Part 21: Chapter Twenty One: Dwarf Fortress

With all that fusion business out of the way it’s time to assault the Dark Dragon’s base of operations.



:…The Dark Dragon base is up ahead. Just follow the mountain path around.



: All these trees have been cut down.

: There used to be an entire forest here. Hmm…The rings on the stumps indicate that this was done recently.

:…Cutting down this forest was the Dark Dragon’s first task. They needed the timber to build a fleet of ships.





: The door is barred. Karn, can you open it?

: Hmm…Ah, dammit. Sorry fearless leader, this thing is totally sealed. It’s bolted shut and has no lock that I can see.

:…There is an abandoned tunnel to the side of the entrance. It is blocked with rubble but I believe we can dig through.



:…Allow me.



: Nice one, big guy. You really pack a punch.

:…It was nothing.

There are some new enemies inside the fort.



Sorcerers are upgraded Mages. Their spells pack a nasty punch and are capable of doing over 80 damage to a single character, potentially two-shotting any of the weaker party members. However, they happen to be squishy wizards and fall over if a stiff breeze hits them.



SpearMen and Archers are purely physical attackers, but have high defense and take a number of turns to kill. Aside from that they’re nothing special.



The fort itself is a maze of passageways with many breakable walls that Ox can knock down. There are also guards scattered around who initiate battles when they see the party, some of whom can be bypassed via use of the aforementioned breakable walls.



Being spotted results in a battle against these guys. They’re called LancerX and like a number of recent encounters they absolutely do not deserve the boss music that accompanies them. They have no gimmicks and go down in no time.







:…The cells are down here. The Knight set to guard the area is almost certainly down there.



: But that’s not enough!

:…I will free my people from your tyranny. The weapon you forced us to make will never be used if I can help it.

: Hmph! You should be proud that your people’s talents are being put to proper use. The skills of the Iron Ogres could make them a vital, privileged part of Emperor Zog’s military. All you have to do is kneel just once!

:…Your words do not move me. We may excel at making weapons, but it is not something that we will ever be proud of.

: A pity. I suppose I have no choice but to show you firsthand the power of Emperor Zog and the goddess Tyr! Prepare yourselves!





The latest boss battle is against the Toad. Toad has a lot of HP and his attacks range from weak to medium. He has no magical abilities whatsoever, and doesn’t really pose much of a threat to the party unless the player is careless. The fight is long, but not too difficult.

(Video – Toad)









:…Indeed. I apologize for not coming sooner, but the Dark Dragons caught me in the middle of the ocean. Miraculously, Ryu here and the others behind him agreed to help free everybody.



: It was nothing. The madness of the Dark Dragons threatens us all.

: Indeed. It is important that all the races and peoples of the world support one another in these troubled times.







:…The weapon is already completed?! And they still have our wives, too?! Urgh…

: This is your fault, fish man! If you hadn’t screwed around with the Gills so much we could have stopped the Dark Dragons cold!

: What what what?! It most certainly is not my fault that the Gills were in Gant rather than Prima! I’ll have you know I risked my own skin to get them back. How dare you accuse me of-

: Stop arguing, you two. This stag has already escaped us, so there’s no use in quarrelling over it.





: Tough security, eh? Let me at it, fearless leader! I can’t wait to pick some Dark Dragon locks.

: We’ll be counting on you, of course. Is there any other information about Nabal’s security that you know about?







:…I would very much like to rescue my wife as soon as possible.

: I understand, Ox. Let’s proceed cautiously and scout out the area, and if we cannot get in from there we can return to Gant and see what this veteran has to say.

:…My thanks.





:…Nabal is through the forest to the north.

: I can see many shapes moving between the trees. Be careful, everyone.



: Th-these birds…I have never seen such creatures before…

: There are a lot of bones scattered on the forest floor, but these beasts seem fairly passive. Let’s not do anything to provoke them.

: Ryu, I can see a man to the northwest. He has been watching us ever since we entered the forest.



: Why, hello there young man. And what brings you to these forsaken woods?

: We might ask you the same question. According to my companion, you have been watching us ever since we set foot in this place.

: Your friend’s eyes are sharp, as expected of the forest clan.

: Who are you and what do you want?

: Who I am is not important. Yes, I have indeed been watching you, but fear not! I am not your enemy. Indeed, I am willing to offer you some advice, if you wish it.

: Advice? What kind of advice?



: Its walls are impregnable and the front gate is protected by a division of troops at all times. A direct assault could never break through.

:…We must get in. There has to be some weakness that we can exploit.

: To that, I have but one thing to say.



: Seek the one who lives near Gant. He can tell you how to bypass the defenses and enter Nabal.

: And why would you help us, nameless one?

: There are others who oppose the Dark Dragons besides yourselves. With luck, your repeated successes will topple Zog, Jade and all those who follow them. I wish you luck in your efforts, young man, and bid you farewell – for now, anyway.



: That must be Nabal. It certainly is an imposing sight.



: Uh, guys? That green dude was right – there’s no way we’re getting in through the front.

: We must retreat to Gant and consult this former Dark Dragon. I am sorry, Ox, but we cannot proceed as long as the entrance is guarded like this.

:…Very well. I understand. Let us return to Gant.



With the Iron Ogres now released, it is possible to repair the B.Rang by speaking to the smith in the house overlooking the town. Even though Ryu’s current sword is slightly better than it, it’s still worth equipping due to its ability to hit all enemies. The B.Rang is needed for a plot point very soon anyway so it’s mandatory to get it repaired sooner or later.



As an aside, the ex-soldier’s house can be quite hard to find. It’s to the far east of Gant, past the beach that leads to the undersea part of the map.



: Good afternoon, sir. I was told that you used to be in the Dark Dragon army division stationed at Nabal. I was wondering if you could-



:…Yes. Yes I do, but-



:…I suppose so, but-



:…Well, that certainly is sound advice, but-

*Old guy spins around like a top*







: That’s…good to know. Really.

: Hey, uh, fearless leader? I think this guy is a bit loco.

:…Hmm.



: GrimFowl…GrimFowl…ah! GrimFowl must be the birds we saw when we walked through the forest earlier!

:…The man is clearly insane, but…maybe…maybe there’s something in what he’s saying.

: Agreed. Ryu, we should head back towards Nabal and see if we can put what the old man told us to good use.

And that’s the end of this update. Next time we steal eggs and make a bunch of overgrown turkeys very angry.