Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-12-05: Finishing Duhr, Corellia's palace, fetch quests, SP combos

Lia @liareplaysbk · 10:07 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Okay, another three combos and then I’m DONE until I hit the Celestial Alps.
At least doing this nonsense in Duhr landed me 8 level ups, so I should be rolling over everything that comes next.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:18 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

... Cross that I meant “until I can go get some Birch in Wazn, after which I have another two and THEN I’m done”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:33 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Bits and bobs from Duhr before embarking on the combo quest: the mask geek is still wonderful. They’d definitely be running a VERY fancy Etsy shop.

Mask geek: “Heh, I’m always ready for times like this. Emergency face guard!”

Mask geek: “This slit right here enhances the fit. It’s a very comfortable mask.”

Mask geek: “You know, in an emergency situation, people usually run around panicking, right?”

Mask geek: “This mask is designed not to fall off in that sort of chaos.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:34 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

And this lovely bit of Mizuti bragging as Kee laments that he won’t get all the stories until way later. Exceptional use of the first person!

Great Mizuti: “Great Mizuti will get rid of the bad guys quickly! And I’ll tell you stories.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:35 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Hey, remember the Slight Debt?

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:34 PM · Nov 30, 2020 Go

Another case of this game’s silly sense of humor via mechanics. As this card ages, it’s noooooot going to stay at -100.

Inspection text: “There’s a drawer with “DANGER! DO NOT OPEN!” written on it.”

Kalas: “See? Okay then, I’m opening it.”

Textbox: “You’ve obtained a Magnus: Slight Debt”

Shop screen, focused on the Slight Debt, worth -100G. “Money reluctantly borrowed from a consumer-credit loan machine during the recession. Helpful if budgeted properly. Make a solid plan before borrowing.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:37 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

It’s getting worse. Oh well, still nothing we can’t handle, surely.
(I guess this makes predatory lending a canon thing in this world)

Shop screen, focused on the Snowballing Debt. “It’s about time to start panicking. You weren’t able to pay back the loan, so you borrowed more money from another company to get it paid. Better get this under control soon!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:40 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Two highlights from the silly things the combos have us making.
BOO THIS LIPSTICK ITEM DESCRIPTION, unless it simply means this is probably not Gibari’s color.
As for the Pac-Man, I tested for you, it IS order-dependent. Not all combos are.

Combos list, focused on the Tonguetwister Rouge, which is mechanically only usable by Savyna and Xelha. “Stylish, light-red lipstick. Enables the wearer to speak eloquently and move quickly. For Xelha and Savyna only. Not for you, Gibari!”

Combos list screen, focused on Pac-Man. “Long ago, this legendary hero took on as many as 4 enemies at once - at times confronting them, and at other times fleeing. Some say he had an addiction to pellets, while others say he fought ghosts.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:43 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Several hours later...
We find our dear dragon parked in the (beautiful) port, and head back up to Anuénué.
Calbren’s hopeful that if Kalas could come back, so can Mélodia. Ladekahn and Corellia are simply glad he’s back, and don’t lay on the blame. Too much going on, after all.

The port of Duhr, with the White Dragon hovering by the dock.

Corellia’s throne room, Ladekahn and Calbren at her sides.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:47 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

The summary of the groundside events is ellipsed behind a fade to black: that’s generally the case for what would be long retellings, as opposed to the short-but-precise flashbacks this game uses A LOT to jog our memory.

Ladekahn: “I see... So even the Ancient Wizards’ descendants are unable to stop the evil god...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:50 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Situation: much unchanged, still pretty bad.
While the mess isn’t shown apart from the bloodbath in Mintaka, I like that it goes for a slow but deadly war of attrition, rather than a one-time threat that justifies rash tactics.

Calbren: “Sooner or later the enemy will wear down our defenses unless we take some sort of action.”

Corellia: “For now they only seem to be launching small and sporadic attacks on our towns and villages.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:52 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Which, of course, doesn’t stop our grand strategist from suggesting exactly that.

Kalas: “I say we should give’em all we got! Full throttle!”

Kalas: “Invade Cor Hydrae Castle and wipe out Malpercio while we still have enough manpower!”

Corellia: “It would be foolish to throw away your life like that.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:55 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

The witches show up with a strong counter-argument.
(Kodelle’s legs almost look glitched, but I think it’s just some fancy crystal-iridescent-glint thing. Add to future graphics investigation bucket list)

Xelha: “Why don’t you think we can make it into Cor Hydrae?”

Kodelle: “They have raised a powerful shield around it. There’s no way we could penetrate the defenses.”

Glamyss: “Trying to force your way in is useless. We can’t afford to sacrifice lives in that manner.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:57 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Catranne has NO FILTER whatsoever. And is also wrong because Xelha’s way too far gone by now, alas.

Catranne: “Uh-huh. A simple-minded, happy-go-lucky guy who uses brute force to solve everything is a major [cont]”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 11:58 PM · Dec 05, 2020 Permalink

Meeting results: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Corellia: “In time, with the Children of the Earth helping us, we should be able to come up with a viable plan.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:02 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

Main quest pointer: Larikush wants to chat.
If you forgot, that’s the doctor from waaaaaaaay back at the start, who found Kalas after he “was attacked by Rock Cats”, and worked with his “grandfather” back in the Empire.

Catranne: “We went to Sadal Suud for a report. Someone told me to give this to you.”

White text over greyed out scene: “There’s something I need to talk to you about. I’ll be waiting for you in Cebalrai Village.”

White text over greyed out scene: “Larikush”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:04 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

Kalas: tries to take bad decision, again.
Rest of the party: doesn’t let him, again.

Kalas: “This is a personal issue so I don’t plan on getting Xelha and the others involved.”

Gibari: “Hey kid! Where do you think you’re goin’?”

Xelha: “You’re going to see Doctor Larikush, aren’t you? We’ll go with you.”

Kalas: “But this has nothing to do with you... It must be about Gramps...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:08 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

I haven’t been counting how many times Lyude chiming up about anything has been “I’m curious about...” but it’s a lot, and especially nosy here!
I love that Mizuti is protective out of sheer hero complex and Savyna out of pragmatism. Good character writing.

Lyude, smiling: “Precisely. I’m curious as to what the famed engineer, Doctor Georg, was working on for the Empire.”

Great Mizuti: “You could get in bad bad trouble.”

Great Mizuti: “The Great Mizuti should watch over you!”

Savyna: “It’s really none of my business what you’ve gotta do, but going at it alone is out of the question.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:10 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

We get a first gentle hint at Mizuti’s final sidequest: Kee, Mizuti’s parents, and the Great Kamroh are still groundside. Hmmm.

Kee’s Mother: “My son seems to have gone under the Taintclouds.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:14 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

At this point we get free travel again, which means SIDEQUESTS.
A kid rebuffs us when we ask for a duck. So very rude.
(Actually completely reasonable, and no we can’t change her mind, we have to find a duck elsewhere)

Kalas: “Come to think of it, we were supposed to take some animals to Kaffaljidhma.”

Dialog choice: “Let’s ask her.” or “I don’t think we should.”

Child: “No way! I can’t give you my ducks. They’re my friends!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:16 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

The guide calls this a “somewhat hidden ladder”. That’s more polite than I’d have been.

A very well-hidden ladder to the left of the house in Opu, Waterfall Village.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:20 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

As mentioned: back to Wazn and the Ice Cliffs, where the local fauna WILL drop Birch, allowing me to make the last two combos I have available until the Celestial Alps.
Only 6 to go!

Inventory screen, focused on the Birch Magnus.

Combo list, focused on the Treasure, made from The Peach Boy and all three wooden carvings.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 12:23 AM · Dec 06, 2020 Permalink

Next time: poke around the entire world map see how much I can get done / how much new dialog I can find before going to see Larikush.
Anuénué was near-identical apart from a couple new faces around, we’ll see what’s happened elsewhere!

A Child of the Earth, at Anuénué’s port: “Look at how endless the blue sky is! So, this is what it’s like above the Taintclouds...”