Part 13: The Unclean Mark

Update 13a: The radio said "No, Janus. You are the demons"

With a new chapter comes an update to the intro movie! Not as much of the movie changes as I'd like, so rewatching the whole thing isn't strictly necessary

All that changes is the animation that takes place shortly after "I will make it though this desert storm, safe and warm," which used to be Pearl and Janus duelling. Now...



This scary-looking guy turns up,



and so do the mysterious robed people.



Sinister seems to be the watchword here.

Here's the full video if you want to see it. Since it's mostly the same as the previous version, I added the Japanese vocal track from the soundtrack instead of the English one for a bit of variety.

VIDEO - Intro (Chapter 2)

MUSIC - Impatience Leading to Trouble



Doc's dream returns, still just as cryptic as before.



Shut up and sign these kidney donor forms! Deserving scientists need them!

Back at the Claiborne saloon...

MUSIC - A Person's Warmth



Hey, what took you so long?
Forgive me. I slept in.
I feel like we've finally made it out of a long tunnel.
Yo, we haven't done anything, yet. Let alone made any money.

Are you kidding? Were you there when we slaughtered hundreds of jellies for gems?



Excuse me!? What kind of a remark was that!?

Pearl seems to be offended by the concept of financial reward.

He's right. We are just getting started. At least I am.
This may not be very interesting, but would you all like to hear my story?
Yeah, of course.
Thank you.
Yes, we'd all love to hear, Doc.
I became a Drifter in order to find the lost memories of this world.



Lost memories... In other words, I would like to track down Filgaia's history.

Ah, dual-classing as a Sniper/Archaeologist.

Oh, that makes it a little more clear.
Do you all know why Filgaia is covered in wasteland?
Well, uhh... According to folklore, there was a great war against demons, which caused the planet to decay...
Exactly... Almost everything is explained in folklore, but there are hardly any historical facts. My professor and I travelled to many locales, investigating the cause of the planet's decay.
Unfortunately, my professor passed away during the investigation, and I am continuing his work.
Wait, hold on a second...



You noticed the inconsistency there? Even though the destruction of the planet by demons only appears in folklore, many artifacts proving their existence have been excavated.

So it doesn't only appear in folklore then?

So basically, the demons may have had something to do with the world's decay, but you think there might be another, more direct cause?
Yes... That was my professor's theory...
Although we weren't able to track down this other, direct cause...
Do you think the demon artifact, the Eternal Sparkle has something to do with it?
I'm not certain, but we do know that the artifact is extremely dangerous.
The three missing shields, and the Eternal Sparkle.. Are we getting ourselves involved with something unbelievably extraordinary? Like Filgaia's history?
What good is history? It's not like we can sell it. What we need now is money.



Why are you always so...
No, he is right. Without money, we cannot plan our course of action, let alone eat or rent a room. Money is essential for our search for Filgaia's history.
There is one problem, however... We will not get any leads staying in a country town like this.
I've got an idea. Not too far from here is a seedy little town called [Little Twister].
There isn't much law and order there, so I'm sure we can find some kind of sketchy mission to take on. I've actually stayed there before, but...
But...what?
I hitched a ride on a caravan and fell asleep, so I don't quite remember exactly where it is.
You're so unreliable...
But I'm pretty sure it was west of here. As long as we know which direction to go, we'll make it. Right?
Fine... Let's ask around about this town, Little Twister. Hopefully, we'll find a lead to help us with our finances. It's a tough world we live in... So, as long as we continue on as Drifters, we'll find more leads about artifacts, right?
Yes...Which will bring me closer to finding out more about Filgaia's history. Thank you, leader. I appreciate your interest.

There's probably someone in Claiborne who knows which way to head...

This village and Little Twister are completely separated by a large crevasse. That's why you don't see any hotheads from over there causin' trouble in this village. But we do get blockheads who pass through here...

The big crevasse west of here has been a problem fer travellers fer a long time now. But that doesn't necessarily make it a bad thang. Further west of that crevasse is an outlaw town called Little Twister. The crevasse keeps them criminals from spillin' over to our village. That's why there's never been a bridge built across that crevasse.

If we hadn't already bought horses, we would have been forced to at this point in order to progress, as they're the only way to jump the crevasse.

On leaving town, another cutscene starts.

MUSIC - Soaked Through with Fear



Interesting-looking location here. Pretty high-tech...

An unexpected outcome? I think not... The emergence of Drifters searching for artifacts, and him wanting more power are within our realm of prediction. He should be okay unmonitored.
Any impediment to our plan should be swiftly removed. With permission, I will take these matters into my own hands.



You take your job too seriously. Loosen up a little.
A job is supposed to be taken seriously. It is you who needs to...
That's enough. Carrying out our mission is important. However, each of you have a specific task at hand.

YOU - run my bath. YOU - give me a backrub.

Regarding the construction of the [fortress], 14% more to go until...
That is 14% too slow. The completion of the fortress is essential to our plan. Understand?
Your seriousness baffles me. You do not need to carry everything on your shoulders. We all have our own duties.

For clarification, the Slickster is addressing the robed woman here. I don't think he'd get away with talking to his boss that way.



In our current state, there are limitations to our actions. We should lay low for the time being.
And rely on that unscrupulous rogue!?
That is why he is here. Think of it as a start-up experiment. Like a running-in period. We should be able to delve his true intentions...
He needs to be broken in. If abnormal behaviour ensues, let him go.

The strange man by the door turns to leave.



My time has ended...

This doesn't seem promising.


Outside, the drifters have to make their way to Little Twister.



Riding out to Westwood Station and jumping the crevasse west of it takes us to the Little Twister area. The directions said "ride west from Claiborne" but 'west' is a pretty big area and if you're unlucky it could be some time before you find the town's location.



Searching will sometimes turn up items though, in this case 3500 gella.



Fortunately I already had a good idea of where the town was.

MUSIC - Bad Guys & Bad Land



A brown and dusty town where most of the buildings are boarded up, it's pretty clear that Little Twister is a seedy place that's seen much better days.

Incidentally, in the Japanese version this town was called "Titty Twister" after the strip club in From Dusk till Dawn. It's not hard to see why this was changed for the English language versions.

Town seems to be entirely populated by drifters...

Just the other day, I met this <<belle>> dressed in really fancy clothes. Strange thing is, she just vanished like a cloud of smoke while I was mesmerized by her beauty. But I tell you, I wasn't hallucinating!
<<Belle>>
She was wearing some kind of flashy, fluttery cloth. She was really beautiful, like some kind of heavenly maiden or something. But what drives me nuts is that no one believes me. And they go on to say that my brain is buzzed from all my drinking. But I saw her with my own eyes, I did I tell ya! I have to admit I was drinking at the time, but I really do have a good <<memory>>!
<<Memory>>
Yeah, it's all coming back to me now... I met this girl the night before Claudia disappeared. Why don't you people believe me!? You believe me, don't you?

What a world we live in...Only the strong survive and only the bad succeed. That Janus Cascade guy actually grew up here. Of course I plan to surpass him one day.

... one lazy-ass Sherrif...

You know Claudia from the saloon? The one who disappeared? Boy, she sure is one fine woman. Everyone from around here are head over heels for her. But I don't think it's a guy who kidnapped her. It's not like I got any proof, but I think it might have been one of the girls who are just jealous of her.



... and barmaids.

So you wanna make some Gella, huh? Well, my barmaid hasn't shown up for work in days. How 'bout y'all go find her and drag her back here? Guess not, huh? You're lookin' to hit the jackpot? Hmm... Ah can't seem to recall...

Point to a 500 Gella bottle.
She sure has a bad memory...

You sure? Okay, then. Can ya just sign here on the label...? Oh yes, Ah remembah now... There's been an untouched ruin recently discovered. Many Drifters have gone inside, but haven't come back... There must be somethin' worth guarding inside there. It's real dangerous, though...



Hmmm...I think it might be too dangerous.
Yo, we're not out here to meddle in people's affairs. Our goal is to go after the prize, as long as the risk is in line with the rewards.
Dangerous ruins and powerful artifacts go hand in hand...
Then this might be a good chance to get in touch with the memories of the world.
Memories this, memories that... I have no interest in something so worthless...
What are you talking about!? Fond memories are priceless! I'm sure you have some fond memories tucked away inside your heart as well!
The thing is, I don't! That's why I can't put a price on it!
What...?
I've been a Drifter for several years now, but I have no recollection of what I did before that. I don't know where I was born, or my age... Basically, I don't know who the hell I am!! Even my name is just something I was called by this man who taught me how to survive the wasteland!
Amnesia, is it?
I don't know... It's just so weird that I would have this completely blank period. But it doesn't stop me. I mean, think about it. Do you remember what you were doing a week ago? Do you remember what you ate a month ago? Even if you can't remember, so what! I get by, you know? You don't need memories to carry on your everyday life.



I'm sorry...I think I touched a nerve...
You don't have to apologize. I told you I get by. I don't need your sympathy, okay!?
All right, then... I have a plan.
I'm going to help you find your memories. That's what I'm going to do!
Errrghhh...I said, I don't care about my...
Ah, just give up, will ya? She has the upper hand on us when it comes to debating.
Do you have any leads to find out about his memories?
Do you have leads when you search for memories in Filgaia? We have to search for leads first, right? We're not going to find anything by sitting around.
You are right... She does have the upper hand. Well then, what do we do now? Do we head for this dangerous ruin?
Hmmm...I haven't thought about that yet...
All right, how about this. We're free to choose whether we want to accept this mission or not. So, we'll mosey on over to the ruins, and if it seems kinda risky, then we'll just head back. How 'bout it?
Hey... Yeah, you're right... Let's just head to the ruins. Remember, we're not taking any risks.
Yeah, no risks! Let's just go out there, have some fun, and make a fortune!

The ruin - The Unclean Mark - is located roughly northeast of Little Twister.

MUSIC - Losing One's Way in Darkness, Losing Something in Darkness



It's a pretty linear twisty passage with a few side rooms - no mazes here.



Inside though, we quickly meet a missing person - Angela's barmaid.



Oh, valiant Drifters... Would you please lend me a hand? Beyond these doors lies a path to an ancient artifact. Would you be as kind as to lead the way?
Anything to help a lady in need, miss!
Hold your horses! We need to hear more details first. This might be a mission we can't handle!
You've got a point, there. But we all want to help people in need, right? Right!?



Oh, jeez... A grown man with a soft spot for pretty women...
And the rationale of a child... Easy to be taken advantage of.
Say what you want, kiddies. But I just want to be true to myself...

The lovely lady ignores Boone and approaches Doc.



H-Hey...!
Would you mind explaining in detail the nature of your request? What can we do for you, and what can you do for us?
Well...Deep within these ruins lies a <<powerful artifact>>. This ruin is in fact, alive...
<<Powerful artifact>>
It is some type of technology so ancient, it's rumoured to have been created by demons. It is much too dangerous to fall into the hands of imprudent people. Ah would like powerful Drifters, such as yourselves, to get rid of it. Ah think that's the best way to go about it.
So in other words, you would like us to investigate these ruins and find this powerful artifact. And our reward would be to do as we please with it? That is indeed a strange request... Why would...
Oh, c'mon... It's all good. I'm sure you're interested, too, if it's artifact-related, right?
Well...yes, but...
You did say we're free to choose whether we want to accept this mission or not...
Y-Yeah, but...
Fine. Let's do it.
All right! I knew you'd accept, leader! You can't just ignore people in need, you know?

The group forms up again, but Doc is hesitating.

I know what you're thinking... But the truth of the matter is, Drifters have entered and have never come back. There is definitely something fishy going on... It might seem troublesome, but if we're needed, I think we should help.
Understood. Let's be careful.
You seem to be familiar with this ruin. Can you show us the way?

Claudia just nods.



Opening the door to the next room is as simple as bombing these four switches. They'll reset if you don't hit all four quickly enough, but that shouldn't be an issue here.



The very next room has a sealed door we can open with a duplicator, leading to a treasure room containing...

3000 Gella
A Dragon Fossil
3 Heal Berries
A Heart Leaf - a decent piece of Gear that gives the Misery Ward PS to a Guardian. Misery is a fairly annoying status that seals off your Arcana and Force Abilities, and limits all FP gain to a measly 1FP per action. It won't get you killed by itself but it can be a serious nuisance.



A little further on we find this narrow walkway. Someone has to hit that switch to open the door behind us.

Ah would like to help. Ah can't subject all of you to a precarious situation...



What a helpful girl. She carefully walks over to the switch and pulls it for us, opening the door and...



HEY OW

This is enough to knock us off the platform, which just sends us back to the door, so not as bad as it could have been...

Oh, how frightenin'... So, these are the hidden traps of the ruins... Ah'm just relieved that y'all are all right... Ah'll have to watch mahself, as well...

Yeah, you'd better, this place is dangerous.



Pressing on brings us to a side room with a few treasure chests. Three of them are real, but the upper left one has a TERRIFYING SECRET you've probably already guessed since this is an RPG.



Say hi to the Mimic, probably the toughest non-boss enemy so far, but that's only because it has more HP than a regular enemy. Its Gimmick Hand attack is pretty decent too, but getting past it is just a case of blasting it until it falls apart.

The reward for facing it is rather nice - two Duplicators. The other chests also contain a Gimel Coin, three Lucky Cards and two Gella Cards. I will, of course, forget to use them on the bosses.

Mimics aren't the only enemies in here, though they are the most notable. Pordages reappear and are trivial to deal with now.



Not much to say about Orcs - they'll appear in large numbers, but aren't hard to take out thanks to their Water weakness. The worst thing about them is their out-of-control bellybutton fluff.



Gerbugs are flying insects with earth elemental weaknesses. All they did to me was a basic attack.

The next room looks like a dangerous situation.



Ah do believe it is this switch that is keepin' the door shut. It may be a dangerous trap like last time. Ah shall lead the way to make sure it is safe.

We have to actually talk to her before she'll step on the switch though, and as soon as she does she quickly heads for the other side.



Uh...

The floor starts to fall away, and if you don't run so will you!



Oh god THE BURNING

Whatever that is, it takes off about 80HP each second, so scream and get out of there!

Ah panicked and made a run for it... Thank goodness y'all seem all right. Let us proceed...



The trap in the next room is a wall that pushes you into a pit. Bombs are the best solution. Hit a section of it with enough bombs and it disappears.



The door up ahead needs that block placed on the switch. Unfortunately we can't push or pull it for some reason, so we'll have to take the side door for now.



This room is annoying. It's just like the first one - light up all the crystals to proceed, but with more crystals to light the time limit is much tighter.
You can save a little bit of time by placing bombs between pairs of gems instead of one bomb per gem. If you don't succeed, just keep waking in a circle placing bombs, and you'll soon do it quickly enough to hit them all at once.



Hitting this switch lowers the central platforms, allowing us to proceed.

That should do it for this trap... Please proceed. We're ahmost there.

She walks ahead of us...



How come SHE didn't set off these spikes!?!

You know what lady, I'm starting to think I don't like you.



What a beautiful gem... Beauty is a power that dominates all... Everything must be made beautiful, or else it is meaningless... Now, take the gem to your hands. Revel in its beauty and feel the pleasure of subjugation...



Eh, I really shouldn't but there's no choice here. You can try to leave, but's it's not so much a "but thou must!" situation as it is a "but we must!"

There's nothing more discourteous than turning your back on a woman. Any real man would realize that.

Fine, fine, anything to impress a chick...



The answer to "how stupid do you think I am?" is "very."

... Ah'm so glad y'all are safe. Now, let's hurry. We're almost to the heart of the ruin where the artifact lies...



Is somethin' the matter?

Doc says what we're all thinking.

Isn't it about time you reveal what's behind the curtain? I don't think I can continue this any longer...

MUSIC - He Who Holds the Word of God

How did you see through my veil?
I don't have any particular reason. Instinct, I suppose.

I'm just uncommonly suspicious of people who are trying to kill me.

Instinct!? How absurd! You mean to tell me I was found out by a silly little guess!?



A beauty spawned another beauty!? Talk about doubling your pleasure!
A clever disguise, using the missing woman from Little Twister... But you have made one fundamental mistake. You attempted to use beauty as your weapon, but the blade you wielded was too dull.
So, what is your point!?
Your beauty is completely fake.



Doc, them's fightin' words...

How rude of you. What would you know about beauty?
A woman's beauty can indeed be associated with strength. And so, you used it as your weapon. However, beauty is not all about physical appearance. A kind and tender heart... Beauty from the inside is what ultimately shines through. You are not as beautiful as you think. I have a wife and daughter. I would be in great trouble if I were infatuated with another woman.



Everyone reels a little from that information.

As long as no one is deceived by your outer beauty, anyone can see right through you. You do not seem accustomed to deceiving others. I take it that you are not inherently evil?

Ugly and incompetent? Why don't you call her fat too?

Enough of your mockery! How dare you resist me! I'll make you pay!
BOSS BATTLE - ROBED WOMAN

MUSIC - Black as Sin, Red as Blood



I will not forgive you for trampling over my feelings! Or my beauty!

Be careful - this lady is in full-blown Woman Scorned mode. She should only use one attack, but for the purposes of this battle that's all she needs.



Eliminate Scanner is a powerful single-target magic attack. I'm overlevelled and it's still taking off nearly half of Doc's health per hit.

Fortunately she's so incensed with Doc that he is the ONLY person she'll attack while he's still alive. This simplifies things a lot, as buffing his magic defence and healing him will get you through this. Without the need to watch anyone else at all, you can easily wear her down while she focuses on him.

But if Doc dies, you'll face her other attack - Annihilator, which will probably kill the rest of your party in short order.

If you want to see the battle, here's the video. Watch in awe, as I snatch victory from the jaws of incompetence!

VIDEO - Robed Woman battle



N-No... Is this all my body can handle...? (I need more Panakeia in my circulatory system... Has Filgaia denied my existence?)



She tries to teleport away, but it fails.

Panakeia is our blood... When turbid and stagnant, is it not possible for me to teleport? Even still...I must obtain the Gemini circuit! You would not dare shoot a hostage. This may be tactless, but this is my only chance to escape... I shall employ you a little longer...



As the room starts to shake, she repossesses Claudia and runs off with her body.

You coward! That's so pathetic how you would hide and shield yourself behind a woman! Now, come back here!

The drifters chase her deeper into the ruin, and...

MUSIC - Soaked Through with Fear



Hey, isn't my duty to dispose of them? I mean, you're just here to look for the artifact, so that you can complete your fortress or whatever. I appreciate your work ethic, but you try to handle too much at once. That's why things don't work out for you.



Right, Princess?

OH MY GOD GUYS JANUS ISN'T DEAD.
No wait, we already knew that from a previous cutscene.

Janus Cascade... You're...
... still alive? Surely you didn't think I was dead? And you're not looking at a ghost, either. But the thing is...



Janus!



OH MY GOD GUYS JANUS IS A DEMON
No wait, we knew that from a previous cutscene too.
Uh, developer guys? Dramatic revelations don't really work when you've already revealed them in a previous scene.



Rrrrrrrraaaagh!! Like so!



It's this sensation! The mediums are trembling!? It's as if their uncontrollable fear is ready to jump out any second!
They're afraid of Janus... No, they're afraid of what's inside him...
You all don't know how lucky you are. To be able to witness the power of demons in this day and age...

BOSS BATTLE - DEMON JANUS

MUSIC - Crossfire Sequence



Say hello to the NEW AND IMPROVED Janus 2.0!

Now that he's wielding the Dark Spear and not his bayonet, he's got a pair of new attacks.



One is naturally a slash with the spear. Not crippling damage but he will use it as a counter, so that damage can rack up.

The other is the fruity but dangerous Negative Rainbow.



Hits all for non-elemental magic damage. It's a good idea to put Protect on at least Billy to help him resist this. Thankfully, Janus is still getting used to his demonic form and can't use Negative Rainbow in consecutive turns, so he is forced to alternate between this and Dark Spear.

But all his demonic power can't stand against the might of being three or four levels overlevelled.



There's a bit of a time lag between my actions and my thoughts. I still haven't fully adapted to my powers yet...

Dude, only a noob blames his ping. l2play

Part of the reward for beating Janus is a Baselard, a piece of gear. I'll explain later. Here's the video.

VIDEO - Demon Janus battle



Janus! The removal of the [Gemini circuit] is complete. Step aside. I shall take care to them.
Your only duty is to recover the Gemini circuit. Anything else is an act of disloyalty.
The nerve of you! I have carried out my orders!
I can finish them off anytime. But right now, your priority is to bring back the circuit, so that you can complete the fortress. Isn't that so?



His presumption earns him a slap.

How dare a halfwit like you give me orders! We both report back to base!
Yeah, I hear you.



They both teleport away, leaving the drifters to take care of Claudia.



MUSIC - Impatience Leading to Trouble

But, boy... You sure surprised us when you mentioned your wife and daughter.
Ahh... My apologies... I didn't mean to keep it a secret. It's just hard to find the right timing to bring it up...
Well...um...What were we talking about, again? Oh yeah, surprises, right?
There is no need to beat around the bush, Pearl... We were all surprised by what we saw...
Yeah, I guess... I... I just find it so hard to believe that someone could transform like that... Is that the true power of the artifact? To change someone into a different being? The power of the past?
You all felt the pulsation of the mediums when he unleashed his powers... The mediums seemed to be expressing anger and animosity towards him, and moreover, fear...
The mediums trembled in fear... Just as when the Dark Spear was summoned. Then it is safe to assume that the mediums recognize him, no, the Dark Spear as a feared entity.



A medium is kinda like a vehicle or a go-between... We're all connected to the guardians by it. So the fear expressed through the medium is that of the guardian's, and... the guardians represent the power of Filgaia. Which means that whatever scares the guardians, is a threat to the planet itself.
And from what we know, there's only one thing that threatens this planet...
The demons!? Filgaia's enemy from folklore! Then, what he was saying was...
...most likely true. Which means the existence of demons is now an actual threat!

Well the 700 Club's been trying to tell you for ages, but would you listen? Nooooooo...



He smacks the ground, hard.

So, this is why we were entrusted with the mediums and let loose over Filgaia!
I turned my back on my lineage and destiny of priesthood so that I could be free...But all I'm doing is playing a part in Granny's whole scheme!
What do you mean!?
Through Shane's dreams, Granny detected the rebirth of demons as a threat to this planet. In order to handle this threat, she released warriors, capable of invoking guardians into the wasteland. The guardians who protect the planet, and the demons who seek to destroy it, are to come face to face. We're all just marionettes being forced to dance by invisible strings!



Speaking of puppets on strings, the mediums come out of everyone's bodies to tell them where to go to progress the plot.

It crossed the southern sky to the east...What are the mediums trying to tell us?
Doggone it! Do I have to live according to fate!? Why can't I just be free!?
I think it was partly fate that brought us together in the wasteland. And I'm really grateful for it. But the thing is, I don't want to entrust every decision to it.



What I trust more is you guys--the bond we share together. And the mediums are a bond that connects us with Filgaia. I want to trust this bond and take action.
Brush fate aside...and trust in our bonds to take action...
It's not a battle between guardians and demons. We must face the demon's threat as the ones entrusted with the power of guardians! This isn't a battle about the past. This is our battle, now!! This isn't about curiosity. I can feel it... And I know you all do, too...



Something is stirring in our Filgaia...
I suppose this really isn't a task you can just ask someone to do...

Indeed. You have to be careful and pick just the right suckers to do it.

Everyone would think we're crazy if we tried to explain.
Let us rest here tonight, and escort the young lady back to town at daybreak. I believe we still lack the information to delve into the meaning behind the lights that pointed southeast. I suggest we gather any kind of information we can about guardians and mediums at Little Twister.

The next morning...

MUSIC - Bad Guys & Bad Land



Are you sure you're okay?
Y-Yes...Thank you kindly. Although Ah have nothin' to give you...



No worries, miss. Your beautiful smile says it all. Actually, it sure beats any reward we've received thus far... Please, continue smiling.

Smooth, Romeo. Real smooth.

A-All right...
Claudia! Now, where on Filgaia have ya been? Ah'll be deductin' wages from yer paycheck for all the days ya missed work!
Madam...
All you'll ever be good at is workin' in my saloon! Now, get your booty over here!



Smile... booty... nooooooo!!!

So...Which one of us was the most fired up throughout this entire unpaid mission?
The same person who proposed to make a fortune without taking any risks, I believe.
You men are all the same! You only have one thing on your minds!
Not all of us are. Please don't associate me with him.
Yeah, same here. I'm better off on my own.
I'm sorry, guys... I got a little carried away.



That's our Boone! (laugh track)

Next time: We take a break from spreading our wings and flying freely, and follow our guiding star instead.

(P.S. the traps she leads you into are typically dodgeable if you know they're coming... I fell into them for comedic effect )

And now, to explain that baselard we found, here's a feature about...

Inertia Cancelling

If you've watched the videos or the screenshots carefully, you might have seen the following when characters are about to act -



Note the CANCELLABLE above Doc's HP. Characters in this game can use Inertia Cancelling when their turn comes up to immediately cancel their action and pick a new one. This costs 25 FP, so it is not cheap, but in an emergency it can be a lifesaver if things have gone horrifyingly wrong and you need to quickly change plans.
The Baselard gives a medium the Power Cancel PS, which allows you to reduce the cost to zero for four PS points. Free inertia cancels can add a lot of flexibility to a character, but personally I don't think it's worth it.
IMO if you're needing to inertia cancel frequently to take care of emergencies, Something is Wrong with your levels, mediums or PS setups, and taking up a gear slot and 4 points with a baselard won't help. Better to fix the underlying problem, don't you think?
Fortunately Baselards are not uncommon, so you don't need to sweat whether you've stuck them on the right medium or worry about discarding them. If you have spare points you might as well use it though, and late in the game when Full Carrots are freely available... this may change.


Oh yeah, almost forgot.