If Pillars of Eternity had romances

[NightRevan]

Mm. That's a good point. I sort of feel that since it is fantasy, you're not necessarily going to have to justify everything you write in morally, though. That you could maybe get away with very serious abuse, even obvious crimes, if you create a setting around it that believably created the character into becoming the way they are, and followed up with creating consequences you can understand and observe afterwards. 

 

 

Suppose it goes back to how a lot of people would often like to see potential relationships that make sense in games, in the same way they would like to see dialogue in general that feels genuine. While adding a "romance" on top of a companion character, as a side-trail, without developing a relationship, really does appear as disgusting and silly in a game as it does in real life. Since simply abusing people for the sake of shocking the audience is typically how far things go in a typical movie-plot. It's not like people watch Brunel any more anyway.

 

What I wondered about though, is if you developed a relationship that was believable, that wasn't constructed around picking the right responses to get over a certain limit on a "relationship progress counter" variable before you can **** - would people appreciate the opportunity to ... brutally and soul-crushingly dump their romantic interest at some point, if they were given the chance? For example, what if you discovered along the way that your love-interest was playing you? That he or she isn't actually interested in a deeper relationship, but goes along with your fantasy out of favoring the affection you give them? Or if they want and believe you're offering something you're not? Would a fantasy setting where you actually role-play this be a good setting to explore the type of fears and consequences you normally don't experience, or at least act out, in a real relationship?

 

For example - let's say that your character develops an adventure crush for another character. Or a character develops a similar crush on your player character. And neither interest is reciprocated, before you reverse the situation again. If you develop a trail like that, and keep track of the interest, and eventually allow the relationship to happen. But then give the character an option to pay the other character back for the hurt they've caused the other, or to forgive completely, etc.

 

If you end up in options like that, would people want to act out something similar to what they very, very likely wouldn't do in real life (....but perhaps feel strongly they should have for a short moment, in the quiet of their mind, at night, their head under their pillow)?

 

It's not really about justifying abuse (while you can create a narrative or character whole will attempt give justifications of some form or another to such behaviour, even if it's just exulting so doctrine of strength/superiority or in 'being evil' is still giving attempting to justify their own problems and weaknesses, it can be can be a character you could create or write) but acknowledging the gravity of the narrative and situation to be considered.  After all, it's possible to create the scenario set in our own world (and many real life examples of such in a number of forms) in which the character would have to them reasons and justifications for their actions, it's far more common and happens far more often than most people realise,  And of course there are many genres that deal directly in these issues, dramas, crime thrillers, and so on (and a number of fantasy novels, with Game of Thrones a popular example that springs to mind), but there as with this idea, it can't be separated from the reality of such situations in our world and to make sure to do it justice.  And in that sense can't be separated from the issues we struggle with the fact that such behaviours happen right here, but must attempt to deal maturity, insightfully and respectfully with the issue even when characters involved might be given, coming from an life of abuse themselves, or whatever, the whole narrative and experience has it deal or enable to situation to deal maturely with the situation, recognising the gravity of the scenario they choosing to explore, as is the case with any narrative and media.  When you choose to comment in your medium on such issues and to say something about them in art, story or in this case within a game as an interactive narrative you have to do so with care, understanding and make sure you are not trivialising the issue or just doing to have a dark moment, or just to make a claim at being 'mature', because in that case I think you would completely miss that objective and just be a trivia moment that would come off as trying to be 'dark and edgy' as I said but being anything but.  For me it's the difference between attempting to just look mature in writing and actually being mature in writing and context.  

 

That doesn't mean it can't be done but it's something that requires I think allot of thought, care and work, and would I feel in some respects easier to do with npcs other than the PC than attempting to write a story in which it could involve the PC (as it couldn't be a side thing or just part of a companion interaction, but rather would be the defining aspect of that story and characterization and character interaction).  It would also be something that would have far-reaching implications, both for the characters involved and the PC, with definite consequences of that behaviour and action for the PC, and his narrative, including the larger narrative itself.  And it would be a defining trait of the PC, not just a minor side-aspect, or side-quest or arc that would have little functional impact on the rest of the narrative, again to do that risk trivialising such issues.  This might even be more the case if we think of a Watcher type using their power to abuse and even rape the soul of their loved one, an assault not possible here but bringing that kind of abuse very much into the narrative and should be dealt as such.  I feel it would be something that could be written but would be difficult to do well and sympathy, knowing it is attempting to comment on such things, and would need to be written well, deeply and integratingjy with that in mind, or not at all, as it would come off as seeming crass and meaningless.

 

That said I think it could be done, though it might be at to great a cost of player freedom to define their own character to make it work well and I imagine would work better in a pre-written and defined character rather than one we create ourselves (PnP would offer freedom to do this, but unfortunately that isn't possible with cRPG) or with an set of npcs the PC can interact with.  That has already happened and can work well enough the difficulty would be the PC interaction in such situation I imagine and making only a possible choice of character and narrative arc work well where we define our character and their reasons for the way they are and arrived at the place were they would both abuse their loved one and what justifications they would give for it, and bring in the consequences for that.

 

As for other things that aren't involved with direct abuse, I think those are much more easier to do and more likely to be done and done well, such as unrequited love, being used by another or manipulated by them for some other agenda (perhaps attempting to seduce your character and use your power for their own ends, or to betray you, or they just don't really love you but find you attractive and/or powerful and attach themselves to you).  Or the other way around, you use them, to some extent that has been in various romances arcs before, you could approach a number in this respect and could even at the last point completely break the heart of the other character if you wished, or use them, Visas Marr in KOTOR 2 is a good example of this, at least with restored content.  You could sacrifice her to defeat Darth Nihilus, and manipulate and use her commitment to you to get her to do this, and depending on whether your Exile loved her or not has a completely different meaning to the scene, as if you just used your influence and her love to defeat a rival, which is what Kriea herself advises the Exile to do and approves off and so on.  I'm also reminded of the Dragonlance books for some reason and Raistlin using that cleric having drawn her to fall in love with him using her to try and become a god, until it turns out his pretence had at some point become real and he realised he did care for her after all.  I can't remember everything of that novel as it has been a long time since I read the Dragonlance books,

 

As for unrequited love I'd recommend the BG2 mod Yasreana, a drow female fighter who you would meet just at the end of the dungeon of Irenicus, and whom, if you a are a male Bhaalspawn the issue of unrequited love is a theme within that companion, though not the dominate one.  It is something that your character can either come to terms with or not however, and if not that can come up more through the character's own arc, story and quest.  Still not a bad one to have a arc in which the PC falls for someone who definitely doesn't return the affection in that way .

 

Long post short, some things would be much easier to do than others, but it could be done, but would need allot of care and work I think, and done with sensitivity to the subject matter, and not something done just because it's shocking material (it needs to be better than a low grade shock horror in a poor movie , particularly when unlike that it isn't just a moment but a full and involved delving and exploration of that situation with a long character arc related through interactive role-play medium). 

[Namutree]

Guys let me ask you something in regards to virtual romance. This question applies to EVERYONE here. 

 

SERIOUS QUESTION: If you were to design a female romance option for a straight male gamer, would you make her ugly and masculine?  If so, why?

 

Maybe? If the game already had other romances with attractive women. The reason why being that variety is the spice of life.

[nipsen]

^(thank you, overly graphic imagination. Whatever would I do without you).

 

That said I think it could be done, though it might be at to great a cost of player freedom to define their own character to make it work well and I imagine would work better in a pre-written and defined character rather than one we create ourselves (PnP would offer freedom to do this, but unfortunately that isn't possible with cRPG) or with an set of npcs the PC can interact with.  

 

Good post. But why would you favor a pre-written background, for a character like that? Does it have something to do with having more distance to the subject-matter..?

 

Fully agree that you would have to be extremely careful with this, though. That I would want to write something like this, for example, is because I know people who have experienced serious abuse, and know them well enough that I can describe the way they act and exaggerate the types of traits they've acquired afterwards, so it's easy to spot the consequences. That's also why I think it would work better to tempt a player with those options if they created their own story along the way, to make it more personal. But.. yes, not a very easy thing to do..

[scrotiemcb]

ITT: luzarius unironically suggests incorporating the plot of Shallow Hal into Pillars of Eternity as a romance option.

 

Edited May 14, 2015 by scrotiemcb

[luzarius]

ITT: luzarius unironically suggests incorporating the plot of Shallow Hal into Pillars of Eternity as a romance option.

 

 

It wasn't like, "hey guys! I have a great idea, let's incorporate the theme to shallow hal, MAN IT WOULD BE GREAT!! I like tall, blonde, leggy women, come on man, come on!!"

 

It was more like, as a watcher you can peer into someone's soul and see their inner ethereal spirit. Depending on their personality the spirit form would be beautiful, attractive, demonic, monster like, or whatever your imagination can conjure up. This was a possible solutionto allow straight male gamers to see a beautiful female NPC on the inside, even though she looks ugly & mannish on the outside.  It beats staring at fugly man-woman the whole entire game.

Edited May 14, 2015 by luzarius

[NightRevan]

^(thank you, overly graphic imagination. Whatever would I do without you).

 

That said I think it could be done, though it might be at to great a cost of player freedom to define their own character to make it work well and I imagine would work better in a pre-written and defined character rather than one we create ourselves (PnP would offer freedom to do this, but unfortunately that isn't possible with cRPG) or with an set of npcs the PC can interact with.

 

Good post. But why would you favor a pre-written background, for a character like that? Does it have something to do with having more distance to the subject-matter..?

 

Fully agree that you would have to be extremely careful with this, though. That I would want to write something like this, for example, is because I know people who have experienced serious abuse, and know them well enough that I can describe the way they act and exaggerate the types of traits they've acquired afterwards, so it's easy to spot the consequences. That's also why I think it would work better to tempt a player with those options if they created their own story along the way, to make it more personal. But.. yes, not a very easy thing to do..

The reason I thought a pre-written PC would be easier for that kind of story arc was more from the writer's angle than to give distance as the paths being all pre-written and unlike say a PnP campaign being unable to adapt to the specifics of a player's creation of the PC and for character, background and reasons for their abusive behaviour. So the options would be more generalized to the situation as a result and might not be able to give the depth of focus and attention that would be needed, whereas with a pre-established character the arc could be more tailored and specific. It could be done with a blank slate PC where we have the freedom to create and develop our own PC but it would be more difficult and more likely to fail. At least that is my initial thought.

 

I agree that if done right it could be a powerful, thought provoking and disturbing (in the right way) story that could examine the disturbing dynamics of power and abuse that happen. I suspect though that unless it were a game built around the concept it us more likely to continue to be something the PC will encounter in a set situation of npcs and possibly in companions history, situations and/or quests (I'm thinking of certain mod companions, drow society with Viconia in BG2, Visas Marr and Kreia in KOTOR 2, some characters from DA:O.

 

But with the right attention it could be done, possibly including an origins start idea to the PC which could then be wider character arc and narrative that will be a part of the wider PC's story that would play out in a number of areas including their romance arc. How the player establishes their character and how that character responds to the situations, history and relationships they find themselves in could then be quite different.

[FlintlockJazz]

I just want to clarify that, whatever I may have said in previous posts, I still do not want romances in Pillars.  This has been a public service announcement for the Jazz, you may now resume your normal or abnormal behaviour (subnormal is banned by order of the Jazz).

[luzarius]

I just want to clarify that, whatever I may have said in previous posts, I still do not want romances in Pillars.  This has been a public service announcement for the Jazz, you may now resume your normal or abnormal behaviour (subnormal is banned by order of the Jazz).

 

Most hollywood movies and fantastical RPG's have romance.  Don't you think it's a missing part of POE? 

 

* Conan the Barbarian and Valeria

* Aragorn & Arwen.

 

.. man I could list so many more, but must get back to POE to drop more hurtin bombs.

 

Until you get to Defiance Bay your party is pretty much a sausage fest.

 

Calsica should've been a romance-able companion, she had a great voice actor, unique personality, feminist friendly since she is a woman that doesn't cook, clean or shower (lawl, j/k, remember i'm fair game).

Edited May 14, 2015 by luzarius

[FlintlockJazz]

 

I just want to clarify that, whatever I may have said in previous posts, I still do not want romances in Pillars.  This has been a public service announcement for the Jazz, you may now resume your normal or abnormal behaviour (subnormal is banned by order of the Jazz).

 

Most hollywood movies and fantastical RPG's have romance.  Don't you think it's a missing part of POE? 

 

* Conan the Barbarian and Valeria

* Aragorn & Arwen.

 

.. man I could list so many more, but must get back to POE to drop more hurtin bombs.

 

Until you get to Defiance Bay your party is pretty much a sausage fest.

 

Calsica should've been a romance-able companion, she had a great voice actor, unique personality, feminist friendly since she is a woman that doesn't cook, clean or shower (lawl, j/k, remember i'm fair game).

 

Hollywood sucks, and even Disney is now starting to move away from romance despite most of their films being about them.  Romance is cheap writing.

[nipsen]

Romance is cheap writing.

 

Beren and Luthien...?

 

But yeah, it is nowadays. I mean, you know something is going on when Fast and Furious 19 has comparatively well developed relationships compared to most films.

Edited May 14, 2015 by nipsen

[NightRevan]

I can understand someone not liking romances (though it is so intertwined throughout different aspects of so many stories and in so many different aspects you are going to have to go far to find stories in which there are not romantic and/or sexual arcs and relationships) and also not enjoying their implementation in cRPG games (but then they like most companion arcs were always optional even to the detriment of their integration into the wider narrative sometimes, so if you didn't want to have that in your game you didn't have to). But I can't take agree with the statement that romance is cheap writing, something that all the various mythologies so as s vital aspect of their stories, the Iliad and the Odyssey, Egyptian novels, Greek and Roman theatre and early novels involving these themes and giving them important space and focus, Hebrew Scriptures and even more so some later writings, the development of chivalric romances that developed the Arthurian cycle involving Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere, Morgan le Fey and Arthur, Merlin and Nimue, Lancelot, Elaine, Guinevere and the Fisher King, Sir Gawain and the Green Night and the trial of Gawain's chivalric honour by the Knight's wife, Tristan and Isolte of even more ancient pedigree (as is the older suggestion of Guinevere's betrayal of Arthur with Mordred). For there through Chaucer and through Shakespeare and beyond, in his plays it plays such an important aspect through so much for good or ill. Where would Macbeth be without the push of his wife, Othello without his love for his wife would never have fallen, the Merchant of Venice, comedies such as Midsummer Night's Dream, Taming the Shrew, Much Ado about Nothing, before we even get to such works as Romeo and Juliet. And onward through the novels of the nineteenth century, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters etc, the works of Tolstoy. It became part of most other literature genres, thrillers, horror, drama, of Tolkien's Beren and Luthlien, the dark tragedy of Turin, Finduilas and Nienor, on to Aragorn and Arwen, and has been part of nearly all fantasy novels I've ever read, from the great to the terrible, such as George RR Martin's work to take a popular example.

 

Writers have down the ages to be essential part of describing the vast landscape of human experience, expression and meaning, from the base to the sublime, the trivial to the grand, the ridiculous to the deeply moving, loyalty and betrayal, the heights of joy to the depths of tragedy.

 

So are there romances and stories with romances that are cheaply written, sure, are there allot that are cheaply written, I'll happily agree. But the same is true of every type of genre, narrative and characterisation you can think of, in all mediums including games. There is nothing particular to romances in terms of being susceptible to cheap and terrible writing, it's a danger with all writing.

 

So while disliking romances in general is something I'm perfectly fine with, and not being an aspect of RPGs you want or desire, and that is fine to, people like different things and PoE doesn't have them so bonus from your point but to say romance in literature is cheap as a whole I can't agree with at all, because I don't think it's true.

Edited May 14, 2015 by NightRevan

[Deified Data]

People dislike romance in games because it tends to be poorly written, and encourages players to fill an invisible affection meter as some sort of metric for human relationships - sometimes the meter is plain as day, making the system even more embarrassingly gamey. 

 

That said, if romance in PoE was held to the same excellent standard as the rest of the game's writing, what's the problem? Are people worried it'd foster a certain waifu element in the community? That seems like more of community management problem than an actual concern with the game. In my perspective, the more choices and opportunities afforded the player to roleplay, the better. Having the option to instigate a romance with certain characters could only help further flesh out your character and their story. So long as it makes sense within the narrative, what's the problem?

[redneckdevil]

It seems if u have romances, u gotta do a checklist to make sure everybody is represented and have options or else you'll get a ****storm of how obsidian is "anti-whatever" because it was left out.

Tbh the only romances I've seen that were done somewhat decent ended up effecting the main plot. Either u was railroaded into this love interest or else in someway it effected the main story like Morrigan in da:o. It seems the reason why it's done decent compared to other games is because since its part of the main plot, more work and effort is slotted to it instead of being a "only a side quest thingie" type romance.

 

Then again, we can't even agree to what romances are and how they should be portrayed. Hell there's people who think pst has romance in it simply because u have an option for someone to tell you they gonna wait for you. Tbh I think really they shouldn't even think about romances unless they actually truly want to make one, because otherwise it's just gonna be wasted time and material that shoulda gone somewhere else.

['GM']

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am glad glad GLAD!!! there aren't romances in PoE. Not only do they side-track you from your intent, but who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

[perilisk]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am glad glad GLAD!!! there aren't romances in PoE. Not only do they side-track you from your intent, but who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

 

You'll romance Durance, and you'll like it. And if I hear any complaining, you'll get downgraded to Anomen.

['GM']

 

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am glad glad GLAD!!! there aren't romances in PoE. Not only do they side-track you from your intent, but who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

 

You'll romance Durance, and you'll like it. And if I hear any complaining, you'll get downgraded to Anomen.

 

Well that figures! I get the choice between the old guy or the whiner. Thanks a lot perilisk. I might have to stabs him.

Edited May 15, 2015 by 'GM'

[Nakia]

 

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am glad glad GLAD!!! there aren't romances in PoE. Not only do they side-track you from your intent, but who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

 

You'll romance Durance, and you'll like it. And if I hear any complaining, you'll get downgraded to Anomen.

 

That is a fate worse than death.  All I ever wanted to do with him was kill him.  I couldn't even stand him long enough to make a fallen paladin out of him.

['GM']

 

 

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am glad glad GLAD!!! there aren't romances in PoE. Not only do they side-track you from your intent, but who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

 

You'll romance Durance, and you'll like it. And if I hear any complaining, you'll get downgraded to Anomen.

 

That is a fate worse than death.  All I ever wanted to do with him was kill him.  I couldn't even stand him long enough to make a fallen paladin out of him.

 

 

Yeah I kicked him out of my party after awhile. I much preferred just about everyone else to him. Not to romance though. Blah, there was never any good romance choices in BG2 anymore than there is in PoE.

[scrotiemcb]

who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

I dub thee luzaria. Edited May 15, 2015 by scrotiemcb

[nipsen]

 

Yeah, it's the detours and dead ends that make relationships in drama interesting. And if they did do romances, there should definitely be potential to flirt with a character only to be told "Let's not make things weird. We're trying to save the world here."

 

Sure - but since it's fantasy, I guess it would at least be possible to also imagine relationships that actually mean anything.

 

And somehow, I don't think the problem is that people don't want to have something like that as background, or part of a story. That it's more how the characters are uninteresting almost by design - going back to how the dialogue is constructed over a linear path. How it seems the most effort goes into not letting your choices respond to the actual events playing out. I mean, if Bioware wrote out a response wrapper for a good story... say, Macbeth, it would be something like this:

 

"-These deeds must not be thought

After these ways; so, it will make us mad.

 

1. What?

2. I made a difficult choice.

3. They deserved it.

4. Give me food.

 

-What do you mean?

 

1. I made a difficult choice.

2. They deserved it.

3. Give me food.

 

-Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane,

You do unbend your noble strength, to think

So brainsickly of things. Go get some water,

And wash this filthy witness from your hand.

Why did you bring these daggers from the place?

They must lie there: go carry them; and smear

The sleepy grooms with blood.

 

1. Yes, I made a difficult choice, but I did it anyway.

2. What?

3. You want me to lie about it?

4. Give me food.

 

-Infirm of purpose!

Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead

Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood

That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,

I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;

For it must seem their guilt.

 

1. What?

2. I'm sleepy.

3. Give me food.

 

-My hands are of your colour; but I shame

To wear a heart so white.

Knocking within

 

I hear a knocking

 

At the south entry: retire we to our chamber;

A little water clears us of this deed:

How easy is it, then! Your constancy

Hath left you unattended.

Knocking within

 

Hark! more knocking.

 

Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,

And show us to be watchers. Be not lost

So poorly in your thoughts.

 

1. What? 

2. I made a really difficult choice.

3. [say nothing].

4. Finally, some food!

[Svirfneblin]

 

If that were the case I believe this would be the rare RPG with more options for women than for men (as stated, BG2 only had Anomen...)

Ok you named BG2. That is one. Which are the other RPGs? I mean both DA2 and DAI had more options for women. None of the ME games had more options for men. Ok I think there were a few more for men in ME3 so that is two (maybe there were a ton for either gender). Neither of the KOTOR games gave more options for men. So how is this rare? Granted not every RPG with romances is made by Bioware but they are the standard for this sort of thing.

 

I am not claiming you are wrong just...I have no clue where you are coming from here.

 

 

For the record, straight men have the most options in ME1 (Ashley + Liara). Straight females get one(Kaiden) and lesbians get one (Liara), gay men get 0.

 

Straight men also get the most in ME2 (hey I get to count Kelly Chambers if you're going to count Sebastian from DA2.) Straight men get Miranda, Jack, Tali, Kelly. Straight women get Jacob, Thane, Garrus. Lesbians get Kelly, gay men get nothing.

 

ME3...is complicated because the romance options carry over based on previous choices. Straight men have Ashley, Liara, Miranda, Jack, Kelly, but only Liara is always available. Straight women get Kaiden, Garrus, Thane, Jacob- it's worth noting that if Kaiden died at Virmire and Garrus was not romanced in ME2 then straight females have no options. The other two guys also cheat on you and inevitably die during the game so that kinda sucks- the male romance options only potentially die and none of them cheat on you. 

 

Gay men get Kaiden and Steve, Lesbians get Liara, Kelly, and Samantha. So overall I would say that straight men got the most options in the ME series, while straight women have gotten the most options in DA. Admittedly I didn't count DLC stuff from ME, romance content found only in a DLC is pretty weak IMO.

 

SW:TOR only has straight romances except for the two mini romances in the expansion. Men get a few more options than women across all classes, they get 11 and females get 9.

 

Jade Empire also had two options for straight men, one for straight women/lesbians/gay men.  So overall, even Bioware tends to have more options for straight men.

[Zwiebelchen]

 

 

Yeah, it's the detours and dead ends that make relationships in drama interesting. And if they did do romances, there should definitely be potential to flirt with a character only to be told "Let's not make things weird. We're trying to save the world here."

 

Sure - but since it's fantasy, I guess it would at least be possible to also imagine relationships that actually mean anything.

 

And somehow, I don't think the problem is that people don't want to have something like that as background, or part of a story. That it's more how the characters are uninteresting almost by design - going back to how the dialogue is constructed over a linear path. How it seems the most effort goes into not letting your choices respond to the actual events playing out. I mean, if Bioware wrote out a response wrapper for a good story... say, Macbeth, it would be something like this:

 

"-These deeds must not be thought

After these ways; so, it will make us mad.

 

1. What?

2. I made a difficult choice.

3. They deserved it.

4. Give me food.

 

-What do you mean?

 

1. I made a difficult choice.

2. They deserved it.

3. Give me food.

 

-Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane,

You do unbend your noble strength, to think

So brainsickly of things. Go get some water,

And wash this filthy witness from your hand.

Why did you bring these daggers from the place?

They must lie there: go carry them; and smear

The sleepy grooms with blood.

 

1. Yes, I made a difficult choice, but I did it anyway.

2. What?

3. You want me to lie about it?

4. Give me food.

 

-Infirm of purpose!

Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead

Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood

That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,

I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal;

For it must seem their guilt.

 

1. What?

2. I'm sleepy.

3. Give me food.

 

-My hands are of your colour; but I shame

To wear a heart so white.

Knocking within

 

I hear a knocking

 

At the south entry: retire we to our chamber;

A little water clears us of this deed:

How easy is it, then! Your constancy

Hath left you unattended.

Knocking within

 

Hark! more knocking.

 

Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us,

And show us to be watchers. Be not lost

So poorly in your thoughts.

 

1. What? 

2. I made a really difficult choice.

3. [say nothing].

4. Finally, some food!

 

 

 

 

@luzarius:

I won't quote you now, because I don't want to give your bull**** any more attention than it already got, but why, FFS, can't you repeat your mantra in the Bioware forums where it belongs?

You know, DA:I was not made by Obsidian.

 

We got it. You like pretty females. Can you now - please, finally - stop posting about Cassandra in every single ****ing thread possible?

Edited May 15, 2015 by Zwiebelchen

[Thuringwethil]

Hiravias is short, but his banter makes clear he's up for anything, and probably anyone - though I suspect even he'd avoid Durance, who for all his talk of whores was probably rendered impotent by the pox anyway.

[nipsen]

Mm. Sort of think Durance has been chugging mercury for a long while..

[Zwiebelchen]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am glad glad GLAD!!! there aren't romances in PoE. Not only do they side-track you from your intent, but who the sam-hell would girl players romance beside Eder? Aloth? Nope. Durance? Double nope. Kana? hahahaha, and that little dude (I forget his name) is way too short.

 

To be fair, Edér is a pretty solid choice.

 

It's worse for men, who could only choose between a married dwarf girl that has five kids, a bird-woman who probably doesn't even have humanoid genitals and a weird mind-control woman who rarely talks and tricks everyone around her into not being aware of her presence.