Part 42: 28.B: Miscreants

: Miscreants – Gameplay



: …wait, I, what did I just say, why, that was strange, but I… feel so invigorated, now…?



: Mae has finally reached her maximum level, and she can choose one more perk from either tree. The perks available to her are her first-level perk Heightened Reflex, which removes the start-up time on her dash and her jump, and her second-level perk Sudden Grasp, which allows Mae to leap towards the Orb after a salute is nobody is holding it.

: Heightened Reflex sounds like the overall better option to me. Sudden Grasp, one, requires me to salute; two, requires that nobody is holding the Orb; and three, isn’t… really an offensive or defensive maneuver. Heightened Reflex will allow me to make much snappier movements: the start-up time on Mae’s jump and sprint were one of the reasons I preferred Hedwyn over her, because even though she’s the overall stronger pick, Hedwyn didn’t feel like he was wearing a cast.





: That’s an enormous amount of Enlightenment that Volfred just got. He might even cap out on his next Rite, provided all twelve Titan Stars are active again.



: Brighton’s really not on our side.



: It is plain to you that none of them look well. The Lone Minstrel notices you there and turns to you.

: Reader… the faster turning of the cycle of the Rites has put a strain on everyone. We have multiple cases of Banishment Sickness, this time.

: Really? I’m being punished for absolutely demolishing Barker?

: It is fortunate that your other companions are available to conduct the coming Rite, because I fear that this group here requires rest.

: You bid Volfred a swift recovery, and he nods weakly in response. You exchange a look with Mae, who seems exhausted after the last Rite. As for Pamitha, it is clear to you she wishes to be left alone right now. You leave The Lone Minstrel to look after them, and turn your attention to the stars that remain shining in the dark outside.



: All three of us couldn’t get Banishment Sickness, because then we’d be down to just two healthy companions, which would make us ineligible to compete. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Pamitha is going to get a nasty debuff in the future.

: That said, we’ll be forced into the next Rite using Pamitha, Ti’zo, and Bertrude. Since the next Rite isn’t for a liberation, it won’t matter who is in what position, so I’ll skip the vote next time.







: This is actually an interesting curveball that Pyre might be throwing us. According to the ledger, Udmildhe is wildly in the lead, compared to her next-closest competitor, Lendel. But the game is also giving us the option to play against her right now. Even if we were to play her and defeat her, it wouldn’t be enough to put Lendel ahead of her.

: But, I don’t know if the game allows you to play the same triumvirate twice in a row. If we were to play against Udmildhe and we win, it might force her out of the Liberation Rite due to the mechanics of the game. I’ve personally never seen the opportunity happen.

: If I’m right, then our options are to play against Udmildhe now and more-likely play against Lendel and the Accusers in the Liberation Rite (or Barker and the Dissidents, if Barker gets lucky), or to not play against her now and definitely play against her on Mount Alodiel.

: I’ll leave it up to you. Who should we play against? Do we play against Udmildhe and the Withdrawn, ranked second, at the Spring of Jomuer? Do we play against Lendel and the Accusers, ranked third, at the Isle of Khaylmer? Or do we play against Ignarius and the Tempers, ranked seventh, at the Glade of Lu?

: Another twenty-four hours ought to do it!