Drakengard 2 Part #14 - Episode XII: In Which Nowe Strips in Front of a Strange Man

Part 14: Episode XII: In Which Nowe Strips in Front of a Strange Man

Episode XII: In Which Nowe Strips in Front of a Strange Man

Well, it appears we're back on the world map once more. No, Chapter 3 is not over yet. We're just switching locations mid-chapter. And since Nowe is kind of a sheltered buffoon, we're returning to the only village he's probably actually visited outside the Grand Shrine in his life.

I have the mental image of Legna wearing an oversized trench coat and hat trying to just blend into the crowd at the village. Meanwhile, Nowe is too dense to change out of his knight uniform.

"Actually, I...um..."

"What? You're not a knight? Well, dressed like that, you certainly look like a Knight of the Seal!"

"Well, yes, this is their uniform. I suppose I should change out of it."

"Why are you...taking your clothes off?"
"I want to get this uniform off."
"Don't you have...somewhere more...private...you could go do this...?"
"Just a moment. I'm almost changed. Just gotta fasten this belt and..."
"..."
"There we are."

"Well, in that case, I've got a favor to ask. How about it? Will you help me out? I've been waiting on some merchants from another town, but...they haven't arrived. No one's seen 'em. I was going to ask the knights to look for them, but as you're here, maybe you could do it instead?"

"The merchants know routes that the knights don't. Maybe you'd succeed where the knights would fail."

"Alright. I'll try to find them."

"They said they were going to go to the Closed Land for some business. It's my guess that they're stranded there. Good luck. I'm sure you'll find 'em, if you look hard enough."

"Okay, I'll do my best."
"So you gonna...put on the rest of that armor? I mean, I can see taking off the uniform. But I reckon you'll want a bit of protection out there."
"What for?"
"Well, you know...monsters and other beasties out in the wilds."
"Nah. You can just throw it out or whatever. Well, see you."
"Umm...alright, then."
Hope the knights show up soon. I'm sooner to get results out of asking a blind beggar than that one...

Welp, now that we're officially kicked out of the Knights of the Seal, Nowe is on his own with obtaining medical supplies. So it's best to stock up now. Since we're still in Chapter 3, the stores lack anything new on the weapons front and I'm still short on buying that one expensive weapon. Someday...

Verse 3 - The Merchants - Music: Unrest

"Argh!"

"There are people here! They're under attack by monsters! We have to help!"

"Were you expecting to find a caravan of giraffes and gnomes?"
"...I...have no idea what either of those things are..."
"...Let's just attend to the monsters."

This level is pretty long and very boring filler. Every mission objective is basically "go here and run down a murder meter". So, let's just skip to the good bits.*
_{_{_{* Bits may not actually be good.}}}

Note: Read all of the fellow with a bandanna's dialog with a bad Scottish accent.

"Are you the weapons merchants traveling with the caravan?"

"That's right. We got split up from our boss and ended up stranded here."

"The weapon merchant in the Village of Stone asked me to come and find you people."

THIS is all that lousy git sent? Good grief.

"Yeah? I suppose he must've been worried... Hey, did you see our boss? An old guy? He should still be alive."

"No, sorry. We didn't see anyone else. But leave it to us. We'll search for him."

"We'll wait for you right here. I hope you find him, my friend."

Nowe and Legna lather, rinse, and repeat kill at another part of the map. It's funny how this 'caravan' seems to consist of a bunch of guys in similar uniforms running around with swords and shields. No crates of supplies or wagons to speak of. Or even a sack with goods... Perhaps they're all just giving their goods a test run?

We haven't gotten a good look at Nowe's new outfit yet. There's some artwork of it at the end of the update. But I just wanted to point out one thing: Nowe actually had the good sense to hold onto the shield from his old armor. Of course, since this is Nowe we're talking about, he never actually uses the thing ever again. It's effectively just butt armor. Our hero, folks!

"They're back again!"

"This new streak of altruism doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere, my boy."
"Come on, Legna. They're in trouble!"
"Indeed? And what is to become of this last batch of humans we rescued if we leave them unattended?"
"Well...I'm sure they'll be just fine."
"Indeed..."

So, the chucklefucks from the beginning of the mission get jumped by monsters...again...and must be rescued...again. It is quite tedious...again.

"Say, sorry for being such a pain in the rear but our boss ran off looking for treasure. We'd really like to get the old man back, even if his greed has nearly gotten us killed a dozen times just today. If you're not doing anything do you think you could..."
"Okie dokie!"
<twitch>

Now Nowe needs to go alllll the way across the map, again and kill the same three monster types by the dozen...again...

The leader of this band of Scotsman clones is completely surrounded by a horde of monsters, including two Undead Knights which are now a big pain in the ass without Eris in the party. This part can be total bullshit, since if the merchant leader dies it is a game over. I decided to go mop-up the lesser goblins and annoying shaman goblins in the area before tackling the zombie twins. But the genius we're rescuing managed to get himself cornered in a wall and skullfucked by the two before I noticed he was in trouble. I didn't need those fifteen minutes of my life anyway...

After the lousy jerk is rescued from his almost certain death, he asks Nowe to go get a treasure box for him and there will be a big reward if he does so. He's "much too tired" to go retrieve it, you see. Of course, the treasure is on a cliff some fifty feet up a sheer cliff wall and there was no way the tubby lardass was going to scamper up there and get it unless he possess some hidden parkour talents yet to be revealed. And there's no reward from him for retrieving it anyway. It's just a new weapon for Nowe. Let's take a look...

Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:

HUNTER'S JOY

History:
A lord with a penchant for hunting once owned this sword. With it at his side, he would ride out into the forest and not return until he had slaughtered all the animals he could find. Several decades later, when the lord's grandson inherited the title, he also inherited this sword.

The new lord was a gentle soul, and wasn't fond of hunting - until the day he found this sword among his grandfather's possessions. From then on, his interest grew and he began to make frequent hunting trips.

As the months passed, the young lord's behavior became more and more eccentric. He would lick the food off his plate and was sometimes seen walking on all fours around the castle. Then one day he disappeared.

No one knew what had become of him - only that a beastly roaring could be heard echoing from deep
within the castle dungeons. It is said that it can still be heard to this day.

Description: A nobleman's hunting sword.
Traits: Breaks the enemy's guard, but still only a hunting sword.
Magic: "Sonic Blow" - Blahblahblah. This is like the 4th weapon to have this magic type. I bet you're not even reading this part!

The true terrifying story of Furcon '06.

Some time later...

"Where did WE get to? You're the one who wandered off alone. We got separated, and then we were attacked by the monsters... I thought we were done for! If this fellow here hadn't rescued us-"

"Twice."
"Y-Yes...twice."

"We would've been wiped out, the lot of us!"

"You don't say? Sounds like a real adventure."

"Adventure? Listen, old man..."

"Hey, you! You didn't just save me, but you saved all my friends and all, didn't you? I'm in your debt."

"Forget it... We've cleaned up most of the monsters. You should be alright."

"Aye, but we've lost a lot of time. The merchant in the Village of Stone will be waiting. Come on, men. Let's go to the village and finish this job. Come on! That means you!"

"Alright, boss."

Gonna so slit this wanker's throat in his sleep and hop on with another caravan after this, I am...

Later that day...

"Yes, they're all safe now."

"Thank you, my friend. I reckon if I'd asked the Knights of the Seal to help, all my friends would still be lost in the wilds."

"I've heard the stories. You're on the run from the Knights of the Seal."

"Urgh... How did you know that?"

"Oh, well ya know. We merchants hear a lot out on the road."

"Yes. We need to get out of this land before we're surrounded by their forces. Can you help us?"

"Really...? That's great! Thank you!"
"Ehem. Forgetting something?"
"Hmm...? Oh! Right. Duh..."

"I'm traveling with my dragon, Legna. Is there room for him?"

"Oh, you're with a dragon!? Now that's a big old piece of cargo! Don't you worry. It may be a tight squeeze, but you'll get through."

"..."
"You must be joking..."

"Thanks. I'd better leave as soon as possible."

And that's a wrap for Chapter 3. Nowe and Legna are going to stowaway on the back of a caravan like illegal immigrants to enter another country. Classy traveling. Very heroic.

Apparently, this was so humiliating an experience that Legna evolved to Form 2 during the trip. Just like Angelus, Legna will evolve at certain points in the game to more powerful forms. The leveled up Legna can now fire six homing fireballs instead of five, store one extra Dragon Overdrive attack, and is generally stronger and faster. But, that's for Chapter 4... See you there!