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[Usurper]

Imoen finds traps to disarm.



I hear a plaintive cry, and rush over to the corpses lying on the ground. I see a tiny widdle babyyyyyy!



I pick him up and hold him close and tell him everything is going to be alright.

We also manage to find a couple of books and a couple of artifacts here. The first is Dradeel's Spell Book.



The second, Balduran's Log Book.

...Anchorome in goodly time, of that I have no doubt...

... have calmed the crew, though nervouse they will remain. I blame them not, for it was not a pleasante encounter in the last. Bloody Elves would do well to remember that the sea belongs to no one, save the gods that guard her. I shall avoide the northerly passage just the same, if only to prevent another oversealouse boarding party. Such paranoia from the 'fair folk'...

...arrived in Anchorome, and I am remembered by a goodly number of people, not all fondly...

... but 'his grace' has deemed me worthy to proceed through his lands. I am quite sure the two hundred-strong complement of the Wandering Eye aided in the decision. Still, we were received in goode humore, and I will not request tribute...

... adventure it has been! Such wealth as this... only in the deepest ruins of home. Here it is almost for the taking, with only a measure of 'diplomatic' discussions as the cost...

... attacked, and barely made it to the ship in time. Dradeel did warn of such, but who is to trust a worde from his mouth? I do sweare, his senses seem addled at the best of times...

... the crew, but a larger share for the remaining will keep them well and truly happy. I shall conscript replacements from the local populace this night, and we shall set our sails at dawn...

... delays, but wih one hundred and fifty new hands, one more expect the going to be slow at the start. They seem quite calm and orderly, not at all as I expected...

... should have searched! We cast him out, but his words... eady inflamed the crew. I know not what was worse, the shaman's constant... or the reaction of the crew when he was committed to the sea. Their eyes are... and resigned. I dislike a crew with no fire in their bellies, but I do suppose it is better than a fire in the hold...

... weather unseasonable, and the moode does worsen. As well, beetles have beset the foode stores, and we shall surely be hungry long before reaching the coast of home...

... set aground to forage. It is a small isle, but will yield what we need. Perhaps I shall... on my own while the crew... time on land will do them goode...

... original men seem quite shallow in the face, quite different from the pallor of the new recruits, but all are most definitely ill...

Well, that's the story then. Balduran was cursed by a shaman and his entire crew turned into lycanthropes. Sucked to be him. At least we found his sword!



And also his knife.



Perhaps we will survive longer than I had originally thought.

Wow, good going Xan!

Then we go back down to the bottom of the ship, out the side, and back to Dradeel to give him his spellbook.



OH FOR THE LOVE OF THE WEAVE!



Seriously, who do I have to kill to get this long-range teleportation spell that everyone is always using!?

Now I'm still stuck on this island full of werewolves that look down on other werewolves for being too weak/too feral. Do I really expect all these werewolves to be able to make a ship and sail it back to land? OH SHIT werewolves let loose on the mainland! No no no no nonononono we can't let that happen.

Wow. We are screwed.



Small comfort, Xan.

Maybe that sailor guy can help us out? We gotta go talk to him. But going back to the village becomes creepy real fast.





Well that's nice for you I guess.

Sailor guy doesn't have anything to say to us, though.



Returning the son to his mother is bittersweet. Does the baby turn into a puppy once in a full moon?



With some reservations I go talk to Kaishas again.



They did, and now our way is clear. We can escape as soon as you show us where your new ship is.

Then you are truly deserving. No more thought of fight or flight, for now you will belong as we. Hear the tale, and join our humble legion.

They did not wish to become as we are. They fought our mothers' grandmothers without thought, and would not reason. Balduran led them, and because of his leadership many on both sides died. I do not know his fate; only that he killed many, and so the ancestors left him to his sinking ship. He would not belong, and now we know not to ask. You will know peace with us, because we do not wish to harm our saviors: you who would help us to leave.

Do you see these simple people before you? They are your kin now. Look at their smiling faces. Take their hands and know peace. We can sense within you, that the beasts have unwittingly given you the gift, and you can belong. Our fate is now your fate, and in time you will be as we, not as the beasts. We will shape and guide, for we are masters of ourselves. We are man, then animal, but more than both.

Now you will belong. It not so bad, and you will begin to feel as we in a short time. It may be... unstable for a time. You may... hurt... but you will live, and we shall all go to new forests and plains with your maps and our ship-home. I will hold the sea charts for now, please you will give. We wecome you to wolfen-kind, and to family you now belong. The beasts you have killed were animal and evil, but we are proper lycanthro, and noble in our peace.

Think of it as you will. You belong now.

WHAT?!?!?! This is too far. This is too much. I cannot stand it.

You have infected me with... lycanthropy?! You are utterly evil!

Not so. We have a gift as a race, and wish to share with many. You will see, now that you are welcome. You who would help us to leave will belong and be welcome.

I say NAY, Kaisha Gan, and others with me!

Yeah, like me!

Hold your tongue, Tailas. What do you speak of?

These mongrels are NOT welcome! We pure of blood from ages of the change. These cattle not as we! We should kill those that take the bite! They will only dilute our grace!

They would be our saviors, Tailas, and you threaten? What sense is this?

The best sense! I sense their filth, their... their difference! We are pure and should stay so! None will let them live! I have told to the village their hatred, and the things that their kind does to we! Believed me our people have! These mongrels will not leave alive, be we shall! With ship and maps!

You would turn our own against those who would save? Fools you are! Syvishtara, I absolve you for what you must do. I must take your charts, as I cannot see them damaged in the coming conflict. Defend from what comes. I will decide later what to do about the gift.

Tailas turns into a werewolf and attacks, while Kaishas runs away. Imoen almost kills him in one hit, though.



And Mulgore paints the walls with him.



Imoen loots the room, but there isn't anything special here. Just a potion of heroism. We form up to go outside, but I hesitate.



I know what is coming next, just as well as Kaishas does. I do not look forward to it, but it is what happens when I'm around. I am like a kind of walking harbinger of death. All I touch is undone. How many years did these people live on this island before I came? 200? 300? And the day that I show up, the day that I agree to help, is the day their entire way of life ends.

[Usurper]

All I can do now is step out the door...



and engender the undoing of all things.



Even if I just stand still and do nothing, the Golden Company swarms around me...



and my footprints become red with spilled blood. Those I had just a few hours ago worked to save...



throw themselves at me, screaming for their own deaths.



They taunt and ambush, they rush and claw, they trick and betray...



but mine are better, and they always fall to them.



What choice do I even have in this matter? This island's doom was sealed the moment I set sail in its direction.

Scream.

No, don't scream you insane sword, they might hear.



NO, don't, I was just...



... nevermind. Who will eat the pumpkins now?



The pumpkins will rot on the vine. They will go bad. No one will eat them.

From afar, a voice is heard speaking real language. I look up.



Many thanks, Maralee. This is not the place for us.

Your home is no place for my people. Take the ship and go. With the evil ones dead we can make a good life on our island. Farewell! Peladan will grow to learn of your courage.

So there is a little hope? Maralee and Peladan will eat the pumpkins? I wish it becomes so. I wish with all (half) my heart. But before I can examine this further, I hear a familiar voice from behind.



Dradeel, you bastard! You came back!

*sighs* I have a feeling that since the aforementioned ship is the only one available in this harbor, we are going to miss it...

What else have you discovered?

This headwoman, Kaishas, had the ship built months ago. She has been waiting for her husband, Selaad, to return with maps that they might use to return to the mainland. At present, she only knows that it is east. She has gone to the ship that they have built. I have discovered a series of caves, warrens really, that the wolf monstrosities live in. There is a hidden door in this hut. The caves will lead you to the ship. I warn you now, the way is fraught with peril. Head east through the caves and you may find the exit. Hurry friends! I thank you for my freedom. Would that I had the power to help you escape myself. Ah, well, perhaps we shall meet again someday and I will repay you for your assistance.

And then the weaselly little bastard teleports away again as we are swarmed by formerly peaceful villagers.



If I could teleport away from this bloodbath I bet I would too.



No, not the fisherman too. Why won't they stop trying to kill me?



Hopefully not the sailor. Please, not the sailor.



Damnation.



Eventually we find the secret passage that Dradeel was talking about.



It leads to an unfamiliar set of underground passages.



There are potions lying around on the ground down here. How strange. Never seen that before.



And a kind of shadow that is a wolf. A shade wolf?



It dies like everything else dies, though.



There are more down here, but none of them are a threat to us. We simply chop our way to the exit.



We come out at a beach-like area.



It leads us to a small boat!



A boat on which Kaishas Gan is waiting.



Doesn't she know what I am? Doesn't she realize that I can be avoided?

I do not wish to exterminate you all. Just give me the charts and the ship and I can go.

And Peladan can eat pumpkins.

Such generosity, but if you leave you will exterminate anyway. Others will come, other fools just to fight the "evil" we are. No, we must remain alone here now, and so must you. Die and sleep, and you will not know the loneliness. Perhaps if Selaad returns we will try again. Until then, we stay.

Kaishas, there is no need for this. This isn't my choice, but we'll kill you if we have to. Do you really think you can stop us where Karoug and Daese couldn't?

I... fear that we cannot. But we shall try. No choice remains to us.

Kaishas, this is insane. You are going to your death, and I don't even want to kill you!

What choice is there? If truth is known, ruin will come to us!

You can trust us. We'll tell no one about your people - it will be as if we never came to this place.

How much I would like to believe you! But understand well, the future of my people is at stake here. I cannot take chances.

We've been risking our lives for your damn people every day since we washed up here! What more do we have to do to persuade you? How many more babies do we have to save from wolfweres?

You... can do nothing. Maralee will be grateful forever for your deed... as will I. But brave though it was, you did it without realizing our true nature.

Kaishas, do you take me for a fool? I knew you were werewolves before I even spoke to Karoug... frankly I was damn suspicious within five minutes of entering the village! If you're going to try to kill us then go right ahead, but for Ao's sake give us some credit for intelligence!

I give you much credit, for intelligence and bravery both. Yet a headwoman's duty is all. I cannot risk that you lie.

No... come on, just let me leave this wretched place without more bloodshed. Mulgore slices into the flesh in the most beautiful of ways but the sprays of blood shining in the noonday sun are too much for me. The slaughter, the evisceration, it all should end before I start to like it!

Kaishas turns into a werewolf and gets in a good swipe across my midriff. But I back up and the melee fighters take her on. I try to cast something to help out, but the Weave tells me in no uncertain terms what I must do.



No Weave, please. I don't want to kill the nice lady werewolf monster. Thankfully, Xan does it for me.

[Usurper]

I pick up the sea charts from Kaishas' lifeless corpse, while werewolves charge the ship.



And as the Golden Company covers our retreat, I set sail off of this island forevermore.



This horrible hell where good intentions bring only pain.



This poor, little island whose doom I was.

Believe it or not, we make it back to Ulgoth's Beard without incident.

Gameplay note: No in-game incident, but apparently we are supposed to stop by a sirine island from Northern Tales of the Sword Coast before getting back, which didn't work and crashed. I had to use the guardian to get us back to Ulgoth's Beard. Once again Northern Tales of the Sword Coast craps out on us :/.

We try to return to see Mendas and show him the Balduran logbook, sword, and knife that we picked up. But we are intercepted by one Baresh.



Who is this Selaad you speak of?

Selaad Gan is the chief of the true people. He awaits the return of his mate Kaishas. Why have you not returned with her?

Oh shit. Mendas is Salaad!

We were hired to retrieve the logbook of Balduran. Here we have brought it and now we expect payment.

The book is nothing! Thy task was to rescue the master's kin. Where is the master's mate, Kaishas?

It is not your business. Step aside.

Thy task was clear. Travel to the island-home and retrieve master's kin. Failing that, Kaishas was to take the sea charts from thee. Useless manlings! Selaad does not brook failure well.

Idiot! We were sent on false pretenses and somehow it is our fault? Kaishas attacked us and we were forced to defend ourselves. Mendas was betrayed by his own cleverness.

Murderous wretch! Filth! The master will eat thy marrow for this.

With that kind of threat, why do I find myself walking into his house? (Mmm, marrow. We'll see who eats whose marrow, Mendas.)



Mendas speaks to us when we go inside.



She left us little choice. She has infected us with this vile lycanthropy and tried to prevent us from leaving. It was either us or her.

Useless fools! You were to do nothing but go there. Kaishas could have done rest. No need for idiot adventurers.

I am puzzled, Mendas, or should I say Selaad. Since you are the leader of the werewolves, why did you not sail back to the island yourself?

I am no sailor. I stay to prepare place for my people. For generations we have been traped on island. It is time to return home to the land of grandfathers' birth. They needed charts and I neede adventurers who do not ask too much questions. Yet you have failed. Why did you kill her? I know she has give you the gift of lycanthropy. I can smell it on you. I can smell guilt, too. Kaishas' blood shall always be on your soul.

We will leave now. We have prevented your cursed people from infecting the innocent people here. You brought Kaishas' death upon her by sending us there with false pretenses.

Even if I let you run, you will not get far. You infected with lycanthropy. You will not go far before you lose control. It can only be cured by killing the chieftain of the werewolves. I am chieftain and you have no chance. You will die here today. A bloody reckoning is at hand! To me Baresh! My love shall be avenged!

He's right. Kaishas' blood shall indeed always be on my soul. And hers is not the only blood there.

Mendas tries to cast a spell, but even through all his Mirror Images and magic shielding Mulgore manages to knock him across the room and he loses it.



I think that I must act here. So I begin by preparing the room for the Weave with Greater Malison.



I follow that up with a Glyph of Wild Magic. Let the Weave determine Mendas' fate!



As the blinding surges of the Weave envelop us all, I cast Dispel Magic to do my best to minimize the damage to my own party.



I can't even see what has happened to Mendas, but Baresh bursts into werewolf form and keeps fighting!



And when I figure out where Mendas is, I see that he has gone feral as well!



Mulgore and Xan are both going up against Mendas, or Selaad Gan, while Imoen and I take on Baresh.



Xan manages to land the killing blow on Mendas.



Which makes me feel quite relieved, let me tell you.



Xan also manages to kill Baresh. That's my hubby!



Then Imoen casts Dispel Magic, and Xavia stops being charmed.



I'm not sure when she was charmed, but she's okay now!

Neither one of the werewolves have magical equipment, but Mendas does have 980 gold in his chest in the corner of the room.



I guess that will have to do.

Now, to go drink enough alcohol to put this whole sick sad trip behind me.

Peladan will eat pumpkins, but I will eat only death.

[Usurper]

7 Eleint, 1370

I just realized that it took me 40 days and 40 nights to get back here to Ulgoth's Beard. You can really lose track of time when sailing. I spent a lot of that time with Xan, teaching him more about magic. It seems that he has been studying it his whole life in an academic sense. He swears that the elves of his order of Bladesingers learn to cast spells while fighting like a warrior. That I would have to see. I can hardly believe it to be possible. I mean, I carry a sword around, but it's mainly because it looks cool and speaks to me. I know I'm no warrior, though.



Even though it has been over a month since we got here to Ulgoth's Beard, I feel like we haven't spent much time here. So we take a few days and relax in Ulgoth's Beard Inn.

As I remained here, thoughts filled with flames.

No they didn't Meta Infernum, shut up. I do take off my Girdle of Cognizance, though. I'm back to my birth gender.

Then I do is talk to everyone in Ulgoth's Beard and get to know the place, real well.



Tell me more, good sir.

Ah, you've an adventurer's spirit in ye. No doubt you've heard of the labyrinth of Durlag's Tower, eh? And how she's been pillaged so often that fat nobles go there for picnics? Well the TOWER has, but BELOW are dungeons untouched! I've a token, a ward token to be sure, that gives entry to them. 'Tis yours if you'll but settle my tab so I can leave this fine place... with all my limbs intact.

How much of a tab is the stake?

Oh, 'tis but a meager sum. I'm embarrassed I cannot cover it myself. 900 gold and I'm off the hook. What say, chum?

Where did the likes of you get this?

Like all things it had an owner before me who does not have it now. 'Tis none of your affair what occurred in between. Shall you own it next, or no?

You have a deal sir!

Ahh bless your kindness! I'm off to pay my bill before I suffer any more interest, of either sort, from the Inn-keep.

Oh, by the by; while I am quite certain he could not find me here, the former owner of that little trinket may well be keeping an eye over Durlag way, to see if he can spot someone using it. Just thought I'd pass along the warning since ye did me this favor. I'm sure he'll listen to reason, though.

The Rune Wardstone he gives me looks pretty generic.



I also try to talk to Hurgan Stoneblade some more, but he only cares about that dagger he told me of. Talks about nothing else.



A passing lady seems pretty happy about life, though.



Outside in town, Halabasher Dhunshar seems satisfied when I show him Dradeel's recipe book.



He says he will give me a ring, but he doesn't.



Well, it's not like I really lost anything. So no problem I guess?

The talk of the town is Ike's tours to Durlag's Tower.



Not the only talk, mind you, but the most common.



So eventually I give in to all the pressure and talk to Ike himself.



Hello to you my friends! Come see the lengths the wealthy must go, just to protect their fortunes? 'Tis a life I'd wish on no-one. Just 80 gold for your entire group, and I don't do this for everyone.

You have a deal sir! When are we to leave?

That will fill my quota for this trip. We leave forthwith! Remember to kiss your loved ones good bye, for you may never... see them... AGAIN! Meet me at the base of the tower! You would surely be KILLED without me, but fear not! Only I can enter where others FEAR TO TREAD!

So, what, we have to find our own way there?



I look at my map.



That is quite a trip! Best get started now.

When we finally get to Durlag's Tower, it is raining.

So, we bid our last farewell to the sky, before we are to die inside of this... thing. Well, at least our grave will look *remarkable*.

With that, we make our way down the trail to get into the tower. But we soon fid Erdane.



He wants to make money off of me? What the bloody hell!

Uh, you worry me...

And you worry me, my friend, you worry me. Next!

He sells potions and thieves' tools. Way out here.



There must be a steady stream of people coming to Durlag's Tower.

We are tired from our journey, so we make camp and rest for the night.




What was that?

It was an attempt at an aubade - a morning-greeting song. Did you not know that our kin has a song for every imaginable nature phenomenon? A song for the gathering thunderclouds, a song for a drop of dew tarrying on the edge of a leaf, a song for the shooting stars, a song for the dawn, a song for the sunset, and for everything that happens in between.

I did not know that, Xan. But - your tone when you said that - it almost sounds like you scorn them...

Our people place too much importance on beauty, love, and laughter. It has become a vice. Addicted to them, they close their eyes to the grim reality, and dance to their graves.

I swear not to succumb to it. I love you, but I will continue the endless fight for the survival of our race; I know that it is a hopeless enterprise, but I should at least try.

Grim reality? I thought you just praised he world for being beautiful and good.

Beautiful does not equal good. A hunting tiger is beautiful.

So, do you see the world as a sort of a crouching tiger? Beautiful, but deadly?

Indeed. I do not believe in absolute Good or Evil, Syvishtar. Or should I better say that I do not believe in absolutes? Hades, for that matter I do not believe in Good or Evil itself. It cannot exist outside the small safety framework that our struggling helpless minds erected against the self-evident and frightening purposelessness of this world.

I see...

The self-evident and frightening purposelessness of this world. I struggle to think of a response to that, but can I?

While I think, we continue down the path that we saw. There are enemies, and Mulgore charges.



With Xan's help, Mulgore takes out the first Battle Horror.



The second falls in the same way. I really want to figure out how to make these! We continue to make our way down the path, until we run into an unexpected enemy. A basilisk!



Unprepared for anything else, we simply rush forward with all our might!



Gameplay note: See that save vs. death that Mulgore made? That was a save against the basilisk's petrification. Close one.

[Usurper]

We enter in through the first broken gatehouse.



And just beyond that we finally meet up wth Ike again.



We follow him into the inner courtyard, and he speaks once more.



The tower, and the labyrinth below, were built ages ago by the dwarven hero Durlag "Thunderaxe," for no less worthy a purpose than to be a home for him and his kin. His enormous fortune occupied ENTIRE rooms, rumored WAIST-DEEP on a man. The wealth he had accumulated was to be the BACKBONE of his clan, but it was ultimately their DOWNFALL.

I take a good, long look at the place before we head in to follow Ike further.



See, this is kindof what I imagined when thinking about a home for the Golden Company. A nice fortress, secure from most enemies. A home where I can stash my loot without worry. The Armory is nice but it lacks homeyness. I'd much prefer somewhere that I can stroll around a bit.

Anyways, we should probably get going on the tour. We go inside the front gate.



Inside is a little cramped.



But there are other people here already. I guess we took a long time getting down here.



Did he look at me too long when he said who could bear that? Did he?

Imoen goes around talking to the other people here.





While doing so, she notices a trap in the room, and a skeleton guarding a door?!



Ike continues his spiel.



Imoen disarms the trap for the safety of the other tourists.



Ike continues his tour.



Oh so that's why the skeleton is standing there? Some sort of petrification spell?

Imoen finds a little gold in the back.



But it is pretty slim pickings here.



I keep listening to Ike, and watching him. I know he looked at me.



Whaaaat? Surely that's not true.

We'll take a small break here before moving on, good people. Please, for your own safety, TOUCH NOTHING!

TOUCH NOTHING and NO REFUNDS!

One tourist walks towards the formerly trapped doorway to look around.



If Imoen hadn't caught that trap, he'd be a dead man now! But elsewhere in this level, Imoen just finds a whole lot of nothing.



During the break, Ike approaches me. Maybe he saw me eyeing him?



Why only 300 gold if it is the real thing? You said yourself that the genuine ones are very expensive.

'Tis a win/win deal for me. If you actually manage to defeat a few rooms, you get the gold and I get a new tour attraction. If you're defeated, I get the token back, or at the very least I have your body as a new display. I can't lose. Deal?

'Tis more than fair. I'll take it sir, and give those dungeons a what-for!

'Tis good news for both of us! I'm not sure how far the token allows access, but it should be at least as far as the third floor down. Good luck eh, and remember our deal. You'd best go get stocked up, while I get back to my job. What... in the name of the gods is THAT?!?!?!

He's looking behind me. I whip around and see... a demon knight!



Oh, I know that under our current circumstances it is quite silly to gloat... But I cannot resist to point out that I have mentioned on a number of occasions that dreaded monsters are known to inhabit mysterious underground ruins... which you are so eager to stick your head into, Syvishtar. Now, thanks to your insatiable desire to see if flame burns, we are about to be put to death by a demon knight! Such an honor...

Your mouth you shall close!

Our combat training does not let us down, and we immediately rush the Demon Knight. But in return he casts a Fireball into the middle of the room!



On instinct everyone pops potions of healing. A second fireball flies through the air into the next room, killing one of the tourists that ran. He throws a third fireball and then teleports away immediately. Shit!



I look around. We are surrounded by charred bodies. Everyone else on the tour is dead. I walk over to Ike's corpse. At least I get my money back?



Heh... heheh.... hehehehehehe oh Weave what has happened here? Looks like Ike won't ever be able to profit from this wardstone he gave me.



That's too bad (good). Well hrm. If this place is a tower with dungeons below, I guess the best way to go is up, then down. We take the stairs.



Gameplay note: And thus begins the greatest dungeon crawl in the history of Baldur's Gate 1. It may not be easy to tell with all the mod content and the format of this Let's Play, but until you bought the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion for Baldur's Gate 1, most of your time was spent in vast open outdoor areas that encouraged exploring and random spawns of gibberlings or gnolls. If you entered a dungeon it was often one or two screens maximum, and over quickly. Durlag's Tower introduced cramped, deadly spaces, a large number of maps, and great treasures. And at the end... almost certain death. It was a vast improvement in difficulty and gameplay satisfaction from Baldur's Gate 1 and illustrates the evolution of the game that continued in Baldur's Gate II.

[Usurper]

12 Eleint, 1370

We go up the stairs and arrive in a small hallway.



Imoen goes to scout the area and immediately finds a trap.



I guess Ike Crispy down there wasn't joking about paranoia? (heh, heh). When Imoen moves to disarm the trap, she discovers that the next room is infested with ghasts!



Imoen does it like I taught her, though, and immediately lobs a Fireball into the room.



'atta girl! Mulgore and Xan mop up as she runs back to the group.



We inspect the kitchen but don't find much. Imoen cautiously checks out the kitchen door and then leaves it for a central dining area. But there's a trap that she missed! It hits her and paralyzes her.



I know it is only temporary, so I don't want to waste magic dispelling it. We just stand around and wait for her to regain control of her body.

After some time waiting, she does break out of the Hold. She continues to scout the area and finds some promising loot.



The sword turns out to be Lawgiver, a bastard sword.



I don't like it. I feel like it Knows. I shove it deep into the bottom of the Bag of Holding.

Imoen finds more traps in the next room.



They guard only some money and potions. More loot is in more chests in the next room.



Imoen finds one more ghast.



We take care of him.



Imoen goes back into the room and opens the chest there to be blasted several times by a bouncing lightning bolt!



Even popping a potion, she barely makes it out alive.



She did grab armor and some gems that she passes on to me. The armor is great for druids.



Imoen is going to have to be more careful in detecting traps. That's two so far that she didn't see! I give her to Potions of Power that I find in our potion bag to help out.



So, in finest Bardo fashion, she is able to detect a trap after walking over it.



At the end of the hallway is a door, which she goes out of. It leads to a basilisk-strewn roof!



She comes back in and we devise a plan. I give Mulgore two Potions of Mirrored Eyes. He drinks one immediately.



Then he charges out onto the roof.



He's done quick.



Then he goes up to the higher level of the roof, bypassing some skeleton warriors that are not quite a threat.



It's as if he already knew there were more basilisks up here and wanted to kill them right away.



He does so with wild abandon.



Basilisk parts go all over.



He also grabs some loot and faces down a Fireball.



When he goes back down the stairs, he finds the undead have cut him off.



He fights like an orc possessed!



He manages to kill off the first skeleton warrior after using up all his potions of healing.



The second one goes down at 25% health.



The third one seems to not touch Mulgore at all.



The fourth, well, it went up to the top of the roof and is stuck. So he leaves it.

When he gets back, we heal him up and take a look at the loot. He found the Answerer.



I don't like this sword either.

With that, we go up to the next level. Hopefully basilisks are only on the outside, not the inside.



We find what looks to be a library. Finch is overjoyed!



She looks through the assembled books and finds only one that she doesn't have: History of Shadowdale - Jyordhan the False Lord. But that makes her even more happy than finding many would have, because it indicates that her collection is almost complete.

Edited by Usurper, 14 July 2013 - 07:19 AM.

[Usurper]

Imoen begins to search the area. She finds a trap, but at the same time spots something more dangerous - another person!



He approaches us and addresses us.



This place puts me on edge.

State your own name! I doubt ye are Durlag, so you are as much an intruder as I!

Ye doubt I am Durlag? Well give the fool a prize; turns out I'm not the dwarf that's been dead o'er a bunch of centuries. Good for you, but my question still stands: who are you? I don't care a whit what you are doing in the tower; I just want to know what you are doing sneaking up on my backside. I don't like people sneakin' near me. Makes me nervous.

I don't know what possesses me, but I find myself saying...

You should be nervous. If anything were to.. happen... to you in here, no one could say it wasn't just another adventurer dying in some dungeon.

Oh you would? Well, I would hate to have to kill you just for saying that alone. Why don't you try and rattle me further so I've really got a reason to put you out of my misery.

What say we don't try to kill each other? Hell, I'll even share what I find with you.

HA! The DAY I would believe a dungeon-crawler would share his loot, is the coldest day the nine hells will have ever seen. Wander as you will, and if I ever see a coin from you I will be completely surprised.

Sooo, he's just going to hang out here in the big bedroom area of Durlag's Tower then? Okay...

Imoen loots the rest of the room.



Gameplay note: Next to Imoen in this screenshot you can see another great tradition that the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion started - toilets! Before now, no house or building seemed to have toilets in its layout. But Durlag's Tower has them in all the appropriate spaces. It becomes a grand tradition to have privies in all big area maps from this point forward, with an entire sewer system in Chateau Irenicus making up a major part of the layout.

Imoen keeps exploring and finds a chapel with a trapped altar!



But it is empty (again).



Imoen goes to find out what's going on in the opposite direction. What she finds is a ghost of the past.



Of course... er... Daital. I have... missed your company.

You are uncharacteristically civil this day, Durlag... and I think you are... taller... than I recall. Time changes us all, I guess, though it has not erased my debt. I will serve here until you wish otherwise, to repay... repay... I barely remember what I owe, but it matters not.

What debt is this? What has kept you here so long?

The debt? You know the debt... when the evil came and took the faces of your clan, when your friends and mine became evil unmatched... you protected and fought though it pained. I could not harm... I could not strike at the clan I called family... you fought them all... though it hurt you more... I was the lucky one, and was released from the nightmare of life... the easy way. I will repay... you should know this... you should know! You have changed! You are not Durlag!

With that, the ghost bursts into magical protections.



Imoen summons an elemental in response.



Then she also becomes invisible to protect her from the ghost's attacks.



Next, she casts Remove Magic, and most of the ghost's protections disappear.



Imoen follows that up with Magic Missile, as the ghost casts Cloudkill.



Imoen makes sure she is standing outside the area of the cloud and casts again.



The ghost pops a contingency spell of Mirror Image, and continues to attack the air elemental.



As Imoen calls down lightning on him, the ghost casts Shadow Door.



He traps the elemental in the extradimensional space too, because it disappears. But Imoen gets the ghost back with Dispel Magic.



The ghost casts Slow at Imoen, while at the same time she unleashes Fire Arrows.



The ghost casts Stoneskin, while Imoen casts Mirror Image.



The Air Elemental finally makes it back from the extradimensional space of the Shadow Door as the ghost casts Horror. Imoen falls for it.



The elemental is only able to plink away at the ghost's stoneskin for a few seconds before it goes back to its home plane. Imoen is wandering around scared.



I was standing back to evaluate how Imoen has been progressing in her magical studies, but I don't want to get her killed by a two-bit mage ghost. So I send the cavalry in. The ghost responds with Sunfire.



Thankfully Finch is able to kill the ghost before it kills Imoen.



It only has a couple of healing potions as loot. When Imoen stops being scared, she notices yet another trap.



There are a few potions in there as well, and a little gold. But that's it. And at the end of the long hallway is a kind of workroom that doesn't hold anything of interest either.



So, that mage was not able to do what needed to be done. He could not fight against the dopplegangers wearing the faces of his friends, and died for it. Not only died, but became a tortured ghost. He died, but Durlag lived.

He died, but Durlag lived.

That sticks in my mind as we go up the stairs to the next level.



This is the top level, a kind of lounge area.



Once again I send Imoen to scout. She finds some goodies in a locked closet.



They are a robe of electrical resistance and a cloak of protection +2. Nice items. She finds another trapped chest further along.



But it only has darts inside. Disappointing.

[Usurper]

A ghast tries to come up on her, but she uses her bow and entangles him in the hallway.



More ghasts come through more hallways but she just keeps firing away.



She pops a Potion of Speed and drops the first ghast just as it reaches her.



She does the second and third ones the same way.



The next one manages to sink its diseased claws into her, but that's all.



A final ghast comes shambling out of the hallway late.



She switches to her Elemental Staff of Fire and burns him to death.



I am quite proud of my protege now. She is capable, fierce, and able to handle almost any situation.

She finds gems to the north.



And she finds two magical weapons nearby.



They are a Staff of Striking +3, and another halberd like the one Mulgore is using now - Suryris's Blade +2.



Gameplay note: +9 damage, but each hit consumes a charge.

I give the Staff of Striking to Imoen. She's earned it.

And as I turn away from giving the staff to Imoen, I see some movement down the hallway. I take a closer look.



She is freakin hot. And those wings!

Why, certainly. I should love to stay with you awhile. Never say no to a pretty face, I say.

Excellent, though 'a little while' is not quite what I had in mind. You see, there's a matter of a teeny weeny curse that that mean ol' Durlag put on me. A tiny thing really, but I need your help. You want to help me, don't you? Hmm? I need someone brave and strong to do something for me. I need you to stay here instead of me. Will you do this? WIll you do this for me?

I'm about to say yes, but something in what she said sticks out.

Durlag put this curse on you? But he has not been seen in over three hundred years.

Time is of little real consequence to my kind. More important is that you mortals obey and behave! Such indignity that I have been trapped here since that fool Durlag disappeared, and now I have to deal with your rejection as well?! Durlag may have taken my wings and cursed me to remain here, but I've still a few powers his traps couldn't strip! If I cannot leave, neither will you!

A pissed-off succubus. Shit! I think fast.

Wait! What if I could get someone else to take your place? What would that be worth to you?

Another? You would do this? Oh, you are deliciously wicked. Perhaps there is a way. Take this lock of my hair, and find someone near this place. Tell them it is a lock of nymph's hair. If you can pass it to another mortal male and they accept it, they will be accepting part of me. That will free me and imprison him here for the rest of his life. They must be within the tower for the enchantment to work. Such an act will undoubtedly reflect in your karma as the magics of this place are powerful indeed, but I will be oh sooo grateful. You'll like me when I'm grateful. Will you do this for me? Will you? So what if some fool starves to death here?

So she'll be grateful eh?

I will do this for you, but you shall owe me a favor though. Perhaps several. I'm sure we can arrange something.

We shall see, mortal. It is within my power to give you delights unearthly. Do not fail me.

Then she gives me her lock of hair.



I know just the guy to give this to.



I'm not here to disturb you. I came back to give you a peace offering. No need for us to fight. I may not be an expert, but I think this might be nymph's hair. It's yours if you want it.

Wha... what? You're giving me... I guess I was wrong about you. I guess you're a pretty decent person after all. Here, friend, here's a little toy I found myself. Fair trade for an honest person. Riggilo will speak well of your name to anyone who asks.

Yes, fair trade indeed. He gives me a potion in return.



I put it with the others.

When I return to the succubus, I really admire Durlag's setup here. He's got a succubus cursed to stay near his bathtub forever. I gotta admire the guy's style.



Then I tell Kirinhale what I've done.



My type? MY TYPE?! She KNOWS! I've got to make sure she doesn't te... she leaves.



I go back and search everyone's faces. Do they Know? Did they See? I can't see any clues. But I make some small talk with them all, just to be sure.



Much has changed since our first meeting in Nashkel mines, don't you think?

*Xan looks at you wistfully.* It did, and I fear that next changes will not be for the better.

Oh my weave! He must Know! Why else would he... wait, this is Xan. He always assumes the worst. Maybe he doesn't yet Know.

I talk to Imoen next. Imoen, my childhood friend.



So, Imoen, how's this adventure going?

Well, I guess overall it's better than washing dishes in Winthrop's Inn. But almost anything is better than that.

Heh. Nothing there. Imoen would never be able to think badly of me.

I approach Xavia, but ...



She says nothing, just looks at me. I think she Knows. Why else would she refuse to talk to me? Why else would she LOOK at me like that? And Mulgore is no better.



Finally, I approach Finch. How does she feel about me now?



Don't you have interests other than books and reading, Finch?

Other interests? I do not need other interests. I can find out more about anything I desire through books!

Hmm, but I do like to watch dancing, and you cannot capture movement in an unenchanted glyph. Yes, dancing. Tall falk dancing, mind you. Ooh, and acrobatics! It's amazing what feats long limbs can accomplish!

What? Dancing, acrobatics? What is she trying to say? Does she enjoy watching me squirm under her Knowing gaze?

I am no longer entirely among friends. I must be careful. I must not let anyone Find Out.

[Usurper]

I'm trying to start up a death pool in the main thread betting on who is going to die next. The currency is votes, and everybody starts out with 5. You also have 5 each, and of course can participate if you want .

Here is the total pool so far:

Total Pool:     9 votes

Tithin Melias:  5 Imoen
AJ_Impy:        2 Imoen
                2 Xan

[Usurper]

Oh man, I'm 2 updates behind over here. Sorry, I just got distracted. This board is slightly harder to update on because I have to split updates over several posts, due to an image number limitation here. So sometimes I just say I'll do it later and then forget about it for a few updates. Also, I get a lot less feedback here, so I sometimes wonder if anybody is reading. But I do always make sure the thread is updated in time for votes!

 

So thanks for your comments, it is good to know that there are people following this thread too .

 

I have had no success getting NTotSC areas to work right. I might try to fix it again after I finish Durlag's Tower, but I don't know much about what else I can try. I did find out where the Section One base is located in Baldur's Gate, it is in the building that faces away from the camera on the east side of the docks map. So I can do that when I get back to town. I was thinking of doing that before going to Candlekeep. And apparently during or immediately after Candlekeep we get visited a second time by Fabio, who asks us to return to Restenford, so there's that. But after those two things, there is only the main plot left.

 

Heh, and of course a Kickstarter project sounds tempting! I'd like to make my own web site for this in kind of the style of an online comic, and maybe make a community of infinity engine modders and suchlike. But would I get slapped down for using copyrighted content (the game) and make lots of people angry (the modders) for using their content to become internet rich and famous?

[Usurper]

12 Eleint, 1370

Well, so far, except for the succubus, this place has been a disappointment. I was expecting madness, danger, and death, and so far I've only gotten mild titillation. Where are the mountains of treasure? Where is Durlag's insanity on full display? We'll just climb back down the tower I guess and...



Oh, hey, a stairway leading down. Probably into a basement. We should check it out.



We see a couple of other figures down here. The ghast needs to die.



Rushing into the room with the ghasts sets off a cloud-based trap. I hope nobody chokes on it!



Xavia does get overcome briefly, but we still kill all the ghasts. Funnily enough, that Staff of Striking only had 1 charge, and disintegrates in Imoen's hand. Huh. Crazy. I give her back the Elemental Staff of Fire.

We look around and find a couple of gems, some gold, and a magical mace. Turns out to be the Mace +3 Defiler.



Finch won't use it, so in the bag it goes.

Then Imoen goes and talks to the stranger standing to the south.



Who might you be? I did not expect to see others here.

You should expect to see many more things that you did not expect. Heheh... oww... don't make me laugh. I've a dart in me gullet doing some nasty things. My name is Bayard, and me friends and I came here just as you did. It looks a rewarding place, but I have decided it is beyond my ability.

We will fare better, I am sure. I have a keen eye for traps and the like, and we've fought many a dastardly creature in the past.

If you live long enough to fight the creatures that call this place home count yourself lucky. The very walls within will conspire to keep you at bay. Mere traps test only your dexterity, but this place is more than a simple doorknocker. Durlag was a sick, sick man, and I tell you that he meant to kill those that entered, not just hinder.

Sure there be traps, triggered by wire or step or sound, but there are TESTS as well, tests he made to find friend or foe. You will need more than your agile fingers to escape what comes. Some traps give no second chance. Attention must be paid, or death will easily take you.

You seem quite certain this place is dangerous. What makes you so sure, and why have you abandoned your friends to it?

I have not abandoned my friends. Young they may be, but they are old enough to make up their own minds. I will not baby-sit anyone who can take up the sword to defend themselves. I say the risk, and if they wish to continue it is their own fate they decide. Me, I be thinking that it is better to live. This place is death. It is in the air, and it gets in your clothes. My friends, they say, 'by the gods, what is that stench?' And I tell them; it's the stink of death, citizens.

So the Tower is well trapped and has monsters running about in it. Sounds like every other dungeon I've been in. I have seen nothing to make me think otherwise.

You have even less reason to believe it is NOT as dangerous as I say. There is a reason that no one has breached this place to any significant degree in over three hundred years. You have heard the history or you would not be here. Durlag was a disturbed man; his spirit was broken by the deaths of those around. This place reflects what happened to him and he seems to demand you understand him before you are allowed passage.

This place is not a ruin, it is not open to the ages; this place was designed to keep people out... or kill them. Even the simplest of doors seems locked with ward stones. If you enter here you had best be prepared to succeed or die. Ahh, you have inspired a lecture from me, but your life is yours to do with what you will. I must go. Good luck to you, I do wish you well.

And with that, he leaves.



So this place smells of death and was created by a man driven mad by the death of his closest companions. No wonder I feel at home here.

... I hope I didn't say that out loud.

To the north we see a secret door, and also a curving hallway.



The hallways is also filled with ghasts.



I idly comment to Finch that there seem to be a lot of ghasts around. She replies by saying that anyone killed by a ghoul or ghast rises the next night as one of them. I get chills down my spine. What additional hundreds of horror stories have transpired here to create so many ghasts?

At the end of the hallway, Imoen finds some trapped, sunken chests.



Only one of them turns out to be real. It has some good loot!



The boots are Nirel's Boots of Protection.



Wait... first Nirel's mace, then Nirel's boots? I bet we know where Nirel died (hehehehe)! No one here can stand to look at the boots, so we put them away as well.

Then, this first basement level cleaned out, we head through the secret door and deeper into the fortress.



The room we find ourselves in is quite beautiful, if stark.



There's a raised platform with a table on it, some other tables, a hallway to the left, a hallway to the right, and a lowered area ahead.



Bayard's warnings make me very cautious. I decide to explore the left hallway first. Well, let Imoen explore it I mean.

She doesn't get halfway down the hallway when she hears a moan, some groans, and the brush of cloth on stone. She sees a freakin Mummy!



The mummy does something to her and she is frozen in her tracks.



But we rush the undead beastie and knock it to pieces before it can hurt her.



Gameplay note: The mummy stunned Imoen and gave her Hopelessness. Nasty.



We think about exploring the room while waiting for Imoen to get herself back together, when she shouts out "NO!" The whole place is trapped.



We find some potions and gems, but the magical sword is another copy of that katana from Werewolf Island - El Tel'lerian. Weird. I thought it was unique.

Beyond this room is a forge area, also a little bit trapped.



The notable thing in here is a Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy +1.



Jaheira would love it.

We send Imoen out ahead again to scout. She finds another mummy, this time as shocking as the previous.



Again, though, everyone manages to beat it down without a death.



This time we know better than to proceed without Imoen. When she gets back in the game, she finds a trap and also points out two hidden doors.



In the trapped nightstand are only a couple of potions.

She opens the first secret door. Behind it are a few unfortunate corpses, a trap, and another secret door.



Looks like some guys got caught in here and starved to death. My Weave. Horrible way to go!

Imoen opens the second secret door, and finds that it opens out into the central area. She steps through and sees a dwarf-like figure in the center of the room.



She motions us to follow, and we cautiously enter the central area.

Edited by Usurper, 30 November 2013 - 07:40 AM.

[Usurper]

There are what look like four dwarven warders surrounding what may be a well? A mine? And... oh gods above, beyond them is a pile of corpses!



I tell Imoen to get back behind the warriors. Then I approach the closest Warder.



Yet I hunger... Feed me that which glitters beyond all else.

The warrior becomes a slave to glittering things. I look at the members of the Golden Company.



Are we already ensnared? After thinking a moment, I know the answer. None of them could drop all that they have and walk away. We depend on those things to survive. We are indeed caught already, enslaved.

I don't know what to make of that. So I just speak to the second Warder, the shining one. The one that looks like me.



Yet I lack the proper honor... Raise me up in glory. Through the chronicles of my deeds, pride shall be honored. Through the passing of knowledge my sword shall display its glory. Then you shall know that I am well pleased.

What does that even mean? Do I need to find a shiny sword? I'll have to think on this more.

I skirt around the pile of corpses, and speak to the third Warder. The red one.



Yet I thirst for more... Give me the sweet crimson drink of laughter and passion.

The words strike a chord in my soul. It is as if I wanted to articulate those words, and yet could not form them. Trust and respect slows a blade, steals away bloodlust. Trust and respect offers softer emotions. Trust and respect leaves you vulnerable (weak!).

Yes. Yes it does.

There is only one more Warder. I look to him last.



Yet I sleep... Awaken Me.

I stare in shock and horror at the Warder. It just spoke of the darkness of my soul. It Knows my trembling and weeping. It Knows I am powerless in my own defense. And it says "Yet I sleep... Awaken Me." Those words do not fall on my ears, they go through them. They do not enter my mind, they pass through it. They go somewhere deep, deep deep down into I know not what.

Yet I sleep - Awaken Me.

I do not know how long I stand there. I only stir again when Finch pipes up with one of her sayings.

Shhhhh, let us use our quiet voices here.

Yes, my quiet voice. (Yet I sleep - Awaken Me) I will use it.

Imoen casually suggests that we go back to the rooms we were in and look for the thing that glitters above all others. My lip curls into a sneer momentarily (of course a slave would say that), but I take a deep breath and smooth my face. That's Imoen. I won't think badly of her. I smile, agree, and we go back.

We open up the second secret door and head down a long tunnel.



There are more corpses here (death is all around). It seems fitting.



We walk down the hallway in standard formation. But Mulgore trips a trap! In an instant, Xan is dead.



I don't... I didn't... I should have (the weak always perish) been more careful!

I summon the Vault Sentry to bring Xan back.



It costs 800 gold, as usual. We are left with 666.



As soon as we finish this level of the fortress, I'm giving him a break (He's too weak to help anyway). He deserves it.

After that grisly interruption, Imoen opens the secret door at the end of the hall.



Another mummy prompts another rush from the melee crew.



They take him out again, no problem.



Behind us I see an ominous statue.



Imoen goes to investigate.



She finds a Throwing Axe +2!



Gameplay note: This axe can be used both for melee and for ranged attacks. Pretty awesome! One of our dwarves is going to love it.

Imoen explores further south and comes into a circular room. It looks like a reading room. She approaches the first open book, and reads aloud from it.



Thousands? Really? I'm not so sure about that...

Imoen continues reading from the second book.



So he slew a dragon, eh? Well, so have I! Probably a young, newborn dragon like the one I did.



Where's the Great Rift anyways? And killing a demon? Psh. I've killed demons in my day (and summoned them too oh yes). They aren't so hot. This Aec'Letec is probably just some jumped-up lemure.

Imoen reads the fourth and final book.



Now this I can understand. Dwarves killing trolls is just about as normal as the tide coming in and going out.

As Imoen reads out the final book, though...



She goes across the hall to investigate.



We all go into the room and take a look at Durlag's Pride.



Is this enough to satisfy the Warder? We'll have to go back and see.

[Usurper]

Imoen finds another secret door.



There are a disturbing number of dead bodies in this room, and a loose mustard jelly.



We kill the first, and go after the second.



The fight eventually leads into another room, where a skeleton warrior sneaks up on us!



The melee team takes him out, though.



Imoen disarms the trapped wardrobe in this room.



But there is nothing in it, or the other wardrobe, but broken weapons, potions, and ammo.



Imoen goes ahead to scout once again, and she thinks she figured out why there are so many dead here.



An insanely large number of traps in the main hallway could do it, yep! (they deserved death)

Imoen disables all the traps she sees, but then stays still and surveys the area further. She finds EVEN MORE.



Then, when we all get back into the central room, I speak once again to the glowing warder.



And the warder disappears. So, Pride. It was Durlag's curse? Something to think of (our curse too).

Imoen checks out the central mineshaft, or whatever it is. She tries to figure out how it works, but she can't.



I think I need to take Xan back to the Elfsong Tavern before I get him killed twice. Let's take this opportunity to go.









The whole vibe of Durlag's Tower has gotten to me. I am not in any sort of mood.

Xan! Not now, please.

*He immediately withdraws.*





When we get to the city I look around in wonder at all the cityfolk. They're so... normal. They walk around in their lives and do not know or care what lies in the depths of dungeons not two days' journey from here.



How can they be so content, so happy, so... unconcerned, when death and evil are everywhere?



After saying goodbye to Xan, I take a look around the Elfsong. If we're going to survive this descent into madness, I think we're going to need more healing. We're going to need Branwen!



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

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

[Usurper]

17 Eleint, 1370

Branwen ends up using most of Xan's discarded gear.



The notable exception is that she chooses to wield the Ice Hammer +2, a cold-enchanted weapon that we have not previously seen on the battlefield. She is looking forward to seeing how it works. I kindof am as well (smash the bodies, crush the bones!).



She is unfazed when we take her down into the depths of Durlag's Tower.



I am proud to stand among such strong warriors!

I have to admit, it makes me feel better to have Branwen with me in this place. She is absolutely fearless, and we shared something special once. Her emotions affect me as well. Plus, of course, she's a cleric. You can't go wrong there!



Ha! (yes, slay them all, slay them all and again)

This time we decide to take the left hallway. Imoen of course leads.



We wait eagerly for loot news from Imoen, but there is only junk. So we move on.



What kind of a nightmare would this place be without a thief? I shudder at the thought.

Imoen shouts "Aha!" as she loots one of the bookshelves. She finds a couple of low-level spell scrolls, some books we've already read, and a magic book! I recognize it as a Manual of Gainful Exercise. Sweet!



Better pack that away for later.

Imoen explores further down a side hallway and spies another enemy.



One becomes three, and three become ten!



We rush past her as she runs screaming down the hallway, horror in her eyes.



The attacks of the greater doppleganger seem to infect the victim with confusion. It hits Imoen and Branwen too.



I take him out with a Blade Shower.



We kill the remaining dopplegangers and go wait in the small library for Branwen to become unconfused. Imoen decides to pass the time with Finch.



I could have remained there the rest of my days, had I the luxury. No life with responsibilities is so simple, I am afraid.

Responsibilities, nuthin'. You were lucky to scram when you did, else you may not have run into Syvishtar and me again. If I'd missed out on this adventure, I know I'd have been a sad sack!

But isn't there anything about Candlekeep you miss? You grew up there!

Like you're achin' to skip back to Waterdeep, huh?

When you put it like that...

Nah, I don't miss makin' beds at Winthrop's. There were laughs enough while I was there, but I'm not missin' out. I've got Syvishtar to remind me o the musty old place, kinda like you've got your books!

Did she just compare me to a book? Or a set of books? What am I, an encyclopedia?

When Branwen gets back to normal, we loot the far room. We find another Suryrus's Blade (I think that's 3 now), some more books we've already read, some merely excellent weapons, a Heavy Crossbow +1, and a mallet head. Huh.



I keep it, just in case. I was expecting a long expanse of hallways and interconnected corridors on this side of the level like before, but there's just this room. So we go back to the central area and Imoen finds another secret door.



Another secret door lies behind it.



Imoen looks around for traps, finds nothing, and goes forward to get struck by a column of fire!



The trap of holy fire must be guarding something important, something so special that only the divine magic of a god is worthy of making sure nobody... a winepress?



An old winepress. Any chance of being able to make this thing work again? I could use a drink.

We start looking around, cautiously, for something to make that happen.



From out of the darkness we hear the pained groan of a flesh golem!



I tell the party to stay here, and let the golem come to us. It does, and we kill it no problem.



But when Imoen goes to check the room ahead, she finds that it had friends.



She manages to entangle the skeleton warrior with her bow.



And with the help of Mulgore, she takes it out.



I look around. What is this, some kind of... bed... pole... room?



Gameplay note: It is actually a gym with a boxing ring. There's barbells, some rings, an archery target with a crossbow... this room is pretty cool.

We find another mummy around the corner. We take it out without incident.



I wonder how mummies got in here?

Another flesh golem further down the passage falls to our onslaught.



In the next room, Imoen disables the traps and finds some potions and spell scrolls. One is Feeblemind, which I have not actually heard of before.



Gameplay note: Duration permanent. Do you want to negate a mage? Use this!

Imoen has some trouble with the nightstand next to the bed. She just can't get it open.



So she moves to what she thinks is a safer location - the closet.

[Usurper]

It also proves to be trapped, though.



What kind of psychopath would trap a closet? (Good idea.)

Behind the traps is a spell scroll that I can't use - Mental Domination.



Gameplay note: So in gameplay terms, absolutely no difference between this spell and Domination.

I again get the feeling of wrongness. Why is there magical power in the universe that I can't utilize? I hand it over to Branwen reluctantly.

Imoen also finds a new book for Finch, the History of Dambrath! And she finds some grapes.



Wait, let me guess. Magical glowing grapes go in the winepress, right? And I wonder if the power for the winepress is behind that door we passed earlier?



But as soon as we step in the door, we see TWO MUMMIES!



Mulgore chunks one mummy, as the other tears into Branwen.



But she just laughs in glee and keeps fighting until it falls. She seems more confident than ever!







Then I take a look around the room. This place looks like it is some sort of steam engine. I read about them before in Candlekeep.



But I don't know how to turn this one on. There doesn't seem to be a switch or anything... so for now, we press on.



And on.



And OH MY WEAVE PILES OF TREASURE UP TO OUR WAISTS!



There are jewels and gems, 2,000 gold, and an odd-looking key!



In the other pile there is another Shield of the Falling Stars +1!



Gameplay note: Of all the magical items to get two of, this one is incredibly useful. A tower shield that protects not only its wielder, but people within 10 feet, plus gives a hit point bonus. It is the most powerful shield I've ever heard of in my life, and now we have two. This is a great find.

We all celebrate for a moment, throwing money around and rolling in the treasure. I end up taking a closer look at one jewel in particular.



Oh. This must be the thing that glitters above all else. This must be one of Durlag's banes. My good mood deflates. I am a slave. We are all slaves.

I send Imoen around to make sure everything is explored. She finds another lightning trap.



Ouch! She also tries the odd-looking key on the bedstand lock, and it finally opens.



In our excitment to see what she's found, we all try to find our way into the room where she is in. But that doesn't work out so great for Xavia.



Why didn't she... how could she... great. I barely know her and she's already dead. (She deserved it.)

Imoen makes sure the trap is disarmed this time.



In the bedstand, we find some more gems and gold, a few potions and scrolls of no importance, and what looks like a switch for an engine.



I'm actually not feeling too broke up about Xavia's death. I guess because I barely knew her, and she did something really stupid. It's almost as if she deserved what she got.

I go to the room with the gigantic steam engine in it. I see what looks like some kind of control panel on the north wall.



I place the switch in the panel and flip it. The machine begins to run.



Which means that the winepress probably now works. I go check it out.



I take a closer look at the wine that I have collected in the bottle. It is a deep, dark red, and smells of...



Oh Shar-teel, Shar-teel, why did your strength and grace leave me so? And Xan, why is he not strong enough to stand by my side? And Branwen... why does Branwen no longer choose to love me?

I only move again when Imoen puts her hand on my forearm. She squeezes it gently and I stir myself. I show her the bottle. She just nods, and leads me by the hand back to the central room.

My funk is momentarily dispelled when we get ambushed by the undead!



Well, maybe more like the other way around.



After the fight, I notice a barrel that I have not yet looted. Inside I find more cash.



And also a mallet handle.



If only I had a way to put the mallet head and handle together. Wait, this is a Dwarf Fortress, there has GOT to be a forge around here somewhere. Actually, didn't we loot one earlier?



Yep, sure did!

It doesn't take much to repair the mallet.



And now we just need a gong to test this mallet out on!



The gong doesn't make a sound, but I stagger back in pain and sensations I do not know how to describe. Something... something stirs within my mind. (it knows they know) I feel a renewed sense of caution (they all Know and they Look and they See). All of the worst parts of the past few weeks crowd in my mind at once (they die and do it for you but they won't after they Know). I find myself kneeling on the floor clutching the frame of the gong tightly.

But if they come and they see then they will know and they'll go and I must stand up so they won't Suspect. A few deep breaths, and I feel like I can continue to pretend to be normal.

I think I may have done enough to satisfy the Warders. Let us get this horrible trial behind us.

[Usurper]

I approach the second warder. I hold out the Glittering Beljuril.



When the warder takes the Glittering Beljuril Gemstone away from me, it seems to tear something physical out of my palm. I wince. I guess I really am a slave to wealth. So am I truly doomed in this place? The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

Hesitantly, I go to the next Warder. I hand it the mallet.



No! Say it isn't so! Please, by the weave, let me leave this place alive! Don't let them Find out!

After a time, I steel myself for what the last Warder will say. The red one. But there is nothing else to do, so I approach him as well. I give him the wine of grief and loss.



The horrifying words that this Warder speaks physically rock me back on my heels. No. Do I have to? What kind of evil would ... surely that is not possible? Is it?

Primal screams of Fear, Avarice, Pride, and Love get me moving. What the hell is going on?!



I call out a quick retreat, a hasty fall back. We must get out of this cloud of death.

Fear is the first to catch up with us (Of course, I am ALWAYS with you).



But the others are not far behind.



I stand still in shock, only able to witness what seems to be the torments of my soul played out before my eyes.

Love is the first to fall, slain by the barbarian.



Branwen enters into a fierce battle rage as she stands against Fear. I watch her intently.



Imoen, strangely enough, takes out Avarice.



But wouldn't the thief be the one to join Avarice's side? I find myself contemplating these events even as they unfold.

Fear seems to strong for Branwen, and she looks almost dead.



In the end, she retreats from Fear, but Mulgore slays it.



So, Mulgore kills both Love and Fear? The strong beast overcomes both emotions.

Gameplay note: I tried hard to let Branwen be the one to kill Fear, but she was simply outmatched, and could not outpace Fear's regeneration. Only a combined arms attack could take Fear down.

Branwen comes down off of her enraged state, and Finch cares for her.



Only Pride is left. Only Pride remains undefeated (as it should be). We look everywhere for him, but do not find him.



Did Pride survive? Did Pride.. go deeper?



Yes. Yes it did.



Pride is strong. Pride does not go down easily.



Pride is filled with the might of the divine. Pride almost kills Imoen.



In the end, Mulgore is the one to kill Pride as well.



I feel that these events are significant somehow, that they are clouded glimpses of the future. But I do not understand them. I must think on them during the journey back.

We do find a Girdle of Hill Giant Strength on Pride. And a generic Battle Axe +2.



Then I finally turn my attention to the corpse of Xavia. She must be attended to.



Resurrecting her costs us half our gold!



Damn woman is dragging the group down! And now we have to travel all the way back to Baldur's Gate again to pick up another replacement. Geez. (that's kind of rude)



Durlag has claimed two of the lives of the Golden Company so far.



But we are penetrating his secrets! He will not remain a mystery forever.



No, truly I will know the mind of Durlag.



I will understand his ways.



And I will defeat him!

When we get back to the Elfsong Tavern, I try to explain to Xavia and Mulgore our policy on resting after death.



Xavia gets it, but Mulgore doesn't seem to understand that he can stay with us if he wants. He follows Xavia as she takes an empty place at a table. Oh well, I don't mind. I don't trust having that orc in my party by himself anyways.

You know what this party needs? This party needs music!



Is your offer still up-to-date? I will gladly see you in action...

You come back to join me again?

I can't deny, you could be useful again...

So I am.

Gameplay note: Oh my god we are taking a level 1 Troubadour into Durlag's Tower.



But not only music, this party needs more divine power. We need Jet'laya!



Your company was missed by all. Welcome back to the group.

Ah, old friends made new again. A pairing that cannot be beaten.

Then we begin our journey back.

Gameplay note: Ok, so who should get the Manual of Gainful Exercise? Let's vote!

[Usurper]

Death Pool Update:

There has been active betting in the Death Pool. We have a lot of participants, and a lot of winners and losers so far. All payouts will happen at the end of Durlag's Tower. If someone has a W by their name, that means they're winners. If they have an L, that means losers. Here is how things stand right now:

*********************************
*********************************
*** GOLDEN COMPANY DEATH POOL ***
*********************************
*********************************

************************************
*** 1-factor bets, for x1 payoff ***
************************************

W2 AJ_Impy       - Xan dies 

 2 AJ_Impy       - Imoen dies
 3 ETB           - Imoen dies
 2 ETB           - someone dies by fireball trap
 4 Linedance     - Finch dies
 5 Sammage       - Imoen dies
 2 Semi-mental   - Finch dies

L2 Haystack      - Mulgore dies
L1 Linedance     - Mulgore dies


23 total votes in the 1-factor pool

************************************
*** 2-factor bets, for x2 payoff ***
************************************

W4 Maugrim          - Xan dies first

 2 Little_wh0re     - Finch killed by monsters
 1 Little_wh0re     - Imoen killed by Syv
 2 Little_wh0re     - Imoen killed by monsters
 3 loco88           - Imoen dies by trap
 3 Mountaineer      - Finch killed by uncontrollable ally
 2 Quarter Past Ten - Finch killed by Syvishtar(a)
 3 The Protagonist  - Imoen dies to uncontrollable ally
 1 Tithin Melias    - Imoen dies by trap

L2 Ghostwoods       - Xavia killed by undead
L2 loco88           - Syvishtar(a) kills someone first
L2 LucyWanabe       - Xan killed by monsters
L2 Quarter Past Ten - Xan killed by enemy
L4 The Iron Rose    - Somebody dies to Syvishtar(a) first
L4 Tithin Melias    - Imoen is first to die


37 votes in the 2-factor pool (74 vote possible win)

************************************
*** 4-factor bets, for x4 payoff ***
************************************

L2 Ilyich           - Imoen dies, in 1st basement, by Fireball trap, fleeing from skeleton warrior

 2 votes in the 4-factor pool (8 vote possible win)

************************************
*** 6-factor bets, for x6 payoff ***
************************************

 5 Gharbad the Weak - Party wipe (each person dies is a factor, plus all in the same encounter is a factor)

 5 votes in the 6-factor pool (30 vote possible win)

*********************************
***   VOTE ACCOUNT TRACKING   ***
*********************************
(Unless noted below, you have 5 votes)

1 AJ_Impy
0 ETB
0 Gharbad the Weak
3 Ghostwoods
3 Haystack
3 Ilyich
0 Linedance
0 Little_wh0re
0 loco88
3 LucyWanabe
1 Maugrim
2 Mountaineer
1 Quarter Past Ten
0 Sammage
3 Semi-mental
1 The Iron Rose
2 The Protagonist
0 Tithin Melias

[Justify]

I'll give a vote for the tome to Svyishtar, and wanted to chime in and say I am still loving the LP! I know it's much (much, much...) quieter over here, but thank you for continuing to update it.