Part 28: Update XXVI - Sonlis the S(iegebreaker)

Part XXVI - Sonlis the S(iegebreaker)

There’s one thing I forgot to do in Avalon, that is actually required to get the most TP out of an upcoming quest. Sorry for ruining my elite gamer cred.





You've always been such a gracious host... Aren't you happy to see me?



Don't you usually have to meditate to See?

Yes, now you understand! This was a powerful vision, indeed!

Hmm. Please continue, Seer.

In my vision, Avalon had fallen... Through the rubble that remained and past the falling battlements rolled an immense Sha'ahoul battering ram. It was hewn of rough logs, but great attention to detail was paid the carvings. It was at once primitive and intricate, but bestial to be sure, with the head of a bird... The way our enemies cajoled about it left no doubt in my mind that it was instrumental in their conquest of Avalon. At the same time, however, I saw a figure who filled me with great hope. It was the statue of a hero, I think, and this hero, whoever he is, can... and must... save Avalon.

You seem quite disturbed by this, Elazar... So you want me to find and destroy this thing, right?

You don't understand! I saw myself in Avalon... And I wasn't exactly moving about, if you understand my meaning. I've never Seen myself before... Much less dead!

That would certainly give anyone a reason to wake up in a cold sweat. [ahem] What should I do about this?



How would you have me destroy this thing?

I do not have the answer to that question. You must discover it on your own. I will expect you when you are finished.

Very well. I will doubtless be ordered to do it eventually. I will keep you informed. Farewell for now.





Terrifying birb.

So, in Village 10, is the third and final point of interest Mudam ordered us to look into.





Yes, I am but recently arrived-

Ahoul Blacksmith: Good, good! This one is called Islansen. Have you seen the structure, warrior? The dirt-men's "ram?"

They're building a ram! That must be the "craftsmen's toy" mentioned last update, and the siege thingy Elazar had a vision about.

What of it?

Ahoul Blacksmith: Other craftsmen are pleased to be working on it. This one thinks they lose sight of the Lady and Lord.

Oh? That's a pretty deep thought, craftsman. Can you go any deeper into it?

Ahoul Blacksmith: Gladly! You see, this "ram" is the dirt-man's invention. Even as it appears to be useful, it is really useless.

I'm not sure I follow you...



But the ram is needed to destroy the box and the dirt-men within. Do you see the value it represents?

Ahoul Blacksmith: This one also sees the devaluing it represents, warrior, for we become more like them with each passing day. We use their "ram," we employ their people -- people who betray their own just as we have betrayed ourselves to our beliefs! Are they truly the "dirt men" that our Lord and Lady wish destroyed? Here we are using their equipment and their ways, and yet the Lord and Lady do not burn us all to ash for this heresy. What does it mean?

I do not know, craftsman. I am merely a warrior, and already you have given me much to think about.

Ahoul Blacksmith: What this one speaks is not heresy, warrior. This one does his job and prays for answers from the Lord and Lady just like everyone else. But this one doubts what he is told when he hears a contradiction. In any event, this one would rather die than follow lies. This one shall meditate on it. Burn brightly, warrior.

Burn brightly, craftsman.

In fact, just north of the blacksmith is the ram itself.



Doesn't look very impressive.



Though if it is being imbued with magic, maybe it's more dangerous than it looks.





Did... did the game just make a penis reference?





Also, Village 9 to the left has horses. Do you want to hear about those, Mudam? Let me tell you about them.



We open the gate to free them from their slavery, but they just stand there. Guess the Sha’ahoul are decent horsemasters as well as dogmasters.



Do you find something objectionable about my face? If so, perhaps we could... discuss it?

Whoa, really getting into the warrior mindset there, G. Props for staying in character I guess.

Pretik: No, warrior, I spoke in haste. I meant only that with so many of our people in one place, feeding them is becoming a concern. As a hunter, it falls to my caste to see that everyone is fed, but by having stayed here so long already, most of the close game have been caught, forcing us to hunt further afield.

Are there really so many of the Sha'ahoul in this place?

Pretik: Look around: can you ever recall seeing so many of us in one place at a time before? And we have been here for months! Herds of game do not wander this land like our plains. Here the dirtmen keep their cattle penned, and the wild stocks that we hunt are much thinner. I begin to regret the slaughter of the tame cattle when the dirtmen's dwellings were razed.

Do you think that food will become a problem for us soon, then?

Pretik: Maybe yes, maybe no. Soon, probably not. Supply wagons do arrive and carry with them food, and we will not die to eat dried and salted meat more often and fresh meat less. Still, I would be much less worried if the numbers arriving almost daily did more than eat and train. The hunters are doing their duty -- the warriors should do theirs as well. With respect, warrior.

Of course, hunter. I, myself, would be eager to learn when this force will do more than, as you say, eat and train.



As I am merely a warrior. Burn brightly, hunter.





From where? The Sha'ahoul plains, of course. Where else?

Kaldden: Of course the plains! I almost think you mock me, brother, but today my day is as bright and clear as the perfect sky and I do not take offense.

That is good, for none was meant.



And was there a dried rose inside?



Kaldden: A rose? Of what do you speak?

Er... A rose is a flower of this land. It is very beautiful, or so I hear. If you are looking for a gift for your love, such a thing suits very well.

We have one, but it's for us.

Kaldden: My love? Truth be told, I've long seen flames like the Lady herself blaze in her eyes, though I could never bring myself to tell her so.

So why do you not now?



A hunter I recently met lamented the fact that no warriors would willingly volunteer to guard the wagons traveling to and from the supply camp. His name was Darg, I believe.

Kaldden: Ha'Darg? I shall seek him out before we are scheduled to depart. I thank you for your help, warrior! May the Lord wrap you in his protection!

Burn brightly, warrior.

Goondalf is too much of a romantic goon, he can't help himself.





And what sort of opinion would you be after, Ha'Breetag?

Breetag: The food that we have been eating has, in fact, been somewhat different than our fare on the plains. Part of it comes from the fact that there is different game here than back home, and part of it is that we are being forced to bring not only meats but also fruits and even vegetables from other areas to feed the local encampments.

And you wish to know how the camps feel about this?



Which response we go with doesn't actually matter, so Goondalf tells him it sucks.

Breetag: Yes, the opinion on this matter has been clearly divided, with almost half responding that they do not approve of the food. And yet half say the food is adequate. This is a most puzzling matter, as murky as water.

If half do not like the food, then it seems that something must be done. Having half the warriors unhappy seems unwise.

Breetag: That is not for me to decide. The clan chiefs will be informed, but a decision is up to them. With luck, the dirtmen will soon be destroyed so that we may return to the plains and our old ways.

I hope that it is so. Good day.



Breetag is guarding a hidden chest.



With a fancy, curvy knife inside!





Not a bad Stealth bonus. "Special" damage bypasses all damage reduction, since there’s nothing that provides defense against “Special” attacks. Still not as good as blasting fools with fire though.



Now that we’re in Village 12, the Sha’ahoul and their camps start getting more numerous, and instead of just scouts patrolling, sometimes it’s Sha’men.





I don't feel bad about dropping these douches. We've known they were assholes ever since the Lieutenant in Chapter One watched all his men die before engaging us. One could argue that this entire war is their doing, too.



My thinking may or may not be influenced by the fact that each one wears several powerful magic rings.









And there are enough of them that we can get more copies than we can use. They sell for a high price in that case, especially if we pump our Charm.





These will be incredibly useful in the next Chapter.





One of them even has another Assassin's Knife!



This guy isn't a Sha'man, but he's guarding a very important set of chests, so.



Sorry. Lady burn you or whatever.





An incredibly good ring for us in this Chapter, and for Wyatt after we're done here.



Meh.

There's also a hidden chest a little below the first one.





That thing Olon was after. Looks fancy! We could keep it, but... not sure the bonuses are worth pissing him off.



Ah, this time, both a Sha'man, and guarding incredibly good loot! Score.









Pretty low Restriction for how many bonuses and protections it offers. Plus it looks amazing.



If only Electric damage were more common.





Only good if we hadn't found the Black Boots of the Shadows or King Tortain's Boots.

The real star of the show is this bad boy:



Again, going straight on Wyatt as soon as we're done with this Chapter.





This ring is a bit of a misnomer, since it provides Electric protection.





So many rings. There are a lot of these guys roaming around. Good thing we pumped our Stealth high enough that they can't see us!





This is a very rare one that isn’t even mentioned in the Gamefaqs guide! That Coordination bonus is nuts.



A warlord must be one of the higher-ups too, right?



Yeah, probably.







Not great, but a neat name.





Plus more stuff needed for later on.




This Sha'man wasn't guarding anything special except a full suit of mundane black-tinted armor.



Which, you know, is very important for fashion.



Well, well. This is a fancy tent.



Wait a second.



It's him!!



Unfortunately, he is surrounded by two of Mithras' Elite Guard, who are strong as heck, and also coded to be literally invincible. Boo.



We can still get to his chest though. Bwahaha.





Yoink.



The Clan Leaders here in Village 16 with the head-dresses are also programmed to be invincible.



More Elite Guard outside a very big tent.



And inside is the man himself! Taking him out isn't yet part of our mission, so let's bolt. Yeah, I’ll go with that.

Hmm. Let’s go see if our commanders want us to… expand our mission parameters at all.





And you, Sir Roth. My excursion to find Ovoron's satchel has been a success.



We all have favorite aspirations for the most traitorous of the traitors. He will meet his end, and it matters not by whose hand.



He'd be lucky to survive a night inside these walls.

Exactly. If there's nothing else, you are dismissed.

Not at the moment. Until the next, Sir Roth.



Okay, he doesn't want us to assassinate anyone. Maybe more luck with Mudam.





I have finished scouting each of the three areas you spoke of.

Excellent! What have you learned?

To begin with, to the east of Avalon, I discovered that the reports of nonhumans were true. They were human, mostly. From the waist up, at least. From the waist down, however, they possessed the body of a snake.

Please continue.

Upon visiting the southwest location, I witnessed a half-built framework of stout logs. Sha'ahoul were working on it as I approached.

I see. General Ovoron was an expert at siege warfare; it is likely this machine was built under his orders. Do you know what this contraption is, or at least how the Sha'ahoul intend to use it?

I do not know for sure, but I do not recognize what else it may be except a machine of war. Doubtless it must be completed before the Sha'ahoul can attack.

And in the southeast location?

A group of Sha'ahoul warriors milling about, sparring and talking to each other. I actually had the chance to speak with some of them, and apparently they've been put on alert for an attack. They believe that the attack will come upon the completion of their great machine.



Very well... Is there anything else?

Ah, let's see. Destroy their siege machine, that should buy is some more time... to pray for the swift arrival of our reinforcements. As to the method you employ, it matters not, but fire would be efficient. Yes, I think, and symbolic. You should be able to procure some oils from one of our resident alchemists to aid you in that regard. That will be all for now, unless you have more secrets to reveal to me.

I do not, Mudam.

Very well... If you have anything to report back, don't hesitate to stop by. [pinches the bridge of his nose] I'll be here for sure.

As you wish, Mudam.





Mudam has ordered me to inform you that a non-human race he calls the Naga are encroaching upon the ruined village roughly to the east of Avalon. Their position demands that they are allies, but I know no more.

Captain Calvaric: I thank you for bringing me this information, but we've little chance to get a better look at their capabilities. One would assume they'd move rather quickly, but other than that... Do you know if they have mages?

I did not notice any, Captain. Certainly one would have engaged me...

Captain Calvaric: Perhaps... Unless they're taking pains to hide their casters from us. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Thank you for bringing me this information, Goondalf the G. Good work. Was there anything else you wanted to mention?

No, Captain, and thank you. I shall speak with you later.



Well, destroying the ram is the next best thing, I suppose.



The alchemist we need to see is this guy, who you may recall helped us with the poisoning sidequest in Chapter 2. We could destroy the ram with a fireball, yes, but this way will net us more Training Points.



Perhaps you can help me, Fester. Essentially, I need a way to burn something very large very quickly.

Fester: It's funny you should ask that. I've been working on something special -- to do my part for the war effort, you know -- and it just might be exactly what you need. You see, poring over an ancient tome on the uses of alchemy in warfare, I discovered a most interesting formula. This formula is for an oil which, when applied to a weapon, will cause any flammable object to ignite when struck. I had great hopes of equipping all our soldiers with this potent oil but, alas, the proper ingredients are practically impossible to find. Also, the process involved in producing this rare substance is extremely complicated and time consuming. So far, I have succeeded only in creating a small sample.

Can this oil cause a fire strong enough to consume something as large as, say, a battering ram?

Fester: I've never tried it on anything very large, but -- judging from its effects on spare furniture -- it has more than enough power to reduce objects of considerable size to ashes in an astonishingly short time. Yes, I would say that this fiery oil will burn just about anything.

Though you have but little of this precious substance, Fester, could you possibly part with it? With it, I could easily destroy a siege engine that Sha'ahoul plan to unleash against Avalon.

Fester: Of course you may have it, Goondalf the G. Your efforts in this war, both great and small, have not gone unnoticed. Though it has become difficult to trust others lately, I know, from all I have experienced and heard, that your actions serve the good of Avalon and its people.

Thank you, Fester. This may mean the difference between success and failure in my mission to destroy the ram.



Alright, now we're ready.





At this point, I realized that apparently it doesn’t work with ranged weapons, and I forgot to bring a melee weapon.



So Goondalf applies the oil to his fists.



Somehow this works.



Yeah, setting an oil fire to it is a dastardly move. We have won a great victory for Avalon, for sure. But we can do better.



We shall cut off the head of the beast, letting the noble Sha'ahoul lower castes return to their simple lives on the plains and freeing Avalon from its siege!



Hey, wait... why are you all casting defensive spells? I have Shadow up! My Stealth is over 100!!



Uh, haha... hail Mithras?

...

So, not even 100+ Stealth is a guarantee that Mithras won't notice us. The Elite Guard in front took off that sliver of health with a fireball.



When Mithras's fireball hits, this is our health (0). Guess they don't call him the Firewalker for nothing.



Mithras himself is also invincible at this point, so even if we had snuck up unseen, we still wouldn't have been able to kill him. But it was a noble effort. Rest in piece (again), Goondalf.


AVALON FASHION SHOW



Goondalf is sporting a more heavy infantry look this week, complete with a Spiked Mace, perfect for defeating armored foes!



And with the Tower Shield of Fortitude to protect him, he has the survivability to defeat many of them.



My favorite part has to be the Steel Kilt though. I didn't know they made those, but now I want one.



Not sure what the Leather Bandolier is for. I think he just likes leather.