55 replies to this topic

[HighTimeRodeo]

*pokes head in* Hi.

I know that last time I was here I started a fight over the Sarevok romance mod (But our wish was granted with the wonderful Aeryn's Sarevok Romance Mod.), but I was thinking that maybe it would be interesting to have Sarevok along as a NPC in SOA. It would be hard to find a plausible story, yes, but think of the possibilities.

• A strong reaction to Irenicus
  
• Laughing his butt off at Firkraag's reason for wanting you dead.
  
• More theological discussions with Keldorn
  
• Sniping with Jan
  
• All the possible Minsc conversations

There might be the possiblity of romance (See that dead horse? Let's beat it a few more times. )
, but I wouldn't be able to write it. Objectivity and all that.

Anyway, I was just wondering if there was any interest in him as an NPC.

Thank you!

[Lava Del'Vortel]

I would advice you something else. Why should you fill the gap that it's more or less filled with Aeryn's mod? I mean, it's nothing wrong, but then you make players decide between possibly 2 nice mods. If you want to write a mod somehow linked to Sarevok's story, then write Tamoko NPC That's something I always wanted to see I always considered her really interesting character. But it's a really difficult task to make her real - oh and please... no more "Yoshimo is my brother" stuff, because it's sounds a bit like soap opera I suppose that's why the idea was killed before it got to the original game (there was an idea like that, right?)

[HighTimeRodeo]

Yeah, there was an idea like that.

And I said there was the possibility of a romance. I don't really think (as was smacked into my head, repeatedly, last time.) that it was a good idea in SOA. That's why Aeryn's worked. And I asked her about it, if I would be stepping on her toes if I wanted to do a Sarevok Mod. She said it would be okay.

And really, how could I compete with Aeryn's lovely mod? I just wanted to see if the interest was there. As was pointed out by my brother, he'd have to be toned down some, but okay. *shrug* There are so many other NPC's, why shouldn't Sarevok get some (pardon the term) love?

Thank you for the advice!

[HighTimeRodeo]

Sorry for the double post, but I thought maybe I'd post a sort of start. It's really, really rough, but an idea of opening dialogue. Just for comment and perusal.

Sarevok: So, are you to leave me here to starve to death?
PC: Sarevok? Didn't you die in the Undercity?
Sarevok: I am... unsure. I was dying one moment and then next... (shrug)
PC: It's no more than what you deserve. 1
I... 2
I wouldn't leave a dog here. 3
IF 3: Imoen: <CHARNAME>! You can't be serious! After what he did to Gorion?!
IF 3: Sarevok: Quiet, girl. What are you saying, <CHARNAME>?
IF 3: PC: I am saying... (sigh) Let him out, Imoen.
IF 3: Imoen: You can't be serious! ...You are, aren't you? Oh, fine.

Just an idea for after Imoen let's <CHARNAME> out of his/her cage.

Edited by HighTimeRodeo, 28 May 2012 - 11:38 AM.

[Lava Del'Vortel]

Hmmm, isn't it a bit "poof - I'm alive"? If you want to make him join in the very beginning, then find in the dungeons a place where his wraith could have been kept by Irenicus. Then think of a way to bring him back to life. Maybe he should be kept in some kind of "containter" unless you find a way to get his body back. I think that in the beginning he could be kept in a dead body, but I suppose that would be a bit too like Justice from DA. Maybe his sword would do as the "cointainer"...

However, I believe that the current idea lacks some seriousness. But no offence! I just think you really love the character and you just focused too much on how it is rather than how he can be moved to SoA I know you love him.

[Cal Jones]

It's a bit tricky considering the cutscene shows him turning to dust and then (somewhere, maybe Bhaal's plane, Sarevok's statue crumbling). You'd have to think your way around that one.

[HighTimeRodeo]

@Lava: Hehe. That's what TV Tropes calls 'A Wizard Did It'!

Anyway, this is why I posted it on here and the tidit of dialogue my (lazy) muse came up with. I like the idea about the sword... Maybe a... I don't know... Lilarcor type thing? Sarevok's consciousness and sword?

Would that even qualify as an NPC? Or maybe... I don't know. This may sound silly, but I had an idea for a fanfic where Sarevok's ghost (you can tell it's a fanfic.) 'helped' <CHARNAME> through Irenicus' dungeon. Perhaps he poked his way through to this world by following the taint in <CHARNAME>'s soul?

Well, this is really rough. I am severely out of practice (was never really good at) writing dialogue for BG. And it's baking hot here where I'm at and my concentration isn't that good.

And he's just so FLUFFY!!


@Cal: Maybe, like when the party is going to hell to put Irenicus down for the final time, aren't they drawn towards <CHARNAME>, instead of their original destinations? Mutual hatred can be quite the bond. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'?

Maybe his soul, instead of being drawn straight to hell, where it was supposed to go, got side-tracked because of his hatred for <CHARNAME>.


But, if Sarevok is with <CHARNAME> throughout SOA, that means he can't be in hell to meet him/her. Who would it be? An alternate <CHARNAME> like in TOB? A shade of what Sarevok could have been if he had not been pulled to <CHARNAME>?

Ideas?

[berelinde]

You like Sarevok. I get that. But you would need a back hoe to fill all those plot holes.

Sarevok is dead. We saw him die. We saw his Bhaalspawn essence crumble to dust. Having him present in the Abyss in non-corporeal form as he is in ToB makes total sense. Where else would you meet someone who is nothing more than a soul and a handful of failed ambitions? Having him present in SoA creates continuity errors in the original game *and* with every mod that ever asked the PC how they felt about killing Sarevok. Which is all of them, come to think of it. From a technical aspect, it is theoretically possible to redirect the 7000 times the vanilla game refers to Sarevok's death, but it is a royal pain in the butt. You will need better modding skills than you would to create an original NPC. I know this because I have rewritten the romantic future of a BioWare NPC and I know firsthand how much of a PITA it is. And after all that, I know that every mod under the sun - even some of my own - still refer to Keldorn as married to Maria.

Save yourself a lot of frustration and put that creative energy into your very own NPC. Maybe he'll share some characteristics with Sarevok, but you do it from scratch, you won't ever have to hear how you got Sarevok's tone wrong.

[HighTimeRodeo]

How many references are there to Khalid's death in SOA? Have you seen the topic for a Khalid NPC mod here in Mod Ideas?


I'm really not trying to start a fight, but I'm interested to see if anyone would be willing to have him around as an NPC, that's all. It's just an idea. Again, not trying to start a fight.

[Tempest]

If it was well conceived and executed, I'd be willing to have him around as an NPC. Come up with a good way to do it and execute it well, and folks will be willing. The trick, as everyone has been telling you, is finding that way. It will be difficult. Sarevok dies pretty definitively in BG1, and his return in ToB is under extreme circumstances. You like Sarevok, we get that. But you'll need to think long and hard about how to do this if you don't want people sighing and brushing it off until Sarevok canonically returns in ToB.

[HighTimeRodeo]

Well sure! Like I said before, that's why I (very hesitantly and for obvious reasons) brought this here. I know there are people who are better at writing for BG and who are significantly better at, well, everything than I am, so I thought people might have good ideas or idle ideas if they ever thought about it.

And if doesn't do well or ever get off the ground, *shrug* so what?

And yes, *sigh* he's like a personal addiction. So, I know, you get it.

[Tempest]

Unfortunately, what you're basically asking for is for people to come up with what should be one of the central ideas and events behind a Sarevok-in-SoA mod: how and why he comes back. I don't mean this as a discouraging remark, but I believe that you, as the prospective author of the mod, should be the one coming up with said central ideas.

Enthusiasm is good, but you don't seem to have much beyond "I like Sarevok" and "I wish Sarevok was in SoA." If you want to write a Sarevok-in-SoA mod, you will need more than that unless it's just "Sarevok pops in with no explanation and glowers at everyone so fangirls can squee over him." Which probably will not go over well.

[HighTimeRodeo]

But... But... The fangirls said they would kill me if I didn't...

Oh, I know that. See, the last time I was here and posted would be conversations, the general consensus was that I didn't have the right tone down and I'm kind of scarred from that. I will happily come up with conversations, but I need translators, because my BG-lingo sucks. I have to call it a night, but I will work on more conversations. Like I said, I'm rusty.

Here's a thought (bear with me, it's late and I'm attempting bad humor) Sarevok the Ghost! Haunts only the <CHARNAME>. Your very own paranormal experience, for free without the creepy factor! That's what Irenicus is for!

Sorry, that was a really bad attempt at humor.

[berelinde]

Actually, that could be a kind of awesome mod idea. Dreaming of Sarevok. Conversations you wish you could have had with him. He wouldn't need to be there taking up a party spot, but he would get to interact with the PC.

[Almateria]

A projection of Sarevok's personality, awakened by the resonance of Bhaal's blood?
Actually that sounds like a neat idea, add some inner voice for every bhaalspawn killed.

[HighTimeRodeo]

Okay, here's a general outline for the mod. It's really rough, and I'll have to scrap some of the conversations I've been working on, but I think the dream idea is better than my original thought. Maybe add some mod related content in TOB? I dunno, what do you guys think?

• 
  First dream if you rest in Irenicus' dungeon

• 
  Second dream second rest after Imoen's kidnapping

• 
  Third dream after Gaelyn Bael and/or the vampire guilds offer. A comment on your 'popularity'.

• 
  Fourth dream (optional) on whichever of the quests you complete. Bonus dream (maybe) after Firkraag quest.
  
• 
  Fifth dream criticizing your choice on guild affiliation. (“You chose the Shadow Thieves? I assumed you were 'good', dear sister.” Or “Vampires? Truly? Have you no taste in the company you keep? Although I should not be surprised, considering <insert Jan, Anomen, NPC of choice> is in your... group.”)

• 
  (This is just a thought) But what if Sarevok made a cameo in the dream in Spellhold, when Irenicus takes <CHARNAME>'s soul? You're going to lose against Bhaal (Voiced by Michael Dorn of all people) anyway? Why not make it a big fight?

• 
  Seventh dream in the maze. “Something is different about you... Less 'good', more taint. ...I approve.”

• 
  Eighth dream after the transformation into the Slayer.

• 
  Ninth in the Underdark, Ust Natha maybe. Like “A city ruled by females? It suits you sister, quite well.”

• 
  Tenth after getting Imoen's soul back. “Well, so our 'little sister' is back to her old self, is she? What of you, dear sister? When will your time come?”

• 
  Eleventh, final, resting in Suldanesselar. “Something is coming. I can feel it. Be cautious, sister. You have much potential. I would hate to see it *completely* wasted by your death.” (There were only supposed to be a max of ten, but the numbering got screwed up. Sorry.)

Now, this is just an idea and a lot of it is up for debate. I'll write as much of the conversations as I can, but testing will be problematic. I was forced to switch to Linux after my first hard drive melted and I couldn't get another copy of Windows XP. I have SOA installed, but can't get it to run. And these would have to be dispersed around the Irenicus dreams.

[HighTimeRodeo]

...Is it wrong that when I read the third option, Popularity from the Wicked Musical starts playing in my head?

[Almateria]

So, uh, a female-only mod?
Also remember that extended cutscenes and unskippable dreams were the absolute worst thing in BG2, so I don't know.

[HighTimeRodeo]

Well, I'm a female, so that was what I used and I couldn't remember the proper way to... Code? Him/Her.

And again, a lot of this is conjecture and it's all debatable. I would like to see the ones about the Slayer, Imoen and the final rest in Suldanesselar.