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Sanguinia posted:Happy Mother's Day folks. Just as an FYI, I've been sick as a dog for the last four days. I've made a little progress on Chapter 6, but not much, so there's going to be some delay. On the plus side, I'm only two weeks away from Summer Vacation so I'll be able to write to my heart's content without the little monsters infecting me with any more plagues or having to be out in a cloud of desert pollen so thick you can see it with the naked eye. Wishing you a speedy and restful recovery, friend!
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May 13, 2024 04:29
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Kheldarn posted:Yeah, the pollen has been rough this year. A couple of months ago I got to meet my cousin's kid, who "had a bit of a dry throat". When I got home the thing took me out for two weeks. Just a congestion cold but it was harsh. Next time the mask stays on.
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May 13, 2024 05:19
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This pollen allergy, worse even than the Seventh Umbral Calamity...
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May 13, 2024 10:03
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Kids are germ bombs. Avoid at all costs is my battle plan. Respect for those in the trenches. Feel better soon!
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May 13, 2024 11:00
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When you go out to look at the northern lights, only to realize that's a pollen cloud.
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May 13, 2024 13:40
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At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localised entirely up one's nose and eyes.
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May 13, 2024 14:19
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Thundarr posted:When you go out to look at the northern lights, only to realize that's a pollen cloud. I don't get to see anything where I live, so now I know to be suspicious of it if I can suddenly see it out my window. Thanks! ConanThe3rd posted:At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localised entirely up one's nose and eyes. Yes!
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May 13, 2024 15:07
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Here's to hoping you get better soon Sang! And, as an educator, I empathize both with the constant pollen this year, and with the little monsters constantly trying to infect me, hahaha.
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May 13, 2024 15:12
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Chapter 6: Sister Golden Hair The following day, the doorman at Kheris' apartment complex warns her to be careful if she has to go out into Lakeland because the Eulmoran army has deployed within striking distance of the city. So… jacket? Umbrella? The Exarch uses his magic mirror to show us that an airship has docked at Laxan Loft, a ruined castle near the center of the forest. Usually, the place is too trashed and monster-infested to be worth occupying, but our enemy's disproportionate efforts have turned it into the perfect staging ground to threaten the Crystarium. Thankfully, Eulmorans are nothing if not slaves to appearances. Rather than attack immediately, they've sent an envoy to parley. Jimmy suggests we observe the meeting from behind an invisibility spell.  …  The messenger is identified as General Ran'jit, supreme commander of the army of Eulmore. He's an elderly chap with long white hair, a Fu Manchu, a scar on his face, a dignified but threatening presence, and some disturbing eyes.  Is he… part Sin Eater or something? If he is, there's been no loss to his mental faculties. He speaks calmly and directly, articulating how Vauthry believes that the death of the Lightwarden was a grave act of villainy. The relationship Eulmore has cultivated with their beloved, people-eating allies could be jeopardized by this atrocity! It's an amusing statement since we know Sin Eaters operate on an almost purely instinctual level, but I suppose acting like they're upset is a useful way of obfuscating whatever means Vauthry uses to keep them docile. The Lord of Eulmore has decreed that those responsible for the Warden's death must suffer a severe punishment. If Crystarium aided those individuals in any way, its people will suffer the same consequences. The Exarch refuses to be intimidated.  Ran'jit, like many Eulmorans, seems more disappointed by this "ignorance," than anything.   It's a grim sentiment that was never so directly stated when Alphinaud and I visited the city, though it fits into the things we saw there perfectly. Eulmore is not a place where the chosen few are preserved against the end of days but one where everyone is expected to accept that we're already dead. It's funny: Ardbert called the place accursed even though the way they're living is a natural extension of the hopelessness he's embraced. Maybe he's not as far gone as he's trying to convince himself. On his way out the door, Ran'jit pauses to say that anyone responsible for the Warden's demise should promptly turn themselves over to Eulmoran justice. He also notes that if the Crystarium finds themselves playing host to a young artist and his assistant, Lord Vauthry also expects them to be handed over. These demands are phrased as if they're being issued to the Exarch, but then this happens:  …  Yeah, this guy's going to be a Capital-P Problem. Crystal Jim isn't all that surprised the General saw through his spell. The man was commander of Eulmore's military even before Vauthry came to power. He fought the Sin Eaters for decades and would often join those battles on the front lines due to his status as one of Norvrandt's greatest living warriors. That old saying to beware a man who grows old in a profession where men die young definitely carries extra weight when the profession is Canceling The Apocalypse. Alphinaud is prepared to be noble and leave the city, but the Exarch tells him not to bother. They've been expecting Eulmore to trump up a pretext for a war for some time now because of their desire to control all the First's surviving territory. I find that statement questionable. It makes sense if you don't think about it too hard, but remember, Eulmore was in near-total isolation until a few days ago. Knowledge of their 'alliance' with the Eaters was nonexistent. They haven't even used force to subdue the settlements on their own island, so why would the Exarch assume they want to do so with Crystarium? Maybe I'm just letting my annoyance with Alphinaud's intro cling to me when I should be letting it go, but it still struck me as a weird comment. Regardless, he says this mainly to express his confusion that Ran'jit bothered with an ultimatum rather than declaring war on the spot. That thought prompts Lyna to explain the reason they're holding back.   What the hell is an Oracle of Light? Kheris would also want to know, but she's too busy going goggle-eyed.  Just look at that face. I wouldn't have wanted my WoL to react any other way. To finally hear her friend's name and know she's nearby, to... …wait, what was that last thing she said?  The Exarch takes his usual tact, claiming that he's been meaning to talk to Kheris about Minfilia, but on second thought, it might be best if she acquires the information from someone else. I feel like he keeps using this strategy because the "someone else," is always far enough away that she won't be able to punch him once she hears the story. In this case, we'll be getting another rundown from Moren over in the library. He's bubbling over with excitement about the Warrior of Darkness coming to save the world, and based on the comments from various visitors, he's not the only one on the hype train.  …  Moren suggests we once again rely on a children's book for the story of the Oracle, though we're asked to locate it on the shelves first. The search gives Alisaie a chance to pull Kheris aside and offer a cryptic warning:  When Lyna first dropped the name, Alisaie reacted strongly, but Alphinaud was stone-faced. His mood makes a lot more sense once we find the book. The story begins with what Kheris already knows: when the Flood threatened to consume the last of the world, a woman with long golden hair and sapphire eyes appeared in the skies above Ahm Araeng and held back the tide. She was a complete enigma and vanished as quickly as she appeared. Somehow, the people of the realm learned her name, but she became widely known by the title Oracle of Light. Fifteen years passed, and the Sin Eaters arrived. With almost nothing left to oppose them, the world's only hope was for a hero to raise a sword in defiance of the new threat. In this dark hour, Minfilia appeared… or rather, a Minfilia appeared.   I love this artwork. Note how the Sin Eaters are costumes worn by the transformed humans and how the victims within are crying tears of blood. Exquisite stuff. The second "Minfilia," enlisted as a soldier in the army of Eulmore and trained to become a living weapon. For years, she was the world's last champion, fighting countless battles and protecting what remained of Norvrandt's civilizations. Thanks to her efforts, the survivors were even able to identify the Lightwardens and learn of their powers. Unfortunately, no hero, however great, can save the world alone.   That trail of tombstones is BRUTAL imagery. To say this explanation left me with some complex emotions is an understatement. Moren puts any doubt (or hopes) to bed by clarifying that none of these Minfilias was born with the memories of their past lives. They simply discovered their powers one day and realized they were to be next in the lineage of Oracles. Regardless of physical similarities, they aren't our girl. It's a cool answer to the mystery of how Minfilia became young and a deep emotional blow because, once again, I've been denied my chance to see her. I also felt a swell of pride. The tale made me think of all those times in ARR when Minfilia had been pained by how much she needed to rely on others and how helpless she'd been the one or two times she'd tried to join us on the front lines. Urianger once spoke of how she'd always longed for the strength to fight. Here on the First, she was able to wield the powers of the Word of Hydaelyn to their fullest and save countless lives. Her strength flows through these Oracles. She came here to take up the mantle of protector, and in an indirect way, she became the hero she always wished she could be. Where are you now, Minfilia? Was Ardbert right? Did you disappear into oblivion with his friends and leave behind only this trace of inherited power? Or are you watching us, even now? Unfortunately, the history of the Oracles isn't entirely noble.  …  The implication is clear enough, but I can't help but wonder about the literal reality behind those words. Are Sin Eaters drawn to the Minfilias and the power they hold, meaning they'll always die fighting no matter how far they run? In the times when Minfilias refused to fight, did the Eaters surge forward so much that they couldn't be escaped? Have there been times when the folk of the First were so desperate they threw their "hero," to the lions, even though she was a helpless little girl who had no idea how to defend herself? It also makes me wonder how many Warriors of Light through the ages have tried to refuse Hydaelyn's call. Have any succeeded? Is that even possible? It's been a while since Kheris got to fret about whether or not she has free will! The current Minfilia was discovered about ten years ago. Unfortunately, Vauthry had already taken over Eulmore and withdrawn from the fight against the Eaters. Her very existence was considered a threat to his vision of "peace," but he also felt that keeping her powers in the back pocket (and not able to be reborn outside his control) was in his best interests, so she was captured and locked away. Then, three years ago, a mysterious hero with the skills of a master spy and infiltration expert heard that Eulmore was keeping someone named Minfilia in one of their towers. A daring rescue right out of the storybooks shortly followed. Gee, I wonder who that could be?  What a shocking and unexpected twist.  Interestingly, this state of affairs is why Alisaie went wide-eyed when she heard "Minfilia's," name in the Exarch's chamber. Since the rescue, Thancred has kept his distance from the Scions and spent all his time on the road with this person even though she was not the woman he hoped to find. Strategically, that makes sense. Staying mobile and off the grid is the best way to ensure she isn't retaken. However, Alis has been worrying about Thancred's state of mind since the day she heard what happened.  …  If he's… confused about who "Minfilia," actually is to him and has been for THREE YEARS, this reunion could turn ugly. I need to find my friend and figure out what help he needs ASAP. Then again, maybe we're making unfair assumptions. Didn't this girl say in the cutscene that she needed to see Kheris? Thancred doesn't know I'm here, so that can't be something he put into her head. Mysterious! Regardless of that, the solution to both the "find and help Thancred," problem and the "figure out this girl's deal," problem is the same. If the Eulmorans have her, Thancred will be trying to help, and we would be wise to follow his lead even if we can't coordinate. Before we can set off, Crystal Jim reappears to offer a somewhat startling suggestion.  He has little doubt that the Scions could liberate the captive maiden in a glorious display of covert heroics, but doing that would give away the game. Ran'jit is smart enough to look at an elite team of mysterious, non-aligned warriors clowning on his army and put two-and-two together on the identities of the Warriors of Darkness. Once that happens, all the resources of Eulmore will be devoted to exterminating us, and if they manage to kill Kheris, they destroy the only weapon the First has against the Lightwardens. To keep that from happening, The Exarch is willing to start a war by sending Crystarium's forces against the Eulmoran army. This, of course, is precisely what Alphinaud was hoping to avoid. He doesn't want an entire nation of innocent people being used as shields to protect us, and Kheris couldn't agree more. It's a pretty cold-blooded strategy on Jim's part… or rather, it would be if he wasn't planning on telling everyone his idea and putting it to a vote. Maybe this idiot actually learned something from all the problems he created by trying to manipulate or strongarm people into doing what he wants instead of just asking them!   …  So, remember when I was talking about the Crystarium's characterization as the City of Hope and how I reserved the right to complain about it later? This is when it came back to bother me. The game treats the Exarch's speech as a moment of great narrative significance. Before the crowd came in, he even gave the Scions a pre-speech pep talk about how restoring the night sky also restored hope, and he would prove that by showing us his people have the will to fight. But that was never in doubt! Every person I've ever spoken to in this city made a point of expressing how hopeful they are and how they're fighting to make the world a better place every day. The belief that Norvrandt has a future despite all appearances is practically a prerequisite to joining Crystarium's society! When the crowd gives their answers-  …  …  -one can't help but wonder why anyone bothered to ask the question. Based on everything we've seen, they would have given the same answer even if I hadn't slain the Warden. That's the identity the narrative established for them! In retrospect, the moment makes that initial effort to cast the Crystarium as the beacon of a dying world feel like a mistake. As we've established, all the first-pass dialogue only exists for one campaign level before being overwritten in the wake of Holminster Switch. It's a long level, but you only spend a bit of it in the actual city. It would have been simple to convey the idea that the Exarch WANTS Crystarium to be a bastion of hope while also making it clear that many only pay lip service to that ideal. The environmental storytelling in the city already does a solid job of conveying that things are worse than the shiny exterior implies. Why not follow through on that? It's not like the writers didn't know that the player was about to bring about seismic change. The whole scenario undermines the gravitas of their decision to resist. It's a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things, I suppose, and if the writing team was just that worried about making the atmosphere too bleak at the starting point, I understand why they didn't go that route. Still, it bugs me a little that paying close attention to the details is scuffing up the narrative's paint job. Traditionally, this game has greatly rewarded me for being an attentive reader. This time around, it's causing issues instead. Anyway, the vote for war is unanimous.  …  With the people's support secured, Crystal Jim invites us to continue to fight alongside them, our status as secret weapons safely hidden among the masses.  …  …  Hell yeah! Now we're getting into Warriors of Darkness territory! It's time to Be Gay and Do Crime! ~*~*~ Though the Eulmorans have deployed only a single airship worth of forces, they still dramatically outnumber what the Crystarium can bring to bear on short notice. We can't afford to delay our attack too long, lest they abscond with Little Minfilia, so we need to even the odds. The botanists and Amaro keepers put their heads together and provide us with a solution: dream powder. If dropped over the enemy base by an aerial unit, the substance should put most of their troops to sleep. Those who remain will be dealt with by Captain Lyna's elite strike unit, which the Scions are invited to join.  With the plan established, the player is treated to a few filler quests, such as learning the Crystarium salute (Lyna goes out of her way to mention that the Exarch is terrible at saluting, which elicits an annoyed gesture from him  ), being fitted for a uniform, drinking an antidote that will keep you awake during the battle- -and finally requisitioning an Amaro flight to the mission command post, Ostall Imperative.  Like the giant falcons of Othard, Amaro have a unique theme instead of reusing the Chocobo song. It's called  "On Our Fates Alight," and it's wonderful.Once Kheris arrives at the fortress, which is significantly more intact than most other buildings in Lakeland, Captain Lyna orders her to lend a hand around the base. Even the Warrior of Darkness will receive no special treatment as a new recruit to the Crystarium's ranks! This command unlocks a healthy ration of side quests both inside the Imperative and across the map at Fort Jobb. Most of these are basic characterization and tone-setting for the Crystarium Guard as a faction. Compared to the other military forces we've interreacted with, they're fairly unique because… well, they're not very professional. The officers are. In fact, I'd say they're relatively hard-nosed compared to the ones I'm used to seeing, which fits with the fact that they all answer to Lyna, the hardest nose on Norvrandt.  …  The rank-and-file, by comparison, are far less intense. If anything, they tend to fit the old-timey European military stereotype of being a bunch of reprobates who need a sharp boot to the rear end from the Professional Soldiers. It's not that they're bad-natured, far from it. They're friendly, and most seem eager enough to do their duty. They're just also kind of… goofy. They scheme about pilfering extra rations or plucking feathers of the Amaro to sell for spare cash. They drink on the job. They have a lot of intrusive thoughts that they can't keep in their heads.  This lack of professionalism is partly rooted in the fact that the Guard has a severe manpower shortage. Many NPCs comment that they have too many jobs and not enough people to do them, requiring the forces they have to scramble between tasks constantly. Several quests are about officers getting Kheris to do necessary work that's been put off for too long (like patching up damage to the watchtower) or finding missing soldiers because they can't afford to lose able hands. Most come with an explicit recruitment pitch once you show that you're competent.  Other quests convey that the trooper's non-serious attitudes are linked to the grim nature of their service.  Almost every Guard base is named for someone who died holding back an endless horde of Sin Eaters to protect innocent lives. Many of the individual soldiers have sad stories like this one that drove them to enlist or were inspired to stand a post by one of those heroic tales of sacrifice. These feelings are intimately related to another reason for the lack of discipline: high rates of attrition. One of the quests at Fort Jobb involves showing a batch of recruits how to properly cull local wildlife and harvest their parts because they think the task is beneath them compared to Sin Eater hunting. Another at Ostall mentions how stories of Holminster Switch have many soldiers wanting to get out into the field and hunt down Sin Eaters rather than deal with the drudgery of their regular duties. Nothing says so outright, but the player can combine this naïve eagerness with the manpower issues to infer that the Guard's bottom ranks don't tend to last very long. Aside from focusing on the Guard, the Lakeland sidequests have several distinct subplots. One is that Kheris has become famous for helping save the civilians of Holminster, even though her Warrior of Darkness status is still secret.  This is mentioned by several quests concerning morale in the face of the threats the Crystarium faces, but it doesn't amount to much beyond a few stray NPC comments. The second big thing is multiple quests showing off the Amaro, their place in the army, and the tight-knit bond that many soldiers share with them. One of these is particularly noteworthy because it involves a bird leading you to its missing rider, implying that they have greater intelligence than your typical beast of burden.   The most elaborate of the subplots involves a gang of Elven bandits known as the Nightshade.  They're first introduced during a conversation with a random NPC at Ostall Imperative. He describes them as outlaws who lay claim to Lakeland on the grounds that it was once the home of an Elven kingdom known as Laxan, the Elvish word for Lakeland. Humans are so creative. The Elves of Laxan originally built the forts and other infrastructure Crystarium has taken over, which makes Nightshade somewhat similar to Conrad's Resistance cell on the surface. Still, they're more than 100 years removed from the government they're claiming a right to inherit and seem to be a random collection of malcontents rather than anyone with political legitimacy, so I'd say they're more a collection of criminals justifying their actions with revanchism. Two quests use this group prominently. The first involves tracking down a small pack of thieves to ascertain why they've started wielding Crystarium weapons. The officer in charge of the investigation fears there's a conspiracy within the Guard to supply them with arms, and I was ready to agree with him since a pair of NPCs standing near the storage area are muttering to each other about how they'll make a fortune on something if they don't get caught. However, it turns out that the Nightshade have been stalking Crystarium patrols and waiting for them to be attacked by Sin Eaters so they can take gear off the corpses. Gross.  …  The other quest implies that the Nightshade are taking those weapons for more than simple banditry. It begins innocuously when a random soldier recommends a trip to Clearmelt, a hot spring used by Crystarium soldiers and citizens for healing and relaxation.  The place echoes Camp Bronze Lake, right down to the wounded complaining about how they don't want to rest while their friends are dying. When Kheris arrives, the proprietor confesses that she's been dealing with a couple of problematic guests and asks you to confront them on her behalf. They're never openly identified as members of Nightshade, but both are Elves, and one goes on a lengthy rant about hating people from Crystarium and how only "locals," like himself, should even be allowed in the spring.  The other makes an even more ominous comment when he's asked to stop antagonizing other customers.  The two quests are foreshadowing for something I wasn't expecting to see so early in Shadowbringers: a FATE storyline. It's nothing as elaborate as we saw in previous expansions. One would be forgiven for not even realizing the FATEs are a story, except that each part has "Nightshade," in its title. Two of the first four FATEs involve Nightshade agents attempting to fortify themselves in ruins near Guard bases without any real context or hint that they have a larger plan. The next two involve them ambushing a helpless botanist on his way back to Crystarium for no reason. It's only in Part 5, "Subtle Nightshade," that a narrative starts to rear its head. A heavy patrol from Fort Jobb comes across a wounded merchant in an isolated mountain pass and attempts to offer him aid.  The victim asks them to call an ambulance… BUT NOT FOR HIM!  Once the player breaks up this ambush, the squad leader opts to tend to his wounded rather than chase them. If you follow the miscreants back to their base alone, you'll overhear an insidious conversation where a large group of Nightshade agents lament that their recent efforts to claim strongholds were all foiled by a mysterious interloper. Hey, that's me! With their smaller-scale actions bearing no fruit, the group decides they have only one recourse: attack Crystarium directly!  Naturally, Kheris (and some Guards who followed her against their superior's orders) cut this little insurrection in the making to ribbons and scatter them to the wind. As a last-ditch effort, they pull out the trump card they'd been saving to unleash against the city: ancient magics that control the feral wolfmen infesting the Lakeland forests known as Wargs.  These monsters are not enough to turn the tide, and the Nightshade flee into the wildness… which, sadly, ends the story. Nothing implies that we haven't seen the last of them or that their real leaders ( like that 'boss' the elf in the spring alluded to) are waiting in the wings somewhere with an even more devastating scheme. After all the set-up the group received, it's a little disappointing, but it does function as some interesting world-building. Lakeland's history isn't some blank slate that's being swiftly forgotten like the other lost nations. People know where all these buildings came from and what happened to the Elves that built them. More importantly, unlike in Ahm Araeng, there's an implication that the Sin Eaters and the Flood are NOT responsible for the old kingdom's fall. On the contrary, two other FATEs tell us that if we want to know more about what befell the Kingdom of Laxan, we need to find information about the person who created those werewolves.  I still don't know what this "Shadowkeeper," is, but it's got to be important. Side Note: Running around triggering those FATEs gave me the chance to really drink in the two Lakeland BGMs. The day theme is called "The Source," a rousing call-to-adventure type track. It almost sounds like battle music with how intensely it jacks up the horn and snare drum sections, which made it the perfect backdrop to Kheris' charge to the rescue of Holminster Switch the first time I passed through the area. The contrast with the night theme, the absolutely gorgeous and contemplative "Unchanging, Everchanging," is one of the starkest the game has ever presented. The song is so good it almost makes me regret not coming out of that first dungeon at night. The song's tone reflects the awe and tearful joy one's first glimpse of the night sky was meant to evoke.There's one last quest I want to mention, purely because it put a smile on my face. At the top of the tower in Ostall Imperative, you find a magnificent telescope, which a scholar informs us was built before the Flood.  The place building was originally a stellar observatory, but the Crystarium Guard repurposed it decades ago to watch the horizon for Sin Eater swarms. Since that time, its gears have become rusted to the point that it can no longer change its viewing angle. The scholar wants to fix that and enlists Kheris to kill some particularly deadly plant monsters so he can harvest their seeds for a powerful lubricant. Why? Because with the Light Warden dead, he can be the first man in a century to study the stars.  Sometimes, the tiniest ripples of positive change make those heroic deeds the most worthwhile. ~*~*~ After one final chore (feeding the Amaro with anti-sleeping drugs), the hour of the rescue arrives. Things begin with a cutscene which forcibly sets the time and weather to a high noon and clear skies, perhaps symbolizing the strength of Eulmorewe're daring to challenge. The BGM is an absolutely boppin' track called "Dangerous Words," one of the expansions new "special cinematic," songs. As we observe the enemy go about their business, the camera gives us our first unfiltered look at Little Minfilia. Look at those eyes… the same sign of divinity our Minfilia received when she became the Word. And that pink ribbon in the hair! Did Thancred encourage that, or is something inside her driving her to emulate the original? Before I can do too much pondering, our forces strike.  …  …  Alarum? I thought they said 'alarm' on the First. Maybe the Exarch just has a weird vocabulary.  drat! Look at that Crystarium uniform! The developers wisely made the outfit a reward for completing this Duty, probably because they knew some people would want to wear it forever after seeing how good it looks. Lyna and the Warrior of Light/Darkness share many significant looks and are constantly framed in parallel as they prepare to join the battle, yet another clear message that underestimating her would be to one's peril. The narrative is working hard to legitimize her as being on the same level as the player's most martially inclined allies.  To that end, this duty serves as a showcase for her skills to back up that framing. The moment gameplay begins, she's already leading the charge.  We get a special BGM for this duty, a big band variant of the Shadowbringers theme called "High Treason." I feel like my life won't be complete until I've heard this played at a college football halftime show; it runs on pure "gently caress yeah, let's go!" energy.When we breach the castle's gates, we find Aliphinaud already in the thick of things, side by side with the Crystarium soldiers, taking down any Eulmoran with enough magical resistance to endure our trick. Pink sparkles rain down around us, and snoring foes can be found everywhere.  …  The designers of this duty borrowed a few pages from their previous work on Ghimlyt Dark. The castle grounds are filled with small groups of untargetable NPCs fighting each other, leaving you only a handful of real targets to bring down in any given area. This creates the impression that the battle is much larger in scale than just the part you're participating in, and the character's banter addresses that it's OK to leave the fighting to your fellow troops while you focus on the objective. When we find Alisaie, for example, Alphi chastises her for picking unnecessary fights instead of pushing onward. Lyna also comments with some chagrin that far more enemies remained awake than she'd hoped, subtly encouraging the idea that time is of the essence and every minute we're fighting is a minute wasted.  After a few waves, the Twins go untargetable (again, like the allied characters in Ghimlyt) and promise to hold the line while we go for Minfilia. We soon find her, trussed up like a prize turkey just outside the airship, and take out her two conscious guards. She's grateful but understandably out of sorts, stumbling over her words as she asks who we are. Lyna doesn't do much to calm her down when she hands over a pair of daggers "made to the same specifications as Thancreds," and tells her to prepare to use them.  …  Thancred's been training her to be a Rogue? That's awesome! I like the slightly lingering shot on the WoL's neutral expression, too. It hints that they character is feeling SOMETHING meeting her, but gives the player an opportunity to project whatever emotions they want onto the moment. As we make our way to our exit, Minfilia tries to apologize for all the trouble she's caused, but Lyna is more concerned about how quiet the battlefield has become. Up to this point, the duty had been a breezy affair, the bombastic tone of the music and the overwhelming force we've brought against the Eulmoran soldiers casting the event as the perfect heist where everything has gone according to plan. When we reach the courtyard, the music cuts out, and that instantly changes.  The Sin Eater theme, "Paradisaical Predicaments," takes over, and the fight begins in earnest. Huh, he's got a pet. Is it some kind of dragon? Its name is Gukumatz, borrowed from a Mayan Feathered Serpent God of wind and rain, and it spends the battle assisting him with various spells along that elemental theme. Nobody comments on it being there. It's no Sin Eater, at least. Anyway, as seen above, General Ran'jit starts by ignoring our party and speaking only to Minfilia, commanding her to surrender and return to Eulmore as if the rest of us are of no consequence. When she defies him, Ran'jit responds by striking her with a lightning spell that paralyzes her and having his snake throw her out of the arena with wind magic, where she's forced to sit helplessly and watch the rest of the fight. Seeing this play out puts the fear of God into Lyna, who shouts that the stories of Ran'jit's skills she's been hearing for years were no exaggeration. Alphi brazenly counters that there's no way this old man can hold off all of us, so we just need to tire him out and make a break for it. Naturally, Ran'jit then hits the rest of the party with the paralysis lightning because Alphi still hasn't learned what "tempting fate," means.   Once you're fighting Ranjit one-on-one, taking in his martial artist fighting stance and dungeon boss-style elemental attack dance, it's impossible not to cast your memory back to the unwinnable battles with Zenos. Again we've been pitted against an implacable foe (with a level of ?? rather than one that matches the expansion cap this time), seen him humble our allies, and been left to pound away at his gigantic health bar while trying to survive his counter-attacks.  …  If one were feeling uncharitable, one could judge this situation as a weak effort to recapture something special from the last expansion as a cheap way to give the villain credibility. I didn't see it that way. The duel with Ran'jit has an entirely different vibe from those with Zenos. For one thing, his model isn't a giant that looms over you, and the oppressive atmosphere they worked to establish in those fights isn't present here. Rather than an overwhelming force that is only toying with the protagonist, he gives the impression of a seasoned master who is testing them, culminating in the announcement that he "has your measure," before disabling you with the same lightning spell he used against the others. If I were to compare the fight to anything, it'd be the duel with Raubahn in the Grand Tourney. You're up against a fighter worthy of being counted as a peer whose only real edges over you are experience and technique. This, to me, allows the dynamic being established between the characters to feel fresh despite the familiar mold. With our heroes on their knees and not a drop of swear on his brow, Ran'jit notes that Alphinaud matches the description of the fugitive artist Lord Vauthry wanted. Alphi doesn't answer, so Ran'jit smugly declares there will be time to figure out if he's nabbed a bonus on the way to Eulmore. Things look grim… until backup arrives!  …  …  …  Oh my God, he's so cool! I've waited for YEARS for Thancred to get to be cool again, AND THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME! I'M SO HAPPY!  Ran'jit recognizes this bushwhacker as the man who took Minfilia out from under Eulmore's nose years earlier, and Thancred asks what the old bastard plans to do about it if he is that man. The response is… concise.  …  But this is Thancred we're talking about! Getting his rear end kicked was part of the plan!  …  Hey, I recognize those! They're Allagan runes from the Labyrinth of the Ancients and Heaven-on-High!  TOO SLOW! Unfortunately, the teleport is short-range, depositing us roughly a mile from the castle's perimeter. Ran'jit senses which direction we've gone and prepares to do a Super Kung Fu Jump down the wall to chase after us, but before that can happen, part THREE of Thancred's plan steps out of the shadows!  …  WHAT IS THAT MELODY?!  drat, I wish I was better at Photoshop, making that grainy trash took way too long for a joke that was for precisely nobody. Anyway, Thancred's plan was actually for the Exarch to come up with a plan, and it seems to have worked perfectly. Ran'jit growls and blusters, threatening to turn his forces against the Crystarium for this act of defiance or even throw hands right then and there. Crystal Jim shrugs this off as the little cube of Allagan Magitek goes dark and falls to the ground, explaining that if Ran'jit wants to fight, the Crystarium is ready, but they have no interest in impeding Eulmore's pursuit of Minfilia. Why? There's no longer any need.   …  That face certainly says a lot about what we're in for. ~*~*~ Meanwhile, on a nearby tower…  Solus isn't pleased with what's just transpired. He complains about the "mountain of indolence," and "so-called Exarch," (implying he knows who the latter is), which I took to be the same person but some people have suggested to me that the former insult is meant for Vauthry. More potent than his ire for the locals is his outright confusion at the Warrior of Light's presence. He's been watching her for a while now, but he's no closer to understanding how she was brought here. That's pretty surprising. Much of the Allagan's technology came from the Ascians. Shouldn't an Ascian know exactly how the Tower carried me between worlds? …No, wait, that's not right. The Exarch said he summoned the Tower FIRST! However he accomplished the Calling, it was under his own steam, not something he borrowed from Allag. The Exarch commands some magic or technology even the Ascians don't know. Iiiiiinteresting... But not as interesting as what the man says next.  What are you up to, Theater Kid…? Sanguinia fucked around with this message at 02:54 on May 28, 2024 |
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May 27, 2024 08:23
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Theater Kid is the proper way to refer to Solus, agreed.
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May 27, 2024 08:52
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Saying Thancred has become cool again implies he was ever cool in the first place  EDIT: Serious now, I agree woth your feelings on Ran'jit in that it's less "unwinnable boss fight" than Zenos because like, at the very least he seems to treat you seriously and it's only after gauging you for a while that he pulls the "I win" button. GiantRockFromSpace fucked around with this message at 08:58 on May 27, 2024 |
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May 27, 2024 08:53
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What's Minfilia been doing while you've been impressing nobles, practicing with shogun, building schools, and dealing with ancient reclusive dynasties under the water? For the most part, dying. Dying a lot. Ranjit is to me the worst part of the Shadowbringers narrative, because he's cool as a foil/rival to Thancred, but keeps being 'pushed' as a threat on the WOL's level for clear reason other than being sort of a Pai Mei copy. One gets the feeling that if this world had not gone awry, he would be some kind of a job trainer. Sanguinia posted:Have there been times when the folk of the First were so desperate they threw their "hero," to the lions, even though she was a helpless little girl who had no idea how to defend herself? Speaking of, I don't remember you checking in with him when you got your last outfit from Tataru at the end of Stormblood, but the kid did actually have changed dialogue once you learn that a way to the First is open to you: 
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May 27, 2024 09:06
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Ah, Ran'jit. He sure is... one of the characters of all time. He has a strong introduction, at least. The history of Minfilia is a pretty grim thing. Imagine being born with the knowledge that you have to fight what seems to be an impossible battle against overwhelming odds. I believe there was also the implication that not all Minfilias are born equal, with some being less adept for combat than others. The fight with Ran'jit does feel a bit like the Zenos encounter to the point where I kind of rolled my eyes when I went through it the first go around. That being said, looking back on it, it is distinctly different. You're never overpowered in such a way that feels like you can't fight him like you are with Zenos. If anything, I recall the solo duty feeling very much winnable until he got a really good hit in that ended the encounter. Even then, you're not decisively sent flying like the aftermath of the first Zenos fight or left waiting for the cavalry to arrive like the second; you're right back up and leaving for Il Mheg not too many moments later. Also, you missed another picture around the time you started talking about Gukumatz.
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May 27, 2024 09:07
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A couple of thoughts; 1) Eulmore was content to sit on their colossal rear end- even with the Then it started to get better. Through what amounts to them as Lesser Dieicide, no less. God sat (or whatever you want to call what that fatberg does) on his throne and said, “Die”. We (and the crysterium, by proxy) stood up and said “You the gently caress first.” This is God now throwing his Law Hero at us and insisting we behave. 2) Whilst it might be a case of “do you know how little that narrows it down?” given the whole everything, I wonder if the merchant that one member of the crysterium’s guard mentions as his reason for enlisting isn't the same one we met at the start. ConanThe3rd fucked around with this message at 09:10 on May 27, 2024 |
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May 27, 2024 09:08
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Craptacular! posted:Ranjit is to me the worst part of the Shadowbringers narrative, because he's cool as a foil/rival to Thancred, but keeps being 'pushed' as a threat on the WOL's level for clear reason other than being sort of a Pai Mei copy. One gets the feeling that if this world had not gone awry, he would be some kind of a job trainer. Final Fantasy XI has Dragoons that train pet dragons to fight alongside them, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe he'd be one of those.
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May 27, 2024 09:09
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The funny thing about the Exarch using Break is that Shadowbringers is the expansion which took that spell away from healers. Appropriately enough, it was a spell that inflicted the Heavy status. And now it's time to see where our lovely branch hails from. 
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May 27, 2024 09:12
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Sanguinia posted:...all the resources of Eulmore will be devoted to exterminating us, and if they manage to kill Kheris, they destroy the only weapon the First has against the Lightwardens. Woe betide the man who stands opposed to the Weapon of Darkness, for death will be his reward. -- I think the reason why the Exarch asks of the people for their assent is just that- he may be the one in charge, but wants the place to be ruled by consensus. He tends to offer pointed suggestions and keeps his voice quiet. As noted, he's not comfortable with so much as returning a salute. It's less about stirring up the crowd and more a matter of assuring everyone that they're all on the same page. Consider this in particular- as she says, what else is the place for? There's been no change to the path they're on- the branch they've reached but already knew which they would choose. quote:
One of the best sets in the game to my eye; I still wear the boots, and I imagine a good number of recruits sign up for the cape-scarf alone.
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May 27, 2024 09:13
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If you're going to die, you might as well go out in style.
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May 27, 2024 09:20
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Blueberry Pancakes posted:The fight with Ran'jit does feel a bit like the Zenos encounter to the point where I kind of rolled my eyes when I went through it the first go around. That being said, looking back on it, it is distinctly different. You're never overpowered in such a way that feels like you can't fight him like you are with Zenos. If anything, I recall the solo duty feeling very much winnable until he got a really good hit in that ended the encounter. Even then, you're not decisively sent flying like the aftermath of the first Zenos fight or left waiting for the cavalry to arrive like the second; you're right back up and leaving for Il Mheg not too many moments later. Another difference is that, while "unwinnable" in the typical sense, that only refers to the duel itself- as part of the larger battle, Ran'jit and his forces summarily lost. You and your pals played your parts and got out safely. Much better than getting the back of your force broken and having friends taken prisoner.
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May 27, 2024 09:26
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It really hits a happy medium between fantasy and realism in a distinctly Nordic fashion, reinforcing the different cultural contexts between Norvrandt and Eorzea. Granted, an additional decade of hammering out a more solid art direction also helps.Zomborgon posted:Another difference is that, while "unwinnable" in the typical sense, that only refers to the duel itself- as part of the larger battle, Ran'jit and his forces summarily lost. You and your pals played your parts and got out safely. Much better than getting the back of your force broken and having friends taken prisoner. Yeah, I didn't really feel the same sort of tone from Ranjit that I read from StB's Zenos encounters. I can see some of the similarities in retrospect but they're treated in a way that's sufficiently distinct that when I first saw other players' reactions negatively comparing him to Zenos I was mildly surprised.
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May 27, 2024 09:28
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Blueberry Pancakes posted:
Sigh. Of course I did. Fixed it!
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May 27, 2024 09:28
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Zomborgon posted:
It's hard to find caster armor with some weight to it and this set helps fill that hole nicely.
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May 27, 2024 09:32
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Yeah the Exarch’s speech isn’t him rallying the troops, it’s to show that he’s not an absolute monarch. In fact, he’s technically not a monarch at all! The structure of the Crystarium is that the leaders of the various parts of town are the ruling body and the Exarch is just an advisor, as seen here.
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May 27, 2024 09:58
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Yay, an update! And, yeah, while we've been futsing about on the Source, Minfilia has been here on the First and... she's been kind of doing Dark Souls, basically, for the last one hundred years. If you allow yourself to think about it a little, it's honestly incredibly bleak and supremely hosed up; like, the age is kept deliberately vague, but imagine you're - say - 14 or 16 and suddenly you get the blue eyes and golden blonde hair and you and all your family and friends know what it means. Eeesh. Great worldbuilding, but bleak. Still, it really helps sell that the First is a world in deep, deep trouble, especially once Vauthry by way of Eulmore decided to lock up the premier power that could stand against the Eaters. Which, now that there's obviously a new power that can stand against and kill Eaters, up to and including Lightwardens, explains why the Eulmorans are suddenly in a hurry to both secure Minfilia again, and try to stomp on the Crystarium.
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May 27, 2024 10:06
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hopeandjoy posted:Yeah the Exarch’s speech isn’t him rallying the troops, it’s to show that he’s not an absolute monarch. I agree that its a characterizing moment for the Exarch to show that he's not all Machiavellian puppetmastery and manipulating people into doing what he wants. But that's not really the criticism I'm leveling. He specifically prefaces the speech to his people with another speech to the Scions saying that what we see next is going to prove that restoring the night sky restored everyone's hope. But the hope was already there. The game went to great lengths to establish it. Its a weird framing. If he'd framed the speech as "I want to use the Crystarium as your shield, but I don't have the right. I learned my lesson from the problems I caused by forcing you to be here. This time I'm going to ask the people what they want to do," I wouldn't have an issue. There's nothing wrong with reading that in as subtext, I did so myself. The thing I'm taking issue with is the actual text, which was him saying that this moment was about demonstrating how much hope our victory over the Warden created.
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May 27, 2024 10:11
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Sanguinea posted:Craptacular! posted:Ranjit is to me the worst part of the Shadowbringers narrative, because he's cool as a foil/rival to Thancred, but keeps being 'pushed' as a threat on the WOL's level for clear reason other than being sort of a Pai Mei copy. One gets the feeling that if this world had not gone awry, he would be some kind of a job trainer.
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May 27, 2024 10:21
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I think the end of the Ranjit fight would have been better if instead of just going "OK I win now", Ranjit sized you up as the very dangerous person that you are and started hitting your downed friends to put you on the backfoot. Forcing you onto the defensive like that would better sell him as a tactician and make the scripted loss feel more narratively justified.
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May 27, 2024 11:07
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Sanguinia posted:The two quests are foreshadowing for something I wasn't expecting to see so early in Shadowbringers: a FATE storyline. It's nothing as elaborate as we saw in previous expansions. One would be forgiven for not even realizing the FATEs are a story, except that each part has "Nightshade," in its title. There was a FATE chain in Ahm Araeng as well that you may have overlooked, where you follow a couple scavengers as they search the desert. There's actually one in every zone in ShB, though they may be in a part you don't get access to immediately (like Kholusia's).
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May 27, 2024 11:19
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The crystarium set gives me the shits because its got super big shoulderpads and the gloves and legs dont really match well at all, and almost all the other crystarium guards and lyna have a much better looking version with a bit of trim on the cloak and no shoulderpads. Also with Ranjit I did find him annoying when I started but I've grown to appreciate him. The pressure he adds to the story adds a lot and I like him having a very unique fighting style. His Monk/reaper/caster thing with the unusual aesthetic gives him a lot of weight. It feels like he's the sole master of a job from a dead part of the First.
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May 27, 2024 11:23
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I think one of the things that prevents the Ran'jit fight from being too Zenos like, is that Ran'jit fails at what he sets out to do, and we succeed. We DO in fact escape with Minfilia, despite his combat prowess. So rather than feeling 'oh poo poo, we're utterly hosed' it is 'alright, this is an enemy we don't have the brute strength to handle in a straight up fight, but he can be bamboozled'
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May 27, 2024 11:52
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I love the Crystarium set on lalas but it doesn't really work on Elezen, which I mainly play. Too wide!
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May 27, 2024 12:18
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Yaaaay, an update!Sanguinia posted:The Exarch takes his usual tact, claiming that he's been meaning to talk to Kheris about Minfilia, but on second thought, it might be best if she acquires the information from someone else. I feel like he keeps using this strategy because the "someone else," is always far enough away that she won't be able to punch him once she hears the story. If that's his reasoning, he's certainly not stupid. quote:Oh my God, he's so cool! I've waited for YEARS for Thancred to get to be cool again, AND THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME! I'M SO HAPPY! quote:What are you up to, Theater Kid…?
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May 27, 2024 13:20
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Ran'jit wishes he was as cool as Hamon Holyfist
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May 27, 2024 13:28
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Oh sheet, it's Ranjit! He's about to do the punchy hands and kickin' with feet!
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May 27, 2024 13:49
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Maybe Jim's speech is there to be sure you get the Crystarium theming if you don't talk and explore as much as dedicated sidequester Sanguina does. FF14 firmly operates in the MMO part of my RPG gamer brain where I gloss over most non-quest marker dialogue, only occasionally talking to somebody with an interactive name over their head and usually getting a fairly generic line for my trouble. As a long time FF fan Ran'jit(and Zenos) never bothered me. Perhaps I'd already bought into accepting the occasional unwinnable fight for storytelling. That said they can still be done well or poorly and FF14 tends to do them well, or at least acceptably. I think there's some people who will never enjoy these situations and that's alright, they're highly subjective. What is objective is I agree that Ran'jit doesn't really overplay his hand and he still gets outfoxed. A longform write up of the Mass Effect series dissected a similar scene from ME1 where you have to take a L from Saren. It's done well in that the hero gets a fair exchange to show combat prowess, they're made to lose but it isn't obnoxious and the stakes are set to get back at the villain later, with maybe a greater goal reached if we can't have the straight win in a fight right now. Compared to when ME3 would deliver the single worst character in the series who botches the same scenario... yeah, Ran'jit and Zenos are alright. 
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May 27, 2024 14:32
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I've always been disappointed with how that first Ran'jit fight ends. For me, a better option would have been him ending the fight by putting a line stack marker on the other Scions, forcing you to take a crippling blow to protect your allies (and obviously if you don't it's game over as he blasts your helpless friends) which takes you out like Piccolo in the Saiyan Saga. This essentially achieves the same thing as making Ran'jit unbeatable - you can't fight him as a team since he'll fight dirty and use your desire to protect your friends against you, and it'd be easy to show that you can't fight him alone because he's way faster than you are and will just run from you - and probably towards the other Scions while you're not there. He's lived too long to just fight a stronger opponent where and how they want to fight. So you have a problem. An enemy too dangerous for anyone but you to fight one on one, but simultaneously he'll never stick around for that duel. And solving that problem (Trap him somehow and get him somewhere he can't escape? Enrage him to the point where he throws caution to the wind and simply tries to kill you? Work out a way for your allies to turn his dirty fighting back on him?) is more interesting than big strong unbeatable dude. GilliamYaeger fucked around with this message at 14:55 on May 27, 2024 |
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May 27, 2024 14:52
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E: ^ yeah this is basically what I feel should have been done instead of Yet Another Unwinnable Fight ^TLM3101 posted:If you allow yourself to think about it a little, it's honestly incredibly bleak and supremely hosed up; like, the age is kept deliberately vague, but imagine you're - say - 14 or 16 and suddenly you get the blue eyes and golden blonde hair and you and all your family and friends know what it means. Eeesh. Great worldbuilding, but bleak. I'm pretty sure it's either outright stated or implied somewhere (spoilered bc I cannot remember when) that Minfilias manifest at birth or very early (like, pre-permanent memory) childhood, not later in life. The little girl in the Minfilia book is a little girl and not an older teen or grown woman for a reason (compare her proportions to the people in the sin eater costumes). Anyway, I like Ran'jit's design (it's too early for me to really comment on him as a character because I have Opinions even if I lean positive) but comparisons to Zenos were inevitable given that he's another powerful combatant basically introduced with a dogshit unwinnable fight. It's honestly more surprising to hear that people didn't make that comparison; even if the trappings are different, the fact remains that the devs are using very similar tools for both men and people are going to notice that. Relatedly, unwinnable fight design in this game sucks so much. There is not a single one that I actually like; they all feel really bad to actually play for a variety of reasons including "they universally take too drat long" and "there's no fail-forward". And it's not just that I main a tank; I've seen DPS do these fights and they still take way too long and are of only minimal threat due to the no fail forward bit so it feels bad when the rug gets pulled.
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May 27, 2024 14:57
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Like Clockwork posted:Relatedly, unwinnable fight design in this game sucks so much. There is not a single one that I actually like; they all feel really bad to actually play for a variety of reasons including "they universally take too drat long" and "there's no fail-forward". And it's not just that I main a tank; I've seen DPS do these fights and they still take way too long and are of only minimal threat due to the no fail forward bit so it feels bad when the rug gets pulled. Only it's impossible. You do not have the DPS to take all three out in the time limit, so he reaches 100% charge and oneshots you. Y'know, like how it'd go in a real fight! And let me tell you, it feels way better to lose like that than by the boss basically pointing at you and you falling over dead because the plot demands it. The other fight I'm thinking of is one we haven't seen yet but is also a defeat caused by the player being unable to complete an impossible mechanic. So yeah, they've worked out a way to have you lose fights without it feeling cheap and I'd be really happy if they backported that into previous unwinnable fights - Zenos doing the triple sword charge thing, for example.
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May 27, 2024 15:10
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Sanguinia posted:I agree that its a characterizing moment for the Exarch to show that he's not all Machiavellian puppetmastery and manipulating people into doing what he wants. But that's not really the criticism I'm leveling. He specifically prefaces the speech to his people with another speech to the Scions saying that what we see next is going to prove that restoring the night sky restored everyone's hope. But the hope was already there. The game went to great lengths to establish it. Its a weird framing. If he'd framed the speech as "I want to use the Crystarium as your shield, but I don't have the right. I learned my lesson from the problems I caused by forcing you to be here. This time I'm going to ask the people what they want to do," I wouldn't have an issue. There's nothing wrong with reading that in as subtext, I did so myself. The thing I'm taking issue with is the actual text, which was him saying that this moment was about demonstrating how much hope our victory over the Warden created. I think that the Exarch believes there is a difference in the amount of hope that is necessary to continue to try to survive and the amount necessary to openly attack the strongest military power in Norvrandt. They are opening the Crystarium up to a war that none of them know that they can win. I think the part that you are right about is that they would have done this anyway, because they trust the Exarch. Which is why you are getting dissonance here, the Exarch himself doesn't understand that the people of the Crystarium trust him so completely. This isn't a matter of the writing not connecting up. This is a matter of the Exarch simply being wrong.
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May 27, 2024 15:18
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I don't really enjoy unwinnable fights in games but they've never really bothered me enough to complain about them or whatever. Gaming background radiation. There's always going to be a desert level with sitar music, there will always be an awkward bit where first tier healing spells no longer heal enough and the next tier is too expensive, and at some point I'm gonna have a weird unwinnable boss fight.
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May 27, 2024 15:19
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