I'm at the isle of despair and I fought in the pit but Thorvald still won't talk to me. I had the same problem in Tarant when I was trying to get into the jeweler's shop and I got so angry with the game that I killed the shopkeeper in frustration and he dropped a key to get into the dungeon. If I have to do that again here I'll be even more upset with this game. I don't like killing characters unless they attack me first or they're evil.
What do you mean "he won't talk to me"? As in, he literally won't talk? Ogdin won't let you in? Etc.?
Do you know what Ogdin thought of you before you fought in the pit? If he was already suspicious of you, chances are your fighting in the pit lowered his reaction to, "Dislike." That way, he won't talk to you. However, if Ogdin did actually let you in, and Thorvald isn't talking, I'd either reload the game from an earlier save or check to see what version of Arcanum was running. As for the shopkeeper at P. Schuyler and Sons, he was being manipulated, and never had the where-with-all to simply get up and leave...so I guess you could call that lack of urgency, "being an idiot." I personally don't have a problem killing stupids in the game...unless they're already in my party. However, from the look of things, you might just need to patch up to 1.0.7.4. If you're already patched, then your only other options are to reload a save from an earlier point ad get back to the Isle, or restart your game completely.
You had a backslash (\) instead of a forward slash (/) in your brackets. Alright, so then your problem is that you haven't patched? We happen to have the patch here, at Terra-Arcanum. Unfortunately, I can't say with certainty that your saves will go through after patching. They might work, but your game will still run as version 1070. Either that or your character will end up standing naked, off the world map, by a merchant with a chest full of all of the starting shop's wares. Though, I think Thorvald has a journal he keeps in his room. Since you don't want to kill him, just make sure you draw his gaze in the opposite direction of his journal (which has a map to the Wheel Clan), and take it. Then, if you happen to have any Kathorn Crystals, go to the glasses-maker in Ashbury and have him make you a pair of Crystal Glasses; They are the only things that allow you to see the entrance to the mines. However, if he has the journal on his body, you might need to use a fate point to keep him from attacking you as he is pickpocketed.
I forgot about BE! Yeah, if you're sufficiently ugly, certain people will not talk to you. Some might even attack on sight.
Yes my BE is low. I'm an ugly warrior. That's probably why the guard at P. Schuyler and sons wouldn't let me in. It's all beside the point anyway because I did all the fights in the pit and became champion and now Thorvald talks to me but I can't get him to give me the glasses. I had previously found some Kathorn crystals in the graveyard dungeon but I sold them all because I didn't know what they were for and I don't remember to whom I sold them.
I've heard that you can get them from random orc fights in the Morbihan plains. Then you go to the optician in Ashbury. Or, you use a fate point to steal Thorvald's glasses. You have to lift them from Thorvald's pockets or steal them from his drawer, I don't remember which.
I left the island and can't go back. So basically I have to waste time wandering around killing orcs and hoping that one of them drops the crystal? This is supposed to be fun? How is it even possible to screw up the main quest to the point where it's impossible to even continue with it?
Maybe it makes it somewhat realistic. Extremely ugly (low BE) or extremely stupid (low INT) people have a tough time completing life's main quest? Just a thought.
I guess it's an (perhaps flawed) implementation of choices and consequences. You choose to be stupid or ugly or whatever, presumably in order to gain greater strength and combat prowess. However, it's a prejudiced, Victorian, late 19th century we're talking about. It should add a challenge. The Kathorn crystal thing is plain stupid however. The optician should simply have a few on his person so that he could make the damn glasses without all the hassle. Or they should be available at some jewellery shop or something.
One place where I found many kathorn crystals was the Black Mountain Mines, as well as in the dredge of the Wheel Clan. However, if you've already emptied every chest down there, I'm sorry.
Of course, there's also the off chance that the optician actually carries a pair of glasses, so you could simply lift them out of his pockets by means of a fate point. Could someone with an undatted Arcanum verify?
Sorry DE, all Pierce has on him is two healing salves, a generic dagger, and 142 gold. The glasses are created inside the PC's inventory via script.
I played as an (ugly?) half-orc for the first time and was surprised by the negative reaction. Bad reaction is usually overcome by intelligence. an option like "Please sir, can't we be civilized." usually gets you the better dialogs, I've found. Also, don't be insulting. It's somewhat like the reaction for being a low intelligence half-ogre, or a shopkeeper who won't let in a mage or techie. I played the entire game through as Muck Evil Eye, but don't remember being completely shut down from NPC's. With regard to Thorvald (and some others) you need persuasion to get them to help you. "Nothing to lose? My life, the glasses?" As others have said there are several ways to get both the glasses and the location out of that room. With regard to Kathorn Crystal, I understand why you might have sold them off after BMC, I did first time. But aren't there any in the Ashbury crypt or castle? OK I'll look there. Wait a minute...
Yes, but this guy clearly stated that he doesn't wish to be evil. Also, he's left the Isle of Despair which makes killing Thorvald a bit tricky.
