Part 38: Red Demon's Bane

Chapter 33 - Red Demon's Bane




The Keeper of Ranks sent a messenger to tell me about your success. I guess you're finally allowed to enter the church.
Thank you…
And the Bishop also sent a messenger to send for you… he wants to see you very badly, I've heard…


The guards opened up the door and Mort and D.K. headed inside.




They were immediately attacked by angry ghosts!

What the hell?

One of the guards from outside came in to help Mort and D.K. dispatch the ghosts.





With the ghosts dispatched, Mort and D.K. headed to the Bishop's rooms. He was NOT pleased to see them.

VIDEO: The Black Bishop


What in the name of Chaos are you doing here? Did you kill the ghosts in the church? Have you ANY idea how much work it is to call them?
He called the ghosts himself?
Did you call the ghosts yourself?
Yes, now this place is a *real* temple, not some place for worshipping a false Goddess! … We took control and made it a sacred place, no trace of the whore Goddess is left…




Except… do you see the altar over there? Behind it is a sealed staircase leading to the catacombs. When the priestesses were defeated by the demons, they somehow managed to seal this entrance… We haven't been able to break the seal… yet… and now you barge in and kill all my servants… Chaos, what a day I'm having!
Who are you?
I am the Chaos Lord's Bishop and leader of the army of Chaos…
No, Damian is leader of the army of Chaos! Never forget that!
What do you know about the seal?
Only that someone has to break it… maybe you can find a way?
Why me?
You're strong and powerful. You've proved that by rising in the ranks… I've heard all about you… maybe you were sent by the Lord of Chaos… to help me find a way through the seal…
Ha ha ha ha…
Perhaps our prisoner will be of help… Talk to the guard and tell him I sent you… and he will allow you to speak to the Raanaar we captured. Maybe he'll tell you how to enter the catacombs…
What do you know about the catacombs?
Nobody knows what's down there… maybe some priestesses of their bitch Goddess…




Mort and D.K examined the stairs. They ended in a slab of stone, oddly unharmed, despite the fact that the stairs around it were blackened and scarred.

It looks like they even tried using magic to blast their way through. They've almost wrecked the stairs, but the slab is as strong as ever.
Up here… there's a hole in the center column where it looks like something can fit.
Hmmm… let's see if that prisoner knows the secret.




You can't enter here! Leave this area!
The bishop has given me permission to see the prisoner. Go ahead and send someone to check if you want. We'll wait here.
Yes, I've heard about you, and your current ranking… Be my guest, if you really want to talk to that foul-mouthed creature.

Mort and D.K. entered, closing the door behind them.




What are you doing in here? Are you the torture master? I spit in your face, Chaos scum!
I'm guessing he's the prisoner?
Relax, I'm a friend.
What kind of *game* is this?
Tell him about the doll.
Asmodheus turned a Raanaar into a summoning doll, and we're trying to find a way to lift the curse.
Asmodheus? You are talking about his prisoner… Elder Anlokam?
Mention about the temple.
Yes. We were told we could lift Anlokam's curse in the Raanaar temple.

The Raanaar was silent for a while, thinking.

Maybe you could… in the inner sanctuary… but it is sealed by the Goddess herself.
Do you know a way in?
Maybe… But how do I know I can trust you? Everything you've said could just be a lie so you can get into the catacombs… no… you need to prove yourself to me before I will help you.
How can I do that?
Can you release me from this cell?
Um… no. Sorry.
Then can you bring me the head of the evil bishop desecrating our temple?
Uhhh… it would probably attract the wrong kind of attention if I were seen carrying THAT through the streets.
Then I have nothing more to say to you.
Wait! Tell him about the Red Demon's Bane the Rebel leader asked you to find!
Oh! Have you ever heard of the Red Demon's Bane?
Of course! It is a famous legend among the Raanaar. But where has a *human* heard of that?
From the leader of the Rebels. He asked me to reassemble it - the gem and the sword. If I do that and show it to you, then would you believe me?
Hmph! You speak of fairy tales as if they were reality…
I will show you the reality!

Mort and D.K. left the prison.

Oh… I should talk to the merchant about the amulet he wanted us to fetch.




You've found the amulet? Give it to me… Wonderful… it's perfect, I'm sure it will please the Chaos Lord for me to have it!

In one quick move, the merchant draped the amulet around his neck.

Wait!
Nooo, this amulet is cursed… why didn't you tell me? I curse you, human! Aaahhhgggggg!

The man collapsed in agony.




Let's get out of here before someone blames us!
Walk, don't run… Let's go find that Demon's Bane gem on Rebel Island.




Mort and D.K. headed for the cave which the Rebel Leader had marked on their map. When they got there though, there were several creatures outside…




Two fighters looking for narrrgnar trouble?
Crush them now?
You too dumb narrrgnar! We got bigger problems…
Yessss… BIG demons!!!
Maybe puny human can fight demons for treasure instead of us?
Where are the demons?
Demons are in narrrgnar cave! They stole our home!!!
Okay, I'll fight them!
Yes go kill narrrgnar enemies!




The cave wasn't that large.

Here, already? I've noticed that you're trying to rid these caverns of my underlings. … I'm afraid I can't permit that, so I will stop your foolish effort right here and now! Huuuaaarggghh!!!

Mort and D.K. employed what was becoming their usual strategy.




Your skill with those things is actually starting to impress me, human.
Thank you. We've got the gem, now let's get a sword to fit it.




The demons are dead.
Good fighting, you like narrrgnar treasure?
Thanks!




Mort showed the Blacksmith a large sack of gold.

Ha, I see you've got plenty of money to spend in here!
I need a special sword with a gem socket. To fit this gem.

The Blacksmith took the Demon's Bane gem and carefully measured it, writing things down in a small book.

5000 gold.

Mort handed the gold over.

Ah, and would that gem happen to be magical?
Yes, it's magical.
Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but a sword of that type can only be made of an ore that's native to Nemesis. Of which I have none, typically. … But I've heard of a mine not too far from here. It's a cave on the Ruins island. It was used by those blue fellows, the Raanaar. You should be able to find some down there.
Okay, I'll go and take a look.
You just gave 5000 gold to that guy, and now YOU are going to fetch the ore?? You don't even know if it exists! Will you stop throwing gold at people, human!
I know what I'm doing…






This cave was demon infested as well. It was also rather extensive, but after an hour or so, Mort and D.K. found an unusual-looking lump.




I hope this is what he wants.
If it isn't, I'll drag him back here myself!




Had any luck finding that ore I requested?
Yes, here it is. I think.
Good job! Now let me do mine…
Some job he has!

After a couple of hours of careful forging, the sword was ready… mostly.




Here you go. Brand new and ready to smite any foe!
Hey, what is this, you didn't put the gem in the socket!
Um… I don't know why, but it won't go in, there's some kind of magic preventing it from going in the socket.
What a ripoff! Some blacksmith HE is!
Really?
Try it for yourself!

Mort tried to put the gem into the socket, but it was as the blacksmith said. There was some kind of strange magical force which pressed upwards against the gem, keeping it from being set in place.

Huh…
It's the damnedest thing, isn't it?
Yeah…
Let's hope the Raanaar know what's going on. I don't want to do this all over again!

Mort and D.K. returned to see the Raanaar prisoner.




Ah, the one who believes stories-to-children are real returns.
Yes, and I have Red Demon's Bane here! Um… the gem won't go in the socket, though…
What?!
Well, that does it. So much for getting him to help us. I guess we'll have to torture the information out of him!
You… you found it? I had thought it was just a story, but… it's real?
Er… yes!
Amaxing. You really are with the rebels?
Yes.
And what was it you wanted? You seek to enter the temple catacombs?
That's right.
Here, let me show you something on your map. … Go to the cave I've just indicated. There is a door covered with runes. Touch them in the order I've marked and it will open. In there you will find a staff which will open the key to the catacombs! But be careful, don't let *them* have it!
Thank you. I'll give this to the Rebel leader now. Goodbye.




Has everything worked out now?
Yes, it has. Um… except that I can't get the gem to go into the socket…
This is most impressive. Especially for a human, and it strengthens my belief in your race. As for the sword itself, the gem can only be reunited at certain times, according to the will of the Goddess. … We will wait for that time, reassured by the knowledge that the moment to strike back at the demons is nearly at hand. As for you, a more immediate reward is in order….



Bye.
It may very well be that the Raanaar will indeed find their time to strike back soon. But it can't be helped. I'll just have it dealt with later.

Mort and D.K. headed for the cave behind the Temple of Raan.




There were some strange enemies who attacked on sight, some strange variant of a Death Knight.

What the hell are these guys! They keep dodging my arrows!
They're fast enough to deflect my sword strikes, too!








*pant* *pant* Seriously, what was that?
*pant* I think… it might be one of Samuel's hunters.
*pant* The other ones he sent all sucked. He's not messing around anymore.
He never was, human!
We'd better move faster. He might be getting closer to our trail.




Mort and D.K. found the cave, and touched the runes in a complicated sequence. There was no indication that it was doing anything until the rock face slid aside soundlessly.

Clever, clever. For a race which doesn't lie, they are certainly skilled at hiding things.




Even death was not enough to stop the Raanaar from defending the cave.




Hmmm… I wonder what's in the chest…



One for me, and one for you. Nice!




Here's the staff. Let's get it back to the temple, quickly.


VIDEO: Into the Catacombs


I see you have the Holy Staff of their false Goddess… this must be the key to the catacombs! … Ah, you truly are a sign from the Chaos Lord… You should enter the catacombs and find their sanctuary… you must go down, it's your destiny! … Quick, let's break the seal and destroy the last remains of this place!




Mort inserted the staff into the hole, and rotated it around until it clicked. There was the sound of stone grinding on stone as the door slid aside. Mort and D.K. headed down the damaged stairs, followed closely by the Bishop. The staircase spiraled down for quite a while. Suddenly, there was a loud crash from above, as the stairs gave way!




Wha…? The entrance to the catacombs has collapsed! We're trapped! … I'll stay here and try to contact someone from the outside… I suggest you go on and try to find the inner sanctuary…
I hope he stays here and doesn't interfere.
Good idea.




Well, we're trapped now, human. We'd better hope there's a way out somewhere down here.
It wasn't MY bright idea to come down here!






I apologize for the delays in this update. I decided to fire up Saints Row 2 with a new character, and holy crap, I'd forgotten how much fun, and how addictive it is.

No turning back now! Onward, deeper into the catacombs!


The Maps

I didn't show off maps for three of the islands because I hadn't explored them fully until after I finished Kiya's crypt. But here they are now:

Temple Island


Ruins Island


Rebel Island


Group shot: The southern four islands




You don't need to do any of the Raanaar quests, the prisoner will willingly tell you everything right away. But I felt that was a bit unbelievable (even if it was a good idea in terms of gameplay), so I decided to shoehorn the last Raanaar side-quest into the narrative.

You also don't get the Raanaar sword for finishing the quest, you get a permanent +1 Constitution potion. Neither did the chest contain the items I alleged it did, I picked them up in the battlefields. Unfortunately, the Shadow Axe is not going to be terribly useful, because most of the remaining enemies in the game are Shadow Creatures, which are completely immune.

There is only the one demon in the Narrrgnar cave, so some of the dialogue doesn't make sense. Also in the cave is this:




Warning the Merchant
You've found the amulet? Give it to me… Wonderful… it's perfect, I'm sure it will please the Chaos Lord for me to have it!
Wait! The amulet is cursed!
Damn! I guess that is the will of the Chaos Lord. Thank you for your warning, friend. … I will still offer you the special merchandise now, as promised…

His inventory doesn't seem to change at all.




The Temple Catacombs actually have a bunch of strange buggy areas. I'll lead off by showing the first one, though. If you have a teleport stone, you can still go back to the surface. (Video) But you can also go back down the "blocked" stairs (but not up). I understand why they did this, but they could have made that area teleport-stone inhibited and then had a cutscene nearby where you lose the teleport stones. They won't be useful in the game again,  and you lose them for good anyway when you enter Act 4 .


Optional Reader Participation: (This doesn't really matter too much.)

1) Stone, Wood, Metal, Gold. Pick one.