[mod] Skie - The Cost of One Girl's Soul
LavaDelVortel
Member Posts: 2,860
I prepared a new mod for everyone who believes that Skie's story should be continued in BG2EE, especially after everything that happened in Siege of Dragonspear DLC. I present you my project: Skie - The Cost of One Girl's Soul.
SKIE: THE COST OF ONE GIRL'S SOUL
INTRODUCTION
The mod gives the player a chance to continue Skie's plot that began in Siege of Dragonspear. The DLC gave the Silvershield girl a very important role, and I felt as if it should be continued in the BG2 portion of the game. The mod has three different components:
component A - Skie: The Cost of One Girl's Soul – A new quest for Baldur's Gate 2 EE => this component provides a new quest that gives the player a chance to save Skie Silvershield after what happened in Siege of Dragonspear. You should be warned, though, that saving her comes with a price. The mod starts at Irenicus' Dungeon when you find the main quest item.
component B - Allow Skie to return as a joinable NPC => This component allows Skie to join you if you decide to help the Silvershield girl and succeed. She will find you after some time. Skie will start to look for you in certain inns, so remember to stop and rest from time to time. The NPC comes with some timered and situation talks, banters with each NPC (at least 2 in SoA + 1 in ToB), interjections, an epilogue, and other things joinable companions should include. Note that there is no romance here, as I wanted to stress companionship and loyalty based on friendship and not romantic love. The NPC component was written to enjoy Skie's presence in the group, rather than provide hundreds of lines, but she should talk to you once in a while. In terms of size, she could be compared to Kulyok's Tiax or Coran.
component C - Add Player-Initiated Dialogue (PID) for Skie => This component requires component B to work and allows you to discover new lines by clicking the dialogue cursor on Skie Silvershield. As the original NPCs do not have PIDs, this was made an optional component, so you could decide if you want these additional lines in your game or not.
component D - The Return of Eddard Silvershield => This component (which also requires component
adds a new quest happening after Skie's friendship path. It starts in the Bridge District. It leads Skie and the PC to a surprising discovery: Eddard is alive as he wasn't actually killed but captured by slavers during his mission. After completing the quest, Eddard may join the team. He is a romanceable character (for non-evil male and female protagonists with a Charisma score of 13+). The NPC will stay with you for both SoA and ToB and will also have some heart-warming talks with his sister, Skie.
component E - Add Player-Initiated Dialogue (PID) for Eddard => This component requires component D to work and allows you to discover new lines by clicking the dialogue cursor on Eddard Silvershield. As the original NPCs do not have PIDs, this was made an optional component, so you could decide if you want these additional lines in your game or not.
component F - Add brand-new SoD-related items to BG2 => this component introduces new SoD references to BG2 by adding a few items that somehow correspond to Siege of Dragonspear characters, places, and happenings (Skie included). The items are sold by a new merchant at the Promenade. He's standing near Lord and Lady Ophal. This component is independent and may be installed without components A and B.
Note that Skie in this mod is supposed to continue the Siege of Dragonspear character, so she may be a tiny bit more mature, but still a bit reckless, and will not hesitate to tell you how she feels about people and events. The change in her character may be seen in both her dialogues and soundset.
Also, to make her portrait blend in better with Baldur's Gate II style of portraits, the mod uses an edited version of her original picture.
The mod includes some crossmod. Install G3 Crossmod Banter Pack to enjoy them!
Special thanks to @typo_tilly and @Go_ForTheEyes for proofreading and editing!
How to join Skie:
After your talk to Missini, wait for 2-3 days and rest in any of Athkatla's Inns.
How to start quest that involved Eddard:
Finish Skie's friendship path (aka wait for Missini's 2nd appearance) and go to the Five Flagons.
DOWNLOAD LINK
SKIE: THE COST OF ONE GIRL'S SOUL
INTRODUCTION
The mod gives the player a chance to continue Skie's plot that began in Siege of Dragonspear. The DLC gave the Silvershield girl a very important role, and I felt as if it should be continued in the BG2 portion of the game. The mod has three different components:
component A - Skie: The Cost of One Girl's Soul – A new quest for Baldur's Gate 2 EE => this component provides a new quest that gives the player a chance to save Skie Silvershield after what happened in Siege of Dragonspear. You should be warned, though, that saving her comes with a price. The mod starts at Irenicus' Dungeon when you find the main quest item.
component B - Allow Skie to return as a joinable NPC => This component allows Skie to join you if you decide to help the Silvershield girl and succeed. She will find you after some time. Skie will start to look for you in certain inns, so remember to stop and rest from time to time. The NPC comes with some timered and situation talks, banters with each NPC (at least 2 in SoA + 1 in ToB), interjections, an epilogue, and other things joinable companions should include. Note that there is no romance here, as I wanted to stress companionship and loyalty based on friendship and not romantic love. The NPC component was written to enjoy Skie's presence in the group, rather than provide hundreds of lines, but she should talk to you once in a while. In terms of size, she could be compared to Kulyok's Tiax or Coran.
component C - Add Player-Initiated Dialogue (PID) for Skie => This component requires component B to work and allows you to discover new lines by clicking the dialogue cursor on Skie Silvershield. As the original NPCs do not have PIDs, this was made an optional component, so you could decide if you want these additional lines in your game or not.
component D - The Return of Eddard Silvershield => This component (which also requires component
adds a new quest happening after Skie's friendship path. It starts in the Bridge District. It leads Skie and the PC to a surprising discovery: Eddard is alive as he wasn't actually killed but captured by slavers during his mission. After completing the quest, Eddard may join the team. He is a romanceable character (for non-evil male and female protagonists with a Charisma score of 13+). The NPC will stay with you for both SoA and ToB and will also have some heart-warming talks with his sister, Skie.component E - Add Player-Initiated Dialogue (PID) for Eddard => This component requires component D to work and allows you to discover new lines by clicking the dialogue cursor on Eddard Silvershield. As the original NPCs do not have PIDs, this was made an optional component, so you could decide if you want these additional lines in your game or not.
component F - Add brand-new SoD-related items to BG2 => this component introduces new SoD references to BG2 by adding a few items that somehow correspond to Siege of Dragonspear characters, places, and happenings (Skie included). The items are sold by a new merchant at the Promenade. He's standing near Lord and Lady Ophal. This component is independent and may be installed without components A and B.
Note that Skie in this mod is supposed to continue the Siege of Dragonspear character, so she may be a tiny bit more mature, but still a bit reckless, and will not hesitate to tell you how she feels about people and events. The change in her character may be seen in both her dialogues and soundset.
Also, to make her portrait blend in better with Baldur's Gate II style of portraits, the mod uses an edited version of her original picture.
The mod includes some crossmod. Install G3 Crossmod Banter Pack to enjoy them!
Special thanks to @typo_tilly and @Go_ForTheEyes for proofreading and editing!
How to join Skie:
After your talk to Missini, wait for 2-3 days and rest in any of Athkatla's Inns.
How to start quest that involved Eddard:
Finish Skie's friendship path (aka wait for Missini's 2nd appearance) and go to the Five Flagons.
DOWNLOAD LINK
Post edited by LavaDelVortel on
49
Comments
But:
But I guess finding it in ID and therefor having it sooner is a good plot story, as well.
I don't see how it is. The dagger was nothing more than a means to an end, and since it's served its purpose, there's no reason he should care about what happens to it. Considering the fact it's in his personal domain and the PC was never supposed to escape their cell, it's more than believable.
(Why the whole thing happened at all is something only BeamDog Devs could explain, anyhow.)
Oh, well... I wouldn't know... *whistles innocently*
I am not playing, I am reading (and writing crossmod content for Ajantis). But:
The price it takes to retore the content - my paladin PC has a huge problem with what is asked for, and thinks that the father should decide himself whether it should be paid.
Now she would be stuck and couldn't finish the quest.
Cudos to your grasp of the SoD Skie character. As far as I've seen, your writing is a perfect match. It's brilliant!
Still, such an option would be nice to have, for whatever reasons. As far as I can see, it could be integrated without having to change much of the overall mod flow.
Great idea for a mod, look forward to finishing it.
Thanks! And this mod is much better, in my opinion. I am the one who wrote the old Skie BG2 mod, but I believe that it was a bit too much about jokes from a girl who after all does everything she can to not only be useful, but who also risks her life by leaving her comfortable estate. This Skie here is different. A bit childish and reckless as she used to be, but also someone who wants to do great things, see places. I hope that mod to be a nice continuation of what Beamdog gave us in Siege of Dragonspear.
Well, yes. @Artemius_I is helping me greatly with the mod. It needs some more polishing and checking a thing or two, so I can't say when it's going to be available, but expect a mod that offers more than just few talks. I wrote some stuff about BG2 part. Check out his thread here, at Beamdog forums, when you have a moment
I am not playing, I am reading (and writing crossmod content for Ajantis). But:
The price it takes to retore the content - my paladin PC has a huge problem with what is asked for, and thinks that the father should decide himself whether it should be paid.
Now she would be stuck and couldn't finish the quest.
Well, sorry, but no. That's the main problem I wanted to show with the mod. It is to be morally difficult. Most quests are constructed like: "we are great heroes and we do great things". And what happens if to save someone you have to do something difficult? When I wrote this mod, I knew it's going to be difficult abd not every PC may want to do such a thing. Now some spoilerish things so...
Also, there is the title - "The Cost of One Girl's Soul". And that's the thing - the price may be too high. Some people would still do it, while others... just wouldn't. I know this is harsh and I really feel what you mean here, but that mod was supposed to be harsh and difficult.
Before creating the mod I talked to some people and I have to agree that in Forgotten Realms death is something... a bit trivial. Whatever happens, people got ressurected. Entar. Sarevok. People who should be dead like Tazok keep doing nasty things. This time it has a huge cost and is to trouble people. Because death matters.
Hah! Thanks! I did my best. It's also thanks to @typo_tilly - I bet the text wouldn't look that great with typos and/or wrong grammar
The price is high and if CHARNAME decides that he/she doesn't want to make this decision, player is stuck with the journal entries. I will give the option probably to clear them and close the case, but it won't allow CHARNAME to join Skie later in game. Even if people of Baldur's Gate manage to do something about this, Skie won't get the motivation to find you.
-fix for a small bug with one variable (that was supposed to delete journal entries if you fail the quest)
-an option to send away the dagger to Entar Silvershield; note that this means you the quest will just be erased and Skie won't find you later even if you installed the component that allows to join her; as I mentioned before, the option is there because if someone decides the price is too high, then he/she is stuck with journal entries; this allows you to drop the quest and erase the entries.
One question for crossmod, though:
Would it be possible to split the script block starting with
OR(2)
Global("L#2SkieDaggerImoen","GLOBAL",50)
Global("L#2SkieDagger","GLOBAL",50)
THEN
RESPONSE #100
into two?
In case the PC tells Imoen in ID that he won't pursue this any further, only the first journal entry would have to be erased.
If the two variables (with Imoen in ID and without for failing the quest) would be separate, Ajantis mod could detect whether the item was never be taken out of ID or whether the rescue failed - without the need for me to introduce extra script blocks. Ajantis might join later in game, so it's an important difference to know for his crossmod reaction.
This mod goes straight to my "vanilla installation" set.
Thanks and congrats!
-Seperated failure script into two blocks (0.99d)
-Added variable for breaking the rule of sacrifice (0.99d)
-Added few NPC reactions (0.99d)
For those who may want to write reactions similar to those @jastey mentioned, here are some variables:
Global("L#2SDToldImoenNo","GLOBAL",1) => you told Imoen you're not going to help Skie and got rid of the dagger just after finding it
Global("L#2SDBreakRule","GLOBAL",1) => CHARNAME tried to break the rule and release Skie's soul without a sacrifice and failed
Global("L#2SDFailedLater","GLOBAL",1) => CHARNAME failed the quest and Skie was no saves (failure took place later, not just after finding the dagger)
@jastey - it would be great if you could take a look if everything looks fine.
This mod goes straight to my "vanilla installation" set.
Thanks and congrats!
Thanks! I hope you'll enjoy the mod!
Cheers!
These are the triggers I used/will be using (not tested in game yet):
//PC tried to cheat and lost Skie's soul
~Global("L#2SDBreakRule","GLOBAL",1)~
//PC found dagger in ID, independent on quest status but not lost Skie soul (includes sending dagger back to BG)
~GlobalGT("L#2SkieDagger","GLOBAL",0) //Skie Cost Mod started
Global("L#2SDToldImoenNo","GLOBAL",0) //Player did not leave dagger in ID
Global("L#2SDBreakRule","GLOBAL",0)~ //PC did not lose Skie's soul
//after hearing about the cost
~GlobalGT("L#2SkieDagger","GLOBAL",10) //PC knows what it takes to retore it
GlobalLT("L#2SkieDagger","GLOBAL",15) //PC didn't find a willing soul yet
Global("L#2SDToldImoenNo","GLOBAL",0) //Player did not leave dagger in ID
Global("L#2SDFailedLater","GLOBAL",0) //quest is still running
Global("L#2SDBreakRule","GLOBAL",0) //PC did not lose Skie's soul
//dagger was restored
~GlobalGT("L#2SkieDagger","GLOBAL",30) //Skie's soul restored
Global("L#2SDSendIt","GLOBAL",0) //dagger was not sent to BG
Global("L#2SDToldImoenNo","GLOBAL",0) //Player did not leave dagger in ID
Global("L#2SDFailedLater","GLOBAL",0) //quest is still running
Global("L#2SDBreakRule","GLOBAL",0)~ //PC did not lose Skie's soul
//dagger was sent back
~GlobalGT("L#2SDSendIt","GLOBAL",0) //dagger was sent back to BG
Global("L#2SDBreakRule","GLOBAL",0)~ //PC did not lose Skie's soul
No big talks or relationships here, but they should notice eachother's presence.
Thanks to Astharoshe, who spotted some typos I made in those!
Cheers!
Anyway, have fun!
Can we get it in BWS?
Also, this mod shouldn't be used with Sandrah Saga for EET and my old Skie BG2 NPC. That would cause a storywise mess. Same goes with other possible mods that bring back Skie, include Soultaker dagger plots and/or Eldoth Kron.