Nightingale Legacy Portal
The Bound Part #8: Quest 2: “The Binds That Break Us”
Greetings Devpeoples,
This post is part of the Community Theorycraft Project. Something where multiple members of the community gather together to discuss existing and potential new additions to the different elements of this wonderful game. Things we would like to see, we would like to change, and ways to go about doing so.
This topic of focus is The Bound, the gruesome creatures unleashed by the Pale. We dive into the wonderful theme and flavour presented by them. In fact, so captivated were we by this particular topic, we may have overdone it slightly, exceeding even our own estimates of total content. This has resulted in this submission being the largest one from the CTP to date.
As such, we have decided to split this into multiple separate topics, and link each one within the forewords so those interested can travel from post to post with ease.
As always, we would like to thank you for your time and continued development of this wonderful game.
Bound Posts:
Bound Part #1 - Materials of the Bound
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-416
Bound Part #2 - Corrupt Enchantments
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-417
Bound Part #3 - Existing Bound Changes
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-418
Bound Part #4 - New Melee Bound
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-419
Bound Part #5 - New Ranged Bound
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-420
Bound Part #6 - The Accursed
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-421
Bound Part #7 - Quest 1: “A Shot In The Dark”
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-422
Bound Part #8 - Quest 2: “The Binds That Break Us”
Link: https://playnightingale.ideas.aha.io/ideas/FEEDBACK-I-423
Victor Frankenstein: The Binds That Break Us
This particular post supplies a new questline, which focuses upon Victor Frankenstein and his furthering interest in the Bound. It includes a new searchable resource, a way to acquire new Bound themed cosmetics and item recipes, and even a new Bound Apex Monster, along with many thematic story hooks both to the Frankenstein lore and to other elements in game.
Players are directed to visit Victor by Bass Reeves (see Quest #1), in order to decipher the meaning behind (or use of) a strange Bound Token left behind after defeating a rather nasty Accursed Bound, called The Ripper.
Upon arriving and speaking again with Victor, he expresses great interest in these objects, and offers to make a deal with the Player. Bring him more of these Bound Tokens, and in return, he will divulge some hidden knowledge he has acquired through his study of the bound.
If the Player accepts, Victor unlocks as a new Bound Trader. He carries several unique recipes related to the Bound which he sells at different values of Bound Tokens. He does not offer to provide any actual Bound Materials, however (considering he is seeking more Bound things, this makes sense).
Potential Bound Item Recipes:
Maleficium Grenades
Bound-styled Enchantments (see above Corrupt Enchantments section)
Bound Clothing Styles (mimic bound gear, such as Haxan Cloak)
Bound Inspired Clothing (Aegis Armor shirt piece, made salvaged Aegis Shield)
Portal Augments
Laboratory Augments / Decorative Items (Thematic towards Victors work)
Realm Cards
Liquid Fuel Source (Coal + Ichor, high burn time for smelters etc)
Every few recipe purchases, a new dialogue option should appear for Victor, allowing the Player to learn a little more about Victor and his motivations. The goal from this is allow the Player to build investment in providing Victor assistance, in preparation for the following event.
When the Player purchases the final recipe, Victor provides his utmost thanks, and the Player is given the option to enquire about why he has been collecting these. Victor offers to show the Player, and they are directed to a nearby stairwell (remove some of the clutter in Victor’s tower to reveal the stairs, like they have always been there), which leads to his Laboratory. The stairs function as a Portal, clicking them allows the player to select the difficulty of the Laboratory they are entering. This allows the Laboratory Realm Power to differ from that of the Realm that Victor normally resides in, meaning that when the player gains access to this Realm, the difficulty should be appropriately scaled to them, ideally like the Ascended Realms which start at 100 RP.
Beneath Victors tower is hidden his Laboratory. In the centre is a reclined table, upon which sits what appears to be an overly large corpse assembled from pieces of different bound, restrained to it.
Around the room are numerous scientific instruments, tubes/pipes, electrical stations, Tesla Coils and other Tesla-inspired things.
At the main station is another NPC called Ygor, a slightly messily dressed and dishevelled person, but not the classic “hunchback”, instead a more realistic portrayal.
Victor stands off to the side, and the Player is directed to speak with Ygor first.
Talking with Ygor:
Ygor’s speech is skittish, he is hesitant to give information without being prodded.
He shares that Victor has become obsessed with the Bound.
That Victor has been corresponding with someone named Tesla.
When asked about the different machines, Ygor gets very cagey, refusing to answer.
After talking with Ygor, the Player is directed back to Victor.
Talking with Victor:
He shares that he believes science can overcome the Pale and its influence.
That he believes the Bound are the remnants of humanity on earth, taken by the Pale.
That there remain traces of that humanity, and that he believes he has discovered the way to bring it out.
That with all the supplies the Player has brought him has helped him reach this point, and now he is finally ready.
If the player questions about Ygor, Victor states that Ygor has been with him since coming to the Realms, and that he has been of vital assistance in his work.
Talking with Victor, the final line allows the Player to come back, or continue. If continuing, Victor begins the final stage of his experiment, and the scene plays out.
Victor calling out to Ygor, the different machinery around the room become active, lightning bolts and shocks arc between the Tesla Coils, and then strike the figure bound in the centre of the room.
Once done, the Player can see the figure is awake, alive, and standing in the middle of the room, shards of the table scattered around it.
If the Player speaks with Victor, the only thing he shares is his elation.
If the Player speaks with Ygor, he seems to be waiting -very- expectantly for something.
When the Player speaks with the Monster, it begins to talk, stutteringly at first, then slowly more clearly. Each line progresses the events around the monster, which is the following things:
The machines start back up, scaring the Monster.
The same ichor-like ribbons appear around the Monster that show up with the Bound, and the Monster grows more terrified.
The Monster begins to lose control, and pleads with the Player to save it.
The ribbons seem to melt into the Monsters flesh, and the Monster loses the last of its hold of its own mind, and the actual fight begins.
The Machines:
There are 4 machines located at the cardinal points or corners of the Laboratory.
The Monster has immunity to all damage whilst any of the machines are functioning.
Disabling the Machines:
Each Machine is a HP pool structure, it is practically immune to all but a single particular tool type, different for each machine, similar to the different resources that require specific tools of a minimum gearscore. We’ve listed some examples below as to what some of these machines could be, what could be used to break them, and what the resulting effects could be:
“Machine” is a collection of cables along the ceiling, it requires a Sickle to sever the cable lines, leaving dangling electrical cables that damage anything touching them (Monster is tall enough).
“Machine” is an Engine, requiring a Maul to shatter and break, resulting in it discharging electricity in an area around it.
“Machine” is a large set of standing glass vats, filled with Ichor-ish liquid. It requires a mining pick to break, and results in a pool of foul ichor dealing Maleficium damage to any that stands on it.
“Machine” is a large series of pipes and valves, it requires an Axe to break each piece, resulting in a geyser of fire/steam that deals fire damage to anyone in it.
Note: With this idea, it is possible to create many more machines, and have each machine draw from the pool, resulting in different machines each fight. The machines we have listed are intended to be thought provoking on this idea, making it easy for the player to identify what is needed, using the same visual icons as the resources. Ideally, each machine may have multiple parts needed to be broken to fully disable it, allowing the Monster to interfere during this process.
The Monster:
The Monster attacks in a brutish manner, covering the ground in strides, and uses broad sweeping attacks when in melee. Players hit suffer a lightning debuff, lowering both movement and attack speeds, and dealing lightning damage.
The Monster has Melee Damage Resistance (25%) and Ranged Damage Resistance (50%)
If the Player keeps at range, the Monster unleashes bolts of lightning damage directly at the Players closest to any Machine. (A particularly canny Player may be able to cause the Monster to destroy the Machines himself, this way)
When a Machine is destroyed, the Monster bounds to the rooms Centre, and spreads his arms out. Surrounding the room in a field of lightning, he draws his arms in, and the sphere of lightning shrinks towards him. Standing in this lightning is devastating, it deals very high lightning damage over time. Ideally, the Player should -not- be able to face tank this without dying. Having to move inward should be the goal.
Whilst the Lightning Sphere exists, a glowing weakspot slowly appears on the Monster (in a semi-random place). Attacking this spot will deal no damage, but will interrupt the Sphere, causing it to dissipate.
Once the Sphere reaches the Monster, it dissipates and the Monster returns to fighting as normal.
Once all 4 Machines are destroyed, the Monster will do the Lightning Sphere periodically.
Additionally, once each machine is destroyed, it will periodically send out arcs of electricity to shock nearby Players if they get too close whilst its sparking.
Note: The idea behind this kind of fight is several things. First, it introduces a phased fight mechanic, which is currently lacking within the game. Secondly, it lengthens the fight by adding a more interactive element during the first phase, meaning that a Player cannot just run up to the Monster, and kill it with a single shotgun blast. Thirdly, with the interplay of the machine’s secondary effects, a canny Player can be rewarded by using these effects against the Monster, as well as using the Monsters lightning to damage the machines near the Player.
And finally, a more challenging fight will provide the Player a more rewarding experience. Whilst we had a lot of ideas in regards to the various phases and complexity, we erred on the side of caution, and decided to use this design as the entry way to a more complex combat experience. More of a first step, so to speak.
When the Monster is finally defeated, the Player has the option to speak with the Monster, which tries to thank them before dying, as the Pale secures its hold over the corpse.
Victor and Ygor left the Laboratory when the Monster went berserk.
Killing the Monster leaves behind the following (potential) loot for the player:
Frankenstein’s Heart
Counts As: Raw Gem
Flavour Text: "What seems to be a form of Petrified Heart normally found from other Bound, this one seems to have gone through some kind of alchemical process, causing significant growth and change occur. It feels almost sponge-like, despite retaining its rigidity, and holding it causes your hair to stand on end."
T1 / T2 / T3 Attributes:
+10% / +20% / +30% Lightning Damage
+15 / +20 / +25 Maximum Health
+0.5% / +1% / +1.5% Movement Speed
Monstrous Ichor
Counts As: Ichor
Flavour Text: "Thick as sludge, this foul liquid sizzles and crackles with static. Even touching it slightly causes a sharp electric jolt."
T1 / T2 / T3 Attributes:
+10% / +20% / +30% Lightning Damage
+15 / +20 / +25 Maximum Health
+0.5% / +1% / +1.5% Movement Speed
Leaving the Laboratory returns the Player to the Tower, where stands Victor.
Speaking with Victor, he has no idea where Ygor went, saying only that he ran off whilst cackling with glee. Victor is appalled at what happened, everything after the Monster awakened was not known to him, it must have been Ygor, corrupting his work.
Victor informs the player that whilst the Monster has been defeated, it is likely its body will heal, and he will use his knowledge to bind the Monster within the tower. He does not believe that the Pale will ever truly relinquish its hold, and should the player wish to attempt to defeat the Monster again, they may try to give it a final rest.
Before saying farewell, Victor gives the player a letter, hastily penned, and tells them to give it to a man named Nikola Tesla. It contains a warning, that such a tragedy as this must never be allowed to happen again. Should the Player encounter him, they ask for them to give him this letter (it is also extremely likely that Nikola will be furious to hear how his works were abused in this manner).
Victor also gives the player a final gift, if they agree to take the letter. An Enchantment, inspired by Tesla’s theories.
Enchantment:
Lightning Rush
This Enchantment evokes a storm of riotous lightning around the caster, propelling them forward and dealing lightning damage to enemies in their path. The damage and distance travelled increases with the caster’s magick power.
Replay-ability:
When the Player returns to the tower (once per map), they can speak with Victor, who gives them his hope that they will succeed in giving his creation a final rest.
Entering the Laboratory, they find Ygor inside, who has repaired the machines,
When the Player speaks with Ygor, he only responds with a cackle, and activates the machines, starting the fight again from the beginning. Once the fight starts, Ygor vanishes again, somehow.
Contributors:
Apothete, Double Space Su, Kahz, Katari, Phylon, Shrike
