Part 33: Blue Castle, part 1

Blue Castle, part 1


Although we've been hired to get rid of the monsters in Bistritz, we're going to take a side-trip to Blue Castle first. Yay for distractions!


Appropriately ominous, but not very blue...



My father told me that most location names are based on legends or superstition. I think that's nice. It's more evocative.

You're a real romantic, aren't you? If I said anything like that, stones would come flying.

Oooo-kay...


The items over here in Europe seem to be hidden better. This one is behind a tree.

There's only one kind of monster along the path to the castle. It's called a Garm, but it's not a wolf; the description says it's the ghost of a hunter's dog. They can cause Paralysis.


Once we get to the castle gates, the color palette does move a bit closer to blue.


There's a trail leading to a little clearing on the right, and our favorite stalker is waiting there. At least he's in a better mood than he was in Prague.


There's a chest along the back wall, behind where Meiyuan is standing.


There's another chest on the far left.


When we try to get in, the gate won't open. Damn. I guess it's back to Bistritz.


Wait, what's this?



Do you suppose that's supposed to be an invitation?

Of course! Let's go in and say hi!


When you first enter, it looks like this place might end up being a huge maze. It's not. There are monsters wandering around. In this part of the castle, you can run into Gremlins and Hollows.


What the hell is THAT!?



I felt someone pass behind us...

You felt someone...? But there's no one there.

...


Going up the stairs, there's a door on the right. It won't open.


There's a chest on the left, and another door.


I'm sensing a theme here...





Who's here? I know you're watching! Show yourself!



Really?! I don't feel a thing. Where is it?!




Alice's deteriorating mental state aside, there's another hidden chest in the corner. Pocket Watches prevent all Ring ailments, including ones in the Lottery.


At least the stairs to the basement don't have a door.


Oh, fuck me.


No, Alice, it's a crypt.

I guess it means this really is a vampire castle, just like that lady Michelle was saying.

But...I don't feel any evil here like I did in Bistritz. Instead...

I feel eternal silence here, as if this place has been cut off from the rest of the world. Only eternity exists here... No sadness or hate.

That was beautiful.





Hellooo there!! Are you the prince of the castle Nina was talking about?



The invisible man doesn't seem to want to talk to us and just walks away.




There's another hidden chest over here. You have to follow a ledge from the dais to get to it.


There is a puzzle to solve down here. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be writing on the wall behind the corpse, writing on the corpse itself, or if the corpse is speaking.

So long as the 8 flames remain unlit, the door to the throne will not open! Offer up thy prayers!




Each of the coffins is labeled with a name. Praying in front of them in alphabetical order ("new to old") lights up the torches behind them. The coffin names are arranged like this:

Abel Steven Frank Maria

Helen Robin Edgar Leon


Yay!


The torches all go out, and the writing, or whatever it is, disappears.


And now we can go into this room.



For all its splendor, it's an awfully bleak room, isn't it?

It seems so empty, but someone definitely lives here...


There's absolutely nothing in this room except a painting.

But when you try to leave...






Mr. Invisible shows up and walks past Alice and Zhuzhen.


Then he turns on the lights.



Are you the master of this castle?

Listless Male Voice: Yes, I am the master of this castle.



Is-is he wearing a purple suit?

Gah! My eyes!





When I finally awoke, a band of monsters had moved in and were prowling all around the castle. And a pesky demon had found its way into the tower as well. Now, then, Alice, what brings the two of you to my humble abode?

How powerful do you have to be to refer to a demon invading your home as "pesky"?

We're here to find out who is causing the monster attacks in Bistritz. Did you wake up around the same time monsters began attacking the village?

Ahh, so that's it. You suspected me of setting the monsters upon the village. So, you came to question me about it...and to kill me if your suspicions proved true. Am I right?

Bingo. Glad we've reached an understanding so quickly, Mr. See-through Man.



I'm afraid not. Neither I nor my ancestors have ever brought any harm to the people of our domain. If I did that, my granddaddies would come flying out of those caskets you saw and chew me out all night.

You must be a vampire. Are you a good vampire, like Nina believes?

Hah hah hah, a good vampire? Yes, I am a vampire, and it is true that not all vampires are evil. It is the same among humans, is it not? There are good people and there are bad people.

I like how he never actually answers the question of whether he's good or evil.

Huh. I was ready to kick some butt, but you just took the wind out of my sails. In that case, though, who's behind the monster attacks on Bistritz?

I don't know, either, but if the village is under attack, you certainly can't ignore it. As it happens, I've just been dying of boredom around here, so how about if I help you out?

Y-You'd help us?

Sure. And it'll be nice to see my cute little friend in the village again. Shall we be going, then?

You certainly are an unusual man. What's your name, anyway?


Captain Dramatic?





Please just call me Keith.

Okay, Keith. Let's get to work.

Now, look. I understand vampires suck human blood. You better not chomp into our necks or anything.

Ah hah hah hah... I guess the books say all sorts of curious and silly things about us. But true vampires aren't like that. Daylight and crosses don't bother me a bit. Nor garlic. We may be "undead," but that doesn't mean we can't be killed. We're just tougher than humans.

The "true vampires" line makes me think that, in the Shadow Hearts world, vampires are born vampires, rather than being turned into them.

Hmmm. A most curious constitution you have. I wonder whether being that way is boon or bane. At any rate, it's good to have you with us.

The pleasure is mine.


And now Keith joins our party. His strongest stat is Vitality, and he has the highest Sanity Points of anyone (except Yuri). There are some advantages to being inhuman. He has strong physical attacks, and some of the most useful magic attacks in the game.


His Special Skills are called Rituals. He performs them by using his sword and scabbard to draw a magic crest in the air. Earth Edge just adds Earth-based damage to someone's weapon. Bat Dance summons a swarm of bats that attack all enemies. Drain Touch damages the enemy and heals Keith at the same time. Blood Sucker does the same thing but is more powerful. Very nice.


The only equipment he comes with beside his weapon and armor is a Pocket Watch, but at least it's a good accessory.


Keith is also the only male character that doesn't freak out when Meiyuan adjusts his weapons.


Next time on Shadow Hearts: political corruption.


Blue Castle, part 1 on Viddler

NPC Scorecard