Part 13: A Shining Example for an Impressionable Genie

XIII - A Shining Example for an Impressionable Genie



Hello everyone and welcome back! Like the stinger at the end of the last update said, we're in the second half of the game now. And even though we just finished the big exam puzzle for the game, we have yet another coming up soon.

In case I haven't said it enough yet, our ending is the long path. Anyway, we got a couple presents since the last time we had control, so let's take a quick gander at those before we continue on.

The small dagger is a gift from Lady Celeste. Its handle is decorated with precious gems set in a delicate, feminine style.
Alexander tests the weight of the dagger in his hand. It's too light and small to be a fatal weapon, but it could certainly wound an assailant.

The small vial contains the Oracle's sacred water. The water has a crystalline appearance.
Alexander examines the Oracle's vial. It looks very fragile. Inside, he can see crystal clear water.

The two descriptions for the sacred vial may be backwards. The transcript I'm copying from just lists all the descriptions by item ID, so I have to more-or-less guess which context-less line applies to which action. Anyway, let's get going. We have a lot to do, and less time in which to do it.



...huh.

new island

Another island has appeared on the magic map! Alexander wonders if it has anything to do with the Oracle's reference to the Druids?

Let's visit!



Tribal Drum Beat

From the northeast come the sounds of mysterious drums and chanting

That's surely not ominous!

northeast



Alexander is frozen at the spectacle before him; robed figures are gathered around a bonfire. Some mystical ceremony is taking place, but as to its purpose, Alexander has no clue.

Brothers, look!
Uh, oh! Alexander's been seen!
This must be the foreigner we were warned about. How appropriate that he should come during our Rain Festival. Place him in the sacrificial cage!
Wait! I must rescue the princess!"
There's an ancient Druid saying: 'A man who would save others must first save himself!'



Alexander is pushed into the confining wicker cage. And the cage is swung out over the bonfire!



Alexander starts to feel a little warm.



The bottom of the cage is getting uncomfortably hot. Mercifully, Alexander passes out from the heat before the first tongues of flame ignite the wicker.







The Druids and their sacrificial bonfire are the next exam puzzle and we're currently woefully unprepared. Thankfully they're content to stay up at their ceremony and will not aggressively hunt us or anything like that. So for the moment all we have to do is just not go northeast from the beach. That's my favorite kind of "to not die" because it involves us not doing a specific thing!



west

There's another exit over to the west from this misty beach.



Misty Huts
Beach of the Isle of Mists

The music is pretty much a stinger. After it passes, the track labelled "beach" comes in.

firepit

A communal fire pit occupies a place of honor in the center of the little village. The fire pit, naturally enough, contains coal. The coals are cold. That's odd, because Alexander definitely smells the smoke of an open fire close by.

That reminds me that I got a new charcoal grill over this past weekend and have yet to take it for a test run. Some people may say "the dead of winter is a terrible time to cook out" and in return I say that they lack vision! Also smoked meat is fucking delicious.

Anyway, Udina called out the coals, so...

coal

Alexander reaches into the fire pit and takes a lump of coal.
I believe a certain chess piece would especially like this lump of coal. I don't think the druids will miss just one...



Calling this up again because something in the background is standing out pretty blatantly. So...

scythe

And... that's all we ever need this screen for. It's kind of a pity because it's really cool-looking. So let's just return to the beach and warp to the Isle of the Crown.



I actually messed this up the first time and had to re-record. If you progress things too much, then Jollo won't show up in the bookshop to talk to you. You need to come basically straight away after the catacombs. You can still get the best ending by not talking to Jollo here, but for the sake of the narrative, this makes more sense.

Jollo, my friend! Is the wedding still moving forward at the castle?
Prince Alex! Egads, yes, that confounded wedding has the whole castle abustle! I didn't come here to talk about that, though. I came to warn you.
Warn me about what? Isn't the wedding bad enough?
No, listen! The vizier knows you're here, Alexander! He's posted extra guards, and he's telling them about a 'foreign saboteur.' Who else could he mean but you? The vizier's genie must have learned of your presence in the Land, Prince Alex. I don't know how, but he must have.
I haven't exactly been discreet, I'm afraid. I actually met with the vizier as soon as I first arrived on the island, and made my presence known to him then.
Oh, Prince Alex! You did? You're a braver man than I!
Well... at the time I didn't realize he was so untrustworthy. I suppose part of me wants to be optimistic regarding viziers.
Alexander, this is serious! Alhazred will never let you get close to Cassima now! He's doubled the castle guard, probably to make sure you keep out! Gadzooks! It's too bad there isn't some way to convince Alhazred that you've left the islands--or even died! If he thought you were 'out of the way,' you MIGHT be able to get close enough to....
Hmmm. What an interesting thought.... Tell me more about this genie.
The genie's name is Shamir Shamazel. Alhazred brought Shamir with him when he came to this kingdom. Shamir probably won't directly threaten you, but that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous. He can be a terrible trickster and an ingenious spy.
Err... not really. He has a terrible time disguising his voice, and his eyes constantly sparkle with a golden glint.
You've met the genie? And lived?
He's tried to lead me to certain death almost constantly since I first arrived here in the kingdom. I swear every time I turn around, there's another golden-eyed stranger trying to get me to eat deadly nightshade or walk into obvious pits. It's actually gotten kind of old!
The life you live is terrifying, Prince Alex. <sigh> It's too bad we can't get our hands on Shamir's lamp! If we had that lamp, Alhazred and all our other problems would be solved. Wouldn't that be a fine thing!
You would wish to be master of such a wicked creature?
Oh, Shamir isn't necessarily evil. Genies never are, you know. They only reflect their owner's heart--for good or ill. Alhazred is hardly a shining example for an impressionable genie.
Hmmm. So how do you propose we go about getting Shamir's lamp?
What? Prince Alex, I was only dreaming! The lamp is heavily guarded. It would be easier to steal Alhazred's own trousers while he's wearing them than it would be to get that lamp!
But surely, a clown's hands are quick and agile....
Well, yes, they are as a matter of fact. But the theft would be detected almost immediately and then my poor neck...
IF the theft were detected.
Oh! I see! Yes, well, there might be a slim chance, but only that. If you could find a replica of the genie's lamp--an EXACT replica--I might be able to make the swap. I alone might get close enough. But I couldn't tell you what to look for. I caught a glimpse of it only once. I would know it if I saw it again, but to say.... I cannot.
Well, I'll just have to see what I can do.
Good luck to you then, Prince Alex. I really must be going back to the castle. I don't think I'll be able to come back here. If we were spied on.... It's too high a risk. I hope you understand. If I see Cassima, I'll tell her I saw you. If you do ever make it to the castle, look me up. And DO be careful, friend.
I will. Good bye, Jollo. Thanks for all your help.



This conversation is important because it sets up a chain of events you need to follow in order to get some breathing room with regards to the genie. Like I said before, you can just do everything outlined up above without talking to Jollo, but what sort of LP would this be if I didn't show the conversation off?

Say, it occurs to me... have you been listening to our conversations?
Oh I'm quite discreet, I assure you. My bookshop is a popular meeting point for everyone. I don't pay any attention to what's being said.
That's good, then. For a moment I was--
I especially didn't overhear you and the royal clown planning to steal the vizier's genie's bottle.
I, uh... I should get going.
Yes, please do. The cloaked old man is due in for his daily visit soon and I'd rather not lose my head because of you.



Let's just move on. This is actually the end of the update, but before we go, let's look at our new items.

Alexander has a pitch black lump of coal that he found on the Isle of the Mists.
Alexander doesn't want to get his hands dirty by playing with that coal.

The scythe has a long, curved blade and a wooden handle.
The scythe feels heavy in Alexander's hands.

NEXT TIME: Tale as Old as Time

List of Points

+1 - A marvelous lump of coal
+1 - A handy-dandy scythe

Total Points: 123/231

Register of Deaths

Sacrificed for rain