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

aw, did my vote disappear into the Abyss? Spooky!

(never mind, it wouldn't have changed the ultimate result anyway.)

Sorry I missed it! I've updated the spreadsheet so it's reflected (your next vote will be worth 2).

CHAPTER 2: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, PART 4

In which we get our eyes tested, learn a new language, and discover why treating your teeth well is important.

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

It is regrettable that her sisters were taken from her, but I've been attacked on the street several times since I've gotten here (well, since I 'remember' getting here at least). This is just a city you have to learn to protect yourself in.

Anyway, the death of three of these "Chaosmen" won't balance any books. I leave her to mourn.



I've being wondering how I can help Ingress; I need someone who's a real expert on portals. With few leads, I figure there are worse places to look than in the watering holes of this place, so I head back to the Smoldering Corpse.



If I remember bars (and well, I guess I don't), the bartender should be a good place to start.




I feel a bit weak after ripping my eye out and replacing it, but am otherwise fine. The memory is a bit disturbing - why couldn't it have been of something happy? - but I suppose getting any piece of my past is a good deal. I hope they don't each cost me a few hundred coppers however.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor It requires a 13 Charisma to knock the price down to 300 copper. Replacing your eye deals about 16 damage to you, so make sure you've got that much before trying to insert it, else you'll end up killing yourself (well, waking up back in the Mortuary...) I talked about "proficencies" in the mechanics write up; this isn't very useful to us as a Mage, but the 1000xp we got for doing this too was nice.

The bartender pointed to a slightly-tangible man nearby, and said "that's Candrian; if you're looking for a portal he's your guy." I steel my nerves; this guy looks like he's done it all.




Candrian handed me a very interesting item, but I don't plan to run into any shadows if I can help it, so who knows how useful it will be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEGATIVE TOKEN Special: Ward against Shadows Special: Holds Shadow Creatures Temporarily This is a "negative token": a flat, black disk that appears to have no substance to it at all. Turning it over reveals that it has no third dimension - there is no thickness to this item at all. It gives you some command over creatures of shadow - you can command them to stand still for a few precious seconds. The more powerful the shadow, the less likely it will obey your command. As an added benefit, as long as this token is carried by *any* of your party members, it acts as a ward against shadows. It will not prevent shadows from attacking your group, but the shadows will find it more difficult to harm you while this Token is carried.

At least now Ingress will get the help she needs. Candrian says he'll be along soon, once he finishes his drink and pays his tab. I think about offering him one of my eyes for his trouble to pay for it, but decide that the bartender is probably sick of holding on to such things after fifteen years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Ebb and Candrian can be VERY wordy. Ebb will tell you about Sigil, which is neat but we'll get the information he tells you about from other characters. Candrian might potentially have the most dialogue outside of the major characters in this game. It's all pretty much fluff however, as while learning about the differences between the planes is good, it's not really necessary for this game. We'll explore most of what he would say in bonus posts. The Negative Token is VERY useful, so hang onto it. It can be equipped as a ring, but its powers don't require it to be anywhere but in your inventory somewhere.

I head back outside to try and find Ingress.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor I get attacked by thugs as I leave; I mop them up easily and gain: 2 Copper Commons 2 Copper Earrings (sell)

I spend some time running around the Hive looking for Ingress, before deciding that the best way to catch a fast-moving object in a city that has no finite "end" is to stand in one place and wait for them to return.

While looking for a good place to survey the area, I see a strange man, who appears to be floating off the ground. He carries a hammer, and is shaping (or reshaping?) a wall separating the Mortuary from the rest of the Hive. I've seen what looks like identical twins (triplets? Quintuplets?) of him around; I decide to engage him and see who (or what) he is.





I've got a very good - bad? - feeling that I should give this "Lady of Pain" the widest of berths. I would be curious to know more about her however...

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor If you don't have a high enough Wisdom, Morte or Dak'kon can translate their rebuses for you (but you don't get the experience that way). In case you don't know what a rebus is, they look something like this:

Shivering a little, I catch Ingress out of the corner of my eye, as she continues to run around madly.



I tell her to wait here by the giant... structure, so Candrian can find her. She appears positively... normal... compared to the madness that was gripping her mere seconds ago.

After a short while, Candrian comes. I nod and tell him I'll meet him back at the Smoldering Corpse.



While I'm waiting for Candrian to return, I decide to study the next Circle of Zerthimon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE SECOND CIRCLE OF ZERTHIMON "*Know* that flesh cannot mark steel. *Know* that steel may mark flesh. In *knowing* this, Zerthimon became free. "*Know* that the tentacled ones were of flesh. They relied on the flesh and used it as tools for their will. One of the places where flesh served their will was the Fields of Husks on the False Worlds of the *illithids*. "The Fields were where the bodies of the People were cast after the *illithids* had consumed their brains. When the brain had been devoured, the husks came to be fertilizer to grow the poison-stemmed grasses of the *illithids*. Zerthimon worked the Fields with no *knowing* of himself or what he had become. He was a tool of the flesh, and the flesh was content. "It was upon these Fields that Zerthimon came to *know* the scripture of steel. During one of the turnings, as Zerthimon tilled the Fields with his hands, he came across a husk whose brain remained within it. It had not been used as food. Yet it was dead. "The thought that one of the husks had died a death without serving as food for the *illithids* was a thought Zerthimon had difficulty understanding. From that thought, came a desire to *know* what had happened to the husk. "Embedded in the skull of the husk was a steel blade. It had pierced the bone. Zerthimon realized that was what had killed the husk. The steel had marked the flesh, but the flesh had not marked the steel. "Zerthimon took the blade and studied its surface. In it, he saw his reflection. It was in the reflection of the steel that Zerthimon first *knew* himself. Its edge was sharp, its will the wearer's. It was the blade that would come to be raised against Gith when Zerthimon made the Pronouncement of Two Skies. "Zerthimon kept the blade for many turnings, and many were the thoughts he had about it. He used it in the fields to aid his work. In using it, he thought the thoughts he had about it. He used it in the fields to aid his work. In using it, he thought about how it was not used. "The *illithids* were powerful. Zerthimon believed that there was nothing that they did not *know*. Yet the *illithids* never carried tools of steel. They only used flesh as tools. Everything was done through flesh, for the tentacled ones were made of flesh, and they *knew* flesh. Yet steel was superior to flesh. When the blade had killed the husk, it was the flesh that had been weaker than the steel. "It was then that Zerthimon came to *know* that flesh yielded to steel. In *knowing* that, he came to *know* that steel was stronger than the *illithids*. "Steel became the scripture of the People. *Know* that steel is the scripture by which the People came to *know* freedom."

I try and think deeper than the obvious: sure the sword can kill the illithids, but how do you determine that if you've never seen a weapon before?

Quote:

Successfully learning the Second Circle of Zerthimon teaches you one of Dak'kon's spells; you saw this in a previous update, but here it is again: Quote: Originally Posted by SCRIPTURE OF STEEL (Level 1) Range: 150 ft. Duration: 30 seconds Speed: 1 Area of Effect: 50 feet cube Saving Throw: None One of the earliest teachings of Zerthimon, this incantation reflects what *knowing* that flesh yields to steel achieves: bestowing a greater advantage to strike and the strength to resist damage. Scripture of Steel grants +1 to hit and +1 to saves to all creatures that are "Friendly" to PC in a 50 feet radius from the casting point. "This is essentially a Mage version of the Priest Spell "Blessing". Blessing is good for a level one spell, so having one or two of these memorized before wading into a fight isn't a bad idea. - The Editor"

Shortly after adding Dak'kon's spell to my book, Candrian comes in. He's not really the sort that smiles, but I can tell that he's succeeded in helping Ingress.




Teeth? Well, er... that's... different.



I wonder if Morte can use these... things.







Ha! I like these teeth! I lift my arm over to Morte, and the teeth move clacking (in a cheerful sort of way) into Morte's mouth. He'll get over this humiliation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Ingress's Teeth are at this point, a minor upgrade over Morte's normal bite attack, dealing 1 to 6 rather than 1 to 4 damage. As Morte gains levels, you can upgrade these teeth, turning them into a magical weapon. There's very few "Teeth" weapons in this game - only three to be precise, four if you cheat - so you'll definitely want to get these. At level 5, you can turn Ingress's Teeth into a +1 weapon that deals either Crushing or Piercing Damage. At level 8, you can turn Ingress's Teeth into a +2 weapon that deals either Crushing or Piercing Damage. At level 12, you can turn Ingress's Teeth into a +3 weapon that deals either Crushing or Piercing Damage, with a chance to Paralyze the enemy.

Stepping outside the Smoldering Corpse, I hear the cries of a lady in trouble.




This "damsel" is obviously lying to me. I feel angry that she would try and use such a story... and to what ends? Likely to mug them no doubt. I ponder whether to teach this lady a lesson...

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Editor Our next decision is before us! Do we: 1) Threaten her to tell you the truth or you'll kill her (More Evil) 2) Lie and say you'll kill her if he doesn't tell you the truth (More Chaotic) 3) Walk away (Neutral).

I was all set to pick "just play along with her" before I saw that wasn't an option.

Option 2.

That's a really boring rebus, by the way. Does the game give you any of the ones the dabus says?

Sadly, playing along is not an option once you figure out she's trying to trick you.

Sorry if that rebus wasn't up to your exacting standards. I'm changing your alignment to chaotic jerk.

I'm torn here... but we can always kill her afterwards!

Option 2

Option 2.

Option 1, obviously.

Option 2. I wanna do more silly sidequests, dammit!

Well I'd LIKE to say that we should walk away here, but who knows what she and whatever crew she's got are up to.

If we turn our backs on her, things will probably go badly. Let's just find out what she's up to, preferably without starting a fight.

Listen, if you stop to help and/or threaten every barmy chit in Sigil, you'll never get anything else done.

Walk away.

Option 2

Lawful Neutral. She's a liar, but not in a way that is any detriment to us. We saw the lie, now we leave it.

Walk Away.

Re: Rebus:

Yes-es + Elm -lm + Fucking Rebus - Fucking Rebu

Option 1. Nobody screws with us!

This woman is not interesting enough. Walk away with mildly disgusted face.

Just walk away. No good can come of this confrontation. Yes, I realize this doesn't match my alignment choice, but I care more about the story than overoptimizing towards my desired result.

This lady isn't worth it. Walk away.

Sorry, I didn't realize you made it yourself at first. Points for effort!

The answer is a resounding yes.

I'm unsure on the implications of option 2. Are we lying because we won't kill her if she doesn't tell the truth, or are we lying because we'll kill her either way? If it's the latter, option 2; otherwise, option 1.

Walk Away

Option 1 means we're serious about trying to kill her if she doesn't cough up the truth.
Option 2 means we're not serious about trying to kill her, but are trying to intimidate her into thinking we would.

To put it more bluntly, we'll likely kill her if you choose option 1. You'll won't try and kill her if you choose option 2.

As an aside, I'm getting the feeling that people don't really dig these minor "quests" (if I can call them that), despite their tangible effects on alignment, so I'm going to probably just skip them and try and give you guys more meatier choices.

I like my interpretation better.

Clearly these NPCs need to learn their lesson. If we want to go on a sidequest, we'll ask. Running around yelling for the help of some knightly player character and then trying to trick them into some kind of ambush in a game like Planescape is not a good idea and this "damsel" is about to learn why.

Option 1

Walk away. Sure, death is not much of an obstacle for us, but if they can't even be bothered to set up a decent trap, why should we even bother walking into it?

I'm also disappointed we don't have an option for "play dumb and see what they're getting into". And sidequest or no sidesquest, do we *really* wanna establish ourselves as "that guy who tries to kill anybody who threatens him, annoys him, or bumps into him while walking down the street"?

Not that there aren't people like that in Sigil, but it does seem kinda disproportionate to the situation. So that's Option Three, then.

Yes. How is this even a question?

Current vote count:

Name (alignment) = (vote weight), (vote choice)
Arithon32 () = 1, 3
Austin (Chaotic Good) = 1, 2
Brickroad (Lawful Evil) = 3, 3
Cort (Neutral Good) = 1, 2
Destil (Chaotic Good) = 1, 2
Falselogic (Chaotic Evil) = 4, 2
Gerad (Chaotic Neutral) = 1, 2
Kalir (True Neutral) = 1, 2
Knurek () = 2, 1
Kylie (Lawful Neutral) = 2, 3
Mightyblue () = 2, 3
Mr Sensible (Neutral Good) = 2, 2
Olli T (Lawful Evil) = 1, 1
Phil (Chaotic Good) = 1, 3
Raven (Neutral Evil) = 1, 3
Soren Highwind (Neutral Good) = 1, 3
Taeryn (Chaotic Good) = 3, 1
Teaspoon (Chaotic Neutral) = 2, 3

Option = Total # of votes
Option 1 (Evil: kill her if she doesn't tell you the truth) = 6 votes
Option 2 (Chaotic: lie that you'll kill her if she doesn't tell you the truth) = 11 votes
Option 3 (Neutral: walk away) = 13 votes

Mogri I'm a bit confused about what option you're leaning towards, so I haven't put down any votes from you yet.

Option 1, option 1