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ARCHIVES
Permission to Enter Blacklake
My part configuration is now Casavir, Neeshka, and Grobnar. I report my success to Captain Brelaina in the Watch Headquarters (#8 on the Merchant Quarter map), and get rewarded with 300xp. She finally gives me permission to enter Black Lake in order to speak with Aldanon the Sage. The way to Black Lake is at #14. As a member of the Watch, it is a Watch member who lets me in through the gate. *Evil* For Zarathos, a member of the Shadow Thieves lets him in through an underground tunnel. Zarathos needs some Quicksilver first before Aldanon will let him in.
*Evil* Shadow Thieves of Amn
Things proceed a little differently for Zarathos. Axle not only grants access to Blacklake, but he also holds out potential membership in the Shadow Thieves of Amn as a reward. This conversation was necessary to gain access in earlier releases of NWN2 to be able to add levels in the Shadow Thief of Amn prestige class. It no longer is after the release of Storm of Zehir. You only need to satisfy the Stealthy feat and the skill prerequisites to gain access to the prestige class.
Aldanon the Sage
Once there, Aldanon lets me in. Once inside, I speak with Aldanon at length about various matters. The inevitable conclusion of the conversation itself is that I need to find further answers in the Neverwinter Archives. Furthermore, Aldanon gives me the Silver Shard: Physical Bonuses (+1 Strength, +1 Constitution, +1 Dexterity).
Archives Caretaker
I make a Diplomacy check to convince the Guard to let me make a side trip to the Archives.
After that, I start off at #1 on the Archives map. There will be a pair of Githyanki on either side to the left and the right.
I then go on ahead to #2 and speak with the Caretaker. I grab the opportunity to both keep Valeria's alignment chaotic and up her influence with Neeshka by lying on a promise to keep the secrets of the Archives safe. The truthful promise would have both earned alignment points towards lawful and won influence with Casavir, but there will be plenty of future opportunities for the latter.
*Evil* Archives Caretaker
Zarathos is decidedly more offensive towards the Caretaker. At one point he promises to keep Neverwinter's secrets safe, and thus gains a temporary +1 influence gain with Casavir. However, he also twice threatens the Caretaker, thus on the balance losing -3 influence with Casavir overall.
The second threat leads to me murdering the Caretaker, and a +5 alignment shift towards Evil.
I had to chase the Caretaker for a bit, which leads to an extended fight with some Githyanki.
Caretaker Veil
Now I go on through the next door, and then east. I have to fight some more Githyanki, and show how awesome it can be to hit a mass of foes with both Qara's fire spells and Grobnar's Curse Song.
A dead caretaker's body lies at #3. It has a Caretaker's Veil (-4 Dexterity, -2 armor class, True Seeing). The penalties are inconvenient, but having the player character wear it as head gear is necessary to make progress.
The Illefarn Cypher
The goal here is to open access to the central vault. That cannot be obtained unless I first answer four trivia-type questions posed by magical Archive Tomes found near each of the four corners of the Archives. Clues to the riddles' answers can be found in books that are scattered throughout the archives. I show the first such book and riddle in this video.
Places marked at #4 indicate chests with random loot behind secret doors. You need to have the Caretaker's Veil on to be able to see and open the secret doors. I managed to get 700+ gold from the one near the northeast corner.
The first such book, The Illefarn Cypher, is in a bookcase at #7.
I fight my way through more Githyanki while making my way towards the southwest corner. At #12 is an Archives Tome, for which I need to be wearing the Veil in order to click on. It will ask a random riddle, in this case whose answer can be found in The Illefarn Cypher. Having a good Lore skill makes providing the right answer significantly easier. Also, one of the reasons that I brought along Grobnar was that the Archives present a golden opportunity to up my influence with him. I can get +1 each for at least three of the questions answered correctly.
Luskan Threat to Neverwinter
At #9 is a book titled "Luskan Threat to Neverwinter". I then go to the Archives Tome at #13, which asks a question the answer to which can be found in "Luskan Threat to Neverwinter". If you did not get the book previously, Casavir can answer the question for you.
To Counter the Assumption of a Flat Faerun
I go clear across to the southeast corner. At #6 is a book called "To Counter the Assumption of a Flat Faerun". At #11 is an Archives Tome that asks a question, the answer to which can be found in "To Counter the Assumption of a Flat Faerun." I get +1 influence with Grobnar for answering the question correctly.
Death of a Sailorman
Now there are three volumes of "Death of a Sailorman." Volume 3 is found at #10. Copies of Volume 2 are found at places marked #8. Volume 1 is found at #5. At #14 is the last Archives Tome, and the answer to its question will be in one of the volumes. The way to the central vault opens after I have successfully answers the questions of all four Archives Tomes.
Archives Vault
The central vault at #15 is now open. The Githyanki there won't be hard to defeat. I still need to keep the Veil on in order to click on the Tome, whereupon it is revealed that Shandra is a descendant of Ammon Jerro which means that the Githyanki will be in pursuit of her.
I could go straight to her house then and there, but I want to sell off my excess loot first so I don't get weighed down. I therefore choose the 'remain here for now' option.
11th Level
Now everyone advances to their 11th level. There are a few highlights.
Valeria already has the Purple Dragon Ring and the Watchman's Helm waiting for Bishop when he joins the party. Khelgar hands over the Duskwood Longbow, the Stonefire Axe +1, and the Armor of Loyalty over to Casavir, so that I can seamlessly hand those over to Bishop as well when the time comes.
Note that Casavir does not spend any of his skill points during this level up. He saves them for when he acquires the Able Learner feat, and can therefore spend his skill points more efficiently.
Valeria takes her third Swashbuckler level, and thus acquires Insightful Strike. The ability allows her to add her Intelligence ability modifier instead of her Strength ability modifier as bonus damage whenever she strikes her target with her rapier. This is one of the key targets of Valeria's build.
Now it's up to me to rescue Shandra, and more than once.
