Interesting that everyone expects the situation comes from ignoring the game feedback vs. an issue with the game. I am one of the (obviously few) people who were brought up short by this situation. However, I did complete the quest - as best I could. I took notice of the time frame, went on the various mini-quests to finally get the first half of the antidote. I followed the game's instructions to go and confront Marak and get the second portion. I killed Marek. I got the jounal entry "he did not want to give me the antidote / should have had something to keep me from killing him". What I did not get was the actual in game item / antidote, when I looted his body. After moving on - deciding that the issue was the game's failure to clean up no longer needed items, like bounty scrolls, etc. vs. a game ending bug in the game itself - I completed more quests. After noting that the "you have been poisoned" feed back kept playing, I went back and re-loaded an older save and re-did the Marek quest. Four times. Never once did his body spawn the second half of the antidote. But every time I got the quest completion journal entry.
Imagine my surprise when several hours of play, several quests, etc. later, I found myself being teleported to CandleKeep (losing an item that is dropped automatically to make room for the book needed for entry) only to watch my entire party insta-die. I reloaded and tried to see if there were other potential issues, completing other pending quests, checking at temples for healing needs, drank one of the "normal" antidote potions . . . party dies . . . "would you like to reload and continue wasting time?"
Now the latest patch specifically mentions a "fix" to prevent Marek's portion of the antidote disappearing, but does not seem to apply a meaningful fix (giving you the required item you should have received for completing the quest, originally). Obviously there was a problem with the quest - and it was not always because the player "ignored" the in-game messages.
So if anyone knows how to deal with this game breaking bug, other than go back and replay everything from a save that pre-dates even being able to access the city of Baldur's Gate, please let me know.
Haha! no way, that poison thing is real? I just completed the quest because I like to wrap up outstanding quests - never thought my entire party would actually insta-splat down the line if I had ignored it.
You would know it was real because if you rest after being told, you get a message saying that you feel sick and don't get much sleep. The poison must be real and you better get on it (or words to that effect).
But I agree that it is funny (and really awesome in my book) that they follow through with it.
Kind of makes you wonder. If Charname is a monk, aren't they immune to poisons?
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Imagine my surprise when several hours of play, several quests, etc. later, I found myself being teleported to CandleKeep (losing an item that is dropped automatically to make room for the book needed for entry) only to watch my entire party insta-die. I reloaded and tried to see if there were other potential issues, completing other pending quests, checking at temples for healing needs, drank one of the "normal" antidote potions . . . party dies . . . "would you like to reload and continue wasting time?"
Now the latest patch specifically mentions a "fix" to prevent Marek's portion of the antidote disappearing, but does not seem to apply a meaningful fix (giving you the required item you should have received for completing the quest, originally). Obviously there was a problem with the quest - and it was not always because the player "ignored" the in-game messages.
So if anyone knows how to deal with this game breaking bug, other than go back and replay everything from a save that pre-dates even being able to access the city of Baldur's Gate, please let me know.
But I agree that it is funny (and really awesome in my book) that they follow through with it.
Kind of makes you wonder. If Charname is a monk, aren't they immune to poisons?