Part 57: Flight of the Canaries

Entry 54: Flight of the Canaries

Asking Goodman for a report about the Eternian troops will now end with:

Thanks to your efforts, the tide of war is turning in our favor. We should suffer much less attrition on the Eisen Bridge from now on. You've done us a great service!

The party may have taken their time traveling around the world, but they got the job done, excellently.



She says this, but for once, the party's not delaying reviving a crystal. Hard to get to the Temple of Fire when they don't know how.



After that battle of the bands, the party heads to Hartschild to do some victory shopping.



Theoretically this would come in handy, but in practice it doesn't beat using a two-hander.



This fellow is much happier since the party retrieved the master sample. Despite failing to find the fire crystal so far, the party's done leagues for the Shieldbearers.

That evening, the party retires to the inn. It'll be their last chance to get a good sleep before heading back into enemy territory.



In the middle of the night, our view changes...



...to the town square, where we find Tiz alone and awake.



Ringabel wanders over. Of course he's awake. Harassing local women is a full time job.





For a while, no?



Ever since we've been traveling together, you've been like this. You haven't slept well in a while, have you?



Any idea why? There must be a reason for it.



The scene ends before we hear Tiz's explanation, but we'll get a chance to see what's going on later, for those who haven't already guessed.

And no, it's not Tiz/Ringabel romance, which is apparently a thing because of course it is.




The area with the mythril mine, located at the southeastern foot of Mt. Karka, is stuck between two gates, one north, one south. The southern gate is Shieldbearer-maintained. Considering the Swordbearers hold the mine, it makes sense the north gate is held by the Swordbearers and the party has just gotten really good at sneaking through enemy territory.



As the party makes their way past the guards and through the mine entrance...



they startle a kid.

Shh! We've come to help you. Are they really forcing you to work these mines?



The Shieldbearers asked us to rescue you and your friends.

The Shieldbearers...? But I'll be in trouble if the guards catch me slacking off...

You don't have to worry about that anymore. How many other children are there in the mine?

There are twenty of us right now. No, make that nineteen.

Thank you. You go and hide in that shed with the others. Okay?

Got it.

The kid runs off...



...just in time.



The great thing about the party is their ability to do stealth and, when that fails, bash some faces in.



This is the last type of the Black Blade regular troops.



Due to counter, it's best to take them down in as few hits as possible, ideally using their weakness to lightning.



Airy's going to tune out until the party gets back to finding crystals.



Aside from Black Blade guards,



the mine is filled with the sort of creatures you'd normally expect:



Giant turtles. Maybe they swim in lava.



Magical girl mascots.



And a new model, good old-fashioned succubi. Those Black Blades are so irresponsible, keeping impressionable young boys around here!



The point of this mini-dungeon is to poke into corners where Black Blades are keeping watch.



After quick tussles involving an electrocuted javelin...



Tiz and co. find however many kids the Black Blade was guarding.

The Shieldbearers asked us to come and rescue you.

Okay... Thank you.



Rinse and repeat.



The kids are in batches of two or three.



The game is surprisingly mild in tone about the conditions these boys were in. You'd think they were just stuck in a boring daycare.



I tried seeing how high Edea's damage could get in a single jump. Even without a critical hit, she's over three-quarter of the way to the damage cap.



The nineteen kids and their guards are spread out across two floors.



The lower level has a strong red haze over it. Toxic volcanic fumes -- why the "canaries" are there.



Our adventurer buddy's hanging out at north end of B2, in front of what looks like a large sealed door. Strange.



Eventually...



All nineteen kids are waiting for the party near the entrance.



The party escorts the boys to the mine entrance.



This plan worked out astonishingly well.

Thanks, but... What about Egil? The new boy... He was taken to the Swordbearers' stronghold this morning. We haven't seen him since...

Why was he taken away?



He slipped away from his post and was headed there, so he must have been caught by one of the guards. Please, you have to help Egil!

Okay. The Swordbearers' stronghold, right? I'll go and help Egil.

Thank you... The Swordbearers' stronghold is a place called Starkfort, far to the north.



It would be reckless to venture into the inner sanctum of the enemy by ourselves.

But I have to help him.



I have to help him, no matter what...

Since arriving at the mine, Tiz has grown noticeably more agitated.



I think you mean "that's standard Tiz procedure".




Agnès steps aside to let Tiz take the lead. Will the party survive storming yet another enemy base? Never know 'til you try!


Next: By popular demand, it's time for Vengeance.

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Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Rescuing the Canary Boys
Help has Arrived
Rescue Complete
I Have to Help...

Sub-Scenario:
Hartschild at Night