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Overview

Druid Grove is linked to two quests in Trademeet. You won't be able to visit this map until you've progressed far enough in one of those quests. At that point, you'll either be looking for the cause of animal attacks in Trademeet, or for the location of a rakshasa criminal named Ihtafeer, or both.

Soon after arriving in Druid Grove (#1), you'll run into Pauden, a druid who will warn you away. During your conversation with him, you'll learn that a shadow druid named Faldorn has taken over the grove, and that she's the one behind the attacks on Trademeet. Cernd (either right after you've spoken with Pauden or later at #7) will let you know that Faldorn can be stopped by having a druid challenge her to a one-on-one duel for control of the grove.

Note: If you keep pushing Pauden for a fight, then Dalok (#8) will hear about it, and he'll move up to attack you near your starting point on the map (#1).

On your way to confronting Faldorn, you'll encounter lots of trolls, including trolls in a troll mound (#2). So be sure to have a reliable way of dealing fire or acid damage. You'll also pass by Adratha's cottage (#6), where the sweet, old potion merchant will turn out to be the rakshasa Ihtafeer in disguise.

When you enter the druid grove (#9), you'll have to decide how you want to deal with the druids:

• If you have the Sulfurous Poison from Lord Khellon Menold, then you can take it to the holy font in the northern part of the grove, and pour it in. This will taint the font and earn you 24,750 xp. But all of the druids will turn hostile, and some of your party members -- like Cernd, Jaheira, and Mazzy -- will take offense and join them against you. Plus, during the battle, the head druid Master Verthan will teleport in, and he'll attack you as well. So you should be prepared for a major fight. However, you'll only earn about 20,000 xp for winning the battle, and the druids won't drop anything interesting.
  
  Back in Trademeet, you'll find Menold waiting for you by Vyatri's Pub. He'll reward you with a Shield of Harmony +2 and 1000 gp. But if you return to High Merchant Coprith, then he'll be less thrilled with your actions, and you'll lose a point of Reputation. He also won't erect any statues for you, and you won't receive the Dueling Families quest.
  
  
• If you have a druid in your party, then you can challenge Faldorn for leadership of the grove. This will result in the chosen druid fighting Faldorn one-on-one in the nearby fighting pit. Your druid will drop all of his gear outside the pit and start the fight bare-handed. You'll find two basic Quarterstaffs in the fighting pit that you can pick up and use, or you can "cheat" and have one of your characters pick up your druid's gear and hand it to him. You'll then be able to equip your druid with everything except for his armor, making the battle much easier.
  
  When you win the battle, you'll earn 14,000 xp. If you're playing a druid, then the head druid Master Verthan will offer you control of the grove. If you accept it, then the grove will become your stronghold. See the Druid Stronghold page for more information. If you defeated Faldorn using your character or Jaheira (but not Cernd), then Verthan will also give you the Staff of Thunder and Lightning +2.
  
  When you return to High Merchant Coprith in Trademeet, he'll give you 2000 gp, and each character in your party will also earn 18,000 xp.

1 - Starting Point


2 - Troll Mound

Inside and outside this mound, you'll encounter a variety of trolls, including Spectral Trolls (worth 3500 xp) and Spirit Trolls (worth 12,000 xp). After dealing with the trolls, when you loot the containers inside the mound, you'll find Bracers of Archery: The Dale's Protector and a Spear of the Unicorn +2.


3 - Druids and Trolls

At this spot, you'll encounter four druids fighting three trolls. The trolls will start out hostile and the druids neutral, but once the trolls are dead, the druids will turn against you. So you can either charge in and try to get as many kills as possible (worth roughly 11,000 xp), or you can let the two sides fight each other for a while and then mop up whatever remains. The druids will drop some Arrows of Fire, which you might find useful against the trolls in the area.


4 - Kyland Lind

When you reach this spot, you'll get attacked by Kyland Lind and four other druids. You'll earn about 13,000 xp for defeating them. Surprisingly, they won't drop a single item.


5 - Ogre's Tower

You'll find the Scimitar of Speed +2: Belm hidden inside a bale of hay here.


6 - Adratha's Cottage

Adratha is involved in a quest from the genie Khan Zahraa in Trademeet. If you haven't spoken to Zahraa yet, and if you don't have Hexxat (EE), Jan or Zeldorn in your party, then Adratha will appear to be a simple merchant, and she'll have a variety of potions for sale. Otherwise, she'll reveal herself to be the rakshasa Ihtafeer, and she and her "grandsons" Jalaal and Saadat will attack you.

Battling a trio of rakshasas might be rough depending on where you are in the game. The rakshasas will cast spells like Cloudkill and Chain Lightning, and they can only be damaged by +2 or better weapons. But luckily, since the fight will only start when you talk to Ihtafeer, you can buff up first, and with spells like Haste and Bless on your side, you should be able to prevent Ihtafeer from casting while you kill her.

For winning the fight, you'll earn 21,000 xp, and on the corpses you'll find a Cleric's Staff +3, a Periapt of Proof Against Poison, and Ihtafeer's Head. You'll need to deliver the head to Zahraa to prove that Ihtafeer is dead.

In the back of the cottage in a chest, you'll find 40 Acid Arrows +1, 40 Arrows of Fire, 40 Bolts of Biting, and 40 Bolts of Lightning.


7 - Cernd

If Cernd isn't in your party while you're working through the Trademeet druid quest, then this is where you'll find him. After completing the quest, he'll move to the druid grove (#9).


8 - Dalok

When you reach this spot, you'll be stopped by Dalok plus an Adherent and a Shadow Druid. They'll attack you in Faldorn's name. You'll earn 11,000 xp for defeating them, and you'll find Flame Tongue +1: The Burning Earth (provided you didn't import it) and Gnasher +2 on the corpses.


9 - Druid Grove

This is where you'll encounter Faldorn.