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What party makes the most sense?

GrumGrum Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,100
in Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition
The band of adventurers should have become well known heroes. They saved three towns, killed two demons (one very publicly and on a holy place), killed a famous dragon and saved the barbarian peoples.

But through it all they keep 12 reputation and the history of the realms doesn't remember them.

So with that in mind, what is the best explanation for this?

My first theory is that the party was made up out of...disreputable...races. I'm talking half orcs and tieflings. With that, it wouldn't make good PR to say "who" saved you and instead the history just calls them "adventurers."

My second theory is that the party was made up out of Paladins, clerics, monks and other holy people. With that, they may have well insisted on not having their names recorded, lest they become tempted by vanity and pride.

That's my theories. Anyone else have any explanations?

Comments

  • RideratRiderat Member Posts: 136
    I rolled a new party yesterday (planning to to my first complete run) and in Easthaven is this dude, named Hrothgar. He is strong, rich and glorified, but he kinda says something like
    the adventures are not about fame and wealth. You are adventuring because it is in your blood.
    Maybe the main party gets inspired by his words and is doing all these deeds because they feel the calling.

    Also I am not that far in the game, but it seems that the locations in IWD are more remote than the ones in BG. I mean, BG is a huge city with smaller towns around it. It's probable that the word goes out much quicker on the lowland than on the highland. Basically what I mean is that in iwd you are noticed by less people and your reputation can't grow as fast as it can in BG.

    I hope I make sense
  • ChidojuanChidojuan Member Posts: 211
    I always felt that no one really cared. Sort of like when Drizzt killed the barghest whelp in Sojourn, only no racism involved from the villagers. The Ten Towns might be happy about it, but it becomes just another story to tell while fishing for knucklehead trout.
  • Xar105Xar105 Member Posts: 112
    because IWD is Easthaven and Kuldahar story about unknow adventurs party who save them. Perhaps that story know only a local members of kuldahar and Easthaven, and i don`t know in IWD 2 there is some info about our party from sequel, but i think thats why no one heard that story.
  • GodGod Member Posts: 1,150
    ineth said:

    In IWD2, you can find a history book in Targos that tells of the heroic deeds of the IWD1 party.

    It does not mention their names, of course... :)

    Neither does an old cat lady who knows the tale.
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    Because they were gone after "Trials of Luremaster" . Slain by Tiamat, I guess.
  • rapsam2003rapsam2003 Member Posts: 1,636
    Xar105 said:

    because IWD is Easthaven and Kuldahar story about unknow adventurs party who save them. Perhaps that story know only a local members of kuldahar and Easthaven, and i don`t know in IWD 2 there is some info about our party from sequel, but i think thats why no one heard that story.

    In IWD, you save the entirety of the Ten Towns. Those communities are all so close to each other that it's entirely feasible to assume there's trade between them. Furthermore, the Ten Towns definitely trade with Luskan, Mirabar, Neverwinter, etc. Word would eventually get around. However, no one knows the details of the hero party (for obvious reasons).
  • DJKajuruDJKajuru Member Posts: 3,300
    rapsam2003 said:

    Xar105 said:

    because IWD is Easthaven and Kuldahar story about unknow adventurs party who save them. Perhaps that story know only a local members of kuldahar and Easthaven, and i don`t know in IWD 2 there is some info about our party from sequel, but i think thats why no one heard that story.

    In IWD, you save the entirety of the Ten Towns. Those communities are all so close to each other that it's entirely feasible to assume there's trade between them. Furthermore, the Ten Towns definitely trade with Luskan, Mirabar, Neverwinter, etc. Word would eventually get around. However, no one knows the details of the hero party (for obvious reasons).
    Would it really? How much do we know, nowadays, about what happens outside our own state/province? Media is very selective when it comes to portraying who-is-doing-what , and unless you look it up on different sources it is not easy to understand history without living it.
  • rapsam2003rapsam2003 Member Posts: 1,636
    DJKajuru said:

    Would it really? How much do we know, nowadays, about what happens outside our own state/province? Media is very selective when it comes to portraying who-is-doing-what , and unless you look it up on different sources it is not easy to understand history without living it.

    You don't just have a large evil get put down every day in the Forgotten Realms. I know it seems like it, because WotC has so many P&P adventures. But to the average merchant or peasant or townsfolk, news that a group of adventurers stopped an evil in Icewind Dale...that's pretty big news.

  • SharGuidesMyHandSharGuidesMyHand Member Posts: 2,583
    rapsam2003 said:

    But to the average merchant or peasant or townsfolk, news that a group of adventurers stopped an evil in Icewind Dale...that's pretty big news.

    But perhaps a lot of them didn't take those stories seriously, or maybe a lot of the details got lost in the shuffle?

    In BG1, there are people who don't recognize your name and/or believe your deeds after you've saved the Nashkel mines, and that only just occurred and in the next town over.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    Because their deeds were done in obscurity in a couple of backwoods, underpopulated hamlets.
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    SharGuidesMyHand said:

    But perhaps a lot of them didn't take those stories seriously, or maybe a lot of the details got lost in the shuffle?

    Once the bards get ahold of the story and starts to recite it, it's prolly more likely the story got exaggerated rather than downplayed, even though of course some details will wane over time the grandeur of the story will remain.
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    Skatan said:

    SharGuidesMyHand said:

    But perhaps a lot of them didn't take those stories seriously, or maybe a lot of the details got lost in the shuffle?

    Once the bards get ahold of the story and starts to recite it, it's prolly more likely the story got exaggerated rather than downplayed, even though of course some details will wane over time the grandeur of the story will remain.
    But by the time they're done with it, my rag-tag bunch of dwarves will become a group of lantern-jawed humans and graceful, pretty elves, and no one will ever know who did the real work.
  • ifupaulineifupauline Member Posts: 405
    in bg2, trademeet make statues of you because you "saved" them from tigers and spiders -_- In iwd life is so rough that if you are not on Jerod level of epicness, no one will remember you.
  • AchterkladAchterklad Member Posts: 114
    At least one bardic companion would be able to spread their tale across the Realms quite well, wouldn't you say?
  • rapsam2003rapsam2003 Member Posts: 1,636
    Achterklad said:

    At least one bardic companion would be able to spread their tale across the Realms quite well, wouldn't you say?

    What's to guarantee that the party has a bard? Not everyone likes bards.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    rapsam2003 said:

    Achterklad said:

    At least one bardic companion would be able to spread their tale across the Realms quite well, wouldn't you say?

    What's to guarantee that the party has a bard? Not everyone likes bards.
    Maybe the bard died in the cold wastes...or maybe just really sucked at "barding".
  • AchterkladAchterklad Member Posts: 114
    edited May 2016
    rapsam2003 said:

    What's to guarantee that the party has a bard? Not everyone likes bards.

    No, of course not. Mind you, I love me some bards. :) Having just thought about it a little more, I suppose bards aren't the only class which can get an epic story across the Realms. Having said that, Icewind Dale appeared to accommodate for bards considerably, if anyone remembers the bard-specific items and dialogue options? In my own playthrough, it just made sense to me, to play as one. Are you much of a bard appreciator yourself, @rapsam2003?

    To answer @Grum's answer properly, I agree with @Chidojuan and @mashedtaters; the Ten Towns are out in the frozen sticks, so why would anyone further down south care? Besides, I rather like the idea of the heroes of Easthaven being unsung heroes :) Or maybe their tale just lost its flavour over time, on account of it not being about that overrated Elminster dude. Also, it just makes sense to me that the party from Easthaven was just a band of travellers and mercenaries, who were dragged into a fantastic adventure (and brought together by it).
    mashedtaters said:

    Maybe the bard died in the cold wastes...or maybe just really sucked at "barding".

    My bard protagonist managed to defeat Icasaracht and her army of loyal kuo-toa warriors with little more than a staff, an enchanted violin, and her #swag... but she was no match for a bit of chilly weather. :'(
    Post edited by Achterklad on
  • rapsam2003rapsam2003 Member Posts: 1,636
    edited May 2016
    Achterklad said:

    rapsam2003 said:

    What's to guarantee that the party has a bard? Not everyone likes bards.

    No, of course not. Mind you, I love me some bards. :) Having just thought about it a little more, I suppose bards aren't the only class which can get an epic story across the Realms. Having said that, Icewind Dale appeared to accommodate for bards considerably, if anyone remembers the bard-specific items and dialogue options? In my own playthrough, it just made sense to me, to play as one. Are you much of a bard appreciator yourself, @rapsam2003?
    I have a love-hate relationship with bards in 2E D&D. And 5E. And 3.5E. LOL
    Achterklad said:

    mashedtaters said:

    Maybe the bard died in the cold wastes...or maybe just really sucked at "barding".

    My bard protagonist managed to defeat Icasaracht and her army of loyal kuo-toa warriors with little more than a staff, an enchanted violin, and her #swag... but she was no match for a bit of chilly weather. :'(
    "I used to be an adventurer like you...until I forgot my cloak and got caught in a snowstorm."
    Post edited by rapsam2003 on
  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    The town's folk would remember their own heroes first:

    The ones that died in the avalanche before reaching Kuldahar.

    And the rag tag bunch that did reach the tree, had to be guided by Arundel who died honorably defending the town when the group was chasing another dead end.

    Not to mention after his death, the party resorted to contacting the undead to further their "glory." Who knows what they needed to trade to get that type of help.
  • MadaeMadae Member Posts: 24
    I don't know if it makes sense, but I'm loving my Cleric (of Tempus), Berserker, Bard and Illusionist/Thief.
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