Part 19: The Land With Two Kingdoms
Update 18 - The Land With Two Kingdoms
MUSIC: Act 5
MUSIC: The Bard and the Moon
I was thinking... about what the hero said. Are the Overseers really... evil?
Evil? I dunno... I hate her guts, so... whatever she wants, it's bad. Remember, she's just following the rules. The same rules that say she's the hero. And all the rules say the planet is SUPPOSED to die... So, if we're gonna save it, we have to break the rules. The Earthsong is a pretty big mystery to me and grandma. We don't know what happened in past universes... Like, did anyone ever TRY to get the pieces before? Does it even WORK?? Heck if I know! But... we have to try? Yeah, that's what grandma said.
I like your grandma. Me too. Do you miss her? ... Doesn't matter. We're getting close now. I'm gonna go down.
*Huff!*... I'm tired. This looks like a good place to rest. It looks creepy! I'm tired. We're resting here. 
Welcome to Act 5! This is, without a doubt, the longest act in the game by a country mile. The other acts each took about an hour, give or take. This act will take about three to four hours, depending on how much exploring and talking you do. In the original draft for the game, Act 5 was the entire game, and so it had a bit of weight to it. The game ended up getting expanded to where act 5 is now only a part, though it remains the largest part. Despite it's length, I found it never wore its welcome out and would be my favorite act were it not for Chismest's time mechanics. While I could say a lot more about it, I'm going to let the game speak for itself.
For now, there's nothing but spooky forest around the inn... so let's head inside with Miriam.
...Everyone's staring at us. I guess we do look a little out of place, what with our bard getup.
Nice and toasty in here! Aren't you glad we came in? The lady behind the counter looks like she knows the deal.We came out of the cold and into the oven, based on the heated glares of everyone in the room. No one will talk to us besides the lady at the counter. So let's check-in!
Um. Hi. We want to stay here.
Hmmm. ... Hmmmmmm... ...Uh- Well you can't. All the rooms are taken, except for one. And that one... is haunted. ...What? Really? Normally I'd be completely kidding, but right now I'm not. Hey, Bard... Can't you sing to ghosts or whatever? Yeah, I can! ...Really? Normally we'd be completely kidding.
I love this line
... Well, if you're willing to brave it... it's the very last door upstairs. Just be careful - it's a mean ghost. I'm sure we'll be fine. We dealt with the ghosts at Langtree like it was nothing, and even communed and had a jam session with Ash's mom!
No one will talk to us downstairs, so to the bedrooms we go!
MUSIC: The Spooky Hallway
Alright, this is a bit creepy but it should be fine. Onwards to the spooky door!
The farther down the hallway we go, the slower Bard starts moving until he's moving at a snail's pace. It's a nice touch, and I'd probably be doing the same because I, too, am a coward.
Ok... here it is. Let's just get in, do our singing, and head back downstairs.
...Oh. It's locked! Ha ha! I guess she forgot to give me the key!
Oh, silly us! Getting so worked up over nothing! I bet there isn't even a ghost, the inn is just having a laugh at us outsiders. We'll just head downstairs and get the key.
Um... I don't remember this hallway being this long...
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh, why is there now an open room?! Where's the stairs!? There's no other way to go... so... let's... go in??
VIDEO: Ghost Showdown
So uh, we just got drafted by a ghost that we defeated... to be a message boy. That's cool... I guess. At least it seemed friendly at the end, and didn't try to harm us... Unless that whole "possessing our body" does actually harm us. Let's... not think about it and go tell the innkeeper, Frannie, that we solved the ghost issue.
Miriam?
Sheesh... The spirit... is it really gone? Yep! Maybe we were all wrong about you.Well, I mean, if you don't trust us why would you just take our word? Maybe the ghost is just hiding upstairs waiting to prank you on the john!
We thought you were from... over the border... ...Huh? You must REALLY be a stranger to these parts, hey? We sure are! Well, let me make things simple for ya.MUSIC: The Border
Rulle... that's us, in the east...
We've been at war for generations... ...Why?
A great MANY reasons, traveler! Their assaults on us are neverending! Even this very forest... it once was lush with trees and flowers. But the Chaandesh burned it down! They have no regard for nature... We're in no man's land on the border here, so we always gotta keep watch for spies. That ghost you chased off... she was Chaandesh, too.Are we seriously worried about ghost spies now!? How dedicated to your nation are you that you're willing to die, come back as a ghost, and still serve as some kind of spy?
She gave me a message! For the King of Rulle... A message for our king, from Chaandesh? That can't be any good. What's the message? I don't know... but she said it would end the war!That's... not necessarily a good thing, Bard. It could end the war by killing the King and forcing an unconditional surrender. That would be ending the war, and probably not in a good way.
I can feel it waiting in me... I think we should deliver it! Why does this crap always happen to us... Wha? I said great! Let's go deliver this ghost message to the King! Yeah! ... I appreciate the favor you did me and my inn, stranger. So I won't stop you... but I will say, be careful with a message like that. It's probably hard to understand cause you ain't from here, but anything from Chaandesh... we've learned not to trust. Whaaaaaaaat? But she seemed so nice! I mean, she was all haunty and scary, and she attacked me with rainbow ghost balls, but... after that, she was nice! I'm sure it's fine. ... ...
Oh Bard... Thanks to us busting that ghost, people here trust us enough to speak with us. So we'll talk to them a bit before we head out the door after Miriam.
Good luck on your journey, stranger. It's a bit ugly out here... but past the wall it's real nice. Especially if you make it to the capital, Xiatian. Rulle's a beautfiul place where it's not a burned mess. A lot of dangerous types come through here. I inherited this place from my folks, but the area's no good anymore. Why they bothered to rebuild after the fire's beyond me. But for those sorry few out there, it's their only refuge. 
Hello uh, Ty. Nice to meet you. I would like to speak with you and hopefully not get hurt by that bird.
Apologies if I made you nervous earlier. I'ma soldier of Rulle... I would never use my sword but against a true villain. Myself and my qin shall leave you in peace. Qin? What's that? Oh, you...? I suppose you are quite new to this kingdom. They're our animal companions: Everyone in Rulle grows up with one. It gets lonely out here. Not many come to the border. That's the price of duty to my nation. We soldiers are many, and the borderlands are where we're most needed. Be wary out here. It's not safe.Please, we just handled a Chaandeshi ghost spy. I think we can handle anything this swamp can throw at us.
...The spooky presence has lifted... Thank you, traveller... My wife and I, we are refugees of this conflict. This burned land is cursed... It's no place to make a home... So much fear in the world... that must be why the spirits are restless.Well, they may also be restless because the world is ending. But I guess we shouldn't tell you that lest you get even more depressing to talk to.
Finally, his wife Delia will close us out.
I got family on the other side of the border, but I haven't seen them in a long time... I came with my husband and qin to try to cross, but... seeing the dead forest... we didn't want to go any further. Feels like there's something... dark, out here.The forest did look spooky as hell. Though if that was the ghost, or something else lurking in the woods... I guess we'll find out.
The forests of Rulle are so beautiful. Who could be evil enough to burn them down? The conflict rises and falls, but it's been going for longer than I remember... Folks normally don't come near the border.Well... that's it for the inn! A spooky little setpiece for this act, but ends up setting the stage for important things to come.
Well! Up up and away! Uh, what? Let's fly! No. No? I'm tired. I slept on a floor - barely. You try carrying you for a couple of days. See how you feel about doing it another day after that. You're walking.
So uh, we're walking. The forest is still creepy, but not quite as spooky. If we go to either the far left or right, we can leave this area. That brings us to...
MUSIC: The Journey East
The Map Screen! Back from Act 3, we now get to move around on this map. Unlike act 3, it's extremely linear where you go... and there's no singing pirates along the way. So it's a more depressed version of act 3's map, which fits... honestly.
Now, Rulle is in the east so we need to head there...buuuut there's something interested in the west that we can go check out now. It won't be important until later, but we can still investigate now.
This mountaintop structure is called the Sky Temple. Because... it's a mountain that goes up high enough to reach the sky, and there's a temple on it. Really don't know where they got the name from.
We'll check it out real quick, then head on back out.
It looks impressive, if nothing else. I'm sure the builders also got some serious leg days in, hauling materials up this mountain every day.
This is the Sky Temple... The next nexus point. People built a whole temple around it. But it's the place that matters, not really the temple. What's special about the place? Never really figured that out either. All the nexus points seem to be near natural formations... but they're just places where there's a lot of spirit... stuff... Spirit stuff is also kind of everywhere, and invisible. 'Cause our world and spirit world are linked, but at these places it's stronger, enough that you can move between them. Basically. My grandma could probably explain it better. Anyway, it's useless for us for now. Overseer song blah blah. Some neat information from Miriam about the nexus points, but that's all we're here for. There's nothing else at the Sky Temple, so back to the world map!
Specifically, we're gonna head west! Sure we need to go east, but who's gonna stop us?
Don't get us lost in the wrong kingdom. Rulle is back the other way...Oh... I guess Miriam is gonna stop us. Ok so now we are heading east!
We're almost at the border wall, and we can see some actual trees! The Rulle troops must be trying to protect these few trees that have survived the forest fires.
MUSIC: Silence
That's a pretty big wall! Is that just to keep out people from other kingdoms...? It seems kinda excessive...
We might get in trouble! I wonder if there's someone we can talk to...? What should we do...?
MIRIAM!!! That's against the law I'm pretty sure!!!Doesn't seem like anybody's around Bard! Everyone knows it's not breaking the law if noone knows you did it.
I told you... we're gonna have to break a few rules... right? We don't have time to worry about this crap!!! Now come on...
Bard is clearly not happy with this turn of events, but I think he needs to get into the idea of saying screw the authority figures, personally.
Hey... have you noticed how... quiet... it is...? There's no animals or birds here...She's... right. We're on the other side of the wall, shouldn't there be some signs of life here? I mean, the forests are alive. But why is everything else gone? Maybe we'll find an answer if we keep going...
Whoa...! What happened here? It looks like a monster attack...There are monsters in this world? What is Geralt going to come over the other side and we're going to watch pure positivity meet pure cynicism?
Hmmm. Maybe it's nice! Like the ones in Delphi...Oh yeah... I forgot about those dudes. I hope they're doing well...
Yeah, probably not... Let's be careful around here.
If there's monsters around, we should definitely watch our step. We aren't exactly equipped to fight any enemies.
It looked like the wall was there to protect the forest... since the other side got so wrecked. But... this side got pretty wrecked, too... They said that other kingdom burned it down, right? This... definitely doesn't look like burning... There's something weird going on out here...
I disagree with Miriam that we can just rule out burning, but these trees should be alive and well. This is a little suspicious...
Hey...
...That looks like a thing!
Whoa!!! ... It's on your face! I KNOW!!! Do something!!!And we should do something! But uh, there's like a bunch of dialogue if we don't. So enjoy the gif as miriam slowly gives us hints on what we should do.
SFX: Bard GAH! 
I'd try shooting it with magic... but I'd probably end up hurting you... Boy, it's really going at it! Sheesh! Maybe you should try singing? ... Are you just giving up now? You should try singing. ... OK... Really don't know what to tell you. You really should try singing.Wait... Miriam... are you saying we should try singing!? Hell, why didn't you say so!
! It didn't like that! (I told you so...) I was so scared! But I guess it wasn't so bad. Yeah, it's just one little guy. I wonder where he came from.
You just had to ask, didn't you?
We should run.Good pl-
We should sing! What... It works! Right? We have to get through the forest to the King! So we have to try...
You know what?
Sure. Knock yourself out.Hey! I think she meant it figuratively this time! We're warming her up Bard!!
MUSIC: We Have to Sing!
VIDEO: Marching Through
So we've got to walk a long way with nothing but these monsters in the way. Singing will keep them off us, and they're the color of the note they want so that makes it pretty easy to determine what we need to do here.
This is what you don't want to do, in case you were wondering. Even though you can see the colors on the monsters themselves, there's a tell on the wheel which direction you need to go. This is likely for color blind people, as there are options in the menu for them as well. It's always real cool of games to think about players that have disabilities!
When you've kept them far enough at bay, Bard and Miriam are able to start walking forward. When you're singing one note, the notes with color monsters that aren't being sung will try to get closer.
Alternating between the two, or more, colors will easily let you get through. Though to be honest, I don't really like this part. It takes a while to get through, it isn't challenging, and feels like a puzzle boss that we would have had in Act 2. The song's nice though!
What a bunch of chumps. Let's keep going. Before they come back...I'm pretty sure they left because they got bored before we did. Or they were amazed Bard could hold a note that long. Dude really does have some amazing lung capacity.
A bridge! Maybe we've made it to some kind of civilization?
MUSIC: Dangerous Times
Stay back from the wall! And identify yourselves! What's a witch doing here in the forest?
We're delivering a message for the King! What's wrong with us being here, dude? YOU'RE A WITCH! Yeah, I... so what??? These are dangerous times! So we can't jus-
What's goin' on, man? There's a witch at the gate! Whoa, what? Here in the forest? Let me see. They say they have a message for the King... Huh, really? They seem okay to me... Phil! They are obviously spies! I dunno, man, they look like refugees to me. We can't just leave 'em with the monsters, can we? I think we can...Whoa, not cool dude! Bard can't hold a note forever! It's already amazing he was able to do it for a couple minutes straight.
Nooooooo waaaaaaaaaay! Let 'em in, man. Ain't no time to be uncouth. ...
But come through quickly!!!
We got lucky that Phil happened to walk by, and also isn't an ass. I don't think blowing a hole in this wall would have gone well for us...
Sheeeeeesh!!!
Ping, man... You gotta tell your qin to cool it... What's everyone's deal here?!It's probably that multi-generational war that has cost both sides massive losses in land, resources, and people. Just a hunch.
Are you or are you not from Chaandesh?! No! You, sure! But what about the WITCH!!! What?... No! Seriously, what is your problem!!! It's because witches come from Chaandesh, man. Ping, she has no idea what's goin' on here... You gotta cool it... This is seriously not cool, dude. ... Okay! Okay, sure.
Is your animal gonna... attack us? Again? No. ... We're cool. Okay. Okay, great. You two are totally welcome here, okay? We got a lot goin' on with the monsters and all, so it's all a bit crazy right now. But you really don't seem like you're dangerous. We're all gonna take it easy now, okay?
Thanks to Phil, we've been accepted into the group despite our...problems at the gate. We get the chance now to go and talk to everyone and get to know them a bit. We'll start with Miriam and work our way over to the right side.
... I don't trust these people to be cool. Maybe because they attacked us with a bird... Maybe. Birds can be massive assholes, it's true, though I had a pet bird when I was younger that was super awesome - it would attack my younger brother if he came into my room unprompted. I didn't even train it to do that, it was just super cool like that.
Rrrgh. I feel so weird here. Like everyone keeps looking at me... I'M not the one with a weird attack bird!!! I hate this stupid kingdom... The people are weird... and it's full of monsters!!! I don't know which is worse...This kingdom has, admittedly, shown us nothing but hostility since we arrived here. Hopefully that'll change when we arrive at the capital.
Hmmmmmmmph. You're both lucky Phil's in charge here. If you are innocent, I apologize for my aggression. But I have my mother to worry about as well. We can't be too careful these days. So I'll be keeping an eye on you...That's a kinda great non-apology apology. "If you didn't do anything wrong, then I guess I'm sorry. But you did something wrong."
We're all very peaceful here. We don't need unruly travellers coming and making a ruckus, You understand? Please respect us and our town. We're surrounded on all sides by awful dark spirits. (And apparently questionable travellers...) So getting in and out of this town is a nightmare... We're just waiting for the Chaandesh army to follow...We're a peaceful people he says as he prepares his bird to attack us again for being a suspected spy. Ping mentioned his mother, let's speak with her.
I'm sorry my son gave you trouble. Ignore him. He's a fool. You and your friend seem perfectly nice to me...Wow, are you sure he's your kid? You're sweet and nice, compared to sour and mean. It's also interesting to note that Xia is the only elderly woman to not have her entire dialogue be wavy.
It's true that the forest has gotten very dangerous. I've been trapped in this sorry town for who knows how long. I'll probably die here too. MOTHER!!!! Don't speak like that...Aww, jeez. Don't make me feel bad for Ping, game. I want to hate him.
At one point a very tough girl came through here... And for a time she kept us safe. But of course, as soon as she left, things became terrible again. All the while, my idiot son hasn't helped anyone... Even some person with a sword is tougher than my son. Pathetic, isn't it? MOTHER!!!! That was the hero of legend... How am I supposed to be as strong as she is? Hero, legend, who gives a hoot! You'd be strong too if you weren't so lazy!...I don't know what to feel about these characters so. I still want to hate Ping but now I...pity him? Let's move on to a character that is very simple, and likeable.
Hey there, wayfarer. Sorry I didn't introduce myself, I'm Phil. I'm kinda the boss around here. Sorry about Ping, this monster situation's got us all wound up. Leaving here is dangerous. We've been trapped here for days, now. You know how it is. I gotta ask, though... How did you get through the woods to here? I sang to the monsters...
You two'll fit right in, then. We play music here every night, keeps the spirits up. You should join us tonight, wayfarer. We can put all this ugly behind us. We'll be setting up the fire soon - just let me know when you're ready.Just like the coffee before, the campfire advances the story. Which we'll do after we finish talking to people... of which, there are only two left.
Not including animals, of course.
All the qin respond to notes, as well. Not only do they change colors, but they'll "sing" (dog barks, bird honks, etc.,) along too.
Ain't so many of us left here, now. You think the King even knows about us stuck here? I bet he doesn't, or he doesn't care.Sorry Jordan, we don't know enough about him as to whether he's a bad king, who deserves the guillotine, or a good king, who deserves a tearful crowd as he's guillotined.
I'm worried for my grandaughter and her qin... They was supposed to go back to Xiatian. Until the monsters showed up. How much longer are we gonna be trapped here? This ain't no place for a girl to grow up.Again, don't know what to tell you. We can't really do anything except sing the monsters away. Little Savita is the last member of the group left to talk to.
This place sucks. I miss Xiatian so much... Now I'm stuck here... with nobody but grandpa and our qin... sigh... I've never met a witch before. Can you do a magic trick? Oh, I'm not a witch! My friend Miriam is though. Can she do a magic trick? I feel like if I ask her, she'll get mad.In her current state, There's a good chance the magic trick is disintegrating you.
What are witches like? Well, Miriam is really grumpy all the time. But she's also really cool! One time she fought the Hero! So she's grumpy all the time, and she fights the Hero? I guess that's why everyone hates witches... Wait, that's not what I meant! Oh, ok.Bard getting outsmarted and outsassed by a bored little girl. Shameful.
That's it for the lumbertown crew. It's time to talk to Phil and start the campfire.
Actually, "I was curious..."
You all have been trapped here? Yeah, pretty much. We're here to turn the trees into lumber... It's nice work, living amongst the forest. But then monsters showed up, and the forest got dangerous. We used to have a lot more folks... working' the mill and all. Oh gosh, did they all... Oh! No, they didn't die... least I don't think so. They left in a big group for Xiatian, with the Hero. She was here? Oh yeah. Saved our lives, but... we have elderly, and kids and qin - folks who couldn't do the intense journey with her. So a few of us stayed back to keep 'em safe. We're hoping the King sends back help soon... It's a lot on our minds, wayfarer. S'why we need nice campfire songs.
Well, while the hero coming here sucks...at least she actually did a heroic thing and helped these people. Maybe Rainbow girl is right and the hero isn't all bad? Hmm. Anyway, let's sing some campfire songs!
"Yeah!"
Yesss! I'm so ready, too.
VIDEO: Two Hearts Entwined
(Note: Video covers rest of update, screenshots will pick up with the dialogue after the song is over)
It really really was. Act 5's music is real freakin good. But... there's still a lot of great tunes left to come.
Thanks very much, wayfarer. We've been singin' it for generations. But... it's kinda sad, too... Why did the qitch curse the wayfarer? If they were in love... Hmmm... You know... I never really thought about it! Heh... Guess I always figured... the witch was some kinda trickster. Who snatched up the wayfarer's soul... NOOOOOO!!! But whyyyyyy? Maybe it's just a stupid, made-up song! Who cares why?Jeez Miriam, don't you have any class or taste in art?
Well, not totally made up. Like I said, it happened in these woods. And the wayfarer was a girl from Rulle... And then her soul got snatched? Well, that's how the story goes. Sounds pretty made up to me. Or, what? Do you think witches just... go around... snatching souls?
Holy crap, do you actually? No! Well... we aren't used to seeing witches... it's hard to know sometimes. They're cruel folk, witches!Oh gosh, Ping please don't start this again. We just had a nice campfire song about how witches are evil and not to be trusted!
What are you talking about?! Where do you think the forest monsters come from? They're soldiers of Chaandesh, magically created and sent here to attack us... and destroy our precious forest! I didn't know that. They're the reason we've been trapped here... But why??? That's the scariest thing about Chaandesh! We don't KNOW why! But from their actions, it's clear they hate us! They have no regard for nature, or our way of life! Tell us this, witch... you said you had a message for the king.
What's the message?Uhhhh... *tugs on collar* phew man! This campfire sure is hot! We should uh... get some sleep!
It's... a secret! But it's something that could end the war! Hmm. You really think so, wayfarer? Mhm! I'm sorry... but that's just not possible...
Well, here's hoping. I think it's startin' to get on in time. How about we call it for the eve? Yeah. I think I've had enough of this.