Hey everyone,
At first I hope it's a good category to place my topic, if not, well.. I'm the Antagonist, I don't care ;)
I know I could as well simply ask the damn question but I feel like explaining to you what, why and when. Hope you enjoy, and sorry if mine speak bad English, this no the language of my ancestors ;)
It has been a long time since I played the original BGs, and now I am on my first playthrough with the Enhanced Edition. My protagonist is a human male Wild Mage, Azariel, whose Chaotic Neutral alignment always caused him to get in a lot of trouble, which at this moment caused him to end up in the middle of the Underdark. I mean, he is, like the magic he uses, totally unpredictable, and I am not talking about Neera-like unpredictable. He doesn't care about anything. Or didn't.
Back at the time, when he traveled along the Sword Coast, young and unexperienced, he stuck with Khalid and Jaheira, both of them protected him, as was their duty as Gorion's friends. There was also Imoen of course, and Branwen. The party helped him, kept him safe both from physical danger and the worse one, temptations. Thoughts of power. His fascination with wild magic combined with constant threat caused him to think about Power more and more frequently. But the good party was always there. However, everything changed when he met Dorn. And this was when his friends lost the battle. Dorn showed him power, he was a walking fortress, always confident, always strong. He had goals, he had means to achieve them and because of all the burden that Azariel had to bear, Dorn became his idol. Wherever they came, whatever they did, there was always someone that tried to kill them. Assassins, hired thugs and mercenaries, the further he went the deadlier they were, their swords sharper, their magic stronger and their attacks harder to survive. And yet, all but Dorn kept him away from trying to improve his skills, tame the wild magic and shape it into a powerful weapon that would destroy his foes.
As Dorn joined the party, the rest backed down, their influence grew weaker, and every attempt to reason ended with an argument. Still, they did not turn their backs on Azariel, maybe because they still had faith, maybe they became afraid of Dorn's temper, if he made this treachery personal. So the story went on, Azariel's choices were always a lottery, no morality, no hate, no good intentions, no desire for wealth. A chaos that grew stronger, caused him to help the innocent at one time because he just felt like it, just to laugh at someones misery a few hours later, help a shadow skinned Tel'Quessir in need, just to watch her walk away into the hostile world. But the deeper he went into what was ahead, the more he started to hate. The more Dorn kept talking about how pointless trust can be, the more he started to question the world around him. And then, one night at the inn, he heard about Durlag. A story so grim, so cryptic, his curiosity grew stronger until he finally decided to set path and travel to the mysterious tower. We all know what happened there. And we know what he's been through. Khalid lost it, Imoen couldn't sleep for weeks. But time was running out, they already knew about Sarevok, he grew stronger and they couldn't stop now. The trauma was still there when they fought Sarevok, and just when they thought they can cure their minds and souls, Jon Irenicus came.
The eternity spent in captivity, the surrounding death, the things that were to come after they got out, after they found out what happened to Jaheira's husband... Azariel fell out with her, turned down that dumb wannabe ranger with his stupid rodent, who claimed to have met him back in Nashkel. Filled with hate and anger, he started to assemble a new company. One that will support his efforts, instead of holding him back. Because it was his former friends that were responsible for all that happened, for him being too weak to fight Irenicus when he got them near Baldur's Gate. He met his old "friend" Dorn, who then introduced him to a dwarf he met at Copper Coronet. At the same place, they met a strangely behaving woman who insisted to go to the graveyard, and since Korgan also had a business there, they let her go with them. The surprising set of events that gave them the opportunity to accept a vampire to their company pleased Azariel.
After a few days destiny once more had him rescue the unlucky drow that he once met before. This time, in time of need, he let her stay, although not sure if she is so valuable, if he has already seen her twice, begging for her life. But a help of a cleric was much appreciated, since that gay-looking Anomen DelSomething in the Copper Coronet happened to be somehow related to the Order of the Radiant Heart, and since a few days earlier the whole company's party at the Orders place went wrong, Anomen had to die.
So there he was, the child of Bhaal and his fellowship of revenge, once again on a war path, trying to settle down a debt, searching power, fighting their way through trouble they somehow had a talent to find. Viconia turned out to be a very useful companion, and an attractive one as well. But then things have changed as Azariel, the Wild Mage, met Neera. This was something unpredictable, as his whole life was, but as much as he learned to be ever prepared, he did not expect this. He fell in love. Forgot about Irenicus, about the debt, the pain and all that has been pushing him forward for so long. Maybe it was the common type of magic they were both into, maybe her character and unpredictable, yet so well known to Azariel, nature? It didn't matter, as he held back all his plans and focused his efforts to help her cause. And then, everything started to collapse. Though they still loved each other, Hayes's treachery unleashed an uncontrollable rage, that started to slowly consume Azariel from the inside. The revenge on red wizards was a total slaughter, though he satisfied his thrist for blood, he became more and more short-tempered and furious. He decided to pursue Irenicus once again, by any means necessary, showing no mercy to anyone foolish enough to show any sign of weakness. Shadow Thieves, fight with Bodhi, Spellhold... Through all this time, Neera stood at his side and supported him. She felt the same, after what happened to her friends. But then, as her anger weakened, she started to realise that her beloved one has fallen into a self-propelling wheel of hatred, fury and chaos. It was not like the chaos of their magic, it was dark and evil, and she did not know a way to stop this. She feared him though she still wanted to be with him. But her spirit finally gave up when Azariel transformed when they were making their way out of Spellhold. And he saw that. He saw that she doesn't believe anymore, he saw that her feelings are not strong enough, that she cannot accept him for who he is. And as they entered the Underdark, dark thoughts invaded his mind, he started to think about Viconia, that she never judged him, she never tried to make him change his mind. She lived in the harsh, deadly environment of the Underdark, then she fought her way on the surface. After all, these two times when he had to save her, were probably nothing compared to the probably countless times, when she survived encounters with the world that hated her. Yes.. She was strong.
Phew! That was exhausting. I'm pretty sure the online dictionary hates me right now, sorry for any mistakes though, I don't feel like I can make this whole essay more grammatically correct :D
So that's it. My party's reputation reached 2 and I am aware that Neera will inevitably leave my party, because Azariel has already gone too far into chaos. And this is where the whole story is at a turning point, which I am not sure can be achieved. I already turned down the first romance dialogue with Viccy, but I don't remember if I was already in romance with Neera, and it never showed up again. Though Dorn tried to seduce me twice, when I already was in romance so I have faith. So the question is - will I be able to romance with Viccy after Neera leaves Azariel and he, in a moment of fury, will slaughter her? (That's mean, I know. But it's going to happen.)
At first I hope it's a good category to place my topic, if not, well.. I'm the Antagonist, I don't care ;)
I know I could as well simply ask the damn question but I feel like explaining to you what, why and when. Hope you enjoy, and sorry if mine speak bad English, this no the language of my ancestors ;)
It has been a long time since I played the original BGs, and now I am on my first playthrough with the Enhanced Edition. My protagonist is a human male Wild Mage, Azariel, whose Chaotic Neutral alignment always caused him to get in a lot of trouble, which at this moment caused him to end up in the middle of the Underdark. I mean, he is, like the magic he uses, totally unpredictable, and I am not talking about Neera-like unpredictable. He doesn't care about anything. Or didn't.
Back at the time, when he traveled along the Sword Coast, young and unexperienced, he stuck with Khalid and Jaheira, both of them protected him, as was their duty as Gorion's friends. There was also Imoen of course, and Branwen. The party helped him, kept him safe both from physical danger and the worse one, temptations. Thoughts of power. His fascination with wild magic combined with constant threat caused him to think about Power more and more frequently. But the good party was always there. However, everything changed when he met Dorn. And this was when his friends lost the battle. Dorn showed him power, he was a walking fortress, always confident, always strong. He had goals, he had means to achieve them and because of all the burden that Azariel had to bear, Dorn became his idol. Wherever they came, whatever they did, there was always someone that tried to kill them. Assassins, hired thugs and mercenaries, the further he went the deadlier they were, their swords sharper, their magic stronger and their attacks harder to survive. And yet, all but Dorn kept him away from trying to improve his skills, tame the wild magic and shape it into a powerful weapon that would destroy his foes.
As Dorn joined the party, the rest backed down, their influence grew weaker, and every attempt to reason ended with an argument. Still, they did not turn their backs on Azariel, maybe because they still had faith, maybe they became afraid of Dorn's temper, if he made this treachery personal. So the story went on, Azariel's choices were always a lottery, no morality, no hate, no good intentions, no desire for wealth. A chaos that grew stronger, caused him to help the innocent at one time because he just felt like it, just to laugh at someones misery a few hours later, help a shadow skinned Tel'Quessir in need, just to watch her walk away into the hostile world. But the deeper he went into what was ahead, the more he started to hate. The more Dorn kept talking about how pointless trust can be, the more he started to question the world around him. And then, one night at the inn, he heard about Durlag. A story so grim, so cryptic, his curiosity grew stronger until he finally decided to set path and travel to the mysterious tower. We all know what happened there. And we know what he's been through. Khalid lost it, Imoen couldn't sleep for weeks. But time was running out, they already knew about Sarevok, he grew stronger and they couldn't stop now. The trauma was still there when they fought Sarevok, and just when they thought they can cure their minds and souls, Jon Irenicus came.
The eternity spent in captivity, the surrounding death, the things that were to come after they got out, after they found out what happened to Jaheira's husband... Azariel fell out with her, turned down that dumb wannabe ranger with his stupid rodent, who claimed to have met him back in Nashkel. Filled with hate and anger, he started to assemble a new company. One that will support his efforts, instead of holding him back. Because it was his former friends that were responsible for all that happened, for him being too weak to fight Irenicus when he got them near Baldur's Gate. He met his old "friend" Dorn, who then introduced him to a dwarf he met at Copper Coronet. At the same place, they met a strangely behaving woman who insisted to go to the graveyard, and since Korgan also had a business there, they let her go with them. The surprising set of events that gave them the opportunity to accept a vampire to their company pleased Azariel.
After a few days destiny once more had him rescue the unlucky drow that he once met before. This time, in time of need, he let her stay, although not sure if she is so valuable, if he has already seen her twice, begging for her life. But a help of a cleric was much appreciated, since that gay-looking Anomen DelSomething in the Copper Coronet happened to be somehow related to the Order of the Radiant Heart, and since a few days earlier the whole company's party at the Orders place went wrong, Anomen had to die.
So there he was, the child of Bhaal and his fellowship of revenge, once again on a war path, trying to settle down a debt, searching power, fighting their way through trouble they somehow had a talent to find. Viconia turned out to be a very useful companion, and an attractive one as well. But then things have changed as Azariel, the Wild Mage, met Neera. This was something unpredictable, as his whole life was, but as much as he learned to be ever prepared, he did not expect this. He fell in love. Forgot about Irenicus, about the debt, the pain and all that has been pushing him forward for so long. Maybe it was the common type of magic they were both into, maybe her character and unpredictable, yet so well known to Azariel, nature? It didn't matter, as he held back all his plans and focused his efforts to help her cause. And then, everything started to collapse. Though they still loved each other, Hayes's treachery unleashed an uncontrollable rage, that started to slowly consume Azariel from the inside. The revenge on red wizards was a total slaughter, though he satisfied his thrist for blood, he became more and more short-tempered and furious. He decided to pursue Irenicus once again, by any means necessary, showing no mercy to anyone foolish enough to show any sign of weakness. Shadow Thieves, fight with Bodhi, Spellhold... Through all this time, Neera stood at his side and supported him. She felt the same, after what happened to her friends. But then, as her anger weakened, she started to realise that her beloved one has fallen into a self-propelling wheel of hatred, fury and chaos. It was not like the chaos of their magic, it was dark and evil, and she did not know a way to stop this. She feared him though she still wanted to be with him. But her spirit finally gave up when Azariel transformed when they were making their way out of Spellhold. And he saw that. He saw that she doesn't believe anymore, he saw that her feelings are not strong enough, that she cannot accept him for who he is. And as they entered the Underdark, dark thoughts invaded his mind, he started to think about Viconia, that she never judged him, she never tried to make him change his mind. She lived in the harsh, deadly environment of the Underdark, then she fought her way on the surface. After all, these two times when he had to save her, were probably nothing compared to the probably countless times, when she survived encounters with the world that hated her. Yes.. She was strong.
Phew! That was exhausting. I'm pretty sure the online dictionary hates me right now, sorry for any mistakes though, I don't feel like I can make this whole essay more grammatically correct :D
So that's it. My party's reputation reached 2 and I am aware that Neera will inevitably leave my party, because Azariel has already gone too far into chaos. And this is where the whole story is at a turning point, which I am not sure can be achieved. I already turned down the first romance dialogue with Viccy, but I don't remember if I was already in romance with Neera, and it never showed up again. Though Dorn tried to seduce me twice, when I already was in romance so I have faith. So the question is - will I be able to romance with Viccy after Neera leaves Azariel and he, in a moment of fury, will slaughter her? (That's mean, I know. But it's going to happen.)