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

2. This is starting to get gross.

Option 2.

Option 1

I have no qualms about lying to someone about eating flesh. Option 2, if it pleases.

Cannibals do not deserve to live.
Kill him

Option 3: Kill the man and take the ring.

My body's nobody's body but mine.

This man is dangerous, and I want that ring. Time to take it from him.

CHAPTER 4: WHAT LIES BENEATH, PART 1

Where we bite the hand that feeds us, get a gut feeling, and meet a king.

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It's over quickly; the man might have been out of his mind, but he was no warrior. I pick the finger-bone off his corpse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Technically, the "evil" path involves promising him you'll let him bite you after he gives you the ring, but that really seems more chaotic to me than evil. I still did it the correct way to get a more "evil" alignment, but for the sake of this LPs narrative, Marrow-friend is dead.

Let's see if this ring was worth killing a man for. I try pulling the ring off, but with no luck. A very dark and horrible idea crosses my mind... well, let me try to pull the ring off once more first.




Tssssiitth that was crazy. Chalk another one up to having this body of mine. It makes me wonder: if I could replace a finger so easily, is there much to me that is, well, original?

The ring itself is a nice find, but I sense a malignant curse on it. I believe, however, that I should be able to remove the curse in time.



Dak'kon is reluctant, but when I tell him not to be such a baby, he puts it on. His face winces as the ring digs its barbs into his finger. I tell him not to worry, I saw a scroll at Mebbeth's that will get that off... in the future.



We take the time to rest up before heading into Pharod's hiding place; who knows who will be waiting to greet us.

Quote:

I grab two new spells for the Nameless One from Mebbeth's while I'm at her place to rest: Quote: Originally Posted by KNOCK (Level 2) Range: 180 feet Duration: Special Speed: 1 Area of Effect: 10 sq. feet per level Saving Throw: None The inaccessible, the locked, can be freed and within one's grasp with this incantation. With Knock, all locked doors, chests, boxes or shackles shall be unlocked, but it doesn't affect barred gates and the like. In addition, it can only affect up to 2 impediments per spell. "This spell will handle the few times that Dak'kon and Morte can force a lock. It's pretty situational and we won't be memorizing it right now, but it will make for a good utility spell once we get some more level 2 spell slots." - The Editor Quote: Originally Posted by REMOVE CURSE (Level 4) Range: 0 Duration: Instant Speed: 4 Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None Cursed items shall no longer afflict you when this spell is cast. When cast, this spell removes a curse upon the person targeted. It does not remove the curse from the actual item itself, but it allows the person to successfully unequip and rid themselves of the cursed item. "Another situational spell, but I figured I should have it if I'm going to be using that ring. There are actually very few cursed items in the game, and if you properly identify them before wearing them, you'll never put them on. Various NPCs - like Mebbeth - can remove cursed items from characters for a small fee, so feel free to skip getting this spell." - The Editor

As I stroll up to the archway on the north end of Rapgpicker's Square, the piece of junk I'm holding onto begins to glow.





I quickly find myself transported... about 20 feet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor C'mon game. Really? That small pile of easily climbable trash was what was hiding Pharod from the rest of Sigil?

I motion to Morte to keep their weapons and teeth stowed (especially Morte, although in his case I'm more worried about his bark than his bite); Pharod probably has protection, but I think I can talk my way past most of it.



Entering the door, I'm immediately accosted by more than half-a-dozen thugs, and these ones looks a lot sharper than the ones I've been finding skulking around in the Hive.



One can always rely on the supernatural to scare the stupid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor The Trash Warrens are a relatively short area, but the man before isn't kidding when he says that many of the thugs in here are going to immediately go hostile when they see you. You can avoid all but one of them if you make a break for the Buried Village if you desire. The thugs themselves are a lot stronger than the random ones you've been fighting thus far; Morte is pretty safe against them (due to his ridiculous defenses against melee attacks), but Dak'kon or the Nameless One won't last too long against a group of them without using one or two healing items. That's part of the reason I gave Dak'kon the Biting Ring; +2 AC will help him survive a lot longer. It's a simple matter to return to Mebbeths should you not wish to use your healing items, or to power through to the Buried Village.

It isn't long before dangerous looking daggers are drawn on us. The thugs sneer about not willing to "share the jink".



Three of them alone however, are not much of a threat.



Minor treasures can be found in several nooks and crannies, including an unusual charm. I initially mistook it for a dead rat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor A small list of treasure up to this point: bookcase past entrance: Dustman Embalming Charm, Lesser Bandage Thugs: Clot Charm Dirty Rat Charm Box: 3 Cranium Rat Tails 37 Copper Commons Dirty Rat Charm (thief trinket) Cranium Rat Charm (special) The Cranium Rat Charm is needed a bit later, as you'll see this update. It also has the distinction of giving its user a temporary +1 to Int, which might come in handy in the future.

Continuing forward, I hear a woman dressed in rags spit in my general direction, and cry for help.



She's very obviously trying to draw me into an ambush. I ready the corpse of a dead fly between my fingers.





The group - and woman who led me to them - scream as the bugs start tearing their flesh apart.



Once the bugs have consumed what they can, we move in to finish them off. They drop easily.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Have I mentioned recently how much I like Swarm Curse?

As I approach a small archway beyond them, the "dead rat" I recently picked up begins to softly glow, and a portal opens up. How can I resist?



Beyond is a sizable nest of Cranium Rats! While resting at Mebbeth's once, she muttered that "the blighters draw power from one another". I can indeed feel a particularly strong magical aura coming being shared by the lot of them, like yarn that has been knitted together.

I crush another bug; I shall deal with them quickly in case they get out of hand. Time to cut some string.





Morte and Dak'kon don't even need to do anything. Morte thanks me, saying that "he doesn't particularly like the taste of rat".

I collect their tails; I believe I saw a notice earlier saying that someone is paying for these things. Hope he or she is paying well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Cranium rats can be pretty dangerous in numbers like this if you're not quick. The more there are, the better the spells they can access, including Ice Knife, which - due to a bug - can apply a -2 penalty to attack rolls permanently to a character, with no way to remove it. The joys of this engine sometimes.

The chest the rats was guarding has a few interesting items inside:



I don't recognize this, but I'll figure out what it does later. It doesn't look like anything we could use anyway.



Coming from a guy who has pulled out an eyeball and bitten his finger off, I shudder to think of the time when I would actively want to use this item.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor "Pain Mirror" is a level 2 mage spell, that is kind of bad. It damages the next creature to successfully hit the wielder for an equal amount of damage. This might have some uses I don't know about, but for now it's just going on the pile. Yes I am one of those players who hordes items. You are too. Admit it.

As I go to leave, a trap springs and engulfs me in acid! I cough and cry as it burns my skin, throat, and eyes, but I feel them quickly begin to heal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor INFINITY ENGINE! I should have been hit with this before I checked my items. Oh well, there is no practical difference. The "Ambush" gave the following loot: 13 Copper Commons 2 Bronze Rings (sell) Bronze Bracelet (sell) Clot Charm (healing) The rats and their chest: Cranium Rat Tail x 10 314 Copper Commons Sadistic Frame Club of Nettles* (I will identify this lateR) 2 Clot Charms (healing) Scroll of Magic Missile (mage spell) There were also two groups of thugs I'm skipping in the narrative; they were harder without Swarm Curse ready, but not impossible. They gave: 19 Copper Commons 1 Copper Earring (sell) 1 Bronze Ring (sell) 1 Clot Charm (healing) 1 Bronze Bracelet (sell) 1 Copper Earring (sell) 1 Dirty Rat Charm (thief trinket)

I come up to another group of thugs and collectors, and wonder - being out of power magic as I am after the last few fights - whether we'll have to fight our way through. Their leader signals for them to stay put, and walks up to me.




I shouldn't be so cocky, tossing such an obviously fake name around, but I thought this guy might respect a bit of brash behavior.



The trapdoor he points to behind his men shows no signs of disuse; people obviously come and go from here quite regularly. I nod to my comrades, and take a step downward...



... and emerge in a fairly well-lit village of sorts! No one in the Hive mentioned that this was here. Sure it's not large, but it's remarkable that it even exists. Cracks in the "roof" allow a fairly strong light to penetrate the area. I wonder about the physics of it all, before Morte points towards a couple of thugs giving us the eye. There is no time to sit around and worry about the nature of this place I suppose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor The Buried Village is just a short little area; the only real points of interest at Marta the Seamstress's home, as she'll let you rest. There are a few quests to do here, but they're mostly pretty boring, so I won't show them off. Some thugs "give" me: 8 Copper Commons 2 Copper Rings (sell) While the following treasure can be found in garbage around town: 4 Bandages 36 Copper Commons Bone Charm (AC booster) Tarnished Silver Bracelet (sell) Silver Earring (sell)

Tired and needing an opportunity to "restock my attic", I begin searching for a place to take a short rest.



This building smells of blood and decay, even stronger than the Mortuary, which at least covered most of it up with the smell of chemicals. An older woman, about the same age as Mebbeth, is using some manner of tool on a corpse.

Morte complains about the stink, but I shush him, and move to strike up a conversation with the woman.







I... I think I must have a sadomasochist edge to me to keep doing this stupid things to my body. It doesn't take long for my intestines to start regrowing inside, although I'm left with two gifts:



I don't know if this was really worth the pain I just experienced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor +1 rings are a dime a dozen in this game; you can sell it at least once you no longer have a ring slot that needs filling, although noting that such bonuses don't tend to stack with other rings. Note, you can have her perform a frightening large number of operations on you, up to and including cracking your own skull open, but this ring is all you'll find.

My old intestines! I kind of miss them. I give them to Morte, because he complains. I wonder Marta has anything worth selling?




I feel a bit bad about lying, but then I remember that Morte is carrying my innards, and the pain in my stomach outweighs the guilt of stealing from this woman.

Along with three needles and thread, she hands me a pair of teeth that drip some sort of foul venom. I ask Morte if he'd like them, and he shrugs (in his own manner). "Sure chief, these ones I've been using have the people in them cleaned anyway".

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor These are a slight upgrade over Ingress's teeth currently, dealing the same amount of damage but conferring poison immunity, and the chance to deal a bit of extra damage sometimes. Ingress's teeth will get stronger later however. I'm only going to show off one quest down here, and a condensed version at that, and only because the reward is somewhat useful.

As I exit Marta's, I see a man standing like a stone. I decide to ask him more about this village.




I find the 'thief' he speaks of nearby.




Nothing like diplomacy to get down to solutions!

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor This quest involves talking back and forth between the two parties as they negotiate. I just skip all that and get down to threatening her. This is an evil action, but we'll make up for it (and the lying we did to Marta a bit earlier) in a second.

I grit my teeth as he leaves. What was the point of going to the trouble of getting him his number back? I do have to admire the tattoo however, it looks quite useful:



I peel her leftover skin off it and find a clear space on Dak'kon to stick it. He could always use a little more protection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Accepting the tattoo this way is, of course, Lawful Good.

On my way to Pharod's "palace", I see what looks to be a collector nursing his wounds. Curiosity gets to me, so I engage in conversation with him.




So the undead rise in the catacombs too? It wonder if the dead outnumber the living in Sigil.



A guard nods as I approach, as if he recognizes me. He just stares beyond me, as if I'm 'welcome' here. I steel myself, and prepare to enter. It took a lot of work to find this place; what's inside better be damn well worth it.



The inside of this building is - like it is outside - piled high to the ceiling. This room doesn't look any better than the rest of the village, it merely is larger, a room held precariously up by long forgotten pillars. I suppose I should not be surprised that a king of trash would choose the large pile of mud to wallow in.



As I approach the back of the room, I see the man who must be the one they call Pharod. He is old - much older than I figured - and balances himself using a cane. I notice he is inspected the room, with a look of flushed pride on his face. He catches me out of the corner of his eye, and I watch him do a slight double-take. If he was surprised to see me, he quickly hides it behind his many wrinkles. He turns back and steals a glance at his opulent throne: the hand of a large, broken (or buried?) statue, adorned with pillows.



I put on my best face (Friends Spell - the Editor), and approach "his majesty".






He seeks another promise from me? And insults the craft as he does? Hmmph, he must realize there is a reward on his head...

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor What will it be Talking Time? Will we promise him not to tattle, collect a reward instead, or insult his metaphor? Option 1: Promise that you won't reveal his "secret" (More Lawful) Option 2: Lie and go claim that reward from the Dustmen (More Chaotic) Option 3: Did he just insult compare what he does to the Art? Call him on his delusions.(Neutral)

Apologies about the break! I'd like to say that my time was taken up by work or something, but the truth is, what caused the delay was that the mayor of my city was accused of smoking crack cocaine. So I've basically been glued to Twitter rather than anything else.

I'm too lazy to do a full breakdown of the last vote, but the "evil" option squeaked by with 12 votes compared to the chaotic option with 9 votes.

Here are the new vote totals:

Alpha Werewolf [1]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Arithon32 [7]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Austin [8]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
birdiedude [2]'s new vote weight: 4 votes
Brickroad [4]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Cort [5]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Dawnswalker [3]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Destil [9]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Falselogic [2]'s new vote weight: 4 votes
Gerad [8]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Heffenfeffer [1]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
JFink [0]'s new vote weight: 3 votes
Kalir [6]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Knurek [7]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Kylie [3]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Loki [0]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Mightyblue [3]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Mogri [7]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
MoneyCityManiac [3]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Mr Sensible [5]'s new vote weight: 4 votes
Olli T [5]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Phil [9]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Raven [3]'s new vote weight: 1 votes
Soren Highwind [11]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Taeryn [5]'s new vote weight: 3 votes
Teaspoon [8]'s new vote weight: 2 votes
Torzelbaum [2]'s new vote weight: 1 votes

- Eddie

Lie to the stupid Dustman!

This is a game where we can take umbrage with bad metaphors?

I am all over this. Let's do that.

Yeah, you're more Mage than he is. #3.

Yeah, totally. Option 3.

Option 1. I'm just interested in hearing what he has to say. Screw the dustmen.

Welcome back, Eddie.

Option 3 sounds good enough for me.

Man were you around for my FFT LP? That can hardly be classified as a hiatus as far as one of my LPs is concerned.

Of course. And for Brick's FF4 LP as well. And for Brick's DQ4 LP ;_;

Thing is, I've played FFT before, so that LP I read mostly for the 'behind the scenes tech' talk (which was really amazing).
Planescape is a completely new experience to me, and while I'm not sure I'd like to [b]play[b/] it, reading about it is like having pure joy shot right into your veins.

This guy is an amateur wordsmith at best, trying to fake his way into the big leagues. We need to teach him a lesson via Option 3.

Number 2.

Option 3

UH OH.

The laptop I was playing PS:T on crapped out last night, leaving me without my save file. I'm going to try some emergency excavations hopefully this weekend; the next update's screenshots are captured, but as a word of warning, it's very likely that the screenshots are going to change size since I'm going from a laptop screen (1366 x 768) to my old computer (1280x1024).

And who knows what other changes are going to need to be made; it's quite possible my old save file won't run with the different settings. Fingers crossed however.

I'll keep you guys informed if any progress is made!

- Eddie

There's got to be a site out there that has exhaustive save files for just about every state one can get the wanderer into. (you know because nerds) Maybe that could help? Or a trainer or save game editor that might allow you to do the same thing?

Oh I could easily cheat, but there might be unforseen consequences regarding game states. I'm not against doing it tho if that's what it takes.

Given that it's an old PC game you can very likely just pull the entire install path to the new machine and run it (though I don't know, it may have some registry dependencies).

Also the console-level cheats.

So while I'm getting my LP fixed, I thought I'd throw out a few pointers for those who don't want to play a Mage...

SO YOU WANT TO BE MORE DIRECT

************************************************** **************************************************

I think if you want to get the most out of Planescape: Torment, then playing a Mage is the way to go. The experience you gain is heavily weighted towards conversation based activities, such that a high Int character will (when coupled with a high Wis) will naturally have more than a no-Int character. You can play the game as a Fighter or Thief with a crappy Strength/Dexterity/Constitution, but at that point why aren't you just biting the bullet and playing a Mage?

So here I offer some advice for would-be players who would prefer to be one of the other two classes instead. This page heavily references information that can be found in this post about game mechanics, so if you don't understand something below, see if it appears there!

Playing a Fighter

If you're a Fighter, you're going to want a high starting Strength. Wisdom is (of course) still a great thing to have, so you'll want an 18 Wisdom too. Dexterity is good for the AC bonus, but not as good as Constitution, as it requires a lot of investment into Dexterity (15+) to see any tangible benefits. Better to invest those points into Constitution such that you get the bonus hit points AND increased regeneration. Intelligence and Charisma can both be left at 9, the latter thanks to a trick (detailed below) that you can use to boost it when you need to.

The big "trick" with Fighters is in manipulating their Strength; Fighters have "percentile" strength, which means that if the Nameless One tried to increase Strength past 18 with the ability points he gains every level, he'll first go to 18/30, then 18/60, then 18/90, etc. I probably don't have to suggest that this is inefficient; ideally you'd like to jump straight from 18 to 19 Strength. Luckily, you can!

Fighters get the following specialization bonuses at levels 7 and 12, assuming it's your first class to reach such levels:

Level 7: +1 Strength, ability to reach 4 dots in proficiency with a weapon
Level 12: +1 Strength, +1 Constitution, +3 hit points, ability to reach 5 dots in a weapon.

These bonuses to strength allow the Nameless One to go straight from 18 to 19, if that's what his Strength score is when level 7/12 hits. Thus, you should aim to have a 18 strength before you hit level 7.

Thus, a good starting array will look something like this:

Strength: 18
Dexterity: 12*
Constitution: 9*
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 18
Charisma: 9

*I like a 12 Dex, because with the easily affordable Tattoo of Action that gives +1 to Dexterity, you can hit all the 13 Dex requirements that are occasionally found in the game. They're not crucial to hit tho; if you prefer, having a 12 Constitution is fine too.

When the Nameless One levels up at levels 4 and 5, you'll want to put those points into Wisdom; it's still the best stat in the game for conversations and for the experience boost. a 20 Wisdom is enough to "max" it with some clever manipulations (see below). You can put the rest of your points into Constitution until you've "skipped" from an 18 to a 19 strength, at which point you can continue raising it, if you wish.

So your leveling will look like this:

While having a particular alignment isn't necessary to complete the game, as a Fighter you pretty much want to be Lawful Good. There are two items in this game that boost constitution, and they can only be used by Lawful Good characters (and the one character capable of becoming Lawful Good is the Nameless One). Additionally, there's a check later that will award you additional points in strength equal to your "lawfulness". If you're truly lawful, you'll get a fat +3 bonus to Strength.

Thus, if you're okay with being a boy scout, you can start with an 18, let the level 7 bonus raise it to 19. As a Fighter, you can get a Tattoo once you hit level 12 that (amongst other things) gives a +3 bonus to strength, so you won't need to increase it again. Alternatively, as the game gives you a lot of Fighters, you can raise your strength by one point, and use a different tattoo you get later (Spoiler: after Ravel's Maze), although noting that it imposes a -1 penalty to your Wisdom while worn, so you might want to raise it an extra bit too. The Nameless One's inability to wear armor is a sticking point, but a high Con will let you regen quickly anyway.

You've got a variety of weapons to choose from as a Fighter, but you won't have enough Proficiency Points to master all of them. Thus, picking one weapon group is a good idea.

There's not really a "wrong" weapon group; the game will (eventually) hand you excellent weapons of all sorts. Punch Daggers are used by another party member who shows up a bit later, so while they're really good, you might not want to split the spoils with them. I think either Axes edge other weapons out slightly, so go with them if you can't choose.

As the Nameless One cannot wear armor, his AC will be the pits for the first half of the game. Later, you'll get access to tattoos and items that will help boost it into a better range, but you can otherwise rely on your big sack of regenerating hit points to carry you through. Remember that resting will always bring the Nameless One to full hit points, and that there is no real penalty for taking your time. Once you're high level and your Constitution is great, you'll find the Nameless One chews through encounters.


Playing a Thief

I think playing Torment with a thief is one of the harder things to do, because you'll pretty much be acting like a Fighter without the benefits of actually being one.

In fact, I recommend playing a Thief much like you would a Fighter; the tougher you are, the easier the time you'll have. Mimic what a Fighter would start with:

18 Strength
12 Dexterity
9 Constitution
9 Intelligence
18 Wisdom
9 Charisma

Thieves get the following specialization bonuses:
Level 7: + 1 to Dexterity
Level 12: +2 to Dexterity, +1 to luck*

*A hidden stat. It's good tho!

As you level to 4 and 5, bump Wisdom up to 20 (to eventually max it later), and then raise Dexterity six points to get to 18 (19 with the level 7 thief specialization bonus) to get the -4 to AC. I can't really recommend raising it higher, although the tattoo that becomes available for being a level 12 thief that will give it a +3 boost. From there you can try and raise Constitution as high as you can.

You could try and raise Strength if you'd like, but you'll still have to go through the percentile Strength nonsense, but without the Fighter's ability to just skip from 18 to 19. So I don't recommend touching your strength from it's starting value.

Like being a fighter, being Lawful Good will benefit you as a thief, giving you an additional +2 from items, and an additional +3 strength to make your backstabs hurt even more.

Thieves have four unique skills:

Pick Pockets: used in a handful of quests, but otherwise used to pick junk off of civilians, or to steal expensive items from stores. I don't recommend raising this; the thief that joins later can handle this if you want to do it.

Open Locks: used to get into places you shouldn't. But then again, I recommend your Thief having a high strength, so you don't really need to raise this skill.

Detect Traps: Sort of useful, but most traps in this game don't deal a lot of damage. Still, better than Pick Pockets and Open Locks.

Hide in Shadows: the most useful of the bunch, and the one you should try and max first. Hide in Shadows lets you sneak around enemies, and potentially backstab them. Get this.

As for weapons, your choice really is between clubs and punch daggers. Punch Daggers are a little better, although there's some strong clubs too that are thief-only. Be warned that the clubs lag behind until near the end of the game. Of course, not being a fighter means that you won't be able to increase your weapon proficiency past 2 dots, so temporarily switch to fighter for training and get two dots in both clubs and fist weapons. And bladed weapons if you have the points to spare. Ta da!


The downsides to a low Intelligence, and boosting it

Aside from the loss of conversation paths, there are a few things you'll miss out in the game because of it.

There are two big things you'll miss; the first is that without an 18 Intelligence, you can't "upgrade" Dak'kon to his full strength. Such a high Intelligence is needed to fully unlock and understand that Circle of Zerthimon that we've been reading. The upgrade is huge, so it's a shame to lose it.

The second is 16 Int needed to get the the "Stories-Bones-Tell" ability, which amongst other things, is needed to get an item that permanently boosts Dexterity by 1. This item, itself, require a 17 Int to get, but hopefully that isn't a problem if you can get the other.

You have a few options to temporarily boost your Intelligence:

1) Tattoos. You can get a +1 Int boost from a basic tattoo, and +2 Int from a mage-only tattoo.
2) Consumables. Later in the game, you can also get a few items that temporarily give you a +3 boost to your intelligence. These don't appear until quite late however.
3) Cranium Rat charms. These consumables are often sold in stores for a mere 60g each - although in limited quantity - and will show up on enemy corpses quite often in the late game. They give a temporary +1 Int bonus when used, and (like all items) this bonus can stack. This means that even with a low Int, it's not too difficult to hit the Int requirements!

Which is a long way of saying that a low intelligence need not hinder your ability to hit intelligence checks.

Being a part-time Mage for Fun and Profit

While you may not be playing as a Mage, you can still be one, even with a 9 intelligence. You can temporarily to get the benefit of two level 1 buffs: Friends. and Strength/Power of One. The former will let you pass pretty much every Charisma check needed in the game, while the later can give you a bit of "oomph" before a fight.

One of the common fix-pack changes - if you allow it to be on - is to maximize the "Friends" spell, such that it always gives you +8 Charisma. Even without it tho, the spell stacks, so +4d4 charisma for two castings is almost certainly going to make your Charisma (temporarily) mighty. Once you cast it, you can talk to Dak'kon to turn back into a Fighter with the Strength or Charisma buff active, or you can talk to the thief you'll eventually get (Spoiler: her name is Annah).

Of course, this means that while playing a Thief, you won't be able to easily "swap" your classes until your past a good chunk of the game.

And that's it! I hope that makes your non-Mage games of Torment a bit better!

Hmmph. I wasn't going to bring up Reekwind's tale about him, but how could I not after he deigned to insult the Art? Using magic takes skill; finding a pile of dead bodies to operate a scam is merely luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Playing the "mage" card requires not being a mage, but instead having a Charisma of 14. As we naturally only have a 13, I cast Friends before talking with him (notice how sparkly we are). Without a decently high charisma, you need to vow (or lie about vowing) to get him to tell you. This method allows you to tattle on him to the Dustmen without causing any alignment shifts. After all, you promised him nothing! It also gives you a little bit of experience you wouldn't otherwise get, which is a nice bonus!

I leave Pharod in his flustered rage. I tell the group that we'll to get him his damn sphere and get out of this special sphere of hell.

Morte tells me that this place is practically Arborea compared to a place like Baator or the Abyss. I have no idea what any of those places are, but am tired of talking so let his comments drop. This sounds like some dirty business we're getting ourselves into, and I don't need to spend it talking with him.


CHAPTER 4: WHAT LIES BENEATH, PART 2

Where we raid some tombs, talk to a wall, and find a village run by the dead.

************************************************** **************************************************

The guards eye me up and down, but they don't make any threatening moves. Then again, they barely budge at my approach, lazily leaning against the wall and gate. Given how sturdy the gate is and how lax they are at guarding it, I surmise that they aren't worried about anything coming through it.





As I glimpse behind me, the gate thugs begin locking the gate up again. I'm a little worried that there might not be anywhere to rest down in these caverns, but hopefully I can get back into the village without any trouble.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor The thugs won't let you back through the gate without a bribe, but if you've got a minimally competent strength or dexterity (a 10), you can force them to reach through the gate and grab your hand. You can also force the gate open with strength, or (if you're a thief) pick the lock, but that will make the thugs hostile. It won't cause anyone else in town to go hostile however; Pharod will just get replacement guards for the next time you swing through. If I haven't mentioned before, it's worth mentioning again: you cannot rest anywhere in Torment like you can in other Baldur's Gate games. If you need to rest, you need to find somewhere safe to do so, which usually requires permission from the person who owns/lives in whatever place you're in.

I get a feeling of deja vu when I walk into what looks to be a massive crypt, but not because of some forgotten memory. This place reminds me of the mausoleum I drove that necromancer from for the Dustmen, albeit with a thick layer of dust over everything, and a little less ambient lighting.

I immediately spot a cranium rat and motion Dak'kon and Morte to chase after it; it may be small, but if it connects with a larger group we could be in trouble.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Welcome to the Weeping Stone Caverns! Despite the number of exits, the area itself is rather short. The majority of exits are simply to small caverns with some treasure, the exceptions being the Dead Nations and Warrens of Thought. In general I would say to avoid the Warrens of Thought. There's a lot of danger there for very little reward. At the very least, it's good to visit the Dead Nations first and see what's up before checking it out. We'll leave a decision about it at the end of the update!

As we chase the rat, I notice some bodies on the ground whose age belies the condition of the equipment they wear. The momentary distraction unfortunately comes immediately after a large pack of cranium rats appear!



Lightning shoots through my body as the rats conjure a large ball of electricity at my location. It stings like the dickens, but I remain on my feet.



Spreading out, we're able to take the rats down quickly before they summon anything else nasty on top of us. One scurries away, but I motion not to chase after it until I can catch my breath (and some of the burns on my skin heal). I do add their tails to my growing collection. If I remember correctly, the zombie billboard near the Dustman bar mentioned that someone above is willing to pay for each tail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Note: they don't pay much, so I wouldn't bother unless you're a completionist like I am. Dak'kon is pushed into level 5 thanks to those rats. Aside from the hit points, level 5 also gives Dak'kon his second "pip" in edged weapons, making him specialized: +1 to hit, +2 to damage, and an additional attack every second round. Hooray!

Moving on, I find some more signs of mystery regarding this tunnels inhabitants. Perhaps these bodies are undead who were raised, equipped, and then sent out to die by a necromancer of some sort?



Regardless of who frequents these tunnels, Pharod's handiwork is ever present.



As we turn the corner, a ugly beast that looks like a headless man with bat wings for ears comes into view.

Morte pipes up "Vargouilles! Don't let em' kiss you chief!"

I give him a perplexed look, which elicits a shrug from him. "The planes boss!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Vargouilles (pronounced "var-GWEEL") are a dangerous creature in regular D&D thanks to their ability to paralyze creatures with a shriek, and to then "kiss" a paralyzed target, causing a disease that eventually kills the host and spawns another vargouille. Luckily (?) neither ability is present in this game. These "lesser" vargouilles are little more than flying meatbags.

I figure the knife I carry won't deter any... unwanted advances... so I send Morte and Dak'kon ahead. The floating monsters fall relatively quickly.



When more drop from the ceiling, I sic a swarm of insects on them. The monsters scream as the bugs tear out their eyes, and rip chunks out of their wings. Morte and Dak'kon barely have much work to do to finish them off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor These vargouilles respawn whenever you enter/exit the area. They're not worth a lot each - 200xp a pop - but if you're close to a level, you could conceivably grind them without too much difficulty.

Searching a crypt nearby, I find a clawed rod. I recognize it as carrying a minor magical spell on it. Not terribly useful, but it could be helpful for picking off cranium rats one-by-one from a distance, so I hang it on my belt.



The smell of blood can be faintly detected on the other side of the door. We cautiously enter.



Inside, the smell is naturally worse, but now joined by the smell of rust and oil. Straining my ears, I can faintly hear mechanical noises all around. I do not think the slits in the floor are for ventilation purposes however. I motion for Morte to advance. He protests, but I tell him that I don't see any other floating, highly physically resistant skulls around here.



Sure enough, Morte's motions triggers some traps as he floats across, but the blades - while potentially fatal for a creature with legs - just barely scrape Morte's uh, chin.



Morte peaks inside the coffin on the other end, but it's little more than a pile of bones. He does find a staircase however. He floats back over, trigger another string of traps, and we then follow behind him, avoiding the worst of it, before the traps reset themselves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Technically the above didn't happen; what DID happen is Morte entered the hole, and the rest of the party teleported behind him, skipping all the traps. An interesting quirk in Torment that isn't present in the other Infinity Engine games is that only one character needs to reach an exit for everyone else to be "teleported" into the next area. This can save you some time in town by parking a character next to the exit (as long as you don't need to enter a building), but here we abuse it so the Nameless One and Dak'kon don't have to trigger traps. ...not that it would be a big issue. The traps in Torment tend to be pretty weak compared to their Baldur's Gate counterparts, and this room is no exception. Still, we likely saved ourselves a few points of damage doing it this way.

Downstairs, we find where the smell of blood was coming from. Plugging my nose, I start searching the area for clues or treasure.

Nearby, I find a single tattooed arm. The clean cut seems to indicate that the traps above were the culprit.



Examining it, the arm is covered in tattoos. In fact, I think I somehow recognize some of them. They look like Fell's handiwork. I get the gut churning feeling that this arm might have been... mine... sometime ago.

With little else of value here, we follow Morte back up and out of the trapped chamber.



I begin to notice some of the carvings in the damp crypt, but am further surprised as one begins talking to me as I walk by!





The Dead Nations? That might explain the bodies. Knowing that the Warrens of Thought might be infested with cranium rats is enough for me to try and avoid it, at least for now. I hate those things.



Another small crypt lies nearby, but this one does not have any particular odor.



We enter into a fairly impressive crypt, obviously created for someone of stature. The walls looks like they're engraved with precious metals, but a closer examination reveals mere paint. Perhaps this was an attempt to dissuade grave-robbers from defacing the place? Still cautious from the last tomb we entered, I send Morte out again, although tell him he should probably avoid the centre of the room. It looks like an obvious trap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor It is an obvious trap.

Breaking into the large sarcophagus, Morte cheers as he find a hefty bag of gold, and an ornate sledgehammer.



It's fairly lightweight, and by focusing correctly, I determine that it is magically enchanted. The hammer is not my style, but I believe it will fetch a nice price.

We exit the tomb, back into the crypt above.



We find a pair of ghouls protecting a pair of tombs. Obviously intelligent, it looks like they were trying to defend their position. I don't know if that would be all that effective against cranium rats, but perhaps the wererats that the weeping stone had mentioned might be deterred by the barriers.



I enter the open tomb, hoping the ghouls outside were part of the defenders inside.



While not as large and ornate as the previous tomb, this one is much better maintained. The thick dust that covers everything above is absent here, as if someone (those ghouls?) were keeping it clean. I once again send Morte in, to check the most impressive coffin in the room.



As he split off from the group, a trio of ghouls leap down from the ceiling and from the shadows, and bare decaying fangs at us.



Caught off guard, Dak'kon and Morte are unable to adequately protect me as a ghoul rushes me, and the pair take some damage themselves trying to cut down the ghoul on me. In such close quarters, I'm unable to raise any sort of a magical defense, but I survive relatively intact, save several new scars and a large festering bite in my shoulder.

Morte and Dak'kon eventually cut two of the ghouls down, and overwhelm the third.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor These ghouls are tougher than the ones outside, so be careful. I had to use a few healing items! One of the ghouls drops a few good items: 150 copper commons 1 heart charm Bone Dagger He also has a chance of dropping a Confusion scroll, which I wanted. Alas.

The ghouls dispatched, I find a decaying corpse in the large crypt that hasn't been raised into an undead terror. I wonder what his deal was.



Still hurting, I risk opening up the last tomb. A slightly rustling can be heard as we step inside.



Unlike the last two, this is more of a mass grave. But there are signs that someone - or something - lives here.



As Morte checks ahead, a large screech telegraphs Vargouilles descending from the ceiling - well over a dozen - who immediately begin to engage with us in combat.



I help dispatch the first seven or eight with another Swarm Curse spell, but I'm not much help when the next eight or so close in. Dak'kon and Morte continue to do the heavy lifting, while I take the occasional pot-shot with my knife. I'm still too injured to stay in the thick of things for long, but if I don't help, I fear Dak'kon might be overrun.



It's a tiring battle, but we eventually stand atop a large pile of the fiend's corpses. Morte goes and sniffs around for treasure while me and Dak'kon take turns bandaging the others bite wounds.



Aside from a large pile of copper (510 pieces!), a pair of punch daggers that Morte brings back carries a strong divination aura, and a bottle with a minor evocation one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor I actually found this elsewhere in the crypt, but it fits a little better narratively here. This item can be used once to cast "Elysium's Tears", which is an unexciting spell that can deal a small amount of damage to enemies in an small area. I'm not a big fan as the animation is long, but it will be handy a bit later in the game.

Engraved on one of the punch dagger blades is the word "Moorin". Morte says he recognizes it:

Quote:

Originally Posted by PUNCH DAGGERS OF MOORIN These daggers were once wielded by Moorin, the jinxed. Moorin was a hapless young woman who became a thief through a series of disasters. Each of these "accidents" resulted in the death of the trainer for whatever profession she chose. Out of desperation Moorin trained herself in the art of Thievery with laughable results. Moorin's thieving career was filled with numerous mishaps that involved her in combat situations. Each such combat often ended with Moorin seriously wounded and thrown into prison. When it became obvious that Moorin was not long for this world her father, Arch-mage Xoorcon, created these magical blades for her to use. With the luck provided by her new blades Moorin was actually able to successfully strike an opponent in combat (which came as a shock to her). While her opponent was busy bleeding, Moorin would make good her escape. Unfortunately, during one such escape, Moorin tripped, fell on her dagger and died before she could staunch the bleeding from her wounds."

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor This weapon is awesome, and worth hanging onto even if your Nameless One isn't trained in them. We'll get a character a bit later who can use them.

I ask him if there is a moral to the story. He replies,

"Sorry chief, all you'll get from me is molars."

He then clicks his teeth in satisfaction while I bristle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Another 10 HP and +1 to hit for our Morte!

Exiting the burial ground, we find a pair of Wererats nearby, perhaps emboldened by the ghouls no longer stationed there. Morte and Dak'kon take them out quickly, but I don't bother exploring what they're guarding. It's probably the Warrens of Thought that the weeping stone warned about, and I have no desire to enter a lair of cranium rats when I'm hurt, out of spells, and otherwise unprepared.

With only one other direction available, we enter into the final crypt. The absence of dust on the floor around here indicates that quite a bit of traffic; this is probably the "Dead Nations" that the stone mentioned. I've had better luck killing the undead than rats, so I decide to take my chances.



As I step through the inner door...



... I find a huge welcoming party. Ghouls and skeletons quickly swarm around me, but they do not move to attack. Unlike the undead in the Mortuary, I sense a high degree of awareness and coordination in the way these creatures move and act. The largest one, wearing what looks to be clerical robes and a giant staff of some shamanic significance raises his free hand and begins to slowly speak.



Even at my full strength, I doubt my ability to fight these monsters. I motion for Dak'kon and Morte to yield.





I'm escorted through some musty hallways, and brought to a large room. To my surprise, I find a Dustman inside! So I am not the only living "prisoner".




I just at a chance to let my wounds knit, and to refill my "attic".

Quote:

Welcome to the Dead Nations! Like you might have guessed by now, this is a place where intelligent undead live. The undead here will not attack you unless you do so first (which is a bad idea anyway, as there are some decent rewards here). There are three types of creatures who live here: 1. Skeletons, who you can talk to normally, 2. Zombies, who due to their state of decay, have troubles speaking, and 3. Ghouls, who would (were it not for the Silent King's rules) rather eat you alive. They won't attack however, unless you manage to upset the social order ha ha ha.

Outside of Soego's room, we take a closer look at the great cathedral we were briefly led through. Pharod suggested that everything here was once part of Sigil; I wonder what events would transpire for such a magnificent structure to find itself buried and forgotten. Unlike the rest of this "village", it is obvious that great care has been taken to keep it clean.



We find out captor pacing around outside of the cathedral. He appears to be pacing around, examining the area in silence.





At that, it stops speaking and continues to stare at me. Lacking anything else to ask, I nod and wander away.



Inside one of the buildings, I find a female zombie who appears to be giving directions to some other zombies. Sensing that she may hold some answers, I speak with her.



Drat! Her vocal capabilities have been compromised it seems. But how does she communicate with the other zombies? Peering around, it appears that the skeletons and ghouls can talk just fine. Surely they must communicate with the zombies somehow...



I head back to Soego's room to ponder this. It seems like we'll be here for sometime, so I figure there's no need to rush things. Wishing for some inspiration, I turn to Dak'kon's Unbroken Circle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIFTH CIRCLE OF ZERTHIMON "Zerthimon was the first to *know* the way to freedom. Yet it was not he that first came to *know* the way of rebellion. "The *knowing* of rebellion came to the warrior-queen Gith, one of the People. She had served the *illithids* upon many of the False Worlds as a soldier, and she had come to *know* war and carried it in her heart. She had come to *know* how others might be organized to subjugate others. She *knew* the paths of power, and she *knew* the art of taking from the conquerors the weapons by which they could be defeated. Her mind was focused, and both her will and her blade were as one. "The turning in which Zerthimon came to *know* Gith, Zerthimon ceased to *know* himself. Her words were as fires lit in the hearts of all who heard her. In hearing her words, he wished to *know* war. He *knew* not what afflicted him but he *knew* he wished to join his blade to Gith. He wished to give his hate expression and share his pain with the *illithid*. "Gith was one of the People, but her *knowing* of herself was greater than any Zerthimon had ever encountered. She *knew* the ways of the flesh, she *knew* the *illithids* and in *knowing* herself, she was to *know* how to defeat them in battle. The strength of *knowing* was so great, that all those that walked her path came to *know* themselves. "Gith was but one. Her strength was such that it caused other to *know* their strength. And Zerthimon laid his steel at her feet."

Thinking a bit on the lesson, I turn to Dak'kon.




I feel like I'm really getting to the interesting part of Zerthimon's story, so I decide to read the next circle too. I inscribe the new spell I'm taught into my spellbook first however.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor This is just like Dak'kon's version, a slightly modified "Strength" spell that lasts half as long but is a little more effective: Quote: Originally Posted by POWER OF ONE (Level 2) Duration: 30 mins per level Speed: 2 Area of Effect: Person touched Saving Throw: None And from Gith, the warrior-queen, came the *knowing* of oneself. And from the *knowing*, came immense power. This spell increases the target's Strength score by a certain number of points (or tenths of points above 18) which will still be qualified by race/class restrictions. The spell cannot bestow a Strength of 21 or greater. The bonus is as follows: Priest 1d6+1 points Rogue 1d6+1 points Warrior 1d8+1 points Wizard 1d4+1 points "Like most of Dak'kon's spells, this one is an alternative version of the Mage "Strength" spell. It loses half its duration (which isn't a big deal for a spell that's usually measured in hours), but gives an additional point of strength over the Mage equivalent. This spell is great to use on anyone who will be in melee combat, as long as their strength isn't abysmal. - The Editor"

I then dive into the next chapter of Zerthimon's tale.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Note: I'm doing this for the experience; apologies for back-to-back text dumps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIXTH CIRCLE OF ZERTHIMON "Upon the Blasted Plains, Zerthimon told Gith there cannot be two skies. In the wake of his words, came war. "Upon the Blasted Plains, the People had achieved victory over their *illithid* masters. They *knew* freedom. "Yet before the green fires had died from the battlefield, Gith spoke of continuing the war. Many still filled with the bloodlust in their hearts, agreed with her. She spoke of not merely defeating the *illithids* but destroying all *illithids* across the Planes. After the *illithids* had been exterminated, they would bring war to all other races they encountered. "In Gith's heart, fires raged. She lived in war, and in war, she *knew* herself. All that her eyes saw, she wanted to conquer. "Zerthimon spoke the beginnings of that which was against Gith's will. He spoke that the People already *knew* freedom. Now they should *know* themselves again and mend the damage that had been done to the People. Behind his words were many other hearts of the People who were weary of the war against the *illithid*. "*Know* that Gith's heart was not Zerthimon's heart on this matter. She said that the war would continue. The *illithid* would be destroyed. Their flesh would be no more. Then the People would claim the False Worlds as their own. Gith told Zerthimon that they would be under the same sky in this matter. The words were like bared steel. "From Zerthimon came the Pronouncement of Two Skies. In the wake of his words came war."

I figured the romance between Zerthimon and Gith couldn't last. But something is bothering me about this series of tales; the shadow of the Fourth Circle - where Vilquar betrayed the Gith, but whose treachery allowed the illithids to believe the Gith to be broken - still weighed on my mind. I turn to Dak'kon for answers.