I always do the past crush_bold, present crush_bold, ALL the bold flirts with Adrian, and the scooting away was funny and made sense to me? (Though, I wouldn’t object to the other scene, it would be in-character for horny Lust MC)
He obviously likes the MC, and has flirted back on occasion, but now it’s getting too serious, so he’s backtracking.
He believes he can’t be with the MC, but at the same time, he wants to protect them. The parallels with Lust MC, hmm…
STAY BACK. STAY CLOSE. STAY BACK. STAY CLOSE.
EDIT: This is a good place to point out that if you have the Lust vice, you cannot confess your feelings to Adrian during the Free Time Hub to advance your relationship. It’s not even a greyed out option, the option just isn’t there.
Me, faced with the consequences of my own actions: ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!
EDIT: I went digging in the code, and yes, I am confused now too. Why don’t I get the cute almost-kiss? I meet all the requirements!
I apologize for punching him, then confess my love (Wrath MC). And I like that we can say it’s love.
@Notice_me_senpai
I know that it’s been released for a while, but I love that Adrian can pick up a stronger and more physically imposing MC. I think that he’s not the traitor because a: he’s too obvious, and b: he seems a bit more awakened to his past self and almost certainly knew that the adventure was coming (and therefore had prior opportunities to sabotage before it even started) and c: he’s best RO and I doubt he’ll be dethroned even after Percival and Arthur Pendragon get more screen time.
Ah, I can see why you’d prefer the almost-kiss scene. With horny Lust MC, Adrian dodging makes more sense… ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Adrian is great. The biggest hurdle to his continued popularity that I foresee is the fact that he’s technically a “slow burn” route. Even if you confess your feelings to him in the first Free Time Hub, he doesn’t agree to start dating you right away. It looks like his romance route won’t really kick off until the end of the first game. For me, the subtle flirting he does is cute and satisfying, but it’s not enough for everyone.
He wants to see if you still love him after you remember a bit more of who you both were.
Pity that MC can’t be Bertilak/the Green Knight, it would have been interesting if Adrian was Gawain.
In his interlude he always has positive feelings about the MC, even if they’ve eroded over time if MC has been hostile to him in this current incarnation. He’s genuinely hurt if MC rejects his friendship even after Merlin’s grand entrance and lore dump.
My money’s on him being Gawain or Mordred. Although him being Lancelot and MC being Guinevere would be wild.
I noticed on my last playthrough using the code, that some of the prior incarnation stats with the same letter seemed to point towards opposite personalities (like bg1 and bg3 getting the opposite change from the choices), so my assumption is that some of them counts towards the likelyhood of being a specific person, and some counts against it, in the final calculation.
Maybe at different intensities, or with a fake stat or two thrown in, for misdirection?
That’s what it looks like to me, though I could easily be wrong.
I also have suspicions about which character at least one of them are, but I am absolutely not brave enough to share with the group.
Yeah, that’d be my favored outcome as well. For the drama!
Once the next update launches, I’ll prioritize setting up a spreadsheet to add to my “guide” so more people can look at/sort the variables. I have fun theorizing, even when I’m completely off the mark.
I’m not sure what others have commented, but I’m sorry if I’ve touched on a topic that sounds as if it’s gotten a little tired. I love the character writing, and I think Merlin’s nature is wonderfully unique and fascinatingly, almost eldritch in its alienness! I was only trying to wrap my head around what some of the romances might entail, beyond the content warnings.
Apologies if I’ve added to the confusion, but I also just wanted to say that I’m not sure if reducing it down to an issue with “Merlin not having a human libido”, might be skirting around the crux of the subject a bit? I don’t think a libido or sexual attraction is necessary for enjoyment and intimacy between partners. However with Merlin, it doesn’t seem like it would be a reciprocal, intimate experience for both? From what’s been described, it sounds more like it would entail a simulated fantasy for one, and a somewhat routine feeding for the other. Of course an argument could be made that feeding from someone is an intimate act, but there’s the added element of an illusion that separates them. I can’t help but imagine someone sitting on the sidelines like “wow this sandwich is decent, thanks!” whilst their partner is lost in an intricate fantasy and is contending with what is essentially an illusion, not the true aspect, desires, and feelings of their partner. Letting a vampire drink blood, or allowing a demon to siphon off energy is one thing, but in Merlin’s case, feeding them in exchange for “being in a relationship” sounds like it forces a partner into a situation where they have to repeatedly experience something vulnerable, unreciprocated, fictitious, and ultimately, lonely?
I’m also not sure I understand what the appeal of a relationship would be for Merlin if they don’t experience any romantic feelings at all? It sounds like they’ll reluctantly “accept” being in a relationship if they get to use the MC as a convenient/ tasty food source?
Or maybe I’ve totally gotten the wrong end of the stick!
Gotcha, totally understandable.
What about the possibility of us gaining sufficient life/soul/magical energy (or whatever it is Merlin feeds on) that they can safely and regularly feed on us without needing to feed on others and it not being a health risk for us?
Would they be okay with that since it isn’t them being changed or is that still a no? (And if they would be okay with it then will/could that viable possibility for us later in the game?)
Oh and btw will there be any scenes in the Merlin romance where we walk in on them feeding on someone else or that not be a thing/locked behind a conversation where we discuss the situation with Merlin to be involved/watch the feeding sessions?
(Just so I know whether to do their romance or not (I don’t mind them feeding on others but would much prefer there not be any mandatory scenes where we witness it, if there has to be a scene like that implemented I’d much prefer it be optional and locked behind an option where a player asks to watch/be involved.))
whilst their partner is lost in an intricate fantasy and is contending with what is essentially an illusion, not the true aspect, desires, and feelings of their partner. Letting a vampire drink blood, or allowing a demon to siphon off energy is one thing, but in Merlin’s case, feeding them in exchange for “being in a relationship” sounds like it forces a partner into a situation where they have to repeatedly experience something vulnerable, unreciprocated, fictitious, and ultimately, lonely?