So we pick up where we left off...I'm still hacking away at Durlag's Tower...not really making any significant progress. I believe I had just left last post re-entering the Tower to finish up the first level, after both Xzar and Montaron had fallen in battle, and I had made the two 8-hour trips to Nashkel and back to have them resurrected. So we continued along on our way...detecting traps, opening locks, finding quest items for those dwarven specters. Although, somehow, and at some point, Xzar gets killed by a greater doppleganger. Just great, huh? Once Pride and Avarice and whoever else attacked us, Montaron didn't stick around for long, either. That's both of them dead, again. This calls for the second humbling hike back to Nashkel to resurrect the thief and the necromancer...unbelievable. Rinse and repeat.
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| Just slowly working our way through the rest of the first level. Nothing crazy so far... |
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| Climbing to the surface to rest, after an encounter on the first level. |
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| At this point, Xzar wasn't going to be joining us for the exploration down this next hallway... |
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| The second level is waiting for us, but we can't risk diving in without one of our mages, and much more importantly, without our only thief with respectable detect trap skills (Imoen has most of her skill in detecting illusions and opening locks). I really think that the detect-traps thief is the most crucial character types in the game. |
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| In and out of Nashkel after resurrecting our fallen Zhentarim...and maybe staying a night at the inn. |
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| Back in and beginning the second level...looks tough, and I'm still a little shook from all the trouble we ran into on the first level. |
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| Getting it done on level 2. Successful battle. |
I don't even want to say what happens next because it seems so incredible. But it happens. Xzar gets fried in a lightning trap that got set off for some stupid reason, and Monty gets cracked by a trap that he didn't detect (stupid error). That's right, both Xzar and Montaron dead again for the third time since I entered Durlag's place of residence. Ugh...so again, travel back to Nashkel, get them resurrected, spend too much time messing around with inventory management, and turn back east. Head back down in there to pick it up right where we left off...I'm becoming efficient. But now, the kicker:
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| What? |
Wasn't I just talking about perma-death in the last post? Damn...my thief is gone. Wasn't I just talking about how crucial they are? I can't even try to navigate this trap-filled tomb with Montaron gone. And the worst part is that I sent him to disarm the trap that HE DETECTED. And I think he actually DISARMED it...I got the experience for it. But is it some kind of trap that never goes away? What the hell? Sigh...either way, it was a good run with Montaron. I met him within a few hours of waking up the night after Gorion died and he's been with the group since. Evil bastard, maybe, but generally dependable. And I made him into a decent archer.
Anyway, he's gone. My first permanent death of this playthrough. I need to figure out what is going on with that trap, but that won't happen for a while. Actually, it might never happen. I may head up north and, being so close to the end of the game, may not get a chance to head back south. So I'm thinking that I know two thieves: Coran and Tiax, and of course Shar Teel can always dual. One is in Cloakwood, and one is in
Baldur's Gate. I'm going to have to see who has a higher detect traps rating, and it'll be my excuse for heading right back into the big city. Durlag can wait for another time (or playthrough)...
Idaen, lvl 7 cleric/lvl 7 ranger
Shar-Teel, lvl 7 fighter
Ajantis, lvl 8 paladin
Imoen, lvl 6 thief>lvl 9 mage
Xzar, lvl 9 necromancer
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