Showing posts with label Hjalmar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hjalmar. Show all posts

Saturday, 21 December 2019

The Wild Hunt: Conjunction

[Part of the Wild Hunt story]

With Radovid out of the way, Nilfgaard turned its attention directly to Skellige. Among their massive armada sailed Geralt and company, with an Emperor approved plan to lure the Wild Hunt into battle for one final confrontation.

As Avallac'h expected, they took the magical bait and arrived right into the prison dome maintained by the lodge sorceresses where Geralt, Ciri, and the Nilfgaard army ambushed them. Not one to sit out of a fight, the Skellige fleet also arrived with Crach and Hjalmar at the helm.

None could match the King of the Hunt though, with even Crach falling victim to his blade. Unfortunately for him, the White Wolf's reflexes were better than his magic and the witcher avenged his fallen friend with style.

His death did not end the threats though, as their arrival had begun another Conjuction of Spheres - where the gateway to other worlds opened to let numerous creatures teleport in. The worst of these was the White Frost, a world killing magical storm who prophecy claimed could only be defeated by a child of the elder blood. Ciri.

So this is what it's like inside a snow globe...

Having been trained by Avallac'h for exactly this purpose, Ciri stepped through a gateway to face this unstoppable threat... and won.

Insight: The King of the Hunt is a pansy compared to his generals. Just dodge often and igni his frost armor off to deal some good damage.

Wednesday, 18 December 2019

The Wild Hunt: Siege

[Part of the Wild Hunt story]

By the time Ciri and Geralt return to Kaer Morhen, all the allies have gathered - now including Letho, Keira Metz and Triss. As expected, the Wild Hunt are not far behind so while Yen shields the castle with magic, Triss provides fiery artillery support for the three volunteers who go out to attack the enemy: Geralt, Lambert and Letho.

Witcher Strike Team!

The fighting is fierce and despite their best efforts and various traps, the sheer numbers of Wild Hunters gradually force the defenders back towards the keep, with Vigi, Folan and Vesemir being killed. Seeing the old witcher get his neck broken triggers something in Ciri, and she loses control for a few minutes wailing like a banshee. The sound proves fatal to the Wild Hunt and they are forced to retreat after catastrophic losses.

Having won the day, the team spends some time mourning before they go their separate ways. Hjalmar and Ermion return to Skellige, Vernon and Ves to Velen, Zoltan to Novigrad, Eskel to Lormark, and Keira and Lambert to gods know where - as a couple.

In hopes to better protect Ciri, Yen and Triss head off as well to try rebuild the Lodge of Sorceresses, leaving only Geralt, Letho and Avallac'h to watch over the girl.

Insight: So... she could have just yelled at them this whole time? Mmhmm. In any case, if you run out of dimetrium bombs, Yrden can also shut down the portals.

Tuesday, 17 December 2019

The Wild Hunt: Allies

[Part of the Wild Hunt story]

Once everything is prepared, Yennefer's magics finally lift the creatures curse - revealing him to actually be an elf sage named Avallac'h, who happens to be Ciri's mentor. The elf tells Geralt how find Ciri at the magically hidden Isle of Mists.

Vesemir warns them that they'd need a plan first though, as no doubt the Wild Hunt would be nipping at their heels the minute Ciri leaves that island. Geralt agrees, and states the plan is to bring Ciri home - luring the hunt into a battle at Kaer Morhen.

While the others prepare, Geralt goes to seek other allies first - being turned down immediately by Dijkstra, Crach, Cerys, and the Emperor of Nilfgaard. Fortunately Zoltan, Vernon, Ves, Hjalmar, Vigi and Folan all agree to fight. Surprisingly so does the Skellige druid Ermion, who is zen enough to put aside his hate of Yennefer.

The White Wolf then sails to the Isle of Mists, and without too much fanfare finally locates Ciri.

Been looking for you, kid.

Insight: Ahh this part is great, as it is one where all of your previous decisions either pay off or bite you in the butt!

Sunday, 15 December 2019

The Wild Hunt: Bears

[Part of the Wild Hunt story]

While the feast starts off as a normal rambunctious affair it quickly sours when a number of guests suddenly shift into bears and slaughter all but three candidates for the crown before Geralt can put them down.

Fighting without gear was the only way Geralt could give the bears a chance.

Hjalmar immediately decides to hunt down the bear related clansmen but the witcher opts to stay and assist Cerys in actually investigating the crime scene, discovering that those that transformed were actually poisoned to do so by the mother of the third contender and son of the previous King.

The guilty party is arrested and for her intellect Cerys is voted the first ever Queen of Skellige. During the coronation celebration, the witcher unexpectedly finds another trail to follow on his hunt for Ciri. That of a hideous man creature he and Yen previously heard about.

One of the Jarl's actually knew of such a monster, having sold the misshapen tyke to the Continent to a trader who worked for the Bloody Baron.

Insight: While it's fun to aim the crossbow by holding the button down, it's often more useful to just tap the button which will let Geralt auto aim and fire at the nearest enemy.

Saturday, 14 December 2019

The Wild Hunt: Kingmaker

[Part of the Wild Hunt story]

With Yen returning to Vzima to report to the Emperor, the White Wolf decided to remain in Skellige for some witcher's work - freeing a cursed gladiator spirit by letting it win, appeasing an ancient leshen to protect a village, and destroying a regenerating werewolf by forcing it to eat itself.

On his travels he also aids the children of Crach who, like many others, were off trying to accomplish heroic deeds in hopes to be crowned the next King of the isles.

Crach's daughter, Cerys, didn't need much help while trying to cure a neighboring Jarl of a demon possession. In comparison, his son Hjalmar took an entire boat load of warriors to a monster inhabited isle and lost almost all of them. Geralt was hard pressed to save the hot head prince, Folan the archer and Vigi the Fool from certain death.

Only someone named "the Fool" would wake an Ice Giant.

Crach is overjoyed at this, and allows Geralt to attend the election feast that follows.

Insight: While none of the horse racers in Skellige are that good, their fist fighters and duelists are fantastic. Make use of small dodges for the former to strike while they are open and counters for the latter. In both, don't just attack like crazy or you will regret it.