Back in the inn, the party convened in the room we had rented out for rest.
"We have a few pressing quests before us. All are worthy of our attention, so the issue is to figure out our priority before we start preparing spells. I think we can safely put aside Prism and the emeralds for now. As for the rest, we are agreed that our choices should be between investigating the Mines, finding Brage, or saving Dynaheir?"
Agreement all around.
"Then I want to hear from everyone. Which quest should we prioritize first?"
We moved clockwise from me, starting with Khalid first.
"I-I-I'll go with what Jaheira says."
I frowned at Khalid, then at Jaheira. Jaheira nudged her husband with her elbow.
"Wha- oh. Ah. Er. I…," Khalid kept stuttering, looking to his wife nervously who refused to look at him.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then gestured to move on. "We'll give you some time to think."
Jaheira was next to Khalid, naturally. "I promised Berrun Ghastkill that I would bring an end to the plight in the mines. And yet, at least ostensibly, the of plight of the damsel captured by gnolls may be more urgent."
"I vote for helping the man with the hamster first!" Imoen said. "Maybe he'll let me pet the it."
I gave her a raised eyebrow, but let it go.
"As a damsel who needed rescuing, I vote we help a fellow damsel who needs rescuing," Neera said.
Branwen was next. "I am too new to this group and am still finding my bearings. I have no input on this decision."
My turn. "Good fathers are hard to come by. Based on what we know of the man prior to his rampage, it's sad that Brage was driven to such a horrible act. I'm keen on seeking Brage out first, but I do understand that during the weeks Brage has been missing there have been no new victims."
We had gone a whole round and was back to Khalid.
"I-I-I'll go with what Jaheira said."
I gave up. There was only so much I could do. "In spite of some doubts, it looks like we are largely unanimous," I said, then scratched the back of my head. "I don't suppose we would have time to check out the carnival before that?"
"NO!" everyone said at once.
I grinned. "Just joking."
…rats. I normally get to do some shopping first. Guess I should chalk it up to differences with the game. Speaking of which…
I sat up. "Everyone, go ahead and rest up. I've got some chores to take care of first."
Imoen looked up at me. "What'cha up to?"
"Checking out something I spotted earlier, and got some things to do with the Nashkel Store."
Imoen insisted on coming along, annoyingly enough. She didn't have spells to prepare, so she may as well keep me company, she said. Meh.
Since Imoen was with me, I had to pretend to be combing the farms in the west for clues rather than head straight for the hidden treasures.
"What are we looking for exactly?" she shouted across the fields. I had put her to work to help me to speed things up.
"Do you buy that the mines are filled with demons?" I shouted back.
"Nope. Things be bad now. But if demons be involved, things be much worse!"
"So we're looking for tracks. Something that steals food," I replied.
Well, no. Not really. But it was a good excuse. I wish Imoen would hurry it up so I can move on.
"Ah found something!" she soon shouted.
YES! Go Imoen…
I hurried over, expecting marvelous goodies. But what she had found, were really tracks.
"You were right! But what tracks do these be?" Imoen said while checking the tracks out.
Three-toed, small footprints with claws. Some evidence of scales. Oh, I knew what it was. Should I say?
"Can't quite tell. A bit blurry? Let's keep looking 'til we find better examples to describe to the rest."
Imoen grimaced, but we kept going. Thankfully, I didn't need to wait much longer after that.
"Sonny, come quick! I found something good!"
I rushed over. Imoen was turning around a green set of plate armour (at coordinates x=184, y=2740), made of lightweight material.
"Look who is getting lucky now?" I said. "Guess you can compete with me after all."
She gave me a scathing look for some reason before turning back to the armor she was holding. "What is it even?"
"Plate armour?"
"I know that doofus! I mean why's it green? What is it made of?"
I shrugged, despite knowing full well why.
We called Khalid and Branwen out of the room to join us at Nashkel store, as we refitted the Ankheg Plate Mail (that's what it was) for Khalid and refit his old plate mail for Branwen. Branwen inherited Newbie Trap #3's shield and helmet, and also got a new warhammer and sling. I also bought a simple wooden case, long enough for a two-handed sword.
I did not dream often, but that night my dreams were vivid.
I found myself back amid the stones of Candlekeep, but outside. The gate was closed and barred, the old life at Candlekeep blocked to me.
A familiar voice called to me, 'You cannot go back this way, child. You must go on.' A shade of Gorion formed before me, and pointed towards the woods ahead.
The wood was dark, and the travel would be hard.
A smooth and obvious path revealed itself in the corner of my eye. This other path seemed meant for me, pulled at my very being, and promised to quickly lead me to my destination. The easy path.
Ooooh, how tempting. I liked easy paths. Did it make sense to make my life more difficult? But I knew what this whole dream sequences was, even as it happened in a dream, if that was what this truly was.
In spite of the pull towards the clear path, I stepped forward through the woods. Doing things the hard way should prove more interesting, if nothing else.
As I left, a sinister whisper followed me, something vestigial and sinister that you recognize, but yet have never heard,
"You will learn."
When I got up, I felt my new abilities under the surface of my skin, obeying my beck and call. I massaged my temple, considering what came next.
Yeah, this was going to take some explaining to the rest.
The party gathered around me as I sat up in bed, still in their night clothes.
"You can cast healing magic now? Just like Jaheira or Branwen?" Neera asked incredulously.
"Just once a day. A simple healing spell, that's all," I replied. I held my hand out, feeling the magic at the edge of my fingertips. I didn't waste the spell just to show off, of course.
"Even the simplest of divine magic granted by the gods is of big significance," Branwen said, then sat on the bed next to me and asked for my hand. "May I?"
I gave her hand, which she held with both of hers and she began murmuring. Done, she let go and shook her head. "I can determine that the power you speak of is genuine. But as to its origins, it is difficult to say. There's almost a touch of divinity, but it feels hollow. Like a vestige of a dead thing."
"Creepy," Neera said nodding to herself as if she was right about something. What was up with that?
"Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up with new powers too," Imoen laughed, "I wanna summon hamsters to terrorize my enemies!"
Jaheira and Khalid were rather silent throughout the whole sharing session. They just sat and listened, while sharing unreadable glances with each other.
When I first played this game so many years ago, I was playing as a paladin. Funnily enough, since I was a paladin, it didn't strike me as odd that I suddenly developed the power to cast Cure Light Wounds. I thought it was a paladin class feature, not an inexplicable special power granted by some sort dream-state mumbo jumbo.
As we walked out the inn, a certain bald irritation (not the Minsc) was waiting for us, sniffling. Rasaad got on his knees. "I can't make ends meet. Please, I'm not useless."
Everyone stopped walking, and looked to me.
No! Taking Rasaad along is NOT the more difficult yet interesting path the dream was talking about.
I groaned. "Nobody's useless. Not even him. I don't want to take Rasaad because I value each of you," I explained to them, not Rasaad. "Which of you would I give up for him?"
My companions now looked at each other. Not so keen on taking him on now, are you?
I continued to explain, "Monks do have a place in a certain adventuring parties. They offer certain advantages which can justify their presence. A unique role, if you will."
"Certainly not me then," Neera un-volunteered herself immediately.
Trust Neera to be the first NOT to volunteer. But she wasn't wrong. "Monks are not replacements for mages, obviously," I concurred.
"I am honor-bound to pay my debt to the war party," Branwen said, arms crossed. "A monk cannot replace the skills offered by a priest either."
"We already have a druid though? That's a type of priest," Khalid said, to my surprise. "And Branwen just only joined us."
"True, but Jaheira is a warrior druid. She can't cast as many spells per day as a dedicated cleric," I said. "Besides, I want a solution for undead. Branwen stays."
Branwen gave Khalid a side eye briefly, then said, "Monks are warriors. He should take Khalid's place then."
Jaheira, who had been silently observing with crossed arms, planted her fists on her sides, fire flashing in her eyes. "Now see here you-"
I put up a hand indicating her to stop. "Monks are warriors true, if inferior ones. But they can provide something that warriors cannot. They can find and dismantle traps or scout. Better at the former than the latter. Which means in a party with two thieves…"
I sighed and lifted a hand, my pointer finger out-stretched.
In the corner of my eye, I saw Imoen braced herself for the worst. Jaheira glanced at Imoen, aware of her concern but kept silent.
I closed my eyes and pointed at myself. "It's me. I am both a thief and a warrior, who wears limited armour. That's what monks are, essentially."
And I'm obligatory.
In the corner of my eye, I could see Imoen put a hand on her chest and breath out, relax.
Neera tapped a finger on her crossed arms. "Huh, so you're saying we should dump you for Rasaad. Now there's a thought." She looked to the rest, then back at me. "Can we get back to you on this?"
Oooooooh, that pink irritation! "No, you may not. Let's go."
We left Rasaad behind, kneeling in front of the inn for alms.
The journey westward proved… eventful. First, we were waylaid by an angry ogre. Rather than engage it in melee, we pelted it with arrows and bullets until it came close, at which point I finished it off from the shadows with my quarterstaff.
Then we ran right into an xvart village, who attacked us on sight. One particular xvart seemed to disagree with our take on what happened.
"You monster!" Nexlit the xvart pointed an accusatory finger at us. "You kill us when we do nothin' to you. Well, Ursa kill you. Ursa protect us because Ursa kind."
"Uh, who's Ursa?"Neera asked the obvious question.
A roar from the southern path we had come from answered her. Something heavy and lumbering was running up the slope, cutting us off from retreat. A brown bear.
Right, of course Ursa's a bear. URSA'S A BEAR!
"Bear! Brown bear!" I screamed the obvious. "Positions!"
We took a defensive position with Khalid and Jaheira at the front, Jaheira casting Bless and breaking out the magic ammunition. On Ursa's part, the bear lumbered towards, uh, Nexlit?
What followed were Nexlit's screams of agony as the xvart was torn to shreds by the Ursa's claws. I guess Ursa wasn't kind after all? At least not to Xvarts.
"It's turning towards us! Shoot it! Kill it kill it kill it!" Neera screeched.
Thankfully we got out of that relatively unscathed.
There was another cave bear in a northern cave, which we dispatched. An unidentified flail, potion of fire resistance and set of bracers.
I eyed the Potion of Fire Resistance in particular glee. "Oh, what fun we shall have together!"
"Wh-wh-why are you looking at me as you say that?" Khalid asked nervously.
"Eh, no reason," I grinned.
Jaheira gave me a smack on the back of the head as we walked out the cave.
Just west of the xvart village, a traveling merchant offered us goods at extremely cheap prices. "Potions of extra healing for only 25 gold! Protection from petrification for 25 gold! Protection from magic, only 100 gold! Whadya say?" Borda said, showing off his goods.
"Potion of EXTRA healing for 25? Even a Potion of healing normally cost 50 gold," I said as I examined the product in question. The potion in question was oddly murky. "There's such a thing as too good a deal. You sure you aren't trying to pull a fast one on us?"
Borda made a loud gasp. "You wound me! I am but an honest merchant. Why, I'm the most honest merchant in the world!"
"Then you won't mind if you stay here while we identify the scrolls in question," I turned to Neera, gave her a wink.
"But I haven't prepared- oh yes!" Neera changed her tune in understanding. She rolled up her sleeves. "One, no, two identify spells coming right up."
Borda hurriedly grabbed his merchandise and started to walk off. "I can see where I'm not appreciated. I'll just be going then."
"I don't think so," I said, and cracked my knuckles. "Everyone, this con artist needs a proper thrashing."
"Ha! Pick your fights more carefully, fool!" Borda snorted, "I have access to my own magic items!"
Borda was in fact a very difficult encounter as he was a high-level mage/thief with an arbitrary AC 0 in spite of wearing no armor or magical bracers, 55HP, and an unbelievable 100% Magic Resistance. I suppose this was supposed to emulate him having pre-buffed with his magic consumables? Personally, I think this was an encounter where the developers were trying too hard to be clever, one where greedy players get robbed and even greedier players get punished for trying to rob Borda back. A battle with Borda would be challenging.
Unfortunately, Borda managed to get his opener, Mirror Image, without being interrupted. Pretty difficult to interrupt someone with AC 0 and 100% Magic Resistance. He gave us a sneer.
"Magic Missile him, now!" I commanded.
"Fool, I'm immune to magic!" Borda laughed.
I grinned back at him even as I and Imoen pulled out our wands to support Neera. "Your images, however, are not."
We blasted away with magical missiles, shattering image after image. Borda took a few Magic Missiles directly himself (which he resisted) but we took out enough images to make the difference.
Borda was definitely sweating now. He started incanting again. "You won't get a chance to capitalize on that!"
What comes after Mirror Image? Probably Horror.
"Branwen, Remove Fear."
"On it," Branwen responded and cast Remove Fear. Fun fact, Remove Fear is faster than Horror.
Meanwhile, Jaheira had cast Bless to help us hit Borda through his difficult AC. Chant would come next.
Borda would proceed to cast Magic Missiles at us. Borda's Magic Missiles are normally lethal for most people, but at our levels we simply outlasted his damage with healing potions long enough bring Borda to his knees.
Borda, beaten, looked at us nervously. "I don't really deserve to die for selling fake products, do I?"
I stood before Borda with a staff on one shoulder, the other hand pointing at him. "For trying to con us, all you were going to get was a bit of roughing up," I said, then gave him a thumbs down, "But for use of lethal force, you get equal measure in return."
Borda carried a Shortsword+1 which went to Imoen, and a scroll of Web which Neera scribed, and Color Spray.
"What about the merchandise?" Neera asked, pointing at the two scrolls and potion.
"Weren't you paying attention?" I picked them up and tossed the lot to her. "It's all cursed. You can identify them yourself later when we have the time."
As the party moved on, Neera walked next to Imoen and whispered, "Fake sure, but cursed? How did he know that?"
They shared a knowing look with each other, and continued on their journey.