Topic: Plots to Make Fun Of: Seven of 'Em! -- Let's Play Saga Frontier! (Read 38442 times)

R^2 · « **Reply #100 on:** March 12, 2013, 02:55:24 PM »

Okay, the last thing you saw was a evil-eyed nightmare bearing down on you. You wake up with your clothes torn and bloody. Some dickhead teleports in, tells you absolutely nothing helpful, and teleports back out. You leave the room to find a hallway full of occupied coffins.

You cannot blame Asellus for thinking she's having a nightmare.

A rose-decorated pool in a nearby tower.

Petals spiral up out of the pool...

...and suck Asellus in.

R^2 · « **Reply #101 on:** March 12, 2013, 02:57:41 PM »

This is not turning out to be a good day for Asellus.

From a dias overhead...

R^2 · « **Reply #102 on:** March 12, 2013, 02:58:57 PM »

At the very least we can leave the murdergarden. (It's like an Olive Garden but the food is better.)

R^2 · « **Reply #103 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:02:37 PM »

Uhh... did I? She? (I can never tell how much of these LPs should be in first-person.)

Asellus: Who are you? Stop staring at me!
Person We're Pretending To Not Know From Emelia's Scenario: Aggressive for a human. This should be interesting. Someone's coming. I'll see you around.

He teleports out. Two others teleport in.

Canonically, Asellus' campaign happens first chronologically. It's kind of ill-defined other than that, though.

R^2 · « **Reply #104 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:05:37 PM »

Asellus: I am Asellus. But shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking others their names?

Gonna have to post these in screenshots, because I'm not referring to all the people who talk in this scene as "dude on the throne" and "guy on the left".

Three guesses who that guy is, though.

R^2 · « **Reply #105 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:11:50 PM »

Spoiler: everyone in this room is at least 50% mystic.

Orlouge: You were stabbed with Ciato's sword, but where is your wound? Even before that you were dead, run over by my carriage. The only reason you're even alive is because of my blood -- Mystic blood.

Mystics are like vampires in a lot of ways. They're the unaging sort of immortal, and can be killed by wounding them enough but recover from injuries that would kill humans.

Orlouge: Ildon.
Green-haired person from before: Yes, my lord.

While the courtly conversation spins around her, Asellus is still in shock.

Ildon: Yes, my lord.
Ciato: But Lord, perhaps Ildon isn't right for this job. Just in case...

As-Yet-Unnamed Mystic: He's both agile and skilled with a sword.

Asellus isn't even paying attention.

Orlouge: we need someone else to teach her some manners. I'll wake Princess White Rose. These two will do for the girl's education. Ildon, get her some decent clothes.

Orlouge teleports out, followed by his lady attendants, followed by the rest of the courtiers.

R^2 · « **Reply #106 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:15:59 PM »

Ildon: Let's go.
Asellus: Go where?
Ildon: Hello! Is anyone in there? Didn't you hear what the Lord just said? We're going to Rootville to get your dress. We placed the order long ago.

Ildon sort of joins the party.

R^2 · « **Reply #107 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:21:46 PM »

We know where the tailor is, but Asellus doesn't.

Another nice touch I never noticed before: the back of Asellus' shirt is torn.

Ill-tempered green Mystic: He never once recognized my talent or my loyalty. He won't even let me live in the castle. I can't stand that he chose some human girl to be his princess.

We could buy Mystic magic here -- Asellus has the Gift for it already -- except we don't have any money.

R^2 · « **Reply #108 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:26:00 PM »

He's not kidding. There are two grades of Mystics: Noble and Lesser. And if you're a Lesser mystic, you had better make yourself damned useful to the Nobles. They are not nice people. (Over both ranks are the Lords, with such-and-such a number per "era", not that any materials define what an "era" is. In this game's setting there are two Mystic Lords: Charm Lord Orlouge and Ring Lord Virgil, whom we met briefly in Emelia's scenario.)

Example: Ildon doesn't bother with niceties like "please". You do what he says or Bad Things Happen, peon.

Ildon says nothing, but I assume he'd flip the tailor off as he left if he had the animation frames to do it.

R^2 · « **Reply #109 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:27:45 PM »

Better make sure they're out of earshot.

What do you think happens when you're magically infused with the blood and power of a "Charm Lord"?

R^2 · « **Reply #110 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:35:59 PM »

Asellus has almost-full run of the castle, which can make it hard to figure out where to go at times. There's a lot of wandering around to do.

There's a bit of Japanese numerology punning between "shiro" (white) and "shi-roku" (forty-six) here, but I can't think of any way that would have been translated.

White Rose: Ildon. Long time no see. Seems like nothing's changed.
Ildon: Princess White Rose is the kindest Arch-princess in Facinaturu's history.
Asellus: What's an arch-princess?
White Rose: I'll tell you everything later. About mystics, myself, and Lord Orlouge. Let's go.

White Rose joins semipermanently. And... we have no prompt for what to do next.

R^2 · « **Reply #111 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:49:03 PM »

Here's the thing about Mystics: most of their stats never go up. That 28 Strength Ildon has is going to be a 28 Strength for the rest of the game. They can gain HP, WP, JP, and Charm, but their Strength through Vitality stats don't increase after battle.

However, the Mystic = vampire metaphor still rings true: Mystics absorb powers from the monsters they fight.

Each Mystic starts with a MysticSword, and as they develop, learn the skills MysticGlove and MysticBoots as well. When these are used against monsters, the Mystic has a chance of sucking the monster into their equipment. This always gives a stat boost and a special skill. For example, Ildon has a LivingLance absorbed into his MysticSword, giving him +8 to Strength, Quickness, Will, and Vitality. In battle, it lets him use the ability Lance.

While the stat boosts are the same across Mystic equipment, monsters give different skills if they are absorbed into different pieces. The LivingLance gives Ildon Lance because it's in his MysticSword. In his MysticGlove, it would give Feeler. In his MysticBoots, it would give Sweep.

Ildon starts with LivingLance, Battlefly, and Armorpilla absorbed into his Sword, Glove, and Boots respectively. White Rose's stats have fewer pluses than Ildon's because she only has MysticSword, and has no monsters absorbed in it yet. (The +5 to White Rose's Psychic and Charm comes from the FlowerAmulet she has equipped.)

Mystics cannot learn sword, martial arts, or gun techniques, although they can still slash, punch, and shoot if they have the requisite equipment. Mystics do not spark skills. They can develop magic if they have the Gift for it... but the staid, unchanging, ageless nature of Mystics takes its toll: they all have the goose-egg magic-development talents of Emelia.

R^2 · « **Reply #112 on:** March 12, 2013, 03:54:17 PM »

If you return to Asellus' room, Ildon and White Rose will leave the party. This is important.

Also, minor note: White Rose walks away, Ildon teleports.

Ildon won't listen to White Rose's lectures while he's in the party, so you have to go get White Rose and leave Ildon waiting for you if you want to learn anything.

White Rose: I believe humans call them "mistresses".
Asellus: A mistress!?
White Rose: Of course it is different from human relations. Lord Orlouge took my blood, making me a mystic. By ending my human life he granted me eternal life.

Mystics = vampires

White Rose: His charm is irresistible.
Asellus: I don't feel any attraction to him.
White Rose: I suppose you're immune to his charm because his blood is in your veins. Not only that, you've also inherited his mystic power.
Asellus: I don't want... Don't need any power...
White Rose: Whether or not you will develop the mystic power within you is up to you.

Hint.

White Rose: That's enough talking for now.

R^2 · « **Reply #113 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:00:14 PM »

White Rose: These coffins are our refuge as well as our prison. Lord Orlouge never lets go of things he has acquired.
Asellus: How childish.

White Rose: Princess Rei was Lord Orlouge's first princes.

"Rei" is Japanese for "zero".

White Rose: She was also the only one to ever escape from the castle.
Asellus: How did she get away?
White Rose: She committed suicide, and by using the cycle of birth, she was reborn into human flesh. Now, even Lord Orlouge has trouble finding her.
Asellus: Cycle of birth... I can't possibly be reborn...

"Shi-shi" is both "forty-four" and "lion".

White Rose: Princess Lion is my elder sister. She's also called the Golden Mane for her blonde hair. I've heard she's very open and energetic.

She's blood type O, and enjoys rock climbing and fencing. Turn-offs include rudeness and clingy men.

...anyway.

R^2 · « **Reply #114 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:07:23 PM »

Gozarus: I couldn't believe this stupid-looking girl would be chosen to be princess on her merits.
Asellus: Sorry for looking stupid!
Gozarus: You'll never make a good princess with that kind of an attitude. Take this, you look like you could use some jewels.

And Gozarus opens his shop.

...of sorts.

Asura is a power 70 sword, the fourth-strongest in the game. Tao-TiehPattern is a moderately useful defensive accessory. ShadeRobe isn't worth the investment. SandVessel... we'll get to SandVessel later.

R^2 · « **Reply #115 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:12:24 PM »

It's a furnace.

And that's all.

(Kurenai was once a fire mystic named "Merope", and the eighth of Orlouge's princesses. Eight = Japanese "you" = heat. Orlouge grew disinterested and eventually forgot her, but she was still enthralled by his charm. She eventually faded away and became just a flame -- and used as an incinerator for Rootville. Harsh.)

R^2 · « **Reply #116 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:16:20 PM »

At least two battles. The more you win, the more you fight. Since Asellus can't get any equipment other than what Gozarus sells for permanent LP drain, the fights are nearly impossible to win, so you never get stat-ups, so you continue to not win...

Why they even bothered putting this into the game I'll never know.

The sword Asura has a special skill, also called Asura, that consumes 4 WP to use. But even better, for these small battles: if you choose to use the Asura skill on your turn, and an enemy hits you first, you automatically strike with AsuraRevenge for over double damage.

It's powerful, but it damn well should be for three LP. And given how things will turn out shortly, I'm not sure how they ever expect you to do without it.

R^2 · « **Reply #117 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:27:21 PM »

Asellus: How can anyone get used to a creepy place like this?
Hey, I Recognize You: That's great.

Rastaban: Facinaturu is eternal, unaffected by the passage of time. I've been waiting for someone to reset its clock. I believe it's you, Lady Asellus!
Ildon: You think this human girl possesses that kind of power? You sure don't know how to judge mystics.
Asellus: What are you two babbling about?
Rastaban: You'll see. Many mystics are already growing afraid of Lady Asellus's growing power.

Dude, I just got my ass handed to me by an Armorpilla. What growing power?

Ildon: Rastaban. He finally snapped.
White Rose: That was Rastaban.
Asellus: Is he the only one happy around here?
White Rose: Pardon?
Asellus: All the men in this castle are always frowning like they're constantly opressed.
White Rose: Yes, I never thought of it... But, you're right, he is a little different. There is another...
Ildon: He left on foot? He must really be trying to show you respect.

Like White Rose does, and Ildon does not.

Yes, the male mystics are oppressed. Namely: all the women in Facinaturu are enthralled by the Charm Lord and his trademark charisma. There are no ladies left for anyone else. In fact, Ildon and Rastaban are lovers because of it.

I know, I know. I didn't write it.

R^2 · « **Reply #118 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:32:13 PM »

My heart was pounding so hard I couldn't say anything.

Asellus: A strange girl.

Gina runs upstairs.

My mind went blank when I heard her say "A strange girl".

Gina: Gina.
Asellus: Gina, what kind of place is this?
Gina: I don't know either. Ever since I came here 3 years ago, there are so many things I don't understand.

Asellus: What are you talking about?
Tailor: She's just a plain innocent girl. Please have mercy. Don't take her away.
Asellus: I'm not a mystic. I'm a human like yourself.
Tailor: Please leave the girl alone.

Asellus doesn't notice it, but everyone else does: she's got the Charm Lord's power to sway people.

R^2 · « **Reply #119 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:37:21 PM »

Ciato: Want some good information?
Ciato: Ignore me, huh? Nice attitude... I guess you don't wanna know how to get out of here...
Asellus: Tell me!
Ciato: Go into the bar in Rootville and talk to a human there.

But Ciato is gone.

Zozma: Sorry I didn't properly introduce myself last time. I'm Zozma. You're Asellus, right?
Asellus: I don't care what your name is. What are you doing in my room?
Zozma: Easy, lady, unless you want another enemy. Mystics are very easily offended.
Asellus: How about you?
Zozma: I'm different from all the others here. They despise me. They say I don't act like a high-class mystic. They even told me to stay out of the castle.
Asellus: But you sneak in?
Zozma: The only one who can stop me is Orlouge himself. The others are no match for my power.
Asellus: Well, aren't you proud.
Zozma: It's the truth. I'm already tired of this small talk. See you around.

Deleted content, that's what! In the original game, it was the rebellious Zozma who tells Asellus how to leave Facinaturu, rather than the otherwise-loyal Ciato. Ciato telling her makes no sense, so I wonder why they changed it.

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Author Topic: Plots to Make Fun Of: Seven of 'Em! -- Let's Play Saga Frontier! (Read 38442 times)