Maybe the characters shouldn't be aware (maybe) but for the players, we should be.
I disagree ...
We are slowly revealing informations, exactly as we (both characters, and players) should ... the only problem here is that the story is not yet complete, so we dont really know ny final answer ... but that is quite fine by me.
I mean, no story starts by clearly stating:
"Hey, this character will die in middle of the book, but shhhhh!".
A 90 minute movie can't maintain tension for its entire runtime and only resolve it at the end.
Have you seen The Prestige?
I can recomend.
And in doing so we would miss a LOT of content as a result.
Well, yes ... but those are just choices and consequences.
And maybe it's just my cautious nature, but if there's a possibility of violent, painful transmutation into a whole different being, then any uncertainty as to the timetable to me can only logically be reacted to with "solve this as soon as possible." Even if we the players lose our sense of tension, it wouldn't make sense for the characters to do so, since they're the ones that actually have to live with the constant danger and uncertainty.
And that is exactly where you are blinded ...
I have repeated this countless times around here and i believe we two were talking about it allready more than once ... there is several hints that CAN be used by your character as reasoning for feeling perfectly safe ... if you will use them or ignore them is completely up to you.
Sense of "constant danger and uncertainity" is certainly valuable concept ...
But if you would like to use it, you should use it in general, on everything ... you cant go to Goblin camp, bcs it is dangerous ... you cannot approach Githyanki for the same reason ... hells, you cant even go explore Nautiloid, bcs it is potentialy dangerous.
Therefore i believe in order for this story to work on its basic level, we have to presume that our character is willing to accept some risks.
As for the tadpole itself:
Lae'zel tells you you have time ...
Gale tells you you have time ...
Nettie tells you you have time ...
Halsin tells you you have time ...
Omeluum tells you you have time ...
Even Raphael tells you you still have time.
Hag tells you that no matter what you do, you are basicaly allready dead ...
By meeting Ragzlin, Gut, Minthara, Nere, Flint, that dead Drow inside Druid Grove, and that dying Dwarf on the road you SEE you have time, since they all were tadpolized long before you, and yet they didnt turn ...
You have seen on the ship that to iniciate transformation, you need some kind of Illithid device, wich is certainly not around ...
Astarion, Wyll and Karlach seems to keep ensuring you that they feel completely fine and there is nothing to wory about.
On the other hand ...
Shadowheart keeps urge you to resolve this as soon as possible, even tho it means to put YOUR life in danger from Volo, Gut, Hag, and anyone else.
And ... dunno, is there anything else? O_o
Its certainly up to you wich way you choose ...
But i just cant help the feeling that there is conciderably less support towards any sense of imminent danger of transformation.
So ... dont get mad at me, but your character who will "just rus through the game as loose lot of interactions" ... seems a little irational to me. :P
//Edit:
Actualy ... lookig at this list as it is ...
And realizing that some people still think that helping Halsin and rush through the story as fast as possible in order to remove tadpole is not just the best one ... but often even the only logical approach ...
I kinda cant help the feeling that such people are so focused on basic premise that they are simply unable to see story around it IS actualy evolving ... that no matter what hint Larian would throw to them, they would discart it as irellevant, and still would stress about the tadpole with almost fanatic passion. O_o
Bcs those people dont really seem to care what is happening ... they WANT this tadpole to be their main driving force and therefore it WILL BE their driving force no matter what. O_o
So yeah, if this approach is a choice they're making, then I think it's the least satisfying choice.
Thats just matter of taste ... i like it this way.
