Act Four, Part XII: Twilight, Bastion, Ruins of Botai, Party level = 35

Part XXXI of Aielund Saga Walkthrough Guide. Continuing from Part XXX: Border Ethereal. The Aielund Saga is a NWN Module for BioWare's Neverwinter Nights 1.

Twilight

Blackwood Tower 

We step through the planar gate into the Halls, and then take the door leading to the plane of Twilight..

Portal Chamber

It seems we're stuck in Twilight until we can find a means to reactivate this portal.

Southern Waste

The cold air hits you in the face like a wet brick. You've never felt anything quite like it. - DM.

This place seems peaceful enough. But there is definitely something wrong here, I can feel it. - Nellise.

There is literally nothing but trees in this wasteland, so we take the north exit into..

The Bastion

A Knight of the Bastion refers us to their leader in the fort, one Katsumi Sato.

If we cannot find a way to leave this place soon, we will most surely die here. - Commoner.

We keep the peace. Do not break it, or we shall break you. - Knight of the Bastion.

The merchant can't offer us wares, at least at this stage..

We enter the great fort...

Inside the Bastion

Welcome to the end of the world stranger. None of us are leaving here alive. - a Commoner.

You wish to speak with our leader? She is in the large chamber to the north. - Knight of the Bastion.

Katsumi requests that we retrieve a crystal from the ruined city of Botai, in the west. The crystal can reopen the portal and we, and her people, can finally leave this frozen wasteland (which was devastated by a Saqaarin cataclysm - a fate that Aielund will also meet, should we fail in our quest).

While in Batai, we'll also be keeping a look out for signs of previous expeditions.

Two other people of interest dwell in the Bastion.. Sakumi the engineer stands between two giant crystals, in the middle of which is an empty mounting bracket - into which the missing crystal must be placed to reactivate the portal.

An unusual character model

Tetsuo Umezawa is the Bastion's weaponsmith. He requests we retrieve for him a flawless ruby from his workshop in the Botai ruins so that he may set it onto a sword pommel..

We buff up and take the western exit into...

The Frozen Forest

The only enemies lurking in the forest are two Shadow Tigers  (+500 EXP ea).

We head west..

The Glacial Wall

We pound two raging, cold-breathing Glacial Juggernauts into submission (+1330 EXP ea).

We weave our way around and over a massive iceblock.

In the far west, a third Glacial Juggernaut - this one guarding the entrance to Botai - is ripped a new asshole.

Ruins of Botai Level One

The city appears to be completely deserted. Ice and snow cover the once magnificent alleyways. - DM.

This place has been abandoned for a very long time, but the sense of being watched is almost overpowering. Can you feel it? - Nellise.

They've really let the place go. If I lived here I'd fire the maid. - Robert.

This used to be a thriving city, 'til war destroyed everything. I am sick of war, and conflict. - Nellise.

*Robert whirls around* Did you see that? I swore something was moving.. - Robert.

Cold cold cold... never warm... always cold. - Apparition.

Apart from their fear effect, the Apparitions seem to be quite passive - at least for the moment..

In the northernmost chamber:

Look out! We're surrounded by... what the hell? - Robert.

Five Apparitions, who briefly scope us out and then fade away..

• Corpse of Knight of the Bastion: Legendary Crossbow of Might +10 (Bonus feat: Rapid Reload, Extra Ranged Damage: Bludgeoning, Mass crits 20, Mighty +5, Unlimited +5 bolts), Armor Piercing Bolts (198), Potion of Heal.

Finally! Crossbow bolts for Nellise...!

A long, gated alleyway now leads to the second area..

Botai Ruins Level Two

The air is noticeably warm in this part of the complex. - DM.

The misery in this place is palpable. Let's get this over with, I feel something terrible is awaiting us. - Nellise.

We step into a large torture chamber with several encaged skeletons hanging from the ceiling..

Blood showers us and screams are heard all 'round..

Ugh! - Nellise.

What the hell?! - Robert.

It was an illusion, nothing more. A memory of horrors past. - Terinus.

+1500 EXP.

Phew..

Back out to the main alleyway, a crazed warrior, a survivor of an expedition, frantically approaches us.

I fail my persuade check, so Terinus Weirds him. Poor guy..

• Crazed Warrior: (+11 EXP), Amulet of Natural Armor +7, Fine Katana +7 (Keen, 2d10 mass crits), Fortified Cape of Winter (+7 AC def, Cold resist 20/-, Saves +5 vs. cold).

A few more paces south down the alleyway..

These runes are wards against undead. This place has been sanctified. - Nellise.

The chamber contains only basic utility loot:

• Bookshelf: Meteor Swarm, Melf's Acid Arrow (2), Mordenkainen's Sword, Power Word, Kill, Wall of Fire, Summon Creature VIII, Elemental Swarm, IGMS, Sunbeam.

• Alchemist's Apparatus: Potion of Epic Healing (4), Potion of Heal (5).

On the opposite side of the alleyway is an unsanctified chamber infested with eight Frozen Undead, who Terinus zaps and incinerates (+112 EXP ea).

In the southernmost "pit chamber" I lure eight more Frozen Undead down into the pit, into which Nellise then targets her AoEs.

A water-logged corpse is found in the pit.

• Yasuo Koga: Ninja-to of the Planes +7 (+2d10 Slashing, saves vs Mind Affecting +5, Keen, 2d10 Mass crits, on-hit Slay DC-16 Aberration), Belt of Agility +8 (DEX +8, Freedom), Koga's Ghi +8 (DR 20/+6, Freedom, Haste, Hide/Move Silently +12), journal.

The journal reveals Yasuo to be the last survivor of the ill-fated expedition, and lover of Katsumi.

East of the pit is Tetsuo's workshop. We take the Flawless Ruby from the forge, causing a Nightmarish Apparition to manifest (+56 EXP).

After that harrowing incident, we head east and then north across an abyss, at which point eight more Frozen Undead are forthwith roasted and imploded.

Botai Ruins Level Three

No less than eight Elder Water Elementals bathe in this flooded section.. (+350 EXP ea).

Even in the heart of this forsaken city, something beautiful can exist. - Nellise.

Water cascades from the flooded platform, drowning out all other sound..

Botai Ruins Level Four

The heat in this chamber is intense. - DM.

Defend the crystal. Protect the core. Obey. - Quicksilver Golem.

This pure adamantium golem zeroes in on Terinus..

Everyone in the party participates in the lengthy melee..

• Quicksilver Golem: +1386 EXP, Blackice bastard sword +7 (+2d10 cold, 50% imm bonus: cold, Cone of Cold [15] 3/day), Quicksilver Armor +8 heavy armor (Freedom, Haste, Imm: Crits, Knockdown, Sneak Attack), Glacial Shard Shield +8 (25% cold resist,  10% fire vulner, on-hit Freeze [15]).

The chamber looks identical to the one inside the Bastion, except for the installed crystal.

I now use the control panel to deactivate the power system, after which I safely remove the Sun Crystal from its mounting bracket.

Now in possession of the Sun Crystal, the Flawless Ruby and the journal, we begin backtracking out of the Botai ruins.

Frozen Souls have manifested now, seeking the warmth of the crystal - eight each on levels three, two and one (+490 EXP ea).

Guarding the exit to the ruins is the Shadow of the High Priest.

The gem must remain! - Shadow of the High Priest.

All the Priest did was summon a weak Shadow Lord, then feebly claw at us with cold/divine/neg-en (+1330 EXP).

We exit the ruins..

(En route back to the Bastion we killed off four respawned Glacial Juggernauts and two more Shadow Tigers).

Level Up to 35!

(Epic Characters)

Lilura: Champion of Torm (19) / Paladin (12)/ Fighter (4)

Robert: Fighter (35)

Nellise: Cleric (30) / Paladin (2)

Terinus: Wizard (35) gained 5 lvls...

Back Inside the Bastion

We now have three deliveries to make..

Firstly, the Flawless Ruby is delivered to Tetsuo (+3500 EXP, +5000 EXP).

We loot the sword from his corpse: Blackened Skies, Burning Rain +8 katana (CHA -6, +2d8 magical, Keen, Mass crits 20, Storm of Vengeance [17] 3/day).

Tetsuo's death throe anim was amusing

Secondly, I now socket the Sun Crystal for the engineer, thereby generating power to the long-dormant portal.. (+5000 EXP).

Lastly, Yasuo's journal is delivered to Katsumi.

Make way for the Heroes of the Bastion! - Knight.

The citizens of the Bastion give you a resounding cheer. - DM. 

Thanks to your bravery, our long vigil will soon be over. All glory to Lilura! - Knight.

Before leaving the Bastion we buy a few things from Rei Tagashi: Boots of Hardiness +4 (AC dodg +4, CON +4), Fortified Cape of Winter +7 (Cold resist 20/-, saves vs. cold +5), Bracers of Armor +7, Bracers of Dexterity +6 (-250,000 GP).

We now backtrack to the Southern Waste and into the Portal Chamber wherein the portal to the Halls is finally activated by means of the control panel.

Stepping into a mirror, the heroes now find themselves back in familiar territory: The Hall Worlds. 

Perhaps for the last time, we gate back to Blackwood Tower in preparation for our assault on Archeron and the confrontation with the minor deity, Abaddon!

Next Up - The Aielund Saga: Act Four - Part XIII

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