Well, this day was not as epic as the last one. Mostly, I hung around and did various quests in Tarant, then I headed for Black Root, which is a town torn between the feudal kingdom of Cumbria and the rapidly modernizing Tarant.
When I spoke to the Mayor, he tried to get me do find his lost dagger, but I was having none of it, so I showed him a newspaper (Did I forget to mention there are little front-page newspapers in the game a la Sim City? Nice touch, by the way) that urged Tarant to declare war on Caladon, the magic-technology kingdom. The mayor panics and decides to pay Cumbrian taxes after all. Hooray for Despotism!
Anyway, there is one other quest of note: Mrs. Cameron's son has not returned home in a while, and she wants you to visit his workshop in the forests to make sure he is okay. It seems rather simple, but that quest can prove to be a major timesink (though it is worth it).
I will save the story of that quest for Day Four.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Arcanum: Day 2
Alright, this day was much more eventful. After exploring the crash site and dispatching a bunch of creatures, I did the Arbalah curse quest. Then I went on to explore Shrouded Hills. It was quite fun. I especially enjoyed the quest where you help Doc Roberts stop a bank robbery. The best part of it is that you can then turn around and rob the bank yourself! Here is the screenshot to prove it.
She will only believe you if you have a gun in your hand, however.
To find out more about the ring, I talked to Ristezze the Importer. He told me the ring was made by P. Schulyer & Sons, a jewel company located in Tarant.
I must admit that I did use some foreknowledge and placed a point or two into the Persuasion skill so that I could deal peacefully with the ruffians charging a toll on the bridge because that fight is quite hard early in the game and they will tell you about the Thieves Guild.
I then moseyed on over to the Toone mine where I talked to Percival Toone. He mentioned that the ghost of his mother was haunting the mine; he then asked me to go into the mine and see what was happening. Whohoo! My first dungeon!
As dungeons go, the mine was short and easy. When I found the ghost, all she mentioned was 'Sarah'. I reported back to Percival. He then told me that Sarah was the name of his sister, and that she now lives in Dernholm but would not say where that is. To find out, I just talked to a random person in the street (Shrouded Hill is full of nameless NPCs) and that person pointed out Dernholm's location on my map.
I then traveled to Dernholm. What a dump! Anyway, the only two quests of note right now are collecting taxes from Blackroot and talking with Sarah Toone. Sarah says her brother has sold the rights to the mine to a merchant company in Tarant. I agreed to help her reclaim the rights.
Well, since a few quests involve Tarant, I went there. I wandered around the city doing various quests and finally came upon P. Schuyler & Sons. In the front of the building, I met Magus who is seeking an audience with the Schuyler's because they may have information on his lost clan. Unfortunately, it seems that no one gets in to see the Schuyler's. The man upfront is mostly unhelpful until I threaten him, which gets him talking, and he gives me the cellar key and flees. Well, down we go!
The cellars are overflowing with zombies! If you hurry through and let too many gang up on you, it can be quite a challenging fight.
Well, after two levels of that, I finally come to a dwarven tomb complete with undead dwarves! They don't become hostile, though. Moving on I finally meet the elusive P. Schuyler & Sons, a family of necromancers/jewel merchants (don't ask). Unfortunately, Magnus is seething with rage over the defilement of the dwarven corpses, and he pushes us into battle. Since I think he is a useful companion, I decided to go along with it. It is a shame, really; the Schuyler's did not seem all that evil. I can see how Necromancers would be misunderstood and be the subject of vicious rumors, so I understand their desire to be left alone. The only thing that bugs me is what were they doing with those dwarven zombies? They did not attack me, so I assume they were not meant as security. They seemed to be working in a workshop. I guess they were making jewels for the Schuylers.
Anyway, a letter in one of the drawers reveals the identity of the Boy: Gilbert Bates, Arcanum's Vanderbilt. His house is the giant mansion in the north of town. I have to do a little quest for the guard to be let in; it is no big deal. I finally get to talk to GB, and he tells me that the gnome who gave me the ring was actually a beardless dwarf. Apparently, ol' Gilbert had spent several years of his youth with the dwarves. This dwarf was his best friend, Stennar Rockcutter. Bates then sends me to their mines to find out what happened to his clan.
That is enough adventuring for one day.
She will only believe you if you have a gun in your hand, however.
To find out more about the ring, I talked to Ristezze the Importer. He told me the ring was made by P. Schulyer & Sons, a jewel company located in Tarant.
I must admit that I did use some foreknowledge and placed a point or two into the Persuasion skill so that I could deal peacefully with the ruffians charging a toll on the bridge because that fight is quite hard early in the game and they will tell you about the Thieves Guild.
I then moseyed on over to the Toone mine where I talked to Percival Toone. He mentioned that the ghost of his mother was haunting the mine; he then asked me to go into the mine and see what was happening. Whohoo! My first dungeon!
As dungeons go, the mine was short and easy. When I found the ghost, all she mentioned was 'Sarah'. I reported back to Percival. He then told me that Sarah was the name of his sister, and that she now lives in Dernholm but would not say where that is. To find out, I just talked to a random person in the street (Shrouded Hill is full of nameless NPCs) and that person pointed out Dernholm's location on my map.
I then traveled to Dernholm. What a dump! Anyway, the only two quests of note right now are collecting taxes from Blackroot and talking with Sarah Toone. Sarah says her brother has sold the rights to the mine to a merchant company in Tarant. I agreed to help her reclaim the rights.
Well, since a few quests involve Tarant, I went there. I wandered around the city doing various quests and finally came upon P. Schuyler & Sons. In the front of the building, I met Magus who is seeking an audience with the Schuyler's because they may have information on his lost clan. Unfortunately, it seems that no one gets in to see the Schuyler's. The man upfront is mostly unhelpful until I threaten him, which gets him talking, and he gives me the cellar key and flees. Well, down we go!
The cellars are overflowing with zombies! If you hurry through and let too many gang up on you, it can be quite a challenging fight.
Well, after two levels of that, I finally come to a dwarven tomb complete with undead dwarves! They don't become hostile, though. Moving on I finally meet the elusive P. Schuyler & Sons, a family of necromancers/jewel merchants (don't ask). Unfortunately, Magnus is seething with rage over the defilement of the dwarven corpses, and he pushes us into battle. Since I think he is a useful companion, I decided to go along with it. It is a shame, really; the Schuyler's did not seem all that evil. I can see how Necromancers would be misunderstood and be the subject of vicious rumors, so I understand their desire to be left alone. The only thing that bugs me is what were they doing with those dwarven zombies? They did not attack me, so I assume they were not meant as security. They seemed to be working in a workshop. I guess they were making jewels for the Schuylers.
Anyway, a letter in one of the drawers reveals the identity of the Boy: Gilbert Bates, Arcanum's Vanderbilt. His house is the giant mansion in the north of town. I have to do a little quest for the guard to be let in; it is no big deal. I finally get to talk to GB, and he tells me that the gnome who gave me the ring was actually a beardless dwarf. Apparently, ol' Gilbert had spent several years of his youth with the dwarves. This dwarf was his best friend, Stennar Rockcutter. Bates then sends me to their mines to find out what happened to his clan.
That is enough adventuring for one day.
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