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The Bard's Advice
Traveler, the world you stride is full of danger. Wild beasts seek to devour you, evil sorcerers attempt to morph you into unspeakable horrors, and your party members constantly kvetch and moan. Unfortunately, lad (or laddette), that's not all. Zombie-like Ghasts, Skeleton Warriors, and other nightmares abound. Your task will be difficult, but since you seem determined to unlock the secrets of the Sword Coast, I offer this tale of teaching. Be warned, I have not the time to teach you all, but listen closely, and what you learn will serve you well.

Wrestling with the Wild
Baldur's Gate: Tales of The Sword Coast drops you into the village of Ulgoth's Beard. Walk the walk and talk the talk. Doing so updates your journal and initiates some quests. It seems the commoners are upset about a recent addition to town—an old friend of yours named Mendas, but his quest is for another time.

Smokey the Bear he's not
On the other hand, Ike, for a meager 60 gold pieces, offers to take your party on a tour of Durlag's Tower. Politely brush him off for now, you'll use him several paragraphs later. Drop by the Inn for supplies and a nap. Unless you have a high-level Thief within your party, keep your stealing and pick-pocketing to a minimum. These guards are not easy kills, and they are quick to anger. Besides, a bad reputation is bad news when pumping the populace for information. Don't make trouble. Once you have what you need, head back outside.

An old man named Shandalar approaches. He demands your apology for slaying his daughters, and swears he will feel much better if you can only find him this pretty cape-thing. Say what you will, it matters not. Shandalar whisks you away to the Ice-Isle and your first Tales of the Sword Coast quest.

Perhaps he needs a job at the SPCA
Kill the Ice-Isle welcoming committee, organize your party in tight formation, and march into the cave. Slaughter the Winter Wolves, regroup your party, and move on. Seems Shandalar left some enemies behind when he escaped the island, and they are waiting on you to cough up their return-trip tickets. Tread carefully; Ice-Isle attracts, and for some obscure reason, traps powerful Mages, and there is no escape—that is, unless you find the cape-thing. The first powerful Mage-dude you meet is Andris. Feel free to talk with him, but have your health potion in hand. No matter how witty your repartee, you're going to have to fight.

Andris and his buddies are just the beginning. Head toward the center passageway and follow the labyrinth to Cuchol. This wimpish sorcerer wants your Ward Stone. Don't give it to him. Sanction the Mage and loot his body. But don't get too cocky; there is trouble ahead. Come to think of it, there was trouble behind, and don't you know that thought just crossed my… well, you get the picture.

Prepare to rumble; Garan waits down the next hall. Although he is a big-time animal lover, I don't think you'll see these pets on the next edition of Homeward Bound. Throw a Monster Summoning spell on each of the Ankhegs, and then take care of Garan. Beware, the critters move underground and pop up at the worst places. Once you have controlled the pet population, check each one for magical items.

A few last minute purchases and it's time to rumble
The final hall in this "wing" of the dungeon is a trap; lightning bolts will shoot from each end. The adventurous types will want to go to the hall and kill the Mountain Bear. He beefs up your experience, but his death is not a pre-requisite to your escape from Ice-Isle.

Return to the main room. Once there, trot down the passage to your left. If you have a capable, trap-handling Thief let her lead the way; if not, now would be a good time for your Druid to transform herself into a wolf. Whichever you use, buff up their health and put them on point. Oil of Speed is trés useful. Sprint through the passage and disable the traps. Once you clear the lightning, you will encounter Tellan. If you are a wolf, howl for help, if you are a Thief, run for your life. When your backup arrives, kill Tellan and pick up anything of use. Take a minute to patch up the party before running around the next bend.

Once healed, turn the corner and hack down a handful of Winter Wolves. The final fight beckons. A creature named Dezkiel waits in the center of the labyrinth. He claims to be the wisest Mage of all. A few years of solitude and a bad superiority complex have placed a major chip on his shoulder. Knock off the chip, kill the creature, and take the cape-thing. Gather your party and run up the stairs. Once outside, you'll teleport to Ulgoth's Beard.

The Journey to Durlag's Tower
Head to the Inn, buy a few health potions and rent a good room. Once you awake (or before you sleep if you're looking for a nice lullabye) talk with Hurgan Stoneblade about Durlag's Tower.

Talk to the commoners. The more you question, the more information you'll get. Head to the docks and speak with Fenrus Boulon. He provides you with some tower-construction lore, and advises you to take Ike's tour; he says the guide is well worth his fee.

Since you are in the area, head to Mendas' house. The chart quest is for later on, but a little information—not to mention a cash advance—never killed an adventurer. Mendas lives near the docks, and offers a sunken ship full of riches—that is, if you will help him find it before the merchants do. There are some artifacts the scholar says he wants to preserve. Accept and he will provide you with a hefty "research" fund: 3,000 gold pieces. Leave Mendas' house and chat up Calahan. He has some interesting information on Mendas, but won't reveal any of it until he sees a few gold pieces.

Visit Ike in front of the Inn, this time buying the tour. Rest in the Inn, and then journey to Durlag's Tower. At the Tower, talk to Erdane and buy any last-minute items. A few bottles of antidote and health potion are prudent additions.

If you choose to camp out under the stars, prepare for a poor night's rest, punctuated with frequent Gnoll wakeup calls. The attacks are, however, a blessing in disguise since they carry money and other useful bits of loot. Once you've had breakfast, stroll over to the tower.

Beware the entrance guards. They wield Blades of Fire and pack quite a punch. Axe them and head to the doorway. Ike waits inside. You can follow him or explore on your own. Do what you will, but be advised that this is an "at your own risk" kind of article.

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Page Updated Mon Feb 28, 2000 8:25pm EST