ACT 4: FALL OF AIELUND, Part I: Castle Fairloch, Lords' District, Hocarum Desert, Dire Crossing

Part XXI of Aielund Saga Walkthrough Guide. Continuing from Part XX: Ironlord's Siege of Fort Highmarch. The Aielund Saga is a NWN Module for BioWare's Neverwinter Nights 1.

Fall of Aielund

To Dream, perchance to sleep...

All shall fall in glorious death! - Ironlord.

Fort Highmarch (Interior)

I awaken from another Ironlord nightmare to find myself in my chambers at Fort Highmarch. According to my journal, for two years since the victory against the Ironlord I have commanded Fort Highmarch. We were all stunned to learn that King Seamus decided to keep the Armor of the Ironlord for himself, following in the footsteps of his ancestor, Alaric (the 200 year-old man who fell out of the minogon exoskeleton at the siege, and the founder and first ruler of Aielund). In addition, apparently we're still at war with Tusone (despite my efforts in Trinity) and the King has now managed to offend the Athkalatrans with regard to a territorial dispute. Is the suit making him careless, or is it manipulating him in some insidious manner? Anyway, let's see what Criosa has to report regarding her demented father...

Ah, at last. Come, speak with me my friend. - Criosa.

Criosa is flanked by her pompous aide, Nigel. Ugh, not this outlandish fop again...

The short of it: Criosa and I hatch a plan to convince the Council of Lords to remove the deranged King Seamus from power. I must travel to Fairloch and confront the Council ASAP.

Fort Highmarch is basically locked down, you can neither head through the north gate nor south drawbridge, meaning you can't access the regions in those directions. Access to the vamps is also denied and there's no sign of the Baron and Saffron. Celebrith has returned to Acadia, but the inn and three main merchants are still open for business.

Before leaving, I settle a trivial dispute between Lady Deirdre and Mister Wainwright (+800, +1500 EXP).

I'll be traveling to Fairloch by means of Criosa's "fine looking conveyance" (- DM). Meh, I think I deserve my own and gold-gilded, but this'll have to do...

Lord's District: Fairloch

I arrive at the Lord's District in Fairloch where a protesting rabble have turned up to jeer at me.

Look at you, strutting around in your fancy clothes. You're walking on the backs of decent hard-working folk like us!

My cousin is in the army and I haven't heard from him in a year. Please, just tell me if he's still alive!

Don't you people have enough money? Lower our taxes! 

The bank foreclosed on my bloody house. Where am I supposed to live now?

- various understandably disgruntled commoners.

Best you keep moving madam, this could turn ugly at any moment. - City Watchman.

I discipline a City Watchman en route to the House of Lords (+800 EXP).

House of Lords (ground level)

Terrible fracas outside. Most unseemly. Not like the old days, you could count on mobs of people to conduct themselves in a more dignified fashion! - Councilor.

This used to be the Senate Building, where we had the showdown with the Shadow Monks and Sen. Johnson. A few councilors linger in the halls, and trivial treasure can be looted in the various receptacles.

House of Lords (first level)

In this chamber sixteen councilors are in session led by Lord Covington, the House Speaker.

What is the likelihood these Lords will turn against their King who dissolved the senate and appointed them to these positions of power?

 

I head off to the Royal Arms inn to await the councils resolution. A series of brief cutscenes ensue (with appropriate brooding cello piece - srsly, the music in this Saga is A1).

Firstly, Lord Covington betrays me to his liege, King Seamus. That bastard...

 

Secondly, many knights and Terinus raid the inn. I am king-hit by a knight and captured by the authorities.

By order of the King, you are under arrest! - Terinus.

Don't worry, I will get you out of here! - Criosa.

Thirdly, I am judged.

You have been found guilty of high treason and will be executed at dawn. - King.

Father, no! You cannot do this! - Criosa.

You are in league with this traitor? Then you too will be punished! - King.

And lastly, I am executed...

For your treachery, you are to be executed by firing squad. Sentence to be carried out immediately. - spineless Duke Montague.

Archers! Stand ready!

Take aim...

Loose!

*PC is executed*

Pity. - Terinus.

 

Hocarum Desert: Chasm

*PC is raised from the dead by Nellise*

You awaken with a terrible headache. - DM.

The short of it: my body was smuggled out of Fairloch by Nellise at the behest of Criosa (who has been exiled from the Kingdom of Aielund).

The angelic trio reforms! *group hug*

We must travel to Tusone and seek the aid of King Osric.

I stand in what amounts to rags (Death Shroud and Shadowed Hood). I don't even have a weapon. All of my phat lewt is gone, including six full inventory layers, twelve full Bags of Holding and about 300,000 GP! Plus muh Barony!

Nellise managed to salvage some light items from my body, namely the Ring of Elemental Earth (Greater Stoneskin 1/day), Belt of Fire Giant Strength (+5 STR), Amulet of Natural Armor +5, Ring of Regeneration (Regen +4), Nymph Cloak +4, Panther Figurine (capped at lvl 20?) and a few lousy potions. Better than nothing, I guess.

Criosa comes "complete" with Criosa's Armor (DR 10/+4), Healer's Kit +6 (4) and a Dagger +0! (I borrow her dagger for now.)

Oddly, she's been adjusted from Rogue (15) / Wizard (9) to Rogue (12) / Wizard (12). Dah fuq?

Nellise is grateful to at least have her Priest's Robe (+2 AC vs. evil), a Mace and Healer's Kit +3 (4).

Ok so! Time to leave the camp and start adventuring again!

East of the campsite is a destroyed bridge, still aflame.

I destroyed the bridge to prevent anyone pursuing us. There's no turning back now. - Criosa.

Without the bridge, any pursuit should be thwarted for a good long while. - Nellise. 

Two scurrying scorpions (+12 EXP ea) are squished en route to the western end of the map.

Desert Highway

Three ravens flap lazily away as I approach a body lying on the road.

It would seem this traveler has met an untimely end. - Nellise.

What was your first clue, Captain Obvious? Could it be the...

... Arrow-filled corpse? Tattered Leather, Tarnished Gladius (yes, a weapon for me!), Empty Water Bottle, Composite Shortbow +2, Bodkin Arrow (20), Arrow (99).

The ravens unnervingly continue circling overhead, waiting for us to leave... or also die. 

An injured old man resting nearby (Najjar) knew the dead man, and will die of thirst if we can't bring him water soon.

Tusonite Outpost

Ah, the Aielund/Tusone border. I hope the guards are not too suspicious of us... - Criosa.

You must be careful here, one false move and the border guards will likely attack us. - Nellise.

This outpost is guarded by a Tusonite Commander and six unmounted Chevaliers.

Yeah, these guys aren't letting in those whom they perceive as lowly desert-roaming vagabonds, that much is certain. The gate can be bashed down (eventually!) or Criosa can attempt to unlock it, fail in her attempt (DC-50 [success not possible]), and then cast Knock to open it. However, the guards obviously go hostile and they're extremely difficult to beat with little or no items. They also keep spawning, and in greater numbers. Moreover, it doesn't look like there's a way through there, anyway.

The journal hints of another entrypoint to Tusone "in the west", but the only other exit on this map is in the southeastern corner, which we now take.

Hocarum Desert: Ruins

Poised in the sand, ready to strike, are several Huge Desert Vipers (+380 EXP ea). With our noob weapons, these things aren't exactly cakewalked.

 Level Up to 25!

(Epic Characters)

Lilura: Champion of Torm (9) / Paladin (12)/ Fighter (4), +1 STR, Armor Skin, Great Strength I

Criosa: Rogue (13) / Wizard (12)

Nellise: Cleric (23) / Paladin (2)

We start scavenging for gear, looking for anything to equip ourselves with (but a longsword would be nice...)

Chest: Cudgel, Light Crossbow, Bolts (198), Empty Water Bottle.

Spear rack: Quarterstaff, Spear.

Atop a crumbled lookout sits a pile of bones: Tarnished Scimitar, Shortbow, Bodkin Arrow (40), Arrow (99).

At this stage, we'll take what we can get. Beggars can't be choosers.

There is a "big hole" in the southeast which we peer down into - we judge it to be deep, and would need some rope to climb down there.

An ancient stone structure stands prominently in the center of the map.

This appears to be an ancient temple to one of the forgotten gods. We should be very careful if we venture inside. - Nellise.

Mmm... maybe we'll find some rope in here...

Ruined Temple

This place has been abandoned a long time. Let's take whatever's useful! - Criosa.

In a central room stands a Statue with some coiled up rope at it's feet. I pick up the rope and the statue comes to life. I was ready for a very difficult and drawn-out fight here, but Nellise simply cast Implosion against which the statue failed it's save (+1292 EXP, Helm of Maecal [-4 CHA, +4 AC def, Imm: Fear, Power Word, Stun [13] 1/day)  various crafting components).

The receptacles in the northeastern room are looted for: Empty Water Bottle (2), crafting components, Ancient Tome (cannot read, lack Lore [+8 is not enough]), scrolls of Raise Dead, Resurrection, Greater Restoration and Heal, Potion of Lore and a set of Rusted Chainmail.

The southernmost room has its floor littered with various crafting components.

Before the door leading to the westernmost room spawn four Skeletal Guardians (+12 EXP ea). Nellise immobilizes a few with turn undead, and the rest we dispatch of the hard way.

Criosa unlocks the DC-40 door to a tomb.

It would appear to be the burial chamber of one of their high priests. - Nellise.

There are eleven sarcophagi in the tomb, the head sarcophagus containing: Ancient Full Plate (+4 AC arm mod, Slash resist 5/-), Ancient Scimitar +4, Chain Helm (+1 AC def, Disc +1), Empty Water Bottle, Amulet of the High Priest Maecal (+5 AC nat, Imm: Death/Disease, Regen +1, SR 28.)   

Upon retrieval of these items a Revenant manifests. I don the items as it manifests, before combat begins (you can't put armor on if combat is already engaged).

Die, thief! - Revenant.

 

Again I prepare for a tough fight, but Nellise simply casts Banishment on this undead foe (+1275 EXP).

As we backtrack out of the temple, Nellise casts the uber-helpful Earthquake, Circle of Doom and Flame Strike on six newly-spawned Blade Spiders (+152 EXP ea).

Nellise definitely wins the MVH award (Most Valuable Henchman) so far in the Saga. It will be difficult if not impossible for any other Henchman to top her performances with only one Act remaining.

Rope in hand, we exit the ruined temple.

Hocarum Desert: Ruins

Back outside, the Revenant intercepts us and demands the return of the amulet.
 
Returrrnnn my amulet! - Revenant

We refuse.

Revenant bout: Round Two (+1140 EXP).

We now use the rope we found in the temple to climb down into the deep, dark hole.

You climb down through the darkness. - DM. 

  

Ancient Cave

This is not a cave.. it seems to be some sort of buried building. - Criosa.

Here we crush five Giant Ant Soldiers (+12 EXP ea) and one Giant Ant Hive Queen coated with stone (+152 EXP).

Amongst piles of bones we find a Crumbling Journal, Ancient Journal (cannot read either, lack Lore [+8 is not enough]) and Belt of Fire Giant Strength (+5 STR).

So that's the forth "book" I haven't been able to read due to low Lore skill. For those who enjoy extra flavor, do not skimp on Lore!

We climb back up the rope, out of the hole, and then head south into the...

Hocarum Desert: Oasis

Returrrnnn my amulet! - 

Again we refuse.

Revenant bout: Round Three (+1140 EXP).

An oasis! Just what we needed, thank God. - Nellise.

If this is the only water around, there will most likely be other creatures here too. Let's be careful. - Criosa.

Submerged in the water are six Crabs (+12 EXP ea) and one Giant Crab (+988 EXP).

Criosa cast Fireball and Nellise Word of Faith and Storm of Vengeance, but the giant uber-tanky crustacean doesn't flip over and die without many additional slashes from my Ancient Scimitar.

I now fill five bottles with water from the ponds in the oasis; then we backtrack north to the ruins, and north again to the Desert Highway where we hydrate the most grateful Najjar (+1000 EXP, +1500 EXP).

Backtracking south to the ruins and then heading west from there, we reach...

The Dire Crossing

Returrrnnn my amulet!

Never!

Revenant bout: Round Four (+1140 EXP).

The heat in this area is far more intense than before. Thankfully you have a good supply of water with you. - DM.

So thirsty... please, give me some water! - Criosa and Nellise. (I give them both a Full Water Bottle each.)

Without water, this place kills you before you can reach the opposite side. We also take environmental fire damage, simulating the extreme heat.

So many have died here.. this is a terrible place, and I'll be glad to put it behind us. - Criosa. 

Amazing. This stone skull must have been worshipped as some sort of desert deity. - Nellise.

 

We spy another Tusonite Outpost up ahead, maybe we'll have better success parleying with these guys..?

Next up: Act Four  - Part II

Aielund Saga Act 1: Nature Abhors a Vacuum	Aielund Saga Act 3: Return of the Ironlord
Aielund Saga Act 2: Defender of the Crown	Aielund Saga Act 4: The Fall of Aielund