20 Questions On Shokiyu

Inspired by this, here's 20 questions about Shokiyu in both its forms:

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion?

Seers dedicated themselves to the High Goddess Meikon, as well as many lesser gods and goddesses that all report to either Meikon or the spirits of the twelve Stones (eight in the digital version)

2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment?

A smithy, alchemist, armorsmith, and general store are available in most every town--the rarer the materials used, the higher the price. That said, prices are still fairly reasonable.

3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?

If you need to get armor for a pet, a smithy will by happy to do so--the creature's size and the material used are factors in the price.

4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?

The being known as the Gemsinger is known as the strongest mage--but s/he only appears in a new incarnation if Shokiyu is in dire straits.

5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land?

It is said that Haldan Paramine was the greatest warrior seen on Shokiyu in some time. He is presumed dead after an expedition into the mountains, but some clues have surfaced hinting he may still be alive--a question his son Bradlin hopes to figure out.

6. Who is the richest person in the land?

Natiliene Laryan, of Taraka, the "glittering rainbow city"--it is rumored her fortune rivals even the monarchs of the five races

7. Where can we go to get some magical healing?

Seers will often heal others for no charge

8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?

A Seer can also cure almost all of those conditions (level drain does not exist in Shokiyu) To revive someone or unzombify someone, you have to work quickly, as those spells tend to fail the longer you wait.

9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?

While there are mage's guilds, they are not the primary source of spell finding--you'd be better off reading spellbooks in libraries. That said, there are some special spells a guild will teach their members.

10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?

Alchemists and Seers are most anywhere, and every town has an expert in some thing or another.

11. Where can I hire mercenaries?

Any large city has a mercenary hideaway, each one charging their own rate. Typically the harder the job, the more their fee.

12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?

No--Shokiyu's laws are fair and just. That said, some rulers try to pass laws like this, but they are quickly overthrown, as every Shokiyan has the right to bear arms and use magic responsibly.

13. Which way to the nearest tavern?

Usually not far from the town square--if you don't find a minstrel in the square, check the tavern/inn

14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?

Every once in a while a rogue dragon or demon will appear, and these often fetch nice rewards.

15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?

No--Shokiyu is at peace in this regard.

16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?

Taraka is famous for its arenas, theaters, and casinos--it's not called "the glittering rainbow city" for nothing!

17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?

The most infamous of these would be the Red Crows and the Blue Wolves--the Red Crows focus more on stealing and pillaging, while the Blue Wolves focus on kidnapping and assassinations. They maintain a fierce rivalry, and woe be the ones caught in the crossfire when they clash.

18. What is there to eat around here?

Chicken. beef, turkey, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and sweet treats are all common Wild game and other exotic meats are considered treats.

19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?

The elves and the fairies pride themselves on magical artifacts, and many of them are hidden, waiting for some lucky adventurer to find them.

 20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure? Dragons do not typically harm people, but there are rogues with massive treasure hordes. Demons also tend to have nice loot too.

Lafisavia

The winter celebration on Shokiyu (and the equivalent to Christmas) is known as Lafisavia (or Lavisavia in some regions), which is an elven word meaning "The night of love and light". It tends to begin on the night of the first full moon of winter (which means it falls towards the end of December in 2012), and lasts for a week. In addition to gift giving, people build snow statues of Meikon (with the best ones getting a prize), minstrels perform, and people give to those in need, among some of the festivities. A favorite tale among the people is the legend of Lafisavia--the story goes that a young elven soldier (although the character's race and profession differs in many regions) is on his way home after being victorious in battle, and gets lost in the woods. When he cried to Meikon for help, he saw that the moon was unusually bright, and was able to find his way home in the moonlight. When he finally returned, his family was so happy to see him, the town shot off fireworks to welcome him, and his family showered him with gifts--creating the first Lafisavia.

A New Dreadknight Appears!

Elven Dreadknight Mirime Darklight appears, and she has a connection to Galia... Check it out here

Saveng Neras and Kythria Island

Today's update features the rest of the Neras quest and your only required challenge dungeon Check it out!

The Evolution of Gemsinger, part 2

This draft introduces the healing orbs, the side view battles, and on-screen encounters, in addition to a revamped storyline. Gemsinger Draft X, 2009-2010

The Evolution of Gemsinger, part 1

If you've ever wanted to see how The Gemsinger Chronicles: The Video Game has evolved over three years, let's turn back the clock to June 2009, when the idea was in its very early stages... Gemsinger draft O, 2009

Saving Neras

In our second video for today, the group unearths a plot in the town of Neras... Check it out!

Our First Sigil!

At long last, Miresa finally receives her first Sigil!

In the Realm of the Elves

Today's update introduces Coraira, a game exclusive character, and Fion: Check it out

Leria and Farfalla

In this update video, we see Miresa formally receive her quest and meet Farfalla, a fairy that specializes in rare items

The quest begins...

In this update (Miresa and Arune learn to spellsing (and Bradlin wonders what it would be like if he could spellsing) Check it out

Spellsinging test

One new idea we are testing is Miresa actually singing a spell. Take a look at the test and tell me what you think.

We're hoping this will be a finishing spell if we can figure out how to make it work

She awakens!

Watch Miresa awaken here

First Look: Halliwen

Your rival wants to battle!

Digital Viginette: A Daughter's Adventure

Miresa tells her mom about her adventure in the Earth Shrine, done in dialogue:

"Ah, it's a pleasure to see you Miresa."

"Same to you, Mother."

"I heard about your feat at the Earth Shrine. Very well done!"

"It was quite a thrill."

"What was the Earth Shrine like, dear?"

"It was amazing! It was like a temple in its own right. The walls were made of really unique stone I've never seen before. But that's only part of the adventure! There were many difficult puzzles inside that required the use of an Earth whistle. The tunes that I played on that whistle released brown, transparent music notes filled with small crumbs of rocks. There were also stone puzzles, mazes, and anything you could think of!"

"It seems you've had quite an adventure!"

"Yes, and while I'm glad to be back in Telrain, I'll have to take the boat at Neras to Kythria Island soon. Well, as soon as the docks open up."

"Ah, yes. I've heard there's been a problem at the docks recently."

"Yes, and I'll have to find a way to solve this. I'm not sure why the mayor would close down the docks. The ships that sail on those docks trade with other continents, and give supplies to Telrain, Selance, Ralidor, and even the elves that live in the Forest of Dawn! I sense a conspiracy!"

"Now normally, I would tell you not to jump to conclusions, but as a merchant, even I sense there's something abnormal going on at Neras."

"And I pledge my life to solve this mystery, for all of the people of Neras."

"I'm so proud of you. My own daughter is the Gemsinger, and she's going to save the world!"

"Yes, this will be a long journey, but I promise I will visit Telrain as often as I can to tell you about my journeys!"

"That would be wonderful, dear."

Digital Viginette: At the Dreadknight's Camp

The three known dreadknights talk about a sobering turn of events, done in dialogue:

"So, the Earth Sigil was taken right under our arms."

"That seems to be the case, Atlas."

"Well then, Lytas. You know what you have to do. We don't want to disappoint Ulvic."

"Neither do we want to enrage Lord Katva."

"Then let's find a way to get rid of the Gemsinger. We'll need to find out who it is, though."

"How's your operation on Neras going? Maybe the Gemsinger will try and save it."

"The operation is going smoothly, and you're right. I will return to Neras as soon as possible."

"And by possible you mean after this conversation."

"Don't rush me Lytas. Remember, you were the one responsible for getting the Earth Sigil. And you failed miserably."

"I know, and I won't make the same mistake on the Water Sigil."

"Then let's depart. I await your success, Lytas."

"You too, Atlas. Farewell!"

First look at Selance

Here's a first look at Selance:

This is still a work in progress, and may change

Meet the Dreadknights

Over the course of your adventure, you will meet Katva's eight dreadknights--his most loyal servants that report directly to him.

So far, three of their identities are known:

Lytas: A demon who's sole purpose is to further Katva's ambition. She wields a scythe and uses dark magia. She is the most common dreadknight that Miresa and co. runs into. She first encounters Miresa when Miresa attempts to receive the water sigil. She encounters Miresa frequently throughout the game.

Atlas: A human with dark magia. He grew up feeling awkward about his ability to wield dark magia, although he was never discriminated against. He left his hometown when he became an adult, so that he could travel the seas by ship. During a hurricane, he was saved by Katva's army. Katva earned his respect and he pledge his life to the demons. Atlas deals with operations that have to deal with ships and the sea. He wields a rapier but also carries a small handheld telescope. He first encounters Miresa as she tries to save Neras from the demons' plot. He is then defeated and is later fought throughout the game in various operations.

Ulvic: Ulvic is a human mage who's known for his talent in magia. He's also considered "wasted potential" as most Shokiyans who know him feel it's a shame that such a talented mage is serving the demon lord instead of being a hero. Ulvic is the least frequently seen Dreadknight, and is only seen in a few operations. Although the only weapon he wields is a mage's book, he's a very strong magician and doesn't go down without a fight.

The other five dreadknight's identities are currently unknown, but once they are revealed they will receive their own post

Optional Dungeons

I've mentioned before that Katva can transform himself into many things, including a human being. It's in this form he will guide you towards a number of optional challenge dungeons.

The challenge dungeons are a bit shorter than the main dungeons, and contain harder puzzles and enemies (some of which can only be seen in challenge dungeons) But if you can defeat the equally challenging bosses, you will be rewarded with rare and unique weapons, armor, and items--some of which you can only get in the challenge dungeons.

Digital Viginette: The Night of the Awakening

Done in dialogue, courtesy of my partner:

"There you are, Miresa."

"Oh, hello Arune. You must be wondering why I'm out on this hill so late at night."

"Yes, I figured it had to do with you becoming the Gemsinger."

"Well, yes. I was just awakened as the Gemsinger today, and, I wanted a place to sing. I want to see if I can sing a spell."

"Didn't we already help Losi become a member of the Sapphire clan? You looked confident when you were summoning your spells to fend off some of the monsters that attacked in that cave."

"I know, but I still wasn't able to control my spells well. I just started actually casting magic, and I'm not sure I'll be able to master them until I get the Earth Sigil. Speaking of which, I'm not looking forward to that."

"Why so, Miresa?"

"It is said that as soon as I gather the Earth Sigil, the demon lord will sense my presence and know the Gemsinger has awakened. Then, our group will be followed and hunted by demons."

"Do not worry. That's what your friends are for. We'll be with you all the way there."

"That does help cheer me up. But I wouldn't say I'm completely distressed. I'm happy to have been chosen by Meikon to be the Gemsinger."

"I'm surprised at how quickly you have accepted the task of being the Gemsinger!"

"I'm still shocked by the outcome, but I want to protect Shokiyu. Even if I'm going to be chased by demons. I just hope I can become a better mage. I mean, what if I somehow fail to receive the Earth Sigil, or fail to cast another spell?"

"I'm sure that won't happen. Meikon chose you for a reason."

"You're right, Arune. Thank you for your kind words."

"So, if you do want to sing, I'll be here to listen."

"It does help to have an audience while performing. All right, here goes..."