Part 17: My Best Friend

: As almost unanimously decided by the thread, our next destination is the Nest of Triesta, to play another game of Sportsball against Lendel and the Accusers, who were our first opponents in the game. If you remember, the Nest of Triesta was where we encountered Pamitha and Tamitha, of the Essence.



: The stars urge that we go to the Nest of Triesta. A long way off.

: Volfred sir. How are we to reach the Nest of Triesta in due course of time?

: First of all, when did Volfred get back? And second, the Nest of Triesta isn’t actually that far away; we’d have to go down Mount Alodiel, then cross the Sclorian Shore, and then as soon as we hit the forest of Black Basin, we’re basically there. We’d have to hustle, of course, but it wouldn’t be any longer a trip than it took to cross the Sea of Solis.

: You know full well, Tariq. Preparations are complete.

: You think you see The Lone Minstrel smile, ever faintly, but cannot be sure.

: And remember, Tariq is comparatively amped compared to when he initially travelled with Fred.

: Please ask the others to gather their belongings, rest, and then assemble at the wagon there at dawn. We shall be departing at that time.

: As you will, sir.



: Exactly how many, it is difficult to say, but our next chance at liberty ought present itself much sooner than before, so let’s be ready for it. Now, then, see you in the morning, Reader.

: Your companions have not traveled far from Moonlight Alcove. Word of the news soon spreads throughout the group.



: There are exactly zero options or things to do, so, we may as well continue on. “Do-nothing” screens like this one are probably put in to give the players a save stop if they need it.

: Next morning, Volfred calls everyone together before the blackwagon.

: This old wagon is more than it appears.

: With Bertrude’s aid, it escorted you across the sea, to me. Now, it shall escort us anywhere the stars require. Come and see.




: Something has changed about the wagon’s interior. What looked before to be old cracks and signs of age now expose various intricate components once hidden from view.

: You are the Nightwings. You should travel in their customary way.

: He turns to you, indicating levers and devices marked with symbols from the Book.

: And, everyone else…? Hang onto something.



: …bullshit.


Gfy

: The blackwagon could just do this? This wasn’t an addition; Fred just said that Tariq ‘knew full well’ that this was a thing it was capable of. Why the hell–

: Obviously, it’s a videogame and a story, and if we opened the game with just flying from point to point, it would remove the agency of the stops and difficulties the characters would meet on their journey. We wouldn’t have the chance to see them grow as characters, and there’s a good chance we’d have skipped Mae and Sir Gilman entirely.

: Still, there’s something dissonant about all this, knowing that flying was just… an option that we had, and didn’t use.

: Bellyaching about story tempo and beats aside, now we can fly around the Downside all we like, and it’s pretty rad. If we want to head back to the Downside Prairie for any reason (up to and including meeting someone there for another Rite), we don’t have to retrace our every step there.



: BY THE UNDERKING!!

: (Ti’zo is excited to be flying again; you get the impression this may not be the first time for him.)

: Never thought I’d soar like this again.

: The Nightwings sail the skies again, wheresoever the stars may call for them.

: There is one catch. The Downside provides few locales suitable for landing. Though, we should be able to find at least a couple landing places near to where we’re going. We’ll then make way by land, or sea, toward our destination.

: Now, without further ado, let us proceed!




Gfy

: So, yeah, flying around in the blackwagon is a pretty neat way to get around. Whenever we want to land, we just find a place that isn’t greyed out and select it, just like when we come to a fork in the road and we have to decide one or the other.

: There are a couple of fun things that flying around the map gives us: the first and most obvious is that we can see sections of the map that we normally couldn’t when we were landlocked, such as a huge mountain range to the southeast of Mount Alodiel when we fly in that direction.

: The second is that, despite us being the Nightwings and not a lot of other triumvirates share a similar theme with their naming, they all have their own blackwagons and they can all be occasionally found on the map, doing their own thing as well.



: And, of course, we can bully them.



: Hey what’s the big idea, huh?!

: Ohhh, it’s you Nightwings, come to rub it in again I guess.

: We Tempers, we been trading flames with you, who knows how long. So what, you got us once or twice lately. Matter of time before we go and get you back. So, you might wanna keep that in mind next time you go messing with these horns, hear me?

: Now, get outta my sky.

: I could, of course, bully him some more, but he won’t respond a second time. And, after what happened at the Fall of Soliam and how he lamented that he’s got a lady on the other side that wouldn’t recognize him, I don’t think he deserves any more shit.

: The third thing we can do while flying is that, sometimes, we may find these flashing white circles in the overworld.



: These things are just little worldbuilding tidbits that we can access for a little more information and lore on the area. Which is pretty neat! The world of Pyre and the Downside is very fleshed out, with every little part carefully considered on how it fits into the rest of the world. Let’s find out how a giant horse fits into the Downside’s history.




: The tale of a titan felled by Saint Triesta Tithis… that is more unbelievable than the thought that some daring exiles, over many years, carved the titan’s visage out of stone.

: Uh… yes. Yes it is.

: Be that as it may, the climate and the cliffs are home now to exiled Harps, such as the Essence, whom you faced here when first you arrived.

: Even they do not all know of the locale’s scared significance.

: So, according to Tariq, that is legit a giant horse skeleton sticking out of the ground. But the story of a single Harp lady striking down something that big is so unbelievable that everyone assumes it to be a carved sculpture rather than a fossil.

: I mean, can you really blame them? As inspirational as the story of David and Goliath is, it’s a little difficult to imagine that a Harp that badass would allow herself to be exiled to the Downside in the first place.



: Moving on, though: just because we’re flying doesn’t mean that there aren’t still forks in the road. Our options here are to go to either Black Shore or to Highwing Cove. We can’t just land at the Nest of Triesta because of ???




: Let’s see… the last time we saw both Pamitha and Ti’zo was against the Chastity. And in that match, we had voted to put Pamitha in before Ti’zo, so, we’re very slightly more biased in her favour.

: And, like I’ve been saying, Pamitha has yet to really steer us wrong. It’s hard to stay judgmental when she’s so far been absolutely clean and legit.

: Although, I gotta say, I’m curious as to what she intends to do to Lendel.



: A full inspection of the wagon is already underway by the time you join the rest of the group. Ti’zo takes care to re-align each set of stabilizers, needing little help from you. Meanwhile, Rukey greases any intakes that sealed shut during the flight. You soon run into Volfred, who has further details to report.

: Systems are nominal. This wagon’s fit to journey onward at dawn’s light.

: The group disperses then, some taking time for rest, while others tend to personal pursuits. You should have time enough to do the same.



: A handful of things to do here, but I almost don’t want to do any of it and just jump straight to ‘instilling fear in the Accusers.’ Think fast, Lendel!



: If I had to guess, Gilman’s probably pretty shaken from the flight and needs someone to talk to so he can calm down. I’ll talk to him before I thumb through the book or speak to Sandra, but let’s take a quick look at some of the knicks and knacks we’ve added to our growing collection:






: The fun thing about the Gries Stone is that its location is randomized every time you enter the wagon.



: M-Master-Reader!! This knight is very, very slightly out of sorts, is all. He merely appears terrified! But, he assures you that his seeming cowardice is but an optical illusion, in this case.

: Ah yes, optical illusions, the fabled wyrm defense mechanism.

: Pamitha overhears and joins you.

: Flying’s not for everyone, Sir Knight.

: This knight heartily concurs!! Though, how anyone at all can stand it, he has yet to understand.

: …Well, let’s see. What’s it like to swim the waters of the Sea-Dominion?

: Ah, those glorious, murky waters! Engulfed in hideous warfare, to be sure, but otherwise a joy to cut across, to feel the coolness of the waves beneath one’s gill-slits, and the like!

: Though, this knight is now accustomed to his life above the surface.



: Though, I haven’t had to swim, and you now have to fly. That’s very brave of you, and you handled it better than some Harp fledglings I’ve met in my day. You’ll get used to it.

: She departs, but you sense Sir Gilman is feeling better after the exchange.



: Like I said. It’s getting harder to distrust her lately.

: Before we get to Sandra and her business with Mae, I mentioned in the previous update that we unlocked a whole slew of pages in the Book. There’s a whole lot of them and it wouldn’t be ‘right’ to dump every single page right here and now. I’m thinking, maybe, two pages per visit to the wagon? We should chug through the Book at a decent clip at that rate.


Gfy




: The Book is separated into chapters, and while we can thumb directly to a new chapter via the bookmarks on the right hand side, which page we get when we select that chapter is a total crapshoot. It’ll take us to the most recent unread page, but that could still mean that we won’t find the Black Basin page until we unlock another three or four pages in that chapter and we finally work our way there.

: I dunno, I might reconsider the whole ‘two-pages’ thing, we’ll see how relevant the pages are as we get them. In the meantime, let’s pay a visit to our favourite crystal ball.



: Is it hot in here, or is it just you? Haha, that’s a joke, you’re incorporeal and thus do not emit heat, and also it is hot in here because we are currently in a volcano. But seriously, what’cha thinkin’ ‘bout?

: Ah, my best friend in all the world, come to visit me again.

: Does it make you uncomfortable, perhaps, that I should call you thus? Perhaps you think that you do not yet know me very well. But, I know you just fine.

: Well, I mean, ‘getting to know you’ is one of the reasons why I keep asking what’s on your mind. It also doesn’t bother me that you consider me a friend, or even ‘your best friend,’ considering you continually say you hate everyone else.

: You reveal a great deal to me, when you come visit me like this. You are not the only one who can sense things in others, you know.

: Ah, Sandra is a Reader. I wonder if that came before or after her banishment.

: She laughs to herself.

: One learns to read a bit, when forced to suddenly appear within a Book for 837 years or so. Especially if one is wont to pry a little, you understand, for it gets rather boring here.



: Oh, I know about your loves, or lack thereof, about your favorite pastimes. Certain habits you may be somewhat loath to admit.

: I’m not sure if this is her saying she knows that I’ve been spreading my Vocations out relatively evenly, and therefore do not have a favourite pastime, or what.

: Fear not, of course. I use this special knowledge only as a means to entertain myself, I think. And, if you don’t like it, why, just keep your distance, like so many of your predecessors!

: As for the other Beyonders… they are as wraiths to me, as I must seem to all those idiots with whom you consort. I cannot confide as easily in my own kind as I am able to confide in you.

: But, I suppose that I have said too much. Thank you, as ever, for the visit! You have given me a lot to think about. More than you know!

: She laughs again, softly.

: Sandra is only getting harder to figure out. I believe her when she says I’m her best friend, and that she finds me easy to talk to, but that one line, about ‘keeping my distance,’ almost sounds like a suggestion, like she’s trying to imply that her figuring out my past and my habits is supposed to come off as weird and intrusive.

: Also, it’s pretty impressive that she learned how to read after she became blind.

: Well, in any case, let’s put that aside for now. I heard from the grapevine that the Beyonders are lookin’ for a tussle.

: Oh, good. Just as I was beginning to feel more bored even than usual.



: You ask Sandra to administer one of her special trials for Mae.

: I must admit I do sense something from that one… I once had a wild heart, myself, quite like her own. We shall see if there is more to her than that. Let us bring her forth.

: Soon, Mae arrives, in heed of the summons.

: The Scribes…! I think, that if I listen carefully, that I can hear them calling out to me?


Gfy



: The apparition Sandra appears, and unfastens her mask.

: Listen well, girl. The place where you reside at present has but a single rule, which is: You answer to me, here.

: Wow…! OK, I will!

: Such naïve enthusiasm…. Now, be silent. It is plain to me that you have much to learn as yet about the Rites. But, you have learned something, and I would see you prove it… without the benefit of anyone, save for your Reader.

: Um, OK! Are you out there to help me with this, Mister…?


: Wow! – Gameplay



: …Wow, what is that you have there?




: Pinball Mode is officially enabled. And, given the lore-friendly flavour text, it looks like this anklet used to belong to Sandra.

: I’m out of things to do in this wagon, but…



: You know, I’ve resisted the urge to ring this bell up until now. Surely nobody will mind if I give it a few dings.




: Rukey seems to be taking issue with your frivolous use of the Nautical Bell. After all, there is no sign of a nautical emergency, nor a prepared meal.

: Oh, I know it’s not meal time, it’s fine! I’m starting to really enjoy the constant ringing sound, though, now that it doesn’t mean anything to me or anyone anymore! Besides, ringing that bell, it’s probably some pretty good exercise, right?! And it’s good training for my ears, too! You know we curs have ultra-sensitive hearing, don’t you?



: Anyway, thanks!! I mean that!

: He storms off.




: He was only joking…




: … maybe some other time.



: Now that we’ve done all that we can in this area, let’s go put the spook to Lendel.

: You do your best to keep up with Pamitha as she delves into the sweltering confines of Highwing Cove. She indicates that some of her winged sisters may be nearby to lend their aid.

: This is as far as you can follow, Reader darling. Please excuse me for a little while.

: She swoops off, leaving you on your own…. Some time passes, during which you can almost feel the Downside encroaching all around you, and then…

: …Well, that was certainly interesting… I suggest we get out of here.

: It would appear the Accusers soon will have a ‘little accident’ that should dampen their spirits.



: Lendel can never leave Flagging Hands.

: As advantageous as that makes us, it kind of goes in the face of me saying that maybe Pamitha can be trusted, when she’s apparently capable of some pretty heinous shit. It’s a good thing she’s on my side and all, but….




: Now that we’re at the part of the game where we can choose which opponents to play against and which areas to visit, we will very rarely be taking any forks in the road, and our direction-based decision making will mostly be done in the air. Case in point, we’re going straight to the Nest of Triesta, where when we first visited Black Basin, we would have taken the long way around to Sulfur Mane or something.



Gfy



: And suddenly, we’re back to ten minutes ago, where we had a bunch of things to do before we could move on to doing anything. May as well get started.



: It’s Ti’zo. We haven’t had the chance to speak one-on-one very often. I wonder what’s on his mind.

: You observe Ti’zo rummaging about the blackwagon, as though in search of something. He notices you there and rushes up to greet you.



: But, just as quickly, he resumes his search.

: (Ti’zo is looking for something a former exile of the Nightwings once gave him.)

: (He is growing frustrated that the object he seeks is nowhere to be found.)

: You almost do not notice The Lone Minstrel’s approach.

: I am afraid that it is gone, Ti’zo. I am very sorry.

: Reader, it is nothing that ought to be cause for much concern. Merely that Ti’zo has misplaced something of sentimental value to him.

: Well, hell, if it’s important to him, then who are you to say it’s ‘not a concern?’ I own a watch that I got as a graduation present and I’d be pretty upset if it ever went missing.

: (It was just a spare bandage, he indicates; exactly like the one on his horn.)



: He squawks in approval.

: Those memories shall always stay with you. Is that not what matters most of all?

: He confirms this, as well.

: Then, please do not worry yourself about it anymore. It is a symbol of a distant past, besides.

: Ti’zo skulks away, up into the rafters. The Lone Minstrel watches him go.

: A surprisingly dickish move coming from Mr. Exposition.



: Ti’zo searches for it from a fleeting memory of his days with the Nightwings of the past. He performed the regular duties of other drive-imps at first, but soon distinguished himself. I was none too surprised. He was clearly special.

: He had grown close with the other members of the Nightwings when misfortune fell, and the triumvirate fell apart. Perhaps Volfred has revealed to you more of the details.

: Right, the thing with Erisa and Oralech.

: As for Ti’zo, I feel he must make peace with the shadows of his past, somehow. Perhaps, then, he shall cease searching.

: …You need not worry for him, of course. He is resilient, and shall always serve the Nightwings well. You might say that he was born for it. Begging your pardon, Reader.

: The Lone Minstrel excuses himself in his polite way, leaving you to consider what he said.




: According to this, not only is Ti’zo unusually smart and capable for a creature with a brain smaller than some coins, but he’s apparently directly descended from Ha’ub The Swallow, the first Scribe and author of the Book. That’s pretty intense, knowing that Ti’zo could himself learn to read and all the superpowers that come with literacy.

: Before we head out, we unlocked two new pages in the Book. Let’s give them a look here.


Gfy




: ‘How is it that something can be shared, but still contained, within ourselves, in its entirety?’ I get that Lu is trying to be all philosophical and trying to make a dig at the absurdities of the world or whatever, but, has he never heard of the concept of ‘copying’? Would he have thought that Fred’s Stamping-Press was witchcraft?



: As usual, we make a quick pitstop at Ron and his Slugmarket before committing to the Rite. You never know when he stocks a game-changer of a Talisman, after all.



: Heard a crazy story she just flew on out of here, or something? Anyways.

: Ron’s about as smooth a talker as he looks.



: Among his new wares is some stardust that’s going for six Sol, so I’ll go ahead and take that. The only new Talisman that he has for sale is called the Twilight Shard, and what it does is it increases the damage a player does to an adversary’s Pyre by 2 when it’s flung.

: Now, that’s not the same as increasing someone’s Glory by 2. If I’m in position for a half-court shot but I’m being pressured, a quick fling that would normally do, say, 7, would instead do 9, whereas a dunk would normally get me 20, but with a Talisman that boosted Glory, it would do 22.

: That sounds beyond useless to me, and it costs 80 Sol. So, no thanks.



: We’re starting to hurt a little bit for cash, and in the last update, I asked what the general opinion was on selling our unique Talismans if the person that can use it is liberated. The consensus was that Jodariel would prefer to know that she was still directly helping us even though she’s moved on.



: I’m sure she’ll understand.

: …That’s how you get a repeat customer, there, Dad. You give ‘em a deal.

: Owning a monopoly on the market doesn’t hurt either, I bet.



: There’s nothing left for it but to begin this Rite. We’ll see how well Pamitha’s scare tactics worked out for us.

: Here, among the harsh formations of the Nest of Triesta, you await the signal of the stars. There is no sign yet of your expected adversaries, the Accusers. Then, the little imp Ti’zo flutters up to you.

: (Ti’zo cautions you that he has some history with your next adversary, Lendel.)

: Do tell.

: (Ti’zo seems to be indicating that Lendel has a personal vendetta against him.)

: But, before he can explain anything further, the stars begin to call to you.


Gfy



: Your companions are assembled and ready for the Rites to commence. However, there is still no sign of your adversaries, the Accusers. The little imp Ti’zo screeches something, cautioning you all to stay alert.



: AH-HAH!! Caught you, you miserable beast! I knew it! After all this time, I knew that you were still among their ranks!

: (Ti’zo is angry to have stumbled into an apparent trap laid for him by Lendel.)

: … We don’t actually care about Lendel and what he thinks or does, right? Look at him. He looks like the kind of frontman that would flake if you sneezed at him too hard.

: Silence, fiend. You robbed me of my freedom… my dignity! Your evil shall be ended, here and now!! And you, Nightwings, shall not deny me thus again!

: Come, then, my Accusers! For we face again none other than the spawn of the accursed imp, Ha’ub the Swallow!! Let us show him now that he is a disgrace!

: Ti’zo whistles something angry back at him. Whatever transpired between him and Lendel in the past, Lendel evidently has not let it go.

: Ti’zo robbing you of your dignity implies you had any to begin with. Also, Ha’ub was smart enough to learn to read; you look like you’d have trouble tying your shoes. If you’re this excited to eat shit a second time, we’ll be happy to help.




: You sense Lendel speaks the truth; the Accusers are more capable than before.



: This is where Pyre starts to get interesting.



: Also, furthering Pyre’s worldbuilding, starting now, we can actually access the biographies of our adversaries when we face off against them.



: Lendel’s goons are just faceless mooks that have no personalities; their biographies say that ‘all you know is that they work under Lendel for the Accusers.’ This will be the same for every faceless mook, and we really only get the biographies for the people with faces.

: In any case, we’ve finally made it to the Nest of Triesta, and we’re finally ready to slap Lendel around a second time. The big question that you’re all interested in is: who do we bring into this Rite?

: We have all six members of our triumvirate available to us. Our options are Hedwin, Rukey, Mae, Ti’zo, Sir Gilman, and Pamitha. You can choose any three of these characters. Five votes gets them on the squad, and remember, the order you vote for them in matters!