Why is Imoen a mage?
#1
Posted 29 June 2004 - 06:51 AM
I see three scenarios:
1. Imoen found she had a gift for magic. Maybe something of Gorion rubbed off; maybe it's something to do with her mother; maybe she's just a natural, but for whatever reason magic has come easily to her.
2. Deciding one day she wanted to be a mage, Imoen studied hard, every night when the party rested she'd work on improving her skills, or after the fall of Sarevok she spent her time studying magic in Baldur's Gate.
3. Feeling a need to continue what Gorion started, Imoen takes up magic as her way of remebering the father in her life.
I was wondering what you all think of the above, and if you have any ideas of your own. As ever, it's all about the why.
Past: Ascension, Return to Windspear, Imoen Relationship, The Broken Hourglass
"Perfection has no deadline"
#2
Posted 29 June 2004 - 07:02 AM
EDIT:
I can't see her learning magic because of a deep/serious reason (like 'Feeling a need to continue what Gorion started' etc.). She just thought it could be fun.
Edited by Cyric, 29 June 2004 - 07:10 AM.
Letting you know you're the next one dead
I am the blade that cuts your skin
That forgives yourself for all your sin
I am the guilt that gnaws your soul
Corrodes the heart to a gaping hole
The hammers pounding all around
So you beat the walls to rid the sound
I am your memories, distorted and loud
That make you scream and shreik aloud
Yes, I make you crazy, it's all my fault
That we're here alone in this cushoined vault
#3
Posted 29 June 2004 - 07:07 AM
Really it's anyones guess but they all seem to wrok
Defy me and die!
#4
Posted 29 June 2004 - 07:26 AM
As for the other 2 options..
The first option could do ... and quite frankly it's the most likely in my opinion. It would be interesting though if she and CHARNAME tried to guess WHY she has an easy time learning magic.
Maybe you could write some banter on that, with the player able to choose between some possible reasons to discuss with Imoen.
I do not think that someting of Gorion rubbed off would be a good reason, but her mother or she being a natural seems likely, especially, as she discover in the game, given her heritage.
As for the other option.. Imoen studying hard magic could also be ok, but you'd have to give her a strong reason, since she's so easygoing. The soundest reason i can think of is her travelling with CHARNAME's, since i think she always took for granted that they would be together.
This would require writing class-specific banters, but it would be great to hear Imoen saying a barbarian she did it cause "at least one of us must be able to use magic, and knowing you.. " or "hey i always see you casting fireballs around and i wanted to try too" or even "I know you're a cleric, but i want to point out to you that even mages can be useful" or "I did it in order to take better care of you since you're so hopeless "
Well, just my thoughts of course
Edited by Keltosh, 29 June 2004 - 07:35 AM.
#5 -Notmrt-
Posted 29 June 2004 - 08:30 AM
#6
Posted 29 June 2004 - 09:14 AM
#7
Posted 29 June 2004 - 09:26 AM
Besides, the father in her life was Winthrop, at least from her BG1 bio.
#8
Posted 29 June 2004 - 09:54 AM
I got the feeling that she became a thief because she was already doing a lot of hiding and poking through other people's belongings just for fun, and when she left with the main character, that was something she could keep doing to make herself useful. She probably wouldn't be interested in the more violent aspects of being a thief, like killing people and stealing things that are actually valuable from someone who's innocent, so after becoming reasonably good at finding traps and opening locks, I don't think she would be interested in learning more about the thief's trade. This clashes with her ToB epilogue, of course...
Visit the Gibberlings Three!
#9
Posted 29 June 2004 - 10:06 AM
Another reason might be that after a few months on the road, she realizes that being a thief in the real world is quite different from picking a couple of pockets in Candlekeep, and that it's not really something she wants to spend the rest of her life doing.
I got the feeling that she became a thief because she was already doing a lot of hiding and poking through other people's belongings just for fun, and when she left with the main character, that was something she could keep doing to make herself useful. She probably wouldn't be interested in the more violent aspects of being a thief, like killing people and stealing things that are actually valuable from someone who's innocent, so after becoming reasonably good at finding traps and opening locks, I don't think she would be interested in learning more about the thief's trade.
Agreed completely here.
This clashes with her ToB epilogue, of course...
Maybe, but it also better matches her in-game character. She's Neutral Good; she might become a Robin Hood type, stealing from the evil and giving to herself (or the poor), but you can't run a Thieves' Guild that way. There just aren't enough "evil" folks out there to rob, and an Intelligent, Good character is not going to be able to keep lying to herself about how much harm her guild is doing forever.
#10
Posted 29 June 2004 - 10:45 AM
#11
Posted 29 June 2004 - 11:15 AM
I don't have much to add to the non-mod speculation here, but I do want to say that the best 'in game reason' for Imoen to be a mage that I thought of was after I installed the Refinements mod. With this mod Imoen is a 10th level Swashbuckler dualed to a first level mage at the start of the game ... and it made perfect sense to me. She was a happy go lucky thief (or maybe swashbuckler) and then Irenicus corrupted her.
In other words and among other things it was Jon Irenicus who taught her magic.
It's evil & would explain her change in profession perfectly IMO.
Edited by Rathwellin the Bard, 29 June 2004 - 11:15 AM.
#12
Posted 29 June 2004 - 11:50 AM
#13
Posted 29 June 2004 - 12:54 PM
I believe this is covered by my initial disinterest in technical issues.I always thought it was pure plot pice to give them an excuse for the wizzards to take her but im a tad cynical
This clashes with her ToB epilogue, of course...
It was quite the rubbish epilogue. The epilogue is something that will likely change, after all, your interactions with Imoen are more than likely to have an effect on her, depending on what you talk about.
In other words and among other things it was Jon Irenicus who taught her magic.
It's evil & would explain her change in profession perfectly IMO.
Since Imoen never mentions her dualing to mage, nor do you get the option to ask her about it, I believe it is safe to assume you already knew about her new career.
I dunno, I've never seen career switching as being so strange that it needs a big in-depth dramatic explanation. It is not as if Imoen is switching from paladin to assassin.
For many people, Imoen no longer being a pure thief *was* a big issue, certainly one worth fleshing out.
Past: Ascension, Return to Windspear, Imoen Relationship, The Broken Hourglass
"Perfection has no deadline"
#14
Posted 29 June 2004 - 02:55 PM
Well, I suppose that "thieves' guild" could be just as vague a term as "thief" is in the AD&D sense, and then it could be an organization that's fighting evil and trying to ease the suffering of the poor just as easily as a band of robbers and murderers. The only thing needed to qualify it as a thieves' guild would be that the members are thieves...This clashes with her ToB epilogue, of course...
Maybe, but it also better matches her in-game character. She's Neutral Good; she might become a Robin Hood type, stealing from the evil and giving to herself (or the poor), but you can't run a Thieves' Guild that way. There just aren't enough "evil" folks out there to rob, and an Intelligent, Good character is not going to be able to keep lying to herself about how much harm her guild is doing forever.
It was quite the rubbish epilogue. The epilogue is something that will likely change, after all, your interactions with Imoen are more than likely to have an effect on her, depending on what you talk about.
...but I'm all for ditching the old epilogue and writing a new one that actually makes sense, too.
Visit the Gibberlings Three!
#15
Posted 29 June 2004 - 03:09 PM
#16
Posted 29 June 2004 - 04:43 PM
Hey! I did say it was a modded game.... B)In other words and among other things it was Jon Irenicus who taught her magic.
It's evil & would explain her change in profession perfectly IMO.
Since Imoen never mentions her dualing to mage, nor do you get the option to ask her about it, I believe it is safe to assume you already knew about her new career.
Quitch, every time I read your responses to my posts I feel like we are speaking different languages.
:turnip2:
#17
Posted 29 June 2004 - 06:25 PM
Whenever I see RPG robin-hood themed thieves outside of a revolutionary context, I'm always reminded of Monty Python's Dennis Moore sketch.Well, I suppose that "thieves' guild" could be just as vague a term as "thief" is in the AD&D sense, and then it could be an organization that's fighting evil and trying to ease the suffering of the poor just as easily as a band of robbers and murderers. The only thing needed to qualify it as a thieves' guild would be that the members are thieves...
This clashes with her ToB epilogue, of course...
Maybe, but it also better matches her in-game character. She's Neutral Good; she might become a Robin Hood type, stealing from the evil and giving to herself (or the poor), but you can't run a Thieves' Guild that way. There just aren't enough "evil" folks out there to rob, and an Intelligent, Good character is not going to be able to keep lying to herself about how much harm her guild is doing forever.
http://www.blakeneym....com/moore.html
#18
Posted 30 June 2004 - 02:43 AM
I saw that, but I did not realise you were explitcitly tying your explanation into Imoen being a Swashbuckler. I can't say as I understand how the Refinements change is essential to your understanding of events (hence your reply I assume), and I could see what explanation being equally valid for Thief or Swashbuckler Imoen, though obviously I consider it flawed for the reason I noted above.Hey! I did say it was a modded game.... B)In other words and among other things it was Jon Irenicus who taught her magic.
It's evil & would explain her change in profession perfectly IMO.
Since Imoen never mentions her dualing to mage, nor do you get the option to ask her about it, I believe it is safe to assume you already knew about her new career.
Quitch, every time I read your responses to my posts I feel like we are speaking different languages.
:turnip2:
Past: Ascension, Return to Windspear, Imoen Relationship, The Broken Hourglass
"Perfection has no deadline"
#19 -Cybersquirt-
Posted 30 June 2004 - 04:24 AM
#20
Posted 30 June 2004 - 06:29 AM
Edited by Quitch, 30 June 2004 - 06:30 AM.
Past: Ascension, Return to Windspear, Imoen Relationship, The Broken Hourglass
"Perfection has no deadline"