Part 63: Episode LI: Eclipse

The side quest train ain’t stoppin’ for nobody. We’re down to the bottom three left. Princess Julienne is up to bat next according to the decree of democracy.





Much like Kir, Julienne has a distinct home town and wouldn’t you know it, that’s where her side quest is triggered. So let’s slam Julienne back into the active party briefly to get things underway.


Music: March to Rebirth





The previous chapter didn’t really give us a good spot to obtain another of Dingus’ weapons. But since we’re in the neighborhood, we may as well upgrade. I kinda dig the techno scythe. I could see a Cyber-Grim Reaper wielding it. Honestly, it’s probably a bit too rad for someone like Dingus. But what are you gonna do?



Anyway, to trigger the next sidequest we need to bug Cornelius, who has taken to wandering the town square now that Royburg is free from the looming threat of siege by giant hung over sheep men.



(Great... this butler ass guy and the contract I’m getting time screwed out of... Really needed a reminder...)
Cornelius... I have come back because there is something I wish to ask you.
Something you wish to ask me...?
Since I did get caught up in that last affair, I’m going to trust your judgment about this also being worth our time enough to delay the final battle...
I want you to tell me a tale that you often told me as a child... The tale of the blacksmith who stole the royal spritnite stone.
The tale of the Robber Smith, you mean?
*eye-twitch and shaking*
Of course... but what on earth for?
If the stone in that tale really does exist... then I need it.
No, no, Your Highness... it is simply an old folk tale! It is no truer than the tale of the Frog Swordsman!
Everyone knows the Frog Swordsman is middle ages hogwash. Now the TURNIP Swordsman... there’s a fiend you need to be vigilant against.
*groan*
But is it not possible that even an old folk tale holds some secret? That nursery rhyme certainly did...
*nods* Mm... well, yes, I suppose that is true... Very well, I shall recount it briefly.


Music: Memories



He had inherited his forge from his father, but it was not going well and in truth he did not wish to run it at all. He wished only to live alone, away from people and away from everything...

One day, the blacksmith heard a rumor. This rumor told of a spritnite stone, created by the royal family, that could grant any wish. From that day on, he spent all his time thinking of it, and was unable to concentrate on anything else. He dreamed of making his wish to the stone, of being alone, away from people and away from everything.

Before long, he plucked up his courage, snuck into the palace, and stole it. He escaped into Archimell Ruins, and was able to successfully shake off his pursuers, the royal guards. No one knows if the powers of the spritnite helped him to escape, or if it was merely by chance. No one ever saw the blacksmith again after that. Days passed, and months passed, and eventually, people stopped searching for him altogether... This was because a rumor spread that anyone who uttered his name inside the ruins would instantly be cursed.

Perhaps to this day, the blacksmith is still inside the ruins... away from all people, and away from everything... simply clutching the royal spritnite stone... Do you think the blacksmith found happiness?

Add a definitive “No, that sonuvabitch turned into some fucked up rock golem and shit” and that would make for a mediocre Drakengard Weapon History story.


Music: March to Rebirth



Thank you, Cornelius... I remember it now.
AGAIN with the spritnite “stone” thing. I’m not crazy, right? We weren’t adding “stone” to the end of that idiotic sounding term earlier, right?
...Look, it just sounds right now. Deal with it, Endir.
*folds arms* A tale with a moral, eh...
Don’t do it, Julienne! You mustn’t go near the stone! You mustn’t! You’ll be cursed!
The heck is with you and the curse... phobia?
Deprecorophobia.
Gesundheit...?
It’s a fear of curses.
...Huh.
Look, you just shouldn’t be messing with cursed stuff like that! Nothing good is gonna come of it!
...I’m reminded there was this one loop where Kir found a chest containing a cursed rod. Hah. Hadn’t thought about that one in a while.
What kinda curse are we talkin’ here...?
Well... it was less a curse and more it just... sort of exploded immediately on use and took both his arms off. But it was a magical explosion. So I’d say that could be quantified as a curse.
RIP.
*sweat* P-please stop mentioning times I died...
Oh, you lived. Just... ya know... no arms.
That doesn’t help! But Julienne, don’t get involved with cursed stuff!



That is how desperate our situation now is.
Well, it can’t hurt to give it a try, right?
Dark Samsara could awaken and kill us all while we waste time on this...
Yea, well. That coulda happened at any point so far.
......
I mean, we’re goin’ off information from a story told to little kids, so it might not be true, anyway. In fact, it’s pretty likely it ain’t true...
I dunno, man. That dumb nursery rhyme about the birds was WAY more of a ridiculous long shot and that got us an airship...
Not you too, old man! Didn’t you hear the bit about the curse!?
I just said it might not be worth our time cuz it’s an old fairy tale... Whatcha want outta me?
We’re not scared of a little curse, are we? If you like, you can stay here and wait for us, though...
*resigned sigh* Since there’s clearly no talking everyone out of this, we’re going to hustle through this quest we’ve found on the side. So get it together or get out of the way.
......
*looks around and produces a sweat drop* Augh! All right, I’ll go, I’ll go!
*turns to Cornelius* Do you know the name of the blacksmith in the tale, Cornelius?
*shakes head and shrugs* No, I am afraid I do not... I know him simply as “the blacksmith.”
Yeah, we ain’t ever gonna be able to find out the name of some guy from a thousand years ago... No, wait... Even if it didn’t do too well, he had his own forge, right?
Yeah, of course. The story said so...
Then ain’t there some way we can look that up? Find out where his forge was back then...
We’ll have to go there ourselves.
?



I see... Yes, of course.
Huh? What? Where?
*surprised* Yes, right... We can go and look in the ruins of the royal capital.
Excellent idea. And hey, if that doesn’t pan out we’ll at least be right there to take the fight back to Dark Samsara! Yep! Excellent plan. Let’s do this!
?
Exactly! You sure are a smart bunch, ain’t ya.
Huh? What!?
Time in the royal capital stands still, due to the Time Judge’s power. Although, it was already deserted in the first place, of course.
*nods* Of course, why did I not think of that... You truly are a wise man, Endir.
That’s why I come at such a high price.
*glares over shoulder* You should ask your butler about my rates sometime...
...?
Oh, right, that’s what you mean. Yeah, I thought it was obvious, y’know...
Oh, gimme a break! You’re full of it, kid!



*laugh*
*unimpressed stare*
*facepalm*
Cornelius... It is the first time in a long while that I have seen you smile...
Well, it brings a smile to an old man’s face, Your Highness... You truly have been blessed with wonderful companions.
*nods* Yes, indeed...
Come on, let’s go! We need to go to find out the name of the blacksmith in the royal capital, right?
Yes, let’s go... To the royal capital!
...Again!





Alright, then. The next leg of the sidequest journey takes us back to The Last Lands for a quick pit stop to learn the name of a millennium old failed blacksmith. That’s not how I expected to spend my day. But here we are...


Music: Regal Ruins



Sorry, Aeterna. We’ve still got Nidr and Setsuna’s quests after this. You’ll just have to enjoy the warm glow of the portal to the end boss while we fart around some more gathering magic stones we’ll never actually use in battle.



The Last Lands Township isn’t particularly large. We want to take a right at the first intersection and walk a few buildings over. The game will automatically take control when we approach the desired building.



So the mysterious Robber Smith is named Grinche. Strangely enough, the guy just loved Christmas. Couldn’t get enough of it! Jolly sonuvabitch at the holiday season.



*nods* This is it.
Unless there was a second blacksmith operating in the town. But that’s just crazy talk...
Grinche... So that is the name of the man who stole the royal spritnite stone...
Now you’re just staying “stone” on purpose to mess with me...
So if we call out the name in the Archimell Ruins, he’ll appear?
You think...? Sounds pretty fishy to me...
Are you scared, Kir?
*sweats heavily* What? No! Of course not! Why would I be scared!? I just don’t think we should waste too much time on this!
Agreed. Now, if you’ll all ready yourselves, the portal back to Eutess’ chamber is just around the cor—
*jumps* Fine! Let’s go! Let’s go to the Archimell Ruins! We’ll call out Grinche! Simple! Nothing to it!
Yeah, he’s scared all right...
*pained groan*





That’s it for the revisit to The Last Lands until we actually get around to finishing the game properly. Our next stop is the Archimell Ruins. If you’ve forgotten where the hell that was, and I wouldn’t blame you, it is the ancient void ruins where Nidr got his secret Setsuna father backstory. You know, the one that has not once been mentioned since then...


Music: Ruins





Full disclosure: Navigating this samey ass looking dungeon, with no map to speak of to help guide the way and all the switches that previously denoted progress already toggled, took twice as long as any of the new content present in his update. Or the previous one, for that matter, since you’ve got to navigate your way out at the end of the quest too.



What we want from this dungeon is a platform on the second level of the area to the far eastern side near what was previously a dead end. If those directions sound vague: yeah. No shit.



I have a question for you, Grinch the blacksmith! I wish to know where the royal spritnite stone is hidden!
*sweats* Come on, stop it! We’re all gonna get cursed!
*grumbles* Too late. I already took that sacrifice assassination job...
My name is Julienne! I have a question for you, Grinch the blacksmith! I wish to know where the royal spritnite stone is hidden!
See? No reply! He isn’t here! Let’s just give up! We can just—



*looks around* Huh!? What!? What was that!?



*steps forward* My name is Julienne...
Yes, yes... I heard that... the first time...
I am a descendant of the royal family.
A descendant... of the royal family...? The royal family... The cursed royal family...
We have indeed fallen on hard times in recent years. But cursed is a slanderous stretch of terms...
How I despise... the royal family...
Oh spirit of Grinch the blacksmith! I wish for you to return the royal spritnite stone!
I... am... no... it...
? ......?
Could you clarify that last statement? It didn’t come through clearly...
I AM NO SPIRIT!!





And with that, Grinche remotely activates the teleporter to where he’s hanging out for an inevitable boss battle. At least, I hope so... The last quest did sort of burn out without a proper fight...



Except this time, it seems we’re all here.
...No. No we’re not, Nidr. We’re just in another part of the ruins. Not some snowy pocket dimension with your shadow self guilting you about your lack of paying child support...
......?
‘kay... maybe it’s a lil’ different.
Looks like we’ve been sucked into somewhere else inside the ruins... Could this be Grinche’s doing?
...I’d say it’s a fairly safe assumption.
Naw. An angry sky voice declaring it’s not a ghost and the teleporter immediately activating were just a big cosmic coincidence.
Alright... Fine. Stupid question.
So Grinche isn’t here, after all... Not that it’s even possible he’s still alive, of course...
No... he is here. I can sense a human presence.
*jumps* Gah! I keep forgetting you’re here...
*nods* Yes, it appears so...
Huh? What!? Where!? Where is he!?
That monster is him.
Huh? What monster...?
There’s a big ominous staircase. There’s GONNA be a monster up there. And that’s gonna be this Grinche guy. That’s just how this kinda thing works, kid...
You are right... I can sense a human presence from that direction.
*puffs up* Aha! Thought so!



Only one direction to go...


Music: Memories



Sadly, he was taken over by the stone... But because of that, he stayed alive here in these ruins.



Magic is real f’d up like that.
A thousand years... For a thousand years... I have been unable to die... and unable to return to my human form... How I hate the royal family... How I loathe them so...
Well, I dunno how you figured that one out. You’re the one who stole the royal spritnite, ain’t ya? Ain’t your mother ever tell you it was wrong to steal?
My mother... died in... childbirth...
Well, now you’re making me feel like a jerk. But my point still stands...
Away from everyone, and away from everything... Looks like you got your wish, doesn’t it...? Except now we’ve shown up, so you’re not alone anymore.
The wrongs of the royal family have brought you great suffering. Will you let me rectify those wrongs?
No... the stone... is... mine... It’s mine... Mine...
*shrugs* It’s no use, Julienne. The spritnite took control of him over a thousand years ago... Even if we can still sense some human presence, he isn’t human anymore... There’s no way we can bring him back. He exists here eternally... He himself has become the stone... an undying monster...
The spritnite has amplified his own greed to the point where it controls him completely...
......



If you want to make up for what happened to him, as one of the royals... All you can do now is try to free his spirit...
You all misunderstand my intentions here...
Give him his last rites.
......
This guy gets me...
*draw scythe* There is nothing else to be done. All you can do is end this.


Music: Relentless Advance



Time to take on Grinche aka the pink trim Timeslave from back during Kir’s backstory chapter. It’s gotten its stats boosted to endgame levels with 7440 HP and I mean it hits harder... I’ve got no real way to check what stats got buffed since there’s no Scan equivalent in this game.







The only difference between Timeslave and Grinche is that the latter can use all its attacks from the beginning that Timeslave had to wait to drop below 50% health before employing. Additionally, it can use the Blowback move of Timeslave (the one it used to explode on death like a big jackass) at any time instead of when defeated.



Really, the only particularly dangerous ability Grinche has at its disposal is time magic. Specifically: when low on health it will cast Stop II on the entire party. If the entire party gets the Stop status at once, that’s an instant Game Over since there’s no recovery over time with that status. But, we don’t have to worry about that too much.



We’re just going to go ahead and let the entire party build to 2 SP build-ups for Momentum. Three for Endir. He’s going to blow his first Momentum on Battlecry to buff the entire party out the ass. One of the Momentum buffs from Battlecry will make it so Stop will straight up not work while it’s active.





After that, we’re going go ahead and perform Coup de Grace with Momentum. With Battlecry active, that does 4000+ HP of damage. All we need to do is do another volley of Battlecry + Coup de Grace with Momentum slathered all over everything...





...and this reskinned boss battle is toast in two rounds of attack. Sorry, after Final Fantasy X I have zero respect for a reskinned boss battle masquerading as end game content. Get rekt, Grinche.





For our trouble is still less experience than fighting those Spritnite-Eaten penguins. But at least we had the foresight to harvest some of Timeslave 2.0’s scraps for a quick payday after the fact. Very frugal of the pilgrimage pals.


Music: Last of the Blood



Finally, my wish has been granted... Away from everyone... Away from everything... I can be alone... in peace...
CLONK!
Good grief, idiot. Next time just learn how to tie a noose and save everyone else a bunch of trouble...

Julienne steps forth and collects a shiny from where Grinche evaporated.



Inside these ruins there are no living beings, and no dead ones... no humans, and no monsters... No soul can attain peace here.
Dingus there’s like a hundred snake monsters in this place...
......
...I stand by my statement.
So the stone didn’t grant wishes, after all.
I guess I can’t use it to convince you all to get back to our quest’s goal, huh...?
Say, y’all think later we could swing by the resistance camp back near where I met ya all...? I got some business I wanna take care of...
*rubs hands across face* That stone...
It was just too powerful... far too powerful for any regular human to control. It can only be used by one who’s ready for its power...
Yeah, right. The stone itself has done no wrong. I guess it can be used for good, or for evil... all depends on whose hands it’s in.
Julienne, if you’re gonna use that thing don’t turn into a giant statue guy. We’ve already gotta worry about Aeterna turning into a giant sheep. I’m not getting paid enough for any of that...
I shall use this royal spritnite stone... I shall atone for the past mistakes of the royal family...
Any potential thieves shall find no quarter, no matter how deep the hole they crawl into. That mistake cannot be repeated.
That’s the spirit.





And with that Julienne gains the Eclipse spritnite (stone.) The gimmick for this one is more critical hits in battle equals more damage. Which is a super finicky trait to possess given that’s up to RNG, even if you’re upping the critical rate with Support Spritnite or something like Endir’s Battlecry.





The attack itself is Julienne just kind of charging up a lance thrust and...



...stabbing a single target really hard. It’s sort of like a horizontal Jump, I suppose. Momentum just boosts Julienne’s ATB gauge. Which translates to it instantly being 75% full, giving her basically a free turn instead of having to wait five seconds. Julienne... I kind of like your character. I like your design. Man... I wish you weren’t so damn useless in battle. Even Kir’s dipshit hitting his own party ultimate tech at least hit all enemies at the same time.



In any case, that concludes Julienne sidequest. Now that one definitely felt like it was solely just some endgame sidequest bullshit. And a half-assed at that. Timeslave was one of the few quite good boss designs. It’s a shame to see him just copy and pasted with “Grinche” scrawled in marker claiming to be a new character.

There are only two sidequest left. Up next is Nidr followed by his secret daughter Setsuna. Tune in next time to see what the crude amalgamation of Jecht, Auron and Braska does in end game overtime. As for me, I’ve got another fifteen minutes trying to retrace my steps out of this goddamn dungeon. No, I'm not annoyed by making my way to the exit and realizing I'd parked the airship on the opposite end. No, sir. Not me...






Video: Eclipse Tech Demo