Hello All,

C'est moi again.

perhaps a kind soul(actually anybody will do, cruel heartless bass turd or whatever...sadistic monkey stomping boot tester...)would tip me off to an NPC who won't weasle out of going to Bayjin with me. I've tried three and they all wuss out just before gooing down the shute. Pathetic excuses too, even the tough-guy Umpani mealy-mouthed his way out of going. And that Mook wimp Urq?....geez he's supposed to be an explorer! Admiral Bird would be rolling over in his grave to see what has become of mapping expeditions in the future. I mean really! He's paying us to take to him to these places.

-Karst (Loyal Order of the Diaper)

• Thanks for the compliment...,Kuli, 01:08 PM, Mar-19-02
  • RE: Thanks for the compliment...,Overlord7911, 07:58 AM, Mar-20-02
    • RE: Thanks for the compliment...,The Karster (Guest), 11:08 AM, Mar-20-02
      • RE: Thanks for the compliment...,Duke of Earl (Guest), 12:17 PM, Mar-20-02

RFS-81 will come with you. This trusting - ahm - soul will follow his "master" everywhere he goes, except the away camp (where you can pick up two NPCs). He is my favourite NPC I have taken with me so far.

And consider myself as a kind soul, please

Another tactic if you have Set/Return to Portal spells for at least 2 characters (other than Vi), is to

a) Set a portal with the first character at the entrance of Bayjin or Away Camp just before Vi or RFS-81 refuse to go further.
b) Return to Arnika either by walking or portal, go to He'Li's, drop off Vi and RFS-81 (Vi will stay at He'Li's and RFS-81 will stay wherever he is dropped). Set a second portal (second character) at He'Li's.
c) Portal back to the Bayjin or Away Camp entrance, walk thru the entrance, and set a new portal with the first character (be sure you don't over-write the portal to Arnika).
d) Portal back to Arnika using the second character's spell, go to He'Li's and pick up both Vi and RFS-81.
e) Portal back to Bayjin or Away Camp and both Vi and RFS81 will stay there. Vi will complain constantly in Bayjin or the Away Camp or any of the other Rapax locations, RFS-81 complains constantly in the Away Camp, and there is supposedly some impact on skill levels, but I couldn't detect it. Both Vi and RFS-81 gained levels in both locations despite all their grumbling. Be sure you have picked up an extra set of scuba gear for Bayjin if your portal is set underwater.

This strategy is particularly useful in the final end-game, as Ascension seems to be one nearly constant battle after another, and there are NO places to camp without being interrupted. Transporting in and out saves the day, literally.

Hope this helps.......

Cool...thanks for the tip. I'd noticed when I tetsed the T'rang teleporter into Rapax rift that Vi was complaining about getting out, I left but I'll try to use that tactic later when I get the portal spell.

-Karst out.

Another way to get reluctant RPCs to go along where you want is weighing them down with items until their load is in the red, then running around until they're out of stamina and fall unconscious. Then cross the border. They'll wake up unhappy and weak, but you don't need Portals.

BTW, dragging Madras that way through Ascension Peak is rather worthless. No NegatAir, no Jackhammer, no Water Cannon, because his Engineering drops to under 80 *sigh*.

-- The Duke