancer; I've shelved this quest until I get stronger. I got another quest from someone of the Errit-Agge, who wants his necklace back. Finished the Nestor's fork quest. And now I'll see if I can quickly get rid of this box quest, and get back to the main story.
I run across someone named Ingress. She goes on and on about how anything that is bound on all sides could be a portal to another place, but requires a key. A key could be anything, not just an object but a thought or an action. She accidentally portaled to Sigil (this city), and can't find her way back. I offer to help, conversation ends, she runs away. I get a notice that my alignment has changed, check the stats screen, and from Neutral I've gone to Neutral Good. I'm OK with that, I usually play good characters, and games usually reward such behavior. Though perhaps this game will not.
I meet another character in the street, Baen the Sender. He's employed by the House of Senders, and looking for someone named Craddock so he can give him a message. I offer to deliver the message. Baen says Craddock is an overseer in one of the Hive marketplaces. Sounds very much like a place I'd like to go.
I run across another character, Anna. As a character with voice work, she must be important. Unfortunately its a rather crap accent, the weakest voice work in the game so far. Also, the music seems to change, from the busy marketplace, to something more ethereal, which I kind of like. Unfortunately most games (and especially older, less sophisticated games) readily give away who and what is important in the game, as they tend to be better drawn, or have more voice work, etc. Sometimes these hints are so unsophisticated as to glow on screen, so you can't possibly miss it.
Anyway, back to Anna. Large conversation tree, another giveaway that its an important character. Some conversation threads can lead to combat, and surprisingly, Anna is fairly easy to kill. I reload. There seem to be a lot of insults in this dialogue tree, maybe I can level up Morte's Litany of Curses. Nothing much, I learn that my floating skull pal, Morte, is called a "mimir".
On to the southeast. I meet Mourns-for-Trees. Every now and then a character hints at breaking the fourth wall, like an earlier NPC who thought I was going to ask her Name, Job, etc., and this guy, who thinks I will 'have some questions'. He wants me to care about the trees, and for 500 xp, no problem. More reference made to The Lady of Pain, The Mistress of Sigil. I have no doubt I will meet this character, eventually. He complains that the Dabus, the caretakers of the city, don't come to this part of town because an outcast Dabus named Fell lives here, so no upkeep is being done in this section. The Dabus speak in rebuses, and Fell can tattoo you with a magical one. The Powers are gods and deities, and apparently the Lady has the power to destroy them, and keep them out of Sigil.
I meet a Damsel in Distress, who takes me to an ambush I can't win (at this level). I reload, and in another conversation tree, I get her to run away, and I get 500 xp. Probably the better deal, I'll keep it.
I meet Starved Dog Barking Thug. Most conversation threads leads to combat. One leads to Morte telling me that this is a Xaositect, or Chaosman. Are these the ones I'm supposed to kill for that revenge quest? Probably, but I'll try and postpone combat where possible.
I find Fell's shop but don't go in, I'll leave that for later. As I walk three Starved Dog attack me, not too hard and not much loot, but I'm wounded now. Might as well go back and collect on that quest, and test to see what resting does. I go back to Sev'Tai, but my only conversation options are to lie, or say I haven't found them yet. Bug, or I killed the wrong ones? I won't lie, maybe I can try again later.
Back to the Flophouse. I can't just rest, I still have to ask permission from Arlo. I see a short video of a face and some turning clockwork (as seen in the Windows icon of this game, and the game's startup screen). A dream? I get a message that I rested 8 hours, and my hp goes back from 9 to 32. Morte levels up to 4 (fighter); I am also level 4 (fighter). Time to go back to the southeast.
I enter Ku'atraa's Warehouse and speak to him. Now I'm supposed to give this cursed box to Brasken. More fights with street thugs, need to go back and rest again. I see a Bariaur in the street, guess the one at my flophouse isn't so unique.
I meet a Githzerai Townsperson. That goes nowhere. I meet a Drunk, that goes even more nowhere. I meet a Drunk Harlot, who's actually a pickpocket - nice, 1000 xp. Level up, I'll take another point of Con.
I meet Jhelai, nothing to say. More thug attacks in the street - nobody ever seems to notice or care about me fighting in public. No police here? No law?
I find the Smoldering Corpse Bar - that sounds delightful, let's go in! I meet Mochai, nothing much there. I meet Kiarus Thorntongue, though her mouseover simply says Smoldering Corpse Patron. Interesting background: originally from the Prime Material Plane, her (rich?) wizard uncle invites his relatives to Sigil for the experience. I speak to the other Patron, Cilaen Irontoes. I learn about the burning corpse, Ignus, and that he is being punished for burning down part of the Hive (this slum). I see two abishai, and approach the first one, Tegar'in. They seem to both know me, but Morte warns me to be careful and not talk to them. Strangely, nothing comes of talking to them. I approach Mercykiller Patron, doesn't want to talk, I approach another Mercykiller Patron, and this one is talkative. His name is Tarner, though that only seems to come up in conversation, not on mouseover. He belongs to what seems to be a mercenary police force, and that I look like a suspect from centuries ago. Because the incident was so long ago, I couldn't possibly be the same person, so he lets me go. Really? In this place, with so much strangeness going on, so much access to magic and visiting other dimensions, a few centuries passing is all I need to be above suspicion?
I approach Ilquix, a big fan of chaos. I talk to Barkis, the bartender. He says I was in here 15 years ago, got liquored up and trashed the place, then plucked out an eye as collateral for the damages. With interest, I owe 500, but I only have 200. I get him down to 300, but I still don't have that much right now.
I talk to Alais, a boring "clueless" from the Prime material plane. I speak to Ebb Creakknees, "Third Measure of the Harmonium", and a veteran campaigner. He tells of the war between two fiend races, between law and chaos, and how the war sometimes slips out into the multiverse. This seems to make The Nameless One a bit uncomfortable. Didn't that cop say I looked like someone from centuries ago. How long has this cycle been going on? Anyway, a likeable guy, lots of info, I should have talked to him sooner.
I talk to Candrian Illborne, a traveler of the planes. Fascinating description of how the whole multiverse works, the various planes and how they interact. Almost too much information, especially to read in tiny conversation windows. Between Candrian and Ebb, you pretty much know how this universe works, and how Sigil works. I also got a plot token to the Negative Plane, and a bump in a minor quest to get someone home to their prime plane.
I talk to Drusilla, girlfriend to the burning man who the bar is named after. Turns out he can be doused, but with how much water? I talk to Drusilla again, and interestingly its updated already, she's a little less sad.
Back to Mochai for the bartender's quest: I got full bar privileges, but so what, it doesn't seem to have any affect on you. The elemental water drink is interesting.
Looks like I'm done with the Smoldering Corpse, for now, that was fun and profitable. Back out on the street, I find some NPCs I missed. I talk to Amarysse, she appears to be just another harlot, but doesn't really have any dialogue - may come up later. I haven't been mentioning some of the more common NPCs the city is crawling with, like Harlot, Hive Dweller, and Hive Thug, Angry Hive Dweller. And here's something new, Barking-Wilder.
I kill another Chaosman, head back to Sev'Tai, finally the dialogue considers me done. A few xp, a trinket, just another day in the life in an RPG. I go rest, come out and its still night, not great for exploring.
I want to get rid of this box, back to the southwest and a new map square. I meet Ash-Mantle, another pickpocket, but I welcome it, as its an easy 1000 xp. I talk to Meir'am, she has a story about seeing me in the past, there was a woman trying to dissuade me from something, and two followers, one stinking of drink.
I meet Creeden, interesting story about brain rats, that gain powers the more of them there are. I enter a building with only a Hive Dweller. Nothing much going on here, but two empty lockers. We take out five Hive Thugs with minimal damage. I meet Crier of Es-Annon, and get a tombstone quest. I enter Brasken's Kip, he sends me to Shilandra, one of the first NPCs I came across early in the game, and at who's place I stashed my earliest loot.
I try other merchants, some will take my trinkets, all at half the price they're charging for them. I wonder if that will get better elsewhere, but for now I have too much junk and not enough money. The marketplace is interesting in that its not a one stop shop, but made of various merchants who specialize.
I speak to Kossah-Jai, she has only fish to sell. I find a weapon merchant. So far, I've only been using fist irons. I tried to use my Green Steel Knife, but it wasn't as good. He's got a Green Steel Dagger for 18 copper pieces, so I'll try that. I find a merchant who sells Lim-Lims (the local seemingly-harmless pet/livestock) for 40 cp; I'll pass, for now. I talk to Prophya, but there's no dialogue. I talk to Craddock, I thought he sounded familiar, I have a message for him, from a minor quest. I get another minor fedex quest.
I talk to Gaoha, another Githzerai. I am pleased to see that my Gith and this Gith exchange at least a glance, if not a word. That's exactly the sort of thing I love for games to do - notice my actions, and change its actions to suit. Gaoha wants to play dice, but after only one round takes a dislike to my fortune, and stops. I talk to Laborer, no dialogue.
I talk to Reekwind. He has some interesting things to say about names, and not letting others know your true name. I talk to Iron Nalls, she's collecting nails for a coffin maker, and has a damaged eye.
There's a passage to "the Northwestern portion of the Hive", I'll try that. It takes me to the map with the Flophouse. Back to find Jhelai. Finish work for Craddock. Now on to Shilandra. She has lots of info, but no real solution other than to seek a cathedral in the Alley of Dangerous Angles, a place I don't think I'm ready for, yet.
I'll try it anyway, though, I can always just reload. I enter the Alley and I am approached by Razor Angel, who wants a toll. I'll pay it and see what happens. I run into some Darkalley Shiv, who are immediately aggro, so we run back to the Razor Angel - and they start fighting each other! Interesting. I go back, meet more Shivs, they are easy. Someone called Rotten William shows up, aggro. Kill him. Enter tent, talk to Gamlin, he doesn't want to talk. Find a container, try to attack with my prybar, failed. Nameless One says out loud 'I cannot force this'. I enter another tent, and meet a Hive Dweller.
I enter Ruined Cathedral, meet Aola, only (last?) priest of Aoskar, who banishes the fiend within the cursed Moridor's Box, and I get 1000 xp. Seems a little anti-climactic, but this early in the game that's OK.
I enter Burnt Building, talk to Rauk, get quest to get rings from tents. While finding rings, meet Krystall, leader of the Razor Angels. I get a quest to kill Rotten William, which I've already done. I agree and get my best xp reward so far, 1500. Next quest: kill Blackrose, ok. Back to Rauk, I give him the rings. He gives it to mages in training, they summon a lim-lim, and promptly get killed. WTF? I talk to the lim-lim, the only paths are kick it or leave it alone, choose latter.
2014.01.01
Next day, I start by going over all my previous notes. It's actually really helpful in re-centering myself and picking up on the story. The plot isn't that hard to keep up with, but there are so many names, and so much new material to absorb, its easy to lose focus. The in-game journal is very handy, but disjointed. My notes give me more of a line to follow. I am also keeping a to-do list at the bottom of this page, and erasing them as I go. Examples are: "find Pharod, find journal", "talk to Fell, get tattoo?", sw: enter "Office of Vermin", "carve a tombstone for Crier of Es-Annon", "kill Blackrose for Krystall". There's so much to see and do, and I don't like to miss anything, especially not any of the story, loot, or xp.
So where do my notes tell me to go now? I think I'll start by crossing off a few lesser quests. This game definitely seems to reward talking and quests way above combat. Now that I've access to merchants, and increased my liquidity, I can go get my eye back from that bartender at the Smoldering Corpse bar. I doubt it will tell me much, but anything is good at this point.
Another thing I haven't mentioned is the slang. This game has a fair bit, and it adds quite a bit to the style and depth of the world. There's probably a good list of these somewhere online, but some of my favorites are: berk, chant, cutter, dark, deader, jink, kip. Of course, a lot of stories, games, movies, etc. have tried to do this, but Planescape seems really committed to fitting it in, and it works.
I go to see Fell, the outcast Dabus tattooer, and he knows me, but can not tell me anything about me. I check out his tattoo inventory, and its expensive. Still, $1200 for +2 to a stat sounds worth it. And +1 is only $300. I check my character sheet, I have 3 tattoo slots. I wonder if these can boost stats over 18? In any case, this is a must have. I need $3600. Talk to Fell some more, and it seems I already have a tattoo of Torment. It "draws all tormented souls to you". Too bad I can't drop that one for an open tattoo slot.
Fight some street thugs, Dak'kon gets killed. He still has a button on the character list, but I don't see any way to resurrect him. Isn't that supposed to be one of my abilities? Maybe its locked, for now. Time to reload, and get some rest. Same clockwork face dream. Dak'kon hasn't completely healed. Sucks not to be able to regenerate. How do I give him just some of my supplies? I can't seem to separate out groups of things into individual items. I really should hit the manual again.
I feel a pull towards the main plotline, and I want to see some new territory, let's go to Ragpicker's Square. I meet Yellow-Fingers, that was unproductive. I talk to Ratbone, who can apparently switch your class to Thief. Not something I've ever been interested in. If I can't be a spell caster, I'll stay a fighter. I'll skip Sharegrave's Kip, for the moment.
{tech note: from here, I'm switching from jpg to tif screencaps, see what happens
edit: tif looks better, switched all to tif}
I continue to explore the Ragpicker's area. This is one of the problems with isometric maps (maps that try to look almost 3D), its hard to tell what's walkable area, and what's a building, and what's taller and what's shallower. And this is all far worse at night, when the map is darkened. Most buildings or exits say nothing on mouseover, so I keep referring to the mini map to see where I am, and what locations show up. The mouse tooltip does help, though, letting me know what I can look at, and what places I can enter.
There appears to be a portal spot, and a door beyond it. I'll have to ask around. It might take talking to Sharegrave. I first ask Ratbone, he recommends asking Creeden, by Vermin Control. Time to face Sharegrave. Not bad, he wants a piece of Pharod too. I need to get past that archway, and go underground. Time to talk to Creeden. He refers me to Nalls. She's very helpful, telling me the nature of the portal, and its key.
2014.01.04
This one hasn't caught fire with me yet. Most every game I play starts out with fumbling and confusion until you get used to the UI, and the world. And then something clicks into place, and I'm totally in the game, and I forget about Real Life, at the very least while I'm playing. While I'm away from that kind of game, its all I can think about until I can get back. Not quite there yet with Planescape, but I do find myself thinking about it a little more each day.
Now that I've advanced the plot a bit, I feel like backing off, finishing some loose ends. I find the Hive Merchant who should have the produce for Mebbeth, but he doesn't have it; I'm referred to Mourns-for-Trees. He tells me to will it to grow, because that's how the metaphysics of this world works, and it does work. I didn't mention earlier when I met Mourns, that he went on and on about how much belief is the source of existence for this world. He was trying to will the ailing trees back to health, but he was also complaining that the Dabus caretakers weren't coming around, so it all seemed contradictory and ignorable. But then I go back to Mebbeth, and she tells me more of the same, and that I need to will the seed into its next stage of growth. If this is true, why does anyone do anything, when they could just will it into existence? But, two characters told me to bend this thing to my will, and they couldn't or wouldn't do it it themselves, so maybe there's more or less to this believing. In any case, the game keeps going on and on about this, so it must important.
Now Mebbeth wants to me to go get her dry cleaning from a merchant. Pretty standard low level RPG grinding. Unless, of course, believing in the dry cleaning is also a plot point. Another thing about Mebbeth is I think she will be my magic teacher, if and when I switch from fighter. I don't know when it will be the optimum time to do that, but it doesn't feel like it yet. I think the game started me as a fighter for some reason.
My thumb keeps going to the alt key, but in this game it does nothing. In some game (Diablo?) it makes any item you can manipulate or pick up glow, but in this game you have to wave your mouse all over the screen.
I've been meaning to say this for some while now, but it just needs to be pointed out that sometimes people walk backwards. They might move right to left perfectly fine on the screen, but when they go left to right they're still facing left, but moving to the right. Sometimes this is more bizarre than others, like when running or fighting.
So I return the stuff to Mebbeth, and the game catches me off guard. What I thought was simple fedexing was a test, and my character passed. Interesting, yet simple and well done. So... after all I said about not being ready to switch from fighter to mage yet, here I am. I could go back a few saves, be a fighter for a while longer, and then make this switch. But the way it happened makes it seem right that I switch now, it just seems natural. This is further cemented in that the Nameless One seems to be remembering that he was mage, and already his memories put him well down the path. It almost seems like the game itself is giving you its blessing. And I always intended to end up here, anyway.
The only question is do I have enough fighters in my party to survive long enough to get strong. And can I find enough gear to protect myself. I suppose on another playthrough I could better optimize the switchover, but I might not get another chance. At least I have regen ability, that should help a lot with the low hit points of mages. Time to fill my spellbook. Fortunately, Mebbeth has a bunch for sale that I can afford.
As much as I consider myself a Dungeons and Dragons purist (first edition is the only edition), I've never been fond of its magic system. I think its called the "Vancian" (after works of Jack Vance) system, where you have to rest, memorize a limited amount of spells from your pool of spells, then go out and face the world and hope you guessed right. I prefer the "mana" style where you have a pool of mana, spells cost mana, and you can cast whatever you want while you have enough mana, and there are various ways of refilling your mana. Games like Diablo go to the extreme with this, in that you can carry mana potions and chug them down as fast as you can. Its much more fun to fill the screen with continuous lightning bolts, if a lot less realistic. I memorize four spells and rest, so I can start trying them out.
Outside the flophouse, I talk to Mar, now that I'm done with the cursed box quest. Check my quests list - why is 'find Craddock' still on there? I talk to him and there are no more dialogue options. I hate when dead or unfinishable quests linger on my list. I've somehow gained a 'cure Reekwind of his stink' quest, but I don't remember that coming up in conversation. I'll do it just to get it off my list. Here's one that looks easy enough, 'find Amarysse for Nod'. My note taking pays off, I easily find she's outside the Smoldering Corpse. OK, deliver $100 to Nod.
Head back to Ragpicker's, I come across Marrow-Friend, looks like I missed him first time through. He's got an interesting ring, and cannibalistic methods are employed to get it from him and onto me. I guess if you can regenerate, it opens up all sorts of new possibilities. If I wear the ring, can I use similar means to remove it? That's what save-game slots are for. Well, I put it on, and there's no "bite finger off" option, so I'll go back to previous save, until I can cast Remove Curse.
Near Marrow-Friend, I find a door that's not marked on the map. It's a portal! It goes to an empty room of junk, and a container that contains item Junk. There's no exit! Then I can't control anything, but it soon becomes clear why, the game has started a set piece, and three people enter, and my party lines up to face them. Not the best way to tell story, but its acceptable, for now. Someone name Vlask, dressed as a collector, and two others dressed as thugs, begin to talk to me. There's a portal out of the room, but he wants to sell me the token, a glass bead, to be able to use it. You can guess where this is going. Wasn't there a quest about the source of fresh bodies at the Dustman's Mortuary? I try to fight, but they kill us fairly easily. Time to reload, I guess I'll try them again when stronger, for now I'll put it on my to-do list.
I give Nodd the money from Amarysse. 750 xp is plenty of reward, but I wonder what Amarysse will say now. I need to head to that section of the Hive, anyway. I head up to Mourns-for-Trees. Last time I was through here, I noticed a strange new option in his dialogue 'ask Dak'kon to help you', and I want to see where that goes. Oh, yeah, I'm supposed to be getting people to care about Mourn's trees. I already got Morte on board, so I guess now Dak'kon is too.
This encounter is funny. I listen to his long boring tale, and it triggers a rest session. I then turn in some cranium rate tails, at $1 each, and it doesn't seem right, like there's some other use for these later. I'm probably wrong, but I'll hold onto the rest, for now. Nothing much else here than a locked door and a locked box, I'll note that on my list, especially since I can't even cast Knock yet.
Let's try the Mausoleum again, back near the Dustman's Mortuary, and see if we can get further in. Regular skeletons are easy, easier than Hive Thugs. The Giant Skeletons are a little tough. Down to the Mausoleum Inner Chamber. Again, a set encounter happens and I have no control, the map moves us around, and I speak to Strahan Runeshadow. This leads to one of the most spectacular battles so far in the game, surrounded by a dozen skeletons while Strahan lobs spells at us. He seems to have some idea of who or what I am, I wonder if there are other conversation possibilities. This is why we save.
There wasn't a better conversation path, but some smarter combat did the trick. I used a fly charm to keep the necromancer from casting spells, while we broke up the skeletons. It didn't suppress Strahan long enough, so I had Morte use his Litany of Curses, and before you know it, battle is over. I'm guessing tactics like these will become increasingly necessary. Cool, I get the Ice Dagger spell and a mage's bracer.
Looking at Morte, I wonder why I didn't equip him with Ingress' Teeth sooner. I think I thought they were one-time use, but they are actually an equipable weapon for him. Might as well try them on. Looking through Strahan's desk, I find and read his diary, he was trying to become a lich. I also get a Strength spell. On the way out I meet Guardian Spirit, he says bye. What, no loot? Woah, 2000 xp, nice. Got a bunch of level ups out of that.
I forgot who even gave me this quest - is there someone else to report to? Checking the notes, it was Norochj, somewhere around here. I pass by the weird obelisk the Dustman carve names into - I wonder if this is the solution to that crier who wants a memorial to his lost city. I talk to Death-of-Names, and it works. I head off to the Gathering Dust Bar. $2000 and 1000 xp, nice.
There are some characters here in the bar I don't think I ever took note of, it was early in the game and I wasn't taking notes yet.
2014.01.11
All of a sudden, its a week later, and I've put no time in. I think about the game a little bit each day, but its not calling me strongly enough to fight off Real Life enough. Let's get back to it by reviewing the notes.
OK, so I'm back at a really early part of the game, in the Gathering Dust bar. Let's fill in some gaps in the early notes. So there's Norochj, who appears to be done. A bunch of 'Dustman' and 'Zombie Worker'. Old Coppereyes appears to sell Dead Contracts, where you sign away your body to work after death forever as an undead slave to the Dustmen. In the back is Emoric, who appears to be a big shot in Dustman circles. He has a quest to test to see if I want to join the Dustmen. Not sure if I want to do that, but I can always restore from save, so let's see where this goes. I'm to report to Norochj to do a quest which I've already done, so I get xp and loot. I talk some more with Emoric, and get a second quest; help Awaiting-Death with his beliefs in the Dustman cause.
I talk to Mortai Gravesend, doesn't seem to have much going on. I talk to Sere the Skeptic, another doubting member of the faith, and she has a rather extensive conversation tree, and you get to see a bit of The Nameless One's sense of humor. I find Awaiting Death, and there are many forks in the conversation, but it seems like the only one that advances the story is to kill myself as a means of demonstration. I am reluctant to do this because of further memory loss, but I try it anyway, and it seems like instead of the usual back to the Mausoleum death cycle, it doesn't even leave conversation mode. I convince him not to want to die, and get 500 xp. My health points haven't even changed, nothings really changed. I feel like they cheapened the whole immortality element of the game; the Nameless One is offing himself as a party trick now. Let's see what Emoric has to say. Another 250 xp, another quest. Talk to Sere, another 500 xp. Now I need to find Soego, who was last at the Mortuary. How do I get back in?
Oh, its easy, I just ask the guard. No sign of Soego in the front, the guards don't seem to know anything. Oh, there's Deionarra again. I wonder if she has anything new to say. Same old stuff, same old prophecy. Dhall doesn't have anything new on the matter. I guess I'll let it go, for now. Time to wander, see if I missed anything. Old Tomb, nothing much in there. Enter a home, meet Angyar, and Wife-of-Angyar. Looks like I missed a quest, Angyar signed a Dead Contract with Gravesend that he now regets. That's 500 xp, back to Angyar for another 750 xp. Talk to him some more about Pharod, get another 500 xp. And this house is now a resting place. I really missed out first time around on some easy experience points.
Tying up loose ends. I find the Crier of Es-Annon, get some xp. The Crier walks into a nearby door and disappears. Map doesn't indicate anything is there, i.e. not a named location. Inside, just a Hive Dweller who wants to rest. I find a bunch of thugs in red, get some prayer beads from them, this is part of some quest. I go back near the flophouse, and find Porphiron. Get 1000 xp. He offers to switch me back to fighter class, I decline.
Off to merchants to sell loot. I talk to Gaoha and gamble. It seems like I win everytime, but I can only play once a day. He tells me I have no luck, not good or bad, just nothing. I can buy lim-lims here, and they're cheap. I buy one, but it doesn't seem to join my party - it doesn't take up one of the empty NPC squares, nor does it follow us. Oh well. Wait - its in my inventory! And I can... talk to it. I can put it down to run around a bit. I can pick it back up into my inventory. That sounds like it may be useful later.
Stop by the tattooer, if nothing else to experiment. Can tattoos get you over the 18 barrier? Its a problem mortals have, but ol' Nameless may be exempt. My Intelligence is 15, I can get a +2 INT tattoo for $1200, so why not. It looks like some party members can also wear tattoos. This is going to get expensive. It looks like tattoos are inventory items, and you can trade them like playing cards. Convenient, if silly and game immersion ruining.
Time to visit Painted Door to Tenement of Thugs. Sounds like a trove of xp and loot. The door seems to be just a painting. This will probably come up again later. That's the thing with games, especially the older ones, there's not much extra memory for red herrings. Though there are a surprising number of small descriptions written all over the place, which you can find when your cursor turns into a question mark.
I visit the Alley, open a locked box with Knock, get a blue teardrop (sets your Lore to 100 for a bit). Talk to Aola. I can buy the gem he took from the cursed box? I need that for a quest. Back to the northwest, and to Jarym. Got 500 xp, and some money.
I want to get rid of quest Find Craddock for Baen, so I find Baen. 500 xp.
2014.01.12
I go to the junk portal in Ragpicker's Square. Interesting, the portal doesn't take you to a new map, it just moves you into the northwest corner that you can't walk to. I go through the only door, and I'm in a new map called Trash Warrens. Looks like a bunch of collectors and thugs hanging out down here. I speak to Anamoli. Conversation quickly turns to violence, then all the others in the area turn aggro. Not a hard fight, but not a useful one either. Reload. OK, there is a conversation path that lets you just walk away. Meet some aggro thugs, a little tougher than the usual, they yield 120 xp instead of the usual 65.
More aggros, more loot, more xp. Though I've only done half of this first map, I need to go sell off some of this loot, and rest. I'm starting to really accumulate some stuff, time to get organized. There are two cabinets in the flophouse, I'll list the contents of stashes below, after my to do list. This is clearly a big complicated game, with lots of names, items, and places, and the in-game tracking can only help so much. Good notes can save a lot of aggravation.
I've got enough copper to afford another tattoo, so its time to visit Fell. I was afraid something like this would happen - every tattoo is unique, and I can't get duplicates. There's only one Tattoo of Revelation (+2 to Int). What's more, I just noticed its only usable by mages, so I probably can't use most other tattoos. I guess I can get the +1 to Int, and some other for my third slot. Yep, +2 Strength is usable only to fighters, +2 Dex is for thieves, +2 Con for fighters, yet Wisdom seems class independent, as does Charisma. If I'm going to put on another +2 stat tattoo, its going to be Wisdom. I'm sure I'll find other stat boosting equipment eventually. I now have 17 Int and Wis, but in my stat sheet both are in red. Hopefully that just means they're boosted, and not limited in some way.
I've still got an empty tattoo slot, and a +1 to Int or Wis is only $300, so I might as well have it, especially since I can easily pass it along to party members. I just need another $60, so I'll pick fights with every thug from here back to the market. I have an 18 Int now, but I still don't have any additional spell slots. Does this mean I don't really have the bonuses? Or maybe that's decided by level, not Int. I could just check the manual, but let's just keep moving.
Walking back to base, I pass that huge nameless monument outside Mortuary - where is that creep, Annah, that used to hang out here? It's about time I got another pack mule - I mean party member. She looked like a thief too, and it would be interesting to experiment with that. Oh well, I'm sure someone else will come along to fill these 3 remaining character slots.
Back to the Trash Warrens, we beat a group of thugs but we're hurt. First time in combat I actually had to resort to healing devices. Meet another group of 'Buried Villager', and there's too many so we retreat. Time to heal up at Mebbeth's shack. I heal right up, but Dak'kon not so much, only 10 hp per night. I ask Mebbeth for healing, and it seems to heal the whole party up for free. Nice.
Taking a break, I leaf through the manual, looking for a keyboard shortcut list. There isn't one. I'm not going to risk spoilers to get it.
Back into the dump. I meet a Buried Villager tiefling, who's red but not attacking. I try to use Pacify and then talk to her, but we end up attacking instead. Oops. Here comes the rest of their group. OK, that wasn't so hard.
Finished exploring, now there's just one path, with a NPC named Bish ahead. Easy conversation, I'm allowed to pass, and get 1200 xp. Down the hatch we go.
New map: Buried Village. It looks like this was once a section of the city, and has been buried in trash, and new city grew on top of it. Just like real life.
Marta has a few items for sale, notably a weapon for Morte, the Teeth of the Viper. Might come back for that when I have $900 to spare. Back out to the street. I meet Radine, who has a number tattoo, which makes her safer down here. I'm sure this will develop into something. Some Village Thugs go aggro on us, but they aren't too tough, and the rest of the townspeople remain blue (non-aggressive). I meet Ku'u Yin who, like Radine, is going on about having a name and a number. Oh, Radine has his name and number. I go back and forth for a while, eventually she pulls the name tattoo off herself and hands it over. Maybe in this world, tattoos are like Post-Its. Holy cow, 2500 xp, and I get to keep the tattoo.
I see some Village Thugs with text over their heads, going on and on about some dice gambling. We exchange some insults and fight. Is this helping Morte's taunt skill improve any? How to tell? Or is it just incorporated in his general leveling up? I enter the house of Ojo the Leatherhead. He talks to a rat in the wall, and in conversation points out which wall, but it doesn't seem to change anything outside of conversation. Which is a shame, because the rat seems to know things. Maybe its a cranium rat.
Back outside, we go into an unnamed hut, meet a Buried Villager. Lots of junk, nothing else. We enter Quint's Shop. He's got a quest for me, to find Gris the collector, who's probably dead, and he's got something that belongs to Quint. Ojo already told me the rats told him Gris is dead. I have to look in the catacombs, a place I haven't been yet. The item is a necklace of poison teeth (maybe Morte would like to have that). Quint has a bit of info, turns out the Dabus paved over the catacombs and junk a while ago, and this village sprang up around its exploitation.
I talk to Barr, but its a short conversation tree, and he is not letting me down there. That leaves me no choice but to talk to Pharod now. I enter a new map: Pharod's Court. Its a huge room, like a king's court, containing only Pharod. There aren't even any descriptions for all the junk. Its so underwhelming I'm not even taking a screenshot. I talk to Pharod, and he talks to me like I know him, and I've contracted him to do some service for me: if I'm found I am to be taken to the Mortuary. I play along, but that conversation yields little, except something about a lost sphere. I try again, this time telling him that I lost my memories, and the conversation gets much more interesting. Nameless recalls a memory of the sphere, and I speak it, and I accept the quest to find it below in the catacombs and return it. Pharod doesn't claim to know anything about my lost journal. I talk to him some more, and he confirms that I, in my previous life, really wanted to get into the Mortuary. But why go through death to do that, when the Mortuary guards let you walk right through the front door, if you say you're just here to pay your respects?
I go past the gate, and to a new map: Weeping Stone. I check the World Map, and my marker is now on Lower Ward. I find a corpse named Burt. Its very creepy down here, very Diablo in decorations and music. I see rats up ahead, I think I'm going to find out more about the group powers of Cranium Rats. We meet some bats, and the music gets ominous, but they go down with little hurt to us. I meet some more, and see the bats are called Lesser Vargouille. Obviously, there's going to be some non lesser Vargouille later down the line. They go down fairly easily for something worth 200 xp. There's a door to Crypt of Dismemberment, I'll save that until I've mapped this level.
I keep finding Skull, Leg Bone Club, etc. I'm just leaving them, I doubt I can turn them into copper anywhere. There's a door, but unlike Crypt of Dismemberment, it has no marker on the map. It leads to map: Mosaic Crypt. There's a giant crypt, and its locked. Cast Knock, oops I didn't memorize it, add to To Do list. We keep taking damage, but I can't tell from what. Time to leave. Kill some more bats, take some damage, let's try out Blood Bridge. I give Dak'kon 6 hp, which is lame, but the animation and sounds are cool. Holy crap - cranium rats just sent a ball lightning spell at us, for 13 hp damage. No wonder the whole city wants them dead. They shoot 3 more balls at us, time to run for it.
I have to pay the guard $50 to get back out of the catacombs. When this quest is over, he's dead. We head back to Marta to rest. Add Knock to my memorized spells. Cast Blood Bridge on Dak'kon a few more times. More rest - have I mentioned that every time you rest you see the strange face, and the clockwork? I wonder if this is the Lady of Sigil, or some device of hers.
Back below, we fight a Ghoul, it hits hard but goes down easy. We fight about a dozen Cranium Rats, and they lob some heavy spells, but we run in there and whack a mole. Its tedious picking up all these tails. I see a door to the Shattered Crypt, and on the map the Warrens of Thought. Stairs lead up to the Crypt of the Embraced which contains several crypts, that look too sci-fi to be in a fantasy game. We walk in and three ghouls appear and kick our ass. Reload. Try again, this time casting all spell power ups, and we make it. Some of the best xp and loot I've seen so far. Time to open that giant crypt. It looks like I've found Gris - but if he's just another local scav, why is he in this nice crypt? A long dead language on the wall tells the life story of the inhabitant of this tomb - isn't Gris more contemporary than that?
Next up: Shattered Crypt. Strange circular room, I avoid the center. Wow, $500, more than I've every found at one time. Let's go to the center of the room, and see what happens. Of course, we're attacked. Its a ton of bats, and we beat them, lots of xp. I level up, get more spell slots. I can do level 3 spells now, but first I have to find some.
Back to Marta's to rest. This time, I pin the guard's arm and threaten him. That'll save a few copper.
2014.01.13
So many doors, with so many fun names. Let's finish old things before opening new, and go to Mosaic Crypt to see if I can Knock open that crypt. It worked! I was kind of hoping to find a previous corpse of myself, so I could loot it, but all I get is coins, a skull, and a sledgehammer. I have Dak'kon take the hammer, and to him its a sledgehammer in need of Identify, so I hand it to Nameless - and it reads as a whole different item now. I guess Nameless can auto-identify now? I check his Lore, which is 32, but I think the max is 100, so maybe it scales from lower to higher level items.
Another thing: Dak'kon is a fighter/mage, but he can't use most items that say fighters only on it. A limitation of being dual class? And yet he has that force sword.
This room, Mosaic Crypt, feels like a big sparkly bath tub. It also seems like a heck of a lot of decoration for a room that contains only a magic hammer. There's a little stone wall at one end, that feels like it should be a door or portal, but only has unintelligible writing on it. Something about this room feels cool, and important. Maybe it will come up later. If nothing else, once I'm done with the game, I can do a search for it.
Now on to the Crypt of Dismemberment. The bats have repopulated, so I gladly take that easy xp. If I can find enough repopping bats, it might even be worth xp farming. So far, only conversations seems to yield the big experience points. Entering the crypt, it looks like another high tech area that would be more at home in Fallout than D&D. Walking down the long hall, sharp things are shooting at us like in that first scene in Indiana Jones. And what's the prize? A tomb with a skull and a leg bone, what a waste of my party's health. Ah, but next to the tomb is a door. I'm in the Underchamber, and there are Cranium rats in the distance. I wish one of us had a bow.
There is a body containing a 'severed arm', with tattoos on it. The item description says I should take it to a tattoo artist, but I can still cast Identify on it, so I do. The item description changes, and it now says I know that this was once my arm. It still says to see a tattoo artist, so I'll save it for Fell. How much do you want to bet that I'll be cutting off my arm so I can attach this one?
Looks like there's nothing else down here, the rats disappeared but there's only the way we came in. Time to go back through the meat grinder. More bats, but little damage. I go to double check the Crypt of the Embraced. Yep, the arrow cursor does indicate that the corpse in the tomb is Gris, but he doesn't seem to have any inventory I can search. So who put him in there, and where's his loot that I need for my quest?
I revisit Shattered Crypt, but unfortunately it doesn't flood the room with bats again. Pity, that would be a great xp farm.
On the map I can see a door called Warrens of Thought, but it'll probably take a bit of fighting to get there. Back to Marta, and rest.
Back down to catacombs, there's some zombies, easy. I find a body - its Chad. His neck is... writhing. What? I'm next to a door called Dead Nations. Let's go. Oh, that's nice, now I have to 'Insert Torment disc 3'. This sucks, but even if I had mounted ISOs, I would still have to alt tab out of the game, dismount, remount, and come back, so this might still be easier.
There's a compartment to look in when Soego's not looking, noting that for later. I ask Soego about Hargrimm, tells me he's a skeleton priest, and that he has not granted him audience with the Silent King. I've played enough Interplay games to guess there is no Silent King, and Hargrimm is really in charge.
I wander, find some loot. I meet a Skeleton who can talk. The land and culture of the Dead Nations sounds like its going to be interesting. I learn about Stale Mary, and Acaste and the Blighted Ones (why do these sound like band names). They have their own social structure, and are at war with the cranium rats, though the rats have backed off, for now. The zombies seem unintelligible, and the ghouls are too tightly wound.
There are two locked chests in the hall - wonder what the locals would think if I cast Knock? I'll put it on my list. I see Hargrimm, but I'll explore first. I meet Doubtful Skeleton, he's puzzling over True Death or 'life'. I say life. I meet Stale Mary, and she teaches me how to speak to the dead, "Stories-Bones-Tell". And I receive a staggering 3750 xp, which wasn't necessary at all, but nice anyway.
I meet Riddling Skeleton, it doesn't want to talk. I meet Acaste, she's a lot of fun. I meet Knifed Ghoul, who has the knife Uhir lost. I trade it for 6 rat tails, and get 600 xp too. I meet Skeleton Merchant, and buy some charms for healing. Its getting really annoying not to be able to separate stacked items, so I'll risk spoilers and look it up. It's double-click! Like other players, I've been trying various Control, Shift, Alt clicks and nothing worked. Double-click doesn't make any sense, but I'm just glad it exists.
Another locked container in the hall. I meet Puzzled Skeleton, and he's apparently been a victim of the Riddling Skeleton. Now, I totally understand receiving a massive experience bonus for learning the language of the undead, I mean that's going to be insanely useful, but receiving twice that amount for solving this stupid riddle? I'll keep the xp, though. Let's revisit Riddling. Oh well, he's just annoyed, no more riddles.
Its mostly normal administrative stuff (no you can't leave, no you can't talk to the boss, etc.), but he mentions the Dead Truce, that undead may not first strike a Dustman. I'm hoping I can perform my 'drop dead and get up trick' to get out of here, but apparently its more complicated than that. There is a conversation point where you can offer to: out Pharod, perform a task, or kill somebody. It seems to be one shot deal, because you can't return to it. Fortunately I saved just before, so I try again. The slaying option is to kill any straggler cranium rats that might be here. It seems like all paths lead to find and kill rats. And I already explored the place. Time to look again.
Time to wander in desperation. I meet Nameless Zombie, she wants to remember her name, tells me its on a tomb near a spiked chest. I try the option to give her a name, and get 5000 xp. Not bad at all. More wandering - finally, some cranium rats in an empty hall. Back to Hargrimm, hopefully for real this time. Yep, and about 10k of xp too.
As it turns out, you can use Knock to open chests in front of the undead, and they don't seem to mind. Hargrimm sells healing, but more importantly lets us rest here now. It's time to explore that southwest door.
New map: Drowned Nations. A bunch of ghouls down here, scouting. I meet a ghoul marked only as Ghoul, but she says her name is Alaina. I explore, meet some ghouls fighting a Trocopotaca (looks like a rhino). I get in on the action and get 850 xp. More set encounters. Varg killing a Troco, I jump in to help so I can get all the xp. At the end of a corridor, a body. It has the Bronze Sphere. I wonder if I can Stories-Bones-Tell with this corpse. I do it, and there's an ethereal animation, but nothing else happens. Am I doing it right? There are a few other bodies here in the catacomb I can try it on.
I approach the sealed passageway, only I may enter. On the ground, before me, that same familiar symbol that marks my position on the World Map. I loot some corpses, active some traps, get killed - was that supposed to happen? Reload. This time when I step through the symbol, I have enough hp to survive the lightning bolt. I enter a room with a tomb, start glowing blue, and I'm teleported to another part of the map. I get hit by another bolt, screen goes black. I don't think I died this time, just the graphics got really glitchy. I find a key that will help me get to a tomb. Important safety tip: don't stand on the symbol, last one hit me for 106 damage. Reloading, this time I'll offload as much of my inventory as I can before I go into this place.
Trying again, I get Tomb Key1, which I need to use in Weeping Stone (huh?). I'm trapped amongst the teleporters, can't get back to the hall entrance, unless killing myself is the answer... I do wake up back at the entrance. Now that I have the key, when I enter the center, I'm teleported right, instead of left. I get Tomb Key2, then 3. Finally, I can approach the sarcophagus, and... its locked. I cast Knock, yeah, I didn't think that would be that easy. Oh well, I guess it comes up later, time to leave. Except I can't leave, that door is locked.
OK, I thought for sure this last key was my ticket out of here, but the front door is still locked. I just start walking everywhere, the southern way portals me to the only dark spot left on the map, the southeast corner. There is a chest, with a few lesser items in it. You'd think someone of my years would have amassed some better loot than this. I enter the portal, and I'm back outside the sealed passage.
Down another passage, kill more bats, find another dead body. Can't communicate with it, but I get a flask. This might be what the stone face quest needs.
Back at the nearest rest stop, I can Identify a teardrop I found, and its some artifact that gives permanent +1 to Constitution, but you have to be Lawful Good. I'm Neutral Good now, so maybe I'll be able to use this soon.
I head back up to Weeping Stone, and now Chad is speaking. Is he alive, or is this my speak with the dead skill? Well, he is dead, but wants some choice in his undeath, so I need to kill some bats. Chad then tells me of a magic decanter, but I think I already have it.
I keep clicking on dead bodies, seeing who I can speak to. I find a Dead Body, it tries to but can not really talk.
I give stone face Glyve his water, and he tells me to seek Nemelle in the Clerk's Ward in Upper Sigil.
I go down to Crypts of Dismemberment where I found the dead body with my arm. When I click on it, I can only see its inventory, but no dialogue options. I cast the special ability again, and I see the same light show with the ghosts whirling around me, but nothing seems different. Not sure how this ability works at all.
I click on another corpse near the entrance, it is Burt. His buddy Lowden died here too. Apparently they worked for Gris - maybe I can speak to him now? Yes I can. His stash is to the right of Ojo's place. And the thing for Quint is buried to the left of Marta's house.
I think I'm mostly done here, but I haven't dealt with the cranium rat map yet. Might as well head over there and take a look - I meet some wererats, and Morte keeps saying his bite is not working on this thing. Do we need magic weapons? Fortunately me and Dak have magic, but Morte can't contribute. Now at the entrance to the Warrens of Thought. Think I'll stop here for the day.
2014.01.14
I've accumulated a lot of baggage from finished quests, that I need to redeem for cash and prizes. But it would be nice to finish what I think is the last map in this area, Warrens of Thought. I'm a little afraid of these rats, because in numbers, they seem to be able to pack a real punch. I am curious to meet Many-As-One, though. Are the cranium rats a rodent version of The Borg?
First, time to use my level up. I get a characteristic point, I'll drop it on Intelligence. Cool, now my Int is 19, and "surpasses that of mortal men", and there is no limit on the amount of spells I can put in my book. Down to the Warrens, the first thing I meet is Mantuok. Most conversation options lead to a prison, but one leads to an audience with Many-As-One.
I like the glow of all the tiny little rat eyes; it looks like a great big computer. I'm in a map called Cranium Rat Collective and there's only one exit, to Warrens of Thought. I know I can just walk out the door now, but what of interest can I find on the way. There are Cranium Rat and Wererat walking about, but there doesn't seem to be much conversation.
Southeast, locked door. Knock doesn't work, moving on. I find a scroll of Ball Lightning. This place is like an abandoned warehouse, as it is filled with decaying torture devices, siege engines, and huge drills. In the south, another locked door. I did not see Mantuok again anywhere. I'm guessing the locked area is where you go if you take the prison option.
I think its time to return to Pharod's town. Maybe I'll take a shot at the Silent King just to see what happens, but I won't save the results. I've already taken sides with the undead.
In the journal, I find out that tieflings aren't just 'normal' half-goat people, but actually birth defects caused by the effects of the Lower Planes, and these people are 'tainted' by evil. Maybe my tendency towards good alignment drove Annah away as a party member option.
Back up to the Buried Village. I meet Uhir, give him his lost knife, get 5000 xp. I talk to Quint, oh yeah, I have to go dig up the item first. I play 'hunt the pixel' around Ojo's house but find nothing new. Maybe its inside? No. my journal says nothing useful about this. Outside Marta's, I find the Necklace of Hollow Teeth, hmm, maybe I mixed something up in my notes. Anyway, I have this plot coupon, and it Cures Poison. Sounds useful, but I think I'll just give it up for the xp. Wow, 7500, at that. Done with Quint.
It looks like the thing to the right of Ojo's was Gris' stash, which I think I looted, and it wasn't much. I have plenty of money to buy the teeth weapon from Marta, perhaps it can make up for Morte's lack of a magic weapon. Yes, its +1, and maybe poisonous.
Not much left to do now but visit Pharod and give him his sphere. I can only presume this advances my options, because I've already been told I'll be visiting the Lower Ward, and I see no way to get there yet. It would be nice to know of a few more portals, so I can get around faster in my ever enlarging world. I dread the long walk back to Fell, just so he can have a look at my old arm.
Wow, new xp record, 15k for giving the sphere to Pharod. Now he claims he knows little about me, but that a previous version of me walked in and asked for an audience to request a boon, that if his collectors find my body, to keep it safe. Apparently, I killed at least 20 of his people, messily, before making my request, so of course he agreed. And I bribed him with the promise of a golden sphere from beneath the catacombs. Then he tells me he didn't loot my body or find my journal, but his daughter may have. I immediately think of Annah, and so it is. I get 1000 xp for being persistent in asking what else might have been looted from me. I gain 5 items and a little money. Now I imagine I have to track Annah down, but she's already here, and probably eavesdropping.
The map loads, and Annah is now in my party. She's a level 4 fighter/thief, and apparently under my control.
The game drops us off at the Painted Door to Tenement of Thugs, which seems like an obvious mystery spot to continue the story. If Annah is going to be in my party, she might as well have the best weapons I have in my collection that I can't use, so I lend her the Punch Daggers of Moorin. Since we're right near Fell's shop, I might as well see about this old arm of mine.
I may have missed this conversation point last time I was here, to ask about the frames in the back room, which are recovered skins of tattoos Fell has made - are some of those my old skins? Or just other customers? I get a little more info on the mark of torment that is permanently affixed to me. His words are cryptic and poetic, but I feel I will surely come to know exactly what he means. He then very practically says: "Do not sign anything". That's the most direct advice anyone has ever given me in this game. Finally, Fell asks a question, and Nameless says he feels like something is missing inside, but Fell thinks he will become whole again.
Fell can recover some of the old tattoos, and I can buy them from him. There is a Tattoo of the Lost Incarnation, which grants one-time xp, and faster regen. There are several more tattoos, each of which promise recovered memories, one time xp grants, and some minor ability, mostly thieving. Apparently I spent a lot of past lives thieving here in the Hive, and hiding out in the catacombs. There must be quite some gap between lives, or wouldn't I be a minor celebrity in Sigil? Doesn't the Lady work hard to keep gods out of Sigil? Wouldn't she regard me as least a potential minor nuisance, being an immortal?
The only tattoo that has any power of interest at all is the one that offers faster regen, but I really don't need that. I am very interested in these recovered memories though. Do I actually get to learn more, or is it little more than what I'm reading in the item description? Time to save and find out.
Tattoo of the Bonesinger: temporarily holds undead, finite uses. Skip.
Tattoo of the Lost Incarnation: one time xp, faster regen. I "Use" it, and my xp goes from 57689 to 59384. Big deal. Other than some sound effect, nothing else seems to happen. This doesn't seem worth a tattoo slot, but I may buy it anyway to keep around for faster healing. I have my party attack me so I can see the heal rate - its not that much faster.
Tattoo of Wasting Darkness - can't wear, need to be Thief
Tattoo of Weeping Stones - again, same sound effect, a slight blue flash, but nothing else seems to happen.
Tattoo of Silent Coins - can't wear, need to be Thief
These new tattoos are kind of useless. Time to reload. Sometimes all this saving and reloading seems like cheating, but my justification is that I don't have time to replay the whole game to check which path to take.
I check the loot I got from Pharod, which he probably got from me: 3 bandages and a ring, which on identification is Gehraise's Ring, +3 save vs. poison. Not much use right now. Also, I get Ragged Note From Pharod, which is mostly illiterate warnings about shadows.
Off to the Tenement. I get treated to a movie of some shadows coming to kill Pharod. As The Nameless One, surely I don't know this, and yet I am seeing it anyway. New map: Tenement of Thugs. On the World Map, I am in the northeastern corner of The Hive, but still not near Lower Ward or Clerk's Ward. I've been all the way to the west on this map, to Ragpicker's and Buried Village. To the south of the map I see Alley of Lingering Sighs, but I haven't heard anything mentioned about that in the game yet. I can scroll the map around a bit, and from the space available it seems I'm not even halfway done yet.
In the tenement, I meet a Tiefling Painter, she ignores us. I meet Tiresias, he's rambling crazy about chaos, I leave. I meet Sybil, a thief, who's trapped here because the howling crazy inhabitants of this place are having a big meeting. Her plan is to sneak past, but we need a key from someone upstairs. If I can get the key, we can get out. I meet some Painted Thugs, fighting each other. One dies, we fight the others.
I go east, find stairs, and a locked door. I find some Starved Dog Barking Thug to fight. In a toilet I find a Blood Fly Charm. Why did Nameless even think to look there, other than its highlighted when you mouseover it. I try to fight the many thugs in the meeting hall but we burn through a lot of resources, its not worth it. It might be more doable if we had more long range power. The Starving Dog Veterans are especially tough.
We go up, beat a thug and a veteran thug, lose a lot of hp. Time to burn up some of my low level healing items. Also time to use some spell ups, especially all of our meager defensive spells. We fight a mage and kill it, though it lobs a bunch of punishing colored lights at us that I don't recognize. He carries the Tenement Key. We go back downstairs, but the key doesn't work on the locked door. We sneak past the Dogs, and meet Sybil, who gives me a green gem as a parting gift. We are now on the map: Alley of Lingering Sighs.
I talk to Annah, she has a bunch of conversation options. We suspect Pharod's crutch may be a portal key to his hidden loot stash. Another conversation gets Annah to give me a ring she took from me. There's one more conversation thread that leads to... an unexpected incident of an erotic nature, that stops abruptly. The writing of this game keeps on impressing me. Hypnotic tail, indeed.
Time to explore. I pass a gate that is rusted shut. I enter a Small Dwelling which appears to contain a dead Dabus. Which is wacky, because they are the Lady's servants, and the penalty for attacking one must be extreme. Apparently the poor thing got trapped in here, and couldn't hammer his way out. And yet we can just walk right out.
I meet a Dabus in the street, but it doesn't have anything different to say than the ones in the Hive. I pass a dark patch which will probably turn out to be a portal. At last the path ends at a gate. We go through, a scripted event starts, and Annah says she found me right here, and then a stone face begins to protrude from the wall, surprising all of us. I talk to the face, and it cannot believe it is me, still alive.
I ask Annah again how she found my body in the Pregnant Alley (which is her name for it now, apparently), especially since this is a low traffic area and not likely to have many targets for her thieving or corpse scavenging careers. The conversation then throws me a bone, in revealing she was compelled to come here, but we don't know by who.
Back to the problem at hand. Maybe if I can lure the Dabus into that hut, the sentient rock can kill it for me. But first I must help the face with some repairs. I'll need a hammer (got one from the dead Dabus) and a prybar (good thing I've been holding on to one since the beginning of the game).
I level up, get +1 Int, plus one more characteristic point to spend. I really don't know what to choose, but I have to spend it now. I guess I'll put a point in Con, you can never have too many hp. Annah levels, likewise I have to spend her Thief points now. Open doors sounds more useful than any other thief skill.
Make two repairs. Stone face is satisfied. Get 16250 xp! A movie plays, the city expands. Insert disc 3. Save. Time to call it a day.
2014.01.15
I forget exactly how I got here, but apparently I am now in Lower Ward. Time to rewind a bit, so I go back two saves and reload. I watch the video again, and the sentient city, at least in this area, begins to grow violently, shooting more buildings and towers up into the sky, but offers me an escape passage, which we have no choice but to take. We come out in Lower Ward, and soon a scripted event starts, Morte is grabbed by two wererats, saying that "He" wants him.
Last time I saved quickly enough to interrupt the script of the wererats kidnapping Morte. When I load that save, the wererats are there, and they are marked with aggro red, but they don't do anything. I think I broke a script that was supposed to happen. I'm confident the game wants me to search for and rescue Morte, so that script should be allowed to run. I'll go back to the older save, and let Morte get kidnapped. I'll make sure to take anything really useful from his inventory first, though.
This time a merchant distracts us, Morte gets kidnapped. Time to explore. I meet Korur, he can train you to be a fighter. The air here is foul and unhealthy, because of all the portals letting in air from various lower planes. This is a really interesting angle I didn't think of, the effects of long term portal pollution. Also, the Godsmen are operating a foundry in this area. Occasionally a wind from Sigil's spire drives the smog out. He tells me of a market nearby. He also tells me of a tower that appeared one day, long ago, that no one can get in to. I can ask him about my stolen skull, and he tells me of Lothar, the Master of Bones, who collects heads for money. He tells me to look for a gutted building. Well, that was a lot of useful info, good thing he's the first person I encountered.
I meet Vorten, a Harmonium officer (near as I can tell the only law and order group in Sigil). He doesn't want to talk, but refers me to Ebb Creaknees at the Smoldering Corpse bar (who I've long since spoken to, maybe there's something new if I revisit). I meet Sebastion. He offers to help me with my scars if I help him with his problem. His problem is an abishai name Grosuk, to the east, beyond the siege tower that appeared mysteriously. Sebastion tells me of an incident, back when this was the Prime Ward, and some enterprising person opened all the portals and caused a bloody war here. Was it me? Sebastion says the person used a Shadow-Sorcelled Key, and here comes the verification: I can choose to let the memory come or repress it.
Nameless remembers running in the streets, and getting caught by a woman with emotionless eyes. Is it the Lady? Is Nameless' eternal life her choice of punishment? This ward remained polluted and abandoned until the Foundry was built. I ask about my lost skull, he also refers me to Lothar, but with fear.
I meet Lower Ward Townsperson, nothing much to learn. I meet Xanthia. She's watching 3 thokola plotting to kill an abishai. She set them up to get killed by the abishai because the thokola spilled a drink on her dress. I see the thokola, named Thorp, Gort, and Zerb. The game leaves no ambiguity about what to do next.
Back to the thokola, guess I'll start with Zerb. He refers me to Thorp, I talk to Gort. He refers me to Thorp. Before I can talk to Thorp I am attacked by another shadow. Thanks for the free xp, I only lost 14 hp. I talk to Thorp. I warn him that to hurt abishai, you need magic weapons, I get 6k xp. They give me money. I tell Xanthia, I get 2k xp, but she is insulted.
I meet another Lower Ward Townsperson. I ask about my missing skull, she tells of a necromancer in this area who collects skulls.
2014.01.16
There is a gate to the north, unlabeled on the map, which is locked. Behind the gates are Godsman Guard.
I meet An'azi, a gith, and Dak translates. She is dying from this environment, and Dak'kon wants to put her out of her misery. I say no, and Dak says nothing. I wonder if I can talk to him about it. While talking to him, I notice a conversation about Githzerai language, and I can ask if he can teach it to me. I speak to her again, but Dak is still doing the translating. This time I tell Dak to be merciful. After all that, she only drops $2.
I walk up to slave auction, guarded by four Harmonium Officers. I speak to Deran, who is auctioning off the slaves. He tells me I can find Lothar to the south and east, down a ladder of bones to his Salon of Skulls. Lothar uses the dead as containers for knowledge. I remember (me, not Nameless One) in the intro movie there were shelves of various species skulls, and they turned as one to look at me.
I speak to Male Slave, he's here because he knifed someone in a bar, and luckily his victim didn't die, or it'd be prison. I talk to Female Slave. I get hit by another shadow, and nobody around me seems to notice. But at least the xp is real. I speak to a few other slaves, interesting but not useful. I speak to Trist, who claims to be innocent of her crime, of not paying some debt, and wants me to find evidence to let her go. The lender is Byron Pikit, and his assistant is Lenny. I speak to Deran again, and he will allow me some time to seek evidence, before auctioning off Trist.
To the northeast is The Warehouse, I'll explore this map first. I pass The Print Shop. I meet Grosuk, who Sebastion wants dead. I think we could take him, but I talk to him for a while, and learn that Sebastion told him he could get Grosuk into the impenetrable tower, somehow. Then I tell him Sebastion sent me to kill him. Grosuk says he's going to talk to Sebastion. I go back to where Sebastion was, and find his body, and $76.
I meet Byron Pikit. I get 2000 xp for asking about thievery, and am referred to Lenny. I ask about Trist and her missing document, there's another 1000 xp.
In a barrel I find a pouch. I don't see any way to open it or look inside it. I meet Giltspur. He's got a few interesting things for sale, like +2 AC earrings and poisonous cheese. I don't need the earrings or the cheese, but such a strange item must have some upcoming use. Actually, that's such a weird item I might as well have one. He also rents rooms, and in the interface the types are Peasant, Merchant, Noble, and Royal, but Giltspur only has Merchant class, which gives full hp recovery and spell memorization. What more is there than that? I wonder what noble and royal class can do for you.
2014.01.17
I talk to Giltspur some more, he's got a fair bit to say. I get a minor job from him to go to the Print Shop. At the very bottom of the map is The Pawn Shop, and A Wrecked House. I meet Lenny, and for a supposedly competent thief, he spills the beans rather quickly about the documents he stole from Trist for Byron, and held them for blackmail material instead of destroying them as ordered. Turns out he wasn't holding the papers for blackmail, he really did want to help Trist. The papers are in the warehouse, but its not open right now. Lenny gives me code words to say when I get in, to get the papers, and to get evidence to get Byron locked up. I'm to find someone trustworthy in the Harmonium to give the evidence to.
In the southeast, The Coffin Maker, and passage to the Upper Ward. That seems to be it on this map, except the tower, but I'm sure that comes up later. I'm near the print shop, might as well start here. I meet Scofflaw Penn, give him the order from Giltspur. Now I am to deliver a message to Keldor of Durian at the Foundry. I don't see any way in to the Foundry, as the gate is locked, and there's not much more to that area. I'm sure I'll be visiting there too, eventually.
This is a common problem in games, where you want to represent a rich environment like a market, but you can't actually have it filled with scores of NPCs, so there's a few token shoppers, and it ends up feeling like the place is nearly deserted.
I meet Cinder, who moved suddenly when a mage burned down his neighborhood (a la Smoldering Corpse?). He knows another mage who can do cosmetic healing, but I think I've already done that. He points out an empty stall I could occupy if I was a merchant. That's an interesting thought, never really seen the option of being a merchant in an RPG, but I doubt that's where this game is going. Ah, it was the stall of Zac, husband of Trist. Byron wanted that stall, Zac wouldn't sell, that was the end of him. Cinder tells me Corvus is interested in any evidence on the case.
I meet Anze, sells weapons, nothing I need. I meet Aalek, he has a few good +AC items for mages, but I don't want to spend the money just yet, if there are some good spells to buy here. I go back to Cinder, and of the spells he has I don't have: Blur, Cone of Cold, Cloak of Warding, Elysium's Tears, Hold Undead, Tasha's Unbearable Derisive Laughter, Vampiric Touch, Confusion, Force Missiles, Improved Strength, Shroud of Shadows, and Remove Curse. I must have them all, but for now, I can pick only a few. I'll take Blur, Force Missiles, and Remove Curse. Hopefully I can find more scrolls in the field, or at least more money.
I meet Drixel, a true believer in the law and order of the Harmonium. I go back to Corvus, maybe I'll get some new dialogue about the object of his affections. I tell him about Karina and get 2000 xp and he's off like rocket. Annah levels up, that's 20 more thief points to Open Doors skill.
I go to see what Sebastion can add about Lothar, and it seems I have yet to redeem my prize for killing Grosuk, so I get my xp and +2 Charisma. This is the problem when you keep reloading, you forget which game path you are pursuing, and this is one of the reasons I try not to over do it.
I might as well check in with my companions from time to time, see if there's anything new to tell. I ask Dak'kon about Shra'kt'lor. In the plane where he's from, matter is held in cohesion by the collective will, and he had a moment of confusion, which caused others to doubt, which weakened the city, which allowed it to be destroyed by enemies. Nameless seems to be having a memory during this, but its more like nausea.
I enter Pawn Shop, and speak to Miccah and Brokah. I look through their assortment of wares, they have a Whispering Flask for Dak'kon, and a earring for Ignus. That's just some sloppy coding - not only is Ignus not in my party, I shouldn't even know yet that he can be. The couple like to argue, so no info from them.
I go back to Sebastion, who was contracted to create Dimtree, but is not unsympathetic to releasing an undead who is self-aware. Sebastion can't do it, so he let's me read a book on how. Well, that was some easy xp, at least.
I enter Warehouse, and speak to Vault of the Ninth World. I tell him the phrase Lenny gave me, gain two items. In my inventory is Scroll of Evidence and Loan Document. There's 3 more NPCs back there, but first I would like to resolve the Trist quest. I head for Corvus, but I'll try Deran first, get 4000 xp, another 4k xp from Trist, and $1k. I go to Corvus, with the other document, get 2k xp.
It sure would be nice to clear a few more quest entries, but its a long walk back to the Hive, even if I can go back that far. Well that's interesting, I take the exit back from where I came, and I get the World Map, and I click on the Hive, and am prompted for disc 2. Maybe there is speedwalking, after all? Yes.
I enter Smoldering Corpse, and it seems a stream of water could douse Ignus and release him, and I now have the Decanter of Endless Water. No go, it appears that I need some sort of command word to make the bottle do its thing (and yet I was able to help Glyve with this bottle). Drusilla asks do you know the command word, and I say not yet.
I visit Mourns, and get Annah to care about the trees, a little.
I didn't notice me and Dak'kon leveled up. I'll take another point of Constitution.
I visit the Gathering Dust Bar, and visit Emoric. I tell him Pharod is digging up buried bodies, get 2500 xp, and a few hundred coppers.
I tell him I found Soego - oh yeah, I'm still on a quest to join the Dustmen. Not sure if I actually want to complete that. I get 2500 xp, and an offer to join the Dustmen. If you say yes, you soon get another 2500 xp, but I choose not to join. I don't think it makes sense in-game to join, as your immortality is a factor, and especially because of the warning I tattooed on myself . There's lots of interesting conversation if you join, but I'll pass.
It seems to be the default behavior now, when I walk off the current map it takes me to World Map, and I click on the map where I next want to go. So at least I don't have to manually walk through the maps anymore.
I speak to Sharegrave, and tell him where Pharod's getting bodies, get a meager 750 xp.
2014.01.18
Also, some of these memories I recover seem to put me at pivotal places in recent events and history - shouldn't I be more recognized by some people? It's not like my immortality kicks in only after I've been dead for a generation, its fairly immediate.
I load up, and I'm in the Hive market. I sure would like to get this 'kill Blackrose' mission off my quest list. He's probably nearby; most quests don't seem to make you walk too far. I stop at Brasken's, back from the old cursed box quest, we drink, he passes out. There's no good loot in the room. I would also like to get rid of the Reekwind quest, which will probably involves the use of my never ending water bottle, but I will need the command word first.
I find Blackrose behind a shack in Alley of Dangerous Angles. He wants me to declare allegiance to good or evil, and to prove it kill Rotten William, which I already have. Then he wants me to kill Krystall, because balance requires it. Krystall was reasonable with me when I was very weak, and this guy is just trying to order me around - I side with Krystall in this matter. He actually hits rather hard, so I give him a shot of Ball Lightning and its over. All he's got is a bronze ring. I get 1500 xp, and a few hundred coppers. If only I could clean Reekwind with Ball Lightning.
I head for Mebbeth, to see if anything's new and recover my lost hp. As soon as we enter Annah says something about finding a kip, and Dak'kon says I must rest. That's new, no one in the party ever asked to rest before. In Ragpickers, I try the ambush again. I use all the pre spellups we have, then I have Dak'kon cast blindness on Vlask, and I cast Ball Lightning on him. It ends quickly, in our favor. Nice, I even get a spell, Adder's Kiss. I have a portal key to exit now but its one time use only - what if someone else gets stuck in here? I'm impressed that they thought of a solution to that, as Nameless thoughtfully breaks the lock on the door.
I talk to Ebb again, nothing new. I speak to Fell again, and he has some new tattoos for sale. Tattoo of the Art is for mages, +1 Int, memorize a few additional spells, buts very expensive ($3k). Razor Angel Ink provides Protection from Evil. Tattoo of Tenement Shadows, bonuses for thieves. Tattoo of the Joining, casts Friends. Tattoo of Trist, +3 vs Paralyzation. Tattoo of Justice's Eye. Tattoo of Death-in-Life, resurrect x3.
Dak'kon gets Tattoo of Greater Might, +2 Strength, Tattoo of Greater Health, +2 Constitution. Annah gets Tattoo of Greater Action, +2 Dexterity, and Tattoo of Action, Dexterity +1, and Justice's Eye, +1 Strength. This shopping trip is expensive, but I think this is a good use of the group's money.
Heading back to the warehouse, to speak to those 3 NPCs in the back. I speak to Leena, Conall, and Otis, they don't have much to say, other than they work there.
Not much left to do other than visit Lothar. I go to Wrecked Building. There's some interesting colored window mosaic, which leaves interesting colored shadow patterns, beautiful even at this low resolution. We go down the stairs, and there are the shelves of skulls, just like in the intro movie, and Morte talks to me. Lothar appears, he'll give up Morte, but he wants a better skull in its place. He tells me to go to the tomb past Drowned Nations for a skull he's very interested in, and I tell him I've already been there, and its empty. I receive a whopping 30,000 xp. Feeling like honesty is the best policy here, I tell him it was my own tomb.
I speak to Lothar again, and because they are in our inventory, I can offer up the skulls of a common wererat, or the skull of Soego. He likes Soego's skull, and accepts it. I'm so glad I hoard weird items. 15,000 xp reward. Lothar says Morte will be waiting for me upstairs. Nameless asks Lothar why am I immortal? Lothar says my mortality, my soul, was stripped from me by the night hag Ravel Puzzlewell. Well, that was an unexpectedly specific answer. I was expecting a far more typical mysterious answer. Lothar says retrieving my soul will answer questions I have about my situation. Unfortunately Ravel has been imprisoned in a maze by the Lady, and I'll need to find the right portal and a key to get there. Lothar's advice is to seek help from my old acquaintances at the Civic Festhall.
I ask Lothar why I have lost my memory, he says its a side effect of losing my mortality. I keep hearing about how the Lady's mazes work throughout the game, so I always knew I would end up in one. I didn't expect that I would be trying to break into one, so I could speak to the lesser power who stole my soul. That will probably end badly, as I'll have to solve the maze to get out, and what do I have to offer Ravel in exchange for my soul, other than the way out. In which case she could just kill me permanently, if the Lady doesn't kill us both first. This is a problem for later, probably much later, considering I haven't even been to half the visible world map.
I speak to a skull on the shelf, a were-rat who made Mantuok. He was scavenging for some grub at the Smoldering Corpse bar, and unluckily got skewered by a waitress with a silver fork, and wound up here. Its little things like this that me me love this game a little more each day.
I speak to another shelf, another skull (apparently only one skull per shelf is talking to me). Grimscalp met me in some town called Curst, the doorway to the prison plane of Carceri, and robbed me, but he won't tell me where he stashed that loot. He used to be in a secret society called the Anarchists. He tells me Lothar is interested in me like a puzzle, and will be watching me.
I speak to another shelf, a skull called Stern. He says there's a book of power that's been passed around, and betrays its owners, and is currently in the possession of Mantuok.
I speak to Ocean-before-the-Storm. He ended up here because of Ravel Puzzlewell. Ravel wanted to open all the portals, and let everyone who wants in to come in, even though that will probably meant the destruction of Sigil. He asked Ravel to teach him, and Ravel demanded he answer a question. The question was 'how does one change the nature of a man', and I recover a memory of a 'hook-nosed figure with ebon skin' asking me the same question. My current guess is: you can't. Or some other fortune cookie type answer.
I move the divan in the middle of the room, and go down the stairs. There are many wererats, a bridge, and Mantuok. Strangely, Mantuok doesn't remember me, or taking me to meet Many-as-One earlier. He's blocking the bridge. I leave. I go up above the main hall, its just a bedroom decorated in a gothic style, I leave.
We go back up to the surface, I talk to Morte, ask him about Ravel. Tells me Ravel made me immortal. I notice a conversation option to ask him what my back tattoo says - what the whole things says. I get 1,000 xp for embarrassing him.
It sounds like my new major objective is Ravel, and to find out more I need to go to the Clerk's Ward.
2014.01.19
I really need to find Morte a magic weapon, or he's useless. Time for a speedwalk back to the Buried Village and to Marta, see if she's got any more teeth in stock. Damn, nothing. I don't know where else to look. Let's try Montuak again. Only 1400 xp. On him I find the common brass ring, Skull of Mantuok, and Mantuok's book.
We enter the Clerk's Ward. There are Harmonium Officers about, I speak to a named one, Matter-Of-Course. He's the bodyguard to Diligence, Fourth Magistrate of the Ward. I speak to his master, Diligence. She has no time for me, but notices from my speech that I must be well-educated, yet I 'insist upon a lifestyle of wandering and senseless violence', and wants me to settle down and become a productive member of Sigil. How did she deduce all that? I can tell her my story, so I do. She seems sympathetic, I say farewell.
I meet Barkeeper, who doesn't want to talk. The tent behind him seems to be an entrance, but we can't go in, and its not marked on the map. We meet Drunken Mage, who has ruined his apprenticeship by botching his master's experiment because he couldn't stop drinking. He has a magic mug that keeps its contents freezing cold. I imagine I will be helping him with his problem and getting that mug; maybe I can combine it with my endless water bottle, and make ice bridges at will.
I save, and test the book with some blood. I get the spell Blindness. What if I was a fighter - would I get a fighter's reward? The next sacrifice is to sell one of my companion's into slavery, go seek Vrischika the importer. That escalated quickly. Not saving.
2014.02.02
I've been thinking of coming back, but not badly enough to come back sooner. Reading through my old notes, I wonder who Morte is or was. Maybe he's an older version of me? Maybe somehow I lost my skull, it came back to life, and I grew a new one?
Another thing I find is the difference between uploading TIF versus JPG - the previews are much grainier as JPG. I go back and fix them all as TIF.
I initially started using "cp" to denote the copper pieces that are the money here, but I eventually switch to the dollar symbol. Sometimes this seems jarring, other times normal. I may go back and make that consistent, especially if other forms of currency come into play (sp, gp, pp, etc.)
2014.02.03
I read through all my notes, fixing a lot of little errors on my way to getting back into the game. There's an awful lot to keep track of, I'm really glad I've been taking notes.
I load up my last save, "listened to Grimoire advice". I try the door behind the bartender, and we get in. Its a narrow path, and its easy for your party members to block it up. There are two containers in the room but nothing else. Might make a good stash location, if it wasn't so difficult to enter the door.
I meet Nemelle, who I think stone face Glyve told me to find - I though it would be more difficult than just casually bumping into her at the bar. Ah, first choice in conversation is asking her the magic word for my everlasting water bottle. Nemelle likes to speak in the third person, and convey some of her message telepathically, but I get the magic word, so that's OK. Nemelle is looking for her friend, Aelwyn, so I offer to help.
Also at the bar is Able Ponder-Thought. He's the first person I ever met who expressed any surprised that there's a floating skull with me, let alone even noticed it. Able is a bureaucrat, a researcher of law and history here in the Clerk's Ward, and he's willing to research Ravel for me, as well as any deceased persons who look like me. He is also a deep well of information about this part of town, who's here and what they do. In this area there is a prominent advocate, and a Civic Festhall that is home to the Society of Sensation, one of Sigil's fifteen factions. He also tells of other factions: the Fraternity of Order, the Believers of the Source (Godsmen, homed in the Great Foundry), the Dustmen, the Harmonium (hardcore justice), the Mercykillers (even more hardcore justice), the Revolutionary League (Anarchists), and the Xaositects. There is also a brothel of Slating Intellectual Lusts.
He also tells that there were 49 factions, but six centuries ago the Lady of Pain decided there would only be 15, which was called the Great Upheaval. I ask him about the Lady, and he tells the usual stuff, but also some things new to me: she has never spoken to anyone, and she took control of Sigil from another power, Aoskar, who is now believe to be dead. Oh, and the sight of her makes you mad.
I also ask him what's outside of Sigil, and the best anyone has been able to find out is nothing. I also ask how the lighting works in Sigil, ranging from peak (day) and anti-peak (night), and Able says it probably exists at the Lady's will. He also tells me a little more about mazes, how the Lady takes a small bit of Sigil and copies it to the Deep Ethereal, where it is a maze to trap her enemies. There is supposedly a way out of every maze.
Two things come immediately to mind: I may have been Aoskar, who the Lady overthrew, and I may be in a maze right now. My immortality may or may not have to do with the maze, but it sounds parallel to the whole maze thing. Of course, both theories are probably wrong, but there's something strangely unexplained about mazing. It sounds like if the Lady wants you dead, you're dead, she's not known for mercy. And maybe if you are too powerful to kill conveniently, you get a maze prison instead. But most mortals would die in a maze relatively quickly, or at the least live out their mortal life. It sounds like mazes are prisons for immortals. This game keeps getting more interesting.
I speak to a Cafe Patron, and my skull companion gets noticed yet again. This time the NPC says "Oh! What a cute little mimir!" as if it was a kitten or something. I guess Morte's existence is not so unusual (but why does he follow me through every life?) I ask the Cafe Patron what's around here, and she says there's a Art and Curio Galleria, apothecary, catacombs, tailor, and curiosity shop. She tells of the Sensates, who belong to the Society of Sensation, who have sensoriums, where they can share the many sensations they collect. They store them in memory stones.
I enter another unnamed (on the map) tent. Two more empty containers. I meet a Harmonium Officer, guarding some stairs down. He says they go to the Realm Below, also called UnderSigil or Down Below. He's not keeping me from going down there, he's here to keep things from coming out. If its that bad down there, shouldn't they post more than one guard?
I meet Harlot. I meet Clerk's Ward Citizen. I meet Performance Artist. I see Clerk's Ward Thug, and Thug Boss. It seems like all conversation leads to violence, and these guys hit pretty hard, so I'll leave them alone, for now. I wonder what would be different if I had focused on being a fighter this far into the game, as I suspect the game would favor. I suspect around this point a mage will be needed, so now I can free Ignus to join up. If he's any good, I may have been better off as a fighter/cleric. Not that cleric is an option, yet.
I enter another unnamed tent in the southeast corner. Two more empty containers. In the east, I meet more Cafe Patron, and another Barkeeper. I meet Aelwyn, who seems to be waiting for her friend at the wrong bar, or the other way around. It seems Aelwyn and Nemelle are from a world where your words and emotions affect other people. Their words have a power to make people do things, but as Nameless inquires more about it, Aelwyn uses her power to make me stop.
Another tent, more containers.
2014.02.06
I meet Elobrande, a fortune-teller. She looks at my hand, tells me I have no fate but what I make, and gives me back my five coppers. She's got a scroll for me, given long ago in case someone looking like Nameless showed up. In my inventory is Suspicious Sealed Scroll, I click Use. It seems to be some kind of poison rune, I think I lost some hit points. Time to reload and see - yep, my hp is back from 19 to 53, so it is just a cursed scroll. Maybe I'll just hold on to it, now that I know what it does. This does feel a bit like cheating, but I'm not playing through this game again, and it might come up in the story.
I come across The Civic Festhall, but I'm not going in yet. I meet Sensate, they don't want to talk. I meet Salabesh the Onyx. He tells me Lady Thorncombe is top mage trainer in the Festhall, and he wants her job. He is also the Master of Curses. Nameless asks him about Reekwind, and says only Jumble Murdersense can undo that curse. At some point there was a conversation option to ask if he cursed the performer down the street, but now that option is gone. Why? I reload. It turns out to be a dead end (well, it doesn't lead to money, experience, or plot).
I meet Sarhava's Toady, won't talk. I meet Sarhava Vjhul. Most conversation paths lead to violence, but the game gives you plenty of chances to walk away. I hope Morte learned a few new curses. In the north, more stairs down to UnderSigil. I meet Malmaner, who has offended the tailor, and wants me to get the costume he commissioned. Nearby is The Tailor's shop. I've looped all the way back around to Back to the Lower Ward.
A pattern has emerged. Enter new map, work the perimeter talking to everyone, note all entrances for later. Finish mapping by going through the center, and any dark areas remaining. Enter all buildings. Note every name, note every quest, finish whatever can be done easily. Finally, finish any long term quests or story elements possible. Then, move on to next map. It's a living.
I meet Jolmi's Messenger, who's looking for someone matching my description, hired by Jolmi Syrma. Jolmi wants to meet, that is all. I meet Old Poet, who is speaking in a language I can't understand. I try to speak to him, but the only option is to heckle him or leave. Some Clerk's Ward Citizens are nearby, listening. I meet Eli Havelock, thief trainer at the Festhall. I tell him he's more than just a common brigand, and get 12k xp!
Well, that's the map. Before I proceed, one more thing I should work into the procedure is talking to the party members. Sometimes they get a new line of dialogue as the plot unfolds. I ask Morte about Ravel, and he says she made me immortal. I don't remember where we picked up on that, but it makes about as much sense as the Lady doing it - so who's pawn am I?
2014.02.08
I'll start with the tailor, Goncalves. He's got some nice leather armor, but it only fits Annah. I pick up the Dustmen costume for the anxious guy outside - its for the masquerade of Lord Ird. Perhaps I should keep it for myself to use? There's a curtained area in the back of the shop, but nothing in there. I give the costume to Malmaner. I get 8k xp for that, and offer to get him a less common costume. Another 6k xp.
I visit the Apothecary. The proprietor, Pestle Killn, keeps emitting sounds of distress, and his head is glowing in a strange way - is that a glitch or on purpose? No, he just drank too many polymorph potions from Limbo, hazard of the alchemist's trade. I might be able to help his condition, but no obvious solution is mentioned. He has a variety of Charms for sale, all familiar. Pestle speaks like there are two people working here, but I see only him and customers.
I visit the Curiosity Shop, I speak to Vrischika, a blue female humanoid with bat wings. She seems aware of me, and my asking questions around town. In the middle of the store she has Fiend's Tongue (gives speech to any living thing) for $66, Gorgon Salve (cure transmute to stone) for $100, a toy of a cube creature for $1500, a jug with a monster trapped in it for $123. In the front of the store she has Baby Oil (made from real babies! Nameless doesn't want it), Chocolate Quasit (an imp polymorphed into chocolate) for $199, Codex of the Inconceivable (unknown) for $1000, Deva's Tears (angel's tears) for $100, Elixir of Horrific Separation (to separate the good and bad sides of you) for $200. In the back of the store she has stained lens (unknown) for $100, Yevrah's Ring (of almost invisibility) for $349, rune-covered Ale stein (keeps contents icy) for $299, tattered rag doll (of the Lady of Pain) for $99.
In any normal RPG, every single one of these items will have a use somewhere, and solve some problem or quest. In this game, who knows. I only have a few thousand coppers, so I can't afford to just buy everything, yet. But by taking note of it all, hopefully if something comes up I can come back and get it. She also has some some more conventional items, Hammer of Comminution (fighters) for $12960, Tear of Salieru-Dei (+1 Con if Lawful Good) for $2160, Teeth of the Fire Drake (for Morte) $7020, Magnifying Lens (+10 to Lore, usable only by Modrons) for $216, another lens only usable by Modrons, Scroll of Cloudkill for $1080, Spider Bracelet for thieves, Ashes of the Pabulum (summons a monster, not usable by mages) $1620, and Heart of the Fosterer (which comes with a long crazy story, summons a Sohmien to fight for you) for $3599.
If I could afford it, I'd take all the exotic items, just so I could always be walking around with them. It seems some game elements don't occur unless you're carrying a certain item, so it would be nice to just have everything at the ready. I'll take the Fiend's Tongue for sure, its cheap, and it might be fun to try out on various things. I try to speak to the assistant, Standish, but he's afraid to talk. I should also make note that Vrischika called Morte 'prevaricating', but won't explain and goes back on it, claiming she meant pontificating. I converse with Morte, but there's nothing new in his conversation. Perhaps Vrischika sold Morte to me, originally, but why hide it now? This game invites endless conjecture, one of the reasons I'd like to get on with it.
Also, who is Modrons? This must be another possible party member I haven't spoken to yet (like Ignus).
I visit Finam the Linguist's Home and speak to him. He's got nothing to say to me yet, but I'm sure that will change. Finam wanders around the room, looking for a book. I enter Art and Curio Galleria, and meet Yvana. She seems to be blind, and wants to touch my face, but she doesn't seem to recognize me. This place is her galleria of the Planes. I ask her about Ravel, and she describes her as the eldest of the Gray Sisters of the Wastes, and she came to Sigil centuries ago to run some experiments (to crack open the Cage, i.e. Sigil itself), and those experiments are why the Lady mazed her. She mentions the question that bothers Ravel, what can change the nature of a man, and how she offered a challenge and reward to any who could answer it to her satisfaction.
The gallery is a fascinating place, showing images from all over the planes, over a long span of time. One painting evokes a memory of a hag granting me a wish. Some paintings can be interacted with, but I just do a walk through first. There is a statue with a piece coming off, but I need a hammer to get it. We have a hammer (taken from a dead Dabus, I think), but there doesn't seem to be any combination of actions that will allow me to use it on the statue. There is a humorous event where Nameless tries to grab part of an exhibit, gets his hand frozen and snapped off, and embarrassedly reattaches it and slinks away. There's a puzzle here, and it seems like I've found the use for a frozen mug, and I know of two (alcoholic mage, Vrischika).
Now that I've seen more art works, I can ask Yvan about them by name. I can ask about art works: Arcadian stained-glass window, battle-horn of Acheron, Dark Birds of Ocanthus, ruby statuette, kyton's animate chain, statue of the screaming man. I can also ask about paintings: Karasuthran Shoreline, Outland Raiders, Hazazoth at the Consumption of N'gar, Surface of Thalasia, The Library, The Folly of Udo, Vale Beneath Clanggedin, Gray Hag of Oinos, Wave Motion Study #7, Moment's Glance from the Walls of Moch'chma.
I learn more about the Birds of Ocanthus (which froze off my hand), they are ice chips from the frozen River Styx, and contain memories. The Nameless One is all about retrieving lost memories.
I ask about the painting Gray Hag of Oinos, and sure enough it is a painting of Ravel Puzzlewell, no wonder I recovered a memory from it. I scroll back the conversation window to take a screencap of that memory, I want the exact wording as I think its the key to my situation, but its already scrolled off. I check my journal, and all that's there is Yvan telling that if you eat a chip of the frozen River Styx (the Birds of Ocanthus) you lose all memory, so why would I want to do that. That's not what I recall from that conversation, but this isn't the first time the journal editorializes differently than I remember it.
I'll save, load an older save to get the memory dialogue again, then reload current. So I met Ravel before, I knew that. Apparently I asked her a wish, and she told me I already asked for that wish. Was she granting me wishes? It seems like she was the one who made me immortal, but did she also cause my forgetting? Was my first wish for immortality, so she gave me that and then memory loss, and asked what I want for my second wish? Why was she granting me wishes - had I solved her infamous riddle for her, and she gave me a trick and a treat?
The game offers little indication of what Nameless wants out of this scenario. Does he want to stay immortal, or does he want to live out a normal mortal life, grow old, and die? Does he want money or power, or to live out a boring life on some quiet material plane? I realize the game is leaving this blank, so the player can bring at least some of themselves to the game. Most games don't have you playing a character with a history, but it would be nice to know at least how Nameless hopes this will turn out.
For now, Nameless seems fixated on learning as much about his past as possible. Also, Nameless seems to be maturing a bit over the iterations. Indications of past lives are that Nameless was often a thief and a low-life, and usually evil. The game seems to be reward more positive actions, so it seems to be steering you towards being good. I feel a redemption ending coming. Something that will help right past wrongs, and release Nameless from his torment.
Anway, this museum adds a lot to the richness of this world, it feels more like I'm reading a novel than playing a game. For an RPG, this game has very little combat for you to earn experience points from, as most xp comes from learning and experiencing. It's different, and I like it, and a little sad, because I know how few games like it have followed in the years since.
Time to check the journal. I have a quest to "split Pestle and Killn", that explains why they talk like there's two people. I still see a quest to "find Aelwyn for Nemelle", I thought that was done. Not listed, and adding to my to-do list, is to see the bureaucrat at the bar, Able, about some research.
I visit the Advocate, though this is probably premature. It looks like Nameless has met the Advocate, Iannis, before. The advocate is troubled, as he lost his daughter a while ago. His daughter's name is Deionarra. Oh crap, that's the ghost I met at the beginning of the game. The advocate tells that his daughter had the gift of precognition, and she joined the Sensates, to gain experience of the multiverse. He also tells that she followed a certain man, and died soon after. He's still really torn up about, especially since he does not know how or why she died, or what became of her body.
He also tells of a fire that destroyed some documents, old legacies (wills). I choose neutral conversation options, not telling him that Nameless probably got his daughter killed, and turned into a ghost. I save, and try the conversation paths where I spill what I know. Surprisingly, it leads to little new information, only that Iannis paid to have a fancy tomb for his daughter. About the only action is that Iannis asks me to return and tell if I find any new information. I reload, and leave. I don't know what I was expecting to find at the advocate's, but it wasn't this sad memory.
I revisit Deionarra (even though this means flipping to disc 2). I forgot what a mournful theme song she has. Sadly, she has no new conversation, I can't even tell her that her father is looking for her. Might as well review her prophecies while I am here.
"You shall meet enemies three, but none more dangerous than yourself in your full glory..."
"You shall come to a prison built of regrets and sorrow..."
"There you will be asked to make a terrible sacrifice..."
"...you must destroy that which keeps you alive and be immortal no longer."
"I know that you must die... while you still can..."
"I do not doubt your ability to rise from the dead..."
"...it has gone on long enough."
I forgot how much voice work this character has - its easily more than anyone else in this game. Her prophecies must be extremely important. However, she is Nameless' crazy ex-girlfriend, so we can't take her advice too literally. After all, she wants you to die.
Back to Clerk's Ward, and Nemelle, to tell her Aelwyn is looking for you too. Nice, "MaxHP" increased, and 8k xp. Its only a few hp, but I'll take it. I speak to Able, but his conversation hasn't changed, he has no research for me. I'll try again later.
Time to visit The Brothel of Slating Intellectual Interest. I speak to Fall-from-Grace, she has her own theme music, and she is voiced! She is a succubus with more of an intellectual than carnal bent.
This is the closest I've heard from Nameless as to what he actually wants. I can ask Fall-from-Grace to travel with us, but she has a task for me first - speak to 10 students here. Time to explore.
I speak to a pervy armoire. I find Finam's Book. I speak to Juliette, who's looking for some excitment in her dull relationship. I offer to pretend to be a suitor, and speak to Montague in the Festhall. I speak to Vivian, a student who wants her stolen perfume back. I speak to Nenny Nine-Eyes, we do some role-playing, I get 5k xp. She suspects Marissa stole Vivian's perfume.
I speak to Ecco, who seems unable or unwilling to speak. In the northernmost room, a secret door to stairs down, that can wait. I meet Marissa, who appears to be a medusa, or the Medusa. She can turn a lim-lim into a statue, but first she needs her Crimson veil (why do I need a petrified lim-lim?). She tells me to ask Dolora about Ecco.
Actually, a Brothel Patron is in front of me, I'll talk to him first. He got a black eye from Kimasxi. I talk to Kimasxi and we start trading insults, apparently Nameless is good enough at it to get her attention. I ask her about silent Ecco, she tells me to ask Dolora about her. I ask her about Vivian's lost scent, Kim tells me Marissa stole it, but only so I get myself killed by Marissa. While we were talking, the party was not nearby. Bringing the party over, I talk to Kimasxi again, and this time there is a conversation option to "teach Morte here to be more abusive".
2014.02.11
I meet Yves the Tale-Chaser, she likes to swap stories. I tell her my story of waking up in the Mortuary, she tells me of the Dustmen - 'Chapters of Dust' (that there are some names in the Dead Book that can not die until history itself dies). I tell her of the Alley of Lingering Sighs, and how it gave birth to a new section of city; she then asks if I know what a modron is. She tells me they are creatures of 'total law', with rigid rules. She then tells of 'The Clock and the Quadrone', of a modron that was sent to Sigil, saw a broken clock in a shop and decided to fix it, the clock reminded it of home, so it decided to stay with the clock, in Sigil (is this clock fetishist going to be my next party member?)
I tell Yves the story of Reekwind's curse, she tells me 'The Gilded Tale', of some Sensates who get stuck in the Gilded Hall in the Plane of Ysgard, satisfying earthly pleasures. She calls them prisoners, and not real believers in the faction. I tell her the story of the Alley of Dangerous Angles, she tells 'The Lady's Suitor', of a man who was obsessed with the Lady, and worshiped her, hoping to see her, he was later found dead but smiling. I tell her the story of Ignus, she tells of 'The Execution', of a man named Kossacs, who could not be killed, and who liked to pick fights. He was imprisoned with only a poison drink, which he threw away, after 60 days his corpse was removed from his cell.
Nameless is out of stories, but I can ask my companions if they have any stories. Morte is up first, and talks of a man who lost his memory and didn't know where to go, and an old woman asks him what his third wish will be?
The man asks "How can it be a third wish if I haven't had a first and second wish?"
The hag says he already had two wishes, and the second wish was to return everything to the way it was before the first wish. "That's why you remember nothing; because everything is the way it was before you made any wishes", and "you have one wish left".
The man doesn't believe her, but says he wishes to know who he is. "Funny, That was your first wish". What the... that's my story, that I've been piecing together in bits and pieces, and Morte has known the whole story all along!? Yves then offers to tell 'The Fiend's Game', about a fiend who pretended to be human, met some hunters, then hunted them.
I talk to Morte, ask him what he knows of Ravel, and he doesn't really have anything new to say. Am I missing something here, why can't Nameless confront Morte about his prior knowledge of this story? Unless Morte is just telling my story as he has been hearing it unfold. But it seems a little too well told, with too much extra detail that I was not aware of.
I ask Annah if she has a story, she tells of a guy out walking late, and is asked by an old woman where he's going, he says going home to family near the Slags, she asks him to take a box to Deader's Pit but warns him not to open it, he delays, the wife opens the box, its full of severed body parts, the deliveree knows its been opened. The man contracts a fatal disease which first affects the body parts seen in the box. Yves then tells of 'The Parched Land', a village is suffering a drought, they ask the Worshipping Stone haven't they given enough offerings already, but the stone says nothing.
Next up, Dak'kon, who tells of 'Ach'ali Drowning', a gith who could not focus on the limbo around her and make a coherent living space, so she drowned. Yves has a counter story, that Ach'ali was driven from Shrak'at'lor for 'useless prattling', met a hungry slaadi, built a protective wall around herself, but spent too much time talking to the slaadi, so her wall collapsed and she drowned.
I'm out of stories, which is too bad, as Yves stories each grant 500 xp. I ask why she is called Tale-Chaser (because an oracle told her to). She says she can't tell me about this place, because that's Mistress Fall-from-Grace's story, and Grace hopes not to have to tell the story before Yves moves on. Yves mom is Yvana (at the museum, but they don't speak anymore). I ask about Ecco, she points me to Dolora. I ask about Vivian's scent, and am directed to Nenny. I ask about Marissa's Crimson Veil, but instead I get a story that hints of Greek mythos origins (but sadly no xp).
I ask Yves of Ravel, she tells me about her famous riddle, and the many who tried and failed. She also has an interesting spin on the riddle: "Why did the nature of a man matter to one of the Gray Sisters, especially of one of such power as Ravel?". Ravel tried to ask the Lady, but the Lady wasn't listening, so that's why Ravel threatened to destroy Sigil by opening up the Planes. And another new twist, there is one here who might know more, but she no longer speaks. Ecco.
I meet Kesai-Serris, who talks of dreams, usually erotic. After some banter, I tell her I don't have dreams. She refuses to discuss Ravel. She also has this conversation option: "I've spoken to nine prostitutes altogether... do you know who or where the tenth student is?". Kesai isn't aware of a tenth student.
I speak to Dolora, skilled in debate and gaming. We debate, and I get a memory of being in a great hall, someone is wearing a medallion with the Sign of One on it, others are listening to us debate, Nameless wins a debate about the man's existence, so the man disappears. We then play a game like chess, and I get another memory of being a general in a successful battle. Both times Dolora catches me zoning out (and I get 5k xp!).
Dolora is too distracted to help me, as she is still getting over someone named Merriman, and is not free to love another. She can't leave to go see him, so I offer. He's at the Civic Festhall. Like most puzzles in this or any RPG, the solution to my problems involve visiting other maps, talking to other people, so I can fix a problem, so then I can fix someone else's problem, so I can get help with my problem.
I level up. I'll take another point of Constitution.
There are three Modrons, I go to speak to one and Morte interrupts. Back to the Modrons, they don't like that I don't have a name, but they accept it, they identify themselves as modrons, quadrone type, winged variant. They are here observing Dolora, but they don't know or care why, they were ordered to. They have little more information, but their perspective is interesting. All three seem to be the same, I wonder if one of them will be joining up, later.
I'll take the stairs down, map name is Brothel Cellar. Nice statue. I meet Brothel Caretaker; he tells me the ladies keep their sensory stones down here, but I won't be able to use them. I see stones for Yves, Kimasxi Addertongue, Kessai-Serris, Marissa, Vivian, Ecco, Nenny, Juliette, and finally a stone who's "writing has been scoured away". Hello, number ten.
Back to the front door. I go back to Fall-from-Grace and tell her the 10th student is me. She joins the party. Nice, a cleric.
I ask Nenny about Marissa's veil, and she saw Kimasxi sneaking out of Marissa's room one night. I confront Kim about her sneaking out of there, she denies having the veil, but some other stuff has gone missing. I go back to Nenny about the missing items, she says she saw a man sneaking out Kim's room, but never saw the man leave the building. I go talk to the armoire, who's name is Luis, and accuse him of sneaking out of Kimasxi's room, he eventually gives up the crimson cloth.
I take the Scented Veil to Marissa, and receive a record breaking 25,000 xp! The game kept going on about the veil's scent, so I return to Vivian and tell her, and receive another 25k xp! Vivian goes rushing off. I expect to hear she turns into a statue, but no she comes back, and I get a permanent Charisma boost.
Originally I got those big xp bonuses first , then recruited Fall-from-Grace. Then I realized she was missing out on some nice xp, so I reloaded and got Grace first. I just noticed this giant faction circle in the individual character sheets - how long has that been there?
The party is starting to get large enough to be unwieldy through tight spaces, and I still have one more slot to fill. I do not feel like getting rid of anyone just yet.
I think I'm done here, for now. Time to visit Civic Festhall.
2014.02.14
Before I go, I'll check out that 10th memory stone again in the cellar. Nothing new.
Let's check in with our new companion, see what conversation options there are. She admits that she is a tanar'ri / fiend / demon of the succubus variety, and but she is not into tempting mortals, as she thinks there's more productive ways to spend one's time in the multiverse. She explains her name, and that she might not be totally over leaving her people and their ways; 1000 xp. If I want to join the Sensate faction, I should ask at the Festhall. I ask her if she can teach me to be a cleric, but she says no, her faith is based on her relationship with experience, and is non-transferrable.
She won't tell me if she has any feelings for me. I ask her about our companions, starting with me. I tell her shadows have been following me, trying to kill me, she says they don't usually do that, they tend to lie in wait. I tell her someone is trying to murder me, and I built a tomb trap to try and kill them, at least according to my inscriptions on my tomb. She wonders if the killer (isn't it just me?) is also immortal. I ask her what she thinks of who or what I am, she thinks the key is retrieving my memories, which I have been doing by continuing to visit, talk, and further experience the universe.
Moving on to the rest of the party, she thinks Morte has a Baatorian smell, of the race baatezu, who are lawful evil ("evil bureaucrats"). She says if he's a mimir, he unlike any she has ever seen, as mimir usually have silvery metal on them, and no personality. We talk about Annah, and I say I think I could fall in love with her, Grace tells me to tell her, I say I'd rather not, look what happened to Deionarra. I also tell her I don't trust her, as she found me in an alley where other collectors fear to go, she's Pharod's daughter, a Hive thief, and part fiend. I ask her about Dak'kon and says he's uncommon, as Gith don't normally follow others, he's orderly not unpredictable, and that he is pious and steadfast.
I ask her about weapons, and she says she hates the touch of metal. She says she can kiss mortals to death, though. I can ask a few other questions, which I have asked before, like why did she set up the Brothel, she answers to give the mind's lustful fevers a place of expression. I ask her how she came to Sigil, she answers that her mother sold her into slavery, she got sold to the baatezu (enemies of the tanar'ri), and won her freedom through a contest of improvisation. Can I read her diary? No. I ask her about Ravel, Grace tells how mazes work, about the Gray Waste been Baator and the Abyss. She tells of the Blood War between lawful and chaotic evil, and how sooner or later everyone gets caught up in this war, the war has been going on nearly forever. Finally, I can ask her if these questions are bothering her, she says no, I should know about the Blood War.
I check my Journal, and sure enough there's stuff in there that was not in any conversation I just saw. For example, Nameless One finds Grace's draining kiss arousing, especially since he can't die. In no way was this in the conversation I just had. Grace's inventory contains a diary, and it has a use button. Time to talk to other companions. Dak'kon has nothing new to say. Annah is mad at me about our new companion, but agrees to stay. Morte has a new conversation line: What do you know about the Blood War? He says "at least it keeps those two races occupied so they don't run all over the Planes". I ask him if he's a mimir, but there's a new line for me to say: But aren't mimirs made of silvery metal? I can out right say I don't think he's a mimir, and What are you? I can make comment about his not reading the last line on my back. He admits he's not a mimir, but he might as well be one. I ask him about his Baatorian smell, and he admits to that too, that he was in the hells for a while. He goes on, and I get 12,000 xp, that there's a Pillar of Skulls on Avernus, first layer of Baator, made of the heads of sages who lied and got people killed, and Morte admits he may have done so to me. I ask how he escaped the pillar, and Morte says I did it, and I made him pledge to serve me until my End Days. I even named him. Unfortunately, being removed from the pillar lost Morte all of his knowledge. In my memory I became enraged at this and I started beating him and threatening him with torment, but then the memory fades. I must have decided to keep him, after all. Morte doesn't remember what knowledge I wanted from him when I removed him from the pillar.
At last, I ask him why he didn't tell me all this when I last woke up in the Mortuary. Morte's answer is fascinating: he never knows what personality I'll have each time I am reincarnated. Some personalities have tried to kill Morte, or put him back in the pillar. I ask him why he has stuck with me, and he admits that he felt guilty getting me killed, and he's been suffering since, and feels indebted. His confession brings him a great sense of relief, and I get bonuses in Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and 12k xp; even Morte seems healed by this experience (not quite - see below).
This game keeps surprising me, the writing and story just keeps getting better.
I re-visit Yvana at the gallery, to see if there's any new conversation about her daughter. There is. She seems sad that they no longer speak. I tell her Tale-Chaser's story. Yvana regains her vision. I ask her if she's talking to her daughter now, and says yes. And that's it. No xp, not loot, not even a view of a special painting. What, no tip?
We leave, and Fall-from-Grace asks Morte what happened to his body. Morte jokes that he's the head of Vecna (if I remember correctly from D&D, this was a powerful lich).
I go back to Yves to see what she has to say about her mother, nothing new. I ask to trade tales, and see what Fall-from-Grace has to say, which is weird, because Grace was Yves' boss a few minutes ago. Grace doesn't seem to want or have a tale to tell right now. Grace's PC page doesn't seem to have been updated. I keep forgetting to try her journal, I use it, but it won't open. I reload, don't want that on my conscience. Dak'kon leveled up, while I tend to that, I notice my stats haven't gone up - I guess all those stat bonuses were for Morte, which actually makes sense since he was the one relieved of his burden.
Time to discharge some small tasks before the Festhall. I visit Finam with his lost book, but strangely nothing comes up about it in conversation. I revisit Able, but he still has no research for me. It would be nice if there was somewhere I could rest around here. I try a tent, but it won't let me. I go back to Lower Ward, and visit Giltspur to purchase the Merchant accommodations.
At last I enter the Civic Festhall. I expect something important to happen here, as I still have one more disc to load, and a lot of empty space on my world map. I speak to the person nearest the door, Splinter.
2014.02.21
I see a Sensory Stone named Longing. Is this Deionarra's memory? Yes, Deionarra loves Nameless and will do anything for his love, and Nameless is just using her, for some purpose. Poor Nameless has to relive this memory as Deionarra, while seeing Nameless speak in the memory, knowing that his past self is lying.
Deionarra reveals to Nameless her legacy in her father's keeping, with apparently some code to retrieve it. This legacy apparently contains something to help Nameless remember. Past Nameless slips a little in his deception, and you, as Present Nameless, hopes Deionarra sees through it, and sees Past Nameless for the "Serpent" he is. Past Nameless tells Deionarra he loves her, even as you, in the role of Deionarra, and as Present Nameless, know it is a lie.
Wow, that was intense. Deionarra was here, and left one heck of a memory. And I got to experience it with knowledge of the perspective of three different characters at the same time. Quite an uncommon experience in any game or book or story I've encountered. Is Nameless becoming a better person over time, or is it random? Nameless seems to be a good guy right now, but could he come back evil again? Also, wouldn't every Sensate alive have touched the Longing stone by now? Nameless should be as recognizable as a celebrity in a modern movie. Every Sensate Nameless walks up to should recognize him as that weird looking scarred guy in the Longing stone story. I really hope it comes up, in a game this good I think its possible.
There's a bunch of Sensates around, I talk to them and they immediately dismiss me. I actually appreciate this direct approach, instead of trying to politely converse with me, only to find we have nothing to say to each other. I find a stone called The Messenger. Looks like a message from Ravel to come find her at the glimmer-stone. And then suddenly, Ravel taps in, and can communicate with me directly (or so it seems). I must find her by doing three things: a door (at the forges), a key (talk to a knowing one in the Festhall), then unlock the key (a thing knows not its nature?). And finally, I can ask Ravel how she is communicating with me through this experience, and she hangs up. My journal says I can return to the stone if I need more clues, which is yet another discrepancy from the in-game writing, and the journal writing. I try the stone again, but the story is the same.
I find a stone called "Week-long hunting trek across the forests of Arborea". I'm glad to learn that not all the stones are about me. Well, this ought to be nice - oh no, it is about me. It seems like something just cuts out after a few moments, like it takes the stone a few seconds to recognize its me, so it then plays a different recording. I wonder how many people know that the memory stones can hold custom experiences for some people? Anyway, this one is a trap from a previous and paranoid incarnation of myself. Its kind of neat, and actually easy to defeat. I reload, as I want to experience all of my paranoid ramblings. I'm starting to wonder how much of Nameless' past I really need to retrieve, if he's just going to build a new self every go around. Why can't I just walk away from this quest, live out a normal life somewhere, and when I get bored, jump in a fire? Setting Ravel free can't be good for anybody, so why do I have to even try?
Well, at least I know what happened to my journals, Paranoid Nameless burns them. I reload, and this time will the trap open, get 500 xp. Not bad. Apparently Paranoid Nameless is not a Smart Nameless. There are at least 4 different ways out, not all of which grant xp.
I guess that's it for this small map, back to the main hall, and to Splinter. I can ask where some people are: Jolmi (nearby), Merriman (lecture halls), Montague (east). He can direct me to the public or private sensorium. I think I'm done with private, for now, so off to the public.
I'm on the Public Sensorium map. I speak to Sensate Guide, and am presented with a menu: Unavoidable pain, Tender love, Mind-numbing tedium, Sheer wonder, Consuming impatience, Tired surrender, Supernatural lust, Psychosis, Festering jealousy, Bitter loathing, Pure glee, Frightened exhilaration, Grim determination, Complete bafflement, Horrible regret, Shock and a rise to seething vengefulness, Slowly drawing horror, Indescribable frustration, A vastly important secret, Lycanthropy. That's all?
I'll just go clock-wise around the hall. I can see the stones and enter conversation menu with them, but there's no option to touch them. Back to Sensate Guide. I pick the first sensation, he tells me to go the first room clockwise from the stairs. Now I can experience the stone, and I get 750 xp. Am I going to have to talk to the guide each time, because this is already tedious. Tender love, second clockwise. This is really tedious, but I get 750 xp each time, so I have to press on. I wonder if the other party members are getting in on this xp? I note their numbers, and sadly they are not.
The person freezing to death is one thing, I'm guessing he got rescued and came here to record his experience. But the person who experiences the succubus and dies, how did he get recorded and end up here? Now the clerk is directing me to the same stones I've already used, but this time they are loaded with new experiences.
On to page 3 of the experiences, and now the stories are longer, and yield 1500 xp. All done, there were some good moments there, enough to excuse the endless clickfest of going back and forth amongst the few stones.
I meet Lady Thorncombe, she seems to distracted to talk. There doesn't seem to be anyone else down here than the standard issue Sensates. I guess I am done with the sensoriums.
2014.03.04
I've been away for a a while, but I've been thinking a lot about Planescape, especially of the Sensates and their archive. This is one of the more interesting and lasting ideas I've seen in fiction, and as far as I am concerned the center of this game.
I'm back at Splinter, and I ask to attend Death's Advocate's lecture. This place is packed with NPCs, but I'll have to catalog them later. I listen to Death's Advocate, it kicks me out of the conversation, was that supposed to happen? Grace makes a comment to which Morte replies, that's unusual. This time I tell Morte to stay quiet, and the lecture progresses further. He talks about Mount Celestia, Carceri, the Lower Planes. The lecturer says you must hold to your ideals if you want to end up as a building block of a plane. Then he asks for questions, I can ask a whole bunch of questions about planes, death, alignment, Dustmen, Blood War, etc. Its clear that good and bad people go to the Upper or Lower Planes, but where do the neutral people go? To the Outlands that "encircle Sigil" of which "the Spire is a part".
I can challenge his lecture by doing my old parlor trick of killing myself (in conversation) and getting back up. This does not seem to change the conversation at all, as I can go on asking questions about the planes. I don't like this outcome, and I think some conversation paths are closed now; reload. OK, nothing really much different, but I'm not playing this Nameless as one who likes to die at the drop of a hat.
If I'm here in the Outlands, which is a Plane, aren't I and everyone here already dead? If the Planes are where you go when you die, why are there any living entities here? Maybe I'm already dead, and this constant reincarnation is just my interpretation of my time here in some kind of purgatory. Maybe I just need to come to some realization, and I can be released to another plane. I don't think that's where this game is going, but its possible.
There's a lecturer next door, Three-Planes-Aligned. He explains alignment in great detail, and how beliefs power the deities, and if no one believes in them their corpses litter the Astral Plane. He then explains something I've never heard of: gate towns. If I understand this correctly, the Outlands, the land of the neutral, has gates to every plane, and towns form near these gates. If any one of these towns slides from neutral to an alignment, it can literally slide into that plane. This is what motivates wars between the planes, as this is how to get and and hold territory.
This is all sounding very much like The Matrix, where I'm starting to wonder if this is air I'm breathing. If everything is made of belief, how does this place have any stability. Or is this place the result of the entire population's consensual belief? These lectures are raising more questions than answers.
I go to Ghysis the Crooked, who is lecturing on the Blood War. He likens the Blood War to a pack animal holding up the planes. He warns you not to become evil, lest you become a foot soldier in that war forever. And he says that is why they are always trying to corrupt others into sinking into their plane, so they can have more foot soldiers. Ghysis admits he was once a mercenary in the Blood War, and I have an interesting response: Vrischika told me you murdered your own men to escape the war. Vrischika is the proprieter of the curio shop, and the one the evil tome told me to sell my companions to. Ghysis says he was part of the Company of the Blazin' Effigy. Ghysis spoke to a column of heads, they told him to sacrifice two others to get out, and now he lectures to prevent others from making the same mistake.
Conversation ends, but I can start the lecture over. I ask about the Gray Waste, he calls it the Glooms, and that the night hags, the Gray Ladies of the Waste, rule there. I ask more questions about the Blood War, sometimes it spills out into Sigil but the Lady of Pain takes care of it. Sometimes the Lady takes her time, and parts of Sigil get destroyed before she intervenes. Ghysis says the fiends are allowed here, as long as they don't fight much, and sometimes they even meet and converse here. They also have safe houses here, and they recruit here; Ghysis asks me if I have served, and from some of my memory bits I must have. I admit that perhaps I have, and just then I get another recall (and 1500 xp). Somewhere, in some hell, you come across a hag that wants to speak to you, but the memory ends.
Ghysis has more advice, like don't talk to any fiend about the Blood War, because you never really know who you're talking to, and the war is their whole reason for living. Also, don't ever step through an unknown portal, because you may end up in the Blood War, and likely die there. And don't ever let them hire you to work in the war. He's got a lot more background about the baatezu and the tanar'ri, like how they conduct contracts and war. I can also ask specifically about the abishai, cornugons, lemures, nupperibo, and succubi.
That was a lot of interesting info, between the three lectures. A lot of loose ends have been wound up, but some more questions were raised. I'm still not sure what it means to be mortal here in the Outlands, let alone how I with my semi-immortality fit into it. I wonder about my alignment, as it seems to vary with every incarnation, and doesn't seem to be moving in one direction or another. Nothing to do but keep pressing on and see where this all goes.
I have a lot of NPCs to get through in the Festhall, I'll start from the front. I speak to Jolmi, who sent a messenger for me. She wants to kill me, for $1000. How does she even know who I am? I can ask her, she just says word is getting around. I can have $2000 if I let her stab me in the heart with a dagger. Dropping dead to amaze the locals is beneath me, but for that much money, I'm considering it. Why not, I have the additional layer of immortality with save/load in case something bad happens. OK, seemingly no lasting consequence other than the money, so I'll go along with it.
I come across Jumble Murdersense, the one who cursed Reekwind. While doing that search, I notice the name Lady Thorncombe, who I found in the sensorium; she must be the top mage trainer that Salabex was talking about, but I couldn't talk to. Anyway, I talk to Jumble, his card says he's a Xaositect sorcerer. Jumble doesn't seem interested in removing Reekwind's curse. If I try to force the issue, he curses me with hiccups. Because that's the only way forward, I'm guessing the game wants me to do that, so I can undo my curse, and then find a way to undo Reekwind's curse. I don't feel like walking around for hours listening to Nameless hiccup. I'll come back to this later.
I meet Mertwyn the Headless. He's looking for his head. One more thing for my to do list.
I enter what looks like a training room, populated with Warrior-in-Training. One of them says the trainer is Qui-Sai, probably somewhere in the Festhall, with skin like gray stone.
I find Montague, who I'm supposed to make jealous for Juliette. I do my part, get 5000 xp. Give him some advice, get another 5000 xp, and hints at more to discuss later.
I find Qui-Sai the back of a room. He's busy being a statue, and doesn't want to talk now.
I find Merriman wandering the long hallways. I'm supposed to speak to him on behalf of Dolora, that he still holds the key to her heart, and she'll never be free to love another. The keys are literal, as Dolora is a construct, an artificial intelligence made with sorcery. Dolora needs the keys to further her development. Merriman is old and angry his mortal time is almost up, and he wants to forget everything so he can experience the Sensorium once more. I think the Curio shop had some Styx water. Yep, that's what he wants.
I find a room full of Thief-in-Training, and another with Mage-in-Training. A mage says the trainer, Lady Thorncombe, is in the sensorium, and spends perhaps too much time there.
And that's everything I can see right now on map Civic Festhall. There's an exit that leads to 'Hallway leading to the dormitories'. It takes me to another map, but it is still labelled Civic Festhall. I speak to Festhall Room Clerk. She seems to recognize me, and hands me a key to my room. If I take the key I go into rest mode for 8 hours. I go to the eastern room, and find three shelves, stocked with low level items, including some scrolls (though only the Shield spell is new to me). I notice my inventory now contains a Festhall Room Key. There is a door here in "my" room, but it is locked.
In other bedrooms I find empty shelves, and some locked trunks. I meet Unfulfilled-Desire. She asks what I want, and I can answer: you, weapons of power, magical items, magical spells, knowledge, or memories. Whatever you tell her, she feeds off your desire for that thing. I'll just restore, and leave her be.
I wonder what I had to do or pay to get a room here. And yet still most people act like they've never seen me before, even though I star in at least one sensory stone, and own one of the 4 rooms here. Its a bit of extra detail this game has led me to expect, so its a little disappointing. But then, if Nameless was as universally recognized as he should be, he'd probably be in a cage on exhibit somewhere, where he could be killed every hour on the hour to entertain the locals forever.
I go back to Lady Thorncombe. If you go down most of the conversation paths, they lead to a dead end where she just ignores you. But if you ask her to train, she goes into why she no longer wishes to teach magic. Though that extra bit of detail doesn't seem to matter, as she ends up ignoring you anyway.
There's a wizard outside who wants her job, and Thorncombe is too busy being addicted to the sensory stones to care. I think I see where this is going, but maybe it also ties into Jumble and his curses.
2014.03.08
As an experiment, I threatened Jumble to uncurse Reekwind, so of course he curses me. I then go to Salabex for help, and he teaches me a curse to use on Jumble, which I use. This handy curse renders Jumble mute (can I keep this skill? can I used it to disable enemy casters? probably not). Of course he is horrified and removes my curse (10k xp, I'm starting to get a little tired of noting rewards, since they don't seem to matter much). He also removes Reekwind's curse.
Time to go back to The Hive and see what's become of Reekwind. I open the World Map, and click on the market, but nothing happens. Apparently I need to use the actual exit grid of a map to get a clickable World Map. Insert disc 2. Reekwind is happy, 5k xp. I can ask him for another story, which he writes in my journal. He no longer wants to be called Reekwind, but he doesn't want to reveal his real name either. Checking the journal, I think these are just a summary of his old stories, but the story of Pharod seems to have taken on additional depth. Pharod was once in the upper class, became evil, got worried about ending up in the Lower Planes, consulted seers who told him his salvation lay in the trash of Sigil, where he remains, looking for whatever that might be. Was it me? Will I save Pharod? I think the Lady's shadows already took him.
As long as I'm here, might as well check in with the merchants, I don't think I ever took note of what they sell. The left most merchant (short fat male) has Arborean fireseeds, Gar-Bar root, Elysian pears, crimson lotus petals, Bytopian shepherd's bread, shiftspice from Limbo, and sea-plums. I can buy and taste but can't leave with anything for my inventory. Giscorl sells cloth, and low level first aid like bandages. There's the woman to the north who sells plates and such, and Kossah-Jai with the fish, both are probably quest only vendors. The guy near her has a few charms and minor spells. Another guy near her sells weapons - these are familiar, I think I sold him a lot of this stuff a while ago. I wonder if merchant inventory persists, that could come in handy. There's the guy who sells lim-lims. Guess there's nothing I need from this market.
I wonder if I should go recruit Ignus. At the very last I should try it, and reload if I don't like the outcome. I use the decanter on Ignus, get 5k xp, and the decanter breaks! Ignus speaks to me, he knows me, and will serve until death. He's got no inventory, his Level is 7, he's got a few fire spells but nothing all that impressive. This doesn't seem like a guy who could take out a whole neighborhood. And they modeled his character and voice after Gollum. He's a strange nut, and this game has so little combat I don't think I'll need him, but he is interesting. This fills up all available slots in my party, and I wonder if I can dismiss party members, I don't think I've ever tried. Ah yes, right there in the characters sheets is Reform Party, and I can drop party members.
Before I try that, I talk to Ignus, and he's got some interesting notions about the sparks inside everyone. He is reluctant to speak further, I tempt him with talk of flames, get 1500 xp. Another conversation leads Ignus to telling me I'm not so immortal, he could kill me, and we fight. Several party members run, but I get him with a few lesser spells. Which is pointless, reload.
I don't know if I want this guy in my party (and it costs me my endless decanter). But I think the game seems to set it up that I should bring him with. Which is strange, since he want so burn down the multiverse. I ask who taught Ignus, and his master was me! (6k xp). I get a memory recall, and its a nasty one, in some ways even worse than the memory recalled with Deionarra. Ignus was a young boy with an unhealthy interest in fire, and instead of helping Ignus contain and control it, he taught him torment. How many sins does Nameless have to atone for? Anyway, there's still no explanation how Ignus went from human magic-user to a fire lich.
Ignus can teach me some magic, at the cost of burning parts off of me. There's no way I'm doing this, his spells aren't even that good, but before I reload, I might as well go all the way. I can give him an eye, and my intestines (extras, that I removed before?), to learn Ignus' Terror and Infernal Shield. This is in addition to my hand, from which I can learn Infernal Orb. Something about all this feels wrong, even though there are some huge xp rewards (12k, 24k). I feel fine reloading from this path.
We go to speak to Drusilla, and Ignus and she immediately embrace, completely destroying her. I feel a little bad about it. I reload, I won't speak to Drusilla with Ignus in the party. As a good incarnation of Nameless, why do I suffer Ignus to live? He's obviously evil and insane. He's one of the few entities so far that can actually kill Nameless. And a past evil Nameless created this monster and set it loose on the world. Why set it free, and bring it with us?
We go visit Fell. Grace has a voice line that she's always wanted to meet him. I ask Grace to translate, even though I don't need her to. Her perspective colors Fell's answers a bit, but its still mostly accurate.
2014.03.14
I really hope this game doesn't end with me waking on the slab again, all my companions dead (except Morte), all my memories gone, starting over from scratch once more. I would rather give Ignus a final big hug right now.
So we're at Fell's. Anyone need a tattoo? I might as well see what new story-based tattoos he's got. I try some tattoos out on Grace and Ignus, it doesn't seem as if they can wear any.
We cut through Tenement of Shadows, my notes indicate there was a locked door there. I keep forgetting Annah is a thief, and I've never even tried her lockpick ability. She opens the door easily, and the trapped trunk inside. I should go back and open all the locked containers I've passed and taken note of. Could save me having to memorize a lot of knock spells.
There's a large mob of aggro Starved Dog Barking Thug in the main hall of this room. I wonder if we can take them - we can't. Maybe I can draw out a few at a time. This seems to be working. We kill one holding a Tenement Storeroom Key (the room we just lockpicked, I think), and Small Red Key - not sure where that goes. Chipping away a few at a time, then running when we get swarmed. It seems to be working, but we've run out of spells. Time to re-arrange our memorized spells for more combat, less utility, and then go find some rest. Nearest location is flophouse.
When we finally clear all the thugs from the room, there is a barrel with the group's treasure: a gold ring, tarnished silver bracelet, $46, and a knot charm. A meager haul.
Pushing through, we're back at the Alley of Lingering Sighs. Passing the massive iron gate (rusted shut) I wonder if, like that huge mausoleum in the crypt, it will ever have any significance, or is it some cool bit of mystery, never to be explained. We pass the house that eats Dabuses, but the door is locked, and Annah can't open it. We pass a "dark recess" that ends in a stone wall, perhaps another portal entrance or exit. We end up in the alley that had the stone face, where I last died, and Annah found me. Nothing to do here. I can't use the World Map to just speedwalk to another area, so I have to walk back.
I notice Grace is a few hitpoints low. I know I can transfer hit points several ways, so I really should be more mindful of topping up anyone in the group who is low. I cleared my spell for transferring hp, but don't I have an ability? I can't find my abilities listed anywhere except in that UI "wheel" that you can right-click, where it says Select Special Ability, which then shows the list: Sensory Touch, Stories-Bones-Tell, Raise Dead. I right-click on Sensory Touch so I can get a description, but that doesn't work. Annoying, especially when there are description pages for almost everything.
Back to Lower Ward, back to disc 3. I re-visit the Pawn Shop, something interesting happens. As the proprietors get into yet another argument, Morte speaks that he has learned new taunts. Haven't I been here before? It makes me wonder what else I have missed.
Last time I was here, I don't think I was listing every merchant's wares yet, so here goes (skipping minor things, like Knot Charm, Knife, etc.): Shards of Fate (high damage gloves, one time use), Cockroach Charm, Maul, Whispering Flask, Glass Eye, Crimson Sphere Earring, Ring of the Traveler. The crimson sphere earring is interesting in that is specifically says "Not usable by Ignus" (plus a cute mephit story). Oh well, nothing worth buying, but at least we can unload all our loot.
I stop by Giltspur, he has nothing of interest to buy. I go in the marketplace and visit Aalek, he's got a Magus Shield (AC 4), Magus Guard (AC 6), Spider Bracelet (for thieves), Serpent Ring (for thieves), Displacer Ring (AC +2) $1020, Shamanic Rod (limited magic missiles) $1020, Sadistic Frame (make target feel damage inflicted on user) $2040. The frame is interesting, I could totally see that being the key to a boss battle.
I re-visit Karina, which apparently I haven't yet, because I get 500 xp for hooking her up with Corvus. I stop by Cinder, see what spells he has that I still need that I can afford. I want Cone of Cold, but first there's some shopping I need to do to resolve some quests, then I'll see what money I have left.
I wander through Lower Ward, it feels like months since I've been here. I would have thought some quest would have led me through the locked gate to the Godsmen by now. Of course Annah couldn't pick the lock, that would be too easy. I can't believe I never thought of this before - you can click on one of the guards, and even though they are out of reach, you can talk to them! I feel really stupid now - how much have I missed? Probably not too much, because I've traveled fairly far past here. I choose the option to tell the guard I have a message to deliver. Gate opens.
As I'm passing through I notice one of the guards says something weird: "Beware. Word is that the Dustmen have freed Fosnatu'u from his prison." I've never heard of this entity, or that the Dustmen hold anyone prisoner. Could be another interesting red herring, or a future boss battle, or maybe even a future ally. The guards have nothing more to say to me, time to go inside the foundry.
By the way, the loading screens having been showing random scenes for some time, might as well note it. Two stand out: a room with giant stone heads, and a room with a T shaped table. While I am typing and leaving the game idle, Grace enters conversation mode and remarks on Morte's verbal skills. Inside, I meet some Godsman Guard, Foundry Worker, and Godsman. You can step up to the forge and "use" it. I better save first. Oh well, nothing interesting happens.
There's a door to the west, locked. A door to the north, locked. As it scrolls the message, the game gets really sluggish. I should also note that a lot of the more high-level spells generate some interesting graphics, but they really slow the game down to a crawl. The worst was when I was getting into my tomb and stepping on the torment symbols generating some really laggy effects. My machine is many generations older than this game, so it must be a software problem. I don't think there's a patch, and I don't want to mess with mods yet (if ever), so I'll just keep living with it.
Again while idling (and typing notes) Grace enters conversation mode with Morte. Head of Vecna, indeed. I meet Alissa Tield. I can ask questions like how do I get past the locked door - that's awfully direct. I can ask how to use forge, she tells me I need: protection from flames, tongs, hammer, iron ore. I ask for a tour, but they won't do tours for a year because they are working on some big secret contract. The writing of this character is a bit weak; it kind of stands out in game that has usually at least good writing.
I go through a door east, into map Godsman Hall. I meet Sarossa, daughter of Sandoz. She calls me "half-man" because she can not see my soul as she usually does others. She fears her brother is going over to the Sensate faction. I meet Saros. He doesn't like someone named Thildon, and he definitely likes the Sensates. I go back to Sarossa, and she has a new conversation path, I can ask about her special talent. She can not only see into people, but change them, for a price. She wants me to join the faction, and go talk to Keldor of Durian.
2014.03.15
I speak to Keldor. I give him the message from Giltspur. Keldor's got a lot of conversation paths. He's in charge right now, while the higher ups are in conclave. I can ask him about the Godsman's philosophy. They have a bit of history, having survived the Great Upheaval, when the many factions were cut down to the present 15. Their nickname is Godsmen, actual name is Believers of the Source. Their foundry work is supposedly almost as good as that of Mount Clangeddin. I can ask to join, but first I have to renounce my Sensate membership - and I see no reason to do that.
Keldor says they also work on the fabric of reality, and I should talk to Nihl Xander about his dreambuilder (what?). I ask about the secret project they are working on, I can't see that until I prove myself a friend of the Godsman. I wonder if I can join up with these guys, get whatever advantages, and go back to the Sensates. Maybe I really should have discovered these guys much sooner, joined, then later joined the Sensates. Oh well.
I go through a door on the right, down a corridor, there's Nihl Xander. He says he's the great-grandson of Xero Xander, and that I commissioned Xero to make the dreambuilder, and that Nihl has finished it. And would I like it now? Wow, should have seen that one coming. The Xander family has kept the memory of me alive with a stone carving, but a shadow stole it a year ago. Nihl studied under Kazan and Terasaphirea, and blends their teachings in his work.
To start up the dreambuilder we need some of my skin and blood (no problem) in a blue-green bottle. I'd bet there's one in the curio shop. Checking my notes... apparently not. One should turn up eventually. I like Nihl's reply if you hesitate to continue the project.
Behind him stairs go up to Godsman Quarters. There is a Godsman Guard or two, who says no one is allowed here until Sandoz gets back. Back to the main hall, there are stairs up to the balcony. I meet Bedai-Lihn, a magical engineer (but not a mage), who wants to make sure that the Godsman don't use the weapon or build another (I guess this is the secret project). She lists the people of interest here; I have yet to meet Kel'lera (githzerai outcast), Thildon the Grey, or Sandoz.
There are three doors, I go through the leftmost one. Its a bit difficult to enter, as you have to play hunt the pixel until your tooltip becomes the 'go through door' symbol, then click without moving the mouse. The room seems to be a library, but when you click the bookshelves they are empty. Multiple bookshelves in multiple rooms, all the same, all empty. What a waste of time, why even make them clickable.
I think I'm done with this area, back out to the main hall. I find Thildon, I must have missed him on my first pass through here. I can ask him for a piece of iron ore, and he just gives it to me. Obviously I can forge here, the game went out of its way to rub my nose in what's needed, but what do I need to make? The game has not revealed this yet, but I'm sure it will. I ask for another iron ore, and receive another. They are 5 pounds each, so I don't want to hold too many of these.
Supposedly there's a clerk's office to the south of the foundry, haven't seen that yet. OK, using the map I can see a sliver in the corner that I can enter. I meet Nadilin, who seems to remember me from long ago. I can pick something up here, if I have the receipt, which I don't. He can sell me gear for the forge: apron $10, tongs $10, hammer $20.
I have everything I need to forge now, but no idea what that even means in game. Might as well try it, see what happens. I get a whole menu of options, like "Hammer on the anvil" or "Pick up the ore". I guess I have to do certain things in a certain order to get results; this feels like an old text adventure game. I try heating the ore, put the ore on the forge, then I can choose to forge: a stiletto, a two-handed hammer, or a battle axe. I choose a stiletto. My inventory now contains a High Quality Stiletto, 1-4 piercing damage, speed 1, weight 1. Not very useful, considering I am already using a Bone Dagger, 1-6 piercing, +1 magic, +1 piercing damage, THACO +1, speed 2, weight 1. And I've had this dagger for a long time, since near the beginning of the game, so what good is getting this stiletto now, over halfway through the game? Maybe I can sell it for a decent price. Maybe I can get endless ore from Thildon, and crank out weapons to sell. It's probably poor grinding income, though. Maybe later I find some mithril or admantium, so I can make some magic items.
I go to Thildon and get three more chunks of ore. I forge a two-handed hammer, and receive a High Quality Sledgehammer, I forge a battle axe and receive a Battle Axe of Quality. This last one looks like it should fetch some coin. I go back to Thildon and get some more ore, I go back to the forge but it seems to be closed to me now. Oh well, there goes my smithing career.
Not sure what to do now, other than close off some loose ends. I head back to Giltspur, while idling I get attacked by a shadow. Strange, the shadows only seem to attack me here in Lower Ward. They don't hit that hard, and I regenerate - maybe I could leave my game on overnight and get xp? I tell Giltspur the message is delivered. I get 6000 xp, and my next assignment is to deliver a handbill to Barkis at the Smoldering Corpse. He'll buy my stiletto for $6, hammer for $75, or axe for $75. This would not have been a lucrative path; its just as well I can't grind as a smith, I might be tempted.
Back to disc 2, back to Barkis, back to disc 3, back to Giltspur, 8000 xp, nice.
Grace spontaneously converses with Annah, but sadly it goes nowhere.
I revisit Lothar's place, he seems to be out. Locked cabinet, lockpick works, nothing in there but a skull. Lothar is upstairs in his room, I go through some conversation options, Nameless explicitly states he will force Ravel to give him is mortality back. There is no hint of why Nameless wants this, if he just wants to die there are already several ways that have been revealed. I go over Lothar's recommendation about seeking answers at the Sensorium, and they are not very specific at all, more of general pointer in that direction.
Lothar is an interesting character, but there's really not much of use here. I still don't know what Nameless really expects out of all this effort. Almost every memory recovered is painful and regrettable. The way the game is written, you're clearly on a mostly good path, one that disowns many of your past lives. I think this might be the fundamental flaw in this game: no essential plot. Nameless doesn't really have to do anything at all right now. Ravel is safely imprisoned, there's really no point in recovering more painful memories, and other than the occasional nuisance shadow, there's no one chasing or attacking Nameless. If Nameless feels bad, he can try and live an atoneful life, and as long as he doesn't get killed, he should be fine. Maybe this time around he could build a more persistent memory store than a mere paper journal.
I talk to the skulls again, see if there's any change in conversation. Nothing new, but I seem to have missed a skull, Goatscomb. How could I have missed this!? Goatscomb made Mantuok a wererat, and Mantuok sold him to Lothar, so Goatscomb told Lothar all he knew of Mantuok. Goatscomb unluckily got skewered by a silver fork - I remember this part now. Searching back through my records, I didn't originally take note his name, when I searched I didn't find what wasn't there, so that's why I thought I missed this shelf. I have to take better notes.
I go downstairs where Mantuok was, there's nothing there. I take the portal to Weeping Stone, its very quiet, no more mobs.
2014.03.x
I head down to undead nation, and no one has anything new to say. As long as I'm here, I wonder if I can get in to see the Silent King by force? I talk to the ghoul leader.
2014.07.04
I've abandoned this game several times now, but this is so long I almost feel like I should start over. I'll start by re-reading my notes.
2014.07.15
I load my last save "back to Hargrimm". What am I doing down here? Now I'm starting to really feel like Nameless, wandering the lands without knowledge or purpose.
I'm still curious about the Silent King of the Dead Nations. Even if I don't save the outcome, I just want to know if you can meet him. I try a few things, and pick-pocketing Hargrimm yields the Dead Nation key, though I don't know yet if this opens the King's tomb. To use pickpocket skill took a little bit of figuring out: you select Anna, right-click, Select Special Ability, click Use Thieving Skills, and now when you mouseover certain things you get thief specific tool tips (lockpick over door, pickpocket over character).
The key does open the door, and all the skeletons in the room go agro, but they are easy. I don't think we took any damage. We go inside, leads to new map Throne Room, more agro skeletons. As I expected, the Silent King is a symbol, not a person. There's an option to take his skull, so why not, I'm not going to save this path, this is just for experimentation. I was hoping Acaste would talk to me, but I end up with her skull too. Hargrimm drops a Spiritual Hammer spell; that was a long animation for very little damage. I get Hargrimm's Skull.
Might as well go check in with Many as One. Tell Many about the fake king, get 7500 xp, and a memory and another 2000 xp. The memory is of being chased through a city of chains, meeting some kind of metal wielding chain monster, fighting it off, then getting captured anyway. Lame, and I like the undead nation, so going back to a previous save, "back to Hargrimm".
I stop by the Mosaic Crypt, its just as cryptic as ever. I head back to the portal to Lothar's cellar; for a city (and game) that is supposed to be riddled with portals, I've discovered barely a handful. Back up to the Lower Ward, then to Clerk's Ward. I check in with Able, still has no research for me, maybe he never will. I speak to Drunken Mage, I still don't see a way to get his frozen mug, so I might have to buy one. I stop by Finam's, I have his book in my inventory but I still don't see an option to give it to him.
I stop in the Curiosity Shop, and Vrischika has an interesting response to Fall-from-Grace. Am I her... assignment? Vrischika calls her a Baatezu camp follower, and her brothel a place to train agents. Vrischika has some serious venom for Grace, who takes it rather well. I'll take a Gorgon Salve (to try on Qui-Sai), the Chocolate Quasit (to try on Quell), the Elixir of Horrific Separation (to try on Pestle Killn).
Off to see Qui-Sai. I can't figure out a mouse clicking pattern of how to use the salve on him, so I talk to him instead. I have to wait a while, but eventually he speaks. He has been researching the Way of Stone to become invulnerable in combat, and he's willing to share his research so far. I get a bonus to AC. I ask more questions, he is a genasi-of-earth, his father a Dao (earth element), his mother a human. I ask him about training, and he asks me to justify fighting, I get 10,000 xp. I'm still a mage (some conversation paths can switch your class), but Qui-Sai leaves to the training hall. I guess I didn't need the Gorgon Salve after all; I transfer the item to Morte to hold. I guess I'm done with Qui-Sai.
Time to check on Quell. I go see Splinter to have him take me to the private sensoriums. Quell takes the Quasit, I get 8k xp. Finally, another character that has heard of me. Quell offers to sell me... candies of power. Blessed Candy $85 (casts Bless), Holy Candy $ (casts Protection from Evil), Mechanus Candy $127 (Call Lightning), Crunchity Candy $127 (Armor), Frosty Mint Candy $85 (Friends), Quivering Candy $170 (Strength), Minaurosian Chocolate $127 (Swarm Curse), Lucky Candy $170 (Luck), Stinky Chocolate $425 (Cloudkill). That reminds me, as silly as all this magic candy might be, it makes sense in a magic based world. Also, aren't some portals triggered by something you consume?
I ask Quell about Ravel Puzzelwell, he starts with what I knew, that she came here to mess with the Lady. Quell says she excelled in all schools of magic. I ask how to find her, and he doesn't know the portal, but he has heard the key is a piece of Ravel. He says if I want to learn more don't ask him, try the Brothel of Slating Intellectual Lust. Well, that doesn't move things forward much, but it didn't cost much, either.
I stop to talk to Salabesh the Onyx, who wants to be mage-tutor of the Festhall, and that the current tutor is addicted to sensory stones. He says he'll request to be made the new tutor shortly. I can then ask if he's put in his request, but he says its not a good time, as he recently upset the board of mages. He also doesn't think Thorncombe will be leaving the sensorium anytime soon. I get a journal update, it thinks I should check in with Thorncombe, so I head to the public sensorium. She is offended at the thought of Salabesh becoming the magic master here, and returns to the training hall; I get 12k xp.
I go see Lady Thorncombe in the mage's training hall. She doesn't seem to recognize me, but she is willing to train / sell me some spells: Identify (Level 1), Magic Missile (1), Friends (1), Blindness (1), Blood Bridge (2), Ice Knife (2), Luck (2), Blur (2), Ball Lightning (3) $595, Elysium's Tears (3) $595, Force Missiles (4) $892, Improved Strength (4) $892, Remove Curse (4) $892, Cone of Cold (5) $1190, Chain Lightning Storm (6) $1785, Power Word Blind (8) $7140.
I somehow missed Luck, I'll take one of those. Elysium's Tears and Improved Strength can wait, Chain Lightning Storm sounds like a lot of fun, as does Power Word Blind, but I can't afford or cast them yet. I check in with Salabesh one more time, he's just mumbling curses.
I stop in at the Apothecary to see Pestle Kilnn, and see if this elixir works on him. They take it, I get 6k xp, I go to the back of the shop and see only Killn. There's a conversation option where I can get a sample of my blood and skin for the engineer at the Foundry. I'm supposed to speak to Pestle, he's out in the store. He does it, and I get a Dream Vial.
I go to the Foundry, Godsman Hall, and up to Nihl Xander. I get yet another fedex quest (for a birdcage), but this time its in the Siege Tower, which has gone curiously unmentioned for a while. Nihl doesn't even have a clue for me on how to get in there.
Until I can figure out this Siege Tower problem, I'm not sure what to do, so I head off to hit a few lesser items on my to-do list, then something is just thrown in my lap. I pass the Siege Tower on the way to Clerk's Ward, and I enter conversation mode (with myself) and I can tell myself to "Suppress any desire to enter the tower" and just like that - I get a portal. How long has this been possible? I heard about suppressing the desire a long time ago, but this popup conversation never came up before when I walked through here. Maybe I could have done this long ago, or maybe only now when the story requires it? Either way, its time to go in this portal.
I'm in a new map, Inside the Siege Tower. There's fire, and a metal giant pounding on something. I can talk to him, his name is Coaxmetal; conversation mode indicates he is a golem. He says he forges the implements by which the multiverse will be unmade. Now I'm starting to think I'm an unwitting agent of the Lady of Pain, sent to undermine Ravel's plot to break the universes. This guy has some interesting ideas on immortality, and being able to kill anything if you find its weakness. He can make a weapon that will kill me, if I give him a drop of my blood.
Not only does iron giant have the metal bird cage I want, he was told that his job would be complete soon after he gave it up. Between him being able to make a weapon that can kill me, and being the harbinger of the end times for the multiverse, its getting kind of heavy here in the siege tower. He knows about Ravel, says she was cast within a cage.
So basically, the Siege Tower and the golem within it are entropy come to life, as a counter-measure to the increasing order of the planes, which they see as the enemy. I don't think they want to create balance between chaos and order, but to actively destroy the order of the planes. It views Ravel as a friend of entropy, but doesn't know anything about how to get to her. In a place where desire can become manifest, I guess having entropy come to life makes some sense.
Should I ask it to make a weapon that can kill me? Why not, never know when that might come in handy. There are some long conversation paths about entropy versus order, but I can't find my way to the conversation where I ask if it can make a weapon that can kill me. Annoying. Reload.
I pursue a conversation about the tower itself, it travels the planes, destroying planes it enters, but it is now stuck here, and views Sigil as a cage. To the legions and planes the tower enters, "entropy has unmade them". I think I found it, I ask if it could forge a weapon that could kill an immortal, it says it can if I give it a drop of my blood, I do, I get 10k xp, The blade will only work in a "shell where you are cut off from the planes". That sounds like one of the Lady's mazes.
I got a few journal entries, best to check those before going further.
Not much. In my inventory is the Blade of the Immortal, and it is a shape I have seen several times now. It was the pattern of the traps in my tomb, and its tattooed on my arm. There is a button to "Talk to Item"! It seems like it has nothing to say right now. I also have the Dream Cage, time to head back to Xander.
This seems like a crazy fun time to check in with the crew. I can ask Annah if she knows where I can find a piece of Ravel, and she actually has a bit to say. Supposedly Ravel has had a bunch, or at least one, daughter, with fiends as the father. Morte has something specific to say about find a piece of Ravel in Clerk's Ward, specifically the sensory stones.
Anyway, back to Nihil, now he wants a coffin pillow. I've seen a lot of strange things in this game, but nothing even remotely like a pillow.
Time to work on the to-do list. I hit the Brothel, check in with Juliette. Tell him about Montague, get 10k xp. That's it. I go from room to room. Annah lockpicks closed cabinets, we get some minor loot. Nobody is going aggro, so why not. I run into Ecco, I can ask her "Do you know the word that will undo the multiverse if it's spoken" - what? Basically, she knows something about Ravel but can't or won't tell me. Time to keep picking at the threads of the Brothel.
I lockpick all around the place. I check in with Yves to see if I have any new stories to tell. I can tell her the story of Pharod; Yves tells of a man who 'experienced the most beautiful thing in the multiverse', wanted to place it in a sensory stone, but over time he forgot it. Time to pursue the Ecco / Dolores problem. I need to get Merriman his Styx water, so first I need a frozen mug, off to the Curiousity Shop. Off to the Art and Curio Galleria / Art Store, to capture a piece of frozen Styx water. Off to see Merriman, give him his drink. Thankfully, he thought to leave himself a note, so that I get my reward, and he gets to start his sensory experiences all over again. Which makes no sense except in fiction; you are the sum of your experiences, if you take them all away who even are you?
First I stop by my room, to give the party some rest. I have Annah try to unlock a cabinet and it works, I get a Scroll of Fire and Ice and a Dodecahedron. I play with the dodecahedron until I can open it, but I can't read its text yet. My journal suggests finding a scholar in the Festhall (maybe Finam?)
Here's another thought - maybe I am the instrument of Ravel, maybe I am the key to her portal. Maybe I am the seed she set out in the world to be the one to open her maze. I suspect no answer can live up to all this conjecture.
2014.08.02
As usual, I have too many open paths, not sure where to go next. Let's check the Assigned Quests in the Journal. First is return to Dolora the keys to her heart, which is in my inventory (from Merriman). 30k experience, maybe a new record for most xp in one pop. Dolora tells me Ecco's voice was stolen by lesser god, put in a crystal vial, and swallowed by a dragon, but somebody could give her a new voice. Isn't there such an item at the Curio shop?
I think I have it, I have in my inventory Fiend's Tongue, placing it in the mouth of any living thing will give it speech. Its in Morte's inventory, I take it and see if there are any new conversation paths, and there are none. I put the item back in Morte's inventory, talk to her again, and this time the Fiend's Tongue option comes right up - though this time Morte is standing close, shouldn't it have just worked if it was in my inventory? Strange.
The tongue works, kind of, but now I need Deva's Tears. Thankfully Ecco is willing to pay for it. The price is currently $999, but I thought it used to be lower - I guess Vrischika knows. Maybe next playthrough (unlikely) I can pre purchase it. Back to Ecco - I love the crazy things she's spouting. Another 30k xp.
Ecco knows that Ravel has children. I wonder if its Anna. Actually its Kesai-Serris, another person here at the Brothel. Other than getting offended when I ask her about it, there's no real information. I guess I have to learn or acquire something to unlock some other conversation path. My journal says I'll have to find a way to prove it to her.
I ask around the brothel. Marissa recommends talking to Juliette. Juliette says to ask Kimasxi, as they are half-sisters. This time Kimasxi is being helpful, and offers a way to out Kesai. Kesai has some fun stories about Ravel, and ultimately allows me to have a bit of her blood (on a handkerchief), that I can use as a portal key. 40k xp.
I check in with Finam, and show him my dodecahedron. His father could translate it, but he was killed years ago. Finam guesses I want to speak to the dead, calls me a necroscope. I try talking to him again, his father left notes on that language, but first Finam wants his lost journal, which I found a while ago and tried to give to Finam several times. But that's not the way this game is programmed; I can only give it to him now. I get the notes, 25k xp.
That's one way to learn a language in a hurry. When did Nameless ever have the time to learn this dead language? Or maybe he just outlived the race that once used it. The d20 is a journal, and has sections. Oh, that's nice, a previous crazy Nameless killed Finam's dad. Something about three more deaths to keep my memories. I find a code to a legacy, 51-AA.
I don't have any open quests to see the Advocate in the journal, but let's check in. I can ask for legacy 51-AA, get 8k xp, and a receipt from the Foundry. In addition to the Receipt, I also receive a Kaleidoscope Gem, and a Strange Chunk of Rock. The gem is actually an eye, and can be placed in an empty eye socket. Thankfully, no button appears to do this right now. The rock is actually the Stone Gullet of L'Phahl The Gross, and is a weird artifact with a weird history. I don't think I want to use this one right now either.
I can tell Iannis that his daughter recorded a sensory stone in the Sensorium. I can offer to help, so I do. I ask for Deionarra's legacy, and receive a scroll, Deionarra's Legacy, another scroll, Healing, two Heart Charms, and Deionarra's Ring. I show Iannis his daughter's legacy, it is a nice story moment. I will go to the Sensorium and see if they will let him see her recording. I ask Splinter for his permission, and he agrees. I tell Iannis, and he thanks me, I get 8k xp, and he walks away. I approach him again, but he seems to be in exactly the same state. Disappointing. Apparently there's nothing more to do here.
I'll go to the Foundry, and see what this receipt gets me. I get an item, and 40,000 xp! In my inventory is a Curious Ironwork. I need to cast Identify, I re-arrange my spells and head out to the marketplace to rest. It is an Unfolding Portal. I save and use it, it says something in my possession has activated this portal, and it warns me to make sure I packed for the trip. This is what save games are for. I feel like I will be finally visiting disc 4. The map I am on is Ravel's Maze. That was fast. The portal is gone from my inventory, as is the handkerchief.
Maybe I shouldn't be doing this yet. But who knows how many times Nameless has been here before. Maybe this is entirely in character. Easy map, easy fights. And just like that, there's Ravel. Not even aggro, just walking around. I approach. Of course this character is voiced. Ravel talks to me like an old friend. It gets weirder. There are tales. I am a lodestone to tormented souls. This meeting echoes a meeting in the past.
So much more dialogue, and finally the question that Ravel has been asking forever. I have 16 options to choose from, more than I've ever seen in this game. I like #16, I cannot answer that question. That was the wrong answer, she goes aggro, graphics get glitchy and the fight is long, but we kill her, and the game does end, but in failure. Time to Resume Life.
Clearly fighting Ravel is not the answer, some conversation is. There's still so much empty space on the World Map. I think finding Ravel is not the end of the game, but maybe the mid point. She is probably going to send me on some quests around the planes. There are still whole parts of the game that haven't been unlocked yet, like bowed weapons, or half my spell book.
It takes a long clickthrough session to get back to the 16 options. I tried #16, let's try #1 "I... don't know". This seems to be the right answer, but Nameless thinks this is a good time to push his luck with Ravel. Finally, I can ask her why she made me immortal. No direct answer, but I learn of the Casting of Shadows (shadows that seek to kill me), death of mind (memory loss), emptiness. How delightfully creepy, that Ravel loves me. Love or in-love? Its kind of astounding either way.
As I suspected, we're building up to more questing. Some angel has my mortality, and I'll have to get to him if I want it back. Are we clearly defining Nameless' goals now? He wants his mortality back, so he can die? Does the game end with Nameless getting his mortality back, losing all these hard won memories, and foolishly asking for immortality once more?
Ravel has been out and about, helping me in disguise as Mebbeth and Marta? If you play along with her Mebbeth personality you get a plus to Wisdom, and some nice xp. I try Marta, and get more intestines.
Ravel tried to free the Lady of Pain from Sigil, or so she says. Maybe that's just her perspective, maybe its true. If it is true, implications to Sigil, and maybe even the Planes, are significant. More questions about Ravel hit a nerve, I get a piece of her hair. This will no doubt be useful.
2014.08.09
Last time I played I was going through the fascinating but lengthy conversation with Ravel, took a wrong turn somewhere, and got killed. Even worse, my note-taking computer crashed, and I've been reconstructing my notes, trying to figure out how to get through her conversations the right way, to maximize information and gifts, without having to fight her.
Again I question if I should even be here, maybe I should wrap up as much as possible in Sigil, but it seems right to face Ravel as soon as I can. I wonder if I will be speaking to the Lady like this. My last save is "killed, restarted"; I think I'll reload the previous, "found Ravel".
On starting a conversation with her, I hit: 1, 1, 1 (get 90k xp), 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 1, 4, 1, 1, 5 (and these torments), 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 (Crossed Pasts), 1 (echoes a meeting in the past), 1 (What was this impossibility), 1 (If begging will bring me answers), 1 (I have many questions), 1 (ask your questions), 2 (Your rules are fair), 1 (They chose to walk this path), 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 (They matter to me), 1 (He is my ally), 1
8 (He seems trustworthy)
1
4 (I like her)
1
4 (I like her company)
1
2 (The way to this place is difficult)
1 (Nay it is your charms)
1
1 (What can change the nature of a man?)
1 (I... don't know)
1 (it is my answer)
2 (isn't it such the way with mortals?)
1 (I... don't believe you)
1 (You never cared about any answer other than mine.)
1 (I'm through answering your questions)
2 (I have some questions about you)
2 (who are you)
1 (But what are you)
1
1 (I would call you beautiful, Ravel)
1 (you are not ugly)
1
3 (Ravel, stop these games)
1 (Ravel, stop this)
Ravel's corpse contains: Fiendish Eye, Black-Barbed Necklace, Heart Charm, Scroll of Blacksphere, Ravel's Fingernail.
We hang out in Ravel's Secret Garden for a bit, letting Nameless regenerate. I think of how easy it actually was to kill Ravel, despite the panic and spam and graphics glitching, she really wasn't all that tough. Was Ravel really as powerful as a lesser deity, or was she just really cunning and long-lived, and finally slipped up in her old age and craziness? She was also very lonely, and she still loved Nameless, after all these centuries. Maybe she didn't put up much of a fight on purpose.
Time to check in with the party. Ask Dak'kon about what Ravel meant about him being my slave, get 3k xp. It turns out a previous Nameless found a dying Dak'kon in the ruin of Shra'kt'lor, gave him a item of some religious significance (the Circle), and Dak'kon swore himself to Nameless for the rest of his life - not knowing that Nameless can never die. So how old is Dak'kon? In any case, I can't seem to set him free, unless I die permanently. Which seems to be the goal I am slowly working towards.
I ask Annah why Ravel said she was tormented. It ends with Nameless kissing her. Doesn't seem to have any lasting effect in the game.
I ask Fall-from-Grace why she is tormented, I get nothing nearly as interesting as I got from Annah.
Waiting and regenerating, but shadows keep showing up. Its decent xp, but the party is hurting too much for this. Its a shame we can't rest here, and regain spells and hp. The best I can do is retreat to Ravel's Garden, wait for Nameless to regen, then try to strike out again, using Nameless as a meat shield. It would be nice to escape back to Sigil from here, but the game already warned me directly that we won't be coming back here for some time.
While killing time, I realize Nameless will never be able to talk to Ravel again. He will probably never be able to investigate his own backstory again. This time better count.
I try a few combinations, but the party keeps getting its ass kicked. Maybe we're just supposed to run for it? I try this, run NE, go through a portal. A long scene starts where Ravel gets up from her death, talks to some powerful thing, they argue, they fight, he wins. What a strange mess. Maybe Ravel faked her second death too.
Now we are on some map called Curst. The nearest NPC is Curst Guard. Surprisingly little to say. Neither does Curst Citizen. I speak to Dump Caretaker. Stairs going down might be the way out of here, but its one-way.
2014.08.17
I've been thinking of Ravel over the weeks, and her centuries of lonely sadness. She just liked solving puzzles, that's all, though sometimes that got people killed, and she fell in love with Nameless, and that went poorly. She tried to set the Lady free of her own puzzle, only for Ravel to be imprisoned herself. She figured out how to escape her prison, but didn't leave because she didn't really have anywhere to go. The only thing she seemed to be looking forward to was seeing Nameless again, but he only visited occasionally over the centuries, and with no memories. Who is more tormented, Nameless or Ravel?
So who's the other guy, the one she talks to after faking her death to Nameless? Looks like the demon Izual, from Diablo 2. Now I'm stuck in the prison plane, which seems like a sad excuse for a dimension. Having a dimensions for Fire and Water, or Order and Chaos, make some sense, but this dimension seems as boring as the Plane of Unpaired Socks. I guess I'm going to wander the planes for a while, then end up back in Sigil, where I will either fight the Lady or Ravel, and I will have to use or stop the great weapon the Foundry is building, with or against the siege tower. I may or may not have regained my mortality by then, or maybe it will be one of the final steps to do so, and then I can finally die. Or start all over again.
I reload my last save in Curst, but I have no recollection of where I've been or who I've talked to. And I would like to review that cut-scene of Ravel's second (if not final) death. I load save Day 32 20:57 Ravel's Maze "hp 82 done" - I think I was regenerating. Back to Disc 3. I have an unused Sensory Touch, might as well heal someone. Too bad I can't keep re-using that one between rests.
The "ragged thing" and Ravel have a brief conversation; they apparently know or know of one another. Ravel faked her death so I would leave. The agenda of the "ragged thing"is unknown, but so is Ravel's, who might really be dead now. I forgot this is not a cut scene, Ravel and the demon fight in-game, in all its glitchy goodness. It goes on for a long time, giving every indication the game is going to crash, but it does not. If I ever replay, this is one of the corrections I hope there is a mod for. On to Disc 4, and a brief cut-scene of a desert city, captioned Outlands.
The map I am on is named Curst. The world map shows me off in the corner, and even shows Ravel's Maze, on its very own isolated patch of map, of course. It looks like there are at least ten more grayed out locations to visit, which puts me half way through the game. First person I meet is Curst Guard, who says this city is on lockdown because of plague. The person in charge is the Burgher, in the administration building. He says if I'm looking for a deva, I'm at the wrong end of the Great Ring - I've heard that expression before but can't remember what it means. The Prime Material Planes only? All of existence? The city gates say quarantine, no passage in or out.
I circumnavigate the town, speaking to everyone, noting doors and exits for later. I speak to several Curst Citizen, nothing. There are Lim-Lim and Tricha animals walking around, can't talk to them. I encounter several guards beating up someone named Jansen. None of them really have anything to say to me. I meet Curst Thug, nothing. I enter the "city park", more thugs. There is a fountain with 134 cp in it - a reminder to always mouseover everything. There's a thug in yellow, who came here looking for mercenary work. He was trying to get to the Quartered Man (a tavern?), but then the lockdown happened.
I meet Roberta, when I tell her I don't know my name, she asks if I am a petitioner, someone who has died and there body has reformed on the plane that matches their beleifs, and and this usually means memory loss. She has heard rumour of the deva being around, but doesn't know, and recommends the admin building. She says the man in charge is Tovus Giljaf, a githzerai and a wizard. She can't find her husband, Carl Parfidor, who she thinks is cheating. If he is she would like to kill him.
Moving on I find a box with some more copper, a Clot Charm, and an Adder's Tear. I meet the Dump Caretaker, who's name is Kyse. He says there's a tunnel down to the undercity, but its probably one-way.
I enter Traitor's Gate Tavern. I meet Nabat, says he's got stories, but none for me right now. I find a hotel register. I meet Dallan, who claims to know something about the deva, for a price, but not yet. I meet Merchant, but they he says he's a cook, and tells me to leave. On his table is cheese and a steak knife.
I meet Marquez, who doesn't want to talk. I meet Chek'ka Plute, a guard who's watching Tainted Barse to see if he has a secret tunnel. I meet Tainted Barse, who's daughter has been taken by slavers. He's heard I've been asking around about the deva, and offers a trade of info for a five part key, starting with Marquez. I get some info for free - there is a prison here that is always being enlarged, and in its digging they discovered a celestial, the deva, inside an obsidian bubble, chained down. Somehow they have its sword, and they're using it to keep the prison running. That's when the plague hit.
I can rent accommodations from Barse, at Peasant or Merchant level. Time to heal up, and identify some items. Ravel's Fingernail is 2-7 piercing, +2, and 2-12 poison damage; nice, i'll switch to that as my melee weapon.
I speak to Kitla, too busy to talk. I meet Dona Quisho, who doesn't want to talk. Back to Marquez, who has the details of the job: the slavers are in east Inner Curst, kill them, find Barse's daughter, then I'll receive the first part of the key. Marquez quit the Harmonium because some of them got into slaving.
Time to update my to-do list, first I'll check my Journal. I just figured out that you can click on Assigned Quests and see a Quest Description. So much weird UI in this game which actually makes sense once you discover it. Oh, so that's why I want to build a Dreambuilder; in-game it never comes up, but somehow my journal knows.
I go upstairs to Upper Level. A little lockpicking, and Annah gets Magic Punch Daggers. What she's wielding is still better. We meet Berrog, who has archon friends in Mount Celestia, and came to investigate the deva. We pick the lock to another room, and get an aggro Curst Thug. Not much loot, just an axe and a silver hairpin.
Back outside, we enter Grain Silo. Nothing inside but a ladder. Up the ladder, there is only a pentagram. Note that for later. We enter Small Dwelling, which is The Blacksmith on the map. We meet Crumplepunch Malako, the town's smith. He's got some interesting stuff for sale, like Assassin's Knuckles, Fiend Femur (club), Foolsmiter (hammer), Blind Terror (mace), Jagged Bolts, Zephyr Bolts, Bolts of Whistling Doom. This game has crossbows? We sell some excess items.
We take the exit to Inner Curst, on the map its still named Curst. We meet Guard Captain, I have the option to ask to see the person in charge, report on Lady Roberta's murderous intent, or ask to be arrested. I guess some of these options will be exercised, but I want to look around some more first. This is starting to get tedious; I feel like I'm trolling through The Hive all over again.
Lockpicking a box yields a Gaudy Ring (Ring of the Traveler), Gold Ring, Festival Prize (Serpent Ring), and Dustman Embalming Charm, Greater. Strange to find one of their artifacts all they way out here, even with portals. The Serpent Ring gives Immunity to Poison, so Annah, our resident thief, should have that. I pass Annah's +3 vs poison ring to Grace, and she has a voiced comment about rings and marriage!
There's a whole bunch of Harmonium Officers around a woman. Is this the barkeep's daughter? I talk to their leader, Measure Two Skatch of the Harmonium. It seems like fighting is inevitable, so I set up all our shield, prayer, etc. spells. We are quickly reduced to retreating; luckily the local police don't seem to notice us fighting in the street. We retreat and spread them out, and can take out a few. 3000xp each, no wonder they're so tough. As I feared, our target was killed in the fight. Retreating will not be an option. Time to reload.
Its taking many reloads, and the prisoner gets killed at random intervals. The graphics glitches are not helping. It took about a dozen tries, getting the right combination of offensive spells, healing, targeting, and simple luck that they don't cut her down in a strike or two. Finally, we can speak to Jasilya. She leaves.
I enter the building she did, it is Small Dwelling; nothing much of interest. Back to Inner Curst, we meet Siabha, who has no time to talk. Nearby, a heavy door, no way to open. The map says its Curst Administration. In the town square, a guillotine. Near it a large strange structure, the Gate to Carceri, festooned with skulls.
We meet An'izius, a githyanki, which Dak'kon is not happy about. He's a town leader, but doesn't have much to say. Sometimes its worth clicking on all these cookie cutter Curst Citizen, because I find one named Kiri. She's in dire need of money, and Nameless asks if she would kill someone - that seemed out of nowhere, but then Roberta wanted to kill her husband, who only lets harlots near. Did I just broker a contract killing? Let me check my alignment... Lawful Good. Well, I guess I'm still OK.
I find a trunk of junk and a Perfume Bottle. It needs an identify, but I'm out. I rearrange my spells so I'll have one after next rest. In another corner people are duelling Trichas. I enter another Small Dwelling, have to fight off some citizens. We enter Warehouse, I meet Devore, supervisor of the warehouse. I meet Dorfin, who works here. I meet another worker, Leighis, and Aileena, and some unnamed. Some interesting meta responses, several mentions of their paid day off. There's some gold items in a locked container that we take, in including a gold ingot.
We enter a small building called The Distiller on the map, but Small Dwelling on the map once inside. We meet Kester, brother of Crumplepunch, and he asks me to settle a dispute in their wills.
We enter The Barracks, doesn't seem to be anything to do here. Exploration done, let's do some quests. I stop at the blacksmith, and get his legacy. Both brothers agree to a binding agreement to be decided by me. These guys are awfully trusting, or they just want the matter over with. Split it, 2k xp. I've lost Kester as a merchant, but Crumple is OK with it.
I find Roberta out in the open, tell her Kiri is willing to do it. Roberta is only offering 500 copper. Now that the moment of decision is here, and the amount is laughably small, this is not worth tarnishing my Lawful Good status. If that's even worth anything.
Back to the inn, I approach Marquez, tell him the good news. Nice, 65,000 xp, and the first key fragment. I'm to report to Kitla for the next key, and I can get weapons training. Kitla gives me the next fragment, tells me to report to Nabat.
I can't find him, so I go to see Tainted Barse first. Get rested, cast identify, the perfume bottle casts Acid Storm, and the eye is The Fiendish Eye of Kalem'darr (+2 Charisma, -1 Wisdom, 5% resist lots - not worth it). Wow, the gold ingot sells for $4000. Oh yeah, I'm Lawful Good, maybe I can finally use the Tear of Salieru-Dei, and get that +1 to Con. It worked.
I speak to Nabat, he says to go help Kyse in the dump. Kyse claims to have no money, and to convince the thug Wernet in Inner Curst not to rob him. We talk to him, he basically just walks away. Back to Kyse. We fight the three thugs, no problem. We loot, I notice I have a Scroll of Abyssal Fury in my inventory - when did that happen? Nasty spell, and its level 9 - can I copy it? Yes. Also, Dak'kon can copy the Chromatic Orb spells to his book. Though I could copy the spell, I can't even use spells past level 5 yet.
Kyse offers healing, turns out its not free whole party healing, he'll just sell clerical healings. Back to Nabat. He tells me his part, offers thief training, points me to Dallan. I ask if he'll answer some questions now, get 43,750 xp! He's a storyteller, without any stories yet.
There's Jasilya, nothing new to say. I find Dallan, he wants me to help An'izius with some political trouble. Before we leave, rest to regain spells. I find An'izius, he wants me to discredit Siabha. I speak to Guard Captain, and fake rat out Siabha. While I'm here, might as well rat out Lady Roberta. Back to An'izius. I receive 100,000 xp, and what seems to be about $8,000. Lots of level ups in the party. Today is a good day in Curst.
Back to Dallan. Another fragment, report to Dona Quisho. 87,500 xp. Dallan has some anger issues. Dona looks like another manifestation of Ravel (like Mebbeth). I am to let a fiend, Agril-shank, free. So now I know what the pentagram in the grain silo is for. All I have to do is read the scroll to get 60k xp. Agril-Shanak, the glabrezu, the fiend, the friend, is interesting to talk to. Just a couple of lines, and you get a good hint of his personality, and he's not even human. That's good writing. I wish I could talk to him some more.
For his freedom, I can try to extract something from him, he promises me Heartgrinder. Its a deal. Out of gratitude, he decides not to kill me... this time. Heartgrinder seems like a fun weapon, but its for fighters only. I'm really considering staying a fighter if I ever go through this game again. Back to Dona, she doesn't drop much hint as to why she summoned that demon.
Back to Barse, he's ready to do his thing but says there's no way back. Time to stock up on healing items. The Blood Charm seems to be a good price point, $30 for 18 hp healing, and I've got $15k now, so every party member should carry at least 10.
I tell Barse to go ahead, and there's no reading of the magic phrase, there's no opening of the portal, I'm just suddenly in Curst Underground. Couldn't I have just gone through the dump? I would have missed out on a lot of easy xp though.
We fight our way through some demons. We meet Voorsha, a bootlegger. He needs help with a gehreleth. We find some loot - is it Voorsha's? Well... it doesn't have his name on it. Scroll of Hold Undead, that's nice.
We meet Ghrist, who says he's going to eat me, and that he is Gehreleth... Farastu. He says farastu is his station. I ask it what its doing here and he says its look for the deva. To eat it. I ask "You want to eat Trias?" WTF? How do I know the deva's name? I don't think Ravel mentioned it.
It takes a few tries but we get him. I report back to Voorsha, who didn't expect me to be able to do it, and goes aggro. He hits hard for someone worth only 270 xp, considering the gehreleth was worth around 14k.
We explore and meet Hermit. He's a priest, looking to help his god who is imprisoned here. He sells healing. Even better, he can offer rest! We find a gold ring, but I don't have identify memorized. Later, it is revealed to be Ring of Fallen Stars, that casts Meteor Storm Bombardment.
I keep chipping away at the demons on this level. I have access to rest, so why not. Moving northeast, there is a strange group of beings calls Nupperibo. I can't talk to them, as they are aggro/red, but neither do they move. If I move amongst them, something damages me (them? the floor?). There is another pond full of Lemure. Also red/aggro, but not moving. Can I kill them? Should I? I guess it depends on the xp. I kill one, only 120 xp, and the rest slowly come after me.
I meet some Black Abishai. They don't seem to want to chat. I meet Tek'elach. He is a baatezu, "specifically, a cornugon". He's talkative, and yet I learn very little. Nameless notes that he seems a bit too high rank to be here. He's probably here for the deva.
Time to move on to western map. It is called Prison. In addition to the usual demons, I also meet aggro Curst Guard. Lots of em.
2014.08.23
We lure out guards one by one and take them out. In the northeast corner is a locked door with no name, and Annah can't pick it. Moving on to the northwest. In the center south, a door. Inside is Trias, the deva. He's voiced. He doesn't like the Baator smell of Morte. Other party members chime in, unvoiced, but I love it. Trias can't remember what I want to know, but if I free him with his magic sword, he'll tell me. He gives me the code to the locked door where the sword is.
I go back to the locked door, now called Barbed Door, but I can't open it. Keep exploring, go northwest. In a barrel is a Scroll of Embalming. It's like the Aid spell, but for the undead, and the Nameless One. Am I undead? Never really thought about it that way, but technically I think it fits.
Find another gate, this one I can use the code from Trias. I see a Curst Guard, and he's blue, not red - I can speak to him. Not really, he goes aggro fast. Go through a bunch of guards, find a Finger Bone Key. Inside the prison I find Roberta; makes sense, I put her there. She promises revenge convincingly enough that if I wasn't lawful good, I'd do something about it.
Lots of save and reloads as I try out various combos against the guards. Lots of trips back to the resting place on the previous map. For a game with little combat suddenly I'm grinding.
Some kind of yellow goop keeps falling on me and giving me major damage. Suddenly I get some xp going down a hallway? Don't know what's going on. On a guard we find a reminder not to not step on a trigger plate, or it could kill you. Reminds me of my tomb, with its lethal pressure plates.
In the Inner Sanctum we find Cassius, a demon looking thing that is not aggro. I talk to it. It is the weapon. Or it is the keeper of the weapon. In any case, I have to get past it to get the sword. I choose a test of wits, luckily its all in-game, and Nameless has a high Intelligence, so its really easy. I get Celestial Fire, a sword only usable by lawful good. Nice item description.
Taking the sword sets all the prisoners free, somehow. What was keeping them locked up before they got Trias' sword? I run past the raging mobs to Trias. I free him, get 300k xp. He offers me power, wishes, wealth, or souls to torment. I request knowledge. Of course all I get is the next plot token. I must find a demon named Fhjull Forked-Tongue, and I can use a portal in the northeast. First, one more rest session.
We go through the portal, there is a short movie of what looks like a skeleton of a dragon in the desert, with ladders and beams on it, like archaeology. We are immediately beset by Gronks, whatever that its, but they go down easy. The map says I am in Outlands.
After a few steps, some more monsters, Grilligs. A little tougher. In the skull of the dragon, the House of Fhjull. We meet Fhjull Forked-Tongue, he's upset at the presence of a tanar'ri. I ask him about my mortality, and directs me to the Fortress of Regrets. He doesn't know how to get there, but he directs me to the Baator pillar of sages (isn't that where Morte's from?); I get 350k xp!
Fhjull tells me about the skeleton that he makes his home, Ul-Goris, father of the goristro, living siege-towers. That sounds familiar, I met a sentient siege-tower in Sigil, but I think that was more mechanical then biological.
Fhjull is an interesting character. Once a high-ranking demon, Trias tricked him into having to do only good deeds, so Fhjull got kicked out, and is in hiding.
I ask how to return once I get to Baator and get the knowledge I seek. I get an answer, but Fhjull says I don't need to come back here. Another 100k xp.
Fhjull also has some items to share: Hatred's Gift (axe), Gordian knot, adder's tear, Baatorian green steel knife and dagger, kassegs (boost int). He also has some spells: Remove Curse, Globe of Invulnerability, Chain Lightning Storm, Acid Storm, Bladestorm, Stygian Ice Storm. How many of these items can I have?
2014.08.24
All these xp bonuses means a bunch of level ups. My spell book is starting to fill out nicely, but I always want more. Hopefully I can get all the spells Fhjull has to offer.
First I ask for kassegs, which boost Int and Wis, but only for a few hours. Gordian Knot, cool, but I don't need more charisma at the cost of wisdom. Stygian Ice Storm sounds awesome, but I bet its going to glitch like crazy. I'm glad I can copy it to my book, even though I can't cast it yet, because the group's inventory is packed. Not a lot of merchants out here for us to cash it in.
We rest up, go outside, go through the portal, and watch a short movie of what looks like Mars, captioned Baator. Green abishai's hit hard, and there seem to be a lot of them. I get killed, and wake up in front of the pillar of skulls. Reload. Try to fight through, it seems like a lot of grinding. On a whim, I sprint past a score of abishai to the next map, and I am in front of the Pillar of Skulls. Does the game want me to do it this way? Or is it just letting me? What am I missing out on? Grinding is rarely fun, but with graphics glitches and long regen times, its extra un-fun. I'll reload from when I came in here, and sprint to the exit solo.
I talk to the Pillar. They/it are very interested in Morte. I can shove Morte back into the pile, and I can get him out again at a cost to my hp. I reload, as lawful me would never do that. They then focus on Grace, saying her scent will attract the Baatezu, and their lord Bel.
Next up is Pharod's head, as it speaks to Annah and begs to be freed. Pharod says he was wrong about the Sphere, and that it wasn't enough. A painful moment for Annah.
I can ask the Pillar some questions, most paths lead to it asking for a sacrifice. I can also ask "Who is my killer?", a question which makes no sense in the story so far. Even more intriguing, the skulls who knew the answer have been removed.
Maybe I can get the answer from the Pillar, and still retrieve Morte. Yeah, that works, and now I know about Trias the Betrayer. Never did trust that dude. Now where is my exit portal? Do I have to go back through all those abishai? We exit, and the game takes over, sets up an encounter: a cornugon, and 4 black abishai. I try sprinting through the map again, but no exit is apparent.
Let's examine more closely what the pillar said, that I already have the key, I just need to regret. With a sickly realization, I think I know what I need to do. I need to sacrifice one of my companions to the Pillar, be in a regretful state, then the portal will open. The other part is to write it upon a piece of my flesh... this reminds me of the Dabus tattooer, but I would have to get there first, so that's not it. Maybe I should reload a save with Fhjull, and more closely examine his advice.
2014.08.25
Speaking to Fhjull, he said I need "knowledge and a piece of jagged obsidian to cut your tongue". I search my notes for obsidian, and all I find is Trias' prison was made of obsidian. Maybe I can use the Blade of the Immortal; no, it doesn't want to talk yet. Checking my journal... maybe the bit of obsidian I need is in Outlands? Time to reload save again. I can't help but thinking I'm mixing up the portal I need to get out of here, and some other portal that will take me to the Fortress of Regrets.
Usually the puzzles in this game are so simple they are being spoonfed to you. This puzzle shouldn't be this hard. I'm very tempted to look this one up online. I really hate the risk of seeing spoilers, but maybe I could just get a hint... OK, good, I found a nice hint at: http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/Torment/Walkthrough/act8-outlands/outlands-baator.php
The exit is on the previous map, in the southwest corner. But I've already gone back and run through the whole map - how did I miss it? I barely regret this hint, saves a lot of frustration, and I don't think I ruined anything.
I run past as much as I can, but its thick with monsters in the southwest corner. Finally I get the prompt to pick up a piece of obsidian so I can cut my tongue with it. We're back in Outlands! Maybe I can repeat this round trip, and chip away at all those demons. Or not; as good as the xp is, its so much more cost-effective to just move the plot along. Now that I'm here, how do I get out of Outlands? Time to talk to Fhjall again. I can ask him how to get out of this crater. There's a portal in the butt of the giant monster skeleton we're in.
The portal takes us to "Curst Gone". Did they collectively shift alignment enough to enter another plane? Not much ruins remain, but there are some containers to loot. We meet the Fiend From Moridor's Box. He hits really hard, not much choice but to run away. We find the Gate to Carceri, and we can speak to the heads on it. There is also an open portal. The gate says the town was swept into the prison plane of Carceri. But I thought that's where we've been all this time. So I guess all this time we were in a plane called Outlands, not the outlands of Carceri.
The heads know I'm looking for the deva, and say he awaits me. I step through the portal, and get the movie for Carceri, which looks like an even more evil version of Mars than Outland. The map we're on says Carceri. Sounds like a riot in here, like when I broke into the jail. Before I forget to mention it, there's no way we could have fought our way through Baator, or wherever that Pillar of Skulls is, and, slightly worried, I think the game somewhat expected you to. I've been hoovering up all the xp I can, but the group is not even close to powerful enough to have fought through that. Makes wonder again if I was supposed to remain a fighter for a long time.
Into Carceri. The townspeople are being killed by gehreleths, and are crying for help. Fortunately the gehreleth aren't too tough. We find Tovus Giljaf, trapped under a cart. Somehow setting the deva free slid the town over the balance, and into Carceri. He vows revenge. Not until I speak to the deva first. I talk to Berrog, another person trapped under the cart. Tovus promises to rally the troops and fight the demons, which will help me get to the deva. He gives me something, which I promptly drop as the whole party's inventory is nearly full.
I meet the dump caretaker, Kyse. He explains the deva dragged the town here, and is enjoying its doom. The only way to free the town is to strike down the deva, and getting the town to believe in forgiveness will weaken the deva. This game just keeps getting more interesting. He offers me a place to rest, tells me to look for him at the barracks or distillery, and he gives me something. I drop that too. Time to re-arrange loot and pick up all this stuff. The first item, from Tovus, is a scroll of Deathbolt, nice but level 8, I ca't even cast it yet. The second item is a scroll of Meteor Storm Bombardment, another level 8 spell I can't use. Should I be at that level by now, or am I going to be in this area that long?
We meet Jasilya, who is being chased by thugs. Pacify spell works great here. Get 75k xp. We meet looters, and Jujog. Convince them to defend, not loot, get 150k xp. In the warehouse are anarchists and... Ebb Creakknees, from the Smoldering Corpse Tavern! I talk him into defending the city, not overthrowing it, get some xp (couldn't see it on screen). Find scrolls of Cure Critical, Ice Knife, Ball Lightning. In my inventory is a scroll of Desert Hell - when did I get that? Did Ebb give that to me? I also find a bracer of Magus Shield. I reload, OK there was no xp, just the scroll of Desert Hell.
I enter another structure, a bunch of thugs are after Kester. We save him, he'll go on to help the town. That's nice, but I could really use a merchant and/or resting place right now. Oh cool, I can rest in here.
Outside, I see two demons fighting each other: Agril-Shanak and Tek'alach. Not sure which I should help, if either. Checking notes, I've spoken to them both, and they're both interesting in their way. I think I'm supposed to just leave them to it. We enter the barracks and there are Curst Gaurds, and they are aggro, unfortunately. I cast Pacify on them, and they sleep, but now what do I do. I'll just leave.
Back to Kester's. Re-arrange spells for combat; rest. Back out into the streets to help the guards fight the random demons walking around. I test out some spells on a Crazy Mage on top of a building, randomly shooting down at everything. OK, this is not good, new mobs keep being created. I think I need to focus on improving the morale of the town.
Trying to ignore mobs as best as I can. I meet Thokola Guard - same or similar to the ones I met in front of the Godsman's Foundry? He won't talk to me. I meet Hezebol, a slaver, convert him to helping the town, another 150k xp.
I meet Hermit - the one from underground? It seems so, and he offers healing for the whole party. There's another crazy mage sniper, and his fire is worse. Run into the nearest door, its Curst Administration. We are immediately attacked by Sohmien, but they're not tough (1000xp). There are also looters, not tough, but Nameless is ineffective against them. We take the stairs up. A bunch of Curst Guards, and they're aggro against us, for some reason. Too close to fight safely, we run ahead into a large room where lots of guards are fighting lots of demons. I have the party group up in the corner and let them wear each other out.
I save and reload a bunch of times, with various results. Most scenarios end with us fighting 4-5 gehreleths. We run back to Kester's to rest.
2014.08.27
Fighting indoors is buggy. Enemies have trouble navigating through the tight doors and corridors. They stop following me, even though we're still in fight mode, and when I cast spells on them I have to run up to them, and then they can attack me, ruining the point of having long range spells. We work our way upstairs, get warned by a dying guard not face the deva while its powerful - how would he know about me convincing the town to get less evil? Find a locked desk full of fighter weapons.
We meet the deva. Of course he's evil, and doesn't even realize it. Once again, I love that some of my group members interject. Interesting turn of conversation, as Nameless thinks to ask how Trias' wings really got burned. Is their a way to converse my way out this fight? I need to know, because I can't win, even after a whole bunch of tries. Even when I think I'm getting close, half the party is dead.
2014.08.29
I forgot about spell-caster suppression. I don't think its an accident that the very first party member you get has that as his specialty, and I also have a spell and some items that suppress casters.
Suppression did help some, but it doesn't seem to last long enough. It seems the real key is to keep using healing items until he runs out of spells, then move in and melee until he gives up. I did this and lost most of the party, so I am curious if I can do this losing no one.
Better, only lost three. I can do three resurrects by myself, so maybe I'll just go with this. Do I get the resurrects back after I rest? (yes)
Trias tells me where the portal is to the Fortress of Regrets, and how to open it. Inside I may meet its keeper. Trias tells me the Fortress draws tormented souls the way I do. He says I will not be able to get my mortality back from the keeper. Finally, I am able to convince Trias to go home and beg forgiveness, and he may be taken back. I get a scroll of Celestial Host and 375k xp, nice. I wonder if the dead party members get any of that xp - to be fair, they probably shouldn't.
Enter the portal, watch Curst go home to Outlands (reminds me of Starcraft buildings how they lift off and land). Insert disc 2. We emerge by the obsidian monument in front of the Mortuary. What a long journey just to come back to this.
I stop by Shilandra's place, she congratulates me on destroying Moridor's Box. That was a while ago, funny that I ran into the fiend from that box in Outlands. This game has the depth and scope to pull off such long range stories. We stop at Angyar's house and rest. We are in desperate need of a merchant to unload all our loot. I'm also on the lookout for anyone who's text is updated since we've been here last. I love it when the game changes over time, due to my actions. Though realistically, how long have I even been gone? Days?
I stop at the Flophouse, the junk I stashed is still there. I check with the Hive merchants, do I get the same cash-in prices everywhere? One lousy copper for a High Quality Stiletto? Seems wrong. I stop in at the office of vermin control, that locked door still requires a key. For all I know, the game ends in there. I head for Ragpicker's Square, and Mebbeth's hut. Ravel was Mebbeth, or did she just inhabit her? Who will I find?
This is even more than I hoped for - my sense of admiration for this game continues to grow. Ravels unraveling, nicely written. I'm glad the game allowed for me to say goodbye to Ravel properly.
I like how Ravel didn't disguise herself as Mebbeth, nor did she pretend to be Mebbeth, she really was Mebbeth. That was a real part of herself. Ravel is still some kind of special crazy, what with taking people's mortality away and trying to 'free' the Lady, but she's not any kind of plain or common crazy. Now I need to see if the other strand of Ravel is still there.
No, Marta is not home. Just as well, that was not a very fun version of Ravel. Just as well I went to Mebbeth first. Unfortunately, Marta was one of the last places I knew of that I could find some teeth for Morte that had a magic to hit; without that Morte is useless against melee proofed opponents. I hope there is something else still out there.
We stop at Quint's shop, he is offering 6cp for the High Quality Stiletto; I'll keep going. I stop in at Pharod's because why not, I'm on a nostalgia tour. There's Pharod, dead as was seen in the "vision" (cut scene). I wonder if Annah will react. She does. Pharod's body still has the Bronze Sphere on it. I talk to Annah, and there doesn't seem to be anything new, but I am reminded that Pharod should have a stash nearby, and his crutch might be the portal key.
Yes, it is nearby, map is Pharod's Vault. For someone's vault, this place is huge. I like that there is a lot of library shelving, but it would be nice if the game even mentioned what was on the shelves. Even if its a just a warning that these books are too rotten to use, but no, nothing. OK, one shelf mentions they are indexed. Still doesn't say what they're about. I search the whole map, mousing over every bookshelf, and finally there is a hotspot. I open it and get: cheese.
OK, I needed to look more carefully, there are some more hotspots, some more contents. A scroll of magic missile. I try to get Dak'kon to learn it, but his book is full of spells of that level. Looking in the spell book it seems like there is room, but I guess a limit is being imposed. I hope this doesn't affect Nameless. Sneaky, some of these hotspots are really tiny.
On a desk I find a Lady of Pain Rag Doll. Didn't Vrischika at the Curio Shop have one of these? You can Talk to Item, with choices even. Nothing seems to come of it. As long as I'm testing stuff, let's try using the Bronze Sphere. Nothing much, its just a disturbing sphere.
For a hiding place as impressive and cool as this vault, its got hardly any loot worth mentioning. Unless this rag doll proves pivotal. I like how the guard admits he's got nothing to guard anymore.
I head to the southeast Hive, enter Smoldering Corpse bar. Ebb Creakknees is back; he acknowledges our time in Outlands, but has nothing much to say of it. Nothing much of interest here, that weird guy O is still here, talking about the Great Beyond, and the Divine Alphabet.
At Fell's tattoo shop, this should be interesting. Well, he's got nothing new to say, but he's got some new inventory.
Tattoo of the Magi, $10200, +3 Int, x2 level 1-2 spells
Tattoo of the Redeemer, $, +2 Wis +1 Char +1 Luck
Tattoo of Sensation
Tattoo of the Sensates
Tattoo of Avernus, resistance to fire
Tattoo of Ravel, $255, +1 Char, Immunity to Panic
Tattoo of the Silver Tongue, +2 Char
Tattoo of the Black-barbed Maze
I really want that tattoo of the Magi, so I try it on. Now my Intelligence is 25, which is kind of crazy. I have an extra 5 slots in level 1 and level 2 spells. As cool as all this is, what I really need are more slots for my higher end spells. I've got a whole bunch of level 7-9 spells, and I can't even use them yet. Right now I'm free to move around Sigil, so I'll just put this on hold for now.
Oh yeah, Mourns-for-Trees, I get a little xp. The response to asking Ignus to help the trees is perfect.
On the main map, I speedwalk to the Lower Ward, insert disc 3. The party complains that it wants rest. High Quality Stiletto sells for 6 coppers, guess its the best I'm going to do. Time to unload.
I go in the market, visit Cinder, buy Cone of Cold, Elysium's Tears. Visit Pawn Shop, nothing new. Visit Siege Engine, talk to Coaxmetal, I can ask him about the Fortress of Regrets. Interesting, it is a place even this tower can not breach. Before I go, it asks me to free it. I will need a planar cube. Whatever that is.
I visit the Godsmen, nothing new. I head to Clerk's Ward. I visit Able, he's still offering research on Ravel, I think I'll pass. I visit Advocate, I can still tell him that his daughter is a ghost, etc. Nothing new here.
I visit Vrischika. She has a Tear of Salieru-Dei, I should have bought and used that when I could, I'm Neutral Good right now. Heck, might as well buy it, maybe I can go lawful once more. She has Teeth of the Fire Drake for Morte, its $6630, but I think we need it. Scroll of Cloudkill, I'll take one.
2014.08.30
We come across those Thugs that talk like they're from the Hive, but they're doing it wrong. Annah makes fun of them, and we fight. Previously we could not win, this time we make a greasy spot where they used to stand. Hope they weren't important to the plot or anything. I get a Steel Box.
You can talk to the box, and a voice answers, calling himself Mertwyn - its the guy in the Festhall who's lost his head! I return his head, get a little xp. I wonder what remains of that sensory stone that Ravel used to talk to me. Sadly, that stone seems dead. I experience the Longing stone again (the one where an evil Nameless uses Deionarra), so intense.
I stop at Art and Curio Galleria, at the statue of Gangroighydon, a sorcerer who was turned to stone. Remember that jar of Gorgon Salve I bought at the curio shop a while ago? The game has an option to apply it to the statue. I try it, and die horribly, though Morte gets to learn some new taunts. I go back to the gallery and talk to Yvana, who has mostly figured out what had happened. Fascinating, but I don't think Nameless is going to do this. What about the option to break off a piece first? With the forge-hammer, I can. I get 4k xp, and the statue sheds a tear. What? In my inventory is a Mad Splinter, a stabbing weapon that can curse its target.
What happens if I apply the salve now, with the splinter taken off? Cursed again, but this death seems to cost nothing, so I'll just let it stand, and Morte gets his upgrade. Time to visit UnderSigil. There's some monsters under there, not too tough, be we need to back off and rest. Dak'Kon has no offensive level 4 or 5 spells, so I buy him Force Missiles and Cone of Cold.
Several trips back and forth of fighting and resting. We find a body with little loot. We find a sealed door. In a container I find Manacles. Unfortunately, it has the exact same sound as picking up a mini-gun in Fallout. Didn't they think some people would play both games? The manacles can one-time cast Chain Lightning, no big deal, I should sell it. In a shelf I find a Magnifying Lens, usable only by Modrons.
My quest log has never been emptier - there's no mention that I need to head to Mortuary and look for... something, but that's all I can do now. I stop at Deionarra's tomb - once again I marvel at her sad theme song. I listen to her prophecy again, so much voicework, and its not bad. Near her a portal opens up, we enter, and emerge in that strange little tomb next to Angyar's house. Not very useful.
Back to Mortuary, up to second floor. In a locked cabinet (opened thanks to Annah), an Ancient Copper Earring (Closed). We go up to the third floor. I find a zombie I can Stories-Bones-Tell with. He was a victim of Ignus' arson; I think I've talked to this zombie before. I speak to another zombie, Arabhiem, whose spirit is at the Wasting Tower in Oinos. Also familiar; I guess I have done this already.
I walk everywhere I think I can, but no hint of a portal. Of course, logically even, its near the slab where I first woke up. I like that you can choose what regret to write on yourself, but does it make any difference in the game? I choose simple generic regret about my companions, get 250k xp. I really really like that Nameless takes the time to ask everyone if they are on board for this.
It gets even better as we commit to going in, as Morte and Dak'Kon are now willing to tell me a lot more about the past, and past companions, and how they fought their way out of this Fortress of Regrets before. I like how they regard the previous version of me as more competent than the current me. Even better the previous me still died in the Fortress, and Morte is wary of trying again with current me.
We go to the Negative Material Plane, and as predicted by Morte, we are all split up. The Negative Token is in my inventory, though I think Morte was holding it last. That reminds me, I'm not carrying any healing items. I like how this place's theme is Deionarra's theme. And just like that, there's Deionarra's ghost, and she's got a lot to say. There's some convoluted logic about how every time I don't die something else has to die in my place, and all those things are shadows, and they're pissed, and they are here. Deionarra has a clue for me about some chamber of clocks being useful to get past the shadows. I tell her I have her ring from the legacy she gave me, and she powers it up. I go through a door so large, it gets its own cut scene.
In another scene, Ignus meets the Izual looking demon, and seems to be recruited. I meet a Greater Shadow, its kind of tough, but I kill it, 10k xp. I find a clock with a message written on it, from me to me. I find a cannon, that seems to send me to other parts of the map. I watch an in-game scene as Dak'Kon gets overwhelmed.
The map is some kind of puzzle, I need to take my advice to keep running and use the cannons to get around. I wonder if I'm supposed to lead all the shadows to one area, let them kill me, reincarnate back at the start of the map (wait - aren't I supposed to not die here?), then go back in to a cleared area? Or do they redistribute themselves?
I need to go back a few saves, and have some healing items. I have to swap discs. Distribute healing items. Swap discs again. I didn't notice in the video last time that it shows the Fortress of Regrets. I've had time to consider a few other things. I have a bunch of slots for ranged weapons, but they have never come up in the game (except those crossbow bolts from Fhjull, but that was very recent). I also have a slot for chest armor, and that has never come up either. It's typical to withhold equipment early in an RPG, but its getting far into the game. Also, if Ignus is going to turn on me, maybe I could just leave him behind? And what's with bringing support characters like Grace along - they can't survive fighting on their own.
OK, I'm doing the trial and error thing with the teleporters. I have to watch the cut scenes every time - and I can't skip them!? I'll just stick with resurrects for now. I start getting better at herding the mobs of shadows, still don't know what I'm doing here. I activate another teleporter, get to a see a cut scene of Grace and the big yellow demon, who has a name now, at least in dialogue - The Transcendent One. What is he? The top shadow? My first shadow? They fight, of course Grace dies. Another teleporter, Annah dies. Why did I bring them along, again?
I've activated three teleporter cannons, and I think there should be a portal somewhere now, but where? The clock clue indicates northeast but I've been running around in there and nothing comes up. Maybe the big arch in the center of the map? No, that's not it.
Running around, testing spells - Cloudkill is instant kill on these guys, took out a whole mob and I leveled up. I might need to go back a bunch of saves and load up on Cloudkill spells.
2014.09.17
I need to go back a save or two to fill up on Cloudkill, and to test to see what happens if I leave some or all companions behind. I'll go back to Day 54 1:28 Civic Festhall 'rested'. Switch discs. I have four Level 5 spell slots, I'll fill them with Cloudkill.
While I'm here in the Festhall, I might as well stop in my room and sort out all this inventory. I find I have several items that are wearable in the eye socket - can I swap them at will? It looks like I can, so I'll sport the Kaleidoscopic Eye (+1 to saves) for now. I also have an Intestinal Phylactery from Ravel, which is of wearable type bracer. I could swap it out with my Magus Shield, but my AC would go up by 3, and I don't think that's worth gaining a few hp.
A quick side trip to sell of excess loot.
2014.09.25
Back to the Mortuary, and disc 2. I forgot how to dismiss party members. Is it in dialogue? No. Time for some careful searching online. Oh yeah, its in Statistics -> Reform Party. Let's see what happens if I try to go in alone, I suspect the game wants me to have some or all come along. Activating the portal, this time I choose the regret (not that it seems to matter which you choose) of taking this long to find my mortality. Get 250k xp.
Of course, Morte interrupts, even though he's not grouped anymore. Again I get to hear the story of a previous journey to the Fortress, even though Morte and Dak'kon are not in my party they both speak to me. What would happen if I left them outside? After the conversation I have a Level Up to use. I'll take a point of Con. Enter portal, swap to disc 4. Watch the movies, go find Deionarra. Enter the fort - there's that in-game scene of Ignus meeting that shadow leader guy. What if I leave Ignus outside the Mortuary? Might as well keep going, need to practice my shadow herding skills.
Its not that easy to get a good crowd following you, and still be able to cast the spell before they start whomping on you. I get most of them, pull the levers on the 3 teleporters. At least this time, there are no cut scenes of anyone dying. I end up in the northwest corner. Now what? Is there a portal? I wander the map, trailed by a few surviving shadows. I don't know what to do. Its very tempting to look online for help. I get killed by shadows once, wake up outside the fort. I get killed by a shadow again, and it says "You have been incapacitated and can no longer complete the game."
Interesting death animation, as Deionarra shows up and the torment symbol breaks.
OK, I'll see if I can carefully get a hint about what to do next. There are 4 levers, not 3! I see it now, in the northeast corner, only the tip of it is visible. I feel stupid, but not that stupid. If this were a real 3D environment (let alone real life) I wouldn't have missed it. I never feel bad for using a cheat when its kind of the game's fault. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Time to pull the last lever.
Through the portal, and here comes Ignus. He's got a few heavy spells, but I can wear him down while regenerating faster than he can dish it out. Kill him, get 32k xp. I am surrounded by statues of me, and in the center of the room, a giant pulsing crystal. Deionarra's theme is playing. Nothing left to do now but touch the crystal.
OK, this next sequence is cooler than you even expect at this point in the game. Past versions of me are having a conversation, and then as I wake I am part of the conversation. I can speak to the one who enslaved Dak'kon and sacrificed Deionarra, knowing she would become a ghost here. This evil me, the Practical me, wants to possess me, so he can get out. I ask if he taught Ignus, get a non answer. I ask if he built the tomb beneath Sigil, he did. I ask if he removed Morte from the pillar, he did.
I ask him about my tattoos, and about Pharod and the Bronze Sphere. The sphere "held the last experiences of the first of us". A shame I don't have it with me. I get 96k xp. I ask him about the others, he says he will merge with them or kill them as needed. He thinks he is superior, and that I should merge with him, not the other way around. He intends to fight someone, but doesn't say who.
I speak to the Good Incarnation. He has some idea of how and why there are these separate incarnations, but no definitive answer. Interesting angle on who was the first of us (+ 96k xp). Seems like he didn't want to end up in the Lower Planes after death. "It is regret that may change the nature of a man". But why does he say the Planes have been dying ever since? He asks a question and I give the right answer, get a plus to Wis and 32k xp.
I speak to the Paranoid Incarnation. He created the Sensory Stone trap, and the dodecahedron trap. The key to getting through his madness seems to be the secret language he learned. Pluses to strength, constitution, 64k xp.
I speak to Practical Incarnation again. I bluff that I will surrender my will, but I win. Pluses to Int and Wis, 96k xp. Another level up. And there is Deionarra (and her theme song). I can tell her why I (we) killed her. She can take me to my adversary, or my mortality. I'll try adversary first; I suspect both paths lead to the same place.
I meet The Transcendent One. Nameless rightly guesses that he is the embodiment of his mortality (what with Ravel's thorn magic). The Planes have suffered because of our separation? The game has not been making much of a case for this so far. I merge with him, and the games seems to end, and in trying to get a screen shot I cancel the movie. Oops. Reload. Different conversation path, Nameless brings up that he no longer forgets when he dies. I was wondering if that was ever going to be addressed.
I ask Transcendent what was my name. He doesn't know. Oh, so that's why the Planes are suffering, because every time I die a shade is created. That's bad, but I don't think its the Planes-wide problem they make it out to be. This time I choose to fight, and he's very tough. Slowly losing, game gets glitchy and crashes.
Once more, this time back to the merge option. We merge, Nameless immediately gets pulled to the Lower Planes, where he resolutely picks up a weapon and enters the war. Did he immediately die upon regaining his mortality, and go straight to the hells? Doesn't make much sense, but it makes a kind of sense as the ending, that he must go back into the fray between good and evil. Except this isn't that, its evil vs evil, forever. It makes sense that the game ends with Nameless regaining his mortality, and thus his death, but for him to end up in hell, battling forever? Especially after the hint of redemption offered by Good Incarnation.
Is there another ending? I reload, and this time I don't offer to merge, but use the blade on myself. The Transcendent One dies, and the game goes right to the credits. I guess I don't get an ending at all.
This doesn't feel right. I feel the like game is only three quarters done. There are inventory slots I haven't even used yet. Spells in my spell book I haven't leveled up enough to use. Empty spots on my map. And yet, this does seem to be the point of the game, to get to the bottom of my immortality issues and then do something about it.
I need to know what happens if you kill Transcendent, but I don't think Nameless is strong enough. I try again, doing lots of circling, this very much feels like a boss battle in Diablo. Nameless regenerates through most of the minor spell damage but melee with Transcendent kills Nameless quickly. I think I'll risk a hint and find out if this really is the end of the game or if there is more.
Oops, I learn you can show the Bronze Sphere to Deionarra to learn your real name. Ah, this is the ending, and there are but three endings, and I have now seen two. Now that I'm done, I feel free to look through the site, and I see I've missed a bunch of things. I don't think I want to play through this game again, not unless its modded to help with all these glitches. I am curious how you'd kill Transcendent though.
Oh, that's cool, if you choose to merge at the end, you can resurrect all of your group members and have a final conversation with them. There is a playthrough video, but am willing to put a little more time into this. I'm so close to the end, I might as well see everything I can for myself.
I reload Day 54 15:42 Lower Ward 'buy healing charms'. I go back to the Festhall for the Bronze Sphere. I visit Quell to buy some Stinky Chocolate, which casts Cloudkill, which should be very helpful against all the shadows I'm about to face. I can only buy one!? What a rip. I'll try leaving the map and coming back. Sadly, no more.
Time to hit the teleporters. Watch Ignus, Grace, Annah, Dak'kon. Kill Ignus. Find Sounding Stone, listen to it. Meet incarnations, tell Practical about Bronze Sphere, get xp. Good used to be a cartographer, and walked the Planes. Good was the first, more xp. Absorb paranoid and practical, very Highlander. Talk to Deionarra. No dialogue for Sphere? Oh, I need to Use it.
Wow. I think this is the most moving thing so far in the endgame. This is the real ending before the wrap up. Whatever happens next, at long last Nameless has his name, and his memories, restored. I think the game agrees, as it awards what must be the biggest single possible xp award in the game: 2 million. I have also jumped so many levels I can now cast every spell in my book, even the 9th level spells. I'm so glad I came back this way, I feel like I've discovered the real center of the game.
I head for the Transcendent One, and find the bodies of my companions. Time to test out these new spells (which will probably glitch like crazy). Conversation immediately turns to my dead friends, and resurrecting them and getting them out. I can distract Transcendent by telling him I let the shadows loose in the Fortress, and while he goes to check it out, I can resurrect Morte. Morte was faking, so now I can resurrect Dak'kon. I have no control over this, its just happening. Nameless (well, not anymore) resurrects everyone.
And then TO is back, and we fight. I wonder if everyone's inventory is still on ground. Let's try Celestial Host. A lot of videos go by, but no hint of how much damage that it actually caused. Time for Abyssal Fury. The glitching makes this unplayable. Reload, try a non violent solution. Oops, combat again, these spells take way too long to watch and you can't skip them. I saw a damage of 79 scroll by, not bad but not good enough.
I merge with Transcendent, and retain the ability to resurrect everyone. I think I have finally arrived at the true ending of the game. I watch each character's scene play out, and learn a bit more about Nameless' fate. As Nameless marches toward his punishment, it seems a little more meaningful, and a little more hopeful.
Now I'm done.
TO DO
The Hive
Open Tomb - who's is it? anything to do here?
Deionarra's prophecy, ...
ne: Gathering Dust bar: gates made of black metal no way to open
sw: "Office of Vermin": locked door need key. tested Knock, Lockpick - no
hive merchants, se, a door with no handles. tested Knock - no
hive merchant (near middle) has Luck and Blur
hive merchant (near middle) has lim-lims
Fell
keep visiting to see story-based tattoos
possible tattoo to buy:
Tattoo of the Lost Incarnation $765
gain a memory?, faster regen
2014.09.26
I'm done with this playthrough, but in my subsequent review post I read some game FAQs, and there are a few things I want to go back and try.
The Negative Token that you can get from Candrian actually has the power to temporarily freeze shadows, if you wear it like a ring and use it. The game tells you it helps against shadows, but I never really dug into how or why. This would have come in really handy while getting surrounded by shadows in the Fortress of Regrets, much later in the game.
Another useful item, Ingress' Teeth, can be upgraded into a magical item. This would have been very useful for Morte, as he needs a magic item to attack some opponents for much of the game. I was hoping to learn more about the NPC "O" in the Smoldering Corpse bar. He seems to be at least a lesser deity, slumming it in the Hive for some reason.
2014.10.16
Before I try anything else, let's do something that should have been done a long time ago. I make ISOs of the retail CDs, so I have a backup.
Now that I've had a complete plain vanilla experience, I want to try whatever hacks and mods I can get my hands on. If nothing else, it will help me decide later if I ever want to play through again.
The best set of instructions I have found are at "Planescape: Torment - Best Mods/Increase Resolution Guide" [ http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html ]. Before I start I need to clean the slate, and uninstall from Program Files (which will cause nothing but problems with Windows protection, VirtualStore, etc.). I'll save a copy of the \save folder, though it may not load after all these mods. After software uninstall, I still need to manually delete \Program Files x86\Black Isle, and just to be thorough I delete it from VirtualStore.
Step 1: Install
Run PowerISO. Mount "\retail 4cd box\TORMENT.iso" to F: and run F:\Setup.exe. Install to C:\Torment. Watch trailer for Icewind Dale. Finish.
Step 1a: Install patch
Unfortunately, the designated site of the patch, sorcerers.net, seems to have been taken over by malware, or at least a crap ton of spam. I get it from another site [moddb] and it has the same checksum, so I guess its OK.
I run it, it seems fine, but a few seconds later I get a popup Program Compatibility Assistant ... might not have installed correctly. I doubt it has any idea one way or the other, so I select that it installed correctly.
Step 1b: Language packs, test
Find Planescape icon in Start Menu, Pin to Taskbar. Click it on taskbar, Register Later, Forfeit. It wants disc 2, so mount that, videos start right up, watch them. Alt-tab out, extract save files to C:\Torment\save. Back to game, see if can load, the game doesn't see the files. Exit Torment, goes to black screen and popup "stopped working" APPCRASH. It always did that before, I've just been ignoring it and hitting close. Start Torment again, still not there - ah, WinRAR made too many subfolders. Load an old save, plays OK.
Step 2: Improve loading times
Make C:\Torment\CDALL
Copy *.bif from discs 2-4 there. Close PowerISO. As expected I have 188 files.
Edit torment.ini, modify CD1-4 to C:\Torment\CDALL.
Change CacheSize=120 to CacheSize=1
Path Search Nodes=4000 to Path Search Nodes=32000
Maximum Frame Rate=30 to Maximum Frame Rate=40
Check that file save OK, check program.
Something failed - its asking for disc 2. A guide this thorough probably address this... and there it is, this procedure doesn't remove the copy-protection scheme of checking to see if the disc is in the drive.
I mount disc 2 again, and load a save that I'm pretty sure is on disc 4. I see it briefly ask for disc 4, then it goes ahead and loads the file. So apparently this procedure works, as much as its going to. I can live with this.
I keep being asked to register, the file recommends deleting \ereg, that works.
Step 3a: Install The Bigg's Widescreen mod
Of all the mods, this is the one I'm most interested in, game feels like watching a movie through binoculars.
Language 0, readme No, Install Component 1, x = 1920, y = 1200
update save games? y
support multiple? n
sure? y
Updating all my saves takes a while. The guide doesn't say to test, but I will anyway. As predicted, the videos (and UI) are all squished into the corner. I assumed 1920x1200 would look awesome and it does, but now I am looking at the game through a telescope. Maybe I can ratchet it down a bit while keeping it proportional, maybe something like 1680x1050, or 1440x900. I run the installer again, choose re-install, choose 1680x1050. That's definitely better, but it still feels a bit distant. I'll try 1440x900. Wow, big flickering mess. I re-install 1680x1050; its OK again. I re-install 1280x800. Even this feels a little large, but I think it might be a good compromise. I try 1024, big flickering mess again.
Back to 1280x800.
Step 3b: Install Ghostdog's incredible UI mod
I'll try option 2, 40% bigger fonts.
"installed correctly".
Run Planescape, it works. You can see some of the awkwardness of how the layout was changed to make it work for a size it was never designed for, but it is acceptable.
I try a screenshot, and it comes out rather nicely in 1280x800. All this modification so far is nice, but I don't regret playing it through plain the first time.
Step 4: Install the Ultimate Fixpack by Qwinn
"Fixes hundreds of bugs left in the game" sounds vague, check its page, says it fixes crash on exit, that would be nice.
This mod will not load previous save files, so no more testing. I delete the save folder.
I check out the readme - this truly is a labor of love, and the labor of many people. Its hard to imagine the originators of the game sticking around for this many years to make so many fixes.
I install all 3 parts: Fixpack, Dialogue Corrections, Subtitled Cutscenes.
"installed correctly". Testing... seems OK.
Step 5a: Install Unfinished Business by Qwinn
I initially started using "cp" to denote the copper pieces that are the money here, but I eventually switch to the dollar symbol. Sometimes this seems jarring, other times normal. I may go back and make that consistent, especially if other forms of currency come into play (sp, gp, pp, etc.)
2014.02.03
I read through all my notes, fixing a lot of little errors on my way to getting back into the game. There's an awful lot to keep track of, I'm really glad I've been taking notes.
I meet Nemelle, who I think stone face Glyve told me to find - I though it would be more difficult than just casually bumping into her at the bar. Ah, first choice in conversation is asking her the magic word for my everlasting water bottle. Nemelle likes to speak in the third person, and convey some of her message telepathically, but I get the magic word, so that's OK. Nemelle is looking for her friend, Aelwyn, so I offer to help.
He also tells that there were 49 factions, but six centuries ago the Lady of Pain decided there would only be 15, which was called the Great Upheaval. I ask him about the Lady, and he tells the usual stuff, but also some things new to me: she has never spoken to anyone, and she took control of Sigil from another power, Aoskar, who is now believe to be dead. Oh, and the sight of her makes you mad.
Two things come immediately to mind: I may have been Aoskar, who the Lady overthrew, and I may be in a maze right now. My immortality may or may not have to do with the maze, but it sounds parallel to the whole maze thing. Of course, both theories are probably wrong, but there's something strangely unexplained about mazing. It sounds like if the Lady wants you dead, you're dead, she's not known for mercy. And maybe if you are too powerful to kill conveniently, you get a maze prison instead. But most mortals would die in a maze relatively quickly, or at the least live out their mortal life. It sounds like mazes are prisons for immortals. This game keeps getting more interesting.
I speak to a Cafe Patron, and my skull companion gets noticed yet again. This time the NPC says "Oh! What a cute little mimir!" as if it was a kitten or something. I guess Morte's existence is not so unusual (but why does he follow me through every life?) I ask the Cafe Patron what's around here, and she says there's a Art and Curio Galleria, apothecary, catacombs, tailor, and curiosity shop. She tells of the Sensates, who belong to the Society of Sensation, who have sensoriums, where they can share the many sensations they collect. They store them in memory stones.
I enter another unnamed (on the map) tent. Two more empty containers. I meet a Harmonium Officer, guarding some stairs down. He says they go to the Realm Below, also called UnderSigil or Down Below. He's not keeping me from going down there, he's here to keep things from coming out. If its that bad down there, shouldn't they post more than one guard?
I meet Harlot. I meet Clerk's Ward Citizen. I meet Performance Artist. I see Clerk's Ward Thug, and Thug Boss. It seems like all conversation leads to violence, and these guys hit pretty hard, so I'll leave them alone, for now. I wonder what would be different if I had focused on being a fighter this far into the game, as I suspect the game would favor. I suspect around this point a mage will be needed, so now I can free Ignus to join up. If he's any good, I may have been better off as a fighter/cleric. Not that cleric is an option, yet.
I enter another unnamed tent in the southeast corner. Two more empty containers. In the east, I meet more Cafe Patron, and another Barkeeper. I meet Aelwyn, who seems to be waiting for her friend at the wrong bar, or the other way around. It seems Aelwyn and Nemelle are from a world where your words and emotions affect other people. Their words have a power to make people do things, but as Nameless inquires more about it, Aelwyn uses her power to make me stop.
Another tent, more containers.
2014.02.06
I meet Elobrande, a fortune-teller. She looks at my hand, tells me I have no fate but what I make, and gives me back my five coppers. She's got a scroll for me, given long ago in case someone looking like Nameless showed up. In my inventory is Suspicious Sealed Scroll, I click Use. It seems to be some kind of poison rune, I think I lost some hit points. Time to reload and see - yep, my hp is back from 19 to 53, so it is just a cursed scroll. Maybe I'll just hold on to it, now that I know what it does. This does feel a bit like cheating, but I'm not playing through this game again, and it might come up in the story.
I come across The Civic Festhall, but I'm not going in yet. I meet Sensate, they don't want to talk. I meet Salabesh the Onyx. He tells me Lady Thorncombe is top mage trainer in the Festhall, and he wants her job. He is also the Master of Curses. Nameless asks him about Reekwind, and says only Jumble Murdersense can undo that curse. At some point there was a conversation option to ask if he cursed the performer down the street, but now that option is gone. Why? I reload. It turns out to be a dead end (well, it doesn't lead to money, experience, or plot).
I meet Sarhava's Toady, won't talk. I meet Sarhava Vjhul. Most conversation paths lead to violence, but the game gives you plenty of chances to walk away. I hope Morte learned a few new curses. In the north, more stairs down to UnderSigil. I meet Malmaner, who has offended the tailor, and wants me to get the costume he commissioned. Nearby is The Tailor's shop. I've looped all the way back around to Back to the Lower Ward.
I meet Jolmi's Messenger, who's looking for someone matching my description, hired by Jolmi Syrma. Jolmi wants to meet, that is all. I meet Old Poet, who is speaking in a language I can't understand. I try to speak to him, but the only option is to heckle him or leave. Some Clerk's Ward Citizens are nearby, listening. I meet Eli Havelock, thief trainer at the Festhall. I tell him he's more than just a common brigand, and get 12k xp!
Well, that's the map. Before I proceed, one more thing I should work into the procedure is talking to the party members. Sometimes they get a new line of dialogue as the plot unfolds. I ask Morte about Ravel, and he says she made me immortal. I don't remember where we picked up on that, but it makes about as much sense as the Lady doing it - so who's pawn am I?
2014.02.08
I'll start with the tailor, Goncalves. He's got some nice leather armor, but it only fits Annah. I pick up the Dustmen costume for the anxious guy outside - its for the masquerade of Lord Ird. Perhaps I should keep it for myself to use? There's a curtained area in the back of the shop, but nothing in there. I give the costume to Malmaner. I get 8k xp for that, and offer to get him a less common costume. Another 6k xp.
I visit the Apothecary. The proprietor, Pestle Killn, keeps emitting sounds of distress, and his head is glowing in a strange way - is that a glitch or on purpose? No, he just drank too many polymorph potions from Limbo, hazard of the alchemist's trade. I might be able to help his condition, but no obvious solution is mentioned. He has a variety of Charms for sale, all familiar. Pestle speaks like there are two people working here, but I see only him and customers.
In any normal RPG, every single one of these items will have a use somewhere, and solve some problem or quest. In this game, who knows. I only have a few thousand coppers, so I can't afford to just buy everything, yet. But by taking note of it all, hopefully if something comes up I can come back and get it. She also has some some more conventional items, Hammer of Comminution (fighters) for $12960, Tear of Salieru-Dei (+1 Con if Lawful Good) for $2160, Teeth of the Fire Drake (for Morte) $7020, Magnifying Lens (+10 to Lore, usable only by Modrons) for $216, another lens only usable by Modrons, Scroll of Cloudkill for $1080, Spider Bracelet for thieves, Ashes of the Pabulum (summons a monster, not usable by mages) $1620, and Heart of the Fosterer (which comes with a long crazy story, summons a Sohmien to fight for you) for $3599.
If I could afford it, I'd take all the exotic items, just so I could always be walking around with them. It seems some game elements don't occur unless you're carrying a certain item, so it would be nice to just have everything at the ready. I'll take the Fiend's Tongue for sure, its cheap, and it might be fun to try out on various things. I try to speak to the assistant, Standish, but he's afraid to talk. I should also make note that Vrischika called Morte 'prevaricating', but won't explain and goes back on it, claiming she meant pontificating. I converse with Morte, but there's nothing new in his conversation. Perhaps Vrischika sold Morte to me, originally, but why hide it now? This game invites endless conjecture, one of the reasons I'd like to get on with it.
Also, who is Modrons? This must be another possible party member I haven't spoken to yet (like Ignus).
I visit Finam the Linguist's Home and speak to him. He's got nothing to say to me yet, but I'm sure that will change. Finam wanders around the room, looking for a book. I enter Art and Curio Galleria, and meet Yvana. She seems to be blind, and wants to touch my face, but she doesn't seem to recognize me. This place is her galleria of the Planes. I ask her about Ravel, and she describes her as the eldest of the Gray Sisters of the Wastes, and she came to Sigil centuries ago to run some experiments (to crack open the Cage, i.e. Sigil itself), and those experiments are why the Lady mazed her. She mentions the question that bothers Ravel, what can change the nature of a man, and how she offered a challenge and reward to any who could answer it to her satisfaction.
Now that I've seen more art works, I can ask Yvan about them by name. I can ask about art works: Arcadian stained-glass window, battle-horn of Acheron, Dark Birds of Ocanthus, ruby statuette, kyton's animate chain, statue of the screaming man. I can also ask about paintings: Karasuthran Shoreline, Outland Raiders, Hazazoth at the Consumption of N'gar, Surface of Thalasia, The Library, The Folly of Udo, Vale Beneath Clanggedin, Gray Hag of Oinos, Wave Motion Study #7, Moment's Glance from the Walls of Moch'chma.
I learn more about the Birds of Ocanthus (which froze off my hand), they are ice chips from the frozen River Styx, and contain memories. The Nameless One is all about retrieving lost memories.
I ask about the painting Gray Hag of Oinos, and sure enough it is a painting of Ravel Puzzlewell, no wonder I recovered a memory from it. I scroll back the conversation window to take a screencap of that memory, I want the exact wording as I think its the key to my situation, but its already scrolled off. I check my journal, and all that's there is Yvan telling that if you eat a chip of the frozen River Styx (the Birds of Ocanthus) you lose all memory, so why would I want to do that. That's not what I recall from that conversation, but this isn't the first time the journal editorializes differently than I remember it.
The game offers little indication of what Nameless wants out of this scenario. Does he want to stay immortal, or does he want to live out a normal mortal life, grow old, and die? Does he want money or power, or to live out a boring life on some quiet material plane? I realize the game is leaving this blank, so the player can bring at least some of themselves to the game. Most games don't have you playing a character with a history, but it would be nice to know at least how Nameless hopes this will turn out.
For now, Nameless seems fixated on learning as much about his past as possible. Also, Nameless seems to be maturing a bit over the iterations. Indications of past lives are that Nameless was often a thief and a low-life, and usually evil. The game seems to be reward more positive actions, so it seems to be steering you towards being good. I feel a redemption ending coming. Something that will help right past wrongs, and release Nameless from his torment.
Anway, this museum adds a lot to the richness of this world, it feels more like I'm reading a novel than playing a game. For an RPG, this game has very little combat for you to earn experience points from, as most xp comes from learning and experiencing. It's different, and I like it, and a little sad, because I know how few games like it have followed in the years since.
Time to check the journal. I have a quest to "split Pestle and Killn", that explains why they talk like there's two people. I still see a quest to "find Aelwyn for Nemelle", I thought that was done. Not listed, and adding to my to-do list, is to see the bureaucrat at the bar, Able, about some research.
I visit the Advocate, though this is probably premature. It looks like Nameless has met the Advocate, Iannis, before. The advocate is troubled, as he lost his daughter a while ago. His daughter's name is Deionarra. Oh crap, that's the ghost I met at the beginning of the game. The advocate tells that his daughter had the gift of precognition, and she joined the Sensates, to gain experience of the multiverse. He also tells that she followed a certain man, and died soon after. He's still really torn up about, especially since he does not know how or why she died, or what became of her body.
He also tells of a fire that destroyed some documents, old legacies (wills). I choose neutral conversation options, not telling him that Nameless probably got his daughter killed, and turned into a ghost. I save, and try the conversation paths where I spill what I know. Surprisingly, it leads to little new information, only that Iannis paid to have a fancy tomb for his daughter. About the only action is that Iannis asks me to return and tell if I find any new information. I reload, and leave. I don't know what I was expecting to find at the advocate's, but it wasn't this sad memory.
I revisit Deionarra (even though this means flipping to disc 2). I forgot what a mournful theme song she has. Sadly, she has no new conversation, I can't even tell her that her father is looking for her. Might as well review her prophecies while I am here.
"There you will be asked to make a terrible sacrifice..."
"...you must destroy that which keeps you alive and be immortal no longer."
I forgot how much voice work this character has - its easily more than anyone else in this game. Her prophecies must be extremely important. However, she is Nameless' crazy ex-girlfriend, so we can't take her advice too literally. After all, she wants you to die.
Back to Clerk's Ward, and Nemelle, to tell her Aelwyn is looking for you too. Nice, "MaxHP" increased, and 8k xp. Its only a few hp, but I'll take it. I speak to Able, but his conversation hasn't changed, he has no research for me. I'll try again later.
I speak to a pervy armoire. I find Finam's Book. I speak to Juliette, who's looking for some excitment in her dull relationship. I offer to pretend to be a suitor, and speak to Montague in the Festhall. I speak to Vivian, a student who wants her stolen perfume back. I speak to Nenny Nine-Eyes, we do some role-playing, I get 5k xp. She suspects Marissa stole Vivian's perfume.
I speak to Ecco, who seems unable or unwilling to speak. In the northernmost room, a secret door to stairs down, that can wait. I meet Marissa, who appears to be a medusa, or the Medusa. She can turn a lim-lim into a statue, but first she needs her Crimson veil (why do I need a petrified lim-lim?). She tells me to ask Dolora about Ecco.
Actually, a Brothel Patron is in front of me, I'll talk to him first. He got a black eye from Kimasxi. I talk to Kimasxi and we start trading insults, apparently Nameless is good enough at it to get her attention. I ask her about silent Ecco, she tells me to ask Dolora about her. I ask her about Vivian's lost scent, Kim tells me Marissa stole it, but only so I get myself killed by Marissa. While we were talking, the party was not nearby. Bringing the party over, I talk to Kimasxi again, and this time there is a conversation option to "teach Morte here to be more abusive".
2014.02.11
I meet Yves the Tale-Chaser, she likes to swap stories. I tell her my story of waking up in the Mortuary, she tells me of the Dustmen - 'Chapters of Dust' (that there are some names in the Dead Book that can not die until history itself dies). I tell her of the Alley of Lingering Sighs, and how it gave birth to a new section of city; she then asks if I know what a modron is. She tells me they are creatures of 'total law', with rigid rules. She then tells of 'The Clock and the Quadrone', of a modron that was sent to Sigil, saw a broken clock in a shop and decided to fix it, the clock reminded it of home, so it decided to stay with the clock, in Sigil (is this clock fetishist going to be my next party member?)
I tell Yves the story of Reekwind's curse, she tells me 'The Gilded Tale', of some Sensates who get stuck in the Gilded Hall in the Plane of Ysgard, satisfying earthly pleasures. She calls them prisoners, and not real believers in the faction. I tell her the story of the Alley of Dangerous Angles, she tells 'The Lady's Suitor', of a man who was obsessed with the Lady, and worshiped her, hoping to see her, he was later found dead but smiling. I tell her the story of Ignus, she tells of 'The Execution', of a man named Kossacs, who could not be killed, and who liked to pick fights. He was imprisoned with only a poison drink, which he threw away, after 60 days his corpse was removed from his cell.
I ask Annah if she has a story, she tells of a guy out walking late, and is asked by an old woman where he's going, he says going home to family near the Slags, she asks him to take a box to Deader's Pit but warns him not to open it, he delays, the wife opens the box, its full of severed body parts, the deliveree knows its been opened. The man contracts a fatal disease which first affects the body parts seen in the box. Yves then tells of 'The Parched Land', a village is suffering a drought, they ask the Worshipping Stone haven't they given enough offerings already, but the stone says nothing.
Next up, Dak'kon, who tells of 'Ach'ali Drowning', a gith who could not focus on the limbo around her and make a coherent living space, so she drowned. Yves has a counter story, that Ach'ali was driven from Shrak'at'lor for 'useless prattling', met a hungry slaadi, built a protective wall around herself, but spent too much time talking to the slaadi, so her wall collapsed and she drowned.
I'm out of stories, which is too bad, as Yves stories each grant 500 xp. I ask why she is called Tale-Chaser (because an oracle told her to). She says she can't tell me about this place, because that's Mistress Fall-from-Grace's story, and Grace hopes not to have to tell the story before Yves moves on. Yves mom is Yvana (at the museum, but they don't speak anymore). I ask about Ecco, she points me to Dolora. I ask about Vivian's scent, and am directed to Nenny. I ask about Marissa's Crimson Veil, but instead I get a story that hints of Greek mythos origins (but sadly no xp).
I ask Yves of Ravel, she tells me about her famous riddle, and the many who tried and failed. She also has an interesting spin on the riddle: "Why did the nature of a man matter to one of the Gray Sisters, especially of one of such power as Ravel?". Ravel tried to ask the Lady, but the Lady wasn't listening, so that's why Ravel threatened to destroy Sigil by opening up the Planes. And another new twist, there is one here who might know more, but she no longer speaks. Ecco.
I meet Kesai-Serris, who talks of dreams, usually erotic. After some banter, I tell her I don't have dreams. She refuses to discuss Ravel. She also has this conversation option: "I've spoken to nine prostitutes altogether... do you know who or where the tenth student is?". Kesai isn't aware of a tenth student.
I speak to Dolora, skilled in debate and gaming. We debate, and I get a memory of being in a great hall, someone is wearing a medallion with the Sign of One on it, others are listening to us debate, Nameless wins a debate about the man's existence, so the man disappears. We then play a game like chess, and I get another memory of being a general in a successful battle. Both times Dolora catches me zoning out (and I get 5k xp!).
Dolora is too distracted to help me, as she is still getting over someone named Merriman, and is not free to love another. She can't leave to go see him, so I offer. He's at the Civic Festhall. Like most puzzles in this or any RPG, the solution to my problems involve visiting other maps, talking to other people, so I can fix a problem, so then I can fix someone else's problem, so I can get help with my problem.
I level up. I'll take another point of Constitution.
There are three Modrons, I go to speak to one and Morte interrupts. Back to the Modrons, they don't like that I don't have a name, but they accept it, they identify themselves as modrons, quadrone type, winged variant. They are here observing Dolora, but they don't know or care why, they were ordered to. They have little more information, but their perspective is interesting. All three seem to be the same, I wonder if one of them will be joining up, later.
Back to the front door. I go back to Fall-from-Grace and tell her the 10th student is me. She joins the party. Nice, a cleric.
I ask Nenny about Marissa's veil, and she saw Kimasxi sneaking out of Marissa's room one night. I confront Kim about her sneaking out of there, she denies having the veil, but some other stuff has gone missing. I go back to Nenny about the missing items, she says she saw a man sneaking out Kim's room, but never saw the man leave the building. I go talk to the armoire, who's name is Luis, and accuse him of sneaking out of Kimasxi's room, he eventually gives up the crimson cloth.
I take the Scented Veil to Marissa, and receive a record breaking 25,000 xp! The game kept going on about the veil's scent, so I return to Vivian and tell her, and receive another 25k xp! Vivian goes rushing off. I expect to hear she turns into a statue, but no she comes back, and I get a permanent Charisma boost.
The party is starting to get large enough to be unwieldy through tight spaces, and I still have one more slot to fill. I do not feel like getting rid of anyone just yet.
I think I'm done here, for now. Time to visit Civic Festhall.
2014.02.14
Before I go, I'll check out that 10th memory stone again in the cellar. Nothing new.
She won't tell me if she has any feelings for me. I ask her about our companions, starting with me. I tell her shadows have been following me, trying to kill me, she says they don't usually do that, they tend to lie in wait. I tell her someone is trying to murder me, and I built a tomb trap to try and kill them, at least according to my inscriptions on my tomb. She wonders if the killer (isn't it just me?) is also immortal. I ask her what she thinks of who or what I am, she thinks the key is retrieving my memories, which I have been doing by continuing to visit, talk, and further experience the universe.
Moving on to the rest of the party, she thinks Morte has a Baatorian smell, of the race baatezu, who are lawful evil ("evil bureaucrats"). She says if he's a mimir, he unlike any she has ever seen, as mimir usually have silvery metal on them, and no personality. We talk about Annah, and I say I think I could fall in love with her, Grace tells me to tell her, I say I'd rather not, look what happened to Deionarra. I also tell her I don't trust her, as she found me in an alley where other collectors fear to go, she's Pharod's daughter, a Hive thief, and part fiend. I ask her about Dak'kon and says he's uncommon, as Gith don't normally follow others, he's orderly not unpredictable, and that he is pious and steadfast.
I ask her about weapons, and she says she hates the touch of metal. She says she can kiss mortals to death, though. I can ask a few other questions, which I have asked before, like why did she set up the Brothel, she answers to give the mind's lustful fevers a place of expression. I ask her how she came to Sigil, she answers that her mother sold her into slavery, she got sold to the baatezu (enemies of the tanar'ri), and won her freedom through a contest of improvisation. Can I read her diary? No. I ask her about Ravel, Grace tells how mazes work, about the Gray Waste been Baator and the Abyss. She tells of the Blood War between lawful and chaotic evil, and how sooner or later everyone gets caught up in this war, the war has been going on nearly forever. Finally, I can ask her if these questions are bothering her, she says no, I should know about the Blood War.
I re-visit Yvana at the gallery, to see if there's any new conversation about her daughter. There is. She seems sad that they no longer speak. I tell her Tale-Chaser's story. Yvana regains her vision. I ask her if she's talking to her daughter now, and says yes. And that's it. No xp, not loot, not even a view of a special painting. What, no tip?
We leave, and Fall-from-Grace asks Morte what happened to his body. Morte jokes that he's the head of Vecna (if I remember correctly from D&D, this was a powerful lich).
Time to discharge some small tasks before the Festhall. I visit Finam with his lost book, but strangely nothing comes up about it in conversation. I revisit Able, but he still has no research for me. It would be nice if there was somewhere I could rest around here. I try a tent, but it won't let me. I go back to Lower Ward, and visit Giltspur to purchase the Merchant accommodations.
At last I enter the Civic Festhall. I expect something important to happen here, as I still have one more disc to load, and a lot of empty space on my world map. I speak to the person nearest the door, Splinter.
2014.02.21
I speak to Splinter, who seems to be a guide to this place. I can attend lectures by Death's Advocate (death and what follows), Ghysis the Crooked (the Blood War), or Three-Planes-Aligned (power of alignment and belief). I can visit the sensoriums. I can become a member of the Society, and I can buy stuff. To buy stuff I need to be a member. I have so far avoided joining any factions but I think this one is going to be the exception.
I can bluff that I am already a member, which feels right actually, as I'm sure this is a club Nameless would have joined in some past incarnations. By now he should probably have his own wing to the archives. I can contribute five senses corresponding to the body's senses (isn't that prejudicial to humans? there must be more senses than just five in the multiverse), or one big experience. I tell my story, and just like that I'm in the club. Should I be telling this story while holding a memory stone, so it can be recorded? Or does that come later. Anyway, it seems for now I'm in the club. There's a big whooshing sound like I'm receiving something, but I see no message. On my character sheet my faction slot is still empty. That doesn't seem right - maybe I did something in the wrong order.
I reload and try some other options. I try the conversation path of joining the Sensates by contributing five memories instead of just one, and the responses is much more verbose - Splinter explicitly mentions my memories will be placed in sensory stones, and I will be taught the Sensory Touch, which allows me to transfer other's wounds to my self. I reload my save after initial initiation, and I don't seem to have any new special abilities. Let's try the five sense approach and see what happens. Oh well, it seems I can only offer up again the same story of my waking up at the Dustmen's Mortuary - but this ends differently, I am told that we will go to an empty stone now to record the experience, I will be granted members' access, and I will be taught the Sensory Touch! The screens goes black and comes back, you hear the familiar whoosh sound that you received something, and Splinter welcomes me into the Society. And my character sheet now properly shows that I am in the faction! I save this game, and delete the previous save.
OK, it actually makes some sense, if I bluff my way in I don't get full rights and privileges, whereas if I honestly approach the initiation, I get everything. But this is not really clear, if you're not paying attention.
I see what Splinter has for sale, really boring minor stuff, but he's got a scroll of Power Word Blind for $4560, which is twice the money I have now, and not necessary right now.
I ask Splinter about himself, and he is a demigod from Ur, who's slumming it here for the sensations. I ask about Ravel, and am told to seek a wizard here named Quell, usually found in a private sensorium. I can ask to be shown to him now, and a map loads. I'm in a map called Private Sensorium. And there's Quell, right in front of me, busy eating Minaurosian candies. I interrupt his candy fest and he drops one and blames me. In typical RPG quest fashion, I now have to bring him something (an exotic candy) before he'll talk to me. I believe there was at least one candy back at the curio shop.
I can bluff that I am already a member, which feels right actually, as I'm sure this is a club Nameless would have joined in some past incarnations. By now he should probably have his own wing to the archives. I can contribute five senses corresponding to the body's senses (isn't that prejudicial to humans? there must be more senses than just five in the multiverse), or one big experience. I tell my story, and just like that I'm in the club. Should I be telling this story while holding a memory stone, so it can be recorded? Or does that come later. Anyway, it seems for now I'm in the club. There's a big whooshing sound like I'm receiving something, but I see no message. On my character sheet my faction slot is still empty. That doesn't seem right - maybe I did something in the wrong order.
I reload and try some other options. I try the conversation path of joining the Sensates by contributing five memories instead of just one, and the responses is much more verbose - Splinter explicitly mentions my memories will be placed in sensory stones, and I will be taught the Sensory Touch, which allows me to transfer other's wounds to my self. I reload my save after initial initiation, and I don't seem to have any new special abilities. Let's try the five sense approach and see what happens. Oh well, it seems I can only offer up again the same story of my waking up at the Dustmen's Mortuary - but this ends differently, I am told that we will go to an empty stone now to record the experience, I will be granted members' access, and I will be taught the Sensory Touch! The screens goes black and comes back, you hear the familiar whoosh sound that you received something, and Splinter welcomes me into the Society. And my character sheet now properly shows that I am in the faction! I save this game, and delete the previous save.
I see what Splinter has for sale, really boring minor stuff, but he's got a scroll of Power Word Blind for $4560, which is twice the money I have now, and not necessary right now.
I ask Splinter about himself, and he is a demigod from Ur, who's slumming it here for the sensations. I ask about Ravel, and am told to seek a wizard here named Quell, usually found in a private sensorium. I can ask to be shown to him now, and a map loads. I'm in a map called Private Sensorium. And there's Quell, right in front of me, busy eating Minaurosian candies. I interrupt his candy fest and he drops one and blames me. In typical RPG quest fashion, I now have to bring him something (an exotic candy) before he'll talk to me. I believe there was at least one candy back at the curio shop.
I see a Sensory Stone named Longing. Is this Deionarra's memory? Yes, Deionarra loves Nameless and will do anything for his love, and Nameless is just using her, for some purpose. Poor Nameless has to relive this memory as Deionarra, while seeing Nameless speak in the memory, knowing that his past self is lying.
Deionarra reveals to Nameless her legacy in her father's keeping, with apparently some code to retrieve it. This legacy apparently contains something to help Nameless remember. Past Nameless slips a little in his deception, and you, as Present Nameless, hopes Deionarra sees through it, and sees Past Nameless for the "Serpent" he is. Past Nameless tells Deionarra he loves her, even as you, in the role of Deionarra, and as Present Nameless, know it is a lie.
There's a bunch of Sensates around, I talk to them and they immediately dismiss me. I actually appreciate this direct approach, instead of trying to politely converse with me, only to find we have nothing to say to each other. I find a stone called The Messenger. Looks like a message from Ravel to come find her at the glimmer-stone. And then suddenly, Ravel taps in, and can communicate with me directly (or so it seems). I must find her by doing three things: a door (at the forges), a key (talk to a knowing one in the Festhall), then unlock the key (a thing knows not its nature?). And finally, I can ask Ravel how she is communicating with me through this experience, and she hangs up. My journal says I can return to the stone if I need more clues, which is yet another discrepancy from the in-game writing, and the journal writing. I try the stone again, but the story is the same.
I find a stone called "Week-long hunting trek across the forests of Arborea". I'm glad to learn that not all the stones are about me. Well, this ought to be nice - oh no, it is about me. It seems like something just cuts out after a few moments, like it takes the stone a few seconds to recognize its me, so it then plays a different recording. I wonder how many people know that the memory stones can hold custom experiences for some people? Anyway, this one is a trap from a previous and paranoid incarnation of myself. Its kind of neat, and actually easy to defeat. I reload, as I want to experience all of my paranoid ramblings. I'm starting to wonder how much of Nameless' past I really need to retrieve, if he's just going to build a new self every go around. Why can't I just walk away from this quest, live out a normal life somewhere, and when I get bored, jump in a fire? Setting Ravel free can't be good for anybody, so why do I have to even try?
Well, at least I know what happened to my journals, Paranoid Nameless burns them. I reload, and this time will the trap open, get 500 xp. Not bad. Apparently Paranoid Nameless is not a Smart Nameless. There are at least 4 different ways out, not all of which grant xp.
I guess that's it for this small map, back to the main hall, and to Splinter. I can ask where some people are: Jolmi (nearby), Merriman (lecture halls), Montague (east). He can direct me to the public or private sensorium. I think I'm done with private, for now, so off to the public.
I'm on the Public Sensorium map. I speak to Sensate Guide, and am presented with a menu: Unavoidable pain, Tender love, Mind-numbing tedium, Sheer wonder, Consuming impatience, Tired surrender, Supernatural lust, Psychosis, Festering jealousy, Bitter loathing, Pure glee, Frightened exhilaration, Grim determination, Complete bafflement, Horrible regret, Shock and a rise to seething vengefulness, Slowly drawing horror, Indescribable frustration, A vastly important secret, Lycanthropy. That's all?
I'll just go clock-wise around the hall. I can see the stones and enter conversation menu with them, but there's no option to touch them. Back to Sensate Guide. I pick the first sensation, he tells me to go the first room clockwise from the stairs. Now I can experience the stone, and I get 750 xp. Am I going to have to talk to the guide each time, because this is already tedious. Tender love, second clockwise. This is really tedious, but I get 750 xp each time, so I have to press on. I wonder if the other party members are getting in on this xp? I note their numbers, and sadly they are not.
The person freezing to death is one thing, I'm guessing he got rescued and came here to record his experience. But the person who experiences the succubus and dies, how did he get recorded and end up here? Now the clerk is directing me to the same stones I've already used, but this time they are loaded with new experiences.
On to page 3 of the experiences, and now the stories are longer, and yield 1500 xp. All done, there were some good moments there, enough to excuse the endless clickfest of going back and forth amongst the few stones.
I meet Lady Thorncombe, she seems to distracted to talk. There doesn't seem to be anyone else down here than the standard issue Sensates. I guess I am done with the sensoriums.
2014.03.04
I can challenge his lecture by doing my old parlor trick of killing myself (in conversation) and getting back up. This does not seem to change the conversation at all, as I can go on asking questions about the planes. I don't like this outcome, and I think some conversation paths are closed now; reload. OK, nothing really much different, but I'm not playing this Nameless as one who likes to die at the drop of a hat.
If I'm here in the Outlands, which is a Plane, aren't I and everyone here already dead? If the Planes are where you go when you die, why are there any living entities here? Maybe I'm already dead, and this constant reincarnation is just my interpretation of my time here in some kind of purgatory. Maybe I just need to come to some realization, and I can be released to another plane. I don't think that's where this game is going, but its possible.
There's a lecturer next door, Three-Planes-Aligned. He explains alignment in great detail, and how beliefs power the deities, and if no one believes in them their corpses litter the Astral Plane. He then explains something I've never heard of: gate towns. If I understand this correctly, the Outlands, the land of the neutral, has gates to every plane, and towns form near these gates. If any one of these towns slides from neutral to an alignment, it can literally slide into that plane. This is what motivates wars between the planes, as this is how to get and and hold territory.
This is all sounding very much like The Matrix, where I'm starting to wonder if this is air I'm breathing. If everything is made of belief, how does this place have any stability. Or is this place the result of the entire population's consensual belief? These lectures are raising more questions than answers.
I go to Ghysis the Crooked, who is lecturing on the Blood War. He likens the Blood War to a pack animal holding up the planes. He warns you not to become evil, lest you become a foot soldier in that war forever. And he says that is why they are always trying to corrupt others into sinking into their plane, so they can have more foot soldiers. Ghysis admits he was once a mercenary in the Blood War, and I have an interesting response: Vrischika told me you murdered your own men to escape the war. Vrischika is the proprieter of the curio shop, and the one the evil tome told me to sell my companions to. Ghysis says he was part of the Company of the Blazin' Effigy. Ghysis spoke to a column of heads, they told him to sacrifice two others to get out, and now he lectures to prevent others from making the same mistake.
Ghysis has more advice, like don't talk to any fiend about the Blood War, because you never really know who you're talking to, and the war is their whole reason for living. Also, don't ever step through an unknown portal, because you may end up in the Blood War, and likely die there. And don't ever let them hire you to work in the war. He's got a lot more background about the baatezu and the tanar'ri, like how they conduct contracts and war. I can also ask specifically about the abishai, cornugons, lemures, nupperibo, and succubi.
That was a lot of interesting info, between the three lectures. A lot of loose ends have been wound up, but some more questions were raised. I'm still not sure what it means to be mortal here in the Outlands, let alone how I with my semi-immortality fit into it. I wonder about my alignment, as it seems to vary with every incarnation, and doesn't seem to be moving in one direction or another. Nothing to do but keep pressing on and see where this all goes.
I have a lot of NPCs to get through in the Festhall, I'll start from the front. I speak to Jolmi, who sent a messenger for me. She wants to kill me, for $1000. How does she even know who I am? I can ask her, she just says word is getting around. I can have $2000 if I let her stab me in the heart with a dagger. Dropping dead to amaze the locals is beneath me, but for that much money, I'm considering it. Why not, I have the additional layer of immortality with save/load in case something bad happens. OK, seemingly no lasting consequence other than the money, so I'll go along with it.
I come across Jumble Murdersense, the one who cursed Reekwind. While doing that search, I notice the name Lady Thorncombe, who I found in the sensorium; she must be the top mage trainer that Salabex was talking about, but I couldn't talk to. Anyway, I talk to Jumble, his card says he's a Xaositect sorcerer. Jumble doesn't seem interested in removing Reekwind's curse. If I try to force the issue, he curses me with hiccups. Because that's the only way forward, I'm guessing the game wants me to do that, so I can undo my curse, and then find a way to undo Reekwind's curse. I don't feel like walking around for hours listening to Nameless hiccup. I'll come back to this later.
I meet Mertwyn the Headless. He's looking for his head. One more thing for my to do list.
I enter what looks like a training room, populated with Warrior-in-Training. One of them says the trainer is Qui-Sai, probably somewhere in the Festhall, with skin like gray stone.
I find Montague, who I'm supposed to make jealous for Juliette. I do my part, get 5000 xp. Give him some advice, get another 5000 xp, and hints at more to discuss later.
I find Qui-Sai the back of a room. He's busy being a statue, and doesn't want to talk now.
I find Merriman wandering the long hallways. I'm supposed to speak to him on behalf of Dolora, that he still holds the key to her heart, and she'll never be free to love another. The keys are literal, as Dolora is a construct, an artificial intelligence made with sorcery. Dolora needs the keys to further her development. Merriman is old and angry his mortal time is almost up, and he wants to forget everything so he can experience the Sensorium once more. I think the Curio shop had some Styx water. Yep, that's what he wants.
I find a room full of Thief-in-Training, and another with Mage-in-Training. A mage says the trainer, Lady Thorncombe, is in the sensorium, and spends perhaps too much time there.
And that's everything I can see right now on map Civic Festhall. There's an exit that leads to 'Hallway leading to the dormitories'. It takes me to another map, but it is still labelled Civic Festhall. I speak to Festhall Room Clerk. She seems to recognize me, and hands me a key to my room. If I take the key I go into rest mode for 8 hours. I go to the eastern room, and find three shelves, stocked with low level items, including some scrolls (though only the Shield spell is new to me). I notice my inventory now contains a Festhall Room Key. There is a door here in "my" room, but it is locked.
In other bedrooms I find empty shelves, and some locked trunks. I meet Unfulfilled-Desire. She asks what I want, and I can answer: you, weapons of power, magical items, magical spells, knowledge, or memories. Whatever you tell her, she feeds off your desire for that thing. I'll just restore, and leave her be.
I wonder what I had to do or pay to get a room here. And yet still most people act like they've never seen me before, even though I star in at least one sensory stone, and own one of the 4 rooms here. Its a bit of extra detail this game has led me to expect, so its a little disappointing. But then, if Nameless was as universally recognized as he should be, he'd probably be in a cage on exhibit somewhere, where he could be killed every hour on the hour to entertain the locals forever.
I go back to Lady Thorncombe. If you go down most of the conversation paths, they lead to a dead end where she just ignores you. But if you ask her to train, she goes into why she no longer wishes to teach magic. Though that extra bit of detail doesn't seem to matter, as she ends up ignoring you anyway.
There's a wizard outside who wants her job, and Thorncombe is too busy being addicted to the sensory stones to care. I think I see where this is going, but maybe it also ties into Jumble and his curses.
2014.03.08
As an experiment, I threatened Jumble to uncurse Reekwind, so of course he curses me. I then go to Salabex for help, and he teaches me a curse to use on Jumble, which I use. This handy curse renders Jumble mute (can I keep this skill? can I used it to disable enemy casters? probably not). Of course he is horrified and removes my curse (10k xp, I'm starting to get a little tired of noting rewards, since they don't seem to matter much). He also removes Reekwind's curse.
Time to go back to The Hive and see what's become of Reekwind. I open the World Map, and click on the market, but nothing happens. Apparently I need to use the actual exit grid of a map to get a clickable World Map. Insert disc 2. Reekwind is happy, 5k xp. I can ask him for another story, which he writes in my journal. He no longer wants to be called Reekwind, but he doesn't want to reveal his real name either. Checking the journal, I think these are just a summary of his old stories, but the story of Pharod seems to have taken on additional depth. Pharod was once in the upper class, became evil, got worried about ending up in the Lower Planes, consulted seers who told him his salvation lay in the trash of Sigil, where he remains, looking for whatever that might be. Was it me? Will I save Pharod? I think the Lady's shadows already took him.
As long as I'm here, might as well check in with the merchants, I don't think I ever took note of what they sell. The left most merchant (short fat male) has Arborean fireseeds, Gar-Bar root, Elysian pears, crimson lotus petals, Bytopian shepherd's bread, shiftspice from Limbo, and sea-plums. I can buy and taste but can't leave with anything for my inventory. Giscorl sells cloth, and low level first aid like bandages. There's the woman to the north who sells plates and such, and Kossah-Jai with the fish, both are probably quest only vendors. The guy near her has a few charms and minor spells. Another guy near her sells weapons - these are familiar, I think I sold him a lot of this stuff a while ago. I wonder if merchant inventory persists, that could come in handy. There's the guy who sells lim-lims. Guess there's nothing I need from this market.
Before I try that, I talk to Ignus, and he's got some interesting notions about the sparks inside everyone. He is reluctant to speak further, I tempt him with talk of flames, get 1500 xp. Another conversation leads Ignus to telling me I'm not so immortal, he could kill me, and we fight. Several party members run, but I get him with a few lesser spells. Which is pointless, reload.
Ignus can teach me some magic, at the cost of burning parts off of me. There's no way I'm doing this, his spells aren't even that good, but before I reload, I might as well go all the way. I can give him an eye, and my intestines (extras, that I removed before?), to learn Ignus' Terror and Infernal Shield. This is in addition to my hand, from which I can learn Infernal Orb. Something about all this feels wrong, even though there are some huge xp rewards (12k, 24k). I feel fine reloading from this path.
We go to speak to Drusilla, and Ignus and she immediately embrace, completely destroying her. I feel a little bad about it. I reload, I won't speak to Drusilla with Ignus in the party. As a good incarnation of Nameless, why do I suffer Ignus to live? He's obviously evil and insane. He's one of the few entities so far that can actually kill Nameless. And a past evil Nameless created this monster and set it loose on the world. Why set it free, and bring it with us?
2014.03.14
I really hope this game doesn't end with me waking on the slab again, all my companions dead (except Morte), all my memories gone, starting over from scratch once more. I would rather give Ignus a final big hug right now.
So we're at Fell's. Anyone need a tattoo? I might as well see what new story-based tattoos he's got. I try some tattoos out on Grace and Ignus, it doesn't seem as if they can wear any.
We cut through Tenement of Shadows, my notes indicate there was a locked door there. I keep forgetting Annah is a thief, and I've never even tried her lockpick ability. She opens the door easily, and the trapped trunk inside. I should go back and open all the locked containers I've passed and taken note of. Could save me having to memorize a lot of knock spells.
There's a large mob of aggro Starved Dog Barking Thug in the main hall of this room. I wonder if we can take them - we can't. Maybe I can draw out a few at a time. This seems to be working. We kill one holding a Tenement Storeroom Key (the room we just lockpicked, I think), and Small Red Key - not sure where that goes. Chipping away a few at a time, then running when we get swarmed. It seems to be working, but we've run out of spells. Time to re-arrange our memorized spells for more combat, less utility, and then go find some rest. Nearest location is flophouse.
When we finally clear all the thugs from the room, there is a barrel with the group's treasure: a gold ring, tarnished silver bracelet, $46, and a knot charm. A meager haul.
Pushing through, we're back at the Alley of Lingering Sighs. Passing the massive iron gate (rusted shut) I wonder if, like that huge mausoleum in the crypt, it will ever have any significance, or is it some cool bit of mystery, never to be explained. We pass the house that eats Dabuses, but the door is locked, and Annah can't open it. We pass a "dark recess" that ends in a stone wall, perhaps another portal entrance or exit. We end up in the alley that had the stone face, where I last died, and Annah found me. Nothing to do here. I can't use the World Map to just speedwalk to another area, so I have to walk back.
I notice Grace is a few hitpoints low. I know I can transfer hit points several ways, so I really should be more mindful of topping up anyone in the group who is low. I cleared my spell for transferring hp, but don't I have an ability? I can't find my abilities listed anywhere except in that UI "wheel" that you can right-click, where it says Select Special Ability, which then shows the list: Sensory Touch, Stories-Bones-Tell, Raise Dead. I right-click on Sensory Touch so I can get a description, but that doesn't work. Annoying, especially when there are description pages for almost everything.
Last time I was here, I don't think I was listing every merchant's wares yet, so here goes (skipping minor things, like Knot Charm, Knife, etc.): Shards of Fate (high damage gloves, one time use), Cockroach Charm, Maul, Whispering Flask, Glass Eye, Crimson Sphere Earring, Ring of the Traveler. The crimson sphere earring is interesting in that is specifically says "Not usable by Ignus" (plus a cute mephit story). Oh well, nothing worth buying, but at least we can unload all our loot.
I stop by Giltspur, he has nothing of interest to buy. I go in the marketplace and visit Aalek, he's got a Magus Shield (AC 4), Magus Guard (AC 6), Spider Bracelet (for thieves), Serpent Ring (for thieves), Displacer Ring (AC +2) $1020, Shamanic Rod (limited magic missiles) $1020, Sadistic Frame (make target feel damage inflicted on user) $2040. The frame is interesting, I could totally see that being the key to a boss battle.
I re-visit Karina, which apparently I haven't yet, because I get 500 xp for hooking her up with Corvus. I stop by Cinder, see what spells he has that I still need that I can afford. I want Cone of Cold, but first there's some shopping I need to do to resolve some quests, then I'll see what money I have left.
I wander through Lower Ward, it feels like months since I've been here. I would have thought some quest would have led me through the locked gate to the Godsmen by now. Of course Annah couldn't pick the lock, that would be too easy. I can't believe I never thought of this before - you can click on one of the guards, and even though they are out of reach, you can talk to them! I feel really stupid now - how much have I missed? Probably not too much, because I've traveled fairly far past here. I choose the option to tell the guard I have a message to deliver. Gate opens.
There's a door to the west, locked. A door to the north, locked. As it scrolls the message, the game gets really sluggish. I should also note that a lot of the more high-level spells generate some interesting graphics, but they really slow the game down to a crawl. The worst was when I was getting into my tomb and stepping on the torment symbols generating some really laggy effects. My machine is many generations older than this game, so it must be a software problem. I don't think there's a patch, and I don't want to mess with mods yet (if ever), so I'll just keep living with it.
I go through a door east, into map Godsman Hall. I meet Sarossa, daughter of Sandoz. She calls me "half-man" because she can not see my soul as she usually does others. She fears her brother is going over to the Sensate faction. I meet Saros. He doesn't like someone named Thildon, and he definitely likes the Sensates. I go back to Sarossa, and she has a new conversation path, I can ask about her special talent. She can not only see into people, but change them, for a price. She wants me to join the faction, and go talk to Keldor of Durian.
2014.03.15
Behind him stairs go up to Godsman Quarters. There is a Godsman Guard or two, who says no one is allowed here until Sandoz gets back. Back to the main hall, there are stairs up to the balcony. I meet Bedai-Lihn, a magical engineer (but not a mage), who wants to make sure that the Godsman don't use the weapon or build another (I guess this is the secret project). She lists the people of interest here; I have yet to meet Kel'lera (githzerai outcast), Thildon the Grey, or Sandoz.
There are three doors, I go through the leftmost one. Its a bit difficult to enter, as you have to play hunt the pixel until your tooltip becomes the 'go through door' symbol, then click without moving the mouse. The room seems to be a library, but when you click the bookshelves they are empty. Multiple bookshelves in multiple rooms, all the same, all empty. What a waste of time, why even make them clickable.
I think I'm done with this area, back out to the main hall. I find Thildon, I must have missed him on my first pass through here. I can ask him for a piece of iron ore, and he just gives it to me. Obviously I can forge here, the game went out of its way to rub my nose in what's needed, but what do I need to make? The game has not revealed this yet, but I'm sure it will. I ask for another iron ore, and receive another. They are 5 pounds each, so I don't want to hold too many of these.
Supposedly there's a clerk's office to the south of the foundry, haven't seen that yet. OK, using the map I can see a sliver in the corner that I can enter. I meet Nadilin, who seems to remember me from long ago. I can pick something up here, if I have the receipt, which I don't. He can sell me gear for the forge: apron $10, tongs $10, hammer $20.
I have everything I need to forge now, but no idea what that even means in game. Might as well try it, see what happens. I get a whole menu of options, like "Hammer on the anvil" or "Pick up the ore". I guess I have to do certain things in a certain order to get results; this feels like an old text adventure game. I try heating the ore, put the ore on the forge, then I can choose to forge: a stiletto, a two-handed hammer, or a battle axe. I choose a stiletto. My inventory now contains a High Quality Stiletto, 1-4 piercing damage, speed 1, weight 1. Not very useful, considering I am already using a Bone Dagger, 1-6 piercing, +1 magic, +1 piercing damage, THACO +1, speed 2, weight 1. And I've had this dagger for a long time, since near the beginning of the game, so what good is getting this stiletto now, over halfway through the game? Maybe I can sell it for a decent price. Maybe I can get endless ore from Thildon, and crank out weapons to sell. It's probably poor grinding income, though. Maybe later I find some mithril or admantium, so I can make some magic items.
Not sure what to do now, other than close off some loose ends. I head back to Giltspur, while idling I get attacked by a shadow. Strange, the shadows only seem to attack me here in Lower Ward. They don't hit that hard, and I regenerate - maybe I could leave my game on overnight and get xp? I tell Giltspur the message is delivered. I get 6000 xp, and my next assignment is to deliver a handbill to Barkis at the Smoldering Corpse. He'll buy my stiletto for $6, hammer for $75, or axe for $75. This would not have been a lucrative path; its just as well I can't grind as a smith, I might be tempted.
Back to disc 2, back to Barkis, back to disc 3, back to Giltspur, 8000 xp, nice.
I revisit Lothar's place, he seems to be out. Locked cabinet, lockpick works, nothing in there but a skull. Lothar is upstairs in his room, I go through some conversation options, Nameless explicitly states he will force Ravel to give him is mortality back. There is no hint of why Nameless wants this, if he just wants to die there are already several ways that have been revealed. I go over Lothar's recommendation about seeking answers at the Sensorium, and they are not very specific at all, more of general pointer in that direction.
I talk to the skulls again, see if there's any change in conversation. Nothing new, but I seem to have missed a skull, Goatscomb. How could I have missed this!? Goatscomb made Mantuok a wererat, and Mantuok sold him to Lothar, so Goatscomb told Lothar all he knew of Mantuok. Goatscomb unluckily got skewered by a silver fork - I remember this part now. Searching back through my records, I didn't originally take note his name, when I searched I didn't find what wasn't there, so that's why I thought I missed this shelf. I have to take better notes.
I go downstairs where Mantuok was, there's nothing there. I take the portal to Weeping Stone, its very quiet, no more mobs.
2014.03.x
I head down to undead nation, and no one has anything new to say. As long as I'm here, I wonder if I can get in to see the Silent King by force? I talk to the ghoul leader.
2014.07.04
I've abandoned this game several times now, but this is so long I almost feel like I should start over. I'll start by re-reading my notes.
2014.07.15
I'm still curious about the Silent King of the Dead Nations. Even if I don't save the outcome, I just want to know if you can meet him. I try a few things, and pick-pocketing Hargrimm yields the Dead Nation key, though I don't know yet if this opens the King's tomb. To use pickpocket skill took a little bit of figuring out: you select Anna, right-click, Select Special Ability, click Use Thieving Skills, and now when you mouseover certain things you get thief specific tool tips (lockpick over door, pickpocket over character).
The key does open the door, and all the skeletons in the room go agro, but they are easy. I don't think we took any damage. We go inside, leads to new map Throne Room, more agro skeletons. As I expected, the Silent King is a symbol, not a person. There's an option to take his skull, so why not, I'm not going to save this path, this is just for experimentation. I was hoping Acaste would talk to me, but I end up with her skull too. Hargrimm drops a Spiritual Hammer spell; that was a long animation for very little damage. I get Hargrimm's Skull.
Might as well go check in with Many as One. Tell Many about the fake king, get 7500 xp, and a memory and another 2000 xp. The memory is of being chased through a city of chains, meeting some kind of metal wielding chain monster, fighting it off, then getting captured anyway. Lame, and I like the undead nation, so going back to a previous save, "back to Hargrimm".
I stop by the Mosaic Crypt, its just as cryptic as ever. I head back to the portal to Lothar's cellar; for a city (and game) that is supposed to be riddled with portals, I've discovered barely a handful. Back up to the Lower Ward, then to Clerk's Ward. I check in with Able, still has no research for me, maybe he never will. I speak to Drunken Mage, I still don't see a way to get his frozen mug, so I might have to buy one. I stop by Finam's, I have his book in my inventory but I still don't see an option to give it to him.
Off to see Qui-Sai. I can't figure out a mouse clicking pattern of how to use the salve on him, so I talk to him instead. I have to wait a while, but eventually he speaks. He has been researching the Way of Stone to become invulnerable in combat, and he's willing to share his research so far. I get a bonus to AC. I ask more questions, he is a genasi-of-earth, his father a Dao (earth element), his mother a human. I ask him about training, and he asks me to justify fighting, I get 10,000 xp. I'm still a mage (some conversation paths can switch your class), but Qui-Sai leaves to the training hall. I guess I didn't need the Gorgon Salve after all; I transfer the item to Morte to hold. I guess I'm done with Qui-Sai.
I stop to talk to Salabesh the Onyx, who wants to be mage-tutor of the Festhall, and that the current tutor is addicted to sensory stones. He says he'll request to be made the new tutor shortly. I can then ask if he's put in his request, but he says its not a good time, as he recently upset the board of mages. He also doesn't think Thorncombe will be leaving the sensorium anytime soon. I get a journal update, it thinks I should check in with Thorncombe, so I head to the public sensorium. She is offended at the thought of Salabesh becoming the magic master here, and returns to the training hall; I get 12k xp.
I go see Lady Thorncombe in the mage's training hall. She doesn't seem to recognize me, but she is willing to train / sell me some spells: Identify (Level 1), Magic Missile (1), Friends (1), Blindness (1), Blood Bridge (2), Ice Knife (2), Luck (2), Blur (2), Ball Lightning (3) $595, Elysium's Tears (3) $595, Force Missiles (4) $892, Improved Strength (4) $892, Remove Curse (4) $892, Cone of Cold (5) $1190, Chain Lightning Storm (6) $1785, Power Word Blind (8) $7140.
I somehow missed Luck, I'll take one of those. Elysium's Tears and Improved Strength can wait, Chain Lightning Storm sounds like a lot of fun, as does Power Word Blind, but I can't afford or cast them yet. I check in with Salabesh one more time, he's just mumbling curses.
I stop in at the Apothecary to see Pestle Kilnn, and see if this elixir works on him. They take it, I get 6k xp, I go to the back of the shop and see only Killn. There's a conversation option where I can get a sample of my blood and skin for the engineer at the Foundry. I'm supposed to speak to Pestle, he's out in the store. He does it, and I get a Dream Vial.
I go to the Foundry, Godsman Hall, and up to Nihl Xander. I get yet another fedex quest (for a birdcage), but this time its in the Siege Tower, which has gone curiously unmentioned for a while. Nihl doesn't even have a clue for me on how to get in there.
I'm in a new map, Inside the Siege Tower. There's fire, and a metal giant pounding on something. I can talk to him, his name is Coaxmetal; conversation mode indicates he is a golem. He says he forges the implements by which the multiverse will be unmade. Now I'm starting to think I'm an unwitting agent of the Lady of Pain, sent to undermine Ravel's plot to break the universes. This guy has some interesting ideas on immortality, and being able to kill anything if you find its weakness. He can make a weapon that will kill me, if I give him a drop of my blood.
Not only does iron giant have the metal bird cage I want, he was told that his job would be complete soon after he gave it up. Between him being able to make a weapon that can kill me, and being the harbinger of the end times for the multiverse, its getting kind of heavy here in the siege tower. He knows about Ravel, says she was cast within a cage.
So basically, the Siege Tower and the golem within it are entropy come to life, as a counter-measure to the increasing order of the planes, which they see as the enemy. I don't think they want to create balance between chaos and order, but to actively destroy the order of the planes. It views Ravel as a friend of entropy, but doesn't know anything about how to get to her. In a place where desire can become manifest, I guess having entropy come to life makes some sense.
Should I ask it to make a weapon that can kill me? Why not, never know when that might come in handy. There are some long conversation paths about entropy versus order, but I can't find my way to the conversation where I ask if it can make a weapon that can kill me. Annoying. Reload.
I got a few journal entries, best to check those before going further.
Anyway, back to Nihil, now he wants a coffin pillow. I've seen a lot of strange things in this game, but nothing even remotely like a pillow.
Time to work on the to-do list. I hit the Brothel, check in with Juliette. Tell him about Montague, get 10k xp. That's it. I go from room to room. Annah lockpicks closed cabinets, we get some minor loot. Nobody is going aggro, so why not. I run into Ecco, I can ask her "Do you know the word that will undo the multiverse if it's spoken" - what? Basically, she knows something about Ravel but can't or won't tell me. Time to keep picking at the threads of the Brothel.
I lockpick all around the place. I check in with Yves to see if I have any new stories to tell. I can tell her the story of Pharod; Yves tells of a man who 'experienced the most beautiful thing in the multiverse', wanted to place it in a sensory stone, but over time he forgot it. Time to pursue the Ecco / Dolores problem. I need to get Merriman his Styx water, so first I need a frozen mug, off to the Curiousity Shop. Off to the Art and Curio Galleria / Art Store, to capture a piece of frozen Styx water. Off to see Merriman, give him his drink. Thankfully, he thought to leave himself a note, so that I get my reward, and he gets to start his sensory experiences all over again. Which makes no sense except in fiction; you are the sum of your experiences, if you take them all away who even are you?
First I stop by my room, to give the party some rest. I have Annah try to unlock a cabinet and it works, I get a Scroll of Fire and Ice and a Dodecahedron. I play with the dodecahedron until I can open it, but I can't read its text yet. My journal suggests finding a scholar in the Festhall (maybe Finam?)
Here's another thought - maybe I am the instrument of Ravel, maybe I am the key to her portal. Maybe I am the seed she set out in the world to be the one to open her maze. I suspect no answer can live up to all this conjecture.
2014.08.02
As usual, I have too many open paths, not sure where to go next. Let's check the Assigned Quests in the Journal. First is return to Dolora the keys to her heart, which is in my inventory (from Merriman). 30k experience, maybe a new record for most xp in one pop. Dolora tells me Ecco's voice was stolen by lesser god, put in a crystal vial, and swallowed by a dragon, but somebody could give her a new voice. Isn't there such an item at the Curio shop?
I think I have it, I have in my inventory Fiend's Tongue, placing it in the mouth of any living thing will give it speech. Its in Morte's inventory, I take it and see if there are any new conversation paths, and there are none. I put the item back in Morte's inventory, talk to her again, and this time the Fiend's Tongue option comes right up - though this time Morte is standing close, shouldn't it have just worked if it was in my inventory? Strange.
Ecco knows that Ravel has children. I wonder if its Anna. Actually its Kesai-Serris, another person here at the Brothel. Other than getting offended when I ask her about it, there's no real information. I guess I have to learn or acquire something to unlock some other conversation path. My journal says I'll have to find a way to prove it to her.
I ask around the brothel. Marissa recommends talking to Juliette. Juliette says to ask Kimasxi, as they are half-sisters. This time Kimasxi is being helpful, and offers a way to out Kesai. Kesai has some fun stories about Ravel, and ultimately allows me to have a bit of her blood (on a handkerchief), that I can use as a portal key. 40k xp.
Clearly fighting Ravel is not the answer, some conversation is. There's still so much empty space on the World Map. I think finding Ravel is not the end of the game, but maybe the mid point. She is probably going to send me on some quests around the planes. There are still whole parts of the game that haven't been unlocked yet, like bowed weapons, or half my spell book.
Ravel has been out and about, helping me in disguise as Mebbeth and Marta? If you play along with her Mebbeth personality you get a plus to Wisdom, and some nice xp. I try Marta, and get more intestines.
Ravel tried to free the Lady of Pain from Sigil, or so she says. Maybe that's just her perspective, maybe its true. If it is true, implications to Sigil, and maybe even the Planes, are significant. More questions about Ravel hit a nerve, I get a piece of her hair. This will no doubt be useful.
2014.08.09
Last time I played I was going through the fascinating but lengthy conversation with Ravel, took a wrong turn somewhere, and got killed. Even worse, my note-taking computer crashed, and I've been reconstructing my notes, trying to figure out how to get through her conversations the right way, to maximize information and gifts, without having to fight her.
Again I question if I should even be here, maybe I should wrap up as much as possible in Sigil, but it seems right to face Ravel as soon as I can. I wonder if I will be speaking to the Lady like this. My last save is "killed, restarted"; I think I'll reload the previous, "found Ravel".
On starting a conversation with her, I hit: 1, 1, 1 (get 90k xp), 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 1, 4, 1, 1, 5 (and these torments), 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 (Crossed Pasts), 1 (echoes a meeting in the past), 1 (What was this impossibility), 1 (If begging will bring me answers), 1 (I have many questions), 1 (ask your questions), 2 (Your rules are fair), 1 (They chose to walk this path), 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 (They matter to me), 1 (He is my ally), 1
8 (He seems trustworthy)
1
4 (I like her)
1
4 (I like her company)
1
2 (The way to this place is difficult)
1 (Nay it is your charms)
1
1 (What can change the nature of a man?)
1 (I... don't know)
1 (it is my answer)
2 (isn't it such the way with mortals?)
1 (I... don't believe you)
1 (You never cared about any answer other than mine.)
1 (I'm through answering your questions)
2 (I have some questions about you)
2 (who are you)
1 (But what are you)
1
1 (I would call you beautiful, Ravel)
1 (you are not ugly)
1
3 (Ravel, stop these games)
1 (Ravel, stop this)
3 (Ravel, stop these games)
1 (What other shapes can you)
1 (Mebbeth?)
1 (Mebbeth was kind to me)
1 (Yes, it does... Mebbeth)
1
1
1 (Listen) + to Wisdom, 90k xp
1 (what other shapes)
2 (Marta?)
2 (Why did you help me)
1 (What other shapes), 2, 1 (Marta was barmy), 2 (Stand your ground), 1, 1, 1 gain item intestines
2 (I have other questions)
2 (Why did you help me)
1 (What other shapes), 2, 1 (Marta was barmy), 2 (Stand your ground), 1, 1, 1 gain item intestines
2 (I have other questions)
3 (What is this place?)
1
4 (Why were you imprisoned)
1 (Go on)
1 (Why did you try to free the Lady of Pain from Sigil?)
4 (Were you trying to set me free?)
1 (It sounds to me as if your memory is stirring)
1 (what held me?)
1 (Are you all right?) 90k xp, gain item Ravel's hair
1 (there is nothing more to be said on the matter)
5 (Can you teach me some of the Art?)
1 (Can you teach me)
1 (I really couldn't say)
1 (listen) get black barbed seed?
1
5 (I had some other questions concerning my immortality)
1 (Why did you make me immortal, Ravel?)
1 (But why?)
1 (do you have any idea why I asked you to do it?)
1
1
1 (Unhealthy...? So the ritual was flawed?)
1 (But I am immortal)
1 (What went wrong)
1
1 (Casting of Shadows?)
1 (How do I father shades) watch scene of shadows
1
2 (quiet, violent death of the mind?)
1
3 (emptiness)
1
4 (Despite these problems, it seems like the ritual worked...)
1 (What flaws?)
1 (I lost my memories)
1 (So you took my mortality from me... is it still intact?)
1 (I would take it back now)
2 (Why not?)
1 (Why not?)
Annah: Yeh loved him!
1 (where is it?)
2 (Do you know someone who does know where it is?)
1 (Who?)
1 (Where can I find this angel?) gain 180k xp !!!
1 (Delightfully cryptic)
1 (Oh, am I?)
1
1
5 (I must leave now)
1 (I need to know how to leave this place)
1 (So you do know how to leave?)
1 (Which of the edges)
1 (You've know how to leave? All this time? Then... why don't you leave?)
1 (Don't you want to leave?)
1 (I must bid you farewell)
1 (You're not going to let me leave, are you Ravel?)
1 (Fair Ravel, you helped me), 1, 3 (I would be poor company),
1 (I don't want to fight you... don't do this. Allow me passage, and I shall return to visit you. You need not be alone in this place), 1, 1
another try:
1 (I must bid you farewell)
1
4 (Why were you imprisoned)
1 (Go on)
1 (Why did you try to free the Lady of Pain from Sigil?)
4 (Were you trying to set me free?)
1 (It sounds to me as if your memory is stirring)
1 (what held me?)
1 (Are you all right?) 90k xp, gain item Ravel's hair
1 (there is nothing more to be said on the matter)
5 (Can you teach me some of the Art?)
1 (Can you teach me)
1 (I really couldn't say)
1 (listen) get black barbed seed?
1
5 (I had some other questions concerning my immortality)
1 (Why did you make me immortal, Ravel?)
1 (But why?)
1 (do you have any idea why I asked you to do it?)
1
1
1 (Unhealthy...? So the ritual was flawed?)
1 (But I am immortal)
1 (What went wrong)
1
1 (Casting of Shadows?)
1 (How do I father shades) watch scene of shadows
1
2 (quiet, violent death of the mind?)
1
3 (emptiness)
1
4 (Despite these problems, it seems like the ritual worked...)
1 (What flaws?)
1 (I lost my memories)
1 (So you took my mortality from me... is it still intact?)
1 (I would take it back now)
2 (Why not?)
1 (Why not?)
Annah: Yeh loved him!
1 (where is it?)
2 (Do you know someone who does know where it is?)
1 (Who?)
1 (Where can I find this angel?) gain 180k xp !!!
1 (Delightfully cryptic)
1 (Oh, am I?)
1
1
5 (I must leave now)
1 (I need to know how to leave this place)
1 (So you do know how to leave?)
1 (Which of the edges)
1 (You've know how to leave? All this time? Then... why don't you leave?)
1 (Don't you want to leave?)
1 (I must bid you farewell)
1 (You're not going to let me leave, are you Ravel?)
1 (Fair Ravel, you helped me), 1, 3 (I would be poor company),
1 (I don't want to fight you... don't do this. Allow me passage, and I shall return to visit you. You need not be alone in this place), 1, 1
another try:
1 (I must bid you farewell)
2 (I must bid you farewell)
2 (I have to)
2 (I shall return)
do all paths lead to combat? does Ravel have to die so I can leave?
We fight, Nameless gets killed, and we all get teleported to a corner of the map, and we're all alive. Might as well try Ravel again.
We heal. I use the black barbed seed on some of the hairs or twigs that make up this place, receive a Black-Barbed Branch.
Find Ravel again, fight some more, burn through our spells while she knocks our hp down with little effort. Long animation as a whole bunch of shadows show up. Amidst all that noise, we actually killed Ravel. But we are still surrounded by Trigits and Greater Shadows.
We hang out in Ravel's Secret Garden for a bit, letting Nameless regenerate. I think of how easy it actually was to kill Ravel, despite the panic and spam and graphics glitching, she really wasn't all that tough. Was Ravel really as powerful as a lesser deity, or was she just really cunning and long-lived, and finally slipped up in her old age and craziness? She was also very lonely, and she still loved Nameless, after all these centuries. Maybe she didn't put up much of a fight on purpose.
Time to check in with the party. Ask Dak'kon about what Ravel meant about him being my slave, get 3k xp. It turns out a previous Nameless found a dying Dak'kon in the ruin of Shra'kt'lor, gave him a item of some religious significance (the Circle), and Dak'kon swore himself to Nameless for the rest of his life - not knowing that Nameless can never die. So how old is Dak'kon? In any case, I can't seem to set him free, unless I die permanently. Which seems to be the goal I am slowly working towards.
I ask Annah why Ravel said she was tormented. It ends with Nameless kissing her. Doesn't seem to have any lasting effect in the game.
I ask Fall-from-Grace why she is tormented, I get nothing nearly as interesting as I got from Annah.
Waiting and regenerating, but shadows keep showing up. Its decent xp, but the party is hurting too much for this. Its a shame we can't rest here, and regain spells and hp. The best I can do is retreat to Ravel's Garden, wait for Nameless to regen, then try to strike out again, using Nameless as a meat shield. It would be nice to escape back to Sigil from here, but the game already warned me directly that we won't be coming back here for some time.
While killing time, I realize Nameless will never be able to talk to Ravel again. He will probably never be able to investigate his own backstory again. This time better count.
I try a few combinations, but the party keeps getting its ass kicked. Maybe we're just supposed to run for it? I try this, run NE, go through a portal. A long scene starts where Ravel gets up from her death, talks to some powerful thing, they argue, they fight, he wins. What a strange mess. Maybe Ravel faked her second death too.
Now we are on some map called Curst. The nearest NPC is Curst Guard. Surprisingly little to say. Neither does Curst Citizen. I speak to Dump Caretaker. Stairs going down might be the way out of here, but its one-way.
2014.08.17
I've been thinking of Ravel over the weeks, and her centuries of lonely sadness. She just liked solving puzzles, that's all, though sometimes that got people killed, and she fell in love with Nameless, and that went poorly. She tried to set the Lady free of her own puzzle, only for Ravel to be imprisoned herself. She figured out how to escape her prison, but didn't leave because she didn't really have anywhere to go. The only thing she seemed to be looking forward to was seeing Nameless again, but he only visited occasionally over the centuries, and with no memories. Who is more tormented, Nameless or Ravel?
So who's the other guy, the one she talks to after faking her death to Nameless? Looks like the demon Izual, from Diablo 2. Now I'm stuck in the prison plane, which seems like a sad excuse for a dimension. Having a dimensions for Fire and Water, or Order and Chaos, make some sense, but this dimension seems as boring as the Plane of Unpaired Socks. I guess I'm going to wander the planes for a while, then end up back in Sigil, where I will either fight the Lady or Ravel, and I will have to use or stop the great weapon the Foundry is building, with or against the siege tower. I may or may not have regained my mortality by then, or maybe it will be one of the final steps to do so, and then I can finally die. Or start all over again.
I reload my last save in Curst, but I have no recollection of where I've been or who I've talked to. And I would like to review that cut-scene of Ravel's second (if not final) death. I load save Day 32 20:57 Ravel's Maze "hp 82 done" - I think I was regenerating. Back to Disc 3. I have an unused Sensory Touch, might as well heal someone. Too bad I can't keep re-using that one between rests.
The map I am on is named Curst. The world map shows me off in the corner, and even shows Ravel's Maze, on its very own isolated patch of map, of course. It looks like there are at least ten more grayed out locations to visit, which puts me half way through the game. First person I meet is Curst Guard, who says this city is on lockdown because of plague. The person in charge is the Burgher, in the administration building. He says if I'm looking for a deva, I'm at the wrong end of the Great Ring - I've heard that expression before but can't remember what it means. The Prime Material Planes only? All of existence? The city gates say quarantine, no passage in or out.
I circumnavigate the town, speaking to everyone, noting doors and exits for later. I speak to several Curst Citizen, nothing. There are Lim-Lim and Tricha animals walking around, can't talk to them. I encounter several guards beating up someone named Jansen. None of them really have anything to say to me. I meet Curst Thug, nothing. I enter the "city park", more thugs. There is a fountain with 134 cp in it - a reminder to always mouseover everything. There's a thug in yellow, who came here looking for mercenary work. He was trying to get to the Quartered Man (a tavern?), but then the lockdown happened.
I meet Roberta, when I tell her I don't know my name, she asks if I am a petitioner, someone who has died and there body has reformed on the plane that matches their beleifs, and and this usually means memory loss. She has heard rumour of the deva being around, but doesn't know, and recommends the admin building. She says the man in charge is Tovus Giljaf, a githzerai and a wizard. She can't find her husband, Carl Parfidor, who she thinks is cheating. If he is she would like to kill him.
Moving on I find a box with some more copper, a Clot Charm, and an Adder's Tear. I meet the Dump Caretaker, who's name is Kyse. He says there's a tunnel down to the undercity, but its probably one-way.
I enter Traitor's Gate Tavern. I meet Nabat, says he's got stories, but none for me right now. I find a hotel register. I meet Dallan, who claims to know something about the deva, for a price, but not yet. I meet Merchant, but they he says he's a cook, and tells me to leave. On his table is cheese and a steak knife.
I meet Marquez, who doesn't want to talk. I meet Chek'ka Plute, a guard who's watching Tainted Barse to see if he has a secret tunnel. I meet Tainted Barse, who's daughter has been taken by slavers. He's heard I've been asking around about the deva, and offers a trade of info for a five part key, starting with Marquez. I get some info for free - there is a prison here that is always being enlarged, and in its digging they discovered a celestial, the deva, inside an obsidian bubble, chained down. Somehow they have its sword, and they're using it to keep the prison running. That's when the plague hit.
I can rent accommodations from Barse, at Peasant or Merchant level. Time to heal up, and identify some items. Ravel's Fingernail is 2-7 piercing, +2, and 2-12 poison damage; nice, i'll switch to that as my melee weapon.
I speak to Kitla, too busy to talk. I meet Dona Quisho, who doesn't want to talk. Back to Marquez, who has the details of the job: the slavers are in east Inner Curst, kill them, find Barse's daughter, then I'll receive the first part of the key. Marquez quit the Harmonium because some of them got into slaving.
I go upstairs to Upper Level. A little lockpicking, and Annah gets Magic Punch Daggers. What she's wielding is still better. We meet Berrog, who has archon friends in Mount Celestia, and came to investigate the deva. We pick the lock to another room, and get an aggro Curst Thug. Not much loot, just an axe and a silver hairpin.
Back outside, we enter Grain Silo. Nothing inside but a ladder. Up the ladder, there is only a pentagram. Note that for later. We enter Small Dwelling, which is The Blacksmith on the map. We meet Crumplepunch Malako, the town's smith. He's got some interesting stuff for sale, like Assassin's Knuckles, Fiend Femur (club), Foolsmiter (hammer), Blind Terror (mace), Jagged Bolts, Zephyr Bolts, Bolts of Whistling Doom. This game has crossbows? We sell some excess items.
We take the exit to Inner Curst, on the map its still named Curst. We meet Guard Captain, I have the option to ask to see the person in charge, report on Lady Roberta's murderous intent, or ask to be arrested. I guess some of these options will be exercised, but I want to look around some more first. This is starting to get tedious; I feel like I'm trolling through The Hive all over again.
Lockpicking a box yields a Gaudy Ring (Ring of the Traveler), Gold Ring, Festival Prize (Serpent Ring), and Dustman Embalming Charm, Greater. Strange to find one of their artifacts all they way out here, even with portals. The Serpent Ring gives Immunity to Poison, so Annah, our resident thief, should have that. I pass Annah's +3 vs poison ring to Grace, and she has a voiced comment about rings and marriage!
There's a whole bunch of Harmonium Officers around a woman. Is this the barkeep's daughter? I talk to their leader, Measure Two Skatch of the Harmonium. It seems like fighting is inevitable, so I set up all our shield, prayer, etc. spells. We are quickly reduced to retreating; luckily the local police don't seem to notice us fighting in the street. We retreat and spread them out, and can take out a few. 3000xp each, no wonder they're so tough. As I feared, our target was killed in the fight. Retreating will not be an option. Time to reload.
Its taking many reloads, and the prisoner gets killed at random intervals. The graphics glitches are not helping. It took about a dozen tries, getting the right combination of offensive spells, healing, targeting, and simple luck that they don't cut her down in a strike or two. Finally, we can speak to Jasilya. She leaves.
We meet An'izius, a githyanki, which Dak'kon is not happy about. He's a town leader, but doesn't have much to say. Sometimes its worth clicking on all these cookie cutter Curst Citizen, because I find one named Kiri. She's in dire need of money, and Nameless asks if she would kill someone - that seemed out of nowhere, but then Roberta wanted to kill her husband, who only lets harlots near. Did I just broker a contract killing? Let me check my alignment... Lawful Good. Well, I guess I'm still OK.
I find a trunk of junk and a Perfume Bottle. It needs an identify, but I'm out. I rearrange my spells so I'll have one after next rest. In another corner people are duelling Trichas. I enter another Small Dwelling, have to fight off some citizens. We enter Warehouse, I meet Devore, supervisor of the warehouse. I meet Dorfin, who works here. I meet another worker, Leighis, and Aileena, and some unnamed. Some interesting meta responses, several mentions of their paid day off. There's some gold items in a locked container that we take, in including a gold ingot.
We enter a small building called The Distiller on the map, but Small Dwelling on the map once inside. We meet Kester, brother of Crumplepunch, and he asks me to settle a dispute in their wills.
We enter The Barracks, doesn't seem to be anything to do here. Exploration done, let's do some quests. I stop at the blacksmith, and get his legacy. Both brothers agree to a binding agreement to be decided by me. These guys are awfully trusting, or they just want the matter over with. Split it, 2k xp. I've lost Kester as a merchant, but Crumple is OK with it.
I find Roberta out in the open, tell her Kiri is willing to do it. Roberta is only offering 500 copper. Now that the moment of decision is here, and the amount is laughably small, this is not worth tarnishing my Lawful Good status. If that's even worth anything.
I can't find him, so I go to see Tainted Barse first. Get rested, cast identify, the perfume bottle casts Acid Storm, and the eye is The Fiendish Eye of Kalem'darr (+2 Charisma, -1 Wisdom, 5% resist lots - not worth it). Wow, the gold ingot sells for $4000. Oh yeah, I'm Lawful Good, maybe I can finally use the Tear of Salieru-Dei, and get that +1 to Con. It worked.
I speak to Nabat, he says to go help Kyse in the dump. Kyse claims to have no money, and to convince the thug Wernet in Inner Curst not to rob him. We talk to him, he basically just walks away. Back to Kyse. We fight the three thugs, no problem. We loot, I notice I have a Scroll of Abyssal Fury in my inventory - when did that happen? Nasty spell, and its level 9 - can I copy it? Yes. Also, Dak'kon can copy the Chromatic Orb spells to his book. Though I could copy the spell, I can't even use spells past level 5 yet.
Kyse offers healing, turns out its not free whole party healing, he'll just sell clerical healings. Back to Nabat. He tells me his part, offers thief training, points me to Dallan. I ask if he'll answer some questions now, get 43,750 xp! He's a storyteller, without any stories yet.
There's Jasilya, nothing new to say. I find Dallan, he wants me to help An'izius with some political trouble. Before we leave, rest to regain spells. I find An'izius, he wants me to discredit Siabha. I speak to Guard Captain, and fake rat out Siabha. While I'm here, might as well rat out Lady Roberta. Back to An'izius. I receive 100,000 xp, and what seems to be about $8,000. Lots of level ups in the party. Today is a good day in Curst.
Back to Dallan. Another fragment, report to Dona Quisho. 87,500 xp. Dallan has some anger issues. Dona looks like another manifestation of Ravel (like Mebbeth). I am to let a fiend, Agril-shank, free. So now I know what the pentagram in the grain silo is for. All I have to do is read the scroll to get 60k xp. Agril-Shanak, the glabrezu, the fiend, the friend, is interesting to talk to. Just a couple of lines, and you get a good hint of his personality, and he's not even human. That's good writing. I wish I could talk to him some more.
For his freedom, I can try to extract something from him, he promises me Heartgrinder. Its a deal. Out of gratitude, he decides not to kill me... this time. Heartgrinder seems like a fun weapon, but its for fighters only. I'm really considering staying a fighter if I ever go through this game again. Back to Dona, she doesn't drop much hint as to why she summoned that demon.
Back to Barse, he's ready to do his thing but says there's no way back. Time to stock up on healing items. The Blood Charm seems to be a good price point, $30 for 18 hp healing, and I've got $15k now, so every party member should carry at least 10.
I tell Barse to go ahead, and there's no reading of the magic phrase, there's no opening of the portal, I'm just suddenly in Curst Underground. Couldn't I have just gone through the dump? I would have missed out on a lot of easy xp though.
We fight our way through some demons. We meet Voorsha, a bootlegger. He needs help with a gehreleth. We find some loot - is it Voorsha's? Well... it doesn't have his name on it. Scroll of Hold Undead, that's nice.
We meet Ghrist, who says he's going to eat me, and that he is Gehreleth... Farastu. He says farastu is his station. I ask it what its doing here and he says its look for the deva. To eat it. I ask "You want to eat Trias?" WTF? How do I know the deva's name? I don't think Ravel mentioned it.
It takes a few tries but we get him. I report back to Voorsha, who didn't expect me to be able to do it, and goes aggro. He hits hard for someone worth only 270 xp, considering the gehreleth was worth around 14k.
We explore and meet Hermit. He's a priest, looking to help his god who is imprisoned here. He sells healing. Even better, he can offer rest! We find a gold ring, but I don't have identify memorized. Later, it is revealed to be Ring of Fallen Stars, that casts Meteor Storm Bombardment.
I keep chipping away at the demons on this level. I have access to rest, so why not. Moving northeast, there is a strange group of beings calls Nupperibo. I can't talk to them, as they are aggro/red, but neither do they move. If I move amongst them, something damages me (them? the floor?). There is another pond full of Lemure. Also red/aggro, but not moving. Can I kill them? Should I? I guess it depends on the xp. I kill one, only 120 xp, and the rest slowly come after me.
I meet some Black Abishai. They don't seem to want to chat. I meet Tek'elach. He is a baatezu, "specifically, a cornugon". He's talkative, and yet I learn very little. Nameless notes that he seems a bit too high rank to be here. He's probably here for the deva.
Time to move on to western map. It is called Prison. In addition to the usual demons, I also meet aggro Curst Guard. Lots of em.
2014.08.23
I go back to the locked door, now called Barbed Door, but I can't open it. Keep exploring, go northwest. In a barrel is a Scroll of Embalming. It's like the Aid spell, but for the undead, and the Nameless One. Am I undead? Never really thought about it that way, but technically I think it fits.
Find another gate, this one I can use the code from Trias. I see a Curst Guard, and he's blue, not red - I can speak to him. Not really, he goes aggro fast. Go through a bunch of guards, find a Finger Bone Key. Inside the prison I find Roberta; makes sense, I put her there. She promises revenge convincingly enough that if I wasn't lawful good, I'd do something about it.
Lots of save and reloads as I try out various combos against the guards. Lots of trips back to the resting place on the previous map. For a game with little combat suddenly I'm grinding.
Some kind of yellow goop keeps falling on me and giving me major damage. Suddenly I get some xp going down a hallway? Don't know what's going on. On a guard we find a reminder not to not step on a trigger plate, or it could kill you. Reminds me of my tomb, with its lethal pressure plates.
We go through the portal, there is a short movie of what looks like a skeleton of a dragon in the desert, with ladders and beams on it, like archaeology. We are immediately beset by Gronks, whatever that its, but they go down easy. The map says I am in Outlands.
After a few steps, some more monsters, Grilligs. A little tougher. In the skull of the dragon, the House of Fhjull. We meet Fhjull Forked-Tongue, he's upset at the presence of a tanar'ri. I ask him about my mortality, and directs me to the Fortress of Regrets. He doesn't know how to get there, but he directs me to the Baator pillar of sages (isn't that where Morte's from?); I get 350k xp!
Fhjull tells me about the skeleton that he makes his home, Ul-Goris, father of the goristro, living siege-towers. That sounds familiar, I met a sentient siege-tower in Sigil, but I think that was more mechanical then biological.
Fhjull is an interesting character. Once a high-ranking demon, Trias tricked him into having to do only good deeds, so Fhjull got kicked out, and is in hiding.
I ask how to return once I get to Baator and get the knowledge I seek. I get an answer, but Fhjull says I don't need to come back here. Another 100k xp.
Fhjull also has some items to share: Hatred's Gift (axe), Gordian knot, adder's tear, Baatorian green steel knife and dagger, kassegs (boost int). He also has some spells: Remove Curse, Globe of Invulnerability, Chain Lightning Storm, Acid Storm, Bladestorm, Stygian Ice Storm. How many of these items can I have?
2014.08.24
First I ask for kassegs, which boost Int and Wis, but only for a few hours. Gordian Knot, cool, but I don't need more charisma at the cost of wisdom. Stygian Ice Storm sounds awesome, but I bet its going to glitch like crazy. I'm glad I can copy it to my book, even though I can't cast it yet, because the group's inventory is packed. Not a lot of merchants out here for us to cash it in.
We rest up, go outside, go through the portal, and watch a short movie of what looks like Mars, captioned Baator. Green abishai's hit hard, and there seem to be a lot of them. I get killed, and wake up in front of the pillar of skulls. Reload. Try to fight through, it seems like a lot of grinding. On a whim, I sprint past a score of abishai to the next map, and I am in front of the Pillar of Skulls. Does the game want me to do it this way? Or is it just letting me? What am I missing out on? Grinding is rarely fun, but with graphics glitches and long regen times, its extra un-fun. I'll reload from when I came in here, and sprint to the exit solo.
Maybe I can get the answer from the Pillar, and still retrieve Morte. Yeah, that works, and now I know about Trias the Betrayer. Never did trust that dude. Now where is my exit portal? Do I have to go back through all those abishai? We exit, and the game takes over, sets up an encounter: a cornugon, and 4 black abishai. I try sprinting through the map again, but no exit is apparent.
2014.08.25
Speaking to Fhjull, he said I need "knowledge and a piece of jagged obsidian to cut your tongue". I search my notes for obsidian, and all I find is Trias' prison was made of obsidian. Maybe I can use the Blade of the Immortal; no, it doesn't want to talk yet. Checking my journal... maybe the bit of obsidian I need is in Outlands? Time to reload save again. I can't help but thinking I'm mixing up the portal I need to get out of here, and some other portal that will take me to the Fortress of Regrets.
Usually the puzzles in this game are so simple they are being spoonfed to you. This puzzle shouldn't be this hard. I'm very tempted to look this one up online. I really hate the risk of seeing spoilers, but maybe I could just get a hint... OK, good, I found a nice hint at: http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/Torment/Walkthrough/act8-outlands/outlands-baator.php
The exit is on the previous map, in the southwest corner. But I've already gone back and run through the whole map - how did I miss it? I barely regret this hint, saves a lot of frustration, and I don't think I ruined anything.
I run past as much as I can, but its thick with monsters in the southwest corner. Finally I get the prompt to pick up a piece of obsidian so I can cut my tongue with it. We're back in Outlands! Maybe I can repeat this round trip, and chip away at all those demons. Or not; as good as the xp is, its so much more cost-effective to just move the plot along. Now that I'm here, how do I get out of Outlands? Time to talk to Fhjall again. I can ask him how to get out of this crater. There's a portal in the butt of the giant monster skeleton we're in.
The portal takes us to "Curst Gone". Did they collectively shift alignment enough to enter another plane? Not much ruins remain, but there are some containers to loot. We meet the Fiend From Moridor's Box. He hits really hard, not much choice but to run away. We find the Gate to Carceri, and we can speak to the heads on it. There is also an open portal. The gate says the town was swept into the prison plane of Carceri. But I thought that's where we've been all this time. So I guess all this time we were in a plane called Outlands, not the outlands of Carceri.
Into Carceri. The townspeople are being killed by gehreleths, and are crying for help. Fortunately the gehreleth aren't too tough. We find Tovus Giljaf, trapped under a cart. Somehow setting the deva free slid the town over the balance, and into Carceri. He vows revenge. Not until I speak to the deva first. I talk to Berrog, another person trapped under the cart. Tovus promises to rally the troops and fight the demons, which will help me get to the deva. He gives me something, which I promptly drop as the whole party's inventory is nearly full.
I meet the dump caretaker, Kyse. He explains the deva dragged the town here, and is enjoying its doom. The only way to free the town is to strike down the deva, and getting the town to believe in forgiveness will weaken the deva. This game just keeps getting more interesting. He offers me a place to rest, tells me to look for him at the barracks or distillery, and he gives me something. I drop that too. Time to re-arrange loot and pick up all this stuff. The first item, from Tovus, is a scroll of Deathbolt, nice but level 8, I ca't even cast it yet. The second item is a scroll of Meteor Storm Bombardment, another level 8 spell I can't use. Should I be at that level by now, or am I going to be in this area that long?
We meet Jasilya, who is being chased by thugs. Pacify spell works great here. Get 75k xp. We meet looters, and Jujog. Convince them to defend, not loot, get 150k xp. In the warehouse are anarchists and... Ebb Creakknees, from the Smoldering Corpse Tavern! I talk him into defending the city, not overthrowing it, get some xp (couldn't see it on screen). Find scrolls of Cure Critical, Ice Knife, Ball Lightning. In my inventory is a scroll of Desert Hell - when did I get that? Did Ebb give that to me? I also find a bracer of Magus Shield. I reload, OK there was no xp, just the scroll of Desert Hell.
I enter another structure, a bunch of thugs are after Kester. We save him, he'll go on to help the town. That's nice, but I could really use a merchant and/or resting place right now. Oh cool, I can rest in here.
Outside, I see two demons fighting each other: Agril-Shanak and Tek'alach. Not sure which I should help, if either. Checking notes, I've spoken to them both, and they're both interesting in their way. I think I'm supposed to just leave them to it. We enter the barracks and there are Curst Gaurds, and they are aggro, unfortunately. I cast Pacify on them, and they sleep, but now what do I do. I'll just leave.
Back to Kester's. Re-arrange spells for combat; rest. Back out into the streets to help the guards fight the random demons walking around. I test out some spells on a Crazy Mage on top of a building, randomly shooting down at everything. OK, this is not good, new mobs keep being created. I think I need to focus on improving the morale of the town.
Trying to ignore mobs as best as I can. I meet Thokola Guard - same or similar to the ones I met in front of the Godsman's Foundry? He won't talk to me. I meet Hezebol, a slaver, convert him to helping the town, another 150k xp.
I meet Hermit - the one from underground? It seems so, and he offers healing for the whole party. There's another crazy mage sniper, and his fire is worse. Run into the nearest door, its Curst Administration. We are immediately attacked by Sohmien, but they're not tough (1000xp). There are also looters, not tough, but Nameless is ineffective against them. We take the stairs up. A bunch of Curst Guards, and they're aggro against us, for some reason. Too close to fight safely, we run ahead into a large room where lots of guards are fighting lots of demons. I have the party group up in the corner and let them wear each other out.
I save and reload a bunch of times, with various results. Most scenarios end with us fighting 4-5 gehreleths. We run back to Kester's to rest.
2014.08.27
Fighting indoors is buggy. Enemies have trouble navigating through the tight doors and corridors. They stop following me, even though we're still in fight mode, and when I cast spells on them I have to run up to them, and then they can attack me, ruining the point of having long range spells. We work our way upstairs, get warned by a dying guard not face the deva while its powerful - how would he know about me convincing the town to get less evil? Find a locked desk full of fighter weapons.
We meet the deva. Of course he's evil, and doesn't even realize it. Once again, I love that some of my group members interject. Interesting turn of conversation, as Nameless thinks to ask how Trias' wings really got burned. Is their a way to converse my way out this fight? I need to know, because I can't win, even after a whole bunch of tries. Even when I think I'm getting close, half the party is dead.
2014.08.29
I forgot about spell-caster suppression. I don't think its an accident that the very first party member you get has that as his specialty, and I also have a spell and some items that suppress casters.
Suppression did help some, but it doesn't seem to last long enough. It seems the real key is to keep using healing items until he runs out of spells, then move in and melee until he gives up. I did this and lost most of the party, so I am curious if I can do this losing no one.
Better, only lost three. I can do three resurrects by myself, so maybe I'll just go with this. Do I get the resurrects back after I rest? (yes)
I stop by Shilandra's place, she congratulates me on destroying Moridor's Box. That was a while ago, funny that I ran into the fiend from that box in Outlands. This game has the depth and scope to pull off such long range stories. We stop at Angyar's house and rest. We are in desperate need of a merchant to unload all our loot. I'm also on the lookout for anyone who's text is updated since we've been here last. I love it when the game changes over time, due to my actions. Though realistically, how long have I even been gone? Days?
I like how Ravel didn't disguise herself as Mebbeth, nor did she pretend to be Mebbeth, she really was Mebbeth. That was a real part of herself. Ravel is still some kind of special crazy, what with taking people's mortality away and trying to 'free' the Lady, but she's not any kind of plain or common crazy. Now I need to see if the other strand of Ravel is still there.
No, Marta is not home. Just as well, that was not a very fun version of Ravel. Just as well I went to Mebbeth first. Unfortunately, Marta was one of the last places I knew of that I could find some teeth for Morte that had a magic to hit; without that Morte is useless against melee proofed opponents. I hope there is something else still out there.
Yes, it is nearby, map is Pharod's Vault. For someone's vault, this place is huge. I like that there is a lot of library shelving, but it would be nice if the game even mentioned what was on the shelves. Even if its a just a warning that these books are too rotten to use, but no, nothing. OK, one shelf mentions they are indexed. Still doesn't say what they're about. I search the whole map, mousing over every bookshelf, and finally there is a hotspot. I open it and get: cheese.
OK, I needed to look more carefully, there are some more hotspots, some more contents. A scroll of magic missile. I try to get Dak'kon to learn it, but his book is full of spells of that level. Looking in the spell book it seems like there is room, but I guess a limit is being imposed. I hope this doesn't affect Nameless. Sneaky, some of these hotspots are really tiny.
On a desk I find a Lady of Pain Rag Doll. Didn't Vrischika at the Curio Shop have one of these? You can Talk to Item, with choices even. Nothing seems to come of it. As long as I'm testing stuff, let's try using the Bronze Sphere. Nothing much, its just a disturbing sphere.
For a hiding place as impressive and cool as this vault, its got hardly any loot worth mentioning. Unless this rag doll proves pivotal. I like how the guard admits he's got nothing to guard anymore.
I head to the southeast Hive, enter Smoldering Corpse bar. Ebb Creakknees is back; he acknowledges our time in Outlands, but has nothing much to say of it. Nothing much of interest here, that weird guy O is still here, talking about the Great Beyond, and the Divine Alphabet.
At Fell's tattoo shop, this should be interesting. Well, he's got nothing new to say, but he's got some new inventory.
Tattoo of the Magi, $10200, +3 Int, x2 level 1-2 spells
Tattoo of the Redeemer, $, +2 Wis +1 Char +1 Luck
Tattoo of Sensation
Tattoo of the Sensates
Tattoo of Avernus, resistance to fire
Tattoo of Ravel, $255, +1 Char, Immunity to Panic
Tattoo of the Silver Tongue, +2 Char
Tattoo of the Black-barbed Maze
I really want that tattoo of the Magi, so I try it on. Now my Intelligence is 25, which is kind of crazy. I have an extra 5 slots in level 1 and level 2 spells. As cool as all this is, what I really need are more slots for my higher end spells. I've got a whole bunch of level 7-9 spells, and I can't even use them yet. Right now I'm free to move around Sigil, so I'll just put this on hold for now.
Oh yeah, Mourns-for-Trees, I get a little xp. The response to asking Ignus to help the trees is perfect.
On the main map, I speedwalk to the Lower Ward, insert disc 3. The party complains that it wants rest. High Quality Stiletto sells for 6 coppers, guess its the best I'm going to do. Time to unload.
I visit the Godsmen, nothing new. I head to Clerk's Ward. I visit Able, he's still offering research on Ravel, I think I'll pass. I visit Advocate, I can still tell him that his daughter is a ghost, etc. Nothing new here.
I visit Vrischika. She has a Tear of Salieru-Dei, I should have bought and used that when I could, I'm Neutral Good right now. Heck, might as well buy it, maybe I can go lawful once more. She has Teeth of the Fire Drake for Morte, its $6630, but I think we need it. Scroll of Cloudkill, I'll take one.
2014.08.30
We come across those Thugs that talk like they're from the Hive, but they're doing it wrong. Annah makes fun of them, and we fight. Previously we could not win, this time we make a greasy spot where they used to stand. Hope they weren't important to the plot or anything. I get a Steel Box.
You can talk to the box, and a voice answers, calling himself Mertwyn - its the guy in the Festhall who's lost his head! I return his head, get a little xp. I wonder what remains of that sensory stone that Ravel used to talk to me. Sadly, that stone seems dead. I experience the Longing stone again (the one where an evil Nameless uses Deionarra), so intense.
I stop at Art and Curio Galleria, at the statue of Gangroighydon, a sorcerer who was turned to stone. Remember that jar of Gorgon Salve I bought at the curio shop a while ago? The game has an option to apply it to the statue. I try it, and die horribly, though Morte gets to learn some new taunts. I go back to the gallery and talk to Yvana, who has mostly figured out what had happened. Fascinating, but I don't think Nameless is going to do this. What about the option to break off a piece first? With the forge-hammer, I can. I get 4k xp, and the statue sheds a tear. What? In my inventory is a Mad Splinter, a stabbing weapon that can curse its target.
What happens if I apply the salve now, with the splinter taken off? Cursed again, but this death seems to cost nothing, so I'll just let it stand, and Morte gets his upgrade. Time to visit UnderSigil. There's some monsters under there, not too tough, be we need to back off and rest. Dak'Kon has no offensive level 4 or 5 spells, so I buy him Force Missiles and Cone of Cold.
Several trips back and forth of fighting and resting. We find a body with little loot. We find a sealed door. In a container I find Manacles. Unfortunately, it has the exact same sound as picking up a mini-gun in Fallout. Didn't they think some people would play both games? The manacles can one-time cast Chain Lightning, no big deal, I should sell it. In a shelf I find a Magnifying Lens, usable only by Modrons.
My quest log has never been emptier - there's no mention that I need to head to Mortuary and look for... something, but that's all I can do now. I stop at Deionarra's tomb - once again I marvel at her sad theme song. I listen to her prophecy again, so much voicework, and its not bad. Near her a portal opens up, we enter, and emerge in that strange little tomb next to Angyar's house. Not very useful.
Back to Mortuary, up to second floor. In a locked cabinet (opened thanks to Annah), an Ancient Copper Earring (Closed). We go up to the third floor. I find a zombie I can Stories-Bones-Tell with. He was a victim of Ignus' arson; I think I've talked to this zombie before. I speak to another zombie, Arabhiem, whose spirit is at the Wasting Tower in Oinos. Also familiar; I guess I have done this already.
I walk everywhere I think I can, but no hint of a portal. Of course, logically even, its near the slab where I first woke up. I like that you can choose what regret to write on yourself, but does it make any difference in the game? I choose simple generic regret about my companions, get 250k xp. I really really like that Nameless takes the time to ask everyone if they are on board for this.
The map is some kind of puzzle, I need to take my advice to keep running and use the cannons to get around. I wonder if I'm supposed to lead all the shadows to one area, let them kill me, reincarnate back at the start of the map (wait - aren't I supposed to not die here?), then go back in to a cleared area? Or do they redistribute themselves?
OK, I'm doing the trial and error thing with the teleporters. I have to watch the cut scenes every time - and I can't skip them!? I'll just stick with resurrects for now. I start getting better at herding the mobs of shadows, still don't know what I'm doing here. I activate another teleporter, get to a see a cut scene of Grace and the big yellow demon, who has a name now, at least in dialogue - The Transcendent One. What is he? The top shadow? My first shadow? They fight, of course Grace dies. Another teleporter, Annah dies. Why did I bring them along, again?
I've activated three teleporter cannons, and I think there should be a portal somewhere now, but where? The clock clue indicates northeast but I've been running around in there and nothing comes up. Maybe the big arch in the center of the map? No, that's not it.
Running around, testing spells - Cloudkill is instant kill on these guys, took out a whole mob and I leveled up. I might need to go back a bunch of saves and load up on Cloudkill spells.
2014.09.17
While I'm here in the Festhall, I might as well stop in my room and sort out all this inventory. I find I have several items that are wearable in the eye socket - can I swap them at will? It looks like I can, so I'll sport the Kaleidoscopic Eye (+1 to saves) for now. I also have an Intestinal Phylactery from Ravel, which is of wearable type bracer. I could swap it out with my Magus Shield, but my AC would go up by 3, and I don't think that's worth gaining a few hp.
A quick side trip to sell of excess loot.
2014.09.25
Now to see what happens if I leave some or even all my companions behind, then go back to the Fortress of Regrets.
Playing a mostly lawful good character, I regret ever letting Ignus go from his prison, especially since he wants to kill me, and seems to turn on me in the fortress. Then again, he might have a sort of Gollum like role, where his betrayal is necessary to resolve the plot. Whether he comes or goes, the support characters have no business coming along. I'll see if I can drop them off right in front of the portal, to minimize legwork in case I need to change who comes and goes.
Back to the Mortuary, and disc 2. I forgot how to dismiss party members. Is it in dialogue? No. Time for some careful searching online. Oh yeah, its in Statistics -> Reform Party. Let's see what happens if I try to go in alone, I suspect the game wants me to have some or all come along. Activating the portal, this time I choose the regret (not that it seems to matter which you choose) of taking this long to find my mortality. Get 250k xp.
OK, I'll see if I can carefully get a hint about what to do next. There are 4 levers, not 3! I see it now, in the northeast corner, only the tip of it is visible. I feel stupid, but not that stupid. If this were a real 3D environment (let alone real life) I wouldn't have missed it. I never feel bad for using a cheat when its kind of the game's fault. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Time to pull the last lever.
Through the portal, and here comes Ignus. He's got a few heavy spells, but I can wear him down while regenerating faster than he can dish it out. Kill him, get 32k xp. I am surrounded by statues of me, and in the center of the room, a giant pulsing crystal. Deionarra's theme is playing. Nothing left to do now but touch the crystal.
I speak to the Good Incarnation. He has some idea of how and why there are these separate incarnations, but no definitive answer. Interesting angle on who was the first of us (+ 96k xp). Seems like he didn't want to end up in the Lower Planes after death. "It is regret that may change the nature of a man". But why does he say the Planes have been dying ever since? He asks a question and I give the right answer, get a plus to Wis and 32k xp.
I speak to the Paranoid Incarnation. He created the Sensory Stone trap, and the dodecahedron trap. The key to getting through his madness seems to be the secret language he learned. Pluses to strength, constitution, 64k xp.
I speak to Practical Incarnation again. I bluff that I will surrender my will, but I win. Pluses to Int and Wis, 96k xp. Another level up. And there is Deionarra (and her theme song). I can tell her why I (we) killed her. She can take me to my adversary, or my mortality. I'll try adversary first; I suspect both paths lead to the same place.
I ask Transcendent what was my name. He doesn't know. Oh, so that's why the Planes are suffering, because every time I die a shade is created. That's bad, but I don't think its the Planes-wide problem they make it out to be. This time I choose to fight, and he's very tough. Slowly losing, game gets glitchy and crashes.
Once more, this time back to the merge option. We merge, Nameless immediately gets pulled to the Lower Planes, where he resolutely picks up a weapon and enters the war. Did he immediately die upon regaining his mortality, and go straight to the hells? Doesn't make much sense, but it makes a kind of sense as the ending, that he must go back into the fray between good and evil. Except this isn't that, its evil vs evil, forever. It makes sense that the game ends with Nameless regaining his mortality, and thus his death, but for him to end up in hell, battling forever? Especially after the hint of redemption offered by Good Incarnation.
Is there another ending? I reload, and this time I don't offer to merge, but use the blade on myself. The Transcendent One dies, and the game goes right to the credits. I guess I don't get an ending at all.
This doesn't feel right. I feel the like game is only three quarters done. There are inventory slots I haven't even used yet. Spells in my spell book I haven't leveled up enough to use. Empty spots on my map. And yet, this does seem to be the point of the game, to get to the bottom of my immortality issues and then do something about it.
I need to know what happens if you kill Transcendent, but I don't think Nameless is strong enough. I try again, doing lots of circling, this very much feels like a boss battle in Diablo. Nameless regenerates through most of the minor spell damage but melee with Transcendent kills Nameless quickly. I think I'll risk a hint and find out if this really is the end of the game or if there is more.
Oops, I learn you can show the Bronze Sphere to Deionarra to learn your real name. Ah, this is the ending, and there are but three endings, and I have now seen two. Now that I'm done, I feel free to look through the site, and I see I've missed a bunch of things. I don't think I want to play through this game again, not unless its modded to help with all these glitches. I am curious how you'd kill Transcendent though.
Oh, that's cool, if you choose to merge at the end, you can resurrect all of your group members and have a final conversation with them. There is a playthrough video, but am willing to put a little more time into this. I'm so close to the end, I might as well see everything I can for myself.
I reload Day 54 15:42 Lower Ward 'buy healing charms'. I go back to the Festhall for the Bronze Sphere. I visit Quell to buy some Stinky Chocolate, which casts Cloudkill, which should be very helpful against all the shadows I'm about to face. I can only buy one!? What a rip. I'll try leaving the map and coming back. Sadly, no more.
Time to hit the teleporters. Watch Ignus, Grace, Annah, Dak'kon. Kill Ignus. Find Sounding Stone, listen to it. Meet incarnations, tell Practical about Bronze Sphere, get xp. Good used to be a cartographer, and walked the Planes. Good was the first, more xp. Absorb paranoid and practical, very Highlander. Talk to Deionarra. No dialogue for Sphere? Oh, I need to Use it.
I head for the Transcendent One, and find the bodies of my companions. Time to test out these new spells (which will probably glitch like crazy). Conversation immediately turns to my dead friends, and resurrecting them and getting them out. I can distract Transcendent by telling him I let the shadows loose in the Fortress, and while he goes to check it out, I can resurrect Morte. Morte was faking, so now I can resurrect Dak'kon. I have no control over this, its just happening. Nameless (well, not anymore) resurrects everyone.
And then TO is back, and we fight. I wonder if everyone's inventory is still on ground. Let's try Celestial Host. A lot of videos go by, but no hint of how much damage that it actually caused. Time for Abyssal Fury. The glitching makes this unplayable. Reload, try a non violent solution. Oops, combat again, these spells take way too long to watch and you can't skip them. I saw a damage of 79 scroll by, not bad but not good enough.
I merge with Transcendent, and retain the ability to resurrect everyone. I think I have finally arrived at the true ending of the game. I watch each character's scene play out, and learn a bit more about Nameless' fate. As Nameless marches toward his punishment, it seems a little more meaningful, and a little more hopeful.
Now I'm done.
The Hive
Open Tomb - who's is it? anything to do here?
Deionarra's prophecy, ...
ne: Gathering Dust bar: gates made of black metal no way to open
sw: "Office of Vermin": locked door need key. tested Knock, Lockpick - no
hive merchants, se, a door with no handles. tested Knock - no
hive merchant (near middle) has Luck and Blur
hive merchant (near middle) has lim-lims
Fell
keep visiting to see story-based tattoos
possible tattoo to buy:
Tattoo of the Lost Incarnation $765
gain a memory?, faster regen
Mortuary Sanctum Key - what use?
negative token (from bar) - what use?
next playthrough: join Dustmen?
Catacombs
Mosaic Crypt: what is purpose? nothing much in coffin
Warrens of Thought: locked doors in south and se - can't Knock
Many-As-One: are the endless rats really endless? probably
Tenement of Thugs - done
Alley of Lingering Sighs
"This massive iron gate is rusted shut. There's no way it'll open." significance?
"This dark recess descends..." significance? portal location?
Lower Ward
Foundry
door north locked
Keldor
join Godsmen?
Nihl, dreambuilder, need a coffin pillow
Quarters, locked door, no passage until Sandoz comes back
Clerk's Ward
Curiosity Shop - buy all exotic items
Advocate's home - return with any info on Deionarra
brothel
Ecco - locked
Civic Festhall
Splinter: sells a Power Word Blind ~$5k
Montague: talked to, check back after talking to Juliette
dorm, eastern room, locked door
dorm, northeast, locked trunk
dorm, northwest, locked trunk x2
dorm, west, locked x1
LOOT STASHES
Shilandra's Kip - emptied
flophouse, left cabinet
Tome of Bone and Ash, Penn's Note, One-Ear's Earring, Clipped Copper Piece, Mempa's Biting Ring, Strahan's Diary
flophouse, right cabinet
Cleaning Rags, Cobblestone, Cranium Rat Tail, Dirty Rat Charm, Iron Spike, Junk, Leather Strap, Left Arm #985, Rags, Receiving Log Page, Rune of Armor, Rune of Lesser Warding, Wooden Club
Sensorium, shelves left to right
1: Scrolls, and spell effect items
Adder's Tear, Bone Charm, Charcoal Charm, Cockroach Charm, Cranium Rat Charm, Frosty Mint Candy, Knot Charm, Ring of Fallen Stars, Scent of the Storm, Shackles of Light, Thrice-Blind Charm,
2: Wearables (weapons, armor, magic items)
Angle-Less-Eye, Dread Bond, Edge of Oblivion, Eyeball, Fiendish Eye of Kalem'Dar, Hammer, Heartgrinder, Leg Bone Club, Mad Splinter, Magnifying Lens, Pharod's Crutch, Porphatys Dagger, Scalpel, Severed Arm (Yours), Silver Hairpin, Vrock Club
3: healing and unique one-time use items
Blood Fly Charm, Cheese, Gordian Knot, Intestinal Phylactery, Kasseg Cerbral Parasite, Needle and Thread, Stone Gullet of L'Phahl the Gross,
4: useless (probably)
Cranium Rat Tail, Crumplepunch's Legacy, Deionarra's Legacy, Dodecahedron, Fin Andlye's Notes, Grimoire of Pestilential Thought, Intestines, Junk, Kester's Legacy, Lady of Pain Rag Doll, Pouch, Ragged Note from Pharod, Ravel's Gray Hair, Reminder Note, Suspicious Sealed Scroll, Tenement Storeroom Key, Tomb Key1-4
negative token (from bar) - what use?
next playthrough: join Dustmen?
Catacombs
Mosaic Crypt: what is purpose? nothing much in coffin
Warrens of Thought: locked doors in south and se - can't Knock
Many-As-One: are the endless rats really endless? probably
Tenement of Thugs - done
Alley of Lingering Sighs
"This massive iron gate is rusted shut. There's no way it'll open." significance?
"This dark recess descends..." significance? portal location?
Lower Ward
Foundry
who is Fosnatu'u (Godsman guard say Dustman freed him)
door west lockeddoor north locked
Keldor
join Godsmen?
Nihl, dreambuilder, need a coffin pillow
Quarters, locked door, no passage until Sandoz comes back
Clerk's Ward
Curiosity Shop - buy all exotic items
Advocate's home - return with any info on Deionarra
brothel
Ecco - locked
Civic Festhall
Splinter: sells a Power Word Blind ~$5k
Montague: talked to, check back after talking to Juliette
dorm, eastern room, locked door
dorm, northeast, locked trunk
dorm, northwest, locked trunk x2
dorm, west, locked x1
UnderSigil
Curst
who is Jansen and why is he being beaten up in the corner
* This door has been sealed
who is Jansen and why is he being beaten up in the corner
Shilandra's Kip - emptied
flophouse, left cabinet
Tome of Bone and Ash, Penn's Note, One-Ear's Earring, Clipped Copper Piece, Mempa's Biting Ring, Strahan's Diary
flophouse, right cabinet
Cleaning Rags, Cobblestone, Cranium Rat Tail, Dirty Rat Charm, Iron Spike, Junk, Leather Strap, Left Arm #985, Rags, Receiving Log Page, Rune of Armor, Rune of Lesser Warding, Wooden Club
Sensorium, shelves left to right
1: Scrolls, and spell effect items
Adder's Tear, Bone Charm, Charcoal Charm, Cockroach Charm, Cranium Rat Charm, Frosty Mint Candy, Knot Charm, Ring of Fallen Stars, Scent of the Storm, Shackles of Light, Thrice-Blind Charm,
2: Wearables (weapons, armor, magic items)
Angle-Less-Eye, Dread Bond, Edge of Oblivion, Eyeball, Fiendish Eye of Kalem'Dar, Hammer, Heartgrinder, Leg Bone Club, Mad Splinter, Magnifying Lens, Pharod's Crutch, Porphatys Dagger, Scalpel, Severed Arm (Yours), Silver Hairpin, Vrock Club
3: healing and unique one-time use items
Blood Fly Charm, Cheese, Gordian Knot, Intestinal Phylactery, Kasseg Cerbral Parasite, Needle and Thread, Stone Gullet of L'Phahl the Gross,
4: useless (probably)
Cranium Rat Tail, Crumplepunch's Legacy, Deionarra's Legacy, Dodecahedron, Fin Andlye's Notes, Grimoire of Pestilential Thought, Intestines, Junk, Kester's Legacy, Lady of Pain Rag Doll, Pouch, Ragged Note from Pharod, Ravel's Gray Hair, Reminder Note, Suspicious Sealed Scroll, Tenement Storeroom Key, Tomb Key1-4
2014.09.26
I'm done with this playthrough, but in my subsequent review post I read some game FAQs, and there are a few things I want to go back and try.
The Negative Token that you can get from Candrian actually has the power to temporarily freeze shadows, if you wear it like a ring and use it. The game tells you it helps against shadows, but I never really dug into how or why. This would have come in really handy while getting surrounded by shadows in the Fortress of Regrets, much later in the game.
Another useful item, Ingress' Teeth, can be upgraded into a magical item. This would have been very useful for Morte, as he needs a magic item to attack some opponents for much of the game. I was hoping to learn more about the NPC "O" in the Smoldering Corpse bar. He seems to be at least a lesser deity, slumming it in the Hive for some reason.
So that's whats in the back room of the Office of Vermin Control.
During the Box of Morridor quest, if I become a follower of Aoskar, "the Lady will Maze you". What does that mean? Can I actually meet the Lady after all? I might have to try and restore an old save to check that out. I'm so intrigued by this possibility I have to check it out, find and reload the old save, and do the thing.
Nothing seems to happen at first, then I leave the map - and it happens! I finally get to meet The Lady! I'm so excited I take a screenshot and ruin the cut scene. Reload, try again. I get to see the Lady in person, but only briefly, then I am take to map Player's Maze. Interesting journal left behind, a hint of how to escape. This game still has wonders for me to know.
Wow, there are a lot of upgrades available for you and Dak'kon if you study the circle (that you gave him, long ago). Doesn't seem to be any answer yet about the Mosaic Crypt. Ah, there is a non-violent way to learn the secret of the Silent King (but you need 16 Charisma). I learn more about a past companion, Xachariah. Sad. So Mantuok is who the Poisoned Cheese is for.
I missed some small quests, a way to upgrade Grace and Annah's armor at the clothing shop, a few ways to make more money and xp. Oh, I could have used speak-with-dead to speak to an urn of ashes that I came across. I never did find out what the Godsman were building, or how to finish the Dreamcatcher. Reading about it, it seems somewhat interesting but not enough to reload for. It also seems to be buggy without some mods.
I read about the Modron area, and the follower you can pick up from there. I don't like the way it sounds at all, and I'm glad I missed it. Interesting, UnderSigil will respawn with tougher monsters and unique items. I missed out on companion Vhailor, sounds like another dangerous crazy, like Ignus. Interesting, your number of deaths throughout the game affect the number of shadows waiting for you in the Fortress.
During the Box of Morridor quest, if I become a follower of Aoskar, "the Lady will Maze you". What does that mean? Can I actually meet the Lady after all? I might have to try and restore an old save to check that out. I'm so intrigued by this possibility I have to check it out, find and reload the old save, and do the thing.
Wow, there are a lot of upgrades available for you and Dak'kon if you study the circle (that you gave him, long ago). Doesn't seem to be any answer yet about the Mosaic Crypt. Ah, there is a non-violent way to learn the secret of the Silent King (but you need 16 Charisma). I learn more about a past companion, Xachariah. Sad. So Mantuok is who the Poisoned Cheese is for.
I missed some small quests, a way to upgrade Grace and Annah's armor at the clothing shop, a few ways to make more money and xp. Oh, I could have used speak-with-dead to speak to an urn of ashes that I came across. I never did find out what the Godsman were building, or how to finish the Dreamcatcher. Reading about it, it seems somewhat interesting but not enough to reload for. It also seems to be buggy without some mods.
I read about the Modron area, and the follower you can pick up from there. I don't like the way it sounds at all, and I'm glad I missed it. Interesting, UnderSigil will respawn with tougher monsters and unique items. I missed out on companion Vhailor, sounds like another dangerous crazy, like Ignus. Interesting, your number of deaths throughout the game affect the number of shadows waiting for you in the Fortress.
2014.10.16
Now that I've had a complete plain vanilla experience, I want to try whatever hacks and mods I can get my hands on. If nothing else, it will help me decide later if I ever want to play through again.
The best set of instructions I have found are at "Planescape: Torment - Best Mods/Increase Resolution Guide" [ http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2009/01/planescape-torment-fully-modded.html ]. Before I start I need to clean the slate, and uninstall from Program Files (which will cause nothing but problems with Windows protection, VirtualStore, etc.). I'll save a copy of the \save folder, though it may not load after all these mods. After software uninstall, I still need to manually delete \Program Files x86\Black Isle, and just to be thorough I delete it from VirtualStore.
Step 1: Install
Run PowerISO. Mount "\retail 4cd box\TORMENT.iso" to F: and run F:\Setup.exe. Install to C:\Torment. Watch trailer for Icewind Dale. Finish.
Step 1a: Install patch
Unfortunately, the designated site of the patch, sorcerers.net, seems to have been taken over by malware, or at least a crap ton of spam. I get it from another site [moddb] and it has the same checksum, so I guess its OK.
I run it, it seems fine, but a few seconds later I get a popup Program Compatibility Assistant ... might not have installed correctly. I doubt it has any idea one way or the other, so I select that it installed correctly.
Step 1b: Language packs, test
Find Planescape icon in Start Menu, Pin to Taskbar. Click it on taskbar, Register Later, Forfeit. It wants disc 2, so mount that, videos start right up, watch them. Alt-tab out, extract save files to C:\Torment\save. Back to game, see if can load, the game doesn't see the files. Exit Torment, goes to black screen and popup "stopped working" APPCRASH. It always did that before, I've just been ignoring it and hitting close. Start Torment again, still not there - ah, WinRAR made too many subfolders. Load an old save, plays OK.
Step 2: Improve loading times
Make C:\Torment\CDALL
Copy *.bif from discs 2-4 there. Close PowerISO. As expected I have 188 files.
Edit torment.ini, modify CD1-4 to C:\Torment\CDALL.
Change CacheSize=120 to CacheSize=1
Path Search Nodes=4000 to Path Search Nodes=32000
Maximum Frame Rate=30 to Maximum Frame Rate=40
Check that file save OK, check program.
Something failed - its asking for disc 2. A guide this thorough probably address this... and there it is, this procedure doesn't remove the copy-protection scheme of checking to see if the disc is in the drive.
I mount disc 2 again, and load a save that I'm pretty sure is on disc 4. I see it briefly ask for disc 4, then it goes ahead and loads the file. So apparently this procedure works, as much as its going to. I can live with this.
I keep being asked to register, the file recommends deleting \ereg, that works.
Step 3a: Install The Bigg's Widescreen mod
Of all the mods, this is the one I'm most interested in, game feels like watching a movie through binoculars.
Language 0, readme No, Install Component 1, x = 1920, y = 1200
update save games? y
support multiple? n
sure? y
Updating all my saves takes a while. The guide doesn't say to test, but I will anyway. As predicted, the videos (and UI) are all squished into the corner. I assumed 1920x1200 would look awesome and it does, but now I am looking at the game through a telescope. Maybe I can ratchet it down a bit while keeping it proportional, maybe something like 1680x1050, or 1440x900. I run the installer again, choose re-install, choose 1680x1050. That's definitely better, but it still feels a bit distant. I'll try 1440x900. Wow, big flickering mess. I re-install 1680x1050; its OK again. I re-install 1280x800. Even this feels a little large, but I think it might be a good compromise. I try 1024, big flickering mess again.
Back to 1280x800.
Step 3b: Install Ghostdog's incredible UI mod
I'll try option 2, 40% bigger fonts.
"installed correctly".
Run Planescape, it works. You can see some of the awkwardness of how the layout was changed to make it work for a size it was never designed for, but it is acceptable.
I try a screenshot, and it comes out rather nicely in 1280x800. All this modification so far is nice, but I don't regret playing it through plain the first time.
Step 4: Install the Ultimate Fixpack by Qwinn
"Fixes hundreds of bugs left in the game" sounds vague, check its page, says it fixes crash on exit, that would be nice.
This mod will not load previous save files, so no more testing. I delete the save folder.
I check out the readme - this truly is a labor of love, and the labor of many people. Its hard to imagine the originators of the game sticking around for this many years to make so many fixes.
I install all 3 parts: Fixpack, Dialogue Corrections, Subtitled Cutscenes.
"installed correctly". Testing... seems OK.
Step 5a: Install Unfinished Business by Qwinn
This one is optional but recommended. It seems to add so much content back to the game I am really considering another run through so I can see it all in context.
Installing all is not recommended if its your first time through, so I can install all.
Step 5b: Install Tweaks Pack
2 Banter Accelerator (30 mins)
n Dustman Robes Area Restriction Removal
I BG2-Style THAC0 Display
I Stackable Rings, Charms, Bracelets, Scrolls
I Explore City Areas
n Scale of Souls
I Save Nordom! Tweak
n Disabled Stat Minimums
I Maximized HP Per Level for TNO and Party
I Maximized Friends Spell
n No Battle Music
n Use Floating Text Font Globally
n Identify All Items
n Early Glabrezus Tweak
n Power Action Leprechaun Annah, by Black Isle
n Easter Egg Morte, by Black Isle
n Add Quickload (it's unstable, sadly)
n Rest Anywhere
n Tome Of Cheats
"installed correctly"
Step 6: Install Aqrit's DDrawFix
It is not clear which of the three selections to choose. Readme says option 2 for Win7 or less, so I'll try that.
"installed correctly". Test.
And that's all the end of this guide.
I'm glad I went through that, because now I have a procedure and all the files, but I don't want to replay now. I think if time allows, I will be back this way again.
Step 6: Install Aqrit's DDrawFix
It is not clear which of the three selections to choose. Readme says option 2 for Win7 or less, so I'll try that.
"installed correctly". Test.
And that's all the end of this guide.
I'm glad I went through that, because now I have a procedure and all the files, but I don't want to replay now. I think if time allows, I will be back this way again.
