Caswallon

Yep, the "index" in IE is the TLK string number.

For finding the correct area, use an area list like the one at IESDP.

NI should be able to do this...

IE is quite good for just browsing things (loads faster than anything else, and is dead easy to navigate), and imho still not beaten for viewing areas.

For finding the dialogue of a specific creature, I do that with IE, too:
Open its area, look it up under NPCs, go to the AI tab of the creature, and click its dialogue.

Fading to and from black:

202 FadeToColor(P:Point*,I:Blue*)
This action, although some of its parameters are unknown, is frequently useful. It can be used in cutscene situations, and especially for masking undesirable calculations or character movements on the screen. The parameters, however, are strange. The Point parameter is still taken in the [x.y] format, but x specifies the number of AI updates rather than an actual point. For example, using FadeToColor([20.0],0) would fade to black in 20 AI updates. Parameters besides the x are undefined and could use some investigation.

203 FadeFromColor(P:Point*,I:Blue*)
See above. The only difference this has is that it fades back to normal rather than black.

Cas

Nice.
And congratulations for managing to learn all that stuff.