After about a week off, the first 3-4 days of which I smoked weed and wrote a bunch of logorrheaic bullshit on Music Babble, then ate some bad beef and spent a night throwing up and sweating profusely (I left it at room temperature in the pan for about six hours until I could get some more milk, as the stuff I had had had gone bad (couldn’t resist once I realized there are two ways to use “had had”) – moral: always refrigerate your beef, although I was between AC/DC and a hard place because there’s not enough room in my fridge for a whole pan, and it’s too expensive to throw away and do a do-over) – anyway, I was wiped out and had problems with severe fatigue the next three days and spent every spare minute in bed.

So I made it to Gale with the quick-travel house north of Fort Emergence. This is where I’m supposed to be right now based on the prices, not to mention the reputation check to get in – I bought level 2 of all the spells for my priest, leaving me broke. I’m really regretting buying the house in Lorelei because I didn’t need it, and because I need about 11K coins for the armorer (the magical shield and two Runed Plates – it has no hit % penalty so I can give it to my light-armored slith*). Unfortunately I sold all my old loot/enchanted items to afford the spells so there’s not that route.

• Come to think of it, my warrior hasn’t missed a hit in some time with enough weapons skill, blademaster, and luck, so there’s probably no need to keep a lightly-armored character except to save significant coin, though later enemies may have much higher evasion.

Getting thrown into jail all the time is a pain in the ass, but I think you can avoid it if you just don’t talk to the townspeople, though I haven’t gone near City Hall.

I’m going to clear out the island south of Gale next but I can’t find the guy who owns the boat, and I’m not sure if it’s worth it to look for him (i.e. whether it’s story-locked or if it’s worth getting thrown in jail a few more times). I went by the Gale area while trekking south back to Kriszan when I went a bit afield exploring earlier but obviously I didn’t enter the town. Probably wouldn’t have let me in.

I played only a short time to get re-established and plan to play more later or tomorrow. Which Avernum was the one you were up all night finishing?

ed: I looked up how to get the boat and I never would have found it – you have to sleep at the second inn and a nephil will be at the bar in the morning. This is even harder to find because Gale for some reason acts as a friendly town that heals and revives characters when you enter. I cleared out the Isle of Maddok and went north to Tevrono. The loot is too good to sell.

In addition to needing the coins for the gear, I found the skribbane den and the keeper wants 5000 coins for the library key. Is it worth it? Remember, I’m with the Anama. Speaking of factions, is there a penalty for killing Church of the Divine Lucre gangs up north demanding tribute? I did, then saved afterward before realizing my reputation took a hit.

The most immediately effective upgrade would be the expensive (a few thousand coins) bow for my priest. He’s the only one using a non-magical/regular, from shops, lemonwood longbow. I have 4000 coins.

The golems are finally levelling me up again.

I’m strong enough that floor effects don’t hurt much, but what stat do you have to increase to keep you from being stunned by stronger enemies? That can be a death sentence in more difficult areas. Maybe it’s just overall level (I’m at 30).