Baldurs Gate 2: Shadows of Amn mod: The Darkest Day             017/03/02

Walkthrough v. 3.0

by Suburban Jub Collective   

                                   

 

Email address: [email protected]

 

 

An unofficial walkthrough for the unofficial add-on to Baldurs Gate 2: Shadows of Amn:

THE DARKEST DAY

 

Latest versions available at:

http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG2/index.htm

http://www.geocities.com/oriordan3001/walkthrough.html

 

Preamble:

This walkthrough assumes that you have played and completed BG2: Shadows of Amn, and are therefore familiar with the plot, interface and characters. This walkthrough is solely concerned with the new quests and characters in The Darkest Day, therefore I make no apology for omitting BG2 specific stuff (if you want to see a really detailed BG2 walkthrough check out Dan Simpsons' available at GameFaqs). Additionally I make no apology for including any BG2 spoilers if they are relevant to any quests included in Darkest Day. (For that matter I make no apology for including any Darkest Day spoilers since if you are not interested in spoilers what the hell are doing reading this?) This walkthrough is neither 100% complete nor accurate (yet), but I have tried to make sure all the information is as accurate as possible. I am always interested in new tips, ideas, suggestions, corrections and omissions so feel free to send me an email and if it sounds good I will happily include it.  Lastly I am in no way connected with anyone who developed this game, particularly teamBG.

 

Patch Version 1.0.2D Note:

This walkthrough has been rewritten and edited to take account of the latest full patch (1.0.2D) and thus many of the criticisms mentioned in earlier versions are no longer relevant. Many prior bug references have been removed since they now appear to be no longer pertinent. If you are experiencing bugs that are not mentioned herein it is suggested that you obtain the latest patch. If you have the latest patch and are still experiencing problems feel free to email me with the details. 

 

Legal Stuff:

Whilst I don't really give a monkeys how many times this walkthrough is redistributed, there are certain criteria that that must be fulfilled first:

1). Email me prior to using any of this stuff

2). You may not reuse this to make money out of it (if anyone is gonna earn from this it is gonna be me. OK?)

3). This walkthrough may not be reused by any site owned or run by Gamespot or Gamespy. I don't like them, and I'm not gonna let them use it. (Sorry but that the way it is)

 

 

PATCH NOTE:

The latest complete patch is version 1.0.2D and is available from the teamBG Darkest Day site:

 

http://www.teambg.net/tdd

 

This patch is a composite of all previous fixes and I can happily report that installing it  appears to have rectified pretty much all of the previous bugs within the game. As far as I am aware the only outstanding issues are that some of the new classes still have problems associated with them. It should be noted that many of the fixes included in the patches may not work retrospectively, and will require you restarting you game. Additionally 1.0.2D does not yet make the game compatible with ToB, this will come with version 1.0.3, but you knew this already. I must also add that bugs listed in this walkthrough are accurate at time of writing, and may have been fixed by the time this you read this.

 

 

Editorial Note:

Contributions MAY be edited to fit the style of this walkthrough. Additionally any contribution which is found to be inaccurate may be subjected to editing or deletion.

 

 

(Not Very) Frequently Asked Questions:

1). Will you do an item list?

No.

 

2) Why not?

This is a walkthrough, not an item list and I can’t be arsed J. Additionally most of the significant items are already described in situ in this walkthrough.

 

3). Why don’t you have more information about the NPC’s?

The reason for this is twofold. Firstly people’s opinions about characters are subjective, therefore all I can reasonably do is give you the location of the NPC and my brief opinion of them. I suggest that you take all of the new NPC’s into the party (even if only for a short while) so you can judge for yourself their relative merits. Secondly I have not listed their stats because you can find this information either on the teamBG’s website, or once you have recruited them into your party.

 

4). Why do you dislike GameFAQ’s?

Many reasons, not least because they persistently refuse to publish this walkthrough, yet offer no explanation as to why. Hey I’m a contrary guy, OK?

 

Freedom’s Reign Minimod:

Deano, one of the guys at teamBG has done a minimod that is compatible with TDD and is called Freedom’s Reign. This is well worth downloading as it adds to the gaming experience and is totally bug free. Essentially this adds new equipment to the BG2 world. Generally this is in the form of additional loot on some on the harder bad guys (Firkraag, the Guarded Compound, Unseeing Eye, etc), but there are also some new merchants. Rustin Battlehammer appears in the Adventure Mart and sells exclusively Mithril equipment (+3 weapons and some cool armour), and Elric Dartsmen (who sells, guess what? J) is to be found in the Government district. Whilst much of the equipment added by Freedom’s Reign is not outstandingly good it is worth mentioning one mace, St. Cuthbert’s Mace +5, which may be one of the best cleric weapons in the game. It is found on the Shadow Dragon and is particularly powerful against the undead (they must make a save vs. death at -4 or be utterly destroyed). Using this weapon Aerie (!) killed both Kangaxx and Shangalar with one hit each (I kid you not). There may be an argument for saying that actually it is over powerful, since a multi-classed fighter/cleric armed with this mace and Crom Faeyr would be virtually unstoppable. As far as I am aware Freedom’s Reign has not added any new quests.

 

Contents.

1) New Character Classes

2) New Equipment

3)  New (and returning) NPC's

4)  New NPC Sub-Quests

5)  New Major areas

5.1) Purskal

5.2) Eshpurta

5.3) Riativin

       5.4)Trollford Hills

5.5)Small Teeth Pass

6) Mega Quest

 

1)New Character Classes

TeamBG have included loads of new character classes for you to play with, including some lovely sounding ones (at last a Ninja and a Samurai) as well as some downright weird ones (a SellSword? a Planewalker thief?). All this is well and good, but there are some serious drawbacks with most of the new classes, principally that they are all a bit crap (sorry but that's the way it is). In some instances it is because there seem to be minor bugs related to the classes (the drow warrior is supposed to be able to have 5 proficiency points in two handed swords but can only have 4), but in most instances it is simply that the class disadvantages hugely outweigh the advantages (is it really an advantage that you can have a thief of any alignment?), to the extent that some potentially really interesting classes have been ruined (prime example here is the ninja who at higher levels looks really weak). That said there are some interesting ones such as the Anti-Paladin, and for those who fancy a change there are plenty to choose from (especially if you like being a bard).  Two fighter classes that merit investigation are the Drow Warrior,  who can get fantastically high magical resistance, and the Vampire Hunter, who can be a hit point machine (especially if you make him a half-orc) and has immunity to level drain.

 

2)New Equipment

There is some groovy new equipment for sale, including the stuff that you could only previously get from the special edition CD's. At the back of Ribald's shop is Deidre who sells loads of Planescape Torment stuff (yay! Darkkon's sword J), in the Copper Coronet there is some geezer called Joluv who sells stuff from Icewind Dale (as well as some extra stuff), also in the Copper Coronet if you ask Bernard about the 'pile in the corner' he will offer you some awesome new equipment. This stuff is mega expensive and largely for the newly created character classes, but since this is potentially very early in the game you can make mincemeat of your enemies with +5 weapons and the like.

 

Many of the new items are found only in the new areas, or available from merchants who were not in Shadows of Amn (such as Joluv in the Copper Coronet). There are however occasions where the makers of the Darkest Day have included new items in standard Shadows of Amn quests, such as in the Firkraag quest (where new chainmail is to be found).

 

3) New (and returning) NPC's

Adario - New character. Assassin. A pretty cool thief type found in the Copper Coronet who returns there if kicked out.

 

Shar-Teel - Returning from BG. Bladeslinger. A female fighter found in the prison in the  government district. She has some funky equipment, but not great stats. If kicked out she  returns to the Umar Hills.

 

Kagain - Returning from BG. Trollslayer. He is basically a Korgan substitute (though not as good), but does have some cool equipment to compensate for his poor stats. If kicked out goes back to gate district.

 

Xzar - Returning from BG. Crap wizard. If kicked out he hangs around the docks looking for rough trade.

 

Montaron - Returning from BG. Crap thief (actually a swashbuckler). (Ditto)

 

Robillard - New character. Invoker.  To be found in the docks district. A good selection of spells but a bit of a waste of time. He  goes back to docks district (x3350 y2880) if kicked out.

 

Yeslick - Returning from BG. A cleric found in temple district near the Temple of Lathlander, who returns there if kicked out.

 

Avaunis (thanks to TreverKK for this info) - New character. A cerebral Knight (new Paladin sub class) found in the Order of the Radiant Heart in the temple district. If kicked out seems to vanish for good.

 

Kivan - Returning  from BG. Ranger. Found  in the north-west of the Umar Hills section at co-ordinates x4170 y1250. Thanks to Seb and Innitrah for help with locating Kivan. 

 

Vesine - New character. An aquatic druid found in the Small Tree Pass area (which you can now access at any time). She is a weak character because she doesn’t have great stats or equipment (including a rubbish non-removable ring), and because she is a druid she can’t cast Raise Dead or Resurrection. D’oh!. TeamBG have improved her dramatically by allowing you to access Small Teeth Pass at any time (in earlier versions you had to wait until you left the Underdark).

 

 

4) New NPC  Sub-Quests

Adario  (Meet in Copper Coronet)

Quest 1) A few days after Adario joins your party he starts to whinge about having some people to kill. The first objective is to go to the Gate District and talk to the Suspicious Noble under the eaves outside the inn (x360 y460). Brief combat then ensues and your quest is done. He has minor treasure.

 

Quest 2)  A few days later he whinges again. This time go to the Slums district, and go to the grill near the Jansen home (x3070 y1600).Go down the stairs and speak to your target. Kill everyone and loot their bodies for gold, spells and minor treasure. Quest done.

 

Quest 3)  About a week after the completion of the previous quest a messenger from Adario's previous boss turns up and requests that you meet with him in the sewers under the Copper Coronet to discuss some big job. Go to the Copper Coronet and go down the back stairs to the sewers. Go to x2150 y2250 and speak to the messenger who is unsurprisingly barking mad and has no quest for you, instead wants to kill you. Some assassin mages and warriors turn up for the fight (you might want to concentrate your attacks on the mages who have an irritating habit of turning members of your party to stone). Once they are dead it transpires that Adario's guild has been obliterated and he is now quite upset (well for an assassin anyway). You then have the option of keeping him or kicking him to the kerb. If you opt for the latter he returns to the Copper Coronet. Loot the bodies for some gold, spells, minor treasure, and a bastard sword +1.

 

Shar-Teel (Found in Prison in Govt. District)

Quest 1) She is annoyed that some female tribeswoman has killed one of her tribe and is seeking retribution. Go to the northern end of the slum (x1640 y520) and speak to the half- Quallian warrior. A fight ensues resulting in their death. After the fight it transpires that the woman killed was Shar-Teel's sister. Make sure you choose conversation option 2 (otherwise she will turn hostile) Loot their bodies for very minor treasure.

 

Robillard (Found in docks district near Mae Var's  Guildhall)

There are quests related to Robillard, but they are simply the party being jumped by various people who have a grudge against Robillards’ former boss. These are all game time triggered, and are random locations. (Thanks to TrevorKK for his info on the Robillard quests)

 

Quest 1) 2 or 3 days after joining the party you are approached by a Waterdeep assassination wizard who wants to talk to Robillard (hmm… this isn’t going to end well). You are given the chance to hand Robillard over, but this might not be a good idea. After the fight you get 24 000XP and you can loot this wizard for some spells, and a charged Staff of Striking +9. Robillard gets an additional 45 000 quest XP

 

Quest 2) A very short time after this (for me it was instantaneous) some Bregan D’Aerthe (Drow mercenary types) turn up and want to speak to (kill) Robillard. Again a fight ensues, but these guys are easy meat. When they are dead Robillard gets a whopping 120 000 quest XP, and you get the cool longsword Blood Eagle +3 (+1 to AC, extra slashing damage).

 

Quest 3) Some time after the first two attacks (about a week or so) 2 Host Tower mages turn up and try to kill Robillard. I found this battle incredibly easy and when they are dead they yield 24 000XP each, some high level spells, and a Force Stone (+6 to melee damage,  +1 to AC - it makes your armour class worse that is). The force stone also has quite a cool animation on any character that wears it. This seems to be the end of the Robillard quests, and for this he receives 300 000 (!) quest XP.

 

TrevorKK also noticed an additional Robilliard quest:

Quest 4) At the port before Spellhold 4 pirates attack and for killing these you are rewarded with a ring of fire resistance.

 

Calle Pattesons also found a 5^th attack. He says…

Quest 5) I have an addition to your walkthrough for TDD. There is a 5th assassination attempt on Robillard. Some time after the fourth assassination, after sleeping, you get attacked by some Waterdeep Assassins and a Waterdeep War Wizard. They all have fireshields and quite a lot of HP. After killing them you get some spells and some non-magical armour.

Thanks guys keep em coming.

 

Avaunis (Found inside the Order of the Radiant Heart in Temple District)

Quest 1) Avaunis wants you to go to the Hall of Knowledge to battle some Psions and suggests you take a caravan ride to get there. Head to the gate district and talk to Krent to book a ride. (There are some funny dialogue options here.) When you get there you are attacked by some psion warriors who tell you to leave. These guys are easy prey but have nothing worth looting. Enter the tower.

 

From the inside head north where you will be attacked by more psion warriors and some cerebriliths (which look much more fearsome than there are actually are). Now head through the archway killing any opposition. Move through the next room and speak to Andragore who talks about the book of power. After a cutscreen you are teleported to some caves which look much like the Ankheg caves from BG.

 

You will get hassle from more psionic warriors here but they will not detain you. Head over to the container (x2460 y140) to discover Exus Mitalbre +5 (cool Paladin only two handed sword, Bless, Cure Disease, 20% Magic Resistance + some other stuff). Now head over to the north-west of the square (x440 y220) and go upstairs.

 

In this next level you are in a corridor and have one objective: head east. There are four chests along the way but these all have very trifling treasures inside. Eliminate all opposition and continue east. Go through the door and open the double doors (x3400 y610) and cross the lava bridge to exit.

 

A cutscreen shows Andragore talking to the Mighty Dark Lord (oh yeah? Think you’re hard?) who wants to kill everyone in Faerun. Unsurprisingly Andragore is squished and it is let to you to pick up the pieces. Fight the Mighty Dark Lord and his minions (he ain’t so bad). Loot the bodies for a spell and the book of the dead (+1 to INT, +1 to saving throw vs. death). Once you have the book you are teleported outside, and this is apparently the end of this quest. As far as I can tell you get no thanks or confirmation of this, and it seems that this is the end of the Avaunis quests.(Thanks again to TrevorKK for his info on Avaunis)

 

Kagain (Found in Gate District by gate)

Apparently none.

 

Yeslick (Found in the temple district near the temple of Lathlander)

As far as I can tell there are no quests related to Yeslick. He is in Athkatla investigating the Unseeing Eye, but when I took him along for this quest he said nothing and there were no additional tasks that needed performing. Feel free to correct me on this matter if you know differently.

 

Montaron/Xzar (Found in Docks district)

Quest 1). This is basically an extension of the Xzar/Montaron quest from Shadows of Amn. Once you have rescued the bird from the Harper's hold and returned this to Xzar, it will be polymorphed into the Harper assassin and kill him as normal. Wait for a few seconds, and then Xzar will dimension door in, tell you that his death was just an illusion, and that you must rescue Montaron. You must then go back into the Harpers hold, and pick up Montarons body from the locked chest upstairs. Once you have the body Xzar will cast some sort of resurrection spell, and Montaron will be alive again. 

 

Quest 2). About 4 or 5 days after the previous quest has finished Lucette reappears and tries to kill Xzar again (presumably miffed at his apparent reluctance to die). Some mages turn up all with quite amusing names (I think this is a minor bug). They die just the same. Loot their bodies for some elven chainmail (AC 5, no extra enchantments) and a couple of longswords +2.  This seems to be the end of Xzar's subquests.

 

Vesine (thanks once again to TrevorKK for this info)

To get Vesine into your party you need to speak to a mages Sending (in the Small Tree Pass area) who wants you to see his master. Then you are teleported to a lake where his master’s inn is located, so enter the inn, and speak to the beggar (Vesine) a runaway cowled wizard. She has a magical sword and an unremoveable ring. As far as I can tell there are no quests involving Vesine.

 

Kivan

Quest 1) The quest relating to Kivan involves the extra cave in the Umar Hills. Thanks to the following people for providing me with the information about his quest: seb, sneakysnake, and HighLordDave. Cheers guys.

 

Whilst you are exploring the Umar Hills section you will meet Kivan (x4170 y1250) who will tell you about  a woman who was kidnapped off a stagecoach he was guarding by orcs. Head now to the cave in the north-west section of this map square (x110 y1270) and enter.

 

When you enter you will be attacked by orcs, as this cave is littered with the buggers.  Move up the corridor and take the first left where you will talk to an orc priest who says something about having this girl. Explore the map and feel free to go wild in here, since as far as I can tell there is no other point to this cave, and there is nothing in here that should cause any problems.

 

Whilst there are some treasure chests they all contain piffling treasures, which you should only bother with if you are really strapped for cash. In the south west of the map an orc-ogre again talks about the girl who has been eaten and then attacks. Nearby in a chest is the only (vaguely) interesting treasure Taragoth +1 (crap bastard sword).. As far as I know this is the only quest related to Kivan but if there are others please let me know about it.

 

 

RANDOM TREASURE NOTE:

About halfway through writing this walk-through I became aware that some of the minor treasure appears to be random. (There is a chest in the Trollford Hills section that had a spell on one occasion, on two others had gems, and on a fourth had nothing.) I assume that none of the major treasures (powerful weapons, armour, etc) have been randomised but if this is the case please email me, and I’ll include your additions. Oh, and I think the same is true for monsters (the higher level the main character, the tougher the monsters you will face)

 

5) New Major Areas

5.1) Purskal

 

Sub-Quests

1)Helping Dindil's son. (Purskal)

Whilst in Purskal enter Dindil's tent (x2160 y1020) and speak to him. His son is dying and needs help. He wants you to go to the docks district in Athkatla and speak to Alagar to procure him a leaf to save his son. Return to the docks in Athkatla and go to x1300 y3300 and speak to Alagar. Buy the leaf for 499 gold pieces (including a saving of a whole gold piece!), return to Purskal and give it to Dindil. Speak to him, he will heal his son and thank you for help. You receive 29 000XP and +1 reputation.  

 

Note: If you don't know where Purskal is yet, don't fret, simply go to the Bridge District and enter the Five Flagons Inn. Speak to the Paranoid Salesman (x360 y480) and buy the map from him. This has the location of Purskal which should now appear on your world map.

 

 

Major Quest

To start this mammoth quest go to the Bridge District and enter the Five Flagons Inn. Speak to the Paranoid Salesman (x360 y480) and buy the map from him. This has the location of Purskal which should now appear on your world map. Go to Purskal which seems to be an amalgam of places from BG (the Ulcaster School, the Bandit Camp) and some places from Icewind Dale. Around the village are numerous locked chests which all have minor treasure in them. Also there is a potion seller (x1940 y365) and a weapons seller (x2790 y1050). Feel free to speak to the villagers who are all a bit miffed about the fact that lots of people are dying and stuff.

 

Go to the main tent (x3570 y870 - have you noticed that the area code is DD rather than the normal AR. Cool eh? Well all right, sorry I spoke). Speak to Thorknar in the main tent who explains the situation to you and requests your help. First you must obtain some wood from Orfa south of the village. Go to x2250 y 3210 and speak to Orfa and he will give you some wood. (Despite the fact that this looks strangely like the bandit scalps from BG, it is in fact wood). Then go and speak to Marcus (x520 y1720) to get a budgie to test the air quality in the mine. He will trap a budgie for you (a nice animation too) and then return to the main tent and speak again to Thorknar.

 

After talking to Thorknar go to the cave entrance (x2390 y700) and enter the cave. The mines here bear more than a passing resemblance to Nashkel from BG. Explore the mines section looking out for various minor treasures and some spiders. Thorknar joins in and helps with the fighting (he is seriously beefy too, check the damage he does). Go to the southern end of the map square (x2070 y1885) and speak to Agal who will have decayed somewhat. After talking to him he snuffs it (handy how they always seem to hang on just long enough to speak to you!) and you can loot his body for a cursed Beserking sword +3 and the Mail of the Dead +2. Descend to the next level.

 

Upon entering the level you may notice a resemblance to Kresselack's tomb from Icewind Dale and you are attacked by a ghostly apparition. Explore this level killing all the skeletal warriors, zombies and other undead (leave the northern part of this map square for now). All the skeletal warriors have minor treasures (two handed swords +1, gems, spells, etc).  Loot all the tombs for treasure. Now go to (x1800 y1375) for minor treasure, gold, spells and a ring of invisibility. Then go to the next coffin (x1590 y2000) for a long sword +1 and some minor treasure. The next coffin (x2030 y1530) has some spells, potions, and Misery’s Herald +4 (a really cool flail with some extra enchantments). The next coffin (x440 y1030) has some potions, spells and the Gauntlets of Weapons Skill (+1 to Thac0). Now head over to a south-western room and open a small chest (x310 y1540) which contains some spells and a crypt charm (permanent +2 bonus to save vs. death). Then go to the northern part of the map square (x1430 y960) for a cut screen which shows a scarlet sending obliterating Thorknar (he was too good to last, eh?). The sending summons quite a lot of friends to help. It might be a good idea to kill the friends first before all beating up on the scarlet sending, who when dead yields a whopping 70000 XP(J). Make sure you loot Thorknar’s body for some really great treasure including Bathed in Blood (plate mail AC -1), the Boots of Speed, a Cursed Beserking Sword +3 and some minor treasures. (This explains how Thorknar was doing some much damage to everything). Now go up and around to the left and down the corridor to fight yet more skeletal warriors. Search the tomb (x830 y685) for some spells, gold and a protection scroll. Return to the scarlet sendings' room and take the right hand passageway. Follow this corridor and kill the ghostly apparition in the alcove on the left. Get the treasure from the tomb (x1910 y1000) which yields spells, Helmet of Defence (which despite its name does not give an AC bonus. Bah!) and the Two Handed Blade of  the Tyrant +4 (awesome!). Don't forget to grab the stuff from the chest beneath this (x1880 y1040) for minor treasure and spells. Go right and follow the corridor around and fight the some ghostly apparitions and then descend to the next level. Phew!

 

When you enter this level you will be assaulted by loads of skeletal warriors who must all be terminated (once again we are in Icewind Dale territory). As before all the skeletal warriors have standard treasure (two handed swords +1, spells, gems, etc). Go up and to the right into the first alcove (x2340 y610) to a room filled with ghostly apparitions. Open the first coffin (x2730 y530) for the Staff of Striking +9!! (regrettably this is charged item) and also the Cursed Gauntlets of Fumbling. The next tomb (x2480 y360) has only minor treasure and the next (x2100 y420) has some spells. Go back to the main hall and then go down and left (x1600 y1680) to a room filled with zombies and other undead. The coffin (x1770 y1920) has minor treasures and a short sword +2 inside, and the coffin (x1250 y1680) merely has some spells. Return to the main hall and head west through the archway (x1620 y1020). After another cutscreen in which a shadowed spectre gives some exposition on how his master has been released from his soul prison and is now intent on ruling Faerun (yeah, yeah, yeah, heard it all before...). He then summons some shadow fiends and you have a rumble on your hands. Kill the shadow spectre for another huge 70 000 XP. Go through the door and meet Beghael the nasty lich for some more cutscreen fun. He summons a nightwalker to help him. It is pretty standard lich tactics (you have fought liches before haven't you?). Since the lich has some cool spell protections you may want any characters armed with +3 or less to whack the nightwalker, and then concentrate all your firepower on Beghael. Once he goes down (22 000xp) you will be teleported back to the first level. Head right to the entrance to speak to ...Thorknar! Except of course now Beghael is now inhabiting poor Thorknar's body. After a brief discussion the Beghael/Thorknar vanishes. Before leaving the mine return to the bottom level and go back to Beghael's room and loot his coffin (x350 y510) for Kiel's Helmet (gives protection from panic, fear, etc), minor treasures, spells, and the Girdle of Stone Giant Strength (raises strength to 24 but gives a 2 point penalty to AC). Exit the mine and return to the surface.

 

When you get to the surface you appear amidst a throng of villagers and Thorknar/Beghael . Watch the cutscreen in which you get to see a nice animation of the protagonist becoming dominated, but before going on a mass killing spree three more liches turn up and have an argument with Beghael. This leads to a fight and you get the chance to watch some good liches going at it. Beghael gets iced and you get some dire warnings about the Master wreaking havoc (blah blah blah), and you are rewarded with 100 000 XP.

 

If you now go left and speak to Rane, he will request that you get a priest to perform an exorcism. Go back to Athkatla to the Temple district and speak to the Priest of Lathlander. Talk to him about the situation and he will agree to help. Now return to Purskal and go to the cave entrance (x2255 y830) and speak once more to the priest. Watch the cool animation and you will get 25 000XP and a reputation increase for your troubles. Rane then turns up and gives you the Hammer of Quakes +3 (+1 to constitution, immunities to petrification and paralysis but can only be used by dwarves). As far as I know this is the end of a very cool quest.  

 

 

5.2) Eshpurta

To start this quest go to the gate district where you will be hassled by a kender. After he leaves he will drop a map which updates to show the location of Eshpurta on your world map. (I am not sure what kicks this quest off, whether it is time or character level dependent. If the kender is not there simply go away and return a later date)

 

Note: this quest is long and the opportunities for buying healing are few so do stock up on lots of healing potions. Also bear in mind that once the quest is underway you may find it difficult to return to the world map (you are teleported to various locations so escape is not an option).

 

When you emerge in Eshpurta you will be attacked by greater yuan-ti and trolls, so feel free to dispose of these pests. You may recognise this map square as the Friendly Arms Inn from BG (they have even left the flag by the entrance!). Before entering the compound skirt the outside sections of the map killing all the trolls and yuan-ti as you find them. There are some of frost giants in the north-east of the map who must also be killed. There may also be a frost giant in the southern part of the map to look out for. As far as I know the only treasures here are very minor. On the western side of the map (x500 y2030) there is a scout who gives a warning about the trolls but there is nothing else of interest here. Once you have cleared the map of monsters head to the entrance of the Friendly Arms Inn, err ...Eshpurta (x1500 y3100).

 

Thanks to Fred Coja for pointing out the following hidden treasure on this map .Nice one :

 

It is just to say that in the map of Eshpurta there is a ring of wizardry exactly at the same location as in BG1 (x2554 y3759).

 

By the entrance speak to a traveller who will mark the barbarian camp on your map (this is actually the only real point to this square so if you wish you can leave now). Head over to the building at x1530 y2490 which has a couple of chests containing minor treasure and a short bow +1. Then go north to the next building (x1430 y1990) and enter. Inside there is a cabinet containing spells, a shelf with some potions and some chests with some gold. If you need healing or potions head north and east to the temple (x3900 y2420). Lastly in the north-west corner of the compound there is a farmer (x1970 y1640) but he has nothing of interest to say.

 

Going inside the building you will discover that it looks suspiciously like the Order of the Radiant Heart in Athkatla. Go through the main room and open the door (x1760 y1210) to speak to the captain. He will ask you to kill all the trolls and the yuan-ti (you’ve already done that haven’t you?). Speak to him again when you have fulfilled his request and he will give you a two handed sword +1 (wow, such generosity). In his room there is some very minor treasure. Nothing else to do here so leave and go to Snake Woods.

 

When you emerge in Snake Woods you will be instantly attacked by loads of greater yuan-ti and yuan-ti mages (who have an annoying habit of confusing your party). Loot the bodies for arrows +1, bastards swords +1, and composite long bows +1. Loot the coffin (x1600 y530) for spells, gems and a forest map. The forest map will now mark the troll mountains on your world map. In the south-east corner of the map there are some vampiric mists, crimson deaths and mist horror for you to dispose should you so wish. When you are done here leave and go to the Troll Mountains.

 

Upon entry to the map square there are barbarians fighting yuan-ti. Feel free to help but bear in mind if any of your party becomes confused and attack the barbarians you might not be able to start the quest. Once all of the yuan-ti are wormfood Ornamus will speak to you and invite to you to the barbarian camp. You will appear in all small room with a barrel and a table to search. Disappointingly they contain nothing of value. There is also a secret door here (x465 y290) which I could not open so I've no idea what is behind it. If anyone can tell me I'd love to know. Leave the room and speak to Ornamus and agree to his request. It might be a good idea to head north first to the barbarian healer (x890 y220) to restock on spells and potions. Loot the bodies of any dead tribesman for battle-axes +1 and studded leather armour +2. Now head south east to the cave entrance (x2010 y1110) and enter.

 

The inside of the cave of very reminiscent of the Dragon's Eye from Icewind Dale (various Icewind Dale locations are used throughout the remainder of this quest). From the entrance go left to fight some duegar. Loot them if you wish for battle-axes +1. Continue down this corridor and kill some greater yuan-ti and yuan-ti mages who you can loot for bastard swords +1, arrows +1 and composite long bows +1. Return to the main corridor and cross the bridge into duegar territory. Follow this corridor round to fight more duegars and trolls.  You can loot these for gold and battle-axes + 1. (You may wish to start ignoring these battle-axes since they aren't worth that much.). Head east out of this room and into the corridor. There is nothing of interest going north so you should head south and speak to King Heafnall (x1480 y2590). He will ask that you carry him back to the barbarian camp. Agree to this and return to the surface.

 

Return to the camp and speak first to Ornamus and then to the king to receive Ice Plate (AC 0, 100% resistance to cold damage, 40% resistance to fire). Then return to the cave and from the entrance head right fighting spiders and trolls as you go, including spirit trolls (easy kills worth 12 000XP). Loot the body (x3530 y1285) for some spells and minor treasures. Now return to the corridor and take the right hand fork (x2940 y570) to fight yet more spiders and trolls. In the Darkest Day they have made trolls considerably more annoying because now they regenerate in battle so you may wish to take them out one at a time. Continue down into an open area eliminating all opposition, and then go through the narrow gap and kill yet more trolls. (I hope you don't mind fighting trolls because this quest is absolutely littered with the buggers.). Now move to the exit (x2930 y2030) and descend to the next level.

 

When you appear here you will be attacked by duegars and skeletal warriors whom you can loot for two handed swords +1, battle-axes +1 and other minor treasures. Head east over the wooden boards and ice some trolls, then continue right to fight more duegars who have the standard duegar loot. Follow this path round fighting trolls until you come to a fork. Going west here will take you back to the level entrance via some skeletal warriors, so go south and keep going to x945 y2240 where you will meet the Duegar Skeletal Conjuror. After a brief dialogue he will summon loads of skeletal warriors (this is obviously one wizard who does exactly what he says on the tin!). After killing all of these monsters and looting them continue south and then go east across the bridge (x2160 y2170). Now go into the room and discover that there are three containers to loot. First open the chest (x3330 y1940) for gold, spells, gems and studded leather Armour of the Dead +3 (immunities to charm, domination amongst other enchantments). The container at x3390 y1980 contains potions, spells and other minor treasures. The last container (x3165 y1940) contains spells and some potions. When you remove the potions a Green Guardian Abishai appears and you have a fight on your hands. He has some good resistance’s and is quite a tough guy. Kill him for 25 000XP but no treasure (bah!). Exit this room and head north to fight yet more duegar, one of whom is most upset that you have killed his entire tribe and his favourite guardian. Oh well...kill these fools and loot them for minor treasures and gold. Head through the door (x3390 y370) to descend to the next level.

 

 Upon entry you will be assaulted by ice trolls (no rest for the wicked here, eh?). Now cross the bridge and kill yet more trolls and some winter wolves. There is a body (x1370 y920) but it has nothing on it. Follow the corridor around and be prepared to get medieval on some trolls. Once you reach the end of this corridor you are teleported out of the area and you appear outside. As far as I am aware from this point on there is no turning back so I hope you are stocked up on potions, etc.

 

Once outside head east and fight a winter wolf. Once this is dead you are teleported (not actually sure if you are teleported but you are relocated) to a new area filled with trolls and frost giants. Continue east killing any monsters you find and then enter the cave. Watch out for the frost worms who have a nasty Cone of Cold attack (which can do plenty of damage). Carry on moving east and killing monsters and follow the hallway round. You must now follow this corridor (there is only way to go) and kill all opposition that you find. This takes much longer to play than to write (believe me). As you move through the corridor beware of the ice golems who can do plenty of damage (and are only worth a meagre 6000XP). Keep following this corridor until (at last!) you reach a fork (x2860 y730). Go right and speak to Duralerant who has some advice on how to fight the boss, and will provide some (very limited) healing. Regrettably he does not sell potions. Once done here return to the main corridor and continue north fighting the frost worms along the way. Go through the exit (x2630 y60) and save your game. Phew! Bear in mind once you go through the door you will not be able to escape so make sure you have rested and healed.

 

A cutscreen will move your main character up the screen to face your first dragon (in the Darkest Day that is). Ask whatever questions you can of Tapanasacar (who comes up with these names? Just once I'd like to fight a boss called Darren or something) and then get ready for quite a tough battle. The dragon summons an ice golem to help, who you may want to kill first. Whilst the dragon is quite tough it is nothing that you haven't previously fought so Haste, Breach, etc are the order of the day. After killing the dragon (70 000XP) make sure you cast raise dead on any characters who require it, and grab all of your equipment because after you pick up the eyeball you will be teleported out of here and will not be able to return. Once you have made a handbag of the dragon loot his body for Blue Dragon scales and his eyeball, and you should reappear in Eshpurta. That's it for this mammoth quest.

 

 

5.3) Riativin

To start this quest go into the Copper Coronet. Near the southern entrance speak to an idiot Dwarf called Forp who will burble on for a while but when you stop talking to him your world map will be updated to show the town of Riativin (which looks suspiciously like Beregost from BG). (Again if Forp is not in the Copper Coronet go away and return at a later date)

 

Around Town (Outside)

As you enter the map square Rivaldo(!) approaches and fills you in on what is going on in the town and requests that you visit Avrabar the local wizard. South of here (x2280 y500) (and dotted throughout town) are soldiers but they have little of value to say. Head west from here to x780 y850 and speak to a boy who wants 25gp but offers nothing by way of XP or reputation bonuses (one for the suckers). At the southern end of town (x1720 y3610) you will see a merchant being assaulted by a black blade assassin who will kill the merchant and then hostile. You can loot these for spells and minor treasures if you wish. If you have questions of the town you can ask the nobles or noblewoman dotted around town, but these also have little of use to say. Head over to the chest at x2080 y3420 for some minor treasure, and the barrel (x2980 y3380) for a wand of paralyzation and some gold. The barrel (x3280 y3630) has some gems and the barrel at x4500 y2030 has some gold and minor treasures. The chest at x4100 y780 has minor treasures, whilst the chest at x4340 y670 has some gold and the chest at x4160 y600 has very minor treasure. As you head over to the eastern side of town (x4860 y1740) you can speak to some guardian mages who will offer to let you into the mages district for 3000 GP (outrageous amount!). Paying the amount will transport you to the mages district (this will be covered in depth in the appropriate section).  Near the guardhouse Redandon (x3450 y 1200) will talk to you and request that you enter the guardhouse and speak to Amroch inside (this will be covered in the main quest section later).

 

A peasant (x1880 y1600) will stop you and ask for help saying that a trader has been stabbed and wants you to find a cleric. Heads towards the statue in the centre of town and speak to Araphor Carvel (x1830 y2400) and ask for his assistance. He will heal the stabbed trader who talks to you about Enteri (a really bad guy) and then leave. You will get 2000XP and +1 to your reputation. Around this area (x1830 y1430) there is a box which contains some gold. Also there is a black market thief (x2100 y1160) who will buy your stuff but has nothing interesting to sell. The town crier (x1990 y2540) has only some vaguely

interesting stuff to say.

 

Around Town (inside buildings)

The Under the Table inn has a chest inside (x270 y610) has a mage robe of Neutral Archmagi inside, and there is a secret door (x360 y590) but there is nothing in the room behind. Upstairs in the inn there is a chest (x890 y720) that contains nothing, and two cupboards (x600 y750 which has a traveller’s robe, and x340 y560 which has an oil of speed). Also a drawer (x480 y480) contains some gold.

Entering  Edheldor’s Forge (x4620 y2810) next you will discover that the proprietor has some vaguely diverting things to say the trolls in Eshpurta (but you’ve already dealt with them right?). There are some pretty cool things to buy here,  though they are very expensive. (It might be worth adding here that I was playing as an evilly aligned party with a reputation of about 6, which was increasing my costs drastically.). Additionally Edheldor will now make the Topaz dragon scales into a pretty decent suit of armour for 5000 gold pieces. If you are in need of healing there is a temple west of Edheldor’s (x4100 y2600), and inside this building a barrel contains some gold. The next building (x4000 y2040) appears to be a florist and contains some minor treasures but nothing else.  The next house (x4140 y1820) has a chest with some treasures.

Upon entering the locked house at x3520 y1870 you will find a table (x350 y200) has some minor treasure and the nearby chest (x680 y230) contains some gold. Going upstairs (which for some reason seemed to be a party required area) there is a cupboard (x390 y230) which contains some minor treasure. The next house (x3320 y2080) is actually a tavern. You can speak to the patron, Bellarch and pay 10 gold for some information on the killings that have been occurring town. Other than that there is nothing to do in here. The next house (x2650 y 2040) has nothing to see downstairs but upstairs there is a cupboard (x380 y280) which contains some gold, but nothing else of interest. The library (x2180 y2040) looks rather nice but has sod all to do, so you may wish to avoid this building. Inside the adjacent house (x2380 y1550) a shelf contains some potions, whilst there are some spells inside the cupboard, and some gold inside the two chests. The next building (x2630 y1340) has two chests, and a set of drawers to loot, all of which have minor treasures. The building at x2020 y870 has a table which has some gold, a sack which has minor treasures, and a drawer which has gold and gems.

Continuing our exploration of this town we should go inside yet another (somewhat pointless) dwelling (x1690 y1440) which has a set of drawers (x360 y210) containing some gold, and two trapped containers (x660 y250 & x550 y140) which cumulatively contain gold, spells and a warhammer +1. The next two houses (x1150 y1370 and x980 y1090) have containers which have gold and minor treasure, as does the house at x800 y1680.

As you may have noticed by now few of these buildings have anything particularly notable inside them, but hey we like being pedants so lets continue. The house at x1150 y1760 has nothing at all (and has the added irritation of being a party required area on exit - but not on entry!), so you can skip this one should you wish. The adjacent house (x1520 y1990) has a sack with minor treasures, a table with some gold and of drawers with gold and gems.

The large building close by (x1390 y2650) is actually a large hotel (and an exceedingly plush one at that). Despite having numerous chests within there are no quests or particularly interesting people to meet so again feel free to skip. Inside the hotel there is a trapped table (x960 y1540)  which you can loot for some stuff. If any of the guests are close to these chests you can set off the traps, killing the guests (and looting their possessions) for no loss of reputation (and who said indiscriminate slaughter doesn’t pay off J). There are a series of chests and cupboards which all contain either gold, gems or spells (none of them are trapped so go right ahead and loot away). Despite a plethora of people and chests there is nothing which advances any quests, so once you have admired the surroundings leave this building. The next house to visit is located at x980 y2950 and has a set of drawers and a chest to loot for gems and minor treasures downstairs. Going upstairs you will find three trapped containers (x300 y270, x380 y190 and x530 y250) which contain gold, gems and minor treasures. The building next to this (x700 y3220) has a chest with gold, and some drawers with some spells. Yet another house (x2050 y3000) has two chests with gold and minor treasure to loot and a set of drawers with some gems inside.

 

Going into the next building (x1790 y3200) you will find some elite Riativin warriors of whom you can ask questions but they have nothing useful to say. The chest (x370 y540) has both gold and short sword +1 to loot. The next chest (x460 y520) I was unable to open and would be keen to know what is on the inside (anyone?). The following chest (x510 y470) has gold inside as do all the remaining chests in this room. Going into the next house (x2230 y2660) you will find gold on the table and gems in the chest. Go upstairs in this building to loot two chests and a cupboard for gold and minor treasures.

 

The mercenary barracks (x2620 y2610) has two chests with gold in them and two cupboards with nothing inside. If you talk to the mercenaries one of them has some amusing stuff to say about the local women, but otherwise there is nothing here to grab your attention. The next house along (x2990 y2700) has one bookshelf with some gold in it, and another with nothing inside. There is also a barrel which contains some minor treasures. In the next house (x3240 y2810) there is a chest which has a potion for you to take. Leave this building.

 

The small hut to the left of this (x3080 y3400) has a shelf with some potions to swipe, and three chests with gold, gems and spells. Additionally there is a wizard here, Avrabar who Rivaldo wanted you to see. He has some reasonably cool stuff to buy, and a quest for you to undertake to travel to Orgoth’s tower and stop some demons escaping. Your world map will be updated. (This quest is continued in the following section, appropriately called Orgoth’s Tower.).

 

Sub- Quests

1)  Orgoth’s Tower

As you move north from the map square entrance to x1280 y2500 you will be attacked by shadow fiends, which should present no problem. Continuing north to x1120 y1190 you will be attacked by more shadow fiends, who require dispatching. Now head west to the tower entrance (x620 y1070) and go inside.

Once inside open the first door (x1540 y1000) and loot the gold and spells from the table. There is a cupboard here which has the Staff of Shoon +2 (immunities and can cast Heal once a day) for you to take. A drawer is also in this room which has gems and the Ioun Stone of Tredhyedron (+1 Wisdom, clerics and druids only). The chest on the wall (x1480 y590) has some gold to take. Leave this room and follow the corridor around and open the door (x530 y440). There is a slave here who requests that you get some healing salve from the basement. He also gives you some information about the nature of the tower and its history. Leave this room and open the door (x550 y830) and search the table for some gold. There is also a rogue stone in one table (x740 y1140). Now head for the stairs and descend to the lower level (x290 y990).

Whilst the upper floor looks like Spellhold, this floor closely resembles the D’Arnise Hold, and has the same secret doors that are found therein. As you emerge in this floor you will get assailed by some crimson deaths. Go right from the entrance and open the first door that you come to (x1550 y630). Search the trapped fireplace for a wand if you wish. Head over to x1500 y840 and open the secret door, and proceed down the corridor to fight yet more crimson deaths (x1670 y1160). The door at x1520 y1410 has been damaged and will not open (as far as I am aware it is not possible to fix this door), so you must circumvent this obstacle. The door (x1730 y670) is the access to the basement (we will be going there very soon, but not yet), and the two cupboards close by (x2080 y770 & x1670 y780) contain gold and minor treasure. Open the door at x2100 y980 and fight some trolls and poison mists. Follow this passage and open the next door (x2180 y1280) and search the chest inside for gold and gems. Continuing on the next door (x2070 y1410) has crimson deaths and mist horrors to kill. There are three bookshelves in this room which have gold, spells and potions inside them. Open the next door (x1740 y1660) to fight some poison mists, crimson deaths and vampiric mists. Now move forward to x1310 y1720 and open another door to find a cupboard which has gold, spells and arrows. Continue to our next door (x380 y1210), open that and then open the three secret doors (x840 y1030, x920 y850 and x1100 y840 which leads back upstairs so we can ignore that for now). There are some interesting goodies to be looted here, so open the first container (x360 y490) for LOTS of gold, and open the next (x470 y410) for the Huntsman’s Soft Touch Bow +6, and the last (x566 y360) for Amalos +3 long-sword. Head back out of this room and continue west around this floor to x350 y1030 and yet another door to open. Go through this room and open the door on the other side and fight some crimson deaths and trolls. A secret door (x1380 y1400) requires attention so that you can get to the two chests which contain gold, minor treasures, spells and arrows.  Now open the trapped door (x1270 y1330) and kill the crimson mists in the room behind, and progress to the next door (x960 y1130) and fight some mist horrors. That’s it for this floor (I think) so head to the stairs and descend to the basement (x2170 y870) 

Once you have descended the stairs you will be attacked by numerous spiders throughout this level. Dispatch these and move over to the first chest (x360 y970), which contains Psionic Denial +3 two handed sword (paladins only). The first barrel (x300 y730) contains the Butter Knife of Balduran! (As far as I can tell aside from being amusing this serves no purpose at all.). The table (x310 y550) has some spells, the barrel (x690 y270) has potions, and the barrel (x1260 y610) has a wand. Head over to the chest (x1010 y430) which contains the healing salve that the slave requested. That’s it for the basement, so head upstairs and return to the top floor going up the flight of stairs at x1220 y870 and give the salve to the slave. He will discover that the salve his lost its potency, and get most annoyed at this, and request that you take him down to the lab so you can put his body in an ‘experimental tube’(will these people never learn?). So head down the stairs to the D’Arnise hold level, move to the lab stairs (x1780 y1340) and ascend them.

Once in the lab level open the first door and head right down the corridor to x1640 y610 where you must open the door and kill the monsters inside. In this room there is both a barrel and a crate with gold and minor treasures. An alcove (x2140 y980) has gold, gems and minor treasures for you to take. Feel free to open the door at x490 y1200, but I could find no purpose for this. There are a lot of doors on this level that I was unable to lock-pick, and one large door that was protected by ward signs. If anyone can tell me how to open these doors (and whether it can be done) I would be most grateful. The only thing to do is to open the main room on this level but prior to this you might want to save the game and heal yourself, since you have an irritating battle ahead of you. Once you open the door a cutscreen shows you putting the slave into the experimental tube, and surprise surprise it turns out you have been duped and it’s now Orgoth standing in front of you. He is not happy with life and people in general and he decides some genocide is the order of the day. He vanishes and leaves a Balor for you to fight. This is quite a tough demon as he has high resistance’s, and an annoying habit of panicking your team. Kill him for 26 000XP and leave the tower. (I was still unable to do open any of  previously locked doors) Return to Riativin.

Upon re-entry to the town you discover that it has been overrun with pesky demons. Avrabar teleports in, and tells you that it is your duty to rid the town of these pests. There are some soldiers to help, but these are merely cannon fodder. As you wander round town killing these demons, you might want to try only taking them on one at a time, since they have irritating panic or hold person type attacks. (It is particularly frustrating when the Balor panics a member of your team, they rush around like a headless chicken straight into another demon who casts hold person. Grrr!). Once the demons are defeated Avrabar reappears and speaks to you, thanking you for help. Then Orgoth turns up, and is most aggrieved at your actions. You must fight him, but he will present no problems for you. Then Avrabar thanks you again and you receive 300 000XP and +2 reputation for your trouble. That’s it for this quest.

 

Around Town - Mages District

To get to the mages district you must head over to the eastern side of town, and pay 3000 gold to the guardian mages. (You can fight them but will not be able to travel to the mage ward, so it’s probably best not to bother.). Once you have paid the money you are transported to the mages district which looks strangely like the Mortuary district in Sigil. Cool J

 

Moving round the district you can speak to various mages if you wish but they are all self-important idiots. Move north-west to x560 y1140 to meet …The Nameless One! Somewhat disappointingly he has little of interest to say, but you can kill him for 4000XP and no loss of reputation. If you kill him he will reappear (well he IS immortal after all) but curiously you can’t speak to him again. Continue round to the west to meet Bobbin (x1420 y990) who will enchant amulets for you (at the time if writing I have not been able to discover any amulet which can be enchanted). Enter the building (x1260 y870) and speak to Strumpet who will sell scrolls and some magical stuff. Also in this building is a cupboard which has arrows, gold and a greenstone amulet (offers protection against psionic attacks). There are two chests which have gold and potions and spells. Also there are potions and gold on the shelf. Strumpet appears not to object to you ransacking his shop, which is nice. If you are in need of healing visit the temple x2850 y2830 and speak to Overgold Haeclar Dominite, but he has nothing of value to buy. Inside the building at x3180 y 3540 there is a cupboard with some gold, but nothing else.

 

Head south to the meeting place (x1100 y2990) which has a lot of chests and boxes to loot on both floors. The first box (x1480 y530) contains gems, the table (x1380 y590) has potions, whilst the next table (x1240 y490) has potions and spells. The eye on the wall (x1400 y430) is trapped and empty (still you get XP for disarming it I guess). The table (x1100 y380)  has some potions, whilst the table at x1010 y 310 is empty. Going upstairs you will find a chest (x1700 y410) has some gold and scrolls, whilst the crate (x1340 y330) has but minor treasures to loot. The cupboard (x2340 y690) has some gold and the cupboard (x2390 y730) has both gold and gems. The table (x1800 y490) has some spells to loot, whilst the trapped table (x1870 y430) has gold. Open the safe (x1670 y580) to find some gold, spells and potions. The trapped chest (x590 y1170) has gold, as does the cupboard (x1500 y970). Open the cupboard (x470 y930) to get potions and minor treasures, and the next one (x360 y960) to get gold and gems. The trapped chest at x230 y1150 has a wand inside, and the chest (also trapped) at x440 y1260 has gold and spells to steal. Open the chest at x390 y1030 for some gold and minor treasure. Go over to the cupboard at x1250 y1390 for some Glasses of Identification (at last something useful in one of these containers!), however the cupboard at x1180 y1360 is empty. Sheesh! That’s it for this district (apart from the subquests which are described below)

 

Sub-Quests

1)  Helping Myrin get her memory back

Once you teleport into the mages district you will be approached by a mage called Myrin who has lost her memory. Agree to her request and give her a potion of genius, a potion of healing and a fire agate gem (there are loads of these lying about Riativin). She thanks you for this and you are rewarded with 45 gold and 10 000XP.

 

2) Recovering the Diamond

Head over to the very large building in the eastern part of the map (x2890 y1330) and enter. Watch the very brief cutscreen and speak to Eris Elenaak, Elminster, Virdei Forgebrand and Khelben. They will explain the situation to you and let you know that a really important diamond has been stolen by some Calimport rogues, and request that you reclaim it. Then they leave and give you some spells. Nothing to do so leave this building, and head left to the stone statue and speak to the genie (x1160 y1600) who will transport you to Calimport (I think).

 

Upon arrival in Calimport the genie leaves and suggests that should you wish to return to Riativin you may want to find another genie (pesky bloody things!). As you explore town there are some crates to ransack. The first crate x3200 y2100 has gems and potions, whilst the one located at x3460 y1750 has some gems, and the one at x2890 y1730 has a mage robe of fire resistance. There are also some traders knocking about but they have nothing particularly useful to sell. As you head north through this town you will be attacked by some arabic thugs (x2010 y1510), but they have nothing worth looting. Throughout this town there are various thugs but they are also easy prey and none have anything worth looting. Enter the building at x2510 y2570 which is a temple. They are some truly great things to buy here (including the awesome Aegis of Torment), but the prices are astronomical. The building at x1420 y3090 is a gambling tent, so you can waste your money here should you wish. Now head up to the northern end of the map square where there is a crate to loot (x2380 y670) for some gems. Around here (x3800 y1530) there is a building you can enter and buy some stuff (for this a shop). Again there is some great stuff to buy, which costs the earth. Up in the northern end of map square (x2860 y430) speak to a guy called Cobbleton who wants you to get some wererat blood.  Head north-east from here (x3710 y170) and kill the wererats that you see. Loot these for their blood, which you can return to Cobbleton for 10 000XP and +1 to reputation.

 

Now head down to the Pasha’s house (x1150 y2250) and enter. Speak to the genie and tell him that you wish to serve the Pasha. Looting the house you will find a drawer (x850 y450) which has gold in it. The bookshelves have nothing of value, but if you head over to x910 y170 there is some gold and potions and then move to x1000 y240 to get some gold to steal. Go downstairs and speak to the Pasha and ask to prove yourself to him. He wants you to go and kill a guard in the prison and return with his heart. Agree to this and leave. Head over to the prison (x2660 y1220) and ask the guard (very nicely) for his heart (with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. Fth Fth Fth Fth Fth). Alternately if you do not wish to be so psychotic (and avoid the reputation loss) he will suggest that you give the Pasha a horse’s heart, so go outside and make some dog food.

 

Once you have a heart return to Pasha Salam’s house and give it to him. He will next ask to you to kill some of his foes, so agree to this and head up to the north-western corner of the map (x160 y310). Speak to the guys here and let them know that Pasha Salam wants them dead. They are grateful for this information and you are rewarded with 40 000XP and +1 to your reputation. Return to Pasha Salam’s house and lie to him and say you dispatched his enemies. Now he wants you to prove your worth in combat. Agree to this for 20 000XP. Leave the Pasha’s house and head north up the map to x1150 y1210 and speak to the Pasha, who wants you to fight through a series of challenges. You must first fight some umberhulks, next greater fire elementals & greater earth elementals. Between these battles you get some healing from some monks. After two battles Pasha reappears and tells you that he knows why you are here, and wants you kill you  (tsk! And you thought it would be easy). To aid this Pasha summons some cyclops, whom you must kill. After they have been killed you get 10 000XP and some more healing, and then you have to fight some efreeti, djinni and finally the Pasha himself. These guys are easy meat.

 

After kicking the Pashas’ head in you are granted three wishes (yay!), but one of these is the diamond you are after, and another is to take you back to Riativin Mages district, and the third …well you’ll have to see for yourself! Return to the mages building and give the stone back to the famous mages who are understandably grateful and reward you with 400 000XP and a permanent increase to one of your stats.  

 

 

Riativin Main quest

 

**** HINT ****

You may wish to delay the Riativin main quest until you have returned from Underdark in the main game (i.e. in chapter 6) because at the end of the Riativin main quest you meet up with Entreri and Jarlaxle and you will get hold of some Drow armour. For some reason this does not disintegrate in the sunlight. The only exception to this is when you exit the Underdark after having left Ust Natha, and any drow equipment you have turns to dust.

      **** END OF HINT ****

 

1). Near the guardhouse Redandon (x3450 y 1200) will talk to you and request that you enter the guardhouse and speak to Amroch inside. As you enter the building investigate the drawer (x850 y450) to find some gold. Then open the door (x500 y700) if you wish and speak to Sir Mardus, but he has nothing interesting to say. A cupboard (x1310 y420) contains a potion, and a drawer (x1010 y240) has some gold inside. Go down stairs and search the tables (x920 y460) for some gold, and also (x910 y170) for some spells. Then move forward and speak to Amroch (x700 y480). He will request that you travel to Athkatla and speak to the Gatekeeper to find out if the militia captain has travelled there. Leave this building and travel to the gate district in Athkatla.  Before you leave you are given an enchantment (in the form of a spell) and told that you must reach Athkatla within two days. After you have left the building a cutscreen shows that you have been most foully betrayed by the Calimshites.

 

In the gate district speak to the gatekeeper who will inform you Ivralos has made not made to Athkatla, so you must now speak with Aramir in the government district, so head over to the Council of 6 building in that district. After speaking to Aramir you will see a cutscreen, which shows your betrayal by Entreri, and you are placed in jail by the city guards. You are then taken to the prison and shown the infamous rape scene (in my adventure this crime was inflicted upon Viconia, I think she is the only NPC to whom this happens). After this cutscreen you are shown another involving the Council of 6 discussing what your punishment should be and you are sent to Spellhold. (Hang on, isn’t that where you want to go to anyway? Hmm…) After all these cutscreens you appear on the Sea Goddess ship apparently bound for Spellhold. Speak to Carlon Lendras who informs you that you will arrive in Spellhold in three days. Following this conversation another cutscreen details the council realising that you are not responsible for your alleged crimes, and that they have made a mistake. The next cutscreen (this is becoming like a Squaresoft game here!) shows the villainous Entreri being told that Athkatla realises its mistake, and decides to put Plan B into action. The fiend!

 

Meanwhile back on the boat it looks as if you will be involved in a big fight with some pirates, and your ship is returning to Athkatla. After yet further cutscreens you are deposited in the docks district in the middle of an attack with lots of pirates. After the battle you may wish to loot the bodies for lots of studded leather armour +1, scimitars +1 and varying amounts of gold and minor treasures. Now go north to the district exit and speak to the shadow thief, who will thank you for saving the city and reward you with 300 000XP and a +1 to you reputation. You are then transported to the government district where you are thanked by the council of 6 are further rewarded with the Silent Blade +2 dagger (+6  versus good), and a staff Elshukar +3, and a rather unusual potion (Mezalkin’s Enchanted Abode) that allows you to rest anywhere (albeit only once a day). Leave the council building.

 

Upon exiting the building a shadow thief will talk to you and inform you that Riativin has been searched for Entreri, and whilst he has not been found evidence pointing to drow involvement has been uncovered and you should check out the Deep Mir Forest. Your world map will be updated to take account of this. Also if one of your NPC’s was raped whilst in prison you will have a chance to exact your revenge on the guard that performed the vile deed. Head over to the prison and speak to the guard inside. Irrespective of what you say this guard will be burned and you will get 20 000XP and -1 to your reputation.  You can also loot his body for some spells, gold and gems. Leave Athkatla and travel to the Mir Forest.

 

Travel to the Deep Mir forest on your world map. Upon entering this section you will be attacked by ogres and trolls. Kill these and move left to x300 y200 where you are approached by an elf called Sorovin. He wants you to kill a female relative of his that has been turned into a banshee. He then dies and you can loot his body for elven chain +1, and two scimitars Shazzelim +1 (they are apparently very good for killing harpers and bards - I hate bards). Speaking to Sorovin will mark the Haunted Forest of your world map, so you can leave this map square and travel there now if you wish. Continuing the exploration of this map square you will find lots of irritating low level monsters (ogres, orcs, trolls). Move south-east to x4400 y2890 where quite a tough battle awaits you. Either a dwarf called Rugnar or a human (Reingard) will want to fight you for your equipment. Kill them for four sets of full plate +1 (AC 0), four battle-axes +1, gold, potions, the Glory of Suffering (AC - 3! Plate mail, 10% resistances to slashing, piercing, bludgeoning damage - 25% to health, good only), and the Blade of Tremors +2 (two handed sword, 25% extra 1d8 vibrational damage). That’s about it for this area, although there are some other enemies (night hags, etc whom you may wish to eliminate) so leave and head for the Haunted Forest.

From the entry point of the Haunted Forest section you should travel south to x3410 y520 where you will be attacked by troglodytes and spiders, and then from here move south of here to a group of yuan-ti mages (x3150 y1080) who are desperate to give you their minor treasures. Moving south from here there are some bugbears, nighthags and spiders to kill (x2940 y1450), and some sword spiders (x2190 y1650). The hobgoblin elites (x1670 y1700) will not pose a problem, nor should the accompanying crimson mists and bugbears. A rangers cabin (x630 y930) has an elf called Sandarac Durion inside who has some reasonably good gear for sale, and will give you some advice on killing banshees. While you are here you might as well ransack his house. A shelf has potions, a crate some bullets, a cupboard a long bow +1 and some arrows. There is also a chest which has a large shield +1 and some minor treasures, and a set of drawers which has chainmail +2, potions and gold. Leave this cabin now. In the southern end of this square (x300 y2600) there are some more spiders which need attention, and over in the west (x4100 y2800) a variety pack of lame monsters are waiting to give you their gold, gems and minor treasures. Head towards the southern end of the map square to the cave entrance (x4500 y2220). Enter the cave.   

 

Emerging from the cave you will find yourself in familiar territory (the Temple Ruins map section) and you will be assailed by skeletal warriors and shade wolves who have minor treasures to loot. There is a hot-spot at x4140 y280 (a double arrow thing) that has no apparent use so you can ignore that. Throughout this map square there are numerous shadow monsters and spiders which will attack you on sight. Head over to the east of the map square to the cave (x600 y630) since there is no other point to this map square. As you enter the cave the banshee will appear and after a short conversation the inevitable fight will ensue. This is a tough battle since she has an annoying habit of becoming invisible at the drop of a hat, and she seems to have unlimited use of banshee wail (makes sense I suppose). The use of True Sight and Protection from Fear are very useful in this battle (in addition to the standard Haste, Breach, etc). Additionally if you have any drow in your party (such as Viconia or one of the new drow class kits) their fantastic magic resistance can make this battle easier. Once you have defeated her she will inform you that a demon will rise in less than a week and this thing is really keen on devouring the world (tsk! These pesky demons, will they ever change?). To defeat this thing you must travel to Hell and meet it there. For killing the banshee you get 145 000XP and some really cool loot from the containers in her lair. Available are (x920 y703) Bathed in Blood (AC - 1), gold and gems. From x600 y890 there are gems, spells and Lohvar +2 (1d4 extra damage, 7% chance of double damage) two handed sword. You must now leave here and return to the temple district of Athkatla and go  to the Temple of  Talos

 

Once inside speak to Baurian Arathor and explain the situation to him. He will open a portal to Hell and send you there to seek a demon’s talon. Make sure you have stocked up on healing and all necessary supplies since once you are there coming back is not possible (until you have fought some tough battles).

When you enter the realm you see a cutscreen between a demon (the elf you are looking for) and a really big ugly thing (Tartarus himself). These dudes have an argument which (inevitably) leads to a fight. After the cutscreen head south to x1200 y2240 and fight some amnizu wizards and barbazu who are very keen to give you their minor treasures. Heading over to the east to x1800 y2600 to fight some fire salamanders and yochols (who are just crap demons). Now move slightly north to x3000 y1500 to battle a green abishai who is quite tough. Also on this map are some lava elementals (x1600 y1700) who have an irritating habit of making your party drop their weapons (be sure to keep an eye out for this), and some fire elementals and gelugon (x2000 y1700). The latter are pretty tough and only worth a paltry 12 000XP. There is another batch of these pests to dispatch at x2000 y1500. Whilst you can wander around this map fighting demons to your hearts content, the only purpose is to get yourself a demon’s talon. To achieve this move north to x1800 y820 and meet up with Tartarus. (Remember to heal up prior to this because this guy is one tough mother.). Speaking to this guy you realise that he has killed the elven woman for whom you were looking. He has the demon’s claw and wishes to use it to wreak havoc on the whole of Faerun (these pesky demon’s again). He is also a really tough guy who has plenty of resistances, loads of offensive spells and requires +4 weapons or better to hit. After you have defeated him you are rewarded with 300 000XP and the demon’s claw. Before you pick the claw up you will want to pick up all of your equipment, since you will be leaving very shortly. As soon as you pick up the claw you are granted three wishes (yay!), except that the first wish heals your party (bah!), the second wish transports you back to Athkatla (bah!). OK, so you have one wish.

Once you are returned to the temple speak to Baurian again, who will be surprised that you are back so soon. As you leave the temple the claw speaks to you again and asks what you require for your final wish. Despite having two conversation choices the option of spying on Jarlaxle is not allowed, so you must choose to be disguised as drow once you reach the Mir Forest (so actually you have no wishes. Typical) Travel to the Mir Forest and watch the brief cutscreen which shows your transformation into a drow. Head on over to the stone circles (x3900 y800) and Jarlaxle will appear and ask what you are doing. Ask to join his ranks, and he will teleport you underground where you have some tasks to perform for him.

You are charged by Jarlaxle to kill three dragons and return with their fangs (for some as yet unknown purpose). Obtaining the fangs is the only real purpose to this area, although there are some interesting things to buy, and lots of XP to be gained. The locations of the three dragons are as follows (bronze dragon x30 y1800, gold dragon x4110 y950, draco-lich x5100 y3400), so feel free to head there if you wish. A brief description of the other contents of this area follows before continuing with the main walkthrough.

This area is copied from the Underdark in BG2, except here the drow are based in what was the Snirfveblin village. Leave the room Jarlaxle is in, and head to the adjacent room where you will find loads of chests to loot for a pathetically small amount of treasure. Head down the walkway to Reznak the trader (x3200 y1640) who has some pretty good, but mighty expensive stuff including Drizzt’s scimitar.

Leave the camp, following the path around and cross the bridge. Now head south and kill some undead, and continue south fighting more undead and some elementals. South-west of here are some mindflayers to kill. Throughout this area there are LOTS of enemies to fight especially elementals, and mist horrors. Beware the lava elementals who have a particularly annoying attack which causes your characters to drop their weapons (this is where you really miss the TAB highlighting). Head to the south end of the map to a duegar encampment (x1600 y3580), where there is some good but expensive stuff to buy. Now head north to fight lots more elementals (x1740 y2220), and then continue east to the wooden bridge in the south-eastern corner of the map. Be careful here since as soon as you start to cross the bridge you are ambushed by lots of ettins, kuo-tuas, umberhulks. None of these pests have anything worth looting. Now move north to the area just outside Adalon’s cave (you have played BG2 haven’t you?) to polish off some spiders, and that’s it you have cleared this irksome map square. Now to kick some dragon arse.

There is no set order in which to kill the dragons so feel free to chop and change as you see fit, but this was how I did it. Head up to the north-east corner of the map (x4110 y950) and enter the cave. Inside the cave lives a gold dragon, who after some pointless dialogue will attack. This guy is a total wuss. A good tactic is to keep all your party near the stairs bar one guy who you move into the centre of the room. Once the conversation has finished cast Breach, Pierce magic, etc and then go wild on the dragon. You now have a short while between the conversation ending and the battle starting before a cutscreen kicks in (presumably showing you the majesty of dragon or something). Here’s the neat trick, whilst the cutscreen is happening your guys continue to attack the dragon (who seems to remain motionless!), so that even before the end of the cutscreen the dragon was dead. I killed him and took no damage!  For killing him you get 225 000XP, his fang and some spells. Easy money. Leave this cave.

Head west to just south of the drow village (x30 y1800) and leave the map. You will appear in the lair of the bronze dragon, who is a bit tougher than the gold dragon. Again there is some pointless dialogue (this time involving some crappy shapshifting monsters) before the battle commences. I have no particular tips for fighting this dragon, other than to suggest using standard BG2 dragon-busting tactics. This is not particularly tough, so protect your weaker characters and heal as necessary and hit her with all you have. She dies and you are rewarded with no XP! (I replayed this battle several times, and the only time I was rewarded with experience points was one occasion when the main character died - I only know that I got XP then because I heard the ‘level up’ sound just as the protagonist died.). Collect her fang and some spells and leave the cave.

Now head down to the south-eastern section of the map (x5100 y3400) and SAVE your game, because you are about to meet the daddy of the dragon world, the draco-lich! Again we have the standard pointless exposition prior to the fight, but be ready because this guy comes out battling. Things to watch out for here are the Topaz dragon breath which drains strength (one of my characters had her strength drained to 3!), lots of protection spells, loads of health and some tasty damage. It is fair to say that he is much more dragon than lich, since there were none of the high level spells associated with liches (time stop, etc). This is probably just as well J. After a long tough battle you are rewarded with 250 000XP, his fang, some spells and the awesomely good Wyvern Crown of Cormyr (+1 AC, +1 to ALL attributes, cursed - but hey like you want to remove this anyway…). Leave this cave and revel in the fact that you have defeated one tough bastard!

Return to the drow village with the three fangs and speak to Jarlaxle. Give him the fangs and discover that he wishes to use them to communicate with Entreri. Once the summoning begins you interrupt the ceremony and things start to go pear shaped. Instead of Lloth (huh?) Graz’zt, a demon lord, turns up and is not at all amused with the situation. Instantly all the drow on the map are killed or petrified (except for Jarlaxle who vanishes) and a load of demons appear throughout the area. Leave Jarlaxle’s room and head east fighting demons as you go, and follow the path away from the village and across the bridge.  Feel free to loot the drow, but they only have minor treasure and drow equipment to take. Now head south and then west towards the centre of the map (x900 y2300) where you meet Graz’zt who fancies a chat. Say what you like to this guy but a fight ensues. Despite a fearsome mien this guy is a total pussy (especially compared to the draco-lich), even though he summons quite a few elementals. He dies easily yielding an enormous 500 000XP!

Head down to the south-east to x2120 y3150 (near the elemental summoning gates) and speak to the Githyanki traveller. He offers to take you back to the surface in return for some information on you. Dependent upon your answers you can gain +1 to both the wisdom and intellect of the protagonist. (Thanks to Chorlton for that info.) After answering his questions the gith will tell you that Entreri is not likely to be found in a city. You are then teleported back to the Mir Forest. Feel free to leave this square or explore, as applicable. If you decide to go back to the guardhouse in Riativin you will find that the guardhouse is now no longer accessible. 

The gith told you that Jarlaxle and Entreri are hiding out in a village, so now head over to the Umar Hills map section. As you move north through the village a boy called Branden appears and informs you that a black man with pointy ears is hiding out in the Umar Cave. Move north to the cave and enter. Once you enter the cave a cutscreen starts and a dialogue with one of your NPC’s kicks in. Despite the suggestion that only one character should check out the entrance move your entire party there, and you will finally come face to face with Entreri who seems to want to fight you. He summons Jarlaxle and some drow warriors to help him. This is quite a tough battle, and you may want to concentrate on the drow first, to even the odds. Then go to town on Jarlaxle and Entreri. Just before dying Entreri warns you that you haven’t seen the last of him. When dead you are rewarded with 400 000XP, and the knowledge that you have finally completed this gargantuan quest. Loot the bodies for loads of cool treasure including Mithril Chain +4, Boots of Speed, Ring of Fire Resistance, long sword Dream Weaver +4 (offers mental protection), potions and the girdle of piercing. Additionally you can loot the drow equipment (plate mail AC-4, chain mail AC0) which for some reason appears not to turn to dust when you go outside. Cool J. Not sure if this is a bug, but hey what are you complaining for? Before leaving make sure that you loot the pool in the back room for some spells, gems, potions and the short sword Spell Diver +2 (50% chance of nullify caster ability to cast spells for 2 rounds). One day later you will see a cutscreen in which a mage resurrects Entreri and Jarlaxle to serve as spirit wraiths for some greater evil power. (Well Entreri did warn you.) Now leave the cave knowing that although you have completed this enormous quest you will be meeting up with these annoyances again. (Thanks to TrevorKK for the info on Entreri’s location.)

 

 

5.4)  Trollford Hills

Upon entry to the village of Imnesvale in the Umar Hills you are accosted by Johanna who asks you to rescue her son from a troll cave where he went treasure hunting. Agree to her request and she will mark the Trollford Hills on your world map. Leave the village and head to the new location.

 

On this map square there are numerous trolls, orcs and ogres. Head west to first your first group of ogres (x1100 y280), and then move south to fight some more. Travel south-west from here to a group of orcs, orc-priests and orc-mages. None of these have any worthwhile treasure other than small amounts of gold. From here move to the southern end of the map square where there is a large cabin (x810 y3150). Kill the troglodyte guards outside and enter the cabin. Inside the hut is a gnome called Pibble who will provide some information about the map square but little else (he doesn’t even have anything of value to loot in his cabin). Leave this dump.

 

As you move around the map there are some cyclops and orcs to dispatch (x2750 y3100) who have gems and gold to take, and over in the east (x5000 y2700) there are some mutated gibberlings. Move towards the north-east section of the map (x4000 y1000) where there are three frost giants who will ask you for a fee of 5000 gold to enter the cave. Obviously this is not going to happen, so feel free to let rip on these idiots. They have nothing to loot, so enter the cave.

 

Inside the cave (which is actually a sewer) move north and kill some orc-mages and ogres, who have very minor treasures. Throughout the sewers are numerous trolls, orcs and spiders to kill. Although there are two secret doors in the northern part of this map square feel free to ignore them, since neither have anything of value or interest behind them. Head over to the north-western corner of this map square (x120 y460) and exit this section.

 

When you enter you will be immediately attacked by orcs. Move towards the central platform and kill some more orcs. Loot these for gold and minor treasure. Move north and kill the mummies and other undead who will yield their gems. A container (x560 y420) has some spells and a short sword Sinker +3 (extra vampiric damage). A nearby barrel contains flame arrows. Head over to the exit (x1470 y930).

 

As you enter another sewer section (which is identical to the previous sewer section!) a cutscreen shows Reno being killed by some trolls (erm… who?). Move through this map square fighting trollish opposition and head to the north-east corner, to the stairs (x3090 y430).

 

When you enter the cave section (Firkraag’s dungeon from BG2) Marco speaks to you, and tells you that he and some friends were looking for treasure in this dungeon. He mentions Dinan (the kid you are looking for) ran the other way. He also mentions that he bit a troll, and it seems he has a troll growing inside his stomach! If you have a mage in party you can burn the troll inside him for 10 000XP and + 1 reputation. Apparently if you do not have a mage or sorcerer in your party when you speak to Marco something unusual happens although I don’t know the details (anyone?). In this room there are two secret doors, but they serve no purpose (other than some free XP). Move north through the doors and fight some mummies, and then open the door behind and fight yet more trolls. Move south to x2600 y2120 and open the door and kill the trolls inside. In this room a table has a long sword +2, some arrows and minor treasures to take, and a western ante-chamber has a vampiric wolf to play with. Return to the corridor and go through the northern door (x2380 y 1850) and enter the corridor and kill some undead. (Heading into western room from the corridor is pointless since it is completely empty except for some undead.) Enter the room (x2900 y1670) and fight lots of rakshasas, orcs and some trolls to loot for gold and gems. A trapped chest in the corner has some gold and spells. Leaving this room and heading into the southern corridor you can meet some trolls, and beyond this the southern door contains shadow fiends. Curiously the container even has the Windspear Hills chapel key (I couldn’t work out what to do with the first of these keys).

 

Head back into the corridor where there are variety of doors including (but not limited to) x2660 y930 which has a mummy and a container with three spells. A door (x2730 y920) opens into a corridor with four ettins. In this corridor (which is set in the same place as the Samia quest) there are lots of doors, some of which are trapped, none of which have any treasure or real point.

 

Make your way round the map and open the door at x3250 y540 and kill the trolls behind the door, and talk to the tomb guardian. This turns out to be the tomb of Lassal the malevolent. Anyway, this will not be resolved without a fight, so go to work. The guardian is worth 25 000XP. Open the door (x3520 y3150) and open the container for Hermolust +4 quaterstaff (% chance to heal, only by evil clerics) and the Robe of Vecna (AC5, 10% bonus to magic resistance, -4 to casting time - one of the best mage robes in the game).

 

Now return to the main corridor (x2450 y1400) and open the door to fight some trolls. Follow this corridor and go through the door at x1600 y1120 to fight some ettins. Open the door (x1100 y1450) and turn north into an open area and fight yet more ettins. Go through the secret door and kill the greater werewolves within. In the container (x860 y465) there is the Rockcleaver axe +4 (15% chance turning the target to stone, only used by evil dwarf fighters) and some gems. Head back into the corridor and open the door (x880 y1610). Open the next door and search the barrel and chest for spells. Go through the next door into the offices and meet Keris. It turns out that she is Dinan’s girlfriend, but in the spirit of true love she runs away. On the table in this room are some spells and gold.

 

Leave this room and return to the bridge (x1350 y1170) and descend the staircase fighting trolls as you go. Enter the room and fight the mummies. Now open the door and disarm the trap at the top of the stairs. Go down the stairs and open the door beyond into a room with lots of trolls. In one of the cells is Dinan who tells you that a dwarf has a key in next area, so descend the stairs. Before doing this loot the table for gold, spells and the Winter King plate (AC 0). Also in the cabinet are gold, spells and minor treasures.

 

When you descend the stairs you emerge into the open air and you speak to Knord. Despite what he says about making make a deal you will end up fighting him. He is easy to kill and is worth 24 000XP. This leads to a brief cutscreen in which you teleported to a new location.

 

When you are transported to the new area move south from the entry point and face some ettins, and south from here are some trolls outside a cabin. This cabin has no entrance (as far as I can ascertain) but there is a container (x380 y980) which has random treasure inside.  This map square has little to interest and there are stacks of trolls, spiders, goblins and cyclops to kill. Make your way south-east down the main branch and then head north to fight some ettins. The cave (x4500 y2240) is our goal so when you are ready head inside.

 

As you enter the cave you will speak to Hurgan (the dwarf who has the cell door key) and after some pointless dialogue you will have a fight. He summons some help, but it is very pitiful opposition. Loot the bodies of the fallen and the container behind them for: full plate mail (x2), cursed Ring of Clumsiness, two handed sword +2, battle axe +1 (x2), Giant’s Grace +3 (two handed sword), Poison Ivy +3 (staff), arrows, Websack (a wand which entangles all opponents), spear +3, lots of gems, mage robe of fire resistance, ring of protection +2 and some gold (phew!), plus of course the prison key.  Now leave the cave through the right hand door.

 

You will emerge in a troll filled room (the dungeon of the D’Arnise Hold). A trapped chest in this room has some minor treasure. Open the door and kill yet more trolls and head on through to the next room. In this room loot the chests for minor treasures, gold and a warhammer +2, and a battle-axe +2. There really is little point to this map square so head on through to the main door at x2000 y760. A cutscreen shows a Marilith turning up and after yet another pointless dialogue sequence you have a fight. Despite appearances she ain’t so bad and willingly yields 29 000XP. Open the locked container behind the Marilith to get gold, spells and Crimson Ember +3 (scimitar, 50% resistance to cold). Leave the dungeon via the stairs and go back through Hurgan’s cave. Once you exit the cave you will be teleported back to the prison area.

 

When you return to the prison, open the cell door and speak to Dinan. He will then thank you for releasing him and you will be transported back to the Umar Hills tavern. Johanna  (the quest originator) thanks you for rescuing her son and you will get rewarded with either 110 000XP, or 75 000XP and the Zhentarium Battle Gorget (a necklace +1 AC, some other odd special abilities). Once Johanna has left Dinan will ask you to rescue his girlfriend. Agree to this and return to the Trollford Hills. Head south and enter the cabin (x800 y3110) and speak to Pibble. He will tell you that orcs have abducted the girl and are camped nearby.  Leave the cabin and head east to the fairie grove area (x3780 y3170). Speak to Gorreck, and your discussion will end in a fight.(no change there then. Makes me wonder what the point of charisma is). He has some easy friends to dispatch whom you can loot for gold and very minor treasure. Move to the body on the ground and talk to Keris. Pick up her body, exit the map square and return to the Umar Hills tavern.

 

Talk to Dinan who will be very grateful that you have saved his girlfriend (if only he knew), and you will be rewarded with 50 000XP and +1 to reputation. That’s it for the Trollford Hills (as far as I know). Well done!

  

5.5) Small Teeth Pass

This is not really a major area, but the makers of TDD have finally given some point to this map square. With the inclusion of patches later than version D you can visit Small Teeth Pass at any time, as opposed to waiting until you left the Underdark, so feel free to go there now.

 

Once you enter the new area head south eliminating some trifling opposition en route and make your way to x480 y2480 and speak to the Sending who requests that you speak to his master at the inn. Agree to this and you will be teleported over the lake. Head over to x370 y980 and enter the inn. Once inside you may wish to talk to Vesine, who will want to join your party but she is pretty weak and has no quests related to her. Additionally because she is a druid she cannot cast Raise Dead or Resurrection.

 

Head over and speak to Potencius (he was the designer of the TDD) and resist your temptation to attack him on sight. Actually you can try attacking him if you wish but he seems invincible. I hit him for several thousand points of damage but not only does he not turn hostile, after attacking him you can start a conversation with him. Talk to him and he will ask that you kill some mercenaries who have been sent to kill him. Agree to this and leave the inn. (You can go upstairs if you wish to see two guys fighting each other, but there is no point to that.). Here you can also pickpocket the beggar, Wimblie for the Tome of Leadership and Charisma (+1 permanent increase to Charisma). Thanks to Dennis Kelley for the useful nugget of info.

 

Return to dry land and head to the north of the square (x3000 y1100) and speak to Yulur, where there are some funny dialogue options to check  Here you can choose to fight them or turn Potencius in. If you fight them they are quite easy to beat and you can loot these clowns for some treasure such as potions, gems, gold, Blood Drawer +3 (spear, 15% of hits heal 8hp, bonus strength, evil only), arrows, Ring of Battle Skill (+2 to Thac0), Full Plate +1 and a whole load of +1 weapons and shields. Now return to the Sending, enter the inn and speak to Potencius. He thanks you and gives the Figurine of the Silver Shadow (this summons a silver mist to aid the party - a bit of a waste of time).

 

Want to know what happens if you betray Potencius? You can do this by simply choosing the appropriate conversation options. After talking to Yulur return to the inn and speak to Potencius and he will then remove the wards from the inn. Now return outside and speak once more to Yulur and tell him that Potencius has set a trap for them. They will then go into the inn, so follow them inside. Once inside you will see a cutscreen in which the mercenaries are polymorphed into gophers, and you have the moniker the ‘excessively flamboyant’ permanently attached to your name (hardly the worst thing that could have happened is it?!). This is quite amusing but somewhat pointless so you will probably want to reload your game and fight Yulur and his mates. 

 

 

6) New mega quest

After you have defeated Irenicus talk to Elliseme who offers to send you to Candlekeep. Agree to this and she summons a mage who teleports you back to Candlekeep. Feel  free to explore the library that you are in, there are a number of chests and drawers but they only contain minor treasures, gems and gold. Whilst you are exploring Karan the wizard will approach and ask that you meet up with the council downstairs. Since there is little else to do here, go to the stairs (x1270 y1080) and descend.

 

Again there are numerous bookshelves to ransack, but they only have very minor treasures to loot. Head to the north of the room and speak to the council who tell you that a great evil is stirring, and that some god is intent on giving everyone grief. They want you to travel to Silverymoon and talk to Alustriel. To achieve this you must go to the south of this room and speak to Gandar (x1800 y1260). Before you leave however make sure you speak to Madeel in the north of the hall, who has some truly rocking stuff for sale. His prices are high but he has tons of new spells, loads of weapons from Icewind Dale, another Aegis of Torment (yay!), and a really cool Ring of the Messiah (2 bonus level 5, 6, 7, & 8 spells). Now go and talk to Gandar who will tell that you actually you are not going to Silverymoon, you are instead going to travel to Easthaven (surprise, surprise).

 

You appear at the south-eastern edge of Easthaven and if you move west you will see some Easthaven warriors killing some barbazu. You can join in if you wish, but don’t feel obligated. Move north-west through the village to see it overrun by various demons whom you must fight. When the fight is over Alustriel teleports in and briefs you on the situation, and requests that you meet her in the temple when you are ready. Feel free to explore the town first though.

 

Pretty much all of the houses are either inaccessible or a complete busted flush with the following exceptions. The house at (x1460 y420) has a chest with some gold, a shelf with some potions and a cupboard with the Nymph’s cloak (+2 to charisma), and the Giantkin warhammer (+1/+4 vs. Giants). Enter the house at x2480 y420 (which has a huge golem outside) and speak to the wizard inside. He wants you to come outside and see him animate this golem. After a brief cutscreen you see the golem in action, but astonishingly it doesn’t attack (!). This is basically a joking reference to the Umar Hills golem quest. Inside his house is a chest with some gold and some gems, a shelf with potions and a cupboard with some spells. The house at x3000 y410 has a chest with some gems and gold and an amulet of 5% magic resistance, and an adjacent cabinet which contains some high level spells. Also a shop (x3410 y560) will sell you some spells and +1 weapons, and has chests with minor treasure. Now continue anti-clockwise and enter the inn (x3210 y1290) if you need to rest. Upstairs there are some chests with gems and gold. By the way to get service you need to speak to the commoner not Thalia Thunderburp (I’ve no idea what she is doing here). When you are ready head over to the temple and enter.

 

Once inside speak to Alustriel who tells you about Cyric’s plans to walk the earth again, and how this would be a bad thing. To find out more you need to speak to Errtu, a balor east of the village. She gives you the ring of masking which makes you look like a demon (cool!) but has no effect on your stats. Leave this dump and head east.

 

Speak to Errtu who wants to meet you on the other side of the cavern you are outside, so enter it (feel free to remove the ring of masking from this point since it serves no further purpose).  As you enter the cavern you are attacked by trolls, rock golems and ice golems (this cavern is littered with them). Head left from the entrance to kill some greater werewolves. A container near here (x1730 y1940) has the lifegiver amulet, and the Rifthome Axe (+3 throwing axe), whilst another (x1540 y2000) has a small shield +1 inside. Now cross the bridge to battle some cyclops, and loot the three containers (x1270 y2020, x1230 y1940 & x1190 1920) for spells, gold, spear +2, small shield +2, medium shield +2 and the Svian club +5. This cave is split into three levels and we have now cleared the bottom tier. Our target, Errtu, is at the western side of the middle tier, so we will leave that for now and explore the rest of the map.

 

Along the top tier we have loads of greater werewolves (in the top right hand corner), and west of these are some trolls to kill. Along here are various pots to loot. Firstly (x2460 y770) has gold and gems, next (x2540 y780) has gold, trollflesh (AC - 2, resistances to cold), and next (x2580 y810) has spells, gold and minor treasures. A container near here (x1870 y750) has arrows, gems, and +1 equipment. That should be it for the top tier, so now head over to the eastern edge of the middle tier.

 

Here you should go slightly north across the bridge to fight some werewolves, and then cross the stone bridge and kill some cyclops. The table (x220 y1360) has gold on it. Continue west along this tier until you meet Errtu (x570 y1970) who will soon realise that you are not a balor, and a big fight will ensue. He has some reasonable protections and quite a good petrification attack, but provided you have a stone to flesh and gaze reflection memorised  this guy is easy meat. Before he is dead however you wish to loot the container behind him (x430 y1790) for the scimitar Moonlight (+3/ +5 vs. undead/ +7 vs. lycanthropes) Once Errtu is nearly dead you will be teleported back to the temple in Easthaven where Errtu gets banished back to the abyss and you get 250 000XP.

 

So what’s the point of this then? Well nothing. Errtu does not provide any information or any gem, and neither does Alustriel. After banishing Errtu, Alustriel suggests that you travel back to Amn and speak to Ellesime. Leave the temple and speak to Gandar, who takes you back to the Gate District in Athkatla (eh? But you wanted to speak to Ellesime). 

 

As far as I can tell there is no reason at all to be in Athkatla so now travel back to Suldenessellar. To do this you will need to go to the Forest of Tethir and travel over the log path (just as if you were entering Suldenessellar for the first time). Once you get there a cutscreen kicks in, which shows how Cyric came back to life, and how he is now inhabiting the body of a peasant called Larala. At the conclusion of the cutscreen a new location called  the Village will appear on your world map, grafted on to the eastern side of Riativin, though I don’t think you get any confirmation of this. As far as I am aware this is the only reason for returning to Suldenessellar other than for restocking your supplies, as none of the elves anything new to say. Now leave the elven city and travel to the village.

 

When you enter the village square you will be immediately attacked by wild dogs. Exploring the map square you will find a chest (x1045 y2440) which has a bastard sword +1 (+3 vs. shapeshifters). There is also a sick boy (x1490 y2240) who tells you that although he is sick he is not as bad as his mother. Enter the house near here (x460 y2050) which has two chests with nothing in them. A barrel (x3060 y830) has a spell to loot, whilst another (x1050 y980) has some gold. Entering the house (x450 y420) still shows no sign of the sick mother.  There are a couple of chests here, but they have completely useless junk inside them. Now head over to the Rusted Scabbard Inn (x1140 y840).

 

Inside the inn everyone is sick, so talk to the innkeeper who tells you about the storms and the plague that is going around. He mentions a mountain or a castle above the village that seems to be the cause of the problem. Going upstairs Sheina tells you more about the disease and mentions a green eyed man was spotted west of the village. There are loads of chests but they have nothing inside them (and some are unpickable). Leave the inn and head east (not west) to x4400 y1000 speak to Tero who wants to get inside the castle but can’t because he needs a wardstone. After speaking to Tero a traveller approaches the protagonist and mentions a disease, then departs. He drops a letter which is a cure for amnesia, and is from Weslun Tane in the Temple district in Athkatla. Just north of this is a ranger who tells you about the disease that is affecting the village and asks for your help. Now leave the village and return to the Temple district in Athkatla, and enter the Temple of Lathlander.

 

When you speak to Tane he dies and a green acid elemental looking thing leaves his body and attacks. It has a special attack which possesses one of your characters (in fact you cannot kill it until it has possessed one of your characters, which could be a bit of a pain if you are soloing the game). Once he has possessed one of your characters his stats will rocket (both strength and dexterity get big boosts), and although you still have control of him, he will attack your other party members on sight. To get around this you need to attack  the guy who has been possessed almost to the point of death and then Weslun Tane will reappear on his dais and you can kill him easily. Once he is dead pick up the wardstone from his body and return to the village again.

Speak to the mage, Tero (x4400 y1000) and give him the wardstone. You will then be teleported up to the castle in the sky. Around the castle exterior there are some manifest shadows to kill if you wish, but when you are ready head into the entrance (x980 y1560). Incidentally on the map there some kitchens marked, which I was unable to access. Whether they even exist I know not, but if someone has got into them and can tell me about it I would love to hear. 

Inside the castle you will be attacked by manifest peasants, but these are easy to kill. You can loot small amounts of gold from their bodies if you wish. As you approach the central stairs a manifest shadow warns you about the master and then attacks. There are two additional stair cases in this room but they lead nowhere relevant so feel free to ignore them. Head up the central stairs to the next level.

On this level you will be challenged to a series of bizarre games by a Monster. You can take part if you wish and the exits to the level are sealed. (Alternatively you can simply kill the monster to avoid these games altogether. You may seriously wish to consider this after the first two games have been completed). Agree to his requests. Move over to the table and pick up the waterstar gem (x1150 y890 - marked with a question mark), and then speak to the man who appears (x860 y1100). He gives you a riddle. Around the room are various barrels which you need to loot for spells and four pots (cold, hot, rainbow & earth). Once you have these items return to the man, speak to him, and then equip them as quick items and use them on him. After this he turns hostile but will provide no difficulty. Once he is dead you can loot him for a magic marker. (I have no idea what use the marker has, I suspect this section was not finished.) Return to the table and pick up a garnet gem. Once you have picked it up various enemies (mindflayers, umberhulks) will teleport in and attack your party. Once they are dead return to the table and the final game commences which is to get to the other side of the room. This is MUCH harder than it sounds because Venonocanes’s  Staff is completely invisible and also seems to have a limitless amount of very high level spells. I found no point trying to fight this battle, and suggest that you simply run across to the other side of the room. Incidentally this battle seems to continue in perpetuity, which means you will not be able to quick save your game or rest on the upper levels, and will also be going on when you leave the castle. (Of course, if you kill the Monster before this ‘game’,  none of this will apply J). Once you have made it to the other side of the room kill the monster (if applicable) and ascend the stairs to the next level. 

 

When you arrive on this level head directly east and into a large room, killing shadow monsters as you go. Speak to the woman here (x1400 y980) who seems somewhat distressed at being dead. In this room there are some chests which have spells and a light crossbow of speed. Now head out of this room and go north and speak to the shadow lunatic (x920 y670) who wants to kill you. In his room is a barrel which has the cursed ring of clumsiness. From this room leave and head north and then east around the corridor and enter the general’s room (x1500 y1470), who wants you to free his men. Agree to his request and leave his room.

 

Head to the southern end of this level (x2050 y1700) to be reunited with some old friends, Jarlaxle and Entreri. They have been turned into spirit wraiths and are now serving Cyric. This ends in a fight which is surprisingly easy. You can loot the bodies for Mithril Chain +4, ring of fire resistance, boots of speed, girdle of piercing, dreamweaver +4 longsword, (which I found about as much use as the web development package of the same name), potions, and Entreri Jewelled dagger (I think this is a quest item, but have no idea as to its use). Now head east into an ante-chamber, kill the shadow peasant and loot the chest for a dungeon key (this IS a quest item so do take it). There are also some chests with spells around here which you can take if you wish. Head back to the staircase (x1940 y900) and ascend to the next level.

 

On this level there are three spectral soldiers who ask for your help to free them. For this you need the relic. It is not on this floor so head over to the staircase and ascend.

 

When you enter the top floor a cutscreen shows the main character moving forward and talking to Larala (Cyric) who gives some exposition and then you have a fight on your hands. Given that Cyric is a god this battle is disappointingly easy, especially compared to some of the earlier encounters in the Darkest Day. Loot the bodies for the relic and some armour and other stuff if you wish (though I wouldn’t personally bother). Pick up the relic and descend to the previous level.

 

Talk to the soldiers and use the relic on them. They will disappear (nice animation here) and you can descend to the previous level (where Entreri was). Next go and speak to the general,  tell him you have freed his men, and that you will now free him. He thanks you and you are rewarded with 2000XP, and he then leaves. This level has now become vacant since the distressed woman has also vanished. There is nothing left to do here, so you should now leave the castle.

 

Once outside talk to Tero who will teleport you back to the village. When you return Mary Magus, Minto and Potencius all turn up to congratulate you for stopping Cyric and preventing the onset of the Darkest Day. Mary informs you that you have succeeded in your task and the villagers are saved even though they don’t know this yet. (If you talk to the villagers or the ranger they are as yet unaware of your heroic deeds). Additionally Mary says she will mark on your map the location of her house far in the south. If you go to your world map this is not yet the case, but this has been done presumably in advance of Throne of Bhaal compatibility, which will occur very soon. That’s it, you’ve completed the Darkest Day, well done! For final confirmation of this fact make sure to check your journal .

 

Coming soon …

The Darkest Day Throne of Bhaal Compatibility

 

Once teamBG have made The Darkest Day Throne of Bhaal compatible I hope to include any of new quests and NPC’s in future update to this walkthrough. Keep ‘em peeled ..

 

Thank you and goodnight from the SJC.

 

 

Thanks to …

All the usual people for making this cool add on to an awesome game.

My brother for going through this adventure multi-player stylee with me.

Dan Simpson for his cool BG2 walkthrough (an invaluable aid and provided me with some walkthrough conventions).

TrevorKK for loads of information (especially about the Underdark and some NPC information)

Urban Fleischman for posting my walkthrough on the sorcerers.net site. (Check out his site at  http://www.sorcerers.net/)

Eoin O’Riordan for posting my walkthrough on his BG2 site. (Check out his site at: http://www.geocities.com/oriordan3001/)

Sarah Finnimore for some bug information.

Chorlton for bug information.

Various people (Ribald, Bluntkiller, Earl Greyi) who have helped me with advice from message boards

You for being patient enough to read this.

Seb for various corrections

Rodge and the boys for good vibes.

Barry McTernan for advice on re-entering the Riativin barracks and a whole load of other stuff.

Fred Coja for some info about the Eshpurta Map square.

Innitrah for providing the grid location of Kivan. Well fucking whoop de doo… (he was wrong as well, the muppet!)

Sneakysnake (Bill Carter) for telling me about Kivan’s quest in the Umar Hills

HighLordDave for confirming Kivan’s location.

Max Potencius for advice on patches and other info (oh and for writing the mod…J)

Robert the Beast for much advice and interesting correspondence.

Dennis Kelley for insight and advice on many issues especially the Wimblie pickpocket tip.

deano for the freedom’s reign mod.

Calle Pettesons for more info on Robillard quest.

Anyone else I haven’t already mentioned who emailed me. I do REALLY appreciated the correspondence, and I’m only sorry I haven’t the time to thank you personally. I will continue to answer all messages though J

 

 

No thanks to …

Microsoft Office's dictionary for being rubbish and not recognising perfectly crumulent words such as mega and stats.

GameFAQS for persistently refusing to publish this walkthrough. Bastards

Fileplanet for being totally shite.

Coppers, all of whom are bastards.

 

 

ã Copyright Suburban Jub Collective in conjunction with ACAB 2001. So don’t nick it if you ain’t part of the collective.