Part 78: Ruby Obsession
Music: Discord 
Always strutting around like they bleedin' own the place. I wish I could see their boats when they realize someone beat them to it.
Something this rare would be wasted on them anyway. You said it. Now we'll just sell this gem and--
Something wrong? Where are the gold coins we stole? We said we'd split the spoils.
It's not much, so I thought I'd just hold on to it and buy you a tiddly later.
Then let's celebrate with this tonight.
...But don't let your guard down. The Ciannos will come for revenge at some point. They call themselves thieves, but they'll resort to violence if need be.
No problem. Now let's get moving.
...
-----
Music: Gazing Over the Great Plain 
Last time, we helped a grumpy scholar named Barham so we could gain access to Orlick's Manor, where the Ruby Dragonstone is currently possessed. Before we break in, we've got some banter to dive into.
You must understand that not all scholars are like the master here. I concede there are stubborn types obsessed with their research and blind to all else... But there are broad-minded thinkers, too, who freely seek wisdom and truth in all its forms. Like myself, for example. ...
By all means, my friend!
Now that's hardly an improvement! Allow me to make a counter-argument...
Therion really does not like Cyrus. The two are probably even more opposite than Therion and Tressa.
The thread made a great suggestion that I wish I thought of earlier. Since bosses are getting easy, why not have Cyrus mimic the job of the character whose chapter we're currently in? Thus Cyrus is a Thief for this chapter.
I also go slightly different than what I would've gone otherwise with the other three characters, though Dancer Therion, Merchant Ophilia, and Apothecary H'aanit still have solid synergy within each character. This does leave Warrior as the odd one out, which is one you'd rarely exclude due to its handy sword skills and ability to wreck polearm weaknesses, but hey, challenge!
At any rate, time to make our entrance.
(There's no need to sneak around now that I have the password. If I play my cards right, I can walk right in...)
You hear anything about a delivery? Not me. That's odd... Maybe the message just got lost somewhere. Anyway, he said it was urgent, so I rushed over. Understood. What's the password?
All right, you may pass. Much obliged.
And with that, we're finally able to enter Orlick's Manor.
After we Scrutinize the guards, of course.
Music: Forbidding Corridors 
It's another manor dungeon.
This one's a bit interesting in that this leads to a completely optional side area. To progress, we have to go upstairs in the first room and make our way right.
The foes here are either non-elemental or Dark.
We also get to see Cyrus and Ophilia diversify their trades a bit. Cyrus is a quick learner after all!
More foes. The weird-looking thing is a Curator.
There's nothing interesting about these foes. Just physicals and dark magic attacks. The guards can buff PhysAtk but that's as exciting as it gets.
Some vendor fodder, not sure how much. Still need to update my list...
Since we have Therion with us for obvious reasons, this purple chest is a freebie. There's two tiers of each elemental amulet (not including accessories that give minor resistances to two different elements), and this is a tier one. I never use any of them because stat boosts and status immunities are significantly more helpful and are useful in many more fights.
And eventually we reach the end of the manse.
But this crystal key should do the trick...
And inside is our prize.
...As if it's going to be that easy.
Video: Orlick 
One down, two to go.
Music: Creeping Dread 
I assume you heard the rumors and came to steal my dragonstone. But filthy thieves such as yourself could never appreciate its true value.
...Wait. Barham put you up to this, didn't he!?
"This research is pointless, Orlick." "Enough with the dragonstone, Orlick." I'll decide when enough is enough!
I beg to differ. I couldn't care less about its "true value." But I need to get that stone back to its rightful owner, and that's not you. This stone should be in the hands of someone intelligent, someone who can appreciate its mysteries.
Precisely! This beautiful stone requires research, and I'm the only one who can do it! It sounds like you can't trust anyone else to get the job done. Why should I? Music: For Freedom 
Don't pretend you understand!
Video: Boss - Orlick Music: Decisive Battle I 
Another boss where we have to eliminate the adds first.
This one takes a bit before I actually find their weaknesses. When you have 3/11 possibilities, it can take awhile sometimes. Though since staff is the last physical weakness, they have one unknown physical and two unknown elemental.
Orlick uses some physical attacks. Not too scary, but respectable for a scholar.
There's one.
...I wish I brought Warrior right about now. Linde will suffice, at least.
The Bodyguards have a few physical options, but this is as scary as they get.
Orlick, as you may expect, has some magical attacks at his disposal. He can also buff the enemy party's attack stats.
Aaaaaand this is partly why these bosses can't do anything to me. Ophilia is a tank with all her ElemDef-boosting gear, and an unboosted Heal Wounds is already close to Alfyn's Soothing Dust + Essence of Grape Concoction. As long as I have either one in my party, I'm not going to die to pretty much any story boss.
H'aanit thrives surprisingly well with Apothecary.
And of course Cyrus finishes off the job, allowing us to break the portly scholar.
The idiot's dumb enough to be weak to daggers, and I have two characters with Steal SP.
Since Cyrus has Steal SP and his SP Regen effect, he's a great SP Battery in the rare event I actually need SP and can't be bothered to use a Plum.
I'm saying SP management becomes increasingly less important as the game goes on.
I even use this skill to boost Crit and Acc! It doesn't really factor in much, but hey, I used it!
Well, I did crit here, so it did do a bit extra damage.
I mainly use secondary skills for those sweet voice clips, though Cyrus doesn't have many good ones with his current Thief skills.
And Therion's ElemAtk is just sad.
I'm pretty sure this is the new record for most damage done with a single attack in this LP. Your move, Olberic.
You better believe I'm having Cyrus do the honors here.
Orlick will summon a golem, which uses physicals and a lightning attack. And of course he also has a boost attack.
Time to get paid.
This is Orlick's boost attack, Magic Grenade. It hits pretty hard, except of course for Ophilia and her fantastic ElemDef.
Then the golem piles the damage on. Still barely scratches Ophilia.
Therion wastes little time taking out Orlick after that.
And he gets the honors with the golem to boot. Another victory!
Video: The Spoils of Victory Music: Forbidding Corridors 
Orlick then collapses, unconscious. Therion's a thief, not a murderer, after all.
And now back to Bolderfall.
The way Therion's VA says "Hooray" is perfect.
-----
SILENCE 
I'm so glad to see you safe, Mr. Therion. I brought the dragonstone.
You have my gratitude.
He is simply upholding his half of the deal, m'lady. He deserves no such thanks. After all, he has yet to return the two remaining stones.
Music: Therion, the Thief 
I beg your pardon? You can't guarantee I'll fulfill my promise if you remove this now.
And why's that?
You don't strike me as someone who would abandon responsibility. And you strike me as someone with too much faith in people.
So do yourself a favor and build your walls up higher before you get hurt. Mr. Therion-- Please, m'lady. That's quite enough.
Though I hate to admit it, he's right. It's best not to remove the band just yet. ...If you insist.
After a bit of digging, I found it to be in Wellspring. Any idea where in Wellspring? That town is home to a black market.
(I knew he was no ordinary butler.)
...Or so my sources say. I'll be on my way then.
You don't need to see me off again. It's a waste of time for both of us. But--
Please don't burden yourself with him, Miss Ravus. Even that man has dignity to uphold. Dignity? Though he may live an unscrupulous life, his skills as a thief keep him alive. Naturally, he has pride and confidence in these skills. But we used them against him...
If he did not feel such, I would not think him suitable for the job.
M'lady? My apologies, Heathcote... But I can't help thinking of that lonesome look on his face. It reminded me of myself back then... Is that so?
And so Therion goes on, in search for the next dragonstone.
As per usual, let's close things off with some banter.
...Huh. Wouldn't have thought you religious types had much interest in gems.
I care not for material wealth, if that is what you mean. But I can sense a strange power in those stones. I'll have to take your word on that. It's not exactly my area of expertise.
Whatever do you mean by that? I mean, most girls your age like to wear brooches and bangles, right?
Wh-why...
Some posters have suggested I read too much into Therion and H'aanit's banter last update, that it's more Therion musing about having allies after being lonely for so long, and in retrospect I definitely agree with that. Especially after seeing this scene, where Therion throws Ophilia off-guard with his bluntness, though whether there's attraction on his end or he's being his usual jerk self, I don't really know. It's still amusing and just further proof the Octopath Travelers are all horny for each other.
We're nearing the end of CHAPT TOO. Just OO more chapters left! Which O should we dO first?
Next time, we explore Noblecourt and then do the usual Side Story before diving into our next character.