|
The correct way to motivate Rusty and the gang is cold hard cash iirc.
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2020 03:58
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 5, 2024 12:54 |
|
|
Huh. I just talked my way out of fighting the Boatmen at all by convincing them they didn't want to die as decoys. Which is hilarious, because they'd have killed the poo poo out of me. Fake it when you can't make it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2020 03:59
|
|
|
Poor Rusty. Tiresias is a surprisingly practical man with his lessons.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2020 04:04
|
|
|
Rusty took a combat sidequest. That's a dangerous move in this world.
|
|
#
?
Apr 28, 2020 04:09
|
|
|
Part XXVII: Love potion I'M NOT DEAD! Last time, Gaius Impuratus killed some Boatmen for Levir. Unfortunately it was a decoy team, so we need to find out what happened at the temple.  Yes, why?   : Gaelius? He has a point. If Antidas' Hoard is bringing so much heat to the guild, maybe it's better to let them have it. Still, all that effort, wasted... : What would Cado say? heh  It looks like Darista was ousted in this timeline, because I doubt she'd want any harm to come to Gaelius. : Everyone except for the Boatmen.  : How? I can see why Levir is the guildmaster.  Me? I'd probably curl into a ball and sob. : Gaelius isn't some thug. NO GODS, NO MASTERS  : Why did the Boatmen agree to it? I made a stop at the inn to shed some weight -- we'll need a disguise for the next part.  : I'm ready to meet Cyrus.  : Why are you doing it?     This is arguably the best mission in the Thief playthrough. There are a lot of options and outcomes to this one, but I'm only showing off one possible path.    : I don't think I can pass for a palace guard. Thanks, Cyrus. Thyrus. : Let's go. The best options are the second or third ones. If you choose the first, they all come out and you have a fight on your hands. : He seemed agitated. Says he'll go straight to the centurion, unless you come out right now.  RIP Gaius.    A level 4 Critical strike is needed to succeed. Otherwise, it's a fight.   Time to exercise our guard swagger.  Hooray!  : Why didn't the guards we killed earlier have any badges? : Where are we going to get a gold badge? We could probably pickpocket the badge, but there's a better way. : Sleight of hand is not really my forte. : What's upstairs? : Can we talk our way in? No point in going upstairs, so it's straight to the Legatus.  : Masala sent us.  : Said he was short on men. A few of his boys got knifed in some tavern, so he went to take a look and sent us here. gently caress yeah!  Guard quarters first.  There's a better way. Let's try the Daratan emissary.  Not sure what this guy's deal is. I assume he's relevant in another playthrough or some other chain of events, but I can't be bothered to find out. Maybe you take his place if you're a Daratan praetor. Crassus emissary is next!  Okay, we'll listen to his spiel. : Yes.     Gaelius would have something to say about Meru being "the noblest of nobles," but never mind. : Power? They probably died, but I won't rain on this guy's parade.  We can kill him and take his badge, but again, there's a better way. To the courtesan!  Nothing to do here... yet. The only place left is the healer's.  Dalia is the courtesan we just saw. : You know how she is.   High intelligence opens up an option to make poison.  Thanks, Levir. Thevir.   Time for more bullshitting!   I like how the PC paraphrases Meleagros here.   You can kill the courtesan if you feel the game is too easy, or something.    No regrets.    One loading screen later...    ALL HAIL LORD LEVIR!  It's actually Strabos and Senna, but the Slums are Levir's. He's literally a slum lord.   There's a siege against Ganezzar and, naturally, we have to deal with it. : What about the Boatmen? : Why is Ganezzar under siege? Meru has been poking his nose in old ruins and that warrants attacking his city. I'll never understand the motives of nobles...    : Never thought I'd see the day... : Who's the guildmaster in Ganezzar? Remember that "he won't give you problems" part. : What do you know about Meru?    Hey, it's one of those machines we used to increase our stats.      : Aren't you too young to be a loremaster?  : A healing machine? Someone would go through all that trouble for a healing machine? : Is that what happened to Levir? "Coughing sickness" is likely tuberculosis. No wonder Levir is desperate. : You mentioned something about a jar? I didn't understand any of that!   : Wait, something's wrong. Can you open the hatch again? Levir has been good to us, so we won't kill him. I also don't like the idea of dealing with the guards.    Nothing else to do, so it's time to head to Ganezzar and end the chapter.  Next Time: Complications
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 02:40
|
|
|
The Daratan Praetor is absolutely the PC if you're playing as the Praetor. You get an event where two suspicious guards come to your quarters at the palace, and if you realize something's up and waste them, you save Gaelius's life and get a chance to become his honored Praetor instead. I had no idea what that was all about (save they were assassins) until I played the Thief storyline. The little moments when 'other PC, but not the PC on this run' intersect with you are a lot of fun. Like the Mercenary and the Assassin being different sides of the same intro fight, and who wins being determined by which playthrough you're doing.
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 02:56
|
|
|
oh hey you didnt die!
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 09:13
|
|
|
They say you're not a hero but you go from owning the Commercium to Antidas to putting Gaelius in the ground all while being the golden child for the guild leaders. RIP Gaelius again. Over confident to the end.
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 18:03
|
|
|
While the PC does not have a destiny and cannot single-handedly kill entire armies, nothing stops them being an extremely competent person. They're still the protagonist and drive events around them. I think some of what they mean with the game is more...you kind of have to build up to it. You do some kind of impressive deed in Teron that brings you to the attention of others, which then drives your career to take off in Maadoran and come to a head later. It's not that you're worthless or unable to change the world, it's more that there's more of a career for the PC.
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 18:11
|
|
|
Night10194 posted:While the PC does not have a destiny and cannot single-handedly kill entire armies, nothing stops them being an extremely competent person. They're still the protagonist and drive events around them. While they didn't single-handily kill an entire army, the Mercenary PC made a legendary stand against the Ordu complete with cutting down Belgutai. So close enough. But yeah, I get it. I'm just kind of laughing at how well the Thief PC does compared to everyone but maybe the Commercium PC.
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 18:36
|
|
|
The Merch is the most powerful and the most dickish of all the PCs. I genuinely adore that the Merch can just finish the game in like 3 hours.
|
|
#
?
May 17, 2020 18:42
|
|
|
Part XXVIII: Exploring Ganezzar We're back with the main playthrough! Before we leave for Ganezzar, there's one last thing to do. Nasir wanted a yellow sapphire from Silvanus, so we're getting it.  This is the place.  Heck, let's talk to the guy.  Looks like his guest is a member of the Forty Thieves. : What's your price? Either option works, but I like the praetor one. : I'm a praetor of House Aurelian. One word and you'll be stripped of all your possessions and thrown out like the lowliest of beggars. HEH.  Thanks, loser.  Pretty. Back to Nasir.  Here it is, you greedy man.  1000 gold, baby!  Off to Ganezzar.     A lot has happened. Remember when Octavia was a lowly loremaster's apprentice?  Soundtrack: Ganezzar Note the symbolism of a city in the heavens that's compared to a choking fungus.  Yep, definitely a siege. Remember, this is because Meru was caught digging in some ruins.     Let's see what the holy city is like.  Some crucified men. A good sign.    Meru can wait. There's a lot to see and do. First, we'll talk to the guy in armor.  : I haven't seen many mercenaries around here. Friendly fellow. : I was just curious what brought you here, brother.   : Do you really believe that?   Buddy, I've learned some poo poo that would change your mind (but the game won't let me tell you).  : What are you talking about? : I've yet to see the Gods lifting up a finger to help anyone. At best they're indifferent. ok boomer  There's a guy named Pancreas -- I mean, Pancratius -- in the building next to the old couple.  Theological debate time! : What is the Gods' nature? : The Gods demand much but give us very little. : I'm not sure what to believe. After everything we've experienced? : No.  : The false lords? Nice talking to you.  Ganezzar looks smaller than Teron, but as you saw in the opening, it's arranged in levels. Presently, we're at the lowest level, which is naturally named Lowtown.     It's a fine place.  The former headquarters for the Boatmen of Styx.  Theological debate, part 2.  This sounds like a good time to stick our nose in. : What makes you think the essence was divine, brother? : We don't know. We don't know what exactly the Magi brought to our plane. You said the essence was divine yet what proof do you offer? : Why did they come to our aid and leave so abruptly, leaving nothing but ruins behind? We're told it's because we turned our backs on them which tells us nothing.  I like this game's writing, but this is almost a copy/paste of the first sentence two screens ago. What happened?  Oh well. We tried.  What's this?  : Does it happen often? : What kind of plague is it? : How do you know it's a plague? Hair loss and vomiting blood are also symptoms of acute radiation syndrome.  : So what's the plan? : I dabble in alchemy. Maybe I can help. Yuck. Streetwise is slightly higher, so we'll go with that.  Ugggh.  The picture shows Octavia by a staircase, but never mind.  Luckily, we've got the knowledge to alleviate radiation sickness.     We'll check it out much later.  This is Hector. Hector is important in another quest, but for now he just stands there.   Just like in Maadoran, we can pay one of locals to act as a guide.  : Tell me about the city. Did you say airships? : Airships? Looks like the Magi invented zeppelins. : Wait, the Magi built the castle? I thought House Crassus did it. : What's with the crosses?  : Tell me about Lord Meru. Meru has made himself Pope, it seems. : Tell me about the local guilds. Everyone's been intimidated by the zealots. Maybe Meru is more dangerous than I thought. : I'm looking for Gaius Laevinus. : I'm looking for Esdras, the trader. That's all the info we can get.  There's a climbable ladder near the main gate. Inside the building...   That tears it. : This man is coming with me. You poor man. You have no idea who you're up against.  Three against one, but this fight is a joke. By now, I'm evading almost every attack and what lands can't get through my armor. The only theoretical danger is the crossbowman, but like I said, he can barely hit me.    Extortion, but with a righteous flavor.   One last person to talk to in Lowtown, standing next to a pile of skulls.  We should probably play along. : I follow the teachings of Brother Meru. I came to Ganezzar to hear him speak.  Smile and nod... : Are there a lot of unbelievers here?     Whoops, I think I hear my mother calling me or something... Next Time: Philosophy 101 rudecyrus fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Jun 3, 2020 |
|
#
?
May 30, 2020 23:17
|
|
|
Getting to Ganezzar as a Loremaster who's done the Abyss and the tower and seen the old records is a fun time. The pure Praetor run version of it where you don't actually know anything about the Gods yet is also some pretty great horror stuff.
|
|
#
?
May 30, 2020 23:50
|
|
|
It's nice that Ganezzar has such dedicated citizens. Also, yeah, this place definitely has potential.
|
|
#
?
May 31, 2020 00:37
|
|
|
Part XXIX: Class warfare To get to the next district we need to climb this massive stairway. At least I'm getting exercise.   : Expecting trouble? You may notice some contradictions between what this guard says and what Meru's followers proclaim: Meru is trying to create a more egalitarian society.   Whoops, better spout some bullshit : I am, brother. I was merely curious who dispenses justice in Lowtown. : Is it not said that justice is a joy to the godly, but terror to the evildoers? Phew.  : A tear? A tear in the fabric of our world? The dialogue makes me think the guard is pronouncing "tear" a certain way and is ignorant to the real meaning. loving homographs! In any case, it sounds ominous.  Further along is this nobleman.  An aristocrat literally looking down on the poor.    : Aellium?  : So when did Ganezzar become a city?   Looks like the nobles aren't happy with the situation.  The Temple District. It's small, but there are some interesting sights. First stop is the inn.  Hey, it's Laevinus! You may or may not remember this is the guy Domitius Ulpius mentioned way back when we first arrived at Maadoran.  : Gaius Laevinus?    Whatever he found, it scared him badly.    No need for sarcasm. At least we know where the temple is.     : Do you know of any other old places? We'll explore all of these places, but that's for later.  We discover a shakedown in progress while walking through the merchants' area. : What's that about?   Elias said something similar happened to him. The zealots have a nice extortion racket going on.  Everyone's so cheerful!    Hmm, I'm warming up to these zealots.   Lords to the left of me, zealots to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you.   Even the Imperial Guard bent the knee.     Not much of a conversationalist, is he?  Ah, now this sounds exciting.   Um, okay?   rear end in a top hat. : What do you know about the one called Balzaar?  I have no idea what you're talking about. : What about the Artificer?  I didn't know math would be involved!   Now I have a headache.  Next to the temple is this group.  : What's going on?  So a female Socrates? : You have a patient crowd. What do you do here, woman? Someone, anyone, just give me a straight loving answer.  : Hopefully I'm wiser than I was yesterday and will be wiser still tomorrow. That's about all that I can claim. : I agree, it is a harsh world and most folks would sooner steal from you or double cross you than allow you to have a little for your own. Evil men for dark times. : If we were a gathering of hares I'd wager this conversation would take a different direction. : But how often do the wild beasts take in excess? Or purely for pleasure? There are men and women who take from those around them far more than they need for their own survival. Be they bandits or nobles. poo poo wherever you'd like...  : You say we all act for our own best interest. What about acts of selflessness? Generosity? Not everyone always acts in favor of themselves. I was with you until this "all deeds are selfish" nonsense. Get the gently caress outta here!  : We are not a wise people.  Not far from Brontia is this person.    House Crassus is pretty drat important. We know one of Meru's ancestors worked with Abu Hassan, but we're about to learn how instrumental it was in the Empire.    : Alright, go on. : The Magi, what were they?  : Hellfyre?    Too bad the Order ended up destroying the world with that arcane knowledge. : So what was the relationship between House Crassus and the Order of Magi?   Inside the temple proper is another sermon.     BOOOO! YOU'RE NOT FUNNY!  Elias said we should talk to Lord Darganus. His house happens to be next to the temple.  : I have a message for Lord Darganus.  That's some drat fine facial hair.   : Lord Meru? Not Brother Meru?  A bit of a dilemma here: on the one hand, the nobles hate the fact that Meru is elevating the poor and it's clear what they want is a return to the good ol' days where the lower classes kept to themselves. On the other hand: money. : Well, I do hate vermin.  : With pleasure.Next Time: Hellish Hector
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2020 23:53
|
|
|
One of the things I really enjoy about this game, and one of the reasons it went on my list of Favorite CRPGs (it can't beat Disco Elysium but man, there is no shame at all in that) is that none of the characters you meet really speak with the voice of the author, so to speak. You meet a ton of people with very different ideas about history, the future, society, etc, and it's left to you to ponder them. It's a cynical game in a lot of ways, but that same cynical grasping is killing the world. And the whole 'piecing together what really happened in the past as best you can' part (and seeing how many ways it's interpreted, and how many different scraps of truth there are) is really cool and fun.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2020 01:31
|
|
|
hell yeah fantasy socrates/diogenes
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2020 16:58
|
|
|
I like the Annalist getting mad at you. "I told you where this came from man, what do you expect?" I am excited for this Hellgate though.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2020 01:08
|
|
|
yeah i actually like that the historians that try to be honest and state their caveats get annoyed when the PC starts pissing on their work, it's very humanising
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2020 10:20
|
|
|
Since the game was on sale, I picked it up. I've gotten up to Maadoran and have been spending time in the arena. The arena crowd is AMAZING.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2020 12:17
|
|
|
Part XXX: Bad Omens Last time, Lord Darganus gave us a mission to kill the zealots harassing Berengarius.  : Are you with the Commercium?  Buddy, we're here to help you with your problem. : Lord Darganus sent me. : Then they kill us. I'll die fighting so my death will be quick. Then they'll torture you until you give them everything and then they torture you some more to be sure.  : I haven't decided yet.    If you insist.   : Yes.  Oh yeah, very good friend of mine. : Miltiades? He's the noblest of men. Capable too, so he'll be a great asset in this undertaking. Over to Pancratius, then.  : Lord Darganus sends his regards.    Let's try the "softly-softly" approach. : Heresy or not, if you won't guide these people, someone else will. Lord Meru is preoccupied with other matters now, but sooner or later he'll have to deal with the problem he created. Unless you show your value by dealing with it for him first.   Hector, if you remember, was the guy standing on the street corner.  : Hector?   No point in walking away now.   Ugh, this fight. It's only three against one, but hammer bro and crossbowdouche are more than enough. The former likes to damage your armor and the latter has poison bolts, so get ready to watch your health disappear. As for Hector, he tends to hit you with bleed, so watch for that.    After about five tries, I win the fight with only 4 HP left. Go me! Death Count: 50  An amusing exchange with the healer. Fill me up with kidneys!  : Hector is dead. Back to Darganus.  : We reached an understanding. His price was Hector's head.  We'll check back later.  Time to get the best armor in the game. Marcus Valla said to find Esdras, and here he is in the market square.  : Marcus Valla sent me.   We're as prepared as we can be, so let's get this over with.    If Esdras did come and buy the armor, was the guy going to strip naked and hand it to him?  Five v one. Guy with spear, guy with crossbow, guy with scimitar, guy with axe and guy with net. As you'd expect, it's a tough fight. Everyone likes to inflict movement penalties so you're forced to sit there while they plink away at your health.  Surprisingly, it's not as hard as the Hector fight because dodging is OP.   I got an achievement for killing 100 people. Hooray! Death Count: 52  The Power Armor, as it's called, is a nice piece of equipment. It's DR isn't as high as our current set, but check out that Hardiness -- there's no chance of this thing being damaged.  We can't wear a helmet while it's equipped and the reason why will become apparent later. The gauntlet acts like a shield so it takes up one of our hand slots. Let's interact with it.  One power tube...  Two power tubes...  Three power tubes.  Powering up the armor unlocks modes I'll show off next time we're in combat. As for the forth mode...  Eh, what's a little sacrifice every now and then?  OW The forth mode is unlocked at the cost of permanently losing 5 HP. Trust me, it's worth it.  Look out world, we're ready to kick rear end!  Even inserting one power tube drops the armor penalty to 10 and maxes the AP at a whopping 20. If you've got the DEX, you can run around and poo poo on everyone before the first round ends.  Completely sanitary, I assure you.  Enough screwing around; it's time to meet Meru. The castle is in the Skyport district, located at the top of Ganezzar.  On the way there, we run into this fellow.    I don't like you. : What do the responsibilities of the Second Acolyte entail?  : And blood, eh? What happened to "we're all brothers and sisters?"   I love how he straight up admits all the talk of equality is bullshit and the same stringent hierarchies will exist after the Gods return -- but they'll be righteous hierarchies!  Here's the dock for the fabled airships. You'd think someone would build a few railings.  : Tell Lord Meru that a praetor of House Aurelian requests an audience.  The First Acolyte himself.  But you're sitting. : You have no guards? What's the deal with this guy?  : You didn't answer my question. What were your men doing in the ruins? The Guardian in Zamedi said Al-Akia was the place the Qantari and Magi infused human vessels with the essence of the gods. Then it all went to poo poo. : Months? Years? Decades? Does it really matter? The past should stay buried.  Meru's got some balls.   Well, okay.  What the poo poo?  Uh...     : I need time to process what I saw. After that bit of mindfuckery, let's talk to Faelan.  Stop that.      I still don't know what Faelan's deal is and now I want to be as far away from him as possible. : Pain or pleasure? Maybe Faelan should join the BDSM community. : Does your power grow still? Ugh, never mind. : Do you share Brother Meru's beliefs? Yeah, this dude is a powder keg ready to explode. Get me outta here.  Let's show Meru the map.  Whoa. Suddenly, Meru's not so friendly.  : I... uh... beg forgiveness? Oh gently caress, better do as he says. : Guide me, brother! Phew. I need to up my charisma for this next part, but it's worth it. : They say you found your faith in the depths of your castle. I wish I could see it too, brother, to strengthen my faith.   : What happened to those who failed? Oh, good.   Let's do this.  holy gently caress   There really is a tear beneath Ganezzar. The mind boggles.  It's kinda beautiful, in a reality-warping way. The only actions we can take are to leave or examine the throne.  gently caress it.  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  As the green text implied, if your CON/INT isn't high enough you die because the otherwordly knowledge is too much for your feeble mind.   gently caress, whatever : I wish to serve the Gods, brother. : Why me? Surely you have hundreds of loyal servants. : What's in Al-Akia? Meru wants to sacrifice himself? : What about Faelan? : I need time to prepare.After that, we need LOTS of time to prepare. Next Time: A chat with the Gods
|
|
#
?
Jun 23, 2020 22:00
|
|
|
Everything about Meru, even if you haven't found the information we have by this point, should be setting off every goddamn alarm bell in your head. I feel like Ganezzer tends to be the weakpoint of most of the plotlines since it doesn't really have time to be as interconnected as Teron or as big as Maadoran, but the actual stuff with Meru can be real good. Especially if you take a route that goes to actual Al-Akia.
|
|
#
?
Jun 23, 2020 22:30
|
|
|
Those certainly were events and logic dictates that whatever blood vessels popped in Octavia's head weren't in her brain, so she's got at least that. At least that and sweet power armor.
|
|
#
?
Jun 24, 2020 00:28
|
|
|
Is Meru hoping to bring a "god" into himself without wards? Something else?
|
|
#
?
Jun 24, 2020 00:34
|
|
|
It does sound like that, he wants to imitate the initial process while only knowing very little about it.
|
|
#
?
Jun 24, 2020 00:38
|
|
|
If you pick the right choices with Meru, this is where the Grifter origin pays off
|
|
#
?
Jun 24, 2020 01:05
|
|
|
The plotline does a good job of establishing a Roadside Picnic kinda vibe about the leftover tech being highly incomprehensible to humans.
|
|
#
?
Jun 24, 2020 08:11
|
|
|
Given the current situation, this LP will probably have to be continued offsite. I'm not sure where that will be, but hopefully I can finish this someday.
|
|
#
?
Jun 25, 2020 04:52
|
|
|
Thanks for introducing us to this game. I've been having fun with it getting stabbed, stabbed and stabbed again. I probably shouldnt keep charging into combat with 5 people but it keeps track of impossible fights I've won!
|
|
#
?
Jun 25, 2020 04:56
|
|
|
I really appreciate you doing it, though; this turned out to be one of my favorite cRPGs and I'd have never played it if not for this LP. So thanks!
|
|
#
?
Jun 25, 2020 04:57
|
|
|
I'm migrating the LP over to here. Please go there for future updates.
|
|
#
?
Jun 25, 2020 23:25
|
|
|
rudecyrus posted:I'm migrating the LP over to here. Please go there for future updates. quote:I, Jeffrey of YOSPOS, have reached an agreement with Lowtax to transfer all Something Awful LLC assets to me. No contract has been signed yet but these things take time and I want to make this announcement now. Obviously, if this falls through, you all will hear it straight from me.
|
|
#
?
Jun 26, 2020 05:26
|
|
|
Part XXXI: Second star to the right I'm finishing this LP, come hell or high water.  We need a break from the main quest. Let's investigate the Old Facility.  It's just a hole in the ground with a few Aurelian soldiers. Hopefully the interior is more interesting.  : Relax, we're on the same side.     Pleasant guy.  This looks more promising.    Nothing left, as to be expected. If we descend further...  There's the door the sentry mentioned.     More power tubes are good.  Keyhole first.  Be aware the door is trapped. One mistake means instant death.  Crafting a key is the safer bet.    We've actually discovered a flying ship!  A very big ship. It's built like a ziggurat.  Imagine the number of people you could fit in this thing.   Can't do anything on this level, so upstairs we go.  A quartet of ballistae sit here, unused. I really wish we could get them working again. The next level has more ballistae and a box containing a scroll.       Harrowing stuff. The top level of the ship has one of the crystal semi-spheres, presumably used for communication, a console, and the captain's log.  Ugh, I hate the old system of writing. The extra Es, the random capitalization...   Looks like the ship was parked here for repairs and never left.  As for the console, we can finally use the jellyfish artifact!  The scroll we took from Antidas' treasury also plays a part. Let's get this baby flying!  Whoops.  The hatch controls are back at the door we came through. Luckily, we have plenty of power tubes.   Let's try again.  Gaelius is gonna poo poo a brick when he sees this.  WE COME IN PEACE, EARTHLINGS.   : That's it? Grateful my rear end. I just delivered a a flying ship to your doorstep and you're scolding me? gently caress you, Gaelius.  Hey, Thorgul set up his tent outside the palace gates.  : What do you think of Maadoran? : It has its moments.  ok boomer  : What does Gaelius want you to do? Let's see Marcus Valla about the power armor.  : It is. I decided to keep it. Nuts, I only have around 3400. Looks like this is gonna get bloody. : 4,000 imperials to keep what's already mine? You must be out of your mind, Marcus. When combat starts, a nifty animal helmet forms around our head, which is why we can't equip one. In Apis mode, it's a bull...  Horus is a bird...  Anubis is a jackal...  Ra is a bird with awesome head feathers. Each mode gives a bonus. Apis: +1-3 Strength (by number of power tubes inserted) Horus: +1-3 Dexterity (by number of power tubes inserted) Anubis: +1-3 health regeneration (by number of power tubes inserted) Ra: +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 health regeneration We're going with Ra mode from now on. Naturally, I smash these guys to pieces.  Oh, hi Caius. I totally forgot about you.  : My payment? That'll do.  It's been a while since we fought in the arena. Our opponent is Al Sahir, the champion.  As you'd expect, he's formidable. He's equipped with blue steel armor and weapons, including a chakram he'll use at range and a shamshir that is guaranteed to hit you with Poison and Bleeding.  He also likes to add to your misery by using nets.  Despite the heavy armor, Al Sahir is quite dexterous and dodged my attacks multiple times. At least he doesn't use a spear.  Somehow, I killed him on my first attempt.  ARENA CHAMPION, gently caress YES The first thing I wanna say to all the little Octaviamaniacs out there...  Yep, this questline isn't over. Now we have to defend our title. If we talk to him again...   We need to wait until challengers become available. Our journal says to talk to Basil, so off we go.  Surprise, surprise, he's in trouble.  You poor man. Don't you know who you're dealing with?  Thanks for the support, Basil.  Another easy fight.   : Now I'll go check on Quintus. After you pay me for my trouble, of course. One thousand imperials. : Well, if you don't have any money, then you're on your own. When the forty Thieves' thugs come to murder you, tell them that it wasn't your fault. I'm sure they'll understand. Off to see Quintus.     Quintus and Basil really are birds of a feather.  Yawn...  : You can pay me for my trouble. : Are you holding out on me, Quintus? : I didn't come to you, Quintus, did I? You came to me and now it's too late to back out. So stop whining and pay me. Back to Basil.  : I've handled it. The quest is put on hold again. Let's finish this update with a bang. Remember the Arch and how seemingly pointless it was?  Check this out, my man.  We've got a badass cybernetic eye and we're gonna use it!   Whoa.  The only way to use the machines is with the Ghost Hand.  Three power tubes are required to activate the Hand, so save those up.  Oh poo poo, I think I turned it on.  gently caress yeah, we're going in!  Oh. If you remember the lore, Abu Hassan came here with a crystal helmet that allowed him to enter this plane. We don't have the helmet, so... Let's try a different approach. : Send in one of your zealots to greet the Gods. Uh... : The Gods have accepted the sacrifice! Don't be a party pooper.  Okay, I'm having second thoughts about this.  : We need another volunteer, old man. : You've spent your entire life waiting for the Gods to return, like all those who came before you. Maybe these Gods aren't what you expected, but you can't turn away now just because you have doubts.It's for a good cause, okay? Trust me.  : What's in Al-Akia? No matter what you ask, the entity doesn't answer. : One more.I AM NOT A MONSTER  : Tell them what they see isn't real. Tell them that the Gods wish to test their faith and devotion. Only those who trust their hearts rather than their eyes will pass the test.As you'd expect, the steetwise/persuasion requirements go up every time you sacrifice someone.  : Who are you?  : What is this place?  : It is said the First of the Magi traveled to your realm.  : What's in Al-Akia?   : It was a long time ago. The people who made the deal with you are long dead. : It won't. I won't let it!    I need a drink. Next Time: Hellgate
|
|
#
?
Jul 3, 2020 23:29
|
|
|
Al Akia is not a good place.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2020 00:29
|
|
|
 The entity has some wit. Is there an alternative way besides sacrifice? The crystal helm and being able to travel to a magical blue realm is probably outside the scope of the game. I wonder how the other professions will reach a similar ending place. Or if they do. I suppose they all follow Meru. It'll be funny to see Merc MC stab some godling to death without having any idea of what's happening.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2020 03:27
|
|
|
Hypocrisy posted:
I’m pretty sure what’s what happened when I played through. My guy was dumb as a rock and had no idea what was happening.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2020 11:57
|
|
|
Part XXXII: Is that a giant spear in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Enough stalling -- it's time for Hellgate.    lol owned  Even outside it looks foreboding.  Looks normal so far.   A ziggurat, eh?  Someone is -- or was -- camping here.  An elevator. According to the stories, the real horrors are below. The House Crassus banners in the background are a recurring feature in the ruins we explore.  We found the (ex-)camper.  Could be dangerous.  Goody, it is! Let's mess with it.   We now have a functioning magic grenade!  Okay, now I'm seeing why this place is named Hellgate. When we step into the hallway...  oh poo poo The construct can be a pain in the rear end if you're not prepared. It's heavily armored, attacks multiple times in a single turn, and has a nasty flurry attack that can one-shot you. On top of that, you usually have to fight more than one. Our stats and equipment make these things a minor threat, but I don't feel like fighting, so let's try a different tactic. You might recall the seemingly useless device we found at Zamedi.   Threat neutralized!  Oh, hello. You appear to have a thousand yard stare.    Methinks Bennie needs some fresh air.    A prince? I guess I've seen stranger things... : What happened to your father?     Of course there's more than one.   : Alright. I'll find that magic spear for you. Oh c'mon! : I didn't come here for the spear, so I'll gladly trade it for your help. This place is dangerous and I need an ally I can trust more than I need another weapon.  Ugly, but useful. If you can't convince Bennie, you're forced to fight the other constructs that infest this area.  One nice thing about killing constructs is looting sky metal off the remains. Despite its size, Hellgate is mostly empty. All of those side rooms contain nothing of importance and the entrance sealed shut when we crossed the bridge. The only way to proceed is through the double doors on the right.  There are three hallways, but we need to go through the middle one first, which holds a pair of constructs and a pair of power generators. Disabling the generators turns off the laser grids lining the other two corridors, which you'll want to do because they sap you of 10hp and lower your CON if you touch them.  Another construct patrols the path beyond the generator room. It's easy to avoid if you take the side hallways. This door is actually leads to the final level, so we'll leave it alone.   Looks similar to the archive we found at Zamedi, and we also need 10 Lore to use it. If we check for recordings...    Sounds like they're talking about Thor-Agoth/Agathoth.  This chest holds a key that opens the path to the endgame and unlocks the entrance door.  Our goal is the treasure room, which is guarded by four constructs, so be aware of that. The smaller chests (two are trapped) contain sky metal, blue steel, and some power modules.  The big chest has this thing. How is Bennie going to use it? We don't have to give Bennie the spear -- keeping it unlocks an ending, which I'll show much later. For now, let's get out.  Arriving at Maadoran gives us a message to check on Basil, but first we need to talk to Gaelius.    Gaelius, surprisingly, sounds backed into a corner. : What about the Ordu? : What makes you think Paullus would agree?  : What if you use the Guards to take Ganezzar and then send the Ordu to deal with the Guards once and for all? I don't know the other requirements, but it takes 8 Persuasion to convince Gaelius to go through with our plan. : Powerful men will always have enemies, my Lord, but an opportunity like this cannot be missed. Think of what you will accomplish in the next few years if you rule supreme. The Guards might not even be an issue by then.  Soundtrack: Imperial Guards II Caer-Tor is a giant fort and the HQ for the Imperial Guards. Normally, we'd speak to Dux Paullus and persuade him to attack Ganezzar, the city falls, and the endgame begins. If you talked Gaelius into following your plan, the Ordu and Aurelians slaughter Paullus and the Imperial Guards when the siege ends. We're not going through with that, however. There's a more interesting way of getting rid of Meru that can only be accomplished if we accompany him to Al-Akia, which you'll see in the next update. At the moment, we're going to finish some quests, starting with Basil's.  The Forty Thieves have finally given in. : If they want to talk, I'm all ears. Where do they want to meet? : Do you really think they want to talk?  Seems innocuous.  Of loving course.  The scolopendra's biggest annoyance is it poisons you with each hit, which can reduce your HP to zero in seconds. Antidotes are required to survive encounters with them.  It only took me a few turns to kill it. Hooray for late-game weapons!    Eh, gently caress it. : Alright, let's go.   Accepting his offer puts us on the Forty Thieves path and forces us to pay 1000 imperials for the privilege. So... : It's not *my* problem.  Three enemies -- one with a bow, one with a dagger, one with a spear. The spearman likes to start the fight by choking you with a bolas, which leaves you open to attacks by the others. This group loves to inflict all kinds of status ailments, ranging from Bleed and Cripple to armor and attack penalties, so it's a harder fight than it looks.  Three attempts later and I skewer the last guy. Death Count: 55  Hi, Basil. Hi, Quintus.  : Glad I could help.We could extort them for 1000 imperials one last time, but I'm feeling generous.  Next is the Arena quest line. : Fight? I thought I was the champion. Okay, sheesh.  Let's do this.  Hamul is... intense.   Galbo's ring, huh? You wouldn't have bought that from a loremaster named Feng, would you?  The next three fights are the hardest in the game up to this point. All three opponents have high-level armor and weapons, and their DEX is high enough so we're only hitting around half the time. Don't attempt this until you have at least 9s in a weapon skill and Dodge/Block. I'd also recommend putting a lot of points in Critical Strike, because it can save your rear end (as you'll see). Put poison on your weapon and use a sharpening stone, use bombs, liquid fire, anything to give you an advantage. Hamul likes to hit you with Bleed (a common thing with these enemies) and critical strike you into submission.  Surprisingly, it only took two tries to kill him. Death Count: 57   Our armor has made the healer obsolete, as walking around for a few minutes fixes us completely.  Nice tattoos. : Mostly travelers, from what I hear.  Plaudius, despite his heavy equipment, can dodge your attacks easily, and his hammer will pulverize your armor -- thank god ours is impervious to that trick. He's still a big threat.  I was insanely lucky and killed him with a critical strike. I was certain I was going to die at least once.    Widowmaker. The final opponent.  I took some time to prepare, because this fight is a loving beast.    Widowmaker is clad in blue steel Imperial Armor, the heaviest and most damage resistant armor in the game. He's armed with a sky metal axe with all sorts of nifty effects on it, arguably making it the most powerful weapon you'll find. His most infuriating tactic is closing in and crit. striking you, guaranteed to kill instantly, which is something he does ALL THE TIME. Ranged weapons are probably the way to go, but I'm a melee character, so forget that. He is, without a doubt, a loving migraine.  Imagine my surprise when I finished him in three turns. With no damage. Using a net nerfs him totally, because he can't move or use his axe. A handful of attacks and one critical strike later, he's dead. *That* is why you want a high CS.  He has the Eye of Thor-Agoth, which will be very useful later.  That's the end of the Arena quest. We reign supreme!  On a whim, I spoke with Abukar. Turns out you can tell him about the encounter at the Arch.  : The danger is in ignoring a threat lurking in the shadows we can't even see. : Earlier you spoke of seals that must never be unlocked and spells that must never be reversed. Help me find them and make sure that they haven't been tampered with. It's the only way to ensure our safety.  He's referring to the temple we've been seeking since the beginning. For now, that has to wait. Next Time: Al-Akia
|
|
#
?
Jul 23, 2020 20:33
|
|
|
I'm pretty sure the whole thing with the Widowmaker is that you simply have to beat him before he gets an attack in. He'll basically one-shot you through anything with almost 100% accuracy otherwise. Neurostimulants, crit-strikes, whatever you can do to throw him off and gently caress him up, you've gotta do it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 23, 2020 20:59
|
|
|
Hellgate was a lot less exciting then described. You got a missile though. How does the 100 Thieves path work at this point? Does Levir just find another magic jar to heal himself?
|
|
#
?
Jul 24, 2020 03:10
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 5, 2024 12:54 |
|
|
Presumably, he ends up dying.
|
|
#
?
Jul 24, 2020 12:56
|
|