Okay so after that huuuuuuuuuuuge delay I'm back with episode 11. There was technical difficulties. There was distractions. There was Gothic 3, with patches. There was also drunken Russian laziness. But... what can you really expect from a Slav.
Sooo last time, Blackbeard had just told Nick to go to Cartagena, on a... who's blues, clue hunt. Who is the traitor?! Will this downward spiral of hallucinogens ever end? Side note: I fucking hate, hate, hate vydia game sewers. Probably has something to do with this being my first true pc game... So without futher ado about nothing.
The trip to Cartagena is uneventful. Once again I spend most of my time quizzing Rockfish on his flying ship. Trying to get a handle on how it works. God forbid, anything happened to this autistic genius that Redbeard valued so highly. I also query him on what it is exactly Blackbeard wants us to find. His reply is uninformative, his hope is that the traitor dropped something or left some mark in those underground tunnels that might give away his identity. Personally I find the likelihood of finding something two decades later unlikely.
Once in Cartagena, it turns out Rockfish can still locate the very underground passage Redbeard used to rob the Spanish of their gold fortune. We make sure to park his flying ship well out of sight and all together, the three of us sneak into and under the city. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes apparent the things have changed since Rockfish's last visit. The sewers of Cartagena have apparently changed.
The room we're in has two valves, one marked "drain" and one marked "fill". One side of the room has a deep pool of water with a raft in it. Whomever stands on the raft cannot reach either of the valves, lucky there's three of us.
Anne catches my attention and quietly starts complaining.
: I can't believe I'm here. We just walked in here like sheep going to be slaughtered. Who's in charge of this expedition anyway?
: I guess I am.
: Oh, good, because I've got something to report.
: (Not now woman please.)
: It's obvious somebody has kept this place maintained. *Sigh* Well, we can't go back anymore. Whoever set this up is probably somewhere ahead. I have a feeling they want us to find them.
Great insight. I look over at Rockfish to see if he's following the conversation. He seems to be staring at the dark, murky water.
: Rockfish?
: Oh no, you mean I have to get in the water? I hate the water. Nothing good lives in the water.
: (What kind of pirate are you? Or maybe this PTSD after Cortez drowned and Redbeard's ship was eaten by a Kraken).
Since I'm in charge I decide to stand on the raft and order Anne to use the drain valve.
Cause and effect. The raft sinks with the water and I end up on lower level staring at a door.
I open the seal door and walk under where Anne and Rockfish are. I see that down here there is also two valves identical to the ones on the floor above. I find a grated pipe and yell into it.
I'll spare you the puzzle conversation that follows. (Only annoying part is having to remember to close the door you came through
before telling Rockfish to use the fill valve because that = death). So after ordering around my companions for a while, we all end up in the lower chamber. Rockfish seems to want to use this moment.
: By God this is an evil place. That night... the place was full of smoke, everybody was yelling, you couldn't tell who was a friend and who was an enemy... I have a bad feeling right now. I can't help but remember the luck we had last time.
: It'll be fine.
: ... There's one more thing I'd like to tell you.
: You're not my father are you?
: ... I want you to know that I think RedJack chose well when he picked you. If something happens to me before we get to RedJack's Island, and you do get that treasure, I would like for you to have my share.
: Yeah? I'm sure Blackbeard will be totally pleased with this decision.
: It's not that you'll need it, there's more than anyone could use, but it's the only way I can think of to thank you for trying to help us.
: (Don't worry buddy, if something does happen to you, I'll take my thanks in the form of a flying ship).
: So what now?
I look around. This room has another raft, tied down against a strong current that flows into a gate. I can see that it will take one person on each side to open the gate, so I make my way onto the raft and after telling Anne and Rockfish to jump as the raft goes past them, after they have pulled the chains. Then I cut the rope securing the raft.
Haha that went better than expected, should be no prob.....
Fuck my life. Underwater I see.
It's like he knew he was going to die
. I pull myself and Anne out.
We're still in the sewers, completely lost. As I try to decide on a course of action.
Anne regains her breath and begins talking again.
: Nick! Rockfish, he's... gone. He was such a nice man and now he's gone. That's the same way that other pirate died, you know, the one in the story Blackbeard told us.
: Cortez.
: We have no choice but to go on!
: Well I wasn't planning to climb up the waterfall so...
: We'll have to get revenge on whoever is doing this!
: It's true, the Spanish need better safety regulations.
We go up several flights of rickety wooden stairs. So many in fact, that by the time we reach the top, both of us have dry clothes. There's a door, luckily it's unlocked and....
You have got to be kidding me.
: Nick! You look so different. You look... dangerous.
: I am dangerous.
: Well... so am I, but not while I'm stuck in this cage. That viceroy is a rock...
: Wait... who?
: I tried every charm I have on him, and got no response. Anyway, do you think it would be to much trouble for you to let us down.
: Who are these people Nick!?
: Nick!
What is that with you?
: That's Anne...
: ... I see. Well...
: Nick! I thought I would die in this whole without seeing you again. How did you find us?
: (Holy shit this is just like that gypsy
woman tranny said! (Archer reference)).
: No, before you tell me that, get us out of here.
: What happened?
: They burned Lizard Point to the ground. We were on a ship for weeks, and then brought down through the city and put in this cage. Hurry and get us out of here before someone catches us!
: Just wait a moment! Who brought you here?
: The Viceroy. Nick, this is all your fault, you're the reason he took us. He said he knew you would come here. He told us we were bait for the trap.
: Errr... right, that's why I came here. (Seriously who am I?)
: He expected you sooner... I thought you wouldn't come at all.
: Real friendly. So, any idea where the key is?
: I think the torturer has it on him, his... workshop... is on the lower level in this room.
: Please hurry!
: Nick?
: That's my brother Anne.
: Then I suppose you should save them. I'm going to look around up here, you can handle this, torturer.
: (Thanks. I wonder if her and my brother...)
I go down to the bottom level and see a tiny passage way leading to a door.
Well, time to meet this torturer. I open the door...
What the fuck were you doing man?! Well whatever is going on I'm going to need my sword.
He pulls back his... whip and disarms me of my... sword.
Then whips me to death, about 5 times.
Before I realize that I can utilize Kyle's training for dodging bottles and apply it to dodging whip attacks. Every time I dodge an attack I can push him back a step until I get close enough to...
Retrieve and raise my... weapon. At which point he drops his... whip and takes out a giant spiked... mace.
Which he uses with ridiculous skill. I cannot break through his guard and he continually pummels me with incredible speed.
So fast his face blurs.
And kills me again another 3 times. Before I realize that after getting my sword he is still invincible because of his perfect blocking. So how did I win? Well in the environment there is a little out of the way cauldron that I only saw when I backed away until my back was against the door. I hit the the cauldron with my sword and it tipped over spilling... lava/embers/molten something or rather on to the floor.
Which makes the torturer start hopping from one foot to the other.
Which let me slash him several times, each slash forcing him to jump back until he jumps into....
An iron maiden. Which I slam shut in his face.
How's that for episode 1 of season 2? Next episode is going to be Friday.