Part 21: The Potion of Power
Update 20 - The Potion of Power
MUSIC: Xiatian
Last time, we talked to literally everyone in the city as I slowly lost my mind trying to come up with a new way to say "Then we talked to this person about their history of bunyons". We quickly found out the Hero is staying at the Lodge. This building... is called the Lodge! Wow! We found it!
Well, it looks like we found her.
But... let's extend this tease to one more character and talk to the innkeeper first.
Hello, yes, yes... Welcome to our humble inn... I do not know if you're aware, but... The Hero... is staying with us!!! So please be on your best behavior... We would very much like to have her endorsement. Yes, yes... if the Hero gives us a glowing review... then surely we'll be overrun with guests... Times have been hard, with the war, you see. Rulle does not take many visitors these days. Also, if you are bringing a qin in... please make sure to clean up after them. We've gotten many complaints of untidy rooms...Oh we're not staying here, we don't have any money after all. But we will just go talk to the Hero and likely ruin any chance of an endorsement you'd get.
Well well well! If it isn't my favorite bard and witch. I didn't know you two were in town!
That's crap. We walked right by you earlier! Did you? Well, what's shaking?
We wanna meet the King... Of Rulle? Yeah, guess he's laying pretty low these days. You'd have to be pretty important to meet him... Yeah, we get it! Why do you get to meet the King? Sheesh! All this attitude! For your information, I saved the city from a giant monster attack. AND... I need to learn the Oversser song from the King! Important saving-the-world business, you know? The King knows the Overseer song??? WE NEED THAT TOO! You do? OHHhhh... yeah, I guess that makes sense... How else would you keep breaking into the spirit world?
Tell ya what, I'll help you both out! Really? Sure! I'll bring you along to my meeting later. I could use a couple of flunkies. "Flunkies"??? I mean, I don't have to bring you along... No no no! We'll do it! Ugh Cool! But hey, listen. Since I'm doing you both such a huge favor... I could use one from you, too.
Nothing too hard! Hah. I need to get a Potion of Power from the local shop. Can you pick one up for me? It would really be a huge help. Y'know... if you wanted to tag along later. ... Thanks! You're the best.
The conversation could have gone a lot worse, we just have to get her a potion. That shouldn't be too hard... right?
If we talk to the hero again, she can remind us of what we are supposed to do. Though if we say that we remember...
So you're good at singing, right? Yeah! That's very nice. What other kinds of gear you got? Gear? Yeah, like... weapons?
I don't have that kinda stuff... WHAT?? You mean you JUST do singing? I'm a bard! Sheesh. I always assumed you were at least, like... an archer... or something. Crazy that you even got this far.Bard really does make his way through monsters and whatnot by just singing at them, and hoping for the best. Luckily for him, the game is about singing, so it works
Now then, we need to head back to the potion shop and see if we can pick up a Potion of Power.
Uh... Hello... It's you again... We're here for the Potion of Power! Wow... You didn't strike me as such high rollers... it will cost quite a few Farquaads... Farquwhat? Um...? Farquaads? As in... currency...? Money...? Oh! We don't have any of that...That Mermaid Tear giveaway continues to bite us in the behind...
Oh... Well, in that case... you can't have it. Ah! Can't we do something for you... to give it to us? Maybe for some of my other potions... but the Potion of Power is... very luxurious... You would need a treasure chest of Farquaads to afford it...
SFX: Miriam Angry
AARRGGH! FORGET ABOUT IT!!! Me and my grandma used to make potions! It's not that hard! Screw you and your hoity toity store!!! We'll just do it ourselves for way cheaper!! Okay... Let's get out of here, Bard!
Miriam has stormed out of the shop, probably because she, too, is mad about the Mermaid Tear thing. Before we head back out there, Saj does have a few more things to say.
Good luck with your potion brewing... the Potion of Power can be very tricky to create... I hope your friend knows what she's doing... If she does, actually, I would love to talk to her. There aren't many potion enthusiasts here... Potions are classically thought of as a magical thing... but, people in Rulle don't tend to trust magic much... Your friend isn't a magic user... is she? She might run into trouble around here... I saw the Hero was in town... that's very exciting, for a potion brewer like me... That's someone who could actually afford a Potion of Power... Umm... no offense...Saj I'm much more offended at your inability to end a sentence without using ellipses. Seriously, this city and its ellipses... Crap, now I'm doing it!! Let's leave this stupid place.
MUSIC: Miriam
Screw that guy...SFX: Miriam Angry
And screw the Hero!!! She knows we can't afford fancy potions... She's trying to embarrass us!!! But I wasn't kidding. We can make it ourselves! It took me a minute to remember, but I definitely know all the ingredients for that one... Probably...
Just flowers and plants... See? Not that hard! She probably assumed we would never be able to get it... and that's why she agreed to help us at all... But we can beat her at her own game. Then she'll have to admit she was lying... but since that's her pride on the line... she'll probably actually take us to the King instead! I'm not sure I'm following... Doesn't matter! Just get those ingredients!SFX: Miriam Cackle
I'm actually... really excited... to show her up like this... Heh heh...MUSIC: Xiatian
We've got control again... but Miriam has more to say so let's give up control again!
I used to do this all the time with my grandma. Collecting stuff for a potion, I mean. We'd go into the forest and pick mushrooms and stuff... This is kinda like that... Were you always really grumpy as a kid, too? ...
Making a potion... it really does make me think of Grandma Saphy. I kinda wish she was here. She knew a lot about potion ingredients. I don't really know what I'm doing... I hope she's doing okay.Aww, it's okay Miriam. Your grandma seemed way too cool to have something bad happen to her offscreen. She's probably fine.
None of the ingredients we need are crazy rare... So... we can probably find them all around this region... probably...Miriam sounds assured, so I'm assured! Now, if you took a look at the ingredients we need... some of them may look familiar. In fact, we've seen four of those ingredients already around Xiatian. Let's begin our search in earnest.
Right next to the potion shop, Juan just so happens to be holding a frog we need! Maybe we can convince him to hand it over?
Hey! Look at this cool frog I found! Wow! Me and my friend need a frog like that... Can I have it? Okay!
...Just like that?
Oh! Okay! Thanks! Hey, can I ask you a question? Sure! Are you a dork? Huh? 'Cuz you look like a big dork! Ha ha! With your silly hat and feather! I'm a bard! Ha ha! That's rude...I guess... this is the price for getting the frog for free. We have to get bullied afterwards.
Swords are so cool! I want a big sword like the hero has! It looks like so much fun. Shwing!!! Fwaaaahhhhh!Alright, let's get away from Juan before he bullies us some more. We still need four more ingredients, but where are we gonna find them?
There's one of the leaves we need! But uh... how will we get it down? Simple, we need to use the butterflies again. There are five butterflies scattered around this area, we just need to collect all five and the leaf will be ours!
And here's where the other four were hiding. Once we have all five, we just head back to the leaf and...
Our 2nd ingredient has already been found! Lan saw our usage of the butterflies and now wants to talk to us again.
Wow! You're like... a master of the butterflies... Can you talk to them too? please tell them Lan says hi!Aww that's sweet. We'll let them know Lan!
I like to sing to the butterflies... When I'm alone at night, I sing out the window so they come to me... there's a couple of the same ones that come every night. I think they're a little family! My little butterfly friends... they're like my second qin...
I named my butterfly family Suki and Tengen, by the way. I thought they should have regular people names. If I gave them cute buggy names, they might think I was making fun of them... but they're adult bugs with a family, so they need adult names.Lan is a much better kid than Juan. Lan sings while Juan bullies, I know which one is getting our recommendation from santa
So where to next? We could look anywhere in the city... Well, we do know where one of the ingredients is located, because we saw it before.
Ephias has the mushroom we need at his shop. Let's talk to him... carefully, and see if we can convince him to give it up.
Hi! About your yellow mushroom... I need it for a potion! Can I have it?
Rurururu... I wish I could just give it away... but I need money! Badly! I had to sell my horse, and now I'm trapped in this city... Aaah! I know...Bard has heard all this dialogue before, and he too is tired of it.
But is there maybe something I could do in exchange for it? Rururururu... CHEE!!! Well, business has been very slow... so if there were a way you could help me with promotion... For example, by performing in front of my caravan?Well... we've got no choice since somebody gave up our only source of money. So yeah, we can do that.
CHEE!!! You'll have to write a theme song for my shop... I have some guidelines for success with this! I may be a panda, after all, but I understand humans very well! They like patterns! And repetition! Whatever song you write, you're going to have to sing it over and over. Without changing anything!!! So make it interesting... but not too interesting!
So despite Ephias' recommendation that you make it interesting but not too interesting, you can basically make it whatever you want so long as it's not too complex. Though what counts as too complex is a mystery to me.
Because my song... ended up accidentally being a spin around the ol radial wheel. Despite this, Ephias let me keep it and sing it for the audience... much to my dismay.
Chee!!! I think it's great! Now we just need to sing it! Over and over again! And the humans will come flocking!
VIDEO: Trainwreck
CHEE! Look at all these customers who came! All thanks to your singing! I have no problem giving you this!
Yay! Rururururu... I'm going to be rich now!Despite the absolute train wreck that was our jingle, we somehow got the mushroom anyway! All the people who've gathered around the carvan all have something new to say. So we'll check on them before we go find those last two ingredients.
Ha! That was an intriguing tune you sang! It was annoying at first, but... something about that fifth reptition or so... it made me really like it! And it made me notice the pretty nature stuff sold here... I bet some would make a unique piece'a decor!
That song was so catchy... Now it's stuck in my head. I'm kinda angry about it, actually. I want it to stop. I guess there's this shop here... All this foresty stuff has a nice smell.. Maybe I'll get it to help me relax...
I saw people were into this caravan. I like the vibe here. I can't really afford this nature stuff... but... can't you just find this stuff around outside anyway...?We've managed to help Ephias
Here's the location of all five butterflies in this part of town...
And in thanks, we get the last leaf we needed, and the second to last ingredient! All that's left is the flower. And... we've seen that before too! It was in the backyard of the large house on the very far east side of town.
Miriam must have also remembered, because she's decided to meet us here.
Hey! I found one of the ingredients... It's in this rich person's backyard... I was thinking about just taking it... WHAT!!! No way!!! What would your grandma think if you did that?? Sheesh, okay, sheesh! Let's ask for it! It's just a flower, no big deal! Go right ahead. "What would my grandma think" ... okay, dweeb. You don't even know my grandma! Is she a... criminal??? What? No, she's a super sweet old lady! I mean you're right she wouldn't like me stealing, it's just... You didn't know that...While I am sympathetic to Miriam's plan of "Take from the rich," Bard... is a pure being of positivity. And I can't deny that he is doing the right thing, so let's go talk to whoever lives here and see what happens.
Hi! There's a blue flower in your backyard... Me and my friend need it for a potion! Can we use it?
Hrrrrrrrrrrmmm... No.
Welp! Time to go to plan B, steal from her!
...Ugh, I guess we'll try again.
I know! But! We need it to save the world... It's a long story... please help us!!! Insane kids... If it means that much to you... you can have it... IF... you do some yard work for me. We can do that!!! Right, Miriam? ... Right! Lead the way, miss!
All these leaves... move them out of my yard.
MUSIC: Let's Do Yardwork!
So, there is a crapton of leaves in the backyard! And to be true to our word, we need to get rid of them through either the far left or far right exit. So how do we do it?
By singing of course. It's the only real game mechanic, surely you didn't expect Bard to take out a leaf blower? I have to admit that somehow... blowing leaves during this part is... relaxing. It's probably the music, but it's still kinda fun. The leaves don't perfectly follow the direction of your singing, so you sometimes have to wait for it to fall back down again before singing it back over the edge.
After blowing enough leaves up into a pile, Miriam calls us over.
Have you stopped and noticed... that the Hero goes around fighting monsters with a cool sword... and WE get stuck doing yardwork? If she were here... she'd just take the dumb flower... Why aren't we? In case you forgot, the world is about to end.SFX: Miriam Angry
It doesn't matter if this old lady has leaves in her yard!!! But I mean, whatever, you do you.
Talking to Miriam has unlocked the option to just... steal the flower. Can you do it? You totally can! What happens if you do? Don't know! I'm not a monster and am not stealing the flower. Bard is a good boy, and wouldn't do that. He'd clean up leaves with gusto, and that's what we're doing!
Wow! See, Miriam? We did the right thing... and we got cookies!!!
But what we need is the flower Of course. I'm happy to give that as well... Yay! Everybody's happy! This could have been so much easier...
... So I got a closer look at this flower... and... it's not exactly the kind we need... But, it's pretty close, so. It's probably fine.
Good news is, this was the last one. I saw a good mixing pot at the inn where the Hero's staying... Let's go back there to fix this up.
We've got all the ingredients for the Potion of Power! We helped an old lady with her yard! And we got cookies! Is this not the best timeline?! We have thoroughly explored the city and talked to everyone possible. Let's head to the Lodge and make that potion.
You got all the ingredients? Heck yeah! Great. Let's see 'em.
... ... Literally none of these are right. Huh? I mean, they're close. But they're all the wrong species or off color. Oh. Also, the frog was supposed to be alive... Oh. I can work with this though. There's a pot inside the lodge here we can use. Hopefully the Hero doesn't notice us...
Is it gonna work? Probably not... but it doesn't have to work... It just has to look like it will. Potion-making runs in my blood. It'll be fine. Your parents make potions, too?
I don't know. Never met 'em. Oh. They left me with grandma before I can remember. When I was a kid she'd tell me... that they were coming back for me someday... but eventually she stopped saying that. They basically abandoned me. Oh. I'm sorry... That sounds really sad. Only when I think about it. Grandma Saphy is all the family I ever needed. She made me forget I was missing anything.
But I did always have a feeling... That maybe if I worked hard enough, and made myself into something... something heroic and famous... that they'd notice. And realize what a mistake they made leaving me. And come back. But... that's a ridiculous idea. I don't even care if I ever see them now. Actually, I'm pretty sure I never want to. And I can't do anything heoric, anyway... We're going to save the world, Miriam! Trying to. Would you look at that! Potion's done.
That... doesn't look safe... or appetizing.
Um... It looks weird... Yeah. It might actually be deadly. Let's see if the Hero likes it!Miss Hero is standing about ten feet to our right, so... let's see if she accepts the potion!
Oh, there you are! That took forever! Did you fall asleep or something? You almost made me late... I don't have time to hear your hilarious excuses. Point is...
Mm! No, we have it right here. ...really? Show her the goods, Bard.
...Huh. Well... Great job! This was a huge favor. No problem! So now... you'll take us to the King, right? ...Yes! But we have to go, right now....It worked? How the hell did that work? Miriam you may actually be a genius to have pulled this off.
MUSIC: Silence
Alright, flunkies! Excited? Just keep behind me.
Audrey then begins to walk...extremely...slowly, ahead. If we bump into her, she just gets mad, stops, and yells at us to slow down. She moves at a much slower pace than our movement speed, so I've found the best way to navigate this part is to slow down by dancing!
What are you doing?? It's the ghost message... It knows we're close to the King... I think it's trying to get out of me... Well, that's... not creepy... You two okay back there? Yup! No problem! Ha ha. Uh... okay. Try to keep up?
Despite her telling us to keep up, she's still super slow. Also, I guess this King also enjoys have a long corridor entrance to his throne room. Rulers seem to love the stuff.
Gah!! Hey! keep it together... We're almost there.
Now presenting... His royal majesty... The King of Rulle himself!
Thank you, thank you. Okay. Great. It's very nice to meet you all, et cetera. Wow. Just very great. Obviously we have a lot going on right now... With the big invasion in 3 days, and all that... So sorry if I seem terse. Wha??? An... invasion???
Oh. Whoof. See, this is why I can't talk to outsiders anymore. Too many secrets to keep track of. Secrets for days. Hey, uh...
VIDEO: Give Peace a Chance
