Part 35: Buried Jinam

The only Tales game I've played was Tales of Phantasia (which I have yet to finish). Maybe I should check out ToS and TotA.

Update is uploading now. (Edit: it's done!)

35: Buried Jinam



So, here we are. Jinam is in surprisingly good shape for a city hit with a gravity-twisting superweapon, but I'm not complaining. Our first stop is the Control Lab. Maybe, after the lengthy slog that was the catacombs, the labs will be small?







The lab is almost pristine. You might think that the inhabitants had stepped out for a long lunch.



Until you find the bodies, at any rate.



In addition to an uneasy alliance of wild animals and undead, the lab is patrolled by those robots that survived the doomsday device, protecting their dead masters against a foe that no longer exists.



Atmosphere aside, this lab is boring. Two levers, no items of any interest other than what we came for here.



Which is to say, the red key. You'd think we were playing Doom.

Actually, Septerra Core might have worked pretty well as an FPS, now that I think about it.



Key in hand, our next stop is the Research Lab.







There are several of these key readers; using the red key on any of them unlocks all of the doors controlled by them.



The southwest and northeast rooms both have levers; they unlock the doors to the northwest room, which contains...



The blue key.



We've gotten here by circling around the center of the lab, skipping several empty rooms. Grabbing the key, however, causes a number of doors to close, forcing us through these rooms, and several others to open, releasing robots and wild dogs into the halls.




On the plus side, it also opens this small room near the exit, which contains an Eagle Wing - a better version of the Cat's Paw or Snake Tail. Badu gets that for a much-needed speed boost.



One lab left.







This one actually has some goodies in it besides the doomsday countermeasure. The Blast module is Runner's ultimate attack.



Blue key, meet blue door.



As we get further into the lab, we start encountering Altered Beasts. Any RISE FWOM YOUR GWAVE jokes you wish to make here are entirely appropriate; they love summoning zombies.



Another disabled robot contains Sphere, Maya's ultimate attack. That one gets equipped.






Unfortunately, it proves...not that great. Not for 20 mana. It looks nice, yeah, but when it comes to most bang for your core, the answer is always "go big or go home".



We arrive at the last door. This is where we use the Jinam Security Pass we found way back in update 23.

Man, it sure would have sucked to have forgotten it, eh?



This is bad!

Finally, we get a chance to tell this asshole what we think of his stupid curse.




First order of business, Undead Barrier. This is the first time I've used it, and will probably be the last, but right now it's amazing.




Next up, hasting everyone.



This is why Undead Barrier is awesome in this fight. Eight hitpoints of damage? I could go this entire fight without healing.




Draxx and his zombies are pretty durable. The zombies have around 500 hitpoints; Draxx has 1000 and lots of armour.



He's hurting now, though.




Araym and Maya lay into him with their normal attacks...



...and then Badu shows them how it's done. Draxx is now on his last elbows.




The party calls upon Kyra...



...who sends Draxx to his rest at last.

Fun fact: you can accomplish the same effect by stuffing healing items down his throat until he chokes on them, killing him before he gets a single action.

I wonder if the curse will go away now?



Just behind Draxx is our goal.



And Kaleb! Again!

You don't know when to give up, do you?
I won't let you get out alive!

While Kaleb is frothing with rage, the party slips out the door...



...and locks it.



Now we get to leave the same way we came. Of course, all of the enemies have respawned, and there's no shortcuts. We basically go through the catacombs again in reverse.



I will spare you that, gentle readers, and instead skip ahead to the point at which we exit the catacombs.



Lord Doskias, Kaleb has failed in his mission.
Am I surrounded by failures? Mobilize the fleet. I will take care of the situation myself.
Aye, sir.

Flight from the Catacombs - Viddler



Our sensors are picking up a large ship headed this way.
It's Doskias. Nothing can defend against that flagship!




Lobo brings the ship around and makes a run for it.



Doskias fires...



But Lobo is able to dodge.



We can't outrun the fleet, though.

Get out of the way!



Who's that?



It's Campbell!
Father!



This'll buy you some time. Now get out of here!
No!



I love you, Led.



Campbell doesn't even bother with the guns, bringing his ship up to ramming speed.



Unfortunately, he's not quite as manouverable as we are.




Rather than ramming Doskias's flagship head on, Campbell instead slams into the upper decks. Doskias's ship falls out of formation, burning, as we run for the horizon.



Father! No...