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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:10 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Back to Greater Mintaka, where apparently Machina Gas is actually carbon monoxide and driving the locals into full-on lunacy.
We’ve survived a Terrorist BombingTM and will now go talk to Verus, I’m sure nothing will go wrong.
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:34 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Pretty nice entrance.
Also a great example of how... differently this does some story segments compared to EW, Geldoblame’s actually moving through the room when we enter. Maybe better scripting tech?
Empire Soldier: “Master Geldoblame invited you? Wait here.” Geldoblame: “Ah, the boy spiriter. Welcome! So good of you to return.” Sagi following Geldoblame through a large entrance hall.
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:38 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Verus is significantly more eloquent in private, and knows a disturbing amount of stuff. Umbra just means shadow.
He’s also the one Imperial who can tell Guillo is CLEARLY NOT a paramachina.
Geldoblame rebukes out favorite jerk for tone, and gets shut down by Verus in turn.
Verus: “The puppet is named Guillo, correct? I’ve heard all about how it butchered the umbras. Verus: “I’m talking about the monsters you encountered in the emperor’s residence and in Hassaleh.” Guillo: “Who told YOU?” Verus: “Good. ... Hmm, I can see that Guillo is anything but a paramachina.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:39 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
*suspicion intensifies*
Verus: “Milliarde... Have we met somewhere before?” Milly: “...No, I’ve never had the honor, sir.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:42 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Verus is extremely concerned about Baelheit and promachination. So he’s got a proposal for us, again weirdly well-informed.
Verus: “So here’s what I propose. Why don’t we make an arrangement?” Verus: “That’s right. I have the power to strike your murder accusation from the record.” Verus: “I can also pledge aid to the orphanage in Hassaleh.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:45 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
We just need to... stop the other guy, who’s got his sights on the entire world AND on definitely not evil god juice for his fancy mechas.
Which might explain why one of them could just slice off an island chunk.
SOUNDS EASY
Verus: “Put a stop to Baelheit’s ambitions.” Verus: “He won’t stop with the Empire. Baelheit plans to promachinate every last island.” Verus: “As if that weren’t enough, he’s also after the power of the umbras, those creatures you saw.” Verus: “He’s been transferring that power into mechanical weapons he developed called “machina arma.””
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:50 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
World tour time, apparently. Verus can’t go due to his leg (which war?!), which is fair, so let’s send a kid.
He’s actually got a solid respectful limp animation and uses his cane for emphasis in a great way.
Surely the disabled man won’t turn out evil that’d be crass wouldn’t it
Verus: “We need the cooperation of other nations’ leaders if we’re going to prevent such a disaster.” Sagi: “But... why not just go yourself, Quaestor?” Verus: “As you can see, the war took my leg. So I’m afraid I quite literally cannot rise to the occasion.” Verus: “Hence my need for a reliable right-hand man. I believe I can trust a fellow spiriter like you.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:54 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Due to the conceit of BK this line about spirits is actually addressed to the player. Which is pretty funny.
Anyhow, Verus is friendly and convincing, Geldoblame is delightful and concerned with the greater good. That has me suspecting combo backstab-heartbreak will be happening.
Verus: “That power and that wisdom are so great they may even sway the world’s future.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:56 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Sagi does NOT accept immediately! He needs time to think! What is this, a reasonable protagonist?
Anyway he’s too restless for a nap so Milly suggests taking “a short stroll to relax”, all the way THROUGH THE DESERT AND TO AZHA.
MILLY, WHAT.
Milly, smiling: “I know! How about Azha? It’s lively there. You’ll perk up in no time.” Milly: “It’s not far. We just head south into the Nihal Desert and walk...for a while.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:57 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Most importantly, we finally find our first Greythorne and it does not come with weird innuendo.
Greythorne: “...Squeak.”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:01 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
And look, because I’m me, this book title is interesting because formal Empires typically do not have a Constitution, that’s generally a very republic / democracy kind of thing.
Inspection text with book titles: “Alfard’s Constitution”, “The Legal System in 5 Minutes a Day”
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:02 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Verus also has a bunch of “paintings of the ancient gods” so yeah I’m sure nothing ominous is up
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:19 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Back to the desert, can’t figure out how to actively use water to restore walk speed, so getting pounced on by every monster in there. GREAT.
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:31 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
Oh god, you just press A while facing nothing, which is NOT an interaction model the game’s ever used before.
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Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:44 PM · May 06, 2021 Permalink 
We made it out! Milly... it was your idea. Nevermind.
Next time: run a desert errand because the lady at the end wants flame ice delivered to her husband at the start, then Azha, notorious for fun times and lighthearted lore.
Milly, looking distraught: “I’ve got sand everywhere! I never imagined walking to Azha would be such an ordeal.” Alfard island map, focused on Azha Village.