I find those epilogues both badly written and very confusing.
They're written as the characters they were when Ascension was finished, so with an evil party, it's kinda poetic that Sarevok finally had power but it wasn't satisfying whereas Viconia was to the drow a second class citizen a filthy abomination of the drow, almost an elf much to their mutual disgust, so it's a bit fitting that Viconia went back and conquered proving herself stronger than the drow.
I find those epilogues both badly written and very confusing.
They're written as the characters they were when Ascension was finished, so with an evil party, it's kinda poetic that Sarevok finally had power but it wasn't satisfying whereas Viconia was to the drow a second class citizen a filthy abomination of the drow, almost an elf much to their mutual disgust, so it's a bit fitting that Viconia went back and conquered proving herself stronger than the drow.
Those were horrible bad endings for evil characters. They just show the whole mentality "You can't be evil and live a 'happy' life". Both of them ended up failing, because they were evil.
Those were horrible bad endings for evil characters. They just show the whole mentality "You can't be evil and live a 'happy' life". Both of them ended up failing, because they were evil.
I mean, how is Viconia's epilogue a failure? She rejects Shar, but gets to keep her powers (either because she's just that awesome or because she's now a Cleric of Charname), and basically gets to run rampant across Faerun and the Underdark. It's a better ending than defaulting to heroic behavior or becoming a stereotypical "fridged girlfriend" for Charname to avenge.
I do wish Vic and Dorn, who both say they'll be your follower after you become a god, had endings that actually reflected that. 'And they terrorized the Sword Coast in the name of the new Lord/Lady of Murder...' Same with Sarevok, for that matter. The failure to give Sarevok a different ending if he switched alignments was really lame imo.
I do wish Vic and Dorn, who both say they'll be your follower after you become a god, had endings that actually reflected that. 'And they terrorized the Sword Coast in the name of the new Lord/Lady of Murder...' Same with Sarevok, for that matter. The failure to give Sarevok a different ending if he switched alignments was really lame imo.
I do wish Vic and Dorn, who both say they'll be your follower after you become a god, had endings that actually reflected that. 'And they terrorized the Sword Coast in the name of the new Lord/Lady of Murder...' Same with Sarevok, for that matter. The failure to give Sarevok a different ending if he switched alignments was really lame imo.
Terrible writing by Bioware and Beamdog
You can disagree as much as you want when it comes to the epilogues and endings, but it never has and never will be bad writing on Biowares part. The writing was amazing, just not to your taste.
You can disagree as much as you want when it comes to the epilogues and endings, but it never has and never will be bad writing on Biowares part. The writing was amazing, just not to your taste.
I agree with most of the epilogues such as Keldorn or Korgan being wonderfully written and true to character but IMO Bioware really messed up with Sarevok's post-alignment change ending.
I believe that the original TOB epilogues are well written because they don't sympathize with the NPC's , it's not like "they deserve to conquer and rule" , but rather "they're powerful, but who knows what life would bring".
Besides, it's more interesting when the "happily ever after" stereotype is broken.
But to be captured repeatedly by a paladin of Hoar (who himself is teetering on the edge of evil after becoming Bane's exarch) and killed by said paladin is a bit underwhelming.
Hoar's still strictly LN in this game- Tyr and Shar are the ones fighting for him, while he's mostly like 'Dude, I hate the other panethon, don't care about you guys'). (Mercy Whitedove is a paladin of Hoar, really? I thought it was Tyr, considering all the Tyr related crimes Dorn gets up to. It's kind of delicious for someone who turned to evil because of revenge to get killed by a servant of the god of revenge, actually, I think.)
As for Dorn, I think one thing to remember is he chose his death at the end, IIRC. He was probably powerful enough to keep escaping their little jails forever, but he chose death over imprisonment. I wish he had taken out the paladin with him, though: I mean, he's an epic level blackguard, invaded the first level of Mount Celestia, you'd think he could do that.
(No problems with CHARNAME killing him off in a romance. That was almost inevitable.)
Edwin, Korgan, and Dorn (romanced) have kick ass endings. Not sure where this short end of the stick is coming from! Also Kheldorn's ending is amazing. People be crazy!
Er there’s no evidence that Viconia rejects Shar in her ending, she just does something that displeases her patron, on one occasion.
Cernd’s ending seems the most tragic - it reminds me of the battle between King Arthur and his nephew Mordred, whose relationship is very similar (Arthur is too absorbed in his own struggles to prevent Mordred from gathering an army and descending into evil, and realises too late he could have averted this if he had thought less about himself).
Cernd's ending is supposed to be tragic but it falls flat because we're never truly allowed to know the guy. Cernd isn't born in a grove and he didn't become a druid just like that - he abandoned everything, his girlfriend, his work, his worldly possessions to go live in the wild until nature basically blessed him. But why did he do all that? What is it that convinced him this was his calling and that he had to do it? I think the game answering that would have made Cernd's arc, including his ending, much more impactful.
@Dharius If you turned Viconia good, then yes she leaves Shar. Shar is one of the most evil deities in the setting and would not tolerate one of her own being good. Also, Viconia gets a holy symbol that ISN'T Shar's.
Strangely enough, no. Viconia turns True Neutral as a potential outcome of her romance. There are a small sect of non-evil Sharrans called Darkcloaks who tend towards neutral alignment. It’s very possible for her to remain a worshippers of Shar even after changing alignment.
I’m convinced that there is nothing to suggest that she leaves Shar’s following, regardless of the path she takes, or rather, the one we choose for her, in the game. Probably
Except that her holy symbol is not Shar's. And that she joins Drizzt on his adventures, who is actively aligned against such deities. Even her evil ending implies that her deity may be the new god of murder.
And don't forget Sarevok, dear! The poor man, endured through death, lend us a hell of a hand against those monstrosities in ToB, and saw through our ascension, only to depart randomly, kill off a large number of orcs, and disappear forever, going to bury his true love... Which died despite ME allowing her to leave unharmed, in 1... Poor man lost everything, and finally got lost himself, too! Literally...
Agreed , if you also made him change his way of thinking , the request he asks at the finale to continue travels with CHAR , why not , if i didn't ascend i couldn't think of anyone id rather continue travelling with. Sarevok has always been my favorite villain/hero since BG series began. Plus the guy has the coolest voice ever.
Comments
I mean, how is Viconia's epilogue a failure? She rejects Shar, but gets to keep her powers (either because she's just that awesome or because she's now a Cleric of Charname), and basically gets to run rampant across Faerun and the Underdark. It's a better ending than defaulting to heroic behavior or becoming a stereotypical "fridged girlfriend" for Charname to avenge.
Besides, it's more interesting when the "happily ever after" stereotype is broken.
the way viconia dies is a little lame though
As for Dorn, I think one thing to remember is he chose his death at the end, IIRC. He was probably powerful enough to keep escaping their little jails forever, but he chose death over imprisonment. I wish he had taken out the paladin with him, though: I mean, he's an epic level blackguard, invaded the first level of Mount Celestia, you'd think he could do that.
(No problems with CHARNAME killing him off in a romance. That was almost inevitable.)
I approve if they are exclusive for a evil charname
I think the problem as stated the too high level you reach in tob. Mainly because in adnd 2 the lvl 30 was the absolut maximum.
Cernd’s ending seems the most tragic - it reminds me of the battle between King Arthur and his nephew Mordred, whose relationship is very similar (Arthur is too absorbed in his own struggles to prevent Mordred from gathering an army and descending into evil, and realises too late he could have averted this if he had thought less about himself).
Sarevok has always been my favorite villain/hero since BG series began.
Plus the guy has the coolest voice ever.