Melissan logic: Charname arrives in Saradush with Imoen and Sarevok in tow.
Melissan: "What's this? A Bhaalspawn appears out of nowhere?"
No Melissan, three Bhaalspawns appear out of nowhere!
(OK, we may have to grant her this: Sarevok no longer has any Bhaal essence, and Imoen doesn't have a whole lot.)
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Charname logic: Who should I trust to give me sound advice and lead me on to godhood? Let me see ... my companions through the last several months, who stood by me all the way through Shadows of Amn? One of whom I might have fallen in love with? Or maybe the priest of the nearby temple? Or the Solar? No wait, I got it: The woman I just met five minutes ago, who lured hundreds of other Bhaalspawn into a death trap! She's totally trustworthy!
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Sarevok logic: In my youth, I spent much time looking into the lore of the dead Bhaal priesthood. ... The Sword Coast will run red with blood but the battles will culminate in a great struggle within a city to the south, the Tethyrian city of Saradush.
So I concluded that I should start a war in Baldur's Gate to the north and become lord of murder, before this struggle had happened!
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Melissan logic: The best way to become the new lady of murder is to let Charname & Co kill off The Five, reaching epic levels in the process, and then have a great showdown against a group of six level 30+ adventurers, one of whom is a powerful Bhaalspawn.
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Jon Irenicus logic: With hundreds of Bhaalspawn roaming the Forgotten Realms, I ought to abduct two of the most most powerful, who are capable of escaping from my Dungeon in Athkatla, following me to Brynnlaw and Spellhold, pursue me through the Underdark, kill Bodhi, and then seek me out on the Tree of Life itself. It's not like I could capture and use a couple of nobodies like Gavid or Viekang.
Jon Irenicus is arrogant enough to WANT to use the most powerful Bhaalspawn. Just sayin'...
@Artona I 10000% agree. Irenicus needs someone powerful enough to help him achieve his goals but not so powerful (like The Five for example) that they would be impossible to obtain. Thus Charname fits the bill perfectly, and why not give a fledgling throw-away Bhaalspawn like Imoen to the sister that rides his coattails? And wouldn't you know: they happen to be traveling together: two birds, one stone.
Checkmate, Ellesime.
Things may not have gone Irenicus's way but I always thought his plan was the best out of any of the plots of the BG Villains. Sarevok's plot is well written but fairly bland and generic and Mellisan's plot has universal stakes but falls short in the writing category.
You encounter Magic Golems twice in the entire series; in Watcher's Keep and in Yaga-Shura's stronghold.
Coincidentally, two piles of unenchanted weapons (a bit of a rarity in Tethyr where mercenaries are routinely packing +3 weapons) can be found near said Magic Golems.
Meanwhile, in another dungeon with a distinct lack of contingency plans: -Sir, the magic golems you purchased are out of control! They are wrecking the entire place and the guards are defenseless with their pathetic +3 weapons! -Oh, if ONLY there was a pile of unenchanted weapons around here to save us -hand wringing-
Meanwhile, in another dungeon with a distinct lack of contingency plans: -Sir, the magic golems you purchased are out of control! They are wrecking the entire place and the guards are defenseless with their pathetic +3 weapons! -Oh, if ONLY there was a pile of unenchanted weapons around here to save us -hand wringing-
Another dungeon with a similar problem:
"Oh no! The Greater Wolfwere is on the loose! It's killing everyone and our arsenal of +20 vorpal godslaying weapons can't even scratch it because they aren't made of silver!"
Meanwhile, in another dungeon with a distinct lack of contingency plans: -Sir, the magic golems you purchased are out of control! They are wrecking the entire place and the guards are defenseless with their pathetic +3 weapons! -Oh, if ONLY there was a pile of unenchanted weapons around here to save us -hand wringing-
Another dungeon with a similar problem:
"Oh no! The Greater Wolfwere is on the loose! It's killing everyone and our arsenal of +20 vorpal godslaying weapons can't even scratch it because they aren't made of silver!"
It's a good thing greater wolfwere's can't use shields because a silver weapon would last for about two hits on a steel shield. Talk about total invulnerability!
Meanwhile, in another dungeon with a distinct lack of contingency plans: -Sir, the magic golems you purchased are out of control! They are wrecking the entire place and the guards are defenseless with their pathetic +3 weapons! -Oh, if ONLY there was a pile of unenchanted weapons around here to save us -hand wringing-
Another dungeon with a similar problem:
"Oh no! The Greater Wolfwere is on the loose! It's killing everyone and our arsenal of +20 vorpal godslaying weapons can't even scratch it because they aren't made of silver!"
It's a good thing greater wolfwere's can't use shields because a silver weapon would last for about two hits on a steel shield. Talk about total invulnerability!
I mean, to be fair there's no Silver Crisis going on right now, so that's gotta count for something. If that Steel Shield was made from Tainted Iron Ore then really it's anybody's guess.
Every steel non-magical, non-Kara Turan weapon in the first game can break even though most of them were forged years before the Iron Crisis. No steel weapon can break in SoA or ToB because steel never breaks unless it's tainted...
I think one of the things about the tainted iron was that it was somehow contagious. It's magical in nature, so it's not necessarily akin to real life rust or a similar chemical reaction.
I think one of the things about the tainted iron was that it was somehow contagious. It's magical in nature, so it's not necessarily akin to real life rust or a similar chemical reaction.
@Quickblade: Maybe it never did. Maybe it just never reached Amn, and everyone north of Athkatla still has to use copper for everything, because every piece of iron is infectious.
Or maybe the Iron Throne's internal documents explained how the poison was created, and Liia Jannath and the mages of Baldur's Gate used the documents to reverse-engineer a cure. I don't know.
I thought it was just contamination of the ore so everything it was made with would become brittle. The it is simply a matter of dumping everything that was made in the last year and staying anew. Problem solved.
But until they could pin point where the source was (nashkel) they would just produce inferior items with it.
To be fair, the party uses almost entirely enchanted weapons in Baldur's Gate II and considering that everyone from legit businessman to shady innkeepers to black market street thugs are selling regular weapons, I think it's safe to say that the weapons haven't made a full recovery yet.
Weapons breaking stops being an issue partway through BG1, when you've stopped the iron crisis, but by then you're probably using enchanted weaponry anyway so it's hard to notice.
Apparently everybody gets their affairs in order pretty quickly once the tainted ore stops coming in and they've got a steady supply of clean ore.
SoA logic: hey, you're a good cleric? Get Lathander symbol even if you worship Baervan! Evil? Talos, then! What? Shar? Never heard of her
I'm so glad they changed it in EE
1. Thief's Guildmaster in Baldur's Gate speaks of how you have been in town only a few days and yet you have made yourself known. Despite the fact that you have possibly only been in town for about an hour before taking his quest.
AFAIK the party doesn't know for how long it was held in Irenicus' dungeon - but the Shadow Thieves do know as they were tracking the abductions - and even launching an assault on said dungeon.
On top of that, seem that non-members of the ST were captured by Jon it is natural that the organization would ask around to find who are those prisoners and eventually get intel from its crew in Baldur's Gate.
Of course, but it still doesn't excuse the Guildmaster of Baldur's Gate saying that you've been down for a few hours when it fact you've been there less than one.
Centeol's info is modified greatly by installing the mod BG Romantic Encounters. ( i.e. The Mourning of Centeol, the Spider Lady, by @LavaDelVortel ) It fleshes out her background with Jon a bit more and even gives a quest related item for helping to immortalize her story with the bard Poe. A great little gem in that mod I always think.
I really need to get this noob kid killed. It's extremely important to my plans! Who should I send to do the job? Let me see, these two noobs just applied for the job, and they have no experience at all, so they are cheap! Yes, let's send in Carbos and Shank.
Cowled Wizard logic:
- Shadow thieves attack a compound in Waukeen's Promenade: Ho-hum!
- Owner of said compound defends his property using powerful magics: Hmm, wonder what's on TV tonight.
- A large chunk of the promenade is blown up in a magical explosion: Zzzzzz...
- Girl defends herself using a level 1 magic spell, powerful wizard responds with powerful magic: Send in a large force to arrest them both.
More Cowled Wizard logic:
Magic is forbidden in all of Athkatla ... except in dark alleys where bandits waylay adventurers and both parties use magic ... and except inside any building at all, including the Council of Six building in the Government District where you can cast spells right in front of Corneil and Tolgerias without any repercussions at all!
The FourFive logic:
We need an extra member of our group of super-elite, extremely powerful Bhaalspawn. Somebody almost as powerful as ourselves. Let's pick Illasera the Quick!
In Sarevok's defense, he DID personally come to do the job almost immediately. It was only because charname was lucky enough to escape, that he couldn't personally hunt all through the Sword Coast and keep up with his plans at the same time.
Also Sarevok immediatly starts sending MUCH more competent assassins after the party while he is too busy plotting his world takeover to care about dealing with charname himself. By the time Sarevok realizes he's made a mistake, he's also gotten a lot more powerful and he's more than ready to face charname in their "final" confrontation.
Comments
To be fair Sarevok could have easily assumed he'd start the war that would eventually spread to Saradush.
I 10000% agree. Irenicus needs someone powerful enough to help him achieve his goals but not so powerful (like The Five for example) that they would be impossible to obtain. Thus Charname fits the bill perfectly, and why not give a fledgling throw-away Bhaalspawn like Imoen to the sister that rides his coattails? And wouldn't you know: they happen to be traveling together: two birds, one stone.
Checkmate, Ellesime.
Things may not have gone Irenicus's way but I always thought his plan was the best out of any of the plots of the BG Villains. Sarevok's plot is well written but fairly bland and generic and Mellisan's plot has universal stakes but falls short in the writing category.
Coincidentally, two piles of unenchanted weapons (a bit of a rarity in Tethyr where mercenaries are routinely packing +3 weapons) can be found near said Magic Golems.
-Sir, the magic golems you purchased are out of control! They are wrecking the entire place and the guards are defenseless with their pathetic +3 weapons!
-Oh, if ONLY there was a pile of unenchanted weapons around here to save us -hand wringing-
"Oh no! The Greater Wolfwere is on the loose! It's killing everyone and our arsenal of +20 vorpal godslaying weapons can't even scratch it because they aren't made of silver!"
Every steel non-magical, non-Kara Turan weapon in the first game can break even though most of them were forged years before the Iron Crisis. No steel weapon can break in SoA or ToB because steel never breaks unless it's tainted...
Or maybe the Iron Throne's internal documents explained how the poison was created, and Liia Jannath and the mages of Baldur's Gate used the documents to reverse-engineer a cure. I don't know.
But until they could pin point where the source was (nashkel) they would just produce inferior items with it.
Apparently everybody gets their affairs in order pretty quickly once the tainted ore stops coming in and they've got a steady supply of clean ore.
I kept this remark bookmarked to try it out. Just now I did charm him, it's funny indeed.
Try Centeol next!
I'm too busy asking Centeol why she's so fat.
I wish more would be done to connect Centeol to Jon Irenicus and the story of Baldur's Gate II, but alas the time for such things is past.
I absolutely can't resist that dialogue line. It's the funniest response in all of the Infinity Engine games!
DoF fixes that.
AFAIK the party doesn't know for how long it was held in Irenicus' dungeon - but the Shadow Thieves do know as they were tracking the abductions - and even launching an assault on said dungeon.
On top of that, seem that non-members of the ST were captured by Jon it is natural that the organization would ask around to find who are those prisoners and eventually get intel from its crew in Baldur's Gate.
Of course, but it still doesn't excuse the Guildmaster of Baldur's Gate saying that you've been down for a few hours when it fact you've been there less than one.
Yet another great piece of Zaram Artwork created by @DJKajuru Great Job, Man!
Sarevok: Let's see, how am I going to hide my identity? Wait, I know--I'll call myself Koveras instead of Sarevok!
Jon Irenicus: Let's see, how am I going to hide my identity? Wait, I know--I'll call myself Jon instead of Joneleth!
Melissan: Let's see, how am I going to hide my identity? Wait, I know--I'll call myself Melissan instead of Amelyssan!
...until you compare them to Charname.
Tarnesh: Hey, you wouldn't happen to be Charname, would you?
Charname: Why yes it is, friendly stranger!
Tarnesh: Hold still a second.
Charname: Okay. Should I close my eyes, too?
I really need to get this noob kid killed. It's extremely important to my plans! Who should I send to do the job? Let me see, these two noobs just applied for the job, and they have no experience at all, so they are cheap! Yes, let's send in Carbos and Shank.
Cowled Wizard logic:
- Shadow thieves attack a compound in Waukeen's Promenade: Ho-hum!
- Owner of said compound defends his property using powerful magics: Hmm, wonder what's on TV tonight.
- A large chunk of the promenade is blown up in a magical explosion: Zzzzzz...
- Girl defends herself using a level 1 magic spell, powerful wizard responds with powerful magic: Send in a large force to arrest them both.
More Cowled Wizard logic:
Magic is forbidden in all of Athkatla ... except in dark alleys where bandits waylay adventurers and both parties use magic ... and except inside any building at all, including the Council of Six building in the Government District where you can cast spells right in front of Corneil and Tolgerias without any repercussions at all!
The FourFive logic:
We need an extra member of our group of super-elite, extremely powerful Bhaalspawn. Somebody almost as powerful as ourselves. Let's pick Illasera the Quick!