JADE EMPIRE (Xbox) THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GUIDE Game: Jade Empire System: Xbox* Version: 1.02 Date: September 16, 2008 Author: Peter Kirby E-mail: [email protected] This entire document is copyright (C) 2008 Peter Kirby. (*The information here applies to the Windows PC game and the Xbox Special Edition game only to the extent that those versions of the game are identical to the original Xbox game. If there are any differences, I don't know about them, and the guide doesn't mention them.) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! WARNING: This in-depth guide contains major SPOILERS, including detailed ! ! plot development and all epilogues of the game. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When you've saved and doomed the Jade Empire enough times to power the Great Wheel to turn for the next thousand years, but are not satisfied getting just three ending vids... _ _ _____ _ | | __ _ __| | ___ | ____|_ __ ___ _ __ (_)_ __ ___ _ | |/ _` |/ _` |/ _ \ | _| | '_ ` _ \| '_ \| | '__/ _ \ | |_| | (_| | (_| | __/ | |___| | | | | | |_) | | | | __/ \___/ \__,_|\__,_|\___| |_____|_| |_| |_| .__/|_|_| \___| |_| ~*~*~ THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GUIDE ~*~*~ Dawn Star shows concern. More concerns. Still more. Can she ever find peace? Sagacious Zu dishes out mind-your-own-beeswax with extra cynic sauce. Why? Sky hounds me with flirtatious advances... can I let him down easy? What's a good way to experience more of the in-game content? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TABLE OF CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.0 Introduction .1 What is this game? What kind of guide is this? .2 Extended Note on the OP and CF Features of Jade Empire 2.0 The Player Character 3.0 Occasional Aids .1 Zin Bu .2 Abbot Song .3 Death's Hand 4.0 Amusing Anecdotes .1 The Black Whirlwind .2 Henpicked Hou 5.0 Mysterious Discoveries .1 Sagacious Zu's Secretive Past .2 Wild Flower's Suppressed Conflict .3 Kang the Mad's Lost Identity 6.0 Romantic Entanglements .1 Dawn Star .2 Silk Fox .3 Sky 7.0 Epilogues .1 Dawn Star .2 Silk Fox .3 Sky .4 Henpicked Hou .5 Wild Flower .6 Death's Hand .7 Kang the Mad .8 The Black Whirlwind .9 Sir Roderick 8.0 Final Notes .1 Copyright Notice .2 Version History .3 Thanks and Acknowledgments ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ 1.0 Introduction ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ******************************************************** ** 1.1 What is this game? What kind of guide is this? ** ******************************************************** Jade Empire is an action RPG published by Bioware in 2005 for the Xbox. This guide is based on the original Xbox game. If you haven't finished at least one complete playthrough, this is your last warning. This guide will spoil all the really interesting twists of plot and character that you could have watched unfold with wondering eyes. There are no sections of this guide that are spoiler-free, and an understanding of the basic plot is assumed. It's not a walkthrough, so you will not get any real hints on how to finish your first game. If you have played Jade Empire just a few times, I expect that there will be something in here giving you good enough reason to play again. The nature of this guide is to enhance replayability by giving you the tools and information helpful to experience differences in player character interaction and the development of the follower characters. **************************************************************** ** 1.2 Extended Note on the OP and CF Features of Jade Empire ** **************************************************************** Although there are a multitude of philosophies of life presented in-game, this guide tries not to favor any of them. In fact, this guide is built around helping you explore many of them as you experience the game and its various subplots. Two abbreviations are used frequently throughout this guide: OP: Open Palm, or "the Way of the Open Palm," a game mechanic. CF: Closed Fist, or "the Way of the Closed Fist," a game mechanic. When speaking of Open Palm or Closed Fist as a character orientation or as an idea that exists within the RPG universe, I will usually spell them out. When speaking of the point system in the game, I always use the acronyms. Even though OP and CF are just game mechanics, there is a relationship between moral philosophy, as interpreted by the designers of the game, and the award of OP or CF points (meter shifts). It is quickly apparent what that relationship is: If an action is selfless and kind or just, tends to greater harmony and the happiness of others, and possibly inconveniences the player character (even though the inconvenience is rarely serious) or involves a route that spares others pain or death, it will probably award OP points. Ask "What would Jesus do?", and you won't be far off. If an action is selfish and harsh or duplicitous, tends to greater discord and the unhappiness of others, and possibly presents a shortcut to the player character (even though the rewards of the OP option may be greater) or involves a route that brings avoidable pain or death, it will probably award CF points. Ask "What would Satan do?", and you won't be far off. There are two things to consider about the OP and CF meter. Those two things are orientation (direction) and magnitude. The most important lesson to learn about these game mechanics is this: Orientation is very important. Magnitude is quite negligible. |-----------------------| | Open Palm orientation | |-----------------------| You can equip "followers of the Open Palm" gems. You cannot start the Zither of Discord quest. You cannot turn Dawn Star to be Closed Fist with a conversation check. Attempting to do so will fail. You cannot turn Silk Fox to be Closed Fist with a conversation check. Attempting to do so will fail. You can hear the story of Aishi the Mournful Blade easily, which allows a superior OP solution to the quest. At Dirge, you get a powerful "follower of the Open Palm" gem from behind some wards. If you know Stone Immortal magic, it will have 30% more than base damage. If you know Tempest magic, it will have 30% less than base damage. |-------------------------| | Closed Fist orientation | |-------------------------| You can equip "followers of the Closed Fist" gems. You can start the Zither of Discord quest. You can romance Dawn Star with her staying Open Palm, or turn her Closed Fist. You can romance Silk Fox with her staying Open Palm, or turn her Closed Fist. You can hear the story of Aishi the Mournful Blade only if you pass a difficult conversation check (and get a larger bounty for killing her in one CF solution). At Dirge, you get the equivalent "follower of the Closed Fist" gem from behind some wards. So, it's not a true difference. If you know Stone Immortal magic, it will have 30% less than base damage. If you know Tempest magic, it will have 30% more than base damage. |-------------------------------------| | Open Palm, its magnitude or mastery | |-------------------------------------| If you have 50% of the OP meter full, you can learn Stone Immortal magic in chapter two or chapter three. If you have 100% of the OP meter full, you can equip "The Open Palm" gem after killing the Water Dragon in chapter seven. |---------------------------------------| | Closed Fist, its magnitude or mastery | |---------------------------------------| If you have 50% of the CF meter full, you can learn Tempest magic in chapter two or chapter three. If you have 50% of the CF meter full, you can win the approval of Bladed Thesis without a test. If you have 100% of the CF meter full, you can equip "The Closed Fist" gem after tainting the Water Dragon in chapter seven. If you have 100% of the CF meter full before chapter four, you can kick small animals in certain areas; they leave behind orbs. |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | The Game Advantages and Disadvantages of Pursuing Magnitude of Alignment | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| You can probably tell that magnitude means very little in terms of game mechanics. Optimizing the magnitude of your OP or CF meter does not really make for any easier of a game. Even if you are dead set on getting the aligned magic and the mastery gem, something like a split of 80% / 20% in your decision making should allow you to hit that without breaking a sweat if you are actively completing side quests. Being flexible in whether you receive OP or CF points can have two advantages: 1. You can role play naturally. If a choice seems right for your character, do it. If the game's designers at Bioware judge you, so what? 2. You can power game efficiently. The order of priority for the determined power gamer is: techniques and gems, then experience, then silver, then (with lowest priority) alignment points. (Those who like to play the three repeatable flying minigames or to kill spawns in the Necropolis or Lao's Furnace are free to disagree. Since their potential for experience is not limited, they can place more importance on achieving certain magnitudes of alignment.) With these advantages set against the game mechanic's own allure, an experienced player of Jade Empire understands the importance of not being a slave to the OP/CF meter. And a new player has a richer experience for knowing what most new players get wrong. Most new players assume they will acquire greater power as the meter climbs or sinks. Not even close. A few words about how the meter moves throughout the game. A player high on the OP meter will go down more with a CF action. A player low on the CF meter will go up more with an OP action. After the beginning of chapter four, when you get OP or CF for siding with one of the demons in Wild Flower if you have unlocked Ya Zhen as a follower, there are only one to three additional decisions to make that can have a small effect on the OP/CF meter. (These involve the fate of the spirits of the Imperial soldiers, the binding or releasing of Death's Hand, and the binding of your OP followers or reversal of your decision, if you bound Death's Hand.) Lastly, there is an ultimate decision on the fate of the Water Dragon, which is important to understand (see more on that decision below). Since there are so few opportunities to shift your alignment in chapters four through six, you should make sure that the last few quests you complete in chapter three leave you with the alignment you want, from the time you ride the elevator into the Emperor's throne room to the time you decide the Water Dragon's fate. Concerning magical styles: Although you need 50% magnitude of alignment to acquire one of these magical styles, after that only direction matters. I say this not because you are likely to switch alignment after acquiring the magic (except by the effect of the final decision) but because you are likely to assume that a bigger meter means better magic. It doesn't. |------------------------------------| | The Final Decision and its Effects | |------------------------------------| The last chapter gives you a unique opportunity to change direction and/or magnitude. Roughly, from experiment, this is what happens: If you are 50% OP aligned and kill the Water Dragon, you become 100% OP aligned ("Open Palm mastery"). If you are CF aligned or less than 50% OP aligned and kill the Water Dragon, you become 90% OP aligned. If you are 50% CF aligned and taint the Water Dragon, you become 100% CF aligned ("Closed Fist mastery"). If you are OP aligned or less than 50% CF aligned and taint the water dragon, you become 90% CF aligned. What are the effects of this? Strictly in terms of gameplay, in preparation for the last three combat encounters? You should equip the gems of the previous alignment that you want ahead of time, if you should happen to switch. As long as you don't take them off, they'll still work. Your Tempest or Stone Immortal magic style will be diminished in damage if you switch alignment, and you won't be able to use the gem you get at that moment ("The Open Palm" or "The Closed Fist") if you do not become 100% aligned. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ 2.0 The Player Character ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The backstory for the player character, in great part, is supplied by the game. The game is notable for not giving us the simple "warrior starting out in gentle clime sets off for grand adventure" backstory. The player character's historic identity is a combination of "favored student of Master Li" (mostly revealed in chapter one) and "last surviving Spirit Monk from Dirge" (most fully revealed in chapter five). The motives and personality of the player character, however, are shaped by the player, within the set limits of the linear plot and available dialogue options. Your character's general life philosophy, at least in embryo, should probably be decided when you start the character, as it will help you understand why the player character does what he does and then select the dialogue option that does it, even if it's not something you would do. You can assume, naturally enough, either that Master Li was instructing you in a variety of the Way of the Open Palm *or* a variety of the Way of the Closed Fist. The game is ambiguous on this point. Although Dawn Star's dialogues suggest strongly and frequently that Li was an Open Palm teacher through and through, many Sagacious Zu comments and dialogue options suggest Li taught you the Way of the Closed Fist. At the very end of the game, if and only if you choose the option to brashly announce Li's destruction, Li will say that he taught you in his earliest lessons to be quick with a threat. Since the game allows you to go either way, you will possibly feel much better about your general tendency towards Open Palm or Closed Fist if you assume Master Li taught it to you religiously. As he invested twenty years concentrating on forming you into being the exact kind of weapon he needed, it is impossible that the question of philosophy did not come up with him. If you think your character should grow, even transform, through the journey, you can also role play a character who becomes rough around the edges in difficult situations or one who mellows out with greater wisdom. Two broad lines of direction can be suggested here for developing your own character for the game of Jade Empire. Neither is necessary to start playing, but they can enhance your experience, especially on a repeat playthrough. First, supply the character with a voice to match their face and what's under the surface. This "voice" is an understanding not just of their habits of speech but also other quirks of behavior and personal inclinations. It's easy to choose a role model from your cast of followers to emulate: playing a game inspired by Sagacious Zu would be quite different from playing a game inspired by the Black Whirlwind, which would again be different from playing a game inspired by Dawn Star (as Open Palm) or Silk Fox (as Closed Fist). Do feel free to "ad lib" your lines, choosing dialogue options in the spirit of your character's meaning if not the very words. The game does not have a voice actor for the player character (excepting short battle shouts). Moreover, sometimes taking a "like-minded" follower with you as you explore Tien's Landing or the Imperial City and do quests can help you set the mood for your own character. Second, supply the character with a basic moral compass. It doesn't have to be fancy. A few scribbled notes on a napkin should do it. At the very least, try to address how your character would handle four categories of situation: violence inflicted on others with next to no gain to self ("pointless evil"), violence inflicted on others with considerable gain to self ("motivated evil"), helping out others with next to no anticipated gain to self ("selfless good"), and helping out others with considerable anticipated gain to self ("motivated good"). Doing this exercise will make it possible for you to look for the likely solution to individual choices for your type of hero and, sometimes, think just a little outside of the box. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ 3.0 Occasional Aids ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There's not much to do with these characters. Two of them are Support or Combat followers who join as a temporary consequence of plot (Abbot Song, Death's Hand). One of them is a noncombatant who exists as a convenience of gameplay (Zin Bu). **************** ** 3.1 Zin Bu ** **************** You meet him when you enter the Heaven of the Forest Shadow. This is the only time that you can have a dialogue with him. Afterwards, you'll hear various remarks when you select his shop. Zin Bu buys gems for 50% less than any other merchant. Do not sell to him before chapter four. And remember to make a stop at a merchant in the Imperial City before the beginning of chapter four to unload all the gems that you don't think you'll be needing in the future. Zin Bu sells items for 25% more than any other merchant. If it is available elsewhere, consider getting it there. As you can deduce, his chief virtues are that he will buy things in the last few chapters and that he will sell things that cannot be found anywhere else. ******************** ** 3.2 Abbot Song ** ******************** You meet him when you enter Dirge as a spirit. He is with you for quite a bit of chapter five, but you part ways permanently before the end of it. There are a few automatically triggered dialogues with him. They help you to get more of the story and some clues for completing the game. These conversations are identical from game to game. His attack mode is unremarkable, but his support mode is phenomenal. He will regenerate Health, Chi, and Focus simultaneously. ********************** ** 3.3 Death's Hand ** ********************** Death's Hand can be a follower in chapter seven. He's okay (but not the best) as a follower in a combat role. His main function seems to be provoking a reaction in your fellow followers and getting to see his two epilogues, which vary depending on whether you kill or taint the Water Dragon. He does make a few unprompted comments at the end of chapter six and the during chapter seven, some of them in the group scenes, some of them triggered when chosen as an active follower. You meet him in chapter six at the end of the defense of Dirge. After besting him in combat versus the Spirit Monk yourself, you must either pass an Intuition check against Sun Li or defeat his armored Death's Hand husk with the spirit of Sun Kim in order to be presented with a choice. One choice (to release his spirit) nets you OP, a Way of the Open Palm gem, and allows you to proceed to the Imperial Palace without much incident. The other choice (to bind his spirit) nets you CF, a Way of the Closed Fist gem, and requires you to bind Open Palm followers if you keep him. They will be three or four in number, with Hou being the fourth wheel who is promoted to the "prominent" three if a vacant spot is left by a Sky romance or Closed Fist romance with Silk Fox or Dawn Star. (The "prominent" three are shown in a cutscene where you bind your followers. They are also the three whom you can say you want to sacrifice for blood. If Hou isn't prominent, he is understood as being bound or sacrificed anyway, and he will fight along with the other three if you taint the Water Dragon.) Binding the followers gives you additional CF. (Letting Death's Hand go at this point, when your followers confront you, gives you some OP and returns things to "normal.") The following flowchart suggests what happens visually. If you neither bind Death's Hand nor consider using blood to taint the Water Dragon, you don't need this chart for anything. <-------| As you would expect, you don't see any epilogue for Death's Hand. | | <--Release Sun Kim's spirit ----+-----> Options of victims for blood taint / Bind Death's Hand | follow the same pattern as for binding | |-- Agree to objections of group | V |-- Bind followers who object | | | \ | | V 3 of Sky, Silk Fox, Dawn Star, and Hou prominent in choice <--/ | | | | | <=> If Sky romance... Silk Fox, Dawn Star, and Hou used V | <=> If Silk Fox CF romance... Sky, Dawn Star, and Hou used | | <=> If Dawn Star CF romance... Sky, Silk Fox, and Hou used | V | (3-way with Silk Fox and Dawn Star treated as Silk Fox romance) | | <=> Else (OP romance or no romance) Sky, Silk Fox, and Dawn Star | | (and Hou is understood as being used in the background) | | |===+======> If Water Dragon killed | | |-- nobody is sacrificed and nobody dies at this point | | |-- if bound, an OP romance (Dawn Star or Silk Fox) forgives you | | |-- to appearances, the binding of the living ends here | | \-- all epilogues (except for Death's Hand) ignore any binding | | \===+======> Else If Water Dragon tainted | |-- the Water Dragon enables OP followers to fight if bound | |-- if not bound, they fight then too, with equal strength | |-- Hou fights and dies even if not "prominent" | |-- the "tainted" epilogues for followers are shown (with a V | darker CF romantic epilogue than if the dragon were killed) | \-- other changes to be expected (Doubt scene, end movie, etc.) | |--> If Water Dragon killed then Death's Hand "good" epilogue \--> Else If Water Dragon tainted then Death's Hand "evil" epilogue More information on how the romances affect these scenes can be found in the sections concerning Dawn Star, Silk Fox, and Sky individually. More information on the epilogue variations possible is in the epilogue section. If you bind Death's Hand, kill the Water Dragon, and then kill Sun Li, there is an different epilogue for that (as opposed to tainting the Water Dragon after binding Death's Hand). The one where you kill the Water Dragon assumes your reasoning for binding Death's Hand was to allow him to do penance. This is, indeed, based on pursuing the middle option in the dialogue with Death's Hand instead of quickly choosing to calm Death's Hand and release him, or to bind him in order to acquire more power. Choosing this middle option isn't practically different from the other more direct one, binding him in order to use him as a tool, but it does lend color to your character and helps to justify the "good" Death's Hand epilogue if you later decide to kill the Water Dragon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ 4.0 Amusing Anecdotes ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These characters have a primary function in the game of supplying comedy relief. In combat, the Black Whirlwind swings axes (no Support tactic), and Henpicked Hou throws bottles that temporarily enable a fighting style called Drunken Master (no Combat tactic). ***************************** ** 4.1 The Black Whirlwind ** ***************************** The Black Whirlwind has a unique choice comment on each of the followers that are possible to acquire before getting him, and he says it only when he is gained as a follower. Each follower also has a retort. If you think they are interesting, approach him with different followers in tow during different playthroughs of the game (or just save first and reload when you get him as your follower). There is also some other dialogue that is found only when you first meet the Black Whirlwind and when you acquire him as part of your followers. Subsequently, the Black Whirlwind is one of the most talkative followers that you can take with you as you adventure through the Jade Empire. When most of the followers have an impromptu comment at a new scene, he almost always has one too. There are even a few "easter egg" type encounters, such as taking him to meet a certain strong-willed woman in the Imperial City. After the Black Whirlwind joins your party, you can ask, "What did you do before you were with Lord Yun?" After that, you can say "Tell me about your past" upon the completion of a major plot quest. You can easily tell whether he has more to say in the future or whether you've heard all his stories. If you need a hint... he's not a history book. *********************** ** 4.2 Henpicked Hou ** *********************** If your first meeting with the Innkeeper at the Pilgrim's Rest Inn does not result in violence, you can proceed to the back of the inn to talk with Henpicked Hou. He sells a few things and drops hints that the nature of the inn is suspect. If you ask him to explain and pass a conversation check, you hear about the Mother from him, and this then becomes a dialogue option with the Innkeeper. Whether you confront the Innkeeper as being a cannibal based on initial suspicion, confront the Innkeeper about the Mother due to Hou's remark, confront the Innkeeper after meeting the Forest Shadow, or even cooperate with the cannibals and accept their reward after killing the Forest Shadow, you will acquire Henpicked Hou as a follower and learn about the Drunken Master martial arts fighting style at that time. After Henpicked Hou joins your party, ask, "Tell me about your life before you were captured." The option to trigger the personal dialogue for Henpicked Hou frequently changes its text, but it is easy to spot in every case. If you already asked him for a story at this point in the plot, he will say that he will talk "perhaps in a little while" (chapter two) or "not now" (chapter three). Again, as with the Black Whirlwind, it is clear when you have heard the last of the stories about his past from him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ 5.0 Mysterious Discoveries ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Three of your followers have secrets about themselves and their past that are not revealed unless you pursue interaction with them multiple times. They are not romantic interests, but one of them (Sagacious Zu) carries a similarity to a romantic interest in that his complete subplot requires numerous active dialogues between specific plot points, with opportunities for a misstep in the dialogue response trees (where you upset the follower and shut down any more conversation) or missed chances after important plot points (where you neglect to talk to the follower after a plot point happens and before another plot point happens). So, if you want Sagacious Zu to spill his beans and complete his subplot, you have to treat him at least as carefully as any romantic interest. Two of the other followers, Wild Flower and Kang the Mad, have much more forgiving story arcs. Basically, you can do them, start to finish, at your leisure any time during chapter three (between arrival in the Imperial City and arrival at the Imperial Palace). There are hints of both in chapter two, but those hints are optional to completion of the subplot. Also, you cannot upset either of them into shutting down communications, and they do not require you to talk to them in between particular plot points in chapter three, so their subplots are considerably easier to complete than are the subplots of dealing with Sagacious Zu or wooing a romantic partner. The decision that you make in pursuing each of the three subplots (i.e., just the fact that the subplot was pursued to its completion; and in the case of Wild Flower, whether you sided with the Guardian or the Other) can be reflected in the epilogues shown at the end of the game. There are no "right" or "wrong" conversation options with these three mysterious characters, except for those with Sagacious Zu that cause him to withdraw from confiding in you entirely, thus leaving the arc of the subplot incomplete. Incomplete information from Sagacious Zu will have an effect on subsequent dialogue in that game but will have no effect on the epilogues. *************************************** ** 5.1 Sagacious Zu's Secretive Past ** *************************************** This is Sagacious Zu's subplot concerning his secretive past in sixteen easy steps. Half of them seem to be "mandatory," which means that they both can be missed in your game and that missing them almost certainly leaves the subplot in an incomplete state. The other half, well... if you're romancing Dawn Star and want to see the father-related epilogues, treat all conversations with Sagacious Zu with as much sensitivity as your character treats Dawn Star when romancing her. 1. [Irrelevant] Chapter One: Nothing of importance in this regard here. You will pick up Sagacious Zu and Dawn Star; you can't dismiss their personal dialogues (or, really, advance them any more than they do by default) in this chapter. It is a nice touch, however, to ask Dawn Star if there is something special about her name, to get an allusion to Sagacious Zu from the merchant, or to make dialogue options that show Zu's concealment of information to be more obvious. 2. [Suggested] Chapter Two, Upon Arrival at Camp: "I have questions about you and the Lotus Assassins." (Steps marked "suggested" seem by right of logic to be optional, but I've not tested whether they truly are.) 3. [MANDATORY (1)] Chapter Two, After the encounter with Hui the Brave: "I want to know what you and Hui were talking about." Although you don't need to press the subject during the encounter with Hui, you do need to pursue the topic later with these words. 4. [Suggested] Chapter Two, After that Dialogue and Before the Next: "You seem agitated." This doesn't seem necessary, but go ahead and do it anyway. 5. [MANDATORY (2)] Chapter Two, After the encounter with Inquisitor Lim: "I want to talk about what Inquisitor Lim said about you." Complete the dialogue. 6. [Suggested] Chapter Three, Upon Arrival in the Imperial City: "What are your feelings on the Imperial City? How powerful are the Lotus Assassins here?" Complete the dialogue. 7. [MANDATORY (3)] Chapter Three, Upon Further Contact with Silk Fox: talk to Sagacious Zu again and explore his dialogue to completion. 8. [MANDATORY (4)] Chapter Three, Upon Contact with the Lotus Assassin Recruiter: talk to Sagacious Zu again and explore his dialogue to completion. 9. [Confirmation of Success So Far] Chapter Three, *Before* Securing the Seal of the Lotus Assassin recruiter: choose "Are you ready to talk?" If Sagacious Zu said earlier something like "I am unaccustomed to words having such weight," then this follow-up dialogue option will appear. The presence of this dialogue option ensures that you have completed all requirements for the subplot so far. 10. [Important Plot Event] Chapter Three, After Getting the Seal of the Lotus Assassins: Zu will leave the camp and will never rejoin your group. If the subplot is incomplete at this point, later dialogues will be different from if the subplot was never attempted, and again different (naturally) from the subplot being complete. If you didn't get the critical lines out of Sagacious Zu before he left the camp, the subplot cannot be completed. 11. [MANDATORY (5)] Chapter Three, While Last Talking with Sagacious Zu: Complete the dialogue. (Cut it off early to end the subplot and degenerate into an incomplete version of it. But if you listen to Sagacious Zu say, "Li's daughter lives," then the Water Dragon will know of your information about Dawn Star, and Dawn Star will in turn know it through her mysticism.) 12. [Suggested] Chapter Three, Back At the Camp: If you've gotten Sagacious Zu to talk to you about Li's daughter being alive, talk about it with the camp now when you are prompted for that dialogue. 13. [MANDATORY (6)] Chapter Five, After the Last Fight There: An automatic dialogue with the Water Dragon occurs, which you should complete without cutting anything off. The Water Dragon will reveal the evidence that secures the identity of Dawn Star. 14. [MANDATORY (7)] Chapter Six, When First Back at the Camp: Complete the dialogue and encourage Dawn Star to express her feelings on the subject. 15. [Automatic] Chapter Six, When Speaking with Sun Li During the Encounter with Death's Hand: Bring up the subject of his living daughter and pursue the dialogue. 16. [MANDATORY (8)] Chapter Seven, After Deciding the Fate of the Water Dragon: Make Dawn Star your follower. Proceed to the throne room. Allow Dawn Star to say her peace. (You know that the subplot is complete if Dawn Star speaks here.) Congratulations! After defeating Sun Li:, you *will* get a different epilogue *if* you were romancing Dawn Star. Two different epilogues are possible based on completing the subplot, one if you tainted the Water Dragon with a Closed Fist Dawn Star romance and the other if you killed the Water Dragon (regardless of whether the romance was Open Palm or not). You *should* get a different epilogue even if you weren't romancing Dawn Star, as Bioware included one in the data files of the game. But by some bug or oversight, it doesn't appear on the screen; instead, the default non-romantic epilogue for Dawn Star is shown. In some of the dialogues with Sagacious Zu, the last option on the list is very often (but not always) an option that cuts off the rest of the subplot, thus making it incomplete. The first option on the list is *always* completely safe, even if it may not seem completely savvy. If you are determined to unravel the subplot, proceed with caution (make savegames prior to important conversations) or simply choose the first dialogue option every time. Sagacious Zu does not have any complicated trees of dialogue to explore; when an alternative to the first option is available, the effect is mostly on the very first textbox from Zu that follows and nothing else. If you want to know the effect of the Sagacious Zu subplot on the Dawn Star romance and romantic epilogue, check under her section and for her epilogues in this guide. Notably, if you want to read the non-romantic epilogue that *should* result from an unromanced Dawn Star knowing who her father is, but which does not appear on the Xbox game due to whatever bug or oversight, check the epilogue in section 7.1.7. This text comes from the data files of the game, even though the default non-romantic epilogue supplants it at the end of the game. ******************************************* ** 5.2 Wild Flower's Suppressed Conflict ** ******************************************* There are conversations in chapter two with Wild Flower that hint at those to come in chapter three. They begin "Tell me a bit about yourself" and "I want to learn more about you." They are not needed to complete the subplot. When you arrive at the Imperial City, you can talk to Wild Flower. The options you choose will result in varying responses, but the important thing is just to complete the dialogue. Talk to Wild Flower again immediately (or at any later time in chapter three) and complete the dialogue. Talk to Wild Flower a third time and choose, "Are you all right with the demons inside you?" Complete the dialogue, and you will know that you have been successful when Ya Zhen shows up on your follower screen. All three conversations can be completed immediately after arriving in the Imperial City. Any dialogue options can be selected and will complete the subplot for acquiring Ya Zhen as a follower. As soon as you land at the Imperial Palace in chapter four, you will have to choose between Chai Ka and Ya Zhen as followers by helping one fight the other. You will be awarded OP or CF, as appropriate, and a technique. Wild Flower as Chai Ka and Wild Flower as Ya Zhen have two different epilogues for each, depending on whether the Water Dragon is tainted, for a total of four possible epilogues. ************************************** ** 5.3 Kang the Mad's Lost Identity ** ************************************** Kang the Mad's subplot is tied into the six configurations that you find in chapters two and three and the "wind map" he says he already had that told him where he came from. You can start doing Kang the Mad's optional minigame missions after landing in the Imperial City. Once you have used all six configurations at Lao's Furnace, he will tell you more. This opens up the "Spiritual Journey" minigame. Once it is completed, you will have finished Kang the Mad's subplot concerning Lao's furnace, and you will also get the ability to use a final seventh configuration in Lao's Furnace (which will make the controls of Lao's Furnace inoperable after use). While Mechanic Hin Goo's three minigame missions are not strictly necessary, the "Dragon's Wrath" special weapon unlocked by the third minigame's success makes the last fight of "Spiritual Journey" easily manageable instead of difficult and trying. Save before starting any minigame with Kang or Hin Goo. If you back out of the minigame, you will fail the subplot and be unable to make progress. You are allowed to make multiple attempts without reloading saves, but you cannot abort attempts on the minigame. Kang the Mad without completing the subplot and Kang the Mad after completing the Lao's Furnace subplot have two different epilogues for each, depending on whether the Water Dragon is tainted, for a total of four possible epilogues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ 6.0 Romantic Entanglements ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Female and male player characters have different romantic options. Dawn Star is available only to male characters, while the other two are available to male or female player characters. The three prospects also have different ways of shifting OP/CF alignment. If you romance Sky, you can't explicitly change his alignment, but he will abide by what you decide at the end of the game. Both Dawn Star and Silk Fox, however, require a successful attempt to direct them to a CF alignment in chapter three in order for them to accept the two possible major CF decisions at the end of the game (binding Death's Hand and tainting the Water Dragon). Changing their alignment also results in different epilogues even if you do not taint the Water Dragon. You can succeed in "CF-turning" both of them with a conversation check for each if you are romancing them simultaneously, but only the romance you stick with will truly be CF. By default that will be Silk Fox if you string both along all the way to Dirge (giving you the "threesome" love scene). However, if you have turned both CF and then select one either at the gates of the Lotus Assassin Fortress or before confronting the Emperor Sun Hai, then the rest of the game will play out as a CF romance with that character (Dawn Star CF or Silk Fox CF). Even though Sky and Silk Fox are available to both the female and the male player character types, the differences in the content of dialogue can be quite substantial, as could be expected, when they respond to a different gender hero. This is somewhat more apparent at the very beginning with Sky, and it also comes up with Silk Fox when you are making the moves on her. Generally speaking, to get the same-sex pairing you will have to break off with any heterosexual pairings before a particular dialogue in the middle of chapter three (after acquiring Silk Fox but before contacting the Lotus Assassins if you are pursuing Silk Fox, or after contacting them but before earning their seal if you are pursuing Sky) which is important to the person you want. Otherwise, during that critical dialogue (starting "Your feelings are important to me" for Silk Fox or about "Eternal Companions" for Sky), they will assume you don't swing that way from the way you talk with the opposite-sex follower, and the romance possibility will end. ******************* ** 6.1 Dawn Star ** ******************* If you are a female, you can interact with her during chapter two and the very beginning of chapter three. You will know you've experienced your last personal dialogue with Dawn Star when she remarks on the "chill" she feels in the Imperial City (just after acquiring Silk Fox as a follower). The other thing that (kinda sorta) tips you off is that the personal dialogue option disappears. Both the male player character and the female player character can terminate the friendship (or, at least, its closeness) at any time through one of the dialogues in chapter two or three. How to do so is usually quite obvious, and when it happens should be abundantly clear. The male character who wants to pursue Silk Fox alone, or who wants to pursue Sky at all, will have to break off personal dialogues with Dawn Star while in the Imperial City (or earlier, in chapter two). It is pretty easy to know what kind of reaction you are getting out of Dawn Star. She hides none of her emotions; at least, not while she is still talking to you and while you're still expressing interest. Here are the most common ways that a conversation can end. 1. You are dismissive of her in a stark way. She will be hurt and apologize for wasting your time, among other things. You will never get another personal dialogue with her again (unless you reload an earlier save). 2. You persuaded her to become Closed Fist, much to her reluctance. Then you backhanded her with disapproving messages, much to her confusion. She will start a speech saying something like, "I need consistency, and I'm not finding it with you." The speech will suggest that you can talk again when this is all over. That is code for "never, not in this lifetime and not in the next." Reload an earlier save unless you desired this result. 3. She complains of your wanton ignorance of things to which she is acutely attuned. (This can happen in chapter two.) She is angry but doesn't apologize for "wasting your time." This usually means you are still in a romance with her. Try talking to her again and making sure she has her "bothering you" or "concern" option still there. If so, this outcome (despite the severity of it) is functionally equivalent to any other. 4. She gratefully acknowledges your support, encouragement, warmth, or other attribute typically associated with Open Palm characters. This usually means you are still in a romance with her. It does not mean you have precluded the possibility of a Closed Fist romance with her. There is a single definite conversation check through which you can turn her Closed Fist; after that, it will never revert back (though it can end, either from being dismissive or confusing her while she is adapting to her rapidly changing identity). So, if you can still talk to her, this outcome (even with all the pleasant feelings part of it) is functionally equivalent to any other. 5. She becomes introspective to some degree, and she remarks on you being "cold" in some way. This usually means you are still in a romance with her. It does not mean that you have secured a Closed Fist romance, nor does it mean that you have damaged an Open Palm romance. It is once again functionally equivalent to any other kind of progress in the romance. The "mandatory" conversation below is the only time when your insistence on a Closed Fist viewpoint or going along with Open Palm sensitivities will have a permanent effect on the course of the relationship. Here are the personal dialogues with Dawn Star: 1. [Irrelevant] You acquire Dawn Star as a follower in chapter one and have a variety of conversation options. None of them register any later effects. 2. [Suggested] After the first mission at Tien's Landing: "I am interested in how you are, Dawn Star. Is there anything bothering you?" 3. [Suggested] After the second mission at Tien's Landing: "I am interested in how you are, Dawn Star. Is there anything bothering you?" 4. [Suggested] After the third mission at Tien's Landing: "I am interested in how you are, Dawn Star. Is there anything bothering you?" 5. [Suggested] After landing in the Imperial City, a new personal dialogue with Dawn Star appears. It's light hearted. 6. [MANDATORY] Talk to Dawn Star after Silk Fox becomes a follower and before you have contacted the Inquisitor or Executioner. At this point you will need to decide whether to continue with Dawn Star as an Open Palm romantic interest, turn her into a Closed Fist romantic interest (requiring a conversation skill check), or break off the relationship. The Closed Fist path through the conversation with Dawn Star after getting Silk Fox is: "Silk Fox has shown only good will," "you are jealous," "useful," "*could* leave?", "cry?", any conversation check, and lastly "rivals." Check your dialogue for the [SUCCESS] of the conversation check. The Open Palm path is simply "reluctance" and "thank her." Keep in mind that you cannot turn Dawn Star to be Closed Fist unless you are CF oriented yourself. 7. [Suggested] After doing the quest for the Executioner or the Inquisitor, talk to Dawn Star. Since her alignment in the relationship is now fixed as Open Palm or Closed Fist, you are recommended to choose dialogue options consistent with the alignment already decided on for the most pleasing results (and so as not to confuse her and end the relationship). 8. [Automatic] When approaching the Lotus Assassin Fortress, Dawn Star will approach and express how much she cares for you. 9. [Suggested] After the Lotus Assassin Fortress, Dawn Star will want to talk to you. As long as you don't confuse her by rebuffing her fledgling Closed Fist personality (for those who turned her Closed Fist), the relationship will continue. 10. [Automatic] When approaching the Emperor's throne room, Dawn Star will appear behind you in the hallway. Once again, edgier options are rewarded if you've converted her to Closed Fist alignment but not if she's Open Palm. 11. [Success] When returning to the camp, one of the options is to say you came back to life for Dawn Star. After the group dialogue, she will stand outside the tent for you to talk to her. Talk to her for the love scene. Once again, it goes more smoothly if you think in terms of her Open Palm or Closed Fist alignment when choosing dialogue. 12. When defending Kang at the bridge, ask Dawn Star to take the lead. Look at her character record to confirm that she turned Closed Fist (just a hair below neutral) or remains Open Palm (about three quarters up the OP meter). 13. If you have romanced her and turned her Closed Fist, there are some unique statements after binding Death's Hand (if you do), in the camp getting ready to fly back to confront Sun Li (whether or not you've bound Death's Hand), and while contemplating the tainting of the Water Dragon (but not until you take a dialogue option asking about the possibility that you could acquire the power of the Water Dragon for yourself). 14. If you have romanced her and she remains Open Palm, she will oppose the decision to bind Death's Hand or to taint the Water Dragon. Doing the latter results in her death. There's no very sensitive way to cut off Dawn Star's interest in speaking with you personally. I guess, sometimes, a man has to do what a man has to do. Be sure to do so if you want to get Silk Fox alone (before going to the Lotus Assassin Fortress) or Sky at all (before starting the "Eternal Companions" conversation with him). Dawn Star has different romantic epilogues depending on the factors of whether you tainted or killed the Water Dragon, whether you pushed her to be Closed Fist or encouraged her to remain Open Palm in the romance, and whether you have completely pursued Sagacious Zu's subplot to reveal her as Sun Li's daughter. ****************** ** 6.2 Silk Fox ** ****************** Silk Fox will give the player character a special gift when you arrive at the Imperial City, and the relationship with her can bud from there. 1. [Irrelevant] The two meetings at Tien's Landing, the introduction as Princess Sun Lian, and the initial rendezvous at the Scholar's Garden just before getting her as a follower. 2. [MANDATORY] Before talking to the Inquisitioner or Executioner, complete the dialogue asking about the gift from her and ending "sorry, I ruined the mood." It doesn't make any technical difference for turning her later, but someone angling for an Open Palm romance would end it with the "your flower" line and someone going Closed Fist with "travesty." 3. [Mandatory for female player characters:] After you talk to the Inquisitor (or just Scholar Dongdow asking about him) or the Executioner, make Sky your follower and do the dialogue for him ending with the "Let's just be friends" option. You can then continue your romance with Silk Fox without the "default romance" of Sky getting in the way. There is no way to romance them in tandem. 4. [MANDATORY] After meeting with the Inquisitor (or the Executioner if you prefer), you can ask Silk Fox, "Is there something troubling you? Your feelings are important to me." The first option to take is "That annoys you." Insulting her father at any point during the romance will end it. After telling her that she's interesting, the remaining part of the dialogue is about OP/CF alignment, but it's not the dialogue that turns her CF yet. 5. [MANDATORY] Once you have the seal of the Inquisitioner or the seal of the Executioner, talk to Silk Fox and ask, "Is there anything you wanted to discuss before I get moving? Anything personal?" and "Tell me about yourself. I want to know more about you." Ask about and comment on the three other things before asking about "first love": court life, Silk Fox, and childhood. She'll throw the question of love back at you. Reply, "Well, there is one person. A noble." At this point, you get to sway her to be an OP Princess Lian or CF Silk Fox. For OP: "deserving of happiness as Princess," "tradition can be maintained," and the conversation check. For CF: "take what you want," "traditions should be left behind," and the conversation check. Continue with a CF interest by saying "you want more," "do you have the courage," and a conversation check. Then "have my attention," "stimulating," "goodbye for now." Check your dialogue for the [SUCCESS] of the two conversation checks. Keep in mind that you cannot turn the Princess to be Closed Fist unless you are CF oriented yourself. And, like Dawn Star, her alignment in the relationship does not change after this point (although the relationship can end, effectively making her Open Palm again). 6. [Automatic] You'll know that the relationship with Silk Fox is working if she meets you outside the Lotus Assassin Fortress before you take off into danger. Take time for her if you want the romance to continue. 7. [Automatic] Silk Fox will meet you again just outside the Emperor's throne room. Take time for her if you want the romance to continue. Selections in line with the Open Palm or Closed Fist direction of your relationship get more pleasing responses from her. (Just for fun: pay attention to the difference between the normal Silk Fox and the Closed Fist Silk Fox when she responds to a servant after landing at the Imperial Palace.) 8. [Success] When you return to the group at Dirge, the option will be there to say you returned to life for her, and she'll be outside the tent. Talk to her with sweet talk appropriate to her alignment, and you will share a tender moment. 9. When defending Kang at the bridge, ask the Princess to take the lead. Look at her character record to confirm that she turned Closed Fist (about three quarters along the CF meter) or remains Open Palm (just a hair above neutral). 10. As with Dawn Star, she has different conversation options the next morning if you are in a Closed Fist romance. Closed Fist Silk Fox supports the binding of Death's Hand if you do it, and she is firmly behind you when you talk about tainting the Water Dragon to seize its power. 11. However, again, if she is in an Open Palm romance with you, you will have to kill the Water Dragon unless you want her to die. If you have a male player character and have not broken things off with Dawn Star, the three of you will have a talk on the path to the Lotus Assassin Fortress. At this time you can make your intentions with just one lady clear, or you can foster a menage-a-trios by choosing the conversation check. You need to pass an Intuition and a Charm check here to satisfy both. You will have another, similar scene in the hallway leading to the Emperor Sun Hai, where you can again show favor for one exclusively or pass the conversation check again to keep both. If at either occasion you show favor to one, the romance with the other is broken off. If you have pursued the threesome romance up to the point of the tent at Dirge, Silk Fox will want to talk to you outside the tent. Favoring one or the other at this point will break it off with both; confirming your decided path of indecision will result in the "threesome" scene after Dawn Star comes out of the tent to join. The game seems to treat the three-way with Silk Fox and Dawn Star, from the perspective of game mechanics, as a variant of the Silk Fox romance. Dawn Star will still see her "no romance" epilogue and will not agree to the binding of Death's Hand or the tainting of the Water Dragon, even if you have passed the "CF turn" conversation check earlier. Also, if you take control of Dawn Star at the bridge, she will be heavily OP aligned, as is her default alignment. The only way to get a CF Dawn Star at Dirge is to make sure you are exclusive with her before fighting Emperor Sun Hai. Silk Fox has different romantic epilogues depending on the factors of whether you tainted or killed the Water Dragon, whether you pushed her to indulge her Closed Fist side as Silk Fox or encouraged her to remain true to her Open Palm identity as a traditional Princess in the romance, and whether you are a female or male player character. ************* ** 6.3 Sky ** ************* Sky will come on strong to female characters, but male characters can get the later love scenes with him, suitably adapted for a male-male romance. 1. [Irrelevant] You talk to Sky when you first meet him on the Pirate's Island and again when you defeat Gao the Greater. Neither conversation has an effect on later events. 2. [Suggested] Upon acquiring Sky, back at the Tien's Landing camp, you can initiate a dialogue at the camp with, "Do you have a minute to talk?" If it is appropriate to your character, feel free to close the conversation with the "whining" option. It will not end the relationship; instead, it will open up some different conversation options in the second Tien's Landing dialogue, only one of which will actually end the relationship. Note that the spoken dialogue for Sky is more flirty for female characters than male. 3. [Suggested] After acquiring the power source or the wind map, you can talk to him again, and he'll ask if you want to hear the whole story of how he tracked Gao down. Complete the conversation (without saying you don't care about his past) to advance the romance. 4. [Suggested] After arriving in the Imperial City: For female characters, the flirting becomes even more intense in this dialogue. Complete the "what's on your mind right now?" dialogue to continue the relationship. 5. [Suggested] You can ask him a second time about what's on his mind before you acquire Silk Fox as a follower. The dialogue will be different. 6. [Suggested] You can start another personal dialogue after Silk Fox joins your followers but before contacting the Lotus Assassins. It goes well if it ends with "that's all in the future though." 7. [MANDATORY] After you make contact with a recruiter, talk to Sky, and ask, "what's on your mind?" This is a critical conversation for romancing Sky. If you are a male player character, you can follow the conversation tree romantically, but you end up killing any chance of relationship when Sky says that Dawn Star or Silk Fox seems to favor you. You have to break up with both Dawn Star and Silk Fox before having this "Eternal Companions" conversation with Sky, if you want to pursue him as a male PC. Complete the "Eternal Companions" conversation, and you will be in a romance with him. 8. [Automatic] He approaches you before you enter the Lotus Assassin Fortress. Take time for him if you want the romance to continue. 9. [Automatic] He approaches you again before you confront Emperor Sun Hai. If you say that you love him, he will say, "Thank you." It certainly doesn't hurt to be as tight-lipped as he is by choosing the second or third option. Only the last option will end the relationship. 10. [Success] When you return to your followers at the camp in Dirge, you have the option of saying you came back for Sky. He will stand outside the tent after everyone talks. Speak to him for the love scene. 11. Sky can't be turned explicitly Closed Fist or Open Palm as an independent character. His spoken lines attempt to shape themselves to match your own dialogue choices and actions. If you get the romance scene at the tent, he will support binding (or releasing) Death's Hand and tainting (or killing) the Water Dragon without incident. There is a rumor that you get different epilogues for Sky depending on whether you bind Death's Hand (i.e., not just depending on whether you taint the Water Dragon). This is false based on my own experimentation and based on the contents of the data files containing the epilogues for the game. There are also various suggestions in various guides to the effect that your conversation options with Sky (whether in chapter three or in chapter six) might be a factor that sways him to be Open Palm or Closed Fist. This is false. The only factor is what you actually do. Sky will follow you as best he can if he is romanced. (This can result in some uncomfortably phrased lines where the script writer is trying to straddle the fence.) It is also suggested sometimes that same-sex romantic pairings will require more constant attention from the player character to succeed. I don't see how this can be the case, since there are never additional opportunities to woo anyone other than those allowed for by the stages of progress along the main quest plot line. I recommend using every available personal dialogue opportunity, regardless of whether the pairing is heterosexual or not. Sky has different romantic epilogues depending on the factors of whether you tainted or killed the Water Dragon and whether you are a female or male player character. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ 7.0 Epilogues ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Up to eight of your followers get written epilogues at the end of the game after defeating Sun Li. There is a ninth one for completing a sidequest in the Scholar's Garden. There are no epilogues if you choose the ending where you cooperate with Sun Li ("The Hero and the Glorious Strategist" ending). The combinations possible are enumerated first, with the conditions for achieving them, and then the entries are expanded with the entire text shown at the end of the game. Obviously, major spoilers ahead! 1. Dawn Star #1 No romance (Water Dragon killed) #2 Open Palm romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Sagacious Zu's subplot incomplete #3 Open Palm romance or Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon killed AND Sagacious Zu's subplot complete #4 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon killed AND Sagacious Zu's subplot incomplete #5 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Sagacious Zu's subplot incomplete #6 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Sagacious Zu's subplot complete #7 No romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Sagacious Zu's subplot complete AND "bug fixed in the game" 2. Silk Fox #1 No romance (Water Dragon killed) #2 Open Palm romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Male romance #3 Open Palm romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Female romance #4 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon killed AND Male romance or Female romance #5 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Male romance #6 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Female romance 3. Sky #1 No romance (Water Dragon killed) #2 Water Dragon killed AND Male romance #3 Water Dragon killed AND Female romance #4 Water Dragon tainted AND Male romance #5 Water Dragon tainted AND Female romance #6 "Obsolete Data File Entry" 4. Henpicked Hou #1 Water Dragon killed 5. Wild Flower #1 Side with Chai Ka (or do not acquire Ya Zhen) AND Water Dragon killed #2 Side with Chai Ka (or do not acquire Ya Zhen) AND Water Dragon tainted #3 Side with Ya Zhen AND Water Dragon killed #4 Side with Ya Zhen AND Water Dragon tainted 6. Death's Hand #1 Death's Hand bound AND Water Dragon killed #2 Death's Hand bound AND Water Dragon tainted 7. Kang the Mad #1 Lao's Furnace subplot incomplete AND Water Dragon killed #2 Lao's Furnace subplot incomplete AND Water Dragon tainted #3 Lao's Furnace subplot complete AND Water Dragon killed #4 Lao's Furnace subplot complete AND Water Dragon tainted 8. The Black Whirlwind #1 Always 9. Sir Roderick #1 Scholar's Garden sidequest complete ***************************************************************** ** 7.1 Dawn Star Epilogues ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ***************************************************************** 7.1.1 No romance (Water Dragon killed) The defeat of Sun Li signaled a new beginning for the Jade Empire, and a personal awakening in Dawn Star. Despite the loss of the Master she thought she knew, with the restoration of the natural order the Empire seemed alive with possibility. She had seen the heart of the land in turmoil, so she retraced her steps, replacing memories of destruction with sights of renewal. Soon she found herself back in the ruin of Two Rivers. It was painful, but she took comfort in knowing that the fish were abundant and the land remained fertile; eventually new settlers would come. She replanted her garden, a flower for each of her lost friends, and set out across the Empire once more. 7.1.2 Open Palm romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Sagacious Zu's subplot incomplete The defeat of Sun Li signaled a new beginning for the Jade Empire, and for the lives of <FullName> and Dawn Star. They had faced much together, and Dawn Star looked forward to the peace their efforts had brought. In the ensuing years she worked to make the Empire a gentle place that cared for all people equally. The land was not always free of strife, but <FullName> and Dawn Star always tried to find a common ground for all concerned. They lived long and well, and all of the Jade Empire remembers their names. 7.1.3 Open Palm romance or Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon killed AND Sagacious Zu's subplot complete The defeat of Sun Li signaled a new beginning for the Jade Empire, and for the lives of <FullName> and Dawn Star. Despite their victory, Dawn Star was conflicted: The father she never knew had been her mentor all along, but he had also never truly existed, his caring nature just a lie to hide darker intentions. It was difficult to put that aside, but the stability of her relationship with <FullName> let her see that such dishonesty was the exception, not the rule. In the years that followed they worked together to make their homeland a better place. They lived long and well, and all of the Jade Empire remembers their names. 7.1.4 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon killed AND Sagacious Zu's subplot incomplete The defeat of Sun Li signaled a new beginning for the Jade Empire, and for the lives of <FullName> and Dawn Star. Despite the victory, Dawn Star was conflicted: she was changed by the journey and by <FullName>'s insistence that she be more aggressive. She felt at odds with the new peace, so she and her Spirit Monk companion eventually left the restructuring of the Empire to others and sought more adventurous climes. They never settled down, preferring to call all of the Jade Empire their home. 7.1.5 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Sagacious Zu's subplot incomplete The defeat of Sun Li signaled the rise of <FullName>, and at his side stood Dawn Star. She was devoted to his efforts; he had convinced her that the only valid response to adversity is an adequately forceful reply. Only a firm hand could prevent another tyrant coming to power, and no one was more suited than the Spirit Monk she had helped ascend. Dawn Star became a tempering influence, and made certain that the people of the Empire had their needs met, if not all of their wants. Their Empire, as long as it lasted, was strong and prosperous. 7.1.6 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Sagacious Zu's subplot complete The defeat of Sun Li signaled the rise of <FullName>, and Dawn Star was ever at his side. She was devoted to his efforts, but personal turmoil clouded her mind. She had found her lost father, but Sun Li was not the man she had wanted him to be. It was as if he had killed her true father, the idealized Master Li that now only existed in her memories. She grew cold over time, and without her tempering influence, the Jade Empire became a demanding place to live, controlled through force of arms. But the tighter the reigns, the harder the resistance, and the reigns were very tight indeed. Dawn Star would stand by <FullName> to the end. 7.1.7 No romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Sagacious Zu's subplot complete AND "bug fixed in the game" (This epilogue cannot be seen in the game, but it can be found in the data files, and it is highly logical that there is a "Li, you are my father" epilogue for Dawn Star without romance, just as there are two shown in-game for Dawn Star in a romance, one with the Water Dragon killed and the other with the Water Dragon tainted. Therefore, you may consider the presence of the default no-romance epilogue after unlocking the entire "secret of Sagacious Zu" subplot to be an error of the game's programming. The final confrontation between Sun Li and his daughter reveals that Dawn Star would have liked her father to be like the Master Li she thought she knew at Two Rivers. This epilogue is, therefore, not only different but also a highly appropriate conclusion for her character.) The defeat of Sun Li signaled a new beginning for the Jade Empire, but it brought little personal comfort to Dawn Star. She was conflicted: the father she never knew had been her mentor all along, but had also never truly existed, his caring nature just a lie to hide darker intentions. Her search for peace of mind took her back to the simpler life of a borderland village much like Two Rivers, where she built her own school in the manner of the Master she had believed in. The schemes of Sun Li died in the palace, but the teachings of her cherished Master would persevere. At least in this, the man Dawn Star had hoped to know would live on with her. **************************************************************** ** 7.2 Silk Fox Epilogues ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** **************************************************************** 7.2.1 No romance (Water Dragon killed) Though the credibility of her family was understandably marred by the actions of her father and uncle, Princess Sun Lian emerged from the incident with a newfound credibility that easily secured her claim to the throne. This was thanks in no small part to keeping <FullName> very close at hand, and making sure the people knew that <he/she> had her full support throughout the ordeal. Empress Sun Lian ruled over a new golden age of the Jade Empire that seemed like it would never end. 7.2.2 Open Palm romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Male romance Though the credibility of her family was understandably marred by the actions of her father and uncle, Princess Sun Lian emerged from the incident with a newfound credibility that easily secured her claim to the throne. This was thanks in no small part to keeping <FullName> very close at hand. He was welcomed as her companion, and eventually as Emperor at her side. Together they would rule over a new golden age that seemed like it would never end. 7.2.3 Open Palm romance (Water Dragon killed) AND Female romance Though the credibility of her family was understandably marred by the actions of her father and uncle, Princess Sun Lian emerged from the incident with a newfound credibility that easily secured her claim to the throne. This was thanks in no small part to keeping <FullName> very close at hand, and making sure the people knew that she had her full support throughout the ordeal. Empress Sun Lian and <FullName> ruled in concert, remaining close companions and sharing the burden of leadership as they guided the Jade Empire through a new golden age. 7.2.4 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon killed AND Male romance or Female romance Princess Sun Lian was praised for helping save the Empire, and with <FullName> close at hand she was soon appointed Empress. It became apparent, however, that she still held the same disdain for the bonds imposed by her position. <FullName> had pushed her to revel in the traits she showed as Silk Fox, and now that freedom seemed further away than ever. She withdrew, much as her father had done, and soon even an audience in the palace was a rare event. In truth, she was spending much of her time in the streets of the Imperial City, hiding her face once more. Her rule was prosperous enough, but it was never more than a game to her and <FullName>. 7.2.5 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Male romance In the wake of Sun Li's defeat, <FullName> assumed control of the Empire. Princess Lian lent the new emperor legitimacy through her family line, and as Emperor and Empress they turned a chaotic and fractured land into an economic and military powerhouse. Anyone who challenged their rule awakened a fury that not even the gods could contain, and even whispered secrets earned quick reprisals. Empress Lian continued to prowl as the shadowy Silk Fox, but unbeknownst to those who had encountered the supposed outlaw, this new version was dedicated to maintaining the new order. Much as Death's Hand had served her father, she controlled the flow of all information within the Empire. This combination of power and cunning ensured that the reign of <FullName> would be long remembered. 7.2.6 Closed Fist romance AND Water Dragon tainted AND Female romance After the death of Sun Li, the Princess and <FullName> assumed control. They quickly crushed any opposition to the partnership they formed, and turned a chaotic and fractured land into an economic and military powerhouse. Anyone that threatened the stability of their Empire awakened a fury not even the gods could contain. It became dangerous to speak against them even in the lowliest of taverns, and Sun Lian and <FullName> were often amused that, despite the power they could command, their enemies were often more afraid of the shadowy Silk Fox that could now somehow be in two places at once. Even at their height of their power they made time for such games they both enjoyed. *********************************************************** ** 7.3 Sky Epilogues ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** *********************************************************** 7.3.1 No romance (Water Dragon killed) Drastic shifts in power always create political and economic turbulence. In the years following the defeat of Emperor Sun Li, however, things were remarkably calm, with food supplies reaching the poor and Imperial control of areas abandoned to near-lawlessness quickly restored. Those who were there credit the smooth transition to the aid of a group called the Guild. Working under some mysterious Imperial sanction, the Guild's agents moved supplies quickly to those who needed them most and helped the Imperial Army pinpoint the camps of bandit leaders and others who threatened Imperial control. While the Guild faded from sight as peace was restored, stories persisted. Most stories recounted the exploits of this mysterious organization's dashing new leader, Sky. His ready smile, endless energy and kindness quickly made him a legend among the common people. 7.3.2 Water Dragon killed AND Female romance Shortly after the death of its leader, Gao the Greater, the Guild quickly found itself with a new man at the top and its attention turning sharply away from the slave trade. Sky would quickly deny any involvement in such a thing, and despite their suspicions, most people accepted that only one woman would ever know the full truth. If little else, Sky was always clear on one subject: his undying love for <FullName>. The couple's exploits and their devotion to each other were the stuff of legend. As they so often do, the tales outgrew the people, and the couple quietly withdrew from the public eye. Where they are now, few can say, but there is a small, unmarked grave in the farmlands outside Tien's Landing that finds itself adorned with flowers once a year without fail. 7.3.3 Water Dragon killed AND Male romance Never one to pass up an opportunity, Sky quickly established himself as a replacement for Gao the Greater, seizing control of the leaderless Guild and quickly turning the organization into something he deemed "respectable." While hardly paragons of society, the members of the Guild were brutally effective in stamping out much of the slave trade. Sky and <FullName> remained constant companions, and neither of them could find it in their heart to ever really settle down. Tales of their exploits are still told, growing more fantastic with each repetition. 7.3.4 Water Dragon tainted AND Female romance What does it take for a mortal to hold the affections of a god? Sky's dedication to his love never wavered, and he stood proudly at her side, enforcing her will without question. Over the years, his name became more dreaded than Death's Hand, for Sky worked in the shadows, and his informants were everywhere. There were moments when Sky would lie alone in the middle of the night--for no god needs sleep--and he would question the path his life had taken. It was invariably on those nights that the Empress would find time to come to him, and the next day would always find more steel in his eyes and a dark resolve burning in his heart. 7.3.5 Water Dragon tainted AND Male romance What does it take for a mortal to hold the affections of a god? Sky's dedication never wavered, and he stood proudly at the side of the Spirit Monk who had risen to become a living god. Together they ruled an empire enslaved by fear; never before had history seen such a combination of overt power and subversive guile. When all men can be convinced to cast suspicious eyes upon their brothers, perfect control is possible, even if such a balance can only be maintained for short time. 7.3.6 "Obsolete Data File Entry" Bioware employee Chris Priestly reveals in the Jade Empire "Storyline and Strategy" forum (posted July 27, 2005 in a thread titled "romance"): "Sky was originally (up until about 9 months before shipping) designed to be a Closed Fist NPC all through the game. He was suave and sexy and all, but was really quite rotten at the core due to the death of his daughter and his lust for revenge. "The scene in Chapter 6 Dirge where he is ringing the bell to bring in Death's Hand was originally him betraying the party and allowing Death's Hand to sneak up on the PC from behind. He would do this every time unless the PC had turned him to Open Palm or done the romance. If the PC was Closed Fist they would defeat Death's Hand and then had the option of imprisoning Sky or Executing him. If the NPCs objected the PC could execute them too. "But in the end, the Design team revisited Sky and made him into the lovable rogue that he was when we shipped." Extracting the epilogues from the data file reveals a vestigial epilogue for Sky based on the earlier plot line: "For a time, Sky found peace, but there was always a question in his heart about what could have been if only <FullName> had seized the power of the Water Dragon. Plagued with uncertainty, Sky turned back to the life he had known before, descending into the underworld to wage a bloody campaign against the leaders of the Guild. His victory was short lived, however, as Sky grew careless with his life and noticed too late the acrid taste of his poisoned wine. Some say he struggled to say something as he fell, maybe a name, but in the end, Sky died alone." ******************************************************************** ** 7.4 Henpicked Hou Epilogue ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ******************************************************************** (His epilogue cannot be altered. It appears if you kill the Water Dragon, and it does not appear if you taint the Water Dragon.) Henpecked Hou's wife finally tracked him down and brought him back home to settle back in to the simple bun master's life. A few years later, he became a father for the first time. Though having septuplets at his age was not unheard of, having seven daughters at once was a bit peculiar. Shortly thereafter, Hou became deathly ill after accidentally eating a bun he intended to give to his wife. Hou's wife invited her entire family to live with them while he was bedridden. Hou recovered more quickly than expected, but word of his poisonous bun made sure that his career as a bun master was over. Instead, Hou became a delivery man, delivering packages throughout the Empire. He has yet to return from his first delivery. ******************************************************************* ** 7.5 Wild Flower Epilogues ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ******************************************************************* 7.5.1 Side with Chai Ka (or do not acquire Ya Zhen) AND Water Dragon killed The will of the heavens was fulfilled. The heart of the Water Dragon restored, and her soul, reborn. Balance returned to the heavens, and the Jade Empire endured. His duty discharged, Chai Ka the Heavenly Gate Guardian returned to his heaven once more. In honor of her service to the heavens, the girl, Wild Flower, whom Chai Ka had raised to serve as his anchor, was granted the most precious gift of all: Life. She was given a chance to live a new life according to her own whim. 7.5.2 Side with Chai Ka (or do not acquire Ya Zhen) AND Water Dragon tainted No tall destinies serve heaven. Heaven, too, can be caught in a larger, more malignant fate. Chai Ka the Heavenly Gate Guardian fulfilled his destiny, but he failed in the eyes of heaven. Cast out from the Celestial Bureaucracy, he wandered as a tormented demon, bereft of purpose. His anchor, the child Wild Flower, also wandered. Sustained by the celestial powers that gave her rebirth, she knew life but not death. Forever a child in body, she saw the wasteland her homeland had become and cursed the fate that made it so. 7.5.3 Side with Ya Zhen AND Water Dragon killed In the shattered mind of Wild Flower dwelled the demon Ya Zhen. The power of the one who freed him grew, giving the demon endless possibilities. For a time, he lived by the pledge he made, serving a power greater than himself, but mortals remain mortal, and in time, they die. And when his pledge no longer binds him... then the demon's time will come again. 7.5.4 Side with Ya Zhen AND Water Dragon tainted The birth of a new god is a time of infinite possibility. Anything can be accomplished by those with the will to see it. Ya Zhen was a prisoner in the body of the child Wild Flower, but his master's ascension freed him. The ways of fate and power are fickle, and he backed the winning side. With <FullName>'s power growing, he could serve no better master. This mortal with the heart of a true god would not last forever. Someday the demon's time will come again. ******************************************************************** ** 7.6 Death's Hand Epilogues ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ******************************************************************** 7.6.1 Death's Hand bound AND Water Dragon killed After the power of the Water Dragon was restored, Death's Hand was sustained by <FullName>'s force of will. Some considered this cruel, and to Death's Hand it was just continued enslavement, but in the weeks that followed, the influence that had corrupted him began to fade, and a semblance of self returned. For the first time in decades, Death's Hand felt something other than rage; sadness for how he, as Sun Kin, had helped attack Dirge so long ago. Acceptance of this changed him, and he wandered the Empire seeking redemption. No longer bound to Sun Li's armor, he wore it anyway, a symbol not of the monster he was forced to be, but of the monster he had not recognized within himself. 7.6.1 Death's Hand bound AND Water Dragon tainted Bound to <FullName>'s will, Death's Hand served the new Empire wherever the face of terror was needed to quell dissension. Infused by the ever growing power of his master, his physical form was eventually corrupted beyond what his armor could contain, and he became something... other. Much to <FullName>'s approval, as the new form proved far more efficient at instilling fear. Besides, those allowed to comment agreed that the symbolism of trapping him within his brother's armor had always seemed somewhat quaint. ******************************************************************** ** 7.7 Kang the Mad Epilogues ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ******************************************************************** 7.7.1 Lao's Furnace subplot incomplete AND Water Dragon killed After Sun Li's defeat, Kang the Mad enjoyed actual public appreciation for his devices. It was brief, however, and as the Empire returned to peace, his machines once more became the greatest identifiable threat to the common good. His flyers grew faster and more durable, the driving force often an angry mob hurling ever larger stones. When last seen, Kang was boarding an alarmingly bare-bones device he had dubbed the Celestial Rocket Chair. While it allowed him to evade his latest pursuers, the launch also left a crater that suggested the escape was more permanent than he might have planned. Despite this, on each anniversary of their victory, <FullName> would find a fantastic new machine on her doorstep, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. 7.7.2 Lao's Furnace subplot incomplete AND Water Dragon tainted After Sun Li's defeat, Kang the Mad was in great demand. There was a new Empire to fortify, and <FullName> had Kang work around the clock. In time, however, Kang grew to resent how his devices were used. He felt that, similar to the flyers he had made for Gao the Greater, duplicates inherently diminished the effectiveness of them all. Kang became reclusive, and eventually an explosion at his main factory appeared to take his life (and that of anyone that might have known his trade secrets). Occasionally there were reports of strange devices appearing on the borderlands of the Empire, but by the time any of <FullName>'s forces could arrive, any trace had disappeared. 7.7.3 Lao's Furnace subplot complete AND Water Dragon killed Revealing Kang the Mad as Lord Lao could have had a great effect on the Empire, but after the victory over Sun Li, Kang remained much as he was. He continued to build wonders for <FullName>, and he was still criticized for the chaos his machines created, but angry mobs have no sting when you are a minor deity. At first, Lao Kang found this liberating, and his inventions reached new heights of destructive potential. But after a time, he realized that his pursuers had been the driving force behind him. Nothing stirs the mind like having your life depend on your next creation. Few understood his motives when he began actively arming his most vocal detractors, but he insisted, standing amidst the craters, that it was for the good of all. 7.7.4 Lao's Furnace subplot complete AND Water Dragon tainted After Sun Li's defeat, <FullName> fortified the Empire against any possible assault. Kang the Mad, revealed as the minor deity Lord Lao, continued his service to the new Emperor, creating ever more fearful devices, each intended for a more powerful target than the last. But Lao Kang knew that some day, probably sometime after helping subjugate the rest of the heavens, he would no longer be of use. He was certain that he would eventually be called to build a machine to pull his own heart out to steal his power, and that just gave him the willies. His last invention opened a portal to another plane of existence, and he, along with a good portion of the Golden Delta, disappeared within. Nothing says "I quit" like a crater the size of a lake. ************************************************************************** ** 7.8 The Black Whirlwind Epilogue ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ************************************************************************** The Black Whirlwind accepted a job hunting demons for the Celestial Bureaucracy, but the ensuing red tape frustrated him so much that he gave up and made for the Mysterious East. Shortly thereafter, the Empire received a great influx of Outlanders, many of whom were missing limbs and other body parts. He returned to the Jade Empire several years later, but this time he came from the west. He couldn't explain how he did it, but he was the only person unsurprised to arrive back where he started. Expressing a newfound hatred for a people who couldn't make a decent bowl of wine, the Black Whirlwind vowed to never again leave the Jade Empire. A week later, he got bored and headed off to the north. ******************************************************************* ** 7.9 Sir Roderick Epilogue ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** ******************************************************************* (Shown if you are victorious in debate and duel in the Scholar's Garden with the distinctly occidental man from the Mysterious East.) Sir Roderick Ponce Von Fontlebottom the Magnificent Bastard left the Jade Empire a broken man. His skills had failed him at the moment of greatest import, and he found it difficult to stomach his defeat, despite his grand capacity. Surely he had not lost as badly as he thought. Surely there was some explanation. Surely he had something to teach this barbaric land. After much soul searching, he traded his last pair of pantaloons for passage to the Prosperous East, where he began his journey home. It is said that he discovered the Fountain of Couth (Yes Couth. Don't ask...) and is now virtually unflappable. That or he was accidentally killed by the Black Whirlwind. It is hard to say; people seemed to lose interest. As for Percival, he tired of being called 'Shirley' and returned to his village. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ 8.0 Final Notes ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At least once, be sure to watch and listen to the entire credits sequence after finishing the game. You will be able to hear Henpecked Hou and his wife, outtakes from the voice actors of Dawn Star and Sagacious Zu, and a special message from Master Li shown to a group photo of characters. The title screen of the game changes to a winter-time Dirge as long as the last autosave of the game is kept on your Xbox hard drive. ************************** ** 8.1 Copyright Notice ** ************************** This entire document is copyright (C) 2008 Peter Kirby. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. No section of this guide can be used without my permission. This includes, but is not limited to: posting on your website, making links to my guide, including parts of my guide in your own, or making reference to any material contained within. The four sites mentioned below (and the respective companies who run these sites) have these permissions. Please e-mail me at [email protected] to inquire about permission to use this document. GameFAQs IGN Neoseeker SuperCheats DO NOT COPY WITHOUT PERMISSION. (Thanks to Michael Sarich for this copyright text rubric, used by permission and with some modifications.) ************************* ** 8.2 Version History ** ************************* Version 1.02: Sept. 16, 2008 Formatting corrections, proofreading, and rewording in several sections to make the intent of the guide more clear. Information on Henpecked Hou at the Pilgrim's Rest Inn added. Section number 8.1 for the copyright notice added. Submitted to SuperCheats for the first time on Tuesday, September 16, 2008. Also updated to GameFAQs, Neoseeker, and IGN on Sept. 16, 2008. Version 1.01: Sept. 13, 2008 Copyright information added. Date placed at top of document. Other minor errors corrected. Submitted to Neoseeker and to IGN on September 13, 2008. Version 1.0: Sept. 13, 2008 Consists of eight sections, with entries for each follower. The sections are Introduction, The Player Character, Occasional Aids, Amusing Anecdotes, Mysterious Discoveries, Romantic Entanglements, Epilogues, and Final Notes. The epilogues section is complete with the conditions for getting all of them and provides all their text. The other sections are thorough but could be improved. Submitted to GameFAQs on Saturday, September 13, 2008. ************************************ ** 8.3 Thanks and Acknowledgments ** ************************************ Thanks go to Bioware and its employees for an incredible game. The excellent guide "Aeon's Advanced Jade Empire FAQ" [http://aeons.planetquake.gamespy.com/aeons-php/jade_empire_faq.php] was an enormous help when exploring the game for myself. I have also referred to the "FAQ/Walkthrough by MysticWeirdo" [http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox/file/918890/36494] while playing through the game. The epilogue texts are copied and corrected from a post in the Bioware Jade Empire forum by a game owner named "jpom." Using software also used to extract text information from other Bioware games, he writes (March 14, 2007): "Also I was going through the DLK file, curious of the endings and I have copied a bunch into a word document to read them easier. I don't think there would be an issue posting them on here (Although if there is I would appreciate someone letting me know), so if people are still interested in them I will post them, I'm sure the majority of people who really want to see them have already gone through the dlk file though so I don't see much point unless someone actually wants them." [http://jade.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=552621&forum=101&sp=0] Although the conditions for achieving the epilogues stated by "jpom" in the posts are slightly confused, the list is complete and is the source for the epilogues of Dawn Star and Sky that cannot be seen by beating the game (but which were written at one point during development). Those which can be seen after beating the Xbox game have been confirmed to be accurate and the same as listed here. Several other details have been read here and there on different forums, especially the Bioware Jade Empire "Storyline and Strategy Discussion" forum (where I have posted under the username "BotanicalPuppet"), but the sources are anonymous at this point because I don't know what came from where after it became lodged in my memory. In any case, thanks to everyone else who has allowed me to appreciate Jade Empire more.