Setting fire in a village - how exactly?

[Handel]

I know i have to bargain with the village elder to set the fire in 1 hour and I do it... and then nothing happens. What is supposed to be seen and when?

 

[pickled_heretic]

the only way i have ever got this to work is to have him set the fire at midnight.  as far as i know, the "fire in 1 hour" is broken.

 

[Handel]

Even at midnight option I still see no difference. I went there at "evening" and agreed the fire to be set at midnight. But up to the morning absolutely nothing happened and the guards were still there everytime I sneaked.

 

[Captain_Octavius]

With matches.

Even though the fire rarely visually appears, the amount of guards IS reduced for me everytime.

 

[Handel]

With matches.

Even though the fire rarely visually appears, the amount of guards IS reduced for me everytime.

You mean you make an agreement with the elder; then went straight for the castle and the number of guards was reduced?
Nothing happens for me; I need to free a lord from Telrog castle and everytime there are 2 melee guards and 2 archers on the wall right before the dungeon door.

 

[pickled_heretic]

if it's successful, you should only have 1 guard to fight.  i've only ever had 1.

the (midnight) fire happens when your training happens.  you should get the smoke and everything.  maybe you're not paying the elder enough?  i have no idea, i only ever pay him 200 denars.

also, if you do it once and go in, but fail your rescue, sometimes the fire won't work again.  save, exit the game and reload, and try it again.

 

[Landwalker]

You mean you make an agreement with the elder; then went straight for the castle and the number of guards was reduced?
Nothing happens for me; I need to free a lord from Telrog castle and everytime there are 2 melee guards and 2 archers on the wall right before the dungeon door.

Tehlrog Castle is a tough one because of the layout.

In my experience, when you're going in, the guard is not completely reduced. Unfortunately, at Tehlrog, even a partially reduced guard is pretty much breathing down your neck. However, all you need to do is kill the Prison Guard and then run inside.  Once you're inside, talk to the lord, and exit, there will (magically) only be the completely reduced guard.

Again, that's my experience. M&B isn't exactly the industry paragon of problem-free or even moderately consistence experiences.

 

[Moneyman]

I find M&B's definition of an "Hour" to be a little vague. Usually I opt to get the villager to start a fire at midnight.

If I remember correctly, I told a village elder to set fire at the stroke of midnight, then I went to ?Sargoth? and broke the prisoner free. I only had the Jail Guard and one other Guard to beat, that was it. I do not remember seeing any smoke at the village or any visible signs it worked, other then having several less guards. My memory of this event was very hazy, so I wouldn't put money on it.

Maybe the village your trying to work with doesn't belong to Tehlrog castle? It could belong to a nearby city which also has a prisoner you could rescue. Check "Tehlrog" in your location notes and see which village belongs to it.

 

[The_Freeman]

Tried it recently, seems to work fine even with the "light the fire in one hour" option, I wanted to save 2 lords from Khudan and after asking a nearby village to light a fire as a distraction I only had to take down the prison guard, as opposed to having to take out the prison guard and other 4 guards that are 2 feet away from her.
Very useful, I'd say even necessary on certain maps.

 

[estevesbk]

Works fine also for me, both in 1h and the midnight option. Maybe this has to do with:

- Graphical details (mine is high)
- Version of M&B Warband (mine is latest)
- Other mods installed (I use Diplomacy only)
- Tweaks
- How much do you pay for the elder (I always pay 300)
- Relation with village (Seems it needs to be positive)
- If you tell your plan or not
- Etc.

 

[Handel]

The payment depends (probably) on persuasion skill; but 300 golds is enough; not only this but when I tried to return to the elder to talk again he tells me "we already agreed on this, have trust in me" or something like this.
Maybe the fire don't remove the wall guards and in castles the wall guards are too close so they are alarmed too...