Part 42: Episode XXXIX: Fluff
Episode XXXIX: FluffMusic: The City of Commerce
Welp, that was a load of crap. I fully expect to find this dork living in a cardboard box and feeding off seaweed the next time we see him. This brings me to my next point...
This is the last bit of downtime we are going to have for a decent span of the adventure. So, let's take it easy for one more update and hear a bit of NPC dialog fluff. You can learn a few odd things about the assorted towns and their weird quirks by just gabbing with folks wandering around.
See, let's get friendly in Seafront, mmm?
I'm not sure if I have mentioned it but much of NIER's world is taking a page from Kevin Costner's financial disaster, Waterworld. Between the prologue and present day, the bulk of the planet sunk beneath the ocean.
It is never explained how or why this happened. It would appear Al Gore was just right all along. Apparently, the water levels are still slowly rising. I'm not sure how the remnants of the island nation of Japan made it through unscathed but eh... I guess being at the epicenter of the apocalypse give you a pass on a few of the calamities that befell the world.
So, does anyone know what the hell the deal is with these bottles on strings hanging next to every single door in Seafront?
That uhh...that doesn't sound too good, kiddo... You might want to invest in a magical grimoire and go do some adventuring... Sooner, rather than later...
As evident by that dumbass sidequest with the seasick merchant, there are some other civilizations out there that we never visit and Seafront does business with importing/exporting. They are only mentioned in passing. But, there is a bit of supplementary material from Grimoire Weiss that expands on that...
Grimoire Weiss on Seafront's Trade posted:
There is a race of people who live in a far western continent known as "the people of the west", then towards the far eastern sea, there is a place known as the "southern island" where people live as well with whom the Seafront people trade with. These people have many different types of special products, and while these groups of people are engaging in trades enthusiastically, it appears that they fought against one another in the past. This fits the description of humans indeed.
Well, that clears everything up...
Being a coastal town, there are a...number...of people who just yammer on about fish: cooking fish, catching fish, eating fish, and going off to fish. In all there are about a dozen jerks wandering around with fish on the brain.
Several of the NPCs dialog will change after the Lighthouse Lady passes away. Beforehand, they are mostly just said variations of "the lady in the lighthouse is a crabby old bitch". Now it's all "aww, well she's in a better place." Nice turnabout.
Several villagers have commentary on the ruins of the train track bridge across the water, but not a one of 'em bats and eyelash at the huge wind turbines just outside town. Pft... Going green... How does the magical apocalypse figure into that plan, ya filthy hippies?
Beach seal just does not give a fuck. Early on, one of the kids around the beach would mention there's considered guardians of Seafront. There is also a bit of extra material on the seals... Other than the general information of "they're awesome."
Grimoire Weiss on Seals posted:
It seems that there was once a time in the past that seals were treated as valuable beings. While you may not believe it now, it was said that when seals appear back in those days, humans will gather around and watch them as though it is an attraction.
Thereafter, everyone treated the seals with great care and raised them to the point where and they got too big to move. Their numbers increased so much that it got out of hand. They are unpalatable, people couldn't bear killing them, and moving them is a bother. So when it is time to consider what needs to be done, they decided that they will leave the seals as the guardian deity of the city...and that is how it is.
Good to see in the far future religion still involves a heavy dose of just pulling shit out of your ass when convenient.
Says the man so hammered before noon that he's forgotten to put a shirt on under his sash. What is with the Seafront sashes anyway? Almost everyone in town wears one, even if they're too sauced to put on a pair of pants.
As a side note, there is about a half dozen fisherman that just drink all day or discuss going to drink the end of the day. It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In the distant future, Postmen still wear goofy shorts. I wonder how the Postmaster is doing. We haven't talked to him in a while.
Oh...
One...kind of creepy thing about Seafront is that most all of the children are either hiding off in out of the way areas acting all skittish or else they are gathering to perform some manner of "ritual". Look kids, stay away from that ritual stuff... Take it from me...
That shit never ends well...
NPCs seem to frequently forget that it both no longer rains and the sun never goes down. Indeed, Seafront only has one weather forecast for the entire game: bright and sunny. I think this guy is just plastered like his shirtless twin across town.
The art of swimming has also been lost to NIER's world. Nier himself will drown in anything above a puddle. This, ya know, is personally okay with me... I don't even want to imagine how terrible a Cavia created Water Temple would be like...
I dunno. I hear that Cult of the Watchers is picking up some steam. Though, apparently you've got to pay huge dues to advance in levels and they don't even tell you what the hell a Watcher is until you've blown half of what you own ranking up. Sounds like a lame pyramid scheme to me...
Drug dealer or fisherman, eh? Tough call...
Interestingly enough, cheap plastic lounge chairs have survived the collapse of civilization. That is pretty surprising. I can barely get one of those things to last a single summer.
I failed to mention it on the first pass through Seafront's marketplace, but this town also has a blacksmith, over on an upper level corner of the market. He isn't selling a single thing in the first half of the game. But, maybe we just need to give it some time...
At least Seafront is self aware that it is full of a bunch of assholes. Indeed, I am sick of this town... Let's go visit the Village.
Music: Village Tunes
There we are... Not the prettiest or sunniest town around. But, it is home. Nier needs to be a bit more social.
This is true enough. Shades actually will smoke and steam in strong sunlight, have their health slowly drain, and be much easier to slay. Too bad bright, sunny days are a rarity in these here parts.
This is nothing new. I just wanted to point out the Village's guard outfits...
Nice to see a small bit of Sir Angelmanpig survived into the final game; if only vaguely its outfit. Anyhow, about the Junk Heap...
Grimoire Weiss on how the Junk Heap robots operate posted:
You take this liquid that is known as "flammable water" which arises from the earth and refine it, then it will become a liquid known as "gasoline" which you put inside the machines; when the force given off by the explosion of vapors from the gasoline pushes the part known as a "piston" and sends it off to another part known as a "shaft", the machines will began to move......that's how it is written according to some book in Popola's library.
I must say it is indeed difficult to imagine there are explosions happening in those small machinery.
The mental image of Weiss reading books gives me a chuckle.
A few of the NPCs will mention that all the animals have started only going all aggro recently since food is running out. I dunno, the Northern Plains looked pretty lush to me. But, who knows. Maybe future sheep have acquired a hunger for flesh...?
PIGGIES!
PUPPIES!!
PEEEEEEEEPS!!!
Apparently Nier was the only person smart enough to build a house outside of the central clusterfuck of town. It is never really mentioned how long Nier has lived in the Village. At least as long as Yonah has been around. We never really find out much about Nier prior to the events of the game, other than maybe a tiny bit about his wife later on.
In town, by the fountain where we got the first slew of sidequests, there is a set of stairs that the leads to a cliffside path high above the village. There's a pretty nice view up here and also a couple we ought to speak with briefly...
"I bet things used to be a lot different around here. A lot more fun."
"Money is important, but I wouldn't change my way of life for it. Living with him makes me happier than anything else."
Eh...just remember that couple. They might just pop up again later on in the game... Man, that library is friggin' enormous...
Using the same path to reach the cliffs, Nier can walk around on the upper bridge by the water wheel and back docks. There's no real reason to do this now. But, it might be good to remember for a later date. I'm saying that a lot, aren't I?
Ma'am...where the hell are your pants...? Why are you sauntering about with assless chaps with your son...? Stay the hell away from Yonah, thanks.
Well, one village lives on a cliff, one had all their water turn into quicksand, and the other is in the ocean... So no, water isn't in the best of supplies. Seriously, tell your mom to cover-up, kid. I know money is tight, but there are better ways to stay in the black...
There is a boat located on the docks. Indeed, there are identical boat docks in Seafront, the Northern Plains, and just outside Facade... Hmm... The guard says it is not operational. He's just making sure
Bullshit. I've talked to those gate guards. Two wanted to go out drinking with me. The other two gave me fragile parcels to deliver across the continent. If you're standing around with a wrapped set of glass dinnerware, hoping to catch a departing traveler to deliver the stuff for you...your job ain't too adventurous...
Go talk to that lady over by the fountain. I have sold her at least 80 helpings of mutton. She says she has kids to feed, but come on...
Oh yeah, I forgot all about Spencer Mansion. Gee, I sure do wonder where the final dungeon is located... You don't think...? Nah...
Well, let's take one more out of town visit while we're feeling talkative...
I'm not going to revisit Facade as that big list of supplementary rules I posted way back when was basically all the interesting info the non-quest giving Masked People had to give. Though, Weiss does offer some insight into the people never given in-game...
Grimoire Weiss on the Masked People and their devotion to following their rules posted:
It appears that there is a race of people who were extremely serious in the distant past. It is said that they would work day in day out in a box of iron and sand. According to the most accurate vocabulary that I know, they are people who are known as "slaves". As a result of their continuous way of living by being serious, they eventually became a race which none of them could live without the guidance of the rules......and they appear to be the distant ancestors of the people of Facade.
However, if you ask me, I think they are simply a group of strange people.
Hmm...Facade used to be a labor camp... I guess that would explain a bit about the town's design and the people.
Music: The Aerie Chant
Anyway, let's take a quick spin back to The Aerie. They have some new things to bitch and moan about after we trashed half their village...
A decent number of them just lament their inevitable doom and whine about how the town is finished.
"Shades."
"-the...weirdness..."
A small number of the villagers are actually pro-Kainé, which is a nice change of pace.
Of course, half of them still hate her and blame her for everything and tell us all to get the hell out of their town. Pleasant folks...
Anyhow, the real reason I wanted to come back here was to take a better look at The Aerie's "houses". If you look closely, there are indeed re-purposed shipping containers of some sorts. They've even still got warning labels on their sides with the ever comical stick figures being horribly injured due to improper safety procedures.
"Engage where doors are closed" is written beneath 'em. Hmm... I wonder what they held?
I'm not sure what this labeling is all about... Though, 332 units of cum is a bit distressing... At least it would explain why everyone in this town is so cranky... Ehem...
Anyway...there is one last spot to visit...
Music: Village Room Ambiance
Popola's Library. It's been a while since we stopped to look around here. It's just usually a mad dash to go interrupt Popola for the umpteenth time that week.
There are a couple of kids running around the library just looking at all the thousands of old books. Apparently, a good chunk of Popola's collection is in foreign/lost/ancient languages that nobody can read anymore. Not too hard to imagine. I mean, there is a country to the east that writes entirely in Wingdings nowadays.
Would you believe a sociopath and a red dragon had a rhythm battle with a giant monster made of salt which violently introduced magic into the world? Yeah, me neither...
By the way, that assless chaps thing wasn't just limited to hooker mom on the docks. The librarian we helped in a sidequest earlier is also sporting that look... I remember when the librarian was a much older woman: Kindly, discreet, unattractive. We didn't know anything about her private life. We didn't want to know anything about her private life. She didn't have a private life...
You know what we haven't checked out in a while? The trophy room. And it does seem to have updated with several of our latest conquests...
"For a decoration, it's certainly in poor taste."
"Who would make a figure of that, anyway? And what is it doing here!?"
"Perhaps the prince of Facade gave it to Popola as a gift?"
"This is the first sane thing I've seen in this room."Yup...pretty odd stuff. Anyway, that is about it for assorted fluff in Part 1 of NIER. I believe we have a main quest to advance next time...