Rocks and Gold Coins

Daily Ramble 83: Rocks and Gold Coins

In Horizon Zero Dawn today, I reached the first of the choices I had to help Aloy make. I got to help her chose between being merciful, insightful, and aggressive and I choose insightful. Bast, one of the tribal kids threw a rock at Aloy and I could have throw it back trying to hit him in the head or I could have dropped it. I chose instead to throw it to knock the next rock outta his hand – and she threw it perfectly. I’m glad I got the chance to help her decide to act intelligently and not let emotions cloud her decisions.

In my American Gods watch, I got to the point where we need the giant leprechaun and learn what was going on with Shadow’s wife and Robbie that thy both died on the same day. Needless to say, Shadow wasn’t too happy when he found out.

Intelligent Rock Throwing

Like my usual gaming style, I’m moving through the beginning of Horizon Zero Dawn very slowly. I think I do this because I like to make sure I’m learning everything I can at the beginning of the story. There’s so much of importance when the game starts out, or at least I perceive that, so I take things real slow. In the long run, it probably hurts my enjoyment because I’m so focused on trying to catch everything, but once I get going, I speed up – look at what I did with Destiny 2. I started very slow but then reached a point where I started crossing off achievements quickly and then racing to the finish line. In any case, I left Horizon last time having saved the boy Teb and getting verbally assaulted by the tribal elders that showed up to escort him back to the village.

Rost explained the issue though I’m still not entirely sure about why they call Aloy No-Mother.

But apparently the Matriarchs dropped Aloy off at Rost’s doorstep when she was just a baby and they’re the only ones who may know who her mother is. As it stands right now, all the kids treat her horribly, particularly this kid…Bast…who was pretty pleased with himself after throwing a rock at Aloy.

But I helped Aloy get the last laugh when given the opportunity,

I let her use her intelligence and dexterity to throw the rock back to knock one out of his hand.

Needless to say, I was pleased with Aloy, but Rost only saw the blood on her brow. With the kids gone, Aloy asked about the Matriarchs and Rost told her the only way to get them to tell her anything was to win the rite of passage…queue the training montage.

We’re just about to the point where I think we’ll be taking Aloy all over the place…perhaps even in the next gaming session.

First Watch: American Gods The Bone Orchard – Gold Coin

So we last left off with Shadow in the Crocodile bar having just lost a coin flip to become an employee of Mr. Wednesday. While Shadow isn’t too keen on the deal, he does agree to go along with things after a while with a few conditions. We also meet Mad Sweeney, the giant leprechaun who also works for Mr. Wednesday.

He can do his own magic tricks with coins but Shadow isn’t impressed. In any case, Wednesday comes back with drinks and 3 special shots of mead for Shadow. Traditionally 3 shots of the honey-wine are used to seal a deal and since Shadow lost the coin flip, he’s entered into a deal with Mr. Wednesday.

With Shadow as Wednesday’s Aide-de-camp, he’s exepcted to protect and serve and even kick ass when needed in an emergency. All Shadow asks in return is $2000 a week, and to be able to go to his wife’s funeral. He also says he’s only gonna hurt people that try to hurt Wedensday. He also says he can get outta the bargain is Wednesday pisses him off. They seal the deal and we’re off to the fights.

Actually, Mad Sweeney picks a fight with Shadow and the leprechaun towers at least 6 inches above him. Pretty much though, it’s an even fight and Shadow wakes up in Mr. Wednesday’s car as they’re on the road, but he does have one of Sweeney’s gold coins.

Arriving in Eagle Point, Wednesday heads to a hotel and let’s Shadow go to the funeral. It’s at a Catholic Church which may be important down the road but for now, I’m not sure.

At the funeral we meet Audrey, Robbie’s widow, and she’s obviously been drinking and the reason for that drinking becomes clear – Robbie and Laura were having an affair. News to Shadow and he’s shocked to say the least. In any case, Rick Whittle has a pretty nice soliloquy after everyone’s left the graveside and then he tosses Sweeney’s coin on top of the grave.

That I am pretty sure will be important down the road.

I really love this show. There is so much detail in the scenes, the dialog and music are riveting, and the acting is well done. Sure, this is just the first episode, but I’m certainly hoping producers Bryan Fuller and Michael Green keep things rolling at such a high caliber throughout the season and beyond.