Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:09 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Today’s session will get tweeted out tomorrow ‘cause it’s 3AM. It turns out you do get free travel so I got distracted by sidequests, and proceeded to ignore the main plot to go talk to everyone in Sheliak. There are GEMS.
Tomorrow!
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:38 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Georg had nothing new to say so off to the ship. Probably the classic, right? One-way ship ride, no turning back...
Sfida attendant: “Are you ready to head out?” Sagi: “Yes, we’re all set to go.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:41 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Wrong! It gives us free travel and access to the church via the other entrance, the Coliseum I’ve been ignoring, Hassaleh, Alfard, and Diadem.
Off to Hassaleh then, I’ve got quest magnus to grab. The pilot doesn’t like the brambles.
The world map, with the Sfida in Alfard and the cursor on Hassaleh. Sfida Attendant: “Ugh, the thought of the Sfida scratching her hell has me on pins and needles...”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:43 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Tying up this kind of loose ends, and grabbing Thornflowers to age. Priorities.
Mix Recipes screen, focused on a recipe combining two Cottoncap Fruits into a Fluffy Pillow. “A fluffy pillow made from a cottoncap-based textile. Its snugly warmth promises a deep sleep that’s tough to resist. Boosts the effect of sleep on enemies.” Puffy-Eyed Woman in a Mintaka house: “I want a [red text] pillow [end red text] that’ll help me get a good night’s sleep, oblivious to the world around me.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:45 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
After a bit of that, it’s off to Diadem- oh, so there’s our upcoming tragic death for this bit, that’s the name on Baelheit’s list. Oh no.
The stone docks of a town. Title card: “The Castle Town of Sheliak”. Woman: “My name is Celsica. It will be my honor to accompany you to the castle.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:50 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
We of course ignore that and go poke around town instead.
A fair number of NPCs really want us to know that the king is young and a troublemaker. Hm.
Sfida Attendant: “From what I hear, this kingdom’s monarch is quite the rascal.” Sfida Attendant: “If he’s a child, that’s not a problem, but if he’s just an immature adult, that would be a bit... unfortunate.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:52 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
This right here is annoying because it means Hassaleh is known, not some kind of secret place. How the heck has everyone forgotten about it 20 years later especially if there are VACATION PHOTOS.
(This house also has a sidequest that takes up a few more minutes)
Inspection text: “Hiking through Nunki’s woods... The family, at Lake Botein... This is a family vacation album.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:54 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
We have more mail and this time it’s... basically death threats. Giacomo, get a life, you dork.
Letter menu, the cursor on “From Giacomo”. White text on black: “You just wait. You’ll rue the day you crossed the Dark Service!”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:56 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Also a letter from Almarde, which is... intriguing. She wrongly but not surprisingly assumes we’re from the Empire - untrue for Sagi, unclear for Milly - but still mentions wings. Have Imperials still got them at this point?
White text on black: “I know you two are from the Empire, but it’s funny. You don’t seem like the others.” White text on black: “You both have such kind hearts... I can only imagine how beautiful your wings must be.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:58 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Hey so remember that dork in Azha who wants us to carry his song to the woman he loves- oh no. OH HELL NO.
Guess we’ll have to figure out a mix recipe and help the stalker. Thanks, videogame.
Frightened Girl: “I’ve got these hideous chills! What is it? What could it be?” Frightened Girl: “That stalker guy is still in Azha, he has to be! I’m just overreacting.” Frightened Girl: “There’s no way that [blue text] sweet song [end blue text] can get to me here!!”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:02 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Besides “King Ladekahn is trouble”, another ongoing NPC theme is “Rambari is incredible”, sometimes to... questionable degrees.
I give “manly pole-handling” a 7/10 on the innuendo scale.
Woman 1: “Sir Rambari is the bunnycat’s meow! Rising from a fisherman to a knight, it’s the common man’s [...]” Woman 1: “[...] dream!” Woman 2: “I got to watch his manly pole-handling and the way he cheered everyone on from up close [...]” Woman 2: “[...] every day.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:04 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Fisherman to knight, who does that remind us of. Well, no wonder, it’s Gibari’s dad. Seems that we have two troublemakers for the price of one and this should be fun until it inevitably ends in tragedy.
Man: “All the ladies in this house are gaga for Sir Rambari. You wouldn’t believe how they squawk.” Man: “I’m more worried about this friendship his son Gibari has with His Majesty the young king.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:06 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
“Lia will you get on with the main quest already”
Oh hey it lets us leave town isn’t that fun
A bright blue river with rock banks and a weird waterwheel. Title card: “The Lesser Celestial River”.
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:08 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Can’t go far, though, but missing this dialog would have been a shame. Does... Guillo... have a mouth?
Note how they then turn away from each other after bickering.
Guillo: “Why don’t you jump in? Let’s see if wenches float.” Milly: “You first, dingbat. If we’re lucky, your mouth will rust shut.” Sagi: “There’s no point in staying if we can’t cross.” Sagi: “Our first order of business is to meet with King Ladekahn. Let’s go back to Elnath.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:13 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
The Cloud Passage got a serious upgrade.
The characters bob up and down on the ground which I... do not like. I did not expect “fluffy” to even be in Guillo’s vocabulary.
Again, can’t go far.
Stone banks covered in fluffy pink clouds with rainbow flares all over. Title card: “The Cloud Passage”. Milly: “Wwwwwow! You can walk on the clouds here!” Guillo: “They’re so... fluffy. What an unsettling place.” Inspection text: “The cloud pathway is broken here, impeding your progress.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:15 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
Back to town!
This is structured a bit weirdly. Catch up to her at a door, get some dialog, catch up again, etc. It always lets you leave.
Celsica: “King Ladekahn is in sword practice right now.” Celsica: “Of course. Diadem’s monarch also serves as knight-captain of our order.” Milly: “But they say King Ladekahn is still just a boy!” Celsica: “Yes, that’s right. His guardian Rambari goes through so much grief...”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:20 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
We enter the castle and send another NPC to horny jail
A grand entrance hall with two sweeping staircases. Title card: “Castle Elnath”. Knight: “Owww... I just go worked over by Rambari, and I’m sore all over.” Knight: “Why couldn’t it have been Celsica cracking the whip? Ooh.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:21 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
There’s also this guy walking non-stop against a wall and with some, er, peculiar dialog.
Sagi standing next to a man walking repeatedly into a wall. Man: “AFK” Man, now facing Sagi: “Hmm? I was just off in the restroom for a moment.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:24 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
The next area has some questionable choices for training locations, and some goofy animations that make Guillo’s statement rather funny.
Guillo: “These men, they’re devoted. And look how well they move together.” Celsica: “We’ve certainly moved up a run since the late king appointed Rambari instructor.”
Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:25 AM · Aug 01, 2021 Permalink
At which point I turned around because LATE and went back to the docks to save.
Maybe next time I’ll actually make it to the main plot!