Discrepency

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Has anyone else noticed that the actual year in which IWD2 takes place is inconsitant? I'm not completely sure because I don't have the game in front of me right now, but I believe that in the opening sequence Oswald's Niece says that scouts from Byrn Shander started reporting sightings of goblin warbands in the year 1310 Dale Reckoning. However, in the game the date is set at 1312. Now I find it unlikely that it would have taken Isair and Madae 2 whole years to mass their horde...

 

It isn't too unbelievable for me actually. As a first point, the sightings could have been toward the end of 1310 DR while the game starts at the beginning of 1312 DR- this would make it barely over a year.

Besides, it takes a fair bit of time to raise and organise such a large force- some non-human tribes may have travelled a long way to join up.

Additionally, Isair and Madae don't give the impression that they are limited to a normal human lifespan; they have years at their disposal to plan everything. When you have that much time, what difference is a mere year? The last thing you want to do is launch an attack on the organised human communities if you are not sufficiently prepared.

 

That's the first time the warbands were sighted, therefore, like Dec said, they would've planned everything beforehand.

 

Decados,you are perfectly right.

The twins are planetouched, they are half-demons, so they do not act under the prime material plane laws of time. Just think of a dwarf's lifespan for example...about 300 years.

 

One thing that amuses me is that the way power works in the IWD1-2 world (and in the Forgotten Realms in general), the higher level creatures are orders of magnitude more powerful than the lower level ones. Isair and Made alone could probably have destroyed all 10 Ten-Towns in pretty short order without all their minions. Just teleport in, cast some Meteor Storms and other bombardment spells all over town, then teleport out and be done with it. If worried about a few higher level defenders, even bringing along 5-10 of their best henchmen (the ones they use at the final battle, for example) would basically make it possible for a town like Targos to do anything about it. Even Ulbrec and his wife are what? At most level 8-12 fighter and wizard, respectively?

Bring Isair and Madae's final battle force to Targos and the town would be toast without even breaking a sweat...

 

That´s exactly what I always said about "Hollywwod" movies, when the final boss waits until the end to kick the "hero" butt, just to find out that he/she has improved the figthing/magic/wathever skill so high, and loose the battle due to "confront an enemy that matches me".
I guess if Isair and Madae does what aidan said, we couldn´t play any IWD2 wasoever.

 

but what would be the point of being an evil tyranical duo if you couldn't have a bunch of silly henchmen that **** up the simplest plan?

 

It's the "evil guy in a James Bond movie" trick all over again

 

It's not set to stone that the twins didn't grow stronger themselves during the time.
They probably didn't spend all time sleeping while the heroes gained experience.

It might also be the case that they are stronger in the Severed Hand than outside.

They aren't that strong anyway, they are just mages with high constitution and damage reduction.

I consider the game as a simplification of the world. A bum onto the head can still knock a hero out and a blade into the eye hurts even with damage reduction, even if 3E rules say something different.
You only see a small part of the town in the game, a priest might be able to bless a weapon so that it slays demons on contact, there might be other hidden protections in town to surprise evil demons who want to teleport in.

 

In BG ToB, there is some minor NPC who wants to do exactly what kmonster claims, and finally you discover the powerfull protection around the town (unables to teleport in or out), so I agree with that part.
ITOH,the twins are half breed, not entirely demons , so I´m not sure if "disruption" of any kind would work on them (too cheesy maybe?).

 

Isair and Madae had a dream. They did not simply wish to destroy everything at first, their goal was to create an utophia in which all cross-breds, abominations etc. were tolerated and treated equally. They even tried to form a peaceful solution with ten towns. Sadly, ten towns mocked them, so, in anger, they started forming their armies and like-minded allies (ie:Aurilites!) to crush those who oppose them, for it was obvious this was the only language twn towns understand.

Sigh. If only there could be a peaceful solution in the final battle. (it worked in Arcanum! I persuaded the final boss without fighting! ) Perhaps insane amounts of Diplomacy skill or whatever could calm I&M, and they could form a peace with ten towns? Or is it just too little, too late? (besides, I would then miss the coolest and biggest and baddest fight in IWD series! )

 

Thats right, Isair and Madae had a dream. Whats more, I'm pretty sure they have power issues. I mean, sure they could crush Targos and the other towns in an instant, but its probably more satisfying to their egos for them to sit in the Hand and watch as their goblin/orc horde descends upon Icewind Dale. Think about it: they sit their, king and queen, as the half-breeds and misfits under their rulership rain (what they see as rightous) vengence upon those who insulted them.

As for the descrepency I started the post to ask, I see how it could make sense that it took a couple years to amass an army, however I'm pretty sure that the oswald's niece says that "within weeks" of the goblin warband sightings, the ten towns became under attack. I'm not sure because I don't have IWD2 with me at the moment. Can anyone check to see if I'm right?

 

Someone said something about the fact that the cambions could destroy the hole of Targos with some meteor spell or something...but couldn't your level 22 mage do the same thing? There is always a balance between good and evil...