Yapette, I'm really not much of a fighter. I swing wildly and block once in a while and sometimes I am facing the wrong way. I do a lot of running and look for a sneaky way of winning. The final battle in Risen does not require a good fighter. You merely need to run to a safe rune and then get ready for your next swing.

You should give Gothic 3 (and 2 as well) another chance. I liked it a lot.The world is much bigger, but it plays like Risen. I had a great time freeing the big city.

I don't know if I'm going to play Dragon Age. I didn't care much for Neverwinter Nights or KOTOR and never played Baldurs Gate. I need to check out some reviews and trailers. Let me know what you think of it. It would be fun playing with a group.

I did enjoy Shivering Isles–a bit darker than Oblivion.

I thought you made your choice when you first entered the monastery. To Pallus' right was the warrior choice. I was unsure for a while but then talked to a recruit and confirmed I was training as a warrior. I don't know whether you can divert to mage later. The only place I couldn't enter was where the flame was. After I passed the initiation, I was allowed in, went through the convocation and Mendoza announced that I was a Warrior of the Order. You have choices of upgrade in strength or mana during the ceremony. I remember it was a bit confusing. You can only train to level 7 sword with the order.

Kay, there are a couple ways to get out. If you have pickpocket level 2, you can steal the key. I just climbed up on the wall above the front gate and jumped off. Make sure you are at full health. You will have to avoid the recruits around the gate.

Olf, in the Don's house teaches prospecting, but you will have to find a way to talk to him. It may be a bandit quest. I recommend joining the order, either as a warrior or mage. I hear the bandit quests are not as interesting, and the monastery is very nice.

I had the same problem in the swamp. Nothing seemed to be advancing. Going to the city moved things along.

Glad to hear you are liking the game. [Image Can Not Be Found]

I just remembered that Olf, one of the triplets, is part of the three bowls quest that you get in the city. You can sneak in the Don's house by going in a window and maybe speak to Olf. There is some good loot to be had there in the couple rooms you can get into.

i am moving right along and still liking this game.  Pokey I found some ways in and out of Harbor Town and after getting Prospect Ore went out and prospected and sold to the smithy at the Bandits to make some money+ and ugraded my lockpick and picklock skills while I was there. 

After spending some time in Harbor Town working on quests, life in the swamps lost most of its appeal and I decided to go for the Order.  Did most of the quests I could find in Harbor Town and then got myself sent to the Monestery and have just started there. 

Despite the advice from all of you to go with the Order,  I am becoming a Monk.  This is the first game in which the magic seems like it might be a managable amount to learn (unlike Morrowind and Oblivion which have so much magic of so many different kinds that I was always bewildered).  Of course, so far in the game I have spent most of my precious learning points on things that may not be so useful for a Monk.   I am sword 2, crossbow 2, alchemy 1, prospect ore, gut animal, sneak,  open lock 2,  picklock2 and strength 43.  But I do not plan to be a normal Monk.  I sure am not going to use this stupid staff to protect myself and as a monk I expect that there will be many opportunities to use my less virtuous skills

Anyway,  I am having a lot of fun.  [Image Can Not Be Found]  

Kay

Pokey, one of the things that tipped me to Mage is that you can use runes directly and don't have to keep making scrolls.  This may turn out to be a “nothing” benefit.   I don't know yet.  But really I became a mage because I was such a dismal failure as a mage in Oblivion.   As I said on the Oblivion thread,  never has an Arch Mage known so little magic.   kay