1504 replies to this topic

[Quiet]

Who the hell is Kelly ??

http://forums.someth...1#post399419243

[Dakk]

Who the hell is Kelly ??

http://forums.someth...1#post399419243

>_< hahaha!

[Usurper]

From the main thread, the idea of Kelly Clarkson as an actual party member is gaining popularity!

Come on, guys! Twelve more votes and Clarkson is a Baldur's Gate Idol finalist!

Someone who gave a shit could knock up a rough and ready NPC mod in about an hour, less if they knew what they were doing.

I am not that person, however.

If someone actually makes a Kelly Clarkson NPC, I promise I will snap her up immediately without even asking for a party vote (the first time). But it's gotta be a good mod, with banters and conversations related to Kelly Clarkson songs. Maybe even an emotional confrontation ending with 'NO YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP DAD!' You know I'm going to be playing this game for a long time to come. Kelly could live in Athkatla which would give you enough time to get up to version 5.06 at least by the time I get there... in 2013...

Here are the FINAL VOTES with additional information comparing them to the last vote.

Place	Name		Positive	Negative	Total	Last Time 
=========================================================================
 1	Imoen		68		 -5		63	30 (2nd)
 2	Kivan		52				52	 0 (13th)
 3	Mur'Neth	39		 -8		31	in mines
 4	Branwen		24				24	18 (6th)
 5	Xan		22		 -5		17	in jail
 6	Finch		16				16	29 (3rd)
 7	Minsc		26		-11		15	20 (5th)
 8	Kagain		14				14	13 (10th)
 9	Viconia		16		 -2		14	21 (4th)
10	Kelly Clarkson	10				10	on youtube
11	Edwin		 8				 8	13 (9th)
12	Shar-Teel	89		-81		 8	-8 (18th)
13	Will		 7				 7	 1 (16th)
14	Tiax		 7		 -1		 6	 1 (15th)
15	Dynaheir	11		 -5		 6	16 (7th)
16	Xzar		 5				 5	30 (1st)
17	Bjornin		 8		 -3		 5	in Juggler
18	Rose		 4				 4	 1 (14th)
19	Gavin		 3				 3	 2 (12th)
20	Thorfinn	 2				 2	on the road
21	Bub		 2				 2	 0 (17th)
22	Khalid		 2				 2	 7 (11th)
23	Jaheira		 3		 -1		 2	13 (8th)

There were 560 total votes cast, which means 112 people voted.

Most controversial award goes to: Shar-teel! (Last time it was Edwin)
Most totally hated award goes to: Shar-Teel! (again!)
Most universally loved award goes to: Kivan! (Last time it was Xzar)
Most forgettable award goes to: Khalid and Jaheira! (Last time it was Bub Snikt)
Most Icarian rise award goes to: Kivan!
Most meteoric fall award goes to: Xzar!

And congratulations to Nanja Monja for getting his most fervent wish from way back on December 2!

We have to put Kivan and Xan in a party together. It'll be like a black hole of elven depression.

VOTING IS CLOSED. There were five pages of votes on the main thread, and one here. I'm going to start playing now and should have an update in a few hours.

Edited by Usurper, 13 January 2012 - 10:18 PM.

[Leokosta]

Hi, I have a question ... My Imoen just leveled to lvl 10, and I just got 2 HP, even though her CON is 16. I looked around, and it says that after lvl 9, she will only get that amount. Is that accurate ? Or does some mod does that ?
On the party, I think its the most balanced party till now, maybe the death rate will drop ?

Tx

[the bigg]

Hi, I have a question ... My Imoen just leveled to lvl 10, and I just got 2 HP, even though her CON is 16. I looked around, and it says that after lvl 9, she will only get that amount. Is that accurate ? Or does some mod does that ?

Thieves/Bards and Mages/Sorcerors get full HP at 10 and start getting reduced HP at 11, while Clerics/Druids/Monks, Fighters/Paladins,Rangers and Barbarians get full HP only till 9 and reduced HP at 10. It's possible some mod nerfed Thieves/Bards and Mages/Sorcerors to follow the other classes' threshold, though.

On the party, I think its the most balanced party till now, maybe the death rate will drop ?

I suspect the death rate will increase, because of a serie of factors:
1. he's splitting the XP too thin across the party, meaning the NPCs will have too few hit points to survive a beating, and too few abilities to hit back (do note that the BWP installs a component to halve the XP monsters are yielding, so he's not going to get much more XP than he would in a normal BG game).
2. he's rolling the hit dice according to D&D rules, rather than using a table to guarantee max or 'good' rolls; again, this causes NPCs to be too squishy (his party is missing on average 8-10 hit points per character, Xan and Bjornin over 25 each).
3. he's spending a ton of money on resurrections rather than equipment, meaning that he will be too easy to hit and won't get an high enough DPS (again, do note that the BWP installs components to increase the price of stuff and decrease rewards and sell prices, so he shouldn't become much richer than in a normal BG game).

Most of these can be remedied with Shadow Keeper and/or mods, let me know (and post your weidu.log) if you want to be a sissy

[Usurper]

Nope, I definitely do not want to be a sissy. I'm well aware of those disadvantages that I'm taking, and I accept them. They make for a better story, after all. It will just become that much more satisfying when I'm stupidly powerful and able to take on entire civilizations alone in Throne of Bhaal. Besides, I might have to end up solving problems by throwing the bodies of my friends at them until they go away, which is enough to drive anyone off the deep end. And the deep end is my story goal, mwahahahahaha.

The ongoing Shar-Teel controversy has reached a new height (or low): fan fiction. This is off the Something Awful Forums:

The Shar-Teel Squabble Story
by Seuss of Soubar

On the last day of summer, ten hours before Fall…
my grandfather took me out to the wall.

For a while he stood silent. Then finally he said, with a very sad shake of his very old head, "As you know, on this side of the Forum we are Goons. On the far other side of this Forum live the Loons."

Then my grandfather said, "It's high time that you knew of the terribly horrible thing that Loons do. In every party vote, when the question comes up, every Loon logs on and votes Shar-Teel up!"

"But we Goons, as you know, we all vote with a frown," Grandpa said, "and we always vote Shar-Teel down. For she is an NPC without renown!" Grandpa gritted his teeth. "So you can't trust a Loon who casts a vote for Shar-Teel! Every Loon must be watched! The threat to the tread is too real! That's why, as a youth, I kept watch in my head, watching Loons in order to safeguard the thread!"

In those days, of course, the number of Goons wasn't so high, and I could troll any Loon right square in the eye. If he dared to speak up praising the bitch, I could give him a twitch with my tough tufted prickly Troll-Berry Switch. For a while that worked fine. All the Loons stayed away and our party was safe. Then one terrible day a very rude Loon by the name of Kavillè snuck up and soon that Shar-Teel was back in the fray!

With our party nerfed, with my head hung in shame, to Pug1233 in great sorrow I came. But our leader just smiled. He said, "You're not to blame. And that Vorgen will be sorry that he started this game."

"We'll get the vote out better and them you will lead! That Shar-Teel won't stand a chance, no indeed!" And he ordered the Boys in the Back Room to riddle how to make Shar-Teel's prospects not worth a piddle.

With our hordes at my back I felt quite secure; I marched up to Kaville and gave him a pure flame of derision and my followers followed all wearing a frown and I yelled "now for sure we'll get Shar-Teel voted down!"

Kaville blanched and looked quite sickly; he retreated from the thread very quickly.

Now I'm unhappy to say he was posting the next day with an army of his own, what horrible luck. "We're all going to go and vote Shar-Teel up!" They hooted and yelled and there was nothing to do but vote early and often and keep turning the screw; we voted against and they voted for and at last poor Vorgen shouted out "no more!"

So he stood in the middle and he tallied our desires; the number of votes could hardly be higher. Pug1233 stood and stroked his chin as he prepared for the next round to begin; even before Vorgen had declared a stalemate had come about; for Shar-Teel was neither in straight away nor definitely out!"

(To be continued. Maybe.)

Edited by Usurper, 15 January 2012 - 08:21 AM.

[Dakk]

...

That.. uhm .. that's just (hate to say it) epic. In rhyme nonetheless.

[Yovaneth]

+1.... I think?

-Y-

[Dakk]

Just wanted to throw this information tidbit out regarding Ghaunadan, seeing as Mur'Neth seems to be coming along.

[Shazek]

*sigh* - I tried, for the first time ever, to infiltrate the Bandit Camp instead of fighting my way in. I killed the people in the tent, left it, and then ran into some assassins - the ones that Syvishtar ran from at the Song of the Morning Temple. Now I have to fight them and almost all of the bandit camp simultaneously. My luck sucks.

[Usurper]

9 Eleint, 1369

_{...so nice, the fires. So warm and comforting and brilliant how they wrap you up and writhe across your mind like the magic always squirming always dancing the magic wants you to burn things Syvishtara the fires need to come out you need to let them into the world they need to burn and you have to be the door...}

I wake up suspended in the air, half a moment before I hit the floor of the Inn. Bewildered, I flail around uselessly, fighting my attackers, until I realize my attackers are my sheets and I have fallen out of bed. I also realize I'm breathing heavily and I am very hot. I remember what I was dreaming of. I was dreaming of the fires. pyres. gyres. spires.... What is that noise?

It is Imoen, knocking on my door. I manage to flick the lock open and she rushes in, a concerned look on her face. She asks me if I'm okay. When I nod, she makes some kind of joke that I can't help but laugh at. I don't understand how she can always be so cheerful. But that's why I love her, I guess.

We have been at the Inn for five days, resting and recuperating. After discussing and thinking about what has happened, and going through denial, and grief, and anger, and all the other emotions that gripped me and would not go away, I am left with one guiding thought - vengeance. I have been hunted enough. I am tired of everyone and their pet dogs coming after me and killing my friends. It is time for this to end. It is time for Syvishtara ascendant. Me, and the fires.

I tell Imoen to get everyone together in the common room. I will announce who comes with me. Imoen asks, aren't we going to discuss it? I answer no. I know who must come with me. I almost say the voices have come to consensus, but I catch myself just before. I say I have come to a consensus. Imoen gives me a strange look anyways, and I guess it didn't sound quite right, but whatever. I tell her of course she's coming with me again, and she beams a smile at me.



Sorry to have kept you waiting. Lets get going.

You bet! We'll nick ourselves a whole purse o' fun before the night is through!

We go down to the common room together. I check that our equipment is all ready to go while Imoen gathers everybody up. When they are all present, I tell them what I have decided on the new strike team: Kivan, Mur'neth, Branwen, and Xan. I tell them we're calling it a strike team because we are going to strike. Strike the amazons in the Valley of the Tombs, strike the mercenaries sieging the Song of the Morning Temple, and strike the bandit camp again. Kivan and Branwen are of course most eager to begin. Mur'neth gurgles out something approaching positivity. Xan, of course, considers us to be doomed, but I just flash my best smile at him and he seems mollified.



That is a fine idea. We simply could not do without your fighting spirit.

A triumphant day, indeed! I welcome your company once again!

Branwen then gives me one of those looks she's been giving me lately. It gives me strange feelings on the inside.



*An almost empty water-skin hangs on her side. Branwen shakes it energetically, and topples it over her generously open mouth. The contents pour between her eager lips, but a single drop traces a line down her jaw and stops, sparkling tantalizingly, at the nape of her neck.*

She seems to do this a lot. I wonder if it is intentional?

*wipe it off*

Thank you, my friend. 'Tis a curse how clumsy I may be at times.

I then turn back to the task at hand.



It seems your deity was right. Please, rejoin the party.

Xan seems incredibly snarky and incredibly intelligent about the whole situation as it exactly stands.



I can't just admit it, though.

Nothing quite so gruesome, though I do have need of your skills once again.

Then I shall do my best for you, though I am sure we both know that the worst is inevitable.

The Boots of Speed I give him are totally cooled down anyways. I tell everybody else to get suited up too. Xan goes for the equipment that he used to have, but he comes back and asks me where the Gauntlets of Ogre Power are. I look at him for a moment, thinking, then I realize that they were on Tiax when I killed him at the bandit camp, and nobody managed to get his equipment back when he died! Xan sighs, and tells me in that case he can't lift the Shield of the Falling Stars, and we are all doomed.



I wince. But I tell him that we will try to recover the gauntlets. He sighs and goes back to the mule.

Gameplay note: Ahhh! That shield is actually very important for us to use as a whole, and also for Xan's survivability! It gives everyone around him -2 to AC and gives him +10 hp. I'm really wincing here in real life that I lost those gauntlets. Any STR-boosting item will be going to Xan ASAP. Or maybe I can keep him buffed up with a spell...

After thinking on this for a moment, I ask Branwen if she can help at all. She says of course, and reminds me about Strength of Stone.



She says it will last for around 45 seconds at her current skill, which should be enough so survive most fights. I tell her to memorize a few and cast them on Xan at the start of every fight. She nods in agreement.

We don't have enough armor to go around - Imoen and Mur'neth need some more leather armor. So I step out to go to the Thunderhammer Smithy to get them protected. Mur'neth addresses me on our way over.



I don't have much truck with the Gods; from what I have learned in Candlekeep they seem quite petty.

The deities watch over all, although sometimes we forget them. Your scholars in Candlekeep must only think them petty out of jealousy for power which they can never attain.

Whatever. I don't think Ghaunadaur's watching me. I'm not a slime, after all!

Ghaunadaur has other servants too - some of the drow of the Underdark call him Master, and as time passes more and more fleshlings of the surface are discovering His ways.

Don't you wish you were a free being? Why be a servant of the Gods?

It is an honour and a privilege to carry out the will of Ghaunadaur! We were created by Him and there is no greater glory than to fulfill his plans. And when we die, we can rejoin Him in the Abyss... I suppose as an elf you wouldn't understand, Syvishtara, but I do pity you lesser creatures.

I see... I suppose we should be off. We can talk more later.

Then I realize that it is 2 in the morning and Thunderhammer will not be there. I go back into the Inn to rest until morning and memorize spells.



'Tis my opinion that you need a potion to help you sleep peacefully. Now it's handy.

I rarely sleep, Branwen. Elves reverie instead...

Whatever you do, 'tis no good if you moan.

I dreamt a dream, Branwen, that is all. You need not worry about it.

I thought elves do not sleep. How can you dream then?

I can sleep if I choose to... The reverie is akin to sleep, but is quite unlike it.

An elf relives his memories during the reverie. It is very life-like, very vivid. We need it to remember our past, our desires and those who have departed. But we can dream as well, mostly when we are truly asleep.

Nevermind, just drink one of those before doing whatever you need to do to keep on going, and I am Auril, if you won't be better for it.

At Thunderhammer's, I get some armor for both Mur'neth and Imoen. With Imoen, though, I splurge on her. I remember how often my gold gets eaten by the Weave, so when I see a +1 leather armor just within my price range, I snap it up. Everything else magical starts out at 10,000 gold, anyway. The +1 leather is just as good as studded leather armor without a stealth penalty. She loves it.



Gameplay note: You know, the Jovial Juggler is absolutely jam-packed with our people. I thought I'd make a big collage image and try to get you guys to guess who everybody was. There are a few difficulties here though: Montaron and Eldoth are alive and well in the crowd, awaiting the possibility of us resurrecting them some day. Garrick is hanging out too, and I will introduce him soon. Also, for some reason Bub Snikt currently looks like some kind of wraith-like ubermensch. It happened when I turned him into a berserker and I have never tried to fix it because we never use him. Anyways, see if you can put a name to the numbered people in the image!






I have no home, Xan. I grew up at Candlekeep, but its doors are closed to me now.

Candlekeep? Are you sure? Ah, but of course you are. I do not doubt your words, but the library fortress is strictly regulated, and carefully guarded. Unless there've been special circumstances I am unaware of, I do not see how the monks could allow you to spend childhood there.

My father persuaded the Keeper of the Tomes to let me stay. Gorion was a well-known sage, and had some influence on the monks. But it is not important now. He is dead, and they would not accept me back. There is nowhere else for me to go.

I... I see.

My condolences. I have heard the name: he was a powerful human mage, and a friend of the Harpers, who are always welcome in Evereska. I know how hollow the words may sound; alas, I can do no more. You have saved my life, and I shall do my best to protect yours if the occasion arises. And I forsee it will be soon, for the number of our enemies does not decrease.

Oh, but it will. It will soon! We get ready to go, but as we do...



*She elbows you playfully.* You've been glancing in my direction oft, Syvishtara. 'Twould do you good to pay heed to the shadows to the front and sides, too.

Shadows?! Where! I glance around in a panic, but then realize she was just playing with me.

Gameplay note: Hey, lets make a new rule. I will only show flirtations if they are new, or if I haven't shown one in a long while, or if I choose a new response to one (like if I finally choose to lick the spilled water off of Branwen's neck, and YES IT IS AN OPTION). This will apply to Shar-Teel or anybody.

Edited by Usurper, 15 January 2012 - 06:11 PM.

[Usurper]

Before we take off on our rampage, though, there is someone we have to meet... Firebead Elvenhair!



We talk to him for a while and tell him how everything is going. We also show him some of the treasure we picked up, and even give him some.



He takes three baubles from us, but doesn't want anything else. He seems pretty friendly to us these days, even more than when we were in Candlekeep together.



As we leave he repeats what he told us before.



He keeps harping on that book. I wonder what's in it? Maybe I should ask Finch some day. I overhear a whispered conversation in the back as we prepare to leave.

You are a valuable companion.

I thank you for your kind words.

After that, we are looking to go, but then Imoen asks me if she can introduce me to someone back at the Jovial Juggler. Introduce? She's got a twinkle in her eye that I just can't deny, so of course I say sure. She tells me she's been hanging out with this guy Garrick. She reminds me of Silke and what happened there, and that bard that hired us before. I remember that with a little shame. She says he's young, cute, and earnest. She says he used to be part of an acting troupe, the Dale Wind Troubadours, as a singer. She says he left after he realized they were stealing from the patrons, and she giggles at that. He does seem a little naive, true. I agree to meet him.

We go back to the Jovial Juggler, and Imoen introduces me.





He seems friendly enough. He immediately insists on performing a song for us. Then,




Truly, you are a great bard, Garrick. You have songs and tales for every occasion.

Thanks, it, uh, means a lot to hear that! When I write of you, I'll be sure to mention your kindness and good nature.

No problem.

Write of me? I glance at Imoen, who just shrugs. She's been telling all my stories!

Gameplay note: I don't want to interrupt our current party for yet another bard of all people, so I'm just going to leave him here at the Jovial Juggler for now. We can pick him up another time.

NOW we are ready to go. I'm getting impatient. I want to see those bitches dead! We set off on the long, long road back to the Valley of the Tombs.



One day into our journey, we are waylaid by enemies and must defend ourselves!



I begin casting Armor, and Branwen begins casting Strength of Stone on Xan. She gets done first.



He immediately whips out the Shield of the Falling Stars, and that's when we all realize something.



The Shield of the Falling Stars gives him the capacity to take more healing from Branwen, but not the health itself. Thankfully we've got Imoen in our party. She takes out the first gnoll.



Mur'neth also seems to melt, and glomp in for the attack.



Kivan and I coordinate on the next kill.



And then Imoen comes through again with an amazing shot!



You know, I think this party is going to do just fine. But Xan doesn't seem to agree.




Not as such. I am thinking of revenge I shall take. My father's murderer will pay for his crimes!

What is the point, Syvishtara? You will not bring Gorion back to life by slaying another. Even if you manage to find and kill the man, which I doubt, will it bring you any satisfaction?

It will bring me satisfaction, Xan. A man has to pay for his crimes.

I understand your desire, but it is not a wise one. If your mysterious enemy killed a powerful mage so easily, he would find you an easy target.

Gorion is dead, yes, but he has obviously been your foster father, since you are of different heritage. Your real parents might still be alive. Do you know who they were?

Gorion never told me about them. I know I am an orphan, but little else beyond that.

You were educated in the way of humans, away from our lands, and you never knew your parents' name? Indeed, this is a most unusual occurrence. If someone had told me this a year ago, I would have found it difficult to believe, but you are standing in front of me, too real for a cruel, nonsensical joke. Why would he deny you the privilege to know your people?

He was a well-known adventurer in his day, so he must have had powerful enemies. I think that was the reason we stayed within the fortress.

But if he loved you, he would do everything for your sake. Perhaps he was concerned about your own safety, not his.

Judging by your words, you have spent your childhood in the atmosphere of utmost secrecy. That could only mean that a deadly peril threatened you, and whoever wanted your death would not stop until they saw your lifeless body. I fear you are doomed, Syvishtara, and everybody close to you is doomed, as well. I shall follow you, regardless, but I am certain your company will lead me to a shallow grave.

Imoen cleans up and we continue on our journey.



We reach the Valley of the Tombs and everyone is exhausted. I feel that we need some time to rest in a secure location, so I teleport us to Shaundaukar's sanctuary and we prepare to rest. Xan has more on his mind.



Would not you prefer the moon to shine upon you at the hour of your death? You are a grey elf, after all.

Lle holma ve' edan... I shall translate for you - you smell like a human. Which is unsurprising, since one of them raised you. Now I'd like to spend the last moments of my life as pleasantly as I can, so keep away from me. I wish to smell slime and listen to the sucking sound the mud makes.

What the heck? He must really be in a bad mood. At least he's still carrying the Shield of the Falling Stars. He's still carrying it!



It slows him down, but as long as he doesn't drop it he still gets the protection and hit points. Branwen's buffs will now just speed him up. Great! I think that the amazons will be close when we return to the Valley of the Tombs, so I tell everybody to buff up and get ready to go.

Perhaps we will survive longer than I had originally thought.

I cast Mirror Image, while Branwen casts Strength of Stone on Xan and Chant on all of us. We are ready.



I touch the portal and we return to the Valley of the Tombs. When we teleport back, Lamalha is RIGHT THERE waiting for us!



She's casting something, so I immediately throw out some of Rhialto's Random Missiles. I successfully interrupt her spell!



Also, the last missile actually kills her. One-shot killing amazons! I'm awesome!



Imoen has just enough time to loot the body when Elka shows her ugly face.



Imoen manages to be the first one to get a hit in.



She doesn't seem to like having people all up in her face, so Xan, Branwen, and I really cramp her style.



Xan seems a little surprised when he is the one to strike her down. I guess he expected to die?



And then it is done. The first vengeance of our strike team, complete. I raise my hands in celebration and shout at the sky in happiness. I jump and dance and laugh. We will have the full measure of our vengenace, I can feel it! Branwen seems to agree.



*A single white blossom rests on her palm. Branwen looks at it thoughtfully, then approaches you and attaches the flower to the collar of your cloak.* For luck, Syvishtara.

Edited by Usurper, 15 January 2012 - 06:19 PM.

[Usurper]

Then it's loot time. The first thing I snap up is a scroll, but it is not really a scroll I can use.



It's for Branwen! She takes the scroll reverently in her hands, and then fervently thanks Tempus for the blessing. She will be able to strike down powerful foes with this weapon, if only once. She is somewhat in awe at what she holds.

The next two bits of loot make Imoen squeal with delight when she looks at it through Finch's glasses.





She of course puts them both on, passing off the Leather Armor +1 to Mur'neth. I shouldn't have bought it. The Shadow Armor does look pretty good on her, though.



Finally, we find a pretty good flail that Finch would definitely like to use. We'll have to save it for her.



There are also some arrows and short sword, but we're out of Identifies for today so we'll have to get those after we rest. For now, we explore.



The first thing we come across is a screaming thief, running from something.



AHHH!! Who are you?! Don't kill me! Please! I'm so sorry! I'll give it back, just don't kill me!

If I am not mistaken, we are about to be burdened with the accursed bloodied dagger this maniac has in his hands. Take it, Syvishtara, if you wish to seal our doom. Otherwise let us... just slowly back away from this man.

Settle down sir, just settle down. No one here is going to hurt you. Tell me what your problem is.

Wha... my problem? My problem is the horrible death replaying in my mind! I canna concentrate, my mind is... my mind... I didn't mean it! I'll give it back! You! You can take it to him! Here! Give it back!

It would seem that you have brought this on yourself. Whatever happens to you shall be your own fault. I'll not help a petty thief.

Know you no charity? Shall I be condemned for one slight against someone long since dead? I'd wager you have looted the far more recently deceased in your own travels, and yet you judge me? Fie! A pox on you! Begone and leave me to die!

Then he runs off. Hey, I was just following Xan's advice, which seemed pretty sound. Who wants cursed daggers anyways? We continue our patrol of the area. We eventually find an entrance to some sort of cave in the side of the cliff. Perhaps these are the tombs that the valley is named after? We decide to go in and see.



When we get inside, we are asasulted with screaming.



Then the revenant attacks. And so do we. I try to go for something simple, old-school.



It... it works!



Kivan and Imoen both realize that their normal arrows aren't hurting the revenant, so they change to magical ones. Xan takes a hit from the monster, but at least he is not paralyzed.



He drinks a potion in response. Kivan is doing a little bit of damage, but it doesn't look that impressive.



I order everyone outside. We can't fight well in this confined space. The revenant follows us, but we are much more easily able to move.



I try to get everyone in position for an orderly assault, but the revenant catches Mur'neth on the shoulder. It paralyzes him.



Branwen manages to distract it, though, and it doesn't finish killing the slime. A pity.



The revenant moves slow, but it has quite a reach. Imoen doesn't realize it's close enough to attack until it paralyzes her too.



Thankfully, Kivan's Arrow of Ice slams into it then, and it is distracted once again. It turns to fight him.



Kivan stays well away from the abomination, and Xan and I do as well. Branwen calls a Spiritual Hammer to her hand.



Xan goes to stand by Mur'neth, ready to fight if the revenant turns on him. I go to stand near Imoen, also ready to fight if the revenant turns. Kivan and Branwen fire away with their respective ranged weapons.



I try to give Imoen a little healing touch, but instead the magic jumps out at her and swirls around in a flash. Also, Kivan doesn't stay far enough away from the revenant and gets seriously injured.



I decide to try to help with my Ring of Energy. Unfortunately I get too close, and the revenant attacks me. How can it hit me from so far away? I'm also paralyzed.



Xan drinks a Potion of Stone Form and rushes into melee. Maybe he's trying to save me?



We are all throwing our best attacks at the monstrosity.



It hits me again. I feel as though I may die.



Imoen throws some Magic Missiles, but they don't seem to do much. At least the revenant is distracted.



Then a huge pillar of flame screams out of the heavens in an arc and slams into the revenant from above. It doesn't let up, but keeps pouring down and down and down some more.



The disgusting undead thing vaporizes instantly in the purifying fire of heaven. I look around and see Branwen beaming with pride. I am ... enthralled. Amazed. That was so, so beautiful. The great rising spire of flame, the pillar of searing purity... I cannot move. I want that power for my own. I need it. But for right now, we are all bruised, battered, and limping. Most of us have been torn up by the revenant. I touch the Stone of Recall again, and we are teleported away.

Gameplay note: Someone, probably me, would have died soon there. The revenant was only at Injured after all that fighting, before Branwen took it out. Honestly I was hoping to save that Flamestrike scroll for a bigger baddie, but the revenant was just tearing us to shreds. I think I made the right choice.

After 16 hours of rest, we are ready to proceed further. We also find out that Imoen has been carrying around a few Arrows of Ice +1 and 30 Arrows of Biting from the amazons, along with a Short Sword +2. Good. We can sell the sword.



We go back to the Valley of the Tombs, and enter the tomb of the revenant. It is gone. Imoen checks the area for traps but finds nothing. She cautiously approaches the tombs and looks inside.



Some gold, a potion, a ring, and A SKULL! Finally we can get that spell completed for Melicamp! It has been such a long, long time that he was a chicken. I hope this skull can work to make him human again. Also, the ring is Mithril. I'm sure that Firebead Elvenhair will like it.

In the other coffin, there is some gold and a Potion of Freedom, aka a Potion of Kivan's Boots. I'm sure this will be coming in handy sooner or later.



When we come out of the first tomb, it is raining. Nevertheless, through the rain we can see that there is a second tomb on an opposite cliffside. We go over to investigate.



He travels down a long tunnel to group of three burial mounds.



There is also a ghoul. He runs back out and we fight it together. It is much easier than the revenant was.



Imoen goes in to check the place for traps, and finds nothing. She does come out with 81 more gold, though!






That sounded almost cheerful for you. What changed your outlook?

I was sent to the Sword Coast to accomplish a mission I thought to be impossible. I still do, for the odds are not at all in our favour. But we go on, and that gives me a gleam of hope. It might happen that I will finish my task and live to see my home at Evereska once again.

Are you returning to Evereska once it is over?

Yes, for a while. Until my superiors send me on another mission, in any case.

However, I am loathe to think of returning to my ancient fortress home with the prospect of death looming over you. You are young, naive and inexperienced... and yet so capable. All my concepts of reality collapse when I look at you. I cannot abandon you to certain doom.

Then don't. I'll be more than happy if you continue to travel with me.

So will I, I suppose. But personal is not the same as important, they say. I will have to go back.

But pay no attention to my ramblings. It was a bout of madness that came over me, I am sure: your beautiful and vulnerable naivety that I took close to heart. Or, rather, the fresh air sent my head spinning after Mulahey's fetid lair. *sigh* The thought of completing my mission is purely laughable. All hope is futile when enemies are pressing upon us from every direction. There is no end to this hopeless crusade.

He said I was beautiful!!

Edited by Usurper, 15 January 2012 - 06:32 PM.

[Usurper]

As we wind our way though the wilderness of this place, I hum a happy tune. I cannot even be silenced when Branwen says she sees a Ghoul Lord.



She steps back quickly and we have enough time to buff up before the battle.



Then we attack.



The fight is over too quickly. I should stop being so afraid of ghouls.



Then, immediately after the fight...



*Xan is fumbling with his spellbook, opened on a page with a charm spell scribbled hastily in the middle. For some odd reason, his ears go bright red as he sees you approaching, and he hastily shoves the book into his backpack.*

Gameplay note: HA! We have officially done it! We are now stringing along 3 lovers simultaneously!

The next thing we find in this godsforsaken hellhole is not anything like what we expected.



Good timin' is everything in the adventurin' profession.

I like the sound of it not at all! Syvishtara, if I were a leader of this tragically weak company, I would have quoted a previous engagement to get us out of witnessing and, Corellon forbid, participating in any kind of experiments set by mad mages.

But I'm just too curious to pass this up.

What kind of experiment are you attempting?

I believe I have developed a spell to empathically control any gelatinous creature and bend it to your will. Slimes, jellies, oozes, all of these things that foul the cook's cellar and the adventurer's dungeon can now be controlled and eradicated with an ease and efficacy never before seen in the history of the Realms. It takes an entire hour to gain such control, but that time will be minimized with further experimentation, I am sure. In moments, that hour will be up for a small number of mustard jellies that I have released into the nearby woods. We shall soon bear witness to the results of my endeavor.

Uhm, yeah... Are all mages like that? If I were one, I wouldn't work with some slime and ooze... Brrr... It's too uhm... slimy. I'd create candy golems or somethin', if I wanted to be weird.

Fascinating. You must write this spell down for me that my party can make use of it in our adventures.

I have worked years for this and you seek its benefits in mere seconds? Nay, you not only seek them, you expect them! The spell is mine and you'll not take it from me! Come jellies, let us make our mark upon the world!

This... this does not fill me with confidence, au contraire... O, Corellon, but the stench of it... and the appearance...

I think I am going to be sick.

Behold!

Great. Another mad mage is mad at me specifically, and is attacking me with his pet uglies. Why do I always get into these messes?



He may have his favorites, but I've got my own favorites too! Let's see what he does with the Wild Horde!



Oh no.



Branwen sees the spell coming and runs away from the rest of the group as fast as the Boots of the Forgotten Ones can take her, shouting out "'Tis a fine day to die." She makes it an impressive distance before the spell strikes.



But when it does strike, we have lost our cleric. I tell everyone to withdraw and let the bunnies handle the mage and his jellies. Then I go to try to regain Branwen.

In the confusion, Xan is hit by a mustard jelly.



I try to cast Dispel Magic at Branwen through the Holy Book, but she runs too far afield as I'm doing it, and I do nothing but dispel the Armor off of myself. Not only that, but she actually attracts the ire of a couple of random ankhegs. What?



This is just getting too insane, and I know I will lose my healer soon. I cannot do that, so I reach for the Stone of Recall and, as Branwen is hit with some ankheg spit, we are teleported to safety.



Branwen spends the entire time she is confused with her head in a corner.



After that, we do a little talking with Mur'neth, trying to figure out the best way to defeat mustard jellies and a mad mage. In the end, Branwen loads up on Silences and Slow Poison spells. I get another Summon Wild Horde. Kivan says he has plenty Arrows of Dispelling. That's the best we can do. So we're going to have to do it like this.

We buff up.



We regroup.



And we fight the first thing that pops up. Happens to be the ankhegs.



Xan takes the first one out.



And the second one as well.



Branwen thinks that this is a good time to talk about clothing.



Your traveling garb could do with a good measure of cleaning, comrade. Should we come by a good inn with hot water abound, I shall arrange it for you.

I nod and then proceed with the next part of the plan. I go ahead, alone, and look for a jelly to fight. When I find one, I summon my Horde.



As the rabbits draw the spells of the mage,



I give him another Horde from the right.



Then Kivan moves in to strip his protections, and I use the Holy Book of Rhialto to cast some random missiles at the mage.



With Kivan's help, the mage dies like a chump.



Kivan raises one eyebrow after his death, and seems to have learned something important about killing from it.







Gameplay note: Going to 4 stars with Longbows means that Kivan is going to be faster using them. He's an even better machine gun now. He also had all saving throws reduced this level.

I turn to try to explode some bunnies, but we are too late. They begin to disappear in flashes of light.



The Ring of Energy doesn't have much effect on the jellies. They seem to be able to resist its effects.



There is no other option but to pound on them with magical weapons. We all gather 'round.



Kivan, with his magical ice arrows, is the one to get the kill shot on the first slime.



They are like ankhegs, in that they only shoot their poisonous spit when they are far from a target. Ganging up on them this way is actually safer, I think. Kivan runs out of ice arrows and switches to his Dragon Spear for the rest of the fight. Xan gets the deathblow.



The mage's corpse turns up a Knave's Robe, a good healing potion, and scrolls of Web, Burning Hands, and Lightning Bolt!



We look at the altar, or circle, or whatever it is that the mage assembled on the ground and try to make sense of it.



But it seems almost completely random. I'm surprised Mur'neth is not more interested in this, but he didn't even speak up once. Maybe he doesn't understand that the mage was taking power away from his god here? Ahh, who cares. Just to the east of the mage's workspace, we find a third door in a cliff. We assume this is the final tomb.



We send Mur'neth in.

He finds a scary sight - three ghasts!

[Usurper]

Outside, Xan gets that odd glint in his eye again...



*He draws the moonblade out of its sheath, looks at it for a long moment, then turns his gaze to you... but says nothing.*

*Then a shadow passes over his face, and Xan turns away with a sigh.*

Then Mur'neth comes running out of the tomb, a ghast at his heels. We attack in unison.



It doesn't stand a chance against Xan's moonblade.



The others don't come out, so we send Mur'neth back in for more.

The majesty of the forest makes me feel insignificant.

Mur'neth comes in and out several times, but doesn't seem to be able to taunt the ghasts out of the tomb. We have no choice but to go in after them. We burst in and attack the second in unison. It falls in a moment.



And the third a moment later.



Gameplay note: This is an extremely different outcome from the reload. Previously I had four party members paralyzed and two fighting to keep the rest alive vs. 3 healthy ghasts. Then Mur'neth died. Then my screenshotting system froze up and I couldn't get it going again, so I had to reboot. This is a cakewalk comparatively.

Imoen declares the coffins safe, and we look into them. There's some armor, a Potion of Frost Giant Strength, and some jewelry.



Imoen takes it all. The potion goes to Xan, of course.



With that, we take one more look around the area, and make sure we got everything. Then we declare the Valley of the Tombs to be safe and undead-free!



And with this, our vengeance is 1/3rd complete. But before we continue, there is just one thing more to do... kill giant spiders!



No, wait, that isn't it.







I have arms!! Arms and hands and feet and and... OH, thank you master Thalantyr, thank you!

Yes yes boy, now be quiet a moment. Blast it. The Bracers are no longer on him. It is as I feared. Likely they either spent what magic they had in a single charge, or it is their wont to be whisked away after inflicting the damage they do. I had hoped to seal them away, but now it's certain they will fall into the hands of some other unfortunate fool. Tell me Melicamp: do you quite feel yourself again?

I... I think so.

Good, though it was the greatest of luck you did not retain a wing for a limb. You always were a bit cockeyed, but I suppose that doesn't count. I suggest you remain here, however, so that I might keep an eye on you. If you insist on playing with the forces of magic, at least I should see that you understand them. Perhaps you will be a touch more cautious, now that you have experienced what can go wrong.

Yes, Master Thalantyr.

*sigh* I suppose your master I must be. And you Syvishtara. I trust you will be cautious in your travels as well? I wish you "intelligence" on your journeys. I would wish you "luck," but it runs out much quicker than you would think. Good day.

Farewell.

Gameplay note: This is actually the first time in any of my games I've ever seen Melicamp successfully resurrected. This is pretty cool!

Mur'neth seems to come to a realization from all of this.







I'm eager to talk to Melicamp in his human form.



Here is the ring he gave us.



This one sounds familiar... and I'm pretty sure it causes Feeblemindedness when you put it on. Some modder has cleverly disguised all cursed items with pretty, nice descriptions. But you can't fool me! Other than those times we were fooled... I put the ring on the mule.

There's something else I want to talk to Thalantyr about.



Taerom Fuiruim suggested you might be interested in examining this vial. It is a poison that was used to taint ore from the Nashkel mines, causing problems with the iron along the Sword Coast.

A remarkable compound. It must have taken a skilled alchemist to concoct this. I may be able to formulate an antidote to salvage some of the current iron stocks, although I doubt it will be sufficient to resolve the crisis. Leave it with me, and I will contact Taerom if I have any success.



*Branwen is fumbling with her hammer, trying to attach it to her belt. As you stare, it slips down her hip to her front, dangling there in a most indecent manner. She smirks at you before adjusting the weapon back into its place, and her face is definitely redder than normal.*

Edited by Usurper, 15 January 2012 - 06:47 PM.

[Usurper]

There is one more thing I could ask Thalantyr...



Do I have anything you could alter?

Show me what you have, and I'll tell you if it can be altered.

Can you do anything with these Gauntlets?

Let's look... Yes, if you bring me Gauntlets of Weapon Skill and Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, you'll get an item which will not disappoint you. I'll also need Bracers of Defense AC 7, a Potion of Defense, and 5,000 gold as payment for my work. Should I make this item for you?

I don't need it right now. Maybe I have something else you could alter?

Show me what you have, and I'll tell you if it can be altered.

Can you do anything with this Mage Robe?

Yes, if you bring me a Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, a Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, a Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, a Knave's Robe, a Traveler's Robe and an Adventurer's Robe, I can make you a very good item. I will also need a Potion of Invulnerability, a Potion of Defense, and 5,000 gold as payment for my work. Should I make this item for you?

I don't need it right now. Maybe I have something else you could alter?

Show me what you have, and I'll tell you if it can be altered.

Can you do anything with this Girdle?

Let's look... Yes, if you bring me a Golden Girlde, a Girdle of Bluntness, and a Girdle of Piercing, you'll get an item which will not disappoint you. I'll also need a Potion of Frost Giant Strength, a Potion of Cloud Giant Strength, a Potion of Regeneration, and 5,000 gold as payment for my work. Should I make this item for you?

I don't need it right now. Maybe I have something else you could alter?

Show me what you have, and I'll tell you if it can be altered.

Can you do anything with this Helm?

Let's look... Yes, if you bring me a Helm of Glory and a Helm of Defense: 'Gift of Peace,' you'll get an item which will not disappoint you. I will also need a Potion of Invulnerability, a Scroll of Protection from Fire, a Scroll of Protection from Cold, a Scroll of Protection from Electricity, and 5,000 gold as payment for my work. Should I make this item for you?

I don't need it right now. Maybe I have something else you could alter?

It looks like I do not have anything interesting, I'm leaving.

Farewell.

I ponder my destitute condition as I leave...

Edited by Usurper, 16 January 2012 - 12:26 AM.

[Leokosta]

How many XP are you loosing when u use Stone of Recall ?

[Usurper]

I think its supposed to be 5% or 10%? I haven't paid attention lately. It's not THAT much because Kivan and Mur'Neth still leveled this time.

[Dakk]

Regarding Melicamp's transformation, and the fact this was the first time you got it - it's actually a 50/50 chance. So you've had a statistical anomaly going on!

[Shazek]

I really hope you do what was suggested over in the SA thread. You claimed to have plans for some power to be unlocked by Irenicus. I'd think craziness would make things even more fun in that regard. Just don't become Worgas.