Part 35: The Beach Episode, Part 1
Update 35: The Beach Episode, Part 1
I managed to lose this update once beyond even the recovery of the forums' "replace" function, so it may be a bit more curt than usual.
Welcome to another planet. It's sandy. It's crystally. We can't use magic(for about five minutes). We don't have a map. All we have is a compass and backpacks filled to bursting with rusalki sandwiches because if there's one place in the game where a gameover from starvation is technically possible if you don't know what you're doing and prepared poorly, it's Chapter 8.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U0Lh8-apvc#t=1663s
Also the track at the timestamp 27:43 plays as the only music for the area, which adds some atmosphere and a sense that you've stumbled into a very nasty part of town. This later turns out to be not true, but I applaud the effort.
Thankfully we're prevented from getting totally lost because there are still paths here that will lead us to all but one or two relevant points of interest.
BaK posted:
Gorath opened the door.
Inside the alien structure they found a variety of odd shaped objects, some made of wood, others fashioned from rock or crystal.
"I feel strange vibrations in the air here," said Owyn. "This place is unlike the others we have seen, perhaps we should look around."
The blue crystals are titled Raw Manna and they're about half of how we're going to get Owyn hurling around magic death again, while the note is a note from Pug and the only hint we have so far on what to do on this island. We want to ignore it for a bit, sure, but it's entirely possible to start off walking in the wrong direction and miss this.
BaK posted:
As Owyn rattled the manna in his cupped hands, violent pulses of blue light flashed between individual shards and prickled his fingers. Though he had never encountered it in this form, he sensed the crystals were magical, perhaps manna, the very essence of magic. It would still need to be converted into a form they could use.
...
Tomas:
As Katala no doubt summoned you, I imagine you have heard most of the pertinent details leading up to the time of my departure from Midkemia. I will give you the details of the circumstances once we meet, but I think it is more pressing you know certain facts:
Do not depend on magic. It does not function here in any way I comprehend and I have concluded something has become of the manna. Its absence may, in some way, relate to a second factor I have discovered about this planet. I don't know to what extent your inherited senses have already told you this, but there appears to be evidence this world was visited by your Valheru benefactors. A violent race exists here greatly similar to the Pantathians, similar enough I think they surely must have been stranded here by Alma-Lodka during the time of the Valheru raids across the cosmos. You surely could judge better than I.
Gamina is still missing as yet, and I have made a sweep of the entire island. I am going to head to the northern tip of the island to a ruin I spotted there earlier. Perhaps I will find answers there.
Pug of Stardock
We could just head off north, but to make things slightly easier we should scour the area for further dwellings and also bump into (and kill) some of the locals.
BaK posted:
The enemy was surprised.
"These creatures resemble the serpent men," Gorath hissed as they rushed forward. "When we had dealings with the Pantathians during the Great Rising, even Delekhan despised them. If these are any kin, I would have every last one of them dead."
"You may get your wish," Owyn replied. "Assuming they don't kill us first..."
There are 3.5 different enemies in this part of the world and here are two of them. Nethermanders(the orange-ish beetles), which have absurd amounts of health and do almost no damage, and Panth Tiandn(the Pantathians wielding swords), which have absurd amounts of health(about 160 for the Nethermanders, which I think is the highest for non-special, non-unique enemies in the game), do almost no damage, and sometimes do even less damage at range. Both of them will never, ever be any sort of threat or challenge. Like, they literally do between 1 and 7 points of damage per hit, nothing faced so far in the game has been that weak. The Panth Tiandn also, uniquely, have slings which they use for a ranged attack that's even weaker than their melee attack.
This particular pack was guarding a little coastal hut. The vividly coloured plant/crystal(the game never says anything about it, but in the book they're portrayed as crystallized plantlife) is a container that will always contain Raw Manna, there are tons of them over the island and we'll never run out of it. There just aren't enough spells to cast for that. As for the hut...
BaK posted:
Owyn nudged open the strange door.
He gritted his teeth, waiting for a surprise attack. When none came he pushed the door open a little further and walked inside.
He was stunned to find each wall completely covered with indecipherable symbols and markings. His attention was also drawn to a dark colored box in the far corner of the room. Moving closer to it he felt a strange tingling in his fingers, a sensation not unlike the one he felt immediately prior casting a particularly powerful spell. The feeling pulled him in, and without even being aware of the possible dangers involved he grabbed the box and threw open the lid. Inside he found a dark crystal staff!
Holding the staff in his left hand he held up his right palm and whispered a simple incantation. Flames leapt from his hand.
"I can't explain it," Owyn said. "But this staff has rejuvenated my magic. It's as though the staff has been formed of -- I don't know -- crystallized manna."
Congrats, now we can cast spells again. The staff is slightly better at doing damage than a normal or lightning staff, and when you rub Raw Manna on it and wield it, you can then cast spells with Owyn again. Each spell happens perfectly normally, except that it also burns an amount of Raw Manna equal to the amount of health/stamina expended on the spell. Each staff can hold up to 100 Manna at once, but I've never used more than 60 health on spells in one fight except for the time I cast Mad God's Rage.
A final trio of houses contains another note, though one that isn't a note. When you attempt to read it it instead turns out to be...
A map! Being an island it's limited how lost you can get anyway, but it's useful in part because if you missed Pug's first note, you'd probably be drawn to the only real landmark, to the north, and thus be set back upon the path towards completing the chapter. Off to the north we go, to follow Pug's trail.
Just before we reach the northern peak of the island there's another little gaggle of huts, one contains another note from Pug, and another's an "ambush" hut. Several huts around the island will spring enemies on you, with no warning if your Scouting is low or with some warning if it's high. Aside from the notes, the crystal staff and one other thing, though, there's never anything of interest in the huts. Usually just one or two ration packs or more commonly more Raw Manna which, as mentioned, you will never be short on. About that note, though...
BaK posted:
Tomas:
While I discovered no evidence of Gamina at the ruin, I have learned the manna on this planet has undergone metamorphic concretion, or in simpler terms, transformed into crystal. As there is no natural phenomenon that can account for this, I can only assume the change was engineered by an agency of the most supreme order. It is doubtful the Valheru could have mastered it as it would have had cataclysmic effects beyond their control, though it may have given Draken-Korin the inspiration for the Lifestone under Sethanon. I can only assume at this point the ancient gods of this planet may have used the tactic to drive away the Valheru. Again, this you would know better than I.
I made my discovery when I touched one of the crystal columns in the ruin and sensed the power of it. At the same time, I sensed within what I will tentatively call an intelligence because I felt the stirrings of mind-speech though no specific thoughts ever formed. If you go to the ruin don't touch the central column. I felt greatly ill for several days after touching that particular column, though I am not certain of the cause and avoided the rest thereafter. Perhaps after I have found Gamina, I will have opportunity to learn more.
Pug of Stardock
This might warn you off from interacting with the pillars to the north, but you literally can't complete the area without doing so. Even the pillar that made pug "ill for days" only does about 14 damage if you touch it, so you'll be recovered in an hour or two of resting.
Time to poke all the pillars in a roughly clockwise order!
BaK posted:
The pillar was smooth to his touch.
Towering over Owyn, it seemed to be made of an exquisite crystal of some fashion, though it was wholly unlike anything he had ever seen on Midkemia. Through it he could see refracted images of the desert beyond, but when he varied the angle at which he held his head, it seemed as though he could see other places which were not on the other side of the column. Instead, it seemed that there were images of oceans and skies of other colors.
Your observations intrigue me. You are savani, are you not?
Startled at the presence of the alien sentience in his mind, Owyn shook his head. Unsure whether he should simply think his reply or speak it aloud, he decided that speaking it would be the safest route. "I'm not familiar with the term savani so I don't know if I am one or not. Who am I communicating with?". Nearby, Gorath threw Owyn a startled glance, apparently alarmed that his friend was speaking to the air. Before Owyn could rattle off an explanation, the voice within his mind returned.
I am Sutakami, Mother of the Thousand Mysteries, once goddess of Timirianya. You have summoned me. What do you desire to know?
"I am not sure what you are asking," Owyn said. "Are you an oracle?"
No, the voice replied. I may only tell you that which is already known, though I dimly perceive things that may come to be. I sense you are newly come to this world. Perhaps you would desire to see something of the creatures who inhabit the desolation of our world...
Suddenly Owyn's mind reeled with visions of men with scales rather than skin and large hulking creatures with shining carapaces which roamed the deserts. Grasping to retain what he learned about the creatures as the information flooded through his mind like a tide, he at last seized upon an image of a wispy figure.
"What are these things I see?" Owyn asked. "They look as if they are made of smoke."
They are the ancient servants of Relynn Skarr, the last priest of Dhatsavan before The Desolation. Creatures of magic, they can only be killed by special spells which drain directly from their materiality, their strength. Now they still wander the ruins of Dhatsavan's ancient Temple. For a moment the image wavered, then stabilized once more. I must rest... I am needed... elsewhere.
...
Energy blasted from the column.
Dazed, Owyn picked himself up from where he had fallen in the sand, reaching for a hand up from Gorath. "There was this...presence...that was in the column. When I touched it I felt as if I would kill every single Panath Tiandn on the face of this world...as if I could have strangled them all barehanded, and then the feeling was gone."
"It is strange you should mention it, but I am feeling suddenly vigorous myself. But what are these Panath Tiandn?" Gorath replied. "It is an unfamiliar term."
"The snake men that we've run into. I'm not sure why I know that, but I know that is what they are called on this world."
...
There was something odd about the column.
Removing his hand, Owyn struggled to find words for what he was feeling. "You know how it is when someone is standing behind you, and you know that they are standing there, even though you haven't heard them come up?"
Smiling faintly, Gorath shrugged. "It is a sensation I have heard of, but I am afraid that is an experience almost unknown with my kin." Reaching up, he tugged one of his ears. "There is little that escapes our hearing."
"Oh." Looking down at the ground, Owyn suddenly flushed, realizing how little he truly knew about Gorath or his people. One day he would make a point of getting to know him better. "Well, I don't know how to explain what I felt in the pillar except that it felt alive. Like there was a presence within it, if only I knew how to reach it."
...
Warmth radiated from the column.
At first Owyn assumed that the crystal was radiating heat reflected from the alien sun, but even on the side away from the glare, the pillar seemed equally warm.
I may do little for you, a feminine voice asked quietly in his mind. This much, and no more...
Suddenly the sensation of heat grew, washed out from pillar like a warm breeze, shifting the sand beneath their feet and pressing out in the deserts beyond. In a brief second the wind was gone, leaving the pillar cold and quiet.
...
The pillar was made of crystal.
In better condition than the others in the circle, its reflective surface was not as pitted by the blast of the sands as the others had been. Stroking its surface, Owyn marvelled at the amount of work it must have taken the craftsmen to make.
"I wonder what this place was originally," Owyn asked, not expecting the mental reply which flooded his senses.
You stand in the ruins of Karzeen Mauk, once the high temple of the seven gods of Timirianya. Once, these columns were only symbols of the gods, crafted by the savani artisans who were the servants of Dhatsavan. Now they are the vessels within which we have taken refuge.
"Refuge? What drives a god into refuge?" Owyn asked. "I wouldn't think it would be possible."
Valheru, the voice said. Though without a true voice it was impossible for Owyn to tell, but there were shadings within it that seemed a mixture of hate and sorrow. Those who were known as the Valheru extinguished all life as we knew it here, using this as a battleground where they warred with all who dared challenge their universal supremacy. Only when Dhatsavan showed to us that our struggles would be futile did we create a plan by which we could drive out their hordes of Pantathians and Kadaand Xekka'mati...
"What did you do?" Owyn asked. A long silence greeted him before a distant reply came to him.
Of the Seven Who Ruled, there are only six of us who survived The Desolation. Two have faded so far from the world they can no longer give voice to their thoughts, but instead are little more than sentient forces of nature. Only Dhatsavan will remain, waiting for the time of the Awakening. He shall call us when the need has come... We shall not speak again, savani.
...
The crystal was cold.
Unnerved by the unnatural chill of the object in the blistering desert heat, Owyn moved away from it, aware that he suddenly felt very ill, noticing that Gorath looked likewise as distraught.
"Let's not toy with that artifact again," Gorath scolded. "I have a very bad feeling about that pillar."
...
Owyn hesitated.
Shimmering in the hellish alien heat, it seemed probable the sun warmed crystal would blister him if he touched it, but he was curious what material the glass-like pillar had been made of. Privately he wondered if the serpent people they had encountered in the desert plains had been responsible for the enigmatic monoliths, but somehow the idea seemed wrong to him.
No. The Pillars of Karzeen were not crafted by the Panath-Tiandn, a voice whispered in his mind. We made ourselves...
Horrified by the sudden, uninvited intrusion of the alien presence within his mind, Owyn drew back from the column, but the intruder remained. We seven were the gods of Timirianya, savani. I myself was once Dhatsavan, Lord of Gates. But once the Valheru brought their wars of desolation, we narrowly averted the great star death...
"I don't know what any of the things you are saying mean," Owyn replied. "I have heard a very little bit about the elven old ones called the Valheru, but beyond that..."
It is unimportant, savani, the voice said. What we were is lost beyond regaining, but there is time yet to save your people from the same fate.
"Our world?" Owyn asked. "The Valheru have been dead on my world for time beyond reckoning. They can't pose any threat to us..."
A feeling of disinterest washed through him as the god brushed aside the question. The one you know as Pug of Stardock will tell you more when the time comes for you and the Wanderer to make your choices. For now, you must bring to this place the Cup of Rlnn Skrr. Do this and we will free Pug from his captivity...
Suddenly suspicious about the nature of the entity which spoke to him, he worded his reply carefully. "If you are a god, why do you need me to fetch a cup for you? And why should I trust a bodiless someone who claims to have imprisoned the one we look for?"
You are wise to question, the voice replied, but it is mine alone to know this truth. You may do as I ask and bring to me the Cup of Rlnn Skrr or you may perish in the desolation of Timirianya. The choice is yours. I warn you however it would be an unwise decision to utilize its powers. Pug already has learned this lesson.
So it should be obvious that some of these interactions affect our stats. If you touch all the pillars it's +15 Assessment, +10 Strength(!) and +10 Defense, as well as losing about 14 current(not max) health. Additionally, we now have our first proper clue on how to get a hold of Pug, though Dhatsavan could have stretched his divine powers to giving us a rough hint of where the Cup is. It's hidden in the southeast corner of the island, but you could waste a decent amount of time finding that out, though it would somewhat narrow itself down since you start in the northwest, the northeast is sealed by a barrier that wards you off and the southwest is sealed by a barrier that kills you.
I also rather like the name for this world, Timirianya, and how the local gods warded off the Valheru by just turning off all the magic, thus threatening them with getting stranded in a giant litterbox for eternity.
Even though the northeast of the island is sealed off, you can still pass by it if you skirt the central mountain on the way to the southeast. If you do poke your head too close to the warded zone, though, you get the following dialogue:
BaK posted:
Owyn yelped.
Rubbing his nose, he stared in confusion at the scene before them. Some invisible force was preventing them from moving forward.
Seems we've run into some kind of magical barrier here. Whoever, or whatever, is inside apparently doesn't want us coming in.
How can this be possible if one may not perform magic in this place? You haven't been paying attention to what I said. It's not impossible, just very difficult. Whoever has constructed this magical barrier has access to a huge amount of manna. Perhaps Pug is somehow responsible for this. Actually... This must be where Dhatsavan has him imprisoned! Pug must be inside here! The voice you heard within the pillars? Yes... Well, at least we will know where to come and get him once we've retrieved this cup that he wants. Let's get back to searching...Sticking near the mountain also lets us find another note from Pug stashed in one of the local dwellings.
BaK posted:
Tomas:
I have discovered two things of interest which may be of help. First, as I have mentioned in my previous missive, the manna has been crystallized on this world and may be harvested in bounty from the yellow crystal formations which dot the planet. My second discovery was an artifact of a surprisingly high order which I was able to free from a magical trap near the columns to the north. I suspect by various elements of its design that it is meant to enhance certain telepathic abilities, and will attempt this evening to see if it might be utilized in reaching Gamina's mind. More later.
Pug of Stardock
This is a bit different in the book. Here, Pug liberates the Cup from Dhatsavan and the Panth Tiandn then loot it from him after he uses it without a manual. In the book, Pug steals it from the Panth and they then recover it after he knocks himself out with it and Dhatsavan puts him on ice for his own protection. It's a minor difference, ultimately.
It bugs me slightly that they could be bothered to do a new model for the "houses" on Timirianya but still use the same Midkemia bridge model. Could've at least swapped it over to being some of the local sandy colours or something. Anyway, crossing this creek puts us in the southeast part of the map, which is mostly populated with the .5 enemy of this island, actual Pantathians. However...
While I'm busy learning that Firestorm can actually miss, I also learn something else about these Pantathians: they have no melee attack and the only spell they ever cast is a very low-powered Hocho's Haven. I'm unsure if this is intentional "the snake dudes can't wizard without manna either" or if they were meant to be more scary but someone fucked that up(I lean towards the latter since the raw game data lists them as having plenty other spells they know). It mostly just makes them very annoying since they're about as durable as the Panth Tiandn but keep running away from me, necessitating a whole lot of extra effort to corral them close to Gorath or blow them up with magic.
I eventually start just freezing them all with Grief to make it easier on myself.
After hacking our way through more snake people and their livestock(or pets, possibly? I don't know if Nethermanders are meant to be either. But it does seem a bit rude to just arrive on their world and start killing them and their alien dogs), we eventually reach a tent containing the Cup.
BaK posted:
Tarnished, dented, peeling; while age had left its marks on the ancient ceremonial cup it had not diminished the majesty of the artisan's work. Four leprous serpents reared from the sides of the battered chalice, their eyes of ruby seething with mysterious intent.
Unless we want to end up like Pug, i.e. badly knocked out because we're fucking idiots, we shouldn't mess with the cup for now. It does have some utility after we've been back to Dhatsavan, however.
Let's collect ourselves some praise!