holoz0r plays Pillars of Eternity - Part Three [of many]

I'm a Watcher. I can see the souls of those present, and past. This is a terrible curse, if I am going to end up like the only other one I've met so far. He was insane, jumping from one reality to the next with each statement. He turned on me, and damn well nearly defeated me. But I won the battle, and the only thing that haunted me was the past, where I had died.

That was in the first town I went to, which has the tree full of nooses. First, I should wander upstairs and talk to the lady who is also the throne in the keep. She informs me that the keep is mine, and that I can spend coin to repair it its former glory. Its my stronghold. I can do with it what I please. There goes that idea of being filthy rich. I'll just own some land and spend money improving it.

If I wanted Fable; and to own the world, I'd play a console game, but I'll play along. I repaired what was required by the quest line, and wanted to make amends on that shameful loading screen. So I head back to the town from whence I came, and go into the dungeon below the noose-tree. Its a charming place.

Combat is easier with several more allies. I've now got a chanter with me in addition to the impossibly tall priest; my ranger and godlike priest (there's a nice ring to that); and Aloth, the miserable, mumbling wizard. I wander around the dungeons like I own the place, killing shadows that would have made my weak party fall apart previously as though they were ants. It feels good.

My party, and Gherk, in particular, are much stronger now:

It doesn't feel powerful enough yet. I want to slay enemies with single blows, or have chains of fetid AoE spill forth from my wizard, destroying large groups of foes. I'm instead driven onward in search of this Queen, now that I've gone back and done what I previously could not.

But first, I should go back to my stronghold to see what is happening there. I did get a notification telling me that something went down. Plus, I've got a load of gold to spend on some more upgrades. I've already forgotten that I didn't want to play Fable. I want the best stronghold in all the lands.

It takes me a day to get there. When I arrive, I'm not impressed. It looks exactly the same as I left it. Stone lady in the throne room has done nothing. There's no progress complete, and my only update is this:

Unacceptable. I could do better with my own two hands, if people weren't so busy throwing quests at me. Speaking of Quests. I need to go back to exactly from where I came, The Gilded Vale, because there's a job for me there to overthrow the bloke in charge.

It was a job given to me by another bloke (I didn't get his name - for real) and I was warned that there will be much combat ahead. This will suffice fine, for my incompetent steward got no work done at all. So I'll cut some people to ribbons instead. Once I get there. In another day.

Except he's not there. When I do arrive, I learn that I can request new structures be built at the stronghold while I'm not there. So my carrier pigeons work well, at the least. That's wonderful. Onward, some more fast travel, and I'm at the Woodend Plains. Probably named as such as that's where it seems the woods end, and the plains begin. Let's see what there is to kill!

These guys are new, and present an actual challenge to my party. Two members get knocked unconscious, and I escape another 'The Party Has Died' screen narrowly before managing to defeat the enemy party. I get no fancy items, but I get a wake up call. Combat is going to definitely be more than click on them and watch them die. I like that, I like that a lot.

I explore the plains without too much excitement occurring, except for the fact that there forest dwellers everywhere, in the plains. Makes sense. I come close to being knocked unconscious a few times (mainly Gherk). This has been due to the fact that he's been a one man tank for much of the game so far, and i think I need to make the ranger in the party more depressed by sending their animal companion in as fodder first.

I meet a new party member and say goodbye to Rooty (I send him back to the stronghold, I hope) and make way for a female who's been waiting the latest incarnation of her friend for five years. She doesn't belive that I can see the soul of this person based on the artefact that she's holding, but agrees to come with me when I tell her that the person they're looking for is on a cliff. That's convenient, because the next area is Stormwall Gorge. I bet you they're there. I'll found out after I wake up, because just like my party, I need rest.