Synopsis: The exploration of Fort Fermata begins! What seemed to be a simple, straight path quickly turns into an enormous, multi-level complex, complete with mechanisms that slide entire rooms around to reconfigure the map. By the end of the session, the fort is only about half explored, and there really haven’t been any new plot developments.
Fort Fermata
The Fort
a.) Holy moly this place is huge! Like, even without enemies in the way (of which there are many), it takes over a minute to run just halfway across it! And it is by no means a single path. Ladders between different levels, broken routes, moving rooms, and enemies everywhere make this a pretty intense exploration, not to mention figuring out what moving the rooms does. It seems to send them to the other half of the fort (the area of the fort we’re in is roughly circular, with the two halves of the circle separated by a wall with a single door in it). I haven’t even had the time to look at the other half, though.
The area is still nice to look at, with a lot of water, trees growing through things, translucent platforms, and stonework with torches all around, but it’s a much dimmer area than we’re use to, and less variation in color and terrain. A lot more use of dark skills in combat.
This is a great place to grind for experience. Enemies are everywhere, they give good experience, and every enemy in the area can be snuck up on, giving the party a serious advantage. I haven’t really needed those 99 peach cookies yet, but I refuse to regret my decision!
2. Viola Pt. 2
a.) I have to revise some of my thoughts on how Viola works in combat. For one, it doesn’t look like headshots do anything special, and enemies can guard to reduce damage (though Viola’s shots have a very high chance to break their guard). It looks like the #1 thing to do with her is fire from a long distance, and the damage goes through the roof. I’m coming to like her as an attacker, since she is almost guaranteed to kill whatever she starts shooting at that turn, and without using a special skill. Sometimes, rarely, I can even take out two enemies in a turn.
b.) At her latest level up, she got Heal Arrow, an infinite range skill that heals all party members, and can be used in place of her (super weaksauce) Sacred Arrow. Oh yes! In your face, Polka’s new short range heal that heals everyone nearby but her
3. Enemies
a.) There are these rats that are common enemies in the fort, and they project an area of dark around themselves. They aren’t strong, they don’t have a lot of HP, and sometimes they’ll spend their whole turn just bumbling around or sniffing the air instead of attacking. This makes them the perfect choice to be called Lord of Darkness. Way to waste that name on a total mook enemy!
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