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Avernum Mage Poll! Who was craziest? in The Avernum Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, February 5 2005 08:28 Profile Homepage #17
X doesn't have a known gender! How can he change it?

—Alorael, who will make the new wild conjecture that X is actually a talking skull with a great deal of magical skill. He has all the robes and aura of mystery such to hide his inner irreverent and irritating self.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Speculating about Avernum 4's plot in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, February 4 2005 11:20 Profile Homepage #123
Yes, there are many clans of vahnatai. Rentar-Ihrno's clan is the one you interact with in A2 and A3, but there are others, and probably still some who haven't heard of humans.

I don't disagree that the vahnatai are physically frail, but I don't remember where anyone claims that the vahnatai are inferior warriors. They have inferior weapons in some ways, but compare the vahnatai to the humans and the vahnatai are clearly superior. (Your party doesn't count for the obvious reason that you can single-handedly dismantle an entire province of the Empire.)

—Alorael, who would not be too sure that Spiderweb is not trying to be Blizzard. For one thing, Blizzard makes good money churning out its games. For another, Jeff has said that he caters to the hack and slash crowd.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
There is no love here. in Richard White Games
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, February 4 2005 11:14 Profile Homepage #2
I have no love in my heart.

—Alorael, who lost it all to pointless topics.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Exile 3 - Evil Acolyte in Bolton in The Exile Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, February 3 2005 14:12 Profile Homepage #3
Yes, the priest is probably a mistake. Either that or he's more evil than he seems.

—Alorael, who also credits Oppenheimer with being the "father" of one of the most misattributed phrases ever. "I am become death, destroyer of worlds," may have been his own odd translation (doubtful), but it's definitely the Bhagavad Gita.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Avernum Mage Poll! Who was craziest? in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, February 3 2005 11:42 Profile Homepage #14
Tolkien was an Old English scholar and a linguist (yes, that's why he got away with manufacturing more languages than anyone should). He definitely got to dig into all the old mythologies. Other fantasy tends to fall into the same category of people working on rethinking mythology, modern or ancient, or the category of imitation.

—Alorael, who doesn't think all the imitators are bad by any means. It's just worth noting that new strains of fantasy are rare, and most don't spawn anywhere near the magnitude of imitations good and bad as Tolkien has.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Avernum Mage Poll! Who was craziest? in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, February 2 2005 17:23 Profile Homepage #12
Main Entry: mage
Pronunciation: 'mAj
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin magus
: MAGUS

Main Entry: sor·cer·er
Pronunciation: 'sor-s&-r&r, 'sors-r&r
Function: noun
: a person who practices sorcery : WIZARD

Main Entry: chan·nel·er
Pronunciation: 'cha-n&l-&r
Function: noun
: a person who conveys thoughts or energy from a source believed to be outside the person's body or conscious mind; specifically : one who speaks for nonphysical beings or spirits

Main Entry: grem·lin
Pronunciation: 'grem-l&n
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
: a cause of error or equipment malfunction (as in aircraft) conceived of as a small mischievous gnome

Main Entry: imp
Pronunciation: 'imp
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English impe, from Old English impa, from impian to imp
1 obsolete : SHOOT, BUD; also : GRAFT
2 a : a small demon : FIEND b : a mischievous child : URCHIN

Incantatrix doesn't get a definition because it's just pseudolatin, but most sources seem to agree that it only applies to females.

—Alorael, who would like to thank Merriam-Webster for defining all kinds of useful words.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
A3: guarded tunnel bug? in The Avernum Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, February 2 2005 13:20 Profile Homepage #7
It's also easier to get through if the thieves tell you about the button you have to press. Falling through the bridge a few times and going back to make it substantial works, but it's hardly pleasant.

—Alorael, who isn't sure what would make the thieves attack after you buy passage. It's possible that they stay hostile if you enter the tunnel and fight them, then leave and buy permission, then return.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Avernum Mage Poll! Who was craziest? in The Avernum Trilogy
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, February 2 2005 13:10 Profile Homepage #6
I have a pair of thoughts. The first is that a large number of the mages on that list aren't candidates for the title of arch-incantatrix. -atrix is a feminine ending. I believe the males get an -ator, but arch-incantator doesn't sound quite right.

The only good candidates for gender change are the dragons. Sulfras has already had hers (his?), so it must be Motrax' turn.

—Alorael, who would also like to know how a mostly insignificant apprentice mage like Kelner ended up with the likes of Sulfras, Erika, and Rentar-Ihrno.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Hello, I'm new member. in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, February 1 2005 18:37 Profile Homepage #13
Oh, there are still plenty of sane people. They're just not 'round these parts of the internet.

—Alorael, who will add a cryptic admonition about the fate of invisible newbies vis-à-vis the satisfaction of a certain ravenous local wolf of the arctic persuasion.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Speculating about Avernum 4's plot in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, February 1 2005 12:50 Profile Homepage #114
He'd be too tempted to push the Scorched Earth Party, and then he'd alienate just about everyone.

Actually, you'll notice that most games avoid real-world politics. Losing customers is part of it. The other part is simply that, as Tolkien notes in the introduction to the Lord of the Rings, allegory is unappealing. Straight proselytizing is worse, as everyone who has ever been a victim knows.

—Alorael, who must say that the Scorched Earth Party is very egalitarian. No matter who you are, the SEP hates you and wants you to die. It's hatred that knows no discrimination!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Tough Armours in The Avernum Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, February 1 2005 12:28 Profile Homepage #2
Anything that doesn't give encumberance. That's mainly robes, shirts, pants and boots, gloves, and maybe a few other things. You're much better off giving you mages Natural Mage for both the armor and for the boost to their spells.

—Alorael, who will add that A3 makes Natural Mage even more attractive with a once per day energy restoration ability. You can't go wrong with Natural Mage on your casters.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Hello, I'm new member. in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, February 1 2005 12:20 Profile Homepage #5
Welcome to Spiderweb! Leave your sanity at the door!

—Alorael, who is always happy when he can deliver the traditional greeting first.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Speculating about Avernum 4's plot in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, January 31 2005 17:15 Profile Homepage #108
For what it's worth, I got more of a sense that the vahnatai are adept at anything they turn their hands to simply because they have the time to perfect their skills. That's true for their warriors, who can face the best of the heavily armed and armored troops of Avernum and the Empire while essentially wearing tissue paper.

While Erika slowly starts winning her battle with Rentar-Ihrno, I got more of a sense that they were evenly matched and Erika just happened to get the edge. Think of it as two chess grand masters or two great athletes competing. One wins and one loses, but it's not the same every time. Just like humans can really only reach a certain level of physical prowess, living things can only have so much magical might. Erika and Rentar have both hit that limit.

—Alorael, who likes options and different threads in plots. So does Jeff, judging by Geneforge. Avernum has always been different, though, so A4 has even odds of having linear versus multiple plotlines.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Geneforge 2 Regestration Question... in Tech Support
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, January 31 2005 12:24 Profile Homepage #1
Moving the game to a new computer will generate a new registration number (serial number) that requires a different registration code. You can copy the preferences file to the new computer if you're using a Mac. On a PC, I believe you need to transfer the Geneforge2.dat file, but I could be wrong.

—Alorael, who suggests emailing Spiderweb if you can't get that to work. They're very helpful with giving new passwords if you provide the name and address of your registration.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Age Poll in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, January 30 2005 18:48 Profile Homepage #36
No, Aran's right. I would be lying if I said that there is no present participle of lie.

—Alorael, who never has lain down when instead he could have laid down the lays on lying. Truly!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Were the Vhanitia things in Avernum 1? in The Avernum Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, January 30 2005 18:32 Profile Homepage #21
Mind Crystals are also vahnatai artifacts, as is the Alien Blade (not a crystal, but made by vahnatai). The vahnatai cave in A1 probably has some crystals as well, but I don't remember exactly what.

—Alorael, who missed the fact that spellshards are always made by vahnatai. Where does that piece of information come from?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Root of all evil in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, January 29 2005 22:49 Profile Homepage #213
The list of "creation scientists" is interesting, but it doesn't really mean anything. It's an appeal to authority, but it's not relevant. Most of the scientists' fields are in no way related to the geological history of Earth or evolution. The paleontologist is the only one who is qualified to weigh in on the subject.

The orthodontist's theory is on a subject I know absolutely nothing about, but it seems laughable. Neanderthals differ from humans in more ways than just skull structure.

The other specific descriptions just tend to fall into the category of being opinions. Not all physicists, chemists, astronomers, and mathematicians are experts in evolution. Not even all biologists are experts. The list is somewhat interesting, but not relevant.

—Alorael, who assumes that a creation scientist is one who believes in creationism. If not, then he has no idea what the list means.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Unregistered Version Of Exile 3 in The Exile Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, January 29 2005 21:01 Profile Homepage #3
How did you become ET mod again, Kel...?

—Alorael, who has the registered version of E3 only. It seems that ET moderation and knowledge of the trilogy are not linked. Oh, and insincere apologies for the wild veer off topic.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Wizard help in The Exile Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, January 29 2005 20:54 Profile Homepage #16
Below "Remove Bad Conditions" is "Open Guarded Tunnel Doomguard Gate" for me. I've got v1.0.2, and I'm pretty sure it was there in v1.0.0.

—Alorael, who has no explanation for why your editor wouldn't have that option. Try downloading the latest version of E3 and hope it contains a functional editor?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Repeal Amendment XXII in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, January 29 2005 13:43 Profile Homepage #30
I'm pretty sure that his less than articulate speech is real. I don't think anyone could, much less would, carefully learn to speak that way. However, speech and intelligence are far from the same thing, and I agree that Bush can't be as stupid as he is accused of being. He isn't necessarily blindingly intelligent, but he's not a moron.

—Alorael, who thinks some of his more worrisome and questionable statements in press conferences and other spontaneous speaking occasions are real mistakes, not intentional ones. They tend to be too damaging to be useful, or would be if he couldn't just say oops and have it get overlooked.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Fill me in! in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, January 29 2005 10:09 Profile Homepage #4
It would be almost impossible in a three person company for the two who aren't programming not to have any input. One day, Jeff says, "I just made X and Y." Mariann or Linda says, "Great, have you thought about Z?" Z enters the game.

Or Jeff could depend on this and ask the two of them to write up people and places and things and plots to stick in the games. They still don't actually code them in, but they make them.

That's assuming that the other two don't touch the games at all. It's quite possible that Jeff does all the engine coding and then turns it over to Linda and Mariann for content to some extent. His comment about finishing the GF3 engine supports this hypothesis.

—Alorael, who is reasonably sure (with no real basis) that Jeff maintains veto power over game contents. Still, if you work with someone every day, especially if you're married to him, you can't help but have some influence on the game even if the programmer is totally opposed to everything you say.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
I'm back in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, January 28 2005 14:04 Profile Homepage #10
Welcome back, JF!

—Alorael, who will quash the belief that JF is Shotts right away. JF is JF and always has been.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Undead Topics Need Loving Too (aka "Give Me Your First-Born") in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, January 27 2005 11:10 Profile Homepage #409
For the record and for impressionable newbies who may drop by, bad Aran! No!

—Alorael, who just may have to break out old and humiliating banners for the occasion.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Who did you like better Celts or Romans and why? in Nethergate
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, January 26 2005 18:37 Profile Homepage #17
quote:
Originally written by mcubed9877:

romans hands down they are better with the weapon and can go pretty much anywhere the choose except maybe inside nethergate
That's true. But Celts are hands-down better with magic and can go pretty much anywhere they choose, including the inside of Shadow Valley Fort.

—Alorael, who need not add that angering a Celt is likely to cause you to wake up with sticky blue stuff on your face and your hair stuck in ridiculous spikes.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
A question about Skribbane in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, January 26 2005 12:23 Profile Homepage #20
Skribbane is wonderful. Why wouldn't you put it in a game?

—Alorael, who does have to wonder if it increased E3/A3's rating a little bit.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00

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