Part 8: Desecration

Episode 8: Desecration



This one should be right up your alley, Underlord… if you fancy a bit of necromancy.

The Imperial Crypts are before us; the burial ground for their most sacred heroes. The Emperor himself is entombed here… and we're going to make him dance like a puppet on a string.



The Royal Crypt; tombs and effigies to the feeble warriors of a dying Empire! Look to your Necromancers, Underlord. Their death-magic will be the trick to success in these pits. Keep them alive at all costs!



This is going to be a short but really fun mission! We start off with nothing but four necromancers. No dungeon core, no workers, nothing. So since don't have to do any admin work this episode…



…there's no reason not to get up close and personal! This mission can be played almost entirely in first person by possessing one of the necromancers, should you want to. Later on, it's a good idea to jump out on occasion to cast a few spells, but for now, this'll work perfectly.



As your Necromancers go about their defilement, they'll raise Ghouls from the buried dead. These rotting husks will serve you well as a fighting force. Hold your nose, Underlord!

Of course, being necromancers, we'll be able to create a few friends to help us out in this crypt. As you would expect, the ghouls are individually not very strong, but they become overwhelming if you are able to raise a whole bunch of them. SPOILERS: we will raise a whole bunch of them.



The Empire's Temple Guard is a member of the Church of Kira, who guards the crypts of their inglorious dead.

Surprisingly, this crypt is really heavily guarded. That's no problem, though—it just means more ghouls for us to raise from the dead.



In addition to being able to resurrect the guards and a bunch of regular coffins, there are also special crypts belonging to renowned heroes of Kairos scattered around the map. Seizing these crypts will allow us to resurrect those heroes, which are more powerful than our regular ghouls. It's a good idea to pick up at least a few of these heroes before we head for our ultimate objective.

These dwarven guards are guarding one of these special crypts. Dealing with them would be a lot easier if Necromancer Greg here would get out of the way and stop photobombing my screenshots.



Somehow, the dwarves got permission to install a lava lake around this crypt. That seems unnecessarily hazardous, but on the other hand, if you have to build something that's very dangerous and likely to kill you, I guess it's efficient to build it inside a crypt.



You… You craven dog! You Godless bloody savage! First, m'entire family heritage, and now you drag my corpse out of its rightful tomb?! Stuff you, Underlord, and all the hellborn like you!

We reach our first special crypt. The owner's a little cranky.



He will serve us regardless. They all will!

Hah! An entire bloodline of greasy little midgets, all hideously defiled! You're a piece of work, Underlord… masterfully done.



I barely manage to turn a corner before I stumble across another of the special crypts. This one is a lot more modest than the previous one, just a regular tomb with a statue on top.

Ah, Jen Squishy, known better by her moniker, "Bloodfeet". This Huntress was most feared by the Vampires and undead she hunted.



With bare feet she would track her kills, silently striking and killing them once and for all, before she would wander into the black of the night, her feet slick with the blood of her latest victim.



Down the hall from Bloodfeet's—I'm sorry, "Bloodfeet", really? That's the name?—Down the hall from Bloodfeet's tomb, we find another tomb.

Damn you! My service to the Empire is done! To the hells with you, demon, and back where you belong!

This metal lummox won't look so high and mighty when his corpse is doing the polka…



I briefly cancel the possession to help reorient myself. The layout is not very complex here, but it feels more confusing when you're navigating in first person. It's also a good idea to drop out of the possession if you're fighting a more difficult battle so you can heal your minions, and I've also been occasionally cancelling the possession to set rally flags for the minions when I'm having difficulties trying to corral them in first person.



I definitely recommend spending most of your time in first person, though, as it's just more fun!

I fell in love once, you swiftly reminded me there's no point to anything.

Some of Mendechaus' lines just plain mystify me.



Arcanists have always been a cocky bunch of banshees. Teach their order the value of a little humility!



We picked up a wizard.

With these heroes, we should easily be able to take control of our final objective: the Emperor's crypt.



One of your minions thinks this game's writers are a bunch of idiots.

I mean, I probably wouldn't have been quite so harsh. But "Bloodfeet"?



We attack the elite priestess champions defending the Emperor's not-so-final resting place.

Come on, then! Bring your abominations to me, and see them purified in Kira's light!



They put up a fight, but they're totally outmatched.



In the end, only their level 10 champion remains, cowering in the corner in disgusting sewer water.



That harpy stood no chance against your tide of undeath! I'd say we put her to better use…

I get what Mendechaus is implying, but I have never actually been able to resurrect their champion as one of my undead. It's possible that there is a cap on the number of undead servants that you can have at one time, and that I'm always full when I defeat her. Regardless, it doesn't matter too much, as we've defeated the last serious guard force of this crypt. The Emperor's tomb lies ahead.



Hahahahah! You've successfully offended an entire culture! This abomination will shake the Empire to its very core. Bloody fine work, Underlord.



A lifetime of work, turmoil… The unity I brought to the Empire, and the waves of holy fury I brought crashing down upon your like. And now this?

If Kira watches, I hope she appreciates the irony. You Aetherborn are a pox upon the worlds, rampaging through reality as if it were your damned plaything.

To hell with you all. I've done my work in this world… do with the rest of me what you will.



Nothing like a good bit of sacrilege to brighten up your day! Their most exalted heroes, defiled and corrupted… You're quite the vandal, Underlord. Let's leave them shambling down here, and press on with our campaign!



And now the surface knows not one of them is safe! Not even their most revered warriors can escape your unholy zeal… and we leave behind what was once their Imperial Father, hobbling around the Underworld as a mindless husk!