Curse of the Moon Stage 4

**Blasphemy unto Heaven** is the fourth stage in *Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon*.

## Overview

The stage’s setting starts at the ruins of what appears to be a cathedral. Only two purple-shaded Mortes are seen at the beginning of the level, but as your party delves deeper into the ruins when they advance upstairs, they may discover six additional Morte and the occasional spawning Malediction. The second room contains a small stone structure that the party must cross by walking upstairs to reach the other end. Each end contains a small waterfall that comes from a carving of a majestic feline’s head. Furthermore, a couple of statues of an angelic figure can be spotted in the background underneath a Gothic-styled arch. If one pays attention to the night sky, they will notice that a first quarter half-moon is illuminating the area. The group will come across a green-colored building that they will have to enter either by walking upstairs or use the front door located on a ledge that can only be accessed with the assistance of Gebel's ability to transform into a bat. If your party doesn’t have any MP to spare at the moment, taking the upstairs entrance is their only option. They will find themselves in a confined room composed of green monochromatic bricks and held together by two square-shaped doric columns. Inside the room, two Giant Rats spawn on the upper and lower platforms respectively. Once the party has reached the upper platform, they will encounter the second crossroad in the stage. On their right is a small area that can only be accessed by using Gebel's Bat Form to fly through a crevice underneath one of the columns. On their left is a door that will direct them back to the structure’s exterior where they will ascend it from the outside.

Taking the route on the party’s right will allow them to ascend the structure from its interior for a little while longer. It will first lead to a tall, dimly-lit room where five armored knights quickly roam the brick platforms separated by the staircases. There is nowhere to look but up because the knights will be throwing axes down in the party’s direction even if they are not near one. The door that the last armored knight was guarding will take your party to an outdoor arch that has been split in three. The half-moon in the night sky can be viewed clearly in that room since there are fewer architectural elements in plain sight. Your party has, unfortunately, discovered their third crossroad during their ascension up to the top. Should they from going upstairs in this room, they will have a brief face-to-face encounter with a Barbatos that is plotting to send them down to certain doom below. Entering the door right behind it will lead them back inside the cathedral where they will navigate through a wide hallway where five additional Barbatos, two Gieremunds, and a molten golem that resembles a humanoid meteor will hinder their way through. If a member of the party is near the golem’s proximity, it will set itself on fire, rendering it invulnerable to any attacks whatsoever. It, fortunately, won’t attack the party directly so using Gebel’s Bat Form is the only way to get past it and enter the door it is guarding. To avoid such a heated confrontation or if the party’s MP runs dry, they can always navigate their way downstairs as soon as they enter the room and take out a single Barbatos to take an alternative route.

The door past the molten golem will lead you to a linear outdoor bridge where broken columns plague the ceiling above your head. There isn’t much to see in the night sky in that section save for a portion of a green-colored tower. When your party first sets foot onto the bridge, they will, unfortunately, be greeted by a cast of purple-colored hawks that drop Toads from their claws to swarm the group. If these rogue frogs aren’t eliminated immediately, they will swarm and instantly overwhelm a member of the group. Miriam is the best choice to navigate through this path and keep the frogs at bay thanks to her whip and keeping a sub-weapon that consists of three dagger-like projectiles handy. When your party manages to get to the other side of the bridge, the eagles will stop spawning at once. A blue-colored door that is the entrance to another corridor of the cathedral will await our heroes at the end of this eagle and Toad-infested section. This time, the bricks and Doric columns are colored in blue. Three sentient candles that rain down flames and a Gieremund lurk in this room as hazards that can easily be dealt with. Two fallen adventurers direct your group past the staircase to a ledge. To instantly proceed to the bell tower beyond this room, Gebel must use his Bat Form to fly over the pit. The group will be free to take the downstairs route in this blue-colored corridor if this option is out of question such as if there is no mana left or if Gebel possesses a different sub-weapon. Once your party is inside a tower where three green bells are present, there is nowhere to go but upstairs. Four more ax-throwing knights will stand in their way during their ascension. On their right when your party reaches the next floor is a small platform made up of white bricks where Max MP Up vial is located. It can only be picked up when Gebel’s bat form is put into use regardless of whether he squeezes his way through the crevice next to the vial or not. It becomes clear that the half-moon could not be more visible in the night sky as your party advances to their left, but do not let it distract them. They must beware of three purple-colored sentient candles for they can rain down purple fireballs that briefly spread five flames left and right respectively when it comes into contact with the ground. It is best to either advance quickly before another fireball or destroy the candle with a vertical attack as soon as possible. The occasional purple-colored Toad will also jump off of a platform to take you by surprise while your party advances left. Not long before proceeding to the next area, a Gieremund guarding the door will attempt to further upset their ascension.

On the other side of the door, your party will come across an enormous flight of spiral stairs that will lead them directly to the cathedral’s topmost floor. There, an occasional Ghost will spawn in a last-ditch effort to prevent them from reaching the end of the room so be ready to attack it before it hits a team member. One or two should be at near to full health to be prepared for an ominous event that will await. Several gaps that separate the platforms on the spiral staircase are also minor hindrances if knocked back by a Ghost. Luckily, if no one in your party falls into a bottomless pit on the left side of the room, the rest of the ascension from there should be smooth sailing. Arriving at the top of the staircase in an arena-like section indicates that your party has reached a point of no return because by the time Valac arrives on-screen to confront them, fleeing by running back downstairs is out of the question. In Nightmare Mode, the moon's phase is in its third quarter, which means the half-moon is facing the opposite direction.

## Enemies

* Dullahammer Head
* Ghost
* Gieremund
* Morte
* Lamashtu
* Barbatos
* Shield Outsider
* Poison Toad
* Malediction
* Axe Outsider

## Gallery

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