Let's Play! Icewind Dale

[Integrity]

I honestly don't think I could justify buying ID2, especially with New Vegas still un-bought.

That does leave me with a hole after this LP for another one, though. Maybe I'll finally buckle down and try XCOM Apocalypse even though I suck at it.

[Luna]

Noooooo! Buy Icewind Dale II!!! It's not as good as Icewind Dale I or either Baldur's Gate game, but it's still pretty good!!! Especially the beginning. The beginning rocks.

Oh, and I feel successful because I successfully picked up and started playing MY Icewind Dale I again... aaaand... the first battle I was in failed 2 times... (first my thief died with -10/67 hp... and he's an elf so i can't use raise dead on him... then my mage died and she's an elf too! I WAS JUST LIKE WHY IS THIS GAME KILLING OFF ALL MY ELVES?!?!?) but after that I did really well. And I found all this really cool stuff err... hrm... *cough* not gonna spoil that... :D What I would do for some elven healing wine though, that stuff is so great... |D

Edited December 14, 2010 by Luna

[IGdood]

Too bad I'm already in Chapter 2 of IW II and I've already completed HoW and Luremaster or else I'd gladly take your exported characters and continue their travels....

Heart of Winter was meh. Luremaster was hard as fuck. IW II pushes the amount of cutscenes to over the top levels (in a good fashion). Also, Drow.

Edited December 14, 2010 by skitarii

[Integrity]

s.d.g.askgadhgaehgsdg. This tower was sheer balls, even though I only had to reload once.

----------

So we ascend the stairs.

The sounds of many arrows nocking and being subsequently fired drowned out all other noise for a moment,

and then Luka died.

*WAND OF GAMELON*

"I don't think" began Skitarii, "that there's any problem I can't solve with Fireball."

Case and Ray chow down some stragglers.

Up the rubble pile!

"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me." grumbled Luka as he tried to find cover from the arrowstorm.

This time, the Elves were wise to Skitarii's ways. Although he killed many through his judicious use of Fireball, the Swordsmen broke off and targeted him. This was a problem.

A problem solved by Dimension Door.

"This tower'd better not be bigger than the last one..." grumbled Acacia as Balcerzak worked his fixing magic.

"Yo, Tarii! Spell!"

"Hn?"

Not terribly useful 'cos I think we're fighting Undead, but I'm sure it'll help later?

"So." said Furetchen. "We've got a door and stairs. Where to, lads?"

After a short debate the party decided to take the stairs and finish this tower before moving on.

"...third floor's always a psych." mumbled Luka. "Check the doors, Ray."

"FUCK WHAT?!"

Pathfinding abuse wins. Balcerzak and Skitarii exactly killed each of the back spiders with Magic Missile and Magic Stone.

Nothing relevant here, just thought it was pretty.

Raymond muttered to himself as he perused the guide he found on a table. "We're not fighting any of these ...hippogriff riders, are we?"

"I sure hope not." answered Balcerzak.

"No sense worrying about it!" Furetchen interjected. "Let's be off exploring!"

Everybody blinked hard at the suddenly encroaching sun.

"Where you think this goes?"

"To another tower?"

"Maybe it goes to the Mage's Tower and we can finally meet Larrel?"

"No way, Casey."

"Bah. Proper formations. Skitarii'll know what to do."

"FIREBALL!"

The opposing wizard never even got a shot off.

"Ritzy." observed Luka. "I like their style."

"I think it looks like a library. Y'know, for a Mage's Tower."

"You're set on that, aren't ya Case?"

Suddenly, the door opened and Elves poured out.

"DAMMIT! OW! THEY'VE GOT A WIZARD!"

Ice Storm pulses several times.

"TACTICAL WITHDRAWAL!"

"Fucking...fucking...fuck what was that Tarii?"

"Ice Storm, Zak."

"Why can't you do that?!"

"Find me a scroll and I can."

"I will!"

"Oh, good."

[IGdood]

Lol Ice Storm!

Their answer to my fireball...

Hint hint: If you ever see a librarian ask him to give you some Mythal book. Orrick in Kuldahar would need it.

[Integrity]

Skitarii, I take everything I can. Furetchen's inventory is now 65% books

----------

"Arright, lads! Balls out! Get in there!"

"Wizard's in the middle! Get 'im!"

"OH FOR F-"

Balcerzak's curse was cut short by the Elven Cleric.

"CLOUDKILL? ARE YOU FUCKING--"

Furetchen grabbed the Wand of Gamelon from Acacia's prone figure and activated it through sheer moxie.

"Why always me?" Balcerzak lamented.

"You're an important target, Zak."

"But you're squishier, Tarii!"

"ANYWAY!" interjected Furetchen. "New plan! Haste up, charge in."

"Gotcha." responded Skitarii.

"GO! GO! GO!"

"Yeah!" said Acacia. "Take that, bitche-heuwha?"

Acacia snatched his Wand back from Furetchen and used it as Luka fell to the ground.

"WHAT! THE! FUCK!" shouted Furetchen.

"Yo, boss, calm down. Just gotta do it a little different." Acacia patted Furetchen on the shoulder.

"Prayer?" Balcerzak put forth.

"Plus Haste." added Skitarii.

"And we'll keep those two in reserve?" finished Luka.

"Arright, we'll try it. Get to it, boys."

"GET IN THERE! GET THE LAST ONE!"

Victory! Loot time:

First up, we looted a pretty picture.

Yay, magical quarterstaff nobody wants. Now the spells:

"Gives a target..."

Yep. I'm thinking Luka here, what say you all?

THIS. WHAT. It's another targeted spell, so maybe Luka again or Acacia? It's a damn good one too...

And some fluff. BACK TO THE NARRATIVE!

"Up we go, boss?"

"Up we go, Case."

"A...library? Hey, Luka, go talk to that guy."

"Right, gotcha."

"Well, he didn't have anything interesting to say but I DID con him into giving me just about every important book he owned."

"Score!"

"Downside is you have to carry most of them."

"Oh what? Fuck that."

"You can sell them back in Kuldahar."

Furetchen sighed. "Give 'em over."

"HOLY SHIT THAT'S LARREL"

[riariadne]

Apparently Bard is short for Musical Archer/ Hammertime/ Mageperson/ Thief of NPC's stuff.

[Luna]

I love bards but my dad hates them. He says they're kinda good at everything but not great at anything. I agree, but still keep them around because their great lore means i almost never have to identify anything and i give them some identify spells just in case, and automatic excellent pick pocket skills later plus potential for knock means i can fully invest in finding traps and stealth for my thief. (to deal with stuff like those horrible flesh to stone traps later on... why the game has yet to present the opportunity to obtain a stone to flesh spell yet, i have no clue, but I certainly wish it would.) Plus my bard is my only character that uses long range weapons and can wield a composite bow, i.e seth's bow. Plus all the fun instruments you find for them and bard song. :D

[IGdood]

Bards are (somewhat) useless until Heart of Winter, where at level 11 they learn the War Chant of Sith, granting 2 HP regeneration per round and conferring 2 AC bonuses. This lets me get through areas where resting is too risky due to encroaching monsters and/or places where I cannot rest.

Then again with Heart of Winter installed bards can do all that in the main storyline too.

Edited December 17, 2010 by skitarii

[Parrhesia]

If you equip a bard with two-handed axes or halberds and start playing power metal whenever you bardsong, they instantly become 25% luckier.

Seriously, every group needs a bard. It makes sense...I mean, if only one guy makes it out, bastard has to make sure the legend of the other five assholes is remembered, right...?

[Acacia Sgt]

Seriously, every group needs a bard. It makes sense...I mean, if only one guy makes it out, bastard has to make sure the legend of the other five assholes is remembered, right...?

That is, of course, assuming the bard is the one that survives.

Or the story is really worth telling. Would ours be such tale anyway? XD

[Balcerzak]

If you equip a bard with two-handed axes or halberds and start playing power metal whenever you bardsong, they instantly become 25% luckier.

Seriously, every group needs a bard. It makes sense...I mean, if only one guy makes it out, bastard has to make sure the legend of the other five assholes is remembered, right...?

"There's only one song... left in my mind. Tales of a brave man who lived far from here."

[IGdood]

Then again even combat-aside. Bards have fucking badass hoods (pandours, anyone?) and they work pretty well when it comes to using that charisma in NPC interaction....

Even more so in Icewind Dale II, where with the new Feats system Bards can have their song effects "linger" so even after a few rounds of deactivated singing.

With the new multiclassing system it gets better. Just choose a class to level up and that's it....

And of course there's also that new class called "Sorcerer" where no memorization of spells are needed. Just cast, cast cast. Drawback being you can only choose a few spells per level and you can't learn from scrolls....but what the hell.

Edited December 17, 2010 by skitarii

[Integrity]

Ta ha ha! A proper X-COM sized update today!

Also, yes, 3E was rather more refined than 2. I never got into Sorcerers in NWN, though...

----------

"...right. We'll come back later? Excuse me, you over there!"

"HMM? Don't interrupt me! I'm trying to fix this blasted machine."

"...machine?"

"The Astrolabe, of course!"

"Ah, right. Of course."

"Now go away!"

"...right, fuck you too." Then, louder, "Are you missing any pieces?"

"Of course I am! Four of the damn things!"

"...do they look like this?" Luka pulled Raymond forward.

"...why yes, yes they do. Give those here, will you?"

"Sure thing."

"So, let's check that last tower and find the last two pieces?"

"Hey, boss! Didn't that weapons chick say she had one?"

"Right you are, Case. Let's go talk to her."

"Hello, Miss Kaylessa!"

"Ah, Luka. You've returned."

"Your soldiers are all resting now, as per requested."

"Thank you, Luka. May I ask a single, final favor?"

"Absolutely! Anything you'd like!"

"Allow me the honor of a death in battle."

"Heuwhaa?"

"..."

"There, there, Luka."

"Was there any honor in that, Zak?"

"Yes, Luka, there was. She's happier now."

"s'pose so..."

yuss

STRAIGHT TO RAYMOND. His old +1 AC +40% move speed boots are going to Acacia now.

...

OH GOD YES

"Last tower, lads. Let's do this!"

"Big, empty room." Raymond called back.

"...huh."

SOMEHOW (I don't even fucking know how) we managed to slug through that fight in one try. This included Raymond passing out from Cloudkill and Balcerzak tanking four enemies at once - and gibbing each one in turn with his super anti-elf flail.

"I'm starting to hate stairs." grumbled Skitarii.

"Stop being a weak-ass mage and become an Elf like me!" Furetchen pranced up the stairs to prove his point.

"Fuck you, Furet."

"I don't hate the decor, at least."

"'course you don't, Tarii. Mages love extravagance."

"True that."

"...oops."

TROLOLOLOLOLOLOL

"...wring that stupid bastard's Elven neck..." muttered Raymond.

"Guessat I found, lads?" asked Furetchen as he strolled back.

"Last piece of the machine!"

"Goddammit Luka. Why'd you spoil it?"

"It's a twenty-five pound gear you're trying to hide."

"Pfeh. Shall we finish this floor then go back to Larrel?"

"Yeah, sure."

I covered this entire floor with three shots. Essentially, it was groups of one Officer that Acacia and Raymond cut down, interspersed with rooms with a small amount of gold or some potion. One room had that sword and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

"A...Druid? Excuse me, sir!"

"Hm? Hello there, adventurer, and welcome to the Arboretum."

"Well then! A proper greeting! It's nice to see some manners. If you don't mind my saying so, this doesn't look like much of an arboretum."

"Ah, yes. The spell, you see...it killed everything here. I was forced to watch, fully aware of my surroundings, as all my precious animals and plants died around me."

"That's...terrible. Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Seeds that sprout in harsh conditions? Some pure water? Even a few small animals who need a new home..."

"We'll keep our eyes open. Later, man."

"Nothing useful, but look out for ...like, seeds and shit. I like helping Druids."

TRAVELING MONTAGE

"Yo! We're back."

"HMM? Did you bring the parts?"

"Yeah, two more as requested."

"Let me see those! ...praise be! You've brought it all back! Intact, too!"

"So you can fix it?"

"Give me a moment!"

"Welcome to my home, adventurers. Please...give me a moment to collect my thoughts."

"Uh, sure, no problem man."

"May I have your names?"

"I'm, uh, Luka. This is Furetchen and Acacia, those are Balcerzak and Skitarii, and he's Raymond."

"I see. I assume it wasn't pure altruism that caused you to fix my Astrolabe."

"Uh, no, not really."

"What may I do for you?"

"Well actually I was kinda curious as to what happened here? You see, I'm a Bard and..."

Larrel told Luka everything he could about the time of the Tower's glory. Luka reveled in this.

"...and then the Dwarves sealed their pact to betray us."

"Oh, man, that shit was tight. Um, hey, do you recognize this diary?"

"...it belonged to my daughter. She left and I never saw her again..."

"What happened to her?"

"What the FUCK do you think happened?! DWARVES! MURDERED! HER!"

Luka backed right off for a few minutes to let the Lich simmer.

"Um, so, back to why we saved you?"

"Yes, adventurer. Speak."

"We got the Heartstone Gem and we need you to use it."

"That is within my power. What knowledge do you seek?"

"There's some evil plaguing the North and it's kinda starting to piss us off, so we want to break it."

"I will see what I can see."

*UNSKIPPABLE CUTSCENE ENSUES*

"...Dwarves."

"Heh?"

"The Dwarves of Dorn's Deep. The same ones who betrayed me and my people. They are the cause of your grief. I will mark the location on your maps, but I can teleport you all there if you desire."

"Uh, can I consult with my fellows first?"

"Please, do."

"Guys, we've got it now."

Luka explained everything he had just been told.

"...and he can teleport us there directly if we want."

Acacia perked up. "Think he could take us back to Kuldahar, so we can offload all this junk?"

"Kid's got a good point." said Furetchen.

"I wouldn't mind visiting a certain Mage..." mumbled Skitarii.

"I'll back Tarii up just to back him up." added Balcerzak. "And Raymond doesn't give a shit."

"I'll ask him, then."

"...Larrel?"

"Yes, Luka?"

"Could you instead take us to Kuldahar, that we may stock up before traveling to Dorn's Deep?"

"That is also within my power. One more thing, before you go: the Dwarves are evil creatures. They will give no quarter so long as a single one remains alive. Kill them. All."

"We're pretty well practiced at that, Larrel."

"Good then. Farewell, adventurers, and good luck. Do what I was never able to do. Away with you!"

"...whoa."

[IGdood]

Well at least you're free of that fucking maze, good job! However there will be one really fucking annoying battle when you hit the next area.

Also, Dark Elves >>>>>>> that Moon Elf of a Furet. Not the evil ones, I made a Chaotic Good Drow Cleric (wtf, you say?)

[Luna]

I. Feel. Successful. Finally beat Icewind Dale I, by myself, and I managed the final battle on my second try without anyone dying! :D Better than my dad can say, like 3 of his dudes died, one of which was slaughtered beyond resurrection... but yup, I feel successful. My bard almost died... and my thief almost died... but I saved them and just had them shoot arrows from afar after a bit... to be honest, I can't help but wonder who dealt the final blow. Oh well. Off to Dorn's Deep for you eh? You probably won't get another opportunity to go where you want after you reach the end of Dorn's Deep... I didn't realize that I wouldn't be able to go back until it was too late to... so save often if you're gonna have business in the rest of the world, and trust me, if you want to completely help out that druid in the severed hand, you're gonna need to trek ALL THE WAY BACK OUT from just about the VERY END of Dorn's Deep. Have fun!

[Integrity]

and trust me, if you want to completely help out that druid in the severed hand, you're gonna need to trek ALL THE WAY BACK OUT from just about the VERY END of Dorn's Deep. Have fun!

...

Fuck. Really?

[IGdood]

Not exactly Dorn's Deep...you can still go elsewhere after you hit the icy place.

[Parrhesia]

Also, Dark Elves >>>>>>> that Moon Elf of a Furet. Not the evil ones, I made a Chaotic Good Drow Cleric (wtf, you say?)

I swear, there are more CG Dark Elves rebelling against a sorrowful past than there are...Dark Elves who have actually embraced their culture and are just dicks.

AT LEAST I HAVE MY PRIDE

So, uh...what in particular happened at level 10 to my guy?

[IGdood]

Too bad there aren't any good Yuan-Ti. The closest thing I can get to being a Yuan-Ti was to make myself of Yuan-Ti descent in IW 2.

[Luna]

I don't remember being able to leave during the ice place... :( Darn wish I'd known that earlier. I never backtracked but still... lol. But yeah, you gotta go real far back from like right before the end of game roadblock to the ice place apparently, which is still pretty damn far. Also, it's still technically backtracking from Dorn's Deep 'cause you go from upper Dorn's Deep, to Wyrms Tooth (the ice place) to Lower Dorn's Deep... sooo yeh... I found Lower Dorn's Deep to be the most exceptionally annoying, partly from the excess of flesh to stone spells that an enemy seems to be able to cast, along with traps of flesh to stone. and you don't get stone to flesh spell until right as you get the last of the stuff for the druid in the arboretum. T.T a.k.a right at the end of the game, and for me at least, AFTER I had already gotten past all the petrification crap. D:< But yeah, you get to do LOTSA runnin around. Have fun! On the bright side, in upper Dorn's Deep you get something REALLY REALLY COOL... in my opinion anyway... oh, and the number of 6th level spells you get in there for your mage... o_O eek. There were so many to choose from... and she only had 1 spell open... it made me sad...

[IGdood]

Finger of Death is a badass spell to know.

[Integrity]

I'd imagine so.

Today's update consisted entirely of offloading the proper shit to the proper people in Kuldahar, but I still had occasion to take a few shots:

He didn't actually GIVE us anything. Apparently this quest V1.0 is broken and only rewards XP :(

Zak actually ended up with 50hp because I tried again to see if talking with Skitarii would fix it instead. It didn't, but at least we got a better level out of it.

And I only get one. I pick Flame Strike.

I bought this and verified it was infinite-use because what's 30k gold anyway?

And so we travel for 80 hours. TOMORROW:

CHAPTER FOUR: DICKING AROUND IN DORFLAND

[IGdood]

Annnnnd I just beat Icewind Dale II. Moving on to Baldur's Gate now.....gaming marathon...

and yes, I know I'm neglecting my LP thread.

[Integrity]

Hectic day, so a late and probably short update. Sorry!

----------

"I was expecting more." muttered Acacia. "Looks the same as the rest of the damn North."

Shortly afterwards, the party was accosted by a Neo Orog. The Orog accused Raymond of trespassing. Raymond taunted the Orog.

This proved fatal for the Orogs.

All of them.

"In here?"

"Huh?" Balcerzak came up behind Raymond. "Yeah, guess so. Luka says there's nowhere to go back there..."

Skitarii stepped up. "So this is Dorn's Deep, eh?"

EPIC BATTLE SCENE.

"That was it?" asked Furetchen.

"Oh shut it, you slept through the whole thing."

"No, I mean that was all those ...mushroom...men, things?"

"S'pose so."

"I retract my statement."

Flame Strike does not disappoint.

"Exit up here!" Raymond shouted back to the group.

Everyone scuttled in for a look then began muttering amongst themselves, finally deciding against taking it.

"Ettin." Raymond spat. "COME! FIGHT ME!"

"FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!"

The party watched in mute astonishment as Raymond dismantled the massive creature.

Alone.

"Holy shit Raymond how the?"

"Don't ask him, Luka. Prolong the magic."

"Yeah sure fine."

Now that I've proven Raymond's might, I can properly support him with holds.

Acacia even gets in on the fun!

"How many more of these bastards do we have to fight?" groaned Furetchen.

"Lots, boss. Ain't you ever heard of Dorn's Deep?"

"Er, no?"

"Well neither have I, but I'm pretty sure it's full of Giants because Giants hate Dwarves and didn't Dwarves live here a long time ago? They've probably all died and been replaced by the Giants that killed them."

"That's..."

"...brilliant!" finished Skitarii. "Sheer brilliance!"