Rent-an-Ihrno

I don't think that's gonna happen. Much can be said about Avernum's storyline, but not that it's repetitive. Things point into the direction of civil war within the Empire, not another invasion of Avernum.

Well, you kind of answered yourself. Do it again, but don't block his way and/or don't be all that prepared. I assure you, it's a fight worth fighting.

@smeghead: I obviously mistyped. As for Bohen, I'm not sure about her career. She sure is a nice gal, though.

The fact there is a Rentar-loyal faction doesn't require Rentar to be alive. Just a group of vahnatai who think they're superior and shouldn't mix with humans.

Originally Posted By: Toby-Linn We'll probably get to visit Blackcrag Fortress again, that could be one of the portals to limited areas. Oh, but Blackcrag isn't the main seat of the Emperor, as in A3 it is stated that Empress Prazac is visiting Blackcrag Fortress. So maybe we'll actually get to see the Empire's actual castle? (I don't know what it's called, sorry). The Empire's castle is called the Royal Spire. You get to visit it in A2, but you only see some of the innermost chambers and corridors. Blackcrag Fortress was built to segregate Valorim from the rest of the world, so its significance must've diminished even more since A3. I don't know why we should get to visit it again. The only reason would be that we'll have to enter or leave Valorim that way, and Valorim's story is completely irrelevant to the second Avernum trilogy. Other parts of the surface are reachable in other ways.

In A3, you can find the body of a mage walled in somewhere in the sewers of Shayder. It is suggested that he was murdered by the Anama simply because he was a mage. Yet, the Anama are not the right organisation for a setting like that. They are not fit for being a mass organisation, and not for being a secret society either. IMO, there can be a group trying to seize control of the empire only if they are involved in a much greater conflict. For example, a Darkside Loyalist cadre could conspire with the Rentar-Ihrno (curse her bones!) loyal faction to commence an all-out war and simultaneously sabotage their governments to weaken their power and replace them. Has happened. And without an epic-feeling conflict, I'd find A6 boring. I already thought A3 was rather boring, plot-wise.

Originally Posted By: Quis Use of humor - I still chortle about the 'dangerous alchemy shop located with usual consideration for civic safety in the middle of town' (or something along those lines). Absolutely! That Jeff put this intelligent (and often subtle) humor into Avernum makes all the difference to me. How can one be so sarcastic and yet ...thingy. Uh. I don't know, can't find an English word for it. It just makes you wanna hug everybody, doesn't it? Like those cute little imps

Please excuse my tone. It was very, very late in the evening. We've already discussed the economics of the various societies in Avernum extensively. There's really no reason to draw a parallel to socialism or communism just because the Anama work together in their own special form. Their mode of production hasn't changed, their political organization is a sort of fusion of the Empire's typical form of feudalism and theocracy. Sure there is some collectivization and so on, but that also happens in feudalism (see absolutism) and capitalism (see national socialism, etc). Alright, if I insist on not starting a poltical discussion I should probably not make a statement like that myself. However, I also think the Anama's power depends on desperate situations for the people. In A5, the Anama settled in an area that seemingly left no perspective for its inhabitants.

How come somebody always has to call somebody a communist around here? How Æ∏”\?!?!? come the Anama have to be communist just because they're nuts? Could we please leave politics out of this discussion?

Bon-Ihrno dies in A3, in the vahnatai lands, just before the final showdown. He may or may not be major, but Rentar-Ihrno sure is - and even though continuity lets her live once more and the deed is a very exhausting one, she can also be killed in A3. And I did it every time! You hear me, Rentar? Every time!!

Ooooh...! The walls are whispering 'Generic dungeron'!

Alorael (who's identity really isn't that much of a mystery. One could always use the search-function.) describes it perfectly. Solberg is completely passive. He's turning mad by A5, sure, but there's no aggression, no destructivity or, well, evilness in general in his actions. He's wasting away, that's all. While his sense of good and bad turned a little grey, a major plot twist is absolutely necessary for him to become a villain, and even then, the whole story would be a little weird. On the other hand, the story would at least be big enough to complete the second trilogy. I'd be very disappointed if A6 was about some petty power struggles within parts of the Empire or a single vahnatai lunatic. I mean come on, where's the drama? Haven't we learned anything from the greeks?

You're playing A3, right? You can always go to Bigail and join the Anama there to give your new Priest a boost. Simply put your chars with mage skill in one of the character storage rooms found throughout the game, f.ex. in Fort Emergence. If you go back to get them again after you've joined the Anama, they will still have their mage skill and spells.

Well, the reason for Solberg not "carrying enough charisma" has never been his magical abilities, but his attitude. His politics were always pro-Avernum, but unlike Erika, he seeks to stabilize and pacify. A good guy turning into a bad guy not despite, but because of his goodwill is one of the most interesting phenomena that can be put into any kind of plot - but Solberg's way of working for Avernum is a slow, defensive, and actually quite conservative one. There is no plot-point to be found anywhere in Avernum 1-5 that would justify him turning into an evil madman. If Solberg was a villain in Avernum 6, the whole game would be spoiled to me.

Since when are Lichs mages who extend their lives? Where did you get that from? I'm pretty sure Lichs are undead revived using alot more magical energy, as they were powerful wizards in life and could be so in afterlife. I believe it is mentioned somewhere in the Avernum Trilogy that it takes a few evil mages/priests(?) to resurrect/create a lich - so no self-lichification.

Undead really aren't a problem at all if you can rely on Repel Spirit. Casting spells while running away from your foes is totally legitimate facing your first Ghasts and the like. And Dikiyoba is right, priests are always most likely to save the day (especially for beginners).

Zarathustra is right. Useless abilities can drive you nuts! I gave one of my characters Pure Spirit just add some personality once, and when I hit endgame, he actually tried eating his own face.

I don't even think the 'weapon' vs the vahnatai is that useful. It only 'saves' you from a fun fight to calm your conscience or whatever, and Bon-Ihrno isn't important either. Wyrmslayer can be handy, though. I hate drakes.

(Minor) SPOILER. Searching the hut grants you a spell. I'm not sure my memory is correct and a brief search didn't give me certainty, but I think it's Divine Restoration Lvl 2. I advise you to save before you enter the hut enlightened, because it's possible the spell won't be available to you a second time, even if none of your characters had the required skills to learn it. Stuff like that happens here and there. (Do I hear a cheer for savomania?) Edit: Grammar.

How about a clawbug/vlish-combination?

Being one of the few true fans of the Lifecrafter around here, I congratulate you to your decision. I've found the Lifecrafter as combatable as you, at least in the beginning. But when you get Searer and your Thahds and Artilas are strong enough, you should think about quitting engaging in battles directly. Very soon, the risk of dying will outweigh your added damage, and after a while, you will deal more damage with spells than with swords anyway. (Just a little tip: consider getting the Clawbug early before you start getting into trouble.) Edit: Grammar.

Be cautious about whether you're clicking on a monster or the tile behind it. With Avernum's graphics and mechanics, it's often better to spend some time on aiming carefully.

Don't worry, it's really about people who spam on purpose. And we're quite hardened here, at the latest since the "omg wtf man" wreaked havoc in these (and other) boards. Just one thing about the artifacts: be sure to concentrate on items which give you bonus action points. Pachtar's Plate, the Fury Crossbow, Boots of Speed and some others all give you +1 AP. But seriously, it's much easier to look in the FAQs.

Quote: if I can't find something, it usually doesn't exist. Or maybe a jedi erased it from the game's source code...

To widen Dikiyoba's reply a little: The Ritual of Sanctification doesn't exist in A1. At least you can't learn it. That's why you can only push back some of the monster infestations in A1, and the A2 party gets to actually destroy their sources. For example, when you complete the Spiral Crypt quest in A1 and kill the master shade, it says something like "While the frostiest frost in this frosty chamber has become a little less frosty, it's still quite cold. Someone else will have to come back here and purge the source of the undead somewhen, as you don't have the power to do so." The only way to destroy evil altars in A1 is by smashing them physically. Note that that's seldom possible and always dangerous, though.