And here, as promised, the alternative choices for this chapter, the overview of what could have been had you chosen differently. Some things would have been more beneficial for the characters, some things would have been worse for them, some would have brought both, good and bad consequences.
Also, expect the next chapter to begin later today! I am currently writing the first part for the chapter, which is an Edmond PoV and I hope you are going to enjoy it
The Dark Eye: Alternate Choices, Chapter 1
Iiro I:
[Offer to ask the Church of Praios for information]
This choice would have led to Iiro and Vittorio splitting up for a short time, as Vittorio would have still tried to gain information at the library. However, without Iiro's intimidating presence, the librarian would have been far less willing to trust Vittorio with any information. Instead, Iiro would have met the High Priest of Baliho's Temple of Praios and would have tried to gain information on Korobar. The priest would have been rather tight-lipped, but would have eventually parted with some minor advice, including a hint that Korobar has been seen in eastern Meadows. He also would have given a bit of exposition on the internal struggle within the Church of Praios. Afterwards, Iiro and Vittorio would have met again, with no further effect for the storyline.
Yveshin I:
[Drink]
Well, this choice would have led to Yveshin quickly getting super shitfaced, as elves have a very low tolerance for alcohol. Berosh would have gotten a good laugh out of this and he would have actually gained a better opinion on Yveshin. Sure, he would have still tried to kill him in the chapter finale, but it would have been nothing personal, as he would have even admitted. Delian of Plainsbridge would have been even less impressed by the group during their first meeting, given that they have a drunken elf with them and Yveshin would have suffered from a hangover for his next couple parts.
Edmond I:
[Go with Urdo]
This would have been a pretty big change in Edmond's storyline, as Korobar's role would have been drastically reduced. Instead, Urdo of Gisholm would have gained a larger role, though his relationship with Edmond would have been similar to Edmond's relationship with Korobar, with them being uneasy allies who don't see eye to eye in their methods and morals. Edmond would have helped Urdo with disposing of anyone who knows of Hamid/Liscom in Baliho, including an attempt on Vittorio's life. This would have resulted in a brief clash between him and Thea, eventually forcing him to retreat. With Urdo's help, Edmond would have managed to catch up to Korobar shortly after the necromancer's second attempt to capture Delian of Plainsbridge. There, he would have saved Korobar's life. In this route, Delian of Plainsbridge would have received only minor injuries and depending on a choice in Iiro's next part, he could have potentially accompanied the group to Drakesfield and fought alongside them against Liscom.
Iiro II:
[Tackle the dwarf]
That would have been a fun choice, gotta be honest ^^ Iiro would have tackled Berosh to 'defuse' the situation, resulting in a brawl between the two. Brodar Landmarshes would have broken it up eventually. This route would have given Berosh a legitimate grudge against Iiro, even over Yveshin. While the choices you made didn't lead to a confrontation between the two, an alternate route could have possibly seen Berosh fighting against Iiro in the chapter finale, in which case he would have been so obsessed with taking him down that he would have ignored Edmond's command to retreat to the tower. Though he would have grievously injured Iiro, he would have been outnumbered and killed by our heroes, specifically by Thea.
Yveshin II:
[Keep the coin for yourself]
The first of many choices for Yveshin to give away some of his money. In this case, not giving Arris a coin would have led to Mother Linai thinking a bit less of the group. She wouldn't have invited them to the Tulamid evening, but would have at least warmly recommended it to them, which would have convinced Vittorio to invite the rest of the group instead. The group wouldn't have been near Mother Linai when she received her divine vision of Sister Laniare's death, but they would have noticed that something is wrong with her and after a brief conversation, Mother Linai would have told them and asked them to accompany her. As a whole, their interaction would have been less close and personal and it would have taken her a while to fully warm up to the group.
Edmond II:
[Set up a trap in Aelderwood]
This alternate confrontation with Delian of Plainsbridge would have resulted in a somewhat different outcome. As a whole, the fight would have been less bloody, with Korobar not getting injured and Brodar Landmarshes not getting killed. He would have died during the next confrontation on the road to Drakesfield. Furthermore, Korobar wouldn't have been forced to kill Naeem's master, Lechmar, to absorb his arcane energies. Lechmar and Naeem as well would have met the group around Iiro and Yveshin and would have accompanied them for a while, before the old druid would have been killed by Korobar during the fight near Drakesfield.
Iiro III:
[Stay with Vittorio]
In the choice you eventually made, Iiro was injured and nearly killed by Urdo of Gisholm off-screen. This choice would have been simple, Iiro would have stayed with Vittorio, made sure he is safe, while Urdo would have escaped without any further fight. All in all, this is a rather minor choice, mostly just affecting a bit of dialogue. Vittorio would have been pleased with Iiro's protective instincts, but it wouldn't have drastically changed his opinion or anything like that.
Yveshin III:
[Try to hide it]
Hiding a weapon from the Praiots is a terrible idea, as Yveshin would have found out in this route. In the middle of their conversation with da Vanya and Jago, the latter would have noticed the dagger. Convinced that the elf was sent to assassinate the inquisitor, Jago would have tried to arrest him, only to be stopped by da Vanya, who would have believed Yveshin's claims of innocence. Da Vanya would have also understood Yveshin's reason for hiding the weapon, even if he wouldn't have appreciated the secrecy. All in all, he and Jago would have agreed on letting him go with a stern warning, but it would have soured his opinion on the group somewhat.
Edmond III
[Kill the man]
Killing the man wouldn't have resulted in huge consequences for this chapter, as he really was nothing more than a common peasant, but it is one of several choices that would have affected Edmond's morals. So, picking this and other choices in the parts to come could, in theory, affect Edmond's moral convictions, causing him to act differently in general. In this chapter, the miller also wouldn't have been present to meet Iiro and Yveshin in a later part, obviously. This means the group would have never learned of Brodar Landmarshes' fate, as Yveshin would have never found his corpse in the water.
Iiro IV:
[Leave before the Banray]
Leaving before the Banray would have been a slightly more beneficial choice, as Jago did his best to warn the village elders of the villages he passed through not to trust Mother Linai's group. They would have been able to spend the night in Treybirch and would have learned a bit more about Korobar from the local cattle baron. The group would have still encountered Ayla of Shadowsground the next morning, badly injured due to her nightmare (and seeing a battle-hardened priestess of Rondra actually brought to the brink of death by the nightmares would have really driven the point home just how dangerous these nightmares are) and they also would have briefly encountered Peldor Foxton, but both meetings would have been very brief.
Yveshin IV:
[Refuse to hand over your coin]
In this route, Yveshin wouldn't have played along with Peldor's demands. Ashamed by delaying them, the boy wouldn't have invited them to spend the night at his house and the group wouldn't have met the Foxton family. They still would have met Ayla of Shadowsground, who would have accompanied them to Aelderwood, the next village, where they would have spent the night at the local inn, resulting in Iiro and Yveshin being both present for Ayla's nightmare.
Edmond IV:
[Order Brodar to cover their retreat]
Interestingly, this route could have resulted in Brodar surviving not just this confrontation, but the chapter as a whole. He would have survived the fight against his former companions and would have caught up to Edmond and Korobar again. Forced to obey, he would have fought alongside them during the second confrontation with Plainsbridge and, possibly, during the chapter finale. Both options would have given him a chance to die, either being killed by Delian of Plainsbridge, or by Yveshin (and he could have taken Berosh's role as the one to confront Yveshin during the finale). In the unlikely case that he would have survived the entire ordeal (depending on two further choices) he would have actually survived the chapter as a whole. Though still under the effects of the domination needle, Vittorio would have sent him (alongside Geshmine) to a colleague within the Dragon's Egg Academy at Khunchom, a place dedicated to artifact magic. There, they would have managed to remove the needle without killing him. Brodar would have reappeared in a minor role in a later chapter, having decided to end his career as a mercenary and instead work as a guard for the Dragon's Egg Academy, out of gratitude for saving his life.
Iiro V:
[Wake Thea and Mother Linai]
Mother Linai would have been quite pleased with Iiro's decision to wake her instead of just bursting into a woman's room, though Thea would have been confused and a bit irritated. Both would have tried to wake Ayla and actually, Mother Linai would have managed to do so quite easily by praying to the Twelve Gods for support.
Yveshin V:
[Refuse]
This choice would have led to the group not learning about Brodar Landmarshes' fate. Aside from the exposition and the missed opportunity to earn a bit of coin, the mill would have actually not survived this incident. Unable to remove Brodar's corpse from the wheel, the miller would have been forced to helplessly watch as the wheel breaks apart. This is something the group would have learned in the next chapter.
Edmond V:
[Refuse to drink]
This is another moral choice for Edmond, but one with more immediate consequences than the one to kill or spare the miller in the previous part. Edmond would have been left weakened and unable to fully support Korobar during the second confrontation with Delian of Plainsbridge. This would have greatly angered Korobar and Edmond would have also blamed himself for Delian getting away. Delian would have been far less injured in this route, leading to him potentially accompanying the group to Drakesfield and fighting alongside them.
Iiro VI:
[Stay at the grove]
By staying at the grove, the group would have gained Naeem's immediate help. After burying his master in a druidic ritual, Naeem would have accompanied the group and would have fought alongside them against Korobar from the very beginning. He would have also had more time to tell them about the strange dreams and about Hamid ben Seychaban, including a few minor hints that Hamid is known under a different name in the south. All in all, his role in this chapter would have been increased by picking this choice.
Yveshin VI:
[Refuse to pay]
Refusing to pay Terkol of Beechmire and his bandits would have resulted in a minor skirmish. The badly armed bandits would have been outmatched and it would have turned out that Terkol is way more bark than bite. After losing two of his men, he would have retreated without causing much damage to the group. He would have even lost his own pouch in the process, containing the 'tribute' he collected from travellers during the last few days. The content, a sizeable amount of silver coins, would have been split evenly among the group. However, they would have gained an enemy in Terkol of Beechmire.
Edmond VI:
[Leave the necromancy to Korobar]
In this route, Edmond wouldn't have learned the basics of necromancy. No particularly big effect on the way this chapter turned out, as Korobar would have just raised the undead by himself, but the knowledge might come in handy in a later part. Of course, necromancy is a dark art and some aspects of it can hardly be aligned with Edmond's morals, so there might be consequences for that as well in the long run.
Iiro VII:
[Ignore it]
This choice is another one with no far reaching consequences. Mostly, the group would have missed an opportunity to get more exposition on Korobar and Sister Laniare, but that is nothing of story-changing importance.
Yveshin VII:
[Agree with Thea]
By agreeing with Thea, Yveshin would have supported Mother Linai's desire to accompany the group to the bitter end. This is a major choice, as it would have resulted in Linai pushing herself forward at the cost of her own health. Liscom's spell would have had a particularly devastating effect on her old and weakened body and she would have aged considerably during the journey through the cursed wasteland, even if her mere presence would have protected the group from the effects of the spell at the same time. Though she would have reached Drakesfield and learned the true fate of Sister Laniare, she wouldn't have been able to go on any further. With her last strength, she would have called a karmic blessing upon the group, strengthening them for their confrontation against Liscom and partially shielding them from the effects of the curse, before passing away. Her death would have heavily affected the group's morale, especially with Yveshin apparently leaving them the next morning.
Iiro VIII:
[Agree to push on as fast as possible]
Pushing on despite being exhausted would have been a bad idea. Though the group would have arrived in Drakesfield a little bit earlier, they would have been weakened, with the curse potentially affecting them. Iiro, Vittorio and Naeem would have aged by roughly a decade each, leaving you with another choice on how to use the three potions found in Laniare's quarters. Potentially, they could have taken them for themselves, leaving none of them for the survivors of Liscom's ritual at the end of the chapter.
Yveshin VIII:
[Let the villagers keep the rations]
This is another choice that would have weakened the group, though the effects wouldn't have been as drastic as with the choice to either rest or not rest. The humans would have been affected by the curse, but just a little bit, ageing by half a decade. Only Vittorio would have been tempted to use the potion and he could have been either talked out of it by Iiro or allowed to drink it to restore his lost years. Furthermore, a few refugees from the Drakesfield caravan would have survived, although horrifically aged and with no means of ever restoring their lost youth. They would have led a short, dreadful life in Runhag, with the group having wildly differing opinion on wether or not death would have been kinder for them.
Edmond VIII:
[Let Geshmine go]
Yeah... Geshmine wouldn't have gotten far in this case. She certainly wouldn't have gone through with her offer and actually, after freeing her, she would have rewarded Edmond by knocking him down and injuring him, before trying to escape. Unfortunately for her, Berosh was still out on the courtyard and in this case, he wouldn't have hesitated to shoot her in the leg and personally dragging her back to the tower. Even after being freed and potentially healed by the group in the final part of the chapter, this leg injury would have never fully healed, leaving her with a notable limp for the rest of her days and effectively ending her career as a mercenary. Berosh would have been amused by Edmond's naïve trust in Geshmine, although Korobar and Liscom would have been displeased. Edmond would have also learned a valuable lesson from this.
Iiro IX:
[Convince Vittorio to give the book up]
Reluctantly, Vittorio would have given up the book, although he would have been very displeased by Iiro siding against him, especially afzer Iiro's later decision to use the valuable potions on the three surviving people of Drakesfield. With Iiro's interference causing him to lose the potions and especially the book, Vittorio would have broken off their contract, even if he would have remained somewhat friendly towards Iiro. This would have led Iiro to pick up work with Delian of Plainsbridge after this chapter instead of continuing to work for Vittorio. Naeem would have been very happy and he would have destroyed the book at once to prevent it from ever be used again. This route would have also gained a rare compliment from Ucurian Jago, of all people, who would have wholeheartedly praised Iiro's decision to destroy the dangerous knowledge, to everyone's surprise. This would have led Jago to single Iiro out as the only one from the group who is not guilty of suspicious behaviour.
Yveshin IX:
[Insist on fighting alongside your companions]
This route would have led to Berosh's survival, if Edmond would have also sent him to guard the back entrance to the tower. Had Edmond chosen differently in his next part, Berosh would have still died, however. Also, in this route, with Yveshin fighting alongside his companions and Edmond sending Berosh away, Korobar would have been killed, fatally shot by Yveshin before Edmond could intervene. Instead, Edmond would have been saved by Berosh at Liscom's direct order, but instead of a relatively harmless domination spell, Berosh would have knocked Edmond out and dragged him through the wasteland.
Edmond IX:
[Keep Berosh with you]
As explained above, this choice could have led to Berosh's survival. In fact, he, Korobar and Edmond would have all survived, had Yveshin also decided to follow Naeem's plan. Instead, Naeem would have died, overpowered by the combined force of Korobar and Berosh and his death would have been a major change to the next chapter. Berosh would have survived and he would have continued to be a recurring villain and nuisance. Eventually, he would have died in a much later chapter, but I obviously cannot yet tell you anything about the circumstances of his death.