Summary: Completing patch 4.1. Lakshmi’s return. Fordola the protector. Raubahn changes jobs. Wanderer’s Palace.
---
Return of the Bull
-Raubahn is skeptical. Can these tempered Qalyana really work with us? We’ll see. Meeting time.
LYSE: “What was the first thing you noticed when you came in? For me, it was that empty throne.” She wants something more democratic, a circle of equals.
-Shanti is less flexible than some of the other reps. “The Ananta wish only that those who dwell within Gyr Abania devote themssselves to our faith. You shall all worship Sri Lakshmi!”
-OH SHIT SHE SUMMONED LAKSHMI AGAIN
-Raubahn cuts down Shanti, and the rest of the circle evacuates.
-It’s a full-on Qalyana attack from outside, along with some guards they turned. We’re caught.
-Lyse has an idea. She runs out. I have no idea what she’s doing.
-Lakshmi attacks our group, sending out tempering aether orbs. I have to blow them up before any reach us or it’s an instant loss. A tricky juggling act.
-We’re about to be overwhelmed when Lyse returned.
FHDJKLSFHDJKLSFHDJKLSF SHE BROUGHT FORDOLA TO SAVE US YESSSS
Look. I have mixed feelings on a total redemption arc, but I ADORE her in this game as a character and am happy to see her story continue.
-Fordola activates her imperial-gifted aether manipulation and protects the whole group against Lakshmi.
-The game has done well at making fights with NPC party members have real mechanics. There are times we have to spread out, times we have to stack, and the NPC AI is pretty solid.
-My favorite part is how Fordola uses her abilities defensively. Lakshmi uses a full-room attack, and I have to stand in Fordola’s protective shield to survive.
-Lakshmi goes down again. That’s waaaay better than what I feared when Shanti resummoned Lakshmi. (I was afraid I’d have to queue up for a trial of hard-mode Lakshmi).
-I look at Fordola post-fight and get struck by the Echo, seeing when Lyse asked for her help.
LYSE: “I need your answer now. You can end it like Zenos… or you can fight for Ala Mhigo. Your choice.”
-Fordola takes a second, then pick up Lyse’s offered sword and stands. THIS IS SO COOL.
-The leaders from around Gyr Abania re-enter the room. Seeing Fordola horrifies and shocks them. She’s terrorized every one of these reps.
-But Fordola has a near constant Echo. She can’t help but see those the pasts of those around her. The past of these Gyr Abanians floods her mind, assaults her with images of her atrocities.
She drops her sword, asks to be taken back to prison.
---
Return of the Bull
-Raubahn is skeptical. Can these tempered Qalyana really work with us? We’ll see. Meeting time.
LYSE: “What was the first thing you noticed when you came in? For me, it was that empty throne.” She wants something more democratic, a circle of equals.
-Shanti is less flexible than some of the other reps. “The Ananta wish only that those who dwell within Gyr Abania devote themssselves to our faith. You shall all worship Sri Lakshmi!”
-OH SHIT SHE SUMMONED LAKSHMI AGAIN
-Raubahn cuts down Shanti, and the rest of the circle evacuates.
-It’s a full-on Qalyana attack from outside, along with some guards they turned. We’re caught.
-Lyse has an idea. She runs out. I have no idea what she’s doing.
-Lakshmi attacks our group, sending out tempering aether orbs. I have to blow them up before any reach us or it’s an instant loss. A tricky juggling act.
-We’re about to be overwhelmed when Lyse returned.
FHDJKLSFHDJKLSFHDJKLSF SHE BROUGHT FORDOLA TO SAVE US YESSSS
Look. I have mixed feelings on a total redemption arc, but I ADORE her in this game as a character and am happy to see her story continue.
-Fordola activates her imperial-gifted aether manipulation and protects the whole group against Lakshmi.
-The game has done well at making fights with NPC party members have real mechanics. There are times we have to spread out, times we have to stack, and the NPC AI is pretty solid.
-My favorite part is how Fordola uses her abilities defensively. Lakshmi uses a full-room attack, and I have to stand in Fordola’s protective shield to survive.
-Lakshmi goes down again. That’s waaaay better than what I feared when Shanti resummoned Lakshmi. (I was afraid I’d have to queue up for a trial of hard-mode Lakshmi).
-I look at Fordola post-fight and get struck by the Echo, seeing when Lyse asked for her help.
LYSE: “I need your answer now. You can end it like Zenos… or you can fight for Ala Mhigo. Your choice.”
-Fordola takes a second, then pick up Lyse’s offered sword and stands. THIS IS SO COOL.
-The leaders from around Gyr Abania re-enter the room. Seeing Fordola horrifies and shocks them. She’s terrorized every one of these reps.
-But Fordola has a near constant Echo. She can’t help but see those the pasts of those around her. The past of these Gyr Abanians floods her mind, assaults her with images of her atrocities.
She drops her sword, asks to be taken back to prison.
-Raganfrid, one of the village elders, stops her on her way out.
“You are not forgiven. Not you. You, I will never forgive. But I will thank you.”
I LOVE THIS PLOT SO MUCH. They’re not giving her an easy out. She’s not being “redeemed.” She’s being given a chance to build better actions on top of her Golgotha of horrible actions.
-Fordola continues walking out, back to prison. She sheds tears as she goes. She’s not the only one.
LYSE: “I don’t think Fordola picked up that sword looking for forgiveness. She just… she wanted to fight for her country.” This is EXACTLY why Fordola’s arc is so great. It’s a rare thing, a redemption arc that doesn’t lay unfair expectations/weight on her victims.
-Lyse’s meeting with Gyr Abania’s reps will continue.
-That night, Raubahn tells me the groups chose a representative government modeled on Ishagard’s House of Commons.
-The Sultana is here too, surprising Raubahn.
NANAMO UL NAMO: “Raubahn Aldynn. You are hereby dismissed as General of the Immortal Flames, and relieved of your seat on the Syndicate.” SHE’S DOING IT, SHE’S DOING THE THING!
-She has confidence in herself now. She wants him as an ally, and wants him to follow his heart by returning to Ala Mhigo to help rebuild.
-He’s hurt by this… but she’s hurt too.
NANAMO: “What trust can there be between us when you withhold the truth from me?!” What did he withhold? …ah, his desire to stay in Ala Mhigo.
-Oh my god Nanamo is on FIRE RIGHT NOW
“I will show you a sultana who can wield every weapon at her disposal – including Lolorito and his Monetarist cronies. So follow your heart… please. You are home. You are free.”
This is such a pure and good relationship.
-Pipin will take his father’s place leading the Immortal Flames.
-Scene change, to… Kugane?
-OH MY GOD GOTSETSU AND YOTSUYU ARE HANGING OUT TOGETHER
-LOOK AT YOTSUYU, eating snacks happily while Gosetsu grumps about. I don’t know how this pairing happened but it’s amazing.
-He even calls her “Tsuyu.” Probably for disguise purposes, but perhaps affectionately.
-He’s not holding her prisoner or anything. He walks off to find a ship bearing them across the Ruby Sea. She runs after him to keep up.
-Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace.
-Some soldiers discuss the recent rebellions. They don’t know the truth – one soldier “heard” that this is just temporary, that Zenos is alive and already retook Ala Mhigo.
-The camera pans back and sees someone in white armor make a fist angrily and walk off.
We don’t see their face. I have no real guesses who it could be.
---
Wanderer’s Palace (side dungeon)
-My friends and I did the normal- and hard-mode versions of a level 50 dungeon, Wanderer’s Palace. It’s a tonberry dungeon.
The normal mode of the dungeon has me fight against tonberries consumed by anger.
The dungeon’s main mechanic is a stealth thing. Giant Tonberry Stalkers wander the place. If they see you, they rush up to you and slash hard, probably killing you.
The can only see in front of them. Sneaky sneaky!
The boss is the Tonberry King. He summons a bunch of tonberry adds, but each one you kill gives him a “rancor” buff. It’s a really cool way to incorporate the classic tonberry revenge mechanic of increased damage based on how much things you’ve killed.
-So all that’s neat, but what makes Wanderer’s Palace even COOLER is the hard mode. The tonberries are friendly!
The Palace – their current home – has been invaded by the lizard beast tribe, the Mamool Ja. I have to protect the tonberries this time around. THEY’RE SO CUTE
-But even at the end, once we beat the final Mamool Ja boss, all the friendly “cute” tonberries run up to him and stab the living shit out of him to finish him off.
-I don’t quite understand the tonberry lore this game. They were an ancient civilization, the Nymians, who were overcome by hatred and turned monstrous.
At least they have some protectors now.
-When I said how cool I found the little bits of tonberry lore, a friend told me that the scholar job story deals with them.
That’s 100% going to be my next job to level up.
---
Next time: seeing what’s up in the east.
