The Candlekeep Party (spoilers) - including a speed game competition

Lemernis

Note: This idea developed into both a mini-mod and speed game competition. For full details see here.

The characters for this tactical challenge are available via a mini-mod, that is intended for a party of six in Multiplayer mode, and installs all 18 characters to your BGEE "characters" folder, with their portraits installed in your game's "portraits" folder. (Note: you may have to create a "portraits" folder in the same folder that has "characters," "save," and "mp save" found in Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition.) Extract the mod's zip file to the same folder that contains the game's CHITIN.key (within the game's folder on C:\ drive named "00766") and run "setup-pardasfd.exe."

The Candlekeep Collection characters have more modest ability scores than most players are accustomed to for NPCs. And their classes (designed around their respective roles at Candlekeep) and weapons profs offer interesting challenges tactically speaking, depending on party composition.

The mod includes a custom script that was written to give Parda a "Summon Fairy Dragon" special ability spell. After installing the mod, while playing the game simply click on Parda’s character record, select "customize," and then under "scripts" assign "PARDAFAM" to the character. Parda will then be able to summon a fairy dragon once per rest cycle. The creature will not persist when you leave the area it was summoned in. The fairy dragon can go into CHARNAME’s backpack but when released it will simply disappear, so there’s no point to doing that.

I can't imagine that there would be any compatibility issues with any other mod. The mod just copies playable characters into your characters folder and adds a custom script.

It is recommended that once you create the MP game, make an archived (i.e., named) save of it and move that saved game folder from the game's "mpsave" directory to the "save" directory. That will allow you to play the game in Single Player mode which allows for easier pausing.

Speed Game Using the Residents of Candlekeep

If you'd like to participate in a speed game competition using these characters the rules are simple:

You will be playing in Multiplayer mode. The mod will install the collection of characters to your BGEE "characters" and "portraits" folder. If you use Parda don't forget to assign the custom "PARDAFAM" script to him in-game. And for Jessup please use just one version of him, not both.

If you make it all the way to the end then note how many days and hours it took. When the PC dies note how far you got, i.e., how many days and hours, and note the chapter. Anyway, here are the basic rules:

1) Your first PC build must reflect an honest attempt to capture your real life ability scores, and a class or kit that accurately reflects your personality. After your first attempt you can continue to use that character repeatedly as your main character if you like; or thereafter you can use the random PC generation method detailed below.

2) Core Rules difficulty. (If using other specify and that will be a separate category.)

3) No reloading period (only for a technical glitch, crash, or to appropriately address a game engine limitation). You live with all game results such as HP on level-ups, spell scribing attempts, and party member deaths. Slain party members may be resurrected however (see rule 5).

4) You may not use any of the NPCs other than Imoen (don't forget to leave a slot open for her if you plan to). Otherwise you must use the characters that are made available from this collection. (You will be playing in multiplayer mode; so you import the characters.)

5) If a party member gets chunked you can only fill the empty slot with another Candlekeep character when you return to Candlekeep in chapter 6. (When you get to Candlekeep save the game and quit the game, logging out of the MP session. The log back in via MP mode, load the saved game, and fill the empty slot with the 0 XP character from among the available Candlekeep characters.)

6) Metagame and powergame to your heart's content. (However if you prefer to roleplay intensively, avoid meta-gaming, and even use card flips and die rolls to determine some things by chance a la the "Fates" method, so note and that will be a separate category.)

7) The farthest anyone gets in the shortest number of days and hours is the winner. You may post your progress and results in this thread.

If you prefer to simply take your time with the game and just see how far you can get, that's fine too. Indeed, if you do decide to try out this challenge just for fun without making a beeline through the game, I encourage you to post about it in the above referenced thread.

Similarly, if you wish play with SCS installed there can be separate categories for different approaches. But the hard and fast rules are: no reloading, chunked characters may only be replaced in Candlekeep in chapter 6, and your first PC build must mirror you in real life.

Randomization Method

Now... if you'd really like to increase the challenge further you can also use a randomly generated party and main character:

Generate a Random PC

First, create your main character randomly by generating a 4 digit number at this site. To roll a four digit number enter the values for the generator thusly and click the Generate button. Then, using this chart plug in the values to determine the race (1st digit), gender (2nd digit), class (3rd digit), and class subtype (4th digit). Next, use the number generator adjusted like this to generate a 3 digit number. Use those three numbers to determine Alignment (1st digit), Abilities (2nd digit = number of re-rolls allowed), and Voice Set (3rd digit). Voice set is optional.

If there is no Sub-class or Multi-class ignore the fourth digit of the four digit number. If you roll a 9 for the 4th digit you can use the WotC die roller and roll 1d6 to determine the class subtype. If your Race or Class restricts an alignment, then re-roll using the WotC die roller or just round up. (See here for a handy guide to race and class restrictions.) If you prefer, you can also use the Wotc die roller for the whole process (see here).

Generate a Random Party

Use the number sequence generator here to create three rows of five numbers by adjusting the generator like so. Each number in a row corresponds to the following numbered list:

1 - Bendalis
2 - Carbos
3 - Dreppin
4 - Erik
5 - Fuller
6 - Hull
7 - Imoen
8 - Jessup 1
9 - Jessup 2
10 - Jondalar
11 - Karan
12 - Parda
13 - Phlydia
14 - Piato
15 - Reevor
16 - Shank
17 - Shistal
18 - Theodon

Choose the row of numbers you like best from among the three different possible party compositions.

Only one version of Jessup should be used. If you get both Jessups in the same row, then reroll the second one using the WotC die roller for 1d18.

*****

Original starter post:

I'm considering making a custom multiplayer party of six consisting of Candlekeep residents. Imoen will of course be on the team. I would like to see if I can tie in a few kits that I still haven't gotten around to trying yet.

I can't have anyone higher than level 1, so Firebeard and Tethtoril are out.

In addition to Immy, I was thinking Hull and Reevor as the tanks. I've never used a Dwarven Defender, so I could make Reevor one.

Phlydia feels mostly like a mage to me. Although similarly she could be a sorceress or bard, I guess... I dunno, I was thinking maybe something a little wild and funky like Dragon Disciple Sorcerer, just for the heck of it? I've never tried a Dragon Disciple before. There is a bit of interesting FR lore about what actually lies in the depths of the Candlekeep catacombs. In my head I might tie that in some way to Phlydia:

It does not appear in the game, but the keep is guarded by the ghost of an ancient female silver dragon named Miirym. She is very friendly and may sometimes be found haunting the catacombs and caves beneath the fortress. IIRC (?) I think she may even be a little forgetful, like Phlydia!

The priests of Oghma aren't named... And they don't really have any personalties... So the PC is probably going to have to be a priest of some sort.

One of the monks could be a bard?... Maybe Karan, Parda, or Shistal?

There's Obe the Illusionist, to whom the Gatewarden directs you for training. But I'm going to guess that he would be too high level if he is able to do what he's doing for the tutorial...

Two of Obe's projections (?), Deder and Arkanis, appear in the Candlekeep catacombs--as real persons, evidently. Obi must create his projected images from real people at Candlekeep then? It isn't clear to me whether the party Obe teaches you with is real or projected. Anyway, I've seen threads on using Canderous, Osprey, Deder, Arkanis, and Mordaine before. But using the less obvious residents feels a little more appealing to me at the moment.

Anyway, I guess the party would be then:

CHARNAME (Cleric or Druid; specialty priest?; Fighter/Cleric; Cleric/Mage?) dual-class Cleric/Mage
Imoen (Thief)
Phlydia (Dragon Disciple Sorcerer)
Hull (Fighter)
Reevor (Dwarven Defender)
Shistal? (Bard)
Theodon (Jester)

Anyone want to help with stats? Or make other suggestions?

Lemernis

I thought about maybe making Dreppin a druid, but he really does seem to the resident dairy farmer!

It's a bit of a stretch but another thought was to develop one of the Chanters instead of Shistal (or Parda or Karan) into an adventuring class. Maybe the Chanter of the North as a Cleric of Helm?

meagloth

Can shank be your thief?

Lemernis

Shank! Hmm. An Assassin obviously. It's basically a good aligned party, though...

dustbubsy

I think Dreppin is a priest in the game code, having a couple of spells even. Maybe he could be a priest of whoever looks after farming in FR?

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Lemernis

@dustbubsy Oh, cool! A priest of Chauntea is what Dreppin would be then.

I thought of another possible party member: Theodon, as a Jester. (He's the old man in chapter 6, along with Jessup, kids you about his memory of you as a toddler.)

Lemernis

Sergio said:

For a moment I thought you were going to make a multiplayer playthrough and you were asking around for people that are heavy role-players to join you, and then you would make a topic with all the happenings.

What a great idea! Alas, I'm unable to do that myself, since I work and attend school both full time. But after we've brainstormed this, if you would like to run with that I think that would be a blast to follow.

Actually, because it is often difficult to arrange multiplayer sessions with other folks, what you might consider is having one player play the game out, but have have the other five (?) players in the game roleplay and make decisions for the character that each is playing. And then you journal that. So only one player is actually playing the game via the Infinity engine. The other five players are roleplaying their character's reactions, interactions, decisions, etc., in the journaling thread on the forum. The player who is actually running the game would report what the outcome of the battles is. I guess before any significant battle the players would each post their basic battle strategy, and hen the players who are RPing each party member would have to hope that the player running the game on the computer is doing justice to what each instructed.

There are game engine limitations, such as you can't have a party of greater than six. So if you follow Gorion's direction to travel to FAI to find Khalid and Jaheira, then it's impossible to have J. & K. join without booting two party members. That's an example of where metagaming is unavoidable: the players all already know that CHARNAME must say no to having J. & K. join. And in order to advance in the gamee, you have to follow some key plotlines, and complete each chapter. Etc.

But otherwise you can go very far in terms of roleplaying only what the characters would know of the world around them, and keep metagaming to a minimum.

If you can round up a group to do something like that, it would be great fun to follow!

Or if you can actually get enough folks to actually play the game in MP mode in real time, that would obviously be great too. But it might actually be better to read a journaled account that is more like a pbem type of game.

Lemernis

Another possibility is the Chanter, who leads the Voices of the four directions. But I think he too would be too high level.

Blackraven

Very nice idea, @Lemernis. It would make your game very interactive and you wouldn't have to place yourself in your companions' shoes as you do in your Fates playthrough.
As to your party Jondalar and (especially) Erik could be useful party members. The latter could be an Archer, very useful for some ranged firepower. The party you suggested seems to be lacking in that respect.

Lemernis

@Blackraven, It seems like the next logical step in the evolution of the "Fates" approach to do something like this, although it will be for others to experiment with. My RL commitments are just too great to participate. It would really be neat if some of you actually do something this, however you decided to go about it!

Actually, this could also be done with the standard NPCs. I think that has been tried before by forum members. But I think it might have been more PnP style? Can't recall anymore...

Just for my own SP game to get in an hour playing time here and there, I'm going to post the Candlekeep party candidates as I imagine them. If anyone ever wants to try this in the MP format maybe my concept of each can serve as inspiration.

Blackraven

Yes RL is taking its toll on my forum/game activity as well. I'm still going to journal one BG and one IWD run (provided IWD remains to be entertaining and doesn't become too repetitively hack & slash for my taste), both minimal reload because I simply haven't the time to restart no-reload games all the time.
Like you, I would love to see some people pick up the ideas you've been toying with.

meagloth

Blackraven said:

Yes RL is taking its toll on my forum/game activity as well.

Uhg. Real life. I hate that game. The graphics where good sharp(even if the colors where a bit dull) but the story was crap and all the people where ugly.

SharGuidesMyHand

meagloth said:

Blackraven said:

Yes RL is taking its toll on my forum/game activity as well.

Uhg. Real life. I hate that game. The graphics where good sharp(even if the colors where a bit dull) but the story was crap and all the people where ugly.

It's also terribly bugged too - I can never get any of the romance dialogues to trigger.

Lemernis

Okay, here is my version of Hull.

CG Human Fighter
Bastard Sword ++
Sword and Shield Style ++

(I figured do something a little different than Long Sword, although I know he wants you to fetch his.)

Hull is a bit older than you, although not by many years. His hair has recently begun to prematurely gray.

Hull can never seem to keep out of the doghouse with the Watchers, Candlekeep's guard. Whether it's organizing a dice game among the guards, reveling too much to get up in time the next morning, or chatting up the other residents of the keep when he should be patrolling, Hull seems to have a penchant for getting himself into trouble with authority. This is not to say that Hull is lazy or irresponsible... he just believes in taking his time! "Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow" is a fond saying of his.

Whatever Hull's shortcomings are with respect to following orders, he is a good person at heart, and a true friend. He is also a capable fighter. Hull is able to wield a bastard sword in one hand while carrying a shield in the other, which is no mean feat. He enjoys collecting swords.

Lemernis

And here is Reevor.

LN Dwarven Defender
Axe ++
Sword and Shield Style ++

(He's traditional.)

Reevor is, quite frankly, unnerving to most people. There is a good reason. He can easily give one the feeling that he would have no problem lopping your head off if he feels you're unworthy of keeping it. And it doesn't seem that he feels many people are. To watch him glower at you while sharpening his axe is not a pleasant experience.

Reevor is charged with keeping the Watchers veteran guard at a high level of martial skill. He loves to sharpen his skills regularly with contests--which the veterans dread. He also helps the priests of Oghma hone their healing skills as well. More than once a gaurd has required resurrection after a practice battle.

There is a bit of an unspoken rivalry between Reevor and Jondalar, the member of the Watchers who is responsible for training new recruits. It is anyone's guess who would take whom. But one thing is sure--Reevor would never give in or give up.

Lemernis

My version of Phlydia.

NG Human Dragon Disciple Sorceress
Darts +
Memorized spells:
Identify x2
Sleep x2

Phlydia is like an aunt to you. She is a practitioner of the magical arts, but came about them instinctively versus through study. You're not sure if it is a delusion, but Phlydia has told you that her sorcerous powers come from the blood of a dragon in her ancestry, who once took human form and mated with one of her forbears. She says she that on this account she knows a very old secret of Candlekeep: one that helps protect it from harm. More than that she will not say, however.

Phlydia is thoroughly loveable (at least to the average person). Everyone at Candlekeep has tremendous affection for her--although she requires a bit of looking after! For she is also typically lost in her own thoughts, absent-minded, and very scatter-brained! She doesn't work as a scribe, but is engaged in research of some sort. She often cannot be found for days at a time, although no one ever sees her leave the fortress. Tethtoril evidently knows where she is during these times, but it remains a secret.

Lemernis

And Theodon.

CN Human Jester
Sling +
Crossbow +
Learned spells: none

Theodon is far advanced in age--even he himself seems not quite sure how old. But his keenness of mind and wit are as full as his years. He is the library's resident expert cartographer and architectural illustrator. Above and beyond that special skillset his fund of knowledge for almost any subject is vast indeed.

Theodon is well liked. He delights in playfully and gently teasing people--at least those that he knows well--with insights into their personality. He relates stories about them both real and invented in which he often mimics the various actors' voices to a "T." The themes his stories reveal about the person are usually worth the trouble if he or she is willing to ponder them.

Perhaps less wise is Theodon's seeming compulsion to do this without regard to the consequences. While it is true that his tomfoolery subtly expresses wisdom about people, not surprisingly some do not take kindly to it and complain. It is not that Theodon doesn't care about the effects of his teasing--he just can't seem to restrain himself from the behavior. For example, Ulraunt once very nearly expelled Theodon from Candlekeep for making fun of its residents; although the real reason was that one of his jests once included the Keeper of the Tomes himself. Gorion and Tethtoril persuaded Ulraunt to allow Theodon to stay because they argued that Theodon's antics, on the whole, serve to boost the morale of the scribes greatly (whom Ulraunt works very hard). Theodon has subsequently managed to avoid making fun of Ulraunt specifically; and since then all is well.

Lemernis

And here is the party prior to departure. Of course Imoen will join them tomorrow morning. The PC:

CG Human Cleric of Lathander who will dual to Mage

Str 14
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 17
Wis 15
Cha 12

Quarterstaff +
Two-handed Weapon +

Lemernis

Just for fun, over the next week or so I will post my versions of the other Candlekeep residents that we have discussed.

meagloth

Late, but I think Winthrop would be a great jester. Also, can't you look up these guys actual stats in somethingorother-keeper?

artificial_sunlight

http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Phlydia
http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Reevor

If this wiki is right they are way over-leveled, but you got the (base)-classes right

Lemernis

@meagloth and @artificial_sunlight

Yeah, although I prefer what I have imagined (and as stated, I wanted to try a few kits that I haven't used yet), I could have used EE Keeper to check. Here's what EE Keeper has:

Hull
LN Human "Innocent" (Fighter)
Level 3
Str 13
Dex 10
Con 9
Int 10
Wis 11
Cha 10
23 HP
No profs assigned but carries a quarterstaff and wants you to fetch his Long Sword
plate mail
helmet

Reevor
LN Dwarf "Innocent" (Fighter)
Level 5
Str 12
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 11
Wis 9
Cha 10
31 HP
No Profs assigned but carries an axe
chainmail

Phlydia
CG Human "Innocent" (Cleric/Mage per memorization slots)
Level 6(/6)
Str 9
Dex 11
Con 10
Int 15
Wis 12
Cha 15
22 HP
No weapons profs assigned but carries a dagger
Magic Missile x4
Melf's Acid Arrow x 4
Stinking Cloud x1
Ghost Armor x1
has level 1-3 Cleric memorization slots but they're empty
Robe of Fire Resistance

Theodon
LN Human "Innocent" (Cleric per memorization slots)
Level 3
Str 10
Dex 10
Con 9
Int 13
Wis 14
Cha 10
18 HP
No profs assigned, no inventory items
Hold Person X2
unused level 1 spell memorization slot

Lemernis

artificial_sunlight said:

http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Phlydia
http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Reevor

If this wiki is right they are way over-leveled, but you got the (base)-classes right

Thanks for sharing this. I do use that wiki and didn't think to look there.

Maybe they're not over-leveled when you consider that they're fixtures at Candlekeep, and they inhabit a fortress in a hostile wilderness, and so on.

Lemernis

Fuller is another one belongs on the list.

So the list currently consists of:

Carbos
Dreppin
Erik
Fuller
Jondolar
Hull
Karan
Parda
Phlydia
Reevor
Shank
Shistal
Theodon

Not that anyone is confined to EE Keeper's versions, but the .Cre files for Winthrop and Jessup have them truly as commoners, with ability scores of straight 9s and no adventuring skills whatsoever. It's also a little awkward to have him along with Imoen in that Immy regularly references "Puffguts" in the past tense; and you may wish to rest at the Candlekeep Inn in chapter 6. I guess you could reject Imoen joining as an evil character. But for a Good or Neutral aligned protagonist I should think Imoen belongs in such a party. But anyway, for these reasons I have left Jessup and Winthrop off the list.

Note: I see that in EE Keeper Dreppin is level 3 and has stats that could work for a Cleric (Str 12, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 11), but he has no spell memorization slots. Although, actually: a commoner with straight 9s can become a Cleric. The minimum ability requirement is Wis 9!

Karan, Parda, and Shistal are all straight 9s (commoner stats) at level 1 but they each do get one level 1 Cleric memorization slot that is empty. I still think from the standpoint of creating an adventuring party via this concept that Bard (in the sense of being knowledgeable about books and lore) makes better sense for them, though--and would be more fun.

Lemernis

Okay, continuing with the pool of adventurers, here is Karan.

As noted above the .Cre file gives him an unfilled cleric spell slot, so I went with that. To add some racial diversity I made him an elf, though.

LG Elf Cleric
Sling +
Quarterstaff +
Memorized spells:
Bless x1
Cure Light Wounds x1
Protection from Evil x1

Karan, an elf, is over two centuries old. He came to Candlekeep when you were a young child, and he is originally from Silverymoon. Karan is a senior scribe at Candlekeep. He specializes in elven lore.

For reasons that Karan will not discuss, he changed his faith from worship of Labelas Enoreth to Oghma. He says that he considers his elven race, although adept of the most amazing feats of magic, to be too careless with such godlike knowledge. He too once treated knowledge in such a way, he confesses. But he has since come to respect Oghma's teachings far more. Karan has more faith now in knowledge that provides a solid moral compass. He has become the resident expert on moral philosophy, and he is particularly critical of elven moral values. It is as if Karan expects more of the elven peoples than he feels they deliver as role models.

Lemernis

And here is Parda. It seemed fitting to me that at least one of the named Candlekeep monks (i.e., scribes) should be a vanilla bard.

NG Human Bard
Dart +
Dagger + (most likely will use throwing)
Learned Spells: Find Familiar

Parda is eighteen years your senior. He is a scribe and has worked at the keep since he was half a decade younger than you are now. Parda loves the world of books, scrolls, and tomes that Candlekeep cherishes and protects. There is no place he would rather be. Even after his daily work is done Parda will often be found in a reading room in the library engrossed in human dramas, the folklore and fables of Toril's many peoples, and tales of adventure in far away, exotic lands late into the night. Parda's enthusiasm can be almost contagious when he relates to you whatever he has read. When telling a story he has a talent to make you feel like you are there.

Like many a scribe who transcribes books on the Art, Parda dabbles in arcane magic. He is also a lover of epic heroic sagas, love sonnets, and poetry. He is skilled at singing classic songs and has a beautiful voice.

Parda has a pet iguana that he has recently told you, excitedly, that he has been studying a spell to transform. Just how he has not said. But Parda is almost ready to finally try the spell out, he is pleased to announce.

Elrandir

Well Oghma is the bard deity, so it makes sense that there'd be at least one of the monks with bardic skills.

Lemernis

This is Shistal.

Like Karan, I went with cleric given his .Cre file. I thought it would be fun to design him with the potential to be dualed to Mage. Drawbacks to that are that he'll need the Int tome for it, which isn't available until chapter 5. So he won't get his original Cleric skills back until rather late in the game.

He's got commoner Strength, Dex, and Con. But at least before dual-classing him he can wear ankheg plate, equip a shield, and summon magical melee weapons (until he eventually earns a third weapons prof). He can of course also just use a sling and shield.

LN Human Cleric
Sling +
Sword and Shield Style +
Memorized spells:
Command x1
Cure Light Wounds x1
Shillelagh x1

Shistal is a bit of an odd duck. He is a shy, retiring type who doesn't relate too well to other people. Consequently he has found a rather comfortable home at Candlekeep as a scribe, where he can bury his nose deeply into scholarly pursuits. He is also a priest of Deneir, and is very devout believer in Metatext, a tenet of his faith that states that subtly encoded within all written language is the blueprint of the structure of the multiverse.

Shistal enjoys repetitive tasks that many scribes find to be tortuously tedious, and his wish to continue transcription and compilation sometimes extends beyond his physical endurance. He often doesn't know when to stop working in order to take proper care of himself.

Shistal doesn't seem to have any truly close relationships, and indeed is not an easy person to get to know. However he seems fairly at ease talking about whatever project he is toiling at if asked. He can become quite animated when talking about scholarly subjects and Deneir.

Shistal has been at Candlekeep since before you were born, and you have no idea of his prior history. Whenever asked about it he suggests that it is inconsequential to him, and will invariably respond with conversation to his faith and work.

Lemernis

This is Carbos.

I figured I'd make him a Bounty Hunter, which is close enough in spirit to Assassin. Buying a katana for him to start will cost a big chunk of the spending money.

NE Human Bounty Hunter
Katana +
Single Weapon Style +
Open Locks 10
Find Traps 5
Pick Pockets 15
Move Silently 15
Hide in Shadows 10
Detect Illusion 5
Set Traps 45

Carbos is an unlikely ally. At Candlekeep, prior to your departure this new stablehand attempted to assassinate you! You overcame him. But rather than killing him, you instead interrogated him. Carbos revealed that he is not a stablehand at all, but rather a trained bounty hunter who is eager to ply his trade. He apologized for attacking you, claiming it was a case of mistaken identity. You apparently match a description of someone that a priestess from Kara-Tur whom Carbos had met on the Coast Way had told him she would pay 300 gold for, dead or alive.

Carbos has skills in stealthily tracking down his quarry and setting traps for them. Fortunately for you he had yet not laid such a trap, for if he had you likely would be dead. He is skilled in the use of the far eastern blade called a "katana."

Lemernis

And here is Shank.

He's pretty straightforward.

CE Human Assassin
Dagger +
Single Weapon Style +
Open Locks 25
Find Traps 5
Pick Pockets 15
Move Silently 30
Hide in Shadows 15
Detect Illusion 0
Set Traps 0

Shank is a newly hired stablehand of which you had barely taken notice—until out of the blue he tried to kill you! Lunging at you with a dagger as he approached, you were able to sidestep the attack. You kept him talking and eventually he came to a different decision. Shank boldly asked to join you on your journey with Gorion.

Shank states that the reason for the attempt on your life was that he heard a rumor that you were wanted for the foulest of crimes. Shank explains that he has learned the art of poison as an outgrowth of his training to humanely put horses down when they go lame. The crimes of which he had heard you were accused were so unspeakable that he felt it would be best to rid the world of you. After you spoke at length he was convinced that the rumor was false, and he would now make amends by helping you.

Shank says of his past he says that he grew up an orphan on the streets of Westgate in Sembia and has constantly moved from one thing to the next in order to survive; but he feels that his newfound skill in using poisons may now be his calling.