Let's Play The Spirit Engine 2
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Chapter 2: Gunpowder and Steel
Part 2: Plains Crossing
Area map for chapter 2!
That insane pile of steel and guns is Longreach, our eventual destination.
I don't know. I think something in mygut has broken. Oh! It hurts so much! I can't stop it!
Calm down, Ionae, and take slow, deep breaths. When did this start?
Just now. I think I might be dying. Help me! You have to do something!
You're not dying, Ionae. You're just experiencing a stomach upset, probably from that food you bought at the Trader's Station. It isn't fatal.
Stomach upset? Not fatal? Are you sure about this?
Quite sure. Plains food has a reputation for wreaking havoc on tender stomachs. They use all manner of unusual spices and sauces which agree a lot more with the tongue than they do with the bowels.
But it really hurts! I don't think I can walk very well like this.
I did say you shouldn't have eaten it. For a grown-up, you're very silly.
Shut up, this is all your fault! You should have warned me sooner! How was I to know the food was poisoned?
We're lucky Isabelle stopped you when she did. You've turned the most wonderful shade of green. Your face almost matches your cloak.
This isn't funny! Maybe I'll poison your next meel and see how much you feel like laughing then...
This is what that party status indicator is for! Plot events.
Ionae has food poisoning, giving her a 40% health penalty and 15% off all skills.
New enemies! Grass Jackals are sturdy things with a bit of concussive resistance, and Razorwyts have some dodge chance instead.
I figured out what those numbers next to names mean, btw - enemy level. Thanks, Eric!
These Parmins are large targets, so it's time to break out Slay and Aimed Shot to maximize damage. Also, when they fall down, anything near them takes damage due to their huge bulk.
Still nothing too dangerous here.
Denever has some new skills for this area!
Hack is just a normal attack that hits twice, but Thunderstrike slams across the ground, damaging every enemy on the field.
The Parmins have some high defenses, especially against magic and area-of-effect attacks, so those anti-Large skills are essential.
Few people have. This is the work of the Aulder, the ancestors of the Rakari.
There are two more such sites in Lereftain: the Old Wall at the base of Basara Falls, and the Sunken Ruins, buried in the forests of Wickea.
They are said to be mausoleums, the resting places of ancient Rakari. Beyond that, the governors have said little. They seem to hold their ancestors in great respect.
Some people think the tombs are dangerous. The Sunken Ruins of Wickea have acquired an especially sinister reputation by swallowing foolhardy adventurers and tomb robbers.
But don't look so worried! There are no such tales surounding the ruins here on the Great Plains, in spite of the precautionary civil order which advises against exploring them.
Perhaps we should look for another way around. I have no desire to offend your country's authorities.
We're not exploring, just passing through. It's a short cut and the animals won't venture here. Just keep your hands to yourselves and we should be fine. It would be a shame to walk around and miss out on the experience.
Our country has a rich and fascinating past. It's a shame that so much of it has been buried and lost. If only the dead in this place could speak, what tales they might tell us...
It certainly has the air of a tomb. There is something very sad about this place. I'm not sure that I would like to hear what its residents might have to say. We should let it rest.
And rest it shall. We will make our passage quickly. Please show your respect for the dead, and try not to touch anything.
Save point in the wilderness gets me nervous!
I don't know. I suddenly felt so cold, and I thought that I heard voices coming from the walls. This place is so strange. I don't think that it's dead at all. It feels like it's trying to talk to us.
I can't hear it, Isabelle. You haven't touched anything, have you? We must be careful.
I can year something. And it's not voices, it's a low-pitched rumbling. I can feel it rattling my teeth. It's getting closer...
NICE JOB BREAKING IT HERO
BOSS BATTLE
Aulder's Reach
Behold, the first dangerous boss in the game!
This thing is large, making it vulnerable to Slay and Aimed Shot, but it makes up for this by having enormous piercing and concussive defense. It's immune to Ethereal damage, so Black Bullet won't be able to get through.
Even though the enemy's large, the total lack of Magickal defenses makes Swordfaith an ideal technique for hurting it.
Against an enemy who is only attacking the front target in the party, Trick can be quite useful!
When it gets low on health, the Reach goes into stasis!
All its resistances are in the 90%-100% range now. It's functionally indestructible, and it's repariing itself...
This is another aspect of the combat system! You can pause characters' actions, and their action gauge continues to fill beyond the amount needed to act...
Once it fills as far as it can, it starts changing color, and the next skill unleashed will be supercharged...
...and then we descend upon it as one for over 500 damage!
(Isabelle is down because the Reach does an attack hitting everyone when it comes back up from stasis. She'll be fine.)
Bam.
Alright?! No, I'm not! You said the mausoleum was an experience that we shouldn't miss. You didn't tell us we were likely to end up buried here too!
I've never heard of this happening before! I'm so sorry, everyone. I thought this would be a scenic shortcut.
It's alright, Denever. But that was a battle we easily could have lost. We're lucky no one was seriously hurt. I fought like a clumsy amateur, and I will bring great shame upon the Academy if I continue to do so.
I need to focus and remember my training if I am to uphold our reputation for excellence in the arts of self-defense here in Lereftain.
New skills for PyanPau this time!
Further down the road...
"Warning, Ghost Town." Is this sign correct?
Few of their settlements lasted long. Within months they were driven from their new homes by these ghoulish phantoms. The newly planted crops failed and their half-built houses were left to rot in the sun.
That's very sad. Are these ghosts the souls of dead people, like in the stories Ardal used to tell us?
It's hard to tell, but they are certainly very angry. My grandfather has spoken with them and says that we are not welcome there.
Pardon? What was that about your grandfather?
He is accompanying me on my journey. I chose his guidance as the most learned of all my ancestors. Grandfather is as wise as the night owl, as tranquil as the mill pool, and a teller of fine stories from a century past.
Yes, yes. I'm sure taht he's all of that. He also seems to be invisible, because I'm pretty sure that Isabelle, Denever and I can't see him.
Is he magic, PyanPau? Elai had a magical friend that I couldn't see, too, but he was quite bad.
I suppose you could call him magical, Isabelle. He can only be seen by the kin to whom he is bound. I'm sorry, I have been most rude. I should introduce you all to him.
Grandfather, this is Ionae, a curious woman without aura whom I have met on my journey. Please forgive her manners. Ionae, grandfather...
I'm not introducing myself to your imaginary friend!
And these are my newest companions; Isabelle, a brave young girl whom we are escorting to safety, and Denever, a wise old man with a distinguished history of service to his country.
Hi there, mister! Nice to meet you.
It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. I hope you have been enjoying your time in Lereftain.
I don't believe it. You're not going along with this lunacy, are you? I really don't think it's a good idea to encourage him. There's clearly a few loose screws rattling about in that polished skull of his.
I've encountered stranger things in my travels, Ionae. I find it best to err on the side of caution.
These malevolent spirits with whom PyanPau's grandfather has spoken can only be harmed by magical attacks. If we cannot fight them directly, we should go around the village.
Yet another new skill!
This little detour is turning out to be rather more dangerous than originally advertised, Denever. Isabelle's not the only one in danger with you in charge. At this rate, we won't reach the fort in one piece.
AND MORE.
I feel so useless back here. Is there anything that I could do to help?
I'm glad you asked, Isabelle. I have a spare pistol and some shot in my belt. You're welcome to use it.
Put that away, Ionae! You can't go around giving firearms to children.
Why not? She just wants to be able to defend herself. What's wrong, PyanPau? Are you worried that you might lose your position as the third most useful member of this party?
Have you ever fired a pistol before, Isabelle?
No, not really. But I bet I could learn pretty fast! It looks easy. You just point it at the thing you want to go away and pull the trigger. Bang!
I'm sorry then, Isabelle, but it's probably best that you leave the fighting to us. Ionae, do you really want somebody who has never handled a gun before waving one about behind your back?
...
I suppose not. Sorry, Isabelle, it looksl ike the spoilsports win.
Phooey.
Next time: A fork in the path!
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