Part 85: Buad Makes His Tea Extra-Strong

Chapter 63 - Buad Makes His Tea Extra-Strong

Music - "War and Peace"
Download (Thanks to Grawl)



Previously on Divine Divinity:



That is the Shield of the Dragon. It's part of an ancient and powerful suit of armor known as the Dragon Armor.
Dragon Armor?
Yes, Dwarven blacksmiths crafted it long ago, during the Age of Chaos. Anaron, a paladin of the League of Seven helped in its creation, and was wearing it when he slew an evil dragon, which is an unheard of feat. I don't know where the rest of the armor is, but long ago, the shield came into the hands of the Ferol family. Pendrak Ferol presented the shield to me as a gift many years ago. ... and now, I present it to you.




Chapter 63 - Buad Makes His Tea Extra-Strong




Ah, the triumphant hero returns, fresh from slaying the Talking Tree!.

He sniffed the air theatrically.

No? Is that smoke I smell? Whatever could have happened? It was just a tree, after all.
Ha, ha, ha. Now do you have any suggestions?
There's a book on the table on the Dark Forest. I believe it has a section on the Talking Trees in there.




The book mentions a mage and alchemist called Buadrim Venomclaw. Any idea where I could find him?
Hmmmm... Actually, the name Buad sounds familiar... I think that he lived somewhere in the northwest area of Verdistis. But that's only a guess.


I took the Warrior's Guild teleporter to Verdistis, and headed to the northwestern area of the city. There weren't many houses in that area, but I had to start somewhere.




I heard the sounds of women arguing, although I couldn't make out the voices.




A woman came storming out of the yard and stormed off down the street. I decided to see if the other one knew where about an alchemist living nearby.




Excuse me?
What is it?
I'm looking for an Alchemist.
Not here, you want the house on the corner, three down.
Thank you, ma'am.




As I walked off, I heard her gasp.

That shield! It's got the same design as -

She cut herself off.

Same design? But isn't this shield one of the ancient pieces of Dragon armor that -

I turned around.

I beg your pardon, ma'am?




That entirely depends on what you would have me do?
Maybe she'll tell me something about the Dragon set.
My father died some days ago and now my sister and I are arguing about our heritage. His house, though not worth much, is of er... sentimental value to me.
Why do you not share it with your sister?
Therein lies the dilemma. My sister is unwilling to share and wants it all to herself.
Why do you not go to the officials here in Verdistis and let them settle the matter?
She bewitched my father so that he favoured her entirely in his will. He was not of a sound mind when he wrote that will. She is not even his natural daughter - she's adopted.
So you need me to somehow get your sister to admit to forcing your father into changing his will in her favour by use of magic?
I'm not sure I can do that, but I might be able to at least tell if the sister is capable of using magic.
Yes. Your presence here is merely as backup and witness. She shall admit to her lies. And I'll pay 50 gold!
Just 50 gold? Well, maybe she'll tell me something if I help her.
I will do as you ask for say, 100 gold pieces, and some information.
100 gold pieces! Why that's almost as much as the belt... never mind, I agree. Look, there she is now.
She's got a special belt? Could it be part of the Dragon Set? She doesn't sound willing to part with it, though...

The woman I saw leaving in a huff earlier had returned.


Video - Family Dispute (Voice acting)







I'm not stealing anything, Raphirella. Our father promised me the house...
You forced him to sign that false will. He would never have preferred you over his real daughter.
I don't think so, I sense no magic in her.
How would you know? You haven't visited him in months - not since he first fell ill! Who cared for him through his sickness? Who paid her last penny to the healer for Papa's medicine? ME! That's who!
I bet you didn't pay a thing for that medicine, you slut! You've never given away money when you could pay your debts with your whore's body! And why did you ask him for the medicine anyway? It just prolonged Father's illness. You should have let him die with dignity in the first week he fell ill!
I don't like her.
What now outsider? Tell this woman to keep her distance.




What the...! Hell and damnation!

She strode off in a fury.

Come, sister! The magistrates will settle this!
Be mindful for who you work for next time, stranger.
Ahem.




The woman followed Raphirella.

_{You should search their house.}
You mean break in? Steal from them? I can't do that!
_{Isn't that what you did not long ago?}
That's exactly why I can't. I'm NOT that person anymore.
_{Do you remember what our goal is? Assaulting Stormfist Castle, a place which held back an entire ARMY of the Damned, then taking on the demon controlling Janus. You don't have the luxury of moral wavering with the world hanging in the balance. Not even if you find it distasteful.}

The Divine Being was right. I had to give myself the best odds to stop Janus, even if it meant stealing from people.

Fine, but I'm just going to look, and only take something if I really, I mean REALLY need it. Not just if it will fetch a good price.




The door was locked, but in a decorative planter at the side of the house, I found a key.

I entered the house. There wasn't much, only some covered furniture. I moved on.




I saw a key hanging from a shelf, but as I moved forward to get it, the floor made a dangerous cracking sound.

Oh shiiiiiiii-






_Owwww...

That hurt. A lot.






None of the barrels and crates had anything, but I saw a chest hidden in a corner of the cellar. I moved the barrels out of the way, but the chest was locked. I retrieved the key I'd seen on the shelf upstairs, being careful to mind the huge hole in the floor.




The key turned in the lock, and inside was a sack of gold, and a belt.



This design... it IS the same as the Dragon Armor shield. ... I'll make better use of this than the women will, but I'm not going to just take it and leave.




I filled the chest up with as much gold as it could hold. Perhaps I was being overly generous, but then again, they needed to pay to have their floor repaired. I hesitated, and wrote a note: "For you AND your sister." I put the note on top.


I left quickly, returning the keys to their places, and I went to see the Alchemist on the corner.






You are the healer of Verdistis? Tell me, what problems are you having to deal with these days?
My arts are mostly spent treating diseases born of deficiency in the Poor Quarter while in the richer areas I treat diseases arising largely from affluence and seedy living.
Do you mix your medicines yourself?
Yes, mostly. I spend time collecting herbs and plants outside the town walls... except...
Except?




Disappeared? Perhaps I can track him down for you. Can you tell me where he used to live or work?
He used to live here, renting a spare room.
You don't know where he worked?
I am sorry, but I never asked and he never told me. He only used to bring me a barrel of his tea every month. It was a strange brew; it never ever got cold, no matter where you stored the barrel. I suspect magic was involved in its creation.
Do you have any idea where I can find him now?
I'm afraid not. You're not the first one to ask, though. Only a day after he disappeared, some strange men dressed in black showed up also asking for him.
What did they want?
I asked, but they didn't tell me. I didn't let them in, they had an ill air about them.
What happened next?
They, and men liked them, watched the house from across the street for about a month. After that, they vanished and haven't been back since.
You wouldn't happen to have any of that tea left, would you?
I'm afraid not.
If it's not too much to ask, may I see the room where he used to stay?
It's this way. There wasn't much to see. I moved in several other beds, for more patients. But that one was his.

Dagrin left.

I searched the room, but it was a short search. There wasn't anything to find. But I decided to take a closer look anyway.




There's a cellar?

I dragged Buad's bed out of position. There was a carefully concealed trap-door. It was locked, but a few minutes with a lockpick fixed that.






There are some potions, but this place was suspiciously well-hidden for that to be all there is here.

I used Wizard's sight again and spotted another underground room. It was the work of a few minutes to move the barrels blocking the door.







A secret laboratory? Did Buad work right under Dagrin's feet the whole time?



What the hell!

I took the gloves off in a hurry. My hands seemed fine, but I wasn't going to put the gloves on a second time.

Why would anyone possibly want to see their own bones?

There was a note on the table.




The alchemist did say that he spent a lot of time out gathering herbs and plants. If he did that at the same time every day, Buad could have moved in and out without Dagrin noticing.

Also on the desk was a thick book, full of alchemical formulae which were beyond my knowledge.












He DRANK this stuff? He DRANK IT?

I shook my head in disbelief and picked up a heavy barrel of the magical tea. It was still warm. Before leaving the alchemist's house behind, I shoved the bed back over the hatch.

I returned to the Dark Forest and the Talking Tree.




Video: Have some Tea, Tree!









There was nothing for it but to charge the lethal tree.

You look thirsty... I hear that tea is good for you!

I wrenched the lid off the tea barrel and poured the horrible concoction all over the roots of the tree.

I never touch the stuff myself, though.


There was an unsettling sizzling sound where the tea touched the roots. I started to sense wild fluctuations in the magic aura of the tree.




One last magical fireball exploded at my feet. Then the drat thing bellowed! The combination of the magic in the tea and the magic in the tree was making things wildly unstable. I dove for the ground and covered my head just before the tree exploded, sending bark and twigs all over!

... and that would be the reason why I don't drink tea.




Finally. It took long enough, but I've got the herbs for Medicus and the branch for Corinna. I hope they weren't planning on using these things more than once...


Next Time: You really CAN get ANYTHING at Leptine's General Store!





Behind the Scenes


Raphirella and Zedzarine

The 'good' sister's name is never spoken, but if you mouse-over her portrait, her name is Zedzarine.

If you agree to the offer of 50 gold, Raphirella says

Wonderful! The belt is worth twice... Look! Here she comes now.


Side with Raphirella

What news do you have for me stranger?
Your sister has every right to claim the house of her father. You are not his true daughter, so step down woman or I'll...
What! You support her claim and threaten me! Oh woe! I don't have the money to settle this in court or with the guard so it seems I have no alternative. This world is a cruel and unjust place. And people like you are the reason it is so!
Excellent work! You have truly earned your reward.

You get paid, and you can still enter the house, but you make Zedzarine sad. Also, as punishment, you get NO experience. This quest doesn't change your reputation, no matter what options you pick.

Take no-one's side

Video - The Squabbling Sisters - Neutral




Er... I am not sure.
You are not sure? Why you...
Who's that stranger?
Hmm, I've no idea... and stop trying to change the subject. Come. Let's go, and discuss this matter in private.
A fine idea! I aim to go straight to the magistrate, so you can come with me. Papa's will will leave the house to me, and there's not a court in the land who will dispute my claim!
he was not your father you bitch. You were adopted!


This has just pretty much the same end result as outright picking Zedzarine's side. You get the same XP as for picking her side as well.

You really do take a hefty chunk of damage for falling through the floor, although I'm not sure if it can actually kill you. Probably. That makes this the only game in the Divinity series to have falling damage (which is a good thing, Divinity 2 would not work at all if falling damage was in that game).

The existence of Buad's secret cellar and the use of his tea to destroy the talking tree was completely real. It's just very well hidden.


The Talking Tree

Do NOT get sloppy when around the tree. Seeking Flame may be slow...



...but it killed me in just 4 hits. I have 800 health.




Once the tree is dead, look in the trunk for a surprise. You always find the same 4 things: a Spider Statue, a Silver Strength Charm, a Gold Spiritual Resistance Charm (which I put onto the Dragon Shield), and an entirely new kind of statuette.

That "Bee" statuette is actually a Beetle statuette, and it can only be found from the talking tree's trunk.





The Beetle Statue is much like the Spider Statue - it swaps the alignment of hostile and non-hostiles and lets you attack normally friendly NPC's without provocation. The Beetle is a bit tougher than the spider, but it'll still take you forever to kill anything while in Beetle form, so it's best used only for crossing hostile terrain without molestation.

Verdistis Rumors

Because I keep forgetting, I'm going to add in some more random rumors you can hear.

I know you! The former Lord Protector, are you not? They say you're a coward, but so am I, so lets not worry about such trifles.
Hail my lady! What are people talking about today?
The old duke murdered! I can scarce believe it! Who would pay an assassin to do such a thing? Oh, I know some whisper that young Duke Janus is behind it, but I can't believe a twelve-year-old boy would pay to murder his own father! There should be a major investigation to get to the bottom of this terrible business!

Has anyone ever told you that you look just like that hero of Aleroth that all the bards are singing about?
By the Seven Good Gods! It's the hero of Aleroth! Let me shake you by the hand!

I've seen you somewhere before... I know! You're the former Lord Protector that Duke Janus sacked for base cowardice!
You seem a peasant with some little promise of improvement. Do you wish me to point you in the direction of a decent tailor mayhap?
Hello noble citizen. Is there any news that we decent folk should take interest in?
I hear that Duke Janus and the elven ambassador had a blazing row, and now we humans will be backing the dwarves in their war with the elves. What a bore! Doesn't the duke realize that the elves are the only source for fine silk in Rivellon? If the war goes on a long time we'll all be in rags!
So it was the local doctor poisoning the Rivertown poor section's well that caused the 'plague' was it? Give that man a medal I say! Anything to get that rabble off the streets and raise the tone a little! My Father always said that the only way to reduce the number of poor was with a gallows.
A friend of mine tells me confidentially that young Duke Janus is a member of a secret cult called the Glad Fling! Apparently, they're dedicated to pleasure and have orgies all the time! _{I know Janus is only twelve, but he openly flaunts his lover, doesn't he?} I wonder if they'd let me join?

They do say that the old duke was murdered by an assassin! Well, that's the rich for you. Payin' other's to do their dirty work for 'em. Still, it's a shame. The old duke did a lot to help is poor folk. His son, on t'other hand, has as much as said he'd be happier if we was all dead. Death to Janus! That's what I say to him!

My Dad said that you're a good person who tries to help people. Will you help me make-up a story to tell my grandma?
My daddy says you were the Lord protector to that bloodyrotton Duke Janus. He says you almost let the duke get killed by running from some bigbad orcs. Daddy says it's a pity you didn't run-away earlier and let that bloodyrotton Duke Janus get killed.

People are very angry over the revelation that the old Duke was murdered. There's talk of hunting out and lynching the head of the Assassin's Guild _{if such an illegal organization indeed exists - I myself think it's a myth}. But young Duke Janus should make a public announcement condemning the murder; otherwise people might think he ordered it!


Divinity 2: Ego Draconis Reference
In Divinity 2, you can find out why Buad mysteriously disappeared.


What's fake in this update?

•  Medicus's book on the Dark Forest is actually in his basement. There's nothing of interest down there, though. 
•  You don't see Zedzarine rush off. 
•  The hole in the house's floor is a real (and unpleasant) surprise, and you really do get XP for falling into it the first time, but the shot of the hole without me in it was fake. 
•  Dagrin actually says he doesn't know where Buad lived or worked. But that would make him simply too stupid to live - not noticing someone working under his own house for ages? Come on.