Ironworks Gaming Forum

Cannot comment on female/male/whatever thingie mix-up, as being a male I always play male chars, period. Just wanted to add one thing - while Anomen does 'talk' a lot and boast some things which seem to be a bit too big piece of a cake for him to bite, has anyone EVER tried to look behind his 'fassade' [img]smile.gif[/img] ? To give any thought as to why he perhaps 'acts' as he does?

I.e. anyone failed to see a little thingies as the fact that as a boy, he really loved his mother and sister, as the mother was only one who really cared about them. Their father was a drunkard even before that, mother was the one who really raised them alone. She died, from tensions or whatever, while Anomen and his sister were still kids. The death of mother never bothered the old Cor Delryn, and the children were literally thrown to the fate. They had a house they lived in, but it couldn't be called a home. They had an adult with them, but it was a drunkard and something you don't really call a father. Anomen was the one who raised himself and his sister up. Since childhood he dreamt of becoming the knight of Radiant Heart, since the moment his mother took him to Order, where he saw the knights standing in formation. He was not and is not attracted by their shiny armor, but by their deeds. His vews are somewhat too 'big' on some things, but so was the whole life to him.

When he was in age to become a part of the order, to become a Page, he could not be that. The reason was that in order to become a member of the Radiant Heart, you need a recommendation, sponsorship. ONLY one who could have given that to him, the support and encourage, was his father and he didn't give a squat about it. So Anomen was rejected as he had no sponsor. Most of people, in-game and in real life would have quit this, but what did he do? He did not quit, he searched for the alternative and found it - having already went through the warrior training, the Temple of Helm was ready to accept him as a priest. That meant the service to the Helm for YEARS, to prove yourself, which might in the end earn enough respect, so that the Temple of Helm will sponsorhip him, so that he can become a member of Radiant Heart. Helm is not easy to please, Anomen could have chosen some more 'merrier' deity, i.e. Lathander. But he didn't, he went more difficult way so that he could prove that his intentions are real.

Now, he does boast about many combat victories, but the funny thing is, he isn't exagerrating very much. I am not sure whether he single-handedly defeated some 20+ giants, but I am sure that he has indeed defeated some with his group, where he was a squire. Just that sometimes the 'group' and 'we' becomes 'I' :D Pay no attention to that detail though. Fact is, as a servant of Helm he could not boast about things he has not done. Lathander, the good god, would smile on a servant who is strong and faithful, a la "He's exaggerating some, but he is faithful, so let him has his fun". Helm would not do anything like that. And yet we know that the Anomen was not scorned by the church, in fact he was looked upon with favourably. Remember that it was Sir Ryan Trawl HIMSELF who seeked him out to call him to the judging, and not some lowly messenger or Page? Do you think that some high ranking officer would go out to find someone who is not in favour and well recommended?

And during all this time, all these years, he tried to hold together his home, make so that his father would not drink away everything they have, and continued to raise his sister and protect her. And just once, when he left the house for a bit longer time then usually, his father failed to do the most elementary thing - protect their home, the life of the sister. Not to mention that it was the father who caused the death of Moira. How you think this would make you feel?

No, I am not a fan of Anomen. He's not my style, just like Aerie isn't. However Aerie and Anomen are like the same coin, just the two different sides - weak and tough, although from these 2 sides I would have more respect towards Anomen. He has built everything up with his own hands, without the support from anyone, he has had many great losses and rejections throughout his life and yet he has moved on, never giving up. When some path was blocked to him, he seeked out another path past the block - no matter how hard or long - and continued towards his goal. If you play the game with female char and have a romance with him, and make him the member of his order - what does Anomen do in the end? He forgives to his father, stating that he still loves him. Imagine, he forgives and still loves and respects the person, who has been the cause of all the grief in his life, the death of two most closest persons in his life, because that person is his father. You know, my hat is off before him. I don't think I could have done that, if I would have been in such situation.

His current behaviour is simply a 'fassade', what he has built around him to protect him. He doesn't trust anyone, as the trust so far has ended with the death of those, for whom he cares, one after another. Trust someone and they shatter your life. Trust someone and they never support you. So, he built up this 'fassade' and truth is, many people "bounce" off of it, showing that they never see further then that 'fassade'.

Why I wrote all this long essay? You know, in real life I also watch people. I listen to them, I learn them, and I often see more then most others. I have seen quite few people in real-life who are like Anomen, with their fassade. But once I saw past it, I met and become familiar with some really really great people, friends, who would not be afraid to throw their life away for you. As they say, "I would go to war with him". And, those who have ToB, read about Anomen's fate at the game's end - did he go and rest on his 'laurels'? No, he moved on to help those in need, he even founded his own guild dedicated to it, because he thought that other such guilds (Radiant Heart) are too lazy in many instances and close their eyes on some issues, where they should have actually acted.

Think people, think before you decide something. If you decide about the person by the first looks, you are really pretty bad with people then. You will miss many great people, and you will meet also many "bad" people, who look good on the outside, but are rotten inside.

EDIT: added some letters here or there, some are missing probably anyway :D And just to add this - I think that the dude or dudette over in Bioware, who "made" Anomen, has done actually really good job. Would be good to know it was, as the person who did him knows actually well the 'human nature' and their behaviours. Grats to the Bioware developer who did it, I am impressed. Most other chars are so obvious, but Anomen has done well, and most people have looked regarding him exactly into the same direction, which is wrong heh. Well done, good script [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 02-12-2002: Message edited by: Whailor ]

[ 02-12-2002: Message edited by: Whailor ]</p>

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Whailor:
Cannot comment on female/male/whatever thingie mix-up, as being a male I always play male chars, period. Just wanted to add one thing - while Anomen does 'talk' a lot and boast some things which seem to be a bit too big piece of a cake for him to bite, has anyone EVER tried to look behind his 'fassade' [img]smile.gif[/img] ? To give any thought as to why he perhaps 'acts' as he does?

I.e. anyone failed to see a little thingies as the fact that as a boy, he really loved his mother and sister, as the mother was only one who really cared about them. Their father was a drunkard even before that, mother was the one who really raised them alone. She died, from tensions or whatever, while Anomen and his sister were still kids. The death of mother never bothered the old Cor Delryn, and the children were literally thrown to the fate. They had a house they lived in, but it couldn't be called a home. They had an adult with them, but it was a drunkard and something you don't really call a father. Anomen was the one who raised himself and his sister up. Since childhood he dreamt of becoming the knight of Radiant Heart, since the moment his mother took him to Order, where he saw the knights standing in formation. He was not and is not attracted by their shiny armor, but by their deeds. His vews are somewhat too 'big' on some things, but so was the whole life to him.

When he was in age to become a part of the order, to become a Page, he could not be that. The reason was that in order to become a member of the Radiant Heart, you need a recommendation, sponsorship. ONLY one who could have given that to him, the support and encourage, was his father and he didn't give a squat about it. So Anomen was rejected as he had no sponsor. Most of people, in-game and in real life would have quit this, but what did he do? He did not quit, he searched for the alternative and found it - having already went through the warrior training, the Temple of Helm was ready to accept him as a priest. That meant the service to the Helm for YEARS, to prove yourself, which might in the end earn enough respect, so that the Temple of Helm will sponsorhip him, so that he can become a member of Radiant Heart. Helm is not easy to please, Anomen could have chosen some more 'merrier' deity, i.e. Lathander. But he didn't, he went more difficult way so that he could prove that his intentions are real.

Now, he does boast about many combat victories, but the funny thing is, he isn't exagerrating very much. I am not sure whether he single-handedly defeated some 20+ giants, but I am sure that he has indeed defeated some with his group, where he was a squire. Just that sometimes the 'group' and 'we' becomes 'I' :D Pay no attention to that detail though. Fact is, as a servant of Helm he could not boast about things he has not done. Lathander, the good god, would smile on a servant who is strong and faithful, a la "He's exaggerating some, but he is faithful, so let him has his fun". Helm would not do anything like that. And yet we know that the Anomen was not scorned by the church, in fact he was looked upon with favourably. Remember that it was Sir Ryan Trawl HIMSELF who seeked him out to call him to the judging, and not some lowly messenger or Page? Do you think that some high ranking officer would go out to find someone who is not in favour and well recommended?

And during all this time, all these years, he tried to hold together his home, make so that his father would not drink away everything they have, and continued to raise his sister and protect her. And just once, when he left the house for a bit longer time then usually, his father failed to do the most elementary thing - protect their home, the life of the sister. Not to mention that it was the father who caused the death of Moira. How you think this would make you feel?

No, I am not a fan of Anomen. He's not my style, just like Aerie isn't. However Aerie and Anomen are like the same coin, just the two different sides - weak and tough, although from these 2 sides I would have more respect towards Anomen. He has built everything up with his own hands, without the support from anyone, he has had many great losses and rejections throughout his life and yet he has moved on, never giving up. When some path was blocked to him, he seeked out another path past the block - no matter how hard or long - and continued towards his goal. If you play the game with female char and have a romance with him, and make him the member of his order - what does Anomen do in the end? He forgives to his father, stating that he still loves him. Imagine, he forgives and still loves and respects the person, who has been the cause of all the grief in his life, the death of two most closest persons in his life, because that person is his father. You know, my hat is off before him. I don't think I could have done that, if I would have been in such situation.

His current behaviour is simply a 'fassade', what he has built around him to protect him. He doesn't trust anyone, as the trust so far has ended with the death of those, for whom he cares, one after another. Trust someone and they shatter your life. Trust someone and they never support you. So, he built up this 'fassade' and truth is, many people "bounce" off of it, showing that they never see further then that 'fassade'.

Why I wrote all this long essay? You know, in real life I also watch people. I listen to them, I learn them, and I often see more then most others. I have seen quite few people in real-life who are like Anomen, with their fassade. But once I saw past it, I met and become familiar with some really really great people, friends, who would not be afraid to throw their life away for you. As they say, "I would go to war with him". And, those who have ToB, read about Anomen's fate at the game's end - did he go and rest on his 'laurels'? No, he moved on to help those in need, he even founded his own guild dedicated to it, because he thought that other such guilds (Radiant Heart) are too lazy in many instances and close their eyes on some issues, where they should have actually acted.

Think people, think before you decide something. If you decide about the person by the first looks, you are really pretty bad with people then. You will miss many great people, and you will meet also many "bad" people, who look good on the outside, but are rotten inside.

EDIT: added some letters here or there, some are missing probably anyway :D And just to add this - I think that the dude or dudette over in Bioware, who "made" Anomen, has done actually really good job. Would be good to know it was, as the person who did him knows actually well the 'human nature' and their behaviours. Grats to the Bioware developer who did it, I am impressed. Most other chars are so obvious, but Anomen has done well, and most people have looked regarding him exactly into the same direction, which is wrong heh. Well done, good script [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 02-12-2002: Message edited by: Whailor ]

[ 02-12-2002: Message edited by: Whailor ]<hr></blockquote>

LOL! I usually write long essay peices like this at other boards. Anyway, I agree, except for the Aerie thing.

You can consider Aerie weak if you want. True enough, she does have weaknesses like low self-esteem and an inferiority complex. However, like you pointed out with Anomen, and probably have come to the same conclusion as I did, she's a product of events in her past. Granted I think it would totally rule if Aerie and Viconia had actually formed some sort of friendship throughout the game. I think that's the bad thing about D&D, sometimes the rules have too many absolutes. Personally, I think Aerie has the type of character growth that would allow her to get over her hatred for the Drow, with some help from your character of course, but now I'm rambling, aren't I?

Anyway back to Aerie. Aerie does have her strong points. She's fiercely loyal, she doesn't back down to easily.

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Aerie always never backs down in a fight with Viconia, unless of course you do take Viconia's side. Not only that, but she yells at Anomen in TOB when he tries to convince her to go back to her Homeland. People may construe this as a tantrum, however Aerie had a great point, she cannot go back until she IS well and ready too, and she's not ready yet. Aerie comes from a very pride-full people. They take a lot of pride in their ability to fly, and she's lost that. She needs to gain more pride before she goes back.
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Also, another strength of hers would be in fighting, when you give her Crom Faeyr she makes a pretty decent fighter. Then there's her magic and her clerical abilities. These strengths more than make up for her weaknesses, in my humble opinion.
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