WiseGrimwald
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Kurtig meanwhile visited Baldur's Gate and has now returned to Candlekeep.
The Candlekeep Annex: RPed Baldur’s Gate No and Low Reload Adventures
- Thread starter Alesia_BH
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JustKneller
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- 901
I think a literal interpretation of the character was the problem. The quantum mechanics, as it were of the Thief world are incompatible with BG. I'm planning to take another bash at it, once I figure out how to create a BG version of Garrett's competencies in Thief.
JustKneller
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- 901
After a long and fruitful philosophical debate with chatgpt, we have reincarnated "Garrett" into something more viable for this series. I actually could have sworn I've run this character before under a different name, but I checked my post log here and apparently it was a figment of my imagination. That's bizarre because I remember the backstory and everything. I think her name was Sticks-and-Stones and she was a cleric/thief (or maybe a cleric/ranger) that secretly worshiped Mask.
Anyway, that is what we have here. Our Garrett is now Garnet. The gender swap is largely because I don't have a good male gnome thief without a bladed weapon portrait, but I have a female one that works. She is a Cleric/Thief who grew up reading Dark Age Shadows, a fiction series about a city thief named Garrett. While she worshiped Oghma during her youth, she feigned that she lost interest in religion. In truth, she chose to follow Mask instead and maintained a hidden shrine tucked away behind Winthrop's. She engaged in many playful capers with Imoen, and even more not so playful capers by herself.
So, chatgpt actually gave me a stat spread of 14/18/14/15/16/10 as an adaptation of Garrett to AD&D, which I thought was pretty generous. I toned it down a little, except for Dexterity and Wisdom, but I'll eventually get there and then some with tomes and other boosts.
My playstyle is in the spirit of Garrett from Thief. That is, encounter avoidance. According to chatgpt, the cleric/thief is pretty much the worst multi (compared to a F/T or M/T) for confrontation, but the best multi for avoidance when the thiefy approach fails. I could go on, but we will see this in action here. The only downside is effectively the slower leveling since I will be avoiding a lot of killing. But, it's also the cheapest (xp wise) multi to level.
My first pips went into blunt weapons and missiles. I will only be using staves and (maybe) slings offensively (I may take other weapons for the per day abilities). For this build/style, there's no point in other weapons. Fortunately, thanks to her high Wisdom and Intelligence, the irony of worshiping a god that dual wields short swords while she runs around with a stick is not lost on her.
So, away we go...
Second verse same as the first. Blah blah blah, cleaned out everyone from Candlekeep. So long, suckers! I was tempted to try and make this a minimal kill run and leave Shank, Carbos, and the rats, but then I realized that I'm a solo (multi) cleric that will eventually go into the sequel of this game which is teeming with undead. That skull-shaped easy button is just too tempting not to press. Alas, Shank and Carbos were doomed to become a continuity error in the next game. But, back to the narrative...
When I woke up the next morning, I saw Imoen in the distance coming my way and I think she saw me. I was able to duck into a thicket fast and she seemed to have lost my scent. She was a good kid, but where I'm going, she isn't going to want to follow. I doubled back and found the old man. I took a chance of being found by Imoen or enemy and built a cairn for his body. I'm not the sentimental type, but he did sacrifice his life for me. I don't like feeling like I'm in debt to someone, especially someone dead that I can't pay back. I found a letter on him. Someone named "E" pointed him to the Friendly Arm Inn. I don't know who this "E" was, or if he was in on this ambush. Even if they were a friend, there's a good chance our attackers saw this letter and could be waiting at the inn for me right now. I always planned to go alone once I got out of Candlekeep, though not exactly like this. Nevertheless, if the inn was north, then I would go south to Beregost to lay low. It wasn't Baldur's Gate, but it would do in a pinch.
I knew the old man's friend, Firebead, would be in Beregost. I hit him up for a quiet place to stay out of sight. In exchange for a small favor, he put me on to Borland across town. Borland was an odd sort, but the quiet kind of odd so it worked for me.
It wasn't long before I figured out my first job, or at least a goal. The local smithy had a nice set of leather armor that would really help me out. Unfortunately, the security was too good for me to swipe it so I would have to do the next best thing; steal the gold to buy it. I started by hitting every house in town and grabbing anything I could when nobody was watching. This wasn't a rich town though, so I didn't get nearly enough to get me there. I may have to start looking for other work, Lord of Shadows forbid, even honest work. I caught wind of a few odd jobs around town. With nothing else to steal here, it may be my only option.
Anyway, that is what we have here. Our Garrett is now Garnet. The gender swap is largely because I don't have a good male gnome thief without a bladed weapon portrait, but I have a female one that works. She is a Cleric/Thief who grew up reading Dark Age Shadows, a fiction series about a city thief named Garrett. While she worshiped Oghma during her youth, she feigned that she lost interest in religion. In truth, she chose to follow Mask instead and maintained a hidden shrine tucked away behind Winthrop's. She engaged in many playful capers with Imoen, and even more not so playful capers by herself.
So, chatgpt actually gave me a stat spread of 14/18/14/15/16/10 as an adaptation of Garrett to AD&D, which I thought was pretty generous. I toned it down a little, except for Dexterity and Wisdom, but I'll eventually get there and then some with tomes and other boosts.
My playstyle is in the spirit of Garrett from Thief. That is, encounter avoidance. According to chatgpt, the cleric/thief is pretty much the worst multi (compared to a F/T or M/T) for confrontation, but the best multi for avoidance when the thiefy approach fails. I could go on, but we will see this in action here. The only downside is effectively the slower leveling since I will be avoiding a lot of killing. But, it's also the cheapest (xp wise) multi to level.
My first pips went into blunt weapons and missiles. I will only be using staves and (maybe) slings offensively (I may take other weapons for the per day abilities). For this build/style, there's no point in other weapons. Fortunately, thanks to her high Wisdom and Intelligence, the irony of worshiping a god that dual wields short swords while she runs around with a stick is not lost on her.
So, away we go...
Second verse same as the first. Blah blah blah, cleaned out everyone from Candlekeep. So long, suckers! I was tempted to try and make this a minimal kill run and leave Shank, Carbos, and the rats, but then I realized that I'm a solo (multi) cleric that will eventually go into the sequel of this game which is teeming with undead. That skull-shaped easy button is just too tempting not to press. Alas, Shank and Carbos were doomed to become a continuity error in the next game. But, back to the narrative...
When I woke up the next morning, I saw Imoen in the distance coming my way and I think she saw me. I was able to duck into a thicket fast and she seemed to have lost my scent. She was a good kid, but where I'm going, she isn't going to want to follow. I doubled back and found the old man. I took a chance of being found by Imoen or enemy and built a cairn for his body. I'm not the sentimental type, but he did sacrifice his life for me. I don't like feeling like I'm in debt to someone, especially someone dead that I can't pay back. I found a letter on him. Someone named "E" pointed him to the Friendly Arm Inn. I don't know who this "E" was, or if he was in on this ambush. Even if they were a friend, there's a good chance our attackers saw this letter and could be waiting at the inn for me right now. I always planned to go alone once I got out of Candlekeep, though not exactly like this. Nevertheless, if the inn was north, then I would go south to Beregost to lay low. It wasn't Baldur's Gate, but it would do in a pinch.
I knew the old man's friend, Firebead, would be in Beregost. I hit him up for a quiet place to stay out of sight. In exchange for a small favor, he put me on to Borland across town. Borland was an odd sort, but the quiet kind of odd so it worked for me.
It wasn't long before I figured out my first job, or at least a goal. The local smithy had a nice set of leather armor that would really help me out. Unfortunately, the security was too good for me to swipe it so I would have to do the next best thing; steal the gold to buy it. I started by hitting every house in town and grabbing anything I could when nobody was watching. This wasn't a rich town though, so I didn't get nearly enough to get me there. I may have to start looking for other work, Lord of Shadows forbid, even honest work. I caught wind of a few odd jobs around town. With nothing else to steal here, it may be my only option.
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WiseGrimwald
Habitué
- Messages
- 515
Candlekeep was straightforward as was killing a dragon or so.
JustKneller
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- 901
Honest work it was, then. I took a temporary assignment with a local mercenary company to ferret out some bandits in the region. It seemed a little hypocritical, but I figured that bandits had gold, I needed gold, and nobody would care if someone stole from bandits. The company owner wanted to tag along. I preferred to work alone, but a job was a job.
Kagain found his missing caravan, but it was bad news for him. I could care less. We kept searching the area after this. Kagain wanted revenge, and I wanted gold. We found neither.
We did find some xvarts, gibberlings, wolves, and even an ogre. It was a gibberling that did Kagain in, though. Surprising since he had no trouble with the ogre or wolves. Unfortunately, I had no healing prepared to avoid this. My style is not to be seen and I say my prayers accordingly. Healing isn't needed.
The silver lining was that Kagain was presumably on the run so his shop was up for grabs. I made myself at home. This gave me more room to organize my supplies and a better cover for my presence in town. If anyone asks, I can just say that Kagain skipped town and sold his shop to me. My cover wouldn't hold forever, but it would surely last for as long as I stick around.
I scouted out the road south of town. I had a job that put me there anyway. I found what I needed for my job, but also came across a hobgoblin with some rather quiet boots. It seemed like a waste of a good pair of boots, so I relieved him of his burden.
The last job in town really had me earning my gold. A protection job became an assassination job, which became a having to take out my employer job. I'm a thief, not a cold-blooded killer. The good news is it paid better than I expected. My previous employer had an enchanted staff. It was a good replacement for my ordinary staff from Candlekeep.
I didn't have a reason to stick around Beregost anymore. There was no more work to be had and nothing left to steal. I still wanted that armor, but I was quite far away from having the funds. I had been here for more than a week at this point. That was hopefully enough time to discourage my pursuers if they were watching for me up north. Baldur's Gate would have better pickings and I could come back for the armor when I had the gold.
I decided to run through the inns to see what I could purloin from passing travelers. I had avoided them up to this point (except for the favor for Firebead) so as to avoid being seen by crowds. Since I was on my way out of town, I could afford some exposure if it meant some more gold. The last inn came with a surprise. A halfling was offering a job to retrieve a sword from some gnolls, but before that, I was met with an assassin and he was looking for me. It looks like my enemy is covering all his bases. Just one more reason to leave town, I suppose.
⁂
I was luckier than I realized in the Silke fight. I figured I could command her, run away, stealth for a backstab, and command again figuring that two solid backstabs plus a follow up hit after the second command would do the trick. I forgot that she got a save vs. spell. She saved against the second and hit me with her lightning bolt (which took out an innocent, too) as I was running away. It brought me to 1hp and was nearly my first reload. Once I got away, I healed up, went back to stealth, and finished her off with a backstab. Even though she packs a punch, her AC is fortunately crap so I had no trouble connecting.
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JustKneller
Habitué
- Messages
- 901
I scouted out the Friendly Arm Inn as I was heading to the Gate. I couldn't help but wonder if my enemy kept an envoy there just in case. I circled the keep, but couldn't really see anything over the wall. I did find some kind of magical ring in a cluster of trees. I also meandered around the outer keep looking for anything worth stealing. There was nothing of interest, except an old woman missing a ring. Apparently, some hobgoblins snatched it and had a camp north of the inn. This gave me an idea.
I went north of the inn and found the hobgoblin camp. I backsmashed one of them to get their attention and the chase began. I then led them all back to the inn. Sure enough, at the steps to the inn itself, there was another assassin. He barely could cast a mirror image before the half dozen hobgoblins hot on my trail came into view. While the assassin was casting his protection, I was casting sanctuary. It was bedlam.
The town guard rushed in and a fight between the hobgoblins, assassin and guard followed. I stepped aside took to the shadows, then found a good vantage point to watch the show. The town guard came out on top on this one. The assassin was dead, as were the hobgoblins. I plucked the missing ring from the hobgoblin leader's and returned it to the old lady. I could have just kept it for the gold, but I was so pleased with how my plan worked out that I was feeling generous.
I only briefly surveyed the inn. I noticed a couple of elvish-types eyeballing me funny and thought I should leave while I had a head start. They didn't try to approach me, but I wasn't taking any chances. It was time to disappear into Baldur's Gate.
Well, I would say that it was time for plan B, but there is no plan B. Beregost isn't safe. The Friendly Arm Inn isn't safe. I had nowhere to go. The only other speck of civilization that I had seen was a farm north of the inn. However, there was nothing but trouble there between an infestation of ankhegs, and some fishermen who made some bad choices with an Umberlee priestess. Then they made a bad choice by involving me. I now have an Umberlee priestess that owes me a favor. That should come in handy someday.
I went to High Hedge, a wizard's manor secluded in the wood west of Beregost. I have been frequenting the place to identify my magic items. Apparently, the ring I found was worth a small fortune. I sold it to the wizard and had enough for the Shadow Armor in Beregost. I slipped back into town, bought the armor, and got out before anyone knew I was there. I still needed a place to stash my extra gear.
This abandoned cottage north of High Hedge should do the trick for now. It has a built in security system by way of the giant spider, and the forest is otherwise crawling with skeletons. While it's not a place I would lay my head, I think I can leave my extra supplies here for a while until I find a better option. I now had some time to kill. I figure it was only a matter of time until someone sorted out this mess with the iron bandits and I could get into the city, so I set about to do a little wandering.
⁂
At this point, I'm level 3/3 and past the early game struggle hump. I figure I have 140 points to put into thief skills by the time I hit the cap. I need 110 plus the Dexterity tome to max out locks and traps, that leaves me with 30 to put into stealth. At thief 2, I put all 20 into stealth. Between that, the boots of stealth, and the shadow armor, I'm at 95% stealth which is pretty nice. I'll have another 10 points to put in at some point, but I am focusing on locks and traps for now. As of now, I have locks 70 and traps 30.
I'm surprised I still have Kagain's portrait. I thought it would just disappear if I didn't resurrect him within a few days. I may spend the coin to bring him back and drop him at his shop. Now that I have the armor, I don't need to be so stingy.
I grabbed the pantaloons at the FAI. I'll be making the BMU for funsies. All I have left to do for the first game run is get the tomes, hit the xp cap, and take out Sarevok. I think the xp cap is going to be the toughest. I can just skip so much fighting now. Its going to slow my advancement significantly. Partly for this, but largely to see what this character can do, I'll still be meandering and exploring the content, just to see how this method works for quest completion. I have an idea that might make Karoug a cakewalk, and I think the demon knight and Aec'Letec is going to be an interesting challenge.
I went north of the inn and found the hobgoblin camp. I backsmashed one of them to get their attention and the chase began. I then led them all back to the inn. Sure enough, at the steps to the inn itself, there was another assassin. He barely could cast a mirror image before the half dozen hobgoblins hot on my trail came into view. While the assassin was casting his protection, I was casting sanctuary. It was bedlam.
The town guard rushed in and a fight between the hobgoblins, assassin and guard followed. I stepped aside took to the shadows, then found a good vantage point to watch the show. The town guard came out on top on this one. The assassin was dead, as were the hobgoblins. I plucked the missing ring from the hobgoblin leader's and returned it to the old lady. I could have just kept it for the gold, but I was so pleased with how my plan worked out that I was feeling generous.
I only briefly surveyed the inn. I noticed a couple of elvish-types eyeballing me funny and thought I should leave while I had a head start. They didn't try to approach me, but I wasn't taking any chances. It was time to disappear into Baldur's Gate.
Well, I would say that it was time for plan B, but there is no plan B. Beregost isn't safe. The Friendly Arm Inn isn't safe. I had nowhere to go. The only other speck of civilization that I had seen was a farm north of the inn. However, there was nothing but trouble there between an infestation of ankhegs, and some fishermen who made some bad choices with an Umberlee priestess. Then they made a bad choice by involving me. I now have an Umberlee priestess that owes me a favor. That should come in handy someday.
I went to High Hedge, a wizard's manor secluded in the wood west of Beregost. I have been frequenting the place to identify my magic items. Apparently, the ring I found was worth a small fortune. I sold it to the wizard and had enough for the Shadow Armor in Beregost. I slipped back into town, bought the armor, and got out before anyone knew I was there. I still needed a place to stash my extra gear.
This abandoned cottage north of High Hedge should do the trick for now. It has a built in security system by way of the giant spider, and the forest is otherwise crawling with skeletons. While it's not a place I would lay my head, I think I can leave my extra supplies here for a while until I find a better option. I now had some time to kill. I figure it was only a matter of time until someone sorted out this mess with the iron bandits and I could get into the city, so I set about to do a little wandering.
⁂
At this point, I'm level 3/3 and past the early game struggle hump. I figure I have 140 points to put into thief skills by the time I hit the cap. I need 110 plus the Dexterity tome to max out locks and traps, that leaves me with 30 to put into stealth. At thief 2, I put all 20 into stealth. Between that, the boots of stealth, and the shadow armor, I'm at 95% stealth which is pretty nice. I'll have another 10 points to put in at some point, but I am focusing on locks and traps for now. As of now, I have locks 70 and traps 30.
I'm surprised I still have Kagain's portrait. I thought it would just disappear if I didn't resurrect him within a few days. I may spend the coin to bring him back and drop him at his shop. Now that I have the armor, I don't need to be so stingy.
I grabbed the pantaloons at the FAI. I'll be making the BMU for funsies. All I have left to do for the first game run is get the tomes, hit the xp cap, and take out Sarevok. I think the xp cap is going to be the toughest. I can just skip so much fighting now. Its going to slow my advancement significantly. Partly for this, but largely to see what this character can do, I'll still be meandering and exploring the content, just to see how this method works for quest completion. I have an idea that might make Karoug a cakewalk, and I think the demon knight and Aec'Letec is going to be an interesting challenge.
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