Syvishtar's Journal
#1121
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:29 AM
We defeat the vampires, but Bruenor is still dominated. So we have to run away from him until he comes to his senses.
Also, Regis and Bruenor have been energy drained. But without a cleric or fat stacks of cash there's nothing we can do about it now.
One of the vampires dropped a scroll of Mantle. A new spell! I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. I copy it into my spellbook quickly.
In a basin by the pillar we find a belt.
It is a Girdle of Frost Giant Strength. Wow!
I give it to Bruenor, since he's not wearing a belt already.
Then we move deeper into the caves, finding more valen vampires on the way.
They dominate Regis this time, which saves him from death.
The charmed Regis goes against Catti-Brie, and the last vampire charms Wulfgar as it dies, who then goes after Drizzt. This may be a problem.
Once again we run away, leaving the two magiced ones to walk it off.
Then, after they do, we go deeper into the belly of the beast.
That puts us in a long corridor, empty save for the beating of our own hearts.
The right door is hiding more vampires, though.
We cut them down, and Regis discovers a trap.
He discovers another down the hall near some sarcophagi.
The only thing in those sarcophagi is one gold piece. I guess a vampire lost some pocket change while sleeping. It happens to the best of us.
Regis scouts out the opposite room and sees a whole lot of mummies and two wailing death.
Gameplay note: Regis TOTALLY has some sort of script working on him that causes him to teleport behind enemies. When I used him to scout, he was invisible. One moment he was walking where I told him to, the next he was standing behind the furthest mummy. This is really annoying because the game engine doesn't allow for re-stealthing when people can see you, so he ends up becoming visible and then getting gangraped by everyone assembled. Thats why he keeps dying all the damn time.
I decide to try something different, something magicky. I summon some undead creatures to take on the other undead creatures.
Gameplay note: The reason that I'm doing this is that the Wailing Death in there cast the Death spell every round. They slaughtered the whole party on several occasions. Its the Banshee in the Wood of the Dead all over again, but this time with a friend.
Then, as a follow-up, I try for a big finisher spell.
Well shit. Okay, Fireball from the Ring of Fire!
The mummies are coming up on me, so I give them a Fire Shield to deal with.
Then I try for my old standby - Cacofiend. Instead the Weave entangles one mummy.
I think that it is time for Plan B, so I retreat and let the mummies come to the group. They beat them down easily enough.
Then I give a Potion of Magic Protection to Drizzt, and he rushes the two Wailing Deaths.
Their spells of death are resisted by the ranger. He moves in for the kill.
Five hits and the first one is down.
And the other is down just as fast.
We rush in to help him with the leftover mummies.
In one of the sarcophagi there is Storm Star +3.
Down the hallway are more vampires, of course.
Ghosts also come to disturb us.
Catti-Brie seems stronger after they're all dead.
More mummies attract another Fireball from me.
And then it is a rush and a slaughter by Drizzt and co.
Three more vampires...
This time they don't charm anybody.
Another herd of shadow fiends swarm us, but we are stronger.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1122
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:29 AM
and we are about to march on. But I feel as though great evil is ahead. I call break time, and we teleport to the Armory to rest.
Gameplay note: The final fight is next. And I got my ass thoroughly kicked the first time I tried it. Total party wipe. So I have to try to prepare for what comes.
First things first. Drizzt knows Dispel Magic, and prepares it. Then we rest. After we wake, he casts it on the party. It gets rid of their energy drain!
Then comes the question of equipment. I equip myself first. I've been slacking in my equipment loadout. I've been sentimental, wearing Gorion's Amulet that Imoen gave to me, instead of the best choice Ulcaster's Amulet, which boosts the number of spells I can memorize. Also, I've been wearing the Claw of Kazgaroth and the Ring of Kangaxx on my hands as points of pride, instead of the Ring of Archwizardry and the Ring of Wizardry 1st thru 5th. I cut down on the number of spells I could cast because, well, I could, and wearing the Claw felt cooler. But I think that the fight coming up will test my abilities thoroughly, so I rectify these errors now.
With the best rings and amulets available to me, I feel confident in my ability to memorize 18 level one spells, 18 level two spells, 24 level three spells, 10 level four spells, and 10 level five spells. And I'm going to need them.
I also re-arrange my spellbook. For the first time in a long time I take the Random Spells out. I strongly feel that I am going to need some specific spells ready.
For first level, I prepare all Nahal's Reckless Dweomers.
For second level, I prepare Chaos Shield, a couple of Mirror Images, Remove Fear, Detect Invisibility, and a mixture of Blade Showers and Rhialto's Random Missiles.
For third level, I turn to steady spells I know. First is Gymlainac's Lightbend, an invisibility-equivalent spell that also boosts armor and saving throws, and can't be dispelled by True Seeing or Detect Invisibility. I have had this spell in my book for a long time, but haven't used it much. Then I take two of Invisibility Sphere as well. My friends need some protection. I also take Halt Undead, 3 copies. We need to stop vampires in their tracks. I take two Melf's Minute Meteors in case I need some, and another wild magic spell - Vile Word of Discord. Then I load up a few Fireballs and make the rest Random Spell II.
Fourth level is important, because here are a lot of my defensive spells. Stoneskin, Fire Shields, and Minor Globe of Invulnerability are located here. I memorize them all. Plus there are the really fun spells like Corporeal Instability and Glyph of Wild Magic.
Fifth level gives me Paithan's Lucky Streak, Chaos, Spell Turning, Shadow Door, Vortex, and 6 copies of Random Spell III. I need the possible advantages that summoning a djinni or a beholder can bring.
I am pretty confident of my spell selection. I hope I get to cast a majority of these spells...
Next is Bruenor. He has some good equipment, but I give him more. He get Warrior Gloves, the Clasp of Bronn's Cloak, Rings of Free Action and Fire Resistance, the other Shield of Falling Stars +1, a Cloak of Protection +2, and the Boots of Fast Protection.
Catti-Brie also gets some upgrades. She gets Gauntlets of Dexterity, the Helm of Charm Protection, the Amulet of Wyvern Summoning, Rings of Free Action and Fire Resistance, a Girdle of Hill Giant Strength, Boots of Speed, and a Holy Cloak.
Finally, I pass out potions to everyone. But then I get another idea. I check my scroll case, and pull out 3 copies of Protection from Magic, and 3 copies of Protection from Undead. Myself, Drizzt, and Cattie-Brie, who can cast spells, can get the Protection from Undead on them. Then Bruenor, Wulfgar, and Regis can get Protection from Magic on them, since it blocks all magic coming into and out of its area. Hopefully that will keep everybody alive long enough to weather the coming storm.
I cast the spells.
Then we enter into what may very well be the final battle.
We are greeted by a familiar figure.
Gameplay note: He's got Irenicus' voiceset! Its Jonaleth!!
You! You're the one who teleported me here in the first place. I should have seen through your deceit. Show yourself, who are you, hiding under that hood?!
Who I am is not for you to worry about. It is who you are that matters, Syvishtar.
What? He addresses me? What about Drizzt, the obvious party leader?
Stop your riddles!
You must have felt it, the heritage running in your veins. Now at my disposal...
Heritage? What? Does this guy want to get into Candlekeep?
You won't get to me with your hollow threats.
I fear that I have had an advantage over you from the start. I have planned your arrival from the beginning. It could be no other way.
Gameplay note: This line is also voiced as Jon.
I will ruin whatever plans you have in mind.
I bid you farewell Child of Bhaal, we shall not meet again.
Then an absolute torrent of magical energy flows out from this figure and almost blinds both my physical eyes and magical senses.
I still manage to see the Wailing Death that appears in front of us. I target it first with a huge barrage of Rhialto's Random Missiles.
It is enough to kill it. Now, we should kill the vampires. Don't want them taking over the party.
Too late.
My Dispel Magic gets rid of the Domination for now, but will it last?
The demon summoned kills Catti-Brie. I can't mourn.
I'm able to disappear from the public consciousness just in the nick of time.
I am almost dead, but I stop by Catti-Brie's corpse and take a healing potion from her. It keeps me alive a moment longer. The vampires are almost all dead.
I tell everyone to kill the last vampire, the one following me. They converge on it, and it stops following. Bruenor also takes out the demon nearby. I see an opening in the fighting, and shoot some more magic missiles at the Robed Figure.
I strike him down!
The murder troupe takes care of the remaining skeleton warriors, and I think that I have never seen such an extraordinarily executed battle!
Gameplay note: This was about the 5th time I tried this battle. This is one of those rare battles that you have to fight over and over to get the hang of it. Previous attempts were all complete party wipes. It was brutal.
On the ground I find scrolls of Project Image and Stone to Flesh. I copy the second into my spellbook.
Among some crystals at the end of the room we find some items: An Abyssal Idol, and a Handwritten Letter.
The Abyssal Idol is awesome.
I can summon a demon of my very own? This is too good to be true!
The letter, on the other hand, is the foulest of lies.
Sarevok, that evil guy who took over the trading company and was using its resources to hunt me down? That guy is my brother? HA! Yeah right. This poor old man was more deluded than I thought.
Gameplay note: Ok so the note is signed "I". I guess we know what that means...
I wish I had the resources to resurrect Catti-Brie. Oh well.
Wait a second... will the Vault Sentry buy items from me? I summon him and ask.
HE WILL!
Not all items, but enough to raise enough money to resurrect more people. And he buys gems too. Not only that, but he's the only person I've ever see who buys potions. After selling half of my remaining Oils of Speed, and 200 of my 356 Elixirs of Health, I think I have enough money to do everything I need to.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1123
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:30 AM
Then we go back to that dwarf, Varlag.
Mayhaps do I have anything you can forge into an item?
Well show me what you carry then.
Here, I possess the Ice Slasher and a Winter Rune Scroll.
By Moradin's Hammer, the old recipe of Frostbeard. I could forge this weapon into one of the most devastating weapons made of the finest steel ever to be known in this realm. Dwarven smithy at its highest level. It would cost ye 10,000 gold.
Very well, let's do it.
In a magical haste here ye are and a fine piece of work it is.
And with that, he gives it to me.
Gameplay note: This is starting to look like the weapon that people make fun of in Planescape Torment. It's a +5 throwing axe that boomerangs back to you and does 1d6 +3 +2 cold damage, plus sets your STR to 25 and instantly slays ogres. Not only that but it can be wielded as a melee weapon if you want. This thing is an army all by itself.
I talk to Varlag again.
Here, have a look at this winter wolf pelt.
Aye, I could enchant it so ye would never freeze again, and any magic with coldness involved in it would slip ye by leaving you unhurt. All for a sum of 3,000 gold.
Very well, let's do it.
In a magical haste here ye are and a fine piece of work it is.
It is a great cloak, just like Wulfgar's!
On the way out, I notice that I missed something. One of the stone faces has a loose area that I can look in. I check it out.
It is a Pale Gren Ioun Stone.
Going further out, I also realize that I missed something else. The skull on this dragon corpse frozen in ice is actually loose.
I take the skull. Then I wonder if the dwarf would be interested in it. I go back and ask him.
Here, have a look at this dragon skull.
By Moradin's Hammer! How did you manage to get yer hands on such a rare thing? I could forge a plate from the scales if ye wish. All for a sum of 5,000 gold.
Very well, let's do it.
In a magical haste here ye are and a fine piece of work it is.
It is a fine piece of work indeed.
Then, evil defeated, bad guys gone, we set off into the wide world once more.
Saying goodbye to Icewind Dale,
we make our way back to Baldur's Gate.
And the warm, familiar embrace of the Elfsong Tavern.
I invite them to stay, but they seem to be impatient to be on their way. Even when I'm holding all of their equipment that I can get my hands on.
I feel that it is time to say farewell.
And with that, he walks out. Each of the others in turn say the exact same thing.
It was really nice of Catti-Brie to leave her bow though.
And Bruenor his armor.
And Wulfgar his cloak.
They just don't think like they're into being a part of the Golden Company. Still, the experiences I had with them will last me a lifetime.
Gameplay note: I'm 100K from level 12, I might get there before the end of BG1!
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1124
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:31 AM
18 Marpenoth, 1370
So, back from the frozen northlands, back in the calm, cozy Elfsong Tavern with friends and comrades, I actually feel happy.
I haven't remembered feeling this way since, well, since Candlekeep. I'm surrounded by friends, nobody is trying to kill me, and I have enough gold to buy a small town. I sit down, buy a few rounds of ale, and count it up. Imoen, of course, helps me. In the end, it adds up to 10,563.
Wow. That calls for a celebration! I get drunk and start to tell everybody the stories of what we did in Icewind Dale. They are pretty impressed. The crowd gasps and cheers at the appropriate moments. But I think I get too drunk.
D'm barkeepmonks, 'lways keepin' a good giiirrrrl dow'.
Wiat, am I a gir' or a boy rignnow? I ... I gots ta' chechs. Where? Oh yesh, unda' da robe. No, Imoen, I dunneeeddss help... I'm FINE.
Yah, k, slee's dgod. sleef.
sleeph.
sleeeeeee....
After the night is done and the headache goes away, I remember something. I was supposed to give a dagger to a dwarf in Ulgoth's Beard. But I lost it when those cultists ambushed me. The least I could do would be to tell the poor dwarf it's gone. It would only be polite.
So I put a team together for the trip back.
Straight to the point, I respect that. Let's go.
Ah, old friends made new again. A pairing that cannot be beaten.
Oh goody good good! Let's go.
I could ask for little else.
Hooray! I knew you were just joking! Always joking, you are. "Such a joker," I keep saying, and there you are, joking as usual. Let's get going now.
Kagain just about falls over when I show him the Ice Slasher +5. It is the first time I've seen anything but grump on the dwarf's face. His eyes go wide, his beard quivers, and I think there's a little sliver of drool on the left side of his mouth. I let go of the axe quickly, and he holds it reverently in both hands.
Gameplay note: This is Kagain holding just the Ice Slasher, no other equipment. Too bad we don't have the new BGEE interface. With that we could see the damage range. But here we an only see that his THAC0 is 7 without any other equipment. Also his excellent AC is because of his Gladiator class.
When he finishes suiting up with items like Durlag's Crown, the Girdle of Defense, and the Shield of the Falling Stars, he looks the beast.
Indira has quite a selection of longswords that she can use.
She ends up choosing the set of swords called Life and Death.
It seems to be a whimsical choice, but the swords are solid weapons.
She chooses a mix of arcane and melee equipment. A set of mage's bracers, but the Bluestone Necklace of Dexterity. On her right hand a Ring of Protection +3, but on her left the Ring of Wizardry. I advise her to NOT take on any Boots of Speed, so that Kagain can be the first into battle and she can aid. She agrees.
Jet'Laya prepares mostly for combat. She takes up her mace, Contrition, and another Shield of the falling Stars. With the Wyvern Helm, a Girdle of Defense, and Boots of Speed she is ready to support the front lines with Kagain.
I dress Viconia in gold. Elven Chainmail, the Helm of Glory, and the Heart of the Dragon medium shield turn her into some sort of dark angel. She is also pointedly NOT wearing Boots of Speed, so that she can hang back and be second to the fight.
Alora loves the new Thieves' Hood that I brought back from Icewind Dale. She also doesn't want to be mind-controlled like what was always happening to Regis, so she also puts on the Greenstone Amulet. She has a lot of other thiefly equipment that she puts on too. I also give her the Wand of Fear, which she can use if she ever gets into a tight spot.
Then we are off to Ulgoth's Beard to chase down that dagger! But we've just barely begun when the squabbles start.
Just leave me alone, Viconia. I didn't ask for your opinion.
You confirm my suspicions with your weakness. Attempting to ignore a problem is no way of solving it.
Hmph. And YOU confirm MY suspicions with your words. Admitting you're a problem is the first step towards change.
Hah! Well done, child. You may yet rise above the level of iblith.
The journey to Ulgoth's Beard still takes a whole day.
We are ambushed by bandits on the way. Kagain shows them what's what with his insane axe.
Gameplay note: During this fight someone else began teleporting behind enemies and hitting them in the back - Viconia! I thought maybe I had run into an incredibly annoying scripting bug where Party Member 5 would always be teleporting behind enemies, but I took a look at her equipment first. I gave her the Boots of Displacing to wear, because they give +2 AC.
Gameplay note: Apparently an undocumented feature of these boots is that they teleport you behind the back of the nearest enemy. Wow, who knew?
When we get to Ulgoth's Beard, Elminster is still there. But he doesn't seem too interested in talking to me.
I'm sure he's busy thinking of important world-altering matters. We go into the Inn and finally fess up to losing the dagger.
It is as I feared. Listen to me, we haven't much time. The ones who stole the dagger from you are the same that released the demon that killed me granda. Me granda was killed by a tanar'ri, a nabassu to be precise. The one who stole it from you is a member of a cult that worships this beast as a god. Many centuries ago, when we granda adventured with Durlag, they fell foul of the tanar'ri, which had been released onto our plane by the cult. Durlag and me granda defeated the tanar'ri, though granda was mortally wounded, and they entrapped the demon's essence in a dagger. Me da later found a way to destroy the dagger and the beast within, but tragedy befell Durlag before he could send the dagger to me clan.
Ye must find the cult. Ye must retrieve the dagger that I might destroy the beast. If the cult manages to free the demon then it must be killed before it visits destruction upon our land. Go and get the dagger. Quickly!
Uhh, okay? But where did these crazy cultists get to?
I go outside and ask Elminster, but he doesn't say anything.
I kinda go take a look around the area, wondering what to do, when a guy catches my eye. He looks a little bit familiar.
I send Kagain after him.
Hold your tongue, cur. I do not answer to one such as you.
Ungodly ones! This place is not for you. Leave immediately.
If you have a brain you'll realize that you are the one who should be leaving. Move aside or die!
You! The usefulness of your party is exhausted. Our god will suffer no intrusions.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1125
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:31 AM
Everybody gets ready to rumble.
Kagain turns the lippy guard into a fine mist.
Alora gets targeted by a couple of archers shooting from the barn door. She decides to scare them away.
Nevertheless she is seriously injured, and begins to panic. Viconia, taking her role as dark angel to heart, slays another guard with a Flame Blade.
But Jet'Laya is able to heal the little halfling, and the battle continues.
Indira takes out the last cult guard with a flourish.
Then, as if to show off her versatility, she immediately launches all 3 of her magic missiles at the last remaining archer!
Aww, 3 magic missiles! So cute! I decide to help her out.
Indira rushes in to melee to try to finish the last archer off, but the archer runs into the building and disappears.
We all follow her. It isn't pretty.
After that, we prepare to enter the cultists' lair. I'm pretty sure there will be bad things to fight here, so we buff up.
Then I cast Invisibility Sphere on the whole party, so we can get the drop on them.
There are a bunch of mooks just standing around. This is going to be easy.
We all break our invisibility by attacking! Then the wizard addresses us.
Thanks for the compliment. Shall we kill you now or would you rather beg for a time?
Not predisposed towards conversation, are you? Very well. Have it as you will.
Then he bursts into a ton of magical defenses. Another wizard beside him does as well.
Hrm.
I cast Dispel Magic.
Welp. There went all of his fancy spellcasting! I send Kagain after the wizard, and Indira after his Cult Enforcer buddy.
Then Viconia is backstabbed by an assassin!
Jet'Laya casts Hold Person on the two guards next to her.
Kagain kills the cult wizard, but seems to have become Confused in the process. The wizard's enforcer apprentice unloads a minor sequencer full of magic missiles on Indira.
Kagain thankfully doesn't attack any of us, but the Cult Enforcer doesn't make that any easier. He casts Confusion on all of us, and I lose contact with most of my party.
I have really got to do something about this. I cast Chaos Shield, then Dispel Magic.
It clears up everyone except Viconia and Kagain. Then I Magic Missile the cult enforcer to death.
He was almost gone already. Indira had taken out all of his Mirror Images and had him bleeding.
Then Indira turns around and casts a spell I haven't seen in a very long time. She casts Spook on one of the assassins, sending him running.
That leaves us with one assassin and two guards to deal with. Alora decides that is too many, and Horrifies two of them.
Indira chunks the one assassin that wasn't scared.
I guess he should have been. Jet'Laya and Indira come to help me with the guard that is engaging me in melee. We kill him good.
And, well, that's it. Viconia comes to her senses and begins healing the party.
On the corpses we find some potions and a Wand of Paralyzation.
Gameplay note: I also realize at this point that I have lost the ability to pick up items. I use Kagain to pick things up and transfer them to Syvishtar, and then I notice that my first inventory slot isn't filling up. I click on it and get the message "This item cannot be removed." I fire up Shadow Keeper and find...
Gameplay note: Yes, thank you Drizzt, for giving me your glitched no-art cannot-be-removed scimitars before you left. That's so awesome. At least I can clear the item via Shadow Keeper.
After we clean everything up, we rest, regroup, and re-cast all our protective spells. No telling what is in this horrible cult basement.
Well, there's a horrible cult! I could have guessed that part.
Why would you do this? The beast you mean to raise is not to be trusted!
Pray tell how you would know this? Have you prepared the rituals, spoken the incantations? I have, and the assurances of Aec'Letec were the fruits of my labors! Certainly the denizens of the lower planes are prone to falsehoods, but only when dealing with the weak and stupid! We shall be strong and fitting allies for this new master! Here I break that dagger, and here the new lord comes!
A demon summoning? Syvishtar, we should flee! Leave these wretches to their doom!
Babe, you have NO idea how many demons I've killed already. This is going to be a walk in the park.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1126
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:32 AM
Tracea Carol casts Sunfire, injuring Alora a little bit. But I pull my little statue off my belt, and summon my own demon.
It's a demon-on-demon rumble! One night only, in the Ulgoth's Beard stadium!
On the right we have Aec'Letec, freshly released from his prison in a woman's dagger. The creater of ghouls, the flayer of flesh, the Once Defeated (probably)!
On the left we have Tanari, servant of mages, slave of the arcane, summoned through a little dumb-looking statue. Which of the Bitches Down Below will win tonight? Place your bets, chillins, cuz it ain't gonna last long!
I tell everybody to get into the corner and watch.
Aec'Letec goes for Vampiric Touch!
But Tanari resists.
Tracea Carol is being an unruly spectator, walking around with lots of magic and generally making a fuss. I tell Kagain, my bouncer for the evening, to take care of her. He briefly switches to the Battleaxe of Dispelling Fire, and with one swipe removes all of Tracea's defenses.
Back in the arena, Aec'Letec lands a critical hit on Tanari!
Tanari gets 2 levels drained. Oh no!
Tracea Carol still won't be quiet. She triggers a contingency of Stoneskin and more Mirror Images. Kagain has to put her down.
Gameplay note: And that's with the weaker Battleaxe of Dispelling Fire.
In the arena, it is not looking good for Tanari. He also lands a critical hit!
But his claws don't even do any damage to Aec'Letec's tough hide! How will this idol bunny succeed if he can't injure his opponent?!
Aec'Letec doesn't give him time to think of a plan. He hits ol' Tanari with the 1-2 punch of Vampiric Touch and Level Drain.
The old idol boy can't take it, and dies. A pity.
Gameplay note: Um... apparently that was a one-use only item. Heh.
I try to cast a spell to get the situation under control, but Aec'Letec stuns me and level drains me before I can even do anything.
Kagain and Indira rush to my aid, slicing deep furrows into the demon. He screams in pain, but just as it looks like he will die, he turns into some kind of blue cloud.
So did we win? Or...
I'm stunned, unable to give any orders, so Indira and Viconia both start executing the remaining cultists, even though they haven't attacked us at all. Bloodthirsty much?
They are off on the far side of the room, killing the last of the cultists, when Aec'Letec rematerializes near me! Thankfully I am released from his Hold at about the same time.
But I feel really, really weak. I can't seem to remember half of the spells I prepared this morning. Less than half. I don't even remember...
Gameplay note: I can only memorize 2 level two spells and 3 level one spells!
Blade Shower! Let's go with that! Or, ok, running away is a good idea too.
Jet'Laya rushes forward as Alora and I rush back. Aec'Letec casts Silence at her.
It fails. She stands to cast a spell.
He drains her, and she loses it.
I realize that I still remember some spells, even though I won't be able to cast them again. One of those is Corporeal Instability. I throw it at the demon, just as it teleports to Alora.
IT WORKS! IT FREAKIN' WORKS!! The all-powerful demon Aec'Letec melts into a puddle of goo.
I yell out excitedly for Viconia and Jet'Laya to use Spiritual Hammer. They both cast it simultaneously.
Indira kills the last cult guard as Viconia and Jet'Laya prepare to end the life of the puddle of goo that was once Aec'Letec.
The first hammers smash into the demon goo, and I laugh again. I try to add some chaos blades into the mix, but they don't do anything.
Kagain tries to add his throwing hammer as well, but it bounces off harmlessly.
Only magic damage can hurt a puddle of goo created by Corporeal Instability. If only I remembered some Magic Missiles...
Indira remembers.
She is the one to slay the abomination. The demon seems to lose touch with reality and fall through the floor, leaving nothing but a pair of gloves.
I pick them up and look at them.
I have no idea what these are. For the first time in a long time, I simply cannot understand how the magic thingies work on this... thingie.
The corpse of Tracea has a letter on it. It reads,
Hmm. So a messenger is coming here? I wonder if I'll find him when I leave this place. That means we must restore ourselves now, no waiting. Jet'Laya is the other drained party member. She's at level 6.
I call the Vault Keeper and have him fix us up. His fee for Lesser Restoration is surprisingly low.
After we are restored, I take another look at the gloves. Now I understand them!
Whoa. This sounds like a cool item. I wonder what kind of a person would want to use it though? Certainly nobody I've ever met.
We cautiously exit the cult's hideout, but no one is waiting for us.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1127
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:33 AM
I have misjudged the cult's power. I never believed them capable of freeing the tanar'ri. Ye have destroyed it for now. Eventually it will be able to return to this plane. Rest easy my friends. Ye did all that ye could do. Ye saved the Sword Coast from a demon. Here is your reward. Farewell.
Farewell, Hurgan.
He hands us a hammer and leaves. It is a nice hammer.
It goes in the bag. Then we go back to the Elfsong.
We rest, recuperate, take some time off. I'm quite proud of my team - we didn't die once!
I have been putting off going back to Candlekeep. I know I should probably go there as soon as possible and catch the nefarious evildoers who have been hounding me for literally years, but I keep distracting myself. I kind of dread going back there. There are some of the only peaceful memories I have of my entire life. If I go back, what if I get into a fight? What if I call down lightning and fire and raise up demons to destroy mine enemies, all within my childhood home? That's some kind of violation, right there. I'd be violating my own childhood.
So we're going to try to take out Oversight first. I think I've found where they are located!
You know, if you don't smile enough, your face will start to crack.
Shaddup and show me the money.
We wait until dark, and then go wandering the city streets. We find a short man with a problem.
Hmmm... you look worried. Is there any way I can help you?
Unless you can find a small gnome with an attitude problem the size of Waterdeep, you cannot help me.
Oh right, this guy.
Ahhh. Perhaps we will speak again later. It should not be too hard to find a small one with a big attitude - they all seem to have large personalities.
Yeah, yeah. We keept it in our noses. Move along.
I'm pretty sure he's talking about Tiax. Why don't I just go get him right now?
Your continuing delusion of leadership will serve Tiax well in the long run. Lead on for now, but eventually Tiax rules!
Then we take him back to Belgin. He doesn't suspect a thing.
Tiax demands that you stop slobbering in his face, slave! Stand aside! Tiax will tolerate no impediment to his passage!
'Tiax'? What are you blathering about, boy? Come with me! You're my only chance to get these blasted bounty hunters off my tail!
So, this is the right gnome, then?
I don't know who you are, young woman, but I don't have time for this! The ones hunting me are in this very city, and this boy is my only hope.
The one you're calling 'Tiax' is my former apprentice, and his real name is 'Telliax'. Unless he comes with me and proves that he's still alive, I'm done for! I'll be dragged back to Amn and hung like a common criminal, for a crime I didn't even commit!
Slow down! If you're being unjustly pursued, we'll help you, so please explain what you're talking about.
But... ahh, very well. I will explain myself, but afterwards I beg of you to aid me!
My name is Belgin, known as Belgin the Wanderer, priest of Baervan Wildwanderer. This gnome that you know as 'Tiax' is actually named Telliax. He's the privileged son of an Athkatlan merchant, but his privilege landed him in a bit of trouble.
You may have noted young Telliax's thieving skills? Well, for no other reason than his own boredom, he just happened to try and develop those skills along the Athkatlan docks...
... Which just happened to have upset the Shadow Thieves, one of the most powerful organizations in the city! They demanded he join their organization or die, so his father turned to *me* to help tutor him in the ways of my god and get him out of the city. I had no idea what a trial I was in for.
Bah! This tale is fanciful nonsense! Tiax was born from Cyric himself, unleashed upon this world to bend it to his will and bring fear to the hearts of his enemies! Tiax has no use for merchants and their useless trinkets, nor does he fear any petty thieves! Away with ye, old man, 'lest you join the long list who will pay when Tiax rules all!
Change the name and add a healthy dose of insanity, and the personality apparently remains the same, alas. This little brat was the most obnoxious apprentice I ever tutored! He was arrogant, whiny, and spoiled! None of our traveling accommodations or rations were ever up to his standards. He addressed me as 'commoner' and routinely reminded me of how inferior I was to him due to my lack of wealth.
By the end, I was feeling the sore temptation to wring his scrawny neck myself, though thank Baervan it never came to that. As we traveled with a caravan, we were ambushed by bandits. I escaped, Telliax didn't, so I naturally assumed they killed him.
Tiax, stopped by mere bandits? BAH! What stupidity! Tiax thinks you've been driven mad, old ma...
...
Tiax... is having a hard time remembering...
Bandits? Cyric? Tiax... remembers the black altar...
Apparently something is seeping through that thick head of his. I don't know what happened after the bandits attacked, but as you might suspect I wasn't too keen on taking them on single-handedly, even if I was more fond of the lad. I'm a man of humble means, so I moved on with my life. Unfortunately, Telliax's father didn't move on with his.
Knowing his son's rather... grating personality, he's dispatched bounty hunters to capture me for Telliax's murder! They wish to bring me back to Amn for a sham trial, no doubt, after which they'll hang me! I did nothing wrong, yet I doubt anything I could say would ever be believed! I've been forced to run from this group,and they've been nipping at my heels for months now! Please, you must help me!
I totally understand how terrible it is to be hounded by bounty hunters for months on end.
A very interesting story. Of course we'll help you.
Baervan bless your souls! All you must do is find the bounty hunters. Baervan has revealed to me, through the blessing of a spell of divination, that they're staying at the Blade and Stars tavern. Please, I beg of you, don't harm them! Simply show them Tiax so that they'll leave me be once and for all! Come back, and I will pay you 1,000 gold for your kind deed. Thank you! Bless you! I'll be at the Helm and Cloak when you've managed to convince them.
Well, that sounds easy enough. The Blade and Stars is in the southeast corner of the city.
We enter and look around, but there doesn't seem to be any mercenary types about.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1128
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:34 AM
This one will be good sport. Let me have his ears.
Uhh, Viconia, you know its hard to fit in if you keep saying things like that?
Hail, Karris! My name is Syvishtar, recently of Candlekeep. I believe we may have an issue to discuss.
An issue? Very well, then. Speak your mind.
We've sought you out on the behalf of a gnome named Belgin, who are you pursuing unjustly. He committed no crime, and we can prove it.
So, you know why we're here, then. My apologies, but our duty is clear. Belgin was given charge of an apprentice, and was responsible for his safety. There is no proof, as of yet, that he murdered his charge, but nonetheless the untimely disappearance of Telliax warrants enough suspicion that Belgin must be brought back to Athkatla for questioning.
Telliax's father was very clear on the matter. We are not to harm Belgin, but neither can we allow him to walk away untouched from what appears to be cold-blooded murder.
Belgin never harmed Telliax. In fact, no one did. He's perfectly fine physically, if a bit insane.
I am sorry, but I'll require something more substantial than your word. If Telliax is indeed still alive, bring him to me. He's been described in careful detail by his father. Until then, we have nothing to talk about.
Insane? Who would DARE to mock Tiax to his very face!? Surely ye must long to have your limbs yanked from their sockets to taunt fate so! Cyric demands payment for all insults directed against his champion, and Tiax *will* collect!
It can't be! By the gods, you mean to say *this* is our employer's son, Telliax? What's happened to him? The description matches, though he appears a bit more... unkempt than I would have imagined for a rich merchant's son.
Alas, he seems to have suffered some sort of unknown trauma. When we discovered him, he was babbling about conquering the world in the name of Cyric.
Cyric!? Conquering the world!? Something must have changed him greatly indeed! Nevertheless, it's a mystery that can be solved another time. For now, our hunt has been in vain, for our target is innocent. We shall return to Amn and report on this to Telliax's father. I doubt he will be pleased. Farewell, friends. You may tell Belgin he is safe.
You will find him there. Farewell.
Then they immediately leave. We also walk outside. Then Tiax screams.
Ow. Tiax... Cyric! PRAISE BE TO CYRIC!
I told you to shut up, gnome.
Syvishtar, if you do not stop this annoyance, I will do so... permanently.
Tiax, are you alright? What happened?
A blessing! A blessing from the Black Sun! TIAX, chosen champion of Cyric and future ruler of all things, has been informed of the next step towards his rule of all!
Oh ye blasphemers, let all who do not now bend knee to Tiax repent, for Tiax is well on his way to domination of all things! We must make haste to the Helm and Cloak, for Tiax's destiny awaits him!
Why the Helm and Cloak? Does this have something to do with Belgin?
The heathen Belgin must DIE! So Cyric has commanded, and so Tiax shall obey that his day of ascension will grow ever closer!
So, we go to all the time and trouble to save him, and now you want us to kill him? You have to be kidding me.
Tiax has no time for your naysaying and indecisiveness! Tiax has no time for slaves who think; all that need be done is to listen and OBEY! Onward to the Helm and Cloak, where Tiax's destiny awaits!
That's on the exact opposite side of town. When we get there, Belgin is waiting nervously.
Gameplay note: At every step of this quest we've had a lot of options to kill, extort, or lie to every person involved here. This quest would be an evil person's dream come true.
We me with Karris and cleared your name. You are safe.
I appreciate what you have done here. I can go back to my life, and for that I am grateful.
How DARE you defy the will of Cyric?!
I am glad we could help you.
Then Belgin leaves the room.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1129
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:35 AM
Then Tiax leaves the party in a huff.
Oh well. No big loss. I'll just have to move his name to the Chapter of the Deserters.
We go back to pick up Alora again, and go to test my theory.
This whole block of houses is supposed to be where Oversight is hiding.
And before, I wasn't able to find anything but normal families here. I went into what I thought was every door, checked every building. But there's one building that doesn't really belong. You don't even really notice it until you take a closer look. The entire building is cut off from the rest of the city and faces the wall. Why would anybody even build something like that?
This has got to be where Section is. I tell everyone to prepare for a fight.
Then we go in.
Gameplay note: The reason I couldn't find this before is because the entrance trigger hotspot is really strangely placed. For every other building that has a door facing away from the camera, the entrance is placed where the door presumably is near the ground, so you have to click on a place basically on the roof to go in the building. But this mod put the entrance at the border of the roof and the ground, which is different from every other building. So I couldn't find the clicky place until now.
But no one attacks us when we enter.
Strange. There's a butler. I go speak to him.
Let me see this message. Ah yes you may enter. Sir Jones is on the third floor with his advisors.
Looks like this place is called Oversight. I can see it on the guard tags.
They have a piano!
Curious, we go upstairs as we are told. There are even more guards here.
I feel like I'm not going to like getting out of here.
There is another staircase on the far wall. We take it too.
This place has a hell of a lot of personnel.
We move into the next room, but someone seems to notice us, finally.
Our security has become lax of late. We will have to cancel the head of security for this. It appears that this is the band of misfits that had destroyed Section, my lord.
This is them? How, how is this possible? No one knows of this place but a selected few.
My lord, they are here, and how they got here is not the issue right now. We really need to get the guards up here to deal with them.
Ah yes, of course. Guards, send these vagabonds into the black at once!
This is my time to exit the scene. I will see to the security of the gold in the dungeon, Sir Jones.
What? You will stay and defend!
Sorry my lord, I can't hear you. Good bye.
I'll deal with you later. As for you, guards, kill the intruder!
We all begin to cast spells, all save Alora and Kagain. And Sir Jones, who attacks Viconia first. He hits like a large, wheeled conveyance!
I want to block the door with an Earth Elemental. I succeed, I think, but the Weave also paralyzes me.
So I can do nothing but watch as Sir Jones cuts down Viconia.
A pillar of fire comes down and strikes several of us. Some priest got lucky. At the same time, Alora panics several of our enemies with her Wand of Fear.
But she is almost killed in the next moment, and begins to run in panic herself. The remaining fighters prepare for a protracted battle. Indira goes wraith.
But that doesn't prevent her from being Flamestruck a moment later.
I am still frozen and unable to move when an Oversight War Wizard kills Alora with a Flame Arrow.
Jet'Laya falls next. She didn't have a chance.
Indira and Kagain are the only two left, but then Kagain is Held by a priest and Indira is Webbed by a mage.
An over-eager wizard throws a Fireball into the room, and that is too much for Indira to bear.
She falls. Kagain and I are still Held. The entire assembled guardianship of Oversight tries to kill a Held, Webbed Kagain, but they can't seem to scratch him.
The dwarf is impervious!
The over-eager mage throws another Fireball. It only hurts his own men.
For what seems like a good, solid minute, a crowd of two-handed sword-wielding guards tries to find an opening in Kagain's armor.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1130
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:35 AM
Death, heed my call. Take these fools, my offering to you.
I join the over-eager wizard enemy in bathing the room in fire.
I invite my little friends to help.
Everyone bathes in the orange glow.
Then, when all my meteors are spent, Kagain breaks free.
Each hit, Kagain sprays a red mist into the air. The room is thick with it.
I reach through the Weave for my favorite spell. It has other plans.
Kagain and I are rooted to the spot. But that just means I can cast it again!
The Weave will not deter me! I will have my spell!
YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!
BURN WITH ME!
When the flames of that one last Fireball subside, Kagain is the only one left.
Gameplay note: Kagain has 120% fire resistance, so I've actually been healing him this whole time. Also, we could probably conquer the multiverse on our own right now.
While Kagain struggles with the vines entangling him which are obviously the work of one of the evil mages and not me at all, I begin cleaning up our allies' mess and looting the bodies of the fallen.
Each elite guard here is packing Full Plate Mail, a Heavy Crossbow +1, 20 Bolts +2, and 3 Elixirs of Health. Where does Oversight get the funds?
On one of the bodies, we find the Screaming Maiden.
I think this is the weapon that killed Viconia. With it is also a Dwarven Large Shield +2.
On another corpse is a Helm of Protection, the Saber of Artemis, the Holy Avenger - Draz, and a Shield +3.
By the time I'm done looting, Kagain is free. We survey our handiwork.
Not bad, not bad at all.
Then we move to the next room and loot it too.
All of the chests are locked, but that doesn't seem to be a problem for Kagain.
In the first chest is a thousand gold and a couple of pieces of jewelry. In the second are cursed scrolls of petrification and stupidity. I leave them on the floor. In the third is a Wand of Sleep.
In the next chest are scrolls of Protection from Missiles, Agannazar's Scorcher, Fireball, Chill Touch, Horror, Color Spray, Slow, Haste, Ghost Armor, and Clairvoyance. Clairvoyance is the only spell I don't know yet.
In the final chest is another Wand of Sleep, and a Wand of Polymorph. Aha! Squirrels for everyone! Squirrels OF everyone!
The room on the way out has some locked areas as well, but again Kagain simply unlocks them.
The Wardrobe has a Full Plate Mail in it.
The nightstand has 350 gold, an Excellent Bastard Sword, and some magical splint mail, which turns out to be generic +1.
The armoire has 1500 gold, some masterwork arrows, and a few potions.
And the chest of drawers has some gems in it.
Then we go downstairs. Kagain charges in with the complete confidence of a god. I try to give him some help.
I successfully call in an elemental to help him.
I also introduce a little Chaos into the whole thing.
And then, a Glyph of Wild Magic, for spice.
I try to cast a spell to do something about the mage with the Globe of Invulnerability on him, but I can't seem to get through.
I notice that the Glyph of Wild Magic has slowed everyone in the area, including Kagain. I cast Haste on him.
The Oversight War Wizard is still a thorn in my side. I don't know what level of Invulnerability he has, so I just throw some random magic at him. It gets through!
I control him like a summoned creature. I see that he knows the spell Cloudkill. I make him cast it.
But he damages himself, and I lose control of him.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1131
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:35 AM
Then I go down the stairs and give Kagain Paithan's Lucky Streak. When I climb back up the stairs, I feel the hot breath of the war wizard on my back. He's following me! I try to throw some chaos daggers at him, while he casts a point-blank Fireball at everyone!
And then I see something that is COMPELTELY unfair. The wizard heals himself!
How can a wizard cast divine spells?!
We get into staff-on-sword fighting there for a bit, but then I see his bubble drop. So I magic missile him immediately!
And as he tries to heal himself, I do it again!
He falls. Kagain takes out the Held guards at the bottom of the stairs, and then we are once again alone.
At least I think so, but Kagain says he can hear fighting from the next room. He goes in, and sees my elemental holding the line against a horde of enemies!
He rushes in to help. Only 3 are left when the elemental returns to his home plane.
And soon, there are none at all.
The War Wizard was using a Staff Spear.
We find another 650 gold in a chest that Kagain rips open.
The other chest in the room nets us 155 gold and a wand of lightning.
And we find another Lawgiver bastard sword in the main hall.
Before we go down to the next level, I give Kagain and Potion of Magic Protection. I don't want anything to happen to him!
This time we're met halfway up the stairs by sword-toting maniacs. Kagain gets to work and I summon an air elemental to help.
From somewhere I can't see, someone casts a spell. A column of fire strikes my elemental!
The stairs are getting crowded, and I fear for my safety. So I Hold the guards in front of me and make myself a nice protective barrier.
Then I cast Slow on the crowd, and everybody gets comical.
Then I start throwing random spells out at the nearest people. The first set of random spells are Despair and Shadow Door.
The three enemies near me disappear and the crowd wails in utter despair. Yes, yes you will all disappear and life has no meaning!
I also spawn in some ogres to help my elemental, which is good, because someone on the other team has spawned in skeletons.
I finally see the priest come up who has been casting all those spells. He tries to cast another and I throw a Blade Shower at him.
He falls.
An ogre mage, berserker, air elemental, and Kagain are the survivors of that fight. They chase the final enemy through the halls.
When he dies, Kagain seems wiser somehow.
Stronger, somehow.
Completely, utterly unstoppable.
In a side room, we find a lock that Kagain can't force open. I'm shocked.
But hey, that's why the Weave made Knock.
Err...
I think I need to lie down for a while.
I clean up the dead bodies we just killed. When I'm done, the dizziness has passed, and I successfully open the lock!
In it is 1,000 gold and a Cloak of Protection +1.
In the Piano room we find more gold and a few potions.
And in the main room we find another chest that Kagain can't open.
When we finish killing everything, I'll resurrect Alora, and she can open that chest. I don't want her dying twice if she can avoid it.
Because there's something else we have to do before leaving here.
We have to do the basement.
I cast Luck on Kagain, and we go down.
We are faced with a very different-looking George when we get down there.
You can thank me by explaining why I have been hunted down like an animal by your group.
It's nothing personal, Syvishtar, we just accepted a contract from an individual named Koveras. Speaking of this contract, we do have to fulfill it, even after you helped me out in removing people in my way. Men, cancel these people immediately!
I take a look at who he's talking to, and start to get a little worried.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1132
Posted 07 November 2013 - 05:36 AM
I'm going to have to act fast.
By the time the Magic Missiles start flying, I've set off a Cloudkill.
The magic missiles are all absorbed by my cloak, but I still get hit several times by guards.
I'm beginning to run out of options, so I make myself Invisible and give my cloak to Kagain.
The Oversight War Wizard does not let up with the magic missiles. It is actually very impressive.
But he, like his stupid stupid friends, also doesn't bother to get out of the Cloudkill. It gets him in the end.
I think about helping Kagain, but he just looks so happy that I decide to let him have his fun.
It isn't long until he's done.
Then we find some skeleton warriors for Kagain to beat on. He is quite happy again.
In this batch of dead, the new things we find are the hammer Morgoth, the Arch Mage Robe Memento Mori, an Elemental Staff of Air, the Robe of the Neutral Archmagi, and Emberwilde's Plate.
We also find another Ring of Archwizardry, another Staff Spear +2, another Amulet of Wyvern Summoning, another Staff Mace +2, another set of Gauntlets of Dexterity, another Ring of Protection +3, another Two-Handed Sword +3, another Cutlass +3 'Sparks', lots of gems, and 600 gold.
We also find a locked door.
But Kagain takes care of that.
He can't get the chest behind it, though. Ok, I think its safe to resurrect Alora.
She costs 1,000 gold. She picks the lock easily, though. Inside we find 9,560 gold, several gems, another 12,500 gold, 10 Arrows of Dispelling, another Rashad's Talon, and another Large Shield +1.
Alora is able to pick the lock on the next level up as well. There's a gem and another 1500 gold inside!
That's 30,000 gold in raw coinage before we sell anything we found in this place.
When we leave Oversight, it is raining.
I turn my face to sky and laugh until tears are running down my face. I'm rich, riiich, riiiiiiiiccchhhhh!!!
At Malt's Weapon Shop, the 41 sets of Full Plate Mail that I got fetch me 51,250 gold. The 34 sets of Plate Mail give me 5,440 gold. And the 34 Heavy Crossbows +1 give me 8,500 gold. When I sell all the gems I have, my total gold comes to be 112,302. Yes! Finally!
We return to the Elfsong, resurrect the rest of the group, and start to party!
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1133
Posted 07 November 2013 - 07:09 PM
Kagain is a beast!
#1134
Posted 07 November 2013 - 10:25 PM
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1135 -Deaderinred-
Posted 08 November 2013 - 01:06 PM
could you post up your weidu log? trying to replicate an install like this because your lp is getting my juices flowing again and i had the weidu log you posted on something awful back when i could still view it but alas it seems to be lost on my hdd and sa is blocked again for none registers.
#1136
Posted 09 November 2013 - 06:39 PM
I'd really recommend that you install the latest version of the Big World Project if you want a similar experience to this game. I have installed a Big World Project, but it is a 2 year old version. There are also bugs that I work around and don't show in the LP. However, maybe these bugs are resolved in newer versions of the BWP? Also, when I get to the end of Baldur's Gate 1, I will try to reinstall the game with an updated version of everything. So I highly recommend that you do too.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1137
Posted 10 November 2013 - 01:23 AM
Nevertheless, here's my weidu log.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1138
Posted 10 November 2013 - 01:24 AM
24 Marpenoth, 1370
There's something that I'd like to try, now that I'm rich. I'd like to have a little conversation with Elminster. So it's off to Ulgoth's Beard once again!
When we get there, Elminster is still hanging out. Perhaps he's spending time with Dushai?
He may have nothing to say to me, but I definitely have something to say to him.
We give everything we have to give.
And it is enough to...
Well, he seems to smile more. I suggest that he join us.
But he declines.
Gameplay note: I ended up adding him to the party, but he was a level 29 [ Innocent ] class nothing with 100% magic resistance. We can get nothing from him.
Then, I decide that we should probably check to see if we can upgrade any of this loot we've gotten. I think we should stop by Thalantyr and that dwarf in the Friendly Arm Inn. We've got the cash, after all.
It takes us a while to get to High Hedge.
Then we step into the Armory for a moment to scoop up everything.
Gameplay note: It takes me forever to load up all of my equipment from the pocket plane and stuff it in a bag of holding.
When we get back, I decide to speak to Melicamp first.
Normally, I would not admit to having access to such knowledge, since Thalantyr would certainly have me dismissd from this manor, but since I am in your debt for releasing me from my mishap... yes, I have read on certain Underdark crafts.
I recently acquired this deteriorating piece of armor. What do you make of it?
Hmmm... drow metals, if I am not mistaken. Still with some magical properties left, but quickly diminishing, I am afraid. You see, weapons, armor, and almost everything made in the Underdark will recede under the light of the sun... However...
Yes?
I believe that I can, um, salvage some of the magic left in the armor, if I had just the right components to work with... like simple garments with minor enchantments. Yes... yes! I think it is indeed possible! Come back to me with several of these robes and I will craft something for you!
All right. I will see to it right away.
I make sure I have everything with me, and then talk to him again.
Gameplay note: I have gathered a freaking ton of wizard robes that have been sitting in the Armory for forever. Now that I speak to Melicamp again, I have three options.
Gameplay note: I guess choosing the option with the most will give me the best armor? But hmm, I wonder if Thalantyr will offer to do anything with these robes. Let me check him out.
Hmmm?... Drow craftsmanship, no doubt. Yes, it is of some use. But not to me. My former apprentice once sought to study such materials, but after the unfortunate incident of his polymorphism, I do not think he would delve into similar experiments again.
Hmmm. So only Melicamp will do something with these mage robes.
Do I have anything you could alter?
Show me what you have, and I'll tell you if it can be altered.
Can you do anything with this Mage Robe?
Yes, if you bring me a Mage Robe of Fire Resistance, a Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, a Mage Robe of Electrical Resistance, a Knave's Robe, a Traveler's Robe, and an Adventurer's Robe, I can make you a very good item. I will also need a Potion of Invulnerability, a Potion of Defense, and 5,000 gold as payment for my work. Should I make this item for you?
Gameplay note: Ok, I did a lot of research, and here are the options. If we take Thalantyr up on his offer, we get the Mage Robe: Practical Protection.
Gameplay note: Then we can also use the remaining robes to get Melicamp to make a Lesser Robe of Resistance.
Gameplay note: We can also use a medium-size selection of robes with Melicamp to get The Scholar's Robe. That would not leave enough robes to make anything else, though.
Gameplay note: But if we give all the robes to Melicamp, we get The Steel Robe.
Gameplay note: So I decide to go whole-hog with Melicamp. We have already made one Practical Protection robe anyways.
These are all the robes with minor enchantments that I could gather. Can you use them with the drow armor?
Yes, indeed! It must have taken you quite some time to acquire all of these, but I dare say it will be worth it! Um, however, another, minor requirement of, um, 10,000 gold, and a small detail to discuss. The master is quite unaware of our plans and will be fairly mad once he finds out that we used his spell components for something such as this. The gold should compensate for any and all oher components we shall use. Hehe. *cluck* As for the small detail, there is the slightest chance that the spell will, um, destroy all the components instead of meld them together. *cluck*
I believe it is a risk worth taking, Melicamp. Let us do it.
All right, then! Place the robes here and stand aside until I finish the incantation.
There! This, by far, has been my greatest and, quite frankly, my only magical creation! May it serve you well in your journeys, Syvishtar.
He successfully creates for us The Steel Robe.
Gameplay note: The Robe of Dh'arlo'me gives us 75% magic resistance, though, so I think I'll stick with that.
Then we speak with Thalantyr about other, more mundane upgrades.
Show me what you have, and I'l tell you if it can be altered.
Can you do anything with these Gauntlets?
Let's look... Yes, if you bring me Gauntlets of Weapon Skill and Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise, you'll get an item which will not disappoint you. I'll also need Bracers of Defense AC7, a Potion of Defense, and 5,000 gold as payment for my work. Should I make this item for you?
Yes, make it for me.
He gives us a great pair of gauntlets.
But we don't stop there.
I have a Dagger of Venom. Certainly you can make something of it.
Yes, I can improve its fighting capabilities. For that I need a Dagger +2, an Oil of Speed, and a spoiled Antidote. And as payment I'll take only 4,000 gold. Should I make this item for you?
Yes, make it for me.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1139
Posted 10 November 2013 - 01:25 AM
Can you do anything with this Ring of Protection +1?
Yes, I can make you one Ring of Protection +2 from two Rings of Protection +1. I will also need one Diamond and two Pearls. As payment, I'll take only 4,000 gold. Should I make this item for you?
Yes, make it for me.
We end up making 2 of them.
I have a Cursed Berserking Sword +3. Certainly you can make something from it.
Why, of course I can! I can remove the curse and make its fury more useful to you. I will need two Scrolls of Remove Curse and two Scrolls of Horror. As payment, I'll take only 3,000 gold. Should I make this item for you?
Yes, make it for me.
We make another Sword of Rage.
Can you do anything with this Ring of Free Action?
Yes, on your choice I could combine a Ring of Free Action with a Ring of Protection +1, or +2. I'll also need a Potion of Defense and a Potion of Freedom. As payment, I'll take only 4,000 gold. Should I make this item for you?
Yes, make the Ring of Free Action +2 for me.
We use the two Rings of Protection +2 that we made previously to make two Rings of Free Action +2. Great!
That's all that Thalantyr can make for us. We move on to the Friendly Arm Inn.
Well then Syvishtar lets see what ye have. I kin only forge certain items ye know.
Sure go ahead and take a look.
How about this butter knife? I can not think of many uses for it.
Butter knife? Ye jokin' right? Oh I see now its the Butter Knife of Balduran! I kin forge this baby so its no longer a plain butter knife. It will work just like a mithril dagger. All I need besides this is a dagger and 5,000 gold pieces. How about it?
Sure thing. Go ahead and make it.
He gets to work, and when he's done, we have a fine dagger with us indeed!
How about the Spider's Bane Sword? Any way this can be improved?
The Spider's Bane Sword? This sword and a dead spider's body I kin make it so the sword does poison damage. Ha ha dish the poison back at the spiders, poetic justice no? Any how I be needin 5000 gold pieces for this work. How about it?
A dead spider's body eh? I go on a quick hunt and Kagain and I find one.
And with that, we get the Improved Spider's Bane.
Anything you can do with this scimitar?
This +2 scimitar combined with the Boots of Sped I kin make it so ye be under the spell Haste while ye 'ave this sword on ya. All I need besides this is 5,000 gold pieces. How about it?
Sure thing. Go ahead and make it.
He does. We get it back, all improved-like.
Gameplay Note: We could make more of these if we wanted to.
Anything you can do with the Ring of Fire Resistance?
Hmm I kin make it a more powerful ring but I need a few things to do that. A scroll of fire protection, a potion f fire resistance, plus 8,000 gold pieces and I kin enhance its protection properties. How about it?
Sure thing. Go ahead and make it.
When he gives it back to us, it's quite impressive.
Anything you can do with the Mail of the Dead chainmail?
Chainmail of the Dead ye say? Now that's what I like to hear, working with good old armor. Hmm, what kin I do to improve it... I know I kin make it offer better protection for ye. All I need besides this is a diamond, potion of defense, and 4,000 gold pieces. How about it?
Sure thing. Go ahead and make it.
He doesn't do a half-bad job.
Gameplay note: We have a lot more of these Chainmails. We just need some more Potions of Defense.
How about the Eagle Bow? Can you do anything with this?
A Eagle Bow +2? With this and a pair of Gauntlets of Dexterity I kin make this a powerful bow indeed. Ah yes also my fee of 3,000 gold pieces. How about it?
Sure thing. Go ahead and make it.
He pulls the whole thing off.
How about the Battle Axe +2? Can you do anything with this?
Ye want me to enhance this battle axe? Well that would be easy fer me but not fer ye. With 1,000 gold plus Kiel's Helm and his Wardstone from Durlag's Tower I'll make this axe give ya extra hit points. Sound like a good trade?
I look everywhere for Kiel's Wardstone, but I can't find it. Did I leave it in the tower?!
Yes. I did.
When we get back...
He upgrades the Battle Axe +2.
This streak of spending leaves me with only 17,775 gold. Hrm.
Finally, after all these upgrades, I've got one more quest today. I want to figure out why Kagain is so awesome. I sit down with him and we begin our analysis.
Gameplay note: Well, I was going to strip Kagain and give basic stats and then do a piece-by-piece equipment breakdown, but when I took everything off of him I found something strange.
Gameplay note: This is a naked Kagain. 100% resistance to everything except magic damage. Whaaaaa?! His Gladiator class is only supposed to give him +15% physical and elemental damage resistance, not 100%! Well, crap. I was in the mood for equipment analysis but not bug-fixing. I'm calling this chapter now.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.
#1140
Posted 10 November 2013 - 09:51 AM
10 Uktar, 1370
Gameplay note: I have tried to figure out what the deal is with Kagain. I've de-leveled him, following the procedure that I use to change a character's class, but I just haven't changed his class. Here he is at level 0.
Gameplay note: Leveling him up to 1st gives us 4 pips to work with, so I put 2 into axe and 2 into Sword and Shield Style.
Gameplay note: That gives him the 15% resistances to elemental and physical damage, and the -15% resistance to magic, as his class description states.
Gameplay note: Then I give him enough xp to get to level 2, and we see what happens.
Gameplay note: Hmmm. He still has the 15% resistances. Let's take him all the way to 144027 xp, which is what he has earned.
Gameplay note: Still the 15%. So his class isn't broken. Maybe some equipment does it? I put on pieces of equipment one by one, looking for weird changes. When I put on Durlag's Crown, his resistances to fire, cold, and electricity go up, although that is not in the item description.
Gameplay note: But when I take it off, the resistances go back to normal. When I put on the Ring of Kangaxx, his magic resistance is raised from -15 to -5, which is part of the description. And when I take it off, it goes back to normal too. Even when I fully suit him up, he is still at appropriate resistances.
Gameplay note: So I have no idea why everything was set to 100%. No clue at all. The last issue is that Kagain has more hit points after being re-leveled. So I check a previous save and find out how many he should have. Then I adjust him back down.
Gameplay note: So here is our non-impervious, slightly less godly Kagain. May he serve us well nevertheless.
When we make it back to Baldur's Gate, I stop by Sorcerous Sundries. I think I can afford a few more spells.
In their vast magical spell selection, I only find four spells that I do not yet know. I buy them all. They are Detect Alignment, Spider Spawn, Spirit Armor, and Prismatic Spray.
I also have enough money left over for 11 Potions of Super Healing. Then I'm down to 193 gold. It is time to get back to work. And I need people to watch my back. Good people.
Headlong rushes are fine with me. But we don't have space in the party for another mage right now. Perhaps Dynaheir would be willing to remain behind, at least for now?
Minsc and Boo and Dynaheir are a team! And one which takes up very little space. We should remain together!
Nay, Minsc, we should respect Syvishtar's judgement. We owe him much. Fare thee well, I shall be safe here and we will meet again before long.
While I'm looking around for the next party member, Minsc begins talking.
Minsc! Not again! Ye almost trampled me down in that last battle! Would it hurt you to be less of an oaf?
Sorry, Kagain, sometimes Minsc forgets to look down.
I bet there are a lot of things ye forget to do, like puttin' on yer head in the morning under yer helmet! Although I don't even want to know what ye were like when you could manage to form a thought.
Minsc and Boo don't understand.
Do you ever understand anything, ye fool of a human? Ye can swing that big sword of yers well enough, but apart from that, ye are a full lout, who uses that lump on his neck only to hang his helmet upon!
Minsc has a lump on his neck? Must be a scar, aye? There is so much of Minsc that healers oft miss a wound or two on him.
Ye son of a drunk orc! I'm going to lose all of my wit, if I take it as habit to converse with ye.
Whenever Minsc loses something, Boo finds it.
Gah! Get away from me, before I plant me axe into ye!
I laugh a little. One too serious, the other too silly. The front line is going to be pretty lively this time.
Hurrah! I'd have us all sing with joy, but I'm sure such an outpouring would come dangerously close to making me sick. Onward, and all that.
Then, I look at the roster and realize that Safana should also be up next. But... we're going to Candlekeep. I've put it off too long, and I can't put it off any longer. And Imoen would simply kill me if I went back and didn't take her along.
Seriously, she would. Backstab in the night. I can't risk it.
You bet! We'll nick ourselves a whole purse o' fun before the night is through!
I look at my assembled party. Hrm... no healers. But this can totally work!
While we are suiting everybody up, Xan says something strange.
Watch your tongue, or you'll be squatting to pee.
Why do I bother? Such pettiness from minds so close to the dirt... no! I have a discovery to share with you and will not be diverted.
Whassat, then?
I have divined by my Art that I may pull a gold coin from your ear once each day.
And I can pull dung from yours, jarred loose by the ceaseless wagging of your tongue, I doubt not.
Your barnyard reminiscences are beside the point. Now just hold still a moment...
Ho! You ain't cutting my ear off, ya crazy bastard!
If it is still attached to your head, you can *hardly* expect me to fashion it into the gold-yielding silk purse.
I don't expect nothing but you to leave me alone - if you know what's good for ya!
Alas, for an explorer at the limits of knowledge to be entombed in a land of purblind fools!
Entombed you should be, and I'm just the lad for it. Service is even free in your case.
Playing the Big World Project Let's Play both here and on the Something Awful forums.