Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana Part #15

Part 15: Spare Change

Update 15: Spare Change

Now that we've dealt with the fort, we can check out what lies on the other side, and perhaps find this Cleft of Nelvia place.

Of note is a cliff just a little bit south of the fort. We can go through this little one-screen area to reach Arcose and Poto's Forest (we can also use Deimia's step-stool property to get back up this way, meaning that our foray through the fort was secretly not necessary but it was fun so I won't complain).

If we head north, the path will split east/west (though both paths meet up at the north end of the map, so it's just a big circle). On the west side we have another cliff area with some Growloons...

Music: Whistle

...and on the east side we have this odd little abandoned building. I feel like this must be important for something but I can't imagine what. Anyway, there are Growloons here, too, plus a neat and uncommon music track.

Music: Crack in the Earth

Wow...I can't even see the bottom.

If I said don't look down, that's the first thing everyone would do, so...um...look up.

… …

What's wrong, Norn?

I'm s-scared m-m-meow...of heights...meow...

Funny...I thought cat girls always landed on their feet.

Meow! That's CATS, meow! Hiss! There's a difference!

Don't worry, Norn. Just hold on to me.

You'll hold my hands too, meow?

Of course. Come on...good kiddie...

Thanks Klein, meow! You're the sweetest!

Hmph! The ~sweetest~, huh?

What?

Never mind.

Yes, Lita, Klein is in fact allowed to be nice to other people. _{_{_{clingy bitch}}}

There's not a whole lot to say about the Cleft, really. I actually kind of like the notion of climbing down a steep cliff face, but at the end of the day it's still just a mostly linear path. There are a couple of points of interest along the way, though.

This area is largely pig-infested. The standard pink ones aren't so bad, although they have a burrowing ability that's a bit annoying because it makes them impossible to harm between when they start the attack and when it executes. There are also pig casters (???) who aren't nearly as annoying as their Puni caster cousins, but if you try and attack them directly then another pig (assuming any are still alive) will take the hit for them. Fortunately, thanks to most people's large area of effect attacks, I can target a pink pig and still hit the caster pig. Pigs pigs pigs.

I'm trying to be good about using Turn 2 Candy. I think I have a decent stock of 10 or so assorted pieces. Anyway, the golems here have good HP and not much else.

A bit into the area we come across a house, and we can either go through it or take a side path. The side path is very important to check out first, because...

*yawn* Finally, it's my turn...Oh, are you the ones who released me?

Who're you?

Silwest...the wind Mana?

Yes. I can control invisible currents of wind in the air! By the way...How come you can see me?

I'm an alchemist.

Whoa, no way!...I'm kind of tired of this place. Mind if I tag along?

Are you sure? I mean, we'd be glad to have you.

Cool! It's a deal!

And just like that, we have our sixth Mana! No tutorial this time – Silwest didn't bring a new power with her, she just has the same Barrier ability as Nymph.

Silwest is the first Mana we have who can handle Lightning (albeit at a hefty multiplier) and as the Wind specialist can handle that element much better than Nymph. We can give her waters as gifts, so I wooed her with well water and foul water because I am a charmer.

...Now that I think about it, she accepted waters as gifts but Nymph did not. Weird.

Anyway, Popo got Klein's ELE EXTRACT powered up pretty far, so I had Klein equip Silwest instead (she boosts both Pass Item and Wide Item for him, plus she offers an excellent +20 speed).

Okay, now it's time to head on through the house. There are a couple of people living in this area, but none of them seem to have much of note to say.

There's a second house a bit further down that has a save point in it, if you need to rest up.

There are also invisible pigs. Maybe I just got lucky but they didn't seem to dodge as often as the invisible Puni do.

Music: Konkon Fountain

Yeah, supposedly you receive one wish if you toss something valuable into the spring.

Really, meow?

It's just a story, y'know?

Why don't we test it, meow?

What the-

HEY! That's my wallet!

Norn chucks the wallet into the spring, and...

I am the spirit of the spring. Have you donated one of your possessions?

She dropped my wallet in there!

...People are always dropping junk in here. How come I'm the one who has to fish it out? Well, if you promise not to dump more crap in here, I'll return your belongings. So...Was it this jewel! Or did you lose this stone?

Look, lady, I just want my wallet...

Look, don't sweat the details, guy. Just pick one.

Uhh...I wasn't really expecting to get a choice here. Let's pick what Delsus doesn't want. (This is one of those secret non-choices and we get the stone either way).

We'll take the stone.

Here you go. Thanks for stopping by...

What the hell!? You traded my wallet for a stupid rock!?

I can feel powerful Mana inside it.

So...what? Do we break it open?

Hey, wait...It's a mirror.

I can feel strong Mana radiating from it.

Yes, Klein, you said that already.

DO you think this is one of the Henmil's Gate mirrors?

Well, it's a good thing I tossed my wallet in that spring, eh?

And just like that, we've stumbled upon one of the two mirrors we need to get to Avenberry. I'd almost forgotten we were working towards something that kind of resembles a goal. Anyway, we can throw more stuff in the lake but I'm too scared of pissing that spirit off to bother. Maybe later.

These plants hold the semi-rare Life element, so this is a decent place to stock up on those.

The Buffer Ring is pretty cool. It's a perfect fit for physically oriented characters, which given my party setup means Lita. By the way...

Check out Lita's stats when she's in full-blown Murder Mode. God DAMN. I kind of feel silly for praising Arlin's stats now because Lita is completely trashing him and everyone else. I mean, yeah, she's got good equipment and this is all at the expense of her HP and MP, but still...

Finally, this is also my main spot for farming Stained Grass. We can find quite a bit of it here, even a few different varieties (normal Stained Grass and Pretty Stained seem to be the most common, but I think I've seen Glow Stained respawn here as well).

We can also exit to the world map here, but we're immediately blocked from going further. I guess we'll have to try again later. Meanwhile, when we exit back at the top of the cliff...

Music: The Name's Beggur!

There may be highwaymen in the fort. Find them!

The knights rush off, and a couple return with a thief who managed to survive our wrath.

Sir, I've located some bandits who may have been living here.

You there, what happened?

Some kids attacked us outta the blue. There was five of 'em. They destroyed everything! You gotta believe me.

Just five!? It must have been Klein and his friends. Grr...Why won't he join us? No matter! Now that the thieves are gone, we can claim this fort in Alkavana's name!

Brilliant idea, sir!

Bwa ha ha ha! Oh, I know! Enough goofing off! Call in support troops to get things in order!

Right away, sir!

Hmm. I feel like I should be worried about this, but...nope, not really. This does actually have one moderately annoying effect, however.

I wonder what they're up to.

I don't care. Let's stay away from Alkavana business...

You're probably right. Let's get out of here...

...we can't go back through the fort. We just automatically get ejected.

It's really not a big deal, since teleporters exist and we can get to Arcose pretty easy from here. Let's see what's going on around town there, shall we?

Music: Fun Shopping in Arcose

…!! Ack! I'll never do it again! I'll buy the bread from now on!

What?

Oh, it's just you...You really startled me. Didn't anyone teach you to knock before entering a girl's room? You're a gentleman, aren't you?

It's a shop...Why would I have to knock?

He's right, meow! It's your fault for being so jumpy!

I agree. You're the one with cake crumbs on your chin.

YOU'RE criticizing ME for eating dessert!? I was sampling product. It's an important part of my job. Duh.

Then why were you so surprised?

Well...the owner told me not to sell anything except bread. Nevermind, less talk, more buying. Did you guys need anything?

Well, I'd like to make new stuff, but it looks like that scene didn't trigger anything. Hmm. Let's run around the greater Arcose area and see if we can get anything else to happen.

You seem happy today. What's going on?

Oh, it shows? Ha ha ha...well -

Hi, Villa. What is it this time?

YOU did it, didn't you!?

You deserved it, after what you did last time.

It wasn't that bad! What kind of sister are you?

What kind are you? Look who's talking!

What!?

Oh, you wanna fight now!?

Let's just come back later...

I wonder what she did.

Whatever it was, we should probably leave them alone.

Sisters shouldn't fight like this...

I dunno...They're related. I think this is kind of normal.

Hmm. I really don't remember if this Hute and Villa stuff ever really goes anywhere or what. I know that at least one of them is important to Blaire's arc, though, so I guess I'll keep checking on them.

Hey, Blaire has customers now. Still no new scene, though. Hmm, what else can I do? I think there's a third store in town, maybe I can check that out...

What's wrong?

I found this old painting while I was cleaning the warehouse. But I can't find it on the record. I wonder where it came from...

Why don't you just decide on a price and sell it?

I can't do that! Customers trust our accuracy. The day prices can be arbitrarily decided is the day our business dies.

We don't know much about art, unfortunately.

Do you know any antique experts?

MEOW!

What is it, Norn?

Meow? Oh, meow...it's nothing...

Nothing!? You just shouted about... … ...Do you just not want to tell us?

Meow, no! I'm fine. It's not like I didn't want to mention her... …!

That's right! Lector might know about it.

No, no, meow! We can't talk to her!

DO you think your friend could appraise this for me?

Hey...this painting just looks like a bunch of monsters.

Yeah, it's pretty weird, huh? But look at those brush strokes! Ahhh...divine! I'll reward you depending on how much the painting's worth. Good luck.

Ugh, why does this game keep making Lector involved in things? Oh well, to the Collector's Caravan we go...

Nooo, meow!

Well, I suppose we can play later, then. Did you have a new item for me?

We're actually here for a different reason...

Oh, so you want me to appraise your painting, huh? Let's have a look see...hmm...Where'd you guys get something like this?

Why do you ask?

Because it's dangerous! You guys must be out of your minds. Just get rid of it, okay!? ASAP!!

Uhh...that's not really where I thought this was going, but okay. This guy is a common encounter at some point or another (I forget how far along, but not terribly so). I thought about fighting him normally, but Lita's still got that six MP, and you know what costs six MP?

Sure enough, it's an eject attack that won this fight in one move. It also has a weird animation that makes Lita's frames act all weird so I get extra goofy shots from it like this one.

By the way, does anyone know what K.B. Is supposed to stand for? All I can think of is killing blow.

...but it shouldn't have escaped. Seals are usually tighter than that.

You seem to know a lot about these things.

Oh, yeah...My cursed item collection is quite extensive, actually.

So...you have a bunch of these things.

I've got stuff that makes this painting look like a toy. For example, I've got a bottle with an evil spirit in it that could destroy the world.

Uhhhh, gotta run!

I always did like evil art in video games. I don't really know why. Anyway, I might as well turn in my items while I'm here...

Hiss...

Don't worry. I gave up trying to touch your ears.

I don't believe you, meow.

I'm serious. Don't worry.

… …

… ...Are you sure, meow?

Of course.

… …

… … Meow...you swear?

I swear. You can trust me, Item Collector's honor.

… …

… …So you really aren't-

That's enough, Norn.

Okay, meow. I believe you.

I'm glad we could put all of this behind us.

What changed your mind all of a sudden? You really wanted to touch them...

I realized how selfish I was...I had no business touching her ears. I don't want Norn to hate me over something stupid like that.

Yup, me-

Besides, if I use my imagination, I can touch them whenever I want to.

Hey, that's not...meow? MEOW!?

Is that...

See? This Norn lets me touch her ears all the time. Are you jealous? This way I can stay friends with the real Norn, but still touch fake Norn's ears!

...What do you think, Norn?

Imagination is dangerous, meow.

Well, that sure was a character arc. Let's head back to Arcose and wrap things up.

Well, it's hard to say...

It sort of burned up...When we sort of fought this demon...That sort of lived in it.

It's GONE!? I thought we'd get a lot for it.

It had a monster inside, man. You couldn't very well have sold it.

I guess you're right...I wouldn't want anyone getting hurt. What a bummer. I guess that's life. Thanks anyway. You can take this for trying.

He hands over a Black Mana. Ehh...not really worth having to talk to Lector.

And finally...