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Demetrios1453 Plays the Gold Box Games
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<blockquote data-quote="Demetrios1453" data-source="post: 9291387" data-attributes="member: 6801060"><p><strong><em>Pool of Radiance </em>(Part 21): Podol Plaza (Part 2) - Podol Plaza completed!</strong></p><p></p><p>When last we had checked in on our intrepid adventurers, they had just triggered a brawl in a monster-filled tavern.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351941[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>As you can see, you have a significant number of allies on your side (apparently you're the final straw that fractures the drinkers into two groups), which is a pain to keep track of, since the icons don't look any different. This used to be about impossible in the days before GBC; now at least you can confer with the map before attacking someone who was actually an ally.</p><p></p><p>Obviously such a packed group calls for AoE spells:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351942[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351943[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351944[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Buffy is stuck in the front row due to the crush, so will need to switch out weapons - she gets to use the recently-deceased buccaneer's magic longsword.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351945[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Time for a second <em>sleep</em> spell to take out even more foes:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351946[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>So now a significant part of our opponents are now snoozing on the floor. Which is very helpful in large battles like these, since it can take forever for the AI to go through their turns:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351947[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p>Now for the real problem with this battle - your allies move up and start to get in the way. Whereas my party can clear out foes in a relatively swift manner, they move up, get in the way, and whiff repeatedly. This is especially irritating as they can block sweeps that can take out large swathes of foes.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351948[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Speaking of sweeps, I managed to get a screenshot of Buffy doing so:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351949[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>I manage to keep the party members generally in front of the allies, and slowly the opposition is whittled down:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351950[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351951[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>But in the end, it just gets me a relatively small amount of XP, and a lot of trash loot:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351952[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Nothing magical either. I had chosen the wrong choice in the menu earlier when triggering the fight, since if you choose the right one, you'll get the buccaneer's twin brother with the same magical items.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351953[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Why, thank you!</p><p></p><p>We head out, and go back to the east side of the zone, where we find a temple:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351954[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>I mean, easy enough to do - Ilmater's symbol is two bound hands and Bane's is a clenched fist. Just smash one hand, and smash down to the first knuckles of the remaining hand, and after minor adjustments you basically have a fist.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351955[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>We try "Greet". We are still incognito monsters at the moment.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351956[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Meh, not really. Especially since we've already received a commission to destroy said temple, and we get to keep the loot.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351957[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>We continue to explore after this, and, as before, we keep bumping into random groups we have to intimidate:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351958[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Eventually, we make our way to the soutwestern corner of the zone. There's an intriguing locked door here.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351960[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Time for that <em>knock </em>spell!</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351961[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>This is a secret temple of Ilmater, set up after the previous one was taken over by Banite forces. We don't need healing now, but this is a safe place to rest in the block. At the moment, with us strutting around disguised as monsters and intimidating everyone who challenges us, we don't need it, but this will come in very handy later, when we no longer are doing so. Once we leave the block and come back, we can't disguise ourselves as monsters again, and any encounter will end in a large battle. And when I say "large", I'm not joking - you usually are confronted by 50 or so enemies in these battles. It takes 10 such encounters to clear the block (this is separate from the auction commission), and it's long and messy. Having this spot to retreat to every few battles is very helpful. The good news is that the Clerk will award you a special bonus for clearing this block (unlike with Kuto's Well), although after all the long battles, it's hardly worth it.</p><p></p><p>But that's all in the future - right now we're still disguised, but happy to have a place to rest.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351962[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351963[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>We're just going to rest for the two hours and then head back over to the Temple of Bane. As we head over, we still have to intimidate any patrols we come across.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351964[/ATTACH]</p><p> </p><p>We reach the temple...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351965[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351966[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>But nothing is going on inside, even after the two hour wait mentioned earlier. I always seem to have problems spawning the encounter here as a result, but it's not a big deal - the only loot worthwhile from it are some holy symbols of Bane that make the later temple section a bit easier, and you can get them elsewhere before then.</p><p></p><p>So, that's basically it for Podol Plaza, other than coming back here later after the mission to clear the block. So we head back to the civilized area.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351967[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351968[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Randomly looking at that proclamation...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351969[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Right, that's something we've already been made aware of.</p><p></p><p>Into the building we go!</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351970[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351971[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351972[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>But before she can repeat the commissions we've already heard of, she has something new:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351973[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351974[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351975[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>I mean, for an enchanted weapon, we sure are!</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351976[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>Oh, very nice! We'll give that to Bragir, who is the only party member without a magical melee weapon yet. When we actually go to the Graveyard, it will be moved temporarily to one of our frontliners so it can be better used against the foes it was created for.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351978[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>The scrolls each have two <em>restoration</em> spells on them, similar to the ones we found in the library. Brother Baltor stores those away.</p><p></p><p>That done, the City Clerk goes through the commissions for the Koval Mansion and the nomads, and now has this new one:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351977[/ATTACH]</p><p> </p><p>Ah, those would be the tribe the kobolds we met in Kuto's Well mentioned.</p><p></p><p>All this done, we go to the store and sell some loot. Our funds afterwards:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351979[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>And we go off to the inn to rest, heal up, and memorize spells. Next up, the Cadorna Textile House!</p><p></p><p>(Maps for Mendor's Library and Podol Plaza from the cluebook):</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]351980[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]351981[/ATTACH]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Demetrios1453, post: 9291387, member: 6801060"] [B][I]Pool of Radiance [/I](Part 21): Podol Plaza (Part 2) - Podol Plaza completed![/B] When last we had checked in on our intrepid adventurers, they had just triggered a brawl in a monster-filled tavern. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215541.png"]351941[/ATTACH] As you can see, you have a significant number of allies on your side (apparently you're the final straw that fractures the drinkers into two groups), which is a pain to keep track of, since the icons don't look any different. This used to be about impossible in the days before GBC; now at least you can confer with the map before attacking someone who was actually an ally. Obviously such a packed group calls for AoE spells: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215619.png"]351942[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215632.png"]351943[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215640.png"]351944[/ATTACH] Buffy is stuck in the front row due to the crush, so will need to switch out weapons - she gets to use the recently-deceased buccaneer's magic longsword. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215733.png"]351945[/ATTACH] Time for a second [I]sleep[/I] spell to take out even more foes: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215823.png"]351946[/ATTACH] So now a significant part of our opponents are now snoozing on the floor. Which is very helpful in large battles like these, since it can take forever for the AI to go through their turns: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 215841.png"]351947[/ATTACH] Now for the real problem with this battle - your allies move up and start to get in the way. Whereas my party can clear out foes in a relatively swift manner, they move up, get in the way, and whiff repeatedly. This is especially irritating as they can block sweeps that can take out large swathes of foes. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220208.png"]351948[/ATTACH] Speaking of sweeps, I managed to get a screenshot of Buffy doing so: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220230.png"]351949[/ATTACH] I manage to keep the party members generally in front of the allies, and slowly the opposition is whittled down: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220505.png"]351950[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220617.png"]351951[/ATTACH] But in the end, it just gets me a relatively small amount of XP, and a lot of trash loot: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220802.png"]351952[/ATTACH] Nothing magical either. I had chosen the wrong choice in the menu earlier when triggering the fight, since if you choose the right one, you'll get the buccaneer's twin brother with the same magical items. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220823.png"]351953[/ATTACH] Why, thank you! We head out, and go back to the east side of the zone, where we find a temple: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220905.png"]351954[/ATTACH] I mean, easy enough to do - Ilmater's symbol is two bound hands and Bane's is a clenched fist. Just smash one hand, and smash down to the first knuckles of the remaining hand, and after minor adjustments you basically have a fist. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220915.png"]351955[/ATTACH] We try "Greet". We are still incognito monsters at the moment. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 220956.png"]351956[/ATTACH] Meh, not really. Especially since we've already received a commission to destroy said temple, and we get to keep the loot. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221013.png"]351957[/ATTACH] We continue to explore after this, and, as before, we keep bumping into random groups we have to intimidate: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221035.png"]351958[/ATTACH] Eventually, we make our way to the soutwestern corner of the zone. There's an intriguing locked door here. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221152.png"]351960[/ATTACH] Time for that [I]knock [/I]spell! [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221204.png"]351961[/ATTACH] This is a secret temple of Ilmater, set up after the previous one was taken over by Banite forces. We don't need healing now, but this is a safe place to rest in the block. At the moment, with us strutting around disguised as monsters and intimidating everyone who challenges us, we don't need it, but this will come in very handy later, when we no longer are doing so. Once we leave the block and come back, we can't disguise ourselves as monsters again, and any encounter will end in a large battle. And when I say "large", I'm not joking - you usually are confronted by 50 or so enemies in these battles. It takes 10 such encounters to clear the block (this is separate from the auction commission), and it's long and messy. Having this spot to retreat to every few battles is very helpful. The good news is that the Clerk will award you a special bonus for clearing this block (unlike with Kuto's Well), although after all the long battles, it's hardly worth it. But that's all in the future - right now we're still disguised, but happy to have a place to rest. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221220.png"]351962[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221256.png"]351963[/ATTACH] We're just going to rest for the two hours and then head back over to the Temple of Bane. As we head over, we still have to intimidate any patrols we come across. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221332.png"]351964[/ATTACH] We reach the temple... [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221407.png"]351965[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221459.png"]351966[/ATTACH] But nothing is going on inside, even after the two hour wait mentioned earlier. I always seem to have problems spawning the encounter here as a result, but it's not a big deal - the only loot worthwhile from it are some holy symbols of Bane that make the later temple section a bit easier, and you can get them elsewhere before then. So, that's basically it for Podol Plaza, other than coming back here later after the mission to clear the block. So we head back to the civilized area. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221619.png"]351967[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221632.png"]351968[/ATTACH] Randomly looking at that proclamation... [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221732.png"]351969[/ATTACH] Right, that's something we've already been made aware of. Into the building we go! [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221800.png"]351970[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221807.png"]351971[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221820.png"]351972[/ATTACH] But before she can repeat the commissions we've already heard of, she has something new: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221831.png"]351973[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 221838.png"]351974[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 222111.png"]351975[/ATTACH] I mean, for an enchanted weapon, we sure are! [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 222126.png"]351976[/ATTACH] Oh, very nice! We'll give that to Bragir, who is the only party member without a magical melee weapon yet. When we actually go to the Graveyard, it will be moved temporarily to one of our frontliners so it can be better used against the foes it was created for. [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 222238.png"]351978[/ATTACH] The scrolls each have two [I]restoration[/I] spells on them, similar to the ones we found in the library. Brother Baltor stores those away. That done, the City Clerk goes through the commissions for the Koval Mansion and the nomads, and now has this new one: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 222148.png"]351977[/ATTACH] Ah, those would be the tribe the kobolds we met in Kuto's Well mentioned. All this done, we go to the store and sell some loot. Our funds afterwards: [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-14 222535.png"]351979[/ATTACH] And we go off to the inn to rest, heal up, and memorize spells. Next up, the Cadorna Textile House! (Maps for Mendor's Library and Podol Plaza from the cluebook): [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-16 200149.png"]351980[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" alt="Screenshot 2024-03-16 200159.png"]351981[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]
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