Part 15: Update XV - What Could Have Been

Update XV - What Could Have Been



Alright then, let's turn back time a bit. Last time, we got the "good ending" for the story of Rabenstein. The least possible amount of people got sacrificed in the ritual (the four soldiers from Alvaro's force) and Lythia got sent to the afterlife. Now, let's see what could have gone differently...

For this, I ended up having to do a little bit of hacking around with the copy of the game I have to fuck around in with the RPG Maker to put a party of Grandy, Libra and Dankwart in front of the cutscene trigger. Why not Tarius? Because he's entirely pointless for anything in chapter 3, and having him around requires some switches to work properly, so fuck him. Thankfully, I believe that Rabenstein is completely self-contained as far as switches go - there's nothing from other places that has an impact on what happens here, beyond the Tarius part, that is. As such, just jumping into things without technically having done anything else beforehand shouldn't cause any issues. It does, but the issues aren't that big a deal, as we'll see later.

...people told me to keep separate save files, and yet I didn't do it. God damn. At least this is the only time where it really would have come in handy. Now watch as I end up in the last chapter and do something catastrophically wrong that fucks everything up. Oh well. Moving on...



The intro plays out exactly the same. How could it play out differently, anyway? Tarius has no lines and there's no choices to be made!



The first divergence from our main path is here, in the conversation with Dankwart in our room. I skipped this in the main run because I just gave him the book and left, but here we're not giving him the book.

It seems like we've got some time to relax until midnight. What will you do, Grandy?
1) I'll go to sleep... 2) I'll take a look around!

In the first run, we basically implied answer #2. This time around, let's just be lazy.

Yes, I think I'll be following your example. It'll surely be a long night tonight...



And Grandy hits the sack. Basically, we miss out on all the things we mention to Dankwart when we got back in the other run. When we wake up, we find Dankwart still sitting where he sat before.

Oh, is it already time? I found a fascinating book and sadly didn't get the time to sleep. But that doesn't really matter - let's get going!



Here's the issue I was talking about - I didn't set the walking speed, so the game thinks I'm walking slowly when I'm actually walking quickly. Because of that, whenever there's a cutscene where Grandy is walking, he blitzes ahead and then waits for the others to catch up. It doesn't change anything since it's just a cutscene, and it's kind of funny to watch.



Now that we're at the party, but Tarius isn't there, how is the game going to force Grandy to sit at the head of the table?



Somehow, I don't really feel like listening to Libra's nagging over the entire dinner!

Alrighty then.



The "ceremony" also goes on exactly the same with the exception of Grandy going all Speedy Gonzales on us.



We make it out without problems - not hard when you're running a lot faster than everybody else.



Our first step, once again, is to find Dankwart. Without him, pretty much nothing happens.



Once again, leaving the library triggers Sylvia being out and about.



This time, we run into Priamor without knowing of his involvement with Roland's death. The beginning of the conversation goes the same, but then...

1) Don't distract from the real issue! 2) Is there any proof? 3) What should we do?

Let's buy into his act this time around.

You must have some sort of paperwork regarding your payments. That would solve the problem of the claims that you didn't pay your taxes!
Of course. The books are down in my chambers. But it's way too dangerous down there!
Don't worry... we'll watch over you. Please lead us to your room.



Go, Grandy, go!



The scene where we run into Sylvia for the first time goes pretty much the same way with the exception of one line being added.

TAKE THESE SOULS INSTEAD OF MINE, LADY OF THE SHADOWS!

And then Priamor legs it, and then so do we.



Our next destination is in the secret passages on the first floor.



Well, isn't that a surprise - the padre retreated to his little sacrificial chamber.

Well hello there, Mister Priamor!
YOU'RE STILL ALIVE? HOW CAN THAT BE?
Turns out that we can run a bit faster than your monster, but I don't really have to explain that to you, because your life ends here!
PLEASE SPARE ME! I'M A VICTIM JUST LIKE YOU!
That was your final lie!



And then he gets his shit pushed in just the same.




We then run into Sylvia twice, running away from her twice as well.



After that, we take a look at the massacre for the first time, this time from the left. I love the little Grandy's got going on here, but otherwise there's nothing new.



We run into Burger, and it goes the same here as well since we now know that Priamor had been hiding something. However, there's no real difference to be found with Burger here - regardless of how much you know, he'll always end up attacking you because you ask too many questions, whether it be about the ceremony, about Sylvia, or about Roland.



We then move to free the prisoners while Sylvia is still out and about, but we're missing lockpicks.



Thankfully, the creator accounted for this and stuck lockpicks into this chest.



As such, we can now let them out.



But when we get closer to the exit from the secret passages, there's a scream and some other horrific sounds.

THAT CAME FROM OUTSIDE THE SECRET PASSAGE!

And then...



...well, shit. At this point, I decide to head to the servants, but...



HOLY SMOKES! SYLVIA WAS HERE!



Holy smokes! She already made her mark here, too!

Moving on for a bit...



The scene between Karlo and Alvaro has no changes.



After that, I head to Sylvia's room, hoping to find something, but I don't find anything. This confuses the crap out of me while I was playing, and I repeatedly check back over the course of the trip, but I think I know what the problem is.

For those keeping score at home, we've got 4 (Alvaro's men) + 2 (prisoners) + 2 (kitchen staff) + 1 (Fitzgerald) = 9 sacrifices out of 7 needed. That should mean that this is officially over, but it doesn't quite seem to work that way. From what I can gather, the game tracks when "the end" should occur in two separate ways - a series of switches and a variable tracking the victims of Sylvia. However, it seems that the variable only kicks in once you've read Priamor's notes - basically, the limit only exists once you know it exists. Essentially, we've gone quantum.



I check into Xynthia's room, where Sylvia should have moved, but she's not there. Now, is this because the whole thing is over?



Clearly not, because she's still not where she should be.



So finally, I end up reading the book...



...and head to Alvaro with our new knowledge. The conversation goes the same up to this point...



Let's... 1) ...get out of here! 2) ...search for Sylvia together! 3) ...do this on our own!

This time around, let's all search for Sylvia. What could possibly go wrong?

Time is wasting! As soon as the seven sacrifices are made, we've lost! We have to find and destroy this monster!
Good! I'll instruct my men to search the castle in small groups!
Your friends can go with you. I'll wait here for reports.
Should some of my men find the creature, I'll immediately tell you!
Good, we'll go on the hunt ourselves and regularly check back in to see if somebody found her.



After that, there's these guys patrolling around several parts of the castle. I backtrack to Sylvia's room, still nothing.



Finally, I just go ahead and check the picture...



...and have Dankwart figure it all out. Only then...



...does this whole thing finally end.

Holy smokes! There's Sylvia just standing there! And she's alive!
Yes, she's alive. To be exact, she was never dead! However, she is not Sylvia!



Hello, Grandy. Nice of you to come visit me again. It's gotten so lonely on Rabenstein.

What do you mean, lonely? There's still a bunch of soldiers roaming the ha-

... oh. Oh dear.

Umm... hello, Lady Sylvia.
Grandy! That's not Lady Sylvia, but an evil spirit that took over her body!
You're wrong, old man. I am Lythia... and Xynthia... but Sylvia as well! She's still alive, deep inside of me.
I can feel her pain and her disappointment, but I can also feel that she has finally achieved her destiny!
Just like the destiny of the 40 women before her. In our family it is your purpose to unite with your ancestors!
DANKWART! WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Destroy this creature of darkness! She is a demon of the past!
You're once again wrong, old man. Of the many souls that lay within me none have asked to become what they are!
She'll unite with her husband and the entire story will begin again!
Would you prefer Wahnfried were to win his trust? I alone am capable of preventing that!
What to do? 1) Destroy Sylvia! 2) No!

Well, since this is non-canon, basically it doesn't matter. However, let's think about this for a second. Lythia brings up a good point - if we assume that Malthur really is coming back (the prophets could be wrong, still), then odds are good that Wahnfried will try to ally with him. If Lythia were able to disrupt that, it might put the two at odds and maybe make it easier to come out on top for our group. It's all still very complicated, and Wahnfried's role in this whole thing regarding Malthur and Lythia is still a complete mystery. For what it's worth, we'll leave her alive in this run.

I can't do it! She's a defenseless woman and isn't responsible for her fate!
Your chivalry is honorable, Grandy, but I fear that we'll regret this decision!

We'll have to see what impact this would have. Not to spoil too much, but this decision has an impact on one pivotal scene, and I'll insert the changes when they become relevant in that update. And as we walk around the castle...




BY THE GODS! SHE WAS HERE!

...



...let's just get out of here. So that's basically the "bad ending" for Rabenstein. To sum up: EVERYBODY FUCKING DIES.



To take our mind off the death and decay, let's take a look at the easy way to infiltrate Düsterburg.



With all the loot pilfered from our trip to Rabenstein in hand, we get a new option when coming up to the checkpoint guarded by the big bad demon.

Wait a second... I've just got an idea!
There's going to be a party on the Düsterburg! And we've got an invitation for it!
You're right about that, Grandy, but this invitation is for Lady Xynthia, and not for us...
Well... Libra would surely make a great Lady of Rabenstein!
I think Libra is still a bit too young to pass for Xynthia!
Now just watch out what you're going to say, Grandy!
Umm... of course she's too young! But we could make her older! We grabbed this makeup from Rabenstein.
And what about you? Should I claim I captured you and wanted to bring you to the duke?
Nonsense! We're going to be your entourage! A lady obviously isn't going to be travelling through a dangerous area like this without guards!
And they won't recognize us, either. We've got these old sets of armor! They don't have much use as armor, but...
Alright, you convinced me. I still think it's really risky, but I don't see any other option right now...

And the crew disappears behind a tree.

Well, then get going!
First of all, we've got to do something about your hair - it's much too red for your age!
What do you mean by that?
Umm... I of course mean Xynthia's age!
Look here, Grandy! I found a powder box!
Great, Dankwart! We'll just pour that over her head and knead it into her hair!

We then hear some coughing.

...doesn't look too bad!
I suddenly feel ten years older...
The hairstyle is still too informal for a lady of Xynthia's stature...
You're right, we still have to doll that up!
There's a comb here too!
Then let's get going!

Then we hear a yelp.

Umm... wasn't intentional, but your hair's pretty felted...

Not bad... but that worn coat doesn't quite fit the picture...
Here... try this dress. We'll turn around.

Alright, you can turn around again!

Libra, you really look like a young lady now!
Emphasis on "young"... the face still looks much too rosy!

...better!
That green eye shadow you smeared on my face is kind of sticky...
But she still seems too young, Grandy!
We can deal with that! Give me that lipstick!

Excellent, Grandy! You can barely distinguish her from the real Xynthia!
If you ask me, I think the hair is still a bit too long!
Don't you dare!
Umm... I guess it'll work that way too. After all, Wahnfried doesn't know Xynthia personally!
Now it's our turn, Grandy! Please give me one of those armors!

Phew... I haven't been inside one of these tin cans for years!
Then let's get going!



HALT! WHO ARE YOU?
The lady of Rabenstein requests to be let through!
THE LADY OF RABENSTEIN, YOU SAY? WHAT DO YOU WANT ON CASTLE DÜSTERBURG?
Our lady was invited to the feast by Duke Wahnfried!
CAN YOU PROVE THAT?
We have an invitation, personally written and sealed by the duke!
SHOW IT TO ME!

SEEMS TO BE AUTHENTIC! YOU MAY PASS!



And then, with a foreboding shot of Castle Düsterburg...



...we would pass into chapter 4. The next part would see Libra's disguise falling apart because of the rain and our heroes seeking the entrance to the secret entrance to the castle. However, we still have things to do in chapter 3, so we'll be turning the clock back next time.