BG1-to-TOB Roleplay Playthrough: TN Kensai>Cleric

[Selerel]

I switch my BG character every 3 months or so, so I couldn’t possibly play my Priest of Tyr now that October is in full swing (sorry! lol). So instead I’m switching to my Human Kensai (a future Kensai>Cleric) for the fall. This is actually not a new character, but one I started back in the summer of 2021. After six-plus months in-game of exploring the Sword Coast and generally staying away from the main plot, I hit the xp cap of BG1/TotSC…and am only at the beginning of Chapter 5.

I’m not going to repost the summary of the playthrough so far…it’s a lot of content and I may have overdone the details. I wrote a quick summary below, but the adventure so far in all its granularity can be found on the Beamdog forums here:

Beamdog Forums - BGEE ROLEPLAYthrough - TN Kensai>Cleric [Minimal Metagaming/Reloads]

Hello again, I've decided to roleplay a true neutral Kensai>Cleric character.

forums.beamdog.com

Recap of guidelines for my playthroughs:

-PLAYTHROUGH. The entire Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition saga from BG1 to TotSC to SOD to SOA to TOB. Core rules, unmodded. Official vanilla. Once I can get through the whole thing without a reload, I’ll think about upping the difficulty!

-ROLEPLAY & MINIMAL METAGAMING. I try to come up with a unique personality, a Candlekeep-based biography to match, and try to roleplay that. I pick their race, class, possible dual class, weapon specializations and thief skills if applicable, but beyond that I don't keep any specific plan for the playthrough. Respond naturally, as I think the character would in that moment, and see what happens. In practice, this determines dialogue choices, what companions I keep, and my specific prioritization of quests, battles, and area explorations. I make the most in-character choices, even if I'm aware it may lead to not getting a quest or losing out on a companion or whatever. So I really don't have any idea how the playthrough is going to go when I start up. After all this time playing BG I do appreciate random unfortunate events that throw a wrench into my plans. I probably average 75% of the content through a normal playthrough like this.

-MINIMAL RELOAD. I reload when charname dies, but I roll with anything else that might happen. This means I may have a catastrophe where my entire party dies, and it would be easier to give up and reload...but as long as PC still stands, I'll fight the temptation to bring up an earlier save (I don't count gameplay bugs or real-world distractions). I keep track every time my PC dies or I need a reload.

FYI, some other minor playing habits. This is more for me keeping track of my own rules than for interesting reading for others:

• My PC gets the best equipment available to them (for their role in the party). For “secondary” gear that remains, I balance it among companions.
• I generally don’t buy scrolls or equipment for companions either…I use merchants only for the PC’s equipment. The exception is for what I call situational & utility spell scrolls and items–e.g., Remove Fear, PfE, Dispel/Remove Magic, any protection-disablers, any resistance-lowerers, Simulacrum (including Vhailor’s Helm), Haste, Improved Haste, Spell Sequencers, and any others of that nature that I decide fit this bread-and-butter miscellaneous category.
• I WILL forge items for companions if I have all the components.
• I don’t recharge items by selling them to merchants and buying back.
• If I have a specialist mage (PC or companion), all of their spell slots are used for the spells of their school that force a saving throw. The exception are the situational & utility spells as described above, which can take up slots too. That means a Conjurer (who knows Grease) will have all their Level 1 spells be Grease, unless I want to throw in a few PfEs or Protection from Petrifications. A playthrough where Edwin is my only mage? That’s a playthrough without magic missile.
• All characters need to have at least one proficiency point in the weapons they use, unless it’s temporary and there’s no choice.

My character upon creation:

Majkfoucce
Human Kensai
True Neutral

Spoiler

STR: 17
DEX: 17
CON: 18
INT: 10
WIS: 17
CHA: 9

Plan to focus on:

Quarterstaff: +++++
2HW: ++

(I rolled for about 15-20 minutes, about 400 rolls I'd say, eventually felt good enough about an 88. Kept STR, DEX, and WIS at 17 (only rolled an 18/37 for STR), and maxed CON. I feel his intelligence could be a little higher for his personality/bio, but ehh not worth it to sacrifice combat stats any more, his WIS is good and high.)

For this character I plan to dual into a Cleric, but not until late…LEVEL 13 for the extra APR. This means I will be a single-class Kensai through BG1, TotSC, and SOD. It will be 750K xp into Shadows of Amn when I dual. It will take 1.35m more xp as a single-class Cleric (approximately 55% of the total 2.45m xp designed for SOA) to regain my Kensai skills, becoming a real "multi" with about 350K experience to go before the classic BG2 cap of 2.95m (88% of the total way there). So then “fully actualized” for the end of SOA and then all of TOB. But I have an upfront understanding that for the large majority of the saga, I'll be playing a single class--with half of SOA being an underleveled single class. That's all OK.

Bio:

Regardless of the circumstances of your birth, Gorion made sure to care for your every need and provided you an education to be admired by scholars across the realm. You were a relatively smart child and as you grew older, at a young age you could provide unexpected keen insight, if raising eyebrows at the same time. You had an interest specifically in mythical and divine lore; some part of you has always been deeply curious about the unknown, the universal, and the divine.

But personally, you are an overthinker and deeply cerebral, much preferring to withdraw and take time to ruminate on things before any sort of hasty decision. You bristle at being rushed or even more generally, told what to do or scolded in any way. You have developed a very strong independent streak and yearn to be self-reliant, even if some part of you knows you will need help at various points throughout your life. You respect laws and order, but not entirely trusting of authority, and definitely not authoritative yourself.

Due to your excellent upbringing in Candlekeep and Gorion et al's love and assurances, you grew up to become fairly confident. Combined with your very introspective nature, you've learned to trust your own beliefs and self-knowledge over anyone else's, almost stubbornly so.

Meanwhile, you were gifted athletically and used martial training primarily as a way to hone your physical, instinctual side. Focused training and endurance exercises are almost meditative for you. Because of your natural strength, swiftness, and health, you initially took on the ways of the Kensai. Through your own independent research and practice, you learned some unique (albeit rudimentary) skills that the Watchers of Candlekeep could never teach you.

Although it can be draining for you, you are adept at navigating social conventions, able to get along well in many settings and social tiers. You don't get to know or trust too many people, but are very connected and loyal to the close friends that you do have. You also believe in prayer and service to the gods (especially Helm). Some part of you always felt you had a grand connection to the Heavens...so as your physical training as a Kensai peaks, but your intellectual and spritual journey continues, the transition into a true and powerful Cleric will be your path (whether you know it in the beginning or not).

Your main motivations in life, on a subconscious level, really revolve around having surety that all of your needs will always be met, both intellecutal and physical. In an ideal world, you are free of distractions and have all the time in the world for your Kensai training and in-depth study of divine lore. You tend to be selfish and individualistic in your collection of resources, always looking out for your own way of life before others'. While your needs are minimalist--you don't desire to have countless riches or uncontested power--you are prone to harshly staking claim to whatever you do decide you need.

And while you do believe it's the right thing to do to help others, you tend to be risk-averse. Again, as a general rule you will put your own safety and needs before others. While there are exceptions, especially for loved ones and through times of great growth...for the most part you'd rather keep to yourself and avoid sacrifice, versus getting involved with others and having to give up anything you might not want to. The fantasy of escape to a life of comfortable, contemplative solitude, somewhere away from all your responsbilities, is always in the back of your mind. While others may be personally drawn to you, and you may reciprocate at times, you will always be a "loner" on some level.

 

[Selerel]

Summary of the Story So Far:

For months following Gorion's murder, Majkfoucce was mostly trying to avoid any trouble with the bandits as he roamed the greater Nashkel region, conquered Durlag's Tower, and made a name for himself as an adventurer. Eventually he realized the mercenaries wouldn't stop coming for him, due to some perceived misunderstanding (and then self-fulfilling prophecy) of his involvement in Gorion’s business. So he set out to broker some kind of truce with the Iron Throne. By the time he confronted Davaeorn in Cloakwood though, it was clear that was a hopeless cause. Now he's keeping his guard up against them, while also looking for ways to sabotage the entire organization and bring himself some semblance of peace and safety.

In his travels he had rescued both Xan and Dynaheir from brutish kidnappers; they both remain traveling companions to this day. Soon after, he met the experienced adventurer Safana and joined forces. Much more recently, his party liberated a powerful ally in the Dwarven warrior-priest Yeslick, someone else keenly interested in bringing down the Iron Throne. For periods he had also traveled with Imoen, Jaheira, Khalid, Rasaad, Dorn, and Faldorn, but parted ways with all of them for various reasons.

Majkfoucce just entered Baldur's Gate now for the first time...looking to invest his vast fortune and build a life for himself here, one in which he is untroubled by the Iron Throne and can pursue both his martial and scholarly endeavors. He realizes he may be able to work with Scar and the trading rosters here to neutralize the Iron Throne, an existential danger to him.

He also has been holding onto one final unresolved remnant from his adventuring days in Durlag's Tower: the Soultaker dagger. He can sense its immense power but wants to learn more about it before simply handing it over to Hurgan Stoneblade in Ulgoth's Beard; so he'll look to discuss it first with the city's temples, mages, and other lorekeepers of that nature.

Current party:

Majkfoucce - Level 8 Kensai (Aule's Staff)
Yeslick - Level 5 Fighter/Level 5 Cleric
Safana - Level 10 Thief
Dynaheir - Level 9 Invoker
Xan - Level 9 Enchanter

Reputation: Heroic (20)

 

[RolePlayerEverHappy]

How do the adventures of Majkfoucce progress?

Now, time to replay the Baldur's Gate series for me! 200th time I believe. Maybe more?

 

[Selerel]

@RolePlayerEverHappy Well thank you for checking in! I have an update ready right now. I appreciately the readers. Let me know how the 200th round goes haha!!

 

[Selerel]

[Day 196 - First Day in Baldur's Gate]

We found the Elfsong Tavern shortly after midnight and rested there until morning. In the daylight, we walked the streets. I spent the morning and early afternoon in the outer-walled area, stopping in shops and armories when I thought there may be interesting items for sale. Very unceremoniously we stumbled upon the Iron Throne headquarters. I stopped in my tracks, but there didn’t seem to be any boasting adversaries, hostile guards, callous mercenaries, opulent villains, anything like that–just a large, almost innocuous administrative building. But some unease set in and I vowed to make sure to keep my guard up as long as my enemies still operated freely.

Spoiler

In the afternoon I did at last come across the Seven Suns trading roster. As it was later in the afternoon and I wanted to explore more of the surrounding neighborhood, I decided I would stop by first thing tomorrow morning instead of right then.

Soon after, I met Aldeth Sashenstar, a merchant I had saved from druids in Cloakwood. He was looking to have me visit the Merchants’ League Estate to investigate some other suspicious activity. I turned him down for the time being, but I can definitely see myself revisiting this in short order. (I also met a ranting gnome named Tiax and I managed to gently steer him away from us…)

We eventually ran into a Marek and a Lothander on the streets, thugs in employ of the Iron Throne, and were peppered with more threats. I did not react kindly to them, but they scattered off before anything more could become of the conflict. I was not wrong to keep my guard up–I’m going to have to force this Iron Throne conflict to a head one way or another, as soon as I figure out the best angle.

When the evening sank in, I decided I’d pay some visits to the local taverns to get more of an understanding of the city and its current events. Towards the end of the evening the Iron Throne thug I had met earlier in the day, Lothander, approached me in the streets again with claims of a poisoning. He said he was actually working against the Iron Throne, and wanted me to follow him somewhere. I don’t know what scheme (or trap) he has going on, but I want no part of it. Even if he’s telling the truth about the geas, that is his problem. I highly doubt his poisoning story has any truth to it.

We retired to the Elfsong Tavern again for the night.

[Day 197 - Baldur's Gate Intrigue]

At the crack of dawn, we headed straight to the Seven Suns to discuss business. And lo, we discovered a doppleganger infestation! I’ve dealt with plenty of dopplegangers in Durlag’s Tower, so I know how insidious and terrifying they can be. We destroyed them and freed the owner, Jhasso. We then saw Scar at the Flaming Fist headquarters and let him know everything.

He was then able to speak to us about our possibly-connected concern: the Iron Throne. We were given an audience with Duke Eltan, and he himself had major suspicions about that organization…and wants to stop their evil machinations just as much as I do. His plan was something I should have known to be inevitable–we need to infiltrate their headquaters and find some kind of proof of wrongdoing.

Figuring this was going to come to a head soon enough, I decided I’d wait until nightfall when their day-to-day merchant business is done and I would likely be dealing with a less crowded compound. It was morning and I knew I was likely being watched, so I decided I’d spend the day carefully familiarizing myself with the rest of the city and mentally preparing for the coming conflict.

Spoiler

By late morning it began to rain, so we ducked into the next inn we came across, the Helm and Cloak. Unfortunately a pack of brigands followed us in, aggressive, and attacked us on the spot! Between ‘Web’ and ‘Emotion: Hopelessness’, they weren’t much of a threat to us, but it is still quite shocking. There was nothing connecting them to the Iron Throne, but I don’t think I can be certain one way or the other of their involvement in this fiasco. In any case, after the scuffle, I decided to leave this part of town for the time being and lay lower until my mission into the Iron Throne building later that night.

After visiting some merchants, we rested at the Drakon Tavern until nightfall. But through the rest of the day, obvious physical ailments began to set in among us…we discovered that yes, we were indeed poisoned! Lothander was not lying. Luckily, he had been remaining by the central market area, and we quickly hounded him down. Believing now that we would have to free this man from his Iron Throne geas, I agreed to see his Diviner. As it turned midnight, this eventually led me on a search for the Book of Wisdom, by way of the Water Queen’s house.

[Day 198 - The Rush to Candlekeep]

In the early morning hours I secured Lothander’s release, and tracked down Marek for the antidote. Saved for now, but: Gah! Damn this Iron Throne. Another attempt of my life thwarted, a neverending occurrence it seems. There were still a few hours before dawn, so we headed straight to the Iron Throne building.

A guard we met on the ground level attacked us, so we slew him. Beyond that, I realized whatever merchants were still there, either working a late night or an early morning, were not openly hostile to us. In fact they had little concern for visitors so late at night…

I sent Safana up through the compound in stealth. She was eventually able to procure some documents, one that mentioned me specifically as a supposed agent of the Zhentarim, and another that showed Iron Throne meddling and conspiring among bandit groups. There was a large gang of “acolytes” or what I can only suppose to be mercenaries on the top floor. Safana did slip by them; I debated whether to just confront them now, knowing they would inevitably be sent after me. But instead I decided I’d rather go straight to Duke Eltan. After all, he may be able to provide Flaming Fist support.

Spoiler

After a brief talk with the Duke, instead it was decided I would go straight to Candlekeep to find incriminating evidence upon their leaders, including Rieltar. Eltan provided me a book that would allow the Keeper of the Portal to open the gates to me; and with that, we set off for Candlekeep.

We journeyed south from the city at a tremendous pace, through the entire daylight, then nightfall, then midnight.

Chapter 6

[Day 199 - Villainy in Candlekeep]

We arrived in Candlekeep in the early morning while it was still dark. I caught up quickly with the Priest of Oghma, Dreppin, and Winthrop; no one had particularly good feelings about the visiting Iron Throne. Our party was tired from the trip–Safana and Xan in particular–so I decided we’d spend the morning resting, then head into the keep in the broad daylight to deal with the Iron Throne leaders.

Fully rested by the early afternoon, I entered the keep. I avoided the third floor for now, where the Iron Throne leaders supposedly were. I wanted to see Ulraunt first on the sixth floor. On the way, Piato told me of some letters remaining in Gorion’s old quarters that were meant for me. Finally! Some letters that may offer some explanation of why he was murdered and how I became so involved.

Instead, I could not prepare for the shock. Quite frankly, the information did not sink in completely. According to Gorion, I am a spawn of Bhaal. A divine half-breed with Murder in my veins. That is why he was my foster father to begin wtih; that is why this “Sarevok” from the Iron Throne is after me; that’s why so many things about my past, and present, now make sense. I believe it, but don’t quite know what to make of it.

I know I had to see Ulraunt, and still somehow gather evidence against the Iron Throne…and this Sarevok, too. But before I knew it, the Gatewarden was arresting me for the murders of Rieltar and the other Iron Throne leaders. Huh?! I knew how powerful the Gatewarden was, and I knew him from a child, so I decided not to try to fight to the death. Maybe I would end up regretting that decision. We were brought to the Candlekeep jail, and Ulraunt was convinced we were criminal masterminds.

Luckily, I had such a relationship with Tethtoril that he was able to see though this nonsense. While he was unable to affect official matters, he allowed us to escape through the Candlekeep catacombs within minutes of our incarceration. So we began to scour the tunnels for our exit.

Current party:

Majkfoucce - Level 8 Kensai (Aule's Staff)
Yeslick - Level 5 Fighter/Level 5 Cleric
Safana - Level 10 Thief
Dynaheir - Level 9 Invoker
Xan - Level 9 Enchanter

Reputation: Heroic (20)

 

[Selerel]

[Day 199 Continued - The Death of Yeslick]

For several hours of the afternoon into the night, we roamed the catacombs looking for our exit. I recovered a few valuable tomes and manuals from the catacombs, as well as a handful of some powerful magic items that will help me resolve this evil that penetrated Candlekeep. It’s also the least I’m owed for how I was treated by Ulraunt. I left most of the jewels, scrolls, potions, and other ceremonial items within the tombs.

As midnight drew closer, we reached a cave system that was likely to lead us to the surface. There, we encountered more servants of Sarevok and the Iron Throne: a gang led by Prat. We were able to soundly defeat the rest of his group using stealth, Cloudkill, and Web, but when we approached Prat he let loose a lightning bolt. Not only was Safana struck down, but Yeslick was rendered into a charred heap of smoke and ash. Unressurectable. We lost the dwarf, permanently. The Iron Throne took his freedom, and now they’ve finally taken his life. I will make sure I avenge him.

[Lightning bolts in close quarters…when will I ever learn! I just never consider it a possibility until it’s way too late. Bye Yeslick. You were a great tank and healer, two things my group sorely needs.]

Spoiler

Chapter 7

[Day 200 - Another Flight from Candlekeep]

We reached the surface soon after midnight, and the three of us surviving–me, Dynaheir, and Xan–quickly made our way out of the greater Candlekeep area along the Lion’s Way.

By the early morning, I had to figure out what we would do next. With Yeslick gone, I did not feel comfortable confronting this Sarevok–who supposedly will arrive back at Baldur’s Gate at some unspecified time in the future–without a healer. We have no way to recover from wounds other than rest and time. I was already injured from our battles, and it would be folly to take on more armed enemies in the next several days to weeks without a priest or druid to accompany us. Thinking through those on the Sword Coast that I might be able to convince to come along, my mind went to Faldorn as the most obvious answer. She had been looking for more vengeance against the Iron Throne, and the only reason we split ways with her was some internal tension with Dynaheir.

Last I saw Faldorn, she was in her Shadow Grove in Cloakwood. It will take a few days to head into the forest to see if she’d be willing to join us. If so, I’m sure I can keep a lid on any simmering tension within the group. The other option is Jaheira (and Khalid) down in Nashkel, but I’d like to avoid that for multiple reasons. It looks like I have at least some time before Sarevok arrives in Baldur’s Gate.

First, I decided I needed to visit a temple to resurrect Safana. Being cautious about any bounty hunters or mercenaries of Ulraunt sent after me, I decided to avoid the Coast Way and head to Beregost via High Hedge. We made the south-easterly push through the entire morning, arriving at the mage’s stronghold by noon. Reasonably exhausted from the events of the previous day, we made camp to give us some time to heal and memorize spells. There was a group of skeletons that attacked us in the late afternoon, but other than that we were unmolested until the following morning.

[Day 201 - Off to Cloakwood]

We broke camp in High Hedge right before dawn, then visited Kelddath Ormlyr to resurrect Safana. I stayed on the outskirts of Beregost as I traveled through town, not wanting to get dragged into any confrontation with enemies that may be tracking me after our escape from Candlekeep.

Once Safana was back with us and equipped and healed, I saw no no reason to delay our expedition to the Shadow Druid Grove. We will be away from civilization for the next week or so, and if we are able to find Faldorn, we’ll head directly to Baldur’s Gate to speak to Eltan and Scar. We must try to undercut Sarevok and Iron Throne before they can do more damage.

We traveled from the late morning for the entirety of the day, keeping a good pace. Our elf led us through the darkness through midnight.

[Day 202 - Dreams in Cloakwood]

As dawn began to crept in, we reached the vicinity of Aldeth Sashenstar’s cabin and were long overdue to make camp. We rested until the early afternoon.

At this point, I was able to process all that had happened (a haunting dream provided me guidance), and my blood boiled thinking of Sarevok. He has been my enemy and tormetor throughout this. An evil murderer and the cause of my exile and wandering for the better part of the year. With some secret divine knowledge he was going to use against me. How much else does he know? There is no greater urgency than to destroy him. I truly hope Faldorn will make this Cloakwood journey worth it.

We traveled westward through the forest for the rest of the day without incident, again deciding to rely on Xan’s infravision and keep pace through the night.

[Day 203 - The Cloakwood Trudge]

Ever westward through Cloakwood. We were attacked by some giant spiders on our way, but beyond that it was eventless trecking through the forest.

Again, as is becoming our habit, we continued the journey overnight. It’s been a fairly sure and safe method of traveling so far.

[Day 204 - Reuniting with the Shadow Druid]

We kept pushing on overnight and through the morning as we approached the Shadow Grove. And lo! Faldorn had not set off yet on any other missions; she was there, where we last parted ways with her. And she was eager to re-join us and bring justice to this nefarious culprit.

Spoiler

We spent the day making camp at the Shadow Grove and re-acquainting Faldorn with the group. We memorized spells, and in the late afternoon decided we’d continue with our trend of traveling through the evening to make haste back to Baldur’s Gate.

[Day 205 - Enemy Ambushes in Cloakwood]

We trudged still through Cloakwood. In the afternoon we were waylaid by some more giant spiders, and then in the evening by a pair of mature wyverns. We dispatched of all of them before they could do serious damage.

We made camp as darkness fell, having gone the previous night without camp.

[Day 206 - More Wyvern Attacks]

While we traveled, another ambush by a pair of wyverns. But we kept attempting to make our way out of the sprawling forest.

Spoiler

[Day 207 - More Travel through Cloakwood]

Traveled uneventfully for most of the morning. We had a a run-in with more spiders at some point.

 

[Selerel]

[Day 208 - More Travel through Cloakwood Pt. 2]

Our travel through Cloakwood continued. We made camp at night.

[Day 209 - More Travel through Cloakwood Pt. 3]

Another day, we attempted to make our leave from Cloakwood, and another day there was a wyvern attack.

[Day 210 - The Escape from Cloakwood]

As we continued to journey outward, I had the suspicion we were not navigating the forest correctly. Navigating directly to Baldur’s Gate seems to put us in some type of circular route; I may have remembered something like this from the last time I visited this accursed woodland.

[Day 211 - The Escape from Cloakwood Pt. 2]

We traveled through Cloakwood still, through the night.

[Day 212 - Change in Navigation]

In the early morning, we made camp again. I resolved to attempt to navigate outwards directly to the Friendly Arm Inn–something I know is doable–versus my attempts to travel northeasterly to the Gate directly. Friendly Arm Inn, very clearly, acts as a waypoint for travelers into the forest.

[Day 213 - Searching for the Friendly Arm]

We traveled more through Cloakwood–this time though, we set our aim for the path to the Friendly Arm.

[Day 214 - Searching for the Friendly Arm Pt. 2]

And still, we traveled through Cloakwood.

[Day 215 - Arrival in Civilization]

We escaped Cloakwood and reached Friendly Arm Inn after a two-week excursion in the wilderness, at around noon. The (general) stillness of nature has truly resolved and clarified this situation for me. Whatever evil deity is in my blood, I have not let it control me yet, and have staid my own course so far through my life. It is Sarevok that is the key to all of my troubles, and there is nothing more important than to stop him before I can begin to deal with anything else.

While we risked some trouble by entering the Inn, I figure it had been long enough since my escape from Candlekeep that we could finally treat ourselves to a made bed for a night and not be bothered. We rested there the rest of the night.

[Day 216 - Rescuing Duke Eltan]

We left the Friendly Arm in the early morning and made it to Baldur’s Gate by early afternoon. Someone made an offer to smuggle me in, but I refused. While the situation here has changed–Scar having been murdered by this “Angelo”, the new leader of the Flaming Fist, and Eltan somehow compromised–I still knew I must speak to Eltan directly. I had to magically subdue a pair of guards who attempted to arrest me, but I will not submit to this Angelo before I speak to the Duke.

Spoiler

Running into a certain Delthyr of the Harpers on the streets, we learned the Iron Throne is making an imminent bid to take power in the city. I’m not sure if Sarevok is back in the city at this point, but confronting the Iron Throne, once and for all, may be the more direct move to end my troubles. But still, I headed straight to Eltan. The Flaming Fist compound may be a hornet’s nest, but I felt I must secure the backing of a Grand Duke.

Evading some guards on my way there, we eventually walked through the front entrance. And although I knew the worst-case scenario was a possibility, I realized then I would have to deal with it in reality. The entire compound of Flaming Fist mercenaries attacked. I did not want to slaughter innocent guards, as there was likely no coming back from that: in eyes of the law AND the people of the Sword Coast. Instead, I relied on my mages to use Hopelessness, Chaos, and Dire Charm, as well as wands of Paralyzation and Fear.

It was a chaotic scene, but we managed to climb upwards to Eltan’s quarters without spilling blood. There, we revealed his “healer” to be a Greater Doppleganger who was actually poisoning him. We grabbed a sickly Eltan to rescue him, and rushed back out through the sea of recently-incapacitated spellcasting mercenaries. We did our best to re-incapacitate them, but for a long moment Xan and Faldorn were stuck magically by the entrance. Still, we managed to fight off our opponents non-lethally.

Spoiler

[Hmm I realized after the fact that I could have killed them all without reputation loss. They say something along the lines of “we work for Angelo, we will kill friends of Eltan”, or something villainous like that, so it could have worked too from a roleplay perspective. I guess I just wasn’t in a homicidal mood.]

As soon as we got out of the building, we headed straight to the Harbor Master. Eltan knows much about Sarevok's next moves.

Current party:

Majkfoucce - Level 8 Kensai (Aule's Staff)
Safana - Level 10 Thief
Faldorn - Level 7 Druid
Dynaheir - Level 9 Invoker
Xan - Level 9 Enchanter

Reputation: Heroic (20)

 

[Selerel]

[Day 216 Continued - Revealing Sarevok’s Treachery]

As the wild afternoon wore on, we were able to distract some more guards and deliver Eltan to the Harbor Master. Eltan had known about an assassination attempt on the other Dukes, and a note recovered on “Rashad” confirmed the details. While I had evidence in hand that Sarevok was behind the assassination attempt, I feared if the assassinations were indeed successful it wouldn’t matter WHAT evidence I had. Catching these assassins may lead me more quickly to Sarevok anyway. With that, I headed to the Ducal Palace.

There was no way to access the Ducal Palace from the outside. It is a fortress, and even though the Flaming Fist guard stationed outside did not recognize us in the least, he let us know an invitation to Sarevok’s coronation would be the only thing that allowed us entrance. With that, we tried the sewers to look for this gathering of assassins.

By the early evening after crawling though the city’s sewer network for a few hours, we found the Undercellar, and Slythe and Kristin. They were dangerous assassins, and managed to kill Safana after her stealth failed her at the wrong moment–but eventually we put them down. It looks as though the assassination attempt will still go down tonight, however. We’re fortunate that we got to the city just in time, after all of our wandering in Cloakwood. We now had the invitations that would get us inside the coronation.

Spoiler

Tracing our path back through the sewers, we surfaced and ducked into the nearby Temple of Helm to resurrect Safana and have the healers tend to our wounds. This “Angelo”’s Flaming Fist was still after us, but we managed our way into the Palace just as the ceremony was commencing.

And so we confronted Sarevok in front of a crowd of nobles just as he attempted to take power. Duke Liia Janneth was murdered by the Greater Doppleganger ambush that followed, and we were just able to stop them before they killed Duke Belt too. We were able to reveal Sarevok’s treachery, but in the melee that followed, he obliterated Safana in a single blow. She cannot be resurrected. I shouldn’t really have had her in close combat, but I made the conscious choice to put her there, so I have to live with the consequences.

Spoiler

[RELOAD #22: The Dopplegangers killed the Dukes before I could stop them; game over, and Angelo killed me. That’s partially the reason I put Safana in the mix of things the next time, and oof…it did not turn out well for her. Does this mean she’s not going to be in SOD at all? Ugh…]

Sarevok escaped, but Belt divined his location and teleported us to a passage through the Thieves’ Guild into a trapped underground maze. We were right on Sarevok’s trail…but we had to slow down. All of us were fatigued from the rush of events of the day–we had begun the morning at the Friendly Arm Inn, after all–and my spellcasters had nothing left to cast. And with Safana dead and no surefire way to detect and disarm traps, I came to the conclusion I had to let Sarevok get at least a half-day’s lead on me. But I know where he’s run to, at least.

We surfaced again, and returned to the scene of the ambush at the Ducal Palace to collect Safana’s belongings. For our adventuring group, I had known what the only feasible way through the maze was: Tiax the Gnome. I needed a rogue to hunt down Sarevok, and I could not spare the days to leave the city to attempt to recruit Coran in Cloakwood or Imoen all the way in Nashkel.

So we headed to the southwest of the city and Tiax joined with us. Some acquaintance of Sarevok, Tamoko, kept pestering me along the way, but I had little time or patience for her. I knew where Sarevok fled to and what I was going to do. This sojourn to nearby the Flaming Fist headquarters also allowed me to get a sense of the order of things there. Unfortunately the gang of Angelo’s thugs that I had spared earlier were still in control of the compound, so this time we fought back to kill. I’m not sure if I will ever even meet this Angelo at this point–likely he fled only moments earlier when he heard the news of what occurred at the Palace.

Still exhausted, we trudged back to the Elfsong as midnight approached.

[Day 217 - Underneath Baldur’s Gate]

As the morning came, we were well-rested and immedately made our way back into the underground maze. But the monsters that lurked the corridors–mustard jellies, skeleton warriors, and invisible stalkers, specifically–injured our group more and more as we progressed. I was about to turn around to rest at the Elfsong once more, and give Sarevok even longer of a lead, when we ran into a mortally injured Winski Perorate. By his own admission he was the one who taught Sarevok the dark ritual he had been attempting this entire time, and for that I considered him an arch-nemesis of mine. I ended his life, even though it will likely be seen as an unjust killing by others, I felt like it had to be done. By the mid-afternoon we entered the Undercity, where Perorate said Sarevok waits for me.

Spoiler

After some initial scouting in the Undercity proper, I saw a group of what I can only figure to be powerful adversaries. With moderate injuries and a lack of spells, I’ve no choice but to delay further. We retreated back into the underground maze and set up camp there for the rest of the day.

Before midnight–day and night don’t matter down here anyway–we crept back into the Undercity.

[Day 218 - The Final Battle with Sarevok]

Right after midnight we encountered yet another band of Iron Throne mercenaries. They were on orders to hunt down Sarevok himself, not me for once; apparently he has made enough enemies at the Iron Throne as well. But that didn’t stop them from attacking us anyway. It looks as though I’ll have a lifelong enemy in the Iron Throne, and I’ll need to figure out how to resolve it.

For a few more hours, I searched the Undercity for Sarevok. But with my battle with the Iron Throne gang, and an encounter with a quartet of skeleton warriors–I found myself with mortal wounds again. We headed back to the maze to rest for the night into the morning, making sure we were prepared when we did finally uncover his hiding place. As Perorate said, and I have no choice but to believe him–Sarevok waits for me.

By the afternoon, I finally found the temple where Sarevok must be encamped. Tamoko, some consort of his, was lurking outside to reluctantly attack us. Between the encounter with her, another pack of bow-carrying undead, and my proximity to Sarevok, I decided I wouldn’t rush in. We would wait a few more hours, heal and memorize spells. Sarevok has been lurking there for two days now; he knows as well as I that our confrontation is inevitable.

As night came, we attacked. The final battle was difficult, but we were able to separate out Sarevok’s lackeys and take care of them one or two at a time. First Angelo fell via Cloudkill, then Tazok with melee and slings, then Semaj with Fireballs. Finally we summoned as many monsters as we could, I drank as many combat potions as possible, and we engaged Sarevok. He almost struck me down, but I landed a death blow with my quarterstaff and it was done.

Spoiler

[RELOADS #23-24: So it took me three attempts. In the first two tries where the PC died, I essentially couldn’t recover from Semaj’s Confusion. The third time, I was spread out enough I guess, or had enough summonses, that I think only Faldorn got hit. And as described above, I was able to take each adversary one at a time more or less.]

Siege of Dragonspear

Prologue

[Days 219-228 - Rooting Out Sarevok’s Allies]

In the week or two following Sarevok’s death, we worked closely with the Flaming Fist and the Dukes of the city to root out all of Sarevok’s followers and the remaining Iron Throne mercenary gangs. We eventually tracked down the last remnants of his allies, being led by a mage named Korlasz.

[Day 229 - The Korlasz Family Tomb]

Just after midnight, we found ourselves in Korlasz’s family tomb.

Still very angry at Sarevok for all he had done with me, and therefore his followers by extension, I raided through Korlasz’s family’s tomb, looting and destroying undead as we moved through. We took an extended rest while in the lower catacombs, mainly owing to castings of magical Haste that left us all fatigued. By the afternoon, we pressed on again.

Current Party:

Majkfoucce - Level 8 Kensai (Aule's Staff)
Tiax - Level 6 Cleric/Level 6 Thief
Faldorn - Level 8 Druid
Dynaheir - Level 9 Invoker
Xan - Level 9 Enchanter

Reputation: Average (10)

 

[Selerel]

[Day 229 Continued - Defeating Korlasz]

By nightfall, we had defeated Korlasz. I spent some time exploring the rest of the tomb and battling undead, but with fatigue setting in once again and all of Sarevok’s allies destroyed, we finally made our exit to the surface.

Spoiler

[Days 230-243 - Finally Some Rest]

The next two weeks in Baldur’s Gate was a time of finally being able to let my guard down, even if it only lasted momentarily. My adventuring companions parted ways with me once Sarevok’s threat was truly done. So along with Imoen, I was being hosted in the Ducal Palace and had time to plan my next investments, studies, and travels in general. The struggle with my “Bhaal essense” subsided; as much as I could explore my consciousness, I was still me. I still had control and faculties. Whatever divinity was buried within me, I would do my best to handle the consequences it if it ever simmered to the surface.

[Day 244 - Attack on the Ducal Palace]

An uneventful day, much like many of the last, led into a night’s sleep. Around mightnight however, the Ducal Palace was infiltrated by a contingent of assassins. They immobilized Imoen, but the Flaming Fist and I were able to slay the rest of the attackers. They were part of Caelar Argent’s forces; she is a charismatic leader leading a dubious, havok-wreaking crusade to the north. Startlingly, it looks like the attempt was on *my* life specifically. With whispers that Argent may be a Bhaalspawn just like Sarevok, it looks like those divine consequences may already being making themselves known.

Spoiler

In an emergency convening of the Dukes of Baldur’s Gate (all resurrected now), they asked for my assistance in leading a Flaming Fist army up north to assist with opposing the Crusade. It seems this is the most direct route to resolve this conflict with Argent, and with the Dukes as my benefactors, I could not refuse. As much as I wish none of this were happening, I need to accept the fact that it is.

Spoiler

Apparently the Flaming Fist had information on the whereabouts of some of my previous traveling companions who had not yet left Baldur’s Gate. I was thankful to hear that Safana was still alive. She had been obliterated by Sarevok, but apparently resurrected by the Dukes’ healers. Dynaheir was still in the city too, and reunited with her charge Minsc. He had attacked me and I had slain him in Nashkel before I had ever met Dynaheir; and now he has returned shortly after Dynaheir and I had split ways. While I’d like to stay away from the ranger, it’s not right to be this avoidant. I will have to seek out Dynaheir.

And of course Rasaad was an old traveling companion of mine as well; but I barely knew Garrick or Coran, and quite frankly don’t have the best impressions of them.

As an aside, my massive fortunes look as though they have been lost, but I won’t delve more time talking about that nightmare with Ophyllis...

Before dawn, we had trekked across the city once or twice as I attempted to recruit adventuring party companions in the late night. At the Three Old Kegs, Minsc ended up harboring no ill will from (or memory of) our last encounter, and joined readily with Dynaheir to march towards Caelar.

Next, I found Safana at the Elfsong. She was indeed not permanently lost–but looked to be forever changed from whatever resurrection process managed to bring her remains back to life. Her hair and skin were turned a burnt pink color, and Safana likely leaned into her new appearance as she chose to wear garments that match her new skin tone almost exactly. Nevertheless I was glad to see her, and as a trusted companion and the most skilled thief I know, I asked her to join me.

Spoiler

Finally, lacking a healer, I checked in on Tiax at the Flaming Fist compound…but the gnome could not be reasoned with. This is likely for the best, although I will be on the lookout for some type of priest or druid as the march north begins if our party is truly to be ready for combat.

Spoiler

Current Party:

Majkfoucce - Level 8 Kensai (Aule's Staff)
Minsc - Level 8 Ranger
Safana - Level 10 Thief
Dynaheir - Level 9 Invoker

Reputation: Average (10)