Icewind Dale RP/No Reload Run
Grum
Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,100
After my failed Baldur's Gate attempt, I've decided to fail at Icewind Dale next.
The rules:
(1) When rolling stats, no stat can be changed by more than +/-1
(2) No metagame knowledge that wouldn't make sense for the characters
(3) If a character gets chunked...well, that sucks. Drive on. No-reload, right?
Time to meet the cast!
Part 1.1: Morlaen
"My given name is Morlaen. My mother gave it to me. But nobody here calls me by that, they just call me Mor. That, and they ask me what I am. Truth be told, I'm not all that sure. Mother tells me that my father was an elf, but I'm not sure that I believe her. Sure, I've got the pointed ears, but how does this explain my skin? That, or...how do I put it? My ability to make things happen. You know, bending spoons, making things float. Seeing things. I...well, never mind that. Mother says that father was an elf, and so far everyone believes her. Pale skin or no, so long as my ears point and I don't let my abilities be too obvious, I'll be fine.
What I really need to do is get out of his pissant village. Either it's too damned quiet or...well, that's all it really is. I hear that Hrothgar is putting together an expedition to go help Kuldahar. I'm signing up. Mother will understand, I'm sure. It's just that I'm so bored! The most excitement that I had all week was convincing Old Jeb to stop drinking. *Again*.
He'll be back on the bottle in a day or so, once he finds another fool to buy him one. Gods above and devils below! I have no idea what problems ail our tree hugging neighbors, but whatever it is, it's got to be better than staying here."
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1.2 Lief
"Alright...alright. I'll admit it. This isn't exactly what I was expecting when I joined the Cult of Tempus. They said that they needed somebody to catelogue all of the heroic whatnots up north. Easthaven is...well...it's not Waterdeep, let me put it that way.
Still, I can't feel sorry for myself. There is some sort of expedition that is going to be mounted. Everyone who can swing a sword is signing up. I can't wait! A nameless evil rises from the wastes, and only...ah, I'm doing it again, aren't I? Sorry, sorry. Hey, wait now. I've got something interesting to tell. You won't believe it, but I came across a sea-elf, who had me return the lost blade that slew the wyrm Icasaracht, to Jhonen, the descent of a great hero who fell when slaying the beast. Don't believe me? Well, sit down for a spell and listen."
"He hewed with the brand!
Long since he went to Easthaven for the slaying of the Worm,
There he won glory and the name of Wyrm-doom,
Since he pierced that serpent through, with the blade of inlaid steel.
He hewed with the brand!
Young he was, when east of Oere-sound he made good breakfast for the wolves,
While his steel sang on the high-crest of the icing-death,
Blood-stained the sea, the ravens waded through.
He hewed with the brand!
Ere a hundred years has passed o'er us, we who shake our spears,
At Easthaven's mouth was the hero laid low,
Warriors died! The crimson death colored the sea and ravens feasted.
He hewed with the brand!
The war-god loved him when he was sent to the might halls,
Keen was the raven feathered arrow that we sent ere his passing,
Dirge was the music of sword on scale and cleft was shield.
He hewed with the brand!
Great was his courage when he faced Icasarcht, 'mid his winged steed, died.
No jarl more fearless was sent o'er the main;
His stout heart drove him, fearless, by the ice-devil's haunt.
He hewed with the brand!
The brand bit sore, the sword flew from its sheath,
Crimson the borders of our mood-shields when he died,
Loud roared the spears of his kin, as low law the drake.
He hewed with the brand!
His life was well-nigh o'er; sharp is the pang that the serpent gives.
For the snakes nest deep in the heart. No more may his children rest
Great wrath will fly for the undoing of doom.
He hewed with the brand!
Full gladly did he go! See the Valkyrjar fresh from Tempus' halls!
High-seated among the heroes shall he quaff the yellow-mead."*
...tis true, I swear! What do you mean? Ask Jhonen, indeed I gave him that very same blade. What? Yes, it was broken when I gave it to him. A liar? Here now! There is no call for that. As Tempus as my witness I tell the truth? Shall we go to the temple to swear it? Hey, come back! Come back you churl! Oh shyt he's coming back..."
* Note, this is only very loosely changed from a viking poem. Any other poetry that comes from Lief will likely be taken from other historical poems.
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1.3 Godric
"Tempus, the lord of battles. I am his sword. I am war made flesh. I shall fear no evil. I shall feel no fear! There is glory in righteous battle, and I shall reap what I sow!"
"Y-yes. Of course. But about the wolf in my shop?"
"There shall be a reckoning! My blade unsheathed shall drink deep this day!"
"I see. Very good. Now, to get in the door-bloody hell. He just kicked it down."
"The hound shall trouble you no more."
"Hey, thanks. But are you alright? Your leg is bleeding-, oh, look at that. You can heal yourself?"
"A broken blade is of less use to Tempus."
"Yup, I'd imagine. Speaking of which, please, take this. It's a knife that I made. Scrimshaw, it is. As a way of saying-oof! Uh, yes. You're welcome. You can stop hugging me now. Eugh, gods, I've got blood on me new shirt! I mean, yes, you're welcome. If I need anything else I'll-yeah. Yeah...
Bloody paladins. Now I've got to fix that door..."
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1.4 Brunhilda
"Sister Accalia, it is a pleasure to have finally arrived in Easthaven. Yes, I know you were expecting us, and I thank you for the warm welcome. No, no. Brother Godric isn't here. No, that isn't his real name. "God's Strength", yes, really, he chose that. He is most fervent in his desire to be worthy in the eyes of Tempus. Paladins, right? Anyways, our swordmaster told us to make a pilgrimage here. He said that there were portents. Could you tell me anything about this?
Interesting. So there is an expedition that is going to be mounted? Is there anything else you can tell me about this? I see. Well then, I suppose it would be best if we joined as well. I wouldn't leave Godric here for more than a few days, or he'll just end up charging off alone into the wilderness to hunt orcs. And I swear, if I have to cure him of frostbite one more time...oh, yes. Of course. Thank you sister. I will seek out Hrothgar immediately."
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1.5 Thorek
"Ale, wench! Look, I've cleared out ye-ah, that's better. Thank ye most kindly."
"So then, who am I? Name be Thorek. Thorek Bloodfist! How'd I get the name? Earned it, o'course. Why be I here? Because where else should I be? In a mine?! Pff-haw! Lass, ye want to tell me where the nearest dwarven mine be? Ye tell me, an I'll show ye the nearest orc den. Nay, our time be done. What's the point livin' a wastin' death, watchin' whats left o' me people slowly rot? Nay, better to wander like I do. Make the coin where ye can and drink it before ye die. Much easier that way. Least then ye don't have to watch any more o' ye clan mates bite it, ye ken? Anyways, I think that ye owe me another drink for that. Make it a mead this time, that's a good lass."
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1.6 Elthraen
"...who would have thought that he would have cared so much about the purity of his daughter? Anyways, what I'm saying is that he was clearly overreacting. It really wasn't my fault that I missed my ship to go on the retreat. Why, if you had that many axes, shovels and nooses chasing after you, well, you'd run out into the wilderness too! Well, thank you for the ride. When they chased me to the lake I thought that I was done for. Where did you say that we were again? Easthaven? Huh...Easthaven. Haven't heard of it. Well, thank you again! I'm sure it will work out just fine. No, no I don't need to go back. I've got a good feeling about this."
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1.7 Forming the Party
And so it was that the party was formed, though at the time they were but one squad. Hrothgar, an experienced adventurer himself, put them together based on his background. A paladin and a dwarven warrior to hold the front. An elven...well, something, nobody was quite sure what, to act as a scout. A priest of Tempus to patch them up, a sorceror to patch them up...and a bard. Because he had already made up all of the other squads, and there was nowhere else to really put him. So Hrothgar decided that if anything, the paladin could keep the bard out of trouble and also save him from getting his neck wrung by everyone else.
The rules:
(1) When rolling stats, no stat can be changed by more than +/-1
(2) No metagame knowledge that wouldn't make sense for the characters
(3) If a character gets chunked...well, that sucks. Drive on. No-reload, right?
Time to meet the cast!
Part 1.1: Morlaen
"My given name is Morlaen. My mother gave it to me. But nobody here calls me by that, they just call me Mor. That, and they ask me what I am. Truth be told, I'm not all that sure. Mother tells me that my father was an elf, but I'm not sure that I believe her. Sure, I've got the pointed ears, but how does this explain my skin? That, or...how do I put it? My ability to make things happen. You know, bending spoons, making things float. Seeing things. I...well, never mind that. Mother says that father was an elf, and so far everyone believes her. Pale skin or no, so long as my ears point and I don't let my abilities be too obvious, I'll be fine.
What I really need to do is get out of his pissant village. Either it's too damned quiet or...well, that's all it really is. I hear that Hrothgar is putting together an expedition to go help Kuldahar. I'm signing up. Mother will understand, I'm sure. It's just that I'm so bored! The most excitement that I had all week was convincing Old Jeb to stop drinking. *Again*.
He'll be back on the bottle in a day or so, once he finds another fool to buy him one. Gods above and devils below! I have no idea what problems ail our tree hugging neighbors, but whatever it is, it's got to be better than staying here."
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1.2 Lief
"Alright...alright. I'll admit it. This isn't exactly what I was expecting when I joined the Cult of Tempus. They said that they needed somebody to catelogue all of the heroic whatnots up north. Easthaven is...well...it's not Waterdeep, let me put it that way.
Still, I can't feel sorry for myself. There is some sort of expedition that is going to be mounted. Everyone who can swing a sword is signing up. I can't wait! A nameless evil rises from the wastes, and only...ah, I'm doing it again, aren't I? Sorry, sorry. Hey, wait now. I've got something interesting to tell. You won't believe it, but I came across a sea-elf, who had me return the lost blade that slew the wyrm Icasaracht, to Jhonen, the descent of a great hero who fell when slaying the beast. Don't believe me? Well, sit down for a spell and listen."
"He hewed with the brand!
Long since he went to Easthaven for the slaying of the Worm,
There he won glory and the name of Wyrm-doom,
Since he pierced that serpent through, with the blade of inlaid steel.
He hewed with the brand!
Young he was, when east of Oere-sound he made good breakfast for the wolves,
While his steel sang on the high-crest of the icing-death,
Blood-stained the sea, the ravens waded through.
He hewed with the brand!
Ere a hundred years has passed o'er us, we who shake our spears,
At Easthaven's mouth was the hero laid low,
Warriors died! The crimson death colored the sea and ravens feasted.
He hewed with the brand!
The war-god loved him when he was sent to the might halls,
Keen was the raven feathered arrow that we sent ere his passing,
Dirge was the music of sword on scale and cleft was shield.
He hewed with the brand!
Great was his courage when he faced Icasarcht, 'mid his winged steed, died.
No jarl more fearless was sent o'er the main;
His stout heart drove him, fearless, by the ice-devil's haunt.
He hewed with the brand!
The brand bit sore, the sword flew from its sheath,
Crimson the borders of our mood-shields when he died,
Loud roared the spears of his kin, as low law the drake.
He hewed with the brand!
His life was well-nigh o'er; sharp is the pang that the serpent gives.
For the snakes nest deep in the heart. No more may his children rest
Great wrath will fly for the undoing of doom.
He hewed with the brand!
Full gladly did he go! See the Valkyrjar fresh from Tempus' halls!
High-seated among the heroes shall he quaff the yellow-mead."*
...tis true, I swear! What do you mean? Ask Jhonen, indeed I gave him that very same blade. What? Yes, it was broken when I gave it to him. A liar? Here now! There is no call for that. As Tempus as my witness I tell the truth? Shall we go to the temple to swear it? Hey, come back! Come back you churl! Oh shyt he's coming back..."
* Note, this is only very loosely changed from a viking poem. Any other poetry that comes from Lief will likely be taken from other historical poems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.3 Godric
"Tempus, the lord of battles. I am his sword. I am war made flesh. I shall fear no evil. I shall feel no fear! There is glory in righteous battle, and I shall reap what I sow!"
"Y-yes. Of course. But about the wolf in my shop?"
"There shall be a reckoning! My blade unsheathed shall drink deep this day!"
"I see. Very good. Now, to get in the door-bloody hell. He just kicked it down."
"The hound shall trouble you no more."
"Hey, thanks. But are you alright? Your leg is bleeding-, oh, look at that. You can heal yourself?"
"A broken blade is of less use to Tempus."
"Yup, I'd imagine. Speaking of which, please, take this. It's a knife that I made. Scrimshaw, it is. As a way of saying-oof! Uh, yes. You're welcome. You can stop hugging me now. Eugh, gods, I've got blood on me new shirt! I mean, yes, you're welcome. If I need anything else I'll-yeah. Yeah...
Bloody paladins. Now I've got to fix that door..."
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1.4 Brunhilda
"Sister Accalia, it is a pleasure to have finally arrived in Easthaven. Yes, I know you were expecting us, and I thank you for the warm welcome. No, no. Brother Godric isn't here. No, that isn't his real name. "God's Strength", yes, really, he chose that. He is most fervent in his desire to be worthy in the eyes of Tempus. Paladins, right? Anyways, our swordmaster told us to make a pilgrimage here. He said that there were portents. Could you tell me anything about this?
Interesting. So there is an expedition that is going to be mounted? Is there anything else you can tell me about this? I see. Well then, I suppose it would be best if we joined as well. I wouldn't leave Godric here for more than a few days, or he'll just end up charging off alone into the wilderness to hunt orcs. And I swear, if I have to cure him of frostbite one more time...oh, yes. Of course. Thank you sister. I will seek out Hrothgar immediately."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.5 Thorek
"Ale, wench! Look, I've cleared out ye-ah, that's better. Thank ye most kindly."
"So then, who am I? Name be Thorek. Thorek Bloodfist! How'd I get the name? Earned it, o'course. Why be I here? Because where else should I be? In a mine?! Pff-haw! Lass, ye want to tell me where the nearest dwarven mine be? Ye tell me, an I'll show ye the nearest orc den. Nay, our time be done. What's the point livin' a wastin' death, watchin' whats left o' me people slowly rot? Nay, better to wander like I do. Make the coin where ye can and drink it before ye die. Much easier that way. Least then ye don't have to watch any more o' ye clan mates bite it, ye ken? Anyways, I think that ye owe me another drink for that. Make it a mead this time, that's a good lass."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.6 Elthraen
"...who would have thought that he would have cared so much about the purity of his daughter? Anyways, what I'm saying is that he was clearly overreacting. It really wasn't my fault that I missed my ship to go on the retreat. Why, if you had that many axes, shovels and nooses chasing after you, well, you'd run out into the wilderness too! Well, thank you for the ride. When they chased me to the lake I thought that I was done for. Where did you say that we were again? Easthaven? Huh...Easthaven. Haven't heard of it. Well, thank you again! I'm sure it will work out just fine. No, no I don't need to go back. I've got a good feeling about this."
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1.7 Forming the Party
And so it was that the party was formed, though at the time they were but one squad. Hrothgar, an experienced adventurer himself, put them together based on his background. A paladin and a dwarven warrior to hold the front. An elven...well, something, nobody was quite sure what, to act as a scout. A priest of Tempus to patch them up, a sorceror to patch them up...and a bard. Because he had already made up all of the other squads, and there was nowhere else to really put him. So Hrothgar decided that if anything, the paladin could keep the bard out of trouble and also save him from getting his neck wrung by everyone else.
Post edited by Grum on
6
Comments
"(3) If a character gets chunked...well, that sucks. Drive on. No-reload, right?"
I would give the same advice that I've given here: http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/628411/#Comment_628411
Leave it as it is. You lose your companion forever but his deeds will not be forgotten.
Also, you can always make a new character in-game (you can follow these recommendations: http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/36377/how-do-a-add-a-new-party-member-mid-game) and pretend that I've met him in an inn - just like they do it in Pillars of Eternity now.
Take a look at the Cleric's stats. Very good for a cleric.
Str12 (ok, that is too low to be of any real use. It even hurts her slinging abilities)
Dex17 (Helps her not get hit and for those weak slings to hit)
Con16 (All that a cleric needs)
Int11 (In BG that'd be enough for mindflayers. In IWD it doesn't matter)
Wis18 (The main stat for clerc-ing)
Cha12 (Again, doesn't make much of a difference)
If I wasn't using the rules that I set forth, she'd have dropped 3 points of Int and 4 points of Cha. The stats would then look like this:
Str18
Dex18
Con16
Int9 (just enough to read scrolls)
Wis18
Cha8 (doesn't make a difference)
The rules that were put in place were done to create more 'realistic' characters. People who don't have perfect stats in everything, but are good enough in what they do.
Likewise, the paladin:
Str17
Dex15
Con16
Stats that are good enough. It *hurts* that he doesn't have the 18 strength, as it would be an 18/x. He had 4 points of Int that he could have dropped if he still wanted to read. That would have given him:
Str 18/x
Dex 18
Con 16
Much better stats. He is still paladin material, but he isn't Charname good.
The one who got it worst though was Thorek.
Dex11, but he has Int13, Wis12 and Cha10. Even if he dropped Int and Wis both down to 10, he'd have enough to have the perfect fighter stats. As is, he *needs* a shield to keep him from getting hit. He's still a decent enough fighter, with S18/53 and Con19. He just, again, isn't Charname good.
---
So yeah. This puts the characters on par with BG NPCs, rather than BG PCs. No more, no less.