Part 41: Hardcore Archery Beatdown

Update 41: Hardcore Archery Beatdown












I'm making some good progress with Lector. I'm not really big on concept art stuff like this, but some of these have been kinda cool.





Atelier Blaire: Sweet Dreams are Made of This

Music: Small Workshop


We might as well jump right in to yet more synthesis. Blaire added five new recipes last time, so let's get started.





Here, try a Caramel Cube.

Hey, it's hard.

Well, yeah, it's hard candy. It lasts for a long time so it's good for long trips.


The Caramel Cube is important for a couple of Mofuma's recipes which we'll get to in a moment. The recipe also has a variant...





If we use a Lando in the recipe...





Here, try some Twister Candy! Looks tasty, huh?

It looks really yummy, meow!

Ha ha ha! It looks a lot more natural when Norn's holding it!

More...natural, meow?

Hey, he's right! That does look kinda cute.

Meow! Stop teasing me! Hmph...

Aw, c'mon, we didn't mean it like that!


The Twister Candy is also used in a recipe for Mofuma. We'll have to be sure and visit him later, but Blaire has plenty more to make for the moment. Next up, we have...





...The Salty Fries, which curiously don't require salt and can get better quality with other powders – including sugar, of course.





Have you ever had Salty Fries? Honestly, I don't really like them.

Oh hey, these are great. Now I just need a beer.


Isn't this supposed to be about making sweets? I'm not even sure I'd really qualify fries as a baked good. I mean, they're called fries because you fry them.

(said the LPer who's greatest culinary achievement is Hamburger Helper).





Next is Animal Crackers. Do most animal crackers have Soju in them? That seems a bit arbitrary.





Aaand...done! Here's your Animal Crackers. They're...not really my style, but I make what you ask me to.

Well...I know one girl who likes these......Me. *munch munch*


They aren't shaped like animals, either. This whole set of recipes is just a big sham, isn't it?





Next is the cheesecake. We need one of Norman's drinks for this. I chose Stardust because it seemed like the most desserty drink.





Here's a Cheesecake, just for you! Making all this, it feels like I'm running a cake shop.

It didn't look too complicated. I bet I could make one.

Do you have any idea what you're talking about? Cheesecake is incredibly hard to make!

...Really?

Absolutely! It needs just a tang of sourness. Then the tart has to be perfect...And it has to be soft as a pillow! It can't be crunchy at all. But if you get it right, it's divine!

Yeah...I guess that's pretty complicated.

I'm just saying – it isn't easy.


How has Blaire not killed someone yet?





Finally, we have the Snickerdoodle. This requires Blaire's own White Love and Mofuma's Nectar – neither can be substituted.





Alright, it's done! This is a very expensive treat called the Snickerdoodle.

Expensive? It looks like an ordinary cookie to me...

Yeah, just a cookie, meow.

*sigh* You're hopeless. How can you not see the difference? Usually only society's elite have the privilege of tasting Snickerdoodles.

...But...It's just a cookie...


That's it for Blaire's new recipes. But, you know, she still has that Wedding Cake recipe lying around, and I think I might be able to scrounge up all the stuff I need for it...





To Mofuma's![/i]





Atelier Totopop & Mofuma: Mystical Desserts


First off, we have yet another food based item that requires Veola's Metal Pipe. I...don't think I want to eat anything that has metal in it, but different strokes for different teddy bears.





Here being a Flute Candy. Is it candy that is flute? Or flute that is candy? Playing while eating is fun. Its sound being changed as you eat!

Meow! It's candy and it's fun!

You may damage enemies that don't like the high tones, yes?








Next up we've got Tiramisu. Every last ingredient in this is made by another shopkeeper.





Tiramisu is being the done, yes? This is the popular dessert.

Meow! Looks pretty good!

It's like a cake with pie inside...

With that powdered crust this'll be one messy dessert.


Maybe I should have named this the Most Delicious Update. I'm seriously considering making a ten o'clock grocery store run to get some Oreos or something just because of all this stuff I'm writing about.







“Hard” AND “Hard Texture”. I'm not so sure about this pudding.


Try some Unipuni Pudding. It won the gold medal at last year's Annual Mystical Beast Sweet Baking Contestorama!

Mystical Beast...wha?

Since we are the loving of sweets, we hold contest every year. All the beasts must like the food for it to be gold medal. That is why the value.

Even I don't like sweets THAT much.





And so we finish yet another synther's story. Mofuma has no more recipes for us, but I'll still stop by and make/buy a few more of his treats. Also, I forgot to mention this earlier, but Nectar is one of the only ways for a non-Klein character to revive other people, so I'm definitely going to stock up on these since Klein likes to die a lot and he's in charge of resurrection.





Music: Klein and his Pleasant Friends


Now we have everything we need for one of Blaire's major recipes. By Blaire and Mofuma's combined talents, we have...





I finally did it! I baked a Wedding Cake!

I'm getting emotional just looking at it!

Who could eat a whole wedding cake, meow?

Here, I'll cut the cake, and we can all try some. Klein, would you allow me the honor of cutting this cake with you?

What!? Why me?

Yeah! Why'd you choose Klein so fast?





Do you want to do it with Klein? I don't mind...Here's the knife.

Ahem...It's okay...I'm no good at cutting cakes.

Wait, wait meow! I can cut the wedding cake with Klein!

Norn!

Heh...Looks like you're a popular guy, Klein!


I guess it's time for Veola's “For Blaire” recipe (Baking Powder + Big Bomb + Spike Bomber + Ingredient X = Yeastsplosive).

Actually I haven't checked in on Veola in a while. Let's go see how she's doing.





Atelier Veola: Kiss Me, I'm a Vampire

Music: Voiceless Poem


Norman told me something interesting the other day. Apparently there's a book of magic spells similar to the ones I use. I think that book might hold the details of the Chronolex. It's supposed to be in a dangerous place...very far from here.

...Where is that?

It's called the Flawless Marvel. There are stones there, similar to the ones in my shop. The book should be there as well. At least, that's what I heard.

Okay. If we go there, I'll try to find it for you.

...Thank you.

...Klein?

Hm?

I'm counting on you.





Right, so, I already have that book – it's been sitting around in my inventory since our first visit, and I was wondering why we hadn't given it to her yet. Unfortunately, even after boosting quality and stuff she still wouldn't trigger the scene where we actually give her the book.





Then I figured I might as well go back anyway, just to make super ultra sure I got it. Like I said, I already had, but as I flew around I found this new weapon I couldn't reach before.





...Hmm. I don't know if I like that or not. The ATK boost is meaningless and the MAG boost trivial, but the resistances are nice. I don't know if they're nice enough to justify such a huge hit to MP, though. Holy Power is a minor HP/MP regen per turn, so that helps too. I went ahead and had Klein equip this.

At any rate, either the game expected me to go back to the Marvel regardless, or I just happened to spend enough time/battles to trigger Veola's next scene.





Guess what I brought you, Veola!

A ring?



Er, no...it's the book you asked us to find. This is it, right?

Oh...

So...? Is that the one?

This is fantastic! Thank you. With this information, I should be able to create the Chronolex!

Yeah, well you'd better appreciate this!





And we...still have no new recipes. I guess we'll have to wait for yet another scene to trigger. In the meantime, I have a few odds and ends recipes for Veola, so let's try some of those out.

Bombs and Medicine are a little weird in that Veola has them for sale on the menu from the outset, but you can also synth them (and subsequently adjust their quality; there's a whole weird thing about Bomb quality, but we'll talk about that later). Altering the Medicine recipe got me Blue Bull. Altering the Bomb recipe got me Big Bombs, but if we use Silver Legiens we can make something else...





Music: Cute Witch


Here's an Icy Bomb.

So you just called it an Icy Bomb, huh?

Of course. It differentiates the Icy version from normal bombs.

Do you hate coming up with names or something?

Yes, actually.

*sigh*





And now for a particularly bizarre one. Remember good ol' Farewell, Pain and Crazy Bull!? Well, a new potential ingredient has cropped up besides plain Medicine or Blue Bull that I can use instead.





Time to put those death pills to use!





Here's a Vampire's Kiss.

How do we use this one?

Hmm...I don't know.

Well, what's it do?

Don't really know that, either.

How can you not know? You're the one who made it!

The one thing I do know is you can use this to make another item. I just sort of gave it a random name; it doesn't actually mean anything.

Yeah, I figured.


I think Veola's got this backwards. The Vampire's Kiss is an HP drain attack item, but as best I can tell there are no recipes that can include it. Well, whatever.

That's it for synthing today, but I have one more special sidequest to show off. It's a rare sidequest that doesn't just throw Mana Stones at us as a reward, and it's one of the more important ones to tackle. It's time to head back to Lake Forwel...





Music: Lakeside


What's on your mind, gramps?

I'd like some milk...Maybe you could get me some?

Milk...Like from one of those cows out there, right?

I'll give you a reward, of course.

… ...

It sounds easy enough. Let's do the old man a favor.

Standing here thinking about it is just wasting time.

Okay, okay, let's do this.





Momo the Cow: Mooooo!


You're awfully good at that, Delsus.

You don't sound impressed...Let's get this back to grandpa.





Hmm? Let's see...What kind of prank is this!? This isn't what I asked for! I asked for some of Gemlis' special fresh sliced fish from the lake! This isn't a game, dagnabbit!


Yep, it's one of those fetch quests.


What!? What are YOU trying to pull, old man?

It's right over there...Let's just do it.

I think grandpa just wants attention, meow.

...Man, he's just playing you girls.





Some old man asked us to pick up some of your fresh fish.

Heh...That sounds like him, all right. Hold on just a sec. All right, here y'go.

Oh wow, it's gorgeous!

Fresh and tasty, yummy yummy meow!

I'm not really a chef...but this is one dish I can handle. That old man loves it, too. His feedback is really encouraging.

Okay, maybe we'll stop by again later.

Thanks for coming. See ya.





Hmm? Let's see...Noooo. What is wrong with you?

What!?

I asked for one simple thing: an herbal cocktail. Is that so hard?

You keep changing your mind! You don't even know what you're talking about.

The owner of the bar in Kavoc makes me a special herbal cocktail. If I miss drinking it for a day, it takes one year off my life.

… …

I'm going to keep running his damn errands until he's satisfied!

D-Delsus!?

meow...his eyes are twitching. Is he gonna be okay, meow?





I'm here to pick up a drink for the old man by Lake Forwel.

What? How come?

...Look, it's a long story, okay?

Okay, okay, take it easy. I believe you. Here's the drink. Be careful, alright?


I like to think of this quest as comeuppance for that bullshit Delsus put us through with the dragon before.

(I know I said I was over it, but I was lying).





Hmm...yes, this is the cocktail I asked you for. But you know what would be really nice? Some fresh milk.

Grrr...We already brought yer damn milk!

Oh, you did? Ha ha ha...Nevermind, then.

You've gotta be kidding.

Take it easy there, young fella. These should calm you down a spot.





He actually hands over four stones, including a couple rarish ones like this one. Not a bad haul for what was a more mentally draining quest than an actually difficult one.

Of course, we're not actually done.


Whoa, those are Mana stones...and they're rare ones, too!

Ha ha...kids these days are so fascinated by rocks and things. Though, I think I could be satisfied with just one more thing -

Don't even think about it, old man. We're done.

But I have a really nice treasure waiting for the person who can run this errand!

A treasure, huh?...Okay, you've got one more chance.

...Delsus, you idiot.

Okay, whippersnapper...I need an outfit that's tight and...hip.

Hip and tight, got it. We'll be right back.





This is all I've got...

Sweet, a Gogo Suit! Perfect!

...Whatever you say, Delsus.

Okay, let's take this to him.


This is funnier to me because I have Delsus wearing a Gogo Suit right now.





Oh, how nice of you, young man.

It is what you wanted, right?

This material is great...I'll take it!

So, then, about that trea-

Now I'm craving something sweet. You know, I've heard that Arcose makes the best cookies in the world. I'd love to have some before I die.

Hey! What about...........Calm down, Delsus...Think of the treasure...The treasure...No worries! We'll get you your cookies, alright.

Young people today are oh-so-reliable.





That'd be great, then I could buy even more. Seriously, these are the best.

Huh? You just carry those around with you?

Meow! I knew Lita was hiding her snacky delights from me!

Paws off! I love sweets, okay?

Talk is cheap. Let's just take these to the old man.


The game doesn't actually state it, but they're talking about Snickerdoodles. This is the part that can throw a wrench in the sidequest, since those are a somewhat late item in Blaire's story. I'm not actually sure if this sidequest will even trigger until you've synthed them – I want to say it will, but I just don't recall for certain how this went on my other playthroughs.





Hmm? These are...! My goodness! I can go with no regrets! Truly these are the world's finest cookies! I haven't had such fun in years. Now, to repay you...

Treasure? Where? Show me!

I will pass down my secret skill to you.

Awesome! I can't wait...Huh? Secret skill? There's no treasure?

I was an eagle-eye archer back in my day...I'm sure you'll enjoy my secret skill. So...ready, young man?

My...my treasure...





Looks like you've mastered my skills, kiddo. You did a great job.

Thanks...I guess knowledge is the real treasure. (You've gotta be kidding me...) Hey gramps, who are you, anyway?

Me...? I'm just a lovable old man who forgets things...Ha ha ha!





And with that, we have everyone's full ability set fill-

Ninety Nine MP cost!?







And worth every point.

Spirit Blast is actually kind of sketchy as an ultimate ability because it has a random elemental attribute (either fire or ice) and subsequently there is sometimes a risk that you will do subpar damage or even heal your enemy. When it DOES work, though, say hello to four digit damage output.

That's it for now. Join me next time as we delve further into Veola's plot and maybe have a brief Blaire interlude. See you then!






































Head of Commerce: Man, I love its overall quality so much, I get it every day. I love the Vampire's Kiss because it's so vomit-inducing...This tastes great! Be patient, sonny!