16394 replies to this topic

[corey_russell]

Congratulations Blackraven - hopefully Isadora's and Corthief VIII's stay in Amn won't be a short one.

[Alesia_BH]

@ Blackraven. Congrats! Good hunting in Amn!

 

@Real Muzzy. Thanks. What I'm hoping to do is create a Baldur's Gate comic book, basically. I like the idea. I hope I'll see it through.

[Blackraven]

Thanks Corey and Alesia.
Corey, can we make it Five Flagons instead of Copper Coronet. Isa prefers the ambiance of the former

[corey_russell]

Thanks Corey and Alesia.
Corey, can we make it Five Flagons instead of Copper Coronet. Isa prefers the ambiance of the former

Right! Should of thought of that myself, we are sure to get the drinks we want from a halfling proprietor...plus we don't have to hear any shorty jokes from Bernard.

[Serg BlackStrider]

Congrats, Blackraven. Excellent job! Keep on it in Amn!

[Alesia_BH]

Alikae Dominica: The Black Hand, Shadow Assassin, Dark Moon Monk

 

Episode 2: I Don't Suffer Fools

 

Gorion Spoke of friends. I don't need friends. But I can use them. 

 

Just not these. 

 

 

We made a trade: an Oil of Speed for a Potion of Invisibility. Then I turned away. The druid, Jaheira, was substantial: focused. I could tolerate her- maybe learn something from her. But the simpleton, Khalid: I don't suffer fools.

 

 

Rumors. 

 

 

Leads. 

 

 

Destinations.

 

Those were the orders of the day. And those will be the orders of the day for some time. 

 

The time will come when I will be peerless: when my movement will be beyond poetry- when it will be symphony, perfection. When that time comes, I will have no fear. I will be free. A master. But that time is far away. I must be cautious. Disciplined. Informed. Poised.

 

I gathered little intel at the Inn. But it was a start.

 

 

Ogres are to be respected, not feared.

 

 

The town to the south, Beregost, was my next waypoint. As I travelled, I noticed something, sensed something: a ring. Hidden. I found it. 

 

 

How? I, myself, could not have: it was beyond my perception. There can be only one explanation: Shar. This worries me. Favors are never free. And those who trust in the benvolence of gods are fools. I will pay for this. Dearly.

 

The Inn, Feldepost's Inn, was abuzz with talk of Nashkel. Of crisis. Rumors I had heard. No use. The stay at the Inn had been a waste. And I don't tolerate waste. Always forward.

 

 

A thug, Marl, harrassed me. He sickened me. Physical prowess is wasted on the undisciplined. I will fight him, and I will best him. But only when I am ready. Not a moment before.

 

 

The rest of the town was nearly dry. I took a job. 

 

 

Exercised.

 

 

But found little to advance my cause. No matched opponent.

 

A task.

 

 

A lead on some boots. 

 

Little more. 

 

I was ready to leave Beregost. Just one more thing to do.

 

 

I don't suffer fools.

 

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Areas Explored: Coast Way, Beregost, Friendly Arm Inn, High Hedge, Temple, Road South of Beregost

Quests Completed: Meet Khalid and Jaheira, Unshey's Girdle, Melicamp (fail), Firebeard Elvenhair's Book, Silke and Garrick, Mirianne's Letter

Quests Begun: Zhurlong's Boots

Notable Enemies Slain: Belt Fetish Ogre, Marl, Ogrilons

Notable Enemies Bypassed: Tarnesh

Notable Items Acquired: Potion of Invisibility, Potion of Defense (3), Ring of Protection (2), Algernon's Cloak, Scroll Case 

Notable Items Bypassed: Ring of Wizardry (restriction)

 

Level Attained: 3

Ability Attained: Blur

[biowherewolf]

congrats Blackraven

--BW

[ussnorway]

Bl-scs30 update 1.7, 

 

Tenuous steps in the dark {final};

 

Hear text as mp3,

 

The show down with Sarevok had me worried so I stocked up with 10 dispel arrows as a way to counter buffs… the kobolt poisoned arrows from the first mine and a 'Defensive Harmony' scroll.

Spoiler

 

Standard (well tested) tactics of clearing traps, popping summons and aoe opening shots, worked as expected with my half-brother locked into battle against my horde I was free to pick off his allies. Angelo, stayed back leaving Tazok and Semaj to take the first rounds.
Tazok died to frost wands shots and then Dynaheir moved in for a wand shot, drawing a scripted chaos attack which could have turned the table over but I had enough mobs out to give me recovery time and Semaj had already taken several poisoned arrow hits so that left only Angelo.

 

Kivan and myself (at this point the only characters in control of their actions) engaged Angelo with dispel arrows, doom and heaven wand shots to bring down his defences then Kivan sacrificed himself by charging into melee with him and drawing out his final couple of tricks. This mini battle didn't take as long as it seemed but my other crew started waking up and that sealed it… killing Angelo gave the experience needed to finally unlock my innate avenger traits just as the Baldur's gate chapter of my adventurers ends.

[Blackraven]

Well done USSNorway! I look forward to seeing Puk in action in Amn

@biowherewolf, thanks for your congratulations

[Alesia_BH]

Well done USSNorway! I look forward to seeing Puk in action in Amn

 

Yuppers! Congrats, USSNorway!

 

Best,

 

A.

[Alesia_BH]

Quick Note on Alikae's Game:

 

A description of Alikae's kit, for the non-EE players

 

Spoiler

 

Best,

 

A.

[Grond0]

Good to see plenty of good progress here.  Congrats to ussnorway & Blackraven and nice to see Alikae off to a (non-stunning) start.  Condolences to realmuzzy.

[Serg BlackStrider]

Grats, ussnorway! Safe travels in Amn!

[realmuzzy]

Meet the next contender everyone: Bruin the master tactician

 

Spoiler

 

Another day, another DR kit. Bruin is the dutiful son of Gorion who spends most of his time pouring over Candlekeep's extensive collection of military strategy books and practicing with his war hammer. He is generally a good guy who will help everyone in need when he thinks he can, but he's not going to run off and start a shelter for the poor like an Ilmaterite.

 

Here's his kit and a description of his deity for those who never played with DR

 

Spoiler

[Alesia_BH]

Good luck, Real Muzzy!

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Btw. Condolences on the loss of Eranor. Kysus and Rezdan can be tough if you fight them without Protection from Magic.

[Alesia_BH]

]This was actually a step backwards from previous SCS versions, where Semaj would remain undispellably invisible and Angelo would focus on melee for as long as PfMagic was in effect. 

 

Were you playing in EE in both cases, or were you playing in EE in one and Classic in another?

 

The impression I'm under is that the AI does a better job of detecting active effects in Classic. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that  Classic installs use ToBex rather than just Detectable Spells? I'm not sure.

 

Best,

 

A.

[Blackraven]

Nice to see you with  new character Real Muzzy, Safe travels!

 

 

Were you playing in EE in both cases, or were you playing in EE in one and Classic in another?

 

The impression I'm under is that the AI does a better job of detecting active effects in Classic. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that  Classic installs use ToBex rather than just Detectable Spells? I'm not sure.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Good point. I played classic BG with earlier SCS versions.

[realmuzzy]

Bruin was the pride of Candlekeep's armed guard. Even at his young age nobody was a match for him in hand to hand combat and in team exercises his team would invariably win. Gorion even managed to secure him a meeting with clerics of the Red Fellowship who deemed him worthy of entering the service of the Red Knight, a prerequisite almost for generalship in Faerun's grand armies.

 

But all that is gone now. His father is dead, he is banished from Candlekeep and he is hunted by assassins. The only choice for him is to find out the root of all his troubles. He is often attacked by assassins. Sometimes a lonely brute, who he can easily overpower using the blessings of his goddess and his supernatural speed and physical prowess. Sometimes a cleric or a mage who he acquired a necklace of magic protection for. There's also bandits, so many of them willing to kill over one's money or armor.

 

Spoiler

 

Not everything is bad though and he manages to find plenty of work with his credentials as a Red Fellow. He plans a successful removal of a mad cleric near Beregost. To do that he prays for a silence spell, since clerics sadly have few solution to being silenced, and a summon undead. He doesn't like summoning undead, they practically radiate evil, but he and his goddess are pragmatical. As long as you can use them for the greater good they will remain in his arsenal of tactical solutions.

 

Spoiler

 

He also accepts to look into the problems that befell the Nashkel mines. He discovers there is a cleric poisoning the ore holed up in a kobold guarded bunker inside the mine. No complex tactics are required though, because Bruin is heavily armored against arrows and is certain he can overwhelm the cleric with brute force.

 

Spoiler

 

After reporting on his success to the mayor of Nashkel he infiltrates the bandit camp where the higher ups of the organization after him should be. He uses all the buffs at his disposal to give himself the advantage and focuses the mage with his blows while smiting in between swings of his hammer. Unfortunately the mage blinds him with his dying curse and Bruin has no cure disease prepared. Still with the amount of holy power he is channeling he still comfortably finishes the other bandits blindly aiming his holy smites. He knows enough about arcane magic to know the blindness will expire on its own, every Red Fellow must study arcane magic, so he waits it out. He runs out and draws the dangerous fighter away from the others, kills him and then escapes.

 

Spoiler

 

What he discovers in the camp is that Iron Throne is the organization he is looking for and that they have operations in the Cloakwood mines. He passes through Cloakwood mostly unmolested. He does help a hunting party fend off attacking druids, although just because no matter what the hunter did they deserve a trial not a brutal execution. The druids can change the weather and Bruin is not protected from lightning but he survives

 

Spoiler

 

At the heart of the forest he discovers a guarded mine. The position is heavily defended and he scouts guards patrolling the perimeter. He sneaks in and finds a powerful adventuring party, but to his advantage they seem to have no wards against invisible creatures. He forms a strategy around this fact and the fact that he can make guerrilla attacks on the party while they are bound to stay on guard and can't get meaningful reinforcements any time soon. So he softens the party up with a fireball and then from sanctuary commands his hasted, blessed undead warriors. They take down a fighter before they die and Bruin is satisfied with that and he retreats

 

Spoiler

 

He returns the next day for one of the wizard who is desperately searching the camp for assailants, and the next day the other.

 

Spoiler

 

His way to the center of the mine is open, and under sanctuary he speeds to the bottom. He uses a scroll of protection from magic sensing many magical traps and summons his army. They find Daveorn the mage is responsible for the operation and attack. They finish the battle horrors quickly, but in turn the mage kills all the skeletons with multiple sunfires. In the end Bruin hasted chases the mage for a long while whittling his stoneskins down and periodically fireballing the guards when he is in danger of being boxed in, until the mage is dead.

 

Spoiler

[Alesia_BH]

 

Good point. I played classic BG with earlier SCS versions.

 

Noted. The other issue is that David has recently implemented a delay in the recognition of magical items. He sees this as more realistic, and I agree.

 

It's possible that the Protection from Magic scroll effect is treated like an item, leading to a delay. That's how it seems to work in my EE v30 install. They'll waste a few spells, but then they'll figure it out.

 

So you know, there is a INI customization option which permits you to eliminate the delay, if you prefer.

 

Best,

 

A. 

[Alesia_BH]

Alikae Dominica: The Black Hand, Shadow Assassin, Dark Moon Monk

 

Episode 3: It's About Art

 

 

Companions breed distraction. An artist must be solitary. And yet companions have their uses. A compansion is a mirror, a foil- showing us what we are and what we are not. Today I learned of myself. Today I met Dorn, a man I abhor. And today I met Prism, a man I respect.

 

With no prospects in Beregost, I headed south to Nashkel. Crisis breeds need. Need breeds demand. There would be work, for the capable, I was sure.

 

On my way, I recovered Zhurlong's boots. They are mine now. Speed and reach are my advantages. Stealth is becoming one.

 

 

I hated Nahskel at first.

 

 

But I came to like it.

 

 

Nashkel is a provincial, backwater- a place of petty concerns and shallow minds. And yet there are spaces- opens spaces. Room to think.

 

I don't stay at Inns. They are small places. They make me feel small. Most human things do. I have taken up residence at the Carnival, on the outskirts. There I can trade, but also breathe.

 

I acquired an amulet, a shield free of encumberance. And as I rested, meditating, contemplating my course, I gained a new power: source unknown. Shar would seem likely, and yet I do not feel the Shadow Weave. I must think on this.

 

 

There were prospects in Nashkel, as I supected. I undertook a mission: find a misplaced Captain.

 

 

As I travelled I met a pair of brothers who dared to test my skill. I was grateful for the practice. Practice is everything now.  

 

 

I found a belt and made a discovery. 

 

 

I ventured west, ever west, in search of the Captain. I found gnolls- more gnolls the further west I went. Surely there was a stonghold near the coast. They would pay. They had forced me to fight outside of night.

 

 

Eventually I found the Captain. Lost he was. There could be no matching of skills with one so fractured, and no gain to be had from his destruction. I returned him to Beregost.

 

 

West, again, to find the stronghold. Another pair of brothers, another pair of fools.

 

 

I battled many gnolls. My skill was superior: my amulet, my illusions, my speed, and my reach made me a hard mark to find.

 

 

And yet I was reminded that I will always have an enemy in Tymora. No matter  how skilled I become, lesser opponents will always have a chance to injure me. I was forced to retreat, and seek healing, but not before I discovered a tome.

 

The greatest threat was met as I withdrew. Injured, I was ambushed by an ogre mage. I was forced to use my one and only Potion of Invisibility. 

 

 

I have since consulted with Thalantyr and discovered a more sustainable solution: an amulet, sold to the north. I purchased it immediately. I bought Darts of Stunning and a Wand of Sleep, too. New tools to master. I would soon put them to use. 

 

I was ambushed by bandits, Senjak and Dorotea. It was night. I would have the advantage. And yet I was critically outnumbered, until a half-orc, Dorn, joined the fray. He had a score to settle. 

 

 

An enemy of my enemy, as they say. 

 

Dorn fought with strength, and conviction. And yet he was over-matched. I leapt into action, seeking to preserve him. He intrigued me. 

 

Tapping Shar's Weave, and using my darts, I neutralized the opposition. 

 

 

Dorn and I finished the fight side by side.

 

 

Physically, Dorn is impressive: strong, though lacking my agility and resilience. He wields a sword, and wears armor- crutches that will hinder his development in the end. And yet he has some skill. Enough to peak my interest. 

 

 

We travelled. And as we travelled, I came to know him, terse though he was. We are not alike. Not at all. Dorn is petty. Small. I hate smallness. He seeks vengeance, as an end in itself, power, as an end in itself. He gratifies greed as an end in itself. And he revels in death, destruction. He is lesser.

 

What I seek is a sensation: a sense of intimacy with physics, a sense of unity with nature. I seek to be more than a creature: I seek to be part of a whole. I seek to achieve that end by atuning my body to the flow of space and time: by perfecting the synchronicity between self and physical reality. This is what I have always sought. This is my salient truth. 

 

It is the art of the body, the art of movement that is everything to me. Art is the elevation of man. It is the creation of dignity. It is the discovery of unity. Perfection.

 

He, Dorn, has no art. And so he is nothing. Nothing he will always be.

 

Power, gold, even freedom: means to the end of the creation of unity, dignity, resplendence. 

 

Dorn may be of use. But he will never command my respect. We parted ways. For now. 

 

Heading south from the Carnival, I met another man who intrigued: Prism, a sculptor. He sought to create a masterpiece. He wouldn't let petty laws and norms stand in his way. He stole. Justifiable. He defied the ignorant. Admirable.

 

When he asked me to defend him. I said yes. 

 

 

When a hunter came to claim him, I practiced my art. 

 

 

Greywolf's life was at least one of clarity. He sought to enrich himself through the enslavement of others, with no higher aspirations. We can see this as evil in a man like Greywolf, but why can't why see that this is the status quo- that it is Civilization? Petty self-agrandizment, achieved through the enslavement, fleecing, cajoling, and brutalizing of others. This is not the exception. This is the norm. And this is evil. I seek to free myself of this madness. And to give man the gift of dignity: dignity through art.    

 

Seeing Prism's masterpiece has reminded me of this. It has  given me focus- focus that had been lost as I let fear turn me to greed. I feel more myself now. Centered. I am becoming.

 

Those corpses back in Beregost -the merchant, the dullards, the thug- they were like the chips of stone at the base of Prism's masterpiece: lesser, inert things sacrficed in the creation of something greater: Me. They should thank me for giving them the honor. What dignity would the stone have were it not for Prism's work?

 

When Prism died, I found the emeralds.

 

 

I did not bring them to Oublek. I did not sell them at the Carnival. I carefully, studiously, placed them in the eyes of the sculpture. Where they belong.

 

Best,

 

A.

 

Areas Explored: Road South of Beregost, Road North of Nashkel, Nashkel, Carnival, Wilderness Areas West of Nashkel, Gnoll Stronghold, Ulgoth's Beard, Nashkel Mines

Quests Completed: Zhurlong's Boots, Nalin and Captain Brag, Oublek and Prism

Quests Begun: Nashkel Mines

Notable Enemies Slain: Caldo and Krumm, Gnarl and Hairtooth, Dorotea and Senjak, Greywolf

Notable Enemies Bypassed: Ogre Mage

Notable Items Acquired: Boots of Stealth, Girdle of Bluntness, Halberd +1, Gauntlets of Dexterity, Tome of Leadership and Influence, Potion of Mirror Eyes, Potion Case, Wand of Sleep, Greenstone Amulet, Darts of Stunning, Varscona +2 

Notable Items Bypassed: Anhkeg Plate (restriction), Emeralds (role playing)

 

Level Attained: 4

Ability Attained: Drain Life

[realmuzzy]

Baldur's Gate fascinates Bruin. So much to learn, so many complex variables interacting with each other in ways that would give even the most powerful mind trouble. He has a job to do, he needs to find out more about the Iron Throne, but he also wants to explore and experience the big city.

 

So he gets a bit distracted. He saves a boy from the clutches of Umberlee, destroying the cult in the process. He saves a nymph from a deluded old mage, getting a kiss and a lock of her hair in return. He also commits his first and hopefully only robbery in the temple of Gond. He just couldn't say no to that adorable, giggling gnome. Throughout, it's his wits that save the day as often as his combat training 

 

Spoiler

 

After some time his work with commander Scar leads him right to the Iron Throne. When he goes there to investigate he finds out that the organization is in disarray and that he will probably have to fight his way to some answers. He forms a plan and executes it perfectly, taking advantage of tight staircases to reduce the opponents' numerical advantage. Strategy is only one side of the coin that is Red Knight,  martial prowess is the other. So once he estimates his chances are favorable he engages all the remaining opponents in melee and soundly defeats them

 

Spoiler

 

There is no reward for him yet though, he needs to go to Candlekeep first. There, he is wrongly accused of murder and arrested. Fortunately one of his favorite childhood teachers Tethoril believes him, and teleports him out of his cell. He escapes invisible and returns to Baldur's Gate. There he finds chaos, but he manages to save the Duke from a doppleganger "healer" and finds out there are assassins hiding in the Undercellar that he needs to take care of.

 

In the Undercellar he summons his army and engages the assassins. The skeletons take the mage while he is fighting the rogue. The rogue is having massive trouble dodging Bruin's swift hammer blows while landing only a few sneaky shots of his own, and dies without being much of a threat. His mage friend realizes she will not be able to deal with so many magic resistant foes and loses her composure, making herself an easy target.

 

Spoiler

 

On their bodies Bruin finds invitations to the palace where Sarevok will make his move. He goes there and forces Sarevok to retreat, leaving only Belt alive. It was an easy victor at first as all the dopplegangers except the mage fell almost immediately. But then the lords and guards all bunched up on him, Red Knight forgive their tactical blunder, and received a couple of sunfires as reward. Bruin wanded the mage in vain trying to stop him.

 

Spoiler

 

Even after such losses Belt has the presence of mind to teleport Bruin as near to Sarevok as he can. It turns out that Sarevok has a stronghold in the abandoned temple of Bhaal underground, where Bruin arrives quickly. He kills Tamoko, who throws her life away, and confronts Sarevok and his acolytes. Well protected, he weaves and dodges around his opponents killing all of the acolytes. Finally he engages mighty Sarevok and defeats him, finally avenging Gorion's death

 

Spoiler

[corey_russell]

congrats Realmuzzy.

[Blackraven]

Well done Real Muzzy, your playthroughs make me want to install (sphereless) DR again. Keep up the good work in Amn.

Alesia, thanks for the info re: SCS delayed item detection. I'm going to continue with my current settings, just to see how things an out, and will decide later whether to change ini settings or not. Btw am really enjoying your current run. Are you considering Vicky and/or Rasaad as possible party members, as you said you contemplated? I like both NPCs, and in your current run they could be very interesting characters.

[Alesia_BH]

 Btw am really enjoying your current run. 

 

That's kind of you to say.

 

I'm enjoying this run. RP play adds another dimension to the challenge. I hope others find it interesting.

 

Are you considering Vicky and/or Rasaad as possible party members, as you said you contemplated? I like both NPCs, and in your current run they could be very interesting characters.

 

 

I wouldn't say that I'm considering them exactly. In RP runs, I don't make those decisions in advance. Instead, I immerse myself in the character and let the character decide. I don't know what Alikae will be thinking or feeling on the day she meets Rasaad or on the day she meets Viconia. We'll just see.

 

I can say this. I can't imagine Rasaad as a long term companion for Alikae. I had had that thought earlier, but that was before I had developed Alikae's personality. I could see Alikae joining Rasaad temporarily, as a study, much as she did with Dorn, but no more.

 

Viconia could become an acolyte. That could be interesting. Viconia would find Alikae's philosophy appealing. And Alikae might take interest in the Drow notion of power accumulation as art. On the other hand, Alikae's contractualist relationship with Shar, and distrust of Shar, could be a cause for discord. It would be an uneasy relationship, I think.  

 

Anyhoo. Thanks for your interest.

 

Best,

 

A. 

[Alesia_BH]

@Real Muzzy. Congrats! Excellent work! Good hunting in Amn!