Friendly Arm Inn

The Friendly Arm Inn is an area that is primarily comprised of a walled keep with several homes and a small farm in its courtyard, a temple, and a dominating, castle-like structure in the center – The Friendly Arm. It is found along the Coast Way between the city of Baldur's Gate and Beregost.
== Involvement ==
The Arm is neutral ground and, though unwritten, every guest must act with the utmost of civility to all other guests.FRIEND.dlg; State 3 – Guard: "You will follow the rules that everyone must! Best you remember that. The Arm is neutral ground first and foremost. Beyond that, there is no fighting permitted. If you ignore this, whether you win or lose, you will be ejected. Am I clear? Good. Enjoy your stay. Don't make me shorten it."FRIEND.dlg; State 1 – Guard: "Perhaps 'rules' is a touch too formal. It is unwritten, but accepted, that while herein you will act with the utmost of civility to all other guests. This is neutral ground, and all grievances are left at the gates. If the grievances come in, then you will go out. Enjoy your stay." Its guards act independently from the Flaming Fist that's otherwise so present in most areas around – though the latter still might surprise parties with low reputation.
The iron crisis is an important topic among inhabitants and guests of the Arm, and many a rumor might be noteworthy for the interested listener. Stories from the goings-on in Nashkel reach the folks here too after the end of Chapter Two, and will, however, become their favorite topic then. Most commoners outside can be met all day and night, though some of them, especially females, aren't seen in the dark.
Besides being a central point on the northern part of the world map to meet people and companions, trade goods, find a temple's services or have a drink and rest at an inn – and all that in a relatively small place with only short or no ways inbetween –, the Friendly Arm Inn is also the first settlement Gorion's Ward might try to reach after leaving Candlekeep, being pointed to by Gorion before his death, and in search of two friends of his, Khalid and Jaheira.
=== Important Events ===
When finally arriving at the Friendly Arm Inn after the events along the Candlekeep Coastway, Gorion's Ward updates the Important Events in the journal with relief:
While outside the walls some hobgoblins beleaguer the road, the guards at the gate may inform the party about the Arms' "rules of conduct."FRIEND.dlg; State 0 – Guard: "Welcome to the Friendly Arm. I trust you know the rules of conduct within?"
=== Assassination attempts ===
Once inside and nearing the stairs to the inn, a mage approaches the party and gives a seemingly warm welcome – perhaps a bit too warm, though, and a bit too inquisitive. No matter the reaction or chosen dialog path, this encounter will end in another assassination attempt.
It may be noted that speaking with the two female commoners in the courtyard before this situation, might give a hint on what will happen, along with insights about other visitors of the inn. Those two are, however, only here during daytime and have a lot of other things to talk about as well.
* Commoner: "Excuse me, but I think I recognize you from some descriptions I've been given. Is your name ?"FTOWFR.dlg; State 11
*# "Yes, that would be my name."FTOWFR.dlg; Response 14
*#: Commoner: "Well, I think you should know that there's been a lot of people asking about you. There were a man and woman who were asking about someone named , and then there was this spooky fellow who was doing the same. A few days ago there was a big man who was looking for someone with your name. I don't know why ye're so popular, but I'd watch it: Some of these people didn't look too sociable."FTOWFR.dlg; State 13
=== Quests ===
*Joia's Flamedance Ring – Some hobgoblins outside the walls stole Joia's ring.
:See Friendly Arm Inn quests for more related quests.
=== Rumors ===
All rumors about the troubles in the region or anything else that can be gathered by speaking with commoners here and inside the inn, and which are noted in Gorion's Ward's journal.
Topic 	Journal
"You aren't from Nashkel are you? I hope not, because we don't trade with them at all anymore. All the iron we get from the mines there is tainted. Weak as tissue it is."FTOWFR.dlg; State 2 	"Troubles in the Region: Iron CrisisThe villagers at the Friendly Arm speak of the iron from Nashkel being as weak as tissue.FTOWFR.dlg; Response 2"
"Damn it, my plow broke apart like it had rusted-out in a single overnight. How's a man supposed to get any work done and make his living? Can't keep prices down if I have to plant everything by hand."MTOWFR.dlg; State 1 	"Troubles in the Region: Iron CrisisIron in this region seems to deteriorate for no known reason.MTOWFR.dlg; Responses 1/3"
"All those new tools I bought turned brittle as clay. I'm starting to believe the tales about this faulty iron that's been being sold. We're going to be in a sorry state when all our old tools and weapons wear out."MTOWFR.dlg; State 2	"Troubles in the Region: Iron CrisisIron in this region seems to deteriorate for no known reason.MTOWFR.dlg; Responses 1/3"
"I really don't feel like talking to you right now! I lost my husband to those bastard raiders. I hope they rot through all the Nine Hells!"FTOWFR.dlg; State 4 	"Troubles in the Region: Bandit ProblemsThe villagers of the Friendly Arm speak of bandits who make the roads unsafe to travel.FTOWFR.dlg; Responses 5/7"
"Not many come by the Inn since the raiding started up. It's good to see a new face about. I was getting pretty tired of the old ones. Maybe I'll chance the roads and try to get to Beregost one of these days."FTOWFR.dlg; State 5 	"Troubles in the Region: Bandit ProblemsThe villagers of the Friendly Arm speak of bandits who make the roads unsafe to travel.FTOWFR.dlg; Responses 5/7"
== Reputation traps ==
If the party's reputation is lower than three, they will be attacked by groups of the Flaming Fist, each consisting of three Flaming Fist Enforcers, a Flaming Fist Scout and a Flaming Fist Battle Wizard. This happens at the foot of the stairs to the inn and when approaching the main gate from either side, courtyard or outside the walls; it will not happen again until three days have passed.
== Notable loot ==
*Evermemory, lying between some rocks and a conifer in the southern, second from the path group of trees. Not present in version 1.1.4315. 
*Antidote - Given by Landrin for free if her reaction is +15. Can be pickpocketed with skill of 50; a skill of 10 will get half . Since antidotes are necessary later on when fighting spiders, this is a worthwhile pickup even if the quest is ignored. 
== Background ==
The inn was once a keep used as the base of operations of an undead cleric of Bhaal, but the gnome adventurers Bentley Mirrorshade, his wife Gellana and their comrades raided the stronghold and destroyed the priest. Now, they have turned the keep into an inn, and an adjacent structure into the Temple of Wisdom, and run both themselves.NESSIE.dlg; State 2 – Nessie: "Oh no, Bentley and Gellana didn't build the inn! They found it... They were part of an adventuring party, not unlike your own. In the first few years following the Time of Troubles, when all the gods were walking the surface of our world, the inn was actually the hold of a powerful, undead priest of Bhaal, god of murder. With the evil cleric weakened by the death of his god, Bentley and Gellana were able to destroy him once and for all, thus laying claim to his troubled fortress."
== Notes ==
*Before you head south, you may want to make a brief detour to the north (just inside the Fishing Village area) to recruit Ajantis Ilvastarr into your party, especially if you are still in need of a melee fighter. For a good-aligned party, he is less annoying company and a more capable companion than Xzar and Montaron combined. A little self-righteous blather is a small – is it? – price to pay for a companion that won't eventually abandon you or murder your other companions. Neutral or evil parties would do better to pick up Kagain, a far better fighter, in Beregost. Baeloth Barrityl is at the outer side of the southeastern wall when he's not recruited in the party, but was already met.
== Gallery ==
Temple of Wisdom (exterior) BG1EE.png|The Temple of Wisdom
Generic home (Friendly Arm Inn) (exterior) BG1EE.png|A generic home, with a generic commoner, and with safe-to-take-from furnishings
Joia's Home (exterior) BG1EE.png|Joia's Home
=== Promotional screenshots ===
Interplay Baldur's Gate Screenshot 13.jpg|There are "hobgoblins within sight of this very Inn's walls" – Joia was right! – Promotional screenshot by Interplay
=== Video guide ===
Baldur's Gate - Friendly Arm Inn - Part 4
== Journal ==
* When you first enter this area the Important Events:Go to the Friendly Arm Inn quest entry is replaced by Important Events: Meet with Khalid & Jaheira. Once you have spoken to them, this journal entry is in turn replaced by Important Events:Go to Nashkel.
* Speaking to Dorn Il-Khan will also give a journal entry, How Rude! – sort of a prologue to his quest.
== External links ==
* 
* Friendly Arm Inn Review on Record of Encounters, a project that includes reviewing all taverns in the 
== References ==
Category:Areas from the world map