Part 58: Let Me Show You My Sword Collection

Entry 55: Let Me Show You My Sword Collection



With now expertly-honed sneaking skills, the party has arrived at the headquarters of their enemy of the week.



I have my gripes about the interior decorating in this game, but the exterior background art is always impressive, whether due to beauty, majesty, or sheer ridiculousness.

A sight to behold, that's for sure... This is where the civil war started, right?

Look, there's a transport ship tied up at the moorings. It looks like they're pooling their weapons and ammunition here for distribution.

How are we going to get in?

We'll go right in the front door.

Don't be absurd! They'll be upon us in seconds!

So be it. Our top priority is rescuing the boy Egil.



Ringabel is concerned, but can do little at this point but wait and see how things turn out.




Though ominous, Starkfort is not as hostile as you might expect.



With most of the Swordbearers and Black Blades on the front lines, the fort's pretty much open to the public.

Ships bringing in new weapons and ammunition from other realms all come through here.

The few soldiers stationed here are downright bored.



Ahh, that's right. Someone came by with a child in tow earlier. Said they caught the brat loafing.

All the better for the party. Because they've managed to maintain their cover, no one's on guard for them.



After all, who'd be stupid enough to cross enemy lines and stroll right up to the enemy's headquarters?



Looks like we're on the right track.



But first...



This fellow's got all new stock, and it's good stuff.



Buying out the magic. I'll be picking up the Merchant ability soon to avoid being money-starved.



Apparently the language of Eisenberg is German.



This refers to a hachimaki, worn during times of trial (such as while studying for school exams, or going to war). In the purely practical sense, it functions similarly to a sweatband.



A classic Final Fantasy black mage robe. A very good item for offensive magic jobs in this game.



Traditional Japanese clothing has long, loose sleeves, so when doing manual labor or other intensive work, the sleeves get tied up out of the way. In this game it's also another good item, this time for physical offense.



Look at the mountain goat!



After finishing their preparations, the party waits for the cover of night and sneaks into the fort.



The inside has only a few guards accompanied by trained attack dogs.



Other than that, the place is strangely silent.



We'll have to search the place from top to bottom!

Let's not be rash, Tiz. Rushing around blindly will only wear us out.

Why don't we see if my journal has any leads? It might point us in the right direction.



Hold on. I've found something...

"Notes on the Layout of Occupied Starkfort." I guess I can expect every little detail, Edea.

The notes show a war room to the north of here. The west is marked "poison." That can't be it. That just leaves east. Let's head that way.

For reference, here's the map in D's Journal:



"Every little detail" is perhaps an overstatement. Not sure what that mark to the north is supposed to be...




East and west are both open, but north is closed at the moment.



I can smell the smoke rising from that little brain of yours, Ringabel.

I'm at a loss. The writings in my journal are completely off the mark from what's happening!

How can that be?

Oh, now that you mention it...

What did it say again? "The fat one and the weakling make the brat squeal by torture"?

What? Torture!? But--

Don't get ahead of yourself, Tiz.

My whole point is that the contents of the journal have missed the mark.

So what you thought was ironclad prophecy all this time maybe isn't so ironclad.

Sounds like a crisis of faith to me. Or a crisis of superstition, I suppose.

We should be so lucky...

But I fear the journal's failure to predict the future does not guarantee the child's safety.

Hey, that's right! He could be facing even worse than torture! We have to know for sure!

...Let us hurry.

R-right!

A reminder, if you haven't read the Enigmatic Writings in D's Journal, now's a great opportunity. Follow along with the increasingly non-parallel events!



East. Right.



Left. Whoops, Tiz mixed up east and west! Having a real Agnès moment there, fellow!



Down the western hall, the Adventurer greets us.



"Poison", huh? Now what could that mean...?



Ah-HA.



All's fair in war, I say! Victory must be achieved at all costs! That is what war is all about!

Hmph. "Show respect for the enemy"!? "The goal is not simply to kill"!? Bah!



Oh no! Has the swordmaster disposed of the master sample at Grapp Keep as well?



We could have wiped out the Shieldbearers with it by now. There is nothing else for it. I must develop a new toxin. I have plenty of test subjects here, after all...

Surely no one will miss a few dozen wounded soldiers. Hyah heh heh.

When my new toxic weapon is ready, I'll go around that swordmaster and peddle my wares to the Eternian Forces directly...



Edea's only hypothesizing. She knows by now there's no need to get her father involved. She is her father's daughter, after all.



My name is Edea Lee!

Edea Lee!? You...you mean to say...you are the grand marshal's daughter!?

I've heard more than enough of your plotting, you black-hearted fiend! Prepare to die!

Be quiet! The words of a traitor like you mean nothing!

And now, by popular demand...



Time to see how strong the salve-maker is without his precious genocidal agents.



Unfortunately, he's able to mix together smaller-scale destruction on the fly. Regen on himself and poison for the party are his favorite moves.



Ringabel helps the party stay alive with snazzy buffs.



Qada is not a fan of 70s American pop culture references.



After chasing Qada around for a while, Edea gets in one final poke.



Dispel, to counter Qada casting regen, and Poisona would come in handy this fight, but you can power through without them.



Tiz will be switching from one villain's job to the next.



It's a quick fight, though in true bitter fashion, Qada's insta-death attack is likely to leave someone out of the reward exp/jp.



My...toxins...could kill you...in seconds...vestal...



Welp, Qada's not going to be walking out of this one.



Justice freshly served, the party pauses next to Qada's corpse to check out their new job.



It should let us heighten the performance of our items.

And combine items to make them more powerful as well.

Hmm, that sounds handy. But not really very exciting, is it?

I know, right? Far too humdrum for us.

In other words, you two are too lazy to organize your items!

No, we're not lazy! There are simply other things we'd rather do.

It's fine and dandy to have acquired the salve-maker job, but your item bags are a jumbled mess.

It must take forever to find what you need when you need it!

For example, Edea, don't keep your potions with your hi-potions!

What? They're both restoratives, so why not?

And you, Ringabel! Don't lump antidotes, echo herbs, and wakeup bells together!

Why not? Together they're like a cure-all!

What if you only need one of them? You'll never find it in time! You should learn from Agnès's organizational skills.

Ah, but Agnès, there's no need to keep each of your pills separately.

Oh, yes, of course!

Tiz, you and Agnès are sure sticklers for detail.

Edea and I, on the other hand... Well, to each his own, right?

That's right! Don't sweat the details is my...my... Aaah...aaah...

Nooo! Edea, sneeze the other--!

AAAH-CHOOO!!!

Way... You just sneezed away all the powder items.

Well, that means fewer items to organize, right? Let's go.

*sigh*

The saviors of the world, folks.


Next: The rescue of Egil and an unexpected round 2.

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Starkfort
Saving Egil

Sub-Scenario:
Qada's Displeasure - A
Qada the Salve-Maker
Qada's Death Throes

Party Chat:
Faltering Foreknowledge
Organizing Items