Brage's Redemption - Brage NPC Mod for BG1

[jastey]

Kerzenburgforum

 

Brage's Redemption - Brage NPC Mod for BG1

 

Author: jastey
Portrait Artist: Acifer
Languages: English, German, Italian

Brage's Redemption is a Quest Mod for BG1 and an NPC Mod for the whole Baldur's Gate Epic. It is natively compatible with BG:EE, SoD, BGII, BGT, BGII:EE, EET. No Tutu.

 

Description

Brage is the captain of the Nashkel guard and went missing after killing his family.

The mod makes Brage a joinable NPC and introduces a quest extention to the Brage quest in the game (BG1). The quest extention to prove his innocence was originally published as the component "Brage's Sword" in the mod bgqe. To gain Brage as a joinable NPC, the PC needs to prove his innocence as well as give him back his real sword. After leaving the temple once after that, Brage can be visited inside the temple of Helm in Nashkel and will offer to join the PC.
The quest to make Brage a joinable NPC can be completed before clearing the Nashkel mines. See the spoiler section in the readme for information.

Note for compatibility: bgqe component "Brage's Sword" and Brage's Redemption are compatible if bgqe component "Brage's Sword" is installed first. If you want to use bg1npc Project, install component "Brage's Sword" from bgqe first and Brage's Redemption as an NPC mod later. Note: for project Infinity, bg1npc (v30) has an install order rule that contradicts the install order for Brage and Ajantis BG1. See here for a fix until Bg1NPC is updated.

As a second, optional component, the mod's portrait and soundset can be assigned to the original game Brage, as well. This will not change his very first line if met while he is still under the influence of the curse.

The third component installs the crossmod content with other mods. Install this component after other quest and NPC mods so all other mods content will be detected.

Beginnings Quest: Brage's Sword (BG1)

This content gives the player the possibility to prove that Brage fell victim to an intrigue and save him from a death by the gallows - if the PC wants to. There is an evil quest option, which will bring Brage to the gallows (i.e. he will be gone from the game). In this case, he will not be available as a joinable NPC.
Brage has to be brought to Nashkel alive. The mod also adds the possibility to bring him to Oublek (i.e. the Nashkel authorities) instead of to the temple. This was unfinished original game content. (For this possibility, please note the install order as mentioned above).

Brage as a Joinable NPC

BG1
After proving his innocence, bringing him his sword, and leaving the temple once - representing the time that passes so Brage can come to terms with what happened - Brage will ask to join the PC's group to both repay them and also to be part of bringing the culprits of the intrigue to justice. He doesn't have to be accepted right away but can also be recruited later.
The BG1 part contains a friendship path with 11 dialogues, dealing with Brage's guilt and the loss of his family. The friendship path is best suited for a caring, friendly PC. Brage banters with some of the BioWare NPCs. As of version Beta 1, the mod includes banters for Brage with the following NPCs: Ajantis, Eldoth, Garrick, Imoen, Minsc & Dynaheir, Montaron, Viconia, Xzar, Yeslick. There are dialogues with interjections of Edwin, Jaheira, and Khalid, also. Brage reacts to the main game events. He has a lot of interjections in Nashkel as he is well-known in the town. As of version Beta 1, there are no other interjections to game events. Brage has s small player initiated dialogue (PID) which will not be updated throughout BG1.
To experience all banters with Eldoth and Viconia, most cursed items should be identified and placed in the group's inventory.
After 2/3 of the friendship path, Brage will tell that he wants to visit his family's grave in Nashkel. The PC does not have to be with him while it happens, but more content will be witnessed if they do (otherwise, Brage will talk about it upon rejoining).

SoD
As of version 8, SoD content is finished, except for the banter where so far from the original NPC crew he only banters with Corwin. If Brage was in party in BG1 or for a new SoD game, he can be found in the Sorcerous Sundries or in front of the Palace (if the PC leaves for the crusade directly). There is a small quest that starts in Dead Man's Pass.

BGII
There is no official BGII content yet. There exists some BGII content which is not translated:
Brage will be inside the temple of Helm in the Temple's District after the PC received the quest for the Unseeing Eye from one of the temples. The quest has to be accepted for Brage to spawn. After that, he can be taken into the group.
In ToB, Brage can be summoned via the Fate spirit if he is not in party upon the transition from SoA.
Brage has banters with Anomen and Nalia.

Brage's Stats and Portrait

When first met, he will be a third level fighter with two pips in two-handed sword, two pips in crossbow, and one pip in two-handed fighting style. Brage will level up upon first joining when the PC's HP are higher than his. This will also happen in a continuous game upon rejoining after game-related times of separation at the beginning or SoD, SoA, and if summoned in ToB via the fate spirit.
Brage's alignment was changed to Lawful Neutral. (The original game cre had Chaotic Neutral which I think was meant to be due to the berserker rage he is in when met.)
His stats where taken from the original BG1 creature file:

• STR: 18/23
• DEX: 11
• CON: 17
• INT: 12
• WIS: 8
• CHA: 13

For the English version, Brage uses the soundset "HoW_Male_2" from IWD:TotLM.
Brage's portrait and promotion artwork was generously created and provided by Acifer.

 

German Discussion Thread at Kerzenburgforum

Modpage at Kerzenburgforum

Download at GitHub

[Raduziel]

Maybe now people will start giving him two-handed swords and letting Minsc use two-weapon (best way to use him, IMHO).

Will be in my next playthrough.

[jastey]

Thanks!

I have a tester's report that Brage is a good fighter with Lilarcor in BGII and I just "lol"ed by the thought of him having to wield that bloodthirty, constant babbling sword (and seeing it as a just punishment, probably). (The mod doesn't have BGII content officially but Brage can be recruited and kicked out normally in BGII).

[Acifer]

7 hours ago, Raduziel said:

Maybe now people will start giving him two-handed swords and letting Minsc use two-weapon (best way to use him, IMHO).

That's a great idea! I never used Minsc as a two-weapon-dualing-wielding ranger since there was a lack of strong two-handed swordsmen. But now, with Brage showing up, the idea of Brage wielding Spider's Bane+2 with full plate armor and Minsc dual-wielding something in studded leather armor is really intriguing!

What would be the best choice of weapons for Minsc, since the two points in morningstar are quite useless in BG1?

29 minutes ago, jastey said:

I just "lol"ed by the thought of him having to wield that bloodthirsty, constant babbling sword (and seeing it as a just punishment, probably).

"Yeah! Hit it! Hit it again!" So there are two possible quest branches for Brage's BGII content: Make Lilarcor mute or Brage deaf. 

[jastey]

1 minute ago, Acifer said:

So there are two possible quest branches for Brage's BGII content: Make Lilarcor mute or Brage deaf.

That is what Brage would chose - the poor man. After what a sword made him do having one now that prompts him to do more of it. He would break down at some point and beg the PC to let him not use that sword - and he would let himself be convinced that it's a good sword and that he needs it to fight for the good. I can't deny a certain tendency to let my NPCs suffer occasionally!

[jastey]

The package still tells "Beta 4" inside the tp2.. but it contains all changes from v1 listed in the readme.

[Raduziel]

On 1/10/2020 at 3:19 AM, Acifer said:

What would be the best choice of weapons for Minsc, since the two points in morningstar are quite useless in BG1?

Stupefier + Staff Mace +2.

In BG2 I always give him the Mace of Disruption - works well with his racial enemy.

To respect this thread's subject, please, get in touch using a PM if you want more details (I don't think I can give any though).

Edited January 16, 2020 by Raduziel

[jastey]

Brage's Redemption Mod updates to v2!

Brage's reaction to the PC's Bhaal heritage will no longer repeat, he has a second reaction in BGII in case he has Lilarcor equipped. V2 also comes with compatibility with Endless BG1 Mod: if EBG1 is instaled, Brage's final Sarevok dialogue will happen after Sarevok's death in the EE games also like it is in BGT.

 

Changes:

- compatibility with Endless BG1 Mod added: for EE + EBG1, Brage will wait with his final Sarevok speech until after Sarevok is dead (always for BGT).
- (BGII) added a second comment if Brage wields Lilarcor for some time
- (BG1) Brage's comment to Bhaal heritage should not repeat after Tamoko dialogue.
- (BG1) Brage's comment to Bhaal heritage will fire after bg1npc "letter dialogue" (if bg1npc is installed) or after leaving the 5th level of the library.
- added c#brage.ini with mod info.
- added folder libiconv-1.9.2-1-src.7z with iconv licence info

[ptifab]

More content to enjoy, thanks a lot @jastey

[jastey]

Thank you!

 

[jastey]

Brage's Redemption updates to v3!

The new version comes with proof readings by @athies. Thank you very much!

 

Changes:

- English version proof read by Athies.
- Renamed readme to readme.brage.%LANGUAGE%.html
- Installation instructions in German readme translated.

[Chitown Willie]

Jastey,

Just thinking out loud - Perhaps starting stats (i.e., level 3, 2 pips in 2 proficiencies, exceptional strength) are slightly overpowered?

I'm comparing to Kagain & Khalid, who both start at level 1 w/ regular strength.

[jastey]

You get him later in game due to the quest (you have to find him first and rhe nerchant Borda etc.). My reasoning was that he was commander of the Nashkel Guard, so he needs to be something higher than lv 1.

[jastey]

@Chitown Willie forgot to answer to half of your comment: The stats (including the strength) is of his original game cre file. The only difference is that there he is level 7... And that I changed his alignment to Lawful Neutral from Chaotic neutral, as I think the CN alignment was meant for his state under the influence of the cursed sword (as I do not think he would be Commander of the Guard with that alignment).

If someone provides a level 2 fighter cre with his stats and the correct number of pips, I could give the install choice level2/level3 upon installation. But as I said, he should be higher than level 1.

[jastey]

The mod updates to v4!

Changes:

- Brage's Sword Quest: Oublek should take Borda's Letter if shown as evidence. (until bgqe is updated this will only show if the quest "Brage's Sword" is installed via this mod.)
- Brage should have valid kickout dialogue in BGII.