Solidarity, brother/sister. #freehugsforeveryone and #justiceforkarlach!
Originally Posted by tarraxahum
I think the most honest answer here is "Not everyone agrees that 'no good ending' tragedies - especially the ones that happen by default without an explicit failure on the player's part - are fitting or needed in a fantasy choose-your-own-adventure setting where you can influence everyone else's fate".
"players failed to pick up any related missions which DM tried to give them or screwed the quest up and this is the consequence of that".
It honestly boils down to the combination of both of the above. It's a D&D CRPG so the choices should be there, it doesn't have to be a perfect outcome but it shouldn't only be doom and gloom either unless that makes sense. But the hints are all there that it can be solved, and it's certainly not the easiest mission to come to either since saving all the suicidal Gondians while keeping Dammon and the Ironhand Gnomes (mainly Barcus) alive in your playthrough isn't something everyone will come across.
Originally Posted by tarraxahum
I think you're misunderstanding that point a bit. Karlach wouldn't, there's no doubt about that. Tav, however, or whatever character we're playing, might, depending on the player's choices (IF there were such choices presented).
Tav goes to Raphael, who asks for a deal to get the Orphic Hammer. Tav makes a deal to solve Karlach's issue instead, Raphael accepts. Lae'zel and Voss get angry you didn't make a deal for the Orphic Hammer, Karlach gets happy-angry you signed your soul away for her. Proceed to raid the House of Hope, take the Hammer and your contract, and slap Raphael about. Zariel won't be happy and will keep hunting Karlach, who lost a lot of her power without the engine, so it's not a purely positive outcome. Done.
They set up some relatively easy solutions themselves, all they have to do is implement them. It is of course up to the DM (the writers) to decide not to add them after all. But why hint at the options and set up these perfect solutions then?
