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Part IX: The Land of an Empire
Man it feels like a long time since I did a Halloween update. This update was actually delayed a few days just for that purpose.
An awkward welcome
You gotta be kidding. I don't have time for this.
An inspection?
It's the army! What do you think? There's gonna be a real war going on, real soon! Hm... Odds are they'll be detaining you, I bet.
Huh?! Why me?
You back there! Pipe down!
Sorry!
You've heard the rumors about the Shepherd, right?
Yeah. In Hyland, I think.
Right, but the latest word is he's made his way to Rolance.
Huh! No kidding. Crazy.
Does the Rolance Empire think unfavorably of the Shepherd?
You bet they do. The knights have seen what he can do in battle and are all up in arms, and the church has branded him a heretic. As if that wasn't enough, there's talk of mysterious happenings going on in town... Oh! Looks like I'm up. On that note, watch your back out there.
I thought we'd be fine, but now I'm not so sure...
I think it's best that you hide who you are, but the idea of making someone like you tell a lie is like...
It's like trying to convince your best hen to lay hardboiled eggs.
Yeah.
Guess we better get ready to make a run for it.
We have a pass and everything. Just chill. I got this. Just-- No creepy head-voices for the time being. Got it?
So long as you don't cause any trouble.
Kay.
Just keep your mouth shut.
Next!
So although there are guards outside the gate, the actual checkpoint is inside the city. I sense a few security flaws in this plan, but hey, whatever. We're not here to cause trouble.
In cooperating to ensure the empire's peace, you prove your gratitude as much as your loyalty!
Is he always like this, or are his boxers just chafing him?
*walks up* Here you go, our Merchant Guild pass. We've come to Lastonbell on business--specifically, the collection of a bill.
The Sparrowfeathers, are you? Quite impressive.
We've got a strict deadline. No time to waste. The place of business is the liquor establishment on the main road.
Ah yes, Boris' Canteen? That place certainly gets an awful lot of business.
And we deeply appreciate being a part of it! Is there anything else?
No. My gratitude for cooperating with our inspection.
Thanks for all your hard work! *begins to walk away with Sorey*
Next, you there. Quite some garb you're wearing. Are you this young woman's guard?
Oh, er... A girl doesn't dare travel alone!
Then why does he carry an ornamental sword?
He knew that Sorey's sword was ornamental?! He's seeing right through us!
*gets into a stance* He's less of an idiot than he looks.
Wait. There are people watching.
Tch.
Well, y'know... We have our reasons!
I'm asking your guard here.
Crap.
Repeat after me.
Please forgive my unquestionably suspicious appearance. The truth is, I am the son of a provincial lard.
*pokes him again*
Lord!
Hm?
Rose!
That's right! My husband here is nobility!
What? You're married?!
In the throes of passion, I threw my money and land away to be with her, just over a year ago.
You...You did?
E-Even my wife didn't know the full truth! The cruelties of the outside world taught me how feeble I truly am, but even so I knew a husband has a duty to protect his wife.
*grabs Sorey's sword out of its sheath*
So I wear an ornamental sword at my side, as a hollow pretense of strength.
*facepalms*
Laugh...at the weak will of a sad, broken man!
*grabs Sorey's head, puts it into a bowing pose*
Sorry...
You're doing your best! It's cool!
Oh, my dearest! Your sweet words are succor to my tired limbs!
Sow the seeds of love, and they will bloom no matter how arid the terrain. Live and be strong! Next!
*everyone gets some distance from the gate*
I don't know how that worked, but I think we made it. Thanks, guys!
More like we just lucked into the perfect audience.
A win's a win.
Turns out, it's handy to have an invisible woman on your side, isn't it!
I suppose. I'm sorry I told you to be quiet.
So it's all right if we communicate directly inside your--
No. It's creepy and obscene!
Obscene?! I'm not obsceeene!
Come on, let it go, Lailah!
All right then. I assume that we're on our way to Pendrago now?
Well, uh...
"But Mikleo, this town looks all kinds of exciting."
Well, it does! So...
"We really ought to poke around at least a little". Did I nail it?
Guilty as charged!
Sounds fun. I'm game!
Bunch of children.
That's why we get along so well. And someday we all will.
You mean seraphim and humans? Hmph.
Well, I don't know how it worked out, but it worked out. Welcome to Lastonbell, Stonebury renamed, and the first town in the Rolance Empire we'll be visiting. They're not wrong about there being a lot to see around town, and in particular, this update's skit video will be pretty massive. Now, I should say, I was mistaken. There's nothing stopping you from turning right around and leaving town to go back to Volgran and therefore whatever after that previous scene. Nice.
Also, this is a chatty town, what with rumors about what's been going on around Pendrago and in town, and as a result, if you have Windstepping active, Sorey will soon start running around like a chicken with its head cut off, once the effect stacks a few times. Obviously not easy to communicate with just pictures, but you'll see soon enough this happening in action. It's pretty great.
But yes, skits. This one confirms that Sorey thought of Rose's True Name in a second, which makes sense, but the person herself is none too pleased about it. There's also a monolith nearby and a whole raft of inn skits, at the...Randgriz Inn? Wasn't that the capital city in the first Valkyria Chronicles? It was, actually, but strange to find it here again... Oh, it's actually the name of a valkyrie. A name meaning "Shield-truce" or "Shield-destroyer", allegedly. Well that's fine too.
But yes, as for that raft. First one is Rose and Lailah and equipment, second is Sorey and Dezel about ruins (Dezel gains Point of Interest Detection after this), Lailah and Edna and normin (Lailah learns Normin for the Win), Rose and Edna talking about equipment (you have to buy 10 different times from a shop, Rose learns Item Ordering. I'll explain later), Sorey and Mikleo and artes, everyone about the comedy troupe performance at the gate (bit of a running gag in these games, isn't it?), Lailah and Rose and gratitude, Rose and Edna and boots (Eizen was quite the shoesmith, apparently), and Dezel and intensity (you need to order the Beef Bourguignon to get this to trigger). But even after all that, we're still very far from done with Lastonbell's skits.
So this is the new Support Talent we learned (remember that Point of Interest Detection and Normin FTW will stack if their users are equipped with it at the same time). So why is this a valuable service? Well, do recall that fusion requires the same item as what you're trying to enhance, so you'd use this skill to get more of that item in stock for enhancing. Simple idea.
Oh hey, the old man. Just chilling out next to an ancient specialty of this town's. And this skit? The deadly truths about radishbells.
Radishbell posted:
A type of small, rosy-red potato similar to the original strain. It has powerful toxins, necessitating careful preparation when cooking.
The nearby silver chest has 3000 gald in it, so yeah, definitely worth it to stop by. A nearby sidequest marking NPC, last seen in Marlind, points us toward an old man in the park, which is up some nearby stairs. The park also has Plezur sitting very conspicuously on the railing, whereas the old man (only in his 40s, somehow) babbles about blue winds and valkyries. Okay then...
Down the stairs and a bit further into town, there's also another map-making turtlez, so don't skimp on that sidequest.
The other landmark around here is, of course, the town's massive belfry, which was another local specialty mentioned in Berseria. It is definitely impressive, especially for a well-learned bumpkin like Sorey.
Great Belfry of Lastonbell posted:
The very emblem of Lastonbell, where the sonorous peal of its magnificent bell rings out proudly. In addition to telling the time, it is also used for various ceremonies ranging from weddings to funerals.
Further up the street and...damn! Time to put my Assassin's Creed tailing skills to work and stay out of sight as much as possible. Might be hard with Sorey cosplaying as Shinji Akari from Neon Genesis Evangelion, but I'll manage something.
My apologies, your grace. I merely wish to offer my gratitude for...the services.
It is appreciated, but you must understand, Cardinal Forton and the other high clergy have very strict requirements for us.
I am aware, your grace. Be assured that my organization will be most generous in our contributions. *disappears into a local establishment*
It looks like that is the town's sanctuary.
Shall we?
She is right. Not easy to memorize all those names so quickly. Oh, for the record, if the game doesn't bring it up, then I shall right now. Fethmus Mioma = Lailah the Pure, Luzrov Rulay = Mikleo the Enforcer, Hesphin Yulind = Early-Bloomer Edna, and Lukeim Yurlin = Dezel with Unclouded Eyes. Just so it's all in one place, y'know.
I didn't notice it until now, but normin discovered through Normin FTW are marked on the mini-map. The reason we're in the graveyard near the sanctuary is for Blude and that monolith, of course. Going to the sanctuary actually continues the plot, but we don't want to do that quite yet, but you do want to get the monolith in the sanctuary's courtyard, and a Melancholic Din for Dezel down a hedgerow.
If you keep up with initiating the start of sidequests here in Lastonbell, talking to three other marked NPCs lets you know there's been talk of a serial killer in town, who strikes at midnight and targets followers of the church here. The third, next to a gold chest, mentions a "demon-child" named Margaret. Strange... As for the other star on the map, not the sanctuary...
It's true! Word around town is that the nobles in Hyland and Rolance can't get enough of the stuff!
But how are they getting access to it? I thought the church controlled the entire supply!
They say they've got the church's blessing! No pun intended. And apparently the damn stuff actually works! Longer life, fresher breath, everything!
Well, don't that beat all!
What beats all is the price of that junk! You gotta be one rich chump, lemme tell you.
Yeah, I shoulda guessed as much.
I'll say, but it's not like we're gonna find answers here. Or will we? If we're to find any clues, the sanctuary is a decent place to start. Priests and knights
Roger.
Fade to inside...
Not a very old building, but still, remarkable architecture.
Hello! Is anybody home?
If they are, they better have a voice AND a body!
*looks around* No one's here.
Ghosts?
I mean no guardian seraph.
No surprise, given that "priest" we saw earlier.
They're all like that. Everywhere you go these days.
Well, what should we do? Look fo ra seraph who can bless it?
Huh... I wouldn't know where to start.
You know, it isn't necessary to get completely hung up on restoring the blessing.
You sure?
It should be fine. There isn't all that much malevolence around here. And besides, it's not like you can go and save the world all by yourself.
Absolutely. The most important thing right now, is that you broaden your perceptions and hone your powers!
So that we can stand up to the Lord of Calamity, right?
You'll have a hell of a time with that if you can't even tell when you're being followed.
??? Who are you talking to? The stained glass?
Didn't you have urgent business at the restaurant on the main street? What was the name again...
Y-Yes, right! Boris' Canteen!
There's no restaurant by that name.
He's alone. Let's take him down and get outta here!
Can he see us?!
Nope. He's just that good. Have fun with your human friend, Sorey. *sits in a pew*
Huh? Seriously?!
This is a human problem, after all.
Come.
Fade...
You're going to tell me who you really are!
Ah, a Tales Classic: the protagonist dueling someone. Coliseums and stuff don't count. Early in this fight, Sergei will mostly stick with simple swipes and artes, like Sonic Thrust, that are fairly easy to deal with because he's not too aggressive. Once he pulls out Lion's Howl (alternatively known as Beast in other titles), he'll begin stepping up his game. He'll also begin using Sword Rain and Dragon Swarm. Since they both hit numerous times, so if you don't dodge, they can cause considerable damage and very easily KO you if you're low on health. All that being said, Sergei doesn't have much HP so if you've got a handle on his artes and stay smart on offense, and throw in a Mystic Arte if you can, won't be too hard to humble him.
I'll be fine. I appreciate you looking out for me.
Even your comeback is weak.
Are you speaking with the seraphim? So during the inspection, you really WERE...
I must apologize for lying to you, Sergei.
It is I who owe you an apology, Gentle Shepherd. *stands up*
Huh?
Only in the clashing of blades may one gauge a man's strength. Might I ask your name?
Sorey.
Shepherd Sorey, I beseech you to lend me your power... For the sake of Rolance!
But we've heard that the Rolance Empire is on edge because of the Shepherd.
It's true. The knights treat him as a dangerous wild card with a power level comparable to Cardinal Forton... And the church views the Shepherd as a threat to the cardinal, and therefore a heretic.
The cardinal is the number-two figure in the church, first in line to succeed the pope.
On paper, she's an aide to the young emperor, but in reality she holds the reins.
Verily. And she is said to be capable of causing the same miracles that the Shepherd can.
The same as the Shepherd?!
What is the meaning of this? Since when have the knights been so brazen as to let themselves into the sanctuary unannounced?! Don't tell me you have come here intending to stain the ears of our faithful with foul lies about Cardinal Forton!
Father, I would never--
Spare me your noxious dissembling! Get out of here at once.
Come to the park. We'll finish our discussion there.
Huh, he seems like a reasonable sort. Nice move not calling in your lackeys in the previous fight, either. Maybe this Sergei is a man of fine character, naivete notwithstanding. Also a nice move, getting all that Grade. Quite a coup.
So normally I would have cut this video between the two scenes, but I just wanted to demonstrate how fast Sorey can move once Windstepping has been active a bit. Quite fast, as it turns out.
Things weren't quite as bad between the knights and the church when the pope was still around.
The pope?
Pope Masedra was a kindhearted philanthropist whom the former emperor greatly trusted. Even the knights would have gladly carried out any order he might give.
Wait. What do you mean, "was"?
He went missing about a year ago. As if prepared for the confusion, Cardinal Forton took the stage, and soon she had seized all political power.
So you think the cardinal had something to do with the pope's appearance.
Is there proof?
None. I had the combine powers of the entire knight squad on the case, but no clues turned up. But any knight who snooped around the cardinal went missing. Eighteen of them in all.
Subtle.
I don't want to admit it, but in order to stand against the cardinal, we need power that exceeds natural capabilities. Shepherd Sorey, I know it is wrong of me to ask... But can you help seek out the true nature of the cardinal?
The cardinal resides at the church in Pendrago, right? I thought commoners weren't allowed inside.
It's true. I'll try to pull some strings on my end to get you permission to enter.
All right, we'll meet with the cardinal!
Oh, frabjous days! I shall make the preparations immediately. Milady. Please forgive me for dragging your husband into all of this.
Huh?
Let us reconvene at Pendrago! Once you've arrived, come to the knights' tower.
*nods*
He seriously thinks you two are married?!
What a weirdo.
But he's so pure!
A pure idiot.
Well, that's both an asset and a liability in this day and age. There's a number of conversations that pop up with Rose, so I'll cover 'em here before we set off for Pendrago. Although the capital is our current destination, there's a lot we'll be getting to before then, trust me on that.
Looks like Rolance has its problems, too.
Same as anywhere. The fancy-dancies bicker over who gets to rule while the regular people suffer for it. Makes me puke. Metaphorically, I mean. Though I reserve the right to make it literal for dramatic effect.
I wonder how we can get to Pendrago.
If we go straight through the Meadow of Triumph, we'll wind up in Pearlots Pasture. From there, you'll see a big castle wall to the south, and that'll be your Pendrago. It's actually pretty easy. But I don't think it'd hurt to explore a bit. It's a bit of a walk, and anyway, this is your first time in Rolance, isn't it?
Be careful what you wish for...
Rose. Anywhere you need to be?
Are you kidding? I've got a list as long as my arm! Felice and Talfryn are in Lastonbell, to start. I'd love to catch up with them and find out how our move went. You think we've got the time?
I guess I can't go wrong with buying the map.
Ask yourself this, Sorey. How many adventurers go without a good map in their pocket? That's right, none. They all got lost and died. Don't be them.
I wonder how we can get Lastonbell's blessing back...
Heh. I shoulda known you'd be thinking about that. It's a big town, and you hear all kinds of nasty rumors. Well, I dunno what to do about the blessing, but it couldn't hurt to poke around a bit for any news on strange events and the like. After all, if there's one thing life's taught me, it's that anything really messed up about the world's got seraphim and hellions behind it.
That is usually how it goes, yeah.
But as for the last thread, we hear from this guy this Sindra character ran off to the Cambria Caverns. Haven't heard that name before, but Rolance is a big country. There are sure to be many secrets waiting for us. While you're here, the save point outside the cathedral has a save point skit about the current power struggle in Rolance, and on a lighter note, Dezel turning out to be an expert dog tamer, unlike Mikleo. Oh, and the many uses of Edna's umbrella.
And, as I warned, more skits await us in the inn. The first all about Rose and her phobias, the rumors in town, Dezel and strategy, and the fourth is about Lailah's hair. Since, for some reason, they didn't subtitle what she says at the start, our favorite fire seraph says "I could say I'm a fan of this paper fan...no, that's too easy.".
Once you're done with that latest batch, we have this guy to chat up. Apparently this is what became of Gramps' pipe, and of course, if you didn't sell it to the Sparrowfeathers earlier, this guy won't be here. He's asking for 5000 gald for us to get it back, which is pretty steep, but if we need it for a sidequest later, we need it for a sidequest later. Can't be helped. Near the exit to the Meadow of Triumph... The boss's business
We're still looking into it. Malory, the Patinal Forest seems like it'd be an ideal place though!
Perfect timing! We wanted to ask you about something, boss.
I figured you'd need me to come along.
It's not about the hideout, it's about our job as Sparrowfeathers.
We can't decide on what product to purchase. Mabo buns or curry buns... Which do you like?
Mabo curry buns!
Isn't that just your personal preference?
Nope! It's a rational decision I'm making as the boss of the Sparrowfeathers! This is just what the world needs! The sheer deliciousness that only this combination can bring!
Sounds kinda subjective to me.
Fine. We'll go with that.
You guys do all kinds of stuff.
That about sums up what we do! And we don't do jobs just for money!
I see...
That's why we make our actual living as merchants.
Well, mostly Eguille does.
I'm the one who gives the okay on bringing out new products!
All right. We'll be going back now.
Boss, try and drop by the forest of Malory if you can. Everyone's already gone there.
Will do! Take care, y'all.
Ominously, it seems malevolence has started creeping into the air around here. But we can't linger around here; if we're to unravel the truth behind Cardinal Forton, whatever that truth might be, we won't find those answers here.
Welcome to the Meadow of Triumph, a major branching point between various points of the Rolance Empire. And where the game nicely opens up a bit, since, aside from a checkpoint we can't pass through in the southwestern corner, we can go anywhere around here. Now, there are two save point skits before we leave, however. Second one in particular is quite funny. Don't forget about that monolith in the distance, either. There are lots of treasures scattered around, and two landmarks, but for now, we'll stick with the southern wall and hug that a bit.
First, a Flouric Sword for Sorey in a little outcropping. Speaking of weapons, Rose is a bit unique in that she uses two daggers, but they're considered separate weapons, not a set. That means she has more slots for normin-buffs that other characters, since everyone else only uses one weapon.
Continuing on the southern wall, in a small grove of trees, there's a blue normin, Gaine (and a nearby Saffron), getting a little shade. Unfortunately, his services are required for the restoration of the world's order.
Phrasing, Edna. Phrasing. This path leads to the Biroclef Ridge, but aside from a monolith to the right...
The atmosphere seems to have changed a lot around here all of a sudden. And not for the better. Why don't we just
What the... There's no way...right?
But of course, it is. Let's uh...let's see if we need to drag this whole thing out any longer, shall we?
Ah...hah...maybe we do. No seraphim, permanent, unremovable status effects, and like 85 levels higher than anyone else in the party. Yeah...if you're fool enough to pick a fight with Heldalf here, you know what's coming next, don't you? It's unspeakable to defeat him under present circumstances.
And today's not gonna be a day where that happened. Well, that was...very very odd. We'll uh...we'll revisit this.
Let's do this right, shall we? And we start with bullying new wildlife in the Meadow of Triumph. In addition to these large birds, we have...
(Goblin Shooter) Whoa! That thing it's riding on looks way fun!
"Fun"?! That's a hellion, you know!
It shoots stuff out from its artillery, so be careful!
I dunno Rose, it does look pretty fun. The Goblin Shooter is, literally, a goblin riding around on a small artillery platform. It's adorable. And they're none too threatening, either.
(Brutaur) Like the Boar, this hellion does a headlong charge attack.
Et tu, Brutaur?
Et tu, but Fire Form wrecks these things pretty thoroughly.
Down in the center of the meadow, there's this curious structure, as well as another powerful hellion, the Behemoth. We're not fighting it right now, but we can see what's going on over there.
It's not in this screenshot, but these areas are the only place in Zestiria where the PS4's recording function actually triggers. Remember the Class 4s from Berseria? Welcome to the equivalent. Or, more accurately, the inspiration for the Class 4s. Sanjiva
We're in a foul place.
It's a crucible of malevolence. They make hellions fight to make 'em nastier.
Venomization... A diabolical practice. It appears this ruin was built to do just that.
Who would make such a thing?
I don't know, but there are several places such as this on the Glenwood continent. I had thought they had all been sealed up, but...
Looks like they're back in business.
This has to be Heldalf, no question about it.
We'll stop this.
Something's blocking our way!
It must be to keep outsiders from entering. It's most likely that only certain people are allowed inside.
So it's me alone, huh?
A solo fight. If it were me, I could ask for nothing better.
...
So again, I don't make that Class 4 comparison lightly. These areas, called Malevolent Crucibles, are solo challenges for one member of the party to fight wave after wave of enemies. First one to yield loses. I'm pretty sure you just get thrown out of the Crucible if you lose, so you don't need to worry about a Game Over or anything if you fail. And it's certainly easy to fail, given how many enemies there are. Sorey will start off by fighting easy enemies from early in the game, like Wolves and Slimes, before gradually escalating to enemies that can be found out here in the Meadow of Triumph. Because Sorey is a typical Tales protag, he doesn't have any means of healing himself right now, outside of item usage, so don't be afraid of using Apple Gels if you need them. Also, since they feature so many enemies, you *can* use them for equipment grinding, but since they're solo challenges, I wouldn't particularly advise grinding equipment like this.
So that's pretty much it. All the Crucibles also share a naming scheme, being named after layers in Buddhist Hell. It's more complicated than just a straight-up comparison to Hell or anything, but it's certainly something like that. For example, this first one is named Sanjiva, one of "Hot" Narakas, whereupon punishments for bad karma include being attacked by fiery weapons, molten metal being dropped upon you, sliced into ribbons, and the ground being extremely hot. So yeah, not a great vacation spot.
Your reward for each triumph is a skit starring the victorious character, as well as a special piece of equipment. For Sorey, it's the Earrings of Radius, which grant a very nice +10% non-elemental damage boost. Perfect for a Shepherd in the middle of his journey.
But back to our surveying quest. Aside from the Spiritcrest in the distance there, we can find another fashion accessory on the way to Malory. Might as well. Oh yeah, and I should clarify, Dezel's hat is an indispensible part of his character design. So you cannot remove the hat, and any hat smaller than it will be completely invisible. So don't even try it, y'hear?
The road to Malory is right along this path, just follow it a bit. Easy. Definitely a good hiding place for a bunch of rogues, isn't it? Malory is named after Sir Thomas Malory (I have no idea what "Patinal" means), the author of Le Morte d'Arthur, published in 1485. In addition to being four centuries younger than Geoffrey's take on the legend, notably, Le Morte d'Arthur was published in Middle English, making it one of the first truly complete English takes on an...English hero. French was kind of important in England for centuries, you see, but Thomas' book was cobbled together from a variety of sources in both languages.
Interesting fact about Malory is the name, as well. While we know the name, there were at least 6 different Thomas Malorys who were alive in England during the late 15th century. Historians have mostly gravitated around the author most likely being the Thomas Malory born in 1416 to Sir John Malory. Thomas described himself as a "knight prisoner" in the book, and apparently was quite the career criminal, who was in and out of prison frequently in life, including a stint when the book was actually published. Quite a card, apparently.
I don't think there's actually any in-game payoff for defeating all the crucibles, since they can just be challenged again whenever you feel like it. But of course, we're gonna do it. Assassins in the forest
One of the candidates. I'll go check it out, wanna come?
I'm gonna take a look. Sorry, but wait here a sec!
We have to talk with everyone around here, including our party members and all the random Scattered Bones dudes and dudettes, to proceed. They provide some backstory about how Rose came to be their leader, as well as observations on what they've been up to recently, how Lunarre (the fox dude from early in the game) came to be mixed up with them, and various observations about the world today. Dezel mentions time flying by, so it seems he's been secretly hanging around Rose for quite a while.
It might become the Sparrowfeather's most famous product at this rate!
Here's a sample. When you think "mabo curry bun", think "Sparrowfeathers"!
Thank you.
That was a conversation with an assassins guild?
Isn't it good that they're so peaceful?
Hmm, it seems ideal for hiding away, but if we were attacked here we'd be in a bind.
You're right. Well, that's that. Let's look somewhere else.
Sorry for making you all wait.
Boss, Talfryn's back.
Oh, how'd it go?
Well, the mabo curry bun was super popular and--
The Romano Firm looks legit on paper, but it's about as shady as it gets.
More than 30 reported bankrupt families. The firm confiscates all the families' property and takes it as their own. And as for what happens to those broken families... Well, take a guess.
There's gotta be a legal pitfall somewhere. Eguille.
Have squads 2 adn 4 back up Talfryn. Investigate the Romano Firm and its surroundings.
Yes sir.
I'll leave it up to you.
All right then! Let's get going.
Uh, sure...
That's my Rose.
There's another skit right afterwards where we ask about this "Brad" fellow who previously led the Scattered Bones. Not Rose's father, per se, but the one who found her on a nameless battlefield and took her in as his own. Apparently teaching her everything he knew, he eventually lost his life (possibly the same guy Dezel is trying to avenge?) and Rose stepped into his shoes. Well, it seems to have worked out fairly well, for such a dangerous line of work.
Aside from that scene, though, this is yet another dungeon that we can't fully chart until we have Edna's map action, and I still don't recall when that happens. I have a vague idea of when it might, but just that. Vague. But, there's a bit we can do here, also as usual.
Another skit about this allegedly delicious combination. I'll just have to take their word for it. Or their expressions, in this case.
First up, these Bunny Ears in the northwest of the first map. There's actually a landmark around here, but I didn't know that when I grabbed these ears, so we'll return to this.
We wouldn't have her any other way, would we? Speaking of Lailah, I mentioned back in the first update that one of Zestiria's voice actors died shortly after recording their part for this game. That was actually Lailah's original voice, Matsuki Miyu, who sadly passed away on October 27, 2015 (making this update oddly timely, writing it around the exact same time of year. This sentence is being written on October 24). In all of Lailah's subsequent appearances, starting with Zestiria the X, I believe, she was replaced by Noriko Shitaya.
As before, on the Spiritcrest, this is a very important Geo Roller to defeat. For the conversation...
Look, it's rolling on the ground.
You like Armadillos? But this one's so big...
You mean like hellion-sized?
Aside from being enhanced Armadillos, and their ability to call in backup, nothing special about 'em. Frankly, I'm disappointed.
And so is Lailah. This woman is *pissed*. At least she got a new Curling Confederate out of this absurdity. Once you're done teaching these Rollers a lesson, there's a nearby fairly well-hidden normin taking a nap. Don't forget him, either. But aside from the landmark, that's pretty much it for Malory right now. In the northeast of the second area, you can find a pair of Spiked Shoes for the boys alongside a Peach Gel (I probably won't mention minor consumables, unless they're in relation to something more interesting, you see). To the south in a decently-large clearing, you can find a Garish Pink Shirt for the ladies alongside another bunch of phony Curlers and...that's it. Without Edna's ability to break boulders, can't do much more than that. As for the landmark...
Yeah, it's those rabbits there. If you don't see the Check pop-up, or you don't have Point of Interest Detection on anyone, very easy to overlook them. But thank goodness we didn't, as these rabbits make for good eatin'. Or at least we would be saying that if Dezel didn't save them. Bummer.
Speaking of well-hidden normin...
This fallen tower structure in the northeast of the Meadow of Triumph is another landmark, but you have to approach it from the right angle, which is why it took me like 15 minutes of running around to realize this was the tower I was supposed to be interested in.
Yeah... If there's any future updates with more landmarks than this one, I'd be very surprised. And we still have, uh...at least 2 more to go after this, not counting the tower I missed on my first pass. Dezel seems to have quite the fondness for animals. Wouldn't have guessed.
I hate these things... This tower is apparently utterly fascinating to our protagonists, so of course, we'll be jotting this down, and certainly, talking about it.
Apparently the lousy weather continues in the fields just outside Pendrago. The city itself is off to the south of where we are currently, but this is another huge map with lots to explore. While there are actually more directions to go than you might think, only one of them holds relevance for us right now. Well, two, if you count the actual city we're supposed to be going to. Spoilers, we're not going there this update.
(Skunk) It appears we're going to get skunked!
They sure seem persistent!
"Annoying" is a better word for it, but they're relatively simple enemies.
(Orc Farmer) It's an Orc Farmer. This hellion used to be...
I can guess and I'd rather not know anyways, thanks.
(Peacock) When Peacocks threaten their foes they recover health.
Geez, what a pain...
You gotta give 'em physical ailments. Figure out why.
The walls of Loegres... It has been a long time, hasn't it? Despite seeming like just a bit of flavor to the environment, those farming tools there are our next landmark.
This skit is pretty funny because the background indicates this is supposed to be found after we stop the rain, or the rain stops, whichever turns out to be the truth. But it seems that, like the Radishbell, not everything is as it seems with the wheat around here...
Near the gardening tools, closer to the walls if you keep hugging the area wall, you can find our next normin friend hanging out on some small rocks. A pretty productive update for them, I must say.
Yeah, this area is another huge branching point for the game in general, actually. We'll be spending quite a bit of time in this humble corner of the world.
In the far west you can find this Wind Ring, and since we're so close to an exit anyways, why not check it out? Oh, after a delightful save point skit about great ingredients that can be found all over the world, of course.
Not this again... Even if Heldalf isn't around, if we get into a single random encounter, that's likely to be curtains for us. Not this way...
Dammit, not this way either, to the north.
Huh, the second Malevolent Crucible already, huh? This one's a Mikleo solo, but you're almost certainly not strong enough to handle this yet, on Hard at least. This one is named Kalasutra, named after the "Hot" Naraka where you have all the pleasures of Sanjiva as well as additional torments in the form of being regularly sliced apart by fiery swords and axes. No thanks...
On the hill south of Kalasutra, we find these delightful cows for our next landmark. Only one left for this update, I promise. Even in Rolance, Hyland beef from Hyland steer is apparently in hot demand.
Damn. Nothing does, indeed, because I found this latest normin totally by accident as I was crossing this field to the north. There's a nearby bronze chest with Spiked Shoes in them, but yeah, let's not forget about Fantum, shall we? There's also a nearby silver chest with Shiba Inu Dog ears in 'em.
Huh. Doesn't this look a lot like the Galahad Ruins? It should, it's the same design. However, these are the "Gaferis Ruins", an alternate spelling of "Gaheris". Le Mort d'Arthur depicts him as a fairly minor member of the Round Table, notwithstanding his blood relation to the king through his mother, Morgause (who is sometimes identified with Morgan. However, in Malory's take, he ends up killing his mother), but he has a larger role in other Arthurian tales. A younger brother of Gawain, one of the most senior knights, he frequently had trouble with his other siblings. His end, as well as Gareth's, came at the ends of a furious Lancelot hell-bent on rescuing Guinevere after her execution had been ordered and nearly carried out.
So would it surprise you to learn we can't fully complete this dungeon right now? Shocking, I know. As for a couple of the new meat around here...
(Skeleton) Inflict physical ailments for effect on the undead. Got it?
Hmph. They certainly get intense when attacked.
Maybe we should save them for last then.
I still call 'em meat, but thanks for demonstrating that, Rose. I think everyone gets their Mystic Arte just as soon as Sorey does, but that's not to say we won't be getting more powerful ones later on. As for the trees...
(Aged Treant) An Aged Treant...like it sounds. It's quite old.
I'm getting old just listening to your explanation.
So there's a couple gimmicks to this dungeon, and this is the first. If you're paying attention to some walls, you'll notice inscriptions like this. If you use the corresponding map action, well, you'll uncover a secret passage. But how about Wind Rush?
Well, it's not immediately obvious, but Wind Rush apparently temporarily phases the user out of existence, allowing them to pass through those bars there. So yeah, that's how you access those cells.
And our final landmark for today is that large sarcophagus in the back. Bless Rose, she tries so hard. You'd think she'd be a bit freaked out about a bunch of coffins being opened up. But since that was the last, let's do a lil' round-up.
Opened Sarcophagus posted:
A sacrophagus that has been opened by grave robbers. It is a sad fact of life that there are those who would heartlessly plunder such a valuable historical artifact.
Hyland Steer posted:
Steer raised for their meat throughout Rolance, but they originated in Hyland. Though they have the classic black-and-whtie look, the milk of the cows is hardly a delight for the senses.
Blighted Wheat posted:
Wheat blighted by a mold known as blissmold. Its seeds are dried husks and for the most part inedible.
Glenwood Rabbit posted:
Wild rabbits that are unsettingly common in the Glenwood continent. Still, they are rather cute...and at times, delicious, too. Run for your life, bunnykins!
Goats of the Cliff and Steppe posted:
Fluffy goats that spend their days by the cliffs. They find the abbreviation "fluffagoat" unbecoming and would prefer not to be called by this appellation.
Collapsed Leaning Tower posted:
Remnants of a leaning tower in the Meadow of Triumph that has collapsed completely. The smoothness of where it was broken suggests seraphic artes were at work.
Quite a survey this time. "Bunnykins" is a reference to a toy some characters were quite taken with in Xillia 2, by the way. Once you get that sarcophagus, don't forget the nearby monolith, either. Once you follow the path long enough and pass through another set of bars, you can find some Glacial Earrings for Sorey next to some, thankfully, still-sealed sarcophogi. After that, the path loops back up to the entrance, but first, we need to go back to that Fire inscription and see what's there. On my way back, though, I took an alternate staircase to an isolated area of the ruins where, among other treasures, I found a Void Slasher for Sorey. Pretty cool name, let's hope it's strong.
Bah, a golden chest. Well, thanks to that still-sealed Earth passageway, we'll definitely be back here. The wooden chest has a Jet Black Vest and the bronze has Shiba Inu Tail. A full set to complete this update? Sounds good to me. Next time, we find out what the hell's been going on in Pendrago. From the looks of the weather...nothing good.