Topics

1

Gameplay questions / NPCs Felling Trees

« on: September 26, 2017, 11:41:08 PM »

Something said in another thread by PALU reminded me of an old question I never entirely figured out. PALU mentioned that Njerpez fell trees (which I wasn't sure of, but suspected). I had a trap fence become a bit of a rough neighbourhood after I heard trees being cut down, and then had 3 Njerps show up. I was never sure if they were the ones cutting the trees, but now I assume they were.

I know that foreign traders fell trees. Do any other NPCs do it (Robbers, random adventurers, villagers etc.)? Also, why do they fell trees? Does something cause it to happen? Are they trying to accomplish something?

2

Gameplay questions / Homeland Robbers (Spoiler)

« on: September 20, 2017, 06:35:24 AM »

Does anyone know if there is anything that can increase the odds of finding the robbers in this quest?

I've been wandering around the bush for days searching every square in the quest area, and still nothing. Luckily, there is a persistent eagle-owl so my dogs bark in alarm frequently to give me false hope.

The description called them forest robbers, so I hoped that maybe that would limit them to forest. However, I have no idea if forest includes all treed terrain (e.g. heathland, spruce mire), or just things with forest in the name. Also, this may have no bearing whatsoever. I started with all the forest named squares (or at least as many as I can keep track of) and am now exploring all the rest with trees.. which is all of them.

3

Suggestions / Herb Collecting Quest

« on: September 16, 2017, 07:25:22 AM »

Just a small thing, but I think it would be good for the Herb Collecting quest if you could offer to forgo any kind of reward (at the beginning) if the old man would teach you how to recognize the herb.

Definitely does not have to become completely known but even if it you could recognize it sometimes it would be helpful, and a good way to gain a foothold in herblore. Even just a temporary boost to herblore so you have a chance of recognizing it would be nice.

I've done the particular quest about 10 times, and I've never known the plant in question. You can work it out deductively, but that always feels very gamey. Even if getting the knowledge beforehand feels too overpowered (and easy to just not bother with the quest), it would still actually be a nice reward at the end. Doesn't solve the problem, but would feel very appropriate.

Edit: Another less powerful approach would be if the old man told you where to find it (You can find it by cliffs, my boy!). That would at least feel less gamey than going straight to the wiki.

4

Gameplay questions / Baiting Wild Pigs

« on: September 13, 2017, 11:57:45 PM »

They seem quite rare but I lucked out in finding a herd of wild pigs in an area. I was curious whether trapping them was possible (though their senses seem terrible... I managed to kill one by walking up behind it not sneaking at all). I figure that something like the big deadfall or even the bear deadfall would do it but I can't find anything on what bait (if any) they would go for. I put out a big deadfall with meat (pigs are omnivorous after all), but no luck with that.

I've managed to trap a couple just with pits... but for future reference has anyone ever baited a pig into a trap, and if so, what kind?

5

General Discussion / Stag, Elk, and other Fauna

« on: September 11, 2017, 07:51:56 AM »

I've been playing URW for about a year, I only just realized today that Stags are the male elks. Anything involved with Europe turns on my European-to-North-American animal translator in my brain...
Glutton (translation: Wolverine)
Eagle-Owl (translation: Great Horned Owl(ish))
Polecat (translation: some kind of mink-ferret hybrid-like creature)
Reindeer (translation: Caribou)
Elk (translation: Moose)
Stag/Red Deer (translation: Elk)

So, I naturally assumed it meant Red Deer and also assumed that they existed in Finland in the iron age. But no, I saw some forum post in another forum where Sami mentions they are the male elk (E.G. Bull Moose). It always seemed weird that they gave more meat than the elk, but who knows... in Finland maybe they are the size of elephants! But yes, you learn something every day.

It means they are the only large ungulate in the game other than Reindeer. It's neat actually, I spent years in Newfoundland where Moose were introduced (and spread like crazy) and it has a very similar landscape and fauna as Finland (no deer, just Moose, Caribou, and endless bogs). Another reason I enjoy the game.

For the sake of a general fauna discussion, any native Finnish fauna that seems missing? What about Roe Deer (translation well...deer)? I read a thing that they came to Finland recently, but may have been seasonal visitors in the past. Any Finnish, or Finniphiliac, people know whether they'd be relevant?

6

General Discussion / Wild Animals in Villages

« on: September 06, 2017, 07:45:53 AM »

With a previous character (RIP), I had a really crazy experience with one village. It was a village I had lots of dealings with, and I had noticed wolves on the zoomed out map in their area before. One day, I went to the village and heard fighting sounds... a pack of wolves had jumped their fences and killed every one of their reindeer. When I showed up at the battle lines I managed to kill one wolf before the rest fled, leaving dead reindeer and villagers in their wake. I, ahem, helped clean up the carcasses. I went back a couple days later and found them in the midst of battle again... my arrival caused the wolves to flee but their shaman, and possibly many others, were missing.

I hired an NPC from the village (their only able-bodied man left), as well as another NPC from a nearby village, and started a kind of Iron-Age CSI episode ("who's afraid of the big bad wolf", taking off my sunglasses to a Who song). We set up traps, followed tracks, and generally hung out guarding the village. Almost every night the wolves would attack again, generally luring me one direction, then assaulting another. One night I sent one of my henchmen against a wolf, when two others attacked from the opposite side. The henchman disappeared.

Bit by bit we managed to kill the wolves off, though hilariously two children and a maiden had been horribly crippled in attacks and laid around the south side of the village for the rest of the game. They never got better, but I periodically brought them food ("How's it going?", "Mustn't Grumble. That's what the adults tell me", said the horribly brutalized orphan).

After it was over, I explored a little in the woods a few squares beyond the village, finding stacks of dead villager clothing (and presumably my henchman's), but no bodies.

Has anyone else had an experience like this? How do NPC's react to animals generally? I've chased reindeer into villages, but I don't think the villagers ever reacted. They definitely seemed to take on aggressive animals quite readily, though this is the only time I've seen it.

Edit: Another weird part of the story. Before the attacks I did a message quest for one of their villagers where I took a message to a vagabond village. Shortly after the attacks began. The guy who gave me the message wasn't around any more, so I assumed he had died. Later on, I found him living in the vagabond village... I highly suspect his involvement.

7

Gameplay questions / How to hunt seals?

« on: August 05, 2017, 06:22:42 AM »

I've seen this addressed to a certain degree in other forums but figured I should bring it here. Are there any successful seal hunters out there? What are your tactics?

I've tried trapping (pits, heavy deadfall, bear traps, as per other forum suggestions), but haven't had any luck. Mostly I just catch them basking next to the traps. Also, I don't *really* like the idea of trapping seals, as it doesn't feel quite right... especially digging a hole on a rocky island.

In the summer, I feel I could probably bag one if paying attention as they tend to stay in one area. I've definitely had more than one seal reappear with my javelins stuck in it.

I read, somewhere, that in the winter they like to hang out on the edge of ice. So I've spent the last month in the north sailing around with a punt full of javelins hoping to spot one along the edge of the frozen ice, but no luck yet. I figured they would be easier to spot on ice then on the shore in the summer, and I might have a chance for a good toss of the javelin.

So yes. Any expert seal hunters out there willing to share some trade secrets?

8

General Discussion / Character Dementia

« on: August 05, 2017, 04:14:13 AM »

Just had as close to character dementia as can be experienced in a video game.

Finished my cabin... built the sleeping bunk, and pushed all my lovely furs onto it to make it as cozy as possible. Woke up the next morning, and went out to the woods to cut timber for javelins. Came home to no furs.

Searched absolutely everywhere.. "Where would I have put them?!?!". I've never seen my own life so accurately represented as I frantically searched my entire camp ("WOULD I HAVE PUT THEM IN THE CELLAR?!?!").

Then it occurred to me. The cow. Yup... apparently in my exhaustion, having finished my cabin, I loaded all my furs on the cow, pushed it off the bed, and then went to sleep. I love this game.