Part 3: Cave of Noob

Cave of Noob

Before we start on the meat of this update, let me trigger a little scene that I forgot earlier.

You can use the striking stone next to Caris' house and trigger a scene with her.

"It's a striking stone which I used often for good practice. How about a try?"

Yeah, sure.

"Guess it won't do any good by just staring at it all day long. Better practice!"

"Huh! Ha! Haaah!"



"Ah!?"



"Just stopped by. I knew it was you by the sound of the strike."

"Just by the sound?"

"That's easy. You always start with 3 fast strokes."

"Ah~ Am I that predictable?"

"Well, I still prefer this way when I got so many things to worry about."

"You got that right! Just look at these marks, you surely have good potential to go berserk..."

"....Looks like you are right."

"Well... I gotta go to finish my errands, why don't you clean these up before you leave?"

Att 7>>>9

Don't be fooled by her being nice, she'll show her true face soon enough.

Speaking of...


"Actually, there is something I need to ask you for favor."

Ryle explained the situation

"I see...that's what happened to the Southern Cray City."

"...Cause that, I can't go alone this time."

"I got ONE condition."

"What is it?"

"If I want to quit at some point, you gonna let me?"

You're not a very good friend, Caris.

"Fine with me. I'll go find someone else over there in case you leave."

"Alrighty- Not that hard headed than I thought."

"In return...I want THIS & that. Oh I also want THAT & on & on..."

"(She was definitly NOT a right choice!)"

Ryle is talking to you, thread.

Well, since Caris is now in our party let's check her out.

She's two levels below Ryle and therefore weaker, but that won't stay for long.


She starts with a fire ball and one special skill. Skills that cost zero Mps can not be used by the player, they have to be triggered by the world. They are basically an event switch. Her skill will get used in the first dungeon, so I'll explain it then.

The other girls also have a short reaction to whichever girl you choose to come with you. First Orubia.

"Sis Caris! You too leaving with Ryle? Good luck you two."

"Sis" is another verbal thing that Orubia does. I think it's the "chan" term that Japanese people use?

"You can count on me! Totally~ Right Ryle?"

PUNCH



Take that as a hint for the things that will come...

Let's see what Latyss has to say.

"!?"

"Hi Latyss-"

"....."

"Poker face as usual..."

Why don't you care, Latyss? WHY?

Whatever! Let's do our quest. Though, on the way I grind a level for Caris and also equip her with better armor. She learned a single target heal skill from that level, but using a potion heals more HP. So it's pretty useless!


Finally some dungeoneering.



"I know, it looks like the place might collapse any time~"

"Umm..what are we supposed to do here?"

"Something's written on the floor..."



"I guess we have to split up from here."

"You gonna owe me big time from now on, I can just tell!"

"I'll head south. Caris, you try north."

"What if I just want to quite in the middle of way?"

Please don't

"Waa? Man, you are so pathetic..."

"Didn't we have an agreement? That I can quit whenever I want!"

Welp, she has a point there. But no fear, she won't ditch us. Also I don't really get why she has the trait of being lazy. Isn't she supposed to be an energetic fighter-girl that likes fighting? Ah well, better not dwell too deep on the characters.

"Use this Insect Flute. If I end up at dead end, I'll blow it. Then you get going. And when you want to leave, just blow the flute, I'll be right back to you!"

Why does Ryle have a flute in the first place? Nobody knows!


Well, since this is the first dungeon it's also pretty easy and I'm going to abbreviate a lot of it. It's really not that interesting. Though I should point out that you can't use the menu to save while in a dungeon. You have to use savepoints, just like the one that I'm standing next to!

The main task in here is just walking along, since this is no maze and really straightforward.

Also you fight trash mobs on the way.

Spiders have a bit more HP than the enemies before, and can wait a turn to buff their next attack. Ryle craps all over them though.

There are also bats in here.

They pose no challenge at all, and are only mildly annoying due to their high dodge rate.

After a bit of walking, Ryle finds his first treasure.

There will be trapped chest later, but this one is fine and yields five potions.

The next chest isn't far away either.





This is a pretty nice sword for so early in the game. It also massively outclasses the crappy Slime Sword!

After a few more steps, Ryle perks up.

"Damn- ! I already walked for long time, but where is pass?!"



"Now it's falling any time! Arg...~"

The game also exaggerates this with a wacky sound bite. Rocks falling on Ryle's head will be a common source of comedy in this game.

But Ryle's path eventually comes to an end.


"Ack! A DEAD END!?"

"Hmm? A switch?"

Better press that...


"Wow! What was that? Something moved when I stepped on the switch!"

"Now I get it! One person turns on the switch here and the other one is supposed to get the pass!"

You really had to figure this out? I mean, really? Also don't think too hard about why somebody stole the passes and placed them in here, or if anything makes any sense at all!

"Ok! Better let her know now! Let me use the flute."

"The Insect Flute! So it's my turn!"

Caris faces the same enemies and has no problems with them. Though her bat encounters contain three instead of two.

Her path is as equally straight as Ryle's was.

This chest contains three Jellos, and is very close to the entrance.

Along the way, she finds something unusual in the floor.


"Well, I can just jump over it! Maybe too big for Orubia to cross."

Why are you randomly dissing your friends?

She takes a few steps back and just jumps the gap. I wanted to snag a Gif of it, but it became unusually large and looked shitty due to the screen scrolling. So just imagine it!

Of course, there is more than one pit.


"Whew~ That was CLOSE! What an old building! Just imagine if I fell down there..."

I like that thought.

Remember that special skill she has?


"How annoying~ Wanna fight? Hidden Crash- !!



"They're just too weak after all."

This skill allows her to instantly defeat scripted monster ambushes. There are a few in here and in later parts of the game. They are no different from the random battles, but it's nice to save some time. Latyss, on the other hand, has to fight those battles and this dungeon is overall a tad harder with her.

Just a few steps later...

"Whaa? The ceiling is falling!"




But Caris is quick enough to dodge the rock.

"Whew! That was close one~ I wonder how Ryle is doing now?"

I guess his head is starting to swell up by now?

Finally, Caris also reaches the end.

Kinda weird that you can't see Ryle here.

She just has to cross the bridge...


"It looks so obvious! A TRAP!"

"Daaah! What's THIS?"


BATS!

"You're SO persistant you know! Chasing after a pretty girl like me, perverted monsters...~"

"You gonna pay for this!"

This fight is more annoying than difficult. Most of the bats go before her, and so I have to sit through them doing their piddly 1 damage attacks.

Since Caris still needs two strikes for killing one bat, let's up the ante.



Doing it like this would still take some time, but luckily I don't have to. Cause after a few rounds an event gets triggered.

"My beautiful hair*frown* Now you've done it! You must pay for it- !!"

"Let me see... I can use THAT move!"

Ah, yes. THAT move, of course!

"Maybe not as perfect as daddy's! Magic Sword... HEAT RAY- !!




And she just kills them all! Jfyi, Latyss will also learn a multi target spell here. And since I never did that part without her, I don't know if she will still have it later.

"....WOW! I did it!!"

"How talented Lady Caris! Hee Hee*smile*"


oh god shut up

The fight also spits out one VP, confirming my theory that boss battles give points regardless of battle count.

"I found it! So this is the pass!! Oh! So many passes! Maybe I can just...."

"What the...they are made of copper! I can't even sell'em *frown* Totally worthless~"

That's our Caris!

"Uh forget it! I'm gonna just take 2! Would Ryle happy about that?"

Possibly?!

Att 9>>>12






I'm showing both of these to make a point. See, in the olden days of RPG maker, the scripting and switch range was a tad limited. So the makers often had to include items that act as switches. This also means that my inventory will get cluttered with worthless items that I can't get rid of.

Also, Latyss has a neat splash picture when she picks up these things.

I'm just showing this because I know about it.

Well, since we're done, Caris can make her way back to the entrance. And I actually have to walk back and fight more randoms on the way. A transition would have been nice!

At the entrance, Caris uses the flute.

"That sound is from the flute. She already got the pass? Hope she's not messing with me."



"A true gentleman never let a lady wait."

"Hey! I ran as fast as I could!"

"Just kidding! Quicker than I expected!"

"Darn it!"

So, we're done here and can go to the south. We don't even have to talk to the elder, or bring back the box. Cause who gives a fuck about order, right?

Still, I quickly visit Lailai because I have enough VP for the next item.

I made them the legit way. I had two lucky bonuses which spat out four points each!




".....How is this different from...say, Slime Sword?"

"Look at the bigger size and colour~ The BEAUTIFUL lines on the blade is truly a work of art! Don't you just feel it!?"

"(He is a major nut-case alright~)"

"Don't go! I will trade my 3rd item for 15 Victory Points. Come back when you have it alright?"

It's not like I have a choice! This sword is trash and gets outclassed by the one we found in the shrine. But the next items will be better, promise!

Okay, let's head south.

I guess getting the pass also disintegrated the blocking box?


We can't enter the mine for now, so let's keep on trucking.

The south also has a new encounter.

Nope

There is nothing special about them, and I'm just showing this since Caris leveled to five after this battle. She learned a defense buff for the whole party! I probably should stop rustling up randoms before I overshoot the curve too much. Sorry, but old RPG habits die slow.

Off to Southern Cray City!


When you enter the city, some very creepy music plays and a little scene starts.


"Well considering current situation, no one dare to walk alone."

"Ryle... You think someone's behind all this? Or just series of random violence?"

"Gotta be planned by someone in advance, targeting is too specific for a random case."

"Caris, you scared?"

"I'm fine! Unlike the girls around here, I am more trained..."

So, since there are horrible murders happening, everyone stays indoors and in groups. This also means that the shops aren't open. This is the first instance where the game isn't clear on how to proceed. There is no indication for it, but you actually have to rest at the Inn to continue.


Let's do that and then end the update.



"Because of recent incidents, please stay at the same room."

"Huh? Same room?? !! DOPE!!! (I haven't even thought about this!)"

Prepare for hilarity!

"Ok, fine."

"Waa? (How come she is so CALM?)"

"Come on, let's go! Ryle!"


Ryle is rather uneasy...

"What IS wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with ME?! You should know better than I do! If Shisho(Caris' dad) finds out we spent a night together, he's gonna kill me!"

"Not only that, if you try something funny, I don't know what's gonna happen to you~"

"Go home!! I rather be attacked by that killer now than facing Shisho!"

"What did YOU say?"

"Eek! She's mad! Just like her dad!"

Not really..

"On the other hand, Ryle might be lucky today?"

"HOW?!"

"I mean you'll be able to spend a night with a pretty gal like ME *smile* With good excuse."

"(It doesn't matter, Shisho will cut me in half! I'm sure of it...)"

During that night...

"I wanna sleep now~"

"Then I'll sleep on the hallway."

"...Am I...not attractive to you?"

Careful, Ryle...

"Eh? Umm...I don't know~"

"Nyahahaha~ I was joking! But you were for real!? Ryle is P E R V E R T *smile*"



"(WHY you little!)...Anyway! I'll sleep on the hallway! Shisho will haunt me even in the dream if I ever sleep near you!"

"But if you do that, one of us might get killed! You want me to die, is that it?!"

I kinda do.

"Ahhhhhh! Then what should I do?? Either way will get me killed!"

Then Ryle just flips the fuck out..

Geeez

"Just give up and go to your bed!!"

"Nooooo- !"

During that night...one could hear a man's voice filled with utter horror from room#201...




"Sh-Shisho, it's a misunderstanding! I didn't do anything *frown* Forgive me please-"

"...I can not believe he's actually talking to daddy in the dream~ A boy scout!"

"I admit Caris is pretty, but I would not dare to do anything to her..."

"When you gonna end this nonsense! Are you listening to me?!"

"I swear to the heaven and the earth that I never..."

"Get your ass up NOW!"



"OUCH!"

See what you did to Ryle, thread?


Next time: Solving those murders!