Let's play Gothic 1! [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Bouregard

2009-07-27, 10:31 AM

Yet another Let's play you might say.... but fear not, this one is different.

The Gothic series was never really popular out of the german speaking borders, so that’s my attempt to help this great RPG game to its rightful place in the world, a place shared with games like Morrowind, Deus Ex and other old games.

But why ecactly now you might ask? The gothic series continues in a good month with its unofficial successor Risen, created by the same developers as the first part, and maybe a few months later the official 4th part of Gothic under new management.

This project should show the world that a RPG don't need fancy graphics, controls or plenty of lightsources, yes the gothic world is the dirty brother of Morrowind, dunmer slavers, old grumpy gods and adoring fans are nothing against a mining colony filled with the most filthy, rude and thickheaded prisoners in the whole world.

Some notes regarding this playthrought:
-I will use the german release version of Gothic, because we won't want to miss some of the cut content that’s not present in the later english release.
-Each of my LP chapters ends with a question, whatever option gets the most votes till I post the next chapter will be done.
-In the good tradition of older Let's Plays here I will post it as a mixture of text and pictures.
-I sayed something about cut content did I? Well, Germanys laws may pretty strict to violence in games, but rather sloppy to nudity, so to keep this save for work the meeting with the offender will get a additional spoiler.
-Its my first one so please drug me before you skin me alive for my incompetence.

So let's begin the Let's Play.

For everyone, who wants to watch the intro personally, here it is in english: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRjNsWFetRo

The Intro:

Myrtana is at war with the Orcs, and as any good and long war, a conflict needs ore. Well not ore as that, no, magic ore! Yes you read right ore that didn't break or your blacksmiths spends hours to get the blade sharp.
The king of the humans, Rhobar the second, therefore ordered that anyone who committed even the smallest crime should be put to work in the mines. Soon prisoners start escaping, and the war waging back and forth the prison "colony" is neither save nor escape proof. To counter this trivial problem the king sends out his most powerful mages, fire and water mages to create a shield that should surround the entire mine, and no living being can exit this barrier, but may enter it without harm. Unliving objects like ore or food and supplies may pass the shield without damage.
As we all know no good story is a good story without some mage screwing things up or toying around with forces he didn't quite understand, so it happens the shield didn't only wall of the mine, no it surrounds now the entire colony including those unlucky mages and the prison guards. The few seconds the guards watched the barrier in horror are enough for the prisoners to kill their guards and take control of the mine. Now the former prisoners make demands, they may never leave the prison colony alive but the king still needs his ore. A deal was made and now the king exchanges food and supplies for the much needed ore.

Now we first see our hero, no I don't betray you fellow readers gothic never let you choose race/gender/facials/name or profession, all will start of with the same nameless prisoner.

Prisoner? Yes that’s right welcome to Khorinis, the first scene with our soon to be hero shows us right in front of a judge who calmly reads aloud that we are found guilty and are to be thrown right into the prison colony of Khorinis.
But as we indeed are the PC we're lucky a fire mage approaches us, stop the "for the greater good"-speech of the judge and offers a deal:
"We have to bring a scroll to a fire mage inside the prison colony, and in return his fellow brothers in the colony will reward us"

Sounds fine eh? Yes, we're still about to be thrown into a pit of despair called prison but hey, now some powerful mages will own us a favor for a simple delivery. Oh you have no idea...

As a added bonus he even saves us from the rest of the annoying judge and before we change our decision orders the guards to literally throw us into the mine colony, yes the elevator is a few feet to the left, but no! You have to throw me. Thank good for the handy pool of water there...

The start:
Soaked wet our hero reaches the land and meets with three charming gentleman. Their armor says guard but the faces sounds like hitmen, cutpurse or thug in a hundred different languages. The last thing before we pass out after a "greeting" via a fist to the head is another guy ordering them to get away.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2715-48-44-94.jpg
My knight in shining armor (well, not rusty armor) prefers himself to be called Diego. Nice fellow it seems, however he didn’t save us out of pure kindness, no, he’s here because he want something from me. He wants me to join the old camp, after further questions he reveals that here in the prison colony are in fact three major camps, the old, the new and that one in the swamp. Every new boy has to choose one. He also mentions that I will find it if I just stick to the road, I should also pick up a pickaxe from the abandoned mine… You never now what I could meet on the way.
On a side note: Diego mentioned the name of the guy that greeted me with his fist, his name is Bullit and I should be careful he’s a pretty renowned guard of the old camp. Further he hinted that I shouldn’t tell anyone about the scroll from the mages. Pretty much anybody will happily cut my throat for the reward, he himself is not allowed to meet the mages anymore so I’m pretty lucky.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2715-53-50-43.jpg
After the enlightening chat with Diego I look around, and after another glance to the big well functioning elevator, the guards refused to use, I quickly follow Mr. Diego.

You remember the scroll we got from the friendly fire mage? The magically sealed one? Well we could open it… or play the trusty paperboy and hand it unopened to the mages. The decision is yours fellow playgrounders.

Comet

2009-07-27, 02:32 PM

Open it!
Nice to see a Gothic LP, never really had the chance to get into the game.

Bouregard

2009-07-27, 03:37 PM

Open it!
Nice to see a Gothic LP, never really had the chance to get into the game.

You really want me cooked alive eh? But yeah, you're right those mages probaly expect that from me...

Bouregard

2009-07-28, 02:16 PM

After being busy counting all your votes, here without delay the next part, our nameless hero makes his way to the old camp, bloodshed, pillaging and probing questions await us!

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I follow the way Diego kindly showed me and presto around the corner we meet two guards on a barricade, red armor again so my bets are on old camp guards. A little chat with Orry and his friend explains the barricade as a form of protection against bandits to protect the ore trade. Further Orry warns me that sometimes bandits from the new camp attack the ore exchange. Okay fine warning Mr.Orry, but while we are chatting Diego, my guide and bodyguard didn’t stopped and I’m now alone here… damm hope I’ll catch him.

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A few meters down the gulch in the hot pursuit of Mr. Diego I meet my first enemy, well sort of.
Meatbugs, after a few minutes watching them and enjoying them peacefully crawling around without trying to eat me, I mercilessly butcher those little buggers. Yeah I’m horrible, guess why I’m in prison eh? And as we all know, god likes people like me I’m immediately rewarded.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-00-29-66.jpg
Nice scene eh? Unguarded chest, a few berries, more meatbugs and a mine. A quick loot around presents me with a couple of goldcoins now liberated from the fearsome chest ‘o doom, a few slabs of meat and a pickaxe.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-02-12-52.jpg
My first weapon, now meatbugs will now longer be stepped on, no, now I can smash them!
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While admiring a weapon is perfect way of spending an afternoon, we’ll put the new found bugsmasher to a test. A small bridge bypass the gulch to a few more goodies, guarded by a hairless dog molerat. A few whacks with Mr. Pickaxe solves the problem and I think about Diegos warning, While a pickaxe is a weapon, its to slowly for real fights, luckily our little molerat guarded a sword. A rusty sword. And a few beer.
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Now properly armed and slightly drunk , while admiring my newfound goodies I get my hands on the scroll that whacky mage gave me, you know the one I was supposed to hand over to a firemage?
The moral dilemma was cut short like the magic seal on the Scroll. A few seconds reading showed me that it is in fact no execution order for me, no it’s just a letter from one mage to another regarding the swampcamp Diego mentioned. It seems that this swampcamp honors a strange god and those mages should keep a watchful eye on them.
A few futile attempts of repairing the seal on the scroll later my watchful adventurer gaze falls on this wall. Looks climbable to me… so what does a adventurer do here? Yes, climbing.
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Upstairs my sword and nameless hero find a plateau peacefully and ripe with easy killable monsters and loot!
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A few slaughtered assorted molerats, scavengers (large birdlike thingies) and one goblin later I’m bleeding hard but hey, this stunning view is more than enough to make up for the fact that that goblin nearly killed me.
If I get this right the big fortress like thingies is the old camp. Well at least we can now see our goal today and won’t have to find Diego to guide us there. The magic healing powers of a few berries and a pint of beer heals me up and of we go, downwards.

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A quick walk – an new scenery. A raided caravan, a few birds, and right under the unlucky guy hanged there, a new sword! Yes screw WoW I never swapped weapons so fast.
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Now equipped with an “Old sword” (no, not rusty this time)
I put it to a test against those birdies, and, its marvelous they’re dropping like flies! A few slabs of scavenger meat, a few arrows and another handful of berries later we proceed again downwards… I hope I’ll never have to get up here again or my back will kill me…
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-14-57-89.jpg
Now down to ground level, or at least so I hope I see two new guys in the distance and surprisingly no redshirtsguys in red armor.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-15-25-27.jpg
They are called Drax and Ratford and are from the new camp. But while I carefully back up, fearing that they try to rob me from my newfound wealth seem to be quite likely. They are here to hunt scavengers. A free beer loses the tongue of ratford a bit more and he offers to train me, but sadly I can’t pay him. All who wondered who leaves those goldcoins up there in the chest, well they were smarter then me. It seems that goldcoins are worthless and in the colony the people trade with ore. If you want something you have to pay with small chunks of ore. Damm.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-19-20-40.jpg

With a broken self-esteem I proceed further on the road and presto meat two other guys, this time clad in red again.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-22-25-75.jpg
They warn me, that I should not go into the woods, and to stay away from ruins well ok, I half expected a bridge toll or another nuisance but hey, I’m there. The big gate of the old camp is right in front of me. Now lets see how we can get this scroll to a mage.
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The question for the next part is a simple one. Orry noted that as long as I pay my protection money nothing bad could happen to me in the old camp, so I’m left with the decision should I pay or not? Keep in mind I’m pretty broke.

Comet

2009-07-28, 02:54 PM

Don't pay. Nameless hero and his new (old) sword can take care of any problems that might arise. True men do not negotiate with fascist redarmors.

Gothic is looking a lot more fun than I figured way back when I had my first contact with the series. Very gritty and down-to-earth. Or down-to-mud-and-blood-and-vomit, as the case may be.

Also, what's with the lack of votes, people? Come on! :smalltongue:

Redpieper

2009-07-28, 03:19 PM

Don't pay, sure they might have more experience, better weapons, better armour and advantage in numbers. But you're the protagonist, nothing can beat you......or your save option!

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, so far it seems quite interesting.

Bouregard

2009-07-28, 05:14 PM

Seonor

2009-07-28, 06:57 PM

Bouregard

2009-07-29, 02:00 AM

Don't pay. Let them lure you out of the camp and beat them sensless and rob them blind.

Other things I remember: pickpocket Graham (the mapmaker). Be in Gomez room at midday(?). (Yeah, puberty. It was funny at that time)
In Extremo. Steal the metallbars from the chest in the blacksmith's shop, make swords out of them=easy ore.

*sniff* Now they all know what happens

Oh and to the blacksmithing= easy money. I always find it was kind of cheating... as if you spend half an hour working there you could easily aquire 500-600 swords and then never have to worry again about money...
this somehow kills a bit of the immersion...

But on the other hand... good to see someone else who actually played the game, now I have to show some more hidden secrets of gothic.

Seonor

2009-07-29, 03:40 AM

Spoilered it.

I think you get up to 2000 ore for the blades, so you can't even sell all of them to one trader, since most of them have only a few hundred ore. But if you sell just five or six blades it is a fast way to get some training and equipment at the start.
And the easy ore is not that bad, at least you are not using one of the animals to kill a guard and take their stuff. That is just unfair.:smallsmile:

Bouregard

2009-07-29, 08:11 AM

So, the next part, now we start to explore the old camp.

Remember were we left our hero? Right in front of the gates.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2723-23-45-90.jpg

As soon as I approach the guards they ask what I want here, well I decide to play the smart, wisecracking guy and tell them I’m here to conquer the old camp…Mr. Guardsman calmly shows off his charming side with the following sentence: “Oh, you are a funny guy, I don’t like funny guys!” And attacks me with his sword, needless to say I drop nearly instantly from a hit with his sword.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2910-28-20-00.jpg

Who now expects the reload screen, rest assured, we’re not dead yet. This is something Gothic specific, human NPC’s usually only beat you unconscious. And then loot you for a good part of your ore, and any dropped weaponry. But who now thinks of the usually “steal anything not nailed down and piss of anyone you want”-routine, no there is a limit. If you do to much stupid things, they will execute you after a fight, and yes then its reload time. The same also works the other way. The hero will not kill a human NPC in a default fight, you have to execute him to kill the person permanently.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2910-28-27-65.jpg

As soon as I’ve found all my teeth and assorted ribs I proceed through the gate, the guard seems sufficiently assured that I pose no threat to the old camp and let me pass.

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Mages are probably in the bigger buildings eh? So we straight head for the big fortress gate, now made of stone. But another guard stops us, this time he have a name, Thorus.

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He explains that only guys working for Gomez, the local leader, are allowed to enter the keep. Aha… I guess I spot a pattern… My subtle hint that maybe a sufficient amount of ore could loosen those rules is meet with a even more subtle note from Thorus, that if I decide to give him some ore he would have to count it, and so have to leave his spot. Mhm. He wants 1000 ore, curse you Gomez for your fast counting guards! Other people would have chosen some brain-dead hulk but no, you choose the smart boy *sniff*
So there is only the third option: If you can’t fight the club, join it. Thorus is first suspicious but then quickly dismisses me back to Diego, if Diego thinks I’m a worthy addition to Gomez thugs he should say when I’m ready.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2910-49-46-70.jpg

Luckily for me Diego is right behind me at a small campfire talking with a shadow… He now starts to explain how things work with him. If Gomez decides I’m not worth his time he would held Diego accountable for that… and just to put it simple, Gomez is not a patient and particularly nice guy.
So he creates a three step program for me.
1. I have to earn the trust of important people, assisting them in various tasks.
2. I have to learn some skills. Gomez loves useful guys, he can buy brain-dead hitmens on every corner, but skillful people are rare.
3. Beat the “Quest of Trust”
As the quick go-getter I am I directly ask for the big quest of trust…hoping for a fast success to impress my newfound superior. Diego explains that there is the old mine, it’s the source of Gomez the old camps ore, and therefore important for trade with the king. Each week they send a list with things the mine needs and Diego makes sure that that stuff reaches the mine. So it’s a simply delivery job, hey if got experience with that! (ok I betrayed the mage but still… )My task is to go to the mine, find someone named Ian, get the list and bring it to Diego WITHOUT and yes he’s specific about that, showing it to people in the new camp, if they would know what will be send and when, they could steal the whole supply caravan… Mhm… tempting… maybe they pay for this list…Also he advises me to get a map to the mine, Graham should make me one.

So ok, I now have a new objective, find those important people and make sure they like me.

But first, a map! Graham is right behind us at the wall, convenient eh? He seems to be a small and nice guy… till he want 20ore for a simple map! No Mr. Graham! Diego stated that you should GIVE me the map not RENT OR SELL it to me! Look, I slowly learn how the colony works… I’m the big guy with the sword… you’re the small guy with a map and you need all your pretty fingers to draw more of them… now what you say?

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I got the map! Hah! Graham may be a really softie but he certainly can draw maps. Oh and as I see in his trading screen sketches too…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka
/GOTHIC2009-07-2911-09-28-16.jpg

As soon as I decide to leave Graham to change his trousers a big guy steps behind me. Red armor, crossbow and sword… He seems to be obviously not a sissy. But instead of bashing my head in and looting me, he explains calmly that he’s one of the guards tasked by Gomez to make sure no one runs around causing problems in the camp. And it’s a expensive task he claims, so he asks me for a small gift to help him help me. Mhm… I see. I tell him I don’t need his protection, secretly knowing I couldn’t afford it anyway. Halfthrought numbering my teeths I surprisingly see him go without a fight. Wow guess its my lucky day, I mugged a artist and didn’t get mugged again after the incident with the gate guard.
Back to business, so we have to ask important people for quests, hey I know one! Thorus, the guy guarding the inner gates seems to be important. So I ask him, and yes he has something to do but hesitates to allow me to do it. After half an hour assuring him of my skills he finally accepts me.
His problem is called Mordrag. Mordrag is a member of the new camp. And a bandit. Mordrag has stolen some things from the old camp. That’s not the problem. That’s perfectly normal for new camp members. No the problem is he now sells the stuff right back to the old camp. That’s not smart, that’s asking for trouble, but here is a catch, Thorus and his men can’t simply walk over there and play “who can catch the most arrows” with little Mordrag because he has powerful friends. If he isn’t stealing or selling he delivers packages and notes between the mages. If anyone wearing red would do something unpleasant to Mordrag, Thorus would be held accountable for, however if he would vanish or die while fighting a stranger… Nah… we see where this leads.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2914-52-36-13.jpg

On a sidenote Thorus seems to hate the mages. After I ask him why he didn’t take care of them he explain what happened to the last one trying to slit a magethroat… he was found outside the camp. ON DIFFERENT PLACES OUTSIDE THE CAMP It was not pleasant.
So while the problem are the mages, Mordrag is easier to deal with but I should be careful, he’s a good fighter .

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2911-11-13-52.jpg

Also I meet a strange guy, introducing himself as a Baal Taran from the Brotherhood of the Sleeper. Yes he’ s from the swampcamp, and while watching this big BIG BBIIIGGG joint he smokes I secretly ask me wouldn’t it be cool to belong to those swampguys? Smoking the whole day sounds cool.
But oh no, it’s a religious group. They pray to the sleeper, a new god who should help them escape the prison… Sounds fine for me… he says a friend of him offers an escort to the swampcamp from the old camp marketplace. I certainly should look into this. Also he hints that as a member of the swampcamp I could visit the mages, because the swampcamp produces and trades with swampweed, that’s the stuff he smokes.

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Meanwhile its evening now. While strolling tired throught the camp I meet some jolly prisoners celebrating around a campfire but decide to look for a bed. The fat guy cooking something looks important to. He’s a cook and named Snaff. He gives me a bowl of rice for free and overs me to help to get a daily meal. He want to try a something new. “Snaff’s Meatbug ragout with mushrooms” exactly. While it sounds tasty, I immediately think of those little bugs I meet there… uhm yeah you didn’t really want to eat those eh? But its dark now and I won’t look for bugs now. I put in my to-do list and head of in search of a free shed. A guy named Guy (funny eh?) points me to a empty hut. Marvelous eh? No door, no window but a good view to the arena, a bed and a few chests and a table. A place called home. Cool.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2911-19-53-44-1.jpg

Sleep well nameless one, tomorrow we look for more trouble opportunities

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First thing in the morning, after seeing our newly claimed hut in the sun is breakfast!

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Yes we need something to eat. Remember the meat from those assorted birds and Molerats? Now we grill it. A pan is quickly found and of we go not only improving the taste, no we also improve healing abilities of our meat!

We acquired a map from Graham the self proclaimed skilled artist… however in his vendor screen there is a specific sketch for sale, more specific for 60 ore. Should we buy it?
And as a second more serious question: Should we first visit all three camps or, do everything we can in the old camp? And what camp should we see next then? The smoking swampcamp or the bandit filled freedom loving new camp?

Fun facts:
“I understand” this is a catchphrase of the unnamed hero in the Gothic universe. Its unknown if there are different sound files for different “I understand…” but rest assured, the hero will use that a lot, especially while talking with mad, idiotic or brutish characters…. Trust me it’s used a lot.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-2911-16-22-25.jpg

Gothic has a day-to-night cycle, It’s one of the first games with a real one. Each NPC has a schedule so that he sleeps at night, do something the day and then in the evening sits down on a campfire eating and drinking with his friends before going to sleep.

Comet

2009-07-29, 08:44 AM

I say we head for the swamps! Those smoking mystics look like lots and lots of fun.
And buy the sketch if you happen to have the ore. It could be...interesting.

Seonor

2009-07-29, 01:41 PM

Head to the swamp, but make shure you learned what you can in the old camp and got all the quests. Traveling alone between the camps is somewhat anoying in the first levels.

I think I found the english Intro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRjNsWFetRo), but it seems somewhat different, did they change something while tranlating it? Or is my memory faulty?

Bouregard

2009-07-29, 01:48 PM

Tafkan

2009-07-29, 01:54 PM

I'd say do everything you can in the Old Camp, then move over to the Swampies and do everything you can there, then move over to da New Camp and do everything you can there. Some may consider this "grinding maximum xp before joining anyone", but I just find you get the most lulz that way.

Platinius

2009-07-29, 02:29 PM

Before you go to the swamp (or anywhere else), there is a neat little way to get lots of trading goods:
-first talk to the blacksmith inside the old camp
-buy every bar of steel he has
-work your way through the different metal working stations (doing that a dozen times can take some time, be a bit patient)
-now you have swords (munitions grade but still) which are worth more than the double of the initial bars (important because you always sell at half the actual price I think)
-the blacksmith's inventory always refills with steel bars every time he runs out of them, just talk to him again
->profit
:smallcool:enjoy

and one last tip, the really good stuff in this game is found, not bought (making the exploit not totally gamebreaking)

factotum

2009-07-29, 03:51 PM

Didn't Seonor already give that tip about the swords some 8 hours ago?

Bouregard

2009-07-29, 03:55 PM

Or I could just beat up someone with a weapon I could sell for 2000ore. Simple. Or just add 2000ore via cheats. For me its basically the same. I like playing games as the always short on cash, but never broke. Trust me I played this game for a full year. I played both demoversions and I could easily beat the game as a mage who will never use a weapon as soon as he have magic. This playthrought is not about efficiency. Its about fun and roleplay. The values Gothic is build upon.

By the way, next chapter is played and footage will be uploaded, tomorrow I write the text.

My personal quick way to get startet:
(Warning serious Spoilers)

Beat up all of Bloodwyns goons that attack me,
Lend the money from Whistler
Lend the money from Dexter
This is around 400-600ore, enough for the first armor if I plan on doing all the quests, or just get the free armor from the new camp...
Experience didn't matter in this game you could learn anything if you play right.

Seonor

2009-07-29, 06:52 PM

Before you go to the swamp (or anywhere else), there is a neat little way to get lots of trading goods:
-first talk to the blacksmith inside the old camp
-buy steal every bar of steel he has in his chest (after learning how to pick locks)
-work your way through the different metal working stations (doing that a dozen times can take some time, be a bit patient)
-now you have swords (munitions grade but still) which are worth more than the double of the initial bars (important because you always sell at half the actual price I think)
-the blacksmith's inventory always refills with steel bars every time he runs out of them, just talk to him again
->profit
:smallcool:enjoy

and one last tip, the really good stuff in this game is found, not bought (making the exploit not totally gamebreaking)

Fixed. In that chest are at least 40 bars and in the new camp is another chest with the same amount, I think. You never need that many, since ore is only needed to buy better starting equipment and some basic training, later you can always use some other method to get what you want (quests, collect it yourself, violence, etc.)

It makes your life somewhat easier but it is realy not necessary. And it is boring to just stand there until the swords are finished anyway.

Bouregard

2009-07-30, 09:23 AM

And the next part… Old camp and the first level up!

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After the little cooking exercise and breakfast we move on. Straight down from my little shack is the combat pit. And while admiring that little pit my glare wanders of the sky.

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Cool eh? This is the barrier. While it’s truly impressive, it’s also a big reminder that I’m still trapped in this prison. No one gets out here they say.

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But enough of the sulking we have a job to do. Let’s meet Fingers. Fingers is a thief, or how he puts it, a man skilled in certain abilities. He is one of Diegos important people, so lets see what he want from us. Oh, its simple. Like Diego, Fingers wants that everyone who wants to work for Gomez should learn some usefull skills. He wants me to learn something from him, for example sneaking, picking locks or stealing other peoples wallets. Seems like an easy task but for now we neither have the money nor the experience to allow training so we move on to the arena and Mr. Scatty!

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Scatty owns the arena and organizes gambling, he wants to be impressed for his Ok to Diego. Fine. Also he will, if I convince him with a acceptable payment, train me in onehanded combat. He further directs me to the three gladiators: Kirgo, Gor Manis and Kharim he didn’t care who I beat but warns me that Kharim is serious trouble.

While walking to our three fighters I get a quick look at them. All wear quality armor and good weaponry. Those are professionals. My old sword and poor excuse of trousers are nothing against those.
The only really likeable is Kirgo, he’s from the old camp and a really nice fellow, invites me to a beer and asks me about the outside world. He will fight with me if I want but warns me that to really impress Scatty I have to beat or at least challenge Kharim, and that guy is far out of my league.

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While talking to Kirgo I hear a few bugnoises, or I correct myself Meatbugs! Snaff wanted them for his meal so of I go bughunting. After a few futile attempts to hit them with a sword I switch to the more accurate pickaxe. Its much easier to pin those bugs than to slash them.

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A ladder leads up to another of my neighbors the blacksmith Huno. A little chat reveals that he wouldn’t mind me using his forge, as long as I didn’t hinder him in his work, also he gives me a few quick instructions how to forge a basic sword, to learn blacksmithing takes years he tell me, but a basic sharp object called sword is easy to do.

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Also he slips a hint about a guy called Whistler who wants a ornated sword, he tells me that Whistler is into girlish design and fashion. While he pays good he is a little bit annoying about the details…Maybe I will stop here later to earn a few bucks, but I’m really not a productive member of society or how do you thing I get to prison in the first place…

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Welcome to the towergate, called that way because its build out of a destroyed tower of the keep we meet Mordrag… remember? It’s the guy Thorus didn’t like. And he’s right. He immediately tries to sell me things. He claims to have got prices. Mhm ok I didn’t think of buying at first but more in the ways of beating, killing and looting… but mhm big spiked club, longbow and a good armor are again out of my league. He tells me about the new camp. Seems to be a cool place and as soon as he’s done with business here he would gladly escort me to the new camp.

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After numerous tasks that would have put me against armored and armed people I think its now time to get something myself. Next step, the market. Huts with doors, a big roof, yes here we are in the more expensive areas… A guy named Dexter waves at us top. He’s specialized in healing potions and a good deal of drugs. More specific: swampweed. You can smoke it, and he sells it. Also he’s one of Diegos important people and he wants me to help him broaden his business. In the swampcamp is a guru who owns a good recipe for healing potions and Dexter want it. I should help him and he didn’t care if I have to pay or not. Ah I see. After few questions I lend 50ore in advance from him, claiming that I may have to pay for it.

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Baal Parvez is the next one. He’s just resting here and didn’t want to trade something to me, but he’s the guy delivering the swampweed from the swamp to the old camp. The road is a little bit dangerous in the last few weeks so he would love to show me the swampcamp if I escort him. Cool, with Mordrag now I have two people who want to show me the other camps, without me having to fight the whole local wildlife and have to search for the right path.

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The last one here at the market is the big trader Fisk. He’s one of the few people in the colony who can afford a door, no, two doors. Wow he seems to be really rich. For sale are, next to various swords a really nice looking suit of leather armor. And for a cheap price of 500ore he want to part with it. Mhm I need ore. Lots of it!

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A bit away from the action is Dusty. Dusty is a digger. He explains that life as a digger is not funny. You spend two weeks down in a mine trying to not get eaten by the wildlife or get killed by your friends because you may have something valuable. If you manage to get out with ore alive you will loose most of it for food and protection money in the old camp. He’s sick of it. He want to leave. His friend Melvin run away a few weeks ago to the swamp camp and he was never seen again. No he want to know what happened to him before he leave to the swamp camp. Sweet another quest, but because little Dusty don’t offer any rewards its sorted right after paying protection money in my to-do list.

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While talking to Dusty I was interrupted by Jackal, he seems to be the nicer part of Bloodwyn, because he wants protection money too, but explains that as a new one I wouldn’t have to worry about it. If you have nothing, no one tries to rob and kill you in your sleep. But I should consider paying him as soon as I got some money.

Slightly worried I walk on and meet Jesse, he’s not in the mood to talk to me but slips a careful worded warning that Bloodwyn talked to some people about me and reminds me that it’s unwise to enrage Bloodwyn.

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Jesse was right. A few meters away someone draws his sword and stops me. Herek is his name and he’s upset that I didn’t pay Bloodwyn, now he has to pay more to make up for Bloodwyns loss. Now he wants to cut the ore out of me. As adventurous as I am I couldn’t let that happen and after a few hits he runs. I decide to pursue him, after all my reputation is low enough and I wouldn’t want people to think they can attack me and just ran away. After a few roofs and huts I get him. He drops like a rock and, as soon as I looted all his pockets and take his weapon he limps away. ‘Yes run to your master coward. Nice sword by the way.

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I’m in front of a stage now,

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mhm nothing is going on here but a old guy want to talk to me. He’s called Gravo and he think I’m in need of his services.

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He was a digger once and now lives of his contacts. To keep it short, if I ever have a problem with someone important like Thorus or Diego he could calm them down. He explains that he knows people that know people and so on. I f I pay him he would make sure that friends of my enemy will talk good about me and soon everything will be alright as long as I pay him. Mhm good to know… this problem with Bloodwyn is definitely an issue. Also he gives me a list of people Diego cares about. Looks like I meet nearly everybody. Whistler and Sly however I didn’t meet.

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Well, I start with Whistler. He sits next to the marketplace, carefully eyeing Fisk the trade. Asking why he does so reveals his problem Huno already noted. Whistler likes ornaments on his weapons. And Fisk has a ornate sword for sale, but he wouldn’t sell it to Whistler because they had an argument about something trivial he didn’t want to talk about. Without a problem he hands me 100ore.. Wow, trusty fellow. What if I simply run away? Mhm he watches me and would figure out I’ mup to something if I run around with his money, so as I want his vote of we go to Fisk. Fisk has no problems selling us the sword. However he wants 10 ore more then Whistler gave me. I decide pay. Whistler pays me another 10 ore and there we are leaving a happy Whistler with a sword behind annnnnnd

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D I N G! level up. We’re now official level 1, yes not 2. In Gothic you start at level 0. There is only one other NPC pathetic enough to start at level 0 … we will meet him later.

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Next on myList is Sly. I found him sitting not far away sobbing. He didn’t see his friend Nek a few days now. And its my job to find Nek now. Cool another quest. I have no clue of solving, luckily Snaff springs to my mind, didn’t he sayed something about a guard he send to look for mushrooms? And after further questions Sly tells me about Neks other friend, Fletcher who may know something. Fine, at least I’m not completely clueless.
Before I now head of to do my work its one thing that bugs me a few hours now. What’s that suspicions sketch Graham sells? He didn’t let me take a look at it, says 60ore or I don’t see it.
After a few seconds of bartering I manage to forge a deal. A mug, a ricewine and Hereks sword for the stupid sketch. If this is just a stupid paper Graham, trust me I will kill you.

WARNINGNEXT SPOILER IS NOT SAVE FOR WORK

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Oh Graham, you’re really a skilled … er artist. But as it seems like most convicts in the colony are male I think there is a certain market here… Now I will have to keep it to protect the younger ones, and uhm excuse me I have to go to my hut, shame I have no door…a little privacy would be good now.

Later boys…

The question: Now you all see my glorious moment with the Whistler. I leveled up. If you level up in Gothic you will gain a few hitpoints and more important 10 skillpoints. But what to do with them? In the gothic world you need skillpoints, a trainer willing to train you and money to improve your skills. So how do we spend our 10 new points? Lern lockpicking from Fingers? Onehandswordfighting from Scatty or Strenght or Agility from Diego? Or don’t spend it and wait for more opportunities like magic or other skills…

Fun fact: Gothic’s AI is quite interesting. While in most games NPCs that walk around will simply stop in front of you or walk around you, in Gothic they will ask you let them pass, if you ignore them to long… they will attack you. It certainly suits the more ruff setting and is rather impressive if someone with a big longsword and a steel armor simply demands you to move, instead of walking shyly around your pathetic ass in ragged cloths.

Tafkan

2009-07-30, 12:24 PM

Learn hunting skills from these two guys outside the Old Camp? There might not be much use for these furs/claws/teeth/skins after a while, but I always go get these skills ASAP - can't let anything go to waste. :smallyuk:

And you'll probably want some Strength for wielding the shinier blades and actually hitting hard enough to bypass the damn armor. Either that, or just spend all 10 points on 1H training - untrained attack is just so... Silly, not to say completely retarded.

Edit: You'll probably want to get basic lockpicking skill from Fingers eventually, but you'll have to be at least a certain level before picking a camp anyway, so that can wait for now. :smallwink:

Miss Nobody

2009-07-30, 01:43 PM

Train your one handed weapons skill. That way, you stop looking like a complete retard who wields a 1h weapon with both hands and get a better critical hit chance. Lockpicking can wait because you need to be at least level 5 to join a camp, so you'll get other opportunities to learn it.

Oh, and is the pathetic NPC you mentioned Mud?

Seonor

2009-07-30, 02:21 PM

One handed weapons > lockpicking > other stuff

Slightly OT:
Has anyone ever played a character focused on bows? Is it even possible? My two playthroughs were mage and weapons (old/new camp).

Bouregard

2009-07-30, 02:37 PM

Oh, and is the pathetic NPC you mentioned Mud?

Yes, even Meatbugs have a higher level.

Bows + crossbows are pretty good till chapter 4 then they are worthless
with 35 agility you can hold any ranged weapon in the game and as critdamage is only calculated via weapondamage its not smart to raise it beyond 35.
For the endgame they are simply not worthy.

ENDGAME SPOILER, DO NOT READ IF YOU DIDN'T FINISH GAME

anything in the sleeper temple is either avoidable, immune to arrows or only vulnerable to uriziel or Deathrune. So the endgame is simply not possible with bows.
The maximum possible damage in one shot is a siegecrossbow with 200 in a crit. Enemys in the sleepertemple either have 100 or more protection, are outright immune (9999dmgreduction).
Trust me I tryed. the only enemy vulnerable to noncritarrows/crossbows in the temple are the minecrawler templeguardians. they take about 10 hits to drop a single one, you will always meet them in groups of 2 or more....

Magic or Meleecombat are the options to realisticaly finish the game. Only a few people choose magic, I don't know why. as a swampcampmember you can get runes right at chapter 2 and if you saved enough skillpoints its quite funny to start right out with 4th circle spells.

Melee is the most efficient way to play the game. a maxed out endgamechar can drop anything except immune enemys with 1-3 hits.
(you have to strategically use your skillups and equip strength items, then you will run around with 150 strength... enough for 300crits. They will drop anything not outright immune in a single hit.
And if you play with maximum efficiency you max out weaponskill first and then strength, there are pretty much weapons available with 10strenght and a jewelry set with 2 rings +5strength.

Platinius

2009-07-30, 02:45 PM

Bouregard

2009-07-30, 03:05 PM

In my playthrough I was able to complete every combat style.
The beginning is the hardest part in this game simply because the exp amount necessary to level is hardest to get at the beginning and, honestly, at the end of the game I didn't really know what to do with my skillpoints (but max your strength via skillpoints before entering the final stage of the game, don't worry, you'll know when it is about to happen).

Another tip, try to keep as much ore as possible, pay with items if you can, you need the ore to buy armour (and it's frigging expensive)

By the way, the evolution of the character's armour as the actual indicator of your progression (at least that's my take on it)

Yes armor is in Gothic 1 a good progression pointer.

For all people here who never played gothic before:
The gothic damage vs. armor system is quite unique. You simply take the damage and subtract armor from it. So armored with a improved ancient orearmor you're practically invincible to anything not demonic or undead.

Also there are no armordrops. No you can't strip human NPC *g*

Miss Nobody

2009-07-30, 03:32 PM

Oh, and is the pathetic NPC you mentioned Mud?

Yes, even Meatbugs have a higher level.

They do?:smalleek: I didn't know that...But, God, that character was annoying and pathetic though he was fun on one occasion. My brother was playing and he let Mud follow him. After 5 minutes, he got tired of the retard and ran away from him. Much later, he went to speak with Fingers because he had learned lockpicking. As he was talking with the guy about joining the camp, Mud suddenly came out of Fingers' house. Didn't see that one coming...

And about the no armordrop thing, I think it's a unique Gothic feature. I remember that, when I found Nek on my first ever playthruogh, I was like "OMG! A dead guard! I'll take his armour!" :smalltongue:

valadil

2009-07-30, 03:33 PM

Oh and to the blacksmithing= easy money. I always find it was kind of cheating... as if you spend half an hour working there you could easily aquire 500-600 swords and then never have to worry again about money...
this somehow kills a bit of the immersion...

The blacksmith actually creates his own materials. And because he's a special character he can't be killed. You can down him repeatedly and rob him blind and he'll still be full of goods for you the next time you feel like robbing him.

I enjoyed Gothic 1 and 2 quite a bit (especially the Gothic 1 demo where I snuck into the castle and killed everything despite being woefully undereqipped) but not enough to replay them.

Bouregard

2009-07-30, 03:57 PM

They do?:smalleek: I didn't know that...But, God, that character was annoying and pathetic though he was fun on one occasion. My brother was playing and he let Mud follow him. After 5 minutes, he got tired of the retard and ran away from him. Much later, he went to speak with Fingers because he had learned lockpicking. As he was talking with the guy about joining the camp, Mud suddenly came out of Fingers' house. Didn't see that one coming...

And about the no armordrop thing, I think it's a unique Gothic feature. I remember that, when I found Nek on my first ever playthruogh, I was like "OMG! A dead guard! I'll take his armour!" :smalltongue:

You can check it yourself. KillEXP is calculated lvl*10, killing Mud rewards 0 EXP = lvl 0, a Meatbug is 10xp...
Also you can check it via

b marvin b target the NPC then press o and then check lvl via b.

In an interview regarding the Gothic demo a developer once sayed that they planed to give negative XP for killing Mud, however as the above mentioned system is hardcoded, it was not possible to change with the pressing releasedate.

Oh by the way, in my private no-LP save I visit Gomez again...
those varios bodyguards and assistants are quite cool...

Rule 1: Never lie to Gomez, he may know you're lying and you didn't like what he does with you
Rule 2: DO NOT ANNOY HIM
Rule 3: Don't talk to him if he didn't want to talk to you.

Hero: Nice for telling me but why do you help me?
Bartholo: You didn't know how hard it is to get clean carpets in the colony...

If you know that Gomez kills the hero practically instant if he dares to break one of those rules.... hilarious...

Platinius

2009-07-30, 04:05 PM

Bouregard

2009-07-30, 04:27 PM

Yep, that's Gomez

how that crazy fool became the lord of the old camp remains a mystery to me, honestly he's just a psychotic brute, he has neither charisma nor intellect and thus he is the total contrary of Lee (leader of the new camp)

Mhm... I can see how he thinks...

He knows that if they manage to get free they're still viewn as convicts from the world. Execution or another imprisonment are quite possible, always remember Gomez and his guys killed the jailors... So the only option is to stay in the colony and they can live pretty luxurios as long as the ore is flowing.

Endgamespoiler

As soon as the Old Mine collapses Gomez has only one option if he wants to stay as head of the camp. He needs the ore, no ore, no wealth and people would soon start to ask "why should we work for Gomez?"
And the New Mine is the only fully operational mine in the whole colony.

He kills the mages because, as Milten puts it, they wouldn't like starting a war with the New Camp. And you know the story about the Shadow and the Mage? In a fair combat the mage would win... so throatslitting is a quite good option.

Gomez and his boys are dead set on their power and wealth, they would do anything to stay in power. Not assaulting the New Camp would mean begging for food, because the king wouldn't send a bread without ore.

Tafkan

2009-07-30, 05:34 PM

To me, the Ore Barons' love for the life they're living also seems to be the main reason they're so hostile to the New Camp. What if their plan actually works? Not only would a lot of ore be blown the <bleep> up, they would also be unable to continue sitting on their lazy butts and enjoy the benefits of ruling the Colony. I can only wonder why did they not simply start a direct war and make sure it never happens while also seizing another mine as a bonus. Afraid of water mages or something?

Bouregard

2009-07-31, 02:19 AM

I’m to busy today to write a really long article, I prepared this a time ago for exact such occasions…

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While visiting various people in the old camp I run to this… uhm creative construct. Yes someone was smart enough to build a house straight on the way. If we meet the unlucky owner, named Kyle we find out that he was indeed warned not to build here, however angry as he is, no one actually telled him what would happen if he does so! Well, he wake up one day and had a new door… poor Kyle.
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Everytime the nameless hero walks throught Kyle’s hut Kyle will verbally assault him…. I guess in one of the next Issues I have to silence him…

Found a Gothic1 demo in English! This demo is pretty big and my playthrought is still in the area you could visit there, yes you can even buy the infamous sketch. But be warned whoever translated it… should be shot on sight… awfull work…
http://www.piranha-bytes.com/gothic1/index.php?lang=ger

Fun Fact: The Gothic world is not simply generated. Every inch has some secrets, is plorelevant or just hides some goodies. The Gothicseries is probaly that gameseries that startet the look-behind-the-waterfall habit of adventurers, because in Gothic, practically behind every waterfall there is something hidden.

Bouregard

2009-08-01, 10:15 AM

Follow the weed, or off trails, traitors and travel.

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After admiring Grahams cheesy sketch I have to do something useful. We all saw Fisks good wares, and with the 60ore sketch we’re broke again, so now it’s working time!

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Sly want us to find Nek. So lets find his friend Fletcher. Guard Fletcher is not happy. He have to guard the quarter in place of Nek. He also points us to Snaff, who explains that Nek had a liking for his food. So Nek walked out of the camp for mushrooms…. The very same mushrooms Snaff wants us to find. Wonderfull, if I’m lucky I could solve Sly’s and Snaff’s problem at the same time.
The Towergate is the place Nek was last seen and now we looking for traces…

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Oi… Mushrooms, more specifically Slavebread and Hellcaps called. But not nearly enough. So after playing Gretel and leaving the road a cave shows up.

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With a small adorable Moleratfamily and a hard to see, trail of blood. After a little needles violence the Molerats are properly looted.

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It seems that poor boy Nek wasn’t as tough as I expected. He lies there with numerous bites and a few private belongings. Poor guy. Looting the place dry was maybe not the most respectful thing to do, but definitely the most profitable way. A magic amulet that protects us from melee attacks and a cool new axe later we run back to the camp. Nek’s body provided us not only with the needed evidence of his death, no it served also as valuable mushroom soil.

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Fletcher is not that happy about Nek’s death as now he has to beat the money out of the diggers… poor guy.

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Sly however is happy to see me and overjoyed about my news. Wait! He sobbed about Nek’s disappearance not hours ago and now he’s happy? Yes. He didn’t cared about Nek. The amulet was the reason. Now reunited with his prized artifact he will speak for me when Diego asks around.

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And Snaff, despite that its late evening he’s still cooking and happily hands me a my meal. Yes certainly tastes a little bit like bug, but nevertheless free food is always good food!

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Dark again. But luckily for us I got some torches. While running around with open fire in a camp build from wood isn’t the smartest thing to do we decide to go shopping, or more exactly selling our ill gotten gains. Fisk loves our various pickaxes, clubs, mushrooms and prepared meats. We’re now the proud owner of more then 300ore. Enough to put my newfound experience to a use.

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I wait till most the camp is asleep and then sneak out, it’s a rainy, dark night so no one of those guards will follow me to my teacher. Ratford, the New Camp Hunter, he learns me for 300ore how to skin beast, how to take their teethes and claws. Wonderful now nothing goes to waste anymore.

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On my way back I wanted to make a quick chat with Thorus about Mordrag but sadly, at night Mr. Thorus is in the keep. And no those guards and archers are still there to prevent access.

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Head filled with new knowledge I head for my hut. The worthless gold coins are stored in my private chest. I guess no one will steal them, and if the barrier ever falls I’m a rich guy.

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Morning again and Thorus is back as I am. A fellow newcomer named Grim is not so grim as his name suggest (horrible pun, I know…). Like me he wants to become a shade and has a job to do. He’s tasked with the search for an amulet that a poor bastard stole the Ore Baron Scar. They are hiding in front of the camp and waiting for someone to buy it. He wants me to help him finish them off and will reward me. I quickly follow him. But something is strange about this guy….

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3119-36-53-12.jpg

I was right. Grim was grim bad news! As soon as we’re out of reach of the guards crossbows and in reach of those so called thieves he turns on me. It’s a trap! As he explains Bloodwyn didn’t like me, and as he didn’t want to kill me in front of Diego he and his friends try it outside. Ouch. After a tough fight I barely survived all tree traitors are at my merci. Grim didn’t want to die and tells me anything he knows. Killing him would make Bloodwyn angry anyway so I decide to let the grateful Grim life. Provided he promises to never attack me again.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3120-22-55-97.jpg

The situation with Bloodwyn is problematic, I decide the best action for now is to leave. I didn’t want to know what he tries next, a direct attack would be my guaranteed death and he as a Guard didn’t need a reason to attack a poor adventurer like me.

Baal Parvez wanted to show me the new Swamp Camp and will escort me. Wonderful. Following a big armored fanatic with a big spiked club is probably the fastest way out of the camp.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3120-23-48-75.jpg

Together we fight lizards…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3120-38-07-49.jpg

…overgrown wolves …

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3120-38-31-39.jpg

…so called Bloodflies….

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3120-44-35-57.jpg

And more lizards. Parvez is extremely good at fighting and proceeds to slaughter anything in its way. My contribution as official master of looting and skinning is well accepted and I earn quite some claws and teethes in the process, that if I trust Ratford will sell very good. Reaching the Swamp Camp my guide leaves me but whishes good luck, he will return to the Old Camp to guide more souls.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-07-3120-46-49-69.jpg

The last voting was a little bit strange. I will know clarify it. Do you want our nameless hero to become a more magic-capable char or a real stone cold meleefighter?
Fun fact: Gothic sports a full shadows and dynamic lighting capable engine, for 2001 this was state of the art and in my opinion even tops the old Morrowind. Also weather effects and clouds with real shadows are included.
Also everything Ball Parvez kills in the pictures rewards me with the full experience. So yes I leveld up again. However if we value our life we shouldn’t leave this road before we stock up on heavy magic/weaponry and armor.

Platinius

2009-08-01, 03:59 PM

Gomez and the Orebarons have absolutly no need to leave the colonie, they have power, good food, alcohol and women. (likely more than they ever had before) It's just that he could rule more efficently (and with less bloodshed)

Reading this thread makes me longing to play a DnD campaign set in a similar world (even though it is relativly easy to incorporate into any gameworld given its limiting nature, you know, this thing called the barrier)
I'll gladly help constructing (:haley:and playing) the world if a few more people are interested.

Seonor

2009-08-01, 04:43 PM

The last voting was a little bit strange. I will know clarify it. Do you want our nameless hero to become a more magic-capable char or a real stone cold meleefighter?

Wasn't the last vote only for your first skills?

For your later career I vote Watermage, because I played as Firemage and Mercenary before and realy don't like those fanatics at the swamp.

And a campaign inside the barrier? Could be fun.

Bouregard

2009-08-01, 04:43 PM

Platinius

2009-08-01, 05:19 PM

How do you define magic-capable? Is it to have some extra mana and some extra scrolls (for the just-in-case situation) or do you mean a full-blown runecaster (which includes becoming an actual mage of one of the camps)?

I'm more a player and less a DM, I'll gladly give input during the construction (naming npc, presence of varies races, stats for the different beast, etc.), the one thing that really bugged me about the gameworld (on the computer) is that is acutally to small to sufficently feed major parts of the population inside (granted, they get food from outside and plant some rice, but the crates you see at the beginning and the fields before the new camp are far from enough to feed half the people of the old/new camp and in time most animals will disappear especially at the rate the player hunts them)

Tafkan

2009-08-01, 05:35 PM

For your later career I vote Watermage, because I played as Firemage and Mercenary before and realy don't like those fanatics at the swamp.
He'll need to become either a Mercenary or a Fire Mage to become a Water Mage though. Doesn't matter which one you choose, both of them will get an option to become a Water Mage after the same plot event.

As for the poll - what the person before me said. What exactly do you mean by "magic-capable"? Having some emergency magic, having some high-level spells (Circle of Ice, Rain of Fire) or going full caster that relies entirely on magic and even trades Uriziel for a crappy rune?

Bouregard

2009-08-02, 01:08 AM

Basically the choice is what to build up first. Armorvalue of enemies is getting higher and higher. I need to concentrate at first either on magic, bow or melee. I want to max it out.

Yes I mean with magic capable, a runecaster ergo using all my points for magic talents.

Tafkan

2009-08-03, 05:10 AM

Aw, c'mon people, let's not let it die so soon. Anyway, as for the poll, go for mostly melee character for now. You will probably have enough learning points to learn some basic magic by the time you become a Water Mage. (assuming you won't bother joining the swampies)

Platinius

2009-08-03, 10:11 AM

True, but consider becoming a firemage firstso that you can hold both the power of fire and water in your hands, even if it is just for fluff

Bouregard

2009-08-03, 02:52 PM

Format d:/ is no good idea… especially if you forget where Gothic is installed… well, quickly played to the last cut and presto, here we are:

The beating will continue, until moral improves

Right in front of the Swamp Camp we’re greeted by a guard, he tells us to head to a Baal for recruiting or buy a kilt from him. 500ore he wants FIVEHUNDRED ouch…. I keep it in mind and head on.
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This is Lester. Lester is practically the Diego of the Swamp Camp. He explains that he whould believe in anything if it helps to get out of prison. Poor guy, however he explains how we can join the Camp.
Kor Kalom decides who joins, but as he’s busy with his experiments he asks his Baal’s who is worthy.
A Baal is practically a highranking priest of their god, the sleeper. They all refuse to talk to lesser beings like me. So I have to get their attention and they will tell me if they like me. However Lester has a plan. He will ask me in front of a Baal what I’m doing here, where I have to loudly state that I leaved the old gods and will swear alliance to the sleeper. If I mention a vision Baal Namib will be happy to led me join. Cool, as soon as I finished my faked swear Baal Namib accepts me in the ranks of the brotherhood… so now there are 4 Baals left.

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Now we want to see this great sleeper, or more specific his temple. Behold, the temple guarded by the templar with quite a few worshipping novices!

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This Symbol however is strange…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0317-50-44-74.jpg
Slightly dizzy we meet Fortuno, a nice guy handing out free drugs swampweed.
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As we all know, smoking is cool we head to the next hut and relax with a good joint. Slightly wondering about pink elephants we go to sleep (first time smoking rewards you with EXP… so yes, Gothic is definitely not a game for your 12 year old children). And waking up with a real mother of a headache….argh… Fortuno if I find you I’ll …. Oh he offers me 3 swampweedcigarettes again… good service here.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0317-57-23-59.jpg

At the local blacksmith we quickly trade our hunting trophies like fangs and claws for valuable ore and a slab of steel. Training with Diego provided quite some strength, however this poor excuse of an axe is no really weapon time to forge one!
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First we heat the steel

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-29-41-30.jpg
…then a little work with the hammer…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-29-48-65.jpg
…cooling down…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-30-08-47.jpg
…sharping it and presto we have a new sword. Selfmade, easy and heavy as hell. Finaly a acceptable weapon. Now its time for the armor from the gate guard and we’re set.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-08-49-10.jpg
Baal Orun sits here watching over the drug production. A tired worker, named Ghorim needs help, he didn’t want to offer a reward, but my help will likely be noticed by the Baal. So he wants me to find a replacement for him. Usually Harlok have to do half his work but he didn’t came.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-09-45-34.jpg
Seems like Harlok didn’t like to work, he sits next to a big pipe and kindly perforates his brain with all those funny things Fortuno offers.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-17-43-53.jpg
Also I meet a Gor. A Gor is a high-ranking templar, this one is tasked with the collection of Minecrawler ichor. He learns me how to gather it from dead animals, in case I ever visit the Old Mine. If we recall Diegos quest we certainly have to do so.

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After a few whacks with the new sword he’s happy to work again, Ghorim is relieved as he can finally rest.

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The Baal, impressed by my people management skills asks me to gather the swamp weed from the harvesters out there in the swamp. A Templar warns me however, the swamp is full of so called Swampsharks.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-47-14-72.jpg
That’s a huge wormlike animal with thick hide and a armor dissolving bile… you didn’t want such a beast as a pet trust me. If they need fanatic armor-clad sword masters to keep them from raiding the camp I’ll try not to step on them.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-40-16-38.jpg

After leaving the slightly deranged Baal Netbek, self proclaimed Lord of swamp and trees, I meet up with the harvesters, or as they put it half the harvesters. Another part is on the other side of the swamp… tricky.

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Various Bloodfly inducted bloodshed later we meet the other harvesters, thank the sleeper for all those plants in the swamp or I wouldn’t make it through alive without healing potions.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-45-55-80.jpg
He wants me to take care of the Bloodflies before he hands over the weed. Gladly we killed most of them so its easy and with all those soon to be drugs we head back to the Baal who thanks us and now wants them delivered to the second in command of Y’berion the head of the Swamp Camp.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-00-59-70.jpg

Wait Cor Khalom? Yes this is the mad alchemist Dexter has talked about, he owns the cool improved formula for healing potions. But as usual he didn’t want to sell it. The weed we bring from the harvesters however is accepted and he rewards us with a scroll that blesses the target with the sleepers power, or for dump convicts like me, a magic scroll to make other people sleeping.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-03-25-08.jpg

While he’s busy to test the new swamp weed we quickly loot the chest behind him, stealing the formula.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-55-07-83.jpg
Now what to do with a magic scroll? Make people fall asleep sounds cool and watching Baal Cadar helps us to find a use. The good Baal lectures all day about magic and his students already have problems staying awake while he explains elementary magic. With the scrolls magic we put one to sleep and instead of throwing fireballs at our hero he’s overjoyed. Finally he found someone who can wield magic. Instantly he allows us to learn from him and let us access his stock of magic goods and books. Especially interesting is a ring that improves our armor class and a book about Bloodflies. Trading the book and the jewelry for our last bits of assorted goods we now own our first ring.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-57-52-03.jpg

The book however is useful. It explains how to get the stinger of those Bloodflies, that should be worthy knowledge.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0318-06-10-49.jpg

Armed with the formula we should head back to the old camp. At the way out we meet a man in suspicious clothing, or the only boy without a kilt.Yes he’s Melvin, Dusty’s friend. He really likes the swamp camp and laughs about poor ol’ Dusty who’s afraid of leaving the Old Camp.

So back to Gomez’s little city.

Next chapter will be filled with Bloodshed, pillaging and random murder.

Bouregard

2009-08-04, 07:13 AM

Murderous rampage

So where was I? Ah yes back to the Old Camp. We now know what happened to Dusty’s friend and we have a formula Dexter wants, also we’re now properly armed and armored if Bloodwyns goons try anything funny they’re in for a painful experience.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-40-43-06.jpg
While we slaughtered anything with my Guide on the way to the camp, its now time for a few detours. A cave here, a peaceful breed of Molerats there nothing can stop me now.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-48-52-41.jpg
While butchering, skinning and declawing the local wildlife I slowly and unknowingly head to the forest. Whatever that beast on the horizon is, I don’t want to know it now. I guess this is the reason all those guards warn me to not go into the forests. Also Mist is coming up, we didn’t want to end in a dangerous forest in a misty night do we?

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-50-26-18.jpg

Back in the secure civilization of the Old Camp I quickly sell my hunting trophies to Fisk, hand over the formula to the happy Dexter and head back to the warm love of my bed.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-53-27-13.jpg

Moon is up already and my legs are tired, yes beautiful indeed. But I would like a bed now. If you think nothing can go wrong now, well you didn’t know the Old Camp. I meet Mud. I kill Mud.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-54-15-26.jpg

Now my fellow readers, you probably ask why I killed the poor digger? Well its Mud a fellow Gothic player would say, but you all probably want a more serious explanation. Mud is annoying. Mud decides to follow you around, despite various beatings he still thinks you’re his friend. He will ask you stupid things in the middle of a fight. Oh yes, and he’s bloody useless, as soon as a fight starts he will run around screaming and with luck find more enemies that he will bring straight back to you. He’s the most annoying brat in the whole game. You can’t tell him to go away, or if you tell him he ignores it. He even tells you that no one likes him. More specifically if you ask him how such a peaceful guy ends up in the colony he says that he just wanted to find friends… and… he liked animals… uhm…. Yeah. Either he really loved his dog right in front of a guard, or the more realistic idea, he was as annoying as here and a guard decided to imprison him for global annoyance. Oh and as stated before killing Mud rewards zero experience. Yes even a little bug that can’t possible fight back and dies with one hit rewards 10. But not Mud, Mud is worth 0 experience. He’s the only other NPC that besides the nameless hero starts on level 0 and didn’t manage to at least reach lvl 1. Bastard. Also his face is a straight copy of a annoying German news anchor of a music TV channel, you didn’t want to know how much we hate him.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-55-41-61.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-55-50-42.jpg
Slightly angry I decide its time for some sword fighting lessons. Yes slaughtering Mud was easy, but hey it’s now time for more serious work. All this time in prison has seriously taken a toll on my body, hopefully in few days I’m back in full strength, and then its time to take over that worthless little colony and then oh yeah… then its time to head out here and get my hands on that judge…
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0320-55-48-58.jpg
Wow a simple advice worth 50ore really improved my fighting style. 50ore for the advice to swing the weapon with one hand. Dammit… Well training was hard and its time for bed now. Tomorrow we will put that training to a good use.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-01-58-26.jpg

We all remember our good friend Mordrag. The guy Thorus wants to never see again. Yes now its time to explain Mr. Mordrag that stealing from Orebarons is uncool… really uncool.
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A few fast whacks with our new sword and Mordrag drops like a stone. The Shadow and the guards applaud me, yes it seems that little Mordrag had some enemies. But As he slowly try to get back on his feed I smile. No Mr. Mordrag, think you can get back up and run to your funny robed friends to rat me out? Sorry I can’t let you do this. A final swing with my sword ends his life too. But while some small part of me thinks about his scream for merci, the rest of good old convicts brain takes over. Poor Mordrag wasn’t exactly poor. He owned a particularly fine mace and some high quality goods. The New Camp is definitely a good place to get some new things… so next step: New Camp!
After a quick stop to tell Thorus his Camp is now New Camp free, I follow the way to the New Camp. Luckily for me the Map Graham provided shows the place and a it seems slightly less vermin infested way to it.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-13-07-51.jpg

Scavengers, Molerats, Goblins Bloodflies don’t pose a threat to us anymore. Yes Mordrag offered us an escort, but as I beat him without great afford this should be a walk in the park.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-13-59-25.jpg

Deep in the Wilderness I meet Cavalorn. He’s member of the Old Camp but likes the outdoors. He’s a pretty good shot with the bow, and provided I pay him will teach me. As I like my fights short and personal I decline his offer, but as I’m here take a look in the cave behind his hut. Guarded by some Molerats we find a shack build right into the cave, filled with a good amount of arrows and bows.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-16-45-84.jpg
Before Cavalorn notices something they’re all packed away and we head on.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-21-49-68.jpg

Aidan is the next stranger I meet. He’s a lookout and hunter of the New Camp, and a good friend of Drax and Ratford. As he has nothing to teach me I follow the way up.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-25-29-11.jpg
Three Goblins tried to ambush anyone crossing the bridge… Pff poor bastards didn’t even know what hit them. Their chest however was a problem. Four lock picks later I quickly pinched all the ore and supplies and after a few more Bloodflies, reached the New Camp.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-31-55-26.jpg

Surprisingly the guards didn’t even tried to stop me. They explained that everyone was free to go to the New Camp, as if I would try anything stupid Lees mercenaries will take care of me.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0321-32-20-65.jpg

Here we see the first part of the New Camp as a peasant explains. Here they grow the rice, that will be either eaten or brewed to rice wine, the base of the New Camp economy.

Does anybody even read this anymore?

Lost Demiurge

2009-08-04, 10:02 AM

I'm reading! This is good stuff...

Comet

2009-08-04, 10:17 AM

A-yup, keep it coming.

Tafkan

2009-08-04, 11:08 AM

Yeah, just because we're not actually ever commenting doesn't mean we ain't reading it. :smallsmile:

Platinius

2009-08-04, 01:15 PM

I read it and I think you play very well.

By the way, I don't comment because I haven't got much to say at this moment (I hate spamming:mad:)

Bouregard

2009-08-04, 01:37 PM

I read it and I think you play very well.

By the way, I don't comment because I haven't got much to say at this moment (I hate spamming:mad:)

You didn't want to know how many times I had to reload to kill those 3 stooges in front of the Old Camp. Even 2 unarmed and with 1 Hp its difficult at the beginning. If I had known that I should skill melee that would be solved in a couple of seconds...

There is a giant difference between One-handed Weapon 1 and No One-handed weaponskill, because the hero needs way too much time to block.

One thing I think about is to film the last dungeon of the game... my PC should handle this without a problem, but did someone know a reliable screencaptureprogram that didn't fill up half my harddisk in 30sek?
It would look really cool to slaughter throught dozens of goons with a big sparkling sword

GolemsVoice

2009-08-04, 03:57 PM

Ah, Gothic brings back sweet childhood memories. I played it for a long time back when the act of gaming itself was still a mysterious thing to do, around the age of, wel, 12, 13? It seems you today are way smarter than I was back than, you really know your stuff, and I enjoy your LP thoroughly. I'm all excited about Risen, and really think the Gothic franchise, together with Crytek's products and the Anno series, are the top of German gaming. Well, pretty much the only good German games. Gothic deserves all the love and recognition it can get outside German borders.

That said, please DO go on.

HCL

2009-08-04, 04:34 PM

Great game. I am at the boss (Cor Kalohm, its too bad he turned bad I kind of liked him) atm, too lazy to finish ^^

Tafkan

2009-08-04, 04:56 PM

I think you might want to spoiler that, HCL, just in case. :smallwink:

Anyway, you just inspired me to try and replay Gothic 1 myself. Installing it right now.

Bouregard

2009-08-04, 05:16 PM

I think you might want to spoiler that, HCL, just in case. :smallwink:

Anyway, you just inspired me to try and replay Gothic 1 myself. Installing it right now.

Make sure to patch it to 1.08 if you use the original version. Or you'll miss two quests.

Eggplant

2009-08-04, 05:16 PM

Hi,
I found this topic today and am already enjoying it very much :) Please continue writing it :)
As for the 'Spell or Sword' debate about the possible route for the Nameless - I would opt for the Spell route, because I finished Gothic as a warrior and would be glad to see a mage kicking some asses.
Three cheers for your good-so-far-debut at Let's Play ;)

Tafkan

2009-08-04, 08:38 PM

Make sure to patch it to 1.08 if you use the original version. Or you'll miss two quests.
Don't think I've ever played it without patch, so which two quests do you mean? Just curious.

Bouregard

2009-08-05, 03:58 AM

Don't think I've ever played it without patch, so which two quests do you mean? Just curious.

"Barloros Waffe" and "Der Fremde" aka Chromanim especially the later one is definitly worth doing. In my playthrought its planed for chapter 5, and "Barloros Waffe" will be done today

Bouregard

2009-08-05, 06:10 AM

Big update today.

New one in the New Camp

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0411-10-28-20.jpg

Another day another job. Lets meet Lefty. Lefty is the left hand of the Ricelord. He welcomes me to the camp and asks me to care around some water bottles to all those thirsty peasants. I’m new and this looks like a perfect opportunity to show my friendly side. So of we go to Mr. Ricelord. He didn’t say much but hands out bottles with water, adding sarcastically that I should share those 12 bottles with the 24 peasants. Uhm yeah.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0411-11-30-23.jpg

I just hand a bottle to the next guy. Fine He’S happy to drink something and we head on.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0411-12-55-62.jpg

A big muscleman approaches me. He asks if I want to mug him… mhm do I? No, he’s just a little bit angry. Asking him why he is here growing rice and not out there bashing Old Camp guards he replies that he’s a peaceful man, or that he’s now a peacefull man. Outside the prisoncolony he was a blacksmith and while drunk got into a fight with someone he accidently killed. I know how you feel such accidents happen to me all the time, especially if the accident has valuable jewelry. After he was sent to the colony he decided to never attack someone again. So now he’s here peacefully growing stuff and loves it. Sadly he denies the question to give me some hints how to get such muscles. He says I need a good reason. Waving goodbye I head to the next guy, this time a pretty young but weak fellow.

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After oiling his tongue with a bit water he explains Leftys behavior. He starts out nice, but wants you to do your work everyday. If you want to say no, he and his thugs will drag you to the ricefields and make you working. He decided to just go with it. They didn’t starve so it’s a hard but acceptable work. I would call this slavery but poor peasant is to scared to do something….

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Also I meet old man Pock. Pock is really nice and more disturbingly happy to work here. As a free man he had a farm but, due to a draught and high taxes he was thrown in jail and brought here. As he was always out there hungry here it’s a small paradise for him. He can eat as much rice as he wants and he knows how to plant things.

Lefty rewards me for my legwork with a cold thank you, and a slightly note to come back tomorrow. Mhm . I certainly have to deal with this later.
A small slope is the entrance to the heavily protected dam. Jarvis, a mercanery asks me what I want and as I leave warns me to “watch my back”.

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On Top of the dam we meet Homer. He’s old and together with the Ricelord supervised the building of the dam and the rice fields. His actually biggest problem is a Lurker. A Lurker is something reptiloid that likes to gnaw on wood and humans. Sadly it tries to gnaw through the dam and Homer needs someone to stop it. I have never seen a Lurker before, but as he didn’t want to kill it himself it seems to be dangerous. So something to later deal with. Hopefully the dam didn’t break in the meantime.

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Look at this picture. Its that really annoying barrier again, I’m no mage but it seems to cause problems with the weather and lightning bolts hitting the dome may look cool but is surely dangerous.

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So what to in a thunderstorm? Yes look for a cave. Luckily the cave of the New Camp is big REALY BIG. Right in the middle at the grate patrols a robed figure, if we’re lucky it’s a firemage.

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Chronos is not a firemage, no he’s a watermage. Damm it. He explains me what the New Camp is up to.
The New Camp was founded by the watermages, those are mages serving the god Adanos. They we’re locked inside the barrier like everyone else, but unlike Gomez and the Firemages try to blow up the barrier. Chronos explains that the magic power of the magic ore is the key. They want to gether as much as possible and then release all the magic in the ore in a single blow to the barrier, hopefully shattering it in the process. To protect all that ore they hire mercenaries. The bandits and diggers will supply the New Camp with ore and goods. Simple as that.
Chronos also trades with magic jewelry. I buy a small but valuable ring to boost my strength. I didn’t know how it works, but it does.

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Boy look at all that ore. There has to be a way in there and…. Uhm they didn’t miss a few thousand ore or?

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Tired of all that walking I keep looking for a new Hut or, at least a place to rest. Gorn a mercenary says that he knows a hut I could use. However Spike, a bandit has broken a unspoken agreement. He simply moved into a hut on the mercenary side of the cave. Usually no one would care about such trivial things but he didn’t even asked if its free. So as I did asked, I’ m free to make him homeless.

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A few whacks with the truncheon and our little Spike is not so spiky anymore. Ha hastily agrees to look for another hut. After a good night full of sleep we decide to visit the rest of the mercenaries.

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While making breakfast II meet Torlof. He’s another nice mercenary who explains me that to join the new camp, the most trivial way is to proof that I hate Gomez. I should steal something valuable or rare and everybody here will like me. Mhm I keep this in mind.

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The freedom of the new camp ends here. This guard asks for a password. Swordfish, password and my birthday are not allowed. So I can’t visit the mages for now. Darn.

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Lee however the head of the mercanarys is freely accessible. The guard makes a point that they are not here to protect Lee, they are her to make sure no one disturbs him. As long as I’m nice no one will stop me. A nice little Chat later I know that I can’t simply join the mercenaries. They only accept really good fighters and while I train I could easily join the bandits. Wonderful.

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Of we go to the bandits.

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Baal Kagan of the Brotherhood offers work. He’s here to spread the watchtower truth of the sleeper. However the bandits showed no interest in religious works but, a really like the swampweed. I should run around and sell some samples. As a reward he offers help for joining the Swamp Camp.

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Various happy bandits later…

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I meet Buster, he buys a joint and remarks I’m really inflexible . Asking what that strange remark means he explains that he could teach me Acrobatics, a skill usefull to quickly travel large distances, and more importantly fall from great heights without breaking your legs. Sounds like a good package to me, I try it.

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Wohhooooo! That’s really cool! Jumping rolling and then hoping back to my feet. I guess now I’m able to cross quite a few of those annoying gulches without spending hours looking for a bridge.

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While jumping around and selling more swampweed we meet Wolf. Trader and bowyer of the New Camp. He also sells bandit clothing, but not to me as he points out. Lares, the head of the Bandits would kill him if he do so.
However seeing this Lares isn’t easy. Roscoe, his bodyguard, didn’t like visitors and will only let me through if I bring something important.
Baal Kagan rewards me for the advertising campaign with a special joint. I should bring it to Baal Tyon and he will help me to join the brotherhood. Mhm… mindaltering drugs? Cool.

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Its not evening yet so I decide to look around the New Camp, all those mercs and bandits talk about the New Mine, that’s the place where all that ore comes.

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A few surprised Molerats and Scavengers later,

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Around a corner,

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The New Mine! Second biggest mining installation in the colony. Every slab of ore mined here is a piece of ore the king will never see.
Swiney, head of mining operations here offers a digger cloth, nothing specially, but as he puts it if we want to mine here we need that and a pickaxe.

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The head of the mine, Okyl however didn’t allow us to do something here. He didn’t know us and as he puts it, he didn’t want us to “accidently” destroy our mine. Afraid of terrorists, eh?

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One of the mercs however has a job for us, or as he puts it an opportunity. He has a superweaon. Yes his words. It will kill anyone in a single blow. And he will trade it for a banquet. Of various expensive foods and wines. Strange guy. (This quest was added in the 1.08 patch)

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Back at the New Camp I immediately head for the tavern. Rumor says that diggers, or people looking like diggers can enter for free. Luckily I got digger clothing.

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Inside Jeremiah has a story about the Ricelord. Or more specifically about Horatio and the Ricelord. It seems that Horatio is upset about the Ricelords treatment of the workers, but as he never hurt someone again, he will not do something against it. Seems like I found a reason for poor Horatio to train me.

At the Ricefields Horatio trains me. A simple hint, but definitely a good one. If I want to hit something I should pack my whole weight behind the blow and not just wiggle with my arm like a pansy. Not its time to explain Ricelord, Lefty and assorted thugs that I’m done with waterduty.

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Ricelord and his friends quickly fall to my blows.

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While they try to find their teeths and ribbs I take a look in the warehouse behind him, loots of rice and a chest with 200 ore are now liberated.

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Lefty begs for merci and provided he’ll make sure the workers are not thirsty when I come back he’s left alive.

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Now its time to head to the old mine. I was not allowed to visit the New Mine. So hopefully the old one is more open minded. Grahams map provides us again with the general direction and, a few assorted Molerats, Bloodflies and other vermin’s later we could see it already.

GolemsVoice

2009-08-05, 07:56 AM

Damnit! Now I need to play Gothic I again, and finally finish Gothic II, whose unfinishedness is a shadow on my soul. I have tried repeatedly, but each time got foiled by something, either corrupt savegames or insufficient disk space, bt now that I have 1 TB of space, we'll see who laughs last!

Bouregard

2009-08-06, 07:51 AM

The first contact

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Right in front of the Old Mine we meet the Templars again. It seems to be true that the Swamp Camp has a huge interest in Minecrawlerbits. It seems that whoever build those barricades is in the mine, and surprisingly for me created an interesting setup. The entrance to the mine can be blocked by a huge steel gate, but as a concerned convict I ask myself, why on Myrtana should someone build the lever to open or close the gate on the outside?

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Slightly worried our unnamed hero heads on. A dark cave awaits us but luckily I got more then enough torches.
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At the main mine shaft we meet the guard Drake. For a beer and all nice words I could found he tells everything he knows about the mine, for everything else I should talk to Ian, head of the mine.
Basically this is the main source of Ore for the Old camp, the biggest mine in the colony, and after the breakdown of the abandoned mine, Gomez only source of income. That explains the huge amount of guards in the mine. Their biggest problems are aside from raided supply caravans, big insectoid antlike things called Minecrawlers. The promised beer also helps us to a few combathints, as Drake found out. He tells me to always fight with my back to a wall. Minecrawlers will always outnumber their enemy and while pretty easy to fight head on are a really pain the second their able to flank their prey. Also he recommends arrows and bolts to put them down. Their armor is quite resistant to bludgeoning or cutting but their organs are prone to be pierced. However as long as I stay in the main mine shaft nothing could go wrong he explains, as the guards and Templars protect the diggers and the shaft pretty good.

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Behind Drake we find another helpful guy selling valuable mining tools like torches, pickaxes and beer.

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A few ladders downward the big pit I’m confronted with a very curios scene. Snipes, a digger watches a lone guard that to my amusement feverish guards his chest. A quick talk with Snipes explains the situation. He wants to play a little prank on the poor guard and wants me for 10ore to lure the guard away. Thinking of 10 easy earned ore I quickly made up a story about being sent by Ian to send the guard down for a briefing. With 10 ore more in my pocket Snipes now explains his dilemma: If he now steals something from the chest the guard will just search him and then throw him out. So here is my part. Snipes “found” the key to the chest. And he want to sell it to me for 30ore. I agree and happily loot the chest. Asking Snipes whats in for him, he answers that he simply likes a good prank.

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After being mean to poor Aaron I decide to even go a little further. What’s more diabolic then luring someone away, then looting his chest? Yes selling him his own key afterward. Aaron is not happy. Luckily for us he’s also not very bright.

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Next to poor dumb Aaron we found rich and smart Ian. Who after handing over the so much wanted list, tells us a little about the mine. Ian made it a point that this is HIS mine, not Gomez, yes he may work for Gomez and all those thugs could easily take the mine by force, but he’s the one keeping the mine running. As he puts it, mine overseers are not common in prison. Ian is pretty proud about his mine and explains that every day they mine over 20 tons of ore, enough to supply the king with enough swords for an army. Also he’s the first one explaining me what’s so special about magic ore.
Weapons made out of this special ore will never rust or degrade and also they could be made much sharper then common steel. Sadly only Nordmar blacksmiths know how to do this, so the ore smelted here looses quit some strength but is still superior to normal steel. While leaving Ian he urge me to not break anything down here.

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That’s the list Diego asked us to bring back to the camp. Seems like Ian is more concerned about rotten bread then the security of the list. Now come to think of it, that’s an opportunity Torlof talked about. The new Camp would love to get their hand on that list. So the question here is to give it to Diego or Lee the chief of the bandits… tempting.

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With my mind on money soon to be made I head further down and, surprisingly end up in a side cave away from the protective gaze of the guards. A few Minecrawlers weren’t that surprised and attack me right away. With my back to a wall and wildly swinging the mace I can get them to a distance and slowly finish them off. They are hard, but as I found out not impossible for me if I’m careful. There mandibles are surprisingly easy to remove and with their ichor will fetch a good price in the Swamp camp.

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With a bit of protective magical jewelry, Minecrawler ichors and a few healing potions more in my backpack we head back to the main mine shaft.

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Here I look down to the lowest level of the mine. A big mill-like machinery and a huge furnace will not be the only interesting things here…

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While talking to the head smelter, trading ore for various foods and weaponry I’m surprised to see that the guy operating the mill is not a human, It’s an orc!
Asking a digger, who enjoys his beer right next to furnace reveals that indeed they use orc-slaves here. Careful asking why the orc isn’t chained the digger explains that he only tried to escape once. However the guards beat him that much that he need to spend three weeks in bed before he could work again, so he never tried to escape again.

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A few small caves and Minecrawlers later I found some quite high priced treasure. A skeletonbow made from bone and a really good truncheon called Stonebreaker. Before more of those pesky Minecrawler appear I make sure to head back to the main cave.

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Another orc sits here, but as it seems he didn’t speak my language and looks slightly scared.

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Wow that’s a big gate . Asghan the guard makes a point that it remains locked. If he caught anyone near that winch he will be shot on sight. Behind this gate is one of the first mining tunnels the digger mined out, but it had to be abandoned because there where too much Minecrawlers even for the combined efforts of the Temples and the Guards.

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On our way back up we found a small shack with a guard inside. He’s there to guard the chest, but thinks it’s a bit pointless because the key is missing. Key is missing? Sounds familiar.

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Digger Aleph hands the key over after me helping his mind with a small gift of 30ore… Another lie and the guard is gone, now I’m free to lot those lovely chests.

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Bags full of stolen things we head out of the mine. Finally again seeing the lovely sun. Or more specific the lovely moon. Its nighttime.

Fun Fact:

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This is a loading screen. You may ask why it’s the first time I show you a loading screen? Because it’s the first one apart the “loading savegame” -one. Gothic games try to reduce loading time for the player. In the whole game there are 4 areas that are walled off with a loading screen so Gothic don’t suffer from the Elder Scrolls “Please wait while loading this shack!” –illness.

Oh and a question, where do I found cheese? I need Cheese, seriously.

GolemsVoice

2009-08-06, 03:19 PM

Bouregard

2009-08-06, 04:58 PM

Needs moe cheese, I see. So far, you've proven to be a little rascal, and you're wondering they've thrown you into prison, right?
By the way, have you decided which camp to join, and do we get a say in that matter?

I don't ask why they put me in prison because I think I'm innocent. I wonder why they didn't execute me on the spot.

The cheese problem has been solved thanks to a little shopping the viking way. (Kill anybody, loot, set fire to anything left, proceed to next village/hut)

At first I thought, let them decide.... but then I fall in love again with the Old Camp. There's nothing that says more immersive then anyone in the Old Camp greeting you with "For Gomez". Oh and the armor just looks awesome. And the introduction to Gomez is just awesome.

Tafkan

2009-08-06, 05:22 PM

Well, I would have voted for Old Camp anyway. Swampies just don't feel right, our nameless hero is a powerful warrior/mage who kicks everyone's butt, not some little weed-smoking cultist. :smallmad:

Besides, New Camp just isn't worth joining, seeing as you'll probably have to switch to them eventually anyway.

GolemsVoice

2009-08-07, 07:18 AM

Yeah, I would have voted Old Camp, too. The swamp camp is just... no for me, for reasonsTafkan stated and more, and the ne camp doesn't have nearly as cool armor as Gomez's goonies do. Plus, you get to boss around those poor diggers.

Bouregard

2009-08-08, 07:04 AM

Gomez
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While not seeing much at night, thanks to the torch I managed to get back without head butting too much trees.

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Lares here couldn’t believe it at first, but yes it’s the famous list I bring him here. Surprisingly quick he cook up a very potent plan. He will add some things to the list and then I should deliver it to Diego. Now the bandits will raid the caravan and I will get a good share of the loot.

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Also he sends me to a Baal in the New Camp Tavern. Lares didn’t care about how I get his swampweed, no he only wants me to hand him 400 ore its worth. Tricky. After a few beer on my tab the Baal gives in and hands over the weed. He wants me trade it for ore and we will share the money. 200 for him, 200 for me. Seems like he outbids Lares…but as I didn’t want to add another powerfull guy to my enemies list, we will do something expensive but nice. After selling all the weed for 500 to various traders and bandits we pay out both of them. Only 100ore and if I ever have to leave the Old Camp again, I can sleep safely in the New Camp, without waking up with a sword in my back.

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All those truly generous deeds took their toll. Back at my hut in the New Camp awaits me a good night full of nice sleep.

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On the way to breakfast I see Homer again. He reminds me of the goddamm dam. Or more specifically the damlurker. Lurkers are tough opponents, so to make sure this fight will end without injuries on my side, we start it with a fully loaded fireball. Yes I got lucky and found a scroll, reading it and then pointing at the humongous reptile starts a little inferno taking down most of the Lurker, enough to finish him off with a quick blow to the head.

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Leaving a thankful architect behind it’s time for a final visit in the Swamp Camp. To hand over a gift for a Baal. The joint our friend in the New Camp gave us turns out to be a sleepingdrug with some things that cause visions. The Baal mumbles something about my destiny, however as I never really cared about that sleeper, we quickly return to Diego.

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He accepts the faked list and tells us that we’re ready for a talk with Gomez.
But first our nameless hero should get his share from the bandits, so back at the New Camp Gorn hands out quite a number of different foods, bloody weapons and goods.

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Before anything rots I it’s time for my superweapon! Baloro nearly started to drool for all those delicious cheese, meat, whine and beer but denies me my weapon. He says anyone tat stupid to believe in such nonsense deserves nothing.

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Feeling betrayed I head back to my friend Diego. Telling him I‘m ready, I’m send to Thorus, who in turn let me into the keep.

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Raven is Gomez right hand and explains me how to talk to Gomez. Be polite, submissive and NEVER lie or anger him. He says “ I didn’t want to know what happened to the last one …”

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So this is Gomez in his throne room. I expected another brute, but no his questions shows quite some intellect and political knowledge behind all those muscles. He wants to know why he should let me join. I quickly explain that I get quite a bit around in the colony, meet pretty much everyone of importance and have done a few good things for the old camp. The Orebaron is impressed to hear that from a new one and accepts me into his ranks as a Shadow. My new superior is Raven.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-28-49-65.jpg

Raven hands out our first real armor and a new order right from Gomez. It’s a spyjob. While Raven and Gomez have a truce with the Swamp Camp it always pays to know what the loonies down there are up to. My new armor has two uses, it’s a kind of official passport and protection. I should offer my help down there and find out what all the ruckus with that sleeper is about. Also he adds two hints: I should report to him, Raven. Gomez should only be spoken to when there’s something really important. And if I want a better armor Diego should sell me one.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-30-31-74.jpg

Old armor.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-34-43-14.jpg

1200ore and that’s the new one. Twice as protective, and even more expensive.

One of our advantages as a Old Camp member: Probaly NSFW, slight nudity

While looking around in the keep I stumble into Gomez private chambers, and hozzaa find his newest play toy. That’s one of the reasons I choose to use the german Gothic version. In the English one she wears a bathing suit. In the next Issue we see another more child friendly difference.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-38-25-07.jpg
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http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-38-59-72.jpg

hajo

2009-08-08, 08:16 AM

Gothic has a day-to-night cycle, It’s one of the first games with a real one. Each NPC has a schedule so that he sleeps at night, do something the day and then in the evening sits down on a campfire eating and drinking with his friends before going to sleep.

Day/night-cycle has been done a long time before - I think it was Ultima V (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_V:_Warriors_of_Destiny) where I have seen it first.
You had to actually track some of the NPCs to get at some of the plot, also harvesting nightshade only exactly at midnight, etc.

Tafkan

2009-08-09, 07:21 AM

Heh, I remember when I told Gomez I was friends with Y'berion and he gutted me on spot for lying to him. :smallyuk:

Anyway, we're going to see the Minecrawler Queen now, right?

GolemsVoice

2009-08-13, 02:01 PM

You there, mon? Don't dare and leave this LP unfinished, or I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth, you hear me? To the ends of the earth!

Bouregard

2009-08-13, 03:12 PM

I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth, you hear me? To the ends of the earth!

Mhm a nearly exact quote of Arthas Menethil.
That's certainly something to draw my attention, rest assured next part is nearly finished. I was just pretty busy this week.

Bouregard

2009-08-13, 05:19 PM

Business as usual

Like a rising star we managed to get closer to top oft the food chain. Marvelous. One of our new acquired rights as a Shade is the clearance for the inner keep. We’re free to go anywhere. So its time for a little chat. Bullit, our little friend from the beginning resides in the barracks. Alone.

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Of course killing is not an option, we’re now part of the troops and randomly killing is definitely something Gomez didn’t approve. But I can make him pay, oh yes he’ll pay for that beating. A few whacks and he drops in a small pool of his own blood, desperately trying to close his wounds with his hands… “No Bullit you will not die here. I will take your sword. Your lovely snack and the beer, and you can do nothing. Now you’ll see how it’s like being mugged.”

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-45-38-95.jpg

My little revenge reminds me of my duty. The Scroll of that mage is still in my backpack and yes those mages are right over there and will probably pay handsomely for a timely delivery. Talking to a mage named Milten shows that I’m not allowed to enter the chapel. Yes even Gomez boys are not allowed here. Dammit. Milten however over’s to bring the letter to his boss, but as we knew the colony by now. No. I will only hand it to Corristo personally.
Stupid idea. The first thing Corristo spotted was the opened seal. Well to my defense I still delivered it so, he won’t gona burn me, no he tells me to head to another mage for my payment. A single dammed potion. Nothing else. Seems like he would give me quite some more things if didn’t opened it.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-51-53-48.jpg

As I pretty much screwed up with the mages, Gomez is my last straw. Raven ordered me to investigate what the brotherhood is up to. Fine. Hope our Orebaron pays more than a few heal potions.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0618-53-36-94.jpg

While running around weapons drawn in the Old Camp is now not a problem anymore in the Swamp Camp I’m still a stranger and those Templar’s didn’t like armed strangers. Even armed strangers on political missions.

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Lester, the helpful novice seems to be happy about assistance from other Camps. He mentioned that I should visit the ominous Y’berion, head of the Swamp Camp.

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Y’berion lives in the nice quiet temple. He explains that the Swamp Camp prepars a big ceremony to call the sleeper. That information alone is quite worthy but I’m pretty sure neither Gomez nor Raven would like a halftelled story. I need to get more details, so I decide to play along, he also mentions a reward.

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Our target is a Focus. That’s an artifact used to create the barrier and, quite useful to focus giant amounts of magic. He had send a novice to retrieve it, however they didn’t hear a word from him since he’d gone. My job is to get the Focus. Nothing else matters. Thankfully a map is provided. That looks like a real good job for me. Get the Focus, no questions asked.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0619-02-34-80.jpg

If we read the map carefully the Focuscrystall is exactly on the cliff the temple is build into, however as climbing in armor is kind of hard, we have to take the long way through the woods. To keep this mission a risk free opportunity I quickly make stop at the traders in the Swamp Camp scanning for useful stuff before heading of to the woods.

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One of our newly acquired goods is a Speed potion. Useful for traveling long distances sprinting our for the occasionally quick getaway.

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The woods are dangerous. Wolves, Scavengers and Molerats spiced up with Bloodflies are meet in every corner the road is in no way clear but definitely more appealing than slowly crawling through the woodwork hoping that Shadowbeasts and Orchounds didn’t find me.

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Nope, didn’t look like there’s something important here.

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See this stonethingie on the ground? A focusplace. And that novice over there seems to have it.

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No Nyras didn’t want to hand it over, he claims to have heard the voice of the Sleeper and he ordered him to keep it. “Mhm… sorry weedboy. Hand over the crystal and I’ll only hurt you a little”

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0619-17-55-75.jpg

Rifling through his pockets I find a large phallic object. The Focus. Fine now back to Mr. Y’berion. We didn’t want to let the reward wait.

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We’re now on top of the cliff right above the camp. A jump would be surely our death. But hey, know what I buyed from the Swamp Camp magic trader? Yes a Shapechangescroll: Bloodfly. It allows us to change into a flying Bloodfly to safely soar down there carefully without showing our newly acquired form to the guards.

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Y’berion is overjoyed, hands us a good amount of gold and while admiring his girlfriend tells me about the next step: Help Khor’Khalom the mad alchemist.

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Many ladders later the alchemist explains that I need him to bring a power source for the summoning. Minecrawler Ichor from the Old Mine Minecrawlers was good but not good enough he wants something stronger. Sleeper tells him that it has to be in the old mine… Guess who have to look for it.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0619-32-52-27.jpg

Old Mine means back to Old Camp. Here we’ll meet the second reason I choose the german reason for. IN EXTREMO famous group in Germany, and offers a concert right in the game. Don’t know if you like darkage rock.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-08-0619-35-01-69.jpg
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Next step Old Mine!

If you want to hear the full concert they play in the Old Camp, its an actuall title of IN EXTREMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey3axf9hygk&feature=fvw

Seonor

2009-08-13, 10:11 PM

Yeah, In Extremo was fun. Sadly it was only one song (Herr Mannelig) in an endless loop, but it fits right into the setting of the game. If you want to actually see the performance, watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UltfG7MVtaY) video.

Tafkan

2009-08-14, 12:40 PM

If you want to hear the full concert they play in the Old Camp, its an actuall title of IN EXTREMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey3axf9hygk&feature=fvw

Can't view this video because of some regional settings. Probably because I'm not in Germany. Stupid Youtube... :smallfrown:

Seonor's vid works though, awesome song, love it.

GolemsVoice

2009-08-15, 09:22 AM

If Arthas quotes coax you out of hiding, then you should go on, or else I'll be.. suceeding you, poster!

Eggplant

2009-08-20, 10:12 AM

Cool Let's Play to a good game :)
I hope you will continue it - even though the game becomes quite linear in the second and later chapters, I'm sure you'll find great things to amaze us ;) I, for example, am amazed at how much things were cut off in the releases of Gothic outside of Germany. While I understand the toning down of all the nudity(to be honest, I don't know what it's there for - I mean, playing computer games is already frowned upon enough, they don't need porn in them to make their situation worse - and besides, if you want nudity and you turn on Gothic, then there's something wrong with you), it's a pity copyright laws made the In Extremo performance unavailable in my copy of the game. Well, shoot.

GolemsVoice

2009-08-20, 11:06 AM

Cool Let's Play to a good game :)
to be honest, I don't know what it's there for - I mean, playing computer games is already frowned upon enough, they don't need porn in them to make their situation worse - and besides, if you want nudity and you turn on Gothic, then there's something wrong with you)

From looking at the rulebooks for The Dark Eye, a Pen&Paper game more or less only sold in German-speaking countries, I get the feeling that nudity in games, or at least fanservice when it comes to armor, is a thing Germans are much more relaxed about than other countries, as the rulebooks regularly features/ed bare chested females, or femals in quite little armor.
The nudity in Gothic didn't strike me as odd. Imagine. A camp full of males who know that as long as the war or the barrier lasts, they will NEVER get to see any female flesh. Now imagine you are still a criminal, but wealthy enough to afford women. What would YOU do (if you were an insanely corrupt and morally decayed ore baron who doesn't need to care about anythings)? I think it fits the rough and gritty theme Gothic sets.
Gothic II, on the other hand, has plenty of totally modest, dress-from-head-to-toe medieval women.

Seonor

2009-08-20, 11:37 AM

I, for example, am amazed at how much things were cut off in the releases of Gothic outside of Germany. While I understand the toning down of all the nudity(to be honest, I don't know what it's there for - I mean, playing computer games is already frowned upon enough, they don't need porn in them to make their situation worse - and besides, if you want nudity and you turn on Gothic, then there's something wrong with you),

This is just something cultural. Nudity is more accepted in most parts of europe than in the USA, but we are somewhat more critical towards violence. For me the question would be "I mean, playing computer games is already frowned upon enough, they don't need allow the player to kill civilians with a sawblade in a rain of blood to make their situation worse".
There was a thread titled "nudity taboo" in the forum some time ago with more details. It is just something that fits with the setting: a harsh world, where only ore and strength can protect you. Notice that only prisoners, the guards and the mages are traped in the barrier. There are only five ore six women in the game and they are mostly with the leaders of the camps. This is just another point to establish the fact that life inside the barrier sucks and is very barbaric.

Bouregard

2009-08-30, 09:00 AM

Dwarf Fortress, technical problems and some real life issues later I'm back:

Taking the Crawler out of Minecrawler

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2023-36-18-62.jpg

So what was our nameless hero doing? Oh right. Getting more bug juice Minecrawler ichor…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2023-39-45-56.jpg

The good thing about our new armor and shiny weaponry is that the woods didn’t pose any major thread anymore. So now it’s time to take the shortcut through the woods to the old mine.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2023-40-40-43.jpg

Here is the first time our hunting knowledge pays off. Dozens of furs, teethes and claws and their respective luckless owners later we follow the dark road in the dark forest.

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Yep, really dark woods here… God bless my never-ending supply of fresh torches.

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This time I failed to get the loading screen… dammed Quadcore…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-05-33-40.jpg

Back in the Mine and to quote a random digger “Another day, and nothing has changed…” Ian, the boss of the Old Mine should know something about the Crawlers.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-07-58-40.jpg

Ian hints that he know something, but as the calculating bastard of a quest guy he is, no he didn’t think of giving it up for free to a fellow Old Camp member…. Nooo a fetchquest. Ian’s problem is the Ore Stomper, it’s broken and he needs a special cogwheel to fix it. Fine, have it your way. But if you always wait for someone to do your job that mine will someday simple stop working. You have been warned.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-10-30-18.jpg
That seems to be the old stomper Ian mentioned. And that annoying Zzzshhhh Zzzssshhh hints at more Crawlers.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-14-07-37.jpg

Jep. Definitely more Crawlers. Nothing special about those. But oh look. A Cogwheel!

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-11-33-98.jpg

Also my new armor is excellent. Those ceratin based lifeforms didn’t even manage to scratch me.
Muhaaaha I’m invincible!

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Ian is happy and, as I helped his sorry ass he decides to help me. Asghan down there guards a gate. The way behind that gate was locked up because there where to many Minecrawlers, so Ian thinks that’s a good way to solve two problems with a single stone. I try to find the nest, and get rid of all those annoying crawlers. He will then loose less diggers and I hopefully get some more potent stuff.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-18-07-52.jpg

Downstairs the new Cogwheel is already installed and our Orcslave is happy to work again… or so I think.

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Big Gate, big Guard we’re at the right spot. As we tell Asghan the key phrase “everything will be all right” he smiles. Poor Asghan may except the order from Ian, but he wants protection. The last time someone opened the gate, Minecrawler poured out like there was no tomorrow. So he wants some backup. Three templars should be enough.

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As I’m here under direct order from Raven, Ian and Kor Khalom the templars didn’t question my orders and presto problem solved.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-24-00-07.jpg

Four brutes with big swords and my smarts come along bugfaces, here you’ll meet your doom.

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Asghan was right and seconds after I open the gate we’re kneedeep in rotting bugs. No problems here. Now it’s time to find something good for Kor Khalom.

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A good 3 dozens of bugs later I get an idea all those veins and tubelike tunnels lead to that little entrance. Hopefully we’ll find the centre of the nest.

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People, bow to the queen and her (now dead) bodyguard. She’s definitely not happy, and probably from eating all those diggers to fat to move.

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After quite a good time of stabbing and hitting even her majesty dies. Yes she didn’t move but sure hit like a truck. Sadly nothing special about her. I secretly hoped for some Holy Ichor or somethi-…

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/gothic2009-08-2821-31-59-13.jpg

Yes! Look at the wall! The eggs! After carefully taking all five eggs I make my way back out. Let’s just hope that those little bugs don’t decide to hatch and eat me alive.

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Ian, Asghan, Drake and all those templars are pretty happy about my success and mention that they informed Thorus. I’m sure to get a promotion.
Here again you’ll see it’s a german game. Ian didn’t hand you 500 goldpieces or the “Secret Sword of HackdatSlaying +34” over. No he simply rewards me with the only thing a man loves. A big crate of beer!

So next Issue we have to choose Firemage our Guard?

GolemsVoice

2009-08-30, 03:06 PM

Go Firemage, and burn all those who oppose you! Those spells are really nifty.

Seonor

2009-08-31, 07:31 AM

Go Firemage, and burn all those who oppose you! Those spells are really nifty.

I support that.

Tafkan

2009-08-31, 07:55 AM

Go Firemage, and burn all those who oppose you! Those spells are really nifty.

Yes, this. Mages > Guards, by far.

Platinius

2009-09-01, 07:31 AM

Setting something on fire, is there any problrm it doesn't solve?:smallcool:

Bouregard

2009-09-01, 09:31 AM

Setting something on fire, is there any problrm it doesn't solve?:smallcool:

Problems concerning Fire Golems *g*

But you're right. If magic didn't help. Use more.

Bouregard

2009-09-04, 03:59 PM

Reward

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-09-0315-35-48-86.jpg

Thorus has something form me they say…. Well, let’s see what our grumpy gate-guard wants us to do.
Nothing. He really has a reward this time. He wants me to join Gomez elite soldiers. The guard. Mhm. The first good thing that happens to me in this god damm prison. It seems that this is a once a lifetime offer, as if I refuse I’ll have to explain to Gomez why I didn’t want to join his party.
Stuttering and muttering I explain that my talents lie elsewhere and I’m more the magic user as the swordswinger. Hopefully he didn’t notice the big sword on my side. Thorus however accepts that. He wants me to talk to Corristo, that’s that big mage I had to bring the sealed scroll.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-09-0315-37-57-52.jpg

Corristo here will allow me to join the Firemages if and only IF I accept a trial. Fearing something about burning coals, brimstone and fireballs I carefully keep an eye on the exit.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr22/w0dka/GOTHIC2009-09-0315-38-42-15.jpg

As brimstone is out and their firepit is shut down OSHA … No. just kidding, the firepit is working fine. It’s an oral exam. And he asks me to follow.

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Upstairs we meet the rest of the Circle of Fire. And face their “fiery trial of multiple choice questioning with burning pain” (They are out pain). After spending some minutes teaching me the highly interesting facts about their good Innos, it’s my turn. His first question is, after ensuring I’m really the guy who saved the old Mine what virtue is the most valuable one. Mhm, normaly that’s the second where people start to stutter or dig throught their backpack for a book about virtues. I remain calm. Look at the facts. This question comes from a aged guy in a blood red bathrobe who’s rumored to paint his walls red with the blood of anyone who tries to steal from him. He’s a self proclaimed warrior, priest and teacher.
So my educated guess goes for the clerical option! “Believe” is definitely a great virtue if you’re faced with firmly religious magepriests who could easily turn you to dust with a sinister gesture.

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As I pass the “Definitly not too dump to life”-trial I’m now a official member of the church, mage in training and get a cool new bathrobe robe. No it’s time to study. I telled good dumb Thorus I liked magic, so let’s make it happen.
Corristo is my teacher.
He explains that magic is divided into Circles. Each Circle has some spells unique to it. The higher the Circle the more difficult the spell is. First Circle is about the most basic things. Given enough time even a digger could learn it. It’s basically take a rune with a spell, then point the rune at a target, activate it and –BOOM- profit.

My first rune is called “Firebolt” yes, Firebolt, not Fireball. It’s basically a small projectile that simply ignites anything it touches. Useful for burning people.

Next is “Light”. That’s the torch for the cool boys. Why use a clumsy stick on fire if you can summon a glowing sphere that hovers over your head?

And “Heal”. Do I really have to explain this? Well it’s a good way to convert magical energy into limbs.
Someone cut off your leg? Use heal.
Someone cut off your arm? Use heal!
Someone cut your skin and broke your ribs? Use heal.
Someone cut off your head? Let someone else see a mortician.

But as I’m a really smart boy I move on. Circle I is for dummies so let’s head straight to 3rd Circle!
Fireball is now available. It’s more potent than Firebolt and can be overloaded. Say, if you want to fire a Fireball but you’re not sure if it’s enough to grill your target you can load more magic energy into it… So this cool gadget ranges from mediocre warm to magma hot ball-O-doom.

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Surprisingly there are no new jobs for me. Corristo want me to further serve Raven and Gomez to improve the relationship Firemages - Gomez Goons.

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And here is further proof for a Scrooge McDuckiness even the gods didn’t hear about. Cor Khalom is a real bastard! He send us into a mine full of antlike thingies, and how does he rewards us? With a “’Thanks”. After asking him a few more times about a more useful reward he finally gives me a Ore.
…promptly added with a new quest. It seems like no one in that cursed Swamp camp does something for their great god that’s not connected with smoking. Again, my job. He want a book. The Focus I acquired earlier is bloody useless without instructions. Corristo owned a book about the crystal and selled it a while ago to Cor Khalom. Sadly it never reached the Camp. Cor Khalom want’s me to talk to a novice who was tasked with the returning of the book.

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That’s our book-boy. He was assaulted by goblins that had stolen the book. May someone enlighten me what 3 feet high rodents with wooden sticks want with a instruction for a doomsdaydevice they didn’t have?
Anyway. If Cor Khalom didn’t pays me you here little Novice will do. I’ll get your precious book and you’ll give me 50 bucks for my trouble or I tell Cor Khalom the whole embarrassing story.
Fifty shiny new Ore and a guide to the goblin den later the Novice tells us that he will stay behind and cover my escape. Mhm, another way to put I-hide-in-those-bushes-while-you-incinerate-the-rodents.

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Fourthly mediocre seconds of mammal massacring later the bridge is secured and I head on to the den. If those little goblins just give me the book and all their valuable stuff I may only light every second goblin on fire.

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Twenty futile, but extremely crispy dead rodents later the entrance is covered in corpses and the dens are free to loot.

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Chests filled with loot. And the book!

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Magical mumbling about the use of Focus crystals. All those complex sentences simply explain that the Focus is an object that can store huge amounts of all sorts of energies and release them either over time or in a single burst.

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Our little Novice friend escorts us bag to base. He wants us to bring the prized book directly to Cor Khalom. Wow this guy really tries to not overwork himself.

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Another generous reward (I’m ironic here) later Cor Khalom explains that he will use the Focus to funnel all the psionic energy of the brotherhood into the summoning ritual and release it at once. Our Minecrawler eggs will work as a form of a catalyst here.
Later this evening there I’m invited for the big ritual.

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Quite some people here… Well to keep it short the ritual was successful. However the Sleeper didn’t appeared and Y’berion the bigboy of the Swamp Camp and the guy doing the summoning collapsed. His final words where “The Orcs…” Mhm it’s not like that’s a good riddle. But Cor Angar, head of the Templar thinks he knows something. He calms the novices and lesser brothers and explains that the Sleeper seems to want them to find the Orcs. There’s a ancient orc graveyard and the Templar will go there investigate.

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Or more specifically. I have to go. They’ll send out a group of Baals and Templars to the graveyard. My job will be to meet them and assist. But at first I’ll talk to that with Raven. I guess that are news he wants to hear.

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He’s happy but that’s still not enough. While I’m at the old Camp it’s a good time to check back with my Magebudys and yes they’ve got something for me. A new robe and uh a new Circle with a new Spell.
Firestorm: Firestorm would be the answer to my goblin problems a few hours ago. Its practically a Fireball that detonates on impact and also set all people around the target on fire. You can also overload it just like the old Fireball.

After a good night of sleep I head to the graveyard. Dead orcs… shouldn’t be a problem.

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Yes I kind of guessed that everyone wanted a firemage. So I didn’t spend much of my learnpoints. With close to 80 saved it was kind of easy to skill right up to Circle 4.