In the Sewers of Shayder...

[Chief Spider watching The Simpsons]

 

God save us from the Anama.

[Espionage]

Anama are such bastards, i wonder how many mages they killed just like this........

[Rent-an-Ihrno]

lets imagine what had happened if the anama had never existed and the mages of old would still rule bigail. (what was the name of that mage-island with the experiments and stuff?)

 

or if the anama would control all of valorim. or avernum. or everything.

[Alorael at Large]

The mages never ruled Bigail. They just lived on Bigail like they did in the rest of Valorim until the Anama made them most unwelcome.

 

—Alorael, who imagines that the Empire would collapse in short order if the Anama were everywhere. No army would be able to keep the entire Empire together without magical reinforcement.

[Micawber]

This is just unsupported speculation. There is no evidence to suggest that this unfortunate mage was executed by the Anama - it is far more likely to have been a rival mage.

 

Any Empire that requires magical enchantments to keep itself in power is undesirable, and we'd be better off without it. If on the other hand the Empire is fair and virtuous, then it will survive without the need for magery.

[Alorael at Large]

There are no rival mages in Shayder, although the body could be from the bad ol' times before the Anama.

 

Everyone has magical enchantments except the Anama, and they've got fanaticism on their side. The Empire depends on magic to keep order and to kill all the horrible beasts in the countryside, Avernum depends on magic to maintain a decent existence, everyone needs magic. Not all of it is used to set people on fire!

 

[Edit: GC or RWG?]

 

—Alorael, who may have to dig up and old RWG thread. Just because an Empire could conceivably survive without magery doesn't make it plausible that it would. In Ermarian, Empires have magic.

[Chief Spider watching The Simpsons]

Well, the book he held in the damp sewers was still pretty legible. He couldn't have been in there long.

[Marak]

All I can say about this topic is...

 

"For the love of God, Montresor!"

[mistica]

well, the anama seems rough, but at least they try to keep away from skribbane , the church of Divine Lucre is worse(I hope I got all the spelligs right)

[Alorael at Large]

The Church of the Divine Lucre doesn't hurt anybody (except financially). It also doesn't help anyone (except for money). It is a perfectly mercenary and amoral organization.

 

The Anama espouses high ideals and, armed with those ideals and its zeal in carrying them out, causes harm.

 

—Alorael, who will leave the decision of which group is morally superior as an exercise for the reader.

[Micawber]

The Anama causes no harm, they heal and purge.

[Lazarus.]

Do I heare Poe? The Cask of Amontillado? I thought the same thing when I saw it.

[John S]

That didn't occur to me because I only read The Cask of Amontillado recently, and I played Avernum 3 years ago. But it seems that that is indeed the reference.

[Marak]

Granted, the poor sap in Amontillado wasn't a Mage per say, but when I saw that screenshot that's the first thing that popped into my head. I could just see a guy in Anama robes, his ring glinting in the dim light, bricking up the poor, bound mage for past transgressions while the doomed man futilely cried out for mercy.

 

Poe FTW.

[John S]

Quote:

Originally written by Marak:
Poe FTW.

*Giggle*

Or maybe it was a rival mage. Fortunato was a member of the Masons, but the main charcter (whose name cannot be rememberd) is not.

[Marak]

I believe the "main character" or "protaganist" was called Montresor (see my "quote" above). And hey, it still fits. The dead guy was a Mason (Mage) and his murderer is not (Anama).

[Suspicious Vlish]

Mica:

Quote:

- it is far more likely to have been a rival mage.

Then why not take the spellbook? Only the Anama would leave a precious magical relic behind in the sewers...

[Micawber]

The spellbook isn't precious, it's rubbish (who ever uses bolt of fire?).

 

Edit: another possible culprit is that well-known criminal element, the Guild.

[Marak]

Well, my Mages with 0 points in any weapon skill were more than happy to bump the damage their Bolt of Fire did from 35 to 55...

[John S]

You only use Bolt of Fire in the most early part of the game. After gaining about five levels, it's useless. I see no reason why 20 extra damage to one target would top 80 damage to multiple targets.

[Marak]

I still use it to mop up whatever doesn't die to my Level 3 Lightning Spray. Why blow 4-6-8-10 MP on a monster with 30 HP when can off it for 2 MP with Level 3 Bolt of Fire? And no, my Ashwood Bow with Iron Arrows with 5 Dex and 0 Bow skill isn't going to cut it.

 

I'm just saying, Bolt of Fire still gets a fair amount of use (especially in a Magic-heavy Party like mine) even at "higher" levels. Although, I will admit that once you're Level 40+ with 130+ MP and 5 points in Magery and 10 Intelligence and 18 Mage Spells, it pretty much falls by the wayside.

 

And more on topic, how is that the High Priest of the Anama seems like, for the most part, a fair-minded (if biased), reasonable individual, and yet his followers are intolerant, xenophobic pricks?

 

I mean, seriously, try to talk to anyone in the Anama without Rings on, see where it gets you. And yet, you can talk to the leader of the Anama fresh off the street and he'll teach you Priest Spells until the cows come home. It's weird.

[Chief Spider watching The Simpsons]

It's because only Ahonar granted himself permission to speak with the outside world.

[Micawber]

1) Re Bolt of Fire, it doesn't do anything that a decent pole weapon can't do, and better.

 

2) Re Anama not talking freely to anyone outside the Anama, let's remember we're talking about a crisis situation here (plague of disease-bearing cockroaches). Get some perspective. The people of Sharimik are even less friendly - at first they won't let you into their city, for pete's sake. As for Gale, as soon as the mayor claps eyes on you, you're thrown in a prison cell! Give me the Anama any day.

[Alorael at Large]

Bolt of fire does two things that a polearm won't. It can hit enemies who aren't right next to you and it can't miss. It's also used by a different character than your pole guy, probably.

 

—Alorael, who used Bolt of Fire occasionally until the end of the game too. It's the next best thing after Wound.

[Foley's Body]

Quote:

Originally written by Micawber:

2) Re Anama not talking freely to anyone outside the Anama, let's remember we're talking about a crisis situation here (plague of disease-bearing cockroaches). Get some perspective. The people of Sharimik are even less friendly - at first they won't let you into their city, for pete's sake. As for Gale, as soon as the mayor claps eyes on you, you're thrown in a prison cell! Give me the Anama any day.

Pfft (whatever the hell that means...), let those guys die. If they don't respect you, you might as well wait for Shayder (EDITED... wrong town @.@) to die (if it can completely)... THEN save everyone on Isle of Brigial... for all I care, Anama can ................

*buzzed out to not offend people any more then his body odor has*

[Chief Spider watching The Simpsons]

I can sort of sympathize with the Gale point. Although I like some of the fine touches in that city,

 

like when you beat the Mind Crystal and Rali says (above his head): "I defeated the Golems!" (The commander says something similar)

 

And how there's skirbbane herb in the official town treasury,

 

And real confessionals in the church,

 

And how so many of the prices from the addicts are "utterly ridiculous" to pay for their drugs,

 

And "oppuzit korner" on the outside (opposite corner of Pasi)

 

Sorry for going off on a tangent, but I feel I needed to say those things.

[Foley's Body]

Quote:

Originally written by Chief Spider watching The Simpsons:
[QB]
And how there's skirbbane herb in the official town treasury,

And how so many of the prices from the addicts are "utterly ridiculous" to pay for their drugs,
[QB]

Don't do drugs kids... drugs are for losers, *Rant Mode Activated* even though that when you take those drugs they make you faster, stronger, and stupider.

I just haate those people who make up fake diseases JUST SO THEY CAN GET "doped up man". One guy came into my cousin's office and goes, "Doc-toor, my eye hurts, give meh some pot." he goes "Here is a joint... go stick it in you eye" (Turns off Rant Mode)

NOTE: Most of the above did not really happen

[Igor]

Quote:

Originally written by Knot Eye:
You only use Bolt of Fire in the most early part of the game. After gaining about five levels, it's useless. I see no reason why 20 extra damage to one target would top 80 damage to multiple targets.

I always give my fighters at least 1 lvl each of Mage and Priest, so that they can cast Light Bolt of Fire, Heal, Cure, and Bless. Lvl 3 BoF is respectable when you have no missile weapon equipped or are out of ammo.

[Chief Spider watching The Simpsons]

Quote:

Originally written by Foley's Body:
[QBDon't do drugs kids... drugs are for losers[/QB]

There is sooo much drug dealing here in Washington State. Just last week,I was on the bus and saw these guys handing out speed, then came to me and kept harrassing me saying they were "gonna beat me up," (which they didn't do). Cowards, losers, junkies, pety-criminals, they all belong in jail.

[Lilith]

What, so that they can all learn from each other and become more efficient criminals once they get out?

 

Okay, this isn't General, so we probably shouldn't start that sort of discussion here.

[Suspicious Vlish]

Mica:

Quote:

The spellbook isn't precious, it's rubbish (who ever uses bolt of fire?).

I guess if you don't know how to play the game efficiently, you'd probably use Fireblast over Bolt of Fire against a single fire vulnerable opponent.

 

Of course the spellbook is precious, Lvl 3 spells are rare. What mage would turn up the opportunity for more power? And even if they didn't want to learn the spell, why not sell it?

[Radix Malorum Est Cupiditas]

It can't be sold, you either learn the spell or you don't. On a side topic, 'weather or not x is useful', if you can play a completely inept, sluggish human through the whole game finishing all possible quests without the character editor, then, and only then, can you make definitive statements telling people how to play the game.

[Lilith]

Completely Inept isn't actually that bad.

 

Sluggish is, though.

[John S]

Quote:

Originally written by Waylander:
Mica:

Quote:

The spellbook isn't precious, it's rubbish (who ever uses bolt of fire?).

I guess if you don't know how to play the game efficiently, you'd probably use Fireblast over Bolt of Fire against a single fire vulnerable opponent.

Of course the spellbook is precious, Lvl 3 spells are rare. What mage would turn up the opportunity for more power? And even if they didn't want to learn the spell, why not sell it?

I carry around a special piece of metal that I use just to impale people on. They don't even have to be angry at me!

Anyway, I call this special stabber a "sword" and I find it just about as useful as BoF.

[Suspicious Vlish]

Infernal:

Quote:

It can't be sold,

Yes it can...

 

Quote:

On a side topic, 'weather or not x is useful', if you can play a completely inept, sluggish human through the whole game finishing all possible quests without the character editor, then, and only then, can you make definitive statements telling people how to play the game

I think I'll say whatever I jolly well want. It is a fact that it is idiotic in the extreme to use Fireblast against a single opponent (esp. a Fire Resistant one) when you have Bolt of Fire.

 

Knot Eye:

Quote:

Anyway, I call this special stabber a "sword" and I find it just about as useful as BoF.

Tell me when your mage is able to do more damage to an alien beast with a 'sword' than a Bolt of Fire spell. If you can, then I think it's fair to say that your character isn't a mage... he's a warrior.

[Lazarus.]

Even when you become a member of the Anama, all they do is nod in greeting.

Evidently Anama members are just jerks (or they are just to busy to talk to the adventurers who saved their good for nothing island.)

 

Edit: didn't see second page, and didn't know conversation had moved on.

Oh, and Bolt of fire is valuable in my book, at least it makes your spell list look complete (its level three after all)