Will Book II start at a higher level?

[jwdenzel]

(First post! Hi!)

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but I've not seen it posted anywhere else. Will Eschalon Book II have the PC's start at a level other than level 1? Or will you be able to transfer your character from Book 1 into Book II?

Because this is a trilogy that has an on-going plot line, it might be neat to play the same character all the way through and have them get REALLY high level in the later games.

J

[BasiliskWrangler]

Greetings jwdenzel.

Book II starts with a Level 1 character. The storyline picks up a couple years after Book I and without constant honing of your adventurous skills, you've become rusty and must begin anew. This mimics the Ultima games (especially the later ones) as they all had a somewhat linked storyline and you always started a fresh character each game, even though you always were "the Avatar" from game to game.

[jwdenzel]

Okay, got it.

I always thought it was a bit silly that a master mage would take a few years off and completely forget how to cast a fireball. You'd think it would come back to him pretty quick.

Either way, sounds like fun. Thanks for the quick reply.

[IJBall]

Greetings jwdenzel.

Book II starts with a Level 1 character. The storyline picks up a couple years after Book I...

A "couple of years"? Or actually more like a decade (in game time)?

Because it seems to me like it would take more than a "couple of years" for Thaermore to "fall", esp. after my character cleaned up the place!

(P.S. In all seriousness, I actually think Book II be set 10-20 years after Book I took place. If anyone's asking me!...)

[BasiliskWrangler]

A "couple of years"? Or actually more like a decade (in game time)?

Because it seems to me like it would take more than a "couple of years" for Thaermore to "fall", esp. after my character cleaned up the place!

(P.S. In all seriousness, I actually think Book II be set 10-20 years after Book I took place. If anyone's asking me!...)

Well, to be honest we never actually say how long has passed (the narrative text may actually say a "few" years rather than a "couple"; I haven't reviewed the intro narration for quite a while) but yes, after you leave Thaermore, things go from bad to worse for that battered region. You'll get a chance at the start of Book II to say how you finished Book I (or if you played or finished it at all) so that the intro narration is adapted better to your personal experience with the first game.

Also remember, you drank a very powerful serum to destroy your previous identity in Book I. Like the lingering effects of any powerful drug, it's likely that you'll have trouble retaining information and your skills will fade away quickly when you have no need to use or practice them. You'll recall that whether you finished the game "good" or "evil", you quickly settled into a quiet life and avoided any further adventuring.

[steve062580]

The REAL story is that, since you settled down after Book 1, you had a couple kids and spent your "few years off" saving up gold coins to send them to school and now that you are totally broke after doing that you have to start all over from scratch. You have no cash to buy new mage spells, thats why you are a little rusty.

Hope that wasn't a spoiler...