Part 25: Sanctuary Campaign, Map Two, Part One

Just a note that I might edit the contents of this update onto a fresh post on the next page, if people think the current one is putting a strain on the browser. I tend to try to avoid more than 4 updates on a single page.





Random: This screen depicts Irina as a Shogun, which is oddly enough a Might Hero, yet Irina is by default a Magic Hero.



And the town does well under your leadership.

It has to! It'll be the starting point for my invasion of the Wolf Duchy...

Saa... Irina, do not forget that you are the vassal of Daimyo Hiroshi. As he requested, your first tasks are to purge the island of Wolf troops. Then we will see what you may do next.



This is actually the same map as Irina's first map, but in reverse order - we start off in front of the town at the top, and eventually we will get to our original town at the bottom. For now, our main quest is to capture the Haven Fort just south of us in 1 month (plenty of time). We also have an optional quest to capture another Haven Fort to the east. There are some resources and mobs around us, but we really should capture the Fort as soon as possible. Hire a Hero, pass their troops to Irina, and send them to the east while the mule Hero flags the unguarded Ore Mine and Sawmill.



Now that Irina's been settled into Naga territory for a while, she's changed out of her Haven Robes and into.. rags? Maybe we can get her looking less like a hobo by the end of the map.



The Fort is just to the east. It shouldn't be too hard to take it even with your meager army (if all else fails, Lightning Bolt should get the job done).



The real prize of the Fort is being able to flag the Elite creature dwelling just south of it. When we can build Kenshi, this will be very helpful.

We can upgrade all 3 Core dwellings back in town, and we can also build Kenshi, but we can't upgrade the latter. You should build up Pearl Priestesses as soon as possible, for the increased range power and healing ability. I get the other 2 upgrades over the first couple of weeks, so I'll just detail them in one go. For some reason, this is also the only town you can upgrade Kappa in, so any future towns will have to send their Kappa here to be upgraded.





The Wanizame's damage range just gets wider, making it an unreliable attacker at best, but the increased health and extra movement point does help. Blood Frenzy just makes it that much better at keeping an enemy stack tied them by reducing their numbers even further as the Wanizame keep whacking them. And if nothing else, they're still sharkmen.





Kappa Shoyas have a slightly narrower damage range than Wanizame. While they retain their low health and movement, their Initiative got even better (they beat all but one creature in the game now). Crashing Leap is the real reason for upgrading Kappa. The area effect is very nice, and changing the damage to Magical makes it even more potent under the effect of a Magical Hero like Irina.

Once we get out fresh supply of troops from the next week, we can head south to take care of that Haven problem.

Heartless killer! Snake-lover! How much blood do you want?

Saaa... shall I answer in weight, or in volume?



Not really a tough battle. Just heal your way to victory.

With that done, Irina's next job is to investigate the area for other Sanctuary troops. You can relax for a bit though, since the neutral stacks beyond the fort are rather tough if you rush too early. I guess the game wants to try to make you take the game at your own pace.



What's this? Our Fort disappeared!

This is a glitch that seems to be still present in the game. After a couple of weeks, the Fort disappears whether you've captured it or not. It'll still be under your control if you took it, but you won't be able to enter it at all (you can access it via Town Screens, but no point in recruiting creatures since you can't retrieve them.). This is why you needed to grab the Fort early, if not, you'll never be able to complete the quest and get that Elite dwelling.

Click here to listen to the conversation!
So! The fort is ours. Now let's see about that duchy...

Good! But it took too long! To let them hold Shalassa's land was a disgrace!

Mukao, please send out runners. Tell them that Lord Hiroshi is once again in control of Hashima Island.

Zo!

Lord Hiroshi? It was my victory.

This too is our way, Irina. Hiroshi is your daimyo, so your victory is his victory. It is only right that he recieves the honor.

As long as our interests coincide, fine. But I didn't leave the clutches of one man to become the servant of another.

Irina is Irina, after all.



Argh!

The Week of Festivals is an utter pain at the start of a game. Halving gold income is never nice, and since the income is rounded down, I go from 1 Crystal/day to 0. This means I have to hold off getting Kenshi till next week, because I don't even have enough gold to trade for it.



You can see a creature with a quest mark over their head to the west here... just a sneak peek of something to be done next update, but for now, we head south to our next town.

Saaa... I know this place. This village is run by a Shark Guard you know, a vassal of the previous Daimyo. He will try to enlist your aid, but that could be dangerous.



Well screw you Katsue, the plot won't progress till we do.

The village is unhappy, Irina. Hiroshi only wants to look good for the Eternal Empress. But his first duty is to his people!

It's the same where I come from, Kenta. Or it should be.

Zo. You helps us here, now. Let Hiroshi fight finless ghosts to the west. We recognize you as our lord if you help us.

Irina, decide carefully. This could lead to open war between you and Hiroshi.



Before we choose anything, though, a boat comes from above the town and a Red Hero steps off.

Saaa... the Wolf sends more troops. Help us, Irina!

Well, our hand is forced. We can't help but fend them off.



This is where I kinda mess up, and end up doing this battle over too many times to be proud of it. Not only do I not have Kenshi because of the Week of Festivals, but I had also sent the bulk of my Kappa back to town to be upgraded, so I'm lacking in troops. Karloff's biggest threat is his large Praetorian stack, which he will also happily buff with Heroism. You'll have to slowly wear it down with your Wanizame to prevent them from reaching your Priestesses, while your Kappa take out his other troops. Stone Skin, Regeneration, Heal, Waves of Renewal, anything to prolong your Wanizame's surivival for this battle. This is a fight that's far harder than it should have been.



By the end of the battle it's reduced to a simple slugfest, and I'm out of mana. I doubt I'll be getting Hero rank this map.

Luckily, we get a small restock of Shark Guards and Priestesses after the fight, and there are more in our new town.



Blood for all!

Click here to listen to the conversation!
Now twice Irina has saved Kenta. Hiroshi is no longer my lord. We will follow Irina!

If you put Karloff in jail instead, Kenta says, 'What? Irina, you let Wolf invade our lands?' That's the only change in the conversation.

Irina, now that Hiroshi's vassals have turned against him you are the challenger to Lord Hiroshi. You must dethrone him as he did Okane.

It's not what I wanted, but I was never good at this 'vassal' thing. That said, I don't see how I'll take him down no matter how loyal these Wanizame are...

Saaa. There are two ways. Either build a great army and defeat him through force, or gain the blessing of Shalassa. To do that, you must be recognized by the Kirin as the new Daimyo. If the Kirin support you, Hiroshi must abdicate.

Kirin? Those exist only in picture books. What am I saying? I would have said the same thing of a sharkman a month ago? So how do I find a Kirin?

And we'll find out next time. First though...






Watery Grave is expensive - it costs 20 more Mana than Lightning Bolt, and only deals a little more damage. The main use of it is to do a 1-2 combo with Lightning Bolt and to make your Priestesses' attacks more powerful... but the hefty cost is a real turn-off.

I'd cover the rest of the classes, but since most of the major Blood/Tears stuff are in the next update, might as well do it there. We'll have lots of sidequests next time.