1504 replies to this topic

[Usurper]

I just have to survive until the inevitable end. What poor fools will I take with me?



Please wait here. I have no room for you right now.









Our paths must run apart for a while. If I should need your help again, though, we should rendezvous at the Jovial Juggler in Beregost.

I will chafe at the inaction, but I am deeply in your debt. Return soon to this war priest.

Very well, I accept under the terms of our agreement. (Best to humour them, they're not bright enough to understand the arguments against the idea.)

Yes, O omnipresent authority figure.

Well sure. I won't get into any trouble while you're gone, no sir.

I have failed them all, and their empty words fall off my back like rain off the back of something that does not get wet easily, like a waterproof marmoset or perhaps a weasel.



You'll not "suffer" long if you keep up that attitude. Get in step Kagain, we've business to attend to.

Straight to the point, I respect that. Let's go.



Khalid, a successful group needs to be light and small, and not everyone's skills can be used at once. I need you in the party... but I must ask you to travel without Jaheira.

W-w-without Jaheira? B-b-but... Well, Gorion said we should help you - if this is what you really w-w-want.

I doubt very much whether this is wise, Syvishtar. But this is your group to lead, for better or for worse. Tymore be with you, Khalid - we will meet again soon.




Until I settle accounts with Gorion's murderer, it will never be over.

I hope, Syvishtar, that this won't d-degenerate into a b-bloody-minded quest for vengeance.

Revenge is motive enough for me!

I see. Then I must accompany you as b-best as I am able.



I would tend to agree. Perhaps we should rejoin and continue on our way.

A wise choice. Lead on.



Sure thing! Sorry for having kept you waiting. Welcome back!



I sell 3 bandit scalps to her for 75 gold, bringing our grand total up to 100 gold. Now I just have one problem... how am I going to get Gavin from the Song of the Morning Temple with those mercenaries waiting for me there?

[Usurper]

Around this time members of the thread started saying they were getting depressed seeing so much death. I can't say that I blamed them.

[Usurper]

11 Eleasias, 1369

Today marks the 100th day since I left Candlekeep. I wonder if I should have a party? Perhaps I could kill everyone around me in an orgy of violence, to commemorate the days of violence I now find myself party to? Or I could just wait and it'll probably happen for me.

Gameplay note: Ok, we need to equip people! And we have some new equipment to deal with. Our encounter with the amazons wasn't entirely fruitless.

First we have the Cloak of the Shield:



Immunity to the spell magic missile and protection from regular missiles too? I'm definitely taking that.

We also find a second Helm of Glory. Great, since we have two tanks two Helms of Glory are entirely necessary.



The other two things we get are a short sword +2, the Composite Long Bow +2, and the Bonebreaker staff, which I have already shown. I equip the Bonebreaker staff, Rose gets the Short Sword +2, and Kivan gets the Composite Long Bow +2.

So in the end, Kagain gets a Plate Mail, a Helm of Glory, one of Thorfinn Hauskluniff's magical axes, a Medium Shield +1, a Ring of Protection +1, the Girdle of Bluntness, and Thorfinn Hauskluniff's boots.



Khalid gets a Chain Mail +1, the Gauntlets of Ogre Power, a Helm of Glory, a regular longsword, the Shield of the Falling Stars +1, and holds the Flame of the North in reserve, just in case.



Kivan, the level 2 badass in the group, gets some Studded Leather armor, normal bracers, 23 Arrows of Fire +1, 30 Arrows of Dispelling +1, the Composite Long Bow +2, the Dragon Scepter, and Imoen's Ninja-to +2 in case he needs to hide. He also gets Imoen's Spider's Boots of Stealth and Imoen's Artifact, too, to better help with hiding and dexterity-related issues. Hopefully Imoen's artifact will work on other people. He also gets the Ammo Belt so that he can reload his ammo if necessary.



Rose, the level 3 superhero, gets the Short Sword +2, 7 Darts of Wounding, and Algernon's Cloak. I also buy her some regular darts and a buckler. She says that leather armor chafes her, and she can't cast her one known spell with it (Larloch's Minor Drain) so I leave her unarmored. As an idea, I lend her my Bracers of Defense, since they don't noticeably help me in any way. Hopefully she can just sing songs behind our lines and be okay.



And then, of course, there is me, level 4 and commanding bunnies to aid me at any time, wearing the same things I'm always wearing. An Adventurer's robe, Silvershield's Fibula (although it doesn't do anything), and the Ring of Energy. On my feet are Boots of Speed, and on my back a Cloak of the Shield. I am wielding both the Serpent Shaft and Bonebreaker, and on my belt is Rhialto's spellbook, a Stone of Recall, and some healing potions. I also hold Haiass's leg bone and the Boots of the Forgotten Ones for when we find Gavin.



That's it then, we're ready. It's time to be off. I've got an idea to get Gavin without running into those mercenaries...



When we arrive at Sharp Teeth Waste, I tell everyone to make camp. We'll use this place to circle around, go back and approach the Song of the Morning Temple from the east, so as to avoid bounty hunters. But when we try to sleep, we are awakened by the stink of gnoll, heavy in the air. We thank the gods that we woke in time to reach for our weapons.



Kivan takes out the first one while I'm still trying to cast Armor.



Kagain takes out the second, and then we are safe again. Not bad for the scrub squad.



You know, I think I'll give Kagain the Shield of the Falling Stars. He deserves it more. We try to go back to sleep again... but are interrupted after just 4 hours.



This time Kagain kills both the gnolls, gibbing the second one into unidentifiable chunks. Good going dwarf!



No matter what we do, we just can't get enough sleep. Kivan kills the next flind that shows up, and does for his friend too. That makes Kagain have some sort of dwarven epiphany.







Finally I guess the monsters in the area have their fill, so we are able to rest fully in the night and wake up refreshed, ready to begin the second leg of our detour.



When we arrive at the Song of the Morning Temple, it is night.



We think the best thing to do is to sneak around north of the outcroppings and then to go into the back entrance of the temple, so we set out in that direction. There are some hobgoblins that menace our path, and so we engage. We can definitely take hobgoblins.



Unfortunately as we close in on the hobgoblins we also notice some worgs to the north.



Kivan draws first blood.



When the dread wolves and the vampiric wolf join the fight, I wonder if there isn't some god directly opposing my actions.



I summon my Wild Horde and instruct everyone to retreat to the south.



The wolf pack makes short work of my admittedly small wild horde, so I summon another for them to chew on, and repeat the process.



When I see one of the mercenaries from our previous ambush approaching from the west, I decide that it is time to go. The forces of evil are apparently sieging the Song of the Morning Temple.



But I haven't given up on Gavin yet. We can break this siege, we just have to approach from the right direction! If we go to the Larswood and then turn around, we could approach from the north and perhaps make it to the temple before evil does!



We reach the Larswood and prepare to make camp after our 16 hour journey. But after bedding down for the night, we are only asleep one hour before the harsh voices of bandits awaken us from our sleep.



Khalid takes first blood this time, then Kivan and Kagain in quick succession.



Then Kivan again, and all is done. Compared to the mercenaries assigned to hunt us down, these bandits are pushovers. Once we get Gavin we should come back here and go scalp-hunting. Kivan takes the scalps with a relish. I remember what he said about his wife. This is personal with him. I hope it is also good for his soul.

We try to sleep again, but again we are interrupted after just one hour.



The bandits don't even get a shot off before one of them is dead to Kivan's first arrow. Khalid rushes to get into position to fight the second bandit, only to see him fall to Kivan's second arrow.



As we chase one bandit around the map, Kivan takes out a third with his third arrow.



And I manage to take out the last one with my staff!



At least I got one kill. Kivan is a machine. We all stand there for a moment, looking at Kivan's kills. I open my mouth to say something, but he stops me.

There is a time for talk; this is not such a time.

Ok then. We try to sleep once more. This time we make it all night. No more bandits want to die, eh? We keep to our plan and make our journey back to the temple area the next day.



But during the journey we get turned around somehow, and lost for a few hours, and when we finally realize where we are we have wound up south of the temple.



But since there are no vampiric wolves, hobgoblins, or mercenaries trying to kill us right at this moment I consider it a net gain. I make a beeline for Gavin with all the power of my Boots of Speed. Halfway there, I see Molkar coming at me from behind a tree.



I tell everyone else to hang west and give Molkar a little somethin' to play with.



Gameplay note: I honestly don't think I could survive without Summon Wild Horde and my Stone of Recall. For all you guys saying things are OP, I'm dyin' out here!

Things start explodin', but I keep hustlin'.



Everyone else just tries to stay away from the mercs...



... while I finally make it to Gavin.



The nearly weaponless,



and spell-less,



Gavin!



Would you be patient just a little while longer? We will go soon.

Of course, Syvishtar.

[Usurper]

In fact, that is the very next thing we do, because a magically-enchanted and evil dwarf runs straight at us from the south just then!



I will speak with my companions. I would not dare refuse such a quest, but I will not commit to it without Syvishtar's approval. Even so, I trust he will see the urgency of this request.

I most sincerely hope so. As this quest is likely to be perilous for you and your companions, you may use your discretion as to the best time to begin. I urge yo not to delay too long, but I would not send you to your slaughter. Now, my son, how may the temple assist you today?

Why is there never an option called "Save my ass from the dwarf chasing me?"

We don't require any help at the moment.

Actually, we do, but I don't think Keldath would understand.



We run out the east exit. I call back for Gavin to try to keep up, and I high-tail it for the rendezvous point. When I get ambushed by a worg pack halfway there, I know deep down in my soul that some divine entity hates me. Probably the god of wolves.



When I reach the rendezvous, the rest of the party is there too, but Gavin is lagging behind even the worgs. We fight to delay, since the magical dwarf is still following him.



Like the dogs they are, the worgs fall for the bait eventually. But I have an idea about the dwarf...



I had thought to ambush and kill the dwarf while he is alone, but I quickly have to rethink my plan when I see that his is not quite alone after all.



We exit stage south instead.



Gameplay note: Whew! I never had such an exciting NPC pick-up and quest start before in my life! If I was smarter I would have kept the Boots of the Forgotten Ones in my bag and handed them to Gavin, then we could have zipped around the map without a care in the world. Silly me though I put them on the mule while looting bandits. We still got away though so no lasting harm done.

As soon as we are safe within Beregost city limits, I direct Gavin to the mule. He equips himself with some good old-fashioned platemail, the Helm of Ethical Insight, a Sling +1, and the Boots of the Forgotten Ones. He also takes out the herbs we picked up in Nashkel. Says he likes their scent. I also hand over Haiass' bone and ask him to work his magic on it. He obliges with a smile. You'd almost think he was glad to be back in my murderous company.



How's my good wolf? Want to play? Here, boy, get your toy! Good wolf!

(Haiass chews his little toy oand then returns next to you and wags his tail. He seems very happy.)

There is nothing else to do then but get out of the rain and go rest at the Jovial Juggler.



We sell 8 bandit scalps and collect 200 gold. You know what we're gonna do? We're gonna go to the Larswood and hunt us some bandits!

Gameplay note: Gavin has become substantially more powerful since the upgrade. Just look at his first level spellbook:



The new spells he picked up are Armor Melt, Bane, Cause Light Wounds, Divine Favour, and Entropic Shield.



Finch tried to use this against Mulahey, but it was resisted. It's definitely a boss-killing spell.



Bane, conversely, is a minion-killing spell. Use it right before I cast Horror and the fight is over, but probably only works on low-level enemies. I'm not sure if the last word of the description is supposed to be a pun or just a misspelling.



I'm not quite sure why Gavin has Cause Light Wounds now, but here it is. 1-8 damage on a touch attack. These touch attack spells I rarely use, for mages or clerics.



I really like spells that grow in power with levels. They will always be useful. Imagine this at level 18, +6 to attack damage in melee for 1 turn. Powerful stuff. Would be even better on a paladin .



And this spell, this is a beautiful spell. If Gavin wasn't our only healer I would have him memorize six of these. There are so many ranged attackers in this portion of the game that it's almost worth not having heals just for this. But as things stand, I have him memorize 6 Heal Light Wounds and 5 Goodberries. Now that Gavin is level 3, the goodberries heal 2 hit points each, and at 5 goodberries per cast and them lasting 24 hours, Gavin can build up quite a stash of healing berries over time. It's better than casting Aid, the other level 2 healing option.

We sleep the night, and when we wake in the morning Gavin is already casting Goodberries. He says they will be good for later. I count 25 of them.



Then we set off to hunt us some bandits!



But it is not bandits that we find.



"PHASE SPIDER!!!" I shout, and everybody tenses for battle. I go for my Wild Horde instinctively. Gavin screams.



With my wild horde cast, I order everybody east.



But some of us aren't fast enough before the chain reaction begins.



It is all over too fast, but the spider looks Injured at least.



Kivan hits it with a Fire Arrow.



I recklessly throw out a Chromatic Orb. Surprisingly, the Weave doesn't put up a fuss with it.



Then Khalid, of all people, slices the foul beast in half.



Gameplay note: 700 xp for that one spider! I hope we get more.

But even after combat is over, Haiass keeps taking damage, so he must be poisoned. Both Gavin and I rush over to heal him. Gavin seems quite surprised that I can do that. I ponder how to tell him what has happened to me.



A few heals later, and he's fine. We make camp, and go to sleep. But during the night we are attacked by a giant spider!



The spider fires a web at Gavin but he brushes it off so incredibly frantically that it doesn't stick [He saved vs spells]. Khalid takes this spider out too with a quick thrust of his sword.



Gameplay note: 225 xp!

We finally make it the night, and awake to lightning and rain. Gavin passes out the day's Goodberries, I cast Armor, and we begin our hunt. Gavin and I have to be careful not to get too far out ahead of everyone else. The thing we find first is another giant spider.



It casts a web on me and I am held.



That's not so bad, but on the next attack it poisons me.



I am unable to do anything but feel my life slip away. It is disconcerting. Kagain is the one to kill this spider.



Gavin does his best to keep healing me but the poison is working faster than he is. I would panic but I can't move.



Just as I feel as though the race is lost, I regain control of my limbs and gulp down the one and only antidote that we have in our party. I just barely make it.



Ok, so giant spiders can be quite dangerous, even after they are dead. Gavin is going to have to prepare for this. He will have to replace two Goodberry spells with Slow Poison, and hope that it is enough. I gobble down quite a few Goodberries next. My mouth is stained purple. We try to make camp and rest for the night, to give Gavin time to pray to Lathander for new spells, but we are interrupted again!



This time the spider webs Gavin. I realize that if he poisons Gavin there will be nothing for us to do but watch him die!



I order all the melee to rush to stand in between Gavin and the spider. They do, but all that happens is that Khalid is poisoned instead of the priest.



At least he can move around and drink healing potions. I wonder if two will be enough for him. I revert to an old standby of mine - Azragan's through Nahal's. I get an Entangle out of the whole deal.



I try to pull everybody off of the spider to let Kivan take care of it, since it is entangled, but at the last second I just see an opening and I have to take it. The spider dies under my Serpent Shaft.



The spider is dead, but his poison remains. Khalid drinks both of his own healing potions, then starts on Kagain's. Gavin is still paralyzed.



Gavin comes un-paralyzed just in time to give Khalid his last heal. Hopefully that will give Khalid time to drink his last healing potion and ride out the poison.



Only time can give us the answer now. Why do I always put myself in these positions of watching my friends die?



With absolutely nothing else to do, and no options to take, we can do nothing but stand by and watch Khalid succomb to the poison. It is so goddamn frustrating.



One more friend to mourn.

I need an ale.

And here I thought we were going to merrily hunt bandits all day. Shit.

[Usurper]

18 Eleasias, 1369

Khalid is good, but not good enough to survive a giant spider's poison. But you know what might survive? A ghast. And that means Tiax. We could use Tiax now, methinks.

Gameplay note: We're really scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Tiax only had one positive vote. If anyone else dies we'll be carting around Will Scarlet!

We get ready to travel, and get our bearings. Looking at the map, we realize that we are not in the Larswood at all, but in the West Wood of Sharp Teeth, somewhere we had not been before. How did we even wind up here?



Gameplay note: Um... what? Oops I guess. I must have clicked on the title of the West Wood of Sharp Teeth sticking over there near the Larswood and gone there instead. That's why we ended up fighting giant spiders instead of bandits! Damnit!

We make our way to the Friendly Arm, and the Temple of Wisdom. Resurrecting Khalid is only 100 gold, thankfully. There isn't really much to say to him, except sorry. He doesn't seem to mind too much. Actually looks forward to going back to the Jovial Juggler. In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing Branwen too. A little.




But before we go, I get Kagain to unload the mule for Ratava Artsym, the resident storekeeper here. Because we've been picking up every single thing that our enemies drop, we have three whole loads of eq to sell. When we finish selling, we have 367 gold, which is enough for me to buy Rose the most important level 1 spell to have - Magic Missile! It costs 300 gold. Unfortunately, a single elixir of health (the only anti-poison item she owns) is 750 gold, a little out of our price range. I hand Rose the spell and she memorizes it with a cute flourish. Then Kagain addresses either me or Kivan, not sure which.



You are correct. I do not credit you.

'Tis so, all the same. Ye keeps yer mouth shut, yer hands to yer own property, and yer shafts are true. Puts ye leagues ahead of yer kin.

Then I shall resume that silence which you value so highly.

Then it's a short trip down to Beregost to drop off/pick up...







I care not for your "ascension," and even less about your foretold "greatness." I need an extra body in the party, so pick up a pack and get moving.

Your continuing delusion of leadership will serve Tiax well in the long run. Lead on for now, but eventually Tiax rules!

With a fast dive into the pack mule packs and a quick stop by Thunderhammer Smithy to pick up a small shield that Tiax inexplicably does not have, we are ready to go. We WILL kill bandits in the Larswood this time, no getting lost!



When we arrive, it is dark. But we still double-check our maps to make sure we are in the right place.



Yep, this is the Larswood. Bandits beware! After we rest, of course. Make camp everyone!

Gameplay note: I realized that I never show these camp movies. Here's a screenshot of camping outside.



We are not disturbed in the night, so we rest and relax in the morning. by 1pm we are ready to begin the great hunt. Kagain signals us our first prey of the day.



My boots propel me quickly, and I rush in to melee. But the Hobgoblin Shaman in the group really knows how to put a kink in my style.



Then he casts Hold Person at me, but I resist! HA!



Haiass gets the first kill of the day. Good doggie!



The hobgoblin shaman sure does know some potent spells.



Kivan gets the second kill of the day.



Stripped of my Armor spell, I am susceptible to accidents like this.



But I always manage to get my health back somehow.



I rush in to take advantage of my spell-busting move, but the shaman is one step ahead of me.... again.



So I kill his captain instead.



The shaman thinks that entering melee with us is a good idea, but despite him continuously healing himself, he can't keep up with Kivan's damage-dealing.



Kivan, the designated loot mule loader, cleans up everything. He finds 19 masterwork arrows among the detritus.



After that, we find some war dogs just hanging out near the road.



Kivan and Kagain do for them. We notice a prominent rock to the south, and so we approach it. It is a gruesome sight, once we realize all the blood.



The victims were drug east, by ... more dogs?



We beat them down without incident. The next ambush, however, is done on us. On me.



Thankfully, my new cloak protects me from becoming a pincushion. I get away without a scratch! But the ambush is ambushed by another ambush, something Gavin does not believe to be fair, so he orders them to Hold.



But I am having a grand old time!



I remember that the Weave doesn't like me casting magic at immobilized targets, but it never said anything about hitting them in the face with a poison green stick!



You know, sometimes things just go your way.



When the last bandit falls, I'm feeling pretty good. I feel especially good because he died by my poison. Better to give than to receive, I always say. In the random junk lying around, Kivan finds scrolls of Identify, Grease, and Color Spray, which he gives to Rose. Now she knows 5 spells!



When Kivan is done, we are ten scalps and untold numbers of crappy equipment richer. And not a scratch among us! Looking around, I notice that there is a strange broken-down tower here in the Larswood, but it looks accessible. We should check it out.



Going inside, we find a strange, glowing figure.



Haeball sells magic items - potions, ammunition, and spells, up to and including 9th level spells, like a Heal that I can apparently use.



His antidotes are only 500 gold each. His wands are 4,500 - 100,000 gold each. Sigh. When we sell off all the loot from the bandits, we have 191 gold. We are ready to go, so we take the northeast exit and end up...



in some kind of storeroom. Tiax tries to open one of the boxes, and gets zapped with a spell for his troubles.



He is not daunted, but his clumsy lockpicking doesn't get us anywhere either.



We decide it isn't worth it to keep rifling through this mage's things, so we just leave out the correct door. We travel down the road looking for more trouble to kill.

[Usurper]

We find it quickly.



I feel like that's entirely too many goblins to be together in one place and led by a chief, so I reach for Rhialto's spellbook and unleash the Horror.



All Praise Rhialto!! The worgs still give us a bit of trouble. Gavin gets bit by one. Rose casts her first-ever spell in retaliation.



And Kagain gives it the killing blow.



The situation quickly becomes a slaughter.







I get into a mite of trouble halfway through...



But Gavin takes care of everything,



right before he gets Held by an enemy shaman.



With Gavin held, the situation looks remarkably different. I feel like I must salvage this fight, so I run myself through the middle of the goblin ranks to attract attention.



I try to get myself far enough away from Gavin to not include him in the blast radius, then cast my Wild Horde.



Then I try my other little trick,



but the goblin shaman has a trick of his own.



Even asleep I can appreciate the pure, primal beauty of what I unleash upon mine enemies, the goblins.



What's more, the damage wakes me up and I am able to move around again. I do a little sweeping motion this-a-way...



and the battle is almost done. Unfortunately, the gnome slave that used to be neutral is hit by a bunny fireball, and he goes hostile. Blurrily hostile.



He starts hitting Gavin with some darts of stunning. Rose has to take matters into her own hands.



In the center, Kagain shouts out asking if we are not entertained.



There's one goblin elite archer after me, so I pop a few Mirror Images around myself and prepare to close for melee.



Back in the center of the fight, everybody is trying to protect Gavin, including the ghast even.



I kill the archer menacing me...



And as I run back to the center of the fight, Tiax's ghast chunks the goblin shaman. Only two more to go now!



A moment later, Kivan kills the gnome slave. A relief.



And then, finally, the ghast takes out the goblin chief.



Wait, there is one goblin still hiding in the trees!



Rose, of all people, manages to gut it with her short sword. It dies bloody.



When Kivan cleans up everything, we have some magic items that we can't identify unless we sleep. We manage to find a comfortable area, hunker down, and sleep for the night. The next morning we realize what we've got.



Gameplay note: 2d4+1 is better than 1d8+1, so Kagain gets an upgrade! The other magical items are Arrows of Biting, which go to Kivan. And, since I'm running out of time here, I will stop now. Probably the last update before Christmas.

Edited by Usurper, 30 December 2011 - 06:48 AM.

[Usurper]

For me, so far, this is my proudest moment in the Let's Play:



And I did it while asleep!

Edited by Usurper, 30 December 2011 - 05:55 AM.

[Usurper]

23 Eleasias, 1369

When we wake, it is still dark, so we go over spell selections for tomorrow and sleep more. Gavin realizes that he doesn't need all those Slow Poisons, because we're not in the West Wood of Sharp Teeth after all. He memorizes more Goodberries instead, especially since Lathander is so powerfully with him that they don't disappear after 24 hours, but instead stay with us all the time. I don't think we will need anything else to eat for quite a while.

The goblins seemed to have favored throwing axes, because Kivan winds up with 20 of them. He gives them to Kagain, who weighs them in his palm and finds them acceptable.



Gavin also resurrects Haiass in the morning, and he runs over as always and licks my face eagerly. I wonder what happens to him while he is dead. Does he romp around the fields of Elysium for a while before missing me and coming back? Where do wolves go when they die anyway?

When Tiax rules, this forest will be lumber for but a leg of his throne.

Leave it to Tiax to ruin a wistful moment. We take to the forest, intending to rid it of bandits once and for all. Unfortunately, we start the day off a little on the wrong foot when we disturb a black bear.



Kivan is able to fix the situation by speaking a few words of elven to the beast, calming it.



Unfortunately, when we run into a second bear, he is unable to do the same thing again.



And he gets seriously injured for his trouble.



But one bear is enough to take out another, so we are free to face the wild dogs bearing down on us.



Unfortunately when we send our champion black bear into combat against the dogs, he turns on us. I have to put him down.



I also take out the last wild dog.



We keep on moving. This forest is just full of dogs and bandits!



I notice that the bandits are actually employing a tactic here. The dogs keep us occupied while they spread out away from us to better use their bows.



But their strategy doesn't take Kivan into account.





In fact they don't deal well with ranged attackers at all.



We take care of the dogs, and move on. I realize that one disadvantage of having Boots of Speed on is that I always arrive in combat first, and have to wait for Kagain, the main tank, to come join me. I trade boots with him, so that he can charge into combat first. It'll be better this way, most likely.

The next thing we run into in this Larswood is another group of hobgoblins. Kagain speeds in to attack.



The way that they seem to line up in front of me makes it too tempting to not use my ring.



But the hobgoblin shaman casts Dispel Magic at me, and the beam disappears early!



Gameplay note: Damn these guys are good!

A little piqued, I suck the life out of the weakest-looking hobgoblin in retaliation.



Refreshing! Then, a lot of things happen at once. Gavin rushes in to heal Kagain, I kill another hobgoblin, and the shaman casts Hold Person at Kagain. It doesn't hit him, but it does hit Gavin.



Then as we are both beating on him, the shaman does the same thing again. Again Kagain resists and Gavin is re-Held. Why doesn't Gavin ever resist like the dwarf does? It's a moot point, though, because Kagain slays the shaman.



From the corpses, Kivan recovers 3 more Arrows of Dispelling +1 and 20 more Masterwork Arrows. I think that was the Hobgoblin Slayer who was carrying that equipment. We should watch out for them more closely in the future.

Our next encounter is with a pack of wolves, rather than dogs. Dangerous!



After we kill a few of them they start running away.



I say let them go. They learned their lesson. We keep up our patrol, and the next thing that happens is we run into this guy.



If I have it my way, you will not be speaking at all before the day is out.

Wait a minute! Lower ya hood, ya scum! Boys, here's Tazok's old friend - that's the one who offed Red Gren! We bring his head to Tazok, we're rich!

Then they attack.



Kivan kills the first before any of us can do anything else.



And the second too.



You know, I've been thinking. Even though the Weave seemed to discourage me from immobilizing enemies before, it has been immobilizing enemies on its own a lot now. I think that perhaps the Weave has changed its capricious mind on me, and wouldn't object to a Web or a Sleep here or there. I decide to test out my theory on this group of bandits.



Perfect cooperation! The Weave is with me this day! Teven rushes in to combat and manages to dodge the Web I laid for his companions. Everybody in our group attacks him at the same time, except for me. I decide to give Kagain a little Healing Touch.



Rose gives a little magical touch of her own to Teven.



And Kagain a touch of his own.



But then I order everyone to scatter. We must not stand in the way of Kivan's revenge. He comes through for us.



Again...



and again...



and again...



and again...



and again.



Gameplay note: Kivan did not miss or injure even once during that sequence. It was just sick.

Tevan was carrying 50 more poisoned throwing daggers and a wakazashi +1. The rest of the bandits are carrying their usual useless crap.

Damn forest, always reminds me of pansy elves.

In the middle of cleanup, we are attacked by another group of bandits. Kivan goes back into execution mode.



Kagain enthusiastically helps out this time.



Some try to run away, but they don't get far.



Nope, not far at all.



Gameplay note: Does Kivan get some kinda bonuses against bandits? Damn.



After we finish cleaning up from this encounter, our mule's saddlebags are full to bursting.



And Kivan's ammo belt is packed tighter than an elf's bag of presents.



We go back to visit Haeball. After unloading everything that we can and selling it all, we have 873 gold for our very own!

There isn't much left to this forest area, but we are tired and spent. We camp for the night, for 16 hours. Gavin wakes up in the middle of the night to cast Goodberries, so in the morning we have a large crop.



We are eager to finish our patrol, so we divide up the berries and set out. We are ambushed by dogs first thing.



They are not a threat. We get to the last quadrant that is still unknown to us, and stumble upon what looks like a henge in the making.

[Usurper]

Unfortunately, the man at the henge is a little unhinged.



What are you talking about, we've killed no one. I think you're a little addled in the head, perhaps you should calm down so that we can figure out who really killed your 'brothers.'

You think your excuses can work on me! I know what you are, what all of you are! Let the wrath of Malar destroy you and your faithless companions.

Malar's wrath apparently includes a bear. We all begin to attack.



Oh, two bears. I try to drain Osmadi's life.



Thankfully, I make him lose his first spell. Rose casts Magic Missile.



As Rose'a magic missiles hit, Kivan charms one of the cave bears.



Tiax summons his ghast into the thick of battle, but right away it gets hit.



And Gavin successfully casts Hold Person on the enraged druid!



Unfortunately being in melee with Osmadi did something to Kagain. He is poisoned or something, although not in the normal way. He runs back with the Boots of Speed to be healed by us.



Meanwhile, the ghast and dire leopard fight.



Gavin's and Tiax's heals land on Kagain no problem. Mine... has a problem.



Great.



Kagain is in a bad way. He is poisoned somehow, still, and also being chased by a bear and a leopard. He doesn't have healing potions, so both Tiax and Gavin are trying to heal him. They are trying to reach him before the animals do, and he is trying to stay out of range of the animals while eating Goodberries. It is a macabre dance.



He's managing to stay safe, but just barely.



Hoping against hope that this strange poisoning effect is magical, I reach for Rhialto's spellbook and cast Dispel Magic at Kagain. Maybe I can help.



Does it work?



No, the poison still works in Kagain's blood.



In fury, I turn against Osmadi with my staff! But my faithful companion, Haiass, kills him before I have the chance.



We all shift our focus to the two animals chasing Kagain, as Tiax and Gavin give him their final heals.



Kagain, with his boots of speed, rushes over to his last hope for a cure - the corpse of Osmadi.



SCORE! A potion of extra healing!



Kagain gulps it down, and looks like he will live to fight another day! Yay! I love that dwarf!



With the final bear we get some help from a third party - Carsone.



Nevertheless, Haiass still gets the killing blow.



I guess seeing his comrade fall wakes up the dire leopard, because he turns back to being hostile and attacks us!



Corsone gets the kill on this one.



Now that the battle is over, I take a look at myself. Oh no. It really happened. What are these things on my chest? I know, I know, but they look so out of place...



But I don't even have a chance to touch them before the bear wakes up too.



Kivan kills that one. Then we go to talk to the guy that helped us.



Why did you let us attack Osmadi? From the sounds of it you knew him well. The both of you look to be druids.

It's true, we knew each other very well. But there was nothing that could be done... he had lost his mind. I think you can understand that. Sometimes one doesn't have a choice.

Sometimes the gift of death is mercy, I know this all too well. But this man was crazed with grief, he was not gone beyond recall. Armed with this knowledge, Corsone did nothing ot prevent the death of one he claims was a comrade. Instead, he helped us to slay Osmadi...

I urge you to press on with your questioning, Syvishtar. This death is on our hands, and we will never be able to make amends, if we do not know the whole truth of the matter.

It's rather hard to believe that you would write off a life so readily. Come now, there must have been some other choice.

There was no other choice! Do I have to explain myself over and over. PLease leave me be, so that I may bury my companion.

So... now he's your companion? That's very strange indeed. I don't know of too many people who would go about murdering their 'companions.'

I murdered NO ONE! I did what had to be done! All of you might be dead if it weren't for my help! Leave me be.

I think you're lying! I think you wanted our help to kill him. You're just a common killer!

You... you... are correct. I did need your assistance to kill Osmadi. Thank you for the help. You were wrong about one thing. I am no 'common killer'... I am a Shadow druid. I poisoned Osmadi and his companions, so that we could be rid of their weakling presence. Now, we should easily be able to make this land our own. Unfortunately, there will be no room for meddling city folk. It is time for you to feel the fury of nature, as only I can administer it. Goodbye!

It seems our task here is not yet done. We attack.



I move off to the side and cast some Mirror Images. I feel like I will need them for this fight.



Kivan, wonderful man that he is, hits Corsone with a Arrow of Dispelling, causing him to lose his barkskin and whatever else he had going for him.



Finally, Gavin casts Silence upon the shadow druid. It works. This man is dead.



The ghast is the one to take the druid's life. I am not sure I like that, but I do nothing to stop it.



Then we sit down to count the loot.

[Usurper]

Altogether, from the corpses of these dead druids we get 4 potions of healing, two elixirs of health, an Excellent Quarter Staff, a Spear of Fire, the Boots of the Forest, a Leather Armor +1, Elgenon's Bramble, some Poisoned Brambles, and the Gift of the Woods.



Gameplay note: Our best spear yet! 4-14 damage.



They are not quite as fast as the Boots of Speed/Boots of the Forgotten Ones, but they are faster than normal walking. They also grant constant Free Action, which is huge!



I'm sure someone can use this.



Maybe Jaheira will be able to figure out if this can really be a missile weapon like it sounds like. Nobody else can wield it right now though so I'm not sure what it does.



The only class that CAN'T use this is mage. That's kinda funny.



Sets armor class to 2? Geez, no wonder Kivan wanted us to push on with the questioning, he wanted all this loot! Kivan really made out on this fight. With the Gift of the Woods he doesn't even need to wear armor, because it gives him no benefit while increasing spellcasting time. Dude is now a shirt-sleeved murder machine.



Tiax gets the Spider's Boots of Stealth and the Poisoned Brambles, since he can probably kinda benefit from them.



Rose also leveled up from this fight.







And level 4 is the first time she gets a White Dragon Disciple power - Chill Touch. It's just like the regular spell. Cool beans.

We rest the night, and are not disturbed. In the morning, we survey Larswood, and pronounce it free from bandits!



I think I need to have a long talk with Rose about some personal matters. We need to have some private time back at the Jovial Juggler. No, no, wait! I can't just walk in there, like this! Not in front of everybody. Not until I know more about what's going on. I need... I need... I need a bath, and some new clothes, and I need some time to think. I need civilization but away from everyone. We need to go to the Friendly Arm.

Gameplay note: Well guys, it's finally happened, the wild surge you've all been waiting for. I'm a woman now. I might be a woman for the rest of the game. I hope you're happy! Merry christmas to everyone, I guess.

[Usurper]

The thread had a huge long debate on what my portrait should be, but eventually settled on this:




They didn't want me looking too hot and they liked the fingernails, since they matched my previous portrait.

Edited by Usurper, 30 December 2011 - 06:04 AM.

[Usurper]

26 Eleasis, 1369

The trip to the Friendly Arm is uneventful, probably because I simply ignore everything else happening around me. I am in turns revolted and intrigued by what has happened to me. Revolted, because I feel violated on a deeply personal level. I am physically smaller in almost every respect. I feel frail. The Weave has just reached into me and changed one of the most fundamental aspects of my very being. But I'm also intrigued, because I am now experiencing something I never even thought to want to experience. Wanting to be a woman? Completely outside even my wildest dreams. But the only reason I don't go straight to the temple and pay for a Remove Curse or Dispel Magic is that, well, the Weave did this to me. There's got to be a reason. I can't just... just undo what the Weave has done. Not right away, anyways. I should see what is in store first. After all, the Weave changed me to gold and I liked it. And even though I wasn't golden forever, now that I have enough money I will become golden again!



Dyes? Shirts?

Magical dyes, my Lady! My profession is to create and sell enchanted dyes that can turn even the most drab and dreadful rags into the height of fashion! And now for a limited time only, I also have a small selection of complete outfits for sale.

Yes, I would like to buy something.

Ah, wonderful, simply wonderful! I have a wide selection of dyes for cloth, leather, hair, even even some paint for iron or steel if it strikes your fancy! What interests you, my Lady?

Can you explain in detail how this works?

Ah, but of course.

Dyes for cloth come in two sizes. There are the large bottles, which can alter the colour of any larger areas, and then there are the smaller bottles which can alter the more minor details.

Leather dyes can be applied to boots, belt and armor straps. Many things are made from leather, so it can have a variety of effects.

There are also two types of paint. One is suitable for amour, while the other is used for smaller objects such as belt buckles and some amulets on wizardly robes.

And of course, if you use the hair dyes, they will turn your hair to any hue you care to imagine.

Finally, I have a small number of complete outfits for sale. Whether you wish to cultivate the image of a great sage or a brave warrior, they are affordable, comfortable and guaranteed to stand up to even the most adventurous lifestyle.

Well then, my Lady, perhaps you would care to make a purchase?

I would like to see the dyes for larger pieces of cloth.

I browse through his wide selection of dyes, searching for the color I remember, the color the Weave bestowed upon me. At the very back, in the very bottom, I find the perfect color, for just 40 gold coins. I examine it,



and then use it.



I'm going to need more bottles.

I would like to see the dyes for smaller pieces of cloth.

40 coins later, I look a little more like the Weave-kissed beauty I truly am.



I would like to see the dyes for leather.

Another 40 gold, and I am beginning to glow once again. I buy three more bottles of paint and dye, and things are looking good. But then I'm at a little bit of a loss. Rupert has been so kind, but he is not giving me everything I need. I explain to him what I want, and he seems to understand. He tells me to wait a moment, and he'll be right back. He disappears behind a curtain, and I half-hear a complex, muffled incantation, but it is not something I am familiar with. I thought I got a good education at Candlekeep, but I have never heard of anything like "vilkacis" or "JL#PX115". But the last five minutes of the incantation is Rupert thanking him profusely in halting, broken celestial, telling him what an awesome guy he is and how this would never be possible without him. What the hell kinda magic is this two-bit shyster practicing? I am about to leave, but then Rupert comes back with a completely unmarked, yet glowing, bottle.



I chug it down in an un-ladylike fashion. Rose flashes me a look of disapproval. Giving an impish grin, I rush out of the room and to the nearest mirror, Rose following and giggling behind me. When I get there, I can't believe what I see! I am truly a golden goddess of the Weave! The magic will flow through me forevermore! I touch my cheeks, and brush my own arms, and then hug Rose in happiness. I tell her that while we're here, I'm going to buy her a new outfit too. I say she looks rather drab sometimes.



She frowns, then puts on a smile, and we go back to Rupert.

I would like to see the clothes.



We both look through the available items, and debate, and try things on, and change, and re-change, and discuss. In the end, we decide on a nice, long, flowing white dress, suitable for an actress on any number of stages around the world. She grins in happiness.

Then we both present ourselves to the men. Kagain mutters something about pansy elves. Tiax seems to be busy exhorting a plant about his upcoming empire and said plant's role in it. But Gavin and Xan are somewhat dumbstruck. They both stammer out compliments and superlatives and generally make us feel like we are queens of gold and light, which we obviously are!



Gameplay note: Rose looks a lot closer to her portrait, yah?



And we still have plenty of gold left. Let's see... 258! Oh yah, plenty left for a room, and a bath, and a nice long talk over tea with Rose. I love this girl!





Tell me, Rose, how did you start adventuring?

I was just bored, ya know. Same things, day after day. I just figured out that traveling would have proven to be much more fun.

Just that? You just.. decided to leave your old life behind you, all of it?

Yup. I couldn't stand it, it was like being imprisoned. Not that I don't miss my family, or my friends.. But I have much more fun now, I don't regret my decision.

I see. Heh, you did well.. Feeling captive isn't a way to live.

I'm glad you agree, Syvishtara! Usually people criticize me for my choice. Like if they hae the right to judge.

People do that all the time. I wonder what would Winthrop and the others say about my new life, back in Candlekeep.

This reminds me I know little of your life before our meeting. What was it like?

It was like hell. Couldn't do anything fun, since I lived with the monks and the ones who were allowed in the keep were only the rich, boring ones. I wasn't allowed to leave, either.

How come you left, then?

My stepfather told me we had to leave, and I was rather excited at the idea. Now I'm traveling alone because he got killed the first night out of Candlekeep. And I can't get back, there are strict rules to gain access to the keep.

So that's how adventure was forced upon you.

Unfortunately, yes. I wish I could change that... but I know I can't. *sigh* We better make hurry now.



After a couple of days of resting, and talking, and asking a million questions, I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this being a woman thing. I decide to brave the outside world and leave our room. Rose and I have been sharing a room, of course. It's scary at night sometimes. I decide to go down to the common room and try to strike up some conversations. Hopefully nobody will pick up on my awkwardness.

[Usurper]

My name is Syvishtara what's yours?

Me name is Thorengrim Hammerfist, one of the best forgers that Clan Hammerfist had. Me clan died out when Durlag fell. Me clan and Durlag's were very close. Now what kin I do fer ye?

Well Mr. Forger can you forge anything that we have? Maybe make it more stronger?

Well then Syvishtara lets see what ye have. I kin only forge certain items ye know.

Sure go ahead and take a look.

Nevermind I'll be on my way.

Well come back when ye change yer mind.

Gameplay note: I'm sure he can forge plenty of items, but we don't have anything he's interested in yet. It was a bit of an awkward flow of dialogue there. He is also a store, and sells regular and masterwork weapons, +1 shields and ammo, full plate mail for 15,000 gold, some Shadow Thief armor, a Mage Robe of Magic with one bonus spell for levels 1 and 2, some +3 warhammers, flails, and maces, and even a returning throwing axe. Why are all these merchants so insanely expensive? I don't think I've seen 15,000 gold in my entire playthrough altogether yet.

Well that was a nice dwarf! Heartened by my warm reception, I start working the room.



He's not joking about the chicken.



It costs 270 gold, though. He also has a lot of other delicious-sounding stuff.





The raspberries are 30 gold, and the grapes are 45. But Gavin can totally make us delicious Goodberries every day so we have no need of this man's fruit. His Potions of Super Healing are oddly murky, but his Potions of Critical Healing look totally legit and only cost 225 gold!



I buy one. Happy at such a great deal, I go talk to more of the people in this wonderfully festive hall.





I'm not so sure I believe that story.



Why, in fact we are! But how did she recognize me?



The commoners still have problems. How many bandits do I have to kill before the economy is fixed?

My thoughts turn to the rest of my companions. What do they think about all this? I try to talk to Kagain, get his perspective on things.



How are things with you on the front line, Kagain?

I can still hear yer stupid questions, so it could be worse.

Oh, he's just like that.

So, Kagain, can you tell me more about yourself?

These be dangerous time we live in, be best to watch yourself.

*You talk about Kagain's problems and hopes, in a friendly and kind manner, in hopes of making Kagain confide in you.*

I don't have friends, so I don't get why you've suddenly come into my life. Well, friends, if I had something to tell ya, I would, but I don't.

I let the old gruff dwarf be, and try to talk to Gavin.



Yes?

You're looking very serious, Gavin. Is something wrong?

Wrong? No, just meditating.

So, Gavin, how are you finding the life of an adventurer?

I suspect I'll like it better in retrospect.

I thought the mace was the weapon of choice for clerics of Lathander. Why do you use a hammer?

Most clerics of Lathander do prefer the mace. I just like hammers. Without question, a mace is a weapon. A war-hammer, however, was once just a tool. I know that its use is violent, and that I would not use it to drive nails, but the shape reminds me that I alone am responsible for the consequences of my actions.

So, Gavin, can you tell me more about yourself?

I did a fair amount of travelling before I joined your group, but I don't recall ever seeing the Sword Coast in quite this light before.

For some reason I am also struck with a desire to talk to Tiax. Even though he's rather annoying, I am curious.



So, Tiax, when will you rule the world?

Tiax's minion, Syvishtara, should be silent and obedient, not questioning the will of Great Cyric!

Tiax rules all!

Make way for the new deity, for it is meant to be, and Tiax's ascension is only a matter of hours... nay, minutes! Start the countdown, slaves!

I turn to Kivan, to try to get some insight into him. But he doesn't want to talk.



His words remind me of what we really should be doing. I get serious, and we begin to talk about our next move. In the end, we realize that there is basically only one next move to make. Larswood was a good first step, but we are not done yet. We have to bring the pain to the Peldvale if we are ever going to make a serious dent in this bandit problem. Thankfully it is only a 16 hour journey east.

[Usurper]

OK, now we are officially caught up and in sync! I anticipate being able to clear out the Peldvale, and then making an attempt on the Bandit Camp. If I can kill them all, I will. If anybody in my party dies, though, I'm going to give up and go back for a new party makeup vote. That will be the first vote this thread can participate in. So get ready! I have updated the Chapter of the Heroes, Chapter of the Deserters, Chapter of the Dead, and the Chapter of Notable People as well. Check their stories out!

Edited by Usurper, 30 December 2011 - 08:38 AM.

[Leokosta]

Finally, nice job
I ve been playing a tactical instalation as well, and I would like to warn you of a cople of things. First, when I went to the bandit camp, I took Kivan with me, and had to fight Tazok. What happened is that he was immortal. Not even CTRL + Y could kill him. I had to drop Kivan, and choose the option that allowed me to explore the camp without a fight.
Secondly, I have Eldoth waiting on Friendly Arm Inn, and found another one on the ClaokWoods. The dialog is exactly the same, so I dont know what to make of it. Think I am gonna to CRTL + Y one of them. Any thoughts ?

See u, happy new year

[Usurper]

Hmmm I'm not sure what to do about either of those situations. I'll have to just play it by ear I guess. I'm sure Syvishtara will be extremely suspicious of a deja vu moment with Eldoth.

[Usurper]

28 Eleasias, 1369

The trip is uneventful. When we arrive, it is early morning, just at dawn. We decide not to rest.

All this fresh air really makes me feel alive.

No sooner does Gavin say that, though, then it starts to rain. Great.



We go off the beaten path and to the east. It is not 50 steps before I detect someone casting magic. We look around, but do not see anything. Then, right next to Rose, 5 Ogre Mages blink into view!



No, wait those are Mirror Images. The Ogre Mage starts off with a Color Spray, knocking out Tiax, Gavin, and Rose. It immediately follows up with Acid Arrow at Kagain. I do not know how it is able to cast so fast. I barely finish my own Mirror Images during this time.



But then Kivan comes through for us all.



Gameplay note: Um... holy shit! One Arrow of Dispelling does 28 damage and dispels all effects? I think I might have to keep Kivan in the party forever no matter what the votes are.

Since our other healers are knocked out, I move in to heal Kagain as the Ogre Mage casts magic missiles at him.



Wait a second, that missile is coming in from the left, not the front...



Shit! A second Ogre Mage! As I'm trying to figure out what to do about this, the first one casts Sleep. No additional people are affected.



Then Kivan saves me the trouble of difficult tactical decisions by just slaughtering the first ogre mage with a fire arrow to the eye.



I send Haiass after the second one and reach for Nahal's Reckless Dweomer. At the same time, a single Magic Missile flies at me.



One Magic Missile? Bitch please. I've got Kivan over here. Also, the Weave, which strengthens me.



And sure enough, Kivan's second Arrow of Dispelling just dispels all life from the evil caster.



That's when the third one reveals itself.



It casts Sleep on Kagain and Haiass, who drop to the ground. Then it comes straight after me.



It strikes at me with a hideous cry, but misses.



I retaliate with Blindess. Or, at least I try to. But the magic gets away from me, as it so often does.



I am not able to see what all the effects are.



I feel some magic pass over me, but cannot tell what it is. I flail about with my staff.



I hear the thunk of another arrow from Kivan into my enemy. I also hear Tiax and Rose stirring. They must be awake again.



I feel more magic hit me, but I resist it. I wonder what it was?



Gameplay note: The aquamarine chromatic orb is 1d4 damage and -4 to AC. Good thing I resisted or this ogre mage's sword would be hurting me right now.

I hear a gasp of pain from next to me. Oh no, Rose!



Then I hear the death cry from this monster in front of me. Pity I did not hit it before it died.



Rose munches on some Goodberries while she gathers up the loot and puts it on the mule. Unfortunately the bastards only had bastard swords and a few healing potions.

Gameplay note: I think I was pretty lucky there, especially with the ogre mages showing up one at a time. If they had all appeared at the same time and attacked one person we might have had a death or two on our hands.

We get everything tidied up and begin our patrol of the Peldavle in earnest. It is not long until we meet up with some bandits.



Kagain gets the first kill.



Kivan the second.



Rose even gets a kill.



The fight continues pretty much like that until they are all dead and we have their loot. Because we are still dirt poor, we are still gathering up everything we can. Kivan is sporting an impressive 31 item scalp collection, which will be worth good money to Officer Vai. I'm still blind, but I try not to let it on. The Weave did this to me, possibly because it disapproves of blindness. I will suffer in silence.

I am able to hear enough to strike up a conversation with Ted, though.



We are adventurers.

Yer adventurers? I used to have an uncle who thought of himself as some kind a hero. He had the sword, shield... the whole bit. But he got himself killed, see? He was going off ta kill some sort of beastie with all of his buddies, but something went terribly wrong. I guess this beastie figured out he was coming and set up a trap for him and his friends. So anyhow, there are him and his buddies, trudging through the wilderness on their way to the monster's lair. Then all of a sudden, BAM! SMACK! The monster leaps out and starts ripping off arms and legs. When my pops found his brother, there was nothing left but a big pile of rotting meat.

That... was a real cool story. You wouldn't by any chance have any advice for us... some sort of adventuring advice?

Oh yeah! I have lots of advice about adventurin'. If ya wants to get rich, the best place to go would probably be the ruins at Firewine bridge. If you want some action, why don't you give back some of that trouble those bandits have been dishin' out on the Coast Way.

Then he walks away. Hmmm, that isn't the first time I've heard of the Firewine Ruins. I might have to check those out later. We are already giving the bandits back some trouble now, so we should stick with it. We keep walking, patrolling this area. I hope I don't trip over anything. I don't hear the next ambush start.



I will not put down my sword, Syvishtara! I would rather sheath it in this man's body. Still, if you want to enter the nest of bandits in disguise, I will stay my hand. But do not expect me to keep silent, when we meet Tazok.

I haven't been killing and scalping bandits to just stop doing it suddenly.

You'll not take us alive!

As you like it, fools! Your children be orphans tonight!

Oh no, a jab at Gavin. Do the bandits know about his family? Are they going to attack his daughter?

The battle starts off slowly. There are quite a lot of bandits in the trees south of here.



Kagain starts slaughtering them.



I'm flailing my staff at Raiken when I hear him gulp down something.



I hear Haiass's victory growl as I continue to flail ineffectively.



Then I am struck with Raiken's cruel weapon.



As if on instinct, I suck some life out of him in retaliation. I also sense Gavin suddenly at my back, ready with the healing touch.



Of course, a second later, Kivan fires an arrow into Raiken's neck and he falls. Why do I even bother with Kivan around?



Kagain is busy slaughtering the bandit ambush party single-handedly.



As Kivan steals another one of my kills.



I don't even bother to attack the remaining bandits. It becomes a race between Kivan and Kagain to see which will kill the last one. Unfortunately Kivan misses his last shot, and Kagain takes the prize!



Raiken was carrying an interesting mace.



Tiax appropriates it, but I think it will be somewhat wasted on him, since he never enters melee. He just stands back and throws sling bullets all day. I tell him that if he's going to use such a powerfully enchanted weapon, he should actually use it. Then, as we are standing around waiting for Kivan to clean up all the stuff, I realize that I can see again! The blindness has worn off. I am whole.

[Usurper]

We set off once more. Near a small pond we find some dire wolves.



Tiax rushes in to melee this time. As I do, Kagain kills the first wolf with a mighty blow of his pick.



Kivan has plans for the other one.



But it doesn't quite work out in the heat of battle. In the end, Kagain puts this one down too.



We keep going. Our next quarry is more bandits. But these don't look like normal bandits.



They sure fight like normal bandits, though.



Gameplay note: um... these guys didn't actually do anything. They just stood there and let me beat on them. Something was wrong with their AI.

They have Masterwork Arrows and Arrows of Ice on them. Kivan appropriates those. We keep moving. On the shore of one of the small ponds here, we find three artsy-lookin dudes and some wolves. We decide to kill the wolves first.



With Kagain, Tiax, and I in melee, the wolves go down fast. The artsy-lookin dudes scatter, though, so we have to go track them down. When we find one, we realize that it is Lake Poet Sam!



And this place our forefathers made for man!
This is the process of our Love and Wisdom,
To each poor brother who offends against us -
Most innocent, perhaps - and what if guilty?

Is this the only cure? Merciful God!
Each pore and natural outlet shrivell'd up
By Ignorance and parching Poverty,
His energies roll back upon his heart,
And stagnate and corrupt; till chnag'd to poison,
They break out on him, like a loathsome plague-spot;

Then we call in our pamper'd mountebanks -
And this is their best cure! uncomforted
And friendless Solitude, Groaning and Tears,
And savage Faces, at the clanking hour,
Seen through the steams and vapour of his dungeon,
By the lamp's dismal twilight!

So he lies
Circled with evil, till his very soul
Unmoulds its essence, hopelessly deform'd
By sights of ever more deformity!

With other ministrations thou, O Nature!
Healest thy wandering and distempere'd child:
Thou pourest on him thy soft influences,
Thy sunny hues, fair forms, and breathing sweets,
Thy melodies of woods, and winds, and waters,
Till he relent, and can no more endure.

To be a jarring and a dissonant thing,
Amid this general dance and minstrelsy;
But, bursting into tears, wins back his way,
His angry spirit heal'd and harmoniz'd
By the benignant touch of Love and Beauty.



This poem speaks to my soul. Dungeons, who needs 'em? I say let the men and women of the world run wild and free, working their lives as they see fit! Don't lock a man up, its hopelessly cruel! Now where did the other poets get off to? We find Willy running scared north of us, pell mell through the woods.



Who is the happy Warrior? Who is he
That every man in arms should wish to be?
- It is the generous Spirit, who, when brought
Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought
Upon the plan that pleased his boyish thought:
Whose high endeavors are an inward light
That makes the path before him always bright:
Who, with a natural instinct to discern
What knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn;
Abides by this resolve, and stops not there,

But makes his moral being his prime care;
Who, doomed to go in company with Pain,
And Fear, and Bloodshed, miserable train!
Turns his necessity to glorious gain;
In face of these doth exercise a power
Which is our human nature's highest dower;
Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves
Of their bad influence, and their good receives:
By objects, which might force the soul to abate
Her feeling, rendered more compassionate;

Is placable - because occasions rise
So often that demand such sacrifice;
More skillful in self-knowledge, even more pure,
As tempted more; more able to endure,
As more exposed to suffering and distress;
Thence, also, more alive to tenderness.
- 'Tis he whose law is reason; who depends
Upon that law as on the best of friends;
Whence, in a state where men are tempted still
To evil for a guard against worse ill,

And what in quality or act is best
Doth seldom on a right foundation rest,
He labours good on good to fix, and owes
To virtue every triumph that he knows:
- Who, if he rise to station of command,
Rises by open means; and there will stand
On honorable terms, or else retire,
And in himself possess his own desire;
Who comprehends his trust, and to the same
Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim;

And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait
For wealth, or honors, or for worldly state;
Whom they must follow; on whose head must fall,
Like showers of manna, if they come at all:
Whose powers shed round him in the common strife,
Or mild concerns of ordinary life,
A constant influence, a peculiar grace;
But who, if he be called upon to face
Some awful moment to which Heaven has joined
Great issues, good or bad for human kind,

Is happy as a Lover; and attired
With sudden brightness, like a Man inspired;
And, through the heat of conflict, keeps the law
In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw;
Or if an unexpected call succeed,
Come when it will, is equal to the need:
- He who, though thus endued as with a sense
And faculty for storm and turbulence,
Is yet a Soul whose master-bias leans
To homefelt pleasures and to gentle scenes;

Sweet images! which, wheresoe'er he be,
Are at his heart; and such fidelity
It is his darling passion to approve;
More brave for this, that he hath much to love: -
'Tis, finally, the Man, who, lifted high,
Conspicuous object in a Nation's eye,
Or left unthought-of in obscurity, -
Who, with a toward or untoward lot,
Prosperous or adverse, to his wish or not -
Plays, in the many games of life, that one

Where what he most doth value must be won:

Whom neither shape of danger can dismay,
Nor thought of tender happiness betray;
Who, not content that former worth stand face,
Looks forward, persevering to the last,
From well to better, daily self-surpast:
Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth
For ever, and to noble deeds give birth,
Or he must fall, to sleep without his fame,
And leave a dead unprofitable name -

Finds comfort in himself in his cause;
And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws
His breath in confidence of Heaven's applause:
This is the happy Warrior; this is He
That every Man in arms should wish to be.



I have never met any man anything like the one described in this poem. Except, perhaps, for Gorion? He did not hesitate to walk into danger, though it got him killed.

We look for the third poet, but instead we find more wolves.



They are not a threat. We kill them without taking a scratch. We loop around, searching for the third poet. We eventually find him near Lake Poet Willy.



Enter this cavern Stranger! the ascent
Is long and steep and toilsome; here awhile -

Thou mayest repose thee, from the noontide heat
O'ercanopied by this arch'd rock that strikes
A grateful coolness: clasping its rough arms
Round the rude portal, the old ivy hangs -

Its dark green branches down, and the wild Bees,
O'er its grey blossoms murmuring ceaseless, make
Most pleasant melody. No common spot
Receives thee, for the Power who prompts the song,
Loves this secluded haunt.

The tide below
Scarce sends the sound of waters to thine ear;
And this high-hanging forest to the wind
Varies its many hues. Gaze Stranger here!

And let thy soften'd heart intensely feel
How good, how lovely, Nature! When from hence
Departing to the City's crowded streets -

Thy sickening eye at every step revolts
From scenes of vice and wretchedness; reflect
That Man creates the evil he endures.



Rob's poem reminds me of the sanctuary of Shaundakul. If it didn't take my essence away each time I used the stone, I would sleep there every night. It is imminently peaceful and calming. I thank the poets, and we go on our way. I wish we could stay longer with them, though. We continue our patrol, but do not find any more hostiles. No bandits, no wolves, no dogs. I'm feeling pretty good about today. Today, we cleared the Peldvale!



The next stop is the bandit camp itself. It is twelve hours away.

Edited by Usurper, 01 January 2012 - 06:24 PM.

[Shazek]

I've been following this on SA for a while now, but don't have an account to post there with. Didn't feel like getting one either, so I'm glad you're posting it here. A few things about the latest update:
1. That is, barring one catastrophe, the most ridiculous wild surge I have ever seen. Roll Twice More leading into Roll 4 Times? Madness. The only one I've seen that is even comparable somehow caused an AoE petrification affect from a glyph of wild magic. TPK in an instant.

2. The BTE's are broken in one of my installs, too. Be glad. They are murder even on -11AC.

3. Bandit Camp with that party? I wish you luck. Try running away via zone change often.

[Usurper]

It could have been worse. I didn't get a Horrid Wilting or demon gating in or anything! That one you refer to sounds pretty deadly. There's no way to even protect against that. I hope to be able to take out the bandit camp mostly by relying on Entangles from Gavin and Webs from myself. We'll see how it goes. I hope I can level up Kagain or Tiax before I get in there. They're pretty close.