@iroumen True. I remember Grond0 explaining to his kid the dangers of basilisks while playing the game, and he didn't notice his protection from petrification wore off and he turned to stone...guess he was teaching his kid what NOT to do,
Showing not telling, now that's a sign of a good teacher .
14 Uktar 1368: Silas, a servant & Lorekeeper of Oghma, to posterity, greetings.
I have completed investigation of the 3rd level of the mines at Cloakwood. It appears I remain ahead of any counter-reaction by the IT to my incursion.
The third level housed the barracks for the lowest of the Hobgoblins, individual rooms for a few Guards (I suspect these were the human leaders of the Hobgoblins), & a mage that likely had overall responsibility for level 3 and probably the Hobgoblins... as the mage on the second floor held sway over it. This level also contained the armory, a smithy, a forge and a temple. There was a scattering of BTE, some of the better trained Guards (those in Splint) & Hobgoblin Elite. The entire level is built around a large rectangle made from two 150’ and two 100’ long passages, which have varying sized rooms off each, on the outside of the rectangle and four built inward.
The level was guarded by a BTE, four Guards (Splint) & three Hobgoblin Elite, which awaited me in a 30'x30' room as I descended the stairs from level 2. I had them quickly silenced & then headed in a ENE direction down a 10’x10’ hallway that stretched 100’ at its longest. There were three bedrooms (25’ square each), two occupied with Guards (Leather), to the left side of the hall, & Hobgoblin barracks (actually two) about 50’ down on the right to the center of the rectangle. By the time I had the level cleared, we’d killed 20 Hobgoblins in that area alone. At the end of the hall, was an armory, where we were able to acquire several sets of Splint Mail, a couple of Chain & one Plate Mail. After this we were loaded down & had to return to the external barracks, topside, to unload all the armor, before resting and returning.
KEY EVENT: (Skirmish with the Barracks Mage) In these warrens, Khalid & Imoen are going ahead of me, Khalid using Stealth & Imoen Finding Traps. Behind them a short distance, is Minsc, ready to bring Spider’s Bane to bear on any foe he sees threatening the two of them. I trail Minsc a short way to be in the best position to control a skirmish. Behind me another 10’, 20’ is Neera and it’s the same distance back to Faldorn who acts as my rear guard, although at times both she & Neera may hang further back to watch doorways & hallways we’ve passed for enemies.
In the northeast corner of the level, while negotiating a hall about 100’ long (that began where the armory was located), Khalid spied a Hobgoblin in the hall. Since he was in Stealth mode, he stepped back & notified Imoen & Minsc. My memory is a bit fuzzy here, but I think something alerted the Hobgoblin who came on bringing another Hobgoblin with him. They were quick work, but a female mage in room to the left side of the hall (that I had not yet seen at this point), began the undeniable sounds of conjuring a spell. Minsc, Khalid & Imoen all moved to get in the room and position to attack her, as I moved forward motioning to Neera to join me in a bid to counteract some of the mage’s magic attacks. The mage had three Hobgoblin Elite’s in attendance, also in the room, although they were never a factor. Neera & I were not in position, when I heard Khalid urging Imoen & Minsc back into the hall, concerned about being trapped in that room with a mage of unknown power. As they moved into the hall & spread out, so did the mage, white as a ghost & protected by her own magic. I cast Silence 15’ in her vicinity as Faldorn came up from protecting our rear, having cast her favorite spell Shillelagh, intent on bashing the mages brains in. The mage blasted Khalid a couple of times, with what appeared to be tiny meteors. Whatever it was, it sent him retreating into the room again to get relief, which brought the mage back inside also. Imoen, Minsc & Faldorn were on their heels & we blocked her exit. I cast Animate Dead & Faldorn Summoned a Dread Wolf which attacked the mage & got her attention. Then Faldorn really jacked her up with a Summon Insects spell. It was beautifully done, I must say, – too bad she’s so damned ugly. But I digress. Khalid & Imoen moved back to the doorway to bring their bows to bear & the mage started taking damage & fading. Minsc ended it with a hard blow that he said landed on the broad side of the sword, shattering her collarbone & dropping her to the floor. Inside the room was a long table, whether for dining or planning or both, I don't know. There were two chests, one on the more northwesterly wall & the other opposite. Some decent booty to spread around &/or sell when I’m done here.
OUCH!
The rest of the level was about negotiating the remaining rooms which included the armory, forge & temple. Aside from destroying a particularly loathsome Ogre Mage, some Hobgoblin smith’s & a Guard (or two), it was routine.
Alas, Evandrus fell at the bandit camp... He was stingy with potions of magic blocking. Figured that glitterdust from Venkt wouldn't be that big of a deal. Next thing he knew, he was a blind pincushion... Ha! Amateur.
Next random character is a class I've never played before:
Male half-orc shaman. Neutral evil. Allowed a full party of 6. Name = Croll. (Portrait shamelessly stolen from the interwebs.)
Mods = standard rig. SCS v32.8; BG NPC (with no ring of human influence); Item randomizer; some tweaks & quests. Harcore difficulty.
Time to go cause some trouble along the Sword Coast.
@DavidW You may know this already, but the SCS convenience script for "create items" will empty out the Shaman's ability to cast any Level 2 spells if the shaman can cast Goodberry. Not a critical issue (and maybe not a bug at all)... I decided to turn off create items altogether in order to be able to have some Level 2 spells available. FYI
Alas, Evandrus fell at the bandit camp... He was stingy with potions of magic blocking. Figured that glitterdust from Venkt wouldn't be that big of a deal. Next thing he knew, he was a blind pincushion... Ha! Amateur.
Gate70/Grond0 multiplayer attempt 172 (update 1) Storm (male elf priest of Talos, Grond0); Rek (male dwarven defender, Gate70) Previous run
After we died in the previous run, we randomly selected new classes, but didn't have time to roll them up. Gate70 said he would be happy with any build, so I rolled up the characters myself so we could get right on with the game this time. It took him a while to notice, but Gate70 did eventually say that he understood the benefits of the 2 stars in axes, but wasn't sure about the logic behind the other 2 stars going into 2-handed weapon. I had to admit it was just conceivable I'd made a mistake there .
On with the game then and we were soon off to find Shoal and get our first level.
There was a nasty moment just after that when Rek tried to dodge round a carrion crawler too closely and was held, but Storm was close enough for the crawler to switch targets to him. After kiting it round for a while Storm led it back a bit too close to Rek and it switched again - but fortunately Rek recovered at almost the same moment and was able to finish it off.
The duo made a bit of a meal of the fight with the gnolls in High Hedge and were both hit there before claiming victory.
Then, after a few tasks in Beregost, it was down to Nashkel, where Rek found some ankheg armor to cover himself. Storm was about to say something disparaging about naked adventuring, but realized he was doing the same thing (and went on to complete the session without ever getting round to finding some armor).
Rek was informed the Lighthouse was next and decided he would splash out for once on a magic axe in case some golems needed cutting down to (his) size. First though some sirines needed to be taught a lesson - that wasn't difficult with the help of a potion of clarity.
The first couple of golems made little impression on Rek's defensive stance, but the final one was looking more threatening despite being stunned by Storm's Stupifier (this mace used to be much more vicious, but the effect now has a 10% chance of triggering, offers a save vs spell and lasts a round if it connects) and Rek took a potion there to ensure the golem died first.
Melicamp died again (and in the latest update he doesn't even leave a chicken dinner behind as a consolation) ahead of a bit more journeying to the north. The ankheg nest was generally pretty easy, though Rek called foul on an ankheg which a MP glitch made impossible for him to see. Rather than try and move around to see if that would help he just stood there as a target while Storm put on some clerical buffs to aid his bashing.
Moving on to the basilisk area, Storm produced the single skeleton he had left as a memorized spell. That helped the duo kill the first 2 basilisks, at which point Rek gently enquired whether Storm intended to rest. The answer appeared to be no and the skeleton moved on to the next pair of basilisks - after all, what could possibly go wrong? Well, despite the apparently foolproof nature of that tactic it seemed something could go wrong and Rek found his defensive stance did not protect him against petrification .
Fortunately, though, the two basilisks did not both launch attacks at once (which would have smashed the statue) and Storm did then rest to get a couple more skeletons before using a scroll he'd brought to the area for a different purpose to revive Rek.
Mutamin resisted a silence, but only lasted a couple of seconds anyway.
Kirian & co did not resist silence and their screams went unheard as the attackers moved in.
The final part of the session saw a quick trip through the Cloud Peaks to get the charisma tome. With reputation now up to 20 I suppose Storm really should buy some armor next time ...
The companions wished the elves all the best in restoring their city, and were transported to Watcher's Keep. Mists, trolls, golems, spiders, and jellies that inhabited the first level were no threat. Several statues that came to life were. The first group consisted of melee types (two warriors and two clerics with summoned aerial servants). The party battled them one or two at a time, without much difficulty.
For the second, larger group with two wizards, a rogue, an archer and couple of melee types, full pre-buffs included 100% fire resistance for all party members and SI:Divination for Haer'dalis and Imoen (I usually have them cast only SI:Abjuration). Jaheira cast an Insect Plague and Anomen a Fire Storm right at the start, and a ranged assault by Anomen, Amahoro, Imoen, and Mazzy dropped one of the two wizards almost instantly.
Everybody then moved forward to make sure the battle would be fought in Anomen's Fire Storm, at least for as long as their protections were up. Amahoro went after the already injured second mage, but she fled into the priest's room and activated a sequencer with Improved Invisibility, Stoneskin, and MSD.
The companions took down enemy after enemy, i.e. working together rather than splitting up and having everyone engage a different foe. This worked well. Mazzy took some damage from a golem statue when she was working her bow, and Anomen got hit once or twice as well, but it was nothing serious. Anomen's True Seeing revealed the second mage. Haer'dalis removed her buffs through a Secret Word-Remove-Remove sequencer, allowing Amahoro to finish her off.
Their exploration of the first level of the keep provided the party with a poison head for Amahoro's flail (which can only be added by Cespenar later), Wong Fei's Ioun Stone, and some liquid mercury.
The conceptually interesting 2nd level wasn't too challenging for the party either. The monsters in the different libraries and laboratories were quite manageable, except maybe for a giant snake that managed to stun one of the companions. (I only remembered its stun ability when that happened.) Thankfully the others had no difficulty dispatching the reptile and some jellies surrounding it. Other than this, the monsters on this level were fairly easily overcome by brute force (and by using the hints found in the libraries).
The exception of course, was the Chromatic Demon. Amahoro had the best physical resistances. She tanked the creature while Imoen and Haer'dalis worked wands of lightning on his earthly form. Mazzy contributed with Gesen. The lightning bolts nearly ended up killing a poorly protected Imoen, but she survived and the fiend fell.
The Skull of the Lich, a Wish scroll, a silver ioun stone, a second Batalista's Passport, the Axe of the Unyielding and the Helm of the Rock were the party's most prominent finds on this level.
Anomen leveled up and achieved grand-mastery in slings, which was useful with some very dangerous demons and dead magic zones awaiting them on level 3.
Tahazzar's room was particularly problematic. It was preceded by a dead magic zone, so the party had to enter it unbuffed. With Amahoro being lawful good, there was no deal to be made with the demon, so battle was inevitable. Warriors Amahoro, Jaheira, Anomen, and Mazzy had arrived with some potion buffs (invulnerability, speed, giant strength) though they would see those buffs removed by Glabrezu Remove Magics, with the exception of Amahoro thanks to her being occupied with a succubus away from the others. Imoen tried to activate Spirit Armor, Stoneskin and Mirror Image through a trigger, but apparently the dead magic effect had not worn off yet, or maybe she was standing to close to the portal? Either way, her trigger failed to activate.
She was soon held by one of the demons, and could not be saved.
Mazzy, Jaheira, Anomen, and Amahoro all did well in melee although Mazzy got feared at one point, an effect that Anomen dispelled. Just when the ladies activated GWWs to quickly dispatch some of the fiends, Mazzy got stunned. I was aware of Glabrezu PW:Stuns, but Mazzy's HP pool was well over 90, so this came as a nasty surprise. This was an aTweaks feature I had missed: Balors can cast PW:Stun at will, and with her buffs removed Mazzy failed her save at -4. Like Imoen, she fell before Anomen or Amahoro could remove the effect.
Amahoro slew Tahazzar and had her companions then focus on two glabrezus.
Anomen and Amahoro had managed to cast Chaotic Commands on themselves, so they were protected from Stun, which was especially important in the case of Anomen. He suffered several blows and would have become vulnerable to PW:Stuns. Jaheira and Haer'dalis weren't so safe. The former got paralyzed and the latter confused.
All four survived though, as the last fiends were dispatched by Anomen and Amahoro.
I only use auto-pause for trap found, weapon unusable, and enemy sighted, but this chaotic battle reminded me that safety and efficiency call for activation of auto-pause for more situations in some battles (end of round, spell cast, character injured, character's target destroyed).
The other areas on this level weren't as crazy thankfully. Some pit fiends were meleed despite their fear-inducing aura (which actually affected Jaheira). A succubus and numerous alu-fiends were rendered vulnerable by several Remove Magics from Haer'dalis. The party, and Anomen in particular, wasn't well-prepared for Ka'rashur's clique's lightning magic.
Because of Ka'rashur's voice-acting, the fact that his nemesis Tahazzar and his demons seem more powerful than Ka'rashur and his devils, and the fact that he actually got scared of the party,
I felt sorry about killing Ka'rashur. He just doesn't seem evil and threatening enough for me to want him dead. If I run into him with a LN some time, I may allow my character to do business with him.
The Tieflings had one mage that was very swiftly dispatched with missiles.
The others were meleed to death. The cambion and its death knights also fell in melee combat. A demon wraith, some summoned efreet, and several spirits gave the party a hard time not because they were so tough or because of nasty disablers (Imoen did get Silenced), but due to their repeating floor traps.
Nevertheless everyone survived.
The party finally ran into Aesgarath and saw Amahoro lose three card games to him. She had wagered XP twice, so her XP was now down to the amount of XP Anomen, Mazzy, Jaheira, and Haer'dalis had. (Amahoro had left them behind XP-wise due to them having been kicked out so that Imoen could gain more XP from spell scribing in Spellhold.) She was also permanently Silenced, but that was an effect that Anomen dispelled with a Remove Curse.
Level 4 saw Mazzy take care of lots of Githyanki. Amahoro stepped up first, but a Githyanki anti-paladin dispelled her buffs with his blade. A properly equipped Mazzy had saves well below 0 and with boots of speed plus haste, she could just finish her foes with her bow while running around.
Unlike his cousins in SoA, Saladrex did enjoy the SCS tougher dragons boost: 732 HPs of draconic brawniness. It didn't matter too much. His spell protections were: SI: Divination and Spell Deflection. Imoen and Haer'dalis removed those as well as his combat protections. His increased staying power, combined with several PfMWs did help him weather the first assault, which saw his HPs about halved.
It bought him the time he needed to injure tank Haer'dalis, who had to retreat.
Just when his last PfMW expired and a Stoneskin was about to activate, Jaheira's scimitar's poison damage did him in.
The gauntlets of extraordinary specialization he dropped went to Amahoro.
Next up was a demi-lich, one of few foes thus far that came pre-buffed with a Spell Shield.
It failed to trap Mazzy's soul and then started casting a Time Stop. Haer'dalis and Imoen failed to remove its protections before it could finish its casting. During the Time Stop, it cast Improved Alacrity, Greater Malison on Mazzy, Summon Dark Planetar, Spell Thrust (Anomen), PW:Silence (Jaheira) and PW:Silence (Haer'dalis). Wary of dispels and vorpal hits, the party focused on dealing with the dark planetar first, which allowed the demi-lich to cast a second Time Stop.
In it, it activated a Stoneskin, Improved Invisibility and MSD through a Spell Sequencer. It also cast Imprisonment on Anomen but somehow Anomen never got imprisoned. The same cannot be said of Jaheira. A third Time Stop, saw the lich imprisoning the druid. It also cast a Prismatic Spray at Mazzy, and it kept using its Trap the Soul ability, fortunately to no avail thanks to Anomen's, Jaheira's and Mazzy's excellent saves vs death. Mazzy and Jaheira managed to finish the creature dealing damage through its Stoneskins.
They found Enkidu's full plate in the crypt.
I was a bit apprehensive about dealing with hordes of SCS enhanced illithids, but as before True Sight, proper pre-buffs, good movement, Fire Storm, and ranged attacks ensured success.
Mazzy, Jaheira, and Amahoro could have used Hardiness, but they didn't even need it.
Mazzy took down Rock and teleporting Garock with GWW Gesen. One of them dropped K'logarath. Carston was released and spared his life. Tinkering with the machine of Lum the Mad led to Haer'dalis - accidentally - raising his Str, from 17 to 18, while Amahoro increased her MR, Int, Wis, and Cha. I had wanted Amahoro to raise her Str, for a 20 base Str, to be boosted further by + 1 from her Holy Symbol should she obtain that. Now I might end up having Haer'dalis wear the Holy Symbol for 19 Str. The bard also received a point of Dex; Jaheira a point of Con.
@DavidW You may know this already, but the SCS convenience script for "create items" will empty out the Shaman's ability to cast any Level 2 spells if the shaman can cast Goodberry. Not a critical issue (and maybe not a bug at all)... I decided to turn off create items altogether in order to be able to have some Level 2 spells available. FYI
Got it, thanks. I’m not used to thinking about Shamans.
21 Uktar 1368: Silas, a servant & Lorekeeper of Oghma, to posterity, presents greetings.
The mining operation in the Cloakwoods is crushed & its overseer is dead.
By the time I got to Davaeorn, he was completely isolated. I’d destroyed everyone else that could pose a threat. It was simply a matter of determining if his skills as a mage were enough to beat back me & my followers. Unlike the other levels, except for a single Guard (Plate Mail), there was no other opposition to contend with or exhaust our firepower.
KEY EVENT: (Battle for the Cloakwood Mines) The stairs from the 3rd level descended a tight staircase to a heavy oaken door. It opened easy enough into a short 10’x10’x25’ hall that ended in a 20’x20’ entrance room. Centered on the wall to the right was a large opening into another room. In the NE corner were a bench & a chair, the NW corner four barrels, & in the SE corner a locked chest w/ a table & chair pushed out from the wall a bit. A 10’ round rug centered the room.
As soon as Khalid got to the end of the hall & was motioning Imoen to come forward, a Guard in Plate mail challenged him & quickly moved to attack. He fought valiantly but died there. After opening the chest, an raiding the room to the east, which was a bedroom, I started wondering what I was missing. After a couple of seconds though, Imoen found a secret door on the far wall directly across from where we entered. She tripped the latch & it opened easily, revealing another 10’x10’hall extending the one we just came in through. After adjusting my followers for further movement, Khalid started to move forward just as Imoen threw up her hand to signal, “Halt!” There were back to back traps set into the floor, five of them. She was able to disarm them easily enough, & Khalid continued into the intersection of two perpendicular halls, when the ominous sounds of a conjuring mage suddenly filled the air. This was it. I called everyone back to the entrance room to establish battle positions to confront a powerful mage. Suddenly he stepped through a Dimension Door right into our midst. I decided just to try & ‘muscle him’ down sending Minsc in hard hoping his protections were either vulnerable or would ware off in short order before he could do any major damage. I’d sent Neera back to the door where we came in & she got off a couple of ineffective Magic Missiles before he pelted her w/some sort of explosive spell that singed her good. She quaffed a PoH but just as she healed, he nailed her again & she was through: (mental note: find out what that spell is. The 3rd floor mage used it on Khalid also). While that was happening, I’d Animated Dead & sent the Skeleton Warrior in to help Minsc & draw some of Davaeorn’s attention. Faldorn had cast Insect Plague, after having been unable to initially because of his protections. Once the insects started to bite & swarm him, she cast Shillelagh & went in to join Minsc & the Skeleton as did I after casting Doom on him & Call on Holy Might for myself. Khalid had scored at least one good hit with an Arrow of Ice (Mental note #2 – those things work, get more). Then, Minsc did what he’s here for, & tore through Davaeorn from his shoulder to about midway through his upper torso. Anticlimactic really. Both the mages on the upper floors put up more of a fight.
DISAPPOINTING
From there, I had my retinue do their thing & collect the bounty I deserve. That too, was disappointing. (Editor’s note I screwed up & forgot to loot the treasure room before I flooded the mine ☹).
With Mutamin's Garden empty, the next best source of XP is the ankheg farm. Once we bring back our player-created characters into the party (except for our Archer, whom Baeloth must replace until the end of BG1), we head north and use Command to land guaranteed kills on the bugs.
Selling off some ankheg shells and loose gear nets us a few thousand gold, which allows us to purchase a set of full plate mail for Snowy Tae, our Cleric of Helm. By the time we kite Shoal to death and kill the Beregost spiders, everyone save Baeloth and Frisky Bits has gained at least a couple levels.
Normally, I prefer to sneak through the Nashkel mines, but Baeloth has no Invisibility spells; only Fireball. That's almost as good.
No Algernon's Cloak means no charming Mulahey and feeding him to the kobolds, so we have to fight him legitimately. Fortunately, Fireball keeps us from getting swarmed, and while two party members fail saves against Hold Person, Frisky Bits is good enough with longbows to get through his armor.
Tranzig falls to True Seeing and single-target spells. When we get surprised by the Telka ambush, Frisky Bits immediately casts Invisibility and Baeloth helps the rest of the party slip away using Haste. The same procedure lets us get away from Molkar.
Initially, I tried to use Invisibility to slip past them without being attacked at all, but it was tedious to keep re-casting Invisibility on the whole party, only to lose it all during an area transition without actually getting the ambush.
We have plenty of Invisibility spells and can probably get the documents from the bandit camp through stealth, since we can always just pay to resurrect a character who dies to the lightning bolt trap, but we really need the Spell Thrust scroll from Venkt in order to deal with mages later on. That means we have to fight our way through the bandit camp.
Fortunately, Baeloth has both Web and Fireball, so he can clear large groups of bandits and hobgoblins while holding off an incoming horde.
He doesn't have enough Fireballs to roast the entire camp, but his webs manage to net the boss-grade enemies from inside the tent. A True Seeing from Snowy Tae removes Venkt's Mirror Images, and a few missile attacks let us take him down before he can cast more than a single Blindness spell.
We don't have quite enough spells to bring down the entire map, so we grab some of the loot, flee the area to rest, and come back to finish the job. Baeloth tanks the lightning bolt trap, though we could easily afford to raise him if he didn't make it.
As usual, we use an invisible character to trigger the web traps in the spider area of the Cloakwood. Single-target spells are enough to take down the Phase Spiders before they can poison anyone, but I decide not to try my luck against Centeol, since we have no defense against her Wand of Frost besides a Resist Fire/Cold spell (which we don't have enough of to protect everyone).
I generally don't bother with most of the Cloakwood, but I do stop by the wyvern cave and set up a wall of invisible characters, after @Grond0's example, to gather some more XP and bump our cleric up to level 5 so we can throw some skeletons at Davaeorn.
To my surprise, a bunch of Web spells and Fireballs are in fact enough to kill Drasus and company. Web doesn't appear to turn people hostile, though it really should.
Then I realize that we still need to collect more XP to properly deal with Davaeorn. We head back to the Cloakwood to hunt more wyverns until our second sorcerers hits level 5 and learns Melf's Acid Arrow, which will be instrumental in killing Davaeorn before he blasts us to pieces with his Fireballs and Sunfire and Cone of Cold spells.
We use Invisibility to sneak through the Cloakwood mines, then use a summoned skeleton to lure out the Battle Horrors so we can kill them with Magic Missiles and Acid Arrows. We flee the mines to rest and come back to deal with Davaeorn.
Without a thief, we have to tank the traps, and we can't trigger the last one without turning Davaeorn hostile, so our cleric has to begin the fight partly wounded. We have to bait out his Web+Stinking Cloud Minor Sequencer with a single party member to make sure the rest of the group doesn't get caught, and so we sacrifice our Skald, Viora.
Viora gets killed by Fireballs, but due to the long-standing bug with SCS' "no permanent death" component, Viora gets chunked.
I don't know why I don't just fix the bug myself.
Anyway, per my normal rules, I can reload to get the character back, but only if I re-create the scenario in which the character ordinarily died. That means we have to either win or escape the fight with Davaeorn, then reload, then either win or run away from the fight as before.
Long story short, we have to run away (easy enough), then restart the fight and have Davaeorn hide away in the same room where he eventually hid the first time around, right here:
Once Davaeorn is back in the same corner, we escape and re-enter the area, sneaking past Davaeorn's goons using Invisibility. This is the scenario I had to re-create to make sure the chunking reload didn't give me an advantage over a normal death.
Now we have to bait out some of Davaeorn's bigger spells. A few Animate Dead spells are sufficient.
Notice our cleric using Sanctuary to spy on the enemy, and notice that Baeloth is positioned just so he can fling a Fireball into Davaeorn's hiding place without any of the enemies seeing him. I try to render the enemies a little more vulnerable using Chant, but apparently it breaks Sanctuary on our cleric, forcing Baeloth to bust out a Fireball early so she doesn't get mobbed.
Now that Davaeorn's MGOI has run out, his bigger spells are wasted, and his goons have fallen to his own spells, the rest of the fight involves a careful dance in which we keep certain characters invisible and kite the enemy guards while firing Melf's Acid Arrow spells at Davaeorn to mess with his spellcasting. This requires very precise positioning to make sure the enemy doesn't get any extra opportunities to attack us.
Davaeorn gets a Cone of Cold spell off the ground, but its long casting time gives Viora plenty of time to run away and escape its area of effect. Eventually, we apply enough Acid Arrows that Davaeorn can neither get any spells off the ground or survive the accumulating damage.
We kill a few ankhegs for a couple level ups and then proceed to Candlekeep. Without potions, we have no means of preparing for the ogre mage ambush, so all we can do is cover Frisky Bits with Invisibility on the first round and then have the rest of the group gradually muddle through things while Frisky Bits waits to see if the rest of the party will croak before the enemy falls.
We have more than enough gold to raise Snowy Tae, so the death isn't a big setback. Web and Fireball get us through the rest of Candlekeep.
Now things get stickier. Cythandria, Slythe, and the Ducal Palace are all very messy and very easy to screw up.
My run in Icewind dale has reached the area where there were a lot of cold wights. This provided the party with a lot of experience. they will continue on after we ahve all slept. I need it more than my party.
To my surprise, a bunch of Web spells and Fireballs are in fact enough to kill Drasus and company. Web doesn't appear to turn people hostile, though it really should.
I agree it does seem an odd omission. SCS makes potential enemies react violently to single target spells that you can get away with in vanilla (like charm and blind), but not to area spells (like silence, stinking cloud and web) - though the latter are likely to be directed with just as much hostile intent .
After trying a few tough challenges lately, I thought I might have a go at something a bit easier. This run will be on core in an unmodded game and features a dragon disciple that picks her spells randomly. Even with totally useless spells, BG1 should not be a challenge (at least in theory) as items are generally stronger than spells. However, things could get tricky in BG2 if the spell selection is poor ...
Her creation in Candlekeep ensured enemies' knees were trembling in the knowledge of a sorcerer wielding that mighty duo of friends and infravision . It didn't take long though to shoot down Shoal and this time she lucked out with chromatic orb.
In Beregost Algernon was shot down for his cloak before Conti headed for the basilisk area. Following Korax round there got her another couple of levels, picking up mirror image, reflected image and detect invisibility.
After picking up the ring of extra chromatic orbs from the FAI, Conti continued northwards to relieve Dushai of her ring. Back in Beregost she did a few jobs, including collecting some spider remains for Landrin. Disposing of an obstacle to hand them over allowed her to learn the very handy invisibility 10' radius.
Despite her reputation of 5 there was never any doubt that Landrin would shower someone with a charisma of 25 with gifts .
At the Lake area a gnoll attacked Drizzt. I wasn't desperate enough for XP to monitor the combat (and leave the area to reset it if necessary until the gnoll broke its weapon) - and the result was that the gnoll got the kill and Conti had to be satisfied with some valuable equipment.
A few reputation quests included helping Charleston Nib (17 chromatic orbs with a rest in the middle to kill the Doomsayer),
to ensure Conti would learn CLW on arrival in Nashkel.
Meilum lost his bracers, to give Conti's sling a bit more oomph, before she completed a few more reputation quests on the way to retrieve the charisma tome. Just after that she attempted to finish a polar bear off with her breath weapon, but it somehow bypassed it - however, a chromatic orb did the job to get a 7th level and add spook, stinking cloud and skull trap to her list.
So far spells are a lot better than I was expecting .
Conti bought a few magic bullets to use on the golems at High Hedge before talking to Thalantyr, but was a bit careless with the second golem.
Despite her injuries she couldn't resist taking revenge on that golem with her breath weapon (a bit dangerous as it imposes a short standstill period, potentially giving enemies a chance to attack if it doesn't kill them).
The availability of skull trap meant the exterior of Durlag's Tower was cleared quicker than I expected. The basilisks on the roof were then enough for level 8.
Arcane spells at level 4 are chock full of useful stuff - but remove curse is not generally considered one of the better ones ...
Conti didn't bother with the ghasts in the Tower, but did use a scroll of PfM to get the tome there. Thalantyr identified that, though I was disappointed that he still charged for the service after bungling the restoration of Melicamp.
Invisibility meant no need to bother with the kobolds in Nashkel Mine, where Mulahey found death a welcome release from coughing his guts up.
Outside the mine the Amazons were skull trapped before Conti returned to Nashkel to catch Nimbul in a stinking cloud - gratefully making use of his scroll to get a little HP boost from a new familiar.
Going back to the Valley of the Tombs to pick up the monster summoning wand, I couldn't be bothered to fight mustard jellies, so Conti just killed Narcillicus without talking.
I thought the wand might be needed against the sirines, but in fact stinking clouds held them in place for the necessary skull traps.
I made a big mistake inside the cave when sending the familiar in through a glyph trap (I'm much more used to playing with familiars in LoB where that would have been safe), but got away with it thanks to magic resistance.
Conti only had a few magic bullets left and was down to 1 of those with 2 golems surviving. I took a risk (and Conti took a whack) in working them round into a good position - where her breath proved deadly to the golems and enough for her last BG1 level.
She picked up resist fear, dispel magic and minor sequencer there.
Finishing off the remaining reputation quests, included going to the ankheg nest. I decided I wouldn't take the time to kill all the ankhegs, but wanted to grab the treasure without using resources. Normally a mage can use their own invisibility to strand ankhegs on the surface, but with invis 10' being so slow casting, Conti had to use the familiar for distraction.
With the ankheg now vulnerable, skull traps and stinking cloud could easily finish the job. With reputation maximised, Conti bought lots of equipment, including the Claw of Kazgaroth and a robe of the archmagi.
After Tranzig failed to emerge from stinking clouds, Conti moved on the Bandit Camp - and filled Tazok's tent with toxic vapors.
After passing invisibly through the Cloakwood there was more skull-trapped cloudiness for Drasus & co to open up the Cloakwood Mine.
After going invisibly through the Cloakwood Mine, Davaeorn surprisingly failed to survive just a couple of skull traps.
Beating up the mustard jelly with a non-proficient staff while slowed may have seemed sub-optimal, but hey - if it works, it's not stupid.
After flooding the mine, Conti journeyed on to Baldur's Gate. She didn't bother with most of the content there, but did do the poison quest in order to get the wisdom tome (using a grease scroll on Lothander on the way to get a bit of bonus treasure).
Ramazith was skull trapped, but his tower (apart from his treasure) left untouched. The Seven Suns saw several of the dopplegangers stunned by chromatic orbs (they're a weak variety of the creature)
and I couldn't resist skull-trapping Sunin in order to store his ring for sale in SoD (I tend to keep anything worth over 1,000 gold that can be put into a bag for sale there).
At the Iron Throne Alai was the only one to get an attack in while stinking clouds were active. Zhalimar and Gardush survived, but not for long (Gardush also being orb-stunned and finished off with the normal dual-wielding of fists and poison dagger).
At Candlekeep, Conti used another knock scroll to get the strength tome (with the help of that DUHM was then enough for the other tombs). The dopplegangers were bypassed, but Prat's gang were stuck in clouds - Conti was lucky there though when Bor broke free and she saved against a stunning dart while getting her own stun in on him.
Before starting the final battles Conti went to get the Ring of Energy.
Then it was on to find Slythe. He saved against all the chromatic orbs and a number of darts of stunning before eventually running out of HPs.
Rather than bothering with Degrodel's quest, Conti used Krystin to get the Cloak of Balduran for her before turning to stinking cloud and darts of stunning.
At the palace summons were used for the first (and only) time and hasted by scroll. A chaos scroll then disrupted the dopplegangers' targeting and Belt & Liia both survived.
After running through the maze none of the Undercity party managed any actions.
Rather than just use the lightning trap to kill Sarevok I played slightly fairer. Sarevok's dialogue was triggered invisibly and Semaj skull trapped when he teleported out.
The second chaos scroll attempted then confused both Sarevok and Angelo
- but surprisingly neither of them was killed when they took most of they fury out on a few bats. That led to Sarevok coming to find Conti and Angelo throwing a dispel magic in - she responded by dumping Sarevok in a corner before going to sort the others out.
Then it was time for Sarevok's last stand (or rather last run about frantically while failing to get an attack in).
Conti's adventures in BG1 had amassed enough XP to allow her to immediately level up on arrival in SoD - her random spell pick there producing sunfire. That's a pretty good selection in the context of this run - it's not a spell I normally use, but is an appropriate one to encourage a slight change in my normal tactics.
After buying desired equipment from the Flaming Fist Healer (in particular greater restoration scrolls), Conti went invisibly to Porios to persuade him to surrender. Rather than use a PfU scroll she cleared the undead groups mainly with spells - including her new sunfire. Korlasz failed to survive a pair of skull traps.
At the palace the initial encounter with assassins was amusing when Corwin killed one of them, only for Conti's chromatic orb to petrify the corpse before it could collapse. A few NPCs were then slaughtered for their equipment, but other than that the only thing done was to pick up the Spectacles and do a bit of shopping with the 88k gold raised.
Hitting the road, Conti got to the first camp and re-sorted her equipment before heading to the Coast Way Forest. A first use of the paralyzation wand stunned both Ikros and Isabella there to get me the regeneration ioun stone. On the way back an encounter with some orcs and trolls enabled Conti to swiftly take her final SoD level - getting invisibility, lightning bolt, contagion and protection from electricity.
Back at the Coast Way Crossing Conti went to the bridge invisibly and just waited behind the tent until Caelar arrived. She then passed straight through the Troll Claw Woods to the Forest of Wyrms and went invisibly through the temple to find Ziatar. Protection from poison, free action and potion of clarity provided the defense there, though it didn't take long to stun Ziatar anyway.
I had been thinking to just run past the Neothelid, but decided to see if it could be stunned. After it saved against one try at that it disappeared underground and Conti was running the magic swords around when an ego whip hit and she was the one that was stunned .
While Conti had taken a potion of clarity, my own thinking was not clear at the time! I have a bad tendency to treat potions of clarity and chaotic commands as coverall protections when only using one of them - that's not the first time I've been stunned like that and I've also succumbed to fear when only using chaotic commands. Oh well - you live and (don't) learn.
To my surprise, a bunch of Web spells and Fireballs are in fact enough to kill Drasus and company. Web doesn't appear to turn people hostile, though it really should.
I agree it does seem an odd omission. SCS makes potential enemies react violently to single target spells that you can get away with in vanilla (like charm and blind), but not to area spells (like silence, stinking cloud and web) - though the latter are likely to be directed with just as much hostile intent .
I think it is coded that way to avoid the entire city going hostile if a web touches a neutral character.
To my surprise, a bunch of Web spells and Fireballs are in fact enough to kill Drasus and company. Web doesn't appear to turn people hostile, though it really should.
I agree it does seem an odd omission. SCS makes potential enemies react violently to single target spells that you can get away with in vanilla (like charm and blind), but not to area spells (like silence, stinking cloud and web) - though the latter are likely to be directed with just as much hostile intent .
Web isn't designed to hurt anyone which is why people don't get hostile. If it turned people hostile then the Dukes in the Ducal Palace would turn against you. Your own party might turn against you, but they know that in itself it isn't a hostile act, that being webbed is a side effect. It is only when it is accompanied with a volley of arrows or a magic missile that it becomes hostile. It's the sort of spell a police force would use to detain peopole until they find out who is a criminal and who is not.
To my surprise, a bunch of Web spells and Fireballs are in fact enough to kill Drasus and company. Web doesn't appear to turn people hostile, though it really should.
I agree it does seem an odd omission. SCS makes potential enemies react violently to single target spells that you can get away with in vanilla (like charm and blind), but not to area spells (like silence, stinking cloud and web) - though the latter are likely to be directed with just as much hostile intent .
I think it is coded that way to avoid the entire city going hostile if a web touches a neutral character.
Pretty much. You can’t accidentally target someone with Blindness, but you can catch them in Web by mistake.
@DavidW (and others). I wasn't envisaging bystanders going hostile when I referred to potential enemies. Rather, I was assuming that the AI could discriminate between bystanders and potential enemies (like Tarnesh). I agree the former wouldn't be expected to react, but it would seem reasonable for the latter to. Even if they did not immediately go hostile, I would have thought it would make sense for them to start searching around in response to a web to see who cast it ...
Having maximised reputation in the previous session, we started this one by making a few purchases. There weren't any good Gauntlets for sale though, so the first main encounter was to go and get Meilum's. Then it was on to Durlag's Tower to find some Battle Horrors. Rek got confused here about why Storm was apparently attacking him here (screenshot from Gate70 - on my screen the battle horror and Rek were the other way round),
but that didn't stop him putting the boot in and the exterior was soon clear.
At the exit to the roof Rek asked Storm what protection he had bought against petrification and Storm responded that Rek was the one with good charisma so why ask him? The solution was to use sanctuary to get outside safely and then produce skeletons, but in order to do that a rest would be needed. Trying to rest in a confined location, next to a stun trap, with the chance of ghasts appearing among you is not recommended for a no-reload - but where's the fun without a bit of risk .
Coming back in from the roof, Storm was stunned by the trap and Rek got bored waiting. He recovered a tome before going to annoy Kirinhale. Once Storm recovered he joined the fight with the help of skeleton warriors and the combination proved sufficient.
Downstairs, Riggilo got warmed up with a couple of lightning bolts (Storm now having the ability to protect Rek as well as himself from those), though the main damage was from being Rekked.
The next target was the Nashkel Mine, but Rek suggested before heading there Storm should really consider putting some armor on. With money being no object he reluctantly agreed and accepted Rek's cast-off ankheg armor after buying some full plate. In the event the kobolds launched few arrows anyway and Mulahey made no verbal protest as he was cut down.
Outside the mine the Amazons were all silenced, as was Nimbul in Nashkel. Tranzig saved against silence, but was beaten up rapidly anyway to open up access to the Bandit Camp. Rek made quick progress through the basic bandits there before Taurgosz appeared to pose a slightly greater threat - or perhaps not.
Inside the tent silence was once more at work, enabling a straight melee approach to succeed with a bit to spare.
Storm got a bit of use for his newly learned free action spell in the Cloakwood, but that was mainly skipped on the way to the mine. Drasus and Rezdan were silenced there before the attack, while Kysus was silenced the old fashioned way as the first target.
At the bottom of the mine, Storm did a bit of damage to the battle horrors and Davaeorn with his lightning bolts before Rek chased down the mage.
In the City the poison quest produced some boots from Lothander and a tough fight with Larze before Marek failed to complete a spell.
Rek wanted a bigger axe, so the Mountain Maulers found themselves overmatched by a skeleton army.
The hardest battle of the session was still to come though. Storm & Rek both took significant damage in working through Degrodel's guards to speak to him. A misunderstanding after that though resulted in Rek talking to Degrodel, followed swiftly by Storm trying to have the same conversation. Degrodel gleefully pinched the Helm of Balduran as a result and summoned a fresh lot of guards. An attempt to kill the mage before he could get away failed and Storm had to resort to a potion of invisibility to send the guards after Rek - his defensive stance proved sufficient to fend those off.
26 Uktar 1368: Silas, a servant & Lorekeeper of Oghma, to posterity, presents greetings.
All that I learned from Gorion & under tutelage of the Monks of Candlekeep, even the knowledge gained under The Binder of What is Known, my lord Oghma, could not have prepared me for Baldur’s Gate. This place is immense & bustles constantly – I had no idea to expect this even two months ago, as I was leaving Candlekeep for the first time. And then, to think, I thought the village of Beregost impressive. I could not help but take it in & spent much time when I arrived doing just that.
However, it doesn’t offer the kind of serenity I was used to either. Immediately upon arriving, the Commander of the Flaming Fist, Scar, met me on the bridge that spans the River Chionthar @ Wyrm’s Crossing. It seems my reputation has preceded me. Scar has asked me to investigate irregularities @ The Seven Suns Trading Coster. Sounds like it’s in my monetary interest to do so.
When I arrived, my intent was to investigate the iron Throne & to see if I might still figure out how to leverage the plan Eldoth had for his girlfriend, Skie. I found Skie at the Silvershield Estate, but she wanted nothing to do with us & screamed when Imoen approached her. We killed one Guard, unavoidably, & got out of there, lest it become a bloodbath.
At one point, we were attacked in the street by a knight in Plate Mail, who claimed to be the brother of that hunter we killed in the Cloakwoods. He wanted revenge. He didn’t get it but I racked up a set of Plate Mail, a second enchanted Morning Star & an enchanted Heavy Crossbow – definitely an item of interest that I want Minsc to look into for use when he’s been clobbered like he was later that evening. After having to bail Neera out of another brush with someone in her past, a Hobbit she apparently took a couple hundred gold from without asking, we went into one of several taverns we’d visited since we’ve been in town. This one had yet another assassin apparently hired to kill me - & he was a bad bloke - a massive Ogre. Before he was dead, he’d sent both Minsc & Khalid smashing to the floor. Minsc I understand. Khalid had no business trying to duel with the thing and we talked about that after I shelled out 800gp to regain his services – from a Temple to Helm no less.
KEY EVENT: (Nymph Rescue) A mage approached us outside a tower in the NE part of the town & asked me if I’d be willing to take a job for him & rescue a Nymph from another mage. After getting the details, I thought it worth my time, & decided to find the mage Ragefast at his home near the Hall of Wonders. His home was easy enough to find & the mage reacted immediately upon our entering. I told him why I was there & offered to take the Nymph, but he attacked. I’d been on the cautious side & cast Bless on everyone prior to entering, while Neera had cast Protection from Evil on herself & Faldorn, Barkskin. When he attacked, I immediately cast Silence 15’ & I think Neera used MM. Both Khalid & Imoen were using their bows, & I saw Khalid get him in the right shoulder at least once. Ragefast did manage to blast Neera with something, because she was bloody when the thing was over, but she didn’t know what had hit her. Ragefast then cast Web & it entangled both Faldorn & the Nymph but not Minsc, who with Spider’s Bane, cut into him hard, right into the skull, & ended the battle there. Obviously, I have too much benevolence in my group & it’s wearing on me, as I elected to free the Nymph, rather than drag her back to my employer. She gave me a Nymph Cloak & I gathered some noteworthy treasure for my efforts.
@DavidW: Normally I'm the last person to suggest removing an exploit, but wouldn't it be possible to add a line to SCS scripts telling Drasus and other enemies who start out neutral to go hostile and search out the player if they become helpless before combat begins? A commoner wouldn't have that script, so the commoner wouldn't go hostile in that case; only normal enemies.
@DavidW: Normally I'm the last person to suggest removing an exploit, but wouldn't it be possible to add a line to SCS scripts telling Drasus and other enemies who start out neutral to go hostile and search out the player if they become helpless before combat begins? A commoner wouldn't have that script, so the commoner wouldn't go hostile in that case; only normal enemies.
They should also go hostile if they get silenced by Silence, 15' Radius. In the base game, casting Silence, 15' Radius on a group of assassins while they're still neutral makes it so that they don't talk to you to start the battle, so they just stand there, neutral and silenced, even if you go right up to them.
After killing many cold wights and blast skeletons my party has arrived at the bridge. Unless they get some arrows soon, they will have to return to Kuldahar to restock with ammunition.
1 NIGHTAL 1368: Silas, a servant & Lorekeeper of Oghma, to posterity, presents greetings.
KEY EVENT: (Rescue of Jhasso) As asked, I investigated what was happening @ the seven Suns Trading Coster. The building is two levels with a cellar in the SW corner of the town. As you pass through the doors, you come into a large room that is about 30’ deep and 60’ wide with a large staircase centered on the east wall leading up. There are six large columns dispersed about 15’ apart spaced evenly about the room & several chairs scattered throughout. A merchant came up to Minsc as we entered & told us that he had seen people, ‘changing faces’ in recent days & that the place was being run in the ground. I ignored the other merchants there & found a door on the far west side of the room that led to a 5’x10’ staircase to the cellar. In the cellar were two large storerooms & six 10’x10’ cells. As soon as we reached the bottom of the stairs, we were attacked by a Doppelganger who no longer exists. I quickly found, Jhasso, imprisoned in one of the storerooms within his own coster. He told me the Doppelgangers had taken over his company & one had taken his place. He promised to reward me, my biggest concern, & said he’d have the Flaming Fist return & destroy the remainder on the Doppelgangers. He didn’t have to.
QUICK WORK
Shortly after reporting back to Scar on the situation @ Seven Suns, I was approached by a Rogue, actually two, who warned me to stay away from the Iron Throne. He tried to threaten me & escape, but I had him stopped, dead, in his tracks. I can’t chance anymore information getting back to the IT than they already have on me. Too bad, the other Rogue that was slinking in the shadows, managed to escape.
When I reported back to Scar, I was handsomely rewarded, 2000gp I think. He asked if I would look into some disappearances in the east side of the city – apparently some nobles had gone missing & the signs led to the sewers. It took me awhile, but once I found the entrance, I literally dropped right in on top of the culprit. It was an Ogre Mage, literally the nastiest creatures in the realm, I think, as this is the second run in I’ve had with one of these things in the last three weeks & each time they were up to their knees in dead bodies. This one had five Carrion Crawlers as ‘pets.’ I dropped him w/a Command Spell, & though he recovered once, aside from hitting Neera w/Melf’s Acid Arrow, he was a pushover. My biggest problem was that Khalid got himself separated from the rest of us & was cornered & paralyzed by three of the crawlers. As soon as the Ogre Mage was dead, Minsc sprinted up the sewer to where Khalid was, & I followed. We got there in time.
FILTHIEST CREATURES IN FAERUN - OGRE MAGE'S
Upon returning to Scar, & coming back once to retrieve the body of a noblewoman, I was rewarded as deserving of my efforts & introduced to Duke Eltan. The Duke wished me now to infiltrate the Iron Throne. I’m happy to.
Croll the Cruel makes his mark on the Sword Coast. Murderous highlights so far:
Croll didn't like the look of Hafiz. One geezer gnome gone.
Ajantis had no sense of humor.
Jared didn't want to turn over his nice white boots. Dorn took them anyway.
Poor cat. Sacrificed for the needs of the Bhaalspawn & co.
Drizzt took a wrong turn when he left the Underdark. Lightning is a significant hazard outdoors.
Permidion Stark looked at Croll the wrong way. It was the last thing he did.
Hentold gave Croll a magical dagger, and asked a favor. Croll doesn't do favors.
Bentan suggested Croll take up a new religion and follow Illmater. Instead, Croll showed him true suffering.
Surprisingly, the temples have been willing to overlook all of these terrible deeds, on the account of Croll's ongoing largesse... Although sooner or later the people of the Sword Coast must realize that the Iron Crisis is hardly their worst problem.
I think it's about time for another little break, but first I thought I should have one really serious attempt to make a bit of progress with my long-life challenge. The fighter/thief should be one of the easiest possible classes for me, though in practice that normally doesn't make a lot of difference since most failures are just down to errors or risk-taking anyway .
I managed to avoid any disasters in an opening session that saw:
- Shoal shot down (I thought that would be quicker than laying traps).
- after killing Algernon for his cloak (I didn't even try pickpocket), I went to find Drizzt. He was slightly wounded by an attack from gnolls and expired when he stepped into some traps (initially I was aiming to only attack when he was near enough to trigger those, but he was uncooperative about moving in the right direction, so I eventually just accepted the cost of a potion of clarity to kill him).
- an attempt to kill Elminster with traps. Seven of those are not guaranteed to kill him - but did so this time to provide a cool 26k XP.
- an expedition north to get Dushai's ring.
- with reputation now down to 3, I went to see if Melicamp would survive so that travel in civilised locations didn't result in hostilities. The golems at High Hedge were killed in traps, before Melicamp proved resilient for the first time in a while for me - though I did take my first damage to date there when procuring a skull.
- the sirines at the Beregost temple offered some more easy XP (they don't fight when they want to try and use a charm, but can't because of improved invisibility).
- Korax dealt with Mutamin and the basilisks and I also released Tamah from a stony prison to get reputation up to a safe 5. Kirian's friends were charmed, while she was attacked after laying traps close by under cover of a rock spire.
- after going down to Nashkel to pick up LMD, a series of minor quests and encounters gained all the remaining reputation available in the wilderness areas for now, taking that back up to 18. Ticking off the last currently outstanding quest - returning Perdue's sword - took me to the level cap.
So far, so good. I've not been more than scratched to date and not had any saves to make or other dangerous moments.
1 NIGHTAL 1368: Silas, a servant & Lorekeeper of Oghma, to posterity, presents greetings.
The Iron Throne operation in Baldur’s Gate is no more. I led my followers into their headquarters in Baldur’s Gate, an impressive building, five stories high, with ornate floors, statues, columns, rugs & tapestries throughout. The ground level is huge – 100’x 100’ square on three raised steps about halfway back. I arrived to little fanfare, although I was twice challenged by Guards, who were happy to take gold to disappear. I was once attacked on the 2nd level but it was just an annoyance & we killed two Guards (Splint) & five Guards (Leather). Others who approached me were mostly, emissaries, etc., who were themselves, trying to find the IT leaders so they didn’t interfere.
KEY EVENT: (Battle @ the Iron Throne) When I finally got to the 4th level, I sent Khalid up, using Stealth, to check the temperature (as I did on each floor coming up). He returned & told me, “We’re in for a fight.” I told him to go back up & take the first shot, try to draw them down to me & I positioned the rest of us for a scrap. He went up, fired at one of them. When he returned, he was dogged by a Rogue (note: Aasim) of some type, but no others. We pummeled him easily. Since none others were to come, I sent Khalid back up using Stealth as always, from the staircase opposite where he’d gone up the first time up. Again, after firing off an arrow, he came back down, this time w/a mage (Naaman) who we sent to whatever place he went after he died. I sent Khalid up the other staircase again, & this time, it was on. We all ascended when he gave us the word, & we were very effective in finishing off three more Iron Throne enemies (Note: Gardush, Diyab, Zhalimar Cloudwolf) in a battle that was never in doubt. Once again, the Iron Throne higher ups, from Davaeorn on, have been disappointing foes. They should really have enlisted the services of more female mages like they had in Cloakwood Mines.
(Note 2: I expected them all to come since I have Better Calls for Help, etc. from SCS enabled. They didn’t – usually when the game doesn’t do what I want – it hurts me – I’ll take this one in my favor).
UNIMPRESSIVE, THEY WERE
The Iron Throne, at least, here in Baldur’s Gate having been smashed I took time to consider the implications, & next steps. I spent ~30k gps on Arrows of Dispelling, Arrows +2, Arrows of Fire, Potion of Extra Healing, Healing, Elixirs of Health, etc., knowing that these will be needed in the future. As I was moving about, a young boy approached my followers asking for help – to follow him to a house for more info. Minsc, jumped all over the idea & I let it go. Turns out, the boy who approached us & a friend had been foolishly playing a hoax in a Temple of Umberlee. The other boy was killed & his father, a Priest of Tymora, asked me to see if I could retrieve the boy’s body for him to raise. I agreed on promise of reward. After visiting a pub in the Docks District to find the locale, I made my way to The House of The Bitch Queen, Inside, after speaking w/an acolyte, the High Priestess came out & offered to sell me the body for 2000gp. I laughed in her face & she was incensed at my insolence & attacked (as did four Priestesses of Umberlee). After defeating them easily, I was able to recover the body, & some solid bounty before returning to the house of the Priest of Tymora. He was able to Raise his child & I was given gold for my efforts.
TAKING DOWN THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF A RIVAL DEITY? PRICELESS!
It is late. I need slumber before I go visit Scar tomorrow.
Comments
Showing not telling, now that's a sign of a good teacher
I have completed investigation of the 3rd level of the mines at Cloakwood. It appears I remain ahead of any counter-reaction by the IT to my incursion.
The third level housed the barracks for the lowest of the Hobgoblins, individual rooms for a few Guards (I suspect these were the human leaders of the Hobgoblins), & a mage that likely had overall responsibility for level 3 and probably the Hobgoblins... as the mage on the second floor held sway over it. This level also contained the armory, a smithy, a forge and a temple. There was a scattering of BTE, some of the better trained Guards (those in Splint) & Hobgoblin Elite. The entire level is built around a large rectangle made from two 150’ and two 100’ long passages, which have varying sized rooms off each, on the outside of the rectangle and four built inward.
The level was guarded by a BTE, four Guards (Splint) & three Hobgoblin Elite, which awaited me in a 30'x30' room as I descended the stairs from level 2. I had them quickly silenced & then headed in a ENE direction down a 10’x10’ hallway that stretched 100’ at its longest. There were three bedrooms (25’ square each), two occupied with Guards (Leather), to the left side of the hall, & Hobgoblin barracks (actually two) about 50’ down on the right to the center of the rectangle. By the time I had the level cleared, we’d killed 20 Hobgoblins in that area alone. At the end of the hall, was an armory, where we were able to acquire several sets of Splint Mail, a couple of Chain & one Plate Mail. After this we were loaded down & had to return to the external barracks, topside, to unload all the armor, before resting and returning.
KEY EVENT: (Skirmish with the Barracks Mage) In these warrens, Khalid & Imoen are going ahead of me, Khalid using Stealth & Imoen Finding Traps. Behind them a short distance, is Minsc, ready to bring Spider’s Bane to bear on any foe he sees threatening the two of them. I trail Minsc a short way to be in the best position to control a skirmish. Behind me another 10’, 20’ is Neera and it’s the same distance back to Faldorn who acts as my rear guard, although at times both she & Neera may hang further back to watch doorways & hallways we’ve passed for enemies.
In the northeast corner of the level, while negotiating a hall about 100’ long (that began where the armory was located), Khalid spied a Hobgoblin in the hall. Since he was in Stealth mode, he stepped back & notified Imoen & Minsc. My memory is a bit fuzzy here, but I think something alerted the Hobgoblin who came on bringing another Hobgoblin with him. They were quick work, but a female mage in room to the left side of the hall (that I had not yet seen at this point), began the undeniable sounds of conjuring a spell. Minsc, Khalid & Imoen all moved to get in the room and position to attack her, as I moved forward motioning to Neera to join me in a bid to counteract some of the mage’s magic attacks. The mage had three Hobgoblin Elite’s in attendance, also in the room, although they were never a factor. Neera & I were not in position, when I heard Khalid urging Imoen & Minsc back into the hall, concerned about being trapped in that room with a mage of unknown power. As they moved into the hall & spread out, so did the mage, white as a ghost & protected by her own magic. I cast Silence 15’ in her vicinity as Faldorn came up from protecting our rear, having cast her favorite spell Shillelagh, intent on bashing the mages brains in. The mage blasted Khalid a couple of times, with what appeared to be tiny meteors. Whatever it was, it sent him retreating into the room again to get relief, which brought the mage back inside also. Imoen, Minsc & Faldorn were on their heels & we blocked her exit. I cast Animate Dead & Faldorn Summoned a Dread Wolf which attacked the mage & got her attention. Then Faldorn really jacked her up with a Summon Insects spell. It was beautifully done, I must say, – too bad she’s so damned ugly. But I digress. Khalid & Imoen moved back to the doorway to bring their bows to bear & the mage started taking damage & fading. Minsc ended it with a hard blow that he said landed on the broad side of the sword, shattering her collarbone & dropping her to the floor. Inside the room was a long table, whether for dining or planning or both, I don't know. There were two chests, one on the more northwesterly wall & the other opposite. Some decent booty to spread around &/or sell when I’m done here.
OUCH!
The rest of the level was about negotiating the remaining rooms which included the armory, forge & temple. Aside from destroying a particularly loathsome Ogre Mage, some Hobgoblin smith’s & a Guard (or two), it was routine.
Best Kill Competition:
1. Khalid (Sword Spider), Minsc (Sword Spider), Imoen (Taurgosz Khosann) (2000 exp ea),
2. Faldorn (Phase Spider – 1400 exp)
3. Eldoth (Rezdan) (1200 exp)
CASUALTIES: None
MONSTERS DEFEATED: Mage (Natasha, Lvl/9), Ogre Mage, BTE, Hobgoblin Elite (6), Guards (Splint/4), Guards (Leather/4), Hobgoblins (26)
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Purse = 1984gp) Armor & weapons: Studded Leather +1, Brac of Def AC6, S/Shield +1; Spear +1, Scimitar +1, Mage Robe (Travelers), Splint (4); Gems/jewelry: Potions: Fire Giant Strength, Mirrored Eyes, Magic protection; Scrolls: Slow; Acid Arrow, Prot/Evil, Flame Arrow, et al; Misc & Artifacts:
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Resting & Recuperating @ Nashkel Mines Barracks
NEXT STEPS: Kill Davaeorn & flood the mines (Quickly before the IT sends an armed response)
LEVEL UP: None
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 6)
• Silas Cl/5(Lorekeeper of Oghma) (HP26) S/mail +1 & Boots/Grounding (w/Gauntlets of Dexterity), M/star*, & Rg of Energy; Spells: A/Dead, C/Disease, DOHM, F/Blade, H/Person, Silence 15’, S/Poison, Bless, Cmd (3), Doom, P/Evil; S/ability: Heal Touch (2), Affliction, Friends; (Marl) (AI none)
• Khalid Rgr/5(Archer)(HP42) S/Leather +1 w/Clk/Non-det, L/bow*** & B/sword +1* w/Gauntlet’s Wpns Exp; Skills: MS 55, HS 55 (Sword Spider)(AI: Ftr Ranged Atk)(3)
• Imoen Th/6 (Adventurer)(HP36) S/Leather +2 w/S/bow* (w/Bracers of Archery) & S/sword +1* & Wand of MMs, Skills: OL 70, FT 65, PP 40, MS 55, HS 50, DI 20, ST15; (Taurgosz Khosann) (Thf Rgd Atk)(4)
• Minsc Ftr/5 (Barbarian)(HP41) C/mail +1 & Spiders Bane +2; S/ability: Bsk, Bar Rg; (Sword Spider)(AI: Ftr Def)
• Faldorn Dr/4 (HP22) S/Leather, Clk of Prot +1 & Bracers of Def AC6 w/Club* & Dart of Fire +1* (Q/Staff*); Spells: Barskin, B/Claw, Ch/Person/Mammal, S/Poison, Ar/Faith, Bless, Entangle, CLWs, Shillelagh, (Phase Spider)(Cl Agg)(5)
• Neera Mg/4 (Wild Mage), Traveler’s Robe w/QStaff +1*, Spells: Ags/ Scorcher, C/Shield, Stinking Cloud, MM (2), Armor, Nahal’s RD (6)
MOD USED: BG NPC v23.3, BG NPC Music v6, Plane Toduched Races _v0,0, Indira v12, Isra v2.3, Finch v4.0, Gavin v14, Drake, Sirene v2.5, Verr’sza v5.2, BG UB v16, Tweaks Anthology Beta 4, Song & Silence v9, Deities of Faerun, Rogue Rebalancing v491, Level 1 NPCs, SCS v31, aTweaks, Item Randomizer v7
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)(Chain of Command)
Next random character is a class I've never played before:
Male half-orc shaman. Neutral evil. Allowed a full party of 6. Name = Croll. (Portrait shamelessly stolen from the interwebs.)
Mods = standard rig. SCS v32.8; BG NPC (with no ring of human influence); Item randomizer; some tweaks & quests. Harcore difficulty.
Time to go cause some trouble along the Sword Coast.
Also: Mutamin won vs. Korax. Croll might need some magic users in his party when he returns to the rock garden...
Storm (male elf priest of Talos, Grond0); Rek (male dwarven defender, Gate70)
Previous run
After we died in the previous run, we randomly selected new classes, but didn't have time to roll them up. Gate70 said he would be happy with any build, so I rolled up the characters myself so we could get right on with the game this time. It took him a while to notice, but Gate70 did eventually say that he understood the benefits of the 2 stars in axes, but wasn't sure about the logic behind the other 2 stars going into 2-handed weapon. I had to admit it was just conceivable I'd made a mistake there
On with the game then and we were soon off to find Shoal and get our first level.
The duo made a bit of a meal of the fight with the gnolls in High Hedge and were both hit there before claiming victory.
Rek was informed the Lighthouse was next and decided he would splash out for once on a magic axe in case some golems needed cutting down to (his) size. First though some sirines needed to be taught a lesson - that wasn't difficult with the help of a potion of clarity.
Melicamp died again (and in the latest update he doesn't even leave a chicken dinner behind as a consolation) ahead of a bit more journeying to the north. The ankheg nest was generally pretty easy, though Rek called foul on an ankheg which a MP glitch made impossible for him to see. Rather than try and move around to see if that would help he just stood there as a target while Storm put on some clerical buffs to aid his bashing.
Moving on to the basilisk area, Storm produced the single skeleton he had left as a memorized spell. That helped the duo kill the first 2 basilisks, at which point Rek gently enquired whether Storm intended to rest. The answer appeared to be no and the skeleton moved on to the next pair of basilisks - after all, what could possibly go wrong? Well, despite the apparently foolproof nature of that tactic it seemed something could go wrong and Rek found his defensive stance did not protect him against petrification
Mutamin resisted a silence, but only lasted a couple of seconds anyway.
The final part of the session saw a quick trip through the Cloud Peaks to get the charisma tome. With reputation now up to 20 I suppose Storm really should buy some armor next time ...
Storm, priest of Talos L6, 54 HPs, 30 kills
Rek, dwarven defender 6, 75 HPs, 92 kills, 0 deaths
BG1: 1, 2, 3, 4
SoD: 5
SoA: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
The companions wished the elves all the best in restoring their city, and were transported to Watcher's Keep. Mists, trolls, golems, spiders, and jellies that inhabited the first level were no threat. Several statues that came to life were. The first group consisted of melee types (two warriors and two clerics with summoned aerial servants). The party battled them one or two at a time, without much difficulty.
The companions took down enemy after enemy, i.e. working together rather than splitting up and having everyone engage a different foe. This worked well. Mazzy took some damage from a golem statue when she was working her bow, and Anomen got hit once or twice as well, but it was nothing serious. Anomen's True Seeing revealed the second mage. Haer'dalis removed her buffs through a Secret Word-Remove-Remove sequencer, allowing Amahoro to finish her off.
The conceptually interesting 2nd level wasn't too challenging for the party either. The monsters in the different libraries and laboratories were quite manageable, except maybe for a giant snake that managed to stun one of the companions. (I only remembered its stun ability when that happened.) Thankfully the others had no difficulty dispatching the reptile and some jellies surrounding it. Other than this, the monsters on this level were fairly easily overcome by brute force (and by using the hints found in the libraries).
Anomen leveled up and achieved grand-mastery in slings, which was useful with some very dangerous demons and dead magic zones awaiting them on level 3.
The other areas on this level weren't as crazy thankfully. Some pit fiends were meleed despite their fear-inducing aura (which actually affected Jaheira). A succubus and numerous alu-fiends were rendered vulnerable by several Remove Magics from Haer'dalis. The party, and Anomen in particular, wasn't well-prepared for Ka'rashur's clique's lightning magic.
The Tieflings had one mage that was very swiftly dispatched with missiles.
The party finally ran into Aesgarath and saw Amahoro lose three card games to him. She had wagered XP twice, so her XP was now down to the amount of XP Anomen, Mazzy, Jaheira, and Haer'dalis had. (Amahoro had left them behind XP-wise due to them having been kicked out so that Imoen could gain more XP from spell scribing in Spellhold.) She was also permanently Silenced, but that was an effect that Anomen dispelled with a Remove Curse.
Level 4 saw Mazzy take care of lots of Githyanki. Amahoro stepped up first, but a Githyanki anti-paladin dispelled her buffs with his blade. A properly equipped Mazzy had saves well below 0 and with boots of speed plus haste, she could just finish her foes with her bow while running around.
Unlike his cousins in SoA, Saladrex did enjoy the SCS tougher dragons boost: 732 HPs of draconic brawniness. It didn't matter too much. His spell protections were: SI: Divination and Spell Deflection. Imoen and Haer'dalis removed those as well as his combat protections. His increased staying power, combined with several PfMWs did help him weather the first assault, which saw his HPs about halved.
Next up was a demi-lich, one of few foes thus far that came pre-buffed with a Spell Shield.
I was a bit apprehensive about dealing with hordes of SCS enhanced illithids, but as before True Sight, proper pre-buffs, good movement, Fire Storm, and ranged attacks ensured success.
Mazzy took down Rock and teleporting Garock with GWW Gesen. One of them dropped K'logarath. Carston was released and spared his life. Tinkering with the machine of Lum the Mad led to Haer'dalis - accidentally - raising his Str, from 17 to 18, while Amahoro increased her MR, Int, Wis, and Cha. I had wanted Amahoro to raise her Str, for a 20 base Str, to be boosted further by + 1 from her Holy Symbol should she obtain that. Now I might end up having Haer'dalis wear the Holy Symbol for 19 Str. The bard also received a point of Dex; Jaheira a point of Con.
Got it, thanks. I’m not used to thinking about Shamans.
The mining operation in the Cloakwoods is crushed & its overseer is dead.
By the time I got to Davaeorn, he was completely isolated. I’d destroyed everyone else that could pose a threat. It was simply a matter of determining if his skills as a mage were enough to beat back me & my followers. Unlike the other levels, except for a single Guard (Plate Mail), there was no other opposition to contend with or exhaust our firepower.
KEY EVENT: (Battle for the Cloakwood Mines) The stairs from the 3rd level descended a tight staircase to a heavy oaken door. It opened easy enough into a short 10’x10’x25’ hall that ended in a 20’x20’ entrance room. Centered on the wall to the right was a large opening into another room. In the NE corner were a bench & a chair, the NW corner four barrels, & in the SE corner a locked chest w/ a table & chair pushed out from the wall a bit. A 10’ round rug centered the room.
As soon as Khalid got to the end of the hall & was motioning Imoen to come forward, a Guard in Plate mail challenged him & quickly moved to attack. He fought valiantly but died there. After opening the chest, an raiding the room to the east, which was a bedroom, I started wondering what I was missing. After a couple of seconds though, Imoen found a secret door on the far wall directly across from where we entered. She tripped the latch & it opened easily, revealing another 10’x10’hall extending the one we just came in through. After adjusting my followers for further movement, Khalid started to move forward just as Imoen threw up her hand to signal, “Halt!” There were back to back traps set into the floor, five of them. She was able to disarm them easily enough, & Khalid continued into the intersection of two perpendicular halls, when the ominous sounds of a conjuring mage suddenly filled the air. This was it. I called everyone back to the entrance room to establish battle positions to confront a powerful mage. Suddenly he stepped through a Dimension Door right into our midst. I decided just to try & ‘muscle him’ down sending Minsc in hard hoping his protections were either vulnerable or would ware off in short order before he could do any major damage. I’d sent Neera back to the door where we came in & she got off a couple of ineffective Magic Missiles before he pelted her w/some sort of explosive spell that singed her good. She quaffed a PoH but just as she healed, he nailed her again & she was through: (mental note: find out what that spell is. The 3rd floor mage used it on Khalid also). While that was happening, I’d Animated Dead & sent the Skeleton Warrior in to help Minsc & draw some of Davaeorn’s attention. Faldorn had cast Insect Plague, after having been unable to initially because of his protections. Once the insects started to bite & swarm him, she cast Shillelagh & went in to join Minsc & the Skeleton as did I after casting Doom on him & Call on Holy Might for myself. Khalid had scored at least one good hit with an Arrow of Ice (Mental note #2 – those things work, get more). Then, Minsc did what he’s here for, & tore through Davaeorn from his shoulder to about midway through his upper torso. Anticlimactic really. Both the mages on the upper floors put up more of a fight.
DISAPPOINTING
From there, I had my retinue do their thing & collect the bounty I deserve. That too, was disappointing. (Editor’s note I screwed up & forgot to loot the treasure room before I flooded the mine ☹).
Best Kill Competition:
1. Minsc (Davaeorn – 6000 exp)
2. Khalid (Sword Spider), Imoen (Taurgosz Khosann) (2000 exp each),
3. Faldorn (Phase Spider – 1400 exp)
CASUALTIES: Neera (Davaeorn)
MONSTERS DEFEATED: Davaeorn, mage/11, Stephen, Mage/5, Guard (Plate mail)
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Purse = 14,705gp) Armor & weapons: Robe of the Evil Archmagi, Traveler’s Robe, Plate Mail; Gems/jewelry: Potions Scrolls: Prot/Evil, Grease; Misc: & Artifacts:
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Resting, Recuperating, Resupplying @ FAI
NEXT STEPS: Baldur’s Gate (Iron Throne)
LEVEL UP: None
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 6)
• Silas Cl/5(Lorekeeper of Oghma) (HP26) S/mail +1 & Boots/Grounding (w/Gauntlets of Dexterity), M/star*, & Rg of Energy; Spells: A/Dead, C/Disease, DOHM, F/Blade, H/Person, Silence 15’, S/Poison, Bless, Cmd (3), Doom, P/Evil; S/ability: Heal Touch (2), Affliction, Friends; (Drasus) (AI none)
• Khalid Rgr/5(Archer)(HP42) S/Leather +1 w/Clk/Non-det, L/bow*** & B/sword +1* w/Gauntlet’s Wpns Exp; Skills: MS 55, HS 55 (Sword Spider) (AI: Ftr Ranged Atk)(3)
• Imoen Th/6 (Adventurer)(HP36) S/Leather +2 w/S/bow* (w/Bracers of Archery) & S/sword +1* & Wand of MMs, Skills: OL 70, FT 65, PP 40, MS 55, HS 50, DI 20, ST15; (Taurgosz Khosann) (Thf Rgd Atk)(4)
• Minsc Ftr/5 (Barbarian)(HP41) C/mail +1 & Spiders Bane +2; S/ability: Bsk, Bar Rg; (Davaeorn) (AI: Ftr Def)
. Faldorn Dr/4 (HP22) S/Leather, Clk of Prot +1 & Bracers of Def AC6 w/Club* & Dart of Fire +1* (Q/Staff*); Spells: Barskin, B/Claw, Ch/Person/Mammal, S/Poison, Ar/Faith, Bless, Entangle, CLWs, Shillelagh, (Phase Spider) (Cl Agg)(5)
• Neera Mg/4 (Wild Mage), Traveler’s Robe w/QStaff +1*, Spells: Ags/ Scorcher, C/Shield, Stinking Cloud, MM (2), Armor, Nahal’s RD (6)
MOD USED: BG NPC v23.3, BG NPC Music v6, Plane Toduched Races _v0,0, Indira v12, Isra v2.3, Finch v4.0, Gavin v14, Drake, Sirene v2.5, Verr’sza v5.2, BG UB v16, Tweaks Anthology Beta 4, Song & Silence v9, Deities of Faerun, Rogue Rebalancing v491, Level 1 NPCs, SCS v31, aTweaks, Item Randomizer v7
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)(Chain of Command)
Part 2: Baldur's Gate
With Mutamin's Garden empty, the next best source of XP is the ankheg farm. Once we bring back our player-created characters into the party (except for our Archer, whom Baeloth must replace until the end of BG1), we head north and use Command to land guaranteed kills on the bugs.
Normally, I prefer to sneak through the Nashkel mines, but Baeloth has no Invisibility spells; only Fireball. That's almost as good.
We have plenty of Invisibility spells and can probably get the documents from the bandit camp through stealth, since we can always just pay to resurrect a character who dies to the lightning bolt trap, but we really need the Spell Thrust scroll from Venkt in order to deal with mages later on. That means we have to fight our way through the bandit camp.
Fortunately, Baeloth has both Web and Fireball, so he can clear large groups of bandits and hobgoblins while holding off an incoming horde.
I generally don't bother with most of the Cloakwood, but I do stop by the wyvern cave and set up a wall of invisible characters, after @Grond0's example, to gather some more XP and bump our cleric up to level 5 so we can throw some skeletons at Davaeorn.
We use Invisibility to sneak through the Cloakwood mines, then use a summoned skeleton to lure out the Battle Horrors so we can kill them with Magic Missiles and Acid Arrows. We flee the mines to rest and come back to deal with Davaeorn.
Without a thief, we have to tank the traps, and we can't trigger the last one without turning Davaeorn hostile, so our cleric has to begin the fight partly wounded. We have to bait out his Web+Stinking Cloud Minor Sequencer with a single party member to make sure the rest of the group doesn't get caught, and so we sacrifice our Skald, Viora.
Anyway, per my normal rules, I can reload to get the character back, but only if I re-create the scenario in which the character ordinarily died. That means we have to either win or escape the fight with Davaeorn, then reload, then either win or run away from the fight as before.
Long story short, we have to run away (easy enough), then restart the fight and have Davaeorn hide away in the same room where he eventually hid the first time around, right here:
I agree it does seem an odd omission. SCS makes potential enemies react violently to single target spells that you can get away with in vanilla (like charm and blind), but not to area spells (like silence, stinking cloud and web) - though the latter are likely to be directed with just as much hostile intent
After trying a few tough challenges lately, I thought I might have a go at something a bit easier. This run will be on core in an unmodded game and features a dragon disciple that picks her spells randomly. Even with totally useless spells, BG1 should not be a challenge (at least in theory) as items are generally stronger than spells. However, things could get tricky in BG2 if the spell selection is poor ...
Her creation in Candlekeep ensured enemies' knees were trembling in the knowledge of a sorcerer wielding that mighty duo of friends and infravision
In Beregost Algernon was shot down for his cloak before Conti headed for the basilisk area. Following Korax round there got her another couple of levels, picking up mirror image, reflected image and detect invisibility.
After picking up the ring of extra chromatic orbs from the FAI, Conti continued northwards to relieve Dushai of her ring. Back in Beregost she did a few jobs, including collecting some spider remains for Landrin. Disposing of an obstacle to hand them over allowed her to learn the very handy invisibility 10' radius.
At the Lake area a gnoll attacked Drizzt. I wasn't desperate enough for XP to monitor the combat (and leave the area to reset it if necessary until the gnoll broke its weapon) - and the result was that the gnoll got the kill and Conti had to be satisfied with some valuable equipment.
A few reputation quests included helping Charleston Nib (17 chromatic orbs with a rest in the middle to kill the Doomsayer),
Meilum lost his bracers, to give Conti's sling a bit more oomph, before she completed a few more reputation quests on the way to retrieve the charisma tome. Just after that she attempted to finish a polar bear off with her breath weapon, but it somehow bypassed it - however, a chromatic orb did the job to get a 7th level and add spook, stinking cloud and skull trap to her list.
Conti bought a few magic bullets to use on the golems at High Hedge before talking to Thalantyr, but was a bit careless with the second golem.
The availability of skull trap meant the exterior of Durlag's Tower was cleared quicker than I expected. The basilisks on the roof were then enough for level 8.
Conti didn't bother with the ghasts in the Tower, but did use a scroll of PfM to get the tome there. Thalantyr identified that, though I was disappointed that he still charged for the service after bungling the restoration of Melicamp.
Invisibility meant no need to bother with the kobolds in Nashkel Mine, where Mulahey found death a welcome release from coughing his guts up.
Going back to the Valley of the Tombs to pick up the monster summoning wand, I couldn't be bothered to fight mustard jellies, so Conti just killed Narcillicus without talking.
Finishing off the remaining reputation quests, included going to the ankheg nest. I decided I wouldn't take the time to kill all the ankhegs, but wanted to grab the treasure without using resources. Normally a mage can use their own invisibility to strand ankhegs on the surface, but with invis 10' being so slow casting, Conti had to use the familiar for distraction.
After Tranzig failed to emerge from stinking clouds, Conti moved on the Bandit Camp - and filled Tazok's tent with toxic vapors.
Dragon disciple L9, 68 HPs (incl. 6 from familiar), 203 kills
Previous updates at:
After going invisibly through the Cloakwood Mine, Davaeorn surprisingly failed to survive just a couple of skull traps.
After flooding the mine, Conti journeyed on to Baldur's Gate. She didn't bother with most of the content there, but did do the poison quest in order to get the wisdom tome (using a grease scroll on Lothander on the way to get a bit of bonus treasure).
Ramazith was skull trapped, but his tower (apart from his treasure) left untouched. The Seven Suns saw several of the dopplegangers stunned by chromatic orbs (they're a weak variety of the creature)
At the Iron Throne Alai was the only one to get an attack in while stinking clouds were active. Zhalimar and Gardush survived, but not for long (Gardush also being orb-stunned and finished off with the normal dual-wielding of fists and poison dagger).
At Candlekeep, Conti used another knock scroll to get the strength tome (with the help of that DUHM was then enough for the other tombs). The dopplegangers were bypassed, but Prat's gang were stuck in clouds - Conti was lucky there though when Bor broke free and she saved against a stunning dart while getting her own stun in on him.
Before starting the final battles Conti went to get the Ring of Energy.
At the palace summons were used for the first (and only) time and hasted by scroll. A chaos scroll then disrupted the dopplegangers' targeting and Belt & Liia both survived.
Rather than just use the lightning trap to kill Sarevok I played slightly fairer. Sarevok's dialogue was triggered invisibly and Semaj skull trapped when he teleported out.
Dragon disciple L9, 68 HPs (incl. 6 from familiar), 275 kills
Previous updates at:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1049028/#Comment_1049028
Conti's adventures in BG1 had amassed enough XP to allow her to immediately level up on arrival in SoD - her random spell pick there producing sunfire. That's a pretty good selection in the context of this run - it's not a spell I normally use, but is an appropriate one to encourage a slight change in my normal tactics.
After buying desired equipment from the Flaming Fist Healer (in particular greater restoration scrolls), Conti went invisibly to Porios to persuade him to surrender. Rather than use a PfU scroll she cleared the undead groups mainly with spells - including her new sunfire. Korlasz failed to survive a pair of skull traps.
At the palace the initial encounter with assassins was amusing when Corwin killed one of them, only for Conti's chromatic orb to petrify the corpse before it could collapse.
Hitting the road, Conti got to the first camp and re-sorted her equipment before heading to the Coast Way Forest. A first use of the paralyzation wand stunned both Ikros and Isabella there to get me the regeneration ioun stone. On the way back an encounter with some orcs and trolls enabled Conti to swiftly take her final SoD level - getting invisibility, lightning bolt, contagion and protection from electricity.
Back at the Coast Way Crossing Conti went to the bridge invisibly and just waited behind the tent until Caelar arrived. She then passed straight through the Troll Claw Woods to the Forest of Wyrms and went invisibly through the temple to find Ziatar. Protection from poison, free action and potion of clarity provided the defense there, though it didn't take long to stun Ziatar anyway.
I had been thinking to just run past the Neothelid, but decided to see if it could be stunned. After it saved against one try at that it disappeared underground and Conti was running the magic swords around when an ego whip hit and she was the one that was stunned
I think it is coded that way to avoid the entire city going hostile if a web touches a neutral character.
Web isn't designed to hurt anyone which is why people don't get hostile. If it turned people hostile then the Dukes in the Ducal Palace would turn against you. Your own party might turn against you, but they know that in itself it isn't a hostile act, that being webbed is a side effect. It is only when it is accompanied with a volley of arrows or a magic missile that it becomes hostile. It's the sort of spell a police force would use to detain peopole until they find out who is a criminal and who is not.
Pretty much. You can’t accidentally target someone with Blindness, but you can catch them in Web by mistake.
Storm (male elf priest of Talos, Grond0); Rek (male dwarven defender, Gate70)
Previous updates:
Having maximised reputation in the previous session, we started this one by making a few purchases. There weren't any good Gauntlets for sale though, so the first main encounter was to go and get Meilum's. Then it was on to Durlag's Tower to find some Battle Horrors. Rek got confused here about why Storm was apparently attacking him here (screenshot from Gate70 - on my screen the battle horror and Rek were the other way round),
At the exit to the roof Rek asked Storm what protection he had bought against petrification and Storm responded that Rek was the one with good charisma so why ask him? The solution was to use sanctuary to get outside safely and then produce skeletons, but in order to do that a rest would be needed. Trying to rest in a confined location, next to a stun trap, with the chance of ghasts appearing among you is not recommended for a no-reload - but where's the fun without a bit of risk
Coming back in from the roof, Storm was stunned by the trap and Rek got bored waiting. He recovered a tome before going to annoy Kirinhale. Once Storm recovered he joined the fight with the help of skeleton warriors and the combination proved sufficient.
The next target was the Nashkel Mine, but Rek suggested before heading there Storm should really consider putting some armor on. With money being no object he reluctantly agreed and accepted Rek's cast-off ankheg armor after buying some full plate. In the event the kobolds launched few arrows anyway and Mulahey made no verbal protest as he was cut down.
Outside the mine the Amazons were all silenced, as was Nimbul in Nashkel. Tranzig saved against silence, but was beaten up rapidly anyway to open up access to the Bandit Camp. Rek made quick progress through the basic bandits there before Taurgosz appeared to pose a slightly greater threat - or perhaps not.
Storm got a bit of use for his newly learned free action spell in the Cloakwood, but that was mainly skipped on the way to the mine. Drasus and Rezdan were silenced there before the attack, while Kysus was silenced the old fashioned way as the first target.
In the City the poison quest produced some boots from Lothander and a tough fight with Larze before Marek failed to complete a spell.
The hardest battle of the session was still to come though. Storm & Rek both took significant damage in working through Degrodel's guards to speak to him. A misunderstanding after that though resulted in Rek talking to Degrodel, followed swiftly by Storm trying to have the same conversation. Degrodel gleefully pinched the Helm of Balduran as a result and summoned a fresh lot of guards. An attempt to kill the mage before he could get away failed and Storm had to resort to a potion of invisibility to send the guards after Rek - his defensive stance proved sufficient to fend those off.
Storm, priest of Talos L8, 63 HPs, 72 kills
Rek, dwarven defender L7, 88 HPs, 240 kills, 0 deaths
All that I learned from Gorion & under tutelage of the Monks of Candlekeep, even the knowledge gained under The Binder of What is Known, my lord Oghma, could not have prepared me for Baldur’s Gate. This place is immense & bustles constantly – I had no idea to expect this even two months ago, as I was leaving Candlekeep for the first time. And then, to think, I thought the village of Beregost impressive. I could not help but take it in & spent much time when I arrived doing just that.
However, it doesn’t offer the kind of serenity I was used to either. Immediately upon arriving, the Commander of the Flaming Fist, Scar, met me on the bridge that spans the River Chionthar @ Wyrm’s Crossing. It seems my reputation has preceded me. Scar has asked me to investigate irregularities @ The Seven Suns Trading Coster. Sounds like it’s in my monetary interest to do so.
When I arrived, my intent was to investigate the iron Throne & to see if I might still figure out how to leverage the plan Eldoth had for his girlfriend, Skie. I found Skie at the Silvershield Estate, but she wanted nothing to do with us & screamed when Imoen approached her. We killed one Guard, unavoidably, & got out of there, lest it become a bloodbath.
At one point, we were attacked in the street by a knight in Plate Mail, who claimed to be the brother of that hunter we killed in the Cloakwoods. He wanted revenge. He didn’t get it but I racked up a set of Plate Mail, a second enchanted Morning Star & an enchanted Heavy Crossbow – definitely an item of interest that I want Minsc to look into for use when he’s been clobbered like he was later that evening. After having to bail Neera out of another brush with someone in her past, a Hobbit she apparently took a couple hundred gold from without asking, we went into one of several taverns we’d visited since we’ve been in town. This one had yet another assassin apparently hired to kill me - & he was a bad bloke - a massive Ogre. Before he was dead, he’d sent both Minsc & Khalid smashing to the floor. Minsc I understand. Khalid had no business trying to duel with the thing and we talked about that after I shelled out 800gp to regain his services – from a Temple to Helm no less.
KEY EVENT: (Nymph Rescue) A mage approached us outside a tower in the NE part of the town & asked me if I’d be willing to take a job for him & rescue a Nymph from another mage. After getting the details, I thought it worth my time, & decided to find the mage Ragefast at his home near the Hall of Wonders. His home was easy enough to find & the mage reacted immediately upon our entering. I told him why I was there & offered to take the Nymph, but he attacked. I’d been on the cautious side & cast Bless on everyone prior to entering, while Neera had cast Protection from Evil on herself & Faldorn, Barkskin. When he attacked, I immediately cast Silence 15’ & I think Neera used MM. Both Khalid & Imoen were using their bows, & I saw Khalid get him in the right shoulder at least once. Ragefast did manage to blast Neera with something, because she was bloody when the thing was over, but she didn’t know what had hit her. Ragefast then cast Web & it entangled both Faldorn & the Nymph but not Minsc, who with Spider’s Bane, cut into him hard, right into the skull, & ended the battle there. Obviously, I have too much benevolence in my group & it’s wearing on me, as I elected to free the Nymph, rather than drag her back to my employer. She gave me a Nymph Cloak & I gathered some noteworthy treasure for my efforts.
ANOTHER DAMNED MAGE, ANOTHER DEAD MAGE
Best Kill Competition:
1. Minsc (Davaeorn – 6000 exp)
2. Khalid (Sword Spider), Imoen (Taurgosz Khosann) (2000 exp each),
3. Faldorn (Phase Spider – 1400 exp)
MONSTERS DEFEATED: Mage/7 (Ragefast), Ogre (Larze), Ankheg’s (4 – Fishing Village), Knight (Fighter/Dabron Sashenstar), Bandits (6 -Fishing Village); Wild Dog (Wandering Monster);
CASUALTIES: Minsc & Khalid (Larze)
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Purse = 14,705gp) Armor & weapons: Gauntlets of Wpns Skill, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Boots of Avoidance; Crossbow of Accuracy; Necklace of Protection +1; Gems/jewelry: Potions Scrolls: Mirror Image, Blur, Ghoul Touch (2), Horror; Misc: & Artifacts: Nymph Cloak, Wald of Paralyzation
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Resting, Recuperating, Resupplying @ an Inn in SE Baldur’s Gate
NEXT STEPS: Seven Suns, while keeping an eye on the Iron Throne
LEVEL UP: Faldorn, Druid/6, Silas (Lorekeeper of Oghma)/6
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 7)
• Silas Cl/5(Lorekeeper of Oghma) (HP26) S/mail +1 & Boots/Grounding (w/Gauntlets of Dexterity), M/star*, & Rg of Energy; Spells: A/Dead, C/Disease, Zone of Sweet Air, Holy Might, F/Blade, H/Person, Silence 15’, S/Poison, Bless, Cmd (3), Doom, P/Evil;
S/ability: Heal Touch (2), Affliction, Friends; (Drasus) (AI none)
• Khalid Rgr/5(Archer)(HP42) S/Leather +1 w/Clk/Non-det, L/bow*** & B/sword +1* w/Gauntlet’s Wpns Exp; Skills: MS 55, HS 55 (Sword Spider) (AI: Ftr Ranged Atk)(3)
• Imoen Th/6 (Adventurer)(HP36) S/Leather +2 w/S/bow* (w/Bracers of Archery) & S/sword +1* & Wand of MMs, Skills: OL 70, FT 65, PP 40, MS 55, HS 50, DI 20, ST15; (Taurgosz Khosann) (Thf Rgd Atk)(4)
• Minsc Ftr/5 (Barbarian)(HP41) C/mail +1 & Spiders Bane +2; S/ability: Bsk, Bar Rg; (Davaeorn) (AI: Ftr Def)
• Faldorn Dr/6 (HP31) S/Leather, Clk of Prot +1 & Bracers of Def AC6 w/Club* & Dart of Fire +1* (Q/Staff*); Spells:
Moonblade, Summon Insects, Barskin, B/Claw, Ch/Person/Mammal, S/Poison, Ar/Faith, Bless, Entangle, CLWs,
Shillelagh, (Phase Spider) (Cl
Agg)(5)
• Neera Mg/4 (Wild Mage), Traveler’s Robe w/QStaff +1* w/Wands of Fear & Paralyzation; Spells: C/Shield, Horror, Stinking Cloud, MM (2), Armor, Nahal’s RD (6)
MOD USED: BG NPC v23.3, BG NPC Music v6, Plane Toduched Races _v0,0, Indira v12, Isra v2.3, Finch v4.0, Gavin v14, Drake, Sirene v2.5, Verr’sza v5.2, BG UB v16, Tweaks Anthology Beta 4, Song & Silence v9, Deities of Faerun, Rogue Rebalancing v491, Level 1 NPCs, SCS v31, aTweaks, Item Randomizer v7
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)(Chain of Command)
They should also go hostile if they get silenced by Silence, 15' Radius. In the base game, casting Silence, 15' Radius on a group of assassins while they're still neutral makes it so that they don't talk to you to start the battle, so they just stand there, neutral and silenced, even if you go right up to them.
KEY EVENT: (Rescue of Jhasso) As asked, I investigated what was happening @ the seven Suns Trading Coster. The building is two levels with a cellar in the SW corner of the town. As you pass through the doors, you come into a large room that is about 30’ deep and 60’ wide with a large staircase centered on the east wall leading up. There are six large columns dispersed about 15’ apart spaced evenly about the room & several chairs scattered throughout. A merchant came up to Minsc as we entered & told us that he had seen people, ‘changing faces’ in recent days & that the place was being run in the ground. I ignored the other merchants there & found a door on the far west side of the room that led to a 5’x10’ staircase to the cellar. In the cellar were two large storerooms & six 10’x10’ cells. As soon as we reached the bottom of the stairs, we were attacked by a Doppelganger who no longer exists. I quickly found, Jhasso, imprisoned in one of the storerooms within his own coster. He told me the Doppelgangers had taken over his company & one had taken his place. He promised to reward me, my biggest concern, & said he’d have the Flaming Fist return & destroy the remainder on the Doppelgangers. He didn’t have to.
QUICK WORK
Shortly after reporting back to Scar on the situation @ Seven Suns, I was approached by a Rogue, actually two, who warned me to stay away from the Iron Throne. He tried to threaten me & escape, but I had him stopped, dead, in his tracks. I can’t chance anymore information getting back to the IT than they already have on me. Too bad, the other Rogue that was slinking in the shadows, managed to escape.
When I reported back to Scar, I was handsomely rewarded, 2000gp I think. He asked if I would look into some disappearances in the east side of the city – apparently some nobles had gone missing & the signs led to the sewers. It took me awhile, but once I found the entrance, I literally dropped right in on top of the culprit. It was an Ogre Mage, literally the nastiest creatures in the realm, I think, as this is the second run in I’ve had with one of these things in the last three weeks & each time they were up to their knees in dead bodies. This one had five Carrion Crawlers as ‘pets.’ I dropped him w/a Command Spell, & though he recovered once, aside from hitting Neera w/Melf’s Acid Arrow, he was a pushover. My biggest problem was that Khalid got himself separated from the rest of us & was cornered & paralyzed by three of the crawlers. As soon as the Ogre Mage was dead, Minsc sprinted up the sewer to where Khalid was, & I followed. We got there in time.
FILTHIEST CREATURES IN FAERUN - OGRE MAGE'S
Upon returning to Scar, & coming back once to retrieve the body of a noblewoman, I was rewarded as deserving of my efforts & introduced to Duke Eltan. The Duke wished me now to infiltrate the Iron Throne. I’m happy to.
Best Kill Competition:
1. Minsc (Davaeorn – 6000 exp)
2. Khalid (Sword Spider), Imoen (Taurgosz Khosann) (2000 exp each),
3. Faldorn (Phase Spider – 1400 exp)
MONSTERS DEFEATED: Phase Spider, Marek (Assassin/7), Ogre Mage, Carrion crawlers (10), Doppelgangers (5)
CASUALTIES: None
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Purse = 34,985gp) Armor & weapons: Warhammer +2, Spear +1, Amulet of protection +1, Ninjato +1, Scimitar +1; Gems/jewelry: Ruby Ring, Sphene Gem, Potions: Scrolls: Misc: & Artifacts: Robe of the Good Archmagi, Knaves Robe
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Resting, Recuperating, Resupplying @ an Inn in SE Baldur’s Gate
NEXT STEPS: Infiltrate the Iron Throne
LEVEL UP: Neera, Mage (Wild Mage)/5
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 8)
• Silas Cl/5(Lorekeeper of Oghma) (HP26) S/mail +1 & Boots/Grounding (w/Gauntlets of Dexterity), M/star +1 (2)* (SWS*) & Rg of Energy; Spells: A/Dead, C/Disease, Zone of Sweet Air, Holy Might, F/Blade, H/Person, Silence 15’, S/Poison, Bless, Cmd (3), Doom, P/Evil; S/ability: Heal Touch (2), Affliction, Friends; (Drasus) (AI none)
• Khalid Rgr/5(Archer)(HP42) S/Leather +1 w/Clk/Non-det, L/bow*** & B/sword +1* w/Gauntlet’s Wpns Exp; Skills: MS 55, HS 55 (Sword Spider) (AI: Ftr Ranged Atk)(3)
• Imoen Th/6 (Adventurer)(HP36) S/Leather +2 w/S/bow* (w/Bracers of Archery) & S/sword +1*; Skills: OL 70, FT 65, PP 40, MS 55, HS 50, DI 20, ST15; (Taurgosz Khosann) (Thf Rgd Atk)(4)
• Minsc Ftr/5 (Barbarian)(HP41) C/mail +1 & Spiders Bane +2; S/ability: Bsk, Bar Rg; (Davaeorn) (AI: Ftr Def)
• Faldorn Dr/6 (HP31) S/Leather +1 w/Club*, Dart of Fire +1* (Q/Staff*) & Gauntlets of Ogre Power; Spells:
Moonblade, Summon Insects, Barskin, B/Claw, Ch/Person/Mammal, S/Poison, Ar/Faith, Bless, Entangle, CLWs, Shillelagh, (Phase Spider) (Cl agg)(5)
• Neera Mg/4 (Wild Mage), Traveler’s Robe w/Bracers of Def AC6 & Clk of Prot +1, Q/Staff +1*, Spells: Melf’s Minute Meteors, Haste, C/Shield, Web, Blur, Blindness, Chromatic orb, MM, Armor, Nahal’s RD; (none) Mage Def) (6)
MOD USED: BG NPC v23.3, BG NPC Music v6, Plane Toduched Races _v0,0, Indira v12, Isra v2.3, Finch v4.0, Gavin v14, Drake, Sirene v2.5, Verr’sza v5.2, BG UB v16, Tweaks Anthology Beta 4, Song & Silence v9, Deities of Faerun, Rogue Rebalancing v491, Level 1 NPCs, SCS v31, aTweaks, Item Randomizer v7
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)(Chain of Command)
Croll didn't like the look of Hafiz. One geezer gnome gone.
Ajantis had no sense of humor.
Jared didn't want to turn over his nice white boots. Dorn took them anyway.
Poor cat. Sacrificed for the needs of the Bhaalspawn & co.
Drizzt took a wrong turn when he left the Underdark. Lightning is a significant hazard outdoors.
Permidion Stark looked at Croll the wrong way. It was the last thing he did.
Hentold gave Croll a magical dagger, and asked a favor. Croll doesn't do favors.
Bentan suggested Croll take up a new religion and follow Illmater. Instead, Croll showed him true suffering.
Surprisingly, the temples have been willing to overlook all of these terrible deeds, on the account of Croll's ongoing largesse... Although sooner or later the people of the Sword Coast must realize that the Iron Crisis is hardly their worst problem.
I think it's about time for another little break, but first I thought I should have one really serious attempt to make a bit of progress with my long-life challenge. The fighter/thief should be one of the easiest possible classes for me, though in practice that normally doesn't make a lot of difference since most failures are just down to errors or risk-taking anyway
I managed to avoid any disasters in an opening session that saw:
- Shoal shot down (I thought that would be quicker than laying traps).
- after killing Algernon for his cloak (I didn't even try pickpocket), I went to find Drizzt. He was slightly wounded by an attack from gnolls and expired when he stepped into some traps (initially I was aiming to only attack when he was near enough to trigger those, but he was uncooperative about moving in the right direction, so I eventually just accepted the cost of a potion of clarity to kill him).
- with reputation now down to 3, I went to see if Melicamp would survive so that travel in civilised locations didn't result in hostilities. The golems at High Hedge were killed in traps, before Melicamp proved resilient for the first time in a while for me - though I did take my first damage to date there when procuring a skull.
- Korax dealt with Mutamin and the basilisks and I also released Tamah from a stony prison to get reputation up to a safe 5. Kirian's friends were charmed, while she was attacked after laying traps close by under cover of a rock spire.
So far, so good. I've not been more than scratched to date and not had any saves to make or other dangerous moments.
F7 / T8, 75 HPs, 153 kills
The Iron Throne operation in Baldur’s Gate is no more. I led my followers into their headquarters in Baldur’s Gate, an impressive building, five stories high, with ornate floors, statues, columns, rugs & tapestries throughout. The ground level is huge – 100’x 100’ square on three raised steps about halfway back. I arrived to little fanfare, although I was twice challenged by Guards, who were happy to take gold to disappear. I was once attacked on the 2nd level but it was just an annoyance & we killed two Guards (Splint) & five Guards (Leather). Others who approached me were mostly, emissaries, etc., who were themselves, trying to find the IT leaders so they didn’t interfere.
KEY EVENT: (Battle @ the Iron Throne) When I finally got to the 4th level, I sent Khalid up, using Stealth, to check the temperature (as I did on each floor coming up). He returned & told me, “We’re in for a fight.” I told him to go back up & take the first shot, try to draw them down to me & I positioned the rest of us for a scrap. He went up, fired at one of them. When he returned, he was dogged by a Rogue (note: Aasim) of some type, but no others. We pummeled him easily. Since none others were to come, I sent Khalid back up using Stealth as always, from the staircase opposite where he’d gone up the first time up. Again, after firing off an arrow, he came back down, this time w/a mage (Naaman) who we sent to whatever place he went after he died. I sent Khalid up the other staircase again, & this time, it was on. We all ascended when he gave us the word, & we were very effective in finishing off three more Iron Throne enemies (Note: Gardush, Diyab, Zhalimar Cloudwolf) in a battle that was never in doubt. Once again, the Iron Throne higher ups, from Davaeorn on, have been disappointing foes. They should really have enlisted the services of more female mages like they had in Cloakwood Mines.
(Note 2: I expected them all to come since I have Better Calls for Help, etc. from SCS enabled. They didn’t – usually when the game doesn’t do what I want – it hurts me – I’ll take this one in my favor).
UNIMPRESSIVE, THEY WERE
The Iron Throne, at least, here in Baldur’s Gate having been smashed I took time to consider the implications, & next steps. I spent ~30k gps on Arrows of Dispelling, Arrows +2, Arrows of Fire, Potion of Extra Healing, Healing, Elixirs of Health, etc., knowing that these will be needed in the future. As I was moving about, a young boy approached my followers asking for help – to follow him to a house for more info. Minsc, jumped all over the idea & I let it go. Turns out, the boy who approached us & a friend had been foolishly playing a hoax in a Temple of Umberlee. The other boy was killed & his father, a Priest of Tymora, asked me to see if I could retrieve the boy’s body for him to raise. I agreed on promise of reward. After visiting a pub in the Docks District to find the locale, I made my way to The House of The Bitch Queen, Inside, after speaking w/an acolyte, the High Priestess came out & offered to sell me the body for 2000gp. I laughed in her face & she was incensed at my insolence & attacked (as did four Priestesses of Umberlee). After defeating them easily, I was able to recover the body, & some solid bounty before returning to the house of the Priest of Tymora. He was able to Raise his child & I was given gold for my efforts.
TAKING DOWN THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF A RIVAL DEITY? PRICELESS!
It is late. I need slumber before I go visit Scar tomorrow.
Best Kill Competition:
1. Minsc (Davaeorn – 6000 exp)
2. Khalid (Sword Spider), Imoen (Taurgosz Khosann) (2000 exp each),
3. Faldorn (Phase Spider – 1400 exp)
MONSTERS DEFEATED: Gardush Ftr/10; High Priestess of House of Umberlee, Jalantha Mistmyr, Cl/9; Naaman, Enchanter/9; Aasim, Ftr/Cl/7/7; Acai, Ftr/Mage 7/7; Diyab, Ftr/Th 9/9; Alai, Ftr/Mage 7/7; Priestesses of Umberlee (4), Guards (Splint) (2), Guards (Leather)(5), Merchants (3), Bartender (rep loss -2), Cook
CASUALTIES: None
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Purse = 18,092gp) Armor & weapons: Ring of Free Action, Light Crossbow of Speed; Large Shield +1, Gauntlets of weapons Skill, Q/Staff +1, Leather Armor +1; Gems/jewelry: Sphene Gem; Potions: Scrolls: Cloudkill, Minor Sequencer, Polymorph Self, Protection from Undead; Blur, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Protection from Normal Missiles; Misc: & Artifacts: Wand of Lightning
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Resting, Recuperating, Resupplying @ an Inn in SE Baldur’s Gate
NEXT STEPS: Inform Scar of my findings at the iron Throne
LEVEL UP: None
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 4)
• Silas Cl/5(Lorekeeper of Oghma) (HP26) S/mail +1 & Boots/Grounding (w/Gauntlets of Dexterity), M/star*, & Rg of Energy; Spells: A/Dead, C/Disease, Zone of Sweet Air, Holy Might, F/Blade, H/Person, Silence 15’, S/Poison, Bless, Cmd (3), Doom, P/Evil; S/ability: Heal Touch (2), Affliction, Friends; (Drasus) (AI none)
• Khalid Rgr/5(Archer)(HP42) S/Leather +1 w/Clk/Non-det, L/bow*** & B/sword +1* w/Gauntlet’s Wpns Exp; Skills: MS 55, HS 55 (Sword Spider) (AI: Ftr Ranged Atk)(3)
• Imoen Th/6 (Adventurer)(HP36) S/Leather +2 w/Eagle Bow +2* (w/Bracers of Archery) & S/sword +1*; Skills: OL 70, FT 65, PP 40, MS 55, HS 50, DI 20, ST15; (Taurgosz Khosann) (Thf Rgd Atk)(4)
• Minsc Ftr/5 (Barbarian)(HP41) C/mail +1 & Spiders Bane +2; S/ability: Bsk, Bar Rg; (Davaeorn) (AI: Ftr Def)
• Faldorn Dr/6 (HP31) S/Leather +1 w/Club*, Dart of Fire +1* (Q/Staff*) & Gauntlets of Ogre Power; Spells: Moonblade, Summon Insects, Barskin, B/Claw, Ch/Person/Mammal, S/Poison, Ar/Faith, Bless, Entangle, CLWs, Shillelagh, (Phase Spider) (Cl agg)(5)
• Neera Mg/4 (Wild Mage), Traveler’s Robe w/Bracers of Def AC6 & Clk of Prot +1, Q/Staff +1*, Spells: Melf’s Minute Meteors, Haste, C/Shield, Web, Blur, Blindness, Chromatic orb, MM, Armor, Nahal’s RD; (none) Mage Def) (6)
MOD USED: BG NPC v23.3, BG NPC Music v6, Plane Toduched Races _v0,0, Indira v12, Isra v2.3, Finch v4.0, Gavin v14, Drake, Sirene v2.5, Verr’sza v5.2, BG UB v16, Tweaks Anthology Beta 4, Song & Silence v9, Deities of Faerun, Rogue Rebalancing v491, Level 1 NPCs, SCS v31, aTweaks, Item Randomizer v7
Blue Font: New information;
Red Font: Monster encounters (first use)
(Best kill)(Current AI)(Chain of Command)