Since we were back in Nashkel, I figured we may as well cover the ground near Nashkel and grab those premium items I've been missing until now.
First we traveled to the area west of Nashkel mines. This area is called Fire Leaf forest, although it's actually part of the hilly and mountainous region that forms Cloud Peaks. It's named after the red-brown leaves of the trees in this area, as one may have guessed.
Almost immediately, I spotted a secret stash (x 1792 y 414) to find two spell scrolls hidden in a tree stump. A mage scroll of Chromatic Orb, meh. A mage scroll of Cloudkill! Now that's really premium stuff! It's a pity I had already bought the spell for Neera to scribe. Maybe I'll find a place where I need to cast 3 level five spells at once? Eh, kind of unlikely at this point. We've been breezing through the competition since we're so over-leveled.
"Finding random treasures in the wild is a thing for thieves?" Branwen asked, eyebrow raised.
"We just notice stuff better, traps and treasure both. Ask Imoen, she found that ankheg armour you're wearing," I responded.
Imoen give me a look, so I smiled at her and gave two thumbs up. In response, she rolled her eyes and walked off.
---
The first person we met in this area was a child.
Well, maybe.
"'Scuse me. I ever so sowwy to bother, but could you help me? I've lost my little dog and I can't find him. He's probably ever so scared wight now."
Khalid was about to step forward to speak to this particular child when Imoen gripped his arm tightly. She had frozen in place, and was glaring at the child like he was a demon straight from hell.
Which he was. Imoen's instinct were on point. I remembered quite clearly what this 'child' really was. I guess Imoen noticed someone was overplaying his part again.
It's not like I could say that aloud though, in spite of Imoen's extreme reaction. So I didn't stop Khalid from asking the child, "Have you no parents here to help thee? It's dangerous to be out alone."
This wasn't the first child we've met in the middle of the forest. Previously was the child near Bassilus who had been looking for his mother and brother, if I recall.
"Parents? Yes, I'm here with some relatives, but they're away for a moment and I'm lost. We are thinking of moving here some day, but I don't know my way around yet. I can get home okay, but I just gotta get Rufie back. Please, could you help?"
Oh gods. I had always though this so-called 'child' was just giving us a cover story in previous playthroughs. Right now, I'm starting to suspect he wasn't actually lying. Just being a bit misleading with his phrasing. Considering what he really was, we really didn't want him and his relatives to move 'here' someday. 'Here' being the Prime Material Plane.
In the meantime, we really didn't want to piss off this 'child'. I and Imoen nodded vigorously to Khalid, and he agreed to help.
"You will? Oh, thank you so vewy much! I just know he'll be all right now! Poor Rufie isn't used to strange places an' people. You're sure to know him when you see him, 'cuz he's just the cutest little thing. Here, take this as well. His favorite chew toy, it is. He'll know you're a friend if you have it in your hands. Thank you so much again!"
Said chew toy turned out to be a large bone with scraps of flesh hanging from it, still moist. There were possibly even some metal fragments amidst the gore. I wasn't even sure where the 'child' pulled this out from exactly, seeing as how the bone was too large to fit in his pockets.
The chew toy was a big clue to what we were going to find. Rufie turned out to be a hound the size of a draft horse. It was covered in short, coal-black fur and had glowing red eyes.
"…thaaaat's a hellhound, isn't it?" Neera asked as the whole party gaped in horror at the monstrosity.
"Eyep," Imoen replied.
Cutest little thing, my foot!
Rufie turned towards us, growling and gnashing its ginormous teeth, dripping with saliva.
"The chew toy! Show him the chew toy!" I shrieked.
Khalid pulled out the chew toy like his life depended on it, and Rufie's entire demeanour changed at the sight of it. The gnashing of teeth was replaced by a big doggo smile, and his tail wagged furiously behind him. Then Rufie ran towards us at full tilt with his tongue hanging out and tail wagging not unlike a regular dog.
Everyone else backed away from Khalid just before the hellhound collided into him, bowling him over. Standing over Khalid, Rufie snatched the chew toy out of his hands. Even while empowered by Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Khalid couldn't really stop it.
Rufie then quite contently chewed down on its favorite toy while sitting on Khalid, pinning him with its weight.
"Awww… he's actually kind of cute when he's not trying to eat us," Imoen said as she watched Rufie.
Neera and Jaheira glared at Imoen as if she had grown horns.
"H-h-help…," Khalid wailed, pitifully. He wasn't actually hurting, just scared out of his mind. He did have a giant hellhound sitting on him while chewing down on a large meatbone.
"…how? Don't think the animal friendship ring will help," I said, "Uh, I'm open to suggestions here."
Jaheira sighed. "It's still a dog, so the principle should still be the same," she muttered to herself, then stood in front of Rufie and commanded in a stern voice, "Rufie, stand!"
Rufie stood up at attention, though with the meatbone still in his mouth. Khalid took that chance to scamper out from underneath.
Branwen cocked her head. "Well trained. So we're dealing with a Baatezu's hound, not Tanar'ri."
Baatezu is the other name for devils and Tanar'ri is the other name for demons in the Forgotten Realms. The alternative names for demons and devils actually came about due to, of all things, the Satanic Panic of the 80s. Religious groups were worried that Dungeons and Dragons was a gateway to satanic worship, so devils and demons were renamed by TSR Incorporated.
Anyway, Devils are lawful and orderly by nature, demons chaotic, which was what led Branwen to believe Rufie belonged to a Baatezu.
…crap, that meant the child from earlier was telling the truth earlier, including the bit where he and his relatives were considering moving 'here'.
---
When we brought Rufie to the 'child', he, it, was very pleased. "RUFIE! Who's a fuzzy Rufie? Whoooooo's a fuzzy little guy? Thank you just ever so much! I better take this lost little puppy home right away. Here, take this. It's another of his chew things, but we can get more where we're going. Thanks again."
He gave us a black opal for our efforts, then led Rufie to a clearing. As he did so, the glamour hiding his true nature melted away, revealing a terrifying winged devil.
"Time to go home, Rufie. You'll like the Nine Hells much better than these cold climes."
And the two teleported away in a flash of infernal magic.
Sometimes, it's better not to ask too many questions.
---
We came upon a group of three armed men and women. One woman in heavy armor, actually. It was she who put up her hands and demanded our attention. "Travelers from the north, halt! You trespass quite deep into Amnian territory. Perhaps you have come to spy upon our supposed troop buildup. It's quite funny, the stupid notions you northern barbarians can get stuck in your he-"
Her eyes locked on me, and she burst out laughing. So did the two men accompanying her.
"I knew the northern barbarians were pathetic, but this?" she blurted out, wheezing.
This happens every time, so one would think I'd be used to it by now.
Well, I'm not! It hurts so much, right in the heart! Uuuuuuuurgggghhhh.
"We are the band of heroes which solved the crisis at the Nashkel mines," Jaheira declared. "We demand respect we are due for our contributions to Amn."
"With THAT THING? Not hardy likely," the armored woman exclaimed while pointing at me. "Oh, my sides! No fair, you're killing me with laughter!"
"Keep it up and I'll just kill you. The end," I said coldly while holding out my staff.
"Haha! The jokes keep writing themselves!" she retorted. In spite of what she said, her laughter and that of her companions had died down. They drew arms. "We are from the noble merchant house of Argrims, foremost family in Amn. A tiny little halfling like you challenges us? We come to hunt game, though perhaps you would make for better sport."
Sendai and her two goons, Alexander and Delgod, are all fighters. Sendai is the tank, with her heavy armour and longsword, while the other two are archers armed with Arrows +1. They all have Thac0 of around 9 to 10, which normally would be impressive against a lower-level party.
Against our party of six which out-leveled them, meh. Imoen backstabbed Delgod with her new shiny Shortsword +2 (she wanted to give it a try for once), Khalid closed in on Alexander too quickly for him to get a shot out, and a Blind spell debilitated Sendai. That pretty much spelled the end for them all. We could have stood to take a few hits from them without the tactics and debuffs, but I wanted to humiliate them.
As Khalid struck Alexander down, my own bullet took out Sendai who had been engaged with Jaheira before Sendai could get a good hit in.
Loot: Long Sword +1, Arrows +1 (x72), Studded Leather Armor +2, Potion of Healing.
"Are we really going to kill them though?" Jaheira asked. "It sure won't help the peace efforts if nobles from house of Amn is killed."
I sighed. "No, they're not worth killing. I'd like to see to their wounds and send them on their way," I said. I turned to Sendai and her companions. "However, one question remains. After invoking our ire by insulting our honor, can a noble of house Argrim accept defeat gracefully from an enemy who shows them mercy? Or will they choose to spit upon the aid offered to them, like barbarians?"
Sendai looked away, so Delgod spoke instead. "By our honor, we will not seek revenge and will even seek to repay this act of mercy in the future. Please, help yourselves to our weapons and belongings as reparations for the insult."
I laughed at the suggestion. We were obviously going to take the most precious belongings of these people who were going to murder us if they could just so they could put us our place, whether or not they allowed it or not. "I'm not stupid enough to come knocking on house Argrim's door in the middle of Amn. But I accept your apology, if it can be called that. Let us part ways peacefully and never seek another out. Unless you have any objections, Sendai?"
Sendai shook her head. We saw to their wounds, using their own Potion of Healing and our magic, then sent them off with some supplies.
"Before you go, as a priest of Tempus, I must fulfill my duty by providing counsel," Branwen said to them, looking at Sendai in particular. "I understand that pride is important to nobles, but even as a priest of the god of war I must advocate that one should not provoke violence without good reason. Do behave with the decorum of a noble when you meet armed strangers in the wilds."
"Yes, yes. I get it," Sendai said through gritted teeth. The three left with their shoulders sagging, defeated.
---
I still wasn't done with this area yet. There was a PREMIUM item I really wanted, if only I could find the two morons. I was leading the party to and fro when I finally came upon the two morons. Two men, one armed with a simple halberd, the other with darts. A bandit armed with darts is pretty memorable.
Vax counted five armed men. Normally two bandits would balk at the idea of threatening larger numbers, but Vax and Zal were extremely confident in their skills. "Hey there, pal! Seems like your little party's wandered a bit off the beaten path. Well, that's too bad for you, 'cause you've had the misfortune of meeting the fastest draw in the west."
"Good morning! I am from Calimshan!"
Vax was taken aback even as the man with mahogany skin approached them. "…huh? Wait, wait! Stay right there and drop your belongings or he throws darts!"
"S-s-sorry? Wait, I come closer!"
"GAH!"
Vax and Zal are also both level 6 fighters. Zal could potentially threaten a lower-level party, with an APR of 4 he really does throw darts fast as Vax had boasted. Moreover Zal has GRANDMASTER proficiency so he does an extra +5 damage with each dart. But they're still darts, 1d3 damage each. It'd hurt, but at our level Khalid could shrug it off just fine.
Well, that was assuming Zal got to throw any of those darts out. Even if Khalid was right in their faces, it turned out that the backstabbing Quarterstaff+3 is faster than the fastest dart throw. Who knew?
Loot: Potion of Healing (x2), Bracers of Archery
Bracers of Archery are a definite must-have for any play through, providing a +2 bonus to attack with any ranged weapon. These went to Imoen, who was the one pelting out all our speciality arrows.
…or maybe it should go to Branwen instead who often slinged out bullets since Imoen was a mage now? Eh, either could work. I just love the phat loot.