MOUNT GALADRYM
To Mount Galadrym
And here is my party of Valeria, Casavir, Khelgar, Bishop and Zhjaeve making its way to Mount Galadrym. The reasons for this particular configuration will be explained as we go along.
*Note* I don't show it in the video, but I bought plenty of Arrows of Frostbite for Bishop beforehand. They'll inflict extra damage on the fire-based creatures here.
Ring of Sorcerous Power
I make my way towards the southwest corner at #2. I disarm a fire trap along the way. Once I reach #2 I have to kill several Fire Giants in up close combat, which is actually quite easy by now.
There will be several chests and crates. Most of them have random items. One of them has the Ring of Sorcerous Power (+2 Charisma, 10 spell resistance, +1 3rd level Sorcerer spell, +1 5th level Sorcerer spell). I don't have any use for the ring though.
There will also be an Ore Deposit here, which is the one I need for Edario to do the maximum armor upgrade for my Greycloak troops at Crossroad Keep.
Cutting Star and Divine Fury
Now I go a long ways east, all the way to #3 on the map. I have to disarm another fire trap, and kill more Fire Giants along the way.
At #3 will be more chests and crates, most of them with random items. There are two set items. One of them is the Cutting Star (Kukri +2, +1d6 fire damage, blindness DC=14 25% / 3 rounds) and the other is the Divine Fury (Katana +3, stun DC=14 50% / 2 rounds). I already have different weapons for other characters though.
Large Boulders
I backtrack a little, and turn to the northeast when the pathway forks. I follow the path to its end until I reach a series of large boulders at #5. A protagonist with a high enough Strength can topple the boulders so as to kill three of the Fire Giants below. Valeria can do it IF Casavir lends her his Girdle of Cloud Giant Strength. But I won't do that just yet. There's a specific reason for putting that off.
In any event, #5 also marks the entrance to the Fiery Canyon.
Tholapsyx
I do a little reconfiguration of my spells in anticipation of a certain battle to come. Zhjaeve uses her Silent Spell feat to memorize two extra instances of Energy Immunity as 7th level spells so that she has five in total.
Now I enter the Fiery Canyon and speak with an enormous Red Dragon named Tholapsyx. I could choose to fight her, but I prefer to save that for later. I fall in with her agreement to help her kill the Fire Giants and their King.
Note also that she'll attack if I go anywhere near her treasure hoard, so for now I just leave the Canyon.
*Evil* Tholapsyx
The equivalent video for the evil playthrough, where Zararthos chooses relatively more confrontational dialogue choices, and where it's Ammon Jerro instead of Casavir who speaks up.
Ring of Nine Lives
I backtrack and then head westwards towards #7. I end up having to fight a whole bunch of Fire Giants, whom I bring down in close quarter combat.
There will be another Ore Deposit at the west end of the central encampment. The chest closest to the ore deposit can yield a high value gem. I milk the chest for a Beljuril, with the intention of using it to make a Nymph Cloak +8 for Grobnar.
There will be several more containers with mostly random loot. Two notable set items are the Gloves of the Hin Fist (+4 attack bonus, +1 sonic damage, Monks only) and the Ring of Nine Lives (Heal (11) - 1 charge each).
Lucien
Now I click on one of the Prisoners being held inside the palisade at #6. Notwithstanding the rather reprehensible nature of their mission from Luskan, I free them in order to get 250xp.
*Evil* Zarathos leaves them to rot. He gets a +1 alignment point towards evil, but he doesn't get any xp either.
The Sowing Fields
Now I make my way up the trail that leads northwest. It gradually comes to the spot marked as #8 on the map. I routinely kill more Fire Giants along the way.
There will be a few containers at #8, mostly random loot. There are two set items amongst the loot. One of them is The Sowing Fields (Scythe +3, +2 fire damage, +1d12 massive critical damage), but I don't really have any use for it.
The other is a Star Sapphire. I'll use it to raise the enhancement bonus of one of Neeshka's weapons to +4.
Preparing for Tholapsyx
Now I begin to make some special preparations for the coming battle. First, Bishop switches over to his Duskwood Longbow and equips Arrows of Ice. Second, I have Zhjaeve change her spell configuration so that she has seven instances of Energy Immunity, whether it's usual Energy Immunity spells in her 6th level spell slots or Extended Energy Immunity spells in her 7th level spell slots.
I rest up, and then buff to the max. In addition to the usual buffs, I have Zhjaeve cast Energy Immunity (Fire) on everyone, including the Beetle Familiar and Bishop's Wolf Animal Companion.
The entrance to the Seat of the Mountain is nearby at #9.