8 Mirtul 1368

We have explored most of the homes in Beregost now. We make our way to the south of the town to find the Jovial Juggler, the only inn we haven’t visited. Outside we come across a scene that could be from a play.

Chantelle: (Make sure you talk loud enough! I am not paying you for n- Hush, here he comes!)

Another man approaches, and the scene continues.

Magnus: What is going on here? Who is this guy?

Chantelle: Oh – my fiancé, what a *surprise*!…

Magnus: Is this monkey pestering you? Are you pestering my lady? I will kill you, you bastard!

Chantelle: Oh, Magnus! I knew you still do love me!

Bartus: Wh-what? Kill me? No! You said he’d only try to punch me – and that you’d stop him in time!

Chantelle: Don’t listen to him, dear. If you think he besmirched my honour, feel free to kill the fool!

Magnus: Come here, you bastard!

Bartus: No! No! I am only a courtesan! I was hired to make you jealous! By the gods, someone help me!

Aegon: Wait a moment, there. Can’t you see the encounter already proved what it was meant for? Your lady wanted to make you jealous because she still loves you, as it seems. No need for bloodshed!

Magnus: What? Who are you, ey?

Chantelle: (Whoever they are, dear, they look… well armed and *ready* to use them. I would say we make a move. Somewhere… quieter?)

Magnus: Hmph. I had enough people meddling with my Chantelle. You better be no trouble!

The go into the Jovial Juggler, presumably to get a room. I talk to the courtesan.

Bartus: Cursed be my naivete. I thought I was doing a good thing – make a fiancé jealous, spark new life in a dying love, stir the romantic feelings of weary lovers…

Well, feelings I stirred, alright.

He laughs uncertainly.

Aegon: Making lovers jealous was always a very dangerous game, you know.

Bartus: I know… I know now.

He sighs.

Bartus: I am hopelessly romantic. And dumb, as I realise now.

I should have stayed with the original concept of romantically seducing ladies, you know. This is all too complex, for me. Lucky for me you were there to help me! I am obliged to you, my saviour.

He sighs again.

Bartus: The bartender will kick me out, after what happened. I can’t blame him… The question is, what do I do now. Best I leave town altogether. Beregost is too small. I should go to a big city, like Baldur’s Gate… but with all the bandits and all…

Aegon: I am sure they could use another courtesan there.

Bartus: Ah, but I am not a common hooker, Aegon. I am not into quick reliefs – unless I really need the money. I do romantic seduction, the intimacy is only the icing on the cake. You’d be surprised how many ladies don’t even want to go that far. They want admiration, hot kisses, oaths of endless love, hands barely kept to oneself but rathe all over their body… but not necessarily the “real thing”. Probably because they want to feel the desire, and it’s hard for a man to show it if he focuses too much on his own excitement? That’s… my theory.

He laughs.

Bartus: I know Gunther, a hooker who made his way into Baldur’s Gate city before it was closed down. He is working in a tavern named the Low Lantern – it’s a ship! Working as a hooker is an option, I’ve done it before, and I don’t mind, although it’s not my first choice if I have the possibility to give more… feeling.

He laughs again.

Bartus: Still, maybe he can put in a good word for me…

Aegon: But *please* take care on the roads. You hear me? I really don’t want you to be robbed by bandits on top of it… or be killed.

Bartus: Thank you for the warm words, I appreciate them!

Farewell, my saviour. Have a look into the Low Lantern, if you reach Baldur’s Gate. I ow you. and I am sure there will *just* be the place to repay my debt, in the only way I know… If you are interested.

I’m not really sure I am interested…

We go inside the Jovial Juggler. Khalid, Jaheira, Imoen and Garrick are in here. Before we can make our acquaintances we are approached by a red-haired half-elf.

Aegon: I might be doing one or all of the things you mentioned. But before I answer anything else, who are you?

Morwen: Oh, sorry about that. Where are my manners? I wasn’t raised in a barn after all. My name is, Morwen Alanadel from Neverwinter. I’m a travelling bard who’s looking for adventure and adventurers! I love to sing epic tales to a crowd at the pub or recite poetry at the local city center. So… what are you doing in Beregost?

Aegon: I’m going to Nashkel to see if I can help them out with this “iron crisis”.

Morwen: That sounds so noble, dong a good deed to help out total strangers. That may have the makings of an epic poem! Could I join you? I am a bard who is good with her voice when the situation demands it and I am very handy with a bow! So, how about it?

Aegon: Very well, I could use someone with your skills. Welcome to my little party of adventurers.

Morwen: Oh thank you!

Sirene is worried about Gavin. She leaves to help with his recovery, but says to find her at the temple if we need her again.

The half-elf, Morwen, joins us for a drink.

She is a Skald from Neverwinter.

She was initially a single-class Skald, however she wasn’t able to use any of her starting equipment. I changed her to a the new multiclass version (Fighter/Mage) and she is now able to use it.

She is able to help her allies Resist Fear. She can also summon a Flame Blade.

She can also inspire power in her allies.

She is able to Command her enemies to sleep, and can Vocalize her spells.

She wears her own studded leather armour that has been enchanted.

She also wears bracers that help her aim with a bow.

Around her neck she wears a greenstone amulet that she tells me protects her mind.

She wears a ring on each hand. One a silver ring, the other a greenstone ring. Over her outfit she wears a Cloak of Protection.

She carries a magical longsword.

She calls her longbow Dalewood.

She carries poisonous Arrows of Biting in her quiver.

As well as some powerful Arrows of Piercing.

On her belt she has 2 oils of speed and 5 potions of critical healing.

She also carries a scroll of Lightning Bolt.

I also notice a human skull hanging from her outfit. Some kind of trophy?

Finally, she tells us she has 5 emeralds, which we could use to purchase better equipment.

This is the most powerful NPC we’ve come across so far. She’s the equivalent of a level 5 character, and has amazing equipment. She’s one of the reasons I added my equipment rule before I started this playthrough. I will still use her, but when it comes time for her to leave, her powerful equipment leaves as well.

She makes a comment about Drake’s chain mail. She says she knows how it is enchanted.

I ask her if she knows anything about the mace I’ve been holding onto as well. She tells me it is known as the Stupefier.

Given how useful the Command spell has been so far, we know that taking someone out even for a single round can turn the tide of a battle. This is a really powerful mace. It’s a shame we don’t have an NPC that can use it.

Morwen says she knows a lot about magical items, and that we should ask her if we ever need help identifying an item.

While we get to know our new friend, we are joined by a paladin with a special request.

Bjornin: But make sure you are well prepared!

Aegon: Why? What happened?

Bjornin: Please don’t ask for too much detail. I haven’t met such a powerful enemy in a long time. Or maybe it would be better to say that too many of them caught me at the wrong time. That would sound better, wouldn’t it? I am really not proud that they battered me the way they did.

Excuse me, but I would like to rest and see to my wounds.

Drake: Justice is what I live for, brother. Though I think you’d rather see a healer and a hard drink first.

I’m approached by woman wearing a rather… loose dress.

Aegon: Sure. How much?

Arlene: Thirty gold for a quicky, eighty gold for the night.

But with you, it’s forty for the entire package. I’m feeling generous, and I love those muscles.

Aegon: Maybe another time.

Arlene: Suit yourself.

I actually thought she was selling charms… I guess I know why the Jovial Juggler is popular now. I go to see what else we can buy at this inn.

They have nice rooms, and also sell a lot of weapons and armour. They have a nice selection of drinks as well. We decide not to buy anything right now.

An angry dwarf approaches our party.

Well, *we* weren’t laughing at him. Are all dwarfs this angry? He must be quite embarrassed at losing this cloak.

We find a nice room at the back of the inn. There are seven women here, all wearing the same black robes.

Aegon: Oops, my mistake, wrong room…

We leave them to whatever ritual they are performing. In one of the less nice rooms, we find a strange man.

Aegon: Who do you mean?

Oogie Wisham: That… that Bjornin. I can feel his eyes looking at me. He’s a paladin, you know. They ain’t right in the head. They… they just look at you and you’ve been judged. What right do they have to do that?

Aegon: Why? What have you done to deserve their stares?

Oogie Wisham: What… nothing! Nothing at all! He just… they just… LOOK at you, and you know they are thinking that you deserve to be punished. I can’t stand ’em. They’re worse than the guards.

Aegon: Has he threatened you in some way?

Oogie Wisham: Well, no, but I KNOW he’s looking for me. Why else would he be down there? Sure, he SAYS he’s resting and chatting up the locals, but I just KNOW he’s here for me. Well, I’m just gonna stay up here till he’s gone.

Aegon: Why doesn’t he just come upstairs and get you if he is so interested in you?

Oogie Wisham: Well, that would just be too easy, wouldn’t it?! No, he wants me to sit up here wondering if he knows that I know that he knows that I know that he knows I’m up here knowing what he knows! I just know it!

Aegon: Have you… talked to someone about this? You seem… agitated.

Oogie Wisham: Recent evidence suggests that a barrel full of monkeys is not half as much fun as previously claimed, and is, in fact, rather horrifying!

Aegon: Ooooooohkaaaaaay. Goodbye now.

Well that was a complete waste of time.

We’ve seen enough of the Juggler for now. Landrin’s home was supposed to be next to this inn. I remember she asked me to deal with her spider infestation and fetch some of her husband’s items. We go into the house just west of the Juggler.

She neglected to mention they were GIANT spiders! We draw our weapons and attack.

One of the spiders goes down quickly.

Kagain takes a hit and is poisoned.

Sirene takes down a second spider. Kagain is struggling with the poison so I hand him my gooseberries.

Drake helps him out with a healing spell as well.

The third spider drops dead and I go to heal Kagain as well.

Morwen kills the last spider. Kagain is still poisoned, so he keeps eating the gooseberries. If only we had an antidote…

It isn’t in vain. The gooseberries just about get him through the poison.

He tells us he should be fine now. As a dwarf he has a higher constitution than most.

That was really close. If the poison had lasted 1 second longer he would have died.

Rose feels like she learned something from fighting these spiders.

She tells me that she can now summon gibberlings to help us fight.

I actually have no idea where this ability comes from. Maybe it’s a bug?

I pick up one of the spider’s corpses. Landrin asked for proof, after all.

I start going through drawers to find Landrin’s things. I come across a book in one of the drawers.

A bit of Shakespeare. Why not?

It’s another book with a thick spine. It must have come from Candlekeep as well…

Of course there’s another of Camryn’s letters in here! How many of these did he write?

In a nearby chest I find the wine and boots I am looking for.

We have what we need, so we leave. I’m surprised that Kagain can still stand. Those spiders really tore into him, and he looks like death.

Outside we find a heavily armoured dwarf. So heavy that his armour and weapons glow.

Aegon: Sure thing, let’s see what you have.

He offers to buy our spare equipment and gems. We manage to make over 7000 gold with this. He sells a lot of powerful weapons and equipment. We buy a Rift Hammer and an enchanted small shield for Drake.

This one looks so fun! I’m imagining Drake fighting lower-level enemies up close and them all dropping with a single strike from this hammer.

We are almost ready to leave for Nashkel. Before we do we want to make sure we have enough equipment. We go back to the Thunderhammer Smithy and talk to Taerom.

Braegar: For starters, how about you stop blabbering like an idiot and see to it that you sell some of your stuff. What a pigsty!

Taerom Fuiruim: Braegar, what did I tell you? If customers are here, you shut your damned mouth!

Braegar angry as always, I see. It must be a dwarven trait to be so angry all the time.

Rose buys some ammo and a new helmet.

Drake also stocks up on ammo and buys a helmet.

As does Morwen.

Kagain buys a heavy crossbow and gets some splint mail armour fitted.

Finch also gets some splint mail and some more ammo.

Now that we are fully equipped, we decide to spend the night at Feldepost’s before we leave. Kagain especially needs time to recover from the spider’s poison.

During the night, Rose attempts to pickpocket another one of the guests and almost gets caught.

She manages to convince him of her innocence, and tries once more. She manages to get away with his cloak.

9 Mirtul 1368

We take a room and wake up in the very early morning. Rose shows Morwen her newly acquired cloak, who says it makes her look more charismatic.

Looks like this version gets rid of the infinite charm person ability. Oh well, Rose has 19 Charisma now, which is nice.

It is dark when we leave, so we make our way to the other side of the farmer’s home. We find a ghoul lurking in the darkness!

It charges us but Morwen takes it out with her bow before it can get anywhere near.

We find a rainbow obsidian necklace on its corpse. We go back to talk to the farmer.

Aegon: Yes, it was a Ghoul who made all the noises. I put it to rest.

Farmer: Thank you, now I can finally be at ease.

I can only offer you 25 gold for your services.

I have to mention one of the dialogue options I didn’t take here, just because it made me laugh out loud when I read it:

Aegon: You pathetic scrooge! I killed a Ghoul for you and 25 gold is all you offer as a reward?! DIE!

Aegon: You don’t have to pay me, it was a pleasure helping you.

Farmer: You are very charitable, I thank you.

We gain a reputation point for this, so we are back up to 10 reputation. I want to make sure it doesn’t drop so low that good characters will leave us. Balancing our reputation so that we can use all the NPCs is something I’m going to need to keep an eye on.

I talk with the others about our plan. I want to go back to the Friendly Arm Inn first so we can return Landrin’s things. After that we will make our way toward Nashkel.

That’s all of Beregost explored, at long last!