Completed Let's play Seal of Evil!

Hate to impose but could someone help me to bump this? More than three entries per page would just become too emotional intensive.

Reading this LP right now. Looks fun.


Also, bump.

I've done all I can.

So much tears.

Much appreciated y'all, thanks

Hacking through legions of soldiers on our way to Jiuyuan, we are again delayed while trying to pass through little Redclay Village.



Fat Man: We don't like you Baiyun, especially this ugly one here. You better run, if you know what's good for you.

Hunter: Beat it!

: We're only on our way through. We will be gone so quickly, you will not believe it, friends.

Fat Man: Is that so? This is our road isn't it? And we don't want your kind walking on it. So I suggest you go back the way you came, "friends"!

: Draw your sword "friend" and it will be the last thing that you'll do.

Things start to get heated. Maybe a man of faith can defuse the situation.

: This is tiresome! Let's kill them quickly and be on our way.

Oh, right, God of War and all that. Then maybe the sneaky, backstabbing murderer with a heart of gold can defuse the situation.

: Easy! Wait a minute, friends. There is no need to make any trouble. We will all calm down now, all right?

Not using the word friends in quotation marks seems to ease the tension.

Villager: You won't get past us and that's final! Our village elder commanded us.

Hunter: He will punish us if we let you through. And his punishments are harsh! I obey him! No chance for you!

: We are on our way to Jiuyuan, in a matter of life and death. Your village really doesn't concern us. Please, be so kind to let us pass. We promise we won't tell it to anyone.

The guards pull their heads together to consult each other.

Villager: Of life and death? I don't know.

Fat Man: Don't look at me. I'm not paid to think.

Hunter: I don't want anyone to die because of me. Why don't we just let them through?

Villager: Very well, you may pass. But be quick about it! If you stay too long, you'll be in big trouble and no one is going to help you.

: No one shall ever know that we were here. Thank you!

Shortly thereafter we meet the first of the street merchant brothers.



These colourful guys will pop up on occasion and ask Lan Wei to deliver a message to their siblings, each message scoring an increasing amount of cash. If you manage to deliver all the messages, the last of the brothers will offer to exchange scrolls, paintings and other artefacts you find against some very good crafting materials.

There isn't much of a point in chatting with the other villagers however because of Lan Wei being a filthy Mexican/Turk. The only person in this place that is willing to share more than one sentence is this one kid.

: The kid looks at Lan Wei with big wide eyes and smiles happily. “Your clothes are very nice”, he says.

: You aren't afraid of us, little one?

: You seem to be nice. Why should I be scared?

All the people in the village treat us like if we were terrible monsters.

: You are no bandits, are you? I don't like bandits. They always come to steal my toys.

: Bandits? No, we are no bandits. Why don't the soldiers stop them?

: My mother says that the rules of the king protect everyone, including the bandits.

: This is absurd!

: Your clothes are different than ours...oh! You come from Baiyue!

: Yes, I come from Baiyue. We are not as bad as your relatives believe.

: You're a nice little guy. What's your name?

: My name is Little Rock but I'm not really that small!

: You look like a rather big boy to me.

: I'm the biggest! Bigger than all the other kids in the village!

: Really? And what are their names?

: Little Kitten and Little Dog and Little Fool and Little Melon...

: Hahaha, they sound a lot more pitiful.

: Yeah! And you know what? I'm also the smartest!

: Is that so? You must be one of those prodigies.

: Are you mocking me? Listen to this riddle. I bet, you can't solve it: What lives in a house with red curtains and white walls, which are made out of bark?

: That is hard. I don't think I know the answer. Hmm... Let me think...

Yan Hong, you're quiet an idiot. It is...

: Little Rock interrupts: “Don't tell him! Don't tell him!”

: Ha ha, I don't have a clue.

: It is a peanut!

: A peanut? Why haven't I thought of that?

: I'm smart, right?

You're indeed the smartest kid that I've ever met. Oh boy, it's late. We have to go.

: Come visit us again some time! We could play the riddle game!

: That sounds good.

: <Thinks> Yan Hong really seems to like that boy.

No reason to stay any longer. Once we leave the village however...

Somebody: Ah...

: I hear screams...

: It's coming from the village.

: Let's go take a look.



Bandit Lord: Give us your gold. Now!

Elder: My lord, we don't have enough food – not to mention gold.

The leader of the gang delivers a mighty blow to the Fat Man from before, killing him instantly.

Bandit Lord: Spiteful worm! I give you three days to collect the gold. Then my men will gladly leave this place. If you don't submit, you can consider yourself a feast for the wolves, understood?

Some more bandits appear with Little Rock in tow.

Bandit: Boss, this little brat was throwing rocks at us.

Bandit Lord: Pah! Kill him!

He does so.

Woman: My baby! No!

: Little Rock!

: Are you such a coward that you would murder a helpless child?

Bandit Lord: What's this? A Baiyun dog? Off with his head!

: Prepare yourself to meet your ancestors!

A fitting time to get Yan Hong's rage skill unlocked. The guy had been building up steam for quiet a while now.



Bandit Lord: Arrgh! How is it possible that such a little whelp can defeat me? By god's teeth, I will take you all with me...!

: Lan Wei, look out!

Yan Hong places himself between Lan Wei and the Bandit Lord. More lethal balls of magic fly around. Yan Hong survives the ordeal, the Bandit Lord doesn't.

: Are you all right?

: I'm fine. The important thing is that you aren't hurt.

: Who asked you to play my nanny, you big, dumb blockhead. I would have deflected that attack with ease.

: But Lan Wei! If he would have injured you...

: He wouldn't have! You're so selfish at times!

: So... I just should have stood there and let it happen?

: Oh! You... You...!

: Fine, fine, I surrender! You're worse than he was!

: You're frightening me, Yan Hong. I've never seen you losing your head before.

: I had to think again and again about what they did to Little Rock... and something in me was let loose, Lan Wei. I wanted those bandits to pay.

: Let's get out of here. This place makes me sick.

Bad idea since now we actually can have something of a normal conversation with the locals. Next to an axe lost in the woods, wine drinking bats and a talking bear, there is also a new kid that appeared after the fighting.

Kid: The kid looks to the Valley of the White Sands. It is obviously terrified by something.

: This child looks worried.
The Valley of the White Sands is becoming more and more dangerous. I say we go there so I can understand why this is happening. Lan Wei, take care of the boy.

The kid follows us to the valley where Qin soldiers had quiet a party, judging from the sight of unnecessary bloodshed. We obliterate the remaining platoon together with the commanding officer.



: I'm sorry little boy, but your father has went on a long journey. Come. This place is very dangerous. We'll return to the village.

Kid: “Father, please wake up!” The kid is crying but Lan Wei doesn't notice.

She is too busy ripping some odd red jade from the corpse. Too bad Liang Hu suddenly becomes all righteous.

: Here, child, take the belongings of your father and keep it safe. Come now, we will return you to Redclay Village.

Kid: “I'm going, father. Liang Hu will protect me. He'll bring me back to Redclay Village.” He takes Liang Hu's hand.

: This little kid really likes Liang Hu.

Sort of a compromise. At least this kid doesn't die on the way back because of this bond, he is only stripped of any basis of life.

: Hurry back home, kid.

Kid: “Liang Hu, I've got to go now. Take this... it is from my father. Please don't forget me.” Tears are running down his face as he speaks.

We get the red jade back.

: This child is devastated.

Not much to be done about it. What can be done however is to return to the Valley of White Sands where the soldiers are now replaced with what will become the most overused enemy in the game: panthers and foxes (they almost always appear together so I'll count them as one). But there is also this new acquaintance (and following sideuqests) that we would have missed otherwise.



: Who are you, girl, and what are you doing here?

: I could ask you the same.

: Oh, what a quick tongue!

: You're really a very ordinary guy!

: Why are you saying this?

: You're talking to me as if I was a little child. It's worse than hell.

: No, no, you misunderstood me. All I want is to help you out. You look like someone who could use a hand.

: How could you help me?
<Suddenly remembers the red jade>
Now that you've mentioned it, I think you can help me... Have ever seen such a thing before?

: This, my dear, is the legendary Blood Jade.

: Blood Jade?

: If you can believe the stories, then it helps against curses. I don't know if it's true or not. I never got a chance to try it out.

: You're lying to me! I will not listen to any more of this nonsense.

An inane experience for certain. We're out of this joint.


Skill Corner

Lan Wei
: The five Elements of Strength (Offensive)
Requires: Senior level of the five divine Elements
Effect: Basic ranged attack, increases the attack skill by 20%
Additional Effects:
Increases HP absorption by 10% , requires 60 points of wood, Wood Talisman and a wood weapon
Increase attack speed, requires 60 points of fire, Fire Talisman and a fire weapon
Notes: A bonus for Lan Wei's basic attack skill to make her even more kick arse
Upgrades: None

Yan Hong
: Summon Stone Creature (Defensive)
Effect: Summons a large creature, max number of summons:1, the creature's level always equals your own
Notes: The golem takes quiet a punch but it is also horribly slow
Upgrade: Basic defence of the creature may increase with earth

: Ebony Turtle (Rage)
Effect: Melee areal attack, increases attack skill by 400%
Notes: In theory more useful than Cai Xin's rage skill since it does more damage and stuns opponents but the area of effect is somehow way off. I barely can bring Yan Hong to hit anything with it
Upgrade: +100% attack skill per skill upgrade

See why I'm uncomfortable with the death-conquering stones is, now when anybody dies I figure they can just be brought back to life later. This blunts the edge of the melodrama.

Aww so much tragedy in this LP.

Pussycat669 said:

Sort of a compromise. At least this kid doesn't die on the way back because of this bond, he is only stripped of any basis of life.

Click to expand...

Aww so much tragedy in this LP.

Click to expand...

This is supposed to be the Warring States Period after all, so human casualties and personal tragedies are fairly common (and don't forget, we're talking about China here, right? Hur, hur, dur).

See why I'm uncomfortable with the death-conquering stones is, now when anybody dies I figure they can just be brought back to life later. This blunts the edge of the melodrama.

Click to expand...

What gave you the impression that the stones will actually work?

Pussycat669 said:

Aww so much tragedy in this LP.

Click to expand...

This is supposed to be the Warring States Period after all, so human casualties and personal tragedies are fairly common (and don't forget, we're talking about China here, right? Hur, hur, dur).

See why I'm uncomfortable with the death-conquering stones is, now when anybody dies I figure they can just be brought back to life later. This blunts the edge of the melodrama.

Click to expand...

What gave you the impression that the stones will actually work?

Click to expand...

You know it's funny, or maybe this is just my lack of video game scholarship, but I can't think of a single game where your goal is to gather up the X pieces of the magical MacGuffin, and then once they're all assembled nothing happens, and some member of your party is like, "Well, it WAS just a legend. Why did we take that so seriously?"

Maybe that happens more in Japanese games.

It is pretty much the same with jRPGs as far as I can tell. The only twist you'll usually get is when the MacGuffin doesn't work as intended (often for the worse). I guess designers shy away from the all-for-nothing scenario because this might seem like a punishment for the player as he invested so much time and effort into the search. This is similar to what happened with I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, I suppose, where the original intention was that you couldn't win the game at all.

(Due to the little content of the following entry and recent delay, here's a double feature for your reading pleasure)

They throw yet another dramatic event our way once we leave Redclay Village.



Scholar: A wounded scholar holds a package tightly to his chest and screams, “Help! I was attacked by bandits!”

: Don't be afraid. They will not dare to do something to you.

We rush to his aid as more bandits come for what seems like easy prey.

Scholar: The scholar is mortally wounded.

: Who are you. Why were you strolling out here in the wilderness?

Scholar: My name is Li Yi. Those bandits ambushed me and wanted to steal my bundle. They would have killed me if I hadn't defended myself.

: You should have protected yourself by giving them your gold. Now you're badly hurt... what does your fortune bring you when you're dead?

Li Yi: My best friend Wang Ren earned the money down south but he died of dysentery. I swore to him before his death, that I would bring his share to Jiuyuan and give it to his family. If I would have given the gold to the bandits then I would have broken my promise to him.

: It is very noble of you. Unfortunately it looks like there is now a new obstacle on your path...

Li Yi: Li Yi seems to be in great pain. He speaks in a calm voice, “I know. I have failed my friend, my brother.”

:
1. There is nothing I can do for you now but to comfort you. Why don't you give the money to me? Would it be better if the bandits take it instead?
→ 2. Give me the bundle. Trust me, I will deliver it to Wang Ren's family, when I travel through Jiuyuan. You have my word.

Li Yi: Li Yi smiles, despite his wounds weakening him. “If you haven't distracted the bandits then I would be already dead and the bundle gone. Of course I trust you.”

The scholar passes away shortly thereafter.

: I must deliver this bundle to Jiuyuan safely.

There will still be more opposition down the road. Namely bandits.



Bandits have a big advantage in numbers (as can be seen by the many red dots on the minimap) but their morale is horrible. It is usually enough to kill one team mate to throw the whole pack into disarray (also visible at the red dots that currently try to run off the minimap). Not a great challenge but the street tour starts to become rather lengthy.

: How much time do you think we'll need to find the Imperial Stones?

: Not too much, I hope. Be patient.

: How can I be patient when the Qin Army is knocking on our door. If they attack before we find the stones, everything will be lost!

: You're overestimating them. They already have their hands full with the Central Plains at the moment. We've got time, Lan Wei.

: I hope you're right, Yan Hong.

: Haha, the little brother speaks true.



A creepy old man appears out of the shadows.

: Who are you?

: Me? My name is Cheng Yu, and it is true, what this young man says. The Qin don't have nearly enough troops, to attack Eastern Baiyue. You have time, to find your legendary Imperial Stones.

: What? How did you know that we're looking for the stones?

: I overheard your conversation. You know, I'm a scholar, who has collected many scrolls related to the stones over the past few years. If you truly have one of them in your possession, then I would like to examine it.

: I don't know if I can trust you.

: You think someone old and weak as I could steal something from someone as young and strong as you? Even if I try, I would fail miserably.

: You speak the truth but there is more to this world than we can see. After all I know you could be a skilled wizard.

: Haha, you're quiet distrustful, eh? Very well. North of Yuci lies Jinyang [not to be confused with Jiuyuan] where you can find a wine store. I live in the house right behind it. If you should be curious, you may visit me there and read my scrolls.

: And walk right into an ambush? I would never do something like that!

: I'm just curious and want to see if the stones really look like how they're described in the legends. My interest is purely of academic nature. You don't have to fear me, I swear.

: You don't look like a trickster but I have yet to find a reason to trust you. What if you're allied with our enemies and want to steal our stones?

The old man prefers to ignore the question and leaves, clearing the way to the Wuxian Province.



And into another roadblock, apparently.

Qin Soldier: Halt! This road is closed. Go find another way!

There seems to be something going on further up the road.



Qin General: Jing-Juni, there is no escape for you!

: Haha... and how do you want to catch me?

Qin General: Fool! We've tricked you! We only wanted to see where you would bring the letter.

: Bastard...

Qin General: Surrender, boy. You're bleeding everywhere. Tell us where you wanted to go and we will let you live.

: Never! Not even a chance!

Meanwhile, back with our party...

: What's wrong with this road? What's happening here?

Qin Soldier: On the general's orders, no one may pass. So be off or I will let my men dress you in iron.

Them are fighting words, my good man.

: I will take this road. One way or another.

Qin Soldier: Ha! I was waiting for that line! Guards! Arrest them!

A turmoil breaks out.

Qin General: What is this? Reinforcements? You are a cunning fellow. No matter. Bowmen! Nail them to the ground!

They start with poor Jing-Juni.

Qin General: Arrest Jing-Juni's friends. I've got questions for them!

After proceeding with the aRPG standard procedure of killing everything that tries to kill us, we check on the perforated, yet still breathing Jing-Juni.

: Thank you... that you... have come to my aid. I... I'm dying. Would you... do me... a favour? Go to Yuci and ask... Gai Nie... to help... Jing Ke, he's our only hope.

The name Jing Ke was one of the few historical references I actually understood, as his story was the inspiration for the film Hero.

: Stay with us, stranger. We will try to help you.

: No... my wounds are too severe. My oath... I swore to the prince... my duty, I have to fulfil my duty... even in death....

: What oath?

: “I beg you... go to Yuci and find Gai Nie. Ask him... tell him... that he must help... the hero Jing Ke as quickly as possible. Without... him... the assassination will fail.” Jing-Juni tries to continue but is too badly hurt.

: Go to Yuci and find Gai Nie. Got it.

: “It will not be easy for my brother... he is proud... Almost too proud to... ask for help. But... it's the only way to get all people together and unite to kill the king of Qin...” He gasps for air in his death struggle.

: We will help you to deliver the message to Gai Nie.

: “Gai Nie... he's... a hermit... in... Yuci. Allow me... to... die... knowing that... that... my oath...” He takes one last breath and then dies.

: This man was a true hero. We must do what he asked of us. But I don't know how far Yuci is away from here.

: It is close by. I walked this route during my journey through the Central Plains to Skyrose Valley when I was young. I remember it well.

: Gai Nie must be a great man if Jing-Juni sacrificed himself to bring him this message from his brother. I'm looking forward meeting him.

: It's getting dark. We should make haste.

To question all the NPCs in the area you mean. There is one particular apprentice standing around who blames Lan Wei and friends for the punishment the village will surely receive because of the soldiers we've killed. Not at all pleased with this accusation, Lan Wei tracks the little twerp back to his master for an official complaint.

Trader: The trader is walking in circles, his forehead marked with lines of worry. “The Rainbow Jade was in the belongings of my family for generations. If I lose it, I will be the shame of my entire lineage. How could I ever talk face to face to them, when I reach the courtyard of heaven?”

: We missed the inn and were wondering if you could offer a place to stay for the night.

Trader: “Impossible, no!” His expression is dismissive.

: <Thinks> Is it because we killed the Qin soldiers? I know they were his people, but...

: Let it be. One night in the hills won't kill us. I believe that the common people of Qin are just as cold hearted as their soldiers.

Trader: You want to tell me that you killed them?

: Yes. Any problems with that?

Yan Hong throws a natural 20 for his intimidation check.

Trader: No, no. I'm an honest merchant and believe that soldiers often get what they deserve. My name is Yang Jie. I was wondering if you could help me.

:
1. Pah! Look, how nice he's treating us, now that he fears us! What a worm!
→ 2. What kind of help?

Yang Jie: Hasn't my apprentice told you? A thief announced that he would steal a piece of Rainbow Jade tonight, which has been with my family for generations. It is a priceless treasure. I can't allow him to take it. That's why I want to invite you, to stay for the night. I hope that you might help me to stop him.

:
→ 1. Very well, we'll help you. But I've got some questions first.
2. We don't have time to help you.

Yang Jie: What questions?

:
→ 1. Can you tell me anything about your precious jade?
2. What exactly did the thief say?
3. Can you tell me about your relatives and friends?

Yang Jie: The Rainbow Jade was given to one of my ancestors, when he welcomed members of the royal family in his home. They say that it came from the highest mountain peak in the west, where the light of the sun and the moon intertwine to create it. It emits a bright, silver coloured light in the darkness of the night. Its worth is really unmeasurable.

:
→ 1. Unmeasurable, really? What did the thief tell you about when he's going to steal it?
2. Do you have any friends or family in town?
3. Hold on a moment. You say that you've asked your apprentice to find us?

Yang Jie: When I woke up yesterday, someone had left a message on my wall. It was from the thief. He claimed that he would steal my precious jade within three days. If he couldn't make it, then he would leave in shame. I thought it to be a joke at first but then I realized that he was serious. And that he could sneak into my house, without anyone noticing. He must be very skilled. That's why I'm asking you for help.

[Ask about family]
Yang Jie: My brother is an iron trader who lives in the hut next to mine. Otherwise there is just me and my apprentice.

[Ask about apprentice]
Yang Jie: “My apprentice is rather new. He's a clumsy fool and useless in general. Please excuse his pitiful existence.” Yang Jie turns to his student and says: “Go to my brother. Quickly!”

: That's all the questions we have. We will do our best to stop the thief.

An uneventful night passes by.

Yang Jie: I see all is well. You must have scared that bandit off.

: Nothing you must worry about any more. Could you now show us the Rainbow Jade, please?

Yang Jie: Actually, I sent the jade to my brother Yang Qiang, so he could hide it. I'm sorry, that I haven't told you right from the beginning.

: <This old man is quiet cunning, he hid the bait, while we were waiting for the thief>

: We won't cost you any more of your time. Farewell.

We decide to visit the trader's brother in hopes that we might yet get any kind of a reward for the night wasted.



Yang Qiang: Yang Qiang lies severely injured in a corner.

: Are you all right? Who did this to you.

Yang Qiang: Blood is dripping out of his wounds. He groans. “He... he stole the...Rainbow Jade from me...”

: Who? Who robbed you?

Yang Qiang: With his last breath, Yang Qiang says, “Han...Han...Xing...”

: Han Xing?

Yang Qiang: Yang Qiang falls unconscious.

As you might have already suspected, the apprentice turns out to be the thief in disguise. All we get out of this quest is the soul crushing feeling of failure and a name. Let's hope that the delivery job will turn out to be a wee bit more spirit lifting.


Skill Corner

Lan Wei
: Snapping Thorns (Offensive)
Effect: Ranged areal attack, increases the attack skill by 100%
Additional Effects:
Casts slow, requires Wood Talisman
Notes: Although rather short in range and with a slow cooldown, this skill does considerable damage to a group of enemies and the additional slow effect is always nice to have for a quick getaway
Upgrades: +20% attack skill per skill upgrade, +4% for every five points of wood

Liang Hu
: Strength of the Earth (Defensive)
Effect: Increases base damage by 20, Liang Hu can't move while this aura is active
Notes: Never really used that aura. The can't move policy is just too much of a downer, especially against smarter enemies
Upgrade: +10 base damage per skill upgrade, +5 for every five points of water

Yuci lies only a short hike away as Liang Hu predicted. After exterminating all the panthers and foxes that are plastering our path, we encounter a familiar face.

: By the stars, could this be my old friend Lan Wei?

: Yin Cheng! What are you doing here?

: Haha, it's my business to get around, girl. How is your search for the Imperial Stones coming along?

: Not too well so far. We met a man called Cheng Yu in Redclay Village. He seemed to know something about the stones and asked us to visit him at his home in Jinyang.

: Oh? What did he tell you about them?

: Not much. He insisted on meeting us in his home, where he will show us some scrolls of his ancestors.

: You should better be careful. He may try to deceive you.

: I'm thinking the same.

: What's there to be afraid of? An old man couldn't possibly hurt us that much.

: Haha, maybe, maybe. But being careful can't hurt either. Very well, I must be on my merry way. How about you? Care to join me?

: We can't. We promised to deliver a message to a man called Gai Nie.

: Ok, see you around...

: Farewell!

There is an inviting looking hole close to the village entrance that yearns for our attention.



: The trader says, “Are you a Baiyun? Don't worry, I'm not afraid of talking to you, unlike the others. Say, have you noticed that pit over there?”

: Yeah, what can you tell me about it?

: This is the Tigerfish Pit. It is, like expected, inhabited by a family of vicious creatures. No one, that goes in there to hunt them, ever comes out alive.

:
→ 1. What's a tigerfish?
2. How did the tigerfish kill them?

: The tigerfish has the body of a normal fish, but his skin has the stripes of a tiger and a tail like a snake. It makes the same scrunchy noise like a Mandarin Duck. Its skin is delicious but expensive.

: Is it dangerous?

: The tigerfish is highly poisonous. They emit hazardous gases when they gather in great numbers. These gases are dense in the tight space of this pit, it's impossible to breath, therefore entering is lethal.

: If you say it that way then it sounds like it's impossible to hunt them!

: The trader chuckles in excitement. “Normally that's the case, but I know of an antidote, which can neutralize the poison. I also know how to empower its dangerous effects.

: Where can I find such an antidote.

: I have a few jars, maybe you can convince me to part with them... The cheap one will costs you 50 gold pieces and the other 1.000.

: And what's the difference?

: The lesser one only neutralizes the poison while the other one will prevent the tigerfish from harming you. Of course, 1.000 gold pieces are not much for such a priceless ointment, are they?

:
→ 1. I will take the expensive one. Money is not a problem.
2. I will take the cheap one.
3. No thanks. I don't need an antidote.

Hidden sucker option right here. The first two options will work out as intended but they'll also make you miss the only quest in this town. If you go for the expensive antidote and enter the pit this will happen:



The party gets poisoned right away. The tricky part in these caves is that even the PCs in reserve slowly start to lose HP, so you better keep an eye out for them if you don't want them to accidentally die in Limbo. Better get out of here fast as the tigerfish poison really lives up to its reputation.



: The trader's eyes widen in bafflement. He stutters, “And... And...You... are not dead?!”

: We were all poisoned. You know what I'm thinking? I think, that you have sold us a fake antidote. The stench of this stuff even surpassed the one of the tigerfish poison, you devil!

: Haha, now you're getting it! You are so stupid! I, the genius Xu Wen, did give you a fake antidote! You're about to die, and when you do, all you belongings and riches will be mine! Mine! Hahaha!

: Is this supposed to be a bad joke?

More like an embarrassing throwback to some old&cheesy B movie flicks.

: No! It's a stroke of genius. The antidote I gave you is called Fumigation Scent. It strengthens the effect of the tigerfish poison, not cures it! Now make yourself comfortable and die in peace. I'm looking forward to the payment for burying your corpses! Hahaha!

: Scum! I will kill you first!

We easily hammer the self proclaimed evil genius into the ground even with his escort of tigerfish at his back.

: Xu Wen begs for mercy. “Don't kill me... don't kill me! I can tell you how to neutralize the poison, please let me go!”

: Talk!

: Take a fresh tigerfish loin, a Wolfberry, and snake skin. This combination of ingredients will neutralize both the poison of the tigerfish and the Fumigation Scent. I... I have some of it right here. If you let me go, I'll give it to you. I swear!

: All right. I will spare your life this time, but if I should ever hear of you trying this stunt again, I will nail your bloody corpse to a tree. You understand me?

With this little dungeon trip behind us, we start our search for the legendary Gai Nie but are either met with distrust or cases of true ignorance. There is a lonely chest standing right next to the road which doesn't escape our greed driven instincts. Instead of containing valuable loot however it suddenly bursts into pieces.



Woodcutter: A man dressed like a woodcutter walks up to you and says, “You ruined my offering to the mountain god! You will pay!”

: You call this an offering? I've seen better offerings lying on the floor of a tavern.

Woodcutter: How can you mock the ovation of the mountain god! You owe me for my spoiled sacrifice. You must pay, I insist.

: Fine, just calm down. I will pay. How much?

Xu Wu: 1.000 gold pieces are not one coin too few.

:
1. Here you go.
→ 2. 1.000 gold pieces? Are you mad?

Xu Wu: You want the mountain god to become mad at the villagers? They will get killed! Their lives are worth a lot more than those lousy 1.000 gold pieces, don't you think?

:
→ 1. I don't have the money. What should I do?
2. Here you go. I've got such lousy luck. Sheesh!

Xu Wu: Then you must go to the house on the north side of the inn and get a replacement offering. I will give it to the mountain god.

: Replacement offering? What are you going to do?

Xu Wu: You'll find a trunk in the living room. You can't miss it. Hurry! We don't have a minute to lose!

: Ok. I'm going.

We enter the house as instructed but there is no trunk to be found. There's that breakable pot standing around though.

Villager: The villager is ashen-faced. “Who are you, and why have you shattered this precious jar?

: Xu Wu asked me...

Villager: By the sting of the devil, I don't know any Xu Wu! But I inherited this jar from my ancestors. You scoundrel have broken into my house and smashed it! My loss is great... you owe me something!

: Can I repay you with money?

Villager: Bah! Filthy foreign coins... very well. Never say, that Xu Cai isn't a courteous man. I will accept your money and not report your hideous crime to the officials. 1.500 coins should cover my losses.

: 1.500 gold pieces? I really got rotten luck today. Very well.

Xu Cai: Xu Cai eagerly accepts the money. “Thanks. All right, beat it and stop bothering me.

Lan Wei notes in her log that there seems to be something fishy going on which is worth an investigation. Entering houses at random soon reveals the terrible, yet not entirely unexpected truth.

: I had so much bad luck today, Xu Cai. Not only that I didn't get the gold, I was almost beaten to death! If I hadn't given them the antidote...

Xu Cai: Who did this to you, elder brother? I will send Xu Wu and let him skin them alive.

Xu Wu: Tell us what happened, elder brother!

: I sold the fake antidote to a rich woman.

Xu Wu: Hahaha, good! How long was it until she died? Did she have a lot of money on her?

: She was smart and threatened to kill me if I wouldn't give her the real antidote.

Xu Cai: If the tigerfish poison didn't kill her right away then she can't be an ordinary woman. Then there is no way for Xu Wu to defeat her.

Xu Wu: I fear nobody, especially not women.

Xu Cai: Then why couldn't you kill the peasant girl this morning?

Xu Wu: She tricked me.

: A peasant girl? Did she dress like a woman from Baiyun and carried a magical staff?

Xu Wu: Yes...Hold on! You mean...?

: It's the same woman, who defeated me!

Xu Cai: That wench! <Luckily she will be gone soon...>

Xu Wu: What a woman! <Luckily I didn't have to fight her...>

Xu Cai: Don't worry. If she should return, we three can attack her together.

: What do you two know? You're not the ones that have been beaten! We need a better plan! In case there is another who is immune to the poison. I think...



: Hey, boys. Still hanging around I see?

I'll spare you the details of the following scene. Needless to say that the brother syndicate soon came to its inglorious and bloody end. Getting back to the things that actually matter, Gai Nie still turns out to be an illusive fellow and informations about him are scarce until we meet a wise old man.

Blind Old Man: Hey? Who is there? I'm blind, you know? Can't even see my own nose. If you're bandit then you better leave.

: <Whispers to Lan Wei> He can't see our clothes. That means he doesn't know we're Baiyun. Maybe he can tell us where to find Gai Nie.

: <Whispers> I think the same, Cai Xin. Let's ask him.

: Sir, can you do us a favour?

Blind Old Man: Huh? What do you mean? A favour you say? Even if my hearing is not as good as it's used to be, my mind is still as sharp as a knife. What favour?

:
→ 1. Can you tell us about Yuci?
2. We're looking for a man called Gai Nie. Do you know where he lives?

Blind Old Man: Bandits have plagued us with their raids for years. People were leaving daily to find a safer place to live... then, two years ago, they just stopped and never bothered us again. Hard to believe, eh?

: Yes, unbelievable. Did the government do anything against them?

Blind Old Man: The government? Ha! Don't make me laugh. This good-for-nothing government didn't care one bit about the bandits. All they care for is making life harder for us. Pah!

: Does everyone who lives here hail from this region?

Blind Old Man: Everyone, except for Master Shuang.

: Master Shuang?

Blind Old Man: He and his wife moved here about two years ago. Yes, two years. They live over there, on the other side of the river. They're the nicest people you can think of and they're always willing to help us when we're in need.

: What is his full name?

Blind Old Man: It's an odd name... Shuang Yang, like a goat. We just call him Master Shuang, since he is such a confident man. He offered lessons to some students and pupils, you know?

: Ah. Thanks.

Sounds like the best lead we're ever gonna get.



: What? Who are you? What do you want?

: Gai Nie! Do you think we're dumb?

: Gai Nie? I'm not Gai Nie.

: You can't play us for fools. We already know who you are.

: I assume that you're a bounty hunter and work on behalf of the government. Very well, so be it! I will make short work of you!

: Bounty hunters? No, we are not. We don't have interest in the affairs of the people from the Central Plains or anything. We are supposed to give you an important message. The hero Jing Ke wants to meet you as soon as possible.

: Oh, that again. Who asked you to deliver this message?

: It was a man called Jing-Juni. Qin soldiers had captured him. He asked us to deliver the message in his place, before he died. He felt very committed to his task. Since he was willing to sacrifice his life for it, we decided to help him. Not that you believe that we have any sympathy for the Qin.

: What? Jing-Juni is dead? Even though I've never met him, I heard many things about him. His skills with the sword was only surpassed by the ones of Jing Ke, his brother. Their chivalry was well known. His death is a terrible loss.

: He was attacked by Qin troops when we found him. Covered in blood, perforated by arrows and mortally wounded, he still refused to surrender. The leader tortured him in hopes to find out who the receiver of the message was. Yet he resisted, he rather preferred to die than being marked as a traitor.

: I wouldn't have thought that such an honourable man could be found in the Central Plains. If he wouldn't have been so brave and dedicated, you would have never received this message.

: There are many honourable men in this world. I just wish I would have gotten the chance to meet him. It's a shame that the good people die so young, while the wicked can continue their schemes. Did he say anything else?

: He said, that Jing Ke overcame his heroic pride, so he could ask you for your help to assassinate Ying Zheng. The people were the only thing important to him.

: To murder the king of Qin and save the people from catastrophe... it's easy to say, but almost impossible to be done... I'm sorry, I never asked for your name.

: My name is Lan Wei. Well, we did what we came for to do. Farewell, Gai Nie.

They leave the house.

: I know, that I've been in the Central Plains for not so long now, but I've never seen so many people getting killed in such a short period of time...

: I always thought that the people on the plains are all cowards. Imagine my surprise when Jing-Juni proved me wrong.

: Yes...

Narrator: The voices of Gai Nie and his wife can be heard through the door...

Gai Nie's Wife: Jing Ke already asked two times for your help now. Why won't you respond?

: I know that his chances would be better when I'm with him, but you, my love, are pregnant. How could I ever leave you behind?

Gai Nie's Wife: The baby will be well. I can take care for both of us while you're away. You should go. A decent man must strive for justice before anything else!

: You've been so kind and patient with me and never had a moment of rest. I will not leave you. Not now.

Gai Nie's Wife: If Ying Zheng succeeds, what future would we have? What future would your son have? You must defeat him! You're the only one who can. It's your duty!

: My obligation is with you and my unborn child alone. That's all I care about now. I could never again look into a mirror, if something should happen to you.

Gai Nie's Wife: All your friends always looked up to you. You're a hero. I can't believe, that you're going to let them suffer out of selfishness. Is that the way heroes would act today? To ignore the suffering of the little people, as long as they themselves are well? That wouldn't be like any hero I ever knew. It actually sounds more like Ying Zheng!

: That's not fair, Shuang Er.

The camera returns back outside.

: Gai Nie's wife speaks wisely. Yan Hong, if you would be in his shoes, what would you do?

: Well... I... I...

: If I would be in his situation then I wouldn't know what to do either.

: It's fortunate that we don't have to make this decision.

: Thank the gods for that. It's getting dark. We should look for a place to stay tonight.

Narrator: During the evening...



: Lan Wei, what are you doing?

: Nothing. I'm just practising my magic.

: Why?

: Because I don't want that you have to protect me all the time! You were wounded back in Redclay Village because of me! I practice, to get better.

: I've been looking after you ever since we were little.

: Oh yeah? Who said that I wanted your protection?

: All right, cool down. It's getting late. Let's go to bed, tomorrow will be a long day.

Torch fires start to light the night sky in a distance.

Qin General: Surround the house! Don't let him escape! Come out, Gai Nie! We have your wife! Hurry up! Come out, now!

: What's that fuss about?

: Someone is trying to catch Gai Nie.

The rest of the party arrives. So much for a quiet evening.

: Lan Wei, did you hear that? It sounds like Gai Nie's wife is in trouble!

: Right. Let's go take a look.

: How about we don't but pretend that we did? I don't care about the people from the Central Plains.

: This woman didn't do anything wrong. The soldiers are holding her hostage to lure Gai Nie out of his house. If that doesn't bother you, then go! Keep walking!

: All right.

Gai Nie sure looks like he could use some help.



Qin General: Drop your weapon, Gai Nie. Do what I say or your wife and baby will die. You don't want to have their blood on your hands, do you?

: I swear by everything holy to me – if you hurt them, then...

Qin General: Be it as it may – I only see you, the greatest swordsman in the world, and I don't wish to cross blades with you today. So I want you to drop your sword before I've counted to three. If you don't, you will only be able to see your family again in the afterlife.

: I'm warning you!

Qin General: One...

Gai Nie's Wife: Remember your duty, my love.

: Shuang Er...

Qin General: Two...!

Gai Nie's Wife: I will never stop to love you, my husband.

She commits suicide.

: Shuang Er!

The gang finally arrives, again just moments too late.

: Ah!

Qin General: She was a brave woman. Probably more brave than her husband. Kill that coward and his friends, so we can get the reward from our king.

This is probably one of the most difficult fights against Qin (despite having an immortal Gai Nie at our side) since the general is much stronger than any other we faced before and has numerous soldiers under his command. Good thing we upgraded our armour with some tigerfish hides. Only the party and Gai Nie are left standing after the dust settles.

: Shuang Er...I'm sorry...

: Gai Nie...

Where this all ends? Do you even have to ask?



: Shuang Er...

: Gai Nie... [Maybe saying his name thrice will grant me a wish?]

: Shuang Er... my beloved wife... I'm so sorry. You followed me everywhere... for so long, and you never had one day of peace. You died, while I wasn't able to prevent it...

: Gai Nie...

: These flowers are your favourite. I remember, see? They're beautiful, right? They remind me of you.
I don't think that I can endure my life without you. My place is at your side, no matter where you are. I come, to be with you, love of my life. Wait for me...

He reaches for his blade.

: Gai Nie! Don't!

: Don't try to stop me, Cai Xin. What kind of warrior would I be, if I couldn't even protect my wife and my child? I wouldn't deserve to live!

: If you throw your life away now then you don't deserve to be loved by someone so brave and selfless as Shuang Er.

I wonder if the unborn child would have called the woman selfless as well.

: He's a gutless fool! His wife sacrificed herself to give him a chance, to liberate the world from the tyranny of Ying Zheng and what does he do? Bah! Let him fall on his sword!

: You know nothing!

: Gai Nie, be the hero everyone is talking about.

: What good would it do? Kill Ying Zheng and another tyrant will take his place! It's a vicious circle!

: Gai Nie... Jing-Juni and your wife believed in you.

: We all believe in you. Things don't change often, but at least you can try. It only becomes meaningless when you give up.

: You don't understand...

: Let's go. I'm tired of listening to that coward. I wish the soldiers would have killed him instead of his wife. There was more of a warrior in her than this...this.. piece of dung.

: You're mistaken, Gai Nie. We really do understand you. Every one of us was in a situation like yours. It is all right to be afraid, but this fear may not consume you...

There is a short moment of silence.

: I never could imagine a life without Shuang Er, you know. The sadness in my heart... it is so overwhelming... It's Ying Zheng's fault... he doesn't deserve to be king, not even to be alive. You're right, I can't die. Not yet. Not now. I want, more than anything else, to let this man see the broken heart in my eyes, when I stand above his dying body.

: Yeah! That's the spirit, Gai Nie.

: My beloved wife. I will avenge your death and the one of my son. If I should die, then I will be relieved to see you again. Goodbye, Shuang Er. My duty is calling me.

He finally gets up.

: Very well, I'm ready.



The paladin is sort of a melee jack of all trades. Not as fast as Cai Xin or resilient as Liang Hu, he still strikes a good balance between the two, making him a fine secondary choice for every situation imaginable. I put a lot of emphasis on earth with a little addition of fire + iron. The resulting battle turtle never let me down.

: We must travel through Jinyang, to reach Yan. We should depart soon. A long journeys lies before us.

But wait, bullying someone out of suicide has gotten Yan Hong thinking.

: What's troubling you, Yan Hong?

: I was thinking about my parents. Their situation wasn't much different...

My dramatic flashback sense is tickling.



Qin General: There is no escape for you, Yan Bo! Surrender!

Yan Bo: A Baiyun warrior never surrenders!

Qin General: Stubborn old fool! Bring them here!

Yan Hong and his mother are dragged out to the streets by soldiers.

Qin General: Yan Bo, we have your wife and your son. Surrender if you want them to live.

Yan Bo: Ah Yan! Yan Hong! Are you hurt?

Ah Yan: Yan Bo, run!

: Mother... I'm scared...

Ah Yan: Never fear, Yan Hong. The God of War will protect us!

Qin General: Too late, woman. Your god has already left you!

He executes her.

Yan Bo: Ah Yan!

Qin General: One for you and one for me, Yan Bo. Last Chance!

Yan Bo: Bastards! I will kill you all!

Qin General: Bowmen!

Yan Bo gets a fair share of arrows to his chest.

Qin General: This whelp is now useless to me. Kill him.

But there will be no more children murder for today.



: Oh gods! My brother... his wife... I'm too late!

This concludes Yan Hong contribution to the book of tragic pasts.

: I wouldn't be here if my uncle hadn't arrived in time. He and I wandered through the Central Plains for years. The people of the plains are true bastards, I tell you. They often beat me almost to death because I was a Baiyun.

: Yan Hong...

: I hate them. They destroyed my family.

: Yan Hong...

The post Gai Nie Yuci is a great place to grind for levels + materials and we can even demonstrate the final rage skill while we're at it.



But all good things must come to an end sooner or later as we can already hear the big city calling for us from afar.



Old Man Wu: Gai Nie! Hold on for a moment!

: Wu!

Old Man Wu: You helped us a lot during the last two years. We wanted to thank you before you leave. Here are some potent herbs that I've collected from a mountain cliff. They could be useful.

: Thanks, Wu. I must decline. They are too precious and hard to get.

Ma Jin: Don't be silly, Gai Nie. Take them. We will miss you.

: Ma Jin...

Jia Hui: Gai Nie, last year, when my mother died, you gave me the gold to buy her a coffin, since I couldn't afford one myself. I don't know if I can ever reward your kindness but I promise that I will lit a candle and pray for you every day, while you're away!

Ah Xue: A long time ago you rescued me and Shuang Er from bandits. I never could think of a way to repay you properly. I promise, that I will keep on bringing fresh flowers to Shuang Er's grave.

: I thank you all. I will return, I promise. Take care. I must go now.


Jinyang [still not to be confused with Jiuyuan] and chapter 4 awaits but our hearts are light because we now have the whole gang together. A woman who shies away from responsibility, a man who ran away from home in shame, another man who is already unfortunate enough simply for being Yan Hong, an assassin with daddy issues and a paladin with suicidal tendencies.

Meh, still could've been a lot worse.



Oh Lord, why won't you just let me forget?


Skill Corner

Liang Hu
: Long Bloodshadow (Offensive)
Requires: Senior level of Attack of the Praying Mantis
Effect: None
Additional Effects:
Raises HP absorption +2% for every five points of wood, requires healing powers (I guess it means River of Life)
Notes: Beating something to a bloody pulp and gaining HP while doing so. A fair deal all around although victims may disagree
Upgrade: None

Yan Hong
: Divine Wrath (Offensive)
Requires: Senior level of Divine Retribution
Effect: Increases attack speed
Notes: More of a graphical upgrade than anything else but higher attack speed is always nice
Upgrade: None

Cai Xin
: Phoenix Sacrifice to the River (Offensive, if for the silly name alone)
Effect: None
Additional Effects:
Raises MP absorption +1 for every five points of water
Notes: Good to have since Cai Xin is most likely to run out of MP very fast
Upgrade: None

: Thundering Strike (Offensive)
Effect: Melee attack, increases the attack skill by 60%
Notes: First dash attack, very effective against fleeing enemies
Upgrade: +15% attack skill per skill upgrade, +2% for every five points of iron

Gai Nie
: Reaping the Thorns (Offensive)
Effect: Basic melee attack, increases the attack skill by 10%
Notes: Basic by any definition of the word
Upgrade: +10% attack skill per skill upgrade, +1% for every five points of iron

: Cleave (Offensive)
Effect: Melee attack which can hit all targets in front of Gai Nie. Increases the attack skill by 10%
Notes: The rough equivalent of Liang Hu's Tiger's Claw although slightly faster and with a smaller radius
Upgrade: +10% attack skill per skill upgrade, +1% for every five points of iron

: Dragon Rising (Defensive)
Effect: Makes Gai Nie jump a short distance, chances for a critical strike are increased by 20% for a short time period
Notes: Either flight or fight. Alternatively you can also jump over an enemy and stab his back which should usually cause some nasty flesh wounds
Upgrade: +10% chance for a critical strike per skill upgrade, +2% for every five points of iron

: Imperial Guard (Defensive)
Effect: Increases attack speed by 200, dodge by 160
Notes: An all around useful aura for most occasions. No complaints here
Upgrade: +200 attack speed, + 160 dodge per skill upgrade, +15/+12 for every five points of water

: Black Dragon (Rage)
Effect: Restores 300 HP/MP of every ally nearby and cures any abnormal effects
Notes: Always handy for real emergency situations. Less useful if you have Yan Hong around
Upgrade: +150 HP/MP per skill upgrade

Six more deaths (not taking the evil brother syndicate into account), a bit of philosophizing, a lot of melodrama, some very predictable plot twists...
This game is atmospheric, in a way. I like.

And Dragon Rising seems to be a rather handy skill to have.

Pussycat669 said:

There was more of a warrior in her than this...this.. piece of dung.

Click to expand...

Pussycat669 said:

Oh Lord, why won't you just let me forget?

Click to expand...

I'm playing Grandia 2 right now and the fact that it runs on Windows 7 while many good games don't always makes me tear up inside when I start thinking about it.

As for the predictable plot, it's actually a lot worse if you bother to read the manual because it will spoil pretty much every major twist you'll encounter. I would bet though that no one is going to figure out what the deal is with Yin Cheng, the obviously treacherous trader. My guess was that he would turn out to be your average greedy bastard who sold everyone out to the Man but the truth is a little bit more awesome than that.

I could use some help with the bump again btw.

Bump for more drama!

Bloody lurkers, making Pussycat ask for a bump like that!

Also, in b4 next page.

It's up to the dog, once more.

And again I'm in your debt.

Next update should be up tomorrow as today is Christmas Eve around these parts so I wish you all a merry one.

Yeah, where's the promised "tomorrow"?

Thanks Yeesh :D

Sorry for the new delay but a girl entered my life and we made some hot steamy stochastic theory until late into the night. I'll pump out another double entry soon enough.