The Tales of Sima Jin - Min. Reload RP driven playthrough.
Heindrich
Member, Moderator Posts: 2,959
This will be a full-saga roleplay-driven playthrough of the BG Trilogy using BG:EE and BG2:EE. It will be a minimum-reload game at Core Rules difficulty with a number of personal rules and restrictions.
Rules:
1) Accept all consequences.
Reloads only permitted for PC death or permanent death of select "protected NPCs". Protected NPCs are Imoen and Neera in BG1 and only Neera in BG2. (This is primarily for roleplay purposes and so that I don't miss out on Neera's content for this playthrough.)
2) No mysterious resurrection.
Any NPC suffering permanent death in BG1 cannot return in BG2.
3) No min/max'd stats for the PC.
Basically PC stats ought to be roughly in line with ingame NPCs, rather than godly individuals with 18/18/18 as standard.
4) Story-driven decisions
Decisions ingame should be driven by roleplay, not metagaming. I want to slay Fiirkraag to avenge Ajantis and bring an end to his evil, not because I remember he drops the mighty Carsomyr.
5) Realistic rest.
No resting in "active dungeons", which are defined as those with an active and organised defence, which would likely respond decisively if you really set up camp to rest for 8 hours. These include Cloakwood Mines, Sendai's Enclave, Iron Throne HQ etc... but not Durlag's Tower and Watcher's Keep. Basically characters should think about resource management and properly preparing before attempting to storm a significant enemy stronghold.
6) Realistic pre-buffing
No short-term buffs unless the characters (not player) can reasonable expect to be facing combat shortly. Long term protections like Stoneskin and Contingencies will be prepared at the start of the day.
7) No cheesy tactics
For example no initiating a mage battle and then running away until enemy protections time-out. No casting Webs/cc or stacking traps using knowledge of where enemies will spawn. No pulling individuals from a group of enemies one at a time.
8) No slings
Slings require a lot of training to use effectively and are unwieldy in any confined spaces. As such I find it odd that they are the go-to sidearm for most warriors and mages, and can even be equipped with shields! Thus none of my characters will ever use slings.
Introducing Jin
For the first twenty years of his life, Jin has enjoyed a peaceful and somewhat sheltered existence safe within the walls of the fortress library of Candlekeep, rarely venturing beyond its comfort and safety, and always under the careful protection of his adoptive father, Gorion.
Jin has no memories of his birth-parents, nor life outside the Sword Coast, but he has always been aware that he was outsider to the Sword Coast, and indeed even Faerun. Gorion has always seemed reluctant to talk about Jin's heritage, often becoming agitated when Jin pressed the issue, but from what he can gather from numerous brief conversations, Jin's parents were Shou merchants who were waylaid by bandits and murdered on the highway between Beregost and Baldur's Gate.
Gorion adopted Jin when he was but a toddler and raised him up in Candlekeep as his own son. Though Jin has never had reason to doubt Gorion's love for him, the old man never imparted any of his considerable arcane knowledge to his foster son, warning that magic was dangerous and ought to be avoided. Instead for his fourteenth birthday, Gorion gave Jin the ornate Shou sword named Yi Tian Jian, or Heaven Reliant Sword in the common tongue. It supposedly belonged to Jin's birth father and has been a treasured heirloom of the Sima family for generations.
For two years Gorion hired a Shou swordmaster to teach Jin the martial art of Shou swordsmanship, as well as the basic language, culture and philosophy of his ancestral home. As such Jin has become a competent, albeit inexperienced, swordsman, preferring to fight without armour as taught by his master, and rely on speed and accuracy to overcome stronger and better armoured foes. Of course, thus far, it has all been theory, and Jin has never had to draw his blade in anger to defend himself.
Intended Party
I say intended, because permanent death is a possibility. But if everything goes well, then the core party should be:
BG1: Jin, Imoen, Neera, Khalid, Jaheira andKivanBranwen/Yeslick.
BG2: Jin, Imoen/Yoshi, Neera, Aerie, Keldorn and Anomen.
Mods
BG1: BG1NPC Project and Jin's custom sword.
BG2: Jin's custom sword.
Jin starts as a Kensai, and so his sword, named the Heaven Reliant, is pretty integral to his character and plot. I will create 3 versions of the sword and give them to Jin at the start of BG1, SoA and ToB. They are designed to be competitive and viable for each part of the game, but not overpowered compared to existing weapons in the game. The BG 1 version is basically a Long Sword +2 that also provides a +1 AC bonus.
I was partly motivated to create this custom item to avoid the temptation of trying to cheese my way to Drizzt's scimitars and also avoid being forced to use a katana in BG2, where the Heaven Reliant will replace the Celestial Fury.
I haven't created the SoA and ToB versions of the Heaven Reliant yet, but the intention is to add the Celestial Fury's abilities for SoA and improving it to +3. For ToB I will probably improve it to a +5 weapon.
RP-wise the weapon's improvements will be explained as Jin learning to unlock the weapon's power as he gains experience and faces ever more deadly foes.
Writing Style
This may evolve with time, but the plan is to primarily tell the story from Jin's perspective in the form of his diary entries each time the party rests, especially in a safe location like a tavern.
Rules:
1) Accept all consequences.
Reloads only permitted for PC death or permanent death of select "protected NPCs". Protected NPCs are Imoen and Neera in BG1 and only Neera in BG2. (This is primarily for roleplay purposes and so that I don't miss out on Neera's content for this playthrough.)
2) No mysterious resurrection.
Any NPC suffering permanent death in BG1 cannot return in BG2.
3) No min/max'd stats for the PC.
Basically PC stats ought to be roughly in line with ingame NPCs, rather than godly individuals with 18/18/18 as standard.
4) Story-driven decisions
Decisions ingame should be driven by roleplay, not metagaming. I want to slay Fiirkraag to avenge Ajantis and bring an end to his evil, not because I remember he drops the mighty Carsomyr.
5) Realistic rest.
No resting in "active dungeons", which are defined as those with an active and organised defence, which would likely respond decisively if you really set up camp to rest for 8 hours. These include Cloakwood Mines, Sendai's Enclave, Iron Throne HQ etc... but not Durlag's Tower and Watcher's Keep. Basically characters should think about resource management and properly preparing before attempting to storm a significant enemy stronghold.
6) Realistic pre-buffing
No short-term buffs unless the characters (not player) can reasonable expect to be facing combat shortly. Long term protections like Stoneskin and Contingencies will be prepared at the start of the day.
7) No cheesy tactics
For example no initiating a mage battle and then running away until enemy protections time-out. No casting Webs/cc or stacking traps using knowledge of where enemies will spawn. No pulling individuals from a group of enemies one at a time.
8) No slings
Slings require a lot of training to use effectively and are unwieldy in any confined spaces. As such I find it odd that they are the go-to sidearm for most warriors and mages, and can even be equipped with shields! Thus none of my characters will ever use slings.
Introducing Jin
For the first twenty years of his life, Jin has enjoyed a peaceful and somewhat sheltered existence safe within the walls of the fortress library of Candlekeep, rarely venturing beyond its comfort and safety, and always under the careful protection of his adoptive father, Gorion.
Jin has no memories of his birth-parents, nor life outside the Sword Coast, but he has always been aware that he was outsider to the Sword Coast, and indeed even Faerun. Gorion has always seemed reluctant to talk about Jin's heritage, often becoming agitated when Jin pressed the issue, but from what he can gather from numerous brief conversations, Jin's parents were Shou merchants who were waylaid by bandits and murdered on the highway between Beregost and Baldur's Gate.
Gorion adopted Jin when he was but a toddler and raised him up in Candlekeep as his own son. Though Jin has never had reason to doubt Gorion's love for him, the old man never imparted any of his considerable arcane knowledge to his foster son, warning that magic was dangerous and ought to be avoided. Instead for his fourteenth birthday, Gorion gave Jin the ornate Shou sword named Yi Tian Jian, or Heaven Reliant Sword in the common tongue. It supposedly belonged to Jin's birth father and has been a treasured heirloom of the Sima family for generations.
For two years Gorion hired a Shou swordmaster to teach Jin the martial art of Shou swordsmanship, as well as the basic language, culture and philosophy of his ancestral home. As such Jin has become a competent, albeit inexperienced, swordsman, preferring to fight without armour as taught by his master, and rely on speed and accuracy to overcome stronger and better armoured foes. Of course, thus far, it has all been theory, and Jin has never had to draw his blade in anger to defend himself.
Intended Party
I say intended, because permanent death is a possibility. But if everything goes well, then the core party should be:
BG1: Jin, Imoen, Neera, Khalid, Jaheira and
BG2: Jin, Imoen/Yoshi, Neera, Aerie, Keldorn and Anomen.
Mods
BG1: BG1NPC Project and Jin's custom sword.
BG2: Jin's custom sword.
Jin starts as a Kensai, and so his sword, named the Heaven Reliant, is pretty integral to his character and plot. I will create 3 versions of the sword and give them to Jin at the start of BG1, SoA and ToB. They are designed to be competitive and viable for each part of the game, but not overpowered compared to existing weapons in the game. The BG 1 version is basically a Long Sword +2 that also provides a +1 AC bonus.
I was partly motivated to create this custom item to avoid the temptation of trying to cheese my way to Drizzt's scimitars and also avoid being forced to use a katana in BG2, where the Heaven Reliant will replace the Celestial Fury.
I haven't created the SoA and ToB versions of the Heaven Reliant yet, but the intention is to add the Celestial Fury's abilities for SoA and improving it to +3. For ToB I will probably improve it to a +5 weapon.
RP-wise the weapon's improvements will be explained as Jin learning to unlock the weapon's power as he gains experience and faces ever more deadly foes.
Writing Style
This may evolve with time, but the plan is to primarily tell the story from Jin's perspective in the form of his diary entries each time the party rests, especially in a safe location like a tavern.
Post edited by Heindrich on
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Comments
Day 0, Hour 7, 1 Mirtul, 1368
The morning sun has barely risen above the walls of Candlekeep and I have already been up for at least an hour. In fact I am not sure I got any sleep at all last night. How can I sleep? I am about to leave Candlekeep, the only home I have known all my life, and father won't even tell me why! All he said was that Candlekeep was no longer safe and that we must leave at first light once I pick up some provisions from Winthrop.
I find it absurd that I could be in any danger inside the heavily guarded walls of Candlekeep, and besides, why would anybody even try to harm me? I have no enemies or even done anything worthy of note to warrant somebody's attention. That said, something is clearly wrong, father has been acting a little strange for a while now... distracted, tense, troubled by something... Perhaps it is an adversary from his past... I know he was an accomplished adventurer, no doubt he has enemies from those times.
I suppose it is pointless to speculate. I trust father to tell me what I need to know when the time is right, and it is not for a filial son to question his father.
Truth be told, whilst I am nervous and scared to leave these comfortable and reassuring walls, I am also rather excited. I have read about so many wild and wonderful places in the many tomes of the Candlekeep library, yet I have barely travelled beyond Beregost and Baldur's Gate in all my twenty years. I know father only means to keep me safe, but his over-protectiveness can feel rather suffocating. I want to travel the lands like he did in his younger days, from the icy mountains of the north to the hot deserts of the south. I want to travel to the homeland of my ancestors, far to the east in Kara-tur...
I am rambling now. I better get going. I think Winthrop's shop ought to be open for business now.
Location: Candlekeep
Day 2, Hour 0, 3 Mirtul, 1368
Where do I even begin?! I am exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally, but my mind is racing, images, terrible images, flash in my mind every time I close my eyes.
My father is gone... dead. I cannot bring myself to accept it, I cannot even imagine how life can go on without him... but I know it's true, I saw it with my own eyes...
My memory is a bit of a blur, but it was dusk, father and I were travelling in the cover of the woods, he mentioned hiding in the city of Baldur's Gate from whatever danger that stalked us. Suddenly we were beset by a giant of man in blackened and viciously spiked full-plate armour. He demanded that father hand me over to him... Me?! Why?! I have no idea who he was and what he could possibly want of me. In any case, father refused and told me to run as the armoured man's mercenaries opened fire.
I am ashamed to say that I panicked, I did not question father's order, even though I must have known that for all his arcane prowess, he could not stand alone in the face of such an assault, for if he was confident of victory, why would he ask me to run? After I reached the cover of denser woods, I glanced back just in time to see the black armoured figure cleave father down with a giant cruel blade. I wanted to scream out, I wanted to bravely charge the enemy and avenge my father, but I knew that I stood no chance against such a foe. I like think that I behaved rationally, intelligently, and that I hid in silence so that I may live to avenge father another day, but am I just making excuses for my cowardice? I don't know, I really don't know.
It is of some comfort that I am not alone. My dear friend Imoen found me shortly after the ambush. She had apparently read the letter Gorion received from a friend that warned him to flee from Candlekeep, and thus knew that we were in danger. Though her attempts to raise my spirits have been a little irritating at times, I am beyond grateful for her company. I don't know what I'd do without her.
Shortly before that fateful ambush, father mentioned that should something go wrong and we become separated, I should seek out his friends, Khalid and Jaheira, at the Friendly Arm Inn. That is where I am now. But there was more danger before I found any such safety...
On the road to the Friendly Arm Inn, we came across a pair of travellers, a mage and a Halfling warrior, Xzar and Montaron, who upon seeing the state of me, offered a healing potion and companionship, in return for accompanying them on a journey to Nashkel. I persuaded them to accompany Imoen and I to the Friendly Arm Inn to find Jaheira and Khalid, and I am grateful that they agreed... but something about them unnerves me. I didn't notice it at first, but Imoen is right, something is off about that duo... I am not sure they are trustworthy companions I can rely on.
Just as we reached the gates of the inn, and the safety I sought, I was approached by a smiling man who claimed to be waiting for me, which alarmed me because as far as I am aware, father did not inform Jaheira and Khalid to be expecting us. My caution was immediately justified as the man was revealed to be an assassin and immediately launched his attack with a spell... Clearly Imoen was alert to danger as well, and she loosed an arrow almost instantly, forcing the assassin to duck, disrupting his concentration. This allowed Xzar to hit the assassin first with a Larloch's Drain, whilst Montaron and I rushed the assailant to close the distance. The assassin appeared surprised to find me not alone and was not expecting serious resistance. In his moment of hesitation, I pierced his heart with Heaven Reliant. I have trained to for years to master the sword, and Heaven Reliant in particular, but that was the time I have drawn my blade in anger, and the first life I have taken with it. I am unsure how I feel about that.
Guards quickly arrived on the scene and took my small company in for questioning regarding the incident at the gates. After they had determined that we were not the aggressors, we were permitted to enter the establishment. Imoen found Jaheira and Khalid drinking in the tavern, and though I have little memory of our only previous meeting when I was but a young child, I immediately felt reassured in their presence and was thankful to accept their condolences and their offer of protection and assistance in this time of fear and uncertainty.
I feel lost and confused. My father is dead and I have no idea why there is a bounty on my head. I don't know what to do... so I'll listen to whatever Jaheira and Khalid suggest. They were apparently also about to head to Nashkel to investigate troubles related to the Iron Crisis. I have of course readily agreed to go with them so that I can honour my promise to Xzar and Montaron.
The moon is high in the sky... I guess I should try to get some sleep again.
Location: Friendly Arm Inn
My gameplay is significantly ahead of my write-up updates (more coming soon) and I have reached a bit of a decision point, and would welcome suggestions/advice to help me make up my mind.
I have just emerged from the Nashkel Mines with Imoen, Neera, Khalid, Jaheira and Branwen.
I had intended to use Branwen on a temporary basis because I am using BG1NPC, and I wanted to see her content up until Tranzig. However, I won't lie, I have been struggling with the playthrough a bit more than I anticipated (already on reload 5 or 6!), and I am reluctant to compromise on my personal challenge rules listed above.
So... I had planned to switch Branwen for Kivan, and sure Kivan would certainly add much needed extra firepower, but the encounter with Nimbul reminded me just how devastating (and prevalent) Horror is in BG1, and how valuable clerical support can be. Without Branwen, I have no idea how to deal with this common spell so many enemy mages are going to throw at me...
I don't want to dual-class Imoen and I don't want Neera to be casting anything on the party even if I find a Resist Fear scroll for her.
I have completed BG1 before with the canon party, and thus no cleric spells, but I had no personal rules or reload restrictions before, so the lack of Remove Fear, Chant, Protection from Evil etc didn't feel quite as daunting as now.
So shall I just stick with Branwen (and maybe switch for Yeslick later) or can you suggest tactics (given party composition) for dealing with enemy cc spells?
Yes, basically... even though I have not imposed any draconian punishment on myself for reloads, I am trying very hard to to mitigate and manage risks, especially anything random that might result in permanent death of my beloved party members, since I can't even reload those.
Day 3, Hour 2, 4 Mirtul, 1368
Well we did not get very far... In fact I write once more from the same room in the Friendly Arm.
Apparently Imoen went socialising last night and heard something about an aggressive ogre preying on travellers in the woods to the south. Somehow she had a notion that were are now adventurers with some sort of mission to save the world, one act of heroism at a time. Somehow she persuaded Jaheira that it'd be a good idea to track down and slay this ogre to help make the highway that little bit safer...
I don't know what to make of it to be honest. The shock and pain of losing father is starting to subside, replaced by a certain numbness. My instinct tells me that we should be avoiding trouble, not seeking it out, but with a bounty on my head, I don't know if it is even possible to hide from whatever danger that stalks me. I have read so many stories of heroes and villains, but am I really to become an adventurer and follow in the steps of my foster father? Do I have what it takes to be a hero? Right now... I certainly don't feel like a hero.
Anyway we set out first thing in the morning in search of the ogre, Xzar and Montaron were not happy about yet another detour from their intended objective, but came along non-the-less. The woods are infested with gibberlings and we had to dispatch several packs of them during the course of the hunt. Thankfully they proved no match for our combined company. However we stumbled upon a far more dangerous foe when we came across a band of bandits looting the remains of a caravan they had presumably just waylaid.
I am ashamed to say that my first instinct was to back off, stay hidden and wait for the bandits to move on, even though the scene before me must have been similar to the terrible incident that claimed my birth parents somewhere along this very highway. In any case, Jaheira was in charge and boldly issued a challenge to the bandits. A few insults were exchanged before arrows started flying. In the face of mortal danger, Imoen was ever so fearless for one so young, and she was the first to draw blood, felling a bandit with an accurate shot from range, as Jaheira, Khalid and Montaron charged the enemy. I too swallowed my fear and followed, arriving in time to help Khalid dispatch one of the bandits before moving on to confront their leader.
The man was a formidable warrior, and even as his lackeys fell around him, he fought on with savage determination, wounding both Khalid and Montaron. Seeing her husband bleeding from a nasty head wound, Jaheira's face contorted in rage (a scary sight I tell ya!) as she renewed her assault with fresh ferocity, knocking the bandit leader off-balance with her quarterstaff, allowing me to strike from the side, slashing his thigh and sending him to his knees. As the man tried to rise, Jaheira brought her staff down on his head. He wore a helmet, but such was the force of the blow that he was knocked out cold regardless.
Before I could question what to do with him, Montaron slit the man's throat and scalped all the bandits, saying something about bounties we could collect in Beregost. Jaheira was apparently okay with this as she left Montaron to the grisly business and tended to Khalid's injuries with healing magic.
We would run into two ferocious and hungry wolves and yet another pack of gibberlings before we finally came across the ogre a few hours later. The brute was roasting a whole deer on a spit as we approached and took him by surprise. Though he survived Imoen's arrows in the back, he did not survive Xzar's Vampiric Touch.
So with that, the ogre was slain and I supposed I completed my first "quest" as an "adventurer". We were bruised and exhausted and it was nearly nightfall, so instead of pressing on towards Beregost, or camping in the wilderness, we decided to return to the Friendly Arm for the night. Tomorrow we go south again, I wonder if we will actually reach Beregost or if some other adventure will delay us again...
Location: Friendly Arm Inn
Jaheira level up: Fighter/Druid: 2/2 (+12 hp*)
*
Day 3, Hour 23, 4 Mirtul, 1368
Well we got to Beregost and I now write from a nice clean room inside the Feldpost Inn. However we didn't all make it...
I am not sure how this didn't come up earlier, but when Xzar and Montaron heard that Jaheira and Khalid were Harpers in a passing conversation, they went ballistic! I don't know why they hate Harpers and I don't know what their deal is, but it was an easy decision to make when Xzar announced that he would not share the road with Harpers, and forced me to choose between him and Montaron, or Jaheira and Khalid.
It is rather amusing that Xzar was actually surprised that I didn't pick him over my late father's trusted friends and sworn guardians! Perhaps the pair are not so menacing or dangerous afterall, just a bit loony... but regardless they stormed off, parting with a spew of insults and expletives.
Without Xzar and Montaron, we arrived in Beregost after dark and headed straight for the Feldpost Inn to rest our weary feet. It is a fine institution I have visited with father on several occasions, but the atmosphere was somewhat different today. There was palpable tension in the air, no doubt something to do with the Iron Crisis gripping these parts. Imoen was being her sociable self, chatting with the patrons near the bar, flashing her sweet smile to disarm all but the most glum of strangers, when a drunk thug suddenly confronted her, yelling nonsense about "unwanted visitors". She tried to calm him down in her usual charming way, offering to buy him and his friend a round of drinks, but the thug drew his blade and lunged for her. Thankfully, Immy is nothing if not quick and nimble, she evaded his wild swings and moved to put distance between herself and the lunatic, as Jaheira, Khalid and I rushed to her aid. Khalid moved quickly to position himself between Imoen and the thug, weathering a storm of blows on his shield, whilst I moved in from the side and found the weak joints in the side of the man's armour. Heaven Reliant struck deep, allowing Khalid to counter and nearly take the thug's head off. The thug's friend seemed to consider joining the fray, but wisely decided against it.
It has been a while since I last ventured beyond the walls of Candlekeep with father, and it is as if the world outside has changed. It is darker, more violent and dangerous than I ever remembered, and it is disturbing how normal killing and taking lives is beginning to feel. One moment a talking, breathing, living (albeit unpleasant) man, the next minute lying in a pool of his own blood, a bag of lifeless flesh and bones with dead, empty eyes... It disturbs me, and yet I know that to protect Imoen, I would not hesitate to kill that man a hundred times over...
The Greenstone Amulet is also great, although you'd have to detour to Ulgoth's Beard to buy one. If you do, and have the gold, remember to sell it back after buying it and then buy it again to get 50 charges on the thing. Of course, that might be a bit too meta gamey. I think the amulet starts with 10 charges when you first buy it, so if you can come up with a RP reason why the character would know about the amulet and know where to buy one, it's something to consider.
I mention Kiel's Helmet only for completeness. It provides complete immunity to fear, but delving into the second lower level of Durlag's to get it is probably more dangerous than facing mages with the fear spell.
Otherwise, I'd suggest having Neera memorize Spook. It's surprisingly effective and will give you an extra three rounds to maneuver while the targeted mage gets a dose of his own fear. Don't over look potions of invisibility or the spell invisibility on your best damage dealer. Getting in close to a mage and smacking them hard can often end the battle before it begins.
Another tactic that can be effective is to send in one character to get the mage's attention. When you see the fear spell heading that character's way run as far away from the party and any of the mage's allies as possible. If you're lucky you'll only have one character taken out of the fight that way.
The wands of magic missile you find can be used by any character, so giving them to your non casters is a great idea. While Neera casts her own magic missile, or something like spook, another character can also be dealing unblockable damage with the wand. The wand of fear will give Jaheira a way to potentially turn the tables and send the mage screaming home to momma. Neera can also make use of the wand of fire and wand of frost. Both are great ways to damage an enemy mage. The wand of fire can be used either for fireball or for Agannazar's Scorcher. If you keep your people out of the way the scorcher can hurt the mage and any of his friends in the path of the ray. Be careful with the frost wand though, if it delivers the killing blow the enemy will shatter and you won't get to pick up his or her items.
In general, the best tactic is the old favorite of flinging as much damage toward enemy mages as possible. Kivan's skill with a bow could certainly help with that and if you find some arrows of biting all the better. A poisoned mage won't cast much of anything. The arrows of fire you find in the Nashkel Mines are good for a character like Kivan too. Every extra bit of damage helps since mages aren't that durable.
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/34915
@BelgarathMTH @kcwise @CrevsDaak
Thanks for all your suggestions! I have given it some thought but I decided to stick with Branwen for now. Chant, Remove Fear, Silence etc... are all so useful and I got spoilt from my BG2 experience and really dislike not having a lot of spellcasters in my party with a nice range of spells. I am also a big fan of Yeslick so it'd be nice to pick him up for the second half of the game.
Day 4, Hour 22, 5 Mirtul, 1368
Tis' been an eventful day to say the least... where shall I begin... Well we got up nice and early to pick up some supplies for journey to Nashkel. On the way to the famous Thunderhammer Smithy, we ran into a classic damsel in distress like in the stories I read about. The damsel in question was a cute young half-elf by the name of Neera, fleeing the clutches of the infamous Red Wizards of Thay.
Neera had the misfortune to attract their attention due to her rare and unpredictable magic that they would no doubt like to examine. And by "examine", I mean cutting the poor girl into pieces and trying to find the source of her power. Although I could hardly afford to offend the Red Wizards when I am already being hunted by an unknown enemy, I could hardly stand aside and allow them to take her. Of course it goes without saying that as Harpers, Jaheira and Khalid did not hesitate to stand up to such injustice, and Imoen seemed more excited than concerned by the prospect of taking on potentially powerful mages.
As it happens, Neera's unpredictable magic worked to our favour. I am not sure what she was hoping to achieve, but her opening spell somehow teleported the leader of the Thayans, a mage by the name of Ekandor, to somewhere unknown and hopefully very far away. Suddenly bereft of their leader, his apprentice and some hired thugs proved no match for our company, especially after Neera knocked out most of them with a Sleep spell. Grateful for our assistance, Neera asked if she could join our small company, and I was very pleased that Jaheira readily agreed.
Given their outgoing and lively personality, it is no surprise that Imoen and Neera immediately struck a friendship, chatting and giggling animatedly all the way from Beregost to Nashkel. I wish it were as effortless for me to get close to Neera as it seems for Imoen... I just don't know what to say to her and it's like my brain gets scrambled whenever I am near her!
Anyway I really have more important things I should be worrying about. Something is quite definitely wrong on the Sword Coast. On the fairly short road between Beregost and Nashkel, normally a busy trade route patrolled by both the Amnish military and the Flaming Fists, we were attacked twice by Hobgoblins! The authorities are clearly over-stretched. A nervous Amnish patrol nearly mistook us for bandits and had to be talked down from a potentially terrible misunderstanding.
The drama wasn't over as we arrived weary and sore in Nashkel. Shortly after arriving at the inn, I was attacked by yet another assassin, who surely would have been successful without the timely intervention of my companions, especially after Khalid and I had been stunned by her opening spell.
After checking the inn for other spies and assassins, we determined that my assailant was working alone, and did not have any specific intelligence regarding my movements. This was both good news in that whoever is hunting me does not know of my current location, and also bad news in that he has likely scattered assassins all over the Sword Coast, and nowhere will be truly safe...
Location: Nashkel Inn
Day 6, Hour 21, 7 Mirtul, 1368
Another day, another damsel in distress! Let me start from the beginning.
Yesterday morning we met Berrun Ghastkill, the Mayor of Nashkel, who asked Jaheira for assistance to investigate troubles in the iron mine near the town, possibly at the heart of Iron Crisis plaguing this region. We were on the way to pick up some supplies from the Carnival at edge of town when we ran into a giant of man looking in some distress.
He introduced himself as Minsc, a warrior hailing from Rasheman far to the east. Apparently his witch, a maiden by the name of Dynaheir, had been taken by Gnolls, and he had come back to Nashkel to seek assistance from the authorities. Given how over-stretched the town's meagre guardsmen already are, it is no surprise that the mayor refused. Instead, given the urgency of Minsc's problem, Jaheira agreed to help him mount a rescue attempt, before investigating the mines for the mayor.
After patching up Minsc's wounds and buying him a new set of armour to replace his worn leathers, we set off after the band of Gnolls that took Dynaheir. Fortunately tracking Gnolls is not particularly difficult, given the mess they leave behind. Unfortunately the Gnolls had moved straight through a mountain pass controlled by vicious Xvarts.
After a brief and futile attempt to negotiate passage, Jaheira decided to take the pass by force, and we were soon assailed by waves of the vile creatures. Though outnumbered, they were thankfully poor fighters and proved no match for our company. However, the same could not be said for the cave bear they unleashed upon us. Khalid bravely put himself between the bear and his beloved, but was viciously savaged as a result. It took a titanic effort to overcome the beast and only Immy and Neera escaped significant injury.
Victorious, but bloodied and bruised, Jaheira patched up our wounds as best as she could, but Khalid's wounds were beyond her healing magic or the remedy of our healing potions. Thus despite Minsc's reluctance, we headed back to Nashkel to seek professional services and recuperate, promising to head west in pursuit of the Gnolls as soon as possible.
And so here we are, the Xvart village burning behind us, setting up camp for the night before pressing further west tomorrow. I guess this is the life of an adventurer... I fantasized about being an adventurer like father when I was a boy, but I never really expected such a life for myself, let alone in such circumstances.
Location: Near Xvart Village
Reload 1: Jin killed by Cave bear NE of Xvart village.
Reload 2: Jin killed by Cave bear NE of Xvart village- again...
I notice in the first post that you are using the NPC Project. After you've gone a little further, I would be interested in hearing some of your impressions of it, or reading some journal entries where you work in some of its material.
I used a kensai NPC mod once in BG2, and I found that the bad armor class was a problem throughout the trilogy, at least for me as a player trying to manage the class. I think that's why I mostly read about people choosing the kensai with intention to dual class to mage, so they can get the defensive spells. As near as I can figure, a pure class kensai is going to need to hold back in melee and wait for the armored tank characters to firmly establish aggro, and then move in to apply his high damage as a secondary damage dealer, hopefully without drawing aggro himself.
Otherwise, I would expect a kensai to die, a lot. He simply can't withstand concentrated melee attacks, with the way the class is implemented in practice in the game.
librarydiary entries, not just focusing on what has happened but also on how Sima Jin feels about what has happened. Favorited your thread.Edit: see correction above.
I considered doing this as another LP series as I first intended, but I decided that since it would no longer be blind, I couldn't create something unique and something I'd take pride in without spending a lot of time and effort, and I'd rather keep my gaming fairly laid back. Writing is much more in my comfort zone anyway.
To be honest, Jin's survivability has been a little better than I expected. With Kensai bonuses, Dex bonuses and Single Weapon style bonuses, he starts at AC2, which is comparable with Khalid wearing Platemail (AC0). Sure Khalid will get better, and Jin will never go toe to toe with somebody very hard-hitting, but there aren't so many combat monsters in BG1 and I don't have to pull him out of combat as regularly as I thought. That said, being unable to wear a helm does means that anything can pose a mortal danger. I nearly lost him to a gibberling critical hit for 16 dmg...
Actually the biggest weakness in my new party is the lack of ranged weapons. In my first playthrough with the canon party, I had (F/M) Jin, Imoen, Khalid and Minsc using bows, with Khalid swapping to sword&shield once enemies got close. This time Imoen has the only ranged weapon in the party (partly due to my no-slings restriction), which made the early game kinda tricky, cos "what else can I do against a cave bear in a confined space?". Hobgoblin Elites and Ogre Berserkers are also pretty nasty for a lv1 party...
Thankfully things got a lot more manageable after the cushion of the first round of level-ups.
Brilliant English language with some Eastern fleur. A pleasure to read.
For once it's been a fairly uneventful day. We trekked through hills and forests in pursuit of the Gnolls, who are at least two days ahead of us. I hope Dynaheir has not come to harm... Minsc is absolutely devoted to her and would be devastated if we reached her too late. He seems like a good man, albeit a bit odd. When he first introduced us to his pet hamster named Boo, and talked to it as if it was sentient, I assumed he was joking... but now, I don't think he is!
I finally managed to relax a little around Neera to hold a decent conversation. She confided in me a little about the accident that forced her to run away from home, and the trials and tribulations she has experienced since then. I must confess I forgot some of the details of her story because I lost myself in her big bright eyes. I could look at them all day and not tire of the sight!
Despite what she's been through, Neera possesses an infectious energy and positivity. I think I am falling for her. I don't know... I just know I have never felt this way about a girl before. I mean I enjoy being around Immy too, and sure she's sweet, but it's different with Neera. I can't put it into words. Oh gods I better take good care to hide my diary, given Imoen's questionable "talents" and innate nosiness... she'd tease me so much about this if she knew!
Location: Bear River
Reload 3 - Polar Bear
Reload 4 - Neville + Bandits
Reload 5 - Hobgoblin Elite + Ogre Berserkers
Day 9, Hour 16, 10 Mirtul, 1368
Well... we are back in Nashkel once more licking our wounds... Bear River is infamous for its vicious bears as we are already familiar with, but the latest setback on our noble quest to rescue Dynaheir was the result of vicious ogres and their hobgoblin underlings. We ran afoul of one such group whilst trying to cross the river, and though we bested them in a close-fought struggle, poor Khalid was once more grievously wounded, as was brave Minsc.
Though reluctant to turn back once more, we had no choice but to return to Nashkel to save Minsc and Khalid from their terrible injuries, which were not thankfully beyond the healing magic of Nalin at the Temple of Helm.
Though Imoen remains upbeat and positive, it is abundantly clear that we are no mighty heroes and "playing at being adventurers" could easily get us all killed! The Shou word for "adventuring" means to "seek danger"... is that really the life I want? But then... do I really have a choice? Danger hunts me regardless... perhaps I should find the courage to face it.
Location: Nashkel Inn
Needless to say, this is the most difficult phase I have mentioned above. With a full party of mostly melee characters, who are all lv1 (except Jaheira), every bear, ogre and hobgoblin elite poses a mortal danger... These reloads and multiple trips back to Nashkel convinced me to relax my rules a little and allow maximum hp roll for each character on the first level-up, just so they have a degree of resilience and reliability going forwards, and so I don't have to relax on other rules, or end up with a ridiculous number of reloads.
Day 11, Hour 19, 12 Mirtul, 1368
This is the third expedition to rescue Dynaheir, and after tracking the Gnolls across hundreds of leagues, we now stand at the foot of a mountain infested with the fiends. We once more had to overcome vicious ogres and hobgoblins, as well as aid a paladin by the name of Laurel to repel a small horde of gibberlings, but I think we are becoming more proficient in dealing with the monsters that plague these wild and untamed lands, and more importantly, fighting together as a team rather than collection of individuals.
Anyway here we are, I can see a fortress the distance on mountainside above. I think it was once a dwarven hold, long since fallen to the vile creatures who now use it as their lair. The company appears in good spirits despite the setbacks and delays we have suffered, but I would be lying if I said I was not afraid. I fear that we are already too late. It has been many days since the Gnolls took Dynaheir, and to be honest I half-expected to find her body on the trail before we got here, but without proof of her demise, we will not give up hope of finding her alive. If anything, Minsc won't let us.
We will set up camp for now to prepare for what's to come. Imoen and Minsc intend to use the cover of darkness to infiltrate the Gnoll Stronghold to try to locate Dynaheir's exact position so we can devise a planned rescue attempt, assuming that she is still alive...
Update: Hour 23
I am pleased that Immy and Minsc returned unscathed from their dangerous scouting mission. The good news is that they found Dynaheir inside the fortress, the bad news is that she is badly hurt and under heavy guard, and so there was no chance to rescue her by stealth. After some discussion, we have decided to search the caves near the fortress for any secret entrance into the keep. Failing that, we are to make a rapid assault to take the gnolls by surprise, and attempt to withdraw with Dynaheir before the fiends bring overwhelming numbers to bear.
I have never been particularly religious, but I pray to the gods for their aid tonight...
Location: Near the Gnoll Stronghold.
Jin Level Up: Kensai lv2, +11 hp.
We are still alive! Furthermore, so is Dynaheir, which means our first big quest was a success, I think... Given the numerous close calls and serious injuries we suffered, you will forgive me for sounding somewhat surprised, and very relieved indeed! It could easily have gone very wrong...
After preparing as best as we could, we attempted to find a secret entrance into the Gnoll-infested fortress via the tunnels Imoen discovered in the caves beneath. Unfortunately, with daylight approaching and our window of opportunity closing, we found only caves infested with Xvarts. Thus, having determined an optimal plan of attack, we decided to make a rapid assault to rescue Dynaheir and withdraw before the Gnolls could respond with overwhelming numbers.
Stage one of the plan went surprisingly well. Imoen's arrows (she is frighteningly accurate) silenced several of the beasts before they could sound an alarm, allowing the rest of us to creep right up to the gnoll camp undetected. Neera opened the main attack with a highly successful Sleep spell that sent most of the guards snoozing, allowing Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc and myself to quickly move in and dispatch them with relative ease.
As we expected, Dynaheir was seriously wounded. Jaheira patched her up as best as she could before we beat a hasty retreat as alarms were sounded in the fortress and packs of gnolls responded to our incursion. Since Dynaheir could not keep up with the speed of our flight, we decided to split up, with Minsc going into hiding with Dynaheir, whilst the rest of us led the gnolls on a merry chase until they gave up the hunt.
We do not know for sure that Minsc and Dynaheir got away, but we gave them the best possible chance, and after we doubled back to check, we saw no sign of a struggle to indicate that they might have been caught, so hopefully all is well.
In any case we returned to Nashkel exhausted, but with a real sense of achievement at having made a real difference, albeit in a small way, to restoring some justice in our troubled Sword Coast. Tomorrow we will head to the Nashkel Mines after picking up some supplies at the carnival. Perhaps I can get used to this adventuring and heroism afterall...
Rescued Dynaheir, Minsc and Dynaheir left the party.
Khalid Level Up, lv2 Fighter (+13 hp)
Imoen Level Up, lv3 Thief (+8 hp)
Tome: Jin +1 Charisma
Well we never made it to the Nashkel afterall... and we are becoming rather familiar with the Nashkel Temple of Helm, and this time it was poor Neera who required professional healing services. Let me start from the beginning.
As planned, we headed to the Nashkel carnival, a collection of exhibitions, market stalls and entertainment the town was famous for, though frivolities were rather restrained this year given the troubles afflicting the Sword Coast, and Nashkel in particular.
The drama started not long after we arrived, when an ogre, apparently summoned for an "explosive show", went on a rampage after the mage lost control. Thankfully we intervened quickly and put the beast down before there were any serious injuries or property damage. Shortly thereafter we came upon a rogue-ish halfling claiming to be selling a petrified statue of a warrior maiden, and a Scroll of Stone to Flesh that would free her...
You should have seen Jaheira's reaction when she verified that the statue truly was a living woman trapped by arcane magic. Such was her fury that the cretin wisely gave up the scroll and fled before Jaheira beat him to a pulp for his despicable attempt to profiteer from another's misfortune.
After verifying the halfling's scroll was indeed genuine, Neera used it (I'd be lying if I said I did not take a step back when she did it...) to free the trapped woman from her stony prison. Thankfully she did not seem to suffer any permanent injury, and once Jaheira restored her health and vitality, the woman introduced herself as Branwen, a battlemaiden of Tempus, who claimed that she had been petrified by an evil mage by the name of Tranzig. In gratitude for her freedom, she offered her services for our quest to investigate the Nashkel Mines, before she attempts to track down Tranzig and seek revenge for her suffering.
As Branwen returned to town to purchase some basic equipment and rest up after her long ordeal, we continued to browse the stalls and attractions of the carnival. That is when we stumbled upon tragedy and near-disaster. A mad mage by the name of Zordal was threatening a woman called Bentha, for witchcraft of all things. The irony appeared lost to Zordal that he was going to kill a woman using magic, for the crime of using magic!
Needless to say, we could not simply stand by and watch an innocent woman die. Neera was especially incensed, the persecution she has suffered for her unpredictable magic must have made her especially empathetic to Benthal's plight. But alas Zordal's incantation was almost complete when we attempted to intervene, and he snuffed out poor Bentha's life almost instantly even as we advanced to save her.
Unable to save Bentha, we attempted to avenge her. Unfortunately Zordal was no apprentice mage, and he promptly stunned, confused or otherwise incapacitated most of our company, including myself. By the time I came to, Zordal was dead, one of Imoen's arrows embedded in his chest. However, Neera was seriously wounded and unresponsive to Jaheira's healing magic, her frail form scorched by multiple Magic Missiles.
I feared the worst, but thankfully we were not far from town and the Temple of Helm. Prompt professional healing services saved her life and no lasting damage was done. I thank the gods for their mercy on this occasion, but I wish the Sword Coast was not full of nutters and monsters that prey upon the weak and innocent. My sword seems awfully inadequate when faced with the sorcery of the likes of Zordal. I can only pray that we do not draw the ire of any more powerful mad wizards in the future...
I find the concept of death and resurrection, especially how it is handled in BG, quite odd. Hence when characters "die", I imagine that they are seriously wounded and beyond the help of common healing spells, rather than literally dying. Of course permanent death is still permanent.
Another day, another visit to the Temple of Helm, and we have not yet even ventured into the Nashkel Mine...
We did at least reach the mine in the hills to the southeast of the town. Upon arrival we were initially barred from entry by a grumpy Amnish captain. Even though Jaheira was working for Mayor Ghastkill personally, there had been a bureaucratic screw-up and the captain knew nothing of our mission. Whilst paperwork and authorisation was being arranged, we decided to speak to the Amnish soldiers and miners to get an idea of the problem we face.
Most of what we were told we already knew, or were totally crazy theories with little foundation in actual facts, like one miner claimed that there was a dragon at the bottom of the mine! However, one returning patrol mentioned something worth investigating- a man behaving strangely near the cliffs to the south. So rather than standing around twiddling our thumbs, we went to check it out.
When we arrived, the man was still there, chiseling away at a rock face to reveal a rather remarkable and majestic sculpture of an elven maiden. Imoen was the first to recognise the man as Prism, wanted by the authorities in Nashkel for the theft of two precious emeralds that he had embedded into the sculpture as eyes.
Seeing as the man was unarmed, we attempted to negotiate a surrender, but Prism was clearly deranged, so utterly absorbed into his work that he barely made any effort to acknowledge our presence, whether Immy tried to appease him with her charm or Jaheira threatened a beating. He simply kept repeating "more time! I just need some more time!" over and over.
Alas his time ran out. As we considered apprehending Prism by (non-lethal) force, the (in)famous bounty hunter, Grey Wolf, arrived to catch his prey. He was in no mood to negotiate or even consider mercy, and gave us the stark option of standing aside to allow him to murder a defenseless man, or facing his blade in battle. Given Jaheira's temper, is it any surprise that she chose battle?
What a battle it was! Grey Wolf's reputation as a master swordsman was well founded as he took on Khalid, Jaheira, Branwen and myself at the same time, parrying left and right, dodging swords, mace and quarterstaff alike, whilst striking back fast and true. A gashing wound to his thigh send Khalid to his knees, struggling to stand, whilst a vicious thrust stabbed straight through Branwen's chest, critically wounding her. Neera attempted to overcome him with her signature Sleep spell, but he resisted its effects.
In the end his downfall was his overconfidence, as he relentless pressed forward his attack, Immy was able to escape his notice and creep behind him for a clean shot that momentarily knocked him off balance, allowing Jaheira to connect with her heavy staff, and me to finish him off with the deadly bite of Heaven Reliant.
Thankfully Greywolf's blade missed Branwen's heart, and after rushing her back to the Temple of Helm, (Nalin gave us a most disapproving glare) the priests were able to magically restore her to full health, whilst Jaheira patched up Khalid for what feels like the hundredth time since I joined their company. Branwen was remarkably calm about being a hair's width away from certain death, so soon after being freed from a prolonged period of petrification. Even Khalid, often the voice of caution and reason in contrast to his headstrong and fearless wife, seemed extraordinarily accepting of the risks and hardship of a life spent trying to save the world, one injustice at a time.
For some reason, of all my companions, I feel the most comfortable around Khalid. Perhaps it is his kindly eyes or reassuring smile, but he feels like a protective big brother, somebody I can trust, somebody who would understand me... So I confessed my doubts and fears to him, and asked him how Jaheira and Branwen can be so brave, whilst he himself never hesitated in the face of danger. I asked him if my flight from the armoured giant who murdered Gorion was cowardice, and how I could get rid of that horrible paralysing fear every time we face a daunting foe.
Khalid said much to encourage and reassure me, but one line has stuck with me most clearly. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to overcome it." I will strive to find my courage in the days ahead.
Location: Nashkel Inn
Neera Level Up, lv2 Wild Mage, (+4 hp)
Day 17, Hour 18, 18 Mirtul, 1368
Where do I even begin?! This is going to be a long one. So much has happened that I find it difficult to believe that it has been just over twenty-four hours since we left the inn.
With permissions from the mayor, the nervous guards allowed us to venture into the Nashkel Mines to investigate the mysterious deaths and disappearance of miners and the apparent contamination of the ore produced at the mine.
The upper reaches of the mine appeared in good working order, not that I have much experience of mines to really know what they ought to look like, but we saw miners hard at work, and trolley-loads of ore being shipped to the surface. According to Jaheira, the ore was faintly discoloured, but again, I have never seen iron ore before, so I wouldn't know any better.
Of course we took the opportunity to speak to the miners, and even relatively close to the surface, they were clearly miserable and scared, with rumours of demons and monsters in the darkness below. It took a while before we found a guardsman who could correctly identify the monsters culpable for the attacks on the miners- kobolds, though he had no idea where they came from or what they wanted.
As we pushed deeper into the mine, we began to come across kobolds in increasing frequency. Individually the small beasts were not particularly dangerous, but they are fair shots with a bow, and the elite among them appeared well equipped with enchanted arrows. Thanks to Khalid and Branwen's shields, and Jaheira's healing magic, we were able to cull perhaps two dozen of the creatures without coming to serious harm. However, after what felt like an eternity wandering the endless tunnels of the mine, we were still clueless as to where the kobolds came from, and how they might be responsible for the contamination of the iron ore.
Imoen was the first to spot it. A disguised tunnel deep in the depths of the mine, the entrance trapped with a pressure plate that fired a volley of crossbow bolts at any who would stumble upon the opening. Once Immy disarmed the trap, we ventured into the pitch black darkness to discover what it had to hide.
This deep down the mine, there were no lit torches along the wall anymore that illuminated the dark, nor the sound of miners chipping away with their picks and shovels. For Jaheira, Khalid and Neera the dark was not a major problem, so we decided not to light our torches so as to not give away our approach.
Eventually the tunnel opened up into a cavern filled by an underground lake, at the far end of which was a cave that seemed to have been carved from the very rock of the earth. The cave's entrance flickered with light from within, indicating habitation, and a troop of kobolds stood guard, bows at the ready. Clearly, we had found something important, though we did not know what. As was often was the case, Neera opened our attack with a Sleep spell, which knocked out all the kobold guards at the cave's entrance. We quietly dispatched the unconscious beasts before making our way carefully into the cave.
It was thankfully fairly small. Scouting ahead, Imoen found a single orc within, living in a chamber that was markedly more hospitable than the rest of the mines. Confident that we had the element of surprise, not to mention numeric advantage, we burst in to confront him. The shocked orc reeled back in surprise, babbling about how it was unfair that we had come to kill him, how he was doing his best for Tazok, begging for his life. We attempted to interrogate him regarding the kobolds and the iron ore, but this immediately alerted him to the fact that we were not working for Tazok, and indeed we did not even know who he was. Immediately the orc's demeanour changed from terror to defiance. He barked an order into the darkness, and muttered words of dark summoning.
Within moments kobolds and skeletons streamed into the chamber. Jaheira, Khalid and Branwen immediately moved to block them, whilst Imoen and myself took on the orc himself. Another Sleep spell from Neera disabled a few of the kobolds, but the orc was unaffected. Thankfully however, Imoen was able to stop him from summoning any more skeletons with a well placed arrow that disrupted his concentration as I closed the distance.
He was well over a head taller than me, with muscled arms twice as thick, protected by chain mail armour. He carried a large sturdy shield and wielded a morning star that glowed with enchantment. With Jaheira and Khalid occupied taking on hordes of kobolds and skeletons, I was forced to take on the brute alone, and it took a force of will to gather the courage to face the monster in single combat, with Khalid's words ringing in my ears. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to overcome it."
Thankfully, despite his strength and size, the orc was not a particularly proficient warrior. His attacks lacked subtlety and I was able to read them with relative ease and duck and weave out of harm's way. At the same time however, I struggled to find a way past his enormous shield, and could only land glancing blows against his sturdy chainmail. On the other side of the chamber, the weight of enemy numbers was beginning to tell on my tiring companions.
Suddenly I saw my chance. Neera tried to cast a spell, I don't know what it was but it made an almighty bang that temporarily distracted the orc, allowing me to rush to his side and land a clean two-handed blow on his shield arm. Heaven Reliant sliced through chainmail, flesh and bone and took it right off at the elbow. As he shrieked in pain and shock, I struck again, piercing his throat. With their leader dead, the kobolds scattered and fled, and the animated skeletons crumbled into dust.
Not knowing if more kobolds would return, we quickly searched the orc's cave for information and evidence, and it did not take long for us to find it. From documents and letters we found, the orc's name was Mulahey, and he was working on the orders of somebody called Tazok to pollute the iron ore produced at the Nashkel Mine. Furthermore this Tazok was also responsible for the phenomenal surge in banditry along the Sword Coast, which seemed to be aimed at manufacturing the iron crisis currently plaguing the region. Why? We did not have time to ponder as the yapping of kobolds sounded in the distance. We gathered what we could and made our escape. The way we came in would undoubtedly be swarming with kobolds, and so we had no choice to press further into the tunnels in search of an exit. As long as a tunnel seemed to slope upwards, we figured that we were going in the right direction.
I lost track of time as we fled through a labyrinth of tunnels. No kobolds caught up with us, but we took no chances and kept up our pace. Finally, after what felt like an age, we saw the welcoming light of day and the embrace of the surface world. Just before I rushed out like a fool and got myself killed, Jaheira stopped me and warned of the likelihood of guards blocking our escape. Imoen snuck ahead and reported that there were indeed four heavily armed female warriors camped at the entrance. Not knowing for sure their purpose and intent, we decided to open our attack by non-lethal means.
Neera had already expended all the spells she had prepared, but recovered a number of arcane scrolls from Mulahey's lair. She used one of them, a Web scroll, to open our assault, covering the camp with sticky webs that made it almost impossible to move. At the same time Branwen knocked out one of the women temporarily with a Command spell. With the balance of power significantly in our favour, we moved towards to face our potential foes.
Within moments, it was clear that the group were not friendly. They recognised me, and struggling furiously in Neera's webs, did not hesitate to attack, disregarding their disadvantageous position. I could not help but admire their foolhardy courage even as we cut them down one by one as they broke out of the webs and charged headlong into our company. Individually they were fearsome warriors, but outnumbered and taken by surprise, they stood little chance. On their bodies we discovered documents indicating that they were working for Tazok, apparently for the promise of gold. What a shame that such brave warriors would waste their lives on such selfish desires.
Gathering our senses after another exhausting battle, our battered and bruised company quickly determined that we had emerged in the hills to the southeast of Nashkel, almost a full day since we ventured into the mines. Though we were all tired enough to fall asleep on the earthy slopes and beneath the clouds, we knew better than risk running into yet more of Tazok or Mulahey's henchmen out in the open.
As we stumbled back into Nashkel an hour or two later, our trials and tribulations were not over. Shortly after we presented our findings and evidence to Mayor Ghastkill, we were assaulted by a lone assassin in broad daylight in the heart of town! The audacity of our assailant was only matched by his prowess. Taking us by surprise, he sent most of our already drained company fleeing in a magically-induced panic with his opening spell, before proceeding to mow us down one by one with a barrage of Magic Missiles. Truth be told, I do not remember much of what happened. I recalled searing pain in my back as I was hit, and then blacking out.
When I awoke, I was in the Temple of Helm, again. Apparently the assassin's over-confidence had been his downfall. Although he easily over-powered our party, we were saved by the intervention of a Sun Soul monk by the name of Rassad, who delayed our attacker for long enough for the mayor's guards to arrive in force and cut him down. Imoen and Neera were also badly hurt, but thankfully not beyond the healing magic of the temple. On the assassin's belongings we found a generic bounty notice. Apparently my head is worth six hundred and fifty gold pieces now. Sigh.
Back in the safety of the Nashkel Inn, and with a detail of guards posted outside for extra security. (The mayor is extremely grateful for our efforts in resolving the mystery at the mines), we had a chance to sift through all of Mulahey's documents in some detail. One letter caught our attention above all others. Tazok had provided Mulahey with the details of a contact by the name of Tranzig... The very Tranzig responsible for petrifying Branwen! He is apparently staying at Feldepost's Inn in Beregost.
My head still throbs with pain, and every joint and muscle aches from the exertions of the last two days. But we cannot rest, we must make haste to Beregost and catch this Tranzig before word of our actions in the Nashkel Mines reaches him. Mayor Ghastkill has kindly provided fast horses for our journey, and we will set out as soon as Neera, Jaheira and Branwen have prepared their spells. It took quite an effort to stop Branwen charging off already, but by all accounts, Tranzig is a formidable mage, and we ought to be prepared.
Location: Nashkel Inn
Jin Level Up: Kensai lv3, (+8 hp, Long Sword +++)
Jaheira Level Up: Fighter/Druid 3/3 (+5 hp, Scimitar +, lv2 spell +1)
Oops missed screencap
Khalid lv up: Fighter lv3 (+8 hp, Long Sword +++)
Imoen Level Up: Thief lv4 (+3 hp, single weapon style+ )
Reload 6 - Nimbul
Unfortunately real life interrupted this playthrough and I had to take a longer than anticipated break from the game. Thankfully I made brief notes as I played, so I did not lose too much of the detail. That said, I got so into the game that I forgot to take screencaps for a period, hence wall of text above...
I took a little "artistic license" above. The most notable departures are:
1) I decided to ignore Xan. It is annoying that your party size is arbitrarily capped at six. Somehow explaining Xan's presence, given that I never intended to recruit him, is just an additional complication I don't need.
2) My description of the Nimbul battle is a merger of two attempts at it. On both occasions by exhausted party got disabled by his Horror spell, but on the second occasion a lucky shot by an Amnish guard killed him.
I've edited your post, @Heindrich , so that we can give you likes - the post deserves it.
It turnes our you typed " < / spoiler ] " instead of " [ / spoiler ] "