Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-11-18: Lava Caves boss, Plot Twist, Imperial Fortress

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:51 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

Time to go beat up the Emperor and save the world! Nothing can possibly go wrong.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:56 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

In definitely unrelated things, I’m yanking everything non-character specific out of the decks of the three staying on the bench, and making darn sure the good Cameras are not on Kalas.
No reason. None at all.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:01 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

This session will be sponsored by particle effects which somehow all seem to be rendering correctly

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:09 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

Killed the boss before a camera showed up, so I get to reload! The hazards of a 100% run...

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:13 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

While I click through everything again...
We get there just a touch late. The guardian is dead, along with a couple soldiers.
Azdar is around, possibly so he doesn’t come quite out of nowhere in Savyna’s side quest way later.

The party rushing into the last cave, where the Emperor is staring at the dying Guardian.

Xelha: “It looks like we made it in the nick of time!”

Azdar: “Savyna?! What are you doing here?!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:26 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

Gloating, ominous guardian talk, exciting new menacing purple particle effects. Uh oh.
So far so classic, mid-late-game “You have failed and the baddies win”.
Also cross off one more bit from the opening cutscene.

Geldoblame: “But I’m afraid you’re too late! The final End Magnus has been released!!”

Guardian: “The Gate to He will be opened... Behold the Curse of Malpercio!”

Geldoblame, looking gleeful: “At last! I’ve obtained all five End Magnus! Take a good look!”

Geldoblame: “Open, great door of darkness! Awaken... Ancient god of destruction!!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:28 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

This causes the pendant to break, which will become relevant.

Xelha, illuminated by the pendant: “The pendant!!”

Xelha surrounded by pink sparkles as the pendant breaks.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:30 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

We go to the world map, where... something is appearing at the center of the Sky, visible from all the islands.

The world map, a growing black vortex surrounded by lightning in the center.

The black vortex, seen from Alfard. Dialog from someone: “What is that?”

Close-up of the vortex emitting a large beam of light, as Corellia says: “No! The wall between dimensions is tearing apart.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:33 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

That thing is and looks evil as hell, but darn it’s got style.
I wasn’t sure anymore whether it appeared now or later. It’ll become way more relevant in a good while, for now it’s just colossal bad news.

Storm clouds splitting, revealing a floating structure.

Ladekahn: “It’s the storm castle... of the ancient gods...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:35 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

Ladekahn states the obvious, Corellia belies her clear-seeing reputation as we’ll see momentarily, and demons start swarming out of the thing.
We’ll mostly meet those next time we’re in Mintaka, where the locals won’t be quite as smug because a lot of them will be dead.

Ladekahn: “All of the five End Magnus must have been released.”

Corellia: “What has become of dear Kalas and his friends?”

Demons pouring out of Cor Hydrae, one of them flying straight towards the camera.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:38 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

Back in the cave, Geldoblame is very disappointed that the god itself hasn’t shown up, so he... does a thing and gets zapped by a ton of evil light.

Geldoblame: “The End Magnus... have not been released completely!”

Geldoblame: “What’s wrong? Why hasn’t the god awakened?”

Geldoblame, getting zapped by purple lightning: “Ha ha ha ha!! I... I feel the power!! Hot... It’s... it’s burning within me!”

Geldoblame covered in a large black cloud.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:40 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

He turns into an impressively fat-hating boss design that keeps his rolls, does away with his head, has the tongue coming out of the neck and what are possibly eyes on large breasts, plus tentacles.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:42 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

(It’s a rad monster design in isolation, sure, but when every instance of fatness is associated with evil you have a problem. We will, again, get back to Geldoblame because there’s even more that’s wrong with his coding)

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:43 PM · Nov 18, 2020 Permalink

The fight is not hard at all. The only annoyance is the one-hit-KO move, but at this point my main healing items are also 100% chance resurrection ones so we’re good.
The rez animation is basically a puppet being yanked back upright. CREEPY.

Combat screen, showing Geldoblame using “Forfeit Your Life...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:22 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We defeat Geldoblame, who somehow still talks like a human, but he’s not quite done yet.
A new player comes in, giggling and having More Lore Facts...

Geldoblame: “Whoa... What is happening?!”

Geldoblame: “I can’t control my body! It’s moving on its own!”

Offscreen voice: “Heh heh heh.. As much as I hate having to tell you this, dear Emperor, the five End [cont]”

Offscreen voice: “[cont] Magnus don’t really add up to a dead god.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:25 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

It’s... Mélodia! Which, on first playthrough, is generally quite the surprise.
We get some Fun Malpercio Facts, which is that there never was just the one wicked god of old, the opening cutscene kinda lied.

Geldoblame, as Mélodia comes in with Fadroh and four soldiers: “Mélodia?! What are you doing here?!”

Mélodia: “To put it more precisely... The five End Magnus are the remains of five separate gods.”

Mélodia: “Malpercio, reborn in this world by invoking the five End Magnus...”

Mélodia: “...is but a gruesome patchwork of divine limbs and body parts.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:28 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

This part is FASCINATING considering the original clichéd premise.
It implies that Malpercio’s evil isn’t innate, but madness resulting from constant torment and pain, so powerful it will necessarily warp humans.

Mélodia: “Would you have thought, Your Magnificence...”

Mélodia: “[cont] that a mere mortal could withstand the touch of such a being?”

Mélodia: “That the madness and anger of the gods would leave you unscathed?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:32 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

She’s so lovely and caring and polite, isn’t she? Shame about the whole unhinged cultist part.
Also, hey, we did a lot of that work too, come on! We took care of four of those guardians, have some respect.

Geldoblame: “You... Out of all people, Mélodia... you deceived me!”

Mélodia: “That’s not a very nice thing to say, my dear Emperor...”

Mélodia: “Your help was invaluable in releasing the five End Magnus from their seals.”

Mélodia: “I will take good care of the End Magnus, and the power of Malpercio.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:34 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Soldiers shoot him until he falls into lava, end of the evil Emperor.
(OR IS IT)

Mélodia: “Thank you... and farewell, Your Magnificence.”

Geldoblame, getting shot a lot: “Argh! Argh!!!!”

Geldoblame getting shot, falling backwards over the edge of the cliff.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:36 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We’re not done, though.
Nice camera angle leaving out Kalas and Xelha...

Mélodia, looking at Savyna, Mizuti, Lyude and Gibari: “Enough deception.”

Mélodia: “You have done well. Everything went as planned.”

Mélodia: “You may step forth and claim your reward, as we agreed.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:39 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Outrage ensues.
Keeping in mind that on first playthrough, we most likely have Lyude / Savyna / Mizuti as our main guesses for who a traitor could be.
(I love that Mizuti makes up for less expressive portraits with super-extra body language)

Lyude, outraged: “So there was a traitor in our midst!”

Mizuti, arms up: “Who lied to the Great Mizuti?”

Savyna, eyes closed: “Speak up, whoever you are...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:40 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Is it Xelha then?

Xelha, the camera solely on her, looking angry: “No! Wait! Everyone!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:44 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Nope! It’s Kalas!
Which, again, on first playthrough is unexpected, because surely it can’t be “your” character.
Read anything by Kalas in a petulant fuckboy late teen voice until I specify otherwise, btw. The VO isn’t great, but it’s tonally spot-on. He’s NOT ashamed.

Kalas, offscreen: “It’s me... I worked together with Mélodia.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:48 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Savyna’s fast enough to deck him right there and then, I’m just saying.
We finally tie up the plot thread of how the Che End Magnus went poof.

Gibari: “Kalas, you’re not serious, are you?”

Savyna: “You were responsible for the loss of the End Magnus, in Mira.”

Kalas, over a sepia flashback of him helping Mélodia up in Parnasse: “I pretended to help her stand up, and handed her the End Magnus.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:49 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Mélodia makes some more threats, Gibari still can’t believe it.

Mélodia: “I would advice you all to behave yourselves... unless you want me to unleash the full might of Malpercio.”

Gibari: “Kalas!! Are you crazy?! You’re pullin’ our legs, right?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:52 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

This is where the fourth wall starts getting a mild beating, as Xelha asks whether we-the-spirit were in on the conspiracy.
No, says Kalas, we even tried to discourage him. So we... got an amnesia spell cast on us right before the game started.

Kalas, quoting: “I will completely forget anything that has happened since the time I was called to this world as a [cont]”

Kalas, quoting: “[cont] Guardian Spirit. Those were the words used in the spell.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:54 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

This is neat! This is interesting!
It’s the amnesia trope on the player avatar, except that was never the protagonist!
And of course we don’t remember what happened before the game because we weren’t playing then!
And it misleads us by making us assume that avatar = protagonist.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:56 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Someone with actual narrative / game design chops could probably write a legitimately fascinating piece about this projection and misdirection.
I’ve got just enough to go THIS IS COOL AND UNUSUAL a lot.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:57 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

This will turn out to be more important than it looks. Back to it *checks notes* at the absolute end of the game.

Kalas: “We cast it back in Moonguile Forest, in Sadal Suud.”

Kalas: “Xelha, you remember the place, don’t you?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:00 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We get a bunch of prompts with questionable options, but it’s not like it changes anything.

Dialog choice: “Kalas, stop this!” or “Do whatever you want.”

Kalas, looking up at the five End Magnus: “I would’ve done anything to avenge Gramps and Fee... anything.”

Kalas: “I needed the power... I wanted to be stronger...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:04 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Mélodia goes on more extactic rambling, Xelha yells a whole bunch. The rest of the party is just silent at this point.
Another bit from the opening cutscene, by the way! Told you it was full of spoilers.

Mélodia: “Step forward, Kalas. Become what you have always dreamed to be.”

Mélodia: “Allow yourself to be touched by the breath of God... and you will finally be reborn.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:05 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

As a reminder, it was that way. There’s one bit in there from the absolute end, but the bulk of it should now be recognizable.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 07:39 PM · Oct 14, 2020 Go

Let’s get rolling!
First off, if you’ve never seen it, here’s the opening movie. It’s the sole pre-rendered cutscene in this game, and it’s... actually stuffed with spoilers, but you won’t understand them until you finish the game.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ugPoy8nkKak

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:07 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Apparently the spirit’s presence means Kalas will not turn into a pile of tentacles, which I’d argue is a waste of a perfectly good curse.
ZAP TIME

Mélodia, looking pleased and especially evil: “I’m certain you will be fine...”

Mélodia: “Your Guardian Spirit will protect you. You need not fear the madness and anger of Malpercio.”

Kalas standing under the End Magnus as they form an ominous purple cloud.

Xelha, as Kalas is bathed in purple light: “Kalas!!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:12 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

You may now switch your internal reading voice from smug fuckboy to completely unhinged hysteria.
Again, bad reads, correct tone, this game’s VO is A Thing, very glad we get to literally beat sense back into him, MOVING ON.

Kalas, eyeballs now inky black instead of white, mouth bent in a tense smile, two glowing white wings on his back: “Look at me! This is my true form... at long last!”

Kalas, looking absolutely unhinged: “Look at my beautiful wings!! I’m complete! I’ve found myself!”

Kalas: “The power of Mighty Malpercio! Flames of life from the gods!!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:14 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We-the-spirit and therefore we-the-player get dismissed and told to go home. “Your game is over”, literally.

Kalas: “Unfortunately, there’s no place for you in this world...”

Kalas: “Your game is over. Go back to your world now.”

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

Mélodia goes cultist some more, and we get a fade to black with CRT shutdown static noise on Kalas doing an evil laugh.
Game over?

Mélodia, looking righteous: “A holy war shall be upon us.”

Mélodia: “The frenzied god of despair... Malpercio the cursed, is awakening from its eternal slumber!!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:18 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

In the dark, we hear sobs, then a voice, then a... squeak.

Xelha: “This can’t be happening! What should I do?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:21 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We get a couple prompts.

Dialog choice: “Who is it?” or “Xelha?!”

Dialog choice: “Where are you?” or “I’m here!”

Xelha: “No... I can’t... Your voice is too faint... I can’t hear you...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:24 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

Xelha PLEASE get your priorities straight I swear.
We bond to her as we did to Kalas in the intro flashback, and the image stops being blurry.

Xelha, in a cell next to Meemai, blurred: “Don’t leave me alone... I have to do something!”

A swirl of pink petals going towards Xelha.

Xelha on the floor, the picture now crisp.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:28 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

She just blows up the door of her cell, as you do, and off to maybe find the others and definitely find a way out we go.
Only one member in the party now.

Xelha, stepping out of a destroyed cell. Title card: “The Imperial Fortress”.

Xelha: “We’re in the Imperial Fortress, at Mintaka, the capital. We need to find a way out of here...”

Menu screen, showing only Xelha in the party.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:31 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We check all the cells (clean and equipped with toilets and a real bed i.e. better than most IRL ones), which are empty besides some loot.
At which point something has blown a hole into the wall, and EXCUSE ME WHAT IS THAT A DRAGON

Xelha: “What was that sound? It came from over there...”

Outside the fortress, on a metal platform. Three witches and a dragon are waiting.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:35 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

This is throwing A LOT at us, bur Xelha seems unfazed.
No time to explain, the Imperials are on to us, we have to- what do you mean QUEEN Xelha

Kodelle: “We have been waiting for you.”

Kodelle: “It seems they have already been taken elsewhere.”

Catranne, as searchlights fill the screen: “Please hurry, Queen Xelha!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:39 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

We get a callback to the Balançoire story about the “white-winged darkness”, immediately followed by a shot of Evil Kalas in case we weren’t connecting those dots.

Glamyss: “Should the white-winged darkness alight upon this land, [cont]”

Glamyss: “[cont] the world would disappear without a sound, swallowed by a maelstrom of chaos.”

Kalas, two wings out and eyeballs still inky black: “...”

Xelha, as the dragon flies away: “I’ll come back for you... I promise!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:40 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

It’s a neat touch that we get the names for those three news characters. We usually get “???” or the like until we learn a name: so this is implying that Xelha already knows them.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:41 AM · Nov 19, 2020 Permalink

There’s another scene after that, but it’ll serve nicely as the intro to the next session.
Catch you NEXT TIME for a world status update because everything is kind of fucked now.
(In the game, I mean)