Going to post in shorthand form today, rather than narrative journalizing.
-Jaheira got too bossy insisting that we go to the Nashkel mines NOW. Reluctantly dropped Khalid and her, and replaced them with Branwen, and....
-Encountered Dorn just south of Nashkel. Branwen cast Command, Neera cast Sleep, and that was pretty much all she wrote.
-Decided to head back up to the Beregost area and start exploring from there, as I had wanted before Jaheira tried to take over my party.
-Confronted Silke. I interrupted her Mirror Image with my missile wand, Dorn hit her for 20 on a regular hit, battle over. I wonder what this guy does on a critical hit?
_Confronted Karlat. Branwen took him down for one round with Command, Dorn finished him with a regular hit for 20. This is becoming a pattern. DARN, that dude is *strong*!
-Went to High Hedge. Neera cost us most of our gold by failing TWICE to learn Mirror Image. She luckily got it on the third try, since Thalyntyr didn't have any more MIrror Image scrolls. Picked up Gurke's shortsword while we were there.
-Headed southeast looking for Bjornin's ogres. Found Mellicamp, and then Bassilus instead of ogres. Yikes, the party is only first level, but I am trying to do as little metagaming as possible, so I waded in. Decided to rp talking to him, discovered that reminding him of killing his family makes his undead army go poof. Branwen commanded him, Dorn hit him, battle over. Oh yeah, I interrupted his first spell attempt with my missile wand. Yay, me.
We reported to Duke Eltan @ the Flaming Fist Castle. He asked us to continue on the trail of the IT leadership by returning to Candlekeep. We stayed a couple of night’s w/Winthrop & visited the Temple of Oghma for EoH & PoH. Then we headed to the keep.
Key Event:I found Rielter on the 3rd floor where he gruffly rebuffed our intrusion. Despite my veneration for Candlekeep, I elected to battle him & his cohorts then & there. We defeated them easily, even though we realized early on that Minsc was w/o his Bow. After collecting the booty from our victory we headed to the Inn to buy another bow but were, instead, arrested by the Watcher’s for murder. I was imprisoned but Tethtoril freed me shortly believing in my innocence. He teleported me & my followers to the Catacombs.
The Catacombs were treacherous w/traps, Phase Spiders & Ghasts galore. Dy was taken by a Phase Spider early. We almost lost Minsc to Ghasts a short time later. We found a Great Hall filled w/Skeleton’s & Doppelgangers wearing faces of people I know, including Gorion. We did find Arkanis & Deder there & they offered to assist but I’m not sure they were able to. We found a cave leading out of the Catacombs & had a stout fight w/a quartet of bad guys. They knew who we were & came out swingin’ but we were able to defeat them easily, although Imoen took a hard hit or two. We worked our way out from beneath Candlekeep killing Phase Spiders, Wraith & Sword Spiders & 2 Basilisk’s as we did.
I’ll lay low for a while & see what develops. The FF will be looking for me. My plan is to head south where I am well thought of. I’ll let the party rest a while & then we’re going to do some adventuring in the south & work our way north toward Baldur’s Gate & see what happens. I want to explore that valley we found when we exited the Nashkel Mines.
Treasure of note: Tome of Wisdom (Behmen); Batalista’s Passport (Ring of Fire Resistance) ( Minsc); The Spirit of the Shield (Cloak of Protection +2 - Imoen); Wand of Fireballs (Dy)
Current Disposition: Resting, recovering, recuperating & resupplying in Nashkel.
Next Steps: There’s a Carnival in Nashkel. I think it’s time for all of us to share some rest & relaxation.
Level Up: Minsc was promoted to Guide (Ranger/6) & worked on his skill in 2HWS*; Jaheira rose to Initiate of the 4th Circle (Druid/6); Imoen increased her thieving to Sharper (Thief/7) & then laid that aside to begin again as a Mage. She rose quickly to Evoker (Mage/2).
I'll take this opportunity to explain something I do. If you read my 'Level Up' paragraph you'll note I say things like: "Minsc was promoted to 'Guide' (Ranger/6)," or "Jaheira rose to 'Initiate of the 4th Circle' (Druid/6)," or even, "Imoen increased ...to 'Sharper' (Thief/7) & then... to 'Evoker' (Mage/2).
These 'level names' were used in old pen & paper D&D, long before computer D&D. Each level of each class had a name. In some cases, level names from old are actually classes in & of themselves now, e.g. Evoker was a 2nd Level Magic User but now is a class by itself. Or even, 'Swashbuckler' was a 4th Level Fighter but, in BG D&D it's sub-class of thief. My favorite was 'Lord,' the name given to a 9th Level Fighter, b/c @ that level the Fighter attracted a body of ~ 100 men-at-arms led a 'junior Fighter' & could build a castle of his own! How cool was that?
Anyway, I use those 'level names' to take me back to my youth & remember w/nostalgia the fun I had playing the original game.
We went southwest seeking Bjornin's half-ogres. I had thought to hike to the general area and make camp before confronting them, but they ambushed us before we could settle into our campsite. Neera's powerful sleep magic saved us, *again*.
After killing the half-ogres, I decided that we had better head back to Beregost and resupply. On the way back, we brought the chicken Mellicamp to his master, who attempted to restore him, but wound up killing him. How sad.
We returned to Beregost and gave Perdue back his shortsword, finally. We then bought some antidotes and finally got around to clearing Liandrin's house of giant spiders. The antidotes turned out to be unnecessary, as Neera yet again wowed our party by rendering all four giant spiders unconscious as soon as we walked in the door, making them easy to kill. I may have to reconsider my worry that Neera's fear of not being able to control her magic will kill all of us.
We returned Liandrin's belongings to her after a long hike back to the Friendly Arms, and then, over a couple of days, hiked our way back to the southwest of Beregost, where we have made camp, and will resume our explorations tomorrow.
btw- no reloads and no deaths, yet. However, I think I could play early BG in my sleep, with no reloads and no deaths, with any party, so that's not exactly impressive. If I can still say "no reloads" while standing outside the temple of Bhaal about to fight Sarevok, then, that might be something.
@CharlestonianTemplar : Oh, wow, I had forgotten those level names from my 1st edition AD&D days. I remember only that the first level cleric was an "acolyte". Could you post a good link that has those tables from the old AD&D player's handbook from the 1980's?
No update or progress on Saki. Been playing other games like Planescape: Torment, Arcanum, Temple of Elemental Evil, and inheiriting my own raid group on World of Warcraft. (Yay!)
@CharlestonianTemplar, thanks! Those were the good old days! And, a reminder that D&D was originally conceived for about levels 1-15. By level 15, you were presumed to have developed almost godlike power, and anything higher, would just ruin the gameplay by making you fight gods, devils, and superdragons, who would be the only possible source of story conflict against such power. Bringing up the old Superman and kryptonite conundrum for writing believable, immersive stories. Which, is kind of what winds up happening for so-called "epic level" toons.
Update: 041413
-have been working all day on fully exploring and pacifying the region southwest of Beregost and Nashkel, into the Cloudpeaks and beyond.
-suffered my first party death. I failed to take two ogrillons seriously enough, and Dorn was rendered unconscious and critically wounded ("dead"). I was trying to get a Bhaal cure on him, but there were some positioning problems, and I took an extra second trying to get closer to him. That was a critical mistake. I should have had him drink a healing potion after the first hit. Immediately.
-got Dorn raised, made the long trek back to the southwest. Had a very interesting time at the bridges north of the gnoll stronghold, but got through it with no deaths, although, we had to use up all our antidotes against poison hobby arrows.
-suffered my second party death. I have been using my spear as a second-line melee combatant, especially since my avenger druid powers give me very fast leveling, and I have more hitpoints than Dorn currently. So, I thought that Rasaad could also be a second-liner, as I discovered that his kicks work long, from the second line, like my spear.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. One critical hit to the head was all it took fell poor Rasaad into a coma, in critical and dying condition. WHY does that idiot insist that he cannot wear a helmet? We put his dying body with his bleeding head onto a makeshift travois, and we proceded to kill all the gnolls in the fortress, and to rescue a captive woman by the name of Dynaheir.
-We drug Rasaad all the way back to Beregost, and I was angry. Exactly *why* am I bringing this man along into danger? Yes, he can punch and kick and win any unarmed melee fight, and he is wise, and charming, and devoted to Selune. I think he should have been a priest of Selune. Instead, he has opted to fight in combat naked, and with nothing but his fists and feet, a blade he can barely use, and some thrown darts. I believe he might actually be a viable member of my team if he would just *wear a helmet.*
_I realized that Rasaad was always going be a hopeless liability to my team, and would likely get us all killed through his need to be protected, while contributing absolutely nothing in return, so, while I love him dearly, I had no choice but to let him go after I had taken him to the Temple of Lathander to be stabilized and healed.
-I rememberd an elf ranger named Kivan who was camping near Thalyntyr's residence, so, I went back there, and convinced him to join me, in return for a promise that I would help him avenge his wife. I am hoping that he will be able to carry his weight, and defend himself and the rest of us on my team. He has demonstrated exceptional skill with halberd and bow, and he is enormously strong - I would say "superstrong" for his elvish small frame.
It seems wise to stay beyond reach of the FF now & my loyal followers agree. I’m well thought of in Amn & especially Nashkel so the plan is to adventure here in the south keeping my ear to the ground w/respect to matters in BG. Sarevok must be stopped but if I’m imprisoned, or executed, I’ll be of little use to the cause. Adventuring will do 3 things for me & my followers, 1, it will improve our lethality & skill individually & collectively, 2, it’ll allow us to experience combat against a variety of creatures & enemies, & 3, it’ll give me a more thorough feel for the Faerun in general.
We enjoyed a visit to the Carnival. Even there, we had to mop up a few pockets of leftover Kobolds. I expect they’re displaced after we destroyed Mulahey & his operation to taint the ore in the Nashkel Mines. Still more, we walked into a carnival tent & one wizard preparing to kill another. I’ve gotten to where I am quick to close on & melee enemy mages, having learned to trust in my Wizard Slayer skills. We killed him & saved a life… & this is a carnival?
After a break in Nashkel, I took my followers to the area we found when we exited the Nashkel Mines. The place, I’ve now discovered is called the Valley of the Tombs. In keeping w/its name, it was full of tombs & each one was inhabited by undead. We killed all of them w/o much ado although we had a scary moment in one of them when Dy was Held by a Ghast strike but we managed to kill them in time.
KILLING THE REVENANT!
Key Event: We met a wizard that was working on an incantation to control Mustard Jellies & the like. When I mentioned we’d like him to share the spell w/us he became enraged & attacked. I attacked him & took a blast from a lightning bolt & was blindsided by a Mustard Jelly attack. I was slowed by its attack & suddenly found myself close to being able to use one of these recently vacated tombs. I alerted the others to my need for aid, quaffed 2 Elixirs & barely escaped. My team performed exemplarily!
Treasure of note: Knaves Robe (Imoen)
Current Disposition: Basing out of Nashkel while we adventure in the south
Those were the good old days! And, a reminder that D&D was originally conceived for about levels 1-15. By level 15, you were presumed to have developed almost godlike power...
You are so correct. 12th Level was superhuman almost in the World of Greyhawk.
Like I said, the object of the game for me was to get my p&p PC up to 9th Level Fighter (Lord) & see what kind of followers I'd get, e.g. 100 Heavy Cavalry w/ a 7th Level Fighter was primo.
Or, @ 4th Level Paladins would earn their Warhorse (after a small adventure).
In either case, I'd build a castle & that would attract more followers. Then it was like having a feudal town of my own to adventure from.
Great days! I wish someone would take the BG idea & create the old TSR World of Greyhawk (my wife would kill me if they did)!
Whelp, I'm not really getting much playing done today. I've spent a lot of time reading and posting in the forums. In game, I've spent most of today tweaking my party.
On the last entry, I expressed IC that I had dropped Rasaad for Kivan. That decision has been bothering me since the weekend, because I *really* wanted to see Rasaad's extra content.
So, I decided to bite the bullet and just SK the dude into a viable party member.
Keeping with the theme of religion, I made Rasaad a cleric of Lathander. The devs could have made a cool new kit for a cleric of Selune, but, alas, they did what they did. Cleric of Lathander still makes sense with most of his dialogues - at least we're still in the same divine trinity of Lathander, Selune, and Sune, the heirs of Amaunator.
With a viable substitute for Branwen, I was then able to drop Brandy (sorry, dear, you know I love you) and keep Kivan. Now I have a party that stands a chance in the end game.
Will be going to the Nashkel mines next. As it is getting late, I doubt I will finish it tonight. I will probably clear the map around the outside of the mines to see if I can trigger Dorn's business.
Continuing our journey west to east, south of Nashkel we went to the Gibberling Mountains. For the most part, that’s what they were: mountains full of Gibberling’s. Not much there. We killed maybe 50 of them, 20 of them when we tried to camp. We eventually did & were able to move on from there to the Fire Leaf Forest.
The only event of note in the GMs occurred when we came across a sick young man lying out in the open. When we talked w/his companion she told us on Gellana @ the Temple of Wisdom could help him. Go figure. Try to lay low in the south & before you know it you’re braving the roads north to save a life. We were able to do so, unmolested by the FF, & returned quickly south after a night @ the FAI.
The Fire Leaf Forest was a little more challenging as we were twice accosted by marauders looking for a fight. Two of them, quite comical, approached threatening us w/the quickest dart thrower in the Faerun. Imoen took the 'Quickest Dart in the Faerun' out if the fight w/a Wand of Fear & he was easy picken' after that. The rest of us quickly disposed of his mouthpiece. Then we picked him off.
Key Event:We came across a trio of Amnish nobles dressed as warriors that boastfully drew us into a fight. I think they were all warriors as I don’t believe there were any spells cast. Whatever the case, like the other teams groups we've battled lately, their bark was far more challenging than their bite. We cut two of them down quickly & then charged the third that was @ range firing a Long Bow. As I sit here, quill in hand, I don’t recall if any of us got a scratch.
LOOKS LIKE NOT EVERYONE IN AMN THINKS WE'RE HERO'S!
Treasure of note: The Dales Protector (Bracer’s of Archery – Khalid); Telbar’s Studded Leather +2 (Minsc) Current Disposition: Basing out of Nashkel while we adventure in the south
Next Steps: Dryad Falls, Bear River, Xvart Village
Level Up: Dynahier is now a Magician (6th Level Mage/Invoker) & chose, initially, to memorize Melf’s Minute Meteors.
On the last entry, I expressed IC that I had dropped Rasaad for Kivan. That decision has been bothering me since the weekend, because I *really* wanted to see Rasaad's extra content.
So, I decided to bite the bullet and just SK the dude into a viable party member.
I played Rasaad and Neera thru my first time playing BGEE. I'd never played a Monk in p&p D&D or in BG so it was a new experience. Early on, he was weak. I eventually put him on a 'Fighter-Passive' script so that he didn't rush every Demogorgon and Orcus we came across.
As the game went on he improved to 'fair to middling'. I pushed through w/him. He died when we fought Sarevok @ the end.
I liked him b/c he was LG & pious like my LG Fighter was. Still, I don't think that's happening again soon.
I've always wanted to play thru w/Branwen & never have. She'll be next before I play him again. That gives me an idea: Kivan, Branwen, Coran, Xan and, and, um...could I stand an entire play through w/the Bard Garrick?
-We cleared out the Nashkel mines, discovering that a half-orc cleric by the name of Mulahey was behind the Nashkel crisis - although, judging from the letters we found on his corpse, he was only a pawn in a much larger scheme. We will need to investigate further. The battle with Mulahey was *quite* interesting, and almost fatal.
In the image below, we discover that Mulahey summoned skellies and kobolds from both in front of AND behind us. And I thought I had set up our strategic position so carefully! It may have only saved us that Mulahey made the fatal error of casting Rigid Thinking on Dorn, instead of Hold Person. The bespelled Dorn, in all his Rigid Thinking glory, "rigidly thought" it best to keep hacking away at Mulahey. *After* he had poisoned his blade! LOL.
Meanwhile, Rasaad's two attempts to Hold Mulahey, while failing, managed to Hold most of Mulahey's kobolds. Neera managed a Sleep to incapacitate the kobolds on our rear flank, while Kivan was able to melee the one skellie back there with his halberd.
I attempted Doom and then Chromatic Orbs, but my efforts didn't do much to help us here. Good thing I have such powerful party members!
After Dorn poisoned Mulahey, interrupting all of his subsequent spell attempts after his disastrous (for him) decision to open by trying to cast Rigid Thinking on Dorn, we had to clean up Mulahey's kobold and undead army, while avoiding the now very dangerous-to-us, mind-controlled Dorn, whose "controller" was now dead.
It wasn't that hard - Dorn moved here, the rest of us moved there. Dorn moved there, the rest of us moved here. Killing sleeping and held kobolds and the few remaining skellies as we moved.
After our victory, we returned to report our quest to Nashkel. There was an interesting encounter with an assassin, Nimbul, who tried and would have succeeded in Magic Missiling me to death, despite my Web spell, against which he seemed to have no problem, were it not for my liberal consumption of health potions. Rasaad finally got him with a Hold Person, independently of my Web.
We are now completing our explorations of the southwest of the Sword Coast. While having many adventures here and collecting many treasures, there is little worth going into detail about as we complete what amounts to a mopup operation to pacify the entire southwest region defined by the southwest metropolitan triangle of Candlekeep, Beregost, and Nashkel.
There was one interesting encounter against "the fastest dart thrower in the west". One Hold Person from the newly divine Rasaad put an end to the braggart and his friend. We got an *extremely* valuable set of magical bracers of archery from him, which Kivan will wear, for now.
Reloads: 0 Party deaths: 2 (Dorn to carelessness against a pair of ogrillons, and pre-cleric Rasaad to a crit from a gnoll, because monks are lame that way.)
I explored around Dryad Falls intent on moving directly to Bear River. Once we’d cleared the falls though, the entire party was exhausted. When I looked at the map and conferred we the others I decided we’d head back to Nashkel. We had two enchanted Halberds and I wanted to know what they were. They appeared to be different so I knew at least one of them was worth something.
Other than a few Gnolls, some Xvarts and a couple of Winter Wolves, we really found nothing of interest. We were able to help a young girl whose kitten had slipped & fallen over Dryad Falls.
I was able to help a Dryad against a couple of dimwits who were trying to chop down a beautiful tree to look for treasure. I tried reasoning with them to no avail.
Key Event: My dumbest move yet, I spent 11000 GPs for Shadow Armor for Minsc. Unfortunately, I wasn’t careful enough & didn’t realize till after I’d bought it that Minsc couldn’t wear it. I thought to let Imoen use it when she was able to use her thieving skills again but…if she wears it then the Mage skills she’s learning will be of no use. I sold it back for 5225 GPs. Good business!
Treasure of note: Destroyer of the Hills (Girdle of Bluntness – Minsc)
Current Disposition: Resting and recovering @ the Nashkel Inn.
@CharlestonianTemplar, I love your character portrait. Is that Nicholas Cage from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"? I also love how you name regions and geographical features after what is in them. When you say "Dryad Falls" or "Bear River", I know just where you mean. I don't know what the actual names of those places are, and if someone said them, it wouldn't make as much sense to me as your names do.
Btw, how did he get 19 str? I've never been able to find the tome. I thought it was in the Candlekeep Catacombs somewhere? Was that where he got it?
@Belgarathmth - I think both of those portraits/pictures are from "Season of the Witch". Seeing as CKT is actually Roleplaying Behmen von Bleibruck. I've never watched that movie, so I can't really say if the character is off or not.
Also, keep up the progress everyone.
No progress on my front, playing The Temple of Elemental Evil at the moment. Heh.
-Here's a shot of me deciding the battle against a pack of vamp wolves with a Web spell. I am starting to feel useful to my party now:
-At the bottom of the Ulcaster Ruins. Rasaad attempts to Hold Undead, unsuccessfully, while Imoen draws out the vamp wolf. I try Chromatic Orbs, and Neera risks a Magic Missile (still not sure I like that every time she casts, we're taking a risk. I've mostly been using Neera for an Identify dispenser, and only that in isolated areas with no innocent commoners around). We win the battle, and Neera becomes the proud owner of a Wand of Fire for our trouble, as well as our gaining several valuable potions.
-In Gullykin, evil bounty hunters. Rasaad attempts Silence. Unfortunately, they all make their saves, while Rasaad succumbs to Rigid Thinking. Neera almost wins the battle with a single charge from her Wand of Fire, and I cast Web. The bespelled Rasaad wanders into the Web, and almost gets killed. I cast an Insect Swarm on the mage for insurance, while we take out the mage, and then start shooting at the two villains trying to get through the Web and kill Rasaad. We barely manage to take them out before Rasaad dies; I cast a Chromatic Orb at one, and Neera risks a Magic Missile. A bit of running from Rasaad while the spell on him wears off, and we emerge victorious. This was our first truly dangerous and challenging battle of the run.
-got rid of Tranzig. Neera had her first significant wild surge - luckily, it harmlessly hasted her. She's had a lot of casting level alterations, but this was the first wild surge that could have ended my no-reload status.
-decided to go up against the crazy jar-holding mage and her demonic ogre mage, just because I never had before. This would have been crazy stupid in a no reload. I only avoided a reload because of some luck. Lighting bolts got targeted against Rasaad and Imoen instead of me. I might have avoided some grief if I had realized that he required +2 weapons to hit, and that Dorn's preferred two-hander was only +1. When I switched Dorn to Vascara +2, despite his non-proficiency with it, the battle turned in our favor. Kivan did most of the damage with the Chelsey Crusher +2. Thank the gods I had equipped him with it! I'm not too sure I got any magic items that were worth the risk here. Was this the battle where I got the gloves of +2 damage and Thac0? I'm wearing them now. That would make it worth it.
Now, I've done Adoy's Enclave for the first time. The main feature is an epic mage battle. I got some *extremely* good leather +2 that can be stacked with an extra ring or necklace of prot, but I got that before the battle with the mages. I don't think I actually got anything worth the risk from the fight. Is this the end of Neera's quest? I may exchange her for a more stable mage now.
I *loved* the music for the area, and the epic nature of the battle. Dorn got blasted by Neera's Fireball and then caught in my Webs. Ooops. Rasaad got off a very successful Silence spell, and then tried two unsuccessful Hold Persons on the bodyguard that got through my Web. Kivan fired lots of acid arrows and poison arrows at the Held mages. Neera used Wands of Fire and Fear to great effect.
Reloads: 0 Party deaths: 4 (Dorn to two ogrillons, Rasaad to a pre-cleric critical from a gnoll, both Rasaad and Imoen to the Firewine ogre mage)
@Wanderon, oh yeah, those gloves were from the bragging sword master dude. I've always taken the "lawful good" path and talked him down before. This was the first time I did the chaotic thing and killed him. I'll probably always make up some excuse to kill him in the future, because those gloves are too good to pass up!
I don't think the ogre mage dropped anything worth the extreme risk, then. I believe that encounter was the kind of thing that dungeon masters write into their campaigns to see if their players are stupid - hint, hint, don't press this red button, and then the players often press it anyway, and trigger what is designed to be a suicide encounter to punish stupid players.
-We defeat Dorn's necromancer traitor, and are informed that we must find Simmeon in Baldur's Gate City to complete Dorn's revenge on his former party.
-We prepare to face basilisks. Neera makes Imoen drunk instead of protected from petrification. Fortunately, her Ring of Wizardry gives her some extra cast attempts. At least she didn't Gate in a balor.
-Stumbled into a rival adventuring party while trying to kill basilisks before protection wearing off. Managed to aggro a bear, too. Oh, joy.
-While searching for a place to make camp for the night and recharge protection from petrification, got ambushed by a basilisk with our britches down. Had to have Dorn guzzle a rare and priceless Potion of Mirrored Eyes, while Neera cast her last protection spell on Rasaad, and then the rest of us ran for our lives.
-Accidentally left the game running while afk, and got a shot of everybody's "bored" lines.
-Ogres, hobgoblins, and bears, oh my!
-Party of ogre berserkers. I call a lightning storm on them. I am starting to feel much more powerful and worthy to lead my party.
-Neera tries out her new Stinky Sleeping Gas Cloud. Too bad Imoen got caught at the edge of it, but everything turned out all right. A bit south from there, we encounter a party of archers. Web and Hold Person make short work of them.
-replaced Neera with Baeloth. Now I have both "Darth Vader" and "Emperor Palpatine" in my party. Awesome! Now, if I can just keep them convinced that our divergent goals are in common for the present. I am very interested in helping the common people as we go, and they are not. That's kind of a problem. But darn, Baeloth and Dorn together are impressively strong. Baeloth just wants to find a way back to the Black Pits where he is omnipotent, and he would kill the rest of us to do it if he thought it would help. For now, he finds us useful, so I will use him as he is using me. Dorn also finds me "useful" for finishing off the party who betrayed him, so again, the "use" is mutual.
It is also becoming increasingly difficult to keep Imoen and Kivan convinced that the usefulness of Dorn and Baeloth is worth all the fear we are causing, and the risk that they will betray us at a critical moment. I say, "fight fire with fire, and evil with evil, if that's what it takes for the Balance to win out in the end."
Postcards from the Edge:
-here, a Web and a charge from the Sleep wand make quick work of Taugoz and his cronies. Baeloth is getting such good use out of his wands, he hardly needs his vast spell repertoire.
-inside the Iron Throne leaders tent - I cast Web, Rasaad casts Hold Person, Baeloth uses his Wand of Fear, and the battle is over before it begins.
I am getting jealous of how powerful (Baeloth has reminded me) that sorcerers can be. I'm thinking about starting a new run as a sorcerer some time soon.
@CharlestonianTemplar, I love your character portrait. Is that Nicholas Cage from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"? I also love how you name regions and geographical features after what is in them. When you say "Dryad Falls" or "Bear River", I know just where you mean. I don't know what the actual names of those places are, and if someone said them, it wouldn't make as much sense to me as your names do.
Btw, how did he get 19 str? I've never been able to find the tome. I thought it was in the Candlekeep Catacombs somewhere? Was that where he got it?
Thanks belgarathmth, Half the fun of playing is visualizing one of my favorite movie knights or book characters & trying to role play them into a BG PC. It can take days for me to come up w/my story and create my character, searching thru pages and pages of knight photos, movie photos etc and then reading up on my protagonist so that I ge thim to act and think like the original might.
In this case, Sapphire is correct - as usual. The photo is as YOUsay, Nicholas Cage and as SI says, it's from the movie, Season of the Witch. Both the large and small portrait are Cage from that movie.
I watched it a couple of additional times - that's how I chose to make him a 'fallen Teutonic Knight' - Behmen was a deserter from the Teutonic Knights in the movie.
Btw, my last playthrough was based on a knight in the book, The Teutonic Knights, but I used movie portraits of Heath Ledger in, 'A Knights Tale.' Fun PC but not too successful.
I get the names of the locations from Dudleyville, BG Walkthrough. It's an older walkthrough but very, very useful to me. There's a lot of good stuff on DV, including Mage and Priest lists that prioritize spells using, 'Oogi's School.' Fun stuff.
You know, I can't remember where I got the Manual of Gainful Ex. I went back thru my notes but I forgot to add it in. I think I got two back to back in and around the time I was in the Catacombs.
Comments
Going to post in shorthand form today, rather than narrative journalizing.
-Jaheira got too bossy insisting that we go to the Nashkel mines NOW. Reluctantly dropped Khalid and her, and replaced them with Branwen, and....
-Encountered Dorn just south of Nashkel. Branwen cast Command, Neera cast Sleep, and that was pretty much all she wrote.
-Decided to head back up to the Beregost area and start exploring from there, as I had wanted before Jaheira tried to take over my party.
-Confronted Silke. I interrupted her Mirror Image with my missile wand, Dorn hit her for 20 on a regular hit, battle over. I wonder what this guy does on a critical hit?
_Confronted Karlat. Branwen took him down for one round with Command, Dorn finished him with a regular hit for 20. This is becoming a pattern. DARN, that dude is *strong*!
-Went to High Hedge. Neera cost us most of our gold by failing TWICE to learn Mirror Image. She luckily got it on the third try, since Thalyntyr didn't have any more MIrror Image scrolls. Picked up Gurke's shortsword while we were there.
-Headed southeast looking for Bjornin's ogres. Found Mellicamp, and then Bassilus instead of ogres. Yikes, the party is only first level, but I am trying to do as little metagaming as possible, so I waded in. Decided to rp talking to him, discovered that reminding him of killing his family makes his undead army go poof. Branwen commanded him, Dorn hit him, battle over. Oh yeah, I interrupted his first spell attempt with my missile wand. Yay, me.
Key Event:I found Rielter on the 3rd floor where he gruffly rebuffed our intrusion. Despite my veneration for Candlekeep, I elected to battle him & his cohorts then & there. We defeated them easily, even though we realized early on that Minsc was w/o his Bow. After collecting the booty from our victory we headed to the Inn to buy another bow but were, instead, arrested by the Watcher’s for murder. I was imprisoned but Tethtoril freed me shortly believing in my innocence. He teleported me & my followers to the Catacombs.
The Catacombs were treacherous w/traps, Phase Spiders & Ghasts galore. Dy was taken by a Phase Spider early. We almost lost Minsc to Ghasts a short time later. We found a Great Hall filled w/Skeleton’s & Doppelgangers wearing faces of people I know, including Gorion. We did find Arkanis & Deder there & they offered to assist but I’m not sure they were able to. We found a cave leading out of the Catacombs & had a stout fight w/a quartet of bad guys. They knew who we were & came out swingin’ but we were able to defeat them easily, although Imoen took a hard hit or two. We worked our way out from beneath Candlekeep killing Phase Spiders, Wraith & Sword Spiders & 2 Basilisk’s as we did.
I’ll lay low for a while & see what develops. The FF will be looking for me. My plan is to head south where I am well thought of. I’ll let the party rest a while & then we’re going to do some adventuring in the south & work our way north toward Baldur’s Gate & see what happens. I want to explore that valley we found when we exited the Nashkel Mines.
Treasure of note: Tome of Wisdom (Behmen); Batalista’s Passport (Ring of Fire Resistance) ( Minsc); The Spirit of the Shield (Cloak of Protection +2 - Imoen); Wand of Fireballs (Dy)
Current Disposition: Resting, recovering, recuperating & resupplying in Nashkel.
Next Steps: There’s a Carnival in Nashkel. I think it’s time for all of us to share some rest & relaxation.
Level Up: Minsc was promoted to Guide (Ranger/6) & worked on his skill in 2HWS*; Jaheira rose to Initiate of the 4th Circle (Druid/6); Imoen increased her thieving to Sharper (Thief/7) & then laid that aside to begin again as a Mage. She rose quickly to Evoker (Mage/2).
Current Party: (Reputation: 20 - Heroic)
Behmen von Bleibruck, Ftr(Wzd-Slr)/6(18/27, 10, 16, 10, 1*, 11*)
Akg PMail/LShld +1/+5 & BoG w/BSwd+1/+3 vs. SSs & HCBow; *ToL/I, TOW,
(BSwd**,CBow*,SSS**,SWS*)
Imoen: Mage/Thf/Lvl1/7, (Dart*); Wands (MM, Sleep)
Khalid: Ftr/Lvl6, FPMail,RoP+2 & GoB (MShld +1) w/LBow +2, Varscona +2 LSwd & GWExp (MdShld); RoFA; (LSwd**, LBow**,Axe*)
Jaheira: Ftr/Drd//Lvl5/6, PMail +1& MShld +1 w/Slg +1, Club +2 & Sctr +2 (Slg**,Clb**,Q/S*); RoH,
RoAF; GWSk; Wand (Hvn x2)
Minsc: Rgr/6, SLthr +1 w/CLBow &2HS+2&Mc+1; GoDx(LB**,2HS**,Mc*,2WS**,2HWS*)
Dynahier: Mg-Invk/Lvl/5, TvlRb w/BroDefAC7 & CloND w/Slg, Dgr+1; RoEm, RoP+1, AoMI (Slg*); Wands (MM, Frst, Fear, Pzn, Ltng)
Reloads: 4* (wilderness Cave Bears x2); Nimbul; Wyvern (Cloakwood Wilderness)
I'll take this opportunity to explain something I do. If you read my 'Level Up' paragraph you'll note I say things like: "Minsc was promoted to 'Guide' (Ranger/6)," or "Jaheira rose to 'Initiate of the 4th Circle' (Druid/6)," or even, "Imoen increased ...to 'Sharper' (Thief/7) & then... to 'Evoker' (Mage/2).
These 'level names' were used in old pen & paper D&D, long before computer D&D. Each level of each class had a name. In some cases, level names from old are actually classes in & of themselves now, e.g. Evoker was a 2nd Level Magic User but now is a class by itself. Or even, 'Swashbuckler' was a 4th Level Fighter but, in BG D&D it's sub-class of thief. My favorite was 'Lord,' the name given to a 9th Level Fighter, b/c @ that level the Fighter attracted a body of ~ 100 men-at-arms led a 'junior Fighter' & could build a castle of his own! How cool was that?
Anyway, I use those 'level names' to take me back to my youth & remember w/nostalgia the fun I had playing the original game.
CT
We went southwest seeking Bjornin's half-ogres. I had thought to hike to the general area and make camp before confronting them, but they ambushed us before we could settle into our campsite. Neera's powerful sleep magic saved us, *again*.
After killing the half-ogres, I decided that we had better head back to Beregost and resupply. On the way back, we brought the chicken Mellicamp to his master, who attempted to restore him, but wound up killing him. How sad.
We returned to Beregost and gave Perdue back his shortsword, finally. We then bought some antidotes and finally got around to clearing Liandrin's house of giant spiders. The antidotes turned out to be unnecessary, as Neera yet again wowed our party by rendering all four giant spiders unconscious as soon as we walked in the door, making them easy to kill. I may have to reconsider my worry that Neera's fear of not being able to control her magic will kill all of us.
We returned Liandrin's belongings to her after a long hike back to the Friendly Arms, and then, over a couple of days, hiked our way back to the southwest of Beregost, where we have made camp, and will resume our explorations tomorrow.
btw- no reloads and no deaths, yet. However, I think I could play early BG in my sleep, with no reloads and no deaths, with any party, so that's not exactly impressive. If I can still say "no reloads" while standing outside the temple of Bhaal about to fight Sarevok, then, that might be something.
@CharlestonianTemplar : Oh, wow, I had forgotten those level names from my 1st edition AD&D days. I remember only that the first level cleric was an "acolyte". Could you post a good link that has those tables from the old AD&D player's handbook from the 1980's?
No update or progress on Saki. Been playing other games like Planescape: Torment, Arcanum, Temple of Elemental Evil, and inheiriting my own raid group on World of Warcraft. (Yay!)
https://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4alum/20090206
CT
Update: 041413
-have been working all day on fully exploring and pacifying the region southwest of Beregost and Nashkel, into the Cloudpeaks and beyond.
-suffered my first party death. I failed to take two ogrillons seriously enough, and Dorn was rendered unconscious and critically wounded ("dead"). I was trying to get a Bhaal cure on him, but there were some positioning problems, and I took an extra second trying to get closer to him. That was a critical mistake. I should have had him drink a healing potion after the first hit. Immediately.
-got Dorn raised, made the long trek back to the southwest. Had a very interesting time at the bridges north of the gnoll stronghold, but got through it with no deaths, although, we had to use up all our antidotes against poison hobby arrows.
-suffered my second party death. I have been using my spear as a second-line melee combatant, especially since my avenger druid powers give me very fast leveling, and I have more hitpoints than Dorn currently. So, I thought that Rasaad could also be a second-liner, as I discovered that his kicks work long, from the second line, like my spear.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. One critical hit to the head was all it took fell poor Rasaad into a coma, in critical and dying condition. WHY does that idiot insist that he cannot wear a helmet? We put his dying body with his bleeding head onto a makeshift travois, and we proceded to kill all the gnolls in the fortress, and to rescue a captive woman by the name of Dynaheir.
-We drug Rasaad all the way back to Beregost, and I was angry. Exactly *why* am I bringing this man along into danger? Yes, he can punch and kick and win any unarmed melee fight, and he is wise, and charming, and devoted to Selune. I think he should have been a priest of Selune. Instead, he has opted to fight in combat naked, and with nothing but his fists and feet, a blade he can barely use, and some thrown darts. I believe he might actually be a viable member of my team if he would just *wear a helmet.*
_I realized that Rasaad was always going be a hopeless liability to my team, and would likely get us all killed through his need to be protected, while contributing absolutely nothing in return, so, while I love him dearly, I had no choice but to let him go after I had taken him to the Temple of Lathander to be stabilized and healed.
-I rememberd an elf ranger named Kivan who was camping near Thalyntyr's residence, so, I went back there, and convinced him to join me, in return for a promise that I would help him avenge his wife. I am hoping that he will be able to carry his weight, and defend himself and the rest of us on my team. He has demonstrated exceptional skill with halberd and bow, and he is enormously strong - I would say "superstrong" for his elvish small frame.
Reloads: 0; Party Deaths: 2
We enjoyed a visit to the Carnival. Even there, we had to mop up a few pockets of leftover Kobolds. I expect they’re displaced after we destroyed Mulahey & his operation to taint the ore in the Nashkel Mines. Still more, we walked into a carnival tent & one wizard preparing to kill another. I’ve gotten to where I am quick to close on & melee enemy mages, having learned to trust in my Wizard Slayer skills. We killed him & saved a life… & this is a carnival?
After a break in Nashkel, I took my followers to the area we found when we exited the Nashkel Mines. The place, I’ve now discovered is called the Valley of the Tombs. In keeping w/its name, it was full of tombs & each one was inhabited by undead. We killed all of them w/o much ado although we had a scary moment in one of them when Dy was Held by a Ghast strike but we managed to kill them in time.
KILLING THE REVENANT!
Key Event: We met a wizard that was working on an incantation to control Mustard Jellies & the like. When I mentioned we’d like him to share the spell w/us he became enraged & attacked. I attacked him & took a blast from a lightning bolt & was blindsided by a Mustard Jelly attack. I was slowed by its attack & suddenly found myself close to being able to use one of these recently vacated tombs. I alerted the others to my need for aid, quaffed 2 Elixirs & barely escaped. My team performed exemplarily!
Treasure of note: Knaves Robe (Imoen)
Current Disposition: Basing out of Nashkel while we adventure in the south
Next Steps: Gibberling Mountains
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 20 - Heroic)
Behmen von Bleibruck, Ftr(Wzd-Slr)/6 (18/27, 10, 16, 10, 1*, 11*)
Akg PMail/LShld +1/+5 & BoG w/BSwd+1/+3 vs. SSs & HCBow; *ToL/I, TOW,
(BSwd**,CBow*,SSS**,SWS*)
Imoen: Mage/Thf//3/7, (Dart*); Wands (MM, Sleep)
Khalid: Ftr/Lvl6, FPMail,RoP+2 & GoB (MShld +1) w/LBow +2, Varscona +2 LSwd & GWExp (MdShld); RoFA; (LSwd**, LBow**,Axe*)
Jaheira: Ftr/Drd//5/6, PMail +1& MShld +1 w/Slg +1, Club +2 & Sctr +2 (Slg**,Clb**,Q/S*); RoH,
RoAF; GWSk; Wand (Hvn x2)
Minsc: Rgr/6, SLthr +1 w/CLBow &2HS+2&Mc+1; GoDx(LB**,2HS**,Mc*,2WS**,2HWS*)
Dynahier: Mg-Invk/5, TvlRb w/BroDefAC7 & CloND w/Slg, Dgr+1; RoEm, RoP+1, AoMI (Slg*); Wands (MM, Frst, Fear, Pzn, Ltng)
Reloads: 4* (wilderness Cave Bears x2); Nimbul; Wyvern (Cloakwood Wilderness)
Like I said, the object of the game for me was to get my p&p PC up to 9th Level Fighter (Lord) & see what kind of followers I'd get, e.g. 100 Heavy Cavalry w/ a 7th Level Fighter was primo.
Or, @ 4th Level Paladins would earn their Warhorse (after a small adventure).
In either case, I'd build a castle & that would attract more followers. Then it was like having a feudal town of my own to adventure from.
Great days! I wish someone would take the BG idea & create the old TSR World of Greyhawk (my wife would kill me if they did)!
CT
Whelp, I'm not really getting much playing done today. I've spent a lot of time reading and posting in the forums. In game, I've spent most of today tweaking my party.
On the last entry, I expressed IC that I had dropped Rasaad for Kivan. That decision has been bothering me since the weekend, because I *really* wanted to see Rasaad's extra content.
So, I decided to bite the bullet and just SK the dude into a viable party member.
Keeping with the theme of religion, I made Rasaad a cleric of Lathander. The devs could have made a cool new kit for a cleric of Selune, but, alas, they did what they did. Cleric of Lathander still makes sense with most of his dialogues - at least we're still in the same divine trinity of Lathander, Selune, and Sune, the heirs of Amaunator.
With a viable substitute for Branwen, I was then able to drop Brandy (sorry, dear, you know I love you) and keep Kivan. Now I have a party that stands a chance in the end game.
Will be going to the Nashkel mines next. As it is getting late, I doubt I will finish it tonight. I will probably clear the map around the outside of the mines to see if I can trigger Dorn's business.
The only event of note in the GMs occurred when we came across a sick young man lying out in the open. When we talked w/his companion she told us on Gellana @ the Temple of Wisdom could help him. Go figure. Try to lay low in the south & before you know it you’re braving the roads north to save a life. We were able to do so, unmolested by the FF, & returned quickly south after a night @ the FAI.
The Fire Leaf Forest was a little more challenging as we were twice accosted by marauders looking for a fight. Two of them, quite comical, approached threatening us w/the quickest dart thrower in the Faerun. Imoen took the 'Quickest Dart in the Faerun' out if the fight w/a Wand of Fear & he was easy picken' after that. The rest of us quickly disposed of his mouthpiece. Then we picked him off.
Key Event:We came across a trio of Amnish nobles dressed as warriors that boastfully drew us into a fight. I think they were all warriors as I don’t believe there were any spells cast. Whatever the case, like the other teams groups we've battled lately, their bark was far more challenging than their bite. We cut two of them down quickly & then charged the third that was @ range firing a Long Bow. As I sit here, quill in hand, I don’t recall if any of us got a scratch.
LOOKS LIKE NOT EVERYONE IN AMN THINKS WE'RE HERO'S!
Treasure of note: The Dales Protector (Bracer’s of Archery – Khalid); Telbar’s Studded Leather +2 (Minsc)
Current Disposition: Basing out of Nashkel while we adventure in the south
Next Steps: Dryad Falls, Bear River, Xvart Village
Level Up: Dynahier is now a Magician (6th Level Mage/Invoker) & chose, initially, to memorize Melf’s Minute Meteors.
Current Party: (Reputation: 20 - Heroic)
Behmen von Bleibruck, Ftr(Wzd-Slr)/6(18/27, 10, 16, 10, 1*, 11*)
Akg PMail/LShld +1/+5 & BoG w/BSwd+1/+3 vs. SSs & HCBow; *ToL/I, TOW,
(BSwd**,CBow*,SSS**,SWS*)
Imoen: Mage/Thf//3/7, (Dart*); Wands (MM, Sleep)
Khalid: Ftr/Lvl6, FPMail,RoP+2 & GoB (MShld +1) w/LBow +2, Varscona +2 LSwd & GWExp (MdShld); RoFA; (LSwd**, LBow**,Axe*)
Jaheira: Ftr/Drd//5/6, PMail +1& MShld +1 w/Slg +1, Club +2 & Sctr +2 (Slg**,Clb**,Q/S*); RoH,
RoAF; GWSk; Wand (Hvn x2)
Minsc: Rgr/6, SLthr +1 w/CLBow &2HS+2&Mc+1; GoDx(LB**,2HS**,Mc*,2WS**,2HWS*)
Dynahier: Mg-Invk/6, TvlRb w/BroDefAC7 & CloND w/Slg, Dgr+1; RoEm, RoP+1, AoMI (Slg*); Wands (MM, Frst, Fear, Pzn, Ltng)
Reloads: 4 (wilderness Cave Bears x2); Nimbul; Wyvern (Cloakwood Wilderness)
As the game went on he improved to 'fair to middling'. I pushed through w/him. He died when we fought Sarevok @ the end.
I liked him b/c he was LG & pious like my LG Fighter was. Still, I don't think that's happening again soon.
I've always wanted to play thru w/Branwen & never have. She'll be next before I play him again. That gives me an idea: Kivan, Branwen, Coran, Xan and, and, um...could I stand an entire play through w/the Bard Garrick?
CT
CT
-We cleared out the Nashkel mines, discovering that a half-orc cleric by the name of Mulahey was behind the Nashkel crisis - although, judging from the letters we found on his corpse, he was only a pawn in a much larger scheme. We will need to investigate further. The battle with Mulahey was *quite* interesting, and almost fatal.
In the image below, we discover that Mulahey summoned skellies and kobolds from both in front of AND behind us. And I thought I had set up our strategic position so carefully! It may have only saved us that Mulahey made the fatal error of casting Rigid Thinking on Dorn, instead of Hold Person. The bespelled Dorn, in all his Rigid Thinking glory, "rigidly thought" it best to keep hacking away at Mulahey. *After* he had poisoned his blade! LOL.
Meanwhile, Rasaad's two attempts to Hold Mulahey, while failing, managed to Hold most of Mulahey's kobolds. Neera managed a Sleep to incapacitate the kobolds on our rear flank, while Kivan was able to melee the one skellie back there with his halberd.
I attempted Doom and then Chromatic Orbs, but my efforts didn't do much to help us here. Good thing I have such powerful party members!
After Dorn poisoned Mulahey, interrupting all of his subsequent spell attempts after his disastrous (for him) decision to open by trying to cast Rigid Thinking on Dorn, we had to clean up Mulahey's kobold and undead army, while avoiding the now very dangerous-to-us, mind-controlled Dorn, whose "controller" was now dead.
It wasn't that hard - Dorn moved here, the rest of us moved there. Dorn moved there, the rest of us moved here. Killing sleeping and held kobolds and the few remaining skellies as we moved.
After our victory, we returned to report our quest to Nashkel. There was an interesting encounter with an assassin, Nimbul, who tried and would have succeeded in Magic Missiling me to death, despite my Web spell, against which he seemed to have no problem, were it not for my liberal consumption of health potions. Rasaad finally got him with a Hold Person, independently of my Web.
We are now completing our explorations of the southwest of the Sword Coast. While having many adventures here and collecting many treasures, there is little worth going into detail about as we complete what amounts to a mopup operation to pacify the entire southwest region defined by the southwest metropolitan triangle of Candlekeep, Beregost, and Nashkel.
There was one interesting encounter against "the fastest dart thrower in the west". One Hold Person from the newly divine Rasaad put an end to the braggart and his friend. We got an *extremely* valuable set of magical bracers of archery from him, which Kivan will wear, for now.
Reloads: 0 Party deaths: 2 (Dorn to carelessness against a pair of ogrillons, and pre-cleric Rasaad to a crit from a gnoll, because monks are lame that way.)
Other than a few Gnolls, some Xvarts and a couple of Winter Wolves, we really found nothing of interest. We were able to help a young girl whose kitten had slipped & fallen over Dryad Falls.
I was able to help a Dryad against a couple of dimwits who were trying to chop down a beautiful tree to look for treasure. I tried reasoning with them to no avail.
Key Event: My dumbest move yet, I spent 11000 GPs for Shadow Armor for Minsc. Unfortunately, I wasn’t careful enough & didn’t realize till after I’d bought it that Minsc couldn’t wear it. I thought to let Imoen use it when she was able to use her thieving skills again but…if she wears it then the Mage skills she’s learning will be of no use. I sold it back for 5225 GPs. Good business!
Treasure of note: Destroyer of the Hills (Girdle of Bluntness – Minsc)
Current Disposition: Resting and recovering @ the Nashkel Inn.
Next Steps: Bear River, Xvart Village
Level Up: None
Current Party: (Reputation: 20 - Heroic)
Behmen von Bleibruck, Ftr(Wzd-Slr)/6(19*, 10, 16, 10, 16*, 11*)
Akg PMail/LShld +1/+5 & BoG w/BSwd+1/+3 vs. SSs & HCBow; *ToL/I, TOW, MGE,
(BSwd**,CBow*,SSS**,SWS*)
Imoen: Mage/Thf//3/7, (Dart*); Wands (MM, Sleep)
Khalid: Ftr/Lvl6, FPMail,RoP+2 & GoB (MShld +1) w/LBow +2, Varscona +2 LSwd & GWExp (MdShld); RoFA; (LSwd**, LBow**,Axe*)
Jaheira: Ftr/Drd//5/6, PMail +1& MShld +1 w/Slg +1, Club +2 & Sctr +2 (Slg**,Clb**,Q/S*); RoH,
RoAF; GWSk; Wand (Hvn x2)
Minsc: Rgr/6, SLthr +1 w/CLBow &2HS+2&Mc+1; GoDx(LB**,2HS**,Mc*,2WS**,2HWS*)
Dynahier: Mg-Invk/6, TvlRb w/BroDefAC7 & CloND w/Slg, Dgr+1; RoEm, RoP+1, AoMI (Slg*); Wands (MM, Frst, Fear, Pzn, Ltng)
Reloads: 4 (wilderness Cave Bears x2); Nimbul; Wyvern (Cloakwood Wilderness)
Btw, how did he get 19 str? I've never been able to find the tome. I thought it was in the Candlekeep Catacombs somewhere? Was that where he got it?
Also, keep up the progress everyone.
No progress on my front, playing The Temple of Elemental Evil at the moment. Heh.
Interesting battles from today, with images:
-Here's a shot of me deciding the battle against a pack of vamp wolves with a Web spell. I am starting to feel useful to my party now:
-At the bottom of the Ulcaster Ruins. Rasaad attempts to Hold Undead, unsuccessfully, while Imoen draws out the vamp wolf. I try Chromatic Orbs, and Neera risks a Magic Missile (still not sure I like that every time she casts, we're taking a risk. I've mostly been using Neera for an Identify dispenser, and only that in isolated areas with no innocent commoners around). We win the battle, and Neera becomes the proud owner of a Wand of Fire for our trouble, as well as our gaining several valuable potions.
-In Gullykin, evil bounty hunters. Rasaad attempts Silence. Unfortunately, they all make their saves, while Rasaad succumbs to Rigid Thinking. Neera almost wins the battle with a single charge from her Wand of Fire, and I cast Web. The bespelled Rasaad wanders into the Web, and almost gets killed. I cast an Insect Swarm on the mage for insurance, while we take out the mage, and then start shooting at the two villains trying to get through the Web and kill Rasaad. We barely manage to take them out before Rasaad dies; I cast a Chromatic Orb at one, and Neera risks a Magic Missile. A bit of running from Rasaad while the spell on him wears off, and we emerge victorious. This was our first truly dangerous and challenging battle of the run.
-got rid of Tranzig. Neera had her first significant wild surge - luckily, it harmlessly hasted her. She's had a lot of casting level alterations, but this was the first wild surge that could have ended my no-reload status.
-decided to go up against the crazy jar-holding mage and her demonic ogre mage, just because I never had before. This would have been crazy stupid in a no reload. I only avoided a reload because of some luck. Lighting bolts got targeted against Rasaad and Imoen instead of me. I might have avoided some grief if I had realized that he required +2 weapons to hit, and that Dorn's preferred two-hander was only +1. When I switched Dorn to Vascara +2, despite his non-proficiency with it, the battle turned in our favor. Kivan did most of the damage with the Chelsey Crusher +2. Thank the gods I had equipped him with it! I'm not too sure I got any magic items that were worth the risk here. Was this the battle where I got the gloves of +2 damage and Thac0? I'm wearing them now. That would make it worth it.
Now, I've done Adoy's Enclave for the first time. The main feature is an epic mage battle. I got some *extremely* good leather +2 that can be stacked with an extra ring or necklace of prot, but I got that before the battle with the mages. I don't think I actually got anything worth the risk from the fight. Is this the end of Neera's quest? I may exchange her for a more stable mage now.
I *loved* the music for the area, and the epic nature of the battle. Dorn got blasted by Neera's Fireball and then caught in my Webs. Ooops. Rasaad got off a very successful Silence spell, and then tried two unsuccessful Hold Persons on the bodyguard that got through my Web. Kivan fired lots of acid arrows and poison arrows at the Held mages. Neera used Wands of Fire and Fear to great effect.
Reloads: 0 Party deaths: 4 (Dorn to two ogrillons, Rasaad to a pre-cleric critical from a gnoll, both Rasaad and Imoen to the Firewine ogre mage)
I think the gloves came from another fellow a bit further N (?) on that map not the crazy jar lady fight.
I don't think the ogre mage dropped anything worth the extreme risk, then. I believe that encounter was the kind of thing that dungeon masters write into their campaigns to see if their players are stupid - hint, hint, don't press this red button, and then the players often press it anyway, and trigger what is designed to be a suicide encounter to punish stupid players.
-We defeat Dorn's necromancer traitor, and are informed that we must find Simmeon in Baldur's Gate City to complete Dorn's revenge on his former party.
-We prepare to face basilisks. Neera makes Imoen drunk instead of protected from petrification. Fortunately, her Ring of Wizardry gives her some extra cast attempts. At least she didn't Gate in a balor.
-Stumbled into a rival adventuring party while trying to kill basilisks before protection wearing off. Managed to aggro a bear, too. Oh, joy.
-While searching for a place to make camp for the night and recharge protection from petrification, got ambushed by a basilisk with our britches down. Had to have Dorn guzzle a rare and priceless Potion of Mirrored Eyes, while Neera cast her last protection spell on Rasaad, and then the rest of us ran for our lives.
-Accidentally left the game running while afk, and got a shot of everybody's "bored" lines.
-Ogres, hobgoblins, and bears, oh my!
-Party of ogre berserkers. I call a lightning storm on them. I am starting to feel much more powerful and worthy to lead my party.
-Neera tries out her new Stinky Sleeping Gas Cloud. Too bad Imoen got caught at the edge of it, but everything turned out all right. A bit south from there, we encounter a party of archers. Web and Hold Person make short work of them.
-replaced Neera with Baeloth. Now I have both "Darth Vader" and "Emperor Palpatine" in my party. Awesome! Now, if I can just keep them convinced that our divergent goals are in common for the present. I am very interested in helping the common people as we go, and they are not. That's kind of a problem. But darn, Baeloth and Dorn together are impressively strong. Baeloth just wants to find a way back to the Black Pits where he is omnipotent, and he would kill the rest of us to do it if he thought it would help. For now, he finds us useful, so I will use him as he is using me. Dorn also finds me "useful" for finishing off the party who betrayed him, so again, the "use" is mutual.
It is also becoming increasingly difficult to keep Imoen and Kivan convinced that the usefulness of Dorn and Baeloth is worth all the fear we are causing, and the risk that they will betray us at a critical moment. I say, "fight fire with fire, and evil with evil, if that's what it takes for the Balance to win out in the end."
Postcards from the Edge:
-here, a Web and a charge from the Sleep wand make quick work of Taugoz and his cronies. Baeloth is getting such good use out of his wands, he hardly needs his vast spell repertoire.
-inside the Iron Throne leaders tent - I cast Web, Rasaad casts Hold Person, Baeloth uses his Wand of Fear, and the battle is over before it begins.
I am getting jealous of how powerful (Baeloth has reminded me) that sorcerers can be. I'm thinking about starting a new run as a sorcerer some time soon.
In this case, Sapphire is correct - as usual. The photo is as YOUsay, Nicholas Cage and as SI says, it's from the movie, Season of the Witch. Both the large and small portrait are Cage from that movie.
I watched it a couple of additional times - that's how I chose to make him a 'fallen Teutonic Knight' - Behmen was a deserter from the Teutonic Knights in the movie.
Btw, my last playthrough was based on a knight in the book, The Teutonic Knights, but I used movie portraits of Heath Ledger in, 'A Knights Tale.' Fun PC but not too successful.
I get the names of the locations from Dudleyville, BG Walkthrough. It's an older walkthrough but very, very useful to me. There's a lot of good stuff on DV, including Mage and Priest lists that prioritize spells using, 'Oogi's School.' Fun stuff.
You know, I can't remember where I got the Manual of Gainful Ex. I went back thru my notes but I forgot to add it in. I think I got two back to back in and around the time I was in the Catacombs.
Fun game. Thanks for the compliment.
CT