1504 replies to this topic

[William Imm]

Sure. Bribe him. While you are at it, tell him to fix his Nalia romance mod, and get him back to work on Classic Adventures.

[Sanctifer]

C. Go to Bald Hill, kill bandits, and don't bribe Sean Connery, you'll have to call him Sir all the time and that's lame.
(PS : your LP is freaking awesome !)

Edited by Sanctifer, 08 March 2012 - 12:38 AM.

[hook71]

I vote against bribing him. It's not like we need more NPC:s...

[Usurper]

(PS : your LP is freaking awesome !)

Thanks man! I'm always happy to hear compliments .

[Usurper]

Now people have started to demand that I kill Sir BillyBob, but I don't think its possible. To show how difficult it would be I will do an alternate reality vision assault upon him in the next update to see how quickly he owns the party.

[William Imm]

I looked on the main thread, and holy poo-poo: Staff of the Magi? Robe of Venca, not the Item Rev. Larloch Robe? Ring of Gaxx? I'd really want to see, if only for a big trainwreck. Maybe Ankaris Garth (not sure on the spelling) will come and assist Billy with the battle.

(ps: do you even know who Ankaris Garth is?)

[Usurper]

heh, nope!

[William Imm]

Spoiler

Ankaris Garth is a debug charcater, like Biff the Understudy in BG1, who appears when you kill a plot-important NPC. When he comes, he instakills your charcater, and you can't save when he comes. So, that's who he is.

Edited by William Imm, 09 March 2012 - 08:25 PM.

[Lurker of the north]

"Arkanis Gath" ...isn't he only in SoA (chapters 2/3) ??

[Lurker of the north]

@Usurper:

-Lovin' this LP!

Could you plz link to the original-thread.
I did manage to find it once, but it took me a while... have cleared my history since then.

[Usurper]

Sure, here it is: http://forums.someth...hreadid=3435303

Only problem is that it is only available for public viewing sometimes, depending on what the forums get set to. They periodically open up sections of the forums to the public and then close them later so that people want to join.

[Usurper]

Here are the voting results:

Which way should we go?

A. Tri-Top
B. Thief's Den ...
C. Bald Hill ...............

We also had quite a discussion about Sir BillyBob.

Sir BillyBob impromptu discussion suggestions:

A. Bribe him .
B. Don't bribe him ......
C. Kill him .........

So, by popular demand, I will try to kill Sir BillyBob. Once. But if it doesn't work, I will show you what happened as an alternate reality vision and move on to Bald Hill.

[Usurper]

29 Eleint, 1369

As my party and I prepare to go, I wonder... Sir BillyBob is the person who told us everything, and we just blindly believed him and went to do his bidding. But is he really what he says he is? After all, we're on a strange island in the middle of nowhere and we know nothing. Can we really trust him? I realize that there is something I must do. I must use the Leaves.

I try not to think about them, but they are always there, just out of sight. The thousand thousand alternate paths that my life could take, each one a leaf on a twig on a branch on a trunk of a great, great tree, planted back in the mists of time when... I do not dare to look. I am not ready for that knowledge. The only thing I want to know is to look sideways for now, to other leaves, for signs of Sir BillyBob. So we go back, and I look. I stare hard at the mage, and try to seek out the next twig over. If I squint my eyes, and tilt my head just right, I can see it.

---
Trunk and branch, twig and leaf,
Memory is a reality thief.
---

I drink a Potion of Regeneration, Branwen drinks a Potion of Magic Blocking, Fabio drinks a Potion of Defense, Imoen and Safana drink Potions of Master Thievery, and Kivan drinks a Potion of Heroism.



Then Branwen and I drink Potions of Absorption, Fabio drinks a Potion of Magic Protection, Imoen and Safana drink Oils of Speed, and Kivan drinks a potion of Storm Giant Strength.



Then while Branwen drinks a potion of Defense and Imoen drinks a Potion of Power, I use the scroll I have on hand to summon my first elemental.



Then Branwen Blesses us all and begins her Chant, and we are ready to begin.





Imoen and Safana start off by going behind Sir BillyBob and ... disappearing. Safana isn't so good at this so she has to use a Potion of Invisibility.



Then, as one woman, both of them lunge in for the attack. I send in my earth elemental as well.



I begin to prepare for my ultimate magical assault, with Chaos Shield.



Imoen hits with a few magic missiles, and Branwen casts Miscast Magic at him...



...but it is resisted. Through Nahal's Reckless Dweomer, protected by Chaos Shield, I try to summon a lesser fire elemental.



A roaring column of fire flashes down upon me...



... and when its over, I have two!



I send them both in to join the grand melee. Branwen gets done with her second spell by that time, Summon Insects. She casts it at Sir BillyBob. That is when I notice something wrong with this whole picture.



He's not fighting back. He is just standing there. The insects reach him but he just doesn't care.



Well, if he's not going to fight back, I'm going to join the melee!



No matter what we do to him, we can only ever do minimal damage.



The insects disappear and he just stands there. One fire elemental disappears and he just stands there. The earth elemental disappears and he just stands there. It is infuriating!



The final fire elemental disappears and then it is just me and my friends beating on an old man with a stick. We feel a little foolish. A strange energy flies down from the sky above and slams into Sir BillyBob too, hitting him with enough force to fry anything.



But the old man just stands there. Eventually, not knowing what else to do, we just kinda stop hitting him. He still just stands there.

---
Trunk and branch, twig and leaf,
Memory is a reality thief.
---

I pull back from the vision. That must have been just my imagination, and my imagination's inability to go through with killing an innocent old farmer. There's no way an indestuctible, godlike being has a farm and kills orcs for a hobby on the Isle of Lendore, is there? Not knowing what else to do, I take the party north, to Bald Hill. I just can't stay at the farm. It creeps me out.



When we get to Bald Hill, it is after midnight. We make camp.




I am not sure I am truly convinced in the efficiency of that sword. Be there a blade between us or not, you would not be safe from my embrace. But I have heard of a ranger who used a dire wolf for that purpose. That might be more efficient.

Sounds like a thing Kivan would do, if some lady imagined she could replace his dear Deheriana. It would be a hamster in Minsc's case, I guess.

The name of the ranger in question was Jon. But do you imply 'tis a typical demeanor for rangers?

Hmm, you were talking about rangers, and I was thinking of those I chanced to meet. No, wait, I forgot Drizzt Do'Urden! Ahem, bad example, I am afraid.

Bad example indeed, Syvishtara.

Have you ever heard about the courtesan in Waterdeep who approached him thinking he was sufficiently drunk? Not only did Drizzt politely refuse her nineteen times, but on the twentieth he set his ale aside, pulled out his diary, and started reading her an excerpt on the chivalry and 'honorable' ways of love! They say that poor girl refuses to enter that inn ever since.

Branwen, that... that cannot be true!

Mayhap the tale is a tad embellished, but I have heard it from a very reliable source. But 'tis late already. Could we not forgo this discussion, and do some research on the ways of love instead?

We do.



The next morning I cast Armor and we go exploring. We know nothing about this place, so we have a lot of ground to cover.

[Usurper]

Not ten minutes in, we find an expansively eloquent orc.



Your home?

Yes, we live here near Bald Hill. Oh, the ground isn't great for farming but local travelers help provide us with what we need.

Yes, you mentioned "us" several times now. I assume the orcs hiding around us are part of this "us"?

Yes! It is good that you can see them. I always think that people should see their killers before they die. Attack men!

And suddenly we are surrounded by orks. [Not orcs, apparently?]



I lead off with a Horror, causing several of the orks near me to panic. One of them also hits me with some sort of arrow.



Safana transforms into her werewolf form, and I have to gulp down a potion from all these assaults.



Safana shows Krellus that it is generally not a good idea to try to ambush women who can turn into werewolves at will.



Gameplay note: woohoo! It has been a long time since I could put a portrait into the Chapter of the Dead. But this guy is goin' in!

We quickly mop up the other bandits.



One of them evades us with a Potion of Invisibility though.



Safana is on a roll today.



Then the bandit that disappeared shows up again with a knife in my back!



Fabio turns to attack him, but he disappears yet again right in front of our very eyes!



I guess he can do this two or three more times, and I don't want to die, so I cast Mirror Image. They come up just in time to thwart his next attack.



Imoen is able to catch him with a few Magic Missiles.



And I am even able to hit him with my staff. But Kivan is the one who gets the killing blow here.



And also on the final ork around the bend.



As we are getting our bearings and making sure everyone is dead, Branwen stares at the ground and says,



What? Branwen, what are you talking about?

I"ve told you the other day of the malady that afflicted my thoughts. Have you forgotten already?

My thoughts turned to our current path, and I found it barren and unsatisfying. Not your path, surely. Your destiny is bright and promising, and foes flee your wrath in most disgraceful and hurried manners. 'Twas my failures I was repulsed with, for I neglected my duties greatly. I no longer revel in righteous battles, and neither do I seek proving myself in Tempus's eyes. I spend hours awake stroking your hair and dreading the moment you stir, because it would mean another march, and another battle. I have come to fear death, while months before, every day was a fine day to die.

I must flee you, Syvishtara. You have damned me with weakness, if unwillingly, and I cannot let it spread and consume me.

Why should it trouble you so? There is place for everything, Branwen, for the hatred in battle as well as for warmth and comfort at night.

Syvishtara, a true follower of Tempus should embrace conflict, not shrink from the challenge; harness the battle and be made stronger for it, not tremble in fear for herself and her lover.

But no, 'twas a mistake to inflict my troubles upon you. 'Tis time alone I need, to purge my doubts and settle my thoughts. I shall sleep by myself tonight.

I am taken aback, and do not know what to say. She will sleep by herself? Then what about me? What will I do? I'm not sure if I can even get through the night without another body next to me. I stare at Branwen as she walks away. Behind me, Kivan and Imoen are looting the bodies. Imoen is making a big deal out of a new gem we have never seen before, a Star Sapphire.



Krellus had it. He was also wielding some normal weapons and wearing a +1 chainmail. Nothing special there. The thief, Gorharg, has some Waterstar Gems on him.



Also a Potion of Invisibility and an excellent dagger and longsword. But nothing much else of note.

Even though we've already killed what looks to be the bandit leader, we barely know anything about this place. We continue to explore. What we find is more orks.



We attack it at once, but it retreats to the mouth of a cave just north of us. Thinking it may be a trap, we stop to catch our breath before going in.



Branwen casts Aid on me, her, and Fabio, since we will be the three front-line fighters. Then we go into the cave. We do find another orc, but it is not much of an ambush.



Kivan takes care of that ork,



and the next one too.



We notice the wagons in the back, and realize they were merchant wagons.



And I manage to kill the final ork!



Safana finds some kind of tiny hidey-hole



It has 100 gold and two pearls in it. She's got a good eye.



So now we know what happened to the caravans and we killed the bandit leader. And we're just getting started in Bald Hill!

[Usurper]

With confidence we march right out of that cave, around the corner, and straight into another ork who almost kills me!



I drink a potion and run away, and Fabio manages to kill it.



We continue east, and all together this time. It is a good thing we do, because we find a group of orc barbarians waiting for us.



I have horrible flashbacks to the slaughter of my whole party in the Valley of the Tombs, so I reach for my wand and Fireball the lot of them. Unfortunately I get Fabio and Branwen in the blast too.



I tell everyone to focus on the orc in front, but then the archer in back hits me with a nasty shot.



I have to retreat and drink a potion.



Fabio is the new target of the orcs' wrath, and almost dies. But Branwen hits him up with one of her new spells and he's back in business.



He also manages to get off a Mirror Image. Hopefully that will be enough for him to tank the orcs.



It helps Fabio, but it doesn't help Branwen. She gets hit hard. I wince in sympathy pain for her.



I also unleash my Ring of Energy and begin to sweep around.



Imoen fails a Charm Person and gets hit hard for her troubles. Branwen drinks a healing potion but takes another hit too.



They both retreat, and Imoen drinks a Potion of Invisibility to get away. She loses the orcs.



Fabio manages to kill one of the orcs, but also gets seriously injured in the process.



Safana runs out of throwing daggers during the fight, and decides to go toe-to-toe with raging orc barbarians. She soon learns her lesson. At least Kivan kills another at the same time.



Fabio prevents the other orc from chasing after Safana, and takes it on himself. This gives Kivan time to kill it too.



And finally, after I spent so much time distracting the Orc Archer with my intense melee skills, Kivan kills it too. His eyes seem to widen slightly at this last kill.











Gameplay note: He now has the Called Shot ability. When he activates it, any shot he makes within the next 10 seconds gets -1 to the THAC0 of the target, now at level 4, and more stuff later.

Off the orcs we get nothing of note but 3 Arrows of Ice +1. But we are sore, tired, beaten, and out of spells. We must go back to town for today. Also, we drank up all of our available healing potions. This is hard work!

When we get back to Restenford, we visit the store. After unloading the mule and selling all the junk we hauled in, we have 2,000 gold. That means I can buy the last spell there, Non-Detection.



I snap it up.



Gameplay note: This is the super-invisible invisible spell. I actually haven't used this spell before. But I guss if you cast this first, and then cast invisibility, you will really stay invisible no matter what the enemy casts, until you reveal yourself. Huh. Interesting.

I also buy a couple hundred darts for Safana, so she won't run out of ranged weapons in a fight ever again. Then we go back to the Tavern of the West Wind. In it, I find one more spell that I feel is essential and must buy - Vocalize.



With that, we all get rooms and go to sleep. I sleep the fitful sleep of the alone.

[Usurper]

Higharvestide, 1369

Today is Higharvestide. I realize that I've been so busy trying to survive from one day to the next that I didn't even realize it was coming up. But we always had a great time in Higharvestide growing up in Candlekeep. And, of course, we learned all about its history from our teachers. I can still quote it now.

Higharvestide is the celebration of the coming of fall, and is definitely worth celebrating, as autumn is without a doubt the most beautiful season in all the Dales. The festival falls between Eleint and Marpenoth (September and October), but unlike the other four major festivals Higharvestide usually lasts until the harvest is over.

Higharvestide is a time of plenty for all, and even the poorest will get enough to eat from the generosity of the others in their community. There is always a constant stream of food and ale on the tables set up in the center of town, and all are welcome, local or traveller alike.

Traditions vary from community to community, but most have various contests such as pumpkin carving, axe throwing, archery; and in Shadowdale they even host a challenge to see who can make the gooiest carmel apple, the best apple pie, and the hottest chili. Regardless of the outcome of the contests, everyone goes home happy, content, and with a belly that would envy a halfling.

The Chaunteans observe the Prayers of the Harvest at this time of year, a relatively somber day when compared to the revelry going on throughout the Dales. This holiest of holy days thanks Chauntea for the bounty she has given the community over the past year. It should be noted that this observance does not always fall exactly on Higharvestide, instead being moved as needed to coincide with a given township's actual harvest day or days.

While most people choose to or have to stay in town for the harvest, there is a great deal of traveling at this time. Pilgrims of various religious orders, dignitaries and ambassadors, and even Jack Mooney & Co. Traveling Circus make haste to reach distant destinations before winter weather freezes the rains into snow.

Higharvestide also has a traditional melody that is undoubtedly familiar to millions of people throughout the Realms.

I cannot ask my companions to fight orcs on this day so we spend the day in the tavern getting well sloshed.





WooOoOOOoooo Higharvestide!



Yaaaaaa Higharvestide!



Gameplay note: I don't know how much you guys care about St. Patrick's day, but I had a pretty good time and that's kinda spilling over into the game . And it really is Higharvestide in the game! The automatic in-game journal-dating says so. So wooo!

After a day of festivities, and a day of recovery, we head out back to Bald Hill to finish clearing out the orc bandits. The last thing we want for more orc bandits to show up and have them undo most of our hard work.

Gameplay note: You can report back to Sir BillyBob and/or Pelltar now and tell them that you thought you got all of the bandits, and they will accept it. But the quest wouldn't be truly over, so we can't have that!



We get back on the hunt for more orc bandits, and we soon find another ork. Since it is alone we rush into the attack.



The ork severely injures me right away. I am forced to retreat.



Branwen completely obliterates the ork in my stead.



Then she heals me fully. I love this woman, even if she isn't sleeping with me right now. After consulting with my party members, we think we have managed to walk around a triangular rock outcropping large enough to hide a substantial bandit force on its top. We decide to climb up to the top to check it out.



We find another lone ork archer at the top of one section of the outcropping. Maybe a scout.



Kivan takes this one out. He is still a death machine.



But those two are the only orks that we find up here.



Ah, the forest, with plenty of privacy. If only I had a lady to enjoy it with...

Dropping some pretty heavy hints there Fabio? We move on, and find another bluff to scale. At the top of it, we find a few orks and a pet snake of theirs.



The giant snake rips into Fabio, and he looks like he might die from the assault right away. But then Kivan charms the snake with a quick whistle.



And Branwen and I both heal Fabio, preventing him from dying. He still seems a little sick, though.



As the fight wears on, he seems to feel better. I think he'll be fine. Also, I kill the ork in front of us!



Almost simultaneously Kivan and his new pet snake kill the other ork.



This very small ridge seems to be devoid of further monsters, ork, orc, or snake, so we continue on our methodical, murderous way, our pet snake in tow.



Unfortunately, before we meet any other enemies, the snake turns on us again. Kivan has to put it down this time. I wonder if that bothers him?



The next ork we encounter we murder with efficient boredom. Don't these guys know how to group up? Why are they single patrols all over?



Fabio kills the next one.



We climb up another butte and another ork stands there, ready to ambush us. I decide to use one of my spells, so I cast it. Blade Shower. It has been a while.



The four blades of chaos stuff fly out of my hand and puncture the ork in several nasty spots.



But still, Kivan is the one to kill it.



Another lone ork we find in the opposite direction. Whoever told these orks what to do did not have a head for strategy.



Kivan takes this one out too.



As we make our way further away from the cliffside and into the meadow up here, we find for more orcs. Four of them is a lot. I'm a little worried about this scenario.



So, I decide to take care of this another way. I throw a Potion of Explosions at them.



They, in turn, deem me the greatest threat and all go after me. I turn to run merrily away, while Fabio gets in a few Magic Missiles.



Then, when Branwen has distracted most of them into fighting her instead of me, I throw a second potion at them all. That crystal armor of hers makes her almost immune to fire, after all.



But the worst scenario happens. Another group of orcs comes after us. I guess those single ork patrols were just scouts after all!



This is too much for us. I signal the retreat. I regret that I had not memorized Wild Horde earlier. The bunnies are always willing to get us out of tight situations. We all head for the narrow path down the butte. To cover our retreat, I throw a fireball from the Wand of Fire. It is glorious.



Then I am able to do it again before we go down the trail.



Branwen manages to heal herself and get off a Chant before we are engaged again, this time on a narrow trail. Safana joins forces with Branwen and is hurt for her troubles.



But she pops a potion and seems better. An extremely short but vicious battle ensues next, where Safana and the nearest orc tear into each other in a bloody frenzy. She barely escapes alive.



I yell at her to retreat and go back to ranged combat, but that leaves an opening in the trail. I try to fill it and I receive a nasty cut as well. In response, I pop Mirror Image.



Imoen throws some more Magic Missiles at the nearest orc.



I suck the life out of him, and Kivan shoots him dead.



Then things get very confusing on the trail. I am not quite sure where everybody is, and then suddenly Fabio is dead.



I react almost instinctively, in horror. I touch Rhialto's holy spellbook and unleash a Horror upon all the orcs.



The Horror makes the orcs flee in all directions, and gives Branwen and I the opening we need to get away. How they had gotten behind us I simply do not know. I am able to regroup the party a few yards away, and throw another fireball from the Wand of Fire. A few orcs fall. Too many don't.



One more fireball and another orc dies. The others are on fire and look almost dead.



I hear Kivan shout out, "Ice Arrow left eye."



While at the same time, Branwen and I dance a delicate, deadly dance. She casts Cure Serious Wounds upon herself...



... one moment before I throw a final fireball right at her.



Two more orcs die while Kivan's Called Shot hits.



Branwen steps up to take the last orc off of me...



... while Kivan's second Called Shot hits.

[Usurper]

His last Called Shot hits, while Branwen takes some damage.



And I fire my Ring of Energy to save my beloved from death.



But in the end, she takes care of the beastie herself.



I didn't save her. She saved herself. I stand there in stunned silence, looking at the strong warrior woman before me. I realize that there is an insight worth knowing here.











Oh yes, there is quite a lot worth knowing from this fight. I immediately turn and rush back to town to do some research. When I get back to my room a the Tavern of the West Wind, I immediately hit the desk and open Rhialto's Holy Book.



Study the spellbook for a while, and see if you can learn something new.

You spend some time, browsing through the book...



Try to learn the spell "Gymlainac's Lightbend."

You succeed in learning the spell.



Gameplay note: A 2d4 bonus to Armor Class that lasts 10 rounds? That just makes my current staff-pounding fighting style even easier! With my current equipment, my normal AC is -1. I could have a maximum of -9 AC! Tankmage is here.

This Gymlainac is pretty good. He's no Rhialto, of course, but the mage's got style.



Study the spellbook for a while, and see if you can learn something new.

You spend some time, browsing through the book...



Try to learn the spell "Vile Word of Discord."

You try to learn the spell, but it's too difficult, you need more experience in the art before you can learn it.

I am undaunted. I open the spellbook again.



Close the book.

The page that came loose and fell out turns out to be a scroll of Resist Fear.



It is a spell I already know, but still useful nevertheless. I re-organize that page by putting it into Pelltar's Spellbook, and then go back to The Holy Book.



Study the spellbook for a while, and see if you can learn something new.

You spend some time, browsing through the book...



Try to learn the spell "Random Spell II."

You succeed in learning the spell.



Gameplay note: A random 4th or 5th level spell. Some good ones to see show up from 4th level could be Confusion, Emotion - Hopelessness, Greater Malison, or Ice Storm. But some bad ones to cast on my enemies could be Improved Invisibility, Stoneskin, Teleport Field, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, or Otiluke's Resilient Sphere. Going on to level 5, we would like to see Chaos, Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, one of the elemental conjurations, Lower Resistance, or Hold Monster. But some bad ones to see would be Protection from Normal Weapons, Shadow Door, Spell Immunity, or Spell Shield. So basically its a crap shoot. And crap shoots are Syvishtara's speciality! I'l be memorizing this and casting it a lot.

The best idea ever! Let the weave directly decide which spell to cast. Obviously, this is the right way to go, because greater magical power will flow through me than would otherwise be possible. How can I go wrong here? I hold my breath for a moment in excited anticipation, then go back to studying the spellbook.



No, of course not. The spellbook probably filters the madness and only passes along pure, essential knowledge. Besides, the Weave would not let me go insane, would it? No, of course not. It is silly of me to doubt the Weave. But there is nothing else I can glean from Rhialto's works now. I sigh sadly. How long will I have to wait before learning the Vile Word of Discord? I am in a bad mood the rest of the day. No, of course not.

It is only after I have rested and bathed that Imoen approaches me to ask me, quietly, what we should do with Fabio. Fabio? I ask, frowning at her. There is nothing in Rhialto's spellbook about Fabio. She says the bard? The one we met in this very tavern? The one who died fighting the orcs? She says that they carried his corpse and equipment all the way back to town. She wants to know if I want to raise him.

OH! Right. I ponder, turning my gaze inward.

Ok guys, what should we do with Fabio? We are in a unique situation right now - we can't go back to the mainland until we are either completely done with the quests in Restenford or we have given up and decided to blow things off. So, we cannot follow our usual policy of replacing Fabio without foregoing the rest of the Secret of Bone Hill module. So, what do you think we should do?

A. Raise Fabio, continue questing here in Restenford.
B. Kick out the dead weight, we can save Restenford without the dead bard.
C. Screw Pelltar, screw Restenford, and screw the Isle of Lendore altogether. Take Fabio's corpse and blow this popsicle stand, we're going back to the Jovial Juggler to pick up Finch and kick some bandit ass.
D. Screw everything. Kick out the bard and lets get outta here. Finch and important things await us! Who wants to kill orks with a k when there are bandits to fight?

[William Imm]

D. I think Bone Hill is somewhat boring as a mod, and I think it's time to get back on to the main path.

(Oh, and do you want to dual Immy to a mage soon?)

[Crazee]

I'd say A - no sense in being a man down, and we can't leave Restenford just yet. We've barely started

[Usurper]

Yes, I am planning to dual Imoen to a mage. When is the best time for that, do you think? I was thinking of getting at least one of each of the bonuses from her charming rogue kit before dueling her, so that's like level 7?