I left the underdark a while ago, but never found the gem for the equalizer. Where is it? Where could I have found this out for myself without pestering you people?

I read a huge walkthrough, but I didn't know where to find this specific item...

woops, its in the first dungeon, were you start the game, in the trapped room, after the 3 dryads

What's it called? "Equalizer gem?" I bet I sold it...

Also, how can I get my monk a familiar? Isn't there some trick way to do it?

I´d also like to have a familiar. Although I´m not a mage... If anybody knows of a way to get a familiar tell me how..

My guess is that you probably sold the gem straight away after not looking at it properly. I would guess again that you went to Ribald's straight after so go back and buy it back.
But then again you could save your money cos personally i think the equaliser is useless.
You would be surprised how many monsterers and characters are neutral!
And i don't think a monk can get a familier although i would not be surprised after all he is a Forgotten realms version of superman!
(oh how boring!)

If you identified it, it was called something like "Pommel Gem of the Equalizer".

I'm not aware of a trick way to get a familiar for someone other than a mage or sorcerer...

there is a trick to getting a familiar. it involves this whole multiplayer trip but you dont get the hp bonus and if you put it in your pack you cant get it out. email me and ill tell you about it.

guess I'll explain it

first in your multiplayer game, use a mage for main char, then in the game cast find familiar, let it go out of your backpak, save, swap your mage when you reload with an other char, he or she will be able to communicate with it and put it in their backpak.

Now, was it that much work? :D

I would have thought thieves could get familiars, in pnp Ad&d thieves could use scrolls at lvl 9 if I recall correctly, and even if they refused this rule in the game, thieves could find great a great use for the more neutral familiars (as they have some of the thieving abilities themselves.

As for the original question, I find it annoying that you technically have to do two of those "get some blood or an eyestalk etc" quests to get the equaliser.