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RETURN TO THE COVEYA KURG'ANNIS
Dread Wraps
I start off at #1 on the map. Valeria disarms the negative energy trap that's just ahead.
On the other side of the door at #2 will be the Mistress and several Hagspawn guards. The Mistress is a Warlock but her invocations don't prove all that dangerous. My characters' armor class is such that I also wipe out the Hagspawn Guards while barely taking a scratch.
The Mistress leaves behind the Dread Wraps (+10 armor class, damage reduction magical 15/-, -50% fire damage vulnerability, -8 to saving throws vs. disease, -2 Constitution, immunity to sneak attacks, immunity to paralysis). Certainly a robe worth thinking about, especially for a Swashbuckler / Duelist build, but one with significant drawbacks as well. I prefer Safiya wearing the Binder's Robe in any event.
Chamber of Dreamers
The Slumbering Coven will be just ahead, protected from any physical attacks by energy shields. Gann helps Valeria make an initial attempt at entering their dreamscape, only to get foiled.
Veil Theater Play
Valeria and Gann wind up in a dreamscape of the Veil Theater. Magda beckons Valeria on, and she deliberately goes along with it in order to win influence with Gann.
The acting troupe is putting on a play that symbolizes conflicts both past and present in the City of Judgment. It won't matter what dialogue options I choose from that point onwards, a fight with the other actors and disgruntled Audience members becomes inevitable. A Vampiric Feast from Valeria and a Storm of Vengeance from Gann suffice to blow them away in short order. A Dreamscape Portal opens up at the far end of the Theater.
Durler
I go through the portal and can now see the Slumbering Coven again, but this time in a dreamscape. There are three different prisoners near the Coven, a Bard, a Wizard, and a Mindflayer. I choose the Bard first.
The challenge presented by the Bard, named Durler, is to beat him three times at a game of deduction that he calls Hells. There's a few guidelines that can be observed.
The most economic use of the first four turns is "1122", "3344", "5566", and "7788". The information that can be deduced after each move varies. The most valuable information that can be attained is "No Devils and No Demons" because then it reveals neither of the numbers is in the sequence. The next most valuable source of info is only a single Devil, because then you know one of the numbers is in the correct order. For example, if you get single Devil in response to "3344", then you know that either there's a 3 in the first two numbers or a 4 in the last two numbers. If you get a single Demon in response to something like "5566", you'll know that either there's a 5 in the last two numbers or there's a 6 in the first two numbers. Write down your results.
Durler tends to like 9 as his first number, so my next move after the first four is to confirm it with something like, for example, "9911" after having previously gotten no Devils and no Demons in response to "1122".
After that, it becomes a process of elimination based on information you've acquired to figure out which number goes where. For example, let's suppose I've confirmed that 9 and 2 are in the first two numbers, and I've gotten single Demon in response to "5566". On that basis, I can try something like this "9255" to confirm that 5 is in the last two numbers.
If all goes well, the last move should be confirmed which two Hells constitute the first two numbers, and which two Hells constitute the last two numbers, and having a guess to spare to get the order just right.
I get 2,500 xp and gp bonuses for beating Durler at it three times.
Love or Faith
Now a large portal appears near the Slumbering Coven. It leads to a dreamscape centered around the Black Gate in the Death God's Vault. What plays out is a confrontation between Araman and the Red Woman, and thus a choice between mortal love and faith in the Gods. It won't matter in terms of in game consequences what you choose. The choice means having to fight either Araman and a couple more Red Wizards, or the Red Woman and a couple of Red Wizards. The point is that experiencing this dream is a necessary step to making your way into the collective dream of the Slumbering Coven.
I chose to side against Araman in order to increase influence with Gann. As for the battle itself, all of the Red Wizards use Ethereal Jaunt on themselves, which can make the battle quite inconvenient, especially if they choose to stay ethereal for an extended period of time. Valeria has an easy remedy for that, a Wail of the Banshee spell.
*Evil* Love or Faith
The equivalent video for the evil playthrough. The conversations play out somewhat differently because of One of Many's presence, as well as Zarathos being able to make a Wisdom check and sometimes making different dialogue choices.
Nonetheless, Zarathos also chooses to side with love against the Gods in order to inrease influence with Gann. He wants the Dreamer's Voice feat as well.
Infernal Contract
I now click on the Wizard dreamer named Faras Windelhelm. His dream consists of him trying to wriggle his way out of a contract for his soul with a Devil named Enzibur. The process is straightforward yet lengthy. First, exhaust all dialogue options with Faras. Second, exhaust all dialogue options with Enzibur and obtain a copy of the Infernal contract. Third, peruse the contract thoroughly and exhaust all options. Fourth, exhaust all dialogue options with Faras again. The key piece of info that I need to learn from my second exchange with Faras is that Enzibur misinterpreted Faras' wish for his master to go away into a wish for his master's death. Fifth, call Enzibur on breaking Baatezu law as it concerns infernal contracts. Lastly, explain to Faras that he is now free of the contract.
The rewards are 2,500xp and the Dream Dagger (Dagger +6, +1d4 positive energy damage, +1d4 damage vs. incorporeal, immunity to illusion spells, Sleep DC = 24 10% / 2 rounds). I hold onto the Dream Dagger for Safiya.
Gud-bugh-ach
I return to the Chamber of Dreams, and this time click on the Mind Flayer to enter his dreamscape. There's two ways to resolve his dream. One is to help him reach the other side without getting killed by the Githyanki Stalker that's searching for him. The other is to hunt him down and kill him yourself before he reaches the other side. Either way earns 2,500xp. I chose the latter.
Bishop and the Wall of the Faithless
Now I go through the Dreamscape Portal a second time. It takes me to a portion of the Wall of the Faithless, were the now deceased Bishop is trapped. A prolonged conversation ensues, with Valeria taking the opportunity to up her influence with Gann along the way.
At some point the conversation ends, giving way to a fight against a Horned Devil and a Pit Fiend. Valeria casts Greater Invisibility on herself, while Gann casts Storm Avatar on himself. It then becomes easy enough to hack down the fiends.
After the fight, I click on Bishop again. I obtain the Mask Fragment (Wall of the Faithless), and afterwards return to the Chamber of Dreamers.
*Evil* Bishop and the Wall of the Faithless
The equivalent video for Zarathos. The conversation proceeds differently to reflect that Bishop survived the encounter with Black Garius. Zarathos still chooses the "Gann is a friend" dialogue option in order to increase influence with him.
An Audience with the Slumbering Coven
Valeria and Gann engage in a prolonged conversation with the Slumbering Coven. Valeria maximizes her influence with Gann by encouraging him in his desire for justice and revenge against the Coven. She too decides to end their collective dream.
*Evil* An Audience with the Slumbering Coven
The equivalent video for the evil playthrough. Zarathos likewise wants to end the Coven, earning influence with not just Gann but also One of Many as well.
Another difference is that Zarathos uses his spirit hunger to end the dream. Valeria instead uses the love connection she shares with Gann to end the dream.
Petrifying the Slumbering Coven
Valeria wants to collect all 9 of the possible Slumbering Coven Essences. But she can't do that until she obtains the Ravenous Incarnation power from Myrkul later on.
I hit pause the very instant that the Chamber of Dreams reloads. Valeria then issues a 'stand your ground' command and sends he party members away to put some distance between them and the Hags of the Slumbering Coven.
After that, Valeria uses her many Flesh to Stone spells to permanently petrify each Slumbering Coven Hag one by one, and each of them still at full health if I can help it. Should any of the Hags happen to make a saving throw, I've got enough spares to get the job done. In the off-hand chance I can't petrify all of them, I'll just reload.
One thing that is important to note is that I've avoided having any of my other party members making physical attacks against the Hags. That does not, however, prevent the other party members from attacks of opportunity should any of the Hags get close enough. Therefore, and although it did not come up in this playthrough, I am perfectly prepared to retreat should any of the Hags make a physical approach. I would also target any oncoming Hags as the priority for a Flesh to Stone spell, which is what I did when three of the Hags turned into Treants and charged after me.
This way I hold the Coven still so that I can leave, acquire the Ravenous Incarnation power, then come back and collect the Essences I want. That was the whole purpose behind disabling everyone's melee attacks, so that I could leave all of the Hags 'on ice' so to speak until I'm ready to collect their Essences from them.
*Evil* Slumbering Coven Essences
Zarathos also wants to collect all nine Slumbering Coven Essences, and it's relatively easier for him since he has the Devour Soul power.
Much like Valeria, Zarathos also wants to leave the members of the Slumbering Coven petrified so that he can collect their Essences at leisure. But there's a finesse that I employ here. I have Zarathos start off right away with a Word of Faith spell. The reason being that some of the members of the Coven can change into animals or Treants. Once they're in that state, Devour Soul won't work on them. Word of Faith will prevent that, but it also means that some of them will wander about, so I have to be careful not to kill them with attacks of opportunity. I am therefore careful to position Gann and One of Many well away from them, and even have them move to stay out of the path of any Hags that are coming close.
Once Zarathos has gotten the Word of Faith spell off, Safiya proceeds to use Flesh to Stone on every member of the Coven one by one. She prioritizes any Hags that appear to be walking towards the party.
After that, I notice a trio of Hags bunched close together. Gann uses a Mass Drown spell on them, and brings two of to 'near death.' Zarathos brings the third Hag to 'near death' with physical attacks. Once that is set up, Zarathos uses Spirit Gorge to kill all three of them at once, and collect three of the Slumbering Coven Essences.
The rest it's a matter of waiting for the cooldown to elapse, bringing a Hag to 'near death' with physical attacks for spells, using Devour Soul on it to collect another Slumbering Coven Essence, and repeating for the remaining Hags.
Note how the second last Hag was 'badly wounded' on account of attacks of opportunity that I was unable to avoid. I have to be careful with that one. Note how Gann uses a couple of Creeping Cold spells to peck her down to 'near death', priming her up for a Devour Soul from Zarathos.
I now have all nine Slumbering Coven Essences I want. I place five of them into the Enchanter's Satchel, and then use the Mold Spirit ability on the Satchel. This produces the Eyes of the Coven (+9 Intelligence, +9 Wisdom, +9 Charisma, True Seeing (9) 1/day, Premonition (15) 1/day, Weird (17) 1/day), a mask that I'll have Safiya wear for what's left of the game. I'll use the other four Essences later, after Safiya attains her 30th level of experience and can cast the most powerful enchantments on weapons.
Hagspawn Guards
First, Valeria reconfigures her 6th and 7th level spells to what they had previously been, now that the multiple instances of Flesh to Stone have served their purpose.
Now I can leave through the door northwest of the Slumbering Coven ("follow me" is the mode I'm in as I'm leaving the room). Once I'm out of the room, I switch over to "attack nearest" mode and fight my way past several waves of Hagspawn Guards. Very high armor classes plus highly damaging weapons make it a breeze. Valeria doesn't mind throwing in the odd offensive spell though.
Note that I am also careful to make sure that Okku or the others don't make their way back to the Slumbering Coven Hags with a view towards attacking them. If I notice that, I'll reissue the "Follow Me", get further away from the Coven, and then switch back to "Attack Nearest" once I encounter some more Hags.
I eventually make my way to the Shadow Portal that leads back to the Nightshore.
Shield of the Magi
First, I reissue the "Follow Me" command. There's a specific reason for that.
Once on the other side, I easily kill Omaga as well asGuards Turlok and Mulv alone. Omaga leaves behind the Shield of the Magi (Light Shield +6, -5% arcane spell failure, +1 4th level arcane spell, Minor Globe of Invulnerability (15) 1 / day, Greater Magic Weapon (15) 1 / day), which I hold onto for Safiya. He also leaves behind a Chainmail +4 and a Greatsword +5.
Note that Guards Turlok and Mulv leave behind some gold as well as a Volatile Water Essence or two. I leave them on the ground. The reason is that if loot their bodies, the portal leading back to the Coveya Kurg'annis will be closed. If I leave their loot be, the portal will stay open and I'll be able to return at a time of my own choosing, once Valeria has acquired the Ravenous Incarnation power.
*Important* Also, be sure to test that you can still enter the portal once you leave the Nightshore and have saved your game, just to be sure. In the off-hand chance that the portal leading back to the Coveya has been closed, reload from an earlier savegame.
Durthan Cloak
Once I leave the Nightshore, Fentomy is waiting for me. He's pretty angry that I didn't kill the Primal Earth Elemental. I could talk him out of it with a successful Diplomacy check, but I'd just as soon kill him. He and his pair of Elder Earth Elementals are quite easy to cut down.
Note that I had slept beforehand. Valeria keeps everyone on 'stand your ground', and speaks with Fentomy to get the fight started. She brings one of the Elementals to 'near death', and then uses Devour Spirit on it. Once that is done, I switch back to "Attack Nearest", and the fight is won in short order.
Fentomy leaves behind the Durthan Cloak (+3 deflection bonus to armor class, 25% acid resistance, +25% cold resistance, +25% electrical resistance, +25% fire resistance, +25% sonic resistance, bonus 3rd and 5th level spells for any spellcasting class). I save the cloak for Safiya.
Fentomy's Wish
Since Zarathos released and killed the Primal Earth Elemental, Fentomy rewards him with 100,000gp and 5,000xp.
Valeria plans to journey to Thay, so I'll soon have Safiya rejoining me.
