Doing some plotting ahead, trying to work out how to adapt some aspects of ER’s game design into a fic. (There's an expand button on tumblr now right? Not gonna bother putting my insane rambling under a read more then.)
In this case—Nokron. Is it filled with the like, three Nox as it is in game? (If so, are these truly the last citizens, or are they like, caretakers of the ruins?) Or is it an abandoned city, with the only thing left being their creations? (Nice and spooky, more room for more authentic character moments)
It’s a problem I’ve run into a lot writing Still Waters—what’s fun to play in a fantasy combat game isn’t always indicative of the state of the world in the lore. But that can be a very difficult thing to parse for me. (Does everyone really mindlessly attack the Tarnished without ever speaking? In game they do, but not so much in this fic.)
Actually, now that I’m thinking about it... it's tempting to go the Nox “caretakers” option, distinctly because of the dilemma it puts the characters in. Also, offers a few of its own character moments. Just off the top of my head:
Rogier smoothing things over with the Nox after a few “misunderstandings” with the silver tears. (On Torrent, because yeah right. Like he's gonna pass up seeing the ETERNAL CITY with his own two eyes. Also, on horseback, his angle relative to Magdalene means his hat doesn't hide shit anymore, oops)
Anyway. If he manages to play his cards right, he’s got them a free tour of the city, which of course, is a field day for him.
But there’s one problem: Neither of them expected anyone to be down here. When Magdalene turns back his way, with a “So. Are really we doing this?” look on her face, Rogier just, you know.
Short-circuits for a moment.
(His desperate need to "save the undead" is currently in a brutal cagematch with his historian instinct to NOT GIVE A PRECIOUS HISTORICAL RELIC TO A SCHEMING MURDERER, WHO WILL USE IT)
Look at it from his perspective:
How could giving a knife to the one behind the Night of the Black Knives ever POSSIBLY go wrong?
He would be opposed to stealing relics. But. Ah. I have a feeling he's made his peace with that long ago.
I think to him, there are times where the ends justify the means. He asks you to "acquire" the cursemark for him. I don't think he was expecting Ranni to part with that willingly when he asked. Also, he does admit to lying to save other people's feelings. If he thinks he's gonna save the world from it's current state, I think there's a lot more he'd do, unfortunately for the Nox
