"It was once an unassailable fortress. Luckily for us, the demons destroyed a lot of the defenses when they stormed the city, and in seventy years they haven't gotten around to mending them. But this isn't going to be easy. Unfortunately, most of the walls are still standing. (Anevia spreads an old city map on the table.) "The gates are old and rotten now. We can get through them with a ram. But then there will be street fights. It will be a hell of a fight in Drezen. Luckily, somewhere in the city there's a sacred banner the Sword of Valor. Iomedae's holy relic wouldn't fall to corruption, like, ever. The demons just kept it as a trophy, a sign of our disgrace, and now it's going to be their downfall. If you find it and raise it again, all the demons in the city will be weakened and lose their ability to teleport. That's when we'll chop them up like blind rats. But don't forget, Staunton Vhane is somewhere out there, the same traitor who gave Drezen over to the demons in the first place. He won't part with that banner easily."
(Regill looks at you without speaking. It seems he has a suggestion.)
"What are the Eagle Watch knights going to do?"
There's a lot of different ways the assault on Drezen can play out, it's a fairly open-ended dungeon (in gameplay terms) and if they're present characters like Galfrey and Nurah can present other options - Nurah, of course, tries to lead the party into a trap.
(Irabeth's eyes shine feverishly in her gaunt face.) "Who are you lying to? Yourself? Each other? The gods? You all realize that we're going to die. We're leading our people to the slaughter. Our army was almost defeated by a swarm of gargoyles. We won't last five minutes in Drezen." "Beth, are you nuts? Yes, it's a dangerous gig. We all knew what we were signing up for. But now that we've got here, you want us to poo poo our pants and go home? We got to bloody Drezen by some miracle, and we're about to take it back! Kinda late to chicken out, don't you think?" "It doesn't matter what we do. The lad hanging on the hook next to me didn't want to die but what could he do to fend off death? What could I do? We're all doomed, but only a few of us are willing to admit it. By this time tomorrow, we'll all be dead." (Irabeth's voice drifts away, but then seems to carry from a distance, making its way through the sticky veil of fog that fills your mind. The demon that's appeared inside you struggles to be free. A little bit more and its wave of rage will engulf you.) "Irabeth, pull yourself together. Remember Kenabres! Despite everything, we won and stopped a catastrophe!"
It's possible for Irabeth to be more resolute and optimistic here, but that requires things Yua hasn't done. There are three points to increase Irabeth's confidence, and Yua's only done one of them. The other two are to persuade Galfrey to accompany the crusade in Act 2 (in which case Galfrey still has complete faith in Irabeth and perks her up), and if the siege of Defender's Heart in Act 1 happens, to give her a pep talk afterwards. Since Yua did not bring Galfrey along, and the siege of Defender's Heart never happened, this is unfortunately where we're at.
"Drezen will be our death. You, Commander, might still have a chance to be saved, but you're leading your people to certain ruin." ('You pathetic little nothing! You were so proud of your strength, and yet you broke so easily!' The demonic rage inside you seethes and searches for an exit. It struggles to get out, exhausting, threatening, and convincing at the same time. You also feel strong enough to keep it under control, if you want to.) "There you have it, a perfect illustration of why the crusades have made not an inch of progress in a hundred years. A whining upstart commander has been put in charge of a knightly order by an idealistic Queen, circumventing all rules of military hierarchy. And now said upstart has crumbled in her first serious trial." (Regill chuckles harshly.) "Absolutely everything in this situation, from the story of Irabeth's rise to the reasons why she lost her reason and morale, demonstrates how dire matters truly are on our front. These problems can be rectified, of course, but to do that, we will need to drive the black sheep from the herd." [Good] "You leave me no choice, Irabeth. I'm suspending you from the operation. Anevia, make sure she gets some rest."
If my little demon had focused on Regill, I honestly might have let it loose. The Hellknights had themselves almost been wiped out by gargoyles, and they'd made exactly as much progress as the crusade had. The only reason Regill was still alive was because one Hellknight defied orders and asked for our help. Arrogant, self-destructive, vain little moron.
(Following Irabeth with her eyes, Anevia forces a neutral expression onto her face and turns back to the map.) "So... What are we going to do, Commander?" "Regill, what do you want to suggest?" "My scouts were able to approach the fortress walls, and they learned something unpleasant. The demons have giants who can shoot alchemist fire from catapults, or sometimes something even worse. They're positioned here." (Regill draws crosses on the city map.) "Luckily, as Anevia said, the city's fortifications are in a sorry state. If we come from this side, through the temple ruins, we can sneak up on the giants and finish them off before they inflict any serious damage on our army. It is a highly risky maneuver. If my unit was injured and exhausted, or suffered significant losses, I would consider the risk excessive and never countenance this plan. Fortunately, thanks to the Commander's timely aid, the Hellknights suffered almost no losses during the encounter with the gargoyles. We're ready to perform the maneuver, but we'll need cover in case we run into any special demons like the nabasu we all remember. Commander, I would like your party to attack the giants with us." "The fighters won't like that. Our lads are hoping the Commander will personally lead them into battle, not go off with the Hellknights!" "Really? They won't like it? I'm getting tired of talking about the outrageous state of discipline in the crusader army. Shall we see how they like fire raining down on them from the sky?" "We attack tomorrow at dawn. Begin the preparations." "Where will you be in this battle?" "I will personally lead the charge." "So, you have chosen to ignore my suggestion? Very well, I won't object: you lead this army, and you bear the responsibility for the outcome of this operation. If you so command, I can send my people to act on their own, and I will attack with your group." "Wonderful. That will boost their morale. All right, we attack at dawn, then. May the good gods help us!"
Regill's suggestion changes where you start in the battle, and the giants he talks about are indeed a bit of an issue. But doing so will hurt the Crusade's morale (you know, the 'keep this up or the game ends' bar, and Regill's 'the beatings will continue until morale improves' mentality is *not* a valid option), and just as importantly, going in through the front will position the party for something very useful.
Now, the path to your primary goal in Drezen is actually just a more or less straight line, but this is an enormous, sprawling map filled with demons and loot, and it costs you no crusade harm to take your time purging everything in sight.
Drezen is filled with every type of demon the party has met to date, and many of the cultists here are a new breed: votaries, each associated with a specific type of demon. While I don't know Golarion lore well, based on what votaries are in real life, I'd guess that these are all cultists who have each taken profane vows to worship some particular kind of demon and have gained magical powers associated with their chosen demon.
There's a bunch of ruined buildings to explore and loot, but this one has something special.
One of many unique, named minibosses littering Drezen.
Spot the secret door...
And we're in the dungeons. Do not scoff at cultists from here on: even on Story difficulty, the party gets pretty worn down over the course of the battle for Drezen, and jerks like this are one of the main culprits.
Now, recall the altar of Desna at the Lost Chapel, and our mysterious magic radio call that came with a divine sign of Desna's approval. An informant within the demons' ranks, locked up in the dungeons beneath Drezen.
(You recognize her voice. It's the woman who came to you in the vision in Desna's desecrated chapel. The woman who tried to warn Kenabres of the impending demon attack.) "I recognize you. We talked in a vision in the destroyed chapel, remember?" (Arueshalae looks at you, stunned.) "Yes... Yes! But I didn't see any chapel to me you were here, in this cell. You looked different, but I do recognize your voice. Now I see... It was you but in another form. That night you came to my prison, you looked like a beautiful, radiant azata!" "You... thought I was an azata in the vision." "Yes. First I heard a tune a hymn to freedom within these oppressive walls... And then I saw you. You were glowing like the herald of Elysium. It was so amazing that I couldn't help but cry. Now I recognize your face. You look different, but still... You're the liberator who visited me when I was frightened and lonely." [Good] [Requires Azata] (Sing the Song of Elysium)
There's a number of ways this first meeting with Arueshalae (hereon known mainly as Arue) can play out, and this is the version that occurs if you unlock the Azata path back in Kenabres, then solve the puzzle of the Deznan altar at the Lost Chapel. She'll still be friendly if you've only done one or the other, but she's much more reserved if you didn't do either. Nothing involving this subplot locks you into going Azata when the time comes, but Arue is very closely associated with that mythic path in terms of story and themes.
A purely vocal form of the Azata mythic theme plays during this cutscene as plant life springs up throughout the dungeon and glowing butterflies appear everywhere. The full version of the theme kicks in when dialogue resumes.
"Elysium..." (She whispers.) "That song, that hymn of freedom it's the only thing that helped me survive among the demons. My light in this dungeon..." (Open the dungeon) "I see a spark of the light of Elysium in you. You are beautiful. Please, don't run away. Come with me or I will have to search for you till the day I die just to see that beauty again." (The succubus looks at you, stunned. In her eyes you see a mixture of fear, hope, and something completely unnatural to demons something fragile and tender, making her remarkably similar to a mortal.) "Yes... All right, I'll stay."
Heavy-handed? Yes. Melodramatic? Without a doubt. Catnip for people like me? Absolutely.
Character Overview: Arueshalae
To atone for what I've done is a death sentence, of a sort. A life of hard labor. Nothing I can do will make things right for those I have wronged, but I can make things right for others.
Chaotic Neutral Ascending Succubus Espionage Expert of Desna
Romance: Men and Women
Can I Fix Her: Yes
Incompatible Paths: Demon, (spoiler), (spoiler)
The characteristically unsubtle hand of Owlcat works in Arueshalae's favor, in some ways: fallen angels are a dime a dozen in fantasy literature, but ascendant demons are quite a bit harder to find. Arue is a succubus who has grown a conscience and is trying to become a better person, but is so cynical she's downright naive about the world, and doesn't quite know what she's doing. I'll reserve talk of her romance for a proper character analysis post, but one of the main complaints people have about Arue is that some people feel like the PC is railroaded into having implied romantic feelings for Arue (or at least finding her extremely attractive), a concern especially for those who want to play gay men or straight women. I, in case it wasn't obvious, like Arue a lot as a character and she'll probably never leave the party from here on. I have quibbles about her writing, sure, but those are mainly due to her romance which I'll get to later. Arue is a heavy-handed stereotype who quite arguably panders to a certain kind of player, but honestly? I don't mind being pandered to now and then.
Or you can push her at a vulnerable moment so she falls back into old ways and literally eats babies, becoming bar none the most thoroughly vile and depraved person on the entire playable roster. So there's that.
Mechanically, 'Espionage Expert' is Wrath's iteration of the 'urban ranger' concept that's appeared throughout Dungeons and Dragons, in this case trading the ranger's animal companion for thief skills - Arue will comfortably fill the thief role for the party if that's what you need her to do. And unlike fellow latecomer Regill, Arue comes purpose built as a highly effective longbow archer with pretty much everything she needs for the job. A purpose built PC or smartly developed Lann or Wenduag is still probably a bit better, but Arue has special resistances and tricks coming out of her ears on account of being a succubus to make up for it. For her starting mythic powers, I give her cleaving shot and mythic rapid shot as she replaces Lann effective immediately.
One caveat: Arue only joins the party at this point if you're in this full Praise Desna version of events, which also leads to not a single other character piping up. If you missed either Azata moment before, or don't jump straight for the magical duet, people will get understandably very suspicious of her and it's possible to free her but not recruit her, leave her imprisoned, or simply kill her. If you don't kill her but miss the chance to recruit her right now, you won't get a chance to recruit her again for a while.
A random dretch in the dungeon has this, which will come in handy later.
Moving on and fighting through Drezen, these jerks are some of the most obnoxious regular enemies in the game from here on out. They have an irritating set of defensive buffs and are almost all wizards.
Regular nabasu are now bog standard enemies.
I have no idea if this is a regular enemy or a named miniboss. Demon names are confusing.
One location in Drezen is the desecrated temple to Iomedae, where this miniboss lurks.
A dretch hiding behind a secret wall has another key.
Drezen is arranged as a set of three ascending terraces, each with its own set of walls. The second and third levels are guarded by a gate that you can either fight a few waves of enemies to break through, find the hidden levers to open, or you can use various athletics and mobility checks to get up to the second level (but not the third) by climbing the walls and ruins.
Atop the walls of the second terrace are the giants Regill mentioned. They hit pretty hard, but they're not accurate and go down pretty quickly to focused attacks.
Sweep along the battlements, and this scene plays to let you know when both giants are dead.
The second terrace also has a ruined tavern where this fellow has taken up residence.
One of the dretches aiding him has the final key of the set.
The gang hits level 9 and everyone gets better at their job.
At the northern end of the second terrace is a secret door Yua can open because I found all three keys littered throughout Drezen.
It's filled with traps and incubi.
And the lever to open the gate to the third and final terrace of Drezen, if you don't feel like fighting multiple waves of trash.
(One blow of a monstrous fist turns the head of the demon into a bloody pulp.) "Stop talking. Fight."
"There! That's what happens to cowards! Get it together, you maggots, and we'll destroy them!" "Quiet. Don't make me mad." "There they are! There they are! They're coming!" (Nurah sneaks a wink at you from behind the demons' backs.) [Intimidate DC: 22] "Hey, you! Demons! Who are you more scared of, him or me?"
(The demons look at their leader, then at you, and back at him again. Their knees are visibly shaking.) "We're finished!"
Yua is officially scarier to your rank and file demon than a balor.
This guy is named Darrazand, and he gets a bit of unusual characterization for a demon over the course of the game: he's a balor, about as powerful as 'regular' demons get, and he's the commander of Deskari's army just as Minagho commands Baphomet's army. Darrazand, though, is characterized as being unusually patient for a demon and takes the long view of the war against the Crusade: he sees the state of the Worldwound as a siege of Mendev's mind and soul, even without regular demonic attacks. Demons are immortal, and free to wait for the opportune moment to strike as the mortals of Mendev wear and buckle under the strain. As long as Drezen itself holds, the losses the demons take are effectively meaningless in his view of the war. Deskari trusts him specifically because, while Darrazand is a monstrously powerful fighter, he's a conservative strategist who's happy to let his boss lap up all the glory.
"Death to the mortals!"
And now he's our problem.
Even on story difficulty, Darrazand is a tough cookie - my first game, on story difficulty, he drat near caused a party wipe. I've gotten much better at the game since then, thankfully.
But knock him down to half health, or if five rounds pass, the dwarf assassin we met back in Kenabres pops up. If you talk to Greybor and you also have Galfrey present, they establishes that this isn't as deus ex machina-esque as it seems, Galfrey of course knew perfectly well that Darrazand would be waiting in Drezen and went to considerable lengths to hire an assassin for the job while arming him with a dagger that was supposed to be enchanted to be capable of killing him in one strike. Didn't work, but it still took him out of the fight.
Galfrey did not tell the party about this because she didn't want to risk Darrazand getting suspicious that the crusade might have a plan for dealing with him.
Darrazand, however, was not the final obstacle. The outer fortress of Drezen has fallen to the crusade, but the central keep remains. This fight is far from over.
The Crimson Path (this update)
Ash Giants 2
Babaus 27
Brimoraks 3
Cultists 47
Derakni 5
Dretches 20
Glabrezu 1
Incubi 11
Kalavaku 1
Minotaurs 3
Nabasu 1
Retriever 1
Schirs 11
Vrocks 7
Cythereal f*cked around with this message at 17:21 on May 16, 2024
