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* ApologeticAttacker: The Bodyguard actually apologize as he punches enemies in melee.



* {{BFS}}: The Bard can also learn to fight with two-handed weapons, mostly claymores and axes. At high levels they're enchanted with lightning, and he can hit multiple enemies.

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* {{BFS}}: The Bard can also learn to fight with two-handed weapons, mostly claymores and axes. At high levels they're enchanted with lightning, and he can hit multiple enemies. The two unique weapons (The Shadow Axe and the Ego Sword) share the same animation and techniques.



** TheChosenZero: Not only is the Bard an unlikely hero (and has this pointed out to him), there are many other "Chosen Ones" (people who think the are, anyway [[note]]They actually are, but they just sucked.[[/note]]) who end up dead or worse. And after you come across them, [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment some trow come out and sing about it]]!

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** TheChosenZero: Not only is the Bard an unlikely hero (and has this pointed out to him), there are many other "Chosen Ones" (people who think the are, anyway [[note]]They actually are, but they just sucked.[[/note]]) who end up dead or worse. And after you come across them, [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment some trow come out and sing about it]]!it]]! [[spoiler: A dialogue between Fionnaoch and Caleigh may subtly imply that Fionnaoch himself started this way.]]



* CloudCuckooLander: Old Hatcher, the Butcher, mistakes the Bard for one of his relatives. Which one though, varies from minute to minute, starting with brother, then son, then wife, then granny, then uncle, and finally even father.



* DualWielding: The Bard can learn to dual wield a sword with a [[KnifeNut dirk]] in the off-hand.

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* DualWielding: The Bard can learn to dual wield a sword with a [[KnifeNut dirk]] in the off-hand. He can't knock down enemies, but he can chain several, damaging strikes in a row.



* EldritchAbomination: Despite being, essentially, an oversized monstrous mosquito, the Gouger is described in this terms by the narrator.
* ElementalEmbodiment: The three guardians of the Towers: Herne is a treant-like vegetable humanoid who can phase through wood and summon plants, Lugh the valiant warrior is a massive armor-clad humanoid seemingly made of metal and rules over clockwork warriors, while Mannanan is an earthen being served by crystal-studded monsters and residing in a Tower mostly made of stone, rocks, dirt and crystals.



* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Finnstown. You learn what happened as a NoodleIncident with HornyVikings. Also, the Nuckelavee. Really, the Bard's whole career is built on these, and a good portion of the sidequests involve either making new mistakes or fixing ones you made previously.

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* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Finnstown. You learn what happened as a NoodleIncident with HornyVikings. Also, the Nuckelavee. Really, the Bard's whole career is built on these, and a good portion of the sidequests involve either making new mistakes or fixing ones you made previously. [[spoiler: Ultimately, the last second choice at the end involves wether to actually fix the biggest mistake or to let everything go to hell.]]



* NobleDemon: Fionnaoch shows signs of this, especially after talking to Mannanan about the Bard and promising to avenge him should things go wrong. [[spoiler: Justified as he's the good guy.]]



* OddlyShapedSword: The Ego Sword resemble some sort of stout SinisterScimitar (or, given the setting, a saex or falchion) with three useless metal bars jammed perpendiculary across the blade. Then again, it does attack by manifesting a long, misty aura from the blade itself, so the shape is meaningless.



* {{Pun}}: Plentyful, most notably the self-description of the Ego Sword, which is quite a jerkass... a ''bastard sword'' if you will...



* ReverseGrip: The dirk in the off-hand when dual-wielding.

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* RamblingOldManMonologue: Olav the Viking undergoes one once you talk to him. If you listen to the very end with no interruption, you can get a Lightning Stone for free.
* ReverseGrip: The dirk in the off-hand when dual-wielding.dual-wielding, though some of the later ones avert this.


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* RockMonster: Mannanan is a floating, malformed rock creature covered in crystal spikes. In spite of the usually-associated tropes, it's a powerful Sorcerer.

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* EscortMission: The game has a couple: you have to lead Ketill Svart from Neversdale back to Houton, lead the Firbolg explorer out of the mines, escort [=MacRath=] back and forth Greenland Plains and finally lead Hatcher across the Draugr-infested city and the zombie-filled farm against the Haggis Monster. If you keep him alive untill the end, he'll reward you with the game's best bow and shield.

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* ElaborateEqualsEffective: Best seen with the Sword line of weapons, going from a shoddy rusty blade to a stylish rapier-like weapon, back to a glowing shortsword, then a glowing broadsword adorned with a fine handguard and finally a massive, wicked-looking black longsword.
* EscortMission: The game has a couple: you have to lead Ketill Svart from Neversdale back to Houton, lead the Firbolg explorer out of the mines, escort [=MacRath=] back and forth Greenland Plains and finally lead Hatcher across the Draugr-infested city and the zombie-filled farm against the Haggis Monster. If you keep him alive untill the end, he'll reward you with the game's best bow and shield. Luckily enough, the Hag can heal the escortee if they're wounded. Aside from Hatcher, they tend to stay backwards, out of trouble.



* PetTheDog: The protagonist is an AntiHero JerkAss more interested in, as the game states, "coin and cleavage" than saving the world. He is a compulsive liar and cheat, swindling his way through life and seducing his way through women. However, not only does he pick up a dog companion early in the game, but he [[spoiler:sheds a genuine tear and vows revenge when the dog is killed by a monstrous minion of the apparent BigBad]].

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* PetTheDog: The protagonist is an AntiHero JerkAss more interested in, as the game states, "coin and cleavage" than saving the world. He is a compulsive liar and cheat, swindling his way through life and seducing his way through women. However, not only does he pick up a dog companion early in the game, whom he regularly praise when he digs up treasure, but he [[spoiler:sheds a genuine tear and vows revenge when the dog is killed by a monstrous minion of the apparent BigBad]].BigBad, and is genuinely happy if he sees it returning as a ghost]].



* StationaryBoss: Herne Is confined to the tree stumps, and can occasionally teleport from stump to stump. The Haggis Monster is confined to his hole, and will occasionally sink back inside in order to wait for other zombified animals to come and heal it.



* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Carsgair and the Shadow Axe. You need the former to escape a Trow's geas (and there's no way to skip it), and the latter to gain entrance to the Island Tower.

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* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Carsgair and the Shadow Axe. You need the former to escape a Trow's geas (and there's no way to skip it), and the latter to gain entrance to the Island Tower. In a way, some of the summons, such as the Bodyguard, Light Fairy and Flame Elemental are vital to succeed.


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* ThisIsGonnaSuck: The Bard has this reaction... well, many times. Most notably in the Farm where, after killing a couple of waves of zombified cattle, hears ominous roaring and rumble coming from the dark pit in which all the unused bodyparts were discarded.

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%%* AffectionateParody

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%%* AffectionateParody* AffectionateParody: While on one hand the game features some nice celtic settings, it doesn't take himself seriously at all.



* AncientGrome: Lugh, his automaton and the tower itself all have a distinctive, graeco-roman look on them.



* AutomaticCrossbow: Anachronistically enough, both the Heroine and the old Farmer Bill in Kirkwall have one of these.



* BarredFromTheAfterlife: The Viking Jarl is struck inside the Frozen Tombs and cannot enter Valhalla. You have to get him angry enough to attack some other respawning Draugrs, allowing him to fight enough people to get his afterlife.



* {{BFS}}: The Bard can also learn to fight with two-handed weapons, mostly claymores and axes. At high levels they're enchanted with lightning, and he can hit multiple enemies.



* BloodKnight: Lugh, the guardian of the Mountain Tower, is one. He even acknowledge the Bard as a WorthyOpponent before the boss fight.



* ChainmailBikini: The Valkyrie who comes to escort the Jarl to Valhalla and teaches the Fire Elemental Tune to the Bard wears a mail bikini bottom, shoes and a massive iron chestpiece with shoulderguards and helmet.



* EekAMouse: The Bard's modus operandi when in a bar, in order to get at least a free meal. Hilariously enough it works on a gigantic burly viking in Finston and [[spoiler: On Lugh's female guards on the second floor.]]
* EscortMission: The game has a couple: you have to lead Ketill Svart from Neversdale back to Houton, lead the Firbolg explorer out of the mines, escort [=MacRath=] back and forth Greenland Plains and finally lead Hatcher across the Draugr-infested city and the zombie-filled farm against the Haggis Monster. If you keep him alive untill the end, he'll reward you with the game's best bow and shield.



%%* FetchQuest

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%%* FetchQuest* FetchQuest: In order to reach each tower, the Bard has to undertake one of these, much to his dismay.



* FighterMageThief: The three Guardians could be seen as this: Herne is the Thief, being a sneky, resorting to tricks and summoning and moving around the tower a lot during the combat. Lugh is the Fighter, unleashing a powerful assault with flying axes, javelins and blades at the Bard, while Manannan is a sorcerer bombarding the Bard with fireballs, lightning bolts and tornadoes.



%%* HandsomeLech

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%%* HandsomeLech* HandsomeLech: The Bard acts as a snarky one, though the Narrator and many other people could make arguments against that...



* HornyVikings: They appear, more often than not as enemies, being twice the size of the Bard and wielding swords, throwing axes and hammers. Their leader, Silkbeard, has taken over Finstown. They also come with undead variants known as Draugrs.



* JavelinThrower: The Knocker is a lightning-based, elf-like summon who can throw lightning rods to fry enemies with chain lightning. Lugh's Mechanical Centurions attack with spears from afar.



** The Renard Brothers, especially if you decide to summon the Knocker right in front of them.
* JumpScare: Averted when the Bard meet the undead Jarl in his tomb, and is GenreSavvy enough to guess that's going to spring into action as soon as he approaches. Played straight by the hideous spirit in Mac Rath's Dungeon.



* LandSeaSky: The three Towers the Bard has to breach into and conquer in order to release Calaigh are sublty themed after these elements of Celtic folklore: we have the Forest Tower for Land, the Mountain Tower for Sky and the Island Tower for Sea.



* MacGuffinGuardian: Each Tower holds a flame that must be extinguished by the Bard. Each flame has a Guardian entity summoned by Fionnaoch to deal with intruders.



* NotQuiteDead: Parodied for all that's worth with Bobd (well... one of them), after he's run through by the Nuckelavee.



* OurGhoulsAreCreepier: Redcaps are feral, thin creatures with long red hair and a taste for corpses, which they can eat to replenish their health. They're mostly found in the grasslands of Greenland.



* RaisingTheSteaks: Breaking the first seal result in skeletal horses roaming the land. Breaking the second will result in undead [[AsteroidsMonster chicken]], sheep and cows attacking. The boss of Hatcher's Farm is even the dreaded [[HaggisIsHorrible Haggis]] [[FleshGolem Monster]], which can even heal itself by grinding nearby zombie animals to shreds.



* SayingTooMuch: A TooDumbToLive Druid in Greenland actually lets the Bard know that he must go to Stromness in order to reach the Island Towers. His superior promptly kills him when he's about to accidentally spill more info.



* ShieldBash

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* ShieldBashShieldBash: A special ability you can obtain: it's either performed after a parry or used as a special attack with the sword equipped. Both stun enemies.



** The vorpal rat is explicitly described like the rabbit from ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''. It even has the rabbit's deadly pouncing attack.

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** The vorpal rat is explicitly described like the rabbit from ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''. It even has the rabbit's deadly pouncing attack.attack, and is especially effective against the clockword knights.



%%* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Carsgair and the Shadow Axe.

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%%* * SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Carsgair and the Shadow Axe.Axe. You need the former to escape a Trow's geas (and there's no way to skip it), and the latter to gain entrance to the Island Tower.



%%* TheUnintelligible: [=MacRath=].

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%%* * UndignifiedDeath: The reason why the Jarl is stuck on earth as a Draugr: when he was about to start the greatest raid of all times, he was so drunk he fell on his own sword and gutted himself. The Bard finds this hilarious.
*
TheUnintelligible: [=MacRath=].[=MacRath=] only speaks an old scottish dialect so thick the Bard (and the Narrator) cannot make a word out of it.
* UseYourHead: Skinny Zombies will remove their skulls and throw them at the Bard as highly-damaging poisonous projectiles.
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* FragileSpeedster: Outside of being the only party member that doesn't require a summon slot, this is the dog's niche after you gain the Dog Training talent. It doesn't do much damage, and can be knocked out easily, but it's one of the fastest party members in the game.


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* HeroicDog: Early on you gain a dog if you're nice to it. Said dog being able to find buried treasure, flush out grouse that you can hunt for silver, and, with the Dog Training talent, acts as a free FragileSpeedster party member that doesn't take on a summoning slot. The heroic part was also emphasized in the trailer, where the dog suggests to the Bard to take the path that involves saving the world.
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jumbo bag


* BigBad: Fionnaoch. He leads the fanatical druids willing to slaughter any who threatens to free Princess Caleigh including The Bard, and he makes contact with all of the guardians of the towers that maintain Princess Caleigh's prison, warning them of The Bard and sending in druids to aid them. Princess Caleigh later reveals that he's also the one behind the ZombieApocalypse that begins ravaging the land about halfway through the game. [[spoiler: This is a lie. Fionnaoch's a GoodAllAlong HeroAntagonist while it's actually the seal weakening on Demon Princess Caleigh's prison that's causing the dead to rise. With that in mind, she could be considered the real BigBag, manipulating The Bard into going a treacherous quest to free her and plunge the world into chaos though this is averted if he takes her offer to join her and finish off Fionnaoch anyway. They even get a HappyEnding together.]]

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* BigBad: Fionnaoch. He leads the fanatical druids willing to slaughter any who threatens to free Princess Caleigh including The Bard, and he makes contact with all of the guardians of the towers that maintain Princess Caleigh's prison, warning them of The Bard and sending in druids to aid them. Princess Caleigh later reveals that he's also the one behind the ZombieApocalypse that begins ravaging the land about halfway through the game. [[spoiler: This is a lie. Fionnaoch's a GoodAllAlong HeroAntagonist while it's actually the seal weakening on Demon Princess Caleigh's prison that's causing the dead to rise. With that in mind, she could be considered the real BigBag, BigBad, manipulating The Bard into going a treacherous quest to free her and plunge the world into chaos though this is averted if he takes her offer to join her and finish off Fionnaoch anyway. They even get a HappyEnding together.]]
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* CrapsackWorld: It already began as pretty nasty with murderous Kunal Trow and vicious, wild wolves bigger than men wandering the fields and forests but at least the towns were safe. After completing the first tower dungeon, the state of the world quickly turns FromBadToWorse mostly due to a ZombieApocalypse that decimates the majority of the towns in the game.

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* CrapsackWorld: It already began as pretty nasty with murderous Kunal Trow and vicious, wild wolves bigger than men wandering the fields and forests forests, but at least the towns were safe. After completing the first tower dungeon, the state of the world quickly turns FromBadToWorse mostly due to a ZombieApocalypse that decimates the majority of the towns in the game.



* TheDeadCanDance: In a joke cutscene two groups of zombies are seen having a dance off to the Bard's confusion. This reappears in the Neutral ending where the zombies are seen partying in a bar with the Bard.

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* TheDeadCanDance: In a joke cutscene two groups of zombies are seen having a dance off dance-off to the Bard's confusion. This reappears in the Neutral ending where the zombies are seen partying in a bar with the Bard.



* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler: ''Demon'' Princess Caleigh. As the seal on her prison weakens, more and more does world sink further and further into a DeathWorld with undead monstrosities and other strange abominations wandering about and causing trouble for The Bard. She claims that it's Fionnaoch's fault but the reality is that she just wants him dead to undo the last seal on her prison, so she can rule the world. That said she does [[IGaveMyWord honor her end of the agreement]] with The Bard and the two end up ruling the world together though all The Bard cares about is the sex.]]

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* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler: ''Demon'' Princess Caleigh. As the seal on her prison weakens, more and more does the world sink sinks further and further into a DeathWorld with undead monstrosities and other strange abominations wandering about and causing trouble for The Bard. She claims that it's Fionnaoch's fault fault, but the reality is that she just wants him dead to undo the last seal on her prison, so she can rule the world. That said she does [[IGaveMyWord honor her end of the agreement]] with The Bard and the two end up ruling the world together together, though all The Bard cares about is the sex.]]



* {{Stripperific}}: The first female summon has an armour or sorts, which of course includes very low neckline, ZettaiRyouiki and BareYourMidriff. Then you get another female summon, who just has a brown bikini and high-heeled boots. And the outfit on the flighty barmaid [=McRary=] is hilariously ridiculous, especially the shoes. It all fits the world, though.

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* {{Stripperific}}: The first female summon has an armour or of sorts, which of course includes very low neckline, ZettaiRyouiki and BareYourMidriff. Then you get another female summon, who just has a brown bikini and high-heeled boots. And the outfit on the flighty barmaid [=McRary=] is hilariously ridiculous, especially the shoes. It all fits the world, though.



* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: If you choose to be snarky to Gower in end of the mountain pass segment, the bard will [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin give the sword to him]].

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* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: If you choose to be snarky to Gower in the end of the mountain pass segment, the bard will [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin give the sword to him]].



** You can also kill chickens and push over cows in Houton. This serves no purpose (the chickens give you minimal experience, and only occasionally drop a nugget worth 1 piece of silver, and the cows getting tipped is only there for poops and giggles) and will get a very angry cow and chicken come after you if you do it enough times.

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** You can also kill chickens and push over cows in Houton. This serves no purpose (the chickens give you minimal experience, and only occasionally drop a nugget worth 1 piece of silver, and the cows getting tipped is only there for poops and giggles) and will get a very angry cow and chicken come coming after you if you do it enough times.

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added another example of plot tunnel for the portion of the game upon riding the raft in Firbolg Mines


* PlotTunnel: Once you enter the Mountain Pass and get put under a {{Geas}}, you won't be able to return to any previous locations until you undo it and reach Dounby.

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* PlotTunnel: Once you enter the Mountain Pass and get put under a {{Geas}}, you won't be able to return to any previous locations until you undo it and reach Dounby.Dounby 3 Chapters later.
** A shorter one takes place upon taking riding the raft in Firbolg Mines leading to the Underground River. Even after getting to the end of this Chapter you won't be able to return to previous locations until after completing the following Island Tower Chapter. The town portions of Dounby also become inaccessible, being replaced by [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Dounby Tower.]]
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added well intentioned extremist for Fionnaoch and his druids. Also Evil All Along for Caleigh.

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* EvilAllAlong: [[spoiler: ''Demon'' Princess Caleigh. As the seal on her prison weakens, more and more does world sink further and further into a DeathWorld with undead monstrosities and other strange abominations wandering about and causing trouble for The Bard. She claims that it's Fionnaoch's fault but the reality is that she just wants him dead to undo the last seal on her prison, so she can rule the world. That said she does [[IGaveMyWord honor her end of the agreement]] with The Bard and the two end up ruling the world together though all The Bard cares about is the sex.]]


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* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler: Fionnaoch and his druids spend a good chunk of the game trying to kill The Bard and are even shown to murder random civilians in Dounby. However considering how some of the Dounby townsfolk support the idea of freeing Caleigh when her freedom would unleash hell on Earth, you can at least see why they're so fanatical about making sure no one even thinks about trying to rescue her.]]

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Added The Very Definitely Final Dungeon for Dounby Tower. Also knight in shining armor for the knight. Also The Big Guy for some of The Bard's summons.


* TheBigGuy: The Bodyguard, The Mercenary, The Knight, and The Brute could all qualify as this, having larger, bulkier builds than most other characters and being useful for providing brute physical support and protecting others from harm. Their personalities also fit too though to varying degrees.



* CrapsackWorld: It already began as pretty nasty with murderous Kunal Trow and wild wolves bigger than men wandering the fields and forests but at least the towns were safe. After completing the first tower dungeon, the state of the world quickly turns FromBadToWorse mostly due to a ZombieApocalypse that decimates the majority of the towns in the game.
** DeathWorld: By the time you're halfway through the game, the safest town in the game is a DungeonTown filled with murderous Druids that slaughter random civilians. Unless you count the optional Finstown which has been completely conquered by HornyVikings who have imprisoned all of the townsfolk except for those who have escaped. You can save the townsfolk from the vikings but upon leaving, you're locked out forever for allowing the Vikings to invade in the first place due to [[NoodleIncident past actions.]]

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* CrapsackWorld: It already began as pretty nasty with murderous Kunal Trow and vicious, wild wolves bigger than men wandering the fields and forests but at least the towns were safe. After completing the first tower dungeon, the state of the world quickly turns FromBadToWorse mostly due to a ZombieApocalypse that decimates the majority of the towns in the game.
** DeathWorld: By the time you're halfway through the game, the safest town in the game is a DungeonTown filled with murderous Druids that slaughter random civilians. Unless you count the optional Finstown which has been completely conquered by HornyVikings who have imprisoned all of the townsfolk except for those who have escaped. You can save the townsfolk from the vikings but upon leaving, you're locked out forever for allowing the Vikings to invade in the first place due to [[NoodleIncident past actions.actions involving an imprisoned dragon.]]



* KnightInShiningArmor: The Knight. An honest, brave, noble fella passionate about fighting evil and delivering justice. His sympathy for Princess Caleigh's imprisonment and insistence that they must do the quest to rescue her no matter what make him rather similar to the many "Chosen Ones" encountered throughout the game.



* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: Dounby Tower, the head quarters of the druids and Princess Caleigh's prison. It's less of a dungeon and more like 12 floors of combat against enemies battled throughout the game with the 13th floor holding the FinalBoss fight.



* ZombieApocalypse: Happens in some of the towns. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero You cause them all through various blundering means.]]

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* ZombieApocalypse: Happens in some most of the towns. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero You cause them all through various blundering means.]]
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Added another bullet to the Face of a Thug entry to note Fionnaoch. Also large and in charge to describe the same character

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** [[spoiler: Fionnaoch too. He seems to be your typical EvilSorcerer but he is in fact actually trying to ''stop'' the inevitable chaos that would follow the Demon Princess Caleigh's freedom. Fittingly enough, if you ask The Crone for advice at this point she notes how looks can be deceiving and suggests siding with Fionnaoch.]]


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* LargeAndInCharge: Whereas the druids are about the same height as The Bard, their leader Fionnaoch outright towers over The Bard.

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Added another town to the dungeontown entry Stromness


** Kirkwall becomes a downplayed variant when you return after completing the Forest Tower and the town is attacked by the Nuckelavee and several skeletal horses. The only store still open is the armory owned by the snobby shopkeeper.

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** Kirkwall becomes a downplayed variant when you return after completing the Forest Tower and the town is attacked by the Nuckelavee and several skeletal horses. The only store building still open intact is the armory owned by the snobby shopkeeper.shopkeeper. Kirkwall stays this way for the rest of the game, full of skeletal horses and hysterical civilians.
** Stromness too though it's so thoroughly destroyed by the infinitely respawning undead vikings that it barely counts as a town by the time you get there. That said there are two buildings still intact albeit on opposite edges of the town. The butcher's house and the shop of [[InsaneProprietor Crazy Thorvald]] on the docks.

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added crapsack world and a sub bullet of deathworld


* CrapsackWorld: It already began as pretty nasty with murderous Kunal Trow and wild wolves bigger than men wandering the fields and forests but at least the towns were safe. After completing the first tower dungeon, the state of the world quickly turns FromBadToWorse mostly due to a ZombieApocalypse that decimates the majority of the towns in the game.
** DeathWorld: By the time you're halfway through the game, the safest town in the game is a DungeonTown filled with murderous Druids that slaughter random civilians. Unless you count the optional Finstown which has been completely conquered by HornyVikings who have imprisoned all of the townsfolk except for those who have escaped. You can save the townsfolk from the vikings but upon leaving, you're locked out forever for allowing the Vikings to invade in the first place due to [[NoodleIncident past actions.]]



* DoomedHometown: After completing the PlotTunnel from the the Mountain Pass to Dounby, the starting town of Houton is destroyed and overrun by zombies.

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* DoomedHometown: After completing the PlotTunnel from the the Mountain Pass to Dounby, the starting town of FirstTown Houton is destroyed and overrun by zombies.



** Kirkwall temporarily becomes one when you return after completing the Forest Tower and the town is attacked by the Nuckelavee and several skeletal horses. Kinda downplayed since the only store still open is the armory owned by the snobby shopkeeper. [[spoiler: Upon return visits the town is completely abandoned and overrun by infinitely respawning zombies.]]

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** Kirkwall temporarily becomes one a downplayed variant when you return after completing the Forest Tower and the town is attacked by the Nuckelavee and several skeletal horses. Kinda downplayed since the The only store still open is the armory owned by the snobby shopkeeper. [[spoiler: Upon return visits the town is completely abandoned and overrun by infinitely respawning zombies.]]shopkeeper.



* FaceOfAThug: The Crone. Her description points out that she looks like a WickedWitch but her specialty is healing magic and she's always eager to help out with powers.

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* FaceOfAThug: The Crone. Her description points out that she looks like a WickedWitch but her specialty is healing magic and she's always eager to help out with her powers.

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Added Big Bad to describe Fionnaoch


* BigBad: Fionnaoch. He leads the fanatical druids willing to slaughter any who threatens to free Princess Caleigh including The Bard, and he makes contact with all of the guardians of the towers that maintain Princess Caleigh's prison, warning them of The Bard and sending in druids to aid them. Princess Caleigh later reveals that he's also the one behind the ZombieApocalypse that begins ravaging the land about halfway through the game. [[spoiler: This is a lie. Fionnaoch's a GoodAllAlong HeroAntagonist while it's actually the seal weakening on Demon Princess Caleigh's prison that's causing the dead to rise. With that in mind, she could be considered the real BigBag, manipulating The Bard into going a treacherous quest to free her and plunge the world into chaos though this is averted if he takes her offer to join her and finish off Fionnaoch anyway. They even get a HappyEnding together.]]



* FaceOfAThug: The Crone. She has several characteristics of a WickedWitch with her aged, disheveled appearance, calling the Bard "my pretty" and cackling but her specialty is healing magic and she's always enthusiastic about helping out.

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* FaceOfAThug: The Crone. She has several characteristics of Her description points out that she looks like a WickedWitch with her aged, disheveled appearance, calling the Bard "my pretty" and cackling but her specialty is healing magic and she's always enthusiastic about helping out.eager to help out with powers.



* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:Finnioch]] is willing to kill whoever it takes to ensure [[spoiler:Caleigh]] remains sealed.

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* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:Finnioch]] [[spoiler:Fionnaoch]] is willing to kill whoever it takes to ensure [[spoiler:Caleigh]] remains sealed.

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Added Iron Butt monkey for the Explorer summon


* FaceOfAThug: The Crone summon. She has several characteristics of a WickedWitch with her aged, disheveled appearance, calling the Bard "my pretty" and cackling but her specialty is healing magic and she's always enthusiastic about helping out.

to:

* FaceOfAThug: The Crone summon.Crone. She has several characteristics of a WickedWitch with her aged, disheveled appearance, calling the Bard "my pretty" and cackling but her specialty is healing magic and she's always enthusiastic about helping out.


Added DiffLines:

* IronButtmonkey: The Explorer's primary purpose is to alert the party to traps and then disarm them. It seems that he is incapable of doing this without setting off the trap upon himself in the process though he never complains about it.
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Added Face of a Thug to describe the Crone

Added DiffLines:

* FaceOfAThug: The Crone summon. She has several characteristics of a WickedWitch with her aged, disheveled appearance, calling the Bard "my pretty" and cackling but her specialty is healing magic and she's always enthusiastic about helping out.
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added plot tunnel to describe the mountain pass to Dounby portion of the game where you cant go back to previous locations on the map

Added DiffLines:

* PlotTunnel: Once you enter the Mountain Pass and get put under a {{Geas}}, you won't be able to return to any previous locations until you undo it and reach Dounby.
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Added Doomed Hometown for Houton

Added DiffLines:

* DoomedHometown: After completing the PlotTunnel from the the Mountain Pass to Dounby, the starting town of Houton is destroyed and overrun by zombies.
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added dungeon town for the town of dounby and Kirkwall

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* DungeonTown: The town of Dounby. Justified as the town is also the location of [[TheBigBad Fionnaoch's]][[EvilTowerOfOminousness Tower]] so it makes sense that the streets would be swarming with his druids.
** Kirkwall temporarily becomes one when you return after completing the Forest Tower and the town is attacked by the Nuckelavee and several skeletal horses. Kinda downplayed since the only store still open is the armory owned by the snobby shopkeeper. [[spoiler: Upon return visits the town is completely abandoned and overrun by infinitely respawning zombies.]]
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justifying edit


** Possible explanation: [[spoiler:The being summoned isn't actually Caleigh, but rather, Caleigh just took on her form because she thought it would be great for getting horny idiots to buy into her plight.]]
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** Many zombies drop brains, naturally. Some however, drop bottles of [[TheSilenceOfTheLambs Chianti]].

to:

** Many zombies drop brains, naturally. Some however, drop bottles of [[TheSilenceOfTheLambs [[Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Chianti]].



** One of the treasure drops for the cannibalistic red caps is [[TheSilenceOfTheLambs a bottle of chianti]]. They do not, however, drop fava beans.

to:

** One of the treasure drops for the cannibalistic red caps is [[TheSilenceOfTheLambs [[Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs a bottle of chianti]]. They do not, however, drop fava beans.

Added: 83

Changed: 124

Removed: 107

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* {{Facepalm}}: The Bard does this a lot when watching other people sing and dance.



* GenreSavvy:
** The Bard, mostly from his own past experiences (if you take the word of a self-serving liar and crook like him, anyway).
** The Narrator acts like he has never seen a fantasy game before, given his shock at some standard tropes.

to:

* GenreSavvy:
**
GenreBlind: The Narrator acts like he has never seen a fantasy game before, given his shock at some standard tropes.
* GenreSavvy:
The Bard, mostly from his own past experiences (if you take the word of a self-serving liar and crook like him, anyway).
** The Narrator acts like he has never seen a fantasy game before, given his shock at some standard tropes.
anyway).

Added: 593

Changed: 1126

Removed: 46

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%%* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:The dog, as a zombie.]]

to:

%%* * BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:The dog, If you befriend him early enough, [[spoiler:the dog]] is eventually killed but then comes back as a zombie.]]zombie. If you ''didn't'', the one coming back is The Nuckelavee.



%%* TheDeadCanDance

to:

%%* TheDeadCanDance* TheDeadCanDance: In a joke cutscene two groups of zombies are seen having a dance off to the Bard's confusion. This reappears in the Neutral ending where the zombies are seen partying in a bar with the Bard.



%%* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:It's not the Bard. It's Finnioch.]]

to:

%%* * GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:It's not the Bard. It's Finnioch.]][[spoiler:Finnioch]] is willing to kill whoever it takes to ensure [[spoiler:Caleigh]] remains sealed.



%%* HereWeGoAgain: The Good Ending.

to:

%%* * HereWeGoAgain: The Good Ending.Ending concludes with the Bard summoning the Mouse to scare a barmaid, which is how the whole story started.



%%* InsaneProprietor: Crazy Thorvald.

to:

%%* * InsaneProprietor: Crazy Thorvald.Thorvald found in the zombie viking-infested ruins is as crazy as his name says.



* LeakingCanOfEvil: As the game progresses he seal containing [[spoiler:the demon Caleigh]] weakens, resulting in zombies overrunning much of the land.
* LemonyNarrator: Portrayed by Creator/TonyJay, the Narrator would much rather be reading a traditional fairy tale than dealing with this ass of a protagonist. They frequently get into arguments and the Narrator even cuts all the parts regarding animals dropping gold and weapons.
-->'''Narrator''': Thus concludes the Bard's Tale. Finally the end... I thought I'd never be rid of him. Never ask me to read this half-wit's story again, please!



%%* LemonyNarrator: Voiced by Creator/TonyJay.



%%* SealedEvilInACan:
%%** [[spoiler:Caleigh.]]
%%** The Nuckelavee.

to:

%%* * SealedEvilInACan:
%%** [[spoiler:Caleigh.]]
%%**
** [[spoiler:Caleigh]] is revealed to be a hideous demon bound long ago by [[spoiler:the Druids]]. All of the chaos seen throughout the game is due to her can weakening.
**
The Nuckelavee.Nuckelavee was sealed beneath a ring of standing stone until the Bard kills a horse there, the only way to release it.



%%* WanderingMinstrel: The Bard.
%%* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler:You can screw together, anyway. The evil option is one sweet deal.]]

to:

%%* * WanderingMinstrel: The Bard.
%%*
Bard makes his living playing at bars and hustling the barmaids for free drinks and sex.
*
WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler:You can screw together, anyway. The evil option is one sweet deal.]]Evil Ending sees the Bard team up with [[spoiler:Caleigh]], though it's less ruling and more the sex that appeals to him.
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%%* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:The Neutral Ending.]]

to:

%%* * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:The [[spoiler:In the Neutral Ending.Ending, the Bard sides with neither Caleigh or the Druids but flees the tower, then go partying with a group of undead.]]



** The vorpal rat is explicitly described like the rabbit from Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail. It even has the rabbit's deadly pouncing attack.

to:

** The vorpal rat is explicitly described like the rabbit from Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail.''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''. It even has the rabbit's deadly pouncing attack.

Changed: 49

Removed: 284

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** If you choose to be snarky to the elder of Finnstown after defeating Silkbeard, he will say [[StarWars "May the queen of the Sith take you."]]
*** Except that when pronounced "shee", "sith" (alternately "sidhe") means TheFairFolk.



** The vorpal rat is explicitly described like the rabbit from Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail.
*** It even has the rabbit's deadly pouncing attack.

to:

** The vorpal rat is explicitly described like the rabbit from Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail.
***
Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail. It even has the rabbit's deadly pouncing attack.

Added: 559

Changed: 1540

Removed: 1165

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Lost Forever is now called Permanently Missable Content. Commented out contextless examples. Weblinks Are Not Examples. Tropes can't be listed in pairs.





* AffectionateParody

to:

* %%* AffectionateParody



* AntiHero: [[spoiler: Deconstructed in the Evil ending. The Bard has no particular stake in saving the world, so siding with Caleigh really is the best choice for him.]]
** [[spoiler: Though the same could be said for the neutral ending, wherein the Bard leaves and gets drunk with some zombies. As it turns out, The Bard doesn't make to be any sort of hero or villain at all, and the undead apparently make great bar buddies. (and definitely good dancers, too)]]

to:

* AntiHero: [[spoiler: Deconstructed in the Evil ending. The [[spoiler:The Bard has no particular stake in saving the world, so siding with Caleigh really is the best choice for him.]]
** [[spoiler:
]] Though the same could be said for the neutral ending, wherein the [[spoiler:the Bard leaves and gets drunk with some zombies. As it turns out, The Bard doesn't make to be any sort of hero or villain at all, and the undead apparently make great bar buddies. buddies (and definitely good dancers, too)]]too)]].



* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:The dog, as a zombie.]]

to:

* %%* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:The dog, as a zombie.]]



* CrateExpectations: Parodied. When the bard smashes a barrel early in the game, the barrel maker comes out and chastises him for smashing his barrels. He then offers a deal: smash all other barrels the Bard sees so that the barrel-maker can sell more barrels.
** Also, [[AllThereInTheManual the game guide]] lists that the Bard's previous profession was as an assistant to the barrel maker, however he was fired for producing inferior barrels which "... shattered with a mere whack of a sword." And his mentor chased him out of town for such shoddy work, saying that "A key won't even be safe in these things."

to:

* CrateExpectations: Parodied. When the bard smashes a barrel early in the game, the barrel maker comes out and chastises him for smashing his barrels. He then offers a deal: smash all other barrels the Bard sees so that the barrel-maker can sell more barrels.
**
barrels. Also, [[AllThereInTheManual the game guide]] lists that the Bard's previous profession was as an assistant to the barrel maker, however he was fired for producing inferior barrels which "... shattered with a mere whack of a sword." And his mentor chased him out of town for such shoddy work, saying that "A key won't even be safe in these things."



* TheDeadCanDance: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BktagyHQcqA "WHAT THE HELL??"]]

to:

* TheDeadCanDance: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BktagyHQcqA "WHAT THE HELL??"]]%%* TheDeadCanDance



** The Narrator gets in a few zings of his own as well.

to:

** The Narrator gets in a few zings of his own as well.zings.



* FetchQuest: Quite a few.

to:

* FetchQuest: Quite a few.%%* FetchQuest



* GameplayAndStorySegregation: you can summon Caleigh to heal you [[spoiler: even if you choose to fight against her in the final battle. If you summon the healing spell during said battle, she appears without any transformation.]]

to:

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: you You can summon Caleigh to heal you [[spoiler: even [[spoiler:even if you choose to fight against her in the final battle. If you summon the healing spell during said battle, she appears without any transformation.]]transformation]].



* GenreSavvy: The Bard, mostly from his own past experiences (if you take the word of a self-serving liar and crook like him, anyway).

to:

* GenreSavvy: GenreSavvy:
**
The Bard, mostly from his own past experiences (if you take the word of a self-serving liar and crook like him, anyway).



* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler: It's not the Bard. It's Finnioch.]]

to:

* %%* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler: It's [[spoiler:It's not the Bard. It's Finnioch.]]



* HandsomeLech

to:

* %%* HandsomeLech



* HereWeGoAgain: The Good Ending.

to:

* %%* HereWeGoAgain: The Good Ending.



* HowWeGotHere: The game starts outside Fionnach's tower and goes on to a flashback after the druids rush at The Bard's party of summons.
** And when you get to that point in the game, the narrator tries [[ResetButton to to tell the tale from the beginning, again]]. The Bard will have none of it.
* ImpossibleItemDrop: The [[LemonyNarrator Narrator]] [[LampshadeHanging expresses incredulity]] in the early game when a wolf drops a sword. He says he'll skip all such passages from now on, and the bard complains that its his primary source of income.

to:

* HowWeGotHere: The game starts outside Fionnach's tower and goes on to a flashback after the druids rush at The Bard's party of summons.
**
summons. And when you get to that point in the game, the narrator tries [[ResetButton to to tell the tale from the beginning, again]]. The Bard will have none of it.
* ImpossibleItemDrop: The [[LemonyNarrator Narrator]] LemonyNarrator [[LampshadeHanging expresses incredulity]] in the early game when a wolf drops a sword. He says he'll skip all such passages from now on, and the bard complains that its his primary source of income.



* InsaneProprietor: Crazy Thorvald.

to:

* %%* InsaneProprietor: Crazy Thorvald.



* LemonyNarrator: Voiced by Creator/TonyJay.
* LostForever: If you run away from a village that ambushes you, all you get is a snarky comment about your reputation preceding you and it is wiped from the map. This means you miss out on the whole viking segment, and all the treasure and new summons that go with it.

to:

* %%* LemonyNarrator: Voiced by Creator/TonyJay.
* LostForever: If you run away from a village that ambushes you, all you get is a snarky comment about your reputation preceding you and it is wiped from the map. This means you miss out on the whole viking segment, and all the treasure and new summons that go with it.
Creator/TonyJay.



* KleptomaniacHero: [[DistinctionWithoutADifference He's not stealing, he's performing a public service and cleaning the chests out so they won't be cluttered.]]

to:

* KleptomaniacHero: [[DistinctionWithoutADifference [[BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord He's not stealing, he's performing a public service and cleaning the chests out so they won't be cluttered.]]



* OdeToIntoxication: ''Beer, Beer, Beer'.

to:

* OdeToIntoxication: ''Beer, "Beer, Beer, Beer'.Beer".



* PermanentlyMissableContent: If you run away from a village that ambushes you, all you get is a snarky comment about your reputation preceding you and it is wiped from the map. This means you miss out on the whole viking segment, and all the treasure and new summons that go with it.



* PrecisionFStrike[=/=]SoundEffectBleep: The Bard lets one loose after being told that some creature that died on his journey wants to see him.

to:

* PrecisionFStrike[=/=]SoundEffectBleep: PrecisionFStrike: The Bard lets one loose after being told that some creature that died on his journey wants to see him.



* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: The Neutral Ending.]]
* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler: Caleigh.]] Also, the Nuckelavee.

to:

* %%* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: The [[spoiler:The Neutral Ending.]]
* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler: Caleigh.]] Also, the %%* SealedEvilInACan:
%%** [[spoiler:Caleigh.]]
%%** The
Nuckelavee.



* ShoutOut: Some of the wolves you kill will drop a [[Literature/LittleRedRidingHood red cloak or a picnic basket.]]

to:

* ShoutOut: ShoutOut:
**
Some of the wolves you kill will drop a [[Literature/LittleRedRidingHood red cloak or a picnic basket.]]



* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Carsgair and the Shadow Axe.

to:

* %%* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Carsgair and the Shadow Axe.



* ThoseTwoGuys: Jacques and Jean.

to:

* %%* ThoseTwoGuys: Jacques and Jean.



* TheUnintelligible: [=MacRath=]

to:

* %%* TheUnintelligible: [=MacRath=][=MacRath=].



* WanderingMinstrel: The Bard.
* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler: You can screw together, anyway. The evil option is one sweet deal.]]

to:

* %%* WanderingMinstrel: The Bard.
* %%* WeCanRuleTogether: [[spoiler: You [[spoiler:You can screw together, anyway. The evil option is one sweet deal.]]
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* AluminumChristmasTrees: The Nuckelavee isn't a mosnter made up for the game but an actual mythological creature from the Orkney Islands' folklore.

to:

* AluminumChristmasTrees: The Nuckelavee isn't a mosnter monster made up for the game but an actual mythological creature from the Orkney Islands' folklore.
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* KleptomaniacHero: [[NoExceptYes He's not stealing, he's performing a public service and cleaning the chests out so they won't be cluttered.]]

to:

* KleptomaniacHero: [[NoExceptYes [[DistinctionWithoutADifference He's not stealing, he's performing a public service and cleaning the chests out so they won't be cluttered.]]



* NightmareFetishist: The Bard. [[spoiler: He gets oddly aroused by Caleigh's real form.]]
** "Is it just me, or is she still hot?"

to:

* NightmareFetishist: The Bard. [[spoiler: He [[spoiler:He gets oddly aroused by Caleigh's real form.]]
** --> "Is it just me, or is she still hot?"
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None


* ChosenOne - Parodied in various ways.

to:

* ChosenOne - ChosenOne: Parodied in various ways.



* InNameOnly: Has no relation to the original Bard's Tale series aside from a few ShoutOuts and (in some versions) including them as extras.

to:

* InNameOnly: Has no relation to the original Bard's Tale series aside from a few ShoutOuts {{Shout Out}}s and (in some versions) including them as extras.
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None


Has nothing to do with the games of ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'' (the first game being titled ''The Bard's Tale'' [1985]), although it does have a few shout outs to it (and some editions include the earlier games as an extra). To be fair though, this game ''was'' supposed to be a remake of the original game, but Creator/InXileEnternainment didn't have the rights to the original game as Creator/ElectronicArts held the rights to the series. The game was developed by Creator/InXileEntertainment, who are now also working on ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV'', a true sequel to the original trilogy.

to:

Has nothing to do with the games of ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'' (the first game being titled ''The Bard's Tale'' [1985]), although it does have a few shout outs to it (and some editions include the earlier games as an extra). To be fair though, this game ''was'' supposed to be a remake of the original game, but Creator/InXileEnternainment Creator/InXileEntertainment didn't have the rights to the original game as Creator/ElectronicArts held the rights to the series. The game was developed by Creator/InXileEntertainment, who are now also working on ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV'', a true sequel to the original trilogy.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added more info


Has nothing to do with the games of ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'' (the first game being titled ''The Bard's Tale'' [1985]), although it does have a few shout outs to it (and some editions include the earlier games as an extra). The game was developed by Creator/InXileEntertainment, who are now also working on ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV'', a true sequel to the original trilogy.

to:

Has nothing to do with the games of ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy'' (the first game being titled ''The Bard's Tale'' [1985]), although it does have a few shout outs to it (and some editions include the earlier games as an extra). To be fair though, this game ''was'' supposed to be a remake of the original game, but Creator/InXileEnternainment didn't have the rights to the original game as Creator/ElectronicArts held the rights to the series. The game was developed by Creator/InXileEntertainment, who are now also working on ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleIV'', a true sequel to the original trilogy.

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