What you call "creativity", many of my colleagues call "Andrew's ****ing bull**** impossible to program stupid-*** ***damn 'duh I didn't know I'm just a writer' like that's an excuse ****ing ****ing ***damn piece of **** ****ing crap stupid ideas".
What a colorful vocabulary!
Andrew simply had to improvise, otherwise forum rules would forbid re-telling the exact feelings that we in tech department normally have for him :P
Don't you sir me. Unless I've actually been knighted. In which case... Carry on my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more.
This year, the eagerly anticipated Adventure Y will finally navigate the dark underground caverns of development and venture out into the Sword Coast. We’ve mentioned before that Adventure Y will be an addition to the Baldur’s Gate line using the Infinity engine, bridging the gap between Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Keep an eye on the Beamblog in late spring for announcements regarding the content and release date of Adventure Y. We have an exciting release planned for this game, something bigger than we’ve ever done before.
So, an "addition to the BG line" and "in late spring".
@AndrewFoley Since high command ordered you to remove the pictures from your earlier posts in this thread, it's kinda strange that the official website still links to that post with the promise of leaked screenshots. Could you tell the nearest person to do something about it? I'm sure whoever it is they're talented, highly capable, and generous with their time (and Adventure Y screenshots).
@AndrewFoley Since high command ordered you to remove the pictures from your earlier posts in this thread, it's kinda strange that the official website still links to that post with the promise of leaked screenshots. Could you tell the nearest person to do something about it?
As I have no idea how to post images on the forum, I'm pretty sure it was actually Phil who put the screenshots up and then pulled them down, but I'll pass this on to the appropriate parties. Thanks.
@AndrewFoley Since high command ordered you to remove the pictures from your earlier posts in this thread, it's kinda strange that the official website still links to that post with the promise of leaked screenshots. Could you tell the nearest person to do something about it?
As I have no idea how to post images on the forum, I'm pretty sure it was actually Phil who put the screenshots up and then pulled them down, but I'll pass this on to the appropriate parties. Thanks.
@bengoshi If the Devs sign an NDA similar to the one beta testers sign, posting ANY screenshot is a violation of terms even if it does not show something previously unknown by the public.
Can we get at least a screenshot with Schlumpsha wearing a bathsuit? Or maybe a bathrobe? Or a bathtub? Nothing's better than that to keep the expectation high. And all that jelly.
On a side note, I haven't known that those screenshots had been deleted.
I wonder, why had they been posted if they were deleted afterwards, after the blog put links to this thread?
It seems those screenshots showed more than they had wanted to reveal. For example, a new UI, perhaps?
It's entirely possible, since they were hosted on imgur, that they fell below the view count requirement (at least 1 view per 6 months) and were removed because of it.
-edit- Never mind. Going back and looking at the posts I see they were actually redacted and edited out.
tl;dr I think the installment we all know how "Adventure Y" will be called Siege of Dragonspear
Well, maybe it's because I've looked back at the 12-14 th pages of this discussion, maybe it's because I've spent several hours thinking... but this is my report.
At first, I've decided to have a look on the current situation with domains registered on Trent Oster - since the story with icewinddale.com it has become apparent that if a domain is registered on Trent, it must be something in that.
Important Dates Expires On November 03, 2016 Registered On November 03, 2014 Updated On November 03, 2014
November 03, 2014
This is when I felt like I was struck by lightning. This is exactly the time when the Adventure Y became to gather a lot of motion in terms of screenshots and tidbits from the Devs.
As @scriver thankfully explained, Corwin is the canonical name of the hero who cleared Dragonspear Castle.
Add to this references to Dragonspear Castle in the EE content (thanks goes to @shawne ) :
-Rasaad mentions Jaheira and Khalid being separated at Bridgefort (a stronghold near Boareskyr Bridge) -Neera mentions Khalid making her soup when they were in Bridgefort -Neera's ToB quest refers to Charname as the Victor of the Dragonspear Crusade
OMG! I'm now 99% sure the Adventure Y is called Siege of Dragonspear.
Given how much they have put onto putting the engine on various platforms it would be odd if they didn't. That said if it is made for it it may not launch on the same day as the others.
tl;dr I think the installment we all know how "Adventure Y" will be called Siege of Dragonspear
Could be. Could also be him just being cautious as far as domain names. He did after all also get "Castleseige", "rebelkeep", "rebelsmith" (among others).
That said based on the available evidence it does look like it has something to do with Dragonspear Castle.
Some info about Dragonspear from source material (organized by year in DR).
1356
From the "Lands of Intrigue: Tethyr"
"The Dragonspear Wars: Amn and Waterdeep were engaged in a series of battles against the baatezu of Dragonspear Castle in the Year of the Worm (1356 DR), from Tarsakh to the Feast of the Moon in Uktar. While few baatezu or orcish allies ventured south into Tethyr, the tavern talk over any missing person or mysterious death was attributed to baatezu wandering the hills of Tethyr’s highlands"
From " The Grand History of the Realms"
"The Dragonspear War: Armies from Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate besiege and set fire to Dragonspear Castle, defeating the devils within."
1358 (or later)
From "Forgotten Realms Adventures"
"As it is, the Zhentarim form a very powerful group operating on a number of fronts simultaneously, stretching their resources and the attention of their leaders to their limit. In addition to ruling Zhentil Keep (rather badly, in the opinion of many), they are involved in a war with Hillsfar over the ruins of Yulash, infiltrating the recovering town of Phlan, fighting a guerilla war in the fields of Daggerdale, searching for a trade route across the desert of Anauroch, supporting a puppet re- gime in Voonlar, several abortive attacks on Shadowdale (the most recent one during the Time of Troubles), strengthening the support at Darkhold, destabilizing the High Moors area around Dragonspear Castle by opening interdimensional gates"
"The Zhentarim are currently working to destroy Shadowdale, the last resistance in Daggerdale, Tilverton, Asbravn, Secomber, and Daggerford, but have suffered recent reverses at Dragonspear Castle and Yulash."
From " Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (revised) (TSR 1085)"
"Dragonspear Castle
This vast, ruined sprawl of high walls and toppled spires that is visible from the Trade Way is only 100 years of age. It was originally the home of Daeros Dragonspear, who built the stronghold at the height of his adventuring career. Daeros was slain some 70 winters ago (1290 DR) in battle with the forces of the evil wizard Casalia. Daeross company of skilled warriors repelled a number of attacks, but in the end the entire company was slain or driven away, and the citadel was plundered. Dragonspear castle was soon afterward beset by other evil spellcasters and brigands seeking the gold and treasure reported to have been left or hidden within. The ruined fortress fell empty for a time, and thereafter served as the temporary home to small groups of bandits or outcast mages. These would prosper for a few years raiding the caravans of the Trade Way until driven out themselves by mercenary companies from Waterdeep or by Khelben and his colleagues in wizardry. In recent years, some evil agent allied with the orcs, trolls, and bugbears of the High Moor succeeded in opening a gate to a lower plane within the castle. Strengthened by a growing army of fiends, the combined forces of the High Moors tribes devastated the area from the Way Inn to Boareskyr Bridge, such that today that part of the Trade Way is not considered safe territory. In the face of the extraplanar incursion, armies were raised in Waterdeep and elsewhere to clear the Trade Way and destroy the evil at Dragonspear. The attempt to empty the castle met with heavy resistance, and the battle continued for almost two years before the castle was again cleared. Most of the structure was burned in the process, leaving an empty shell on the moors. The wreckage of Dragonspear Castle is considered desolate, though priests of Tempus have set up a small shrine within the castle walls in hopes of keeping evil creatures from using it as a base again. Few inhabitants of the Sword Coast will camp near the castle by choice, and rumors persist of excavations that pre-date Daeross fortress and of a still-operational gate. In recent years, the numbers of nonhuman and evil troops have again swelled, and fiends are once again assumed to be active in the area."
1363DR
From "Hordes of the Dragonspear"
" "Mark my words, there is something dark there. Some evil force grows at the heart of that ruin. For now, it is content to dwell in the darkness for it fears the light of day. Soon, however, it will grow so powerful that not even the shadows can contain it.
- Dauravyn Redbeard Keeper of The Way Inn
All who live within several hundred miles have heard the name of Dragonspear Castle and know its import. Once home to the proud and brave, the castle is now a ruin cloaked behind a history of murder and diabolic plots. Few go there, for the only reward to be garnered is death. Actually the problem is not Dragonspear itself. The old ruined castle, though rumored to have a portal to the sinister planes, is only a symbol for the evils that surge out of the wastes of the High Moor. Once, not too many years ago, the orcs and trolls of the High Moor ruled from that broken keep, rampaging throughout the area, cutting the Trade Way, and threatening the good people from Daggerford to Boarskyr Bridge. The armies of Waterdeep and Baldurs Gate ended the reign of terror when they laid siege to the moldering fortress. By the time Piergeiron Paladinsons soldiers and Khelben Blackstaffs magic had shattered the castle gate and annihilated the occupants, the might of Dragonspear was bro- ken. A temple was established to ward against further evil rising from the castles cellars, where the gate to the planes was rumored to exist. So things went for many years. By the Time of Troubles, the temple and its clergy had long since disappeared. Perhaps the priests had grown lax in their task or perhaps something darker happened-it seems of no consequence to this day for no further reports of evil have come from Dragonspear. Still, one never knows."
Then there is Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast
"Dragonspear Castle Over the years, Dragonspear Castle has become a name equated with great evilas dread a name as Hellgate Keep. Once the proud castle of Daeros Dragonspear, a famous adventurer of the North, Dragonspear has become a ruin inhabited by wave after wave of evil creatures. Many colorful but false legends have grown up around the Castle, but here Ive set down, as best I can, the truth about Dragonspearas revealed by several great archmagesl and corroborated by several tomes of lore at Candlekeep. For most readers, this will be the first time the tale of Dragonspear has been truthfully told.
Daeros was a bearded half-dwarf, a magical and rare half-breed of human and dwarf as tall as a human, but with the burly physique and affinity to stone of a dwarf. He rescued and befriended a copper dragon early in his adventures, and after he seized a fabulous fortune in gems used by a beholder in an abandoned dwarf delve to lure prey, Daeros decided to retire. He chose the site of the dragons lair: three low hillocks at the western edge of the High Moor, some 200 miles south of Daggerford. The dragon, Halatathlaer, had grown tired of constantly fighting off thieving orcs and goblins, but was loath to leave its home. Daeros gathered humans and dwarves loyal to him and built his castle around the dragon. It was a large and splendid structure, composed of a massive central keep surrounded by a strong ring of four towers (the inner ward). Around the keep was a spearhead-shaped outer wall of nine great towers. Dwarves were welcomed at the Castle, and a city of small stone cottages and delvings beneath them grew rapidly within the walls. Dwarven fighting prowess made Dragonspear a secure fortress and a place of growing influence.
Daeros was often seen flying over the High Moor on the dragons back in those days. He wielded a long spear (some say 40 feet or longer) against foes on the ground and summoned his troops with a horn. His energetic raids hurled the orcs and trolls back, scouring the moor until it seemed clear of them. Unfortunately, Halatathlaer was old, and grew weak. More than one wizard coveted the dragons hoard and used shape-shifting magics to spy on what was there and how it was guarded. One Calishite mage, Ithtaerus, created a spell that allowed him to teleport the sleeping dragon away to the wastes. He then revealed what hed done to Daeros by means of a magically sent vision that falsely showed the wizard creating a gate through which the dragon was taken. The gate was actually a portal to Avernus, uppermost of the nine layers of Baator2 a portal that would only be activated by the death-blood of a mortal. The enraged Daeros plunged through it, weapons readyand was slain by the wizards spells. The gate opened, and several baatezu came through it. While the alarmed dwarves of Dragonspear battled them, the wizard looted the dragons hoard at will and then returned Halatathlaer to the inner ward, bound in magical slumber.
Then the evil mage called upon several dragons he knew, telling them that the copper dragon of Dragonspear slept, near death, and it and its hoard were easy prey. Three young and ambitious dragons heeded and took wing to Dragonspear. They met over the fortress and fought, destroying Halatathlaer and much of the castle before slaughtering each other. The last survivor, a black dragon named Sharndrel, was enraged to find the hoard it had fought so hard for looted so that only coins were left, and barely enough of them for the wyrm to bed down on. It went seeking the triumphant and overconfident Ithtaerus, found him gloating over the best wine of the castle in the upper chambers of the central keep, and blasted him with its acid until his bones crumbled to powder. The castle was left as a shattered ruin, eagerly raided by orcs, hobgoblins, bugbears, goblins, and trolls from the moor until all the dwarves were dead or had fled. The serpentmen even sent a large war party to search it for magic, and they bore away all they found.
Then hobgoblin chieftains seized the castle, They used it as a base from which to raid the caravan road and the lands around; gathering orcs and trolls into ever-larger bands until Waterdeep and Baldurs Gate raised armies and cleaned the castle out. The victors set an armed temple to Tempus (called the Hold of the Battle Lions) in the cellars to guard against creatures using the gate, for it seemed indestructible. Some spell laid 74on it hurled back magics used against it and sent forth ghosts of creatures slain in the castle to attack those approaching it Seasons passed, and more baatezu in Avernus discovered the other end of the planar link. Stealthily at first, and then in greater numbers, they came through into Toril, overwhelmed the temple, and took the castle as their own. It is this foul evil that was recently broken and driven back to Avernus. Though the gate was magically sealed, most folk believe that it will be reopened again and that the stain of evil will never leave the castle now. Today, the outer wall of the castle is breached and broken in many places. Its great gate is a gaping hole, and from there a road leads straight to the inner gate, whose doors have also fallen. Though the inner ward is still a defensibleif crumbling fortress, the former city between it and the outer wall has become scrub vegetation, pits (the former cellar delves of the dwarves), and heaps of stony rubble. The central keep is a blasted shell, the gigantic skeleton of a dragon draped over the broken walls, and the interior floors fallen in. Most of the surrounding inner ward towers stand relatively intact. Travelers fleeing from trolls, brigands, or worse in this area could take refuge in one of these and defend it.
Beneath the castle flows an underground river. It runs from an unknown source north into the Misty Forest, and there turns abruptly southeast. It can be entered from a certain cavern in the eastern reaches of the forest, and its main passage is large enough to be navigable by boats, although many lurking monsters, drownhole side passages, and whirlpools make this a dangerous route. The river runs southeast along the edge of the moor, and then turns northeast and passes under the southwest tower of the castles inner ward. There it connects with a trapdoor and shaft in the cellar once used for waste disposal. It flows swiftly on to a large and permanent whirlpool and thence drains down to unexplored depths in the Underdark.
If one wins past the whirlpool, the river runs on to emerge as a waterfall in a ravine (one of many such clefts in the High Moor), where it flows out into a small pool. The pool drains away into the depths again, Dragonspear Castle is still a popular destination for adventurers and thrillseekers. Many poke about in the half-revealed dwarven cellarsbut anything that can be found easily has been carried away already, and trolls and orcs lurk in the ruins, awaiting prey. Brigands use the castle, and more than one misty night has seen a wild spell battle between rival adventuring bands caused by brigand trickery. The outlaws lie in wait after setting in motion their plan, and hope to seize gear, wealth, and magic from the weakened survivorsor dead victimsof the misunderstanding theyve brought about.
Every season brings new plans for the rebuilding of Dragonspear Castle in the taverns of Daggerford, Waterdeep, Scornubel, and Baldurs Gate, but somehow such plans come to naught. Some say it is the castles ill luck, caused by the great evil of the baatezu. Others blame covert work by brigand lords, the Zhentarim, and the Cult of the Dragon, all of whom either want the castle for their own or want it to stay a ruin. 75"
- Can you come here and tell these morans it's going to be 2E - Adventure Y will use the same ruleset as BG:EE and BGII:EE i.e. you can play all three parts with the same character.
- The Bhaalspawn left Baldur's Gate and travelled to the south. Why? Why did he have to leave? - This will indeed be explained. One more thing, Bioware kept notes on what happened after BG1 and why the characters ended up where they appear at the start of BG2. Just saying, we're not exactly guessing here.
- The Bhaalspawn left Baldur's Gate and travelled to the south. Why? Why did he have to leave? - This will indeed be explained. One more thing, Bioware kept notes on what happened after BG1 and why the characters ended up where they appear at the start of BG2. Just saying, we're not exactly guessing here.
I would also assume that Trent would have had something to do with said story development, too. He might be able to recall the original reasons from memory.
Regardless of what was thought about over a decade and a half ago, keeping Adventure-Y small(ish) is still the way to go I think. Maybe about the size of TotSC, but no bigger than that. And should be focused on the bhaalspawn and the five companions at the start of BG2 (Rasaad and Neera's hints/comments are a bit silly - they shouldn't be there at all). Save any really big expansion ideas for a SoA or SoA -> ToB expansion.
@elminster - Corwin was the name of a character (potentially CHARNAME's name) in one of the screenshots that was released earlier in this thread (but I suppose now might have been withdrawn, I haven't been back to look). It appeared in the dialogue box and was one of the first clues that Adventure Y might have something to do with Dragonspear.
- The Bhaalspawn left Baldur's Gate and travelled to the south. Why? Why did he have to leave?
Well, didn't really travel very far south, at least not voluntarily. According to Imoen, you were jumped just outside Baldur's Gate, but that's all she remembers.
Actually, the bitterness against the videogame developers is strong nearly on any site/forum.
I think the problem is that, aside from the resistance people always have to anything being changed even slightly from the thing they remember, in this case it's been over a decade and a half - people have already filled in the gap, at least in their heads. And there are one or two problems with continuity that can't really be settled in a way that would satisfy everybody. Really the best solution is not to address those things at all.
I suppose if the Solar is involved, the timeline can be messed with a little bit. But like I say, later on, between SoA and ToB, pretty much a whole new game can be wedged in without really affecting anything too much. But keeping adventure-y small and focused is the best bet to avoid problems or upsetting anyone too much.
Comments
*DUNdun DUNUNUH DUN DUN! DUNDUN! DUNDUN!*
This year, the eagerly anticipated Adventure Y will finally navigate the dark underground caverns of development and venture out into the Sword Coast. We’ve mentioned before that Adventure Y will be an addition to the Baldur’s Gate line using the Infinity engine, bridging the gap between Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition. Keep an eye on the Beamblog in late spring for announcements regarding the content and release date of Adventure Y. We have an exciting release planned for this game, something bigger than we’ve ever done before.
So, an "addition to the BG line" and "in late spring".
Joking! I have no idea when spring is.
I wonder, why had they been posted if they were deleted afterwards, after the blog put links to this thread?
It seems those screenshots showed more than they had wanted to reveal. For example, a new UI, perhaps?
Pixels, pixels...
-edit-
Never mind.
Going back and looking at the posts I see they were actually redacted and edited out.
Well, maybe it's because I've looked back at the 12-14 th pages of this discussion, maybe it's because I've spent several hours thinking... but this is my report.
At first, I've decided to have a look on the current situation with domains registered on Trent Oster - since the story with icewinddale.com it has become apparent that if a domain is registered on Trent, it must be something in that.
Voila!
https://whoisology.com/email/archive_8/trento@shaw.ca
overhaulgames.com overhaulgame.com funfed.com
grudgehounds.com icewinddale.com beamdogmac.com
bg2ee.com overhaulstudios.com thegrudgehounds.com
dungeondrop.com baldursgate2ee.com overhaulstudio.com
realmswar.com ideasparklabs.com rebelsmith.com
stormcry.com stygiangate.com thestygiangate.com
trapcraft.com loreform.com gameplayarts.com
baldursgatev.com baldursgateiv.com dungeonhunt.com
castleseige.com keepbuilder.com keepraider.com
deathbytrap.com malletstudios.com beamdog.com
ironisle.com ironislestudios.com rebelorder.com
legendpeak.com oilfieldrobotics.com mdk2hd.com
nwnrealmswar.com runeplay.com rebeltheory.com
rebelkeep.com renegadeforge.com irontheory.com
mythform.com siegeofdragonspear.com beamdog.net
Then, I've given that list the closest look possible. And my eyes quickly felll on http://siegeofdragonspear.com (the site is not active now)
What the...? This domain hasn't been registered the last time I looked.
In a hurry, I went to http://www.who.is/whois/siegeofdragonspear.com
Domain Name: SIEGEOFDRAGONSPEAR.COM
Registrar URL: http://www.godaddy.com
Registrant Name: Trent Oster
Registrant Organization: Ideaspark Labs
Name Server: NS55.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Name Server: NS56.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
DNSSEC: unsigned
Important Dates
Expires On November 03, 2016
Registered On November 03, 2014
Updated On November 03, 2014
November 03, 2014
This is when I felt like I was struck by lightning. This is exactly the time when the Adventure Y became to gather a lot of motion in terms of screenshots and tidbits from the Devs.
Remember this?
As @scriver thankfully explained, Corwin is the canonical name of the hero who cleared Dragonspear Castle.
Add to this references to Dragonspear Castle in the EE content (thanks goes to @shawne ) :
-Rasaad mentions Jaheira and Khalid being separated at Bridgefort (a stronghold near Boareskyr Bridge)
-Neera mentions Khalid making her soup when they were in Bridgefort
-Neera's ToB quest refers to Charname as the Victor of the Dragonspear Crusade
OMG! I'm now 99% sure the Adventure Y is called Siege of Dragonspear.
That said based on the available evidence it does look like it has something to do with Dragonspear Castle.
Some info about Dragonspear from source material (organized by year in DR).
1356
From the "Lands of Intrigue: Tethyr"
"The Dragonspear Wars: Amn and Waterdeep were engaged
in a series of battles against the baatezu of Dragonspear
Castle in the Year of the Worm (1356 DR), from Tarsakh to
the Feast of the Moon in Uktar. While few baatezu or orcish allies
ventured south into Tethyr, the tavern talk over any missing
person or mysterious death was attributed to baatezu wandering
the hills of Tethyr’s highlands"
From " The Grand History of the Realms"
"The Dragonspear War: Armies
from Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate besiege and set fire to
Dragonspear Castle, defeating the devils
within."
1358 (or later)
From "Forgotten Realms Adventures"
"As it is, the Zhentarim form a very powerful group operating on a number of fronts simultaneously, stretching their resources and the attention of their leaders to their limit. In addition to ruling Zhentil Keep (rather badly, in the opinion of many), they are involved in a war with Hillsfar over the ruins of Yulash, infiltrating the recovering town of Phlan, fighting a guerilla war in the fields of Daggerdale, searching for a trade route across the desert of Anauroch, supporting a puppet re- gime in Voonlar, several abortive attacks on Shadowdale (the most recent one during the Time of Troubles), strengthening the support at Darkhold, destabilizing the High Moors area around Dragonspear Castle by opening interdimensional gates"
"The Zhentarim are currently working to destroy Shadowdale, the last resistance in Daggerdale, Tilverton, Asbravn, Secomber, and Daggerford, but have suffered recent reverses at Dragonspear Castle and Yulash."
From " Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (revised) (TSR 1085)"
"Dragonspear Castle
This vast, ruined sprawl of high walls and toppled spires that is visible from the Trade Way is only 100 years of age. It was originally the home of Daeros Dragonspear, who built the stronghold at the height of his adventuring career. Daeros was slain some 70 winters ago (1290 DR) in battle with the forces of the evil wizard Casalia. Daeross company of skilled warriors repelled a number of attacks, but in the end the entire company was slain or driven away, and the citadel was plundered. Dragonspear castle was soon afterward beset by other evil spellcasters and brigands seeking the gold and treasure reported to have been left or hidden within.
The ruined fortress fell empty for a time, and thereafter served as the temporary home to small groups of bandits or outcast mages. These would prosper for a few years raiding the caravans of the Trade Way until driven out themselves by mercenary companies from Waterdeep or by Khelben and his colleagues in wizardry.
In recent years, some evil agent allied with the orcs, trolls, and bugbears of the High Moor succeeded in opening a gate to a lower plane within the castle. Strengthened by a growing army of fiends, the combined forces of the High Moors tribes devastated the area from the Way Inn to Boareskyr Bridge, such that today that part of the Trade Way is not considered safe territory.
In the face of the extraplanar incursion, armies were raised in Waterdeep and elsewhere to clear the Trade Way and destroy the evil at Dragonspear. The attempt to empty the castle met with heavy resistance, and the battle continued for almost two years before the castle was again cleared. Most of the structure was burned in the process, leaving an empty shell on the moors.
The wreckage of Dragonspear Castle is considered desolate, though priests of Tempus have set up a small shrine within the castle walls in hopes of keeping evil creatures from using it as a base again. Few inhabitants of the Sword Coast will camp near the castle by choice, and rumors persist of excavations that pre-date Daeross fortress and of a still-operational gate. In recent years, the numbers of nonhuman and evil troops have again swelled, and fiends are once again assumed to be active in the area."
1363DR
From "Hordes of the Dragonspear"
" "Mark my words, there is something dark there. Some evil force grows at the heart of that ruin. For now, it is content to dwell in the darkness for it fears the light of day. Soon, however, it will grow so powerful that not even the shadows can contain it.
- Dauravyn Redbeard Keeper of The Way Inn
All who live within several hundred miles have heard the name of Dragonspear Castle and know its import. Once home to the proud and brave, the castle is now a ruin cloaked behind a history of murder and diabolic plots. Few go there, for the only reward to be garnered is death.
Actually the problem is not Dragonspear itself. The old ruined castle, though rumored to have a portal to the sinister planes, is only a symbol for the evils that surge out of the wastes of the High Moor. Once, not too many years ago, the orcs and trolls of the High Moor ruled from that broken keep, rampaging throughout the area, cutting the Trade Way, and threatening the good people from Daggerford to Boarskyr Bridge.
The armies of Waterdeep and Baldurs Gate ended the reign of terror when they laid siege to the moldering fortress. By the time Piergeiron Paladinsons soldiers and Khelben Blackstaffs magic had shattered the castle gate and annihilated the occupants, the might of Dragonspear was bro- ken. A temple was established to ward against further evil rising from the castles cellars, where the gate to the planes was rumored to exist.
So things went for many years. By the Time of Troubles, the temple and its clergy had long since disappeared. Perhaps the priests had grown lax in their task or perhaps something darker happened-it seems of no consequence to this day for no further reports of evil have come from Dragonspear.
Still, one never knows."
Then there is Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast
Castle
Over the years, Dragonspear Castle has
become a name equated with great
evilas dread a name as Hellgate Keep.
Once the proud castle of Daeros
Dragonspear, a famous adventurer of
the North, Dragonspear has become a
ruin inhabited by wave after wave of evil
creatures. Many colorful but false legends
have grown up around the Castle,
but here Ive set down, as best I can, the
truth about Dragonspearas revealed
by several great archmagesl
and corroborated
by several tomes of lore at Candlekeep.
For most readers, this will be
the first time the tale of Dragonspear has
been truthfully told.
Daeros was a bearded half-dwarf, a
magical and rare half-breed of human
and dwarf as tall as a human, but with
the burly physique and affinity to stone
of a dwarf. He rescued and befriended a
copper dragon early in his adventures,
and after he seized a fabulous fortune in
gems used by a beholder in an abandoned
dwarf delve to lure prey, Daeros
decided to retire. He chose the site of the
dragons lair: three low hillocks at the
western edge of the High Moor, some
200 miles south of Daggerford. The
dragon, Halatathlaer, had grown tired of
constantly fighting off thieving orcs and
goblins, but was loath to leave its home.
Daeros gathered humans and dwarves
loyal to him and built his castle around
the dragon. It was a large and splendid
structure, composed of a massive central
keep surrounded by a strong ring of
four towers (the inner ward). Around
the keep was a spearhead-shaped outer
wall of nine great towers. Dwarves were
welcomed at the Castle, and a city of
small stone cottages and delvings
beneath them grew rapidly within the
walls. Dwarven fighting prowess made
Dragonspear a secure fortress and a
place of growing influence.
Daeros was often seen flying over the
High Moor on the dragons back in
those days. He wielded a long spear
(some say 40 feet or longer) against foes
on the ground and summoned his
troops with a horn. His energetic raids
hurled the orcs and trolls back, scouring
the moor until it seemed clear of them.
Unfortunately, Halatathlaer was old,
and grew weak. More than one wizard
coveted the dragons hoard and used
shape-shifting magics to spy on what was
there and how it was guarded. One Calishite
mage, Ithtaerus, created a spell
that allowed him to teleport the sleeping
dragon away to the wastes. He then
revealed what hed done to Daeros by
means of a magically sent vision that
falsely showed the wizard creating a gate
through which the dragon was taken.
The gate was actually a portal to Avernus,
uppermost of the nine layers of Baator2
a portal that would only be activated
by the death-blood of a mortal. The
enraged Daeros plunged through it,
weapons readyand was slain by the
wizards spells. The gate opened, and
several baatezu came through it. While
the alarmed dwarves of Dragonspear
battled them, the wizard looted the
dragons hoard at will and then returned
Halatathlaer to the inner ward, bound in
magical slumber.
Then the evil mage called upon several
dragons he knew, telling them that the
copper dragon of Dragonspear slept,
near death, and it and its hoard were
easy prey. Three young and ambitious
dragons heeded and took wing to
Dragonspear. They met over the fortress
and fought, destroying Halatathlaer and
much of the castle before slaughtering
each other. The last survivor, a black
dragon named Sharndrel, was enraged
to find the hoard it had fought so hard for
looted so that only coins were left, and
barely enough of them for the wyrm to
bed down on. It went seeking the triumphant
and overconfident Ithtaerus,
found him gloating over the best wine of
the castle in the upper chambers of the
central keep, and blasted him with its
acid until his bones crumbled to powder.
The castle was left as a shattered ruin,
eagerly raided by orcs, hobgoblins, bugbears,
goblins, and trolls from the moor
until all the dwarves were dead or had
fled. The serpentmen even sent a large
war party to search it for magic, and
they bore away all they found.
Then hobgoblin chieftains seized the
castle, They used it as a base from which
to raid the caravan road and the lands
around; gathering orcs and trolls into
ever-larger bands until Waterdeep and
Baldurs Gate raised armies and cleaned
the castle out. The victors set an armed
temple to Tempus (called the Hold of the
Battle Lions) in the cellars to guard
against creatures using the gate, for it
seemed indestructible. Some spell laid
74on it hurled back magics used against it
and sent forth ghosts of creatures slain in
the castle to attack those approaching it
Seasons passed, and more baatezu in
Avernus discovered the other end of the
planar link. Stealthily at first, and then in
greater numbers, they came through
into Toril, overwhelmed the temple, and
took the castle as their own. It is this foul
evil that was recently broken and driven
back to Avernus. Though the gate was
magically sealed, most folk believe that it
will be reopened again and that the stain
of evil will never leave the castle now.
Today, the outer wall of the castle is
breached and broken in many places. Its
great gate is a gaping hole, and from there
a road leads straight to the inner gate,
whose doors have also fallen. Though the
inner ward is still a defensibleif crumbling
fortress, the former city between it
and the outer wall has become scrub vegetation,
pits (the former cellar delves of
the dwarves), and heaps of stony rubble.
The central keep is a blasted shell, the
gigantic skeleton of a dragon draped over
the broken walls, and the interior floors
fallen in. Most of the surrounding inner
ward towers stand relatively intact. Travelers
fleeing from trolls, brigands, or
worse in this area could take refuge in
one of these and defend it.
Beneath the castle flows an underground
river. It runs from an unknown
source north into the Misty Forest, and
there turns abruptly southeast. It can be
entered from a certain cavern in the
eastern reaches of the forest, and its
main passage is large enough to be navigable
by boats, although many lurking
monsters, drownhole side passages, and
whirlpools make this a dangerous route.
The river runs southeast along the edge
of the moor, and then turns northeast
and passes under the southwest tower
of the castles inner ward. There it connects
with a trapdoor and shaft in the
cellar once used for waste disposal. It
flows swiftly on to a large and permanent
whirlpool and thence drains down
to unexplored depths in the Underdark.
If one wins past the whirlpool, the river
runs on to emerge as a waterfall in a
ravine (one of many such clefts in the
High Moor), where it flows out into a
small pool. The pool drains away into
the depths again,
Dragonspear Castle is still a popular
destination for adventurers and
thrillseekers. Many poke about in the
half-revealed dwarven cellarsbut anything
that can be found easily has been
carried away already, and trolls and orcs
lurk in the ruins, awaiting prey. Brigands
use the castle, and more than one misty
night has seen a wild spell battle
between rival adventuring bands caused
by brigand trickery. The outlaws lie in
wait after setting in motion their plan,
and hope to seize gear, wealth, and
magic from the weakened survivorsor
dead victimsof the misunderstanding
theyve brought about.
Every season brings new plans for the
rebuilding of Dragonspear Castle in the
taverns of Daggerford, Waterdeep, Scornubel,
and Baldurs Gate, but somehow
such plans come to naught. Some say it
is the castles ill luck, caused by the great
evil of the baatezu. Others blame covert
work by brigand lords, the Zhentarim,
and the Cult of the Dragon, all of whom
either want the castle for their own or
want it to stay a ruin.
75"
I'm curious now where he is mentioned.
- Can you come here and tell these morans it's going to be 2E
- Adventure Y will use the same ruleset as BG:EE and BGII:EE i.e. you can play all three parts with the same character.
- The Bhaalspawn left Baldur's Gate and travelled to the south. Why? Why did he have to leave?
- This will indeed be explained. One more thing, Bioware kept notes on what happened after BG1 and why the characters ended up where they appear at the start of BG2. Just saying, we're not exactly guessing here.
For e.g., Ubisoft is getting annihilated for releasing HoMM 3 HD on Steam.
Beamdog has been getting bad reaction back in the day BGEE and BG2EE were released.
It seems people these days demand too much and jump to criticise nearly everything they get.
In other words, So hard to find decent folk nowadays .
It seems the most of decent folk is simply located here
I suppose if the Solar is involved, the timeline can be messed with a little bit. But like I say, later on, between SoA and ToB, pretty much a whole new game can be wedged in without really affecting anything too much. But keeping adventure-y small and focused is the best bet to avoid problems or upsetting anyone too much.