Sample Dialogue *Minor Spoilers*

[BigRob]

I may not have posted any progress reports recently, but I am working, I swear! I've discovered the joys of typing out large dialogues and that Aklon's got more to say in the romance versions of some talks than I thought.

 

So here, for your enjoyment, are a couple of snippets from one of Aklon's force-talk options. Feel free to comment as the mood takes you.

 

 

 

Snippet 1. Alchemy.

 

Aklon (Z.X): My knowledge of alchemy is fairly extensive. With the right equipment and ingredients, I can brew portions both mundane and magical. Likewise, I can process ores to extract metals and cause compounds to combine or separate. However, I lack a true master’s skills.

PC: 1. What potions can you make? (Z.X.Z)

2. Who taught you all this alchemy? (Z.X.Y)

3. What use was alchemy to you anyway? (Z.X.X)

 

Aklon (Z.X.Z) (Don’t have pharmacopoeia): A great variety, mostly of the healing persuasion. I need time, equipment and reagents to brew potions, however. If I still had my Pharmacopoeia, I would have the equipment and a number of reagents. Unless you can find an alchemist willing to lend their apparatus, or I can recover my Pharmacopoeia, my alchemical knowledge will be of little use. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.Z) (Do have Pharmacopoeia): A great variety, mostly of the healing persuasion. I will have to check the contents of my pharmacopoeia before I can say exactly what I can brew at the moment. Let me take a look… (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.Y): As with a number of my skills, alchemy was taught to me by my master, in concert with his apprentices. When they were not available, some of the master’s older assistants imparted the knowledge to me.

PC: 1. So there were other assistants apart from you? (Z.X.Y.Z)

2. I’m surprised your master had the time to teach you all this stuff. (Z.X.Y.Y)

 

Aklon (Z.X.Y.Z): Yes, quite a number of them. My master did not wish to perform every single stage of every experiment himself. For less delicate preparations assistants were trusted to do the work. Most of my practical alchemical experience was gained in this way, learning by doing, so to speak. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.Y.Y): My master had a prolific capacity for concentration. He could explain, in detail, what he was doing, even while he was doing it. This meant that he could teach me quite an amount of alchemical lore, while still pursuing his own work. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.X): Actually, the why of it eludes me, at least for the less obviously practical areas of alchemy. My master evidently thought such knowledge would be useful for me, or for him.

PC: 1. But why teach it at all? (Z.X.X.Z)

2. I suppose you must find it useful, somewhere. (Z.X.X.Y)

3. Seems an strange man, this master of yours (Z.X.X.X)

 

Aklon (Z.X.X.Z): If I knew alchemy, I could join the ranks of his assistants when required, or direct them towards a specific goal in my master’s absence.

PC: 1. You were being trained as an overseer then? (Z.X.X.Z.Z)

2. So your master was just extending your usefulness to him. (Z.X.X.Z.Y)

 

Aklon (Z.X.X.Z.Z): To be one at need, I suppose. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.X.Z.Y): Yes, just so. My master was always keen to make things useful. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.XY): It has proven useful in a few places, sometimes in quite serious situations. So, I have kept up, and even extended, my knowledge of alchemy over the years. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.X.X.X): Only some of the time. At other times, his motivations could be quite clear. (End Dialogue)

 

 

 

 

Snippet 2. Languages.

 

Aklon (Z.U): I was taught the tongues of elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings, which I speak with a great deal of fluency. Of human tongues, I was taught Mulhorandi, Untheric, Alzhedo, Shou and Kozakuran. I was also taught a passable amount of orcish, goblic, undercommon and the tongues of giants and genies. I can also read and write in most of these.

PC: 1. Why all those languages? (Z.U.Z)

2. When did you find the time to learn all these languages? (Z.U.Y)

3. Can you still speak all of them? (Z.U.X)

 

Aklon (Z.U.Z): My master had a number of friends and acquaintances in strange places. It was important that I be able to follow a conversation and act on his wishes without having them explained to me.

PC: 1. He must have had some odd acquaintances. (Z.U.Z.Z)

 

Aklon (Z.U.Z.Z): Indeed. Many of the strangest of my master’s friends were simple humans, however. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.U.Y): It is very easy to learn languages when one is young. I learned most of these languages at the same time as I was learning to read and write. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.U.X): My undercommon and genie have become quite rusty. I have had little occasion to use them. On the other hand, I do speak more languages now. My orcish and goblic are much improved and I have picked up the languages of Zakhara, the peoples of the grass sea, and several lesser dialects from other races and localized populations.

PC: 1. Is there anyone you can’t talk to? (Z.U.X.Z)

2. That’s a lot of languages to know. (Z.U.X.Y)

 

Aklon (Z.U.X.Z): There are more languages that I cannot speak than there are languages that I can. Admittedly, I can speak to most beings you might meet in civilized areas. Which was, very likely, what my master had in mind. (End Dialogue)

 

Aklon (Z.U.X.Y): I have always had a knack for languages. I spoke before I could crawl, or so I am told. It is a gift that has not abandoned me with the passing of years. (End Dialogue)

[Guest Guest]

Nice, likes to brag doesn't he Just kidding, tis good.

 

Get him to talk to some Orcs and Goblins, that'd be funny

[Pekka]

Seems to be a smart guy, this Aklon. Maybe the PC can discuss difficult subjects with him, like...the Theory of Relativity, or Hegel's philosophy.

 

Oh, nice work. Very nice.

[Mahault]

Nothing's more sexy than a man who knows what he's talking about. Great job.

 

It's good to know that someone with actual TALENT is working on Aklon. I don't play very many mods...perhaps I'm more than a little disturbed at the consistency my female PC is called "Good Sir". Really, how hard is it to make gender checks? I wouldn't know.

 

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this one.

[BigRob]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. *bows*

 

Get him to talk to some Orcs and Goblins, that'd be funny

I've got a couple of spots marked in for Aklon to display his linguistic skills.

 

Maybe the PC can discuss difficult subjects with him, like...the Theory of Relativity, or Hegel's philosophy.

 

"Substituting c for the speed of light, we can see that....." Well, maybe not the theory of relativity anyway.

 

I don't play very many mods...perhaps I'm more than a little disturbed at the consistency my female PC is called "Good Sir". Really, how hard is it to make gender checks? I wouldn't know

As far as I know, it's dead easy. There's dialogue tokens like Sir/Maam that return the appropriate response for the PC's (or speaker's) gender. You don't even need to write seperate dialogues.

[Sillara of the Tamari]

Yes, there are tokens. <LADYLORD> is a common one. But if you make the slight mistake of typing in <LORDLADY>, then it comes out the opposite.

 

Sillara

 

And hurry up with Aklon! I want to play with him in my party.

[KIrving]

I can brew portions both mundane and magical.

I think you mean potions there.

 

Aklon (Z.X.Z) (Do have Pharmacopoeia): A great variety, mostly of the healing persuasion. I will have to check the contents of my pharmacopoeia before I can say exactly what I can brew at the moment. Let me take a look… (End Dialogue)

This sounds interesting. Does it mean that Aklon later initiates a conversation about what potions he can brew or is the PC left wondering?

 

3. Seems an strange man, this master of yours (Z.X.X.X)

I think you mean, a strange man, here.

 

Aklon (Z.U): I was taught the tongues of elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings, which I speak with a great deal of fluency. Of human tongues, I was taught Mulhorandi, Untheric, Alzhedo, Shou and Kozakuran. I was also taught a passable amount of orcish, goblic, undercommon and the tongues of giants and genies. I can also read and write in most of these.

Wow, I can see now why Aklon will not romance a low IQ PC!

 

My orcish and goblic are much improved

Hmm...sounds like a story to tell here. Just who has Aklon been hanging around with in order to improve these languages?

 

 

I like these very much, BigRob. They are intriguing conversations and lead me(and my PC) to wanting to know even more about Aklon's interesting background.

[BigRob]

I can brew portions both mundane and magical.

I think you mean potions there.

 

3. Seems an strange man, this master of yours (Z.X.X.X)

I think you mean, a strange man, here.

Arh, thank ye. Back to the master dialogue for me.

 

 

Aklon (Z.X.Z) (Do have Pharmacopoeia): A great variety, mostly of the healing persuasion. I will have to check the contents of my pharmacopoeia before I can say exactly what I can brew at the moment. Let me take a look… (End Dialogue)

This sounds interesting. Does it mean that Aklon later initiates a conversation about what potions he can brew or is the PC left wondering?

I'm planning to have this activate the (unwritten) Pharmacopoeia dialogue, where Aklon'll list what he can brew at the moment. So the PC won't be left standing scratching their head.

 

 

Wow, I can see now why Aklon will not romance a low IQ PC! 

Yes, he does like the brighter ladies.

 

My orcish and goblic are much improved

Hmm...sounds like a story to tell here. Just who has Aklon been hanging around with in order to improve these languages?

Ahh, well, that's the question, isn't it?

 

 

I like these very much, BigRob.  They are intriguing conversations and lead me(and my PC) to wanting to know even more about Aklon's interesting background.

Eeeexcellent. Just the effect I was aiming for.