A Trip to Baldur's Gate and a Return to Candlekeep

I headed north toward the big city.  It's time to barge in on the Iron Throne and start bringing some of this chaos to an end.  Of course, there's always a quick detour...this time it's stopping at the Friendly Arm Inn, and Ulgoth's Beard.  I had to make it a point to travel to every town up the coastline to make sure there wasn't a long sword better than +1 hiding out in a shop somehwere.  In the end, no luck.  Shar-Teel is stuck with twin long swords +1.

We then swing back down south and enter the city.  I stopped at Sorcerous Sundries for the reason above, visited the Hall of Wonders (something I hadn't done my first time around, and a place I had wanted to return to one day), then headed to the Iron Throne headquarters.  A bloody, violent mess in the end.  Everyone in the Iron Thron's employ saw though my cover stories almost instantly, and most left me no choice but the slay them.  For all this trouble, I learned that the executive leadership of this organization was spending time in Candlekeep down south.

With little hesitation, I bring the news of this directly to Duke Eltan, and he suggests I head to Candlekeep immediately.  Not a problem!  I show up there four months after I had left, and so much has changed if everything stayed exactly the same.  And after making the obligatory rounds, I head into the library.  I encounter the Iron Throne leaders on level 3.  Can't particularly remember their names, but I know Rieltar is there.  These men have wanted to kill me from the beginning, and so far my overarching mission now is to protect the Sword Coast by destroying the Iron Throne.  So what do I do?  I nonchalantly apologize for interrupting them...then send a fireball in, following by Shar-Teel and Ajantis.  And you know what?  I slaughter them all, without direct provocation and with no regrets.

This gets my arrested as soon as I ascend the stairs to the fouth level.  I'm completely indignant to ths whole process.  I've been making my own rules for justice traveling the coast, now all of a sudden I'm on trial?  Psshhht, I just need to get out of here with no apologies.  Thank God Tethtoril comes to rescue us.

We battle through the catacombs, slaying dopplegangers, as well as the likenesses of those who were previously loved.  Hmm...seems very similar to a story I heard up north about a dwarf down south.  Either way, it was relatively smooth sailing until I hit a powerful contingent of Iron Throne mercenaries in the cavern area.  They were so formidable they even managed to kill Ajantis.  He is out of the picture for the time being until I head into some temple far away from here.

Eventually I break out and head east away from the coast.  My first two nights camping out: plagued by dreams.  Apparently it never had to be spelled out for me...the combination of long-dormant memories and the feeling of something terrible awakening inside of me was enough to figure out the truth all my own...I am a child of Bhaal.  I will need time to make peace with this new, introspection-driven revelation.

So the return to Baldur's Gate can wait.  My final challenge will always be waiting for me.  But what I can do to prepare is take on the most dangerous dungeon in the region, increasing my group's skill and strategy to levels we've never seen before...and interestingly, Durlag had a similar plight to one I just had...being forced to murder shapeshifters that appear to be your best friends and family.  And after going through I just did to escape from jail, it's probably safer for now to spend time in Amn rather than the shadow of Baldur's Gate, where I'm sure the Flaming Fist is on high alert looking for us.  Taking all the factors into consideration, my group's conquering of this tower is the only natural choice right now.  From the standpoint of pscyhological progression, this coming adventure will undoubtedly help my PC get in touch with his darker side...a necessary step if we're to be victorious in battles to come.

So after resurrecting Ajantis at the Beregost temple, and selling most of our magical items and wares in Beregost, we headed north to the Beard.  Since we're fugitives and all, I stay off the main roads and head through Larswood, Peldsvale, and the old bandit camp...eerily quiet, but still occupied by someone...the campfires were burning.

Once I reach Ulgoth's Beard, I rest up and book a tour for the tower.  Let me get the tourist treatment at first...I don't mind.  I also talk to the dwarf who wants his magic dagger back, and the woman who lost her son.  As long as I'm going there, I might as well fix other people's problems, too.

So down I go.  Party members are beginning to become maxed out...looks like the game is indeed wrapping up.  Here are the levels:

Idaen, lvl 7 cleric/lvl 7 ranger

Shar-Teel, lvl 6 fighter

Ajantis, lvl 8 paladin

Montaron, lvl 7 fighter/lvl 8 thief

Imoen, lvl 6 thief>lvl 9 mage
Xzar, lvl 9 necromancer