Part 26: The Tale of Frimelda Lotice

Update 26: The Tale of Frimelda Lotice

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The story of Frimelda Lotice has been spread across several updates.


It began simply enough: someone needed potions.


But we soon discovered that an unusually lucid zombie had posted the bill.


The quest ended with Samuel informing Frimelda that she was, in fact, undead.


The thread picked up again when Clan Sawyer went to Fluorgis to investigate a monster sighting.


Frimelda was having a rough time accepting her undeath and the reactions of the people who see her. She decided to move on to a new city, but before leaving, she asked us to look out for a knight named Luc Sardarc, the man she loved.

After this meeting, Cid realized that the zombie was actually famed blademaster Frimelda Lotice.

It would be a while before we saw Frimelda again.


In fact, the next step in the quest didn't involve Frimelda at all. An alleged master of the blade was terrorizing a chocobo corral.


We weren't the only ones investigating the Swordking. Ghi Yelghi, an aspiring blademaster, had come to prove his mettle against the Swordking.


The Swordking was actually a fake who crippled his enemies before fighting them. Clan Sawyer teamed up with Ghi to take him down.

After the battle, Samuel told him that Frimelda wasn't on the continent of Loar.


Some time later, we accepted this quest.


In Aisenfield, we found Luc Sardarc, the Paladin who Frimelda told us to look out for. She had already found him and had been pursuing him for some time.


It was here that we discovered the story behind Frimelda's rotten state. Jealous of her superior sword skills, Sardarc had poisoned Frimelda.

Confronted with his crime, Sardarc attempted to kill Frimelda and Clan Sawyer.


It did not go well for him. Frimelda granted him mercy and let him walk away.

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Now it is time to conclude the story of Frimelda Lotice.





: So, do you think this sword-master who's on the brink of death is... her?

: Frimelda, I mean. Or... the zombie Frimelda, maybe?

: Aye, it's likely.

: Cid... I'm a little confused. Is it possible for the dead to come back to life?



: This isn't like your world, Samuel. Here, we have magick.

: Between phoenix down, Raise magicks and the Judge contract, it can seem a wonder any find death. As long as there is a will toward life, and a sound body, the magick will work.

: A sound body... So, um, does a zombie count as, er... sound?

: Hrah... I doubt there's any spell or ensorcelment that can mend her...

: ...Oh. So much for this request then, huh.



: Let's check it out - and quickly, with those monsters about.


_{The animations flash, sometimes I don't get a good picture of them.}


This is a really straightforward battle. Actually, it's barely a battle. Just walk forward and grab the curative. This is the first battle of a two-part quest, so Move +2 is the best choice.


There's no traps, and the only enemies are these two pairs of Winged Eyeballs and Wolves.


Yes, let's.



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: I was sure Frimelda was lost, but with this, she may just have a chance.

: Not without cost... A very high cost! Yet... why was it left here, unattended? I cannot believe she'd treat something of such value so carelessly.

The Witch of the Fens always asks a commensurate price for every potion she creates.

: All I know is, if we use this, we might be able to save her! We can save Frimelda!

: Perhaps... And "perhaps" is better than nothing. I'd rather try and fail than sit around here getting older.

: I don't know what became of her after that affair with Luc Sardarc... Yet, with her looking as she did, I'll wager she's somewhere... dry.



---


Frimelda must still be in Ordallia, because there's no way for her to leave the continent. The driest part of the continent is, of course, Kthili Sands.





: I would not be surprised to be visited by a certain soul on such a night.

: Cid, over there!


Indeed, she is here. But so is Luc Sardarc!

: Luc Sardarc, the man who betrayed Frimelda!

: No, you have me wrong! Since that day I have fought to protect her! I am no enemy of yours!

: I wonder...




As with the other quests, Cid, Adelle and Samuel are all required units.





: Frimelda deserves better than to go on like this, an outcast even among undead! I seek only to end her suffering...


This battle isn't very hard. Zombies aren't very scary enemies at this point in the game, and you should have plenty of ways to banish them permanently by now.

Here's Adelle's newest ability. It has a chance to Addle the target, preventing them from using abilities.


No dice this time.


Phoenix is my favorite healing spell. Lenolia easily restores 120+ HP to her allies.


One down.


The hardest part of this battle is keeping Frimelda alive. We were able to stop the two zombies nearest us from doing anything, but the two in the back are well within range of her.


Plus they have counter, and Frimelda seems to prefer basic attacks.

The twist is that we can't easily heal Frimelda. Usually Lenolia would just drop a Phoenix on her, but that would be deadly! We don't have any good Dark damage, which would heal her.


The zombies also have a lot more health than we've seen previously. At this point in the game, we're going to encounter a lot more enemies with 300, 400 or even 500+ HP.


Also, the chest on the cliff is definitely worth grabbing! Orb of Minwu is a weaker Ribbon that can be equipped by any unit, not just women.


That's two more down.


And that's the last one. Not a hard battle, even though Sardarc and Frimelda are basically useless.



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That's not a typo, those really are the first two lines of this scene.

: Curative? The witch's curative!?

: What do you know of it? I know only that we were contracted by someone to give it to Frimelda. We've come at this person's request.

: I-I don't know who sent you!

: We don't really care who it is, do we. Shall we use the curative, Samuel?


Like magic, Frimelda recovers her humanity.



: Thank you.

: I always believed this day would come. I would not have thought this path I would walk to reach it...

: You haven't changed. I bear the blame for what has happened. Do with me as you will.

: I am myself again... This is enough.

: Why? I don't understand! Where do you find such strength? No matter how I struggle, ever do I fall short of the perfection you reach with ease.

: Perfection? What perfection I have or have not, I am not to judge.



: I walk the road I walk because it is mine to walk. I do no more or less than this.

: You make it sound so simple... As though I need only walk on as I must.


With that, Luc Sardarc leaves.

: No words can express my thanks. Let me join your clan, and by fighting at your side, repay this debt that cannot be repaid.

: Did you hear that!?

: Aye. And I can see no reason to deny the lady.


Finally, a unique unit that's actually pretty useful!

Frimelda is our first Paladin and also the reason why I haven't made Samuel or Adelle one.

Let's look at the good stuff. She joins us at around our level, though I think that's merely a matter of good timing on our part. She has the massive Attack and defenses that you'd expect from a Paladin, along with some nice gear.
Best of all, she has Dual Wield! That's 990 AP saved, not to mention all the time spent making her a Ninja.

She has one downside, and it's a doozy: 70 speed is the lowest in the clan. Not by much, since Hurdy and Talf have 71 and 72 respectively, but it really hurts her effectiveness in battle.

Overall, Frimelda Lotice is a welcome addition to Clan Sawyer.

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We aren't quite done with Frimelda's story. Consider this the denouement, when the last loose ends are tied up.

(This quest unlocks after completing Pirate Problems, the next (and penultimate) story quest.)




Waiting for us in the ruins is none other than Ghi Yelghi, the blademaster.

: Thank you, boy.



: Long have I awaited this moment, blademaster!!!

: Ghi Yelghi...

: I will not fight you today.

: Why not? Are you not fully recovered?

: No... I am as well as I have ever been.



: Damn that Sardarc! He spoke?

: No. I have nothing to do with him any more. Let us say it was intuition.

: I heard from Samuel of a blademaster searching for me. He said that after the fight with the Swordking, you offered not a word of thanks.

: Yet when we arrived here, you said your thanks, and when I thought about why...



: Eh heh...

: It was when I saw your eyes, Ghi. That is when it all made sense, and I knew.

: Then... Then you must know how much it means to me to face you, Frimelda!

: Yes... Yes, I suppose I do. So filled with gratitude I was, I did not think of you.

: Forgive me, my friends.




This is one of those quests where they don't really want the law to get in the way, but they can't not have a law.


I highly recommend Regen, Evasion Up or Luck Up for the battle. You need to either do a ton of damage in a couple turns, or survive long enough to get a few solid hits in.


Like it says in the quest description, this is a one-on-one fight, and you aren't given a chance to set your gear.

Assuming you've kept Frimelda as a Paladin, the Fallen Angel is the best choice of weapon. You probably have a second one from the auction house, but an Excalibur or other knightsword will work if you don't. Grab the strongest armor you can; you probably have at least Dragon Mail at this point. The Ribbon will save you a lot of heartache, and the Angel Ring is basically the only way we can guarantee a win without grinding Frimelda up to a higher level.


Ghi is only moderately faster than Frimelda, thankfully. No double-turn shenanigans in this battle! He has some solid defenses, thanks to the Genji Armor and Orb of Minwu. (The Tank P-Ability lets him wear heavy armor.) Masamune + Flair is going to hurt, but Frimelda's Ribbon will protect her from the status effects, at least.




Movement is the least of our concerns here. That said, equipping the Ninja Tabi and keeping Ghi at range isn't the worst of ideas.


Regen gives us a 10% heal at the beginning of our turns. It's enough to give Frimelda a slight edge.


Keep Ghi from getting into a position where his back is protected. You must hit him in the back if you want to win this!



: No need to hold back with this one!

He has a few possible lines here. In my first run, Frimelda missed her second attack, and he taunted her about it.

Bonecrusher means Ghi will hit us with 1.5x the damage of one of our attacks, but the damage is reduced because he's hitting us from the front. Still dangerous though!


Try to keep your back from getting hit. Obviously. Doing so requires patience and careful positioning, neither of which are my strong suit.


The Angel Ring gives us a second chance! Any source of Reraise will help.


That leaves Frimelda at critical HP, so she steps away to heal. Again, keep Ghi away from your back! Don't forget you can check an opponent's movement range.


See? Much less painful.


We should have won this even without the critical hit, but it certainly helps! This is why I recommended the Luck Up privilege. You could end this in one turn if you get two crits with Dual Wield!



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: My...strength fails me. It is time to find a place suitable for dying.



: Join our clan! If you swear the Judges' oath, you won't die in battle!



: I believe he was wounded long before we crossed swords. It was the price he paid for the witch's medicine. The dearest price of all.

: He's out of time.

: It's true. He could swear to the Judges all he liked and his life would still come to an end.

: Does this surprise you, boy? This thing I have done, it is little different from that which you do.

: In my search for the word of the blademaster, I heard your tale as well.

: "There is one who travels in a world not his own, searching for a way home," they said. No one believe it to be true. Not even I.

: Yet... when I saw you from afar, you looked happy. So happy, it made the bile rise in my throat.

: ...?



: No matter who you befriend, and no matter what happens, you will leave it all behind.

: ...!

: It is the same with me. How long did I wish to cross swords with a blademaster.

: Not just any blademaster, but the one who came when my clan was beset by bandits. The strong blademaster who saved my life.



: Now I recall. It was in Graszton. You were defending the town from those mysterious invaders!

: How many such people have you saved across Jylland? Of course you would not remember me.

: I will not forget again. Thank you...

: Ah... this is awkward. Who would have thought any good would come out of the road I have walked?

: I have said too much. It is time to go.

: Ghi...

: Allow me one final word. There is something I noticed when we crossed blades.



: Farewell!


Ghi departs. We will never see him again.

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Thus ends the story of Blademaster Frimelda Lotice. Or, at least, this chapter of it.

We'll be seeing more of her, of course! She's a permanent member of the clan, and the first of the "secret" characters in FFTA2. I say "secret" because, unlike FFTA, you only miss these characters if you never do their quests.

This is one of my favorite quest chains in the game. We're missing a little bit of context, since we haven't met the Witch of the Fens yet, but overall it's a competently-told short story. It's a bit obvious to call it a tale of sacrifice and redemption, but that's literally what it is: Ghi's sacrifice heals Frimelda, but also drives Luc Sardarc's redemption.

There's some interesting insights to be found by contrasting Ghi and Sardarc, especially in light of their relationship with or perspective of Frimelda. For one of them, she's an inspiration, a goal to achieve. For the other, she's the complete opposite, a constant reminder of his own imperfections.

I also like the bookending with the potions. The story opens with zombie Frimelda dumping potions on her head, and it ends with dumping a more helpful potion on her.

I promise that next update will be a little less dark.