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[MOD PREVIEW] The Fallen Light (SoD spoilers)

 TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
edited January 2019 in BGII:EE Mods
This is an in-progress quest/NPC-mod which will add Caelar Argent, the antagonist of Siege of Dragonspear, as a joinable party member.

Overview

  • The quest will begin once the PC reaches 1,000,000 experience (with options for a reduced or removed requirement).
  • The plot assumes that Caelar allied herself with the PC and survived the events of Avernus. If installed on EET, content will be disabled if another path was taken for the sake of continuity.
  • Caelar will converse with the PC frequently, and I hope for a very diverse range of dialogue options. The PC can be sympathetic, judgmental, or sadistic as they please. Remember that Caelar is no mindless thrall, though, and will react appropriately. She is with the PC by choice, so taunting her too much may have... violent results.
  • She will likely be... different to her portrayal in SoD. Hopefully not to the point of complete OOCness, but there will be more depth into Caelar as a person that separates her from the Shining Lady persona (which she has personally abandoned). While she is a force of good, she is not the most pleasant person to be around. Don't expect her to be full of remorse or shower the PC with gratitude. Caelar is a stubborn, defensive and prideful woman, at least on the exterior, and full of cynicism due to the the awful things that she has been through.
  • Aside from Caelar, this mod will explore the backgrounds of characters such as Aun Argent, Hephernaan, Thrix, Caelar's parents (deceased) and various crusaders.
  • Caelar will always join a non-evil PC with a reputation greater than 8. An evil PC with 15+ reputation and 17+ Charisma can persuade her to join.
  • Caelar retains her SoD level of 15 and all her equipment. She is likely to be stronger than anyone else in your party, which is why the quest has an experience requirement. Her -20% experience reduction serves as a sort of counterbalance.
  • If the PC's reputation drops too low, she will leave.
  • Caelar will not accept Dorn or Hexxat in the party.
  • Caelar will not remain with a PC who works with Bodhi.
  • If the PC attacks the Order of the Radiant Heart or the Temple of Lathander, even as part of the Talos stronghold quest, she will turn against them!
  • There is no plans for romance, at least for now.
  • There will be no corruption path. Sorry.

Champion of the Aster (Fighter)

CHAMPION OF THE ASTER: Followers of Lathander that are born with the blood of the Upper Planes train to become Champions of the Aster and are granted divine powers directly from the Morninglord to spread light and destroy evil throughout the Realms.

Advantages:
– +1 to maximum Wisdom and Charisma.
– +3 to hit and damage against demons and devils.
– May cast the priest spell Bless as an innate ability once per day. Gains one use at level 1 and an additional use every 10 levels thereafter.
– May cast the priest spell Cure Critical Wounds as an ability three times a day starting at level 10.
– May cast Shining Bolt once per day starting at level 12. Gains an additional use every 10 levels thereafter.

SHINING BOLT: This unique ability allows the user to hurl a bolt of divine energy at an enemy once per day, dealing them 5d6 points of magic damage. Undead creatures and fiends are particularly susceptible to the bolt's effects, suffering double damage when they are struck. The target's Magic Resistance, if any, does not affect this ability.

– May choose Summon Deva as a High Level Ability.

Disadvantages:
– Receives a -20% penalty to all experience gained.
– Must be an aasimar.
– Alignment restricted to good.
Post edited by TheArtisan on
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Comments

  • UlbUlb Member Posts: 295
    I'm actually hyped for this (and I don't even know yet what exactly it is!)

    Am I right to assume that this is a Caelar NPC/Quest mod? If so, is it for the good path only or will there be an evil path as well? Romance? Follow-up quests? Will this have EET support? What about Skie, can we save her? So many questions.. :)
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    @Ulb

    I'm afraid I can't answer any of those questions at the moment except the first. Yes, she will be a permanent NPC with quests. As for the rest, that's still up in the air.

    I can say for certain however, that at the moment at least this'll have nothing to do with Skie. She'll be mentioned in dialogue occasionally, but that's it.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited January 2017
    Added another preview. I should mention that getting to and recruiting Caelar is not easy.
    You have to do two specific stronghold quests to get the items necessary to enter Avernus and there's a pretty nasty fight (shown in the preview) before you manage to make it back out.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Welp, I'm hyped.
  • megamike15megamike15 Member Posts: 2,666
    i thought someone else was also doing a Caelar mod.

    two strongholds huh. i assume paladin is one of them.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    So will completing this require the multi stronghold mod? Or is it just the quests that lead up to the strongholds?
  • saber0saber0 Member Posts: 84
    looks cool
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    @megamike15

    Yeah, I know. In my defense I believe I had exported all of Caelar's audio files and items into BG2 before anyone else made a thread on it... I did pause all work both to get Sirene BG2 done and to see how active they'd be but it doesn't look like they've been around for a while...

    @ThacoBell and everyone else:

    By 'stronghold quest' I meant the quests that lead to gaining the stronghold. I won't say exactly which at the moment but Paladin is not one of them.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Thanks for the reply. I've been hoping someone would do a Caelar mod sooner or later.
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    Probably the Planar Sphere is one of the strongholds.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Hmmm, not paladin is interesting. Maybe Bard stronghold? With all the planar hopping and whatnot.
  • GrimLefourbeGrimLefourbe Member Posts: 637
    edited January 2017
    Probably Bard or Mage.

    Please consider EET compatibility :) swit(k4thos) is back if you want to ask him for help.
  • ArthasArthas Member Posts: 1,091
    My god I'm hyped for this! YEEE
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    edited January 2017
    Progress is going to be slow while I'm recovering from my injury. Might as well post this little scene that I made already (hit the HD button on the bottom right corner if you want to see anything):
    https://videopress.com/v/MlpqXrrO
  • redlineredline Member Posts: 296
    I'd normally take any kind of early preview/teaser with a massive pile of salt - there are a LOT of modders who tend to post ambitious ideas, only to lose interest and never deliver. You've got a pretty awesome track record, though - color me interested on this one.
  • nysinysi Member Posts: 60
    Hi,

    I was working on a similar project but stopped working on it. Mostly because of time and the need for change IRL.
    I'm hyped someone doing a Caelar NPC mod.
    If you want I can provide some of my work (Mostly banter text? or NPC audio)
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    @nysi

    Hello! It's nice to see you back. I hope you aren't bothered that I've essentially taken over your project from scratch. If you're interested in contributing any sort of content I'll be happy to look at it. I have imported over the relevant SoD content (items, graphics, sounds) already.
  • nysinysi Member Posts: 60
    No on the contrary and if I can be of any help do not hesitate.
    I will send you the text I wroted for the banter.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    Another preview... I'm able to work on my mods at a reasonable pace again and the initial quest is close to complete.

  • gesellegeselle Member Posts: 325
    any news, or bits to spill?
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    That ninetails evolved into something WEIRD.
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    I have been taking an extended break off modding due to lack of inspiration. Progress has gone no further than the last time I've updated, but I have considered what I'm exactly going to do. Two things in particular that I've tentatively decided that may upset others:

    1. No evil Caelar for the moment. I realize people will probably hate me for this but after pondering it for several days worth there are several reasons as to why I just can't see it working out. I'll elaborate in the future if I have to and I may change my mind but for now it's not going to be an option. Sorry.
    2. No romance... yet. There's potential there but focusing on it now will crowd out my primary ideas for Caelar's development and it's a headache I'd rather not get into at the moment. That said it will certainly be possible for the Bhaalspawn to try anyways.
  • LordoflinksLordoflinks Member Posts: 6
    I just wanted to let you known I am really looking forward to your mod, and I wish you all the best in creating it.
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • bob_vengbob_veng Member Posts: 2,308
    it seems like some item increases her constitution. i think her mental attributes could take a hit because she's neither smart nor wise (she's a dummy and a looser. a true waste) she only relies on her supernatural charisma
  •  TheArtisan TheArtisan Member Posts: 3,277
    I am not touching canonically establishing stats. You'd have more luck asking me to reduce Ellesime's INT and WIS and it would make the same difference gameplay wise (none, in other words).

    18/17/16 are high physical stats but hardly unfair compared to, say, Korgan's. She also has a crippling disadvantage at the start when recruited to balance out her high stats, level and powerful gear.

    All experience Caelar gains is halved until she redeems herself.
  • ArdanisArdanis Member Posts: 1,736
    edited March 2017
    It should be noted that the prime - and pretty much the only, really - consideration for her physical stats was to balance her combat effectiveness for that one encounter, both as ally and opponent. Not necessarily to make her a viable party member for an inevitable BG2 mod :)

    PS That said, I don't see high STR as an issue, because the game has STR belt and gauntlets in Chapter 2, making the innate stat value more or less obsolete. If I had to worry, it'd the aesthetic appeal (my brain translates "high STR + high CON" into "brutish hulk") instead of balance.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I'm fine with the stats, I mean, look at charname and Sareok.
  • saber0saber0 Member Posts: 84
    would it be possible to get a eta on this mod?
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