Part 41: What's the name of this... castle?!

Are you guys ready to cause some hilariously over the top destruction?



I hope so, because I sure as hell am!



Conveniently, Ceras is located above Lordlake so we have a pretty good view of what's happening on the river.

There's Raftfleet over there... and that's Hatred Fortress.

Not for long, it isn't!

I hope the signal comes soon!

You and me both.



Meanwhile, on the fortress... (music)

Godwin Soldier (2): Pay attention, will ya? What if they attack again? Keep your mind on the watch!

Godwin Soldier: What are you gettin' all worked up about?
And what about you? Your family can't plant the crops all by themselves, can they? You know they need ya!

Godwin Soldier (2): But putting down the rebel army and protecting the country is more important than family matters!

Godwin Soldier: You idiot! Who cares about the country if you have to sacrifice your own family?

Godwin Soldier (3): *sigh* Things were better when Queen Arshtat was alive...

Godwin Soldier (4): Yeah, that's for sure. She never would've forced us to be soldiers.

Godwin Soldier (2): All right, that's enough, you guys--

Godwin Soldier (3): Hey! What the hell is that?!



What? What?! (music)



Ehhehehehehe. (You should watch this.)



Nope!



Yup!



Calm down! We still got time ta git closer!



Godwin Soldier (2): It's no use! It's comin' too fast! We'll never make it!



Okay! This'll do!









Godwin Soldier (2): Oh, no! Here it comes!



Damn straight it does!



Fuckblammo!

Godwin Soldier (2): Dammit! That ship was loaded with oil!

I'm lovin' this shit.



And so's Lun. That is the face of a pyromaniac in the making!



Logg, you awesome, hilarious, terrible influence, you.


Those barrels went flying, just as you planned!

And this scene is supposedly missing if you didn't do Babbage's sidequest. (music)

Of course it worked, Sorensen, you can't let little tricks like that impress you, you're supposed to be my apprentice!

Pretty sure the rest of it still plays out the same, though, so I don't know what we really needed him for.

Right! You got it, Professor!

I'm seriously starting to dislike this guy more than Lucretia



This isn't voiced, but I left it in the video so you can watch them run around like headless chickens (music)

Godwin Soldier: The fire's too strong! We can't get near it!

Godwin Soldier (2): Hey! Take a look at that!






Ruuuuun!



Godwin Soldier: Shut up! I'm not dying here!
Outta my way!

He runs away.



The officer decides that dying heroically by himself in the hopeless defence of the horribly named nazi fortress is something he's willing to pass on and follows the others.


The enemy soldiers are all making a mad dash to escape!

Whew! It worked, did it? I don't know what we would've done if the first ship didn't scare them! None of the other ships had oil in them...

They didn't?

We didn't want to pollute the river too much, so we used fish oil. But we could only get enough for one ship.

Most of those soldiers were newcomers, so I imagine one ship was more than enough to make them lose their heads. And Logg made it crash in the most spectacular fashion he could, too.

He really cut it close there, though! I'll have to give him a talking-to later!

Heh heh heh... He did come through in the end, you know! He may be an oaf, but he's an oaf with guts!
Now let's get back upriver. If we waste too much time, we'll be washed away along with Hatred Fortress!

My Lady, how are you planning to signal His Highness?

I've got a maneuver that will send the message quite clearly.

"It's called setting the fortress on fire and running, you dolt!"



Pity this isn't voiced.

Man, I wish we could've seen it up close!

Huh?! Raftfleet's pulling back!

Ah. Then it's time for us to go as well.

Huh? But what about the signal?

Raftfleet is moving out of the way so they won't get caught in the tsunami when the sluice gate is opened.

Oh, I get it! THAT'S the signal!

Prince, let's go!

Hell yeah!



The sluice controls await inside, along with an old... well, let's just say "friend" for now.

What, you're still here?

Hmph. Nice to see you again, too.

So, did you find what you were looking for?

No... I could barely even look around! Without your Rune, Prince, you can't get ANYWHERE in these ruins!

So you were just waiting here, planning to shamelessly invite yourself along with us when we returned?

Uh... So what if that was my plan?! It's not like you were worried about me, right?

All that talk about lost body parts has made Frey nervous.

We were worried about you!

You actually get a point with her for the other choice here, which is "we don't mind," but then she's just like "thanks" and joins up, so that's boring.

You sure do say some weird things.
Anyway, whatever, I'm sorry.

And so she gets in the party again.

Well, the reserves, because she certainly hasn't picked up any weapon ranks since the last time we met.



Once she actually joins us for real, I'm gonna have my detective disrespect her privacy a whole lot. (Lym's) Big Brother is watching you



This time, we make it all the way inside without incident.



Yep...

Are you ready, Prince? Let's begin.

*nod*

Use the Dawn Rune.

Frey does so.



It causes...



...quite the reaction.



The entire area begins to shake... (Watch this too.)



This isn't a particularly bad example of it, but it bugs me when ancient mechanisms destroy themselves when you activate them as if that's what they're meant to do. If the ancients were so fucking clever, couldn't they have made a thingy that works more than once? And don't give me that junk about how only the Chosen One could have solved the puzzle so there's no need for the thingy after that anyway. I'm not buying it. (Oh, and by the way, music.)



You already got a gif of this thing freaking out and you're not getting another. Watch the video if you want to see him in motion.

(Well actually you should be watching it anyway. Go on! Shoo!)

Here we go!



"OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT"



And...



...there we go!

Couldn't've happened to a nicer-named fortress.



Godwin Soldier (2): If we'd been over there, we'd have been washed away, too...
Hey... Do you think the Prince...?
...Do you think the Prince attacked us on purpose to get us out of the way...?

Plan working as intended.

Not the "not killing these guys" plan, the "make everyone love me" one. 'Course, it didn't need much of a plan.



Sploosh! (music)


If it slows down the water this much, everything should be fine.

Well fuck me, maybe the beavers aren't such a useless bunch after all!



And of course the Lordlake peeps are pretty happy about it, too.



I fucking love those two guys dancing in the background



Hey, who are you calling a spoiled brat? I've been fighting hard, you know. I'm like level 30 by now! Georg Goddamn Prime wasn't even level 30 when the game started! Show some respect.



Oh, yeah! We did it!

I'm not sure what the beaver is so proud about, but hell, I'm willing to let this one go.



And I'm not sure what Frey is doing, either, but it's probably an anime thing.



Hey, you're looking in the wrong direction!

Huh?

Oh!





Whatever it is, it's... sparkling?

Now I see, Ceras Lake... was created to hide THAT!



Yes, we must!



Indeed we must, and as it happens, the water has gone off to do awesome things in the river, so the stairs are now accessible!



Hmm.



How the hell has no one noticed this huge fucking thing before?! (music)



The sluice gate ruins alone were a tremendous discovery... But I may well have topped myself with this one.

No stealing the credit!

I'm starting to think the best way to find Sindar ruins is hanging around with you guys!

Sure is, so can I get the recruitment jingle ready now?

...no?

Hey, let's go see what's inside!

Be my guest, but don't blame me if you get eaten by a giant two-headed snake.



Fortunately though, it looks like we've had enough ancient Sindar monstrosities for one ruin.

Wow... This is incredible...

Are these Sindar ruins, too?

Yep! No doubt about it.

But it's so... clean. It looks like it was built yesterday!

Indeed it does.



Plastic!

...it makes as much sense as any other explanation you're going to get.

After being underwater for so long, one would think they would be covered in weeds and algae. But look at this! It's as clean as if it were just polished yesterday! Unbelievable. The Sindar keep proving to me that they had technology that we can barely fathom today.

That's it!
Prince! Why don't we make this place our headquarters?!

I like the way you think!

Huh?

Headquarters?

Headquarters!

---



Meanwhile, in sunny Sol-Falena...

I feel the same way they do.


And the fact that she had not informed me about it implies she considered me an enemy even back then.

I'd like to have the ruins investigated, but it'd be difficult now that they've made it their base...

Finders keepers, Gizel. Mine now. You can't have it. Mine.

You can commence with the investigation after we suppress the rebellion. That is, unless we stay one step behind them, like we have been...

You know, I've been reflecting on our recent course of action...

It's just like you said before, Father. I suppose I did plant seeds to make the Prince into what he is today...

And no credit-stealing for you either! I haven't got a single EXP out of you, so shut your big fat mouth.

You seem to be enjoying it, though.

Do I?

We must not lose sight of our goals. The only things that can guarantee Falena centuries of prosperity are unrivaled strength and absolute order. The future of Falena depends on our success.

Yes, of course.



Look at that face. It's the face of a man who knows he's up against a protagonist in a JRPG.



And outside... (music)

I deeply apologize for troubling the Queen's Knights with such trivial matters.

You need not worry about us.

Our allegiance is with you, Gizel! After all, you're going to be the next Commander of the Queen's Knights. We shall execute any and all orders faithfully, Sir.

You flatter me, but I shall take you at your word for now.

Now, then. The increasingly impudent rebellion is spreading to the south-central regions of Falena. Zahak, I'd like you to put an end to it.

Absolutely, sir!

Less than half of the soldiers who escaped from Hatred Fortress have returned to duty. Spare no pains in clamping down on deserters and drafting new troops.

I'll see to that, sir.

Good. Now, then. Alenia.

Yes, sir!

I'd like you to go to the West Palace.

The... West Palace?

That's right. With... her.



Dammit Jeane, you're supposed to be joining my army, not theirs!

---



Some time has passed since we saw the place last...



...and our people are busy making themselves at home. (music)


That waterfall's makin' my ears ring a bit, but that's the only drawback! Ga ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Really? I find the waterfall rather soothing myself. But, yes, it's the perfect castle at the perfect time!

Why, if this weren't a JRPG, and a Suikoden of all things, I might even find it a bit suspicious!

We really couldn't have fit any more people in Raftfleet.

True... But, do you think it's okay for us to be using these ruins? Will the ancients be mad at us?

If they are, I'll smack them one. I owe them for that dungeon anyway.

Uh, a little late for second thoughts, isn't it? And wasn't this your crazy idea in the first place, Lyon?

Zweig and Lorelai were so mad when I first suggested it! ...Not that they're any happier about it now.

Worry not. These ruins don't belong to them. This is the Prince's castle now.

Besides, these ruins would never have been discovered if not for him.

You've got a point there...

And speaking of these ruins, Prince...

(music)

How about a name for our castle? We can't keep calling it "the ruins."

Sure we could! Well technically it would be "the ruins Castle" but don't sweat the minor details.

Great idea! And since these are Sindar ruins, how about "Sindar Castle"?

I think "Mohawk Head Castle" would make a great name!

How about something like "Castle of the May Sigh Shimmering on the Pale Blue Water"?



Really, Lucretia! I respect your talent as a tactician, but your skill in naming leaves something to be desired!

The flaw "Not Good At Naming Things" turned out to be worth a lot of points in Lucretia's min-maxed character build, you see.

Uh, what was wrong with her name? I thought it was kind of pretty.

You can't name the Prince's castle something like that! ...And besides, that's WAY too many letters!

Everyone evacuate the premises! Lyon has gone meta! I repeat, Lyon has gone meta! This is not a drill!

There's only one solution: We'll let the Prince settle this! What do YOU want to name the castle?

Well...



I know I usually ask for reader input with these things, but...



...I can't really resist this one.



...

Oh.

Well, bollocks, then.



I guess that means I'm going to need some help before I start improvising again!

I am taking suggestions, not votes. Nothing's stopping you from just agreeing with a previous suggestion, but I'm still going to pick one I like, so the more different ones I get, the better.

Be original. "Ceras Lake Castle" is not going to happen, nor will any of the suggestions Lyon just turned down. (Or for that matter, "the ruins Castle.")

You have about two days as usual.