The Let's Play Archive

Divine Divinity

by Stabbey_the_Clown

Part 106: The Ritual




Chapter 77 - The Ritual

Music - "Whispers from a Council Past"
Download (Thanks to Grawl)



"About the Game" posted:


This is what most of the game, and all of Act 4 has been leading up to. You can watch this entire thing on video, and I suggest you do so. But also read the update for the extra content. FOLLOW. YOU ARE WARNED.


Video - The Divine Ritual (Voice Acting) IMPORTANT!







As the sound of the gong resonated through the halls, Zandalor emerged from the scrying chamber.






The dark times, spoken of in the prophecy of Ruben Ferol, are upon us. Our only hope lies with this Marked One who has laboured so hard to bring us together.

Janus, the son of the old duke, has found an ancient artifact called the Sword of Lies. In this weapon lurks a tiny portion of the enemy of us all: the Lord of Chaos. That foul fragment of spirit has, I am sure, possessed and consumed the poor weak soul of Duke Janus.

The Black Ring have waited long centuries to win such a formidable ally. Even now, they gather around Janus like flies around rotting meat. Thus they protect their main hope of victory.

By creating war, discord and chaos, the Black Ring feed the demon spirit in Janus' unholy sword. Soon, the spirit of Chaos in the Sword of Lies will be strong enough to open a gateway to Hell. Then the sundered soul of the Lord of Chaos will be rejoined, here in Rivellon.

If that happens, none can guess the outcome. At best, we will all be conquered and enslaved by the minions of Hell. At worst, the whole world may be returned to Primal Chaos: the endless, starless night that was here before the coming of the Gods.
It's not comforting to think that enslavement of the entire world is the BEST-case scenario.
There's a reason why I didn't share all I knew from early on. You needed to understand a little bit at a time.
I ask of this council that we now send the Marked One forth into the Land of the Dead, as is required by the Divine Ritual of Summoning. We can only hope that the Marked One will be found worthy, and will return to us as the Divine One.




Yes Zandalor, it must be done if we are to heal the world. The surgeon must never flinch from extreme measures if the patient's life is at stake. I agree for human kind.
Ssss. I ssalute your bravery, oh Marked One. I agree in the name of the lizzard folk.
Flix flux flax! This look like it'll be fun... Zax! I agree in the name of all imps!
The elven race has looked into the Marked One's soul and found a warrior with a heart of peace. Such a one must speak for all of us! For the elves, I give full agreement.
Ha! After the services the Marked One has done the dwarves? We'd forswear ale if this one asked it of us! By Duna and for the dwarves, I agree!
Kroxy and all orcs of good-taste and honour stand for this Marked One. For the orcs, I agrees!
Then so be it. As representative of all magical beings who stand against Hell, I too have found the Marked One full worthy. I give my agreement and seal the resolution!






Zandalor cast a spell to start the ritual. I felt an overwhelming sensation of that was hard to describe. The closest I could come was a strong tingling, all over, in every fiber of my being at once. There was so much magical energy, more than I had thought possible. It took my breath away.




One at a time, each member of the council save Zandalor poured even more energy into the swirling power which enveloped my body. There was so much pressure on my mind from the magic that it was difficult to think.




And then impossibly, was even MORE power. Too much power! I was glowing now from the impossibly large amount of it. It was impossible to tolerate! It was killing me!




Then Zandalor cast the final spell, opening the rift and sucking me, body and soul away. I fell, without actually falling away from the world and towards overwhelming darkness. I could still hear what was happening in the council chamber, although those sensations were slipping away as I sped towards the darkness.




As I fell, faster and faster away into the black void, the outside world became harder and harder to hear. The last thing I perceived was Zandalor's voice.




"Not the most comforting final words to hear", I thought, just before the void swallowed me completely.


Next Time: Act 5 - Catacombs
Next Time: Assault on Stormfist





Behind the Scenes

Once we come back, that anti-magic field around Stormfist Castle will no longer affect us, because we'll have been infused with the power of the Gods themselves. Then we'll come to the third point where our Reputation comes into play: We'll have to try to get into Stormfist Castle.

We'll need to talk to the guards and try to get them to let us in. There are three possible outcomes. If our reputation is too low ( < 26 ), the guards won't believe us and we'll have to kill them all. If our reputation is in the middle (26-40), they'll let us in peacefully, but with suspicion and they won't aid us. If our reputation is high enough ( > 41 - Jeremiah's is 51 currently) the guards will let us in and help us as we fight through the lower levels of the cas- hold on a second... it's probably nothing.
...
Anyway, once we enter the cellars of Stormfist Castle, we will not be able to leave, not even with teleporter stones. So get any last side quests you want done before then. We'll have to fight through the lower levels of the castle and... wait... wait... something's stran...







I was in darkness, yet all around me I perceived delicate strands. If I reached out my hands carefully, I could brush my hand (I still had hands? Well better than the alternative at least) right through them, and I heard voices.

"...need to get the harvest in..."
"...terms of the contract are quite clear..."
"...ur money or your life..."
"...Steven, come in for supper at onc..."

What are these?
It is a strand of thought. You are calm and can perceive them. If you touch them carefully, you can perceive events in the lands of the living. The connections are very delicate though, and can slip away from your grasp without care.
I can hear you better now!
You are closer to the source, as it were.
Wait... I can hear something else I recognize...

By pure instinct, I slowly reached out and very gently laid fingertips on one strand, one of hundreds around me.

Video - After the Ritual (Voice Acting) MEGA-IMPORTANT!





Then so be it. As representative of all magical beings who stand against Hell, I too have found the Marked One full worthy. I give my agreement and seal the resolution!

I ventured to hold that strand a bit tighter, and then not only could I hear, but see as well!

I can see it now! I bet you didn't think I'd be able to do this so quickly!
Jeremiah...




I can see myself? That's really disorienting.








From the outside, that looks like it should have hurt a lot, so I'm glad it didn't.






It's really weird watching this from the outside.






Ssss. I admit, it did give me a ccertain religiousss feeling.
Damned if Kroxy understand. Look to me like we kill Marked One, not bless. But I not expert on religion...






I had to smile at that, although any reason for smiling soon vanished.

Never change, Kroxy, never change.
So when do we perform the ritual to summon the Divine One? I'm a healer, not a priest - I don't like killing under any circumstances. I'm anxious to see our friend made whole again.






WHAT?!

Zandalor looked just as shocked as I felt.

Janus! But... this is holy ground! You cannot enter this place!
And yet it seems I'm doing just that, you old fool. What did you think? That you could perform your stupid ritual without me being aware of it? Ha!
Away demon! Friends, to me!

Divine Being, take me back there! NOW!
I can't! The Council of Seven must perform the ritual to bring you back!
Don't fucking argue with me! Just find a way to get me back there!
I CAN'T, JEREMIAH! It's already too late! What's done is done!
Explain! Now!!




Remember how this strand of thought started by showing you events which happened before you arrived here?




You seemed to think that you understand how to touch the strands very quickly... but you didn't.




Time... doesn't work the same way here...




What are you talking about? Just spit it out!




Even if I could get us back, Jeremiah - which I can't - you can't go there...




...because this has already happened. You're seeing the past, not the present.
No!








Oh Gods! RUN! Zandalor, everyone, RUN!
They cannot hear you.










NO!!!! I'LL KILL YOU JANUS! I'LL KILL YOU!!!!
Jeremiah, calm down or else we'll-




Calm down? Don't tell me to fucking calm down! They just killed all my friends!
I swear by all that is holy, you will die in torment for this, demon!




The strand dissipated under my fingers and the image and sound wavered into into nothingness... and I realized that all the other strands were gone as well.

What happened? Where'd it go?
You lost your calmness... and you lost control of the strand. I fear you will not be able to find it again.

I searched around, but I couldn't find it again, or any of the other strands. I was left in the void... all alone save the Divine Being... and with the Council of Seven dead... there was no way back.

How am I going to stop the Black Ring?! How am I going to get out of here?!! HOW AM I GOING TO SAVE JENNA??!!




Overcome with fear, anger and frustration, I screamed.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




It was swallowed up by the silent darkness, slowly fading away into nothing.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!




Next Time: The Lands of the Dead





Behind the Scenes

...

Well, um... that sure was a thing.

I know that I've pulled off a fake update which seems real before. But this is not April the first. What just happened was absolutely from the game. Here's the full video:

Video - The Divine Ritual (full) (Voice Acting) MEGA-IMPORTANT!





What's fake in this update?