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Evaluating Baldur's Gate II N.P.C.s for Original Baldur's Gate

WithinAmnesiaWithinAmnesia Member Posts: 961
edited May 2015 in BG:EE Mods
*Disclaimer: This Post is written with a light heart in its presentation, although it is well thought out none the less.*

So I fell in love with the 'Mazzy Fentan going adventuring along the Sword Coast' Idea and thus I thought of a 'Trial of Logic' for what other Baldur's Gate II specific N.P.C.s* could join in on the Sword Coast antics (if any); let's begin!
(* e.g. Imoen won't be listed for obvious reasons..)[Spoiler]Obviously because two Imoens would be too much shenanigans! :)[/Spoiler]
'Trial of Logic' Character Evaluation Rules:[Spoiler]First: So I will start off by Plot Elimination as where if they are say, like Aerie and in slavery at the time of when Original Baldur's Gate 'antics' take place then said N.P.C. is eliminated; gone baby!

Second: The Analog Test. If there is say a 'hole to fill' in the Original Baldur's Gate N.P.C. roster than by all means it is a pass, but if there is a saturation of said character type.. Then kiss your wild donkey's behind good bye![/Spoiler]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All of the 'Goodie Goodie' Suspects:[Spoiler]Aerie! -FAIL!
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1.) Plot Elimination: Well I gave her as an example character for Plot Elimination so I think that it would be strange to make a contradiction here. -FAIL!
2.) Analog Test: N/A She is a *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER! Back to the chains you go! *I am Just kidding; death to slavery!*

Keldorn Firecam! -FAIL!
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1.) Plot Elimination: He checks out, "He has battled to protect the defenseless and punish the evil on more occasion than he can recall. A seasoned veteran with the scars to prove it" So he could be found in the Sword Coast around 1368 DR.
2.) Analog Test: Ajantis Ilvarstarr.. Actually he has guided Ajantis.. So *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER!

Mazzy Fentan! -BIG WINNER!!!
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1.) Plot Elimination: "Proudly states that she has spent numerous years adventuring around Amn with her other Halfling comrades, basing out of her home town of Trademeet." Nashkel = Amn. Win Win Win!
2.) Analog Test: So do you remember that Strong 'Shorty' Female in Baldur's Gate? -There is none. *Win Horn!*
We have a winner and her name is Mazzy Fentan! C'mon Mazzy get up here and take your prize! (N.P.C. duo Yes?)

Nalia de'Arnise! -FAIL!
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1.) Plot Elimination: "She comes from a wealthy land-owning family headed by the Lord de'Arnise... She has been educated and taught the magical arts... Nalia stated that her years of sneaking out of [de'Arnise keep]..." Years of sneaking out of [de'Arnise keep] = *Fail Horn!*FAAAAIL-YER!
2.) Analog Test: N/A Nalia is a *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER!

Valygar Corthala! -BIG WINNER!!!
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1.) Plot Elimination: Valygar Corthala has a vague biography, so most anything could have happened to him in 1368 DR (albeit as far as I can tell) so I will give him a weak pass.
2.) Analog Test: Hmm, Good Aligned Male Ranger along side Minsc and Kivan.. Although more black characters would be nice and he is a ranger kit.
-Is Black (This alone is a huge point in his favour).
-Is a Kit (Rare in the Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition)
-Is his class over saturated? Is he boring carbon copy? Well let us think about it.
Three rangers would not be over saturating for there are (count them) both Three Male fighters AND Three Thieves that are good aligned. So Hmmn I thought Valygar would be a fail but he is a Pass!? 'Benefit of the doubt' and all that.. WIN WIN WIN! (Valygar You Have Become a MILLIONAIRE! -'Really?' No, but you have passed the Original Baldur's Gate N.P.C. Challenge! *fanfare* -'Oh -.-'..)[/Spoiler]
Now for those those Neutral Bastards!:[Spoiler]Anomen Delryn! -Neutral-'Half Pass'.
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1.) Plot Elimination: "Anomen is quick to state that he has been serving the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart for years... Anomen is reluctant, however, to speak of his noble upbringing, saying only that he entered the Order without the support his father, Lord Cor Delryn. Since he could not be sponsored as a squire, Anomen chose the route of the warrior and priest of Helm, the god of Guardians, and has fought many battles over the years against forces of evil." So he could also be found in the sword coast investigating the bandit problem at the request of Sir Ryan Trawl of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart. (Very Similar to Ajantis Ilvarstarr..) So a very weak pass, but a pass no less.
2.) Analog Test: Ajantis Ilvarstarr.. Although Anomen is a Lawful Neutral.. Fighter (he dual classes into a cleric at level 7)? (Anomen, dude pick a paladin you dumbo:-P). He would be the third neutral cleric.. Hmmn he is Really Similar to Ajantis, but then again he is not like Ajantis Ilvarstarr for he is at this time a Neutral fighter (level 7 maximum).. Wait.. Neutral fighter? In Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition? There is only Jeheira and she is a female elf druid multi class.. Although it would be a bit awkward in Baldur's Gate II for he can romance CHARNAME in Baldur's Gate II so, it would need some context rework I suppose; HMMN. I will give Anomen a Neutral-'Half Pass' for he would be an 'addition' but he kind of lacks diversity.

Cernd! -FAIL!
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1.) Plot Elimination: He was sent from the land of Tyther to investigate a group of rogue shadow druids in a druid grove near the city of Trademeet. He was not in the Sword Coast area in 1368 *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER!
2.) Analog Test: N/A Cernd is a *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER!

Haer'Dalis! -FAIL!
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1.) Plot Elimination: I don't really know, for he is bouncing around all over the place. So it is anyone's guess although I doubt that Haer'Dalis was over and around the Sword Coast for approximately a year when he was running away. I think that he belongs to Amn for I doubt that his Doomguard troupe fled south for a year into Amn. I just get a 'slippery slope' feeling about Hael'Dalis being in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. It just feels bad because he fled and 'popped out' of the planes and into (most likely) Amn. I doubt that it would make sense to say that Haer'Dalis could accurately be found on the Sword Coast for when the party finds him in Baldur's Gate II, he was mind controlled when trying to steal a trans-planar device from a powerful wizard for an 'on the run' Planeswalking Doomguard troupe. I get a bad feeling about a 'prequel' Haer'Dalis in the Sword Coast so I say no pass. -FAIL!
2.) Analog Test: N/A Haer'Dalis is a *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER!

Jan Jansen! -Neutral-'Half Pass'.
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1.) Plot Elimination: There is so little background lore given that I could not say; although his 'ending' states that he may have been a prolific traveler. So a 'weird pass'.
2.) Analog Test: He is a crazy shortly like Tiax and an Illusionist / Thief.. A Thief..*over saturated class* although he is crazy so bonus points for that. So I will say that he is neutral for he brings both good and bad traits to the table based on him being nuts but also him being a thief.. The most represented class in the Original Baldur's Gate. His gear would be another area for discussion although that is for another time. -Neutral-'Half Pass'!

Yoshimo! -FAIL!
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1.) Plot Elimination: His background is vague as far as I can tell so maybe he could be in the Sword Coast in 1368, or not?
2.) Analog Test: Another Thief? It would look bad to increase the number of the prevalent class in the Original Baldur's Gate *Fail Horn!* FAAAAIL-YER![/Spoiler]
The Good, The Neutral and finally, The Evil (character):[Spoiler]Korgan Bloodaxe! -Neutral-'Half Pass'.
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1.) Plot Elimination: He gets grumpy when asked about his back ground, it seems that he was wronged in the past but who knows; maybe he was in the Sword Coast region in around say ~1368? (albeit that is just to my knowledge, your mileage may differ). So I give Korgan Bloodaxe a *Minor Pass*.
2.) Analog Test: Kagain, although, ehhhg? Another Evil Male Dwarf Mercenary Fighter....? Would it be any good (Hell their names are so similar it can be hard to not misspell them) ? 'Maybe'? I will give Korgan Bloodaxe a Neutral-'Half Pass' for he would be an 'addition' but when he is 'brought to the table' he kind of lacks diversity.. Much like Anomen.[/Spoiler]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So what 'Stongue' non-player character candidates are left?:[Spoiler]Mazzy Fentan! -BIG WINNER!!!
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Female Halfling Lawful Good Fighter ('Demi-Paladin' of Arvoreen, The Halfling's God(ess) of War).
Ability Scores:
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 18
Constitution: 16
Intellect: 10
Wisdom: 13
Charisma: 14

Valygar Corthala! -BIG WINNER!!!
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Ability Scores:
Strength: 17
Dexterity: 18
Constitution: 16
Intellect: 10
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 10[/Spoiler]
I hope that it was worth the reading, for the kind and heartly people of the incredulous Baldur's Gate Modding Forums!
Post edited by WithinAmnesia on

Comments

  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,754
    A nice essay.

    The name reminded me about the "Trial of Iron Throne:)

    Although I agree majorly with your points, I'd be happy to play with a party consisiting of Haer'Dalis' troupe. You know, Raelis Shai and her adventures. Maybe they visited the Sword Coast in 1368, before going to the Sigil.
  • WithinAmnesiaWithinAmnesia Member Posts: 961
    edited May 2015
    @bengoshi to be honest, Haer'Dalis is one of my favourite characters in Baldur's Gate II. I was a bit afraid to include him based off of my bias.. So I was 'anti-bias' if that makes any sense.. Although in my heart he should be at least 'yellow'; although I don't want to be of a bias and or monocentric view. I think that my above argument is weak and I give no real good reason as to why he could not have made his and his troupe's entrance into Toril from within the Sword Coast and then they eventually traveled into Amn.. (Perhaps Haer'Dalis got mind controlled when trying to 'borrow' that interdimensional 'portal thingy' after traveling to Amn from learning about the wizard and his 'artifact' from the antics within the Sword Coast?)
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