![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Beyond the Beyond: Update 29: The Perils of Treasure Hunting (Arawn's Palace, pt. 3)
When last we left our... heroes, they had made a hasty magical escape from the underground levels of Arawn's Palace because they had run out of healing with no end to the dungeon in sight. They return to Arawn's Palace after some rest in Ophera Village.
On the descent they run into a trio of Summoners. This is perhaps the single deadliest formation to be found in this dungeon.
More summoners, Finn!
Come on Steiner let's teach 'em a lesson! RAWR!
Although Finn and Steiner quickly take care of one Summoner the rest of the group isn't so lucky with the other two. One of them survives to cast Summon level 2. This calls a Raise into the fight on the Summoner's side who hits us with a blast of Thunder 1 (also, it requires some Photoshop shenanigans to make text that was even more illegible then normal somewhat readable). Tont takes 24 damage while the rest of the group takes only 16 apiece. That's still a hell of a spell but the 50% boost to Tont is even worse.
B4 round 2
This way.
You're sure? It's the only way we can go.
Finn have we seen this kind of ork before?
I don't think so. Why do you ask? They seem... familiar.
Ork Lords are no longer that much of a threat to us without the cranked up crit-rate Ramue's flunkies had. They are otherwise mediocre melee units that can heal themselves with herbs.
Left or forward?
Uh?
After several minutes of trying to decide the team heads south only to find two dead ends and are forced to turn around and come back.
Even nature spirits are attacking us?
This is bad, isn't it?
As they usually know strong magic, yes.
Well we'll just have to make sure they don't get a chance to use it.
So much for a peaceful resolution.
Finn's blows aren't quite enough to kill one Sylph.
Don't worry. I'll just silence them.
*spell fails miserably*
Oh come on! There's gotta be something this will work on!
Well this is going to hurt.
Indeed it did hurt as pictured. Samson took only 14 damage from that Wind 2 despite having been hit for 25 by that High Elf's Wind 2 in the last update. I have mentioned magic resistances in this game are weird, haven't I? Well, magic resistances in Beyond the Beyond are weird.
Two can play this magic game. Get her!
The surviving Sylph was unfortunately not killed by the Wind 1 spell but at least it wasn't another blocked attack.
Once the Sylph is finally dealt with the team trudges onward to the next floor.
B5
Please let this be the last chamber. Do you really think we're that lucky? No but if I say it the hope might cheer me up a little.
I guess we should see what this switch opens up.
And so the group does just that, moving both blocks north to create two new paths. They then turn east and start walking.
That brings them to a second two-block switch that when activated breaks any further eastward momentum. Also, we get a clear view of most of the glyphs that line the outer walls. Hmm, I see, in order (skipping repeats), the roman numeral 3, a mini chessboard, an homage to Stargate teleportation rings, a Mario Kart race map, a baby metroid, the letters gp, a Mega Man energy capsule, an hourglass on its side, some in-universe notation for two degrees, and an eject button. Strange language if I do say.
I'm still not seeing any real clues on which way we should go.
Maybe we could ask them?
If I have to ask for directions from a skeleton its probably time to pack up and head home.
But it looks so happy. It's grinning and everything.
Then would you kindly tell it to stop trying to kill me?
You know what? On second thought I'll just skip to smashing its face in.
Well I suppose that works too.
Skeleton Warriors have one trick up their sleeves - high defense for this stage of the game. Annie's critical hit only dealt eleven damage.
Let's look around on the lower level. The way forward might then become clear.
*shrugs* Works for me.
Following Edward's suggestion the team backtracks to the stairs by the floor entrance.
It still didn't spare them from annoyances that were becoming all too commonplace.
*mutters obscenities under his breath*
Is that a staircase standing all by itself?
Looks that way.
Kind of pointless. Pryaa. Maybe someone had some extra stone one day?
Meh. I'm just going to keep going one direction until we hit a dead end or something. Staircase you just keep standing there being useless, ok?
And so, true to his word, Finn walks east.
He kept right on walking until a pair of Sylphs and an allied Gargoyle sprang from the shadows to attack the party.
More spirits! How many have we killed so far? I kinda haven't kept track. Wah, hahaha! It worked!
Wait, what worked?
My spell. Look, they can't talk! Who's laughing now you damn wind spirits, huh? Annie, that's who!
RAWR! Then we shouldn't let Miss Annie down should we, Finn?
No way. Come on!
Are these two always this gungho? *still laughing triumphantly*
YES.
Feel better, sis?
Much.
Victorious once more the team turns north and weaves their way through the winding, narrow path.
It's... a giant bear... thing.
Bear thing?
Words are failing me right now. Edward?
How should I know?
Bugbears are nothing remarkable. They hit a little harder than many enemies in this dungeon but that's it.
Stairs.
Yup.
More stairs. More yup.
B6
Well hitting switches without knowing exactly what they'll do has worked so far. Let's go.
With that the two initial paths were swapped for new ones.
The team then crosses the northern walkway.
Then goes south.
Oooh! I see 'em, Steiner. There's a jackpot down there.
I'm betting we can't reach them both at the same time. That would be far too convenient.
South is a dead end for the moment so Finn and crew have to instead go east and south.
Then it is down to the lower level.
I wonder how many houses you could make out of just the stones in the staircases here.
Planning ahead for retirement already?
It was just a random thought I had.
Once up on the upper level they head north to return to that first switch.
Yeah know I never did get those new gloves I needed did I?
Another random thought?
No. I was just thinking my feet hurt and realized these old boots are getting awfully worn out because I can feel some of these stones under me.
Leave it to Finn to think about his wardrobe while we're in a monster-infested ruin. If we're ever back in Luna we should see what kind of clothes they've got for sale.
Way to avoid the question.
*shrugs*
The switch south of the first is activated, causing the left block to move north and the right block to move south.
I hope this works or we're going to see a lot of these stairs.
Orks and their pet dog.
Sophisticated.
Now there are two dogs. Awww, I think they're kinda cute.
AH RWGH! Stop biting me! I take it back! I take it back!
Bloodied from the wolf's mauling but still standing Tont calls forth a minion to aid him.
Damnit why don't these things ever listen to me? You're supposed to attack the dog that tried to tear my throat out! I swear when I get this other spell working you are SO FIRED!
So that's what you've been trying to do this whole time... *embarrassed* Yes.
What's wrong?
I... I can't seem to get part of the incantation right. I know the spell but it's just not working.
Huh. Dictation maybe?
I don't know.
Well while you two hash that out I'm looting this chest.
Inside the chest is a Firedrake Vase. Just don't think too hard about how they are going to carry that thing out of here. It goes in Finn's backpack just as easily as his drug stash with nary a complaint.
I shudder to think what you might do with that vase, Finn. What? It's not like I'm going to drop it. That's not what I'm worried about.
On that note I'm tapped out again. Aww but we can't leave yet. *puppy dog eyes* I wasn't planning on leaving. Tont, I think it's time to dive into the stash. Oh, certainly Miss Annie.
The stash?
Mana in a bottle.
Well here goes. *drinks vial of liquid* AGH! UGH! THIS STUFF IS TERRIBLE!
I'm so never doing that again unless I absolutely have to. *makes various gagging noises*
You going to be ok?
Yeah just, just give me a minute.
With Annie's MP reserves bolstered the team sets out again. Unfortunately what Tont said is true. He did learn a new spell but the game won't let me use it. The litany of comical mishaps with his Summon line are amusing but I'm not purposefully holding back with him. When I try to use his new spell the game makes Tont stand around doing nothing or he uses a melee attack instead. Since this is the same thing that happens when he uses one of his Summon spells but the target is dead the game has obviously triggered a bug that's put him in semi-permanent "can't figure out who I'm supposed to use this spell on" mode. The new spell targets all enemies, bypassing target selection completely. I've been using savestates as my primary save method (much faster than loading memory card saves especially when you need to do things like gather screenshots from several locations) so this particular bug is easily fixed by making a hard save, rebooting the emulator, and loading that to re-initialize RAM. It would certainly screw over someone trying to speed run the game, though, wouldn't it?
Ahem!
After some looking around the room the team hits this switch again. They need the upper path next to this staircase open.
Then it's across this walkway.
Great, more wind spirits. Just what I wanted to see.
Not again! Let's just run. Pryaa! You? Run?
That's right. I said it. I second the motion. Thirded!
Seeing as we're out of herbs, Annie and Finns' MP pools are our only sources of healing, and Tont has 8 LP left and is dangerously close to dying this is precisely the time to honor the phrase "discretion is the better part of valor" and focus on finishing this dungeon ASAP.
It might not be brave, Steiner, but there's enough undead roaming around down here. I'm not joining them. I'm not complaining.
With these blocks set they can reach the staircase to the west.
This path north is now open.
They follow a winding path that would be blocked off at several spots if they had hit the wrong switches.
Along the way there are monsters who don't threaten to horribly murder us with powerful magic. Well they still threaten to murder us, just one at a time in polite fashion. Also, it gives Samson a chance to strut his stuff against a Skeleton Warrior. Compare that normal attack dealing 17 damage to Annie's prior critical of 11.
Samson has one job right now and I'm a bit smug those few times he gets to actually do it.
Key item Moon Crescent got!
What's that?
I feel it... old magic. Whoa!
*catches Edward as he stumbles back* Careful.
I'm all right. I was just startled by a sudden surge of power. Well did anyone else see another set of stairs down because if not this might be what all the traps are about.
I didn't see any.
In that case let's get the hell out of here before something goes wrong.
With that the group again fled the depths of Arawn's Palace grateful to still be in one piece. In the end Annie ended up not using any of the mana granted by the potion thanks to the twin powers of cowardice and blitzing. Still if we had been a little less lucky or I had hit one wrong switch things could have turned grim quickly.
Next time on Beyond the Beyond - so, uh, what are we supposed to do with this doohickey we just found?
