To sum it up, I'm asking for any information related to what happened to Minsc when I fought the elemental lich and what is the golden rib for. Is Nalia able to rejoin later on? And basically what is pertinent to do before I leave chapter two? I'm going to do the ployter/poison solving quest, the skinner, harpers/thief, rogue GUILD, maybe the graveyard/book one, visit nalia's place for exp, and explore more of the area.
Yes, that chapter does offer an immense variety of activities--one of the real pleasures in the game, IMO. [img]smile.gif[/img] As for your questions:
If a party NPC's picture disappears from your group (which I think you're saying happened), then they're absolutely, positively gone. No resurrection possible. If they're just dead, they can be raised, but when the picture vanishes, it means the body has been so badly dismembered or simply disintegrated that no reintegration with a soul is possible. Sorry.
Nalia will rejoin you, if you ask. Of course, you shouldn't choose answers to her that really tick her off, or she won't.
The important task in chapter 2 is to find enough money to buy the help of the Shadow Thieves, who will find Imoen and Irenicus. This information (and other quests) should be in your quest book. Keep track of that thing: it's highly useful. Note that you don't have to immediately pay off the Thieves once you have the 20K they've asked for. You could do other quests, if you'd like. Or, later on in the game, you could come back to town and finish off some.
I think a few quests are very good to consider at this point. The first is Nalia's castle--because it has an excellent collection of enchanted ammunition, which is costly to a young group of adventurers. You'll also want to buy or steal the Shield of Balduran, because it's very handly when faced with beholders.
Other quests will yield still other goods. I think there's a set of boots of speed if you take on the dimensional quest to help out the captured circus performers, but that's a tough one. You might consider Umar Hills--somewhat dangerous, but not too bad if you have a good cleric and Keldorn.
The illithium quest is easy. I would suggest you ask the ore merchant for both the fake ore, and the name of her source for the real thing. DON'T have the real thing on you when you speak to the scultpor--store it somewhere, in a chest. (Chests are never stolen from. Except by you.) Give him the fake. Good experience to be had, there.
Don't forget Trademeet! Nice place, good experience, gold and a few nice items await your success with a few quests.