Randomizer

You should see Alwan in the Poryphra Ruins if you go there before entering the Grayghost Mountains. However unless you have a strong pro-Shaper reputation you probably will be attacked on sight.

Actually a couple of rounds of essence orbs will take out most creations. Higher level spells will do the job faster, but if you know what you are doing a mage can destroy a creation army. Just because you haven't seen a mage teaching or using spells doesn't mean they aren't out there. The ones you deal with are usually shaper controlled and restricted in what they are allowed to teach without specific permission.

Shaping started on Sucia Island, but it was hit and usually miss in figuring out what to do. This had a dreadful result when it was used in war against the other inhabitants. After centuries it gradually improved to it's present form. GF1 has that Sucia Island was barred because the research Shapers had found a systematic way to shape and it extended to shaping themselves. Drayks were one of the creations that was given too much intelligence and became independent. The other was gazer which also has been barred and is being hunting down. Both creations used Sucia Island techniques to shape themselves resulting in drakons and eyebeasts. Now they are taking over.

As Delicious Vlish has pointed out from game playing, it's better to let you powerful opponent shape a creation and then charm it. Charm, dominate, and madness gems let you convert a creation army over to your side without having to waste essence making them. While it won't last, all you need is long enough to destroy the shaper. Magic when used correctly can negate a creation army. Just daze and strong daze will leave most just standing there.

There are hints like an artila drawn on a temple pillar and such. If you talk to the ghost in the ancient temple you find out that Shaping started on Sucia Island and led to their destruction.

There are two versions of the Trakovite ending. One is from helping the Shapers and the other is from helping the Rebels in the last battle for the Inner Shaping Hall. The difference from the Rebel version is only a few paragraphs here and there and mostly determine whether you get the axe or imprisoned for life. I didn't particularly like how the war is dragged out even though there will be no more Unbounded after the first generation.

After you kill Matala for the key, you can access the chamber and there is another pillar hidden lever for the last room in that zone. Jeff really, really, really loves to hide things behind pillars and other obstacles. I found some chests and bodies by accident moving the cursor.

Too many canisters used results in a loss of control. Your brain gets rewired so you react without being able to control yourself. Dealing with others that question you in any way usually makes you mad and kill them. ET - you would kill your underlings for slow reactions to your orders or even asking you for clarification. You no longer have any ability to keep your temper in check to find out that you forgot to tell them which rebellious village to wipe out. After seeing your reaction, the minions will split into those that will overdo your orders just to be sure they got at least what you want done and those plotting to eliminate you before you kill them.

Besides in Avernum, the only thing to draw chariots are those giant lizards and they will usually attack you rather than pull the chariots. Fighting them all the time since you don't have the training to control them will mean less distance travelled.

Actually ET would first find out as the new rival crushes or takes over his army on the way to eliminating him. The last words ET hears are, "you weren't good enough for even an underling."

Haste is the name of the spell in Avernum/Exile games that is equivalent to speed in Geneforge. It increases your action points (AP) per round in fight mode. You can't sneak past the guards in real time mode.

I don't think your army would last too long between the fragging of the senior officers by the juniors and the fights to get new canisters. Go back to GF1 and the Sholai becoming canister addicts. It took a lot of leadership to get any canisters away from them. They became more concerned with increasing their power than with external threats. ET - your army would have the lower ranks in terror of upsetting a senior and quite canister mad officer. A few would be trying to get canisters to get revenge on the seniors.

Synergy is good at doing this. I found that using stealth items helps since you don't want to fight. Use a green spore baton to take out the mines and then retreat a bit from the gate. Even if the guards take damage it won't trigger an alarm. I found there is a spot along the south wall by the gate in a corner that is close enough that you can go in hasted fight mode in the next turn and slip inside the first room to the on the south side by the desk. None of the shapers can see you from there. The next turn is go to the south door to get the captain's boots from the door closed room. Go back to next to the desk and then at the start of the turn race around to the area with the jar containing the essence infused skin near the shaping platform. You can't reach the jar until the next turn, but you are out of sight. Reverse your route and you can escape without being seen. It also helps to augment and essence shield yourself in case a guard sees you since I once was attacked, but it didn't raise the alarm. I just healed and continued with the looting. It's also possible to take out the turrets using icy crystals and retreat out of alarm range from them. Just watch for a patrol guard.

I think you can only detect one false image a round. I tend to get a lucky and usually find the next one by the second attack in a round so I don't take as much damage. Try to go after ones that are close together so you can use spray crystals as the first attack in a round since icy crystals have no effect.

Trakovites believe in allowing existing creations continue on with their lives. It is only the cycle of new and more powerful creations and/or shaping oneself as the drakons do that they oppose. Shorgass the drayk is the only Trakovite that really has knowledge of the drakons to see how the out of control shaping is hurting everyone. The others only speculate from the war damage and Monarch's destruction.

Go into fight mode and cast speed/use speed pod. This will give you more action points and better control. Some areas can be done in real time mode, but I had trouble reacting to monsters moving near me. Certain items have stealth to help reduce the distance at which you will be notices. Infiltrator's cloak and tunic, clover and swamp boots (in the Fens) are the earliest ones in Illya province. This will allow you to get closer to them without being noticed. This also applies to mine triggers, although Jeff removed the ones that it helped the most with disarming. If you finish your turn without them being able to "see" you because of walls or you are outside their notice area then you have successfully moved without arousing their suspicions. Turabi Gate, Western Barrier Zone, and Thorton are all areas where this is useful if you just want to loot when you are a low level character.

Use whatever you already have for weapons. The key is to use mage spells to kill the alien beasts before they close with the party. Pick the most damaging area effect spells and don't forget to major bless the party for extra attacks and damage. The only ones that are a problem are the pack leaders,

Quote: —Alorael, who has a new way to phrase the debate. Suppose shaping were replaced with guns. It's still a unique power, but would you argue that guns are inherently evil? ... Escalation of the tools of war is part of how the world works, even Geneforge's world, and at least shaping provides benefits as well. Creations don't kill people, people kill people. It's not that barred creations are bad, it's that they were created with too much intelligence and independent will. For Shapers, it goes against their ideals that creations could act that independently and possibly defy them. Drakons are even worse since they now can shape their own creations placing them equal in power to Shapers. Shaper society going back to Sucia Island has only one real solution and that is kill the opposition. Only the Rebellion is forcing them to reevaluate this idea and they are working along the lines of creating independent creations (serviles) that will be willing to kill themselves when commanded.

You can skip the Western Rise and miss one minor quest, some loot, and dealing with a merchant. The Rebels will still give you access through the Eastern Rise and the pass from Alwan will let you in the Shaper Camp Gamma after you go through the Central Fens from the Golem's Fens. It will mean a little more fighting each time you want to go there and you will need to go there for the quests, etc. You need to talk to Pirik in the Illya Safehouse after the Moseh Kill/Repair quests to get permission through the Eastern Rise.

The room is just southeast of the pylon and the scrolls are in a jar in the room.

There is a sixth way to the lower level that leads to a lab with some treasure. The path to that way is through a secret passage in the south.

After all that time most people forget about that part.

Some of the Rebels joined the Rebellion because they felt they weren't getting any help from the Shapers in return for their taxes. The small towns were too unimportant enough to deserve the attention of a Shaper just the tax collector. Then there were famines, diseases, and other problems that weren't being fixed since they would upset the balance. For humans the Shaper explanations weren't good enough. The Shaper tyranny meant that the humans were only a step up in importance from the serviles, but still way below the Shapers.

Chapter 2 - Illya Province Cordy and her two cryoas, Frost and Rime, crossed into Illya and faced the Eastern Checkpoint. With her fake passage papers it was no problem and she even sweet talked Rutenberg (leadership 7) into giving her a blue spore baton. Urbana was also easily convinced to lower her prices for her important customer. As she explored she unfortunately ran into Agent Miranda with her two more powerful creations. So she was force to agree to going to see General Alwan. She then used her baton to remove the mines blocking her from the storage area. She explored Sandros Mine next and convinced the Forgotten One to give her safe passage, Just to be sure, she killed all the shades in the main passage and north part of the mine to find a puresteel ring. Then it was back to the checkpoint to kill that Radiant Cyroa and the clawbugs. Off to the south she deactivated the mines and killed the spawner in Uchitelle's Groves. Delivering the package wasn't worth much so Cordy looted the place. Adding a level to spellcraft. She the returned to Sandros Mine to turn off the power spires and kill the Parasitic Shade. The cryoas were getting tired of having to bite undead. With anvil cleared she went back to Uchitelle for her rewards, Adding to her leadership they went into the Secured Crossroads. It wasn't hard to persuade Sandia (leadership 8) to return to Rutenberg. Deactivating the various mines gave plenty of loot. The tatooed servile got some friends that easily died and the roamer packs gave some nifty nimble sandals. She headed west and cleared the Swarmed Woods most of the way before getting Blackrabbit and helping him reach the Illya Safehouse. At the Safehouse another level of mechanics helped with the mines as she looted the place. She'd show them not to appreciate her work. Then it was back to clear the Circle of the Drayk of those crazy cultists. First the west side, then another trip up the middle to remove that poor drayk, and a last trip to clear the east side. She helped Reiner escape and remove the obstacles to his path. Rutenberg rewarded her for the return of his serviles. Now it was time for the big city, Dillame. Unlocking all the doors and taking almost everything she could find helped pile up the money. She smashed the canister for Drewey and flattered the mayor for luck. Then it was on to see General Alwan in Rivergate Keep and collect the reward for betraying the caravan. While there she looted most of the place picking up the lodestone greaves to wear. Shaper Mars took her order to kill the rebels and she betrayed Drewey for the reward. Her standing with the Shapers earned her lots of rewards to sell off. Fackler gave her the gauntlets of succor for all those stupid research notebooks. A point of strength and a level of blessing magic would help with the next area. Clearing Dillame Fields of those creations. She convinced Captain Herat to give her his supplies. The bandits fell to her charms and she killed them for doubting her, Jadetree agreed to a deal with Master Drex. The pesky vlish had a few nice items and there was that cache. After Master Drex paid for her job with the bandits, she went back to kill them for their loot. After all they were bandits. She cleared the clawbugs from the south part of West Illya Road. The skipped north to do the Electrified fields removing the mines and using the spore boxes to work her way through. Then it was down to Purity Workshop B and using the controls to get through the west side to loot and pick up the tinker's gloves. The rogue creations went down to cryoa breath and daze. The kiln ruby got her the skien of wisdom. Now she went back and got the infiltrator's tunic in Dillame, cleared the last trapped boxes in Upper Southforge Citadel for the girdle of genius, and looted the chest in Uchitelle's grove. Raising intelligence and mental magic another level each. Exploring North Illya Woods, she got the vlish. Rocky Point was full of roamers that dazed and died. They rescued the trapped rebels for the Shaper loot. Reporting the job to Lilly, she then sold her out for the guardian stone necklace. Then it was down to get through the traps in the Warded Sea Cave and pick up the oozing blade. Finally it was time to loot the Western Barrier Zone and Thornton for all they were worth. Killing Kazoo and Mythitus. She raised intelligence and leadership before going to trick the thahd patrol in West Illya Road and then kill them. That made it easy to help the escaping serviles and daze the guards. That Captain's shiv would be useful latter on for blessing magic. Now it was time to help out Shaftoe deal with his troubles for a reward, then on to Eliza who didn't give her a reward. This allowed her to do convince Moseh to accept the repairs without a fight. Then she cleared the area above his bunker. Sneaking through Turabi Gates, she talked to Trint about Master Drex coming through. Cleared the four corners of loot and monster. Then leaving the cryoas behind in the clawbug lair, she hasted herself and snuck into the gatehouse for the captain's boots and the essence infused skin. After claiming all the rewards from Alwan and Pirik she could now cross into the the Fens of Aziraph. Gretchen gave her a tinker's bauble for all those melted sand pieces. Level 27, health 70, essence 366/430, spell energy 755, skill points 2 Strength 5, dexterity 2 (+3), intelligence 10 (+5), endurance 3 (-2) melee weapons 3, missle weapons 4, quick action 1, parry 1 (+1) battle magic 1, mental magic 4 (+1), blessing magic 3 (+4), spellcraft 4 fire shaping 7 (+1), battle shaping 2, magic shaping 1, healing craft 3 (+2) Equipment - spidersilk robe, steel shield, oozing blade, acid baton, nimble sandals, gauntlets of suucor, fyoraskin cloak, lodestone greaves, chilling band, guardian stone, girdle of genius, lucky charm, fyora fang charm, cryoa claw charm, clawbug charm, physician's charm, and gruesome charm. Alternate equipment tinker's gloves and bauble, infiltrator's cloak and tunic, clover boots, captain's boots and shiv. Saving all the pods and spores except for battle and shielding pods. On to the fens and making some kyshakks with all the essence.

You might want to read some of the character adventures starting with the Saga of the Insidious Infiltrator and Shock Trooper Tales for some ideas. It comes down to what you like to play for your initial choice. The path of Shaper, Rebel, or the third is more of a moral decision and also has the mercenary out for loot and experience.