Endark Culi: Don't own an Xbox system, but I've heard good things about the game, and it certainly seems like you're having a good time with it. I'll be keeping my eyes on this topic, and I certainly wish you the best of luck.
Also, I guess Mt. Rock could refer to Rock & Roll...which was undoubtably created after Chopin's time, so this thought process doesn't really prove anything now that I think about it.
Nyperold: I don't know if you have a PS 3 or not, but it's also on that system. I understand that has a bit more to the story than this one, and a couple more playable characters.
Yeah, that was my reasoning for why it's not his dream: if it were Chopin assigning musical terms to places, the mountain would be named something else.
Leaving Viola's house behind, we head for the slope. On the left side, you can cause Allegretto to look at the windmill. Streams flow on either side of it, but... go underground again? I can't see the holes where it must be flowing through...
At the top is a view of some falls and the Cabasa
bridge. Polka calls the bridge "really old". Beat looks, thinking you'd surely die if you fell from there. This'll be the first time crossing for Viola, who doesn't graze her goats up that far. Allegretto states that you have to cross it to get to Forte Castle from Ritardando. Frederic understands that the bridge is also a form of protection: attackers from the south are pretty much forced to go that way. Allegretto confirms this assessment, and points out that it's why there's a fort there, as well. He forgets the name, but Polka supplies it: Fort Fermata. She advises caution in crossing. Beat fears wetting himself.
We, on the other hand, have nothing to worry about. You can't make yourself fall over the edge.
About halfway across, we return to the throne room, where Waltz asks Fugue if he's learned anything. Fugue, the dude who attacked Frederic and Polka, reports that finding the creatures was relatively easy, but none glowed. Hearing about his failure doesn't interest Waltz. He says that studies have shown that the addition of those creatures into the powder doubles its effectiveness, and that they've had eyewitness accounts of them glowing. He feels he must have them, as the glowing version is projected to increase the powder's potency by at least ten times. He says their duty is to protect the well-being of their citizens, feeling that the role of a government it to serve its citizens as much as possible. (Which sounds good in theory, but...) He believes that the increased efficacy of the powder will make the people happy. He can see the smiling faces of his subjects. He lets loose some mad laughter. Believing he has instilled Fugue with understanding of what's at stake, he sends him out again to look, and tells him not to come back until he's found them. He won't listen to another report of failure. Fugue leaves.
Legato approaches, reporting that the mining operation is going smoothly, and powder production is increasing according to plan. Waltz says he doesn't need to report when all is going well.
Back at the bridge. I cross the rest of the way, and guess what! A cutscene!
Frederic notes (rimshot) their safe arrival. Allegretto asks Beat if his prediction came true. Beat irritatedly says it didn't.
Polka thinks it strange, wondering if they thought they'd be attacked from the south; the only big city in that direction is Ritardando.
Attack: the time taken for initial run-up of level from nil to peak, beginning when the key is first pressed. (excerpt from Wikipedia, taken 12/30/2010)
Allegretto says it's a good question, but notes that he never said there was anyone keeping watch. Frederic doesn't see any soldiers there. Beat figured there'd be guards at a fort. Allegretto explains that it was in use a long time ago, when pirates would attack Ritardando. If Ritardando were to fall to enemy forces, Fermata's the best place for a fort. Viola says that now, it's where the people driven insane by the powder live.
We open the door and enter.
(Field NO.16, "Wall with No Front or Back")
I save at the Save Point and continue on.
The way to the back is one straight path, characterized by fallen pillars and rubble functioning as short bridges between parts that you're supposed to cross over. At the back is a door. ... which is locked. I take a rubble bridge into the west side.
I should explain about the layout of this place. This place is full of long, curved paths. Most of them are broken at some point. There are also two levels of paths. The three lower-level paths are "between" the higher-level paths. Lower-level paths may connect to each other via rubble bridges, or the Moving Rooms, which I'll explain later. They connect to upper-level paths via ladders. Upper-level paths connect to each other via... just there being paths built between them.
And did I mention the enemies?
I will admit I'm making heavy use of DomZ Ninja's walkthrough on Game FA Qs.
So I'm on the innermost path. I soon cross to the middle path, and meet a group of three Lords of Darkness. They're a lot like Florite Mice, but stronger, and have more attacks. Also, they cast darkness like Florite Mice cast light. And battlefields in the fort are round and mostly dark. They have torches, which may or may not be lit. And when they stand in lit areas, they make a dark circle, and I don't just mean a normal shadow.
Anyway, that battle does this:
Frederic
- Lv. 13
- 3810 HP
- ATK: 68
- DEF: 59
- MAG: 65
- SPD: 47
The next one does this:
Allegretto
- Lv. 13
- 4198 HP
- ATK: 81
- DEF: 69
- MAG: 61
- SPD: 48
I swap in Viola for Frederic and move on, climbing a ladder to the north, then heading south.
Another battle:
Polka
- Lv. 12
- 3237 HP
- ATK: 58
- DEF: 53
- MAG: 70
- SPD: 43
Another couple of battles:
Viola
- Lv. 13
- 4051 HP
- ATK: 84
- DEF: 60
- MAG: 35
- SPD: 49
Next battle is with two Lords of Darkness and a Maledictor.
Next battle, I prove that Viola isn't nearly as powerful up close as she is from afar... at least when you can reliably hit things from afar. I still emerge the winner of that battle. I descend another ladder, engage in a couple more battles, and enter something called a Moving Room. Allegretto notices that the room feels like it's floating.
Inside, I battle Maledictors.
Polka
- Lv. 13
- 3471 HP
- ATK: 61
- DEF: 56
- MAG: 75
- SPD: 46
Allegretto
- Lv. 14
- 4479 HP
- ATK: 85
- DEF: 73
- MAG: 65
- SPD: 51
I swap out Allegretto and put in Beat.
A notation on one of the torches says "At...I...found...Move...room...opens...path Now...I...outside..." Kind of the dude to come all the way back here to write that. Anyway, I leave the Moving Room through the other doorway. I do battle again, and save at the Save Point. I climb the ladder and have three battles on top of the Moving Room.
Viola
- Lv. 14
- 4325 HP
- ATK: 88
- DEF: 63
- MAG: 37
- SPD: 52
I swap her out in favor of Frederic after the first.
Beat
- Lv. 14
- 4121 HP
- ATK: 66
- DEF: 67
- MAG: 37
- SPD: 50
On the other side, at a "dead end", I find a chest with a Paper Umbrella (ATK +25, an improvement of 8 over the Wet Umbrella). I cross back and use the path to go to the stone ledge on the wall of this side.
Frederic
- Lv. 14
- 4068 HP
- ATK: 72
- DEF: 62
- MAG: 69
- SPD: 50
I head south to the outermost ring on the upper level. This ring goes all the way around, so I do that. On the way:
Polka
- Lv. 14
- 3710 HP
- ATK: 72
- DEF: 59
- MAG: 80
- SPD: 49
At the ledge, I head south, enter the large doorway, save at the Save Point, and exit.
I head south, take the first path that I actually can take, and save at the Save Point. I descend the nearest ladder, enter the room, and hit the switch... after a forced fight with Maledictors, that is. I exit again and go back to the West Side. On the way:
Beat:
- Lv. 15
- 4392 HP
- ATK: 70
- DEF: 70
- MAG: 39
- SPD: 53
I swap him out for Viola.
I go back around to the outer ring...
Frederic
- Lv. 15
- 4332 HP
- ATK: 76
- DEF: 65
- MAG: 73
- SPD: 53
...exchange Frederic for Allegretto, and go to the far south again, then up the ledge again...
Allegretto
- Lv. 15
- 4766 HP
- ATK: 89
- DEF: 77
- MAG: 69
- SPD: 54
Viola
- Lv. 15
- 4604 HP
- ATK: 92
- DEF: 66
- MAG: 39
- SPD: 56
And she got Heal Arrow, which is great.
Polka
- Lv. 15
- 3954 HP
- ATK: 75
- DEF: 62
- MAG: 85
- SPD: 52
I set Viola's Light Special Attack to Heal Arrow. When she uses it, all the members of your party regain at least some of the HP they lost. The problem is building up enough Echoes to let off a really good healing.
I go back to the outer ring again, descend the ladder, and re-enter the Moving Room. Why, you ask? Because it moved!
See, the Moving Rooms are connected to switches. Before, the room connected the outer path to the middle; now, it connects the middle path to the inner. On this inner path, there's a chest with a sword called Poison Blood (ATK +24, chance of poisoning enemy on hit). ATK-improvement-wise, it's not much, but poisoning is good over protracted battles.
The path doesn't lead anywhere else; I go back. At the other end of this path is another switch room; I push the switch. Back up the ladder, back to the ledge, back to the outer ring, and around it...
Allegretto
- Lv. 16
- 5059 HP
- ATK: 97
- DEF: 81
- MAG: 73
- SPD: 57
Polka
- Lv. 16
- 4203 HP
- ATK: 78
- DEF: 65
- MAG: 90
- SPD: 55
(Polka gains Earth Heal. It's not bad... as long as she's not the one needing healing. See, this move only heals other party members.)
(Also, I swap Allegretto and Polka for Beat and Frederic.)
...down the first ladder, and into a switch room where I fight Maledictors...
Viola
- Lv. 16
- 4889 HP
- ATK: 96
- DEF: 69
- MAG: 41
- SPD: 60
...and open a chest for a Red Velvet (DEF +20), armor that only Polka can wear at the moment.
Back up the ladder, down one to the north...
Beat
- Lv. 16
- 4668 HP
- ATK: 74
- DEF: 73
- MAG: 41
- SPD: 56
...and inspect the flowers for 100G. I backtrack to the East Side. Along the way:
Frederic
- Lv. 16
- 4602 HP
- ATK: 80
- DEF: 68
- MAG: 77
- SPD: 56
Back east, I go far south, take a ladder, and head for the east side's Moving Room. I go through it, and head around...
Viola
- Lv. 17
- 5181 HP
- ATK: 100 (First three-digit stat, other than HP!)
- DEF: 72
- MAG: 43
- SPD: 64
...swap Viola for Polka, climb a ladder, and head around this path...
Beat
- Lv. 17
- 4950 HP
- ATK: 78
- DEF: 76
- MAG: 43
- SPD: 59
...to the top of the Moving Room. I swap Beat for Allegretto.
Frederic
- Lv. 17
- 4878 HP
- ATK: 84
- DEF: 71
- MAG: 81
- SPD: 59
Polka
- Lv. 17
- 4458 HP
- ATK: 81
- DEF: 75
- MAG: 95
- SPD: 58
On the north side, I descend a ladder, go south, and ascend another. I go south again, and after a long path, find Rapid Fire (ATK +40). No, it's not a rifle; it's a bow-and-arrow set. Time for a new bow, indeed! I go back to the ladder. I go north, cross some rubble...
Allegretto
- Lv. 17
- 5359 HP
- ATK: 101 (oh wonderful!)
- DEF: 85
- MAG: 77
- SPD: 60
...and go to another switch room. I press the switch and head for some rubble to cross. Up the ladder and south over the Moving Room I go. Down the ladder and through the Moving Room, I find a Maple Baton (ATK +25; Max. HP increased by 5%), though I have to go to the left side of the chest to open it. Back through the Moving Room...
Frederic
- Lv. 18
- 5404 HP
- ATK: 95
- DEF: 74
- MAG: 86
- SPD: 62
...swapping Frederic for Viola, back up the ladder, back across the roof...
Polka
- Lv. 18
- 4719 HP
- ATK: 84
- DEF: 78
- MAG: 100 (another three-digit stat!)
- SPD: 61
...swapping Polka for Beat...
Allegretto
- Lv. 18
- 5666 HP
- ATK: 105
- DEF: 89
- MAG: 81
- SPD: 63
... going back up north...
Viola
- Lv. 18
- 5479 HP
- ATK: 114
- DEF: 75
- MAG: 45
- SPD: 68
...to a ladder, which I descend, then head south to another ladder, which I ascend. Then I head north...
Beat
- Lv. 18
- 5238 HP
- ATK: 82
- DEF: 79
- MAG: 45
- SPD: 62
...to the stone ledge on this side, then south along it to a door, which I pass through. There's a monstrous thing in the distance. I expect I'll be fighting it, so I'll descend the ladder and check stuff before I save.
There's an item I have a couple of, as drops. It's the Odd Chocolate. If I use it, a single enemy loses 5% of its attack power. Each one takes up three slots in the Item Set. I'm not stocking any.
I take the Copper Necklace and Stone Sword Hilt from Frederic and give them to Viola.
I save at the Save Point. That monster's going down! ...
Next time: Escape from Fort Fermata!
