Part 41: 28.A: Relief

Gfy

: That Barker Ashpaws and his Dissidents are frankly a disgrace to the traditions of Rites. They care not for the path but only for the glory.

: He then shares with you what his has heard about your next opponent.


Music: Thrash Pack

: Back on the other side, Barker never quite took to the culture of the Commonwealth, and often ran afoul of the law for various acts of boorishness or vandalism. He always promised to go straight, and in time he found a certain niche. For he was an accomplished hunter.

: And the people of the Commonwealth did have an appetite. Barker relished the hunt more than anything, and spent his earnings on a variety of questionable things.

: One particularly raucous evening, Barker was caught relieving himself on the foot of the statue of Archjustice Androbeles IV. And that was the end of his citizenship.

: In case you were thinking of looking back, Brighton took the name Androbeles IX. Barker peed on his fifth predecessor.

: In the Downside, he caught the notice of the Dissidents, who observed his speed, ferocity, and fearlessness. He soon became the best of them. Barker’s reputation grew among the exiled curs of the Jomuer Valley region, where he is feared, and unafraid of taking what he wants.

: To think the Commonwealth’s attempt to punish him afforded him a freedom that he never had. Oh, but it is very late…! Good night, my boy.

: You wish Volfred a restful evening, in turn. It is too late to take flight, though tomorrow you can press on.



: We had just liberated Sir Gilman, so choices as to who could want to speak with us this time are starting to dwindle down. I wonder who it could be.



: … of the five of us left, I wasn’t expecting Bertrude.

: Following the successful outcome of the Liberation Rite, you find Bertrude muttering something to herself. You hear some of the words as you approach.

: …Shouldst thou seekest darkness, then may nightfall come to thee in time… Shouldst thou seekest courage, then may bravery soon bloom within thy heart. Shouldst thou seekest water, then may the oceans open wide for thee. Shouldst thou seekest fortune, then…

: You recognize it as the Bog Benediction, though you have never heard it said aloud. Then Bertrude sees you there, and cuts short the chant.

: Care thee to explain thy presence, Reading-One?

: We were amidst an invocation, which must now begin anew. ‘Tis for the Wyrm-Knight, if thou needest know. To speed him on his homeward journey.

: Wow, of all her companions, I didn’t expect Bertrude to be overly fond of Sir Gilman.



: Nevertheless… the distant kin is kin. That foolish Wyrm-Knight. Surely he could never have survived his years if not for divine aid. Thus, we provide him more.

: Then, perhaps, the Wyrm-Knight… easily underestimated as he is… perhaps he shall turn out to be of some small benefit, as part of Sandalwood’s designs.

: She glares at you intently for a moment.

: Mistake thee not these actions for affection. Nor for a longing for the loudness of this place to escalate ever again to volumes such as only his incessant shouting could achieve.

: Now, leave us, Reading-One. The invocation must be finished ere the Wyrm-Knight finally arrives upon the shores beyond this land, before his homecoming.

: She turns away from you, and then begins her chant again.



: You leave her to the benediction. The Wyrm-Knight’s absence is already felt. You know, however, that he will strive with all his might on your behalf there, on the other side.



: Sure, Bertrude, you’re wishing to whatever God is watching that Gilman gets everything he wants, but you don’t like him. Your secret is safe

: There are a couple of things that need to be done before we wrap up our stay here at Mount Alodiel: namely, the Downberries are ready to be harvested again, and we unlocked some pages recently that need some reading.



Gfy






: The turning of the Rites are happening faster and faster. There isn’t much left to do.



: At least it looks like a nice morning. This is the first time in a long time that we’ve had a cycle that didn’t involve inclement weather, which is a nice change of pace. I mean, it didn’t affect the Rites at all, but sometimes you just want to see the sun, you know?




: There’s a point of interest at the Moonlight Alcove. Which is rather foreboding, if you ask me.

: Volfred approaches as you fly above his hidden lair at the Moonlight Alcove. You cannot help but wonder if you shall ever return there.

: …Our dear Alcove…. I’ve asked my agents to break down the place. It soon shall be gone, if it isn’t already…. We shall not be returning.

: That answers that.

: We’ve not the time to do so, anyway. And, with Oralech back among the living now, and no longer fond of me, I dare not think what he would do with it.

: Unfortunately… hiding places are of little value once they’re found. Once all of this is over… those of us who do not manage to return… we shall have to find another place to live. To try to live, at least.



: Doesn’t get much more final than that.



: I didn’t write about it in the last few updates, but whenever an imp appears on the overworld, I went out of my way to squish it. Ever since I found that first imp, I noticed that the Feats of Glory stopped appearing in the Rites. I kind of need those in order to make any money, now that everyone is too strong for me to waste a Talisman. So, maybe there’s a correlation between the Feats of Glory and whether or not I kill an imp on my way to a Rite. This one gets to live.



: Passing into Black Basin, we see Manley already gearing up for a Rite at the Glade of Lu, and we see the Tamitha heading south, towards… wherever she’s going.

: Tamitha is pissed at us, and she’s at the point where even if we go out of our way to say hello (via collision), she won’t respond or acknowledge us.



: Any troll will tell you that a target stops being fun when they stop giving you a response, so, off she goes.



: There are the Pyrehearts, preparing for their Rite at the Isle of Khaylmer…



: … and the Tempers readying at the Hulk of Ores, even though our stars said he should be heading towards the Cairn of Ha’ub. Maybe it’s just a pit stop?

: And there is Dalbert and the Fate. Normally I’d go say hello, since he’s a pretty amicable fella, but… after what happened last time I did that, where I made a huge mess of his place, and given that he’s still somehow in last place even though Tamitha should be below him, I get the sense that he’s not really in the mood to be spoken to.

: Moving on, there’s nothing happening in the Sea of Solis…



: … and in the Pit of Milithe, there’s… someone here that I don’t recognize. They have no insignia above their wagon. Oralech, maybe? Trying to stay incognito? According to our own stars, Sir Deluge should be here, not at the Isle of Khaylmer… if anyone has the power to fuck things up and rearrange the order of operations, it’d probably be him.

: There’s nothing happening at the Jomuer Valley, leaving us to move onto the Downside Prairie without any interruptions.





: Another scenario where I can’t rely on our bias. It’s been a long time since we’ve had anything to do with Mae – if I remember correctly, the last time we used her was against Ignarius and the Tempers in the Glade of Lu. That was quite a while back!

: That said, though, it’s been even longer since we’ve seen what Udmildhe’s been up to, and it’s very probable that we’ll be playing against her in a Liberation Rite soon. I suppose any information on what she’s been doing is better than none, and it’s not like Mae needs any buffs or anything, being our strongest player, numbers-wise.




: There isn’t a whole lot for us to do here. We could read the Book some more, but we’re starting to run low on pages, for the first time since our first cycle, and it’d be better, in my opinion, to metre it out a bit more. So, there’s not much for it other than to check and see what’s new with Udmildhe.

: Your senses guide you to a scrying pool somewhere in the wind-swept fields of Bloomingpool, and you look upon the waters.



: Ye, foolisssh ones, who dare defy Yslach. Sssstand ye aside and perhaps He shall ssssave ye for His final course.

: G-g-go on and gloat, while this knight wallows in his latest wretched failure.

: Jeez, Deluge just can’t catch a break.

: Not that he deserves one.

: Thy words ring hollow, foolissssh one. Yslach shall never sssspare any of ye.

: The vision fades. It seems the Withdrawn prevailed against the Pyrehearts sometime not long ago, gaining the favor of the Scribes. You wonder where their paths have taken them since as you return to the blackwagon to pursue your Vocations.



: Frankly, all three of these options are very appealing. That slug that we bought from Ron really put us into the red, financially, and we’re starting to get to the point where we could really use the Enlightenment in order to get those perks. And, to make things harder, we only recently unlocked the final sections of the Book, and those will allow us to finally buff our Glory. It may only be by one point apiece, but those add up real fast.

: I honestly think that the Book is the least attractive option of the three right now (not to say that it’s unattractive), but I’m still going to choose it. Here are my reasons why:

: If I’m right about the Feats of Glory, then, assuming I can accomplish it against Barker, that’ll give us a little bit of extra float. On top of that, Sir Gilman no longer needs his Scale of Ores, and it’s worth a pretty penny by itself. I can survive another little while without foraging for cash or something.

: And, as much as I’d like to tutor someone, I still have that Wisdom Trace banked, just sitting in my inventory. If I were to use it, I can either read the Book and still get the Enlightenment, or I can double-down and afford two thousand EXP to either two people, or a single person, in my triumvirate.

: So, I’m going to read the Book; I’m going to sell the Scale to Ron; and, I won’t use the Wisdom Trace now, but I’ll use it immediately after my Rite against Barker. I’d effectively be killing three birds with one stone.




: Your deepening knowledge of the Book of Rites is not nearly enough. Aspects of it still elude you. Through greater understanding comes the Reader’s Influence.



: As a side effect, buffing my Glory will also buff my Fire Slug, so that’s nice.

: What have you come to understand of the Book…? Can you recite its pages yet by heart…? Have you internalized its teachings…? In its lack of limits, you experience yours. Inpiration comes to you in a flash; whether from the Book or from within, you cannot tell.




: It’s been a very long time since we’ve played against Barker. Let’s not keep him waiting too long, now.




Gfy

: Stop the wagon. Now.

: The blackwagon has shuddered to a stop en route to the Ridge of Gol. There is some commotion as Volfred motions for everyone to be still.

: There, ahead. It seems we have a visitor.

: He points into the distance. However, when you scan the horizon, everything is still. You see no sign of whomever Volfred referred to. Still, he indicates caution.

: I am certain that I saw someone. Directly in the road.

: I mean, if he were directly on the road, there wouldn’t be a lot of places for him to hide or blend in.

: A tense moment passes… then, another. Then, Volfred tenses up.

: …There he is. Look there.

: You look toward where he signals, and then, at last, you see the cause of his concern. There is no mistaking who it is.



: He stands directly on the path of your blackwagon.

: So, then, how did we miss him for a solid minute? Too much time reading books, I guess.

: Yet, he shows no sign of acknowledging the wagon’s presence. He appears only to be waiting, for something. Likely for you all.

: Volfred gets your attention. Quietly.

: Well, my boy, I’m open to suggestions here. Oralech likely hasn’t come to pay a social visit.



: Well, turning around is definitely not an option. If he is trying to intimidate us, we need to show that it won’t work. Also, we’re here to play a game of Sportsball, and we can’t allow Oralech to get between us and our destiny.

: Pressing forward also doesn’t seem like the best option either, though. It could be a trap. Remember what happened to Tamitha that one time?

: Hailing him is risky, since I doubt he’s here to talk, like Volfred said, but it’ll show that we’re not afraid of him, and it’ll tell him that we know he’s there, which, if he has a trap ready for us, might get him to reconsider trying to use it.



: There has to be a way to reason with Oralech, and bridge differences between him and his former triumvirate. Perhaps he has come to negotiate.

: That’s not what I meant at all, but I’ll roll with it.

: …I am uncertain Oralech is willing to be reasonable, at this point. After everything he has been through. Though, I am hopeful you are right.

: You give the signal for the drive-imps to start the wagon, and head toward him. But, just as you reach the point where Oralech once stood…



: …Surveying our strength, perhaps. His motives are plain, but his intentions, unclear.

: Indeed, Oralech is nowhere to be found, now. The unnerving encounter causes everyone to fall silent for the remainder of the trip.



Gfy

: Your wagon finally arrives at the Ridge of Gol, where still there is no sign of Oralech, or your next adversaries, for that matter. Your companions organize a quick search about the premises, leaving you to watch the wagon until the Rite’s commencement.

: Wait, I’m alone in the wagon? That sounds like a really bad–




: Oralech seems to be examining various objects in the wagon. Whether he has noticed you, you cannot tell. What he is doing here, and how he got in unnoticed, you cannot imagine. You watch him go about whatever he is doing, examining all sorts of things that you and your fellow exiles gathered on your journey.

: He shakes his head.

: All of these… trinkets.

: How dare we have hobbies.

: This wagon… it is most different now. Welcoming, and yet… I am unwelcome, here, it seems.

: In my own wagon.

: Nah, bud, this is the Fake Nightwing’s wagon. You keep saying you’re a different triumvirate.



: You. A mere shadow. Tell me something. Who are you, to them?



: I was willing to be amicable and receptive on the road, but now he’s gone and broken into my wagon, and now he’s trying to get me to doubt the connections I have with my comrades in the Nightwings.

: The one thing that hasn’t changed since our meeting on the road is that I refuse to allow myself to be intimidated by him.



: You hold Oralech’s stone gaze as best as you can, but remain silent. Thus does his question fall into the past, unanswered.

: An idiot, perhaps. No matter.

: I’ll remember you called me that.

: I doubt, however, that the Nightwings would have taken you for sympathy alone.

: Relay to them a message for me, shadow.



: He strides right past you, toward the door. But then he turns to you again, once more…

: I shall have my night.

: I’ll see you there.

: Then, Oralech is gone.



: However, none of them saw Oralech.

: I believe you, my boy. Oralech, he… he is unwell. It is good you did not come to harm. Now, let’s make sure the same can be said of the wagon.

: You and the others conduct an exhaustive search in and around the blackwagon, for any signs of objects missing or tampered with, as well as signs of damage or foul play.

: The search yields nothing. No one finds any sign that anything was moved, or tampered with. Even the drive-imps seem calm. The incident leaves you questioning your own recollection of what happened. You try to clear your mind, for the Rite is soon now to commence.



: I’ll give Oralech some credit: despite his size and his inherent demon-ness, the guy is apparently pretty quiet on his feet.

: The best way to calm down from an encounter like that, while simultaneously changing our focus to the Rite, is to read the good Book. Surely Ores and his colourful way with words will provide some relief.


Gfy




: Okay, apparently we didn’t unlock anything from Underking Ores and we had to put up with Soliam Murr’s terse and stuffy way of putting things.

: Ron, throw me a bone here.



: TALKS LIKE THIS A LOT, know what I mean? Hope he found that awner thing he’s always going on about, we don’t got that in stock just now.



: Hah, thanks, Ron.

: Ron has a brand new Talisman up for grabs, called the Typhoon Bottle.



: This is a pretty sweet Talisman. If I remember correctly, one of us has this as a third-level perk – Volfred, I think. As the Rites get harder and harder, it’s more and more likely that my earlier strategy of ‘just don’t get banished’ gets less applicable.

: However, this Talisman is prohibitively expensive, and on top of that… I’m running out of people I could put it on. My current strategies rely on the Talismans that my remaining companions are wearing right now. Like, I’m certainly not going to put this on Bertrude, and I’d still consider the Flame Slug to be more valuable than the Typhoon Bottle. I guess I could put it on Volfred, maybe?

: Well, that aside, it’s time for phase two of my three-phase plan to getting the most out of my resources.




: I could sell the Bottled Void to put me over if I really wanted to buy this bottle, but it’s not a big deal for me. I think this concludes my stop here at the Slugmarket.



: You’re a good guy, Ron.



: It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen Barker at all! Let’s see what’s been happening with him lately. There are lots of monuments for him to desecrate in the Downside; I wonder if he’s got any exciting stories to tell.

: Once more you have returned to the Ridge of Gol, and your companions stand ready beneath a still night sky, awaiting the commencement of the Rites. You overhear some of their words to one another as you await the signal in the stars.

: We predict that woe shall soon befall the Dissidents.

: (Ti’zo is trying to get Bertrude to look up at the stars.)

: Just then, you observe a glint of starlight that begins to shine above, and your companions soon fall silent.



: There they all are. All twelve Titan Stars.



: Honestly, this doesn’t sound like too damning a buff to give my opponents. It’s rare for me to approach my opponent if they’re grasping the Orb at all anymore. Of course, a buff is still a buff, and it’ll definitely work against me against opponents with larger Auras, like demons.

: There won’t be any Titan Stars to reveal after this. There are twelve Titans, and twelve stars. This is the complete roster.

: It’s good that I get the last Titan Star against Barker. I feel comfortable enough against an all-cur team to turn all twelve on against him.



: You also get an achievement if you prevail in any Rite with all twelve active, if achievements are your thing.



: Smell that, mates?! Looks like we’re gonna have to take this one a little serious this time!

: That’s right! ‘Cause they ain’t got Greentail clogging up their ranks no more! He’s back home now with his dear old mum, where he belongs!

: That’s… a nice thing to say?

: Right time you Nightwings dumped that deadbeat! Gotta have some standards, after all! Just the same, we’re gonna stomp you to the ground!! GET READY!!



: Whoa. That’s… not an okay amount of Presence for a cur.



: Alright! It’s finally time for our rematch against Barker and the Dissidents.

: Who do we want to bring in for this match? You can choose any remaining three companions in our triumvirate. Our options are Mae, Ti’zo, Pamitha, Volfred, and Bertrude.

: Lemme know in the next twenty-four hours, and we’ll see how we stack up against the supercharged Dissidents!