A3: Heavily Biased Toward the Light Side?

[Old Scratch]

[somewhat irrelevant/read if you are interested/if not skip to third paragraph]I have to admit, I almost always choose the "good guy" approach to roleplaying games, rather than the "bad guy" approach. Except, of course, when it comes to stealing everything that isn't nailed down; but the important thing is that I don't murder and loot shopkeepers and throw rocks at crippled children, nor choose "evil" dialogue options.

 

In the Fallout games, I usually do a lot of bad stuff, but I was still careful to end up with a very high amount of good Karma. And there was a lot of VERY, VERY bad stuff that I could have done, but didn't.[/end irrelevance]

 

So anyway, I got near the Temple of the Divine Lucre (or was it Holy Lucre?) in A3, and a Lucre patrol demanded that I pay them cash for being on "their land". I was filthy rich by then, but I'll be damned if I simply hand money over to a bunch of greedy extortionists.

 

Since the only other option was to "Attack!" them, I did so, and justifiably in my opinion. ("Pay us or die!" will not get a good reaction from me in roleplaying games -- real life perhaps, but certainly not RPGS).

 

After I dispatched them, my Reputation decreased! As if I'm in the wrong for refusing to hand over my money to anyone who draws their sword from its scabbard and demands payment! What a crock!

 

And then, MUCH later, I finally was strong enough to defeat the army of priests which attacked me when I approached the Lucre temple to talk to them. ("We know what you did to our patrol! Die, scum!")

 

After fighting for my life and barely escaping with all of my characters alive, after THEY attacked ME with a gigantic army, the game has the audacity to say that I had "slaughtered" them and could now "loot" their temple! And the game gives me a dread curse, to boot!

 

Anyway, let's recap: Lucre patrol demands my money because "this is our land". I defend myself from their extortionism, and lose Reputation. I then approach the Lucre temple in peace; they frigging ambush me, outnumbering me 8 to 1, and the game calls me a slaughterer when I defend myself and barely escape with my life.

 

Mr. Vogel, the lure of the Dark Side is that it is more profitable to be evil than good. It has downsides, but they should almost balance out. Avernum 3 pretty much forces you to be totally good all the time, or else. (I know that was probably your intention, but I mean, jeez.)

[Micawber]

Loss of 1 point of reputation isn't that serious. Although personally I always try to avoid the divine lucre patrols (on horseback).

 

You know, you can even pay 5000 to join the church of the divine lucre. This also decreases your reputation, so Jeff is even-handed. You do at least get left alone by the patrols (as well as a boost to magery).

[Old Scratch]

Quote:

Originally written by Micawber:
Loss of 1 point of reputation isn't that serious. Although personally I always try to avoid the divine lucre patrols (on horseback).

You know, you can even pay 5000 to join the church of the divine lucre. This also decreases your reputation, so Jeff is even-handed. You do at least get left alone by the patrols (as well as a boost to magery).

You're right, it's no big deal; the loss of a couple of Reputation points and a curse that I can have removed for free in Shayder aren't terribly significant. I just think the way it's handled is rather ironic. Here's a small dialogue to illustrate my point:

LUCRE PATROL: "Halt, travelers! We claim this land as our own, and demand that you pay us 100 coins for passing through it!"

AVERNITES: "And if we should refuse?"

LUCRE PATROL: "Why then, we'll put you to the sword!"

AVERNITES: "Fair enough! Have at thee, foul varlets!"

(A short, bloody, decisive battle ensues.)

* * * * * * * * Later . . . * * * * * * *

AVERNITES: "Ho there, Temple of the Divine Lucre! We come in peace, and wish to parley with you!"

(The Divine Lucre army sneaks up on the Avernites from behind.)

ARMY OF THE DIVINE LUCRE: "We know what you did to our patrol, scum! Prepare to die!"

AVERNITES: "More villains shall fall beneath our cold steel! Have at thee, brigands!"

(After a long and bloody engagement . . .)

AVERNITES: "Well, we've triumphed. However, it seems that standing up to extortionists' demands and defending ourselves from an 8-to-1 sneak attack (and near-certain death) by a small army is considered to be evil. We appear to be cursed, and the narrator has informed us that we are 'slaughterers' and 'looters'. Figures!"

[John S]

It's not as if you have to do something bad to lose reputation; this could be interpreted as the Church spreading bad rumors about you, for example.

[Dintiradan]

By St. Ashby the Martyr:

Quote:

It's not as if you have to do something bad to lose reputation; this could be interpreted as the Church spreading bad rumors about you, for example.

Exactly. In A1, there was an altar that, when sanctified, imprinted a demonic rune on the PC's foreheads, thus reducing reputation.

 

Scratch, are you sure there wasn't a "run away" option? It's been a while since I've played A3, but I remember bumping into the Church and refusing to pay, but don't remember killing them.

 

--------------------

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK SPECIAL, SPECIAL EDITION (With Alternate Ending!)

"Luke, I am your mother!"

[Alorael at Large]

Killing priests who aren't technically evil priests isn't going to endear you to the locals, even if they are particularly fiscally-oriented priests.

 

Slaughter doesn't always have to mean helpless foes. You killed a lot of them, so they're slaughtered. And yes, you can loot their temple. After all, if you don't, some other greedy people who aren't saving the world will. The hieves guild, perhaps.

 

The Dread Curse makes perfect sense. They Church of the Divine Lucre likes their stuff and their lives. Anyone who messes with them is likely to get all the cursing they can devise.

 

—Alorael, who would also take the narrator's words with a grain of humor. It isn't always the most serious voice.

[Mivayan]

Quote:

Originally written by Dintiradan:
Scratch, are you sure there wasn't a "run away" option? It's been a while since I've played A3, but I remember bumping into the Church and refusing to pay, but don't remember killing them.

I just had a look in game, and no. The only options are pay or attack.