Part 49: Episode XXXVIII: Odds and Ends

Music: Toward the Distant Horizon



Alright, welcome back! Previously on I Am Setsuna, we traveled the world getting semi-lost, unlocking previously barred silver chests, and collecting... well, kind of a bunch of junk. But there were some exceptions. If you didn’t get around to the stream session/video archive, you might be wondering why Nidr has a tree trunk on his back.



That’s because Nidr did, in fact, pick up a tree trunk whittled down at the end for a handle as a new weapon. It is amazing and he’s never unequipping it ever (Edit: Goddammit, I just realized the Chrono Trigger reference it was making. Ioka was Ayla's tribe. She used a club in all her concept art.) Other highlights include a crossbow, which Setsuna wields by just chucking the sonuvabitch at enemies. Nobody ever taught her how to use those things proper. When not in use she just ties it to the back of her head. It’s fine.

Also, Kir literally got Lucca from Chrono Trigger’s hammer she used as a close-range attack weapon. Straight up named “Lucca’s Rod”. Feel free to groan. This just strengthens my resolve to never use Kir.



Anyway, now that we have the Trebuchet we can explore the “Remote Islands” which are one-off islands we couldn’t access prior to this point. Don’t get too excited! There isn’t a whole lot to ‘em. But in the interest of completion’s sake, we’ll go take a look.



By the way, here’s the entire world map now that we have access to all locations. Another reminder that this map DOESN'T EXIST in-game anywhere. Hymncott Island is the southeastern most island where the tutorial took place. We visited that in the stream. It’s now daytime and filled with three of the King Pengy boss from the Floeberg Waters. Nothing else interesting there other than some weapon upgrade material.

Nive Island to the north of that is where we met Setsuna and Aeterna. The rest of the game took place on the mainland, making a big counter-clockwise loop around the Last Lands in the center. All the other islands on the map are new content.


New Music: Distant Islands (This music only plays on the world map in these one-off islands. You hear it for like... 20 seconds tops at a time if you don’t stand around.)



To the immediate west of Nive Island is Turbulus Island, a wholly barren strip of land with a few trees and some crappy lake to its name. Immediately north of where we parked the Trebuchet is the Turbulus Fields, the only location on the island.



Was this a nuclear testing site? I feel like a rad counter should be ticking off as soon as we step in here. There is a solitary man hanging out in the field a bit north. Let’s see what’s up with him...



*immediately starts walking in the other direction*
While it was under attack, one man betrayed his fellow villagers and stole a jewel from the village... The village was destroyed. I no longer have anywhere to return to, or any family to speak of. Finding that man, and seeing him punished, is now my only reason for living...



Yeah, good luck with that chief. Moving right along...



Our next stop is Crausleig Island, which is situated offshore north of Tenderville. Remember that plot point that went seemingly nowhere? The whole monster bargaining thing from that chapter arc actually does get resolved in an end game sidequest. Anyway, the only location here is a Forest Hut.



...I’m not sure what else I was expecting. I hope this isn’t a meth lab.



I’m making toys, you see, using timber from trees with strong magical energy. My son used to love toys like this, before he passed away... I’ll never forget his beaming face...

It’s just sad backstory Santa Claus. That’s all there is to it. Nothing more on this island. Let’s continue the island tour...



Next up on the island tour is the Somber Island, located a bit southwest offshore of where Endir and the gang washed up after the ill-fated ferry ride early in the game. There is a solitary location here in the form of Somber Swamp.



If you briefly think that sounds like it could be an interesting new type of area: don’t worry! The swamp has long since frozen. Return to your previously scheduled notions of icy wastelands. In any case, if the gang runs into the middle of this iced over small lake verging on pond swamp, they find a collapsed man. Speaking with him yields...



The magical energy inside it drew the monsters to the village... I stole it, and tried to get rid of it... but it was already too late. I too will soon die... and I will carry my regrets with me into the afterlife.
Bummer.

So here’s the other half of the story the guy on the first island had relayed. Turns out the guy who stole that jewel was actually trying to be heroic and the guy wandering around on Yoshi’s Island, or wherever it was, had a completely misguided quest for revenge. So, what can we do about this misunderstanding, you ask?



Absolutely nothing! Setsuna’s compassion for all living things (that aren’t trash mobs or boss encounters that can glamour into human forms) apparently does not extend to unnamed NPCs. So no healing the dying man bleeding out alone on a deserted island. Setsuna’s newfound rich healing powers are reserved for characters with a dialogue portrait. Likewise, the party cannot be bothered to return to the wandering man living only for revenge to set him straight, so he can begin getting his life back together. Nor is there any quest to find the destroyed village they both were involved with in their dialogue.

So what was the point, you ask? Well...



Next stop! Craigholm Island home to the lovely Snowfield House. What startling revelations lurk in its hidden depths...?



Well... there’s a snowfield...



...and in this snowfield is a house. It’s not occupied currently, despite the no less than four flames burning within. I should note that some of these locations are used for the end game sidequests which.... don’t unlock until we literally have access to the final boss and could reasonably finish the game within half an hour if we didn’t bother with ‘em.



Continuing right along, the Trebuchet’s next stop is the Isle of Misfits, which is located offshore west of Gatherington. It is home to the Nameless Village. All that sounds intriguing. Let’s take a look.


New Music: Thug Life! (Very jaunty. Also it only plays in this weird village.)



The Nameless Village is a run-down mirror of Purikka Village from early in the game during Nidr’s introduction arc. If we wander up to the first villager we find past its gates, it turns out he holds a new recipe.



...Are you propositioning me?
You got a Dumpling Eggplant and a Sunny Bell Pepper, pal? How about a Golden Pepper and a Rainbow Nut? If you do, hand ‘em over!
...For real, is this some sex thing...?
Fork over them ingredients! You have ‘em or not?
Yes, I do.
Assuming that’s what we’re actually talking about...
Hand ‘em over, then! C’mon, get a move on! I ain’t got all day. All right... that seems to be everything... wait here a minute.
You’re shirtless out in the snow at 10:45 in the evening. Don’t worry pal, last call at the bar ain’t for hours...

An undetermined amount of time later...

Here. Looks pretty good, huh? You better not waste any! My old ma used to make this... I’ll give you the recipe, too.
This is the Land of Snow. Food doesn’t ever perish out here. I’ve still got a chicken salad from like three months ago that’s perfectly fine in my knapsack.
Anyway, you’ve had your fill, now go on, get lost!



A refined snack with a distinct flavor. Gives the usual buffs plus increases the Fluxation rate. So... about as useful as an asshole on my elbow. Thanks a lot, Irritable Man.





As with most every village, there is a pub where all the merchants are hanging out (the Spritnite merchant is chilling outside instead of Weppy this go around.)



Speaking of merchants, we have a sizable amount of funding in the ol’ war chest thanks to the exceedingly long Ithees Ruins dungeon and all the battling we did in the stream. And Weppy & Talli’s has updated their stock again prior to the trip to the Last Lands. This might be the final new weapons we get from purchasing. And almost all of ‘em are already obsolete thanks to the Silver Chest rewards. But for completion’s sake...



Aeterna gets a dagger that looks as though they recolored Endir’s earlier Hanzo steel katana and resized it slightly just to cut corners. It’s not as good as the two weapons she picked up from Silver Chests. Though eventually, I’ll have to acquire some upgrade materials to restore the true greatest of Aeterna’s weapons, the coveted Walrus Dagger, back to its place on the throne.



Nidr has a big nasty looking broad sword with horns that is in no way, shape, or form superior to his Ayla reference tree trunk with a handle. Leave this sword out to rust.



Kir has yet another pilfered magical girl wand. This is vastly inferior to his mallet stolen off Lucca’s corpse after Lynx killed her. Or maybe Lucca’s Rod is from when Lucca got nuked back in Lahan during Xenogears. Poor Lucca has not had a good run of luck in games I have LPed...



Lastly, Julienne has a new lance. It’s not as flashy as the Tron techno lance she had previously, but it is better equipment. Julienne and Endir were the only ones that didn’t get any weapon augmentations from the Silver Chest looting session.



Beyond the pub, most of the villagers in this town are unwelcoming and just tell us variants of Rated T for Teen versions of “fuck off”. The Nameless Village does have a chief, like most towns do.



Sorry, I’m busy right now... Some other time, eh?

Yeah... He just wants us to fuck-off until the very end game too. We’ll just have to remember this village is here. It may become relevant in an end game sidequest.


Music: Distant Islands



Our next winter escape is Klimm Island, just to the northeast of the Isle of Misfits. This is home to Klimmloch. Surely this location will yield interesting results...



Unlike the swamp to the south, this lake hasn’t frozen over yet. The only point of interest here is a bridge leading to an island in the center of the lake and on it is a sad boy. What’s your deal, kiddo?



He used to get really bad headaches sometimes... He said he could hear voices... One day, he told me to run away, and jumped in this lake and died. I wonder why he did it... We were such good friends...
*looks around* Bummer. Umm... Are your parents like nearby or...? Do you like need a lift somewhere...?
*looks back at Setsuna* ...Should we like do something with this kid?
*blankly stares off into space*
...Alright. Later, then.



Yep... No idea what that is about and there is nothing further to be done here or any follow-up. Alright, then... Moving right along!



Our next stop is Mortholm Island, which is located in the northwestern most corner of the world. The nearest landmark is the Archimell Ruins (secret dad Nidr joint.) This holds the Morthshaw Woods.



In the Morthshaw Woods is a short snowy path leading to a dimensional vortex that can whisk away the party to an altogether new location. We are... going to refrain from entering this just now. It’s probably one of the cooler locations in the game and it’s really weird you can access it straight away once you get the airship since uh... Well, we’ll find out later. Just remember this swirling vortex to another world where Serge drowned as a child is hanging out in these woods.



That’s all for the new island based locations. Yeah... kind of letdown. I briefly showed this off at the end of the stream, but I’ll go over it proper now. Remember this crazy ass ruin we just kind of wandered past earlier in the game?


New Music: Walking Through the Maze of Time





Now that we have the World Key, these ruins can be unlocked and the party can take a Mega Man teleporter further into the ruins.





This leads to yet another dungeon suspended in the void, like the previous ancient kingdom ruins we’d explored. So what’s this place all about?



Well, there are a series of platforms here. Each of ‘em has a burning purple orb hanging out. Should Endir run up to an orb and rub his face in it...



It will spawn a previous boss fight. Hey, it’s Jaboo – the tutorial boss! Turns out these ruins are just for refighting old boss encounters in order to grind out missed drops, if you’re the obsessive 100% completion type. You poor, sad bastard you...



Respawned bosses have had their Physical Attack and Magical Attack stats buffed significantly from their first encounter. But... that’s it.





They still have the same defensive stats and max HP as their first encounter. Hell if I know what the exact scaling is here since there’s no Scan equivalent in the game and the Snow Chronicles doesn’t have new stat entries for redux bosses. 1-3 Grand Crosses is more than enough to wax any encounter found here. Other than grinding materials, all these bosses still give out the exact same amount of EXP. Which... is completely useless by this point in the game.



The Apparth Ruins contains Jaboo (tutorial bear boss), White Wind (giant bird from when Aeterna joined the party), Primeval Tortoise (boss from the dungeon Nidr joined the party), Wolf Baron (werewolf hanging out in the airship when Setsuna and Kir were kidnapped) and the Timeslave (boss where Kir joined.)



If you’re wondering, no... there is no reward for defeating all these bosses again. It’s solely to grind materials killing them in different manners. At the top of the dungeon is just a teleporter dumping the party back at the entrance and respawning all the bosses. There’s no extra loot here or anything else of note. It’s just a boss refight arena.



And there are actually two more of ‘em in the Land of Snow. Both are only accessible by airship. The Moolbeld Ruins are located due east of the Fridging Heights. Just entering these ruins will unlock the Realm of Sealed Courage achievement.



Apparently this dungeon is where Beetle Boy ended up after his little story arc after he decided to go on a journey.





Setsuna has absolutely no problem helping to murder the ever-loving shit out of the monster child this go around. RIP Beetle Boy.



The Moolbeld Ruins is home to the aforementioned Carboceros Beetle, the Aurorean Tiger, Stout Sheep, King Hoppy, and Rhydderch has migrated here as well.



Outside Beetle Boy, most of these guys will absolutely wreck our shit with their newly buffed attack stats, given they were most already a handful at normal levels. Dying against redux boss fights results in a Game Over just like anywhere else, so it’s best not to bite off more than we can chew.



A third and final boss refight ruin, the Laniff Ruins, is located to the south of Hiddbury (Kir’s hometown.) This too is only accessible by airship thanks to some pesky mountains that don’t even have the curiosity to have a predesignated carved out climbing path. Entering these ruins unlocks the Realm of Sealed Love trophy/achievement.



The ruins themselves are completely empty! This area is home to refights of sidequest bosses. Spoilers: The sidequests involve quite a few unique boss fights. This dungeon is also the future home to I am Setsuna’s super boss, which is only accessible by completing all of the sidequests and thus unlocking their boss encounters here.

But that’s for another day...


Music: Toward the Distant Horizon



As for this trip... that’s about everything for now! We’ll be revisiting the world in the final chapter to sort out those character specific sidequests. But first, we need to tackle the Last Lands...



It’s been a long time coming, but we’re finally here! Tune in next time when the party at last steps foot in the Last Lands and begins wrapping this game’s narrative up. I’m sure it’ll all go smoothly, right...?



I should really finish this damn game soon because the Land of Snow setting is starting to creep into my backyard...






Video: A Special Bonus