We do NOT enter the "lightbringer" hex which marks the next step in the main quest.
Instead, we bypass it and do the Monty Python reference, this time remembering to take the trollish option in the last question, and we're rewarded with some stat increases for
baud
I forgot to show you this earlier. But the higher tier resources? You can make these by combining lower-tier ones and burning coal. "Alchemy".
You can only make resources you have unlocked with advancement points though, so these are the ones currently available to me:
I make a bit of Ancient wood back in the village, while our explorers go on, well, exploring. They happen upon a demon contemplating the inherent unfairness of the universe.
Well. That was ... fun?
Anyways, we passed the bridge by besting the bridgekeeper. Time to get our reward.
I don't know if I could've gotten a better reward if I hadn't asked about the boons, but frankly, I don't care. This reward is pretty sweet! Some quite rare resources, and decent armor upgrades. It'll come in handy when I face the elf again.
Our Zerca levels up.
And the child we've been hauling around also levels up. I decide on a gatherer, as I need more resources more than fighters. In Thea 2, you cannot have more than 7 cards on hand for challenges, so I'll need to drop off the extra gatherer at some point.
On the green island, there are other smaller isles around. I sail to one of them and find a village of elves. I decide to try my hand at the mental challenge, so I can interact with the village in a non-violent manner, and I win!
The health hit is no problem here, because I can pay to have the damage healed immediately (all villages have this option so far).
This also means I can now grind elf reputation. I do so on this small island, as every quest I can pick up here is quite close by, making the grinding less of a chore. Also, experience. Need more experience together with better equipment for a certain encounter..
Even though we're on a small island near woodland folk, there's also regular bandits around. Not that they pose any real threat anymore.
Remember, that we're doing quests for peace-loving elves, so we choose the paladin option for dealing with the wood demons.
And here I show off the healing they provide.
Grinding reputation and xp means levelups.
baud improves on her gathering skills.
Grinding elven reputation, the peaceful and somewhat dangerous way.
I like the flavour, that the elves appreciate the peaceful solution, the orcs resent it. But I'd wager the orcs would be more annoyed if I killed their kin.
More levelups. Here we also take a closer look at the luck stat.
While grinding some more, we get ambushed. Since these are bloodsucking beasts, and they are NOT the ones I was asked by the elves to deal with, I kill them instead of letting them suck our blood.
Who knows, if I'd let them, someone of our crew might turn into a striga, but I choose not to risk it.
Also, it seems there are both wood elves, and shadow elves. This encounter has me dealing with the latter on behalf of the former.
Our new gatherer levels up, I choose the gathering proficiency option.
Welp, that quest was the last for now, that we could get here.
Our explorers are close to being penalized for carrying too much weight, so it's about this time I decide to head back to the village.
Speaking of which, back in the village,
Nicebrain levels up and gets a damage-skill for physical challenges.
Before setting out on ship again, I stumble upon a random encounter with some orc skeletons.
Apparently, that is not the orcish custom, as the adventure continues.
No rep increase, but no decrease either.
Citizen and our Zerca level up. A turn later, so does our witch.
On a second small island near the elf lands, I find a lightbringer village. I decide on ethnic cleansing, magically. Faith damage is easy to heal you see. There is a ritual for it.
Ritual not depicted. But it's cheap and easy and regenerates quite a lot of faith, so if you get to choose between different challenges, it pays to pick the purple (magic/faith) one. If you have the resources for the ritual..
Also,
Storyfag levels up. I chose the second skill, which lets him deal retaliation damage every time he's hit, and he applies a debuff when he's placed on the board, slowing enemies. Quite useful.
More lightbringers, this time a wandering group.
I take a small lightbringer reputation hit whenever I kill one of those groups, so I don't actively seek them out. I might want to try and improve that reputation later. Perhaps.
Another random encounter. This time we take advantage of having a healer with us, for better results.
Yet another random adventure. I think this was a reward for a previous encounter..
Our newest gatherer levels up again. It pays to travel with the explorers. The Guard doesn't level nearly as quickly.
We found another terrain artefact and researched it. Researching these is good for acquiring advancement points.
Just outside the village, we stumble upon another Monty Python reference..
I kind of wanted to shove their faces in, but decided to tell them off instead. Nice loot, and a slight improvement to our rep with the orcs. I'll take that.
Our village demon appreciates it too, as he levels up. And our chosen one just keeps on improving.
Here's a random encounter where I am tempted into taking a less good option. Game trolls me though, and doesn't let me actually take control of the undead.
And then!
Grimwulf and
Nicebrain have an intimate moment, and the Stork approves!
Isn't he cute?
I'll leave this update with yet another round of levelups.