Mordenkainen's Sword scroll in SOA (*SPOILER*)

[Klutz]

I swear I've never heard of anyone actually finding Mordenkainen's Sword scroll anyplace in unmodded SOA that is repeatable (i.e. not random treasure from a Goblin, bookcase, chest, etc). So I figured this might be of interest:

In the Underdark, when you visit Carlig at the Duergar encampment (probably shortly after entering the Underdark, as he's not far from the entrance), he's quite helpful. He will even sell you a few level 9 Freedom scrolls and some other decent equipment and scrolls. Well, on my 3rd time playing SOA I decided to check back on the guy while in Drow form. He thinks you are the lead of a Drow war party, and you get an entirely different set of dialogue with him. When you ask him to show you his wares, his inventory, particularly his spell scroll offerings, have changed drastically.

In addition to offering a scroll of Mordenkainen's Sword, the other scroll Carlig offered that I don't recall seeing before anywhere in SOA is Improved Mantle (level 8). Therndle Daglefodd in the Svirfneblin town also seems to have different inventory when you visit as a Drow, but nothing quite as interesting shows up as what Carlig had.

I was able to repeat this under two different parties, so I'm pretty certain it's a genuine find. May be old news, but I've been following this board and have heard people ask about Mordy's sword many times but never heard this as a response. I play with unmodded SOA, with only Baldurdash patches and bonus merchants.

[SixOfSpades]

Mordy's Sword is actually a somewhat common randomly-dropped item--I'm sure it must be a reliable find somewhere in the game, but with all the Random ones floating around, nobody seems to bother remembering where that reliable one is.

Carlig's shift from "First Store" to "Drow Store" is known, but I was never certain whether or not Daglefodd did the same thing. Note: After you turn Human (or whatever) again, Carlig does not change back. And what happens if you send Viconia, alone, to go talk to Carlig? He should offer the "Drow Store," right?

[Gangrell]

No, because he talks to Viconia the first time you meet him and it doesn't change the store for you. Even if Viconia does talk to him, he can still tell you are surfacers and only changes when he see's you're a drow war party. Makes sense I guess.

[SixOfSpades]

If the only person he sees is Viconia, and she's wearing the Drow Armor/Shield/Flail that you just looted, how the heck is Carlig supposed to know she's from the surface? Would she have developed a slight accent or something?

[pcgiant]

Good, good point, Six. There is probably no logical explanation for this, other that the programmers didn't think about it. I've never visited the dwarves when in drow form, so I don't know their dialogue, but perhaps they may think that a party of drow could be here to kill them, like the deep gnomes, so they may offer you their goods in some sort of bargain for their life. They may think one of his own less of a threat, or something. Of course this theory does not hold out against soloists.

As I said, there's probably no real justification for it.

[Radek]

I've never tried it. I must try it next run of SoA [img]smile.gif[/img] At any rate, congratulations, Klutz. You seem to have found the only sure Mordekainen Sword and Improved Mantle in the whole game.
Both scolls are random treasure otherwise. For example, the first possible Improved Mantle is in Irenicus Dungeon - well, if you are lucky. The first possible Mordekainen Sword is at Waukeen's Promenade - again, if you are lucky. More possible sources will follow - but you need not be lucky to the end of the game. It can happen that you won't find Mordekainen Sword at all. It has already happened to me once. On the other hand, I've found Mordekainen Sword somewhere in the game in the remaining game runs.

[Klutz]

Randomly, I've actually only found Mordy's Sword a single time... in about 2.5 full runs through the game plus probably over a dozen Irenicus's dungeon runs (which is where I have my best random scroll luck anyway). Although the odds of finding any specific high-level scroll are probably low, I almost never leave Irenicus's dungeon without finding at least one random scroll of level 6 or higher... usually from a plain old Goblin.

I'm still not sure about Daglefodd switching stores; it certainly looked different, but I'll have to compare a couple of savegames to be sure.

Anyway, knowing about Carlig means you can actually PLAN an SOA Mage (as opposed to a Sorcerer) around being able to have access to that spell. I'm always so spoiled by my party's melee power that I haven't experimented much with mages beyond breach/buff/support roles, but this will be quite the incentive to try.

[Xero279]

there is actually another scroll of mordy's sword on a Amnish Gaurd in Waukeen's Prom. But other than that one and the one from underdark, i think its just random

[Nerull]

Originally posted by Xero279: there is actually another scroll of mordy's sword on a Amnish Gaurd in Waukeen's Prom. But other than that one and the one from underdark, i think its just random

Actually, that one is random, too; sometimes he has it, sometimes not. Pickpocketing the guards throughout the city will get you some decent scrolls, as will casting wizard/sorcerer magic in the middle of the street. Cowled wizards tend to drop some pretty good stuff.

However, until ToB, I did not know of a consistent place to get a Mordy's sword from. Thanks, Klutz!

[Xero279]

Originally posted by Nerull: quote: Originally posted by Xero279: there is actually another scroll of mordy's sword on a Amnish Gaurd in Waukeen's Prom. But other than that one and the one from underdark, i think its just random

Actually, that one is random, too; sometimes he has it, sometimes not. Pickpocketing the guards throughout the city will get you some decent scrolls, as will casting wizard/sorcerer magic in the middle of the street. Cowled wizards tend to drop some pretty good stuff.

However, until ToB, I did not know of a consistent place to get a Mordy's sword from. Thanks, Klutz! [/QUOTE]You sure? everytime i see him, ill kill him or pickpocket him or whatever and he allways has one. maye we are talkng about diff gaurd? the on the left above Mira?