The previous post was starting to lose steam so here is another one.
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Lucky rolls to you all.
I never did the investigate Kargha quest which seems to be the only reason to go to that corner of the map. I didn’t explore because I had plenty of things to pursue and then suddenly I was in act 2.
Astarion is found in the Crash Site area, not the Sun Light Lowlands/Shadow Bog.
Second, if you missed the Shadow Bog you missed one of the best pieces of loot for Act 1. Seriously it can be build defining as it lets you skip an ASI.
What item is that?
spoiler
The Hag’s Hair for +1 to any stat.
I’m now on my 4th character. Two I decided early on I didn’t like. My third met an end near to act 3 I think around level 7 or maybe 8 when a bug left it so that my only means of moving my main character was to shove them. I’m now on my 4th character through Act 1 and this is the first time I’ve found him, and that wasn’t until a bit into the druid camp stuff. Also the first time I’ve run into the hag.
I crash, explore the immediate vicinity thoroughly, get shadowheart, follow the trail of bodies and loot to the ruin, go around because it’s locked, find gale, loot the ruin, find laezel, and then hit the druid camp and it’s off to the races with chasing down quest markers. Interesting that the pattern of exploration that feels right to me must have a gaping hole in it. That part feels so linear I don’t know how I’ve been missing him.
I appreciate your observations.
Astarion is just north and west of the Illithid convo/encounter. You can get an almost free Leather Helm and Ruby in the same area you recruit him.