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[BFEL]

So basically that lady's husband knew he was dying, so he made her THE MOST ADVANCED VIBRATOR EVER CONSTRUCTED. He also made it sentient, so it ran off in existential horror and now WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN RETRIEVE THAT VIBRATOR! IT IS OUR DESTINY!

[Akura]

...I dare not wonder what her late husband was thinking when he made a droid like that.

Also, what happened to everyone's legs at the end there?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Don’t lie to me, Zhar!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Teneb]

Also, what happened to everyone's legs at the end there?

It's a glitch with the grass. Basically, it makes everything behind it invisible. It also happened in the undercity of Taris. Shortly after the point where ended this update I had the bright idea of disabling the grass in the options, so you'll just need to bear it for a few more screenshots.

I might as well mentioned that I stopped playing after finishing both Dantooine and the PC-exclusive Yavin (don't hold your breath, it's one room and the arrival/departure cinematics). Hopefully, that won't take nearly as many updates to cover as Taris did.

Anyway, newer updates will use another image host, since imgur went full on stupid with mass image upload (and I'm not willing to create an account).

[Teneb]

Two updates in a single day? What sorcery is this?!

Spoiler: Meddling Kids (click to show/hide)

PART 18 – Grass, defeated

Dantooine

Where we last left off, we had just grinded insane quantities of cash and acquired the best gear on Dantooine, including the armour of Cassus Fett. We’ll find more of his stuff as we go along, and these items are usually some of the best you can give to Carth. Now behold as the grass makes one final attempt to ruin this LP before I put it (the grass) out of its misery:

That is supposed to be a howling kath hound.


For as I mentioned in a post, it was in this moment I remembered there was an option for grass in the settings menu.

Much better.


We could head south to the next area, the Matale Grounds, but there is still stuff to do in this area.

Just imagine about 2 to 5 minutes of this between each noteworthy thing.


I guess I might as well show off the Throw Lightsaber force power and explain power alignment. See, that karma scale between Light and Dark does more than just determining how greyfaced your character is. The further you are to either end, the cheaper powers of that side become, and the more expensive powers of the opposite side get. There are also universal powers that have set prices no matter what, like the Throw Lightsaber. Since we’re neutral, we get neither a discount nor a price increase in anything, which, paired with our atrocious force points pool, might make things interesting. I took throw lightsaber because I’ll most certainly need it (or some other ranged power, but this is the only universal one, I think) in the very end of the game.


These are the ruins from the vision we had, where Revan, Malak and Malak’s Jaw found something. It is locked to us for now, so we proceed to the next area. Besides kath hounds, we can also find a compound there:



: I’m sorry, I’ll be going now.
Droid: Leave immediately. Only those on official family business are permitted within the estate.
: These settlers have come to Dantooine seeking privacy. Perhaps we should respect their wishes.

Picking a fight with the droid is useless here. This place will be part of a sidequest soon enough. But nearby…


Man: No! Please! Take my wife and children instead! Anything!


I forgot to screenshot the fight, but it’s a bunch of Mandalorian and Duros gunmen that yield little loot. This is part of a sidequest, however, and one of the three camps we need to clear to get to the next “phase” of it.

Continuing on, past more kath hounds…


: Who are you?
Bolook: I am Bolook, a Jedi from the Enclave.  I was sent by the Jedi Council to investigate a killing that took place here a few hours ago. Communication does not pose a problem, as both suspects and I speak Basic and Huttese. I was going to handle this case myself, but now that you are here this could be an excellent opportunity for you to demonstrate how well you have been learning your lessons at the Academy. Though you are not yet a full Jedi, perhaps you could assist me in sorting out the truth from the lies.

Are you ready, viewers, for CSI: Dantooine?

: What do you want me to do?
Bolook: Listen to the stories given by the two suspects. I have brought an information retrieval droid with access to the archives both at the Jedi Enclave and the planetary capital. I will use my wisdom and experience to offer you some guidance, but I will not solve the case for you. There is little benefit if you do not solve this problem yourself.

Translation: “I don’t want to do my job, so I will let you play detective, kiddo. I will also be patronizing and as unhelpful as possible, despite the fact we have an unrestrained murderer here.”

Bolook: Consider each man’s account and check the facts with the information droid. Once you have gathered all the evidence you think you need, run through the possible scenario with me. If you are unable to come to a satisfactory resolution, then I will take these men to the Enclave and deal with this myself.

Bolook: I find that very odd, for most people would seek shelter indoors when the sky is filled with dark stormclouds as it was earlier today. But that is not the most puzzling aspect of the case.

Bolook: Two other men were found at the scene when I arrived. One was Handon Guld. He was unarmed. The other was Rickard Lusoff, who was carrying a hunting laser. Both men say they did not do anything, and that they came across the body. But both also accuse the other. Obviously there is more to this than what we have been told.
: Is there anything else I should know?
Bolook: There is one last thing. When I arrived Handon was holding his side and Rickard was favoring one of his legs. You would do well to remember this as we progress through the case. If there is anything else you need, I will remain here while you question the witnesses.


Rickard: I’m Rickard Lusoff. Maybe you can figure this out and let me get out of here.
: Tell me what happened.
Rickard: Well, I was out hunting iriaz, when I spotted one over here by the bridge. I pull out my rifle and aim at it. I couldn’t see it that well, mind you, cause the damn sun was in my eyes.

Iriaz are a cut enemy that look somewhat like a green stag.
Rickard: So I shoot it and it drops. I walk over here and find Handon standing over Calder’s body! So why don’t you get this whole farce over with and send that whiner Handon to the prison he belongs in!
: Why were you out here?
Rickard: I told ya already, didn’t I? Was hunting some iriaz. Haven’t seen many in the area recently, what with those kath hounds acting up, but they’re still around. Was in my blind south of here when I spotted one, like I said before. I shot and POW!, it went down. But when I came over here, there’s Handon standing over the body and the iriaz was gone! Now, I didn’t have nothing to do with this, so can I go now?
: Not just yet.
Rickard: *grumbles* So what do you want to know?
: Bolook said you were limping. Are you hurt?
Rickard: Well… uh… I kind of sprained my ankle running through the bush before I found the body. But it’s nothing that serious.
: That’s all for now.
Rickard: Right…

Now, the information droid.


Droid: I am an information retrieval droid. I can assist you by accessing the records of both the Jedi Enclave and the central government facilities here on Dantooine. If you have any need of my services, please do not hesitate to talk to me. I have already retrieved some information from the archives on Calder Nettic, Rickard Lusoff and Handong Guld. I have also had time to examine the body of Mr. Nettic. Is there any information you require?
: What did you find out about the body?
Droid: My preliminary analysis of the body indicates that he was killed approximately 3 hours ago by a single energy blast to the torso.
: Tell me about these plains.
Droid: These plains are rife with wild animals, not all of them benign. The iriaz are mostly docile, but can be easily provoked to violence. Kath hounds, on the other hand, are much more deadly… There have been over 35 catalogued attacks on settlers by kath hounds in the last 2 weeks. A general advisory was given out three days ago to carry a weapon at all times when on the plains. Small farms and holdings dot the plains, and can provide safe refuge for those in need.
: I will have more questions later.
Droid: Very well. I will be here to assist you.

Moving on…

: No.
Handon: Well, I presume you wish to hear my story, then? I shall tell you, of course, but there is not much to it. I am sure that you’ll agree that Rickard is quite obviously guilty of murder. You see, I was out here running earlier today – yes, running, I do that a lot. Can’t stand speeders, never use them. Keeps me in shape, too, you know! Anyway, I was out running on the other side of that bridge there… When all of a sudden I heard a shot coming from over here. I ran over and found this man Calder lying on the ground dead!
: Did you see the killer?
Handon: I saw Rickard come skulking out of the shadows of the rocks south of the river, and I knew something was wrong. I hit my emergency button and called the Enclave right away. Well… there, that’s my story. Now please hurry this up and arrest Rickard so I can get on with my day!
: Why were you out here?
Handon: I was taking my daily constitutional. I just happened to be running by when I heard a shot. I ran over and found Calder’s body lying there.
: Do you often run around the plains?
Handon: Yes, quite often. I generally prefer running to anything else. Can’t stand speeders. A healthy body will breed a healthy mind, as I always say! Ha ha!
: You’re holding your side. Are you injured?
Handon: In… injured? No, of course not! Why would I have been? Fit as a bantha! Har har! Yes… I run. I don’t know if I mentioned that.
: That’s all for now.
Handon: Of course, of course. Listen, if you need anything I shall be glad to assist.

We can also check the body.


And back to our patronizing “teacher”. We’ll be repeating this for a while.

: I want to discuss the murder.
Bolook: Very well. We should start at the beginning. If we find the truth behind each piece of the puzzle, we will no doubt resolve the case. Handon said that he was nearby and heard a shot and ran over, only to find Calder already dead. He said Rickard came out of the shadow of the rocks holding a blaster in his hands. Rickard said that he was hunting iriaz, saw one through the glare of the sun and shot at it. It is possible that Rickard may have shot Calder accidentally and Handon may have found the body, but that seems a very unlikely explanation. It is more likely that at least one of them is lying. Obviously one of those men is not telling us something, but where does the truth lie?
: Handon is lying.
Bolook: Why do you believe that?
: he didn’t mention the weapon found by the body.
Bolook: True, he didn’t mention it, but he didn’t deny it was there either. It simply had no bearing on the question as asked. I do not believe this is definitive evidence. What he said was not directly false. If you are unable to deduce the facts of this case, I will have to take these men to the Enclave and deal with this myself. But since you have talked to the suspects, there is no harm in you trying a bit more.

Fuck you, Bolook.

: I know who is lying now.
Bolook: Very well, I believe there may yet be a chance of you solving this. Where does the truth lie?
: Rickard is lying.
Bolook: Why do you believe that?
: It was cloudy; there was no sun glare!

Mentioning there are no iriaz has Bolook being an arsehole and scolding us by saying that of course there are iriaz, are you blind?

Bolook: Yes, well done! It was very cloudy this morning. If it had happened as Rickard said, the sun would not have been visible at the time of the killing. You seem to have caught Rickard in a bit of a lie. It seems I was correct in assuming you could help me with this case. This lie doesn’t prove Rickard is guilty, but I think you have taken the first step in unraveling this mystery. We should proceed on to the next point. We need to find a motive for the killing. Maybe you should talk to the men about their relationship with the victim.


: Did you know the victim?
Rickard: Yeah, I knew him. Hell, we’ve known each other for a good long time. Doesn’t mean I really have to have liked the slime-ball. *sigh* Maybe I shouldn’t have been so hard on him… especially now that he’s dead. We actually got along pretty well most of the time. We just had our… differences. We were actually business partners. We were involved in some orbit-to-ground transport operations for Aratech. Can I leave now? I should probably be the one to give the news to his wife.
: Why would someone want to kill him?
Rickard: You Jedi are so predictable. Always seeing some greater purpose behind everything, when the simple answer is usually the right one. Can’t you see that it must have been Handon? I found him standing over the damned body! I don’t know why this is causing you so much trouble. You almost seem as lost as this Bolook guy.

…Droid…

: What can you tell me about Calder and Handon?
Droid: The Southwood speeder rental business has records that, over the past several weeks, a speeder had been rented by Mr. Nettic and Mr. Guld.
: What can you tell me about Calder and Rickard?
Droid: According to the municipal authorities near the Garang spaceport, there had been news of a violent drunken activity in a cantina attached to the port. Apparently a Mr. R. Lusoff was making accusations at a Mr. C. Nettic about cheating him in a business deal. Jedi Tooka was dispatched to the scene and restored order.

…Handon…

: Why would someone want to kill him?
Handon: Um… well, you see, Calder was involved in some pretty sordid business from time to time. More often than not, I’ve heard. Disreputable business practices, even more diresputable clients. I’ve even heard he had dealings with… a Hutt! A Hutt here on Dantooine! Now I bet you’re wondering if I had any reasons to kill the man, but I tell you I hardly knew him! Saw him once or twice, yes, and I have heard some pretty unkind things about him, but… Certainly nothing that would make me want to kill him!
: You knew Calder better than you admit. You rented a speeder with him!
Handon: But I… I realize this must seem like a motive to you, but I assure you it isn’t. I dislike Calder, true. I would punch his face in, given the opportunity. But I would not kill him!
: Punch his face in? Why?
Handon: My wife was cheating on me with him. They slept in my own bed while I was in the next room! But… as much as I may hate him for that, I could not kill him. It may have been my own fault for driving my wife away. I must not try to take the law in my own hands. I was just out running, trying to clear my head for the divorce proceedings, not stalking him to kill him. Running is not a crime.

…Back to Rickard…

: You thought Calder was cheating you!
Rickard: Now, I don’t love Calder, but we go back a long way. We run a sub-orbital shipping and transport company out of Garang spaceport. We’ve been partners in that business for well over twenty years, and we’ve been doing just fine the way we are.
: You can deny it, but there was some bad blood between you!
Rickard: Right…

…Bolook…

: I want to discuss the murder.
Bolook: We know Rickard lied about the sun blinding him while he was shooting, but we need more to go on. Let’s examine the relationship of each man with the victim. Handon told me he barely knew the victim. On the other hand, Rickard and the victim were business partners. However, according to Rickard they got along quite well. On the surface, neither man seems to have a motive for killing Calder.
: Handon is lying.
Bolook: Why do you believe that?
: He knew his wife was cheating on him.
Bolook: Well, that certainly is a motive for murder. The case is taking shape; however, you mustn’t jump to any quick conclusions. Perhaps we should now focus on the murder weapon itself. You might want to see what information the witnesses and the information droid can provide you about the blaster found near the body.

Damn you, Bolook.


: Tell me about the weapon found at the scene.
Droid: We cannot get any more specific analysis from that sample other than the fact it did not belong to Calder.

Can we enhance? No? On to Ricky then.


: What about the weapon found by the body?
RickardThat blaster? Never seen it before. Calder himself had a preference for Echani weaponry. He had this one really nice light blaster rifle he always used. Always wished I could get myself a rifle like the one he had… But that blaster ain’t it, though. Calder only had the one rifle, too, so he either must have borrowed that… or it’s someone else’s.[/i]

Handon’s supposed to be fat, based on a dialogue option with Bolook (“fat people always lie”). No fat models on this game, though.


: What do you know about the weapon found by the body?
Handon: That blaster was stolen from my house last week! I never knew what happened to it. I hardly have enough money to afford a single blaster, let alone another. I can’t tell you how important it is to have a weapon on hand with all these ravenous kath hounds around. Even an iriaz can take a man down if it gets in the mood. Every settler has a weapon. It’s our most prized possession. I would most appreciate it if I could have that back after you determine that Rickard is the killer.
: You wanted to kill Calder for having an affair with your wife!
Handon: Knock his block off, sure, but not kill him! Oh my… I hope you don’t find that incriminating… Normally I am not prone to outbursts like that, but Calder… Mr. Nettic, he was not a very nice person. Not a very nice person to me or my family. I had had my suspicions for several weeks, but had no proof until two days ago. It seems Calder was seeing my wife. Right under my nose, no less!
: Well, if you can’t keep her, it’s your own fault.

He then repeats his “running is not a crime” line.


Droid: I am sorry, but I seem to be failing you. I have searched and searched, but I cannot seem to come up with anything at all. I thought to find the record of the missing weapon report Mr. Guld filed with the authorities, but there does not seem to be one.


: I want to discuss the murder.
Bolook: So, what have you determined about the weapon found by the body?
: The blaster is Handon’s. He lied about it being stolen.
Bolook: So we have caught Handon in a lie. Interesting, but I think we may need a final piece of the puzzle. There was a blood sample on the weapon that had been sent back for analysis just before you arrived. Perhaps you could inquire with the information droid about it.

I already asked it, Bolook, but you won’t even let me talk about the murder unless I ask the droid again. Damn you.


: Tell me about the blood sample.
Droid: I have just received back an analysis of a sample of the blood found on the weapon. It had been sent back to the Enclave just before you arrived.  The blood on the weapon is definitely not Calder’s. Unfortunately there was a bacterial contaminant in the sample that had been taken back to the laboratory, and it had become degraded. We cannot get any more specific analysis from that sample other than the fact it did not belong to Calder.


: I want to discuss the murder.
Bolook: I assume the blood on the weapon belongs to the victim, but I want to be thorough. What have you learned about the blood on the weapon?
: It didn’t belong to the victim.
Bolook: That is suprising. So the blood must belong to one of the suspects. But which one?
: It’s Handon’s blood.
Bolook: Why do you believe that?
: He is clutching his side.
Bolook: Hm… Handon has been moving oddly since I arrived... Perhaps we should examine him a little more closely.
Handon: Hey! What are you doing?
Bolook: This is blood! Handon appears to have suffered some sort of blaster wound to his side. It would seem there is one logical scenario: Handon killed Calder for having an affair with his wife. Rickard was out hunting and accidentally shot Handon after he had killed Calder.
: No, they are both guilty.
Bolook: A bold conclusion… one most people would not arrive at. But we are not like most people, we are Jedi. Still, I would like to know how you came to this conclusion. We know Calder was having an affair with Handon’s wife, but what possible motive could Rickad have for wanting Calder dead?
: Rickard thought Calder was cheating him in business!
Bolook: Yes, well done! Both men had a reason to want Calder dead. This is my theory of this morning’s events: both men knew Calder would be out here this morning and each plotted to kill him. Handon found him first and shot him because of the affaird Calder had with his wife. Shortly after, Rickard arrived on the scene. From a distance he saw Handon and thought it was Calder, so he shot him in relation for the credits Calder had cheated him out of in their business. Handon would have dropped his blaster – the one we found at the scene covered in blood. He probably thought Rickard was going to kill him so he called us, hoping he could convince us it was Rickard.

Bolook: That is enough. The culpability of both of you in the murder – and attempted murder – of Calder Nettic is evident. Additionally, Rickard Lusoff can be charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder of Handon Guld. I place you both under arrest of the Jedi Order, and will escort you to holding facilities in the Jedi Enclave. You have done well here, it is obvious you have been studying your lessons carefully. I will be sure to inform the Jedi Council of your performance in this little test.
: You did good. You might just make a proper Jedi yet, who knows?
Bolook: Good day, and may the Force be with you.

I hate you, Bolook, for wasting an entire update with your moronic sidequest.

[BFEL]

I'm disappointed this update wasn't about the Ultimate Vibrator of Ultimate Destiny...

[Teneb]

I'm disappointed this update wasn't about the Ultimate Vibrator of Ultimate Destiny...

It'll be the next one. That stupid sidequest monopolized the update, which is about as big as the one where Taris was finished.

[Teneb]

It appears I'm on a roll.

Spoiler: Existential Crisis (click to show/hide)

PART 19 – Vibrating Destiny

Dantooine

Last time, we were conscripted into being a detective, since apparently there are no real ones in Dantooine. It was horrible. Let’s make up for it by killing some more Mandalorians in the area to the south, named Corrupted Grove (don’t worry the plot bit in this area will be left for last).




They had a datapad:

Jarg went missing in Sector B, then Reeza saw someone moving south of there. Take a couple of troops and find out who it is. If they looks suspicious: terminate.

And yet another one:

Jarg, did you remember not to take the XT-model bike out today? There was something funny with one of the intakes, and I thought it could jam. Ha! Consider yourself lucky! If someone was dumb enough to take that thing out he would have ploughed right into the ground within a kilometer.

Looks like we found out what happened to Jarg.

Moving further southwards…


Weren’t we looking for a vibrator droid?


: Why were kath hounds attacking you?
C8-42: Who knows. They are beasts, and have been very aggressive of late. I am sorry if I seem a bit abrupt, but I must be moving along. I am rather in a hurry.
: Where are you going to?
C8-42: Not so much as where I am going to, but where I am going away from… I’m afraid my owner became a bit too attached to me. Obsessed even. She… she tried to treat me as her dead husband. It was not healthy for her.
: Er… ALL the time?
C8-42: You don’t want to know…
: Um… probably not…
C8-42: She is obsessed. She rarely sees other people, and appears to be fixated on me as her husband. She was becoming more and more insular… I thought it best that I leave. She may meet other real people this way. In fact, that was the reason I came here and sought out those kath hounds.
: What, are you suicidal or something?
C8-42: I think it would be best if I were no longer a factor. She would meet new people. Living people. Please… will you destroy me?

You read it here first, folks, droids are not people.

: Fine. I’ll destroy you and tell her why you did it.
C8-42: Thank you, kind sir! You have my eternal gratitude.

We put the poor vibrator out of its misery. By the way, if I remember right, taking it back gives light side points. Yup. Destroying it and telling the owner is neutral, while destroying and telling it is still out there is the dark side option.

But what is that behind the now-deceased droid? Proof that Zhar is a horrible, horrible liar? It would seem so.


It’s a pretty small area filled with kinrath. It’s pretty dark, though, so the following screenshot is the best I could do to show them off.

But they’re not what we’re here for. Crystals are!

There are a bunch of crystals around. Three of them give power crystals (though two give the same one) and the rest give one colour crystal each (blue, green, yellow).

Being an actual monster and destroying the eggs will give you red crystals so you can be an edgy teenager. Yet no dark side points.

Finally, there is also a dead Mandalorian.

Speaking of which…

That’s the third group, which will cause a new group to spawn at the location of the one we cleared previously. We’ll be heading there soon. These Mandalorians drop a datapad with the same stuff about Jerg missing.

Since we’re on a Mandalorian spree, let’s talk to Canderous.

: You want another story, eh? You want to hear about some other world getting wasted? Heh, I knew you were the type. Your stagnant Republic has never seen some of the strange creatures and races we fought on the Outer Rim in those years. Heh, and you never will now.
: What do you mean?
: If a world isn’t strong enough to defend itself, it’s basically forfeit. But this story is about something a little different. We were going through the asteroid fields of the Crispin system at the very edge of the galaxy, playing with pirates and smugglers we found there. The main belt in the Crispin system consists of mainly small rocks covered in frozen methane gas shells and the pirates were using them for cover. Ha! I remember using a thermal generator to cause the outer layer of one of the asteroids to vaporize in a picosecond. It blew out and shredded the three smugglers using it for cover! But… that was a mistake…
: Did it backfire?
: The asteroid I had targeted was smaller than most, maybe a dozen meters on a side. On the outside it looked the same as any other: just a ball covered in frozen gas. But something must have been inside it… inactive in the cold. The heat of my blast might have triggered something or woken something up. After I had hit, spots of light and heat appeared all over the thin shell still covering it, evaporating the gases. What lay underneath looked like some sort of rocky growth… a deformed rock pitted by scores of micrometeorite scars. I think something even older might have been inside that.
: What happened next?
: It started rotating – faster and faster as we watched it. After a second it started spraying fire – thermal projectiles that melted our armor like wax. We were caught completely by surprise. Before we could counter-attack, it fled at an incredible speed.
: A ship!
: We couldn’t catch it, but we could follow its hyperspace wake. We followed its trail as far as we could, heading away from the galactic core. When it finally led beyond the edge of our galaxy, we abandoned our efforts. Anything that wants to commit suicide in that great void is not worth our trouble trying to catch. That’s the only story I have for now. I’ll tell you some more stuff later, if we get the chance.

That’s probably a space aztecs Yuuzhan Vong scout that Canderous and the other space mongols Mandalorians fought.

Further on we find an unique enemy not actually related to any quests:

The albino kath hound. The albino hound is actually immune to non-universal force powers, which should be quite problematic for scoundrel/consular builds.

The Sandral estate is as far south as we can go, and is pretty much the same story as the previous one.


: I’m sorry, I’ll be going now.
Droid: My orders are clear. Please leave immediately. Only those on official family business are permitted on the family’s land.

On the trip to finishing the Mandalorian raider quest, I finally get a good shot of the Force Jump power. Here it is in all its glory:

Totally worth it.


There lie the raiders. If you are not masochistic like me, you would do well to put down a lot of mines down. This is one of the few situations in the game where you can actually set traps properly.

: Now this is what I’ve been waiting for!
Sherruk: I will add your head to those of the other Jedi I have killed, and take yet another lightsaber for my own! Now you will know why the Mandalorians are feared!


While the generic Mandalorians and Duros are as weak as those of the other groups, Sherruk is another story. Not only he is incredibly tough, but he dual wields randomized weapons. I got lucky and ended with a pair of swords, but it’s possible for him to spawn with two lightsabers instead.

He does go down, though, finishing the quest.

So we can now, finally, move to the grove. And in less time than it took to finish the investigation.

Looks like the source of the corruption is a furry Cathar.





And so begins what could be considered Dantooine’s boss battle (though there are tougher fights, one mandatory (that we have yet to see) and optional (Sherruk)). She is also a dirty cheater who paralyses your party members, so you’ve got to go solo on this one. She’s not that hard, though. It helps that you only need to take her down to about 1/3 of her health.


: Who are you?

I should note that in all parts of this section, if you select the “I will kill you” dialogue that is almost always available you will go back into combat and kill her. For good. Even for dark siders, this is incredibly unwise, since you’ll be short one companion.

: I am Juhani, and this is my grove. This is the place of my dark power. This is the place you have invaded. When I embraced the dark side, this was where I sought my solace. It is MINE!
: You embraced the dark side? Why?
: When I slew my Master, Quatra, I knew I could never go back. And now I revel in my dark power. Power enough to crush the life from someone such as you… or so I had thought…
: You slew Quatra, your master?
: Yes, I struck her down in the middle of training, consumed by my anger, embracing the power of hate! But… it was not enough… *sigh* What is it you want? Why do you bother me?
: Why are you doing this?
: I have fallen and dark power courses through my veins. I can never go back to the Council, so here I shall stay.
: I was sent by the Council to cleanse the taint from this grove.
: The Council sent you here to kill me? Why, then, when you bested me so easily, did you not simply finish your task? Is it not apparent that I can never be saved?
: [Persuade] I have no desire to kill you, Juhani.
: [Success] You… you do not? I am pathetic. I sit here and think myself to be great by embracing the dark side, but I am nothing! There is no way I could be turned back! I always thought they held me back, were jealous of my power. But it is only because I was not good enough to meet their standards… I never have been.
: [Persuade] Come now, Juhani. You are a beautiful young woman who has much talent.
: [Success] I thank you for your kind words, Jedi. I seem to still have much to learn… Both about being a Jedi, and about myself. But I wish the cost of my ignorance had not been so high. I wish that my Master had not suffered because of me.
: [Persuade] It is not your fault, Juhani.
: [Failure] It is! It is! It was I who hurt her, I who killed her! Her suffering is my fault alone! Leave me to my pain!

Failing a persuade check or picking the wrong option (from this point on, there is only one that is correct) will cause her to throw a tantrum and eject you from the dialogue. I will only show the right ones from now on.

: Even in death, the Force will allow her to live on.
: If she were alive now, there would be so much I would say to her… So much I would apologize for. Oh, how can the Council ever take me back with what I have done? Striking my Master down in anger is unforgivable!
: Anger? Show them that you have freed yourself of this base passion.
: If I show them I am free of passion… That I am serene… That I am willing to forsake the dark side. Maybe, just maybe, they would accept me back. Do you think they would? Could it be possible after what I have done?
: Your inner peace and harmony will show them your sincerity.
: I… I thank you, master Jedi. I will return to the Council, then. I shall submit myself to their judgment, and hope that they will forgive me. Again, I thank you. I am sure I will hear great things about you in the future.

This story is not over yet, oh no. After we wrap up the sidequests with the quest-givers, you can expect some actual bullshit.

First: to tell the crazy lady her intelligent vibrator is dead.

: I am afraid your droid had to be destroyed.
Elise: My droid… destroyed? No, no! This cannot be happening! I cannot bear to live without him!

And she runs off towards the enclave. The quest is still open, by the way.

Moving on to tell Jon the Mandalorians are dead.

: I fought and killed their leader.
Jon: Thank you, young Master. My daughter can now, I think, rest in peace. Here is the reward I promised you.

We are dangerously going towards the light side right now, so you know what that means…

: What?? That’s it? Give me more!
Jon: Wha… what? I did not think the Jedi were so greedy. You seem almost Mandalorian.

You know nothin’, Jon!

Jon: I thank you for what you have done for me, but I have nothing else to give. The Council will hear of your deeds… and your greed.
: That was totally uncalled for.

The Jedi Academy

Inside the academy, some new dialogue is available.



Juhani herself is standing over to the right, so let’s speak to her.

: Did you lean anything more about Quatra?
: Quatra’s injuries were not so severe as I first believed. I was foolish to believe I could harm a Master such as she with my… my clumsy efforts. The fierce confrontation between us was nothing more than part of my training. Quatra wanted me understand the threat of the dark side, to see how it easy it was to fall from the path of light.
: So where is Quatra now?
: After our last battle, Quatra had nothing left to teach me. I needed time alone to explore the turmoil of my own spirit. Only then was I ready to follow a guide – you – back to the light. When I left, Quatra knew her work with me was done. There are other disciples who need training through the galaxy, and she could not stay to see if I passed this most difficult trial. With your help, I have passed this difficult trial. The Council now feels I am ready to continue with my training, though they have asked me to wait here for the time being.
: First the Jedi trick you into becoming an enemy, then they welcome you back as a friend. I can’t say I approve of their training methods.
: Giving you a second chance like this is a clear sign of weakness. Sometimes I find it hard to believe the Jedi could defeat my people in battle.
: I do not know what the Council has in store for me, but I will trust in the Force and the way of the Jedi to help me through whatever is to come.

Ok, so let’s sum it up. To teach Juhani the danger of the dark side, her master intentionally drives her to the dark side (with no guarantee it wouldn’t be permanent!) by pretending to be slain. Then she goes away because what is responsibility? Then the Council decides to not intervene when Juhani starts making the wildlife extra murderous, only eventually sending an apprentice that literally just finished training to fix the problem while offering zero guidance. The Jedi are totally the heroes here, guys!

Anyway, I do a small stop at the workbench to upgrade my lightsaber, and back to Zhar we go.


Zhar: But though she was saved, do not dismiss what happened to her. Juhani is both dedicated and true to the ideals of the Order, yet she was still vulnerable to the dark side. As are we all. She struck her master in anger during training, and injured her greatly. But it was Quatra’s choice to test Juhani this way, and it seems to have made its point. Juhani has been redeemed, and you have passed your final test. Congratulations, apprentice. Or should I say congratulations, Padawan? You have proven yourself worthy of joining the Jedi. Let me be the first to welcome you as a full-fledged member of our Order!

Now we are supposed to talk to the council, but if you remember the quest to find the droid is still not officially finished.


Looks like I missed the very first part of the dialogue. Mr Samnt here asks who the hell are us to interrupt their conversation.

Elise: I… I took the loss of my droid much too hard. I feel I must apologize.
: There is no need.
Elise: But I must. I was much too attached to my droid… It was all that was left of my husband, you see. Maybe I thought that, through the droid, my husband could live again… be with me still… But I went too far. I could not see what was missing in living a normal life. Fortunately, in my grief I returned here and ran into Samnt – an absolutely fascinating man!
: Yes, he seems quite nice.
Elise: Samnt and I got to talking and, well, we have a lot in common. I think we’ll be seeing more of each other. It’s funny how these things work out in the end. Maybe there is such a thing as fate, after all… But I think we should be going now… we have so much more to talk about! I just wanted to thank you for what you’ve done for me, and what you tried to do. Goodbye, and thank you.

And so the quest ends with the crazy woman gone forever from our lives.

Time to talk to the Council to both get on with the plot and trigger Dantooine’s final sidequest.

Vandar: Your training is now complete, young Padawan. And perhaps now it is time we dealt with the matter of the dream you and Bastila shared. When we heard of the ruins in your dreams, Master Dorak recognized it as one of a series of ancient structures here on Dantooine. This one in particular lies to the east of this Enclave. We sent a Jedi to investigate… but he has not returned. Perhaps sending him in the first place was a mistake. The Force is guiding you through your visions; it may be that exploring the ruins is a task tied to your destiny. That is why the Council has now decided you should be the one to investigate this. The secrets to stopping Malak may be hidden within those ruins. You must investigate them and find what Revan and Malak were looking for.
: What happened to the Jedi who went to investigate?
Vandar: We do not know. That is one of the things you must investigate. We… fear the worst.

He asks us if we want to ask anything else, but that’s all there was to ask causing us to be thrust onto the party selection screen. Bastila is locked for this part. Canderous is picked to complete the party, and I’m glad that was the case, as you’ll eventually see. But our party min-maxing is interrupted as soon as we confirm!


Vandar: The Council will look into this matter, Mr. Matale. You must be patient. Your accusations have no proof, and we do not want you stirring up trouble with the Sandrals if there is some mistake.
Ahlan: Mistake? My son Shen is missing! How can there be any doubt the Sandrals are to blame?
Vrook: There are other possible explanations for your son’s disappearance.
Ahlan: Bah! You Jedi are good for nothing but talk! I shall only wait so long before I take action of my own!
Vandar: As dangerous as the threat from Darth Malak and the Sith may be, we Jedi cannot simply abandon our other responsibilities. The Council has promised Alhan[sic] Matale we will look into his son’s disappearance. Should you have time, Padawan, you may want to investigate this matter.
: Is there anything else I should know?
Vandar: These two families have been settled here for some years now…
Vrook: And causing me no end of trouble!
Vandar: Indeed. They have been settled here for some time and feuding ever since.
: What caused this feud?
Vandar: I do not know how the original feud started, but they want nothing to do with each other. As you may have heard, Ahlan Matale believes that his son, Shen, has been kidnapped by Nurik Sandral.
Dorak: Curiously, Nurik’s son Casus has been missing for some time as well… I fear Nurik may suspect Ahlan in this…
: Which families are involved?
Vandar: The Sandral and Matale families are involved. The Sandrals live far to the south. The head of that family is Nurik Sandral. He is a stern man, but I believe him fair. Under the present circumstances, though… who knows? Ahlan Matale can be much more unstable. He is convinced of his own importance and can be a most… oppressive individual at times. He lives closer to the enclave, but still to the south.
: I shall investigate this immediately.
Vrook: If Shen Matale is not returned to his father it may ignite a savage and bloody feud between the Matale and Sandral estates. We must not allow that to happen.
Vandar: Your study and training are important, of course. But the Jedi are not a cloistered Order. Our influence and teachings must spread beyond the walls of our Academies.
Vrook: It is in the real world that we truly prove ourselves worthy of the title of Jedi. You would do well to remember this, young Padawan.
: This task has its own importance. It may also serve to divert our minds for a short time… something which carries its own rewards.

Let’s wrap up here so we can finish Dantooine properly in the next update.

[BFEL]

Told you it was a vibrator

But yeah, about 90% of the crap that ends up killing people in the Star Wars universe happens because the Jedi are irresponsible douchebags.

[Culise]

Meet Malak’s jaw.

I always wondered how he lost that jaw. Maybe his master got tired of his mouth and bitch-slapped him with a lightsaber.

I did some searching in the internet after you posted this... and that is actually precisely what happened.

Oh, wow, that ended up being canon?  I was actually reminded of an old fanart 4-panel comic on it from an artist I used to follow which joked about it.  I think I still have it somewhere...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also an excuse to PTW. 

[Teneb]

I'll edit an update to this post in a while, but I'd like to point out something... I never, ever, noticed the minimap at the top left of the game screen despite so long playing this game, as well as going through these images. I noticed it just now, checking a previous update to see if all images were still there. I am truly blind, it seems.

Spoiler: Reader! (click to show/hide)

PART 20 – Dorak’s Bedtime Stories

The Jedi Academy

Last time we got our mission: enter the ancient ruins to find out what Revan and Malak were after resolve a feud so Master Vrook can be spared further harassment from those involved.

But since we got Bastila back in the group (and are forced to take her along), let’s talk to her a bit.

: I want to talk about that dream.
: It was less of a dream and more of a vision… a vision the two of us shared. But I am certainly willing to answer any questions the Jedi Council did not.
: I still don’t understand why we shared this ‘vision’.
: Are you wondering why we shared the vision? Or why we even received it in the first place? To the first I can only repeat the answer that the Council gave us. Our fates are linked, and for two as strong as we are in the Force that amounts to a near-physical bond. As to the second, I don’t truly have an answer for you. The Force works as it will, and perhaps we should be grateful for what we have been given.
: But how did our fates become linked?
: Believe me, the feeling is mutual.
: Then perhaps the sooner we see to our destiny the sooner that we can proceed on our separate paths. That seems the logical solution, no?
: I have another question.
: What would you like to know?
: Why did we dream of Malak and Revan.
: Perhaps because we desired to. Perhaps because they came to this planet and were strong enough in the Force to leave a… a trace.
: Ins’t it a bit convenient to dream about our enemies?
: And what else should we dream about except that which is most important to our fate? We dreamed about Revan and Malak either because we were meant to or because we needed to. There is no other way to look at it.
: What do you think Malak and Revan were doing?
: I have no idea. It was obviously important, however. That is why we must investigate this further.
: Do you think we will receive more of these visions?
: With luck we will. I would rather not rely on such visions to guide us, but when we have so little else to go on and the galaxy hangs in the balance…
: That’s all I wanted to know.
: As you wish. We really should return our thoughts to business anyway.
: Do you know anything about this place?
: Dantooine is a peaceful and pastoral planet. There are few large communities. Mostly what you will find here are ranchers and farmers. I find it a tranquil place like few in the galaxy. The perfect side for the Jedi enclave. You will like it here.
: That’s all for now.
: Then I suggest we move on.

Bastila’s story is pretty short, all things considered, as we’ll be seeing. I think the reason for that is because of… well, future plot. Dorak wants to talk to us, even if the player has no indication this is the case.


Dorak: As a chronicler of the Academy here on Dantooine, I feel it is my duty to share the history of our Order with the newly initiated. Unfortunately, our recent history is one of tragedy and bloodshed. The Mandalorian Wars, the fall of Revan and Malak, the rise of the Sith: there are important lessons to be learned from these events if we do not wish to repeat the mistakes of our past.
: Very well… tell me the history of the Jedi.
Dorak: Of course I could not tell you the entire history of our Order; the Jedi have existed for thousands upon thousands of years. We are as old the Republic itself. Instead, I will begin forty years ago with the war of Exar Kun. Like Malak and Revan, Exar Kun was a Jedi who fell to the dark side and led an army against the Jedi and the Republic. Exar Kun was defeated, but the war left both the Republic and our own Order severly weakened. For twenty years we struggled to rebuild, trying to erase the scars of the terrible conflict.
: What about the Mandalorian Wars?
Dorak: Twenty years ago the Mandalorians, aware the Republic was in a weakened state, began conquering small worlds on the Outer Rim. They were careful to choose only planets outside the Republic’s jurisdiction. After much debate, the Senate chose not to intervene. As long as the Mandalorians avoided planets that were members of the Republic itself, there would be no retaliation.
: That sounds like a big mistake.
Dorak: Well, you can hardly blame the Republic. The memory of war was fresh in everyone’s mind, nobody was eager to relive the horrors in a campaign against the Mandalorians. But in the end it was unavoidable. The Mandalorians stockpiled resources from their conquered worlds, preparing for a massive assault. Seven years ago they launched a simultaneous attack in three separate sectors of Republic space. The Senate had no choice but to retaliate with the entire Republic fleet. The Mandalorian Wars had begun.
: Did they jedi join in?
Dorak: The Republic petitioned the Jedi Council for aid, but there were so many factors to consider before we allowed ourselves to be drawn into another conflict so soon after the war with Exar Kun. While the Jedi Council preached patience, there were many among our Order who were eager for us to join the battle. Two young Knights in particular demanded immediate action: Revan and Malak. They rallied many of the Jedi to their cause and, against the wishes of their Masters, joined the Republic fleet battling the Mandalorians. Revan was a brilliant military leader, and the Republic fleet began to win victory after victory. Four years ago the Mandalorians surrendered unconditionally.
: Where did the Sith come from?
Dorak: Revan and Malak were heroes, the great saviors of the Republic. A third of the Republic fleet was under their direct command… and then something happened. Instead of returning after the war’s end, the ships under Revan’s command went deep into unexplored space. They claimed to be searching for the last remnants of the Mandalorian fleet. All contact was lost. For many months it was assumed some great disaster had befallen the entire fleet. Everyone though they were dead. There were unsubstantiated rumors of Revan and Malak being seen on a number of different planets during these months – scattered sightings that were never confirmed.
: Where did  they disappear to?
Dorak: Perhaps they simply went far beyond the edges of Republic space. Maybe they found previously undiscovered hyperspace routes to the ends of the galaxy. Nobody knows for certain. Three years ago, Revan and Malak returned at the head of a massive invasion fleet. Revan had assumed the title of Sith Lord; the hero had become a conqueror.
: Where did Revan get the ships for the Sith fleet?
Dorak: Some of the ships in the Sith fleet are those that were under Revan’s command during the Mandalorian Wars. But many more are of an alien design we have never seen before. The source of this massive fleet is one of the many things about the Sith that we cannot explain. It seems impossible to have created it in such a short time, yet we cannot deny its existence. The source of the Sith soldiers is, unfortunately, much easier to understand. Initially the bulk of the force were former Republic soldiers who had served under Revan. With each conquest thousands more flocked to join the invaders, swelling their numbers. Even many of our own Order have betrayed us, lured by Sith promises of riches and power.
: So what happened next?
Dorak: For two years the Sith were all but invincible. Fortunately, Bastila and her Battle Meditation allowed the Republic to win a few key victories and kept the Sith from total triumph. In desperation we set a trap for the Dark Lord. Bastila was with the strike team that tried to capture Revan, as you probably know. She was there at Revan’s end. That was nearly a year ago, but things have not improved. Malak has stepped in and assumed the mantle of Dark Lord for himself, though he is far from Revan’s equal in strategy or tactics. Still, his fleet continues to grow in both ships and soldiers. If we do not find some way to stop the Sith soon, Malak will overwhelm us with sheer numbers.
: Where are the academy’s archives?
Dorak: This facility is a training academy. The archives are restricted to those who have attained the rank of Master. We must protect overeager Padawans from being exposed to dangerous knowledge.

Remember, thoughtcrime is dangerous, Padawans!

Dorak: The pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous goal, but there are some thing that require the wisdom of a Master to truly understand.

But if you really want to know, visit any other Jedi enclave in the galaxy.

Dorak: You should ponder the history of Revan; it contains many lessons you may need if we hope to defeat Malak and the Sith.
: I’ll be going now.
Dorak: May the Force be with you.

Vandar has nothing new to say to us. Vrook does, though.



As does Zhar.

Zhar: The lessons that yet await you are to be found beyond the walls of this academy. You should speak to the Council, Padawan. Now that the first stage of your training is complete I am certain they would be eager to have you aid us in our struggle against Darth Malak and the Sith.

Zhar. We already talked about this. You were there.

Anyway, now that we are a proper Jedi, certain characters have extra dialogue.

Crattis Yurkal: Another fresh-faced apprentice ready to leap into Jedi training with both feet. Well, best of luck to you is all I can say about that! It’s always good to see another ally in the fight against darkness and corruption. If there were more people like you around, an honest businessman could make a decent living, and companies like that damn Czerka Crop. wouldn’t even exist! But listen to me… You didn’t come to listen to my ramblings on the evils of Czerka Corp., I’ll bet! What can I do for you?


Deesra: It brings me great join to see another who has joined our Order, particularly in these trying times. The path of the light is a difficult one to walk, and many have fallen into the darkness. But I am certain you will not be one of those. So, Padawan – what can I do for you?
: I’ll be going now.
Deesra: Then may the Force be with you.


Belaya: You should be proud of your accomplishment… but never forget that you still have much to learn. As your power grows you will constantly face temptations to slip to the dark side. This is the eternal struggle of the Jedi.

Dantooine

With all of that done, let’s deal with the feud before Vrook has an aneurism.


: I come on behalf of the Jedi Council. I wish to speak to Ahlan Matale.
Droid: You have come from the Jedi Council? Master Matale wishes to speak with you. I will inform him that you are here. Remain at this location until he arrives.





Paranoid, much?


Ahlan Matale: Though I think your time would be better spent interrogating the Sandrals as to the whereabouts of my son Shen!
: Why are you so certain the Sandrals are to blame?
Ahlan Matale: Many years ago I brought my family here to Dantooine to escape the crush of humanity on the Core Worlds. Soon after we settled here, the Sandrals arrived. And they have been a plague upon my house ever since! The injustices the Sandrals have commited against the Matales are far too numerous to name, but the Council is well aware of our many disputes. Recently, I discovered several Sandral droids trespassing on my land.
: What were they doing here?
Ahlan Matale: I have no idea what nefarious purpose lay behind their arrival – my own assassination, perhaps. Destruction of my property. Maybe a simple spy mission. I wasn’t about to find out. My own security droids destroyed the invaders – not a single one survived.
: At least you’re efficient.
Ahlan Matale: It was shortly after this incident that Shen, my only son and heir to the Matale estate, vanished. Obviously Nurik, the unscrupulous head of the Sandral clan, has abducted my son in retaliation for the destruction of his droids!
: I shall go and speak to Nurik Sandral.
Ahlan Matale: The only resolution possible is the immediate return of my son! Why does the Council insist on stalling? The life of my son is at stake! Is it possible… yes, of course. Now I understand. I am a man of the world, jedi. I know how things are done. I will make a… contribution… of 1000 credits to the Council in exchange for rescuing Shen from the Sandrals. I will present the credits directly to you, of course. Whether the Council ever learns of this “donation” is completely up to you.
: I understand you are upset, Ahlan Matale. Rest assured I will find Shen.
Ahlan Matale: Nevertheless, my offer still stands. A thousand credits for Shen’s safe return. Know, however, that I will not sit idly by much longer. Eventually I will take whatever action is necessary to rescue my son… including razing the entire Sandral estate! Until you find Shen, Jedi, we have nothing further to discuss. I suggest you hurry south to their estate, lest I take matters into my own hands.

And so south we head.


: I come on behalf of the Jedi Council.
Droid: The Council? If you are here because of Shen Matale’s disappearance you are wasting your time. The Sandrals are not involved. This is nothing but a Matale witch hunt.
: I am not in league with the Matales, but I must speak to Nurik.
Droid: Nurik left orders he was not to be disturbed, but given the circumstances I will make an exception. Go into the main hall. Nurik will meet you there.


: I am here on behalf of the Jedi Council. I am investigating the disappearance of Shen Matale.
Nurik Sandral: I brought my family here to find peace and safety – not to be harassed and treated like common criminals! Your Council has no authority here, and I respectfully ask you to leave this property at once.
: This guy isn’t telling us something… he might even be lying. I don’t trust him.



: Who are you?
Rahasia: My name is Rahasia – Nurik is my father. He has not been himself since Casus disappeared. He is mad with grief, and he is convinced the Matales are responsible. He is not thinking rationally.
: Casus disappeared?
Rahasia: Yes. Casus was my brother. He was working on archeological digs here on Dantooine when he disappeared. My father blamed Ahlan Matale… and his son…

It’s actually possible to find Casus’ body. But I ended up not doing that, since there are multiple resolutions to this quest. He was studying the ruins we are supposed to go to, but was killed by the kath hounds. He’d have a datapad talking about how the ruins were built by “The Rak”. Lastly, his corpse has the wrong skin colour, probably because of being a generic corpse.

Rahasia: My father is a good man. When my mother died, he raised me and my brother by himself. He loves his children, and we love him. I just don’t want you to judge him too harshly.
: Judge him? What has you father done?
Rahasia: You must understand that Father has been under a terrible strain. I have no wish to disobey him, but there are matters where even my father’s authority is not absolute.
: Please, tell me what has happened.
Rahasia: My father has kidnapped Shen Matale. He is holding him prisoner here in the compound. He feels this is a way to get back at the Matales, a way to get even for the disappearance of my brother Casus.
: I see. Well there is the answer we seek. The Jedi Council should be informed of this at once.
Rahasia: No! Since Casus went missing my father has become unstable, he might hurt him if you do that! He no longer even cares if the Matales are responsible for what happened to Casus. I’m afraid my father will simply kill Shen out of a mad, misguided lust for vengeance!
: Why are you telling me all this?
Rahasia: Shen is an innocent victim in all this. My father is not a bad man, but his grief has driven him to madness. He must be stopped. Please, find Shen and rescue him before my father does something he will regret forever. I would take you to the prison, but I cannot let my father see me with you. Take this key. It will open an unguarded door at the rear of the estate. You and Shen can make your escape through there. There are many security droids guarding the halls. Please hurry… you are Shen’s only hope.
: What is the problem between your families?
Rahasia: Ahlan Matale and my father have had problems ever since they settled on this world. To hear my father tell it, Ahlan is a brute and a bully, but a rich one. He feels credits give him the right to step all over normal people. My father stands up to Ahlan because no one else will. But now he thinks Ahlan has taken my brother Casus, and has imprisoned Shen as revenge. Please find Shen and free him! You are my only hope!

So we head for the back door, in order to infiltrate the compound.



I either lost or forgot to take the screenshots that showed me finding a security room (it’s pretty close to where we entered) and killing the guard droid there.




Just imagine the above repeated a couple of times. After farming some experience by doing that, I go to Shen’s cell.



: I am here to rescue you, Shen.
Shen: Rescue me? No... I won’t leave. It’s too dangerous.
: I’ll protect you, Shen. Let’s go.
Shen: It is not my safety I am concerned about. I am worried about the fate of Nurik’s daughter, Rahasia. She has been trying to convince her father to release me ever since I was captured. If I escape, Nurik will think Rahasia is to blame. Nurik is insane with grief over the loss of his son Casus. If I leave with you, it is Rahasia who will suffer. I cannot allow that.
: What if we take Rahasia with us?
Shen: If you can convince Rahasia to escape with us I will accompany you – though I do not know if she would be willing to turn her back on her home and family. Who could imagine a Sandral doing such a thing for the sake of a Matale. But if she will not go, then I too shall stay. I would rather face my own death, than have her face her father’s wrath because I escaped.
: Why do you care so much about Rahasia?
Shen: I was taught to hate the Sandrals. To think of them as evil and subhuman. But from the moment I saw Rahasia one day in the city, I knew that my father was wrong. She was like an angel: all white silks and perfume, seeming to float above the crowds. I don’t know what else I could have done but fall in love with her. For months I wooed her and tried to win her heart. I believe I have succeeded, but now this has happened… Our families are always coming between us in one way or another. Please find her and convince her to run away with me.

Since there is no other way to convince him…


Rahasia: Shen can be so stubborn sometimes! If one of the security drones sees me wandering the halls Father will get suspicious! I can’t risk it! I know Shen would rather die than leave me alone to face the wrath of my father. Tell Shen I will meet you outside the gates. I will wait as long as I can, but you must hurry.



: Yes. She promised she would meet us outside the gates.
Shen: I pray she is not just telling me what I want to hear. But I will have to take that chance. Hurry, then. We must not keep Rahasia waiting.


Shen: Rahasia! Thank goodness you managed to escape!
Rahasia: It was all thanks to this kind Jedi that we managed to get this far at all. I thank you Jedi, for all that you have done for us.
: We should get out of here quickly.
Rahasia: You’re right, we should go as fast as we can. I don’t know how long it will be before my father realizes we’re gone.
Shen: You’re right, we should…



Shen: Father!
Rahasia: Mr. Matale!
Nurik: Rahasia!
Rahasia: Father!
Shen: Mr. Sandral!
Ahlan: Nurik!
Nurik: Ahlan!
Ahlan: I knew this was all your doing! I knew you had captured my son!
Nurik: You had taken my Casus from me long before that! You started it!
Ahlan: I don’t want to hear any of your excuses! Now I will get revenge for your transgressions!
: Don’t make me intervene in this.
Ahlan: We never asked for your help, Jedi! Do not press in matters that do not concern you!

Excuse me? You most certainly did.

Nurik: This is an internal affair for my family and is none of your concern!
Ahlan: You should not interfere with our private business, Jedi. This will be resolved very shortly.
: Your children should be allowed to live their own lives.
Ahlan: My son doesn’t know his head from his backside! I am the only one qualified to be making his decisions for him, and I say that he leave with me right now!
Shen: No, I won’t! I can choose my own path!
Ahlan: Shen! How dare you!
Shen: I am tired of you controlling my life! I love Rahasia and I want to be with her forever!
Rahasia: And I want to stay with Shen forever, father!
Hero: You two should stay together no matter what.
Ahlan: Don’t disobey me, Shen. Come to me now and leave her! If you don’t I’ll disown you!
Shen: I don’t care! Rahasia and I will live on our own if you won’t accept us!
Ahlan: You will do no such thing! I am your father and I order you to come back with me!
Shen: No, father, I won’t!
Nurik: Rahasia! You will not leave with this… this Matale boy!
Rahasia: I am father, and you can’t stop me! We’re leaving for the Enclave!
Ahlan: You foolish girl!
: Do not try to force them to return.
Ahlan: You expect us to just let them leave?? Droids! Stop them!
Nurik: You will not turn your droids on my daughter! Droids! Don’t let them take Rahasia!
Ahlan: We appear to be at an impasse then… And they got away!
Nurik: It is your fault, Ahlan! You were always too violent for your own good!
Ahlan: ME?! You were to one who rushed out here with war droids!
: SHUT UP!
Nurik: Don’t tell me what to do, Jedi! The Council will hear of the trouble you caused here today! Indeed they shall!

And so this stupidity is over, as is this update.

[BFEL]

Shen: Father!
Rahasia: Mr. Matale!
Nurik: Rahasia!
Rahasia: Father!
Shen: Mr. Sandral!
Ahlan: Nurik!
Nurik: Ahlan!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfNfQixs8yA

All I could think of during this part

[Akura]

Fun fact: One of the player's responses to that is "Donkey!".


I tried to pull up that scene from Shrek 2, but for some reason, they're either poor quality point-camera-at-TV, or the scene is mixed in with John Cena's WWE intro for some reason.

[Teneb]

I found some better quality portraits in the internet, so I will be going through old updates changing them. In the cases I couldn't find the portraits, I decided to use shots from the game itself rather than the low-res portraits in the party selection screen.

Finally finished with the whole images thing. Also fixed a few errors here and there too.

[Teneb]

Spoiler: Not the droids we are looking for (click to show/hide)

PART 21 – Illumihutti

Dantooine



Where we last left off, we completed a sidequest by destroying two families in the name of teenager love. I’m sure that this will only end well. To take our minds off the horror that was transcribing that mess, let’s talk to Canderous.

: I don’t have as many strange stories like the last one I told you, but I do have a couple about me and the stuff I’ve done. In one battle above the world of Althir, my unit managed to defeat a force of Althiri ten times our own size. That battle gained me command of an entire sub-sect of my clan.
: Tell me the story.
: For five days they had managed to hold off our forces, keeping us to the outer rings of their world, preventing us from attacking it directly. My task was to assault one of their flanks with a false attack. The Althiri would be drawn out by the units I had sent in. Once they had surrounded those units, the bulk of my forces would attack from the rear and defeat them in detail.
: Ah. Did it work?
: Things did not go as I had planned. I saw an opening – a mistake they had made in the disposition of their forces – and I took it! While fending off our main forces, they had let their fleet split in two! The center of their entire fleet was left exposed! I turned my forces and assaulted the center of their fleet, decimating them!
: What did they do?
: Their slow, ponderous ship could not turn to face us without being overwhelmed. Their command vessels were destroyed in seconds. Their ranks were thrown into chaos. It was most amusing to watch the surviving ships scatter and flee. Several even tried to dive through the plane of the rings to escape us! They were shredded by the rings, or crashed into the rocks, or were destroyed by our forces as we pursued them. Warriors do not flee from a battle if they are losing. They fight to the end! As we did against your Jedi Revan. Another time maybe I’ll tell you how the war with the Republic went. For now let’s just get on with things.

So, let’s go back to the Enclave and finish the sidequest.

The Jedi Academy


Vrook: Is is the way of the Jedi to provide help to those in need, and you seem to have lived up to this duty. I congratulate you, Padawan.

Vandar: Their love for each other was being denied by overly possessive parents and we learned that it was only by your intervention that they managed to escape here. While it is regrettable that the fences between the families were not repaired, it is good that these two young lovers can live their lives free of oppression.

Dorak and Zhar have nothing to say on the matter. This leaves us free to progress the plot, and make me feel real glad to have bought the ion rifle.

Dantooine








Expect stuff to be exclusively grey until we leave this area.


: What languague is that? What are you trying to say?
Ancient Droid: [This droid is speaking a language you do not recognize.]

It’s hard to convey it through screenshots, but the sound clips change for each time the above line appears. It’s to represent various different languages.

: Bastila, do you have any idea what this droid is saying?
: I think the droid is trying to communicate with us by cycling through a variety of languages. Each time it spoke it was using a very different alien dialect. The droid can probably understand us. The only problem is it may not have been programmed with the phonemes of a language we can understand.
Ancient Droid: I can reproduce any of the languages spoken by the slaves of the Builders.
: Hey! I understood that.
: I recognize this language as well. It is an archaic variant of the Selkath dialect spoken on Manaan. But why would a droid on Dantooine be programmed to speak ancient Selkath?
Ancient Droid: Communication was vital to ensure that the slaves constructed this temple according to the wishes of the Builders. But you are not of the slave species. Neither are you of the Builders. You are like the one who came before.
: It must be referring to Revan. The Dark Lord and Malak likely encountered this droid when they explored these ruins.
: Are you some type of guardian?
Ancient Droid: I am the Overseer. The Builders programmed me to enforce disciple among the slaves while this monument to the power of the Star Forge was constructed. At project completion all slaves were executed. I was reprogrammed to serve should a Builder return in search of knowledge of the Star Forge.
: How long have you been here?
Ancient Droid: My chronological circuits have marked over ten full revolutions of this system’s outermost planet around the sun since the Builders left.
: Ten revolutions would take more than 20,000 years. If this is true then this droid is nearly 5,000 years older than the Republic itself! There must be some mistake.
Ancient Droid: There is no mistake. The Builders constructed my chronological circuitry using the technology of the Star Forge itself. My calculations are infallible.
: What are these Builders you keep talking about?
Ancient Droid: The Builders are the great masters of the galaxy, the conquerors of all worlds, the rulers of the infinite empire and the creators of the Star Forge.
: These Builders must be an extinct people, though it is strange there is no record of their existence. Even the archives at the Jedi Academy make no mention of them. In the years before the Republic the Hutts were a dominant force in the galaxy, but they never constructed an empire. In fact, I know of no species that would fit with this information.
: Maybe the Builders refers to the Sith.
Ancient Droid: I know nothing of these “Sith”, but they are not the Builders. The Builders are… the Builders. The empire of the Builders is infinite and everlasting. None can stand against their might and the power of the Star Forge.
: Have you seen a Builder recently?
Ancient Droid: I have been here ever since the completion of this monument. In all this time no Builder has returned to seek information on the Star Forge.
: What is the ‘Star Forge’?
Ancient Droid: The Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their infinite empire. It is a machine of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest.
: Could you be a little more specific?
Ancient Droid: The… the Star Forge is the glory of the Builders, the apex of their infinite empire. It is a machine of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest.
: The droid is obviously not programmed with the knowledge we seek. The Star Forge sounds some type of weapon, perhaps… though, in fact, it could be anything.
: Could it have been a factory or weapons plant?
: Maybe… that might explain how the Sith were able to amass a fleet so quickly. But I suspect the Star Forge is more powerful than a mere factory. Maybe the droid has more information we can use. I seems to respond to you; perhaps you should ask it something else.
: Tell me about Revan and Malak… the ones who came before us.
Ancient Droid: The ones who came before you – the ones like you, not Builders but not slaves – sought knowledge of the Star Forge and its origins. They proved themselves worthy.

: The droid must be talking about poor Nemo. The Council sent him here to investigate… and it cost him his life.
: Did you kill the Jedi over there?
Ancient Droid: I am not programmed for combat, I did not harm the one who failed. This temple’s own protections will destroy those who seek the knowledge of the Star Forge if they are deemed unworthy.
: How can I prove myself worthy?
Ancient Droid: Enter the proving grounds to the east and west. Within them those who understand the will of the Builders can unlock their secrets and open the doors. But those who fail will be destroyed by the power of the temple itself. More than this, I am not programmed to say.
: Revan and Malak unlocked the sealed door and uncovered the secrets of the Star Forge. Now Malak is using the Star Forge to fuel his conquest of the Republic.

Thanks for summing up everything said so far, Bastila. Too bad no one who skips cutscenes will ever see it.

: We have to find out what they uncovered. We have to find a way to unseal these doors to learn more about the Star Forge! The Republic is depending on us.

Sure, but first we must desecrate Nemo’s remains.

Since I still have no powers that are disabled by armour, I hand the robe over to Bastila.

Dantooine Battle


So. This droid. This damn droid. It doesn’t hit for much (except when using its flamethrower), but it’s armour value? It’s so high lightsabers were dealing 1-3 points of damage per hit, while regular blasters were doing nothing. The ion weapon was what saved me here, letting Canderous deal a horrible (but still better than the lightsabers’ output) 5-10 damage. With the attack type that increases damage at the cost of things such as critical chance (I forget the name at the moment of this writing).


There is a fortunately wrecked second droid here that we can loot for droid equipment.

The only other thing of interest here is the puzzle we need to solve. Fortunately, it’s super easy. Fortunately because if you fail? You fight another of those damn droids. No surprise Nemo got wrecked.


Computer: [Failure]Given no knowledge of the ancient system and a patent inability to read its output, your attempt is doomed.
: Talk to the computer.
Computer: The computer goes silent, it’s screen blank. A few extremely unusual characters then appear on the screen. The computer emits a rapid sequence of tones. You hear one of those tones softly echoed by your own datapad. A small data receptacle opens in front of the ancient machine.
: Insert your datapad into the receptacle.
Computer: The computer seems to be interfacing with your datapad. The screen goes blank again, and then more familiar characters begin to appear on the screen. Hrsiki? Jsoofs oiuwn so h itasoo’khf?
: Press a button.
Computer: The computer goes silent again, humming softly. It seems to be processing data from your datapad. Your datapad is released from the receptacle and the machine goes silent for a moment before flickering to life again. DATA INTERPRETATION – COMPLETE. LANGUAGE ANALYSIS – COMPLETE. [CONTINUE]. INTERROGATIVE: IDENTIFY THE THREE PRIMARY LIFE-GIVING SEED WORLD TYPES.

We get a host of possible answers to this little puzzle. The answers are Oceanic, Grassland and Arboreal. The wrong answers are Desert, Volcanic and Barren. It bears mentioning that all worlds mentioned in the answers are places we’ll be going, or currently are. The exception is Volcanic, Sleheyron, that was cut from the game.

Computer: PLANETARY TYPE CONDUCTIVE TO LIFE. BREAKING LIFE SEAL.


This one? This one uses carbonite to freeze characters and deal significant damage. As evidenced by Bastila there. You can also see the pitiful amount of damage I’m doing to it.



I’m not going to bother transcribing this, because it’s the same as the other terminal except you have to pick worlds not friendly to life.

Dantooine

The sealed door is now unlocked


It leads to another empty room with another (unlocked) door.










: What are you talking about?
: This is a… a map. Some sort of intergalactic navigational chart. Revan and Malak must have used this to lead them to the Star Forge. We could use this map to follow their path and find the Star Forge ourselves. But we must be wary… they may have laid traps or concealed what they found.
: So what is the Star Forge, exactly?
: I… I don’t know, but Revan and Malak were very interested in finding it. It must be a tool of some type… maybe a weapon. Perhaps the Council can tell us more. But I think this map might be the key to finding the Star Forge, whatever it is.

: But there are pieces missing: incomplete hyperspace coordinates, corrupted data… and there doesn’t seem to be anything indicating where the Star Forge itself might be.
: Perhaps those worlds have more clues.
: I was thinking that, too. This map can’t take us to the Star Forge, but I know that Revan and Malak visited Korriban at least once. Perhaps they discovered something more there. They may have found something on each of the other worlds that completed this map. Maybe if we find all the pieces they will lead us to the Star Forge… and some way to destroy it. We must inform the Council of what we have discovered. They must decide our next course of action, though I suspect our task has only just begun.

This scene unlocks the next conversation with Bastila, so let’s get that done.


: No, not bothering me. Not exactly. I’ve been thinking about what the Jedi Council said about the two of us. There is a bond between us, I do not dispute that. I can feel it, as I’m sure you can. The nature of that bond and its effect on our mission remain in question.
: I still don’t understand this bond of ours.
: Our fates are strongly connected; so connected that a literal bond has been forged between us. I saw your service records when you were transferred aboard the Endar Spire, but nothing beyond that. I know very little about you. I’d like to ask you some questions, given our relationship.
: Okay, I’ll answer a few questions.
: Don’t worry, these are simple questions. Nothing too intrusive. First, what kind of background do you have?

These questions actually have a point. Of course, you may never end up noticing it because they only become relevant much, much later. It’s also the reason I didn’t pick the troll answers, though I will write them after each “true” answer.

: I was a scout. The fleet recruited me for my skills.

“I’m a Hutt in human form plotting to overthrow the Republic.”

: Good. On which planet were you born?
: Deralia. It’s a remote system. Why?

“Kashyyyk. I’m a Wookiee... can’t you tell?”

: Excellent. Your current age is?
: Wasn’t all this in my service records?

“3,012. Healthy living, you know.”

: Yes, well… The truth is I was studying * how* you responded to my questions. Your reactions help me judge you; this was a test for me to learn more about your character.
: And what did you find out?
: You were honest, which is good. And you treated this as a serious matter, which it is. This bond we share will shape both our destinies, it is not to be taken lightly. But I imagine you’ve had enough questions for a while. So many things have happened to you since Taris. It’s probably a lot for you to absorb. We can speak again later, after you’ve had time to think about all this.

I may give this game shit for a lot of things when it comes to plot or character development, but this bit is actually pretty good and subtle. To the point where I only noticed it while typing out this update. So kudos, Bioware.

But, wait! We can talk to her again!’


: I do. How did you know?
: Educated guess, from the way you keep staring.
: I am a Jedi. I am far too disciplined to betray my emotions with outward physical displays. We both know the real reason you have some idea of what I am thinking: the bond we share.
: Maybe.

Neutral to the end.

: Our connection allows us glimpse into each other’s mind. We can feel some of what the other feels. And what I feel within you troubles me. A Padawan must receive considerable training. They must learn to control their emotions and darker impulses. Often it takes years before using the Force can be considered safe. The fact that you are so strong in the Force and have had such relatively little training could have terrible consequences. For you, and for everyone around you.
: What do you think I should do?
: I don’t think there is much you can do. If things were different I would recommend several years of training under one of the Jedi Masters. But I fear that won’t be possible. Thankfully you have exhibited a degree of compassion and self-control up to this point. I sincerely hope you can maintain these traits in the future. We must all resist the influence of the dark side! It is everything we are fighting against! This is doubly important for you, with your natural affinity to the Force!
: Why are you getting so upset?
: I’m sorry if I come across as harsh. But I am concerned. For you, for our mission. And for myself, as well. Our destinies are intertwined. Everything one of us does will have consquences for the other. Any reckless behavior on your part is likely to affect me as well.
: So you’re just worried about yourself, then?
: That’s not true. I am worried about myself, but also about you. I would rather see neither of us come to any harm. Your power could be a gift or a curse. When you need guidance, or advice, or support I will do my best to help you stay on the path of the light.
: I doubt I’ll be a risk to the mission.
: No, of course not. Not yet. But there will be challenges ahead that might make it otherwise.

There is some more foreshadowing here, too.

: I only hope I will have the wisdom to help you through the dark times. But for now, we should return to our mission.


I forgot to show this off before I went in.

Back to the Council we go.


: We found an incomplete Star Map and mention of something called a Star Forge.
Vandar: This news of a Star Forge is disturbing. Action is required, but we must not do so in haste. We must discuss recent events in light of this new information.
Vrook: We should consult the Jedi archives to see if there is any mention of this ‘Star Forge’ and what it might do. We must learn why Revan and Malak sought it out. Return to your ship with Bastila and we will summon you when we are done.

There is a small timeskip and were back to the Council.

Vandar: We Jedi know victory over the Sith will not come through martial might. The Council has a mission for you, Padawan.
Dorak: I have consulted our vast archives in an effort to discover the nature of this ‘Star Forge’, but all my efforts have been in vain.
Vrook: Still, the Council are in agreement: the Star Forge must be found! Revan and Malak sought it out when they began their tragic fall; the Star Forge is surely a powerful tool of the dark side.
Vandar: The Star Map in the ruins showed you four planets, but it was incomplete. It did not show the location of the Star Forge itself. We believe there may be similar Star Maps on other planets. Each Star Map is likely a small piece of a larger puzzle. Find the Star Maps on Kashyyyk, Tatooine, Manaan and Korriban and we believe they will lead you to the Star Forge.
: I am ready to do the Council’s will.
Vandar: The Jedi numbers have been ravaged by this war, by defections to Malak’s cause and by Sith assassins. But we realize the importance of this mission. Yet if we sent a company of Jedi Knights with you we would surely draw the full attention of Malak and the Sith, dooming your efforts to failure.
: Am I to undertake this task alone?
Vandar: Secrecy is our best defense against the Sith, but it would be foolish to send you on this quest without someone to aid you, young Padawan. Bastila will accompany you, for there is a powerful connection between you two… a connection that might be key to unraveling the mysteries uncovered by Revan. And Juhani has also asked to accompany you. After long deliberation we have granted her request.
Vrook: Juhani nearly fell to the dark side. Perhaps her presence will serve as a reminder to you of the dangers of that path.
: There are other I want to join me.
Vandar: Of course those who aided you on Taris will also come; they possess skills you may find useful in your quest. Remember that secrecy and discretion are paramount to your success. You will not be able to hide the fact that you are Jedi, nor should you. But the true nature of your mission must not reach Malak’s ears. You may return here at any time. Dantooine will be a sanctuary for you, a safe haven. Here you can find supplies and whatever advice or other aid we may give you.
: When do I leave?
Vrook: You can leave whenever you wish; the sooner the better. The longer you wait the stronger Malak becomes. But first a warning, young Padawan: the lure of the dark side is difficult to resist. I fear this quest to find the Star Forge could lead you down an all too familiar path.

Familiar, huh? Must be talking about Juhani.

Vandar: The fate of the galaxy is in your hands, young Padawan. We pray you are up to the challenge. May the Force be with you.

There is some new dialogue for us to see before I end this update.

: Why does the Council not stop the Mandalorian raiders?
Vrook: So you heard about them, did you? They have been harmless up until now. It is tragic that someone had to die before we took action. You have our leave to deal with the murdering Mandalorian raiders should you encounter them.


Zhar: I have heard that it was by your actions that they managed to escape, and I must congratulate you for avoiding a potentially dangerous situation.

[Akura]

Those droids you had trouble with? Did they have shields? Lightsabers and blasters(both have the same damage type) hardly scratch them. Switch to a vibroblade.