holoz0r plays Pillars of Eternity XXIII - Kill All Elves?

The interior of the Ogre cave is filled with the stench of Ogre blood, after a rather intense battle with a bear and, some ogres. I'm upset when it isn't a bigger cave to explore, thinking that there would be an epic adventure, full of cave diving, and glory. I was wrong. I press onwards, and encounter a bunch of very bright enemies, in very dark surroundings.

The battle doesn't take too long to resolve, and I take my treasure. I also take care to explore everything, finding a dying monk on the river, after going across a rather lovely, very deliberately Elven bridge.

The monk has some sort of spell case that he gives to me, or some sort of monkly paperwork that needs to be delivered. I take it, and say "trust me" as he dies.

I follow the other bridge towards town, where I am stopped to embark in a monologue with Thaos, who makes me brood some more - but at this point - he's just rambling and rambling. I will kill him, though.

After not too long, I find my way into Twin Elms, which appears to be the city of the elves - they're suspicious about folks gallivanting around their town, and and as a result, give me only access to the slums. Conveniently, I'm told that 'worthy' outsiders can sometimes make their way to the inner sanctum.

I check out the market, and reach a new high on my collection of shiny coins that I have nothing to spend on. There are so many NPCs within the buildings in this town that it is upsetting - its hard to read all their names at once, and it makes it frustrating that there are so many people there for no real reason.

I wander into another building and speak with someone of repute - they're voice acted, and tell me that there's another outsider that was let through - it was Thaos. I do some bullshit witchery with my Watcher talents, and talk my way into being allowed in the other areas of the settlement. I'm that good.

Before I go there, its off to the local watering hole in order to see if there's anything else to do, or anyone else to kill.

This place is so crowded there's even an ogre! Upstairs (or downstairs - the architecture is confusing) - I find the dead monk's friends, and give them their 'special' spell case. I get a paltry reward, and move on, exploring the other buildings in the area indiscriminately, looking for easy targets to steal from. There's a few chests to pick in people's home, and this means a tiny bit of XP. I enjoy this.

Moving onto the next area of the Elven town, Elm's Reach, I find myself entering a lodge of hunters, and they want me to kill off a threat to their succession line. As I'm leaving, another threat to their succession line barters a deal with me - poison them, and he will take charge instead.

Sounds good to me, I'm all about double crossing the shit out of people, especially if it means that they end up dead.

Just look at all of those options pointing to death! The death of the other, that is! The son wants the father poisoned, so I go and obtain said poison - Its not something that I read too much into, picking the first available option. I hastily return to the den of hunters; striding in with a beaming smile and a bottle of full of death.

It immediately appears that the jig is up. All those red circles want me dead. They severly outnumber my party. Lilras, the son tat wanted his father to die, stands in the corner, observing.

As I stand, being slaughtered by a superior number of foes, he stands, absent minded, un-acting, nonreactive and stoic.

I'm met with a familiar screen. I load my save file quickly, and look to see what I can do to improve myself. I remember the impressive metals that I got from the Durgan Battery, the white forge, and I activate Enchantment mode, where I can roleplay the retard from Dragon Age: Origins.

With some stronger weapons, and a smarter formation, and spells at the ready, I re-engage in the mortal combat, this time hoping to remain on the correct side of the river Styx, and not flow along it.

The battle is a long one, but it is a battle that I win, which results in much loot, and a well deserved rest at the inn. It also results in a much healthier pocket full of coin. My riches grow to 181k worth of coin.

I travel back to Elm's Reach from the Hearthsong district, and meet two lovely dryad like folks, who tell me many and numerous things. They tell me about Thaos, and that I'm basically fucked. I'm a Watcher forever. I will read people's minds, souls, and their past for as long as I draw breath.

Thaos is hiding out somewhere scary, and bitter - and the only way in is through the Pit of Death - and apparently, the only way you can through this is with the favor of a god, or gods, and there is conveniently, a temple to the gods right behind them. They ask me what I would do if I came face to face with Thaos - I lie - I say I would forgive him.

I get about a million new quests pop up, and ignore most of them, including the intriguing tidbit of information just given to me. Instead, I wonder off to the 'Blood Sands' where I speak with a Keeper, and wander around for a time, exploring a camp that exists within a cave.

Except, its not a cave, it is a cult. I witness a sacrifice going on. I like these people, a little bit. Everyone in the party is disgusted, but that's for their own consciousnesses to reconcile, me? I think I'll sleep on it.