Cleopatra Romance Conclusion?

[Asgar]

Just finished the Egypt segment, arrived back in Rome. Used the heart options whenever they showed up, got her the Pharaoh's rug, generally said things that seemed like what she wanted to hear, and told her about and defended her from the assassination attempt. I let her speak at the religious festival, and in the talks with the Pharaoh did not let our alliance shine through.

In any case, wasn't there supposed to be a conclusion the romance here? Or does that only happen later?

Playing a female character, if that's relevant, but since the heart options DID show up with Cleopatra, but they don't show up with Julia, I'm assuming that if you get the heart options in the first place, the romance is also possible.

[[Heretic]Rivga]

Some are confusing Christian Romans with non Christian Romans, homosexuality was fine in Roman culture so long as you took on the let's call it person on top role.
You would still be expected to produce children though, but that was nothing to do with love or attraction but duty.

Cleopatra was 8 generations from the Ptolomy whom shared the battle field with Alexandra and we know her family line, all except her grandmother and mother. Which is why there is speculation to her being part Egyptian. We do know her family like to keep it close and there is a few Brother sister relationships in those 8 generations.

The thought she was part Egyptian is also supported by the fact she was loved and seen as one of the Egyptians, but this could also have been her manipulating the people by dressing and using makeup to appear more like an Egyptian.

[Cat]

I have to agree they should remove the romance prompts with her if she's male exclusive, makes no sense to leave them in otherwise. I fell into the same trap but ended up assassinating her in the hopes I could grab power in rome, but alas you cannot do that either cause you're a woman. I know that's realistic but it is starting to bother me a bit how all the cool events are locked behind a male PC despite having the options to try them as a woman. Can't become a politician, barely get to lead your legion, have to marry a man to even get any power, tho I admit that one didn't bother me as much since your potential husband is very agreeable of a power arrangement instead of love.

Overall though the more I play, the less I want to replay the game in the future.

[Asgar]

Publicado originalmente por Sunricer:

I have to agree they should remove the romance prompts with her if she's male exclusive, makes no sense to leave them in otherwise. I fell into the same trap but ended up assassinating her in the hopes I could grab power in rome, but alas you cannot do that either cause you're a woman. I know that's realistic but it is starting to bother me a bit how all the cool events are locked behind a male PC despite having the options to try them as a woman. Can't become a politician, barely get to lead your legion, have to marry a man to even get any power, tho I admit that one didn't bother me as much since your potential husband is very agreeable of a power arrangement instead of love.

Overall though the more I play, the less I want to replay the game in the future.

Are there actually any real gender differences in terms of what you can do regarding leading and politics, rather than just in flavortext? You defintely attend a senate meeting in Act III. Do male PCs get a proper politics sidequest or something?

[Cat]

From what I understand there is an option to keep your African legion in act 3 but you have to convince the senate, but as a woman I was told I'm overstepping my bounds one time too many and need to shut up. There is also an achievement for becoming senator I think, but only men are allowed to do it so I doubt there is some surprise twist where you can get that ending as a female PC, but I haven't beaten the game yet. Overall I enjoy the struggle of being a woman, but it gets a bit sad when that struggle amounts to nothing and being a male PC is the only way to get past it seemingly.

I'd love to be proven wrong however and it's just me making poor decisions that lead to this, but so far it seems being a woman is a hard lock for some of the stuff.

[Asgar]

I would imagine at least if you go the Caesar route eventually, the rules will no longer stop you from anything.

For what it's worth, I do think it's a bit odd they decided to change their policy for this one and went all-in on the sexism. I don't know what was wrong with the "same as our history, but there's gender equality" approach in Conquistador and Viking. The Romans were more openly and aggressively patriarchal, maybe, but it's not like a woman leading an army would be a complete non-issue among early modern Spaniards or medieval Danes either. This series has played loose with history from the start.

[R4MPZY]

You need to choose some very specific dialogue options when she visits you in your villa after the Egypt campaign, but yes Cleopatra is only available to male characters, as Cato is only available to female ones.

[Sejmundo]

how do u get the carpet from memphis?

[Asgar]

Publicado originalmente por Sejmundo:

how do u get the carpet from memphis?

Travel there (other end of the map), then go to the other end of the city, and talk to the general goods merchant there. He is just opposite of the smithy. You can negotioate and talk about a lot of options with him. I have no idea whether Cleo will be pleased with a lesser rug, but after demanding only the best for a while, I got the option to -steal- a rug made for the Pharaoh personally, and took that one.

[Sejmundo]

Publicado originalmente por Asgar:

Publicado originalmente por Sejmundo:

how do u get the carpet from memphis?

Travel there (other end of the map), then go to the other end of the city, and talk to the general goods merchant there. He is just opposite of the smithy. You can negotioate and talk about a lot of options with him. I have no idea whether Cleo will be pleased with a lesser rug, but after demanding only the best for a while, I got the option to -steal- a rug made for the Pharaoh personally, and took that one.

Strange. I couldnt steal it at all... could order it but it would take a year, and that did nothing at all :/

[Asgar]

Well, you have to argue back that waiting a year is unacceptable and you want one of those they already have in stock. Also might need Julia there to steal it, I dunno.

[Sejmundo]

Publicado originalmente por Asgar:

Well, you have to argue back that waiting a year is unacceptable and you want one of those they already have in stock. Also might need Julia there to steal it, I dunno.

ahh its because I have the logos rethorical perk. and not the other one, wich one do u have?

[Asgar]

I had ethos and pathos at that point, yeah.

[Sejmundo]

Publicado originalmente por Asgar:

I had ethos and pathos at that point, yeah.

U remember wich one it was that was used, ethos or pathos?

[Asgar]

I don't even remember using one at all, but I guess I might have. You should still see a dialogue option and its associated icon, just that you can't select it, though.

[R4MPZY]

Pathos i'm pretty sure, since i was able to get it and don't have ethos