Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: Part 13: Deception to the Son (Gold Ring)
6In the Underground Caverns, before the caves, themselves, there's a gap I couldn't cross because Alucard didn't have the right abilities for it. Thanks to the Soul of Bat, I can now cross that gap and reach a new path.
You can pick up Meal Tickets in this path. They will spawn a random Food item Alucard can eat for more HP. You can also get a Moonstone, one of two equipment items that can increase your stats depending on the in-game time.
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At the end of this new path, there are two rooms side to side. The left side contains a regular Save Point, but the right side has a purple one. If you use that one...
Alucard is sent into some kind of Nightmare world, where he is shocked to witness the execution of his beloved mother, Lisa!
Lisa was seen as a miracle worker that used her medical skills to cure the ill from an epidemic. However, she was accused of witchcraft from this, and was burned at the stake. This murder of Dracula's wife led to his hatred of humanity and the start of his centuries-long war through the hellish powers of darkness.
Alucard seemed to have been sent back in time, and he frantically tried to rescue his mother from her fate. However, Lisa forbade this, and wanted Alucard to accept her sacrifice. Although Alucard first listened to his mother's wishes... something wasn't right...
Lisa then told her half-vampire son to start killing the humans around them. Alucard remembered for himself that his mother would never say such a vile thing; that only his father would have such a foul idea.
(On top of this, Lisa never actually knew Alucard as "Alucard" before she died. That was a name Alucard picked up for himself to oppose his father and his beliefs. His true, human name is Adrian Farenheights Tepes)
Alucard then knew that this mother of his was a fake, and she transformed herself into a Succubus.
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I make quick work of this demon, too, but she can multiply herself and attack from high above. If she does this, you have to find the real one.
When the Succubus is beaten, although she knew Lisa was Alucard's mother, she didn't know until the end of that fight that he was also the Son of Dracula.
Alucard was rightfully furious that a demon tried to use the precious memories of his mother to trick him like this. He finished the Succubus off, forcing her soul to be trapped in her own dream world for all eternity.
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Beating the Succubus will give you the Gold Ring. If you're trying to make your way towards one of the good ending of this game, you'll need this item.
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I then go through more of the Underground Caverns. In the room with the tall waterfall, I can now use the Bat form to reach the other side.
In the next room, you can hit a switch that will summon a Skeleton Ape. It tosses explosive barrels that can break wooden floors in this area. Another one will be in the Frogs and Toads room, and you'll have to lead it and its barrel towards that wooden floor if you want the goodies underneath it.
One of those goodies is a path to yet another new area.