Arcanum, Doc Roberts, Part V

(Part V of Arcanum Walkthrough for Troika's cRPG Definition of 2001, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura).

Doc Roberts

The First Bank of Shrouded Hills is situated in the middle of town. We can join Doc Roberts in defending the bank against a robbery by the Bowen gang and then rob the bank for Jacob Bens, who is lodging at the Shrouded Hills Inn. We can't do these quests in the opposite order: if we rob the bank for Bens then there is no need to defend it with Doc Roberts because the Bowens aren't going to bother robbing an empty bank. 

Doc Roberts is the General Practitioner of Shrouded Hills, and basically the town's protector since the constable is all but useless. The Doc is an expert in healing and firearms skills:

Defending the First Bank of Shrouded Hills

We wait until morning and make our way to the bank, which Doc Roberts is standing outside.

At this point, Doc Roberts -- a 30th level character -- 

-- temp-joins the party as a shot goes off inside the bank. We can chicken out but if we don't get out of the Doc's sight, it's on:

Likewise, if we take too long to move in and back him up for the shoot-out:

[Kill: Evil +2, no loot of note]

The shoot-out pits us against three 3rd level bank robbers of the Bowen Gang:

Doc Roberts isn't really that much help, having only two attacks per round with his revolver (rubbish Dexterity score for a 30th level build).

All we need to do is slay the three robbers and then talk to Doc Roberts afterwards.

[1,000 XP, Good +2] The material reward depends on what we told the Doc when we accepted the quest: either an Enchanted Sword (magick), a revolver (tech) or an axe (middleground).

Loot: Heavy Wool Clothes x3, Wool Jacket, Old Revolver x2, Rusty Dagger.

The Hero of Shrouded Hills

Reputation: The Hero of Shrouded Hills: Because of your heroic efforts in helping Doc Roberts stop the bank robbery, the people of Shrouded Hills are definitely friendlier to you than they once were. [Reaction +15]

Jacob Bens

Jacob Bens is found in the common room of the Shrouded Hills Inn:

He gives us a note containing the combination for the safe at First Bank.

Robbing the First Bank of Shrouded Hills

We wait until evening and then for another couple of hours. The bank teller should go to bed and the guard should move to his night-post, with his back turned to the door to the backroom where the combination safe is. Pick the lock to the door and loot the safe for 500 GP:

Most notably, the adjacent chests contain a Pocket Watch and a Fine Hilt and Guard. A couple points in the Pick Locks skill should be enough to open all three containers, but I don't think it's worth the investment unless we want to make a habit out of picking locks.

We return to the inn, wait until morning and give JB his cut:

[1,000 XP, Evil +3, Reaction -20: Good-aligned companions]

If we dob in Bens to Doc Roberts after accepting the quest, he flees Shrouded Hills and is never seen or heard from again.

And if we double-cross Bens (keep the money for ourselves), then he dobs us in to Doc Roberts, who we find waiting at the bridge gate backed up by two 8th level guards:

[Evil +2]

Outlaw of Shrouded Hills

Reputation: Outlaw of Shrouded Hills: Everyone in Shrouded Hills is looking to kill you for robbing their bank. [Reaction -100].

Pretty much everyone in Shrouded Hills except the Wise Woman wants us dead and attacks us on-sight.

In addition to Wool Jacket x2 and Rusty Dagger x2, Doc Roberts drops his Revolver and ammo (he doesn't if we slay him before, during or after the heist).

Fireflash spell in action:

Fireflash is similar to Fireball in the Baldur's Gate games. In Arcanum, it's got a smaller AoE but can damage or break enemy armor. While party-friendly, we need to watch out for neutral NPCs who can be turned hostile if caught in its AoE (such as the bank teller during the robbery).

cRPG Blog	8. Thieves' Guild Arcanum	17. Ashbury Arcanum
ARCANUM (Index)	9. Cassandra Pettibone	18. Isle of Despair
1. Arcanum Walkthrough	10. Gilbert Bates	19. Wheel Clan Arcanum
2. Shrouded Hills Arcanum	11. Garringsburg Heist	20. Durin Stone Arcanum
3. Bessie Toone Mine	12. Madam Toussaude	21. Stillwater Arcanum
4. Jongle Dunne	13. Ancient Maze	22. Qintarra Arcanum
5. Doc Roberts Arcanum	14. Dernholm Arcanum	23. Bedokaan Village
6. Amulet of N'Tala	15. Black Root Arcanum	24. Persuasion Master Arcanum
7. Tarant Arcanum	16. Black Mountain Mines	25. Caladon Arcanum (to the end)