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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 Thieves | Joining Bodhi | Catacombs | |
JOINING BODHI
Valen's Mistress
The first part of the video is Asteroth agreeing to side with Bodhi. The last part simply shows that even if you do side with Bodhi, the Mace of Disruption is still available in the same spot.
Stopping the Shipment at the Docks
So I'm at the top of the stairs leading to lower Docks, southwest corner. Note that I rather dislike fighting on the stairs themselves. My characters can't move around each other. Instead, I beat a retreat back up, so my characters have the room to surround and gang up on my enemies one at a time. In SCS, backstabbing Thieves with Potions of Invisibility love to pick on Viconia, and it is a legitimate threat due to her lower hit points. She takes a precaution by casting Armor of Faith. Jan activates his Find Traps ability in order to keep the invisibility to a minimum. They manage to get a couple of shots in on Viconia. She takes no chances so she chugs a healing potion, and again after she takes a third hit. At 1:40 I pick up the needed crate of supplies that I was to intercept. For anyone who's interested, one of the Shadow Thieves will also leave behind the Rifthome Axe +3 (throwing). But Korgan has already acquired the Dwarven Thrower, so I didn't bother.
As an aside, I do the Sir Sarles quest for the evil party the same way as I do for the good party in order to keep the Illithium. The reason here is that I also want Viconia to use the Mace of Disruption +2, and for the same reasons. I rely on the party Cleric to cast Lesser Restoration when necessary, and thus I don't want the Cleric to lose spells to level draining.
After a love talk from Viconia, it becomes time to head back to Bodhi for my next mission, which is to assassinate a merchant named Vulova.
Vulova's Assassination
Vulova himself and his guard are easily cut down. The Mage falls fairly easily as well after Jan's Find Traps and Edwin's Remove Magic remove his protections. I plant the Cloak and the Dagger in the fountain to complete the mission.
Bodhi's next mission for me is to take down Aran Linvail.
Dredal and Haz
First, I head over to Gaelan Bayle's house and kill him for his key. Now for the assault on the Shadow Thieves in earnest. A fairly routine theme here is lots of Shadow Thieves who either use Potions of Invisibility followed by backstabs, or Shadow Thief Archers. In many of these fights, Jan is often content to sit still with his 'Find Traps' activated in order to keep the invisibility backstabs to a minimum. This, coupled with decent AC for your other characters, should ensure your survival.
The fight that starts around 3:30 can be pretty chaotic, especially if one or both of the Mages get in Teleport field. This tactic, coupled with the tendency of the Thieves to disappear with Invisibility Potions, can make Insect Plague hard to use effectively. Again, I have Jan keep 'Find Traps' active in order to bring down illusions for both the enemy thieves and enemy mages. Avoid bringing both Mages into it if you can. Once their illusions are dispelled, and Protection from Magic Weapons wears off, weapons that have additional elemental damage (like from Korgan's axe) can interrupt their spellcasting even through their Stoneskins. This was how I managed to keep their spellcasting to a minimum.
At some point it becomes time to hunt down the second Mage. She ends up summoning a Nabassu, which isn't too much trouble for Korgan. Edwin and Jan get off the standard Chaos + Slow, with the added benefit of confusing the second Mage. Once the Teleport Field wears off the party manages to get its collective bearings back together and concentrate on cutting down the Thieves one at a time.
At around 12:20 I kill Booter and get his key. I then use the key to free Tizzak, who gives me the low-down on how to reach Aran Linvail's sanctum. At around 14:00 I have a choice between two doors, one to the northwest, and another to the northeast. Aran Linvail is through the northeast door, but he can't be reached until you press a button and get another key. Thus it is through the northwest door that I go. From this point onwards, keep a very diligent eye open for traps.
For the Mage at around 18:00, 'Find Traps' to bring down her illusions. Her Minor Spell Turning managed to neutralize Edwin's Breach. I keep on her with physical attacks, since the elemental damage from my weapons will go past her Stoneskin and interrupt her spells. At the end she casts Protection from Magic Weapons. But Edwin, having already gotten rid of her Minor Spell Turning with Breach, now finishes her off with Chain Lightning.
At 18:30 is a trap that I apparently can't do much about. The Priest of Mask may not be easily reached due to the narrow walkways. In this instance, only Asteroth and Korgan close the distance on him while Jan and Viconia hang back and use their crossbow and sling respectively. Korgan takes out the Archer by himself with his Dwarven Thrower.
At around 20:00 Jan scouts ahead to remove the traps, so that the party can follow and freely move about the combat field. The party goes all out for Dedral first. Edwin uses Melf's Acid Arrow, Asteroth uses Doom, and Jan casts Invisibility followed by a backstab. The thieves for their part are going all out for Viconia, so she casts Defensive Harmony. Once Dedral falls everybody else is much easier. Incidentally, when you side with Bodhi, it will be Dedral who leaves behind the Ring of Lockpicks (+20% Open Locks, +20% pickpocket).
From about 23:00 onwards is where Jan disarms a series of traps, and then hits the button at the end of the corridor. This is the first step to paving the way to Aran Linvail.
At around 24:45, keep in mind that there's a Lightning Bolt trap east along the corridor and a foe can trip it as well. So Jan chugs a Potion of Invisibility, and then goes on ahead to disarm it. He then gets the jump on the nearby Orcs with a Fireball.
Now we're pretty close to Haz himself. As soon as I bend the corner, there's a Priest of Mask. I didn't realize the Priest had cast Physical Mirror on himself, but then ... I'm not eager to bring Haz into view just yet. As it turns out the Priest was willing to come to me, allowing me to hack him down.
As for Haz himself, I hesitated with Insect Plague cause I wanted to save it for Aran Linvail. But then I decided to just rest outside the Guild after I was done with Haz. Asteroth then aims Insect Plague at the Archer, which then catches Haz as well. Jan and Viconia then open fire on Haz while Korgan and Asteroth kill off the Archer. Edwin chips by summoning a Nishruu to hound Haz. Insect Plague and a Nishruu together can spell certain doom for a Mage. I then grab Haz's key once he falls.
Killing Aran Linvail
Jan disarms the last trap in the hallway leading to Aran. The party then kills an Air Elemental. I cast Haste just before I enter through the door. This is a bit risky, since there's more than one spellcaster capable of removing the Haste effect, but it is a calculated risk. Another preparation for this includes Protection from Fire for both Korgan and Asteroth. The reason for this is that a second Mage besides Aran has a Spell Trigger that includes 3 Flame Arrows, so it is very prudent to protect the two characters who are going to be the most forward in this fight.
Now combat against Aran begins. Everybody has a role at the start of combat. Asteroth aims an Insect Plague at the second Mage, who isn't protected by Invisibility, to take both her and Aran out of the battle. Korgan heads straight for the Priest of Mask in order to prevent the Priest from casting Dispel Magic (part of the calculated risk-taking). Viconia uses the Improved Kitthix Figurine, while Edwin brings in a Nishruu to drain spells from either Aran or the second Mage.
The next priority is to try and get rid of the Shadow Thieves attacking Viconia, so Jan and Asteroth help out. Once Korgan kills the Priest he goes after the Shadow Thief Archers since the second Mage won't fall right away. And besides, the Nishruu is on top of her.
Viconia did however get hit with a pretty nasty backstab, so she demonstrates a well known sequence, Sanctuary to buy herself enough time to cast Heal. At this point, everybody is trained on the second Mage. The last remaining Shadow Thief is taken out, leaving only Aran for last. By the time Insect Plague has worn off, Korgan and Asteroth are on top of him, making it an easy kill.
There's some loot to be found here like the Elven Chain +1 (for Jan) and the Ring of Djinni Summoning, but the real prizes are the Amulet of Power (immunity to level draining and silence, -1 spellcasting time, +5% magic resistance) for Asteroth, and the Ring of Protection +2.
