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CHAPTER 1 | CHAPTER 2 | CHAPTER 3 | CHAPTER 4 | CHAPTER 5 | CHAPTER 6 | CHAPTER 7 | CHAPTER 8 | CHAPTER 9 | CHAPTER 10 | |
Shadow Thief Contact | Cult of the Unseeing Eye | Anomen and Keldorn | Slave Lords | |
CULT OF THE UNSEEING EYE
Cult of the Eyeless
Now I travel over to the Temple District, and witness Gaal trying to win over converts for his new Cult. I then accept High Watcher Oisig's job to investigate the cult.
Keldorn Firecam
I now journey to the Sewers beneath the Temple District. Note that I am going around the perimeter for the time being. I'm avoiding a fight in the middle of the Sewers. I'll deal with that fight later on so that Imoen can benefit from it as well.
I battle groups of Kobolds along the perimeter. They're still pretty easy, even in SCS, and can be cut down with brute force.
The video concludes with me recruiting Keldorn into my party at the northwest corner of the area.
A Dream, A Dream of Many Things
I begin by fighting monsters of various sorts. Towards the southwest will be a pair of Ooze Mephits, who emit a kind of Stinking Cloud effect but are otherwise easy to kill.
I then backtrack and then head down the hallways in a southerly direction. I end up in a room where I have to fight both Shadows and Hell Hounds. The former can do a minor strength drain, while the latter can score minor fire damage with their breath weapons. They otherwise aren't difficult to beat.
Yoshimo disarms a trap at the southwest end of the room. I continue on, and have to kill a couple more Shadows.
The video ends with the party resting, and Avastrian having a nightmare that features Imoen and Irenicus among others.
Vampiric Mists
Continuing on to the south, there will be another room with a wheel in the middle. Waiting in ambush will be four Vampiric Mists. These monsters don't have many hit points, but they can go invisible and can also drain levels. Level draining is something that I want to avoid as much as possible. So I have Yoshimo set four traps so that they'll catch the Mists. Keep in mind that Yoshimo has a Set Traps skill of 35, so I have to reload a few times. Avastrian goes into the middle of the room by himself. The door closes, but the traps kill off the Mists instantly. Avastrian then turns the wheel and opens the door.
Joining the Cult
This video consists of me speaking with Ghaal towards the southwest corner of the dungeon, and agreeing to his request to retrieve an artifact sought by the Unseeing Eye.
Sassar
Now I head all the way up to a room that's on the northern edge of this dungeon. Yoshimo disarms a negative energy trap in the hallway leading up to the room.
Inside the room itself is a blind and former priest of the Unseeing Eye, Sassar. He wants me to retrieve both halves of a powerful rod for the purposes of destroying the Beholder that calls itself the Unseeing Eye.
There will be a hallway leading west from Sassar. Yoshimo disarms a trap at the near end of the hallway. At the far end of the hallway will be some Shadows, a couple of Wraiths, and a Shadow Fiend. My main worry are the Wraiths, who can cause level drain. So, I have Yoshimo set some traps at the near end of the hallway. Minsc scouts out their location. Once their location is marked, Avastrian and Anomen hit them with a double combination of Fireball and Holy Smite to weaken them. As they're oncoming, the traps take out the first Wraith outright. The rest of the monsters close in. One wraith is close behind, albeit wounded. Jaheira casts Defensive Harmony to avoid party members getting drained. The party then takes out the remaining Wraith first and foremost before going to work on the others.
The stairs to the next level is nearby.
Guardian Dome
The party then heads north, and kills off a few spiders that appear around them. A niche holds a few gems and spell scrolls.
The party continues east and then wastes a few Gibberlings. I then show a tried and true tactical theme. Minsc scouts ahead and marks the location of a Mummy and some Ghasts. Avastrian and Anomen then nail them with a double combo of Fireball and Holy Smite from outside their 'fog of war'.
Further east will be a dome-like structure that demands the answers to three riddles before mending the bridge that allows passage across. The answers are 'life', 'time', and 'The current one ...'
Life ... is Strength
On the other side of the bridge is a Gauth beholder. Yoshimo sets all six of his available traps at the gangway. Keldorn, having the best saving throws, leads the Gauth across, where it gets killed instantly. This has the advantange of killing the Gauth by itself, and avoiding having to fight some nearby Shadows at the same time.
The party then rests, with Avastrian having another nightmare that involves being offered temptations by Irenicus.
Temple of the Diseased Ones
Now the whole party goes across. In a niche near the foot of the stairs will be some gold, and the hammer called Ashideena (+2 Warhammer, +1 electrical damage), which makes for a fine interim weapon for Anomen.
To the north will be a group of Shadows, and a pair of Shadow Fiends. Minsc marks their location, and Avastrian and Anomen get the jump with Fireball and Holy Smite. Jaheira prudently casts Defensive Harmony after they've closed in.
There's a walkway leading north and west. Yoshimo disarms a trap at its start. On the other side will be an abandoned temple, one whose past followers linger in a state of eternal sickness from within.
Empathic Manifestation
The party now enters the temple. Inside will be a demonic looking creature called an Empathic Manifestation. It cannot be killed by conventional damage. It can only be killed by hitting it with a healing spell. The Bhaalspawn protagonist's Cure Light Wounds, with its quick casting time, is ideal for the occasion.
Thereafter an avatar of the former god of the sun, Amaunator, appears. I agree to his request to bring him both halves of the rod so that he can free the Diseased Ones from their curse. The avatar gives me one half of the rod.
An altar at the west side of the Temple holds a few gems, a couple scrolls of Cure Serious Wounds, and a scroll of Skull Trap which Avastrian saves for Imoen.
The Eye is Blind
Now I backtrack and return to the upper level. Sassar advises me to use a password 'The eye is blind' with a friend of his who is still in the Cult.
Now I make my way back to where I first spoke to Gaal, then north a little, and then west. I tell Tad, 'the eye is blind', and gain access.
You Rest Each Night Uneasy
The party goes down the stairs. There will be more packs of Mummies and Ghasts. The same formula of Minsc going into stealth and marking their location, and then Avastrian and Anomen hitting them with Fireball and Holy Smite, works as always. The party can also handle physical combat against them when it's needed. The party sweeps the area until it's clear of undead.
Avastrian then has another nightmare whereby Irenicus continues to tempt him with promises of power.
Teshal
Now I go through the door to the west. I find myself in an undead village of sorts. I begin by taking out the Zombies and Ghoul Lord in physical combat.
Minsc scouts ahead to the north, but the monsters are too far spread apart to hit all at once from outside the fog of war. So I march north a little and start things off by trying to bring down the Skeleton Warrior with physical damage. Soon Ghasts, Shadows, and Mummies begin to arrive. This time they're bunched close together so that Avastrian can hit them with a well-placed Fireball, and Anomen chip in with Holy Smite.
A pile of rubbish has the Gauntlets of Dexterity (sets Dexterity to 18). Keldorn, who has a Dexterity of 9 and whose fighting style does not incorporate a shield, will wear these for the rest of the game. Granted, Anomen has a pitiful Dexterity as well. It does suck that I have two front line characters with miserable Dexterity. But Anomen will still be very well protected against physical blows when he wears Full Platemail and a shield, and he can take additional measures. The Armor of Faith spell will reduce physical damage. He also collects Potions of Agility, and will use them for the fights that really matter. Having Keldorn wear the Gauntlets becomes the easy choice.
I then backtrack and head east a little. I get a lead on the undead monster, Teshal, by having Minsc and Anomen hit him with missile weapons at a distance. This softens him up so that the party can bring him down quicker once he closes in. Teshal leaves behind the Skin of the Ghoul (+4 leather armor, +3 to saves vs. poison/paralysis), which Minsc will wear on an interim basis.
The party continues east and finishes off the remaining Ghoul Lord. They find plenty of magical ammunition like Bullets +2, Darts of Wounding, Arrows of Fire, and Bolts of Lightning.
The party leaves the village and prepares to journey further east.
Blind Priests
Now the party enters the next area. A container immediately within view holds a scroll of Protection from Normal Weapons, and some Bolts +1.
I then follow the tunnel leading north and then east. At the end is a Gauth. Haste, then rushing and attacking it suffices to bring it down.
The various tunnels in this area tend to converge in a large central space. Waiting within that central space will be several Blind Priests. This can be a difficult fight for a lower-level party like mine, because the Priests can cast spells like Unholy Blight, Hold Person, Cloak of Fear, etc.
First things first, Minsc scouts out their location. Yoshimo then sets up his traps at a certain chokepoint. Avastrian and Anomen move up to just beyond their fog of war. Anomen then casts Silence 10' Radius in their direction, which will prevent some of them from casting spells. Avastrian and Anomen then zip off their Fireball + Holy Smite combo. Avastrian then follows up with Cloudkill.
Now Avastrian and Anomen bring the Priests within view, and then retreat with the intention of leading them into Yoshimo's traps. It works, as two of them are killed outright.
When the rest of the Priests show up and converge on the party, I play two more cards. Jaheira aims an Insect Plague at one of the Priests, and this prevents at least three from them from casting any spells. Avastrian also casts Haste, which allows the party to hack down the Priests one by one.
Anomen has scored an upgrade, a Full Plate Mail.
Beholders
Now I begin clearing out the monsters along the perimeter. First, there's a pair of Gauth to the south. The thing is, I want to take out the Gauth separately from a Beholder that's even further south. If I take too long with the Gauth, the Beholder will eventually join in. So first, I have Minsc mark the Gauths' location. Avastrian and Anomen hit them from off screen with Fireball and Holy Smite. Avastrian Hastes the party, and then they rush forward to kill off the Giths quickly.
Now as for the Beholder, a Beholder has eyestalks that shoot rays that replicate the Flesh to Stone, Cause Serious Wounds, Finger of Death, Slow, Lightning Bolt, and Enfeeble spells. In the past I used to cast Haste and then rush a Beholder. But this amounted to rolling the dice, literally. Quite a few reloads were necessary when one of my party members get stoned or killed instantly. Here I show a safer way to get it done. Yoshimo plants all of his traps at the start of the passageway leading to the Beholder. Keldorn, having the best saving throws, goes forward to get the Beholder's attention and then leads it onwards. It comes straight for the traps and gets killed instantly. A container holds a few gems and a scroll of Secret Word.
There's another Beholder at the far north side. Thing is, a couple of Yoshimo's traps are still left. Remember that after a Throne of Bhaal installation a Thief can only plant 7 traps at once in a given area. The two that are left will count against that. So, even though it's farther, I decide to still use this same spot. Yoshimo plants five more traps in the same location. Keldorn goes to the north cave, and leads the Beholder onwards until it too gets killed outright by the traps. A container in the north cave has a few gems, a scroll of Protection from Acid, and Dragon's Bane (+3 Halberd, +6 vs. dragons).
The Unseeing Eye
Now it's time for a fight that's become much more difficult in SCS, especially for a lower level party like mine. The party, while Hasted, rushes through a tunnel at the southeast corner and then kills a Gauth in a cavern at the other end.
Next, Yoshimo lays all of its traps at the point where the tunnel ends at the entrance to the cavern. Avastrian casts Haste.
Avastrian then gets the other half of the rod from the container in the middle of the cavern. The complete Rod now appears in his inventory. Keldorn equips the rod in one of his quick-item slots, and then goes back down the tunnel. The Unseeing Eye soon appears, and immediately summons two Death Tyrants to its aid. Keldorn hits it with a blast of the Rod, which suffices to bring it to 'Badly Wounded' (the rod is never enough by itself to kill outright). Keldorn then retreats and regroups with the party.
The Death Tyrants follow after Keldorn. The traps kill one of the Tyrants outright, making my job much easier. The Hasted party then manages to wear down the other Tyrant. The Unseeing Eye hasn't followed after me, so I quick-save.
I don't show it fully in this video, but I wait for some of the Unseeing Eye's protections to wear off. Minsc then scouts out its location, and then Keldorn hits it with a Dispel Magic in order to bring down its longer lasting protections.
After that, Avastrian and Anomen hit it simultaneously with Fireball and Holy Smite. This brings the Unseeing Eye to 'near death', and it begins to wander around randomly.
The party then collectively begins to search for the Eye to finish it off. Keep in mind there's still plenty of danger to this fight. The Eye hits the party with a Minor Spell Sequencer that strings two Web spells together, and this means that often only one or two party members can attack it. Another danger to keep in mind is that the Eye can cast Imprisonment on a single character. With some luck and persistence, and the fact that it's 'near death', the prize is within reach. When the Eye casts a Stoneskin to protect itself, Keldorn immediately whips out another Dispel Magic to make it vulnerable to the killing blow, which is delivered by Avastrian.
The Unseeing Eye leaves behind an Amulet of 5% Magic Resistance, which Keldorn will wear as an interim amulet.
Rest for the Diseased Ones
Now I return to the abandoned temple, and give the depleted rod to the avatar. The avatar then ends the curse on the temple and the diseased ones. I get an xp reward and a +3 shield, Saving Grace, which Jaheira will use on an interim basis.
Gaal
Now I head back upstairs, and speak with Sassar, who congratulates me for a merciful act. I continue along, and casually defeat a Carrion Crawler.
I then head back to the room where I first encountered Vampiric Mists. Avastrian casts Haste in anticipation of the next battle.
I then head west, and begin a fight with the now very hostile Gaal, along with several Elite Guards. Gaal starts off with several protections in place. He'll also begin with Chaos and there's not much I can do but ride it and hope enough characters make their saving throws (Protection from Evil 10' Radius has usefulness throughout the game just on this point alone). In the meantime I also have Jaheira aim an Insect Plague at one of the Temple Guards. Don't aim it at Gaal, who will go invisible. Aim it at one of the guards, and watch it spread to Gaal so that he can't cast any more spells. The Insect Plague will also strike the Guards with fear, and stop them from fighting as well.
Avastrian, Keldorn, and Yoshimo made their saving throws, and this is enough for me to bring down the Temple Guards, even before the Insect Plague on Gaal wears off. Once Gaal is by himself, I wear him down. He attempts to escape by using a Minor Spell Sequencer that includes Invisibility, but Keldorn reveals him through use of True Seeing. The party then promptly finishes him off.
Gaal leaves behind the Girdle of Fortitude (raises Constitution to 18 once a day for 8 hours). The Elite Guard Captain leaves behind Bracers of A.C. 7, which Avastrian equips, and the Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy (+5 THAC0, +2 damage), which Keldorn equips.
The party explores the rest of the Cult Temple, with Yoshimo unlocking and looting several chests. The loot will include magical ammunition of various sorts, and well as some spell scrolls that Avastrian stows in his case. In particular he is saving the Cone of Cold and Animate Dead scrolls for Imoen.
Your Return was Foreseen
Now I leave the sewers, and then a number of things happen all at once. A women tries to con a Priest of Talos. A boy named Delin pleads for Minsc's help, which I don't agree to immediately. Terl arrives and informs Anomen that his sister has been murdered. I agree to Anomen's request to immediately find out what happened.
Anyway, I report the good news to High Watcher Oisig, and get rewarded with +1 to reputation, 45,750xp for each party member, and Ardulia (+1 mace, target must save vs. poison/paralysis at +3 or be Slowed for 12 seconds).
Now I need to attend to personal quests for both Anomen and Keldorn.
