Part 58: Underdark Lite

Chapter 44 - Underdark Lite

Alright, time to move on to another sibling who wants to kill me. Always fun.

We have two choices here, Sendai or Abazigal. I generally go with Sendai first for reasons that will become very much clear when I go for Abazigal in the next update.



Aha, here we are.



Before talking to the guy there, it was time to raid his house for valuables. This is an important step to any adventurer worth anything. Only notable thing was a Rune of Clangeddin which was used to upgrade the Runehammer to be basically the Mace of Disruption except a big warhammer (that somehow does not seem to do its job as well. ) Anyway, with that done, it was time to talk to the guy.


I'm looking for a Bhaalspawn named Sendai.
A Bhaalspawn? Huh... I don't know nothing about that. But when I was over chopping firewood by the clearing to the west of here I thought I caught a glimpse of some funny looking elves. Could have been my imagination, though. I ain't never seen elves with black skin before. And they were only there for a second before they vanished. I don't normally like strangers in my woods, but if you want to check out my story, I guess that would be okay. Look for the wood carts in the south west clearing of this forest.
Thank you. I'll go investigate your story.
Hope you find what you're looking for.

argh some manner of lame ambush (no it does not even deserve proper capitalization or spelling it was that lame)



BACK TO THE GUY


I found those Drow... but I didn't find Sendai.
Drow? Is that what them dark elves is called? Drow... sounds creepy. You know, come to think of it there's been some other creepy stuff I noticed lately. I was visiting my wife's grave just north of here when I thought I heard some strange voices. It almost seemed like they was talking right inside my head! But when I looked around I saw nothing.
Well, I guess I'll go investigate the graves.
Just look for the grave site directly north of the cabin. It's just up the path a ways. I bet you'll find what you're looking for there.
Thank you. I'll go there now.
Hope you find what you're looking for.

ANOTHER AMBUSH! This one full of much more me nuking weak enemies than the first because at least the beholder was actually rather strong despite my previous assertions to the contrary.



Hmmm...



Alright, yes, you can skip these mini-quests, either by visiting the grave and clicking on it first or I believe just by attacking the Woodsman there. Regardless, note the spike traps. There are several more offscreen where other drow pop up. I have played this game too many times and I am a cheap jerk.



DEATH COMES SWIFTLY because everyone has Boots of Speed and as such swiftly killed off the few left clinging to life.



I actually remembered this Disintigrate trap was here and disarmed it. I generally forget about it for some reason. Of course since I pretty much always make my save on it it doesn't really affect me, but still.



MYCONIDS



Oh hello there Nabassu, wild magic certainly is annoying you are far inferior to planetars but I will let you kill stuff anyway because you are good at that sort of thing.



Mutated Spiders which are somehow worth more experience than other spiders I have encountered in the past. I do not understand this, they are tiny and weaker and it just does not make sense.



Ahh, room full o' drow.



Killed off a kensai (ahahahahahahahaha) and took from his corpse a key and an amulet.

PSYCHIC VISIONS?!




You dare threaten me here, in my own enclave?
Balthazar's army grows stronger with each passing day, Sendai. You know how this will end!
Begone, and tell your master I know who my true allies are!
So be it. Your fate is sealed, Sendai... you and all your kind. [leaves angrily]
Forgive me mistress. An intruder has entered our underground complex, and the sentries have not yet reported back.
Sniveling maggots! I cannot waste my time with such petty annoyances! Set the slaves in the north tunnels and release my pets into the south. That should put an end to this intruder!
Yes, Mistress Sendai. It shall be as you command.

These slave fellas just kept on coming no matter how many we killed, it was really pretty annoying except that infinite planetars beat the hell out of infinite slaves.




Dum de dum...



Killin' slaaaaaves...



This is the slave killin' soooooooooong too bad it has no tuuuuuuuune.



Ahh, yes, Time Stop.



Ahh, yes, Time Stop plus Energy Blades. Fun combination.



Heeeeey how come you get to start out with that summoned WELL IT WILL NOT SAVE YOU! (It did not save him. Her? It only just occurred to me that liches could quite possibly have once been females. A MILDLY ALARMING THOUGHT SOMEHOW!)

Plenty of treasure in that room, though. Eye of Tyr, Wardstone, Heart of the Damned, and Skull of the Lich.

MORE VISIONS!


Slaughtered? And the intruder yet lives? Impossible!
I swear it is true, mistress. And... forgive me, mistress, but... there is something else...
If you value your life you will cease your stammering and speak, Captain!
I have learned that the intruder is a B... B... Bhaalspawn. We are under assault from Gorion's ward!
No! Why was I not told of this immediately? They must be stopped!
Y.. y-yes, mistress. W-what are your orders?
This Bhaalspawn is far too powerful to trust their destruction to your incompetent hands, Captain! You are of no further use to me!

Ouch.



Yes, mistress. I will do as you command.
Do not underestimate this invader's power! Stop them at any cost! If you fail, Diaytha, you will share the same fate as the unfortunate Captain!
Of course, Mistress Sendai. I will unleash all of your Drow forces against our foe.

The other tunnel that led to the same place was full of...



SPIDERS!



One had a name, even.



Anyway, back to making progress through the squishy-man filled dungeon.


I've heard such things before. Your threats are meaningless.
Fool! I am drow. You are naught but iblith - filth! Sendai need not be bothered for I shall destroy you! Enter Ogremoch's chamber if you dare. Defeat him, and I shall face you myself.

TAAAAAACTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICS (Yes this fucker teleported right over to me with no warning because of Tactics Improved Demon Knights. Luckily they suck on their own but yeah.)




Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

That guy hit pretty hard, he did. Nothing that couldn't be reversed without any sort of effort, though.


Alright seriously you think you are stronger than an Elemental Prince? Why are there so many retarded people fighting me?

wooooooooo enemies



Also some sort of not useful shield.

In the next room!


Does Sendai think she can stop me by constantly throwing these pathetic slaves in my way?
Your slaughter-filled progress has greatly alarmed my Mistress. If I defeat you my reward will be truly worthwhile.
Oh, Captain, my Captain!
Eh? Why do you address me as such, beholder? You have a most peculiar attitude... I shall have to report it to the mistress soon.
Oh, never mind that. I always wanted to say that, and there you go getting all upset. I just had a comment, here, before this Bhaalspawn squashes you into so much mush.
Hmph. That may not necessarily happen.
Uh... yes. Anyhow, on the off chance that you *do* manage to kill the Bhaalspawn, won't Sendai just go to the Matron Mothers and take all the credit for her greedy little self?
You... speak the truth, my mono-ocular friend. I would rather claim the credit for such a deed myself. Have you a suggestion?
I'm just thinking it would be *so* much better if you fought Asim in single combat. Then you could claim to have killed him all by yourself. Even the matrons couldn't refute that. Parades, gold, a new torture rack, it'd all be yours.
How do I know you will not betray me if I agree to this?
Not to worry... I have it covered. I happen to have a little Geas spell with me, here. Loser of the match dies along with all their allies in the room. So what do you say? Are you a gambling man?
Very well, I agree to these terms.
Once you're all ready to start I'll cast the geas... so when one of you dies in the fight, everyone who followed that person dies with him.
Cast your spell, beholder. We shall begin immediately. Asim... prepare yourself.
Fine. Let's get this over with.



And there we were.



And that was that.




Hey... didn't I kill you in the Sahuagin city?
Well, yes. Can't say I cared overmuch for that, although you *did* release me from one of the most boring tasks in Creation. Can't keep a good beholder down, I guess, eh? Heh heh.
I suppose not. What are you going to do now?
Oh, you know. Find the nearest hive. Check out the ladies. The usual. You?
I'm killing drow, I think.
Right. Don't take it personally, but I've got to go. Nature calls and all that. Just don't collapse the whole roof until after I'm gone, if you'd be so kind.


Do not wave your tentacles at me, Mithykyl! I have no other choice... my minions are slaughtered, even my priestess has been destroyed. If you wish to feast on the brains of those that Bhaal enslaves, you will unleash your illithid on the Bhaal-child that invades the enclave. You must not allow the interloper to reach my inner sanctum!

Ahhh, Vampiric Illithid. The best most annoying of both worlds!



Killed some squishy squid-heads, a little too well to make headboots, unfortunately.
Minsc wanted headboots for booting heads! Eh, what's that Boo? Oh. Minsc does not want lawsuits over stolen ideas, no sir! Perhaps this is for the best.

Also found some liquid mercury.


But the lives of my servants and slaves have not been spent in vain... they have bought me time to prepare a special surprise for you. Prepare to meet your end, Bhaalspawn!









This is about the only difference I noticed in the supposedly "Improved Sendai" fight. Actually, in the process of making updates later I discovered that she had some potions that cast Heal, too, but that was it.




Know this even as I die... the return of our father is inevitable. Though I fall, the others will ensure Bhaal is reborn!

Arrrrrgh not agai-



Oh, hi there.


I am ready.
Good. I hope you have pondered your origin, for any being of great power must know much of themselves before they can put reason to their actions. Let us continue. This time we are not concerned with your past, god-child. Now we will look at your present. The prophecy proceeds towards its climax, as I am sure you are well aware. Your place in this prophecy is what is in question, perhaps. This question will be answered, this once, by yourself...


You are here to tell yourself of the prophecy and your own place in it.
I would prefer to find a way to avoid my destiny, if I could.
Destiny may not always be avoided. If you are to have a say in which path is taken, listen as you speak.
So... this, this is a copy of myself that I address, solar?
It is a piece of you. Perhaps from another time, another dimension... but you, nevertheless. Speak to yourself of Alaundo's prophecy, I bid you.
Yes, I... I suppose it makes sense. I was once taught of the prophecy in this way, wasn't I? It only makes sense that I would do it myself in the future. Listen closely. You are the center of the prophecy, but not in the way you think. You bring murder to all you touch, that is true... the ones you hate, the ones you help, even the ones you love. This is part of your nature. But this is not what the prophecy speaks of. The Bhaalspawn shall bring chaos and destroy much of Faerun... but this is not done by you. You have already killed several of those Bhaalspawn who the prophecy speaks of, those who would bring this destruction. You bring death, yes, but it is nothing like what they would do if they are successful. You are here to stop them, Asim. Whether you intend to or not, you exist to prevent the prophecy from coming true. The prophecy warns of your failure... not of you.
If I exist to stop the prophecy instead of making it true, then so be it.
I felt as you do, once. Brace yourself for what comes next, Asim, I'll tell you that much.
You have been counseled by your own self. You are now aware of your place in these events, and why you are here. Not every soul gets such an opportunity.
Thank you, solar.
Then there is but one more question before you may return to your path. When you return to the waking world, you will continue to speed towards your purpose... stopping the prophecy from coming true. My question... why will you do this?
The quicker I get this 'destiny' over with, the quicker I can start the rest of my life.
Perception is truth in this one instance, god-child. Consider what you have learned... and farewell.





Loot! Studded Leather of Thorns, Wand of Spell Striking, Wand of Cursing, and Wong Fei's Ioun Stone.

Just before leaving...


Go ahead and tell me.
I expect no greatness from myself, Asim. You should know this... the plans I once had to become the new Lord of Murder died with the loss of my taint. Your own plans, however, are mostly unknown to me. Your nature is not as self-serving as my own, generally speaking... so it is difficult to gauge how welcome my overtures will be. You may have decided to undertake my old goal and seek to become the new Lord of Murder... if such a thing is, indeed, possible. Or you may seek to rid yourself of our sire's taint forever. This is what my proposition relates to. Asim, I urge you to seek the path of power. Take the reins that are meant for you and assume your birthright! After all you have been through, it is the only reasonable path! And I beg you... allow Sarevok to stand at your side. Brother and brother in arms, together! Imagine it, Asim... together we could advance across the Realms, an unstoppable force with an army at your command! You would be the ultimate terror and I would be your iron right hand, to rule over all!
I have other plans, Sarevok. Forget it.
But why, Asim? Why would you not take that which will be offered to you?! Power, wealth, rule over lesser men! It is all within your reach!
No matter what power I achieve, Sarevok, I do not seek to rule over others.
I... don't understand. What is the use of power if you do not carve out an empire for yourself?
With that power comes great responsibility.
After... after all you have been through? With the taint in your soul, you still believe this?
I do.
I... I see. I believe your words may have merit, Asim. My own methods did not end well... and I have no desire to return to the Abyss when I perish, next. Perhaps it is time to rethink my views. I shall have to think on your words most carefully.

IT IS DONE!