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Chapter LXXVI: The Heretic Among Us
Music: Fealty
Aggro's party have received permission to enter the Stone Vigil and recover Cid's airship; however, Drillemont wishes our assistance in dealing with the heretic inquisitor.
I am told he makes for Snowcloak even now, intending to pass judgment upon yet another poor soul whom he has branded heretic. If we hurry, there may still be time to prevent further tragedy.
Alright, let's get that son of a bitch!
Snowcloak lies in the west, towards the Western Coerthas Highlands which currently remains inaccessible. More on that in a minute.
The road pierces through the mountains. Along the way we face a cross path. We want to turn left, but towards the right is noteworthy for one specific detail. A detail I was unable to capture during my time in Coerthas. It's a new area in A Realm Reborn, and it's the Behemoth's domain.
Lurking around the Coerthas Central Highlands is a rather dangerous Behemoth that was shown prominently duringthe game's marketing. It's potentially the first FATE of its kind that players will meet, resting on a 72 hour respawn rate. He's level 50, and hopefully we'll see him at some point since the boss mechanics are a bit more involved than your regular FATE notorious monster. There are two FATEs of this kind in A Realm Reborn.
Continuing westward, we see a small encampment. They're protected by the surrounding walls, and the frozen lake serves as a food source. There's even a small fishing hole. The purpose for the expeditioners living here is important, and the reason is...
... Snowcloak! Prior to The Calamity, back in 1.0, this road lead to a bridge that crossed into the Western Coerthas Highlands called Gargoyle Crossing. However, The Calamity caused the local rivers to overflow, freezing over and forming this giant wall. The western lands were lost to Ishgard, as were its people. The folk in the camp are looking to rescue whoever they can from behind those walls.
We get another multiple choice deal. I really don't know why this is suddenly a thing, but I also think this is the last time we'll see it. Anyway, I'll talk to the House Durendaire Knight so we don't arbitrarily miss anything.
Good to have you with us, miss. When Lord Drillemont arrives, we are to confront the inquisitor. If he refuses to go quietly, we will need to use force. Are you prepared for that eventuality?
Yes.
The duty we're about to enter will sync us if we're above 44, but we're a little bit away from that.
Music: Kiss of Chaos
Y'know, I couldn't really figure why the fake Inquisitor was trying to put an expeditioner to death, but I also forgot about this scene around the time we got some answers. I'll try to remember to come back to this later, but it's sometime around the fourth A Realm Reborn patch called Dreams of Ice.
Drillemont and one of his Archers joins us in overlooking the false trial.
(Guillaime) My lord Drillemont—what is the meaning of this interruption? You are aware that I am at present conducting an interrogation, are you not?
(Drillemont) You are a traitor to Ishgard, to your own kith and kin! Your sins are beyond measure—beyond redemption!
Guillaime shrugs.
And then he begins to laugh, giving the Expeditioner a chance to flee.
(Guillaime) I wonder... can you say the same? You whose hands are black with the blood of those whose only sin was to question your nation's crazed crusade! You speak to me of Ishgardian innocents? Hah! All are complicit in these crimes, for all live their lives by the archbishop's lies.
Music: From Fear to Fortitude
The odds are stacked against the false Inquisitor. We have two House Durendaire Knights—a Gladiator and an Archer. Assisting us is also Drillemont the Honest.
Unfortunately, this footage was taken before I had to build a new computer. I backed up the footage, but forgot to save my notes. I don't have Inquisitor Guillaime's actual HP values handy, but I guess it's not too important anyway.
Our two named NPCs have a comment for each other.
Guillaime will then begin casting once the chat is over and what the hell is that.
It turns out that Guillaime won't be outnumbered for long. With a bit of rotten meat, he's summoned in three Wyrmhounds. Imagine what he could have called with fresh meat?
As if they came crawling through the cracks of Snowcloak, two of the Wyrmhounds drop from the ground above. The Durendaire Archer gets a bit hasty and darts up the cliffside.
Realising their mistake, the Archer then goes full Legolas in the last Hobbit movie and leaps from above, firing shots as they fall. This person is an absolute badass and honestly deserves a name.
Ignoring the stunts before it, this Wyrmhound decides to pick Aggro as a target. Now we have Fake Inquisitor Guillaime and a Wyrmhound to contend with. The nature of being a tank. A simple weave out of the oncoming Body Slam...
and a slip out of the way of the Stone Gaze gives Aggro ample opportunity to slay the scalekin. I've commented on it before, but we see it rarely. This eye symbol signifies a Gaze attack, which only affects you when you're looking at the target. Executing a skill or spell will automatically count as looking too. This means Aggro didn't need to dodge the cone-shaped AoE, but it does mean she can continue to cut the monster relentlessly with her blade.
With a stroke of luck, Aggro slays the first Wyrmhound before a second body slams towards her.
Aggro kills the second Wyrmhound around the same time the Durendaire Archer erases their own. Perfect. That leaves one target left.
Fuck you for all the trouble you caused us!
Another conversation will spark up once Guillaime drops below 50% HP.
(Guillaime) How wrong you are, Ishgardian! I have been blessed with power far beyond your ken! Come, my brothers—grant me the strength to smite our enemies!
Guillaime then begins casting an ability known as... Dragon's Blood. This sounds bad!
(Guillaime) I.. am... reborn!
Jesus Christ, he's become a massive dragon. His health has even reset back to 100%.
(Drillemont) Stand your ground—'tis but an illusion!
He gains two new abilities. The first is Electric Velitation.
Which he also uses to murder the hell out of French Legolas. Damn!
The second attack is Spirit Dart which... does something to someone at random. I'm assuming it increases the damage they receive, since it's an action we can use later in Stormblood specific content.
Once Guillaime drops below the 70 - 65% HP range, things begin to change.
(Guillaime) A dragon stands before you, yet still you do not flee!?
(Drillemont) Your magicks have no power over me, heretic!
A Wyvern spawns in, specifically targeting Aggro again. If we weren't a tank, I'd assume Guillaime would be fighting Drillemont instead.
The Wyvern serves as an actual mini-boss and does take a bit of time to dwindle down.
Slaying the Wyvern seems to also serve as the trigger to spawn in a Wyrmhound too. Those have pitiful HP, so it's easy to kill before it does any real damage to the remaining Durendaire Knight it's chasing.
Let's finish this!
(Soundtrack ends.)
The party surrounds Guillaime, the battle over.
(Guillaime) My... my only regret is that you yet live...
As Guillaime says those final words, he collapses.
Drillemont turns to Aggro.
(Drillemont) But this is not the place to discuss such matters. Pray visit me at Whitebrim Front—and bring your associates.
We finish the scene on Aggro's stoic nod.
Music: Fealty
Finished with our quest, Aggro returns to Whitebrim Front where we'll meet with Drillemont. First, though, we should probably let Alphinaud know what's happened. We never really told him about how persuading Drillemont went, instead opting to go defeat the fake Inquisitor without word.
Alphinaud seems less than interested in our exploits.
Though you have overcome the latest in a long line of unfortunate impediments, I would ask you not to revel in your victory just yet. We can celebrate once we have secured the Enterprise!
That completes the quest, rewarding us with the barebones gil and experience points.
All that remains is getting Drillemont's blessing.
Music: Return of the Hero
I see now that I was a fool to dismiss your claims out of hand... But you must understand, it seemed too much to hope that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn still lived, to say nothing of Master Garlond! Never have I been happier to be proven wrong.
Now, if you have no further objections, we would appreciate it if you would permit us to enter the Stone Vigil and retrieve our airship.
Yes! Yes, of course. It is the very least I can do, given all that you have done for us.
You speak of the Dravanians that now hold the ruin.
As far as we have been able to ascertain, it was still in their custody when the outpost was overrun by the dragons. Whether it was damaged or destroyed during the battle, I cannot say, nor can I give you any assurances that it has not been removed in the intervening years.
So there's no guarantee we'll be able to use it right away, huh? I smell the risk of a potential sidequest chain.
For far too long, the ruin has served as a Dravanian foothold in Coerthas, from which they have struck out at us with depressing regularity. Though we have pushed them back behind the walls, we have as yet been unable to drive them out, and I cannot say when the situation will change.
Or how it will change. Forgive me, Lord Drillemont, but there is no guarantee that you will prevail. In any event, we have not the time to wait. We will secure our property without Ishgardian aid.
Aggro gives Alphinaud a firm, stoic node in affirmation. We've done enough work trying to resolve matters for the Ishgardians, and besides, dragons don't scare her anyway. How many have we already fought, illusion or not?
I will inform Ser Nathelain of your impending visit. May Halone guide you, Scions.
Music: Fealty
We've rarely had a reason to use it, but Aggro is finally using the north-western gate to travel towards the Stone Vigil.
Alas, we arrive at our final stop in Coerthas, at least for the remainder of the original A Realm Reborn MSQ.
See you all next time for the level 41 dungeon!
Don't expect the issues with Guillaime to come up again. Drillemont makes this very clear when you speak to him after talking to him in the In Pursuit of the Past quest.
The heretic is dead, and the lords of the High Houses know of your deeds. That is what matters.
Ishgard really did lose a lot of territory post-Calamity. Towards the east lies a cavern pass (where we'll later be facing a Chimera for a rather redundant side quest) that's caved in, losing access to the Eastern Coerthas Highlands. The bridge to the south-east, Griffin Crossing, once lead to the Eastern Coerthas Lowlands. This bridge is now under reconstruction. I've mentioned it before, but Eastern Coerthas Lowlands previously connected North Shroud to Coerthas. It's also the setting for a PvP mode we'll play with post-A Realm Reborn campaign. The only other area that appears to be accessible* is the Lowlands to the south, but I'll talk about that another time. That's been our lore dump for the day.
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