After seeing Imoen off, Aaron thought that playing the mastermind behind the scenes like Elminster could be rather entertaining. Compared with doing everything himself, guiding others from the shadows had its own pleasures.
Master Elminster, I finally understand!
Aaron had Nastya count out a thousand gold coins as seed money for Imoen, who immediately began putting together an adventuring party. Jaheira and Khalid would undoubtedly help rescue their friend Abdel. As for the other members, Imoen said they had recently met Dynaheir, an evocation witch from Rashemen, and her guardian ranger, Minsc. With such a generous reward on offer, Dynaheir and Minsc would probably be willing to join them.
Dynaheir and Minsc!
Aaron remembered those two companions from the Baldur's Gate series. In his previous life, Minsc had been particularly popular. His distinctive characterization and memorable personality had made him a fan favorite after the game came out, with comics and novels released one after another, along with a steady stream of stories about him. Aaron recalled someone on a forum saying that Minsc had originally died after Baldur's Gate II, but his immense popularity had led the official writers to bring him back. They claimed he had merely been petrified, forcing him to remain active in adventures set more than a century later.
It rather resembled Gotham's popular villains, who kept cycling in and out of Arkham Asylum without ever leaving the stage-not because the writers insisted on extending their lives, but because readers refused to let their favorite characters bow out. So Master Wayne, Batman himself, could only watch helplessly as his archenemies rose from the grave again and again.
Imoen said they had met Dynaheir and Minsc at a gnoll stronghold, where they had rescued the witch. In reality, though, Abdel had charged into the stronghold alone,