What can change the nature of a man? Let's Play Planescape: Torment!

CHAPTER 1: DEATH AND TAXES

Part One, in which our hero struggles with amnesia, chats with some (decaying) ladies, and gets the point.
Part Two, In which our hero fools an Anarchist, breaks and enters, and meets a scorned lover.

CHAPTER 2: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

Part One, in which our hero gets insulted, taught a lesson, and rests for a spell.
Part Two, In which our hero meets a man on fire, a man who is a letter, and a man who *knows* too much.
Part Three, In which our hero gets into advertising, plays dead, and scalps some skeletons.
Part Four, In which we get our eyes tested, learn a new language, and discover why oral hygiene is important.
Part Five, In which our hero drinks with the dead, deals with a ghost, and finds some one literally out for his blood.
Part Six, In which the Nameless One catches a thief, tries to get a guy to enjoy life, and jokes with a Dustman.

CHAPTER 3: THE DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT CITIES (OPTIONAL)

Part One, Where our heroes hear some stories that stink, war with some gangs, and watch a summoning go all wrong.
Part Two, Where our heroes play with knives, get some tattoos, and find themselves boxed in.
Part Three, Where a devil and a demon walk into a bar, we get a man his fork, and we bury a city.

CHAPTER 4: WHAT LIES BENEATH

Part One, Where we bite the hand that feeds us, get a gut feeling, and meet a king.
Part Two, Where we raid some tombs, talk to a wall, and find a village run by the dead.
Part Three, Where we find water, rotten custard, and death (in that order).
Part Four, Where we go through a door that is not a door, discover the danger that lurks in shadows, and help a city give birth.

CHAPTER 5: SITES TO A MAZE

Part One, In which we commit skullduggery, tempt a succubus, and think of the children.

DM DARK

Characters, where our protagonist and his companions are examined and given their say, for the amusement of others.
Alignment, where the dark of morality is revealed, the Outer Planes connected, and arguments about Paladins begin.
AD&D 2nd Ed Rules, where characters below a 15 in their stat need not apply, tables are drawn, and THAC0 is (not) made clear.
Optional Chapter 4 (Dead Nations) solutions, Where we try bargaining with a rat, putting the charm on a zombie, and become the once and future king.

THE CHANT

Cager Cant, where the peculiarities of the Sigil natives are described, the nicknames of the factions are given, and the mystery is taken away.
Sigil, City of Doors, In which we learn about The Cage, The Lady, and The Factions.
Traveling the Planes, Where we learn about traveling by land, water, and via infinite amounts of stairs.
Yves's Stories, Where we trade stories about modrons, fiends, and boxes that should never be opened.

The Dustmen, In which we look at what it means to *truly* die, the faction's presence in Sigil, and why Factol Skall may never retire.
The Mercykillers, In which justice is everything, the inner tensions brewing, and how Factol Alisohn Nilesia's unhealthy obsession might cost her everything.

The Planes of Conflict, Part 1, Where we examine the twin faces of Bytopia, the peaceful serenity of Elysium, and the savage wild of the Beastlands.

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What is Planescape: Torment?



Planescape: Torment is a 1999 role-playing game based off the Dungeons and Dragons Planescape campaign setting. I’ll explain that as the LP goes along. Created by Black Isle Studios, It uses a modified version of the “Infinity Engine” that the popular Baldur’s Gate games used, but Torment is a much different game, eschewing Baldur’s Gate’s heroic fantasy in favour of a more… philosophical RPG.

In fact, many of the design choices in Torment were made specifically to stand out from more “generic” fantasy. Swords are rare, the only elves or dwarves you’ll encounter will be non-playable characters, and many famous and recognizable Dungeons and Dragons spells – such as the classic "Fireball” spell – are nowhere to be found. And Sigil?

Well, the City of Doors is a place unlike any you’ll encounter.

Planescape: Torment revolves around the main character, known only as the “Nameless One”. You awake in a giant morgue known as the Mortuary, with no memories about who you are and how you got there. I won’t be spoiling anything to tell you that your character is, for all purposes, immortal. Dying in this game is usually nothing more than a set-back. No matter how grievous or fatal your injuries are, you’ll recover, no worse for wear… at least, you think.

Thus the plot follows: your goal is to figure out who you “are”. An immortal body might not be enough to protect you from the answers you seek.

What kind of LP will this be?

There’s no way around it: Planescape: Torment is a wordy game. Aside from the multitude of dialog options available this is a game that likes to take its time. You don’t need to explore every dialogue tree option of course, but I’m going to try and at least show off the interesting ones. In some ways, I expect this LP to read kind of like a “Choose Your Own Adventure”, with long tracts of text cut up by audience participation.

Updates will be relatively short, generally focusing on a single “quest”. There are tons of them in Torment, and while most are optional, they’re usually all interesting, and thus worth showing off. The “main” quest line will be highlighted in the table of contents for readers who want to skip all the optional stuff. Most updates will end with a “decision point”, where I will outline one of several courses of action we can take to solve a problem. In general, the only ones that will be voted on will be the ones that will influence the “alignment” of our protagonist, the Nameless One. A separate post will go into more detail, but I’m going to allow the audience to pick how we “solve” our problems. There are rarely wrong answers, and I’ll do my best to outline the potential alignment “shifts” each bring. When not picking from these decision points, I’ll warp the narrative slightly to reflect the Nameless One’s viewpoint.

I don’t expect updates to generally be very long, but I’m aiming for about one update a week. It might take us a while to get through this game, but I think the journey will be worth it. One thing: if you’ve played this game, BE RESPECTFUL to those who haven’t. The game may be over ten years old at this point, but I know there will be people reading this who haven’t played it. Spoiler tags, please!

Without further ado… we have a morgue to wake up in.

CHARACTERS

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The Nameless One

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I feel like I've woken up inside someone's dream. I don't know who I am... I don't know how I got here... and I don't know how to get out. First thing I remember is crawling off a metal slab in some vaulted monstrosity called the Mortuary, and some floating skull asking me a bunch of damned questions. I've lost my memory, I've lost my possessions, and the only thing I really seem to know is that I can get stabbed, beaten, burned... and I get better. This regeneration of mine hasn't done much for my looks, but no one seems to notice. I need to figure out who I am and how I got this way... I feel like something's missing, something inside, but I don't know what.

The Nameless One – our “hero” – is a fairly customizable sod. When the game begins, you can assign ability “scores” as you like, and every level you gain gives you an additional +1 to the score of your choice. While the Nameless One starts as a Fighter, he can become either a Thief or a Mage by finding the right teacher. There is no “wrong” way to build the Nameless One, but I prefer to make him a Mage simply because that’s probably the “weakest” hole to fill in your party.

Being immortal, the Nameless One comes with a few benefits other than his ever-increasing stats, ability to not “die” permanently, and a few cool dialogue options. For starters, he has passive regeneration, regardless of his Constitution score. Normally, a Constitution score of 19+ is required, but the Nameless One will happily regenerate (albeit, slowly) even with a pitiful 9 “Con”. He also gets access to some unique items that he can equip because of his, er, ability to shrug off grievous injury.

The Nameless One is voiced by Michael T. Weiss, who has done a sporadic amount of work, most notably the 1996-2000 TV show The Pretender and the TV spin-off of Disney’s Tarzan movie, where he voiced… Tarzan.

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Current Stats for the Nameless One: Mage: Level 8 True Neutral HP: 71 AC: 3 Str: 9 Dex: 12 Con: 12 Int: 16 Wis: 20 + 2 Cha: 13

Morte

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Of course you got questions about me -- you probably have questions about ALL sorts of things. Let me boil it down for you: when you've been as dead as long as I have... without arms, legs, or anything else, you spend a lot of time thinking, y'know? I figure it's been a few hundred years since I got penned in the dead book, but time doesn't really tally up the way it used to... without that mortality thing pressing down on you, all the days and nights kind of blend together. So you think about this, and you think about that... and the most important piece of wisdom I've learned over the past hundred or so years is this: There's a LOT more obscene gestures you can make with your eyes and your jaw than most people think. Without even resorting to insults or taunting, you can really light a bonfire under someone just with the right combination of eye movements and jaw clicking. Drives them barmy! If you ever get beheaded and your skin flayed from your skull, I'll show you how it's done. I got some real gems, chief -- they'd drive a deva to murder, they would. I know what you're thinking: I'm dead. I've lost so much. It should have sobered me up to all that joy I missed, all those loves I've lost. Some people get all depressed about death - they haven't TRIED it, of course – but one thing they never seem to realize is how it changes your perspective on things; it really makes you take a second look at life, broaden your horizons. For me, it's pretty much made me realize how many dead chits are in this berg and how few sharp-tongued men like myself there are to go around - you spin the wheel right, and your years of spending nights alone are over! Shallow? I'm not shallow. I just don't get caught up in all that philosophy and faith and belief wash that every berk from Arborea to the Gray Waste rattle their jaws about. Who cares? The Planes are what they are, you're what you are, and if it changes, fine, but things aren't bad the way they are - and I should know. Go on, ask me some questions about the Planes, or the chant, or the people, or the cultures – when you end up like me - without eyelids, that is - you end up seeing a lot of things, and I can tell you almost everything you need to know. It's like this: We're in this together, chief. Until this is over, I stick like your leg.

Morte is the first character (and companion) you’ll meet in Torment. A floating skull, Morte may lack hands, but he still (somehow) manages to carry a full inventory of stuff. He doesn’t subscribe to any particular philosophy in the Planes, and while he loves to crack jokes and insult people, he’s got a good heart underneath. Well, okay, he doesn’t technically have a heart at all. What I mean to say is that he ain’t got time for “rules”, and yes, he does care deeply about his own self-preservation, but he’s not malicious about it.

He also manages to be a fairly effective Fighter. He won’t deal a ton of damage, but he’s something of a tank early on, with a low Armor Class (making him harder to hit) plus a slew of resistances which reduce the damage that the blows he DOES take deal to him. Morte becomes less useful later in the game simply because (as he is a floating skull) he doesn’t have the equipment options that other characters get, but he’s still a charming character – you aren’t likely going to want to replace him.

Morte is voiced by Rob Paulsens, who you might know as a fricking legend of American Cartoon voice acting.

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Current Stats for Morte: Fighter: Level 6 Chaotic Good HP: 56 AC: 2 (AC 0 versus slashing, piercing, and missile attacks) Resist 100% Normal and Magical Cold damage Resist 75% Slashing, Piercing, Crushing, and Missile Attack damage Str: 12 Dex: 15 Con: 16 Int: 13 Wis: 9 Cha: 6

Dak'kon

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My past is not known to you. It is not my will that you should know it. Know that I bear the scars of one who has traveled the Planes. Know that I have never rested long in any one place. Know that I bear the weight of one who has traveled far to be in this place. Know that I am a githzerai. Know that I am of the People of Zerthimon. It was Zerthimon who knew the githzerai before we knew ourselves. He knew what had to be done to free us. From his knowing, came action. From his knowing, freedom was born. The githzerai ceased to be slaves and became a people. Know that I follow the Unbroken Circle of Zerthimon. His words are known to me. His heart is known to me. All that remains is that I know myself.

Dak'kon is the second companion you'll likely get in Torment, and he's pretty good. A Githzerai, Dak'kon is currently a mystery to us, but as we progress we'll see that there's more to this old fellow than meets the eye. He takes a measured approach to any situation, using his experiences to better *know* himself.

As a multi-class Fighter/Mage (and with great stats), he can be really powerful on the front-lines. He starts with only a few spells, but you can teach him more as needed. He'll never replace a dedicated Mage (his Int is too low) but he'll be fine as a support character when the need arises.

Dak'kon also starts with a pretty great magical weapon, the Zerth Blade, which grows in power as he gains Fighter levels. As it grows in power, it will not only improve his damage output, but his defenses AND magical ability too.

Dak'kon is voiced by Mitch Pileggi, is a pretty established actor. Not a leading role kind of guy, but he's stared in tons of shows you've probably watched, the highlights being the X-Files, Stargate: Atlantis, and Sons of Anarchy.

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Current Stats for Dak'kon: Fighter: Level 5 Mage: Level 5 Lawful Neutral HP: 61 AC: -2 Str: 17 Dex: 16 + 1 Con: 16 + 2 Int: 13 Wis: 13 Cha: 13

CHAPTER 1: DEATH AND TAXES, PART 1

In which our hero struggles with amnesia, chats with some (decaying) ladies, and gets a point.

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I gasp for air as I gain consciousness, choking on a mix of decaying air and panic.



The dim light in the room fills me with dread. Despite the horror that stretches in every direction, none of it appears real. I smell a paralyzing mixture of chemicals and blood.



I slowly work myself off the filthy table I awoke on. Every muscle in my body feels stiff, and my limbs feel cold and slightly numb. This place looks worse the more I see of it.



I shake a bit once on my feet, but maintain my balance. I don't know where I am. My head hurts, as if a portion of my brain was ripped out. Everything looks unfamiliar. Everything.



This is... this is all so new. I try and grasp for anything familiar, and come up empty-handed. I remember nothing specific, but despite my fugue I'm still pretty sure that skulls don't normally float, and they certainly don't normally talk.

I take as deep a breath of air as I will allow myself (this air is putrid), and turn to the skull and nod.








The skull... Morte... is pretty talkative. I'm not sure if I can trust this.... Morte... but if I'm not in a positon to really pick my allies.

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Originally Posted by The Editor I told you this game was wordy! This opening area serves as a kind of tutorial, although I've edited out all the helpful notes that normally appear. If you're familiar at all with Baldur's Gate, conversations work the same as their. You're given multiple options, and can pick which ones to ask (or re-ask) about. Like Baldur's Gate, some questions can only be asked once you've gotten hit the relevant "flag" to trigger them. Unlike Baldur's Gate, there's a heavier focus on having a high enough "stat" - typically intelligence, wisdom, or charisma - in order for an option to be available. Speaking of stats, lets take a quick peak at our hero: The Nameless One - as we will be known - is ours to mold. We start as a Fighter, but we'll change ourselves to something more appropriate (a Mage) when we have the opportunity to. Our Nameless One here has a really high Wisdom, an exceptional Intelligence, and above-average Charisma. He's currently unarmored (or rather, sans any items to give him some better defenses) and rather poor at being his class - a Fighter - because I dumped those stats that are best associated with one. I will explain everything here in a future post, but here's the quick breakdown. This game - like the Baldur's Gate games - runs off the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition" rules, which can - two and a half editions later - feel a bit long in the tooth. Nevertheless, here's the basics to know: Stats range from 1 to 25, with 9-12 being considered "average" and anything over 15 being considered "exceptional". Strength: how strong your character is. Affects your ability to hit with melee attacks, how much damage you deal with a melee attack, and your ability to force open chests and doors. Important for Fighters. Dexterity: how nimble your character is. Affects your ability to hit with ranged weapons, and your ability to dodge incoming blows. Important for anyone on the front lines. Constitution: how hardy your character is. Affects how many hit points your character has. At higher numbers, imparts active regeneration. Important for everyone. Intelligence: how smart your character is. Affects how many wizard spells you can learn, and can open up some conversation trees. Important for mages. Wisdom: how wise your character is. Affects how many cleric spells you can learn, and - exclusive to this game - gives you bonus experience to what a character earns. Can open up some conversation trees. Important for everyone. Charisma: how charming your character is. Affects prices in stores, and can open up some conversation trees. Armor Class (AC): how difficult your character is to hit with weapons. Displayed here under the horned helm. Ranges from around 10 to -10. The Nameless One here starts with an AC of 10 (unless you give him a high dexterity), which is the lowest AC will generally get. Because this is AD&D, you want a LOW AC. AC bonuses subtract from this number. Hit Points (HP): how much damage your character can take before being killed. The Nameless One here has 20 hit points currently, which would be higher if we started with a higher Constitution. Level/Experience: a measure of how skilled our character is. Higher levels give us access to more hit points, spells, skills, etc. In general, D&D goes to level 20, with anything higher being considered an "epic" tier game. THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class "Zero"): the character's ability to hit enemies with attacks. Ranges from 20 to 1, with lower numbers being more desirable. The Nameless One here has an THAC0 of 18, which means that to hit an enemy with a 0 AC he would need to roll an 18 or better on a twenty-sided die. As the Nameless One currently has an AC of 10, he would need to roll an 8 or better to hit "himself" (or an enemy with an AC of 10). Later editions would involve a lot less math. Saving Throws (not shown): the character's ability to evade special attacks, such as poison, dragon breath, and petrification. Like THAC0, ranges from 20 to 1. When subject to a special attack, you try and roll at or above the appropriate saving throw. As an example, the Nameless One has a "Spell" Saving Throw of 16, so when required, would have to roll a d20 and roll a 16 or above to "Save" against the effect. There are four classes in Planescape: Torment; three of which the Nameless One can become. He always starts as a fighter, but you can turn him into a mage or thief if you can find the appropriate teacher. The classes are as follows: Fighters: skilled warriors. Have high hit points, and are adept at hitting enemies with their weapons. Thieves: roguish types. Average at combat, but possess unique skills that give them access to people, places, and treasure denied to others. Mages: wizards. Poor at combat, but given the ability to cast wizard spells that can give them a high degree of power and flexibility. Clerics: individuals devoted to a god. Average at combat, but given the ability to cast cleric spells that can give them a high degree of power and flexibility. The Nameless One cannot become a cleric. For comparison, here is Morte: Morte isn't great at hitting things (or rather, biting), but he's a great tank early in the game. He's got an AC of 2 (much lower than the Nameless One) that gets better against most weapon attacks, and has a bevy of resistances that make the blows that do sneak themselves in a lot less painful.

As I search for the scalpel Morte mentioned, I pick up a few clean bandages that should come in handy.

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Originally Posted by The Editor Healing is a bit of a premium in this game; the game's not THAT difficult, but you will want to horde all the healing you can.

The Scalpel is crude, but should be better than trying to punch the living dead to death. Re-death? A spot three "zombies" performing tasks to the south of me.

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Originally Posted by The Editor This is the paper doll screen, where you equip items. We probably won't see it often, but I thought you might want to see what it looks like.

I can't really blame this Morte fellow for being reluctant to attack these creatures; I still feel reluctant about trying this myself. Well, perhaps these... zombies... can be communicated with like Morte can.




Morte uses a lot of words I don't understand. Slang? Perhaps I shall ask him later. This zombie does not appear to be carrying the key I require.



This zombie... 825?... carries no key either.



I try and make it quick.

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Originally Posted by The Editor When you attack an enemy, your THAC0 is compared to their AC, and then a twenty-sided die is rolled (well, more accurately, a random number from 1 to 20 is generated). If you roll high enough, your attacks hits and damage is dealt according to the weapon your wield and your character's strength. On a roll of 20, you "critical hit" and deal double damage.

I manage to put "782" down quickly, although not before it leaves a deep bruise on my right arm. My hand goes slightly numb, but my left is still free. It tears into its throat. 782 falls; I take the key out of this room from its corpse.



The gate to the west opens easily. I feel that exploring this floor first before the next would be prudent, especially since this floor seems to be dominated by these zombies rather than intelligent beings.

As I walk into the next room, I notice that the pain has left my right arm. It remains stiff, but the dexterity has returned to my hand.

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Originally Posted by The Editor The Nameless One will slowly regenerate lost hit points. Morte won't; you'll need to heal him with items or spells, like Bandages.

The idea of having "relations" with the undead repulses me, but I suppose I cannot deny that Morte has a lot in common with them... save for his incessant chatter.

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Originally Posted by The Editor There is a dialogue option here to insult Morte, but that's a lame place to end an update to give you guys a choice, so we'll continue.

As I open the door to the next room, the zombie we pass catches my eye.




A part of me thinks that Morte should respect rules more than he does. I hope this "Rule-of-Three" thing doesn't mean I'm due to meet two more of him.



Searching the next room, I discover a book that describes some of the functions of this building:

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Originally Posted by RECEIVING ROOM LOG BOOK This huge log book lists Mortuary procedures in a tight, crabbed script: - All shells entering the Mortuary are to be delivered to the Receiving Room and logged with the scribe on duty before being embalmed or cremated. - The records are to be checked to determine if the shell is one of the Contracted, and if so, do not prepare the shell. Move the shell to one of the Preparation Rooms, contact the scribe on duty, and notify him that a Contracted shell is to be Raised. - Be certain that a shell is thoroughly stripped of its possessions before being sent to the Preparation Rooms. The Contracted workers are intended for simple manual labor and do not have the capacity to search and strip a shell. - The faction is not responsible for any possessions lost or items stolen by Collectors who have brought the shells to the Mortuary. - The shell's possessions are to be stored in the Receiving Room until an Initiate can be sent to claim them. Please catalogue all possessions in the log book. Following this list is thousands of entries of bodies that have been sent to the Receiving Room. As you flip through the rest of the book, however, you notice the last page has been cut out.

I find a few copper commons and an iron that is wearable over the fist to give it an extra bit of... punch. I hope no one cares that I've taken them.



As we continue in the room, a giant tome can be seen...



I still think that these "Dustmen" may be reasoned with. And if I am to reason with one, this gentlemen - weak as he looks - should prove best to talk to. I ignore Morte's warnings.









That was most... revealing. I wonder who the woman he spoke of was? I remember no women, save for the female zombies we passed. Dhall was quite cryptic. What did he say? "Let your burden be your own"? Hmm. Perhaps if I knew more of this burden the man speaks of.

I continue onward.



I wonder if - before these scars - I was too once handsome?



My first instinct is to ask if these creatures even have places to rest in, but I keep my mouth shut.




My arm feels completely fine by this point, but I don't want to take chances. When you wake up on a slab, presumably because someone thought you were dead, you don't take chances.

Well, I'm not taking chances at least. I hope my "case" is not typical.




This scalpel is proving more useful than a mere weapon. I open and read the paper in wonder:

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Originally Posted by NOTE FROM CORPSE #1201 This is a foul-smelling note retrieved from the mouth of one of the Mortuary zombies; it looks like it was sewn into the corpse's mouth by accident. Despite its condition, the writing is legible: "Please, to whatever Dustman reads this; I beg of you. I know of my legal obligation under the terms of the Dead Contract, but I am prepared to offer *more* than my signing fee if you will cremate my body rather than Raising it. I have arranged for this note to be left with my body upon my death. If you are reading this, then please use this note as instructed and accept the result in exchange for my Contracted duty. Let my Contract number serve as the key." It looks like the corpse was too late to prevent the Raising... but you notice that beneath the writing is a diagram. It looks like directions for folding the parchment into a strange pattern.

The paper has one mark on the upper right, two on the lower right, three on the lower left, and none on the upper left. The contract number was apparently 1201; perhaps that indicates which way to fold the paper?

Success. It's a gaudy little thing, but it looks valuable. Perhaps I can sell it.

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Originally Posted by The Editor This item - once identified - can be used to create 99 copper commons. But only if you identify it, which can cost you 100 copper. It's usually better to just sell it, but since I'm going to be a mage I'm going to see if I can't identify the thing and THEN sell it.

I wonder what allows Morte to talk? Does he even have vocal cords? Would he still be able to talk if I removed his lower jaw?

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Originally Posted by RECEIVING LOG PAGE This ragged page looks lie it was cut neatly out of a book. It is written in a tight, crabbed script: 16537, 5th Night: Drunk -- Chest wound -- Cause of Death: Mauling/Abishai? -- Collector: Pox -- 3 Commons Paid -- No possessions. 16538: 5th Night: Desiccated Corpse -- Cause of Death: Indeterminate - Age of shell prevents identification* -- Collector: Pharod -- 3 Commons Paid -- No possessions (Stripped? Knife marks evident from dissection.) 16539: 5th Night: Scarred Shell - Cause of Death: Interminable (scars do not appear to be cause of death - shock trauma?) -- Collector: Pharod - 3 Commons Paid -- Possessions Logged: Fist irons - Thirteen Commons - Middle Table, Receiving Room. 16540: 5th Night: Desiccated Corpse #2 -- Cause of Death: Interminable - Age of Shell prevents identification* -- Collector: Pharod -- 3 Commons Paid - Possessions Logged: Knife marks evident from dissection, but the dissection was not thorough enough - Copper earring found lodged in abdomen; earring has been locked in Southeast Preparation Room. Have an Initiate from the Third Circle examine it; it has strange markings, lie those on Contracted Worker #79. 16541: 5th Night: Skeleton -- Cause of Death: Indeterminable - Age of Shell prevents identification* -- Collector: Pharod -- 3 Commons Paid -- No possessions (Stripped? Knife marks evident from dissection.) * As with the previous entries, these shells Pharod has brought also show sign of having been prepared. I have asked that Initiate Emoric launch an investigation into the matter. Furthermore, Entry 16542 is one of Pharod's gang. I have seen the individual before - I would ask Emoric to pay heed to how the man died. 16542: 5th Night: Tiefling, Male -- Cause of Death: Slash marks/discoloration of wounds are consistent with grave rot (ghoul claws?) -- Collector: Pharod -- 3 Commons Paid - No possessions (Stripped? Knife marks evident from dissection.)

A shiver runs up my spine as I read this paper. If I'm guessing correctly, MY body appears on this list three times... in one night! Am I truly so immortal? This Pharod fellow must know... I take some relief at least that the 13 copper I pinched earlier likely belonged to me.

As I enter the next room, I see a peculiar woman at work. Talking with Dhall elicited no negative response; I resolve to talk to this lady too.




A tiefling? Fiends? Demons? I find these terms alarmingly familiar. Feeling I should not dishonor a lady's request, I go searching for the items she asked for. Perhaps some of these other zombies carry the items she seeks?



I don't know why I'm trying to joke with the dead; perhaps it makes me feel more at ease.




A corpse with two numbers? Well, these "Dustmen" may have shown themselves devoted, but my existence does indicate that they are not necessarily thorough.




Whoops. This arm is pretty sturdy; I think the scalpel is enough, but this would make a pretty good club if needed.



In the next room I find a few jars of Embalming Fluids that the tiefling was looking for. These machines seem so crude... I wonder what it would feel like to have such fluid in one's skin than blood? Could I survive that too?

I return to Ei-Vene.





Wow. She fixed a problem I didn't even know existed. But that memory... what was that of? Corpse 42? A designation no doubt. I don't think I saw anyone with that number on this floor, but there was still one more zombie I saw...

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Originally Posted by The Editor Doing this quest gives you a permanent +1 to the Nameless One's hit points. This is another big change from Baldur's Gate, where such increases would normally only be found in rare tomes. I will, of course, be trying to get most of these. Of course, one can find negatives too...

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Originally Posted by The Editor A man impersonating a zombie? Well Talking Time, this is where you come in! We need to figure out how our Nameless One will approach this situation. Depending on his choice, it will affect the Nameless One's "alignment." Alignment is another D&D concept, which basically measures a character's morality on two axis: good - neutral - evil, and law - neutral - chaos. Actions that bind you to promises or order make you more "lawful". Lying, or triumphing freedom make you more "chaotic". Doing deeds that benefit others or the greater good will make you more "good", which doing actions that are self-serving or wrong will generally make you more "evil". Unlike Baldur's Gate, which generally fixed alignment, choices you make in this game will influence your alignment directly. It does not have a great affect on the gameplay outside of a few instances, but as part of the point of this game is "finding" yourself, it helps sum up the choices you, the player, have made. The Nameless One starts as True Neutral (i.e. in the middle of each axis), which will change as you choose particular actions. There is not "right" alignment in Planescape: Torment (nor in Planescape itself). There is nothing stopping a lawful good character from committing a chaotic evil act. Here are the choices we can pick to deal with this "zombie": 1. Try and see if he can help us get out of here (Neutral). 2. Promise him we won't reveal his disguise, but do it anyway (more Chaotic) 3. Expose his "disguise" to the Dustmen (more Lawful). 4. Pretend we know who he is, and are looking for him (more Chaotic). 5. Threaten him to help us or we'll kill him (more Evil). What will it be Talking Time?

CAGER CANT

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Many of the characters we'll meet in the world of Planescape: Torment use little odd phrases. The following list is to help you translate their meaning. Following it will be a small list of Factions we may (or may not) encounter during the game, and what the "nicknames" they're most commonly referred to are.

(Special thanks to DarthKrzysztof for compiling the "slang" list.)

• Addle-Cove. Idiot. “Did you hear what that addle-coved wizard wanted us to do?”
• Bar That. Almost-polite way to say “shut up.” Often a warning: “Bar that, Jannos; there’s Dustmen over there.”
• Barmies. Insane folks, especially those in Sigil, who’ve been “touched” by the impossible bigness of the planes. Adj, barmy.
• Basher. Person viewed neutrally, usually a thug or warrior.
• Berk. Fool, especially one who got himself into the mess when he should have known better.
• Birdcage. Cell, or anything that compares to it. (Sigil, for instance.)
• Blinds. Dead-ends of the Mazes, or anything impossible or hopeless. “He’ll hit the blinds if he tries giving the laugh to the factol.”
• Blood. Anyone who’s an expert, sage, or professional at her work. A mark of high respect.
• Blood War. Eternal conflict waged between the baatezu and tanar’ri; Sigil often gets caught in the middle.
• Bob. Cheating someone out of cash, honor, or trust. A good guide to Sigil will warn a cutter when someone’s bobbing him.
• Bone-Box. Mouth. “Stop rattling your bone-box” is telling a berk to lay off the boasting.
• Bub. Booze, usually cheap and barely drinkable. A bubber is a drunk, especially one who’s fallen on hard times. Bubbers don’t get sympathy from most folks in Sigil.
• Burg. Any town smaller than Sigil, either in size or spirit.
• The Cage. Local name for Sigil; from the term birdcage, a pretty harsh (but common) judgment on the place.
• Case. House or place where a cutter lives.
• Clueless. Folks who just don’t get it, usually primes. Call a planar “clueless” and there’ll probably be a fight.
• The Chant. News, local gossip, facts, moods, what’s going on. “What’s the chant?” is a way to ask what news a basher’s heard.
• Coney. Poor sod who gets bobbed by a peeler; a naive person.
• Cross-Trade. Thieving and other shady or illegal businesses.
• Cutter. Anybody a person wants. Suggests a certain amount of daring and resourcefulness; a lot better than calling someone a berk.
• Dark. Secret. “Here’s the dark of it” is a way to say “I’ve got a secret and I’ll share it with you.”
• Demiplane. Finite plane; one with definite borders.
• Exemplar. Race of outsiders that personifies one of the nine alignments: archon (LG), guardinal (NG), eladrin (CG), modron (LN), rilmani (N), slaad (CN), baatezu (LE), yugoloth (NE), and tanar’ri (CE). (unofficial)
• Faction. Philosophical group led by a factol. Faction agendas make for intrigue and conflict, especially in Sigil.
• Factol. Leader of a faction.
• Factor. High-up in a faction, intermediate authority between the factol and the factotums.
• Factotum. “Full-time” faction member, anyone who considers her faction the most important thing in her life. A step up from namers.
• Garnish. Bribe. “Give the petty official a little garnish and he’ll go away.”
• Give ‘Em the Laugh. Escape or slip through someone’s clutches. Robbing a baatezu without getting caught is giving him the laugh.
• Give the Rope. What they do to criminals who don’t give the law the laugh. Usually used by criminals only.
• The Great Road or the Great Wheel. The ring of Outer Planes surrounding the Outlands, and the portals linking them together.
• High-Up. What everybody in Sigil wants to be: somebody with money and influence, such as the factols. It’s bad form to call yourself a high-up; others bestow this honor upon you.
• In the Dead-Book. Dead. Some people have others “put in the dead-book.”
• Jink. Money. “Can’t buy a drink if you ain’t got the jink.”
• Jinkskirt. A prostitute. (unofficial)
• Kip. Any place a cutter can put up her feet and sleep for a night, especially cheap flophouses in the Hive. Landlords of good inns get upset if a berk calls their place a kip.
• Knight of the Post or Knight of the Cross-Trade. Thief, cheat, and a liar – not a compliment, unless you enjoy your bad reputation.
• Kriegstanz. “Undeclared war,” term describing relations between the factions in Sigil (that is, tense and complex).
• Leafless Tree. The gallows, which is where some berks wind up when they get scragged.
• Leatherhead. Dolt, a dull or thick-witted fellow.
• Lost. Dead. If “she got lost,” she ain’t coming home.
• The Mazes. Nasty little traps the Lady of Pain creates for would-be dictators. Also, any well-deserved punishment: “It’s the Mazes for him and I can’t say I’m sorry.”
• Multiverse. The whole flamin’ thing; all the infinite planes.
• Music. Price a cutter doesn’t want to pay, but has to anyway. “Pay the music or you ain’t getting out of here.”
• Namer. Faction member who wears the colors, but keeps clear of its plottings.
• Out-of-Touch. Sigilian term for somebody outside the Outer Planes. Also, Out-of-Town, somebody in the Outlands.
• Peel. Swindle, con, or trick. Peeling a demon is a bad idea; peeling a devil is nearly impossible.
• Peery. Suspicious, on one’s guard. What a basher should be if he thinks he’s going to get peeled.
• Pike It. All-purpose phrase. “Pike that talk.” “Take a short stick and pike it, bubber.” “Pike that!” and so on.
• Planar Path. Phenomenon that travels between planes with no apparent portals or rifts. The River Oceanus, the River Styx, Mount Olympus, and Yggdrasil are examples. Though the Infinite Staircase has doors to other planes, it is often considered a planar path.
• Plane. World or collection of worlds, infinite in size, which operates according to its own laws, including those governing magic and morals.
• Scragged. Arrested or caught.
• Sect. Like a faction, but with a more limited area of influence (usually not Sigil).
• Sod. Unfortunate soul. Use it to show sympathy for an unlucky cutter, or sarcastically for some stupid berk.
• Spiv. Someone who makes a living by her wits alone.
• Tout. Non-faction guide to Sigil.
• Turn Stag. Betray somebody or use treachery. Saying “he’s turned stag” is about the worst thing you can say about a cutter.

Faction Nicknames:

• The Athar: Defilers, the Lost.
• The Believers of the Source: Godsmen.
• The Bleak Cabal: Bleakers, the Cabal.
• The Doomguard: Sinkers.
• The Dustmen: Dusties. The Dead.
• The Fated: Takers, Heartless.
• The Fraternity of Order: Guvners
• The Free League: Indeps.
• The Harmonium: Hardheads.
• The Mercykillers: The Red Death.
• The Revolutionary League: Anarchists.
• The Sign of One: Signers
• The Society of Sensation: Sensates.
• The Transcendent Order: Ciphers.
• The Xaositects: Chaosmen.

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Originally Posted by The Editor Note: this list is not inclusive, but tries to be.