eww... why should the charname have his sister on adventure (would you bring your little sister to house parties ???).... if he really cares for her he dump her on a secure house and gives her money time from time.... (hmm... that might be the cannon haha i mean how else would she have time to turn into a mage)
I don't understand... How can people be immersed enough to want a romance with a NPC and at the same time ignore immersion enough to not care she's charname's sister? It's a total contradiction to me. Yeah, I get it, it's just a game. But it's also still eww.
I believe in the Imoen mod out there they bring that up. Though I haven't gotten that far yet, but if they did do a Imoen romance mod that eww factor would have to be brought up. Also they would have to fully explain how the whole Bhaal created his children.
There is an Imoen romance mod out there, I tried it once, the subject of incest was brought up but dismissed pretty fast. Honestly though the mod was surprisingly well written, mostly due to the fact that it used Planescape:Torment style dialogue, describing both actions and words rather then use words. That opens up alot more options in a game. I found myself wishing the entire game was written like that, it can add alot of depth when you have more options then just talking in dialogue. That, and at no point did I feel like Imoen was acting out of character.
Truth be told I'm pretty jaded towards most sexual taboos and kinds by now, I blame spending too much time on the internet for that, so the whole "incest in a video game" thing doesn't really bother me. Honestly, I feel I should be more bothered by those horrible murders I keep constantly committing.
I feel I should be more bothered by those horrible murders I keep constantly committing.
Actually, this is the one and only game where I don't feel it's out of place for my paragon or righteousness character to be a mass-murdering engine of death.
Interesting there is an Imoen romance mod out there. In society, of course, romance between siblings is frowned upon, and nowadays this is often justified by the serious problems created by inbreeding or recessive genes (full siblings share 50% of their genes, while first cousins share 25%). Yet the law doesn't seem to interfere much with the romantic union of cousins. While still relatively rare in the population, history is full of cousins marrying.
In BG, the relationship between Charname and Imoen has been very brother and sister 'like' because they have grown up together and close. They have no idea that they may have any closer familial relationships. So the development of romantic feelings between them as they mature is not really a societal taboo.
The next interesting thing is that Imoen and Charname are at best half-siblings (they share about 25% of their human genes, actually more similar to cousins). Literature and art abound with cases of the romantic union of half-siblings, especially in fantasy and myth, and especially in connection with the blood lines of the 'immortal gods'. If anything, BG is high fantasy. I can just hear Wagnerian music in the background.
In addition, I get a visceral feeling that the romantic union of god-liked creatures would be affected by something much more than the physical human genes that they carry. The 'gods' carry a special vital force that makes them what they are. It is something that is considered to be "divine', and no mere human physical concepts need apply. At least that's my take on it.
A fair point, but it does nothing for the effect it has on my personal, IRL gag reflex. What can I say? I'm a product of the society in which I've been raised.
"The internet made me so jaded", yeah, we all get that. But it doesn't mean that at some point you just shrug and think "oh well, just necrophilia, at least they aren't hurting anyone". If it doesn't squick you, you may need help.
"The internet made me so jaded", yeah, we all get that. But it doesn't mean that at some point you just shrug and think "oh well, just necrophilia, at least they aren't hurting anyone". If it doesn't squick you, you may need help.
My Senior year of high school was spent browsing Portal of Evil, and that still squicks me out. ;___;
I've never really cared about Imoen. She's not the most interesting member but neither does she make me want to murder everything in sight like Minsc. I've never felt a bond with her so I don't feel bad when kicking her out even in Spellhold.
@thespace. Sometimes some characters are "mutton mongering riff raft" regardless of what race they are. I miss the society where people have the right to describe something exactly how they feel about it. Refreshing.
Although in Viconia's case, I think Imoen missed the mark by a wide margin. Ah, the right to be wrong with your judgments and the right to eventually change your mind. I miss it.
Considering that most times by the point I reach Spellhold, she is significantly under-powered, I generally "Let her find her own way back home", I guess that pretty much tells you about my attitude towards her. Jan is a much better replacement by then.
@franco - I agree that people should be able to "Speak plain" regarding how they really feel. I just don't understand how people can feel the way they do sometimes. Some attitudes say more about the speaker than the subject of the comment in my opinion.
Considering that most times by the point I reach Spellhold, she is significantly under-powered, I generally "Let her find her own way back home", I guess that pretty much tells you about my attitude towards her. Jan is a much better replacement by then.
Am I the only one who powers through Chapters one and two to get to Spellhold ASAP? Whether you're interested in saving Imoen or finding Irenicus, it doesn't make sense from an RP standpoint to take your time and do every sidequest available.
I actually faced this dilemma recently. I was RPing a Priest of Lathandar, but I decided to do an "alternate good" party - i.e. no canon NPCs, instead guys like Ajantis, Kivan, Alora, etc. The problem is, how do you RP kicking out Imoen?
I couldn't find an answer, but fortunately one presented itself when she got ganked by an Ettercap, fortunately enough on the same screen as where you meet Coran. Problem solved.
...Until BG2, where she's mysteriously alive and well. Oh well.
I don't understand the criticisms of Nalia, really. I can't remember a time where Nalia's thieving skills were insufficient, except for a couple of instances like the lockpick tests in Mae'var's Guildhall. I feel like BG2 was made with the assumption that you'd be playing with her. Imoen is, overall, the better character, but you can certainly do a lot worse than taking both.
To me, the one character that I always feel bad about not taking/kicking out is Yoshimo. Man, that guy is so awesome. Easily my favourite character in the trilogy.
@MilesBeyond Being a good character you did everything you could to raise her from the dead and until you did you felt guilty for taking so long to bring her back. Oh... The pains of being good are unbearable
I don't understand the criticisms of Nalia, really. I can't remember a time where Nalia's thieving skills were insufficient, except for a couple of instances like the lockpick tests in Mae'var's Guildhall. I feel like BG2 was made with the assumption that you'd be playing with her. Imoen is, overall, the better character, but you can certainly do a lot worse than taking both.
I don't understand the criticisms of Nalia, really. I can't remember a time where Nalia's thieving skills were insufficient, except for a couple of instances like the lockpick tests in Mae'var's Guildhall. I feel like BG2 was made with the assumption that you'd be playing with her. Imoen is, overall, the better character, but you can certainly do a lot worse than taking both.
I think the problem is with her early character; she's almost as annoying as Anomen when you first met her. Unlike Sir Douch, though, she actually grows as a person throughout the game. I suspect most people were just put off by her initially and didn't keep her around long enough to learn better.
"The internet made me so jaded", yeah, we all get that. But it doesn't mean that at some point you just shrug and think "oh well, just necrophilia, at least they aren't hurting anyone". If it doesn't squick you, you may need help.
Necrophilia is pretty squicky though my usual reaction to finding stories, roleplay, or drawings of it is to leave and make a mental note never to get involved with whoever wrote/RPed/drew it again on anything more then a superficial level. Incest doesn't hit me quite so hard, especially in the case of Imoen and CHARNAME, since Imoen could also be considered a childhood friend instead of someone who seems like a sister to you. Franco did a good job of expressing other reasons why it might not seem to squicky.
If I'm doing a run where I don't want her, I tend to take her to the FAI and drop her off next to Khalid and Jaheria, and rp it as asking them to watch out for her.
I can only assume you have no sister/siblings in real life. Sure there isn't such a difference between sibling and childhood friend, especially if your siblings are close to your age. You do all the same things as kids; play together, possibly go to school together. But it is still a difference - once you hit the "opposite sex is silly" age, you don't have to stick with your friends, but can't get rid of the sibling who lives under the same roof. If you went through puberty with an annoying younger sister, you'll have a really hard time to just ignore the label "sister" when it comes to romance.
My sister was twelve years older than I. So, it was like I had a second mother. She always made sure I had learned and understood my school lessons well. Lucky me. I'll always love her.
I can only assume you have no sister/siblings in real life. Sure there isn't such a difference between sibling and childhood friend, especially if your siblings are close to your age. You do all the same things as kids; play together, possibly go to school together. But it is still a difference - once you hit the "opposite sex is silly" age, you don't have to stick with your friends, but can't get rid of the sibling who lives under the same roof. If you went through puberty with an annoying younger sister, you'll have a really hard time to just ignore the label "sister" when it comes to romance.
Considering that most times by the point I reach Spellhold, she is significantly under-powered, I generally "Let her find her own way back home", I guess that pretty much tells you about my attitude towards her. Jan is a much better replacement by then.
Am I the only one who powers through Chapters one and two to get to Spellhold ASAP? Whether you're interested in saving Imoen or finding Irenicus, it doesn't make sense from an RP standpoint to take your time and do every sidequest available.
I am quite the opposite. I do every single mission possible before going out to Spellhold. My RP reasons are as follows:
(a) If I am going out to save Imoen from Irenicus, I strongly believe that she is merely a pawn to draw me in. She is, as far as I know, much more valuable alive and (relatively) unharmed as a pawn to draw me in than in any actual real danger. Keep in mind that I have no reason to believe that she is tied to me in any other manner than simply as a companion of mine at this point. Therefore I believe, since I got wiped out of all of my equipment and companions and captured, I really need to power up and go in fully prepared. Since I don't fear for Imoen's safety and since Irenicus isn't showing up periodically taunting me, I don't think that she is in any immediate danger. I take my time and prepare.
(b) If I am going after Irenicus for revenge, as Khan says "Revenge is a dish best served cold. It is very cold in sp....(you get the point)". Again, I want to be fully equipped and ready for the confrontation. And since there isn't any immediate pursuit on my part, I hope that Irenicus won't see me coming if I am not dogging his footsteps. Again keep in mind that I don't "Know" that I am being watched. I might suspect it, but I don't know it. Once again, I am also not being taunted, so I don't see that I should play to his time-table and prefer to set my own.
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HAHAHAHA! Oh, great idea.
Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. Sixth party member is a lawful good cleric named wendy.
Truth be told I'm pretty jaded towards most sexual taboos and kinds by now, I blame spending too much time on the internet for that, so the whole "incest in a video game" thing doesn't really bother me. Honestly, I feel I should be more bothered by those horrible murders I keep constantly committing.
In BG, the relationship between Charname and Imoen has been very brother and sister 'like' because they have grown up together and close. They have no idea that they may have any closer familial relationships. So the development of romantic feelings between them as they mature is not really a societal taboo.
The next interesting thing is that Imoen and Charname are at best half-siblings (they share about 25% of their human genes, actually more similar to cousins). Literature and art abound with cases of the romantic union of half-siblings, especially in fantasy and myth, and especially in connection with the blood lines of the 'immortal gods'. If anything, BG is high fantasy. I can just hear Wagnerian music in the background.
In addition, I get a visceral feeling that the romantic union of god-liked creatures would be affected by something much more than the physical human genes that they carry. The 'gods' carry a special vital force that makes them what they are. It is something that is considered to be "divine', and no mere human physical concepts need apply. At least that's my take on it.
Although in Viconia's case, I think Imoen missed the mark by a wide margin. Ah, the right to be wrong with your judgments and the right to eventually change your mind. I miss it.
@franco - I agree that people should be able to "Speak plain" regarding how they really feel. I just don't understand how people can feel the way they do sometimes. Some attitudes say more about the speaker than the subject of the comment in my opinion.
I couldn't find an answer, but fortunately one presented itself when she got ganked by an Ettercap, fortunately enough on the same screen as where you meet Coran. Problem solved.
...Until BG2, where she's mysteriously alive and well. Oh well.
I don't understand the criticisms of Nalia, really. I can't remember a time where Nalia's thieving skills were insufficient, except for a couple of instances like the lockpick tests in Mae'var's Guildhall. I feel like BG2 was made with the assumption that you'd be playing with her. Imoen is, overall, the better character, but you can certainly do a lot worse than taking both.
To me, the one character that I always feel bad about not taking/kicking out is Yoshimo. Man, that guy is so awesome. Easily my favourite character in the trilogy.
(a) If I am going out to save Imoen from Irenicus, I strongly believe that she is merely a pawn to draw me in. She is, as far as I know, much more valuable alive and (relatively) unharmed as a pawn to draw me in than in any actual real danger. Keep in mind that I have no reason to believe that she is tied to me in any other manner than simply as a companion of mine at this point. Therefore I believe, since I got wiped out of all of my equipment and companions and captured, I really need to power up and go in fully prepared. Since I don't fear for Imoen's safety and since Irenicus isn't showing up periodically taunting me, I don't think that she is in any immediate danger. I take my time and prepare.
(b) If I am going after Irenicus for revenge, as Khan says "Revenge is a dish best served cold. It is very cold in sp....(you get the point)". Again, I want to be fully equipped and ready for the confrontation. And since there isn't any immediate pursuit on my part, I hope that Irenicus won't see me coming if I am not dogging his footsteps. Again keep in mind that I don't "Know" that I am being watched. I might suspect it, but I don't know it. Once again, I am also not being taunted, so I don't see that I should play to his time-table and prefer to set my own.
But that is merely my rationale on the topic.