Part 25: Nidhogg Pass

Last time, Janus lured us into a trap, only it was a trap for Asgard. Boone used the power of his LINEAGE AND DESTINY to get a guardian to kick Asgard into a time warp, and Janus told us that to reach Yggdrasil we'd have to "pass Nidhogg."
But he didn't tell us what or where that was. Time to do a little detective work.

Update 25: The Twin Snakes

As Doc suggested, it's time to get out and talk to NPCs.
I actually kind of like this. Given the increased linearity and hand-holding certain other RPGs have adopted, needing to go out into the world and hunt down answers for yourself is refreshing.

You can find out the right answers from a variety of people.

In Baskar Colony


Legend has it that the two giants each proceeded to the serpent's lair separately, from opposite directions. I believe that the statues of the sword-wielding giants all over the world point to the ruins of Nidhogg's lair.


Nidhogg ain't just an evil serpent in the fairy tales. I heard he lurks in a forest somewhere. The nerve of that thing to live in a forest! Nowadays there aren't enough forests to go around.

In Claiborne


Have ya heard the fairytale 'bout two giants weildin' swords, who head out from separate directions to slay the evil serpent? The fairytale doesn't state where this <<serpent's lair>> is, though.
<<serpent's lair>>
But Ah kinda have an idea where it may be. It's easy if ya think about it. Since they're headin' to a location from two separate directions, just draw a line of their direction of travel and see where they cross! Ah think that intersection is where the serpent's lair is.

So we need to find giants and forests?

In Jolly Roger


O Lord in high heaven, I thank thee for sharing thy water with me... Oh! Hi there, folks. Long time no see! We've had quite a dry spell, so it's hard to scoop up any water. But, if we start believing that this well never gives us any water, we would be less than gracious. Makes me sound smart, doesn't it? Actually, Cheville told me that.

Well, that has nothing to do with giants or forests. Get outta here, kid!

In Boot Hill


Hey, have you been to the <<cape>>? There's a big <<giant's statue>> nearby.
<<giant's statue>>
It's a statue of a giant wielding a sword on his way to slay the evil serpent, Nidhogg. I hear there's another just like it near a crime-ridden town.



Worth checking out, I think. At the end of the cape we can search and find the Giant Statue. Inspecting it draws a line on the map showing the way it's facing.

How about that crime-ridden town?

In Little Twister


Ah'm not sure if this helps any, but have ya heard the legend of the two giants and the evil serpent? Well, their legend lives on today in the form of statues. One can be found northeast of a farming village called Boot Hill, and the other right by Sand Canal, atop a little island in the dunes.

You're well-informed for a barmaid.



Remember the Sand Canal? This little island is directly above it and accessable by sandcraft.
The point where the lines cross is the approximate location of both entrances to Nidhogg's pass.

In fact, if you look at the green dot to the east of the crossing point, you can see one of the entrances. I accidently found it while looking for Millennium Puzzle #2 - you can skip the statues completely if you already know where you're going.



We need to approach the two entrances from different directions. I'll be tackling the easternmost one first, which needs to be approached from a landing spot to the north-east.



MUSIC: If Tails, Despair. If Heads, Hope

Initially a dark, earthen mine, after you take a few steps in you'll find a frontloaded boss!

BOSS BATTLE: Nidhogg



The dungeon's namesake immediately confronts us.



He's got Confusion and Misery-causing breath attacks, and a physical attack that does less than 100 damage. Those giants must have been wimps.



He also has both Light and Dark weaknesses, and I have Pearl pass the Flash Hit medium to Boone to better exploit this. The rest of the damage comes courtesy of Doc and Billy.

One interesting thing I found during this battle though: now that he temporarily has the Gale Claw medium, Boone is faster than Billy thanks to its RFX bonus.



Continuing into the tunnel after defeating the boss, we quickly come across a locked door. It's opened by finding this hidden orb and curving a boomerang around the wall, so that it hits the wall above the orb and falls onto it.



Boone gets ambushed. This is bad news. Why? The asshole on the right. Horse guy with the lance.



Amduscias is his name, and his Lance Thrust move is capable of instantly killing its target. Meeting one of these guys in a Danger! battle can be a quick road to the Game Over screen.
It's here that the value of Boone's ATT Blocker PS is seen, as if a physical attack that causes instant KO or any other status is blocked, so is the status.

These guys are definitely assholes and should be defeated quickly, but if you have a free turn and really want to try Pickpocketing them it may be worth your time. Their rare steal is a Holy Grail, gear that gives the Fallen Ward PS - prevents instant death. Very valuable and you will want it for all your characters.
Don't bother going out of your way to farm them here though, there are much easier places to do it.

On the way through the next room we can grab a trio of Lucky Cards, and the room after that has a sealed side door we need a duplicator to enter.



Inside: a Grab Bag, two Name Tags and a trio of Mimics. Despite coming in threes now they're still not much of a threat. The mimics drop a Tiny Flower.



Outside, opening up the door to the next room means lighting these candles from different points on the staircase.



Then we reach a room with a lever. Flicking it lowers the wall and lights a lamp on the other side.



... and this is a dead end.
Nothing for it but to backtrack all the way to the entrance and leave.



I take the opportunity to get a rest and visit the secret garden, because it'll be a while until I get another chance.



The harvest is much better than last time's. With Revive Fruits bred to 100%, I give Full Carrots another patch and head off to find the second entrance to Nidhogg's Pass.



The right beach to land on is in the inside of that crescent-shaped piece of land, just a bit west of the other entrance. The sand monsters are more difficult around here, but upgrading to the Bunker Cannon II gives me six shots, allowing me to take them out before they even get their first turn by Firing All Ammo.



Entrance number two is on top of this hill, again surrounded by thick forest. And once again, moments after entering, we meet a boss.

BOSS BATTLE: NIDHOGG (SECOND VERSE, SAME AS THE FIRST)



Identical to before. Goodbye Nidhogg, you probably should have been more intimidating.

Now we just need to work our way to the back of the cave again.



This bridge collapses if you don't sneak over it, but getting halfway over and letting it fall gets you to a hidden door.



Inside: a Migrant Seal, (very nice!) a Mini Carrot and the Adventure 4 book.

The exit from here brings you out in the room after the bridge, so it's a good idea to go back and pick up some chests we missed - a Potion Berry and three Gella Cards.



The final room contains a pair of blocks. It's easy for Doc's Mighty Gloves to move them to make a path. The treasure chest contains a Revive Fruit.



Finally we come to the dead end again. Flick the switch...



And the door to the next area opens.

Fun fact: I have 41 saves from this LP, and it takes fourteen seconds to read the memory card any time I want to save.



This looks like more of an underground storeroom now. There's a door on that platform to the upper-left, but we can't reach it. But stairs lead to a door to the upper right. It's a treasure room, with a Duplicator and the Galecrest.

Tool: Galecrest
This crest graph uses wind power to lift you off the ground. Press the [] button to rapidly float across platforms.

Pearl's second tool! It allows her to cross small gaps.



She'll shoot forward and not stop until she hits a wall. Like Super Mario's run button, it's only good for gaps 1 block wide - two will make her drop. Unlike Mario, she needs a wall to stop her.



In this room, we can Galecrest across these gaps, but the path to the door is incomplete.
The treasure chest contains 8500 gella



Hitting this switch moves the platform into line with the others, so we can use it to galecrest across...



... but on our way back to the launching point, we need to galecrest over this pressure plate, or it will activate and sent the block back where it came from.



Hitting the switch in the corner opens the door. Doc can rearrange the blocks into a path to the centre, and then Pearl galecrests to the door.



Three collapsing paths. Easternmost one has the door, westernmost one has the switch, and there's treasure in the middle one - an Amulet and a Potion Berry.
Galecresting along the paths is much, much faster than trying to sneak on them.



Fun one this. The bottom block can only be lifted, the left one slides when pushed, and the top one is pushed normally.



Push the sliding block into the southwest corner.



Then arrange the other two like so. Pearl can now Galecrest across the gaps.



Alternate, probably unintentional solution. Going to the corner of the block puts Doc in the "teetering" animation, and when he jumps off he jumps to the next block, not the ground.



While doing the puzzle, I ended up with this little disaster. Billy had been on low HP from opening treasure chests, so he started the ambush on 410 and... died quickly.

When you continue after dying in a Danger! battle you start with all four characters, but after three turns this happens...



The game resets Billy, Boone and Doc's HP, FP and status. I guess even though we started with all four and the regular battle music is playing, an internal Danger! flag didn't get cleared correctly. Although Billy was the one who had the Danger battle, the game acts like it was Pearl.

The battle proceeds as normal, except when the time comes to open a treasure chest...



Eep.

By the way, speaking of bugs, you absolutely always should open treasure chests.
Enemies drop loot, and after-battle treasure chest loot is added on top of that. They should probably be separate, but if you choose not to open the chest you lose any loot the enemies dropped too.
... there is a specific type of treasure chest I might have second thoughts about opening anyway, but that's some way away.


Moving swiftly on... in the next room.



Door out is somewhere behind the Encounter Gauge. We need to make a path over there.
First step: galecrest over to the right. There's a treasure room with a Gimel Coin and a Full Carrot in a locked chest.



Back in the big room, Pearl galecrests over the the middle platform, and Doc dumps the block on the lower floor.



Rearrange the blocks like so. Need to use the left-hand column because those boxes up the top are blocking the other ones.



Pearl can now jump down to the blocks and galecrest over to the door.

Here, we finally catch up with the leader of the Prophets.




As long as existence takes a form, the augmentation of <<entropy>> cannot be avoided. Why can't you understand...? Why do you fear evolution?
<<Entropy>>
There are no exceptions... All creations begin to deteriorate the moment they are born. That holds true for Filgaia... The decaying Filgaia can only be saved by first destroying the present world itself, and then evolving into a new form. Why can't you understand...? Why do you fear evolution?

Because evolution isn't an instant magic bullshit cure for everything including entropy and what you're doing isn't evolution



That's because you're completely denying the existence of all life forms that are trying desperately to live for today! I'm not gonna stand for it, not when everyone's giving it their best!
In all ages, high ideals have always been shunned by the cheap morals of fools. However...
This fool's paradise is about to come to an end!

BOSS BATTLE: LEEHALT



MUSIC: Black as Sin, Red as Blood

Now this is an interesting battle, if a slow paced one.



Leehalt will never take the offensive. He skips every turn he gets. However...



He will counter every attack with "Rule of Vengeance," which reflects the exact amount of damage he took back at us with perfect accuracy. Reflected damage cannot be reduced and can only be mitigated through healing. This has a few strange effects...

* Shield, Protect and Turbulence are worthless
* Fragile is a bad idea, as more damage to him means more damage to you. (Feeble Mind is OK as his magic defence is pretty high)
* Valiant is a terrible idea, as the large damage boosts it provides can kill you quickly.
* High FP can be risky if you're careless, as 100FP will double damage inflicted but not half damage taken.
* Crits can be bad, bad, very bad news. At one point Billy critted for 1500, 400 more HP than his max...

In short, this battle is ALL about carefully watching your damage and health, and steadily chipping him down.

What's the good news?



Firstly, Gatling is excellent. He will only retaliate with the damage of the final gatling shot, so a lot of damage can be done quickly at little risk.

Secondly... it's not obvious, but there's no urgency to this battle! You cannot lose without killing yourself, because he never proactively attacks. Three guys dead on the floor? Take all the turns you want to rez, he won't bother you. Your worst enemy here is incompetence.

I retain the power of Hyades, yet I am cursed by Filgaia... I need cleansing by the Panakeia fluid... In the eyes of Filgaia, we seem to be alien elements creeping inside its body... Are we one day destined to be expelled...?
NOOOOO! I will not allow that to happen!



Leehalt blasts the Drifters with something...



And it hits Pearl.



She shudders, somewhat disturbingly, on the floor.

... huff... huff... huff... huff...
I have never witnessed symptoms such as this...
Muscular ankylosis... Partial respiratory paralysis... Now what...? Heh heh heh... Her bodily functions are at my mercy...
Are you mocking us!? Why you...!
Now, disarm yourself and place the ARMs slowly by your feet. While you're at it, unequip the guardians as well.



There is a lengthy standoff, until...



MUSIC: Gun-Equipped Cavalry

There is an explosion, and a flash of light.

...huff...heave...huff...heave...



Werner Maxwell...!? So, you survived the accident, too...

I am a spirit... As are you... There's no way a spirit obsessed by the past can create a future for Filgaia.
I never expected this... Why do you appear before me, now?



My daughter's in danger. I'm not as heartless as to stand here and do nothing...
Your daughter!? Your daughter, you, and... I see.. .You're still an annoyance even after all this time...
The wisdom of the information library Hyades is nothing but a double-edged sword. Science without a conscience is a work of evil...
No... It is the power of demons. You're well aware of that...

I'm not sure how it being the power of demons contradicts it being evil.

Give it up, Leehalt. We were unsuccessful.
That was ten years ago. Things are much different now. You once worked under the godly name of science. If you truly are a survivor of the Council of Seven.. .then you, too, should understand what it means to evolve Filgaia, and how important that is.
You've plunged into the diabolical netherworld... You are among the dead fallen under the control of science and the wisdom of Hyades. You have killed off your heart!



Leehalt makes a move, but Werner outdraws him.

Ugh...



He runs for it, and the drifters give chase, but...



AAAH it's that thing! Stop popping up out of nowhere!

BOSS BATTLE: BALAZS



MUSIC: Blood, Tears and the Dried Up Wasteland

Another interesting battle.



Outer World has two effects: firstly, it halves everyone's HP.



Secondly, ALL arcana and attacks on Balazs are completely nullified. This means that only characters faster than Balazs (that's Pearl) can affect him in any way.

The special ability [Outer World] makes Balazs invincible for a certain period. The only way to damage Balazs is to attack right after performing an action, as the turn changes.

The effect lasts until the end of the turn. He'll use Outer World for three turns, and then use Agony Effect on for the fourth.



You can get around it by...

* As the hint suggests, Outer World wears off at the end of the turn, but, crucially, Replayed actions take place after it wears off. We can cast replay on Doc: he'll miss with the regular attack, but the replayed one will hit.
* Casting Quicken on Billy and Boone lets them act before Balazs uses Outer World.
* He's completely vulnerable in the turn where he uses Agony Effect

The best thing to remember is his pattern is predictable. He uses Outer World for three turns, and Outer World halves your HP: it cannot kill you. So for three turns you're at complete liberty to ignore healing and exploit Valiant, and it just happens that he's doing a lot of damage to you. Realise that, and he won't make it to the fourth turn.

If you want to see him taken down pretty quickly...
VIDEO: Balazs Fight



MUSIC: Leave then Return Again

Wait...!



Why...? Why won't you say anything...? We've been apart for so long, and finally we meet...So much has happened while you were gone, Daddy!



There's... so much I want to say to you! But you always end up leaving without saying a word. That's just wrong... How can you do something so cruel? Why did you leave Mom and me behind and disappear into the wasteland? Why? Why!? You used to be so caring... You never once did anything to hurt Mom and me!



Who are you? Why do you appear before me as my father? You're... You're not my real daddy at all!



She's burning up...
She has been cursed by Leehalt. The nanomachine shot into her system is disrupting her bodily functions. There's a lodge that I use up ahead. I can't guarantee its effects, but I can prepare an anti-nanomachine. Right now, that's our only hope.... Please help carry my daughter there.

Next time:



A Day A Day

Today is February 26, the Day of Fire. 'I'm on fire' is the lucky phrase of the day. These are the famous words of a gambler who started his bet with one matchbox and ended up owning a casino.

Today is February 27, Nail Polish Day. Polishing nails is the graceful habit of girls and cats. Hence, those who polish nails are either a girl or a cat. Count Begucci polishes his nails, but he isn't a girl. Therefore, we shall declare him a cat.