Edér: What happened?

[Noctoi]

I wish Iselmyr was more of a character and less of a... plot device. We never get to have much of a conversation with her. Aloth doesn't have any of her memories - does she have her memories? Could she erase herself from Aloth's head if she wanted to? Does she want to? Is there anything more to her than an accent and a rowdy, earthy personality? Do I think too much about these things?

I’m with you on this, if Iselmyr had to be connected to any kind of romance or pseudo romantic dialogue in the game, it would have been preferable to have more context about her “personality” and the nature of her cohabitation in her host (Aloth)’s body.

 

She’s presented similarly to an ‘alter’ of someone living with DID... but she’s clearly not exactly like that because of the whole “awakening” thing. If this is the situation the writers were going for, and it seems like this is the case considering the environment and violence surrounding her first appearance, then there’s nothing inherently wrong with someone *carefully and considerately* persuing a romantic relationship with her... WITH THE HOSTS EXPRESS PERMISSION.

 

That being said, she clearly isn’t terribly considerate of Aloths likes and dislikes or comfort zones- she’s constantly trying to pick fights and push his comfort zones in potentially destructive ways in both games- and she’s clearly not a “protector” anymore, she acts the aggressor with random strangers and pulls stunts like with Eder that actually put Aloth INTO danger.

 

whether she’s to be thought of as an alter, or a very pushy passenger skin riding her host at will, it’s pretty much never okay to take advantage of the host being forced into silence/rendered unconscious against his will/ Removed from control of his own body for someone else’s amusement.

 

I get that it’s a game, and iselmyr isn’t a DID alter, but they were written with enough similarity that I can’t help thinking that if Aloth *were* human, the way Edér acts towards him and Iselmyr would be considered not only abusive, but extremely dangerous and damaging to Aloth.

 

Sometimes it sucks having too much real world knowledge/education! *sigh*

Edited June 14, 2018 by Noctoi

[Ryz009]

Yeah I wouldn't mind the Iselmyr thing if Aloth was in on it. Then I'd be like "Okay I find that a bit odd but you three have fun!" as it is though it's just terribly awkward. Well least it's easily avoidable.

 

There's just so many minefields in that I'm just like naaah.

 

And while I do feel Aloth can be rude everyone can be rude. It's pretty clear that an Awakened spirit and it's host can have pretty much nothing in common so the whole Iselmy=Aloth thing completely misses me. She was his past life yes. that doesn't mean they're the same person now. Especially not with how souls in Eora seem to go weird overtime.

[Dezmeria]

Just started playing a few days ago and so far Eder seems the same.

 

However, I am surprised Obsidian choose to bring romance into the game, but left Eder out in the cold.

 

To be honest, the only companion I had any interest in romancing in PoE - if it ever came to be - was Eder.

 

Now that PoE2 is here - as is romance -I weighed the other romance options and I am not interested.

 

I'm simply not attracted to a can of tuna nor a a knock-off of the character Rogue from X-men or even a split soul-personality wizard.

 

Since Eder is not among those to be romanced, my character will remain single.

[InsaneCommander]

Since Eder is not among those to be romanced, my character will remain single.

 

Single but not lonely. Just wait for the knock on your cabin.  

[OldViking]

Just started playing a few days ago and so far Eder seems the same.

 

However, I am surprised Obsidian choose to bring romance into the game, but left Eder out in the cold.

 

To be honest, the only companion I had any interest in romancing in PoE - if it ever came to be - was Eder.

 

Now that PoE2 is here - as is romance -I weighed the other romance options and I am not interested.

 

I'm simply not attracted to a can of tuna nor a a knock-off of the character Rogue from X-men or even a split soul-personality wizard.

 

Since Eder is not among those to be romanced, my character will remain single.

You mean you are attracted to simpletons and idiots?

[Tick]

I don't feel like Eder was that different. When he was *there, * he was the same mostly sweet, strongly protective, cheerful dude. I think the issue was more:

 

1) You don't see him/his writing enough throughout the total play time you have. The concentration of content isn't enough. Then companion bugs make it worse.

2) The things that trigger content/dialogue the most for him are linked to the cool but wonky character disposition system, and for *most* of the side content the disposition you get the most is his animal lover stuff. There's not a disposition for him that's "protective of his friends" that fires constantly.

[Slotharingia]

Just to butt in on data-mined audio files, there are audio files for Solas+male inky in DAI too. I even managed to get a glitch where my female inky asks him to dance and she suddenly has the male voice.

[Incendax]

Eder was deeply depressed in POE1. He just put a good face on it, like many people with depression do.

It was one of the best characterizations in the game.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Incendax

[KentDA]

Also for Aloth, Eder and Pallegina, they haven't seen each other in years.

 

The years can too easily wear on a person and change them.

 

That's something else to consider, PoE2 takes place several YEARS after PoE. Which means events that took place between the two games will have enacted some changes in the returning characters.

[nstgc]

This is more of a reply to the OP than anything that came after it.

 

I feel the same way about Aloth. He was my favorite character in PoE1, but in 2 he seemed empty.

[Ryz009]

Just to butt in on data-mined audio files, there are audio files for Solas+male inky in DAI too. I even managed to get a glitch where my female inky asks him to dance and she suddenly has the male voice.

 

To be fair the devs said the main reason they didn't do bi Solas was because they didn't want to have a bi evil guy. (What's Bull supposed to be in that case is anyone's guess).

[InsaneCommander]

That's something else to consider, PoE2 takes place several YEARS after PoE. Which means events that took place between the two games will have enacted some changes in the returning characters.

 

Events like Eder becoming a mayor and then leaving to go visit his parents in Aedyr.

[Tick]

 

That's something else to consider, PoE2 takes place several YEARS after PoE. Which means events that took place between the two games will have enacted some changes in the returning characters.

Events like Eder becoming a mayor and then leaving to go visit his parents in Aedyr.

I heard that was a bug, and he isn't supposed to do that if he had the mayor ending.

[InsaneCommander]

I heard that was a bug, and he isn't supposed to do that if he had the mayor ending.

 

I started my game when the Beta 1.1 was released. I don't know if they fixed it for the final 1.1, but I got the problem. Oh, and I have the night market amulet...

[Tick]

 

I heard that was a bug, and he isn't supposed to do that if he had the mayor ending.

I started my game when the Beta 1.1 was released. I don't know if they fixed it for the final 1.1, but I got the problem. Oh, and I have the night market amulet...

Oh man.

[InsaneCommander]

It must be a parallel universe thing. Maybe I'll find Rick and Morty in the next island.

[Taevyr]

 

Just to butt in on data-mined audio files, there are audio files for Solas+male inky in DAI too. I even managed to get a glitch where my female inky asks him to dance and she suddenly has the male voice.

 

To be fair the devs said the main reason they didn't do bi Solas was because they didn't want to have a bi evil guy. (What's Bull supposed to be in that case is anyone's guess).

 

Didn't Gaider also say it's because they thought it'd be too much of a stereotype for someone with Solas' character to be gay? Definitely not the best of reasons, but understandable considering how toxic their fanbase could get at times.

 

Audio files are often misleading; if I remember correctly, in the original mass effect they had the male voice for shepard record all lines of female shepard and vice versa to be certain nothing was missed, so it's possible have fully voiced same-sex romance with a few console tweaks.

 

They could easily have had the Iselmyr-Eder thing voiced, tested by QA in-game, received the universal response "this is WAY more disturbing and invasive to Aloth than on paper, please don't", and cut it out, while leaving the voicework in for modders. Or they just like torturing Aloth, which is also quite likely considering his character arcs and his tendency to die without the watcher's help.

 

It must be a parallel universe thing. Maybe I'll find Rick and Morty in the next island.

 

Rick messing with the wheel to make a point about inept gods or selling adra as a drug/energy source two galaxies over seems perfectly in character tbh

Edited June 21, 2018 by Taevyr

[Ryz009]

Didn't Gaider also say it's because they thought it'd be too much of a stereotype for someone with Solas' character to be gay? Definitely not the best of reasons, but understandable considering how toxic their fanbase could get at times.

 

Audio files are often misleading; if I remember correctly, in the original mass effect they had the male voice for shepard record all lines of female shepard and vice versa to be certain nothing was missed, so it's possible have fully voiced same-sex romance with a few console tweaks.

 

They could easily have had the Iselmyr-Eder thing voiced, tested by QA in-game, received the universal response "this is WAY more disturbing and invasive to Aloth than on paper, please don't", and cut it out, while leaving the voicework in for modders. Or they just like torturing Aloth, which is also quite likely considering his character arcs and his tendency to die without the watcher's help.

 

It must be a parallel universe thing. Maybe I'll find Rick and Morty in the next island.

 

Rick messing with the wheel to make a point about inept gods or selling adra as a drug/energy source two galaxies over seems perfectly in character tbh

 

 

Yes but that's when they had the VAs record almost all the lines. They stopped doing that before DAI came out however it's also what made me so amused because they still recorded some of Male Shepard's VA with a continuing Kaidan romance (not all of them but enough) that it was intentional xD. That said it being a stereotype for Solas to be bi is absurd. Especially given BW's history of having their main plot related males be straight. It was just a really silly excuse.

 

Lmao I wouldn't be surprised by either of those.

[Verde]

Elder opens up during his quest. I thought it was decent. Aloth even stood up for him!

Edited June 24, 2018 by Verde

[Tick]

Elder opens up during his quest. I thought it was decent. Aloth even stood up for him!

 

I was listening to some of Eder's companion conversations, and there's this actually really sweet bit where he basically says that he doesn't indulge Iselmyr anymore when she's being a jerk about Aloth.  It was a cool moment.

Edited June 24, 2018 by Tick