Lia's BK tweets archive - 2021-05-12: Greater Mintaka, Azha investigation

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:10 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

So it turns out Georg and Larikush are in the desert doing some science and now we have a flask that steals hearts. Sounds legit.
Off to Mintaka to tell Verus we do want to save the world!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:40 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

First we re-check everything just in case. A young girl got so shocked by the attack on the plaza that she “lost her heart” and all her emotions.
Sagi’s dialog is wonky to say the least, I guess the flask will come up later.

Psychosomatics Expert: “There’s no need to force a smile. Let’s take things slow, so you can heal over time.”

Sagi: “A way to restore someone’s heart, huh?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:42 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

We go take a nap, which is the actual main quest trigger, and go to see Verus.
Why... why was it not a given that Milly would join she never expressed any wish to leave. What.

Sagi: “If Guillo and I can be of any use, then yes, sir. I accept your offer.”

Sagi: “But under one condition. I want Milly to come with us.”

Verus: “Very good, then. Starting today the three of you work for me. Understood?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:44 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

Our first mission is to... oh no.
This is why there’s such a contrived first visit, I guess, have to establish the Azhani as friendly before we go pull a Spec Ops The Line.

Verus: “Are you aware of the recent surge in terrorist activity here in Mintaka?”

Verus: “I see. Then let’s get right to the point: we have information that the one masterminding the attacks in in [...]”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:46 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

THANK GOODNESS because he just gave us yet another thing that should be in a Valuables menu or the like.

Verus: “I’m also going to give you some blank magnus.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:47 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

Off to Azha! Are we the baddies? I think we’re the baddies

Sagi: “I still can’t believe a terrorist ringleader is hiding in this village.”

Milly: “I know... We should listen to what the villagers have to say.”

Empire Soldier: “The quaestor sent us to help you with the investigation.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:49 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

DON’T LIKE WHERE THAT’S GOING

Empire Soldier: “Access to this building is currently restricted.”

Empire Soldier: “The villagers have been moved to a separate location. We ask that you conduct your investigation there.”

Villager: “Locking everyone up in a tiny room like that really is beyond the pale.”

Villager: “At least we were allowed to stay here because we have work that needs to get done.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:16 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

A certain Captain Lyuvann who Camilla was grumbling about is there being a bigoted piece of shit, so we’re off to a great start.
No wonder Skeed’s already such an ass with not one but two awful parents.
The “Mourning Mistral” discussed is our terrorist.

Man: “Anyway, I’m Lyuvann. Quaestor Verus ordered me here to assist you.”

Lyuvann: “Hmph, I wouldn’t put it past them. They’re a bunch of thieves who dig up all the flame ice for themselves.”

Lyuvann: “The Mourning Mistral is an Azhani, beyond a shadow of a doubt. I need you to find proof of that.”

Lyuvann: “Yes. The people we’re dealing with won’t face the truth unless you shove it in their faces.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:18 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

First room’s mostly got incredulity.
We’ve established that Hassaleh i.e. Sagi has reasons aplenty to be really pissed, for instance, and Sagi WAS planning to assassinate the Emperor.

Mallo: “Hah! The world is swimming with people with a grudge against the Empire.”

Mallo: “I don’t know who you’ve been listening to, but I don’t buy that it’s an Azhani for one second.”

Almarde: “Couldn’t this all just be a big misunderstanding?”

Almarde: “I mean, a lot of the Azhani are upset at the Empire’s methods, but...terrorism?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:22 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

Second room is a major tonal shift, which I’d say is handled VERY well.
Guillo of all people arguing against violence is, er, kinda rich. Systemic oppression and colonialism aren’t “an argument”, either.

Girl: “You’ve seen what those people have done to this place, haven’t you?!”

Guillo: “And I suppose that’s a reason to kill them in retaliation?”

Guillo: “Not even a pack of irascible koa monkeys would kill each other to settle an argument.”

Bein: “I have no idea who it is, and if I did, I can’t say I’d be likely to rat him out.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:25 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

This is VERY good. I’m concerned about how the sequence is going to land, but this tells me that the plot at least knows what it’s doing.

Juwar: “This is a warning that their conceit isn’t going to be taken quietly anymore.”

Juwar: “Until they change, the Mourning Mistral will be there to make his message heard.”

Juwar: “If you’ve got enough free time to be sniffing around this village...”

Juwar: “[...]how about looking into the reasons why the Mourning Mistral exists in the first place, huh?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:27 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

The third floor hammers the point home. Most of the people locked up there are kids.

Empire Soldier 1: “I’m here keeping watch to make sure no one flees the village.”

Empire Soldier 2: “We had to confine these people after they tried to impede the investigation.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:34 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

There’s one more person to talk to in the access to the caves, who again makes it clear we’re being jerks.

Nollin: “Huh?! What’s this? I’ve got nothin’ to say to you.”

Nollin: “First and foremost, what’s this flimflam about the Mourning Mistral being an Azhani?!”

Nollin: “What an offensive notion. You treat us like criminals without a shred of proof!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:35 PM · May 11, 2021 Permalink

AMAZINGLY, none of this constitutes evidence, so next time we’re hoofing it back to Mintaka to investigate the bomb site.
(Which I just checked and had a mechanic grumbling that there was nothing. The magic of scripting)

Sagi: “Evidence... What should we try next?” and dialog options: “Ask around again”, “Return to the bomb sire”, “Give up”.