quick question about monastery

[MacSuibhne]

I know that you have to put all your belongings in a chest when you become a novice. And you almost certainly will not get it back.

If i load all my gear on my horse before I go into the monastery will I lose it? Only what's on my person right?

And it just occurred to me... will I be able to access my stuff from the horse while I'm in there?

[vine]

you can't access your horse inventory from the UI while monking around, no, i tried that :D
you will get back all the things you store in the chest after you get out of the monastery, there will be a pointer for it (just like there is after Vranik if you remember..).
if you want to smuggle something inside you will have to go out of the monastery at night using a key preferably, although you can get lockpicks inside. you can reach the chest where you stored everything. you will have to be sneaky though, as you're not supposed to be outside at all :)

[n0mad23]

I think I read there's a potential bug with that monastery chest, so to avoid the possibility I dump most everything into a chest at the rented room at the inn, except for a few things I want to have access to that I store on the horse.

Once you step outside the monastery, your horse inventory is available. I like to store both potions and ingredients, and make a few extra-curricular potions when having to do that portion of the day's duties. You just have to get outside a door to have access to your horse. Padfoot and Nighthawk are both nice to have on hand.

[MacSuibhne]

Yeah, I'm not sure that bug didn't get corrected but I read the same thing. So my first go round I didn't have anything on me. It was a drag being 'inside'.

It's been a while though and I was just about to dump everything into the trunk... and then it started coming back to me and I got to thinking about it. I think I will want access to my kit ASAP when I get ready to leave... and in the trunk wasn't gonna give me that.

I did sneak in and put some things like potions and lockpicks in a cabinet. They're still there--I checked.

So I'm gonna put some stuff in the trunk and everything else onto my horse.

Thanks to both of you for jogging my memory.

[AfLIcTeD]

Originally posted by n0mad23:

I think I read there's a potential bug with that monastery chest, so to avoid the possibility I dump most everything into a chest at the rented room at the inn, except for a few things I want to have access to that I store on the horse.

Once you step outside the monastery, your horse inventory is available. I like to store both potions and ingredients, and make a few extra-curricular potions when having to do that portion of the day's duties. You just have to get outside a door to have access to your horse. Padfoot and Nighthawk are both nice to have on hand.

If you are talking about your items being marked as stolen, it is not a bug, at least I don't think it is.

You are giving away your possessions to enter the monastery as you won't need them any more, so technically they no longer belong to you they belong to the monastery now.

[PafunaMT]

@ Mac, et al.,

There was a bug with the monastery chest, but that was corrected long ago. I've had multiple playthroughs since and my items that I left were always there afterward.

Even so, I still am in the habit of putting all my gear on my horse and donning some disguise clothes that make me look like a noble (immersion). I even change my haircut and shave for the quest, 'cause disguise, y'know, immersion. You can put all your money on your horse, too, if you like.

As for making potions, there are ingredients already inside the monastery for making Padfoot and Nighthawk; there's a few belladonna in the cloister garden, cobwebs are everywhere in books and chests, and there are cave mushrooms in the lower basement where the Circators drink. The cobwebs and mushrooms will require some sneaking and caution, but still very acquirable.

I wouldn't worry too much about potions, though; by this time in the questline your Henry should have adequate enough stealth skills for sneaking 'round the monastery, and the outside guards are easy to spot and avoid. And if you don't want to bother with Nighthawk, a torch will do you just fine.

Good luck.

[Lieste]

A torch is a weapon. Carrying one will get you in trouble when accosted.

[SAUL]

I sneak inside the monastery at night before starting mission and place lock picks in couple locations in case you get searched bi sicators like unlocked cupboards in corridors and chests then from there if I want to I can get to the chest outside the monastery where i have my stuff or on the horse . Basically I have keys then. Outside guard gives no ♥♥♥♥ just mumbles that you shouldn't be outside that's all .

[PafunaMT]

Originally posted by Lieste:

A torch is a weapon. Carrying one will get you in trouble when accosted.

...which is why you want to stash that in Siskin's secret stash or put it in a random trunk somewhere before returning to bed before dawn.

[CidDaBird]

Cool topic

[NewbieOne]

Immersion-wise, I think it's already a far stretch to think Henry can do it at all, even in disguise. He has already talked to:

- all staff and patients at the infirmary
- everybody at the construction yard
- the Overseer
- the Porter
- the Custodian
- vendors/service providers/all notable people from the town opposite
- perhaps more

… and very recently at that.

Anyway, can you do the quests without bringing anything in or just by sneaking out to meet Pebbles for some lockpicks and potions?

My Stealth is probably like 3 or 4. Lockpick is slightly higher, maybe 5 or 6. Pickpocket is almost nonexistent.

And next question: How much time does it take? Are we talking about a day or two or is it more in the range of weeks or several days? (Timing myself for the Rattay tourney — already missed two in a row. Still haven't got the 'tomorrow' notice', so I'm at least two days off.)

[Lieste]

There is a lockpick free for the taking inside, plus you can buy others using potions (which you brew alongside your authorised work) and food. Once one door is open you can get at horsie (or even wander down to your room at the inn) to fill up on whatever supplies you feel you might need, though you can do the whole thing 'legitimately' using only the clothes you walk in wearing and what is found inside.

I generally park my horse in the Hospital stable - someone will care for him there (it is assumed), and he remains close at hand.

[NewbieOne]

Thank you, Lieste.

I kinda wish there was a way for Henry to do some of the things Pafuna said, as in simply prepare for the infiltration mission by getting a proper disguise or at least making sure you won't be compromised by Johanka or others who know you.

I understand involving the Vicar (from the heretics line of quests) to get you permission to snoop around the monastery in disguise and dispensation from the vows/to take the vows without meaning them (as Henry rather than in the name of a nonexistent persona) would be complicated, but it would have been a nice touch to have considered the implications of Henry already being the acquaintance of a lot of people in and around the monastery.

Novices don't make permanent vows, of course, but it would feel better to somehow have a proper licence to 'cross your fingers' or a proper release from the vows upon leaving, especially if you intend to return to the monastery later on business or for chit-chat. A large part of convincing RPG design is making characters react to factors they should reasonably be expected to react to.

[Lieste]

The only person you *might* interact with as both Henry and "The Novice" is the Porter**. You arrive with a proper letter of authorisation and at the expected time, and are accepted as a novice for your probation period. Even if you are known, you wouldn't be the first person to be running from troubles in the world, either pretending to be 'Henry' or using an assumed name. I have no particular trouble with this - the cloistered world is quite separate from that of the secular administration of the monastery compound and town.

Once admitted you are Novice Gregor, no longer either Henry of Skalitz, nor the adulterous Karl (who you can find out more about), so you are not the person who you were, even if "recognised", having taken vows or Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.

In principle you might also meet the overseer (of the monastery estate), and Brother Nevlas (of the hospital), but again as you are not "Karl", but rather "Brother Gregor" - the decision to take vows and enter the monastery would not seem out of place as someone who is either unknown or has been involved and helpful with the hospital. Only those who know who "Brother Gregor" should be would be alarmed to know that Karl is supposed to be Karl but is actually Henry. This is The Prior and the Abbot, neither of who have reason to know Henry, even if he is active and known to lower members of the abbey.

You have a few days before people figure out you are not who you claim to be, but you will eventually be kicked out once caught - if you haven't already completed your tasks. (From memory it is around 7-10 days, but tbh I wasn't checking the passage of time, just hanging around having fun being a monk as a significant change of pace on a later playthrough - I snuck back in to 'get at' Pious, but I wonder if I could have instead confronted the bandits at the rendezvous without 'winning' the quest... maybe for another occasion).

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by Lieste:

I wonder if I could have instead confronted the bandits at the rendezvous without 'winning' the quest... maybe for another occasion).

FWIW, I didn't get the die from Pious,first go-round. I took him to jail. So I went to the meeting without it and ended up fighting the three (?) of them. At which point I had a die or several.

[NewbieOne]

Oh, so the tasks take 7–10 days to complete? Or is that if you play at a leisurely pace and take your time being a monk and enjoying it?