World Map | Basics NWN2: SoZ Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
World Map in Storm of Zehir has been completely redone. Instead of clicking on the location you want to reach you need to actually travel there, covering whole distance "on foot". There are monsters wandering about the map all the time, ready to attack you. During your travels you will come across new locations, random encounters and a great deal of items scattered about the map.
Only one character is always visible on the world map. Depending on his skills you may gain various benefits and penalties:
Hide and Move Silently decide whether the nearby creatures will notice you or not.
Listen and Spot are responsible for noticing creatures and people on the map.
Search allows you to notice hidden locations and treasures.
Survival allows you to move faster than normal.
Other skills come in handy from time to time allowing you to find things such as healing herbs (Heal), old trap elements (Craft Traps), magic runes (Spellcraft) etc.
Random Encounters
Wandering about the world map you may run into some interesting characters appearing at random all over the map. Below you'll see a list of encounters I met through my game.
Samarach
Samarach Soldiers - They will stop you and perform a magic test to check whether came in contact with Yuan-Ti the test, of course will come up positive and you will be forced to pay 2000 $ or fight them.
Charm Peddler - he wants to sell you a magic ring. Using Spellcraft you may learn that this is just plain, non-magical jewelry.
Delirious Hunter - You may heal him and listen how he fought the Demons of Samorlogh.
Diseased Townsfolk - If you want to heal those people you first need to convince them you mean them no harm.
One of Many - Demon feeding on souls. You can fight him or offer him some of your companions, provided that you have an evil character in your party. Each of the companions you offer him gives you a nice experience as a reward. After sacrificing three companions you will receive a feat improving your Strength and Intelligence by one. Another three companions will improve the feat to boost your Dexterity and Constitution by one, and after you feed him a total of 11 companions you will receive a bonus to your Strength, Intelligence, Charisma and Wisdom. If you decide to fight him (prepare for one of the hardest fights in the whole game) on his body you will find an amulet granting Charisma +3, Wisdom +3, spell resistance 12, only usable by Evil characters).
Sword Coast
Wood Elf - If you talk to him in a non-aggressive way, he will offer to sell you some valuable items.
Liam Harvestead - This boy has been enchanted by a witch and tied to a tree. You can release him.
Drow and elves - You will come across a group of wood elves and drow. They're fighting and you might help one of the sides. It pays off to help the wood elves, as the drow equipment is more valuable - you will find a +2 plate armor and a cloak granting +2 on all saves.
Strange Gnomes - You can talk to them (what basically gives you nothing) or fight them to get some jewels.
Group of Chickens - You may cast Dispel Magic on them - if you do, they will turn into a group of adventurers. Thankful, they will give you a +3 chain shirt and a dagger +2 dagger, if you use Diplomacy.
Kana - Swordmistress. If you ask her, she will teach you new fighting techniques - you'll gain some experience. If you want to, you can also attack her to get a +3 katana.
Dwarves and Ogres - You will see them fighting. You can aid either side. For helping the ogres you will get a staff (1d4 acid damage, casts Acid Splash and Cloudkill). If you help the dwarves you will get a +1 warhammer.
Christov's Crew - You can talk to him and use Sleight of Hand at the end of the conversation to steal 1000 $. You can also fight him and his crew. By his body you will find a band (Spot +5, casts True Seeing).