After clearing out the outbuildings, it was time to descend into the mines & make them mine – no pun intended initially but I’ll claim it now that I see it on parchment. All in all, they were a disappointment, a cake walk, really. Nothing stands before my power now, especially w/the mostly capable subordinates that serve me w/o question. The first level of the mines was just a matter of finding a eliminating a few Guards. Most were the typical Guards, maybe a dozen or so, in Splint Mail w/Long Swords, not BTE, so I had us cut thru w/o the little resistance & no injury to speak of. I ignored the slaves for the most part. One asked me to find a key & help him flood the mines but asked me to find a slave named Rill who could get the other slaves to freedom first. I have little interest in the welfare of those weak enough to become slaves.
After dropping off armor, swords etc., from the first level & a rest in my temporary camp that was once the barracks for the Guards here, I invaded the 2nd. About eight more Guards & two Ghasts were first on the menu before I dove into the main course. Must have been 25 Guards, I recall at least a half-dozen had bows of some type. They were accompanied by a female mage. Viconia had cast Animate Dead & summoned a couple of skeletons to act as a buffer & they performed well while I surveyed the battlefield & positioned my front line at the far end of a long back hall near some cell blocks, I moved Shar-teel to the other end of the hall to make sure we weren’t attacked from behind & placed Viconia, Safana & Quayle about mid-way up the hallway near a 2nd hallway that came perpendicular to the hallway were fighting in. Kagain & I were with the skeletons, knee deep in dead Guards. As I waded in I saw the mage in a cell room to the right. I immediately cast Chaos on myself, quaffed a Potion of Magic Shielding & beat her into the ground. After collecting our loot from the carcasses a couple of my subordinated tripped traps, Lightning Bolts & Magic Missiles. By the time I left level two, I had to raise Safana & either Quayle or Viconia or both, I don’t recall.
STAGED FOR BATTLE
KILLING MAGE NUMBER 1
Key Event: The only close call I had was on the 3rd level when I called in artillery on myself by mistake. Entering the third level, I was immediately faced w/Guards & Chill Hobgoblins w/those darned poison bows. I had Quayle cast Stinking Cloud in the middle of the room before changing my strategy & forgetting to tell him. The result was me, knocked out with three Chill & two Guards standing over me in the far side of the room taking shots @ my unconscious butt. I’m told Viconia cast Hold Person in their midst, Quayle Blindness on one or more of the Chill. I was unconscious, so I don’t know what happened next but I came to, bloodied, & we finished them.
A CLOSE CALL!
The 3rd level had a second female mage w/a few Chill as bodyguards but nothing like the wench on level two. Regardless, we tore her a new one & looted her & the Chill as well as an armory full of quite a few weapons I could get gold for & some weapons we could use and/or sell also.
KILLING MAGE NUMBER 2
A little further down the hall was a single-Ogre Mage surrounded in rotting corpses. Had he not attacked me, I might’a had a place for him in my following – he was just one evil SOB & I LIKE that! But he messed up, to his chagrin.
As before, I had us lug our loot out to the barracks & pack what each of us had collected to sell in the footlockers @ the end of our bunks. I have Kagain guarding the room on the bunk closest to the stairs, Quayle across from him & the women surrounding me in four beds in the back of the barracks, Shar-teel when she’s not in w/me or me w/her sleeps across from me in the back of the room, Safana in the bunk next to me & Viconia across from her. I’m trying to seduce Safana & Viconia on the sly but haven’t been successful yet, maybe they’re afraid of Shar-teel kickin’ the butts. That could definitely happen.
I moved to the bottom level of the mines & w/Safana’s expert Trap Detection and Removal we skirted danger & encountered this guy Davaeorn who used to run the joint. I say used to b/c we stomped his butt into the floor of his chamber, Safana finishing him w/a triple-damage backstab…that chick is definitely a hottie… but I digress. Before that, Viconia had cast Animate Dead, Silence 15’ Radius & Miscast Magic. Quayle hit him w/Blindness & Kagain & I waded in to beat him senseless. I’d cast Chaos on myself before quickly casting Larloch’s Minor Drain @ Davaeorn to break up his spell casting. A beautiful thing it was seeing his lifeless shredded body crumpling to the floor. The hardest part of all of this was the repeated trips back & forth to get all the loot out of the footlockers that we’d hauled up out of the mines but I need gold.
KILLING THE BIG, BAD MAGE NUMBER 3
Before I left I told the slave that could operate the river plug that I’d talked to ‘Rill.’ Hilarious using him to drown all his own buddies. He was ticked but I spared him, he was just so crushed I wanted to see him live w/that misery forever.
One last thing. Suddenly, I’m sensing I might need to watch Shar-Teel. She’s said a couple of times that, “one of these days, I’m gonna gut you like a fish.” I thought it was her just being her but then she looked @ me the yesterday in a way that makes me wonder what’s goin’ on in the screwed up mind of hers. If she thinks she can cross me & not get crushed, she’s got another thing coming. She needs to be content that I let her travel w/me & that she’s lucky enough that I chose her as my lover. I’m ready for any traitorous skullduggery if she chooses that path. Otherwise, she has a place @ my side as long as she serves me well.
My Overlord Demoness returned that night. It seems I have these dreams & another source of evil pulls @ me, even grants me powers, in this case a second Innate Horror Spell. But then my hideously, beautiful Marileth follows & reminds me that I belong to her Mistress alone. She returned my Anti-Paladin powers to me courtesy of HER mistress as they would have been to date, although in the eyes of the Faerun I will still be a ‘Fallen-Paladin.’ She says her Mistress is pleased w/my efforts & is ecstatic that I’m SO evil that I am not even welcome in Anti-Paladin circles. The Type V Overlord Demoness directed me to go to Baldur’s Gate next & that I would be contacted when I was needed again.
Treasure of Note: Plate of the Dark +1 (Me) which allowed me to pass my Full Plate off to my lover Shar-teel; Battle Axe +1 (Kagain); Wand of the Heaven’s (Viconia); Dozens of Scrolls & Potions (most of which Quayle can’t identify yet for sure but since I can clearly see what they are I can use many of them just by quaffing). NOTE: I DON’T ALLOW QUAYLE TO WRITE/MEMORIZE ANY BUT ILLUSION SPELLS – but I do let him cast others from scrolls for one time use – includes ID SCROLLS.) He carries a bunch of scrolls to use but I don’t have a scroll case so he’s loaded down most of the time.
Current Disposition: Back @ my camp in the Wood of the Sharp Teeth. I’d thought about taking over the Cloakwood Mines but getting back & forth would be a pain in the butt.
I’ve been in Baldur’s Gate for a week & a few, mostly earning gold where opportunity presented itself. Seems people are falling over themselves to lighten their purse to my benefit. On the way across the bridge @ Wyrm’s Crossing I was approached by none other than the 2nd in command of the Flaming Fist asking me to look into unusual developments @ the Seven Suns Trading Company. For 2,000 GPs I’ll look into as many ‘suns’ as he can come up w/but it is a trifle ironic isn’t it? I enjoy knowing that it is the very people I hope to one day destroy who are giving me the chance to become more powerful @ heir behest.
Key Event: I looked around a bit, visited a few stores, including a mega-magic store called Sorcerous Sundries. Expensive but good to have as a resource. As I was looking around I went upstairs, thinking there might be more to see there but instead ran into four mages who were angered I’d disrupted a spell they were casting. They turned hostile & I thought we were in real trouble. We reacted to counter them too slowly & before I knew it I was panicked, as were Shar-Teel, Viconia & Safana. Not a good situation w/four mages. Kagain was masterful, Enraged & already preferring Spellcaster Attack. He finished off one of the three quickly that had already taken a blast from Viconia’s Wand of the Heaven’s before she panicked. Quayle too, was picking targets masterfully, casting Blindness on them one @a time & I saw him use Agannazar’s Scorcher on one of the three that remained after Kagain’s first kill. Soon the second of the four spellcasters was dead & three of the four of us, minus Viconia, had recovered from our Panic & were closing on the final two for the kill. We took some lumps, a couple of us from Melf’s Acid Arrow, but I lost none & the battle was won. Decent loot, four mage robes to sell, some gold, etc.
INAUSPICIOUS START!
THANKS BE TO MY OVERLORD DEMON....
My group was accosted by a man who said I’d killed his brother Aldeth in the Cloakwood. Yeah, I remember that guy – a profitable kill. His brother was no pushover but I beat him down w/help from my subordinates. He carried an enchanted Heavy Crossbow that yielded some much needed gold. While I’m thinking about it, I also was attacked by a man who said he knew my father @ the entrance to the docks. He was likely a mage, as he disappeared but Quayle countered w/Detect Invisibility. I killed him w/a little help from my servants but nonetheless his words didn’t seem to be about Gorion. Oh well another body to step over that tried to get in my way. Thirdly, there was a massive Ogre named Larze that attacked me in a place called the Blushing Mermaid. This wasn’t your father’s Ogre. He was a workout & a half, nonetheless he died for his trouble.
ACCOSTED BY ALDETH'S BROTHER
THIS GUY SAID HE KNEW MY FATHER...& ATTACKED ME FOR IT
CAN'T EVEN STOP IN TO LOOK FOR A ROOM W/O BEING ATTACKED - BIG-ASS OGRE THIS WAS!
As I walked around the city getting familiar, best I could, I was approached by one who promised an enchanted item in return for my ‘collecting’ a nymph held captive by someone named Ragefest. I don’t recall if he said they were both mages but they were. I found the home of this Ragefest & took her from him as did I his life. Other than a Knave’s Robe he had little to offer & I dragged the Nymph off the Ramazith. I turned her over but felt slighted when he handed me some Bracers which I had yet to identify. I decided that since Ramazith was involved in duplicity anyway, an assault on him would go unnoticed & yield more loot. He was easily smoked like cheap pipe tobacco. I’ve learned that killing Nymph’s resonates throughout the realms & that I would endanger myself by killing her so I let her go after I’d gone up to the top of Ramazith’s tower, killing Mustard Jellies, Ghasts, Hobgoblin Elites & Kobold Commando’s before getting to his personal chamber & raiding his loot which included a Manual of Dexterity.
I went to the Seven Suns Trading Company next & found it overrun w/Doppelgangers. I found the head of the joint, Jhasso, a prisoner in the basement & calculated that letting him go would bring more gold than killing him along w/the Doppelgangers. Easy enough. After that I went to Flaming Fist Hqs & met the 2nd in command, Scar by name & got 4,000 GPs for the job, a bonus over what he promised originally. He also gave me 300 GPs up front to look into some disappearances in the eastern section of the city, in the sewers. My Overlord Demoness must be directing my steps, or maybe it’s her Mistress, likely a Demon Lord, my Demon Lord. I found a sewer grate, descended & dropped right in on the culprit, an Ogre Mage w/a family of Carrion Crawlers. The Crawlers are easy enough although their sting/bite did manage to Hold a couple of my subordinates. We focused on the Ogre Mage, popping him w/Larloch’s Minor Drain every time he started to cast while, in true form, Kagain went for the guy trying to cast spells. The Ogre Mage died & we finished up working our way thru the east sewers to kill maybe 20 total Crawlers & a couple of Phase Spiders. Then I found the bodies of a half-dozen of so victims, one obviously of noble birth. I grabbed her & a few rings, some gold & headed back to Scar. He handed me 3.000 GPs for the job & for returning the noblewoman’s carcass & a family ring. Worth the effort.
EASY GOLD!
I missed out on a chance to retrieve some dead kid from the Water Queen’s house. The kid’s dad was a priest who’d been told by his church that his son’s death was due to his own callousness & they wouldn’t help him to retrieve the slab of meat. I pushed for him to rob the churches’ coffers to pay me for my efforts in more than just a paltry sum & a magic item. I went to the Umberlee temple & they were not helpful, rude even. I have a good mind to go back & wipe them out. I’m sure the authorities won’t care.
Shar-teel seems to have mellowd a bit, as far as that goes where she's concerned. Maybe she was havin’ some feminine issues a couple of weeks ago. She confided in me about some very intimate & personal details about her past but used it as a way of tellin’ me to be more independent & not be swayed by all the voices that pummel my head daily…except hers of course.
Treasure of Note: Gauntlet’s of weapon Skill (me);Manual of Dexterity (Safana or Me?); Ring of protection +1 (Shar-Teel); Ring of Holiness (Viconia); Again various Potions & Protection Scrolls Quayle can’t identify for sure – luckily most we know by site even w/o an Identification Spell, so in a pinch they’re usable. Unfortunately, not so w/the Protection Scrolls but I did have one I suspected to be Protection from Magic verified – that’s staying w/me. A carryover from last journal, Safana pickpocketed some guy in the Feldepost in Nashkel of a really cool cloak that adds serious Charisma to her already hot little self (Algernon’s Cloak).
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Splurging Sturgeon
Next Steps: Scar has mentioned a mission to the Iron Throne, think I’ll mosey on over there to find out what that’ll pay
Level Up: Safana received word from her Thieves Guild that the Guild Master is granting her the title, Sharper (Thief/7) & she now has skills to O/Locks, P/Pockets 55% & F/Traps, H/Shadow, M/Silently @ 50%; Kagain also improved his skill & is a Berserker/6 & improved his 2HWS skill to *** to accompany his B/Axe proficiency @ ***; Quayle also heard word from the Illusionist Guild that he is now a Phantasmist (Illusionist/7) but we can’t find a copy of the only 4th Level Illusionist Spell, Improved Invisibility anywhere so aside from adding a 2nd Invisibility to his memorized 2nd Level Spells he gained little but hit points & improved saving throws from the advancement.
I’ve been in Baldur’s Gate for a week & a few, mostly earning gold where opportunity presented itself. Seems people are falling over themselves to lighten their purse to my benefit. On the way across the bridge @ Wyrm’s Crossing I was approached by none other than the 2nd in command of the Flaming Fist asking me to look into unusual developments @ the Seven Suns Trading Company. For 2,000 GPs I’ll look into as many ‘suns’ as he can come up w/but it is a trifle ironic isn’t it? I enjoy knowing that it is the very people I hope to one day destroy who are giving me the chance to become more powerful @ heir behest.
Key Event: I looked around a bit, visited a few stores, including a mega-magic store called Sorcerous Sundries. Expensive but good to have as a resource. As I was looking around I went upstairs, thinking there might be more to see there but instead ran into four mages who were angered I’d disrupted a spell they were casting. They turned hostile & I thought we were in real trouble. We reacted to counter them too slowly & before I knew it I was panicked, as were Shar-Teel, Viconia & Safana. Not a good situation w/four mages. Kagain was masterful, Enraged & already preferring Spellcaster Attack. He finished off one of the three quickly that had already taken a blast from Viconia’s Wand of the Heaven’s before she panicked. Quayle too, was picking targets masterfully, casting Blindness on them one @a time & I saw him use Agannazar’s Scorcher on one of the three that remained after Kagain’s first kill. Soon the second of the four spellcasters was dead & three of the four of us, minus Viconia, had recovered from our Panic & were closing on the final two for the kill. We took some lumps, a couple of us from Melf’s Acid Arrow, but I lost none & the battle was won. Decent loot, four mage robes to sell, some gold, etc.
INAUSPICIOUS START!
THANKS BE TO MY OVERLORD DEMON....
My group was accosted by a man who said I’d killed his brother Aldeth in the Cloakwood. Yeah, I remember that guy – a profitable kill. His brother was no pushover but I beat him down w/help from my subordinates. He carried an enchanted Heavy Crossbow that yielded some much needed gold. While I’m thinking about it, I also was attacked by a man who said he knew my father @ the entrance to the docks. He was likely a mage, as he disappeared but Quayle countered w/Detect Invisibility. I killed him w/a little help from my servants but nonetheless his words didn’t seem to be about Gorion. Oh well another body to step over that tried to get in my way. Thirdly, there was a massive Ogre named Larze that attacked me in a place called the Blushing Mermaid. This wasn’t your father’s Ogre. He was a workout & a half, nonetheless he died for his trouble.
ACCOSTED BY ALDETH'S BROTHER
THIS GUY SAID HE KNEW MY FATHER...& ATTACKED ME FOR IT
CAN'T EVEN STOP IN TO LOOK FOR A ROOM W/O BEING ATTACKED - BIG-ASS OGRE THIS WAS!
As I walked around the city getting familiar, best I could, I was approached by one who promised an enchanted item in return for my ‘collecting’ a nymph held captive by someone named Ragefest. I don’t recall if he said they were both mages but they were. I found the home of this Ragefest & took her from him as did I his life. Other than a Knave’s Robe he had little to offer & I dragged the Nymph off the Ramazith. I turned her over but felt slighted when he handed me some Bracers which I had yet to identify. I decided that since Ramazith was involved in duplicity anyway, an assault on him would go unnoticed & yield more loot. He was easily smoked like cheap pipe tobacco. I’ve learned that killing Nymph’s resonates throughout the realms & that I would endanger myself by killing her so I let her go after I’d gone up to the top of Ramazith’s tower, killing Mustard Jellies, Ghasts, Hobgoblin Elites & Kobold Commando’s before getting to his personal chamber & raiding his loot which included a Manual of Dexterity.
I went to the Seven Suns Trading Company next & found it overrun w/Doppelgangers. I found the head of the joint, Jhasso, a prisoner in the basement & calculated that letting him go would bring more gold than killing him along w/the Doppelgangers. Easy enough. After that I went to Flaming Fist Hqs & met the 2nd in command, Scar by name & got 4,000 GPs for the job, a bonus over what he promised originally. He also gave me 300 GPs up front to look into some disappearances in the eastern section of the city, in the sewers. My Overlord Demoness must be directing my steps, or maybe it’s her Mistress, likely a Demon Lord, my Demon Lord. I found a sewer grate, descended & dropped right in on the culprit, an Ogre Mage w/a family of Carrion Crawlers. The Crawlers are easy enough although their sting/bite did manage to Hold a couple of my subordinates. We focused on the Ogre Mage, popping him w/Larloch’s Minor Drain every time he started to cast while, in true form, Kagain went for the guy trying to cast spells. The Ogre Mage died & we finished up working our way thru the east sewers to kill maybe 20 total Crawlers & a couple of Phase Spiders. Then I found the bodies of a half-dozen of so victims, one obviously of noble birth. I grabbed her & a few rings, some gold & headed back to Scar. He handed me 3.000 GPs for the job & for returning the noblewoman’s carcass & a family ring. Worth the effort.
EASY GOLD!
I missed out on a chance to retrieve some dead kid from the Water Queen’s house. The kid’s dad was a priest who’d been told by his church that his son’s death was due to his own callousness & they wouldn’t help him to retrieve the slab of meat. I pushed for him to rob the churches’ coffers to pay me for my efforts in more than just a paltry sum & a magic item. I went to the Umberlee temple & they were not helpful, rude even. I have a good mind to go back & wipe them out. I’m sure the authorities won’t care.
Shar-teel seems to have mellowd a bit, as far as that goes where she's concerned. Maybe she was havin’ some feminine issues a couple of weeks ago. She confided in me about some very intimate & personal details about her past but used it as a way of tellin’ me to be more independent & not be swayed by all the voices that pummel my head daily…except hers of course.
Treasure of Note: Gauntlet’s of weapon Skill (me);Manual of Dexterity (Safana or Me?); Ring of protection +1 (Shar-Teel); Ring of Holiness (Viconia); Again various Potions & Protection Scrolls Quayle can’t identify for sure – luckily most we know by site even w/o an Identification Spell, so in a pinch they’re usable. Unfortunately, not so w/the Protection Scrolls but I did have one I suspected to be Protection from Magic verified – that’s staying w/me. A carryover from last journal, Safana pickpocketed some guy in the Feldepost in Nashkel of a really cool cloak that adds serious Charisma to her already hot little self (Algernon’s Cloak).
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Splurging Sturgeon
Next Steps: Scar has mentioned a mission to the Iron Throne, think I’ll mosey on over there to find out what that’ll pay
Level Up: Safana received word from her Thieves Guild that the Guild Master is granting her the title, Sharper (Thief/7) & she now has skills to O/Locks, P/Pockets 55% & F/Traps, H/Shadow, M/Silently @ 50%; Kagain also improved his skill & is a Berserker/6 & improved his 2HWS skill to *** to accompany his B/Axe proficiency @ ***; Quayle also heard word from the Illusionist Guild that he is now a Phantasmist (Illusionist/7) but we can’t find a copy of the only 4th Level Illusionist Spell, Improved Invisibility anywhere so aside from adding a 2nd Invisibility to his memorized 2nd Level Spells he gained little but hit points & improved saving throws from the advancement.
I knew Scar was waiting for me & I figured it involved gold so I wanted to get busy securing that, you know, the old, ‘Bird in the Hand…”. I needed to organize inventory, sell stuff, buy things, resupply etc so I worked on that for a while.
I’d also been informed by a Hobbit named Bellamy in one of the Inn’s, can’t remember which one now, that there was a Paladin by the name of Phandalyn looking for me behind a ‘dockside tavern’. I went looking for the fight but was unsuccessful. Anyone that challenges Ironside can expect that challenge to be honored instantly –guess he chickened out.
Key Event: So it was off to see Scar about this investigation of the iron Throne. Instead I had audience w/Duke Eltan. My Demoness is placing me in some amazing places. I asked Duke Eltan to have his ‘Flamers’ (I love that veiled insult to the Fisters) give us some space but he refused saying he wanted to hide the fact that he was hiring a ‘criminals.’ There was no question what to do when I got to the Iron Throne. Their leadership may be evil but they are not allies of my Demoness or her Mistress. They stand in my way & I need to attack, attack, attack & not give them a chance to get the initiative. Once I had the go ahead & the doors closed behind me, I was taking no guff. I had my folks pummel a Guard on the ground floor & about 10 on the 2nd. I wasn’t trying to sneak in or anything of the kind. I was here to kick butt & take names as I had plenty of evidence from the mines & Bandit Camp to show the Throne was up to no good giving me license to murder them all. Even the merchants were hostile after we’d been there a while & I had to restrain my subordinates to keep them from bumping them off too. Safana kept working up the stairs, Hidden in Shadow/Moving Silently, & then returning w/ a report of what was on the next level. Finally she came down from the 5th Floor to say that the leaders of the Iron Throne were there right in the middle of the room & were ripe for a hit & run attack which would likely draw any survivors down where we could set an ambush. I liked it & had Quayle cast Invisibility 10’ Radius on all of us. Then he & Safana went up, Safan protected by invisibility & Hidden in Shadow/Moving Silently. She threw a Potion of Explosions in their midst & Quayle launched his Necklace of Missiles for a ‘two-fer’.
SURPRISE ASSAULT ON THE IRON THRONE!
Sure enough the Iron Thrown leaders came pouring down the stairs, still smoking literally & figuratively into our waiting ambush fronted by Shar-Teel, Kagain and I w/Viconia back a bit where she could use spells. It was a mess & it wasn’t long before both Safana & Quayle, who’d already taken damage upstairs were out of the fight. Kagain lost his invisibility & tried to get away but only made it a ways up the hall before he was cut down. Shar-Teel, Viconia & I were still invisible & moved across to the other staircase & down to the 3rd. Before she went down, Viconia cast Animate Dead from off to the side which occupied them a while. Downstairs, I quaffed a Potion of Fire Giant Strength, Shar-Teel Frost Giant & Viconia Strength. Then I quaffed an unidentified Potion of Magic Shielding (or Protection) not sure which & headed upstairs. Shar-Teel had scouted them Invisibly & knew that there were four of them to deal w/up there.
I headed up the stairs & had the girls wait, w/my enchanted Plate Armor, Magic Protection, Girdle of Bluntness and Boots of Avoidance & having just increased my Dexterity to 19 w/the Manual of Dexterity, I felt I could get in & do some damage to the four up there. One of them was waiting @ the top of the stairs & I cut him down quickly. Then I could see another & when the other two I expected didn’t move to his aid from around the corner I charged & took Magic Missiles in the chops…& again. Somewhere in there I quaffed two Elixirs of Health & once I got to him I cut him down quickly too. Shar-Teel, Viconia & I were barely scarred even though my other servants were dead. We three survivors looked everywhere for more Iron throne, expecting at least two but even up on the fifth level, aside for a single Rogue they were not to be found.
SEARCHING FOR ENEMY SURVIVORS AFTER THE FIRST ASSAULT
We collected articles from each of our dead & left the compound in a rush to find a priest, raise my dead, heal them w/the priests services, buy Potions of Healing & Elixirs of Health & get back before the Iron Throne could regroup. I wanted my servant’s equipment back & I wanted to loot off the carcasses of my victims. It took a while but we made it to the Temple of Helm & being a joint run by a human, gold talks so I was able to get everything I wanted & then make tracks back to the Iron Throne. As soon as we got in the door, the missing Iron Throne leaders were waiting on the first floor as they’d been surveying the damage. I cast Horror & that sent them all reeling. Quayle started casting Blindness @ one right after the other, including a couple of Doppelgangers. In a word we smashed them mercilessly & collected a bunch of loot.
RETURN TO MOP UP THE IRON THRONE SURVIVORS
MISSION COMPLETE!
After some time to reorganize, rest, sell loot, identify enchanted items, I led them to Duke Eltan & got my reward. He immediately asked us to go to Candlekeep since I’d told him we’d find Rielter there. I hit the Priest of Oghma first, bought all his Potions of Healing, 10 Elixirs of Health & a 2nd raise dead Scroll for Viconia. Then it was off to the Candlekeep Inn where I sit right now, Shar-Teel sleeping in our bed. Before she drifted off she was telling me she wanted to get away from the Fist & move somewhere safe, like Calimsham – she says w/our good sword arms we can do very well in the slave trade there. She likes Kagain okay but she’s ready to dump the others. She is VERY jealous of Viconia I just found out. I told her I needed to finish my current quest first & she agreed but she’s ready to move on.
I dreamt that night. Once again, I heard from that ‘other’ power pulling @ me & it granted me Vampiric Touch. My Overlord, not to be outdone, visited me on the heels of the first dream & reminded me that my soul belongs to her Mistress, & that I need not go anywhere or do anything unless she directs me to do so. The Type V Demoness asked me if I really think I got an audience w/Duke Eltan on my own volition. No, that too was part of her Mistress’ plan for me. She made a point of telling me that every power I had was a blessing from her Mistress & could be instantly removed for any failure or lapse in loyalty.
Treasure of Note: Ring of Free Action (Shar-Teel), Plate Mail (Kagain); Halberd +1 (sold); An as yet Unidentified Cloak – looks like Protection +2 (TBD); Potions also unidentified (Oil of Fiery Burning?); Some good 2nd Level Scrolls (Stinking Cloud, Ghoul Touch, etc (Quayle)
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Candlekeep Inn
SHAR-TEEL MAKING IT CLEAR THAT VICONIA NEEDS TO GO - GLAD I DIDN'T SUGGEST THE THREESOME!
Next Steps: Headed into the Library tomorrow
Level Up: Shar-Teel is now a Chevalier (Fighter/7); Viconia was blessed by Shar & is now a Lama (Cleric/7) & chose Cause Serious Wounds & Mental Domination to add to her previous divine repertoire.
I went to Candlekeep w/my servants & had one mission in mind…Crush the Iron Throne Leader Rielter & anyone w/him. It’s not the Iron Throne or Rielter I care about & I don’t give a darn about the troubles in the region caused by the Iron Crisis. No, no. Decimating the Iron Throne is like finding a precious metal or gold vein except the Iron Throne is a direct vein to my getting ‘MORE POWER.’ Through them I am becoming the most powerful man in Faerun…& the world awaits…all to the glory of my true Demon Lord. When they finally reveal themselves, they will be proud & I will be even more powerful!
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'L ALREADY PAYING FOR MY SINS. UGH! GIVE IT A REST WOMAN!!
After a night @ the Inn & a trip around Candlekeep, selling what I could etc., I went into the Library. I had Safana pick up every scroll we could find for my weakling mage Quayle to cast from – Shar-Teel is right about him, he’s the weak link & he’s on borrowed time now but I need to replace him before I kill him. On the third floor of the Library I found Rielter in the open surrounded by three others. He tried to bully me & I said I’d leave… before setting up an ambush. Viconia discreetly cast Silence 15’ Radius amongst them while Safana slipped, Hidden in Shadow, to the back of the room they were in. Quayle cast a Fireball right in the middle of the table while I cast Horror. Rielter, the wuss, broke right then & there & Safana moved in from Shadow to finish him w/a backstab. Shar-Teel & Kagain started kickin’ tail & Viconia moved in w/Spiritual Hammer. They were dead in short order.
WELL, THAT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT. IS THERE A WORTHY FOE IN FAERUN?
I was arrested in short order, along w/my followers & placed in a cell even I didn’t know existed. Tethtoril came down & freed me by teleporting me into the catacombs below – the tombs really. It was a goldmine of equipment to power my efforts. There were traps, spiders, Ghasts & Doppelgangers galore but Safana handled the traps w/a Potion of Clarity & we had little trouble from the monsters we encountered in the tomb area. There was another area, almost like ab old banquet hall, again that I’d never known about in all my years. This place was chalk full of Doppelgangers & some Skeletons w/Composite Long Bows. Unfortunately, here after a rest back in the library, Safana’s Potion of Clarity had worn off. She found traps around the banquet floor but could not disarm them so I had to walk around them, hoping there weren’t some she didn’t detect, to get to the Skeleton’s & keep them from pelting me w/arrows.
THIS WAS A DECENT FIGHT W/A GREATER DOPPLEGANGER & SOME LIL' DOPPLEGANGER'S
Key Event: I ended up in some caves down a hallway off of the banquet area or whatever it was. Shortly after entering the caves, my folks & I ended up in a battle w/some decently stout customers. Not too stout, mind you, but tougher than that wuss Rielter. Quayle fired off a Stinking Cloud from a scroll & it was very effective, including knocking my butt out @ one point. One of the enemy let fly a freakin’ Lightning Bolt in a cave, I just never get over the stupidity of that. It killed Quayle but the rest of us were fine. We separated w/Viconia & Safana goin’ around one side to flank the enemy while She-Bear, Kagain & I waded into the Stinking Cloud to kick butt. We did.
THESE GUYS MADE ME SWEAT A MOMENT - EVEN HAD TO THINK ONCE OR TWICE
We found a way out that let us out beside Candlekeep but not before I had a tussle w/two huge Basilisks. As soon as we saw them, luckily they didn’t see us, I pushed everyone back b/c w/Quayle dead we couldn’t use our Protection from Petrification scrolls. I quaffed a Potion of Mirrored Eyes & then beat them senseless – just before the potion wore off.
BASILISKS ARE NERVE WRACKING - NEVER KNOW WHEN THE MIRRORED EYES IS GONNA WEAR OFF
I headed to Beregost to raise Quayle, identify a bunch of enchanted items, sell tons of gems & get organized for whatever is next…which I now know is to lie low for a while in the south near Amn.
That night I dreamt again, the first power coming to me in a dream & granting me Vampiric Touch yet again & warning me that the path I have chosen was not the one Gorion would have chosen for me & is not one that makes my journey easier...
...but that dream was quickly blown away as a feather in the wind because….
FINALLY! I saw clearly whom it is I serve. All the former Demoness' were only the cover & the title page. Now I've seen the true story that goes on forever. I've seen HER in her statuesque beauty, her sardonic smile on ruby red lips, curved horns from her brow holding back her long dark hair, eyes smoldering w/dangerous sensuality, large leathery wings stretching from her back laced w/razor like claws & a sinuous tail ending in a thin curved spike. Her revealing gown of diaphanous silk & razor studded leather straps & a glittering, sparkling scourge made w/fine adamantine spiked chains. My Demoness Lord, ruler of all that is hedonistic. I am hers, my soul is hers for eternity. Her otherworldly beauty I crave with all that I am & my sword is hers alone on this plane so that one day I can serve her in hers. When she came to me in my dream I saw her in HER realm, Shendilavri, layer 570 of the abyss. I desired to be there with her, to serve in even the most menial way, as a slave if that is her plan for me. It matters not. Where she leads me, I will follow w/o question to the death if she demands it…
MALCANTHET, Demon Queen of the Succubi!1
Treasure of Note: Robe of the Neutral Arch-Magi (Quayle); Gauntlets of Weapons Expertise (Me), handed off my Gauntlets of Weapons Skill to Shar-Teel; Cloak of Protection +2 (Shar-Teel); Ring of Protecton +1 (Viconia); Manual of Bodily Health* (Me); Tome of Leadership & Influence* (Viconia); Throwing Axe +2 (Kagain); Numerous Potions & Scrolls
*Note: I was hoping for a Manual of Clear Thought to get Safana up to 17 Intelligence so she could dual over to Mage; then I was gonna fire Quayle & sneak into Baldur’s Gate to Hire Skie for Thieving duties; I saw her when I delivered Eddard Silvershield’s Fistula to his mother upon arrival @ Baldur’s Gate – forgot to mention that in last journal
Current Disposition: Hiding in Plain Site in Beregost
Next Steps: l learned during my dream that Malcanthet is @ war w/the Demon Lord Yeenoghu, Demon Lord of Gnolls. She directed that my first act in direct service to her is to attack & completely destroy EVERY living thing in a Gnoll Fortress in the SW corner of the Sword Coast. She has learned from her spies that Yeenoghue is trying to gain a foothold to begin to work toward his desire to see the prosperity of his people, the Gnolls. Malcanthet not only wants every living thing in the stronghold destroyed - she further expects me to destroy any Gnoll, anywhere, anytime w/o hesitation.
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//6, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail & Cloak of Protection +2/ 2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction (2HWS***)(Ramazith)
Why am I carrying all these scrolls, you ask? I play that specialist wizards are limited by their Guilds to only write & memorize spells from their own school. But b/c of their knowledge of magic they are able to cast spells from other schools from a scroll.
Why the extra set of plate mail for Kagain? Answer, Hard Times Mod. You can end up naked as a jaybird in no time flat - supposed to simulate the weakened ore from the Nashkel MInes. Plate Armor seems safe but chain, splint and Plate Mail, non-magical weapons, all can fall apart so having extras - see Shar-Teel loaded w/Long Swords. As soon as you find an enchanted weapon you're safe. Need one more enchanted B/Axe for kagain & I can quit luggin' B/Axes & Throwing Axes all over - heavy & take up room. Same w/She-Bear (Shar-Teel) - once I find a magiv Long Sword, two actually I'm in the clear w/her.
Unfortunately, w/the Randomiser mod, I have no clue where they are. CKT
My Queen led me promptly on a mission to strike @ one of her greatest rivals amongst other Demon Lords, Yeenoghu. He was trying to grab a foothold in the SW Corner of the Sword Coast, in an old abandoned castle. He’d led a band of his ‘people’, the Gnolls, to this castle to establish a stronghold for operating in & around the Sword Coast. She has prepared me well. After where my Queen, thru her surrogates, the Succubus, the Lilitu & the Type V Marilith Demoness, have already led me, the Gnolls were child’s play. There were Xvarts there too, held as captives, slaves, guards, food even. Likely the Gnolls raided the Xvart Village north of the stronghold & dragged them back with them for that purpose.
I got there by way of that Xvart Village but I didn’t raid it, & then Bear River, but I didn’t hesitate there either. I was on a mission for my Queen & it wasn’t in either one of those places. Mine was a crusade to search, destroy & decimate! I did so & as I did so my Queen’s hatred for Yeenoghu & his Gnolls filled my being & I sliced thru them w/a rage I’ve never felt in this life. I will kill every Gnoll or Gnoll like Creature I can find, Flinds, etc. w/o hesitation. I am sworn to kill them all long as I walk this land.
Key Event: As key events go, it really wasn’t much to write about. I found the Gnoll Chieftain & about 25 Gnolls, including his Elite Bodyguards on the second level of the strongholds walls. I killed them side by side w/Shar-Teel & Kagain while the others provided ranged support w/sling stones, darts & a spell or two. This was easy treasure but not much of it. Still, knowing that I was honored to strike a blow for my Queen against her sworn enemy is payment enough.
KILLING THE GNOLL CHIEFTAIN & HIS ELITES, ETC.
As directed, I destroyed every living thing, searching out within to destroy the females & the young. When I walked back across the bridge, I’d only been there a few hours. I feel her presence filling me w/a hatred I have not known yet…& I yearn for more knowledge of her perfect Chaos & Evil in its purest form.
DECIMATED AS DIRECTED!
One thing though, I counted only about 50 Gnolls in the Stronghold w/a Chieftain accompanied by his Elite Bodyguards, Veterans & Slasher’s. A Chieftain of that level would normally have at least 100 male Gnolls, 5-20 of them Elites. There must be more of them somewhere, likely on a raid. Living in Candlekeep, I was always interested in various humanoids & had ample opportunity to read about their societal makeup, their habits, tendencies etc. Gnolls I know particularly well.
Treasure of Note: None really, some minor gems. I purchased a Short Sword +1 & Darts +1 x20 for Safana from a Merchant @ the Nashkel Carnival. Oh, I walked in on a ‘mage fight’ @ the carnival & I killed one mage just after he’d finished the other. They had a couple of scrolls & some potions we snatched up.
Current Disposition: Resting, selling & organizing treasure @ the Nashkel Carnival
THE MORE BLOOD WE SPILL, THE BETTER MY NIGHTS ARE! MY QUEEN HAS PROVIDED FOR ME IN EVERY WAY!
Next Steps: My senses lead me to a place I know of, Fisherman’s Lake. It’s about midway between Beregost & the Gnoll Stronghold that I just decimated for my Queen. I’ve never been there before but I will know, I think, when I get there why I feel I am supposed to go there.
Key Event: After reconnoitering the area around Fisherman’s Lake, sure enough, it became clear why I felt led to a place that I’d known about, but had never been before. As I worked my way, clockwise around Fisherman’s Lake, I cut my way through three Ghouls, six Skeleton’s, seven Hobgoblins, a pack of War dogs, four Half-Ogres & two Ogres before coming upon what was surely the reason I was here - rest of the Gnolls from the stronghold I attacked a couple of days ago. There were ~ 20 Gnolls in the first group I found & these were already engaged in a battle w/Drizzt Do’Urden, who anyone w/any knowledge of Faerun knows of &, having lived in Candlekeep, I had chance to read of him beyond what local lore would allow. He was slicing the Gnolls up w/o any help from me but asked me join w/him. I thought a moment about not doing so but he pressed the issue & s I elected to kill two birds w/one stone, 1) avoid a confrontation w/him that I wasn’t sure I could win &, 2) sacrifice these Gnolls to my Queen – they were obviously out on a raid when I attacked the Gnoll Stronghold a few days ago. These I sliced through w/o a scratch to me or any of my followers. Any time I kill a Gnoll or Flind, I offer it as sacrifice to my Queen in her war against Yeenoghu & that’s what make this event the ‘key event.’
I KNEW THERE MUST BE MORE GNOLLS SOMEWHERE...
...& NOW THEY'RE SACRIFICED TO MALCANTHET, MY QUEEN.
A short time later, I came upon six additional Gnoll Elites, which act as the personal guard of a Gnoll Chieftain. I smashed them quickly, w/a fury that I can only attribute to me ruthlessly beautiful Queen. With them dead, I’ve wiped out essentially all of the Gnolls that belonged to the band that had taken up in that fortress & I hope that my Queen is happy w/the Gnoll sacrifices I’ve made as she demanded.
The only other encounter near the lake was w/three Bandits. These were not to typical thugs in Leather Armor/w/Short Bow & Long Sword though. One was obviously a mage, one I’m guessing was a knight of some kind & the third was a Chill Hobgoblin. Viconia cast Command & the mage hit the turf. Kagain, being set to Spellcaster Attack AI, was on her in a heartbeat & she was the first of them to depart Faerun for whatever fate awaits her in the afterlife. The knight was no problem. I attacked him as did Shar-Teel & he was a pushover. I can’t even remember what happened to kill the Chill (ha, maybe I should go into poetry. But then for what? Shar-Teel isn’t the poetry type) but the Hobgoblin was dead when all was said & done. This fight lasted maybe forty seconds, a minute tops.
BANDIT'S NEED TO LEARN THAT IT IS I WHO DESTROYED THEIR CAMP IN THE WOOD OF THE SHARP TEETH!
As I was walking along it occurred to me that I read in one of the tomes in Candlekeep, I think it was Fiendish Codex I, Hordes of the Abyss,1 that Yeenoghu has subjugated Doresain, Demon King of the Ghouls, who rules layer 421 of the Abyss, The White Kingdom. As a vassal & sworn ally of Yeenoghu, Doresain’s Ghouls & Ghasts are necessarily enemies of my Queen & are surely used when he raids Shednilavri, just the same his armies of Gnolls & Flinds are. Therefore, Ghouls & Ghasts are 2nd only to Gnolls on my list of enemies & they, too, will be sacrificed on sight. I recall that Doresain once served Orcus, Prince of the Undead but Yeenoghu took advantage of Orcus’ war w/Demogorgon & Graz’zt to snatch Doresain’s allegiance.
Treasure of Note: None
Current Disposition: I had to sell the loot so I came on up to Beregost & we’re @ the Red Sheaf.
I REALLY NEED TO TRY & GET SOME SLEEP TONIGHT
Next Steps: I’ve had no dreams to direct me anywhere in particular. I’m inclined to go to that fraud, Kelddath Ormlyr, who keeps mentioning some ‘madman Bassilus’ & I’m curious. Devoid of any other direction, I think I’ll look into that.
Level Up: My Queen has raised her servant to a Dastard (Anti-Paladin/7). I still carry the worldly mantle, Fallen Paladin, but Malcanthet has ensured that that mantle is in name only. I have all the powers I would have & the added benefit of those provided from that other power than my Queen’s surrogate Demoness’ ensured me she is using for HER glory also, i.e., two each of Larloch’s Minor Drain, Horror & Vampiric Touch. In addition, she granted me two spells from her own Enchantment sphere, Charm Person & Chaos.
I followed my curiosity & approached that fraud Kelddath Ormlyr to find out about this ‘mad Bassilus’ he’s blabbin’ about every time we go into that freakin’ place. He said we’d need to bring back this Bassilus’ Holy Symbol to receive the reward. Sounded simple enough.
Key Event: I fell upon Bassilus within only an hour or so in the Red Canyon’s. We arrived & ran into two wolves before I began to lead my subordinates in a clockwise reconnaissance around the canyons in search of this mad cleric. Almost immediately a little brat came up saying he’s just been spying on Bassilus. I had Safana recon ahead Hidden in Shadow. She returned to inform me that she saw what appeared to be Bassilus surrounded by a dozen or so Skeleton’s w/Heavy Crossbows & Two-Handed Swords & a couple of Zombies too. I decided to have Viconia Bless us all w/the power of her Goddess while Quayle pulled out a Web scroll & cast it, from range, in to the area where they were centered. At the same time, Shar-teel moved up & tossed an Oil of Fiery Burning in the same location. The Oil of Fiery Burning destroyed every last one of the undead so all I had to deal w/was the Cleric. I don’t know if he ever got to use a spell, it happened so fast. My power, augmented by my subordinates is unmatched & the Cleric was quickly dead. I think Viconia cast Command & then Shar-Teel & I attacked through Quayle’s Web spell, I w/Spider’s Bane & she w/her Ring of Free Action. We never got to him & I’m not sure if a Chromatic orb cast by Quayle, also from a scroll didn’t finish him but I also know that Kagain got to use his Throwing Axe +2 for the first time so that might’a done the trick too. We snatched up the 10 or 12 Heavy Crossbows, the Two-Handed swords, Bassilus’ Holy Symbol of Cyric & a Warhammer +2/+1 Electricity back to Ormlyr for ID & to cash in on my gold.
SAFANA IN SHADOW'S
INITIAL ASSAULT W/SCROLL OF WEB & OIL OF FIERY BURNING
MOVING CLOSE-IN FOR THE KILL
ONE DEAD CLERIC OF CYRUS. PRAISE BE TO MALCANTHET, MY QUEEN!
Then I led us back to clear the canyons. All total, in addition to Bassilus & crew, the canyons gave me opportunity to hack up three Ghouls & two Ghasts as sacrifices for me Queen. I also led in the killing of two more Wolves, two Dire Wolves, a Hobgoblin who called himself the strongest (which immediately ticked Shar-Teel off) & his two other Hobgoblins, three Hobgoblin Elites & I seem to recall a half-dozen, maybe eight skeleton’s in there for good measure. After that, it was back to Beregost to sell loot & lighten our load again.
DESTROYING GHOULS FOR MY QUEEN
As I was walking back, it occurred to me that my Queen, Malcanthet, had just used me to eliminate the cleric of a rival deity, Cyric. Even when she doesn’t appear to me, she uses me to accomplish her ends here on the Prime material Plane.
Treasure of Note: 5000gp for Bassilus’ Holy Symbol. Warhammer +2 (Kagain). Kagain is not trained w/a Warhammer but of course, aside from Battle Axes Dwarves prefer Warhammer. W/the extra enchantment on this weapon, Kagain will use it as his main weapon & his Battle Axe +1 in his off-hand. Next time he gets a chance he’ll add Warhammer proficiency.
Current Disposition: Restn’ @ the red Sheaf after dumpin’ loot from the Red Canyons
Next Steps: I’ve still had no new visitations from my Queen & I’m curious about the woods around the High Hedge Manor, so unless something changes, I’m gonna mosey on over there tomorrow
Having had no specific dreams to drive me elsewhere, I elected to explore the woods around High Hedge Manor after I’d finished disposing of the loot from my second foray into the Red Canyons. It seems my Queen always leads me to where I need to be whether she appears to me or not. There would be nothing remarkable about High Hedge Manor & the surrounding woods except that they were flush with bands of followers of Yeenoghu &, by extension, Doresain. The woods contained more than their share of undead & I’d say I killed almost a score of Skeletons in addition to a pack or War Dogs.
I had the supreme pleasure of destroying about a dozen Gnolls, a few of them Veteran’s, & a small pack of three Ghouls.
GNOLL'S, GHOULS, GHASTS, IN THAT ORDER. AS SOON AS I SEEM THEM, I'M @ A RUN TO ENGAGE & DESTROY!
Key Event: None really to speak of. I had an encounter w/four Gnolls. Usually Gnolls only carry Halberds so when I saw one that had a Short Sword too, it reminded me of a story I’d heard, seeing as a Short Sword is only big enough to get the toe-jam out of a Gnoll. Seems a little runt of a Gnome in the Red Sheaf, where I usually stay when in Beregost, is always going on about how some dog-headed creatures had stolen his short-sword. I asked Shar-Teel to set the sword aside & we’d take it to the little runt next time we were there. Sure enough, I got 50 gold out of it from him - as opposed to the standard 2 gold.
50 GOLD FOR A SHORT SWORD & A SACRIFICE TO MY QUEEN MALCANTHET!
Treasure of Note: None at all
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf & dumping loot in Beregost @ the Thunderhammer & Feldepost
Next Steps: Having no direct leading from my Queen, I feel like heading over to the Shipwreck's Coast, & then working my way southward to Bear River.
I sensed nothing to dissuade me from following my inclination to head to the Shipwreck’s Coast after my foray into the woods around High Hedge Manor. With her awesome power, it may be that my Queen places these thoughts into my consciousness & leads me w/o having to ‘visit’ me every time she wants me to do something. Certainly High Hedge Manor allowed me to destroy minions of both Yeenoghu & his vassal Doresain so it stands to reason that she would lead me there. I found that to be the same when I invaded the Shipwreck’s Coast.
After a battle w/a pack of three Ghouls &, before that, two Wolves, I had an encounter w/a Nereid which slowed things a bit. I’m walking along & suddenly this totally nude Nereid comes up to Safana who, in general, is my spokesman. The Nereid asked for help which I wasn’t interested in providing but then she insists on kissing Safana. My curiosity in seeing what that led to was quickly erased when Safana fell dead. Immediately, Viconia dropped the Nereid w/a Command & Shar-Teel was on her w/her Long swords in a second. The Nereid recovered & begged for mercy but my subordinates were pissed & weren’t hearing it. They killed her & we returned to the fraud @ the Temple of the Morning & utilized his services to return Safana to us. (NOTE TO SELF: WAKE UP IRONSIDE! Viconia has three Raise Dead Scrolls – don’t spend 800 GPs to get someone raised again until all three have been used!!)
PACK OF GHOULS
PACK OF GHOULS W/PET WOLVES
When I returned to the Shipwreck’s Coast, I stumbled on another pack of three Ghouls with two pet Wolves, which I crushed easily. After that I fought about six Carrion Crawlers, in two separate battles & recovered a ring for some goofy Gnome. I checked the ring out before I returned it to him but it was cursed. He gave me an Oil of Fiery Burning for my trouble.
Key Event: Suddenly I stumble on a convention of big oaf’s right there on the shore. I think there were three Ogres, three or four Half-Ogres & a bunch of Ogrillons. As usual, Shar-Teel & Kagain were dual-wielding on the big, goofy morons in an instant. Viconia cast Spiritual Hammer @ one point, not sure if she was slinging stones or what before that. Safana laid back & fired darts @ ‘em one @ a time while Quayle kicked into another gear for once. He started by using a Scroll of Lightning Bolt & killed one of ‘em instantly. Then he pulled out a Scroll of Agannazar’s Scorcher & used it, trying to be careful. That’s another one like Lightning Bolt that you have to be careful w/. Just as the Lightning Bolt he cast bounced back & came close to injuring or killing multiple party members (luckily they all avoided the bounce back) so Agannazar’s Scorcher burned both Shar-Teel & Kagain who were already beaten & bruised pretty good from the fight. We ended up beating & killing the ‘loafs of oaf’s’ & were fortunate that some healing philanthropist was standing by & offered to heal both Shar-Teel & Kagain. We let him do his thing, checked out a couple of other places we hadn’t checked out yet & we were headed back to Beregost to cash in our loot before going back to my camp in the Wood of Sharp Teeth to get some of our equipment that we needed & to let Quayle sort thru his scrolls.
OGRE'S, HALF-OGRE'S, OGRILLON'S @ AN IDIOT CONVENTION ON THE COAST!
Three things. First, I’ve got this thing down to where I can lay back in the majority of battles & let Shar-Teel & Kagain do the heavy lifting up front while Viconia & Quayle use spells before switching to ranged weapons. Safana is getting really good @ immediately flanking the fight Hidden in Shadow & then back-stabbing enemies ruthlessly. I just sit back & let ‘em do their thing, casting a well-placed spell here & there & then moving in once the outcome is already settled. Then I’m standing there knee deep in dead & bloodied enemies w/o having actually subjected myself to danger. Of course, if a battle does get tough, the enemy seems to get complacent thinking they’re getting the upper hand having no idea that they’re expending all they have against my subordinates & having no knowledge that the most powerful of all, Ironside, is standing back waiting to pummel them as soon as they start to relax, thinking they’ve won. Ha-ha. I know my Queen is proud b/c I know she is the one that is teaching me.
Second, I need to assassinate that witch Officer Vai of the FF. She keeps hassling me every time I come to Beregost even though I’ve done nothing to her. I’ve had my subordinate’s use Command & Hold Person spells to keep her off us & I’ve kept us from killing her b/c I know we’ll be blamed for her hostility. I think I’m gonna let Safana knock her off next time while @ the same time visiting the fraud priest to level things out a bit.
Third, I really need to find one, or better yet two, enchanted Long Swords for Shar-Teel. She keeps breaking the regular swords, but worse, if I encounter a creature that can only be hit by enchanted weapons, Vampiric Wolves come to mind, she’ll be wading in there, endangering my best fighter w/o any hope of causing any damage to the enemy.
Fourth, I need a Tome of Clear Thought for Safana. I want to redirect her into a dual-classed Mage/Thief. Then I can fire the ‘one track’ Illusionist, Quayle & then sneak back into Baldur’s Gate & hire Skie for the Rogue duties.
Treasure of Note: None to note. Most expensive, Fire Opal Ring
Current Disposition: @ my camp in the Wood of Sharp Teeth (former Bandit Camp)
STRATEGY CONFERENCE @ CAMP IN THE WOOD OF SHARP TEETH
I’ve decided to continue south along the coast unless I hear otherwise or sense my Queen leading me elsewhere. In this case, I returned to the Lighthouse which is the same place my Queen led me when she wanted me to add Safana to my entourage. However, I expect that the only real value to this place was when Safana urged that we explore the pirate treasure cave right after we found her. There was nothing here on this trip. We killed about 20 Tasloi & a pack of Worgs for which some old bag paid me 60 gold.
Key Event: The low-threat environment gave me the chance to see my subordinates in action. I had a conference w/them & we discussed actions on the objective & actions on contact. I ran in to a decent sized band of Hobgoblins, maybe 15, from the Skull Smasher Tribe. Nothing tough here just a chance to watch my subordinates spread out against a foe that was firing poisoned arrows behind a group of foot soldiers. Quayle cast a Mirror Image before switching to Blindness which he started using on the ‘Bow-Goblins’. Viconia cast Hold Person in the middle of the tribe & sent about four of them into ‘la-la’ land & I followed that w/Horror which added to the Hobgoblin confusion. Meanwhile, Shar-Teel & Kagain were doing what they do & Safana was firing off Darts. I like this tactic so when we’re fighting something that can kick-butt they’ll all know what to do on contact.
SOME TACTICS TRAINING
Treasure of Note: None to mention
Current Disposition: In Beregost lightning our load & getting some rest
After unloading loot & resting a bit in Beregost, I continued my trek southward along the coast and explored the Archaeological Site that is just north or Bear River. I had the thrill of running into a small band of Gnolls, maybe 20 of them but there was a Chieftain & a Flind w/them. I just beat them mercilessly into the turf and then offered their carcasses to Malcanthet using loose stones I found as a makeshift alter.
Key Event: We’d heard in Nashkel when we visited the Nalin @ the Temple of Helm about some captain of their guard that was wanted for heinous deeds. Imagine my luck in finding him knee deep in devastated caravan. He plied me w/some riddle that I easily answered & then pummeled him anyway. Viconia cast Hold Person, I think, & I used Horror, & that messed him up & sent him wandering aimlessly. He had a woman there defending him, said she was of his blood or something. She panicked & Shar-Teel & Kagain ran her down while I chased this Brage into the Archaeological Site where I killed him. He ended up having a cursed Two-Handed Sword +3 but b/c of the curse it only brought me 500 gold.
PICKIN' UP A BOUNTY
I questioned the archaeologist but obviously he didn’t like my responses. He tried to turn his workmen on me so I just murdered them all. I kinda wished I’d have been able to get in the excavation as I figure there might have been some enchanted items or treasure in there. Guess I’ll never know…but neither will Charleston Nib.
After a run-in w/a mouthy Hobgoblin w/some Kobold Commandos, I took the body of Brage to the fat guy @ Nashkel who mistakingly gave me 250 gold that was due some bounty hunter. He was a little pissed but finally gave mw gold for Brage’s body. Then it was time to cash in my loot, rest & get ready ro head back to Bear River. Unfortunately, I can’t use the Nashkel Store b/c, Safana when she was first learning to pickpocket tried to pickpocket the proprietor & messed it up.
MOUTHY HOBGOBLIN, REALLY A FLY IN THE OINTMENT.
Treasure of Note: Small Shield +1 (Viconia); Two-Handed Sword +3, Cursed Berserking (sold)
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf in Beregost
Next Steps: Preparing for an excursion into Bear River
As I intended, having heard nothing otherwise from my Queen, to work southward into the Bear River area believing that this is what she would have me do for now. We’d passed thru here briefly on way to the Gnoll Stronghold a few weeks ago. While there, I killed a pack of Wild Dogs, a pack of War Dogs, 12 Ogres, three Ogrillons, three Cave Bears & a Polar Bear before being accosted by a Paladin for no reason – a Paladin who killed Safana. We killed her & found the answer to the ago old riddle, “If you kill a Paladin (who attacks you) miles away from another soul, will you still lose reputation points?”
PALADIN CHALLENGES ME?
Key Event: I was further accosted by a Bandit & five Chill Hobgoblin in the woods of Bear River. Shar-Teel blasted the Hobgoblins w/a Potion of Explosions so that all but one was dead leaving, what did he call himself, the fairest of the bandits or something queer like that? Shar-Teel & Kagain beat to poop out of him & I finished him w/a Cause Serious Wounds. He came w/one of the two enchanted Long swords I’ve been hoping to find.
CHALLENGED BY THE FAIREST OF THE BANDITS!
Treasure of Note: Long Sword +1 (for my woman!); Now I just need one more & she a Kagain w/be attacking as Masters w/TWS & dual enchanted weapons.
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Nashkel Inn; we did pass thru Beregost & assassinate Officer Vai ob the way to the Wood of the Sharp Teeth & back
Next Steps: Attack the Xvart Village
Level Up: Kagain was promoted to Fighter/Berserker/7; my entire party is now level 7
So I returned to that Xvart Village that was north east of the Gnoll Stronghold. It was pretty tame at first as all I could count among my victims was a single Brown Bear. But then I found a ravine between a pass & the fun started. I found & murdered at least 50 Xvarts. I figured it accomplished two things. First of all, they were hostile to me before I did anything, so they deserved to die for that alone. But second, many of them had been relocated by the former Gnolls of the Stronghold so I don’t know what kind of alliance or arrangement they might have had, so to be safe I killed them all. It was enjoyable really & I know Shar-teel enjoyed herself as did that runt Kagain. Safana landed one or two pretty back-stabs too. The Xvarts brought in a Cave Bear, Ursula, I think they called her so she died w/them. We found a weak treasure cave but ended up/w a little decent loot after killing a 2nd Cave Bear.
SHOOTING XVARTS IN A BARRELL - HA-HA!
Key Event: After shootin’ the Xvarts in a barrel, I decided to finish reconnoitering the area & move on to the Dryad Falls east of here. While wandering the wilderness we were approached by a guy selling magic potions etc. I did the math & there was one of him so I told him I thought it better we just take them from him by force. He tried to put up a fight & appeared to be a Mage Dual-Class of some kind. He cast what I think was a Mirror Image to start things off. We countered w/me casting Chaos, Jaheira casting Silence 15’ Radius, Quayle Blindness (Quayle was right in front of him & after he cast the spell he took off to gain some space). Kagain went Berserk & then tore into him as did Shar-teel I(both S/caster Atk AI now). After he’d been beat pretty good I cast w/Cause Serious Wounds but Kagian & Shar-Teel one-two'd him back to back & killed him before I could lay hands on him and he died. He had some loot too.
KILLING THE POTION SALESMAN w/O A SCRATCH!!
Treasure of Note: Short sword +1 (Safana); Mithril Ring (sold), Scrolls Fireball, Web (two protection scrolls n/Identified yet), Potion of Fire Resistance
Current Disposition: Resting, organizing @ the Wood of Sharp Teeth
Next Steps: Dryad Fall
Level Up: Safana heard from heard Thieves’ Guild that she is now a Magsman (Thief/8) & has increased her Thieving Proficiencies O/Locks & P/Pockets 60%; F/Traps, H/Shadows, M/Silently 55%;
En route to the place called Dryad Falls, another of place I’d heard of growing up but had never been to, my subordinates & I encountered & killed six Xvarts & collected their short swords, little gold & two or three gems.
On arrival I found Dryad Falls a painfully boring really. While there I counted among my victims two Dread Wolves, a Dire Wolf, six Winter Wolves & four Cave Bears.
SHAR-TEEL! AN ACQUIRED TASTE THAT KEEPS ME ENTERTAINED BY NIGHT & SWINGS TWO MEAN LONG SWORDS!
Key Event: There really was no ‘key event’ to speak of. I ran into a Dryad, who begged me to help her w/two goofy oafs who were threatening to cut down a tree they thought might be full of riches. My plan was to let them do most of the work, offering Kagain to help out & see if there was anything in the tree. If so, I’d kill them & the Dryad & take it for the glory of Malcanthet. When the Dryad figured out my plan she turned hostile. You should’a seen those first two goofy bastards run, they were in Baldur’s Gate before I blinked. So I killed the Dryad but think I should killed the two goof balls first as one of ‘em might‘a had something worthwhile.
GENTLE WOOD SPIRIT MY BUTT. GOOD FOR NOTHING BUT THE END OF MY BLADE.
Just as I was getting ready to leave a four Gnolls approached Shar-Teel demanding money to pass. Needless to say, we stopped after I killed them & I built a make shift alter to Malcanthet, where I prepared their bodies & sacrificed them to her glory.
MALCANTHET LIKES 'EM DEAD WHEN I SACRIFICE THEM SO I GET THE JOY OF KILLING THEM FIRST!
Not welcome at the store in Nashkel, I decided to go to the Nashkel Carnival. I decided to see what was in the woods there & ended up bagging 15 Kobolds running around north the carnival. Then I went to the carnival where I’ve never been hassled before & I was talking to a merchant one of us touched something on one of his tables, next thing I know the blow-hard is hollering for the Amnish Guard. We weren’t even going to take anything so I just left & had Viconia cast a Hold Person on him the guard since Quayle was outta Blindness spells – he keeps four memorized.
I evaded the guard & went to the wagon area where the Potions Merchant & Magic Weapons Merchant locate themselves. I spent the night there, as I have many times, after unloading everything but the six Winter Wolf pelts that the guy in Nashkel wanted. Oh well, I’m sure I get unload them in Beregost in a few days before I go to Fireleaf Forest.
Before I left, Nashkel Carnival, I popped my head in a gambling tent & some guy tried to pickpochket me! Said his name was Vitiare. I stress his name was Vitiare & he was good for some gold & a Potion of Master Thievery.
VITIARE HUH? SAFANA WOULD BE YOUR GUILDMASTER...BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU'RE DEAD NOW ANYWAY!
I checked out another tent where some guy was just standing there, I guess waiting for me to approach him. Instead, I had Quayle cast Blindness on him & Safana quaff a Potion of Mastery Thievery & pick the lock on that big ole chest he was standing beside. I picked up some gold, a Potion of Invulnerability,a Potion of Healing & another, I can’t remember. Even w/that, he started screaming & I knew the guards would be there soon so I headed west on the road that leads to Nashkel. Clean break.
Treasure of Note: Maybe the Winter Wolf Pelts or the Potion of Invulnerability, nothing really though
Current Disposition: Resting, resupplying @ the Nashkel Carnival
Next Steps: Headed to the Fire Leaf Forest. Have heard no sign from my Queen so I continue to think I am where she would have me now, laying low in the south while the FF look for me. I seem to be able to get into Beregost with no trouble
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked) (killing Dryads is kinda like killing Paladin’s in the eyes of this warped society we endure in this life. Bring on the abyss my Queen, when it pleases you to bring me into your presence.
SORTING THRU SCROLLS & PLANNING FURTHER DESTRUCTION
So it was down to the Fireleaf Forest, in keeping w/staying far south of Baldur’s Gate & the FF. I remain confident that my actions are in keeping w/Malcanthet’s desire for me now & so I keep going. I’ve added some enchanted items, mostly to those w/i my party to strengthen those who protect me. After killing two Worgs I came around a large hill & ran into two knuckleheads named Vax & Zal. Vax told us that Zal was the fastest dart thrower in Faerun or something & that he was angry b/c they’d not been able to rob many people today. I (& my subordinates obliterated the two of them in roughly a minute.
SOMETIMES I WISH SOME OF THESE MOUTHY ONES HAD A LITTLE BUTT BEHIND THEIR TALK
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD NIGHT
Key Event: I guess the key event in this exploration was a run in w/a trio of Amnish Mercenaries, led by a mouthy wench who called her partners, Alexander and Delgod. We’d been working on a formation that put Safana up front Hidden in Shadow. The idea being when she spots enemy, she raises her hand & we halt to give us time to set up & decide what to do based on what her situation report dictates. This report is supposed to include size (# = how many & S (Kobold),M (human) L ((Ogre); activity (what are they doing); location (where exactly are they); unit type (i.e. FF, BTE, mage types), equipment (type weapons). She pulled it off perfectly & Viconia started casting Hold Person, Quayle Blindness on one of the two men, both Archers, while the wench came right @ me as I was trying to cast Horror. I pulled out Spiders Bane as Kagain & Shar-Teel came up beside me to help. We murdered the three of them but Safana got caught up front when her ‘Hidden in Shadow’ faded and one of the guys w/bow killed her so I returned to have her raised. She is integral to my team - & I’d still like to sneak off w/her one night/day when Shar-Teel’s not looking.
LIKE I SAID, WILL THE MOUTHY ONES EVER BACK UP THEIR BOASTING?
Aside from those two, I led my subordinates to victory over eight Skeleton’s w/Composite Longbows, three weird humanoids: a Kobold, a Xvart, & a Tasloi. One of them had a scroll on him that was too Ironside & signed by Larry, Darryl & Darryl which netted 25 gold in Beregost. In addition, I led us to kill six Xvarts, three Kobolds & some dog.
IT CAN GET KINKY SOMETIMES TOO...BUT AS A SERVANT OF MALCANTHET ALL IS ACCEPTABLE & THEN SOME!!!
Treasure of Note: Boots of Grounding (Shar-Teel); Girdle of Piercing (Kagain);
Current Disposition: Resting in my room w/Shar-Teel @ the Nashkel Inn
Startin' to feel a little lonely over here. Maybe we could change the title from, "Baldur's Gate Series, and Icewind Dale Series Minimal Reload Challenge (Spoiler Warning!)" to "The Adventures of ironside, the Fallen Anti-Paladin," or maybe, "something like, "Baldur's Gate I/TotSC & BG II/TOB Anti-Paladin & Evil PC Adventures."
Oh well, this is where I post, so I'll keep it going. Here's Ironside's latest.
Just west of the Nashkel Mines lie the Gibberling Mountains. I decided to swing through there en route to the place where I’d come up from when in destroyed Mulahey & his Kobolds months ago it seems. My ultimate goal is the Valley of the Tombs but it seemed I might miss something if I skipped the GMs. I didn’t & I wouldn’t have.
I swatted through around 30 Gibberling’s, two Winter Wolves & a pack of Wild Dogs. Some dirty woman wandering in the wilderness asked me to help her ‘friend’ who was lying sick on the ground. I had Safana help herself to his Long Sword & a gem or two that were in her pocket instead.
MALCANTHET WOULD DESPISE A SACRIFICE AS LOWLY AS THESE
Key Event: It’s pretty bad when the highlight of an adventure is when your rogue finds somethin’ hidden in the cracks of a cliff side. Sure enough, Safana has that skill where she detects hidden doors & it works sometimes like it did in the GMs. Suddenly, she just stopped, walked over to a cliff, said something looked out of place. She reached in & came out w/a Dropside Gym, a Lol Gym & a pair of Bracer’s of Defense AC8. . Treasure of Note: Bracer’s of Defense AC8 (sold for 600 gold in Beregost)
Current Disposition: Camping @ the Nashkel Carnival near the wagons of the Potion Merchant & the Magic Weapons Merchant.
Next Steps: Valley of the Tombs
Level Up: Really? Here? I think we lost experience going to the Gibberling Mountains.
I was anticipating some challenging confrontations in the Valley of the Tombs. One would think I could enjoy killing plentiful Ghouls & Ghasts allowing me to indirectly poke my Queen’s enemy Yeenoghu in the eye as he commands their fealty thru their ‘King of the Ghouls’, Doresain, a vassal of Yeenoghu. Normally, I wouldn’t ever write, let alone speak the names of these Demon Lords but I sense my Queen’s protection from direct retribution by either so I kill their subjects w/o restraint, w/fervor even. I attack Gnolls, Flinds, Ghouls & Ghasts w/o restraint or concern for their numbers. And so I was off & filled w/anticipation for bloody annihilation of my Queens enemies.
Key Event: After a pack of Wild Dogs, my subordinates & I walked headlong into a group of Amazon Assassin’s. One started casting a spell before I even knew there were four total. I opted to use one of my Scrolls of Magic Protection, Shar-Teel quaffed a Potion of Magic Shielding & Kagain went Enraged which seems to protect him from the average spell. Viconia cast Command First, then Doom & maybe Hold Person before wading into the melee w/her Spiritual Hammer which she likes to whip out & charge into the fight in hand. Quayle cast Confusion from a scroll before picking out one enemy @ a time a blanking them w/Blindness. Safana tried to position for a back-stab Hidden in Shadow but they’d seen her & she wasn’t gonna pull that off but she did manage to land a couple of attacks @ the end. We dominated them & only kagain really rook a good blow or two.
ANOTHER MOUTHY CHALLENGER
FIREWORKS BEGIN
PREPPING THE BATTLEFIELD
MIXIN' IT UP IN MELEE
ONE DOWN, THREE TO GO
THREE DOWN & NARY A SCRATCH
PRAISE BE TO MALCANTHET, VICTORY
After a rest for a few hours, I came upon & killed a pack of Wild Dogs & some Skeletons and, later a mage with two Mustard jellies who was working on an experiment to control Jellies & the like. He was so excited talking about it but when I asked about his sharing it w/us he went berserk. I immediately cast Chaos on myself, Shar-Teel quaffed a Potion of Magic Blocking & followed w/Silence 15’ Radius where we last saw the mage who’d become invisible, Kagain went Enraged, Quayle cast Detect Invisibility but then became the dying victim of a Lightning Bolt. I returned to Nashkel but then remembered Viconia could Raise Dead w/one of three scrolls she has. We cleaned things up, sold some loot & moved back to finish up.
A SLIGHT ANNOYANCE
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
From there on out it was hack & slash: two more packs of Wild Dogs, a pack of Worgs, two Ogres, 12 more Skeleton’s guarding a tombs. In the first of the three tombs were three Ghasts & two Skelton’s, quick work. In the second was some undead zombie thing, but stronger, also quick work. In the third was a single Ghast, also now dead.
THE ZOMBIE THING, A REVENANT THEY CALL IT
Treasure of Note: Studded Leather +1 & Darts of Wounding (Safana); Potions unidentified mostly but we know what they are on sight; Dagger +2 (Quayle); Gobs of gems including a Pearly Necklace & a Mithril Ring
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf
Next Steps: it seems the Lonely Peaks; I’d thought of Durlag’s Tower but something, my Queen, is dissuading that now, I don’t know though, maybe it’s time & maybe I’m just a tad too aapprehensive
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 9 - Average) I'm havin' trouble seducing Safana, so I offered enough alms to get her to be more receptive).
I wanted to knock the Lonely Peaks out too & they were more interesting that the GMs a few days ago. We had a pretty good tussle w/some Ogres, an Ogrillon & a Half-Ogre. I’m for anything that shows me what this party can do & they knocked ‘em out pretty good.
OGRES, HALF-OGRES, OGRILLONS, EVEN A TRICK BEAR
There were two more Ogres farther south & we roughed them up to, then hit three more as we were finishing up. All dead w/the Two-Handed Swords or Morning Stars & a handful of gold. We killed a couple of Brown Bears & a handful of Xvarts. Some guy was whining about how they we attacking his cow & my first thought was to kill the cow anyway but then Safana made a comment about how great her travelling companion was & suddenly I had flashes of doin’ just enough to get her in the sack when Shar-Teel is snoring one night so I let the cow be.
There was a battle w/a Half-Ogre & four/five of his companions. We beat them senseless & moved on where we found a cave. SOP before entering a cave is for Viconia to Bless or Chant for us or both & she did. It was trapped & there was a single Ettercap in there. Of course, Shar-Teel & I don’t worry about such things & whooped his butt & had Safana check for traps before raiding his treasure.
HALF-OGRE CONVENTION ENDS IN THEIR MASSACRE
Key Event: Really the challenge of the adventure was suddenly running up on two ogre Mages out of the blue. Viconia cast Silence 15’ Radius, Command & then Miscast Magic while Quayle went w/Blindness I guess – not sure. Shar-Teel & I both quaffed Potions of Invulnerability while Kagain just went Enraged. We whooped ‘em good it was just surprising to see them pop up there. In all battles Safan is working on moving around behind Hidden in Shadow to backstab & she is getting better & better especially not that she has two enchanted Short Swords & Dual Weapon Style which she is proficient in. She landed blows here too.
NO MESSIN' W/THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY TWO OF 'EM! WE SMOKED 'EM THOUGH LIKE CHEAP PIPE TOBACCO!
I was TIRED & tryin’ to get out of there when three bandits attacked us. They’re now laying out in the field, food for worms minus their gear.
BANDIT CHALLENGE...
BANDIT CARCASSES FOOD FOR WORMS!
Treasure of Note: A couple of Bloodstone Amulets, an Aquamarine Gym, two Waterstar gyms, a dropside Gym etc...
Current Disposition: @ the Red Sheaf getting ready to spend the night w/Shar-Teel (& check on Safana to make sure she’s ‘okay.’)
Next Steps: Firewine Bridge, Gullykin, Ulcaster
Level Up: None, hopefully will notch up a couple between Firewine Bridge, Gullykin, Ulcaster
Current Party: (Reputation: 9 - Average)(wonder if I can tightrope this rep long enough to bed Safana w/o messin' up w/Shar-Teel - I like to keep it between 5-7 but Safana is much more receptive @ low average).
Pretty pumped to get through seven 'side-quests this wekend', i,e., Bear River, Xvart Village, Dryad falls, Fireleaf Forest, Gibberling Forest, Valley of the Tombs, & Lonely Peaks as my PC lays low in the south hiding from the FF. Not lots of experience here but a few very good enchanted item pickups & some good gems to strengthen my party as we head north toward Ulgoth's Beard. Still hopin' to stumble in the 'Tome of Clear Thought' so I can dual Safana & pick up Skie & drop Quayle. Problem is, Safana is 8th now & w/Randomizer I have no idea where it will pop up. Oh well, a productive weekend w/no spousal hassle to break me away.
Now back to being a real officer/soldier in the early AM guys & gals. Hopefully, I can knock out Firewine Bridge on Tuesday as it looks like I have spousal duties this coming weekend.
Startin' to feel a little lonely over here. Maybe we could change the title from, "Baldur's Gate Series, and Icewind Dale Series Minimal Reload Challenge (Spoiler Warning!)" to "The Adventures of ironside, the Fallen Anti-Paladin," or maybe, "something like, "Baldur's Gate I/TotSC & BG II/TOB Anti-Paladin & Evil PC Adventures."
Oh well, this is where I post, so I'll keep it going. Here's Ironside's latest.
The fact there're no comments doesn't mean there's no attention. Your journey is interesting (as always) and I like to read it. I know myself how hard it is to write about your run, how much time it takes and how much effort.
Your posts just remind me how beatiful the game is!
Moreover, not everyone comes here just as the new post appears - from the history of reactions to the posts in this thread it's clear some people come sooner, some come later and they read several posts and/or even pages and have pleasure.
Sorry I haven't been around that much. I've got a lot of real life and other things going on lately.
There's a new trend here where people are posting their runs in the general discussion forum, creating their own threads.
@CharlestonianTemplar , on your next run, you might want to try posting it in general. That forum gets the most traffic, and I think you could attract more followers there. I know when I have time to read lately, I check general and off-topic, and that's it. I just don't have time to click on and check a dozen different sub-forums.
I've always enjoyed your military report writing style, since back in the days when we were all posting in the old Bioware forums, and you take very good screen shots. You deserve a bigger reading audience.
@CharlestonianTemplar - Keep up the good work - always a good read - moved last month still getting settled haven't played much lately but I do still check in from time to time!
I've been mostly busy playing other games...like Skyrim, and Civlization 5. I'll make a note to get back to doing Icewind Dale or playing some BGEE. So then you aren't as lonely in here.
@CharlestonianTemplar, I think you know I'm a fervent reader of your work. I like your writing style, I like how you make me sympathize with an evil Charname, I like your lore and the role your character's deity plays in his decisions and actions. Unlike you, I would have probably gone for Sarevok's head after you annihilated the Iron Throne in Baldur's Gate, but you justify your decisions to "lay low" very well, so your journals remain credible and relevant.
I’ve kinda done a ‘U-turn’ south down the Sword Coast, then east to the Valley of the Tombs, then back north passing through the Lonely Peaks before heading east from Beregost to see the ruins of the Ulcaster School. There really isn’t much there anymore, a dry river gorge that had no interesting foes. I counted 12-18 Hobgoblins & Hobgoblin Elites w/short bows, ~ 12 Skeletons w/ Warhammer or Composite Longbow, some Kobolds I think & some Gnome, Furret, that tried to sell me a gym worth 2 gps for 500, maybe 1k. I had him killed & we took the gym.
We ascended the hill from the dry river gorge to where the actual school once stood where now are but ruins. Their I encountered six Skeletons w/Composite Longbows, some Kobolds & Kobold Commando’s w/their short bows & Arrows of Fire and best of all, three Ghouls that I was able to kill for my Queen. I’ve still not dreamt of her or heard from her but I sense I am in her will. I was loaded down, as were all of us so we decided to head back but not before we encountered a Wraith named Icharyd & some Kobolds running around him too. I crushed him & snatched his enchanted Flail to sell for loot.
KILLING NASTY GHOULS TO SACRIFICE FOR MY QUEEN MALCANTHET!
On return, the Ulcaster Ruins were infested w/wolves but it was obvious from the carcasses of dead adventurers that the place could be deadly. After killing a Mustard jelly & an Ochre Jelly, oh & a nest of six Huge Spiders it was purely wolf hunting. Safana did a masterful job of keeping me safe from booby traps.
HUGE SPIDERS BUT LITTLE LOOT!
SAFANA KEEPING ME SAFE FROM BOOBY TRAPS!
Key Event: In the end, I ended up leading the killing of four Dread Wolves & a Vampiric Wolf which I guess was the best this dungeon had to offer. In total I killed four other Dread Wolves & four Dire Wolves.
GUESS THIS VAMPIRIC WOLF WAS THE BADDEST DUDE IN THE DUNGEON.
I long to commune w/my beautiful Queen Malcanthet & I pray daily that she will reveal herself to me in her consummate & beautiful, perfect evil & chaos. Still, I march on, next to the Halving Village.
MY QUEEN HAS PROVIDED FOR MY 'MANLY' NEEDS. SHAR-TEEL IS A REAL WOMAN!
Treasure of Note (Gold 18,629) Flail +1 (sold 1000gps); Potions: Hill Giant Strength, Mirrored Eyes, Strength, Oil of Fiery Burning, Genius, etc; numerous gyms including a Sphene Gym
Current Disposition: Resting @ the red Sheaf
Next Steps: To the Town of Gullykin
Level Up: Quayle received a messenger from his Illusionists Guild that he is now a Apparitionist (Illusionist/8). Unfortunately they didn’t send a Scroll of Improved Invisibility so, while he added a fourth Invisibility 10’ Radius, he still has no fourth level spell learned. His Lore has gone up to 31 & that helps ID items tremendously
Current Party: (Reputation: 10 - Average)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, ha(THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk) Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 w/Boots of Grounding /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk) Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1 & Girdle of Piercing; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr Atk) Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phahad a few se Spider)(AI: Clc Aggr) Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1x34, Wdgx11, Stgx3, etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct) Quayle: Mage/Ill//8, Dgr +2*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
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After dropping off armor, swords etc., from the first level & a rest in my temporary camp that was once the barracks for the Guards here, I invaded the 2nd. About eight more Guards & two Ghasts were first on the menu before I dove into the main course. Must have been 25 Guards, I recall at least a half-dozen had bows of some type. They were accompanied by a female mage. Viconia had cast Animate Dead & summoned a couple of skeletons to act as a buffer & they performed well while I surveyed the battlefield & positioned my front line at the far end of a long back hall near some cell blocks, I moved Shar-teel to the other end of the hall to make sure we weren’t attacked from behind & placed Viconia, Safana & Quayle about mid-way up the hallway near a 2nd hallway that came perpendicular to the hallway were fighting in. Kagain & I were with the skeletons, knee deep in dead Guards. As I waded in I saw the mage in a cell room to the right. I immediately cast Chaos on myself, quaffed a Potion of Magic Shielding & beat her into the ground. After collecting our loot from the carcasses a couple of my subordinated tripped traps, Lightning Bolts & Magic Missiles. By the time I left level two, I had to raise Safana & either Quayle or Viconia or both, I don’t recall.
STAGED FOR BATTLE
KILLING MAGE NUMBER 1
Key Event: The only close call I had was on the 3rd level when I called in artillery on myself by mistake. Entering the third level, I was immediately faced w/Guards & Chill Hobgoblins w/those darned poison bows. I had Quayle cast Stinking Cloud in the middle of the room before changing my strategy & forgetting to tell him. The result was me, knocked out with three Chill & two Guards standing over me in the far side of the room taking shots @ my unconscious butt. I’m told Viconia cast Hold Person in their midst, Quayle Blindness on one or more of the Chill. I was unconscious, so I don’t know what happened next but I came to, bloodied, & we finished them.
A CLOSE CALL!
The 3rd level had a second female mage w/a few Chill as bodyguards but nothing like the wench on level two. Regardless, we tore her a new one & looted her & the Chill as well as an armory full of quite a few weapons I could get gold for & some weapons we could use and/or sell also.
KILLING MAGE NUMBER 2
A little further down the hall was a single-Ogre Mage surrounded in rotting corpses. Had he not attacked me, I might’a had a place for him in my following – he was just one evil SOB & I LIKE that! But he messed up, to his chagrin.
As before, I had us lug our loot out to the barracks & pack what each of us had collected to sell in the footlockers @ the end of our bunks. I have Kagain guarding the room on the bunk closest to the stairs, Quayle across from him & the women surrounding me in four beds in the back of the barracks, Shar-teel when she’s not in w/me or me w/her sleeps across from me in the back of the room, Safana in the bunk next to me & Viconia across from her. I’m trying to seduce Safana & Viconia on the sly but haven’t been successful yet, maybe they’re afraid of Shar-teel kickin’ the butts. That could definitely happen.
I moved to the bottom level of the mines & w/Safana’s expert Trap Detection and Removal we skirted danger & encountered this guy Davaeorn who used to run the joint. I say used to b/c we stomped his butt into the floor of his chamber, Safana finishing him w/a triple-damage backstab…that chick is definitely a hottie… but I digress. Before that, Viconia had cast Animate Dead, Silence 15’ Radius & Miscast Magic. Quayle hit him w/Blindness & Kagain & I waded in to beat him senseless. I’d cast Chaos on myself before quickly casting Larloch’s Minor Drain @ Davaeorn to break up his spell casting. A beautiful thing it was seeing his lifeless shredded body crumpling to the floor. The hardest part of all of this was the repeated trips back & forth to get all the loot out of the footlockers that we’d hauled up out of the mines but I need gold.
KILLING THE BIG, BAD MAGE NUMBER 3
Before I left I told the slave that could operate the river plug that I’d talked to ‘Rill.’ Hilarious using him to drown all his own buddies. He was ticked but I spared him, he was just so crushed I wanted to see him live w/that misery forever.
One last thing. Suddenly, I’m sensing I might need to watch Shar-Teel. She’s said a couple of times that, “one of these days, I’m gonna gut you like a fish.” I thought it was her just being her but then she looked @ me the yesterday in a way that makes me wonder what’s goin’ on in the screwed up mind of hers. If she thinks she can cross me & not get crushed, she’s got another thing coming. She needs to be content that I let her travel w/me & that she’s lucky enough that I chose her as my lover. I’m ready for any traitorous skullduggery if she chooses that path. Otherwise, she has a place @ my side as long as she serves me well.
My Overlord Demoness returned that night. It seems I have these dreams & another source of evil pulls @ me, even grants me powers, in this case a second Innate Horror Spell. But then my hideously, beautiful Marileth follows & reminds me that I belong to her Mistress alone. She returned my Anti-Paladin powers to me courtesy of HER mistress as they would have been to date, although in the eyes of the Faerun I will still be a ‘Fallen-Paladin.’ She says her Mistress is pleased w/my efforts & is ecstatic that I’m SO evil that I am not even welcome in Anti-Paladin circles. The Type V Overlord Demoness directed me to go to Baldur’s Gate next & that I would be contacted when I was needed again.
Treasure of Note: Plate of the Dark +1 (Me) which allowed me to pass my Full Plate off to my lover Shar-teel; Battle Axe +1 (Kagain); Wand of the Heaven’s (Viconia); Dozens of Scrolls & Potions (most of which Quayle can’t identify yet for sure but since I can clearly see what they are I can use many of them just by quaffing). NOTE: I DON’T ALLOW QUAYLE TO WRITE/MEMORIZE ANY BUT ILLUSION SPELLS – but I do let him cast others from scrolls for one time use – includes ID SCROLLS.) He carries a bunch of scrolls to use but I don’t have a scroll case so he’s loaded down most of the time.
Current Disposition: Back @ my camp in the Wood of the Sharp Teeth. I’d thought about taking over the Cloakwood Mines but getting back & forth would be a pain in the butt.
Next Steps: Baldur’s Gate
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 4 - Despised)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//6, F/P/Mail +1 (L/Shield +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Spiders Bane**,
B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); (Sirine)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//6 w/F/P/Mail w/2 L/Swords*** (2HWS***)(Sirene)
Viconia: Cleric//6, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*, Wand of the Heaven’s; (Phase Spider)
Safana: Thf//6 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//5 w/S/Mail & Battle Axe +1*** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS**)(Sword Spider)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//6, Dgr*, Slg*, Wand of Lightning; (Cloakwood Mine Guard)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
(Best kill)
Key Event: I looked around a bit, visited a few stores, including a mega-magic store called Sorcerous Sundries. Expensive but good to have as a resource. As I was looking around I went upstairs, thinking there might be more to see there but instead ran into four mages who were angered I’d disrupted a spell they were casting. They turned hostile & I thought we were in real trouble. We reacted to counter them too slowly & before I knew it I was panicked, as were Shar-Teel, Viconia & Safana. Not a good situation w/four mages. Kagain was masterful, Enraged & already preferring Spellcaster Attack. He finished off one of the three quickly that had already taken a blast from Viconia’s Wand of the Heaven’s before she panicked. Quayle too, was picking targets masterfully, casting Blindness on them one @a time & I saw him use Agannazar’s Scorcher on one of the three that remained after Kagain’s first kill. Soon the second of the four spellcasters was dead & three of the four of us, minus Viconia, had recovered from our Panic & were closing on the final two for the kill. We took some lumps, a couple of us from Melf’s Acid Arrow, but I lost none & the battle was won. Decent loot, four mage robes to sell, some gold, etc.
INAUSPICIOUS START!
THANKS BE TO MY OVERLORD DEMON....
My group was accosted by a man who said I’d killed his brother Aldeth in the Cloakwood. Yeah, I remember that guy – a profitable kill. His brother was no pushover but I beat him down w/help from my subordinates. He carried an enchanted Heavy Crossbow that yielded some much needed gold. While I’m thinking about it, I also was attacked by a man who said he knew my father @ the entrance to the docks. He was likely a mage, as he disappeared but Quayle countered w/Detect Invisibility. I killed him w/a little help from my servants but nonetheless his words didn’t seem to be about Gorion. Oh well another body to step over that tried to get in my way. Thirdly, there was a massive Ogre named Larze that attacked me in a place called the Blushing Mermaid. This wasn’t your father’s Ogre. He was a workout & a half, nonetheless he died for his trouble.
ACCOSTED BY ALDETH'S BROTHER
THIS GUY SAID HE KNEW MY FATHER...& ATTACKED ME FOR IT
CAN'T EVEN STOP IN TO LOOK FOR A ROOM W/O BEING ATTACKED - BIG-ASS OGRE THIS WAS!
As I walked around the city getting familiar, best I could, I was approached by one who promised an enchanted item in return for my ‘collecting’ a nymph held captive by someone named Ragefest. I don’t recall if he said they were both mages but they were. I found the home of this Ragefest & took her from him as did I his life. Other than a Knave’s Robe he had little to offer & I dragged the Nymph off the Ramazith. I turned her over but felt slighted when he handed me some Bracers which I had yet to identify. I decided that since Ramazith was involved in duplicity anyway, an assault on him would go unnoticed & yield more loot. He was easily smoked like cheap pipe tobacco. I’ve learned that killing Nymph’s resonates throughout the realms & that I would endanger myself by killing her so I let her go after I’d gone up to the top of Ramazith’s tower, killing Mustard Jellies, Ghasts, Hobgoblin Elites & Kobold Commando’s before getting to his personal chamber & raiding his loot which included a Manual of Dexterity.
I went to the Seven Suns Trading Company next & found it overrun w/Doppelgangers. I found the head of the joint, Jhasso, a prisoner in the basement & calculated that letting him go would bring more gold than killing him along w/the Doppelgangers. Easy enough. After that I went to Flaming Fist Hqs & met the 2nd in command, Scar by name & got 4,000 GPs for the job, a bonus over what he promised originally. He also gave me 300 GPs up front to look into some disappearances in the eastern section of the city, in the sewers. My Overlord Demoness must be directing my steps, or maybe it’s her Mistress, likely a Demon Lord, my Demon Lord. I found a sewer grate, descended & dropped right in on the culprit, an Ogre Mage w/a family of Carrion Crawlers. The Crawlers are easy enough although their sting/bite did manage to Hold a couple of my subordinates. We focused on the Ogre Mage, popping him w/Larloch’s Minor Drain every time he started to cast while, in true form, Kagain went for the guy trying to cast spells. The Ogre Mage died & we finished up working our way thru the east sewers to kill maybe 20 total Crawlers & a couple of Phase Spiders. Then I found the bodies of a half-dozen of so victims, one obviously of noble birth. I grabbed her & a few rings, some gold & headed back to Scar. He handed me 3.000 GPs for the job & for returning the noblewoman’s carcass & a family ring. Worth the effort.
EASY GOLD!
I missed out on a chance to retrieve some dead kid from the Water Queen’s house. The kid’s dad was a priest who’d been told by his church that his son’s death was due to his own callousness & they wouldn’t help him to retrieve the slab of meat. I pushed for him to rob the churches’ coffers to pay me for my efforts in more than just a paltry sum & a magic item. I went to the Umberlee temple & they were not helpful, rude even. I have a good mind to go back & wipe them out. I’m sure the authorities won’t care.
Shar-teel seems to have mellowd a bit, as far as that goes where she's concerned. Maybe she was havin’ some feminine issues a couple of weeks ago. She confided in me about some very intimate & personal details about her past but used it as a way of tellin’ me to be more independent & not be swayed by all the voices that pummel my head daily…except hers of course.
Treasure of Note: Gauntlet’s of weapon Skill (me);Manual of Dexterity (Safana or Me?); Ring of protection +1 (Shar-Teel); Ring of Holiness (Viconia); Again various Potions & Protection Scrolls Quayle can’t identify for sure – luckily most we know by site even w/o an Identification Spell, so in a pinch they’re usable. Unfortunately, not so w/the Protection Scrolls but I did have one I suspected to be Protection from Magic verified – that’s staying w/me. A carryover from last journal, Safana pickpocketed some guy in the Feldepost in Nashkel of a really cool cloak that adds serious Charisma to her already hot little self (Algernon’s Cloak).
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Splurging Sturgeon
Next Steps: Scar has mentioned a mission to the Iron Throne, think I’ll mosey on over there to find out what that’ll pay
Level Up: Safana received word from her Thieves Guild that the Guild Master is granting her the title, Sharper (Thief/7) & she now has skills to O/Locks, P/Pockets 55% & F/Traps, H/Shadow, M/Silently @ 50%; Kagain also improved his skill & is a Berserker/6 & improved his 2HWS skill to *** to accompany his B/Axe proficiency @ ***; Quayle also heard word from the Illusionist Guild that he is now a Phantasmist (Illusionist/7) but we can’t find a copy of the only 4th Level Illusionist Spell, Improved Invisibility anywhere so aside from adding a 2nd Invisibility to his memorized 2nd Level Spells he gained little but hit points & improved saving throws from the advancement.
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//6, F/P/Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WS; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Sirine)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//6 w/F/P/Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** (2HWS***)(Ramazith)
Viconia: Cleric//6, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/S/Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
(Best kill)
I’d also been informed by a Hobbit named Bellamy in one of the Inn’s, can’t remember which one now, that there was a Paladin by the name of Phandalyn looking for me behind a ‘dockside tavern’. I went looking for the fight but was unsuccessful. Anyone that challenges Ironside can expect that challenge to be honored instantly –guess he chickened out.
Key Event: So it was off to see Scar about this investigation of the iron Throne. Instead I had audience w/Duke Eltan. My Demoness is placing me in some amazing places. I asked Duke Eltan to have his ‘Flamers’ (I love that veiled insult to the Fisters) give us some space but he refused saying he wanted to hide the fact that he was hiring a ‘criminals.’ There was no question what to do when I got to the Iron Throne. Their leadership may be evil but they are not allies of my Demoness or her Mistress. They stand in my way & I need to attack, attack, attack & not give them a chance to get the initiative. Once I had the go ahead & the doors closed behind me, I was taking no guff. I had my folks pummel a Guard on the ground floor & about 10 on the 2nd. I wasn’t trying to sneak in or anything of the kind. I was here to kick butt & take names as I had plenty of evidence from the mines & Bandit Camp to show the Throne was up to no good giving me license to murder them all. Even the merchants were hostile after we’d been there a while & I had to restrain my subordinates to keep them from bumping them off too. Safana kept working up the stairs, Hidden in Shadow/Moving Silently, & then returning w/ a report of what was on the next level. Finally she came down from the 5th Floor to say that the leaders of the Iron Throne were there right in the middle of the room & were ripe for a hit & run attack which would likely draw any survivors down where we could set an ambush. I liked it & had Quayle cast Invisibility 10’ Radius on all of us. Then he & Safana went up, Safan protected by invisibility & Hidden in Shadow/Moving Silently. She threw a Potion of Explosions in their midst & Quayle launched his Necklace of Missiles for a ‘two-fer’.
SURPRISE ASSAULT ON THE IRON THRONE!
Sure enough the Iron Thrown leaders came pouring down the stairs, still smoking literally & figuratively into our waiting ambush fronted by Shar-Teel, Kagain and I w/Viconia back a bit where she could use spells. It was a mess & it wasn’t long before both Safana & Quayle, who’d already taken damage upstairs were out of the fight. Kagain lost his invisibility & tried to get away but only made it a ways up the hall before he was cut down. Shar-Teel, Viconia & I were still invisible & moved across to the other staircase & down to the 3rd. Before she went down, Viconia cast Animate Dead from off to the side which occupied them a while. Downstairs, I quaffed a Potion of Fire Giant Strength, Shar-Teel Frost Giant & Viconia Strength. Then I quaffed an unidentified Potion of Magic Shielding (or Protection) not sure which & headed upstairs. Shar-Teel had scouted them Invisibly & knew that there were four of them to deal w/up there.
I headed up the stairs & had the girls wait, w/my enchanted Plate Armor, Magic Protection, Girdle of Bluntness and Boots of Avoidance & having just increased my Dexterity to 19 w/the Manual of Dexterity, I felt I could get in & do some damage to the four up there. One of them was waiting @ the top of the stairs & I cut him down quickly. Then I could see another & when the other two I expected didn’t move to his aid from around the corner I charged & took Magic Missiles in the chops…& again. Somewhere in there I quaffed two Elixirs of Health & once I got to him I cut him down quickly too. Shar-Teel, Viconia & I were barely scarred even though my other servants were dead. We three survivors looked everywhere for more Iron throne, expecting at least two but even up on the fifth level, aside for a single Rogue they were not to be found.
SEARCHING FOR ENEMY SURVIVORS AFTER THE FIRST ASSAULT
We collected articles from each of our dead & left the compound in a rush to find a priest, raise my dead, heal them w/the priests services, buy Potions of Healing & Elixirs of Health & get back before the Iron Throne could regroup. I wanted my servant’s equipment back & I wanted to loot off the carcasses of my victims. It took a while but we made it to the Temple of Helm & being a joint run by a human, gold talks so I was able to get everything I wanted & then make tracks back to the Iron Throne. As soon as we got in the door, the missing Iron Throne leaders were waiting on the first floor as they’d been surveying the damage. I cast Horror & that sent them all reeling. Quayle started casting Blindness @ one right after the other, including a couple of Doppelgangers. In a word we smashed them mercilessly & collected a bunch of loot.
RETURN TO MOP UP THE IRON THRONE SURVIVORS
MISSION COMPLETE!
After some time to reorganize, rest, sell loot, identify enchanted items, I led them to Duke Eltan & got my reward. He immediately asked us to go to Candlekeep since I’d told him we’d find Rielter there. I hit the Priest of Oghma first, bought all his Potions of Healing, 10 Elixirs of Health & a 2nd raise dead Scroll for Viconia. Then it was off to the Candlekeep Inn where I sit right now, Shar-Teel sleeping in our bed. Before she drifted off she was telling me she wanted to get away from the Fist & move somewhere safe, like Calimsham – she says w/our good sword arms we can do very well in the slave trade there. She likes Kagain okay but she’s ready to dump the others. She is VERY jealous of Viconia I just found out. I told her I needed to finish my current quest first & she agreed but she’s ready to move on.
I dreamt that night. Once again, I heard from that ‘other’ power pulling @ me & it granted me Vampiric Touch. My Overlord, not to be outdone, visited me on the heels of the first dream & reminded me that my soul belongs to her Mistress, & that I need not go anywhere or do anything unless she directs me to do so. The Type V Demoness asked me if I really think I got an audience w/Duke Eltan on my own volition. No, that too was part of her Mistress’ plan for me. She made a point of telling me that every power I had was a blessing from her Mistress & could be instantly removed for any failure or lapse in loyalty.
Treasure of Note: Ring of Free Action (Shar-Teel), Plate Mail (Kagain); Halberd +1 (sold); An as yet Unidentified Cloak – looks like Protection +2 (TBD); Potions also unidentified (Oil of Fiery Burning?); Some good 2nd Level Scrolls (Stinking Cloud, Ghoul Touch, etc (Quayle)
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Candlekeep Inn
SHAR-TEEL MAKING IT CLEAR THAT VICONIA NEEDS TO GO - GLAD I DIDN'T SUGGEST THE THREESOME!
Next Steps: Headed into the Library tomorrow
Level Up: Shar-Teel is now a Chevalier (Fighter/7); Viconia was blessed by Shar & is now a Lama (Cleric/7) & chose Cause Serious Wounds & Mental Domination to add to her previous divine repertoire.
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//6, F/P/Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WS; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Zhalimar Cloudwulfe)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/F/P/Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w/RoFAction (2HWS***)(Ramazith)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/S/Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'L ALREADY PAYING FOR MY SINS. UGH! GIVE IT A REST WOMAN!!
After a night @ the Inn & a trip around Candlekeep, selling what I could etc., I went into the Library. I had Safana pick up every scroll we could find for my weakling mage Quayle to cast from – Shar-Teel is right about him, he’s the weak link & he’s on borrowed time now but I need to replace him before I kill him. On the third floor of the Library I found Rielter in the open surrounded by three others. He tried to bully me & I said I’d leave… before setting up an ambush. Viconia discreetly cast Silence 15’ Radius amongst them while Safana slipped, Hidden in Shadow, to the back of the room they were in. Quayle cast a Fireball right in the middle of the table while I cast Horror. Rielter, the wuss, broke right then & there & Safana moved in from Shadow to finish him w/a backstab. Shar-Teel & Kagain started kickin’ tail & Viconia moved in w/Spiritual Hammer. They were dead in short order.
WELL, THAT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT. IS THERE A WORTHY FOE IN FAERUN?
I was arrested in short order, along w/my followers & placed in a cell even I didn’t know existed. Tethtoril came down & freed me by teleporting me into the catacombs below – the tombs really. It was a goldmine of equipment to power my efforts. There were traps, spiders, Ghasts & Doppelgangers galore but Safana handled the traps w/a Potion of Clarity & we had little trouble from the monsters we encountered in the tomb area. There was another area, almost like ab old banquet hall, again that I’d never known about in all my years. This place was chalk full of Doppelgangers & some Skeletons w/Composite Long Bows. Unfortunately, here after a rest back in the library, Safana’s Potion of Clarity had worn off. She found traps around the banquet floor but could not disarm them so I had to walk around them, hoping there weren’t some she didn’t detect, to get to the Skeleton’s & keep them from pelting me w/arrows.
THIS WAS A DECENT FIGHT W/A GREATER DOPPLEGANGER & SOME LIL' DOPPLEGANGER'S
Key Event: I ended up in some caves down a hallway off of the banquet area or whatever it was. Shortly after entering the caves, my folks & I ended up in a battle w/some decently stout customers. Not too stout, mind you, but tougher than that wuss Rielter. Quayle fired off a Stinking Cloud from a scroll & it was very effective, including knocking my butt out @ one point. One of the enemy let fly a freakin’ Lightning Bolt in a cave, I just never get over the stupidity of that. It killed Quayle but the rest of us were fine. We separated w/Viconia & Safana goin’ around one side to flank the enemy while She-Bear, Kagain & I waded into the Stinking Cloud to kick butt. We did.
THESE GUYS MADE ME SWEAT A MOMENT - EVEN HAD TO THINK ONCE OR TWICE
We found a way out that let us out beside Candlekeep but not before I had a tussle w/two huge Basilisks. As soon as we saw them, luckily they didn’t see us, I pushed everyone back b/c w/Quayle dead we couldn’t use our Protection from Petrification scrolls. I quaffed a Potion of Mirrored Eyes & then beat them senseless – just before the potion wore off.
BASILISKS ARE NERVE WRACKING - NEVER KNOW WHEN THE MIRRORED EYES IS GONNA WEAR OFF
I headed to Beregost to raise Quayle, identify a bunch of enchanted items, sell tons of gems & get organized for whatever is next…which I now know is to lie low for a while in the south near Amn.
That night I dreamt again, the first power coming to me in a dream & granting me Vampiric Touch yet again & warning me that the path I have chosen was not the one Gorion would have chosen for me & is not one that makes my journey easier...
...but that dream was quickly blown away as a feather in the wind because….
FINALLY! I saw clearly whom it is I serve. All the former Demoness' were only the cover & the title page. Now I've seen the true story that goes on forever. I've seen HER in her statuesque beauty, her sardonic smile on ruby red lips, curved horns from her brow holding back her long dark hair, eyes smoldering w/dangerous sensuality, large leathery wings stretching from her back laced w/razor like claws & a sinuous tail ending in a thin curved spike. Her revealing gown of diaphanous silk & razor studded leather straps & a glittering, sparkling scourge made w/fine adamantine spiked chains. My Demoness Lord, ruler of all that is hedonistic. I am hers, my soul is hers for eternity. Her otherworldly beauty I crave with all that I am & my sword is hers alone on this plane so that one day I can serve her in hers. When she came to me in my dream I saw her in HER realm, Shendilavri, layer 570 of the abyss. I desired to be there with her, to serve in even the most menial way, as a slave if that is her plan for me. It matters not. Where she leads me, I will follow w/o question to the death if she demands it…
MALCANTHET, Demon Queen of the Succubi!1
Treasure of Note: Robe of the Neutral Arch-Magi (Quayle); Gauntlets of Weapons Expertise (Me), handed off my Gauntlets of Weapons Skill to Shar-Teel; Cloak of Protection +2 (Shar-Teel); Ring of Protecton +1 (Viconia); Manual of Bodily Health* (Me); Tome of Leadership & Influence* (Viconia); Throwing Axe +2 (Kagain); Numerous Potions & Scrolls
*Note: I was hoping for a Manual of Clear Thought to get Safana up to 17 Intelligence so she could dual over to Mage; then I was gonna fire Quayle & sneak into Baldur’s Gate to Hire Skie for Thieving duties; I saw her when I delivered Eddard Silvershield’s Fistula to his mother upon arrival @ Baldur’s Gate – forgot to mention that in last journal
Current Disposition: Hiding in Plain Site in Beregost
Next Steps: l learned during my dream that Malcanthet is @ war w/the Demon Lord Yeenoghu, Demon Lord of Gnolls. She directed that my first act in direct service to her is to attack & completely destroy EVERY living thing in a Gnoll Fortress in the SW corner of the Sword Coast. She has learned from her spies that Yeenoghue is trying to gain a foothold to begin to work toward his desire to see the prosperity of his people, the Gnolls. Malcanthet not only wants every living thing in the stronghold destroyed - she further expects me to destroy any Gnoll, anywhere, anytime w/o hesitation.
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//6, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail & Cloak of Protection +2/ 2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction
(2HWS***)(Ramazith)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail w/RoP +1, Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe +2 ***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w RoP +1 &S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7 w/ Robe of the Neutral Arch-Magi, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)
Why the extra set of plate mail for Kagain? Answer, Hard Times Mod. You can end up naked as a jaybird in no time flat - supposed to simulate the weakened ore from the Nashkel MInes. Plate Armor seems safe but chain, splint and Plate Mail, non-magical weapons, all can fall apart so having extras - see Shar-Teel loaded w/Long Swords. As soon as you find an enchanted weapon you're safe. Need one more enchanted B/Axe for kagain & I can quit luggin' B/Axes & Throwing Axes all over - heavy & take up room. Same w/She-Bear (Shar-Teel) - once I find a magiv Long Sword, two actually I'm in the clear w/her.
Unfortunately, w/the Randomiser mod, I have no clue where they are. CKT
I got there by way of that Xvart Village but I didn’t raid it, & then Bear River, but I didn’t hesitate there either. I was on a mission for my Queen & it wasn’t in either one of those places. Mine was a crusade to search, destroy & decimate! I did so & as I did so my Queen’s hatred for Yeenoghu & his Gnolls filled my being & I sliced thru them w/a rage I’ve never felt in this life. I will kill every Gnoll or Gnoll like Creature I can find, Flinds, etc. w/o hesitation. I am sworn to kill them all long as I walk this land.
Key Event: As key events go, it really wasn’t much to write about. I found the Gnoll Chieftain & about 25 Gnolls, including his Elite Bodyguards on the second level of the strongholds walls. I killed them side by side w/Shar-Teel & Kagain while the others provided ranged support w/sling stones, darts & a spell or two. This was easy treasure but not much of it. Still, knowing that I was honored to strike a blow for my Queen against her sworn enemy is payment enough.
KILLING THE GNOLL CHIEFTAIN & HIS ELITES, ETC.
As directed, I destroyed every living thing, searching out within to destroy the females & the young. When I walked back across the bridge, I’d only been there a few hours. I feel her presence filling me w/a hatred I have not known yet…& I yearn for more knowledge of her perfect Chaos & Evil in its purest form.
DECIMATED AS DIRECTED!
One thing though, I counted only about 50 Gnolls in the Stronghold w/a Chieftain accompanied by his Elite Bodyguards, Veterans & Slasher’s. A Chieftain of that level would normally have at least 100 male Gnolls, 5-20 of them Elites. There must be more of them somewhere, likely on a raid. Living in Candlekeep, I was always interested in various humanoids & had ample opportunity to read about their societal makeup, their habits, tendencies etc. Gnolls I know particularly well.
Treasure of Note: None really, some minor gems. I purchased a Short Sword +1 & Darts +1 x20 for Safana from a Merchant @ the Nashkel Carnival. Oh, I walked in on a ‘mage fight’ @ the carnival & I killed one mage just after he’d finished the other. They had a couple of scrolls & some potions we snatched up.
Current Disposition: Resting, selling & organizing treasure @ the Nashkel Carnival
THE MORE BLOOD WE SPILL, THE BETTER MY NIGHTS ARE! MY QUEEN HAS PROVIDED FOR ME IN EVERY WAY!
Next Steps: My senses lead me to a place I know of, Fisherman’s Lake. It’s about midway between Beregost & the Gnoll Stronghold that I just decimated for my Queen. I’ve never been there before but I will know, I think, when I get there why I feel I am supposed to go there.
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 6 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//6, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness,
Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring)
(Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction
(2HWS***)(Ramazith)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart +1, Wounding*, S/Swd +1* & Dgr* (Davaeorn)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)
I KNEW THERE MUST BE MORE GNOLLS SOMEWHERE...
...& NOW THEY'RE SACRIFICED TO MALCANTHET, MY QUEEN.
A short time later, I came upon six additional Gnoll Elites, which act as the personal guard of a Gnoll Chieftain. I smashed them quickly, w/a fury that I can only attribute to me ruthlessly beautiful Queen. With them dead, I’ve wiped out essentially all of the Gnolls that belonged to the band that had taken up in that fortress & I hope that my Queen is happy w/the Gnoll sacrifices I’ve made as she demanded.
The only other encounter near the lake was w/three Bandits. These were not to typical thugs in Leather Armor/w/Short Bow & Long Sword though. One was obviously a mage, one I’m guessing was a knight of some kind & the third was a Chill Hobgoblin. Viconia cast Command & the mage hit the turf. Kagain, being set to Spellcaster Attack AI, was on her in a heartbeat & she was the first of them to depart Faerun for whatever fate awaits her in the afterlife. The knight was no problem. I attacked him as did Shar-Teel & he was a pushover. I can’t even remember what happened to kill the Chill (ha, maybe I should go into poetry. But then for what? Shar-Teel isn’t the poetry type) but the Hobgoblin was dead when all was said & done. This fight lasted maybe forty seconds, a minute tops.
BANDIT'S NEED TO LEARN THAT IT IS I WHO DESTROYED THEIR CAMP IN THE WOOD OF THE SHARP TEETH!
As I was walking along it occurred to me that I read in one of the tomes in Candlekeep, I think it was Fiendish Codex I, Hordes of the Abyss,1 that Yeenoghu has subjugated Doresain, Demon King of the Ghouls, who rules layer 421 of the Abyss, The White Kingdom. As a vassal & sworn ally of Yeenoghu, Doresain’s Ghouls & Ghasts are necessarily enemies of my Queen & are surely used when he raids Shednilavri, just the same his armies of Gnolls & Flinds are. Therefore, Ghouls & Ghasts are 2nd only to Gnolls on my list of enemies & they, too, will be sacrificed on sight. I recall that Doresain once served Orcus, Prince of the Undead but Yeenoghu took advantage of Orcus’ war w/Demogorgon & Graz’zt to snatch Doresain’s allegiance.
Treasure of Note: None
Current Disposition: I had to sell the loot so I came on up to Beregost & we’re @ the Red Sheaf.
I REALLY NEED TO TRY & GET SOME SLEEP TONIGHT
Next Steps: I’ve had no dreams to direct me anywhere in particular. I’m inclined to go to that fraud, Kelddath Ormlyr, who keeps mentioning some ‘madman Bassilus’ & I’m curious. Devoid of any other direction, I think I’ll look into that.
Level Up: My Queen has raised her servant to a Dastard (Anti-Paladin/7). I still carry the worldly mantle, Fallen Paladin, but Malcanthet has ensured that that mantle is in name only. I have all the powers I would have & the added benefit of those provided from that other power than my Queen’s surrogate Demoness’ ensured me she is using for HER glory also, i.e., two each of Larloch’s Minor Drain, Horror & Vampiric Touch. In addition, she granted me two spells from her own Enchantment sphere, Charm Person & Chaos.
Current Party: (Reputation: 6 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness,
Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring)
(Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction
(2HWS***)(Ramazith)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Caster Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
1 Fiendish Codex I, Hordes of the Abyss, Ed Stark, James Jacobs & Erik Mona, © Wizards of the Coast, 2006
Key Event: I fell upon Bassilus within only an hour or so in the Red Canyon’s. We arrived & ran into two wolves before I began to lead my subordinates in a clockwise reconnaissance around the canyons in search of this mad cleric. Almost immediately a little brat came up saying he’s just been spying on Bassilus. I had Safana recon ahead Hidden in Shadow. She returned to inform me that she saw what appeared to be Bassilus surrounded by a dozen or so Skeleton’s w/Heavy Crossbows & Two-Handed Swords & a couple of Zombies too. I decided to have Viconia Bless us all w/the power of her Goddess while Quayle pulled out a Web scroll & cast it, from range, in to the area where they were centered. At the same time, Shar-teel moved up & tossed an Oil of Fiery Burning in the same location. The Oil of Fiery Burning destroyed every last one of the undead so all I had to deal w/was the Cleric. I don’t know if he ever got to use a spell, it happened so fast. My power, augmented by my subordinates is unmatched & the Cleric was quickly dead. I think Viconia cast Command & then Shar-Teel & I attacked through Quayle’s Web spell, I w/Spider’s Bane & she w/her Ring of Free Action. We never got to him & I’m not sure if a Chromatic orb cast by Quayle, also from a scroll didn’t finish him but I also know that Kagain got to use his Throwing Axe +2 for the first time so that might’a done the trick too. We snatched up the 10 or 12 Heavy Crossbows, the Two-Handed swords, Bassilus’ Holy Symbol of Cyric & a Warhammer +2/+1 Electricity back to Ormlyr for ID & to cash in on my gold.
SAFANA IN SHADOW'S
INITIAL ASSAULT W/SCROLL OF WEB & OIL OF FIERY BURNING
MOVING CLOSE-IN FOR THE KILL
ONE DEAD CLERIC OF CYRUS. PRAISE BE TO MALCANTHET, MY QUEEN!
Then I led us back to clear the canyons. All total, in addition to Bassilus & crew, the canyons gave me opportunity to hack up three Ghouls & two Ghasts as sacrifices for me Queen. I also led in the killing of two more Wolves, two Dire Wolves, a Hobgoblin who called himself the strongest (which immediately ticked Shar-Teel off) & his two other Hobgoblins, three Hobgoblin Elites & I seem to recall a half-dozen, maybe eight skeleton’s in there for good measure. After that, it was back to Beregost to sell loot & lighten our load again.
DESTROYING GHOULS FOR MY QUEEN
As I was walking back, it occurred to me that my Queen, Malcanthet, had just used me to eliminate the cleric of a rival deity, Cyric. Even when she doesn’t appear to me, she uses me to accomplish her ends here on the Prime material Plane.
Treasure of Note: 5000gp for Bassilus’ Holy Symbol. Warhammer +2 (Kagain). Kagain is not trained w/a Warhammer but of course, aside from Battle Axes Dwarves prefer Warhammer. W/the extra enchantment on this weapon, Kagain will use it as his main weapon & his Battle Axe +1 in his off-hand. Next time he gets a chance he’ll add Warhammer proficiency.
Current Disposition: Restn’ @ the red Sheaf after dumpin’ loot from the Red Canyons
Next Steps: I’ve still had no new visitations from my Queen & I’m curious about the woods around the High Hedge Manor, so unless something changes, I’m gonna mosey on over there tomorrow
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 6 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness,
Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring)
(Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction
(2HWS***)(Ramazith)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Caster Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
I had the supreme pleasure of destroying about a dozen Gnolls, a few of them Veteran’s, & a small pack of three Ghouls.
GNOLL'S, GHOULS, GHASTS, IN THAT ORDER. AS SOON AS I SEEM THEM, I'M @ A RUN TO ENGAGE & DESTROY!
Key Event: None really to speak of. I had an encounter w/four Gnolls. Usually Gnolls only carry Halberds so when I saw one that had a Short Sword too, it reminded me of a story I’d heard, seeing as a Short Sword is only big enough to get the toe-jam out of a Gnoll. Seems a little runt of a Gnome in the Red Sheaf, where I usually stay when in Beregost, is always going on about how some dog-headed creatures had stolen his short-sword. I asked Shar-Teel to set the sword aside & we’d take it to the little runt next time we were there. Sure enough, I got 50 gold out of it from him - as opposed to the standard 2 gold.
50 GOLD FOR A SHORT SWORD & A SACRIFICE TO MY QUEEN MALCANTHET!
Treasure of Note: None at all
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf & dumping loot in Beregost @ the Thunderhammer & Feldepost
Next Steps: Having no direct leading from my Queen, I feel like heading over to the Shipwreck's Coast, & then working my way southward to Bear River.
Level Up: Zilcho, Nada, Zero, Nyet…
Current Party: (Reputation: 6 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness,
Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring)
(Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction
(2HWS***)(Ramazith)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Caster Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
After a battle w/a pack of three Ghouls &, before that, two Wolves, I had an encounter w/a Nereid which slowed things a bit. I’m walking along & suddenly this totally nude Nereid comes up to Safana who, in general, is my spokesman. The Nereid asked for help which I wasn’t interested in providing but then she insists on kissing Safana. My curiosity in seeing what that led to was quickly erased when Safana fell dead. Immediately, Viconia dropped the Nereid w/a Command & Shar-Teel was on her w/her Long swords in a second. The Nereid recovered & begged for mercy but my subordinates were pissed & weren’t hearing it. They killed her & we returned to the fraud @ the Temple of the Morning & utilized his services to return Safana to us. (NOTE TO SELF: WAKE UP IRONSIDE! Viconia has three Raise Dead Scrolls – don’t spend 800 GPs to get someone raised again until all three have been used!!)
PACK OF GHOULS
PACK OF GHOULS W/PET WOLVES
When I returned to the Shipwreck’s Coast, I stumbled on another pack of three Ghouls with two pet Wolves, which I crushed easily. After that I fought about six Carrion Crawlers, in two separate battles & recovered a ring for some goofy Gnome. I checked the ring out before I returned it to him but it was cursed. He gave me an Oil of Fiery Burning for my trouble.
Key Event: Suddenly I stumble on a convention of big oaf’s right there on the shore. I think there were three Ogres, three or four Half-Ogres & a bunch of Ogrillons. As usual, Shar-Teel & Kagain were dual-wielding on the big, goofy morons in an instant. Viconia cast Spiritual Hammer @ one point, not sure if she was slinging stones or what before that. Safana laid back & fired darts @ ‘em one @ a time while Quayle kicked into another gear for once. He started by using a Scroll of Lightning Bolt & killed one of ‘em instantly. Then he pulled out a Scroll of Agannazar’s Scorcher & used it, trying to be careful. That’s another one like Lightning Bolt that you have to be careful w/. Just as the Lightning Bolt he cast bounced back & came close to injuring or killing multiple party members (luckily they all avoided the bounce back) so Agannazar’s Scorcher burned both Shar-Teel & Kagain who were already beaten & bruised pretty good from the fight. We ended up beating & killing the ‘loafs of oaf’s’ & were fortunate that some healing philanthropist was standing by & offered to heal both Shar-Teel & Kagain. We let him do his thing, checked out a couple of other places we hadn’t checked out yet & we were headed back to Beregost to cash in our loot before going back to my camp in the Wood of Sharp Teeth to get some of our equipment that we needed & to let Quayle sort thru his scrolls.
OGRE'S, HALF-OGRE'S, OGRILLON'S @ AN IDIOT CONVENTION ON THE COAST!
Three things. First, I’ve got this thing down to where I can lay back in the majority of battles & let Shar-Teel & Kagain do the heavy lifting up front while Viconia & Quayle use spells before switching to ranged weapons. Safana is getting really good @ immediately flanking the fight Hidden in Shadow & then back-stabbing enemies ruthlessly. I just sit back & let ‘em do their thing, casting a well-placed spell here & there & then moving in once the outcome is already settled. Then I’m standing there knee deep in dead & bloodied enemies w/o having actually subjected myself to danger. Of course, if a battle does get tough, the enemy seems to get complacent thinking they’re getting the upper hand having no idea that they’re expending all they have against my subordinates & having no knowledge that the most powerful of all, Ironside, is standing back waiting to pummel them as soon as they start to relax, thinking they’ve won. Ha-ha. I know my Queen is proud b/c I know she is the one that is teaching me.
Second, I need to assassinate that witch Officer Vai of the FF. She keeps hassling me every time I come to Beregost even though I’ve done nothing to her. I’ve had my subordinate’s use Command & Hold Person spells to keep her off us & I’ve kept us from killing her b/c I know we’ll be blamed for her hostility. I think I’m gonna let Safana knock her off next time while @ the same time visiting the fraud priest to level things out a bit.
Third, I really need to find one, or better yet two, enchanted Long Swords for Shar-Teel. She keeps breaking the regular swords, but worse, if I encounter a creature that can only be hit by enchanted weapons, Vampiric Wolves come to mind, she’ll be wading in there, endangering my best fighter w/o any hope of causing any damage to the enemy.
Fourth, I need a Tome of Clear Thought for Safana. I want to redirect her into a dual-classed Mage/Thief. Then I can fire the ‘one track’ Illusionist, Quayle & then sneak back into Baldur’s Gate & hire Skie for the Rogue duties.
Treasure of Note: None to note. Most expensive, Fire Opal Ring
Current Disposition: @ my camp in the Wood of Sharp Teeth (former Bandit Camp)
STRATEGY CONFERENCE @ CAMP IN THE WOOD OF SHARP TEETH
Next Steps: Travel south to the Lighthouse
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 6 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness,
Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring)
(Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction
(2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Caster Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
Key Event: The low-threat environment gave me the chance to see my subordinates in action. I had a conference w/them & we discussed actions on the objective & actions on contact. I ran in to a decent sized band of Hobgoblins, maybe 15, from the Skull Smasher Tribe. Nothing tough here just a chance to watch my subordinates spread out against a foe that was firing poisoned arrows behind a group of foot soldiers. Quayle cast a Mirror Image before switching to Blindness which he started using on the ‘Bow-Goblins’. Viconia cast Hold Person in the middle of the tribe & sent about four of them into ‘la-la’ land & I followed that w/Horror which added to the Hobgoblin confusion. Meanwhile, Shar-Teel & Kagain were doing what they do & Safana was firing off Darts. I like this tactic so when we’re fighting something that can kick-butt they’ll all know what to do on contact.
SOME TACTICS TRAINING
Treasure of Note: None to mention
Current Disposition: In Beregost lightning our load & getting some rest
Next Steps: Continue South to Archaeological Site
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 7 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/RoP +1 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the
Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Caster Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
GNOLL CHIEFTAIN, FLIND, GNOLL ELITES, GNOLL VETERANS
DEAD GNOLL'S. NOW FOR THE SACRIFICE.
Key Event: We’d heard in Nashkel when we visited the Nalin @ the Temple of Helm about some captain of their guard that was wanted for heinous deeds. Imagine my luck in finding him knee deep in devastated caravan. He plied me w/some riddle that I easily answered & then pummeled him anyway. Viconia cast Hold Person, I think, & I used Horror, & that messed him up & sent him wandering aimlessly. He had a woman there defending him, said she was of his blood or something. She panicked & Shar-Teel & Kagain ran her down while I chased this Brage into the Archaeological Site where I killed him. He ended up having a cursed Two-Handed Sword +3 but b/c of the curse it only brought me 500 gold.
PICKIN' UP A BOUNTY
I questioned the archaeologist but obviously he didn’t like my responses. He tried to turn his workmen on me so I just murdered them all. I kinda wished I’d have been able to get in the excavation as I figure there might have been some enchanted items or treasure in there. Guess I’ll never know…but neither will Charleston Nib.
After a run-in w/a mouthy Hobgoblin w/some Kobold Commandos, I took the body of Brage to the fat guy @ Nashkel who mistakingly gave me 250 gold that was due some bounty hunter. He was a little pissed but finally gave mw gold for Brage’s body. Then it was time to cash in my loot, rest & get ready ro head back to Bear River. Unfortunately, I can’t use the Nashkel Store b/c, Safana when she was first learning to pickpocket tried to pickpocket the proprietor & messed it up.
MOUTHY HOBGOBLIN, REALLY A FLY IN THE OINTMENT.
Treasure of Note: Small Shield +1 (Viconia); Two-Handed Sword +3, Cursed Berserking (sold)
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf in Beregost
Next Steps: Preparing for an excursion into Bear River
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 7 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the
Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//6 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr
Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
PALADIN CHALLENGES ME?
Key Event: I was further accosted by a Bandit & five Chill Hobgoblin in the woods of Bear River. Shar-Teel blasted the Hobgoblins w/a Potion of Explosions so that all but one was dead leaving, what did he call himself, the fairest of the bandits or something queer like that? Shar-Teel & Kagain beat to poop out of him & I finished him w/a Cause Serious Wounds. He came w/one of the two enchanted Long swords I’ve been hoping to find.
CHALLENGED BY THE FAIREST OF THE BANDITS!
Treasure of Note: Long Sword +1 (for my woman!); Now I just need one more & she a Kagain w/be attacking as Masters w/TWS & dual enchanted weapons.
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Nashkel Inn; we did pass thru Beregost & assassinate Officer Vai ob the way to the Wood of the Sharp Teeth & back
Next Steps: Attack the Xvart Village
Level Up: Kagain was promoted to Fighter/Berserker/7; my entire party is now level 7
Current Party: (Reputation: 7 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the
Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr
Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//7 w/S/Leather, Dart*, S/Swd* & Dgr* (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
SHOOTING XVARTS IN A BARRELL - HA-HA!
Key Event: After shootin’ the Xvarts in a barrel, I decided to finish reconnoitering the area & move on to the Dryad Falls east of here. While wandering the wilderness we were approached by a guy selling magic potions etc. I did the math & there was one of him so I told him I thought it better we just take them from him by force. He tried to put up a fight & appeared to be a Mage Dual-Class of some kind. He cast what I think was a Mirror Image to start things off. We countered w/me casting Chaos, Jaheira casting Silence 15’ Radius, Quayle Blindness (Quayle was right in front of him & after he cast the spell he took off to gain some space). Kagain went Berserk & then tore into him as did Shar-teel I(both S/caster Atk AI now). After he’d been beat pretty good I cast w/Cause Serious Wounds but Kagian & Shar-Teel one-two'd him back to back & killed him before I could lay hands on him and he died. He had some loot too.
KILLING THE POTION SALESMAN w/O A SCRATCH!!
Treasure of Note: Short sword +1 (Safana); Mithril Ring (sold), Scrolls Fireball, Web (two protection scrolls n/Identified yet), Potion of Fire Resistance
Current Disposition: Resting, organizing @ the Wood of Sharp Teeth
Next Steps: Dryad Fall
Level Up: Safana heard from heard Thieves’ Guild that she is now a Magsman (Thief/8) & has increased her Thieving Proficiencies O/Locks & P/Pockets 60%; F/Traps, H/Shadows, M/Silently 55%;
Current Party: (Reputation: 7 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the
Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr
Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1 (x34 etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
On arrival I found Dryad Falls a painfully boring really. While there I counted among my victims two Dread Wolves, a Dire Wolf, six Winter Wolves & four Cave Bears.
SHAR-TEEL! AN ACQUIRED TASTE THAT KEEPS ME ENTERTAINED BY NIGHT & SWINGS TWO MEAN LONG SWORDS!
Key Event: There really was no ‘key event’ to speak of. I ran into a Dryad, who begged me to help her w/two goofy oafs who were threatening to cut down a tree they thought might be full of riches. My plan was to let them do most of the work, offering Kagain to help out & see if there was anything in the tree. If so, I’d kill them & the Dryad & take it for the glory of Malcanthet. When the Dryad figured out my plan she turned hostile. You should’a seen those first two goofy bastards run, they were in Baldur’s Gate before I blinked. So I killed the Dryad but think I should killed the two goof balls first as one of ‘em might‘a had something worthwhile.
GENTLE WOOD SPIRIT MY BUTT. GOOD FOR NOTHING BUT THE END OF MY BLADE.
Just as I was getting ready to leave a four Gnolls approached Shar-Teel demanding money to pass. Needless to say, we stopped after I killed them & I built a make shift alter to Malcanthet, where I prepared their bodies & sacrificed them to her glory.
MALCANTHET LIKES 'EM DEAD WHEN I SACRIFICE THEM SO I GET THE JOY OF KILLING THEM FIRST!
Not welcome at the store in Nashkel, I decided to go to the Nashkel Carnival. I decided to see what was in the woods there & ended up bagging 15 Kobolds running around north the carnival. Then I went to the carnival where I’ve never been hassled before & I was talking to a merchant one of us touched something on one of his tables, next thing I know the blow-hard is hollering for the Amnish Guard. We weren’t even going to take anything so I just left & had Viconia cast a Hold Person on him the guard since Quayle was outta Blindness spells – he keeps four memorized.
I evaded the guard & went to the wagon area where the Potions Merchant & Magic Weapons Merchant locate themselves. I spent the night there, as I have many times, after unloading everything but the six Winter Wolf pelts that the guy in Nashkel wanted. Oh well, I’m sure I get unload them in Beregost in a few days before I go to Fireleaf Forest.
Before I left, Nashkel Carnival, I popped my head in a gambling tent & some guy tried to pickpochket me! Said his name was Vitiare. I stress his name was Vitiare & he was good for some gold & a Potion of Master Thievery.
VITIARE HUH? SAFANA WOULD BE YOUR GUILDMASTER...BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU'RE DEAD NOW ANYWAY!
I checked out another tent where some guy was just standing there, I guess waiting for me to approach him. Instead, I had Quayle cast Blindness on him & Safana quaff a Potion of Mastery Thievery & pick the lock on that big ole chest he was standing beside. I picked up some gold, a Potion of Invulnerability,a Potion of Healing & another, I can’t remember. Even w/that, he started screaming & I knew the guards would be there soon so I headed west on the road that leads to Nashkel. Clean break.
Treasure of Note: Maybe the Winter Wolf Pelts or the Potion of Invulnerability, nothing really though
Current Disposition: Resting, resupplying @ the Nashkel Carnival
Next Steps: Headed to the Fire Leaf Forest. Have heard no sign from my Queen so I continue to think I am where she would have me now, laying low in the south while the FF look for me. I seem to be able to get into Beregost with no trouble
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked) (killing Dryads is kinda like killing Paladin’s in the eyes of this warped society we endure in this life. Bring on the abyss my Queen, when it pleases you to bring me into your presence.
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the
Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr
Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1 (x34 etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
SORTING THRU SCROLLS & PLANNING FURTHER DESTRUCTION
So it was down to the Fireleaf Forest, in keeping w/staying far south of Baldur’s Gate & the FF. I remain confident that my actions are in keeping w/Malcanthet’s desire for me now & so I keep going. I’ve added some enchanted items, mostly to those w/i my party to strengthen those who protect me. After killing two Worgs I came around a large hill & ran into two knuckleheads named Vax & Zal. Vax told us that Zal was the fastest dart thrower in Faerun or something & that he was angry b/c they’d not been able to rob many people today. I (& my subordinates obliterated the two of them in roughly a minute.
SOMETIMES I WISH SOME OF THESE MOUTHY ONES HAD A LITTLE BUTT BEHIND THEIR TALK
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD NIGHT
Key Event: I guess the key event in this exploration was a run in w/a trio of Amnish Mercenaries, led by a mouthy wench who called her partners, Alexander and Delgod. We’d been working on a formation that put Safana up front Hidden in Shadow. The idea being when she spots enemy, she raises her hand & we halt to give us time to set up & decide what to do based on what her situation report dictates. This report is supposed to include size (# = how many & S (Kobold),M (human) L ((Ogre); activity (what are they doing); location (where exactly are they); unit type (i.e. FF, BTE, mage types), equipment (type weapons). She pulled it off perfectly & Viconia started casting Hold Person, Quayle Blindness on one of the two men, both Archers, while the wench came right @ me as I was trying to cast Horror. I pulled out Spiders Bane as Kagain & Shar-Teel came up beside me to help. We murdered the three of them but Safana got caught up front when her ‘Hidden in Shadow’ faded and one of the guys w/bow killed her so I returned to have her raised. She is integral to my team - & I’d still like to sneak off w/her one night/day when Shar-Teel’s not looking.
LIKE I SAID, WILL THE MOUTHY ONES EVER BACK UP THEIR BOASTING?
Aside from those two, I led my subordinates to victory over eight Skeleton’s w/Composite Longbows, three weird humanoids: a Kobold, a Xvart, & a Tasloi. One of them had a scroll on him that was too Ironside & signed by Larry, Darryl & Darryl which netted 25 gold in Beregost. In addition, I led us to kill six Xvarts, three Kobolds & some dog.
IT CAN GET KINKY SOMETIMES TOO...BUT AS A SERVANT OF MALCANTHET ALL IS ACCEPTABLE & THEN SOME!!!
Treasure of Note: Boots of Grounding (Shar-Teel); Girdle of Piercing (Kagain);
Current Disposition: Resting in my room w/Shar-Teel @ the Nashkel Inn
Next Steps: Gibberling Mountains
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 w/Boots of Grounding /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1 & Girdle of Piercing; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword
Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1 (x34 etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
Oh well, this is where I post, so I'll keep it going. Here's Ironside's latest.
I swatted through around 30 Gibberling’s, two Winter Wolves & a pack of Wild Dogs. Some dirty woman wandering in the wilderness asked me to help her ‘friend’ who was lying sick on the ground. I had Safana help herself to his Long Sword & a gem or two that were in her pocket instead.
MALCANTHET WOULD DESPISE A SACRIFICE AS LOWLY AS THESE
Key Event: It’s pretty bad when the highlight of an adventure is when your rogue finds somethin’ hidden in the cracks of a cliff side. Sure enough, Safana has that skill where she detects hidden doors & it works sometimes like it did in the GMs. Suddenly, she just stopped, walked over to a cliff, said something looked out of place. She reached in & came out w/a Dropside Gym, a Lol Gym & a pair of Bracer’s of Defense AC8.
.
Treasure of Note: Bracer’s of Defense AC8 (sold for 600 gold in Beregost)
Current Disposition: Camping @ the Nashkel Carnival near the wagons of the Potion Merchant & the Magic Weapons Merchant.
Next Steps: Valley of the Tombs
Level Up: Really? Here? I think we lost experience going to the Gibberling Mountains.
Current Party: (Reputation: 5 - Disliked)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 w/Boots of Grounding /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1 & Girdle of Piercing; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword
Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1 (x34 etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
Key Event: After a pack of Wild Dogs, my subordinates & I walked headlong into a group of Amazon Assassin’s. One started casting a spell before I even knew there were four total. I opted to use one of my Scrolls of Magic Protection, Shar-Teel quaffed a Potion of Magic Shielding & Kagain went Enraged which seems to protect him from the average spell. Viconia cast Command First, then Doom & maybe Hold Person before wading into the melee w/her Spiritual Hammer which she likes to whip out & charge into the fight in hand. Quayle cast Confusion from a scroll before picking out one enemy @ a time a blanking them w/Blindness. Safana tried to position for a back-stab Hidden in Shadow but they’d seen her & she wasn’t gonna pull that off but she did manage to land a couple of attacks @ the end. We dominated them & only kagain really rook a good blow or two.
ANOTHER MOUTHY CHALLENGER
FIREWORKS BEGIN
PREPPING THE BATTLEFIELD
MIXIN' IT UP IN MELEE
ONE DOWN, THREE TO GO
THREE DOWN & NARY A SCRATCH
PRAISE BE TO MALCANTHET, VICTORY
After a rest for a few hours, I came upon & killed a pack of Wild Dogs & some Skeletons and, later a mage with two Mustard jellies who was working on an experiment to control Jellies & the like. He was so excited talking about it but when I asked about his sharing it w/us he went berserk. I immediately cast Chaos on myself, Shar-Teel quaffed a Potion of Magic Blocking & followed w/Silence 15’ Radius where we last saw the mage who’d become invisible, Kagain went Enraged, Quayle cast Detect Invisibility but then became the dying victim of a Lightning Bolt. I returned to Nashkel but then remembered Viconia could Raise Dead w/one of three scrolls she has. We cleaned things up, sold some loot & moved back to finish up.
A SLIGHT ANNOYANCE
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
From there on out it was hack & slash: two more packs of Wild Dogs, a pack of Worgs, two Ogres, 12 more Skeleton’s guarding a tombs. In the first of the three tombs were three Ghasts & two Skelton’s, quick work. In the second was some undead zombie thing, but stronger, also quick work. In the third was a single Ghast, also now dead.
THE ZOMBIE THING, A REVENANT THEY CALL IT
Treasure of Note: Studded Leather +1 & Darts of Wounding (Safana); Potions unidentified mostly but we know what they are on sight; Dagger +2 (Quayle); Gobs of gems including a Pearly Necklace & a Mithril Ring
Current Disposition: Resting @ the Red Sheaf
Next Steps: it seems the Lonely Peaks; I’d thought of Durlag’s Tower but something, my Queen, is dissuading that now, I don’t know though, maybe it’s time & maybe I’m just a tad too aapprehensive
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 9 - Average) I'm havin' trouble seducing Safana, so I offered enough alms to get her to be more receptive).
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx;
Spiders Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 w/Boots of Grounding /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction,
(2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1 & Girdle of Piercing; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)
(Sword Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Revenant)(AI:
Clc Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1x34, Wdgx11, Stgx3, etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf
Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr +2*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
OGRES, HALF-OGRES, OGRILLONS, EVEN A TRICK BEAR
There were two more Ogres farther south & we roughed them up to, then hit three more as we were finishing up. All dead w/the Two-Handed Swords or Morning Stars & a handful of gold. We killed a couple of Brown Bears & a handful of Xvarts. Some guy was whining about how they we attacking his cow & my first thought was to kill the cow anyway but then Safana made a comment about how great her travelling companion was & suddenly I had flashes of doin’ just enough to get her in the sack when Shar-Teel is snoring one night so I let the cow be.
There was a battle w/a Half-Ogre & four/five of his companions. We beat them senseless & moved on where we found a cave. SOP before entering a cave is for Viconia to Bless or Chant for us or both & she did. It was trapped & there was a single Ettercap in there. Of course, Shar-Teel & I don’t worry about such things & whooped his butt & had Safana check for traps before raiding his treasure.
HALF-OGRE CONVENTION ENDS IN THEIR MASSACRE
Key Event: Really the challenge of the adventure was suddenly running up on two ogre Mages out of the blue. Viconia cast Silence 15’ Radius, Command & then Miscast Magic while Quayle went w/Blindness I guess – not sure. Shar-Teel & I both quaffed Potions of Invulnerability while Kagain just went Enraged. We whooped ‘em good it was just surprising to see them pop up there. In all battles Safan is working on moving around behind Hidden in Shadow to backstab & she is getting better & better especially not that she has two enchanted Short Swords & Dual Weapon Style which she is proficient in. She landed blows here too.
NO MESSIN' W/THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY TWO OF 'EM! WE SMOKED 'EM THOUGH LIKE CHEAP PIPE TOBACCO!
I was TIRED & tryin’ to get out of there when three bandits attacked us. They’re now laying out in the field, food for worms minus their gear.
BANDIT CHALLENGE...
BANDIT CARCASSES FOOD FOR WORMS!
Treasure of Note: A couple of Bloodstone Amulets, an Aquamarine Gym, two Waterstar gyms, a dropside Gym etc...
Current Disposition: @ the Red Sheaf getting ready to spend the night w/Shar-Teel (& check on Safana to make sure she’s ‘okay.’)
Next Steps: Firewine Bridge, Gullykin, Ulcaster
Level Up: None, hopefully will notch up a couple between Firewine Bridge, Gullykin, Ulcaster
Current Party: (Reputation: 9 - Average)(wonder if I can tightrope this rep long enough to bed Safana w/o messin' up w/Shar-Teel - I like to keep it between 5-7 but Safana is much more receptive @ low average).
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, (THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 w/Boots of Grounding /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1 & Girdle of Piercing; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword
Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phase Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1x34, Wdgx11, Stgx3, etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf
Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//7, Dgr +2*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)
Now back to being a real officer/soldier in the early AM guys & gals. Hopefully, I can knock out Firewine Bridge on Tuesday as it looks like I have spousal duties this coming weekend.
Thanks for all the tips & 'thumbs up.' CT
The fact there're no comments doesn't mean there's no attention. Your journey is interesting (as always) and I like to read it. I know myself how hard it is to write about your run, how much time it takes and how much effort.
Your posts just remind me how beatiful the game is!
Moreover, not everyone comes here just as the new post appears - from the history of reactions to the posts in this thread it's clear some people come sooner, some come later and they read several posts and/or even pages and have pleasure.
So, keep up, @CharlestonianTemplar! And so that you don't feel lonely, I summon @Blackraven , @CrevsDaak , @Wanderon , @BelgarathMTH , @Twani , @SapphireIce101 - people who among others have read this thread and/or taken part into minimal reload challenges themselves.
There's a new trend here where people are posting their runs in the general discussion forum, creating their own threads.
@CharlestonianTemplar , on your next run, you might want to try posting it in general. That forum gets the most traffic, and I think you could attract more followers there. I know when I have time to read lately, I check general and off-topic, and that's it. I just don't have time to click on and check a dozen different sub-forums.
I've always enjoyed your military report writing style, since back in the days when we were all posting in the old Bioware forums, and you take very good screen shots. You deserve a bigger reading audience.
I've been mostly busy playing other games...like Skyrim, and Civlization 5. I'll make a note to get back to doing Icewind Dale or playing some BGEE. So then you aren't as lonely in here.
Unlike you, I would have probably gone for Sarevok's head after you annihilated the Iron Throne in Baldur's Gate, but you justify your decisions to "lay low" very well, so your journals remain credible and relevant.
We ascended the hill from the dry river gorge to where the actual school once stood where now are but ruins. Their I encountered six Skeletons w/Composite Longbows, some Kobolds & Kobold Commando’s w/their short bows & Arrows of Fire and best of all, three Ghouls that I was able to kill for my Queen. I’ve still not dreamt of her or heard from her but I sense I am in her will. I was loaded down, as were all of us so we decided to head back but not before we encountered a Wraith named Icharyd & some Kobolds running around him too. I crushed him & snatched his enchanted Flail to sell for loot.
KILLING NASTY GHOULS TO SACRIFICE FOR MY QUEEN MALCANTHET!
On return, the Ulcaster Ruins were infested w/wolves but it was obvious from the carcasses of dead adventurers that the place could be deadly. After killing a Mustard jelly & an Ochre Jelly, oh & a nest of six Huge Spiders it was purely wolf hunting. Safana did a masterful job of keeping me safe from booby traps.
HUGE SPIDERS BUT LITTLE LOOT!
SAFANA KEEPING ME SAFE FROM BOOBY TRAPS!
Key Event: In the end, I ended up leading the killing of four Dread Wolves & a Vampiric Wolf which I guess was the best this dungeon had to offer. In total I killed four other Dread Wolves & four Dire Wolves.
GUESS THIS VAMPIRIC WOLF WAS THE BADDEST DUDE IN THE DUNGEON.
I long to commune w/my beautiful Queen Malcanthet & I pray daily that she will reveal herself to me in her consummate & beautiful, perfect evil & chaos. Still, I march on, next to the Halving Village.
MY QUEEN HAS PROVIDED FOR MY 'MANLY' NEEDS. SHAR-TEEL IS A REAL WOMAN!
Treasure of Note (Gold 18,629) Flail +1 (sold 1000gps); Potions: Hill Giant Strength, Mirrored Eyes, Strength, Oil of Fiery Burning, Genius, etc; numerous gyms including a Sphene Gym
Current Disposition: Resting @ the red Sheaf
Next Steps: To the Town of Gullykin
Level Up: Quayle received a messenger from his Illusionists Guild that he is now a Apparitionist (Illusionist/8). Unfortunately they didn’t send a Scroll of Improved Invisibility so, while he added a fourth Invisibility 10’ Radius, he still has no fourth level spell learned. His Lore has gone up to 31 & that helps ID items tremendously
Current Party: (Reputation: 10 - Average)
Ironside: Ftr/Fallen A-Pal//7, FP Mail +1 w/RoP +1) wBoots/Avoidance, Girdle/Bluntness, Gauntlet’s/WEx; Spiders
Bane**, B/Sword+1/+3 vs SSs**, ha(THWS**); Lord Foreshadows Ring) (Greater Bassilisk)
Shar-Teel: Ftr//7 w/FP Mail w/Clk/P +2 w/Boots of Grounding /2 L/Swords*** w Gauntlet’s/WS & RoFAction, (2HWS***)(Shoal the Nereid)(AI: Std Atk)
Kagain: Ftr/Bkr//7 w/Pl Mail & RoP +1 & Girdle of Piercing; Battle Axe +1 *** (or Throwing Axe***)(2WS***)(Sword
Spider)(AI: Sp/Cstr Atk)
Viconia: Cleric//7, S/Mail RoP +1 w/S/Shield*, Mace*, Slg*; R/Animal Friendship, R/Holiness (Phahad a few se Spider)(AI: Clc
Aggr)
Safana: Thf//8 w/S/Leather, Dart +1x34, Wdgx11, Stgx3, etc.) *, S/Swd +1x2*, Dgr* (2WS) (Davaeorn) (AI: Thf
Adv/Thf Sct)
Quayle: Mage/Ill//8, Dgr +2*, Slg*(Whebber Ott) (AI: Mage Def)
Mods Used: HardTimes-v2; BG1UB_v12; bg1npc-v20; X0black101 (Blackguard); level1npcs-v1.9; bg2_tweaks-v14; Randomizer-v68; scs-v21 (- Tactical Challenges)
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)