Merchants League

arwen · #1 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 09:16 AM

Hi, i'm having a problem in baldur's gate: i killed aldeth sh... against the druids and so now i don't seem able to get into the merchant's league (his brother fights me instead of bringing me there). so, is there a way to get into it even this way? seems weird to me that you can't enter, i played another time and i don't remember if i managed to get in there

Galuf the Dwarf · #2 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by arwen
Hi, i'm having a problem in baldur's gate: i killed aldeth sh... against the druids and so now i don't seem able to get into the merchant's league (his brother fights me instead of bringing me there). so, is there a way to get into it even this way? seems weird to me that you can't enter, i played another time and i don't remember if i managed to get in there

Nope, no way in AT ALL. You need to have Aldeth alive to get this quest.

You want to find out what happens since you killed him?

arwen · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 12:38 PM

Thank you for answering

well, sure i do, i'm curious, i guess i'll re load a old save game hoping i have one before killing him

Galuf the Dwarf · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by arwen
Thank you for answering

well, sure i do, i'm curious, i guess i'll re load a old save game hoping i have one before killing him

Okay then. Prepare for a

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In the central district, around the main gate and the center of the map, you are confronted by Aldeth's brother, Dabron. This can be a slightly tough fight, even though it's your character (and your party) against one fighter, so try to hit him pretty hard (without harming citizens). The one advantage to defeating him is that you get a nifty weapon: the Heavy Crossbow of Accuracy, which will be your friend if you have a Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger that you use for ranged combat. He also has a +1 morningstar, a suit of plate mail (You should be selling those to merchants already, correct?), and a potion or two on his corpse.

Though Bards can equip all types of weapons, I'm not sure if they can equip heavy crossbows. Either way, you should make use of the loot on him.

BTW, who's in your party?

arwen · #5 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 04:04 PM

There's me: lawful good fighter, level 7
Ajantis: paladin, level 7
Xan is my mage, level 7 but should get to 8 soon since i removed the exp cap and he's close to 90000
Branwen as cleric, level 7
Yeslick as cleric lev 6/fighter lev 6
Coran as fighter lev 6/thief lev 7

Galuf the Dwarf · #6 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by arwen
There's me: lawful good fighter, level 7
Ajantis: paladin, level 7
Xan is my mage, level 7 but should get to 8 soon since i removed the exp cap and he's close to 90000
Branwen as cleric, level 7
Yeslick as cleric lev 6/fighter lev 6
Coran as fighter lev 6/thief lev 7

Hmmm...

I'd have either of your divine spellcasters and Xan put a few damage-reducing buffs (Maybe Defensive Harmony, if either Branwen or Yeslick can cast 5th-level cleric spells.) to start. In combat, I might almost suggest spells that will disable Dabron, such as Hold Person or Sleep. If he is susceptible to those spells, then have all of your characters hammer down on him. Coran should be used for either ranged combat or to hit Dabron with backstabs when his target is helpless.

Be careful, since Dabron Sashenstar's crossbow bolts will likely be the biggest threat he has to offer. Make sure your fighters are the ones taking ALL of the damage, since Xan may just as well have his goose cooked in less time than you can say "By Moradin's Hammer!"

I don't remember if Dabron's bolts are poisoned, but they may be. Have plenty of Antidote and healing potions available, but save some of your damage-reducing potions for more dire circumstances. The areas from the expansion and the final areas of the game come to mind when I mention this.

Sound like a comprehensive strategy?

Patrick · #7 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 05:37 PM

Plot spoiler request?
What happones in merchant league, if you meet his brother for quest, assuming one did not kill the other brother. (I think we are talking about the guy that was killing the druids?) thanks?

Galuf the Dwarf · #8 (**permalink**) 05-10-2004, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Patrick
Plot spoiler request?
What happones in merchant league, if you meet his brother for quest, assuming one did not kill the other brother. (I think we are talking about the guy that was killing the druids?) thanks?

Uhhh, would you mind rephrasing that?

LoreKeeper · #9 (**permalink**) 05-11-2004, 12:22 AM

Edit: Yes, we talk about the supposed druid-killer (I have the German version, the dialogue doesn't make it clear who began the feud, the druids or the hunting party, so I don't know who is to blame for the whole mess...).

OK, as you wish, here is the
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First, if you helped Aldeth in the Cloakwood, you meet him in Baldur's Gate, not his brother. He requests your aid again, there seems to be something amiss in the Merchant League of which he is one of the leaders. His two co-leaders are behaving strangely since he returned... During your investigation you find out that they were replaced by doppelgangers of the Iron Throne and are trying to murder and replace Aldeth as well. After exposing the plot you have to kill about a dozen doppelgangers in total, spread over the three floors of the building, most on the top floor in a great hall. The reward consists of 5000 exp (IIRC) and a bastard sword +1, +3 vs doppelgangers.

I hope I could be of service,
LoreKeeper

Galuf the Dwarf · #10 (**permalink**) 05-11-2004, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LoreKeeper
Edit: Yes, we talk about the supposed druid-killer (I have the German version, the dialogue doesn't make it clear who began the feud, the druids or the hunting party, so I don't know who is to blame for the whole mess...).

OK, as you wish, here is the
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
:

First, if you helped Aldeth in the Cloakwood, you meet him in Baldur's Gate, not his brother. He requests your aid again, there seems to be something amiss in the Merchant League of which he is one of the leaders. His two co-leaders are behaving strangely since he returned... During your investigation you find out that they were replaced by doppelgangers of the Iron Throne and are trying to murder and replace Aldeth as well. After exposing the plot you have to kill about a dozen doppelgangers in total, spread over the three floors of the building, most on the top floor in a great hall. The reward consists of 5000 exp (IIRC) and a bastard sword +1, +3 vs doppelgangers.

I hope I could be of service,
LoreKeeper

Couldn't say it better myself.

arwen · #11 (**permalink**) 05-12-2004, 03:42 PM

Perfectly comprehensive strategy
I did kill the brother, not easy but i managed to, thank you

Next time i play i'm going to help aldeth, there are so many choices in bg!

VonDondu · #12 (**permalink**) 05-12-2004, 08:32 PM

I was always confused about what to do when Aldeth asked for my help. To hear Aldeth's side of the story, everything seemed pretty clear. He went on a hunting trip with his buddies, which is perfectly legal, but they were warned by some Druids to stop their hunt and leave the area. When Aldeth refused to budge, a Druid attacked him, so Aldeth killed him in self-defense. Then the rest of the Druids attacked him.

When Seniyad and the Druids arrived, I expected a better explanation for their attack, but none was forthcoming. To call Aldeth a "murderer" was a bit of a stretch. What was he supposed to do, stand there and let the Druid kill him? The other parts of Cloakwood are inhabited by Shadow Druids who routinely attack anyone who does not agree to defend nature with a vengeance. The only line of dialogue that gives any justification for siding with the Druids and helping them to kill Aldeth is a wisecrack about the Druids being able to supply you with a cool compound you can put on your armor. (The Druids offered no such thing.) The thing that really confuses me is that Seniyad was the name of Jaheira's mentor. Is that the same person you meet in Cloakwood? Even if he isn't the same person, why isn't there a reasonable you can give to Aldeth for not protecting him? "You killed some animals, so I'll let these Druids kill you" doesn't have the necessary moral and philosophical underpinnings, in my book.

What do the rest of you think of their conflict?

Galuf the Dwarf · #13 (**permalink**) 05-12-2004, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VonDondu
I was always confused about what to do when Aldeth asked for my help. To hear Aldeth's side of the story, everything seemed pretty clear. He went on a hunting trip with his buddies, which is perfectly legal, but they were warned by some Druids to stop their hunt and leave the area. When Aldeth refused to budge, a Druid attacked him, so Aldeth killed him in self-defense. Then the rest of the Druids attacked him.

When Seniyad and the Druids arrived, I expected a better explanation for their attack, but none was forthcoming. To call Aldeth a "murderer" was a bit of a stretch. What was he supposed to do, stand there and let the Druid kill him? The other parts of Cloakwood are inhabited by Shadow Druids who routinely attack anyone who does not agree to defend nature with a vengeance. The only line of dialogue that gives any justification for siding with the Druids and helping them to kill Aldeth is a wisecrack about the Druids being able to supply you with a cool compound you can put on your armor. (The Druids offered no such thing.) The thing that really confuses me is that Seniyad was the name of Jaheira's mentor. Is that the same person you meet in Cloakwood? Even if he isn't the same person, why isn't there a reasonable you can give to Aldeth for not protecting him? "You killed some animals, so I'll let these Druids kill you" doesn't have the necessary moral and philosophical underpinnings, in my book.

What do the rest of you think of their conflict?

I would concur that it seems lacking detail. Still, they may not have wanted to make it seem like one side was truly good or evil. For all you know, both sides were equally at fault.

LoreKeeper · #14 (**permalink**) 05-13-2004, 03:43 AM

Yes, they seem to be both to blame for it, and that ambiguity makes for a question of personal preference rather than morality. Some classes could decide from a roleplaying point of view - e.g. as a druid I would be hard pressed to help the city dwellers. But how should a paladin decide? He gave Aldeth his word to defend him against the "savages", but the druids on the other hand don't seem to be shadow druids and therefore not the kind to resort to murder without a good cause...
From a roleplaying perspective, it poses quite a dilemma.
But from a munchkin perspective, there's hardly a question at all...