Part 11: Update Eleven: Kingsport Hustle
Howdy, folks, and welcome back! Last time, on Cthulhu Saves The World, we did a bonus dungeon and entered the diseased and dying city of Kingsport. Today, we're going to check out what's going on here, so let's get crazy.
Before we begin, I have no idea where that update title came from. It doesn't really have anything to do with what we're doing, either. It just came to me and seemed snappy.
Isn't everyone dying?
Oh, there it is. Or maybe they're not dying, just horrifically sick.
We've all played RPGs before, Umi. We know how to figure shit out.
Then again, she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, so maybe this is a major epiphany for her.
Let's head south first. Why?
Not a fucking clue!
There are a fair few houses to check out while in town, so let's get scootin'.
That could be a fun horror story, I think. I"d at least check into it.
In the other house, we start checking out a child's toys and determine they're not worth killing.
That sounds like a horrible drawer.
There are a few of these doors half-assedly hidden around, too.
Instead, she spends the rest of her days standing in place.
Meh.
Oh, hey, one of their other games.
Yeah, that sounds just...Fascinating.
Maybe I'm being too harsh here, but that doesn't sound very interesting.
So, uh, I would have written more update, but I just took a little walk because of Pokemon Go.
Outside of my house, I found a Venonat, PIdgey and Kakuna.
I've got to go five kilometers to hatch this egg I've got. That's going to be a thing for me, lemme tell you.
Maybe I can get that done while at work; I do a lot of walking there.
There are Drowzee in the storage area at work.
And there's a Zubat in the trees, where there are actual bats!
Uh-huh.
This could be handy!
Uh...About that--You know, never mind. I'm sure they're back in action.
Alright, I've got an idea of where we're going next and possibly another party member.
Oh, yeah, what did you guys think of how I showed off these rooms? I thought it was better than showing you each door I was opening and alla that.
I nearly referred to that as a "technique" but that was definitely too pretentious.
If I'm going to refer to something as a technique, it's going to be much better than that.
It's going to be something like the Heimlich, but better; that's just a maneuver. I want to develop a technique.
Instead of forcing food out of someone's mouth, I want to have a technique that instantly untangles a Slinky or prevents those iPod headphones from being tangled together when you're not looking.
Something like that. A technique. The Wifeleave technique.
...I might need to consider a different name for the technique.
At what point does it become a technique over a maneuver? Is an action different than those two? Is a procedure the highest level of that?
Oh, whatever, let's go buy some shit.
While that sounds sexy, I like the defense ignoring properties of the laser sword.
Still using the Aqua Trident.
The Multi-Blade gives Sharpe three Hits. I'm going to stick with that for a little longer.
Fuck off, Shot Claw, we're going with this!
Cthulhu, you're getting a new shirt!
Umi, you're moving up in fashion.
Sharpe, you're not upgrading; this is only a 10 Vitality boost over the Mystic Hilt and he loses the Magic boost. I'm...I'm not sure why that's a factor here.
Let's head north, see what we can find around there.
Oop, that's just the exit. Let's head the other way.
You probably just need some Head and Shoulders. Something to help those split ends, at least.
Surely, there will be information available in the bar.
...Oh, it's just ground zero. Fantastic. Maybe I should go find patient zero and shake his hand while I'm at it.
May as well go and spread it around.
I like this much better than whatever the hell they said in Breath of Death VII.
I've really considered doing an LP of Final Fantasy VI Advance, but there's already so many various LPs of FF6 around, I don't know if I have much to add.
Inside the case is a box.
Inside the box is a smaller box.
Inside the smaller box is a smaller case.
Inside the smaller case is a tiny box.
Well, that was incredibly disappointing. Kind of reminds me when I asked about a promotion at work.
Who the hell buys printed strategy guides anymore?
Yeah, I'll just go to GameFAQs and find the relevant information.
I always thought that paintings were signed, not autographed.
I still wouldn't be opposed to someone else showing those off.
It's the Colonel's recipe.
Actually, I'm doing it just to show it off to the folks that are reading.
I'd give it a shot. Why not?
Okay, fine, I get it.
But before we leave town...
A little bit of commentary and some treasure.
I'm not sure if that's something a developer should admit.
Holy balls, that's a lot of money.
Alright, let's get over to the shrine.
Just south and east, like they said. And like we saw last update.
I wonder what he's up to. Let's try and handle this delicately.
Okay, so much for that plan.
Cthulhu, take your laser sword and drop this Saint Nicholas lookin' motherfucker before he dribbles out of his shorts.
...Oh, Jesus.
I feel there's a Betty White joke in here.
Umi, I already made that joke. Get your own.
So...Dacre's thing is that he's old, crazy, and can't remember shit.
It's not that great of a gimmick.
Then again, Umi's sudden bursts of stupidity aren't that great, either.
Eh, whatever. It's still more characterization than Dem, Sara, Lita or Erik got.
Perhaps my party will like you.
However, that's up to you! BOLD a vote for my next party!
Dacre, as evidenced by his appearance, is a magic wielding motherfucker; he's easily comparable to a Priest or White Mage.
As evidenced by his spell list.
And his healing stuff also cures status ailments.
His weapon and armor choices are also what you'd expect out of his type of character. He probably won't do much bonking, but by God, the option is there.
Anyways, we'll pick up here next time. But before that, don't forget to vote!
BOLD your vote for who joins Cthulhu to acquire the sacred water to save the city of Kingsport!
And for a little more Lovecraft lore, I turn things over to achtungnight!
achtungnight posted:
Here's a Lovecraft Lore update for you folks!
Kingsport is another town featured in Lovecraft's writings, particularly "The Terrible Old Man", which is about a strange old man whose past life nobody can remember. Three miscreants decide to rob his house and end up horribly killed and mutilated after they try to interrogate the old man about his hidden treasure. This man later shows up again in "The Strange High House in the Mist" as a mysterious wizard collecting ancient lore and spirits in the aforementioned dwelling. Clearly he is the inspiration for Dacre, but probably not the same character since Lovecraft's Old Man was more of a necromancer slash sorcerer than a healer.
Kingsport was later used by Lovecraft and writers who followed his inspiration. "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath" had its conclusion in Kingsport, while other stories explored the town's past or placed haunted locations there. The game "Call of Cthulhu" gives the town fully fleshed-out maps. Kingsport in the game bears little resemblance to the original Lovecraft depiction. We get an interesting quest there nonetheless.
Mother Hydra is also from Lovecraft, a Great Old One if I'm not mistaken. We can talk more about her at a later time.
Meanwhile, Kacie talks about Mother Hydra and how she relates to the mythos!
Kacie posted:
Mother Hydra and Father Dagon are the Mother/Father parents/gods of the Deep Ones. They serve Great Cthulhu, and are not in and of themselves Great Old Ones, but are Deep Ones who have existed long enough to be the god-family-ancestors of all the Deep Ones. And are rumored to be 3x as big as humans, having grown to great size in their ancient ages.
The Shadow Over Innsmouth introduces the Deep Ones, and the church in Innsmouth is the Esoteric Order of Dagon. This short story is one of Lovecraft's best, and has genuinely great action sequences. (This is surprising because Lovecraft usually doesn't do action sequences.)
Dagon is referenced in an earlier Lovecraft work, titled "Dagon". Cthulhu is referenced in the Shadow Over Innsmouth, and family lines mentioned in Shadow Over Innsmouth resurface in The Thing on the Doorstep, another Lovecraft short story.