Planescape: Torment

Planescape: Torment is a CRPG which is set, oddly enough, in the world of Planescape. The protagonist wakes up in a mortuary with a talking skull floating next to him, which proceeds to read the tattoos on his back and tell him what they instruct him to do.

The game is incredibly text-heavy, and most fights can be successfully talked out of with the exception of the occasional street thugs and a couple of bosses.

Despite poor sales, this game has since gained a massive cult following among roleplayers.

Basic Plot

After waking up in the mortuary the main character known only as 'The Nameless One' can adventure out to find himself in the fabled City of Doors itself, Sigil. From there he must gain allies and eventually find out about himself; particularly why he is unable to stay dead. The game begins in the Hive portion of Sigil and later into the Clerk and Upper wards as well as into The Lady's Mazes, Carceri and the hells themselves. All the while you get to enjoy thugs around every corner, demons, shadows that are trying to kill you (again) and the general charm of Sigil's varied peoples.

Companions

Annah. Yes, we'd hit it too.

Annah-of-the-Shadows

A female tiefling rogue, a member of the indeps. Annah has a sharp tongue and some equally sharp punch daggers. She has a pale completion, red hair and a rather distinctive tail as well as a Scottish accent. She is a possible romantic interest in the game.

Dak'kon

"Endure. In enduring, grow strong."

A male Githzeri fighter/mage of whom you may recruit in the Smoldering Corpse Bar within the Hive. Dak'kon says little and is really good for little more than spell support and a somewhat decent meat-sheild should you happen to be a mage yourself.

Morte

"Women were the reason I became a monk - and, ah, the reason I switched back... "

A floating skull (male fighter) that greets you when you first wake up in the beginning of the game. Best kept around for amusement as who can resist constant lecherous remarks, the eyeing of your female cohorts in crime or his sarcasm? Also not too bad for muscle back-up and has some ridiculously low AC.

Fall-From-Grace

Female Succubus Cleric who is another potential love-interest for the main character. FFG has leathery wings, blonde hair, blue eyes and is found in a brothel in the Clerk's Ward that, rather than covering more sensual bases happens to specialize in discussion and exercises of the mind.

Nordom Whistleklik

"I sleep in a drawer."

A Modron fighter that has just a little chaos in him. He has six arms, wields gear-spirit crossbows and makes about as much sense as a certain 4ed rules regarding level 15 rogue's special abilities.

Ignus

A male human mage who you can awaken later in the game (he can be found heating the Smoldering Corpse Bar). This fellow happens to be on fire. Rather permanently, as his body now contains a gateway to the elemental plane of fire. He's not very talkative (and almost completely insane) but he provides great magical support.

Vhailor

Animated Suit of Armor who used to be a Mercykiller sent after one of the Nameless One's incarnations (most likely the Practical one). The Nameless One managed to fool the guy, and he died of hunger in the dungeons of Carceri. His will to dispense justice was so strong that he couldn't stay dead, and animated his own armor suit. The Nameless One proved him he was punished by death for his crimes, though.

Links

http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ie/pst-fixpack - Repairs nearly every bug in the game, as well as adding game tweaks and restoring unfinished content.

http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=55&ref=0&id=208 - Part 1 of a retrospective interview with two of the game's developers.

http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=56&ref=0&id=208 - Part 2 of the interview.

http://www.rpgwatch.com/files/Files/00-0208/Torment_Vision_Statement_1997.pdf - The official guidelines to which the developers would refer regarding how to make the game.

http://www.bootstrike.com/Torment/index.html - A useful site with creators interviews, wallpapers, music, and more.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187405/quotes - Many of the best quotes from the game, but lacks the omnipresent "Updated my journal".

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  The Nameless One's Tattoo: Symbol of Torment

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  Don't trust the skull

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  Annah is a tiefling thief you can get in your party

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  Some in-game graphics. Middle row is the characters you can acquire for your party

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  Lady of Pain from one of the unused game graphic files

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  One of the minor characters, tiefling painter