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Epsilon Moonshade
Nov 22, 2016

Not an excellent host.

Greyarc posted:



Thanks, game.

Stop talking, Ringabel.

:allears:


Also, I love oblivious Tiz. It's cool to see how he (and all the characters, really) grow over the game, too.

We're also not too far away from what I consider to be the best character in the game.

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Greyarc
Dec 29, 2016

Hobgoblin2099 posted:

Ringabel didn't bother me too much with all of his women talk, barring a few points in the game, though they do tone up the perverted sides of his personality a bit too much.

Still, it could be worse...

Yeah, Ringabel alone is fine because the game treats his commentary with the amount of silliness it deserves. Sleaziness only becomes a problem for very specific segments of the game, where the writers jump over the line from "joke" to "hey not cool guys".

More on that in Chapter 2.


Glazius posted:

...does he write a lot about ladies in his journals? it would seem odd not to.

He does sometimes in the person/bestiary entries. Those are the only sections explicitly written by Ringabel.

So far as the LP has gotten, we don't know who wrote Enigmatic Writings. That section of the journal is distinctly lacking sexy talk about ladies.

Greyarc
Dec 29, 2016

Let's Learn Jobs: Thief



The Thief job excels at two things: stealing and speed. They offer good abilities, but most of their raw stats are underwhelming.

Thieves in Bravely Default are the same base as regular Final Fantasy thieves, but additional battle utility makes them useful as a job command or for supports.




Job icon is a black hood to better hide your sneaky ways. Job command is a sack representing all the goodies you'll steal with Thief abilities.



Thief has excellent dexterity and agility, giving them a higher chance to hit evasive targets and a greater chance to take their action before others, respectively. In everything else, they're below average, though the ability to use bows lets them dole out decent damage in a pinch.



Blue are support abilities, red are skill abilities.

Level 1 - Steal: Attempt to steal item from enemy, base 25% chance.
Level 2 - Abate Wind: Halves wind damage. (Cost: 1)
Level 3 - Speed 10% Up (Cost: 1)
Level 4 - Life Thief: Attack with 75% chance to recover hp equal to attack's damage. (8 MP)
Level 5 - Speed 20% Up (Cost: 2)
Level 6 - Mug: Attack and Steal combined in one action. (16 MP)
Level 7 - Raid: Raises party's BP by 1 when get First Strike or BP bonus at start of battle. (Cost: 1)
Level 8 - Dagger Lore: Allows other jobs to have S-proficiency with daggers. (Cost: 1)
Level 9 - Godspeed Strike: Substitute Speed for Physical Attack; ignores target's Physical Defense. (2 BP)
Level 10 - Master Thief: Allows other jobs to equip the Thief specialty. (Cost: 3)
Level 11 - Rob Blind: Attempt to steal two items at a time rather than one. (Cost: 2)
Level 12 - Shake Down: Steal from all enemies at once, base 25% chance. (1 BP)
Level 13 - Speed 30% Up
Level 14 - Burgle and Buff: Physical Attack up 25% (max 150%) when Steal/Mug or Life Thief succeed. (Cost: 1)

Steal and its varieties allows access to above-average weapons and armor through much of the game, as well as limitless items for a particular item-consuming job later on.

Thief also has a strong set of battle abilities outside of stealing, especially when combined with a high physical damage Job. Life Thief, for example, offers a way to heal without relying on healing magic. The Speed Ups can also be situationally useful, though unfortunately action order is still semi-randomized.



Stealing rate is doubled. Despite Master Thief's english in-game description saying it doesn't stack with steal-boosting items, its effect does appear to stack with the Thief Gloves (which also double chance to steal).


The thief outfits go for a modern trendy ruffian look, with a hoodie and beaded scarf combo, crop tops for the gals, and practical trousers/skirt and boots. The outfits are also notable for being the first which are mostly equal opportunity in the skin department.






The back of Edea and Tiz's hoodies also feature an attached lock, complementing the Vogueish rogueish ensemble.

Blademaster_Aio
Jan 22, 2017

The bow is my favourite weapon.

I never really bothered with stealing. Why steal, when I could attack?

Pennfalath
Sep 10, 2011

Why are these teenagers not at home studying their Latin vocabulary?
Life thief is so, so very good. Combine it with a powerful physical attack job, and you can use it for the entire game if you want.

Friend Commuter
Nov 3, 2009
SO CLEVER I WANT TO FUCK MY OWN BRAIN.
Smellrose

Blademaster_Aio posted:

The bow is my favourite weapon.

I never really bothered with stealing. Why steal, when I could attack?

To get better weapons for attacking with, obviously.

Junpei
Oct 4, 2015
Probation
Can't post for 11 years!
Thief stat modifiers

HP: 0%
MP: 0%
STR: -10%
VIT: 0%
INT: -40%
MND: -40%
DEX: +50%
AGI: +40%

If you want to build a offensive Thief, try to capitalize on their high hit counts with accuracy and critical hit boosters.

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!
I found Thief better in the sequel, but Godspeed Strike is pretty great.

Pilot Jim
Aug 23, 2007

Blademaster_Aio posted:

The bow is my favourite weapon.

I never really bothered with stealing. Why steal, when I could attack?

That's why the Thief Knife item from that hidden chest is so good for a while after you get the thief asterisk. It doesn''t look like Greyarc showed it off in the LP, but if you go to "Item" and choose the dagger as your action, you will mug the target. It deals damage and steals things, and costs 0 MP.

Greyarc
Dec 29, 2016

Entry 22: Saying Hey to All Our Buddies

Before Yulyana Woods, let's check out what's going on everywhere else.



Orthros is a mythical beast spoken of in the Crystalist scriptures. As a child, I always wondered what would happen if the beast's two opposing heads bumped together.

What is Orthros, some kind of discount cerberus?



Hat, light gear, and accessories are easy to move in, so every job has an "A" aptitude for them.

Stoic guard has temporarily become another tutorial guard.

One last stop at Ancheim's armory:









The rest of the shop's inventory, all the non-upgrades. Eventually items will get more interesting descriptions, but right now they're still mostly bog standard pieces of equipment.



I miss the wind...

Won't be much longer, npc man. But first, the party's going to fly halfway across the planet to see how Caldisla's doing.



First you save our king, now you've beaten those Sky Knight louts for us. You lot are heroes!

They've only gotten more effusive in their praise during our absence. Good that things are going well.



Don't worry, npc kid, we're going to go close it with the power of justice and bloodthirstiness.



Not sure whether she's acting oddly because she's glum Ringabel's gone or because she notices him in our party.



That's right. In fact, let's check in and see if there's anything new.





There are quite a few types of compound items. It'll still be a while before they're usable, though.



Even if the wind is revived, the rotted seas probably won't be fixed.



Caldisla is finally free from the shadow of the Eternian Forces, thanks to you.

For now, everyone's distracted by their victory, but their kingdom's dependence on the ocean is likely going to really be hurting them soon.



The throne room is now filled with soldiers. All but one has a new line of dialogue.

The captain was my hero. I always aspired to be like him...



Your feats push us all to do our best. Keep them coming, would you?



:unsmith:

One last check on Norende before we leave.



"Morning dew that forms on crystals" -- The big four Crystals with their own religion, or just little crystals growing in the ground? The former would certainly explain the high price.

The party rests at Karl's inn and heads back to the eastern continent.



Airy seems down. Having to delay reviving the wind crystal seems hard on her.



This shot was taken with the party at the Temple of Wind and ship (green icon) in Flor-Cheim Inner Sea. Yulyana Woods surrounds the lake that was covered in mist earlier.



As luck would have it, the mist is now gone.

There isn't much to do around here. That house is our destination. There's a cave around the south end of the lake as well. Let's go visit it.





On the way, the forest is full of zombies and other monsters. This tailor we're visiting must be quite tough to live out here.



Pink numbers indicate MP loss.



The obligatory jerk enemy that drains MP. At least ethers are cheap in this game.

On reaching the cave south of the lake:



Fairly standard. Except instead of the scene ending, Agnès walks off.



Edea runs after Agnès.



Ringabel follows Edea.



Tiz hurries along last. Tiz confirmed for being a little slow on the uptake.

We'll be here again soon enough. For now, it's back to the house near the pier.



Outside the house is a calm brook.



And evidence of someone fishing. This looks peaceful.



And it sounds like the right place.



We were here... The mother vestal, I, and Olivia.

Was that strange, distant groaning here then, too? Or am I the only one who's thoroughly unsettled right now?

You're not alone. The lack of women here is positively chilling.

Though it seems someone lives here...



After a pause, an old man walks up.



So, to whom do I owe this pleasure?

Agnès bows.

I am Agnès Oblige, sir. Vestal of Wind.

Ho ho ho! Little Agnès, is it? Oh, you have grown, child!



Aw, that's cute.

Now look at you! A fine woman you've become. Fine and plump and, ho ho, pleasantly jiggly. Ho ho ho! ...Ahem.

Ah, that was an awkward turn.



Then you are indeed the sage I seek. I fear I do not remember your name, sir.

Oh, we are a lot alike in that, my dear. Not many people around these parts to call me by it, whatever it was. "Sage" will do just fine by me. It is what the last vestal called me.

And at her heels, you. "Thage! Thage!" you'd call. A more charming little echo I've never heard.

[img]https://lpix.org/2703269/agnes_happy.png[img][/img] Well, I am glad to have found you.

Feels rather good to hear a pretty young thing like you was looking for me. Seems I've not quite lost my charm. Now, you called yourself vestal. I take it that means the last vestal is...



I see... A sad loss. For all of us. She was fair, but firm. Very firm. She had taut curves fit to drive a man mad.

We shall be needing an in-depth account, good sage. Also, a briefing on any wild women of the woods.



You've quite the following, my dear. I had thought the vestals forswore all contact with the outside world.

These are... They are assisting me in my task.

Oh, assistants, eh? I see. Ho ho ho. Oh, and such colorful characters they are. I've kept you out here long enough. Come inside.

The sage leads the party into the house. Time passes, and we rejoin everyone in the evening.



You've been brave to come this far, Agnès.

I'd not have managed on my own. I owe Tiz a great debt.

Hmm... Well, perhaps it is we've come to the Harrowing.

The Harrowing?

The swelling dark is a harbinger, lad. As is the fall of the temples. The dulling crystals. The great chasm.

It is the vestal's calling to see that darkness purged. I must awaken the four crystals.

Awaken them?



Huh? What?



Each is a beauty fit to outshine the next! Their allure had me spellbound. Spellbound, I tell you!



Ho ho ho! I'm impressed a man of your scant years can properly appreciate them.



They're a matched pair...



As am I, my friend. This is art--romance! You'll come to understand in a few years. And as I recall, we didn't come here to talk. We came to procure vestal garb as quickly as possible.

While you were chatting, I searched. My efforts bore unexpected fruit, that's all.

Ho ho ho! So, you've come to me because of your need for new vestments, have you?

I have. The garb housed in the temple was lost to the darkness. We found it in scraps, sir.

Hrmmm... Those garbs are woven from rainbow thread. No substitute will suffice.

And is this thread something you keep on hand?

I fear not, my dear. The vestal to wear the garb must procure the thread herself. It is tradition. The last vestal of wind did so, as did her predecessor, and countless vestals before.

Even had I the thread used to craft the last vestal's garb, I could not fashion it into aught of use to you.

So the torn garb wouldn't have worked anyway. But then what about the outfit Agnès is wearing in the opening movie? Was it her predecessor's? Strange she knows all about the Rite of Awakening but not the unique outfit bit.

...I understand. Tell me where I must go.

Of course, my child. But come, the day is nearly spent. Stay the night. Oh, yes! If you girls would like, I would be happily obliged to make space in my own bed for you!

Oh! Unacceptable!





The night goes by without incident. At least the sage takes no for an answer. Next morning:



Edea, was it? How about making a nip of breakfast now for an old man, eh?

What? Why should I cook for you?



Given her upbringing, I've grave doubts the vestal could boil water, let alone cook. That leaves you.

Food can wait, sage. Now, the location of the rainbow thread, if you please!

Agnès? Jealous, are you? Oh ho ho! That's adorable.

The location of the rainbow thread, if you please!

Hmph, you're no fun at all. Very well, then. I prepared a light meal while you were sleeping. Eat before you go.

All that, and he'd already made food. What an imp.



Remember those directions.



Quite. It was nothing especially fancy or out-of-the-ordinary, but it went down fine.

I thought it was really good, actually.

Likewise. I wonder why he would have wanted you to cook for him, Edea?

All alone, out here in the woods? Maybe he missed the taste of the big city.

Aww, when you put it that way, I feel bad for saying no.

What sort of food do you like to cook, Edea?

Hmmm, I haven't cooked enough to have a specialty or anything, but if I had to pick something...

I make a mean jam and butter omelet.

...Beg your pardon?

Or whipped chestnut and sweet potato toast.

Uhh...

Or have you ever tried marshmallow and condensed milk risotto?

Er, no, but it sounds sweet... Painfully so.

Yup! Mother and father were left speechless by its amazing deliciousness.

I'd be happy to whip some up for you next time.

R-right... Next time...

The sage doesn't know the bullet he dodged.


Next entry won't be until after the weekend. Then the heroic misfit party's going to tackle a dungeon and a dragon.

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
The Yulyana Woods
The Yulyana Sage
The Sage's Hospitality
A Vestal Tradition
Morning in the Yulyana Woods

Party Chat:
Such Sweet Sorrow


D's Journal: Sage Yulyana posted:



D's Journal: Yulyana Region posted:



D's Journal: Crystals posted:



Rainbow Thread: This is the main material of the vestal garb that a vestal must wear when performing the Rite of Awakening on a crystal, and the vestal must fetch it herself.

Junpei
Oct 4, 2015
Probation
Can't post for 11 years!


:allears: Edea.

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Blademaster_Aio posted:

The bow is my favourite weapon.

I never really bothered with stealing. Why steal, when I could attack?
Because bosses (especially asterisk holders) tend to have equipment that's ahead of the curve.

Greyarc posted:

What is Orthros, some kind of discount cerberus?
Pretty much. He's actually Cerb's younger brother, and is related to the Sphinx and Chimera as well. Greek mythology had one monster (Echidna) as pretty much the mother of all of them, well those that weren't created by divine curses at least.

Greyarc posted:

"Morning dew that forms on crystals" -- The big four Crystals with their own religion, or just little crystals growing in the ground? The former would certainly explain the high price.
I'm pretty sure the lack of a capital C means that they're not distilled Crystal sweat. That doesn't necessarily mean that they're made from bog-standard quartz dew, either, though.

Pittsburgh Lambic
Feb 16, 2011
A jam and butter omelet would be pretty amazing if cooked right, though also pretty heavy on the stomach. A marshmallow and condensed milk risotto, well, that depends on the texture.

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!
So, Yulyana.

On one hand, wise old mentor-like archetype. That's cool.

On the other hand, here's a very very VERY old man hitting on a girl (who was about 16 in Japanese, mind you) that he's known since she was a child.

This was what I was referring to by "could be worse".

hey girl you up
May 21, 2001

Forum Nice Guy
Man, this game does a hell of a job of taking any hint of pathos and beating it to death.

Man, Ringabell and this new dude are truly terrible people. "All the residents here gave their lives as human shields so that I could escape and live." "Well, I hope there's some cute girls elsewhere, then!"

"Yes, the vestal passed away a few years ago." "Ah, terrible loss. She had a bangin' body."

hey girl you up fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Mar 23, 2017

Blind Duke
Nov 8, 2013
Is the man named after the continent, or is the continent named after the man

because the second sounds like somebody who's reaaaaaal full of themself

MonsterEnvy
Feb 4, 2012

Shocked I tell you

Hobgoblin2099 posted:

So, Yulyana.

On one hand, wise old mentor-like archetype. That's cool.

On the other hand, here's a very very VERY old man hitting on a girl (who was about 16 in Japanese, mind you) that he's known since she was a child.

This was what I was referring to by "could be worse".

It's clearly teasing. He does not expect anything.

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Blind Duke posted:

Is the man named after the continent, or is the continent named after the man

because the second sounds like somebody who's reaaaaaal full of themself
It's just the forest he lives in that shares a name with him. And he's actually called the "Sage of Yulyana" because apparently not even the man himself can be bothered to remember his real name. Or maybe he doesn't want to remember his real name. Y'know, whatever.

Kemix
Dec 1, 2013

Because change
This old man would put god drat Master Roshi to shame if the two were to meet. Hmmm...or they would just both go into the bedroom to share stories. Either way, I shudder to think if two old codgers with a penchant for being pervy were to meet face to face.

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!

MonsterEnvy posted:

It's clearly teasing. He does not expect anything.

I know, but it's still kinda ick. And as someone mentioned previously, the sudden shift from "The previous vestal died." to "The passing of dat rear end is regrettable." is really abrupt.

Blind Duke posted:

Is the man named after the continent, or is the continent named after the man

because the second sounds like somebody who's reaaaaaal full of themself

He's the Sage Yulyana because he lives in Yulyana Woods.

But it's also possible the woods were named after him, so... yes?

Rigged Death Trap
Feb 13, 2012

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Pittsburgh Lambic posted:

A jam and butter omelet would be pretty amazing if cooked right, though also pretty heavy on the stomach. A marshmallow and condensed milk risotto, well, that depends on the texture.

Yeah thats called a crepe

MechaCrash
Jan 1, 2013

The sage is one of the reasons our protagonists got their ages bumped up three years. And this is after he got toned down.

Glazius
Jul 22, 2007

Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.

Clapping Larry
I wonder why the thread is bound to the vestal. ...I guess the previous vestments wouldn't have worked, anyway, even if they were intact?

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!

Glazius posted:

I wonder why the thread is bound to the vestal. ...I guess the previous vestments wouldn't have worked, anyway, even if they were intact?



Someone really should have told that to her before she tried praying to the crystal.

Nuramor
Dec 13, 2012

Most Amewsing Prinny Ever!
At least this would explain why praying to the crystal didn't prevent it from being corrupted in the first place.

Rigged Death Trap
Feb 13, 2012

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Hobgoblin2099 posted:



Someone really should have told that to her before she tried praying to the crystal.

...Rinoa?

Pittsburgh Lambic
Feb 16, 2011

Rigged Death Trap posted:

Yeah thats called a crepe

Crepes are flour-based, not egg-based, to my knowledge. But a good point nonetheless :)

On a different note, is OP going to at least show off a usage of Summon Friend? The animation for it has a neat little quirk, if nothing else.

hey girl you up
May 21, 2001

Forum Nice Guy

Pittsburgh Lambic posted:

Crepes are flour-based, not egg-based, to my knowledge. But a good point nonetheless :)
Most crepes use eggs. And generally more egg than flour.

Epsilon Moonshade
Nov 22, 2016

Not an excellent host.

MechaCrash posted:

The sage is one of the reasons our protagonists got their ages bumped up three years. And this is after he got toned down.

Oh Japan. :allears: Such great games, but so creepy. With that said, I didn't know that Yulyana got toned down. That's actually slightly frightening.

All the same, I love Yulyana - but I'm fond of pretty much any pervy/badass/wise old dude/chick type character: the Queen in Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, Tellah, Galuf, Deckard Cain, that guy from FFX that says "that, as they say, is that," Admiral Gregorio from Skies of Arcadia, The Magi in Chrono Trigger, Nystul and Rudyom from Ultima VII, Elminster from FR, Art as portrayed in berryjon's Exile 3 LP, etc. etc. etc.

... just to name a few. :v:

These characters are even better when it's not their only note, of course - Yulyana is pervy and wise, which is why he beats out Ringabel for me. Ringabel just leans on that "I like to love the ladies" button a bit too hard for now.

... reading over that list, we need more (major) wise old lady characters in JRPGs. Like, real old ladies, not "28? You're ancient!" :argh: :japan:

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!

Epsilon Moonshade posted:

that guy from FFX that says "that, as they say, is that,"

Maechen came back in X-2 and was one of my favorite parts from that game as well.

He's actually an Unsent who loved giving exposition on things so much that he continued to live for 1000 years just so he could. :allears: It's implied that he did the same kind of thing he does with Tidus for Braska's party ten years ago.

Greyarc
Dec 29, 2016

Pittsburgh Lambic posted:

On a different note, is OP going to at least show off a usage of Summon Friend?

You know what? Sure. It'll be tacked on in one of the entries coming up.


Epsilon Moonshade posted:

... reading over that list, we need more (major) wise old lady characters in JRPGs. Like, real old ladies, not "28? You're ancient!" :argh: :japan:

That'd be fantastic.

I like old mentor types, too, but of all the secondary character traits to choose, perverted's about the worst. When the mentor's in a position of power over the younger folks, like Yulyana, it's the fantasy equivalent of a teacher pressuring a high school student or a boss pressuring an underling. Unless the mentor makes it crystal clear from the start there's no pressure (note: not possible in most real life cases, but I'm giving fiction more leeway), or the mentor is supposed to be creepy and unlikeable, it makes scenes awkward fast.

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!

Greyarc posted:

it's the fantasy equivalent of a teacher pressuring a high school student

Persona 4 comes to mind as you say that.

Epsilon Moonshade
Nov 22, 2016

Not an excellent host.

Greyarc posted:

I like old mentor types, too, but of all the secondary character traits to choose, perverted's about the worst. When the mentor's in a position of power over the younger folks, like Yulyana, it's the fantasy equivalent of a teacher pressuring a high school student or a boss pressuring an underling. Unless the mentor makes it crystal clear from the start there's no pressure (note: not possible in most real life cases, but I'm giving fiction more leeway), or the mentor is supposed to be creepy and unlikeable, it makes scenes awkward fast.

I draw a line in my mind between pervy/perverted as intent. Yulyana is pervy in the sense of making flirty jokes, and then brushing it aside and moving on. By comparison, a character like Crassius Curio from Morrowind (spoilers for Morrowind in that link) uses similar words, but won't drop it. The former is annoying, especially to someone (read: women) who deals with it often, but the intent is playful (even if misguided.) I read Yulyana as the sort of person who would be surprised if someone actually took him up on his offer. As for "Uncle Crassius"... :stare: :gonk:

I don't read this as a mentor/student relationship in any case though, and not really a power thing (other than "I have something that you need") - we've barely met the guy. Although:

Hobgoblin2099 posted:

I know, but it's still kinda ick. And as someone mentioned previously, the sudden shift from "The previous vestal died." to "The passing of dat rear end is regrettable." is really abrupt.

Yeah. I forgot about this and between this and the whole "he was toned down" and age thing... ehhhh. To be fair though, my only experience with him is the English translation. :v:

I still think he's redeemable, but the reasoning behind that would need to wait for future interactions to get the context.

Greyarc
Dec 29, 2016

Entry 23: The Vestal and Her Guards




We begin on a fresh new morning in the Needleworks.



The sage lets us rest in his house for free.





Was the sage using these to keep his caught fish cold? Hopefully he won't mind if we take one.



Outside, the Adventurer and a bunch of animals are just hanging out. Idyllic.



Apparently some animals in this world are sentient and can speak. Okay, then.



Unlike Ancheim, fuzzy guy here's got the whole set of Eisenberg mythril in stock, plus other upgrades.









Some new mythril gear, and Tiz is now dressed as a furry.



West... right?



I've marked your map. Try not to lose your way.

West.



There is no way to get to that pig. I want to give it a pat on the head.



So, in order to reach the correct cave, we head... east. Along the way, nothing but forest and another obelisk.




Then circle around the lake until the southwest side. Our goal is the place where Tiz got left behind earlier. Making the game's directions even more confusing, there is a cave directly west of the Needleworks, but it is not the cave we want.



It'll be obvious when you've found the correct cave.



Are we certain we'll find this thread in here?

I wouldn't put it past that sage to be pulling our leg. A slippery old fox, that one.

Said the slippery young fox.

The sage has aided vestals in their service for at least two generations. Let us trust in him for now.

Then we've no reason to stand around debating. Let's press on.



Majority rules, most of the party is in agreement to check around here.



The visual layout for this dungeon has a neat trick: the black space between walkable areas is incorporated with the design and doesn't block line of sight. The result is an effect like you might find in a storybook.



The local enemies specialize in debuffs but otherwise aren't tough.



The Dark Lantern tries and fails to intimidate Edea. Edea proceeds to beat its face in.





The vestal trial involves not only physical but mental toughness.



Complete map of ground floor. This place is straightforward, no traps.




Second area. The treasure still visible on the map is a blue chest. Heading down the left stairs...



Leads to a dead end with this. Apparently you can apply magic deterrent like sunblock.



The Vestment Cave is the nicest looking dungeon so far. The colors are easy on the eyes.



Complete third area. The stairs ahead lead down to...



Our good friend. Past him, there's something incredibly shiny at the end of a long, narrow corridor. We'll encounter no trouble there, I'm sure.



Is the thread just... sitting there on the ground? Like it grew there? Or like something/one put it there?



Whatever it is, must be a lot of it to create enough material for a dr--



Despite his foppish demeanor, Ringabel is consistently the most alert of the crew.







Oh look, a dragon snuck up on the party.

Despite his size, this guy's a mini-boss. Agnès steals one of his fangs, which is always a pretty badass thing to do to a living dragon.



Its signature move is a hard-hitting attack on the party member with the lowest HP. Default when needed and heal up.



The knight defeats the dragon.




Everyone levels, and they dig a salvageable accessory out of the body.







The total spoils. Agnès, where exactly did you pick up that fang?



Its page in the bestiary is listed under Dragonkind, not bosses.



No one said anything about a monster! Did the old man know about this? If he knew and didn't tell us, he's awful! That would be lying!



Be calm, Airy. Perhaps this was a trial of sorts. A test of my resolve and skill as vestal. Regardless, we've found what we came for. Let's return with the thread.



The dragon really seemed to shock Airy. Luckily Agnès is keeping a calm head. It wouldn't do to antagonize the guy making her clothes.

Before wrapping up, here's a look at the long-ignored Summon Friend feature.



It's been available since Entry 6, when Agnès explained her pendant to Tiz. By choosing 'Summon Friend' from the battle menu, you can exchange battle actions with other players.



When sending an action, the character does their action and holds up the pendant.



Resulting in a beacon of light showing the action is sent.

When summoning someone else's action, the character again brings out the pendant, there is another beacon of light...



Some sort of portal opens...



And your friend buddy pal pops out to do a move before departing. It's a neat effect.


Next time: Battle for the Crystal of Wind.

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
The Vestment Cave
The Sacred Rainbow Thread
Thread Acquired


D's Journal: Yulyana Region posted:



Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!
Woops, I've been forgetting to link the music.

I think the only new ones that have come up are the monster boss theme and Yulyana Woods, right?

Junpei
Oct 4, 2015
Probation
Can't post for 11 years!
Game Designer A: Okay, do we have a boss for the dungeon where you get the thread?
Game Designer B: Uhhhhhhhh.... No.
Game Designer C: How about a random dragon?
Game Designer A: Works for me!

Blind Duke
Nov 8, 2013
It was at this cave that I realized only man-made structures have secret halls and caves like this do not

after a lot of grinding against walls with the encounter rate set to 0

Blueberry Pancakes
Aug 18, 2012

Jack in!! MegaMan, Execute!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufxsj552k74 (Darkness Covered Crystals)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEmLNOk87S4 (Yulyana Needleworks)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ros7EzFoixo (Third Dungeon Theme) [The rest of the dungeons in the game, barring the final one, will just rotate between the three themes already posted.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqXQp3_msnA (Monster Boss Theme)

Blademaster_Aio
Jan 22, 2017

Junpei posted:

Game Designer A: Okay, do we have a boss for the dungeon where you get the thread?
Game Designer B: Uhhhhhhhh.... No.
Game Designer C: How about a random dragon?
Game Designer A: Works for me!

Pretty much how it went. Random elite mook boss.


Blind Duke posted:

It was at this cave that I realized only man-made structures have secret halls and caves like this do not

after a lot of grinding against walls with the encounter rate set to 0

But caves can have secret passageways. Like a hidden off beat path...
Actually I never found any secret passages ever. I didn't even look very hard for them.

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theshim
May 1, 2012

You think you can defeat ME, Ephraimcopter?!?

You couldn't even beat Assassincopter!!!
This is one of my favorite pieces in the game. It's just so pretty.

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