Comments on 'Strong' and 'Weak'.

[Loké]

Strong was inspired by the flirtpacks. In the flirtpacks, Viconia has a special one if <charname>'s strength is 18 (or is it 19?). I just remembered how almost awe-struck Viconia was at you if you *did* have that stat, and I got to wondering what Imoen's reacton would be, what with growing up with it and all.

 

In case you're wondering, I was thinking of the <charname> in the story (deliberately left nameless for you :wink: ) having 19 strength. (18/00 natural, and the tome in BG1 that increases your strength by one)

 

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As for weak, well, I gotta admit, I'm vaguely dissapointed with it. I was orignally going to go for a similer style to 'Strong', <charname> talking about how weak Aerie is phsyically-for those of you who don't remebmer how big and string <charname> is, read 'Strong'. If you can't be bothered, think 7 foot tall guy with 19 natural strength-that's more than an ogre!

 

I also decided to give him a name. Titch seemed like the sort of thing Imoen would come up with, and I couldn't think of anything better, so his nickname stuck.

 

But anyways. It WAS going to be talking about how frail and weak and generally pathetic (in the true sense of the meaning) she is physically, but then go on to talk about how strong she was mentally. After all, in human terms she's basically had both her arms-or legs-amputated, and without anesthetic too. She's not exactly had it easy, and it didn't exactly get easier on the road, because it forced her to face up to-and deal with-what she went through when she was captured.

 

Still, that being said, I'm not dissatisfied with the end result. It didn't go the way I wanted to, but I find I have to follow the story. I don't seem to have the discipline or just simple ability to 'make' it go the way I want. And if you're wondering, what Aerie trailed off saying was going to be something along the lines of 'I've never seen someone die so violently' or somesuch.

[DalreiDal]

I've just read this, and I liked it, especially the first part (Strong). It always grates on my nerves a bit that in games/books/movies/etc women are all swooning over men and their muscles... but having a farmer uncle and cousin, I can't help but think... girls, can't you see the guy-acting-the-strong-hero's too thin to lift 200 pounds!?!? The guy's GOT to be BIIIIIIIIIIG if he's got a STR stat in-game of 18/9something!!! It was refreshing for once that someone seemed to have grasped that obvious bit of reality. It was really nicely written too.

 

Though I guess if I want to be a good constructive reviewer I'll have to point out at my confusion even though I'm embarrassed, because I feel I'm stupid and I missed something. Strong is written from Imoen's POV, right? So that means that when it reads "how we became a couple", it has to be Imoen speaking, right? Then why would she in the same sentence speak about "never hurting Aerie unintentionally", and why make it such a big point in Weak that Titch (loved the Imoen-trademarked nickname, btw) likes it when the woman in Aerie shows? It feels as though Titch "flirted" with Aerie a bit and then changed his mind and went with Imoen? If I'm mistaken, then maybe that could use a bit of clearing up...

 

Do you plan on continuing this?

[Loké]

Though I guess if I want to be a good constructive reviewer I'll have to point out at my confusion even though I'm embarrassed, because I feel I'm stupid and I missed something. Strong is written from Imoen's POV, right? So that means that when it reads "how we became a couple", it has to be Imoen speaking, right?

Yes, I understand what you mean. In Strong he never felt any attraction to Aerie, instead it was always Imoen, so yes, it *is* imoen saying it.

With 'Weak' he's always seen Imoen as... well. Imoen. And-I say this with a hint of reproach-I *did* say at the beginning of 'Weak' that in this story that Titch wasn't interested in Imoen that way.

[DalreiDal]

Ah... but if you use the same character and same npc line up in two stories, then I think it's normal for readers to just suppose you're writing about the same storyline... Sorry I didn't pick up on the "alternate history" in Weak.