Chapter 2

After crossing the bridge, a Flaming Fist Soldier, Bardolan, will approach. You will learn about Brage. Enter the Nashkel Inn where another bounty hunter will be waiting, Neira. At first use weapons and spells with small speed factors so as to dirupt the very dangerous 'Hold Person' spells. After that you will have no problem taking 650 XP and many useful items (including a Helm of Infravision). Notice that your head costs now 680 GP. Visit the Nashkel Store. It is easy to steal equipment from here, but this depends on your alignment (or how much you want to abide by it!). Also the shopkeeper will ask you to bring him th dead body of a creatur that leaves at the southern mountains. If you find one such, keep its fur and sell then averything when you return here. SE of the Store is the Temple of Helm. Outside its entance you will meet Berrun Ghastkill, who will tell you about the mines and will ask you to find out more about them. You can attempt to steal a healing potion from him. Some meters SE is Oublek, you will mistake you for Greywolf and will give you 200 GP. If you correct him you will get no money but a +1 at reputation. Outside the Garrison Minsc (Neutral Good Ranger with 18/93 STR) will wait and ask you to join your team, if you rescue Dynaheir from the Gnoll Fortress (you have 10 days). I took him with me, since a second warrior is needed in any team. At the Belching Dragon Tavern you will meet Volo, who will tell you about the area in general. At the SE house you will meet Joseph's wife who will tell you about Joseph. He was lost at the Nashkel mines, wearing his Greenstone Ring. If you look at the grave outside the temple that says "Beneath this stone, a lump of clay... began to hold his tongue." Daer 'Ragh a Necromancer will appear and tell you not to do that again. If you insist, the third time he will summon a dozen of Phoenix Guards who are pretty difficult opponents for your level. At the Manor House NE you will find 3 spell scrolls and many books Also you will meet Samantha at the first floor. Try to tell her that you have come for her and see what will follow...

At the south bridge you will meet Edwin, a Lawful Evil Conjurer who will ask to kill an evil witch, Dynaheir (I don't think so). Then at the other bank of the river, Noober will approach and will start talking. After 35+ of his stupid questions he will get bored and leave and you will get 400 XP, unless you already killed him at the first place! Left of the western field in this area near a 'christmas tree' you will find an Ankegh Plate (AC 1) and a Pearl. Equip yourselves with ammo especially bolts, arrows and bullets and exit south. We are heading toward the Gnoll Stronghold.

On the way to Gnoll Stronghold

At this are you will meet Sendai, who will insult you. If you want you can leave without a fight, but you can just answer back. Then she will call Delgod and Alexander to kill you. You can use the Wand of Lightning and after a lot of attention and many pauses you will win 1200 XP in total and a Leather Armor +2 and a Long Sword +1. If anyone dies or gets seriously injured return to Nashkel's temple to raise/heal him. At the same area in the woods you will find two buried scrolls: Cloudkill and Chromatic Orb. At the NW part Albert will approach you and will ask you to find his dog. He will also give you a chew toy. Ruffie (the dog) is at the NE part of the map. After returning it back, you will see Albert transforming to a beast and teleporting to the Nine Hells (!!!) and you will get 1000 XP. At the center of the map there are two thieves Vax and Zal. Approach with your thief in 'hide in shadows' mode and when you see Vax attack him with any missile weapon you have. Then kill Zal. Attack him with caution, because some meters south of him are a pack of Kobolds. This way you can face diffcult encounters separetly. You will get 1000 XP and the Bracers of Archery. Since you don't have anything else to do here exit West.

At the next area you will meet (east of the lake) a Dryad of the Cloudpeaks. She will tell you that two guys want to destroy an ancient tree. Follow her and kill them to take 800 XP and +1 rep. and a Girdle of Bluntness. There is a cave south from there where you will find a +1 Halberd and around 200 gps. South of the lake (under the waterfall) you will meet Drienne who will tell you about her lost cat. The dead cat is where the water falls. Return it to her to get 200 XP +1 reputation and a Protection from Undead Scroll. There is nothing else important to do here, apart from killing the random encunters (usu. Gnolls), so exit North.

At the center of the map Xvarts will attack you - you are in one of their dwellings. You won't meet any serious problem since Xvarts are weak, but they fight in numbers. Pay attention however to Ursa who will be called by the leader of the Xvarts Nexlit (650 XP). At the western part you will meet Borda who will try to sell you cursed scrolls. NE from there is another cave with a bear and a chest with Bracers of Defence A.C. 8 and a Flail +1. Exit West.

NE at the new area you will meet Neville with hobgoblin archers. Whatever you tell him he will attack with other hobgoblin archers. If you are careful you will win easily (even without any spell) and will get a Long Sword +1 and 600 XP. At the SE corner you will meet Jared who says that a mountain bear has blocked the other side of the bridge. When you see the bear use a spell that will prevent her from moving (such as Entangle or Web) and then attack her with arrows. I did however manage to kill the bear without wasting a spell. You will get 900 XP and if you return to Jared he will give you the Boots of North (and 150 XP). NW from here you will meet Leurel and will chase Gibberlings with her (250 XP). At the NW corner you will wait for an ogre to eat and then kill it. Proceed south to reach, at last, the Gnoll Stronghold.

At the Gnoll Stronghold

Here you will find Hairtooth and Gnarl asking you for 200 GP to cross the bridge. You can pay less or just deny and take Gauntlets of Dexterity and some potions. Then you will have to find Dynaheir. She is at the second floor of the castle. If you want to, you can enter and kill every Gnoll you see, or if you have three invisibility potions give the one to your fastest character, give the other to Dynaheir and then give the character that talked to her the last. This way you will sneak past them. Anyway, after finding her any way you like you will get 800 XP and another 800 XP if you reject Edwin for her. You have three choices: 1. If you stay neutral you will lose both Minsc and Edwin. 2. If you take Edwin's part you will be attacked by Minsc. 3. Take Dynaheir's part and keep Minsc. After that go SW to the three caves. At the upper one there is a there is a carrion crawler that casts 'Hold Person' whenever it hits. Despite that, it is not a difficult opponent. At the other cave you will find a Lorloch's Minor Drain scroll, Magic Missile scroll, 3 Healing Potions and a Tome of Influence and Leadership which gives +1 Charisma. Head back to Nashkel to heal your injured characters and buy/sell your equipment. Then go East of Nashkel, at the Carnival.

Nashkel's Carnival

At the SE part of the carnival you will find Zeke who asks for 500 GP for a Stone to Flesh scroll to remove the curse from the 'stoned princess'. You can either buy it from Nahskel or pick-pocket Zeke and take the scroll. Cast it on Branwen (True Neutral Cleric) and she will come with you. At a tent near (it is impossible to describe the way) you will find Zordal who wants to kill Bertha. If you tell him 1,1 he will attac you without killing her, but he will kill her with 1,3. You can't stop his mirror image, but you will stop Horror and Melf's Acid Arrow spells. After killing him you will get 900 XP and a Knave's Robe. Better - and more evil - is to let him kill the girl, so that you take her equipment or otherwise Bentha will give you only a potion.

At the blue-colored tent south from there you will be asked to buy some potions that aren't cursed but have some... bad effects. At the SW part you will learn about Prism and will see a woman who summons an Ogre. Do that 3 times and the Ogre will attack. Kill it and take 270 XP. Also in the big tent a man will attempt steal 100 GP from you. Act quickly (he is the one coming towards you as soon as you enter) and kill him and take some very useful potions. Exit to Nashkel Mines (South).

Nashkel Mines

You will arrive next to a building that has some War Dogs and in the barrels you will find GP and a healing potion. Go to the NW corner (it doesn't seem to be a place that you can visit but you can in fact) and in the hole of the tree you will find a Wand of Frost. Then go south from the building and speak to Dandal to give you information. At the SE in the forest you will kill the kobolds that are after Galtok. Go west and you will meet Prism. You can kill him and give the Emeralds back to Oublek, but the best solution is the following: Wait until Prism finishes his work and Greywolf appears. He is pretty tough (but he is worth 1400 XP). Hit him with the best spells, wands and weapons you have. If you use the healing abilities of the cleric correctly you will win with no heavy losses. You wil take a Long Sword +2. Then talk to Prism and he will kill himself leaving you 2 Emeralds (return them to Oublek for 200 XP and 300 GP), 1000 XP, and +1 reputation. Enter the mines after talking to Emerson south of the entrance.

At the first level you will meet some Kobolds and at the southern part you will meet Dink who will give you a Dagger for Kylee. The entrance for the second level is south at the end of the circular corridor. At the second level, in the big room SW you will find Kylee to whom you will give his dagger (200 XP) The entrance to the third level is SE - pay attention to the Kobolds. At the third level you will find Joseph's Greenstone ring at the dead body (return it to his wife for 800 XP). There are many traps at this level, so better go on with your thief in search for traps mode. The exit to the 4th level is SE and it is guarded by a pack of Kobolds. Also kill the Giant Spiders south. A good way to fight the Kobold is the following: I used Minsc (who has a 'stealth' ability and my thief Imoen to sneak past them, near the Kobold Commando. Then I attacked him with the two hidden characters (he is more dangerous since he has fire arrows) and then I hit them from both sides. There are some traps just before the exit so be careful. The 4th level is different from the others. The island at the center is guarded by Kobold Commandos. Kill them and then go around it and kill a Ghoul. Now enter the cave. Here you will find Mulahey. A good tactic to find him is send a 'hidden in shadows' thief and talk to Mulahey. Meanwhile bring the rest of the party at the cave that is above (the one with the lake). Mulahey will summon his servants to fight for him. The others will take out the summoned creatures ("turn undead" is very effective), while your thief comes back to the group. Mulahey will not attack the thief. After dealing with the summoned creatures kill Mulahey (650 XP). Take his Ring, his Holy Symbol and his Boots of Grounding. The chest is full of useful things: a Short Sword +1, 800 GP, Xan's Moonblade, many spell scrolls and the letter which introduces Chapter 3.