Travels of a Priestess of Eothas

[Luckmann]

Alright, so, I realize the title sounds like I have a cool story or something. I don't, really. I'm many things, but not a writer.

I just started playing a Priestess of Eothas, after being somewhat dissatisfied with the reactions (or rather, lack thereof) towards my Paladin Bleak Walker Deathlike, Aedyr Aristocrat. Thinking that I'd get some cool overlap with Durance and Edér, as well as tie into more into the universe and the immediate on-goings of the game and the immediate area where things are playing out, I decided that hey, Eothas is hated here, and I'm tired of being a blackguard that is trying to be good (because that's all Bleak Walkers are, unfortunately; Blackguards).

So I'm going to note down disappointments and good moments here. First, some information:

• Female Meadow Human.
• Priestess of Eothas.
• Aedyran Cultural Origin.
• Clergyman (Clergywoman!) Background.

If it's ever relevant, I can add that I've done some minor cheating. I'm starting out with Weapon Focus: Peasant, Hope Eternal, and Sanctifier. I have yet to see Talents ever influence dialogue, however, but I enjoy thematic/mechanical overlap. I'm going to be fighting with Implements, primarily, and boost Holy Radiance with Inspiring Radiance and Brilliant Radiance, first thing I do. Unless I can think of something else, I'll probably grab Interdiction, too.

There's also probably going to be a lot of double-posting here, for which I apologize. The editing function has a timer and I was thinking I'd add things as I go or can think of them.

Alright, go.

• First things first, straight from memory, I must say that the conversation with Calisca was a let-down. Not only didn't anyone in the entire prologue mention my class, but Calisca, when asking about my past and my background, wondered what happened to my previous flock. I went with them dying when the village I'm from was sacked.
  
  She then asked me the standard question of what I'm hoping to achieve with going to Gilded Vale. And.. these never seem to be influenced by Background or Class. As a Priest or a Clergyman, I would've loved it if I had the chance to tell her that I'm going to try to gather a new flock, or that I'm just preaching the faith.
  
  So far, nobody has ever even asked me what faith I'm of (and nobody has referenced my class, either). This would've been an excellent opportunity to tell a Priest of Eothas that "Ooooh, you're an Eothosian? That's.. bad news. You should keep it to yourself."
  
  I went with telling her that I'm a settler/colonist. It's the closest thing that fitted.
  
  Then the bitch abandoned me in Cilant Lis because Heodan was wounded and we needed to sleep. What a bitch.
   
• Reaching Gilded Vale... nothing. They ask me what I'm doing there. The regular routine. No questions except the one about settling. Alright, no biggie, didn't expect anything, maybe they just don't care. I can't react to the fact that the Temple of Eothas is in ruins, which feels.. wrong. At the very least I would've want to ask "Why would someone do such a thing?!". Alright.
  
  Nice that they asked me if I've given birth to any hollowborn children. Probably some bullsh*t profiling based on the fact that I'm "female". C'mon people, didn't you know that gender is out? Can't you tell that I'm clearly a mayonnaise biplane self-identifying as otherkin? Fascist cis-scum normie.
   
• Let's pick up Aloth. Cool. He references the fact that I'm Aedyran. Cool. Nothing special. Fair enough. I resent that he thinks I'm aedyran and just assumes that I'm his "countrywoman", like I'm some piece of meat for him to possess, but I respect his opinion as a trans-person of the elven persuasion. He can't know that I'm vailian on the inside.
   
• So, sleep at the inn, talk to the animancer, aww yiiis, time to talk to Edér, mah bro, mah brother in faith, mah tank, let me have your babies, wait what did I say that out loud?
  
  Aaaaaaaand... nothing. He talks at great length about being of the Eothosian faith, about serving in the war against Waidwen/"Eothas", the ruination of the Temple of Eothas, and what happened to the faithful in Gilded Vale.
  
  And nothing! This was.. a huge let-down. At one point, I can even ask him.. "Who's Eothas?". That was.. awkward. Not a single comment. Nothing. Not a mention of how I appreciate his continued support, not a condemnation of the treatment he had his received, nothing.
   
• Augh, fine. Let's pick up Durance. Because, y'know, Durance, right? Durance is a pretty cool guy. And he's got a pretty.. "personal" connection to Eothas. He went to meet you because of a vision. He is a priest of Magran, a now-enemy of Eothas and not well-liked by most Eothosians. And...
  
  Nothing. Not a single comment. I'm wearing what pretty much is priest robes. I've throwing priestly blessings around. I meet another priest. He's got a history with my faith. My faith has a history with him. And not just Magran. Him, specifically, although to be fair, yeah, I don't know that yet, but either way, I'd expect something.
  
  Nothing. He did not comment on me being a Priest, nor on being an Ethosian, and I couldn't express anything relating to the fact that I'm a Clergywoman, a Priest, or an Eothosian. I wonder if I could even greet him as one of my comrades in faith if I were a Priest of Magran.. I'm starting to have serious doubts.
   
• I make myself a group, fill out the blanks, so I can have a full group of adventurers and avoid getting extra experience. I go beat the sh*t out of a bear, talk to a spirit.
  
  [Clergyman] "Be at peace, spirit. May you be blessed with greater fortune in the next life."
  
  ...alright, so, it's strangely not [benevolent] at the end there, but at least it's something. Must feel hella out of place for Skaenites, at the very least.
   

I'll add more notes as I go and run into various situations, but right now, it's not feeling good.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Luckmann

[White Phoenix]

I finished game with Moon Godlike Priest of Eothas (Ixamitl, Dissident) and I know how you feel. I can tell you should go to Eothas Temple now. It's shame that non of companions (especially Eder and Durance) see who I am. Sometimes there was a respond with ordinary priest tag which is lame. You can 'bring reacitivity' by some dispositions but it is not the same. It would be nice if people could discover we are Eothasians what resulted in lost rep. I can see how the Dozens are mad and try to kill you.

 

I'll try for second game with orlan cipher for reactivity. Maybe expansion will be better and I think there is need for special quest related with priest god and paladin order.

Edited April 15, 2015 by White Phoenix

[W.MacKinnon]

I was bothered by the Eothian Temple. If you play as anything but a Eothian Priest you learn more about Eder; the whole part at the end with the candles. He has a whole lot to say if you don't know about his faith; how much it meant to him. But by George if you are a member, no need to reminisce about what's lost to both of you - course not. It's literally a case of if you share a large part of what defines his character it gets omitted. Instead of it being something to strengthen the two characters friendship. Really jarring, only reason I noticed was due to me restarting with the priest after playing for a few hours with a cipher.

 

Literally change your character concept, it's can only get worse Luckmann. One of the few big gripes I have with this game.

[Luckmann]

I finished game with Moon Godlike Priest of Eothas (Ixamitl, Dissident) and I know how you feel. I can tell you should go to Eothas Temple now. It's shame that non of companions (especially Eder and Durance) see who I am. Sometimes there was a respond with ordinary priest tag which is lame. You can 'bring reacitivity' by some dispositions but it is not the same. It would be nice if people could discover we are Eothasians what resulted in lost rep. I can see how the Dozens are mad and try to kill you.

 

I'll try for second game with orlan cipher for reactivity. Maybe expansion will be better and I think there is need for special quest related with priest god and paladin order.

 

I haven't gotten to the temple yet. I'm just about to start, and I'll probably not get through it until tomorrow. Yeah, it's annoying that companions don't seem to acknowledge who you are at all. I can see how this lack of reactivity can have some hilarious results, like working with the Dozen. Utterly ridiculous. I'd love it if my choices actually mattered and working with the dozen would be near-inconceivable.

 

I'd be incredibly surprised if an expansion went back and addressed things like this in pre-existing quests and conversations. Pleasantly surprised, yes, but very surprised. Even if the expansion would add content, it wouldn't fix the base game. But I also don't want some checklist system where quests are assigned on a per-Deity or per-Order basis. I just want it to make sense and get some general reactivity throughout the game.

 

 

I was bothered by the Eothian Temple. If you play as anything but a Eothian Priest you learn more about Eder; the whole part at the end with the candles. He has a whole lot to say if you don't know about his faith; how much it meant to him. But by George if you are a member, no need to reminisce about what's lost to both of you - course not. It's literally a case of if you share a large part of what defines his character it gets omitted. Instead of it being something to strengthen the two characters friendship. Really jarring, only reason I noticed was due to me restarting with the priest after playing for a few hours with a cipher.

 

Literally change your character concept, it's can only get worse Luckmann. One of the few big gripes I have with this game.

 

Wow, that's certainly... disheartening. I haven't done the Temple yet, but if you start a Priest of Eothas, faith being a key part of Edér's concept, you'd expect more bromancy content, not less. It sounds completely deranged that you'd miss out on Edér- and Eothas-based content and bonding because you're a Priest of Eothas.

 

I was really looking forward to see if the Temple would actually let me relate to Edér's stories, with a shared faith, having gone through the sacraments together. Maybe a line of dialogue to reaffirm my own experiences in the same vein, going through the same rituals, tending the candles, the cleansing ritual, etc.

 

I get the feeling that the game was made for Ciphers, and then they added the other classes like "Augh, if we have to, I guess, gawd". Because they apparently get a lot of stuff intermixed with the main storyline, and they actually get dialogue actions sprinkled here and there, which I haven't seen with any other class so far, whether would be just performing the last rites on someone or screaming at someone with a barbarian bellow.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Luckmann

[Eisenheinrich]

This should be something easily to change for Obsidian alongside a patch. Throw in some lines, erase the ones, which don't fit. I hope the devs scan the Message Board for feedback instead of drinking champagne up there in their ivory tower! U HEAR ME DEVS??? U BETTER DO! 

[White Phoenix]

I still hope for Eothasian priest role-play mod. I am interested especially in companion reactions and Dozens faction.

 

Even Magran priest has some unique dialogs with Durance at the beginning and at the end of his quest and ONE line (!!!)  during Eder quest when Eothasian has none of it.    At least you can feel you play a priest of dead god literally.

Edited April 15, 2015 by White Phoenix

[Anthile]

Way back in the Neverwinter Nights 2 expansion Mask of the Betrayer I played a Favored Soul (a type of cleric) of Kelemvor. If you have played Neverwinter Nights 2, you might know that your patron deity does just about nothing besides influencing favored domains and weapon choices - it's purely mechanical. However, Mask of the Betrayer is about current and former death deities and - I don't want to spoil anything - you kind of run into some folks associated with Kelemvor towards the end. What happens is that you do get some bonus dialogue with huge implications, dozens and dozens of hours into the game. It's one of my fondest memories when it comes to gaming. It's like one of those moments in Fallout where you try to solve a problem in some outlandish manner and the game acknowledges it.

So when my first character in Pillars of Eternity was going to be a priest of Eothas. It seemed like a proper ironic reversal of his Neverwinter Nights predecessor. When you walk into Gilded Vale, one of the first questions you can ask is who that Eothas guy is everyone is talking about. That's not supposed to happen. The more you play the wronger the whole thing seems. Once you talked to Durance and Eder and puzzled together how the whole Saints War worked out, it dawns on you that your very presence should be a big deal - and that's without being a Watcher. People should whisper behind your back, refuse to serve you or just be outright hostile. Nothing like that ever happens, though. To me, this is the most disappointing aspect of Pillars of Eternity.

[kingthrall]

I am doing a Male version of essentially the same thing as you, except its from some different regional background. I think the one with the crumbling empire give +1 int or something.

 

Massive spoilers ahead!

 

The most Eothas dialog options ive had so far have been in Guilded Vale, not even in the city so far. You would think picking a piece of the godhammer bomb and submitting it to the priest and try and have the option of converting her to a different faith (because she fails at following Magran i.m.o) or some conflict with Durance would happen but there is absolutely nothing so far. Even doing Edars quest and finding the piece at the encampment with the 2 magran thugs had no eothas dialog options just stock standard stuff.

 

other than the temple fighting Radric you have a Eothas dialog choice of attacking him, which I didnt use, I killed kolsc and then Raderic because they both were enemies of Eothas far as I am concerned. Ive pretty much up to the Adra dragon now, done all the quests in the city I just have not triggered the riots yet because I want to finish the Paladin and druid npc quest logs first.

 

Its kind of one big discusting lie, you could say this game is pretty HOLLOWBORN  in dialog LOL. There is no soul to this game just a combat shell surrounded by a fantasy world thats irony for you!

[InsaneCommander]

That's really disappointing. Has anyone played with a priest of Magran? I'm planning to play as a Death Godlike Bleak Walker, but if there is any class that gets a lot of interesting dialogue options, I may change my plans.

 

Sorry if it was mentioned by someone, but I'm not reading everything (specially the post above, which says "massive spoilers"...) because I haven't finished the game yet.

[W.MacKinnon]

Priest of Magran is much better; their well received in the Drywood - not like the Eothians being purged - who are literally some of the people hanging from a tree in the beginning of the game. I changed my Priest over to Magran after the Eotho's Temple. What your character's faith is doesn't matter that much in the game dialog - only if you are a priest. So it works much better if your PC worships any god but Eothos. I really think the game would have better if they omitted the Eothian faith altogether. Just like you can't worship Woedica.

[Heijoushin]

Wow, that's pretty depressing... perhaps they should have gone with less backgrounds and instead try to make them more detailed?

 

I like how gods and religion are meaningful in this setting. And as such, playing a priest should be a little more fleshed out...

[Blovski]

I don't really know what you expect here other than them writing unique dialogue for every single character class? I mean, I agree the reactivity could be a bit better but Eothas honestly appears to get more stuff than most other characters.

[kingthrall]

I don't really know what you expect here other than them writing unique dialogue for every single character class? I mean, I agree the reactivity could be a bit better but Eothas honestly appears to get more stuff than most other characters.

 

I would of thaught Goldpact and Magran got the most so far ive experienced in dialog choices.  I am sure its not too hard to add a few more choices into the mix especially since this game has pushed back away from the baldurs gate style of killing in combat to gain exp. Its dialog scripting, was it really that hard to write a few more characteristic choices and pad this game out a bit more? The game really focuses on the main story and nails this without a doubt but ask yourself what really was the point of even choosing a diety or a background if it makes no relivance at all.

[Luckmann]

Alright, so, we're at the Temple!

• Some wimp is apparently dying in my hallway and they've really let it go. He talks a bit and mentions that Eothas is dead and scattered. What nonsense. Luckily, as a Priestess of Eothas, I can tell him off! Praise be to Eothas!

• But for whatever reason, it's... Passionate? I dunno, I mean, it seems like something anyone praying to Eothas would say as a matter-of-fact kind of thing, but alright, the Clergyman thing before was missing Benevolent, and this one has Passionate for some reason, but let's not get picky, this is a win. It is funny, because by now I've heard things about Eothas being dead several times, but this is the first time I can correct someone.
  
  Edér backs me up.

• Wow, thanks, Edér. Wirtan proceeds to tell me to shut up about the whole thing so we don't get hanged. Well, like, whatever, you won't silence me. During the entire conversation, even though I could say that Eothas is still alive, I couldn't actually say that I'm a Priestess of Eothas. I'm getting Eothan (Eothosian?) bones of the priesthood. Come. On.
   
• Proceeding into the Temple, we dispatched a few spiders, found a couple of secrets, and opened a secret door - obviously standard in all Temples of Eothas - and made our way to the library. In the Library, we found a hollowed-out book. It contained a key and some scribblings about Wirtan.

• I went back to Wirtan to talk to him about this, but on the way there, sudden amnesia struck and I was unable to bring it up with him. Al.. right. I also think I found his sword that he lost, but it's just a Fine Sword and I can't mention that either. Never. Mind. Then.
   
• My name is Ascly, by the way.

• I enjoy: Long walks on the beach, comparative logistics analysis, preaching the good word, and Eothas (and Edér-Chan (=^・^=))
• I dislike: Fat people with no self-control, guns and The Patriarchy.
   
• Further into the temple, I kill a Skuldr King and have a religious experience about bells, seeing another Spirit. Can't really do jack ****. Fine. Le Sigh.
   
• I find the bells. Alright! Bells! Ritual! Priestess of Eothas, I should be able to do this! Let's ignore the fact that I have the key, and let's ignore the fact that I was stupid enough to pick it up when I could've used Lockpicking, for sweet, juicy experience. Let's do the puzzle we've been getting hints to.
  
  Except.. you know.. it's a Temple of Eothas. I.. my character should know the sacraments and rituals and stuff, right? So.. uhm..
  
  Wrong!
  
  Thankfully, through the power of metagaming, I already know. Right, Middle, Left, Right. ..wait, isn't that a cheat code? Nevermind. Door opens. The adventures of the amnesiac Priestess of Eothas with a selective sense of religious morality and dogma continues!
   
• We reach the lower level. Edér mentions growing up here and stuff. Not a real convo, can't comment. Understandable. We're hushing.. sneaking.. not sure why.. we could sleep here, so we should be fine, right? I mean, if it was dangerous, why didn't the monsters eat us while we slept? I mean.. oh snap ghosts!
   
• We killed the ghosts.
   
• Went south, found a mausoleum-crypt-looking-thing, killed the shades and shadows. Woosh, woosh. Decided to rob the graves and oh, look, a Phantom showed up the second I picked up the... Cloak of an Eothasian Priest.
  
  Woo! It's terrible, but I'm going to wear it forever. Priest? Why not Priestess? I should lodge a formal complaint that they're not using gender-neutral pronouns. Did anyone ask the priestoid about h.. their preferred gender? Of course not! Blatant miso-trans-duplo-andry/gyny for sure.
  
  Would've been cool to not be attacked, since I'm doing Eothas's work down here 'n' all but 'is cool, cool, I'm not feeling unwanted or anything.
   
• Why is the cloak... green? I'd expect Eothasian Priests to be all about the White and Yellow or Gold. Not sure where I got that from, but it felt appropriate. Edér's cloak is red.. brown.. ish. Have I been getting it wrong? ...would still have preferred white and Gold. Q_Q
   
• Killed more ghosts, opened a door, pulled a thingy, went down to the bath house, found a key (A-Hah! This time I remembered to unlock the door with Mechanics before I picked up the insidious key!).
   
• I found the hiding-place of the dead priests, and the perfectly out-in-the-open blue-tinted lever. It's a wonder the soldiers that sacked this place didn't find it. This is a terrible place to hide. I have a vision. Darkness. Priests eating priests. Prayer. Aaaaand..
  
  Eothas!

• Strangely, again not [benevolent], despite the fact that I find it hard to believe that it wouldn't be under any other circumstance. It would also make sense, because Eothas favours Benevolent/Honest. Alright. Still. Feels appropriate. Rest well, my brothers and sisters and vehicular-gender-of-your-choice-s. You will be missed. ;_;
   
• Do I gather the remains? Do I leave them where they are? Is it religious to move them? I mean, it is their temple.. but after all, I mean, it's a horrible place in that temple and they died horribly.. I wonder what would be the appropriate thing to do as an Eothasian. You'd think that'd be something I'd know, but those seminars I attended were so boring. Apparently.
   
• I gather the remains and start to head upwards, after taking everything and finding another secret. I also found Gaun's Share and a prybar. Woo. I have the feeling that there's a helmet or something nearby. ...I've never had any use for a prybar.
   
• Killed another two Skuldr Kings, and found The Pilgrim's Last Vigil for Edér. Noice. Went upstairs. Found candles.
   
• There's an option to pray. I've done this before. In other lives. This is where I have a nice conversation about Eothas and the Temple with Edér. This is going to be awesome. But first, I'm going to pray. It's the appropriate thing, right? I mean, the candles are still lit. So let's just...

• What.
• The.
• ****.
   
• That's it? I do the priestly thing, I get an Eothanian choice and I pray, and nothing? Nothing at all? I can't even talk to Edér now? He doesn't interrupt, after I'm done praying? Just.. nothing? The whole Edér ending to this quest is just lost? His little quips along the way amounts to THIS?!
   
• ...
   
• I leave.
   
• I return to Wirtan, and tell him the honest thing. That he lied to me. He denies it, of course, so I argue a bit with him, Edér gets a bit pissy at him, but then.. I can do the Eothian thing. The thing. Redemption. Except.. well.. it's redemption, right? Not forgiveness? Because sometimes people mix it up and.. oh wait, nevermind, there's no difference here, apparently.

• Aaaaand that was the Temple of Eothas.
   
• ... and why the hell was that last option [Passionate]? I'm getting the feeling that Eothas was first conceived as Benevolent/Passionate and this is to support that, but.. it's not passionate, and Eothas is Benevolent/Honest. What the hell?
   
• And I think that encapsulates my experiences here so far. "What the hell?".

I don't really know what you expect here other than them writing unique dialogue for every single character class? I mean, I agree the reactivity could be a bit better but Eothas honestly appears to get more stuff than most other characters.

That's.. pretty much what we would expect, yes. I'm sorry, are you new here? And so far I don't think Eothas seems to get more than most at all. Like mentioned earlier, a Priest of Eothas doesn't even get dialogue with Durance, apparently, and not even with Edér. But if you're a Priest of Magran, you get both. Like what?

Edited April 16, 2015 by Luckmann

[Eisenheinrich]

Okay dude, while this was funny to read and I laughed out on one or two occasions, you're overly nitpicking here. With an exclamation on "overly". I thinkt the options are okay, not mindblowing but at least the flavour-fluff of being Eothian cleric (which most games would handle by giving you a special spell or a +1 on something, if anything at all, because, well, it's fluff) was considered in some roleplaying and dialog-elements. Heck, your sarcastic diary reads a little bit like: "Why is the entire game not 100 % designed around the fluff I choosed for my cleric-build? This is hilarious! Outrage! Why can't I do everything I want to do in my fantasy?" 

So, if you don't get that a CRPG limits some of the aspects a classic Pen-&-Paper RPG contains, you should reconsider your understanding, take some dice and play the classic way. As a mage in POE I can't burn houses with my fireball-spell. And they're made out of wood. OUT OF WOOD! DAMN YOU OBSIDIAN FOR RESTRAINING MY FANTASY AND RAPING MY IMMERSION!!! 

 

Edit: Okay, they're mostly made out of stone ... well played, Obsidian.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Eisenheinrich

[White Phoenix]

Okay dude, while this was funny to read and I laughed out on one or two occasions, you're overly nitpicking here. With an exclamation on "overly". I thinkt the options are okay, not mindblowing but at least the flavour-fluff of being Eothian cleric (which most games would handle by giving you a special spell or a +1 on something, if anything at all, because, well, it's fluff) was considered in some roleplaying and dialog-elements. Heck, your sarcastic diary reads a little bit like: "Why is the entire game not 100 % designed around the fluff I choosed for my cleric-build? This is hilarious! Outrage! Why can't I do everything I want to do in my fantasy?" 

 

So, if you don't get that a CRPG limits some of the aspects a classic Pen-&-Paper RPG contains, you should reconsider your understanding, take some dice and play the classic way. As a mage in POE I can't burn houses with my fireball-spell. And they're made out of wood. OUT OF WOOD! DAMN YOU OBSIDIAN FOR RESTRAINING MY FANTASY AND RAPING MY IMMERSION!!! 

 

Edit: Okay, they're mostly made out of stone ... well played, Obsidian.

 

It would be okey if there were more unique dialogs, espiacially with companions (huge dissapointment), minor with faction or something, not necessarily some quest options or changes in plot. 

I think that people who discover who we are should respond to us with aversion, contempt but not with extreme hostility.

 

For example Rumbald gives you a weapon he fought in Saint's War. We refuse to take it, Rumbald starts to suspect us of being Eothasian and becames unpleasant.

Durance should even call me names like Vicionia in BG2. When you see how he speak out about Eothasians there is no doubt he doesn't love them. He even makes reference to orlan Watcher, he really doesn't view as civilized race. So what with Eothasian Watcher then? That must be mixture of Durance worst nightmares, when it comes to Saint's War, Waidwen's Legacy and Godhammer staff.

Edited April 16, 2015 by White Phoenix

[Varana]

While Luckmann may be overly nitpicky in some instances (e.g. the dispositions), I agree with him here: That's quite a disappointment.

 

Sure it's a lot to include detailed checks and lines for every possible class/specialisation combination.

But this is different: Eothas and everything related to him is a very central point to the whole story of the game.

For some reason, they thought it was a good idea to make priests of Eothas playable. Why, if they couldn't do it adequately?

 

It would've made much more sense to simply not offer Eothas as a priest's deity.

If you do have a character that is so closely tied to the story or some background element, then you have to account for it. If you can't afford it, don't have such a character.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Varana

[Luckmann]

Update:

• Settled the grain dispute in Gilded Vale. Was a goody-two-shoe of course, and all diplomatic-like got them to not mess with the miller anymore, and turned down the reward, of course.
   
• Took a shortcut through Esternwood and into Black Meadow, took back the Gilded Vale Smith's supplies, and went onward to Caed Nua.
   
• Just picked up Kana Rua and I'm about to head in.

Nothing really worth mentioning at all, but also nothing that's felt odd or wrong. I suspect this log is going to mellow out quite a bit, we'll see.
 

Okay dude, while this was funny to read and I laughed out on one or two occasions, you're overly nitpicking here. With an exclamation on "overly". I thinkt the options are okay, not mindblowing but at least the flavour-fluff of being Eothian cleric (which most games would handle by giving you a special spell or a +1 on something, if anything at all, because, well, it's fluff) was considered in some roleplaying and dialog-elements. Heck, your sarcastic diary reads a little bit like: "Why is the entire game not 100 % designed around the fluff I choosed for my cleric-build? This is hilarious! Outrage! Why can't I do everything I want to do in my fantasy?" 

So, if you don't get that a CRPG limits some of the aspects a classic Pen-&-Paper RPG contains, you should reconsider your understanding, take some dice and play the classic way. As a mage in POE I can't burn houses with my fireball-spell. And they're made out of wood. OUT OF WOOD! DAMN YOU OBSIDIAN FOR RESTRAINING MY FANTASY AND RAPING MY IMMERSION!!! 
 
Edit: Okay, they're mostly made out of stone ... well played, Obsidian.

 
It's meant to be nit-picky. It's my experiences as a Priestess of Eothas and commentary to where I feel it's specifically weird that it doesn't call up on that at all.

The entire game should be "designed 100% around the fluff I choosed for my cleric-build". And it should be designed 100% around any other build or character, too. I'd expect a druid to get unique dialogues with Hiravias, or a dwarf to get unique stuff when talking to Sagani, or a pale elf to illict a response from Aloth.

Comparing it to a wizard setting houses on fire is ridiculous.. unless there's actually a quest related to doing something along those lines; then, yeah, I'd want wizards to be able to use magic to do it. After all, wizards *do* get the ability to send bolts of energy to help Heoden during the prologue. And Firelikes can light the beacons with his head in Cilant Lis.

Everyone should have options as appropriate to their character. It is not unreasonable to expect reactivity in a CRPG, or that if you have a great degree of overlap with circumstances or characters or concepts in the game, that that would be represented.

Take the example of Durance. He was personally involved in the supposed murder of my literal god. And furthermore, he's clearly not going to hold back when it comes to insulting women. Oh, and he hates Eothas and Eothans. And he was sent to meet you in a vision, knowing you are a Watcher from the get-go.
 
Is it not noteworthy that he was sent to assist or guide an Eothan priestess? Would it not be appropriate if he'd mention some degree of hesitation regarding the fact that I'm a weak-willed woman and therefore extra dangerous? Does it not warrant some degree of discussion that, to the best of his knowledge, Magran herself sent him to meet me, of all people, when Magranites and Eothans are supposed to be mortal enemies divided by faith as well as culture (Raedceras banned the worship of Magran; Dyrwood performed pogroms against Eothans; both are sprung from Aedyran roots)?

Would it not warrant mention in the prologue that, hey, you should keep this stuff to yourself, Eothas is not popular around here? When, when this has not been explained to me at all, it is explained to me that the Temple has been torn down, shouldn't a reaction from a Priestess of Eothas be at least possible? Should I not have problems cooperating with The Dozen?

This is not me trying to fish or push for more stuff for Eothas specifically, I'm just using a Priestess of Eothas as an example, because I switched to it specifically because I thought there'd be some good stuff to dig into, and I wanted reactions with Durance, and bromancy with Edér. I could've done the same thing for an Orlan Druid, and I'd comment on where I think things are missing or when it's good, or a Naturelike Barbarian; because if there's one thing I want to do, it's shout down a wall.

The game really could use some more reactivity, and for the moment, I'm examining the game from the perspective of an Eothanian Priestess.

 

While Luckmann may be overly nitpicky in some instances (e.g. the dispositions), I agree with him here: That's quite a disappointment.

Sure it's a lot to include detailed checks and lines for every possible class/specialisation combination.
But this is different: Eothas and everything related to him is a very central point to the whole story of the game.
For some reason, they thought it was a good idea to make priests of Eothas playable. Why, if they couldn't do it adequately?

It would've made much more sense to simply not offer Eothas as a priest's deity.
If you do have a character that is so closely tied to the story or some background element, then you have to account for it. If you can't afford it, don't have such a character.

Well the nitpicking is intentional. I realize I'm being a bit unreasonable in some ways, but I'd rather point at something small and be like "Hey, this could be improved, maybe like this" than to notice it and not say anything at all, because then you can be assured it'll never be improved.

I mean, yeah, it'd be cool to have total and full coverage of everything, and I'd be able to bless the Miller and his family and say a prayer over the harvest or something, but at that point, I'd feel like I was inventing situations. Which isn't bad, but it'd feel silly.

I agree with the "If you can't do it right, don't do it at all", but at the same time, I don't really think that Priests of Eothas should have more stuff than anyone else. It's already quite lopsided in these regards. Ciphers, for example, get like 11 specific dialogue choices... which.. honestly, is pathetically low, but also supposedly the most any class gets.

Your line of thinking is probably the reason we can't play Priests of Woedica. I mean, imagine that can of worms in terms of character reactivity. And it's the reason we can't choose many kinds of Cultures that CNPC:s get (Dyrwood, Vailian Republics). We're meant to be foreigners coming into Dyrwood, not established characters with pre-existing connections to the game world, obviously.

And that's fine. That's perfect. But even so, every single Class (and Culture/Background) could use a major character reactivity pass. Now I want to play a Max-Survival Pale Elf Ranger, to see if I can track something, or comment on something in a hunting-related regard, or look at something and be like "These flowers aren't right". To see if my bear and Sagani's fox smell eachother's butts. All that fun stuff.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Luckmann

[Eisenheinrich]

Dude, relax, you sure write a lot of stuff, I don't even have the time to answer to all that wall of text you deliver like some epic backer story. But I guess everyone's entitled to his/her views. I for myself, as a member of the noble people that brought you boardgames such as Carcassone and Settlers of Catan, can abstract a game from a simulation and give a flying **** about immersion that candycoats everything. And your avatar is annoying. Ad hominem! Didn't see that one coming, did you?

Edited April 16, 2015 by Eisenheinrich

[kingthrall]

While Luckmann may be overly nitpicky in some instances (e.g. the dispositions), I agree with him here: That's quite a disappointment.

 

 

The problem lies with the dispositions being at the start because you have not expanded your character enough to make low costing alternitive personality choices like that. I actually missed out on the passionate one at the start with my priest, I had the benovolent choice at the end but not enough Perception to continue on. (I like dialog options but my char does not buff soley for dialog with items he is kind of support/tank with dual weild flail and my god (eothas lol) he kicks butt when prayer perk/spell gives him all those bonuses.

 

Edit; I forgot to mention Aristocrat has a tonne of dialog options more than any other choice in this game I think.

Edited April 16, 2015 by kingthrall

[elf1]

i agree, to add to it reactions of party members to the things you do are lacking as well.

 

for example in heritage hill you can feed a bunch of people to the crazy gul on the tower in exchange for some power

so i go down to the 3 guys locked in the fampyr's closet and say "hey i'm rescuing you, the top of the tower is totally safe go there"

Nobody says ****

you'd think a certain follower of the god of benevolance would have something to say...like "this bitch is lying go to the gates instead!" Then i'd have to deal with the fallout which would be interesting. Would also make Eder seem to have a lot more personality than he does now.

 

also the fampyr doesn't care that i just stole her food 0_o

[Luckmann]

i agree, to add to it reactions of party members to the things you do are lacking as well.

 

for example in heritage hill you can feed a bunch of people to the crazy gul on the tower in exchange for some power

so i go down to the 3 guys locked in the fampyr's closet and say "hey i'm rescuing you, the top of the tower is totally safe go there"

Nobody says ****

you'd think a certain follower of the god of benevolance would have something to say...like "this bitch is lying go to the gates instead!" Then i'd have to deal with the fallout which would be interesting. Would also make Eder seem to have a lot more personality than he does now.

 

also the fampyr doesn't care that i just stole her food 0_o

 

Hahahaha, yeah, the whole Fampyr interaction in Heritage Hill is just plain weird. It feels so incredibly awkward and out of place. There's not even an option to react to the fact that she's a fampyr and attack her, and if you attack her anyway, she just sorta stands up and you can't even go "What the hell, didn't I just kill you?!". It's sooo jarring it's almost hilarious. It's easily the worst interaction in PoE that I've had with anything.

[fuke]

Sorry to necro this thread, I just wanted to say that the lack of Eothas content stung some people precisely because it was one of the most interesting aspects of the game world/plot.

 

Eothas seemed like an allegory for communism, "The God That Failed", and not just in a modern sense. There were lots of peasant rebellions in medieval times that were based on religious, millenarian ideology. They believed their leader(s) were sent by god(s) and going to bring justice to the world and get rid of the wicked nobles .. but the "good guys" always ended up getting defeated by those nobles. The Eothas plotline explores the question of, what's it like to be one of the survivors of a crushed movement like that, grappling with whether you were on the right side, was the fight worth it since you lost so much, was your god even real? Or in this case, did he ever exist at all? Was Waidwen not really Eothas but just an avatar of the evil dude whose name I forget who was trying to stop animancy throughout history (seems there are hints that that is and also isn't the case)? 

 

The most moving part of the game imho was searching for Eder's brother and finding his memory. Also why couldn't he remember what Waidwen said? The story seemed to be saying, the answers to those big questions are lost. But maybe they also just didn't have time to flesh it out. Looks like Eothas will be the focus of POE2 so we will finally get everything we wanted :D