Part 44: Episode XXXIX: In Which An Entire Chapter is Filler
Episode XXXIX: In Which An Entire Chapter is Filler
Welcome to an UTTERLY pointless chapter. Nothing at all happens during the course of this one. So it will be quite brief.
Aww. Nowe thinks Dragon Dad doesn't love him. Anyhow, it seems we are going back to the Blessed Plains and the Knights of the Seal HQ for...some reason... But first, there are a few new weapons to pick up during the intermission. So let's get that out of the way, hmm?
First up, a new village appears in the Sanctuary area with little fanfare. It doesn't even get a poorly voiced cutscene intro. By the way, I like that every single village has just been snippets of the City of Rust map with a different light source and sky shade to pretend they're different areas. Anyway, three new rather pricey weapons are available in this "Remote Village". As well as the most expensive healing items in the game if you're into that kind of thing. Let's take a look-see...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
FLAMBERGE - 26,500 Gold
History:
The dragon faced certain death, he lamented: why had he tried to save the life of a wretched human child, only to fly straight into the trap of dragon hunters? With his consciousness fading, the dragon thought he saw a man fighting. When he awoke, the man was treating his wounds.
The man who saved the dragon's life aspired to become king. The dragon was not interested in such matters, but he thought that he would make a fine ruler. Suddenly, an arrow pierced the man's chest. The dragon hunters had called in reinforcements. Critically injured, he groaned and fell to his knees.
Struggling to his feet, the man fought back bravely, but his wound was slowing him down. Just as it seemed he was about to be overwhelmed, the sound of tearing flesh filled the air. The dragon had torn out its own tongue! When the man pierced the tongue with his sword, a wall of flame spilled out burning the dragon hunters to ash.
"I'd hate to sacrifice myself for a mere human, but I do not wish to live with your death on my conscience." Said the dragon, as he closed his eyes. At that moment, a bond that transcended species was forged. With Flamberge in his hand, the man later became king.
Description: A dragoon's sword.
Traits: Very sharp. Possesses a great variety of attacks.
Magic: "Salamander Wings" - Waves of fire roll across the ground, burning the enemy.
Dragon's tongues double as incendiary grenades. Huh...good to know... Drakengard 2: dumb and educational!
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
TAKAMASA - 64,800 Gold
History:
After a lengthy war, the warrior finally captured Takamasa from his enemy, a mere fugitive.
The fugitive's skills were no match for his own, but as soon as their swords crossed, the warrior's blade broke in two. Risking his life, the warrior allowed the fugitive to plunge Takamasa into his shoulder. Inching agonizingly down its blade, he advanced and stabbed his enemy to death with the broken sword.
"Let him cut my flesh and I shall break his bones." Takamasa responded well to the warrior's philosophy. Armed with the legendary blade, he became a renowned hero. One day, he was ordered to kill a demon with the strength of one hundred men and a body like steel.
Showing no sign of fear, the warrior approached the demon and challenged it to strike him. Laughing at this folly, it shattered his body with a single mighty punch - but even as it did so, Takamasa pierced its scaly throat, killing it instantly. "Let him break my bones, and I shall take his life." The warrior's spirit lived on inside the sword.
Description: Sacrifices everything for victory.
Traits: Very sharp, but the wielder's HP decreases significantly when hit.
Magic: "Sonic Burst" - You know people tell me that Sonic Colors was pretty good. But I played it some and I'm just not seeing it.
So yeah. This sword basically turns Nowe into a glass cannon. It is...not at all worth it. And that story was silly. One more for the road...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
OZYMANDIA'S MIGHT - 48,500 Gold
History:
This holy spear would demand to know if its owner was worthy of becoming a ruler. It had been passed down by a generation of soldiers who desired to rule. Long ago, one such soldier - who sought to rule above all - held this spear.
The spear asked of its owner, "When should a ruler use force?" The soldier could not answer. He managed to conquer and rule a small kingdom with the power of the spear, but it was too weak to repel the invading army of a neighboring kingdom and fell within a decade.
As the soldier's kingdom collapsed, one of his generals escaped with the spear, the invading army hot at his heels. They caught up with him soon enough, but just as they surrounded him, the spear asked the general the same question. He answered, "There are seven circumstances. The first - "
Before he could finish, the spear enveloped his body in lightning and slaughtered all of his assailants. Using the power of the spear, the general went on to become the emperor of a grand empire. It flourished for over one thousand years.
Description: A ruler's spear.
Traits: Very powerful. Good for physical attacks.
Magic: "Lightning Strike" - Blue balls of light circle the wielder's body, devastating the enemy. So basically NOTHING like a lightning strike...
Alright, now we're starting to get spears for Eris in the weapon shops. Are we entirely sure she's dead here? I wouldn't put it past Nowe to fail in identifying a dead body...
Before we get on with things, there is one final Free Expedition unlocked in this playthrough at the Castle of the Goddess. And there is one very important new weapon to pick up there. Don't worry, we won't be long.
Music: "Exhausted" ~ The Broken Past (Note: This music only seems to play in Free Expedition missions set during the apocalypse. No actual storyline missions. So here it is.)
This time we need to travel across the Castle of the Goddess in reverse (or rather the way it was laid out in the first game) and make it up to Furiae's old digs on the third floor.
The area is completely infested with the undead following Angelus and Caim's deaths. But the undead knights can safely be ignored.
What we want are the Undead Heavies (and their sperm-esque spirits.) There are ten of these buggers hanging out in the halls of the keep. Tracking all of 'em down will unlock one of the cells up on the top floor of the castle which holds a shiny new weapon for...Eris again...
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
TOWER OF WARNING
History:
This spear belonged to a gentle and mild-mannered man. He lived in shame for a certain antisocial tendency, so he avoided the company of strangers, and lived deep inside the forest with his brothers.
He led a quiet life until one day, the Empire attacked his land, slaughtered his brothers, and torched his house. In despair, he tried to commit suicide. But just as he was about to die, a malicious faerie came to him and forced him into a pact, saving his life.
As the price of his pact, he lost his sight. But with his newfound power, he rose up against the Imperial forces and fought to save the world from the tyranny of the Empire.
Alongside the voiceless savior, he prevented the end on the world. Though he was now a hero, his shameful tendencies remained, so he returned to his life of solitude, a vilified exile.
Description: Carried by a faerie's pact-partner.
Traits: Breaks the enemy's guard.
Magic: "Voice of Audhumla" - Arrows of lightning seeks out and destroys enemies.
Oh Leonard, you child lusting card you.
Reaching Furiae's chamber (which is just as unmemorable as it was in the first game) produces a treasure box with quite a special weapon inside.
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
CAIM'S SWORD
History:
Eighteen years ago, when the world faced destruction, a human and a dragon dared to fight the gods. In the end, the dragon gave her life to save the world. Left behind, the man wandered the desolate lands, his heart full of sorrow. Accompanying him on his journey was the very same girl who brought mankind to the brink of extinction.
Betraying the alliance he's formed during the war, the old hierarch altered the seal to increase the dragon's burden. When the wandering man felt the dragon's agony, the girl sensed his distress and made her escape. Alone again, his mind was consumed by thoughts of vengeance and his hollow soul burned with bloodlust once more.
Caim hunted down the treacherous hierarch. Ignoring his pleas for mercy, he killed him with a single blow. However, Caim's efforts were in vain: the seal was permanently altered. The burden was tearing the dragon's mind apart, so the world's former savior faced a similar choice... But this time, Caim would choose the dragon over the world.
Caim and Angelus were finally reunited, when all the keys to the seal had been broken. Once more, the world faced destruction, but at least they were together - complete. They vowed then never to part again - a vow they kept until the end. After that, only Caim's sword remained in the doomed world.
Description: A sword of survival.
Traits: Very powerful in all areas. Adapts to various battle conditions.
Magic: "Blazing Fang" - Exploding fireballs skim the ground, incinerating enemies.
And that is the best weapon story, for it is the only time we directly get to hear about that fuckhead Verdelet meeting a violent end. I wish we could have seen it firsthand. But I suppose you take what you can get in this crap game.
Alright. Enough dilly-dallying about. Let's get this waste of a chapter over with. On to the Blessed Plains for...some reason...
Verse 1: The Broken Sky - Music: Reminiscence is Madness
"No... This is its true state. However, there are things one can only see with the world in such a state. Things resurrected..."
"What kind of things?"
"Well..."
"Calm down, Manah! Nothing's over yet. I won't let it end like this!"
"But what can I do? How can I stop the world from falling apart?" "Never getting involved with that girl's foolish plan would probably have been a start... But hindsight and all that."
"Legna, perhaps the hierarch would know something about the goddess." "Good thinking. That's only his sole job description..."
"Seere, Seere, Seere! I made him out of clay. Seere, Seere, Seere! He's a good boy every day."
"Uhh...that's nice." "He's at the Grand Shrine, if I recall. Let us make haste."
"Sorry to break it to you, but do not expect me to become a Goddess, my boy. I lack the...equipment for such a thing." "What? You?" "Eighteen years ago. Caim. Angelus. The end of the war. Any bells ringing here?" "..." "Lalala." "Right..."
So this stage is entirely filler, like the rest of this chapter. There are ghosts and flying skulls and shit.
Then there's some sort of woodpecker griffon hybrid things.
And even a few surviving Knights of the Seal remnants try to get revenge on Nowe for breaking the entire planet. It doesn't work out too well for any of 'em.
Legna drops off Manah and Nowe at the Grand Shrine...
Verse 2: The Empty Office
Way to color the sky properly for the change in scenery, guys. Real great attention to details there.
Strangely enough, once we switch over to gameplay they are the proper nightmarish red hue. You're a bunch of silly folks, Cavia.
Nowe drags Manah by the hand through the empty halls of the former Knights of the Seal HQ. Just think, about a month ago this place was just bustling with life and was the seat of power and progress in the region. And then these two jackasses came along and murdered EVERYONE. For equality!
Sorry. Seere is the only one left in the entire narrative with any fully functioning brain cells, so he's gotten the hell out of town while the getting' was good. But thanks for wasting our time dragging us here. I'm sure Hierarch Seere could NEVER have figured out he'd need to find a new Goddess to fix this clusterfuck without Savior Nowe bumbling into his office with the grand plan of "New goddess make thing good again! Do that!"
"Shh, Manah. Be quiet. Did he escape?"
"But the gods don't like good children. The gods love children who love the gods. That's why I'm loved, even though I'm such a bad girl." "Lalalala. The gods like to sing. And dance. And flowers! The gods love flowers! Flower petals and dead goddesses and broken seals and falling sky! The gods love me too cuz I brought all those things! But don't tell mummy!" "Tch... The heck has gotten into you today, Manah?"
Ah. So Nowe is an atheist. Though knowing this kid, he probably just doesn't know what the hell a god is... Especially the Drakengard gods... Something tells me his "will" and that butt shield of his isn't going to hold up against an endless horde of fifty foot tall cannibal babies...
Music: Impatience
Since we've dicked around here too long, we now have to fight our way back out of the Grand Shrine. Again. It's been what...? Four times now? Sheesh. Also, since Manah has gone all Looney Tunes on us, she's kicked out of the active party. So it's up to Nowe and Nowe alone to make it through here.
The Knights of the Seal's D-List are all that is left to defend the shrine. They can all be one-shotted and do a pinprick worth of damage. I'd like to think pretty much the cooks and janitors just raided the armory after the last of the Knights proper fell and they're just pissed they've all lost their jobs thanks to Nowe being such an asshole. Also the whole end of the world thing. That's got to leave the populous a tad sour over our heroes...
Nowe, of course, responds in the only way he knows how to: asking dumb questions and remorselessly murdering everyone in his way. Welp...at least he's consistent, if nothing. I'd probably hate Nowe left if even once during the entire game he owned up to his numerous fuck-ups or felt some regret for anything he did. But nope. "Imma fight and save the world!" is all he ever does. Tosser.
Further into the shrine, we meet a new enemy type: The Unknown. I have no idea what the hell they are, where they came from, how they got here, or anything about them. They're just there. For just this stage. Deal with it. But really, there isn't much to say about them.
As they immediately morph into neon green clones of the Knights of the Seal soldiers we've killed roughly 100,000 of by this point. The Unknown are just a fancy high level variant of 'em.
They also hate the KotS remnants and will fight with them if the two are left together. That is, unless Nowe gets close. Then the spectral clones and the real deal will put aside their differences and fight the half-wit hero. For equality!
Later on in the stage, they come in a Goblin variety as well. Since there hasn't been enough Goblins either. What happened to all those other weird sub-human monsters from the first game? Couldn't they have slapped a few updated textures on them for some variety? I remember pig-men or the pot-bellied giants or the non-monstrous ogres or the grotesqueries? Or red dudes. I haven't seen a single red dude in this game...
...
Wait nevermind! Don't bring back the red dudes!
In any case, other than the Unknown, not a damn thing of interest happens during the course of this level. EXCEPT! We get our final new weapon of this playthrough!
Drakengard 2 Weapon Stories posted:
SLAUGHTERISM - Best sword name EVER!
History:
What has happened to me? Every time I wield this sword - every time I see blood pour out of my victim's neck - I'm overwhelmed with unspeakable joy.
Crimson blood paints the street red. It stains my pale body scarlet. Its vivid hue is burned into my eyes and won't leave my mind... Blood, blood, blood, blood.
The blood gushes out with a happy splash! When it's all gone, I'm sad, so I find new flesh and tear it up! It's best when it's warm, but I like it cold too! When it's dry, it's not so red, which isn't much fun, but it's still blood, so I still like it very, very much! Blood, blood, blood, blood!
BlOody, bLoOdY, BLooDY, bLOod!! CRiMsOn BLOOD!! BLoODy RED!! ReD, CrImSOn, SCaRLeT!!!
Description: A murderer's sword.
Traits: Well balanced and strong.
Magic: "Thunderclaw" - Rains down bolts of lightning electrocuting enemies.
Caim: See me after class.
Manah and Nowe escape the Grand Shrine...
"Mummy... Mummy..." "Entities? Rooders? Teen-aged girls who stand against the forces of darkness?" "...I am so confused."
I kind of like what a dick Legna occasional acts like. "Your friend died? Welp, that's one less burden to carry. Too bad it had to be the strong one." "Your girlfriend is nuts? Dump that load. There's other fish in the sea, my boy."
"Both idiotic goals?" "Nuh-uh!" "Fool. Just let me ask you: how do you intend to do this? How will you attain the power?" "I'll..." <snort> "Don't strain yourself, my boy."
"The sky?" "What do you mean?" "I burn in a basin of fire, watchers look on as they dance in their merciless sky. Watching me..." "...Watching you." "Erm...well I mean... Err...just a moment, child..." "Drat! Where did I put that damn script..."And on that note, Chapter 10 abruptly ends. Onward...to the sky? Sure... Sure, why not?
Chapter 10 Cutscenes
Music: "Exhausted" ~ The Broken Past
Music: Reminiscence is Madness
Broken Sky Concept Art
Unknown Concept Art