#thefir

ALWAYS PROCEED WITH CAUTION

I have to say, I've come to love the combat system of Baldur's Gate 1. Hooray for real time with pause combat!

I was so arrogant at the start of the game. "Pause? Ha! Whatever would I need that for? I'll just mindlessly stab my way to victory, as I always have."

Yeah, you can imagine how that went. There was a lot of stabbing. A hundred little scars in Thefir's chest can proove it. I had to face my nemesis:

STRATEGY

*Quiet sobbing*

The pause screen helps alot. You can pause the game, take a deep breath and try something different. Take the time to find ice arrows in the vast nothingness of six different inventories. Chuck down all potions available. Mourn the four crewmates you killed with your terrible plan A and say goodbye to those who will perish shortly while executing plan B. Leave for five hours and forget the game is running... (that never happened).

ALWAYS PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Thefir's Party (2/5)

Xan

Male, elf, enchanter, lawful neutral

Weapons of choice: Moonblade, magic

Xan is a Greycloak of Evereska (I googled that, I have no idea what or who the Greycloaks or Evereska are at this point, missed that ingame but will hopefully find out soon) and a capable mage. Thefir and party found him with one full hitpoint in the Nashkell mines. Evidently, he had been send there by his order to investigate what the hell was wrong with the mines (and mankind as a whole, I imagine). He decided to follow Thefir's lead - though Thefir doesn't know why. Half of the party was basically dead or missing essential body parts during their first encounter.

Xan makes sure the suicidal world saving mission thing doesn't get to cheery, thankfully reminding everyone that they are doomed and all their attempts void and hopeless. Thefir really appreciates those apocalyptic speeches. They all do. Ahem.

Apart from his sometimes dark mindset, he is painfully sincere. He will speak his mind, no matter if others want to hear the truth. Thefir values this trait immensely, always turning to Xan with questions about magic or their next steps. They are the famous "Socially incompetent brothers". (I not so secretly headcanon him to have a little crush on cheery Imoen).

ALWAYS PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Thefir's party (1/5)

Imoen

Female, human, thief, lawful neutral

Weapons of choice: short bow, short sword

Imoen came to Candle Keep when she was about 11 years old and immidiately decided that Thefir (same age) would be her best friend from now on (the poor boy didn't have a say in the matter). She was so persistent and relentless in her friendship that Thefir had to yield and like her back - luckily, or else he would have missed some of his best childhood memories.

ALWAYS PROCEED WITH CAUTION

So, let's talk about Centeol. You know, this murderous creep in a cave in cloakwood forest. The one looking like a fried chicken.

The fight was insane. I had a friend with me to keep an eye on my merry band of misfits, or else I would never have made it (cheers to @faerieoffaerun). Those spiders he summoned are an evil in their own right: disgusting, strong and moving with f****** light speed! Thefir's strategy is to run away until the others take care of the foes. It doesn't work. The cave is too small, and everywhere you step, there's a goddamn enormous spider! And this chicken creep in the middle made me believe he was just going to sit there and watch, so I ignored him until he started LEVITATING THROUGH THE CAVE! The chicken took flight. It was horrible. It was thrilling. It was horribly thrilling. I wanna do it again. And never again. Goddammit, Bioware.

ALWAYS PROCEED WITH CAUTION

'Raise dead' spell in temples

It's useful. I've used it a lot actually because I'm to stupid to keep my mates alive. But I realized that the pricing for resurrection is different depending on the dead character's level. It all makes sense in the game, don't get me wrong. But just imagine how this would look like in a real conversation.

Thefir (my OC) bursting through the temple doors, Xan's dead body in his arms (Xan was NOT chosen randomly, buying a little carriage to move his poor corpse around seems like a good investment at this point)

Thefir: Please, someone, you must help my friend!

Priest appearing from the shadows: Oh my, not you again. Fine, put him on the altar.

Thefir: Thank you. Here, your 100 gold pieces.

Priest: Wait a minute. Your friend seems... more capable than last time. Brimming with strength. He's a better fighter now, eh?

Thefir: He's a mage, but he learned some new spells, I guess. What...

Priest: Well well, a useful companion, to be sure. That's 200 gold then.

Thefir, bewildered: But...why? Just because he can cast a few more healing spells and...

Priest, eyes sparkling: Ohhh, healing! Those are difficult! 400 gold!

Thefir: It's still the same spell, right? You don't need extra magic or something to get his muscles back or his new knowledge about ancient...

Priest grinning maliciously: Yes?

Thefir: Don't. Don't say it.

Priest, over his shoulder: Hey Harry, call the builder, we have the 600 gold to fix the roof!

Later at the tavern

Xan: You've been gloomy all evening. What are you contemplating?

Thefir: I think I can't afford our friendship anymore. You're too capable.

You found "suspicious potion".

This green, smelly liquid was found among a bunch of gremlins. It looks like they used it to corrupt all the iron in the Nashkell mines. The iron starts to crumble if you so much as look at it.

...

Thefir: Neat. Let's drink it.

Try'n to skip this fight

Fleei'n into the underbrush

But this bush is occupied.

"Oh, a bunch of robbers

Better than that beast!"

I think, then I'm killed by five arrows -

But not by the ogre, at least.