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Video: Act 3 Scene 2, The Darker Road

*sigh*

(Do you understand what you've pit yourself against? Not just yourself, but those who travel with you.)

You saw nothing, cat. Keep quiet and there'll be some anchovies in it for you.

Just need to caaarefully drag the Tvothes over to the forge without waking them up.

There, there. We're going out for a short ride, all right? Nothing to make a fuss over.

Who's there?

You heard that, didn't you?

*whicker*

I'm not crazy... now, let's go.

-E'erhymn of the Sunken Star-

Alright. Where've you been hiding?

quote:
The Sunken Star

There is a certain peace to be found in this place. The world is rushed, its people, frantic. There is always something happening, some dagger you need be wary of, some flash of fire you need anticipate, some betrayal you need guard against.

Of course, none of that matters when you're alone. Alone, you are free. Alone, you needn't worry about the bindings that the world would shackle you with. Alone, you can find peace - the Sunken Star is great testament to that.

The flowers that form the sheet of yellow in the field are known as Layanyara. They'd been brought over by Rhunic merchants who attempted to grow them in large enough quantities to produce a brilliant golden dye out of the flowers' petals. They failed because of an unfortunate alignment of tragic circumstances, and they abandoned the ward, allowing the flowers to grow in peace; no one seemed to want to claim the ward even after the merchants left - some said that the location was poor, and it was, and others said that the Layanyara would be too troublesome to get rid of.

I, for one, think those are all excuses. It is easy to take to this place, with its quiet wonder. I think no one took over the ward because it was a symbol they secretly wished to remain - it was serenity in a world so grim.

And yet now I am here for reasons I cannot bring myself to confess.

I'd been here once before. It was a time ago, when the blood in the streets ran in rivulets rather than streams. Cyrus told me to meet him here, in the dead of night, one evening. I had just become an Inspettore at the time, and had pulled enough strings to get him his place as Custodian of the Hall of Bearings.

"Look out at that field, brother," he said as we sat on a cliff overlooking the basin of yellow that inspired the area's name. "What do you see?"

"Flowers," I said, confused about what he was getting at. "You said you'd bring me here to see something special."

He chuckled. "This is special." He lifted a finger. "What do you see amongst the flowers?"

"Nothing. It's all yellow."

"Look again," he said, and that time I did.

And I saw.

"The wind," I said softly. "Coursing through the field. You can see the wind, in the flowers."

"How it moves them, pulls them to its will, so invisible, but yet so present," he said. "This place has a magic to it. A subtle one, to be sure, but it's here, all right." Then he turned to me. "I wanted to thank you."

I frowned. "For?"

"Your magic," he said, turning back to the moonlit field of god. "Your quiet influence, the way your will works itself on the world, how it brings people together." He paused. "I spoke to Lissandra." I swallowed; my mouth ran dry. "She says the Maskrunners are inspired now that I'm Custodian."

"Cyrus," I said, croaking. "You know that wasn't my intention."

"You are their wind, Cicero," he said without turning to me. At that moment I knew why he'd brought me here. To pull me in, to get me to commit, to join forces with the Maskrunners by convincing me how much of a hero I was to them.

Well, brother...

Looks like I came, after all.

(You are here for a reason, Cicero...)

(Is it insanity for the gull to veer from the stormfront?)

(The Lady has plans for you.)

May as well lay a carpet out while you're at it.

quote:
Ruins: The Sunken Star

It seems the reluctance with which the residents of the Citte have treated the Sunken Star has allowed one of its secrets to remain hidden. There is a set of ruins beneath the field of yellow, and it seems mostly untouched. I wonder if the farmers that had initially claimed this ward as their own had any idea what lay beneath it.

Here we go.

Oh, great.

-Mars de la Fey-

-E'erhymn of the Sunken Star-

All right. Not too bad. Now-

All right. Bad. But manageable. As long as- *KROOM*

Oh, come on.

Huh.

-Mars de la Fey-

The dungeon has analyzed Cicero's skill level, and given him the strongest bot support available.

Their names are listed as simply "Buratti." That's boring. The red one is now Monsigniore Vermicellanzo Benvoligno de Imbroglio, and the blue one can be Marchesa Emilionetta Gavrielina Fastidiana IV.

They both have a signature attack, a large slow-moving projectile, and a heavy melee hit--fire element for His Holiness, and water element for Her Grace.

The little crawly boys are kamikaze stun bombs. Don't slide right into them unless you are extremely handsome and talented.

-E'erhymn of the Sunken Star-

quote:
Shadow Fey

Fey that seem to be made of shadow... I do not believe any of our records have details of such creatures... Ages, what is this world coming to?

Ah. The quiet types, I see. Well, I look forward to some deep conversation, then. Come on, let's go.

Either of you happen to know a way across?

Well, aren't you the unpredictable one.

-Mars de la Fey-

-The Undercroft-

Ask anyone and they'll tell you: the best parts of an RPG are the platforms and teleports.

This one on the left just takes you back to the start.

-Mars de la Fey-

-The Undercroft-

You need to find four of these colored plates to unlock the exit.

Goddamnit

This path is closed off if you haven't found the first blue plate yet.

-Mars de la Fey-

Trickery!

-The Undercroft-

That should be all of them. I hope.

-Mars de la Fey-

-The Undercroft-

quote:
Dimenticate Technology

The Dimenticate were a technologically sophisticated civilisation. We know this from the still-functioning fragments of their culture that have been left behind - the Tesoro, the Chimes, the Vocifers. How any of these things actually work, however, is far beyond us, and technological gap that is present is believed by the Vegilus to be too wide to bridge. Certainly, that hasn't stopped many from trying, as they hold a quiet hope that one day we might be able to understand the inner workings of the ancient people, and harness the powers that lay in their secrets.
The Dimenticate empire was so advanced that they surpassed the very idea of technology making life easier, and focused instead on technology to make life pointlessly difficult.

-A'syuri J'ayei (Lost in the Shadow)-

Lucia?

Just in time, Cicero.

What are you-

Lucia!

-Altercation at the Crossing-

If there's a trick to this one, I don't know it.

Don't get near it when it's spraying fire all over the floor; the flames will kill anyone in melee range. Try to lure it away.

-A'syuri J'ayei (Lost in the Shadow)-

Ages... She better have an explanation for this.

Well, I suppose it was nice knowing you two.

Huh.
So long, Monsigniore. Farewell, Marchesa.

Ages...

Beautiful, isn't it?

You just tried to kill me.

No. I knew you'd survive. I just wanted to show you how powerful they were, and now you've seen. I promise, there's no ambush this time. Just you and me.

Honestly? No. But when you got out into the streets, the Lady saw.

We have the whole night. What's the rush?

What is it?

In Ombric, we'd call it Buratti. They were once one of the Dimenticate's many weapons. These were carriers of Mascherines, built to use them to fight. Expand their empire.

How?

They use Mascherines without fear of Salting. They might not use the Media very well, but untamed fire will still burn.

They were effective?

The Dimenticate empire spanned the entire continent. Altimire, Evimus, Lhistra, everything.

... And now we have them.

That we do. Power, untouched by the Ages, burning at our fingertips.

... Why?

Why?

Forming the Dactites. Getting the artefacts, fishing up ancient weapons... Why?

What this city needs is a proper leader.

That's what the Registry and Seimora's Crown are for.

Fools! Concerned only with the petty politics of this damned city! All those evenings that the seven of us spent lamenting about how much was wasted on politics. Don't tell me you've changed your opinion since then.

What are you planning?

Seimora's Crown is too volatile to juggle, and too large to overthrow. There is only one other avenue.

You want to topple the Registry?

Yes. Once the Crown sees the power we wield, believe me they will submit. And if they don't...

Are you listening to yourself? The streets will run with blood if you-

A necessary price.

For what?

Another Cataclysm! Another is coming, Cicero. The Lady has foreseen it, and the Citte will not survive it unless it stands united.

Again, the Lady! Why do you keep-

She led me to this!

How?

The Lady was of the old world.

Then she is dead.

She is fey.

Fey? They are mindless-

They used to be Dimenticate.

Impossible.

Don't tell me you don't see it. When Mascherines are destroyed, what is left behind? Think, Cicero!

Mists.

Yes! Mascherines, Dimenticate, fey - all things of this land, all with secrets from the past.

And you want to spill the blood of hundreds... over the word of a fey?

It is not just any word. You have seen what it has led me to!

... This is madness.

Enough, Lucia.

Listen to me, Cicero-

Enough!

Look around you, Cicero. See how frail your life is in the face of such power? True madness is trying to stop me. You know it. I can see it in your eyes - you know I am right. Remember - you came here of your own accord. Think what it would mean to try to stop me, with the powers I have on my side, powers you can scarcely even begin to understand. What it would mean for your friends.

... You would not hurt them?

Not if I didn't need to. And you know them. You can keep them out of harm's way, or you can drag them into the deep with you.

The first thing you must do is learn the histories of the land. The knowledge the Vegilus have on the Dimenticate is but a fraction of the truth.

"Alright, I suck at explanations and you suck at listening patiently. Just take this damn scroll and read it in private where you can't try to argue and interrupt."

-Silence-

We need to go!

The Portieri. They followed you. We tried to-

That traitor cat narc'd on us after all.

Defend me!

-Altercation at the Crossing-

Watch your flanks!

quote:
Buratti

Beings of stone, brought to life by the magics of the Mascherines, the Buratti were one of the many ancient weapons of the Dimenticate. They had the ability to use Mascherines without fear of Salting, and when they were destroyed, the Mascherines would remain in their wake. It was power unbridled, and now they have returned.

We have beheld the power of the Buratti and it is...honestly not that impressive.

They're much stronger than your average Dactite, sure, but still don't hold a candle to any of Cicero's team one-on-one.

Don't let Vermicellanzo or Emilionetta know I said that. They'd be terribly hurt, the poor dears.