Part 32: Taking it down from the inside.

Update 28: Taking it down from the inside.


We headed back towards the city gates. We figured that trying to find a room here in Baldur's Gate wasn't a brilliant idea. On the way, we met Tamoko who obviously knows a little bit too much...



She obviously has a fair bit to say and seems to know what she's talking about. She slipped into the shadows and dissapeared. We WERE going to go outside, but why bother? Let's see what this woman has to say.



On the way, a Flaming Fist Guard attacked us. They're not even trying to arrest us anymore.



The Nymph Cloak successfully charmed him. We sent him on his way to the other side of the quadrant. I'm not sure if the guards here are dumber than those at Candlekeep



We wandered through the crowd and eventually found Tamoko, right outside the Flaming Fist Compound. What a pleasant place to be! We accepted her promise knowing full well we could go back on it if we chose to, but also because we didn't have much of a choice in the matter.



(Continued from above)Sarevok had no one. He draws his strength from his hatred, from the thought of rising above those he knows to be inferior. His divine blood hungers for conquest, and that is why he must be defeated, but not killed. He serves another, but does not know it.



Aha. So she's been shackling up with the man in the big armour? I was about to ask if that armour was compensating for something, but I thought better of it.



So she wants me to save Sarevok from Darkness and kill his mistress so that she can have her man back? Perhaps I'm biased but I can hardly see Sarevok being the sorta huggable-loveable kinda guy. As I said though, I'm probably biased because he's tried to KILL ME A FEW HUNDRED TIMES.

Bloody hell, everybody's got some sorta motive dont they?



So we went to the Helm and Cloak to get to the Undercellars. There we met Ivanne who rather eloquently told us exactly what happened to Scar. I'm starting to get paranoid with the obvious abundance of Dopplegangers in this city.



Did he just suggest we go to the Iron Throne? What a wonderful idea. They're basically munted now, but it's going to be worth a look.



Regardless, we entered the Undercellars and met Slythe and Krystin, Duke Eltan's assassins. This was going to be interesting.




Crazies. I'm surrounded by Crazies.



Slythe was hastened when the battle began. This makes things fantastically difficult. I quickly dispelled it and the rest of my party went to work.



He was undone as quickly as she charged. Now it was Krystins turn.



Khalid obviously has had enough of would-be assassins. He sliced her in two and showered us in gore. Fantastic.



Fortunately, his sword didn't cleave through this note. Looks like Sarevok has got a nasty little surprise lined up at the Duke's Ball. I'm going to take this note as my...erm..."Invitation"



Then again: I could just use this invitation. In fact: I'll use this official thing. It'll make more sense that way.

Alrighty then: With the assassins out of the way, it's now safe to rescue Duke Eltan. Firstly though, I think it'd be worthwhile saying "Hello" to our little friends at the Iron Throne.



We figured we should stock up on some potions and identify the weapons we looted from the assassins. On the way to the Sorceror's Sundries, a harper named Delthyr approached us. Harpers are incredibly well connected so it'd probably be worthwhile listening to what he knows.



Nothing new so far, but let's hear what he's got in mind.



So they're blaming the murder on the Shadow Theives eh? Even if I didn't know it was a doppleganger, my mates at the Guild wouldn't be that stupid. Still, what with them being Theives, it's the kinda bollucks the public will fall for.



One of the assassins had this: Probably the best Short Sword I'll ever find.



And this...well I dont really know what to call it. It's another short sword, but it's so well-made that it feels like a dagger. Jaheira desperately needs an update from her club so I gave her the blade. Sure she isn't proficient with daggers, but the +2 should compensate. Naturally Imoen got the short sword of backstabbing.



Let's do this.



We entered and were nearly pushed out by a group of merchants hurrying to get the hell out. Imoen stopped one and asked what was going on. It looks like the lower-level lackeys have caught on. Sarevok's subtelty has ran thin and it's starting to look an awful lot like a dying scream.



Imoen asked why and as expected, the lackeys didn't know for sure. sarevok still has the politics on his side though. However the "stability" that he is offering is spawned from the chaos which he created. If he ends that chaos, then you have the stability. He's VERY good.



Continued from above: I don't know. Enjoy your looting, I'm leaving for good.
Wow this place really is falling apart. Minsc grinned victoriously, but Khalid and Jaheira looked alert. We could hear noises on the top floor and they didn't sound pleasant.



Gregor realised we weren't members. He didn't bother trying to stop us though. If it isn't clear already, Sarevok has clearly been playing with the Iron Throne the whole time and has had his own plot piggybacked onto it. We seem to have forced him to act however.



On the next floor we ran into Kalessia. He was the trader whose identity we...erm..."borrowed" when we were last here. Some things really do come full circle dont they?



Wirthing here obviously knew a bit more than most people. He explained what Sarevok has been doing to the Iron Throne while we were in his little trap and Candlekeep



Finally, on the top floor we met Cynthandria. We told her who would be responsible for her death.



However, she came with some rather impressive friends. Those two Ogres hit like a tank and are somehow partially concealed making them harder to hit. (How the HELL do you conceal an Ogre?)



She begged for her life and tried to lure us into a trap. Little did she know that we had already been to the Undercellars and disposed of those two assassins. It was just us and her.

Minsc told her what was going to happen.



5 Magic Missiles from yours truely sealed the deal. What a wretched creature.



With the mage gone, we simply pummelled into the Ogres. It took a while, but they eventually fell. Our weapons are now quite deadly, thus even though we didn't hit often, we did a good amount of damage with each whack.




On her corpse we found two letters; One from each of the assassins. Talk about bloodlust. It's almost creepy.



But most importantly...we found this.

COMING UP NEXT! THE DIARY OF SAREVOK!