ネバーウィンターの勇者伝説~Concepts of something already existent [Mk II]

Okay, I've yet to start my analysis on how awesome  the combat hunter ranger tree has gotten this time round. At the same time, I'm currently waiting for the current patch to hit home so that I can see for myself whether a hellbinder temptress is a better fit for Kariss (both gameplay and character wise). Suffice to say, I wasn't willing to burn 116K astral diamonds for a feats-boons respec even thought there's no actual reason for me to burn 7 Savras tokens for a resepc token (then again, there's no reason for me to spend the Savras tokens generally speaking as well). By next week (hopefully), I'll give my personal take on both Arylos and Kariss' character (gameplay) developments.
(note: I won't be touching on the new campaign for a while until Myrreas completes Icewind Dale).

[Add note: Hopefully the new rewritten version of A Requiem from Winter Past will be upped before this weekend]

Hence for now, I'll be doing this below...

Don't we all love moral choices? This November, moral choices will be made and America will never be the same again. If you think that's a joke, then you're sorely wrong. If you think voting is not about making moral choices, then I need to ask who is your god (if you happen to abstain due to your own freedom of [moral] choice, then I don't have to ask who is your god).

Enough about foreign politics, let's go onto moral choices in ネバーウィンターの勇者伝説. Because this is not the Witcher series, therefore there's only this much I can work with the freedom of moral choice. Because this is not a video gaming version of A Song of Ice and Fire, there's nothing much I can do about the freedom of moral choice. Definitely I don't have any freedom of movement since this not my very own 餓狼の鎮魂曲 (wait, Requiem of the Lone Wolf sounds better than Requiem from Winter Past...).

There are two ways to decide your characters' moral alignment. 

1. Moral choices in-game. This applies to your default, unlockable, and DLC characters.

2. Having the freedom of choice to be good, evil, or neutral. Don't we all love rolling for the stats while deciding everything else?

I'll touch on the first aspect here (since the second aspect is all about Steel and Magic, Heroes and Villains).

D&D anyone?

D&D not as in your department's Dinner & Dance even though you and your other two BFFs happen to be colleagues as well. D&D not as in Dungeons & Dragons even if either Jason Mraz or JJ Lin happens to be your DM. D&D is all about Deals & Decisions. When you deal with a person, you're interacting with that person. When you have to make decisions concerning a person, it means you're dealing with that person. There are two ways to put yourself into a point of moral choice.

1. The relevant skill checks (i.e. Bluff, Intimidation. and Diplomacy)

2. Direct Q&A (i.e. MCQ. If you don't know what is MCQ, it means you've most likely failed in life)

Note that the two factors can overlap. For example, you can run a skill check, only to realize there's a social MCQ waiting for you.  Then there will also be other moments where either a skill check or a Q&A is enough to settle the issue.

Moral choices will affect a few things. Namely...

1. Unlocking of side-quests

2. Bonus stuff (read: freebies)

3. One thing leading to another (read: various manners of recommendation)

4. Whether that person will be your friend or enemy (read: either you earn yourself a comrade or foe)

5. Chances of starting a free-for-all (read: self-explanatory)
6. Whether your ending will suck (read: only in certain circumstances, not always or even often)

Various story modes

I really like this song. And it doesn't help that Nasu Kinoko is known for stuff like this, this and this. In the Neverwinter Six saga, the story mode will focus on the titular characters.Separated into six parts, you'll need to complete Arylos' path in order to unlock other characters' respective story mode where the remaining Five will be automatically unlocked. At the same time, there's also the chance of choosing which character to use in the scenario where more than one of the Six are present. However, you must complete the relevant portions before being able to do so. Another alternative will be to replay the quest once you've completed that particular character's story mode. Below are the character paths available:

~Left Hand of Kelemvor~

This is Arylos' path. Chronicling his life from his days with Eldreth Veluuthra, his journey would one day lead him to the Neverwinter Wood. From there, Neverwinter would eventually witness a manner of hero never seen since the days of Lord Nasher Alagondar. A person living in constant conflict, Arylos could never understand a peaceful life beyond the battlefield.

A/N: Because I don't want to accidentally add a personal touch to the whole big evil boss, I decided to alter the name from Isil to Isrin.

~Fist of Torm~

This is Bhaasmond Taran's story starting from his early years as part of the Flaming Fists. From there onward, the half-orc would eventually meet a soldier named Wilfred whose untimely demise would entwine the fate of the Jewel of the North with his. Being an unwanted product of rape, Bhaasmond sought to find his own self-worth as the ultimate aim.

A/N: Bhaasmond's path is the only one where the prologue stage of Neverwinter Online becomes legit in-game.

~Image of Mystra~

Cyrea Durothil's route. From her early years of self-imposed exile in Cormanthor to her days amongst the Lords' Alliance, the daughter of the prestigious House Durothil has seen much in a brutally flawed world still recovering from the Spellplague. Having decided that Neverwinter was far more of a home compared to Evermeet, her presence went a long way in stabilizing the previously fractured relationship between Dagult Neverember and the Harpers. As one understanding loss in its entirety, Cyrea strived not let the same tragedy befalling unto others.

A/N: Cyrea's path will begin straightaway at Neverwinter. At the same time, she's already a member of the Lords' Alliance by the start of the game. Per implied by her story mode title, I'm planning to integrate Mystra into her storyline. Maybe it's not so bad an idea to ditch the plan for a Tiamat set and give her a Sigil of the Controller instead (read: Tiamat set is more useful for righteous spec imo).

To be cont'd... b/c my brain is shutting down after days of late night adrenaline.