I wonder if everyone here is content with her engine possibly exploding trope at all, personally I found it utterly boring to begin with. Do you guys want her story to be about saving the damsel from unstable heart to be fleshed out or something else entirely? I think it would lack nuance in the matter, you either help her if you like her or not, there is no room for debate or moral dilemma. They can introduce it of course that in order to save her you have to sacrifice someone else, we'll see.
I already made a point that I would like them to redo her questline from scratch from act 2 onward (there isn't much to scrap tbh), based on what is known about her and her engine:
- The engine gives power and martial prowess to the user and modifies their body (fire resistance, fiery skin) and personality a bit (makes her rage more) - The engine can be modified by an infernal smith with infernal iron and maybe something else - Zariel is very offended that her asset escaped Avernus and wants her back dead or alive - Karlach experience in Avernus is very traumatic due to almost constant warfare for a span of 10 years and initial betrayal of the person she trusted who sold her to Zariel
This are enough pointers to evolve her character on a basis of Revenge vs Freedom. In act 2 Dammon comes to her with a project of further improving her engine, pushing it beyond its limits. Some rare creatures or elementals must be hunted for the materials, but in result she gains more power and some unique abilities. Zariel lackeys then attack, but Karlach disposes of them alone and without much effort. However it becomes clear that overclocking the engine had an effect on her personality, she suddenly becomes more violent and irritable. She notices it too and makes an apology to the MC, but time is of the essence and we move forward to act 3.
This is something I keep thinking about, especially because Larian choose a specifically outcome to Descent into Avernus in DnD that preceded BG3.
Basically, in Descent to Avernus your party could possibly redeem Zariel (or try) while trying to return Elturel to Faerun. Of course, as an adventure in DnD, much is open to decide. But Larian did decide on Zariel still being an Archdevil, but Elturel to have returned.
There is a magical item in Avernus that belonged to Zariel, a sword that basically makes anyone who touches it an angelic form of themselves (it’s irreversible and the person is basically gone, kinda Astarion ascended vibes/mindflayer, but for good and celestial perfection).
It would be awesome if Karlach’s quest involved going to Avernus for the chance of either killing Zariel (revenge pure and simple) or redeem her. Karlach trying to redeem Zariel could be very interesting, since she’d have to see something to redeem, and maybe we could learn more about what it was like for her in the Hells. But she’d have a big choice there - using the sword would erase herself, but also “cure” her, since her body would become “perfect”. It’s akin to Shadowheart’s choice of serving Shar. The entire thing could lead to Karlach learning to let go of revenge and show compassion instead.
The idea that on this journey Karlach has to deal with becoming more aggressive and violent the more she uses her engine is perfect. Zariel herself, who made the engine, is exactly that: extremely belligerent, ruthless and full of wrath. Perhaps the engine makes Karlach more and more like Zariel herself, bringing her closer to the same path that led the former angel to fall. That would be quite interesting to see. And in that, maybe we could find out that Zariel favors Karlach because unconsciously she reminds her of her former self - righteous but ruthless, raging and charging into battle head first. Zariel used to do that too, for what she saw as greater good but she lost her path. Karlach could perhaps be a way of Zariel to redeem herself, while Karlach redeems her, you know? And if Zariel sees that, she might offer a way to “fix” Karlach, or if she returns to her celestial form, cure Karlach herself.
Of course, in losing the engine, Karlach would lose much of her strength, perhaps needing to “respec”.
Well, that’s what I’ve been mulling over the past few days haha
Last edited by sailorgundam; 30/09/2307:16 AM. Reason: spelling
