Toggle Background Color
Update 6: Arise ye Workers From Your Slumbers
It's been like 3 days, I don't think she's coming out of there any time soon. I guess we'll just continue on with our lives until she's ready to come back out.
Until then, at least we finally have the upgraded kitchen we can use! I start us off with some fish and veggies, which makes Bouillabaisse. It's a fine dining/soup meal so whoever likes either one of those categories will like this. I hate seafood so I hate this. (my chart has now been updated in the menu for you).
Not very long later, we find a new location to explore! We still have a couple places left to visit, which is good because we need new resources to explore past the icy walls.
Gurenu Fields
I really love how well the artists made this world look during dawn and dusk. Utterly beautiful.
Ooh! A spirit and they seem to have the potential to be awakened! That's great news for us, we haven't had a new guest in quite some time so maybe we can add another one today?
How are you doing? Oh! Yes! Right! Perhaps you can help me! You must have stumbled upon a fluffy sheep on the loose down there. I tried getting it back in its enclosure, but the stubborn creature wouldn't listen to me! Chance is on your side, its weak spot is its gluttony. So it will definitely follow anyone who would feed it. Would you be a dear and give it a try?
Eh, sure! Why not? Feeding a sheep isn't much harder than diving to get a plastic lemon was to recruit Atul.
I believe grains are what you are supposed to feed sheep, but I give it a carrot. Mostly because I have a lot of carrots and not much in the way of grains.
After feeding it, the sheep is now willing to follow us. This may be important to remember for later...
This thing that we passed was a sheep pen! So walking the sheep in here will automatically cause the sheep to disengage and get locked here. Easy peasy!
Oh, what a nice sheep! It followed you all the way to its home. Always following your stomach, aren't you, little guy? Tee-hee! My sons were just like that... Don't you think it looks lonely? Maybe that's why it left... I'm going to keep it company, don't worry. But, maybe... Well, if you found another stray sheep, you could bring it back here? They could entertain each other! Well, if it is not too inconvenient for you. Oh, I'm Alice, by the way! Very nice meeting you!
Ah... so getting the sheep here wasn't all we have to do. We will have to go find another sheep and bring them here to bring Alice with us. Ah well, there's still more of this place to explore so I suppose we should do that before leaving.
Into the Mines
The rest of this place, and the reason we may be returning over and over, is a mine!
A copper, coal, and slate mine to be exact! Copper is mostly useful early on, but coal is always useful as you'll see later. Slate is also one of the three missing ingredients we need for the ice-breaker, so we can check that off the list!
Unfortunately, we will need more upgrades to continue exploring the mine until later.
At the summit of the mountain is... this rest area? Doesn't seem to have anything important to us, right now anyway.
Getting back to the boat and... hey, look who's hungry? Is it the person you thought it was? If it wasn't, this must be your first update.
My stomach is rumbling. I see you've got some new equipment in your kitchen. You've got the tools to feed an army. I need a little pick-me-up. Something that would keep me going for hours. Some pork chops, maybe? If I had access to my kitchen, my spices and the market back home, I could whip up something. I just don't know what's possible over here. You'll just have to make it up as you go along. That's what cooking is: lying that doesn't come back to haunt you. Wise words that your great-grandma once told me. What a lady.
Well, it doesn't come back to haunt you... unless the lie is undercooked 
Also, I've talked about it before, but here's what Francis' errands look like. Some of these are infinitely repeatable, so you can farm ( 
) lettuce and tea if you wanted.
After visiting Mount Toroyama, we get a sneak peak at more places to visit. Those sections of blue on the map is my favorite environ in the game. There's been a couple screenshots of the area, but I look forward to be able to go into more detail of it.
We end up going in a south-eastern position and wind up here. The only thing of importance here is some more oak trees for us to chop down and some limestone/copper to mine. There's also two spirits here but uh, unless you're interested in how good they are at spiting, they have nothing worthwhile to say.
So uh... you may have noticed these little spots across the map. Well, once you explore enough they start glowing. And, well... we have explored enough! Let's go visit one, shall we?
While we are waiting during the night, I was able to get the resources together to build a forge. We'll check out the forge in a little bit, we just need to wait for a certain event to occur first. Granted, the forge is so big it requires me to move the deck around to fit everything. It's not ideal, but Atul has the sawmill and kitchen next to him and Gwen is still by the loom and is far from the deck - so everyone gets their way.
Ah, morning is almost here, that means we are almost at th-
The Bus goes Choo Choo
Cacophany
...What is that noise.
...Well that solves the noise issue.
I found them, they're mine. All mine! My name is Alex. It's a beautiful name. The best name! But DON'T call me Alexander. Blegh! It's a garbage name. A garbage name for garbage people...
Where was I? Oh! Yes! I'm Alex, and I'll be your bus driver. I wasn't always a bus driver. Before, I was an accountant. Numbers were my shame. And taking you places is my game! Choo! Choo! ... wait that's a train. This is a bus stop, and I'm your driver. Want to go somewhere?
So... Alex can take us to any of the bus stops on the map. Some may call what he does some kind of faster way to travel, like quick trek.
So we are going to quick trek to this bus stop, our plan is to go that question mark. That mark is Bottom Line Corp, and we're going to go join some strikers.
I won't lie, I love Alex dearly. I wish his music got better on repeat.
While we are on our way there, Summer would like to talk to us! She's been quiet ever since giving us that request to get gemstones for her.
Summer's Theme
Doing good? I see you've been taking good care of your plants. That's good! I hope my teachings are helping you in some way.
You know, I used to be quite the little soldier. Midfield State University, Agronomical Engineering, class of '71! Top grades, and a... progressive profile. I was hired right away, by one of these big corporations. They put me in charge of a large parcel of land. Several thousand of acres! I was to "maximize the output of our land assets." Well, that's what I did. And believe me, I did it well. I crammed the field full of transgenic seeds. When insects came, I doused them with poison. And when the soil turned gray, I pumped it full of chemicals. Great, powerful stems grew upon these grounds. And plentiful, unnaturally enormous cobs.
I guess it was inevitable that I met with the Dragon, then. Sooner or later...
So the Dragon is some protector of these plants or of nature and doesn't like the chemicals? Hmm, not really sure I see the relevance Summer.
And, we are here! Let's drop in and raise things from the bottom, shall we?
Bottom Line Corp
And of course, there's a Theodore here to welcome us. Well, I guess stand here and act like a welcomer. He doesn't have anything to say, or even to sell. Guess this strike is hurting business right now.
And these must be the strikers.
Let's trample the thorns of inequity! Let's burn the tangling ropes of low-wage employment! Let's tear down the golden walls of the upper class! Your conditions here have been appalling! It's time for you to revolt! Let's show this capitalist pig that it's YOUR work that creates wealth and value! YOUR work that makes him a profit! And HE is the one living off YOUR backs!
Do not despair, my friends! Together, we can reverse this unjust stream of enrichment! Together, we can finally give the power back to the working class! Power YOU deserve, and wealth YOU should benefit from! Time to claim what is rightfully yours, my friends!
I'm a big fan of that guy on the far right side... Hmm, probably the only time I can say that.
You've come to join our protest? Good, come on in! I even have a little something to ask you since you've just arrived. You'll find up there the CEO of this company. He's fled to his office and won't come out. Coward. See if you can convince him to face his employees, and have an honest dialogue with them. We won't budge before their conditions have improved!
I'm really liking this new spirit, and they haven't even awakened yet! This game has a very pro-union stance, by the way. Don't expect a storyline where there's this CEO who's just trying to do his best but the stupid workers just keep taking all the money he wants to save the world or something. The CEOs suck and the workers are good, and hell, I'm here for it.
Hell, look at the description for this quest! It owns 
We found the coward CEO, time to try and coax him out of there.
Get away from here! I have done nothing wrong! I am the one being threatened! As if three fewer days of vacation a year was a big problem for them. I mean, they should've thought twice before starting a family, right? I'm not responsible for their poor life choices! Nor for their lack of higher qualifications! And they should be happy I've not delocalised the production. What will I have to do next? Pay them medical insurance, too? Why would I pay them if they don't work? It doesn't make a difference if they have a broken arm or whooping cough. They still don't work when they're not here!
I like that 10 years ago I would have thought, wow this guy is a real strawman! No way a CEO is going to be that blunt in their hatred of workers. And now I can just turn on a financial channel and listen to a CEO say all of these things verbatim.
Regardless, let's go let the protest leader know this guy sucks.
Look, it's getting hot in here... and I'm getting hungry, too... Ok, you can tell them I'll reverse my decision on the vacations. I'll wait for you here.
Plus 20% increase in wages, and full compensation for medical expenses. As well as another week of vacations, and 5% on capital gains.
Damn, I've really got to pee... Ok, ok. Whatever they want! Tell them they'll get WHATEVER they want! But they have to stop calling me Mr. Money Bags, got it?!
Ok, go now, I have to find the key to this door...
If only union negotiations could go like that in real life. Instead of the cops having been called because the workers were being too disruptive to society.
Wonderful! You're one hell of a negotiator, Munchkin! I like you already! Look, my work is done here thanks to you. I probably could embark with you on this fancy boat of yours! I can't wait to rest my old bones in a cozy home and have you by my side, Munchkin. See you there!
Definitely looking to have you aboard!
I explore around the place and get some resources, including a new recipe, but nothing worth writing home about.
Oh... Gwen didn't show up. I guess she's still locked away in her cabin. I guess we'll have to unmask the union lady without her.
Took you long enough!
Revelation
Astrid's Theme
Woof! That felt funny! You'd think I would have seen everything at my age! Not sure I liked it, though... But it sure beats being an impersonal hooded blob! Those capes are really scratchy.
Huh... they know about the transformations? A little weird, this world is definitely adding some questions for me...
Ah! It feels good to breathe the fresh air! Time for me to stretch my legs for a bit! Hmm, I'm hungry, as well. You know what? Would you be a dear and fix me a little meal? That would be marvelous!
No muss, and no fuss. Astrid hands over her Obol, which means we currently have 2! Next time we see a shrine, its upgrade is ours!... Assuming it only needs 2 Obols, that is...
Astrid is not kidding about being hungry by the way! She's starving!
It's a bit... overcooked, isn't it? And kind of... bland? Bah, never mind. That will do. Thank you, Munchkin! You're a sweetheart.
I've been out of the loop on that island. You tend to lose track when you fight for the workers' rights! We should catch up on the latest gossip, don't you think? Oh, but don't get me wrong, I don't really like gossip. But we need to stay informed! In case important things happen! And I know just the right person! An old friend of mine has been roaming the seas. She could probably tell us what's been going on. Are you game for a little adventure? Well, it's not like you have a choice.
She should be around, and also she's gained a big of weight recently, but don't tell her that! She's always making a scene when someone mentions her appearance. Let's go meet her. Hurry up now!
Ah well, everyone has their flaws. Astrid's seems to be gossiping. Not the worst flaw for a worker's champion to have.
This is definitely NOT a flaw. Top tier hug, one of the best in the game.
We can go quickly visit Astrid's friend since she's pretty close by. Very nice of Astrid to use a big icon for her face, it makes it much easier to find her!
Night falls on our way over there, but Astrid seems to be up late, and wanting to talk.
I'm happy you found me, Munchkin, and I'm happy we've been able to help these poor souls in the factory! The workers deserve better, and the ruling class will never change. A bunch of swines they are. They are the same as us, you know. They just pretend to be superior, only because their wallets are full, and their houses are big... Yes, I know not all rich people deserve to die. But I've never accepted how the workers were treated. Exploited. Diminished. Just because of their birth. It's unfair and unjust. And I will fight for them until my last dying breath.
...So hey guys, this is now the Astrid update. Where we do whatever Astrid wants, because she owns.
As morning approaches, we reach Astrid's friend. Funny enough, the door didn't swing open, I guess she has a little island we can jump on?
Tortoise Sisters
... Or she IS an island we can jump on... jeez. The big icon... makes a bit more sense now.
Meeting Olga
Astrid waving a bell around beckoning us is just very her and very not her at the same time, I love it.
Ah! There we are! I'm happy to see her, Munchkin! She's always been a kind person, and we go way back, me and her. But I've got to tell you! Last time we saw each other, things didn't go that well. She might still hold a bit of a grudge against me. It's not my fault if I say things as they are! You don't always make friends by being honest... And you might even lose a few. But, we're old now! So, canoe under the bridge, as they say.
You haven't changed a bit, old friend! Still so... green!
Astrid! My dear old astrid! I'm glad to see you! And glad to see that you're out of your old shell! Would you happen to owe this to the charming young lady here? You are the new Spiritfarer, aren't you? Albert was telling everyone that Charon had been replaced! Stella, isn't it?
I'm a little surprised that Albert is a big gossiper.
When I think he borrowed my hairbrush and never gave it back... Oh, well.
... Charon, with a big head of hair under the hood?
I hope this new job of yours doesn't weight too heavily on your frail shoulders. You can count on me to give you a hand, my little lady! So tell me, Astrid, what brings you here?
As you said, I'm back in the world! The first thing I wanted to do was pay you a little visit. You know to... catch up on things! How are you and your sisters doing?
Oh, you know, Irina is still focusing on her studies, and Masha has picked up a new hobby - Knitting! She says it keeps her stress levels low. Not that she's ever done anything stressful, mind you. But she crafts nice little mitts for the winter! You should pay them a visit, as well!
I'm trying to imagine how a gigantic turtle manages to knit, or what a gigantic turtle would need mittens for.
Oh, and Astrid!
Yes?
You won't believe what I'd heard the other day!
What?
Miss Shrewsberry is pregnant! Again!
What!? I can't believe it!
Yes! And you know what? Bob is not the father!
Nooooooooo... You're kidding me! Incredible! Oh, well, she always knew how to lure them boys...
Ladies... I'm checking out of this conversation, if you don't mind.
And speaking of boys... I heard Giovanni is back... and from a reliable source at that...
Who told you that? Where? When?
Well, if you are interested, I can go dig deeper. But are you? Interested?
Yes!
Huh? NO! No... I don't care what he does... I don't want to know. He can frolic all he wants.
As you wish. But you know what? I'll go check my sources, and I'll write back to you. Just in case. Now that you're traveling in good company, I know where to find you.
Sure, ok. But no rush. I'm happy Stella found me, and I want to spend some time with her and her crew for now. Olga, dear, could you show her what you can do? I'm certain your help will be greatly appreciated.
But, of course! And on with the main attraction. Come here, little lady! I'm a very old being, but I'm not very wise. Yes, a bit like Astrid. But there are some things I can do! My specialty is patience. And spinach puffs, but we won't talk about that right now. If you look carefully, there are 3 receptacles on my back. You plant logs, ores, or rocks in them. And then you wait for me to come back to the surface. And when I'm back, the rocks or logs you used will have become a tree or a mining rock! Isn't that nice?
It very much is! Welcome to the secret of late game grinds for resources. Why wait the potential (in game) days for trees or mines to be restored when you can just come to Olga and wait a couple minutes to get the resources you need? So long as you have one log, ore, or rock - you can turn it into 8 more through Olga.
This is Astrid's "minigame", by the way. She doesn't have a cool setpiece like a dragon or jellyfish catching, but damn if this one isn't the most helpful.
Once you are done putting the resources in the... spots? I think thats the only word that isn't vaguely weird... You get the chance to reset them in case you change your mind. It's a nice gesture, but also it gets annoying on the 10th deposit.
Wonderful! I'll go back underwater for some time. Do not worry! I'll re-emerge as soon as what you've planted can be fully harvested! In the meantime, take care of yourself and of your passengers, Stella. Bye now, see you soon!
Well, I will, I don't think you guys will see Olga again. She's got no more story beats for us, just gameplay.
Well, she had a lot to say, didn't she? Running her mouth like that. She's always been chatty, this one, but I don't judge.
...Right.
Also, I don't know if you've noticed but her eyes are a bit scary. Soothing and kind, for sure! But scary. I think she should talk to someone about this. But enough about her!
There is always so much going on, I can't get enough of it! Also... what she said about that Giovanni character... Well... mm, you know what? Nevermind. We'll have ample time to talk about this later. I don't want to bore you with this now. See you later, Stella!
Astrid, you are anything but boring.
Anyway, off to do other things! Like feed Astrid, she's hungry again so I go looking around for food to give and try to give her some of that new Bouillabaisse we made.
This is way too fancy for me. Fine dining is a concept I can't get behind. You'll have to deal with it.
Not a fine cuisine kinda lady, eh? Eh, I won't lie, every time I've gone to a fancy restaurant I've spent a bunch of money and walk out with a barely satisfied appetite.
Is this turning into a very Astrid-heavy update? Yes. Should you have a problem with this? No. 
Now that's what I call a Foundry! Do you feel that heat, Munchkin? Do you smell these fragrances of molten metals and heavy machinery? This is where magic happens! We are going to make some beautiful things in here! Let's go inside so I can explain how it works.
I mentioned before that I was waiting for a specific event to show off the Foundry, and I more meant waiting for Astrid to show up. She's the designated foundry person, like Gwen with the Loom and Atul with the Sawmill.
Oh, my! Stella, this is a first class Foundry you've got here! Even I myself couldn't have done better! Simply stunning! Let me run you through the basics. This is a complex machine, and you have to be careful around it.
First, you have to load ore in the furnace. Then, you have to throw coal in the burner to power it. The machine will then reach its working temperature. Then whatever ore you've deposited in the furnace will be smelted into ingots. The bellows on each side of the furnace will make the heat go up. Each metal will behave differently, but once the right temperature is reached, the fusion starts. You'll have to make sure the temperature remains at the right level. Below it, the process simply stops, and above it, well... You don't want to see this happen, Munchkin.
Elaborating further, once we put ore and coal into the machine, the red gage shows the temperature we need to be at to begin the smelting process.
You do this, but alternating the left and right bellows to increase the temperature. It then slowly goes back down towards the left side, and you need to keep it in the happy medium. Go slightly over, and nothing happens, hit the dark zone at the very bottom and you have to start all over again. It's quite fun, smelting!
Oh, Stella, how I wished all the metalworkers I've met were as gifted as you are! You look so small and weak, but you danced around the smelter like a veteran forge-master! I'm so proud of you! This is a splendid machine, and I'm sure you'll put it to good use. I'll even indulge myself, and use it from times to times, if you're ok with that.
Like Atul and Gwen before her, Astrid will sometimes make some resources and give them to us when she is in a good mood. In her case, it's ore or ingots.
We've had a lot of Astrid, so let's check in with our other maternal role model... who is still waiting on us to get those crystals, mind you.
Summer Theme
When the Dragon found me, back home. I knew I had to leave. I felt I wouldn't heal unless I left. I didn't know it then, but I needed love. And no love was to be found in this accursed place.
But in my exile, I met your aunt. I had never seen anyone as joyful as Rose. Filled to the brim with uncontainable life. You remind me a lot of her, Stella. She nursed me back to health, little by little. Without her, well, the Dragon would have taken me. Right there. I'm sure of it. And I never would have met you!
She taught me, not as one normally teaches, but by opening my eyes to what was already within. To the rich interior life, unquashed by the Dragon. Unquashed by my father. To the interconnectedness of all things. To the universal love... This immense debt I owe her... Well, maybe that's why I feel the need to teach you.
I didn't care for Summer as much on my first playthrough. I still liked her, but I thought she was just ok. Maybe I was turned off by the crystal healing nonsense. But I really have come to appreciate her character a lot more this time around. 
In the background, we are still doing some traveling to new places. As the name would imply, there's a lot of rocks and ore here for us to mine. The main one being Iron! With us finding a source of iron we are down to just one more ingredient to get the ice-breaker.
Hell, same buddy. While in the quarry, we also find a secret stash of crystals! We already had citrine and an opal, but now we have amethyst too! With all that in our possession we can give those 3 over to her and complete this request... but, thanks to the power of EDITING, we can find out what she says if you give her all 5 types of crystal.
Citrine:
Oh, is that a piece of Citrine? Did you know that Citrine promoted motivation and activates creativity? I've also heard that it encourages self-expression and enhances concentration. A true mine revitalizer and emotions-balancing stone!
Opal:
Oh, an Opal! A burning stone of passion and love! The stone of seduction, which resonates with burning desires, and releases inhibition. But stabilizes emotions, as well! In other contexts, Opal also brings about loyalty and faithfulness.
Amethyst:
An Amethyst! What a treat! Amethysts are healing stones, you know! Ailments, emotional issues, nightmares, and other afflictions can be cured with the power of Amethyst! They're great to balance chakras, as well! Specifically the crown chakra.
Hematite:
Wonderful! A hematite! Hematite crystals ground and balance your energy. It is said that their highly protective energy is good for helping women who lack courage. They stimulate the mind too, and improve self-confidence, willpower, and self-esteem. Oh, and are famous for their action to provide pain relief. Not to mention they smell really good!
Diamond:
Don't tell me you've found a Diamond! Incredible! Fantastic! This marvelous stone attracts abundance, strength, and power! But also courage, fortitude, creativity, imagination, and purity! Not to mention harmony! Faithfulness! Innocence! Increased feelings of self-respect and love! And of course, relationships full of pure love! In fact, Diamonds are believed to fill negative spaces in oneself with the purity of love.
A lot of words for some pretty rocks, but hey, Summer has a passion project.
And since my meditation room is already furnished with a nice little altar, You can come by and admire it at any time! In any case, I am truly grateful for all of your help. You were always, after all, a radiating presence. A beacon of light...
Does this mean we are a Uranium rock?
Stella, I hadn't planned on it, but I think I have something more important to teach you. But our next class, well... We'll have to leave the boat for it. I've heard of a nice spot in Mount Toroyama, on a cliff, overlooking the horizon. I think it would make for a nice classroom. I'm ready when you are, just set sail.
We'll definitely have to keep this in mind in the future, but for now - let's check our mailbox. We just got something new in!
A letter from Olga, and a brochure for Furogawa?
quote:
Astrid,
While the two of us caught up on the latest gossip, I forgot to give you something. I found this while flipping the magazines. And it made me think of you! It definitely fits your style and panache! Also, I heard a rumour your husband could be in Iwashima Countryside. It might be worth checking it out. I'll keep asking around, just in case.
Your old friend - Olga
A letter you say? From Olga? This is so nice of her! Olga had news about Giovanni's whereabouts? Iwashima Countryside, you say? Oh... Ok... We should probably go take a look. And what? An inspiration for a house? For me? How thoughtful! Can't deny it, Olga knows me so well! Yes, indeed, I would be very happy to have such a nice den to live in! And it's always pleasant to know someone is thinking of you.
But don't worry, I know you're very busy, Munchkin! Being the Spiritfarer and all. It's ok, I won't begrudge you. And I know you, you'll build this nice cabin aboard as soon as you can! You're so resourceful, after all! Thanks a lot, Stella, I can't wait!
She surely has the guilt trip down pat. Unfortunately, we can't build her bungalow for her just yet. Mostly because it's freaking huge and we need to upgrade our ship size first. So... Astrid is going to have to slum it up in the Guest House for the near future.
Still, we can solve her other problem real quick and check out Iwashima Countryside for Giovanni. We've already been earlier this update, but hey, let's actually get a look at the place.
We're here. Let's see if he's around.
Olga said in her letter that Giovanni could have been around. Knowing him as I do, I have my doubts. He wouldn't linger in a place like this. But, who knows? Maybe if you ask around, we might find a clue or two? I'll leave you to it, I don't want to go too far. The humidity here is killing me.
I'll say, that's a lot of fur for a tropical island.
The only two people here, besides Stella and Astrid, are the two spitters I mentioned earlier. Though now... they do have something new to say.
Who? I don't remember his name. That night didn't call for names, if you know what I mean. I do remember his legs, though. Oh, brother!!!... WAIT!? He has a wife!??! he didn't say anything about it!! He did say that he was going to Furogawa. Well, if you ever meet up with him. Tell him... Tell him that Eileen misses him...
And he... met someone?
From the sounds of it... he fully met that someone and yet never greeted himself.
No. Don't tell me. I don't want to know... Ok, maybe I do. But just a tiny bit! Only where he went. Furogawa, you say? I think I know where that is. I've heard it's a lovely place. Well, at least that's what the brochures said. I've always loved these colorful flyers! They make you travel without leaving your seat! Alright, Munchkin, let's check it out!
It has been some time since we checked out a major town/city like Hummingberg before it. May as well see what this new place has in store for us, eh?