Alorael at Large

I thought the same, Kel. As far as I can tell, though, he really isn't tied to anything but Linda and doesn't do much of anything except serve as a minor obstacle between you and an important item. —Alorael, who was very much disappointed by Adze-Haakai. He was expecting at least a little bit of a climactic battle and maybe the annihilation of the Tower of Magi. Instead, he got an easy battle and a pat on the back.

I at least hope he keeps outdoors. They aren't exactly my favorite part of a game, but there's something very nice in wandering around without knowing whether or not there's a cave to stumble into. On the same note, the disappearance of secret doors would be unpleasant. —Alorael, who wouldn't mind having the prettier graphics and animations of Geneforge, though. They would make up for the drop in art quality from E3 to Nethergate/Avernum.

He has made much of the sparkly new engine for A4, though. I thikn it's safe to say that it won't be the old Nethergate/Avernum engine, and having Avernum with a Geneforge engine would make me, for one, very unhappy. I'm not sure the new engine means all new graphics, though, although Avernum's graphics leave a great deal to be desired. Assuming he doesn't completely overhaul the concepts behind the engine, it might actually look and play quite similarly to the old games. Compare Exile to Avernum and you'll see the same AP, same basic combat system, and many other similarities. There's no reason for all that to be thrown out the window. Jeff has always said he goes with what works, and Avernum clearly worked. —Alorael, who actually isn't sure that a Geneforge-like engine for A4 would be such a bad thing. The combat would definitely have to be heavily altered, though, or he'd have to avoid playing A4 like he avoids Geneforge.

The word troglodyte means cave-dweller and comes from the Greek word for cave, so that definition makes more sense than fish-men (not a meaning I've ever come across). Jeff's troglodytes always struck me more as militant, somewhat bestial humanoids who enjoy killing, maiming, and destroying. The only real evidence for any real-world basis is the word "khazi," and that is arguable. He could have just taken an uncommon word and used it, or it could be either entirely coincidental or subconscious like the word "nephilim" for cat people. —Alorael, who certainly doesn't see any evidence of Indian culture among the troglos. The only trace of Mongol in them is their tendency towards mass violence, which could be likened to the Mongol hordes. Every invading army would seem Mongolian by that reasoning, though.

As for thoughts on whether Avernum is better than Exile or not, opinions are varied. Avernum 1 is pretty much universally considered better than Exile 1, but Exiles 2 and especially 3 have their supporters over Avernums 2 and 3. The Avernums have some polish, especially in the skills, but the smaller parties, fewer spells, and generally easier combat make them less appealing. Basically, you should download the demos of Avernums and Exiles and decide for yourself which you like best. The only major plot difference is the added town of Lost Bahssikava in Avernum 1. —Alorael, who is an Avernum fan more than an Exile fan. This proves that he is not a real oldbie, as all real oldbies prefer Exile.

A MUD would probably be a violation of intellectual property rights. This hasn't stopped hundreds of MUDs, and Jeff probably wouldn't notice or care much, but it would make baby lawyers cry. —Alorael, who actually isn't sure why RP boards aren't a violation. Maybe they are, but really nobody cares, or maybe they're somehow fair use because they aren't really coded into a separate game and fall under the category of disussion.

Why not post the link here? —Alorael, who hopes you mean "delete this thread" and not this board. That would be a rather radical reaction! Most threads stay unlocked and just languish when everyone loses interest anyway.

A link to this topic from the forum header would be good for now. —Alorael, who hopes that Drakey would be willing to put this on his site along with the A3 item list.

It's a guy who diseases you. What, you thought everyone had treasures and quests for adventurers? —Alorael, who really doesn't think there's anything to the encounter but an antisocial curmudgeon. Let that be a lesson to all who talk to strangers on islands.

I like the roaches. They're the only plague with any subtlety whatsoever from a plot perspective, and the Filth Factory is very fun to go through. —Alorael, who might put the golems first in Exile. Unfortunately, the Tower of Shifting Floors was a more irritating chaotic mess than the lasers could ever hope to produce.

One of Nethergate's strong suits is the ambience, which mixes the backdrop of real conflict between Romans and natives with the entirely mythical Shadow Valley, complete with bits of many, many legends and mythologies we know or should know. Trying to drop faeries into the world of Avernum would ruin that nicely. Actually making a Nethergate scenario would work well, though. A prequel would be easier than a sequel for reasons that I won't go into here, but that could work nicely too. The Brigantes weren't the only ones to resist the Romans, and even the Celts were only one group... —Alorael, who would miss having the dual perspective of Roman and Celt parties in a scenario (and finding Nether spells!), but the idea is good.

Don't be silly. The Xian items were scattered all over Valorim and X was just fine. Those were obviously prototype new parts that didn't make the cut. The real Xian items under the robe are much more powerful. —Alorael, who would be more interested in knowing if the real things are as quixotic as the Xian items available in A3. Judging by X him(her?)self, probably.

The next step is to beat the full version Nethergate as Romans and Celts, of course! —Alorael, who would also like to extend a hearty welcome even if he didn't get to give the standard sanity line first.

I got it the second time. My comment was in reference to My Quasimodo's post about the benefits of paying the thieves off. In addition to not having to fight, you also don't have to stumble through by trial and error. —Alorael, who isn't usually so unobservant as to miss the point of a topic three times running. If he does that, it is obviously deliberate and doubtlessly for the greater good.

Yes, I think the mage in the Inn of Blades is the one who gives you directions with the tree square. The reward you get is the Identify spell, though, which is even less useful than a summoning spell. You're better off taking the metal lumps to Carmine. —Alorael, who suspects that some of the geography was accidental and other geography was intentionally red herringed. Well, that or Jeff forgot to put in the relevant nodes.

It's when you bring back the Hot Crystal Shards as evidence after stopping the golem plague, actually. —Alorael, who will console you with two thoughts. The first is that the sealed area of Ghikra isn't all that exciting, although it does clear up a very small mystery. The other is that you can always register E3. The editor probably lets you find out what's in Ghikra immediately.

There's a square of trees somewhere that is used as a landmark by someone who gives you directions, but I don't think it's near Stormport. —Alorael, who will say that you should go to the center of the square and then walk a fair way in all four cardinal directions. If you still don't find anything, you either need to find the person who gives you the instructions or the right square of trees.

As for what's in the Bunker, not a whole lot. You can get one of three items, all of which are really helpful only in the registered portion of the game. —Alorael, who wouldn't say that you miss much by not entering in the unregistered version of E3. A better idea would be to register and find the way in for yourself.

I believe there are gloves (Pyrrhic Gloves?) that disease you as well. I'm not sure they're in E3, though. —Alorael, who will elaborate on Kel's suggestion by saying that unidentified bars of metal are bad.

You can't get into the room in Erika's tower. You can get into the section of Ghikra that is closed off, and while it would be a spoiler to say how, it's quite obvious when you can. —Alorael, who will add that there is a room in Sulfras' lair that is as unreachable as Erika's. Both rooms are empty anyway, as those who use questionable means to get in discover.

The Adamantite Axe is, as far as we know, only in the editor. There's no way to get it in the game. —Alorael, who can say the same for Demonslayer and probably a few more items in E3. Maybe they were originally supposed to be used and just didn't make it in, or maybe they are just fun things in the editor.

X doesn't have a known gender! How can he change it? —Alorael, who will make the new wild conjecture that X is actually a talking skull with a great deal of magical skill. He has all the robes and aura of mystery such to hide his inner irreverent and irritating self.

Yes, the priest is probably a mistake. Either that or he's more evil than he seems. —Alorael, who also credits Oppenheimer with being the "father" of one of the most misattributed phrases ever. "I am become death, destroyer of worlds," may have been his own odd translation (doubtful), but it's definitely the Bhagavad Gita.

Tolkien was an Old English scholar and a linguist (yes, that's why he got away with manufacturing more languages than anyone should). He definitely got to dig into all the old mythologies. Other fantasy tends to fall into the same category of people working on rethinking mythology, modern or ancient, or the category of imitation. —Alorael, who doesn't think all the imitators are bad by any means. It's just worth noting that new strains of fantasy are rare, and most don't spawn anywhere near the magnitude of imitations good and bad as Tolkien has.

Main Entry: mage Pronunciation: 'mAj Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Latin magus : MAGUS Main Entry: sor·cer·er Pronunciation: 'sor-s&-r&r, 'sors-r&r Function: noun : a person who practices sorcery : WIZARD Main Entry: chan·nel·er Pronunciation: 'cha-n&l-&r Function: noun : a person who conveys thoughts or energy from a source believed to be outside the person's body or conscious mind; specifically : one who speaks for nonphysical beings or spirits Main Entry: grem·lin Pronunciation: 'grem-l&n Function: noun Etymology: origin unknown : a cause of error or equipment malfunction (as in aircraft) conceived of as a small mischievous gnome Main Entry: imp Pronunciation: 'imp Function: noun Etymology: Middle English impe, from Old English impa, from impian to imp 1 obsolete : SHOOT, BUD; also : GRAFT 2 a : a small demon : FIEND b : a mischievous child : URCHIN Incantatrix doesn't get a definition because it's just pseudolatin, but most sources seem to agree that it only applies to females. —Alorael, who would like to thank Merriam-Webster for defining all kinds of useful words.