Silver85

Well, I haven't figured out what was making the game crash, but I have managed to get passed it, so at least I can go on with the game.

Did you ever think that it could be because of these:

...
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #6 // "Firewalker" Shar-Teel (custom kit and continuous character)
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #7 // Additional content for Part II (beta)
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #8 // Frostbite Animation (Turns a big wyvern into the frost wyvern. You may install and uninstall this component at any moment in the game.)
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #9 // Merchant League Bank (BGT required!)
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #10 // More Items from BG1 (a component from BGT tweaks - BGT required!)
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #11 // Tougher Black Talone Elites (BGT required!)
~SETUP-NEJ2V691.TP2~ #0 #12 // Areas & Sounds (This component is required to play NeJ2!)...

As you don't have the first components, as I seem to remember that it's required for the rest... so the mod kills the whole mod combination right from the start. And it's not even recommended to install the v6.91 of NEJ projec but NEJ2.4... and NEJ2.6.0.2.
Sorry, I can't give you links for those cause BWL is not online with this comp for now...

Well, I did test it after I'd installed all the bigger mods - that included - and it loaded fine then... so I don't think it's that alone that is causing the crash. It puzzles me because I though I was quite careful to not install anything else that would seriously affect the first dungeon, but something is obviously conflicting somewhere.

I might just uninstall the above and see if that does make a difference.

Edit: No, still no change.

Basically the game just crashes at the beginning of Baldur's Gate 2.

What do you mean by this?
Does this happen during the transition or when Irenacus shows up?  Just when does it happen?

I start a new game and it doesn't even get past the loading screen.