|
I know there may not have been narrative space for it, but it could've been cool to have a scene before the abdication where Symon uses the scales and Serenoa has to decide where to place his coin. Just to show it from the other side.
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2022 19:54
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 8, 2024 16:36 |
|
|
I'll admit I've often wondered who Symon's seven token holders were. Still Benedict and Erador, presumably, and maybe Anna too, but even if you add Serenoa to that you're still three short, and the game isn't presenting any obvious candidates for the rest.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2022 20:20
|
|
|
MonsterEnvy posted:The profiles with one exception as he did not talk explain what each Minister is. Ah thank you. I entirely forgot to add that. MythosDragon posted:Hey, OOrochi, do you plan to try to cover all the in battle dialogue? I figure you'll probably leave who to field to votes like most SRPG LPs, but if you can list who has dialogue in that fight to tip the odd's that'd be a good idea I think. I am aiming to get all of the mid-battle dialogue I can, limited only because I'm not sure if there's a truly comprehensive list anywhere. For the deployments, I wasn't planning on having a vote for every fight since that'd end up with a lot of them and would slow things down dramatically. But once we get some more options to pick from, people should absolutely feel free to throw out suggestions for what characters they want to see and I'll do my best to adjust. Cattail Prophet posted:I'll admit I've often wondered who Symon's seven token holders were. Still Benedict and Erador, presumably, and maybe Anna too, but even if you add Serenoa to that you're still three short, and the game isn't presenting any obvious candidates for the rest. I'd add Symon's late wife, Destra, to it. But also, Anna is much closer in age (late 20s-early 30s) to Serenoa/Frederica (early 20s) than Benedict and Erador (late 40s-50s), so I'd generally doubt she'd be an option.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 18:43
|
|
|
Update 13: Exploring Hyzante Welcome back! Last time we ended as we were about to explore Hyzante. But instead of jumping in there immediately, we’ll be popping back to Glenbrook for another quick side story with Frani and Cordelia.    And you shan’t, for he has left. Took it upon himself to join the mission abroad. He did!? l...l see... Again, prioritizing his personal wishes above his station! Is there no end to his selfishness!? You haven't any love for him, have you? … Love? I would rather think of him as little as humanly possible. How can you say that? He's family— Royal family—and our duty is to the crown above all. Do not look to Roland for inspiration if you wish to carry yourself in a manner befitting your station, dear Cordelia. sighFrani walks off and the scene fades out.  And now we’ll actually head into Hyzante.  We start in the Ministry of Medicine, where the camera pans past our party to a set of researchers deeper in.   Ministry Official: I can only assume she received special permission, since Minister Lyla is showing her around.  Hmph. Ironic, considering the wishes of us researchers are hardly ever granted... Frederica overhears them and sighs. In a nice little touch, Serenoa notices and they have a quick unspoken moment while the others aren’t paying attention.   Normally, only Ministry staff are allowed in. Having outsiders view our work is unprecedented. We cannot thank you enough for your generosity. If I heard correctly, it sounds like you are researching life itself. That we are. In order to cure illnesses and injuries, we must set our sights high. Even illnesses deemed uncurable in other nations? There is no miracle panacea in this world, but we like to think nothing is impossible. ...Wonderful. And would you be willing to share those results with others, should you achieve them? If you believe in the Goddess's Teachings, yes. ...At least, that is what I would expect the Holy One to say. As she says that, one of the researchers enters the building. Ah, my apologies, but I must get back to work. You are free to take a look around. However, I ask you to not enter the restricted areas. Lyla leaves, but the researcher hangs back for a second.  Of course...nothing is "free" in the Ministry, nor anywhere in Hyzante. And of course, when people are forced to adhere to teachings...there are some who will resist. Who might you be? ...Just a researcher. Nothing more.The researcher follows Lyla out. What was his problem? … Serenoa. I could use some fresh air, if you don’t mind... But of course. Let us take a break outside. Better than before, thank you. But I should like to rest in the shade for a spell. But of course. Rest as long as you like. I should take a moment to get to know the city.And with that, we now have a chance to explore the city. Before we start talking to anyone in specific, we’ll run around town and collect all of the items. Going around town, we’ll find 2 HP Recovery Pellets and an Ice Stone, a single use consumable that can be thrown to deal ice damage to the target. However, that’s not all. We can talk to the soldier by Frederica to head back into the Ministry of Medicine itself.  Inside, we’ll find even more items, including another Ice Stone, 600 coins, and, most importantly, a new accessory on this bed. It’s an ice amulet, which increases the wearer’s ice resistance by 30%, which will come in handy in the very near future. Other than the items and a set of notes, there’s not much else to do in here so we’ll head back out.  Conveniently, both of this section’s conviction questions are right by the ministry. We’ll start with Frederica. I always knew that the Goddess and Her followers looked upon the Roselle with disdain, yet I cannot help but worry for my people... The sins they atone for are not their own. One cannot help but wonder why they must continue to pay for them... ...I was fortunate to be born outside the reaches of the Goddess's Teachings. Even the torment l endured at Thalas and Erika‘s hands was nothing compared to the life those in the Source lead... Everyone has the right to follow whatever creed they believe. but as someone who also has Rosellan blood in her veins, I find it...vexing, to say the least.  We’ll follow up with Minister Exharme.  Everyone in Hyzante knows the Goddess's Teachings. Obey the Teachings and serve your nation, and you shall receive the Goddess's blessing. It is not wealth that drives Hyzante, but the faith and happiness of her people. It seems idealistic to think a nation can be built on faith alone. If the people are left dissatisfied, will their faith not waver? What is Hyzante doing to address such dissatisfaction? We needn't do anything. You need only take a look around to see. There are no needs or desires left unmet here. I know that Aesfrost and Glenbrook still struggle with poverty and corruption... But here in Hyzante. things are different. The Goddess leaves none of Her followers wanting. ...I see. Thank you, Minister. Do the Saintly Seven have the people completely under their thumb?Talking with Minister Exharme also gets us a bit of knowledge about the Saintly Seven of Hyzante, for future conversations.  We can then learn more about Minister Exharme in specific by talking to the soldier next to him. Hyzantian Soldier: He may be young, but he is still a role model to us all. Though it seems he views Minister Sorsley with distaste... I had heard that Minister Exharme was in charge of military and diplomatic affairs, but it seems he goes above and beyond for his nation. I can't help but wonder from where his aversions to Minister Sorsley stem...  We’ll then head over to Sorsley’s Guard Captain, who specifically asks us to please stay away from The Source, before talking with Sorsley himself.   I can only imagine I was bestowed with such a venerable position in recognition of my unwavering faith to the Goddess. Minister Sorsley oversees all Hyzante's dealings in salt, the foundation of their nation's wealth... It is a crucial job, even among the Saintly Seven. With that, we get a bit of information about Sorsley’s Responsibilities to save for later.  Just to Sorsley’s right, is another set of guards blocking the way to The Source. If we go and talk to our party members, they all have their own thoughts on the city, but they generally fall into 2 camps. Hughette and Benedict marvel at how orderly and peaceful the city is, with Benedict especially thinking it might be worth learning from how the Teachings unite people. Meanwhile, Roland, Erador, and Anna all speak about how wonderful the city seems, but can’t quite shake the feeling that something’s off; Anna with the high presence of soldiers, Roland with the discrimination against the Roselle, and Erador’s still questioning the whole “nobody ever gets robbed” idea.  We’re just about done here. The last thing to do is to check out this guy with a symbol above his head. It signifies a merchant.  Merchants in explorations usually have a relatively limited stock, but they’re always either cheaper than buying them from the regular store, or are extra copies of normally limited items like upgrade materials. Since you can’t ever go back to an exploration merchant, I always make sure I have enough money to buy out a bunch of stuff before going into an exploration. In this case, I grab all of the upgrade materials at the bottom, and a few of each of the stones in case their element comes up.  After lightening our purse a bit, it’s time to end the exploration and regroup.  We got our hands on a fine souvenir thanks to Lady Frederica. It is quite the feat indeed! Serenoa has terrible taste when it comes to gifts. Thank you indeed, Frederica. It was my pleasure. Meanwhile, Benedict and Anna are having their own conversation on the side. ...No. Even now, Lord Symon commands great influence. We cannot let others know about his condition. I understand. Not even our allies can know of our weaknesses, lest they use them against us. Indeed. We cannot risk exposing ourselves to such danger for the young lord's sake as well... Just then there’s a clanging of metal. Hyzantian Citizen: Ahhh! What was that? It appears there is a stir around the Ministry. I shall investigate.Anna runs ahead.   But we fade out to the world map, to have one moment to prepare for the battle which will happen next time.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 18:44
|
|
|
OOrochi posted:For the deployments, I wasn't planning on having a vote for every fight since that'd end up with a lot of them and would slow things down dramatically. But once we get some more options to pick from, people should absolutely feel free to throw out suggestions for what characters they want to see and I'll do my best to adjust. I think there's a list somewhere in the Tristrat discord.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 19:04
|
|
|
I really like Erador because he may not be book smart, but he has good instincts and draws conclusions based off them. A nice change from the typical dumb tank, and even the "dumb tank with occasional deep insight"
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 19:49
|
|
|
Might this disturbance have something to do with the experiment we were not allowed to see?
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 19:49
|
|
|
I'm definitely in the 'There be something rotten in the state of Hyzante' camp. Too much theocracy is a major red flag, and I'm sure that this cliff-hanger incident has something to do with that.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 20:24
|
|
|
OOrochi posted:I am aiming to get all of the mid-battle dialogue I can, limited only because I'm not sure if there's a truly comprehensive list anywhere. Just learned the wiki lists what chapters individual characters have things to say but and a bunch of people contributed Here, hopefully between the two, its everything.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 20:48
|
|
|
I'm not quite sure about the nature of the Source. According to the map, it looks like a giant salt evaporation pond, with a statue in the middle? The goddess, I presume. But there's no river feeding the source? How does it work? And what exactly is the Roselles status in Hyzante? Are they like slaves? Mining the salt? This would explain why the goddess' teachings conveniently declare the Roselle to be unclean or so.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 22:23
|
|
|
Natural 20 posted:I think there's a list somewhere in the Tristrat discord. Good idea for the discord. I'll need to poke around and see. MythosDragon posted:Just learned the wiki lists what chapters individual characters have things to say but and a bunch of people contributed Here, hopefully between the two, its everything. Thanks for looking around! Those were what I was planning on working off, just not 100% sure that it's everything.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 22:36
|
|
|
Torrannor posted:I'm not quite sure about the nature of the Source. According to the map, it looks like a giant salt evaporation pond, with a statue in the middle? The goddess, I presume. But there's no river feeding the source? How does it work? Huh we can see the River feeding it 
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 22:47
|
|
|
MonsterEnvy posted:Huh we can see the River feeding it Oh, I just looked at the picture below, where the text box obscures the river. Thanks for pointing this out, that makes a lot more sense.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2022 23:04
|
|
|
Update 14: Apprehending the Rebels Welcome back! Last time we stopped right before investigating a disturbance in Hyzante.  We come in to see a bunch of guards injured or killed in front of the Ministry of Medicine. Some researchers at the Ministry ran off with its secrets. Tch... To think my Ministry was infiltrated by unbelievers! Unbelievers? At their head is a researcher named Plinius. who escaped with some of our most valuable findings. You must retrieve these documents for us, Exharme! Consider it done. ...But they could be anywhere in town by now. I will need all the eyes I can get on the lookout. I must remain here at the Ministry. Their spies may still be among us. Minister Exharme, we would be happy to be of service. ...We are in your debt, Lord Serenoa. … The men we pursue are researchers proficient in the arcane arts. The insight of one versed in their ways would be invaluable to us... Take Corentin with you. He is one of my most talented researchers. ...Corentin. You are to go with House Wolffort and help them retrieve our research from Plinius. ...As you wish, Minister. And with that, we head into battle.  Like normal, we get a splash screen before heading in. Notably, we only need to beat the boss to win. All of the other enemies are immaterial. That won’t stop me from taking them all out anyway, though.  Speaking of the boss, he is our first enemy mage. As might be expected, he’s not terribly physically imposing, other than the fact that he has a large HP pool. He has a passive that shifts his fire and ice resistances by 30%, resists some basic status effects, and has the basic plus-shaped AOE magic, this time in ice form.  And speaking of magic, the enemies this time have a neat gimmick: every single one of them is a mage of some form.  The ones with staves are basic healers with the same cure and haste abilities that Geela has.  While the mages are about a 50/50 split between ice and fire flavors. The ice ones have a 2 TP, single target strike, and the fire ones have a 3 TP version of Frederica’s Scorch.  We also have two extra people joining us this time.  One of them is a slightly nerfed Exharme without his status immunity passives. He’s an ally and uncontrollable.  And the other is Corentin. He’s an ice mage with the typical resistance passive, an AOE spell in Icy Breath, and a stronger single target one in Frosty Fetters. Unlike Exharme, he’s fully controllable, though we can’t shift his position before the fight actually starts.  Thanks to Corentin, we’re one slot short of being able to fit everyone in the fight. Since the enemies are all mages, I decided to leave Erador behind because magic damage makes him very sad.  Once everything’s set up, it’s time to start the fight. Plinius, give yourself up! There is no escape for heathens like yourself! Even attempting to steal our nation's secrets is a grave crime—one I know you have not forgotten! This research is my life's work! I have poured my blood, sweat, and tears into it! What is so wrong with treating it as my own!? Plinius... Such an untainted passion for knowledge cannot hope to survive here. I had heard that Hyzante was a land without strife. It would seem that was too good to be true... We mustn't allow Plinius and his Iackeys to get away. After them! The basic premise of this fight is that both our units and the enemies are separated into two groups. On one side, we have Anna, Geela, Roland, and Hughette facing down a bunch of mages and 2 healers, and the other side has Benedict, Frederica, Serenoa, and Corentin and Exharme vs Plinius and a few supporting mages. We start off the fight by having both Anna and Roland close the distance.  While the enemies on the other side bunker up a bit.  The enemies draw first blood by hitting Anna with a spell for just under half her hp.  And then they hit Roland as well, though Geela’s just behind him and ready to heal him up.  Frederica inflicts the first damage from my team, though both of the mages in range are fire resistant, so it’s not as powerful as it could be.  And might not have been the best move since moving there makes it so one of them can hit Benedict, Corentin, and Frederica with a single cast.  Corentin goes next, and I use Frosty Fetters to take a huge chunk out of the mage. In addition to its high damage, this spell has a very nice side effect in a high chance to silence the target, which in this fight is basically equivalent to just killing them.  Over on the other side, Anna gets hit again and I pull her back. Roland moves up to hit two mages that had lined up, and Hughette peppers them from the house to their west.  Serenoa falls just a bit short of reaching Plinius, so I have him just finish off the silenced mage.  But thanks to his horse, Exharme is able to reach them and hits the regular mage with Sandstorm.  Over on the other end, since none of the enemies are particularly hurt, the healers spend their turns hasting the battlemages.  While Frederica gets a chance to take a good chunk out of Plinius and another mage by exploiting their weaknesses. Actually engaging in combat prompts Plinius to start talking. Out of my way! This research is mine! None shall have it! On the other side, after a few casts each, we get a small break since the battlemages are low on TP and either just pass a turn or whack Roland for a paltry amount of damage.  We also run into a slightly annoying situation with Anna. Ice magic will cause whatever tile it hits to freeze, which both lowers the evasion of a unit on the tile, and costs 1 extra movement point to pass over. Because of that, Anna ends up 1 tile short of the mages and can’t meaningfully contribute for another round.  Plinius gets a turn where he takes a massive chunk out of both Frederica and Benedict with his magic before running off to the south.  As that happens, Roland and Hughette work together to take out one of the mages on their side, while the ice on the other side of the fight keeps Plinius out of reach from both Benedict and Serenoa.  Though Exharme can still get around just fine and picks off a weakened mage from the opposite group.  Corentin is able to silence another enemy mage at an opportune time, since they were just about to be able to hit both Anna and Hughette, most likely killing at least one.  However, there’s nobody to save Benedict, who goes down to a 2nd cast from Plinius because I played sloppily and refused to use a healing pellet. However, that means Plinius is now down to 0 TP and we should be able to at least damage, if not finish him off, before he gets back to casting.  In general, now that we’ve weathered that first barrage of spells, we have a good chance to concentrate damage and take out more enemies before their healers can patch them up. Hughette and Corentin take advantage of it to each take out a mage with some support from Anna and Roland.  While Serenoa finally makes it through the ice and catches up to Plinius. Since he can’t kill him quickly, I just repeatedly delay his turns instead.  With the battlemages either dead or silenced, the eastern side is mostly wrapping up.  Though notably, Roland levels up enough to learn Rush, which I’m looking forward to using in the future.  Meanwhile, Anna manages to flank Plinius with Serenoa, and the two go to work, leaving him at about 1/3 hp at the end of their attacks.  Corentin comes in to support them, managing to silence Plinius before he can cast again, as well as triggering some dialogue. You understand, don't you, Corentin? You must let me go! As a fellow researcher, I understand your plight. Even so, I cannot condone this... And when Geela moves up to heal people, she gets close enough to trigger some more dialogue with Corentin.  I see. So ice heeds your call. Hm? Haven't we met before? What is your name? I'm no one of note, I'm afraid. You must have me mistaken for someone else. Hughette and Roland team up to take out the last mage.  And Exharme very rudely killsteals Plinius from Serenoa to finish things off. But why Goddess? I am not your pawn! I am… merely… Plinius collapses and we have won.  After the fight, things have been contained a bit. What did you hope to do with our secrets? Sell them for riches? No! We wished only for freedom in our research. Knowing we would be granted no such liberty here, we were left with no choice. I see... You rebel against Her Teachings, as I suspected. Take them away. … What will happen to them now? They will be punished for their wrongdoings, of course. Defying the Goddess's Teachings is the most grave crime one can commit in Hyzante. I see now. Equality here stems from their thorough elimination of heretics... You did well, Corentin. For your efforts, you deserve a reward. ! ...If you insist, I do have a request. I would like permission to embark on a journey. I wish to learn more about the medicines of other lands. Greater knowledge of medicine would prove useful in our studies of life... I will consider it. We will take our leave here. Exharme and Lyla walk off, but Corentin stays behind. Master Corentin, thank you for your help today. ...There is something I would speak with you about. Do you have a moment? This place is too conspicuous. Let us talk elsewhere... We head over to one of the nearby houses. You wish to leave Hyzante? Yes. I wish to study magic, not medicine. But, just before, you spoke of wanting to observe medical treatment in other nations... Merely a pretense to gain permission to leave. We cannot research freely in Hyzante. We are simply tasked with fulfilling our designated roles. Furthermore, no matter how revolutionary our discoveries may be, the world at large will never know them. You mean to say you tire of Hyzante's secrecy? Yer not much different than those so-called heretics. then. Could it be ye feel some connection with 'em? To tell the truth...l was well aware of Plinius's plan. But I was a coward—one who could neither stop nor join them. And because of it, I ended up capturing those with whom I sympathized. ...I wish never to feel this way again. And thus you mean to leave the Holy State entirely? Yes. I have no intention of returning to the Ministry. … My lord, while he may be a...unique character. he undoubtedly possesses a great understanding of the arcane. …...There is one thing I must know. Would you be troubled traveling alongside my betrothed, knowing her heritage? Not at all. I am abandoning Hyzante, and the Goddess's Teachings with it. B-but of course… Very well, then. Welcome to our ranks. Corentin. Pursue your studies to your heart's content. I only ask that you put them to use on House Wolffort's behalf. Of course. You have my thanks, Lord Serenoa. With that, Corentin officially joins our party and we head back to the world map, but will immediately go back in.  chuckle Erador, I told you: I'm not a child anymore. I'm sorry, my lord! Whenever I see your face, I can't help but think of the lad I once knew... Can you not lower your voice? You'll disturb the whole city at this rate. House Wolffort certainly is...lively. Indeed. I've never seen such a big, happy family. I'm glad they allowed you to travel with us. ...As am I. I intend to revolutionize the world with my research! Very well and good. But we also have a wedding to prepare for. Busy times lie ahead, Frederica. Yes... Let us make it a grand wedding! Hughette, prepare an extravagant gift worthy of my best friend. Yes, Your Highness! Exharme catches up to the group. It seems I'm just in time. I came to thank you and see you off on behalf of the Holy One. We are the ones who should thank you. Glenbrook and House Wolffort shall not forget your kindness. I'm happy to have seen Hyzante with my own eyes. Til’ we meet again. Prince Roland. Lord Serenoa. The future of Norzelia is in the hands of the young—those like ourselves. I much look forward to our next meeting. Exharme heads back out. … And yet they told us almost nothing of the Roselle... What sort of lives do they live here? What sort of life did Mother lead? Is something the matter, Frederica? Forgive me. I was merely...lost in thought. Thoughts of the Roselle, I presume. ...Yes. I wondered what effect it might have on your relations with Hyzante, now that we are to wed. Right now, our three nations work together, but none can say what the future holds. Whatever may occur, know that you will not have to bear it alone. It will be a burden for all of House Wolffort to bear—together. Thank you, Serenoa. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 17:30
|
|
|
You probably already wrote about it, but what happens to character who "dies" in battle? Are they merely eliminated from the fight without any bad side effects later on?
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 19:24
|
|
|
They are shamed, their reputation forever ruined and banished from house Wolffort. "I like people that weren't defeated, OK?" - some future lord wolffort.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 19:31
|
|
|
That was a rather short and lacklustre visit. I hope that this closed, theocratic society is fleshed out more later.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 19:55
|
|
|
Torrannor posted:You probably already wrote about it, but what happens to character who "dies" in battle? Are they merely eliminated from the fight without any bad side effects later on? Yep! You still wanna keep folks from dying within reason obviously because if you're dead, you're not out there doing stuff and getting XP and all that, but there's no permadeath or anything.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 21:06
|
|
|
These guys are so salty about a dude just wanting you to cite his work
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 21:11
|
|
|
Yeah, there are no long term negative effects from having someone die in battle. Which is great because there are some fights later on that would require ungodly amounts of cheese to beat without likely losing someone.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 21:12
|
|
|
It's not too hard to catch up EXP wise, but it still sucks to lose a unit.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 21:34
|
|
|
Slaan posted:These guys are so salty about a dude just wanting you to cite his work It is their primary export, after all.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 21:58
|
|
|
Well, if the wishy washy response about sharing answered the question about if they would share a cure for cancer, our new recruit sure confirmed it.
|
|
#
?
Nov 20, 2022 22:02
|
|
|
Update 15: A New Dawn      Now that we’re home, we’re starting a new chapter.  We start it at the mines, where an explosive’s fuse is quickly burning down.   The miners all head over to the new hole.   What is it? Do we require more explosives?Miner: No, Lord Dragan. You'd best come see for yourself! ?Dragan rushes over to the hole himself. What the-? It couldn’t be…On that, the scene fades out and we go over to Castle Wolffort.  That settles the wedding program, then. We still must decide upon the wedding dress, however. Not we, Benedict. Surely the lady herself must decide. What do you desire, Frederica? I... Well... Hadn‘t you mentioned wanting to dress in the Rosellan custom for the ceremony? Then ye'd best ask the Roselle 'bout that! There's a Rosellan village here in the demesne. I'm sure they'd make ye a dress if ye asked. But what of the other nations in attendance? Surely Hyzante would not look kindly upon it?  Aye. That is how the Roselle came to live within our demesne. It was a source of great tension, but in the end Lord Symon's perseverance prevailed and a group of Roselle found new homes here. To this day, the Holy State demands they be returned to Hyzante, citing their Goddess's Teachings as justification. The roots of the conflict run deep. Nevertheless, it is our duty to protect those who we have sworn to take under our wing. Should you choose to dress in the Rosellan custom. we shall stand behind you every step of the way. Is that so? Then...l see not how I could refuse such a kindness. I shall accompany you to the village. To tell the truth, I have never been there myself. It would be a good opportunity to get to know them to strengthen our bonds. As is your duty, my son. Rosellan custom it is, then! Let us depart at once to make the request. Aye, all of us! Ooh, I can't wait to see what they come up with. With that, we make our way to the Rosellan Village, a bit to the northeast of Castle Wolffort.  We come in on the village, where a number of Roselle notice our party approaching.    ...And congratulations. On your engagement, as well as assuming lordship of your house. You have my gratitude. We hope you will continue to lend your support to House Wolffort. You have my word. I owe your lord father a great debt. Though even were that not the case, you are engaged to one of our own in Lady Frederica. Few things could bring us more joy. We shall make the finest dress you have ever seen. … On that subject, I have one humble request. I would like to incorporate this pendant into the design. The pendant you're never without? ‘Tis one of a kind. left to me by my late mother. She was one of the Rosellan refugees who fled Hyzante during the war, and found her way to Aesfrost. In a twist of fate, she fell in love with the former archduke, and thus was I born. In secret, of course. After I was born. she was sent back to Hyzante...where she met her end. I see why it never leaves you. Pray fashion the dress in this pendant’s image. It shall be done, milord. Let us delay no further. Lady Frederica, please step inside, that we may take your measurements. Thank you kindly. Frederica heads off with a few other Rosellans. The measurements may take some time, Lord Serenoa. Perhaps you'd care to take a stroll and see the village while you wait? l'd very much like that. Thank you. We’re now free to explore the village. Going around, we’re able to find 300 coins and 2 HP recovery pellets. The people here also have a lot of interesting things to say.  Rosellan: His generosity is boundless. and I fear we shall never repay it. Instead, I simply pray that our village remains protected. I bear a great responsibility to these people. It falls to me to keep their land free from harm, no matter what the cost.Talking to this man gives us some information on Serenoa’s Duty.  Rosellan: The Goddess's faithful will haul us straight back to the Source if they catch sight of us. While this one gives us a bit more information on the situation they live in.  Which helps explain why their village is effectively walled and fortified.  We can also go inside one of the homes and speak with a few of our party members. Erador remarks on how downtrodden the Roselle were when they first arrived, and he and Geela are both gratified to see them thriving now. But Anna is the one whom I find most interesting. She talks about how the Roselle share a portion of their products and hunted pelts with House Wolffort as thanks for their protection. And also that those make up a significant portion of House Wolffort’s capital each year. So, though taking them in may have been the moral move for Lord Symon to make, it doesn’t seem to be the only reason that he may have done so.  Child: But Mother gets mad at me if I go too far. As usual, we also have some conviction choices to make.  Ah, but there's plenty of fun to be had here! I'm sure your mother would be pleased if you took up hunting or fishing.Child: Ah! I've always wanted to go hunting! Then you should try it! Ask your father or one of the other elders to take you. I'm sure you'll do your mother proud.Child: Yeah! She won't know what to do with all the meat I'm going to bring home!  The other choice is with the elder of the village. Elder: Your father then granted us asylum in our hour of need shielding us from further harm.  I pray the day soon comes when you no longer require protection, and are free to live your lives unfettered. Elder As do I. Yet I hear whispers that Hyzante demands our return. I tell you now, the Teachings of their beloved Goddess hide untold amounts of cruelty. We will not survive if we go back there. I pray for the future you speak of. but I know better than to blithely assume it will arrive of its own accord. Father granted the Roselle asylum on our lands... Though they once hailed from Hyzante. they are now as much a part of the Wolffort demesne as anyone else.We tuck that info away under the heading Wolffort Demesne, and then go to finish off the last thing we need to do.  And with that done, we can end the exploration. Surely they'll have finished taking her measurements by now.   Do you understand just how dangerous it is for a young prince to go gallivanting off on a whim? Punish me if you will, but if l hadn't gone "gallivanting," I never would have learned the state of things outside our own kingdom. Oh? Well, if you are so interested in international affairs, then I have a fitting role for you to play. You will oversee the Grand Norzelian Mines. Father! It would be a privilege. I fear that punishment would provoke no reflection, and so I would rather put your energies to work for the kingdom. I shan't let you down, Father! I am not blind to your feelings, my son. I understand that my methods vex you. Of course... Mining is grueling, thankless work. Show the miners the appreciation they deserve. I shall. You have my word! The necessary provisions have been arranged, Your Highness. You are to deliver them to Dragan. Father, may I bring Sere—rather, Lord Wolffort? It is his job to oversee the operation, after all, and his closeness with Dragan may engender goodwill.… I know you trust him a great deal, Roland. But I would remind you that his betrothal now binds him to Aesfrost. You would do well to be wary of any move he or his house might make. So you share Frani's views on the matter. Nevertheless, Serenoa is a friend I could never hope to replace. A friend I trust no matter your opinion of him! Roland storms off. Concerning words, Your Highness. House Wolffort must be subject to the same scrutiny as any other. Roland…The scene fades out.  We next fade in on the mines. Bring these tidings to Gustadolph at once.He sends the hawk flying off.  What you see before you is to be seized by the Duchy of Aesfrost. You shall not speak of this beyond those in present company. Any who do will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Miner: But Lord Dragan. are not the resources we mine destined to be shared among nations? This matter is not up for debate! A discovery of this magnitude could reshape all of Norzelia. And so I ask this of you: stand with me as I lead this great realm into a new era!Miner:…You risk much, giving us these orders. I shall do exactly as you say. I thank you. I have already sent the archduke a letter informing him of our find. When I am appointed prime minister, I promise to reward you all handsomely for delivering me such a boon.Miner: You are to be prime minister? Or ambassador to Glenbrook, perhaps. Time will tell. Either way, with this I shall make my mark. And do what neither Father nor Gustadolph ever could.The scene fades out on Dragan’s proclamation, we travel all the way over to Aesfrost.   What news from Dragan, dear brother? So you take him at his word? I have no choice. The spy I sent to shadow him corroborates his report. And? What are his demands? He wishes to be named prime minister in exchange for secreting it away to Aesfrost. Negotiations with Glenbrook are in the offing, should I refuse. So he means to threaten you! He is stronger than I believed him to be. Certainly, what he has uncovered is worth the price he asks. What would you do, were you me? Keep the secret safe, naturally. Did you not send a spy for this very reason? Surely you expected this would happen. I did, and they have been issued emergency orders. Then leave the rest to me. I shall depart at once.Thalas takes his leave.  Ah, Dragan... You will rue the day you dared place Glenbrook beside me on the scales of your feeble judgment. I hand down the orders. Yield, or be crushed beneath my heel. The scene fades out, and that is where we will be ending this time.
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2022 22:14
|
|
|
RIP Dragan, I guess.
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2022 23:09
|
|
|
Also RIP the Roselle Village, doomed by its nature as a playable map.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 00:07
|
|
|
Here we go. Almost certainly they discovered salt in the mines instead of iron and all hell is about to break out.marshmallow creep posted:RIP Dragan, I guess. He seems capable enough that he won't go down easily. Or maybe we'll get a difficult choice between saving him and something else. Rawkking fucked around with this message at 00:21 on Nov 23, 2022 |
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 00:13
|
|
|
If it is salt, then they can't easily exploit it in secret for Aefrost alone. If it is salt however, Glenbrook is likely to cooperate, but my first thought was that it was a punctual discovery of macguffinium ore.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 00:52
|
|
|
Demesne, for when Manse has become too mainstream a word for you to sound pompous.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 03:42
|
|
|
This game's writing is quality. I'm genuinely interested in what is going on. I am really looking forward - in a horrified way - to seeing all of the atrocities that the theocracy are up to and what idiotic/apalling reason they have for hating pink-haired people. This pink hatred may very well be a ham-fisted parallel to real-life issues that makes me roll my eyes and no longer take the plot seriously, however.FeyerbrandX posted:Demesne, for when Manse has become too mainstream a word for you to sound pompous. I am glad that I am not the only one who thought that. I am not even entirely sure how to pronounce demesne.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 04:19
|
|
|
It's the word domaine but in old french, it is pronounced exactly like the word domaine is in modern french, it means, you may be surprised to hear this, domain, it is also the proper and correct way to refer to the set of territories under the control of a medieval political entity.
SIGSEGV fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Nov 23, 2022 |
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 04:27
|
|
|
SIGSEGV posted:It's the word domaine but in old french, it is pronounced exactly like the word domaine is in modern french, it means, you may be surprised to hear this, domain, it is also the proper and correct way to refer to the set of territories under the control of a medieval political entity. I knew the origin but not how it would be pronounced in English. I wonder what word(s) they chose for it in the French translation.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 05:10
|
|
|
Likely "le domaine Wolffort" or "les terres Wolffort" but I lean towards the former, in part because it's, you know, the traditional formulation that goes on the wine bottles.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 05:20
|
|
|
FeyerbrandX posted:Demesne, for when Manse has become too mainstream a word for you to sound pompous. Fun fact: The narrator pronounces it 'domain'.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 06:33
|
|
|
My money's on the secret discovery being an artifact of power, discovery of a vain of exploitable mineral is not something that could be kept secret for long and the mine is well outside Aesfrost so when the idea of 'seizing it' is floated I feel we're talking about an object.
|
|
#
?
Nov 23, 2022 08:34
|
|
|
Update 16: Character Overview 3 I'm trying to work our way through the characters we have before more join up, so here are overviews for Erador and Anna. Erador Ballentine   Erador is a tank. He has a massive HP pool and the highest physical defense stat by a pretty large degree, with slightly above average physical strength as well. To balance that out, however, Erador’s magic defense is terrible, the 2nd lowest in the game, and it’s less than half that of most other characters, including other frontliners. His high HP means he can usually still take a few hits from magic, but they will really hurt. Erador is also very slow, both stat-wise and movement-wise, as he’s tied with Frederica for both. Sprint can mitigate that to a small degree, but one of the biggest troubles you’ll face with Erador is getting him to be where you want when you want. However, his abilities more than make up for whatever positioning difficulties he has. Provoke is his bread and butter and it’s a wonderful crowd control tool. That’s especially true because infuriate has 2 key provisions that aren’t necessarily obvious: first, the infuriated character will only attack the infuriator and will simply move as close as possible and then pass if they can’t reach them; and second, that the infuriated character can not use any skills or attack with anything other than a basic attack. This leads to a situation that’s almost counterintuitive, where Erador’s ideal targets are actually mages, since he’ll neuter their damage output, pull them out of formation, and even has a shot at inflicting decent damage with his automatic counterattack. Provoke does have a few small downsides, in that it’s not totally reliable on any given target, since it has about a 70% chance to succeed, and that it’s 2 TP so it can’t be spammed willy-nilly. However, one of those is mitigated with a mid-game weapon upgrade to lower its TP cost to 1. Overall, it’s a strong enough ability to make Erador worth using on his own, so the rest of his stuff is really just gravy. His remaining active abilities are all a bit more situational. Sprint is useful for positioning, but I rarely use it after the first round of any fight. Ram Attack is decent, but its TP cost means that I’ll usually only use it if there’s a cliff nearby or Erador desperately needs to be in the target’s square. Finally, On the Attack is the ability I use the least. Erador can do decent damage, especially with his counterattacks, but the decreased defense cuts into his survivability enough that I don’t think it’s worth it most of the time. For passives, Erador has a number of them that fit with his role as a tank. His first one, Steelback, is hugely powerful and means that Erador does not need to worry about taking super heavy damage when he gets surrounded. In effect, it’s about a 65% cut in damage and means that Erador will often take less damage when getting attacked from behind than he does from the front. This gets especially hilarious with a specific accessory that reduces rear attack damage even further, since that can turn high double- or triple-digit damage attacks into single digit criticals. His other 2 abilities are a bit less crazy but still good. The automatic counter attack lets him put out pretty solid damage, especially since it’s essentially free on anyone that he infuriates. He won’t be a killing machine, but he can spread out enough damage to make enemies much easier for the others to take down. Desperate defense is a really nice cap to his defensiveness, since it just makes him even bulkier against physical attacks. It’s not worth specifically trying to lower his HP to proc it, but it’s something nice to have for sure. Finally, his ultimate ability is King’s Shield. It makes Erador invincible for 1 round (though he can still be hit by status effects) and is a guaranteed 1 turn infuriation on everyone within 2 squares. Basically, take all of the things I said about Provoke and get rid of the downsides. On hard difficulty, this can be absolutely key to winning some fights since it can represent such a powerful and instant swing in the action economy. If you can pair him with some TP boosting allies, then you can end up doing some really funny things while he’s effectively perpetually invincible. Overall, Erador is a great tank and crowd control unit. He does great support duties, both by mitigating damage and weaking enemies with his counterattacks. In my opinion, he’s the most useful tank by far, and he ends up filling a role similar to Geela, where unless you have a specific reason not to use him, he’ll be in almost every fight. Anna Pascal   Anna is a very interesting unit. Stats-wise, she has relatively low HP, slightly below average defensive stats for a melee unit, and basically average strength. Her real statistical strengths are speed, where she’s tied for first, and evasion, where she is first. Early game, it’s not enough to rely on to keep her alive, but it does mean that she ends up slightly more survivable than her stats would show. What really makes Anna interesting, however, are her abilities. Of which the key one is her first passive, Act Twice. As one might expect, it’s character defining and incredibly powerful and versatile. It lets her do anything from the basic attack twice, to attacking and going into stealth mode, climb up a massive cliff and then stab someone or vice versa, and even lets her serve as a backup support unit since she can use two items a turn. It does have a slight downside, though. Specifically, Anna’s damage is tuned around being able to attack twice every turn. The damage formula isn’t too complicated, but the key thing is that basically every attack has a term in it called the Personal Multiplier. For almost every character, it’s just 1, but Anna has a Personal Multiplier of 0.5. It’s not the end-all-be-all of damage calculation, but it does mean that she’s not quite as much of a blender as acting twice would make her seem. That said, crits add a flat 30% to the final damage, unaffected by her personal multiplier, so in the right scenario she can do really crazy damage. Her active abilities can be thought of as in 2 different camps: damage dealers and utilities. The damage dealers are pretty simple, with Throw Poison giving her a slight ranged option, while Slumber Stab is most useful if you really need to take someone out, but can’t necessarily kill them. On the other hand, the utilities are wonderful. Take Cover is a great way to keep Anna alive and allow her to get into the enemy backlines where she can get to work on squishier enemies. While she’s invisible, enemies won’t target her and will generally attempt to move as if she didn’t exist. It doesn’t get dispelled, and thus make her attackable, until the end of a turn. This also makes it great for crowd control, whether through blocking up narrow passageways, standing at the top/bottom of ladders, or just standing behind an otherwise vulnerable ally. Take Cover is even more useful in combination with Surmount, since using it does not break invisibility. On the surface, Surmount might seem pretty negligible, since it’s paying 1 TP and an action to move 1 square. However, it actually dramatically increases her movement options. Vertical gaps are essentially a non-issue for her, and the game loves sticking squishy archers and mages up high. Additionally, it lets her do things like move up, stab/sleep someone, and then climb away to safety. It can even just be used to get an additional square or 2 of movement if needed. The utility goes up even further in the midgame, once you unlock the weapon upgrade that lowers Surmount’s TP cost to 0, making it absolutely spammable. Overall, Surmount is one of the most significant skills in Anna’s toolbox and good usage of it can be crucial. Besides Act Twice, her passives are a little more subdued. Back Attack Up increases the damage boost from back attack crits by 10 (from +30% to +40%), while Surprise Attack increases the damage of an attack made while invisible by 30% (stacks with a critical hit, but not the boost from Back Attack Up). Remain and Recover is a nice tool for sustaining herself, but it’s only 20% a turn and requires absolutely no movement or actions. It’s not something you’ll necessarily rely to fully heal, on but can be useful if Anna gets wounded and has a chance to go invisible for a turn or 2. Finally, her ultimate ability is Deadly Blade. It has a huge multiplier and will end up dealing very solid damage. Since it also debuffs the target’s stats, I find it most useful when you can get Anna on the other side of a tough boss, to take advantage of the debuff and double attacks to pile on the damage with you allies. I generally find it a bit less useful when Anna is operating on her own, since using it means that she can’t Take Cover for a few turns if things get hairy. In general, it’s a solid option in her toolkit, but nothing absolutely incredible. Overall, Anna is an interesting and versatile character able to deal solid damage and support the party in a number of ways. She’s almost never a bad option in a fight, just due to her sheer versatility, and she can especially shine in maps that let her take advantage of her mobility and sneakiness.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2022 04:11
|
|
|
I was just slow.
|
|
#
?
Nov 24, 2022 18:52
|
|
|
Erador is just a lot of fun. Tanks in SRPGs tend to be disappointing because they're slow and don't move much, but they gave him an interesting workaround by making enemies come to him
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2022 01:32
|
|
|
So now that we've talked about both of them. It's probably unsurprising that Benedict's daughter is one of his best allies. Twofold Turn is incredibly important for Anna because typically she'll want to attack and withdraw to stealth so she doesn't get mobbed whilst maintaining a deep position. So if we think about Anna's action economy briefly. An Anna turn where she wants to hop out of stealth and hop back in, looks like. Move, Attack, Stealth. But under twofold turn, she's got: Move, Attack, Attack, Attack, Stealth, Move. So what Twofold's economy is doing is giving Anna a double turn but effectively tripling her damage from where she'd be if she needed to stealth again. It's cool stuff and kinda gives an insight into how I think a lot of these characters were designed when the creators thought about them.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2022 02:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 8, 2024 16:36 |
|
|
By popular demand posted:My money's on the secret discovery being an artifact of power, discovery of a vain of exploitable mineral is not something that could be kept secret for long and the mine is well outside Aesfrost so when the idea of 'seizing it' is floated I feel we're talking about an object. I don't know. Narratively, it doesn't make sense for this discovery to be anything but salt? The setting makes a big deal out of the fact that there's no salt but in Hyzante. If there really is a salt deposit in the mine, it would be a huge incentive for Aesfrost to invade, to erase their dependence on Hyzante for this essential good. And it would make sense for Hyzante to invade, to make sure their monopoly on salt can't be threatened. That would then kick off the main conflict in the story.
|
|
#
?
Nov 25, 2022 03:25
|
|