Topic: Plots to Make Fun Of: Seven of 'Em! -- Let's Play Saga Frontier! (Read 38456 times)

R^2 · « **Reply #120 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:43:29 PM »

Long story short, because Christ this introductory sequence couldn't take longer if Asellus' scenario was its own full game. This guy has a ship to take Asellus out of Facinaturu on, but he wants money. Asellus is broke. Asellus goes to White Rose. White Rose says Ildon has some human money, why not use that, and Asellus says no because she needs it to leave. White Rose joins her permanently and brings some gold ingots.

It was Ciato. White Rose points out that that makes no goddamn sense, and it should have been Zozma. Basically.

Short dungeon sequence.

White Rose sucks an Armorpilla into her MysticSword, because anything is better than nothing.

White Rose: They're coming after us. Let me talk to them.

Ildon: Let's go back to the castle.
White Rose: I'm responsible. Let the Lord punish me, Ildon.
Ildon: That's up to Lord Orlouge.

Spoing!

White Rose climbs aboard, and as the ship launches, the jet engines fling the lesser mystics away. Ildon is unperturbed.

R^2 · « **Reply #121 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:48:10 PM »

Asellus: Is this your first time on a plane?
White Rose: My Lord will be upset...
Asellus: Everything will be fine.

End of ch--

Orlouge: Most intriguing. I'm curious what's going through the mind of that half-mystic. Although, I'm not very pleased that she took White Rose with her.
Ciato: What should we do with Ildon?

fwoosh

Orlouge flings Ciato into the ceiling, then into the floor in front of his throne.

End of chapter!

R^2 · « **Reply #122 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:54:18 PM »

Hacking reveals some content cut from the game: Zozma is the one who tells Asellus how to escape Facinaturu: the flames of Kurenai come from another region.

Yes, Kurenai actually had a role at one point.

Asellus and White Rose jump into Kurenai, which burns them badly but they end up in Mosperiburg, where the sky burns (like Kurenai!) but the land is frozen.

Once they mystic-regenerate their wounds, the two realize their clothes are burned away and they run around naked in the snow until they get to Virgil's palace. Virgil gives them some clothes and teleports them to another region. Koorong is his habit, but perhaps the next scene would have played out the same anyway.

R^2 · « **Reply #123 on:** March 12, 2013, 04:59:11 PM »

White Rose: They're forming letters...
Asellus: Can you read it?
White Rose: ...water mystics are looking for their missing daughter.
Asellus: Water mystics?
White Rose: Those are mystics who live in bodies of water like rivers, lakes, or the ocean. They're very timid, you can rarely see them. Some must be living in this lake.
Asellus: A lost one. Just like me.

White Rose has been sleeping for too long: the only water mystics left are in Owmi lake. Long ago a water mystic transformed into a human and tried to live like one. The mystic lords were offended enough to crack down on all water mystics to teach them a lesson; now the ones in Owmi are the only ones left.

...a water... mystic?

Townsperson: But because the port expanded its landing zone, the mystics had to move to our lake. One got caught in a net.

R^2 · « **Reply #124 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:08:02 PM »

Asellus: You must let her go.

Asellus: Yes.
Manor Lord: What should I do? I know she'd be better off in the lake. But I... I...
Asellus: Let us speak to the mystic.

The Lord has his hesitations and I'm skipping them.

Weird to think a sea creature would have a keen sense of smell in open air.

Water Mystic: Did I offend you?
Asellus: No, you're right. I'm half human and half mystic.
Water Mystic: May I ask your name, noble one?
Asellus: Asellus.
Water Mystic: Lady Asellus... Sounds classy...
White Rose: She inherited Lord Orlouge's blood.
Water Mystic: Lord of all mystics, Orlouge?! Please forgive my insolence.
Asellus: Why are you so scared?
Water Mystic: I'd perish if I ever offended Lord Orlouge.
Asellus: Don't worry. I am not him. We're just here to help you.
Water Mystic: My name is Mesarthim. I lived in the lake with my family. But I was caught in a fisherman's net.
White Rose: You should be grateful. The master of this house saved your life.
Mesarthim: I know he's been good to me. But I can't stand the stench of humans. I can't breathe... I want to go home.
Asellus: Let's go! You don't have to stay anywhere you don't want to.
White Rose: But he loves this water...
Asellus: No one should be forced to do something they don't want to.
Mesarthim: But he wouldn't even let me out of the house.
Asellus: There must be a way out.

R^2 · « **Reply #125 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:10:38 PM »

Want to not die? Take Mesarthim's armor and put it on Asellus.

Hint.

There's some frankly craptastic gear to be had in Lord's Manor, but considering anything is better than nothing, we take it.

To the basement!

For all that I said about mystics earlier, Asellus functions as a human. Her Strenth-Vitality stats grow normally and she can spark skills in combat.

R^2 · « **Reply #126 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:13:40 PM »

Oh. Um.

Turns out the basement's dangerous.

Very much so! Mesarthim has two pieces of water-nulling equipment, the MellowRing and the BlueElf. The MellowRing can't be removed but you'd damned well better give someone else the BlueElf before this fight.

Mesarthim's LifeRain restores HP to everyone else, but takes one of her LP.

The DevilSquid is no damn joke. I have no idea how you're supposed to win without the Asura, considering how few level-up and equipment upgrade chances you've had at this point.

Oh. That helps.

Whew.

R^2 · « **Reply #127 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:16:43 PM »

Aha! Nice. Now Asellus has a 0 WP skill to use with the Asura. StunSlash with Asura does more damage than HardSlash with the plain ol' regular Knife she holds in her other hand, so this is kind of a big upgrade to her normal damage output.

After looting the basement further in (the treasure on this screen is a trap), the DevilSquid respawns. Thankfully...

Mesarthim's freedom is one screen over.

Nobody ellipse in Mesarthim's presence, she can pinpoint who dealt it with laser accuracy.

End of chapter!

R^2 · « **Reply #128 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:21:07 PM »

After all these years, Asellus still talked about it very nostalgically. I remember felling a little jealous of how she cherished the time she spent with the Princess.
But Orlouge's henchmen also learned of them.

Ominous!

R^2 · « **Reply #129 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:25:39 PM »

Needless to say, Asellus is the only character for whom this area appears.

Oh, so you're not really blonde with an inexplicably green-haired sprite, like Terra from Final Fantasy 6?

Cabbage again? You know how it disagrees with you, auntie.

Oh. That's... a bit more serious.

Asellus: Why didn't you tell me? White Rose...
White Rose: Time means nothing in Facinaturu. I didn't want to shock you.
Asellus: Now I know I am a monster. I didn't age a bit in 12 years.
White Rose: You shouldn't talk like that.
Asellus: Leave me alone!

White Rose: Disobey my Lord? That's quite an accusation.
Big Magic Voice: Make all the excuses you want before the Lord.
Asellus: No! Don't touch White Rose!
Big Magic Voice: I was ordered to kill anyone in the way.

R^2 · « **Reply #130 on:** March 12, 2013, 05:28:33 PM »

FireSage is a chump. He's got nothing on DevilSquid, honestly. In this entire battle he got one hit in, and, well...

Followed by...

Asura + PhantasmShot.

What? ASELLUS is evolving!

End of chapter, and a decision point! Asellus has started growing into a mystic, as a result of her blood/magic infusion from Orlouge. Does she shun this power and cling to her humanity, or does she embrace the powers that being a mystic brings?

Brentai · « **Reply #131 on:** March 12, 2013, 07:55:01 PM »

Be Sigrid.

R^2 · « **Reply #132 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:07:57 PM »

I'm continuing the scenario, but voting remains open. I got seven votes for Emelia's fate, but only three for Asellus'. I guess everybody really wanted to see terrible things happen to Emelia.

Asellus picks up a couple of recruits to round out the party. Rouge is always a good choice. Lute... not so much.

On the backstreets of Koorong, there's this office...

The music cuts out. All you can hear is the ticking of the clock.

The skull floats into the air and laughs at you.

The clock strikes. A scream comes from the back room!

And as it fades...

Asellus quite reasonably gets the fuck out of there.

So why show this part?

It's another example of a part of Asellus' quest that got left on the cutting-room floor! There are snippets of script in the game data of Asellus talking to this doctor -- Dr. Nusakan, for the record -- who investigates her altered biology. Asellus asks him to turn her back into a human, but he can't, because mystic blood isn't purely biological in nature. She's absorbed mystic magic, too. Nusakan tells her to accept her fate as a mystic.

R^2 · « **Reply #133 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:13:42 PM »

This is Shrike's Bio Research Lab.

SaGa Frontier soundtrack - Bioresearch Lab

It's full of scientists who walk around shaking beakers of... whatever that is. If you bump into one, they'll either gloat about their new bodies or ask to be put out of their misery, and then you get into a fight.

It's full of odd equipment and research.

...and secret passages.

...and caged specimens.

The Bio Research Lab is full of hard enemies, no matter how strong you are.

For each scenario, the game counts how many battles you've been in. Every sixteen battles, your Battle Rank goes up by one. When your Battle Rank goes up, all the monsters you fight get harder. Some areas have monsters stronger or weaker than your normal Battle Rank, and the Bio Research Lab is one of those. All the monsters here are stronger than your Battle Rank would otherwise indicate.

Since the power of the monsters fought directly determines how likely you are to get stat increases after a battle, learn spells or gun skills, or spark new techniques, it's a good idea to fight the strongest monsters you are able to.

R^2 · « **Reply #134 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:16:55 PM »

If Asellus tries to use her MysticSword in battle, it deals a little damage and might instantly kill an enemy, just like if a fullblood mystic does it. After that attack, Asellus undergoes a MysticalChange.

Once MysticalChanged, Asellus behaves like a mystic instead of a human. She can now absorb monsters into her mystic equipment, and after she does, MysticalChange also means those monsters now provide their normal stat bonuses and special skills. Asellus can no longer spark sword or martial art skills, and can only increase her Charm, HP, WP, and JP after the battle is over.

She can also develop other mystic equipment after the battle is over, if her stats are high enough.

R^2 · « **Reply #135 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:26:32 PM »

Once I beat up the scientists running the experiments on him, one of the specimens joins my party.

This is Cotton, who is actually a member of IRPO. I'd rather not have to deal with raising a monster in this scenario, so I take him out of the active party in an inversion of the "anything is better than nothing" philosophy I've kept to so far.

Holy crap is that a Mana Beast?

(It's a Thundragon, but they look like mana beasts...)

Of course, when the Mystics in your party thrive by absorbing strong monsters, and you have a place where they can readily access strong monsters, they get pretty buff as soon as the absorb chance starts kicking in on their mystic equipment. Check out that bonus to White Rose's Intelligence she got by absorbing two Liches.

...so there's no plot advancement here, either. But... there could have been. In another bit of script that got edited out of the game:

The woman in the bottom of the Lab who talks about her eternal beauty right before you kick her but is Nashiira, the leader of the Bio Research Lab. She's researching mystics by using captured mystics and human volunteers as guinea pigs in her experiments. Once Asellus convinces Nashiira that Asellus is a mystic, Nashiira runs some experiments on Asellus.

Nashiira is one of those amoral "progress at any price" scientists who pops up in fiction from time to time, and Asellus is appalled at her lack of empathy. Asellus is equally appalled that for the purposes of the experiments, Asellus functions just as a mystic would. Nashiira tells Asellus about Furdo, but we'll get to that guy later.

R^2 · « **Reply #136 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:36:30 PM »

The progression of Asellus' scenario is, instead, to wander around until the assassins that Ciato sent after you show up.

WaterSage opened with an Oscillation attack that KOed both Lute and Rouge, but other than that I had no problems.

GreenSage (legalize it!) doesn't have many powerful attacks, but likes to use status ailments. The big problem with this battle is that GreenSage has a fear aura, which shows up as a few semitransparent skulls floating around him. If any of my party hits GreenSage with an attack that makes physical contact, the fear aura counters by confusing them. Asellus uses some sword techniques she learned that don't make contact, like WheelSlash and 2GaleSlash; Rouge and White Rose use magic; and Lute got a gun for this fight.

After the GreenSage is defeated, a cutscene:

Lion: A half mystic Asellus and our White Rose... I am afraid Ciato won't be good enough.
Orlouge: Are you going?
Lion: I exist only to serve you, Lord. Besides, White Rose, she's my sister princess. I don't understand why she's disobeying you.
Orlouge: No one's stopping you. Go, Lion.

Lion catches up with us in the Yorkland swamp. Usually those lizards are hiding with only their eyes showing, but Lion's cutscene keeps them from concealing themselves.

White Rose: They say you're the bravest princess in Facinaturu.
Lion: Princess White Rose... I've heard of you as well. They say you're the kindest princess in the region. Can your kindness stop a sword?
Asellus: I am the one who'll fight you!
Lion: Whatever! The only man who ever beat me was Lord Orlouge himself. Get ready!!

Princess Lion attacks with a combination of sword techniques and magic. She's the toughest boss yet, but uh...

She's still nothing compared to the DevilSquid battle.

Lion: Lady Asellus, take care of my sister.
White Rose: Wait. Lord Orlouge will punish you if you let us escape.
Lion: Don't worry about me. For you, I'd gladly accept any punishment.

End of chapt-- uh... Lion? Aren't you cold dressed like that?

R^2 · « **Reply #137 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:40:35 PM »

That's how the swamp usually looks. Slightly less intimidating than MONSTERS EVERYWHERE

Ildon: Relax, I am not here to take you back to Facinaturu. I was asked by Rastaban to protect you. Ciato is coming to fight you this time.
Asellus: I don't need any help.
Ildon: Ciato got Rastaban.

...in a part that puts the "cut" in "cutscene", naturally.

White Rose: Did Rastaban vanish?
Ildon: Fortunately, he's still alive. But, Ciato grew even stronger by absorbing Rastaban's mystic energy. I wouldn't have come all this way unless Rastaban requested it.

Ildon joins the party permanently this time.

R^2 · « **Reply #138 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:46:43 PM »

Ciato: ...will make my power unstoppable.

Ciato likes to charm party members but is otherwise less dangerous than Lion was.

That said, don't underestimate the danger of an enemy who likes to charm your party members.

Thankfully the very next attack after Asellus charmmurdered Rouge was enough to defeat Ciato.

Ildon...of a powerful mystic.
Asellus: Is that why everyone fears Orlouge? Because he can make others vanish?
White Rose: A Mystic's life is long. That's why they fear death so much.
Asellus: I also have the power to...

It's glossed over in the incredibly-brief treatment the script gives any plot point, but mystics can "vanish" other mystics to kill them. The mystic doing the vanishing must be substantially stronger than the one they want to vanish. It's why Mesarthim was scared of offending Orlouge-via-Asellus, and why White Rose asked about Rastaban when Ildon delivered the news of his defeat.

R^2 · « **Reply #139 on:** March 13, 2013, 01:53:04 PM »

White Rose asks her name, but the miko refuses and goes on to talk about Time and Space magic as usual.

The next time you enter a place where an assassin would strike...

White Rose: No one leaves without making a sacrifice.

It's several screens of doors. Some move you forward, others take you back, about half are fights with monsters instead. As labyrinths go it's kind of lame, you can make it out in less than a minute if you know the way. If you don't know the way, it might conceivably take upwards of half an hour.

RedTurnip: What are you, a retard? There is nothing to do in this stinking place.
Asellus: ...
RedTurnip: Don't get mad. One of these doors is the exit.
Asellus: Why don't you use it?
RedTurnip: I can't leave by myself. You'll see what I mean soon enough.

Sure enough, a door immediately to RedTurnip's left is the labyrinth exit. See? Goblin King Jareth would be so disappointed.

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Author Topic: Plots to Make Fun Of: Seven of 'Em! -- Let's Play Saga Frontier! (Read 38456 times)