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Spellfyre: Love and Magic Review (Chapters 6-10)

I have kept playing this game! And I'm...well, you'll see. Starting at chapter 7, I started dividing my thoughts by scene rather than a whole chapter blurb. I did randomly chop up my Ch6 review to fit the block requirements, though.

Chapter 6: Fuel to the Fire

When Niel said she snagged a rune from class a few days ago, I realized that I felt like we don't have a lot of classtime; they mainly felt introductory to remind us that we're in school, despite the fact that many of our events thus far were social. Far be it from me to criticize that under normal circumstances, but this is a magic school where the MC has just now awakened their magical abilities. I'd think we'd focus more on the world, the teachers, the classes, not just the plot against MC. It felt a little too standard YA. Plus the more insistent Niel is about helping MC, the more I feel like she's a possible plot-twist--heavily unlikely, but that makes it more interesting, doesn't it? In any case, her just following MC along with the plot isn't really doing anything for me; she isn't really providing any new perspectives or unique insight. She's just a follower, ironically enough. And we don't even get to see her take a rune from a powerful professor?

The plot armor is strong with this one. Leona's role in showing that there IS work to be done here at school kinda lampshades my previous point, so I hope to see more of it in the future rather than it just feeling atmospheric. And her ally quest of a secret club is kind of underwhelming since (and I know I sound like a broken record now) the worldbuilding and school environment doesn't feel properly established for the clandestine/against the rules stuff to feel significant. It's almost like the writers are adapting a book and just going through the highlights. And Leona signing MC up for a violent sport without their consent kind of sullies my previously positive opinion of her as she falls into the standard "rebel" archetype. It also feels really dumb for the child of the Dreadbane to be involved in this, especially since it's secret; kinda wish we had a "stand out"/"blend in" meter to gauge MC's personality. On the bright side, the game continues to show awesome side character designs rather than just standard background looks. I wouldn't be shocked if recurring characters became love interests in the future--though I imagine that'd make the main story feel bloated even when allies aren't required. And Leona said she's not used to people like MC actually WANTING to keep her around. Gee, I wonder why, when she makes decisions for them and seems to throw herself and them into dangerous situations.

And then she runs off after spending the night together in the "I need to leave you before you leave me" way that, aside from feeling cliche for said archetype, felt like it could've been used for Bardric or Talyn, so it didn't feel distinct to me. I was hoping she wasn't the "keeping my distance" type of character like them. And Rhiannon not caring less about the club despite being obsessed with the house's status is bizarre to me, seeing how our involvement could affect Onyx House's standing. Granted, she fought (well, DOMINATED) in it herself, but offers no "hey, keep it on the low" talk or anything. The Flamekeeper main part of the story, doesn't really lead anywhere, other than hearing footsteps, getting caught by Zaratis, and he dies--which is odd to me. He doesn't give off much of an impression besides having a prejudice against you, possibly trying to sabotage your trials, and even trying to go around the headmistress' back to punish/torture you in order to learn why he found you sneaking around. Am I supposed to be sad or happy? He's of so little consequence that I can't really feel much of either.

And when Bardric attacks MC, he pretty much puts his Erolis affinity in the back of his mind, even when my MC, an Erolis himself, uses a dialogue choice to get through to him. After the Flamekeeper gets the crystals (did I miss something? Anyone can use someone else's spellblade? That's a huge ID issue), Bardric--if you choose him as an ally--shows weird writing once more. After attacking and accusing you of being the Flamekeeper, he'll bring up that he offered and is still willing to help you with your forest attackers (I don't remember him offering a first time, but I can't replay that scene and no one on Youtube chose him for it), and MC shows inconsistency themselves: they tell him they don't need his help, but can then follow it up with the dialogue option of "we need to work together" concerning the Flamekeeper, and he'll tell you to keep your head down and stay out of his way, and that you won't work together. So he'll help you when you were attacked, but not when you're being framed. IDK how to read him. Weirdly, this still feels like the canon route to becoming friends with Bardric after his first quest, but with the writing, it feels like an afterthought to appeal to Bardric fans and that it was originally just meant for Talyn or Niel. His ally quests are of no help either, since you're put into detention (was this for the fight when the Flamekeeper stole the crystals? It's not clear. And why are we introduced to Professor Littlestone for cleaning out horse manure instead of a less important, non-affinity staffmember?), and we go back and forth between friendship and animosity.

Day one sees him talk about how Erolis to him means patriotic love for his people and wanting to protect them, and the dialogue option for Erolis MCs makes no sense, commenting that he's using his powers to be good with horses, but he replies that his pampered lifestyle didn't equate to being loved or loving back, and that MC grew up in isolation but is an Erolis user as well (but can't charm the horses). While I get his angle of how love can mean a lot of things, it does feel odd that he has such a firm grasp of any kind of love but struggles with his feelings towards us; if anything, he should've been just as shocked as anyone to be Erolis because he doesn't really know what love is. I can't fathom his sense of patriotism if he doesn't really feel like he loved others or was loved growing up. I'm curious if anyone got this response from him without being an Erolis, thus making the unique dialogue choice not unique at all. Plus getting to use the "slow time" spell was anticlimatic since this quest only opens up at a specific point in time, meaning everyone who played it would have the spell, and making it a dialogue/choice was unnecessary. Bardric's apology for how he treated MC is nice, but even when you're alone together he has no idea how he feels--which would be an arc, but he's never called out by MC, so it's treated like it's fine/normal. Plus I found the end of the first detention really weird dialogue since MC calls him an A-hole several times, then when asking him if he finds it weird if he's an Erolis, he asks if MC is calling him an A-hole, and then the day MC tells him he isn't a total A-hole, which he says he tries, and MC says "don't push it." Very odd response to saying he tried not to be an A-hole. Littlestone serves as a messenger for Bardric's father, who wants Bardric to do something more dignified for detention, and not only do I feel it undermines the teacher, but it does make me curious about Bardric's past; he said he came from a big family and faced a lot of pressure, but he speaks of his father with love and admiration and his father apparently isn't the "I disown you" type, so I am curious as to how Bardric develops a sense of feeling stifled and caring for his country if it seems he's been spoiled his whole life. Obviously it happens, but I'd think he'd be more self-involved. In fact, while we learn about him, we don't talk about the main quest very much, furthering my annoyance with how they feel isolated. Shouldn't we talk about him wanting to find the Flamekeeper alone, or how he wants to help MC find his attackers? It's almost like this quest came before, if it wasn't for mentioning the attack during the first day of detention. And when he promises to "fix this," I kinda laughed; did he mean he'd get MC out of detention, or that he'd work to serve detention with MC as well? If it's not the former, it's not fixing the situation. Finally, round 3 of detention occurs, and Bardric somehow worked out a "volunteer detention" thing with Windworm on top of the new detention they're figuring out (I find it odd that while they figured out his new punishment, he got a break from detention; imagine if his father made him a TA, though. Cato would be furious and Bardric would feel like everyone assumed he didn't work hard at school because of his father and having a teacher's ear).

And then he…confesses he's had feelings for MC? Will THAT carry over to the main story, or will we go through a reset relationship again? I'm still curious if Cato and Talyn's romantic stuff carried over (I only romance the guys, but lemme know if the female romances carried over to the main quests!). And Bardric said something odd: that he'd been dreaming of MC for weeks. How often have they had detention? Did he have feelings for MC BEFORE he attacked them, or did detention just last for a long time? If it's the former, that's a huge red flag that he was willing to attack first, ask questions later. The detention sessions seem like they're close together, and Bardric worked out his volunteer work with Wormwind immediately after your second session, it seems like he probably felt this way since the woods attack (or whatever the equivalanet would be if you didn't choose him). Weird if he had feelings for you and offered to help with the forest attackers, but then attacked you himself and accused you of being the Flamekeeper. Love more Bardric content, but the writing is confusing.

TLDR: I need more school content (wasn't a fan of the way we were introduced to Professor Littlestone), Niel feels too much like a follower, Leona lost my love a bit with her ally quest, the secret duelling club thing feels like a dumb thing for MC to be involved in and for Rhiannon to not care about, Zaratis' death felt too soon to care, the spellblade-ID is another tack against it as a magical weapon for me, and the writing for Bardric is as inconsistent and wishy-washy as ever--and not in a deliberate, "I'm torn" way, but a "are there different writers for every Bardric interaction" way.

Between the release of 7.1 and 7.2, we got the feature to replay the scene we were on. I like it and I hope it will give us the option to choose our ally over again, since as of right now, it doesn't. And between the release of 7.5 and 7.6 we got SAVE SLOTS WITH RESTORED PURCHASES! I'm so happy with that. Plus it's awesome that using a different save slot still gives you rewards for completing chapters, as does replaying ally quests.

Chapter 7: Carry the Torch

7.1 Talyn pretty much said what I was thinking about Zaratis. VERY anticlimatic for someone set up to be an antagonistic teacher--though I do respect Bardric for wanting him to be admired. AND HERE WE GO AGAIN! Anything from the previous day (using him as an ally) or his ally quests mean nothing--which makes it weirder that they're mentioned. IDK how him being a jerk to you after kissing translates to "maybe it meant everything to him" and that's why he's being cold to you as usual. We're supposed to be breaking down walls, not reinforcing them. I do love the fact that his posse also sits with our group along with him--and I know have Leona/Flatcher as a crackship and headcanon Flatcher as thicc AF due to their conversation. The whole Flamekeeper business is kind of giving me "Chamber of Secrets" vibe with the whole concern of closing the school (plus a bit of "Prisoner of Azkaban" with the Enforcers being sent to catch the Flamekeeper and the upcoming trip to a local town), but due to MC mostly experiencing the social aspects rather than the educational aspects, it feels more like a loss of friends than anything. I wouldn't be shocked if at some point they're expelled and the allies teach him what they've learned. And Bardric has the NERVE to say MC has nothing to fear if they're guilty of nothing, despite seeing how everyone is prejudiced against them.

TLDR: Zaratis died too early, Bardric is inconsistent as always, I now ship (thicc) Flatcher and Leona, I'm now getting more obvious "Harry Potter" vibes, and I need more educational content.

7.2: OH COME ON! Professor Iyer is hot, and even the narrative points that out. I wonder if that's gonna be relevant later--though honestly I'd prefer to stay away from dubious relationship like that. I don't fully understand the correlation of Erolis' emotion-based powers with medicine; I get it's healing, but I guess it being emotion-based is kinda wonky for me. It does make me wonder if we'll be able to choose professions/part-time jobs in the future. Plus it's weird that Erolis is supposed to be about all emotions, but love is the one getting the most emphasis. And I'm also confused on Iyer going back and forth between using our first name and last name instead of just one or the other. Also curious if we'll get to choose our class partner or if it'll be actually random based on Iyer's choice. On one hand, choosing for ourselves is part of the gameplay experience, but on the other, the professor explicitly said he'd pick for us. The last time we something like this happened was with the first trial, where MC teamed up with Niel and needed to find a third--only for you to be able to choose two other teammates and Niel didn't need to be part of the team. The narrative versus the choices aren't consistent. And I'm annoyed that at this point, we STILL haven't met Professor Littlestone in the main story.

TLDR: Our Erolis professor is gorgeous (but jumping between first and last names was confusing to me), Erolis' emphasis on love despite being stated to be an emotions affinity was weird, and I'm curious about the next trial. But WHERE is Professor Littlestone?

7.3: Again, while it's nice that we're given some food for thought about our father in the Dreamscape, but again, we don't really hear enough specifics about him in the real world to make this a conflicting story; everyone just says "he was a killer/monster." Heck, I'm surprised more of the students don't have personal ties to him through their parents besides Bardric or Talyn. Everyone is just feeding off of the apparent image of his negativity, but from what the narrative gives us, it's an EXTREMELY hazy image. It literally says "All your life, you've been told your father was an iredeemable monster," and that's pretty much what we're told with no explanation. Even if this ends up being a fakeout, it's not enough information to go "wow, everything I know is a lie" since we don't know that much to begin with. Again, need more lore, both for the father and the world. And neat, we finally meet our mother. But how is it that MC instantly recognizes her if they never knew much about her? Why wasn't she mentioned until now? And WHY does she get the "seduced by the villain" explanation while MC doesn't get any sympathy for being her child? Unless it's a lie that everyone thought that just to spare MC's feelings, but I doubt that. Altogether MC's dreams would've felt more interesting if we'd had more specific contradictions to it beforehand. And it's a bit of a nitpick, but I am annoyed that they have the typical dynamic of the stern, defiant male lover and the sweet, concerned female lover. And not gonna lie, I thought Lyria was gonna be Niel's mom or something at first glance.

TLDR: Need more specifics about MC's father for it to feel a plot twist, as well as MC's mother (who should've been talked about earlier), plus I do have a nit-pick with the stereotypical YA parent dynamic with the warrior father and calm, scholarly mother.

7.4: While I like the presence of the Enforcers, the lack of exploring the area outside of classes (and the quick-paced ally quests), as well as what makes your dad so hateable, makes things feel less emotional than they should be. I should note that this is my first time replaying a scene since the feature was introduced, and I was disappointed to find that it doesn't allow you to choose who your ally is. When choosing Bardric, he mentions how he said he'd keep an eye on you. I almost critiqued it since this part was dependant on who I chose as an ally, but then I remembered that him saying that the first time was also an ally-dependant quest. So compliments for following through! Though he does mention this is his first time "secretly" following you, so I wonder if that's still canon if you choose another ally and he just doesn't announce himself. But then he switches up again, being very kind and open even when MC is talking about their father and showing sympathy. It feels so dissonant from the moments when he acts aggressive, even when alone. Unless there's a reveal that he's been secretly monitored and wants to keep you safe, I find this writing to be very frustrating. I did appreciate the explanation that proximity to the Wilderlands seems to be making people have weird dreams. Did Niel's ally quest mention that? If not, that's something to bring up to her. I liked where this was going with my ally (in my case, Bardric), but it ended before it began, and by MC's choice, not by an interruption. Bardric just says he dreamt about "the usual nonsense" and that was it; that's all we're given. Breloc continues to distract me with her dull colors, but her section of the story was pretty interesting. I found it very surprising that she's willing to risk more ire by using flame jets outside her window (NGL, I'd shield my door first; it seems very obvious that there's enough animosity for people to just break in the front way instead of sneaking). And Zaratis was around for so little that I can't even see him as a martyr--even though the narrative wants you to understand how bad it looks that someone who hated you is now dead. I NEED MORE OF THE TEACHERS.

And there's a certain irony to having the option to tell Bre that she isn't alone because you can make allies--when you have to pick and choose allies. Makes me wonder if eventually the story will get to a point where we're gonna be able to choose as many allies as we want as long as their levels are high enough. As of now, we can usually only pick one, sometimes two. Also makes me wonder if poly-romance scenes are gonna be possible in the future. Also curious if we're gonna get more intimate scenes--obviously it's too early now, but I am curious about that. The swimming scene after the party (that felt like it went way too fast) can't be all we get this year!

TLDR: Need more father lore and exploration of the school to feel more fleshed out, Bardric is wishy-washy as always, the conversation was cut way too short with him/MC's ally, I need more attention on the teachers, and Bre's conversation seems to promise interesting developments.

7.5: The fact that this is at least our second Erolis class but we're already learning a spell is a worldbuilding issue for me. What else are we learning? I don't need every single detail, but that's important to make the world feel richer. And um, shield, the "foundation of all magical defense and a vital spell for any expedition"? WHY DIDN'T WE LEARN THIS BEFORE ANY OF OUR DANGEROUS TRIALS?! That should've been the first thing we learned before offensive magic. And I definitely don't remember Talyn, an older student, using it in his ally quests. NGL, points to Flatcher for taking the lesson seriously by chucking a book--even if that's probably not the smartest thing to do to the professor who's class that book probably belongs to. Given the enemies in the woods that attacked us haven't been mentioned or a priority for a while, I almost forgot he's a suspect. And shield is pretty much expecto patronum with the whole powerful memory--and it sounds extremely useful if it repels most spells (again, we should've learned this immediately; isn't Erolis also related to healing?) The "you had sex" comment from Iridessa felt so out-of-pocket since Professor Iyer had just suggested hugs as a metaphor for a warm emotion, and Soren said he was experienced with that. I thought he just meant MC wasn't hugged as a child. The sexual implication was odd; but Stel jumping in and admitting he wasn't good at sex was kinda funny (even if I find it a weird stereotype that male jerks in media are commonly not good at sex as a way to shame them. Can't we make them bad at something else?) NGL, I kinda thought Soren and Flatcher would have a thing, tbh. I loved getting another choice that was more than 3 options. I chose Bardric and failed, but I'm assuming none of the allies would help you succeed. Lemme know if I'm wrong, And MC's comment about Bardric growing up with a loving family is weird, since Bardric is required to be a level 5 ally by this point to use him, and he's already made it clear that his childhood wasn't sunshine and rainbows. The whole "self-love" thing feels too rushed for one scene to me, and I do wish we got to learn about Bardric's siblings to talk about non-romantic love, which would be a good segue for people not playing for romance. And Bardric pushing you off if you hug him is so annoying to me if you already made out with him in his ally quest. Once more: if this was simply an image/peer pressure thing, that'd be one thing, but MC is treating his inconsistent behavior like it's normal and not bizarre or hurtful at all.

TLDR: I need more in-depth lessons, the shield spell (and Erolis classes in general) should've been the first thing we learned, Flatcher and Soren's moments were entertaining (though Soren's "bad at sex" thing was cringey and random), and MC and Bardric acted inconsistent of Bardric's ally quests. Very underwhelming, and I wanted to hear more about his past.

7.6: NGL, I feel like an Erolis class should've taken a minute before getting into the arena; while largely used for healing and protection, you'd think that'd mean you'd need MORE time to study and practice before being thrown into combat. And I forgot the arena changed appearances, since they looked the same during previous trips if I recall. In WHAT world does Soren consider MC a weak link, considering they're their father is a widely hated warlord and you can perfectly ace your previous trials? At this point I think Soren just wants to sleep with MC. Just ask; I will select "yes." That said, that does bring me to another issue: a lot of characters' personalities don't really extend outside of me. They don't usually have anything going on that doesn't involve around being loving me or hating me. Even the love interests, while having backstories, kinda skimp on it as it's glossed over quickly or kept part of an ally quest. Though I will give points to Professor Iyer; good or bad, he certainly knows how to make things interesting, and I'm pleased to see his promise to select your team himself--and pleased with the results. And Soren's sabotage was delicious. Honestly I figured he probably sabotaged MC before knowing they're be on the team, but I didn't know how. And I'm curious why he thinks MC is a "traitor," since I think that's the first time I've heard anyone refer to MC as such.But I had the Erolis option of warning him before he got attacked. If you have a different affinity, are you still able to deal so? Because if so, that continues to undermine the whole "longstanding effects of choices" aspect of the game. Interesting to learn he has a like/dislike score of his own (other characters have shown it too, but I forgot to mention it; I'm curious how that'll affect later chapters). And I find it fascinating that Soren isn't fully agreeable to Bardric's demands, seeing how someone (was it Talyn, Niel, or someone else) said that he's new money, a social climber forced to stick to him. And again: WHY is MC saying Bardric had a loving childhood when Bardric has already refuted this? But finally, we can cast spells without the annoying spellblade aspect. And are we just gonna ignore the "self love" thing Bardric said in the previous chapter? Instead I escaped because I wanted to love someone else? It's not bad, but undermines the previous chapter's lesson. And IT'S ABOUT TIME that the narration acknowledges how Bardric switches up, even if it was done rather quickly. And Windworn is okay with continuing the (surprise) trial just based on the results of the first team? The trust issues I'd have with this school from this day on would dwarf the ones I had before.

And Mor giving Bardric some sass is again wild to me considering who Bardric is. Bardric acknowledging our kiss only in the ally quest kinda bummed me out, since it reinstates the idea that ally quests are self-contained. And why don't we get to option to say we liked the kiss rather than backtracking on it? And WHAT? Bardric's family thinks he owes MC a lifedebt? Shouldn't that have bigger consequences? And I find it weird that a lifedebt means that the individual who owes it pays it back in their own way on their nameday, with any rejection being a sign of regret. Shouldn't the ball be in the life-saver's court? And I had the Erolis choice to say I liked dancing with him. Did non-Erolis get the option to say something similar? I'm genuinely surprised you needed special permission to leave the school, particularly for a birthday, considering the characters are over 18. I also wish we got the option to wear a special outfit for the ocassion for an upperclass birthday. Lis is giving Iridessa so much to me; why do some unrelated characters look so much alike? And a feeling of discrepancy here: in his ally quest, he talks about not really feeling loved in his childhood and having pressure to meet family standards, but in the main quest he suddenly mentioned Lis being a bright spot in his life. Um...why would he mention in a side quest that he had no happy aspects of his past, but suddenly he mentions he does in the main quest, and then goes along with it in the side quest. Shouldn't it be the reverse, talking about no happiness in the main quest and opening up in the ally quest? And I feel like we should've spent more time on Bardric's home culture and the family friends to highlight his character. Then we get the bombshell that Lis is ill, which is another thing that should be expanded upon with magical lore in the world. I'm really hoping that after dropping THIS, he stops being so closed off, since he has to enjoy being around us somewhat to reveal that to us. And maybe it's just me, but I do think Bardric is going about his relationship with his sister the wrong way. She likes to throw parties, and he's not big on it but lets her throw it because she likes it. This isn't just a get-together or something; it's a big, classy party (that probably should've been a main quest). It sounds messed up that she knows he doesn't like it and she still does it anyway, and that she doesn't want him to know she knows. Bardric even said how miserable he was being paraded around on his 9th nameday until Lis cheered him up. How did he act at other parties she personally threw for him? And I know their dad being in denial is supposed to demonize him, but that's a very common tactic for guys to avoid stress, so I can't hate him for that when he's covering her medical bills and just wants to dodge the issue. It's wrong, but it's not evil. And I do regret that this is the one sibling Bardric is closest to, since this means the older siblings will probably be jerks. It's too bad that the party was only one scene and brushed through despite being Bardric's nameday. And sudden question: is the staff unaware of a baby pegasus in the horse stalls? And it's LAUGHABLE to me that Bardric says he doesn't care what anyone thinks if you start a relationship with him, even though he's been known to switch up super fast. And why did MC say Bardric's nameday (party) was ages ago when he brought up that it was only recently celebrated? NGL, this ally quest was cute, but I was hoping for more bang for my buck, if you know what I mean, rather than fade to black. Nothing rated "R," but a bit more racy than what we got.

TLDR: An Erolis class should've required more practice before their trial, Soren's obsession with MC highlights how hollow the characters can feel at times, Professor Iyer is pretty clever, I'm curious if my Erolis option led to unique results, I like having good/bad scores for non-love interests, I'm curious as to why Soren and Mor aren't wrapped around Bardric's finger, MC's view of Bardric's past explicitly contradicts his ally quests (that are specifically mentioned here), I LOVED not having to use a spellblade, the "self-love" aspect of the story was WAY too important to be ignored her for "I want to love someone else" (even if that's deep on it's own), and WHY isn't Windworm more upset with Iyer for his surprise trial? And Bardric's ally quest was cool, but I do wish we learned more about the magical community, the nobles, and his other siblings. Plus I think his relationship with Lis is handled slightly incorrectly, but that's just me. And I do wish that his ACTUAL nameday quest had a bit more sexy time, and we better not backtrack again.

Chapter 8: Port in a Storm

8.1: I know the flexibility of English means you can pretty much name towns/cities based on a pun or function, but I do wish we had come up with something more unique than Lastport. I don't even remember visiting there, but I guess we have! And while I get what MC means about getting to relax/have fun, I do find it hilarious for them to say when a lot of the story has kinda sped through classes. We're at midterms already?! I know we're almost halfway through the first year (which is about 18 chapters), but jeez; we gotta work out the pacing issues. And it feels like the university is TRYING to kill you--and not just MC, but everyone. It's super dumb to send first-years (especially ones who may have just developed their magical powers) out in the wild. And the Enforcers being with us for a while now doesn't feel nearly as intimidating as it should. And spellblades rust? If they're a medium through which we channel our magic, how does that work? And if they rust regardless of use, what would getting them sharpened do? Another reason I prefer magic with my hands. And Talyn saying that to us specifically makes no sense since we used magic without the spellblade. And not gonna lie; it's our first group outing (at least during the day), and everyone's just allowed to disperse? No chaperone?

TLDR: Lastport could've had a more creative name, midterms came way too soon with too little class time, WHY are first-years going into the wild?, Enforcers don't feel significant at all, spellblades continue to annoy me, and I question why we split up on our first group outing during the daytime.

8.2: It's a cheesy critique, but it did kinda bum me out how traditional we went with the guys going for the clothes and the guy going for weapons. And if I was MC, I wouldn't really care about repairing my spellblade. And wouldn't Windworm wanna look into that? I'm still lost on the purpose of them if we can cast magic without them--and if they rust. And the whole "it chooses you" only reinforces my thought that they could've just made this a wand. And concerning what the shopkeeper said: Um...what? You'd save good weapons for older students rather than giving them to those who are less experienced and thus need it more? I want to say I understand what he means, but it feels callous to not acknowledge the fact that those with less experience would need MORE help. How did people use magic before coming to the university? What if their powers manifested years ago? At I LAUGHED at when MC said that the guards provided clothes for them growing up; the basic clothes we got when the show started were just the same outfit but different colors. They must not have liked MC either. I like the outfit we get, but I do wish the colors were more vibrant, the cut was a bit sexy, the style was a bit more unique rather than feeling like a village boy...but it's different from what we have, so there's that. I do wish we'd ran into Cato since he also got his spellblade sharpened. VERY glad Talyn's diamond count for his ally quests went back down to a more reasonable number...but I'm scared that means there isn't a max level for the allies. I definitely feel like a sparring session should've came before battling a hybrid shade that traumatized Talyn. And new headcanon: that all the LIs are virgins except. It's probably not true (because for some reason, having a lot of sexual experience is sexier in romance books), but I definitely feel it makes sense: Cato is too involved in his studies, Bardric and Iridessa are from upper-class places where being "promiscuous" is discouraged, Talyn was too busy putting up walls and battling, Niel just likes to take things slow, and Leona is waiting for that special someone. But some of them have some form of experience, ie Talyn. If he isn't a virgin, I'm curious how he views having sex with MC, whether it means something or it's a "one time" thing in his mind. And he has some NERVE for reminding MC that "we're at the gym" when he just gave you a handjob. I'm also nervous since most of the ally quests are largely not acknowledged in the main story. If MC sleeps with the LIs, will they acknowledge this? I feel like Cato's the only male love interest who openly responds to your romantic interests in the main quests while Bardric and Talyn block it. And interesting that Niel is now requiring diamonds for her quest--but when I clicked out of it, it's not available to me. Maybe because it's specifically romantic? Kinda wish they followed the "coins for normal stuff, diamonds for spicy stuff" thing for all the love interests. And what does this mean if we aren't romantically attracted to them but we want to up their ally level? Are we gonna be forced to romance them if we want to include them in future scenes? Doesn't that imply we're explicitly romantic with them in the main story? And how do Niel and Talyn's recent quests work with all this?

TLDR: Fun time at Lastport thus far, but doesn't feel as explored since we were just doing ally stuff. I continue to feel like spellblades are unnecessary and our new outfit could've been better. I'm glad Talyn's sexy quest was cheap, but I question if these quests will affect our main story or if they'll be ignored like the other ally quests.

8.3: While I enjoy the time with Cato, I'm surprised we couldn't venture to follow Yvain with someone else. I imagine Talyn would be the only person off-limits given that he's older and would likely end the story a lot sooner by reporting him. Heck, since Leona popped up, I'm surprised she wasn't a required ally. And shades can grant wishes? I'm confused; so they're not unanimously evil? Some can be friendly, according to Cato. WHY isn't that taught in school? I'm surprised they aren't made familiars or something similar to that. I wonder how Talyn feels about that, given his trauma. And I saw the kiss option coming AS SOON as it said Yvain was coming our way--but I still enjoyed it. And did Yvain imply people hook up at Elderwood in the dorms? Is that allowed? And if so: WHY haven't I been invited?! I wouldn't have minded more detail on the kiss, though. And Cato mentioning magical weapons makes me question something, something I question with every fantasy world that does this: what is the purpose of magical weapons when you have magic? If you don't have magic, that's one thing, but wouldn't magical weapons be seen as kind of taboo to those who can already use "natural" magic?

TLDR: This didn't need to be a Cato-exlcusive quest (maybe a Leona one; enjoyed the kiss, though), the concept of non-evil shades should've been brought up earlier and maybe should've been used as familiars, I'm annoyed people hook up at Elderwood in their rooms and this is the first I'm hearing of it (no, Soren being bad at sex didn't count for me), and I don't see why people who have magic would want magic weapons--or why they should have it if they're still working on controlling their innate magical abilities.

8.4: As usual, I chose Bardric as my ally since I enjoy a rivals-to-lovers story and continually hope his writing will improve. I found it weird that you and Cato get separated if you don't choose him as an ally; after that stuff with Yvain, wouldn't you want to stay together and let the others (maybe without Bardric) know? And is this the same bar from Iridessa's quest? The Mara reference meant nothing to me given the lack of proper buildup for me to care about her like MC does. And while I'm glad Bardric didn't have a problem with me sitting with him, I did cry a little inside at the fact that it had to be after alcohol was involved! Again, I do cringe at the whole "his friends are losers" thing they do by having Soren strike out with a barmaid and Flatcher having drunk himself unconcsious (and NEITHER of his friends cared?). I find it weird that MC finds it weird to sit with Bardric at a bar after the ally quest romantic aspects, but what else is new? And the whole "you have a point there" when telling him he shouldn't have been a jerk to you when you first met feels EXTREMELY glossed over; he, like most everyone else, was prejudiced towards you--oh, and attacked you thinking you were the Flamekeeper. But the narrative here is acting like he was just a bit frosty to you in the beginning, almost like Talyn, but they were vastly different. And I think this was the first time Bardric mentioned a specific sibling besides Lis, but his brother never gets a name, which is weird since MC would have no idea which one he was talking about. It would've been better to say "my brother [insert name]" and describe him a bit rather than so casually thrown away when MC has no reference for Bardric's siblings besides Lis. But the midterm talk continues to be underwhelming when we haven't had a ton of classes and our trials don't seem heavily impactful yet. And then Bardric is cool with you walking back to campus with him? KEEP THIS SAME ENERGY. Kinda skeevy if he leaves his friends behind--at least Flatcher. Flatcher hasn't really been hateful to us, has he? The Mara reveal is a surprise! I do question why she was surprised, though; wouldn't she know the town she's working in is close to the school, and hear that Dreadbane Jr was attending?

TLDR: Being separated doesn't feel like a natural move after the Yvain issue, Bardric doesn't seem tight with his friends (and was he gonna leave a passed out Flatcher at the bar?), MC acts like the ally quests with him haven't happened and it continues to frustrate and befuddle me, Bardric acknowledging he shouldn't have treated MC harshly at first felt like lampshading at it's finest, I liked him mentioning another sibling (even though we get no specifics on him), the midterm talk is still underwhelming, and Mara's involvement continues to do nothing for me, since MC's only mentioned her in relation to the attack, not the times you've spent together beforehand. She's a plot device, not a character.

8.5: I can TOTALLY understand looking more tired, but looking older? How long has it been since the start of the game? Weeks? Months? I'm guessing the latter since we're at midterms. And while MC feels "love" for Mara, I continue to feel indifference. This is why it's important to show that we were best friends, not just tell me. Terrible as it sounds, I don't really care about making anything up to her. And I like the carry-over from the previous chapter by having your chosen ally continue to walk you home--though I guess Bardric really did leave one friend blackout drunk and another stinging from rejection (though now he amends he could be getting laid). And it's terrible that Bardric says that they were there for him, but they grew apart; that warrants leaving Flatcher behind? And I disagree that MC says most potential friends run from them, since IDK who all we could count as potential friends, but the confirmed friends is a handful, at least. Oh, and MC didn't have a great comeback to Bardric; Arkland is a cool last name. And I'm kind of disappointed by certain dialogue choices, or lack thereof; I feel like we should've been able to have flexibility to respond to Bardric's opinion to Lastport, as well as NOT feel bad about Mara after her cold demeanor, particularly with what she said after MC accidentally hurt her. And YES, things are still unresolved, because they always are. I've been saying this forever; why is the narrative only recently starting to call out the wishy-washy nature of your relationship with Bardric instead of acting like it was normal after several ally quests? And DANG, Soren! I guess you didn't care about Flatcher, either. There goes my second Flatcher ship. At least I still have him and Leona. As a fellow guy, it's kind of disturbing that this embodies the idea that guys don't watch each other's backs when it comes to drinking. Onto Cato's steamy ally quest! NGL, I continue to wonder when these ally quests take place in the grand scheme of things. I also let my thirsty thoughts get ahead of me and hoped that instead of Cato lifting me up by my feet, I could sit on his hands. Oh, well! And I do question why Cato doesn't have a better sense of time and place; I'd think he'd be against hooking up in the library, especially after being concerned about a rat there (the hygiene alone would concern me, sex or no). I didn't find it creative or anything since it was just hand stuff, but it was a good first step.

TLDR: I feel nothing in relation to Mara, I think the dialogue choices could've been better, Bardric and Soren seem to have it out for Flatcher, I'm curious to see how Bardric feels about us later, and Cato's steamy quest was fine for the first one.

Honestly, this is one of the better chapters to me, but again, I need better pacing and more in-depth lore.

Chapter 9: Put to the Test

9.1: Again, we are WOEFULLY unprepared, from a player standpoint. I feel like the amount of classes we've gotten were just introductory, not enough for midterms. Especially since it's been made clear that one of our professors sabotaged one exam and another did it earlier than expected so that the actual headmaster wouldn't know about it until it was to late to stop it. And what about Professor Littlestone's class? Headmistress Windworn said this is our first taste of life after Elderwood...but even as MC and friends, we JUST got here a few months ago. Why are we talking about leaving already? And remind me again what Restorers are? And side note: are there no extracurricular activities we can do? SANCTIONED ones, like a drama club, or volunteer work or something? I'd think Daddy ravaging the world would mean it'd need extra hands to put itself back together. Have we even talked about the Grimwoods before now? And what is the point of separating us into teams, only to say we can collaborate if we cross paths? And this school is run by idiots if they're sending people with a few months-worth of college magic experience to a place with an 18% casualty rate. "We're sending you there because it's dangerous to make it less dangerous" makes no sense when everyone is made of novices. I don't care if we're just clearing a complex on the outskirts. And why are professors and Enforcers there if they won't intervene? To record results? Doesn't that make you look worse if you just watched someone die? And wait; I thought the upperclassmen teams were performing the rite? Why can they join an underclassmen team, and how are they graded? MC saying we better "pick the right team" means virtually nothing since, as far as I know, Talyn's the only one who may have a different skillset than everyone else. This is where having an affinity without being able to manipulate others would come in handy to the narrative.

TLDR: The story is rushed and the students are being set up to die.

9.2: Choosing Bardric and Talyn for my first save slot and Cato and Bardric for my second, I do question why forming a team isn't included in the story; it just starts off with your team already formed. Just like the trials, this isn't as fun. And WAIT. How come the others get unique armor but I get the standard silver(ish) look? Glad it just costed coins, though; I have a good amount of those. I do wanna nitpick that I wish Talyn's was black and/or red, though. And Talyn saying that armor won't save you but it doesn't hurt does confuse me; is it helpful to have it or not? And FINALLY we get some more lore with our father--namely in the form of Weston. IDK if that's unique to Bardric since he's the one telling us, but I'd assume it is. Though I do wish we had more insight into his family life since he just mentions his dad taking him to Weston as a child but not mentioning his siblings or mom. And Talyn just plans on being the reserve team? That feels more like being a disadvantage than an advantage, tbh. Plus, since WHEN is Cato a big fan of Bardric? I feel like that should've came up sooner.

TLDR: Short chapter. This was pretty much "hey, let's walk into the grimwood. (Scene ends.)" And I found out upon finishing that they're releasing a scene every day this week. I wonder if that's why it's so short: the wrote out the chapter and then split it up for a finale-type payoff.

9.3: I'm just now realizing that our exam requires us to use A MAP for a place we've NEVER been before. Talyn said the Grimwoods is a whole different thing, but it's once again hitting me why this school has such a high body count with it's students. The lack of preparedness is insane. And NGL, "your torches snuff out, because of course they do" doesn't really make me laugh. The narration isn't consistently funny or sassy enough for lines like that to hit or feel meta like I'm assuming they should. And what do you MEAN "no time to cast"?! What is the point of magic and magic school if they don't teach you how to cast your magic quickly? I didn't even get the option to use my blade--you know, as in spell-BLADE? And couldn't we have done slow time then instead of having to get it off of Bardric? Again, super short.

TLDR: WHO prepared this exam?!

9.4: With the new update, we're no longer rushed to pick "restart scene" or "continue the story." That's pretty much my only note. I am enjoying how having different members helps in different ways for the exam--though I am regretting not diversifying more for my second save slot.

TLDR: More of the same, really.

9.5: HOW did MC miss the bomb, seeing how bright and colorful that was? And I find it odd that Flatcher and Soren aren't wearing armor. True, it's probably an art/budget thing, but it does feel weird that not everyone is prepared for this. And first time we see Flatcher acting mean to MC--I think. Surprised they were willing to attack Bardric, though, and even more surprised that Talyn is the last person to wake up, let alone that he could be knocked out so easily (Cato, maybe). The turn against Bardric doesn't make sense to me; I feel like they'd either express remorse at attacking him (not knowing he was on the team), pretend they weren't behind the attack, or just try to talk Bardric out of working with us before attacking. They don't have enough character for this betrayal to hit as hard as it should. And then...Soren dies. What was his approval at the Erolis trial for? Why was his end so anticlimatic? And then Flatcher runs off. What did he have to gain by being with Soren--or rather, what did Soren gain by having him join him? Unless he somehow comes back, this felt...rushed and wasted potential. Sounding familiar.

TLDR: Nice longer chapter, but Flatcher and Soren's actions felt rushed and weird in Bardric's case. No buildup, no satisfaction.

9.6: WHY would we have to explain to Windworm of all people the events that occurred in the last scene "for what feels like the hundreth time"? I don't really see her as not comprehending or wanting to waste time. Oh, and everyone involved in planning the exam should feel stupid about this. And what does she mean the Flamekeeper sigil could've been dismissed as a prank? In a school where a significant fraction of people are killed, shouldn't the rules be strict enough for something like a prank NOT be considered? And saying Soren's death was more of a "crisis" than Zaratis' is weird; again, students die frequently, and why would you hire someone with a lot of enemies like Zaratis? That doesn't put your school or your students in more danger? he wasn't enough of a presence to explain what made him valuable to begin with. And how was the school not collapsing before? The students were literally dying for an education under the guise of unpredictability of the magical world, but when another unpredictable factor comes in, there's concern of parents pulling their kids out? A "routine tragedy" makes no sense to me in this world--probably because the worldbuilding has been shaky. Make it make sense. And why would the Order do anything with MC if the school closed? Isn't monitoring them up for discussion? And the logic is INSANE; according to Windworn, if they "back down" (ie close the school), the Flamekeepers win and more people will die in the future...what stops them from doing that now? And Windworm offering to protect us is a hollow promise. What board can I speak to to get her fired? And I'm willing to bet Flatcher lied or Windworm did about him. Talyn being on board with this is weird since it could endanger more people by lying about this. I could see Cato being in on it because the headmaster said so, but just out of vengeance, I dunno. Shouldn't this be a pivotal choice here that affects the story? Why is Bardric the only one making sense here? And how'd we go from a few days to a week? And is there REALLY no other way? And she has the NERVE to be suspicious of me while asking us to keep a secret that could cost her her job? And the whole "we'll grade you even if there are deaths" exemplifies my frustration with the bias of death around here. And Onyx House better be FIRST because I've got blackmail material. Plus you could've told my squadmates before you dismissed them. And with Bardric: why did he bring up him attacking MC after Zaratis' death if that was gonna be dismissed so quickly? And shouldn't us picking him as the ally for this scene be longer and actually about him expressing his issues with the whole betrayal and death of Soren? "Hey, I'm really messed up"/"Hey, me too. It'll get better. Bye!" Even when Talyn comforts us, it still doesn't feel as extensive as it could've been. And no shade to wine-enjoyers, but it feels like a dumb idea to drink alcohol following this traumatic event and a killer still on the loose. Comforting Bardric should've been part of his ally quest, but I still get it when choosing Talyn as my ally. NGL, Bre being the flamekeeper is a twist I wasn't expecting--but that's assuming she actually was. Are we ever gonna confirm that Flatcher and Soren were your attackers in the woods? Because they never admitted it, nor were they found out. MC just assumed that. With Bardric's ally quest: AGAIN, why didn't we learn soothe beforehand? That was SUPER important for our midterm, I'd say, especially as the most basic healing spell. Why do do we learn healing spells later? The curriculum is so screwed. And the "I thought hot guys are supposed to be dumb" was kind of a weird comment, NGL, even if it was a joke. Out of pocket to me. And it being a sexy quest felt ill-timed--then I remembered that these are, unfortunately, not connected to the main story. And it was really a waste of time since it didn't feel unique from Talyn or Cato's sex quests, just a different setting, with the IMPORTANT SPELL the catalyst rather than the subject. Are we gonna be able to use this later thanks to this quest?

TLDR: The gaslighting is insane and it makes no sense why Soren's death would be the straw that breaks the camel's back when the school embraces incidental deaths all the time and acts like it's nothing. Choosing an ally was poorly used this chapter, I still have questions about the woodland attackers, and Bardric's quest undermined how we haven't learned important spells BEFORE our midterm. And it wasn't any different from the Talyn/Cato quests other than settings.

Overall, this chapter felt like a complete misfire: no buildup over the attackers in the woods or Bardric's betrayal, and Windworm wanting our silence (not even BUYING our silence) and everyone just agreeing to it with no options for pivotal choice selection just feels like insane gaslighting. If the lead-up to this was rushed, the chapter was dissatisfying.

Chapter 10: Curiouser and Curiouser

10.1: Didn't Wormwind say that Flatcher had injured himself or something? Why are we seeing him the very next day? And it's funny that it only took 24 hours for MC to start questioning if they were right to assume that Bre was the Flamekeeper, despite not being afraid to jump to conclusions about Soren and Flatcher. And seeing how the chapter puts emphasis on Talyn, it seems that he should've been a required ally rather than bringing over the ally from the previous chapter/scene. And WHAT?! You lost 42 1st years, 27 2nd years, and 14 3rd years?! That's 83 students! And yet Soren dying due to the Flamekeeper is what's gonna get the school closed? Make it make sense. And this is for all the midterms, correct? Because I thought the one we just did was for 1st years specifically with minor assistance from those in other years (not that having Talyn helped me). And "some years are simply unlucky" is grounds for the school closing altogether if that's the best explanation you can give. Windworm saying this is the price of our powers make it seem like this isn't a voluntary school. Is it? And Soren being the 2nd strongest out of the 1st years makes it even more anticlimatic that he died so quick. And what kind of noble is Bardric if he thinks throwing accusations around "might work"? I know his dad couldn't have taught him that. You need to do better when trying to find a culprit. If this is representative of the crooked world Arkland reigns over, that's one thing, but I doubt that's what they're going for. As for Talyn's ally quests, I feel like he shouldn't be THAT easy to read, even halfway through the first year. And why are we just now hearing about potions--and that it's an elective? I didn't even think we had those here. And why do we have to wait until our second year to do? It it gonna be something we can manually choose, or is that more "up to our imagination" thing the writers have going on with school? And what does Talyn mean it's not a requirement to graduate? They don't need to take electives here? He just said we'll start taking them next year, which implies it's not a choice, so...huh? And MC drinking the potion felt like a clunky way to have sexy time, seeing how reckless that was when there was NOTHING to gain from it when you were going to make a new potion anyway. And I have more questions: WHY wouldn't the teacher teach Talyn and the students to cook down larger ingredients for equal distribution? That's very important to avoid dangerous situations. Is no one competent at the university? And MC helping out as a cook at the manor isn't the weirdest thing, but I find it odd that they're making him do manual labor and that the manor would ever get "short-staffed" since he was the guest/prisoner. Shouldn't cooking have been a thing mentioned in Niel's ally quest anyway? And I'm confused that MC never learned about more magical ingredients then; even if food and potions aren't the same, I'd think there'd be some overlap in a magical world. I'm also wondering why Talyn is just NOW mentioning potions considering his previous action-filled ally quests and our exams--but again, what else is new? And did Talyn talk about his past for us to assume he didn't have certain things growing up? I really need a replay feature. And Talyn wants to be the High Warden of the Restorers with only "no child of the Flame is old enough to have tried" as his defense? He does know that they'll probably never let him have that position, right? And the recipes commonly have errors and ever-changing quantities? How are there definitive instructions to follow for a class? Is THAT why it's an elective? And I do find Talyn having anger issues at the potion very annoying since he's supposed to be the big brother of the CotF. I get why it's frustrating, but it felt like a sudden explosion for him.

Honestly these three quests were the opportunity to lore-dump more on his past, our fathers, and the pain they (supposedly) inflicted, but it's mostly wasted on potion-making, and nothing really informative. Honestly, this could've been a Cato quest. And what is the max level for the allies?

TLDR: Flatcher healed up SUPER quick, MC should think things through more often, the loss of students still doesn't convince me how Soren's death would be the tipping point, the writers/school doesn't seem to know what "elective" means, and the potion situation felt like the perfect opportunity to larn more about Talyn's character, but it skimped and instead felt almost like a Cato quest.

10.2: Kinda confused by Talyn saying that Bre was doing better, only to immediately backtrack and say she's been more withdrawn. I'd think he'd be more observant, both due to his training and his relationship with Children of the Flame. And Bardric being non-sumpethetic to Talyn's conflicted emotions is so weird considering what happened to Soren two scenes ago--AKA yesterday. And I do feel like their animosity towards each other is weird since they don't really interact unless I choose them both as allies--and that doesn't really bring much unique interactions. Cute Erolis option for "would you two kiss already?" It's a shock option, but I kinda wanted it to be happen. LIs who are exes are pretty rare--though I couldn't see it for these two specifically. And we get Bre approval! We also had Soren approval during the Erolis trial. Does that mean anything? And Bardric's switch-up from accusatory to understanding is another tack in his inconsistent writing. I honestly think it'd make more sense if he was a more pragmatic person (at least publicly) given his background. ANd what exactly did he have to offer? Bre admitting she felt like she was being watched? That isn't much to go on, and I do feel like she would've told us anyway or it was something we'd figure out eventually. And HOW is Windworm tough but fair, Talyn? I get wanting to succed at school, but I feel like he genuinely believes in her. And the Enforcers are pretty much just there; they don't offer anything to the story. And I'm confused on why Bardric was an acquired ally; in my second playthrough, I seek out Talyn after the Flamekeeper incident with Zaratis as well as seeing him in the first scene of this chapter. As such, I never talk with Bardric about wanting to confront the Flamekeeper, so him teaming up with you to confront Talyn and later Bre is confusing since you've had less interactions.

TLDR: We learned nothing and this was all fluff despite seeming important.

10.3: Again, we should've done ALL of our classes before midterms, as well as meeting Professor Littlestone, particularly as the only attunement associated with the mind. And I find it HILARIOUS that we're in a somewhat militaristic setting with rigid rules and expectations, but we have a class that explicitly tells you to "always be unsatisfied" and to always want more. You'd think this was a forbidden attunement, that there'd be this concept of relying on your feelings rather than your thoughts (what's good or bad is up for debate). And I think it's funny to ask about the runes only to get Littlestone suspicious and wondering why you're curious about that, only for you to point out that you're embracing your curious side. That felt like a good opportunity for a Sikranos choice to get you out of that predicament. Meeting Bre's friends was fun because we get to see more characters with cool designs (Kassian joins Rhiannon with NPCs who have cool outfits that put the LIs and MC to shame), though mentioning Talyn sent you makes me wonder why he didn't try to introduce you to other Children of the Flame or why you never got together; we just met Bre a few chapters ago and that was it. I also think that this chapter should've had everyone in on the situation, not just Talyn and Bardric taking the lead with Niel only just now being told while the others aren't brought into the investigation regarding Bre. And I do find it funny that Talyn just now points out how Windworm is covering her own tail; I wish he showed a bit more hesitancy with keeping her secret because of that (one could argue he was faking, but I don't think he was).

TLDR: Sikranos and Professor Littlestone are introduced WAY too late (especially concerning what that attunement focuses on), I don't understand why we didn't meet more Children of the Flame earlier, and I think all of the LIs should have been caught up to speed, not just Niel, Bardric, and Talyn.

10.4: MC's father talking about battle plans with the geography of the world does kind of annoy me since we still don't know the layout of the land yet. Someone remind me where Savola is? And I'm gonna keep in mind his "Passion doesn't win wars"; I'm curious if that's foreshadowing. And I hope we find out how he got 5,000 soldiers to his cause. Meeting Talyn's father was neat; NGL, I was expecting another hot stoic bodyguard rather than a lighthearted, charming assassin. Personality-wise, he seemed like he could've been Leona's dad. And the backstory Dreadbane mentions is CRAZY. And Zros was VERY easily convinced; even with his past and Dreadbane's "smoothtalking," I'd think it'd take more than that to get a skilled assassin to back down. And it's pretty shocking for Talyn to reveal he was just fed lies about his father as well. I know it shouldn't be, but I thought MC was the only one who didn't actually know their parent. Egocentric on my part, but I feel like that should've been mentioned earlier. And Talyn just buys it. This whole "fathers are evil, but maybe they aren't" thing is really paper thin. And MC saying his father is nothing like the stories he's been told--YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD ANY STORIES. It was said he was terrible and destroyed things with little to no detail. Talyn being supportive is pretty much what I'd hope for, but being a Child of the Flame means almost nothing at this point and is greatly undermined.

TLDR: Dreaming of my and Talyn's father should mean more than it does at this point, but too little information is given beforehand for this to feel like a revelation.

10.5: It's kinda funny how Leona bemoaned reading and traditional lessons, but when it comes to Sikranos she's more interested (skimmed it, but still). Guess I can't blame her for her bias, but I'd think if you're not a reader, it's across the board. And talking about the reading infuritates me because the characters are apparently learning a lot, but us as players aren't. And isn't seek hidden ANOTHER valuable spell to know off the bat? Like Stel said, finding her room key (didn't know we had those; isn't that dangerous if you lose it?), but also for assignments or practical exams? And it's weird that we're circling back to Flatcher having been grief-stricken when we've been so focused on Bre. Even if Bardrick isn't on your team and helps Soren/Flatcher, he still ends up investigating Bre with you. Why isn't he supporting his friend? Even if Flatcher had attacked Bardric while on our team, I'd think he'd show SOME concern rather than being ready to throw his lot entirely with MC. And I missed it, but is this the first time our spellblade is referred to as a wand? I didn't consider them the same thing. And I question Littlestone's lesson; shouldn't everyone have the chance to find a coin rather than it being reduced to five coins so they can all properly train? And MC STILL hasn't told all their friends what's going on? Leona being willing to help is commendable, but it still feels like MC should have better communicaiton--UNLESS it was tied to ally levels that were representative of trust. That's be cool. It'd explain why Leona knows nothing with me, lol. And I'm getting tired of these "achievement" notifications, ie "Found and Lost: you learned a new spell, but lost Bre." Neither of these outcomes were choice-based; it was the natural flow of the story, as with all the achievements. It'd be one thing if I had to sacrifice one for the other, but I'm pretty sure I'll find Bre (dead or alive) and use my spell to do it.

TLDR: Another spell we should've learned earlier (and the lesson wasn't taught the best way, imo), the lack of Flatcher attention feels inappropriate--at least where Bardric is concerned, betrayal or no; where'd YOUR grief go?--I'm confused if our spellblade is a wand, and I don't like MC not telling their friends what's going on unless it was SPECFICALLY the consequence of ally levels being low or through choice-based actions. And the "achievements" for story milestones over choice-based consequences are aggravating.

10.6: I haven't been romancing Leona, so I haven't been doing her ally quests. IDK why they chose now to make her a required ally if Talyn and Bardric come with me, anyway. And is this the first time they're mentioning Enforcers guarding the gates? Because I don't recall that when we went out on the town (or during ally quests when we left the area, but again, the cohesiveness between main and ally quests are debatable). And shouldn't the tunnels be closed off or have Enforcers investigating it? Like, that's a HUGE flaw if only the students know about this--well, Zaratis knew. Talyn's comments about not being a tutoring service was funny, though. And I forgot that we took this hidden route with Talyn before. Needing Leona to navigate the area feels subjective since any of our allies could've done that--heck, splitting up, while time-effective, was really dumb if Bre is dangerous! And um, duh, we should've used seek hidden BEFORE we split up. Why did no one else think of that? This isn't inspiring confidence in allies. And the cliffhanger wasn't appropriate, imo; it just leads to Bre being captured, not with us learning anything new. It would've been different if she'd given us some information to work with--but no; we just chase her down and the Enforcers find her right after.

TLDR: Leona was not brought alone for the ride (and it makes no sense in-game), and what she did could've been done by literally anyone else, which is why everyone being able to use any attunement is dumb. We shouldn't have split up given the circumstances and the fact that we could use seek hidden, and Bre being captured wasn't really a good cliffhanger since she gave us no new info or something to ponder.

This chapter altogether feels made up of components that could've been explored sooner, and it felt like we didn't have time for the gravity of the midterms to sink in before we lock in on Bre. Plus Bardric and Talyn being default companions and us not being allowed to customize our experience definitely screams favoritism--especially if Bardric fought against you at said midterms. I can't say this chapter was interesting when so much of the school/world hasn't been explored enough for this to feel like a climax.