So I seem to remember that a while ago I managed to get cursed by Arbalah, lowering my reaction modifier. Currently I'm trying to make a character the most hideous they can be so that's why I'm interested.

However, I can't seem to replicate it - killing him does nothing so I'm unsure as to whether there are some more specific circumstances/lines of dialogue you must feed him to get the curse.

Has anyone heard of this or managed the get cursed by him? The other possibility is that I got cursed by him playing the game's demo before its initial release way back when, and then it was actually cut from the main game (possibly replaced by the gypsy blood curse).

There is a cave near the place where you start the game (to the north and a bit to the east from where you appear). It has ghost of bandit, who will give you quest to kill Arbalah. You need to do this quest the most wrong way possible to upset Arbalah and so he'll curse you.

To become even more hideous, you can take quest in Tarant to upset some gypsy (I am not sure if quest is required) - you get quest in one of the house near main street (where you appear after traveling) - you will be asked to rob gypsy of her crystal ball. Do the quest in the way so you upset poor gypsy and you will get gypsy curse.

As I mentioned I'm aware of the quest, and the gypsy quest too (which doesn't make you more ugly, it lowers your charisma). I was after what specific thing needs to be done to Arbalah to trigger the curse - what line of dialogue before killing him, etc.

EDIT: I've now exhausted everything I can think of:

Telling Arbalah I don't believe his lies and killing him.
Telling Arbalah, "That was a great story, but I'm going to kill you now."
Accepting Arbalah's quest, then killing him.
Killing Arbalah with the artefact in my possession.
Returning to Brehgo, telling him he will rot there forever, getting the artefact, then killing Arbalah, thereby botching both quests. Then going back and telling Brehgo he's free.
Both killing Farkus and letting him live to get the artefact.

Any other ideas of what to try? Has anyone actually got the curse that they can remember in recent times?

Ok did you kill Arbalah too fast maybe? I wanted to check it myself, Arbalah was casting some spells, but my character was too weak to kill him (my old saves are lost) and died in 1 round.

As far as I know, you have to follow this steps:

1. Go into the cave and speak with Brehgo about his curse.
2. Travel to Arbalah's house and speak with him about the artefact.
3. Return to Brehgo's cave and tell him that you will kill the priest.
4. Go back to Arbalah's house, and kill him.
5. Head back to the cave to speak to Brehgo and complete the quest.

Sounds like that last step is the missing one you need.

Tell us more about this character of yours. I've soloed the game a couple of times with hideous characters, and I enjoyed it a lot.

I know for a fact you can get your reaction modifier low enough that the Tarant guards will attack you on sight.

All this talk about these hideous characters is so wrong... It makes me want to replay Arcanum as true villain. Throwing explosives inside city taverns, erasing gnomes from Arcanum history and all that kind of stuff :) Video Game Cruelty Potential is surprisingly high in this game :)

You don't have to be a villain to be hideous, either. Or hideous to be a villain.

Being hideous makes you want to be a villain though, because most people are extremely rude to you.