Part 16: The Other Day, I Saw A Crow, Although Maybe it Was A 747. Also, I Invented Math

We've got some unfinished business before I go chasing after monsters. The first step is to kill off Wilme in combat and head back to Bone with just Olvan.

You think I picked Olvan on a whim? This whole affair was planned from the very start. This event is only possible if Olvan is leading the party, which normally means you have to be Olvan. But due to an oddity of game design, the check happens even if you're someone else and just have Olvan with you. There's a second check later in the game for a secret cave of gems that also checks if Olvan is around, but doesn't require him to lead. This one does.

So now we have a key. Gee, I wonder if this unlocks the gate in Grime Tower?

Killer. Let's go looting.

That charming blue gentleman is a King Trick. It is completely impossible to kill at this stage, because Grime Tower is balanced around being reached from the teleporter at the top from a place much later in the game, even though it's possible to get in now with Olvan's key. Thanks, 7th Saga.

Other monsters in the tower include Spideks and these Sage freaks, who love draining 40 MP a shot just because they can.

The Illusion Shield is pretty awesome, making Olvan almost as well-defended as Wilme.

I try to grind out some levels, but these jerks are incredibly resistant to physical damage and hit really hard. In fact, just about everything now has high defense and buffs itself to be even stronger. The lack of magical damage in this party really stretches out fights.

These Red Demons are weak against ice. Keep this in mind. My master plan is only starting to reveal itself.

But first, let's go back and get all the hidden items in the preceding towns I forgot about before.

The Brown Coat is actually an armor upgrade for Lux. It's not much, but it's a quicker upgrade than Wilme gets to anything.

After that, back to the cave. There are Sages in here too. Did I mention they cast Heal2? Also they absorb all your MP? Yeah.

Fortunately, the cave isn't very long and I quickly stumble across this unusual rock door, which the Remote Control opens. I knew it was a garage door opener.

Inside is a man with a submarine and banks of computers.

You invented a submarine.

Doesn't that discovery pale in comparison to inventing the submarine? And the computer? And garage doors?

Hell yes I want to take a ride in your submarine. I don't even care about the innuendo there, you invented a submarine.

A short trip later and we're in the village of Dowaine.

See? I told you.

It would appear the good power of the grammar is inversely proportionate to the strong of the evil monster.

I try to stay out of copyright cases, personally.

Actually, you saw a submarine. I'll cut you a bit of slack because you've never seen a dinosaur or a submarine before.

These are 7th Saga directions, which means Brush is only technically to the west; we actually have to go half a continent north and east, then west, then north some more, then west again, then a little south to get to Brush.

This boy usually sells random goods for 100g each, some of them pretty good. But he's apparently the first person in the entire world to find Wilme freakish, so he won't sell anything to me.

Maybe you should talk to that guy who invented computers and submarines and garage doors.

Welcome to the 10%! Of course I'll know right away if a Rune is in either city since they'll be glowing like a christmas light on my crystal ball Runedar, but it's the thought that counts.

Speaking of which, note that we're now north of those huge mountains. Basically the entire rest of the continent is open now, so I can go anywhere I want.

Of course, the fact that I "can" go somewhere doesn't mean these guys (the aptly-named Defeat) won't beat my ass in for trying. In fact, something really must be done about all this.