We began at Castigator’s Keep and headed southeast, following whatever roads and Jump Gates still looked unexplored. Before long, the ruins became strangely familiar. Parts of the old refuge from the first Mortal Shell are still here, including the remains of the Old Prisoner. I spent far too much time around that place in the first age, although to be fair, most of that journey was essentially one swamp, a handful of dungeons, and a great deal of walking in circles while pretending it was exploration. A little farther on we found the Axatana. A fine weapon, I am sure. Just not mine. The higher we climbed, the more Mammon changed. The architecture became paler, more symmetrical, more clinical and increasingly alien. Depressing, certainly, but beautifully so. We interrupted a small ceremony involving two hammer-wielding believers and several devotees of poison and traps. Faith is apparently still alive and well. Among them we found the Colossus Stone.
From Barren Crest we reached Silent Steps surprisingly quickly. The entire stretch was almost peaceful, enough for me to sit on one of those black circular platforms that seem designed exclusively for dramatic resting poses. Nothing happened, of course. I nearly brought out the lute anyway. From Silent Steps, one route climbed to a plateau while another continued below, so naturally we took the lower path first. Leaving unexplored corners behind is how maps become personal insults. That road eventually brought us back to the Vestige of Infinity, where a massive staircase and two Jump Gates led us to the Corrupted Gate of the Faded Citadel and the Forbidden Archives. The Archives were appropriately unpleasant, full of strange books, oppressive silence and those chin-tentacled creatures whose heavy melee attacks have very little respect for interruption. We cleansed the Beacon, then returned to Silent Steps and climbed to the plateau.
There we found Sariel, who was not especially pleased to see us. Fortunately, hostility remains vulnerable to violence. He made the fight more annoying by repeatedly retreating deeper into the Chamber of Becoming, because apparently dealing damage is not enough if the boss insists on making you carry it after him. Eventually we brought him down, claimed his Shell and the Clockwork Scythe, and with that the Shell and main weapon collections were complete. After another long walk back toward the Forbidden Archives, I began to wonder whether it was finally time to close the last gate. Then I remembered the Sesters’ territory, which I had barely explored after grabbing Genessa and cherry-picking the spear early in the journey.
So back we went. A few shortcuts opened, followed by that familiar excitement of discovery, which quickly turned into: ah, this just leads somewhere I already know. Then we found the dungeon we had nearly missed, the Revered Beacon. Inside, a wandering beam of light crossed the area. At first I assumed it was scenery. Then it blinded me and I died. Educational. On the second attempt, I understood the trick, avoided the beam and reached the end, where we claimed the final Sidearm, Cursed Child. With that, there is very little left unexplored. Now we are back at the Corrupted Gate of the Faded Citadel, taking a short break before moving on. And for the first time in a while, I already feel that quiet bit of melancholy that comes when a journey is almost over.
Follow Genessa’s complete journey: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLzlSyMz5UKU
#MortalShell2 #Genessa #NoCommentary #BlackNeedle #Sariel #ForbiddenArchives #CursedChild
