Ust Natha

Comments

• jmerry Member Posts: 4,139

  August 29

  Just some random evil adventuring party. Who aren't interested in talking when they could just get to the killing, and aren't on the side of the drow.

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• FredN Member Posts: 640

  August 29 edited August 29

  They all have names, not something you usually see in a random hostile encounter.
  To be more specific, their names are : Boz, Chandrilla, Pitch, Simbja and N'Ashtar. Sounds less than random to me.

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• Yigor Member Posts: 921

  August 29

  https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Adventuring_Party_(Underdark)

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• FredN Member Posts: 640

  August 29 edited August 29

  I did a Google search and got this:
  >You encounter this hostile adventuring party as you are leaving the drow city of Ust Natha, after accepting a mission from the drow Solaufein. The confrontation is a scripted event, and there is no peaceful way to resolve the encounter. The entire group will turn hostile as soon as you are detected or attack them, so you should be prepared for a difficult fight.<
  As I suspected, not at all random. They are always there, regardless of who you are, when you arrive or your party's composition. They are an obstacle specifically placed there just to screw with you.

  Post edited by FredN on August 29

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• jmerry Member Posts: 4,139

  August 29

  Yes, they are placed there just to screw with you (and to drop a powerful weapon). That doesn't change the point that they have no story significance. Maybe they were hired by a rival drow house. Maybe they're just passing through the Underdark and are hostile to all drow. Either way, you kill them and no one ever brings them up again.
  
  I wouldn't be surprised if the developers snuck a shout-out/reference into those names. It's certainly the sort of place you'd expect to see gestures like that, where it doesn't impact anything else.

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• Yigor Member Posts: 921

  August 29 edited August 29

  Boz is stronger than most other male ogres. His behavior is nothing subtle or particularly tactical in combat. He'll attack the nearest detected enemy until they are dead.
  
  This brutish warrior wields the mighty Dragon's Breath Halberd as his melee weapon, which deals multiple additional elemental damages on any successful hit.
  
  Note that the animation sprite for this creature shows a one handed Morning Star as its weapon - but it will be the halberd used during actual gameplay. The Ogre sprite can't change from how it is designed. (fandom wiki)

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• Humanoid_Taifun Member Posts: 1,094

  August 29

  I always saw that encounter as the game’s way of really driving home the fact that you’re in disguise. You’re forced into battle with people you might otherwise share an ale with, if not for that disguise. There’s no way to talk to them, no reason they would trust you or even listen.
  So you end up sullying your hands with the blood of innocents just to see the mission through. To me, that’s a pretty emotional moment.
  
  Of course, as you said, the game actually tags them as evil — and that does cheapen the impact for me. I know full well I’m being “racist against Chaotic Evil” here, but I can’t help it.

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