Shangalar's Enigma (Battles not done 1st time thru)

CerebroDragon · 01-16-2004, 07:32 PM

First time through BGII, I didn't follow the Kangaxx construction quests to their ultimate conclusion. I have to say now, I regret that, as I missed out on quite the entertaining and for a while, difficult, battle...and I haven't even reached the end of it all just yet.

After entering the correct door in the bridge district with the correct item, my party had to first lie through their teeth and pounce on an unlikely intruder, in order to save the currently effeminate Edwin being accosted and taken away from us. I wonderered if this encounter was set for triggering inside this area, or whether it was just a coincidence of timing...

Anyway, little was I prepared for the dire nastiness Shangalar had awaiting us. I must have reloaded in a dark, anxious state 10-20 times, I was almost going to reload the autosave and rest again and come back to try again some. However, just this morning I managed to luck out somewhat but seemingly at some cost. Here's what eventuated:

My party wasn't at its fullest strength at this time. But I had my Avenger barkskin, use a couple of potions and then shapeshift into sword spider form for most of the battle. Viconia cast prot from evil 10 radius, defensive harmony, chant and then I had her draw holy might whilst Jan cast a series of defensive spells on himself, used the staf of air to conjure an Air elemental and cloudkill the area near where the beholder appears. Edwin cast a small Fire elemental, his own minor sequencer for defensive purposes, whilst the tanks Korgan and Minsc drank potions of fire giant strength. Jan then cast haste and we were ready to go.

I had Korgan trigger dialogue and then as Shangalar teleported, rushed back into the alcove with everyone else. I had Minsc prepositioned armed with the Mace of Disruption +1 and I almost fell out of my chair when on his second swing, just before the lich could get any defensive spells away, it failed a save and was utterly annhilated by the mace. I had little time to celebrate, as there was still a battle to be won I put Minsc in bow mode and had him on the perimeter, firing at Ravenek, the fighter. I got a bit game with Korgan, as the elementals had just gone down, sending him into bezerk mode head on with the beholder. It went down fairly quickly after a "scone breaker", as did the fighter, leaving only Shyressa the Vampire, and the mage who despite having cast protection from evil was still humourously engaged in a battle with her own gated Pit Fiend.

This is where I make a small tactical mistake by getting Edwin to use the wand of summoning too close to the hastily approaching vampire who homes in on him, managing to drain four levels in what was the only real blight upon the battle. Minsc and Korgan chased it down swinging wildly as Edwin retreated, and Jan cast a flame arrow to slow it down some more. It was eventually smited and I then managed to get a cheesy quicksave in the alcove. The remaining mage was still surprisingly a decent challenge to conquer, although I had thought the Pit Fiend would make it easier. Korgan got lucky with another 'sconebreaker' as did Jan with a backstab which ended her existence, gaining a very well endorsed/much spoken about magic item.

I got a bit of a shock though when as I was about to retreat to the alcove to save again and loot, when the Pit Fiend made another very sudden reappearance. I figure it must have been under the influence of invisibility 10 radius or improved invisibility or something. I didn't see. It wouldn't attack, but I decided to send it to oblivion anyway. Ahh, finally. It was done. Or was it?

Now, this is where I got panicky. Where was the torso piece which I assumed (from other posts and Kangaxx's plea) must lie. I found the beholder eye and assumed it to be what was needed to leave and looted the remaining corpses of summoned creatures etc. Shangalar's corpse lies exactly where it first appears within the alcove, but with nothing on it!
Am I being punished for lucking out in killing him so quickly? Does the item only appear if you allow him to appear in his full glory? Or hopefully I have got this encounter confused with something else in that the item isn't found here. Anyway, I'll make a save in there for the time being unti I know for certain what's happened....

Cheers,
Cerebrodragon
+++--UDIC--+++
+++----------+++

SixOfSpades · 01-16-2004, 09:03 PM

First off, good job on taking out the Rune. It's a pity you were cheesy enough to use Reload knowledge (posting Minsc with the MoD+1 right where you knew.....etc), but at least you didn't use Protection from Undead or anything like that.

Secondly, the items Kangaxx wants isn't in there. Oh, well, at least you got at least one really cool item out of your trip.....

Quote:

my party had to first lie through their teeth and pounce on an unlikely intruder, in order to save the currently effeminate Edwin being accosted and taken away from us.

You may have taken the "wrong" action with that particular event. Give us the details and we'll let you know if you should overwrite your oldest Savegame.

CerebroDragon · 01-16-2004, 10:06 PM

Ahh Six, I could always innocently claim that Minsc just happened to be standing in the right spot so that....

But yes, I guess I just felt the urgent need to be rid of Shangalar with such a violent passion and that since he'd killed me so many times, I quite frankly felt quite justified in exposing his weaknesses.

No Torso to be found there then eh?
Well that's a relief then. Here I was getting ansty about missing items for no reason.

Hmm...so the search continues for it then...

As for the Thay wizard encounter who is chasing after Edwin...I either answered in the negative that i didn't know Edwin and then attacked him, or simply killed him on sight...can't quite recall which. Most likely the former. You'll have to tell me if and why it was the 'wrong' choice before I'll even consider repeating the Shangalar battle.

[ 01-16-2004, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: CerebroDragon ]

Dundee Slaytern · 01-16-2004, 10:24 PM

Edwin Squbquest Spoiler
~
~
~
~
That Mage was the one able to reverse Edwin's gender. You need to pretend not to know Edwin, let him change Edwina's gender, then attack him.

As for Kangaxx's torso... no offense intended, but I was laughing hilariously over the address mixup.

PC: "*Knock, knock*"

Shangalar: "Who's there?"

PC: "Surrender the torso or die!"

Shangalar: "Wha-, WHAT? What torso you worm?"

PC: "Lies! Lies! All Lies! You have the torso of Kangaxx and you must die now!"

Shagalar: "What? That torso? You buffoon! It's not here! It'~"

Speech interrupted as Shangalar is forcibly banished due to the Mace of Disruption. A fierce battle commences, but the torso remains elusive.

PC: "NOOOO! Where could it be?!?!"

Minsc: "PC! PC! Boo has something important to say!"

PC: "What?! What?!"

Minsc: "Boo says we knock on wrong door. Torso of Kangaxx is next door."

PC: "Oh. Erm... oh well, them Twisted Rune loonies were bad guys anyway. TO THE NEIGHBOUR!"

Korgan: "Sometimes I wonder whether I'm the sharpest axe in the party... *glances at Jan, glances at Edwina* ... scratch that, I am the sharpest axe."

CerebroDragon · 01-16-2004, 10:51 PM

ROFLOL Dundee

I don't know whether to feel honoured that a moderator has written an amusing anecdote based on a post of my adventures, or to cringe with shame at the simplification of my actions.

Either way, nice job on the laughs. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I hope to the Thay gods that this particular mage individual we blatted wasn't the ONLY legitimate plot way to reinstall Edwin's manhood. I mean not only was he one of the weaker mages we've dealt with, but surely Edwin can eventually figure out a reversed incantation from his further studying of the Nether scroll himself! Can't he? Can't he??? *incredulous frown*.

Oh well, if it means having to persevere through the rest of the game with Edwina - I'd much prefer that to having to repeat the Shangalar battle.

Providing of course, there's no further nastier side effects of the nether scroll's own side effects to come (I.E Edwina inexplicably dropping dead...etc)
Incidentally, I find it a bit of a strange place to encounter that Thay mage, I mean, what in the 9 hells was he doing in Shangalar's alcove anyway? Doing some interior decorating?
Very odd. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Userunfriendly · 01-17-2004, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CerebroDragon:
ROFLOL Dundee

I don't know whether to feel honoured that a moderator has written an amusing anecdote based on a post of my adventures, or to cringe with shame at the simplification of my actions.
Either way, nice job on the laughs. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I hope to the Thay gods that this particular mage individual we blatted wasn't the ONLY legitimate plot way to reinstall Edwin's manhood. I mean not only was he one of the weaker mages we've dealt with, but surely Edwin can eventually figure out a reversed incantation from his further studying of the Nether scroll himself! Can't he? Can't he??? *incredulous frown*.

Oh well, if it means having to persevere through the rest of the game with Edwina - I'd much prefer that to having to repeat the Shangalar battle.
Providing of course, there's no further nastier side effects of the nether scroll's own side effects to come (I.E Edwina inexplicably dropping dead...etc)
Incidentally, I find it a bit of a strange place to encounter that Thay mage, I mean, what in the 9 hells was he doing in Shangalar's alcove anyway? Doing some interior decorating?
Very odd. [img]smile.gif[/img]

edwina is a lot of fun...her battle cry is truely funny...

and go to the copper coronet, SAVE the game, and have her talk to the elven gigalo near hendak...salvanus is his name...its funnier than heck...

Dundee Slaytern · 01-17-2004, 02:44 AM

He's scripted to appear anywhere. I have seen threads where people encountered him in the chamber where the Shadow Dragon resides, and they were in a fix, because casting any hostile spells would have... awaken the Dragon.

Then there is the uber mass scrumm.

Your party has a reputation below 4, and you have just slaughtered the knights in Windspear Hills. You enter the Bridge District at night, hoping to take a rest at the Five Flagon's Inn.

Upon your entrance a squad of Amish Guards and Cowled Enforcers call out to you, "Your villiany ends here now!"

Tired from your previous encounter, you decide to leg it and go further into the district where you meet several Paladins who cry out, "For our fallen comrades, have at thee!"

Starting to panic you blindly stumble forward and... get mugged. "Your money or your life!" sneers one of the muggers.

Not caring at the moment, you try to run pass them and bump into Jaheria's Harper friends, "Jaheira! The buck stops here now!"

At this point, it feels as though the whole world is against you, and it's true, because who should come out of the shadows but three vampires? "Joining the Shadow Thieves has sealed your fate foolish one!"

Screaming like a girl dangling over a pit of giant spiders now, you try to dash towards the entrance of the inn, but who should be barring the doorway but a Mage from Thay? "Hand over Edwin now... or there shall be trouble."

You start to laugh maniacally and decide that if you had to die, you shall die with fire and brimstone burning all around you. You cast a Magic Missile and... a group of Cowled Wizards teleport in. "You have defied us for the last time! Prepare to meet our highest order!"

The situation is hopeless. Boo is squealing in fear within some crevice in Minsc's armour. Edwin has less spell slots than there are enemies. Jaheira cannot possibly have enough Ironskins to deflect all the blows. And you... you decide that there is only one way to remedy the solution.

Power Word: Reload.

Rockstar · 01-17-2004, 04:43 AM

hahahaha that was GREAT dundee!!!

Raistlin Majere · 01-17-2004, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern:
He's scripted to appear anywhere. I have seen threads where people encountered him in the chamber where the Shadow Dragon resides, and they were in a fix, because casting any hostile spells would have... awaken the Dragon.

Then there is the uber mass scrumm.

Your party has a reputation below 4, and you have just slaughtered the knights in Windspear Hills. You enter the Bridge District at night, hoping to take a rest at the Five Flagon's Inn.

Upon your entrance a squad of Amish Guards and Cowled Enforcers call out to you, "Your villiany ends here now!"

Tired from your previous encounter, you decide to leg it and go further into the district where you meet several Paladins who cry out, "For our fallen comrades, have at thee!"

Starting to panic you blindly stumble forward and... get mugged. "Your money or your life!" sneers one of the muggers.

Not caring at the moment, you try to run pass them and bump into Jaheria's Harper friends, "Jaheira! The buck stops here now!"

At this point, it feels as though the whole world is against you, and it's true, because who should come out of the shadows but three vampires? "Joining the Shadow Thieves has sealed your fate foolish one!"

Screaming like a girl dangling over a pit of giant spiders now, you try to dash towards the entrance of the inn, but who should be barring the doorway but a Mage from Thay? "Hand over Edwin now... or there shall be trouble."

You start to laugh maniacally and decide that if you had to die, you shall die with fire and brimstone burning all around you. You cast a Magic Missile and... a group of Cowled Wizards teleport in. "You have defied us for the last time! Prepare to meet our highest order!"

The situation is hopeless. Boo is squealing in fear within some crevice in Minsc's armour. Edwin has less spell slots than there are enemies. Jaheira cannot possibly have enough Ironskins to deflect all the blows. And you... you decide that there is only one way to remedy the solution.

Power Word: Reload.

That has got to have an ill effect on the PC's mental state...

Illumina Drathiran'ar · 01-17-2004, 11:33 AM

Dundee, that was pure poetry. Surely you must have achieved some higher state of awareness.
(Anyone quoting Airplane! will be glared at.)

01-16-2004, 07:32 PM	#1
CerebroDragon Red Wizard of Thay Join Date: March 2, 2003 Location: Ballarat, Australia. Age: 45 Posts: 878	First time through BGII, I didn't follow the Kangaxx construction quests to their ultimate conclusion. I have to say now, I regret that, as I missed out on quite the entertaining and for a while, difficult, battle...and I haven't even reached the end of it all just yet. After entering the correct door in the bridge district with the correct item, my party had to first lie through their teeth and pounce on an unlikely intruder, in order to save the currently effeminate Edwin being accosted and taken away from us. I wonderered if this encounter was set for triggering inside this area, or whether it was just a coincidence of timing... Anyway, little was I prepared for the dire nastiness Shangalar had awaiting us. I must have reloaded in a dark, anxious state 10-20 times, I was almost going to reload the autosave and rest again and come back to try again some. However, just this morning I managed to luck out somewhat but seemingly at some cost. Here's what eventuated: My party wasn't at its fullest strength at this time. But I had my Avenger barkskin, use a couple of potions and then shapeshift into sword spider form for most of the battle. Viconia cast prot from evil 10 radius, defensive harmony, chant and then I had her draw holy might whilst Jan cast a series of defensive spells on himself, used the staf of air to conjure an Air elemental and cloudkill the area near where the beholder appears. Edwin cast a small Fire elemental, his own minor sequencer for defensive purposes, whilst the tanks Korgan and Minsc drank potions of fire giant strength. Jan then cast haste and we were ready to go. I had Korgan trigger dialogue and then as Shangalar teleported, rushed back into the alcove with everyone else. I had Minsc prepositioned armed with the Mace of Disruption +1 and I almost fell out of my chair when on his second swing, just before the lich could get any defensive spells away, it failed a save and was utterly annhilated by the mace. I had little time to celebrate, as there was still a battle to be won I put Minsc in bow mode and had him on the perimeter, firing at Ravenek, the fighter. I got a bit game with Korgan, as the elementals had just gone down, sending him into bezerk mode head on with the beholder. It went down fairly quickly after a "scone breaker", as did the fighter, leaving only Shyressa the Vampire, and the mage who despite having cast protection from evil was still humourously engaged in a battle with her own gated Pit Fiend. This is where I make a small tactical mistake by getting Edwin to use the wand of summoning too close to the hastily approaching vampire who homes in on him, managing to drain four levels in what was the only real blight upon the battle. Minsc and Korgan chased it down swinging wildly as Edwin retreated, and Jan cast a flame arrow to slow it down some more. It was eventually smited and I then managed to get a cheesy quicksave in the alcove. The remaining mage was still surprisingly a decent challenge to conquer, although I had thought the Pit Fiend would make it easier. Korgan got lucky with another 'sconebreaker' as did Jan with a backstab which ended her existence, gaining a very well endorsed/much spoken about magic item. I got a bit of a shock though when as I was about to retreat to the alcove to save again and loot, when the Pit Fiend made another very sudden reappearance. I figure it must have been under the influence of invisibility 10 radius or improved invisibility or something. I didn't see. It wouldn't attack, but I decided to send it to oblivion anyway. Ahh, finally. It was done. Or was it? Now, this is where I got panicky. Where was the torso piece which I assumed (from other posts and Kangaxx's plea) must lie. I found the beholder eye and assumed it to be what was needed to leave and looted the remaining corpses of summoned creatures etc. Shangalar's corpse lies exactly where it first appears within the alcove, but with nothing on it! Am I being punished for lucking out in killing him so quickly? Does the item only appear if you allow him to appear in his full glory? Or hopefully I have got this encounter confused with something else in that the item isn't found here. Anyway, I'll make a save in there for the time being unti I know for certain what's happened.... Cheers, Cerebrodragon +++--UDIC--+++ +++----------+++ __________________ Diddledy High, Diddledy Low, Come Brave Blood Sheep, You've a goodly way to go. - Brilhasti Ap Tarj

01-16-2004, 10:06 PM	#3
CerebroDragon Red Wizard of Thay Join Date: March 2, 2003 Location: Ballarat, Australia. Age: 45 Posts: 878	Ahh Six, I could always innocently claim that Minsc just happened to be standing in the right spot so that.... But yes, I guess I just felt the urgent need to be rid of Shangalar with such a violent passion and that since he'd killed me so many times, I quite frankly felt quite justified in exposing his weaknesses. No Torso to be found there then eh? Well that's a relief then. Here I was getting ansty about missing items for no reason. Hmm...so the search continues for it then... As for the Thay wizard encounter who is chasing after Edwin...I either answered in the negative that i didn't know Edwin and then attacked him, or simply killed him on sight...can't quite recall which. Most likely the former. You'll have to tell me if and why it was the 'wrong' choice before I'll even consider repeating the Shangalar battle. [ 01-16-2004, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: CerebroDragon ] __________________ Diddledy High, Diddledy Low, Come Brave Blood Sheep, You've a goodly way to go. - Brilhasti Ap Tarj

01-16-2004, 10:51 PM	#5
CerebroDragon Red Wizard of Thay Join Date: March 2, 2003 Location: Ballarat, Australia. Age: 45 Posts: 878	ROFLOL Dundee I don't know whether to feel honoured that a moderator has written an amusing anecdote based on a post of my adventures, or to cringe with shame at the simplification of my actions. Either way, nice job on the laughs. [img]smile.gif[/img] I hope to the Thay gods that this particular mage individual we blatted wasn't the ONLY legitimate plot way to reinstall Edwin's manhood. I mean not only was he one of the weaker mages we've dealt with, but surely Edwin can eventually figure out a reversed incantation from his further studying of the Nether scroll himself! Can't he? Can't he??? incredulous frown. Oh well, if it means having to persevere through the rest of the game with Edwina - I'd much prefer that to having to repeat the Shangalar battle. Providing of course, there's no further nastier side effects of the nether scroll's own side effects to come (I.E Edwina inexplicably dropping dead...etc) Incidentally, I find it a bit of a strange place to encounter that Thay mage, I mean, what in the 9 hells was he doing in Shangalar's alcove anyway? Doing some interior decorating? Very odd. [img]smile.gif[/img] __________________ Diddledy High, Diddledy Low, Come Brave Blood Sheep, You've a goodly way to go. - Brilhasti Ap Tarj

01-17-2004, 11:33 AM	#10
Illumina Drathiran'ar Apophis Join Date: July 10, 2002 Location: I can see the Manhattan skyline from my window. Age: 38 Posts: 4,673	Dundee, that was pure poetry. Surely you must have achieved some higher state of awareness. (Anyone quoting Airplane! will be glared at.) __________________ http://cavestory.org PLAY THIS GAME. Seriously. http://xkcd.com/386/ http://www.xkcd.com/406/ My heart is like my coffee. Black, bitter, icy, and with a straw.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The Enigma that is New York... actually even just Brooklyn. A world within worlds?	Yorick	General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005)	2	04-23-2004 06:39 PM
Battles	Too Hot	Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal	46	10-16-2003 12:43 PM
The Tomato Enigma	Dreamer128	General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005)	10	10-08-2003 10:38 PM
A Party Enigma	Gangrell	Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal	14	08-02-2003 04:15 PM
Fun battles	karlosovic	Icewind Dale \| Heart of Winter \| Icewind Dale II Forum	12	03-12-2003 09:29 AM

01-16-2004, 10:24 PM	#4
Dundee Slaytern Ironworks Moderator Join Date: June 10, 2001 Location: Pasir Ris, Singapore Age: 41 Posts: 11,063	Edwin Squbquest Spoiler ~ ~ ~ ~ That Mage was the one able to reverse Edwin's gender. You need to pretend not to know Edwin, let him change Edwina's gender, then attack him. As for Kangaxx's torso... no offense intended, but I was laughing hilariously over the address mixup. PC: "Knock, knock" Shangalar: "Who's there?" PC: "Surrender the torso or die!" Shangalar: "Wha-, WHAT? What torso you worm?" PC: "Lies! Lies! All Lies! You have the torso of Kangaxx and you must die now!" Shagalar: "What? That torso? You buffoon! It's not here! It'~" Speech interrupted as Shangalar is forcibly banished due to the Mace of Disruption. A fierce battle commences, but the torso remains elusive. PC: "NOOOO! Where could it be?!?!" Minsc: "PC! PC! Boo has something important to say!" PC: "What?! What?!" Minsc: "Boo says we knock on wrong door. Torso of Kangaxx is next door." PC: "Oh. Erm... oh well, them Twisted Rune loonies were bad guys anyway. TO THE NEIGHBOUR!" Korgan: "Sometimes I wonder whether I'm the sharpest axe in the party... glances at Jan, glances at Edwina ... scratch that, I am the sharpest axe."

01-17-2004, 02:44 AM	#7
Dundee Slaytern Ironworks Moderator Join Date: June 10, 2001 Location: Pasir Ris, Singapore Age: 41 Posts: 11,063	He's scripted to appear anywhere. I have seen threads where people encountered him in the chamber where the Shadow Dragon resides, and they were in a fix, because casting any hostile spells would have... awaken the Dragon. Then there is the uber mass scrumm. Your party has a reputation below 4, and you have just slaughtered the knights in Windspear Hills. You enter the Bridge District at night, hoping to take a rest at the Five Flagon's Inn. Upon your entrance a squad of Amish Guards and Cowled Enforcers call out to you, "Your villiany ends here now!" Tired from your previous encounter, you decide to leg it and go further into the district where you meet several Paladins who cry out, "For our fallen comrades, have at thee!" Starting to panic you blindly stumble forward and... get mugged. "Your money or your life!" sneers one of the muggers. Not caring at the moment, you try to run pass them and bump into Jaheria's Harper friends, "Jaheira! The buck stops here now!" At this point, it feels as though the whole world is against you, and it's true, because who should come out of the shadows but three vampires? "Joining the Shadow Thieves has sealed your fate foolish one!" Screaming like a girl dangling over a pit of giant spiders now, you try to dash towards the entrance of the inn, but who should be barring the doorway but a Mage from Thay? "Hand over Edwin now... or there shall be trouble." You start to laugh maniacally and decide that if you had to die, you shall die with fire and brimstone burning all around you. You cast a Magic Missile and... a group of Cowled Wizards teleport in. "You have defied us for the last time! Prepare to meet our highest order!" The situation is hopeless. Boo is squealing in fear within some crevice in Minsc's armour. Edwin has less spell slots than there are enemies. Jaheira cannot possibly have enough Ironskins to deflect all the blows. And you... you decide that there is only one way to remedy the solution. Power Word: Reload.

01-17-2004, 04:43 AM	#8
Rockstar Zhentarim Guard Join Date: January 4, 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 300	hahahaha that was GREAT dundee!!!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)