[Act I] Is Abigail bad and guilty?

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Great topic.I really like Abigail, she speaks sense and has a sharp, self-depreciating humour and good self-awareness. Perhaps she is a member of Lionhead Spider, but there is little evidence to her direct wrongdoing. It's one thing to follow the Lionhead Spider, another to be an executioner for it.I think it's fairly obvious she supplied the poison to Ilsa and she may have influenced Odo in the killing of his brother but ultimately these people were responsible for their own actions. I'd be more inclined to believe she had something to do with the plants in Odo's garden than his brothers death, though. Who knows what the doll was for, but I hardly think it could be used to make a man kill another. Reminds me of Geralts line regarding vampires "If they really reproduced that way they'd rule the world".Don't get me wrong, she has problems. She is more likeable than the rest, though. I don't think she is evil, just human.
 
Yea I agree that she is not bad, but she rather felt forced to do what she did. You know, there is a guy named Reverend whom the ppl kinda worship, and he thinks she is a witch w/e she does. Abigail is a real good fellow, as can be seen at chapter 4.
 
I don't know the whole story about the lionhead spider cult (isn't there a lore website or something?)but i think Abigail is just the lesser evil. Besides, i liked her since the first meeting. She's very friendly and also helpful for getting rid of the bunches of barghest skull.
 
Whether or not she is evil was irrelevant to the decision I made in chapter 1 to save her from the mob. There was no proven evidence to any wrongdoing on her part that would have warranted her lynching. The various townsfolk, on the other hand, had many threads of evidence linking them to various evil deeds.
 
there is no real good n evil/böack n white in this game:Everyone has some Dead Bodies burried in his/her cellarIt's always up to your judgement, whom you'll help
 
Alvin said "Why did they hurt the Witches puppy" while in his trance , that indicates to me she was responsible for the beast. If the whole village including the people at the Tavern died where were the merc's, traveler's and staff bodie's ? and why did Zoltan not die with them not to mention Kalkstein or Luvearden ?Story has way too many hole's in it, also it was stated that the salamanders demanded tribute (children) from the villager's who were in FEAR of them that includes the Rev so maybe try putting yourself in their shoe's and rethink your choices ?
 
I remembered something interesting. When Geralt finds Abigail in the Cave after the confrontation with Salamandra, she tells him she's "making another spell" (while cooking something foul-looking in a cauldron). She also says something like: "Powerful ingredients (barghest skulls???) are required for powerful enchantments… this one will be enough FOR THE WHOLE VILLAGE."Then when Geralt says her magic stinks, she says: "I have to defend myself."I wonder if it was her spell that killed all the peasants?
 
@ Lady Olivia that a veary interesting point there How I see it there all guilty to some degree it a matter of the lesser Evil one line in that chapter in the game is Evil deed that men do what brought the beast (or something like that ) Now if it was Abigail if it was her spell that killed all the peasants don't now if she had time to finish it or not :-\The Peasants wanted to burn her at the stake mind you so her back was in a Conner.Ether way the Writers did there job that for sure most of us have finished this game some time ago and we are still talking about it :eek:
 
Xhan said:
I alluded to exactly that earlier in the thread.
Sorry, must have missed that.I'm a bit frustrated by not knowing what "really" happened to the peasants. Especially knowing that the judgment on Abigail, which seems to be the nexus of Act I, doesn't really have a direct sway over their fates. I don't recall any game element causing that much discomfort for me.
 
LadyOlivia said:
LadyOlivia said:
I alluded to exactly that earlier in the thread.
Sorry, must have missed that.I'm a bit frustrated by not knowing what "really" happened to the peasants. Especially knowing that the judgment on Abigail, which seems to be the nexus of Act I, doesn't really have a direct sway over their fates. I don't recall any game element causing that much discomfort for me.
It's interesting because this level of ambiguity is something most games don’t have; usually there are answers and exact truths lurking in the background (in the form of a Non Playable Character’s diary or subtle confirmations within a conversation) but The Witcher left so much unsaid in this particular story trail and we the gamer/audience are left to interpret the situation as we see fit. Sure Abigail is bad, her character is (metaphorically speaking) a Siren of sorts and congratulations to the game’s developer for managing to inspire so much conversation from this single choice!
 
What happens later in the game? I mean, this might give us more depth of info about Abigail.If you let her live you find her later on being mostly helpful - a good citizen. Also the lady of the lake commends you for it (I think), and you get a flashback or two to say that you chose the lesser evil... I don't recall any dialogue/notes to suggest that you made the wrong choice if you save her (eg. Geralt doesn't question his decision like he does for some other choices if you make the un-Witcher decision).If you decide to let her die (which I've not done yet), what happens? I guess there's a different "healer" later on in the game... How do the cutscenes change? Do you still justify your choice by saying you chose the lesser evil? Or do the cutscenes then suggest you did the wrong thing by letting her die? I guess the Lady isn't as pleased with you?
 
The Witch is good,but she's god a bad side too,and she is your friend,stand on her side,yes! odo is actually bad..so...that explains the doll
 
zahratustra said:
Connected question: have Mikul raped the girl? During the fight in the Inn one of Salamaders tells Geralt that they will do to Shani what they did to Mikul's girl and that she was a screamer. So as it Mikul or Salamandra mob?
Here's my take:When we first meet Mikul, it is clear that he is not a bright fellow. That to me is not enough to hate someone. We also learn that his buddies are going to the cave to search for loot. We find his dead girlfriend there, poisoned; probably raped by those buddies who were out looking for booty--and found some. The same ruffians that later try to have their way with Shani, and proudly lay claim to the crime.Mikel was upset about the death of his beloved. What's odd about it: Did he recognize the poisoned bottle as belonging to his girl? Why did she have a bottle of poison and go to the cave? Premeditated suicide?It's easy to blame a dumb person like Mikul, and that's where Abigail comes in, a callous and uncaring creature. So maybe Abigail just jumped to the wrong conclusion when she sold a bottle of poison to a suicidal girl, and figured it was the girl's boyfriend that was the source of her grief.
 
As I see it, Abigail is the greater evil, while the townspeople are a group of humans whose weaknesses she exploited. She wore them like gloves, manipulating them into sinful behaviour which would fuel the summoning of her pet, the Beast. I believe this is pretty evident if you pay attention to all the details you are provided with throughout the chapter.
 
But what about the people,should'nt they knew what they are doing?It's not as simple as townspeople are weak so Abigail can exploit them.Besides humans can change, which happens to everybody even Abigail.She is not bad or good in the common sense of things,but is,as ANGLEWYRM said, uncaring.She has no strong feelings about anybody but for self but can help or harm if it suits her taste.All Imho of course.Very good work from developers,i haven't seen such a interesting conversation about good or evil and the choices we make in life or in game.
 
As Geralt himself says after saving Abigal, it wasn't about choosing the lesser evil, it was just the fact that he couldn't stand by and let the villagers burn her to death. Simple logic.
 
My Geralt didn't say that. Anyway I sided with Abigail because I took a disliking to the reverend. Seems like as bastard. I wanted to smack him in the face form the moment I met him. Abigail was nice to me, she told me how to make Specter oil, and I made money off of her by selling her stacks of Bahrgest skulls. There is ample evidence that points towards the villagers and only the word of a bunch of peasants against the witch. I didn't think the doll looked that much like Odo, and even if it was, maybe she was using it to heal him not curse him? There's no way she would have received a fair trial if I'd just left her there.Anyway, it didn't hurt that Abigail had sex with me in the cave and I have a weakness for redheads. I'd probably make a bad jury member.
kane66 said:
LOL! Sounds like her sex ploy actually worked out well for her on most players. If she had truly been innocent, she would not have felt the need to sleep her way out of trouble. That and her evil looking card meant that Mrs. Kevorkian must come to an end:)
It might have been a ploy - worked on me, but then I liked her anyway. If you assume she's innocent of all charged she still might try to sway you to her side by whatever means she can. When someone is accused of something, they might bribe, flirt, whatever whether they're guilty or not. Just because someone resorts to... that... doesn't mean they're guilty.Or maybe she just really liked me.
 
That was my hardest decision in the game. First time I save Abigail. I didn't think she was all so innocent, but I thought that villagers were really evil and mean, so I saved her. Next time i decided to kill Abigail, because she offered me sex just to save her... And I dunno, I just dunno the truth. But I would rather go away and let them deal with their own things. I know villagers were all evil, from Harren to Reverend. So I just walked away and left them do what they want.
 
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