Let's Play! Icewind Dale

[Integrity]

Heh. I realized last night as I was falling asleep that I've now got an Eclipse and a Luna. Now I just need to get Naglfar in here...

[Integrity]

Mondo update!

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"Somehow I expected more." muttered Raymond.

"...ah."

Fireball works its magic. GEDDIT

"Why," asked Balcerzak as he patched Raymond up, "was that guy hiding in this dead-end room with about ten guards?"

"Maybe he was important?" Acacia proposed. "I dunno, I wasn't really listening to his speech."

"Oh well, I sure as hell didn't lose sleep over it. Onwards!"

"HOLY --"

Raymond scooted well clear of the Yuan-ti, back to his comrades. Once returned, he detailed the situation to them.

"So we got a proper fight?" asked Tarii.

"Yep."

"Well then I know what to do."

"Standard procedure?"

"Don't you just know it."

"FIREBALL!"

Raymond ran ten feet away from the target.

"FIREBALL!"

Raymond repeated the procedure, then turned to mop up the remaining two singed Yuan-ti.

"SLOW YOUR ROLL GUYS AND DO NOT MOVE!"

"Case?"

"Traps EVERY-FUCKING-WHERE."

"Well get to!"

"Already on it, boss!"

Balcerzak glanced sidelong at Skitarii. "You know, eight Elites in front of a door, plus some backup, plus all that traps...what you want to bet whatever we're looking for's back there?"

"Almost a guarantee, my friend."

"S'what I figured. Raymond, let's take the side door."

"'kay."

Meticulous thoroughness will pay off eventually!

"Oh, grand." Luka wrinkled his nose. "We found the kitchen. I'ma be outside if you guys need me."

"At least sing and inspire us from out there!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure."

"Dammit! Why can't they leave things unlocked anymore like goblins do..."

I wish to explain why I gave this shield to Acacia instead of Raymond.

Regular, unenchanted shields are AC 1, this is AC 3. That's a gain of two for either of them, obviously. Acacia, however, is squishier and needs a little booster shot. I also don't want Raymond to be ignored by, uh, anything in combat ever. As a minor final point, Raymond would have lost a 15% evasion versus missiles, which he takes a lot of.

And WALLOFTEXT.

Acacia also got this, cause he doesn't need Charisma anyway.

"Arright, Ray. Pop it." Furetchen commanded.

Raymond stopped abruptly. "Luka, this is a talky room."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

"Alright, I'll trust you."

Luka stepped in. "Hello?"

"You've made it this far."

"Oh, hey, you're that weird-ass little girl."

"Tell me, why do you ruin my plans?"

"Well! Where do I start? You're trying to freeze the town of Kuldahar, you brought a mountain down on top of us, you stole the Heartstone Gem even though we want it, and your dudes attacked us first even though we were really just visiting."

"...really, now."

"Yep. This is where you stop talking and start dying."

The girl laughed. "Foolish, foolish mortal. You will pay for invoking the wrath of Yxunomei."

"Wha?"

"OH FUCK!"

"So, uh, now what?"

"She's probably just akin to a really tough Cleric. As a Cleric, I propose Raymond tries to bait her spells until she attacks."

"So same thing we always do for casters?"

"Basically? Yeah."

Cloudkill, Animate Dead, Hold Person...

"INCOMING!"

"Ineffective? INEFFECTIVE?!"

"FUCK! Magic resistance?! HEY, CASE! CATCH!"

"Luka?"

"USE THE BOW!"

"Ah, Raymond...Zak. Sonofabitch."

"Was that even worth it, Luka?"

"Yeah, she's got the gem. Casey, you got the wand?"

"Right here."

"Right then. Once more, with feeling!"

WAND OF GAMELON

"The f--"

"Welcome back, Zak."

"Hey, Tarii. We lose?"

"Actually, we won but came back for you."

"Aw, thanks. How'd we pull it?"

Skitarii explained the plan to Raymond and Balcerzak while Acacia strung his new pet bow.

"ALL TOGETHER NOW! GET 'ER DONE RIGHT!"

"FUCK YES!" Furetchen pumped the air with his fist.

"Got the bitch!"

"She's been taunting me so long..." mumbled Luka. "I might miss her."

Per usual, I forgot to take a picture of Luka's levelup. Suffice it to say he got nothing but an extra cast of Flame Arrow.

"Arright, we gonna raid the shit outta this tomb?"

"Right behind you, boss!"

"And I'm right behind Raymond. Go go go!"

And we unlock the chests and...

Eh. New arrows.

The fuck?

Hat for Raymond.

Skulls for the Skull Throne!

And a bunch of gems and money and shit. Let's get our asses back to Kuldahar, STAT.

[IGdood]

That Yxunomei was one of the bitchiest bosses I've ever fought. Complimenting her also leads to hilarious conversation results. She'll still kill you anyways.

[Luna]

I love and hate that fight. I had to do it like 4 times. My final strategy was run like hell, then when they got to me Yxonomei had no more spells and I just fireballed them until every enemy except like Yxonomei and a priest were dead. Then fighters with lots of cleric support... Surprisingly, no one died :D

[Integrity]

Sorry for my tardiness! Life intervened; I slept in and then grocery shopping took a little longer than usual on account of it being a large load and snow abound. Time now for the update-which-isn't-really-an-update.

To open, I left my game running while I had an AFK. I came back to this:

Fuck you, Tarii. Fuck you and your prospective Skull Throne.

Wait, what?

So let's go see Arundel for the only dialogue and only plot forwarding that will happen today.

"Treeman! You're okay!" Luka shouted in relief.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I am. And the Gem?"

"Right here!"

"And Yxunomei?"

"Uh? ...dead, of course."

"Excellent. I couldn't have engineered this any better."

"Wh-what?"

Arundel laughed. "She must have told you about her old enemy she was fighting. I am he. Arundel is busy bleeding to death upstairs. Thank you for your assistance, goodbye."

"Wh...wait, what?"

"TREEMAN!"

"Luka...my boy...do you have the Gem?"

"Of course, of course! We'll get you healed!"

"No. I...am dead already. Take the gem to the Severed Hand. Larrel...the last Archmage...take it to him."

"Where?"

"Nature...will guide you. Goodbye, Luka."

"T-Treeman?"

And so it ends. His staff fetched a decent profit but we're rolling in money.

Also:

I can buy it, Fureth. But I didn't.

TRANSACTIONS MADE:

We sold everything needed selling, and bought Luka Melf's Acid Arrow so he'd have an offensive 2nd level spell.

Skitarii got randomly dead and had to be revived since I wasn't good about saving today. -2000 gold :(

Sheemish gave me a key to a chest?

Luka got a new weapon. Why does it replace his halberd? Because it's one-handed, and I can use the offhand slot for something I can buy, namely...

And now you know why we bought Melf's.

Finally, amidst the soft words of Balcerzak and the sniffling of Luka, the party set out for another destination.

[IGdood]

Ah, the Severed Hand. Scout with a stealthed character, otherwise you'll really end up in a bad situation. Eh what am I talking about? HEH. I shouldn't spoil it for you.

Are you playing blind or with a guide?

And also, we should make better use of our time.

[Integrity]

Guide? PA HA HA HA HA

I've played every part of this after Easthaven blind with the single exception of trolling guides to figure out what the fuck was going on over floors 2 and 3 of Dragon's Eye or wherever we just were.

[Luna]

Advantages of watching my dad play when I was 9: I now am unsurprised by most developments in both icewind dales and baldurs gates. granted, I forget some stuff but it helps a ton because I can plan what to do next much more easily. :D

[Integrity]

My dad always preferred Baldur's Gate so he never made it far in Icewind. I watched him play - through about Easthaven. :P

[Integrity]

Short update today, folks.

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One hundred and twenty hours of travel. Fuck you, Arundel.

CHAPTER THREE: DICKING AROUND IN THE ELF HOUSE

And what we missed here thanks to not being able to screenshot cinematics is a Lich ghost walking out of the keep, accusing a squirrel of being a treacherous Dwarf, and Fireballing it. What?

"One way to go." grunted Raymond. Everybody piled into the door to be greeted by:

"That...uh, really wasn't all that bad." mumbled Luka in shock. "Was that supposed to surprise or hurt us?"

also zug-zug oh god I'm so juvenile

Frankly, I don't think I'll even try to plot this shit up. It just begged for Fireball.

To be PERFECTLY honest, this looks like a filler episode. Raymond charges on and kills things and nothing happens. I don't even have dialogue because nobody else does anything. Good thing XP is shared.

And then I learn the value of scouting with stealthers (so I didn't listen ) and have to reload.

And proper usage of the party's abilities results in a clean win. Yeah. Filler much?

[IGdood]

Yeah...very filler. Those fuckers spawn from your rear and sides if you get far enough into the map.

[Integrity]

Well, today's episode is less filler. Good news!

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Well, okay, 'cept the first picture - that's pure filler. Seriously, what the fuck is with this axe? It's not even a proper +2; it has no THAC0 bonus!

----------

Furetchen slunk stealthily along, noting and reporting enemies to the party as they appeared.

Very promptly, he failed once.

"You're supposed to DODGE the tentacles, you dumb shits!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, TARII! We don't all have your super robe!"

Skitarii sighed. "Get a damn move on, Zak! Seriously!"

Furetchen crested the top of the stairs and looked around. "Intrud-OWW!"

Skitarii giggled hysterically. "Guysguysguys I survived aheheheheheh"

"Jesus, Tarii, hold still. I'm trying to fix you."

"Trying Zakkie but my everything isn't doing what I tell it to is that bad?"

"No, that's...er, just fine. You'll be okay."

"Okay good thanks!"

ACTION MONTAGE!

Yeah, that was the whole montage.

"Guys?" Furetchen called back. "It's, uh, REALLY dark over here!"

"Don't you have elven infravision or some shit?" shouted back Luka.

"Dammit, Luka! That doesn't help at all!"

"oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck" muttered Furetchen as he stood as still as he ever had. "Go away, Wargs, go away go away..."

Thirty feet away:

"Where in God's name did these Wargs all come from? And where's Furetchen?" asked Balcerzak to nobody in particular.

"Probably from him, and I dunno." answered Acacia.

COMMUNITY INPUT OF THE DAY! We've got rubble up, rubble down, and stairs up. Where do we go next update?

Furetchen entered the final room and saw shiny things lying on tables, waiting to be grabbed. He checked around for hidden enemies, then gleefully obliged them.

"The FUCK?!"

"OH GOD OH GOD OH GUYS HEEEEEEEELP"

"BREAK FOR THE STAIRS!" shouted Luka as Goblins started spawning everywhere around the party. "WE CAN BAR THEM OFF!"

"WHERE - THE FUCK - IS FURETCHEN?!" Balcerzak yelled.

"COMING, BALCERZAK! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

Balcerzak rounded on the Thief. "What the FUCK was that?"

"I don't know! I was just grabbing magical stuff in perfect safety and as soon as I touched this morning star all that shit happened!"

"Give it to Luka. I hope this was at least WORTH IT."

Luka addressed the fuming Cleric directly. "Uh, Balcie? I think this was worth it."

"Why the fuck do you say that, then?"

Balcerzak's eyes abruptly filled with joy. "That's...that's a Priest's mace."

"Yeah, well, it's for you buddy."

"Thanks, Luka! ...and thanks, Furet."

"Yeah, sure, no problem."

DO YOU SEE HOW MANY MAGIC STONES HE CAN CAST NOW HOLY SHIT

[IGdood]

Take the rubble up.

[Acacia Sgt]

I'd say to take the stairs.

[Balcerzak]

I'll be contrary and say rubble down.

[Scarlet]

Oh no, not the Severed Hand! I never completed that chapter in any of my playthroughs. Partially because I remember some of the encounters around here as utterly ridiculous, partially because I often lost interest in the game at around this point. :/

Thing's a tower though, right? I'll say Rubble Down, then. Should be the first path to end in a dead-end, if I am right.

[Integrity]

I generally try to hit all the dead-ends first for loot. Plus, this is an Elvish tower right? Do we get ELVEN CHAINMAIL FOR CASE AND LUKA? :o

[Luna]

That place was annoying if only because of something you gotta do later that takes forever if you missed something, and because the fights have huge differences. They're easy one moment then annoyingly difficult the next, though it seems you've already noticed THAT part and your weaker units will be doing lotsa running. oh and be sure your mage never runs out of spells because they make life MUCH easier... until you hit your own party with your fireball of course... and I'm not sure about the chainmail... I don't recall getting any but some treasures apparently change each time you play so might be different for you...also, my dad liked Baldur's Gate better too but he beat both icewind dales and baldur's gate 1 but hasnt managed shadows of amn yet. He couldn't beat the last boss and his computer died so he's playing through again but we haven't played in a bit... I'm currently in the literal last room of baldur's gate 1 but haven't worked up the courage to try it out again yet. Do I have to beat ALL the enemies or JUST Sarevok??? I'd feel much better if it were the latter... on icewind dale I'm a bit further than this but not much... I need to pick up those games again... aand finally: rubble down rubble up stairs up in that order if i recall correctly ;P

Edited December 9, 2010 by Luna

[IGdood]

The Severed Hand is a complete maze of sorts when you go about exploring, not to mention the ambushes that spring around from all sides (as well as your starting point) as soon as one of your units cross some area.

Good thing the dungeons after this are....better.

[Integrity]

Stop trying to discourage me, dipshits. Do you want the LP to continue or not? :P

Oddly, I was wondering just today if Acacia had vanished forever, 'cos I hadn't seen him post, well, anywhere in a while.

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"Arright lads, back up and at 'em! Let's go find those Goblins!"

The party rushed up the stairs, breaching the top in a fashion most dramatic, to find themselves face-to-face with...

"The hell? Where'd they all go?"

Raymond laughed uproariously. "YES! Fight me in twos, Goblins!"

"...hm."

"Well that spun outta control quick." observed Luka from his vantage in the back.

"How would you know? You don't even fight." Acacia retorted.

"I don't need to. I can sing and watch you guys."

RUBBLE DOWN!

"No...enemies? Boss, you better check around."

"Yeah, Case, already am."

"Stairs down." noted Furetchen. "Score! ...wait a minute..."

The main force heard a trap plate click!, followed by a muffled "oh for fu-" - this last followed by another click!. Upon arriving, Balcerzak meticulously scanned the still form of their leader.

"Huh. Seems the stasis from the hold trap is negating the poison from the poison trap. Most interesting...Skitarii, come have a look at this."

"Eh? Oh, my."

"So what were you running back to tell us?"

"How'd you know I was running back?"

"'cos your body was stuck in a 'running back' pose."

"Cheeky fucker. I was coming back to tell you we're back on the first floor."

"Well that makes sense, dipshit."

"No, I mean those stairs in the next room are the ones we just took."

"...then that means these stairs down are..."

"Yeah."

"Dammit. Back up?"

WTF WHY WON'T IT LET ME

Oh. Wrong rubble.

"Rubble up! C'mon guys, scrabble faster! Faster!"

"Look, Zak, we can't ALL be Raymond."

"Yeah Tarii but you can try. Go!"

"OW!"

Luka tittered. "Allllways you, Furet."

"'kay, get forward now."

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

All archers. This'll be fun.

"The FUCK did Furetchen do this time?!" yelled Balcerzak.

"Doesn't matter! Fight 'em off!"

"Actually, all things considered," said Skitarii, "that wasn't all that bad. Especially considering lunkfish here was stone-still the whole time."

At that, Raymond finally came out of the Hold spell placed upon him at the very beginning of the fight. "AT YOU, FIEeh what?"

"Welcome back, Ray."

"Huh?"

"Okay guys! Form up and I'll tell you what's in --"

"Ooh! Loot!" Luka interjected.

"From the shadow dudes?"

"Yeah!"

"oooooooooh, if I didn't love my shield so much..." mourned Acacia.

"Alright, execute the plan!"

Raymond moved ahead and the line of archers ran away which was FUCKING ANNOYING but anyway. Balcerzak, Acacia, Skitarii and Luka followed him in pairs and each pair stopped to fire a single volley at a farside archer to kill it. Worked like a charm. Balcerzak even, as you can see, GIBBED ONE with Magic Stone.

"Neat-o!" muttered Luka. "Here you go, Balcie. If we ever fight any Elves..."

Balcerzak grinned. "You just gave me a 'keeping Furetchen in line' weapon. Thank you."

"No problem."

"Next room, boss?"

"Ahead full!"

-----------

If this were made into a movie, Raymond would be played by the hammiest actor I could find.

[Parrhesia]

BRIAN BLESSED AS RAYMOND.

YES.

I'd take Gabriel Byrne for myself

[Integrity]

BRIAN BLESSED AS RAYMOND.

YES.

I'd take Gabriel Byrne for myself

I cannot say who Gabriel Byrne is, but as I was showering just now I had the precise same thought for Raymond.

[Balcerzak]

"Huh. Seems the stasis from the hold trap is negating the poison from the poison trap. Most interesting...Skitarii, come have a look at this."

Here I should be, trying to heal the dude, but studying the bizarre spell synergy takes precedence. I am awesome.

[Acacia Sgt]

A trap negating the other?

Though not unknown to me, but to negate poison while paralyzed? Well, I suppose it could work...?

[IGdood]

Hmm.....that means I can hold my own allies to negate their poison...then again sooner or later the cleric learns stuff to negate that anyways.......wait none of us here are clerics right?