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Three - He was like a father to me.

Tactical Conversation Action begins. We're gonna be jumping around the village a bit, because meeting some people first flows together better, and/or they are straight up more interesting.

The first two conversations are unique to the Weaver. Each profession has a number of backstory characters around that say different things if you're the same profession as they are. I think it would make sense for our protagonist to seek comfort from those she learned her trade with first.

Music - Village Classique



Straight to the right of the funeral pyre is the house of a couple of weaver sisters.







Ai Thel: Oh hello, Haþuwīgą!

Hello Ai, hello Vanna... How are you doing?

Vanna Thel: We should be the ones asking you. How are you feeling?

Remarkably well. Just like a wounded rabbit in a white bear's lair, in fact.

Ai Thel: (She looks lost in her dreams) I have never entered the lair of a polar bear. I have a hard time imagining it. It must be very comfy, if one can feel at ease, even when wounded. Maybe there are ice sculptures on the walls? And there are a few little bears that purr while drinking marvelous sweet drinks out of glass bottles... Fizzy soda pops...! Ooooh... hmmm...

Nice product placement, Winter Voices.



Vanna Thel: Yeah, right... (She sighs.) I don't think you understood what Haþuwīgą was trying to say, Ai... Condolences on the death of your dad, Haþuwīgą. We loved him very much.



Vanna Thel: If there's anything we can do for you...

It's unusual to see you not snarky, Vanna. You ate something bad?

Vanna Thel: (Mocking smile) Not since the last time I tried your cooking, Haþuwīgą... No, I just don't have the heart to make fun of you today. I know too well how hard it must be.

Ai Thel: (Innocent smile) It's true you are very nice today, Vanna... I feel like I have another sister since yesterday.

I don't doubt this too will pass. I can bet you a meal that, by tomorrow, she will be back in the street, viciously gossiping with Old Okhr.

Vanna Thel: (She snickers.) I appreciate her even more since I don't have to put up with her ten hours a day. This old bitter hag... Always so grumpy! She's still pretty alert for her age, she may be driving us mad for a long time...

Ai Thel: I like her!



I was clearly the wisest of us three...

Vanna Thel: That's true. She couldn't bear neither my independence, nor Ai's innocent experiments that always ended badly, but you beat us easily. By the age of seven, you could already almost shut her up. (She smiles) I have to admit she had reasons to hate us, in spite of it all.

We are adults now. What a shame.

Vanna Thel: Yeah... Well. Talking about you... Don't forget we're always here, if you need us.

Thanks... But I am afraid there's not much to do about it.

Vanna Thel: (She sighs.) Don't hesitate. You know where we are.

Ai Thel: Yes, and Vanna will not make fun of you, promise! Well, I think...

(Laugh) Thank you both. See you soon.

Vanna Thel: Take care.

I like the rapport these three have a lot. They mentioned an old lady named Okhr, let's go see her!







Hello, Mrs. Okhr. You have shrunk since I last saw you, haven't you?

Weaver Okhr: You're so rude! (She laughs.) And yes, I am getting old. It is fortunate there will be little Thels and you to replace me when I won't be able to do anything. How are you, young lady? I attended the cremation yesterday... What a shame, when... (she mumbles) ...anyway.

He was like a father to me... Quite logical, actually. (smiles)

Weaver Okhr: (She smiles kindly.) You haven't lost your knack for banter. They aren't all sweet in the village. Your... situation... wasn't always easy. Lots of jealousy and mistrust against you and your father.

Let alone these old hags we had to deal with during all these years of training!

Weaver Okhr: You little brat! (The old woman laughs wholeheartedly.) I did everything I could so you wouldn't be too bored and you'd become independent. I couldn't avoid... certain things... which I should have seen coming. I am sorry about that.

I haven't done anything that could make anyone angry though. I don't understand.



Weaver Okhr: Nobody will try to figure out if you're made of glass or of metal. They'll treat you the same way. When you show your strength, you'll find the company of those who want to steal it from you; but your weakness, you'll be all alone with it. I am not teaching you anything new. You have got to get tougher, girl. You're too much like your mother.

Did you know my mother?

Weaver Okhr: From afar. It's a story I may tell you one day. I must go take care of dinner now.

I'll leave you to it. Thanks for everything.

Weaver Okhr: Don't hesitate to come back later. Take care... And get some rest.

To the left of Okhr's house is some kind of communal dining room.







Valdemar Lisakki: Listen Eija, could you please let me unpack my catch peacefully?

Eija Lisakki: But I'm bored! There's nothing to do here!

Valdemar Lisakki: Why don't you go sing a song to Daddy?

Eija Lisakki: Are you kidding? He is deaf as a post!



Eija Lisakki: So, are you unpacking your hunting prizes?

Valdemar Lisakki: Eija! Could you be polite and say hello to Haþuwīgą?

Maybe she just can't pronounce it.

Eija Lisakki: Humm... (The young woman gives you an annoyed look.) Hi.

Valdemar Lisakki: ...Sorry, Haþuwīgą, you know how she is... She'll grow up.

Eija Lisakki: Why should I greet this girl anyway? She's only causing trouble!

Valdemar Lisakki: (Concerned) Eija!!!



PUNCH SHINJI

No, Haþuwīgą is much too good-natured to let a bratty teenager rustle her jimmies that much.

(Smile) Have a little pity on poor Kaleki who must build a bonfire everytime someone croaks...

Eija Lisakki: (The girl hesitates, doesn't know what to respond, then decides to stay quiet.)

Killin 'em with morbid humor.

Valdemar Lisakki: (He smiles, embarrassed.) Thank you for taking it lightly, Haþuwīgą.

Take that, jerks! Speaking of jerks, this is a good time to get the people in the house we were initially next to out of the way.







Gan the Partridge: And the young Leila, who already has issues with men, were you trying to cheer her up when you groped her butt maybe?

Grandpa Silk: I thought that with a tender, fatherly massage, the trust would come back... By rectifying the dominant male figure... Or something like that.

Dear devs, please add the option to punch and/or slap this guy too in the sequel, tia.

Gan the Partridge: Fatherly? FATHERLY? You call that fatherly? But when are you going to grow, you old fart! Masculine Role Model, my ass! You're harassing her, and you're still trying to justify it!?

Grandpa Silk: (He smiles.) You're exaggerating, Gan, as usual. You see evil everywhere. I thought you did not have periods any longer...



I feel deeply sorry to interrupt this eternal battle against machism(o?)...

Gan the Partridge: WHAT THE... Oh... It's you, Haþuwīgą... I am sorry, I was busy...

Explaining the meaning of life to your old husband? (smile)

Grandpa Silk: Oh... Hello Haþuwīgą. Forgive this old couple's habit... My condolences on the death of your father. I wasn't able to attend the ceremony, but I appreciated him very much, even if it probably wasn't mutual...

I think you knew how to get a smile or two out of him... Which wasn't the case for most people.

Gan the Partridge: Ha! (She snickers.) He's not everybody's favorite, that's for sure.

Grandpa Silk: Ah, Gan is merciless... (He smiles.) The fervor of the youth... Hmm... Or not... Anyway...

(Snicker) As far as being senile, the others really have nothing on you.



Your own partridge doesn't look like she lost one feather, despite the fireballs.

Grandpa Silk: Ha! It has always been a fast runner. Just like little Leila. This young lady may be very sweet, but she has seen too many things... Although... It may be better than living them, right? (He smiles coldly.)

I knew you were mad, but mysterious...?

Grandpa Silk: Age wears you down... So does routine. They let me get away with certain things. Let's leave this alone, young woman, you don't need me to read into your nightmares, you have enough of them already. (His smile is again unusually cold. You detect no malice in his harsh gaze.)

Stupidity isn't much better.

Gan the Partridge: (She seems startled) Well... Either way, the death of your father is a great sorrow for all of us. Your father was a good boy, he passed away too soon. If only Ulrik was as nice as he was... Or as his sisters... My daughter wouldn't cry so often!

I don't know if we can consider his sisters nice... In any case, Vanna isn't a model of selflessness.



Grandpa Silk: Maybe I have more complex reasons to be chasing young women, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes... (He smiles.)

Yeah nah.

Gan the Partridge: Now that we mention it, my dear husband, let's pick up our conversation where we left it...

I wouldn't want to delay this. Good bye. (Wink)

Gan the Partridge: Go! And come back to see us anytime!

Grandpa Silk: You are always welcome, young woman. As a matter of fact, all young women are always welcome in my house. (He smiles.)

Moving on. Let's wash that away with some good old fashioned mental combat. There are four encounters scattered around the village. They can be delayed if you know where they are ahead of time, but all but one of them are fairly easy. The trigger for one is here, on the other side of the brook.







Thank you, this is appreciated.

Tilia Einari: Your dad took good care of your mother's parents, until their death. he was a respectable man. Your grandparents were happy and left in peace thanks to him.

Meikka Einari: Yes, he was able to replace the daughter they'd lost.

Did you know my grandparents?

Meikka Einari: Of course! Your grandfather was one of my favorite friends. We often had dinner together, your grandparents and us. When their daughter left on her adventures, they never got over it.



Tilia Einari: They were not expecting much from the life in the village. They ate very little to avoid being a burden to anyone. Your arrival was a surprise and an incredible gift to them.

Traveling was that difficult back then?

Meikka Einari: He came from Sapphire Bay. At the time, there was a smaller town; the Kingdom of the Three Rivers didn't exist and there wasn't any road up to here. As you might know, Sapphire Bay is located on the other side of the continent, near the ocean. It takes months to travel all the way there. I don't know if he came from Sapphire Bay. I think he lived there for a long time though.

I think the second "came from" means more like "born there"... I think. Translation is weird.

Why coming all this way?

Meikka Einari: No particular reason. He considered he had to do it. He did the journey your mother couldn't do. Or never wanted to do. What your mother didn't want to pay, he paid for her. He was the only one who could. He was a man of common sense, true common sense.



Yeah. He never even left a note, a letter, or a will.

Tilia Einari: I... I think I recall he did leave a will. But it is in Sapphire Bay. I asked him, once, what would be left to his daughter if he died. He had a faint smile, like men who have lost habit of smiling tend to do, and he answered... "I leave her the road. She is free to take it."

(Laugh) Like all men, he was the best poet when saying stupid things.

Love this line.

Tilia Einari: (She laughs.) You're a tough one, even with your poor old man, aren't you? Don't bother your head with this too much. You should rather think about what you want to do now. Which life you want to lead.

Meikka Einari: Tilia is right, you know. You must decide how you want to live your life now.

I don't know yet. Your words were very comforting. I learnt a lot.

Meikka Einari: Good for you. If there's anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate.

Tilia Einari: Yes, our door will always be open to you... As long as we live.

Thank you both. See you soon.

At least not every old in this village is shitty.

The instant we leave the Einari house, the combat begins.

Music - Village Fight





A couple Insistent Memories, but the main thing to watch out for are these guys:



As you can see, their attacks only have a range of one and they can't move, but if you forget and end up next to one, they can do some pretty heavy damage.



It's really just a matter of pushing aside memories and being very careful where we end our turn until we reach the green squares.





Lady Fight Battle wins!

Next time, we will delay seeing what awaits us on the northern path so we can talk to more people and bulk up our brain, because up there is the toughest battle in the village.