Neverwinter Nights 2

Alhazred is continuing to dismantle Moira's criminal organization. Mostly, his tactics fall under the "kill them and take their stuff" category. Interestingly, if you let Neeshka run off occasionally, she'll find some extra nifty things. It pisses the lawful Khelgar off, but it nets you some nifty weaponry occasionally.

He's also investigated Skymirror, helping out Elanee, the elven druid. Didn't learn much, other than the Neverwinter druids are missing and that a blackness has appeared in the Mere of Dead Men (which is why Elanee joined me in the first place). Ostensibly, it's related to the silver shards carried on his person.

He's just cleaned out one of Moira's warehouses. Let's see if that'll get me into Blacklake.

Star Trek Online

A friend lent me a 10-day trial for Star Trek Online, so I've been trying to take advantage of it. Hence why I haven't been playing a lot of NWN2. I'm quite enjoying the game, and finding quite a lot of complexity to it.

Though recalling some recent Blizzard comments re: complexity vs. depth, I'm not quite certain yet. I don't know if it's a deep game quite yet. That remains to be seen, in my case.

At any rate, the E'Suna Regen E'lixir, the sensuous Vulcan tactical officer, is currently blazing a course through the hearts and minds of the Sirius Sector Block. Sometimes quite literally.

Oh, and my SO (may the mighty tremble in her shadow) found my Mass Effect CD in her computer. I'd forgotten that since I was using her computer for gaming I'd left it in the drive. And neither of us had noticed for the last few months.

I guess that should tell you how often we use our optical drives in our computers.

I'm a groomsman in an SCA wedding this summer, I just remembered. I have permission to dress in fool's motley.

Neverwinter Nights 2

Wow, Neverwinter's a bit of a cesspool.

The docks district is overrun with thugs and ne'er-do-wells. The guard is corrupt, and Alhazred hates the smell of low tide. He's discovered most of the corrupt guardsmen (there are a few good apples), and murdered some of the thugs wholesale, but all that's resulted in is the city watch house being burned down. So now it smells like low-tide-on-fire.

Hrm.

Well, there's nothing to be done. Discovered a lass named Moira's the leader of the underworld in neverwinter. Looks like Alhazred gotta slap a bitch.

In other news, he's also managed to save a snotty sorceress from a group of her classmates, which kind of bit him on the ass. One of the classmates had an older brother (and some mage cronies) that ambushed the party. They died, of course. Alhazred was considering bringing the sorceress with him, but she's managed so far to be more annoying than Elanee.

Neeshka has a bit of history here. An old partner of hers double-crossed her, so she repayed him by lifting most of his shinies. He's been sending meat after the party ever since. Alhazred would be annoyed with Neeshka if it weren't for that cute little tail of hers.

New old video card

I lent my girlfriend my video card a few months ago (and installed one I had sitting around on a shelf). I helped buy her a new one for Valentine's Day, and got my old video card back.

It's going to be nice to be able to play games at > 10fps.

Neverwinter Nights 2

By nature, I tend to prefer diplomacy. Formerly when I've made characters in NWN2 they've been cool, collected, men-about-town who solve their problems without violence when they can. Usually I end up somewhat at odds with Khelgar (the dwarven fighter), since he prefers to kick people in the teeth.

This time, however, I made a warrior. Specifically, a weapon master. The prerequisites for the weapon master prestige class include several ranks in intimidate. Since I'm a warrior, I don't exactly have a crapton of skill points to spread around, so I've been maxing out intimidate every level-up.

What a different game! Suddenly I've gone from feeling like a slack-jawed vicar to a menacing badass. I've avoided just as many fights as I would've avoided by using diplomacy, but with the added bonus of keeping my self-respect intact.

I've taken my first level in weapon master as of last night. They get an ability called "Ki Strike", which means they do maximum damage if they hit. Combined with the whirlwind feat, I'm turning into something of a battlefield catastrophe.

Neverwinter Nights 2

Neeshka (the thief) still keeps wandering into groups of monsters. I've taken more direct control of her of late. Usually it's to get a good flank with one of the warriors so she can start dishing out big damage.

We met up with another female character, an elven druid named Elanee. Neeshka doesn't like her.

After researching the internet for a bit, I've determined that their differences can best be settled through pillowfighting.

Neverwinter Nights 2

I've started and restarted Neverwinter Nights 2 several times since I bought it, never making it much past the first steps into the city of Neverwinter. I usually stop playing for my typical reason, which is that the game starts to get difficult so I quit playing.

This time, I'm making a fighter. His name is Alhazred Al'hazar, and he looks a little bit like Michael Jordan. My intention is to turn him into a weapons master who uses a greatsword.

I've already had to re-create him twice and run through the tutorial, since arranging the stats so you can take the appropriate feats (Mobility, Spring Attack, Whirlwind), is a little more in-depth than I had guessed.

Things are going well. The attack on the village I started at was thwarted with little difficulty. Alhazred seems to be an adequate blender of lizardmen and bladelings. He's encountered so far a dwarven rowdy, and an adorable tiefling thief, who are currently accompanying him for mutual protection and possible fat loots.

I admire the tiefling girl for her dedication if not her intelligence. So far she has wandered into no less than three groups of ravening monsters because she possibly spotted a trap in their midst.

I admire the dwarf because he's full of hitpoints, which I usually arrange to be consumed by the aforementioned ravening monsters before Alhazred's.

Note: Spring attack is pretty awesome. Getting into a flanking position without drawing attacks of opportunity has been pretty useful.

Why I'm doing this

The title of this blog really says it all.

I'm pretty good at starting things, but I'm equally terrible at finishing them.

And I hate that about myself.