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As I mentioned earlier, the Minotaur is really the first great summon. It get's outclassed eventually, but it takes a while. It does good damage with the occasional spike of great damage from chain attacks (the spike is fire though, be warned). It also has ax-spin, which gives it some AoE. It's fast. REALLY fast. Put him in solo mode and he runs like the Road Runner, it's quite funny. It can take a few hits - not as much as the Golem, but it's not slow as molasses either. And what really makes it awesome is that it's immune to fire damage. Have it rush an enemy or two, while the others hang back or kill other enemies and drop a fire wall or two on top of him. Spells doom for quite a few enemies. mauman fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Jul 18, 2015 |
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Jul 18, 2015 02:54
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Guy Fawkes posted:I've played this game long time ago, and I loved it! It was the PC version, so when the sequel was announced only for console, I was a bit miffed. Yeah, I'd never play this game again, but Summoner 2 is amazing for tons of reasons that most people don't care about. It was I think the first RPG to combine the over-the-shoulder camera with push-button action (as opposed to menu-driven combat). I remember playing it and thinking, "This! This is the future!" when I saw that. Now, it's how Mass Effect does it. Summoner 2 also has some shamefully well written characters, that is, characters that are interesting enough that they don't play well in a video game. One character has an incredibly dry wit and delivers his lines in a loud deadpan. It's fantastic in theory, he's got the personality of an Alan Rickman character with the voice of Brian Blessed and the body of a football linebacker, so he really gets to bellow his lines. Like this one about his rival in the party for the PC's attention: "You're going to see that MER-WOMAN?! Hmmph. PRAY that she does not DRIP on the floor." In practice, though, he's one character of six that you are likely to be switching in and out of your party, so without more dedicated time to see and cement his character the player might be like, "Why the gently caress is this guy so rear end-serious and shouting all the time? What a prick." The main character isn't a poo poo farmer who hit the prophecy jackpot after a random town razing - she is a prophesied summoner and a reincarnation of Laharah (you remember, that evil goddess from the gods' war? I'll get to that in a second) destined to become a queen and rebuild the Tree of Eleh (yeah, Tree not Tower of Eleh; just a sec!) -- and people knew about that poo poo as soon as she was born, which had real political repercussions in the game world. See, only about half the religious authority believed she actually WAS the goddess reborn and the king didn't buy it either. But his younger brother did, and so he lead the priests and his soldiers into a revolt, wherein they managed to found their own country with the PC as baby-queen, but didn't quite achieve a total victory over their enemies. So growing up as a queen, a prophesied magician and a reincarnated goddess, this lady is pretty demanding and sometimes, well, bitchy. And it's great. She'll look at some boxes and say, "You expect me to search all those? How? Break them open? I haven't the time, the crowbar, or the boorish inclination." She jokes with another posh lady about how peasant-sounding some poor gladiator's name, Pava, is. She says, "Her name sounds like a fruit!" and then they both have the haughtiest lady-guffaws you've heard. I won't speculate how 2002-era video gamers received a snarky, aristocratic female lead. For me, it was a breath of fresh air. And the anthropology of the game was super refreshing as well! The game takes place in a different part of the world than Summoner 1. (1 involves the part of the world occupied by the Sudani and Khosani, the air and earth races. Summoner 2 takes place in the lands of the Odoni and Munari, fire and sea, respectively.) And so many of their cosmological tales are similar but very different. Laharah isn't at all the treacherous villain of the first game, instead she's a creator goddess who summoned the world from the void and created the Tree of Eleh, which in turn created Aosi, the language of magic. The elements of that creation, the tree, the blood of the goddess, the eye of the goddess, and the sand, as all the world was sand before Aosi and Eleh, those four things are the elements of this game world instead of earth, air, fire and water. This information is often presented to the player in poetic ways that almost every other game fails at. For example, Aosi is described as being the wind in the branches of the Tree of Eleh, a pretty rad description for an ever-changing language of creation. The game really tries to be different and I love it for its success. The voice acting is one of my favorites in games, but that's probably because of the writing. It really feels like they are writing for a cartoon world where each character is brimming with personality, rather than quotidian video game arrow-to-the-knee but-thou-must cardboard gray glump pflahfhrahrkdsfj. To be fair, the best voice acting in games before 2002 was probably in Super Mario 64. But it features Claudia Christian, the original, American, superior Claudia Black. The game really focuses on creating a complex, veryi fantastic world and conceiving expressive characters entrenched in intriguing positions in that world. That's my catnip. I gush about that poo poo in the Dungeon Siege 3 LP thread too, if you like that stuff. Edit: Gameplay was kinda limp, though. MartianAgitator fucked around with this message at 04:46 on Jul 18, 2015 |
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Jul 18, 2015 04:42
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MartianAgitator posted:Yeah, I'd never play this game again, but Summoner 2 is amazing for tons of reasons that most people don't care about. It was I think the first RPG to combine the over-the-shoulder camera with push-button action (as opposed to menu-driven combat). I remember playing it and thinking, "This! This is the future!" when I saw that. Now, it's how Mass Effect does it. Summoner 2 also has some shamefully well written characters, that is, characters that are interesting enough that they don't play well in a video game. One character has an incredibly dry wit and delivers his lines in a loud deadpan. It's fantastic in theory, he's got the personality of an Alan Rickman character with the voice of Brian Blessed and the body of a football linebacker, so he really gets to bellow his lines. Like this one about his rival in the party for the PC's attention: "You're going to see that MER-WOMAN?! Hmmph. PRAY that she does not DRIP on the floor." In practice, though, he's one character of six that you are likely to be switching in and out of your party, so without more dedicated time to see and cement his character the player might be like, "Why the gently caress is this guy so rear end-serious and shouting all the time? What a prick." I'm looking forward to your Summoner 2 LP and thank you for volunteering to do it 
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Jul 18, 2015 07:50
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I can't help but imagine Jekhar being insufferably smug after the Khosani bitch out the rest of the party then tell him how cool he is, I wish the game had some actual in-party chatter or something. Can you even talk to the other party members after you recruit them?
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Jul 18, 2015 08:54
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Oh. We're coming up in THAT part of the game next update... lovely.
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Jul 18, 2015 15:58
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By the way, the "potion that can turn water into ice" is a Kurt Vonnegut reference - it's Ice-9 from the novel Cat's Cradle. Notice that the sorcerer "Nutengov" is an acronym of "Vonnegut".
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Jul 22, 2015 04:02
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Yeah, I got to echo the love for Summoner 2. In addition to the lore, I like many of the minor background characters that you meet up for sidequests, and being a queen for a PC meant you could lord it up more than what you would normally be able to with many other PCs. The actual game had a few fun tricks and weird exploits I took advantage of on repeat runs through the game, but I'll leave it for the proper LP.
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Jul 22, 2015 07:40
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Gildiss posted:
Hey Joseph! What are you? It's kind of weird these guys have flowing water but not any kind of agriculture.
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Jul 22, 2015 14:42
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Elarh the merchant: Ah, those would be the 'Seeds of Aahur' he promised me!
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Glazius posted:Hey Joseph! What are you? They live in a mountain, and evidently spending lots of time outside of said mountain could bring divine punishment from Amisido down on their poor ugly asses.
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Jul 22, 2015 19:16
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Part 12 - Surprise Party Soundtrack - Lenele Marketplace II  We arrive back in Lenele. It's night time, so I suppose we can excuse the lack of a parade and welcoming ceremony.  Yeah, what happened? Where's our welcome party? We got the rings and are ready to take it to Murod. *Pedrog gestures at the battlements of the city walls. The banner of Prince Sornehan flies overhead, along with the standard of the Imperial Orenian Army.*  Pedrog: The prince betrayed his brother the king! The rennies besieged the city, and Sornehan opened the gates. Lenele is now under occupation! Sornehan betrayed the king?A truly stunning turn of events. Pedrog: Aye. Word is he made a pact with the rennies. If Murod helped him get rid of Bellias, Sornehan would swear fealty and pay the Emperor a tribute. Where's the Duke of Tarhimun? Where are the King and Queen?Pedrog: The Duke is three days hence with the King's army. I dare not answer that where enemies of the crown might be listening. You must go to Tancred's house at once. Lord Yago waits for you there. Lord Yago?Pedrog: Aye, he sent me here to wait for you, but the prince imposed a curfew. Anyone found on the streets after dark will be killed on sight. The main gate's under careful watch. You best travel by the sewers. Follow me.Sigh. Medeva: Ciran - Destroyed Masad - Destroyed Eglin - Destroyed Burnaan - Burnin Nahm - Destroyed Lenele - Iona - Active Saanavarh - Active    Thank goodness these fine merchants made it out just in time with their high quality wares at low, low prices! Ready to deal at any hour!   Why are you still here!  I think we found Durgan's captain!  There is just a small handful of people that made it out of the city before it was too late.  Here we are, back in the sewers. This time with cranked up monsters, all immune to trip.  Sewer trip #2.  Wading through a sea of bacites. They are resistant to backstabs.   Soundtrack - Tancred Haven The old city no longer exists and the sewers deposit us right into Tancred's now. Looks like the Queen is safe at least.  How did it happen? Queen Galienne: The prince conspired with General Pijian, leader of the Orenians. Sornehan's spies knew the movements of our army and gave that information to Pijian. How did Pijian take Lenele?Queen Galienne: Pijian divided his forces. While one army kept our knights occupied in the north, the other marched on Lenele, attacking from the west and taking the city by surprise. The Orenians surrounded and besieged Lenele. When night fell, they captured the city. Captured the city?Queen Galienne: Sornehan's knights opened the gates, and the Orenians flooded in. Those who remained loyal to the king were butchered in the streets. Sornehan sent his men to murder us. How did you escape?Queen Galienne: When Yago discovered Sornehan's plot, he came to warn us. Bellias and I fled through the sewers, but Sornehan's men were waiting. As Bellias fought them off, I escaped. What happened to Bellias?Queen Galienne: Bloody and terrible, he fought more bravely than he did at his victory at Tormannen. Bellias urged me to flee, and so I ran. I have not seen him since.Requiescat In Pace  The gloom is piling up here.   Is Tancred dead? Mahri the crooked: No, but the worms eat him as we speak. The messenger of Laharah waits by the window, he says. He's as good as dead now. Can we talk to him?Mahri the crooked: Aye, he keeps asking for you, Flece. What is it? Tancred: Flece, I am near death. Laharah's messenger waits by the window. No light casts a shadow as dark as hers. But there is one last thing you must know. One last thing?Tancred: What do you remember about your mother? Sometimes I imagine a place very far away. I imagine water and mountains. And I hear strange music in the wind, and the wind smells like the sea. And there is a woman there, and she is kind to me. *Flece's voice turns strange and cold.* My mother was a prostitute. Knifed to death in the alley of dogs. You are the one who raised me. You were a father to me.Tancred: Lies! All of it lies. Even to you, Flece, have I lied! Lies? What do you mean?Could it be? Was her mother not a prostitute? Is Flece something more? Tancred: I am your mother's killer. I am the one who murdered her. You murdered her?Tancred: Forgive me, Flece. *With a rattle in his throat, Tancred closes his eyes for the last time.*Guess not, haha.  Tell us what to do.Free us from responsibility.  Yago: Bellias may be dead, so we must get the Queen out of Lenele. Rosalind and Jekhar, you will bring her majesty to Iona, where she will be safe from Sornehan's minions. What about me and Flece?Yago: The two of you must go at once to the temple of Urath and wait for me there. Now that you have the four Rings, there is one last thing you must do before you confront the Emperor. I will explain at the temple, but first, I have an urgent matter to attend to. Where are you going?Yago: As far as the prince is concerned, I am still a loyal counselor. Sornehan intends to swear an oath of fealty to Murod, and I must see if he can be dissuaded from this course of action.I know you just killed your king and brother, but maybe swearing fealty to the Emperor of Orenia isn't such a great idea. Just throwing that out there. Your faithful servant, Lord Yago.   We are now back down to 2 party members.  It was a pain going through these sewers with 4 people. Everything has also respawned. Sewer trip #3.  Soundtrack - Lenele Marketplace II A shitload of bacites later... The nearest we can get to the temple is the sewer exit in the marketplace. And there is a single dead Orenian here. Don't look at me, I didn't do it.  Looks like we found his friends though. The minotaur is truly a badasss summon.  We also meet a new unit in the Orenian army, the dual wielding officer. They typically patrol with 2 lower ranked guys following behind, this guy lost his friend. A very cool little detail about these guys and their cohorts is, the officer will attack first, and the flunkies will draw their weapons and watch, they will only attack once the officer has fallen. The E-bushido is strong with them.  We find a lone noble breaking curfew hiding among the crates.   Lord of Logaros: But what good are ancestors and reveries of past valor? I am nothing but a beggar now, a worm that crawls on its belly and eats the dust. The Lord of Logaros is dead. Only flesh and bone remain. In the defense of his King, the Lord of Logaros disgraced himself. Defense of his King?Lord of Logaros: Alas, I fear the King is dead! Sornehan betrayed us to the rennies and seized the palace! He sold us for a crown! Seized the palace?Lord of Logaros: Aye, with the Duke's army far from Lenele, who dared oppose him? A feeble old man of broken spirit? The sword was too heavy for these withered arms, and yet I challenged an armored knight! Knight?Lord of Logaros: Sir Horum of Roak, a cursed name! We of Logaros are loyal to the King, but our neighbors of Roak are oath-breakers and renegades. When Sornehan and his men entered the great hall, I drew Tur Hassen, the sword of my ancestors. From my own hand, Sir Horum took the blade. I was too weak, and it slipped from my fingers. Took the blade?Lord of Logaros: I did not beg for mercy. I have lived a life of valor, and I shall die with honor. I waited for death as a true knight of Logaros. Yet the final blow never came. sir Horum laughed. He dragged me by my hair and cast me from the palace, throwing my own sword after me. I tumbled down the steps, and the Prince's men taunted me. Alas, my sons ride with the Duke, and I have no one to avenge my shame. Avenge?Lord of Logaros: Will you give me vengeance? Will you slay this knight and restore honor to the names of my fathers? Yes.Lord of Logaros: Your words give hope to a broken man! But I must give you fair warning. Sir Horum will prove a fierce opponent. If you should find the courage within you, I shall reward your valor. Sir Horum guards the Devil's bridge across the royal canal.Murder we can handle, and this has a good cause!  We find the scoundrel guarding the bridge as the old man had said. A quick trip is all it takes.  Logaros sends his regards.  Lord of Logaros: You have avenged my shame and honored my family. The Lord of Logaros pays his debts. I give to you Tur Hassen, my ancestral sword, for it belongs in your hands more than in mine.  Quite a nice blade. Joseph will wield this blade of vengeance as we clean the streets of the Orenian occupation. We kill everyone by the way.  And this fellow helps! You can see the E-bushido in play here as well.  This occupation has just happened, where did this guy find the time to become a vigilante avenger?  I mean look at the bone detailing on that armor!  Kothudin: There's no creature more vile than one who betrays liege and kin. If this sword be the sword of justice, may it find its mark! Kin?Kothudin: I pray to unhearing gods the King and Queen are safe. Sornehan holds the palace, but does he hold the crown? I'll cleanse this city from palace to hovel, from temple to sewer. King?Kothudin: Has Sornehan bled him like a pig or locked him in the keep? Has he made a vagabond of the victor of Tomannen? If only the Duke would return! While Tarhimun lead the King's army, Sornehan parleyed with General Pijian and opened the gates of Lenele. I will fight them alone if I must. They patrol the streets and hold the bridges. A thousand more lie drunk and sleeping. Alone?Kothudin: Alone but not alone. Remember Prince Kharig, the Master of Lions! remember Torenkhan and Bersorek the Small! The troubadours will sing my name or I shall die forgotten in Medeva's darkest hour. So long as I have blood to spill for Medeva and her King, we will not fall to Orenia! Until the standard of the rightful king flies again over Lenele, I shall not sheath my blade!We can assist with that. And we do, by cutting down every patrol between here and the crown district.  Picture this several dozen times.   Priest of Urath: Savages! All the innocent blood you've spilled! You put a hundred holy men to the sword! I warn you! The death of our order means the death of creation! Who else will speak the rite? You fiends are the vanguard of a new age! New age?Priest of Urath: The Second Chaos, as foretold in the book of Harikhan! When the rite is silenced, all will be ashes. Laharah eat my soul! I'll die a martyr. The last voice in the wilderness. Kill me now, freeswords! We wont hurt you.Priest of Urath: *The priest lowers his dagger.* Forgive me, I thought you were soldiers of the Prince! I must be going mad. They've massacred the order! In the Second Chaos, Medeva will fall! The Galadians will sink into the sea. The Nhuvasarim will rule over this realm of death. They anointed the temple with blood. Second Chaos?Priest of Urath: What solace for those who survive? Flee the city! Run from this cursed place! Neither King nor Prince reigns here, but death itself! Sornehan's knights stormed the temple. They killed the priests who spoke the Rite. Our icons are sanctified with the blood of holy men! How dare they profane that sacred place! I fled, and I know not how I survived. Fled?Priest of Urath: There were others among us. Traitors. Disciples of darkness. I must go now. I am in danger. Please. Leave this place!Huh, well do you think that dude with completed the encyclopedia of heresies for was a disciple of darkness? Nah.   Canis the mercenary: *The mercenary yawns.* We're to attack on sight. But why should I bother? I'm outnumbered, and they don't pay me well enough to die. Pay you well enough?Canis the mercenary: I haven't made a career of fighting ruffians single-handed. I make sure the odds are well in my favor before I draw my blade. Ruffians?Canis the mercenary: No offense. I meant nothing by it, but the Prince says I'm to kill anyone on the streets after dark. Not very nice, now is he? And what do I get? A night of revels in the tavern and a month of eating dirt and stones. Tavern?Canis the mercenary: With this curfew, all the taverns are closed. I'm dying of thirst. And this armor is too uncomfortable! Laharah curse the Prince and his rennie friends. The four riders never say a word. Strangest pids you ever saw. Armor?Canis the mercenary: Aye, this armor! Not like those fancy enameled suits the knights wear. Oh no. Feels like I'm wearing a big pot. And the smell! I stink like a swineherd! But I'll tell you what. Robes look comfortable. I should've been a priest. The priests lived well enough before the massacre. Even the almsgivers did all right, but I have no mind for that babbling and chanting. Massacre?Canis the mercenary: Ah let bygones be bygones! How about some alms for the poor? In a week I'll be dead, so a few coins would tide me over until they stick me like a pig.I give him 10 gold and then stab the poo poo out of his back.  New high score!  Who are you? Adeslani: My name is Adeslani. On my way home to the village of Bas Orma, I met travelers from Lenele who told me what had happened. I hurried back because I am worried about my brother. His name is Hargolus, and he's a merchant captain. His ship lies anchored in the harbor, flying under the Prince's standard. Prince's standard?Adeslani: Hargolus is a loyal subject of Bellias. He would never surrender to Sornehan's men, unless something terrible happened. If he's still alive, I know where to find him. He has friends here in the crown district. If he were in trouble, he'd come here to hide. The house lies on the other side of the quarter, but I'll need help to get past the soldiers. Can we help?Adeslani: Are you loyal subjects of the King? Will you help me find my brother? Thank you, friends. Follow me, and I will show you the way/ I warn you, these streets are dangerous. Watch for rennies and the Prince's men. It's a simple escort mission, though rather uneventful as we had already obliterated any Orenians in the district.  There was one patrol that we missed though, and a new high score!   A message?Adeslani: The Duke of Tarhimun's army is three day's march from Lenele. We will need all who are skilled at arms to join the fight against Sornehan and the Orenians. We have many preparations to make. Keep what you have learned here a secret, and when you hear the blast of Tarhimuns horn, you will know the time has come to fight.Already vigilantes and a resistance being organized in Lenele, they don't waste any time. With those quests out of the way, we make our way to the Temple of Urath. Sornehan the Usurper    Prince Sornehan: Bellias is dead. Prince Sornehan: And now I claim the crown as rightfully mine. Prince Sornehan: I have kept my end of the bargain, Ferenc of Moano. Prince Sornehan: I now insist that you keep yours.  Heirophant: You defile these sacred stones with innocent blood. Heirophant: Where is Galienne? If the Queen has escaped--Prince Sornehan: The Queen is of no concern to you.Heirophant: What of the Duke of Tarhimun? Though you hold Lenele, that does not make you king. In three days your fortunes may have turned! Prince Sornehan: General Pijian and I will handle the Duke of Tarhimun. Prince Sornehan: Now do as you are told, or I will find another frock to play the heirophant for me. Heirophant: Kneel before me, your... highness. Heirophant: May the gods bless this crown and thus sanctify their servant, Sornehan. Heirophant: Upon whose head we place this sign of royal majesty. Heirophant: In their name, I proclaim you King of Medeva, Prince of the Rhunari, Victor of the Conquest, the one true heir of Urath the father, and protector of the realm.  General Pijian: I hate to interrupt your pomp and reveling King Sornehan, but may I remind you that Murod is your master now. The Emperor has no need for ceremonies, he wants the boy. King Sornehan: And I assure you, General Pijian, the boy will come to you. King Sornehan: Have your men wait here in the temple and you will see. My spies inform me he is already in the city. But, we have more pressing matters to discuss, General. Tarhimun will not wait for us to make our plans. General Pijian: Very well, but I warn you. Murod is a cruel master to those who betray his trust. Looks like we were too late to save the King, Bad Enough Dude status revoked.  We arrive at an empty temple. There is an interesting use for our meek little friend the Mist Elemental. Let's see what it is. Soundtrack - Boss Luminar   The fourth and final rider awaits us, the tiger rider.  He uses paralyzing ranged attacks and powerful melee strikes.  He also rides around like a goddamn maniac.  However, our little friend, the Mist Elemental, shocks the poo poo out of him.  It was so quick I don't know if it was some kind of reactive armor or ranged attacks or what.  The Mist Elemental causes him to dismount in short order.  You think this would be stab time, but no.  The Mist Elemental butchered him so quickly and efficiently I never even got the chance to position for a backstab.  Mist Elemental MVP cat killer.  Cats hate farts I guess.  A lot. The Forge of Urath  Yago: Follow me, Joseph. Yago: There is one last thing we must do. Yago: *Some magic phrase or somethin*   Yago: This, Joseph, is the Forge of Urath. Yago: From these fires, the god made our ancestors, the winged Sudani. You can see statues of the three gods in the corners of this room, this one is Amasido.  Yago, I have the four Rings. What more do I need to do? Yago: Individually, the Rings are powerful. But, not powerful enough. The Summoner who places the Rings together in the Forge of Urath can unite the four as one. One all powerful ring, you are the first in thousands of years to fulfill the Summoner's destiny.  But, how do I put the Rings in the flame? Yago: By placing them on your hand, and submerging them in the Forge. Put my hand in the fire?! Are you mad? Yago: A mere mortal would be destroyed. But you are the Summoner, the Sahugani. You were born with this power, and chosen for this destiny. Yago: Do not be afraid, the flames will not harm you. You will be invincible...   Yago: Hahaha! Yes! By destroying these Rings, Sahugani, you have freed the demons from their prison.  Congratulations!  Yago: Only a Summoner could have accomplished such a feat. You have been most obliging. Help! Yago: And Flece, you too have been quite useful. We will pay the fee we agreed upon. Yago: May your gold give you pleasure until the end of your days. Flece, you betrayed me! No! Yago said he wanted the Rings, he promised he wouldn't hurt you. Now that you have what you want, Yago, let him go.She seems very calm and composed after seeing her friends hand melted off and 3 legendary demons of myth standing around the room.  Yago: Oh no! Joseph is bound for Orenia! He shall be a gift to our friend, the Emperor Murod. Why are you doing this?! Yago: We have no more use for the man you knew as Yago. It is time we revealed our true nature! ??: I know you remember me, Joseph. For you summoned me in the village of Ciran. It was I who destroyed your people and cursed your memory for all eternity!   NOOOO!!! (DO NOT WANT) Surprise! It's a Second Chaos party!The Road to Orenia  The demons now unleashed, General Pijian returned to Orenia with his prisoner. A gift for the Emperor Murod.  Though the Summoner had lost his powers, Murod could not dispose of him. If Joseph were to die a new Summoner would be born to take his place.  So, the Emperor entombed his nemesis in a chamber below the Tower of Eleh. There he would live out his days.  Having betrayed her friend, Flece returned to Iona. With Rosalind and Jekhar, she hoped to journey to Orenia and free Joseph from the tower.  But, Jekhar had sworn to defend the Queen. And she would remain on Iona as the demons ravaged the kingdom.  Thus, Rosalind and Flece set sail for Orenia. Seeking the Tower of Eleh, and the Summoner's living tomb. Looks like we're in a bit of a pickle! Gildiss fucked around with this message at 04:58 on Sep 13, 2015 |
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Jul 24, 2015 23:33
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gently caress yeah! That's a sharp-rear end turn into Act 2.
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Jul 25, 2015 00:33
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Oooh, that's the best subversion of the Wise Old Mentor I've seen since Jade Empire (and probably even a better one than that was). Bonus points for Fleece being so good at backstabbing she helps ambush the PLAYER.
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Jul 25, 2015 04:35
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And Joseph has just potentially destroyed the world. Surprised that wasn't put on the list.
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Jul 25, 2015 05:31
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Hahahah, that was loving smooth, Yago is loving brilliant. "THAT SEEMS REAL DANGEROUS!" "Oh no, no, don't worry, you're the Chosen One! The prophecies say it's completely safe!" EDIT: Also I guess this means Jekhar is probably the smartest person in the party, considering that he has neither A) betrayed all of humanity and B) was pretty much right about Joseph being nothing but a big pile of trouble for everyone and everything.
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Jul 25, 2015 05:32
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This is the other reason I go to the Khosani first, so that I can enjoy the minotaur a little bit longer before we lose him. Also, the music for Lenele part 2 is the same music they used for the trailer.
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Jul 25, 2015 07:55
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Hey, look on the bright side, at least now you can finally get that damned lucky charm and get that poor sailor out of there. Also, say hello to the best level in the game.
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Jul 25, 2015 08:22
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This is why my memories of the game are so clear despite it being fourteen years since I played it.
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Jul 25, 2015 11:45
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McTimmy posted:This is why my memories of the game are so clear despite it being fourteen years since I played it. RPG for computers have seen a constant improvement in graphic and mechanic, but storylines and characters have become more and more stale and based on cliché in the last years. Good works like these, with elemets good enough to stand up on their own, tend to leave an enduring impression.
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Jul 25, 2015 23:59
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vancho1 posted:By the way, the "potion that can turn water into ice" is a Kurt Vonnegut reference - it's Ice-9 from the novel Cat's Cradle. Notice that the sorcerer "Nutengov" is an acronym of "Vonnegut". That's a cool detail. I'd have thought it was from Demolition Man or something. Also, forgot that now we have the whole team together, well now apart again, I can post the source of their conversation pictures.     Jekhar rules.
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Jul 26, 2015 03:04
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Are we sure Jekhar is actually human and not just a civilized and well spoken bear?
OminousEdge fucked around with this message at 04:19 on Jul 28, 2015 |
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Jul 26, 2015 05:20
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So what happens to the rings now? Do you lose them (and the time spent on grinding) or does the even just release the demons, leaving the summons intact?
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Jul 27, 2015 12:45
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Szurumbur posted:So what happens to the rings now? Do you lose them (and the time spent on grinding) or does the even just release the demons, leaving the summons intact? The fire melted them. They don't exist anymore. It ain't called the "Forge of Urath" for nothing. Plus he has no hand now. No hand == no summon mark. No summon mark == no summons. Plus no hand == no 2handed weapons or shield. Time for fun times That last line ain't really a spoiler, it's common sense. I'm just marking it just in case.
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Jul 27, 2015 17:38
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Part 13 - The Tower of Eleh Soundtrack - Forbidden  Flece has arrived at Eleh. This is a really fun section (If you enjoy stealth, and stealth kills.)  Flece has some new duds for this as well.  Not bad, but until late game, the whole body armor items are always a bit less defense than torso and leg armor combined.  This is about 50% of what this section entails.  This is the other 50%.  There are about 3 of these types of enemies in the sea of soldiers and officers.  Don't worry, you'll be leaving soon, once every guard and soldier here is dead. So about 15 minutes.    Should make a flipbook.  This is the entrance at the ground level. I decide not to go in just yet.  Flece can't leave as well.  Here we are stabbing someone a bit higher up on the scaffolds.  There is Murod's ugly mug above the ground entrance.  So I force him to watch me stab a soldier.  Near the top there is a tunnel. Sadly can't sneak up on this guy so just have to do the trip dance.  Punish you? Yiyin: Our situation is grim, stranger. The slavers have abandoned us here. We will die of thirst if we cannot escape. Please find the key! There's an overseer who carries it on his belt. Stabbing someone at another vantage point of Murod's face.  That's some hat. I'm sure the slaves that had to make it really appreciated him insiting the hat be built as well.  This is the current 'Top' of Eleh. Still very much a WIP.   We find the overseer walking above the pit, constantly berating them. They must be how they spotted the keys, and his nads.  There is a little shack here though, wonder what is inside.  No door. Just something lying out in plain sight.  Oh man, somebody is losing their clearance after this!  We return with the overseer's key.   They seem pretty tough, these slaves.  Sounds like Murod has total domination within his grasp now, maybe Joseph can hand it to him?  Do you have the earring the rat catcher gave you?Chengdai: You mean Humbus? From Lenele? Before I was captured, I gave it to my brother Likai, a soldier of the Jade Temple. You might find him in Wolong. How were you captured?Chengdai: Imperial soldiers came to my village and forced all able-bodied men and women to march to the tower. Fortunately, my brother had already left for Wolong.Unfortunately, the earring had already bestowed enough anti-luck on me to get me enslaved and thrown into the pit as a death sentence!  You have something? Xueli: The scale of a dragon. It belonged to Gaodi II, the last true Emperor of Orenia. Where did you get this?Xueli: A man named Naxue gave it to me. He was an official in the court of Gaodi II. When Murod seized the throne, Naxue was sent to Eleh. He brought this dragon's scale here with him. Naxue was sent to Eleh?Xueli: Before he died, he gave me the scale. He said that I should give it to the child the Jade Temple's prophecy.That skelton must be Naxue. Thank mr naxue. Where are the other three?Xueli: I do not know. They belonged to the last true Emperor. His supporters may have hidden them. The scales have been passed down from Emperor to Emperor ever since the battle of nine sparrows, when the kingdoms of Orenia became one. I am hopeful you will find the other dragon scales. The scales themselves can be worn on the neck.  Inside on the upper level we find more soon-to-be corpses.  We find a cool model of the finished product.  And some dork admiring it.  Where is Joseph? Slave foreman: You seek the One-hand of the prophecy? In the bowels of the tower you'll find him. The Emperor keeps him under heavy guard. Where's your army, girl? I need no army.Slave foreman: Then you won't leave Eleh alive. A thousand soldiers guard this tower. A thousand more patrol the moutain pass.A thousand corpses then. Give me the key to his cell!Slave foreman: I don't have it, nor will you ever find it! If you surrender, I will spare your life. I will show you mercy. Better to live a slave than die a painful death.You might rethink that when Murod finds out you left the key to that cell on your desk in the office that doesn't even have a door! In fact, why doesn't Murod have that key on a chain around his neck?  At the center is an elevator run by another golem.  There are only 3 areas of the tower we can go to, the Upper, Lower, and Ground levels.  We head down to the Lower to find Joseph.  Find a nice piece of armor for Flece.  Stab some people. It's all good.  We finally locate Joseph. Time for some apologies. Note the stump arm.  I'm sorry I betrayed you, Joseph. Who sent you this time? Does Yago need my other hand? They found Yago wandering the streets of Lenele, mad and raving. He couldn't remember his name, and he nothing about the demons. Then Yago vanished, and I don't know where he is. And the demons? When Rosalind and I sailed from Medeva, the demons had already destroyed Lenele. The Duke of Tarhimun fought to retake the capital, but his knights perished at the walls of the city.Looking good, Joseph. We just need confirmation on the countryside and this civilization will be fully destroyed! Medeva: Ciran - Destroyed Masad - Destroyed Eglin - Destroyed Burnaan - Destroyed Nahm - Destroyed Lenele - Destroyed Iona - Active Saanavarh - Active *Joseph buries his face in his hand If I had known he was possessed by a demon, do you think I would have let you enter the temple? Yago promised he wouldn't hurt you. He only wanted... The rings, yes, he only wanted the rings! *Joseph shouts, losing his temper.* But you were willing to steal them from me! After all we went through: the catacombs, Ikaemos, the Ordeal! What happened to all your gold? I would have given you half, *Flece protests.* I had my debts to pay, and you wanted nothing to do with your prophecy! Or have you forgotten that already? Besides, I gave it away to Mahri the crooked. She needed the money.Half the gold is fitting what with only having half his hands. A guilty conscience? That must be something new for you, *Joseph says glumly.* How long have I been here? You've been here three months. Three months? Feels like three hundred years. Why didn't the Emperor kill you? When I die, a new Summoner will be born, so Murod wants me alive for as long as possible. Don't think I haven't considered ruining his peace of mind. What happpened to Jekhar and Rosalind? Jekhar still hates you for what happened in Ciran. He remained on Iona to protect Galienne. His first duty was to the Queen, he said. *Joseph stares silently at the floor of his cell.* Rosalind is waiting for us in Wolong, it's a village south of here on the Lake of Sorrows. The Gatherers live there. The Gatherers? Who are they? The Gatherers are healers, and they might help you restore your power. Rosalind went to find them. Wolong is also a stronghold of the Jade Temple. The Society of the Jade Temple? Aren't they the ones who killed Tancred? Their leader Aoqi is the one who poisoned him. She's the orenian woman I saw in the palace, the woman in white. What happened to Tancred is between me and Aoqi, but the Jade Temple can help you fight Murod. So what do we do now? You can help us fight Murod and the demons, or you can sit here and wait for death. And so, Joseph continued on his journey spreading misfortune and devastation.  And we got some sweet new gear for him.  Nothing stellar, but it looks cool, and that's what really matters.  And it let's us prominently display the stump.  We make our way to the ground floor, so we can walk right out the exit.  Who are you?Jinghui: My name is Jinghui. I am a slave, forced to work on the Tower of Eleh. Tower of Eleh?Jinghui: You must know the story of Eleh, how the gods built a tower and conquered the cities of heaven? That tower stood here, in the mountains of Orenia. Why rebuild the tower?Jinghui: Murod believes he is a god and the heir of heaven's throne. He dreams of ruling creation as he now rules over Orenia. Yet we have a long way to go. The first tower was built by gods. We are frail and hungry mortals. If Murod thinks he's a god, what's another twenty years? or two hundred? Or two thousand? A slave?Jinghui: Bandits raided my village and kidnapped me. I was sold in the market of the City of Twilight. The Emperor's slavers forced us to march to Eleh. I was fortunate to survive the journey. That is why I do not despair, when so many have given up. I live for those who have died. Though the One-hand endures a living death, I still dream of freedom.*Waves stump around* Literally talking to you. Those who have died?Jinghui: The crimes of Murod are too horrible to name. Even now, some slaves are trapped in a pit at the top of the tower. They will die of exposure if they are not saved. I won't tell.Jinghui: Thank you, stranger. You are kind to me. You are not one of the slavers are you? Where have you come from? Why are you here?I kind of sequence broke this convo. I am looking for the Summoner.Jinghui: The One-hand of the prophecy? They locked him in a cell below the tower, and the people of Orenia have lost all hope. People have lost all hope?Is it because Joseph is now on their continent? Jinghui: Even Aoqi and the warriors of the Jade Temple are losing their fight against the Emperor. Murod's generals have captured the stronghold of Lord Shangao. I've heard rumor that General Pijian has returned from Medeva and leads the attack against Aoqi's rebellion. We fear the Society of the Jade Temple will soon be crushed. Prophecy?The one that states the forge won't melt my hand? Jinghui: The priests of the Jade Temple said the Summoner would destroy Murod. But now the One-hand has lost his rings, his power, and his freedom.I guess the whole One-hand name implies he lost that as well. Or maybe they think he always had one hand?  If old One-hand can escape, so can you!  Here is the exit, we're almost there.  Unfortunately this rear end sounds the alarm even though Flece was sneaking!  This gets the gate shut on us, with no way to open it.  He gets his just rewards. And we get a long walk back to the upper level and down all the scaffolding again!  But, Joseph makes it out and is unleashed upon the world once more.
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Jul 31, 2015 13:23
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Without his summoning ability, does Joseph have anything special he can do? Or is he just a meat wall to distract enemies while Flece cuts their spines in half?
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Jul 31, 2015 13:59
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PurpleXVI posted:Without his summoning ability, does Joseph have anything special he can do? Or is he just a meat wall to distract enemies while Flece cuts their spines in half? Summoner:but only for half the game* I'm guessing, I haven't played the game.
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Jul 31, 2015 14:17
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PurpleXVI posted:Without his summoning ability, does Joseph have anything special he can do? Or is he just a meat wall to distract enemies while Flece cuts their spines in half?
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Jul 31, 2015 14:21
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*Joseph buries his face in his hands.* Never noticed that before Lessee. Joseph can cast heal, fire, and holy spells - all very good things. Also Dark if you've been putting points into that (I usually don't). He's still a descent (and our only for the time being) melee tank. Plus, if you're specializing in blunt weapons (and you should), you can get the best blunt weapon in the game right now if you know what you're doing (and it's one-handed to boot!). Though for the immediate future, the game really is Flece's trip and backstab show. mauman fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Jul 31, 2015 |
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Jul 31, 2015 18:05
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Gildiss posted:
I have some mod that rebalances many things in this game, making it generally harder, but it also makes whole body armors better so you have more incentive to use them.
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Jul 31, 2015 18:22
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Disco Infiva posted:I have some mod that rebalances many things in this game, making it generally harder, but it also makes whole body armors better so you have more incentive to use them. I've tried that mod. You need to modify enemy sight range though as Random encounters become stupidly hard if you leave them as they are.
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Jul 31, 2015 19:12
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You know, having one hand must really suck for Joseph, especially if his Summoner hand was the one he used for "Private" time with himself.
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Aug 1, 2015 04:42
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mauman posted:I've tried that mod. Summoner Items and Balancing Mod/Hack v1.0? I never edited anything, no wonder it was hard as gently caress 
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Aug 1, 2015 09:03
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Disco Infiva posted:Summoner Items and Balancing Mod/Hack v1.0? I think that's the one. One thing it does is MASSIVELY increase enemy sight range. That's ok in a small increments if only to prevent firewall abuse. It's bad when it's increased to the point that every monster in an encounter instantly knows you're there.
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Aug 1, 2015 09:28
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OminousEdge posted:You know, having one hand must really suck for Joseph, especially if his Summoner hand was the one he used for "Private" time with himself.  Life, uh... finds a way.
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Aug 2, 2015 01:31
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So in another thread I discovered a startling fact. This was written by Dan Harmon of Community and Rick and Morty fame. If you don't know what Rick and Morty is then please, GET ON OVER TO
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Aug 3, 2015 06:50
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Gildiss posted:So in another thread I discovered a startling fact. This was written by Dan Harmon of Community and Rick and Morty fame. I don't know how "written" it was, it came from the improv troupe, the Dead Alewives, he was part of. The super annoying voice (of the demon, "Oh man, I got an ogre-slaying knife; it's got a +9 against ogres!") is Rob Schrab, for example. There's at least one other sketch with these characters where a player brings his girlfriend and the DM freaks out about it. Dan Harmon is the voice of the DM. The MP3 comes from the Dead Alewives CD. It floated around the early internet and the Summoner guys probably heard it and decided to animate it to some of their characters.
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Aug 3, 2015 14:21
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I have to say, I like a game that's willing to betray its title, if only for a little while. Looking forward to the next installment of
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Aug 4, 2015 23:27
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Part 14 - Wolong Talks Soundtrack - Desert  We have urgent business in Wolong! So Joseph gets lost in the desert for a couple days.  They've got minotaurs here.  Decked out death knights.  Mummy!  And godddamn bacites!  Along with Murod's fanciest wizards.  They put Joseph on ice.  Break glass in case of prophecy.   Tathal the Wanderer: I grew up in a village on Lake Rhisa. My family served a devil of a lord, whose bailiff whipped us worse than cattle. After my father's death, I began to wander and roam. Your father's death?Tathal the Wanderer: My father worked a field so barren only rocks and stones would grow there. Three years after my mother died in childbirth, my father surrendered to the gods. Surrendered?Tathal the Wanderer: The old man hung himself from the rafters of our cottage. I clapped and laughed to see my father hover above the floor. 'What magic is this?' I thought. 'My father is the greatest sorcerer alive.' But his face was gray as ash, and I knew Laharah had taken him. What did you do?Tathal the Wanderer: I journeyed up the Darhu River, begging and thieving my way to the sea. I would travel to Orenia, and the Galadian Archipelago, and the cities of the Iomani. Do you know Bilan of Nahul?Tathal the Wanderer: Of course. I was her father's disciple many years ago, at about the time Murod came to power. I brought her to Iona.*You give him the scroll, explaining how you met Bilan on the island of Iona.* Tathal the Wanderer: Her father wrote down his teachings before his death. I gave this to Bilan when we parted ways. Let me give you something in return. *Tathal fishes into his pack and draws from it a large, blue scale.* It's a dragon's scale! It used to belong to the Emperor, but his followers hid it away when Murod seized the throne. I traded a snuff box for it, and it's brought me good luck.  This makes scale 2/4.  We find a small group of people. Looks like there are even a couple of Medevans here.  Rokhuls prowl this zone in packs of 3. Can't be tripped. Tedious.   Can tell Joseph's wave of despair has reached these fine people.  Even the merchant is only marginally excited about selling stuff. And boy does he have something to sell.  Love these names 'Foecleaver', 'Spineslicer', but the real thing of note is this 'Debasser'. 75 damage, 1 handed blunt weapon. Special trait. It has a chance to knock foes down. Just imagine that. Jekhar and Joseph going caveman on enemies just setting them up for pro 360 no-scope backstabs. Only the coolest of weapons will make me remove this from their hands.  With our new weapons and dragon scale now aquired we can finally show up to a prophetic welcome in Wolong! Stronghold of our friends at the Jade Temple! Wolong  When Laharah murdered Urath at the end of the third Araeugeth, the dragon of Wolong mourned for 1,000 years and his tears formed the Lake of Sorrows.  But, each year when the monsoons came, the rain would fill the dragon's heart with grief and he wept once again.  The people who lived on the Lake of Sorrows feared their village would be washed away by the dragon's tears. And so, they made offerings to appease the dragon and distract him from his grief.  With festivals and music, laughter and dance, the people of Wolong saved their village from the floods. Soundtrack - Wolong  We arrive at night, again.  General Pijian is General Party Killer!  Zhimin: General Pijian and his soldiers occupy the village. Occupy the village?Zhimin: At dawn we woke to the ringing of the tower bell. The General's soldiers marched in the streets. They came without warning. Our sentries were dead. Your sentries were dead?Zhimin: We were betrayed. A villager killed our sentries. That is why we had no time to run or fight. The General made us gather in the square. What happened in the square?Zhimin: General Pijian divided the people of Wolong: Those who would die, those who would be slaves, and those who would be spared. Those who would be spared?Zhimin: Pijian allowed the sculptors to stay. They labor in the workshop, carving statues of Murod. Others serve the General and his soldiers. I do not know why he spared me. Those who would be slaves?Zhimin: Pijian branded them with the Usurper's Mark. They marched to the Tower of Eleh. They will work as slaves until death comes to free them. Those who would die?Zhimin: Those who fought for Aoqi and the Jade Temple were executed in the square. This is why the village smells of blood. Tell me about Aoqi.Zhimin: Aoqi leads the society of the Jade Temple. They are fighting against Murod. Wolong is her home. Tell me about the Usurper.Zhimin: Murod, the man who calls himself Emperor. Long ago, he was leader of the Jade Temple and served Gaodi II. Murod betrayed the Emperor and stole his throne. What happened to the Jade Temple?Zhimin: The priests of the Jade Temple prophesied that the One-Hand would end his reign. For this, the Emperor killed them. Those who escaped hid in the wilderness. Now they lead the rebellion. Who is the One-Hand?Zhimin: A great warrior! The One-Hand will defeat Murod and bring peace to Orenia. The sparrows say he escaped from Eleh and will come here to Wolong. I have a message for him. A message for the One-Hand?Zhimin: A Medevan woman waits for him in the forest west of the village. Her name is Rosalind. She has found a Gatherer who will heal him. They are keepers of lore. They guard the secrets of flowers. They can speak to the trees and to the plants of this valley. Where is Aoqi now?Zhimin: Six days ago, a messenger came to Wolong. 'Imperial soldiers have attacked the stronghold of Shangao. My lord beseeches you to come to our aid.' Aoqi departed with many of her soldiers. I pray she will return to free our village. Who killed the sentries?Zhimin: A rice merchant named Minhe cut their throats. He is a traitor. Fine, let's go in and check out who is left alive here.  Oh it's you. You rear end. How did you get your revenge? Minhe: I am the one who told Pijian where the sentries were. I am the one who cut their throats at dawn with this very knife. All Peizhi had to do was name the rebels. Tell me about Peizhi.Minhe: That simpering fool! All his moaning and regrets! Do I regret what I have done? No! The sweetest fruit isn't Peizhi's tangerine but revenge! Tell me about Aoqi.Minhe: Her people say she fights the tyranny of Murod. Bah! The only tyrants in Wolong are the outlaws who terrorize our village! Murderers and renegades, the whole lot of them! The Society of the Jade Temple murdered my own flesh and blood, they did! Murdered?Minhe: Yes, and for what? Refusing them food. Refusing them shelter. If armed ruffians came to your door, would you open your home to them? Wolong is a pretty nice map, and very large in size.  This widow? Gulan the Mourner: Pijian would have killed me too if he knew how dangerous I was. My husband was a hunter, and we lived on the wild game of the valley. Two autumns ago, he died fighting a boar, and I took up the spear to feed my daughter. Now I think only of revenge. Who are you?Gulan the Mourner: My name is Gulan. I mourn the death of my sister. The soldiers killed her and took my daughter to Eleh. My daughter is strong, and she will endure. Murod will never break her spirit. But others are weaker, and I fear they will not survive. Why did they kill your sister?Gulan the Mourner: Because she was a soldier of the Jade Temple. The merchant Peizhi denounced her in the square. She died with the others who fought against Murod. Jade Temple?Gulan the Mourner: Their leader is named Aoqi. She will save the Stronghold of Shangao, and she will return to save us. If the Stronghold falls, the Lake of Sorrows will soon be lost. After the defeat of the One-Hand, people have begun to lose hope. Who is the One-Hand?Gulan the Mourner: Who is the One-Hand? How is it you've never heard of him? *Gulan gives you a quizzical look. Suddenly, her eyes grow wide.* You... You are the One-Hand! You must find the Gatherers at once! Sizhe waits for you in the forest! You must hurrty!Finally, the response Joseph must have been fishing for. Also, instead of hurrying, let's chit chat some more. Tell me about Sizhe.Gulan the Mourner: Sizhe and I were friends long ago. As a boy, he went exploring in the caverns. Something terrible happened down there, but he would never tell me. When he came back, he was changed. 'The one you knew as Sizhe is dead.' He once told me, and I wept. Tell me about the Gatherers.Gulan the Mourner: With their gifts, they'll make you fall in love or kill your enemies without a trace. The villagers of Wolong shun them, and so the Gatherers live in the wilderness. Who is Peizhi?Gulan the Mourner: A fruit merchant and a traitor. The General gathered the people in the square, and Peizhi named those who were soldiers in the Jade Temple. When Aoqi returns, the traitors will die. Peizhe and Minhe. Minhe killed the sentries who watched over us as we slept. This is how General Pijian took Wolong without a fight. We awoke to find the Emperor's soldiers in our streets.Gotta meet this Peizhi!  We go around messing up the lone patrols we find walking the streets, but hark! This one isn't budging.   Haidi: I'm just celebrating our heroic victory over the people of WOlong. Heroic victory?Haidi: We put brave soldiers to the sword! We branded the innocent to work and die as slaves! Is this not heroic? My heart sings with pride that I bloodied my sword this day! Your heart sings with pride?Damnit, Joseph! He's being sarcastic! Haidi: I'm so full of pride I'll drown myself in this pond. Another bottle of wine will do. I drink for courage, for a man who raises his sword against the innocent is a coward. If only I had never joined the army! My family had a cottage, a plow, and an ox. I'd be dreaming of adventure, yes, but they'd be innocent dreams. Innocent dreams?Haidi: Whose hand holds the sword but mine? Not the Emperor's. Not the General's. When the world is made whole again, and justice returns to Orenia, I will be made to answer for my crimes. Unless I drown myself first. What is your advice, stranger? Live and redeem yourself.Haidi: Redeem myself? How? Aoqi will return.Haidi: Ah, now I understand. Fight for the Jade Temple, you mean! I'll think on your advice. Thank you, friend. The infamous Peizhi. What happened??Peizhi: General Pijian seized Wolong and gathered the villagers in the square. The General said he knew me to be a loyal subject of the Emperor. If I would help him, he would reward me. I named the villagers who had fought for the Jade Temple. I denounced those who had taken up arms against the Emperor. In Wolong, many had joined Aoqi's rebellion. What happened next?Peizhi: *Peizhi breaks down and sobs.* All that blood! All that blood on my hands! If only the prophecy of the One-Hand would come true!Careful what you wish for, bub. What is your name?Peizhi: I used to be know as Peizhi, and I was a merchant of great renown on the Lake of Sorrows. I made my wealth shipping fruit that grows along the Lake of Sorrows. Mangosteens and oranges, dates and pomelos, persimmon and ginko. The tears of the dragon nourish them with magic. Who are you now?Peizhi: I am no one. Nothing. Not a man at all. I'm a miserable creature, lower than the dung flies. Even the dung fly serves its purpose. I do not deserve to live! I betrayed my friends. I sold my neighbors. SOld them for bags of silver, I did, and for all my trouble they lost their heads.Ok bye.  Seriously this map is huge, village, forest, surrounding fields, and the huge stairs up to the mountain cave.  What are you doing here?Anzhi: Yesterday I came to paint, waiting for the sun to rise, when General Pijian and his soldiers marched by! I huddled behind a rock until it was clear and then I ran for my life!Ok, make a note of this sentence, because I hate it. Ran for your life?Anzhi: I am a miserable coward! All my belongings I left in the village: paints, brushes, poems, and ink. I tried to sneak back, but soldiers are everywhere! A miserable coward?Anzhi: I was a soldier before I was a painter. When I turned of age, I joined the Imperial Army. How proud I was of my sword and armor. Until I fought my first battle. Unspeakable horrors. A massacre on the field. My friends died headless and disemboweled. I ran. Ran into the forest. I ran until I came here. I have only one desire now. To make people happy. My art is about beauty and joy, even in the midst of all this suffering. My poems are sung during the festival, to help the dragon forget his sorrow. Tell me about the festival.Anzhi: The rainy season makes the dragon sad. He remembers then the death of Urath. If he weeps too much, Wolong will flood, so the festivals keep the dragon happy. Who are you?Anzhi: My name is Anzhi. I am a painter and a poet. Many come to this valley for inspiration. There's no place more beautiful in all Orenia, for here is the home of the Dragon of the Lake. I've seen it with my own eyes! One morning, I spied in the faint light of dawn a shadowy form break the surface of the water. I swear it was the dragon, but no one belives me.Dragon is sounding more and more like Loch Ness monster.  And off at the far edge we find a new type of soldier. A friendly one.  Who am I, then? Quiye: You are the One-Hand, and you shall free Orenia in fulfillment of the prophecy! Fulfillment of the prophecy?This isn't the first drat time you've heard of it, Joseph! Quiye: All our hopes rest on you! Heal yourself. Seek out the Gatherers. Sizhe waits for you in the forest near the village. Tell me about the Gatherers.Quiye: The tears of the dragon give life to all that grow in this valley. Strange and powerful are these plants. The Gatherers speak their language. What can you tell me about Aoqi?Quiye: Aoqi was victorious at the Stronghold of Lord Shangao. The armies of the Jade Temple are now a few hours march from Wolong. We will attack at dawn. What are you doing here?Quiye: I am a scout. Pijian and his soldiers occupy Upper Wolong. Do not fight them until Aoqi returns. Even so, the odds will not be in our favor.Pfft. I don't have to listen to you. Why won't the odds be in our favor?Quiye: Our soldiers are tired. They have fought hard, and they have marched a long way without rest. Pijian's soldiers are greater in number and in strength. How can we help?It doesn't turn out well in the end everytime you say this. Quiye: Complete the ritual of healing. We need your gifts if we are to defeat Pijian and Murod. You are Orenia's only hope. Since the day you were captured, our people began to despair, and the rebellion suffered many losses. If we fail here, the Society of the Jade Temple will be crushed. Back in the village, we find a couple of bureaucrats doing paperwork.  Lots of it.   Fachu: We'll never finish our report at this rate, and the General will send us to Eleh if we fail! Who are you?Fachu: My name is Fachu, and I am a clerk in the Imperial Civil Service. The bureaucracy of the empire is vast and powerful. How powerful is it?Fachu: The bureaucracy controls everything within the Emperor's domain: taxation, trade, judicial proceedings, and the administration of the prefectures and provinces of Orenia. Bureaucrats control everything?A true nightmare situation. Fachu: When the Emperor completes that ghastly tower and storms the walls of heaven, we'll have to keep records for all things in creation. We'll catalog every bird and fish in the cosmos. Ghastly tower?Fachu: A bureaucrat's nightmare! All the resources of Orenia are wasted on that monstrosity, all because the Emperor has the itch to conquer heaven! Stone, tools, provisions, workers... everything needs to be hauled in! A thousand years it will take to build it! Madness! *As if suddenly aware of his indiscretion, Fachu looks around him to make sure none of the soldiers heard him. He begins speaking in a hushed voice.* Ah, but the Emperor is the Emperor, neither logic nor exams are required of him. Exams?Fachu: Among bureaucrats, the status of your birth matters not. A beggar's son could become prefect if he goes to university and studies hard. Philosophy, law, and the classics we master. Philosophy, law, and the classics?Fachu: Please. Enough of this. You must leave Wolong at once. I'll pretend I never saw you. The last thing we need is more complications. We'll never finish our report as it is.Haha, I love it when people get tired of Joseph's constant turning sentences back into questions. More complications?Fachu: First the Gatherers escaped, and now a Medevan woman hides somewhere in the forest. This is no way to run an empire! And if you go around causing more trouble, you'll only make my life more difficult. Medevan woman?Fachu: A refugee, I gather. The news from Medeva is quite grim. Demons have destroyed all the cities and villages. The entire kingdom lies in ruin, so now Medevans are fleeing to Orenia.That's it! We did it! Confirmation from a class 5 Bureaucrat no less! Medeva: CIVILIZATION DESTROYED Ciran - Destroyed Masad - Destroyed Eglin - Destroyed Burnaan - Destroyed Nahm - Destroyed Lenele - Destroyed Iona - Active Saanavarh - Active Orenia: Wolong: Occupied Joseph is begun! Where is the Medevan woman?Fachu: Pijian's men were searching the forest. I pray they don't catch her, or I'll have to revise my report again.A true bureaucrat, haha. Tell me about the demons.Fachu: I know nothing about that. So long as Murod keeps them out of Orenia, we'll have order in the empire. As bad as things are here, they are much worse in Medeva. Abysmal records?Fachu: The Society of the Jade Temple keeps terrible records. There's not a bureaucrat among them! Report?Fachu: Yes, report! General Pijian insists that we send a full report to the Emperor by morning, but he demands the impossible! We must account for all goods seized, all goods destroyed, all casualties and executions. We must list the names of those still at large and those who have been sent to Eleh! Please, leave Wolong before they see you!Fachu is wonderful to talk to.  Those soldiers must be blind, because this is the 'forest' on the outskirts of the village.  And here is that 'Medevan woman' and the Gatherer. Rosalind is alive and well!  Tell me about the Gatherers. The Gatherers are healers, and they can speak to the plants that grow in this valley. General Pijian's soldiers have been searching for them. Why is Pijian searching for the Gatherers? They have the power to heal you, and this is why Pijian attacked Wolong. The Gatherers are hiding where they cannot be found. How can Sizhe help us? Sizhe will explain, but before you talk to him, there's something important I need to tell you. Something important? There are eight rings of Summoning, Joseph, not four. Eight rings? Do you remember how the Khosani called you Sahugani? That means People of the Eight Rings. When we visited Saanavarh, I wondered why the Khosani called you Sahugani instead of Sahudoni, which means People of the Four Rings. Why didn't you say anything? *Rosalind shakes her head.* I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Joseph. At the time, I despised you for what Yago had done to my mother. I hated you because Laurent made me join your quest. Besides, all I had was a suspicion, nothing more. Do the Khosani know? The Khosani made the rings, but Rhukha vanished in Orenia before he finished his quest. Even the Khosani might not know that the dragon rings still exist. Rhukha? Rhukha vanquished the four demons, and this ended the Chaos of ten thousand years. Then Rhukha disappeared. No one knows what happened to him or the four dragons. The lore of Summoners was forgotten ages ago. Only my father knew much about it. With the Abbot's help, I found the books my father studied. That's how I learned about the four dragons. Your father? Machival, the demon of darkness, possessed my father. Machival wanted to free the demons but leave the dragons trapped in the rings. This is why Yago never told you about the dragons. Why leave the dragons trapped? Because the dragons and demons are eternal enemies. During the Chaos of ten thousand years, their war nearly destroyed the world. Who are the four dragons? There's the dragon of water, the dragon of the four winds, the dragon of the forest, and the dragon of jade. The Ring of Water is here in Wolong. How do you know the Ring of Water is here? Sizhe has seen it! A ghost named Ngaru guards the Ring in the caverns of Wolong. There's also a fisherman who once saw the dragon with his own eyes.Well, we saw a fisherman, but he was blind. A fisherman? His name is Zhimin. I met him at the docks. He helped me find the Gatherers. Talk to him and he will tell you his story.Bullshit, that guy is blind as hell. Join us. Let's go. Sizhe will explain the healing ritual to you, and let's ask Zhimin to tell us about the dragon.Rosalind is back. Jekhar must be off cleaving demons in twain.  Tell me about the Ring you saw?Sizhe: The caverns are haunted by ghosts. There I met the spirit of Ngaru of the Drowned City. He had the Ring that destroyed his home. You will need to go there to complete your healing, but for now, stay away from the caverns. Stay away from the caverns?Sizhe: Pijian's soldiers guard the only path. I can help you get past them, but now is not the time. Kept vigil?Sizhe: Pijian's soldiers chased us into the wilderness, but the Gatherers know every stone and tree in this valley. The people of Wolong were not so Fortunate. Many were put to the sword. All for your sake, One-Hand, for the Emperor knew you would come. You must make yourself worthy of their sacrifice. You must avenge the slain.What is one village compared to a civilization? They died for my sake?Sizhe: You are the One-Hand. You are the child of prophecy. You are the Summoner born. Your destiny and the destiny of Orenia are one. To restore your hand, we must perform a ritual. You will need four things: an onyx carp, a stick of charcoal, a widow's knife, and a traitor's rice bowl. Why do I need these things?Good question. Sizhe: I asked for the carp because its blood will cleanse you. I ask for the charcoal to write the runes of healing. I ask for a widow's knife because hers is the blade of vengeance. I ask for the traitor's bowl so that good might come from an evil man.Wow and a good answer in return. A rarity among fantasy mcguffins. Tell me about the Gatherers.Sizhe: In this valley, life is abundant, mysterious, and powerful. All things thrive with the secret of creation. The Gatherers are keepers of this secret.I like how all the cultures have people associated with the Aosi, language of the gods, and they all deal with it in very different ways. The Khosani have the lore keepers, Orenia the Gatherers, and Medeva  has the monks of Iona. We find one of the sculptors taking a, certainly not government mandated, break. What are you doing?You are not carving statue #205,645 of our glorious Emperor, Murod. Songli: I escaped the workhouse, Pijian has ordered us to carve statues for Murod's tower. He works us like slaves. When they find a way to move the stone to Eleh, we will be forced to go there with the others. A stone carver?Songli: The people of Wolong mine limestone, jade, and marble in this valley. The stone is soft and easy to carve, if you know the craft. How did you learn the craft?Songli: The secrets have been passed down through my family. Our people have carved stone for as long as the dragon has lived in the Lake of Sorrows. Tell me about the dragon.Songli: One night, I had a dream, the dragon said that we would be found by one who has been lost. When I awoke, I worked for seven days and nights to carve the dragon I saw in my dream.Songli withdraws from society... Songli has claimed a stoneworker's bench. You carved the dragon?Songli: All were amazed! Zhimin the blind fisherman, he has seen the dragon. When he touched my sculpture with his hands, he began to weep. In dreams, gods reveal the nature of things to mortal men.Zhimin is estatic. Zhimin lost the gift of sight recently. Zhimin admired a wonderful statue lately.  1 Mcguffin down.  1 imperial soldier down.   A beggar like those Jade Temple russians, that's what you are!2 Mcguffins down.  Zhimin: The waves tossed my boat, and I fell overboard. I tried to swim to shore, but the land was too far. My arms and legs felt like stone. But from the depths the dragon came. He carried me ashore. Then he spoke to me 'I have given you new life, but you must give me something in return.' What did you give the dragon?Two guesses, Joseph. Zhimin: I said to him, 'You are the most beautiful creature in all creation. I am not worthy to look upon you, so I will give you my eyes.' I returned to Wolong and in the caverns I sacrificed my eyes to the dragon of the lake.drat, Zhimin is hardcore. Sacrificed your eyes?Zhimin: In the caverns there is a place we call the dragon's mouth, an abyss where the people of Wolong made sacrifices to the dragon of the lake. Because the dragon mourns the death of Urath, he wept for a thousand years. This is how the Lake of Sorrows came to be. If the dragon weeps too much, the village will flood, and so the peoeple of Wolong learned to make him happy. Long ago, we made sacrifices. Now, in the rainy season we hold a festival so he will not be sad.It's much better for business as well. Where are the caverns?Zhimin: On the far side of Wolong, sixteen platforms rise up to the mouth of the caverns. Pijian's soldiers guard that path. Tell me about the onyx carp.Zhimin: A rare and elusive fish, but I have a bird who is clever enough. She will catch the onyx carp if you bring her a treat. She likes fruit. A mangosteen or persimmon. Do you have any? I have no fruit.Shameful.    3 Mcguffins down.  Ok, so remember how he mentioned he hid by some rocks when the soldiers arrived and ran away?  Not only are there no rocks nearby, like the location he is currently standing at. This is on the absolute other side of the village. So he ran away through the occupied village after hiding behind some 'rocks'? Took a drat hour of circling this place and every rock I could find to get this drat box.   Get bent, rear end in a top hat.  Sizhe: *Into Minhe's bowl. From his pouch he pulls herbs, roots, fungi, and powders. He mixes the ingredients together with his hands, and he sings a song in words you do not understand.* Give me your arm. The one with the wound. *Sizhe picks up the charcoal and inscribes a series of runes.* These are words of healing. They are powerful. *The Gatherer smears your arm with the blood from the bowl, then binds the wound with a long, white cloth. *Finally, Sizhe offers you the bowl.* You must drink this.The runes roughly translate to 'I love dongs in and around my mouth.' Also, drinking the bowl sounds like a prank as well. This must be why the people of Wolong shun the Gatherers. *Refuse to drink it.*Sizhe: Then neither your wound nor Orenia shall heal, *Sizhe says mournfully.* Many sacrifices will be demanded of you, One-Hand, but this will be the least of them. A hundred villagers died today because the Emperor knew you were coming to Wolong. For their sake, drink it! *Drink it. The warm liquid oozes down your throat, and you fight the urge to spit it back out. Through force of will, you drink the contents of the bowl.*Sizhe: You have but two things left to do, One-Hand, and you shall be healed.You must recite the words of healing. 'I am sofa king we todd edd.' Sizhe: You must enter the caverns of Wolong and eat the plant we call the Tail of the Rokhul. Tail of the Rokhul? Aoqi killed Tancred with that poison!Sizhe: *Nods.* Many enemies of the Jade Temple have met a similar fate. There is no cure. So how is this supposed to help Joseph?Sizhe: For those who undergo the ritual I have just performed the Tail of the Rokhul has the power to heal. You said I had to do two things.Sizhe: After you have eaten the Tail of the Rokhul, you must find the pool of wonders. A magical spring near the edge of a deep lake. You must go far underground, to the very bottom of the caverns. What do I do there?Sizhe: Cleanse your wound in the waters of healing, and you will be made whole again. What about Pijian's soldiers? Leave that to me. I got into the palace and the Tower of Eleh. I can sneak past Pijian and his men. What are you going to do? Carry us on your back? Stick us in your belt pouch? We can't fight an army.Rosalind's snark levels returning to normal. Sizhe: *Shakes his head.* Please. I will show you how. *From the folds of his robe he draws a crystal vial dangling from a leather cord. A luminous blue liquid shines within.* The Tears of Usaman. Very rare, for it is made from a flower that blooms but once every hundred years. The tears will make you invisible!But you have to be totally naked for it to work! Invisible?Sizhe: There is enough for three of you. But be warned: the power of the tears lasts only a short time. Once you drink the vial, you must hurry. I wish you luck, One-Hand. Pfft, I'll show him we don't need to drink tears. We are going to make some. Next time, the ascent and descent of the caverns.
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Aug 8, 2015 00:41
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You got the Debasser. Good man. It's arguably the best weapon in the game.
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Aug 8, 2015 02:21
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It is quite nice they tell you what all the crap they have you get is for exactly. Usually its "Go grab this poo poo. What? You want to know why? Because I told you to that's why! Now go do it."
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Aug 8, 2015 06:06
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Man, the Jade Temple guard looks like a watermelon-themed villain or something. That is a TERRIBLE colour combination. Also I look forward to dragon wizardry.
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Aug 8, 2015 06:57
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