Part 77: Battle of Broken Valley

Chapter 59 – Battle of Broken Valley



BOSS: Geshniz
Battle for Broken Valley - Village
BOSS: Rayhun
Battle for Broken Valley - Mine
An Alchemist’s Apparel




Dungeon Small Electric





Let’s finish this.


Music: Return to Broken Valley


This is a rather energetic and depressing track for the ruined valley.




Broken Valley has been destroyed and the Flying Fortresses of THREE of Damian’s generals have landed. Sorry there’s no flythrough of Broken Valley, I forgot to record one before my computer broke. The end of the Mine video does show a depopulated flythrough if that helps.

I’m not going to show much of the ground combat. Even though I’ve increased the difficulty from Normal to Hard, I’m still really hard to kill for normal enemies. The bosses still pose a challenge, though.




Most of the small FF chunks aren’t interesting. To the right is the entrance to Needleman’s storage. A portal to Raze’s FF is there. Needleman’s storage is still password protected, and he’s almost certainly dead. Or is he?




Fly to the very top of the tower and change back.




Doctor Needleman seems to be in a state of catatonic stupor and does not react to your presence at all. There is something different about him, though, from when he was still in the Black Boar before Damian came to the valley…
(-800 XP) Needleman’s mind is in as acute a state as his body, apparently. He thinks of nothing but getting to safety – to his secret storage. What is strange is that safety seems to be strongly linked to his own name: Needleman, which he repeats over and over again.

We can’t do anything to help him. I imagine he’ll die of dehydration or starvation, and even if he doesn’t, there’s no way down. There isn’t even the teleporter pad we used to get up here anymore.




Here’s the portal to Raze’s FF, and the entrance to Needleman’s storage as well.




The contents of the storage area are just as uninteresting now as they would be at level 10. Not worth the wait at all. The only thing of note is a locked chest – the key was in the Ego Draconis version, but is gone here. It probably contained nothing interesting anyway.




There’s a notable concentration of stuff by the Maxos Temple entrance. This is because this is where one of the bosses is: General Geshniz.

Music: Dungeon Small Electric



Video: BOSS – Geshniz


A Word of Warning





(Geshniz) Ah, there you are! Now tell me, what do you think you’re doing? Blowing up my fortress, trying to stop the Black Ring advancement; you might as well try to empty the oceans a bucket at a time, dear.
(-2400 XP) _{I don’t care how Rayhun threatens, that collection of formulas is mine and mine alone.}
(Yara) It goes quicker than you think, wielding a Dragon breath at a time.
You are mistaken. Even oceans are finite, but the Ring’s powers are limitless. You’re going to die here, Dragon. Pity you were never smart enough to choose the Damned One’s side.

The mind-read just produces another treasure chest of random loot. In Ego Draconis, it only contained formulas, I think, which you’re almost guaranteed to have (or have better ones) by now. Not that the random loot in DKS is much more interesting.




With the difficulty on Hard, this was a refreshingly challenging fight. I had to run away twice to heal.




(Talana) _{And so we empty the black ocean, one fortress commander at a time.}




I can’t believe the Dragon Knight actually drank that. I feel sick.


Geshniz drops the Potion of Wisdom. If we had picked Allan as our Alchemist, we’d need to give this to him to get our second upgrade. But since we chose Barbatos, we can drink this ourselves to gain a permanent +5 to Intelligence.






A chest in the boss room contains the final piece of the Hunter set, as well as the Plate Dragon Armour Claws (+1 Dragon Burst).

Music: Return to Broken Valley



Video: Battle for Broken Valley - Village


A pretty substantial force has landed where Broken Valley village used to be. There’s no trace of the place now.




A teleport at the far end takes you inside for the last side-quest General, Rayhun. He is totally fucking batshit. His sanity has fled the Fortress.

Music: Black Garden



Video: BOSS: Rayhun


Plant-juice-stained correspondence


TOO MUCH INFORMATION




(Rayhun) Ooh, what have we here? Never have I seen such a strange herb in my garden! And such an aggressive type too! Think of what fluids I could distill from you!
(-3600 XP) _{Delightful! Now I can add this variety to my unrivalled collection of rare ingredients!}
I’m not a plant, you freak!
It speaks! Unique! Pnenomenal! So. You’re not a plant, you say. A weed in denial. How fascinating!
You’re in trouble, gardener. I am a rare sort of meat-eating plant called the Damian Devourer!
Wait, that came out wrong.
Oh no! No, no, no, that won’t do at all! Naughty, naughty flower! I’ll tame you and put you firmly in a pot. Can’t risk that you grow wild!

In Ego Draconis, that mind-read produced a chest with common ingredients you could send your runners for. Not worth it at all. Now it’s just random loot.




Rayhun
The dangerous part of the fight is that Rayhun can cast Polymorph. When it wears off, you’re stunned for a couple of seconds, which is really dangerous (see the next shot).




That hits me for 105 damage and knocks me down.




And someone hit me with a Stun Arrow. Interestingly, the stun didn’t take, probably because I was already knocked down at the time. If the stun had worked, I would have died, no doubt about it.




I just think this is a cool shot.




The damage I take while polymorph-stunned almost kills me.




_{Dead and ready to be planted in the ground. Let’s hope he doesn’t sprout.}



This is the item we need for Barbatos for the final upgrade to our tower. It’s pretty terrible, so giving it up is easy.






In the boss room chest is the final piece of the Aleroth Archmage set, and the Crystal Dragon Armour Tail piece (+1 Dragon Burst).

Music: Return to Broken Valley




Video: Battle for Broken Valley - Mine


The only thing left are the areas around the mine. This is where you REALLY do the rescue of the miners, although it seems obviously pointless because once outside, there’s nowhere for them to go.




Level 36! Every time I’ve done a Flying Fortress section, I’ve gained at least one level.



Life Leech


Increased from Level 12 to Level 13
Leech Chance: 32% -> 34%
Life Leeched: 30% -> 32% of damage done.




Down below… I see they’ve uncovered the secret entrance to the mine. This is it. One last time to the tower to prepare…


Video: An Alchemist’s Apparel


Here you go, Barbatos: the Amulet of Alchemy.
(Barbatos) Wonderful! Your powers must be unparalleled, my Dragon liege! Please inform Sassan the amulet is in our possession. Your alchemy garden will soon reach its full potential.
“An Alchemist’s Apparel” complete! Quest Reward: 8000 XP, 1200 Gold, Skill Book. Bonus Chosen: 4000 XP, 600 Gold.

Music: A Sense of Menace





(Sassan) Yes, my liege?
Barbatos told me my alchemy garden is ready for improvement.
It is, Dragon Knight! You will soon find it to be the greatest garden in Rivellon.




Unfortunately, I won’t have much time to use it. Call everyone to the throne room, Sassan. I have an announcement.

Everyone assembled in the throne room.

The time has almost come for me to enter the Hall of Echoes. I need the sigil that the Demon Lord Ba’al has to unlock the gate. The only reason Damian hasn’t seriously tried to kill me is that he needs what I carry to safely enter the Hall of Echoes. Once I have the sigil, I’m going straight for the entrance. After I leave the tower, I won’t be coming back until either Damian, or myself, is dead. With any luck, I’ll be inside before Damian even realizes that Ba’al has lost the sigil. … I have to go now. I don’t know when, but I promise this: I’ll be back!
No, Dragon Knight. Only a fate worse than death awaits you.







BOSS: Geshniz
Battle for Broken Valley - Village
BOSS: Rayhun
Battle for Broken Valley - Mine
An Alchemist’s Apparel


Yara’s Current Auras / Equipment Updates

• Static Charge Aura – Enemies have an 28% chance of suffering 1 shock of 48 magic damage. (Ring 2)
  
• Poison Aura – 20% chance of 108 poison damage over 3 seconds. (Ring 1)
  
• Poison Aura – 13% chance of 72 poison damage over 3 seconds. (Earrings)
  
• Magic Damage Aura – 10% Chance of 1 shocks of 58 damage (Ring 1)
  
• Magic Damage Aura – 10% Chance of 1 shocks of 58 damage (Belt)
  
• Magic Damage Aura – 10% Chance of 1 shocks of 58 damage (Bracelet)
  

Current Scorpion Set Bonuses: (Updated!)
Necklace: +8 -> +9 Heightened Reflexes
Ring: +66 -> +68 Hitpoints
Belt: +0.46 -> +0.48 HP Regeneration
Helmet: +4 Vitality
Cuirass: +10 -> +11 Melee Armour Rating
Gauntlets: +9 Indomitable Will (NEW!)
Leggings: +8 -> +9 Ranged Armour Rating
Bracelet: +11 -> +12 Strength
Earrings: +11 -> +12 Conditioned Body





This update brings the final pieces of the Aleroth Archmage and Hunter sets, but I’m moving that to a separate update just because it’s a lot of images.










I don’t know if there’s any variation in how Rayhun can respond, but I’m too tired to find out now.




Ooh, what have we here? Never have I seen such a strange herb in my garden! And such an aggressive type too! Think of what fluids I could distill from you!
The image of you distilling fluids from me must be the most disturbing one I've had the displeasure of picturing in a very long time.