Part 11: Odds And Ends II: This Time He Gets Even

So, last time, we got a hint as to where we should be going next. And in typical open JRPG fashion, the proper response to that is to do anything but that.



Our first stop is this temple here, where we get to use that blue stone we got from Yuffie back in Tradan.



Normally, this process involves going all over the map and finding different temples until you find the one that corresponds to the colored stone that you have, then writing that down somewhere. Thankfully, I can just look things up in RPG Maker. Just being able to peer inside the game is better than any walkthrough.



This dungeon isn't really that noteworthy.





There's no real interesting design going on here (though there is a secret passage leading to a small room with absolutely nothing in it, which is interesting, I guess), and the loot, while nice (a full HP heal elixir, a permanent +5 HP boost) isn't anything major either.



The enemies, "water guardians" aren't special either - we're about four levels above the recommended level, and they can only do normal attacks and heal themselves. Easy peasy.



So the only major part of this is the main chamber, which has this hole here. We open our inventory and use the blue stone, and then...



I'll throw this blue stone into the water...



"Intelligence of all has increased by 5!"

Nice! That's 15 stat points for free - not going to complain about that at all! So, that's the water temple. Stat boost if you have the corresponding rock, and that's about it. There's shrines like this for six elements - water, fire, air, earth, light and shadow, corresponding to the four attributes, HP and BP, though I don't know which is which - though I can estimate that fire is Strength, air is Agility, water is Intelligence (which we know now), earth is Defense, light is HP and shadow is BP.

Not sure how many of those we're going to visit - these stones are quite rare, and I wouldn't be surprised if we only found like two more over the course of the game.



Next up, we're returning to the mountain path that leads up to Asgar's castle. In the past, I stated that this was pointless once you acquired the bat transformation, but that was in fact not true, as was pointed out to me in a PM by Eopia!



When we activate our hidden-passage-vision, the truth is revealed!



So, what's in here? Well, nothing much. Enemies fit for a level 1 party, which I won't even grace with the attention of showing them, and that's it. At least right now!



But when we exit the cave and engage our time dilation magic...



...to turn the time to night...



...we find a ghost!

What is that?
Ghost: You... you can see me?
Of course, would I have asked otherwise?
Valnar, this is a ghost. The ghost of a deceased that can't find its peace. You've heard those childrens' stories... well, they're true. This ghost must continue its existence on this human-infested world until it has fulfilled its task.
What are you doing here?
Ghost: What are you? It's quite strange that you can see me. You must be undead!
Can't you feel the icy chill that emanates from me? I am indeed undead!
Ghost: I haven't felt anything in a long time apart from never-ending pain!
Alright, 1) ...then keep rotting here, ghost! 2) ...what's your problem?

This sounds like a sidequest!

Ghost: You want to help me? Then bring me a blood vial! Maybe that will give me new strength!

A surprisingly simple sidequest! Which of the like 80 blood vials I have do you want?

Ghost: Have you brought me a blood vial?
Yes, here you go!
Ghost: Thanks!

The ghost flashes red.

Ghost: Ah, that was delicious! As thanks, I'll increase your healing rate, vampire! I'll give you my power!

And we get the "ghost transfers power" thing.

Ghost: And now please leave, I must think about a thousand things!

And that's that! I suspect that this was supposed to be some sort of tutorial for ghosts, but in the end, it somehow got relegated to a secret passage that was probably passed over by most of the players.



Next stop, Iranis, where we were supposed to search for an item in a snowman. We find it in the lower right corner of the city.

Here's the item!
"Obtained 1 Packaged Item!"



So, now we have a packaged item in our inventory. You will note that it is not greyed out, so we can actually use it. What happens when we do? Well...

Look, there's a strange, glowing rose in here!
Oh, how beautiful!
Fascinating!
That just has to be magic of some kind!
I've never seen a flower like that before!

A short beat.

Hey, look! ...it's wilting away!
Damn!
Not good at all... now it's just a pile of ashes...
That guy in Asran won't like that at all!
If he complains, we'll just have to kill him!

And when we go back to Asran and talk with the guy that sent us on the quest...

Arrogant Man: Have you gotten the item?
We've unpacked the rose.
Arrogant Man: WHAAAAAAAAAT? ...AAAAAAAAARGH! HOW DARE YOU! That was the rarest rose in the world! It was worth a fortune! You idiots! You'll pay for that! GUARDS!
Shut up, you idiot!

And then Asgar transforms him into an item, which turns out to be a life nectar, the permanent +1 HP boost.

That takes care of that!

However, we're not going to be doing that, because it involves a hit to humanity, and a +1 HP is kind of pointless. Instead, we're going to bring it back to its owner...



...or so you'd think! It's at this point in time where I start getting a bit more cocky about just going out and doing things I'm not sure about, which includes attacking these ships that move around on the world map. I could have checked in RPG Maker to see if we could take on the enemies on the ship, but fuck it, #YOUO (You're Only Undead Once).



To note, normally, you're supposed to just fly over the ship in bat form and you should get in. However, for some reason, that didn't work for me. Instead, I have to end the transformation while above the ship, which leads to Valnar walking on air onto the ship.



Now, ships are a simple process. You walk about the ship, fighting the three sailors by bumping into them and starting a fight, and after you've killed them, you go inside the ship and fight the captain. Meanwhile, you search through the ship for loot.

Sailor: Your time's up, you monsters!



It turns out my caution was misplaced, because these guys are complete and utter pushovers at our level.



Have fun in hell!



And now we repeat the process with the other sailors. Since the only different part is the dialogue, I'll just post that.

Sailor: How the devil did you get on this ship?
On the same route that you'll be taking to get off the ship... over the railing!

*insert curbstomp here*

Wretched human!

*insert slicing here*

Next one!

Sailor: What do we have here? Stowaways!

*insert curbstomp here*

You know, sometimes I think they just don't make sailors the way they used to...

*insert slicing here*

And with them gone and the looting finished (the haul being a potion of eternity and some outdated gear), it's time to head inside and deal with the captain.



Captain: Aye, you landlubbers will be going over board now!
Try it.



And we get into a fight with the captain, who is considered the "boss" of the ship, so I unload all my best spells on him and he goes down in the second round after dealing a whole 13 damage to our group.

Give the fishes my regards!

And then he gets killed like the sailors. A thorough check of the surroundings reveals only a medium healing item, a ring of light resistance, which I guess is good if you're obsessively hunting those and have an assortment ready for every possible case (though I can't remember a lot of light spells being used by enemies in this game), and a save stone.



When we leave the ship by transforming into a bat again, we get this little bit:

Let's sink the ship!
Alright, alright...



Blub, blub. With that done, we head towards Asran to deliver our package, but on the way there, we run into something.



Another ship! This one is stationary, just sitting there outside of Asran, waiting for us to plunder its riches. Time to board!



However, immediately upon entering, we notice something's up. These guys are armored!



Soldier: Monster! Attack!



And now we're fighting "sailor knights", which is an interesting kind of title. They look imposing, but they're not THAT bad. I mean, I might as well get into stats talk for a bit. So, the sailors we fought on the other ship look like this:

HP: 100
Attack: 140
Defense: 130
Intelligence: 100
Agility: 80

And the guys we're fighting now look like this:

HP: 160
Attack: 170
Defense: 140
Intelligence: 90
Agility: 100

So, not that much more impressive, really. When enemies have less HP than our party members and we have the numbers advantage, it's hard to be that intimidated. They did pick up an attack that causes bleeding, but since they die so quickly, it's not like the bleeding will cause that many problems.



And another soldier less!

And let's take out the other two as well.

Soldier: Damn! Intruders!
Must be an important ship if you just get attacked right away!

*insert curbstomp here*

But even these guards can't stop us!

*insert slicing here*

And one more.

Soldier: This is the ship of King Gerald! You will die for this intrusion!

*insert curbstomp here*

Welp, now King Gerald has one soldier less!

*insert slicing here*

Now, does this being a more heavily guarded ship mean that the loot will be better? Well, there's a blood rune (+5 BP permanently) and some ice dust, an attack item which I think is starting to hit that point where those are largely useless. Let's see if there's something better in the captain's cabin.



Oh, hello there, Grandy!

Captain: You dare come into my cabin? You don't even belong to the knights of King Gerald! You will die for your insolence!
Somehow, I feel like I've heard this before!



Well, this captain is stronger than the other one, but still, not much of a threat.

And once again, nothing but empty words!

And dead he is. In his cabin, we find our first antique coin, some VERY outdated equipment, and a save stone. So apart from the rune, really, mostly a wash.



Blub, blub, blub.



While we're in the area, I decide that it's time to grab that butterfly we were told to get in Asran.



Thankfully, the blue one we need to get is relatively easy to see, as is that chest that contained a blood healing item.



Ah, there's the right one! Come here, you little butterfly!
You almost sound like a little girl, Valnar!
...er, I've got it!
"Caught 1 Blue Butterfly!"

The red chest is kind of a cheat - if you open it, it says that you get five blood nectars (+1 BP permanently), but you actually only get one, which is pointless at this point. And that was locked behind 120 Intelligence! Oh well, off to Asran to get our rewards.



Arrogant Man: Have you gotten the item already?
Yes, here it is!
Arrogant Man: Ah, there it is! My precious treasure! Good, you didn't open it. Here is your money!
"Obtained 300 Filar and 400 EXP!"
Arrogant Man: And now get lost!

Every bit of experience is nice.



Man: Have you already gotten the butterfly?
Yes, here it is!
Man: Ah, what a splendid specimen! Thank you so much! Take this as a little reward for your effort!
"Obtained 1 Blood Protection Ring and 200 EXP!"

The blood protection ring is 100% protection against the bleeding status effect, which is nice, as is EXP.

And with that, I guess this is as good a time as any to cut the update. Next time, I start getting really cocky, and kind of regret it.