Struggling to join the obeyers

[jormundi]

I am playing through the original geneforge (not mutagen) for the first time and have cleared most of the zones, but I have not selected a faction yet. I have wanted to join the obeyers for a while but I can not figure out how.

 

I have:

 

1. Helped the serviles in Crag Valley

 

2.  Fed Control 4 mind nutrients (although I never had a quest to do this, and Rydell doesn't acknowledge that I did, more below)

 

3. Helped Godwin by destroying the Vlish Spawner south of Pentil

 

4. Cleared the rogues west of Pentil for Natley

 

5. Helped Mickall Blade and Doge with their quests

 

6. Delivered the message from Houtan in Kazg to Rydell.

 

Still, talking to Rydell he says that I need to prove myself more. He doesn't offer any more quests, and I really don't know what else I could do to be able to join them.

 

Is this a bug or is there something I am missing?

 

Thank you!

[googoogjoob]

There are a couple things that could be going on here, I think. I don't know which is more likely.

 

Option 1: There's an invisible scale that affects what the factions in Geneforge think of you- you start at the very middle, and any time you say or do something favorable to the Serviles which is contrary to the teachings or practices of the Shapers, you move towards one end, and any time you say or do something that indicates you follow the Shapers' rules, you move towards the other. You have to be on the pro-Servile side of the spectrum to join the Awakened or Takers, and you have to be on the pro-Shaper side of the spectrum to join the Obeyers. The things you've listed are things that would move you towards the pro-Shaper end- but it's also possible that the things you've said have resulted in you being on the pro-Servile side. If this is the problem, you can rectify this either by finding more opportunities to say/do pro-Shaper things, or (easier) you can talk to Learned Darian in the Peaceful Vale, who can change the Serviles' opinion of you to let you join one of the factions (though only once per game).

 

Option 2: To join the Obeyers, things work like this: Rydell asks you to feed Control Four. Once you complete this quest, or if you've already done this, he asks you to kill Gnorrel, the leader of the Takers. Then he lets you join the Obeyers. If you have enough Leadership, you can skip one or both of these quests and join the Obeyers immediately (I believe there's a higher threshold needed to skip the "kill Gnorrel" quest. I don't know the exact threshold for either off the top of my head). It sounds like you should be at the "get the kill Gnorrel quest" stage of this sequence. Maybe you already have it, but haven't done it? If you don't have it, and you're not getting it (and possibly that Rydell hasn't acknowledged that you've fed Control Four), that might indicate some sort of bug with the game's scripting. If this is the case, I'm not sure that there's anything to be done about this other than to contact Spiderweb via the support email listed on the main site; they ought to be able to help in some way.

Edited December 1, 2021 by googoogjoob

[Ess-Eschas]

Hello jormundi,

Sorry to hear that you’re having problems!

First off, do check out googoogjoob’s comments and questions. Hopefully, you will be experiencing one of the two problems that they’ve pointed out, and you’ll be able to fix things by following their suggestions.

If you can’t fix your problem that way, I should be able to help you with a more hard-hitting solution. I can give you a couple of secret commands that will enable you to join the Obeyers immediately. However, commands like these are best used as a last resort. So please do try out googoogjoob’s suggestions first! If they don’t work, do let me know, and I'll send the secret commands your way.

Edited December 1, 2021 by Ess-Eschas
Adding some slight clarification.

[Sokhbep]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the choices that you make when you talk to serviles, also affects their disposition towards you. Some NPCs when talked to, will sometimes provide you a one-off, permanent question which you can answer either in a Shaper way or a Non-Shaper way. The examples would be as follows:

 

Servile asks "You, the Shapers created us and we respect you. But it's time we go our own path and not worship you anymore."

 

You'll be given three options as follows:

"Yes. I agree that we have been harsh on you. You're really doing great, keep it up!" (Non-Shaper, increases respect for Awakened and Takers)

"Say that one more time and I will end you where you stand." (Shaper, increases respect for Obeyers)

"Ehh I need more time to think about this. / I don't care what you do." (No disposition change, keeps your respect levels same. In some cases you can make the NPC repeat the question again)

 

If you pick either one of the first or second options, it is locked and you have no way of talking to that same NPC again to tell them that you've changed your mind on that opinion. It will be recorded permanently for the rest of your save. And since you're trying to join the Obeyers, you should pick the Shaper options. A little bit of reading is required to understand which options would be more suited to which side and answer accordingly.

Edited December 1, 2021 by Sokhbep

[Superdeath25]

Pretty much you have to say things that are against the idea of servile independence and oppose the other two factions.  Personally though I find the Obeyers kinda creepy with the way they worship Shapers

[jormundi]

I might have messed up the dialogue at some point.

I have cleared nearly every zone and I find my party to be extremely strong, I am having no problems with the game. For that, I don't feel like I need to join all the factions to power game and buff my character.

I will probably just try talking to learned darian and going about it that way. Thank you guys!