Herr Krautz

Well, just a quick update - no lengthy treatise here.

I've decided to separate the mod into two different parts: one for Doli and one for Celdor. I'll be starting on Doli, and once I finish that mod completely 100%, I will move onto Celdor, who will probably end up being a halfling or gnome or something. In addition, I've decided to place Doli outside the circus, eager to collect a (in his mind heavy) debt from one of the performers, but unable to enter due to the guard posted outside.

Alright, well, I definitely like the responses that I've gotten so far from everyone - SConrad, Galsic, Miloch, Thanatos, and Konalan have all helped me gain a bit more perspective on the matter - I'd honestly had no idea that there were that many elves in the game (cynical ones, to boot!) Therefore, I'm definitely considering dropping Celdor from the roster and making this a simple 'one-man' mod, although I am not entirely certain. Perhaps, worst-case-scenario, I could simply make him a human. His race is not crucial to his character, to be honest.

SConrad - I don't want to go overboard on the quests and dialogue and what not, definitely not. But I do want to essentially make it so that my characters are not really distinguishable from the Bioware ones. That means that I'd like to give them one fairly big quest that they give upon joining, and then one or two smaller quests throughout the game (for instance: Mazzy and the Umar Hills quests, then the quest in Trademeet). Now, obviously, there are some NPCs who don't work that way - Anomen's 'big quest' comes a while after he joins your party, as does Jan's (by the way, the Hidden? Who the hell wrote that quest? What the helll? That may well be my second project ) I'll also give them a reasonable amount of banter and interjections - probably more of the latter, as they are definitely the more common.

I think I'll let you guys take a look at a pair of conversations I've written that includes Celdor - my main reason for including Celdor was that, the way I've written the scraps of dialogue I've come up with so far, he and Doli are basically foils for one another. This isn't anywhere near proper code, but I decided to go ahead and write everything first and then worry about coding it. One step at a time, right?

JAHEIRA: You have been travelling with us some time, Celdor, and I have yet to see you display any sort of talent that would mark you as worthwhile.
CELDOR: Holy - you've got to be kidding me, lady. I've shot more arrows than I have time to count, most of them over your damn shoulders. Just missed your heart by an inch or two, I imagine. That takes precision and skill, especially when there is as tempting a target as yourself.
JAHEIRA: Hrm... yes, it is true that you have skill with the bow. But so do many others, and they do not carry with them the attitude.
CELDOR: Oh, so you want to talk about attitude? Whatever... you really want to know my "talents"? Fine then. I've got with me a certification... a cert-if-ication. See?
JAHEIRA: AttoUrney-at-law... what is the purpose of the U?
CELDOR: Well, heh, that's a funny story... sometimes I don't do too good a job representing people in court. That's where the U comes in, get it? Because I claimed to be an attoUrney, not an attorney, so that's their fault, isn't it? Buyer beware!
JAHEIRA: Why would you- no, never mind. I do not wish to know any longer.
CELDOR: No, listen, this is the best part... then, when I actually manage to win a case, it's surprising to everyone, because I'm only an attoUrney, not an attorney. So as you can see, one little U makes all the difference. Hmm... uh, what were we talking about?
JAHEIRA: Nothing. We never have talked about anything. We never were talking about anything. We never will talk about anything. Ever. Again.

DOLI: 'ey, Celdor. Ye e'er wonder why we're here?
CELDOR: It's probably got to do with the gods and philosophy and that sort of thing. You've heard it all before, though, right? If you ask me, it's probably got to do with the whole 'destiny' thing. As in, you and me, we're destined to save the world, kick ass, take names, et cetera. <CHARNAME>, over there, is destined to be our stuntboy.
PLAYER: Who are you calling a stuntboy?
OR Watch your mouth, barrister, lest I cut out your tongue.
OR Yeah, I know... it's kind of pathetic, really. You're so awesome, Celdor.
CELDOR: Oh, I was just talking about Doli.
OR Right... remind me to carry an extra one with me next time.
OR That's the spirit, chum. Keep that up and you might just learn something one day.
CELDOR: Anyway, the way I see it, we're basically here to perform the divine will of the gods or fate or whoever it is that's in control of the dice up there... or maybe nothing here is real. Maybe it's all a fantasy world that a bunch of weird kids are playing in their basement.
DOLI: Woah, woah, woah, Celdor, 'old th' hell on. I meant why are we here - as in, this tavern?
CELDOR: Oh. Uh...
DOLI: Bane's blisterin' beard, man, get a bloody hold of yerself. Gettin' all existential on me, cripes. If'n I needed tha' I'd go and, uh, hire a prostitute 'n jus' sit down and talk wit' them for a few hours about th' local rumors. Then I'll pay 'em in copper pieces 'en go out and explain gently to me romantic interest tha' nothin' happened.
CELDOR: That sounds vaguely familiar.
DOLI: Probably should, because tha' is similar to wha' happened 'tween me and yer mother th' other night. Didn't mean ta wake ye, lad.
CELDOR: ...

EDIT: Miloch, yeah, you're right. I may have to edit the biography a bit, because I don't plan on forcing the two characters into your group. That is never any fun for anyone, it would seem.