Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-11-15: Battleship Goldoba

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:22 PM · Nov 15, 2020 Permalink

We’ve now murdered about 300% of the Alfard army, which got us a bunch of decent gear, a pile of money, and Mizuti all caught-up XP wise.
Yeah sure we’re in a rush. Ludonarrawat dissonance?
Off to the Goldoba!

Party screen, showing XP levels basically all equal.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:38 PM · Nov 15, 2020 Permalink

“MAKE SURE YOU PREPARE WELL AND STAGGER-SAVE”

Kalas: “Once we’re abord the ship, we won’t be able to come back for a while.”

Kalas: “We won’t be able to go to the church, either. We better make sure we’re well-prepared for this one.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:42 PM · Nov 15, 2020 Permalink

Kalas, it’s probably been at most 30 minutes in-universe since Almarde got murdered, can you NOT.
(Also I don’t police ships but this is an example of why I’m Not A FanTM of this one, because there’s no chemistry between those two, just douchebaggery on Kalas’ part)

Kalas, to Lyude with his head down: “This is no time to cry, Lyude.”

Kalas: “You gotta keep your head up and move on.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:44 PM · Nov 15, 2020 Permalink

Also all three fortune tellers are around for some reason. FORESHADOWING

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:48 PM · Nov 15, 2020 Permalink

The chase scene is a bit silly due to Mélodia’s ship looking the way it does.
We drop down on the convenient back balcony where we fought Giacomo ages back, punch some robots, and off we go.

The party on the back balcony of the Goldoba, facing three drones.

Side view of the Goldoba, title card: “The Battleship Goldoba”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:25 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

If the Emperor is indeed around, he’ll be on the bridge. The door is locked, so we need to go exploring.
Every enemy in the area gives a (fixed) passcode.

Lyude: “This is the door to the bridge... It’s locked from the main terminal unit.”

Lyude, as Kalas stands in front of the remains of a battle drone: “Most of the Empire’s machines preserve useful information in their memory banks.”

Lyude: “It’s probably some sort of password. We should write it down somewhere.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:28 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

The visual design of the place is pretty great TBH. It’s vaguely steampunky but absolutely doing its own thing.

Central room in the Goldoba battleship, with walkways and doors around a central mechanism.

A cabin in the Goldoba, with two double bunk beds with a brass frame, and steam coming out of holes by the round viewport.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:29 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

And we have more of what looks like stenciling glitches: those rectangles should be glints clipped to the brass areas.
Probably the same tech for those and the filigrees in Mira!

The hangar in the Goldoba, large white rectangles unclipped over brass details.

A walkway on the Goldoba, lots of small white rectangles unclipped over brass details.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:32 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

We get to the computer and enter the codes we got from fights. There are a couple of items, extra battles...

Computer: “Bridge Gate Lock disarming system”

Computer: “Supply system activated. Magnus supply has started.”

Computer: “Ship intercept system activated. Battlemechs moving into position.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:34 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Or we can activate the cannons, which does nothing.
Or, finally, open the door.

Computer: “Anti-aircraft intercept system activated. Goldoba main cannon ready.”

View of the first room, showing the cannons firing.

Computer: “Arming system activated. Opening Bridge lock.”

View of the first room. The door at the back is now open.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:37 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Surprise! The Emperor’s not here. Also surprise! Our favorite trio is here.
In a grand display of poor judgment and narrative connective tissue, Giacomo gives us entirely more information than he should.

Xelha, as the entire party stands on the bridge: “There’s no one here.”

Giacomo, having entered with Ayme and Folon: “I presume you’re looking for the Emperor. Unfortunately for you, he’s already left for the Lava Caves, [cont]”

Giacomo: “[cont] where the fifth and final End Magnus is sealed.”

Giacomo: “The other four are already in his possession.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:41 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Ayme looks forward to kicking our asses, Folon insults us, the usual.
A dangling plot thread gets resolved... except not because none of this really makes sense, does it.

Ayme: “Well, at least we’re still here to keep you company!”

Folon: “Heh, I didn’t think you had the guts to go to the heart of the Empire.”

Lyude: “So it was you who stole the “Che” End Magnus!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:44 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Gibari: is reasonable, should be in charge.
Kalas: is not reasonable, starts shit.
Giacomo: is not a good judge of character.

Gibari: “But we don’t have time to play with you goons today.”

Kalas: “No way! This is my chance. Today’s payback time!”

Kalas: “Prepare to die, Giacomo! You can’t slither out of this one. Not this time.”

Giacomo: “You talk a good game, boy. It shows courage... I like that.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:47 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Giacomo, for some reason, wants Kalas on his side. I’m cutting about 80% of back and forth “WHAT” and “I’m dead serious” escalation into yelling here.
(Ayme and Folon are also going WHAT but they’re underlings and don’t get a vote)

Kalas: “Join you? Why would I ever do that?”

Giacomo: “I have a plan. I need you in order to carry it out, Kalas.”

Kalas: “You killed Gramps and Fee. You make me sick!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:51 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

The Divine Child thing that got briefly namedropped while traveling to Mira comes up again, with no more explaining than last time.
Kalas doesn’t care and just wants to do a murder.
It’s interesting that the “chosen one” trope shows up but is mostly ignored until VERY late.

Giacomo: “You are the chosen one, Kalas... the Divine Child.”

Kalas: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kalas: “My final answer is no, Giacomo! And you’re not getting away this time.”

Giacomo: “So be it. I’ll kill you, then use your corpse to learn the secret of the End Magnus.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:53 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Last bit of yelling and we go into a triple-bossfight against Giacomo, Ayme and Folon.
It’s got the reputation of being one of the hardest, but I miiiiight have been a touch over-leveled.

Kalas, looking cocky: “Don’t be so confident. I’ve gotten stronger since we last met.”

Giacomo: “You’re finished, boy! Prepare to meet your destiny!”

Combat screen, showing Ayme, Giacomo and Folon on the left, and Gibari, Xelha and Kalas on the right.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:55 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Strategies vary, but the key bits:
- Have defense items and be good at using them;
- Have healing items and stay topped up;
- Take out Folon first before he powers up dangerously;
- Take out Ayme next because she goes down fast and can heal IIRC;
- Then go all-out on Giacomo.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:58 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Kalas proceeds to self-congratulate while Giacomo is incredulous.
But while contemplating the impossibility of defeat, our nemesis namedrops Georg and LORE DUMPING WILL ENSUE.

Giacomo, kneeling: “No! This can’t be! I never lose!”

Giacomo: “His power... It’s the fruit of Georg’s research... I was supposed to inherit that power...”

Kalas, looking shocked: “...?! My grandfather’s research?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:01 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Giacomo grumps that this power should have been his, because *DRAMATIC SOUND EFFECT* he’s Georg’s son.

Giacomo: “Yes... Georg’s research... He tapped into power from the Divine Child.”

Giacomo: “Because Georg, whom you call Grandfather... is my father.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:04 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

He slams a fist on the control panel, which starts a klaxon and a flashing red light. Why yes, it’s the self-destruct, what else.
I think we got our cartoon villain bingo about filled up by now.

Giacomo: “Humph... You’re going down with the ship, boy.”

Giacomo: “My father designed this battleship.”

Giacomo: “Think of it as a nice roomy coffin. I’m sure it’ll keep you warm on your way to hell!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:07 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

We get a generous 5-minute timer that stops during fights, to get back to the hangar and find a way out.
The flashing is mercifully less aggressive, it just darkens the screen a bit. A couple bits collapse. It’s all a touch anticlimactic, really.

The first room, darkened by the alarm effect, showing a timer in the top right.

The central room, pillars collapsed, a timer in the top right.

Xelha: “The hangar! We might be able to find something to help us escape.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:10 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

This bit of minor puzzling is finding a machine that isn’t borked, and going to fetch oil from the nearby tank.
(I’m not sure how this vehicle helps MUCH, doesn’t look like it can fly)
We get a couple shots of the exploding Goldoba, which crashes into a cliff over the desert.

Kalas by an armored vehicle, the Quest Magnus interface opened on Oil.

The Goldoba, smoking black and sprinkled in explosions.

The Goldoba, seen from afar, heading into a cliff.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:13 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Our merry crew survived their vehicle faceplanting into the sand, everyone’s okay, time to move!
It’s a bit hard to tell what Savyna is expressing at any given time, but here it’s likely concern. The people of Azha deeeeefinitely remember her, if my memory’s correct.

Gibari: “Good! Time’s a’wastin’. Let’s head for the Lava Caves!”

Lyude: “There’s a small village on the way. Why don’t we head there first?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:16 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

The player could possibly connect the dots by themselves at this point, but hey if you’ve got a character who’s keen to think aloud and do the same thing, might as well leverage that.

Lyude: “Is your grandfather really named Georg?”

Lyude: “And that Winglet of yours, didn’t you say he made that?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:19 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Lyude: repeating facts we got earlier, probably well known in Alfard.
Kalas: “IDK sounds fake”

Lyude: “Georg is the name of the doctor you heard about in Mintaka. The genius who went crazy and died in a [cont]”

Kalas: “I don’t know is that famed Imperial engineer is Gramps.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:23 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

But hey the death dates don’t line up so clearly it can’t be the same person having faked his death.
I swear Lyude’s the only one with working braincells in this convo.
(We were told in Balançoire that Georg got to Mira a bit over a decade ago)

Kalas: “I don’t believe Giacomo, either. What he said about Gramps being his dad...”

Xelha: “You said the doctor from Mintaka has been dead for over a decade, right?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:26 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

Anyway there’s no time to clear that up and we definitely can’t talk while walking, so that’ll get untangled later.
Kalas gets a last bit of his Reluctant Hero To Actually Committed fake character arc.

Gibari: “Well, sittin’ around talking isn’t doing us any good right now.”

Gibari: “Hey, Kalas! Don’t think you can get all comfy now that Giacomo’s out of the picture.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:27 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

VERY LOUD GROAN at this apparently kinda weird but meaningless exchange that’s actually the first genuine hint of what’s to come and that Xelha’s in on it.

Kalas: “There’s still something else... that I have to take care of, too...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:29 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

We conclude with one more bit of Mélodia being ominous and chuckling.
Then we’re back on the island map and off to Azha NEXT TIME. The 100% guide complains about “another one of those cringy Lyude scenes”, exciting.

White text on dark background: “The Gate to He, the last of them all, will soon be open...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:56 AM · Nov 16, 2020 Permalink

(My bad, that’s way further down and my brain got confused. We should get some Savyna backstoru tho, about time)