The Underwater City is a Sahuagin settlement built within a great cavern of air in the middle of the Sea of Swords. It is referred to in the game as the "City of Caverns". If viewing files in the Near Infinity editor - the Area is titled "Sahguagin City". Historically, the sahuagin denizens there used to have clashes with the Drow, and there is still a shaft and tunnel leading from the city to the Underdark.
Plot[]
The city is currently ruled by King Ixilthetocal although it's embroiled in a civil war between the King and a Prince Villynaty who wants to overthrow the possibly mad ruler. If the party accepted Saemon Havarian's way out of Spellhold, the ship used to return to Amn is overrun by the Silver Sword hunting Githyanki and then by marauding Sahuagin - who will take you to their city by force.
The party is presented with a choice to side with either of the King or rebels.
A third option exists that will place the party in conflict against the entire city (King's forces and the rebels). Simply never agree to cooperate with Royal High Priestess Senityili at the very start of the entry to the city, or later do not agree to help the King. Or further, attack any of the King's forces after agreeing to help. All of those choices will make the city hostile, and close/prevent the The prophecy of Sekolah questline or shutter its progress - forevermore.
Regardless of the path taken and choices selected, the goal at the end should be to be able to use the exit to the Underdark - so that Gorion's Ward can pursue Jon Irenicus and Bodhi.
On the map[]
- Automap Marker "Royal Throne Room" (
299.830) - Automap Marker "Prince's Stronghold" (
4302.3069) - Automap Marker "Exit to the Underdark" (
4507.2614)
Description[]
Certain architectural features can be described on the map of the city, and displayed as text description when the player hovers their 'cursor' over them:
| “ | This shell rises from the depths of the pool. You are unsure as to what is supporting it. | ” |
| “ | These manta statues, albeit tarnished, show exemplary craftsmanship. They are quite beautiful and seem out of place amongst this savage culture. | ” |
| “ | This is a disturbingly lifelike statue of some hideous denizen of the deep. The smell of old blood and death permeate the area. | ” |
| “ | Sea water gushes endlessly through and below this maze of platforms. Various pools seem deeper and darker than the others. You suspect that these shafts lead to the ocean. | ” |
Gameplay[]
The main plot of this area is driven by the party's response to King Ixilthetocal desire for the player to destroy Prince Villynaty and the rebel faction.
If the party rejects the King's plans and will not assist him, much of the quest lines, intrigue and potential dialogue will be nixed, and the entire saguagin presence in the city - both King and rebel forces will become hostile. Although a possible choice for the player, it isn't optimal and reduces potential adventuring, role play and experience point gains. It could also be difficult to do and will close down use of the temple store (which has a great selection of scrolls).
The abandoned city area[]
If the party speaks with one of the Royal Sahuagin Guard the party may hear:
- "If you plan on passing this point, surface <RACE>, you should be warned that it is not truly part of the City-of-Caverns. Beyond here lies an old place home to the blackened elves, with traps enough to send any to the belly of the Shark-Father. Enter at your own risk."
The section of the city that is abandoned has drow architecture. To begin exploring, a staircase descends to this area. Watch out for a "slime trap", which can be detected and disarmed with sufficient skill. Moving onward is a hidden "spawn point', which when a party member is near enough will generate various Sword Spider and Ettercap creatures that are hostile and will attack any in their detection range. Continuing onward along the pathway will be a seen a Bone Golem guardian, that will move to engage a detected party member in combat. Just beyond the area where the golem was first positioned, is another hidden proximity trap. It too can be detected and disarmed with enough skill.
Moving forward will be seen a pair of Imps, who initiate dialogue.
After the Imps are finished with their "game" (or if the party refused to play and then the Imps departed) - the path continues and a Spectator beholder creature can be observed, floating in front of a great chest behind it. The creature is neutral at first contact. When a party member nears, it will initiate dialogue, uttering:
- "Visitors! It has been some time since I have had anyone but the mad little sahuagin come to this place... and that one is not full of riveting conversation. Ah—but I see you hesitate. No doubt you have heard of my kind before, or even met some. You call us beholders... yes, I think that is the term you use. I am but a spectator beholder, however, and not quite like others you may have met. I am set in this place to guard one thing and one thing only. I will not attack you... unless you try to touch what I guard. Touch anything else you'd like! Provided you weren't driven insane by the imps back there."
The party can continue the conversation with this unusual creature. The party spokesperson's Charisma will be checked, and if it is at least 13, new dialogue options will present in the selection box. Also, certain companions if present in the party, such as Edwin Odesseiron and Jan Jansen also have interjections and compliment the dialogue choices. If the party spokesperson' charisma is too low, journal entry will display:
| “ | A spectator and his chest are rarely parted: I've encountered a peculiar spectator beholder, set to guard a particular chest for a lengthy time. He doesn't seem malevolent, but if I want what's in that chest, I guess I have no choice but to fight him. Perhaps someone wiser might be able to talk him into helping us out, but I don't know. | ” |
As the party navigates the dialogue, there is a path to just convince the Spectator to allow the party to look in the chest it's guarding and then retrieve the Sekolah's Tooth item the party is looking for. Much amusing quips and observations from the Spectator will occur, and it will be pleased that its mind-numbing contract to guard a Chest are now pointless - and it can officially end the service - all thanks to the party. After all, the Spectator was to guard the Chest - not anything inside the chest. There may be a different Journal Entry displayed:
| “ | A spectator and his chest are rarely parted: The spectator beholder seems determined to guard his chest, though he would admit that he guards the chest itself and not what's inside. That's all I could get out of him. Perhaps someone wiser could convince him to help us out. | ” |
Another option is to just attack the beholder and open the chest by force. Although this results in no extra experience point reward.
If the party is able to do it peacefully then an experience reward of 15,000 is shared by the party and the Sekolah's Tooth item. The party also gets the satisfaction of freeing the beholder from a terribly long contract job.
The Pit of blood[]
In one lonely quadrant of the city is a long set of stairs leading down to a wretched stink - a charnel pool of bloody filth and water - inhabited by various creatures that thrive in such an environment. If the map is interacted with a text description displays:
| “ | A putrid wave of air rushes over you as you gaze about this hellish room. Rotting corpses of all shapes and sizes lie submerged in the bloody, stagnant water. | ” |
If any party member is foolish enough to venture too close, the Sea Zombie Lord and other denizens will move forward to attack. It is likely that some or all of the creatures, including a Greater Lacedon, Lacedon and Sea Zombie monsters will pursue. If the party dares, they may send a few party members down into the muck and destroy them with prejudice. Be aware of the various disease attacks that a member can be exposed to, and worse. If the party is successful, various Random treasure and potions may be collected from the twitching horrors.
Sahguagin rebel ambush and spawned enemies[]
As warned by the King's forces, parts of the Underwater City are not controlled by the King. As the party maneuvers through the area exploring, then various groups of rebel sahuagin will "spawn" and attack any detected player members. This will occur even if the party is in possession of the Rebel's Orb.
Near the center of the map is a gigantic carved stone monument that is described as:
| “ | This is a massive gaping maw that rises from the water to form an altar. This appears to have been a temple to the sahuagin god Sekolah. It has been deserted recently, most likely due to the rebel invasion. | ” |
When a party member moves within a certain hidden trigger point, a group of spawned rebels will ambush the party. This includes a Sahuagin Priestess and group of crossbow wielding and spear armed saguagin warriors. They are hostile from the get-go.
Four other spawn points exist on the map. The rebels are watching and waiting for intruders to attack.
Creatures involved[]
NPCs[]
Enemies[]
- Anguiliian (if city is hostile)
- Bone Golem
- Ettercap
- Ettin
- Greater Lacedon
- Lacedon
- Priestess rebel ambush
- Sahuagin
- Sword Spider
- Sea Zombie
- Sea Zombie Lord
Treasure[]
King Ixilthetocal[]
- Sahuagin Treasury Key
- Magical Rope
- Gauntlets of Crushing (conditional)
Royal High Priestess Senityili[]
Prince Villynaty[]
Rebel ambush Priestess[]
Other[]
Gallery[]
Mod gallery[]
- Portraits from Portraits Portraits Everywhere
Mod gallery screenshots[]
Mod content[]
This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
The Sword Coast Stratagems mod and the "Tactical Challenges for BG2" component allow the following option (excerpt from the mod readme):
Improved Sahuagin
This component improves all sahuagin in the game (but especially the ones in the sunken city).
No new creatures are added, and no special powers are granted, but the sahuagin statistics are systematised and generally improved slightly, and their scripting is smarter. (Various clues in the vanilla game suggest that sahuagin priestesses are cleric/mages; I disregard this and treat them as standard clerics.)
Overall, this component should be a bit more difficult than the vanilla sahuagin, but nothing like as powerful as Tactics' Improved Sahuagin.
As mentioned above the Tactics Mod can still be installed and used with the original classic BG2 game version. It won't work properly with the EE games.