Part 70: The Grand New Ship

Entry 67: The Grand New Ship

With no other immediate changes, the party returns to the surface of the ship.



Oh, it's you, Datz. And the proprietress...



The ship's stopped sinking. It's no longer at a lean, either.



Ringabel, uninterested in conversation, gets distracted by something over at the ship's helm.

Actually, they all say they've had it with this ramshackle ship.

I... guess they weren't very attached to the homes they presumably lived in for generations.



Edea, already bored, decides to go see what Ringabel's up to.

Legend has it that Grandship was built by pirates. Perhaps that blood is still in us.

Well, at least everyone is safe. That's a relief.



Edea lets out a cheer. When all's said and done, she and Ringabel get along surprisingly well.

Hey, stop fooling around, Ringabel. You, too, Edea!



Like I said, quit messing around. This isn't ours to tinker with.

The residents have left the ship, and don't appear to be coming back.

Women are drawn to men with a wild streak, and a hint of danger in their eyes.



Alright, then.

Edea cheers as Ringabel turns back around and presses the big glowy button.

*click*

From beneath them, Grandship's engine revs up.







The ship wobbles dangerously from side to side, as if getting its bearings.

Then, ever so slowly...







It flies.



Happy holidays, folks. Bravely Default got you an airship.

Hey! It's taking off! This is an airship!

How on earth does a ship this large get airborne!?

Amazing! We're up so high!

A-amazing...

Well I'll be... She can get up to twice the altitude of the Eschalot.

We could probably cross over into the duchy on this, Edea.

Easily!

Yay! Now we can go and awaken the Earth Crystal!



Yes!

That settles it. I'm staying, too.

You want to go with us?



After the false alarm in the Prologue/Chapter 1, we finally have our real flying vehicle.



This is a great moment, especially if you don't know what's coming.



Considering its size and Bravely Default's influences, it was likely inspired by Final Fantasy 3's Invincible.



Turning what seems to be a town into your airship is already strange enough (the main other example I can think of is Final Fantasy 8).



It's also appropriately over the top for this game to give you not just an airship, but a millenia-old flying pirate city infested with fish demons and powered by ancient religious machinery.



Grandship provides the last icon on the map sidebar. If you're on the world map but not on the ship, pressing it summons the ship.



If you're already onboard, it brings up this menu. Entering allows you to access Grandship's interior, the former town.




Autopilot will instantly transport you to any location you've already been.



Handy to save a bit of time, though Grandship is so much faster than the Eschalot it's no big deal to just fly around the world manually.



Right. It's going to be dangerous.

Datz, Zatz, it's best if you two took the proprietress and left the ship.

Though it kills me to say farewell to her cooking.

No more desserts...

It can't be helped, you two. Besides, these two have their mission as Shieldbearers.

Huh? Mission? Oh, right! Hey, don't worry about that.

Our current orders are to escort the vestal of wind and keep her safe.

What? Since when?

Since you guys helped us out. The orders came from Commander Goodman himself.

That's why the two of us both came to Grandship to tip a few back.

The old house is full of the new Shieldbearers who came to take over for us.

Then I guess that just leaves the proprietress. We'll have to convince her to take shelter.

Yeah, good luck with that. Maybe when Mount Karka freezes over.

You'll be lucky if she doesn't beat you for asking.

"I'm Grandship born and raised! If you don't like it, get the heck off my boat!"

Bah ha ha! Too perfect! That's her answer, guaranteed.

An uncanny likeness.

Still, the danger is too great. It is for her own sake that we ask--

Look, my bet is that seeing you all stirred something inside her. Inspired her.

Besides, you really think you can live without her cooking now that you've had it?

A fate grimmer than a thousand deaths!

"Ain't that the truth?" ...Tee hee.

Bah ha ha! You're not bad, yourself! Look, you leave her to us.

Between the three of us, we'll keep this boat safe when you're away, no matter what!

...Then you have my thanks, Datz, Zatz.

Think nothing of it! You just rest easy and leave this crate to us!



As promised, Zatz, Datz, and the Proprietress are sticking around in the ship.



The party's got a good little support team going now. Zatz or Datz being taught to pilot the ship also explains how the airship comes whenever called on the world map.



With all the other townsfolk gone (except our reliable friend Adventurer), Grandship's shops are now run by Datz (items and the inn) and Zatz (armory and magic).



Despite us owning the ship, they charge a nominal fee for beds, maybe to cover maintenance costs.



It's been some time since we've bought Norende stuff from the Adventurer, so let's buy some junk that'll probably never get used. This accessory makes it more likely the party will start battles with +1 BP.



This feels like it should have a chance to enrage the opponent and make them attack only the wearer.



This makes it less likely the enemy will start battles with +1 BP, nevermind the knowledge that monsters apparently are very protective of kittens.



Possibly useful in some battles, but also probably not worth taking an inventory slot, considering how many other battle options there are.



The Proprietress, at least, continues to not charge us.

The Engine Room dungeon is also still accessible, and as infested with monsters as ever. Checking the ship's wheel takes you back to the world map.

As a sidenote, it is possible to do Praline's sidequest after Grandship flies; patrons will appear in the tavern during the relevant section, then disappear afterwards.



I could gaze upon every woman in the world at once from Grandship's deck!

I'm coming, my sweets! There's not a one of you more than ten minutes away from me now!

The long wait is over!

Yours is a one-track mind, and that track isn't even a good one.

Still, it's weird coming home after so long.

Eternia, Land of Immortality... It's cold there year-round, right?

Right! And I'm not kidding when I say cold. Bundle up, everybody!

Edea, what, um... What is snow like?

I fear I've never seen it before.

Well, for one, it's at the top of my "white as snow" list!

It's like white fluffy crystals raining from the sky.

I see. That sounds quite romantic, actually.

It's like bits of cotton candy falling from the heavens. It still melts on your tongue, but it's salty, not sweet.

Is...that so?

It does start as evaporated sea water, after all.

Ah, of course! And the sea is certainly salty.

And that's not all. Sometimes, when it snows, fish fall from the sky!

Fish? Really?

Ah ha ha, don't tease the poor girl, Ringabel! Be nice.

......!

You were deceiving me!?

Ha ha, sorry I didn't pipe up sooner. If you still have questions, I'll give you real answers.

Honestly, Edea! So, what color is snow, really?

Yeah, that's a good spot to drop the conversation.



Northward, to Eternia!

As the party approaches the continent...



...Alternis bursts into a meeting, out of breath.

We've just received word that Grandship has vanished!

......

Vanished? You mean to say it has sunk?

We know little as yet, but it seems Grandship's inhabitants have evacuated en masse.

And according to what we have heard from them, Grandship did not sink, it simply...vanished.

How is such a thing possible?

Alternis, where is the wind vestal now?

After a brief stop in the Kingdom of Caldisla, she entered Grandship before it vanished. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

Muster our forces with haste! I will have every last soldier be made ready for war!



Our land of Eternia is an inviolable realm ringed with lofty highlands. Surely, even one such as the wind vestal could not--

It is my hope I make much of naught. Yet we cannot leave matters to hope or chance, for we now have but one crystal under our control.

Could it be your lordship's daughter is providing the vestal with information about our defenses?

Victor! Hold your tongue!

No, his fear is not without merit.

So, Alternis is decent enough at tracking the party to know when they made trips to Caldisla (back and forth and back and forth). Yet he missed the moment when a ship the size of a city lifted out of the ocean and flew away? Was he taking a bathroom break or something? I guess it would take him a while to get that armor off and on again.



Anyway, now we're in our enemy's headquarters. Can't wait to see how they fail at strategy this time!




There are a few landing spots scattered throughout Eternia. This looks goo--

Hm!?





It seems we won't be docking here. Take us to Southmoor, to the south!




The landing area to the northwest gives a similar result. Eternia's defense is present, at least, thanks to Braev's quick thinking/paranoia.



Let's slip south past their huge anti-air(?) cannons.

...Why did they construct those? They must be expecting one of the other countries to catch up and build an airship sooner or later.



Edea finally gets Ringabel to fly to Southmoor, which, as she guessed, is undefended.

As Ringabel prepares the ship for landing...



...A soldier rushes into the Council of SixThree's meeting.

An enormous flying vessel has been sighted over Southmoor! And it appears poised to alight there!

Ill tidings? I fail to see how such a vague report is anything of the sort.

S-suffice to say, sir, it's a veritable fortress -- far beyond the size of an airship!

Could it be...? Lord Marshal!

This is the wind vestal's doing.

Do you mean to suggest Grandship has taken flight? That it has surmounted the highlands that defend our land?



How do our defenses presently stand?

They stand ready for war as your lordship commanded. And our troops in Frostpeak Passage and artillery at the summit are prepared to engage at any moment.

We shall join the defense effort. Victor, is the demon child ready for war?

I beg you, call her not a "demon child." That is, if you hold your life dear.

Hmph.

And whether Victoria goes to war is not for either of us to decide. The decision is hers alone.

But is she not receiving treatment as we speak? When she worked her magic upon me, she seemed more than ready for battle.

Her fits grow in frequency of late. Is she not nearing her limit?



Viktor does not look nearly as confident as he sounds.

And that concludes Chapter 3.



Before leaving, here's one last shot from the deck of Grandship, slightly changed now that it's in the sky rather than the sea.


Next: Final crystal, final continent, final showdown. Will the party make it? What secrets will Eternia have in store?

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Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Grandship Rises!
Grandship Vanishes
Grandship Strikes

Sub-Scenario:
Cannot Alight

Party Chat:
Ain't That the Truth?
The Ice of Eternia