I have yet to play Pillars of Eternity. I'm changing that today. Everyone, meet Gherk. He's a dwarven barbarian with colossal might, and a background of a labourer. I hope you like Gherk, because my goal is to keep him alive forever.
Once upon a midnight dreary, stealing Edgar Allan Poe and weary, a caravan in which Gherk is travelling stops. For he is ill, and requires rest. Being ill doesn't stop Gherk from slaying a wolf as he goes off to explore with Calisca, in search of some healing berries and water.
It doesn't take long for the shit to hit the fan, and Gherk and Calisca are fighting some brigands. There's a short scene of negotiation, and I manage to save Hoedan who is a rogue. Nice.
Thus opens Pillars of Eternity. There's a great scene in which the mood is conveyed strongly, and a great 'choose-you-own-adventure' type of text adventure. I lose my sword by throwing it at the foes because I have shitty dexterity and can't unlock the other dialogue options.
Now, I'm in a cave, and the only way is forward. Onward, fine Gherk. Some dialogue. It was the Glanfathans that attacked, Calisca explains, after I enquire as to why she's not acting upset about the entire camp we were travelling with having been brutally slaughtered by a band of ruffians. She shows some vulnerability in her reply, and I can instantly recognise that the game is going to have some deep, well written dialogue. This is exciting to me.
Coupled with this dialogue is my first choice of the game. Stay, and let Hoedan rest, or push on. I push on. I don't want to be murdered in my sleep by looters. I'm sure if Hoedan gets ambushed and dies, I can replace him with another rogue later. (Please don't give me spoilers, dear readers).
A monster! Wait. I can talk to the monster? This isn't how its meant to work. Die! Now, I have two weapons in Gherk's monstrous and mighty arms. He's not going to be the type that talks sense into people. He beats sense out of them.
I wonder a little further. There's some glowing floor titles that look like they could be a trap. I send Hoedan through first, knowing that if he dies, he dies. He's already bled to death, and I'm pretty comfortable with the male companion dying at this point of the game. He goes alone then Gherk cowardly follows, along with Calisca. Here they are, safe on the other side.
There's an opening, and I travel through it, and I'm out doors again. Turns out we survived the bandits. Spoiler: there were no bandits, just some great and varied monsters with names I can't remember or even pronounce. There's a structure, and some statuesque man. Some wizardly type muttering things about a book is present. A swirling, pretty purple energy that I forgot to take a screenshot of because it was so pretty is also weaving enchantments (or horror) around the scene.
It turns out to be horror, as Gherk enters fever dream. Spoiler alert. Hoedan and Calisca are both dead. I'm alone, and feeling unwell. Unemotionally, I pick up their gear and trudge onward to examine the stone figures that stand not too far ahead.
As I approach, darkness envelops me. Spectral items pop into existence before me, disappearing as soon as they appear. Creepy. Touching the stone figures turns them to dust, which I collect. I have no idea what is going on, but it seems like there's something more than ordinary going on. I proceed to the world map and travel to the next location, where I find it is raining.
I explore a little bit, and find some muddy vegetables. Delicious.
I've levelled up in the meantime, and rested at a campsite. I'm ready to face my next challenge. I find a cave and enter. Holy shit. A bear. I manage to slay the beast, and skin its pelt. I'm collecting everything as I got, and I must honour the memory of Calisca. I did after all, tell here I was going to get filthy rich.
A new quest is given to me by the ethereal spirit of a man murdered by a companion known to them, through an equally ethereal piece of dialogue where I enter the man’s memories. It’s a unique way to receive a quest, and I like the varied objectives that are given to me, so early in the game. I barely know my own past, and don’t know where I’m going, but wherever that may, I sure am going to kill a lot of things and earn a lot of gold.
I travel to a town just South, the Gilded Vale. It’s a gruesome, and dreary site in the rain. The locals have a bizarre form of entertainment, and the tree in the town square is ripe with recent lynching victims. I start to explore and find out that Calisca’s sister lives here. She gives me another quest. So many quests, and so little journal. I’m keen to find out more about the Lord of the town, but apparently, I have to go spend some coin at the local Inn to let time pass first, or so I’m told.
I’m going to go to that, and come back tomorrow to see what happens next. Before I can rest however, I meet a new party member, and save him from some drunks. The dialogue option I chose is how I want the rest of the game to play out.
Remember. You can't have slaughter without laughter. Muahahaha! Gherk will return at some point in the future to continue his murderous spree of false heroism.