[Making a throne of Bhaal mod]

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

I am writing a quest mod intended for evil Charnames in ToB.

When I talk about being evil, I’m referring about unleashing a true evil entity in the realm, and that playing good in this mod will probably punish you. Good charnames will probably earn an exercise in frustration during this mod. And if you are not frustrated, you will find another enemy near Amelyssan ready to spill your guts. While being evil will make the same enemy appear as ally near Amelyssan.

The issue is that I lack the skills to make it happen. While I like trying to write and come up with meaningful dialogues and reasons, I think I lack the skills to do the many jobs at once that are required to make the mod happen. These are:

- new areas
- coding
- adding triggers when you click stuff
- adding meaningful enemies (I’m referring about making worthwhile encounters) and good items.

The mod will have a few quests.


There will also be a new dialogue each time you are finishing a Bhaalspawn. Luckily for me, what I will have to do mostly is simply “deep” dialogues for <charname> and the entity, and some other dialogues for the many npcs you will find during the whole ordeal.

Anyone interested enough in lending a hand?

Edited January 17 by Sergio - ex SHS member

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

Mod Diary #1

First week of work done on the mod. I’m currently writing the first “npc” you encounter while playing the mod. I noticed it’s hard to write dialogues! For this reason, I’ve started to appreciate more all the effort put into the quests mods around.

I’m starting to think that the new “areas” should be accessed by Charname alone, because writing for each party member their reaction takes very long AND I’m not even sure my written reactions are on point for each character.

As for the story, a lot of help is being offered in other boards for general coherence.

Edited January 24 by Sergio - ex SHS member

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

Mod diary #2.

Sent the draft to the coder. The mod will be in a 0.1 version soon.

This is what the mod currently offers:
+ Find a new powerful entity waiting in a plane
+ See if you can get his help.
+ Do what he asks, or not. If you do, you will get blessings.
+ The ending of Throne of Bhaal will change, because the entity will be with you, if you actually allied with it. 

 

 

//////////////////
 

There would be so much that I wish to add - I will state some examples for the evil paths I'm thinking about adding:

- You should be able to evacuate whole Saradush city by proposing the cleric in the temple; the evacuation would not be for free. You will tell the cleric that they have to pay, and pay a lot. That is If you are feeling kind.

If you aren't kind, there will be a darker option available, and it will involve the entity itself. 

- The vampires in Saradush should be evacuated as well. I dislike the fact that you can't ally with them. You will be able to make a proposal to them, and that proposal involves their help against the enemy that is beyond the walls.
 
- The entity's butler will ask you to go drain a druid grove with a gem he will be giving you. There will be a few surprises there. You can decide to eat the gem for yourself (gaining a few perks) or letting the entity eat it. I would advise you to be greedy.

- The areas I've got now are generic areas; I will have to think about these.

- A special dialogue if you left Balthazar alive and he meets the entity in person. He won't be pleased, I assure you.

- A series of evil artifacts gifted by the entity (right now it gives you his blessing).

- The oasis fight will simply end in you transforming into the slayer and beheading the General. It won't be a good sight for the army. In fact, you will first announce it, then do it. The army will flee, but some will be left in awe because they have just sighted a miracle happening. And you will get your first followers.

- Thinking about adding a good path to the mod? There is a hook already available in reality, but I'm not sure it's strong enough.

- There will be a newer fate for Draconis. He won't enjoy what you are planning to do with him.

These are only few of the ideas. Of course, they are all aimed for Evil charnames. 0.1 has to get out, otherwise it will take years to get released.

 

Edited February 6 by Sergio - ex SHS member

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

Work halted for now. I wish to do a full playthrough with some mods, and see what I could add. 

[megrimlock]

Is the entity you allude to lore-friendly? This idea is considerably more enticing if so.

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

It is lore-friendly. 

But...

There is a but... you may not agree with which entity I've added, due to his story and direct connection with Bhaal. I simply provide my own "point of view" on what could have happened to him after Bhaal's death.

Some players could easily say that the mod is not lore-friendly, because with Bhaal's death, the entity is a goner. I don't agree - and that's why I wrote the mod.

 

 

Edited February 21 by Sergio - ex SHS member

[megrimlock]

Intriguing!

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

I am back on this. Been a really long while, and I'm constantly editing the text, by adding new options and actually providing a way to offer a good path to the mod. Still cooking.

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

Mod is not dead, but production is, well, halted. I was given a couple of tips by AWizarddidit (I sent him the draft of the first part), but I'm currently stuck unable to both play and write due to RL.

If I will have some time back, any time soon, I would rather spend it playing the new released mods - then focusing on the draft I still have in my pc. 

It will be a long while before it happens... Hopefully one day.. 

 

Just for reference, these are more or less complete: : 

- You should be able to evacuate whole Saradush city by proposing the cleric in the temple; the evacuation would not be for free. You will tell the cleric that they have to pay, and pay a lot. That is If you are feeling kind. If you aren't kind, there will be a darker option available, and it will involve the entity itself. 

- before the mod was gated behind you being evil. Now the entity will react to your alignment:   

- A series of evil artifacts gifted by the entity (right now it gives you his blessing). --> still thinking if it's right to remove the blessings; as for the artifacts I got them in mind already.  --> - There will be a newer fate for Draconis. He won't enjoy what you are planning to do with him.

Edited May 15 by Sergio - ex SHS member

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

Guys, is there any particular evil option that you would have love to see against Sendai? I have one cooked for Abazigal.

But I have one missing for:
- Yagashura;
- Sendai.

 

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

For Sendai, is there any particular npc in her location that could prove useful to an evil entity? Someone that could be blackmailed and threatened. I think that only the lich could provide such an opportunity. Maybe the elemental prince too?

Edited June 2 by Sergio - ex SHS member

[moggadeet]

Her illithid ally seems like a potentially interesting weak link: what if you could make it a better offer? I don't imagine it would be open to blackmail, though.

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

I will think about it, thanks.
 

Another question: do you think that the slayer form allows the Bhaalspawn to talk? 

[megrimlock]

1 minute ago, Sergio - ex SHS member said:

Another question: do you think that the slayer form allows the Bhaalspawn to talk? 

Like the Hulk? (Sorry, only half serious)

[Sergio - ex SHS member]

On 6/3/2024 at 9:48 PM, megrimlock said:

Like the Hulk? (Sorry, only half serious)

Yes, but the comparison you made was very good, and in fact, persuaded me not to go for it.

I was supposed to make the slayer say only one word... "KNEEL". But I found other ways.