15357

A bit off topic, but how do you even get 5 paces with frail + brittle bones + torment + singleton without getting killed?

Hmm.. Yeah. I think you're right. But I still think it sad that noone will invent non-magical technology because you could just magic it instead, like the automobile, for example. And yes, the Empire will try and retain its rightful hegemony over most of mankind, thus stifling awesome tech that enables you to blow things up 30kms away.

I remember in E2 I defeated an entire Empire battalion west of Fort Draco by almost outnumbering it with summoning creatures and crystal soul Guards. I found that fun though

I like how I've started a discussion here. Originally Posted By: Majestic and glorious and baffling The Anama can't invent bolt-action rifles, and nobody can face mages with muskets, before earlier guns are made. Relying on matchlocks and matches is not so good. Carrying explosives when even apprentice mages can set them off is not good. Cannons are big targets for combustion; cannon crews are likely to have unfortunate mortality rates. This whole "gun" thing doesn't mix well with a world that has mages all over. Guns could work with mages around, but the primitive and early ones are much more vulnerable. Alorael, who thinks a more likely advancement is better and cheaper wands. They already exist, they're accurate, they don't explode, and the Anama, at least, seems to (half-heartedly) support them. Their just like magical guns. Their only problem, of course, is expense, but are guns really that much cheaper? Anama tolerates wands? Didn't know that. Anyway, what you're telling me is that humanity in the Avernum universe will not continue on to acheive their full potential and not be able to fight the common enemies of Man: Disease, Poverty, and demonic monstrosities. A world where only the mages have hope to exploit their full intellectual potential and the massess are left with their own primitive ignorance and the bonds of mass misery never to be broken, all while the mages gloat. A thousand years later, the Anama will purge the land with thermonuclear fire.

Originally Posted By: Majestic and glorious and baffling Just like mages became obsolete when soldiers were trained to hurl spears and fire arrows? Most bullets aren't explosive. All early bullets were just metal pellets launched from a gun. In fact, early guns had an abysmal rate of fire, a high rate of failure, poor accuracy, and unexciting range. The advantage over bows was simply the reduced requirement for training and strength. —Alorael, who maintains that guns would become obsolete as soon as powder horns became a convenient way to use a single bolt of fire to blow up an enemy or three. Extra points for hitting supply wagons carrying powder supplies. Heh. I was thinking more along the lines of giant cannons. Besides, something tells me training mages is way harder than training someone to use a musket.... or a ballista for that matter. edit: On a side note, the Anama are going to kick everyone's behinds when they come up with bolt-action rifles. They're prolly the only hope for non-magical technological advance in Avernum, seeing as they depend so much on it.

The shots look rather beautiful, it's not so gritty anymore.

Originally Posted By: Randomizer Any one of the 3 will do. By this point in the game you should be able to do 2. I'm not sure how early in the game you can do 1, but it's actually easier than it sounds. Ah, thanks. Originally Posted By: Red or Bust Originally Posted By: 15357 Also, you'd think that after a few centuries of monsters and evil cavemen, the Empire would see fit to invent gunpowder. Would you want gunpowder when any half-trained, half-drunk mage can create a little burst of fire exactly where you don't want it? Firearms with cartridge might be safe enough around mages, but leaping past muzzle-loading powder and shot guns would be unlikely. —Alorael, who can just imagine the soldiers' thoughts about carrying their own personal fireballs around with them. No, magical bows in the hands of Empire archers makes much more sense. Yeesh, mages would become obsolete as soon as people can be trained to launch explosive steel balls at unsuspecting enemy forces. Anyway, hmm, this time, I'm going to try and do everything. Except Mr. Gladwell, who can go [CENSORED].

Originally Posted By: Randomizer There are three things that will help you join the Darkside Loyalists when Ruth meets you after the Vahnatai Lands. 1) Kill Solberg 2) Steal Solberg's Papers from his research lab in the Northeast Quadrant 3) Not have kill Dervish Tholmen in the Howling Depths (sometimes a bug doesn't give you this option) 1) and 2) seem pretty much like suicide missions to me 3).... Ok. Do I have to do all of them?

Hmm. It seems that my old account has been deleted or something; last spiderweb game I played was Avernum 3 (the other was Exile II). Anyway, I completed the game, skipping too many side quests, never getting around to removing the geas, buying the company share, completely ignoring the vanahtai altogether (used the side passage which leads to the demon lord of bats... I think), defeating Drakis(sp?) with both of gladwell's curses (Thank you gladwell!) and now I plan on redoing the endeavor a few more times. But as I want to do it differently..... ( How do you join the loyalists? Do you have to kill Solberg (which rather seems hard)? Also, you'd think that after a few centuries of monsters and evil cavemen, the Empire would see fit to invent gunpowder. Thanks in advance.