Part 52: It's Probably Pirates

Entry 49: It's Probably Pirates




The Goodman residence is spacious for only two people. There's a hint that the couple would like to but cannot have children. Whether that's due to being separated by the war or infertility issues, who knows. Considering the game's on-the-nose narrative and lines like "love stocked up", it's probably the former.



Agnès thanks Eleanor for her hospitality by pocketing a hairpin someone dropped on the floor. Video game protagonists are terrible houseguests.



Edea feels a kinship to this item.



We're way ahead of you.



Strange, someone stuck a sword behind the table.



It's ours now!



The party dithers around town, breaking only to nag Eleanor for food. In the evening, as Ringabel once again lays down his suavest moves, Eleanor suggests the services of the local inn for their stay. She proceeds to shove the party out the mansion's front door and lock it behind them.

We're stuck with the inn for the rest of our stay. What better time to see what the local night life's like? As Ringabel would say, hot spirits, hot parties.



With food shortages ongoing, Eleanor, the military, and honored guests (us) get dibs on access to food and clothing material. Things aren't nearly so cushy for everyone else.



In the end, he died clawing at his throat, writhing in a cloud of green mist. A friend he'd made in the trenches told me. How am I to live my life now, without him? What reason have I to go on?

Hell.

A kid at the other end of the square is screaming his head off. Let's go see what that's about.



A mother was looking for her kid in the daytime. Unfortunately, we've got no idea where she is now.



Let's leave. Hartschild's a depressing place.

The party arrives at Eisen Bridge early the next day.



Only until a way into the Temple of Fire is found.

I understand. Thank you for giving thought to our plight, Wind Vestal.

I'll head back to the old house to check on Zatz.



It'd be nice if you had time to go home to your wife sometime, Commander. Be seeing you, Tiz.

Datz leaves the bridge.

Of the four main crew, Tiz appears to be the one most likely to make friends with other people. He has a simple, calm charm to him, while by contrast Agnès is shy/emotionally distant, Edea is intimidatingly blunt (and known as an Eternian), and Ringabel is...Ringabel.



The Swordbearers have a stronghold called Grapp Keep. Could you go and scout it out?

What do you expect us to find there?

Four years ago, a terrifying weapon known as toxic mist was unleashed in the East City near the keep.



We still have not identified the nature of this toxic mist. If we can pin down what it is made from, we may be able to neutralize it and create a cure.

Grapp Keep. Got it. We'll be on our way, then!

Grapp Keep is to the northeast of here. I'll notify the guards to let you through.

We've got our first mission as honorary Shieldbearers! It involves flinging the last living vestal towards lethally toxic chemicals. Great job, everyone.



Agnès is still skeptical, but the guilt and pressure from her teammates and futility of going it alone limits her options.

But before we head towards the scene of mass murder...



There's a new side quest to check out. Back to the house by the sea. As the party enters, Zatz and Datz are chatting.



I have no idea.

Datz glances up at the party.

Oh, you're back.



Oh, we've just been seeing a mysterious ship pass by us in this harbor ever since the civil war started.

It gives me the creeps. It's an old sailing ship that's falling to pieces. It always shows up on foggy nights.

Has it tried to harm you?

No, it's just an eerie sight to see. We sometimes hear screams coming from it as well.

Screams?



It says something like, "No, no. Not here..." Perhaps they're looking for something?

When do you see this ship?



Tiz goes into thought while ignoring Edea staring at him in terror.

Sorry, Edea. It's time for...

~~The 90s JRPG inspired ghost ship section~~

While Edea shivers in the corner and Tiz wonders how easy it is to stab a ghost to unundeath, Datz and Zatz move their gossip to a new topic.



So that wily fox yet lives, eh? He was always the brains of the Four Warriors of the Shieldbearers.

How's he doing?

Good. He's been moving up in the world while we've been hiding out here.

He was clad in some magnificent armor. It was really shiny--and by the look on his face, really uncomfortable.

And Neuer? Is she still trying to steal Commander Goodman away from his wife?

Didn't see Neuer, so who knows? But rumor has it she's battling Steiner for a promotion.

Hmm, they're fighting to get ahead of one another? That doesn't sound like the Four Warriors we know.

I'd wager scrambling up that ladder of success is a lot more trouble than we could imagine.

Yeah, don't think I'll ever understand the allure. Just order me into the fray to bust some heads. That's all I need.

Bah ha ha! Well said! Well said, indeed!

Neuer and Steiner (unfortunately not FF9's Steiner) may be coming up later.



There's a new guy loitering around here. What's he up to?



Then a rickety old sailing ship passed by, though there was no wind in its tattered sails...

Pale spirits fluttered around its deck. I heard a voice saying, "No, no." Then a hearty laugh, "Gah hah hah." It just about scared me silly to tell you the truth...

Edea is not amused.



Anything else Datz can tell us?



No? You didn't go out sailing in the past 30 seconds since we first asked? We'd better go hunt these ghosts down ourselves. Tiz came up with this odd idea involving root beer.



The party sets out, scouring the nighttime seas. On their journey, they end up paying another visit to Caldisla.



Their harbor has not yet encountered the terror of the ghost ship.



After you've earned a bonus once, it'll be written down in that funny journal of yours. Have a look sometime.



You know you can save your game from the world map, right?

The night shift at Caldisla castle are all a bunch of fourth wall breaking nerds. The king probably got sick of dealing with their nonsense but didn't have the heart (or men) to straight out fire them.

The party continues their journey, heading east until they reach Florem.



New, less drug-induced fashion trends have already taken hold.



A young girl is now hanging out with the Matriarch.

It seems she was rescued from the monsters of the gardens to the west. She has nowhere else to go, so I've taken her in for the time being.

Then...?

Indeed, I sense something grannd within her. A light. If she were to become the Vestaling, it would do all of our hearts a great deal of good.

Go on, dear. Say hello to the Lady Vestal and her companions.

H-hello...

The poor creature is still quite shy. I do apologize.

It seems the locals do still have some knowledge about vestal training. The hopeful vestaling appears in chapter 3 whether you defeat the Bloodrose Legion or not. It's decidedly less morbid to imagine her training without DeRosa and company hunting her down as soon as you leave.



Meanwhile, this asshat continues to be an asshat, nidaphyx or no.

The party takes one last major detour, going to check up on the Sage.



After a meal and free stay (unlike some Goodmans, the Sage appreciates us, perhaps too much in the case of the ladies), the party returns to their vessel.



There, far off in the southwestern waters, in the dead of night...



the Eschalot enters a dense, inpenetrable fog.

Gameplaywise: The fog appears in a random location in the central ocean at the start of night, moving slowly across the water. As you might expect, it disappears once morning hits. Despite the wide range and short night cycle, it isn't too hard to find once you know what you're looking for.



Look at that!



It's heading for us!

What do we do!?



Letting it pass will kick us back to the world map and move the fog offscreen somewhere. No, despite Edea's wishes, we're going to swashbuckle our way right onboard the vessel.



Yes, this looks normal.



SS? Steamship? Sailing ship? Scout ship? Oh, right -- Spooky Ship!



A bunch of hovering lights appear around the party.



Agnès either has training with the restless dead or read lots of ghost stories when she was holed up in the temple.

Eeek! You mean, this is a ghost ship!?



*WINK NUDGE*



The party turns to look towards the loud, pirate-y voice.



Now there's a familiar and distinctly not-dead face.

We may not know what killed the souls on board this vessel so far, but it seems likely at least one more will be joining them soon.


Next: Men of the Sea!

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Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Infiltrating Grapp Keep

Sub-Scenario:
The Ghostly Vessel
The Phantom Ship
Boarding the Phantom Ship

Party Chat:
The Four Shieldbearer Warriors