Crooked Bee
(no longer) a wide-wandering bee
Here we go, reposting the last update in better quality, with a couple of additional battle screenshots.
2: Yunica: Introduction
In which our heroine engages in tree diplomacy, enters the dark spire, and lots of blah blah plus some basic fighting ensues.
We must have fallen to the surface... I wonder what happened? I remember a really big impact or something...
What's that...?
The camera descends to show a majestic tree.
Yunica runs up to it.
And the tree starts talking back.
So you're finally awake...
My name's Yunica Tovah!
In Hebrew, "tova(h)" means "good", "calm". Which means our heroine is called Yunica the Good. Good in the eyes of the Goddesses, no doubt.
W-well, yeah... But I'm no good at magic at all. ... You're the elder Roda tree, right? Is your little brother okay, too?
Yes, he is all right...
It grows exceedingly boring... with only him to talk to...
Haha... you still love to talk, don't you? I've been worried about you two ever since the Shrine was raised.
The power of the Goddesses keeps us alive and healthy...
These noxious fumes will not sever our bond with them so easily...
When was it...? I recently saw a man, alone and surrounded by demons...
...!!
Was he also of your line...?
He... he stayed behind to buy time for the raising ritual to work... My grandpa says there's no way he could still be alive...
He was engulfed in that haze and disappeared...
I did not witness his death... but I do not doubt his fate...
Oh... I see...
...
...O...okay! If that's true, then I just have to try even harder!
Yes, we came to search for Lady Reah and Lady Feena. The two of them vanished from the Shrine a few days ago...
Ah... the Goddesses. I saw them... about three days ago...
Wha... you have?!
So it's just like the Reverend said... Where did they go?
They are likely in that tower, at the foot of Mt. Prosis...
You'll find the loathsome thing near Solomon Shrine...
The camera pans out, and we are presented with my favourite image in the game so far:
Though it is faint, I sense the Goddesses' essence there...
...Oh, no...
But... why didn't you stop them?
I assumed they had business there...
Perhaps I should have tried... you think?
Hm, I sense others near there, as well...
I would imagine... they are your companions...
Huh... I wonder who's there...
(Shouldn't Yunica, like, know who she descended down here with? )
You are going?
Yes... I need to meet up with everyone again, so we can bring the Goddesses back...
...The... world outside...
Your voice...
That poison around here must be getting stronger... I don't understand magic, so I don't really get it...
Lady Reah... Lady Feena...
With that, Yunica runs off in the direction of the dark tower, the screen fades to black, and another cutscene kicks in, introducing the Darm Tower.
We witness the ruined landscape again.
Smoke, lightning, and fallen stones. Sure is dangerous around here.
A raven takes off the cliff.
Flying to and around the spire with its brethren.
The tower is huge. Hopefully that means a lot of dungeon crawling!
The cutscene ends, and we are back with Yunica, who's already made it to the entrance.
...
Oh...!
The camera moves forward, focusing on a group of three characters surrounded by a number of horned demons. They must be the ones the elder tree mentioned.
If only the knights and sorcerors were with us...
(Which is meant to remind us the rescue group was scattered.)
I'm trying to maintain the barrier... I just hope it holds!
If we open it a little, maybe you can strike through the gap. Reverend...!
(So Syon is the Reverend Yunica spoke of earlier. No wonder, with a name like that.)
...It would seem that there is no other way.
Suddenly, the Reverend notices Yunica.
Yunica Tovah, apprentice knight! I'm here to provide assistance, sir!
Now that's the spirit.
It doesn't look like the Reverend expected to see our heroine here, though.
Thanks for the help! We will handle the demons over here! You take care of the ones near you!
Understood!
Dino? Eolia? Now is the time!
Yes, sir...
Yes, sir!
And we are left to face three demons.
I hope you're ready to pay for that!
Tutorial battle, hey!
The game is nice enough to explain the basic attacks to us: basic physical strike, jump slash (attack while ascending), downward thrust (attack while descending), upward thrust (attack while keeping the jump button pressed and ascending), and special DEF-lowering attack (attack right after pressing and releasing a direction button or double-clicking).
This is a tutorial battle, and so the demons are really slow. We're playing on Hard, however, so even their frontal strikes deal 10 points of damage each:
One thing I must tell you, is that it isn't easy fighting in real-time (on Hard) and taking screenshots...
We mostly use downward and upward thrusts, as well as the special DEF-lowering attack (pictured above), smashing the demons to pieces.
Another group of demons appear.
And we are presented with another tutorial, this time dealing with Boost Gauge:
We deal with the demons easily:
As I said, the starting enemies are slow, just so you could get somewhat used to the controls, which are very intuitive, I think.
It looks like you've acquitted yourself admirably.
Reverend... and, um... I don't think I know these folks with you...
I'm Dino, acolyte of Solomon Shrine.
And I am Eolia... also an acolyte.
Tovah... then you must be Commander Saul's daughter, right...?
Yes, that's right.
Well, it's no surprise that you're so brave in combat, then. If we tried to swing a battle axe like yours, we'd probably wind up killing ourselves.
(Yup, our heroine's a true knight sis.)
Ahh, I see...
She volunteered to be a member of the search party. So, let us fulfill Saul's last wish, and bring the Goddesses safely back to the Shrine.
Thank you... so much, Reverend.
(So let me get this straight: Yunica did volunteer to be a part of the rescue party, but it didn't seem like the Reverend expected her at first, so she probably wasn't taken on board and went along by herself, right? That would explain why she's so thankful to the Reverend now.)
By the way... have the other knights and the sorcerors not arrived yet?
No, unfortunately not... Just as we were preparing to land, we had some kind of interference.
(You saw that in the intro.)
So that was the impact we felt...?
Yes... and it caused to lose control of the transport shell. I'm pretty sure that everyone was scattered and thrown to the surface. We were all encased in multiple protection spells, so everyone should have landed safely...
We're fairly certain that the interference came from this tower.
(You remember the sorcerer atop the tower in the intro, don't you?)
And so here we are...
On that note, Miss Yunica, what brings you to this place by yourself?
Uh, well...
Yunica tells the others what she learned from the tree.
Is... is that true?
Why would they come to such a dreadful place...?
I can't even begin to imagine... Reverend, we must find them quickly!
Yes, you are correct. It is obvious that we need to search the tower thoroughly, but we are sorely lacking in manpower at the moment.
(How 'bout some womanpower, then? )
We need to reassemble the search party before we can begin in earnest.
Y-yes, sir...
Would you please attend to this task, Dino?
I will, sir. I'll use the Roda Trees as central points to search from, with another transport spell.
With that, Dino leaves.
S-sir?
I do not wish to see you suffer the same fate as your father. Would you please wait here with us, until the other squad members are found?
(You kidding, right?)
Oh... yes, sir...
...
What's wrong?
Um... Would it be okay if I just started searching around nearby? I don't want to get in anyone's way, and I could stand to get some more real combat experience.
I can't use magic, and I'm still only a knight's apprentice...
Hmm... well, I understand how you feel...
Maybe... maybe I can gather some information about the tower in the process. So... please, sir!
...Very well. I will explain the situation to Captain Galleon when he arrives.
Re... really?
Yes, but in exchange, you must take this with you.
What's this?
Come over here, please.
Well, just observe.
...
...
Wow... it turned into a Goddess statue!
In a manner of speaking... but it would be more aptly put to say it has been restored to its true form. It seems that all of the Goddess statues left on the surface have undergone such a transformation.
(Spooky!)
I only wish I knew the reason why...
I... I see...
I'm sorry that I said that an image of the Goddesses was ghastly...
There is the possibility that more of these statues have been brought to the tower. You should be able to use that Crystal to purify them, just as I have done with this one.
I understand... So I should be able to obtain the Goddesses' blessings, even inside the tower.
(As you may have guessed already, the statues, scattered around the place, serve as checkpoints where you can save and receive healing.)
Yes, but there is more to tell. That Crystal has the power to instantly teleport you to any purified Goddess statue.
(That should come in handy.)
I hope it will prove useful in your search.
I'm sure it will... thank you very much, sir!
Take this as well, Miss Yunica.
A shell...?
Yes... it is a magical item to enable long-distance communication. With it, you'll be able to maintain contact with us, even when we're separated. If you should happen across anything unusual, please use it to get in touch with me.
All right... I'll do that.
Oh, and by the way, Reverend? You too, Miss Eolia...
What is it?
I... I know I wasn't originally intended to be part of the search party... and it was selfish of me to try and worm my way into the group...
...but I feel like I have to help... even though I know I'll never measure up to my father's example. Thank you for allowing me to be here!
Haha... oh, it's nothing you need to concern yourself over.
We will be here, so come back to see us if you learn anything useful. And use the Crystal if you find yourself in trouble.
Next time: dungeon crawling begins!
2: Yunica: Introduction
In which our heroine engages in tree diplomacy, enters the dark spire, and lots of blah blah plus some basic fighting ensues.
The camera descends to show a majestic tree.
Yunica runs up to it.
And the tree starts talking back.
So you're finally awake...
In Hebrew, "tova(h)" means "good", "calm". Which means our heroine is called Yunica the Good. Good in the eyes of the Goddesses, no doubt.
Yes, he is all right...
It grows exceedingly boring... with only him to talk to...
The power of the Goddesses keeps us alive and healthy...
These noxious fumes will not sever our bond with them so easily...
When was it...? I recently saw a man, alone and surrounded by demons...
Was he also of your line...?
He was engulfed in that haze and disappeared...
I did not witness his death... but I do not doubt his fate...
Ah... the Goddesses. I saw them... about three days ago...
They are likely in that tower, at the foot of Mt. Prosis...
You'll find the loathsome thing near Solomon Shrine...
The camera pans out, and we are presented with my favourite image in the game so far:
Though it is faint, I sense the Goddesses' essence there...
I assumed they had business there...
Perhaps I should have tried... you think?
Hm, I sense others near there, as well...
I would imagine... they are your companions...
(Shouldn't Yunica, like, know who she descended down here with? )
You are going?
...The... world outside...
With that, Yunica runs off in the direction of the dark tower, the screen fades to black, and another cutscene kicks in, introducing the Darm Tower.
We witness the ruined landscape again.
Smoke, lightning, and fallen stones. Sure is dangerous around here.
A raven takes off the cliff.
Flying to and around the spire with its brethren.
The tower is huge. Hopefully that means a lot of dungeon crawling!
The cutscene ends, and we are back with Yunica, who's already made it to the entrance.
The camera moves forward, focusing on a group of three characters surrounded by a number of horned demons. They must be the ones the elder tree mentioned.
(Which is meant to remind us the rescue group was scattered.)
(So Syon is the Reverend Yunica spoke of earlier. No wonder, with a name like that.)
Suddenly, the Reverend notices Yunica.
Now that's the spirit.
It doesn't look like the Reverend expected to see our heroine here, though.
And we are left to face three demons.
Tutorial battle, hey!
The game is nice enough to explain the basic attacks to us: basic physical strike, jump slash (attack while ascending), downward thrust (attack while descending), upward thrust (attack while keeping the jump button pressed and ascending), and special DEF-lowering attack (attack right after pressing and releasing a direction button or double-clicking).
This is a tutorial battle, and so the demons are really slow. We're playing on Hard, however, so even their frontal strikes deal 10 points of damage each:
One thing I must tell you, is that it isn't easy fighting in real-time (on Hard) and taking screenshots...
We mostly use downward and upward thrusts, as well as the special DEF-lowering attack (pictured above), smashing the demons to pieces.
Another group of demons appear.
And we are presented with another tutorial, this time dealing with Boost Gauge:
We deal with the demons easily:
As I said, the starting enemies are slow, just so you could get somewhat used to the controls, which are very intuitive, I think.
(Yup, our heroine's a true knight sis.)
(So let me get this straight: Yunica did volunteer to be a part of the rescue party, but it didn't seem like the Reverend expected her at first, so she probably wasn't taken on board and went along by herself, right? That would explain why she's so thankful to the Reverend now.)
(You saw that in the intro.)
(You remember the sorcerer atop the tower in the intro, don't you?)
Yunica tells the others what she learned from the tree.
(How 'bout some womanpower, then? )
With that, Dino leaves.
(You kidding, right?)
...
...
(Spooky!)
(As you may have guessed already, the statues, scattered around the place, serve as checkpoints where you can save and receive healing.)
(That should come in handy.)
Next time: dungeon crawling begins!