Part 17: The Baron

Update 16 - The Baron



MUSIC: Chismest







Oh boy do we! We just love that Peppy Child, so much!

Oh GOODY!!! Come right this way!!!






Once we make our way down to the factory floor entrance, the rest of the Astronomers are waiting for us.


...Good luck in there... We've all got your back.

Ever since you showed up, my life's gotten so much better!

You have given us direction, a sense of purpose... For this, you have my thanks.

Yeah!!! Thanks!

...

Now, we descend into the belly of the beast, and claim this city back from the clutches of this dark machinery!

Yeah! What he said!


The group has our back! We can go in whenever we are ready... and ready is after we milk them for more dialogue.


Somehow, we all got jobs! I thought they'd never want me...

You came off really strong when you asked. It was... pretty weird...

Your pathetic begging was a wonderful cover. It had so much passion. They didn't suspect a thing.

I thought it was creepy. I was pretty sure that guy wasn't gonna let us in.

...

Enough sap already. We have a job to do! Or, not do...



SFX: Miriam Cackle





You heard the lady! Let's do it!!



VIDEO: Workers Lay Down Your Tools
















MUSIC: The Baron




Mr. Baron is just up these stairs! Hee hee! You must be so excited! We've never seen such a ruckus before... But don't you worry... too much. Mr. Baron can be very kind... Hee hee! Hee hee...


That's...not ominious at all! Hopefully Bard can make it through this with all his limbs and digits still connected.









As one might expect, Mr. Baron's office is located above several flights of tension inducing stairs.







Our Bard, however, has nerves of steel... even as we approach the gigantic door that leads to the Baron's office. Well... this is it!












SFX: Baron Ho




You're the one who disrupted my factory. I'm very disappointed in you! When we allow someone to work here... We are making them part of our family. Why would you let this family down?

Because... we want you to shut it down!

...shut down... the factory?

Yes!

...

How could you even suggest that! Ever since I started this business... I've worked tirelessly to bring joy to people! And Happy Kid is my greatest work! It's the best toy! It brings smiles to everyone! Why would you want... to take that away from the world...? Do you hate joy?!





If you think Happy Kid brings joy... Then...



SFX: Winston Cry


you don't know what joy is!!!

Everyone in this city is hurt by the factory...

It's big and noisy and smelly...

Nobody even likes Happy Kid! It is just a toy!

But our lives are ruined making it! It brings no joy at all!



...oh...

...



SFX: End of the Factory






MUSIC: The Baron (2 minutes in)

It's done.

Wha...?

I shut down the factory.

Just like that...?

All I wanted was to bring joy to people. I thought Happy Kid was finally the answer... but I can see it is not... Perhaps, in my absence, the world changed... or I did... But whatever the reason, if my factory isn't doing its job anymore, I have to reconsider its purpose...

...

All of you... leave the way you came. I have a lot to think about...


So... that was easy! We didn't have to fight or even really argue about it. We had help from the rest of the factory workers, of course. But uh... this seems... too easy. Let's talk to him some more and see why he gave in so quickly.


...

To think... that all these years... the dream I was working toward... it wasn't successful. That's hard... Maybe it's time I took a break... I'm angry, but also relieved. Angry to be told my toys didn't create joy... but relieved that there were those who would tell me. I must deeply rethink what it is I'm doing. You can go. I have a lot to think about here.


So the Baron was actually a good guy after all?? There's a little bit more to the Baron, but we won't really find out about it for a long time. Regardless, it seems the Baron wasn't the ruthless capitalist he was presented as. Since this was the easiest union strike in the history of organized labor.

With the factory shut down... let's head outside and see how Chismest is reacting!












It still kinda smells out here... but! Hey! You did it. The factory's finally shut down... I totally believed in you and stuff.

And I totally believed in you, Miriam!

...

OK. I'll be waiting outside of town. When you're ready to go see the Overseer... come meet me.




We did it! The town has been saved from the factory, and things should finally change around here. Everyone around town has new dialogue for us, so we need to go hunt down everyone and talk to them before we head off to see the Overseer. Winston and his pup are right here, so we'll start with them.







Who's a good girl? Who stopped the Baron? Yes she did!




I'm still thinking of a name for her...




We get a large number of choices for the dog's name. I went with Kona my first playthrough, and we'll avoid the egotistical choice... So how about "Berry"?




Berry is the best!!!

I still have no job and no life...

But having a friend makes it a little more OK.


Aww. This is... a little too real. But, I'm glad we were able to help Winston out!


I bring Berry everywhere now. Well, except inside the diner. She gets frisky.





I know it's such a minor thing but I love when nameboxes get updated in games.





Our next destination is the pub, which has less people in it tonight!


HUOOOOOO! I must stay sharp while the factory is closed! I have a feeling new construction is on the way! If the Baron was strong enough to build such a great factory, then perhaps it's MY turn! HaHAAA! I'm fired up!! And for the record, I don't think the Baron literally built the factory with his bare hands. I speak of his strength... in will! And business acuity! Strength comes not just from muscles!


Johann I think you learned the wrong lessons from what happened. Hopefully the rest of the town keeps him in line...


The factory boys are scramblin', now that it's shut down... But it's good, y'know? We all needed change. Maybe now we can put that energy into making something actually useful. Just an idea.


Hopefully so Tanya... hopefully so.


...

I spent every day wishing it would happen... but I never dreamed it actually would. Happy Kid is dead. That's a real happy happy. It's like... a veil's been lifted... I'm free of that stupid head... I can do anything now!



...

I have no idea what to do, actually. I think it's time for some kinda adventure. Gotta sow some chaos back into my life. Do the things I always wanted to! I've had this idea for a book kicking around in my head... Maybe I'll finally start that...


It's so easy to be discouraged when major change events happen, even when we want them to. It's so good to see the town all trying to come together and forge a new path though, one that will actually bring them joy.

There's no music playing during this entire part, by the way. It's been silent. For a game drenched in music, it works really well as a calm after the storm. There's no major uplifting song, because it's a somewhat bittersweet feeling amongst people.





While walking around, we can find Peter, but he has nothing new to say. Also, since the factory has been stopped, the snow has left and you can see other colors return to the town. It's pretty neat!





We do manage to find Lori, still continuing to sweep up the streets. It seems like some things won't change for everyone.


The factory stopped runnin, don'cha know! Big changes are comin to Chismest! I can feel it! I can breathe outside again, so I'm happier already!








In the middle of talking to Lori, Vlad, with his Ministry of Silly Walks approved walk style, prances in to his usual night time spot. He was friends with the Baron, what does he think about the factory shutdown?


So... the factory is no more... Perhaps the Baron's heart did change... It's as if a curtain has been lifted, and the infernal machine switched off. Is freedom truly better? Now we will see...


What do you mean is freedom truly better!? Uh yes! Yes it is! You're just upset that you won't get to plan that expansion to your house from all your pub money.


I wonder what's become of the Baron... If he sets foot outside of that factory, it will be the first time in years...


No one saw him for years, and he never left the factory... how did he eat? Did Elmer just give him a tray of food outside his office for years on end?





On our way to Beth's diner, we run into Siobhan... and... carefully, talk to her about the shutdown.


So the factory's shut down... but there'll always be mail! I guess Chismest finally got its deliverance, hoo hoooo!


...Alright that one's not too bad Siobhan.





Despite the reason for our group existing being gone, everyone still shows up at the diner during the late night. Well, except for Miriam but it took a miracle to get her here in the first place. We'll start with Beth and work our way towards Elara for conversations.


So the factory's done, huh...

...

For some reason... that gives me a feeling of hope. Everything here's been the same for so long, but maybe things can change after all... Back when I first opened the diner, I loved it... I need to have that feeling again. I've been at work for so long, maybe today... I'll go home and soak my feet.


Now that I think about it, it is somewhat ironic that a town losing its main economic base is a sign of hope for the people. Sure I know it was a poor economic base, that destroyed the land around it... but it was just a little funny.


So the factory is no more... but my love... she is leaving, too. *Sigh*... Good news never comes without the bad close behind... The time we shared was short... and not particularly loving. Perhaps she never really did love me, but I will treasure our time together nonetheless.


I'm sure Miriam would apprec- no she wouldn't, she'd probably just scowl and act like you weren't actually there.


With the factory gone, the spirit of this town is free once more. New hope can spring... perhaps, even for me...


Thank you for the help comrade, good luck on shaping the new order!

Winston has nothing to say, so it's time to talk to our terror cell leader - Elara.


I've finally been able to observe the sky again... and it's as I feared. The stars are disappearing. But I can't find a reason...

Well, the universe is ending!

...

I suppose that is one possible explanation...

...

But I don't like that one...


Bard just nonchalantly dropping the world ending on Elara like it's no big deal.


Now when you say the universe is ending... I mean... what makes you say that?

Because it is! I met an angel in my dreams who told me all about it, and I've been visiting the spirit world meeting magical animal creatures, teaching me a song so I can save the world!



This is all sounding highly unscientific.

You don't believe me about the universe ending?

Nah. I believe you. As a scientist it's my job to question everything. But also, screw that. How does one enter the spirit world?

I have to sing a special song in a special place!

Hm. A coded sequence of vibrations... perhaps linking our dimension to the vibrations of another, creating a brief bridge between worlds... Hm.

Nope, pretty sure it's just special and magic!

Hmmmmmmmm. Even in the eye of science, we see that all things are connected. Particles colliding with particles, effects rippling into infinity... All that we observe follows naturally from all that came before. When you help others, and create happiness... that positivity ripples out, too. And makes an objectively better world.



So keep singing. It's good.


I love every part of the conversation these two have. It's just so good. And also, do try and take her words to heart. Do a nice thing, you may not be able to notice a change, but you may have made someone's day a little better.


Well. Good luck on your spirit journey. I'll keep observing what I can here. Perhaps I'll find something useful to saving us.


Hopefully you do, we may need a backup plan in case this Earthsong thing doesn't work out. Or worse, the Overseers all get killed by the Hero...

We've got just two people left to talk to before we go see Miriam, one of them is right outside the diner waiting for us!




Yeah, whoa, so... The factory just, like... stopped. Does that mean I don't have a job now? When I got the news, I secretly took a bunch of Happy Kid dolls home... and burned them. In a big fire. It felt really good. Maybe I'll finally move outta here like I always wanted... I heard there's a cool place called Delphi across the ocean...


Delphi's a rocking place now Katya! It used to be like this one, all sad and depressed. But now it's super cool and lively!

There remains one last person we need to talk to now...





...Hi mom.


I hear the factory's shut down! Hoo! I wonder... if you father might finally come home...


Uh, what? What does that have to do with anything, mom?


Does this mean you're leaving again, muffin? Doo hoo hoo! What an adventurer! But your momma will miss you... Never be afraid to come back home, OK? I'm sorry if I was ever a little rude... I just want to see you shine!


Despite all my jokes, Bard's mom is really cute. You can see why Bard turned out the way he did, when he has a mom that's always trying to be as positive and supportive as she is.

OK! That's it for the city of Chismest! Let's go talk to Miriam and head to the spirit world!




...Oh. Uh... I guess you can only see the Annual Lights at night. So. Come back later! I'm just gonna wait here... tired of the gross pollution smell...


...Oh. Well, what about now?




This nexus point is called the Annual Lights. They're nice, right? Now hurry up and sing so we can meet the Overseer!

You wanna leave with me?

Yes!

...

Um... but, aren't you... I mean... aren't you gonna miss... The sad roof guy? Who liked you?



No.

It's not even like that. He's just a friend. Okay?? I can't believe we're talking about this... Just sing the song already.


You say he's just a friend, but he's already written another 3 or 4 songs about you in the time since we've left the city proper.

Despite Miriam's commitment issues, we do need to head to the spirit world, so... let's get to it!




I'm gonna stand right here enxt to you. Hitch a ride into the spirit world. What's it usually like in there, anyway? The one time I went was after Queen Chaos died. So it was all... dark and empty.

Usually it's all magical and full of puzzles!

Huh. Well, perfect. This time I'll help you out. I can probably blow us through that stuff instantly.

Well. OK!



VIDEO: Order March