As much as I'd like to take my time and visit all of those houses (and that arena, which looks promising), I need to prevent the Rebellion at Ostia!
◊
Roy quickens his pace as he travels to Ostia, hearing that General Leygance and Lieutenant Devias (seriously, his name is devious?) have started a rebellion to sell Ostia over to Bern. Lilina is meanwhile being held prisoner by Leygance in castle Ostia, because he feels she may be useful later on.
Preparations are pretty basic. Just gave Sue Wolt's iron bow, made sure everyone had some decent weapons on them, and brought along the previous group plus Sue and minus Marcus.
After starting the chapter, I'm greeted by Leygance's smug face as he asks Devias how the city is doing. He says it's doing well, but some Ilian mercenary knights are giving them trouble, and so that no matter how much they offer to pay, they knights will not betray their previous master. He also mentions that Narshen is going to arrive soon, and that if Ostia isn't under their control by that point, he will laugh at them (truly a horrid fate). He then says he may use Lilina as a hostage to stop the knights if he has to, but that he wants to simply defeat the knights if he can.
Back with Roy, he learns that many knights of Ostia have joined the rebellion, but that the Ilian mercenaries are willing to join us, even in spite of Hector's death. Bad tidings are abound, however, as news of a Dragon Lord's approach has reached us, and a legion of dragon knights will be in tow. After contemplating how to best Bern should they be joined by Ostian rebels, Roy believes Etruria would be a source of strength, due to previously learning the art of combat from Sorcery General Cecilia. Merlinus fears that Etruria will laugh at them for depending on them for help (seriously, why is everyone so worried about getting laughed at?), but Roy wishes for a more definite answer to saving Lycia, and is thus willing to depend on other nations if he must. Roy then says he will write a letter to Cecilia for Merlinus to give her, and prepares to retake Ostia.
Looking at our competition, I must say they are pretty tough. Lot's of javelins, a decent number of mages and archers, and a couple of decently powerful dragon riders means this isn't going to be an easy battle. Lugh and Sue await the knights near the start, and the others stand out of range, waiting for the main flow of foes, and Chad going to visit nearby homes. No real issue as the knights attack, when suddenly the Ilian mercenaries appear, and mention that they will begin their attack, and that another of their ranks is apparently in the arena. I bring Roy back so he can recruit them, and Lot takes out the knight who went for Sue. Sue and Lance take out a mercenary and await oncoming foes with Lot on the western side, while Dieck, Rutger and Lugh head east to take out those enemies. The enemy phase leads to the enemies pushing forward, and many of them going after the Ilian knights, although they seem to be able to hold their own. We see Noah in the arena talking to a girl named Fir, as the two begin explaining the mechanics of the Arena. Fir then says she will head to the western isles, due to looking for strong opponents, and also wanting to go where her mother met her father. Noah teases her a bit, she runs off, and Noah steps out in between the two groups.
Said groups begin clearing away the enemies nearby, and Roy makes his way over to Noah, but is just short of reaching him. Zealot and Treck are fighting their own little set of enemies, while Noah is helping Lance's group with the enormous group of foes closing in on them. Sue shoots down a dragon rider, while Lot smashes a knight and Lance weakens a cavalier. Roy then recruits Noah, who plans to pass on the message to his commander, while also softening up an archer, who Dieck finishes. Rutger and Lugh go to assist Zealot in the meantime. Next turn, Noah recruits his boss, who then recruits Treck, and they stand back and begin visiting the homes while the others take care of the enemies. Rutger then goes after a healer, with Lugh as backup while Dieck goes after an archer hiding in the town. Once all of the major foes are dealt with, I let the Ilian knights begin visiting the townsfolk, and gather the main party members together to get healed.
Stuff the knights and Chad gathered included a Torch staff, an Elixir, a Killing Edge, a Longbow, a Red Gem, a Physic staff, a Hero Crest, and a Horseslayer. After everyone was fully healed, I decide to build up some funds via the Arena, and train up my healers a bit too. That is, until Devias mentions southern reinforcements, and the party begins to prepare to take them down instead. I misjudge the Silver lance cavaliers movement range, and Lugh takes one to the face, but he survives and is soon healed, while the others swarm and crush the enemy. Once they are dealt with, I begin grinding for money in the arena...
While Arena stuff was happening (got through Rutger and Sue), Chad made his way to the treasury, which apparently causes a swarm of enemies to spawn around Devias. Chad now runs for his life, while everyone save Dieck goes to take down the enemies. Lance takes out the majority of the foes, with a bit of help from Roy, Sue, and Lugh, and then I go back to my forays in the Arena, while Chad picks up a Barrier staff and a Rapier from the treasure chests.
After the Arena was fully abused (I got every one of the combat units to level 12, and each healer to level 8), I had Rutger and Sue purchase supplies from the armories while Clarine and Ellen picked up some staves at the shop, and Lugh picked up a healthy number of tomes. Lugh then went after Devias.
Devias is pretty tough, mostly because he has good strength, good defense, and is sitting on a throne. I have Lugh wait just in his attack range, and he zaps him once out of two hits and dodges an attack. I have him wait again, and he performs the same as before. Third round is the same as the first and second, but I then have him finish Devias off on the player phase now that he is weakened enough, and Roy seizes the throne.
Cut to the outside of castle Ostia, where the army is currently tearing down the main gate to enter the castle, while Roy and Merlinus discuss the Dragons return. Roy makes passing mention to the Divine weapons, wondering where they might be, and Merlinus mentions that one might be in Ostia, though he does not know why. Soon the main gate is broken down, however, and the army charges in.
Comments
