Part 4: Dreams of the Sea and Sky

Update 4: Dreams of the Sea and Sky


Every dungeon in the game will demand you change the weather and radically alter the zones in doing so to progress. And making it rain or sunny is just the least of it.


Anyway, the seabed (?) is pretty large. So large I’m probably going to have trouble finding my destination…



Still, even with the water level reduced by a hundred feet or whatever, it’s very pretty. And it makes a hell of a combination with the violin and Haruka Shimotsuki’s chorus in the background.




Anyway, we’re close to the end of the first zone…



And beating up some birds for their feathers unlocks the second tier of cloths. Turning the weather sunny also let me find Kupfer Ore, which lets me make Silvalia, the second tier of ingots.


If I fast travel back to this stone, it’ll be sunny; if I enter the ruins via Near-Forest, it’ll be rainy. From now on, different fast travel points in zones will have different default weather. As an aside, these stones often denote that you’re close to the exit…


As such! I just have to change the weather and not even go that far before…


I’m already most of the way through!


Aura

You look like you’re having fun.

Who wouldn’t be? If only I’d thought to pack all my research tools …

A scholar to the bone, huh?



Looking for treasure! I smell a fortune nearby, just waiting to be claimed!



Not a chance! Go find your own loot!

Now, now. Just calm down, you tw–



What was that?



It’s a monster!

Plachta, get back!

Uh-oh. This one looks pretty tough …

Looks like playtime’s over. Get ready to fight!




Oh boy, auras!


Every boss and a good deal of generic monsters will put up an aura that will utterly throttle your damage output so long as it’s up. This gives them more time to charge up super-attacks and lay the hurt on you, so you really want to do your damndest to break through ASAP.
For this one, it’s relatively light; a Wind Aura with 5 durability and which I can smash through immediately with a Lightning Bomb. And reaction skills are pretty nasty, so in this case, it rules out using any other bomb as well as some of Sophie, Plachta, and Olias’ skills. (Yes, despite his gun’s appearance, it mostly does magic damage.)


Debuffs and negative status effects deplete enemy aura faster. In addition to the -3 from the Wind Aura’s electric weakness, the Lightning Bomb shaved off another 2 via paralysis.


You get bonus TP when you break aura…


…And the attacker who broke the enemy aura gets another action. Breaking aura also stuns the enemy, which means they miss their turns and take way more extra damage from attacks, so that’s your cue to let loose!







I know I made that mini-boss seem like a cakewalk, but it can actually be really nasty if it’s your first time dealing with enemies who can put up auras.



Of … Of course … I’m … perfectly …

You look like you’re on your last legs, How about we sit down and take a break?

Sure. You three rest up. I’ll keep watch.

The game even expects that you had a hard time here!



Music: Even if the stars disappear after dawn

Excuse me, but … Do you mind if I ask you something?

What about?

Would you tell me who taught you alchemy?



My mentor! She’s super strict, but she really knows her stuff.

I see. And who is this mentor?

Ehehe … Well, you see … It’s Plachta.



The same Plachta you’re searching for?

Yep. She’s like family to me, but she’s also my alchemy mentor. Thanks to her, I’ve gotten way better than I ever could have dreamed. She says I still have a long way to go, though. So I have to study even harder.

Am I really going to be such a powerful alchemist someday? No, I mustn’t get ahead of myself. There’s no proof we’re even the same person. Only, if it really is true … I suppose it gives me something to look forward to.





Time to get going. You three feeling better?

Yes, we had a pleasant rest.

Olias said “you three”, but there’s just the two…

Huh? Where did Alette go?







Eek! What’s happened now?

I knew I was right! My nose for treasure never lies!

What are you blabbering about? And where did you get to?

Heh heh heh! Never you mind! Just feast your eyes … on this!



Not just ancient–super valuable! Do you have any idea how much these sell for? A collector would pay a fortune for one in this condition!

A small fortune, maybe. I reckon you’d be lucky to get a thousand for it.

That’s where you’re wrong, buster! This single coin is worth over a million Cole!

A million?! For one coin?!

You serious? For a grubby old piece of metal?

That can’t be right. I can hardly even tell it’s a coin at all.

I’m not lying! Do you know how rare it is to find a coin from ancient times? See, there are only three known to exist in the whole world, and …

Yeah, yeah, I believe you. Just take care you don’t drop it. Anyway, time to move on, Keep your eyes peeled for any more monsters.







At this point, I’ve unlocked the second-tier weapons for everyone, so I might as well go back to the atelier and craft a bit.


Music: Premonitions

Back in the forest…

It was a dragon that did it, I tell ya.

Did you say … dragon?

Oh, aye. Came swoopin’ down from outta nowhere. Caused this whole mess in the blink of an eye.

Damn, he’s comin’ this close to town now …? Was anyone hurt?



It’s gonna take a while to get all this sorted. Sorry, but y’all can’t go this way until we’re done.

Well, that’s how the game blocks that part of Near-Forest for now. Going back to town…





Business

I see … So there is no need to go out of my way to break down the ingredients in the cauldron.

Yeah. You risk compromising the quality of the ingredients if you do that.

This method takes more time, but it gets the job done without damaging any of the ingredients.




You’re welcome … But I do kinda feel like your alchemy’s a bit unique.

Perhaps the book that first introduced me to alchemy was not all that well written.

A book?

I learned all the foundations of alchemy from a very old tome.

Huh, what are the odds that this was the very book she would become 500 years before Sophie 1.

Whaaat?! S-so you mean you’re self-taught?

There were no alchemists in my village, after all. All I could do was experiment over and over again with that tome as my guide.

Wow. And you still managed to work out how to do all this.

Yes … Well, I had no choice.

(Unlike Plachta, I had alchemy books AND my grandma’s recipes … )
(This kind of smarts … I’ve got to work harder!)






This … is a regular piece of ore, right? Or am I missing something?

I’ll say! Go on, take a closer look! I bet you’ve never seen ore shaped like this before! It’s all natural, too! Doesn’t that make it like, super rare?!

Wait, you mean someone didn’t carve this?! Wow, that really is something …

I know, right?! And, guess what?



1,000 Cole?! It’s still just a rock, you know?

Sure, but one whose fabulousness you’ve just acknowledged. I mean, check out that form! Besides, it’s unusual, which makes it extraordinary, which means it’s priced accordingly. Seriously, 1,000 Cole’s a steal for a super rare item like this! So, how about it?

Hmm … It’s neat, but I think I’ll pass. When it comes to alchemy, the shape doesn’t matter much.

Really?! Aw, man … I only bothered picking it up because I was so sure you’d buy it … Oh well, I’ll just sell it to some other person. I’ve already got a few people in mind.

I wonder who on earth would pay that much for a chunk of mineral …




Oh, it’s Olias … Is he working?

Yo, if it ain’t Sophie. What’s up?

Not much. I was just passing by. Are you working now?

Yup! I’m the star bodyguard of this world. I’ve got so many requests I’m drownin’ in ‘em!

Are there really that many requests?

Reckon there’s a finer bodyguard than me in all the land? Not a chance! And there’s your answer!

Hah … Now if only you could fix that personality of yours …



Hm. Sure, sure … Anyway, I’m counting on you today, Olias.

Relax. So long as you’ve got me with you, you’re as safe as safe can be. A’ight, Sophie, I gotta go. See ya ‘round!



… Just where does Olias get all his confidence from? But, his client seemed like a regular. I guess Olias really is as popular as he says …






Haha, nope! We aren’t related at all! We wound up living together ‘cause we get along like only two merchants can!

Oh, you two weren’t together from the beginning?

Mhm. When Alette first came to this world, she had nothing but her pigtailed self. Ergo, she didn’t have a single thing she could sell to anyone, and an empty purse to boot.

Oh gosh … That sounds like her worst nightmare.

You can say that again! She was at her wits’ end trying to scrape together some Cole. She even skipped sleeping and cut down on eating to earn more. All work and no play, I tell you! I saw that she was heading down a dark path, so I invited her to become my roommate. That way I could at least make sure she was eating three square meals a day.

Hm … That does sound like something Alette would do …

Ahaha! But that’s what makes her so fun to watch! And you just can’t help but want to help her out!

Hehe … You’re a nice person, aren’t you, Pirka?

I’m just a mama merchant watching over a baby merchant! It’s also great since she brings me rare items as souvenirs from her delivery jobs. So she’s helping me too! I scratch her back, and she scratches mine.



A Trip to the Tavern

… Kati, you’re not slacking off again, are you?

Hmm? Oh, Sophie! Nope, I’m just a little worn out from all the hustling I did today …



Kati seemed so much more capable when I first met her …

She takes requests from Miss Elvira rather seriously. Anything else, however … It pains me to say it, but the people of the town often speak of her in less than stellar terms.



Heeey, that’s not faaaair. I wasn’t always like this. I only ended up this way because I kept my nose to the grindstone so long I burned out. If anything, I’m what happens when you work TOO hard.

… In short, this is her default mode. So if you’d like to place an order, please do so through me.




Come to think of it, there are people in Erde Wiege who’ve come from the future, right? So why doesn’t Roytale seem all that different from the time I came from?

Huh, good point. I’d never thought about that.

You ought to pay more attention … There is indeed a reason for it.



However, she cannot bring people here from just any time in the past or future. If we use Sophie’s time as a base, there were people here from up to a thousand years earlier. However, there were no people here from more than about one hundred years later.

I see … That reminds me, back home, when I asked Plachta what the town was like 500 years ago, she said it didn’t change much.

No changes in five hundred years, huh? You’d think somethin’ would’ve improved in all that time.

Well, there’s been no need. No one is particularly troubled by anything. That in and of itself is quite a feat, wouldn’t you say?

Hmph … I guess. But I’d rather see some things change.

I bet it’d probably take a few thousand years to get to that point.




No Hagels or other smithy middlemen here in Erde Wiege–Sophie and Plachta make all the weapons and armor themselves. As you can see, Gear Synth effects stack, and two of the Silvalia I crafted earlier will add another 12 ATK and 20 SPD to the weapon’s base specs.





Same with the Gnade Ring, which needs an Ingot…


…And with flat stat boosts (Power Rune gives +15 ATK, Speed Rune gives +15 SPD), it’s the best all-purpose accessory available for a very long time. Still, with just a 5x5 grid, I have to make some pretty hard compromises on what effect thresholds I want to hit and leave a lot of components on the table. And doing all this synthesis means Plachta’s alchemy level is going up quite quickly!





Peep those stat boosts! And I’ve even given Olias and Alette Lightning Bombs too…? Let’s go back and wrap up the dungeon.


Plachta’s Voice



That doesn’t make sense. We didn’t meet her on the forest road, so she must have come this way … Could we have passed each other without realizing?

Guess it’s possible.

In that case, maybe it’s time we headed back to Royta–

Sophie … Sophie …

Huh?



Plachta …? Plachta, is that you?!

What are you on about? Of course it’s me.

No, I mean the other Plachta! I just heard her voice!

I feel … warmth … Is someone there? … Sophie, is that you?



Plachta! Plachta, come back!



Hey, wait up! I dunno what you think you heard, but you’ll get yourself killed!

Sophie? What’s going on?!

I have no idea, but we can’t let her run off on her own. After her!



Plachta! Where are you? Can you hear me?!

Just calm down for a moment. Are you absolutely certain it was her?

Yes! It’s got to be Plachta, I’d recognize her voice anywhere!

Easy there. No one’s callin’ you a liar. What was she saying?

She was calling my name, over and over … But it seemed like she couldn’t tell I was here …



Whoa! G-guys? There’s something in the water!

Eek!




Is that … a monster? It’s enormous!

Damn! That’s one big fish!

…



… I can’t stop … Not until I find Plachta.




Music: Destructive Disruption



Damn it! This ain’t lookin’ good!

We should run, Sophie! Live to fight another day!

We can’t! We still haven’t found Plachta!

This rain is tipping the scales in the water dragon’s favor! If only we could dispel it …!



The Sunlight Heliodor! It’s … glowing?!

… Maybe we can do this after all.

Are you quite certain?!

I don’t know … but I feel like something is telling me not to give up.

Something? What sort of “something”?

I’ll take anythin’ right now! Just do it!




Well, changing the weather did what it said it would …


…But now it’s put up a Wind Aura with 20 durability.



That’s four Lightning Bomb uses…


…and another AoE to tank…



Before its aura goes down and I just have everyone chuck Lightning Bombs at it until it goes away. Especially Olias and Alette, whose regular ice and wind skills are useless here.





Phew … Did we … Did we beat it?

Doesn’t look like it’s gettin’ back up anytime soon. Anyone hurt?

I’m fine. How about you, Sophie?

Yes … I’m … right as rain … More importantly … I can’t hear Plachta’s voice anymore. It was so clear before, but now …





For real? We beat you fair and square!

Sophie! Run!




Music: Anywhere, Anytime

Hey, it’s–




Take this!

Time to finish this!




And with Ramizel and her friend’s intervention, the water dragon goes away for a good long while.

That was close. You almost ended up in that thing’s belly.


Music: Whichever Way

Ramizel! And Diebold!

Eh? … Ramizel?

What’re you two doin’ here?

Kati told us about you, so we hurried after you before you got into trouble. You certainly took the scenic route. We must have missed you on your way here.

You’re kidding …

That may be my fault. I insisted we take a detour on our way back to Roytale.

Well, all’s well that ends well. Though it was a close call …

Let’s just be thankful we made it in time. Which reminds me …



That’s right. Um … I’m not quite sure where to start.

This isn’t exactly a comfortable place to talk. Why don’t we continue again once we get back to town?

Um … Do you mind if we stay a minute? I want to look around just a little bit more …

Not a chance. Unless you want to wind up as another monster’s supper.

But …!

She’s right, Sophie. None of us are ready for another battle like that.

Alette …

I know you want to keep looking, but this place ain’t goin’ anywhere. No reason we can’t come back later.

You too, Olias? I guess you’re right …

I know it’s disappointing, but thanks for understanding. Now, we should head back home.



… Thank you, Ramizel … … Or perhaps I should call you grandma?




… Nothing … I’m sure it was her voice I heard … Plachta, where did you go?

Sophie! Hurry up!




It looks like we made it back safe and sound …

Things seemed pretty dicey for a minute, but we’re all still in one piece …

Excuse me … um, miss? Your name is Ramizel, right?

That’s right. Alchemist Ramizel Erlenmeyer, at your service.





Let’s continue this at Kati’s place. I know I could do with a sit down.

So, are you any more confident about Ramizel’s identity?

Hmm … Honestly, I’m not sure.



Yeah, fair point.

We can’t even ask her, can we? It’s not like she would know any better than you …

Even this early on, Sophie probably already knows in her heart of hearts, but being fair to her, how is she even supposed to break this conversation? Flash back to your early twenties–how would you react if this other person barely younger than you asked you if you were their grandparent? It would be awkward as all get out and you’d think they were joshing you or not quite all right up there, right?



Right! Coming!
(I guess I can think about this later. Right now, I need to focus on finding Plachta.)

First I need to save! So back to the atelier to…




Nice going, Plachta!

I have you to thank.

Hey, all I did was give you a quick intro to the method.





(I wonder if this friend is who I’m thinking of … )
You and your friend must have worked really hard together.

Yes … We clashed at times, but we shared the fruits of our research and strove to hone our abilities. He is … very talented. I’m grateful to know someone like him.

He sounds like a good friend.


tl;dr shit happened when they were adults and it’s why Plachta turned herself into the book Sophie found at the start of Sophie 1


Now, time to hit the save but-



Is something the matter? Don’t tell me …

Nah, it’s nothin’ bad. I was just thinking it’s high time I shared my secret fighting wisdom.

Wow, really? With you teaching me, I’d be unstoppable!

You bet! You’ll be Roytale’s second-best bodyguard in no time!



… And that’s how it goes!

Um … Doesn’t that mostly amount to saying “figure it out yourself”?

What? No way! Knowin’ the trick is half the battle! You get it, right, Sophie?

Ahaha … ha … I guess you’re not wrong …
(… I do kinda feel I did the same thing before back in Kirchen Bell, though.)

Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try it out.





And this is how you upgrade your party members’ skills in battle (and Sophie’s gathering ranks for bare-handed gathering and gathering by staff), by spending AP on gameplay benefits like reducing the amount of money you owe Pirka, increasing the quality of materials gathered, or just giving members flat bonuses to their stats. You get AP by leveling up or by completing sidequests for characters (e.g., spending money at Alette's shop to get her SP).

Anyway, save button hit at long last. We’ll circle back with Ramizel and then some next update.