Part 20: Episode 3: Part 4: The Mask

Episode 3: Part 4: The Mask



Rhue awakens in the depths as a midi version of this track plays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZFhke6HoYQ

Hey, where am I?

Oh yea...

Sweet flaming lands... I'm going to kill that guy!

If I can ever get out of here.

Looks like it's just you and me... Skippy.

Yea, Skippy sounds like a good name for you.



uhhh..

That's okay, just go ahead and run away!



And I changed my mind, your name isn't Skippy, it's Dippy!

That little bastard.

This is stupid. What am I saying?

I'd better get going.



So, we're not just in any old cave system, we're in The Pits. Only one step above Hell, essentially.





This thing's just sitting out in the open and it's nice and I have no other notch items anyway sooo...



At the save point just past that we can see... the RTP orc sprite!



At least there's items down here. And the amount of encounters is far lower.





A monster and the masked woman from Lide... They converse in this strange language for a time, before...







Ashkt.
She follows the monster.





Anyway, the enemies here are just these guys again.

On to the next area!





"(This would be a good time to pull a suprise (SIC) attack on that monster though.)"

(If I kill it now, I won't have to worry about running into it later.)

Yea, I'll kill it.



So the monster has chased Dippy into this big loop. You can't actually find them on it, so you just walk into this niche and Rhue does the rest.





Looks like I saved your furry little hide Dippy.
And then the masked woman appears.



Oh great, it's that other monster.

What?! I'm not a MonsssteRrr! The random R is capitalised in the game too.

Then what's wrong with your face?
Wow Plinkett stole one of his running jokes from this game.

Fooool!!! It's a MASSSK!

... It's hard to tell in this light!
But why are you wearing a mask?

That's not your consssern! Now why did you KILL my Friend?!

This thing?

Eshk!

What?

Yessss! That thing you call a monssster.

It was trying to get my swiftfoot. I was just protecting what was mine.

Ashkt. That monsssteRrrr was going to help me retrieve a treasssure, you idiiiottt!
Now what am I going to do!
Eshk, I know.
You're going to help me.

I am?

You KILLED my previousss helper, you must replassse him.

I just want to get back to the surface.

Easssily done. If you help me...

(I don't trust her... but I don't have many options.)
How long is this going to take?

A day or lessss, Ssssurface time.

... (This is going to suck.)
Fine, I'll help you. I'm Rhue.

... I am Ssscatha.

Scatha's a better attacker than Slade, but she lacks his healing. She does have offensive XLIFES that actually are usable though, so that's a big plus for her.



Now, on the first real part of this 'dungeon'. If you go exactly 8 steps north...



And then hold down left until you stop moving, and then north again...



THANKS LUN



Oh now I'm out of notch items again.



Oh, whew. And it's a good one too.

Anyway, after clearing the first area of loot and enemies we head to a screen with only one enemy encounter on the whole thing, but...



Wonderful. What do you need me to do?

Whatever it takes to get usss through here.
We'll have to split up.



Why don't I give YOU a boost up instead.

No. We're doing thingsss MY way! Now get a move on!

Fine.



Scatha tells Rhue not to forget this, since they might have to do it again.



Also this.



Spikes block Rhue's progress. You can see the pressure plate that lowers them to the right there. Yes, this is one of those puzzles. Though I'd hesitate to call this one a puzzle since it's extremely straightforward.

So moving Scatha on to that switch, we can move on.



Woo.



Anyway, Rhue stands on a couple switches that allow Scatha to reach this switch that makes that bridge appear.



This lets them both meet up in the middle so they can both stand on the switches that unlock this stairway.



Yeah, this was just optional. But VERY good.



You actually want Scatha up there so she can boost Rhue up to this switch that makes a stair to the exit of this room.



Wonderful. How many more to go?

A wanderer takes many stepsss in a sssingle day.

Yea, but most steps don't take so long.

Are you a MAN or a little whining BABY!

What are you talking about? I'm not whining!

Look at you, you're almossst crying.

I am not! What is your problem anyway?

I don't have a PROBLEM! I just can't ssstand chauvinissst pigsss!

What?

You probably think that you're ssssooo macho don't you?
But guessss what little boy? Without my help, you're going to die a long, agonizsssing, painful death down here.

I'm not as incompetent as you might think.
And if you EVER call me "little boy" again, you're (SIC) pretty blond (SIC) hair is going to get more than just a little messed up.

...

...
There's a long pause.

(Why is she being so quiet? Flaming mask, I can't even see her facial expression.)

You think my hair is pretty?
This starts playing, which is used as Scatha's Theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzXLIflCwhw

Uh... Sure. I mean yes. It is.

Well, letsss run along then, ssshall we?

Okay.
(She sounded like she was sincerely interested in what I thought about her stupid hair.)
(I don't understand. Was she just being sarcastic? What's with this... woman?)

And with that, the scene's over, but next time we'll be seeing more of the Pits, and something actually interesting to boot.


the end