On the way north to Beregost, we happened upon a pack of hobgoblins which we removed without trouble. Nearby was a scene to devastation. A young family, cut down. Among their belongings was an amulet. A name was engraved on it: Colquetle.
I looked at the amulet in consternation. I definitely did not remember this amulet. I did vaguely recall a certain Colquetle himself though, and that was enough.
"We never found Mirianne in Nashkel, right?" I asked the rest after Branwen said prayers for the family and we laid them to rest with dignity.
"Who's Mirianne?" Imoen asked.
I produced a letter from my pack. "You guys forgot about the letter from Mirianne from a certain Roe. We found it on a messenger killed by ogrillons. I had tried asking around in Nashkel but only found Joseph's wife. So when we head to Beregost, we'll want to look for her. She'll want news that Roe is safe and his letter."
I surveyed the graves we had laid the Colquetle family in. "At least we can be the bearer of good news to someone. I don't think the Colquetles' relatives will be too happy to hear the tidings about these unfortunate souls."
As we neared Beregost, Neera asked me quietly, "So why did you have me prepare Luck three times? Won't we need other Level 2 spells instead?"
I grinned back to her. She probably had some idea since she was being quiet about it. Some times she can be pretty helpful after all.
"Oh, you'll see soon enough," I said to her with a grin.
Once we reached Beregost, we made a beeline to Feldepost's Inn.
Inside, Xzar and Montaron were seated and having a drink. They waved at us.
"About time you came back," Xzar said. "Still waiting for that report!"
"Better have good news for us, or else," Montaron edged a word in.
"Sorry boss, reports gotta have to wait," I said apologetically as we moved past and towards the stairs, "We'll be back, got people to see, people to kill! See ya later!"
Even as we moved on, Jaheira and Khalid looked at the pair carefully, probably memorizing their faces.
Through the doorknob, we spied on the first room. It had a chubby fellow wearing a brilliant cloak. Branwen shook her head, and we moved on.
While the rest gathered around the second doorknob, I rubbed my hand together in glee. That cloak was finally to be mine, soon enough.
Through the doorknob of the second was a thin man wearing mage robes. This time, Branwen smiled with glee. "That's Tranzig. His head shall be mine," she whispered to us.
But how to go about this? We adjourned to the nearby empty room to discuss.
"In your opinion, does Tranzig deserve a warrior's death worthy of Tempus's realm? A place in Tempus's realm?" I asked Branwen.
"Never! He shall never be allowed such a fate after death!" Branwen replied with conviction in her voice.
"So how would you like to do this then?" I asked. "We could just charge in and fight in honorable combat. Then perhaps he goes to Tempus's realm when he dies. Or we can put him down like the dog he is. The choice is yours, this time."
"You tempt me, but will not accept an outcome other than his death in honorable battle," Branwen said, steadfast. "Tranzig has undoubtedly lived a life of cowardice, so I have no doubt he will be denied the honor of Tempus's realm after his demise."
Well, I tried. Good on her to stick to her guns.
"Understood," I said. "You shall have your honorable battle, o priest of Tempus. Our blades are yours to command."
Although I said that, before anything else, I drunk the Potion of Master Thievery (+40 pick pockets and open locks).
I picked the lock to Tranzig's room, and we burst in, surrounding the mage.
"What?!? What is the meaning of this?" Tranzig stood up from his seat in alarm. The letter he had been reading was stuffed into his pocket.
How does this count as honorable battle, exactly? It's six of us against one of him.
"Your reckoning has finally come, you coward who preys upon the weak," Branwen said, an accusatory finger leveled at Tranzig.
"What?" Tranzig peered at Branwen carefully. "Who do ya think ya are, woman?"
Branwen frowned, displeased her hated foe did not recognize her. "Is it so commonplace for you to turn others to stone, mage?"
Neera winced, then whispered to me. "We forgot to memorize Protection from Petrification!"
I pretended to wince back. "My bad. We'll just have to stop him before he can cast it."
I knew that, oddly enough, Tranzig had no such spell in his repertoire. Perhaps the spell he cast on Branwen was from a scroll, now depleted? Or the developers were having mercy on us poor players for once.
Meanwhile, the confrontation between Branwen and Tranzig was coming to a head. "I said I would see you dead before I see the shores of the Isles once more, coward," Branwen declared aloud, "and in Tempus's name I shall! Prepare yourself!"
We were about to strike when Tranzig put up his hands and declared, "I give up! Please let me live. I'll tell ya anything ya wanna know."
"You shall get no quarter from us, fiend! In Tempus's name I will strike you down!" Branwen screamed, furious.
"Wait, Branwen!" Jaheira cried out, of all people. "Far be it from me to prevent the smiting of deserving fools. But this fool has information we want, critical to our quest! We need clues where the bandit camps are located!"
Tranzig turned to Branwen with a sneer on his face. "I can indeed tell you that. A vow in Tempus's name to spare me will suffice to open my lips."
Branwen turned red in the face, gnashing her teeth in anger and frustration. She clenched her fists for a full and seethed, then breathed in slowly. Resignation and dismay was etched on her once proud face. "Very well. For the sake of the quest, I vow-"
"There's no need," I interrupted. I produced the letter Tranzig had stuffed into his pocket earlier. "Next raids are in Peldvale or Larswood. This was all he knew, I wager."
I gave Branwen a wink. "See? A bit of underhanded means are useful. Thanks for distracting him with that display, by the way."
Branwen's face lighted up like the Fourth of July. Tranzig looked at the letters in my hand, then at his empty pockets, back at me, then at Branwen in abject horror.
"Well, well, well," Branwen said, cracking her knuckles. "Looks like I get to enjoy my vengeance after all."
"Do the thing!" Imoen cheered, "Do it!"
Branwen smiled. "Ha! We'll do it together. I'll do the talking, follow my lead."
Following Branwen's lead, we all pointed at Tranzig. "Cowards like you think you can escape your fate," Branwen said, and we all gave Tranzig the thumbs down. "But all that awaits you is death."
So corny! I hung my head in shame on her behalf. Man, she really should have thought up a better one-liner.
Tranzig is actually quite mighty, but the fact that the whole party can encircle him and immediately start beating down on him as soon as combat starts means he won't usually get a chance to cast any of his spells before he is cut down.
Tranzig dropped us a Wand of magic missiles, Ring of Protection +1, and a scroll of Glitterdust. No, actually I picked his pockets for the first two while trying to get the letter.
Unfortunately, Tranzig didn't give us enough experience for me to level up my thief levels.
I turned to the team. "As much as I want to savor this victory, I have 3 hours to make full use of the Potion of Master Thievery I used to help me pickpocket the document earlier. Please co-operate with me here."
Branwen sighed. "I shall honor the sacrifices made by my war chief."
"Thanks, everyone. We've got a number of different things to do around town, so try to keep up."
First thing, get out of dodge after murdering Tranzig in Feldepost's Inn. We could explain it to folks later. I led the party to Garrick, a possible companion who was waiting outside the Burning Wizard Inn.
"Hello there ser! Would you happen to know a Mirianne or Colquetle around town?" I asked him, "We've got something for them and we're inn a bit of a rush. Also, tell me again of that job you mentioned the last time we were here."
"Certainly ser!" Garrick said and pointed out the Colquetle's nearby, and Mirianne 's to the far east of town above the Thundersmithy. "As for work, you have perfect timing! My employer, Silke Rosena, is looking for mercenaries to protect her from thugs for 200 gold. She's to play at the Ducal Palace but-"
"Lead the way!" I responded. "Please hurry, we don't have much time."
Garrick obediently led us towards the front of the Red Sheaf.
"Jaheira, you want to do the talking, right?" I nudged her, "Please do the talking."
She gave a curt nod, all business.
Silke was a skilled musician and actress, sure. But she was a woman who was past her prime, and her singing voice was not what it used to be. She didn't want Garrick, her apprentice, to know she had fallen on hard times. There was no performance at the Ducal Palace. Just wicked schemes to make herself some coin.
Silke gave her mercenaries Garrick had brought her a look over. Mostly women and one Calishite, the party led by a half-elven woman. They looked tough enough to put down her partners, at least.
"You look as if you're worth paying a little extra," she shared her conclusion with them. She was lying, of course. She just wanted to butter them up. "Let's raise your wage to 400 gold."
The half-elf lady nodded. "Astute of you to notice. And appreciated, madam."
Well, they certainly think highly of themselves. Good. "You will be required to dispose of the ruffians who have come to threaten me. They may not look like much, but it is imperative to strike fast, and whatever you do, don't speak with them. One of them is a mage whose mystic words can sway even the most wise of men."
The half-elven woman had the slightest frown on her face. Was she suspicious? But the half-elf nodded all the same.
We shall see how this plays out soon enough, Silke thought to herself. Worse come to worse, I'll put them all down if I have to.
Right on cue, Silke's three trading partners arrived. "Greetings, Silke. We're here as you've asked, and we have the gems-"
"Don't try to threaten me!" Silke shrieked. "I won't be easy prey for you to beat on, I've brought friends!"
The traders were taken aback shocked. "What are you-"
"Strike now, before they ensorcel us!" Silke shrieked in panic. Her singing voice may have aged, but her acting skills were still the best in the Sword Coast.
Or so Silke thought. The half-elven woman had to audacity to snigger, unimpressed. "Come now, how stupid do you think we are? We're not going to murder innocent men for you, you has-been."
Silke's eyes grew wide in shock and her face turned red. "Has-been!" Silke shrieked again, this time in pure rage. She was not acting this time. "I'll show you has-been!"
Silke quickly started incanting. She'd show them. She'd show them all!
But a quarterstaff from the shadows struck out, momentarily making her see stars. She had lost her defensive spell, Improved Invisibility.
Silke tried to get her bearings, cast another spell. The half-elf woman's club swung out and slugged Silke good. Silke fell to the ground. Weak and dizzy, the other mercenaries held Silke down.
As Silke looked up, she saw a halfling stood over Silke with a staff on one shoulder, the other hand pointing down at her. "You thought you were the star of the show," the halfling said, then gave Silke a thumbs down, "But your performance was only good enough for the gallows."
If we were a low-level party, failing to interrupt Silke's Improved Invisibility could easily have led to our deaths. Her next spell, Lightning Bolt, which would absolutely have fried a lower level party. The saving grace was that Silke attempts to cast Improved Invisibility on herself, not Mirror Image, which is much slower and thus MUCH easier to interrupt with Magic Missiles. Without a defensive spell, Silke tended to fall easily before she could cast her more deadly magic.
"Thank you for not falling for Silke's tricks. I have no doubt we would all be dead if you had turned your weapons at us," the leader of the trading partners said to Jaheira.
"Think nothing of it. Silke underestimated our intelligence and virtue. That is all," Jaheira replied warmly.
In the corner of her vision Jaheira had spotted Neera casting a spell on Sonny, and Sonny quietly approaching the three trading partners from behind.
Her eye twitched. "Ah, but we must not keep you three longer. I'm sure you have somewhere better to go. Soon," she said dryly, eyeing Sonny.
"I'm sorry," the man looked back at her, confused. "I don't understand your tone. What are you meaning to tell us?"
"No meaning!" Jaheira said with a nervous laugh. If Sonny would just walk a bit closer to her, she could give him a swift kick. "I just suggest you get going quickly. We'll deal with the fallout from this unfortunate incident!"
Too late, Sonny was already backing away, probably with his ill-gotten goods. Jaheira waved away the three merchants with a nervous smile while gritting her teeth.
I now fulfilled the requirement to recruit Garrick, if I had wanted to, as the requirement being to see through Silke's manipulations and defeat her without harming the trading partners. Garrick is one of TWO recruitable bards in the game. The other bard is evil, so players on a good playthrough who did want a bard would be stuck with Garrick. Whether or not you want a bard is the question. Bards are jack-of-all-trades who are out-shined in every aspect worth mentioning by another class, other than their high Lore skill (which has the same function as the Identify spell). Bard's songs help the party in many ways (+1 luck, fear immunity), they can pick pockets, and can cast limited arcane spells. Otherwise, folks generally lean towards other classes.
Fighting Silke hit the spot, I leveled up as a thief! I quickly pushed up my pickpocket skill to 55 and Detect Illusion to 15. The +40 from the Potion of Master Thievery and +5 from Neera's Luck spell gave me a total of 100 in pickpocket, which let me safely nab some gems and 4 Potions of Defense from Silke's trading partners. These potions set base AC to 0, very good for helping lower AC characters tank some of the worst things out there.
Silke herself had a quarterstaff+1, which went to Imoen, a Glitterdust scroll for Neera to scribe and a Potion of Invulnerability. Like the Potions of Defense, the Potion of Invulnerability set base AC to O, but had the added bonus of giving a +5 bonus to all saving throws! Great stuff.
Next up we paid the Song of Morningstar temple a visit. For whatever reason, each of the four singing sirines at the temple carried a pearl on them. Was that their job there, to just sing and look pretty while holding a pearl? The priest himself had 1 healing potion and elixir of health.
It was time for the big prize! Back at Feldepost's no one seemed to have noticed Tranzig's dead body yet. I said a quick hello and good bye to Xzar and Montaron, then moved upstairs. It was time to grab that nifty new cloak!
This guy with the cloak was Algernon, and he had on him one of the game's premiere items to pickpocket; Algernon's Cloak!
Yes, that's really what it's called. Anywhoo, the cloak in question not only gave +2 to Charisma, but also had a once per day charm ability. The unique feature of this charm ability was that on non-humanoids, unlike the Charm Person or even Dire Charm spell. What an OP magic item! Gamers have used Algernon's Cloak to cheese so many encounters. I could barely wait to get my fingers on it!
However, I was just about to open the door to the room when a thought occurred to me. Could I really just walk up to this guy and pickpocket his coat of him? I mean, it's fine in the game, but in-person there was no way I would get away with it. This was different from a temple which was a public space, or the streets in front of the Red Sheaf. Algernon was in his private room, wide-awake!
No, seriously. How do I enter Algernon's private room and pickpocket the cloak right of his back unnoticed?!?
The clock was ticking. The Potion of Master Thievery would run out in under 3 hours.
Under duress, it was then I hatched a BRILLIANT plan.