Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-11-07: Nekton, Mira Drama

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:43 PM · Nov 07, 2020 Permalink

Got through the boss and the bookending dialog, which means this was a short session that’ll take longer to tweet out than play.
More facepalm and SHUT UP KALAS than I even remembered!

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:16 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

We find the Chaotic Trio deep in the shrine, laying out their strategy aloud, as you do.
Kinda rich from Folon of all people to complain that a place is unsettling.

Folon, looking around: “This place sure is creepy. Makes those little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end...”

Giacomo: “I need to talk to the Lady in private. That’s why we’re here.”

Giacomo: “Taking her back to the Goldoba would cause a ruckus.”

Giacomo: “We’re not declaring war on Mira, after all.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:17 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Possibly the ONE time where I’ll mostly agree with Ayme.

Ayme: “I don’t know why, but this whole nation makes my stomach churn.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:21 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Obviously what they’re after is the Mira End Magnus, which Mélodia definitely know nothing about NO SIR.
She’s bullshitting, as we’ll find out in... not all that long, but the Trio doesn’t know that.

Mélodia: “As I have told you countless times, I have no idea of what you’re talking about.”

Mélodia: “If such a thing does exist, my grandfather, Duke Calbren, may know of it...”

Folon: “Are you sure it’s here? Even Corellia back in Anuenue hadn’t heard of the End Magnus.”

Giacomo: “Because he does. It is the Ducal family’s duty to protect this island’s End Magnus.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:23 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

We could try and leverage surprise, ooooooor we could make a dramatic entrance?
This is Kalas on a revenge quest, of course we go for dramatic.

Kalas, off-screen: “Before you talk with the Duke... Why don’t we have a little chat, Giacomo?”

The entire party, weapons out, facing the Imperial Chaotic Trio, Mélodia in the middle.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:27 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Not sure why Folon insists on getting a personalized jab in, but he’s not TECHNICALLY incorrect here.
(But, y’know, betraying a fascist State is the morally correct stance whether in silly JRPGs or IRL)

Folon: “And look! Today we have a surprise appearance by Sir Lyude - backstabber extraordinaire, [cont]”

Folon: “[cont] down with the enemy after throwing away his own country!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:30 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

MOAR TENSION!
I’m very glad that we do not end up fighting those three just yet though because they hit annoyingly hard.

Giacomo: “I won’t kill you, though. There’s a few things I need to ask you.”

Giacomo: “But believe me, this is going to hurt.”

Kalas: “Enough talk! It’s payback time.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:33 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Turns out that stirring up hatred in a place where dimensional boundaries are thin and spirits are active is a bad idea.
And another good point from Ayme, must be her day.

Mélodia: “The Tree Spirits! Your hatred is stirring them up!”

A giant worm-thing emerging from a portal.

Ayme, staring at the worm: “Now that’s ugly.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:35 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

The trio buggers off and we proceed to a relatively easy bossfight.
The thing’s got 3000HP and a good turn easily hits for 600 at this point, so if the RNG cooperates it’s fast.
Mélodia intervenes before we finish it, though...

Giacomo: “Folon, Ayme! Let us leave our friends to this mess.”

Mélodia, facing the worm: “You must stop this! It’s all right now... Just calm down.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:37 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

First playthrough: “Huh that’s a weird thing to say, I guess it’s about spirits and patience and life cycles and all.”
Replaying: “Oh. OOOOOOOH NOOOOOO.”

Mélodia: “Everything will be all right. Go back home now, okay?”

Mélodia: “This is no place for you to be... Not yet... Just wait a little longer.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:42 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Lyude continues his trend of stating semi-irrelevant-but-potentially-interesting things, which again can read as sloppy exposition writing but seems more like characterization.
Savyna asks a much-needed question, but the guards we saw in Reverence show up before we get answers.

Lyude: “Phew... that was quite a spectacle... Duke Calbren’s strong will definitely runs in the family...”

Guardsman: “Lady Mélodia! Is Milady safe?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:44 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Hopefully this clears us of the accusations we had on our heads, and we have our next goal: the Manor.
Also, game, please make up your mind about whether Anuénué and Mélodia have accents or not FFS.

Mélodia: “Yes, I am fine. These travelers rescued me.”

Guardsman: “It was a good thing you were here to protect the Lady. You have our heartfelt thanks.”

Guardsman: “We should return immediately. No time for details. We can discuss this mess fully at the Manor.”

Mélodia: “Please come to my grandfather’s Manor. You will be most welcome.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:45 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

No comment. GROAN

Xelha: “I guess Lady Mélodia didn’t know anything about the End Magnus.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:48 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Let’s just go show the shiny thing to the Duke, right?
SURE WOULD BE A SHAME IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO IT.
Didn’t remember that Kalas was the one to start shit but of course he is.

Kalas: “Well, it’s a good thing we have one of the End Magnus with us. We could simply show him, and see if [cont]”

Gibari, as Kalas crouches down and ruffles through his pockets in the background: “Right. That should convince him that something’s about to happen.”

Gibari: “Hey, what’s wrong, kid? What are you doing?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:53 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Keep in mind that the game has worked hard to teach us that Kalas is impulsive and a terrible liar, in addition to leveraging the typical player-to-protagonist identification.
Though I guess he’s not /technically/ lying here, just leaving a couple minor details out. G R O A N

Kalas: “Yeah... it’s gone all right. The End Magnus is missing.”

Gibari, furious: “Don’t give me that! A Magnus doesn’t just get up and walk away, you know?”

Lyude: “Forgive me for asking, but did you run a thorough search? Are you sure it’s missing?”

Kalas: “Yes. Inside and out. It’s gone. Just... gone.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:03 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Some good points are made, other... less good points.
IT GLOWS GOLDEN AND STARTS QUAKES, XELHA, COME ON.

Gibari: “But it can’t be! It was there when we set out for Mira.”

Xelha: “Could we have dropped it somewhere?”

Gibari: “Someone would have noticed with the shining and all that.”

Savyna: “All we can do is retrace our steps back to the ship, and look for it along the way...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:05 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

And so we get a short search montage. Unsurprisingly nothing pops up.

Back in the ship, Gibari: “Hmmm... No sign of it.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:06 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

As a reminder, this is where and when it went, but the odds of the player guessing that on their first playthrough are... low.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:49 PM · Nov 03, 2020 Go

She trips and falls, and Kalas helps her up.
TURNS OUT, this is a key moment, not that we realize on the first go.
“I appreciate your help” indeed, he just handed her the third End Magnus.

Melodia having stumbled, Kalas helping her up.

Mélodia: “Thank you, dark-winged traveler. I appreciate your help.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:09 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

This whole scene is not Xelha’s brightest moment. Which can be read as her being The Silly Kind-Hearted Blonde, right?
Except we learn very late on that she knew what Kalas was up to, so... is it refusal to believe it anyway, or playing silly on top of lies? It’s weird.

Xelha: “Someone might have already picked it up...”

Lyude: “If someone found it, I’m pretty sure the ensuing fuss would have reached us by now.”

Kalas: “You have a point. The village was just as quiet as always...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:13 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

We should ABSOLUTELY blame you for this, Kalas.
More defense from Xelha, which... again, severely weakens her characterization for me. Because the only explanation for this once we have all the pieces is major self-delusion that makes her not stop him in time.

Gibari: “I still don’t get it. How could you drop something like that without noticing, Kalas?”

Kalas: “Hey, wait a minute. You’re not blaming me for this, are you?”

Xelha: “You’re right, this is everyone’s fault.”

Xelha: “We shouldn’t put all the blame on Kalas.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:15 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Savyna being the rational tactician with suboptimal diplomacy skills as always.

Savyna: “...Are you sure you dropped it?”

Savyna: “It’s unlikely we would drop something like that without noticing.”

Savyna: “This naturally brings up the possibility of theft.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:19 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

COMMENCE MAJOR DRAMA
(The memes relating to a certain currently popular game have already been made)

Gibari: “But how? Who’d be able to grab it without us noticing?”

Savyna: “Someone among us. It’s unlikely that anyone else could have.”

Lyude: “Wait a minute, what about that masked traveler, the one who helped us reach Mira?”

Gibari: “The Great Mizuti? ...I’d say no, never came anywhere near our stuff.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:24 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

The more we get of Lyude, the more sadly hilarious this bullshit Ambassador posting gets, because he’s just so, so bad at anything communication-related.
Also trauma weeeee. Not that the game’s even remotely done punching him in the face but that’s LATER.

Lyude, upset: “It most certainly wasn’t me!”

Xelha: “Don’t worry, Lyude. We know you’re not under the Empire’s mind spell anymore.”

Lyude, sad: “I know I didn’t... but am I really... I couldn’t have taken it... right?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:27 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Good question! It’s like SOMEONE could MAYBE give us some more information to solve this bizarre mystery.

Gibari: “Supposing one of us did steal the Magnus, where is it now?”

Xelha: “We did encounter Giacomo and his goons in the Shrine of Spirits...”

Gibari: “But none of us would have had enough time during that battle to hand it to them.”

Gibari: “So where is it? How did the thief hide it without us noticing?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:30 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

The only kind read of this I’ve got is pragmatism, that the problem isn’t going to get solved by talking about it more.
Because otherwise it’s either full-on airhead nonsense, or malicious levels of keeping the peace. Groaaaaaan

Xelha: “Hm, let’s just stop talking about this... We’re not getting anywhere.”

Xelha: “Let’s just trust each other and move on.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:30 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

YOU DON’T SAY

Kalas: “There may be a traitor among us...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:33 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

It’s subtle but this makes me lean towards the self-delusion read: Xelha turns to Kalas as she says we’ll be alright if we trust each other.
Maybe she’s just hoping against all evidence that he’ll turn back from the path he’s on.

Xelha: “Anyway, we should head for Duke Calbren’s Manor.”

Xelha, facing Kalas: “We’ll be all right if we trust each other. We have to.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:36 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Oh we will, Gibari, and it will suck.
Pragmatism wins - not clueless optimism even if it looks a lot like it - and we’re off to the Manor, because preventing MacGuffin Number Four from falling into enemy hands is more urgent.

Gibari: “Sooner or later we’ll find out what happened to our End Magnus.”

Xelha: “We must prevent Geldoblame from obtaining this island’s End Magnus.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:37 AM · Nov 08, 2020 Permalink

Next time: we go to Mira’s weirdly laws-of-physics-compliant capital city, rob everyone’s house, and meet the Duke.