Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-11-28: Imperial Fortress boss, Mintaka

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:51 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

It’s time to go beat some sense into the worst protagonist to have ever protagonisted, and get about a zillion cutscenes.
ONWARDS, since Fadroh went super well I’m not too concerned about this jerk.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 09:56 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

A sidenote that the entire Fortress has the bars of light glitch on Dolphin, but only on some screens and it’s getting hard to focus on finishing the game /before/ popping out the frame debugger.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:22 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

... I was going to snark about a screen scrolling upwards but the screenshot didn’t grab the things on the screen? Probably means it’s flickering to create an effect and that specific frame was black.
File under “being a graphics coder breaks your eyes”. Also ft. bars of light.

A computer terminal at the heart of the Imperial Fortress.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:25 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

Mélodia is just as charming and polite as last time. And moderately unhinged.
I’m not sure how much “control” this constitutes when soldiers are turning into demons and murdering (“the wrong kind of”, this time) civilians, but SURE.

Mélodia: “Welcome to the sanctum of Malpercio!”

Mélodia: “It’s so kind of you to join us in celebration, to hail the birth of a god!”

Gibari: “We came to put an end to your freakshow, Mélodia!”

Lyude, furious: “You think you can just take control of my homeland? I refuse to allow it!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:29 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

Tired: love triangles.
Fired: whatever the hell is going on here instead
(Xelha I swear you can do a lot better than this)

Xelha: “Kalas, please! Come to your senses! Come back to us!”

Mélodia, looking unhinged: “It’s no use. Once touched by the divine light, there’s no turning back...”

Mélodia: “He would never even consider reverting to his former self. I can promise you that.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:32 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

I... kind of love Mélodia’s answer here.
Unhinged cultist with an extremely ill-adjusted moral framework? Absolutely. 
Irrational? Not really!

Xelha: “Mélodia... why are you doing this?”

Mélodia: “Because he wants to be reborn, in whatever way possible...”

Mélodia: “Long ago, he was destroyed at the hands of mortals, torn apart and buried in pieces...”

Mélodia: “I’m redeeming that act, on behalf of all mortals. No one can stop me.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:35 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

A glorified attack dog, really.
There’s also an exchange with Kalas being surprised the Guardian Spirit i.e. us-the-player is still around.

Kalas: “But I must destroy those who defy Malpercio.”

Kalas, looking unhinged: “You’re gonna die here...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:36 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

It’s not a tough fight, until you get him down to low HP (which is indicated by a change of posture). At which point the long combo that ends in paralysis starts being followed by a long combo that ends in lifesteal, drawing the fight out.

Kalas as an enemy, using Binding Winds after a 7-step combo.

Kalas as an enemy, using Fangs of Darkness after a 7-step combo.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:24 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

Kalas goes down, but Mélodia’s unfazed. Onwards to a lengthy evil monologue with arguably one of the silliest plot points of the entire game!
(Also I’m playing with 3x upscaling, sure, but oof Mélodia’s 3D model is ROUGH)

Mélodia: “You disappoint me, Kalas. Is that the best you can do?”

Mélodia: “Yet, thanks to all of you, the End Magnus will finally be released... Yes indeed, with your help!”

Xelha, looking up at a circle of light: “What’s happening?!”

Mélodia: “The End Magnus are responding to you all.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:29 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

She goes on, at length.
Gotta say tho, “the power of friendship but leveraged for evil” is at least moderately less of a cliché?

Mélodia: “Releasing the End Magnus requires power rivaling that of a god...”

Mélodia: “Five islands... Five gods, torn apart... Five unsuspecting mortals...”

Mélodia: “It is your unity, your trust that binds you as one...”

Mélodia: “You, yourselves, are the key... The key to the resurrection, the birth of Malpercio!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:31 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

And the linking happened via the whole pinning-on-crosses thing, which... How would this have gone if Xelha didn’t escape and save everyone?
Was that the plan all along?
PLOT HOOOOOOLES

Mélodia: “Each of you is bound to the residual powers of each god, bound to each island through the Interdimensional [cont]”

Mélodia: “You have collectively attained a power rivaling that of the End Magnus, a power providing the ideal [cont]”

Mélodia: “[cont] fabric for merging them into one!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:33 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

Particle effects aplenty follow as our entire party turns into torches, luckily we have a magical MacGuffin.

Mélodia: “After a millenium of darkness, the time has come at last for the End Magnus to be freed!”

Xelha: “No... Not so fast. I won’t let you!!”

Mélodia: “The Ocean Mirror?! How did you get that?!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:38 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

The mirror proceeds to... basically roast Kalas? Insert a half-dozen “Aaaaarrrrgggghhh” textboxes between Xelha’s lines.
As always, we get a flashback to the relevant scene as Xelha realizes in horror that it’s not working as she thought.

Xelha, pointing the mirror at Kalas: “Kalas, please! Come to your senses!!”

Xelha, as Kalas is rolling on the floor in pain and emitting smoke: “I thought the Ocean Mirror would only free him from Malpercio’s power!”

Xelha: “Oh no! Barnette! Did she lie to me?”

Barnette, in a sepia flashback: “Please forgive me, Your Majesty...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:41 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

This goes on a while, with Kalas getting normal portraits again and asking Xelha to keep going. But eventually she can’t.
I’m going to need to give a good point to the unhinged cultist here

Kalas, looking normal again: “Do it... Xelha!! Before the End Magnus unite... Before it’s too late...”

Xelha: “No!! I can’t do this! I simply can’t!!”

Mélodia, looking pleased: “Are you finished yet?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:46 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

Mélodia, er, uses a laser beam? to knock Xelha out and break the mirror.
Particle effects kick back in, and Malpercio appears. Not exactly a looker.

Mélodia, looking furious: “Enough of your petty tricks.”

Mélodia: “Accept your fate and be crushed, powerless, beneath the heel of Malpercio!”

Mélodia, looking pleased: “The five End Magnus have been released. Five shimmering souls have been united...”

Mélodia, offscreen, as the camera focuses on a disjointed monstrous figure: “Hello my darling!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:50 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

Mélodia seems to enjoy telling her toys to do a murder. Kalas wants to interfere but is held back by his cursed wings...

Mélodia: “Go ahead, Malpercio! Let us begin our celebration of your birth!”

Mélodia: “If you bathe in his light, there’s no turning back.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:54 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

She takes off in a forcefield, Kalas is ordered back to do a murder, Meemai intervenes and blocks his way.
Where would we be without Meemai, really?

Mélodia: “Ha ha ha! Go on, Kalas. Squash the insignificant bugs!!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:58 PM · Nov 28, 2020 Permalink

BUT THEN (this entire scene is held together by “but then”s), Xelha goes into the Ocean Prayer and we get a bunch of flashbacks to shared moments between her and Kalas.
Plus a new bit of the prayer?

Xelha: “O Might Ocean, guide us as we journey through... The darkest pit of night...”

Xelha, back in Moonguile Forest: “Cast light upon the darkened earth... Save those lost in despair...”

Xelha, back in Balançoire: “Kalas, let’s do our best... for everyone’s sake... Okay?”

Black screen on white, from Xelha: “May Time, ever fleeting, forgive us... We who have forsaken the song, and buried our future...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:02 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

That gives Kalas the willpower to rip off one of his cursed white wings, much to the dismay of Melodia. File under “the power of love” I guess.
Mélodia does ask “What are you?!” which we’ll get back to eventually.
(*takes note to investigate how the DOF is implemented*)

Kalas, in an explosion of white feathers: “Ah... Aaaaaahhhh!!”

Mélodia: “...?! What have you done? Have you lost your mind?!”

Kalas, kneeling down, back to having a single grey wing.

Mélodia: “How... could it be possible? Removing the power of a god?! By your own will?!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:08 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Kalas doesn’t so much get a redemption arc as a “Shit I fucked up big time” moment and subsequent change of heart.
Which is... not that inconsistent character-wise.
Either way, that’s not enough and we’re going to get zapped.

Kalas, facing Mélodia: “I swear I’ll drive Malpercio and his minions from this world!”

Mélodia: “Very amusing! What could a worm like you possibly hope to do?”

Mélodia: “Enough of this nonsense. I’ll grant you the honor of being annihilated by my darling. All of you, all at [cont]”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:10 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

BUT THEN

Mizuti, rushing forward: “Not yet, says the Great Mizuti!”

Mélodia, as Mizuti summons a circle of balls of light: “...? What is that?”

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

Mizuti starts chanting, which summons five ghostly figures, who join the chant and start making Malpercio leaks green blood. Ew.

Mélodia, as Malpercio falls on his knees, green blood pouring from his neck: “No... what are you doing?! His parts aren’t fully connected yet!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:14 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

They escape by breaking the roof, we get the mirror back but broken, and THANK GOODNESS THAT SCENE IS DONE.

Mélodia: “Take us to the inner sanctum, Cor Hydrae!”

Central ghostly figure with a large round mask: “He has escaped...”

Textbox: “You’ve obtained a Magnus: Broken Ocean Mirror”

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

Funnily enough, I was going on a minor Wikipedia rabbit hole about the location names in this game. It’s mostly all stars, and Cor Hydrae is the nickname of... Alphard.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:19 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

ANYWAY WE’RE NOT DONE, because now it’s Kalas flashbacks time. He’s mentioned wanting to avenge “Fee” before, and we kinda inferred that was his brother, now we get an actual look at the kid.

Fee: “Grandpa, is it true that somewhere in this world there’s a huge puddle called “the Ocean”?

Fee: “And a bit old fish called “the whale” swimming around in it?”

Georg: “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve never met anyone who’s actually seen that creature.”

Kalas: “Whad’ya say we go out and find the Ocean and this “whale” of yours someday?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:23 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Off to Murder Day, Fee and Kalas flee after getting shot by Ayme, Georg walks back into the flames rather than talk to his son Giacomo.
A familiar face saw the kids leave, turns out. Which would explain why she was watching us early in Anuénué!

Kalas and Fee facing Giacomo and Ayme. Ayme’s gun is blazing.

Giacomo arguing with Georg, bathed in flames.

Kalas and Fee fleeing the burning house, Savyna watching nearby.

Savyna: “Neither of them will last long... Not with those injuries...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:27 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

[cw: blood in illustration, child death]
(No, I don’t know what’s going on with this Kalas portrait)
This is still not quite the full version of this scene, but we get Fee’s tragic death, which prompted the whole revenge obsession.
RIP Fee, we hardly knew ye, etc.

Kalas: “Fee, talk to me. Come on... hang in there.”

Fee, blood and tears on his face: “It’s so dark... I’m scared... Kalas... Where are you?”

Kalas: “Please... Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me alone!”

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

Back in the present, we’ve found refuge in demon-infested Mintaka. Since the three witches are around I’m guessing they saved our sorry asses once more.

Xelha: “You looked like you were having a nightmare...”

Kalas: “Where is he? Where’s Malpercio?!”

Xelha: “Gone... He flew away with Mélodia.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:32 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Kalas, I’m pretty sure they were all going to try and save the world with or without you, don’t pretend you’re in charge here.
At least it’s not an instant redemption arc at all.

Kalas: “I... I know I have no right to say this.”

Kalas: “Once everything’s over, I’ll do anything to make up for what I’ve done...”

Kalas: “But for now... I really need your help again. Will you stand with me?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:35 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Too kind, all of ‘em.

Gibari: “Tsk. Guess we might as well. You’re one hell of a kid to babysit, you know that?”

Lyude: “As we’ll have to face them eventually... we might as well face them [cont]”

Great Mizuti: “The Great Mizuti always knew! Basic. Elementary. That Kalas would come back.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:39 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Xelha doesn’t get to pipe up, because everyone just proceeds to wink-wink-nudge-nudge about how VERY DEDICATED she was to rescuing Kalas, er the world, which is why she’s ran off to the other side of the room when this beat wraps up with getting his Winglet back.

Gibari: “Hey, Kalas! You gonna sit there forever, or what?”

Kalas: “...! My Winglet... You kept it for me?”

Xelha: “I thought you just might need it again...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:41 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

The Guardian Spirit moves back from Xelha to Kalas (nooooo), and it’s plan-making time.

Lyude: “A rush for the Cor Hydrae Castle would be tantamount to suicide.”

Gibari: “The Ocean Mirror’s busted to pieces. That was the only means of defense we had.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:44 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

A lead!

Savyna: “What about those strange figures who appeared when we were about to be crushed by Malpercio, and [cont]”

Great Mizuti: “Oh, them people, you mean. They be the Children of the Earth. They live in the clouds below.”

Great Mizuti: “The Great Mizuti happens to be one of them.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:46 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

I’m pretty sure Mizuti did tell us, back in Lord Calbren’s Ma-

Gibari: “What?! Why didn’t you tell us that before?!”

Great Mizuti: “Because no one asked the Great Mizuti.”

Gibari: “With Kalas going nuts and all... I guess we never thought of it...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:49 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Thank you Lyude, someone’s got a brain here.
Actual narrative function: echoing the player’s own reasoning, and playing into Gibari’s characterization.
I ADORE those kind of sentences from Mizuti.

Lyude: “Come to think of it, the Great Mizuti did mention being a Child of the Earth, when we met at Lord [cont]”

Lyude: “I never realized what it truly meant!”

Great Mizuti: “Precisely. The Great Mizuti never lies. Only sometimes. Seldom. Once in a while.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:52 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Just delightful.

Gibari: “Hold on a second. You said your folks live in the clouds below. You mean the Taintclouds?”

Lyude: “...Is it even possible for a creature to survive within the Taintclouds?”

Great Mizuti: “Certainly. The Great Mizuti never lies nor tricks.”

Great Mizuti: “Maybe only sometimes. Rarely. Once in a blue moon.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:54 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Makes sense that Gibari is most concerned, too, because:

Lia @liareplaysbk · 08:38 PM · Oct 22, 2020 Go

We pass over a weirdly ominous sea of clouds, which definitely is not foreshadowing anything on Disc 2. There’s no way anything can survive down there, after all.
The sailor / skyfarer thing has been done to death but it works well enough with Gibari.
World map, and we’re there!

Xelha: “The Taintclouds... A bottomless sea of poisonous gas...”

Gibari: “For those who make a living flying the skies like myself, it’s known as the pit of hell, my friends.”

The world map, showing Anuénué on the left-hand side.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:57 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Okay, how do we get through? Simple, easy, just take the Trail. Oooookay.

Great Mizuti: “Just like you take the Trail of Souls to Mira. The Children of the Earth take a trail when they climb up to [cont]”

Great Mizuti: “When they go back down, they find a place where the clouds be thin, and dive in. Then they find the Trail [cont]”

Great Mizuti: “[cont] in the Clouds, and follow it. That be it, no worries.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:59 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Mizuti’s not very good at this whole reassurance thing.

Kalas: “Aren’t the Taintclouds poisonous? Is it safe to just fly in?”

Great Mizuti: “No problem, if it be a short time. Simple. Straightforward. Easy as pie.”

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

Some of this frankly seems to just be about lightening the mood after the extremely heavy stuff earlier.

Lyude: “Maybe the mask that Great Mizuti is always wearing works as some sort of filter.”

Gibari: “That makes sense. So the Great Mizuti stays safe, thanks to that stupid...”

Gibari: “Erm... ...that unique mask of yours.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:03 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

And for the rest of us without masks? Well.
(We have wizards in the group! Surely some kind of air bubble isn’t that far out of their reach!)

Great Mizuti: “Piece of cake. Just keep holding your breath.”

Gibari: “Sounds like we have a choice between poison or suffocation.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:05 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Regardless of practicalities, the plan is decided. The witches will go do the reporting, so we can just go and hopefully not choke to death.

Xelha: “Yes. If we go, we might discover something new about Malpercio.”

Great Mizuti: “The village elder might know what to do about it.”

Kodelle: “Queen Xelha, we will report back to Anuénué as to what has happened, and where you’re headed.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:06 AM · Nov 29, 2020 Permalink

Our dragon’s still parked where we left it.
Next time: down into the clouds!

The white dragon, still hovering by the dock in Mintaka.