Undercity West & Snowfly Forest

The Undercity is my favourite area in the game. Beautiful, eerie blue light and a superbly atmospheric tinkly score give it a real spooky vibe. It's almost entirely populated with Undead, so the battles are easy by this point. In fact, most of the enemies are either just standing around oblivious or lying on the ground. It all seems a bit unfair.


There's not much of note in this little section. It's essentially a throughway into the next big area, though it does offer up a couple of Iron and Silver Key doors, so revisiting is obviously on the cards. The only major event for the moment is an encounter with a giant crab. I'll refrain from the obvious jokes...




Being covered in a hard carapace naturally gives the crab a very high physical protection. Seeing as we're not up to snuff on the spells yet, and the only blunt weapon I brought along is a staff, it's a long fight. Not particularly perilous, just lots of small chains of low hits. Poisoning the thing with the Snake Venom chain ability helps out a bit.




I just went with chopping at the mouth with the Beast weapon. In the end it barely matters as the damage you deal is so small with each hit. After the crab falls there are a couple more rooms on this linear path to the next area.

The Undead dagger is really coming into its own now.

Ashley climbs up out of this first brief visit to the Undercity.

Emerging into a misty forest, Ashley sees white flakes floating in the air...

Ashley is gripped by another vision...

Samantha: I mean your men, how many have we lost?
Neesa: Ah, how goes the battle, you mean? The city is ours, dearie, more or less.
Samantha: How many dead?
Neesa: Three, maybe four score. We've lost contact with some... We'll know better when the fighting cools.

Neesa: I know.
Samantha: They'll walk beneath the stars when eventide comes...
Neesa: You would fight this battle differently?
Samantha: It's not that! I...

Neesa: Lost your nerve, Samantha? War is change. We must follow suit.


Guildenstern: Sydney's lot have caught wind of our little foray and summoned their dark brood to repel us.

Guildenstern: Soon, the paling that holds the demons in Lea Monde will fall.
Neesa: Sydney must be stopped...
Guildenstern: Indeed, Commander Neesa. You have the right idea, now to action!!

Neesa begins to walk away.

Guildenstern: What ails you, Samantha?
Samantha: What is Sydney thinking? Summoning evil beyond his control... He fills his chalice with poison, and savors it like wine!











Rosencrantz: Borrowing another's eyes and ears - clairvoyance, if you will. All people are tuned to a certain "rhythm": some can find a like rhythm and jump on board.
Ashley: You're not a Knight of the Cross... One of Sydney's, then?
Rosencrantz: True seers can join one regardless of their rhythm. But not you. Not yet...

Rosencrantz: My name is Rosencrantz. I am a Riskbreaker, like yourself.
Ashley: What's this?
Rosencrantz: Grand Steward LeSait has sent me to assist you. We're to be partners.

Rosencrantz extends his hand to Ashley, who does not take it.

Rosencrantz: Yet you know nothing! Naught about Lea Monde, Mullenkamp, Sydney... nothing at all!
Ashley: And you do?
Rosencrantz: Of course. You're the only one who does not. The VKP and Parliament know - have known - about the dark powers and the dead that walk... they've just kept it secret.
Ashley: Continue.
Rosencrantz: We didn't think you'd go straight to Lea Monde from the manor. So they sent me to help. I am better in a scrape than our Inquisitor friend, who admittedly lacks battle experience.
Ashley: You say the VKP knew of the dark powers?
Rosencrantz: Indeed, I was assigned to the investigation...

Ashley turns to leave.


Rosencrantz: A power grows in those, like you, whom its dark waters have touched.





Ashley: Fodder...? No!
Rosencrantz: Yes. The great quake 25 years past stocked the city's larders with corpses.


Ashley: A fight for territory wrought from darkness.
Rosencrantz: And you, the Parliament's champion in that battle.
Ashley: ...Rosencrantz, was it? Your words bear much meaning.
Rosencrantz: Please, my friend! I speak only the truth.