This is the online version of the fota.txt file
This page will be updated as more information becomes available closer to release.
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- Fate of the Auren by PJH
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Fate of the Auren is the final module of the Auren Trilogy and was created for a single player Wizard or Sorcerer of any sex that has completed the first two modules in the series, Almraiven and Shadewood.
If you have not played Almraiven or Shadewood, you may import a level six Wizard or Sorcerer to play Fate of the Auren. As Fate of the Auren is a continuation of Almraiven and Shadewood, having the database file from both adventurers will provide the player with more side-quests as the choices made in Almraiven and Shadewood have an affect on what happens in Fate of the Auren.
If you have completed Almraiven and Shadewood but reinstalled Neverwinter Nights or did not backup your Neverwinter Nights\Database directory, you will still be be able to play Fate of the Auren but you'll only experience the main plot and any side-quest not related to choices made in Almraiven and Shadewood.
The adventure takes place within the Land of the Dead, a realm created by the memories of spirits sorted by the Well of Souls.
Fate of the Auren is a full world adventure and due to the nature of arriving to the realm as a spirit after dying at the end of Shadewood, only items worn by the character are carried over.
Contact information :
E-mail : p2k__@hotmail.com
Forum : Fester Pot
Web : http://aurensociety.blogspot.com
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--[0]-- TOC
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[00] Table of Contents
[01] Software Requirements
[02] Hardware Requirements
[03] About the Module
[04] Introduction
[05] Currency
[06] Reagents
[07] Experience
[08] Build Suggestions
[09] Exploring the World
[10] Conversations
[11] Companions
[12] The Database
[13] Build Notes
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--[1]-- SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
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Fate of the Auren requires the following :
+ Neverwinter Nights 1.69 or higher
+ Shadows of Undrentide
+ Hordes of the Underdark
+ Almraiven Hakpak [REQUIRED]
- almraivenhak.rar
- Install jts.hak to your NWN\hak directory.
+ Almraiven Music [RECOMMENDED]
- almraivenmus.rar
- Install all .bmu files to your NWN\music directory.
+ Shadewood Hakpak [REQUIRED]
- shadewhak.rar
- Install jtsfom.hak to your NWN\hak directory.
+ Shadewood TLK [REQUIRED]
- shadewtlk.rar
- Install dla_treant.tlk to your NWN\tlk directory.
+ Shadewood Music [RECOMMENDED]
- shadewmus.rar
- Install all .bmu files to your NWN\music directory.
+ Fate of the Auren Tileset Add-on [REQUIRED]
- wrm_SeasonalV10.rar
- Install wrm_SeasonalV10.hak to your NWN\hak directory.
+ Fate of the Auren Hakpak [REQUIRED]
- fotahak.rar
- Install jtslod.hak to your NWN\hak directory.
+ Fate of the Auren Music [RECOMMENDED]
- fotamus.rar
- Install all .bmu files to your NWN\music directory.
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--[2]-- HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
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Do not attempt to play this module with an integrated graphic card. This means that the graphic card you have is built into your motherboard. Fate of the Auren uses many placeables as well as a high intensity tileset and an integrated graphic card may not be able to keep up with the high demand.
1 GIG of memory is suggested.
128MB Graphic Card no older than the 2001 GeForce 4600 TI cards.
700 megs of hard drive space.
Fate of the Auren was built with the requirements noted above. If your system is better than that, you'll be fine.
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--[3]-- ABOUT THE MODULE
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+ Single player.
+ Wizard or Sorcerer.
+ No death respawn.
+ No familiars.
+ Light to Medium combat.
+ Estimated 10+ hours of gameplay.
+ 40+ side quests.
+ Resting available in designated locations found in the wilderness and inns.
+ Three henchmen available via quests completed in Almraiven and Shadewood.
+ Best results for characters that have completed Almraiven and Shadewood.
+ There are a number of cutscenes during the game that you cannot break out of.
+ Play this module with the lights down low for best gaming results.
+ Breaking out of a conversation may create problems. Just go with the options and always complete a conversation properly.
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--[4]-- INTRODUCTION
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"There are moments in every spirits existence, moments in which they can recall by a simple reflection of thought.
Such projections help recreate the visual, the acoustic and even the very feeling of that thought.
In the Land of the Dead, these projections become the very foundation in which spirits come to call home.
Created from thought, by thought, each projection is bound into a single strand and becomes part of the weave itself.
In this realm, nightmares breathe life and the thought of it can come true.
For the Auren Society of Weavers, such a nightmare is at hand."
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--[5]-- CURRENCY
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The currency in the Land of the Dead are small colored gems and coins of various sizes known as Shards. Their size, color and shape reflect a specific value.
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--[6]-- REAGENTS
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Reagents were once an important part of creating the Weave that the Auren Society of Weavers required in the Land of the Living, assisting them to complete a spell by drawing power from the Land of the Dead. As one now arrives in the true realm, reagents are no longer required to create a Weave to unleash a spell. Brewing potions will still require ingredients to assist you during the adventure.
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--[7]-- EXPERIENCE
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You will receive experience during your adventure. Particular points of interest that will earn you experience :
Combat
Avoiding Combat
Using a Skill
Brewing a Potion
Learning Something New
Receiving a Side Quest
Advancing the Investigation
Completing a Task
Solving a Puzzle
Surviving a Dangerous Task
Saving Someone
Reading a Book/Studying
Creating a Weave
Gaining Knowledge
Do take the time to explore the world. By doing so, you will find side quests that can help you gain more experience.
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--[8]-- BUILD SUGGESTIONS
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Fate of the Auren can offer many experience advancements and quickly too depending on how many side quests one decides to explore.
I highly suggest to go the route of a Pale Master if you have not done so already in Shadewood. This particular prestige class can offer a closer representation of what the Auren Society becomes in the Land of the Dead.
This is purely a role-playing suggestion and there are no special quests or conversation options surrounding the Pale Master class.
Of course, you may continue to go up in levels as a pure Wizard or Sorcerer if you so desire.
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--[9]-- EXPLORING THE WORLD
+----------------------------------------------------+
Fate of the Auren is all about exploring and arriving to the Land of the Dead as a spirit, things will seem a little strange. The events that unfolded during Almraiven and Shadewood have had an impact in the Land of the Dead. Some spirits may mention what has been happening in the Land of the Dead while you existed in the Land of the Living while others simply will show no interest. Fate of the Auren is not only a wilderness adventure but one also filled with towns, villages and cities. It is a vast realm of spirits and weird projections found in the fourth corner of the realm.
Resting is limited and this is made very clear once you leave the protection of particular locations that are otherwise safe havens.
Exploring will not only help you come across side quests but will also assist you in finding new areas of interest.
Although the main plot is linear in nature, you will be free to explore the entire realm as you wish, as fast or as slow as you wish. Some side quests will require that you complete another side quest before you're able to continue or that you learn of a place in the realm before you can travel there. This is also the case with the main plot.
If you find yourself lost, follow the Auren Investigation journal you've received at the start of the adventure. This will allow you to focus on the main plot and also give you some general direction. The journal is your friend and is used as often as it can, even for some basic quests.
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--[10]-- CONVERSATIONS
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Kind of conversations :
-----------------------
Descriptive -
These will pop-up to give you more detail of the area you have entered or a description for something that is only a few feet away. If you have a companion with you, they may inject a comment or two along the way. Always complete these conversations properly.
Companion -
As you venture forward in your investigation, find quests and new places to explore, your companion will converse with you. Always complete these conversations properly.
Non-Player Characters -
These are your typical conversations that will allow you to dig for information and learn a little bit more about your surroundings.
Conversation options :
-----------------------
These will vary depending on the situation and those you are speaking with.
Skills -
Skill checks are offered and made against your character based on the choices you make or questions you ask. Skill use are Bluff, Intimidate, Lore and Persuade. Even if you have 0 in the three cross-class skills, there's still a chance to gain information by other methods.
Offering Shards -
When a skill check fails or there is no other option remaining, offering a certain amount of shards can change the course of the conversation. The higher amount you offer, the better.
Weaving Spells -
Spells in conversations continue in Fate of the Auren and have been expanded in an attempt to offer more conversation variety as well as make use of spells that don't make the popularity list. The following spells are used a lot in conversations:
Harmful: Acid Splash, Electric Jolt, Ray of Frost
PASS : NPCs will fear the power you're able to wield
FAIL : Shards or skill check or attack or nothing
Horror : Fear, Scare
PASS : NPCs will see things and quickly spill the beans
FAIL : Shards or skill check or attack or nothing
Rigid : Ghoul Touch, Hold Person
PASS : NPCs will only be able to move their eyes and lips
FAIL : Shards or skill check or attack or nothing
Friend : Charm Person, Tasha's Hideous Laughter
PASS : NPCs treat you like a close and trusted friend
FAIL : Shards or skill check or attack or nothing
Useful : Knock, Acid Splash
PASS : Unlock tumblers of a locked door
FAIL : Tumblers remain locked
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--[11]-- COMPANIONS
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Fate of the Auren offers a total of three companions based on choices made in Almraiven and Shadewood and two new companions one can find in the Land of the Dead. The former are found through a specific side-quest associated to the companion you traveled with in Almraiven and Shadewood while the latter come across as spirits you meet during your adventure.
Annex [Druid Female (Grower)]
"The very eyes of this Human Female pierce right through you as she catches you watching her and memories swirl of a previous existence within your mind. There is a feeling of calm that suddenly washes over you and the smell of flowers seem near. Her hair shimmers in the moonlight and the old black and cyan robe she once wore is now stitched in earthly shades and colors."
Annex is a result from completing the Darwien's Disappearance quest in Almraiven. You saved Darwien but also had to kill Falis for not saving his sister Wundra.
A Druid that comes with an animal companion named Patterfoot, Annex is the most difficult of the three companions to attain.
Her journey with you through Shadewood was a helpful one for it took place in her true element, where she brought forth a different view of what was happening in the wood.
Dying at your side, her spirit now exists in the Land of the Dead.
Falis Goodmane [Fighter Male, (Dancer)]
"The very glare directed toward you from this muscular Human Male is cold. Crisp blue eyes that once captured your gaze now leave you feeling empty and lost. Blood stains his light colored hair while torn cloth and stitch hug scars and deep wounds that cut right into his very soul."
Falis is a result from completing Wundra's Wonder quest in Almraiven. You helped find his sister and saved her from the Werefolk who had her locked up in the sewers.
Falis specializes in the quarterstaff and is very quick on his feet but does not have any experience in adventure travel.
His problem with bugs was made perfectly clear during your journey through Shadewood but as the end drew near, his focus in protecting you outgrew that fear.
Dying at your side, his spirit now exists in the Land of the Dead.
Shayla Shay [Sorcerer Female, (Guardian)]
"The projected memory of this Human Female is not what you recall from your previous existence. Eyes that were once cyan color are now black and the staff she once held does not have the same weave as it did before. The staff pulsates blue, shifting in size and design as if alive."
Shayla is a result from completing the Something in the Works quest in Almraiven. You helped find her sister and save her from the slave traders who had her locked up and ready to be shipped out.
Shayla also experienced fighting Blackend Souls and knows first hand what the Darkness did in the depths below Almraiven.
Her knowledge of this continued in Shadewood as the two of you moved to unlock the mystery of the wood. It is where she also came to terms with the very man who was responsible for the capture of her sister Kira.
Shayla comes with an intelligent staff named Nala that she is bound to by magical means and both died at your side.
Her spirit now exists in the Land of the Dead.
Ahlias Nox [Ranger Male, (Wilder)]
"The wary eyes of this Human Male watch you from where he stands. A green and brown cloak, stained with mud and soot along the edge, drapes over his large frame. A long sword carried by the man hangs off his left hip by a crude loop made of rope while a bow string hugs his chest from the shortbow slung over his shoulder. Dark browns, shades of tan and a touch of green lace in and out of the fabric of his cloth and stitch."
Ahlias Nox is from a distant projection where the very edge of the Emptiness meets the realm. His travels south got him caught between the Darkness that had begun to swallow the Land of the Dead and if not for small pockets, his spirit would have been consumed by shadow and filth.
He now travels northward toward Twyll, his home, where he hopes to rest his spirit and relax.
Chaj-ja [Fighter Female, (Hunter)]
"Chaj-ja's large golden reptilian eyes dance wildly as if expecting an attack at anytime. Many of the multiple horns at the back of her head are cracked or have been snapped off. She's a renowned warrior of the Chah-kra Tribe, hunting and killing numerous Stoneless that dwell deep in Bramblewood Moor."
Chaj-ja is very ignorant when it comes to projections outside of Bramblewood Moor, the projection she has existed in since arriving to the Land of the Dead. Existing in a festering bog, Chaj-ja is quite content with hunting and fishing but becomes drawn to the realm beyond after hearing stories and reading books on the subject.
She is clumsy out of her element and makes a lot of noise when she moves about on land, stomping and walking into things without much effort. At first sight, spirits see her as a Troll but her large blinking eyes and twitching ears soon put an end to that.
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--[12]-- THE DATABASE
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Fate of the Auren will use a campaign database in your NWN\Database directory that was used during your adventure in Almraiven and Shadewood.
These files should not be tampered with or deleted and if they have, you will still be able to play Fate of the Auren but will not experience the side-quests presented in the module based on the choices you made in Almraiven and Shadewood.
I should stress that the database is not used DURING your adventure, this is also the same for Almraiven and Shadewood. Saving your game and reloading it will not access the database and force you to play through choices you've already made. The database for Fate of the Auren is read when the module loads, to see what choices a player made in Almraiven and Shadewood, stores that information to variables on the module and populates Fate of the Auren.
+----------------------------------------------------+
--[13]-- BUILD NOTES
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++ SPOILERS REMOVED ++
! = Fixed.
+ = Added.
x = Removed.
* = Completed.
# = Latest NWN Patch.
@ = Unavailable.
? = Bad bug / no fix yet.
| Fate of the Auren Info | 10.12.11 |
| So now what? | 08.28.11 |
And so building continues. . .
One area after the other continues to become populated with conversations and NPCs. Work on the module is just that, regardless of what it is I plan to do when I sit down to do it - at least, that's what I keep telling myself.
Conversations can be a killer when it comes time to adding content, even if it's not plot related but as a builder, I want to offer non-plot NPCs with things to say. From a tavern patron to a local farmer in his field, there should be that interaction - it's what I like in a module, so it's what I build in a module.
Much of the module I've designed has already been displayed with screenshots, yet there is still a good collection of information that has yet to be offered over the development of Fate of the Auren, by far my biggest investment in time and design. With that said, for those who stop in from time to time, is there anything you'd like to know regarding Fate of the Auren - outside of a release date?
I'd like to read it and perhaps put a few blurbs on the blog about it.
| A look back ... | 06.21.11 |
First day of summer!
I thought it would be a nice way to look back at the design of Almraiven and Shadewood for those who wonder what it took and how it is I organize the flow of work that brought life to both adventures. Much of the design I do while building is attached to the notes I make for the story arc, side-quests and ideas that happen to pop into my head.
My favorite notebooks while building is the Cambridge Limited Business Notebooks because of its wirebound binding, legal ruler and the ability to tear the pages out of the notebook neatly if required because of the perforated pages.
Here are some pictures of my personal notes while building Almraiven and Shadewood. Captions are included in case you can't read my chicken scratch!
A full page dedicated to distributing the music for particular areas in Almraiven as to avoid duplicate tracks being played in different areas. Take a look at the bottom right of the picture and you'll notice 1CINN (One Copper Inn - Volothamp) for tracks HAUNT1 through HAUNT4. Shadewood was already part of Almraiven at this time but as the module grew, the areas were removed and a second module was created.
This one is interesting because of what is not scribbled out. The highlight is to catch my eye when updating a module and in this particular instance, this update never made it into Almraiven.
It is an extension to The Cuttback Kat Murders, where the player begins to find blood and wooden stakes in the streets of Almraiven and nothing more.
Azuv was also the fourth companion in Almraiven the player could have picked up for their journey to Shadewood but the last leg of the quest and Azuv, as a companion, was cut.
The highlighted line mentions being able to take the wooden stakes and ask Flaux or Luanu about them and learn they originated from Woods and Goods. Finding all three wooden stakes would have had Azuv approach you on Rosetyl Street where a vampire lair could be found in an old abandoned building. The vampire lair is operated by Zoetia, the mother of the Nightshade who you can come across in Shadewood.
The line that is not highlighted captures the idea of hearing from Flaux about your break-in, either on the Blood Runner or Spectral's Call, which was a quest requirement to get the body of your laboratory assistant. Instead, it was moved to the Town Crier on Caravan Run.
Shadewood notes and quite a lot going on with this page. Some of what is mentioned was implemented to the adventure while others were not. Even looking back at this, I'm not sure the direction I was going with a few of the comments that remain, such as:
Body snatchers - in Bog's Wart
Spider lair - return bones
Madmoon Mardigan - killed kid's parents
Return bones to spirit killed by Spider Queen
Slyete - cleanse out the dead from keep
More scribbles dot the page with potion brewing and their ingredients.
Finally, the above shows a detailed quest idea before it was added to the module. These notes are for the Marching Mountains region in Shadewood and what I came up with during the initial quest of what I thought the player should have to do.
At one point, I thought of having the player make their own wooden pan pipes, but as you can see, I scribbled out the idea. The Marching Mountains was the last incomplete area in Shadewood and I left it to the very end; I just didn't have the feel for it yet.
A few other ideas never made it either, as the Treants never do teach the player any new songs but the Elves do instead. Also, rather than having them turned to stone, they were dead or alive depending on the day/night cycle after the Treants attempted to fix the Mythal.
And that Ettin was added to the cave!
So why do I keep these books? They're history of course and help me think back to the early days of building and learning how to use the toolset, script and put it all together. Plus, perhaps I'll get that itch again to add a few more things down the road, one never knows, so having the notes and highlighted ideas will make finding them a lot easier too.
| My love is back! | 05.31.11 |
Namaste!
Guess who's back from India!
What an amazing adventure full of friendly people and a beautiful back drop for them to live in, outside of the garbage, the smells and poverty that is in almost every direction you look. Varanasi, Mumbai, Varkala and Darjeeling to Gangtok are my personal favorite highlights of India by far. Of course, it isn't fair for me to toss in the negatives above but they are a reality of India that you cannot ignore if you go there but once you accept it for what it is, India is a very wonderful country.
I was taken back by having to pay to use a public washroom and felt bad when I had no small change to offer those who kept it clean and in working order. As time went on, I learned to carry small amounts for such unexpected encounters - like the boy following me around carrying an empty potato sack, his young innocent face covered in streaks of dirt, his ruffled hair a home to clumps of dust and his clothing nothing more than tattered rags we'd use to wash our car, asking for small change to get to the next day. He wasn't poking me or lifting held fingers together to simulate eating, he just followed me in the street and whenever I'd turn around, he'd stop and stand, gazing right back in return. Sadly I did not have my camera on me and if I did, I'd had given him a lot more for the opportunity to take his picture.
Goa is well known for its beaches but if you're looking to get away from the crowds of Palolem and Goa in general, hit Varkala in Kerala instead. Rather than flying from Delhi International to Goa, you can go from New Delhi to Trivandrum International Airport and grab a taxi to the beaches of Varkala. The hut resorts and dotted hotels are on the cliff, with the beaches below, so your view of the surrounding region is done from a natural high point already, giving you a nice view of the entire coast.
Even though it had not reached summer highs as of yet, being in Rajasthan along the Pakistan border was brutal. Hot days of scortching heat with an equally unrelenting and unforgiving sun caused tempatures to soar in Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Bikaner, making travel uncomfortable, although camping under the stars in the Thar Desert made getting out there worth the hassle of fighting with the heat.
So I've been working on a side project for the Neverwinter Nights Community, putting together some new loadscreens and I've been fiddling with this off and on since my return, while I run through the Fate of the Auren to get back into the flow of things. These are specific to Fate of the Auren but will also be released to the community as an individual package.
Things will slowly return to normal, as they always do but until then, I still miss the great people I met along the way and continue to think of you all.
| My love on hold... | 02.14.11 |
An aching heart
Does anyone really like a break up on Valentine's Day? That's the Fate ... of the Auren ... at this point in time. Things have taken a turn in my personal life, a now or never opportunity, that surfaced and I took hold of. The final module in the trilogy has gone well during the initial building stage and I'm quite happy with what I've put together. The important areas are done and writing has begun, in clumps and spurts, to be honest with those who still stop by from time to time. The plot arc is well developed and I know the direction the module will take, so no worries on that part either.
Sadly, Fate of the Auren did not begin immediate development after the completion of Shadewood which begun soon after the completion of Almraiven. I took a much needed break when Shadewood went public and took my time in putting together a possible story arc for a third and final module, leaving the option in the air until I was ready to continue building. That's the main reason it has not met the two year gap that I planned for.
When development for Fate of the Auren began, I had started to fiddle with a few tilesets, which took most of my time in the early development cycle, not particularly focusing on any form or structure in bringing a story to life but rather, just having fun and visualizing a possibility of a third and final module. In comparison to Almraiven and Shadewood, Fate of the Auren adds a level of complexity that in itself, is Almraiven and Shadewood combined. It is the final tale that never had an ending when Almraiven was first created and even with the release of Shadewood, a much darker tale in itself, created a larger story arc that was incomplete and growing.
The added level of being dead and the choices in which the player has made through Almraiven and Shadewood is quite grand and impressive. Did the player take the time to assist Ashe, Mera and Kesa in the Demons of an Old Man quest while adventuring in Almraiven? Did the player kill Colir Loomstalk or Zoetia in Shadewood? Who is their laboratory assistant or their companion? Did that companion die in the Land of the Living as a ghost or not? How about Luana? Was she found dead in her home within Almraiven because the player walked around the city announcing they were a member of the Auren Society of Weavers? A few of the many choices a player is able to make during the course of their ... living ... adventure.
The opportunity that I mentioned above begins on February 16, 2011 and one I need to do for myself. Fate of the Auren will see completion, just not in the time frame I wanted. Life tosses you pitches and when you know you'll hit a grand slam, you swing, run the bases and come home when you're good and ready.
I'm off to Nepal and India for 4 months, my own adventure and because of this, Fate of the Auren development is on hold until June 2011.
Direct communication may be done through my e-mail, found within the Almraiven.txt and Shadewood.txt files.
I will not be checking this blog while I am away or responding to any communications left on the Bioware message forum.
Until my return,
PJH!
