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Chapter LXXII: The Final Flight of the Enterprise
Okay, it's time for Update 72 redux. I'm an idiot and lost the entire update, replacing even my backup .txt file. We last left off with Aggro confronting the Ishgardian Inquisition as they prepared to murder the innocent Francel in a sham of a trial. Without clearing Francel's name, our party won't be able to gain information on the location of Cid's airship. Without Cid's airship, we won't be able to defeat the latest Primal threat. Things have quickly gotten out of hand!
Also, barely visible in the screenshot is Inquisitor Guillaime yelling, "Seize them at once!".
Music: A Fine Death
Right off the bat, both this Ishgardian Chirurgeon (read: Conjurer, read: Healer) and a knight named Alderique the Unyielding (playing the Gladiator class) target Aggro. Joining us in this fight is Hourlinet the Devout, one of Ser Haurchefant's people and our personal healer in this fight.
We want to murder the Inquisitor side's healer first. They're able to cast Cure II, which will really undo a lot of our hard work. They also melt like butter and take seconds to defeat. Easy stuff. Meanwhile during the fight, Hourlinet and the boss, Alderique, are having a conversation.
Hmm... Something seems off here.
Once their healer is gone, Aggro can focus her blade on Alderique himself. We can just ignore the Ishgardian Archer, since they're more interested in our own healer and Hourlinet has enough health for it to not matter. It might have one time before, but not with all the changes to the battle system since A Realm Reborn's release.
Incidentally, Alderique can still cast Flash. Let me dig out my really old screenshots.
Flash was once a Gladiator ability that was removed from the game in Shadowbringers. It looks like enemies in dated content can retain redundant abilities. Flash was for keeping enmity, but that doesn't really matter against a player. More of note is its Blind effect, reducing Aggro's accuracy. This is laughably ineffectual due to how accuracy now works in the game, but A Realm Reborn (and the first expansion: Heavensward) had an accuracy stat. Accuracy mattered more back then, and you bet that Aggro would have missed a lot if we'd reached this content in a timely manner.
Dropping Alderique's health below 75% (apologies, in this redux I won't have any actual HP values) will result in Haurchefant spawning in to assist us. This will make our life a lot easier!
(Soundtrack fades.)
Or not! Haurchefant whizzes right by us, ignoring both Alderique and the Archer.
In the distance, two more enemies spawn in. Haurchefant attempts to grab the attention of the Ishgardian Light Infantry (read: Pugilist), but fails to seize the Ishgardian Banneret (read: Lancer) as well.
Music: Torn From the Heavens
Guillaime is not pleased to see Haurchefant enter the fray.
Ultimately, Haurchefant's appearance creates chaos on the battlefield. The Light Infantry ignores the young Lord for our party's healer, teaming up with the Archer. The Banneret ignores both of them, focusing on the foreigner Aggro Crag. Alderique decides he's not interested in Aggro anymore and decides to swing for Haurchefant. Meanwhile, Guillaime just stands there, yelling at everyone.
These fights typically have structure, but it's so bizarre to have Haurchefant fly past the boss to target two enemies that aren't interested in him, even when the boss actually is. We've got to do the best with what we've got, and that starts by murdering the man trying to wound us.
Fuck it. While we're on a rampage, let's take care of that neglected Archer as well.
Alderique gets vocally upset when we leave him as the last combatant standing. With three of us and one of him, this shouldn't be a hard fight.
The order we've established doesn't last long. After Alderique drops below 35% HP, three more enemies spawn in. Haurchefant and Hourlinet dart over to take care of th-... whaaaat is that?
Is that a dragon in the distance? Accompanied by an Ishgardian Chirurgeon and Ishgardian Heavy Infantry (read: Marauder)? What is this fight?
Unsurprisingly, Haurchefant is confused by this unexpected development as the scalekin flies right by him.
The worst part? That Wyvern really doesn't like us. As a tank, we've unequivocally taken all of Alderique's attention, so we're now dealing with both him and this giant Wyvern. It can use collapse for enhanced damage in a frontal-cone area of effect. Easily avoided, but another thing to pay attention to in this rather messy battle.
At some point below 15% HP, Alderique will start to just spam Cure on himself. I think this is the game's hint that we're supposed to take care of the Wyvern first? My response is to ignore it regardless. Let's do this! I bet my post-Stormblood tank damage buffs will take care of Alderique anyway!
Woah! One thing to watch out for is the Heavy Infantry's notion to use Rive—an NPC only Marauder ability with a stupidly long yet narrow range and enhanced damage. Aggro isn't the target, but it's still something we have to look out for.
Alderique finally drops dead, collapsing into the snow and dropping a Draconian Rosary. Note: I forgot about the Rosary and didn't notice it.
Yes, I didn't notice it even with the game making sure to draw attention to it. Recording LP footage is weird, because I find myself not looking or paying attention to what I normally would. The Wyvern decides to peace out upon Alderique's death, but I give chase.
Literally Aggro's entire party drops everything they're doing to hunt that Wyvern down. Uhhh, everyone. It can fly! We're going to lose it! Meanwhile, the game is still dropping hints about the Rosary and I finally notice it.
Aggro elects herself to pick it up, meanwhile the Ishgardian Heavy Infantry and Chirurgeon haven't given up the fight yet. Haurchefant and Hourlinet keep them at bay in the meantime.
And there we go. Collecting the Rosary finishes the battle. Phew. Let's clear this mess up and make Francel a free man.
(Soundtrack ends.)
But this trial—like many others, I fear—has been orchestrated by enemies of House Haillenarte. They have used you and your fellows to sow discord, Inquisitor—to set brother against brother, that we may tear ourselves apart.
Aggro stretches out her arm, revealing the Rosary she just found.
A heretic in the ranks of the Temple Knights. This has grave implications...
The Inquisitor turns towards Aggro.
Guillaime leaves, meanwhile the now-cleared Francel approaches our group.
Because I know you, boy. You're too loyal to betray Ishgard, and too devout to question your sentence. Had we been any slower, you'd have jumped of your own free will.
Let us quit this place, Aggro. Pray visit me at Camp Dragonhead once you have recuperated.
Music: The Dragon's Dirge
We've cleared Francel's name, meaning Haurchefant's informant should now be willing to talk to us. Let's meet him back in Camp Dragonhead and finally meet this informant.
Were it not for you, Lord Francel would surely have died defending the honor of his house—and I might well have perished at the hands of a heretic and his wyvern. House Fortemps and House Haillenarte shall never forget your service. Now, let us return to the matter of your missing Enterprise!
We've done it. After a few months of updates, it seems like we're nearly finished dabbling with Ishgardian politics. That finishes the quest, leaving us with one last word from Haurchefant before we depart.
Just as Haurchefant says, the Discomposed Cataloger is hanging around just outside the doors.
Anyway, you were inquiring as to the whereabouts of an airship last seen in Coerthas several days before the Calamity, yes? Well, it so happens that I was monitoring the night sky at the Observatorium during that period. I recall that a small vessel came from the direction of Gridania and landed somewhere in the far northwest.
The log I require is volume six of the 1572 readings. It should be stored with the other past logs on the uppermost floor of the Observatorium, just below the astroscope.
I think that's the first time the year in the Eorzean calendar has been mentioned by someone in this LP? With the fact that The Calamity was five years ago, we can now easily deduce that the current year would have been 1577 of the Sixth Astral Era. Y'know, if it wasn't year 5 of the Seventh Umbral Era, but there we go.
If you're ever interested in the timeline of events, here's a post from the official 1.0 forums. Obviously, I'm deliberately posting an outdated one since later FFXIV expansions actually fill out a lot of the blanks in that thread.
Anyway, our destination is clear. It's been a while since we've been down here.
Music: Undying Faith
Honestly not sure if we're really allowed to do this, but we'll trust the Discomposed Cataloger. It's probably best we avoid the attention of Forlemort either way, though.
Let's just take it and go!
The perfect crime.
Music: The Dragon's Dirge
Arriving back at Camp Dragonhead, let's see what the Discomposed Cataloger can tell us.
That really doesn't sound good for us. Fortunately, we've made friends with two man that have armies. Let's pop back inside and see if Haurchefant can offer us a hand or several.
The Stone Vigil? Ah... perhaps I spoke to soon. The outpost has been held by the dragons for years, and all access is restricted by decree of House Durendaire. I will write a letter to Lord Drillemont of Whitebrim Front and request that he grant you permission to enter. I fear my influence alone will not suffice, so I suggest that you request Lord Francel do the same.
The situation seems more complicated than it first looked. Fortunately, we now have Ishgardian allies, so this will be a breeze.
See you around, Haurchefant. Let's go visit Lord Francel next.
Music: Fealty
I don't understand why the Heretics were out to erase Haillenarte. It sounds like this was the House that kept giving.
With that, we receive our second letter. Francel isn't convinced his will help us much, but we'll see what happens when we get to Whitebrim Front.
Before you depart, a word of caution: the cravens who attempted to destroy House Haillenarte have yet to be unmasked. Though their plans were foiled, they doubtless still harbor great hatred towards us—and towards you now as well.
On Francel's words of caution, we leave.
Getting to Whitebrim Front is easy. First, we pass through the very familiar Camp Dragonhead, but head through its western exit. I call it an exit, but there's no wall there at all. It's the side facing Ishgard and it's the least fortified area of Camp Dragonhead.
Along the way we pass the Gates of Judgement, which grants access to the Steps of Faith. That's the only entrayway into Ishgard. Unfortunately, we're barred from entering. Foreigners are not welcome into Ishgard proper, given only some degree of freedom to wander the frozen highlands stretching outside.
A little bit along the path, we can see the Steps of Faith and Ishgard itself silhouetted in the distance.
Eventually we reach Whitebrim Front. Guarding its entrance is Brunadier, a rather sarcastic Ishgardian. Aggro hands over the letters, hoping Brunadier can point us in the correct direction and help grant us an audience with Drillemont.
Providing him with the letters doesn't seem to change his tune much. It seems, for now, our progress is stuck.
Our next quest requires us to be level 39, so I'm guessing the implication here is that it takes Brunadier a while to decide how to handle our request. It's an odd choice of place to stop, but hey, whatever.
There's an easy solution for this, so I'll see you all after the levelling roulette.
Chapter Summary