Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-10-21: Shrine of the Winds, finishing Diadem

Lia @liareplaysbk · 03:37 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Everything still sucks, so let’s go finish Diadem.
The king is safe if pretty badly wounded, the Not Like Other Imperials Imperial has predictably turned his fancy coat, and we’re now at three people dragging Kalas into doing the right thing. Onwards!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:36 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Looks like idle blabbing patching a plot hole, is actually low-key signposting that Xelha comes from an entire dang nation of powerful witches. Hell, she might have done it herself.

Kalas: “Xelha, I was wondering about your pendant...”

Xelha: “Well, Giacomo thought he took it from me at Lord Rodolfo’s mansion...”

Xelha: “but I was one step ahead of him. The one he took is a fake.”

Xelha: “I asked an old witch to cast an intricate illusion spell on it.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:40 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Get into the Shrine, break the seal ‘cause WHY NOT. The place is lovely, the design of the guardian a bit, er, on the bizarre side.
In Things You Won’t Notice On First Playthrough: this one addresses Kalas directly, telling him HE, PERSONALLY, is dooming the world by carrying on.

A grotto with wind sweeping upwards and sparkles in the wall. Kalas, Xelha and Gibari stand near the middle, Lyude slightly further behind.

The same grotto, now deep blue and with more sparkles.

Lord of the Winds, a winged centaur-like creature with ribbons hanging from its breasts: “Powers of the god long deceased, once awakened... can never again be set to slumber.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:41 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Like a lot of the foreshadowing for the mid-game twist, it can be read as addressed to the party at large, or the player, rather than Kalas and his actual goal.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:45 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

We defeat the thing with surprising ease because my deck cooperated, finishing off with Meemai The Magical Projectile, and release another shiny Magnus.
I maintain that unsealing those is NOT A GOOD WAY TO PREVENT PROBLEMS

The combat screen, showing Xelha gearing up for a finisher with Meemai on her hand.

A golden shining Magnus hovering in front if Gibari, Lyude wondering: “Is this what we came for?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:50 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Gibari quickly snaps out of the strange fascination this thing causes, Lyude does... not. Note the cyan eyes on the portrait.
He then tosses the thing up in the air where Hovering Evil Villain Ayme catches it.

Gibari, to Lyude holding the shining magnus: “Lyude?! Snap out of it!”

Lyude, irises and pupils fully green-blue instead of their usual red and black: “...”

The shining magnus going up in the air, tossed up by Lyude.

Ayme hovering, holding the shining magnus she just caught. Kalas: “...! You?!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:51 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Ayme does a Villain, Kalas does a Revenge-Hungry, Lyude collapses face-first into the ground. Oh no.

Ayme: “I’ll deal with you soon enough, Kalas.”

Kalas, as Ayme flies off: “Get back here!”

Xelha: “Lyude?!”, as said Lyude is lying face down on the ground.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 04:53 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

We go back to the castle, where Ladekahn states the obvious.

Ladekahn: “I’m worried about Lyude. He really seems depressed.” Said Lyude is sitting on a bed, head down, looking quite depressed indeed.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:01 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

I’m not sure when and how said spell could have been applied, but we don’t care ‘cause the plot needs a punching bag.
It’s Lyude’s entire early arc: he’s Imperial (bad) but not like the rest (good) but there’s an attack anyway (bad) but he switches sides (good) but HYPNOSIS.

Doctor: “It seems he was under a powerful form of hypnosis.”

Doctor: “It looks as if no other spell, curse or the like was cast on him.”

Lyude, looking down: “The moment I saw the Magnus, everything just went black...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:02 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

The obvious narrative function here is to inject some uncertainty and tension.
The less obvious one, which requires knowing the twist, is that it redirects any strange event towards “Is it Lyude flip-flopping again” instead of making you connect the dots towards Kalas.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:06 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

More narrative glue and backstory from Ladekahn: the Empire left as soon as the Magnus was in their hands, those things are called End Magnus and were crafted and hidden ages ago. Better than “shining Magnus”.

Ladekahn: “They withdrew their troops as soon as it was in their possession...”

Ladekahn: “Long ago, in a time forgotten by most... A circle of evil wizards created five extraordinary Magnus.”

Ladekahn: “They came to be known as the End Magnus. Cursed entities that would bring an end to all things by the [cut]”

Ladekahn: “So they were sealed tightly with powerful magic and buried deep underground.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:11 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Next main quest step: Anuénué in the name of the King, because Gibari is just THAT trustworthy.

Gibari: “Diadem needs to prepare before all else, My Lord. They need you here.”

Gibari: “We’ll head to the other nations and track down the rest of the End Magnus.”

Ladekahn: “First you must depart for Anuénué, and take my letter to the Queen.”

Ladekahn: “My ship is at your disposal. I’m counting on you, Gibari.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:12 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Kalas needs less convincing this time because this might make him run into someone from his kill list. Yaaaaay.

Gibari: “Of course, you’re comin’ too, right Kalas?”

Kalas: “Ayme... the one who took the Magnus. She was one of them. They came and killed Gramps, and Fee.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:16 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

And we finally get a half-lie about why Xelha even is on this quest, since the King rightfully asks. She just “stumbled” upon the scheme. Huh huh. “Fortunate” indeed.
The work part isn’t TOO weird, we’ve met a NPC in Sadal Suud whose husband works in the Empire.

Xelha: “I was working at the Imperial Manor, home of Emperor Geldoblame,”

Xelha: “when I accidentally came across part of his scheme...”

Xelha: “I took a pendant from the mansion which seemed to hold great importance, and then fled as fast [as I could].”

Ladekahn: “It was fortunate you were there to delay their plans.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:21 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

We get some rest, then go check on an extremely depressed Lyude (who got booted out of the party after the boss battle) who can’t go back nor would want to, what with the whole manipulation thing.
No, Kalas has at no point stopped being an ass. Note Gibari’s movement...

Lyude: “What should I do? I’ve betrayed my people. I can’t return to my homeland.”

Xelha: “Lyude, I was thinking... Why don’t you come with us?”

Kalas: “C’mon Xelha... Are you serious?”

Kalas: “I mean, there’s no guarantee he won’t stab us in the back again. You never know...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:25 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Gibari and Xelha proceed to convince Lyude while Kalas complains, probably about getting his ribs crushed.
I kind of love the sheer goofiness of Lyude AT NO POINT looking back to see what all the choking noises are about.

Gibari: “The more the merrier, right? We could use ya, Lyude!”

Gibari: “If you start gettin’ weird on us again, I’ll pop you one in the jaw...”

Xelha: “Remember, we’re not trying to start a way with the Empire.”

Xelha: “It’s about stopping Geldoblame and his malicious plans.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:28 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Lyude joins the party for good, we go do some debris-cleaning chores in the castle, the usual.
After dinner I’ll go talk to everyone everywhere again before leaving the island.

Lyude, turned towards the others: “If you really need my help, I’ll be more than happy to accompany you.”

A knight: “The job is simple. Please get rid of the rubble scattered about.”

The quest Magnus UI, filled with Pebbles.

The same knight: “Oh! Everything’s cleared up nicely! I knew you could do it!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:30 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

There are still two more characters to recruit later, and they’re very important in their own way - especially the last one.
But in terms of sheer narrative function Lyude is really key, because the hot-and-cold on whether he can be trusted is a core misdirection of the plot.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:34 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

The resulting characterization is... interesting, because it borders on ham-fisted in a game that’s otherwise pretty well-written. At this point we’ve got someone who’s honest to the point of self-sabotage, talks too much, is verbose, and doesn’t exactly seem bright.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:36 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

If I recall correctly Anuénué is when he starts getting less self-centered dialog and turns out to be more knowledgeable than average about the world, adding a layer of intellectual geekiness to the picture. Which contrasts the “not bright” part.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:42 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Back in Nashira, the fish is back since the flood has receded.
NPCs are a mix again, from joy to worry to newfound determination - it’s nice that they’re not all on the same page!

The warehouse in Nashira, filled with a large pile of very large fish.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:45 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

Also this, which... is arguably foreshadowing for the RevealTM that Lyude’s not pureblood highborn, back to that in 20+ hours.
Which back then was whatever but now strikes me as A Very Bad Plot Point Actually, since it makes it a nature vs nurture thing and we DO NOT NEED THAT.

A kid: “The ambassador is such a good man, but those guys were really mean. Are they really from the [cont]”

Lyude: “I’m sorry... I have yet to find the answer to that myself...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:22 PM · Oct 21, 2020 Permalink

The rest of this session is turning out to be grinding SP combos, which I’ll explain some other day, so we’ll leave it here.
Next time: we take the Royal Ship (not to be confused with Ladekahn slashfics *cough*) and head to the next island.