Any way to stop Appleby quest after accepting it?

I accepted Appleby's proposal to destroy the engine. However, I don't really want to do it, as I'm playing a good character. I didn't think accepting it would force me to actually follow through, as this hasn't been the case with any other quest leading up to this point such as the similarly shady propositions offered to me in Shrouded Hills (I was able to rat out the bad guys in those cases).

However, I found that when I tried to turn him in for his plotting, the guard just laughed at me and now won't talk about it anymore. Is there any way out of this situation?

I do have a save from before I accepted it, but I did a bunch of other quests like returning the Bessie Toone mine to Sarah and clearing out the old sewer in between and really have no interest in throwing away 5 hours of my time.

So, is there any in-game way to get out of this situation and talk to Bates even though his guard will no longer talk to me? Failing that, are there any cheats/editors I can use to reset the Appleby quest flag?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

Just having your character and his followers wear servants clothes should be enough for the guard to let you in.

 

Thanks for the tip. Where can I find some?

I did manage to get into the house via the secret passage, but everybody is hostile as soon as they see me.

I managed to talk to Bates by waiting for him to wake up and clicking on him as soon as he got up, but even after the conversation he still became automatically hostile as soon as it was over.

 

The local tailor sells them in all sizes and for both sexes.

If that is so, instead of buying new servants' clothes, you can just use the ones which are already in the chests in the room you enter via that underground tunnel.

It's because a stranger appearing in the Bates Estate without the permission of the guards is considered an intruder and a potential assassin. If you and your followers will wear servants' clothes, though, you will blend with the servants and no one will pay attention to you.

 

Thanks so much, that worked.

Once I spoke to him, I was able to take the costumes off and none of the guards got hostile.

Appleby's quest is still in my log, but otherwise it looks like I can move forward with no ill affects.

I appreciate your help and speedy reply.

 

Always glad to help.

If my memory serves me right, if you go to talk with Appleby, he will be all "Oh! Ah, who are you? What does a representative of Bates want with me? I am an honest businessman, I am!", which will cross out his quest as failed, if that's a preferable situation.

 

i have a question regarding appleby and bates.. what if i'm done with bate's role on the main quest and i'm on my way to the BMC.. can I screw him a bit by giving his journal to appleby? i personally don't like gilbert.. does that still make me a traitor of tarant?

 

Bates' role in the main quest doesn't really end just there. Nothing prevents you from revealing the truth about him if that is what you desire, though - it's a roleplaying game, you can do whatever you want.

Doing so will give you the "Betrayer of Gilbert Bates" (not Tarant) reputation resulting in a -10 reaction penalty from anyone from Tarant, no matter when it happens. You can expect receiving sincere regards from Bates every now and then, too.

 

i see.. my intention is to recruit geoffrey tarrelond-ashe in my followers.. and i need some evil alignment boost to do so.. planning to be "good" after my stint on Min'gorad..