Did I just do that?

[pez]

Oh, I appear to have signed up to a writing thing. Not due for five months, though. Gives me plenty of time to write, rewrite and rerewrite.

[deleted paragraph] Since the comments are pretty interesting I'm going to unlock this entry and I don't want what was here to be public. XD

[edit] Massive huge spoilers for TLR in the comments, don't read if you don't want to be spoiled. (I guess that's just vanillafire on my friends list right now. XD)

Comments

[storme]

Actually, one thing about this last TLR playthrough is that I'm noticing just how *fascinating* some of the NPC stuff is--in terms of hints of backstory and so on, I mean. It's making me go 'man, I want to read a fic about that' a lot.

I think this is why I'm so hooked on TLR, really--the world feels far, far huger and deeper than the parts Rush gets to see.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

That's very true. It's not easy to write for, though, given that what we get are mere glimpses.

Sometimes I try to imagine how Athlum - and how David - handles things without Valeria Heart. Dave can do a lot of things, but stopping earthquakes is not one of them.

[storme]

The whole Ghor-Qubine-Hermeien-Oswald thread is making me wish there was more canon, yeah. Sigh.

What about Balterossa without water? And Royotia with a big explodey volcano ready to blow up?

(I've been screenshotting any explanations of what the various Great Remnants do this time around, because man, that's going to be a *messed-up* world to live in after the end of the game.)

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Ghor and Qubine are so *cute*. I can't even explain why I think that, because up until one point Qubine obviously does really think Ghor is a serious threat (sending Dave to Blackdale to see if Ghor is up to something). Then there's the "don't tell Ghor I'm sickkkk", and then later they worked together and Ghor talked Qubine into letting Athlum go and they decided together Dave is Da Man. >_> Maybe there's UST between those two.

I wonder why Rush didn't know Oswald before. Maybe Marina and Oswald didn't want him to know about the involvement with the Academy, but it isn't like the rest of the world doesn't think Oswald's just some random old man...

Civilisations are built around Remnants... I suppose that probably means there will be huge scale migrations once they realise their situations aren't sustainable. ;_; Either that or they'll have to find the Remnants again. >D

[storme]

Well, they were actually officially at war previously (at least, Celepalais and Ghor as countries were), and Dave clearly doesn't think Ghor is Good People for a while (he thinks Wagram is working with Ghor, if you remember). But yeah, I think they are adorable once they stop bickering.

Oswald used to be Nagapur's lord, according to one NPC. But the Hermeiens have ruled Nagapur for generations, according to another. Is Oswald one of the Hermeien family? It adds a whole new level of crazy to things.

I sort of wonder why people settled where they did, frankly--I mean, okay, Royotia because of the mining, maybe. It's hard to explain with Athlum, though. Maybe they settled where they found the Remnants?

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

They were at war? Didn't realise. XD;;;;; But I think Dave thought Wagram was working for Ghor because Qubine told Dave to check out what's happening in Blackdale, and Qubine thought it was Ghor up to something. So perhaps when Dave saw Wagram there he automatically assumed Wagram worked for Ghor since that's what Qubine made him think.

*headtilt* As far as I could piece together from the game, Oswald is Wilfred Hermeien's dad. That makes Marina and Wilfred brothers and sisters, although obviously Marina was adopted.

They settled around Remnants. I think it's the North American official site that says that, during the loading screens. Probably like Wagram said, long ago people used to worship Remnants, so settling around them wouldn't be a strange thing to do.

[storme]

Yeah--that's the war that Emma's *father* died during, though, so I guess it might not have been particularly recent.

So Hermeien is (Rush and) Irina's uncle? Whole new overtones of creepy to everything, I think. And why is Oswald hanging around pretending to just be Some Old Dude?

Ah, that makes sense. Still, it seems kind of crazy to rely *entirely* on the Remnants for things like water--especially when you have somewhere like Dillmoor to serve as an example of what could go wrong.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Oh God, I totally missed that detail! Guess I need to play the game again from the beginning. XD;;;

I guess if your own son is ruthless enough to force you out like that, then he'd probably make sure you won't live for very long or at least won't come back as a threat. So Oswald pretends to be just some old dude to keep himself safe, maybe. It could also be that Wilfred threatened to hurt Marina and her family if Oswald dares to try anything, what with Marina still working in the Academy. (Which brings the question, why is Marina still there, knowing all this... I guess Remnant work is really important to her.) Or, Oswald just enjoys being a normal dude?

Ah well, you know, religion. It makes people do silly things. If they did worship the Remnants like Gods, especially. If something goes wrong they'll just say it was God's wrath and everybody needs to atone... >_>" And after they settled, in the last few hundred years they could have developed more modern system for water storage and delivery, etc. Maybe?

[t0k0.livejournal.com]

I feel so terribly un-informed :(

I don't think my mind will be able to function for the rest of the day, this was all WAY too much info to process on a monday >.< Though I'm pleasantly full of plot thoughts ^^

as well I'm now going to re-play the game and actually do some side-quests.... though maybe I should do that when I buy the PC version instead....

... you two will be the death of my free-time XD

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

XDDDD You can miss out on a lot of details if you don't play the sidequests and don't talk to NPCs regularly!

[storme]

I think yuki_scorpio and I are a bad influence on each other, really--prompting each other to more obsessive geeky detail-checking and theorising. :)

TLR discussion

[itaintrite.livejournal.com]

Got here from the comm. I'm on my third playthrough because TLR is one of the most intellectually challenging games I've played to date. Unlike other zombie gorefest (Left4Dead, RE), I actually have to think. Hard!

Project SC could be Standard Cyclops Model. You know, that nasty DLC boss that kept grabbing at Dave's Gae Bolg as it attempts to annihilate your troops. First attempt, my troops got wiped out coz I just got unpure thoughts when I saw Cyclops manhandling Gae Bolg. Pfffft!

Anyway, what intrigue me about TLR are:
* race relations. It appears that their world is pretty OK with interracial relationships (Neo/Leticia, a yama & mitra respectively). I have no idea what their offspring will look like, of if they can biologically breed. If yes, how? The mental image is kinda disteressing, so, I take Jager's tip & try not to overthink.

* which led to: if interracial relationship are OK, why would same gender relationship be taboo? As I see it, Athlum's pretty OK with gays, i.e. the bartender is flamingly so, and the NPCs around him takes it as normal. And he has a job, so, there's equal opportunity available in Athlum.

* towards endgame, one of the NPCs near the Academy in Elysion said that Remnants live forever, i.e. can't die. If that's true, then Rush, Conqueror etc just teleported to RemnantLand after the Final Battle. Kinda like Kyou Kara Maoh. Maybe Rush will find a portal to travel between dimension; alas, we may never see this unless SE release TLR2 (more mind boggling battle sequences with option to FLEE!, New Game Plus for xbox, and less spiders :D )

* Oswald. He might have faked his own death after his pompous git of a son usurped the throne, and disguised himself as a harmless old coot so that he can assist his 'grandkids' to save the world.

* if Vivication / Kiss of Life / Second Chance arts are freely available, why didn't someone just revive Emma? :p

Oops, I need to get back to work. TTYL

Re: TLR discussion

[storme]

*will come up with responses to more of this when it is not pre-coffee-o-clock, but:*

Hey, Standard Cyclops Model. That fits--but huh, it was a Third Committee project? Iiinteresting.

I think the standard Square Enix reasoning for the vivification/KoL/SC query is that those resurrection-type spells/items are *actually* only waking people from unconsciousness, not bringing them back to life. Dead is dead, but people in battle are merely unconscious unless everyone gets knocked out at once.

Re: TLR discussion

[itaintrite.livejournal.com]

One thing that sets me thinking about the Standard Cyclops Model - how did it get hold of the Gae Bolg? Are there many Gae Bolgs in TLR universe aside from the one bound to Dave? If not, won't Dave notice his Remnant's been hijacked? Hmm.

Re: TLR discussion

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

I guess if the 3rd Committee had started finding out how to make Remnants, it wouldn't be too strange for them to have made a Gae Bolg?

Re: TLR discussion

[storme]

Certainly if they found out how to make replicas of specific conjurations, I think they'd desperately want to replicate the Gae Bolg. It's an area-effect weapon, unlike basically any other Remnant we see in-game.

Re: TLR discussion

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me, when Rush walked out of Athlum Castle for the first time, saying that he'd take it from there himself, Torgal made a note about not knowing anything about Rush's talisman yet and David said he was aware that they needed more power, as the Valeria Heart and Gae Bolg alone won't suffice.

Won't suffice to do what? Not enough to threaten Celapaleis into letting go of Athlum, or...?

Re: TLR discussion

[storme]

Maybe? I can't quite work that one out, though; I can't honestly see David wanting to declare outright war on Celapalais, and the Gae Bolg would probably be enough to fend off attacks by them *anyway* if David felt reckless about using it.

I guess if the other Lords objected too strongly and moved to support Celapalais, that wouldn't be enough. But I also can't see David being willing to go to war against *everyone*.

Mrf. Machinations are not explained enough!

Re: TLR discussion

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Yeah... though, he wouldn't have to declare war, just you know, like having missiles in Cuba pointing at America? XD;;; "We has powah, ph34r us" sort of thing?

Or, generally David realises the world situation isn't very stable. For example, Hermeien being Duke of Nagapur plus Congress Chairman plus running the Academy. The Valeria Heart has to stay where it is to stop earthquakes, and although the Gae Bolg is powerful, David can't be at many places at the same time, so it'd be better to have more Remnants? Emma's father wanted to find a great Athlumian Remnants, too...

That said, sometimes I want to ignore that whole conversation and imagine that one of the Generals talked David into paying more attention to the talisman because it can shield against the Gae Bolg. So either it can protect David if the Gae Bolg tries to drain him of all his lifeforce, or it can be dangerous if it falls onto the hands of someone anti-Athlum... XD

Re: TLR discussion

[storme]

Hmm, point. But surely he could do that with just the Gae Bolg anyway?

Maybe Dave (like any Lord would be, I suspect) is just feeling grabby about any Remnants that he might possibly be able to get hold of? More is more, and all that--and the talisman is unbound at that point, so he stands a chance of being able to use it.

Re: TLR discussion

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Not sure about the Cyclops thing, because in game I think it's called Cyclops Standard Model, which would've made it CS or CSM. =/ Haven't found out what SC is yet, though.

Oh God, I hope they can't reproduce. Biology probably prevents it, otherwise after all these years there must be lots of half-half people around but we haven't seen them. (Though, Castenea, he was probably a product of yama & sovani. XD)

Some games these days are made respecting same sex relationship (Fable 2 comes to mind). so there is probably equal opportunity!

I VOTE FOR LESS SPIDERS. And what with the conversation after the endgame credits, it's most likely that the Remnants aren't dead. Well SE probably just put that in in case they got enough sales to make a sequel, but still...

Yeah. Marina obviously kept in touch with Oswald - or at least knew he wasn't dead - but her kids never met grandad. It probably means poor Oswald was supposed to be dead, or was at least in hiding.

XDDDD Then nobody will ever die! \o/

Castanea, transport etc etc

[itaintrite.livejournal.com]

Castenea, he was probably a product of yama & sovani. XD
>:D the mental image is just ...OUCH! I think he's related to the Ancbolders / Babarossa coz he grunts just like them and have the same arts. And the pinhead atop that massive body.

Have you ever wondered how the troops travel? I didn't see any mode of mechanical transport. The only possibility is the transporter, or sheer legwork. The one time they show a beast of burden was during the Battle at Yamarn Plain (they carried the Gae Bolg), so I guess riding that is out of the question.

[sugarainbow.livejournal.com]

*reading*


..... you guys put more thought into this than the creators themselves, and I love it.
I guess the fact that "remnant live forever" that I read here somewhere deserves a post itself in the community unless everyone already is aware of it!!