The Daeins moreso than us. All we need now is to solve our problem. Somehow.
Not helping, narrator guy.
We have to put a stop to the Senate. By any means necessary.
That was never going to work.
The end of Part 3 is in sight. Just one more battle...
Nailah is as baffled as most of the audience.
A list of things that potentially includes "killing a close friend with her own hands". As well as the apparent destruction of thousands of lives.
Given the choice, the Daeins would gladly let this happen. They'd probably join in, too!
But they're dooming hundreds of Daein civilians with that little trick.
This is a bit of a naive option for the reasons given, although there isn't nothing that can be done if this happened.
...Tauroneo, I'm starting to think you've lost your train of thought somewhere.
The gist of it comes through, though.
It's time for some answers. And there's one person we can ask.
- [？？？]
- …方法はある。
If you're wondering how we got here in the version of the script where Micaiah didn't notice this connection herself, Almedha pipes up of her own accord.
Almedha, it's time for you to join the plot.
You know exactly what a Blood Pact is. If you know anything more than what we know now, about three chapters ago was the time to tell us.
Are we really going to go through this? You're a Daein too! I'm fairly sure.
I'm sure I don't need to specify that this conversation is a lot different if Pelleas is dead.
Well that's one heck of a way to get her to start sharing.
She's not going to lose her son! In this timeline! No promises!
Micaiah: "But I'm still standing right here..."
Micaiah: “Queen Almedha! Queen Almedha… What do you know about the blood pact? You know some thing, don’t you? I saw the look on your face… You noticed something even before Pelleas told us about the pact. If there’s something you know that we don’t, please tell us!”
Almedha: “Heh heh…hmph…”
Micaiah: “L-Lady Almedha?”
Almedha: “Haven’t… Haven’t you done enough already? It’s done, finished. Nothing matters anymore… There’s nothing we can do. My Pelleas… My Pelleas is…”
Kurthnaga: “Almedha! Get ahold of yourself!”
Almedha: “Kurth?”
Kurthnaga: “I can’t pretend that I know what you’re going through, but, for Pelleas’s sake, you must control yourself. Remember that your son made his final sacrifice in order to protect the people of Daein! Honor his memory now and help us.”
Almedha: “…Sniff… You’re right, Kurth. I’ll try.”
Micaiah: “Oh, thank you, Lady Almedha! Now, what can you tell us about the blood pact?”
Kurth snaps Almedha out of her misery instead of Pelleas. We'll explain why later, when the reason is revealed to both versions of the script, but I'd rather not have you sit through the exposition we're about to witness twice.
So, back in PoR Chapter 18, Tanith mentioned this plague, and I alluded to the plot relevance of that plague. This is when that comes back in.
Ashnard's master stroke. If this plague hadn't happened, there was zero chance he was going to see the Daein crown.
It's a general Daein tragedy, not necessarily specific to the Daein line- remember that Pelleas was not raised as a Daein prince.
And that's how I figured that a plague that killed a thousand people lasted fourty-four days.
Ashnard had a hand in the plague. How convenient for him that it wound up killing all his political enemies!
The identity of this wise man is never explicitly stated, but rather heavily implied in the course of later reveals. I think the more pertinent question is "what exactly did Ashnard's father think he was signing?"
- Tauroneo:
- 何者なのですか！？
その賢者というのは…- Almedha:
- よくは知らないわ……
あの方はわたくしの病を治すため、
大陸中から、怪しげな者を
集めていたから……
イズカもその中の１人だった。
生物の生態を専門に扱う学者。
……実際は、生物兵器に執心する
狂者だったようだけど……
ふ ふふふ- Tauroneo:
- 皇太后…
- Almedha:
- 違うわ…わたくしが
話したいのはそんなことじゃない。
アシュナードが……
”血の誓約”を破棄したことがあると…
それを教えたかったのよ。
Tauroneo actually questions who this wise man is, but all Almedha has to say on the topic is that Ashnard had collected a breadth of suspicious individuals to surround himself with- and actually mentions something about "her illness". This is a plot point that the English version has to wait a long time to even start unpacking, but the fact that Almedha is not at her peak is an important part of the setting. Almedha mentions that Izuka was also among these suspicious wise men.
If Pelleas is alive, that tangent ends completely differently, and I feel like if I understood Japanese, it would also be a more satisfying way. Pelleas actually admits to misjudging Izuka somewhat.
- Almedha:
- …………よくは知らないわ……
あの方はわたくしの病を治すため、
大陸中から、怪しげな者を
集めていたから…
イズカもその中の１人だった。
生物の生態を専門に扱う学者。
……あやつめ、最初から
我ら親子を利用し…裏切るつもりで……！- Pelleas:
- 目の前にいない者を憎んだところで……
今更、どうなるものでもありません。
それより話を戻しましょう。
父上が…どうやって
”血の誓約”を破棄したのかを。
We get this line for clues, but what these services were seems to have passed Almedha by. I don't think she would've paid much attention to these specifics at the time, but still, I wonder what a King might've wanted from a man like this wise man.
I think the first sign that there's more to this wise man than he appears is the fact that he agreed to this. I think it's at least fairly likely that this wise man is not a Daein himself- aside from the fact I think such a pact would recurse upon itself and cause some logisitcal issues, no Daein would want to jeopardise his family and friends, even if saying no to Ashnard would probably result in death even back then.
I don't think there are any safeguards in place to ensure that Ashnard was one of the survivors. How the victims of a blood pact's curse are chosen is not specified, although I'm fairly certain we're meant to take away the impression that the outcome is "random". I think Ashnard wouldn't have minded the uncertainty. If he died in the course of the Blood Pact's curse, then he wasn't strong enough. Such is the mind of the Mad King.
Ashnard's father, though, that's a kill he had to do with Gurgurant. He did kill his father, but the siblings in line for the throne are technically on some patsy's head.
Ashnard, as his father's next of kin, would have been the King with the curse, and not a potential victim.
"As his father's next of kin" is certainly a sentence I just said.
So then, we have an example of a Blood Pact that came to an end. Let's hear how the madman did it.
There's a bit of a missing step here, that gets a lot of people fussed: there's a time clause, too. If Pelleas died, it doesn't matter if we destroy the document- Micaiah is now marked with the sign, she is now "the one bound to it".
How long this window of time is, and how exactly Micaiah got a mark on her wrist, those questions are less clear.
Hey Almedha?
This would've been nice to know before we killed your son. Just sayin'.
- Almedha:
- 嘘じゃないわよ。
だって…わたくしは見ていたの。
あの方が父王を殺害し、
それによってあの…
誓約の”印”が消えていく瞬間を……- Micaiah:
- ……でも、ペレアス王の”印”は……
- Almedha:
- そう……何ゆえか消えなかった。
いまは…そなたが我が身に引き受けた
あの呪わしい”印”……
ふふ ふふふふ
そなたが誰かに殺されれば……
今度こそ消えるかもしれないわ。
どう？ 試してみない？
わたくしのペレアスだけ……
犠牲になるなんて…そんなの許さない！
その娘を殺しなさい！
誰にもできないのなら、わたくしが…！！
This is from the "Pelleas is dead" version, but, uh... Almedha doesn't actually know why the mark disappeared from Ashnard's dad and not Pelleas. She hopes it'll disappear for good if she kills Micaiah, though.
The "Pelleas is alive" version of the JP script plays out about the same as what you're about to see.
Whoa that's a huge one. She's not wrong- it does seem like Pelleas is a pretty doomed man right about now- but "doomed country". Wow.
It takes a certain kind of woman to fall for the Mad King, it seems.
Pelleas is preparing to once again go under the knife.
...I think she's talking about one thing in particular (which is something that has not yet been revealed to the audience), but I wonder what Almedha was doing while looking for her son between "being separated from him" and "finding Pelleas".
This is going to hurt...
Pelleas is a stronger man than Almedha, although right now, that's not saying much. Besides, we still have to actually get the damned paper.
Where the hell did that come from?
This is when Kurth butts in if Pelleas is alive. We need someone to get this conversation out of this gutter it has fallen into.
Almedha is Deghinsea's second child, princess of Goldoa, and a laguz. All three of these facts have independent, massive implications on the continent and conflict at large. And all of that from just the word "sister".
One can see the family resemblance, now that they're standing next to one another.
I'm not sure what Kurth is talking about, and I'm not sure I want to know, but I presume the departure, torture and death of older brother Rajaion might have had an impact on the poor kid.
Almedha used the words "the one bound to it", which sorta implies the victim, but Kurthnaga makes the (somewhat sensible but not necessarily supported) suggestion that perhaps we can skip that step.
...Almedha, you need therapy. Badly. I'm not sure exactly what you have, but you have lots of it.
Admittedly, Ashnard saying "maybe I should kill this random patsy" is not necessarily something he says because he has good reason to do it.
Lekain, incidentally. There's a certain degree of "the pact-maker, too, passes from person to person", but I think this has a bit more nuance to it because of the nature of a later reveal. In fact, I think the identities of the people who have to die to break the Pact depend a great deal on the precise wording on how these people are described on the document itself. For example, this Blood Pact probably uses wording like "the King of Daein shall henceforth act at the behest of the Begnion Senate", so neither Lekain nor Pelleas are personally singled out and thus the Pact can actually pass to next of kin.
We... haven't gotten out of the woods just by knowing what we need to do. Although I think we might be able to call in a favour from someone skilled at sneaking into people's houses and stealing their prized possessions.
Almedha asks for Kurth's help.
Kurth will gladly lend a hand.
...Wait a sec-
This is a bit of a character shift for Almedha, but we haven't seen the "before" state in great detail yet.
Almedha: “Because I was terrified! I knew that once you found out the truth, you would butcher my dear son to save your doomed country! I would have done anything to save my Pelleas… That’s why I didn’t say anything… How could I? In the end, though…it wasn’t enough.”
Kurthnaga: “Almedha, you are stronger than this. You were always the brave one when we were young.”
Almedha: “Huh?”
Kurthnaga: “I know you grieve, but grieving will not bring Pelleas back. Now is the time when you must be strong. To put Pelleas’s spirit to rest, help carry out his dying wish, and ensure the safety of his homeland.”
Almedha: “But he was… He was everything to me… How can I go on without him?”
Kurthnaga: “I am still here, dear sister. You still have family.”
Micaiah: “Sister? Lady Almedha is your sister?”
Kurthnaga: “I received your message, my sister, and have come to help. Please, Almedha, allow me to protect Daein for you and for Pelleas. Do not lose hope. You are not alone anymore and never shall be again.”
Almedha: “Oh, Kurthnaga, thank you! I’m so sorry for everything I put you and Father through… I’m so sorry…”
The "Pelleas is dead" version of the second half. I'm very interested to see what Almedha looked like as a "youth", before the whole marriage with Ashnard turned her into... well, this.
Ena has some exceptionally bad news to deliver.
Ike's worst-case scenario is "Kurthnaga didn't solve the problem". He is not braced whatsoever.
We now have the Crown Prince of Goldoa choosing a side in this war. Against us, too, but we can make do.
Ike is suitably annoyed. Although the whole "against us" thing is going to be a bit of an issue...
Kurth, Ena? Secure line of communication. Straight from Daein to the Apostle. And they choose to keep the secret. Although I'm fairly sure it's far too late for the secret to reach the right ears to solve the problem before we start beating the crap out of each other again.
This peace deal of Kurth's is less than worthless!
Well, I figured that bit, there's no way Deghinsea approved "his son destroying a castle wall", even if it did cause a ceasefire.
- Ena:
- ……それだけではありません。
クルト様もデイン側について
戦われると……- Ike:
- ！？ どういうことだ？
戦いを止めにきたはずが、
どうして片側に与する？
ゴルドアはいったい何が目的なんだ！？- Ena:
- ……今回のことは…
我が国の意思ではなく、
クルト様が個人的に動かれています。
デギンハンザー様は
一切、関知しておられません。
…そして、クルト様がデイン側に
お味方される理由はあります……
私の口からはお話しできませんが………
When Ena announces Kurth's intention to side with Daein, Ike wonders what the point of Goldoa coming at all was if they're just going to compound the problem. Ena insists this is something Kurth did personally, and this is why she brings up Deghinsea not knowing about this excursion.
Goldoa's going to have a tough time staying neutral after this...
Ena: "I must talk with Prince Kurth." Puts stone to forehead.
Ike: Is very confused.
This was alluded to in PoR Chapter 26, where Reyson brought up that the power he had to detect Leanne is a racial power that is stronger in the dragon tribe. It seems quite a bit stronger, too.
It's just like a cell phone! Tellius dragons have it real good. All Archanean dragons got out of their shiny rocks was the ability to transform in the first place.
- Ike:
- クリミアでナーシルが
あんたの気を感じたり……
リュシオンがリアーネの
気を感じることができるといっていた
あれのことか。- Ena:
- そうです。鷺の民も……
我々と同じような能力を持っています。
このヤクシ石によって
その力を増幅させれば……
どんなに離れていようと
”心話”ができるようになるのです。
Ike brings up Nasir sensing her in Crimea and Reyson and Leanne using it on occasion as examples he recalls, and Ena confirms that those instances were indeed manifestations of this ability, and explicitly brings up that a heron given one of these stones could communicate to other herons with it.
I... think it might be too little too late calling Kurth off.
Come on, you can do it, guys!
...I hope.
Fiona MVP. Fiona deserves all of the kudos.
There are two Base conversations today, although the second one requires us to meet a condition we have not met. It even has a reward, I'll be sad not to possess it.
The Master and Pupil are Rolf and Shinon, making a brand new bow.
Shinon is a great teacher or Rolf is a great student, one or the two. I don't know how good a teacher a man like Shinon is likely to be, but he's a different person around Rolf, maybe that different person has the good pedagogy.
Shinon is still Shinon, and doesn't really appreciate this form of appreciation.
And is actually rather humble, considering what Shinon has been like in the past.
Rolf must be a good student, if he's even interested in the mundane "sell it to someone" part.
That won't be happening with this, though.
Rolf, kiddo, the whole 'dehumanising' thing caused you problems in PoR, we don't need you backsliding!
Shinon is giving this beauty to Rolf.
To Rolf's utter shock.
Shinon knows Rolf's not at his best despite his enthusiasm.
And while he is neither responsible for Rolf from a well-being perspective or able to do much about the root causes of Rolf's particular problems, he notices there are parts of Rolf's life that he can control and does his best to make sure that these problems are running as smooth as possible. Looking after Rolf's health is Oscar and Mist's problem. Looking after Rolf's training is Shinon's.
The whole "being at war" thing is for Ike, Sanaki, Elincia and Micaiah to quibble over. He can make sure Rolf and himself don't die in the process.
Rolf's been babbling short lines like this ever since he got the bow as his only response.
To which Shinon asks what he's getting at.
Rolf's got no idea how he's ever going to make Shinon's efforts up to him.
Shinon has made such a huge impact on Rolf's life. More freebies feels like too much.
Shinon really doesn't have patience for this attitude.
I'm not sure how much this would hurt, but I imagine it depends on which side of the bow hit Rolf and where.
Shinon doesn't want payment for what he did for Rolf.
He considers it a natural action for him to take, and about as deserving of repayment as Oscar feeding and housing him.
But Shinon does have a suggestion for how Shinon can feel satisfied with what he has done for Rolf.
The happiest Shinon will feel about doing what he has done for Rolf is knowing that he has passed on his mastery of the craft to the next generation. I wonder if perhaps the Double Bow craftsman is Shinon's teacher.
Rolf is taken aback by Shinon being so blunt about his personal wants.
Shinon recovers his dignity with that last line. But I think we all know how he really feels.
And away Rolf goes. Shinon is considered the better archer because of the whole "starts higher levelled, has basically the same growing room, and no real downsides", but I think training Rolf really does feel narratively right when you get this far and get this conversation. If you're training Rolf and not Shinon, odds are Rolf is now a Marksman and really being the best archer he can be.
Just as long as you just mean it in the "master and apprentice" sense, all right?
So yeah, this is why I didn't buy Shinon's Bow in 3-4. Astrid wouldn't get the chance to even have the bow until 3-11, and then a free one shows up here. With 50 uses on this bow, there's no good reason to have two of them unless you're actually using Rolf, Shinon or possibly Oscar in Part 3.
"Protection" is only available if Boyd and Mist have achieved A Support. Bit of an ask, but far from undoable if you're not using him. In an All Girls run, though? Yeah, nah. I don't think I even have a Saviour Scroll yet.
The item you get from it is a free Spirit Dust. We don't need much of it for our purposes.
Apparently Mist wanted it, though.
Boyd appreciates Mist looking out for the Greil Mercs.
Mist kinda wobbles or something.
She's sick from all the Chaos, of course.
Boyd tells her she should take a rest if she's sick.
Mist, though, she's still on the "I must stand by my family" path.
No matter what it takes.
This is definitely huge on her psyche, although I have no idea how helpful therapy is going to be to solve this particular separation anxiety. Especially considering Ike's line of work.
Boyd is out of his depth.
Mist might be the young one here, but she's got Boyd thoroughly outclassed when it comes to emotional intelligence. Which honestly says more about Boyd than it does Mist.
Boyd promises to keep an eye out for her while they're plunged into this battle.
The game can insist on Mist/Boyd all it wants, it's going to need to do better than that to sell me on it. This is basically every weekend with Ike.
Speaking of Ike and shipping, Ranulf is ready for A Support and that ending. And not a moment too soon.
...Ah, shoot, 3-12 and 3-13 do something funny with the roster and my units are all out of alignment. 3-6 also does something with Lethe and Mordecai, but in this case it's far more disruptive.
I promised a Spirit Dust to Leanne, I'm fairly sure, and a Spirit Dust she shall receive. She's the only magical unit in danger of having issues casting spells.
Nothing exciting in the Bargains today, although Rolf made a bow for Aimee, apparently. There's no real point to getting another Rolf's Bow, they're worse than Steels, but I assume this was for the lore.
I think the time has come to take away Astrid's innate Paragon and pass it around some. Astrid has grown beyond the need for experience. What skills everyone does possess, though, that's for before the battle.
Look at this Daein army.
It's time for one last slugfest.
Interesting that the bird showed up between now and last dialogue.
Nailah and Volug run up to Micaiah.
To her total surprise. They're trying to have this battle here.
...Oh Ashera, no.
You, on the other hand, aren't much of a fight. Although you could always galdrar if you felt like it. I don't think I've ever seen Enemy Rafiel galdrar. I don't think I've seen Other Reyson galdrar in PoR 17, come to think of it.
Micaiah doesn't want them on a sinking ship.
Kurthnaga is a powerful force to be reckoned with, but honestly, I'm more scared of Nailah.
...Have you not been told this yet? It's a little tricky to keep up with in-universe information flow when it wavers like this.
She says this as an outsider looking in. To my understanding, Hatary only has the wolves.
Micaiah's still working on the chain of revelations necessary to arrive at all the interesting information one can come to from knowing Almedha is who she is.
Sothe tells her to snap out of it and save it for when they're not about to die.
Micaiah hopes Kurthnaga and Nailah can save their asses for one more day.
The beasts will be fighting as Others.
Janaff has noticed Rafiel has sided with Daein.
It's not a choice they approve of, but they at least respect his right to make it.
They'll just deal with it. Reacting negatively to someone else's choice is not necessarily taking away their right to have that choice.
...Wow, Reyson comes out swinging.
...So she can't join us on the battlefield today? Dangit.
...Oh, that choice of words, man. Jokes aside, is it possible to knock a heron out safely?
Ena's had no luck.
So what's Ena's plan? I think Ike would make no effort to stop her if Ena did go to Daein.
Her only plan is to stop Kurth at any costs. She won't be joining us as a playable character.
- Ike:
- あんただって、
３年前には戦っていたぞ。- Ena:
- あれは…他に
どうしようもない状態でした。- Ike:
- なら、あいつだって
そういうことなんだろう。- Ena:
- …………
Ike points out Ena fought with us just fine in the Mad King's War. Ena claims it was a special case, and Ike applies that to Kurth here. Ena is not amused.
Whatever it is you can do, do it.
No, Elincia and Lucia didn't even say anything.
This is a good reason to bench Elincia and Lucia. Still, though, Lucia could use the training and Elincia is always cool to play as. Ah well. They'll be back eventually.
Elincia approves of this plan.
That sounds like a plan!
So yeah, the whole rearrangement has moved everyone out of alignment, and everyone from Shinon up is my "next to deploy" and not my usual crew. It turns out, though, that 12 free spaces (and Sigrun force-deployed) is enough to bring every single woman in this army.
Sigrun continues to have her weaknesses, but Paragon will help us get some stat points she desperately needs and Disarm will help her turn that low Strength deal into a positive.
Titania missed out on Skills, but that's just fine, I'm planning on holding the level 10+ characters back anyway. Still, though, that means her monopoly on axes is kinda not being pressed.
I remembered to get the Cancel scroll out of her inventory, don't worry. Mist is just here for stats and healing, same as usual. She'll probably get some kills.
Yeah, Mia could handle this whole thing with her eyes closed (and a few more Steel Blades than I even have), but should she?
Ilyana continues to be the healer I use when I don't want to waste an important turn. She's actually very close to omnicapping too.
I didn't want to give Heather much, but with Sigrun on Disarm, I think that may just be a blessing. We'll be perusing the enemy pockets prosperously!
Nephenee's triple cap looks kinda less impressive now, but still. Her level ups will be a little less nice than everyone else's, in my experience.
Just get Astrid some kills and bring her stats up. That's all she cares about.
Marcia is one kickass pegasus knight for a unit with no caps. Although yes she is still using a Steel Sword and Steel Lance.
One of these days I will care about the fact I've got Discipline and Adept. I like both skills even if I know they're counter-synergies.
Daunt and Imbue for Tanith. That strikes me as a very Tanith skillset. She's not quite Marcia, but she usually turns out that way given more time.
Lethe is just about ready to hit level 30, so she gets one last Blossom level for the road. Once she's 30, she gets a Capacity bonus and things get interesting. I'm not sure what my plans are for the cats, although I do know one of them is going to do something fun.
Lyre not even bringing Wildheart to fit Paragon into her skillset. I'd like her to get to level 30 too, but she needs a little more of a push to get that far.
The other team will be overleaf, as usual.
No comments:
Post a Comment