Part 62: Inferno Campaign, Map Four, Part One

We're almost at the end.





They seem to have run out of lines from 'The Tyger' at least.



Kiril and Xana (or Veyer) start off in a place that looks a lot like Sheogh, with no beginning conversations or cinematics. In fact, there are no cinematics for this whole map. It's almost eerily quiet. The only hint we have from opening our quest log is 'Payback' - Sarah is down here somewhere, and after three maps of chasing her around it's about time we get some answers.

Kiril starts off with a modest number of Cores as well as about a dozen Tormentors and Breeders. The Breeders go to Xana, who pass on her Cores to Kiril.



Just to the west, a small stack of Fire Elementals guard a randomized artifact. In an earlier patch you could farm some otherwise impossible-to-get Dynasty Weapons here, but now they only guard standard things. Since it's so close to the opening of the map you could just reload if you're looking for a particular one. I got a Lifeblood Pendant, which is a high-level neckpiece that raises the Health of all my creatures by 3. It's nice, but Kiril already has two neckpieces so I eventually pass it on to Xana.



The path is fairly linear - you might be moving a bit slower since we're underground (especially Xana), but there's really only one way to go. Eventually, we reach a small pleateau with plenty of buildings and loose resources. Xana can take care of them, Kiril has one other important goal in mind.



Boss time!



Oh, nevermind. Sarah just has a small Inferno army. Intimidation won't work here because of her Maniacs (which are immune to them), but with a Reinforced Hell Hound stack you should have no trouble.

But let's get some answers before we gut her.

Click here to listen to the conversation!


I can't. Let me explain first, Kiril. Will you grant me a chance, before you put an end to this?

So you can lie to me again?

Angels cannot lie... but we're not forced to tell the truth.

I went on a mission with you to save the world, and you left me behind with a demon in my body. You traded my soul for a sword just to destroy a house full of books?

The Blade of Binding is very powerful, Kiril, but it cannot destroy the Invisible Library. The weapon designed for that purpose... is you.

What are you saying?

Kiril. You wield the power of Chaos, you've mastered a demon's soul. Very few can find the Invisible Library. And only you can destroy it.

Sarah, you've damned the both of us. Let the Dragons decide the fate of the world!

If you do nothing, your choice will be made for you. The Faceless will rule the world. Kill me now, please. I have done my part. I have turned my body to abomination in service to Elrath.

I want my life back. And until I get it you are not leaving this world. You have a debt to pay and I'm holding you to it. As for the Faceless, I'll give them the choice. They can free me of Azkaal or they can kiss their library goodbye.

Kiril! Do not reason with the Faceless. They will decieve you...

Oh, them too?

Could... could it be? Is snarky bitter Kiril finally back from Map One?



I've found Sarah but I still have to see this through. All my roads lead to that damned invisible library. It seems I have no choice but to save the world.

What? No you don't. You only have the word of Sarah, who's clearly biased. You could go home Kiril. I'm sure Sveltana could do something. Heck, Anton's defeated a gigantic Demon before, he could probably do something as well. No?

Well, fine. This is going to be our main base for a while. Xana can continue gathering all the resources around, while Kiril can head to the exit in the northwest. There isn't much priority for our town development, but Pit Fiends should definitely be a priority, with probably Cerberi afterwards. Everything after that is kind of building it whenever you want to (even Lilim, yes).

One notable part of the underground is a free stack of Fire Elementals - Xana makes good use of them. This map is also one of the few where you get to recruit Elementals, and we'll be fighting a lot of them this map.

So that's your idea of vengeance? Giving her a tent next to ours.

She's not allowed to die until I get my life back...

Interesting paradox... it seems like you want to keep her forever.

No. Just until she understands my defintion of destiny.



Xana is surprisingly competent, especially when compared to Valeksa. Mainly because she gets a ranged creature with high Initiative (Breeders), unlike Valeska, who was more or less stuck with Sisters. Once she gets them upgraded to Breeder Mothers, she even benefits from a free Reinforcements every battle. Considering she also gets pieces of the Magister set, she's one of the better secondary Heroes around, oddly enough, despite her wonky starting stats.



We have a few directions to go once we reach topside. The quick thing to note is that the final piece of the Warlord Set is guarded by a stack of Pit Lords right near the exit - it adds a very nice +7 Might Power, not to mention the full set bonus if you've picked up everything else. We'll head south while Kiril and Sarah fill us in on what we're supposed to be doing.

Click here to listen to the conversation!

You're saying that I'll be able to find the Invisible Library once I've defeated seven Shadow Elementals.

Yes. They are the focus of the spell in this valley. But you must not only defeat them, you must absorb their power into your body. Then the Invisible Library will appear.

That sounds simple enough. Let's do this.

Don't you think your body has got enough problems? You've already got a Prince of Destruction in there.

His spirit is strong. It's been reinforced by Light magic for twelve generations.

Quiet! Both of you. We've got a library to find, remember?

Why did you fuse me with Azkaal? Why not a lesser demon... Even Kha-Beleth didn't see that coming.

He is the most dangerous demon I have ever met. But he has one redeeming quality.

It's not his sense of humor...

He is true to Urgash. He believes with all his heart that the world we live in must be destroyed. He cares nothing of personal gain.

Azkaal wants to destroy Ashan. Turn it into cinder and ash. How could that purpose be useful?

If you know where a man is headed... you need only go there to find him. You yourself have used this logic to find me.

How did you know I could control him?

Angels don't know. They hope, they believe... My Kiril would never allow anyone to destroy the world.

Okay, so Irina got raped, Anastasya was controlled by her lover, Xana is watching Kiril get seduced by some fiery-headed angel, and Sandor got completely forgotten and is presumably off having a jolly good time with Kraal.

It's like Ubisoft dislikes women, or something.

I spotted signs of other demons. Is it the illusion?

No. Someone else is here. I can feel it too.

Kiril's goal is to find seven stacks of Darkness Elementals scattered around the map and defeat them - an easy enough task. We're heading south and -



A Haven Hero approaches from the east. We should take care of that.



But first, we quickly grab this town.

A Tears Kiril actually has a secondary quest not to convert any towns or forts till he finds the Invisible Library. There's actually little point to it, though - chances are we've already maxed out our reputation, and there's no tangible reward for actually doing it - we get Tears reputation (useless at this point) and a Necklace of Tears, which, while nice, isn't worth giving up a full set bonus for. But let's play by their rules. So we'll only have one Inferno town, and a few other Haven ones by the end of the map.

Leave these lands, Faceless! Lest Elrath's light brighten your graves for eternity.

Hmm, that's odd.



Montbard flees in a couple rounds, too. We'll get him eventually, don't worry.

This is horrifying. The people of this valley serve the Faceless but are convinced they serve Elrath.

The Invisibile Libary is guarded by knights of the Holy Empire? You have to admit that they're clever.

I must have come here at least a dozen times in the last four centuries, yet I have no memory of it. When you leave the valley you forget its very existence.

How do you fight an illusion? This knight can't die because he doesn't believe it when we kill him.

The Faceless don't have that power. He's using Light magic to resurrect himself. There must be a priest or powerful artifact hidden somewhere. If we can destroy it we can end this masquerade.

We have a secondary quest to take out Mordbard, which we'll do after a while.



For now, we'll take out the first stack of Darkness Elementals, which is just southwest of the first Haven town. There's also a friendly group of Juggernauts northeast of the town.



The Darkness Elemental sizes vary from fairly modest to quite big, but it actually matters little to a Might Kiril - Intimidation will shut them down for a good 6+ rounds, whch should be more than enough for Pit Fiends, bolstered by Heroism, Inner Fire and Kiril's own physical attacks to take them down. You can also summon Phoenixes to help contribute, which are also Champions and thus the Elementals are Intimidated.

We'll do more clearing out of the map next time. It's going to be an... interesting ride to the end.