1504 replies to this topic

[William Imm]

Take her out and put Kivan back in.

[Daxs]

No, take her out, but a certain angry Druid would be fun. I hope Avenger is an option, and if not, then I know there's a Shadow druid kit out there!

[Usurper]

Well we have to replace her with the next-most-popular character, which will be Bub Snikt. He's got his chance to shine now. Of course when we meet Faldorn we can vote to take her and her class as well.

[Usurper]

13 Uktar, 1369

You know, I remember thinking when I was first turned into a woman that it would be a new start for me. That I was transformed, washed clean of the old worries and cares of my life, and that I had a fresh start. Well, I've gone and cocked that all up now haven't I? Everyone on the Sword Coast keeps attacking me, my friends and lovers keep dying, and I abandon my childhood pet for weeks just because I feel like it.

No, wait, that's not true. I didn't feel like it. I never asked for this. The real reason these things happen to me is because I am not yet powerful enough to prevent them. If I had been able to strike down those bandits with the right spell the first time, Haiass would still be alive. If I had cast some protective spell on Shar-Teel, she would have survived my Cone of Cold. If I had just been able to find the appropriate spell for the occasion, nobody would be dead and everything would be fine. I must gain more power. I MUST.

Raising Shar-Teel is only 400 gold. I pay it in silence.





*with a grim scowl* Lover-boy.

I guess she remembers me as I was, and not as I am. Typical. Our goodbyes are also typical.



I am thinking... I need to gain more power, of course. But until then, perhaps I should be taking along toadies that I do not care about, rather than trusted friends and lovers. Perhaps this is my flaw. I need to bring along people I don't really even know... like Bub Snikt.



No, we still need you in the group.

And that's that! I do feel kinda bad for him, because I specifically picked him to die instead of other, more dear, friends of mine, so I make sure to give him the best equipment possible. He takes most of Shar-Teel's old things like the Full Plate Mail +2, Gauntlets of Power Attacks, Helm of Glory, Ring of Regeneration, Cloak of the Wolf, Gnomish Boots, and Girdle of Bluntness. But I also give him the Ring of Protection +2, shuffling around some other protections to make it so. And, finally, because he can use it and because I feel bad for him, I give him the Shield of Falling Stars +1 that Xan used to use. I hope it keeps him alive for a while. Besides, even though he loves dual-wielding daggers I only have one magical dagger to give him - the Heart of the Golem that Safana used to use. For now we'll keep him dagger-and-board until we can find another magical dagger.



Also, since we have stopped by civilization and an Inn, Coran is able to clean himself up a bit. He looks a lot less wild and crazy when he comes down the stairs after a good night's sleep.



A lot more... attractive? Hmmmm.... Welp, where's Viconia? We need to talk magic!

Gameplay note: Because of the Divine Remix mod, as I've mentioned before, each type of cleric has different spells available. Viconia has a lot fewer spells available at level 3 than Branwen does. Well, ok, 4 fewer. First of all, Viconia is missing Call Lightning, Hold Person or Animal, Holy Smite, Invisibility Purge, Miscast Magic, and Summon Insects. I guess that's because Viconia is evil and doesn't have the plant domain. But she does have two spells that Branwen doesn't. Those are Cause Blindness or Deafness and Cause Medium Wounds.



This is pretty simple. 50% chance to miscast any spell on a successful touch attack. -4 to everything. This is a mage-killing and boss-killing spell, of course on a successful touch attack. Is it useful? Hard to say.

The other spell is Cause Medium Wounds, another touch attack.



Yeah, the part about it being only 2 rounds before it fizzles is always what discouraged me from using it. Also, the spell being wasted on a miss. I don't know why priests are supposed to flail their bare hands around wildly in the middle of combat, but hey that's 2nd edition for you!

Ok, now it is time to go.



We travel, rest, wake. It is a beautiful day in the Cloakwood Falls and I am loving it! We check in with Tiber, but no good news yet.



We resume our sweep of the area, hoping to find something indicating the Iron Throne's presence. We think we might have found something when we see a large, dome-like structure in the center of the area. It is either that, or something worse.



We go in. Inside we see a horror beyond imagining.



Hmmm. Does the Spider Queen have servants even here? 'Ware, Syvishtara, for if so, those spiders could be lethal indeed.

Hey wait! We've come here... to... to benefit from your divine wisdom. Let us speak.

You've come here to learn from my infinite wissssdom. Sssspeak quickly!

How have you come to dwell here, in this dreary abode?

I am cursssed. The archmage, Jon Irenicus, cursed me for indignities done to him and his wife by me. I loved Jon, but now iI hate him, as I hate you and everything. Spiderssss... kill them all.

This Jon Irenicus guy sounds like a real bastard. But Centeol is a bitch herself. We are attacked by a large number of spiders that we originally didn't see there. Where did they come from?



Everybody reacts in a panic, and I too by casting a random spell at the bitch. It fizzles.



I shout out "Retreat!" and everybody goes outside. I don't want to lose my first fight of the day! But Coran doesn't seem to approve.



Whatever do you mean? I credit my leaving Candlekeep with discovering numerous things. I'd almost go as far as calling my adventures a University of Life.

Phew. You know nothing if you continue to buy cheap wine.

Oh, hells, we're about to die, and you are complaining about wine?

Of course! Particularly if we're about to die. I don't want to go with a last memory of drinking something awful.

I have an idea. Why don't you let me buy our wine? I can practically swear that I can get you the best prices with any merchant.

That sounds good!

Ah, marvelous.

Gameplay note: I really like that they put that line in there about how we're about to die. Very appropriate considering how many chats are triggered in the middle of combat in this game.

Then Myrlochar emerges from the spider's nest, and the battle is on once again.



Imoen and Keiria are trapped in between the lair and the spiders. They cannot retreat to range and are forced to melee with Bub. Viconia rushes into the general center of the group, probably to cast a spell. Coran makes it to range and begins peppering Myrlochar with arrows. And I try to do the same.



YES!



My arrow of flame strikes the scary-named spider, badly injuring it!



I rush in for the kill, while Imoen is severely hurt by a sword spider and Viconia gives us the Chant.



Then Bub gets his first big kill, knife and all.



This means that there is suddenly room for Imoen and Keiria to get away, and run away they do. I catch Imoen in a Healing Touch as she passes by.



The Sword Spiders must also be as attracted to Keiria as everybody else is, and go after her. She responds with a spell I haven't seen in months.



Even though it falls asleep, Coran's attack wakes up the Sword Spider again, much to his chagrin.



He pops a healing potion and is okay again, and then Imoen takes it out with a few well-placed magical missiles.



Then it is myself and Bub tanking the final spider. We beat away at it, until Keiria gets a lucky shot.



I congratulate Bub for a job well done. He was perfect in that fight. But we still have more killing to do. We prepare for another round of spider assaults. I and Keiria cast some illusions while Coran sets some traps. We want to be able to survive if we have to retreat again.



And then we duck back into the evil lair. Of course there are still quite a few enemies waiting for us.



I again go with my gut, and reach for a Fireball through the ever-Reckless Dweomer. It flies perfectly. The Weave is strong with me this day!



Eh, Bub can drink a potion.

[Usurper]

After that awesome display of power, Centeol cries for mercy!



My curse - that is all I remember now. I used to be beautiful and powerful.

An exotic sorceress, with many powers at my command, and suitors at my door. But I only had eyes for one man, Jon Irenicus. He was a great and powerful wizard, the only man worthy of my affections, or so I thought. Though I lusted for Jon, he cared little for me, for he had another to whom he was married, lady Tanova.

Please, go on, that's quite a story!

So I plotted and I schemed, and finally came up with a plan to rid the world of Tanova. When the deed was done, and Tanova lay dead, I was exultant, but not for long. Jon went mad with fury, and using his powerful magics, divined the identity of his wife's murderer.

He arrived at my tower, and I allowed him entry, desirous to finally consummate our love. Jon disabled me with his spells, and then he cursed me to this body, and set spiders to feed me nd keep me alive. So you see, if you were my friend, you would kill me.

I will burn you, lend some fire to the flames.

I agree, Infernum, I agree. Let us burn this whole place down.

Viconia moves up to heal Bub, but spiders encase her in webs. Then they focus on her!



I need something to distract them, something to provide a shield for her.



Perfect.

And Imoen gets some attention by casting Burning Hands upon the assembled spiders.



Keiria uses Fabio's lute to add some Confusion into the mix.



Then we retreat to the north to give the bunnies room to work.



By the time the bunnies are all gone to death or explosion, and I taunt the spiders with my mirror imaged proximity, Coran and the other ranged attackers are able to pick them off.



Bub also moves in and takes care of some more business.



And strangely enough, one of Viconia's stones takes out the last.



Now... what to do about Centeol?



She said if we were her friends, we would kill her. She hates her existence.

We should do it.



Yay again Bub. Going for the hard kills.

Gameplay note: We got an extra 1000 xp for killing her so it was obviously the right decision.

Then, of course, Imoen must loot the spider-woman's nest. In it we find a ring, 12 Shandon Gems, a sword, and a corpse.



The sword turns out to be Spider's Bane.



Hmmm, a long sword that protects against webs. Why don't we ever have anyone that uses longswords in the party? And, since this is the sword Spider's Bane, I can guess who the corpse is.



Hoo boy. Not good news today.

Needless to say, Tiber is not happy.



That is a sad note to end a day on, but end it we must. We set up camp again near the falls. We sleep uneventfully. In the morning, though, Coran reminds us of his mission.



We press on, seemingly in a hurry and not sure where to go, when I hear the taletell sound of a trap being sprung.



Uh oh. I tell everybody to run back the way we came from.



Surprisingly enough, it works! We all escape the web trap. Then I set the ranged fighters up on the border and send Bub back in.



Works great. But then Haiass gets stuck in the webs, and the ettercaps focus on him like men possessed. Keiria and Imoen focus-fire some magic missiles to take one out quick.



Bub attracts the attention of the other as it is pelted with all our ranged weapons.



Haiass survives! Viconia heals him back to full health. I wonder what these spiders were hiding? We walk up the pathway they came down and find... the way deeper into the Cloakwood!



But we are not yet done here, so we stay a while longer. We send Imoen out again and get smart about trap detection once more.



As she is scouting, Coran breaks into conversation again. It seems like the elf can never just stand still and wait for anything.



What are you talking about?

Oh, the marks of a warrior's labor. A bruise from the bowstring, calluses from the sword...

These marks are ridiculously ignoble. The maids imagine that bravos spend their days in gruesome melee, escaping with nothing but a life-threatening wound to the little finger.

And they would like nothing more but to nurse such a grave wound, of course.

Being healed by a gentle maid is the part I find hard to mind, since they believe that soft kisses and lace handkerchiefs are the best cures.

Why do you even bother with these foolish girls, when there are adventurous women around who know full well the risks and rewards?

My beauty, whoever told you that I don't admire women of skill was slandering me!

Damn straight. And don't you forget it Coran.

Back in the field, Imoen finds a lone giant spider. Instead of calling for backup, she tries to take it out herself!



One good ninja-to thrust to the back, and a few good magic missiles to the face...



and the beastie is down. Damn she's pretty awesome!

She goes on to find another lovely little waterfall.



But after that, she finds only cliffs.



She can't seem to find anything unfamiliar to her, so she comes back to us. We consult with Coran and decide that we have thoroughly searched the Cloakwood Falls.



Time to move on, on to the Cloakwood Grove!

[Usurper]

I've been having some trouble finishing this next update due to a lack of time. Let me instead offer these alternate reality leaves which I have saved for just a time as this. These are tales of disaster and mayhem, unaverted. This is how it could have been, for one slightly lesser than such as I. Weaker Syvishtaras, you could say. There is even a short preview of the next update!

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

We weave and thread our way through the twisty passages, me taking the lead. I can take on any skeleton they throw at me! With this brash confidence, I stride around a corner and come face to face with death.



I scream and immediately run back the way I came.

Gameplay note: Holy shit a beholder? How am I going to kill a beholder?! With MINOR SPELL TURNING on it?!?

It follows.



Branwen pulls out her horn and blows it. I inexplicably run back down the corridor. Safana draws her cloak about herself and turns into a werewolf. The beholder hits Branwen with some energy, and then... screams and runs away?



The berserk warrior steps out of the magical gate that formed near the place where Branwen blew the horn. He doesn't look friendly.



He starts to move towards the beholder, but then Imoen hits him in the back with an arrow and he turns towards us. Towards me!



I think maybe I can show him the right way to go, and so I try to pass him in the narrow passageway. He gets me good once, though, as I go by.



As I drink a healing potion to recover, I realize that I am in a bad position.



The beholder wastes no time in ruining my day.



Another energy beam from him and I am screaming inside my mind, but my mouth will not move.



My comrades retreat as they are scared off by the beholder.



And I am killed by a warrior of Valhalla and a beholder's death ray.



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

The next day after I wake, I try again. I know now the Weave and what it does.

First, step one. I use Rhialto's Spellbook for this one.



Step two.





Step two again.



The energy fries my mind and body instantly. I am dead.

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

I manage to cast Mirror Image on myself via a scroll just before Venkt the mage shows up in the trees. The battle is on.



Venkt mirror images himself while I call forth the dead, via another scroll.



The ever-annoying mage casts Glitterdust upon Safana at the same time that an Arrow of Dispelling hits him from Kivan's bow. He is defenseless!



We all fire at him; arrows and bullets and darts go flying. But as always and is as fitting, Kivan is the one to take him out.



I am almost ready to take a short break, when the two skeletons out in front of us react to something's presence. We have no time, we must continue fighting.



They're in the trees!



Kivan takes out the first one.



And strangely enough, it is my dart that takes out the other. Hmm, these darts aren't half-bad!



But the bandits just will not stop coming. Hakt and Britik, two infamous monsters, show up next. I try to keep everyone in a firing line. There is no need to get foolish yet.



The skeleton that I raised is the one to kill Britik. The two skeletons have also been extremely good at drawing fire away from us.



Hakt seems to want to pull away from the melee that the skeletons force him into. He must prefer ranged combat. But the bone-white mace-wielders do not give up, and he is forced to turn and fight. Kivan takes him down.



Even with the death of those two, the bandits do not let up. More hobgoblins show up in the trees.



They foolishly try to focus on the undead as the rest have. Kivan takes out the first fool...



... and the second.



We have a lull in the fighting after that, and I regroup everyone. We form a line and advance up the road, and then turn off where we know the bandit camp lies. We make our first tentative steps in... and Kivan executes the first hobgoblin he sees.



And the second one for that matter.



We more further into the camp, but we start getting fire from two sides. So we retreat and send the skeletons in first.



Safana shouts that she sees some to the north. Imoen shouts that she sees some to the east. There are... so many.



I get out my next two scrolls in the plan and begin to cast the first one. A Black Talon Elite hits Finch hard, and she reaches for a healing potion.



Meanwhile on the east side Kivan, Minsc, and Imoen are letting the bodies hit the floor.



My spell flies off its scroll and towards the area I designated. Several bandits are held in the sticky Web.



I trade places with Kivan. He needs to work on this bundle of bandits while I trap the other side. Also, I need some heat taken off of me. My last Mirror Image has been shattered by a flying arrow.



Bandits are falling to the ground all over the place. From skeletons, from Kivan, from Imoen. It gets too hard to keep track of.



One of my skeletons finally falls to sustained arrow fire. He served well.



My second scroll of Web goes off, and we have a very wide killing zone in front of us.



Gameplay note: Then the game crashed.

[Usurper]

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

Next, everyone drinks more potions while I animate the dead to aid us. Potions of Defense, Heroism, Agility, Strength - they drink whatever they think will give them an edge. I begin to cast my third spell when the evil mage Venkt shows up, interrupting our plan. He must be destroyed.



He tries to cast something, but the flurry of bolts, bullets, and arrows makes him lose his spell. I finish my summoning and burst after him as fast as I can go, my sword screaming in my hands.



I come to my senses and run back to the firing line, however. I should let my Earth Elemental engage in melee. It joins in on the chase but Safana steals its glory.



I order my minions to advance towards the bandit camp, and we follow behind in a firing line. There is no need to be too hasty here. My elemental almost immediately begins drawing fire. We move in to support him.



Kivan, of course, is the one to take the Black Talon Elite out.



The skeleton I summoned, which had gone its own way, is cut down by sustained arrow fire. Too bad.



I order my earth elemental to stride into the thick of combat. It serves as a frightening distraction. Meanwhile, Kivan adds to his killcount.



Imoen takes a big hit from one of the Black Talon Elites.



She responds with a reflexive Magic Missile, but it doesn't do much damage. Surprisingly, the earth elemental moves to protect her.



On the other side of the line, Finch also takes a hit. She responds by drinking a potion.



I let loose my first spell of the Plan, and run back behind the lines to avoid a concentrated retaliation. At the same time, Minsc sees one of the bandit leaders come after us. He screams out "Armored, sharpened, and raring to go." and grabs the Flame of the North.



I start setting some bandits come in from behind our line, from the northwest. I tell Safana and Finch to pull back with me. We must adjust our facing. At the same time, to the north, my first Web hits and begins to Hold bandits firm in its sticky grasp.



Minsc, surrounded by blue flames, engages in melee with Britik the gnoll and Hakt the hobgoblin. I assume they are the leaders of the Chill. I try to cast a Fireball but an arrow slams into my chest, and I lose my spell!



I move back and try to reassess the situation. To the east, Minsc and my earth elemental are holding the line.



The Web I cast to the far north is still in effect. But the bandits are still coming from the northwest, bypassing it. Safana, Imoen, and Finch can't really hold a third front. They're just not built for it. I have to do something about that.

On the other hand, the eastern front is doing quite well. Minsc obliterates Britik with one swipe of his sword. He must still hold a grudge against gnolls for what they did to Dynaheir.



It is actually Safana that turns the tide of battle in the north. She uses that Wand of Fear we found earlier to make the hobgoblins run away.



That gives me enough time to notice that we are getting more bandits coming in from the southeast. We are in danger of being surrounded! I order everyone to retreat south into the trees, and cast something to cover our trail. Cloudkill.



I also mentally call my elemental to my side. It will walk through the cloudkill, bringing its enemies with it. It should be fine, though. Its an earth elemental. What could possibly go wrong?

Gameplay note: Then the game crashed again.[i]

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

Really, Viconia? Natural selection. Don't you think that's a little harsh? We set out to try to explore the area, but quickly find ourselves in an arachnid ambush. Imoen and I are caught in webs!



The rest of the party tries to defend us. I am stuck, unable to move, as I get poisoned. Viconia rushes in to cleanse my poison, but then she gets Held as soon as she does!



This has gone bad fast. Shar-Teel shouts out a command, and Coran and Keiria both drink Oils of Speed. Keiria also lets go of her completed Sleep spell.



Shar-Teel rids us of a Wraith Spider, but I didn't even know it was there.



Coran throws his own Webs to add to the confusion. Keiria uses Fabio's lute to add more Confusion to the confusion. Shar-Teel deftly navigates through the chaos with her gnomish boots and slaughters a Giant Spider that was munching on me.



Keiria throws in a Stinking Cloud, and Imoen becomes unstuck from the Web! She immediately retreats.



Shar-Teel kills another huge spider that had turned to munch on me. I wish I wasn't caught in these webs!



Then the last spider kills me. I am dead.

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

Um... not at all. It is not uncommon for... for a woodsman to seek the comfort of natural caverns and... and... oh to blazes with it! I can tell by your questions that you suspect me of lying and I tire of this ruse! No, I am not a simple woodsman! I am training these beasts to serve as guards, and now that you have interrupted me I shall never have them ready for the mine. Your presence has agitated them; they will be unmanageable for days now! Perhaps... perhaps I can placate them with meat. Your meat!

Coran takes this opportunity to leave. But Peter of the North had almost already killed him with some sort of frost axe by the time he gets out!



The baby wyverns follow Coran outside, and one of them triggers the traps, making it Injured instantly.



Then it is time for us to attack. Viconia heals Coran while the rest of us pound away.



Imoen is the first to score a kill.



I am badly wounded by the second wyvern.



But I retreat and get Viconia to heal me, while Bub kills the second baby wyvern.



It is a moment of revelation for him, as he realizes how to better withstand attacks from monsters like that.







Then I try to cast Mirror Image on myself via Nahal's Reckless Dweomer.



A cow falls from the sky and kills me instantly.

[Beleg33]

Bah! The Mirror Image could have absorbed it! Nice wild surge there ;p

[Usurper]

Unfortunately it didn't .

[Usurper]

16 Uktar, 1369

In the Underdark, you would be fodder for the Kuo Toa.

You are rather uncouth today.

Viconia has taken it upon herself to start taunting Coran. She seems to find his elvenness offensive somehow. I guess she never talked to me like that because I saved her life way back when. Hmm. I wonder if I should do anything about it. Coran seems to be holding his own. Besides, we have a whole forest to explore!



There are so many trees everywhere that I don't even know where to begin. Coran suggests we start with a nap. Great idea!

The next day we proceed to simply walk into the forest. How bad could it be, really?



Oh, that bad.

What do you mean by that?

Leave my wood!

You're not a very sociable being are you?

Do as I bid!

I am afraid I cannot do that. We have to get to the mines and .......

Feel nature's fury as she lashes out at thee!

Uh oh.

Viconia opens with a bullet salvo!



Haiass is the next to get a hit in.



And finally Coran strikes the killing blow.



I don't really feel comfortable with attacking dryads. They're generally nice beings. What is going on here?

We next encounter some plain old wolves. Why is everybody so hostile in this part of the forest?



Some wolves attack nearby squirrels, some get killed by Coran, but three winter wolves shoot cold somethings at me. They don't seem to do anything.



Bub starts mopping up the winter wolves.



Haiass is also deadly to his cold brethren.



The final hero of the hour is Keiria Silverstring though, with an impressive crossbow bolt to the eye.



Bub Snikt goes over to skin the lot of them, and comes back with 3 winter wolf pelts.



I remember the shopkeeper in Nashkel saying he was interested in these. We should stop by and show them to him sometime.

We continue to follow the path and come to a bridge.



I guess we had better make sure we didn't miss anything on this side of the bridge before we continue across.

Coran finds another pack of wolves that kill a nearby squirrel, but otherwise there is nothing.



Gameplay note: Actually that is not strictly true. What we find is another Eldoth waiting for us.



This is a bug, and Eldoth is deader than dead, since we voted to not resurrect him and kicked his corpse out of the party back when we were level 1. I don't want to bring him back to life via bugs, so I'm going to ignore him here.

We cross the bridge, and are greeted by a man in green who walks up as we do so.

Ahh, sweet flames!



Who are you? What is it that you want with us?

My name is Laskal, and I am the protector of the Cloakwood. I would ask you a question before I take my leave of you. I have a message for those that serve the Iron Throne. Would you be a representative of that organization?

We have no connection to that evil group. We are sworn enemies of the Iron Throne.

Hmm. An enemy of an enemy is a friend. My earlier question was just a test. I am glad to know that you also oppose this organization. They have been a blight on these woods ever since they re-opened the ancient dwarven iron mine. Well, I am glad to know you. Take this, hopefully it will aid you against the Iron Throne. The Iron Throne's fort is located to the northeast.

Farewell.

He gives us a Potion of Invulnerability. Always welcome!

[Usurper]

We head further into the forest on the other side of the river and immediately see a hostile - Miranda the Witch.



It would have been nice for Laskal to tell us she was hiding out here, but whatever.




Were sorry but we are just passing through. Could you give us directions to the Cloakwood mines?

No.

This isn't going to go well, is it. Two druids, a mountain bear, and a squirrel jump out of the forest and attack us!



Miranda the Witch begins casting some sort of spell, so Imoen, Keiria and I do what is our first instinct - magic missiles.



It doesn't seem to faze her at all, and her spell hits me with its foul touch.



Everybody moves in to melee her, and Miranda tries the same spell on Bub. He seems hardier than I and it just brushes by him.



Viconia gives us a Chant to work together with, and Keiria uses Fabio's Lute to create confusion in our foes.



It is mostly successful, but the witch resists again. I am at a loss for what to do. All of our spells are just falling off of the witch like rain off a cloak. How do I... what do I...? Coran saves me from this unsolvable riddle.



With that coup accomplished, I order everybody to fall back to see what Keiria's confusion hath wrought.



The bear, unconfused, becomes our next target. Coran takes it out as well.



But then Haiass is bit on the ass and yelps in pain. The squirrel got him!



Keiria saves him from an ignoble fate with a well-placed crossbow bolt.



It seems that I had miscounted previously - there are actually four druids who were backing up the witch. Only one of them is not currently confused.



We all rush to attack him. My sword screams in a frenzy of bloodlust!



Viconia is the one to take him out.



Then the confusion fades and it is back to grand melee again. Viconia takes time out to heal Haiass while he is fighting a bear.



Coran takes out one of the druids.



Bub kills the polar bear.



And, as the last druid panics and turns to run, Haiass deals the deathblow to him.



I just... I just killed a bunch of druids. Why did I do that? Why did they attack me? Did they think I was Iron Throne? I feel really bad about this.

Gameplay note: FINALLY I get to add a new person to the Chapter of the Dead. All these people I've been killing and hardly any of them had portraits. Well, Miranda the Witch, your name is going in the dead-book!

Perhaps to distract me from the carnage we have just wrought, Coran begins to speak.



Helg isn't a girl's name.

And very well that it isn't, because Helg wasn't a fair maiden.

Helg was a larger than life character; a huge human with wild beard and an inexplicable talent for playing a harp. He said his mother was a Rashemi, and very well she might have been. The man could out-drink a dwarf...

As a matter of fact, he did. And that's how I met him.

Oh, really? A dwarf?

Why, yes, a dwarf....

I walked into a tavern in the docks of Waterdeep, and there was this dwarf swinging a horn in the air, challenging everyone to a battle of perseverance.

I didn't think anyone would answer, for the docks in the City of Splendors are generally free of fools at that time of night. But someone shoved me out of the way and roared that he accepted.

Helg?

Why of course that was Helg. He loved a grand entrance. Despite the shove, I thought that in a contest between a dwarf and a human, I'd support a human. And I was nearly alone, for most put their wagers on the dwarf.

Hmm, surprise, surprise.

And I was right, because the Rashemi quickly drank the dwarf under the table. He didn't seem to feel the spirits at all.

Oh, wow!

So, I was collecting my winnings, and the night was starting out beautifully... until one of Helg's other supporters gave him a congratulatory punch on his stomach. Well, the seven foot tall human, and half again that wide, fell into my arms like an overripe plum.

And you are still alive?!

Yes. Of course, by that time I felt a certain connection to my gold, so I quickly tucked the bard out of the way.

And my own room was the only place I could think of. *Sigh.* Imagine me with pocketfuls of gold caring for a deadly drunk fellow like a priest of Ilmater, instead of carousing the night away...

There must have been some trick to it....

The poor bastard had swallowed a sea sponge, hoping to release the trapped mead gradually... but instead the whole thing got emptied at once when he got punched. At least that's what he said when he was finally able to walk.

I should try that one day....

I wouldn't recommend it. After all, I don't even know all the details. I wished to question him further about it, but at that very moment the dwarf's wager arrived.

What, that's not all?!

Five casks of the very spirits they were drinking the night before, if you believe me! The dwarf was a wine-seller, you see, and the entire thing was intended as an advertisement for his stock. Why, I don't think I ever saw Helg weep again....

Keiria and Imoen had been going over the equipment from the dropped druids. Four of them were wearing Studded Leather Armors +1, which we put on the mule. Two of them were wielding Excellent Quarter Staves, which also go on the mule. One had an Excellent Scimitar, which is also fodder for a rainy day.

But Keiria says one of the scimitars does electrical damage and has electrical resistance, although she does not know why.



There is also a tangle of brambles in the rough shape of a mace, which she identifies as Poison Ivy +2.



Gameplay note: Which is totally different from Elgenon's Bramble - The Branch of Many Things, which does 1D8+1 crushing and piercing damage with 2 points of poison per round for a total of 30 damage. We picked that up long ago.

There are also a pair of gloves which look like bracers, and which she says are the Gift of the Woods.



Gameplay note: These are almost the same stats as those godly bracers that Kivan was wearing, also called Gift of the Woods, but these bracers reduce Armor Class to 0 instead of 2, so these are just a liiiitle bit more godly.

A tangle of brambles turns out to fit like a suit of armor, and Keiria says it is the Armor of Thorns.



Only usable by druids, apparently. The final piece of equipment is an ankh. Keiria calls it the Ankh of Acceptance.



She decides to try it on, and gasps in surprise. She says she understands much better now. She says she knows why the druids act the way they do.

[Usurper]

She turns to the forest and says this, all this, is the only thing really worth preserving.



Gameplay note: It changed her alignment from Neutral Good to True Neutral.

I ask her gently to take the ankh off. She does, reluctantly. I give it to Viconia instead.



Her eyes grow wide, and she staggers back. But she doesn't say anything. Let her think on things from a new perspective for a while.

Gameplay note: So we have a ton of useful equipment for a druid or a ranger, and yet no druids or rangers in our party. A pity! Also, in case you were wondering, Viconia's STR is changed by the dwarven bone ring, her DEX is reduced by the platemail she's wearing, her WIS is boosted by the Ankh, and her CHA is boosted by the Helm of Glory. That's what all those red numbers on her are for. Me, on the other hand... I'm diseased.

Man, I'm really not feeling well. I find it hard to even lift my sword now...



Drinking an antidote does nothing. I ask Viconia if she can help me out, and she says after we rest. But not until then. I suppose I will just have to soldier on. So that's what we do. Cautiously. I hope to avoid killing any more druids today!

Unfortunately, that is exactly what we find as we continue to explore.



I try to cast some random spell at them, but the Weave doesn't seem to favor me killing druids today. I can't say I blame it, actually.



At least my sword favors me! It burns mine enemies even when my magic won't.



I just realized that both of these druids are using magical flaming swords that they called forth with their druidic magic.



And I also just remembered that I am 100% resistant to fire! Ha!



I fight them both, flaming sword to flaming sword, until one of the falls to Bub.



And the other falls to Coran.



They only have quarterstaves on them when we look at their bodies. Sad.

We continue on our way, and I hope again and again for no more druids. My hopes are realized, but in the worst was possible. We find a wyvern instead!



We do everything by the book. Ranged attackers fire, Haiass and Bub close in to melee, the wyvern focuses on Bub. I flit around and be ineffectual for a while to make sure I don't get targeted, then join up with my wolf biting the wyvern's side. Then Bub gets bitten.



I tell Haiass to jockey for a better position, and then Bub gets bitten again.



Viconia rushes in to cast a heal, but she takes so long in doing it that Bub gets a third hit. He seems almost dead.



Viconia's spell and a healing potion does for Bub, and Coran takes out the beast.



How was he ever hoping to kill these things by himself? At least he knows how to take a trophy.



After doing that, Coran goes off on another one of his tangents.



I haven't seen an elven city yet, but I read that they are quite beautiful.

Majestic... that's the word. The elven cities are majestic. They make you weep with awe for the first hundred years or so... then you either can't stomach it any more, or can't stomach anything else any more.

I can guess which type you are!

For now. My kin is known for settling down with their own later in life.

Coran tells us that there are most likely a lot more wyverns in the cave just behind that one we killed. He says that we should go in, flush them out, and then ambush him here. Or, rather, he should go in. We agree to the plan and he even sets up traps outside the cave, something I had not seen before.



The elf definitely knows what he's doing. Then he goes inside.



A fellow huntsman of wyverns, I presume?

A huntsman, yes. But I have no interest in these... wyverns. I am here for... er... caves.

Really? And I could have sworn that this faint acidic smell on your cloak is the same that their poison leaves...

So you are not going to kill the pair? I am not surprised. *Nobody* around here is buying wyvern trophies... I know that for a fact!

Er... how long are you going to stay in this cave, anyway?

For some time. My... er... spelunking takes time...

This is an odd place to meet a woodsman. Are you not afraid of those baby wyverns behind you?

You just don't know the subtleties of wood and wood-related activities. These creatures are docile and... and it is worth the risk. Um... even the darkest of caves can be a rewarding experience for the woodsman that knows how to handle himself. Why... um... subterranean trees can yield the best material for carving... ahhh... ornamental... things.

Subterranean trees? Are you quite sure you know what you're talking about?

Certainly! Have I given cause for you to doubt me? Of course not! Everything is just as it should be. There is nothing untoward about me or my wyver... I mean, there is nothing untoward about THESE wyverns. Are you implying something?

Do your actions not seem odd to you?

Um... not at all. It is not uncommon for... for a woodsman to seek the comfort of natural caverns and... and... oh to blazes with it! I can tell by your questions that you suspect me of lying and I tire of this ruse! No, I am not a simple woodsman! I am training these beasts to serve as guards, and now that you have interrupted me I shall never have them ready for the mine. Your presence has agitated them; they will be unmanageable for days now! Perhaps... perhaps I can placate them with meat. Your meat!

With that, Peter of the North fires a frost arrow at Coran, but Coran runs out of the caves untouched. The wyverns follow, and are hit with the traps!



I am the first to be harmed by these two new enemies.



I drink a healing potion, and then a an accusatory voice from slightly behind and to the right of us shouts through the trees. Doesn't anybody respect fights around here?



I beg of you, let me pass. There are villains in these woods that will do it more harm than I. I must track them down.

You display the same fervor that drives the other Shadow Druids and I. Perhaps there is merit in letting you continue. You might even prove useful. There is an infidel in a cave to the northwest of here that dares to capture creatures of the wood and bend them to his petty purposes. No doubt you would like to see him fed in his captives as much as I. Please proceed, and dispose of him at your leisure.

That's what I was already trying to do, Izefia! Are you blind?!

I'm still hurting a little bit, so I suck some life out of one of the wyverns.



And a moment later, Keiria kills it.



Bub kills the second wyvern, and opens his eyes in surprise.



He says he realizes some new tricks that will help him to kill these bastards better.







He's been doing so well, I think I will soon take back the Shield of Falling Stars and let him dual-wield daggers again. He'll probably tear things up quick.

[Usurper]

For now, though, we still have Peter of the North to deal with. We make ready and enter the cave.



Keiria leads with a strong hit using Melf's Acid Arrow.



We get a few good hits in, but then the bastard drinks a healing potion!



He switches to some kind of halberd and tries to attack me, so I run away to the far side of the cave. He turns to Bub instead, and I fire my Ring of Energy at him.



It does nothing. Keiria hits him again with a crossbow bolt, but he drinks another healing potion!



That apparently doesn't faze Imoen and Coran, who tag-team kill him in the next round.



Peter of the North has quite a lot of magical equipment on him, and there is even more in the box in the cave.

Gameplay note: I did not realize this until now but Viconia is the one with the highest Lore score, at 27. Imoen comes in second with 25. That means Viconia can identify some of this stuff without help.

Peter of the North has a few healing potions on him, and also a Potion of Cloud Giant Strength. That will be good for some day. He also has some extra Ice Arrows on him. We check the armor he has on him next, which turns out to be Woodland Armor.



We give it to Bub, and he seems to like it better than the Full Plate Mail +2 he had on before. Says it lets him move around better.

Gameplay note: No DEX penalty and Bub's 17 DEX mean that this armor gives him a better AC than the fullplate.



Next we check out his Long Bow. It turns out to be called Vibradeath.



Gameplay note: This one doesn't require 19 STR and is almost as good as the Strong Arm that we bought in Restenford. Plus it boosts strength so it could theoretically be better!

We give that bow to Coran immediately. He seems happy with it.

Next we check out the belt. The belt turns out to be the Girdle of Cognizance.



Keiria tries it on, and we all gasp in shock!



She's... he's... a man!



She takes the belt off, and the full flower of womanhood blossoms on her again. I take the belt.

As soon as I put it on, Coran laughs.





It is... good to be back to what I was before. It feels comfortable. I am more sturdy, somehow. More at peace with my body. But, then again... I take the belt off.



I am pretty damn sexy. I now have the option to be any gender I desire. The only problem is that I do not know which gender I desire. I sigh. My mind is so fragmented on issues, sometimes.

Then I have an idea. With a naughty little chuckle, I tell Coran to wear it. He puts it on, perhaps too eagerly.



Gameplay note: The belt does give +20 lore. From a purely powergamer's perspective it should go on Viconia. So much to ponder.

But there are still three more weapons to look at. one is a polearm, which turns out to be Kilther.



If we ever find someone who cares to use pole axes, we will give them this. Or maybe the other one, The Stunner.



Gameplay note: 50% chance to stun?! That's better than the Celestial Fury I think.

The final weapon we found is a flail of which I heartily approve - Flaming Death.



Only paladins or clerics can use it, which means only Viconia can use it right now. She prefers maces, though.

Gameplay note: Wielding that flail would push her WIS to 20, giving her an additional level 2 spell. But she would have to wield it always, and be in melee all the time, to keep that additional slot. Not sure if its worth the additional bodily harm to have it.

I put most of the new loot on the mule, for it is too much to think about now. Then we sleep overnight in the cave. The next day, we do what we can to finish exploring the area by sending Imoen out to scout. She finds some panthers.



I think that's pretty awesome, so we all go in to attack. Keiria kills the first one.



And Imoen herself gets the second.



Later, wandering through the woods some more, we find a cave bear. It attacks us so we defend ourselves.



Coran takes it out.



Coran seems to be trying to smooth things over with Viconia.

You have the most beautiful... er... eyes.

I am... flattered, thank you.

Oh why'd I join with a bunch o' swineherds like you lot?

There is still one place we haven't gone, so we go there. Yet another druid challenges us here.



I hunt those that would defile these woods! Bandits are my quarry!

Hmm... a noble goal, and one that my fellow Shadow Druids will no doubt support. You should have an escort however, just to make sure you do more good than harm. I recommend you speak with Faldorn; she will gladly share your fervor in exterminating those that poison these woods to the east. Go now, and seek her aid.

We find Faldorn within the actual druid grove.



I approach her myself. She looks a little, uh, rabid.



Sure, we'll help you.

You will help me!? Let us find the men who foul our forests. Quickly! Their punishment must be swift. We must travel east to their fort.

Gameplay note: Ok, we have yet another potential party member! I promise you guys, we will eventually collect everybody and not have to do this almost every update. There are only about 50 NPCs in Baldur's Gate, after all. Anyways, Faldorn comes in as a level 7 Avenger.





But she doesn't have to be. She could very well be a Justifier, or even a Shadow Druid. We'll have to decide. Later

Just then, Coran pipes up with a suggestion.



What?!

Why, that was quite a leap. Did I startle you?

You did, but now that it has actually sunk in, I like your idea. Where do you want to go?

Some forest. *stretches lazily.* There is enough deer everywhere you go on the Sword Coast.

And I thought you'd want to track down a nymph, dryad or a siren... I've read that they were plentiful around here.

No, no, I would be to afraid to strike you by mistake if we were to go hunt a dryad or a siren, my beautiful friend.

So, what are we waiting for? Let us roam!

Gameplay note: Ok, we have a lot of things to vote on today. Lets get started.

Question 1: Who should wear the Girdle of Cognizance? *

1. Syvishtara - We've been a woman long enough, it is time to get back to our roots. We would have to replace our Girdle of Piercing, however.
2. Bub Snikt - We can call her Bubette. And we would have to replace her Girdle of Bluntness.
3. Viconia - She has 27 lore, the highest in the group, and with the belt she can be at 47 lore, greatly aiding us in identifying items. Plus, we already changed her alignment to true neutral, why not her gender too? He will be the true neutral drow cleric of Shar named Vic.
4. Imoen - Hey, we turn female, our best buddy turns male, life is even better! His name shall be Moe. Also he'll have 45 lore. Moe the lore-master.
5. Keiria - She never talks anyways, might as make her a him.
6. Coran - Coran is too flippant with the ladies, he needs to learn what it is like to be one, as we have.
7. Faldorn - Add her to the party and make her a man. She'll probably love it.

* Any gender changes warrant a portrait change, and if you submit one I'll use it.

Question 2: What class should Faldorn be?

Avenger - She is what she is, and what she is is a magically-augmented Avenger.
Justifier - Just look at those eyes. Look at them. She doesn't want to Chromatic Orb you, she wants to tear you limb from limb. She's a combat-oriented Justifier.
Shadow Druid - Her bio says she grew up among a sect of Shadow Druids, so she is a Shadow Druid. And with all those extra bonuses she could tear up the entire Iron Throne by herself!

Question 3: Should we add Faldorn to the party? And if so, replace who?

No. Send her to the Jovial Juggler.
Yes. Add her to the party and replace...
A. Bub - He's too boring.
B. Viconia - Faldorn can heal, Viconia needs a rest.
C. Imoen - Faldorn can cast druid spells, and Imoen needs a rest.
D. Keiria - She never talks and her bard song never works.
E. Coran - He wants to hunt, let him go hunt. Alone.

Question 4: Should we follow Coran's advice and drop everything to hunt somewhere for a while? We could just blow the Cloakwood off for a few updates and turn in Coran's wyvern quest to Keldath Ormlyr, deliver the winter wolf pelts to Nashkel, and stop by the Firewine Bridge. There're quests for Coran there at Firewine. Then we can come back and take out the Iron Throne's mine later.

Alpha. - Blow off the Cloakwood, do Firewine Bridge.
Beta. - Stay on target, don't get distracted, take out those Iron Throne bastards now.

This is a lot to vote on. But I hope to see votes that are something like this:

1, Avenger, Yes, A, Beta.

Or, you know, just write everything out. Hope that's not too confusing.

[hook71]

1, Avenger, Yes, D, Beta.

[SapphireIce101]

4, Shadow Druid, Yes, D, Beta.

Edited by SapphireIce101, 05 May 2012 - 09:24 AM.

[William Imm]

1, Avenger, Yes, D, Alpha.

My reasoning:

• Moar content for the other gender!
  
• Not really interested in Silverstring.
  
• The other kits that you can give to Faldorn are OP: Justifer sounds kinda, but Shadow Druid - dear gods, a early death immunity ability! (And it's typo ridden - "once epr", "armors heavy than", "by turns" - like one of the POPstation people wrote the description)
  
• I want to see Coran's quest.
  
• Also, the spells that she gets as a Avenger are going to be *so* fun - and the shapeshifiting too.

Also, some requests for portraits:

Replace Faldorn's portrait with Miloch's edit here, replace Viconia's portrait with Santificer's edit of BG1 Vic here (not that unfitting drow theif portrait), and Imoen's with Enkida's version in her portrait pack.

(if you get my reference in this post, you win a fully special prize: a Lego samurai.)

Edited by William Imm, 06 May 2012 - 06:21 AM.

[Usurper]

Ok, here are the votes right now: I'll leave voting open for another day or so.

Who should wear girdle of Cognizance?

1. Syvishtara                   .....
2. Bub Snikt                    
3. Viconia                      ..........
4. Imoen                        ......
5. Keiria                       ..
6. Coran                        ........
7. Faldorn                      

What class should Faldorn be?

Avenger                         .........
Justifier                       
Shadow Druid                    .....................

Should we add Faldorn to the party?

No                              ..
Yes                             ............................

Replace who?

A. Bub                          ......
B. Viconia                      
C. Imoen                        .
D. Keiria                       ..................
E. Coran                        ..

Drop everything or stay on target?

Alpha - Blow off everything.    .................
Beta - Stay on target.          .............

[Quiet]

7, Shadow Druid, No, A, Beta

Who should wear the Girdle of Cognizance?

Shar-Teel! ))

[Lurker of the north]

6, Shadow Druid, -Yes, A, Beta.