The former is going to help us, the player, the latter is just for the plot team.
Ooh, we got to Talrega after all. And most of Izuka's other places, presumably.
And we snowball our way through the rest of the camps.
We can take Nevassa before long! Yes, they did just yadda yadda "the filler maps of an FE game".
We're coming, Jarod.
The meaning behind this title doesn't explain itself, but it should become clear before long.
Numida has a problem.
Sanaki is preparing to treat Daein seriously. Numida can practically feel the noose around his neck.
Numida hopes Lekain can help Sanaki's investigation turn up empty.
But it's simply far too dangerous if the inspection team and the Liberation Army were to meet.
Which leaves Jarod in a bit of a pickle. He has to succeed here.
This probably ought to do the trick.
Micaiah, meanwhile, is practicing her Sacrifice spell. We have Laura, this isn't healthy.
The Daein soldiers, when they need to be distinguished from the most generic sprite, have elaborate helmets. Begnion never gets these helmets, but on the other hand, Daein never gets moustaches.
...I think Daein is better off.
Who are you and why can you just barge in here? Where is here, anyway?
Well, Izuka aside, we welcome random people, but still, who did you have to get past to get here?
"Our" men? These aren't Daein Liberation Army men, but they're still Daeins, so I wonder what group she's talking about here.
So Begnion's prepared to kill all the prisoners. Who saw that one coming?
I have no idea why Izuka thinks he should have heard of this sooner. Well, actually, I have an idea, but I don't think that's what they were going for.
そのような情報、私は聞いていない！
いま捕虜を殺して
ベグニオンに何の得がある？
生かしておけば我々に対して、
人質としての効果もあるというのに。
虚報だ！ でなければ敵の罠だ！！
Izuka believes Begnion would be better off using the remaining prisoners as hostages rather than sacrifices and partially bases his conclusion on that.
Micaiah would rather charge into the trap and save the people than leave them to die.
Izuka takes the more pragmatic approach. Complete insanity aside, he does a good impression of Soren.
- Izuka:
- 王子、ご辛抱ください。
王とは……慈悲深さと同時に
冷酷さも求められるもの！
大を生かすために
小を捨てねばならぬこともあるのです。- Micaiah:
- …………
- Izuka:
- 私とて苦渋の決断！！
しかし、いまここで
解放軍が敗れ去りでもすれば……
デイン復興の夢はその刹那に
あえなく断たれてしまう！！
これはデインのための英断なのです！- Pelleas:
- ……わ、わかった。
- Micaiah:
- ペレアス王子…っ！
- Pelleas:
- ごめん、ミカヤ……
イズカの言うとおりにしてくれないか。
Izuka gives Pelleas a brief rundown in Machivellian politics to explain why his idea is a good one, and Pelleas actually goes along with it.
Charge into the breach with just the Dawn Brigade.
Pelleas is flummoxed.
But Micaiah will not be deterred, no matter how few allies she can get.
What part of that speech made it sound like your authorisation mattered to her?
Pelleas has faith in Micaiah's plan, and consents to it.
...We kind of are, dude.
Meg made this screen.
Three conversations today.
Sothe starts with a bit of a report, but Micaiah's a little out of it.
Sothe presses what's bothering her.
Yeah... something's going to have to be done.
Muarim's a good man, though.
All of Micaiah's magical powers come from her Brand. It is because she is Branded that she has gathered such a strong reputation. Eventually, though, the truth will out.
...
And that weighs heavily on Micaiah.
Sothe tells her she has an out.
This Army thing was a dumb idea from the start, Micaiah can't take a position of prominence without her Brand coming to light.
Micaiah has accepted that responsibility now, though.
She loves Daein too much now.
She's gotten to know the people of Daein individually.
And has connected with them.
Sothe is surprised by this.
...On one hand, yeah, the people are naturally going to be welcoming towards others, that's human nature at work. On the other hand... "because I was from Daein". I've never been one for nationalism.
Micaiah has her duty to them now, though.
And she doesn't want to lose that kindness again.
...
Sothe has his priorities firmly in order.
Micaiah's just fine with them, though.
Tauroneo won't be joining us for this mission. He's on Izuka's side in this argument.
At least we'll have someone looking out for Pelleas.
I wonder who this help Sothe is talking about is.
So what is Tauroneo giving us?
Any status, really. It also passively restores the holder if Equipped.
"Throw everything at them and hope for the best!
At least Tauroneo has faith in us, even if he's not coming.
Laura will put this in her inventory and not think about it again for a long time. Poison isn't really worth a Restore, and the scary stuff isn't in the Dawn Brigade's near future.
So what's Vika getting up to?
...Getting startled by Micaiah.
This is apparently a usual occurrence for her.
You see, while laguz can detect Branded as a racial ability, not all of them actually know that's what their senses are telling them. Vika knows there's something off about Micaiah, but doesn't have a clue what it might be. You'd think Muarim would tell her.
It's not something Vika wants to deal with.
She likes Micaiah, Branded radar or no.
I wonder what circumstances Vika has been feared in her past. Since she's one of Tormod's crew, it's probable that she has spent a non-zero amount of her life as a slave, but I'm not really sure how that would tie in to this point. The "...feared" part is definitely interesting, though.
Micaiah will be as helpful as necessary.
So what you got?
An Ashera Icon, from the sounds of it.
I can only imagine what it must've felt like, to only have that figurine in whatever hellhole you lived in before Tormod.
"By which I mean throw it in the convoy until endgame and probably give it to someone else."
But seriously, don't use an Ashera Icon on Micaiah, her Luck is already way too obscene.
Micaiah and Fiona pick up a Support. That's a lot of extra Evasion for them both, plus some Atk. A full Earth pair is worth +45 Avoid at A Rank, but Earth/Dark gives a still respectable +30.
And now Laura gets her last two levels.
8 Defence. Only 26 HP, admittedly, but Laura is kinda destined to be a little glassy in the end.
But let's promote our healer.
I was considering promoting Laura last mission, but I ultimately decided to wait both for the extra levels and the chance to show off this beautiful background if you promoted a character in Chapter 1-8.
Laura's switched from "commoner girl dress" to an elegant noble-clergy's dress, and also brought a cape!
11 Defence. We'll make a proper unit out of you yet.
As sad (and weird) as it is, the time has come to remove Celerity from Tormod and put it to use among other people. When you think about what Celerity is in universe, it's almost hilarious to think about.
Laura will bear Celerity for this mission. The way it works, it works out best on her.
Vika picks up Renewal, to up her survival untransformed.
And Ilyana prepares to get some more Fire and Wind study done.
Meg will be using Paragon, for reasons that might become quickly apparent.
Today's Bargains. The Wyrmslayer is a choice, but it is effective against Wyverns.
I get the Olivi Grass for Vika. Annoyingly, she needs it.
You FINALLY stock Fire and Wind. I get a Wind tome, because we're never actually going to get one of those naturally.
And an extra Wind Edge for Meg.
The executions are beginning!
Begnion. Is hiring. BANDITS.
This is the dumbest execution I have ever seen. That swamp doesn't even do passive damage.
"I can't swim in waist-high water!"
"That's normal!"
Micaiah is here to save the day!
So is Sothe. Please give the kill to Micaiah in the future.
Hearts usually bleed. That's kind of the point of hearts.
Surprisingly, that works both literally and metaphorically with about the same amount of stretching the definition.
"...Now how do we do that?"
Don't worry, we'll think of something.
And the trap has been set.
SUMMON REINFORCEMENTS!
Turns out they're not the only ones with that power.
We've got some more people too.
Now we have a foothold in the south.
And in the north.
They just... walked. Same as us.
Ooh, Rafiel!
Here he is casually Vigour-ing two people at once untransformed. Galdrar works differently based on the heron who performs it.
A quick recap for the people who haven't played PoR- and even for the people who have, since it was called Canto back then.
Don't be silly, Sothe, we have as much time as we please to do that.
We can deploy up to 12 people, and 8 of them the game has forced into our party! Thanks, game.
Of the four spaces we have free control over, I only fill three.
There is no good reason Jill is locked out of the mission and not Zihark from a lore standpoint, but mechanically, Jill breaks this map extra hard and I understand why the designers didn't want us to have access to her. But at least a token reason might've been nice to come by?
We at least have a woman in both reinforcement groups, but we have a bit of an uphill battle to save all the prisoners. Some of the bandits will be glad to take a stab, and there are those wyverns...
This square has an Arms Scroll in it. Actually, I think it's the one to its east, but either way, it's there. There are also three Coins in random positions around this map, but nuts to digging them up.
This is the boss, Radmin. He's as scary as a mage can generally be, but man, 25 Atk on 20 Mag? RD mages don't have the bite of other games. Just make sure to bring someone who can stand up to him.
No Authority Stars, but one heck of a biorhythm. Does this man have a heartbeat?
Oh yeah, Venin Axes. Anyway.
Say hello to the Wolf Queen, Nailah. Despite lacking the "Wolf Queen" class, she is considered such by the game, having different caps and weapon to Volug, and also bringing some massive bases. Nailah is one of the characters the game supplies to make sure you can make it through Endgame in one piece.
Four skills locked to her. Glare (or as it's known in JP, Evil Eye) is unique to Nailah, and has a Skill/2% (subject to Biorhythm fluctuation) chance of turning an enemy into Stone for the rest of the Chapter. A petrified enemy has additional Defence and... actually, why are you doing this instead of killing them? Savage has a Skill/2% chance of tripling Nailah's Strength and halving the enemy's Skill for one turn after it triggers. Show me an enemy who survives it and I'll show you a hacked save file. Formshift is the Radiant Dawn version of the Laguz Band, and it allows Nailah to remain transformed indefinitely at no penalty. Because, you know, untransformed Nailah isn't going to break the enemy army over her knee anyway.
We can also see her automatic SS Rank Strike (not that she needs it) and her three Authority Stars (not that she'll ever use them). The game likes giving Authority Stars to royal characters, but because so few of them become Lords, they're completely decorative.
Let's open things up with Laura killing a man. Because that's exactly what the clergy should get up to.
The power of Ashera compels you!
Meg is still throwing Javelins around on occasion.
And there's a nifty level up.
...You've already capped Speed. You're level 3!
Vika heads in this direction and Olivi Grasses up.
Tormod and Muarim jump into the swamp to try and stay out of danger.
Ilyana goes south to handle some of the mess down there.
Since Wind is so rare, here's a still of it in action.
Volug picks up Rafiel and hauls him over to the other shore.
Nailah will be just fine down here.
Imagine being one of the Begnion soldiers deployed on this side, looking at Nailah and being informed you have to kill her. Quite frankly, I'm amazed this guy has a hit chance.
Downside of Nailah? EXP gains are so damn low that they've been rounded up to 1! Technically, she gets more EXP letting these guys attempt to zap her than killing them.
Now that is a soldier with absolutely no chance.
Nailah has no mercy.
Or EXP.
Yeah, this side is covered.
Everyone rushes at Meg, for some reason, despite the fact she's probably one of the best units here.
Vika gets hit by this Venin Axe, though. Poison time.
Renewal and Poison at the same time. It's hilarious.
And the wyvern has appeared. There's another two much later, but otherwise this is the main one.
I move Muarim and wind up with him in range of it. There wasn't much choice.
I could've moved him up, I guess, then I could properly block him.
Meg is so hamstrung by the thickets. This is why I gave her Paragon and Laura Celerity.
Despite being Fast, Laura can't double this guy. This basically sums up Laura's issues now we've got her to promotion.
She is the kind of Fast to dodge getting hit in the face.
Meg finishes this guy who challenged her off.
Meg continues to impress.
Sothe makes sure to stay out of trouble.
Vika eats an Herb.
And the wyvern chooses to attack her, thankfully.
...That is a lot of damage and accuracy. At least we can kick him back for some damage. I think I got a double, too.
Ilyana attracts this bandit's attention.
Well, at least I needed the Herb.
Some Strength would be nice.
OK, I know they're all equally foolish choices, but why Meg?
Bandit reinforcements down here! This is why the men had to run away.
Ilyana kills this one and blocks the other one from moving closer to the boys.
And takes the hit, annoyingly.
This'll help.
...Dammit, three shy.
I need to heal right now. Annoyingly, though, I can't do anything about that wyvern.
Meg shoves Micaiah through the thickets, because she's not getting through them herself.
Sothe and Volug show off and cross these reeds in one go.
There's a Coin here-ish that Nailah can try to find before her reinforcements come. I didn't check where and Nailah just needs to pass the time.
And now Vika's found a mage to tickle her.
Yeah, so much for this guy. I don't know if I could've spared him. Maybe if I positioned Vika differently and attracted a mage (indirect attacks help your TP).
Well, at least this came to something in the end, even if this is kind of overkill on our Ilyana.
Wind rank! She can now use Elwind.
Well, at least Vika can stop this guy from killing again.
JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE!
Laura moves in to the ending zone, nicely tucked into a thicket.
See you, Meg.
There's the Arms Scroll!
Ilyana goes and sits in this thicket. I don't know for sure if she'll get company, but it's nice to be ready.
And now the mage is not a threat to Vika at all! Power of transformation!
Laura gets stabbed by a soldier.
This turned out to be to Begnion's detriment. The goddess herself smites those who challenge Laura!
This guy lands his hit. Thank goodness for all that Defence on Laura.
Rafiel stands here, in preparation for Micaiah's next action.
She'd like to talk to him first.
Rafiel is in this for his wife.
Despite hating fighting, he's happy to lend a hand if fighting is necessary.
"I like helping!"
Micaiah: Queen Nailah, are you sure it’s all right involving not only you, but Rafiel as well?
Nailah: Rafiel can’t fly, so sometimes he has trouble keeping up. But even so, the effects of his galdr make him a valuable asset in battle. All I ask is that you keep him near me, so I can keep him safe.
Micaiah: I understand. I will.
Micaiah not even bothering to participate in conversation with Nailah.
And now Micaiah Sacrifices for Laura.
Laura is no longer Poisoned. Sacrifice is nice and tidy like that.
It would be nice if Laura could oneround this guy.
Bishop to C4.
Tee hee. That tickles.
Magic! Defence!
Vika deals with this mage.
And stands here under the belief that this will block the bandit form getting to my back line.
No it did not.
Ilyana pops a Vulnerary, just in case.
...Mayyyyyybe?
That was one heck of a magical duel.
This guy is less of a match for Laura.
Thankfully, the bandit chooses to take a swing at Micaiah. Also thankfully, she's got her Resolve on, so his hit odds are even lower than they appear.
Some mages appear over with Nailah.
They're not issues, but I will need to have them killed.
Laura finishes off the priest. We do not accept your religion here after what they did to ours!
Micaiah cures Vika of her poisoning.
And Laura heals her for Magic and Speed.
I assure you, you will not look nice on mine.
That sunset continues to be beautiful.
One thing about killing enemy mages is that their capes kinda do something funny on the way down. I'm told this is because their capes swishing in the wind is a canned animation and not influenced by physics. It's not important, but this is just cute.
Radmin: Silver-Haired Maiden, or whoever you really are! I knew you’d come! I knew how your reputation would suffer if you abandoned these prisoners here. You had no choice but to come.
Micaiah: How many innocent, defenseless people have you ordered killed… just to lure me here?
Radmin: Look who’s passing judgment! Maiden of Miracles, Savior of Daein… You’ve spun quite a pack of lies to inspire your conquered people. But that ends here, wench! Let’s show them how insignificant you really are!
...What does Radmin believe Micaiah is?
Finally, some Strength.
You don't "allow" me to do anything.
The prince? He was fine with it. It's Izuka who'll be mad.
But we saved the people!
Oh crap, have we left our soldiers to get killed? Was Begnion extra smart with this trap?
...No, that's just cheering. Which... I mean, Micaiah can't tell the difference between shouting and cheering.
We kick ass.
This is something I need to check, but I wonder if the choice in title "Priestess" is at all related to Sanaki's.
Micaiah: 巫女
Sanaki: 神使
Nowhere close.
We have a title! Did Ike ever get a title before we won the war?
"As opposed to, say, Jill having birthed a new child. What were you expecting?"
In response to this line, Micaiah says something I really wish I didn't miss the screenshot:
I'm no hero... but I see what you mean.
They even have a wave animated.
MICAIAH! MICAIAH!
Have the peoples' hearts been sufficiently, won, Izuka?
That night, Micaiah is taking a break in the corner.
Though Micaiah is nice and content with her new lot in life.
...Something as in...
Oh. Glowing, pulsing, ominous noises wrong. Yeah... very Not Good.
Are you... in control of your transformations, Muarim?
Doesn't sound like it.
...Muarim...
Ooh boy... Tormod's probably had nightmares about this thing...
- Sothe:
- トパック……
俺の思い違いじゃなければ…
いまのムワリムさんの目は……- Tormod:
- あいつらと同じ色…してるだろ？
わかってる…わかってるから……
おいら……怖えよ。
Apparently, it's the eye colour that can clue you in.
Micaiah has no idea what is going on.
Sothe does.
Tormod is losing his dad.
To the Feral Ones.
...
Because Rafiel is here to save the day.
And Muarim has been saved!
That was too close.
I mean, Vigour isn't a particularly long song. Could you imagine if the dancer had a thirty second animation? OK, the GBA ones, maybe.
Serenes Forest, or Rajaion? I wonder which one is funnier.
【再生】の呪歌だ。
先の戦いでも、
白鷺の王子と王女が歌い――
色を失った森に命を取り戻し…
歪められたラグズの心を救った。
It's Serenes.
I'm not sure if this is fully explained.
- Micaiah:
- …ううん……
なんだか、変なの。
……体の内側から…
熱いものが込みあげてくるような…
そんな感じ。- Sothe:
- わかる。
俺も初めて耳にした時は、
体が震えるぐらい感動した。
The song just has that effect on people.
At least Muarim will live.
So what are Feral Ones?
Abominations of nature.
Created by yours truly.
旧デイン国王の生物実験によって本来の性質を歪められたラグズを指す。
「化身」するとずっと元に戻らず常に高い戦闘力を維持できる。
しかしその代償として短命になる他精神が破壊されて凶暴化する。
特別な薬を用いることで使役できる。
実験途中に生まれた失敗作であることから、この名称で呼ばれる。
Feral Ones are called "なりそこない" in the Japanese version, which usually gets translated as "Failure" by my machines. According to the Glossary entry for Feral Ones, listed above, they are some kind of failed experiment.
Well, strictly speaking, just because Izuka invented Feral Ones doesn't mean he fed Muarim the drug.
It's not a wrong guess, but not going to lie, it's probably not the best idea to accuse your chief strategist, no matter how much of an asshole and how little of a strategist he is.
"I'm going to exposit the nature of Feral Ones while I'm upset with you!"
Izuka, please, time and place, do not loudly proclaim the lack of Muarim's humanity in the presence of Tormod. Or Micaiah. Or Sothe. Or Pelleas. Or really anyone with a brain.
駒となって動く兵士に
自我などはいらん！
かえって邪魔になるだけだ。
確かに…短命となるのは、
あの薬の改良すべき点ではある。
だからこそ、さらなる実験を……
Izuka brings up the whole "Ferals were a failure" thing by pointing out that's just more excuse to do more experiments to try and bring the thing to success.
Pelleas, shush, Micaiah was about to swear!
At least Elincia was likable.
Apologies are easily spoken.
His sprite doesn't change, but I think he's supposed to be bowing in some way.
イズカは僕の大切な臣下だ。
臣下の過ちは主の過ちも同然……
だから……
Among Pelleas's apologies are this line, where Pelleas points out that Izuka's moral failures reflect badly on him.
Screaming the quiet part as loud as you possibly can.
And Tormod storms off. There is not a man alive who a) wouldn't have done the same or b) would blame him for doing so. Except maybe Izuka.
All right, so into Sienne, and...
SANAKI!
The jump from 10 to 13 was exceptionally flattering to her, although I am now starting to contemplate the logistics of Sanaki going through puberty while also being the continent's most proficient political mastermind in a deadly game of thrones. Her costume is also dramatically different, and I have no idea why, in all honesty.
And in the blue corner...
There's no particular reason Lekain had to be in Path of Radiance (although I suppose someone saner than Oliver had to be in Chapter 14 to make it work properly), but I'm impressed that so much of his design translated between games. He's wearing totally different robes, of course, but now he's an important character, it works.
I'm amazed how blatantly false you can get by telling the truth.
Although the lies are already on their way.
- Sanaki:
- ………妙な話もあるものじゃ。
デインではこの３年の間に
無数の強制収容所が建設され、
そこには帝国への
逆心のあるなしを問わず、
無数の若者が送られていたと聞く。
その全てを……総督であった
ヌミダが知らぬと申すのじゃから。- Numida:
- 私をお疑いであるのは、
もっともかと存じます。
しかし…しかしですな……
このヌミダは元老院議員にございます。
それは女神に生涯を捧げ
終生、嘘偽りのない政を行なうと
誓った証にございます。
どうか…どうかそれを
お忘れなきよう……！
Sanaki knows about the concentration camps, and would like to know how Numida spent three years ignorant of them. Numida points out that, as a Senator, he has made a vow to the goddess to be a politician who doesn't lie. Senators making this vow is a (relatively) established trait in this setting.
"About 100% guilt, but I'd rather not be made to suffer for any of it."
No you're not.
Numida tries to draw a Get Out Of Jail Free card by distracting Sanaki with the people of Daein.
Sanaki's ready to help them, of course. Sending an emissary straight to Pelleas.
Before sending the Occupation Army packing.
Yes. Lekain will send this inspection team at all. This plan can't possibly backfire!
Laying it on real thick, aren't you?
Sanaki wants to hear out the Occupation Army before she decides what becomes of them.
Oh, and Sanaki can have Sephiran lead the inspection team, he's available.
This is not going according to plan.
But there's nothing he can really do to argue against it. Sephiran is the more qualified candidate.
I wonder how far away these two got from Sanaki before taking off their masks.
Now what?
...Lekain admits defeat. Numida can still escape by disowning the Occupation Army, but, uh... it's not looking good for them.
Numida swears revenge. An excellent trait to have towards your Empress.
- Numida:
- な…っ！？ そんな馬鹿な…！
将軍ジェルドと数名の命を差し出せば、
丸く収めていただけると……- Lekain:
- 事情が変わったのだ。
そなたも己の身が可愛ければ
覚悟を決めるがいい。
なに…ほとぼりが冷めれば
わしのところから新たに
兵を分け与えてやってもいい。- Numida:
- そ、そういうことでしたら…
わかりましたぞ。
デインのことは、悪い夢でも見たのだと
思うことに致しましょう。では……
- Lekain:
- …………………小娘が…！
よくも、小賢しい真似を……
…………サナキめ……！
From what I gather... Numida asks if they can sacrifice Jarod and a few other prominent soldiers to spare the rest, Lekain tells him it's not worth it and that Numida can take some soldiers from Lekain's army later once the mess has calmed down, and Numida calms down about the mess, leaving Lekain to be the one to swear revenge. Either way, they're both in on it.
...I'm going to pretend Serenes Forest is wrong about how much turncount BEXP I'm owed, because I don't know how what I believe is "one turn over the limit" halved the turncount reward I got. 200 BEXP per prisoner adds up, at least.
Next time: There's more of grave than of gravy about this...
No comments:
Post a Comment