BarelyEpic Levels

So I've hit level 21 recently with two of my characters, and I'm a bit lost. Beholders have lost their challenge (outside of disintegration) and are beginning to lose xp value at 800-900. Elder's are still ok, but they're rarer and seem to like disintegration more, which is annoying. I recently found some Ancient Red Dragons on Deathwater Island, but they shell out roughly the same as beholders in terms of xp, and are still behind in loot worth (not that loot is an issue really, both characters comfortably above half a million with no real avenue to spend it yet)

So my question really is where to now? I know how to get to the dark realm or whatever it's called, is that a good place to go? Or will I be disappointed like i was with the dragons?

Also, three less urgent queries:
-I seem to find +1 tomes often enough. Are the higher tomes in random loot drops, or are there merchants I haven't found yet that stock them?
-Are there any hints as to finding a dragon egg?
-My BarelyEpic Wizard was lucky enough to find a philosophers stone. How much celestial gold should I be stockpiling? I have 1.2million so far.

heh! Only my heavily Spell Resistant characters would ever call an Elder beholder annoying....

There are some other encounters in Aenea that have terrific loot, but probably not as prolific as Beholders. Liches, some Dark Realm foes, and likely some I have never faced alone (eg; Gron) have some Epic treasures. But nothing as far as a more frequent hunting area, so patience will be needed.

+2 books are still appearing on shelves, and there are a couple of +3 tomes available in the game. For these (and a resulting hunt), seek out what the sheltered shopkeeper's in the Vale are reading lately. But anything higher takes a DM event, for good reasons.

I am informed that eggs are available at a couple locations, though I am only familiar with one of them. As far as a hint, try seeking in the lands that represent the vast breach that lies between Elves and Orcs.

Other old timers will likely be required for other suggestions. Enjoy, and best of luck!

There are two types of dragon eggs available.

Spoiler:

As to Tomes, there's also a very rare colorful traveling merchant that is reputed to have Tomes +4, probably for some substantial price. But coming across him is radically rare.

Thanks for the tip about the merchant. I have been fortunate enough to run into one such merchant before. He sold me a handful of Soul Gems at a rather steep price (back then anyway) I assume it is the same one?

Also, I was just on my way to the orc lands, but thinking a bit about it, I suspect the western desert is where I want to go.

Cant wait to be comfortable to march into the Dark Realm, its gonna be Epic.

The traveling merchant's name is something like Amethronmon. He's mentioned in a thread or two, but without remembering exactly how to spell it, it's hard to search, lol.

The two types of dragon eggs are loosely a metallic one for goodish and a chromatic one for evilish types, although I've seen at least one paladin with one of the supposedly evilish one, maybe he just liked the color better. But fyi, metallic one in the orc lands, chromatic one in the desert.

Pardon. We're not supposed to take 'em from a nest, are we?

The two types of eggs that can be taken from a dragon's nest are there for you to be able to make a dragon companion, if you choose to.

Activating the egg produces a dragon which starts out small and grows over gametime (even if you're not IG), and permanently bonds to your character, one to a character.

The two types are metallic copper and chromatic blue, so it's good to consider which might be most appropriate to your character before taking the plunge.

Raidens a hoarder.
If you want one, he's got about 6 sat in his chest

It just seems to me like if you were a good character, you wouldn't steal a metallic dragon egg from its nest...

You can RP it that you saved the egg from an orc raid, or something along those lines...

Micteu wrote:It just seems to me like if you were a good character, you wouldn't steal a metallic dragon egg from its nest...

You don't; well, at least if you are of noble intent. These eggs are made available to the character based on the aid they give when arriving to that location. I have no idea where and how the Chromatic eggs are found.

My ranger (who hasn't even 'adopted' a dragon yet), has been RPing that she is friendly with the good dragons (understanding dragon language helps the RP) and after helping them repell the orc invasion, the dragons asked her to find good homes for their brood since their ancient nest there is constantly overrun by hostile orcs and their brood is in constant danger.

And she also introduced a friend to the good dragons, and that friend very politely asked the dragons if she might adopt one of the brood, promising to give it a good home. Feel free to riff off of the idea of that.

See, just ask nice.

Okay, I've been searching the orc lands for a while now, and the only thing that came across as dragon related was Darkspire.

Am I even close to where I should be? I went through the spire (invis) till I got to the top and had my face imploded by the boss. Didn't see anything to do with nests or eggs.

@Belarric
I don't really have anything to trade that a high-end character would want except a dozen each of BoM and Soul Gems.

There's a very large geological feature in the southeast of the orc lands, investigate along inside of it. You get to it by going northeast around the Lake of Mists from Watertown.

Ramana Jala wrote:As to Tomes, there's also a very rare colorful traveling merchant that is reputed to have Tomes +4, probably for some substantial price. But coming across him is radically rare.

I saw him the other day and told him I wasn't interested. Just kidding...

Actually I bought him out of everything including a +4 tome.