Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Akigagak]

1. Dump the useless midget.
2. Hell yes, cursed items are bound to have a negative effect, right?

And I support dual-classing Imoen to mage.

[Heron TSG]

1. Lose the dumb fighter.

2. Curses are bad to have. Removement should be nice.

[Kagus]

Ah, I adored Imoen...   I was quite disappointed with her appearing so little in Shadows of Amn, but I suppose it made sense...  She was one of the few characters that I would willingly go through all that trouble to save.

And Xzar, man...   The moment when you first meet those guys is seared into my memory.  Watching those two bicker was an absolute delight.  I wish I could get that "Montaron!  You are so AGGRAVATING! 'Tis disturbing to my demeanor..." sound recording, so I could listen to it whenever I so desired...

[rickvoid]

Aside from taking up that belt slot, the Belt of Gender Changing doesn't do anything besides the obvious.

Going through a chunk of the game, and meeting new people as a woman, would be hilarious when we finally get our trouser titan back. Not particularly realistic though, as we'll have plenty of cash to end the cure soon enough.

I don't really care either way.

[Jreengus]

Damn! I was going to suggest giving the belt to either Jaheira or Khalid, I like to imagine the... difficulties that would cause for their marriage.

[Aqizzar]

I can't believe I never played this game.  Everyone knows everything about it but me.  It doesn't help that I didn't get very far into Baldur's Gate 2 either, so what little I know of the games is just by osmosis and the references that made it into the 3D Neverwinter Nights.

Does give me hope for my dream of doing an LP of Planescape: Torment, the greatest D&D adaptation ever programmed, precisely because combat is completely unimportant to the actual "gameplay".

[rickvoid]

Ooh. We could probably "trick" Khalid into wearing it. That would be funny.

[Judas Maccabeus]

If we're going to stick the belt onto someone...

Spoiler: Actual spoiler, though a small one (click to show/hide)

it should be Edwin, just to make what happens to him in BG2 that much funnier. 

Akigagak:  As do I, of course it'll be a few levels, unless yall would rather we permanently have a different thief... which would be Safana, probably.  We'd need one during the dual-levelling process anyway, whether Imoen has levelled enough to be useful (which would be around 5-6) or not...

Jreengus:  Tempting...

Aqizzar:  OOOOOH!  Yes, do a Planescape one, please!

Anyway:  Back to the game!

[RAM]

You might need strength to dual-class into and/or out of fighter, but otherwise I would suggest getting at least x3 backstab and whatever skills you want from thief, 2 attacks and some hit points from fighter, then going into mage with some nice melee and damage-dealing abilities to back it up in a pinch. Dual-classing at low levels really doesn't cost much in the long run...

Thief levels start off pretty cheap, so if fighter doesn't work then stick with thief until you are happy with your hit points and skills...

[Judas Maccabeus]

[RAM:  You do need 17 strength to dual-class to fighter, and you can also only dual-class once.  And you wouldn't really gain hit points that way.  And... and it really doesn't seem dual-classing works like you think it does at all. 



Gah!  I go through a whole playing session and Fraps decides to bug out and not capture any of it.  Lovely.  Only saves are one before the fight at the Friendly Arm, and one all the way down in Nashkel after several things happen.

A summary of the intervening period, I suppose, while it's fresh in my mind (I did load up the old save and wander down to get some dialogue, though):]


Beregost

My memory is a bit hazy about the next few days; nothing truly important happened, but I'll try to get through it the best I can.

:  "We are having that belt removed immediately."

:  "Awww, I was getting used to having a 'sister' all of a sudden."

I was somewhat disturbed by not knowing if Imoen was being serious or not.  In any case, we were quickly out the door and to the nearby temple, after selling a couple gems from the hobgoblins to get over the 500 gold needed.

Priestess:  "Hm.  I thought I remembered... you being male last time you were in here."

:  "It's a... long story."

:  "Actually, it's a short story.  You see, there was this ogre-"

:  "Imoen.  Stop."

:  "Yes... 'ma'am'."

The curse was lifted, and I was myself again.  I didn't quite get rid of the belt, however... one never knows when something like that might come in handy.

That night, on the way to our rest, we met two different figures on the third floor.  The first was a nobleman, who seemed to have mistaken me for a servant.  He handed me a pair of pantaloons, one apparently made of nothing less than gold!  I quickly composed myself and pretended that I was who he thought I was - that might well fetch a good price somewhere, and we desperately needed the money!  Jaheira unsurprisingly was ill-disposed to such an act, but Imoen grinned widely.

:  "Nice!  Played that perfect, you did."

:  "Of course, I learned from the best, from seeing all the tricks you pulled."

:  *giggle* "Thanks!"

The other was a man who stated that he owned a house in Beregost which had been overrun by spiders.  Since we were headed in that direction anyway, it seemed that clearing it out would be a good idea.  I intended to return some items he mentioned as well, although both Jaheira and Xzar had a rare moment of agreement in stating that they were unsure if such a delay in getting to Nashkel would be truly wise.

Early the next morning, we set out southward, and the journey itself was uneventful.  Beregost itself is not particularly remarkable; the town's claims to note are the temple to Lathander on its eastern reaches, and the ruins of an ancient magic school nearby.  Our concerns were more immediate, however: a good inn to get some rest in.  Imoen, however, had a slightly different destination in mind.

:  "Old Firebead's house is somewhere in town, near the... there it is, the blue-roofed one."

Inside, Firebead was clearly pleased to see us; he offered to provide us with a little help if we were to get him a book he wanted.  You could certainly tell a regular of Candlekeep whenever books came up!

Across the street was an inn, Feldepost's by name, and so we went there first.  Immediately inside, however:

Marl:  "'Ere now, get out, I don't like your type in 'ere!"

Dunkin:  "Heh, you tell 'em, Marl!"

We didn't leave, which did nothing to improve his mood.

Marl:  "Hey, I told you to get lost!  Ain't no room here for ye trouble makin' strangers!"

:  "No need to get all bent out of shape.  There's plenty of bar for us all."

Marl:  "Hey, I take whatever shape I want!  I'm sick of you freakish adventurers going out, consorting with gods know what, and dragging your trouble back into my home town!  What do you say to that?"

:  "Whoa, go easy.  Let's keep it friendly.  How 'bout I buy you and the rest of the bar a round?"

Marl:  "I ain't your friend, you ain't mine, and it'll be a cold day on the 9th plane before I drink with the likes of you!  Best ye keep your filthy dungeon money to yourself.  Better yet, how 'bout I put you and your dead money back in the ground where it belongs!"

[Tired of playing this one "correctly", I figured to give Marl a good knocking this time around... get some precious gold that way, too.]

With that, he attacked us; despite our best efforts at incapacitating him without injury, we were forced to kill him, so great was his rage at us.  We all agreed that our fortunes were best sought elsewhere.  We did find the book Firebead wanted and handed it to him, much to Xzar's chagrin.

In front of our next choice - the Burning Wizard - a bard stood with an offer of employment, to the tune of 300 gold pieces.  Xzar seemed content that this did not involve charity, and we followed him over to the street in front of the Red Sheaf Inn.

Silke:  "Greetings, mercenaries!  I am Silke, thespian extraordinaire."

: "A thespian is...?"

:  "An actress."

She explained that she was in need of aid against some thugs sent to shake her down by Feldepost.  That struck me as somewhat odd.

:  *mumbling* "Wait, if she's an actress, that means..."

I saw the three people approach; they did not look at all like thugs.

: "...she could be acting right now."

They did not speak like thugs, either, and when I pointed this fact out to Silke, she immediately turned on us.  Her first act was to become invisible, but once she began casting a second spell we all focused our efforts on that location.  She did not survive long beyond that.  Both Garrick and the "thugs" were grateful for our aid, and the latter provided us with a potion of defence, to go along with the four hundred gold pieces and enchanted quarterstaff on her body.  Jaheira decided to use the latter, after having it properly identified as non-cursed, of course.

In the Red Sheaf itself, we found we weren't about to find any rest.

"You're at the end of your rope, I'll wager."

A well-armed dwarf with an axe walked up to us and announced his intention to kill us.  It was a difficult task to fend off his blows, and both Jaheira and I were forced to frantically heal serious wounds inflicted by him.  Finally, however, Khalid brought him down with a well-placed sword swing, and his body contained yet another bounty notice - this time for 350 gold.

While we took the opportunity to rest there, Imoen once again began poking where she didn't belong.  Again I didn't ask where she found the several gems and couple dozen gold pieces; she also said she had run across a man who told of the plight of one Mirianne, who we took the opportunity to visit in her house on the east end of town.  Apparently, her husband was in Amn, and an expected message from him was very late.  We did not know how much we could help - Amn was quite a bit further to the south than we intended to travel - but perhaps we could find news in Nashkel.

Our final task in the town was dealing with the spider-infested house.  That was no trouble; the spiders were rather large, but not so dangerous that we were not able to take them down quickly.  After collecting a spider body, along with the boots and the wine the woman had wanted, we returned to the Inn.  She provided us with three hundred gold, aiding our financial situation immensely.

By this point, Jaheira and Xzar were directly petitioning that we hurry to Nashkel, and so we did, after I made a quick stop to collect the suit of plate armour I had wanted.  It was good to see that removing that curse had not prevented it!

The road to Nashkel was not quiet, however.  Within sight of Beregost itself, we found two Ogrillons standing over a halfling corpse.  The Ogrillons were tough, but eventually fell; it turned out the halfling was a messenger, and from Mirianne's husband.  The letter mentioned that he was alive and doing well, and she gladly accepted the news, providing me with an enchanted ring.

:  "I belive I can trust this one to not be cursed?"

It was not, as I was able to take it off unimpeded after placing it on my finger.  It also seemed to make me feel slightly more... protected.

After heading south again, we met a Flaming Fist on patrol against bandits.  Unfortunately, he seems to have mistaken us for some, and set upon us.  We managed to defend ourselves, but again unfortunately at the cost of his life.  He had another suit of plate armour on him, one that fit Khalid fairly well.

Finally, after defeating a hobgoblin ambush and taking a chance to rest for the night, we reached Nashkel itself.

[Judas Maccabeus]

The party upon arriving in Nashkel:



Garrick isn't really worth keeping at all.  At best he might be able to identify an item or two, for now.

Dave, Imoen, and Jaheira have all gained levels.  Imoen is now able to be dual-classed if we wish to do so now, though this early that would mean she's never going to be a good thief, just a mage.  Leaving it up to you all, of course, since picking up another good thief isn't all that hard.







Xzar has nothing interesting.

[RAM]

Thief 5 then mage.

[Judas Maccabeus]

[Hit the maximum post length with this one, so it's split into two parts.]

:  Dave!  You forgot to mention that odd man we met on the road north of Nashkel.

:  You remember that as well?  Then it truly did happen...


Lord Foreshadow:  "Well don't you just add to the local color.  Quite the smashing bit of dress you wear there.  I'll have to look into such sundries when I next attend one of Lord Ribald's full dress costume parties.  I'd be the talk of Neverwinter, I would."

:  "Am I to understand that you are from that far away city?"

Lord Foreshadow:  "Oh, I actually hail from Waterdeep.  The great city of splendors has much more in the manner of social luxuries suited towards my particular tastes.  I do, however, make a point of keeping in touch with Neverwinter, though I have only visited once previously.  It was quite popular in those nights, if I recall correctly.  I'm going to make a second trip in the coming year, and I'll wager it will be as popular again."

[This is, of course, a reference to the newer Neverwinter Nights, (rather slowly) in development at the time.  He also talks a bit about the sequel to this game in a different line of conversation.]

I am not sure what to say about the odd nobleman.  One does not, after all, regularly see Waterdhavian nobles walking alongside a bandit-filled road on the very other end of the Sword Coast.




CHAPTER 2

Nashkel

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Girl:  "Father!  I'm off to play!"

Father:  "Have a fine day, dear."

Mother:  "Ah!  Did you remember to wash your face?"

Girl:  "I did now!" *giggles*





Nashkel was something of a confusing town as we arrived in it.  The people seemed to be going about their lives as they had before, but soldiers from Amn patrolled the streets constantly, clearly on the alert for troubles not only from the north but the south as well.  As to what the problem was, we were here to speak with someone who might know.



One of the guards stopped us as we crossed the bridge.

:  "We are the party of Angry Dave, seeking place to rest between adventures."

Bardolan:  "There be an inn here but consider yourself warned:  tensions run high right now.  Cause any trouble and you'll have worn out your welcome."

:  "'The party of Angry Dave?'  Is that what we're calling ourselves now?"

:  "I had to think of something..."



One of the townspeople had poor news as well.  Nashkel would be no more relaxing than Beregost had been, most likely.



Berrun Ghastkill, the man half of our group wished to see, was standing in front of the city's temple to Helm.  He seemed unsurprisingly relieved to see us.  I was still somewhat on edge from the several attempts on my life recently, however, so I must admit I did not treat him as well as I should have.

:  "Save your pleasantries and answer my questions.  How did you know of my plans to come to Nashkel?"

Berrun Ghastkill:  "I thought Jaheira would travel with a group that had better manners.  I guess even the best of people must work with lowlifes occasionally, if only to get the job done.  As for your question, I knew you were coming because I spoke with friends of Jaheira.  Mutual acquaintances that I knew would respond to my plea."

:  "What do you need from me?"

Berrun:  "I need you to descend into the mines southeast of town, and find out why our miners have been going missing.  Hopefully you will also discover why the ore taken from the mine is tainted.  Solving these two things won't fix all our problems, but it's the first step to relieving the effects of the iron crisis.  Proceed with all possible haste and you will be handsomely rewarded for your efforts.  Go now."

I was in little mood to do so, however; I had escaped death only barely several times recently, and to do so again was not high on my list of things I wished to do.  First, though, was to deal with Xzar.



:  "I do hope reaching Nashkel means we no longer must travel with you."



:  "One heavy load off my shoulders.  Now, Jaheira, I'm afraid this is where I must take my leave as well.  After all I've been through since I left Candlekeep, I haven't had a chance to really make my own way.  I hope you won't grudge me a few days of that."

:  "A-are you certain?  We would need your help in the mines."

:  "Entirely certain.  I may well return here sometime soon.  If you are still here, I shall gladly help you then.  Up to that point, I must say goodbye."

:  "I can still come along, right?"

:  "Of course!  I never expected otherwise."

Garrick decided to come along with us as well, and I decided to allow his company for a time.  We returned north to the town's tavern... and were met inside by quite unwelcome company.

"It may be a touch unladylike... but I'm gonna slit your throat, I am."



:  "I would first know my attacker!"

:  "Why are you doing this?"

Neira:  "Who I am is unimportant, though my name is Neira.  What I am is a hunter of bounties, and on your head is a lovely little sum.  Does this satisfy your request?  I thought it wouldn't.  No matter."

We were set upon immediately, though we of course quickly attempted to return the favour.  She was obviously quite skilled, however, and I may well have died then had two people not burst through the door.



Khalid and Jaheira weren't about to abandon me, of course.  They burst through the door as quickly as they could, and joined in the fighting.  Still, it was tough fighting, and our enemy quickly got a spell off that held Imoen and I entirely in place.

Thus, I could only watch... as Imoen was struck down by her club.

I could not cry out.  I could not strike Neira in anger.  I could only watch as her body crumpled to the floor.  The magic which held me wore off soon after, and I made sure she felt my wrath.



She was dead.  But so was Imoen.

:  "Her body... it is not so badly damaged that she is beyond help.  Quickly, to the temple."



We indeed went quickly.  I could barely think.  Imoen, for all practical purposes my sister... dead...



I of course did not appreciate the long speech with which the priest greeted us.

:  "No time for that!  Help her quickly, if you can!"



He did not waste any more time after that.  Once the casting was done, I looked closely at the corpse... and within moments, she began to stir.  She was still clearly wounded, but not to the point of death, and as I knelt down near her she was able to speak.

:  "Dave?  Did... did she get you too?  Is this-"

:  "No, child.  This priest has saved you from death, fortunately.  I only hope that you have no further need of such things at a later time, or that if you do you will be as fortunate as you were today."



We returned to the inn, where the body of the bounty hunter was still laying on the floor.  Along with her armour, she carried a clearly magical helmet...



As well as the by-now familiar note.



We paid a nearby merchant to identify the helmet before taking the risk of putting it on.  It proved to be moderately useful, certainly worth keeping.

:  "If you have changed your mind, we are very willing to stay with you."

:  "No... I still need a few days.  To get used to the outside world.  And I need it without reminders of Gorion.  I am sure you understand."

:  "We d-do, but running won't help... I think..."



That was, of course, far from the last time I saw them.  The parting was still certainly cordial.  Khalid also gave his armour, and Jaheira her enchanted staff, that they had recently collected, to aid whomever might later join with us, saying we needed them more than they.

:  "Hm.  Didn't you say Imoen was in Candlekeep with you?  Wouldn't she remind you of Gorion?"

:  "No... Imoen reminds me of nothing other than herself."

:  "Hm.  If you just wanted some time alone with her, I'd be glad to-"

:  "We're foster siblings."

:  "Oh, *cough* yes, well..."

:  "I get the feeling we'll be getting a lot of that."



Apparently people mistaking things about us was going to be a theme that day.

:  "You must have made some mistake.  I am not this man called Greywolf.  Keep your money, it's not mine to take."

Oublek:  "You are not Greywolf the bounty hunter?  Oh sweet Helm, I almost gave 200 gold pieces to a complete stranger?!  The Captain best not hear of this; he'd have my hide.  Thanks be for your honesty, stranger, there are those who would not have done as such."

It was the next meeting a short distance down the road, however, that proved to be the most auspicious in that town.



:  "Excuse me, but are you speaking to a rodent?"

:  "Boo is my faithful animal companion, and more than he seems."

I only needed a moment to collect myself and present a decent front before him.

:  "The classic dilemma of the damsel in distress!  How could anyone decline!"

:  "Take heart fellow adventurers, for you have curried the favor of Boo, the only miniature giant space hamster in the Realm!  My friend and companion ever since my h-h-head wound, he will lead us to victory!  Onward to the Gnoll Stronghold in the west!  Tarry not!  We must go soon!"

[Incidentally, he may well not be entirely crazy - there are in fact giant space hamsters in the old Spelljammer setting, which contains the Forgotten Realms.  They aren't intelligent, though, so he's still certainly not all there.  And no miniature ones that I know of, but that's certainly possible.]



Minsc.  What to say about him?  Big, strong, tough, and lacking in all but the rudiments of common sense.  Imoen stated that she had heard of giant space hamsters before, but only as stories, not as fact.  It was only much later and after much questioning that I had confirmation that they exist, but none had heard of anything like Boo.  People from Rashemen are quite rare along the Sword Coast, and if Minsc is in any way representative of them I have no wish of visiting them anytime soon.  Regardless, his strength and combat ability were very helpful, and he clearly meant well, regardless of his dubious sanity.

Khalid's armour barely fit on the massive man, but it did, and along with the helmet we had just acquired, we were able to outfit him quite well.  Naturally, we had neither armour nor weapons for Boo, but Minsc assured us that he said he did not mind.  As the town's main street ended there, I decided to go to the carnival immediately west of the town.  Minsc questioned the wisdom of diverting ourselves while Dynaheir was in danger, but I was not going there for diversion; there was likely to be information and items from quite far and wide to be found.

In any case, I had no intention of trying the gambling tents.  The past few days showed that my luck was not where I would wish it, and that I had apparently gained Beshaba's very unwelcome attention.



The first bit of information, however, was very much from Nashkel.



The next... was rather inexplicable.

:  "What a fabulous carnival!"

Lord Binky the Buffoon:  "What a fahbulous carnival, dahling!"

:  "Are you mocking me?"

Lord Binky the Buffoon:  "Dost thou mockest me?  Away with you, beggar!"



Walking into one of the tents, expecting a merchant or act, we found something very different.

:  "What's this all about?"

Zordral:  "She's a witch.  She'll use her magics to poison the children of this town.  She'll butcher the livestock and she'll seduce the young men, make them her puppets.  She must be killed!"

:  "Why don't we discuss this like rational beings?  Just calm down and I'm sure we can come to some sane solution."

Zordral:  "Discuss!  There is nothing to discuss.  This witch will die!  Now leave me, or I'll smite you as well."

:  "Come on, we can't just let you murder a defenseless woman.  Just calm down and let's talk."

Zordral:  "Defenseless woman!  She's a witch!  She's dangerous, and must be killed.  Get away from me, before I kill you all."

:  "Sorry, but we can't let you hurt the lady.  We're going to have to remove you by force if need be."

Zordral:  "I told you, but you wouldn't listen!  Now she dies, and then you die!  Arashaka!"



There was nothing we could do to save her life.  He got his word off before any of us could stop him.  All we could do was avenge her death.

:  "This man kills witches without reason?  He must be stopped, and my sword will do the stopping!"



Stop him we did; Imoen quickly pierced him with an arrow while Minsc nearly cut him in half.  Angering him would be a very bad idea.



Both of the mages had robes on them; one made for the more active sort, while the other helped protect against electrical attacks.  Both quite clearly useful, at least once we had a mage in the party.



A little bit away, one of the displays was apparently an actualy person.  He was asking a ridiculous amount for a scroll of that sort, but fortunately there was another way of going about it.



Selling two potions which we had no use for gave us more than enough money to buy a stone-to-flesh scroll from the Temple of Helm back in Nashkel, only a short walk away.



The petrified woman greeted us quite happily, as would be expected.

]:  "We're always on the lookout for another warrior."

:  "I am glad to be part of your war party.  I will not make you regret your decision.  A word of caution though:  beware of the dog that entrapped me in stone.  Tranzig he called himself.  He was in the employ of a mercenary group, but I do not know the name.  I shall see him dead before I see the shores of home again!"

:  "Here, take one of my spare morning stars."



[I took this some time later, but the basic stats still count.  She's kind of superfulous with us also being a cleric, but she'll certainly do for now.]



Another act was... unusual.  I'm not entirely sure how this mage set up a constantly exploding ogre, but he was quite proud of it.



The ogre was less happy, however, and decided to attack rather than explode at one point.  He then turned on us, and we were forced to kill him.



More news, about a person named Prism.  We would have to keep an eye out for him.



I decided to check a tavern back in Nashkel for more potential allies.  We found none, but Imoen spotted something else unusual.

:  "Is that... Volothamp Geddarm!"

:  "Volo?  The travel writer?"

:  "Yes!  Never thought I'd ever meet him..."



[Sigh... I wish I still had my copy of Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast... anyway, I won't transcribe all of what he says because it's very long winded and tells nothing we haven't already heard.]

We decided to let him tell his stories for a while, both of nearby news and of the outside world.

Volo:  "Just let me finish my drink, and then we can carry on through the wee hours with our tales."

We did stay for quite some time, enjoying the tavern's drinks (even Imoen tried an ale or two) and listening to Volo's tales.



Upon leaving and crossing the bridge south, we met another man.  Upon hearing what he had to say, I quickly turned to Imoen and signalled to her; she seemed to get the message and began whispering to the others.

:  "Why would you have this woman dead?  Am I to kill her without knowing?"

:  "Frankly, yes.  It is no concern of yours.  You need but perform the act with no questions.  What is your answer?"

:  "I would know the price you offer before i take the job."

:  "The prize I offer would surely be beyond measure in your meager understanding.  Either take the job or not!"

:  "It sounds but a simple task.  I'll do as ye ask."

:  "Of course you will, it is as expected.  (I will lead them to her and she cannot hope to prevail.)  I will travel with you until the deed be done.  I last heard of her travelling to the west of Nashkel, close to the gnoll stronghold located there."

Minsc was barely containing his rage, but Imoen was managing to keep him under control.  I had no intention of doing what Edwin asked, but at least I could trick him into helping do precisely the opposite of what he had in mind.



I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking when I decided to ask Edwin to come along for that time.  It was not for the company, certainly, as he was rude, arrogant, and entirely lacking in morals - the very picture of a typical Red Wizard of Thay.  Imoen noted when he was not nearby that the Red Wizards had a long-standing feud with the witches of Rashemen, and that such was likely the reason for his intention to kill Dynaheir.



As soon as we stepped off the other end of the bridge, a man began following us and chatting incessantly.

Noober:  "So, killed any monsters yet?  Ever been to Baldur's Gate?  I've been to Baldur's Gate.  Ugh, I think I stepped in something.  Everyone in town used to throw rocks at me and tell me I was annoying."

:  "You are annoying, you half-"

:  "Edwin, let's just move along, Dynaheir is this way."

Noober:  "What time is it?  I haven't had a conversation this long, well... ever!  What's the big weapon for?  Those colors look pretty stoopid on you... I once knew this guy named Dilby.  He threw rocks at me too.  Are you gonna throw rocks at me?  What about now?  What about now?  What about now?"

He kept repeating that for quite some time; Imoen, for her part, had wandered off, apparently having spotted something.



What she brought back was an odd-looking set of plate armour, apparently made from the hide of an ankheg.  Knowing how tough their carapaces could be, I quickly rushed to have it fitted for me, and my armour fitted for Branwen.



Meanwhile, Noober applauded our patience.  It was not surprising that we were one of the few willing to allow him to go on for so long without throwing something... although we nearly had to restrain Edwin from firing a spell at him.

The Gnoll Stronghold

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Not long after nightfall on the journey west, we were "beset" by an unaggressive bear.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was willing to tolerate our presence, though being unable to talk it gave no clues as to the reason for this surprising passivity.



As midnight neared, we decided to pause for the night and make camp.  I expected it to be a normal night... but I was quite wrong.



The phantom of your foster father gestures towards the blackness of the wood as though it should be inviting.  Perhaps it is, in a way, but the traveling will be hard.  As you think this, a smooth and obvious path becomes clear out of the corner of your eye.  It seems meant for you, pulls at your very being, and promises to quickly lead you away from the life you once led.  Perhaps this would be for the best, but it is a bit too convenient for your liking.  You do not wish to dwell upon the loss you have endured, but neither should it be forgotten.  Gorion smiles, and fades away.

The pull becomes a push, but you turn away, steadfast in your new direction.  The way is not quite as clear, but it is sure to be interesting nonetheless.  A whisper follows as you stride away, something vestigial and sinister that you recognize, but yet have never heard.  "You will learn..."

You don't look back.



I awoke from the strange dream, only to spot something in the darkness.  Xvarts.  I quickly moved to awaken everyone else.  Realising they had been seen, the Xvarts cried out and charged.  With the advantage of surprise lost, however, they stood no chance.

I realised also that I had a new and strange power.  Moving to heal Branwen, it was not the usual gods' strength and power I called upon - something inside of me healed her.  As one who knows well where the abilities of those of my profession come from, this was a strange and unwelcome feeling.  It was also the first clue to my true identity, though I did not know it yet.



Upon finally reaching the river across which the gnoll stronghold could be found, a man stopped us and warned us of something on the other side.  Confidently, we walked across, only to find a bear larger and much more aggressive than any I had ever seen before.  Imoen and Garrick slowed it down with arrows and bolts while we made it back accross the bridge.  Our actions did apparently give the man time to escape, as we did not see him again, but we ourselves escaped south with the bear still very much alive.



We arrived opposite the stronghold slightly past midnight of our second day out of Nashkel.  After sleeping safely out of sight, we carefully walked across the bridge, expecting quite a bit of trouble from the gnolls' home ground.



Crossing the bridge caught the attention of two ogrillons, although they did not put up much of a fight once we refused to allow them to extort us.

:  "Yes, yes, passable work.  Shall we find that witch and deal with her now?  I am becoming a bit impatient."

Minsc growled.  I was getting a bit impatient with him.  Even Imoen did not look very happy at this point.

:  "Say... Dave, don't you have that magic belt?"

I did everything I could to keep from grinning, I knew precisely what she was planning.

:  "Oh, right!  Very powerful magic.  I believe we should let you have it, Edwin, as a token, or a tribute, to your great magical ability."

:  "So you have learned your place.  Do not withhold this item from me any longer."

I handed the belt to him, as much apparent earnestness as I could possibly bring to bear used in that moment.  All the tricks Imoen and I had played over the years were practice for this.  Edwin triumphantly put the belt on.



:  "You clumsy primates!  You did not even realise that the magic was a curse!  If we were not engaged in such an important task I would not suffer your presence a moment longer."

We barely contained a laugh and pressed on into the fortress.



With every step forward, Minsc's blows grew stronger; he seemed to realise we were getting closer and closer to Dynaheir.  More than once he struck a gnoll with such incredible force that it seemed to burst apart.



The main group of gnolls, along with the leader of their band, awaited near the pits in which they kept their prisoners.  We used the narrow ledge to our advantage, taking away their numbers as we cut easily through them and Imoen picked off those in the back with her arrows.



In the next pit over, we met the woman we had all come here to find, for one reason or another.

:  "A voice of reason at last.  Join my group with no fear.  I never liked her anyway."

:  "I knew intelligence would prevail.  Simple common-sense, the foil of every Red Wizard."

:  "(If they'll not do the deed then our deal if forfeit!)  You side with the witch then you will die with her!  Beware my return!"

I was not particularly afraid, as he had been little help in getting there.



Dynaheir was a much more welcome companion, being a good mage and a far better person besides.  She had a good influence on the generally short-tempered Minsc as well, and being now brought together it was obvious they would not part.  Not, certainly, that I intended to be rid of either of them anytime soon; they were helpful allies and good company on the road.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Southern Sword Coast

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Coming north to try and eventually reach Beregost by back ways, we found a hobgoblin doing the usual hobgoblin thing.  Still, I hoped to keep from having to kill yet again.

:  "We're just passing through and won't be any bother.  You have our word."

Ba'ruk:  "Your word mean nothing to Bar'uk!  Kill them!"

We did not realise at first who he was yelling to; we were able to bring him down with little trouble.



It turned out he had a group of bow-wielding kobolds with him.  It was a difficult task to close to them before we were peppered with arrows.

[This fight is a good example of how luck-based low-level fighting can be.  I died a horrible death several times, before the fight suddenly being a breeze because the right people missed rather than the wrong ones.  Of course, this is the sort of fight that would be tough anyway, as the kobolds have nasty fire arrows...]

As we settled down that night, Dynaheir approached me.

:  "Why does that Imoen have so many scrolls?  She does not appear to be a mage.  I would wish for some to put in my own spellbook - it is sadly bare."

:  "She... she's trying to see if she can be a mage.  I don't know if she'll manage it or not, but I could never stop her from trying.  And she's clever enough that she just might do it."

Dynaheir suddenly walked over to Imoen.

:  "Studying those scrolls will not be enough to allow you to work magic, little girl.  It is very complex and very difficult to do, and dangerous if used improperly."

:  "I know, but it's all I have.  Besides, I think it's starting to make sense... maybe..."

:  "Perhaps you would do better with someone to teach you.  I cannot be a true tutor, as I am still learning myself, but perhaps I could set you on the correct path?"

:  "Would you?  I'd love to really do it, I would..."



The next day, when we were nearing Beregost itself, we came across two unusual women.  The first apparently was an astrologer.

:  "I've no wish to disturb you further, and shall be on my way."

Pallonia:  "I... I am sorry for my rudeness.  It would seem that I was quite disturbed even before you came anywhere near me.  I simply get tired of the asking, especially when people find the answers too vague.  The stars are not a reference book with everything laid out plain.  Were it so, anyone could pick the page they wished and there would be no need for one such as I.  As it is, I have little to say of our current troubles."



The second... she smiled coquettishly as we approached.  That was a sign of things to come.

:  "Maybe if you told us your name and problem we could help you."

:  "Well, good sirs, you may call me Safana.  You'll have to excuse me if I sound startled, but in the south where I come from they don't grow their men as big as any of you."

:  "...Again about my height..."

:  "I think she meant Minsc."

:  "Anyhow, if you want, I have a way to make you all fabulously wealthy.  In my possession I have a map that gives the location of an old pirate treasure trove.  According to the writings on the map, it's where the legendary Black Alaric dumped his treasure before being captured by the Amnish fleets!  You interested in hearing more?"

She smiled again.  I'll admit I may not have been thinking straight at this point.

:  "We're always interested in hearing about money."

:  "The reason I need so many heroic men, is that the caverns where I wish to go are guarded by some sort of creature; which kind I couldn't tell you.  If you help me, I'll let you share in the treasure.  I may be grateful in other ways, as well."

I certainly wasn't thinking straight by then.

:  "We agree."

:  "Ohh, thank you, you won't regret your decision.  I know that powerful heroes like you will easily push through any obstacles in our path.  Well, we should be off then.  From what my map showed, the pirate cove is located somewhere along the coast, just south of Candlekeep."

We were growing a bit large in number by this point, and I'd been meaning to let Garrick go for some time.

:  "I'm afraid you'll have to make your own way to Beregost, Garrick, while we seek out this cave."



I wasn't sure if he was more disappointed in having to leave the group behind, or having to leave Safana behind.



None of her own opinions on her abilities could be trusted, but she proved herself to be a decent hand with a bow and an excellent one with a lock.  I was not too particularly worried about her seducing Minsc - he was undoubtedly impervious to such things - and despite her worrying lack of morals she was not malevolent and could easily be kept from causing trouble by ensuring that the alternative was profitable or enjoyable enough for her.



The cliffs to the north were filled with hobgoblins, in several sizeable bands.  We managed to cut our way through them, however, though not easily.



[This is the screen that appears upon levelling up.  Imoen gets 20 points to distribute when she does so; the best thing to do is to put them in finding traps and opening locks, as the other two are of dubious use at best.  Stealth may have some uses at times, at least.  Advancing to level 5 before dual-classing her will give her a find traps of 70 and a pick locks of 65, both of which are quite respectable.  It may be better to wait a couple more levels than that, but it isn't necessary at all, and switching earlier means she can make use of both classes earlier as well.



Descending back down to search a different set of cliffs gave us a nasty surprise.

:  "Sirines.  We are not going in that direction.

:  "That's where the cave is.  Ah, well, we can always prepare and come back.  I'd hate for one of them to use their charms on you."

[Sirines can charm our party members; they tend to appear in pairs or more around here, so trying to fight that one would end poorly as half the party is charmed and the other half dies horribly.]



As we struck east for Beregost, we were ambushed by two half-ogres and their dogs.  We were well capable of dealing with them...



...but not without price, as one dog leapt out from seemingly nowhere and dealt a death blow.

:  "Dynaheir!  Noooo!"

Minsc dispatched the remaining dogs with all his might, and we carried the witch's body as quickly as possible to the Beregost temple.



The temple was devoted to the Morninglord, Lathander, and its priest also served as leader of the town of Beregost.  Our first task was clear, and Dynaheir was brought back to life.



I also had the priest look over a pair of gauntlets we found on one of the gnolls.  It proved to be a surprisingly useful one, and we gave the gauntlets to Dynaheir to help her dodge any blows that might come her way in the future.



The only inn we had yet to try in Beregost was the Jovial Juggler.  Fortunately, nobody there was set on killing us as had been the case elsewhere; instead, they provided us with the stories of their actions with varying levels of reluctance.



As we had pressed on through the night, and the day was growing late as well, it was time to settle in for a good sleep.  I would, in any case, need the rest to be able to decide whether striking out like I had was a good idea, and whether or not it might be time to return to Nashkel...

Today's decision is, of course:

1.  Return to Nashkel and delve into the mines, or continue side-questing around Beregost?

[Sensei]

Git down in them mines!

Man, this is so cool. I saw Baldur's Gate at half price books once, an entire collectors edition pack with every extra, but someone had stolen the disc. I was so pissed off.