We escort Mercedes and the verrrry slow wagon carrying the hydra head to the capital city of Gran Soren. Kill or dodge a few wolves, some harpies, goblins here and there, even falling rocks. I’ve learned all the tricks for keeping the ox alive. Mercedes’ mission opens up access to the larger world and the city. This is the hub of everything, and the furthering of the story.
She immediately abandons us, though, as if she’ll take credit with the Duke for the hydra kill. That touch of passive-aggressive envy we sensed earlier in her character comes out again here.
Another city-dweller named Mason stops us. He helpfully suggests (isn’t he friendly!) we begin our search with the Pawn Guild. Pawns “are woven tight into the fate of the Arisen”. It’s obviously the next big mission. Parts of the city are closed to us at this point. Guards point us to the Guild.
And then Mason casually asks us if we’ve seen a strange old man? Shady mien, queer mumblings? He’s called the Elysion. So our Mason is not just a quest director. He’s a little too knowledgeable. And he’s offering information out of the blue when we’re supposed to be pursuing the Pawn Guild.
Caxton on the plaza is the catch-all shop and enhancer. (“Masterworks all, you can’t go wrong.”) Here I can upgrade my start-up rusty bow. When anything rusty gets to three stars it becomes able to poison and slow (torpor) any foe, even the big beasties. In my early days of gaming I would rent other players’ pawns and wonder why they were loaded with such a crap weapon, especially when they were competent to take into Bitterblack. I eventually caught on.
Outside of the main plaza is the Craftsman’s Quarter. Again, it helps with realism when you see the agrarian part of the keep. A couple of crucial gameplay items drop here: A Smithy asks you to help his dead boy by finding three Wakestone pieces. They combine into a resurrection stone for you or others. And off to the side is a Ferrystone on the ground, sitting in a ring of small plinths. A Pawn tells me that this is a Portcrystal. Fast travel, baby, by using that Ferrystone. Welcome news.
This game already has a lot of walking. A chance to zip about, within limits, makes things interesting. Bitterblack has a Portcrystal. So does our home town. More locations, and how to secure them, to come.