This being the diary of the Druid Llywode, discovered accumulating dust in the bottom of a crate (the diary I mean, not Llywode) along with a pair of slightly soiled golden pantaloons, and a dog-eared copy of the natural history of selbourne. Tethtoril said I was mad. Ulraunt laughed so much that he choked on a pretzel. But I, Phlydia of Candlekeep, have taken it upon myself to preserve this valuable manuscript for posterity. Now where did I leave it?

2 Mirtul 1369
Annoyingly, I seem to have lost Imoen. Apparently it will cost me 20000 gold to get her back. Looking on the bright side, I went to the circus! Got in a fight with some incredibly rude adventurers. Procured some nice gear.

In the Copper Coronet some half-wit tried to pick a fight with me. You should have seen his face when I turned into a sword spider. Kind of fragmented into eight distinct images. Very pretty.

Some odd little gnome tried to sell me what he called a 'flasher'. Was accosted by city guard. Told them where to go. My pet fire elemental ripped the guards to shreds while I (under the influence of an invisibility spell)* had a swarm of insects take care of the wizards. Needed to assume the form of a bear in order to get the loot to a trader.** End result - slightly closer to rescuing Imoen, and I made a new friend.

3 Mirtul 1369

Used the cash from the soldiers armour to pay Gaelan Bayle. Told me to go to the docks. Met some thieves who offered me an astonishing amount of gold to perform various mundane tasks. Got in a fight with some Golems. Gotta love those fire elementals.

Went into the city sewer. Met a wizard who said he would reward me for finding his mirror. Gave me a slave. A very annoying bard named Haer'Dalis, who keeps insisting I go and help his friends in the Five Flagons inn. I thought slaves were supposed to work for you. Some reward indeed.

* It should be noted that the spell improved invisibility, while not completely obscuring the recipent, does render them sufficiently indistinct to avoid being targeted by spellcasters. - Phlydia of Candlekeep

** It seems the druid's bear form does have some use after all. - Phlydia of Candlekeep

[ 10-19-2005, 07:32 AM: Message edited by: Dirty Meg ]

Lol. Phlydia. Rhymes with chlamydia.

Sorry. It's really late. :D

Keep the stories coming luv.

4 Mirtul 1396

Had a very strange dream. Woke up around lunchtime. Damn those night-time quests. Quite a productive day, none the less. Busted up a slave ring, caught two murderers and did more work for the thieves guild.

5 Mirtul 1396

Well, Xzar is well and truly dead. On my way to the Five Flagons I found a man being attacked by bandits. Took him back to what turned out to be the harper base in Athklata. Broke in and freed a bird, believing it to be Montarion. It was indeed a shapeshifted creature, but not the one I expected.*

In prison. As a visitor not an inmate but in this place it is much of a muchness. Was accosted by two yuan-ti mages and various bounty hunters as soon as I crossed the threshold. An ironskin and the perinially useful insect plague rendered the bounty hunters and their yuan-ti friends as impotent as the pixie to whom this dagger previously belonged.

* Those who Harp, it seems, often come with strings attached. - Phlydia of Candlekeep

[ 10-19-2005, 06:18 PM: Message edited by: Dirty Meg ]

I am following this with great amusement.

6 Mirtul 1396

Jan managed to distinguish himself today by clearing out the sewers under the Coronet solo, after me and my useless slave were slowed by a mustard jelly. In the Coronet itself, nature's vengence was unleashed upon a mean little teddy-bear thief. His last words - You'll never take me alive. Duh.

Did more mundane questing for the temple, and was attacked by vampires on the way to the Mithrest. Fire elementals have a million uses.

Quote for the day...
Haer'Dalis: Enter Haer'Dalis
Jan: I'll do it for a turnip

This is very amusing. keep it up

7 Mirtul 1396

Early start today. When destiny calls, you don't let it know that it has the wrong number. Mostly on the move today - only noteworthy event was a bandit attack. Finally reached Trademeet.

8 Mirtul 1396

It seems a shadow druid named Faldorn has taken over the grove. Challenged her for leadership. An improved invisibility protected me from her spells, while I assumed the form of a sword spider and ripped her to shreds. She is now serving nature in a more subtle manner - pushing up the daisies. The role of grand druid has passed to me.

You really like the Sword Spider form don't you

Solo an Avenger. Play for three hours, and tell us how many of those hours were spent in sword spider form... It's a lifesaver, especially before Energy Blades.

Enjoying very much! [img]smile.gif[/img]

9 Mirtul 1396

Trademeet again. Saved some daft young couple and found the murderer from the bridge district. Was sent by a particularly odious aristocrat to retrieve a gold-plated neck brace from his ancestors tomb. When I took it to him I got caught in the cross fire of some ancient family grudge. Discovered a great tactic against invisible opponents. Target ground items near where you think they are hiding with the wand of lightning. Some of the rebounds are bound to hit.

10 Mirtul 1396

Pleasant walk through the lands southwest of the grove. Very agreeable nap in front of a strange tower. May have to investigate tommorrow.

(ToB spoilers)*
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11 Mirtul 1396

Attacked by a strange variety of demons and ghosts and walking statues. As I journey deeper into watchers keep, I wonder whether the adventuring life is a vocation, or just a bad habit.**

12 Mirtul 1396

Met a deranged elf called Yakman. After I relieved him of his insanity (but not before I relieved him of some of his possessions) he informed me that his party had been killed by the demons wondering this floor of the keep. Stuff those ridiculous Helmites and their tin-pot god. I am begining to think that this is beyond me. Back to Athklata it seems.

* Try to stay in character - Phlydia of Candlekeep

** Groan - Phlydia of Candlekeep

13 Mirtul 1396

Killed some vampires. There is a boat to spellhold waiting for me at the docks. Just a few things to sort out first...

14 Mirtul 1396

Mostly traveling today . Killed some knights believing them to be ogres. That's what I said afterwards anyway.

15 Mirtul 1396

Met Lord Firkragg. He's really let himself go since our last meeting. Rescued Windspear's child, but decided to leave Firkragg alone for now. Discretion is, after all, the better part of cowardice.

16 Mirtul 1396

Temple district sewers. Was sent to retrieve a magical rod of some description. Didn't fancy fighting an elder orb, so sent my pet fire elemental Ignus* to soften him up a bit. To my astonishment, the fire elemental killed the freaky looking curmudgeon without my help. Realised that I could fulfill my duty, both to the temple and to Gaal, by killing the beholder and giving Gaal the rod. I gave it to him alright. Hehe.

Both Jan and Haer'Dalis claim to have met deities before. I'm not sure what the significance of that is, other than that both of my colleagues are two loaves short of a slice.

Accidently wandered into a Illithid lair. My sword spider form made short work of them, but Haer'Dalis proved even more useless than usual. Isn't there a place where people like that can go to get rehabilitated?

* I'm sure I've heard that name somewhere before - Phlydia of Candlekeep

Heh, Ignus. Good times.

I should try out an avenger some time, they sound pretty cool.

Bump

[img]tongue.gif[/img]

17 Mirtul 1396

On the road again. Sent by the spirit of the grove to help a small boy in Trademeet.

18 Mirtul 1396

Rescued the little toerag. It seems the force is strong in this one. The spirit decreed that the child will be raised in the grove.

Back to Athklata. I'm running out of ways to avoid the inevitable encounter with Irenicus. Lets get to it. Ah well, if not to heaven then hand in hand to hell...

Very nice.

27 Mirtul 1396

After much sailing arrived in Brynlaw. Nature's vengence was distributed liberally. Eventually decided the quickest way into the asylum was to convince Desharik that I am mad.

That was easy. However, I'm writing from a dungeon underneath the asylum, having been stripped of my immortal essence. Found Imoen, but left her to get out on her own. It is in accordance with nature that the strong survive. Harsh as it may seem, it is best for Imoen's personal development.

28 Mirtul 1396

Have been summoned to the City of Caverns to save an ancient marine species from total annhilation. Their king seemed tanked up to the gills, so I was forced to negotiate with their exiled prince.

29 Mirtul 1396

In the underdark disguised as a drow. People say drow have no sense of humour, but it's been a laugh a minute here in Ust-Natha. Killed all manner of strange beasties.

30 Mirtul 1396

I've always thought insects such pretty creatures. However, pretty creatures can do ugly things to people, as Deirex found out to his cost. A lich dead with just two spells, and not a mark on my baby soft skin.

Hehe... Drow with a sense of humor...

1 Kythorn 1396

White rabbits. Nothing important happened today. Finally escaped the underdark. Most of the day spent walking. A bit of shopping and a suprise attack by the gith.

2 Kythorn 1396

Took on Bodhi. Was intending to put her black heart on a pike, but no one seems to sell them. Will put it on my mantlepiece instead.

Accidently wandered in on some sort of cult. Scary but ultimately quite rewarding.*

* From careful analysis of the writings of Llywode, have come upon a marvelous technique for dispatching liches. Unfortunately, I can't find room for it in the margin - Phlydia of Candlekeep

[ 11-07-2005, 08:07 PM: Message edited by: Dirty Meg ]

3 Kythorn 1396

Mostly walking again today. Exchanged some blunt words with the elven commander. I'd have preferred a mace.

4 Kythorn 1396

My first dragon battle! Tried to sweet talk it into giving me the cup, but in the end had to fight. Pelted it with energy blades and summoned beasties. Now I have two of the artifacts needed to summon rillifane's avitar. I just need to find an elf who's got the horn.*

* Groan - Phlydia of Candlekeep

5 Kythorn 1396

The final showdown. Cast all my buff spells, and then hurled all my offensive spells at Irenicus and his demonic friends. A crude, but as it turns out, effective technique. Irenicus is dead!

Final thoughts (no longer in character).
Survived a no reload game. For a party with no fighters and three spell-casters, there are no really difficult battles, but few really easy ones. If you throw everything you have at one opponent they are bound to die. On the other hand, I found myself frequently having to use spells against enemies which usually wouldn't be a challenge.
Party members
Llywode - I knew druids were great spell-casters, but I didn't realise they could fight as well. With ironskins, shapeshift type abilities and energy blades, they can actually kick proverbial arse.
Haer'Dalis - Once playing BG1, I took Xan, merely out of curiosity. I found that far from being useless, the inability to cast magic missle and fireball opened up intresting possibilities which hadn't previously occured. I found the opposite effect with Haer'Dalis. He really sucks. Even with all his buff spells and extra abilities, he is a mediocre fighter. He nearly always fails his saves, as a result of which he spent most of the vampire and mind-flayer dungeons standing in the corner facing the wall to prevent him from being a danger to the rest of the party.
His spell slots were mostly used for spells which keep him alive which, at the risk of sounding uncharitable, rapidly became a matter of indifference. He can buff and then cast tensers transformation and be fairly useful in a fight but a mage could do exactly the same thing. In effect he is no better in a fight than a mage, not nearly as good as a druid, and not half as good a spell-caster as either. In ToB I intend to aquire a new front-liner. It speaks volumes about Haer'Dalis's ineptitude in a fight that he is to be demoted to the back row rather than my druid.
Jan - Very useful all-rounder. Covers all thieving needs superbly, as well as being a good mage. Has the ability to sneak up to a group of enemies, blast 'em, and run away to hide in shadows again. A very useful party member.