Lia's BK tweets archive - 2022-10-28: Nekkar

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:34 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

According to @ChaoticBlades Milly’s quest is short so let’s go do that one, see if I can get it out of the way before dinner. Onwards to another island that has mysteriously dropped out of the Sky 20 years later!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:09 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

The main quest got sorted before dinner. The ridiculous after-quest less so.
Anyway, from the start: nice color scheme!

A rocky area overgrown with mushrooms, all in shades of dusty pink and deep reds. Title card: “The Nekkar Quietlands”.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:10 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

That does not sound safe- ah, it used to be less filled with balloongators, okay

Milly: “You know, I used to come here to play all the time when I was little.”

Milly: “On the way home from the School of Magic, I’d badger my pilot until he agreed to make a stop.”

Milly: “But it looks awfully barren now. And there were never so many beasts around…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:19 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Didn’t have Milly filed as the “stuffs her pockets with cool rocks” type but I suppose it tracks. She is, after all, just a kid

Milly: “Hey, look! I gathered all of these up myself!”

Milly: “I used to scour all of Nekkar trying to find them. See, look at this one. Isn’t it a beautiful color?”

Milly: “And this one, doesn’t it look kind of like a pow? Right here, see? It’s got the belly!”

Milly: “Come on, I’ll show you something even more amazing up by the falls!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:23 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

After admiring the pile, confirming that “they” are rocks, we go forward as instructed, and… fall into a hole.
Getting that screencap where it’s open took a few tries, it’s just a couple frames!

Sagi standing next to a patch of ground that happens to have a slight black outline.

Sagi running over that same suspicious patch of ground.

The ground opens under Sagi’s feet and the screen darkens.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:25 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Fire moss, huh? Where have I heard that before?

Inspection text: “The red moss sprawling upon these rocks sparkles in the light.”

Textbox: “Obtained the magna essence [blue text] Fire Moss [end blue text]!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:27 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Rasalas 1000 years into the past, that’s where. Looks similar, too!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:44 PM · Apr 19, 2021 Go

Confusion is not dimishing as we meet more people without actual introductions and go check on a village full of... ghosts?

Pieda: “There’s no need. He’s already erased the villagers.”

A village of ornate organic houses surrounded by small glowing lights, populated by transparent people. Title card: “Rasalas, Village of Fire Moss”.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:32 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

I’m sure this will not come in, say, 20 minutes later to become an absolutely bullshit puzzle

Inspection text: “A large rock stands here. It almost looks human.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:37 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

The local fauna includes:
- Balloongators, but “slaves” this time;
- Who get whipped and tossed at you by Creepy Nose Plant The Return;
- A Sabre Dragon for some reason;
- A delightful version of the magic mites, now with witch hats (actually armor you destroy).

A creepy tall flower with a human nose and lips, flanked by two balloongators, all in purple shades.

A large green Sabre Dragon blocking the path through a tunnel.

A group of 4 floating amoebas with red witch hats. They’re adorable, in a way.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:40 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

After much falling and climbing, we get to the falls and Milly proceeds to keep being a kid…

Milly: “This lake is special. Every day the water changes color! Blue, red, yellow, white, green! Isn’t that […]”

Milly: “I used to come to the lake and tell my own fortune. I’d pretend good things happen on white days.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:42 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Which, of course, Guillo has little patience for.

Guillo: “Milliarde. Isn’t it about time you told us the truth?”

Guillo: “At the Senate council, you called Baelheit “Father”.”

Guillo: “Why would the enemy’s daughter choose to travel with us?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:45 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Simple spying mission, really.
It’s notable that Milly calls Baelheit “Father” when Sagi calls Gena “mom”, if you ask me!

Milly: “…I just did what Father asked. He wanted me to observe Sagi.”

Milly: “Uh-huh. He wanted to know if Sagi was really a spiriter, or if he was one of the malideiters Olgan had […]”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:47 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Simple spying mission but somewhat dire consequences.

Milly: “If he turned out to be a spiriter, fine—but if not…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:49 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

She wasn’t informed of the plan concerning Gena, though. Seems risky enough to “hire” your terror of an unruly overeducated battle-ready daughter to begin with!

Milly: “No! My father never told me anything about her!!”

Milly: “Don’t you see?! That’s why I tried to stop him!!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:52 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

It’s interesting how little “explaining” there actually is here. It’s more of a statement of good faith - again, very childish logic?

Milly: “The more time I spent with you, the more I saw what Father was doing was wrong.”

Milly: “Now I want to stop him, just as much as you!”

Milly: “No… More. Because I’m his daughter.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:56 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

And same here: even more than right and wrong, it’s about ✨friendship✨

Milly: “I don’t expect you to forgive me for everything that’s happened.”

Milly: “But I want to stay with you! That’s the truth—please believe me!”

Milly: “And it’s not because of anything my father said. I just… I just want to be with you.”

Milly: “I want to argue with Guillo… and get in Sagi’s hair… and go on more adventures with Lia…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:57 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

However there is not much dramatic tension here because we all know that Sagi is the platonic ideal of a Good Boy and will forgive instantly. It took Shanath’s cruelty to truly piss him off!

Milly: “Tell me to get lost, and I’ll go without a word. Sagi…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:01 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Sure, Sagi, pretend to apply logic when that’s clearly not how you tick AT ALL
(He hasn’t said anything earlier, Guillo did the work)

Sagi: “Milly… when we first met, did you really believe me about having a guardian spirit?”

Milly: “But even after all the things my father said—you’re the one I found myself believing.”

Milly: “There was something about you… that was easy to trust.”

Sagi: “You trusted me. So now it’s my turn to trust you.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:03 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

This is much better than the nonsense earlier! It doesn’t feel nearly as forced as the jealousy towards Lolo or that kind of stuff, they just genuinely care for each other!

Sagi: “Milly… I care too much about you. I’m not gonna let you go.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:04 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

And now let’s go to the murderbot who must be yawning- oh hey Guillo’s feeling magnanimous. Or maybe hiding a heart somewhere in that greythorne-friendly chassis.

Guillo, eyes blazing red: “Trick us again and you’ll pay!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:07 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Time to ask the wicked god for an opinion!

Milly: “I’m sorry.”
Dialog choice: “I forgive you” vs “Sorry’s not good enough”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:10 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

The wicked god has save states and so tested the “bad” answer first.

Sagi: “…Not good enough? But Lia, if you don’t accept her apology…”

Milly: “No, he’s right. Why should I get a second chance?”

Sagi: “Don’t worry, he’ll learn to forgive you.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:11 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Alternate answer:

Sagi: “There, see? He says he forgives you.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:13 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

The convo rejoins on Guillo returning to default grumpy, and urging us forward just a bit more…

Guillo: “Well, now that we’ve heard Milliarde’s little saga, what do you say we head back?”

Milly: “Wait! There’s something I want to show you up ahead.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:14 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Forgot to alt-text one thing in the last two here: Sagi and Milly hug rather than talk at a distance!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:03 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Go

This is much better than the nonsense earlier! It doesn’t feel nearly as forced as the jealousy towards Lolo or that kind of stuff, they just genuinely care for each other!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:16 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

“Something good is bound to happen” when there’s a savepoint right before a door at the end of an area, yeah. Sure. Definitely.

Inspection text: “The lake’s waters are white. A warm feeling fills your heart. Something good is bound to happen.”

A red save flower, open, and a door at the top of the screen.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:18 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Such. A. Kid.
… wait a sec

Milly: “Wait till you see how incredible the view is up here!”

Milly: “When I was little, I gathered up all sorts of rocks shaped like people…”

Milly: “… and I lined them all up so it looked like they were gazing off into the horizon.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:24 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

There we go, found it, CALLED IT

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:33 PM · Apr 26, 2021 Go

Considering that so far everything vaguely Chekhov’s Gun-shaped has gone off right on schedule, I’d bet this will come up

Villager: “Aren’t they amazing? See the rock on that ravine wall? Looks like a person, doesn’t it!”

Villager: “Rocks like this are especially common in this area. What fun it would be to put them all in a row!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:26 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Alas! Tragedy has struck, and so Milly’s guilt becomes overwhelming once more

Guillo: “These are supposed to be people? It looks like a pile of rubble to me.”

Milly: “What happened… Someone knocked them all over!”

Milly: “This is terrible… I was so excited to show you…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:28 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

A loud noise makes Milly jump, and Tragedy shows up. It’s very green and looks a bit silly if menacing

Sagi, now facing a giant green bird: “Well, I think we found the culprit.”

Milly, annoyed: “How could you! You’ll pay, birdbrain!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:30 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Tragedy is actually called “Mange-Roches”, which means Rocks-Eater. Nothing to write home about, it’s got an annoying AOE that can knock everyone down but it’s not a tough fight.

A giant green bird in the combat view, looking as goofy as it is menacing.

Battle Results screen, showing a bunch of numbers, the “Open Your Eyes” level 3 spell as magnus loot, and “Added Mange-Roches to the field guide.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:33 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

No, Milly, you haven’t wasted our time yet, but YOU’RE ABOUT TO

Milly: “I never had the chance to show anybody before. I just wanted somebody to see them.”

Milly: “…But they’re all broken. I’m sorry, I wasted your time.”

Milly: “How could I ever expect you to trust me…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:35 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

*sigh*

Sagi: “Hey, Guillo. Look at that rock over there. Doesn’t that sort of look like a person?”

Guillo: “Hm, it does. That one, too. The arms remind me of Milliarde when she’s on the warpath.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:37 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Do I *have* to

Sagi: “Milly… this time we’ll all look. Maybe the rocks you found are broken…”

Sagi: “…but that’s OK. We’ll just find some new ones—the three of us together.”

Guillo: “It really is quite the view. Think how breathtaking it will be once we have all those rocks lined up.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:38 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

No, these answers do not actually lead to different reactions

Sagi: “You’ll help too, won’t you, Lia?”
Dialog choice: “Of course!” vs “When I get around to it”

Milly: “Thank you, Lia. All of you… thank you so much.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:39 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

The reason I’m complaining is that, because we definitely do not have magical cards that can carry everything and anything, we have to push the rocks. Around the breakable paths. With monsters. And bad controls.
THIS IS A PAIN

Sagi, pushing a rock that kind of looks like a person.

Sagi, pushing a rock that kind of looks like a person while being chased by a giant flower monster.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:23 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Because this whole mess takes an unreasonably long time, let’s check on the magnus- ah, the poor Greythorne has lost part of its stuffing. Sagi, we need to talk about the ladder stitch

Quest Magnus screen, focused on a Floppy Greythorne where a Fluffy Greythorne once was.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:26 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

If you try to push a rock towards the wrong screen, Milly stops you… but you still change screens and have to start over and kill all the monsters again.

Milly: “Wait! This isn’t the way to the summit.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:27 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

So. Much. Time. And so many fights.

Sagi facing one tall rock at the summit.

Sagi facing two tall rocks at the summit.

Sagi pushing a third tall rock towards the summit.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:32 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

I really can’t tell whether Guillo is sincerely having some amount of fun, or patiently indulging the kids’ whimsy here. There’s always some degree of cold snark in the voicework when it’s there (which isn’t the case in this scene).

Sagi: “You know, they kind of remind me of us, lined up in a row like this.”

Guillo: “Mm-hmm. That tall rock there would have to be me.”

Milly: “I guess I’m the one on the left, then. And Lia, you and Sagi are together.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:34 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

I SURE DO NOT

Sagi: “Yeah! This was hard work, but I feel pretty good having done it.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:42 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

And then things get weird

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:44 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Those are indeed people we’ve met before. In the past, in Rasalas, soon-ish after Wiseman doing his thing.

Family: “Thank you for bringing our family back together.”

Family: “First I have to give my son a name. I never had the chance to be much of a father to him.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:49 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

Yeah all of those are convos we had. I don’t think I’ve screenshotted much of it though. It… felt inconsequential then.

Young couple: “You’ve reunited me with my man…”

Young couple: “We’ve made up our minds. Nothing will ever part us again.”

Old couple: “Boy, am I hungry. How about we go out for some pan-fried clucker stew?”

Old couple: “I think I’d prefer fantail duck done up in a nice teriyaki, dear.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:52 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

And I think that’s the villager who told us about the rocks. Full circle.
No nametags for ghosts, too.

Villager: “Wow, it’s been ages! Literally.”

Villager: “Looks like my theory was correct. You’ve proven it for me!”

Villager: “People’s hearts inhabit these rocks. That’s why we were able to meet again like this.”

Villager: “I’m glad I got to see the rocks together again, where they belong…”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:54 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

No clue whether that was worth the effort. Into the Gathering it goes!

Textbox: “Obtained the magnus [blue text] Imperial Ward [end blue text]!”

Textbox: “Obtained the valuable item [blue text] Life Talisman [end blue text]!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:55 PM · Oct 28, 2022 Permalink

It’s neat, seeing that connection be made so clear after you intuit it.
Next time - which might not be for weeks, we’ll see - we’re off to Duhr, I suppose.