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Something about the way Sarah's hair is exactly the same length front and back seems unusual. Maybe even unnatural.
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Sep 13, 2013 20:07
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This started as me telling Yokai the bishop was a buttface and then it kind of spiraled out of control. I apologize for what is about to happen.
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Sep 25, 2013 02:34
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I think you've got Geddoe showing a bit too much emotion in that last panel, but otherwise it's pretty nice.
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Sep 25, 2013 02:40
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Bruceski posted:I think you've got Geddoe showing a bit too much emotion in that last panel, but otherwise it's pretty nice. Fixed it. 
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Sep 25, 2013 05:52
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Ceraph posted:Fixed it. Perfect.
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Sep 25, 2013 07:18
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Ceraph posted:This started as me telling Yokai the bishop was a buttface and then it kind of spiraled out of control. I apologize for what is about to happen. Ceraph posted:Fixed it. This is beautiful. It is also now on the OP.  Speaking of things on the OP, I've redacted my "No Suikogaiden 2" rule, as I am slow at updates and it and Card Stories are now translated! (Thank you to Pokeytax and his buds for that, you guys are awesome.) Like for Gaiden 1, if anyone feels up to showing them off, I'll gladly put it in the OP. Otherwise, I'll get to LPing them here at some point. Speaking of me being slow, update is in the works and stuff, but a lot of other things have been occupying my free time lately. While you guys are waiting, and since I haven't done one in a while, who do you want me to design-analyze next?
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Sep 26, 2013 04:15
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Analyze the poo poo out of the Duck Village.
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Sep 26, 2013 04:26
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Ceraph posted:Fixed it.  C'mon, you were pretty much asking for it.
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Sep 26, 2013 04:40
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It is terrible in all the right ways.
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Sep 26, 2013 05:24
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yokaiy posted:
Actually it happens in a short story in a Suikoden 2 short story collection book.
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Sep 26, 2013 06:09
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Geddoe Chapter 2.3 - Cheaters Before we head off to the Mantor Shrine, I forgot to show off the Rune shop and tutor in Le Buque, which is the building Sarah and the bishop had been hanging out in, so let's do that real quick.  The building has a large open area in front, which will split off into two smaller areas in the back.  (While we are at the tutor, this happens. It is a good thing.)   : "Yawn! I've read enough of these books and I'm tired of them."The back room we're in front of has no real purpose, but it is more interesting than the one just off-screen to the right -- you can see the sign for it on the left -- which is the Rune shop. I'll save you the trouble of looking at it and say that there's an old lady who asks us to rub her neck, a cat, and the shop keeper.    : "To obey a stronger power is the only way to survive. Can't change that..." : "Youngsters nowadays have forgotten that this village was once part of the Grasslands. How sad!"In the back, we've got a group of old people having a chat. There's also a duck behind Geddoe, who says this:  : "I wanted to ride a Mantor, but they say Ducks can't. Sniff." Moving on, let's actually head to the altar in Mt. Senai now.  I actually quite like this area. It's very similar to Le Buque in architectural structure, but also serves as a nice contrast. Whereas Le Buque used netting for their suspension bridges, Senai has wood; and while they are both built into ravines, Le Buque was very open, while Senai is dark and contained.  : "Phew! This is no fun. They get to fly those Mantor, and we have to hike up this steep mountain road with no rest in sight." : "Don't make fun of me, old man!"  : "Ace riding on a magic broom, huh? That's something I'd like to see." : "..." : "Sorry."Of course, nothing is ever really dark with this group here.   The route is actually fairly short, only encompassing a few screens in length. It's also a bit nonsensical. See those two exits to the north?  They let out in basically the same place. Same with the ones north of that. I don't understand the point of giving the player a choice? As far as enemies are concerned...  You've got your usual Bone Soldiers, which at this point aren't easy but also aren't a threat. Behind them, you can see a Magician, who will pop up every once in a while. They're the same as they were when they were a treasure boss for Thomas -- basically, even he would have no problem against them.  There are also some Blue Svires, but they're not much different from their mountain counterparts -- still hard to hit but still weak as well.  One screen north, we've got a bit of a branch, but we don't get to explore it yet,  Since we've come down with a case of The Cutscenes.  The camera pans across the way to the eastern path, and two friends exiting from it.  Our mercenaries are the very essence of stealth, standing in plain sight as the Bishop and Sarah walk off.  Somehow it works, though, as they don't seem to notice.    : "Looks like they beat us to it. Too bad we couldn't check it out first. Can't count on anything these days." : "Well, we can always count on our swords."You bet we ca--wait, what?   Geddoe shoots Ace an interesting look.    Geddoe walks off. : "No, don't be hasty! Don't do anything rash!" Ace pleads, but the others follow after Geddoe anyway.  Queen, as usual, stops for a snide remark. : "Queen, you sure are into this, aren't you?"She hesitates before turning so her face isn't visible and responding with an mysterious : "We'll see..." before leaving Ace to  Now, before chasing after those two, we can head down the eastern path.  It, uh.  It doesn't really go anywhere.  So let's take the norther path like we're supposed to.  This room is another example of those ones where we only get to take a few steps before the game takes over again. In this instance, we only get so far as crossing the bridge before we are whisked back into cutscene land.  It's not very clear from the shot, but the group stands before an archway of sorts. The sudden architecture must mean they're on the right track, at least.  But they seem too intrigued by the intricate carvings in the pedestals to continue. : "Did we lose them? Well, there's only one road...": "More importantly, we have a guest."  Oh, hey, it's these guys.  : "Well, what a coincidence, Geddoe." : "You followed us, didn't you?"Check that architecture.  They surround us. Obviously this isn't turning out to be a quiet chat -- they're already preparing to attack.  : "As his bodyguard."   : "Well..."The best part of that burn, though, is that Gau looks very meekly at Joker for his line, as if saying "You've got a point." : "Well, we're in a bit of a hurry right now."  I love these two.  : "Sorry you feel that way, but we can't accommodate you. We're under the Bishop's orders to keep people away from here."   Duke is polite enough to let the girls split off before continuing. Now, we do have the option to split, but...  Like we would listen to Duke.  I'd argue that Duke is happier this way anyway.     And so begins our fight with the 14th Unit.  We start things off the usual way.  Jacques kicks off the fight with a Boronda Hawk. It does middling damage. I'd hoped that it would keep Elaine from casting, but she didn't want to stop chanting.  Aila jumped in next by berserking the party. Not pictured: Joker was also berserked successfully.  Generally, I like to start with Gau or Nicolas, as they're the heaviest hitters. I'd argue that Nic is the worst to deal with, but Gau's counters are nothing to scoff at.  Elaine heals the party, but she was a little too early on her cast.     That's actually mild damage, but against these guys it's not so bad I guess. Maybe I'm just used to seeing the damage not get split across a bunch of people.   Some blows are exchanged, and the turn ends with everyone still in fighting condition.  Queen tries out her Wind Rune now that she's got at least some skill with it.  No one actually falls asleep though, whoops.  Gau, stop that.   Geddoe steps in since the beat-down is taking too long, making Nic the first casualty. He was going to be down anyway, though. Bad luck with runes in this fight!   Elaine is next.  Followed by Duke.  And Gau is picked off by Jacques.  Queen is the only one who gets a level from the fight, though.   The 12th Unit keeps walking, most of them not even glancing at their fallen foes.  Ace and Geddoe linger a bit, though. : "drat..." But not for very long.     Nope, this party is full!  Meawhile, at the altar...  Sarah and the Bishop are looking for something.  With little success, I'd wager.   : "But he couldn't have..." : "I suppose it's not going to be very easy.": "I knew that before we started."   : "Well, it was pretty obvious. He's not stupid." How they can continue to joke in this situation, I don't know. But I love it. Geddoe steps forward.  The Bishop approaches in kind.  I think they could have stood a bit closer, actually. It was a very dramatic camera change for a total of three steps from each of them. : "Bishop, would you tell me what this has to do with the search for the Fire Bringer?": "I don't have to tell you. But you should tell me: what are you people doing here?": "We're looking for clues relating to the Fire Bringer.": "Were you following me?": "Yes.": "How honest. Don't you trust me?" This is a good line. For a lot of reasons. Just think about it for a bit.  : "You have a point. So? Do you really want to know what I've been up to?": "Yes... I need to know.": "You're awfully persistent.": "It's in my nature."  As if it would be that easy. This fight is hard. Not long, mind you, but hard. The fight will last between one and three turns -- not because the fight ends automatically, but because you will either win or be decimated in that amount of time.  First move; Boronda Hawk. Jacques does a good job, stopping Sarah's chanting. Not so lucky with the Bishop, but we'll manage. You might notice that Geddoe isn't casting this time around -- not only did I use up his big cast against Duke & co., but it wouldn't do much against these two mage-y types anyway.  Aila uses her Shield Rune, like usual. Only those three get berserked, but they're going to be our main fighting force in this battle anyway.  Ace wails at Sarah, hitting her twice for pretty good damage.  Joker makes for the Bishop, but Sarah teleports in front to shield him. He also hits twice, for less damage than Ace.  Queen takes a shot, and Sarah goes down.  Geddoe whiffs. He was last to go this turn aside from the Bishop, and I really wish he could have smacked the magic off that guys stupid butt-face, but no such luck.  What is--      Ladies and gentlegoons, the end of turn one. (That 15 damage on Ace is from his Blood Armor -- he'd have survived if it weren't for the damage from that.) So, you can see how this is a short fight. In a single turn, 5 of the 8 combatants on field have gone down, and 2 of the final 3 are all in serious pain. I honestly have no idea how Jacques lived through that, actually. He was sitting on 10 HP for the rest of the fight. Geddoe had 110, but he has some pretty great magic resistance.   Second turn, Jacques and Geddoe both smack the Bishop enough so that he stops chanting. If he doesn't, then you are dying this turn, basically. On to turn three. I would like to point out that, although you're not really supposed to, this fight is quite winnable -- without save states. In fact, I won this fight without save states just now. It resulted in two levels each for Geddoe and Jacques. However, for the sake of plot, we're going to lose it. Trust me on this one. Winning results in a loss anyway.  Instead, we'll let the Bishop magic at us once more.  Job well done, Geddoe and Jacques. Shine on you crazy bastards. I will hold your victory in my heart, if not in my LP.     : "..."  The Bishop and Sarah walk past and leave as the scene fades to black.  The 12th Unit pick themselves up off the ground, and we meet them outside the altar room. : "It looks like Duke's unit has left. They should've stuck around for a while.": "They probably don't have as much free time as we do.": "I suppose.": "Well, should we head back?" As Ace suggests, we jog back to the entrance, and the group convenes again.  : "So, what should we do?" : "I want a soda."  : "Ok, so we've got a masked Bishop, a sorceress seen in the Karaya Village, and the Harmonian army deploying suddenly. Hmmmm. It's a hard puzzle to piece together.": "Mmmmm, sweet, refreshing soda." Aila, please.  Hehe.  Well, Caleria seems a good enough place to regroup and get soda; let's head down the mountain.  Apparently they agree, as they start chatting a few screens in.  : "Tell you what?": "We don't have the inside scoop on anything, from what the Bishop was doing in that shrine to the Lizard and Karaya Clan incidents. Are you keeping something from us, Captain?" You don't know how much I wish he'd just said "yes." : "As mercenaries, we don't usually ask for explanations. We're free to take up whatever work we want. We trust you, Captain. But there are too many strange things going on. You must know something.": "I'm not even sure myself. But there's one thread that ties everything together.": "Thread?" : "You mean the Harmonian army fears the Flame Champion, not the 'Fire Bringer?' ": "I thought he died a long time ago. Wasn't he some hero from days gone by?"A testament to Aila being a little older than Hugo, perhaps? : "Yeah... it was over 50 years ago." : "27 True Runes?": "Well? Tell us what you know, old man."Ace directs the question to Joker, who is apparently the authority on Runes in this group. : "The power to control the world rests with the 27 True Runes. Those who posess the True Runes have great power and immortality. For over 15 years, it was through that the leaders who had build Dunan had inherited the Runes. By the way, I'm no 'old man.' "He's talking about Riou from Suikoden II. : "I can hardly believe it. It's incredible! Dunan leaders -- you're talking about the people capable of defeating Chief Lucia, right?" : "The Champion still lives. Harmonia still fears him. That masked man wants to find the hero. There you have it.": "Who knows?": "And so...?": "And so... what?" Whoah, Jacques, settle down. That was a full text box just now!  : "If we catch him, we deserve a bonus, right?" The scene fades to black...  : "As long as even the slightest trace of truth remains in the world."  We get a fade-out for real this time.  And a blurb. Next time, we're skipping Thomas 2 to move on to one of the chapter 3s.
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Oct 3, 2013 01:36
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yokaiy posted:
Oh, that is the saddest duck.  quote:No one actually falls asleep though, whoops. I'm never going to see Wind of Sleep do anything useful, not even in other people's threads.  It bugs me a bit that they call they guy "Flame Champion" in his own dialogue box, even after they made us name him and everything. (He still looks more like a Tir to me.)
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Oct 3, 2013 01:57
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vilkacis posted:I'm never going to see Wind of Sleep do anything useful, not even in other people's threads. Haha, not so! It saved my rear end earlier in Hugo 1, remember?   ^Right there. vilkacis posted:It bugs me a bit that they call they guy "Flame Champion" in his own dialogue box, even after they made us name him and everything. Yeah... that bugs me too, actually.
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Oct 3, 2013 02:04
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I suppose I must have suppressed the memory because even when it works it's still Wind of Sleep.
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Oct 3, 2013 02:07
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So, wait, we're not going to get to see what happens when we win?
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Oct 3, 2013 02:24
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Captain Bravo posted:So, wait, we're not going to get to see what happens when we win? Not this time. Or, at least, not yet. If you remind me once we get to a certain reveal, then I'll post it. I thought about whether or not to include it for a surprisingly long amount of time, and decided this was best. I can sum it up for you, though. Basically, there are a few extra lines of dialogue between the totally-not-defeated mercs and the Bishop before he decides he's done with this poo poo and nukes the party anyway, after which the scene resumes with the party fallen, same as if you'd lost the fight. However, one of those extra lines is something I don't think should be said yet.
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Oct 3, 2013 02:37
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I really like the subtle characterization that everyone has, like the deep dislike that Queen and Elaine have for each other.
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Oct 3, 2013 03:51
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Duke's team doesn't have themed names. They never stood a chance.
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Oct 3, 2013 04:32
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Huh. I'd forgotten they give you a clear shot of Geddoe and Iroh talking at this point. I mean, the game was never quite hiding what was up with Geddoe, but at this point you should reaaaalllyy not be surprised when the ultimate reveal kicks in.
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Oct 3, 2013 04:58
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I only read bits and pieces of the manga version of this but I vaguely recall that when Team Rivals meets Team Geddoe, Jacques blearily confuses the kobold for a friendly dog and offers him a bone. That's racist dude!
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Oct 3, 2013 06:00
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Speedball posted:I only read bits and pieces of the manga version of this but I vaguely recall that when Team Rivals meets Team Geddoe, Jacques blearily confuses the kobold for a friendly dog and offers him a bone. That's racist dude! Not if it's actually a gesture of friendship in Kobold culture. (And judging by the storehouse guard's choice of attire over in Budehuc, it very well might be!)
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Oct 3, 2013 07:34
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God I love Geddoe's squad. They are one of the biggest reasons why I love this game so much. I'm also a big fan of these "winnable, but not really" fights. They don't really change anything, but winning can get you some interesting lines, and they provide a nice challenge for people playing through a second time.
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Oct 3, 2013 13:03
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With each and every update on Geddoe's team, I remain glad that they were the first people I chose when I started this game. They really are the best thing about Suikoden III
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Oct 3, 2013 14:38
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Speedball posted:I only read bits and pieces of the manga version of this but I vaguely recall that when Team Rivals meets Team Geddoe, Jacques blearily confuses the kobold for a friendly dog and offers him a bone. That's racist dude! Raitzeno posted:Not if it's actually a gesture of friendship in Kobold culture. (And judging by the storehouse guard's choice of attire over in Budehuc, it very well might be!) To be fair, he was also very drunk at the time. But yes, that happens.  Considering how few lines both of them have, it may just be one of the most entertaining wordless interactions in the manga.
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Oct 3, 2013 15:03
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I do like this team and how often they speak snark to power. Geddoe knows when he's being taken for a ride.
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Oct 8, 2013 03:55
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yokaiy posted:To be fair, he was also very drunk at the time. But yes, that happens. The best thing is that right after Geddoe & Co leave, it does show a frame of Gau with the bone in his mouth.
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Oct 8, 2013 04:34
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Testekill posted:The best thing is that right after Geddoe & Co leave, it does show a frame of Gau with the bone in his mouth. Oh, goodness. So it does. I've never noticed that before.   Gau. 
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Oct 8, 2013 04:56
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It might be a little silly to have dog-men but I think it allows them to have a surprising amount of leeway for distinguishing individuals. Elves and dwarves have well-worn stereotypes (elves are sometimes sweet but sometimes super-duper haughty and insufferable about how much ''better'' they are, dwarves are Scottish digging machines with hammers and axes) but kobolds can look like just about any type of dog there is. You've got stupid, friendly dogs, big scary dobermans (Ridley) and rottwilers (Gau) and even puppy-boys.
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Oct 8, 2013 06:25
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A burn so sick it set that poor Kobold on fire.
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Oct 8, 2013 18:40
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Noooooo. I caught up to the last post of the thread! Sad day. But I don't want my first post to be a complainy one, so hi! I love Suikoden. I never beat III. I think yokaiy is doing a rad job (my favorite lp categories are humorous and informative), and I love the artsy fartsies. I hope to contribute to this thread too maybe eventually. All main stars so far are charming, but Geddoe does have the best party composition--good range of attitudes. Wudgeous fucked around with this message at 08:46 on Oct 25, 2013 |
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Oct 25, 2013 08:40
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Hugo Chapter 3.1 - Salad And so we begin the chapter threes. The chapter three portions are fairly long, and have more overlapping points. I hope you like Hugo, because we're gonna be here a while. As far as the timeline is concerned, we've gone back quite a bit -- the attack on Iksay is yet to occur, and won't happen for a few updates probably.  And now, we're off to Budehuc!  The Yaza plains have gotten an upgrade in enemies since last time we were here -- there are now these Peckles instead of normal boars. Peckles would have been a rare encounter back in the chapter one portions, though for some reason they were too coy to show up then. They're no longer difficult, but still worth quite a bit of experience.  This thing, the Gold Boar, is the current rare encounter for the area.  And holy drat.  This thing.  Can take a hit.  Moving on to the castle...   There's a nice little pan over the area, as our troupe makes it inside.   : "Plus there's... quite a mix of races and clans. Like some kind of soup!" : "Let's see whether we can meet the castle lord. If not, we'll need to think of a new plan." We're free to run around all we like -- all the local shops are open except the inn, as Sebastian is missing -- but there's not very much to see that we haven't already, so we'll just continue through the entrance.   Getting close enough, we can see a councilor exiting the castle in a huff, followed by two knights, Thomas, and Sebastian.  It seems that things haven't actually improved for Thomas much since last time we saw him.  : "Trouble him? But of course my intentions are nothing of the sort." : "What you're doing right now casts a bad light on him. We couldn't care less about this property's past standing. It's Zexen now!" : "That parchment isn't worth the dust it's covered in. Have your things packed and prepare to evacuate the premises by the time I returned!"Pleasant fellow, hm?   The councilor ignores him and begins to leave, but stops as he catches sight of Hugo and the bunch.   Hugo grits his teeth and bears it -- they're on a mission after all. : "You hardly look smart enough to carry on a proper conversation. Muahahahaha!" : "Pig...": "Don't complicate things, Hugo. We've only just arrived."   : "Milady, time to follow your own advice."Her attendants rush to calm her down -- or keep her from going on a rampage, at the very least.   : "Yes, sir.": "He has a familiar look to him..." The one on the left is the one who recognizes Hugo, but the trio leaves before he puts it together in his head. Good riddance.  Lilly seems to have composed herself after they took their leave. Which is good. Much as I would have loved to see her punch one of them in the nads, it wouldn't have been good for their mission. : "Once and for all, would you please control your temper!": "Me? Are you speaking to me?!": "That young man who was with them, was he the castle lord? Let's ask."Once again, we're allowed to walk around after they're done discussing things, but once again, it doesn't really benefit us to go anywhere but where we're supposed to.  So, let's trip some more flags and head inside.  First up, we get kicked out of the manse if we try to go directly to Thomas. So, what's the best way to Thomas?  Through his magical girl guard.   : "There's no one else present. Your dress... do you perform in a festival?" : "Hardly! What you see is the standard castle garrison uniform." : "I prefer my real title, please. Garrison Commander. So you've all come here from Grassland?": "From Grassland to here, yes. But I'm no Grasslander.": "Did you come to meet with Lord Thomas?": "Is he in command of this castle?"    : "These days anything goes." Sure enough, Cecile will run straight off to Thomas, allowing us to get in touch with him as well.  I think she's got the wrong idea. : "I wasn't aware of Karaya sending any trade envoys.": "Why else would they be here? This is only the beginning. After this, things will turn out exactly like you hoped.": "I don't know... Where are they now? Did you bring them through?": "Uh-oh...": "Cecile! Where are your manners? Guests shouldn't be kept waiting at the gates!"No worries, we're right here. : "Sorry! I'll escort them in immediately." Joe decides that it's a good time to point out that Cecile doesn't have to run back to the entrance, and the others follow his lead.  Thomas's face lights up as he approaches the troupe. : "Ah. Welcome, welcome. I'm Thomas, lord of this castle. Perhaps we'd be more comfortable speaking inside.": "I'm Hugo of the Karaya Clan."The scene fades as Thomas leads them inside.     Thomas looks down a bit, forcing a smile at the comment, before moving on. : "Now then. What kind of shop is the Karaya Clan interested in opening here?": "Shop?"Hugo tilts his head to the right.  : "?"This time, he tilts it to the left. : "Cecile, I thought you said they were trade envoys." : "Oh no...": "Could someone please come to the point?": "I apologize. You see, I seek people from anywhere at all who would open shops here. That is my plan to restore the castle coffers. I am advertising this place as a free-commerce centerpoint. Haven't you heard anything at all about it?": "Not me.": "Not once." He shrugs really hard. : "Lord Thomas, don't give up yet. You've just begun."Besides, I think you're doing pretty well for yourself -- you've got ninjas! : "Thank you, Cecile." : "Yes, of course. Do proceed.": "We're checking into what became of the Flame Champion. We came because of the rumor that his Fire Bringer are in hiding at this castle."  : "If the Zexen Council found that we were harboring them here, I shudder to think what they might do... Is this rumor spreading?": "It's obviously spreading faster than your idea to solicit vendors.": "This is all very disturbing!"  Thomas ignores him, and turns his attention back to Hugo's group.  : "But I do wish you'd stay and rest. You've journeyed far, and all who visit should feel welcome.": "But Lord Thomas, what of our image? Even among the Grassland Clans, Karaya is known to be a warrior tribe.": "Sebastian, they are our guests. I want you to attend to them as such.": "As you wish."Utter defeat.  Sebastian jump-cuts us to the inn, as per Thomas's instructions. : "This is an inn?": "Yes, we use some castle rooms as an inn. Lord Thomas has given instructions to let you stay free of charge. Should you care to know, the real price is 50 potch per guest.": "They're really desperate..." We regain control again, and there are a couple things I'd like to show off before we move on. Well, one thing, really.  Uh. What? Seriously, though, what is up with that first line. I don't understand. You're Augustine, and I'm Hugo. Not the other way around.  There's also a duck next to him with this to say. It's not particularly important, but it is a hint on how to get one of the stars, specifically one that we will probably get later this chapter. This one is important because it allows us to get three other ones.  Back to the inn. : "You've come to stay?": "Yes, but I will pay for it."We have the option of not paying or paying, but I went with the nicer choice. It's only 300 potch anyway. : "That is... most admirable! Such integrity! Follow me to the best chambers." And so, they call it a night.  We rejoin Hugo the next morning, bright and early.  : "Good morning, Sergeant. Sleep well?"Hugo slept extraordinarily well, since he didn't have to sleep lying next to Joe. Have you ever heard a duck snore? Well, good. : "For the most part... until that noise started outside.": "...... Then why did you have to wake me?": "But something is happening outside, milady!" Lilly stumbles into the room, not at all happy with having to wake up at a respectable hour. : "I didn't notice, until you interrupted my beauty sleep..."She turns her attention to her Grassland travelmates. : "You're up too? Was it the sound outside?": "Only you could miss such a commotion." Anyway, there's a commotion outside, so let's see what that's about.  Oh. Well, this can only mean things are going well, right? : "What is the meaning of this?": "As I believe I said last time, Zexen will handle its affairs as it sees fit.": "But why surround the castle? We have committed no crimes." : "This looks like real trouble.": "What's going on this time?"  Thomas and Cecile turn to look at their guests, before Thomas whirls back around. He is not having ANY of this poo poo. : "What?": "That child is the son of the Karaya Clan Chief! Only days ago, he fled Vinay del Zexay. We're certain it was him! There's an official Zexen warrant out for his arrest.": "What?! My arrest?": "Did you really come all this way just to insult my guests, sir?" : "What a morning."What a terrible situation.  : "The place is surrounded by ironheads. I don't think we can run away this time.": "How did you all end up with a warrant on your heads? One would think you'd kidnapped a Zexen griffon!": "Even that wouldn't warrant this much attention."Well, this is a crummy state of affairs. I wonder how the shop keepers are handling it?   : "You've said many things. Now I say, what is to become of us?": "We've not heard of any need to prevent you from conducting your business, no matter what you suspect.": "Nooooo! Lord Thomas has worked too hard for this to happen. He won't back down!" : "So long as it all gets decided quickly. I'm hungry.": "I'll make every effort to find the best solution for everyone."Seems they're having a few issues, hm? Juan takes notice of the group.   Sheepishly, Sebastian steps forward. : "Excuse me, but would you mind leaving and going straight to the Zexen Council? Thank you." : "Pardon my butler. Rest assured, you needn't do any such thing.": "What is really going on?": "What do you think? Didn't you notice we're under siege! So long as you're here, things will not be peaceful.": "Sebastian! I can't apologize enough...": "Never mind that now. What is the root of your trouble with the Zexen Council?": "As I said yesterday, I am trying to create a centerpoint for free commerce. But the Zexen Council is not at all keen on the idea." : "What will become of us?": "Please understand, the right has always been ours to be merchants here. I only tried to expand that right to make a free trade zone. But my father, or rather the Zexen Council, doesn't approve.": "This, you may save our livelihood by exiting the premises..." Thomas is much more forceful today than usual. : "What other course is there?": "............" : "............": "About this minor crisis...": "I-I-I am sorry for... everything.": "That's an easy answer if I ever heard one." : "If it's not one thing, it's another.": "Woh ho ho woh woh!"What. We really are in a pickle, aren't we?  Much as I don't want to go to a stinking Zexen jail cell, there doesn't seem to be much in the ways of options. If the castle is surrounded, then sneaking out won't work, especially since that one knight knows our face. And Thomas has been so kind...  : "We have reports that an escaped criminal is holed up in the castle. Passing is prohibited now. Return inside." Let's do the honorable thing and turn ourselves in. I'm sure Lilly will be able to get away, and they're not after Joe either. : "Are you serious? A child like you, wanted by the Zexens? Wait here."The Knight leaves to fetch the councilor and Marshal.  : "Yes. I suppose you want to arrest me."I feel like a good person. Wait.  The councilor shakes his head. Somehow, I don't think this is going well... : "Yes, sir."The Marshal gets close and inspects Hugo, before turning back to the councilor.  : "Huh? What are you talking about?": "I don't care for your attempt to impersonate a criminal. Keep him here in the castle.": "Yes, sir!" Uhhh.  Thomaaaaaas. We have a problem!  : "I can't take it anymore! Will sales ever increase? I'm about to starve to death here!": "Your sales will never catch up with your greed, miser! Your profits are more than enough.": "Your disdain won't get you a winning ticket, you know.": "Oh, dear! What shall we do? Our stored rations won't last much longer. We'll wither away! And once the attacks begin...": "............": "Don't despair, I can protect us! I'll show you how tough a garrison commander is.": "What garrison? You're the only guard here!"It seems that tempers have flared up even more in the brief moments we'd left them alone. Not surprising, I guess. They're not soldiers -- they aren't prepared to handle the stress of an oncoming military attack.  : "Hmmmm, I wonder... Yes, what is it?": "We just came back from a talk with the Zexens.": "Oh dear... Really? The Zexens out there?": "Yes.": "But why risk your life so! I promised we would not force you out. Are you, um, considering what they said?": "They sent us back here! It's not us they want." Well -- here's a new face!   A young lad and woman approach the group. Caesar is new, however, his companion...  Apple, now 33, is a recurring character from the first two games, where she served as a tactician. She is now a historian and teacher, with Caesar as her young pupil.  Caesar shrugs. Caesar shrugs a lot.  : "It's 'Apple,' thank you very much." : "I think I know by now what your name is."Caesar steps up to Thomas, and immediately makes his business known. : "I'm Caesar. Okay? Okay. I've got a strategist's blood and training, so take my advice. Someone has to get us out. Couldn't stay here even if I wanted to..." Caesar immediately joins their powwow. : "What you're saying is you don't want to hand over the Karayan any more than you want to hand over this castle. But you're not prepared to fight. Correct?": "Well, no, we're not."So he says, but he forgets he has ninjas. : "Then this is simple. What we do is get them out." Caesar is a magnificent example of the care that went into animating this game. He uses a lot of hand gestures that are, I believe, unique to him and largely situational and dialogue-dependent. A lot of work also goes into his shoulder movements, as he shrugs and relaxes his shoulders a lot. : "Sounds a trifle complex to me. Must we go to all that trouble.": "What trouble? Those rust magnets are only a small border partrol, under the command of a Zexen Councilor with a few guards. That's not a siege force. They've encircled the castle to intimidate you. I know sooner or later the real army will arrive. But before they do, we'll send our hunted friends here on their way to Grassland. The unit will have no pretense for being here anymore."You can assume that, whenever he is talking, he is doing some sort of arm gesture to accompany it. I would show it off more often, but I already have pretty image-heavy updates -- the last thing you all need is a pile of pictures of Caesar in roughly the same spot but with a different hand gesture on top of what I'd have anyway. : "Right! Well, it sounds simple when you say it.": "Now here's what we'll do. Gather around. As for you criminals..." I am greatly entertained by how the Grassland crew was just standing there, off to the side and out of the way. : "Who else! Go prep yourselves for escape. In the meantime, I'll explain the plan to everyone else."I would criticize Caesar and the writing of this game for not having Caesar tell Hugo & co what the plan actually is, but it will be covered in Thomas's chapter instead, and I can see why they wanted to lighten the overlap a bit. There has been a lot of being all up in Thomas's business in this update.   We get control again, and have the option to talk to everyone. Maybe we can glean the plan. : "What could go wrong? You're in good hands. Leave it to me.": "It'll work because we'll make it work.": "Where did this whippersnapper come from?!": "What a bother.": "Ready when you are!": "It sounds like it could work. ............ I hope.": "But, but, but...": "Ho ho hoooo! Ho ho hoooo!"Piccolo, you are so weird. Nothing much else to do. Walking around for a bit will allow us to come back and chat up Caesar after the plan is done being discussed.  : "Who are you?": "I'm an unlucky traveler tripped up by a castle of fools when I have more important tasks to attend to."What a jerk. : "Sorry we slowed you down...": "I apologize. He's had this way of speaking for as long as I can remember.": "He could use some manners.": "(So could someone else.)": "What about the others?": "We decided to pull your escape tomorrow morning, so they're off taking care of things. They're a tight bunch. Went right to work as soon as they knew what to do.": "Yes, we're ready."This line is awkward because it is actually one of three choices (the others being Hugo's questions above), so he is actually responding to Caesar's original question of whether or not they were ready. : "Then you'd better rest up inside. We've still got things to do out here.": "Very well then. We'll go to the inn and stay out of your way."    : "So why is he protecting us from them?": "Why not ask him that yourself?": "I'll do that."Good plan.  We run into Thomas briefly on the stairs. However, : "I'm a little busy at the moment."He doesn't stick around to talk. We'll have to find him again later tonight.  With little else to do, we'll head back to the inn. : "Night." The crew will have a short discussion before turning in for the night. : "That story about Fire Bringer being here was just a rumor.": "I never believed it anyway...": "Whatever the truth is about that, we can't investigate here any further. We'll have to go along with the escape plan.": "Fair enough.": "I've had enough. I'm going to turn in.": "Don't oversleep!": "I know." : "I heard that!"Joe shakes his head. : "Who knows how much she really hears? Come on Hugo, let's call it a night too.": "All right..."So he says, but we find ourselves in another scene before the night is out.  Hugo intends to bring up his earlier question to Thomas before he leaves no matter what, even at this hour.  Hugo hesitates for a moment, looking down at his feet. : "Lord Thomas... Why are you helping to keep the ironheads away from us?": "Excuse me?" : " 'Ironheads'? You mean knights? I suppose if you must think of me as one or the other, I have more Zexen ties, from my father's side. What you don't know is that my mother is from the Outlands, in the north. I lived there for a long time, so I rarely feel Zexen.": "So that's why...": "No, that's not really why.": "?" : "You want to make the Zexens your allies?": "I don't desire them as enemies. I merely feel it's time that we learn about one another firsthand. And treat each other as equals.": "............" : "I see. Lulu was a close friend?": "He was." : "From Grassland?": "Hugo, it is... late. Go and get some rest.": "See you tomorrow, Lord Thomas." The next morning, we get ready to set out, still not entirely sure what the plan is. Hugo is perhaps a little quiet, still thinking about his talk with Thomas, but as a whole the group seems more than ready to leave. : "Yep, ready.": "Milady, please! It's morning!" : "(Why do we bother warning her?)": "Qua..." We meet our allies outside. I don't know why Hugo and his friends are approaching from that side, though. Logically, since they're coming from the inn which is to the left, shouldn't their positions be swapped? : "Good, you're here. I timed everything, so get out as soon as I give the signal.": "And how do we get out, exactly?": "Just keep going down this path. Shouldn't be a problem. The Councilor's marshalls will be distracted elsewhere; I expect the knights to pull back soon. The question is, are you ready?"I like Caesar, he makes everything sound so easy at the moment. I can't wait to see the parts of his plan that are in Thomas's chapter. : "On your signal.": "Things should get rolling pretty soon.": "Oooh! I'm getting anxious! Deep breaths, deep breaths..." On cue, we get a strategy battle! Well, so I say, but we don't actually get to do anything in it yet.  : "I understand." : "Ah, yes, sir." Since the battle doesn't really take place in this chapter, the player-phase is actually controlled by the game, wherein it is set to just have them defend for a round before continuing conversations. : "Sir! A number of soldiers have appeared at the gates of Budehuc.": "Soldiers? How could that be?": "It's a mystery to me, sir." : "It's always something... Send a detachment to find out what's happening." One of the units moves up. : "They're here.": "Don't worry, Thomas. This is my castle, too! I don't intend to let it be taken.": "Ho ho ho ho."The castlefolk continue to defend, and conversation continues on the other side. : "Councilor, a message from the Zexen Council!": "What is it?": "Councilor, a notice of prosecution has been filed against you, sir!"Wait, what. : "Notice of my prosecution? Pathetic. Naturally, one of my jealous colleagues wanted to take over my responsibilities here...": "Sir, no... The notice was filed by the Zexen Knights.": "WHAT?!" A Caesar unit and Hugo unit pop up on the map, as well as an escape route. : " 'Our'?": "We're going with you. did you think I would stay in a hole of a place like this forever?": "Stick it to them, Hugo! You too, Sergeant!": "Sure thing. See you later.": "When things get back to normal, I hope you come back to visit! You could even open a shop...": "Er... That's a decision for my mother to make.": "Heeeeeeere we go!"The AI then shuffles the two of them off, and the battle ends.  Well, only one way to go from here. Back to the Great Hollow!   Running through the plains will yield a few unavoidable fights with some Zexen Knights.  There are a total of three of these encounters, and none of them are anything special, but we've faced Zexen Knights before so you could have probably guessed as much.  And Hugo and Fubar take the award for being the best people. Just look at that number.  After battle number three, it's smooth sailing across the plains to the next cutscene.   Caesar has some wonderful lines. : "What would I do without your pleasantries?" : "I took steps to slow down the Zexens, but in the end, it depends on how badly they want to proceed. Everyone has to fend for themselves. No lives come with a safety guarantee. We have to protect ourselves.": "But........................ No, this is true..."24. 27 if you count the second line as well. Who do you think you are, Hugo? You're not Watari, cut that out. : "Caesar, are there any other passages you'd like to recite from your father's writings?": "Apple! You didn't have to say that.": "Now we're even.": "Where to next? We don't have any leads. No money, either." The duck makes some great faces. : "Sergeant, we're going to visit your village.": "Any particular reason?": "I have a reason. I'm gathering knowledge from all over Grassland and Zexen.": "It is only a simple village. There isn't anything there to collect."So he says, but we'll be going there to collect some things pretty soon. : "It may seem that way to you." : "Farewell, then." No, come back.    We're going back to the Lizards, since there's nowhere else for us. We should probably tell Jimba what we learned, as well.   : "There are only a few fighters inside right now. That's why everyone's nervous!": "You want something? If not, leave me alone. I've got work to do."Of course, we're actually getting back just after the warriors left to attack Iksay. What rotten luck! But more on that next time.   : "That's what it looks like. But what's worse is that we have no clues.": "If that's the case, milady, may I suggest we return to Tinto?": "You most certainly may not!": "But milady!" : "Is there no chance for time off?": "We won't get far with the few potch we have left. We need to meet a trader from Tinto and work out a deal.": "Money? Very well. That is a consideration."She probably hates to admit it, though.  : "Listen, Hugo. I have to go tend to business. Don't leave here before I get back, even if new information comes in. I'm counting on you, all right?": "What? Why do I have to follow your orders?" She turns back to her servants. : "Let's go. Where is this caravan?": "At Brass Castle, I expect.": "Then that's where we're going." Everyone is leaving.   Come back soon, Lilly. Lackeys. Next time, we do a couple things, find a creepy guy, and partake in a Halloween-themed special event!
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Oct 27, 2013 04:02
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Caesar is the best Silverburg. I'll fight anyone who says otherwise.
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Oct 27, 2013 04:30
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Fister Roboto posted:Caesar is the best Silverburg. I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. I'm pretty partial to Elenor if only because I wonder what could have been if she'd been in a better game. Still Caesar is pretty cool because of how little he gives a poo poo about anything.
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Oct 27, 2013 04:47
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I love this sequence of events from Thomas' side. I usually do Thomas' chapters in a row before continuing on with the main game, so I always forget that Hugo doesn't really get to do anything here and am disappointed. Actually in general I find Hugo 3 kinda lackluster. You do quite a lot but with Lily leaving here a lot of the soul gets sucked out of it.
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Oct 27, 2013 04:47
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Thomas calling Hugo "boy" is the most awkward thing. I suppose it's meant to make Thomas come off as more mature and confident and Hugo as more unsure of himself. Which would work well if Thomas hadn't spent most of his chapter with a distinct lack of self-confidence. Sure, he's starting to develop at this point, but it's still a bit out of nowhere. Also, Thomas is only a year older than Hugo.
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Oct 27, 2013 07:00
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Wudgeous posted:Noooooo. I caught up to the last post of the thread! Sad day. Haha, welcome aboard, thank you, and glad that I could show you how this game goes. Sorry you had to catch up during one of my longer breaks, though, but at least you came in when I was almost done with the update.  Fister Roboto posted:Caesar is the best Silverburg. I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. Testekill posted:I'm pretty partial to Elenor if only because I wonder what could have been if she'd been in a better game. Still Caesar is pretty cool because of how little he gives a poo poo about anything. I think Caesar is my favorite one of the series, though they're all pretty cool. Caesar is also a nice example of a lazy-type character done in a very different way from Geddoe and Juan (and Nash if you squint, and someone we haven't really seen yet.) Including Nash, each of our protagonists gets at least one lazy person, with Geddoe being his own lazy person. For those new to the series, the Silverberg family is a family of strategists who pop up throughout the series, both as allies and as enemies. CmdrKing posted:I love this sequence of events from Thomas' side. I usually do Thomas' chapters in a row before continuing on with the main game, so I always forget that Hugo doesn't really get to do anything here and am disappointed. Yeah, Hugo's chapter does suffer a bit from having the short end of the stick during overlap periods, but it has some pretty good moments to it anyway. I'll miss the verbal sparring between Joe and Lilly, though. Bufuman posted:Thomas calling Hugo "boy" is the most awkward thing. I suppose it's meant to make Thomas come off as more mature and confident and Hugo as more unsure of himself. Which would work well if Thomas hadn't spent most of his chapter with a distinct lack of self-confidence. Sure, he's starting to develop at this point, but it's still a bit out of nowhere. Also, Thomas is only a year older than Hugo. This chapter -- or this part, anyway -- has a fair number of kind of strange translation choices. That is definitely one of the weirdest ones, for sure, but then you've got the Augustine line and the "yes, I'm ready" line... There's also a bit of weird dialogue if you talk to Mel during this part.  Like so. So, yeah. Not sure what that's about.
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Oct 27, 2013 07:09
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This, right here, is the most precious thing in the game so far imho. Despite everything horrible that's happened, despite having a poor opinion of most people in suits of armor, Hugo can appreciate the cultural similarity in allowing girls to fight. Heck, he even congratulates her and goes onto introduce himself. If he ain't the coolest bro I don't know who is.  Hugo is my favorite until further notice! Although, I'm not sure ANY culture has a stigma against allowing chicks to bear arms. ..... Duck clan maybe? Wudgeous fucked around with this message at 07:57 on Oct 27, 2013 |
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Oct 27, 2013 07:55
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There's more than a little hinting in the conversations between Chris and the Zexen Council that a female knight is quite rare (like, Chris is basically the only one rare). The manga suggests that she more or less was accepted just because of her family name, and even then it was generally believed she slept her way to the top, but there's not really a strong indication in the game it went that far. Otherwise... well, all named fighting Lizards are male, but we're not given a clear indication of differences between the lizard sexes, so it's entirely possible there's both men and women in their armies. Ducks seem to be all male that we see, Karayans are very liberal on the matter (shock, they have a woman chief famed as a warrior and strategist and don't hold strict gender roles on fighting.) All the generic bug riders we see are male by all appearances. The other fighting forces we see are one or two we haven't met and the Harmonians, who are downright faceless so who the hell knows. So yeah, the karayans from available evidence might the only ones who don't make a real division based on gender in their fighters, but it's hard to say.
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Oct 27, 2013 08:54
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Ah, an update to my favourite thread. Fantastic. I'm wondering how you'll handle a certain major choice later in the game. I never really finished this game myself, but I got to THAT part and I'm just wondering which choice you're going with. :o Also you probably have double the characters I did at this point in the game. Now I want to play this again so I can do it right. Pity it doesn't run well enough on my PC. 
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Oct 27, 2013 09:57
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With a name like "Caesar Silverberg", you have a lot to live up to. Hell of a lot better than Lucretia, at any rate. This is a nice part of the game, though it would be hard for it to be otherwise, give you've got Thomas and his crew mixing with Joe and Lily.
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Oct 27, 2013 16:24
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