Underdark Problems - Spoiler

davfra · Post by **davfra** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 5:41 pm

I`m having real problems in the Underdark. This has never happened to me before. I`ve managed to get to wherever I wanted to without too much fuss. This time I`m being bounced all over the place.
I`m near the drow who sells things, just after you enter. My first problem was with a group of mind flayers. I managed to sort that out with some skeletans. Now I`m being lambasted by air, earth and fire elementals. As soon as I kill one, there`s another one to deal with and this goes on and on.
I can`t find a way around them and they pop up again as soon as I`ve killed one.
What can I do?
cheers

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 5:54 pm

I usually look at that area of easy XP. They appear for awhile, but will eventually stop spawning. You can either ignore them, and move on, or camp their spawn and rack up some XP.

Idioteque · Post by **Idioteque** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 7:51 pm

These Elemental portals are involved with a quest involving a Freedom scroll.

Spoiler

If you use a Freedom scroll between the 3 portals you will free a mage who will give you a quest involving the portals. You can purchase the scroll from those merchants ( dwarves?) near the entrance.

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 8:02 pm

Originally posted by Idioteque
These Elemental portals are involved with a quest involving a Freedom scroll.

Spoiler

If you use a Freedom scroll between the 3 portals you will free a mage who will give you a quest involving the portals. You can purchase the scroll from those merchants ( dwarves?) near the entrance.

Well, I'll be damned. I never knew that.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 10:15 pm

What can you do? Well, you can kill them all to get a bunch of experience.

If I'm not mistaken, I think that each of the portals spawns twelve elementals and then stops. In any case, I think there's a limit.

SPOILER

If you want a cheesy way to kill the mage who hires you to protect him from the elementals, let the elementals wound him badly (but not kill him) before you finish the quest. When you demand all of his treasure, he'll be easier to kill.

Ekental · Post by **Ekental** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 11:37 pm

Some more info on that quest since not everyone has done it or even knows what you are talking about:
(If you know the quest, plz ignore this post)
SPOILER
;
;
;
;
;
;
;

:
:

Cast freedom anyway outside in Underdark doesnt have to be between the three portals, In fact I freed the Mage (Vithal) and one of my characters who got nailed by an improsonment by a lich in the soul machine (Big sphere like thing that spawns 6 mobs)

Anyway, talk to him and he asks you to get a book, get the book from the swirfneblin village and then he asks you to protect him while he loots the planes

Do that and finally he gives you some treasure, you can ask for more then he grubles and hands more over, ask for even more and he attacks, then once you kill him you get a helm that casts death...

JOLLY

davfra · Post by **davfra** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 5:05 am

Thanks for all the info. I didn`t know that they eventually stop spawning, but my party were tired and I was looking for somewhere to rest.
I did know about the quest but I usually come back for that later.
Cheers

JackOfClubs · Post by **JackOfClubs** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 7:24 pm

Yes, it can be cheaper if you come back later because (SPOILER highlight to read) the Svirfneblin don't charge you for the book after you look like a drow. (\SPOILER).

@VonDondu: I think it is 12 but I always lose count.

It is at least 10.

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 7:39 pm

SPOILER...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Killing that mage, though--it's the kind of decision you *wish* the developers had factored into alignment (and I don't mean rep points). You don't have to kill him to get a reward. Hell, he'll even bargain up with you--once--after you do his quest. This would have been one of several perfect opportunities where an ethical choice should have led to more of an evil disposition. Just my POV.

Ekental · Post by **Ekental** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:58 pm

Bah... you want the loot right? So kill him and rip that death helm from his bloody head

JackOfClubs · Post by **JackOfClubs** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 6:28 pm

@Fable: I agree. Especially since you can pick his pocket instead of killing him, for basically everything he has. Not that that doesn't have its own ethical problems, but still...

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 10:22 pm

Ethical problems? We're talking about a powerful wizard who (in an un-MOD-ified game) is Lawful Evil. (One of the MODs on my computer changes his alignment to Chaotic Good for some unfathomable reason.) This is a man who says would have liked to be friends with the Mage who hid the Skull of Death because "he would have been a powerful ally". Obviously, power is the only that matters to Vithal, and there's no telling how he intends to use it. He believes in forging alliances and making "friends" for his own benefit, but who's to say that he won't slaughter millions of innocents?

Look at the description of the item he is so interested in acquiring:

"The mad necromancer-lich N'Ashtar Nikadeemus forged this helmet from the bones of his own parents. His highest ranked general would wear it when he rode into battle, using it to instantly slay the commanders of the opposing army. After that the skeletal armies of N'Ashtar would overrun their demoralized enemies. When N'Ashtar finally fell the Skull of Death was supposedly destroyed."

It's a good thing that such an evil thing wasn't destroyed, eh? And we need to let someone like Vithal run off with it, don't we?

I don't think that a Lawful Good character should kill Vithal. But surely it poses at least a small dilemma to say, a Paladin, who might end up facing Vithal and his horde of undead warriors in battle someday. It's a shame that the game doesn't let you make the case that you believe that the Skull of Death should be destroyed (instead of merely arguing that you want it because you "deserve" it, which is fatuous and loathsome).

When I play a Neutral Good or Chaotic Good character, I do have qualms about killing Vithal (mostly because the dialogue is frustratingly inconclusive). But I'm not convinced that it is clearly wrong.

When I play a Chaotic Neutral character, the question is easy to answer, because one of the values my Chaotic Neutral character lives by is that concentrations of power invariably lead to exploitation, manipulation, and economic or literal slavery. Consequently, my character's mission in life is to disarm the Sword Coast, unseat tyrants, and kill all the monsters so that the vast majority of people can live their lives in freedom and peace. My Chaotic Neutral character would kill a man like Vithal without hesitation (for moral, not selfish reasons) if he refused to relinquish the Skull of Death. Better to kill him now before he kills a bunch of people and forces me to face him and his horde of undead warriors in battle.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 10:30 pm

This is a man who says would have liked to be friends with the Mage who hid the Skull of Death because "he would have been a powerful ally". Obviously, power is the only that matters to Vithal, and there's no telling how he intends to use it.

What's obvious about it? He could just as easily be neutral. He's a good "joiner," and conscientiously holds to his agreements. He even gives you more when you ask him for it. He certainly doesn't come across as "lawful evil."

Ekental · Post by **Ekental** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 12:10 am

But if the game alignment screen says he is, who am I to argue? Now I have a justification for killing him EVERY time... Im chaotic good, so Its for the greater good, laws are for the weak, do what your heart tells you,( GOOD heart) and since im trying to VANQUISH evil, might as well kill Vithal

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 2:56 am

Originally posted by VonDondu
What can you do? Well, you can kill them all to get a bunch of experience.

If I'm not mistaken, I think that each of the portals spawns twelve elementals and then stops. In any case, I think there's a limit.

SPOILER

If you want a cheesy way to kill the mage who hires you to protect him from the elementals, let the elementals wound him badly (but not kill him) before you finish the quest. When you demand all of his treasure, he'll be easier to kill.

urm....after he enters the final portal, to get the last portion of the loot, i have jan or imoen with mercykiller ring and potion of master thievery plant about 3 regular or a spike trap where he disappeared...

now my reasoning is this...if he just handed over the loot, like a nice guy, he would not turn hostile, and immediately die instantly as the traps went off.

but since he turned hostile, after my very reasonable demand that he turn over all the loot to me!!! he deserved to die...

yes, i am very naughty...

Mirk · Post by **Mirk** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:14 am

urm....after he enters the final portal, to get the last portion of the loot, i have jan or imoen with mercykiller ring and potion of master thievery plant about 3 regular or a spike trap where he disappeared...

hehe... this is a cool shakedown: "i advise you against any hostile activities, you will be dead before you cast your first spell... now, the loot, if you please... oh, you just had to see if i' was bluffing..." **thinks twise if he removes the limp body from the spike, or leaves that there as a warning**

exellent!

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 8:19 am

Originally posted by Ekental
But if the game alignment screen says he is, who am I to argue? Now I have a justification for killing him EVERY time... Im chaotic good, so Its for the greater good...

And you call yourself Chaotic Good? You're so Lawful Good it reeks.