A lot of action in the thread. @Neverused, congratulations on a successful campaign! Like @Enuhal I'm not very surprised your shaman played a support role, but it's still quite a feat to keep one alive throughout the saga!
Promise, Human Invoker (3)->Fighter
Promise has survived her first few challenges in Athkatla, so let me post another update. The thought of first leaving Waukeen's Promenade clad in a suit of full plate mail was an enticing one for Promise, so she entered the Den of the Seven Vales with Jaheira, Minsc, and Yoshimo. A not yet hostile Brennan Risling was Blinded (from scroll) by Promise who then quickly retreated. Smaeluv Orcslicer gave in to the urges his cursed berserking sword instilled in him, killing both Brennan and Mencar.
Some XP lost, but some nice items gained. (Brennan Risling especially tends to elude my Charnames.) Pooky followed Promise and Jaheira downstairs, unsuspecting of a previously summoned fire elemental that would prove more than a match for the familiar. Yoshimo managed to hold Smaeluv with one of his traps for easy disposal,
and Amon succumbed to a combination of scroll summons, snares, and Spike Growths.
Next job was to supplant Lethinan at the Copper Coronet for the more likeable Hendak. Invisibly - and thus avoiding an encounter with some slaver mages - the party sought out the Beastmaster, who was overcome first and foremost by more summons (beetles, fire elemental) and some ranged attacks.
Not the most satisfactory way of progressing, but at this stage the party simply lacked the tools to handle their business with steel and more direct spells.
In the sewers Lilarcor was secured, invisibility allowing the party to avoid combat except with some kobolds who were slain with traps and summons.
The slavers offered the party a tougher challenge. Jaheira hoped to summon two fire elementals out of sight of everyone, so that she could go invisible again before sending the creatures off to do their dirty work. But the second summon caught the eye of some slavers and they saw Jaheira not much later. She was dead before she could go invisible or leave the premises. This screenshot shows her body outside the stockade, slain by an Unholy Blight on the way out.
A very early first death in BG2. The elementals did a fantastic job, getting rid of most of the slavers, including those in the back rooms, as well as two yuan-ti. A gnomish mage and three slavers survived before the elementals were both polymorphed. The first was then slain by magic, the second actually survived as a squirrel that was immune to mundane weapons, but was unsummoned.
The surviving slavers were too much for Minsc, Yoshi, and Promise, as the following screenie of three battered warriors shows.
Minsc was dismissed and Yoshimo and Promise looted the place before they reported back to Hendak.
The duo deemed it time for more experiments experience, so they exposed Riejek Hidesman, with a Mirror Imaged Promise risking her neck in the area with the rune assassins. She was so quick though, that they didn't acknowledge her presence. A mad cleric,
and Maevar's guild provided more XP, enough for Promise to reach 750k XP, perfect for some new recruits: Korgan and Jan joined the party. They were just in time for the Eldarin encounter (Suna Seni for those without BG2 UB). Jan opened with a Chaos and Yoshimo managed to hold several foes with one of his traps.
Nice start no? Well not if confused enemy casters still cast spells. This is their cleric casting something at his arcane colleague.
And the mage managed to Confuse Promise before her own Confusion had expired. Korgan would however not be deterred by this from finishing off Eldarin.
A radial invisibility from Jan was meant to hide everyone from sight to keep Promise safe, but she went after one of the enemy archers anyway.
The enemy mage also Slowed and Charmed Korgan (thankfully in a safe corner where the Dwarf would be no threat to the party). With summons (from scroll), Korgan's Berserker rage, and healing potions, the party eventually prevailed.
With Jaheira still not raised (1200 GP was mucho dinero at that stage), the party could use some healing. Jan (whose skill points I'd dumped in pickpockets when he joined) provided that.
Further healing powers were brought to the table by Aerie, who joined as soon as she could in the circus. Since she had LoB characteristics when she joined, I had to use EEKeeper to correct that. It gave me the benefit of putting spells in the slots that had opened up when she leveled up after joining. The party buffed for the encounter with Kalah: PfE, Shield, MI, MSD, Haste, True Seeing etc, but Kalah Removed all of it, from everyone, before they could say Nooooooo, please don't!
Aerie repaid him with a Hold Monster, so what could have gotten ugly, turned out alright.
The story of Aerie and Quayle continued, because of the Quayle BG2 mod. Doom, Malison, and Chromatic Orb resulted in Kurvar the Ogre Mage's petrification.
I had to use the console to leave the area, which by the way netted the party a greenstone amulet.
The party has rescued Renfeld (much less messy than the first Eldarin ambush, with no one losing their minds),
acquired a returning throwing dagger from Captain Dennis for Promise courtesy of Jan Jansen, and exacted revenge on Korgan's former comrades. Promise slew a mummy and two skeleton warriors with her throwing dagger from behind invisible cheese. Killing that mummy was apparently required for Korgan's quest to progress, as opposed to simply checking out the crypt. Yoshimo's thrown traps and two fire elementals summoned by Jaheira (who had finally been brought back, by Aerie) decided the encounter on the Copper Coronet rooftop in the party's favor.
Jan then went shoplifting, which was followed by a scroll scribing session, in the absence of Yoshimo and Jaheira for more XP for the others. The party of Promise, Yoshimo, Korgan, Jan, and Aerie was last seen in the Umar Hills, supposedly to solve the mystery of a series of killings and disappearances here, but I happen to know they're looking for halfling lass they hope to recruit.
@Wise_Grimwald Indeed! While I have actually been able to play occasionally, running a no-reload with such a squishy protagonist as a specialist mage while only having 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there (and thus being quite stressed) seemed a bad idea. I've been keeping up with the thread though, some impressive work here, as always
Carrying on in the Planar Prison, a group of yuan-ti mages were picked off one by one. The Master of Thralls lasted approximately 1 second against a GWW - giving me a second summoning option with the air elemental staff.
I burnt a WW to be able to get to the Warden as quickly as possible after destroying the orb - and that meant he didn't have time to buff once I got there.
I still then had enough GWWs to deal with all 3 of the yuan-ti mages near him at once. The reward on leaving the prison gave me another level.
Sticking to planar adventures, I used Valygar's decomposing body to grease the lock on the Planar Sphere. Inside I started working through the halflings until I came across Kayardi. He has some dangerous spells, so I brought out the air elemental for the first time to help tempt those out. Unfortunately I didn't maintain enough distance from the elemental and got caught by a symbol stun thrown at it ...
With my wizard slayer off the board for the moment, I could in theory concentrate fully on this shaman run. The first order of business today was to skip through the Nashkel Mine on the way to find Mulahey. He survived 2 Spirit Fires from out of sight, while Fogs helped deal with his summoned army. More area damage then sent him running and he failed to recover.
Outside the mine 2 Spirit Fires proved too much for the amazons. I rested to get another LMD (with divine spells I don't need Bhaal CLW for this character), but still avoided the mayor in Nashkel so as not to push reputation up beyond 9 (I similarly don't need slow poison). Nimbul was sent running by a nymph cause wounds, but couldn't outrun a bolt of lightning.
More lightning blasted some spiders in Beregost on the way to find Tranzig. He was another to suffer from the caresses of nymphs and would have died from insect bites if he wasn't shot down.
At the Bandit Camp, I decided to give spirits a run out against Taurgosz. They needed a critical to hit him, but he wasn't doing enough damage to have a good chance of getting through the constant stream of reinforcements and eventually the pressure told. At the tent, enemies were pulled outside to face some waiting nymphs.
The web traps are normally the only potentially tricky bit in the Cloakwood. I could have just run through those using the ring of free action, but being able to kill their guardians from out of sight was quick enough anyway.
At the mine I killed Genthore and Kysus with lightning, before attempting to use spirits on Drasus. However, I got the movement marginally wrong there and they disappeared as he moved to the attack. As a fallback option I ran Drasus around inside Fogs. His greater speed allowed him to get a couple of attacks in those close quarters, but eventually his strength leeched away.
On the way through the mine the only place you need to fight more than one enemy at once is at the entrance to the 3rd level - and the enemies there failed to interrupt a Spirit Fire. Downstairs, the guard broke his weapon - making him easy prey for some spirits. One of the battle horrors reacted when I went through its trap, but died from a combination of Fog and insects. Three Spirit Fires then dealt with Davaeorn. I rested to get a second horror before flooding the mine.
A few minutes were spent touring, completing the reputation quests left unfinished previously and rapidly pushing that up to 20. A bit of shopping followed and I also remembered to pick up the violet potion and bomb the Red Wizards to get the Ring of Energy before heading back to the City.
I didn't bother with most of the quests there, but did do the poison quest to get a wisdom tome and Marek's bow (switching from sling to bow at that point, to make use of all the magical arrows found on journeys to date). Ramazith's tower offered a +2 ring and another tome. After picking up Balduran's helm, nymphs and lightning did most of the work to clear the way to Degrodel and access to Balduran's cloak.
At the Iron Throne, enemies were dragged downstairs to be distracted by nymphs. Once more I was careless there though, making exactly the same type of mistake as with my wizard slayer earlier and getting affected by a horror cast at a nymph. With 2 casters and Zhalimar after me, my chances looked pretty slim, but I had a smidgeon of hope when several rounds later I ran into one of the rooms with no-one obviously chasing me. Rather than battering my head against a wall for a round or two before I came to my senses, however, I battered straight through the wall and shortly afterwards that was that ...
As someone else noted recently, it's easy to fall victim to a lack of concentration at the start of a session - and that happened to us today.
Yes, it is the bane of my no-reload challenges. What are your strategies to avoid this ? How do you guys plan your sessions to avoid the concentrations problems ?
Back at Beregost I took advantage of @jessejmc's suggestion of killing the sirines using Kelddath's skeleton warrior - providing a significant time saving compared to pulling them out of the temple. That also gave me a level and another 10 HPs.
An honor to be mentioned. You have a great character position in the doorway, something I will definitely use in the future. Condolences on the wizard slayer (and shaman), as it was a very promising run.
As someone else noted recently, it's easy to fall victim to a lack of concentration at the start of a session - and that happened to us today.
Yes, it is the bane of my no-reload challenges. What are your strategies to avoid this ? How do you guys plan your sessions to avoid the concentrations problems ?
Plans, we don't need no stinking plans. To be honest, I don't think we do have much of a strategy - it's just a reality we recognize that we're slightly more likely to make mistakes early on than later.
When you first start playing no-reload I think it's natural to be heavily focused on trying to beat the game - but over the course of years I suspect that either changes a bit or you stop playing (or take extended breaks). That's because if you're regularly successful the challenge becomes no longer so appealing, while if you're regularly unsuccessful there's a tendency to get discouraged.
We've been playing for a long time now and are regularly unsuccessful. I may be biased, but I think that's less about lack of ability and more a recognition that we primarily play to enjoy the game and not to be successful. Our buffing strategies for instance are normally geared to the minimum we think we can get away with, rather than the maximum available (that makes the game move along better, but does mean we are more likely to get caught out). We often don't buy useful equipment, even when swimming in money and can spend quite a bit of time exploring while low on HPs - making travel ambushes more dangerous than they need to be. That all helps maintain interest in what's going to happen next, but that comes at the expense of knowing that what happens next might be the dreaded death screen ...
As someone else noted recently, it's easy to fall victim to a lack of concentration at the start of a session - and that happened to us today.
Yes, it is the bane of my no-reload challenges. What are your strategies to avoid this ? How do you guys plan your sessions to avoid the concentrations problems ?
Plans, we don't need no stinking plans. To be honest, I don't think we do have much of a strategy - it's just a reality we recognize that we're slightly more likely to make mistakes early on than later.
When you first start playing no-reload I think it's natural to be heavily focused on trying to beat the game - but over the course of years I suspect that either changes a bit or you stop playing (or take extended breaks). That's because if you're regularly successful the challenge becomes no longer so appealing, while if you're regularly unsuccessful there's a tendency to get discouraged.
We've been playing for a long time now and are regularly unsuccessful. I may be biased, but I think that's less about lack of ability and more a recognition that we primarily play to enjoy the game and not to be successful. Our buffing strategies for instance are normally geared to the minimum we think we can get away with, rather than the maximum available (that makes the game move along better, but does mean we are more likely to get caught out). We often don't buy useful equipment, even when swimming in money and can spend quite a bit of time exploring while low on HPs - making travel ambushes more dangerous than they need to be. That all helps maintain interest in what's going to happen next, but that comes at the expense of knowing that what happens next might be the dreaded death screen ...
Very insightful, I definitely can relate to that.
Although my no-reloads attempts have put RP in the background, I will probably put more emphasis to this aspect (very important to me in general, I always want to find a rational explication for my PC's actions).
And I've already noticed that my gameplay tends towards interesting fights rather than safe ones.
For example, my recently deceased Dwarven Defender could have used enchanted gear/potions to make him immune to certain things and make fights easier but I often preferred to max his innate strengths (damage control and high saves) rather than evading said damage/spells (tackling beholders without Shield of Balduran nor Mustard Jelly form for example).
I'll try and keep that feeling of achievement in mind in my future runs, to avoid becoming bored of repeating the same strategies/cheese over and over again
Michio could do with some of Edwins ruthlessness when discarding peons (part 12345678910 11121314151617 18)
Let's look back at that previous interview. The vampire guard, killed by Korgan (although let's face it Michio, Sir Anomen probably had the iMoD so will have done the Destroy Undead but let's not split hairs when you're trying to discard a lackey). Bodhi, killed by Korgan. It's clear we're going to have to let Sir Anomen go. He's not very gracious about it, suggesting Korgan should strike out on his own if he is so perfect. Sir Anomen finally has a valid point but Michio waves both it and Sir Anomen away with his gnomishly small fingers.
Ah the approaching footsteps must be the other candidate, come on in.
You're not who, or what, I expected but your demeanour suggests I'd better let you accompany us for a while. Fine, how about we see what you can offer us.
OK, so we get a bit of combat underway but not as much as we wanted - the lich remained neutral and we attacked it too late to get it into the fight (or the original enemy died too quickly).
Just as we're about to settle, along comes a third applicant so we give them the chance to join us. They are in the party all of two seconds before deciding on a break - we don't give up so easily and they return after a rest. Then a few encounters later they leave again and we have to track them down.
Rather than hunt our missing recruit down we take a short break to forge a few items to keep Michio's familiar company.
Finally we re-recruit our recruit and go into combat. It's a bit of fun as we are far too experienced for this group of enemies.
Their quest is done. We head to a tavern to rest, only to immediately pick another one up.
That too is over all-too-soon as we wipe Ployer's smile and mages off his face with a Wilt.
Michio considers Sir Anomen to be the pick of the three recruits. Cernd seems OK but he needs little equipment and we want to load somebody up. Jaheira is lacking experience (340k vs 1.25m for the others and 3m for us) but as she is in the party and will likely leave for good if booted again we'll stick with her.
A little while later Michio realises Jaheira's quest had a little more to run - he should pay attention to this stuff.
Note: Michio is the first character where I have used the Save Draft forum feature meaning updates may stretch over several sessions (or even days in some cases). Apologies if this has led to long entries.
Having elected to keep Jaheira for the time being Michio decides to skip the forest of Tethir and head straight to Suldanessellar - this leaves out Small Teeth Pass and North Forest also.
There are golems and rakshasa aplenty in Suldanessellar, along with other things such as skeleton warriors a nabassu and well of course a black dragon. Jan is playing mean for once, trying the Azuredge axe for ranged undead destruction and a rod of smiting when he spots golems. Kagain is using the iMoD when he sees undead and the Wave halberd if a fire elemental appears (they do not). Viconia is switching from her +5 sling to Crom Faeyr when she sees a suitable golem but in truth we don't need any such dedicated equipment.
Michio checks. He has the items to summon the avatar of Rillifance, and the statue fragments to turn a waterfall off and reveal a staircase. Just how did Irenicus get where he got to without these things. Three parasites are swept aside (Edwin having staffs to deal with air, fire and earth elementals and Korgan using Wave for the fire ones). Anyway we could be in for a protacted argument with Irenicus unless Jan has found time to drop some of his turnipless snares.
Hahaha. We'll see you in Hell!
No. We're in Hell. Still, we're ready for anything.
If only we'd buffed Jaheira up a bit.
Still we have the technology err power err time to do something about it. If only we'd remembered to excessively buff Korgan with an enrage (Michio knew Maze was a threat and promptly forgot to take it into account). Jaheira runs as another spell incantation starts, and just manages to avoid a second death.
With Korgan AWOL Viconia switches to melee as Jaheira equips a suitable weapon plus everything except armour, while the rest of us de-buff and lower magical resistances.
Korgan is still mazed but the rest of us are too much for Irenicus.
There is a huge celebration cutscene and then we are thrown into the forest to deal with talking heads and a Bhaalspawn called Illasera. Michio promptly eliminates her Black Reavers before we kill Illasera and are dragged into our own Pocket Plane. It's a marvel.
Well done says Michio. Well done everybody. Jaheira wonders why her equipment has been removed and Michio admits he's looking for someone more like Haer'Dalis. i.e. someone who will be able to lay snares. Here's someone who will learn quickly:
As someone else noted recently, it's easy to fall victim to a lack of concentration at the start of a session - and that happened to us today.
Yes, it is the bane of my no-reload challenges. What are your strategies to avoid this ? How do you guys plan your sessions to avoid the concentrations problems ?
You could play a side run for a bit before starting your main run. My problem is impatience arising as the run progresses. I try, with limited success, to take a break when I notice that happening.
I dunno, I find I tend to make mistakes more as the session goes long: I start losing focus, or become sloppy after a string of successes (see my update outside Sendai's enclave for an example of just how bad this can get after a relatively flawless execution of Abazigal's lair...)
I do, on the other hand, tend to make plans/pseudoplans when I'm in between classes or work or things like that. So I'm a little more organized as well at the beginning of each session, thinking about how I'd counter what I consider to be the major threats. It's not always successful, and sometimes I misidentify threats, such as Ilesara giving me trouble but not Irenicus:electric boogaloo, but I'm pretty sure this has helped me survive what would probably be incredibly bad play on my end otherwise.
As a note, I started another run with a Dark Moon Monk under SCS, Item Revisions and Spell Revisions, and for the first time in my life I actually intend to play evilly. This is going to last a very short time, I think.
Yes, it is the bane of my no-reload challenges. What are your strategies to avoid this ? How do you guys plan your sessions to avoid the concentrations problems ?
I'm the weakest player in this thread, but my strategy is to identify the class I am going to play next well ahead of time. Then I make practice runs, learning the class, trying out new spells and abilities that I normally don't use, reviewing party strategy, giving new NPCs a chance to see how they perform (I install almost every available NPC), and deciding which adventures and side-quests to do in what order. Right now, I have 17 runs somewhere in BGEE or BGIIEE mostly testing various Paladin kits, anti-Paladin kits, and Blackguards, as well as a couple of Lord of the Rings groups. In a practice run I don't care if I die, the object is to practice and learn, so that when I start posting, I am going for it.
To be sure though, I also play as if I had never played once I start. That means I don't know what's behind door number 2 or that there is a massive crushing trap in Durlag's Tower - if my rogue doesn't pick it up, I'm toast. Also, if a weapon isn't in my quick weapons slot or an item in my quick items slots, I can''t go digging for it in my pack while in the middle of a melee. CT
Chapter IX (Amkethra, Abazigal’s Lair), 4 Elient 1370
Imoen was determined to prove to Dispenser, not only that she was fully capable of accompanying him in the toughest of conditions, against the toughest of foes, but also that he erred in not bringing her with him after her rescue at Spellhold. It was not so much to say, “I told you so,” but to say, yeah, well. . . . “I told you so.” ?
Still, she was thrilled to be back adventuring with him, or to be more exact now, aiding him in reaching his destiny. Since she returned, she peppered the others, especially Isra, who she had traveled with from Nashkel to the Throne of Bhaal, with questions about what occurred between Spellhold and her summoning at the Pocket Plane. She learned about the events in the Underdark, Ust Natha, and Suldanessellar, the destruction of Bodhi and Irenicus, the adventures in Watchers Keep and Saradush, and just before she arrived, the defeat of the Bhaalspawns Ilasera, Gronmir Il-Khan, Yaga Shura, and Sendai. She was thrilled to hear of Irenicus’ death but hated that she was robbed of a chance to exact a bit of the justice, and was a little miffed that Dispenser returned to Athkatla to destroy Bodhi and did not even see her while there. He knew she was at the Copper Coronet. She kept trying to remind herself that he was only doing what a big brother would do, even though they were virtually the same age – 23. But now she was back, and she would perform.
Her first adventure back at his side found her Dragon hunting for the Bhaalspawn Abazigal. She had been severely disappointed to learn she missed out when Dispenser defeated Fiirkaag, Thaxll’ssillyia, and Khalabaxin, so for her, this was exciting. Getting to Abazigal was certainly something new. More than a dozen underwater passages connected his lair, and they had to secure potions that allowed them to breathe underwater for a short time in order to traverse the caverns. Two other dragons, Draconis, a Brown Dragon, and Fll’yissetat, a Green Dragon, protected the lair. They encountered Draconis at the entrance to the lair. Imoen, despite having traveled with Dispenser in Baldur’s Gate, had not been able to imagine the power of a dragon up close. His powerful wing buffet and screaming, blinding sand breath weapon awed Imoen at first . . . then she remembered he was trying to kill her. She did not know Yasraena, had only traveled with her for the time when Dispenser was trying to get her out of Spellhold, but she remembered that Yasraena stood up for her when he decided to dismiss her. She was amazed at the ferocity of the good-hearted Drow, charging with her Runehammer +5 and her short sword, Fireflower +5, straight into the dragon's front claws. Isra eventually ended Draconis with Carsomyr +5.
ISRA & CARSOMYR +5 END DRACONIS' MISERABLE LIFE
Once inside, after defeating several Greater Water Elementals, they navigated the underground water tunnels after figuring out how the Breath Potions worked. The fiercest battles outside the three dragons were against a Kuo-Toan Captain, several Kuo-Toan Warriors, Archers, Priests, a couple of Kuo-Toa Whips, a handful of Greater (and lesser) Water Elementals, and an Olhydra, and a subsequent struggle with three Elder Orbs and a Guath. Regarding the former, Dispenser blamed himself for a failure in leadership and tactics that made an otherwise routine fight, far more complicated than it needed to be. Shortly after the Elder Orbs, they confronted the Green Dragon, Fll’yissetat, and trounced her, before backtracking and retrieving the Geas Reversal Scroll that would have freed her from Abazigals control, but also opened the way to the Bhaalspawn Dragon himself. Defeating him took a bit of work, requiring that they first separate his Frost Salamanders from him and then defeating them separately – they were tough monsters. Dispenser moved the party to the opposite end of Abazigal’s Lair, where, at first, the dragon did not seem willing to go. Dispenser elected to escape to the Pocket Plane to regroup. After resting, he returned to Abazigal’s Lair, where the dragon waited. Imoen saw that Dispenser’s followers were a well-oiled machine, each knowing what was expected of them when in contact with an enemy. According to Isra they often had After Action Reviews following a battle and discussed what went well and what could be improved the next time. In the Pocket Plane, they discussed the necessity of Neera pelting the dragon with Lower Resistance and Pierce Magic – which also lowers resistance, as soon as they were in contact. Dispenser cast some protection spells and then, Energy Blades, which he started whipping as soon as they materialized. Neera got the magic-resistance lowering spells off before using her Energy Blades. In the meantime, Yasraena, Isra, and Keldorn all used Greater Whirlwind before charging in. Dispenser warned them to be ready to shift to their unenchanted weapons because he expected Protection from Magic Weapons to be active, but evidently, it was not because Abazigal started taking hits right off. Imoen stayed back, and after quaffing a Potion of Power, used Gesen’s Bow, but in the hectic fight, she was not ever able to tell if that affected the evil Bhaalspawn. She saw Isra taking a beating and quaffing Potions of Extra Healing (the were out of Potions of Superior Healing) to stay in the fight. Eventually, she fell, as did Neera, who was the victim of Abazigal’s Lightning Breath Weapon – they all were. Strangely, it appeared that Isra landed the blow that killed him. Whoever it was, the Bhaalspawn Dragon was dead and the mission was a success. Dispenser quickly cast Mass Raise Dead to bring back Isra and Neera, and then they collected the loot, including the Pommel Jewel that turned Carsomyr into a +6 weapon.
FLL'YISSETAT FALLS
GETTING THERE
SOUNDS LIKE SENDAI
WHAAAH.
Before he continued, Dispenser faced a Bhaal Trial. There he faced the God Cyric, who is obviously concerned about Dispenser’s intentions regarding his divine portfolio. After talking with Dispenser, Cyric vanished, and three Favored of Cyric tried to assassinate him. They failed.
PARTY INFORMATION
ORDER OF MARCH: Yasraena, Isra, & Keldorn (Shock), Dispenser (leader), Neera (Arcane Support), Imoen (Recon & Traps)
Dispenser: LG Cleric (Holy Justice of Tyr)/32 (HP 106 ), Shield +4 (Shield of the Order), Helm of the Noble +1, Holy Symbol of Tyr, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Cloak of Balduran, Girdle of Fire Giant Strength, Rings of Fire Resistance & Regeneration & Boots of Etherealness w/ Flail of the Ages +5 (Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison) & Longsword +4 (The Answerer) (Bastard Sword*, Flail*, Long Sword*, Mace/Morning Star*, Warhammer*, SSS*, SWS*, TWS**); Abilities: Cure Affliction (2), Detect Invisibility, Divine Might (2), Healing Touch (2), Hold person, Holy Word, Strength of One, Slayer Change, Pocket Plane, Mass Healing; High-Level Abilities: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Mass Raise Dead, Implosion, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva; Skills: None; Spells: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Fire Storm, Implosion, Mass Raise Dead, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva, Aerial Servant, Animal Summoning III, Blade Barrier, Bolt of Glory (2), False Dawn, Harm, Heal, Sol’s Searing Orb, Wondrous Recall, Cause Critical Wounds, Chaotic Commands, Cure Critical Wounds, Flame Strike, Greater Command, Mass Cure, Raise Dead, Righteous Magic, Slay Living, True Seeing, Cause Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Death Ward, Defensive Harmony, Farsight, Free Action, Restoration, Negative Plane Protection, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ (2), Animate Dead, Cure Disease, Cure Medium Wounds, Dispel Magic, Holy Smite, Invisibility Purge, Prayer, Remove Curse, Rigid Thinking, Zone of Sweet Air, Aid, Chant (3), Draw on Holy Might (2), Hold Person (2), Resist Fire & Cold, Silence 15’ (2), Slow Poison (2), Armor of Faith (2), Bless (2), Command (2), Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Faerie Fire (2), Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, Sanctuary; (Adv AI) (1)
Isra: LG Paladin (Cavalier of Sune)/25 (HP 138), Red Dragon Scale Plate, Ghadir Family Ring, Painbearer’s Amulet, Pale Green Ioun Stone, Cloak of the Shield, Boots of Hastened Departure w/ Two-Handed Sword +6 (Carsomyr), Mace +5 (Storm Star), Gauntlets of Weapons Expertise, Girdle of Hill Giant Strength, (Axe**, Bastard Sword**, Mace/Morning Star**, Two-Handed Sword**, Warhammer*, THWS**); Abilities: Cure Disease, Detect Evil (26), Lay on Hands, Protection from Evil (23), Remove Fear (23); High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: Defensive Harmony, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Cure Disease, Holy Smite, Zone of Sweet Air, Chant, Draw on Holy Might, Armor of Faith, Bless, Command; (Adv AI) (2)
Yasraena: CG Fighter//28 (HP 162), Shuruppak’s Plate, Wong Fei’s Ioun Stone, Girdle of Frost Giant Strength, Boots of Speed w/ Short Sword +5 (Ironkiss), Short Sword +5 (Fireflower) & Warhammer +5 (Runehammer), (Short Sword/Nija-to*****, Two-Weapon Style***, Warhammer**), w/ Gauntlet’s of Extraordinary Specialization, (Sword Sword*****, Warhammer*****, 2WS***) w/ Rings of Regeneration & Anti-venom; Abilities: None; High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Death Blow, Greater Whirlwind Attack Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, War Cry, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: None; (Adv AI) (4)
Keldorn: LG Paladin(Inquisitor)/22 (HP 145), Red Dragon Scale, Helm of Charm Protection, Girdle of Stone Giant Strength, Greenstone Amulet, Ring of Regeneration, Cloak of the Shield, w/ Blessed Paladin’s Bracers, Horn of Valhalla & Boots of the North w/ Two-handed Sword +5 (Graham the Sword of Grief), Crossbow +5 (Firetooth), Flail +3 (Defender of Easthaven), (Crossbow**, Flail**, Long Sword**, Two-Handed Sword**, Halberd8, THWS**); Abilities:: Detect Evil (24), Protection from Evil (21), Dispel Magic (6), True Sight (6); High-Level Abilities: Deathblow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Resist Magic, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (3)
Neera: CN Wild Mage/18 (HP 48) Robe of Invocation, Bracers of Defense AC6, Gargoyle Boots, & Belt of Inertial Barrier, w/ Quarter Staff +2 & Throwing Darts (Dagger*, Q/staff*, Sling*); Abilities: Scribe Scrolls; Skills: None; High-Level Abilities: Energy Blades; Spells: Spellstrike, Maze, Simulacrum (2), Incendiary Cloud, Delayed Blast Fireball, Improved Chaos Shield, Mass Invisibility, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Chain Lightning, Contingency, Improved Haste, Pierce Magic, Cone of Cold, Domination, Feeblemind, Lower Resistance (2), Minor Spell Turning, Sunfire, Confusion, Fire Shield Red, Greater Malison (2), Improved Invisibility, Minor Globe of Invisibility, Stoneskin, Teleport Field, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste, Hold Person, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Remove Magic (3), Aganazzer’s Scorcher, Blur, Chaos Shield, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Ray of Enfeeblement (2), Stinking Cloud, Magic Missile (5), Chromatic Orb, Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer; (Adv AI) (nil)
Imoen: NG Thief/Adventurer//16 (HP 75) Elven Chain +1 w/ Buckler +3, Dusty Rose Ioun Stone, Amulet of the Master Harper, Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind, & Belt of Inertial Barrier w/ Short Bow of Gesen & Short Sword +3 (Dagger*, Dart*, Katana*, Q/staff*, Scimitar*, Short Bow*, Short Sword*); Abilities: Set Snare (4); Skills: OL 175, PP 40, FT 160, MS 110, HS 135, DI 30, ST 30 (w/ Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind); High-Level Abilities: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (nil)
Michio sighs. We've not been in Saradush long and already the local cleric is struggling to help us. "You're EVIL" she says "EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL".
"Yes yes" says Michio (and Edwin mutters that the cleric has only identified five kinds of evil). "Now if you could just give Jan the key we'll be out of your hair".
And so it was that Michio unlocked the entrance to the prison underneath Saradush. A quick race around there was enough to scare off the vampires and find a way into the castle basement. Orogs and thieves could not stop us and so it was that Michio and his pals encountered and defeated some guards and their mage.
Will you stop saying and so it was mutters Edwin.
Fair enough. And so it was that Michio bumped into Gromnir Il-Khan. We showed them what happens if you don't provide a cordial welcome into your abode.
Returning to the Pocket Plane allows us to find a way out of Saradush although it turns out to be a somewhat hostile situation. Nothing we can't handle though.
Watchers Keep
There are several statues to deal with in the opening level. Korgan goes into melee while Sarevok tries a backstab or two and everybody else uses their missile weapons. Once we have the better of them we complete a ritual to open the portal to a second level of the keep.
Jan leads the way - looks like desert trolls so Crom Faeyr is the order of the day although a Deathbringer Assault is mixed into the fray.
We turn right, deciding to travel clockwise. Inside the top right corner room is a guardian of air. We're protected against electricity so kill off the guardian, grab it's staff and crank the machine in the room up to maximum before opening the next door.
The bottom right room contains a poisonous snake so we kill that too. Edwin clears the next room of spiders.
The bottom left room has an ice golem so we destroy that, and some wraiths to the north of it. The final part of the area is a fire room, and while Korgan nearly manages to last the battle he eventually crawls out for some cooler air. Sarevok grabs his opportunity to claim a scalp.
The Chromatic Demon in the centre of the room stirs. It can sense escape, but underestimates Jan and finds that gnome beats chrome today.
Level 2 of the Keep is clear, so we use another portal to move on to the third level. A crazed elf calling himself Yakman runs away but Viconia is aware of his issues and casts Heal on him. That works.
We have a book that tells us how to traverse this level. Michio thinks he has everything covered but an early encounter shows up a Balor (the one that vorpalled Minsc in my last game) so he orders Kagain to keep his distance. Sarevok panics and Korgan kills off a cornugon or two while the rest of us go for the balor. We're struggling though so Korgan grabs his throwing axe - and it is ineffective.
A scan of our inventory shows we have no suitable weapon for Korgan. The dwarf goes a bit crazy with this news, shutting his eyes and launching into melee. Michio can see his empire-grab faltering if Korgan is eliminated, so is greatly relieved when the balor dies as it vorpals the final cornugon.
Having made a deal with one demon we have to deal with the other - Ka'rashur. Korgan and Sarevok have carried the battle to the enemy but the real damage is applied by Edwin as he drops a Wilt followed immediately by a second and then a third. Our fighters are mopping enemies left right and centre between the magical devastation.
A wild magic room has tieflings inside - we can defeat them with weapons so we do.
A Demon Wraith has several slave wraiths. Michio and Korgan stand their ground as Jan detects and disarms two traps, then Korgan and Sarevok ignore further traps and sprint to the Demon Wraith. Jan disables a central trap (and two more after combat ends).
Korgan has found his axe to be ineffective so switches to an upgraded Flail of Ages +4. Sarevok doesn't really have time to get into combat as Edwin adds to Korgan's GWW with another Wilt.
Michio starts a game with Aesgareth before Korgan takes over. Michio thinks it went really well, picking up the Spectral Brand scimitar on the first wager and a Wish scroll on the second. Then he realises Korgan benefitted from the wager to gain a permanent mind shield. Not that Michio really needed it but Korgan certainly didn't and it would have made sense for Sarevok to have tried for it.
Our arrival from Aesgareth's portal brings us to the machine of Lum the Mad. One thing leads to another and we end up fighting illithid. More care is needed otherwise Sarevok will have his brains probed. Too late.
Michio suffers from a lapse of concentration a bit further on and allows shadows to scare and drain Jan. We attempt to mount a defence only for Edwin to also get killed alongside Jan. We raise and re-equip them both before taking a short break to see if focus can be returned.
We storm the gith quarters, and send Korgan in to deal with a demilich.
Just when we think our attention is back we fall for one of the oldest tricks in the book (at least it's a regular occurrence for me and the rare visits nowadays make it quite likely!)
Namely forgetting to buff against Saladrax the red dragon and thinking traps at his feet will be allowed. We turn to run but we aren't very quick on our feet and Jan is fortunate to only be killed and not blown into smithereens.
Further laziness follows when we decide to leave Jan dead but buff for the dragon so we can return for his gear. For a while it looks like we'll get away with it but by the time Saladrax is dead we are somewhat burnt and Sarevok has expired - again not irreversibly.
Saladrax may be the stuff of nightmares but Korgan is living the dream and staying on target but robbed of his / Edwin's victory by a late Planetar strike.
Minions of this level are cleared away with Edwin's Death spells leaving us with Rock, Garock and their salamanders. Korgan Waves two of the tailed wonders but Edwin Deaths the rest, then we set about the tag team of minotaurs. Edwin strikes again with another nasty Wilt.
We try and fail to start the eternal warrior mini-game so go in search of a skull to activate it. A trio of Helmite quests look as if they'll provide the skull.
Korgan activates the game and it is duly completed. We have two keys for the Final Seal so lay a few snares and use one of them. A lich and his flaming skulls appear but the snares do the lich in and a couple of hits have his flaming skulls down too.
Michio winces as the second key is used. It's a good job we laid some more snares but we should have either rested or upped our buffs. At least the charm/drain succubus is killed by the snares, so we set about the rest. First target is the elder orb then the marilith which proves too hard to kill even though badly wounded by traps so we switch to their kensai as Sarevok has been mauled by it.
After the kensai we're back on the marilith for many rounds. Eventually we get the better of her and the two final enemies are rapidly overwhelmed.
It's been a rough session (lack of attention to detail on my part) so we call it a night and hope for an improvement when we resume.
Hours later...
Obtaining the third key for the Final Seal might not be much of an issue if you stopped once you had the correct sphere. Michio prefers four of each sphere though, and doesn't bother laying snares at suitable points - particularly for the trio of beholder-kin. The twelve combats are still successfully completed though, with Edwin claiming a greater earth elemental with his specially selected staff.
Once we have the key it is time to deal with the many facets of Ferrumach Rilmani. They all disappear with relative ease and we prepare to move on - only to find one remaining instance of him monikered as Aurumach Rilmani. Having disposed of the rest casually we are lax and our fighters are almost killed with his cold damage.
We fight on and on. On and on. On and on. Michio has a gnawing sensation in the back of his mind. Something about Spectral Brand.
Ah. Aurumach doesn't like elemental damage (Spectral Brand is good against him because of the 1d4 additional cold damage). Korgan equips the FoA +4 as Sarevok switches to Spectral Brand and the fight is heading in our direction.
With the Final Seal opened we descend and speak to the Imprisoned One. For once we are cautious and buff a decent amount then talk to the Imprisoned One again.
He needs bringing down a peg or two so Jan treats him to a does of snares. At first it looks as if the Imprisoned One will survive but Michio has paused early and only two traps have taken effect. Unpausing sees several more activate and that is that.
We've wrapped up Watchers Keep so head to swampy marshland in search of Yaga Shura's weakness. Instead we discover our own as we fail to buff and a level-drained Sarevok fails to activate a Daystar Sunray. We retreat but Jan collapses.
After raising Jan we return and do it properly. Would have been easy if we'd done it properly the first time.
A group of skeletons prove to be hard work, forcing Sarevok to retreat and use the Gesen bow for a change.
The Marching Mountains see another poorly organised arrival. With little to no buffing undertaken we are forced to retreat from a pair of burning men while a fire giant thumps away. As we move away from them two newly-arrived fire giants arrive from behind us and in a pincer movement they pick on the slow movement speeds to bash Viconia to the ground.
Never one to be cowed, Michio doesn't bother buffing too much on our return. We defeat a group of Bhaalspawn, one is too quick for us and escapes. Then we are forced to retreat for a second time by more Fire Giant late arrivals - Jan barely surviving.
This is unexpected (I don't normally have quite so much of an issue in this area) so on the third arrival we buff properly and make it to the temple entrance. A slight bit more buffing and we are able to make it inside and defeat the waiting fire giants without having to scuttle away from them.
Jan clears a couple of traps from the stairways then we empty the two rear-most rooms. Wardstones from them are used to open the two central rooms and then the forcefield blocking the main staircase can be deactivated.
Jan clears a trap then two fire giants are removed. Berenn and his fire giant guards are whittled down.
Imix is treated to the Wave halberd.
We're on a roll. Yaga Shura is in trouble. Or he would be if we'd dealt with his heart. Time for a strategic withdrawal.
Nyalee doesn't seem to be much of a threat, and neither do her shambling mounds, spider or nymphs. Only once they are defeated does Sarevok suffer a continued loss of health. He gulps one potion to stay alive and then a second as Viconia casts Heal. He survives whatever the ongoing effect was.
Yaga Shura is waiting for us, this time we give him some critical injuries before he departs.
We move around a bit, and spot his return. We are suitably buffed to deal with him so focus on his lieutenants. They go down one by one while our defences stand firm so we keep our focus on them until Yaga Shura is alone. A round or so later he dies.
A solar recalls us back to the Pocket Plane, and the door to the second challenge is opened. Alternate Michio is inside and aided by Tamoko, Angelo and Semaj. We take a few rounds to defeat them but our victory is never in doubt despite Korgan not bothering to enrage.
The Oasis provides a chance to fill Michio's containers with all the armour, weapons and potions you could want. Amkethran seems like a good place to trade this for some special equipment and spells.
There's not much to do in Amkethran so we deal with a lich called Vongoethe and empty his table.
We now have the choice of visiting Sendai or Abazigal. Let's get the Draconis elephant out of the room first. Ah, he's bigger than an elephant. Sarevok shoots his human form as a Fallen Planetar occupies him, and then he transforms. Sarevok runs to act as bait but Draconis is summoning invisible stalkers. Sarevok is keen to keep them away from the party and drag Draconis to us but he is wounded on the way so Korgan steps in.
Draconis has triggered four snares but they are ineffective due to his buffs. He goes invisible a couple of times and heals up from the wounds Korgan inflicts. Then he gets nasty and Korgan has to run with low 20's hit points remaining. Sarevok has returned but also has to run as an acid strike would likely kill or chunk him.
Meanwhile Jan has been held so Viconia is casting Remove Paralysis on him. Edwin and Michio slowly scatter as Draconis circles around us and moves in. Viconia bravely remains with Jan, trying to complete her spell.
Michio can see it all going horribly wrong. Right up to the point where Draconis steps on the other three snares that Jan had originally set (he did two clusters thinking that some invisible stalkers may arrive before Draconis)
The doorway to Abazigal's lair is open so we step inside and introduce ourselves to the welcoming committee.
To get to Abazigal requires various tasks. Michio delegates this bit to Korgan.
A bit further on there is a Goldfinger moment "no Mr Bondari I expect you to die".
Lycanth the Mad has a strange perspective on life. Michio gets what he wants so leaves him alone.
Sarevok finally reaches level 19 of thiefdom, meaning his fighter abilities can return.
His timing is good too, as we are stood outside the chamber where Abazigal resides. We do some buffing, Korgan Waves away all the Salamanders except one which is treated to a ranged K'logoroth axe. Then Jan lays two trios of snares.
We introduce ourselves to Abazigal and while it starts OK we hit a minor snag when Korgan's use of his throwing axe knocks Abazigal backwards. Before Korgan can stop himself he has struck again and Abazigal is knocked back again and into one set of snares - which were meant for his dragon form.
Bang. The snares activate and Abazigal is transformed. We are buffeted away too so he is at the base of the chamber and we are at the top of it.
This is a few rounds earlier than we had planned and prevents us from adding a few more buffs as his human form was whittled down. Korgan, a Planetar and Sarevok close for melee while the rest of us drop in some debuffs.
Abazigal has removed the protection from electricity from our fighters and they take a good shock attack and are forced to retreat.
The Planetar has gone but we had got a few Mordy Swords summoned. One is mazed but the other grabs the dragon's attention. Jan is also taking some damage - not electric and not melee so may be an eqrthquake effect.
Korgan is using Greater Whirlwind and this alongside spell damage gives us the victory.
Well that wasn't so bad. Jan still had three snares near the entrance if we needed them, and had laid a fourth when we were buffeted.
At this point Michio thinks we faced the Slayer. Michio moved around as everybody else attacked and the encounter was trivialised.
Cespenar forges / upgrades a few items and we head off to Sendai's enclave. Things are going reasonably well.
Sarevok gets confused at one point - Viconia had been so careful to keep Chaotic Commands on him too. Reasonably careful. Well, when we remembered.
Ogremoch aids his two elementals as we attack, foiling our entry into the room so we are in each others way. Sarevok has to run - he's been taking a lot of damage since regaining his fighter abilities. Our mages try to scatter too but Ogremoch hits Edwin a couple of times. The first hit dispels his stoneskin and the second flattens him. We bash away, Korgan swapping to the Flail of Ages +5 and that seems to make a difference. Then we raise Edwin.
The room the other side has a group of enemies. Korgan leads and drops the Elder Orb as we follow with spells to support him.
Captain Egeissag might be tough but a Dragon's Breath on his head prevents him from demonstrating it.
Sendai has a set of statues waiting for us. We throw a Planetar up to the doorway to keep any drow busy, and set about the statues.
With all her statues defeated Sendai has to face us herself. Our Planetar is still by the entrance but Viconia adds a couple of Skeleton Warriors to prepare for it unsummoning, while Edwin casts a Wilt to clear out the Invisible Stalkers.
Korgan and Sarevok attack Sendai while Michio, Jan and Edwin try to debuff her. Some of these land but others are foiled as she teleports around the room. We keep debuffing and still have plenty in reserve by the time she runs out of defences.
At this point Michio thinks he faced the Favoured of Cyric. With all three mages casting Stoneskin, it is left to Viconia to use a Gargoyle Boots stoneskin (the only one of the game) as Korgan equips Enkidu's Plate and Sarevok is safely ensconsed in his improved Thieves Hood. Cyric sends in his backstabbers and they are easily thwarted although Sarevok does take significant damage despite ineffective backstabs.
Balthazar
Now we have defeated both Abazigal and Sendail we return to Amkethran where there is little to do before facing Balthazar.
Korgan, Sarevok and Balthazar are merrily injuring each other while the rest of us are attempting debuffs and damage spells. Balthazar manages to cast a Second Wind but there is no possibility of a third wind for him and down he goes. Sarevok and Jan cry out as if dead when the Solar recalls us, but they are both fine.
Before we face the Ravager we reorganise our equipment and sell off a huge amount of gear.
While doing this we notice we still have the Serpent Staff, and a quick check of inventory confirms we don't have the Ravager halberd. Neither of the remaining stores in town have it, nor is it with the merchant outside Saradush or on the floor in the Marching Mountains temple. Maybe we accidentally sold it to Carras the smuggler who has since left town, or left it on the floor to dissolve away.
The Ravager
We have no need of it other than adorning a bag of holding so we move on. The Ravager. Everyone except Michio has +4 or better weapons and our strategy is to have a Planetar and Mordy Swords occupy any Bone Blades so we can focus on the Ravager.
The strategy generally works, although most of us are pursued mid combat. A bit of shuffling around has the six of us free to attack - with only Korgan being in a poor state of health. The Ravager survives several more rounds of concentrated attacks but our summons remain long enough for us to finish the combat in relative safety.
Party Inventory before stepping out onto the Throne:
Arrival at the Throne of Bhaal
We try to balance buffing to have plenty in reserve but see off Melissan. Michio has his fingers crossed and battle commences.
Michio starts off with the sling of Arvoreen +4 and +4 bullets, then casts Breach.
Korgan uses WW > GWW with the Flail of Ages +5.
Jan uses the Firetooth +5 crossbow.
Viconia uses the Sling of Everard +5 with in-built bullets.
Edwin uses the Erinne Sling +5 and +4 bullets.
Sarevok uses the Dragons Breath +4 halberd.
A Death Tyrant joins Melissan which results in us being dispelled during combat. Sarevok loses his Improved Haste and Spirit Armour. We take a bit of damage but Melissan's stoneskin expires and she chooses to flee.
We're onto the Throne safely and at minimal cost of resources. Now to try and gather our thoughts for what remains.
We apply a few buffs in preparation for shutting down the first essence pool, then wait until Korgan's winded state clears. Then we move in.
Korgan has enraged while Sarevok is using Spectral Brand and Viconia has the iMoD. Thus protected from level-drain they start in melee but Viconia has to retreat as the elementals injure her. Michio thinks he will have to reorganise matters but just as he is about to do so Sarevok lands a well-timed Deathbringer Assault.
Michio decides on the zero-buffing approach for the next iteration of Melissan other than laying a few snares. For a moment his reckless approach appears to have worked but as the snares finish it becomes clear that Melissan is only partially wounded and we're woefully unprepared. Korgan almost dies and Sarevok is less fortunate.
With one fighter down and the other badly wounded we at least have summoned a Fallen Planetar back into action. Between it and Korgan we grapple away and desperately try to finish Melissan off - but the Planetar keeps trying to heal Korgan. Do as you're told.
Korgan is throwing his axe and we squeak through with a huge sigh of relief. The Fallen Planetar raises Sarevok and heals Korgan.
Sarevok is protected from cold to deal with Cryonax. He uses the Wave halberd against Salamanders first as Korgan uses Crom Faeyr to deal with two blizzard trolls.
Jan has laid a few more snares this time around, and Edwin has a Chain Contingency as well. Melissan comes and goes quickly but we still attack her to make certain of her retreat.
The third essence pool sees Korgan switch to a reflection shield and attack as everybody else hangs back. First the succubus is killed and then the Alu-Fiend. He then moves on to a brace of mariliths but a Fallen Solar has vorpalled our Fallen Planetar and the mariliths start to get the better of him so he retreats.
Another Fallen Planetar is summoned as Korgan switches back to his melee axe and vorpals a marilith. The final one doesn't last long and Korgan hunts for the Fallen Solar - scrollback revealing it has killed itself shooting at Korgan's reflection shield.
Sarevok only has one snare left, but Jan has plenty - he could probably manage another appearance of Melissan after this one but that's another story for him to tell somebody who cares.
Melissan takes a full set of trap damage but is prepared to continue. Our Solar arrives and tells her that is not to be the case. Off she pops.
Michio chooses to ascend to his rightful place. His companions all have their own stories to tell but he's not interested and clicks through them. Bye bye.
Can't believe how much easier it was with a gnome illusionist than a human blackguard. Reliance on one fighter was a weak spot, with Sarevok doing decent damage but a lack of GWW's really showing during the hardest of combats.
Promise and party have slowly been making a name for themselves in and around Athkatla. In the Temple Ruins, master thief Jan managed to spirit Mazzy away from the shadows by pickpocketing the shadow jailor, casting invisibility on himself, sneaking into Mazzy's cell, recruiting her, and getting her out under radial invisibility.
Back in Athkatla the party released a djinni from their rakshasa master (Unfinished Business content) and reunited Besamen and Baisera (Quest Pack). They also visited the sewers for a nice dust-up with another group of adventurers. Yoshimo held Draug Fea with one of his traps, and the party finished the dwarf before his comrades could stop them.
When Tarnor, Gallchobhair, and Gaius showed up, the party retreated and left the area. Jan cast Invisibility 10' Radius, and the companions returned to the sewers, where they ran into Zorl, Rengaard and three summoned aerial servants. Zorl was Held by Yoshimo, but Rengaard saved. Yoshi's poisonous regular traps interrupted some of Rengaard's spells, but he remained very dangerous:
Still, with Korgan and some of Aerie's skeletons in melee and the others attacking with ranged weapons, the party defeated the cleric. Zorl was held (Hold Monster, a spell that I've been using a lot in BG2) and slain before the companions went upstairs to say hi to the remaining enemies. Tarnor and the archer Gallchobhair followed them downstairs again, where another of Yoshimo's special snares held Tarnor. Gallchobhair was then engaged in melee by Korgan while the others took shots at Tarnor. The dwarf dropped the nifty Helmet of Dumathoin for Korgan. Aerie Held Gallchobhair,
leaving only Gaius to contend with (after a rest). The mage was confronted above ground, at night time, so that there were no bystanders who could go hostile). He was invisible, but illusion-detecting Jan dispelled that effect, and when the party attacked, it was Mazzy whose dispelling arrows repeatedly dispelled the wizard's buffs (which thankfully didn't include PfMW).
The companions celebrated by buying an arcane casting permit.
Jaheira took Yoshimo's place to help the Harpers. Promise charmed Sanasha (nymph cloak), who in turn Held Prebek.
Mazzy and Promise dealt with the monsters with their throwing dagger and bow and arrows respectively. When summoned back to the Harper Hold the party entered invisibly but unbuffed. An unpleasant talk with Galvarey and company ensued anyway, and after it, one his aides cast a detection spell. The party tried to hide but were too slow. Jaheira restored their cover with a Pixie Dust and the party moved away from their attackers.
It allowed Jaheira to summon some fire elementals, and Jan and Aerie to Hold (Person/Monster) two of their foes.
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Promise could barely handle the hurt that Galvarey's arrows had in store for her, but Malison + Chromatic Orb petrified the crook.
Baron Ployer was handled through Terrece before the party embarked on their first major quest: helping the good merchants of Trademeet.
Jan nicked an efreeti bottle from Taquee before a fire elemental and two skeletons did the Dao in. Jan then buffed (inter alia with PfPetrification because of Flesh to Stone, and two SIs: Abjuration and Evocation) and entered the tent alone. A Malison and a single Hold Monster spelled the two remaining Dao djinnis' doom.
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The party received the shield of harmony and Jan stole some goods from those merchants who had reopened their businesses.
In the Druid Grove area, Jan managed to nick a periapt of proof against poison from Adratha, but there were no potions to be had (wrong dialog options earlier in the Dao Djinn tent apparently). She said she could smell the party had had dealings with the Dao, and unfortunately they didn't get a chance to explain they had actually dispatched those Dao. The party didn't stay for fisticuffs and moved on toward the grove. Up until some shambling mounds they slew, the party had covered the area under invisibility.
A Malison (Jan) + Silence (Aerie) combo made the encounter with Dalok quite a bit easier. Both he and a fellow druid were forced to shapeshift and melee.
The melee threat was not to be taken lightly though, with several cave bears picking the druids' side. But a fire elemental took care of the bears without taking any hits itself, and Aerie and Jan did a great job again at Holding their foes.
Inside the grove it was Promise who had to duel Faldorn, as a result of Anthology Tweaks' multiple strongholds modification. Promise objected against the terms of the duel that were pretty much forced upon her, i.e. to battle without equipment. She found it unfair because Faldorn was a spell-caster, and Promise had traded magic for steel long ago. Her comrades were kind enough to pass her her stuff. Faldorn failed to dispel Promise's invisibility thanks to the cloak of non-detection.
Is that a 2.5 change? After she was done buffing, Promise cast a Spook from spell, hoping it would buy her a few unmolested castings, but the druid saved and pinned Promise with her back against the wall with some summons. Rather than attempting to fight those off, Promise decided to try and end the duel immediately with a Disintegrate.
]Such a brutal spell! More questing in Trademeet boosted the party's reputation, so now even stores that Jan cannot steal from merit a visit.
Unnie found herself locked up in a dungeon. Fortunately her old and distant friend lend her a helping hand (or lock pick).
Imoen being NG, was off course not worthy of the being included in the part - and send away accordingly. Jaheira and a guy named Minsc where treated the same way.
Unnie was alone again, and needed to escape the dungeon. Some sub par gear made up the start up equipment.
The real threat in the dungeon is as usual the memphits. The sleep effect being the most notable disabler. Unnie had no way of avoiding the disabler, but a sanctuary spell can be of good use. Unnie drew two memphits from their portals into the portal room, and cast sanctuary and closed the door. Even with only two memphits, Unnie was not off the hook. She buffed and managed a critical hit for one of the
portals; picking the wrong one. A failed save later, saw Unnie sleeping one the floor. Luckily with only one angry memphit in the room. She managed to rise and kill the memphit in the end. And escape the dungeon.
On the outside, Unnie headed for the circus. She transformed an Ogre into a travelling companion - a Lawful good Cleric/Mage. Exactly what Unnie was hoping for. A bit squishy off course and not paladin material - but with hard and mind on the right place. Off to new heights and the slums. In the slums we Anomen was picked up. Anomen is not having a big heart, but having the potential to grow one so he is allowed. And suddenly Unnie and the righteous where a party of three.
Getting more help was not that easy. Keldorn is in a sewer somewhere and Mazzy locked in a dungeon. What to do? Hunt liches off course. Or at least getting the day star sword and cash in on the accessory loot... Admittedly that part of the game lacked direction and sense. But I did get the sword, and headed for watchers keep..
From then it was the sewers and the haunted temple. To finally unlock Mazzy and Keldorn. The shadows where turned and the major undead killed by the undead hunter. I had postponed picking up both Keldorn and Mazzy, fearing that their quests where timed - but playing with a party was meant as a learning experience, and after having my misconceptions proven wrong (they don’t have timers) I found a way to pick up the rest of the party.
Overconfidence in the new party formed a bold plan in Unnies 11 int head. Get the ring if Gaxx and pick up Rashad.
The plan set in motion, and getting the ring proved surprisingly easily. The Azuredge axe made a clean sweep of the guardian liches who all failed their saves first time. Easy as pie. Protection from magic and undead scrolls provided an easy win against Kangaxx - day star cutting him down quickly.
The onto Trademeet and meet Rashad. He is lawful good and fits the party concept. But Unnie actually just came for his quest -Rashad still try his luck with sweet talk...
the temple quests done and the final battle with the Sharran was the last obstacle before the completion. I didn’t underestimate the battle, and had duly buffed. But part resources was a bit scarce being of low level and wanting to keep charname, Rashad and the weapon master alive. I spent 9 charges from the rod of ressurrection and a bunch of potions. 2 party members down, but with a sigh of relief we succeeded. As a last minute tribute to Rashad I gave him the ring of gaxx. But to my utter surprise he left the part to stay in the temple?! How could he, and what about the ring? Well actually the script (which I am totally happy with) gives you 2 in return. So Unnie could equip 2 ring of gaxx for a very low ac, saving throw and awesome regeneration. Neat
After that questing was a bit easier. Mazzy being a formidable archer and Keldorn a prize winner when battling mages. Lawful good is really good.
The usual quests open in chapter 2 where done. Going everywhere and as far as WK3 (only for a paladin only sword, who perfects the sword and board setup).
We even managed to set fire to a beautiful bonfire. Oh happy day.
she called herself Viconia, but the flame strike purged the evil being from the earth
In the paladin stronghold the first major and irreversible cock up happened. We failed to save the young girl that was attacked by assassins. And duly kicked out of the order... The experience where kind of baffling and my in game actions perhaps clouded by that. Unnie undertook the illithid quest in the sewers and faced the Alhoon. Overconfidence proved her down fall, and two hours after being kicked out of the order she lost her live. Torm sees and Torm judges..
Lawful stupid ended up being the most fitting label.
I will continue my trek through the alignment charts. Doing all the alignments. It should be fun and a valuable learning experience. I have yet to try some (many) of the NPC’s (mostly SoD and BG1). But the challenge should change that - I will restart my plays with a given alignment until I have meet all the NPCs with the exact same alignment and post from that given run.
We are standing near to the rotting corpse of Meilum, and a quick look at our inventory suggests we are ready for Nashkel Mine. More ready than Mulahey the half-orc is, that's for certain.
Lamahla and her Amazons have no answer for a beserk beserker.
Nimbul takes a hit from the shadows but survives long enough for a follow-up critical to melt his resolve.
Tranzig is upstairs in a Beregost hostelry. He dies immediately after saying he won't die. Details of how to reach a bandit camp are on his body so we head there.
Grond has to double-back at the camp to help Stawk with a group of hobgoblins. When they are dead we move towards the main tent and Stawk steps between the already-dead bandits that Grond has hammered into submission.
Their leader is made of sterner stuff, not only that but he switches target and tests the mithral chain mail. It resists enough to outlast him.
Inside the main bandit tent we rapidly dispose of Venkt then split apart to annoy the archers. Our tactic works well.
A note here details a mine hidden deep in Cloakwood. We head there without any mishaps and set about Drasus and his trio of buddies. Berserk is too much for them to cope with.
At the base of the mine we run into Davaeorn. Stawk thinks to sneak up to him but takes a glyph trap in the face and moves away to consider his options. By the time he does this Grond has dealt a fatal blow to our enemy and all that is left to do is loot the place before flooding it.
Baldur's Gate beckons. We investigate a few matters by prodding them with our weapons until attracting the attention of Duke Eltan. He is all too eager to return us to Candlekeep.
We have a plan about how to loot the catacombs below Candlekeep but Grond successfully runs down as a lightning trap goes down, then runs up as it goes up. Stawk observed in awe as Grond caught every bounce thinking you couldn't achieve that if you tried.
(a real-life cold meant Grond0 was trying not to sneeze at that point, again the timing was impeccable).
Anyway, Grond found that sometimes 102hp minus the magic missile trap damage just ain't enough.
Stawk bagged what he could, grabbed what he could, equipped what he could and pretended the rest was not that important. Then he killed four phase spiders, bashed three caskets open to grab magical tomes and a few other trinkets before using the shadows to escape without further combat. That should keep our XP fairly close (136k and 131k, so 5k gap).
Party inventory post revival:
Grond has 201 kills (greater basilisk) so maintains his lead over Stawk's 185 kills (also a greater basilisk).
Speaking of the list, is anyone actually maintaining the Hall of Heroes right now? I think the last edit was in Sept. 2019, with at least 3 successes since then.
Chapter IX (Amkethran, Baltazar’s Monastery, Forest of Tethyr, Abyssal Plane of Bhaal), 13 Elient 1370
Dispenser knew immediately that Amelyssan the Blackhearted, as Melissan fashioned herself, could not stand against his onslaught. With all shielded by Protection from Evil and Prayer, he cast the Divine Might of Tyr before hurling Energy Blades downrange while Yasraena, Isra, and Keldorn struck Melissan repeatedly with Carsomyr +6, Runehammer +5, Fireflower +5, and Graham the Sword of Grief +5. Neera broke down what defenses Amelyssan could muster using Pierce Magic, Remove Magic, and Greater Malison before also turning to Energy Blades. Imoen continuously fired off the Short Bow of Gesen such that their foe was under constant barrage from every angle. Added to his blitzkrieg were his summoned Deva, Juggernaut Golem, and Greater Air, Earth, and Fire Elementals who ruthlessly pounded Amelyssan, completely ignoring any summons she could muster. She fell for the third and final time, and Solar, or rather the gods, ended the contest in Dispenser’s favor.
MARILITH
KELDORN LANDS A BLOW
A VERDICT IS RENDERED
Destiny came fast in the end, whirling like a comet to its climax. The confrontation with Baltazar had been anti-climactic. Expecting another battle; instead, Dispenser found a monk with a good heart was blinded and became fanatical in his zeal to destroy the taint of Bhaal in Toril. Dispenser spoke to him gently when he realized the man’s agony. Once Baltazar was sure the Bhaal-essence was safe in Dispenser’s care, he took his own life in despair.
BALTAZAR'S SHAME
Getting to Baltazar was more difficult than Baltazar himself. Before returning to Amkethran, Dispenser fought a grueling battle, crushing several demons summoned by Melissan in the Forest of Tethyr: two Balor’s, two Mariliths, two Glabrezu, several Cambions, and an Alu-Fiend. Upon arrival at the monastery gate, Dispenser unleashed a relentless assault on Enchanters, Berserkers, Monks and mercenaries, of no small ability, who protected the abbot. Once past them, the way was clear to Baltazar. Then, returning to the Pocket Plane, Dispenser faced back to back Bhaal challenges, in which he defeated, first the Ravager, and then, the Slayer. In the apocalyptic final battles, powerful creatures protected Melissan in the Abyssal Plane including: the Prince of Evil Air, Yan-C-Bin; the Prince of Evil Cold, Cryonax; more Marilith’s; five Succubus;’ various elementals and Frost Salamanders. Dispenser destroyed them.
AMELYSSAN'S DEMON'S - ANOTHER MARILITH
AMELYSSAN'S DEMON'S - GLABREZU
SLAUGHTER IN THE STREET'S
RAVAGER GOING, GOING . . .
RAVAGER GONE!
AFTERMATH
As he got near the end of his journey to his destiny, Imoen began experiencing Bhaalspawn powers. This worried Dispenser greatly – he alone had been the one to carry that burden, and he did not want that for his sister. He was relieved when Amelyssan died because Imoen was able to rid herself of Bhaal taint. As did he. Had he any thought of becoming a deity in his own right, which he did not, Neera would have won the day, and his heart. This group he had assembled were not just his followers; they were his friends. Finally, they would be able to enjoy that friendship without having to load up and head back out to face the next challenge. And so, his Bhaal essence was destroyed, and he was just a mortal. It sounded weird at first, but it quickly grew on him.
WAIT FOR IT . . .
WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?
NEERA'S BACK
NEERA'S BACK AGAIN
Yasraena returned to Suldanessellar after the showdown with Amelyssan, a lifelong, loyal friend to Dispenser, to all of them. She reunited with the love of her life, Divalir. They married, intending to live out their days there, but despite all she had done for the city in helping save their Tree of Life, the Elves never excepted her because she was a Drow, so the two of them moved on. They traveled for five years, searching for a home, but prejudice against Drow is rampant throughout Toril. Divalir grew bitter for her sake and when their child was born a half-Drow, they both determined to protect him from even greater rejection. They left Toril and the Prime Material Plane for Sigil, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Isra remained in Tethyr for a while, determined to do all she could to repair the damage caused in the wake of the Bhaalspawn crisis. She never spoke of it, but those who got to know her believed she felt called to atone for damage inadvertently committed during those days. She became quite popular with the Tethyrian aristocracy, and with one minstrel in particular. She remained until tensions between Amn and Tethyr reached a boiling point, leaving to return north to Crimmor, where she reunited with the Order of the Roby Rose. Illustrious though her later career proved to be, nothing would ever compare to the quest she undertook in her youth. She retired from active service at a relatively younger age than most Paladins. She went into politics, trying to add a bit of compassion into a Crimmorian system of government that severely lacked it. She never married, but hinted to her friends, that she was never lonely.
Keldorn became the group's patriarch as they traveled, slow to speak, quick to listen, always offering wisdom at just the right time. Following his travels with Dispenser, he planned to retire from service, and he did for four years before responding courageously when giants besieged Amn. At the age of sixty, he and five knights of the order, fought desperately to hold a strategic pass until Amn levies could come up. His mission was a success, but he suffered fatal wounds, and the old Paladin fell on the battlefield. The knights that fought with him swore that the hand of Torm appeared and took Keldorn’s broken body away, disappearing before their eyes. It is ironic that not Dispenser, but Keldorn, assumed a role in a pantheon. From that day forward, visions of the true god were never without the ghostly figure of Keldorn at his right hand.
Imoen and Dispenser enjoyed being brother and sister all of their days. Following the events in the Bhaalspawn crisis, Imoen spent a great deal of time in Candlekeep, where she was once again welcome. She developed an appreciation for the tomes she once thought were booorring. Powerful in her own right, after she departed Candlekeep, she would be seen in the vaunted company of Kelben “Blackstaff” and Elminster, reportedly trying to get them to quit being such stick-in-the-muds. She continued to ply her Thief Adventurer skills, eventually becoming the Guild Master of a series of thieves’ guilds that ranged from Athkatla to Baldur’s Gate to Neverwinter. She worked tirelessly to reform the image of thieves in society. Eventually led to a clash for dominance with the Shadow Thieves, and while the struggle, most believe Imoen will eventually run them out of Faerun. When she allowed herself to get away, she always spent her time with Dispenser and Neera, or Isra. You could never tell when she might drop in for a visit.
Neera traveled back to the north, stopping at inns and taverns along the way. She enjoyed listening to bards who wove tales both true and false of her adventures with Dispenser, all of them swearing that they had inside knowledge, none of them knowing the woman in the cowl was Neera. When she reached the High Forest, she was welcomed back as a hero and was personally congratulated by Turlang the Treant. Dispenser joined her there after dealing with administrative matters at his keep, D’Arnise. They would call both the High Forest and D’Arnise home, but mostly they traveled Faerun seeing places their adventures had not taken them to, and revisiting some that they had. Dispenser was known far and wide throughout Faerun and even known in Kara-Tur south and west of Faerun. His fame from the Bhaalspawn crisis was later augmented when he became the High Priest of Tyr’s pantheon. His holy see was at the Fortress Faithful, the supreme church of Tyr in Tethyr, and he spent a great deal of time at the massive House of Tyr’s Hand in Thesk that sheltered the Just Knights – clerics, Paladins, and fighters who had honored the Maimed God in countless battles against their aggressive neighbors in Thay. With his own money (he was perhaps the wealthiest person in Faerun), he established the House of Tyr in Athkatla, the Temple of Justice in Baldur’s Gate, and Temples of Tyr in both Waterdeep and Neverwinter. He was always in demand when high-level ecclesiastical and political events took place. Neera was a powerful Wild Mage in her own right. She and Dispenser often stood against the machinations of The Red Wizards of Thay. Her greatest feat was sinking three Thayan ships with one spell – the one spell she had never tried before, Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer[\i]. That act forced the Red Wizards to abandon the City of Melvaunt on the Moonsea (west of the High Forest). One day Dispenser woke to find Neera was gone, no note, no anything. But he just smiled. He knew her well, and when she got a wild hair, she just chased it. A few weeks later, he met her in Amn, where she had gone to reunite with the other surviving mages of the Hidden Refuge. They lived out their years together, leaving two half-half Elven daughters, both with the same beautiful blond hair of their mother, who they named Denira and Telindra; and a son, who followed his father in serving Tyr, but as a Paladin, who carried the name Dispenser the Younger.
In the immediate years that followed, the six companions and Divalir reunited annually to ensure their friendships never waned. Each year they would travel to the home of a different member, Crimmor, D’Arnise Keep, High Forest, or in Athkatla. In the fifth year, the year they met at Candlekeep, they learned the sad news that Yasraena and Divalir would be leaving Toril. In that same reunion, a letter arrived from Maria, Keldorn’s widow, bringing the news of their patriarchs’ death. Dispenser, Neera, Imoen, and Isra never met again at Candlekeep, sticking to Crimmor, D’Arnise, and the High Forest - but they still got together every year.
PARTY INFORMATION
ORDER OF MARCH: Yasraena, Isra, & Keldorn (Shock), Dispenser (leader), Neera (Arcane Support), Imoen (Recon & Traps)
Dispenser: LG Cleric (Holy Justice of Tyr)/33 (HP 108 ), Shield +4 (Shield of the Order), Helm of the Noble +1, Holy Symbol of Tyr, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Cloak of Balduran, Girdle of Fire Giant Strength, Rings of Fire Resistance & Regeneration & Boots of Etherealness w/ Flail of the Ages +5 (Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison) & Longsword +4 (The Answerer) (Bastard Sword*, Flail*, Long Sword*, Mace/Morning Star*, Warhammer*, SSS*, SWS*, TWS**); Abilities: Cure Affliction (2), Detect Invisibility, Divine Might (2), Healing Touch (2), Hold person, Holy Word, Strength of One, Slayer Change, Pocket Plane, Mass Healing; High-Level Abilities: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Mass Raise Dead, Implosion, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva; Skills: None; Spells: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Finger of Death, Fire Storm, Implosion, Mass Raise Dead, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva, Aerial Servant, Animal Summoning III, Blade Barrier, Bolt of Glory (2), False Dawn, Harm, Heal, Sol’s Searing Orb, Wondrous Recall, Cause Critical Wounds, Chaotic Commands, Cure Critical Wounds, Flame Strike, Greater Command, Mass Cure, Raise Dead, Righteous Magic, Slay Living, True Seeing, Cause Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Death Ward, Defensive Harmony, Farsight, Free Action, Restoration, Negative Plane Protection, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ (2), Animate Dead, Cure Disease, Cure Medium Wounds, Dispel Magic, Holy Smite, Invisibility Purge, Prayer, Remove Curse, Rigid Thinking, Zone of Sweet Air, Aid, Chant (3), Draw on Holy Might (2), Hold Person (2), Resist Fire & Cold, Silence 15’ (2), Slow Poison (2), Armor of Faith (2), Bless (2), Command (2), Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Faerie Fire (2), Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, Sanctuary; (Adv AI) (1)
Isra: LG Paladin (Cavalier of Sune)/26 (HP 141), Red Dragon Scale Plate, Ghadir Family Ring, Painbearer’s Amulet, Pale Green Ioun Stone, Cloak of the Shield, Boots of Hastened Departure w/ Two-Handed Sword +6 (Carsomyr), Mace +5 (Storm Star), Gauntlets of Weapons Expertise, Girdle of Hill Giant Strength, (Axe**, Bastard Sword**, Mace/Morning Star**, Two-Handed Sword**, Warhammer*, THWS**); Abilities: Cure Disease, Detect Evil (26), Lay on Hands, Protection from Evil (23), Remove Fear (23); High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Hardiness, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: Defensive Harmony, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Cure Disease, Holy Smite, Zone of Sweet Air, Chant, Draw on Holy Might, Armor of Faith, Bless, Command; (Adv AI) (2)
Yasraena: CG Fighter//30 (HP 168), Shuruppak’s Plate, Wong Fei’s Ioun Stone, Girdle of Frost Giant Strength, Boots of Speed w/ Short Sword +5 (Ironkiss), Short Sword +5 (Fireflower) & Warhammer +5 (Runehammer), (Short Sword/Nija-to*****, Two-Weapon Style***, Warhammer**), w/ Gauntlet’s of Extraordinary Specialization, (Sword Sword*****, Warhammer*****, 2WS***) w/ Rings of Regeneration & Anti-venom; Abilities: None; High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Death Blow, Greater Whirlwind Attack (2), Hardiness, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, War Cry, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: None; (Adv AI) (nil)
Keldorn: LG Paladin(Inquisitor)/22 (HP 148), Red Dragon Scale, Helm of Charm Protection, Girdle of Stone Giant Strength, Greenstone Amulet, Ring of Regeneration, Cloak of the Shield, w/ Blessed Paladin’s Bracers, Horn of Valhalla & Boots of the North w/ Two-handed Sword +5 (Graham the Sword of Grief), Crossbow +5 (Firetooth), Flail +3 (Defender of Easthaven), (Crossbow**, Flail**, Long Sword**, Two-Handed Sword**, Halberd8, THWS**); Abilities:: Detect Evil (24), Protection from Evil (21), Dispel Magic (6), True Sight (6); High-Level Abilities: Deathblow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (3)
Neera: CN Wild Mage/20 (HP 50) Robe of Invocation, Bracers of Defense AC6, Gargoyle Boots, & Belt of Inertial Barrier, w/ Quarter Staff +2 & Throwing Darts (Dagger*, Q/staff*, Sling*); Abilities: Scribe Scrolls; Skills: None; High-Level Abilities: Dragons Breath, Energy Blades, Extra 6th Level Spell, Extra 7th Level Spell, Extra 8th Level Spell, Improved Alacrity; Spells: Black Blade of Disaster, Spellstrike, Maze, Simulacrum (2), Incendiary Cloud, Delayed Blast Fireball, Improved Chaos Shield, Mass Invisibility, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Chain Lightning, Contingency, Death Spell, Improved Haste, Pierce Magic, Cone of Cold, Domination, Feeblemind, Lower Resistance (2), Minor Spell Turning, Sunfire, Confusion, Fire Shield Red, Greater Malison (2), Improved Invisibility, Minor Globe of Invisibility, Stoneskin, Teleport Field, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste, Hold Person, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Remove Magic (3), Aganazzer’s Scorcher, Blur, Chaos Shield, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Ray of Enfeeblement (2), Stinking Cloud, Magic Missile (5), Chromatic Orb, Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer; (Adv AI) (nil)
Imoen: NG Thief/Adventurer//17 (HP 77) Elven Chain +1 w/ Buckler +3, Dusty Rose Ioun Stone, Amulet of the Master Harper, Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind, & Belt of Inertial Barrier w/ Short Bow of Gesen & Short Sword +3 (Dagger*, Dart*, Katana*, Q/staff*, Scimitar*, Short Bow*, Short Sword*); Abilities: Cause Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Resurrection, Set Snare (4); Skills: OL 185, PP 60, FT 170, MS 115, HS 140, DI 30, ST 60 (w/ Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind); High-Level Abilities: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (nil)
Trio 21 (episode 1 2) Canore - dwarf Shadowdancer, protagonist (Gate70)
Doubt - human dark moon monk (Grond0)
Russell X - human Undead Hunter (Corey_Russell)
Short & sweet:
Sometimes it is best not to remember your intentions:
Our anti-heroic attitude and epic abilities mean we'll probably do something silly at the start of our next session. The save game name mentions recruiting Korax which feels profoundly stupid in a multiplayer trio but there is only one way to learn this stuff eh.
There are no witnesses for Canore's stupidity (other than Doubt and Russell X who almost die laughing as our protagonist strolls into basilisk-gaze)
Comments
@Neverused, congratulations on a successful campaign! Like @Enuhal I'm not very surprised your shaman played a support role, but it's still quite a feat to keep one alive throughout the saga!
Promise, Human Invoker (3)->Fighter
Promise has survived her first few challenges in Athkatla, so let me post another update. The thought of first leaving Waukeen's Promenade clad in a suit of full plate mail was an enticing one for Promise, so she entered the Den of the Seven Vales with Jaheira, Minsc, and Yoshimo. A not yet hostile Brennan Risling was Blinded (from scroll) by Promise who then quickly retreated. Smaeluv Orcslicer gave in to the urges his cursed berserking sword instilled in him, killing both Brennan and Mencar.
In the sewers Lilarcor was secured, invisibility allowing the party to avoid combat except with some kobolds who were slain with traps and summons.
The slavers offered the party a tougher challenge. Jaheira hoped to summon two fire elementals out of sight of everyone, so that she could go invisible again before sending the creatures off to do their dirty work. But the second summon caught the eye of some slavers and they saw Jaheira not much later. She was dead before she could go invisible or leave the premises. This screenshot shows her body outside the stockade, slain by an Unholy Blight on the way out.
The duo deemed it time for more experiments experience, so they exposed Riejek Hidesman, with a Mirror Imaged Promise risking her neck in the area with the rune assassins. She was so quick though, that they didn't acknowledge her presence. A mad cleric,
The party has rescued Renfeld (much less messy than the first Eldarin ambush, with no one losing their minds),
Jan then went shoplifting, which was followed by a scroll scribing session, in the absence of Yoshimo and Jaheira for more XP for the others. The party of Promise, Yoshimo, Korgan, Jan, and Aerie was last seen in the Umar Hills, supposedly to solve the mystery of a series of killings and disappearances here, but I happen to know they're looking for halfling lass they hope to recruit.
(Edited for some typos)
Previous updates:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113080/#Comment_1113080
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113152/#Comment_1113152
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113258/#Comment_1113258
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113399/#Comment_1113399
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113530/#Comment_1113530
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113711/#Comment_1113711
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113897/#Comment_1113897
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113958/#Comment_1113958
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114111/#Comment_1114111
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114216/#Comment_1114216
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114325/#Comment_1114325
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114497/#Comment_1114497
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114617/#Comment_1114617
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114730/#Comment_1114730
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114840/#Comment_1114840
Carrying on in the Planar Prison, a group of yuan-ti mages were picked off one by one. The Master of Thralls lasted approximately 1 second against a GWW - giving me a second summoning option with the air elemental staff.
Sticking to planar adventures, I used Valygar's decomposing body to grease the lock on the Planar Sphere. Inside I started working through the halflings until I came across Kayardi. He has some dangerous spells, so I brought out the air elemental for the first time to help tempt those out. Unfortunately I didn't maintain enough distance from the elemental and got caught by a symbol stun thrown at it ...
Previous updates at:
With my wizard slayer off the board for the moment, I could in theory concentrate fully on this shaman run. The first order of business today was to skip through the Nashkel Mine on the way to find Mulahey. He survived 2 Spirit Fires from out of sight, while Fogs helped deal with his summoned army. More area damage then sent him running and he failed to recover.
Outside the mine 2 Spirit Fires proved too much for the amazons. I rested to get another LMD (with divine spells I don't need Bhaal CLW for this character), but still avoided the mayor in Nashkel so as not to push reputation up beyond 9 (I similarly don't need slow poison). Nimbul was sent running by a nymph cause wounds, but couldn't outrun a bolt of lightning.
More lightning blasted some spiders in Beregost on the way to find Tranzig. He was another to suffer from the caresses of nymphs and would have died from insect bites if he wasn't shot down.
At the Bandit Camp, I decided to give spirits a run out against Taurgosz. They needed a critical to hit him, but he wasn't doing enough damage to have a good chance of getting through the constant stream of reinforcements and eventually the pressure told. At the tent, enemies were pulled outside to face some waiting nymphs.
The web traps are normally the only potentially tricky bit in the Cloakwood. I could have just run through those using the ring of free action, but being able to kill their guardians from out of sight was quick enough anyway.
At the mine I killed Genthore and Kysus with lightning, before attempting to use spirits on Drasus. However, I got the movement marginally wrong there and they disappeared as he moved to the attack. As a fallback option I ran Drasus around inside Fogs. His greater speed allowed him to get a couple of attacks in those close quarters, but eventually his strength leeched away.
On the way through the mine the only place you need to fight more than one enemy at once is at the entrance to the 3rd level - and the enemies there failed to interrupt a Spirit Fire. Downstairs, the guard broke his weapon - making him easy prey for some spirits. One of the battle horrors reacted when I went through its trap, but died from a combination of Fog and insects. Three Spirit Fires then dealt with Davaeorn. I rested to get a second horror before flooding the mine.
A few minutes were spent touring, completing the reputation quests left unfinished previously and rapidly pushing that up to 20. A bit of shopping followed and I also remembered to pick up the violet potion and bomb the Red Wizards to get the Ring of Energy before heading back to the City.
I didn't bother with most of the quests there, but did do the poison quest to get a wisdom tome and Marek's bow (switching from sling to bow at that point, to make use of all the magical arrows found on journeys to date). Ramazith's tower offered a +2 ring and another tome. After picking up Balduran's helm, nymphs and lightning did most of the work to clear the way to Degrodel and access to Balduran's cloak.
At the Iron Throne, enemies were dragged downstairs to be distracted by nymphs. Once more I was careless there though, making exactly the same type of mistake as with my wizard slayer earlier and getting affected by a horror cast at a nymph. With 2 casters and Zhalimar after me, my chances looked pretty slim, but I had a smidgeon of hope when several rounds later I ran into one of the rooms with no-one obviously chasing me. Rather than battering my head against a wall for a round or two before I came to my senses, however, I battered straight through the wall and shortly afterwards that was that ...
Yes, it is the bane of my no-reload challenges. What are your strategies to avoid this ? How do you guys plan your sessions to avoid the concentrations problems ?
An honor to be mentioned. You have a great character position in the doorway, something I will definitely use in the future. Condolences on the wizard slayer (and shaman), as it was a very promising run.
Plans, we don't need no stinking plans.
When you first start playing no-reload I think it's natural to be heavily focused on trying to beat the game - but over the course of years I suspect that either changes a bit or you stop playing (or take extended breaks). That's because if you're regularly successful the challenge becomes no longer so appealing, while if you're regularly unsuccessful there's a tendency to get discouraged.
We've been playing for a long time now and are regularly unsuccessful. I may be biased, but I think that's less about lack of ability and more a recognition that we primarily play to enjoy the game and not to be successful. Our buffing strategies for instance are normally geared to the minimum we think we can get away with, rather than the maximum available (that makes the game move along better, but does mean we are more likely to get caught out). We often don't buy useful equipment, even when swimming in money and can spend quite a bit of time exploring while low on HPs - making travel ambushes more dangerous than they need to be. That all helps maintain interest in what's going to happen next, but that comes at the expense of knowing that what happens next might be the dreaded death screen ...
Very insightful, I definitely can relate to that.
Although my no-reloads attempts have put RP in the background, I will probably put more emphasis to this aspect (very important to me in general, I always want to find a rational explication for my PC's actions).
And I've already noticed that my gameplay tends towards interesting fights rather than safe ones.
For example, my recently deceased Dwarven Defender could have used enchanted gear/potions to make him immune to certain things and make fights easier but I often preferred to max his innate strengths (damage control and high saves) rather than evading said damage/spells (tackling beholders without Shield of Balduran nor Mustard Jelly form for example).
I'll try and keep that feeling of achievement in mind in my future runs, to avoid becoming bored of repeating the same strategies/cheese over and over again
Let's look back at that previous interview. The vampire guard, killed by Korgan (although let's face it Michio, Sir Anomen probably had the iMoD so will have done the Destroy Undead but let's not split hairs when you're trying to discard a lackey). Bodhi, killed by Korgan. It's clear we're going to have to let Sir Anomen go. He's not very gracious about it, suggesting Korgan should strike out on his own if he is so perfect. Sir Anomen finally has a valid point but Michio waves both it and Sir Anomen away with his gnomishly small fingers.
Ah the approaching footsteps must be the other candidate, come on in.
You're not who, or what, I expected but your demeanour suggests I'd better let you accompany us for a while. Fine, how about we see what you can offer us.
OK, so we get a bit of combat underway but not as much as we wanted - the lich remained neutral and we attacked it too late to get it into the fight (or the original enemy died too quickly).
Just as we're about to settle, along comes a third applicant so we give them the chance to join us. They are in the party all of two seconds before deciding on a break - we don't give up so easily and they return after a rest. Then a few encounters later they leave again and we have to track them down.
Michio considers Sir Anomen to be the pick of the three recruits. Cernd seems OK but he needs little equipment and we want to load somebody up. Jaheira is lacking experience (340k vs 1.25m for the others and 3m for us) but as she is in the party and will likely leave for good if booted again we'll stick with her.
A little while later Michio realises Jaheira's quest had a little more to run - he should pay attention to this stuff.
Note: Michio is the first character where I have used the Save Draft forum feature meaning updates may stretch over several sessions (or even days in some cases). Apologies if this has led to long entries.
Having elected to keep Jaheira for the time being Michio decides to skip the forest of Tethir and head straight to Suldanessellar - this leaves out Small Teeth Pass and North Forest also.
There are golems and rakshasa aplenty in Suldanessellar, along with other things such as skeleton warriors a nabassu and well of course a black dragon. Jan is playing mean for once, trying the Azuredge axe for ranged undead destruction and a rod of smiting when he spots golems. Kagain is using the iMoD when he sees undead and the Wave halberd if a fire elemental appears (they do not). Viconia is switching from her +5 sling to Crom Faeyr when she sees a suitable golem but in truth we don't need any such dedicated equipment.
No. We're in Hell. Still, we're ready for anything.
If only we'd buffed Jaheira up a bit.
Well done says Michio. Well done everybody. Jaheira wonders why her equipment has been removed and Michio admits he's looking for someone more like Haer'Dalis. i.e. someone who will be able to lay snares. Here's someone who will learn quickly:
You could play a side run for a bit before starting your main run. My problem is impatience arising as the run progresses. I try, with limited success, to take a break when I notice that happening.
I do, on the other hand, tend to make plans/pseudoplans when I'm in between classes or work or things like that. So I'm a little more organized as well at the beginning of each session, thinking about how I'd counter what I consider to be the major threats. It's not always successful, and sometimes I misidentify threats, such as Ilesara giving me trouble but not Irenicus:electric boogaloo, but I'm pretty sure this has helped me survive what would probably be incredibly bad play on my end otherwise.
As a note, I started another run with a Dark Moon Monk under SCS, Item Revisions and Spell Revisions, and for the first time in my life I actually intend to play evilly. This is going to last a very short time, I think.
Imoen was determined to prove to Dispenser, not only that she was fully capable of accompanying him in the toughest of conditions, against the toughest of foes, but also that he erred in not bringing her with him after her rescue at Spellhold. It was not so much to say, “I told you so,” but to say, yeah, well. . . . “I told you so.” ?
Still, she was thrilled to be back adventuring with him, or to be more exact now, aiding him in reaching his destiny. Since she returned, she peppered the others, especially Isra, who she had traveled with from Nashkel to the Throne of Bhaal, with questions about what occurred between Spellhold and her summoning at the Pocket Plane. She learned about the events in the Underdark, Ust Natha, and Suldanessellar, the destruction of Bodhi and Irenicus, the adventures in Watchers Keep and Saradush, and just before she arrived, the defeat of the Bhaalspawns Ilasera, Gronmir Il-Khan, Yaga Shura, and Sendai. She was thrilled to hear of Irenicus’ death but hated that she was robbed of a chance to exact a bit of the justice, and was a little miffed that Dispenser returned to Athkatla to destroy Bodhi and did not even see her while there. He knew she was at the Copper Coronet. She kept trying to remind herself that he was only doing what a big brother would do, even though they were virtually the same age – 23. But now she was back, and she would perform.
Her first adventure back at his side found her Dragon hunting for the Bhaalspawn Abazigal. She had been severely disappointed to learn she missed out when Dispenser defeated Fiirkaag, Thaxll’ssillyia, and Khalabaxin, so for her, this was exciting. Getting to Abazigal was certainly something new. More than a dozen underwater passages connected his lair, and they had to secure potions that allowed them to breathe underwater for a short time in order to traverse the caverns. Two other dragons, Draconis, a Brown Dragon, and Fll’yissetat, a Green Dragon, protected the lair. They encountered Draconis at the entrance to the lair. Imoen, despite having traveled with Dispenser in Baldur’s Gate, had not been able to imagine the power of a dragon up close. His powerful wing buffet and screaming, blinding sand breath weapon awed Imoen at first . . . then she remembered he was trying to kill her. She did not know Yasraena, had only traveled with her for the time when Dispenser was trying to get her out of Spellhold, but she remembered that Yasraena stood up for her when he decided to dismiss her. She was amazed at the ferocity of the good-hearted Drow, charging with her Runehammer +5 and her short sword, Fireflower +5, straight into the dragon's front claws. Isra eventually ended Draconis with Carsomyr +5.
ISRA & CARSOMYR +5 END DRACONIS' MISERABLE LIFE
Once inside, after defeating several Greater Water Elementals, they navigated the underground water tunnels after figuring out how the Breath Potions worked. The fiercest battles outside the three dragons were against a Kuo-Toan Captain, several Kuo-Toan Warriors, Archers, Priests, a couple of Kuo-Toa Whips, a handful of Greater (and lesser) Water Elementals, and an Olhydra, and a subsequent struggle with three Elder Orbs and a Guath. Regarding the former, Dispenser blamed himself for a failure in leadership and tactics that made an otherwise routine fight, far more complicated than it needed to be. Shortly after the Elder Orbs, they confronted the Green Dragon, Fll’yissetat, and trounced her, before backtracking and retrieving the Geas Reversal Scroll that would have freed her from Abazigals control, but also opened the way to the Bhaalspawn Dragon himself. Defeating him took a bit of work, requiring that they first separate his Frost Salamanders from him and then defeating them separately – they were tough monsters. Dispenser moved the party to the opposite end of Abazigal’s Lair, where, at first, the dragon did not seem willing to go. Dispenser elected to escape to the Pocket Plane to regroup. After resting, he returned to Abazigal’s Lair, where the dragon waited. Imoen saw that Dispenser’s followers were a well-oiled machine, each knowing what was expected of them when in contact with an enemy. According to Isra they often had After Action Reviews following a battle and discussed what went well and what could be improved the next time. In the Pocket Plane, they discussed the necessity of Neera pelting the dragon with Lower Resistance and Pierce Magic – which also lowers resistance, as soon as they were in contact. Dispenser cast some protection spells and then, Energy Blades, which he started whipping as soon as they materialized. Neera got the magic-resistance lowering spells off before using her Energy Blades. In the meantime, Yasraena, Isra, and Keldorn all used Greater Whirlwind before charging in. Dispenser warned them to be ready to shift to their unenchanted weapons because he expected Protection from Magic Weapons to be active, but evidently, it was not because Abazigal started taking hits right off. Imoen stayed back, and after quaffing a Potion of Power, used Gesen’s Bow, but in the hectic fight, she was not ever able to tell if that affected the evil Bhaalspawn. She saw Isra taking a beating and quaffing Potions of Extra Healing (the were out of Potions of Superior Healing) to stay in the fight. Eventually, she fell, as did Neera, who was the victim of Abazigal’s Lightning Breath Weapon – they all were. Strangely, it appeared that Isra landed the blow that killed him. Whoever it was, the Bhaalspawn Dragon was dead and the mission was a success. Dispenser quickly cast Mass Raise Dead to bring back Isra and Neera, and then they collected the loot, including the Pommel Jewel that turned Carsomyr into a +6 weapon.
FLL'YISSETAT FALLS
GETTING THERE
SOUNDS LIKE SENDAI
WHAAAH.
Before he continued, Dispenser faced a Bhaal Trial. There he faced the God Cyric, who is obviously concerned about Dispenser’s intentions regarding his divine portfolio. After talking with Dispenser, Cyric vanished, and three Favored of Cyric tried to assassinate him. They failed.
ORDER OF MARCH: Yasraena, Isra, & Keldorn (Shock), Dispenser (leader), Neera (Arcane Support), Imoen (Recon & Traps)
MONSTERS DEFEATED (ordered alphabetically by value): * Abazigal, Blue Dragon (40k each @ AL); Draconis, Brown Dragon (61k @ AL); Fll’Yissetat, Green Dragon (60k @ AL); Draconis, Human Conjuror/25 31k @ AL); Olhydra (28k @ AL); Favored of Cyric (3 @ 25k @ PP); Elder Orbs (3 @ 14k @ AL); Bone Fiends ( 4 @ 12k @ AL); Greater Water Elementals (11 @ 10k @ AL); Frost Salamanders (11 @ 9k @ AL); Gauth (9k @ AL); Vigilant (4 @ 7.5k @ AL); Eagle Eyes (12 @ 6k @ AL); Haheashars (2 @ 6k @ AL); Kuo-Toan Captain (6k @ AL); Seekers (11 @ 6k @ AL); Sentinals (7 @ 6k @ AL); Water Elementals (4 @ 6k @ AL); Kuo-Toan Archers (4 @5k @ AL); Kuo-Toan Warriors (5 @ 5k @ AL); Kuo-Toan Priests ( 3 @ 4k @ AL); Kuo-Toan Whips (2 @ 2.5k @ AL); Invisible Stalkers (3 @ 3k @ AL)
* Legend: Amkethran = Ak; Bhaal Trials = BT; DS = Disturb Sleep; PP = Pocket Plane; RE = Random Encounter
LEVEL UP: Keldorn, Inquisitor of Torm/22; Yasraena, Fighter/27; Isra, Cavalier of Sune/25; Dispenser; Cleric (Holy Justice of Tyr)/32
CASUALTIES: Neera (Kuo-Toan Whip); Isra & Neera (Abazigal)
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Gold earned = ~ 147)
Armor & Weapons: Camorsyr +6 (added pommel jewel); Blue Dragon Plate; Medium Shield +4 (Shield of the Order)
Gems/jewelry: Lapis Lazuli, Nymphs Tear, Pearl
Potions: Cloud Giant Strength (2), Fire Giant Strength (2), Frost Giant Strength (2)
Scrolls: None
Wands: None
Misc & Artifacts: The Spectres Ring, Gargoyle Boots
BEST KILL:
1) Yasraena, Bodhi (91k exp)
2) Isra, Draconis (61 exp ea)
3) Keldorn, Chromatic Demon (55k exp
4) Neera, Umber Hulk Elder (18k exp)
5) Imoen, Kuo-Toan Priest (4k exp)
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Inn at Amkethran
NEXT STEPS: Confront Baltazar
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 18 – Heroic)
Dispenser: LG Cleric (Holy Justice of Tyr)/32 (HP 106 ), Shield +4 (Shield of the Order), Helm of the Noble +1, Holy Symbol of Tyr, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Cloak of Balduran, Girdle of Fire Giant Strength, Rings of Fire Resistance & Regeneration & Boots of Etherealness w/ Flail of the Ages +5 (Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison) & Longsword +4 (The Answerer) (Bastard Sword*, Flail*, Long Sword*, Mace/Morning Star*, Warhammer*, SSS*, SWS*, TWS**); Abilities: Cure Affliction (2), Detect Invisibility, Divine Might (2), Healing Touch (2), Hold person, Holy Word, Strength of One, Slayer Change, Pocket Plane, Mass Healing; High-Level Abilities: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Mass Raise Dead, Implosion, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva; Skills: None; Spells: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Fire Storm, Implosion, Mass Raise Dead, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva, Aerial Servant, Animal Summoning III, Blade Barrier, Bolt of Glory (2), False Dawn, Harm, Heal, Sol’s Searing Orb, Wondrous Recall, Cause Critical Wounds, Chaotic Commands, Cure Critical Wounds, Flame Strike, Greater Command, Mass Cure, Raise Dead, Righteous Magic, Slay Living, True Seeing, Cause Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Death Ward, Defensive Harmony, Farsight, Free Action, Restoration, Negative Plane Protection, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ (2), Animate Dead, Cure Disease, Cure Medium Wounds, Dispel Magic, Holy Smite, Invisibility Purge, Prayer, Remove Curse, Rigid Thinking, Zone of Sweet Air, Aid, Chant (3), Draw on Holy Might (2), Hold Person (2), Resist Fire & Cold, Silence 15’ (2), Slow Poison (2), Armor of Faith (2), Bless (2), Command (2), Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Faerie Fire (2), Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, Sanctuary; (Adv AI) (1)
Isra: LG Paladin (Cavalier of Sune)/25 (HP 138), Red Dragon Scale Plate, Ghadir Family Ring, Painbearer’s Amulet, Pale Green Ioun Stone, Cloak of the Shield, Boots of Hastened Departure w/ Two-Handed Sword +6 (Carsomyr), Mace +5 (Storm Star), Gauntlets of Weapons Expertise, Girdle of Hill Giant Strength, (Axe**, Bastard Sword**, Mace/Morning Star**, Two-Handed Sword**, Warhammer*, THWS**); Abilities: Cure Disease, Detect Evil (26), Lay on Hands, Protection from Evil (23), Remove Fear (23); High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: Defensive Harmony, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Cure Disease, Holy Smite, Zone of Sweet Air, Chant, Draw on Holy Might, Armor of Faith, Bless, Command; (Adv AI) (2)
Yasraena: CG Fighter//28 (HP 162), Shuruppak’s Plate, Wong Fei’s Ioun Stone, Girdle of Frost Giant Strength, Boots of Speed w/ Short Sword +5 (Ironkiss), Short Sword +5 (Fireflower) & Warhammer +5 (Runehammer), (Short Sword/Nija-to*****, Two-Weapon Style***, Warhammer**), w/ Gauntlet’s of Extraordinary Specialization, (Sword Sword*****, Warhammer*****, 2WS***) w/ Rings of Regeneration & Anti-venom; Abilities: None; High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Death Blow, Greater Whirlwind Attack Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, War Cry, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: None; (Adv AI) (4)
Keldorn: LG Paladin(Inquisitor)/22 (HP 145), Red Dragon Scale, Helm of Charm Protection, Girdle of Stone Giant Strength, Greenstone Amulet, Ring of Regeneration, Cloak of the Shield, w/ Blessed Paladin’s Bracers, Horn of Valhalla & Boots of the North w/ Two-handed Sword +5 (Graham the Sword of Grief), Crossbow +5 (Firetooth), Flail +3 (Defender of Easthaven), (Crossbow**, Flail**, Long Sword**, Two-Handed Sword**, Halberd8, THWS**); Abilities:: Detect Evil (24), Protection from Evil (21), Dispel Magic (6), True Sight (6); High-Level Abilities: Deathblow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Resist Magic, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (3)
Neera: CN Wild Mage/18 (HP 48) Robe of Invocation, Bracers of Defense AC6, Gargoyle Boots, & Belt of Inertial Barrier, w/ Quarter Staff +2 & Throwing Darts (Dagger*, Q/staff*, Sling*); Abilities: Scribe Scrolls; Skills: None; High-Level Abilities: Energy Blades; Spells: Spellstrike, Maze, Simulacrum (2), Incendiary Cloud, Delayed Blast Fireball, Improved Chaos Shield, Mass Invisibility, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Chain Lightning, Contingency, Improved Haste, Pierce Magic, Cone of Cold, Domination, Feeblemind, Lower Resistance (2), Minor Spell Turning, Sunfire, Confusion, Fire Shield Red, Greater Malison (2), Improved Invisibility, Minor Globe of Invisibility, Stoneskin, Teleport Field, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste, Hold Person, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Remove Magic (3), Aganazzer’s Scorcher, Blur, Chaos Shield, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Ray of Enfeeblement (2), Stinking Cloud, Magic Missile (5), Chromatic Orb, Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer; (Adv AI) (nil)
Imoen: NG Thief/Adventurer//16 (HP 75) Elven Chain +1 w/ Buckler +3, Dusty Rose Ioun Stone, Amulet of the Master Harper, Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind, & Belt of Inertial Barrier w/ Short Bow of Gesen & Short Sword +3 (Dagger*, Dart*, Katana*, Q/staff*, Scimitar*, Short Bow*, Short Sword*); Abilities: Set Snare (4); Skills: OL 175, PP 40, FT 160, MS 110, HS 135, DI 30, ST 30 (w/ Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind); High-Level Abilities: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (nil)
MOD USED: Amber v5, Tyris Flare v8, Foundling v4.2, Pesty v3.1, Asher v1.12, Gavin v23, Sirene for BG2, Isra v3, Paina, Tashia v1.2, Vampire Tales, Ninde, Saerileth, Arath v4, Dace v5, Tsujatha, Kelsey v5, Keto v5, Sarah v5, Nathaniel v4.4, Iylos v2.6, Adrian v4.3, Naphele v2.5, Fade v5.5, Saradas Magic v1.6, de’Arnice Romance v6, Unfinished Business v26, Plane Touched Races, Wheels of Prophecy v8.3, NPC Flirt v1.06, Romantic Encounters v14, Tweaks Anthology, Deities of Faerun, Song & Silence v9, Rogue Rebalancing v4.92, Wizard Slayer Rebalancing v1.14, SCS v32.7, Atweaks v4.53, Item Randomizer
(Current AI) (Chain of Command rank)
Michio sighs. We've not been in Saradush long and already the local cleric is struggling to help us. "You're EVIL" she says "EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL".
"Yes yes" says Michio (and Edwin mutters that the cleric has only identified five kinds of evil). "Now if you could just give Jan the key we'll be out of your hair".
And so it was that Michio unlocked the entrance to the prison underneath Saradush. A quick race around there was enough to scare off the vampires and find a way into the castle basement. Orogs and thieves could not stop us and so it was that Michio and his pals encountered and defeated some guards and their mage.
Will you stop saying and so it was mutters Edwin.
Fair enough. And so it was that Michio bumped into Gromnir Il-Khan. We showed them what happens if you don't provide a cordial welcome into your abode.
There are several statues to deal with in the opening level. Korgan goes into melee while Sarevok tries a backstab or two and everybody else uses their missile weapons. Once we have the better of them we complete a ritual to open the portal to a second level of the keep.
Jan leads the way - looks like desert trolls so Crom Faeyr is the order of the day although a Deathbringer Assault is mixed into the fray.
A scan of our inventory shows we have no suitable weapon for Korgan. The dwarf goes a bit crazy with this news, shutting his eyes and launching into melee. Michio can see his empire-grab faltering if Korgan is eliminated, so is greatly relieved when the balor dies as it vorpals the final cornugon.
Korgan has found his axe to be ineffective so switches to an upgraded Flail of Ages +4. Sarevok doesn't really have time to get into combat as Edwin adds to Korgan's GWW with another Wilt.
Our arrival from Aesgareth's portal brings us to the machine of Lum the Mad. One thing leads to another and we end up fighting illithid. More care is needed otherwise Sarevok will have his brains probed. Too late.
We storm the gith quarters, and send Korgan in to deal with a demilich.
Namely forgetting to buff against Saladrax the red dragon and thinking traps at his feet will be allowed. We turn to run but we aren't very quick on our feet and Jan is fortunate to only be killed and not blown into smithereens.
Saladrax may be the stuff of nightmares but Korgan is living the dream and staying on target but robbed of his / Edwin's victory by a late Planetar strike.
Michio winces as the second key is used. It's a good job we laid some more snares but we should have either rested or upped our buffs. At least the charm/drain succubus is killed by the snares, so we set about the rest. First target is the elder orb then the marilith which proves too hard to kill even though badly wounded by traps so we switch to their kensai as Sarevok has been mauled by it.
After the kensai we're back on the marilith for many rounds. Eventually we get the better of her and the two final enemies are rapidly overwhelmed.
Hours later...
Obtaining the third key for the Final Seal might not be much of an issue if you stopped once you had the correct sphere. Michio prefers four of each sphere though, and doesn't bother laying snares at suitable points - particularly for the trio of beholder-kin. The twelve combats are still successfully completed though, with Edwin claiming a greater earth elemental with his specially selected staff.
We fight on and on. On and on. On and on. Michio has a gnawing sensation in the back of his mind. Something about Spectral Brand.
Ah. Aurumach doesn't like elemental damage (Spectral Brand is good against him because of the 1d4 additional cold damage). Korgan equips the FoA +4 as Sarevok switches to Spectral Brand and the fight is heading in our direction.
He needs bringing down a peg or two so Jan treats him to a does of snares. At first it looks as if the Imprisoned One will survive but Michio has paused early and only two traps have taken effect. Unpausing sees several more activate and that is that.
The Marching Mountains see another poorly organised arrival. With little to no buffing undertaken we are forced to retreat from a pair of burning men while a fire giant thumps away. As we move away from them two newly-arrived fire giants arrive from behind us and in a pincer movement they pick on the slow movement speeds to bash Viconia to the ground.
Jan clears a couple of traps from the stairways then we empty the two rear-most rooms. Wardstones from them are used to open the two central rooms and then the forcefield blocking the main staircase can be deactivated.
There's not much to do in Amkethran so we deal with a lich called Vongoethe and empty his table.
Draconis has triggered four snares but they are ineffective due to his buffs. He goes invisible a couple of times and heals up from the wounds Korgan inflicts. Then he gets nasty and Korgan has to run with low 20's hit points remaining. Sarevok has returned but also has to run as an acid strike would likely kill or chunk him.
Meanwhile Jan has been held so Viconia is casting Remove Paralysis on him. Edwin and Michio slowly scatter as Draconis circles around us and moves in. Viconia bravely remains with Jan, trying to complete her spell.
Michio can see it all going horribly wrong. Right up to the point where Draconis steps on the other three snares that Jan had originally set (he did two clusters thinking that some invisible stalkers may arrive before Draconis)
The doorway to Abazigal's lair is open so we step inside and introduce ourselves to the welcoming committee.
To get to Abazigal requires various tasks. Michio delegates this bit to Korgan.
We introduce ourselves to Abazigal and while it starts OK we hit a minor snag when Korgan's use of his throwing axe knocks Abazigal backwards. Before Korgan can stop himself he has struck again and Abazigal is knocked back again and into one set of snares - which were meant for his dragon form.
Bang. The snares activate and Abazigal is transformed. We are buffeted away too so he is at the base of the chamber and we are at the top of it.
Abazigal has removed the protection from electricity from our fighters and they take a good shock attack and are forced to retreat.
The Planetar has gone but we had got a few Mordy Swords summoned. One is mazed but the other grabs the dragon's attention. Jan is also taking some damage - not electric and not melee so may be an eqrthquake effect.
Korgan is using Greater Whirlwind and this alongside spell damage gives us the victory.
At this point Michio thinks we faced the Slayer. Michio moved around as everybody else attacked and the encounter was trivialised.
Cespenar forges / upgrades a few items and we head off to Sendai's enclave. Things are going reasonably well.
Sendai has a set of statues waiting for us. We throw a Planetar up to the doorway to keep any drow busy, and set about the statues.
Korgan and Sarevok attack Sendai while Michio, Jan and Edwin try to debuff her. Some of these land but others are foiled as she teleports around the room. We keep debuffing and still have plenty in reserve by the time she runs out of defences.
At this point Michio thinks he faced the Favoured of Cyric. With all three mages casting Stoneskin, it is left to Viconia to use a Gargoyle Boots stoneskin (the only one of the game) as Korgan equips Enkidu's Plate and Sarevok is safely ensconsed in his improved Thieves Hood. Cyric sends in his backstabbers and they are easily thwarted although Sarevok does take significant damage despite ineffective backstabs.
Balthazar
Now we have defeated both Abazigal and Sendail we return to Amkethran where there is little to do before facing Balthazar.
Korgan, Sarevok and Balthazar are merrily injuring each other while the rest of us are attempting debuffs and damage spells. Balthazar manages to cast a Second Wind but there is no possibility of a third wind for him and down he goes. Sarevok and Jan cry out as if dead when the Solar recalls us, but they are both fine.
The Ravager
We have no need of it other than adorning a bag of holding so we move on. The Ravager. Everyone except Michio has +4 or better weapons and our strategy is to have a Planetar and Mordy Swords occupy any Bone Blades so we can focus on the Ravager.
The strategy generally works, although most of us are pursued mid combat. A bit of shuffling around has the six of us free to attack - with only Korgan being in a poor state of health. The Ravager survives several more rounds of concentrated attacks but our summons remain long enough for us to finish the combat in relative safety.
Party Inventory before stepping out onto the Throne:
Arrival at the Throne of Bhaal
We try to balance buffing to have plenty in reserve but see off Melissan. Michio has his fingers crossed and battle commences.
Michio starts off with the sling of Arvoreen +4 and +4 bullets, then casts Breach.
Korgan uses WW > GWW with the Flail of Ages +5.
Jan uses the Firetooth +5 crossbow.
Viconia uses the Sling of Everard +5 with in-built bullets.
Edwin uses the Erinne Sling +5 and +4 bullets.
Sarevok uses the Dragons Breath +4 halberd.
A Death Tyrant joins Melissan which results in us being dispelled during combat. Sarevok loses his Improved Haste and Spirit Armour. We take a bit of damage but Melissan's stoneskin expires and she chooses to flee.
We're onto the Throne safely and at minimal cost of resources. Now to try and gather our thoughts for what remains.
We apply a few buffs in preparation for shutting down the first essence pool, then wait until Korgan's winded state clears. Then we move in.
Korgan has enraged while Sarevok is using Spectral Brand and Viconia has the iMoD. Thus protected from level-drain they start in melee but Viconia has to retreat as the elementals injure her. Michio thinks he will have to reorganise matters but just as he is about to do so Sarevok lands a well-timed Deathbringer Assault.
With one fighter down and the other badly wounded we at least have summoned a Fallen Planetar back into action. Between it and Korgan we grapple away and desperately try to finish Melissan off - but the Planetar keeps trying to heal Korgan. Do as you're told.
Korgan is throwing his axe and we squeak through with a huge sigh of relief. The Fallen Planetar raises Sarevok and heals Korgan.
Another Fallen Planetar is summoned as Korgan switches back to his melee axe and vorpals a marilith. The final one doesn't last long and Korgan hunts for the Fallen Solar - scrollback revealing it has killed itself shooting at Korgan's reflection shield.
Melissan takes a full set of trap damage but is prepared to continue. Our Solar arrives and tells her that is not to be the case. Off she pops.
Can't believe how much easier it was with a gnome illusionist than a human blackguard. Reliance on one fighter was a weak spot, with Sarevok doing decent damage but a lack of GWW's really showing during the hardest of combats.
Promise and party have slowly been making a name for themselves in and around Athkatla. In the Temple Ruins, master thief Jan managed to spirit Mazzy away from the shadows by pickpocketing the shadow jailor, casting invisibility on himself, sneaking into Mazzy's cell, recruiting her, and getting her out under radial invisibility.
Back in Athkatla the party released a djinni from their rakshasa master (Unfinished Business content) and reunited Besamen and Baisera (Quest Pack). They also visited the sewers for a nice dust-up with another group of adventurers. Yoshimo held Draug Fea with one of his traps, and the party finished the dwarf before his comrades could stop them.
Jaheira took Yoshimo's place to help the Harpers. Promise charmed Sanasha (nymph cloak), who in turn Held Prebek.
Jan nicked an efreeti bottle from Taquee before a fire elemental and two skeletons did the Dao in. Jan then buffed (inter alia with PfPetrification because of Flesh to Stone, and two SIs: Abjuration and Evocation) and entered the tent alone. A Malison and a single Hold Monster spelled the two remaining Dao djinnis' doom.
In the Druid Grove area, Jan managed to nick a periapt of proof against poison from Adratha, but there were no potions to be had (wrong dialog options earlier in the Dao Djinn tent apparently). She said she could smell the party had had dealings with the Dao, and unfortunately they didn't get a chance to explain they had actually dispatched those Dao. The party didn't stay for fisticuffs and moved on toward the grove. Up until some shambling mounds they slew, the party had covered the area under invisibility.
A Malison (Jan) + Silence (Aerie) combo made the encounter with Dalok quite a bit easier. Both he and a fellow druid were forced to shapeshift and melee.
Previously
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Unnie found herself locked up in a dungeon. Fortunately her old and distant friend lend her a helping hand (or lock pick).
Imoen being NG, was off course not worthy of the being included in the part - and send away accordingly. Jaheira and a guy named Minsc where treated the same way.
Unnie was alone again, and needed to escape the dungeon. Some sub par gear made up the start up equipment.
The real threat in the dungeon is as usual the memphits. The sleep effect being the most notable disabler. Unnie had no way of avoiding the disabler, but a sanctuary spell can be of good use. Unnie drew two memphits from their portals into the portal room, and cast sanctuary and closed the door. Even with only two memphits, Unnie was not off the hook. She buffed and managed a critical hit for one of the
portals; picking the wrong one. A failed save later, saw Unnie sleeping one the floor. Luckily with only one angry memphit in the room. She managed to rise and kill the memphit in the end. And escape the dungeon.
On the outside, Unnie headed for the circus. She transformed an Ogre into a travelling companion - a Lawful good Cleric/Mage. Exactly what Unnie was hoping for. A bit squishy off course and not paladin material - but with hard and mind on the right place. Off to new heights and the slums. In the slums we Anomen was picked up. Anomen is not having a big heart, but having the potential to grow one so he is allowed. And suddenly Unnie and the righteous where a party of three.
Getting more help was not that easy. Keldorn is in a sewer somewhere and Mazzy locked in a dungeon. What to do? Hunt liches off course. Or at least getting the day star sword and cash in on the accessory loot... Admittedly that part of the game lacked direction and sense. But I did get the sword, and headed for watchers keep..
From then it was the sewers and the haunted temple. To finally unlock Mazzy and Keldorn. The shadows where turned and the major undead killed by the undead hunter. I had postponed picking up both Keldorn and Mazzy, fearing that their quests where timed - but playing with a party was meant as a learning experience, and after having my misconceptions proven wrong (they don’t have timers) I found a way to pick up the rest of the party.
Overconfidence in the new party formed a bold plan in Unnies 11 int head. Get the ring if Gaxx and pick up Rashad.
The plan set in motion, and getting the ring proved surprisingly easily. The Azuredge axe made a clean sweep of the guardian liches who all failed their saves first time. Easy as pie. Protection from magic and undead scrolls provided an easy win against Kangaxx - day star cutting him down quickly.
The onto Trademeet and meet Rashad. He is lawful good and fits the party concept. But Unnie actually just came for his quest -Rashad still try his luck with sweet talk...
the temple quests done and the final battle with the Sharran was the last obstacle before the completion. I didn’t underestimate the battle, and had duly buffed. But part resources was a bit scarce being of low level and wanting to keep charname, Rashad and the weapon master alive. I spent 9 charges from the rod of ressurrection and a bunch of potions. 2 party members down, but with a sigh of relief we succeeded. As a last minute tribute to Rashad I gave him the ring of gaxx. But to my utter surprise he left the part to stay in the temple?! How could he, and what about the ring? Well actually the script (which I am totally happy with) gives you 2 in return. So Unnie could equip 2 ring of gaxx for a very low ac, saving throw and awesome regeneration. Neat
After that questing was a bit easier. Mazzy being a formidable archer and Keldorn a prize winner when battling mages. Lawful good is really good.
The usual quests open in chapter 2 where done. Going everywhere and as far as WK3 (only for a paladin only sword, who perfects the sword and board setup).
We even managed to set fire to a beautiful bonfire. Oh happy day.
In the paladin stronghold the first major and irreversible cock up happened. We failed to save the young girl that was attacked by assassins. And duly kicked out of the order... The experience where kind of baffling and my in game actions perhaps clouded by that. Unnie undertook the illithid quest in the sewers and faced the Alhoon. Overconfidence proved her down fall, and two hours after being kicked out of the order she lost her live. Torm sees and Torm judges..
Lawful stupid ended up being the most fitting label.
I will continue my trek through the alignment charts. Doing all the alignments. It should be fun and a valuable learning experience. I have yet to try some (many) of the NPC’s (mostly SoD and BG1). But the challenge should change that - I will restart my plays with a given alignment until I have meet all the NPCs with the exact same alignment and post from that given run.
Stawk, ranger (Gate70)
Grond, berserker (Grond0)
We are standing near to the rotting corpse of Meilum, and a quick look at our inventory suggests we are ready for Nashkel Mine. More ready than Mulahey the half-orc is, that's for certain.
Grond has to double-back at the camp to help Stawk with a group of hobgoblins. When they are dead we move towards the main tent and Stawk steps between the already-dead bandits that Grond has hammered into submission.
At the base of the mine we run into Davaeorn. Stawk thinks to sneak up to him but takes a glyph trap in the face and moves away to consider his options. By the time he does this Grond has dealt a fatal blow to our enemy and all that is left to do is loot the place before flooding it.
(a real-life cold meant Grond0 was trying not to sneeze at that point, again the timing was impeccable).
Anyway, Grond found that sometimes 102hp minus the magic missile trap damage just ain't enough.
Party inventory post revival:
Grond has 201 kills (greater basilisk) so maintains his lead over Stawk's 185 kills (also a greater basilisk).
Dispenser knew immediately that Amelyssan the Blackhearted, as Melissan fashioned herself, could not stand against his onslaught. With all shielded by Protection from Evil and Prayer, he cast the Divine Might of Tyr before hurling Energy Blades downrange while Yasraena, Isra, and Keldorn struck Melissan repeatedly with Carsomyr +6, Runehammer +5, Fireflower +5, and Graham the Sword of Grief +5. Neera broke down what defenses Amelyssan could muster using Pierce Magic, Remove Magic, and Greater Malison before also turning to Energy Blades. Imoen continuously fired off the Short Bow of Gesen such that their foe was under constant barrage from every angle. Added to his blitzkrieg were his summoned Deva, Juggernaut Golem, and Greater Air, Earth, and Fire Elementals who ruthlessly pounded Amelyssan, completely ignoring any summons she could muster. She fell for the third and final time, and Solar, or rather the gods, ended the contest in Dispenser’s favor.
MARILITH
KELDORN LANDS A BLOW
A VERDICT IS RENDERED
Destiny came fast in the end, whirling like a comet to its climax. The confrontation with Baltazar had been anti-climactic. Expecting another battle; instead, Dispenser found a monk with a good heart was blinded and became fanatical in his zeal to destroy the taint of Bhaal in Toril. Dispenser spoke to him gently when he realized the man’s agony. Once Baltazar was sure the Bhaal-essence was safe in Dispenser’s care, he took his own life in despair.
BALTAZAR'S SHAME
Getting to Baltazar was more difficult than Baltazar himself. Before returning to Amkethran, Dispenser fought a grueling battle, crushing several demons summoned by Melissan in the Forest of Tethyr: two Balor’s, two Mariliths, two Glabrezu, several Cambions, and an Alu-Fiend. Upon arrival at the monastery gate, Dispenser unleashed a relentless assault on Enchanters, Berserkers, Monks and mercenaries, of no small ability, who protected the abbot. Once past them, the way was clear to Baltazar. Then, returning to the Pocket Plane, Dispenser faced back to back Bhaal challenges, in which he defeated, first the Ravager, and then, the Slayer. In the apocalyptic final battles, powerful creatures protected Melissan in the Abyssal Plane including: the Prince of Evil Air, Yan-C-Bin; the Prince of Evil Cold, Cryonax; more Marilith’s; five Succubus;’ various elementals and Frost Salamanders. Dispenser destroyed them.
AMELYSSAN'S DEMON'S - ANOTHER MARILITH
AMELYSSAN'S DEMON'S - GLABREZU
SLAUGHTER IN THE STREET'S
RAVAGER GOING, GOING . . .
RAVAGER GONE!
AFTERMATH
As he got near the end of his journey to his destiny, Imoen began experiencing Bhaalspawn powers. This worried Dispenser greatly – he alone had been the one to carry that burden, and he did not want that for his sister. He was relieved when Amelyssan died because Imoen was able to rid herself of Bhaal taint. As did he. Had he any thought of becoming a deity in his own right, which he did not, Neera would have won the day, and his heart. This group he had assembled were not just his followers; they were his friends. Finally, they would be able to enjoy that friendship without having to load up and head back out to face the next challenge. And so, his Bhaal essence was destroyed, and he was just a mortal. It sounded weird at first, but it quickly grew on him.
WAIT FOR IT . . .
WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?
NEERA'S BACK
NEERA'S BACK AGAIN
Yasraena returned to Suldanessellar after the showdown with Amelyssan, a lifelong, loyal friend to Dispenser, to all of them. She reunited with the love of her life, Divalir. They married, intending to live out their days there, but despite all she had done for the city in helping save their Tree of Life, the Elves never excepted her because she was a Drow, so the two of them moved on. They traveled for five years, searching for a home, but prejudice against Drow is rampant throughout Toril. Divalir grew bitter for her sake and when their child was born a half-Drow, they both determined to protect him from even greater rejection. They left Toril and the Prime Material Plane for Sigil, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Isra remained in Tethyr for a while, determined to do all she could to repair the damage caused in the wake of the Bhaalspawn crisis. She never spoke of it, but those who got to know her believed she felt called to atone for damage inadvertently committed during those days. She became quite popular with the Tethyrian aristocracy, and with one minstrel in particular. She remained until tensions between Amn and Tethyr reached a boiling point, leaving to return north to Crimmor, where she reunited with the Order of the Roby Rose. Illustrious though her later career proved to be, nothing would ever compare to the quest she undertook in her youth. She retired from active service at a relatively younger age than most Paladins. She went into politics, trying to add a bit of compassion into a Crimmorian system of government that severely lacked it. She never married, but hinted to her friends, that she was never lonely.
Keldorn became the group's patriarch as they traveled, slow to speak, quick to listen, always offering wisdom at just the right time. Following his travels with Dispenser, he planned to retire from service, and he did for four years before responding courageously when giants besieged Amn. At the age of sixty, he and five knights of the order, fought desperately to hold a strategic pass until Amn levies could come up. His mission was a success, but he suffered fatal wounds, and the old Paladin fell on the battlefield. The knights that fought with him swore that the hand of Torm appeared and took Keldorn’s broken body away, disappearing before their eyes. It is ironic that not Dispenser, but Keldorn, assumed a role in a pantheon. From that day forward, visions of the true god were never without the ghostly figure of Keldorn at his right hand.
Imoen and Dispenser enjoyed being brother and sister all of their days. Following the events in the Bhaalspawn crisis, Imoen spent a great deal of time in Candlekeep, where she was once again welcome. She developed an appreciation for the tomes she once thought were booorring. Powerful in her own right, after she departed Candlekeep, she would be seen in the vaunted company of Kelben “Blackstaff” and Elminster, reportedly trying to get them to quit being such stick-in-the-muds. She continued to ply her Thief Adventurer skills, eventually becoming the Guild Master of a series of thieves’ guilds that ranged from Athkatla to Baldur’s Gate to Neverwinter. She worked tirelessly to reform the image of thieves in society. Eventually led to a clash for dominance with the Shadow Thieves, and while the struggle, most believe Imoen will eventually run them out of Faerun. When she allowed herself to get away, she always spent her time with Dispenser and Neera, or Isra. You could never tell when she might drop in for a visit.
Neera traveled back to the north, stopping at inns and taverns along the way. She enjoyed listening to bards who wove tales both true and false of her adventures with Dispenser, all of them swearing that they had inside knowledge, none of them knowing the woman in the cowl was Neera. When she reached the High Forest, she was welcomed back as a hero and was personally congratulated by Turlang the Treant. Dispenser joined her there after dealing with administrative matters at his keep, D’Arnise. They would call both the High Forest and D’Arnise home, but mostly they traveled Faerun seeing places their adventures had not taken them to, and revisiting some that they had. Dispenser was known far and wide throughout Faerun and even known in Kara-Tur south and west of Faerun. His fame from the Bhaalspawn crisis was later augmented when he became the High Priest of Tyr’s pantheon. His holy see was at the Fortress Faithful, the supreme church of Tyr in Tethyr, and he spent a great deal of time at the massive House of Tyr’s Hand in Thesk that sheltered the Just Knights – clerics, Paladins, and fighters who had honored the Maimed God in countless battles against their aggressive neighbors in Thay. With his own money (he was perhaps the wealthiest person in Faerun), he established the House of Tyr in Athkatla, the Temple of Justice in Baldur’s Gate, and Temples of Tyr in both Waterdeep and Neverwinter. He was always in demand when high-level ecclesiastical and political events took place. Neera was a powerful Wild Mage in her own right. She and Dispenser often stood against the machinations of The Red Wizards of Thay. Her greatest feat was sinking three Thayan ships with one spell – the one spell she had never tried before, Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer[\i]. That act forced the Red Wizards to abandon the City of Melvaunt on the Moonsea (west of the High Forest). One day Dispenser woke to find Neera was gone, no note, no anything. But he just smiled. He knew her well, and when she got a wild hair, she just chased it. A few weeks later, he met her in Amn, where she had gone to reunite with the other surviving mages of the Hidden Refuge. They lived out their years together, leaving two half-half Elven daughters, both with the same beautiful blond hair of their mother, who they named Denira and Telindra; and a son, who followed his father in serving Tyr, but as a Paladin, who carried the name Dispenser the Younger.
In the immediate years that followed, the six companions and Divalir reunited annually to ensure their friendships never waned. Each year they would travel to the home of a different member, Crimmor, D’Arnise Keep, High Forest, or in Athkatla. In the fifth year, the year they met at Candlekeep, they learned the sad news that Yasraena and Divalir would be leaving Toril. In that same reunion, a letter arrived from Maria, Keldorn’s widow, bringing the news of their patriarchs’ death. Dispenser, Neera, Imoen, and Isra never met again at Candlekeep, sticking to Crimmor, D’Arnise, and the High Forest - but they still got together every year.
PARTY INFORMATION
ORDER OF MARCH: Yasraena, Isra, & Keldorn (Shock), Dispenser (leader), Neera (Arcane Support), Imoen (Recon & Traps)
MONSTERS DEFEATED (ordered alphabetically by value): * Ravager (50k @ PP); Fallen Solar (32k @ AP); Cryonax, Prince of Evil Cold (28k @ AP); Yan-C-Bin, Prince of Evil Air (28k @ AP); Demon, Balor/Type VI (2 @ 26k @ FT); Demoness, Marilith/Type V (2/2 @ 23k @ FT/AP); Mage/Enchanter//20 (2 @ 20k @ AK); Monk Guard Captain, Monk/20 (20k @ AK); Demon, Nabassu (16k @ AP); Berserker/20 (2 @ 15k @ AK); Elder Air Elementals (2 @ 15k @ AP); Succubus (5 @ 14k @ AP); Slayer Shadows (5 @ 12.5k @ AP); Cambion (4 @ 12k @ FT); Demon, Glabrezu/Type III (2/2 @ 12k @ FT/AP); Mercenary Captain (12k @ AK); Greater Earth Elemental (11k @ FT); Ice Paraelemental (3 @ 11k @ AP); Mercenary, Berserker/12 (6 @ 11k @ AK); Monks/13 (19 @ 10k @ AK); Aerial Servanta (3 @ 9k @ AP); Demoness, Alu-Fiend (1/1 @ 9k @ FT/AP); Frost Salamander (2 @ 9k @ AP); Mercenary, Fighter/8 (7 @ 8k @ AK); Air Elemental (7k @ AP); Blizzard Trolls (2 @ 5k @ AP); Mercenary, Berserker/12 (5 @ 2k @ AK)
* Legend: AP = Abyssal Plane; Amkethran = Ak; Bhaal Trials = BT; DS = Disturb Sleep; FT = Forest of Tethyr; PP = Pocket Plane; RE = Random Encounter
LEVEL UP: Keldorn, Inquisitor of Torm/23; Yasraena, Fighter/29-30; Neera, Wild Mage/20; Dispenser, Cleric (Holy Justice of Tyr)/33; Thief (Adventurer)/17; Isra, Cavalier of Sune/26
CASUALTIES: None
NOTEWORTHY TREASURE: (Gold earned = ~ 1039)
Armor & Weapons: None
Gems/jewelry: Kings Tear, Emerald, Diamond
Potions: Superior Healing (3), Extra Healing (9)
Scrolls: None
Wands: None
Misc & Artifacts: None
BEST KILL:
1) Yasraena, Bodhi (91k exp)
2) Isra, Draconis (61 exp ea)
3) Keldorn, Chromatic Demon (55k exp
4) Neera, Umber Hulk Elder (18k exp)
5) Imoen, Kuo-Toan Priest (4k exp)
CURRENT DISPOSITION: Disbanded
NEXT STEPS: Journey Complete
PARTY MAKEUP: (Reputation: 18 – Heroic)
Dispenser: LG Cleric (Holy Justice of Tyr)/33 (HP 108 ), Shield +4 (Shield of the Order), Helm of the Noble +1, Holy Symbol of Tyr, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Cloak of Balduran, Girdle of Fire Giant Strength, Rings of Fire Resistance & Regeneration & Boots of Etherealness w/ Flail of the Ages +5 (Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison) & Longsword +4 (The Answerer) (Bastard Sword*, Flail*, Long Sword*, Mace/Morning Star*, Warhammer*, SSS*, SWS*, TWS**); Abilities: Cure Affliction (2), Detect Invisibility, Divine Might (2), Healing Touch (2), Hold person, Holy Word, Strength of One, Slayer Change, Pocket Plane, Mass Healing; High-Level Abilities: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Mass Raise Dead, Implosion, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva; Skills: None; Spells: Aura of Flaming Death, Earthquake, Elemental Summoning, Energy Blades, Finger of Death, Fire Storm, Implosion, Mass Raise Dead, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Deva, Aerial Servant, Animal Summoning III, Blade Barrier, Bolt of Glory (2), False Dawn, Harm, Heal, Sol’s Searing Orb, Wondrous Recall, Cause Critical Wounds, Chaotic Commands, Cure Critical Wounds, Flame Strike, Greater Command, Mass Cure, Raise Dead, Righteous Magic, Slay Living, True Seeing, Cause Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Death Ward, Defensive Harmony, Farsight, Free Action, Restoration, Negative Plane Protection, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ (2), Animate Dead, Cure Disease, Cure Medium Wounds, Dispel Magic, Holy Smite, Invisibility Purge, Prayer, Remove Curse, Rigid Thinking, Zone of Sweet Air, Aid, Chant (3), Draw on Holy Might (2), Hold Person (2), Resist Fire & Cold, Silence 15’ (2), Slow Poison (2), Armor of Faith (2), Bless (2), Command (2), Cure Light Wounds, Doom, Faerie Fire (2), Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, Sanctuary; (Adv AI) (1)
Isra: LG Paladin (Cavalier of Sune)/26 (HP 141), Red Dragon Scale Plate, Ghadir Family Ring, Painbearer’s Amulet, Pale Green Ioun Stone, Cloak of the Shield, Boots of Hastened Departure w/ Two-Handed Sword +6 (Carsomyr), Mace +5 (Storm Star), Gauntlets of Weapons Expertise, Girdle of Hill Giant Strength, (Axe**, Bastard Sword**, Mace/Morning Star**, Two-Handed Sword**, Warhammer*, THWS**); Abilities: Cure Disease, Detect Evil (26), Lay on Hands, Protection from Evil (23), Remove Fear (23); High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Hardiness, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: Defensive Harmony, Free Action, Neutralize Poison, Cure Disease, Holy Smite, Zone of Sweet Air, Chant, Draw on Holy Might, Armor of Faith, Bless, Command; (Adv AI) (2)
Yasraena: CG Fighter//30 (HP 168), Shuruppak’s Plate, Wong Fei’s Ioun Stone, Girdle of Frost Giant Strength, Boots of Speed w/ Short Sword +5 (Ironkiss), Short Sword +5 (Fireflower) & Warhammer +5 (Runehammer), (Short Sword/Nija-to*****, Two-Weapon Style***, Warhammer**), w/ Gauntlet’s of Extraordinary Specialization, (Sword Sword*****, Warhammer*****, 2WS***) w/ Rings of Regeneration & Anti-venom; Abilities: None; High-Level Abilities: Critical Strike, Death Blow, Greater Death Blow, Greater Whirlwind Attack (2), Hardiness, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Smite, War Cry, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None: Spells: None; (Adv AI) (nil)
Keldorn: LG Paladin(Inquisitor)/22 (HP 148), Red Dragon Scale, Helm of Charm Protection, Girdle of Stone Giant Strength, Greenstone Amulet, Ring of Regeneration, Cloak of the Shield, w/ Blessed Paladin’s Bracers, Horn of Valhalla & Boots of the North w/ Two-handed Sword +5 (Graham the Sword of Grief), Crossbow +5 (Firetooth), Flail +3 (Defender of Easthaven), (Crossbow**, Flail**, Long Sword**, Two-Handed Sword**, Halberd8, THWS**); Abilities:: Detect Evil (24), Protection from Evil (21), Dispel Magic (6), True Sight (6); High-Level Abilities: Deathblow, Greater Deathblow, Greater Whirlwind Attack, Power Attack, Resist Magic, Whirlwind Attack; Skills: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (3)
Neera: CN Wild Mage/20 (HP 50) Robe of Invocation, Bracers of Defense AC6, Gargoyle Boots, & Belt of Inertial Barrier, w/ Quarter Staff +2 & Throwing Darts (Dagger*, Q/staff*, Sling*); Abilities: Scribe Scrolls; Skills: None; High-Level Abilities: Dragons Breath, Energy Blades, Extra 6th Level Spell, Extra 7th Level Spell, Extra 8th Level Spell, Improved Alacrity; Spells: Black Blade of Disaster, Spellstrike, Maze, Simulacrum (2), Incendiary Cloud, Delayed Blast Fireball, Improved Chaos Shield, Mass Invisibility, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Chain Lightning, Contingency, Death Spell, Improved Haste, Pierce Magic, Cone of Cold, Domination, Feeblemind, Lower Resistance (2), Minor Spell Turning, Sunfire, Confusion, Fire Shield Red, Greater Malison (2), Improved Invisibility, Minor Globe of Invisibility, Stoneskin, Teleport Field, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste, Hold Person, Melf’s Minute Meteors, Remove Magic (3), Aganazzer’s Scorcher, Blur, Chaos Shield, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Ray of Enfeeblement (2), Stinking Cloud, Magic Missile (5), Chromatic Orb, Nahal’s Reckless Dweomer; (Adv AI) (nil)
Imoen: NG Thief/Adventurer//17 (HP 77) Elven Chain +1 w/ Buckler +3, Dusty Rose Ioun Stone, Amulet of the Master Harper, Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind, & Belt of Inertial Barrier w/ Short Bow of Gesen & Short Sword +3 (Dagger*, Dart*, Katana*, Q/staff*, Scimitar*, Short Bow*, Short Sword*); Abilities: Cause Serious Wounds, Cure Serious Wounds, Resurrection, Set Snare (4); Skills: OL 185, PP 60, FT 170, MS 115, HS 140, DI 30, ST 60 (w/ Cloak of Elvenkind, Boots of Elvenkind); High-Level Abilities: None; Spells: None; (Adv AI) (nil)
MOD USED: Amber v5, Tyris Flare v8, Foundling v4.2, Pesty v3.1, Asher v1.12, Gavin v23, Sirene for BG2, Isra v3, Paina, Tashia v1.2, Vampire Tales, Ninde, Saerileth, Arath v4, Dace v5, Tsujatha, Kelsey v5, Keto v5, Sarah v5, Nathaniel v4.4, Iylos v2.6, Adrian v4.3, Naphele v2.5, Fade v5.5, Saradas Magic v1.6, de’Arnice Romance v6, Unfinished Business v26, Plane Touched Races, Wheels of Prophecy v8.3, NPC Flirt v1.06, Romantic Encounters v14, Tweaks Anthology, Deities of Faerun, Song & Silence v9, Rogue Rebalancing v4.92, Wizard Slayer Rebalancing v1.14, SCS v32.7, Atweaks v4.53, Item Randomizer
(Current AI) (Chain of Command rank)
Canore - dwarf Shadowdancer, protagonist (Gate70)
Doubt - human dark moon monk (Grond0)
Russell X - human Undead Hunter (Corey_Russell)
Short & sweet:
Sometimes it is best not to remember your intentions:
There are no witnesses for Canore's stupidity (other than Doubt and Russell X who almost die laughing as our protagonist strolls into basilisk-gaze)