Detour to Fire Leaf Forest

Back in Nashkel once again, Verr’Sza and the others, even Gorion’s old friends are starting to look up to him as a leader. After clearing out the mines and defeating the leaders of the bandit camp, the Troupe needs to decide their next move.

22 Flamerule 1368

We drink in the Nashkel Inn to decide what to do next. The last we heard of Tazok, he was in the Cloakwood. That would be a good place to start, but it is far in the north. I suggest we explore the border while we are down here, see if we can put to rest whether or not Amn is involved in the Sword Coast Conspiracy.

We start by travelling to the south, toward the Cloud Peak Mountains and into the Fire Leaf Forest.

23 Flamerule 1368

We travel through the night and approach the forest in the morning. The Fire Leaf’s welcoming party is a small group of skeletons.

Khalid is struck in his should by an arrow, but we make short work of them before their arrows can strike true once more.

After the fight, Verr’Sza tells me he has learned a lot on our travels together.

I give him proficiency in crossbows so he can attack at range. He also gains increased Death, Wand, and Polymorph saving throws, his THAC0 increases by 1, and he gets 9 extra Hit Points. His Lore also increases by 1 point.

Jaheira has a suggestion for Khalid as she works the skeleton’s arrow out of his shoulder.

Khalid: You are not trying to get me to switch p-profession again, are you, Jaheira d-dear?

Jaheira: Nonsense. I just wouldn’t want to see you surrounded by enemies with just a hilt in your hand. I think you should keep a wooden weapon in reserve…

Khalid: Yes, that m-might be a good idea. Though, as you know, none of my tools has ever f-failed me yet.

Jaheira: That’s because you’re lucky to have me to keep them well maintained.

Khalid: And some of us just f-find sharp weapons, like words, so much more satisfying to resolve d-disputes than blunt ones. Though I must say, you can employ both with f-facility dear wife.

Jaheira: Hmph, flatterer.

Khalid: P-perhaps I can carry a spare sword or two?

Jaheira: And *those* might break too when we’re leagues away from the nearest smithy. Hmm… I knew we should have grabbed that two-hander for you… even if the price *was* outrageous. Something that can go through stone like that won’t break any time soon.

Khalid: Th-that would have taken up most of our money. And we were in C-Calimport a long w-way from our… employer. N-not to mention that the merchant w-wanted us to pay for the p-potion of strength needed to pull it out from where it was s-stuck.

Jaheira: You are right. The smiths hold their iron in such respect!

She sniffs.

Jaheira: Wood is cheap and dependable. Any piece may be carved from its root, ripped from its branch, shattered from its trunk, and it will continue to live and hum with all of nature’s vitality. *Nothing* beats a good club or a sturdy spear with a fire-hardened tip! NOTHING! Those smiths!

She snorts.

Khalid: Ahem, c-control your temper, my dear. At least until t-tonight.

What happens tonight?, I wonder, as Jaheira finishes patching him up. It’s just a flesh wound, so we continue into the forest. As we go to cross a stream we hear the familiar yipping of a kobold.

Verr’Sza puts a crossbow bolt through its skull and we move on.

Strange to see a lone kobold. Is it lost, or are there more around here? Perhaps it is fleeing the mines after we killed Mulahey?

We encounter more skeletons deeper in the forest.

The valley is narrow making it easier for us to fight our way through them.

After killing a few we come across some destroyed and abandoned homes. Xvarts or gnomes must have been living here before the undead arose.

We search the area but find nothing of interest. These huts were abandoned long ago.

That is until we move on and come across a kobold, an xvart, and, is that a tasloi? They don’t seem hostile so Rose approaches them.

Rose: Why would an xvart, a kobold, and a tasloi be wandering around calling themselves Larry, Darryl, and Darryl?

Larry: See Darryl, I told you these guys were the wrong generation!

This is a reference to Newhart, a show that I was too young to enjoy when it was on air. Maybe I’ll get around to watching it some time.

They leave us, seemingly disappointed that we didn’t know who they were. They’re a strange troupe of travellers. But we have humans, elves, and even a rakshasha in ours, so perhaps we are even stranger to them.

We find another skeleton near a lake. It is alone so we destroy it easily.

As we circle the lake we hear that incessant yipping again. Sure enough there are kobolds here, and unlike Larry, these aren’t friendly.

And there are a lot of them.

Arrows start flying through the air as some of the small lizards charge toward us. I ask the Weave to put them to Sleep.

Most of them fall unconscious at the bidding of the Weave. The others keep closing in on us.

Edwin summons a couple of slimes to help as Rose starts to work the Chesley Crusher through the kobolds. I wonder how Mur’Neth would feel about Edwin using his kin this way.

Rose keeps the kobold guards at bay, but a commando hits her with a flaming arrow.

The guard dies and we turn our focus to the only kobold still awake when they all rise. I am struck by an arrow as I prepare to put them back to Sleep.

I take another arrow before they fall unconscious again. I ask Corellon to restore me once again.

As I do so, the others finish off the kobolds that are still awake. We just need to deliver a coup de grâce to those still sleeping now.

The last kobold awakens to see the corpses we’ve made of his friends. We quickly send it to join them.

After the battle I heal Rose. Khalid takes their Arrows of Fire for his bow. They carry a few trinkets and are mostly armed with short swords, short bows, and Gnome Stikkas.

We cross a small stream and find ourselves at the foot of the Cloud Peak Mountains.

As we explore the mountains, Edwin’s slimes return from wherever the Weave pulled them from.

We wander for a while and are surprised by a couple of bandits on the road.

Rose: The fastest dart thrower? What, is he escaped from the circus or something?

Are you some sort of moron? The fastest dart thrower in the west?! That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. Bring it on, Vax. You tell Zal to show us his stuff.

Vax: HEAR THAT XAL? Seems like they don’t take you seriously. Guess it’s time to show them what for, huh? Sorry, guys, but you’re in for a world of hurt.

Rose brings the Chesley Crusher down on Vax. Edwin hits the fastest dart thrower in the west. I ask the Protector to confuse Vax.

Zal heals himself and Vax swings his battle axe into Rose, staining her white dress with blood.

Rose drinks a Potion of Extra Healing and Zal does the same. Zal looks confused as he heals, almost dropping his axe to the ground. Jaheira asks the forest to help Rose Regenerate if she is hurt again. I prepare a magical Battering Ram to knock Vax down.

The spell hits, but it fails to make Vax stumble. Vax keeps drinking healing potions to try and keep himself alive.

Zal ignores us, staring into the sky as Vax fights for his life.

Vax is impaled on the Chesley Crusher and we turn our focus toward the confused dart thrower.

Distracted, he is easy pickings for Rose.

Vax’s weapon was enchanted in some way. It’s no wonder it hurt Rose so badly. Unfortunately my book-smarts can’t help to identify it.

The dart thrower carried a decent amount of darts, but was also carrying a spear as backup. I also cannot identify this weapon.

Edwin feels a bit vulnerable so he conjures some Armour from the Weave. He doesn’t feel any safer, however.

I forgot he had this spell and I wanted to see what effect it would have given his equipment. It turns out there’s no benefit with this spell anymore, so I’ll change it to a second Larloch’s Minor Drain.

We encounter another group in the forest, these ones heavily armed. They seem like Amnian soldiers.

Rose: Are you saying that Amn does not threaten Baldur’s Gate?

Sendai: Of course not. Our mighty nation has better things to do than attack some self-important barbarian city. Anyhow, take our advice, and go back from whence you came.

Rose: Before you go, who are you that would roam about the Cloud Peaks? It is a very dangerous place at this time of year.

Sendai: I am Sendai, of the noble merchant house of Algrims, foremost family in Amn. Delgod, Alexander and I have come out here to hunt game. Though perhaps you would make for better sport. I assume you would have no problem with this?

Rose: What kind of monster would hunt his fellow human like a wild animal?

Sendai: Of course I was not serious. What I said, I did in jest. You with your barbarian mentality would of course misconstrue my meaning.

Rose: Well, perhaps you won’t misconstrue this. Draw steel!

Sendai: Why, it seems that we have stumbled upon some berserkers. I had suspected as much when I caught your scent a few moments ago, but your behaviour clinches it. Delgod! Alexander! Let us make short work of these peasants.

Before any of us can say anything, Rose is rushing Sendai with the Crusher. We draw our bows and I ask Corellon to Curse our opponents.

Sendai attempts to stay alive with a healing potion.

But Rose presses on too quickly and she falls. Delgod is cursed by the Protector, but Alexander has positioned himself far away from the spell’s range.

Rose continues her advance on to Delgod, but he manages to fight back with an arrow or two.

Rose finishes him off as well, and heals herself. Meanwhile Alexander has turned his attention to Jaheira, sinking an arrow into her. She quaffs a Potion of Healing before another arrow can hit her.

Rose rushes across and the Chelsey Crusher claims another victim. As the last soldier falls, I am a little stunned. What was that? Rose just saw red and killed three soldiers. She’s been getting pretty aggressive lately.

I take her at her word and we search the corpses. Sendai’s companions are well armed, with enchanted arrows and Potions of Healing and Extra Healing. Sendai herself is wearing some magical studded leather armour.

Her weapon is a magical scimitar, though Verr’Sza has no need for it.

We leave the corpses behind, unburied. We don’t even take the time to scalp them.

We encounter more skeletons within the forest.

Rose holds them at bay while we take them out one-by-one.

Our encounters in the forest have taught Khalid how to be a better officer.

He gets improved saving throws against Breath and Spells, a bonus of 1 to THAC0, 11 extra Hit Points, and 1 point of Lore.

We are surprised when we encounter a lone boy in the forest. He seems distraught.

Verr’Sza: Hah. That’s going to be funny.

What does the rakshasha mean by this?

Albert: ‘Scuse me. I ever so sowwy to bother, but could you help me? I’ve lost my little dog and I can’t find him. He’s probably ever so scared wight now.

Rose: Certainly, little one. I would be glad to aid you. How will I recognise him?

Albert: You will? Oh, thank you so vewy much! I just know he’ll be alright now! Poor Rufie isn’t used to strange places an’ people. You’re sure to know him when you see him, ‘cuz he’s the cutest little thing. Here, take this as well. His favourite chew toy, it is. He’ll know you’re a friend if you have it in your hands. Thank you so much again!

Rufie’s “chew toy” is a mangled bone with bits of flesh still hanging off of it.

We have no idea where to look for this dog, but we see what we can find anyway. As we search the area we encounter an old man. He hasn’t seen the dog, but he has a request for us.

Rose: And who might you be, old man?

Ordolath: Well… well, welcome. I am so happy to see anyone but the undead moving about in the area! I am Ordolath and I take my sabbaticals here. You know, sometimes it’s nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Baldur’s Gate…

Rose: That’s all really nice, but what in the nine hells do you want from me?

Rose seems really agitated lately. Ever since she got that halberd.

Ordolath: Nothing special, friend, hehe. It was my poor fortune that made me forget my candle when preparing for this trip. Without my candle I am not able to write in my diary or read my books. The nights here are very dark… You just can’t imagine what that means to such a book lover like me!

I think I can. My whole life was books until a few months ago.

So I have an offer to make you. If you will spend a few days to help me and bring me my little wax treasure, I will reward you as best I can! And do not believe the reward will be a poor one! Apart from 2000 gp, I can offer you a precious item that I’m sure you will like… So? Would you help me?

Rose: Sounds interesting, tell us where can we find that house so we can bring you that… candle.

Ordolath: Excellent! From the first time I saw you, you appeared to be trustworthy! My house, young friend, is in the northern part of the Gates, not far from the Northern Ward. It is a white house behind the blue mage-tower. You can’t miss it. Well, please hurry. I will be waiting impatiently. See you soon!

He wants us to go all the way to Baldur’s Gate and come back to the Amnian border for… a candle? Something feels off about this deal, let alone the fact that the Gate is closed to outsiders right now.

We pay it no mind for now, and get back to our search for Rufie. We don’t find the dog, but Rose notices a small stash on the ground.

Inside she finds a scroll that can summon arrows of fire.

I didn’t actually know this cache was here. I just got lucky holding Tab at the right time. Before the Enhanced Edition or the Baldur’s Gate Trilogy mod, this would have been much harder to find by accident.

Nearby we have another lucky break as a large dog charges toward us. It growls angrily, but seems not to want to hurt us. Rose holds the toy toward it and it starts to wag its tail.

It’s larger than we thought it would be, more wolf than dog. Not what I would call “cute”. But it wants the toy so maybe…

We go back to Albert and the dog follows us. As soon as Albert sees the dog he screams with excitement.

The Weave starts to swirl around the boy and his whole body starts to grow, his skin shifting to a dark read tone. Huge horns sprout from his forehead, and thick leathery wings force themselves out of his back. As its tail hits the ground, the demon that now stands before us starts to talk.

A portal appears and they step through. We are all but stunned at this encounter, except for Verr’Sza. De he already know what the boy was? Can he see through illusions?

I look at the trinket the demon gave us. It is but a small gem.