The Crystal Soul theft
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| Author | Topic: The Crystal Soul theft |
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Warrior
Member # 4971
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written Tuesday, September 12 2006 12:41
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Why the empire stolen the Crystal Souls and when the empire know the Vahnatai race? Posts: 65 | Registered: Wednesday, September 15 2004 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Tuesday, September 12 2006 13:45
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I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. The Empire doesn't know very much about the vahnatai, but they do apparently know that vahnatai turn into crystals sometimes and that those crystals are powerful. The Empire likes being powerful. —Alorael, who also thinks the Empire's policy of not getting along with anyone but humans and not even very well with some humans, notably Avernum, may have something to do with it. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Tuesday, September 12 2006 15:01
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The Empire discovered the Vahnatai and made a pact with Gaddika, who agreed to help them steal some crystal souls so the Empire could learn about crystal magic and Vahnatai secrets. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4971
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written Wednesday, September 13 2006 10:38
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And when the Empire discovered the Vahnatai? After or before the assassination of Hawthorn Posts: 65 | Registered: Wednesday, September 15 2004 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Wednesday, September 13 2006 12:19
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The thefts were after, but there's no way to know when the Empire's first contact with the vahnatai was. It couldn't have been too long before A2 because none of the vahnatai had been awake for long. In my baseless opinion the encounter with the vahnatai, the deal with Gaddika, and the kidnappings all happened after Hawthorne's assassination. —Alorael, who thinks that the Empire could easily have discovered the existence of the vahnatai while examining the caves more closely once Avernum went from the Empire's unwanted person disposal area to a real threat. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Wednesday, September 13 2006 13:53
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I'm pretty sure it's said that they were discovered when the Empire was scouting out where to deploy troops and where to build the teleporter, all of which happened after Hawthorne's assassination. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3933
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written Friday, September 15 2006 08:26
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i think its more plausible that the empire learned of the vahnatai before or during a1. they explored much of avernum during the first expedition, and had an observative presence in many places after that. considering the amount of vahnatai relics in those parts and the competence of the empire agents, they mustve found something. and considering empire policies, they mustve found out about the vahnatai caves etc. they wouldnt steal powerful, weird, alien crystals without knowing about them for a while. -------------------- OH MY GOD IT'S THE FUNKY ****!!! Posts: 425 | Registered: Wednesday, January 28 2004 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, September 15 2006 09:01
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The First Expedition never reported back because it was annihilated. The Empire may or may not have put effort into exploring further. The fact that there were ruins and crystal bits in the caves was probably no secret to the Empire, but even the Avernites who lived literally on top of the vahnatai didn't know anything about them. I'm not so sure that the Empire's agents are fearsomely cunning and competent. Avernum could just as easily have been written off as a place with a few boring mysteries and lots of deadly monsters, perfect for banishment and not much else. I think you have the Empire's modus operandi backwards, too. They would be only too happy to steal something magical and powerful in order to learn about it, which seems to be exactly what they do to the three captured Crystal Souls in A2. —Alorael, who thinks of the Empire as collectively competent at keeping order and destroying threats. Everything else is more or less at the mercy of individuals' talents, and those vary. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Friday, September 15 2006 17:05
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From Valley of the Dying Things you get some indications that the Empire was for gathering specimens and studying them. They didn't seem to care how the specimens felt as in the case of those left behind when the school closed. Although it was interesting that the Alien beasts were already being studied at the school years before the Vahnatai let them loose as a plague. This implies that R-I used existing creatures for all the plagues and that Avernum could run into those slimes and other creatures as they explore the caves. The Empire probably encountered the Vahnatai as they were setting up bases ahead of the invasion. They would have been looking for secure sites and alternate routes that they could move armies through. I wonder where the Empire teleporter base in the Vahnatai lands is located. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Friday, September 15 2006 17:16
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quote:Didn't it? Obviously the FE never came back alive, but they did have those brooches, which were originally designed as long-distance communication devices. We don't really know what information, if any, they sent back. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Friday, September 15 2006 17:50
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I'm pretty sure they sent some info back, or else they wouldn't have known what to expect when they sent down victims. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Friday, September 15 2006 19:02
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Come to think of it, people didn't know what to expect when they were sent down -- I recall a conversation somewhere in one of the Exile games mentioning that some people on the surface believed that there was no air in Exile and everyone sent there died quickly, while a few believed it was a paradise. So if the FE did send information back, it was kept secret from the general public. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Friday, September 15 2006 19:25
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Well, I think they mention that they knew about the demons and sliths at least, but whether that came from scrying or the FE I don't know. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3933
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written Saturday, September 16 2006 02:42
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i never doubted the empires greediness (sp?) or anything, i just dont think they wouldve taken them just like that, badabingbadaboom. and brooches or not brooches, in a1 you encounter at least one fully intact and operating empire base observing the NW region of avernum. they actually use magic crystals which remind me very much of those of the vahnatai. there were many other clues of both vahnatai and empire presence through a1, which i cant fully recall. if the player can discover those things, why shouldnt empire elite troops and adventurers? its easy to put together, especially considering the ghosts that actually tell you about the vahnatai. of course, they didnt have to tell the empire anything, but there are ways to make ghosts talk. and how could the empire have such good connections to the rebel vahnatai so quickly, if not because they were prepared? [ Saturday, September 16, 2006 02:43: Message edited by: Rent-an-Ihrno ] -------------------- OH MY GOD IT'S THE FUNKY ****!!! Posts: 425 | Registered: Wednesday, January 28 2004 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Saturday, September 16 2006 03:07
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It wasn't so much a good connection as "We'll give you lots of gold for a crystal soul." Gaddika already had his own separate fortress and was easily identifiable as a rebel. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, September 16 2006 08:20
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The Empire can't have met the vahnatai in person much before A1 becauses the vahnatai were all Resting. There may have been more or less knowledge gathered, but no real interaction. The Empire's presence in Avernum is focused on making sure the Avernites don't rise up and, say, kill the emperor. There's no evidence that they're focusing any attention at all on the caves. Their crystal ball communication device doesn't seem like a vahnatai trick to me. There are several Avernites who have scrying tools like that, and it's not a big leap to having two-way scrying crystals. —Alorael, who recalls hearing that the evidence of the vahnatai didn't exist in E1 and was inserted in A1. If that's true, that strongly suggests the vahnatai didn't exist yet in E1/A1, which means the Empire can't be using vahnatai magic. But that's approaching a teleological Avernum. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Saturday, September 16 2006 08:38
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There is a little bit of Vahnatai info on the approach to Grah-Hoth in Exile I (v2.0), but who knows if it was in 1.0. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 1688
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written Saturday, September 16 2006 14:44
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The oldest version of Exile I can find is v1.1.1. for windows. Here. Mac users can see if this works. [ Saturday, September 16, 2006 15:05: Message edited by: Fortran ] Posts: 60 | Registered: Wednesday, August 7 2002 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, September 16 2006 15:31
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The Mac version works fine in Classic. Thanks! —Alorael, who realizes that he probably has v1.1 himself, not 1.0 like he thought. But it's definitely pre-AP and there's nothing quite like the "uh-eek!" death sound. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2759
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written Monday, September 18 2006 12:35
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Oh no, but that's no fun. You've got to have uh-eek and chug-a-chug sound effects or it's just not Exile. -------------------- "I can't read this thread with that image. But then, that's not a complaint." -Scorpius Geneforge 4 stuff. Also, everything I know about Avernum | Avernum 2 | Avernum 3 | Avernum 4 Posts: 1104 | Registered: Monday, March 10 2003 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, September 18 2006 12:44
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That's what I meant. Actually, I think all versions of E1 have the same sounds, but that's good. Accept no substitutes! —Alorael, who is especially fond of "Cool!" and, of course, the GIFTS sounds. Are those the only ones to survive through the entire trilogy? Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2759
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written Monday, September 18 2006 13:14
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What about mmmm and kerching? -------------------- "I can't read this thread with that image. But then, that's not a complaint." -Scorpius Geneforge 4 stuff. Also, everything I know about Avernum | Avernum 2 | Avernum 3 | Avernum 4 Posts: 1104 | Registered: Monday, March 10 2003 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Monday, September 18 2006 17:27
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I like the "oh who?" one that sounds like "munson?". -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, September 18 2006 19:14
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"On who?" I eventually figured it out, mostly from context, but I spent years believing it was some generic magicallish sound. —Alorael, who also remembers the days when spell costs were equal to spell levels. Then, alas, came Rituals of Sanctification and their horrific costs. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 7148
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written Monday, September 18 2006 19:45
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And didn't Identify cost a crazy amount of SP in Exile 3 that it didn't cost in Exile 2? I think it also worked on all un-identified items in your inventory in E3 though. I really don't miss having to identify items. Especially the ones that seem to be clearly labeled. "Hmm, this sword is on fire. I wonder what it could be?" Posts: 11 | Registered: Sunday, May 21 2006 07:00 |
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