Part 40: Mere Distance...

: Mae is going to level the hell up on her next Rite.



: It’s hard to see because his big ol’ head is in the way, but Volfred made it to his third level up with this Rite. He’s getting his first third-level perk!




: Okay, so, Volfred’s available perks are–

: I’m taking Miracle Kindling.



: That’s a whole fifty extra Pyrepoints, just for Volfred existing. This isn’t a contest. I didn’t even look at the other perks.



: That’s one less mouth to feed.

: Safe travels to you, Sir Gilman. The rest of us await the day of our reunion on the other side.

: You succeeded in liberating Sir Gilman, who returned to the Commonwealth in glory.

: We have but a few such Liberation Rites remaining. Exactly how many, I do not wish to speculate about, as yet, until such time as we can better say for certain. Under no circumstances would I suggest this is ideal. However… it is opportunity enough that our Plan may, as yet, succeed.



: Volfred trails off, and falls silent. Some of the others exchange looks. They are beginning to understand. With the Rites soon ending, everything which Volfred has sought, both on his own for many years, and now with all of you… all of it may have been in vain. The hush spreads to the others…

: …but not to you. You then proceed to do something that none of them seem to expect…. You raise your voice.

: Each of your fellow exiles turns to you, their expressions asking you a question with no easy answer: “What are we going to do…?” As you meet Mae’s gaze, the words for the occasion begin to crystallize in your mind.


Music: Surviving Exile

: I had been dreading this part of the LP since the very beginning, because I had no idea how I was going to handle it.

: This is the first, and only, time that our character, known only as ‘Reader,’ gets to talk. So, of course he makes an entire speech that’s, like, a page long. But it’s you speaking, and this is Pyre we’re playing, so of course it’s over-achieved.

: In the previous screenshot, in that one panel, there are two halves of the sentence that we can adjust in order to create a completely different sentence. This first window doesn’t count, and serves as a ‘tutorial’ for how the game wants us to handle the next couple of dialogue options.

: We can interact with both halves in order to change our message, and once we’re okay with what we’ve put down as our message, we can press the little red stamp on the bottom to confirm and lock it in (not currently shown). For example:




: Changing the first section of a sentence will drastically change the options that are available to us for the remainder of the dialogue window, because context is a fickle thing. The default sentence in the first for-real dialogue box is what you see up there, but if I change the first half of the sentence – the “You tell that that you all have stood together” bit – then the second half changes because the context is different, even though I didn’t select it.



: This screenshot is the same dialogue box, but because I’m leading with a different idea, the entire thing has warped into something else.

: The following is all the options that are selectable from this first dialogue box. The first one.

: And this is only the first dialogue option. There’s an entire speech still left to go, and some dialogue boxes have three sections to go through. It’s very in-depth.

: The reason I was dreading this part of the LP is because I have no idea how to handle it in a ‘let us play’ fashion. Do I hold a vote? Is it down to ‘the best sounding sequence wins’? Am I really going to have to write out every single option for the entire speech?

: In the end, though, I wasn’t expecting this to come up as quickly as it did, and I decided on the spot to just do it myself. It’s kind of a disservice as a Let’s Play, but nuts to me if I’m going to transcribe every single option and then hope the thread has the patience to transcribe the parts they like best.

: So, I’m going to just list the parts I accepted as part of my speech. Please forgive me.



: Your path to freedom is laid bare before you all. True freedom is not waiting for you in the Commonwealth.

: Meanwhile, the stars themselves are shining on for you. They would spur you on to greater feats. Glory awaits if you can persevere, together.

: You all stand poised to ensure the world you leave behind for your loved ones… for your people… is a world worth living in.

: If you can believe any of this… then believe, above all, in each other. Trust that you may yet prevail, together.



: Thus, do you remain together with your thoughts. No one speaks for a time, but then…

: Thou wouldst dare to change this ancient world, Reading-One… and yet, thy words are tinged with certain truths.

: (Ti’zo vows to stand with you, no matter where your quest shall lead.)

: May long the stars remain alight for you, Reader sir.

: All the while, Volfred remains watching you intently. Then, his expression softens, and he smiles.



: I chose that line because it was one of the last things Sir Gilman said to us. Thought it was appropriate.

: Lead us, then, Reader… to the end of our quest, and the dawn of the new age for all our kin.



: Everyone responds in kind. They stand with you, no matter what. They await the outcome of your vision of the stars, which burn with renewed fury, because now, the last Rites beckon.



: Welcome to the endgame.












: The stars of the Eight Scribes… they shine together, now, as one.

: The Lone Minstrel draws breath, as though surprised by what he sees. He backs away and averts his eyes. This is another sign the Rites are soon to cease. Few chances yet remain to confront the adversaries you have met during your journey.

: Okay! So, going by what we’re seeing here, every single one of our opponents is available to play against, save for the triumvirate that’s in last place – which is Dalbert and the Fate.

:

: We have two Rites to play before our next Liberation, and we still don’t know how many are left, although it’s safe to say that the answer is ‘not many.’

: So, let’s go to it. Who would we like to play against this time? We have the whole buffet open to us for now.

: Do we play against Udmildhe and the Withdrawn, ranked second, at the Nest of Triesta? Do we play against Barker and the Dissidents, ranked third, at the Ridge of Gol? Do we play against Lendel and the Accusers, ranked fourth, at the Glade of Lu? Do we play against Sir Deluge and the Pyrehearts, ranked fifth, at the Pit of Milithe? Do we play against Manley and the Chastity, ranked sixth, at the Isle of Khaylmer? Do we play against Ignarius and the Tempers, ranked seventh, at the Cairn of Ha’ub? Or do we play against Tamitha and the Essence, ranked eigth, at the Hulk of Ores?

: I’m heading away from my computer for another weekend, so I’ll extend this vote to last 48 hours. We have a lot of options available to us – choose wisely!