55 replies to this topic

[Nightwoe]

You're running off nothing more than "Wouldn't it be cool if Sarevok was in BG2?!", and that is a very poor foundation for a mod

 

 

It's the best reason ever! Wouldn't it be cool to have Xan in BG2? Wouldn't it be cool to romance Haer'Dalis? Wouldn't it be cool to play PS:T in widescreen mode? 

 

Wouldn't it be cool to meet Sarevok in a cage in Irenicus's dungeon? Face Bodhi with him? Have him intimidate Aran Linvail? See through Saemon Havarian? Be fooled by Jan's little pranks? Face Harpers at Jaheira's side? Gods, yes.

 

(Heh. I can just picture him proposing killing Imoen at Spellhold, since the girl is a Bhaalspawn and PC's rival. Well, it really depends on the writer, but as long as the writing's good, possibilities are endless).

 

Wouldn't it be cool if Khalid was in BG2? Wouldn't it be cool if druids were re-balanced? Wouldn't it be cool to have an un-nerfed Thaco table?

 

hehe...I agree completely..and as for Sarevok's intimidation factor...wasn't that part of his training as a Deathbringer? And his level of confidence borders insanity, which would intimidate just about anyone. Power to back him up? DEFINITALY makes him more intimidating, but he's like my step father...only a hundred times worse. Big. Scary calm. Confident. Chuckles at the weirdest times, making you constantly think "Oh God...he's planning something...and it's going to hurt me..."

[theacefes]

You're running off nothing more than "Wouldn't it be cool if Sarevok was in BG2?!", and that is a very poor foundation for a mod

 

 

It's the best reason ever! Wouldn't it be cool to have Xan in BG2? Wouldn't it be cool to romance Haer'Dalis? Wouldn't it be cool to play PS:T in widescreen mode? 

...careful. That line of thinking landed us the Skooter and Banana mods.

 

On a more serious note, I completely agree.

[Tempest]

hehe...I agree completely..and as for Sarevok's intimidation factor...wasn't that part of his training as a Deathbringer? And his level of confidence borders insanity, which would intimidate just about anyone. Power to back him up? DEFINITALY makes him more intimidating, but he's like my step father...only a hundred times worse. Big. Scary calm. Confident. Chuckles at the weirdest times, making you constantly think "Oh God...he's planning something...and it's going to hurt me..."

 

The Deathbringer thing was invented by a mod. At base, the Deathbringer Assault is just an extra-flashy crit. And there's no confidence there. Just an act thereof, clinging desperately to the power he had before Charname killed him. But that power is a mirage and he knows it. Sarevok is nothing but a schoolyard bully finally laid low by one of the people he picked on, now still trying to drape himself in the fear and power he once had. But I don't buy it, and neither do most of the Bioware NPCs.

[Nightwoe]

hehe...I agree completely..and as for Sarevok's intimidation factor...wasn't that part of his training as a Deathbringer? And his level of confidence borders insanity, which would intimidate just about anyone. Power to back him up? DEFINITALY makes him more intimidating, but he's like my step father...only a hundred times worse. Big. Scary calm. Confident. Chuckles at the weirdest times, making you constantly think "Oh God...he's planning something...and it's going to hurt me..."

 

The Deathbringer thing was invented by a mod. At base, the Deathbringer Assault is just an extra-flashy crit. And there's no confidence there. Just an act thereof, clinging desperately to the power he had before Charname killed him. But that power is a mirage and he knows it. Sarevok is nothing but a schoolyard bully finally laid low by one of the people he picked on, now still trying to drape himself in the fear and power he once had. But I don't buy it, and neither do most of the Bioware NPCs.

 

...Sarevok had the Deathbringer Assault in Vanilla. That wasn't a mod addition. The way I always saw it is pretty much just a "Brutal Finish", for example, seeing an opening and taking extra effort to drive his sword up through them and dropping them off his sword. The flash I just figured was like the "screen shake" effect, to make it look cool and make you aware something happened and drop your attention to the text box.

 

Just like you said, a fancy crit. The JOURNAL ENTRIES were added.

Edited by Nightwoe, 15 January 2013 - 04:58 PM.

[Tempest]

I know the Deathbringer Assault was vanilla. That's what I said - at base, it's just a flashy crit. The whole idea of Sarevok being some specially trained "Deathbringer" is invented by a mod. 

[Wisp]

Excerpt from Sarevok's vanilla biography:

 

He studied the art of intimidation, the cruelest and most brutal styles of combat, in order to become a Deathbringer that could paralyze an opponent in melee through fear alone...as well as sometimes killing the most powerful of opponents in a single, massive blow.

Edited by Wisp, 16 January 2013 - 08:39 AM.

[Nightwoe]

Excerpt from Sarevok's vanilla biography:

 

He studied the art of intimidation, the cruelest and most brutal styles of combat, in order to become a Deathbringer that could paralyze an opponent in melee through fear alone...as well as sometimes killing the most powerful of opponents in a single, massive blow.

Thank you, that's what I was looking for

[Sergio]

Personally, I don't like the idea of the Sarevok Romance Mod, either, but that's not important. Thing is, Sarevok didn't simply die. He was thoroughly destroyed and his divine essence merged with Bhaal's. Resurrection is one thing, and it's up to the player whether or not Xzar or Edwin died in BG1. Sarevok very explicitly died, and his death is quite clearly something else - look at what it takes for him to come back in ToB, and he's explicitly without his divine essence then. I won't try to stop you if you really want to do this, but I do think it is a very bad idea on multiple levels.

 

@Nightwoe: I personally maintain a firm difference between mods that explicitly break established facts of the games, and mods that simply add to them. I don't play Ascension or The Longer Road, for example, and I wouldn't play this mod for the same reason. If you enjoy that kind of thing, more power to you, but I think the question of what this mod idea actually adds beyond fan squee is one worth asking.

I would advise you to play The Longer Road. Easily the best npc mod added ( at least for my taste). It is so well done I'm depressed Dorotea left this community, because I think she could give so much.

Close second would be Angelo....


Currently I'm testing Iylios and I'm kinda interested on how it goes...

Edited by Sergio, 11 February 2013 - 02:27 AM.

[Kulyok]

I'd repeat what I once said at the Attic: if you like Dorotea's stories, mods and especially her novel, Bitter Grey Ashes , please write to her and tell her to continue. Because with some support letters, there's a chance that she will; without them, we may as well kiss Jon's journey to Evereska goodbye.

[Sergio]

I'd repeat what I once said at the Attic: if you like Dorotea's stories, mods and especially her novel, Bitter Grey Ashes , please write to her and tell her to continue. Because with some support letters, there's a chance that she will; without them, we may as well kiss Jon's journey to Evereska goodbye.

I've written to her, but she doesn't even answer. I don't think her email is still active. Am I wrong?

Edited by Sergio, 11 February 2013 - 03:48 AM.

[Kulyok]

Use @gmail.com instead of @hotmail.com - it's valid. Hotmail may be no longer working, yep.

 

On-topic, I'm rather unsure the idea of Sarevok in SoA will come to be, however: it's been, what, over eight months since the first post? I'd say that once the first enthusiasm wanes, chances of the mod actually appearing are rather slim. Then again, some of us may live to see Aklon released; or even Keto ToB, maybe. 

[Sergio]

Use @gmail.com instead of @hotmail.com - it's valid. Hotmail may be no longer working, yep.

 

On-topic, I'm rather unsure the idea of Sarevok in SoA will come to be, however: it's been, what, over eight months since the first post? I'd say that once the first enthusiasm wanes, chances of the mod actually appearing are rather slim. Then again, some of us may live to see Aklon released; or even Keto ToB, maybe. 

I've contacted Dorotea. If she is still online, she will read it. Thanks Kulyok.

[Nightwoe]

Use @gmail.com instead of @hotmail.com - it's valid. Hotmail may be no longer working, yep.

 

On-topic, I'm rather unsure the idea of Sarevok in SoA will come to be, however: it's been, what, over eight months since the first post? I'd say that once the first enthusiasm wanes, chances of the mod actually appearing are rather slim. Then again, some of us may live to see Aklon released; or even Keto ToB, maybe. 

 

Off-Topic, but...

 

I still weep for no ToB Ajantis

[Jazara]

I know it's been awhile since the last post, and the initial one for that matter, but I have some thoughts on the mod that I figure I'll put down here on the off-chance this mod comes to light. After reading through a few Sarevok fanfictions and playing Aeryn's Sarevok mod (repeatedly and frequently) over the past couple of years I've been inspired to take up writing again. It was a passion of mine in my teenage years that died thanks to writer's block and teenage hormones, but I've been inspired again (thanks in large part to the love so many of us have for our dear Death Bringer) and begun writing Baldur's Gate fanfiction with an emphasis on Sarevok as a way to ease back into writing.


With all of that said, I've come up with a few ideas that expand on the Sarevok dream sequence mod suggestion. As much as I would have a total fan girl meltdown over having Sarevok as an NPC in SoA, the plot hole problem makes me shy away from that route and lean more towards dream encounters.


- The Sword of Chaos, Sarevok's weapon whose description states that the blade was forged specifically for Sarevok himself to channel his divine power, possesses a lingering connection to its former master, thus allowing what little remains of Sarevok's essence in the Abyss to maintain a link with the world of the living. This link is shown, initially, in the form of Sarevok's memories made manifest in Charname's dreams. If Charname discards the sword from their inventory or opts out of the dreams through a dialogue option, the sequence stops, but if they don't, the link strengthens, thus allowing Sarevok to slowly reform what he can of himself in the Abyss. This in turn results in the dreams going from just his memories, to conversing with him, and perhaps to him eventually materializing outside of the dreams in the form of a ghost.


- Ghost Sarevok is not a joinable NPC, but is instead a sort of familiar. He will show up at certain plot points and areas to initiate dialogue with Charname (who is the only one that can hear/see him, making the possibility of NPC interjections on the dubiousness of Charname's sanity quite plentiful). Also, the Sword of Chaos can be used as an item to initiate conversation with Sarevok when he isn't poking his ghostly nose into your business.


- Sarevok is growing in strength, allowing him to come to your aid against Bhaal during that point in the game, or team up against you, depending on how your relationship with him is playing out.


- At some point later in the game, upgrading the Sword of Chaos becomes possible, making it a little more powerful and useful against some of the nastier baddies you'll be up against.


- Talks about the memories of his that you saw in the dream (Tamoko, what Rieltar put him through, maybe the Harper raid on the Temple of Bhaal where Gorian saved you, and not Sarevok), what his opinions are over current events in the game, and why he gave you that special Ring of Protection back in Candlekeep.


- If this were to be a romance, or have a romance path, the last time you see Sarevok is right before the battle against Irenicus in Suldenessalar, when the strain of communicating with you and the backlash of power over the struggle for your soul has all but broken the link, and he wants to embrace you but can't, because he is only just a ghost, and fades away.


Eh, I didn't mean to write this much hehe so sorry about the absurd length of my musings. Anyways, if anyone is still around this thread, let me know what you think. I'll be here...in the shadows...waiting for more Sarevok...like the sad fan girl that I am hehe thanks for reading!

Edited by Jazara, 18 October 2013 - 10:27 PM.

[Thimblerig]

- Ghost Sarevok is not a joinable NPC, but is instead a sort of familiar. He will show up at certain plot points and areas to initiate dialogue with Charname (who is the only one that can hear/see him, making the possibility of NPC interjections on the dubiousness of Charname's sanity quite plentiful). Also, the Sword of Chaos can be used as an item to initiate conversation with Sarevok when he isn't poking his ghostly nose into your business.

 

That'd work, I think.  The Sword of Chaos does seem like an item that was supposed to have a bit of plot built around, and Sarevok's opinions - probably cynical and snide - on various matters would be entertaining.

 

The disconnect between Sword!Sarevok and Hell!Sarevok would be interesting.  Are they one and the same (in which case a smidge of dialogue connecting them would be fine) or... is Sword!Sarevok becoming a separate entity, one grown from his shadow in the sword + your conversations and life energy.  Would seeing Sword!Sarevok fade out in Suldanessallar - possibly because he thinks you need your life-force back for the final fight, become all the more poignant because you then have to deal with Hell!Sarevok, who remembers nothing of your weird bond with the other him...?

[Jazara]

- Ghost Sarevok is not a joinable NPC, but is instead a sort of familiar. He will show up at certain plot points and areas to initiate dialogue with Charname (who is the only one that can hear/see him, making the possibility of NPC interjections on the dubiousness of Charname's sanity quite plentiful). Also, the Sword of Chaos can be used as an item to initiate conversation with Sarevok when he isn't poking his ghostly nose into your business.

 
That'd work, I think.  The Sword of Chaos does seem like an item that was supposed to have a bit of plot built around, and Sarevok's opinions - probably cynical and snide - on various matters would be entertaining.
 
The disconnect between Sword!Sarevok and Hell!Sarevok would be interesting.  Are they one and the same (in which case a smidge of dialogue connecting them would be fine) or... is Sword!Sarevok becoming a separate entity, one grown from his shadow in the sword + your conversations and life energy.  Would seeing Sword!Sarevok fade out in Suldanessallar - possibly because he thinks you need your life-force back for the final fight, become all the more poignant because you then have to deal with Hell!Sarevok, who remembers nothing of your weird bond with the other him...?

I didn't even think about that. Due to the great length of SoA, a deep romantic relationship could be properly developed and it would be pretty heart breaking to say goodbye before fighting Irenicus and then seeing Sarevok again Hell, only to discover he remembers none of it AND you have fight him again. There's a lot of possibilities.