Part 49: Update XXXVIII - Doomed To Forever Explore Castles And Towns

Update XXXVIII - Doomed To Forever Explore Castles And Towns



♪ BGM: Asgar's Castle - blood009.mid ♫

And once more, we begin an update back at Asgar's castle and go through the usual steps. Tax income, unsuccessful torturing, all that jazz.

Also, while we're at it...







Here's some stats. I have no idea whether that playtime (remember, that's without the 200 battles) is long given the amount of updates or not. Also, let's take stock of all the quests we've picked up at this point. Warning, this will be a LOT of images.





















































It's a good thing the game keeps track of this shit for me, because CHRIST.



We grab some more mercenaries, because, well, why the hell not? You can always use more mercenaries.

Ongoing Costs: 53000 + 5000 = 58000 Filar

That concludes our business in the castle, so let's head out for some more castle and city exploration.



♪ BGM: A Truth Revealed - WraithTouch.mid ♫

First stop, our castle of the day.



♪ BGM: Castle Rakar - Rakar.mid ♫



Rakar is, well, a castle. This place has more interesting bookcases though, so that's a plus.





We find a new item here, which would be very useful if it wasn't just going to end up as mercenary money fodder anyway.



created a meadow, then a castle, and then an entire town...
Whoever this Marlex is, he seems to possess a lot of power.
If you believe in these kinds of creation stories, that is.



"When The Head Rolls, So Does The Money".
Oh oh, seems like somebody had been very fixated...



This book has a very beautiful leather binding.



this shelf.
This book seems to get read a lot...

Ah, it's been a while since we had our last Dark Shadows reference.





Let's hear it!
"Day 503: I'm still just a simple little soldier, even though all my buddies are already part of the scouting or intrusion forces. I wonder what I'm doing wrong..."
"Day 602: Today was once again not my day. I accidentally dropped my shield on the lieutenant's foot..."
"Day 706: Today, again, just boring sentry duty. WHEN will I also get finally promoted? I'm gradually starting to HATE my job! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGHHHH!!!"
It actually says AAAAAARGHH?
Yes.
Bonkers...



Here's another bookcase that gives us the answer to the mental debility quest.



Hm, "Lesson 1: Always hold the sword at its HANDLE!" A true masterpiece I would say, hehe...



Sounds pretty good, perhaps I should read that.



What, you're calling "At My House During Night" not interesting? Philistine! Or this: "Lessons of Love". Looks pretty promising...
Hrmpf, we don't have time for such garbage!
Fine. But I'll come back!

And that's it for Castle Rakar, apart from the dungeon that's probably like 50 updates away at this pace. "Man, what have I gotten myself into", he asks like nine months after starting the thread.



♪ BGM: A Truth Revealed - WraithTouch.mid ♫

Anyway, next stop, the town associated with the castle.



♪ BGM: Ghardon - a_taste_of_honey.mid ♫

...man. "A Taste of Honey"? Really? And why does that MIDI seem so familiar? It must have either been in VD1 or UiD as well.



Alright, looks like Ghardon has nine buildings for us to explore, and probably about two side quests to pick up for us, judging by the previous towns. Let's get going.



Yes, it's very lovely here.
That's good. Normally, there are always soldiers of the Clan walking around the town making sure no rabble causes any kind of trouble here. But, oh well, all soldiers suddenly left, and now there are one or more shady characters running around here, which you had better make no contact with.
Thanks for the warning, but we can take care of ourselves.
Sure you can. I just wanted to mention it, so that you can't say no one warned you.

Hm, didn't I see something behind the trees in the northeastern part of town? What if it was a thief or even a murderer? Hrm, I'd better stay here on the street where it's safer.



While walking around town, we get accosted by this sha- pfft, oh my god, his name is "Darkking". Fucking hell, you can't make that up.

Hm, who was that?
Up here...
...

I actually burned one of my two remaining save stones here, which might have been a bad decision in retrospect. Eh, whatever, it'll be fine. Just let me earmark this update for future reference when I'm ten levels into a dungeon and notice I'm out of save stones. Now, let's talk to this guy.



They call me Darkking. But that's not relevant. Do you want to earn a few Filar?
With what?
Well, um, I'm missing an item that someone has taken away from me.
Well, well...
It's currently on its way to Ghardon, but it must not reach this place.
Oh, and why not?
Um... ah, apparently, I was wrong about you. I'll look for someone else.
1) No, wait! - 2) That'd be best...

Come on, I know a side quest when I see one.

Hm?
Where is the item you are looking for?
Ah, so I wasn't mistaken after all. It's on a carriage on the way to this city. You have to get your hands on it before the carriage reaches Ghardon. The carriage ought to be somewhere a little to the south from here.
And how can we identify that item?
The item in question is a very rare dagger with a golden blade.
Good, we'll be right back.
You're helping a thief?
Pfff, Miss Moralizer always has something to complain about. Finally Valnar has found an assignment without some sick human involved who needs a cure.
Oh, just do what you want. I for one think this is not a good idea.

Eh, we'll figure out what we want to do with that whole deal later. For now... on the pile! Now, let's explore the houses.



What monsters are you talking about?
Of the ones in the mine, of course! Ever since the mine has been overrun by those damn lizards, we haven't been able to work there! Friggin' crap!
Hm, perhaps we can help.
If you want to help, speak to our mayor Feyn.
Will do.

I wish I was as good with the sword as I am with the pickax. Then I could show those lizards what I think about them!

Well, that'll be something to pick up later.



dolls anymore!
You've got problems...
Yes, I do.
Ouch.

My little Molly is already pretty filthy! I need a new one!



Hehe, children are pretty stupid.



Ice Rune obtained!

Oooh, shiny!

Who leaves something like this lying around between books?
Well, humans are stupid, after all. And as punishment, we'll take this rune with us.



reside, who dance all day long to some disgusting music. Highly bizarre, don't you think?
Sounds very strange, indeed...
They must be really sick.

Just trying to imagine it. A group of lunatics in a cave... pretty creepy.

Oh man. I think I remember this cave. That'll be a lot of fun when we find it.



Hm, what are you talking about?
The mine of Ghardon has been overrun by giant lizards, and now, all the mine workers are jobless as long as those lizards are inside the mine.
Was no one able to get rid of them yet?
Mayor Feyn has been looking for people who can accomplish that for a while. But apparently, no one here is brave enough.
Hm, perhaps we can help.
If you want to try, then talk to mayor Feyn, she will explain everything to you.
Great, we'll do that.

Giant lizards that take over a mine? How does that happen?



What are you talking about?
Didn't you see the advertisement in the tavern of this town? Now "Magical Desire" makes advertisements, too! What goes through the heads of the men when they visit such an establishment!? All those pigs!
In the tavern, you say?
You don't want to go there, do you?
No, of course not!
Better this way. You mustn't support something like that!

Men are pigs, that's right! All of them perverted pigs!

Hrm. That sounds interesting.



Hello! Say, you don't happen to know a place where a man can... relax a little bit?
What, excuse me? How dare you? I am a married man with a son! Out with you, you pigs!
That was a blunder...

Smooth move, Val. But of course, we have some more sources of information available to us.

Oh yes, I'm already looking forward to you, my sweet little ladies, hehehe...



Um, yes!?
Good. I have the feeling that he sometimes sneaks out of the house and then goes somewhere else. I should definitely keep a closer eye on him.
And you don't know where he goes?
Well, most of the time, he's inside the bar of Ghardon, but sometimes, he's not even there, either. Very strange...

Where the hell does Norbi always go? Is he cheating on me?



Hello, you there!
Did you hear? Minny's cat will soon get kittens! And Mommy said I can have one, too!
Uh, yeah, good for you.
And then I will train it so that it can always protect me when I get scared!
(Kids are so unbelievably stupid.)

What am I going to call her? Maybe Alaine? Yes, Alaine is a beautiful name.
(Agreed!)



What?
I heard that southwest of Castle Rakar, there is supposed to be a secret cave in the mountains, where quite a few treasures are hidden.
Hm, sounds like it would be worthwhile to search and check out that cave.
Hey, wait a second, I want to explore the cave first! Damn it, why am I even telling everything to everybody I run across!?
Some will never learn...

Damn it, if only I still knew exactly WHETHER that cave even exists at all. I don't want to go there for nothing, after all...



If you wish to speak to her, just go upstairs. Mayor Feyn doesn't like scheduling any kind of appointments.
We wouldn't have needed one anyway...

Mayor Feyn truly is a wonderful woman. She governs Ghardon with best knowledge and conscience and is always there for all citizens!



In Hell".



Oooh, shiny!



Hello! We're actually just looking around, and we're wondering if we can help in some way. Are there any problems in Ghardon?
Well, aside from the fact that all the guards withdrew all of a sudden, which causes this town to be undefended, there has alos been an intrusion in our crystal mine by monsters, so that our mine workers are unable to do their job.
1) We'll handle this! - 2) Hm, that's not for us.

Ooooooooon the piiiiiiile.

Really? Oh, I would be very grateful to you! The mine is located in the mountains east from Ghardon. The entrance is on the eastern side. When you have killed every monster, I will give you a reward for your trouble.

Where did all the guards go now that we need them? What are the mine workers supposed to do now?



Um, I'm afraid we have absolutely no idea about this.
Too bad, but I guess it can't be helped. Well, I'll just take both. Can't hurt to do that once.

Do I still even have Rina's necklace? Hm, I'm sure she's missing it. Although, if she doesn't say anything...



Finally a house maid that knows how to treat visitors.
We're actually just looking around, thanks.
Well, I don't know exactly what there is to see in this house, but as long as the head of this house doesn't throw you out, feel free to do so.
Thank you, we won't be bothering anyone.

Hm, who are these people? And why does that one keep looking at me in such a weird manner!? Creepy...



of The Boy Who Couldn't Talk But Was Still Intelligent Enough to Travel Through Time".
Long and stupid...

Man, Marlex is just throwing shade at other RPGs all over the place.



What's stopping you?
I'm a mine worker, but the crystal mine of Ghardon has been completely overrun by monsters! And obviously, it's no longer possible to work there now!
Hm, maybe we can help?
If you really wanna help, then talk to our mayor Feyn, she's currently looking for people like you.
All right, we'll do that.
I hope that the problem will get solved soon...

Cursed monsters! I hate them! I just want to tear off the head of every single one of them!



good! What's more, a lot of healthy vegetables are being grown here, so that we can live off of healthy food, too! What more can you ask for?
What else does this place have to offer?
Well, Ghardon also has a great inn, where the head chef makes the most terrific dishes. I believe he wanted to make something with crabs today. In addition, we also have a few shops here in Ghardon, but those don't really interest me that much. I'm mostly here because of the good atmosphere.
Thanks for the information.
I wish you a pleasant time in Ghardon!

Hmmm, just thinking about the fresh tomatoes and herbs makes me hungry again! Yes, watching your health is very, very important!



Sounds pretty inviting...

Well, let's go check it out.



Thanks, but we're only looking around for now.
Of course. If you have decided on something, just talk to me.
Will do, thanks.

Bah, I can't bear the smell of this pumpkin soup anymore! It gets served EVERY day! Awful!



Or some tomato soup? Or perhaps some delicious nonalcoholic malt beer?
What kind of weird supply of drinks and food is that?
Well, you're currently inside the "Windy Mill", a mill converted to a bar. As a feature, everyone here only gets healthy delicacies. We only process the vegetables that have been grown by the local residents. That way, we can guarantee optimal quality and a particularly high amount of vitamins in our dishes, which surely ought to be worth your health for you.
Uh, we're still thinking about it...
Of course. But as soon as you have tried our delicacies once, you will never want to eat or drink anything else ever again.
I wouldn't be so sure about that...

Pfff, always these sceptics. Our products may be expensive, but they're worth every Filar. Your own health should be worth at least that much. Hm, but perhaps I should do a bit of advertising again. Surely, more guests can't hurt.



Seems to be a trend to place mockups of books everywhere.



fried chicken with some cream pumpkin moose sauce. Absolutely delicious and worth every bit of the 200 Filar!
200 Filar for food? Pretty expensive, isn't it?
Oh, someone who goes eating here has too much money anyway, hehehe...

*nom* Oh, delicious, delicious. I guess I'll also take one serving of this back home.



This food is truly very exceptional, but it is always a treat for my palate.
What are you drinking?
It's called "malt beer". Tastes really, really good.
Looks pretty disgusting, though.

Hmmm, this tastes very good. This should be exported to Erena!



this delectation!
Thanks, but we don't like beer.
Oh, the youth these days! Awful, awful! Back then, when I was still your age, it was considered completely normal to get drunk every evening!
Luckily, those times are over... that sounds awful.
If you say so. I say: CHEERS!

Oh yeees, this is delicious! Doesn't have any alcohol, but it somehow still intoxicates me!



Oh yes, tonight, I'm going to treat myself to the girls of the "Magical Desire". They are simply amazing!

This whorehouse has come up a few too many times to not be plot relevant at some point. I wonder what information we'll need to get from it this time - not like this is breaking with convention.



What's wrong?
Oh God, how am I supposed to manage this?
Hello?
It won't do without it!
ROAAAAAAAAAR!
What, oops, somebody's here!
That's how it's done, Valnar!
What is it, I don't have time!
Looks like you're under a lot of stress at the moment. Can we help, perhaps?
Oh thank God, you're my saviors! I'm currently preparing a Sasoux de Prux, and with it a marvelously juicy king crab! But that stupid deliverer hasn't arrived yet! And now I'm missing the crab! And without it, a Sasoux de Prux is no Sasoux de Prux!
Perhaps we might be able to obtain one.
Oh please, it is very urgent!
1) We'll get you the crab! - 2) We don't have time, however.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Oh, heaven must have sent you! So, the deliverer always gets the crabs from the beach north of Ordun! Please hurry, the food must be ready posthaste!
We're already on our way...

We'll get to it when we get to it, alright.

Oh no, what am I supposed to do now? Just where is that deliverer!?





Just another generic shop for us to sell stuff at.



strangers. Unfortunately, all the guards of the Clan that were usually stationed here have withdrawn, so I hope that you won't cause any trouble. But you don't look like you will.
(Don't be too sure about that, sweetheart...)
Thank you, we're just taking a look around for now.
Feel free to also visit our splendid inn!

Ah, visitors! I hope they don't cause any trouble, now that the guards are gone...



Hello!
May I ask you what brought you to Ghardon?
Oh, we like visiting new towns of which we have only heard so far.
Ah, yes, then you're pretty similar to me. I also like traveling around the whole world. My absolute dream, however, would be to go sightseeing for Pharaoh Ustra's pyramid. But unfortunately, no one seems to know or is willing to tell me where I can find that pyramid. I would love nothing more than to go and see it.
What makes you so interested in it?
Well, aside from the uniqueness of the pyramid, I'm particularly interested in the things that are going on inside. There are lots of rumors.
Is that so? What kind of rumors?
Well, allegedly, the pyramid is full of treasures of the pharaoh, which he had left behind after his death. Moreover, the residents of the nearby city are supposedly arranging some sort of mysterious rituals on a regular basis. I would love to see them, as well.
Well, I'm sure you're going to get the opportunity some day.
I hope so...

I wonder whether Ustra was the evil one or the Elras.



Hm, alright, let's try talking to the baby.

Um, Valnar, this is a BABY! What are you going to discuss with it? The most fashionable diapers, or what?
Yeah, yeah, all right.

Babble Mama poopoo babble...

Intriguing. Note that we aren't able to eat the baby or turn it into a vampire, but we can turn it into an item.



We're just asking around, maybe there is something interesting to find out.
Oh, yes! My boy can now say his first word!
"Blood"?
What? No, "Apple Pie". Isn't that great?
"Apple Pie"? Isn't that too hard for such a small child?
Well, my wife and I aren't really sure, either. It could also be "Banana Syrup".
Uh, yes, that's great. Come, we're leaving...

Hey, my little Dudududi? You're going to be a really great and powerful ruler one day!



allows its wearer to halve their consumption of magical powers.
Hm, this ought to be quite useful to us, as well. Does it also say where we can find it?
Um, no.
I guess that would have been too easy.

I guess I can spoil this right now - Tallamun is the artifact that Asmos told us about. And it's not all that great, as we'll learn when we find it.



carries around a lot of jewelry and other beautiful things! The wares are for the merchants of this town, so some pieces will probably be seen in this store, as well, heehee.

FYI, we're in the weapons shop right now. Of course, it has the exact same inventory as all the other weapons shops we've seen.

Surely, the carriage is well guarded, right?
Of course! There are a lot of thieves and rabble out there just waiting for such an opportunity.

Yep, and some of them even hire vampires to deal with the guards for them.

I wonder if it will have a gorgeous necklace for me?



Here's another bookcase giving us the solution to the mental debility quest. So even if the game doesn't tell us where to find the solution, if you're at all diligent in your city searching, you should find it somewhere.



What do you need the money for?
Um, I need to buy me some food. Otherwise, I'll starve.
Well, you don't look particularly indigent to me. And your house isn't furnished that sparsely, either.
Hey, will you give me the 400 Filar or not?
1) Sure, here you go. - 2) No, not a chance.

I don't like the look of this guy.

Then please excuse me, I still have something to do...

Well, let's read his mind.

Hm, who are these guys supposed to be? Well, perhaps I can get some Filar out of their pockets.

We don't get anything at all out of giving him 400 Filar except lighter pockets. So screw this guy.



What, why?
I have a gut feeling. Something's not right there.
Um, what do you mean?
There lies trouble in the air, didn't you notice? All the guards left Ghardon, and now we also have a new tax collector. Somehow, this all looks to me like someone has taken over Castle Rakar and is now taking our taxes...
Uh, I don't think that's true. Surely, everything is just fine.
Well, I don't know. Let's see what else happens.

Something's going on here. I have a really bad feeling about this at the moment.

It's fine. It's. Fine.

Anyway, that's it for Ghardon, and that'll be it for this update. Next time, a quick interlude in which we get to look at combat calculations in RPG Maker, and then, we're going to be gearing up for another castle conquering! And with this update, we've officially hit the 66% mark for exploring castles and cities! Only three of each to go!