[MOD] Valkrana Companion NPC
SailorCat
Member Posts: 7
Valkrana Companion NPC
Available on Nexus or direct from Valkrana's Geocities page.
Bring the multiverse's most awkward necromancer to your Baldur's Gate II party. This full-fledged companion includes voiced lines, a character quest, world reactions, tailored scripts, and more. Character portraits by Nyama. Voiced by Sailor Cat.
At first, Valkrana appears a skeletal wizard detached from the world around her. Provided you don't succumb to your bloodline, she hardly raises an objection no matter how dumb or duplicitous your actions. But given time with her awkwardness, you'll come to find that despite her enduring pragmatism, she is anything but detached.
Details.
1. Extract to your Baldur's Gate II root folder (ex: Steam\steamapps\common\Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Edition\)
2. Run setup-valkrana.exe
3. Crack open a brewski and pry open a casket
Notes.
Not romanceable.
Doesn't banter with other characters.
Crossmod content is fine.
Untested EET compatibility.
Not yet compatible with classic non-EE BG2.
(u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/
Many thanks to Weimer for his work on WeiDU, and all the members of the community whose posts, mods, and tutorials have been valuable references. Nuts to see PPG still around after visiting for Unfinished Business all those years ago. Thanks also to Lamei for input and info that helped in the process.
Not compatible with classic BG2. While I intend to add compatibility, I decided to put off digging out all the errant washers and springs from the bottom of the drawer until after the mod has found its footing with EE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7UMwH5BkHEAvailable on Nexus or direct from Valkrana's Geocities page.
Bring the multiverse's most awkward necromancer to your Baldur's Gate II party. This full-fledged companion includes voiced lines, a character quest, world reactions, tailored scripts, and more. Character portraits by Nyama. Voiced by Sailor Cat.
At first, Valkrana appears a skeletal wizard detached from the world around her. Provided you don't succumb to your bloodline, she hardly raises an objection no matter how dumb or duplicitous your actions. But given time with her awkwardness, you'll come to find that despite her enduring pragmatism, she is anything but detached.
When asked about her past, VALKRANA speaks with gusto unusual to the skeleton about her service to and relationship with the great, mighty, unrivaled witch Ilyana Miraquinal. Until Ilyana, Valkrana was unfinished, incomplete. With a kiss, Ilyana brought out the best in her, filled a hole in Valkrana purpose-dug for lifelong obsession. What followed was adventure after adventure, travails shared as companions to further the renown of the hero Ilyana. Many of which, you're treated to in great detail. Currently, Valkrana serves as Ilyana's envoy in this corner of Realmspace.
Valkrana strikes an odd balance between a child's awkward bearing and the keen edge of an undead mastermind. Painfully out of her element in conversation, her selective filter and curt replies give the impression of a contempt that isn't there. Usually. In the city, there always seems to be an urchin within her line of sight.
Details.
- Gender — Female
- Alignment — Neutral
- Class — Necromancer
- Stats — STR 8, DEX 10, CON 14, INT 21, WIS 16, CHA 7
- 100+ Voice Lines — Interaction, interjection, and quest dialogue are all fully voiced.
- Racial Features — As a skeleton, Valkrana has several undead traits: Cold resistance 25, poison immunity, immunity to level drain, and immunity to the Nature's Beauty spell.
- Bonuses — Valkrana's fascination with the arcane provides a boost to Lore. She also knows the Simulacrum spell despite her specialist limitation.
- Bones Alive! — Valkrana's quest is freeform and progresses as you confront the Cowled Wizards and find magic items.
- Spellcasting — A focus on defense, necromancy, divination, and countering other wizards.
- Recruitment — Valkrana can be found above the Copper Coronet in the Slums district.
- Starting Gear — Quarterstaff and three scrolls of Animate Dead.
- And more! — Valkrana comments on the world, provides intel (the most valuable commodity), and other stuff.
1. Extract to your Baldur's Gate II root folder (ex: Steam\steamapps\common\Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Edition\)
2. Run setup-valkrana.exe
3. Crack open a brewski and pry open a casket
Notes.
Not romanceable.
Doesn't banter with other characters.
Crossmod content is fine.
Untested EET compatibility.
Not yet compatible with classic non-EE BG2.
(u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/ (u_x)/
Many thanks to Weimer for his work on WeiDU, and all the members of the community whose posts, mods, and tutorials have been valuable references. Nuts to see PPG still around after visiting for Unfinished Business all those years ago. Thanks also to Lamei for input and info that helped in the process.
Not compatible with classic BG2. While I intend to add compatibility, I decided to put off digging out all the errant washers and springs from the bottom of the drawer until after the mod has found its footing with EE.
Post edited by SailorCat on
0
Comments
I would've liked to take negative energy into consideration with respect to healing, but the engine doesn't seem to do that automatically for undead creatures, and there's no accounting for it in existing undead creature files as far as I could tell. So I only gave her partial undead traits for that reason.
a) I believe there are at the least two mods that tie into the lich theme, e. g. the smaller one by Lava (I think) with Xzele and the quest (not sure if this is only for the main actor); and the lichdom mod (which I think is definitely available for other party members too); and an even older mod, which is a bit buggy (the one with I think something like "eye of vecna"-like item (I forgot the name). Can she become a lich too? The lichdom mod author often adds cross-mod content, so it may be useful to relate Valkrana with that mod, but that is an aside. Perhaps the mod explains why her alignment is neutral; I think most necromancers in a "classical" way relate more to the evil alignment.
b) "Doesn't banter with other characters.": is it planned to add some cross-mod banter content here? For instance with the romance-boy Edwin (and his teddy bear from one mod; which lady can resist a mighty mage holding a teddy bear).
c) Does she have unique abilities, aside from simulacrum and lore plus? I kind of think unique abilities are great; some may be a bit overpowered (Dusk NPC's anti-fear ability for instance or the insta-heal), but I also love unique features of NPCs in a party, like Viexnay or however one spells it (the one from Skitia) teleporting to the target, doing the pokey-poke with a knife and then getting out again, is kind of unique.
I plan on adding inter-party banter, but would want to handle Bioware's characters before other modded characters. That, and more interjections are what I'm currently missing. She isn't the most talkative around, since she simply doesn't feel strongly one way or another, but does need at least some more interjections and banter. Taking a bit of a break after the blitz that was the last couple weeks. Had to work within a trial software deadline for recording those last 100 lines.
I wouldn't be against adding something more active in a future update, but as it stands, I'd say her unique abilities are tied to her strong undead passives (and what you'd already mentioned), and if you wanted to stretch it, her intel. I can think of some cool scripted stuff to add, and that's my favorite part anyway. Something to add to the list!
Maybe two thoughts or suggestions;
would it be possible to let the Mod check while installation if artisans Kitpack ist already installed and give an option to change her class into the Palemaster Sorcerer Kit from this mod?
Might also fit the wohle undead Mage theme quiet well in my opinion.
https://artisans-corner.com/the-artisans-kitpack/
I also changed her portrait into something more fitting to the BG2 Style, since I'm not a big fan of anime kind of Art. I found that these two or three from the Ultimate Portrait Pack fit her Character as well:
https://www.moddb.com/games/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition/addons/super-ultimate-portrait-pack-zip
Maybe there could be also an option on setup to change her portrait to those Alternatives?
Just my 2 Cents,
Thanks for the Mod and keep up the good work
Valkrana actually dislikes sorcerers lol—considers them charlatans who neither respect magic nor have put in the effort to familiarize themselves with its underpinning.
That said, I understand you want things to be thematically similar visually. I used to be the same, so I get it. I'd like to keep it to art of the character if it's bundled with the mod (though you're welcome to change it to whatever you like manually), so if you visit the gallery on her website, Toi and Cacoethic have more Western art. See if either of those appeal to you.