Toggle Background Color
Screenshots still feel overboard, but there's a bit less chat happening so I feel like I'm accomplishing more.
Mozart's #2 Dance Tune
We left off outside Tule after finishing the Wind Shrine. I'm a bit unsatisfied with my progress, so I'll get right to work on the second update!
First thing's first, we head back into town (Faris ditching us again) to go back to Zok's house. He's actually home this time!
: Why're you wearing that?
: Umm, Mozart here put me in it... He said something about travel money...
: Before you make any wild accusations, she doesn't have to do anything beyond normal dancing for it, and I didn't actually see anything indecent.
: I have absolutely no idea how you managed that...
: But there're monsters in there!
: I'd really rather not tag along for this, but I don't think I have a choice...
: (You're a bad liar, you know...)
: I see... That's too bad...
: (Wait, she bought it?!)
Anyway, Zok here invites us to spend the night.
Mozart can't sleep, though.
: I hate insomnia...
When the air outside doesn't seem to help, he heads inside and sits down.
Wait a minute, you weren't in there before, stop being creepy. The guy even listens in on Lenna talking in her sleep.
: I HATE insomnia.
: Ah. That's always a pain.
: So anyway, why'd you lie to Lenna about losing the key?
Taking a bit of liberty on the order of screenshots here.
: I wasn't expecting anyone to see through me.
: Maybe you should learn to lie better if you want to keep secrets. You couldn't look anyone in the eye.
: I'll have to keep that in mind.
: So anyway, the key?
: Thank you. I'll probably be up a bit longer, so go ahead and go to bed.
: Uuuugh...
: Egads! What's wrong with you, Mozart?
: Inshomnia... Tiiired...
Anyway, I head to the item store...
and sell...
all the useless items...
I've accumulated so far.
Since I feel like 50 Potions should at least tide me through until the next town, I spend everything on Tents. Maybe I'll even remember to use them someday!
As we prepare to leave this time, the pirates actually sober up enough to come out of the bar.
Just in time for Faris to leave the crew, it seems.
The pirates aren't exactly thrilled by this, and proceed to beg Faris to reconsider.
But Faris is adamant in his decision.
: ...especially with THESE idiots along.
: I'd prob'ly be 'fended if I wash 'wake...
This would make a bit more sense if I hadn't already raided their treasure room...
This actually feels a little jarring... like, Faris doesn't strike me as the kind of person who makes requests.
After several seconds of silence, the pirates finally agree. Bets they're gonna be back in the bar by the end of the day?
Just took this one to note that apparently one of the pirates took the "Perpetually Late" flaw or something; he always comes sprinting in a while after the others.
So! Now Faris is OFFICIALLY a member of the party, as opposed to just tagging along! Anyway, the party gets on the ship and, after Mozart takes a nap...
: You seasick? I've got a few things that can help with that if you need it.
: No, it's not that. It's just...
: So before long the wind will completely lose its power...
: I really wish I wasn't part of "we..."
: GAH! Where'd you come from?!
: You never struck me as the altruistic type, Faris.
: In my defense, if things get any worse then no ships will be able to sail, even with Syldra.
: So... enlightened self-interest?
: Something like that.
: Surprised that's a priority for you at all.
: I have my reasons. Which I have no reason to tell you, so don't bother asking.
: Not like I've got a choice in the matter, right? Without wind, there won't be any music, and then how'll I earn my keep?
: Er, how's that work again?
: Simple- sound is carried on the air, and music is a kind of sound. If the air stops moving, then there won't be any sound.
: Might not wanna stand there- you might tempt someone to tip you over or something.
So anyway, our next destination is this river.
: How will we get past this gate without a key?
: What're you talking about?
Mozart unlocks the gate with the key he got from Zok.
: I found it.
Anyway, we sail past the gate. The enemies are quite a bit nastier than before, so I'm probably gonna do quite a bit of running here.
Suspicious chokepoint probably means story progress, which in turn means boss fight! Sail through it and...
...this happens.
: Wait, whose idea was it to seal a monster HERE, of all places?!
: Well MAKE it respond! I'd rather not get shipwrecked!
: What do you think I'm TRYING TO DO HERE?!
So as you'd expect, we are promptly sucked into the whirlpool.
Syldra senses something wrong (besides the obvious), and howls to warn Faris.
Then something climbs over the railing to attack us.
Namely, this guy. He's the bane of single-character challenges, due to possessing a combination of a paralyzing physical attack and Tail Screw, the first of the game's "reduce HP to single digits" attacks. Many a death has been caused by him chaining Feeler into Tail Screw; it hardly even matters how he attacks after that, him getting that combination off is probably considered grounds for an immediate reset.
Fortunately for my sanity, I'm not playing a single-character challenge.
Speaking of Feeler, though, he opens up with it on Mozart, so he's already out of the fight. Lenna and Galuf are both unarmed, so neither of them will be very helpful. Guess it's all on Faris.
For the record, here's how much damage Galuf does. Karl's got like 75 times that, so this isn't really a meaningful contribution. I'm expecting Lenna to be about the same.
That's more like it. Too bad Mozart got Tail Screwed.
Which is why Galuf tosses him a Potion on his next turn.
Here's a bad situation: Both my damage dealers are paralyzed. I started with Galuf on medic duty while Lenna danced in hopes of actually accomplishing something, but she keeps trying to use Tempting Tango.
No loss. She has yet to attempt a dance that would actually do anything useful, and she's incapable of doing appreciable damage. Hmm... Come to think of it, maybe Sword Dance requires you to actually have a weapon equipped. Could someone look into that for me? (Update: Since I messed up screenshots, I had to redo the fight. Turns out you CAN do Sword Dance unarmed; I was just getting bad RNG.)
Of course, Karl's still not a particular problem for someone who actually has living allies to help them; Mozart kills him on his next turn. He drops a Tent somehow.
Boss Deaths: 0
Total Boss Deaths: 0
After Karl's demise, Syldra uses all her strength to force the ship out of the whirlpool, but cannot escape herself.
Faris is, understandably, heartbroken.
Mozart tries to reassure him...
...but Faris is so distraught that he needs to be restrained so he doesn't make a suicidal dive after his friend.
Obviously, even if Faris HAD succeeded in reaching Syldra, all that would have accomplished would be BOTH of them getting dragged beneath the waves.
: How do you think?
: Figured it was worth asking, just in case he was taking it better than we expected.
: Not a chance of that considering he damn near drowned himself to get at Syldra.
Lenna's trying to cheer Faris up, but fails to even get a response.
: WoL Journal Wind Edition, Day 7: We're still adrift. I think I might see land on the horizon now... but I also see other shipwrecks. Could that be the Ship Graveyard I've heard about? And is it as haunted as rumors claim it to be?
: What're you up to there, Mozart?
: Writing a journal. Helps keep me from going crazy from boredom. Faris calmed down any?
: A little. He's responding now at least.
The ship reaches its final resting place while the party is sunbathing or something.
Galuf is the first to notice, and proceeds to alert the others to the debris forming a convenient footpath to the east. We explore a little, fighting a few skeletons along the way.
Jackpot. Lenna gets her knife back, this thing's going on Mozart. Now I've got THREE people capable of doing credible damage. Of course, this means Galuf is temporarily relegated to "item caddy" but someone's gotta do it.
: What, ya scared of a little water?
: Maybe he can't swim.
: What kinda pirate can't swim?
: You'd be surprised how many professional sailors never learn to swim. I mean, falling overboard is pretty much a death sentence even if you CAN swim, which is why shipboard executions tend to involve "walking the plank," so to speak. Right, Faris?
: Er, something like that, yeah. Almost everyone who falls overboard drowns, so there's no real reason to learn to swim. Me, I ha- had Syldra...
: Maybe we should stop talking about this...
: Yeah, I never meant to bring that back up. Sorry, Faris.
: Anyway, looks like this is the only way we can go, so you'll just have to deal with the water, I guess.
Faris probably isn't very happy at the moment, completely aside from losing Syldra. That said, there's stuff to raid from this shipwreck: this, plus a Phoenix Down in a side room, and a Potion a bit further in. I also get another Dagger from the skeletons, which means everyone's armed! 
Even better, I get my first Elixir!
: Like we really needed to know that!
: I could use a break as long as it's not my bones.
: Stop whining, kid! I'm sure I dealt with worse when I was your age!
: Alright, I'll try to get a fire started.
Mozart breaks up an old crate...
...and uses it to start a fire, which he and Galuf then begin laying their clothes beside to dry.
Faris, however, refuses to take anything off, soaked or not.
Galuf's having none of that, though, and moves to forcibly strip Faris.
: Stop squirming, kid!
: Um, Galuf, I'm not sure this is-
Faris throws Galuf off and knocks Mozart back, but not before Galuf sees what "he" had been trying to conceal...
This reaction becomes hilarious when you consider how I've had her in the Dancer job ever since I recruited her, in a "how could you possibly miss that?!" kind of way.
: Honestly, I'm not particularly surprised.
: Which explains this outfit you stuck me in.
: Why did you try to hide it, though?
: That doesn't really explain it...
: Pirates aren't exactly known for gender equality, Galuf.
: Exactly.
: Somehow I doubt that.
: Why would I do that?
: Is it really a good idea to sleep on a haunted shipwreck...?
: Nonsense! There aren't any ghosts or skeletons in sight!
: That doesn't mean anything, all considered.
Contrary to all expectations, Mozart and company are able to have an uninterrupted nap.
Galuf doesn't wake gracefully, though, unlike everyone else present.
: Owww...
: ...y'could at least talk like one.
: Sexist.
: And in case you haven't remembered yet, I AM dressed like a girl!
: And I, personally, have no problem with that.
: 
: Not a word, old man. Not. A. Word.
Anyway, the bedroom not only has no encounters, but is actually reusable. In the room Lenna used to change is the first (relevant) save point in the game! Naturally, I save, since I'd rather not have to redo Karl again, and I REALLY don't want to lose any of the drops I've gotten. From here, it's a straight shot to the surface.
This little bit of water is pathable, though it doesn't actually go anywhere. Incidentally, a few encounters later I get a fourth Dagger. Looks like I'm set on weapons for a while.
This is in the next wreck over. I don't particularly like the idea of wandering around lost for long periods of time, so I grab it immediately.
These guys have a boatload of HP, but aren't particularly noteworthy beyond that and their ability to drop Elixirs. I'll probably run from any others I encounter, though- they take too long to kill.
Two of these and a Phoenix Down are downstairs.
I feel like I'm missing something still, so I won't touch this quite yet.
I HATE it when this happens! 
WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST LEVEL?!
Found it! Didn't realize you had to stand on that stone right at the beginning until the path decided to appear. Anyway, now that I've gotten that, I head back to the chest I ignored previously, running from everything after the Break Room to conserve resources for the next boss (and, incidentally, power up the Chicken Knife later on). Fighting my way back to that room even nets me a second Elixir! I'm getting pretty good drops here, I think- somewhere along the way I seem to have picked up a spare Dagger.
I will never understand how opening a chest raises the rest of the ship. 
Like the screen darkening wasn't enough of a hint, Mozart points out that there's something wrong. (Warning: Modified screenshots incoming!)
Mozart ain't buyin' it.
: You aren't my mother. She's DEAD. Has been for years.
: But Mozart-
: What guarantee do I have that you won't latch on and suck my life out or something?
Lenna, on the other hand, is ensnared by a phantom of King Tycoon, along with, surprisingly enough, Faris. When this blonde girl appears to appeal to Galuf, though...
...he completely fails to recognize her, and thus proves as immune to the spell as Mozart, who refuses to acknowledge the apparition's apparent identity.
: Called it.
: Some kind of vengeful ghost, I would assume.
: Quiet, you.
: Sometimes paranoia has its advantages.
: I told you to be quiet! *Silence*
: 
: 
: Yeah, I'd have to agree with you, Mozart.
: I wasn't expecting him to be good at pantomime...
: Because... They're my friends!
: 
: We're getting to that, Mozart. I just have to wake those two up first.
Galuf then proceeds to whack the girls over the head until the trance breaks.
: 
: We don't have any fire, Mozart.
: I REALLY didn't think he could be so descriptive with pantomime...
: Now that your spell's broken...
: 
: ...What is that, anyway?
: Some sort of miniature cannon, I think.
: 
: 
So anyway, Mozart's axe-crazy antics aside, time to fight Siren. This form does not count as undead and uses lots of magic. According to Mega (via whatever source he uses), she only uses Blizzard and Thunder spells to damage you, and she never uses either on her first turn.
Everyone immediately gets to work stabbing her. Incidentally, despite how I was carrying on above, this is on Galuf. On her second turn, she casts Blizzard on Faris- nothing a Potion won't fix.
After annoying me for a bit with Protect, Siren uses this...
...to turn into this, which DOES qualify as undead. She also gets a ton of Defense and starts attacking physically.
Mozart's too pissed off to care, though- he just carries on with his attempts to shank Siren.
Thing is, since she's undead now, THIS is now my most damaging offensive option. Galuf and the girls all throw them at her...
...for 50 damage apiece. Combined with how much I did during Form 1, Siren's probably pretty messed up by now.
Okay, THAT hurt. Galuf and Faris spend their next turns fixing that (since they happened to be the next non-Mozart characters to get turns), and Lenna tosses another Potion at Siren.
Siren's OTHER attack in... let's call it "attack form" for convenience. This is just like her normal attack except for the fact that it poisons, too. I ignore the poison for a repeat of the last turn. Next turn goes the same, except for Siren targeting Lenna instead.
And now we're back to Form 1. This won't take much longer, I expect.
Sure enough, two stabbings later and Siren is down. She drops some armor which I will never be able to use because performers.
: 
Boss Deaths: 0
Total Boss Deaths: 0
After the fight, I take a moment to use those Antidotes I picked up before leaving... for now, at least- I may come back to farm Elixirs like certain other runners did at some point.
One more for the road, I guess.
Well, here's the area around the Ship Graveyard. I head south from here to try to find a town.
And here we are. I might as well get some shopping done...
This is most certainly a town. It used to be a port back when sailing was possible.
Looting the town provides this, an Antidote, and 1000 gil. I'm not sure if I have any use for the Rod, so I'll probably sell it.
: Okay, let's try this again...
This doesn't go much better than last time.
Progress is progress, though.
We have a destination! Or a goal, at least, since we need a way to fly there.
: You should be glad I'm over here- that's the only thing keeping me from punching you for that.
: You'd better be.
The weapon shop doesn't have anything interesting since the skeletons were so generous, but the armor shop sells Cotton Robes and Copper Cuirasses. I buy four of the robes, since I feel they're probably a better buy.
The rest of the money I accumulated...
I spend...
on status...
restoration items...
...and topping off on Potions. I'd probably buy Gold Needles if I could afford them, but I'm not sure I even need them yet, so I won't worry about it, at least until next time.
And I think that's enough for one update, so I'll leave the mountain climbing for later.
Next time: Lenna, stop getting poisoned!