Subtlety of Thay Walkthrough Guide

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Subtlety of Thay NWN2

Subtlety of Thay is a NWN2 module for Obsidian's cRPG Definition of 2006, Neverwinter Nights 2. Subtlety of Thay is a traditional, party-based Dungeons & Dragons adventure campaign.

Subtlety of Thay Walkthrough

I found this walkthrough somewhere in my drafts. It is based on notes I wrote down years ago. I only wrote it up to the point of Glarondar, but have since decided to continue writing it.

Chargen. The author advises the use of FRW Character Creator in order to set your character's level (3-5) and wealth (as opposed to using the console).

• To do this, download FRW from the above link and install it; i.e, just place FRW Character Creator.mod into your NWN2 Modules folder and that's it. To play, click on New Module.

• Once you are in this module speak with Chatter & Burr in the Artist's Refuge to set your level and wealth. My fifth level Fighter received 4,450 GP; enough to purchase a +1 weapon, +1 tower shield, and set of full plate. She had about 300 GP to spare.

• Now, physically go through the process of leveling your character to fifth; then export the character, start the Subtlety of Thay campaign (New Campaign, NOT New Module), and select your character to play!

Dragonjaw Mountains Cave.

The road from Glarondar to here was long and difficult...
We trekked nearly fifty miles north to the Dragonjaw Mountain Range, to the portion they call the Tannath range.
The mountains here aren't as rugged as the rest of the range, which we could see looming off in the distance, but the climb was still difficult.
Orin Landers is one of the mercenaries from town I hired. He's handy enough with an axe, but not much else.
Mercenaries, they're all the same. All they want is their gold. Furio is no exception to that, especially not him.
We all agreed that anything found in the cave is mine to keep. Their payments were large, but a pittance of what I will get for returning the missing Amulet to the museum.
The directions we got from town were a bit off, and we stepped foot into the wrong cave a day ago and lost Katrina, the third mercenary in my group.
We buried her in an unmarked grave and kept moving.
Finally, though, we found the bandit's cave, and the amulet is just past whatever awaits us inside. It must be here. We're close now, so close... - DM dirtywick.

No, I don't have gamma issues. It's supposed to be dark, it's a cave.

Main Quest Phase 1: Recover the Amulet. The party finds themselves in a cave just north of Glarondar. It isn't explicitly mentioned for quite a while, but we are in the country of Algarond. You and your companions have tracked down a thief to this cave.. the thief stole an amulet from the Glarondar museum. The object of this segment is to recover it for curator Liam.

Companions. You will have two companions along for the ride: a Half-elf Rogue (Furio) and a Strongheart Halfling Barbarian (Orin Landers), both of whom are only second level.. however, they at least come with their own equipment.

• Set Puppet mode to ON and set Party AI to OFF. This gives you full control of what your companions do in combat.

• Switch to Strategy cam mode and turn ceilings OFF, Marquee select ON and free cam ON.

• Access your Skill tab and drag the Search icon to your Quickbar. This is how you detect traps and find secret trapdoors and other cool stuff.

• Note that spellcasters may rest in this first passageway in order to memorize their spells.

• Experience points are awarded for using Disable Device & Open Lock, but only if the PC uses the skill. Future companions WILL receive XP for such actions, however (e.g, Azumi).

• XP are also awarded for passing social skill checks (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate).

• Much of the treasure is randomized.

You are now ready to roll! 

• Have Furio unlock the door at the end of the passageway (DC-21). Or you can find the Rusty Old Key hidden in a fake rock by the entrance (tap the Z-key to highlight items). You will be assailed by three bandits in the next room. The sneak attacker yields a Potion of Invisibility if you kill him before he quaffs it.

Wood Pile: Torch. Barrel: Light Crossbow, Bolt (99), Potion of Cure Light Wounds (2).

 
• There are a few bandits hanging out in the shrine to Cyric to the west. One of them drops a Small Key that unlocks a DC-27 chest holding random treasure (it can vary greatly). Ignore the secret door behind the boulder. You cannot get through there until later in the campaign.

 
• Return to the first room and activate Furio's Search mode to detect the traps down the next passageway.

 
• Slay the two bandits in the next room. You will notice a Strange Door that cannot be unlocked conventionally. This door is vital to the plot but you won't be able to get past it at this point.

• Have Furio unlock the other door (DC-24).

• Slay the bandit ringleader in the next room (300 XP) and loot her corpse for the Ancient Amulet (+1 to all stats) and Gloves of the Hin Fist +1.

• Loot the ringleader's desk for 300 GP and a Note with Instructions. It seems the bandits were contracted by someone named Zuma to steal the amulet (Quest: Who is Zuma?)

Wine Crate: Thieves' Tools +1, Healer's Kit +1, Potion of Lore (3), Potion of Bless (2), Potion of Lesser Restoration, Potion of Cure Disease, Potion of Cure Light Wounds, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds. Armoire: Cleric's Robe, Conjurer's Robe, Monk's Oufit, Warlock's Outfit, Banded Mail, Leather Armor, Padded Armor, Studded Leather Armor, Chain Mail, Hide Armor, Scale Mail, Heavy Shield, Light Shield, Tower Shield. Weapon Rack: Arrow (99), Bolt (99), Bullet (99), Dagger, Scimitar, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Longbow, Shortbow, Sling, Dart (50), Throwing Axe (50). Weapon Rack: Great Axe, Falchion, Warmace, Quarterstaff, Halberd, Spear. Weapon Rack: Battle Axe, Hand Axe, Dagger, Short Sword, Club, Warhammer, Mace. Locked Chest: Wand of Moderate Summoning (Summon Creature III, 5, 1 charge/use), 9 GP.

• The door behind the rock face cannot be accessed (at least at this time).

• Ok, we're done here! Backtrack to the first passageway and exit the cave to the surface...

The Road to Glarondar.

 

The party will find themselves in the northeast of a wilderness area on the outskirts of Glarondar.

• Head west across the bridge and slay the wolves that attack you on the other side.

To the south a trio of bandits will try to rob you. Take your pick:

a. Intimidate them (DC-15). They will run off like cowards (50 XP, Evil +1).

b. Slay them if you fail the check (unconfirmed).

c. Bluff them (DC 11). Tell them Zuma sent you to drop off payment (100 XP).

The dialogue suggests that an item (a book?) or gold has been removed from your person, but nothing seems to be.

d. Pay them off. Give them 50 GP to leave you in peace (50 XP).

Quest: The Dead Religion, Documented. Just to the west is an unkempt graveyard. Step inside to disturb a ghast that is feeding on a corpse. Slay it, being wary of its on-hit poison.

• Loot the corpse of a priest behind the statue for the Tattered Journal & Masterwork Cold Iron Throwing Axe x50.

The journal covers battles fought during the decline of the spirit-worshiping wild elves of the Yuirwood. Hold onto it if you wish to complete this quest once you reach Glarondar.

• Slay the Aglarond Longdead (skeletons) that spawn as a result of looting the corpse.

I believe the skellies won't spawn and you also won't receive this quest if the ghast is dead when you loot the corpse.

Quest: Poor Tarvis. Ok, head farther south to meet Tarvis, a diminutive merchant standing beside his broken wagon.

Tarvis requests you retrieve the goods that were stolen from him by the bandits. Take your pick:

a. Threaten his life and then kill him (Chaotic +3, Evil +3, 200 GP, Cloak of Protection +1).

b. Tell him you have better things to do.

c. Accept his request to retrieve the stolen goods from the bandits. See below.

Head east along the road and cross the bridge that leads to the other side of the river. Thar be bandits here.. who will attack on-sight. Slay these dogs and loot the captain's corpse for Scale Mail +1.

• See that yellow tent? You can actually walk inside it (I don't want to tell you how long it took me to work that out). But if you're in Strategy cam mode it will be extremely difficult to see the lockbox within it. So switch cam modes if that's the case. To no surprise the lockbox is locked (DC-28). By default Furio won't be able to unlock it. Maybe you're a better rogue.. otherwise, just bash it open and loot Tarvis' Stolen Goods.

Note: In the southeast of the map there is a transition marker that takes you to Watchwall Camp; however, nothing can be achieved there at this point in the story. Forget about it for now.

Return to Tarvis and take your pick:

a. Lie about having the goods. He will see through your deceit and turn hostile, forcing you to slay him.

b. Deliver the goods without a hitch and don't let him scam you (120 XP, 200 GP). The lil' fellow will thank you and trundle off to Glarondar.

Odd: The goods are not removed from your inventory.

c. Destroy his "ill-gotten" property in front of him; then kill him (200 XP, Lawful +3, 200 GP, Cloak of Protection +1). Completed Quest: Poor Tarvis.

Ok! We're done with the wilderness for now. Head southwest and click on the transition marker to be whisked away to the city of Glarondar!

Note: Don't leave valuable items on your companions as they will be lost when they leave the party in Glarondar.

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Glarondar

Glarondar... the city where I was hired to recover the amulet lost during the robbery...
My traveling companions are through with this mission. We say our goodbyes and they're all too anxious to be done.
I wonder if this journey was worth the sum of gold they earned. I have a feeling they'll stick to guarding merchant caravans for a while. 
There's a lot to see and do in town... and the day is early.

Merchant Quarter aka Visitor's Ward. Ok, your companions have left the party.. flying solo now. You start off at the southern gates. Enter the City Watch building and inform the Glarondar guard inside that you have completed Captain Borgen's task to recover the amulet (Lawful +1). He will admit you to see Borgen. A cutscene will show that Borgen is good-natured and well-liked by his soldiers.

• Inform Borgen of the recovery of the amulet and he will direct you to museum curator Liam for your reward (Main Quest: Recover the Amulet).

• Next, show Borgen the note you found in the Dragonjaw cave and he will send you to investigate Zuma, a merchant in town (Main Quest: Who is Zuma?). He will also suggest looking for work in town.

There is a locked door that leads upstairs to the second floor of the Watch building (DC-27, Chaotic +3). You really have no business being here at this stage but it doesn't break anything if you kill the guards and loot the place. This will save you a trip later, too.

It's possible to sneak in and out under the effects of stealth or invisibility.

Don't forget to use Thieves' Tools to buff your Open Lock skill.

Armoire: Wand of Frost, Sleep scroll. Lockbox (DT/OL: DC-21/28, Chaotic +3): Tax Records, 265 GP (tax money), Composite Shortbow +1, Spiderskin scroll.

Hold onto the records: they are a quest item.

The Marketplace. Take your leave of the building and stroll over to the center of town. A few merchants have set up stalls here: Mikhail, Malanta & Roya. You can win 100 GP from Rakta the ogre if you pass his three simple challenges (190 XP).

Be an ass to Mikhail for Chaotic +1.

Try to bribe a guard at the north gate for Evil +1.

Daft Dancer Inn. There is not much to do here at the moment. You can learn about what's going on in the town through Murdock the innkeeper. You can also rest upstairs. There are many half-orcs currently staying at the inn, led by Ogol Khan, who has traveled south with the goal of founding a half-orc nation in their ancestral lands, nearby. We'll be catching up with the half-orcs in due time.

Quest: In Line With Thieves. The Red Light brothel is just south of the market. Speak with Vincento at the bar and ask him about work. Turns out he's the leader of the Thieves Guild in Glarondar. Your job is to pick up a package for Vincento from Shady Shamrock in the museum, just across the street.

• Shady is standing in the corner of a room in the southwest of the museum.. looking pretty shady. You may need to unlock a door to get to him (DC-18). Of course, he isn't in possession of the package, the Tax Records.. he wants you to get them. But we already got them from the second floor of the Watch, remember?

• Tell Shady you have the records and he will request his share. Take your pick:

a. Tell him there were no records there and you will get out of coughing up the 50 GP finder's fee (Bluff DC-20, 300 XP).

b. Talk him down to halving the finder's fee (Diplomacy DC-15, 300 XP. -25 GP).

Fail your social check and you simply pay the full fee of 50 GP. No biggie.

Note: Shamrock is also a vendor, a fence.

• Return to Vincento and deliver the records (200 XP). He lets you keep the tax money and hints at future dealings.

Don't tell on Shady for Lawful +1.

Tell on Shady for Chaotic +1.

Main Quest: Recover the Amulet. While in the museum you would have bumped into curator Liam in the entry chamber. Give him the amulet and he will applaud you and be enchanted by it...

• ... so much so, that he completely ignores you and wanders off into the weaponry exhibit. Follow him in there, press him for a reward, and he will refer you back to Borgen at the Watch.

• Before you leave show Liam the Tattered Journal you found in the graveyard, penned by a Yuirwood priest. Liam will offer you 100 GP for it.

a. Accept the payment and be on your way (50 XP, 100 GP).

b. DC-16 Appraise. Insist it's worth more (65 XP, 150 GP).

c. Tell him you'll find another buyer (it seems neither Zuma nor marketplace vendors will buy this. I'm not sure who does.)

To the west of this position is a small room with an archive placeable that seems to be hiding a door. Ignore it for now.

For a lil' utility XP you can unlock the other doors in the museum: DCs 12, 15, 18, 18.

Completed Quest: The Dead Religion, Documented.

Important note: I am not returning to Borgen for my reward because he won't have it, anyway.. well, not until the main quest is advanced. Instead, I'm going to do some side-questing in town followed by the Who is Zuma? quest.

A Temple of Ilmater is located nextdoor to the whorehouse...

• For a modest fee you may receive various blessings in the shrines dedicated to several FR deities: Torm, Hoar, Umberlee, Selune, Valkur, Chauntea. Blessings are simply buffs that wear off after a certain time, or when you rest. I'm not sure of the exact spell cast by the priests, but here is their effect and alignment shift:

Blessing of Torm: +AC, Lawful +1, Good +1.

Blessing of Hoar: Con +1, Lawful +1.

Blessing of Ilmater: Immunity: Death Magic, Damage Immunity Increased (Negative), Immunity: Negative Level, Immunity: Ability Decrease, Lawful +1, Good +1.

Blessing of Selune: Damage Reduction, Spell Immunity, Concealed, Good +1, Chaotic +1.

Blessing of Chauntea: ?, Good +1.

You may rest in the northeastern room. Rolfe and his sick daughter are in here. Give them 100 GP for Good +10.

• Quest: The Temple Debacle. Inquire into work through High Priestess Daine. She requests you help her deal with the brothel that is dumping garbage on the sacred site between the two buildings. She wants the brothel shut down.

• You will need to convince people that it's the right thing to do using Diplomacy, Bluff or Intimidate (DC-12). Just run around town convincing people until your journal updates.

• Return to Daine and inform her of your success. She wishes you to head over to the brothel and request that Vincento clean up the burial site.

a. Use Diplomacy (DC-20) to convince Vincento to hand over the burial site to the temple (50 XP, Good +1).

b. Threaten Vincento for Chaotic +1. He will refuse to cooperate, and then have his bouncer throw you out onto the street.

• Regardless of whether you succeed or fail here, when you return to Daine she wants to appeal to a higher authority to have the brothel shut down. That means Captain Borgen.

• Head over to the Watch and request Borgen move on the brothel. He is reluctant as it may adversely affect Watch morale.

• Report this to Daine, who has another idea.. namely, sabotaging the inn's liquor reserves (which supplies the brothel). The crafty ol' priestess gives you the key to the inn's back door.

• Skip over to the Daft Dancer inn and gain entry via the back door. Inside, smash five of the keg racks and your journal should update. Outside, slay the thugs who came to get you.

• Report your success to the High Priestess in order to cap off this quest (150 XP). The reward is a batch of potions. Completed Quest: The Temple Debacle. —Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x3, Potion of Lesser Restoration, Potion of Shield of Faith.

Back outside you will see that the brothel has been boarded up as a result of our handiwork. Ok, it's time to look into the Zuma situation...

Zuma: Path 1

Quest: Who is Zuma? Head over to Zuma's Deals located just across the street from the City Watch, and give the proprietor (Zuma) the Note with Instructions that you found in the Dragonjaw cave. He will then reveal to you that he is a Red Wizard of Thay and give you an ultimatum: accept his job offer or prepare to die. There are two, mutually exclusive paths springboarded by this quest, which I'll name PATH ONE & PATH TWO.

PATH ONE: Accept the job. Zuma orders you to return to Borgen and convince him to abandon the investigation. If you agree to do this Zuma alludes to there being more work for you, grants you a vendor discount, and will buy stolen goods from you.

• Ok, you don't even need to pull the wool over Borgen's eyes.. he is a lil' too confident in the Watch's ability to weed out Thayans. Completed Quest: Who is Zuma?

• Quest: The Many Facets of Thay. With the watch no longer sniffing around his shop Zuma entrusts you with a package (a magically locked box) and orders its delivery to Watchwall.

• Exit town by the southern gate and follow the Glarondar road east and then north towards Watchwall. Before you reach the river a couple of highwaymen of the Watch (police) cross the bridge and head your way. Take your pick:

a. Take cover (Hide DC-22). My character was unable to do this, having no points in the skill. Your backup is Diplomacy (DC-16, 20 XP, Chaotic +1) but it's actually a bribe that really hits your back pocket (-200 GP).

b. Walk past, whistling to yourself, as if nothing is afoot (Bluff DC-16). Fail the check and it's as above.

I'm not sure what happens if you fail the social checks in a. and b. (and I refuse to reload over and over until I fail).

c. Slay them (Chaotic +3, Evil +3).

The transition marker to the next area lies in the northeast of the map.

• Watchwall Camp. A burly archer who isn't in on the smuggling ring will question you in the field. State your name and business to cruise through this situation. If you obnoxiously refuse and then provoke him to arms a Half-elf who is in on the ring will step in and lead you away, telling you what an idiot you are.

• Follow the road northeast towards the Wall and enter the Watchwall guardpost built alongside it.

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• Inside, a bodyguard will stand aside and allow you to speak with Quintius, the captain and ringleader of the smuggling operation. Quintius will take Zuma's Package off your hands and throw you some coin for the delivery (50 GP, 50 XP). Completed Quest: The Many Facets of Thay.

• Quest: Help from Thesk? Next, Quintius has another job for you.. basically, Zuma's supplies are no longer profitable enough so he's instead gonna deal with Shadowlords of Teflamm from Thesk.. the job is to find out what is holding them up in bringing the goods through a series of caves that lead under the Dragonjaw Ranges. With Zuma off your back there is no problem in taking this job, so you might as well. Quintius throws you the key to his footlocker, the (random) contents of which he makes available to you.

Why is everyone pointing at me? Don't they know it's rude?

• Before you leave ask about his old friend, Borgen.

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• Ok, the way into the caves is through an old crumbling mineshaft located at the rear of the building. The rope breaks as you drop down.. well, that's just great.

• Old Minshaft (dungeon crawl). From your starting position head north into the next chamber and slay the Blooded Goblins and their warchief, being wary of their DC-11 Fear-inducing War Cries.

• Smash your way through the barricades and ancient roots hanging down to reach a secret room with a Thomil lumbering around inside. Slay it and loot the three treasure piles for gems and gold.

• Backtrack and head north until you reach another chamber with goblins lurking about.

• Off this passage is the Chieftain's Quarters... it's a Blooded Ogre. You may rest in here once it's slain. Loot the chest and wine crate for nothing fancy, just gold & potions.

• Head north and bash through another barricade to reach the northernmost passage, along which you can only head east.

• Quan Yan & Drakkhen are fighting some bull-headed Baphitaur at the end of the passage. These are the Shadowmaster smugglers that Borgen sent you to look for.. at least, what's left of them.

• When the battle is over speak to Quan. The story is, the company lost their map and just started wandering in the general direction of the mines. Over this period of days the Baphitaur hunted them and managed to kill six of them off... Daturra the scout will show up and give a report. Looks like we'll be up against more bull-heads...

• The wagon segment. Ok, these guys will team up with you, but not as companions.. they just follow along. The object here is to follow the wagon as it runs along the tracks that lead to the mine's exit. In addition you need to protect the wagon from the Baphitaur mobs that will attempt to destroy it along the way. The wagon is basically an NPC with hit points.. if it takes too much damage it will be destroyed, the shipment will be lost, and Quintius will NOT be happy.

• Wait, what does the lever do? It blows up a boulder in the far south. This allows you to access chests holding random treasure. It isn't necessary to pull it.

Chest: Trivial treasures.

• A bat-like Cloaker is flitting around in one of the caves.

Chest: Contagion scroll, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Healer's Kit +1, Amethyst.

• Slay the Baphitaur Lord at the end of the tunnel and loots its corpse for 88 GP and Darksteel Greataxe.

• The wagon will come to a rest at the end of the tunnel.. See the rope hanging down? That's how you get out. The Shadowmasters thank you, say their goodbyes, and remain in the mines to unload the goods.

Chest: trivial treasures.

• Report back to Captain Quintius in the guardpost to receive your reward (450 XP, 300 GP). He also vendors the shipment to you. If the wagon was destroyed and the shipment lost as a result, you of course get nothing but a dismissal. Completed Quest: Help from Thesk?

Zuma Path 2

Note: I'm not covering alignment shifts in dialogue because they are trivial and there are just too many of them. I'll only cover 10 point shifts and greater.

Quest: Who is Zuma? You have been given an ultimatum by Zuma, who has just revealed himself as a Red Wizard of Thay. The ultimatum is: accept his job offer or prepare to die. The first path was covered in the previous post. Here is the second:

PATH TWO: Refuse the job. Zuma turns hostile and you will be forced to slay him (100 XP).

Zuma's corpse: Mage's Skullcap, Masterwork Quarterstaff, Robe of Bones (Animate Dead charges), Bracers of Armor +1, 5 GP.

Chest behind the counter (OL DC 26, DD DC 26): chump change.

Don't bother returning to Borgen yet.. with the note destroyed he needs evidence that Zuma was Thayan. Aren't the Red Robes and my word enough?

• The door leads to the storage room.

Door: DD DC 22, OL DC 26.

• You may need to activate Search mode if you are to reveal a hidden trapdoor under one of the crates (+150 Exp). You can also simply bash the crate to reveal it. Either way, drop down the hatch.

 

• Zuma's Basement. At the bottom of the ladder you will find the corpses of human slaves who seem to have been victims of a tunnel collapse.

• Open the door and slay the hostile Gnoll Taskmaster, Gnoll Dog Handler and their attack dogs.

Dog Handler: Dog Trainer's Mitts (Hold Animal [3], 5 charges). Barrel: Fireball Bomb. Lockbox: Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Potion of Aid, Caster's Shield (Dispel Magic & Spiderskin charges, weight -40%), 4 GP. 

• It looks like Tarvis has wound up as a corpse here.. whether you recovered the stolen goods or not; whether you slew him on the road or not. It seems he was a smuggler for Zuma.

• The bomb will be used to destroy the portal later on. Hold onto it.

• A scroll on the table is an order to clean up the collapsed debris and keep the noise down, lest Zuma - or worse, still - someone by the name of Mistress Mythrell'aa - gets mad.

• Step through the portal to find yourself in another part of Zuma's basement. Prepare yourself for a dungeon crawl.

• Dungeon crawl. You begin in the north of the map. Slay the Gnolls and attack dogs as you make your way south down the hall.

• You will reach a jail.. unlock the cell (DC-15) to free Margal, a crazy and annoying dwarf who tags along and is hard to keep alive. You can also just slay him right then and there.

Bedroll: Amethyst, Gloves of Swordplay.

• Gnolls and their Dreadwarrior variants will mob you en route to the Barracks, which is guarded by a Gnoll Half-fiend that summons a Zombie Warrior. This is a pretty tough fight. I had to quaff a fair few healing potions to get through it. Loot the shrine to Yeenoghu of its gems.. then, take the door to the west.

Door: DD DC-15, OL DC-27.

• The overcrowded slave pen is guarded by Szass Tam (a Thayan necro) and his Half-orc enforcer, Bloodhulk.

Yay for AoOs. Pity they are not animated...

• Loot the necro's corpse for the Slave Pen Key and use it to free the slaves. Just leave them behind for the moment.

Trunk: Weapon of Impact scroll (random).

 

• Backtrack and head north to Braxas Harras' study. Braxas is another Red Wizard of Thay. She reveals that the slaves are used to transport supplies through the portals. It doesn't matter what you say, she turns hostile.

• I got lucky in this fight.. I charged her, landed a critical hit (22 dmg), and then landed a second crit on the AoO provoked by her spellcasting attempt (16 dmg). She flopped to the floor like a ragdoll (144 XP at player lvl 5).

Braxas: Wand of Ghoul Touch, Darksteel Scimitar, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x2, 24 GP. Liquor Cabinet: potions and a Wand of Missiles. Workbench: gems and a Heavy Shield +1.

• Be sure to loot the Inventory Ledger from the other side of the room (250 XP). It is the evidence Borgen needs of a Thayan presence in Glarondar.

• Now, to get out of this awful place! Backtrack to the previous room with two other locked doors. One of them requires a key that you don't have at this point. Unlock the other and be careful of this trap-laden hall (OL DC-25, DD DC-19/23/19).

• The slaves try to bust their way out! As you approach the portal a second Gnoll Half-fiend catches up with you. The stupid kamikaze slaves will attack the dog-heads. By the time I reached the scene of battle, every last one of the slaves had been hacked to bits by them!

• Ok, we're almost done here. Step through the portal, slay the gnolls that follow you through to the other side, and then use the Fireball Bomb to destroy the portal!

• Deliver the ledger to Borgen to cap off this quest (500 XP, 300 GP). 

Completed Quest: Who is Zuma?

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Ok, back to the main quest...

Main Quest: Recover the Amulet. Now, regardless of whether you followed PATH ONE or PATH TWO you may now inquire into your reward for retrieving the amulet, and advance the main quest. You could have done this much earlier but I decided to complete the side quests in and around town, first.

• Anyway, Borgen assures you that your monetary reward is being "processed" and that you should come back tomorrow to collect it. Now, this "tomorrow" is a scripted one. That means you cannot just advance the day in real-time or by resting just anywhere: you MUST rest at the inn.

You can get Borgen to cough up some chump change to cover your stay at the inn, if you're cheap enough.

• Head over to the Daft Dancer inn and request a room for the night from Murdock, the innkeeper.

• Head upstairs and rest in your room until the next morning. Your room is the one at the end of the hall and you must click on the bed and choose to rest until morning by means of the dialogue choice given.

• The next day a guard tracks you down at the inn and notifies you to meet Captain Borgen at the museum, immediately! It seems there was an incident there last night...

Glarondar Museum

Important note: Before entering the museum I strongly recommend you sell off any items that you don't need, especially ones that weigh a lot like armors and shields. The reason is, you won't be able to vendor for a long time, and the last thing you want is to have your movement rate reduced due to encumbrance. Also, I strongly recommend you stock up on Healer's Kits & utility potions because resting is restricted and healing items are not abundant in quantity.

Glarondar museum. Enter the museum and step into the weaponry exhibit, which is now the scene of a crime. Borgen will hand over the 300 GP owed to you for recovering the amulet for Liam, finally capping of the first phase of the main quest. Completed Main Quest Phase 1: Recover the Amulet.

Main Quest Phase 2: Murder Mystery at the Museum. Unfortunately, curator Liam was murdered last night in the museum - and the amulet was again stolen! Therefore, the museum is in lock down until the perpetrator can be found. No one witnessed the deed but everyone present is a suspect.. including several of Liam's friends, and yourself.

• The object here is to interview the people currently standing in a circle around the corpse of Liam. When you're talking to them and digging into their personal affairs it can all seem a lil' complicated and bothersome.. but, technically, all you have to do is question the zookeeper and Lord Gusto & Madam Illaine; then, report to Borgen that you have "something on them". But it's not enough to pin the murder on anyone; and, in fact, no one present is guilty of the crime or involved in any way.

• Speak with Borgen again. This time he wants you to find floorplans in the archive exhibit of the museum. These are found in the highlighted bookcase, pictured below.

• Hand the plans to Borgen to study.. they will reveal to him that there is more to the room in the northwest than meets the eye.

• In this dark lil' room Borgen finds a switch that moves a bookshelf to the side, revealing an even darker room behind it.

• The cautious Borgen wishes to get backup before exploring the room.. but Shady Shamrock will have none of it. He won't wait, he wants whatever treasure is in there.. he rushes into the room, cries out in pain, and then there is silence.

.

• No one has time to freeze on the spot and stare at each other, though. Suddenly, werewolves & changelings scamper out to bite and claw at the group of startled suspects! Borgen is actually immortal for the purposes of this encounter, so have him tank.

• Now, explore the secret room. Loot Shady's corpse for a Lost Artifact of Ancient Narfell. On the Chemistry Workbench you will find Instructions that reveal someone was to use a passage to retake the amulet. So, Liam was killed by a Shifter! Completed Main Quest Phase 2: Murder Mystery at the Museum.

Chest: Potion of Invisibility, Dagger +1, Heavy Shield +1.

• There is a rusty lever here. Pull it. You and Borgen will hear a noise back out in the weaponry exhibit.

• Return there to find that pulling the lever opened a gaping hole in the floor, one that swallowed Geosp's creations. That is the least of our worries, though.

• Drop down the trapdoor and slide down a steep, sixty-foot chute to reach the dungeons beneath the museum!

Dungeons Beneath the Museum

Main Quest Phase 3: Dejamulet vu. Dungeons beneath the museum. Again, resting is restricted down here. You can't just rest anywhere, anytime. Instead, messages pop up to let you know that resting is allowed.. this occurs in specific areas that are deemed to be safe, and you may only rest there once.. you may not return there again and again to rest.

• Ok, take a look around.. bones litter the floor, indicative of a large battle in times past..

Companion: Captain Red Borgen of the Glarondar Guard.

• Captain Borgen will ask you to simply call him "Red", since you are now companions. By default Red is a third level Ranger but he will receive XP to match your level. You can tell Red to level as Fighter or Ranger. Fighter will give him heavy armor and tower shield proficiencies. Make sure he is wearing a proper set of armor.. the green Glarondar uniform looks great, but it's not actually armor. Don't forget to summon his animal companion. Red's alignment starts off at Neutral (50) Good (100). You may influence his alignment, too.

• Head north, slay a Wrackspawn demon.. then head down the passageway that leads east.

Companion: Azumi the Tiefling. Central Chamber.

• Help Azumi slay the Skeleton Warriors in the next room. She will now gladly join you. Azumi is a fourth level Neutral (50) Evil (0) Tiefling Rogue. At this point you have no control over her leveling package.

• Azumi is a slave of the Red Wizards of Thay who are apparently operating down here.. she was sent out by the wizards to seal the doors in this dungeon (presumably to prevent the undead interfering with what the Thayans are doing) when she was attacked by the skellies. According to Azumi her masters are up to something.. big. This is suspected because Mur Vhol is involved, an assistant to the Tharchion of the Alaor, Thessaloni Cannos.

Side Quest: The Curse. According to Red the undead down here are from the Armies of Old Glarondar. Red wishes to lift the curse on them.

• The situation. Ok, we are currently located in the central chamber of the dungeon, with three doors opening to passages leading south, north and east. Let's explore them in that order.

Three doors: DD: DC-12, 15, 15 OL: 23, 30, 22.

Southern section. Head south and you will reach an intersection that leads east and west. Skeletal undead lurk about.. a mix of warriors & mages. Head west and you will reach a chamber guarded by more skeletons. There is a chest partially buried under some rubble. Pry it open to receive some potions and gems.

• Backtrack to the intersection and head east.

• Slay the Shadows and the Wraith in an otherwise unremarkable chamber.

Chest (DD DC-18): Dark Steel Banded Mail, Magical Vestament scroll, 33 GP.

• Mini-Quest: The Butcher of Glarondar. Ghouls & Ghasts lurk in the chamber at the end of the corridor. Also, a custom mummy: The Butcher of Glarondar. Slay it (250 XP) and loots its corpse for The Butcher's Hatchet (+1, Keen, massive criticals 1d6) and Silver Necklace. Red will then tell you the tale of the Butcher.. how he was a serial killer who terrorized Glarondar decades ago. This caps off the quest.

• Have Azumi unlock the gate (DC-32) and loot the lock box (Alchemical Silver Scimitar, Chain Shirt +1).

Northern section. Fight through skeletal undead en route to the northern chamber, where an Apparition will appear and summon half a dozen skeleton warriors. Destroy them all and loot the Sanctum Key.

Sarcophagi: random garbage.

• Sanctum. Upon entry to the sanctum you are greeted by the undead general of the Glarondar armies. It will tell you its tragic tale and request you to vanquish it and end the curse bestowed upon the armies by Velsharoon. Do so, but be careful you don't get cursed in turn because its duration is permanent until it is specifically removed (or the cursed character dies, and resurrects).

• Skeleton General (111 XP), Completed Quest: The Curse (500 XP).

Armor of Souls (iron, AC +1, Saves vs. Fear +1, Death +2), Sapper (scythe, +1, Vampiric Regeneration +3), Old Glarondar Heavy Shield.

Chest: Potion of Cure Serious Wounds x3, Wand of Cure Light Wounds, Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds.

Crystal: Glow Stone.

Eastern Section. Azumi lets you know that the Thayans are somewhere in this section.

• Bombardier & Stag Beetles infest the way east.

• Azumi warns of a band of orcs in the chamber to the south. Might as well take 'em out.

Chest: Potion of Blindsight, Potion of Mirror Image, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, 72 GP.

• The two doors are locked and there is no key. Forget about them.

• The corridor that leads north is laced with traps of DCs 22, 26, 22, 26. Wrackspawn demons will also assail you.

• You will reach a larger chamber where a battle was waged between the forces of Glarondar, and those of Thay.

• Just to the east is another orc hangout.

Chest: Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x3, 13 GP, Dark Steel Banded Mail.

• Now, head north through the broken barricade and slay the hellcat guarding the exit (144 XP).

• Important note: Before proceeding take whatever items you need from Azumi's inventory.

• Showdown. Here you will encounter Anhar, Red Wizard of Thay (145 XP).

• Azumi will leave the party and stand beside Anhar.. she will tell you how she is not a slave, how she is, in fact, an assassin for hire, a merc.. and that she would have killed you, but needed your help getting past all the undead.

• Anhar will order her to kill you..

• However, he is in no position to be giving out orders. To his dismay she blinds him with a poison and takes her leave, leaving the helpless Anhar at your mercy.

• There will be no mercy, though. You have no choice but to slay Anhar despite his inability to fight back. I would have thought it logical to bind and gag him and bring him back to the guardpost for interrogation (on the amulet's whereabouts), but whatevs.

• Anhar's corpse: Potion of Magical Circle Against Alignment (Evil), Potion of Cure Serious Wounds, Adventurine, Fire Agate x2, Wand of Missiles, 15 GP and Scintillating Sphere, Scare and Mirror Image scrolls. Completed Main Quest Phase 3: Dejamulet vu (500 XP).

• Scale the boulder to reach the surface.

You And What Army / Safety First

Main Quest Phase 4: You and What Army? Somewhere Above Ground.

We exited the ruins below Glarondar, finding ourselves far from Glarondar itself.

The betrayal of Azumi was dangerous, but without it we, perhaps, would have been killed in the ruins or by the Red Wizard she weakened with poison.

Unsure of what to do next, we set up a hasty camp in the wilderness near to where we escaped the ruins below the city.

Time is of the essence, for whatever the Red Wizards and Azumi have planned, it will happen soon. We may have slowed them down, but it's not over yet. I have a feeling things are going to get worse...

• Ok, we have crawled out of a hole in the ground to find ourselves in the wilderness at nightfall. Azumi's trail has gone cold.. and Red wants to head back to the city in order to get help against whatever it is the Red Wizards are plotting to do. We set up camp until the morning.

• At sunrise we take our leave of the clearing and head into the woods, en route to Glarondar.

• Outer Glarondar. It will be nightfall again by the time you reach the city gates. But the absence of guards on the bridge and walls suggests that something is amiss.

• Click on the city gate to have Red call out over the walls.

• But there is no response, there is no one around, and the city lights are unlit.

Getting into the city. Now, there are two ways to get in - each of which awards 100 XP.

a. Over the walls. Loot the Sickle from the haystack on this side of the river, and the Coil of Rope from near the tents pitched by the guard towers on the other side of the river. Click on the gate again and combine the sickle and the rope to make a crude grappling hook with which to get over the walls.

b. Under the walls. You can drop down to the sewers by means of the nearby valve IF you pass a DC-17 Survival check (the stench is overpowering).

• Either way, once inside the walls of the city you will be attacked on the streets by citizens and guards. It seems the Thayans have turned them into mindless drones..?

• The object is to head in the direction of The Keep in order to reach the Merchant Quarter, where Red's guardpost is. There does not seem to be any penalty for disposing of any possessed friendlies en route to the southwest transition marker - in fact, you are rewarded with XP, gold, gems and jewelry! So yeah, slay away..

• Merchant Quarter. You will come out just behind the Daft Dancer inn, in the northwest of the Quarter. Non-hostile Glarondar guards are stationed outside it, behind a makeshift barricade they have erected against the "zombies". The guards are led by the dwarf, Balingrad Ironglove. Completed Main Quest Phase 4: You and What Army?

Main Quest Phase 5: Safety First. Balingrad has managed to seal the ward off by piling up garbage and corpses to block its gates.

All you need to do is clear the ward out of whatever crazies are still running a muck within it. Feel free to assist the guards in the grounds, but your mission is to clear out the crazies who are holed up inside two buildings: The Red Light brothel & Borgen's Guardpost.

• Remember Malanta the merchant? You can find her burning corpse stuck under a collapsed stall in what used to be the marketplace. Loot it for a Ring of Protection +1 and scrolls of Heroism, Displacement and Lightning Bolt.

• Balingrad gave you the key to the inn. Inside, a guard tells you to seek out High Priestess Daine in the back room. This is where you sabotaged the kegs for her.

• You may request free supplies from Daine: Healer's Kits +3 (x3), Wand of Cure Serious Wounds (17 charges).

• Alyssa Vlynna is tending to the sick, including poor lil' Shay. Rolfe is crying for his daughter.

• Lowe will give you the lowdown: how this all started, what is possibly causing the possession of the people. He has nothing concrete on the latter, only theories. Lowe is also a potion vendor but you can sell any sort of item to him providing he has the purchasing power.

Now it's time to clear out the possessed citizens from two of the buildings.

• First Building: The Red Light. Upon entry you will be swarmed by enraged entertainers and patrons, whom you must slay.

• Loot the corpse of Vincento in the back room: Malachite x3, Fire Agate x3, Vincento's Wrath (rapier, Keen, +1, Vampiric Regeneration +3), Studded Leather Armor +1.

• Upstairs. Slay more crazies and take out Templar Raddak Rhys whose corpse yields a Cloak of Fortification +1 and 58 GP.

• The only person to save is the barmaid who has locked herself in one of the rooms (DC-28).

• Second Building: Borgen's Guardpost. All you need to do is slay The Executioner on the ground floor (163 XP, 317 GP). This overgrown dwarf critted Red for 62 dmg.. We finally put him in his place, though.

• Red is relishing the chance to save the city. It reminds him of his youthful adventuring days. He becomes animated and says he could not have met a better friend that you.. a bond forged in battle! He fetches his old blade from a secret stash in his office, and shows it to you.

• Notched Blade (cold iron scimitar, +1, +3 vs. Human, +1d6 vs. Human, AC def +1 vs. Human).

A glow in Red's eyes shows a glint of the understanding of order. (Red has moved +15 towards Lawful since I recruited him).

• Return to the dwarf outside the inn and inform him of your success. He will be thankful and refer you to Daine inside. Completed Main Quest Phase 5: Safety First (500 XP).

Watchwall

Daft Dancer inn. Step back into the inn and join the hand-wringers who have assembled in its common room.

High Priestess Daine will praise you for saving the lives of the survivors by clearing the ward of the "zombies". But neither Daine nor Lowe are familiar with the power that is possessing the people of Glarondar. All they know is, the power is neither divine nor arcane and the source of it must be nearby.

• Now, since the Red Wizards have twice attempted to bring the amulet to the Dragonjaw cave - remember the strange door? - the gathering agree that a second hike to the mountains is on the cards.

• But who will join us? Lowe the alchemist and Mishka the barmaid (the one we saved in the brothel).

Companion: Lowe. Male Aasimar Sorcerer (4: Level Adjustment +1) of Lawful (80) Neutral (60) alignment.

• Spell choices by default: Burning Hands, Expeditious Retreat, Invisibility. Spells I chose: Ghostly Visage, Sleep
• Important Skills: Concentration & Spellcraft
• Feats already chosen: Toughness, Brew Potion.. (he is an alchemist)
• No multi-classing options

Companion: Mishka Rey. Female Half-Elf Bard (5) of Chaotic (10) Good (70) alignment.

• Spell choices by default: Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Sound Burst and Tasha's Hideous Laughter. Spells I chose: Sleep & Heroism
• Important Skills: Perform, Concentration, Spellcraft, UMD, Lore, Tumble
• Feats already chosen: Improved Initiative, Extend Spell. Feats I chose: Lingering Song
• Tip: Drag Inspire Courage to your Quickbar and leave it activated
• Can be multi-classed to Rogue

Main Quest Phase 6: On the Lookout for the Watchwall. Just as we're getting ready to head into the mountains in search of the Red Wizards, an injured guard steps into the inn to report that an angry mob of possessed people are at the wall; that is, the Watchwall. He then flops to the floor, dead.

• The Wall is all that prevents a full-scale invasion from Thay. If it falls, so does Glarondar. And probably the nation of Aglarond, too.*So, change of plans.. or, at least, of priorities: we must first head to Watchwall in order to break the siege.

Merchant Quarter. Take your leave of the inn and make you way to Geosp at the southern gate, who will magically levitate each party member over the wall.

.

Watchwall Camp

After a day's march, we arrived at the Watchwall Camp.
Already, my new traveling companions showed their worth.
Lowe, the timid sorcerer, used some minor cantrips to speed the journey and aid us in traveling unseen.
Perhaps were it not for him, our uneventful journey would have been delayed, or even ended! Who knows what dangers are lurking about during these difficult times for the nation of Aglarond.
Mishka knows the area well and found a few paths that sped the journey along as well, with a knowledge that rivals even Red's.
While she remains quiet about her past to any who ask, it's evident that she has done more in her days than serve drunkards and turn away constant advances by patrons.
But, suddenly, things took a turn for the worse...

Red: Look! Up Ahead! The wall is in danger! We must protect it!

The party will arrive in the southwest of the map. The wall you need to protect stands just to the east.

• Charge to the wall and start slaying the possessed people that are blowing themselves up against it. Yes, they are holding explosive torches that detonate when they reach the Wall. You will have to fight off three waves that charge in from the west, each being led by one tougher combat unit.

Guard Lieutentant (113 XP): Amulet of Will +2, Topaz, 18 GP. Guard Lieutentant (113 XP): Spear +1, 23 GP. Guard Captain (202 XP): Guardian of the Wall (iron armor, AC +1, Intimidate, Search & Spot +1).

• You will receive 250 XP when you have foiled the Thayan plan to breach the Wall from within.

• Mishka can be influenced during the conversation afterwards.

Each party member gained a level:

• Red Borgen reached his seventh level in Ranger, receiving the Woodland Stride bonus feat
• Mishka reached her seventh level in Bard, receiving the Bardic Music (Cloud Mind) & Inspire Regeneration bonus feats, and Slow, Haste & Ghostly Visage spells
•  Lowe reached his sixth level in Sorcerer, taking the Empowered Spell feat and Fireball spell

Guardpost:

• Next, Red wants to check out the barracks for any remaining friends or foes.

• Inside, Quintius is playing peek-a-boo with a few leftover crazies. Slay them to save the ass of the only siege survivor. Completed Main Quest Phase 6: On the Lookout for the Watchwall.

The Time for Talking is Over

Main Quest Phase 7: The Time for Talking is Over. Quintius is an old adventuring friend of Red's, and also the ringleader of a smuggling operation. Both of these facts are already known to those who chose PATH ONE (kicked off by agreeing to work for Zuma).

• So what does Quintius know about the Red Wizards? Not much. He sent scouts out into the Umbermarch, beyond the Wall. But they never returned. His patrols into the ranges have been pretty useless, too.

• It is agreed that the only place a large group of enemies could be hiding out is in the Dragonjaw mountains, which is where we are headed anyway.

• Quintius is a vendor with lots of buying power. I suggest you off-load all you can and buy up big on potions and Healer's Kits. He sells +1 armors, shields and weapons, too. When done, take your leave of the guardpost.

Watchwall Camp.

Back outside you will be confronted by the tiefling assassin, Azumi. She reveals that Mur Vhol is paying her handsomely to assassinate you, and that she is manipulating things in order to milk more money from him. How? Well, she is happy to reveal the location of the Red Wizards because Mur Vhol will "up" her payment if she takes out a target that is assaulting their base of operations. So yeah, she is supremely confident in her ability to slay you whenever she feels like it.

• Azumi is quite forthcoming with info on the Red Wizards' plans, revealing that the Amulet is an ancient and almost forgotten artifact of Narfell with mind control capabilities. This was discovered by Zuma, a Red Wizard spy who had set up an Enclave in Glarondar. The Red Wizards labored for years to craft a device that allows them to amplify the mind control powers of the Amulet.. amplified to the point of enveloping entire cities and enslaving all within them. We saw the effects of this on Glarondar's population.

• Azumi goes on... The wizards are based in the Dragonjaw mountains cave. She will leave the strange door unlocked for you. The passage leads into the Underdark, where reinforcements await the command of their masters.

• Moreover, the wizards are allied with Illithid.. who are in it for the slaves that the wizards can potentially supply to them in vast quantities.

• Finally, in order to make her escape Azumi has brought along a distraction, a decoy.. a Rashemi Berserker who is ready to rage hard once she sets him loose. Slay the poor fellow for 213 XP and loot his corpse for the Rashemi Driftwood Cudgel (club, +1, Strength +2, Will -3).

• Click on the transition marker to have Red recommend the party camp by the fire before hiking into the mountains.

• False Alarm. The party is suddenly alerted to an approaching force but it turns out to just be Ogol Khan and his entourage (the half-orcs you met at the Daft Dancer inn). They are gonna help hold the Wall.

Take your leave of them, and of Watchwall Camp.

The Road to Glardonar.

After a short journey from the Watchwall, we made it to the area near the cave.
Whether or not we wanted to admit it, we were grateful that the journey from there to here was uneventful. Even the normally boisterous and energetic Red seemed drained by the events of the last few days.
But, with what promises to be the most difficult challenge of our lives, at least up to this point in our lives for sometimes the fates are cruel, we ready ourselves to find the challenge to come. 
With looming around every turn, we steel ourselves to the fear and impending doom that will surely befall many this day. We look deep in ourselves to find the strength to continue. Unsure of what horrors the Thayans have conjured to their sides, we prepare internally.

• Ok, when last we were here this area was a smuggling route that suffered from a lil' banditry. Now, it's been overrun by orcs and other unsavories.

• Lowe proposes to send out his familiar (an unassuming beetle) to scout the area and have info relayed back on what we are gonna be facing. It turns out to be orcs, demons, and a Thayan Knight. In addition, he reports that the mouth of the cave is guarded by a Red Wizard and two fiendish dogs.

• If you decline Lowe's proposal and simply charge in, both Red's and Lowe's alignments shift 10 points towards Chaotic.

• Oddly, there are no rest restrictions imposed here. That means Lowe can just spam a few Fireballs per encounter.

• Ok, time to take out the trash. First, the orcs that have taken over the bandit camp need to die.

• Next, slay the wrackspawn as you cross the bridge. Follow the road west, slaying two waves of orcs. You will reach a barricade and catapults. This was where we met Tarvis.

• Now, head north and slay the Thayan Knight guarding the ascent to the range. He drops a Katana +1.

• Slay the Hellcat on top of the hill. This is where we slew the wolves.

• Mouth of the cave. Cross the bridge and take out the Red Wizard of Thay and its two Yeth Hounds that are guarding the cave entrance.

Thayan Bracers (Animate Dead [5] 1/day), scrolls of Spiderskin, Deep Slumber, Evard's Black Tentacles, Potion of Cure Serious Wounds, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Fire Agate, Ice Dart x27.

Dragonjaw Cave.

• Well, here we are again. This is where the adventure began. But this time the stakes are much higher.

• Unlock the first door (DC-21) and slay the Dreadwarriors in the first room.

• Now, remember the boulders that were blocking your progress in the Cyric shrine and bandit ringleader's room? Well, they are no longer there.. and that means we have another way to the strange door.

• Take the door in the west and slay the Blackguard of Bane lurking in what used to be a shrine to Cyric.

129 XP, 355 GP, Lesser Gauntlets of Ogre Power.

The two chests hold random treasures (DD 15, OL 31).

• The boulder that was blocking the passageway has been removed. Follow the passageway along its length and unlock the DC-24 door at its end. There used to be a boulder here, too.

• This is the room in which you slew the bandit ringleader and recovered the Amulet. It is now a storage facility, guarded by a Mummy and Dreadwarriors.

Chest: Full Plate.

• You will notice that Azumi has indeed left the strange door unlocked. Enter.

Fortress in the Mountain.

Having driven back the initial assault on what was surely intended to be the final blow against a weakened and disorganized Glarondar, we entered the mysterious door in the cave and found an outpost of sorts.
The most curious part about this is that this isn't a hastily constructed defense like we found outside, and inside, of the cave, but an intricately designed fortress carved into what was once solid stone.
Immediately our eyes caught the distinctly Dwarven statues decorating the room that we entered, and nearly immediately after that revelation the sickly green glow from the strange stones accompanying them assaulted our senses...

A "sickstone" from the Underdark

• The sickstone seems to severely drain the Constitution scores of you and your party members. Don't worry, it's just a proximity thing.

• Make your way east and then south from the altar of Moradin, fighting through various enemies that include gargoyles, automatons (hammerers & pulverizers), cloakroaches and horrors (gold & electrum). You will find a few treasures around the place as you make your way south.

Pile of Gold: 191 GP, Arrow +2 x99, gems. Chest: Oil of Flame Arrow, Potion of Cure Serious Wounds x3. Footlocker (DD DC-33, OL DC-33): 487 GP, Chainmail +2.

By Moradin's hammer!

• Statue Trap. Ok, be wary in the far south. There are eight traps set across the floor. If you can't disable them (DC-22 ea) you will have to absorb the magic missiles fired at you from (at least four of) their corresponding statues.

• Beyond the traps is a room guarded by gargoyles, which are pretty EZ to dispatch. There are two duergar rigged up on either side of a summoning circle, but there is nothing you can do for them at this point.

• For now, climb the staircase and take the first door on your left (it's the only way to go because a forcefield is blocking the hall, and the other door is warded).

• Library. Slay the half-dozen cloakroaches scurrying about in the library. Read the book that details a ritual.

There is one way to summon a demon that is rarely used, but documented. A relative of a demon can sacrifice two of their own kin and a small amount of their blood. This type of sacrifice angers the demon, as it binds it to a demand made by the relative proportional to the sacrifice, and will do anything to escape fulfilling its end. Special care must be taken, as love for one's offspring is unknown among demons and a ritual such as this makes an eternal enemy.

• Laboratory. In the next room you will meet Lugae, an insane durzagon (the offspring of demon and duergar). Annoyed by your presence Lugae will order his Blood Golem to dispense with you. Slay it.

Balnab: 127 XP, Blood Golem Flail (+1, +1d4 bludgeoning), Full Plate +1.

• Now, speak with the durzagon again. The object is to simply get a key from him, either by passing a social skill check (DC-15) or by taking it from his cold, dead hands. You might be able to use Sleight of Hand, too. Either way, you get 250 XP for getting the key.

Lugae: Ring of Fortitude +2, Key to the Underdark, Durzagon Blood, 11 GP.

Altar of Moradin: Pray to it to be healed (Lawful +1, Good +1) or destroy it (Chaotic +1, Evil +1).

Side Quest: The Ritual. I can't work this quest out.. or rather, there seems like there should be more to it but maybe there just isn't. This quest begins when you loot the vial of blood from Lugae's corpse. Return to the room with the two duergar, step into the circle, and "hold out the vial". 

If you pass a DC-21 Spellcraft check a Hezrou will be summoned, say a few words, and turn hostile. It absorbs 10 damage per hit and emits an horrific stench that slows you and penalizes your physical stats. Beating it yields 263 XP but it's just not worth it because of the resource drain. You can beat it over and over again, too. Yawn. Completed Side Quest: The Ritual.

• Whatever.. the main thing is that you have the key to the door that leads to the Underdark. There is a guardian lurking behind it.. a Rogue Eidolon. You will be forced to slay it even if Lugae gave you the passphrase (because he lied about what the passphrase is).

• It is unlikely you will be able to harm the Eidolon with conventional weapons.. you will need an adamantine weapon to bypass its DR. I just tanked it while Lowe spammed magic missiles from his wand.

Rogue Eidolon: 191 XP, Eidolon's Hand.

• The hand is the key to the door that finally leads into the Underdark...

Underdark. Make your way through the caverns, cutting through mindflayers and their thralls along the way, and enter the portal to arrive on the Plane of Shadow. Slay shadows and necromantic red wizards.

Rat Tunnel. The tunnel is choked with rats. We catch up with Azumi again at the end of the tunnel.

Azumi is backed up by Flame Adept and Disciples of the Salamander.

• Azumi: Adamantine Chain Shirt, Flame of the Zealot, Underdark Key, 900 GP
• Disciples of the Salamander: Boots of the Sun Soul +1, Amulet of Natural Armor +2, Belt of Physical Enhancement +1, Robes of the Old Order
• Flame Adept: Periapt of Wisdom +2, Ring of Divine Power +2, Wand of Cure Serious Wounds

 

Take out the Blood orcs and Dreadwarriors, pull the two levers on each sidechamber, then head upstairs to confront Mur Vhol. Take out the Thayan Knight, loot the key from his corpse and then exit to the Dragonjaw Mountains.

Confront Mur Vhol at the Device. Beat up on Mur Vhol until he teleports away, loot the amulets from the compartment to disable the device shield, and then attack the power sources and crystals to destroy the device.

In the Umbermarsh camp, recruit Red, Mishka and Lowe. Note that High Priestess Daine can heal curses. After buying provisions, speak with Captain Banner.

Caravan to Velprintalar. To continue the journey, make your way to the Forward Scout in the west. In the next area, check out the scout tents in the south. 

At the graveyard, follow the Knight of House Locke into the mausoleum. Help Lady Aleandra slay the whisper demon in the central chamber.

In Lake Verdant, locate the scouts at the base of the dried-up lake, take out the Khaasta ambush, loot the mangled corpse on a ridge and then take out the Palrethee that spawns back up at the entrypoint. Mezzeloth, Javoc, Shadow Demons and more Khaata spawn as you head back down to the lake. At the stream, confront Mur Vhol's illusions.

The Red Flame should intervene in the battle, followed by Elven Yuirwood Rangers led by the Master of the Yuirwood. At this point, we can choose between going to Yuirwood or Thornhill.

In Thornhill, go to Mayor Raedwulf's house. Next, stay at the Floating Board inn. A force of elves raid the town in the middle of the night. Loot the poison from the ringleader's corpse, show it to Raedwulf and then rest at the inn until morning.

Go to the Mayor's House again. Before he grants our caravan passage, Raedwulf wants us to slay a force of undead at the shipyard. Take the Western gate to reach the ship graveyard. Speak with the First Mate to trigger an undead ambush on the shore. Cut through all the undead en route to the ships. 

Inside one ship, slay rats, bash down the door and slay a Huecuva. Rest in the chamber and then take out more rats and a Plague Spewer. Loot the place and leave.

In another ship, there are Constitution checks vs. Drowning. There is also a nasty, regenerating Drowned monster lurking within.

On the Captain's ship, we catch up with First Mate and his mob of undead. Slay them, loot the moldy key and drop down the hatch to the ship's underbelly. Take out the Skull Lord captain and take the Cursed Dagger: Lichblade Dagger, a relic of Vecna. Get Nadja back in town to ID the dagger if you lack Lore or Identify spell. Get your reward from Raedwulf (750 XP) and continue the journey to Velprintala.

Gates of Velprintala. Lowe and Mishka are back in the party now. Head across the bridge to Captain Banner, and enter the city to great fanfare.

Simbul's Palace. Rest until the time of the banquet and have the servant escort you to the banquet hall.

NWN2 Modules	NWN2 Mods	Subtlety of Thay
Neverwinter Nights 2	NWN2 Installation	Conan Chronicles NWN2
Mask of the Betrayer Walkthrough	NWN2 Console Commands	Harp & Chrysanthemum
Storm of Zehir Walkthrough	Bedine NWN2	The Birthday NWN2
NWN1 vs NWN2	Shrouded Sun NWN2	Legacy of White Plume Mountain
Neverwinter Nights 1	Shadowdancer's Vault NWN2	SoZ Holiday Expansion Project