Baldur's Gate LP: Through her eyes.

[Admiral Harkov]

One more Baldur's Gate Let's Play (Enhanced edition). The reason for me to make yet one more of this is that I've been for long time interested in playing the game; but all my attempts to get through the campaign have failed. I have made a character and after going through the mines got ideas for other characters, got the nibbling impulse to make a new one and in the process of trying the new I lost interest in the original.

Making a LP of it is one way to place a sense of duty to prevent me from having thoughts of changing character, roll a new one and abandon the n-th play through. As you can imagine, I won't be promising you to get to the end of it, as it is an incentive to try get me to play it fully. I have not yet a set idea of a schedule to try to stick to, possibly a weekly update would be what I'd try but no promises in this front either.

I will be playing one update, post and continue playing. I may well not continue playing until a day or two after each update. I will check the thread and read and consider any input, idea or request you have; but this is not intended as an interactive Let's Play, so don't be counting on me doing any of the proposed.

To make this LP a little different from those I have seen is that I will try to play it with utter seriousness, creating a character and doing things as would be logical from its point of view in the most strict way possible.

Since I seem to have more luck with female portraits to get inspired, I have created a female character using "Winter is coming" by polarityplus (Daniel MacGregor) at Deviantart.

So, I present you Sheyra, the protagonist of this LP:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGEE-0001.jpg~original
I rolled for a while, but not too long. In one of my failed play throughs I got a 93... but was clicking so fast I got past it :smallsigh::smallbiggrin:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGEE-0002.jpg~original
Gorion may have loved his ward; but I would think the place is highly strict and would naturally enforce a very high level of discipline, enough to consider it on level to a military elite training camp.

As Imoen would be accepted by the work she does at the inn, I would say that it is demanded for Sheyra to do some book keeping work, since Gorion is a sage. Sheyra would therefore have grown up in a harsh and merciless environment, only softened by the games with Imoen and possibly Gorion and some few relaxed priests.

Because Gorion would have expected danger to her life in the long run, he would have took care to have her instructed in the use of a sword for self defense. With all the enforced discipline, Sheyra would grow to be very proficient with it, hence a kensai class seems fitting. During her time working handling books for the priests she had opened them to fight boredom and in the process she found some interest in the arcane. However, knowing who her father is, as I assume Gorion would know, Gorion probably would'nt want to risk her to dispose of access to such powerful tools as the arcane provides might that inheritance turn against all his efforts to teach her; but she would have got by herself some amount of reading of her own, if not enough to cast effectively. Therefore I consider it a reasonable possibility that as she accepts wizards in her party, if she does, she may want to be tutored and then multiclass into wizard. Being what she is, any attempt to divine spellcaster would at the very least suffer from interference from the taint of her father, unless she were to draw her power from him, which is something Gorion has worked hard to avoid. She can't be a paladin and could only multiclass as cleric if at some point she has the chance of pledge herself to Bhaal and serve his purposes.

Since there's not really any choice to make in the prologue, I have already played and uploaded the screenshots, which I think are a bit too big, aren't they?. I will make them slightly smaller from the first chapter onward and see what can I do for the prologue (probably reupload).

Index
Prologue. Everybody knows. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16490071&postcount=7)
On the road to Friendly Arm (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16532305&postcount=8)
Introduction to adventuring, arrival at Beregost (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16578490&postcount=12)
Closing on the first big job, arrival at Nashkel (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16592567&postcount=13)

[Mx.Silver]

Well, for a character driven LP, it is amusing that you show a screenshot of her stats rolls rather than, say, her completed character sheet. I was able to guess from her stats that she was a human Kensai duelling to mage (aka the most well-known 'power-build' in the game), but this should probably be the sort of thing you put in a screenshot rather than in a bit of text at the end . Might also be worth noting what Alignment she is (I'm guessing Lawful Neutral?). Your screenshots are also a bit too large, as you've no doubt noticed.


Be interesting to see how the prologue shapes up, as it's a bit difficult to get a feel for this just based on what's up so far.


To make this LP a little different from those I have seen is that I will try to play it with utter seriousness,
Now, I don't know which forums you've been on, but the last few attempted LPs of Baldur's Gate on these forums have all been fairly serious. The last one to complete BG1, by The Anti Hero, was quite heavily story-based and entirely serious - being based around a Neutral character who did frequently do things that weren't necessarily the 'optimal' choice.
Really the main things you have going on the difference factor here are that your protagonist is female and, perhaps more significantly, you're the first LP of the Enhanced Edition, although from the looks of it you aren't planning on 'showcasing' that latter thing much. I say this mostly because your class choice doesn't look to have been covering the bases for a party drawn from the new NPCs.

[Admiral Harkov]

Yeah, you're right, I should have put a screenie of the character sheet. It did indeed floated around my mind there was something wrong with the screenshot choice.

The Anti Hero's LP is one of which I've read and the one I liked the most. Serious and RP driven indeed. I have not been visiting too often and I've missed the other recent serious play throughs. However, and this shows why writing the LP late at night is not the best idea, the distinctiveness was not in being serious, but in something I didn't write (didn't like the way I did, deleted, got distracted and then forgot it needed rewritten): I am not going to strive to include as many NPCs as I can. I may well cast away more than a few of them (the few LPs I've read have used as many NPCs as they could, or at least it is the way it looks to someone who has no more knowledge of the series than those LPs). However, since you tell me I'm the first doing the enhanced edition, then I will be more lenient when it comes to get those new NPCs.

As for the kensai-wizard being power build, that's something I did not know. I generally have no idea about power building in any RP game. I suck so big time at it, that I played in a NWN PW and I made two characters: the first was meant to be a barbarian, a killing machine with some rogue skills... that character was as powerful in combat as any character played by Woody Allen in his early comedic career. At level 13 I lost with that char against a level 4, ok it had overpowered gear, but still; and a certain orc spawn was hard to clear alone. Then I made a bardess, who was meant to be weak in combat; I favoured RP utility spells and skills (high perform, listen, spot, some disable traps and open locks and only a handful of combat spells I thought would be average)... she kicked ass in combat :smalleek: and once when she was level 11 I fought that orc spawn forgetting to equip my shield and sword and still kicked their asses with little problem. I still don't know how could that happen.

However I don't know if I will multiclass at all. And if so I don't know well. The only consideration I'm giving to build strength is that the original class will be active by the end of the game; but I don't really know how late it can be done to that purpose.

P.S. - Once I finish the first part I'll buy the second and continue.

EDIT: I forgot to say I'm making her starting alignment as Neutral. The taint of Bhaal merely compensated by all of Gorion's efforts to steer her to goodness; on the lawfull-chaotic axis, all that discipline would make an impression of being imprisoned, but she's lived all her life under them and that would have left a mark in her, making her to feel ultimately uncomfortable if there's total absence of rules or routines. I also considered CN, LN and LE.

[Kish]

You realize that her "starting" alignment is her permanent alignment, that people don't drift like in Neverwinter Nights or Planescape Torment.
There is one specific area in BG2 where you can change, to Neutral Evil, nothing else; I only mention this because if I didn't someone would say the rest of my post was inaccurate.

This is intriguing; having played Baldur's Gate many times but never the Enhanced Edition, I look forward to it.

[Admiral Harkov]

No, I didn't know, though I suspected it. I thought I might use a save editor to change if and when in game events dictated an alignment change would be in order; but now I remember that after the mines there's a dream that adds an alignment-based effect (healing if good, offensive if evil) and that if further effects are going to happen that may be linked to the first in the coding, making it so that such changes could lead to issues.

The first chapter has one clear issue: I forgot to take screens of at least the end of each combat. I am in no mood to redo them to get screenies, not the same and danger of repeat boredom (repeating conversations because I did something wrong and a part needs to be redone is the best way to get me bored with an CRPG and I don't want to add anything that could push in the direction of stopping the play through). Another may be that perhaps there's no need to grab screenies of everything and some could have been referenced in text, maybe?. We'll see how the first update is.

Another thing I didn't mention is this is my first LP. I have done a few of Football Manager, but that's not quite the same. There's a big difference between that and this when it comes to make a LP.

Right now I'm working on the prologue. It's quite a few screenshots (around forty. Too long for a single update?) which have been reduced to 1024 wide and it seems I'm still just around midway. It's taking a long while, as I'm changing the order from which they were taken to one which makes more sense than capriciously exploring a fraction of Candlekeep.

[Kish]

No, I didn't know, though I suspected it. I thought I might use a save editor to change if and when in game events dictated an alignment change would be in order; but now I remember that after the mines there's a dream that adds an alignment-based effect (healing if good, offensive if evil) and that if further effects are going to happen that may be linked to the first in the coding, making it so that such changes could lead to issues.

No and no. The dreams are Reputation-dependent and have nothing to do with your alignment, and all independent of each other.

[Admiral Harkov]

Black is Shayra speaking, gray her thoughts. We're inside her head. At least to some extent, enough to include shallow thoughts, otherwise looking through her eyes we'd only see a mass of neurons :smalltongue:

Let me know if some text colour is hard to read. I've corrected so I can read in mine, but not everyone has the same settings for brightness and contrast or the same eyesight.

Intro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCmPHxM6sN4)

A trip! I'm getting out of this goddamned place. At last!. This is the best day of my life. I hardly managed to hide my enthusiasm when dad told me; I know there must be something bad that worries him sick, but I have wished to get out of all this hell of rules and routine for years. I want to see the outside world, I want to be free, I want to spend a day doing nothing productive and just enjoy myself.

First thing is buying provisions. Food, drink, dad didn't tell me if we'll sleep outside... I'll buy bedrolls anyway so the lack of it won't be a point against it.

Hey, Phlydia!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0007.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0011.jpg

Okay. I hope he doesn't want me to milk his cow. At least he doesn't act as if he owned me, like some of the monks. What do you want?. If it's milking the cow, I don't have that much time.
No, it's not that. Nessa got sick. I asked Hull the guard to get medicine, but he's not come with it. I just want you to ask him about it.
Oh, sure thing. I have time for that.
Great, I hope he didn't forget.

What a weird place to leave a book. Really she should be more careful. One of these days she may have a real accident.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0012.jpg

Thank you. Some gemstone, I think. I'll sell for gold. Maybe get something from the city.

Time to go to the inn, buy rations, a longsword of my own... a couple, I heard they break easily lately.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0003.jpg

I wish he had some new jokes, that one is getting tiresome.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0004.jpg

Rations for a week and a couple longswords as backup. Don't forget too bedrolls and a tent... yes campsite stuff.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0006.jpg

Firebeard!. Back from the travels, I see. Had any fun?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0005.jpg

Damn, another favour. If we keep this up there' will be no trip today and I'll get a good nag. If I'm lucky I'll find those two soon and none will be the wiser. And Imoen, gotta say goodbye. Let's try here...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0008.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0009.jpg

What... what... what was that?. Why did he try to kill me. WHY?!. What do I do?. Go, just go. Oh crap! Parda is coming and he's going to see it.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0010.jpg

Don't think about it, kid. This world is a nut house, you better go on. I'll take care of it.
Really? I can go?.
Yes, sure. Don't think anymore about it.

Several minutes of hiding behind Dreepin's haystacks and knowing the madman is not coming back for her later...
Hull, I was looking for you. Dreeping sends me to get that antidote you asked.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0018.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0019.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0019a.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0019b.jpg

Bad memory joke, there we go. I'll hand out the sword and the antidote first, though.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0019c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0017.jpg

Nope, Imoen wasn't there. But this is useful, just better if we don't need it.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0019d.jpg

The nerve!. I go as far as to lie to the captain making his favour and hit is what I get?. I should... wait... he'll want to put me in a cell on top of it. I wish I had told the captain on him, that would have served him well, the idiot.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0021.jpg

And you'll insult me too?. I'm not an slave! I'm fed up with having to do everything for nothing! This is my last day here and you can do it yourself!.
What is wrong with you?. You accepted to do it, you promised you'd do it yesterday, I'm still waiting. And I am paying you. Now go or I'll smack some sense into you even if I have to go at it until you can't tell left or right
Dang, he's right, I did accept yesterday and those monks didn't let me go until well past midnight. O-okay, I'm sorry. You're right, I'll do it, I'll do it.

Maaaan, this sucks. Today I don't want to do this. Wait... he hadn't pay me yet... I could have refused. I'm stupid or what?... At least it's some gold for myself.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0022.jpg

No insults. That's something. Now to Dreepin.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0019e.jpg

That was funnier than any of the purposeful jokes from Winthrop.
You know? I'm going on a trip today!
That's great. Where are you going?.
I don't know. Dad hasn't told me. It's naturale that odd look
Off to some adventure, are you?. You have to tell me everything when you're back.
Oh yes, I can't wait to get out of here. I'll tell you everything when we're back... You know, you're the only one I'll miss. You and Imoen.
Aw, I'll miss you too. Don't forget to cover yourself at night. You don't want to catch a cold. I'd tell you to write; but I think I'm too old to be your boyfriend, hehehe..
Hahahaha. I may do!. Have you seen Imoen?.
No, I haven't. If she's not at the inn she'll be playing at the gardens.

To the inn now.

Ah, Tethoril!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0005a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0005b.jpg

(Winthrop) Sheyra!. Good you came back. Your orc boyfriend is waiting you in the room. Don't forget him like the bolts.

Hah hah. Very funny. Where's Imoen?

Isn't she turning the beds?. If she's not here then I hope he's doing the bunkhouse stuff and not slaking off

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0013.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0014.jpg

Another one!. Someone thinks I'm trouble?. Did someone sent them after me?. Why?. Who?. I'm just a nobody who moves books, mops and is used like a peasant's horse. Oh, no!. I have to find dad.

Don't mind me, don't mind me, don't mind me... GAH!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0015.jpg

Come on, I need to find dad now.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0016.jpg

Wait, what?. He knows?. How? Why does he know that?. One moment... Tethoril also said something like that... He knew, too?. Don't say everyone has been told but me. Maybe they know who is my father, too?. Anyway no time to lose. Oh, now I find Imoen. But dad's there and alone. Good. He's safe, thank goodness.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0023.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0024.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0025.jpg

That letter must hold the reason of all this. She knew. She know too. And she didn't tell me anything either. Nobody ever things -I- am the one who should be told of the things about -me-?. Just a slave who doesn't deserve to know anything about herself.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0027.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0028.jpg

Two have already tried to kill me.
Two? Parda told me of the first.
The second was a moment ago, in the bunkhouse. And Karan knew someone is after me. Everyone knows. But me.
I didn't want you to know. You're too young and have done nothing. I didn't want to worry you needlessly, I thought we were safe enough. Don't worry, I'll explain everyithng when there is time

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0029.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0030.jpg

I would have prefered to go out at day. Then they might see us more easily.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0031.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0033.jpg

Oh, no. Please, be an owl or some animal.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0034.jpg

He must be the leader.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0035.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur Gate LP/BGGE-0036.jpg

What?. Come on!. Let's escape together!.
Listen to me!. We will only get away if you run now. I'll come for you. Go!
With a shove he sent me away. I ran and hid; but he wasn't coming. I climbed to a tree from which I could look for him unseen.

[Admiral Harkov]

First chapter (http://youtu.be/zGfeLdykBzs)

... That was real... I'm in the woods... I watched from the tree. He should have ran. Now what? What do I do? If they hadn't kept my secrets for all but me... Who cares?! I'M GONNA KILL THAT BASTARD!!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0038.jpg

Nobody would have thought that when I found you yesterday.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0039.jpg

Hmph, I can't go on alone anyway.

The new party member and Sheyra
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0040.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0041.jpg

We decided to backtrack and see if luck blessed us with some clue. We had no luck. We could only scavenge some gear from the fallen. Imoen had the poor taste of taking the letter and show it to me. There's not much to learn from it. All the sword lessons were for me to defend myself, they knew from the start about them and there's some guy whos name may start with an E that knows what's this about.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0042.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0043.jpg

The woods were not free of danger; but luckily it wasn't as threatening as those criminals.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0044.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0045.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0046.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0047.jpg

Nice fellow. Pity he's not useful as a swordarm to travel with us.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048.jpg

Uh-oh. The don't look much of the friendly type...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048a.jpg

... no threats so far...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048b.jpg

I don't know if he's honest or not; but I'm not about to take a bottle of anything from two who look like these guys.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048d.jpg

Oh please, I don't want a fight. And he looks like a mage.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048e.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048f.jpg

Phew! Seems not.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048g.jpg

Trying to manipulate me huh?. Not too subtle. These guys would backstab me as soon as they saw profit. Definitely not joining with these two.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048h.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048i.jpg

Payment for nothing. Help for the mines... weak guarantee of loyalty.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048j.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048k.jpg

And crazy, to boot. Like I could trust these two.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0048l.jpg

I don't think he'll actually send anyone after us, Imoen. Let us keep going.
They were so mean! They ought to be taught a lesson. If this were the inn I'd make their beds with the not dried sheets. I did with the mean ones.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0049.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0050.jpg

Tsk, if I knew the land we would be going off road.
Don't ask me, I never got out of Candlekeep. I would be as lost as in a minotaur's labyrinth!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0051.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0051b.jpg

All we meet today is crazy people.
Save for that messenger before.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0052.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0052a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0053.jpg

What does he care? He doesn't look like a porter or anything to do with this inn.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0053a.jpg

Dangit! Another assassin. Don't show you know, Sheyra.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0053b.jpg

Like hell I'll stay still. You're dead!.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0053c.jpg

That wasn't that hard. And he was a wizard, too.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0053d.jpg

So they have hired mercenaries. So those I find trying to kill me wouldn't know much. Meh, there goes one chance to learn something.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0054.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0054a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0054c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055a.jpg

What a jerk!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055b.jpg

Telling you all about me what -I- should have known?. Er... no, the letter clearly states they don't know. I shouldn't think like that. Oh, forgive me, dad.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055d.jpg

-Silence-

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055e.jpg

That doesn't sound like they know.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055f.jpg

I know these two are allies. They wouldn't be the traitor kind?. Jaheira would have not begun like she did then, they'd try to be super nice.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055g.jpg

If that guy sends anyone after us, we should be better prepared. I'll tell them later.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0055h.jpg

Your day's special for dinner and your cheapest room, please.

Notes:
Prior to the 1.2.0 patch, in addition to the stuttering sound in the non-chapter videos, the identify scroll quest from Firebeard at Candlekeep's inn didn't work properly; it didn't give the quest and Theltoril would not give you the scroll. That has been solved in this latest patch.

However, the wizard assassin at the inn does not drop the tome on magic that has Imoen studying it. Since the old Baldurs I patched from the start with the extra content, I don't know if that book is there because of that extra content or was supposed to exist in the original; I'd be expecting the former.

I just realized in Gorion's letter I cut off the E signature.

[Kish]

There is no tome of magic that Imoen studies in original, unmodded Baldur's Gate.

[Admiral Harkov]

Thought so, thanks for the confirmation.

I was about to make the new entry and I just find I forgot to resize the images. Next update then possibly not today. The next two will not have much time in between, as I've played enough for both already. I suppose I'm still in time to think of a chance of discarding several screenies to get all in a single update, but I don't think that would be the best idea.

Yay, if you resize an image with photobucket it stays the same size. If you delete and upload it smaller with the same filename it still shows the full size (WTH?)

[Cheesegear]

this is not intended as an interactive Let's Play
To make this LP a little different from those I have seen is that I will try to play it with utter seriousness, creating a character and doing things as would be logical from its point of view in the most strict way possible.

Playing an LP seriously is just...Playing the game. I could have been interested if you weren't obviously planning on Kensai/Mage. Maybe if you were a Monk? Or a Swashbuckler=>Mage, so you can buckle swash throughout the game and have some fun with it.

Otherwise...Yeah. Play 'til the end if you can.

[Admiral Harkov]

Yep, it's playing the game. Which is all the purpose of it. Maybe in the future, if I finish the game and want a new run then I may do a new LP geared more to entertain readers. And hopefully if that comes to happen I'll have learnt from this first LP to do something that can really entertain.

Thanks for the feedback, it's appreciated.


Meet the two new party members. (I forgot to get the screenies at the moment of recruiting, they belong to the arrival at Nashkel)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/5edc9925-a40c-4483-9113-fb24a797eb06.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/00b34aee-7017-4cd9-8177-aa4c2ad17872.jpg

I woke up early. While the others wake up and pack their things I went around the inn room. Most people were just merchants or peasants with nothing of interest to tell. I spotted a half orc, who thought I was the waitress. I don't know why, I am not dressed like one. He neither looks or sounded like drunk

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0056.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0056a.jpg

Doesn't recognize me. He looks strong, I could try to recruit him. I wonder what is the rate for hired arms.

I woul-

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0056b.jpg

Sheesh! What a temper. No sense dwelling on how good he'd be as a bodyguard.

When we meet Khalid and Jaheira had got a few small jobs to add on the side of the Nashkel investigation. Some stolen rings, belt and a spider infestation in Beregost. Hobgoblins, an ogre and some stomping. Good, it means they're known here and should indeed be reliable. An ogre sounds like something big, though. Why they would take to kill some spiders, however, I don't understand.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0057.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0057a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0057b.jpg

The hobgoblins proved to be a danger only for lone travelers. Or unlucky groups. It was surprisingly easy to find the ring.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0057c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0058.jpg

I think we had a lot of luck with the ogre. He let Khalid hit his head and then he practically sat with his kidney on my sword. Nobody was even scratched. We decided to go back to the inn to hand the belt to its owner, have a rest for the night and set out for Beregost.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0058a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0059.jpg

A threat of war?. This is something big, then.

Can there really be a war because all this iron thing?

It can, there have been accusations of sabotage from one side and the other resents the problems all of it has brought to the commerce in form of banditry

So-some say it is s-supported b-by Ba-Baldur's Gate.

I don't understand it. How it is a problem for adventurers?

There is nothing too big to be tackled by adventurers. In something like this we can contribute much to solving the situation. Official investigations are often burdened by routine and bourocracy

If you say so...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0059a.jpg

Helpful citizen. We're having luck. Now we know where is that spider house. Actually maybe we won't have to stomp them, perhaps this druid can convince them to move out?. Is that how druids do that?.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060b.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060d.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060e.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060f.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060g.jpg

They have?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060h.jpg

Wait, what?! What threats?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060i.jpg

These guys are definitely not dangerous thugs!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060j.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060k.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060l.jpg

We defeated her before Jaheira finished casting her first spell, not bad against a wizard.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060o.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0060p.jpg

He brings us to help with a murder and he wants to join us?. Like hell I can trust someone like him. As soon he finds there's a bounty on my assassination he'll jump to it.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0061.jpg

Half ogres. More than one. He's alive, it should be possible for us to do something.

I still think that Garrick guy knew the plan and should pay.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0061a.jpg

Jobs starting to pile up. Good, there will be no problem with gold. I only wish all were like the spider job.

W-why do you s-snicker?

Eh, nothing!.

She was thinking on the Cloakwood lost cloak. I knew Gorion's ward was young, but I thought she'd be mentally more grown.

Jerk.

It's been an eventful couple of days. Tomorrow we'll kill those spiders and... will we go aaaaall the way back to the Friendly Arm?.

Notes

I went into the ogre fight thinking it would be a hard one that would leave the party unfit for a new battle; but then Khalid and immediately after Sheyra got two criticals and the ogre was slain in two hits. So lucky.

With the pass of time I'm starting to think there won't be multiclassing. I don't know if there will be a good hook for it and having negligible experience with the game, I still have to find my foot managing combat. I've improved noticeably since my first attempt at playing the game, but casters are still a part I'm not comfortable with. If I pause at the end of each spell, the pauses may be too many and make it sluggish, I may leave half the party out of combat and pay the price for it. While whether I multiclass or not is something I want to be dictated mainly for the in game events, I still may have to yield to out of character necessity to have a party I can manage well enough to meet the challenges.

I have played another bit, until reaching Nashkell. Next update should be soonish (a couple of days, probably). Maybe there is not much happening during the next update, but there's a sequence recruiting one of the Enhanced NPCs and being the first Enhanced LP I've thought you may want to see the full scene. I'm not 100% happy with it, but I'll see how I work around some conversations not really fitting the character and possibly picking the one I shouldn't have.

Finally, I haven't looked how long I've played it; but something I really like about this game is how after hour and a half- two hours? all the party, except for Jaheira, are still level 1

[Admiral Harkov]

First thing in the morning we go to remove the spiders

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0062.jpg

Holy mother of baby Gruumsh!. Those aren't spiders, those are dragons. I'm not going in there!.
This kind has potent poison. Four of them, it is not advisable to go in there without the proper arrangements
Who can forget to add giant when speaking of such spiders?. It serves her well!
W-we can d-do this when w-we have antidotes.
Yes, once we've been to the mines. We're far from the Friendly Arm

We continued our travel to Nashkel.

Ogrillions ahead. Prepare your bows.
Sheyra, don't you have a bow?
I could never learn how to wield one, I only have my sword.
Stay back, then. They will cave your head in if you try. I'll hold them.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0063.jpg

Ha! Take that. He was almost dead anyway
Sheyra!. I told you not to go toe to toe

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0063a.jpg

Watching makes me feel so useless.
Sheyra, look the halfling's pockets, see if you find something.
I didn't think they'd be the types to ask for that. The took his gold.
There's a letter.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0063b.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0063f.jpg

This is why traveling with company is needed. I'd be dead if not for them. And not just because of this, Khalid has been taking a lot of foes onto himself since I found them.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0064.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0064a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0064b.jpg

That's a surprise. I didn't think they'd let us go. I was so close to lay my weapons down. Jaheira is a bit of a jerk, but she knows what to say.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0064f.jpg

Now that was some good tactic, using their eagerness to make them run after us in disorder behind each corner.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0065.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0065a.jpg

Not a surprise he can't help.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0066.jpg

Finally! My feet ache and so does the stomach from that hobgoblin elbow.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0067.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0067a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0067b.jpg

Sounds like a new job.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0067g.jpg

I'd say he's brawling, instead...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068a.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068b.jpg

Sigh. Jaheira should let me ask instead of deciding I need to hear.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068c.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068d.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068e.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068f.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068h.jpg

How dense can people get?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068i.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068j.jpg

Well... it's not bad, really. But possibly another plank of iron like those in Candlekeep.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068k.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068l.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068m.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068n.jpg

Yep, clearly a principles guy. Trustworthy. Looks good in a fight. I've done well trying to make a good first impression

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068o.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068p.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068q.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068s.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068t.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068u.jpg

Yeah, I figured. Not bad when I get one I can truly trust in the party.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068v.jpg

Is Jaheira Calli****e, too?.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068y.jpg

The inn is right here!. Yay!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0069.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0069a.jpg

Of course she wouldn't tell.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0069b.jpg

Not too good, she incapacitated almost everyone.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0069c.jpg

So, nothing small in those mines. It is starting to sound like going there is something I should avoid. If we four can't against four spiders, I doubt there'll be something we dare to face down there. Then Rasaad probably will not back with me and going on alone with Imoen has less chances of a ending well.

Meet Rasaad
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068w.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/mbest/Baldur%20Gate%20LP/BGGE-0068x.jpg


Notes
Not much to add to this chapter. Next will take longer as I have not played the follow up yet.

In the conversation with Rasaad, the way the answers are written, none really fit Sheyra. The neutral replies, which would have been the alignment fitting choice, sounded too cynical for an eighteen year old girl who's grown among monks. The good ones don't quite fit either, but work as an attempt to make Rasaad not think badly and more prone to be recruited