Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Bandits, "they really, really never learn…", 27 Ches 1361
A nice day to take a stroll. Or so Ni thought at least. But how the day turned, as already halfway through it had three separate bands of bandits tried to catch her.

• "Your beauty is a danger to thyself", was Yuri's brief commentary after the third encounter on the Tradeway that day to which Ni just smirked a bit with a sigh.

That was eleven attempts so far. But, it was soon time to prepare for the Awards Ceremony at the Ducal Palace in BG. And - quite as expected - Ni got a bit of "scolding" from Netanya at FAI due her selected attire's color mixture. To appease the fashionista, there was no other route than altering the whole color scheme.

The ceremony went mostly as expected, although the multiple delightful fireworks displays took Ni by surprise. The end portion of the event got a bit grim tone to it when she heard a courier's words that addressed Dame Catherine (the Just), telling that the Dame's sister had been murdered...

Bandits, "they really, really, really never learn…", 29 Ches 1361
Twelve times... twelve!

- "Grr!", Ni snarled a bit when a band of bandits suddenly, yet again, rushed from the woods at her.
- "OH COME ON!", was Yuri's short and clearly agitated shout at them.

Aside a bump at the back of her head, Ni yet again got largely unscatched through such an incident. For a moment she rubbed the back of her head, getting a soft pat atop her head from Yuri while at it.

- "Ow...", Ni muttered softly.
- "You alright?", queried Yuri somewhat worried while feeling the bump Ni got.
- "Just a bump, but it sure hurt", the girl sighed.
- "Helmets, huh?", stated Yuri with a tired sigh and gave one of the sprawled bandits a kick, glancing then at Ni, "Don't start meowing on me."
- "No, I won't. I like petting though", Ni smirked a bit, "But ugh, that makes twelve now...", and beamed a brighter smile when she got even more pets from Yuri.
- "Why do they even try... At some point it's obvious, no success", Yuri pondered.
- "Blinded by the gold they start dreaming of?", Ni guessed shrugging.
- "Possibly. You're quite the treasure, they'd make off set for life", smirked her companion.

Magic and Bones, 28 Ches 1361
Some discussion at FAI with Alan, which through various twists and turns turned into a decision to deliver some bones of a gold dragon to Shrine of Null at Blue Lantern Keep.

Soon enough Ni, Yuri, and Alan (and his trusty Pony), alongside couple other people, were en route to Kraak Helzak via which it was easiest to travel to BLK. Aside being followed half the trek by someone or someones, the troupe arrived to BLK with nary an incident, and the shrine they found rather swiftly.

The shrine was rather simple, but there was something strangely humbling in it for a reason or other, which was rather clearly seen on Alan who had a somewhat sombre expression on his face instead of his usual mirth.

Art#9 --- 〃Shrine of Null〃

Art#10 --- 〃Greenfield#1〃

Art#11 --- 〃Ni Habati - Self Portrait #1〃

Gullykin Crypts, omega of Ches, alpha of Tarsakh 1361
...excerpt...

Some things probably should remain buried underneath the sands of history. But at times such nonetheless do surface as either chagrin for some or an opportunity for others. Which the crypt under Gullykin was of those, remained to be seen...

With a sketchbook in one hand, a quill in another, Ni accompanied a trio of heavily armed figures (Sir Nathaniel, Yuri, and Na'Karia) into the Gullykin crypt. To no one's great surprise, she was both excited and nervous while looking around, her gaze exploring the very strange architecture of the place. They had been warned about the undead that inhabited the place, but yet the sudden hail of arrows toward the quad took Ni by surprise, who just about managed to hide behind a pillar before getting a hole or two to other but her dress.

It was rather obvious that the undead weren't happy about the intrusion to their weird, dusty and gloomy haunt. A resting place it definitely wasn't for them, with a multitude roaming aimless around in form of zombies, skeletons and wights (not to mention a lich or two...).

A strange place it was for certain, but not very "inspirational" until they came across a sarcophagi in middle of some sort of pool that was guarded by looming, gigantic tentacles of some kind. Better to not disturb those, most likely? And with that in mind the quad left that resting place to actually rest in peace.

The not-so-little jaunt into the ancient crypt ended at Kossuth's temple, a heavy stone wall behind the quad's backs closing with a floor shaking thud - a one way route through which no undead could ever pass.

Art#12 --- 〃Gullykin, Crypt〃

Art#13 --- 〃Ever Vigilant〃

Bandits, "once again…", 7 Tarsakh 1361
Fifteenth time… Although this particular time Ni was on her own while heading towards FAI, she wasn't completely defenseless, and thanks to a potion of Greater Sanctuary (which was given to her by certain Aiden Vega), she managed to escape unscatched.

White Mask Theatre, 8 Tarsakh 1361
Deirde had promised to give a tour around the White Mask Theatre, and that opportunity arose while Ni and Yuri met her at BGs outskirts, selling a few things away to Blunt. Karai was a bit more difficult case to convince along as she rather obviously didn't like of cities much (and even less of crowds).

The tour was rather interesting in itself, a bit of history lesson too. For Ni the very culmination of the tour was that she joined the White Mask Theatre. She got also a "task" to host an event… Some brainstorming to do.

King Jort, 9 Tarsakh 1361
…excerpt…
Chit-chat at a camp fire near FAI suddenly got interrupted when a gigantic wasp flew from somewhere. Ni noticed the creature just about the same time as Niyressa, pointing it out with a shocked gasp and a few not quite shouted words along lines of "What the ...?"

The wasp didn't hover around for long though as all in sudden something red and very swift snagged it from mid air and pulled away in a blink of an eye. After a moment of stunned silence, the group of people slowly wandered where the wasp had been a moment earlier, just to see in the distance a humongous toad next to the pond.

Turned out, relatively soon, that the toad was no ordinary 'giant animal' at all, but one which originated from the realm of fae. "King Jort", as the self-proclaimed new king of the pond introduced themselves after Ni queried what should the people call that rather majestic sized faerie toad.

King Jort was but one of great many fae creatures that had popped into prime material in the past few hours. Even though Jort himself was a rather jovial creature, most of the others might not be quite so friendly sort…

When King Jort mentioned a sad satyr who didn't anymore want to play their flute, Ni took her harp and begun to play a melody with it while Ferrick and the others spoke with Jort. Nathaniel then remembered he had a flute and offered it to Ni to play, and so she did. The soul touching sound of her gentle music had an unintended side effect, it made King Jort very, very sleepy - and soon the giant toad drowsily hobbled to the pond, soon falling asleep there…

Art#14 --- 〃King Jort〃

Not Every Explosion is a Good Explosion ...
...excerpt...

• "Dwarves and engineering... Usually a good mix, but not always", Ni sighed, shaking her head ...

Art#15 --- 〃Escape!〃

Golden Tree & Strange Mimic, 10 Tarsakh 1361
The golden tree in relative proximity of Doron Amar was a delightful, peaceful sight. But to Ni's great surprise she found out that it wasn't the only such tree in existence, and thus she decided to, with Yuri and Karai, go see the trees. Naturally, painting supplies were taken along.

The first of the two trees resided at top of a mountain. Not an easy trek that, however, but wrought with danger and a freezing wind ceaselessly shreaking in her ears. In any case, the tree, when they finally reached it, was an amazing sight.

Art#16 --- 〃Golden Tree, Cloudpeaks Top〃


After Ni had drawn a few sketches of the tree, the trio took shelter in the nearby cave, where a sudden cough drew their attention. To Ni's momentary startlement, what had coughed was a Mimic, but which soon enough to everyone's amazement begun to speak. It turned out that very much unlike any other Mimic, this particular specimen was anything but a hostile creature!

A bizarre but rather merry chit-chat ensued between the Mimic and the trio. And to Ni's delight, she got to use the Mimic as a painting surface, as it wanted eyes, ears, and other such things onto its surface.

Art#17 --- 〃A Happy Mimic〃


After Ni was done with the painting, the Mimic was a whole new, unique specimen among all its kind.

Relocation of the somewhat jovial, "vegetarian", Mimic to Greenfields wasn't so successful, however, as it to everyone's chagrin, succumbed to a hail of arrows from Flind arrows... Sad about the surprisingly nice creature's demise, Ni followed Yuri as he placed it among the flowers and bushes, to have a good view of the sunset...

Fishing, X 1361

Fishing can be surprisingly relaxing, but also occasionally inspirational ... even in form of non-traditional way. Thus, Ni begun to paint once again...

Art#18 --- 〃Fishie〃

Herbs, Everywhere, X 1361

Flowers, herbs and saps, those little (and not so little) things that might or might not be of use became a bit of a hobby for Ni to pick up wherever she went either with Yuri or (to much smaller degree) on her own. She collected them partially for Sister Carys of the Ilmateri, who treated the ill and the wounded at BG, but also for herself (especially the flowers).

What Carys Needs, 15 Tarsakh 1361

• "I always need as much as anyone can spare, of Wyndor's Herb, hmm... Balsam, Bloodstaunch, Hypercium, and Aloe-very. Plantain and Fennel too, now", Carys listed while having tea in the Shrine of Suffering with Ni, Yuri and Deirde.

Ni made a little note of those into her small notebook. Not that the plants were hard to forget, she picked up pretty much everything she came across, but it reminded her which were the most needed ones.

• "... Aloe-very?", Ni mused quietly to herself and scrubbed the word, replacing it, "Aloe Vera, that sounds more like it."

Also, Bandits, 16 Tarsakh 1361

She was collecting flowers, humming merrily, but a sudden noise made her lift her head and to stare a group of bandits right in the face.

• "20 times... 20!", Ni groaned to herself and swiftly chugged one of the potions Aiden had provided her.

The sensation was weird, her body seemed to lose touch with reality and the grapple one of the bandits attempted, just slipped through her like she was air. Bandits obviously saw her still, however, as they begun to chase after her, but she was swift on her feet - another band of bandits joined soon the first one... Storming towards Lions', then forth FAI-way, she dashed through the woods and along the somewhat roadlike path. She paused only briefly, to catch her breath, when she encountered some druid that was heading southward.

• "Eh, you okay?", the druid asked and waved his hand in a greeting.

• "Two bands of bandits... hard to run like no tomorrow", Ni groaned panting.

The druid nodded and motioned to his pig, pointing down the road.

• ""Come Kamu, we go find those guys", he stated.

• "And I was just collecting flowers!", Ni exclaimed, waving her arms briefly.

• "No worry, we going get em", the druid replied and started southward.

• "But be careful!", Ni shout after the duo, turning then yet again towards FAI.