Part 54: It Is Done

: It Is Done



: Your mind is made up. You have chosen to be free, yourself.

: …I see, and understand. Then… it is done.

: Volfred looks to you, this one last time, his heart filled with unspoken understanding. You turn then to The Lone Minstrel for an instant, but another instant later…





Godspeed, Reader.

By the Scribes….

No stars remain aloft.

The cycle of the Rites… it is finished.

The Commonwealth… what shall become of it….

What shall become of us?

Nightwings… the opportunity to gain your freedom from the Downside…

…was it not enough?





He found the Commonwealth in great upheaval.

Spurred by the efforts of six liberated exiles, Volfred Sandalwood’s revolutionary Plan had incited the masses.

These exiles, and the starless sky, portended the return of the Scribes.

The people surged into the streets, shoulder to shoulder. Led by the exiles, their voices shook the heavens.

The leadership of the Commonwealth panicked.



The new Sahrian Union declared it sovereignty in the next year.

Among the changes its elected leaders ushered in, they vowed never to cast their people into exile. And, they abolished the old Commonwealth decree forbidding literacy.




: In this screen, we can choose all of the characters seen here, and we’ll learn what’s become of them since the Commonwealth’s upheaval and transformation into the Sahrian Union. I’ll be going through and transcribing each character, in order of appearance.




: Music: Surviving Exile

Her horns and stern countenance inspired the people to believe that she was Soliam Murr, reborn. She became a great if reluctant leader.

In the uncertain times that followed, Jodariel’s seasoned expertise often came into play both in matter of security and of state. For instance, she conscripted and trained a team of volunteers in public safety. The community did not know what to make of such a cordial bunch, at first, but soon came to value their service. They have stood for the people ever since, and we celebrate their founding day each year.

She remained close with Hedwyn all through this experience, and they supported each other through their struggles many, many times. She kept an eye on Mae, who, nonetheless, demonstrated a surprising knack to get by on her own. Though, Jodariel was always willing to provide assistance, just in case.

She continued training on her own, a regimen that grew stricter with each passing year. There were those who sought to train with her, and she sometimes obliged.





: Music: Surviving Exile

It was everything he could have hoped for, and, soon, he was well-off, surrounded by luxury, and choosing between various exciting opportunities. However, he must have given in to his better judgment, as he did end up siding with Volfred Sandalwood’s revolutionary forces, as he promised.

On the night of Scribe’s Return, Greentail was there with the others, inspiring the masses. He never looked prouder – the very image of Jomuer Many-Mane, himself.

When dawn finally came, and it became clear that the Commonwealth that everybody knew would be no more, he realized many new opportunities awaited. He began quite a lucrative career for himself, manufacturing and selling replica merchandise inspired by the Downside. His main struggle was to meet demand. An aspect of his conscience cautioned him against making light of such a thing. But, the money was too good, and soon, his family was as well-off as he always said.

One of his orders of business was to seek out one of his old companions, Pamitha Theyn, to whom he took a liking during their quest for freedom. They bonded further over love of drink, and supported one another through uncertain times that lay in store. He also kept in close touch with Gilman, ever the perfect practice-partner. They would train together often, taking care to stay in tip-top shape as much as possible throughout the years.

Greentail always did his best to keep in touch with all his many friends, and knew that he owed his fortunes to them. He made a special point of staying close with the group of friends he came to know so well during his time with the Nightwings, wherever they were.





: Music: Surviving Exile

The peaceful outcome of the Scribe’s Return was attributed to several key factors. One of them was the underlying ambition of the Plan itself. Another was Hedwyn’s visibility among the people in the streets. Identified to be a liberated exile, he was believed to be Gol Golathanian, reborn.

More importantly, however, was that one of the winged Harps of the Highwing Remnants accompanied him. She was later identified as Fikani Shang. Their bond was symbolic of what was at stake that night, and proved vital to the peace that followed.

In all his days as a leader in the Sahrian Union, Hedwyn oft confided in his friend, Jodariel. Despite her intense manner, there was no one whom he trusted more in times when circumspection was required.

Hedwyn would often think back about the vow he made at the beginning of his quest for freedom. Although he cherished all the friendships he made, he had pledged to Jodariel, Rukey Greentail, and the Reader of the Nightwings that they might all be free again, together. His promise had come to pass, though he always knew that this was not his own doing. He was always deeply grateful to the other three, his closest friends.





: Music: Path To Glory

He would sit through night after consecutive night, staring into the blackness of the sky, awaiting any kind of sign that he might gain another chance at freedom.

No such sign ever came.

His fellow Accusers started to express concern for him. Survival had become their top priority once liberty had slipped from their grasp. But Lendel dismissed them as weak fools. He insisted, rather forcefully, that any evening now, the stars would shine for him again, and mark the way toward his inevitable freedom.

He was, of course, mistaken.

The others in his triumvirate were left with little choice but to abandon him…. After that, the exile known as Lendel the Liar was never seen again.





: Music: Moon Touched

She felt uneasy about it, and, besides, she knew that she would do her best to fulfill the pledge she had made to her friends. Even she could not have expected the impact she would have on the events that followed, which gave rise to our Sahrian Union. Despite not fitting the image of any of the Eight Scribes, Mae nonetheless stood out alongside the others, amid the teeming masses on the night of Scribe’s Return. She spoke of the Scribes with such conviction and sincerity, that the crowd was very moved.

After the fall of the Commonwealth, there was a renewed interest in the legend of the Eight Scribes, and many new interpretations of their histories and teachings. Mae found herself at the center of all this. Her way of speaking continued to compel a growing audience. She sways many people from their Astralist beliefs. Soon, the Eighth Word, which had lost favor with the people during the reign of the Commonwealth, sought her out, and asked her formally to join. And she did, right away.

Through it all, she would wonder how her little friend Ti’zo had fared. While they were divided now by a great distance, he always remained in her heart. She cited her relationship with Jodariel as the single most important in her life. Jodariel would always provide for her a circumspect perspective, and the wisdom of experience. Whenever she felt genuine doubt, which was not very often, she sought out the Reader of the Nightwings. If there was anyone whom she trusted as much as the Scribes, it was him. Mae always was decoted to her faith, but more so, to her friends.





: Music: Dirty Deal

Yet, as is sometimes the case with those of an entrepreneurial leaning, this time of hardship led to an epiphany… or, at least, a sudden change in fortune.

One day, Falcon Ron had a run-in with a messenger-imp bearing news from the other side. Ron gave to it one of his remaining trinkets which could not be sold. The following week, the messenger-imp returned to him bearing a tidy sum of wealth, in newly-minted coinage from the Sahrian Union. Falcon Ron cut a long-term deal with the messenger-imp, then and there.

Though his trade remained a grey area from a legal standpoint in the Sahrian Union, the newfound fame of the Downside caused Falcon Ron’s goods to explode in popularity. He later signed an elaborate agreement with Big Bertrude’s, and found a distribution partner on the other side through Rukey Greentail, whose own business had expanded.





: Music: Glorious Tradition

Thus, they and the exiles of the Fate returned to Jomuer Valley. There, they struggled to get by, as exiles of the Downside tend to do.

Sometime after the Rites had ended, the Oldhearts at last heard the news that the Commonwealth had fallen. This was well after the fact, of course, but it brought old Dalbert great joy. Despite his forthright manner, he had no love for the nation that cast him down, along with his son. Dalbert Oldheart passed peacefully in his sleep before the next new moon.

In his final days, he implored his son to undertake a pilgrimage to the Scribes. Almer never shared his father’s view of the Scribes, but respected Dalbert’s wishes. And so, after a period of mourning, Almer began a new journey. Not a day went by that Almer Oldheart did not think about his father, and give thanks to him, and speak to him, at morning and at night.





: Music: Flutter Fly

The Lone Minstrel asked that he watch over the blackwagon, which the Nightwings had used extensively for travel and for shelter all throughout their quest. Ti’zo obliged, for he knew that wagon, as well as its drive-imp inhabitants, perhaps better than anyone. What became of the wagon, exactly, was never verified, as evidence of Ti’zo’s thorough work.

After that, he liked to while away his days with any of his friends, or else with fellow imps. Sandalwood sometimes called for his assistance, and Ti’zo was always happy to oblige.

The two would often reminisce about their times with The Lone Minstrel. Ti’zo often missed his interactions with the Reader of the Nightwings. They had quickly built quite a rapport back in the Downside. Indeed, Ti’zo would often express wistful gratitude for all his time with the Nightwings, and their many adventures throughout the land that was always his home.

Other than that, Ti’zo would sometimes help interpret for messenger-imps relaying news to and from the Sahrian Union. Despite having gained significant celebrity abroad, he never let it go to his head.





: Music: The Herald

Their parting was heartfelt, but brief.

He remained there, at the summit of Mount Alodiel, with Celeste, where the two of them would chronicle the final outcome of the cycle. Neither Tariq nor Celeste were ever seen again.

We know all this now through song attributed to them. Some claim these songs originated in the taverns of the Sahrian Union, and merely were imbued with weight of folklore. However, exiles liberated from the Downside corroborated each other’s claims at having met this duo that presided over the Liberation Rites.

Another folktale suggests these minstrels were heralds of the Scribes. Having fulfilled their obligations, they departed the world we know, and rejoined their patrons. One of their famous songs describes another, simpler outcome: that the two gave up their duties to the Rites in favor of a life that they could share together.





: Music: Thrash Pack

He soon grew very bored. The Rites had given his life a certain sense of structure he had always needed. He missed the raw anticipation of it all. He decided to continue conducting the Rites, for the thrill of it. He bent some of the rules, and replaced some of the objects, but it was close enough.

His pack-mates, the Dissidents, proved more than happy to participate, and thus they ran against each other back in Jomuer Valley. Gradually, other exiles familiar with the Rites, as well as those who had not heard of it at all, started to take an interest. They ended up giving Barker Ashpaws some healthy competition.

His old feud with Rukey Greentail ceased meaning anything to him, and he forgot all about it amid his new pursuits. Ultimately, even Barker Ashpaws, who had led such a directionless existence to that point, found something of a calling through the Rites.





: Music: Forbidden Knowledge

Some accounts suggest that the exiles of the Nightwings, who remained in the Downside, continued to make use of the blackwagon as their place of shelter, and their means of travel. However, there is no record of what happened to the wagon’s contents, such as the Book of Rites, or the Beyonder Crystal, said to be haunted by the apparition Sandra the Unseeing.

One possibility is that, when The Lone Minstrel took his leave, he took the Beyonder Crystal with him, for he was thus obliged. By this line of reasoning, however, the blackwagon itself should have been taken, also. Others remain sceptical that the Beyonder Crystal ever existed, or, rather, that the visions it granted were anything other than the result of an active imagination or a fever dream.

The bog-dwellers of the Southern Bogs offer still another explanation, for they are familiar with binding enchantments. If there existed such an object, in which the Sisters of the Arch had been expelled for more than 800 years, then the enchantment could have expired along with the light of the stars. What this would have meant for Sandra and the Beyonders is difficult to say for certain, other than, it may have meant that they were finally released.

Nevertheless, the fates of Sandra and the Beyonder Crystal remain unknown.





: Sandra has appeared before you… as well you can see.

: They are so far from the mark with all this nonsense, I am wont to laugh. In fact, here goes.

: She laughs. She is referring to the account of her. You sense she does not care for it.

: Well, let them gossip all they like. I merely wish that they would mention you at least in passing, when next they are at it. Though, they shall never know even the half of it, shall they?



: If you were to ask me, it’s probably for the best that nobody knows that I stole the Beyonder Crystal, and that I still have it. Also, it’s cute that, according to her, she’s mostly upset that I didn’t get any mention in her own where-are-they-now segment.

: Hell, if she really wants, we could go about spreading rumours ourselves. Muddy up the stories a bit, and get everyone confused as to what’s real and what’s not.



: You indicate to Sandra that the real truth of what happened between you would, perhaps, make too lascivious a tale to be told in such a format. She makes a bemused sound at this.

: Perhaps that story ought to get out, then. To think that they would go to all the trouble to make literacy accepted once again, only to print such drivel. Anyway, let us keep going, lovely Reader. We know the truth of it, that is what matters.

: She fades into the Beyonder Crystal, for now, and you tuck it away, safe.



: Music: Dread Design

Then, even her fellow exiles of the Withdrawn allegedly grew unnerved after a time, and left her to her vile work. Sometime later, the Pit of Milithe erupted into flame. So intense was the conflagration that it could be seen all the way from Jomuer Valley. Arson was suspected, though the cause was never verified, and many bog-dwellers in the region were forced to flee. A tempest blowing from the north finally quenched the flames.

When at last the ashes settled, and the grounds had cooled, the site of the fire was scarred beyond recognition. No trace of Witch Udmildhe could be found. As for the contents of the Pite of Milithe, which, notably, included a profane object thought to be the remains of Yslach, all of it was gone, as well.





: Music: Snake Soul

She had found a suitable environment to live, within the dismal region known as Flagging Hands. There, she had built up a thriving place of business known to many exiles in the land.

With the Rites having ended, she returned to her preoccupations, working away, almost as though nothing had happened. When one gets to be more than 400 years of age, perhaps then even monumental events such as the culmination of the Rites, or the collapse of the Commonwealth, are seen as trifling matters.

Much of her effort was doubtless due to the influence of Sandalwood, someone whom she had admired now for decades. He had made clear that he could not requite her feelings for him. But, what could have been a hurtful dismissal led only to a deeper understanding between them.

By and large, Bertrude kept focused on her work. Whether casting small enchantments or imbuing Talismans, the work brought her a sense of purpose, she would say. In the Commonwealth, such services were strictly forbidden. But in the Downside, there was a real need for simple luxuries, which the competing Slugmarket could not always provide.





: Music: Quest For Honor

Gilman relinquished his knighthood, and declined an opportunity to serve as captain on the Bloodborder. He was not interested in fighting any longer. Yet, as is sometimes the case with those such as he, a circumstance soon came about in which there came a need for him to once again make use of his military training.

Thankfully, however, the Scribe’s Return ended peaceably. Gilman was on edge throughout that night, expecting violence to erupt at any moment. But, the moment never came.

When the matter was at last put to rest, then Gilman truly knew his time as a knight had ended. He declared to all those in earshot that he would never fight again. Unless, of course, there arose some other extraordinary set of circumstance, again requiring him to fight, but he certainly hoped not. He still trained regularly, just in case, especially with his fleet-footed friend, Rukey Greentail.

He was always grateful for the counsel of the Reader, and would regale him, over and over, about the time they squashed the spawn of Unfathomed Plurnes. By that point, he had long forgotten about his days under the leadership of Sir Deluge, his former commander. Breaking free of his abusive leadership was his first step toward gaining a bit of self-respect.

Gilman never did return to his homeland of the Sea-Dominion, and was content to lead a monastic life on a small residence in the hills. It was just high up enough to make him keep striving to conquer his fear of heights. Other than that, an intense daily training regimen, and the occasional visit from an old companion, was more than enough to keep him optimistic and engaged.





: Music: Knights of the Sea

He had escaped the war-torn waters of the Sea-Dominion. He had escaped the Bloodborder of the Commonwealth. And now, he had escaped the Rites. After the Rites had ended, many exiles wrapped up in the ancient test were crestfallen, as their last chances to return to their homes vanished, along with the stars above. But Deluge did not mind. For this outcome meant that, at last, there was no burden of responsibility weighing down on him.

While most of his fellow exiles of the Pyrehearts yet longed for the waters of the Sea-Dominion, driven as ever by their impulses toward conflict, Deluge settled down. With him remained one of his companions, one Lady Seagrass, who had taken a liking to him, for some reason.





: Music: Sky Dance

When she realized the Rites had ended, and that she would never see her mountain home again, she nonetheless remained determined to aid her people however possible. She had gathered certain information pertaining to the intentions of the Nightwings, who had formed a pact to regroup on the other side, after their liberation. Other such reports exposed certain weaknesses in the Commonwealth defenses, and revealed to the Highwing Remnants the opportunity for a risky but potentially impactful strike.

As Tamitha could not participate in the assault, she learned what happened well after the outcome. On that night, known as the Scribe’s Return, the Commonwealth had fallen. The Highwing Remnants thus prevailed, at last, without even having to fight.

Soon after the fall of the Commonwealth, Tamitha learned her blood-sister, Pamitha, was an accessory to the successful outcome. Tamitha was very sceptical of this. But, as similar reports kept mounting, she soon accepted the prevailing opinion, however grudgingly. Once, a messenger-imp arrived bearing some sort of message, seemingly from Pamitha. However, Tamitha turned it away. She would not give in to an impulse to forgive.

Knowing that the conflict on the other side had ended, Tamitha retreated to the crags of Black Basin, and grew ever more distant.





: Music: Talon Sheath

Having once betrayed her people of the Highwing Remnants, she knew that she would not be welcome in her native home. She did not trust the Commonwealth, either. Instead, she found her place among Volfred Sandalwood’s agents, who were busy doing their part to fulfill the Plan.

As it turned out, the Plan was a success. Pamitha Theyn stood shoulder to shoulder with her other fellow former-exiles, and, truly, they were a sight to behold. A disturbing rumor later spread that, that night, the Highwing Remnants were slated to mount an assault, which, for some reason, never came to pass. Pamitha denied any knowledge or involvement.

Afterward, Pamitha played an active part in negotiating terms between the Highwing Remnants and the new nation that would become our Sahrian Union. Her previous attempt at something of the sort led to her exile. She must have felt some satisfaction to succeed, this time around.

Sometime later, Pamitha had an unexpected run-in with Rukey Greentail, with whom she had spent a fair amount of time while traveling with the Nightwings. Under these new set of circumstances, it turned out the two had more to talk about, and rather more in common. They would often put to test which one was able to out-drink the other. It is unclear as to which one of them prevailed in that contest, in the end.

One day, Pamitha received an invitation to return to the Highwing Remnants, where she was to be fully pardoned. She held out a hope that she might see her blood-sister, Tamitha, there, knowing full well that Tamitha did not regain her freedom.

Tamitha did later learn that Pamitha was welcomed back by their people. However, she never responded to her blood-sister’s attempts to contact her. Pamitha, in turn, did not expect forgiveness from her at any point. Nonetheless, she kept on trying to reach out, she said, to “ruffle up her feathers just a bit.”

Later, when asked, Pamitha Theyn admitted she felt as though she had no home to call her own. This was during an interview conducted amid an extensive trip abroad, for she had traveled thousands of leagues beyond the bounds of the Sahrian Union.





: Music: Certain Plan

He aspired to assemble with liberated exiles representing each of the eight largest ethnic groups composing the population of the Commonwealth. They would stand together as a vision of the Eight Scribes returned, inspiring the masses to embrace an older set of values, from before the Commonwealth had tightened its grip. With the Rites ending sooner than expected, this ideal scenario became impossible. Sandalwood’s own freedom, for instance, was now forfeit. Yet, the Plan did have contingencies.

Fortunately, most of those contingencies did not prove necessary.

Word reached him that, on the night of Scribe’s Return, his fellow liberated Nightwings stood together, and, their voice echoed through the streets. These former exiles, who ought have disappeared into the ranks of the Commonwealth’s own leadership, now stood united with its people, who poured from their homes in solidarity. It was imperative to Sandalwood that this stand against the Commonwealth be peaceful in its nature. An overwhelming show of popular support would be more than enough.

Ensuring this was his priority, and, in the end, the result was self-evident: The Plan’s goal had been achieved.

Sandalwood kept busy after that, as much as possible, providing counsel from afar to those who would be at the forefront of the birth of the Sahrian Union. Of course, being stranded in the Downside meant that there was only so much he could do. Resting assured that the future of the nation was in capable hands, he turned his attention to the remaining exiles of the Downside. They might never return to that new nation, but, at least, they could experience its triumphs and its struggle in some vicarious way. So, he took to his old work: writing, and printing.

As literacy began to spread again throughout the Sahrian Union, so, too, did exiles of the Downside take to it. For his part, Sandalwood helped to teach as many as he could. More than that, he provided the material to read, a semi-annual report about the latest events both in the Sahrian Union and the Downside. This periodical gave many exiles something to look forward to.

One of his allies in all this was the imp, Ti’zo, with whom he traveled all across the Downside. Sandalwood often cited Ti’zo as the wellspring of his own enthusiasm for a brighter future, such was the creature’s spirit. He enjoyed exchanging letters with the Reader of the Nightwings, who kept him well abreast of how their other comrades, and the fledgling nation, fared.

As Volfred Sandalwood gained more fame throughout this land for all his sacrifices and his contributions, it is said that he remained steadfast about two things. The first was that the cause itself ought to remain in focus. The freedom that the people had achieved… it was a gift to be cherished, a set of values that needed to be nurtured.

The second point her made was that he himself had little to do with the outcome. He would often praise the exiles of the Nightwings who had stood with him, each in turn, by name. He never forgot any of them.

One day, to commemorate his birthday, the people of the Sahrian Union unveiled a monument depicting him and the Nightwings as imagined in their prime. While Sandalwood did not learn of it until much later, it is said that he was moved to tears, then, by the gesture.





: Music: Grand Ceremony

He cursed the Scribes, spewing forth such a slew of blasphemy as to be very unbecoming one of his high status and bearing. When at last he calmed himself, he focused all his energies on attempting to find another means of homecoming.

He maintained regular contact with his wealthy family on the other side via messenger-imp, and used their vast resources to explore other means of escape. He tried using an elaborate pulley-system; he attempted to retrofit a flying blackwagon with superior propulsion; he tried an imp-raft; a hot-air balloon; even prayer….

Nothing worked. There was only one way to escape the Downside, and now, it was gone.

Tinderstauf bankrupted his family in these vain attempts. At last, such was his shame that he retreated to the teeming woods of Black Basin, to Cinderroot.





: Music: Rage Of Demons

But first, he and the Tempers decided to celebrate, and that they did, for many, many nights. The revelry did eventually subside. The exiles parted amicably, and went their separate ways. He roamed the Downside, then, searching for some meaning in his life… sometimes taking odd jobs requiring his brute strength.

He never remained alone for very long, and took on many lovers in his time. However, he sometimes thought about the one he had called Curly-Horns, and what became of her.





: Music: Will Of The Scribes

He then turned to the Fall of Soliam, and looked up toward the black, starless sky. He cursed the Eight Scribes, then, one after the other. After that, he strode forward, towards the waters coursing from the side of Mount Alodiel, and, without hesitating, he cast himself down.

Oralech’s body was never recovered. The drop from Mount Alodiel does not appear survivable, though Oralech did survive it, once. That time, however, he was filled with fury… such was the betrayal he had suffered when his fellow exile claimed his rightful freedom. This time, Oralech was filled with nothingness, and chose to leave the Downside in the one way he still knew he could.





However, some accounts of him begin to paint a picture.

We know he was of common birth. Raised parentless, a product of the foul work on the Bloodborder.

The journey to the Downside left him close to death.

It was then that the Nightwings found him. They brought him from the brink; he showed them the path.

He pressed onward with the others. He had made a vow to help his friends be free.

Thus did the cycle of the Rites commence its final turns.

When the final Rite arrived, the Reader’s freedom was at stake.

That freedom he, indeed, achieved, ere the morning’s light.

From that point on, accounts of him diverge. It is said the Voice, which troubled him, he never heard again. Some say he helped to form our Sahrian Union. Though, whether that is true, only he knows.



: Credits



: Thus ends my Let’s Play of Supergiant Games’ Pyre.



: I might be taking all the credit, but it was your decisions that brought us to this point; that ensured the success of the Plan and brought about the dawn of a new age within the Commonwealth.



: I had asked you to make all the decisions for me, from the start. Not all of them were easy. You understood that not always what you wanted coincides with what must be done. Not everybody could get the ending that they truly wanted.



: But, in the end, we had established a brighter future for the children of our Sahrian Union. Literacy is no longer illegal. The Downside will never again be used as a means of punishment. The people are finally free to be where they want; to do what they want; to love who they want.



: Thank you for reading, and for participating. I couldn’t have done it without you.