Beyond the Beyond: Update 24.4: More Simone Village

[ladyabaxa]

Beyond the Beyond: Update 24.4: More Simone Village

Continuing from where we left off...

Taking the western path the team finds a large building sitting all by its lonesome self. Naturally the first thing that happens is that Finn checks to make sure there's no sewer level under their feet. Thankfully it seems all is as it should be and the well is just that - a well.

Slipping around the back in a rather obvious not-so-secret passage the team finds another Source of Agility. This trip just keeps getting better. I'll decide later who will get the speed boosts from them but until then they'll be safely tucked away from Finn's penchant for amateur alchemy.

Only then does the team waltz inside and find themselves staring at a truly massive cauldron. The heat alone must be terrible, especially for a building that has no windows or apparent means of ventilation.

Oh the smell is terrible! What is in that thing?
Don't even think of asking me to fly up and look because I'm not. I'm lightheaded enough from the fumes down here.
You're not the only one. *rubs forehead*
There's a swirling vortex of magic in that cauldron. It's unstable.
There's someone here. Why don't we just ask them what's going on?

He seems pretty intent on what he's doing. I don't think he's even noticed us yet.
"The Proper Method of Magic Experimentation." It seems this fellow could use a brush up on his technique if this book is any good.
There's more stinky stuff in this pot over here. Are you sure you don't want to taste it, Finn?
I haven't forgotten the last time I tried something like that so, no thanks.

Well, nothing for it but to just ask. *clears throat* Excuse me sir but what are you doing?
Please don't disturb me. I'm researching the lost art of summoning fairies, but I need to find my Magic Emerald. Now where could I have left it? I'll tell you what, if you can find my Magic Emerald, I will teach you the Summoning spell.

This is one point where the game gets picky about where the player stands when trying to use a key item. As shown in the screenshot above using it while standing to the right/east of the old fellow does nothing.

Instead the game wants you to stand just south of him. Once again this is a matter of Item > Magic Emerald > Use to get the game to acknowledge it exists.

An emerald? Could this be it?
Hey! This is it! This is my Magic Emerald! Where did you find it? Oh, no matter. Quickly, hand it over! (The magician receives the Magic Emerald.)
This should cause the reaction I need! Warning! Animated gif ahead!

Finn I'm having some second thoughts about this.
I don't think we have a say in it anymore.
Should we take cover or something?
I'm... not sure.

The old man chucks the emerald into the cauldron in what is one heck of a throw considering the angle he must be tossing it at.

Little dragon fly up and tell me what you see.
Ooook. *flies up to the cauldron lip* It's bubbling and hissing.
Oh excellent!
Uh, this doesn't look so safe.
*gasps* The magic is going totally out of control!
Which means?
It means...

Before Edward can finish his sentence the entire roof is blown off in an impressive explosion that screenshots just can't convey.

The entire party, except for Steiner, is launched into the air and lands just outside. Somehow they aren't all killed by this. I guess what the mixture actually summoned was a one-use dose of Plot Shielding that we immediately wasted.

Ok, that was something - something I never, ever want to repeat.
Ow, ow, ow.
Prince Edward?!
I'm ok.
If that old man is still alive I'm gonna kill him!
*quickly grabs Annie* Whoa! Calm down now! Let's not do anything rash, sis!
Ok so I'll only horribly maim him then. Let go of me!
Uh, a little help here guys?
I don't think hurting the old man would help us, Annie.
*grumbles obscenities under her breath*
Hey where's Steiner? Steiner! Steiiiineeer!
*coughing* I'm here. I'm all right.

With Steiner back at Finn's side the group re-enters the house to find a strange creature has slunk into the shadows following the explosion.

He's still here. *eye twitching in anger* He's not even hurt!

Hmmm... darn, my experiment failed... I don't know what I did wrong, but I summoned something strange. I'll start over from the beginning. When I succeed... I'll teach you the spell.
You're a bloody hack, old man!
I'm sorry did you say something?
THAT'S IT! *kicks old man several times*
Ow, ow, ow! Stop that! That is totally uncalled for!
I'm afraid I must agree with my friend here. What you did was extremely reckless and dangerous.

Spoiler Alert: this guy will never succeed and will never teach anyone in the party any cool summon spell.

*watching strange creature warily*
Huh? What is that thing?

...
What is it?
I have no idea but it doesn't seem dangerous.
Well I think we're just about done here, if Annie is finished kicking that old guy.
Yes! Yes she is! You kids scram! Get out of here!
You're lucky I didn't do worse to you!
*tugs on Annie's arm* Can we go now?

As the team leaves the building the strange creature falls in behind them.

We're going to see the shrine?
Yup. It's far away from that old guy.
Thank Arawn for that.
Wait, there's a barrier just up ahead.
It's a glowy rock.

A mage strolls up the path behind us to explain what's going on. Also, because a certain variable wasn't accounted for in sprite scripting it looks as if Edward is stepping in yellow goo creature. We'll kindly ignore the programming oversight for the sake of Edward's personal space.

Further up this path is the Mystic Shrine, but you can't go there now because of the rock blocking the path.
Where did it come from?
Master Zeon placed the rock there so that no one could disturb him.
He likes his privacy.
It seems meeting him is out of the question then.
Indeed.
Well as long as the elder can help us it's not a problem, right?
You have a question for Master Zeon? Hmm, that is a conundrum. The only people who could lift this rock are Master Zeon and the great Arawn himself. Unless you can get Arawn to help, you're not going to pass until Master Zeon returns.
And when will he return?
Whenever he feels like it. Master Zeon has been known to spend seasons in the shrine doing whatever it is he does up there.
Prrr. He doesn't seem very sociable then.
I take it that's why he's not in charge.

Yes, our path is blocked by a rock. No, we cannot form another conga line and move it. No, we cannot just walk around it. No, we cannot climb any of the trees around it. No, we cannot scale the cliff any other way and make our way through the trees. No, we cannot construct a battering ram or more of that explosive magic gobbledeguck that blew the old wizard's roof off and straight up destroy the rock. Hell we cannot even have Steiner fly over the rock to explain to Master Zeon what's going on, even though that is the most logical course of action at the moment. You'd think that with the entire village up in arms over omens of ill fortune the most powerful mage there would want to know if strangers came calling - that whole "what the hell is going on in the outside world?" thing but apparently not. Now I've seen a lot of railroading in video games. There have been many broken bridges and insurmountable shrubs, and rivers the player characters can't swim and so on and so forth but this, this damn rock takes the cake for most ridiculous obstacle I've ever seen. It's a rock. It's a just a friggin' rock that glows! (That's how you know it's got Plot Magic.) What are we going to do about it? Nothing, that's what, because the game won't let us out of sheer stubborness about the plot rails. This isn't even a puzzle like the slidey block puzzle at the Border Church. Nope, this is just sheer, unadulterated "fuck you follow the script!" straight from the developers. *grumbles something under her breath* Clearly this world is right next to that of the Knights of Justice (explaining how Darren wandered into this one) and master mages in both have colluded in ways of building magical, invisible barriers to wall off sections of their world for reasons fathomable only to themselves. This is a MAGIC ROCK and therefore responds solely to the Puzzle Gods' inscrutable whims.

Moving on...

That thing is still following us.
Is it dangerous? Edward? Sir Samson?
It's not attacking us.
I sense magic, a potent enchantment.
Well if it's intent on following us why don't we just leave the village and let it wander off?
*shrugs* Sounds good to me.

When the team tries to leave the village with the strange gooey creature in tow something happens.

I guess it's safe here!

The creature glows and changes into a humanoid form.

I'm Tont of Simone. Thanks! I finally escaped that dreary village!

If Beyond the Beyond didn't operate under strict Behind the Black rules this scene wouldn't make any sense and the designers would have had to expand the village entrance (such as a winding path through the trees) or place this scene on the overworld when we actually leave. As it is they can just put it right in front of the village greeter I've photoshopped two screenshots together to point out and call it a day. Hmm, let's run with this explanation: the greeter is confused by what's going on right in front of them but is being polite about it.

Anyway, I'm interrupting the new character. Let's rewind a bit and let them start over.

I'm Tont of Simone. Thanks! I finally escaped that dreary village!
Huh? You're from Simone? But you don't look human.
Yeah you're some sort of goo thing.
What?! That's impossible... *looks himself over*
Well you called it, sis.
I'm kind of wishing I wasn't right. This is... hmm.
Unless... Oh no! The transformation powder! It must have spilled on me in the explosion! With looks like this, no one in the Common World will talk to me.
I'm sure people will talk to you. People talk to Steiner all the time.
*giggles*
So that's the magic I felt. Can't the elder change you back?
T-the elder? Oh no! I can't ask him. I'm trying to get out of this village.
By running away?
Well, yes, but there's no other way.
You know your parents are worried sick about you.
Uh, well, um, I'm sure they'll understand.
How did you end up in that cauldron anyway?
Cauldron? Oh, yes. I wasn't in there. I was out in the woods actually. Then things went dark and I heard an explosion. The next thing I knew that big man there was staring at me.
So, uh, how did you become the yellow gooey stuff?
Oh that? That's what the transformation powder does normally.
Well we're going to see the elder in a little while. You're welcome to tag along if you like. *pauses* Er, if that's all right with the rest of the group, of course.
I don't mind.
*shrugs* I've made it no secret I thought something like this would happen.
Sir Samson?
I have no objections.
Did you say you'd take me along? You're sure? All right then, if there's anything I can do, I'll assist you with my magic.

Tont joins the party.

Well there we go. We now have 5 party members. I'll show off Tont's starting stats later. We still have a meeting with the village elder, after all.

On that note this update will conclude in the next segment.

Update Twenty-Four | Index | Update Twenty-Four point seven