Strife minor characters - Hub 1

This article is a list of minor characters occurring within the first hub of Strife, centered around the town of Tarnhill.

Beldin


Beldin is a former Front operative being held prisoner in the Sanctuary for eventual questioning by the Programmer. Your first mission in the game is to assassinate him for Rowan, who believes the man will reveal the location of the rebel movement's hidden base.

Area 2: Town
Major characters in this area: Geoff &bull; Governor Mourel &bull; Harris &bull; MacGuffin &bull; Rowan

Acolytes
Several acolytes in Tarnhill have unique roles:
 * Door Guard (red): An acolyte just inside the entrance to the power station. He states that his job is to keep people from coming in&mdash;or out&mdash;in the event of a core breach.
 * Guard (dark red, type 55): Several acolytes serve as the Governor's body guards and are positioned outside and within his mansion. If spoken with, these acolytes derisively refer to the player a peasant and tell him to watch his step.
 * Guard (gray, type 56): The acolytes found at the very beginning of the game in the sewer treatment plant were responsible for arresting the Strifeguy as he was nearing Tarnhill. They had dragged him to the plant for summary execution and convenient disposal of his body when he pulled out a concealed punch dagger and killed them. If spoken with, they threaten "We're going to kill you!"
 * Sewer Guard (green, type 57): The sewer guard is an acolyte positioned just inside the door to the sewers, placed there to keep any beggars from gaining entrance to town in the Order's attempt to eliminate the sewer mutants through starvation. Killing him will cause him to drop the guard uniform requested by Weran. If spoken with, he will say "Who in the blazes are you? Nobody's allowed in this area!"

Arion
Arion is a relatively high-ranking peasant who serves as Governor Mourel's secretary and can be found wandering the lower floor of the governor's mansion. If spoken with, he asks if the player has an appointment. Though there are two possible choices to this question that provoke different responses, neither has an impact on the game. Arion will drop gold if killed.

Armorer
The armorer is a merchant who runs the armor shop in Tarnhill. Before the raid on the castle, he offers environmental suits for 25 gold, leather armor for 50, and metal armor for 200. After the raid, the changing economic conditions allow him to lower his price for metal armor to 125, which is the best price offered in the game, making the trip back to Tarnhill for more of this item worth the time. The back of the armorer's shop holds his forge and living quarters. A less scrupulous player can plunder this area for goods, though accessing the shop front itself is impossible due to locked doors and lifts.

Barkeep
The Tarnhill barkeep is a merchant who runs the large tavern in the middle of town. He offers the player one free bit of advice, and up to two additional tips for five gold each. The barkeep frequently mentions the oppression of the Order, derides Governor Mourel, and laments the town's loss of freedom. He is extremely wary of the Order and constantly fears having told people too much.

Bowyer
The bowyer is a legal weapons dealer in Tarnhill and is the merchant in charge of running the weapons shop. He offers electric bolts for five gold and an ammo satchel for 300. If the satchel is bought from him once, he will lower the price to 125 gold for subsequent buys, since getting additional ammo satchels only increases the player's ammo counts rather than increasing his carrying capacities. He allows Irale and the Front to use a non-descript storage area behind his shop for underground sales.

Front Guard
The Front guard is a rebel trooper positioned inside Irale's shop to provide protection for the fixer. He exclaims that Irale can "set you right up."

Irale


Irale is a weapons "fixer" for the Front who deals from a storage room behind the Bowyer's shop. Macil's permission is required to gain entry to his shop. He is critical for acquiring the flamethrower weapon, and sells assault rifles. Later on, he can sell some additional high-powered ammo which is not available at any other store.

Medic
The Tarnhill medic runs a small two-bed hospital and sells medical supplies. He offers med patches for 10 gold, medical kits for 25, and surgery kits for 75 gold. In a one-time event, Macil arranges to have the medic install the Strifeguy's next stamina implant to spare him having to return to base after destroying the crystal in the power station. The medic expresses concern that he will be killed if his having conspired with the Front is discovered by the Order.

Peasants
One unnamed peasant in Tarnhill has unique dialogue. The green-shirted peasant near the entrance to the sewers states that he has been posted there to watch the sewer overflow gate after "something evil" came out of it. He can be killed for gold.

Ulaine
Ulaine is a peasant who can be found hanging out in the far west of Tarnhill, behind the bombed out town hall and near the entrance to the prison. He offers the player two different tips for five gold each. He will give tips on how to avoid alarms, such as being stealthy and using poison bolts. He can be killed at any time, which will result in him dropping ten gold. This makes it technically possible to get his advice for free.

Area 3: Front Base
Major characters in this area: Macil

Advisors
Several advisors to Macil using the peasant actor can be found the in Front base:
 * Advisor (type 12): Advises the player not to get "trigger happy" in the town, lest the Order call in reinforcements from the castle.
 * Macil's Advisor (type 13): Welcomes the player, stating that the Front can always use more help.
 * Advisor (type 14): Once a rebel trooper, he mentions having had the opportunity to examine an acolyte in the field once before reinforcements arrived. He warns the player that the acolytes are not merely human.

Gerard
Gerard is the Front's medic. He offers the player healing if his health is below a threshold based on the current skill level. He will also install the player's stamina implant and upgrade it several times during the course of the first hub.

Feris
Feris is the Front's weapons trainer. He will give the player bullet ammo if the player has less than 50 shots remaining, and will also train the player in firing accuracy.

Peasants
Several unnamed peasants in the Front's base have unique dialogue. They are civilian members of the Front, mostly found at computer terminals doing important intelligence work:
 * Peasant (type 15): He states that he is at work trying to locate the castle gate mechanism, but has not had any luck in the process so far. The player is later given the task to complete this by making a deal with Weran in the sewers.
 * Peasant (type 16): He tells of horror stories he has heard about what happens to Front operatives who are imprisoned by the Order, and states that many have simply completely disappeared. He warns the player not to become the next to go missing.
 * Peasant (type 17): He warns the player to avoid the Order's fast and brutal "tin soldiers" by going the opposite direction.
 * Peasant (type 18): This worker rudely dismisses the player, indicating that he is working on something for Macil.

Rebels
Several unnamed rebels in the Front's base have unique dialogue:
 * Rebel (type 44): Refers to the destruction of the town hall and how it is a symbol of the Order's oppression.
 * Rebel (type 45): Tells the player to talk to Macil.
 * Rebel (type 46): States that Macil has a plan to subvert the Order, and that it had better work or they will all be "dead meat."
 * Rebel (type 47): These rebels are part of a Front terror cell assigned to poison the Order's water supply. They refer to the nearby barrels as containing toxins for this purpose.
 * Rebel (type 48): Recognizes the player as the Front's new operative, and states that they would all be dead without his help.

Area 4: Power Station
Major characters in this area: Derwin &bull; Worner

Acolytes
The power station is filled with guards, some of whom have unique roles, dialogue, and portraits:
 * Door Guard (red, type 54): This acolyte guards the door between the warehouse and the power station proper. Unless the player has been given the Power1 Key by Worner, he will simply say, "Sorry. No. You do not have clearance." Otherwise, he will ask to see the player's ID and will then open the door. If killed, he also drops a Power1 Key, which if obtained, allows the player to potentially sequence break.
 * Foreman (type 55): The head of operations in the warehouse, he knows about Derwin, but states that he does not know exactly where the man is, stating he only keeps "the lid on the rat trap." If Governor Mourel's bloody chore was never accepted, then this acolyte will only call the player an unpleasant distraction.
 * Reactor Guard (gray, type 56): Found inside the power station area, these acolytes tell the player to "move along or taste metal."
 * Overseer (type 57): Several acolytes in the warehouse are referred to as overseers and force the peasants to do their jobs quickly and without question, under the constant threat of torture or death. If spoken to, these acolytes assume the Strifeguy is a worker and tell him to get back to work.
 * Core Guard (type 58): These acolytes are found near the power crystal. They also tell the player to get back to work, but will drop environmental suits if killed, which is useful in this area due to the constant radiation.

Dock Workers
There are two types of dock workers, using the peasant actor, found in the warehouse:
 * Dock Worker (type 9): A unique character who states that the dock workers have all been running around the clock, and that he thinks the Order must be planning a suppression raid on the Front.
 * Dock Worker (type 15): Tells the player to stop talking, since if they are caught, they will "get dead, or extra work."

Ketrick
Ketrick is the boss of the technicians and workers in the power station. He is perpetually in a bad mood, and, as a result, he is the only one willing and able to see through the player's ruse, recognizing his pass as being one taken from the dead worker who fell into the reactor's coolant pit. The real trick to dealing with Ketrick is to avoid him entirely. He is not required for progression, as the power crystal can be revealed without his permission. Ketrick will often die in the explosion resulting from the crystal's destruction if he is standing too close to the edge of his platform. Avoiding him is strongly encouraged if attempting the "How Hard Can It Be?" achievement in Strife: Veteran Edition.

Sammis


Sammis is a worker in the power crystal core. He stands near two switches which will raise the final walkway around the crystal, allowing access to the platform from which it can be revealed. He instructs the player again to report to Ketrick, and rebuffs any requests for further information. He will finally state that if the Strifeguy really needs something to do, he should "stare at that monitor over there," as it will "bore you to tears." Sammis will give the Power3 Key, which both grants access to the platform and, later, to the sewers. He can also be killed and will drop the key immediately. This key is required for progression in the game beyond the power station, and so Sammis should not be avoided.

Technicians
There are several different technicians found throughout the power station. None are required for progression due to a secret path through the station, but will usually all be encountered if the normal route is taken. All technicians use the peasant actor.
 * Technician (type 16): Working at a large computer terminal, this technician states he is under pressure due to the amount of work and that he has just finished logging a new shipment of weapons. BlackBird correctly presumes that this means he must have access to the storeroom earlier mentioned by Worner. If this technician is killed, he will drop the gold key.
 * Technician (type 17): A worker in the depths of the plant, he has been expecting a replacement for the dead worker for which the player is posing as a replacement. Assuming you are the guy due to your pass, he gives the Power 2 key and instructs the player to meet with Ketrick in the core. He then tells the player to "move his tunic," and states that if he doesn't move, he'll "get shot anyway."
 * Technician (type 7): Though he does not want to sound alarmist, this technician states that if the Order keeps pushing the power crystal as hard as they are currently, that it will flaw, and shatter, and then "*BOOM*". He is not beneficial to progress in the level.
 * Technician (type 8): This technician can be found in the computer core after completing the "suicide run." He bemoans the state of the terminal he works at, stating that if it locks up again, the core's coolant level will drop and that they will all have to answer to the Programmer, if they survive. In a self-aware joke lightly breaking the fourth wall, BlackBird states that no one cares, since no one listens to programmers anyway. Ironically, destroying his console will not cause an explosion, but will instead raise the water level around the power core, making the area safer to traverse.
 * Computer Tech (type 14): A friendly though concerned technician is bewildered that the Programmer has locked up the computer core due to paranoia of infiltration. He states that the only way in is the "suicide run," a gauntlet of crushers over a razor thin ledge over a deadly pit. He calls it a "surefire way to get killed," but dismisses the weight of his own statement by saying it's not important right now - probably because the Order will kill him anyway if he does not do his job.

Area 5: Prison
Major characters in this area: Judge Wolenick &bull; Warden Montag

Door Guard
The Door Guard is an acolyte (type 54) who asks to see the player's prison pass, which he states must either come from Governor Mourel or from Warden Montag. If killed, he drops an ID badge which can open the door next to him. BlackBird calls him a grouch, and states that she hopes the Strifeguy will get to kill him later. If talked to after meeting the warden, which is difficult due to the alarm being set off, he will state that he does not look like the warden. BlackBird then calls him a pompous so-and-so.

Prison Guard
An acolyte (type 55) standing near the computer consoles in the initial part of the prison, he states that, "The Order's wrath will rain down on these servants until they beg for death." BlackBird calls him an "up guy" in a sarcastic tone.

Prisoners
The Front troops from a previous botched raid on the Order have been imprisoned en masse here. While a few have already been starved or tortured to death, the majority are still alive and well, if not a bit worse off for sanity. Prisoners with the following messages can be found. It was intended for the prisoners to have voice overs and a dialogue picture - these are present in the IWAD and in VOICES.WAD, though the voices are of an unusually poor quality, and the dialogue background picture is unfinished, with no background shading. All prisoners use peasant actor types. In Strife: Veteran Edition, completing the prison level by leaving for the Front base will remove all prisoners from the level, whereas in the original game they continue to mill around despite Macil saying that they have been welcomed back. If prisoners enter any of the teleporters that open after they have been freed, they will teleport to an area where they are instantly killed, which is meant to represent them having escaped. This occurs rarely at best, however.
 * Prisoner (type 15): He tells the player not to just stand there, and to get them out of there.
 * Prisoner (type 16): States he wants to see the sky, even if sky is currently in view.
 * Prisoner (type 17): Constantly repeats the phrase "five feet by four feet," indicating that he is starting to crack while trying to maintain his sanity by pacing off the distance of his cell.
 * Prisoner (type 18): Requests not to be released if the Order is still in charge, as he cannot stand the terror.
 * Prisoner (type 19): Though he does not want to "bitch," he says that it is about time that Macil sent someone to rescue them.

Area 6: Sewers
Major characters in this area: Weran

Acolytes
Some of the acolytes in the sewers have unique responses:
 * Acolyte (type 53): This acolyte states that he used to work in the prison, and was reassigned to sewer duty as punishment for allowing prisoners to escape. He is referring to the Strifeguy's recent raid on the prison, and, not realizing to whom he speaks, adds that if he ever finds the guy who broke out the prisoners, he will slaughter him personally.
 * Acolyte (type 54): States that the Order has the beggars just where they want them, and that they will soon have starved themselves into oblivion. If killed, these acolytes will drop a key that allows access to a weapons cache containing the game's first grenade launcher.
 * Acolyte (type 55): Posted near the weapons cache, this acolyte asks if the player has clearance and states that only authorized personnel are allowed in the area. He can only generally be spoken with if the player has not alerted enemies to his presence.

Sewer mutants
The sewer mutants, who are called beggars when speaking with them, have several unique things to say about their condition. They are all found in a non-toxic, relatively safe area of the sewers where their leader, Weran the Rat King, can be found.
 * Beggar (type 38): Exclaims that Weran will save them, as he has always come through for them before.
 * Beggar (type 39): Tells the player to find Weran if he seeks an answer to his questions.
 * Beggar (type 40): Responds to claims of "long live the Front" by stating that they are crap, and that they are all just waiting to die.
 * Beggar (type 41): Regretfully mentions that with their passage to the surface sealed, the sewer mutants are not able to feed themselves.
 * Beggar (type 42): Asks Strifeguy if he has any food.

Peasants
There are two peasants with unique dialogue in the castle:
 * Peasant (type 6): This antagonistic character can be found inside the castle's hospital, and misguides the player by suggesting that the Programmer can be found in the Audience Chamber. He adds that if the Programmer is forced to come out, the player and the rebels will die.
 * Peasant (type 15): Stationed near a switch that grants access to the sewage reclamation tank, he is friendly and helps explain to the Strifeguy what should be done to progress. Though not explicitly stated, the game suggests that he later joins the Front, as a trooper can be found in his place after the castle is converted into the new Front base.

Programmer
One of the three False Programmers, a ruse created by the real Programmer to distract and confuse the Front, can be found in a computer command area near the front gate of the castle. This one suggests that the Programmer is just a rumor and that the Front are idiots for having believed he was real.

Programmer
The final of three False Programmers can be found in the Audience Chamber. This one, who is generally friendly but depressed about his condition, holds the important silver key, which unlocks areas in the castle and in the Front base.

Programmer
Another of the False Programmers is located in the castle's training facility. He is friendly, albeit slightly misleading, as he states that the player can find the real Programmer beyond the guard training area. He seems to be enthusiastic about the prospects of the Strifeguy killing the real Programmer, provided he can survive the challenges of the facility.