It may be an unashamed timesink, but Square-Enix's MMO Final Fantasy XI has one thing going for it: awesome storylines. Now they'll all be summarized and logged here in the Quest Log!
--Nation Master List
--Rise of the Zilart Master List
--Chains of Promathia Master List
--Treasures of Aht Urhgan Master List
--Job Quest Master List
Summary: SE has realized the player has a polite, enjoyable NPC friend. The issue has been addressed.
We go to Talacca Cove per Sexy Pirate Boss' instructions and enter the treasure chamber.
HO SHIT BOY THAT IS A LOT OF TREASURE! Luzaf is one prolific fucking pirate.
As we meander through the piles of gold, we discover we are not alone...
Gessho tells us that he was told that a Salaheem's Sentinel would be arriving here, and he was hoping and praying it wasn't us. He says that he has enjoyed our friendship while in Aht Urhgan, and he feels only respect for us. But.... his orders are to kill whomever shows up.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! It figures SE would give us a nice NPC and then make us fucking fight him.
There's nothing fight-ending like in CoP, but I remember this fight being hard. Like, several tries hard. Maybe it was just me.
After he reaches 15% the battle ends, and we stand back to back with the Yagudo ninja, just as he falls. But Gessho says that if he had to go, dying by our hand is probably the best way to do it.
He asks for the final blow, and even if we ask him what's going on, he refuses to say any more.
But we ain't playing that game. We refuse the killing stroke, and put away our weapons instead. Gessho's a pal for life, and the gesture genuinely touches him.
In return, Gessho promises to come completely clean. For starters, he admits that he is actually a Far Eastern spy!
Even though.... uh... we've kinda caught him in the act. Several times.
He apologizes for having built our friendship on a lie, and says that his country is one of those to the east that has been at war with Aht Urhgan for a very long time. He was sent by the head warlord, the Mikado, to find information on a supposed secret weapon Aht Urhgan was developing, and sabotage the shit out of it.
All the times Gessho has been disappearing, he's been combing the beastmen nations around Aht Urhgan for any clues, and it was during this searches he found Admiral Luzaf. Gessho says that out of the Beastmen and Aht Urhgan, Luzaf and his corsairs are probably the most honorable group in the region. He says that Luzaf even promised a good deal of this very treasure for Gessho to take home, after hearing of the suffering of the citizens in the Far East.
He laments the fact that now the treasure is in the hands of an Imperial Agent, even if that person is us. He tells us that he knows we're only doing our job, and he holds no anger towards us, and -
We interrupt him to finally get a word in on why we're actually here - not at the Empire's orders, but Flit himself.
Gessho is stopped cold - Flit has given him the other Precipient Eye stone, and gave him the order to to kill whomever he found at the Gigantic Treasure Pile, same as us. We're both being played, but he doesn't think Luzaf is involved. He reaches the only conclusion left: it was Flit alone who set it up for us to kill each other. More importantly, it leaves Nashmeira undefended, so Flit must mean for something to conveniently happen to her while meeting Odin.
Gessho begs for us to go stop Flit, saying that he will remain here to guard the treasure. Yeah we're kinda being jerked around here, but I'll take Gessho's word over Flit's. Time to go beat the shit out of a certain imp!
Summary: That awkward "I've been planning your death in every waking moment"/"Sorry about the genocide" conversation finally happens.
Aphmau herself appears with puppets in tow to interrupt the conversation. She's still dead-set on helping Luzaf and his crew even though she has absolutely no idea what they're planning, so she's been having her puppets clean and swab the deck and all that. Flit seems happy enough to give them menial chores and be all, "Hey look you're helping!" but Luzaf commands him to leave.
There appears to be another power struggle between imp and formor, but Flit finally backs down and leaves. Aphmau sits next to Luzaf, and they start by confronting the first big topic on the list: that Aphmau is actually the Empress Nashmeira, present ruler of Aht Urhgan.
Luzaf flatly states that by rights she should be dead at his feet for the crimes of her country. But it seems after the little scene between she and her brother back on the Reef, Luzaf realized that his old foes had been dead for a very long time, and getting revenge on a couple of screamy babies isn't really a good endgame goal.
Okay, he's a little nicer about the phrasing, but y'know.
Luzaf gives another quick history lesson: he was the crown prince of Ephramad, Aht Urhgan destroyed it, he organized survivors into corsairs to fight back. They were actually doing a pretty nice job of it, until the Empire alchemically engineered Lamia. After that his rebellion was destroyed in the space of a night. In the ensuing ambush, Imperial warships fired down Luzaf's personal ship, the Black Coffin, and so that was how Luzaf died in the battle.
Aphmau still doesn't seem to get it, so Luzaf repeats: he's definitely dead. Well, undead. Even though he's solid and normal looking, he's a creature of the underworld.
So now Aphmau asks about Luzaf's Big Secret: the shadow he began to summon when he attacked Razfahd's lamia. Luzaf explains that it is a power granted to him by the one holding his undead leash: Odin.
OH YEEAH MORE SUMMONS!
Right on cue everyone looks to the painting of the dark knight fighting the white tower. Luzaf goes on to say that as he sank dying in the ocean, he wanted revenge against the Empire more than anything in the world. And the Dark God heard him...
And so he and Odin made a pact: that Luzaf would get his chance to take revenge against Aht Urhgan, and in return, Luzaf would be Odin's Dark Rider vessel for the Age of Judgment and battle Alexander.
Aphmau says that Alexander is the legendary savior of Aht Urhgan, who is said to only appear when the Empire has the direst need. Luzaf says he didn't care about any legends at the time - he only wanted revenge.
And so, Luzaf awoke to his very own ghost pirate ship... only a whole TWO FUCKING HUNDRED years after he died, which seems like a kind of a dick loophole. Regardless, Luzaf set to work allying with the Beastmen tribes atacking Aht Urhgan, and hunting down automatons, who were connected to the Empire's research on Alexander.
(Just a note here, he's 100% right about the puppets, but it's never really brought up consistently. NPCs remember and forget the puppet/Alexander thing when the plot needs it.)
Anyways, Luzaf again points out the problem with being resurrected two hundred years after your own death to seek revenge: there's no one left that deserves his vengeance. Nothing from his time is left, not even the people he was trying to save, the Ephramadians...
Aphmau interjects here, and for once her blind optimism is on point: growing up at the temple instead of the Royal Palace let her see things from the commoners's point of view. And one thing that stood out to her was that all of the people who were descended from the assimilated Kingdom of Ephramad haven't forgotten where they came from, not to mention the present-day force of Corsairs striking against the Empire under Captain Qultada.
This revelation helps Luzaf realize that his subjects have all survived in one way or another. But still he wonders if helping them won't still lead to more conflict with Aht Urhgan itself?
Ovjang reminds him that he's speaking to the mothah-fuckin' Empress of Aht Urhgan, who agrees completely with helping the Ephramadians. This heartens him considerably, and he decides that as a Corsair, he shouldn't be backing down on this little gamble, especially if it's to help his people.
So, Aphmau's finally not being annoying, Luzaf is no longer all angry and mopey! Time for something to dick it up!
Flit comes in, obviously having eavesdropped the whole conversation. He says that there's a major flaw in their little "make peace and be happy" plan: Luzaf's not allowed to back out of the pact with Odin. He's supposed to kill the Aht Urhgan Royal Family, and in return, serve as Odin's vessel for when the Age Of Judgment finally strikes.
Aphmau's still sorta confused over... something, I dunno. It all seems pretty clear to me. Flit makes fun of her for this, noting that for an Empress, she's not very good at picking up hints, and maybe this was why her brother was able to fool her for so long.
Aphmau gets mad at him and yadda yadda whatever. Next we learn that Odin can be reached through an unholy tear in space-time reality, caused by the godless experiments conducted at the Halzham Testing Grounds (by Aht Urhgan, let me remind you). This caused a portal to the underworld to open.
So, that's where they're going to meet Odin, just as planned. What's not just as planned is that Luzaf is now only going to bargain with Odin to nullify the pact.
Flit loses his shit but Luzaf doesn't care. Aphmau is trying to do right by her people, which has reminded Luzaf that that is his true duty as well. If it means flipping the bird to Odin himself, then flip the bird he shall!
This big inspirational moment is ruined by us, naturally, because we've stumbled aboard the pirate ship and have been captured by the undead crew. Aphmau recognizes us and says that we're her private mercenary, but for reason Luzaf doesn't like this?
Heeeey man I am entirely on your side here.
Flit steps in to say that we can actually help them out here; there's a huge stash of treasure Luzaf has already stolen from Empire ships, and we are to be sent on guard duty while the rest of the gang goes to Halzham and meets up with Satan Odin. The treasure is protected by an enchantment of Flit's - only someone holding a stone called a Percipient Eye can enter the chamber where it is stored, and only Luzaf and Flit have such a stone.
It's a simple enough task, Flit says, and once we've proved ourselves with this, we can be trusted with other stuff. Luzaf agrees, and gives us his enchanted stone for our next little errand.
Summary: There is no mission here, friend. There is no mission here.
Uhm, so, we wait until JP midnight and then... talk to Naja again? No actual progress or effort, we just waltz in knowing death awaits?
Well, anyways.
Naja asks us how our mission is going, and regardless of how we respond, she reminds us that we need to be looking for this beautiful pirate with the beautiful bounty. She even has something to help us along - with all the rumors flying around Whitegate, there's some sleuthing Naja has done, and she's willing to clue us in!
The bounty target Duzaf is actually...
LUZAF THE BLACKHEART!
Abquhbah loses his shit simpering over how brilliant Naja is to reach the conclusion we've known for like fifty missions, but Naja's already moved on to the next point. All the money she spent on intelligence and mercenary dispatches to get this information has sapped the company coffers, and that means we personally can't screw this up. Naja wants that bounty, and she wants it NOW.
She says that we've gone aboard the Black Coffin before, courtesy our Empire-banned contraband coin, so she orders us to get another and get to work!
Meanwhile, on said corsair warship, Aphmau sits next to an unconcious Luzaf with her puppets.
She remarks on how troubled his sleep is, while Ovjang wonders how an undead pirate can even have nightmares. Right on cue, Luzaf starts muttering in his sleep - about the Age of Judgment....
Of course we go see Naja first thing, because what the fuck are the Immortals going to do? Not their jobs that's for damn sure.
The moment she sees us Naja starts losing it because of all the rumors that are flying around Whitegate - the Empress was almost assassinated by a group of corsairs! She points out that there has always been a rebellious element of Aht Urhgan's Ephramadian population, but there has never been something this drastic before. The stories also say that they managed to somehow sneak into the palace.
As she's telling the story, Naja starts to see that we're acting weird, and she figures that we know something about what happened. Always the gossipmonger, Naja demands to know the details!
While we directly disobey a direct Imperial order, said Imperials are going over new developments in their plans. Plans that are looking to be decidedly sinister!
Razfahd and Ghatsad are overlooking a map of the region, discussing the candescences. From what Ghatsad says, the Astral Candescence in Al Zabi is the "real" one, and the others are all man-made ones that were based off it. Which is how SE (badly) patched up that particular plot hole, but this is routine by now.
Ghatsad says the power of the candescences is unbelievable, and if they miscalculate then it could very well reduce the Empire to a wasteland. He goes on to say that while they have the "power source" they have yet to find something to properly control it.
Rafahd is not swayed - he says that Alexander would want to be restored.
SO WE'RE GETTING MORE CLASSIC SUMMONS AWWW YISSS
Ghatsad uses the map to show the different sectors of the Alzadaal Ruins - it turns out they are the different sections of Alexander that crashed into the sea after the last Age of Judgement. Yup, that's right - every time an adventurer dicks around in the Ruins, it's Alexander you're crawling through.
Tellingly, the Command Center of the giant knight-city-god-summon is Nyzul Isle, one of the big Treasures endgame areas. But anyways!
The problem, Ghatsad says, is that despite what they've searched, they've seen no sign of any kind of "brain" - rather, the thing that will allow Alexander to harness the Candescences. They've only searched about thirty percent of Alzadaal, and even then, they could have overlooked it since they really have no fucking clue what they're looking for.
Ghatsad also says that his engineers have monitered a great deal of communication between the different sections, meaning that there is an operational control center somewhere that is aware of them. They just have to find it. He also adds that while in Alzadaal, he always has the feeling of being watched....
Razfahd is super impatient and doesn't want to send another expedition, but Ghatsad doesn't want to start using the Candescences until he knows that their power will be controlled. The Galkan engineer says that there must be some lead that they are all overlooking...
Suddenly Razfahd has a Dr. House-like epiphany about where to look - The previous Empress, Jubleel and even Nashmeira herself had always held an uncanny interest in the Gordeus, that spinny Skyrim-looking thing in the Walahra temple. Razfahd even has an idea of how to test his new little theory, but he still wants to hurry - the next Age of Judgment, he says, is almost here.
Uh that last bit is almost CoP-levels of nonsensical but whatever ya gotta do to move the plot along I guess.
So this is all very ominous and scary and whatnot, but back in Salaheem's Sentinels, Naja is yelling her head off over all our lies and fibs. She can't believe that we said that the Empress ran away from home to help the corsairs, or that the Grand Vizier was working with Lamia, or any of that shit.
As punishemnt, Naja gives us our next assignment. The palace has sent out wanted posters of a corsair by the name of Duzaf the Blackbelly. Naja describes him as "A prrretty Elvaan guy with long, black hair..." so as tempermental as she is, I at least know she has good taste. His listen crimes include - "murder, hijack, smuggling, counterfeit, matrimonial fraud, camping the best hunting spots..."
Hey I'm just copy-pasta'ing off the wiki. SE (and Naja) knows where it's at.
Anyways, Naja points out that this pirate's bounty is waaaay too high to be normal. Qultada, the living not-fomor leader of the modern corsair rebellion doesn't even have a bounty as high as this. So, Naja, concludes - this guy is the leader of the assassination plot!
We are to go out and track down this pirate and turn him in - the money and prestige for this would be off the charts. She notes that the bounty is for dead or alive, so she advises that we just kill him, but takes an aside to lament what shame it is to waste a pretty face like that...
Hah! I love it.
Abqubah comes busting in to deliver the fee for our previous job - the one we just reported to Naja but she didn't believe. Before he can give us our cut, however, Naja demands he make the neccesary deductions for more menial bullshit. And to make matters worse, when she senses our indignation over the process, she demands that we and Abqubah sing the company anthem over, and over, and over...
We go to Periqia to undergo Amnaf's new mission, and what do we find? FUCKIN' LAMIA. They attack us, have a very potent poison effect that I don't remember being all that potent, and finally, are ominously named K23H1-LAMIA instead of the usual lamia titles like Fatedealer or Songstress.
That almost sounds like... a serial number...
After we exit the fight, we are given a cutscene of the Black Coffin, where Aphmau and Ovjang continue to not fully grasp the trouble they are in. Ovjang is pestering Luzaf on the ship's destination, and finally the bodacious corsair answers that they are going to Dvucca Isle - to Periqia.
Aphmau realizes the significance - Periqia was the makeshift base the original corsairs used after the destruction of Ephramad. She and Ovjang make a big stink about how then THEY ATTACK INNOCENT MERCHANTS HOW DARE THEY! But then Luzaf corrects her - they only attacked ships from Aht Urhgan.
Aphmau continues on, saying that one night a violent storm swept through Periqia, destroying the majority of the corsairs' forces and giving them what they deserved for being meanypoos!
Mnejing, ever the voice of reason, finally speaks up, wondering if the ghostly fomors - Luzaf included - are the unquiet spirits of what happened that night.
This thought just makes Aphmau declare how excited she is, since they probably all turned super nice and "repented their evil priate ways," which is enough naive moe to finally exasperate Luzaf as well as the player and everyone else in a three mile radius.
But then Luzaf hears a noise that makes him freak out - one that he has apparently heard before. Mnejing says it sounds like screaming, and Luzaf clarifies - it means that the Imperial Army's lamiae are nearby. The force that destroyed the corsair fleet wasn't some storm like Aphmau said - it was lamia, which were created by Aht Urhgan for the very purpose of hunting corsairs.
Aphmau gets super offended over this statement, declaring that Uht Urhgan is invincible, and doesn't need to resort to lamia to fight. She also says that the Empress would never allow it in the first place. She points out that lamia raise the dead and attack Aht Urhgan regularly as one of the Beastmen Forces.
This actually amuses Luzaf greatly, who chuckles over the fact that their expensive alchemical pets have turned against them while he's been dead asleep. But Luzaf also has negative fucks to give, and says that if she's so sure, why doesn't she come see for herself?
The scene cuts back to us running along the rocky coast of Perqia, chasing after more lamiae after our battle. Awkwardly enough, they lead us back to Grand Vizier Razfahd himself, with a handful of Imperial Alchemists.
Proving Luzaf completely right. AND WE WERE TOTALLY ATTACKED BY IMPERIAL LAMIAE WHAT THE FUCK?!
The alchemists say that they haven't found Aphmau yet, but Razfahd says that no one's leaving until she's safe. He notices us approach, but doesn't seem to mind that we've stumbled upon one of Aht Urhgan's big horrible secrets.
Further down the coast, Luzaf watches from a distance, wary about getting too close to the lamia again. Calmly he points out the Aht Urhganian soldiers working with the abominations against Altana. But Aphmau is even more upset over the fact that one of the dudes is the one and only Razfahd, her older brother.
Suddenly the lamia sense that Aphmau is nearby, because she kinda is... and Razfahd more or less says "WELP SEND THE SNAKE LADIES LET'S GO" thereby refuting any last dumbass doubts Aphmau could have.
Aphmau runs for the rock ledge even though it's too high to climb up. Luzaf basically sighs and is all, "Well, I guess this is happening now," and uses his nebulous fomor powers to levitate them all up for the big family confrontation.
Razfahd is weirdly calm to see them, and only wonders who this new drop-dead gorgeous Elvaan in old-style corsair clothes is and why he took Aphmau. Aphmau says that she went with him willingly to save Ovjang, which finally snaps Razfahd's patience as he yells that she can't just go running off with some rando. No matter how beautiful.
Now Aphmau starts yelling back at him about how he has no room to lecture her about propriety since he's using lamia, monsters who attack Aht Urhgan citizens on the regular.
For his part, Luzaf just watches the screaming match with an amused kind of calm.
Razfahd says that these lamia are not the same as the foes of the Empire, and says that are only tools, like Apmau's favorite mercenary - us.
Hey buddy don't be comparing me to no lamia, please'n thank.
The comparison makes Luzaf laugh as well - he says the lamia are monsters who eat the flesh of their prey while it still lives, and likes the idea of the twisted empire using twisted monsters and all the while seeing nothing wrong with it.
Finally Razfahd puts two and two together and realizes that this fine specimen of an Elvaan is the fabled Luzaf, the captain of the ghost ship, the Black Coffin. Luzaf laughs and dares him to sic the lamia.
Aphmau continues to have a shitfit over Aht Urhgan's sullied honor, and Razfahd finally reminds her of one of their father's famous sayings: "We are the Emperor. The Emperor and Aht Urhgan are as one."
This catches Luzaf's attention, and catches our attention too. WELL NOW WE KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING - if you didn't already see it from a mile away.
Razfahd says that their father - the Emperor - knew the responsibility to rule a country, and knew the extreme measures that took. But Aphmau says that he's just cherry-picking; Jalzahn also said that gentle hands were best to guide the people.
Finally Razfahd just blows her off and says that she's too immature to understand, and Aphmau gets mad that she's being treated like a child again. She points out that he just expects her to do whatever he says, and yet she's the one who is the Empress.
Finally Razfahd shouts her real name - Nashmeira. He declares that she doesn't have the strength to be the Empress, because she won't accept that sacrifices must always be made.
SO THEN Nashmeira finally asks - if she's such a bad ruler, why did Jalzahn choose her over Razfahd?
So, Razfahd tells the story! As it turns out, Razfahd was the one who was supposed to take the throne, which was why Nashmeira was sent to the temple after their mother died - with Jalzahn ruling and Razfahd learning to rule, her family literally had no time for her. Razfahd went to the front lines in the eastern war-front to fight with the troops, and whoops whoops was fatally injured.
The Emperor gave permission for the only thing that could save him - a transfusion of monster blood with high regenerative properties - essentially making him a low-grade blue mage. But the act apparently gave Jalzahn some second thoughts - on his deathbed, he declared Nashmeira the ruler instead of Razfahd.
After spilling all the beans, Razfahd again assures her that he knows what he's doing, and asks that she return to the palace. And for once, the traumatic story almost makes Nashmeira agree with him!
Except Luzaf is here, and he just found out the last two Imperial heirs are standing right in front of him in a glorious vengeance two-for-one deal. As he walks forward, his steps leave black smoke...
The black smoke gets thicker as Luzaf stops, and then another figure can be seen floating above the Admiral - a figure in armor. Nashmeira calls it the Dark Rider.
Razfahd gives the order for the lamia to attack, but the Dark Rider form blasts them all away like tissue paper.
It's looking bad for basically everyone here - except us, I hope - but before the Imperial murders can follow through, the Rider's form fades and Luzaf falls unconcious to the ground. Flit freaks out, and Nashmeira runs over and orders him to open a portal back to the Black Coffin.
As the portal opens, Nashmeira gives a little bow and apologizes to her brother, saying that she's decided to help Luzaf, not the Empire. She also apologizes to us, saying that she's sorry her favorite mercenary is being jerked around so much. Then, just like that, they're gone.
Before Razfahd can get too ragey over the fact that he just found and lost the fucking Empress again, Captain Raubahn teleports in to say that there are urgent developments in Aht Urhgan. Razfahd tells him to reassign all available Immortals to find the Black Coffin, and advises him that it looks like Luzaf is the "next Rider." Finally, we are told that are assignment is over, and tells us not to anyone what happened, especially Naja.
...Wait. Why did Raubahn only show up when it was all over and too late? Holy shit the Immortals really are incompetent assholes.
Summary: We’re back to nothing happening! Or... the calm before the storm?!
Meanwhile in loserville, population: us, there is no ghostly mithra and cutter at the ruined docks to take us to the Black Coffin. Instead, we only find Amnaf, the lady Immortal always hanging around Captain Raubahn and Razfahd. She tells us that Rishfee was killed fighting all the Mamook Ja we left him with.
She says that he shouldn't be mourned - they were orphans taken in the Immortals at the same time, but even back then she could see he was too soft to survive.
Amnaf says that our suspicion to come here was right, since this is where the Black Coffin hides. But it is also stupid, since the Arrapago Reef is dotted with all kinds of water-straits and islands and stuff, which is why the original corsairs hid here in their rebellion.
Imperial forces are combing the islands, but it’s going to be a big job. In light of that, she says we have a new mission: to go to a section of the islands called Periqia for a mission. I could've sworn I remember her saying that the contents of this mission were confidential, but it's not in the script. Oh well.
In any case, I predict that Amnaf's mission will be simple and easy and not shady at all.
Treasures of Aht Urhgan 30 - Prevalence of Pirates
Summary: FORESHADOWING. FORESHADOWING FOR MILES.
Well, Aphmau's disappeared into a magical portal of dark energy and could literally be anywhere, but she went with Luzaf, so might as well check the Arrapago Reef and see if we can get to his ghost ship.
As we zone in, we are "treated" to a cutscene that confirms our suspicions: Aphmau is indeed on the Black Coffin. Instead of being suspicious, or alarmed, or uneasy, like any other person on the fucking planet, Aphmau and Ovjang are running in circles and singing nonsense. BECAUSE THIS IS SO EXCITING AND WONDERFUL.
When Mnejing tells them that they might actually be in big trouble here, he gets called a BORING KILLJOY LIEK OMG. They look out the windows - the broken, jagged windows of the fucking ghost ship - and oooh and ahhh at the gray, all-emcompassing fog.
Throughly chastised out of self-preservation, Mnejing leaves them alone and turns to a painting in the cabin. It depicts a battle between a dark-armored knight storming a huge white castle. The land all around is scorched and burning. Aphmau notices what Mnejing is looking at, and says that it must be the Age of Judgment, a legendary battle between "Alzadaal and the Dark Rider".
Luzaf comes in outta nowhere, surprised that this random girl following him around knows about it. He says this battle occurred over nine hundred years ago, and the conclusion of the event was marked when the star Gordeus exploded and lit up the night, even in the Middle Lands.
The puppets scold him for his casual tone, and Luzaf is midly impressed that Aphmau has two puppets linked to her. She demands to leave the ship, but he points out that now she's a fucking prisoner and is in no position to be making demands of him.
Ovjang says he has to be respectful since they’re from the palace, and Luzaf's like "LOL Royal prisoners huh. Wow def not letting you go now, thanks." When she asks to know what he's planning, Luzaf promises that she'll be able to see soon - with the rest of Aht Urhgan.
Summary: James Bond villian tactics in my Square Enix game!
He can hear Mamool Ja speaking up ahead, and he is able to translate a little of what they are saying. The Mamool Ja are apparently searching for something...
The POV shifts to the middle of the meeting, with FFXI kindly translating the conversation as a whole. The participants are all high-ranking Mamook lords, including the two-headed leader of the whole shebang, Autarch Gulool Ja Ja.
One of the lords holds none other than Ovjang, and wonders what the puppet's significance is. From our collective hiding spot, Aphmau is chomping at the bit to somehow rescue her, but still retains enough sense to know that going in there is a Leroy Jenkins move in the purest sense of the term.
One of the Mamook Lords wants to pull Ovjang apart to get more information, but a mysterious voice advises them not to do it. Gulool Ja Ja themselves(?) asks the outsider what they know.
The mystery person is revealed to be none other than Gessho! He pleads on Ovjang's behalf, saying that she is no more than a simple puppet created on commision of Jalzahn, the late Emperor of Aht Urhgan. Moreover, this is the first puppet ever created, and as the prototype, wouldn't be accurate to present puppetmastery even in a general sense.
Gulool isn't happy over the memory of his old foe Jalzahn, and seems to contemplate smashing up Ovjang just on principle. He says that Aht Urhgan is planning something big, and asks Gessho outright if the puppet is connected to the "rumors".
Gessho says that as a mercenary, he has learned that the galka who makes all the puppets, Ghatsad, has been directed by the Palace to study the ruins of Alzadaal - the place beneath the ocean where we were given the Astral Compass. In fact, Gessho claims that the technology in creating puppets was somehow taken from the ruins in the first place.
Finally Gulool gets the picture - since the discovery of puppet technology, Aht Urhgan is still picking around Alzadaal, then the puppets are just a bonus and not the objective...
Another Mamook Lord blurts out that the Royal Family must be attempting to revive the "iron colossus" and everyone freaks the fuck out, until Gulool gets it all back under control. It is implied that whatever is being discussed could wipe out the Mamool Ja like a match in a hurricane.
Gessho assures them that this alliance he proposes will save them - with Mamook warriors and Gessho's people "from the east", Aht Urhgan will be unable to research their genocide plan while fighting a war on two fronts.
Suddenly, Gulool gets antsy and says that he smells intruders, and so we walk calmly to the middle of the meeting, presumably to stare all the Lords into submission. Gessho freaks out when he sees us and disappears in a cloud of ninja smoke.
Aphmau runs in alongside us, intent on getting Ovjang before the Mamool ja rip us to pieces presumably. Ovjang is manually turned off and so she doesn't respond the Aphmau's commands.
FOR SOME DUMB REASON Gulool Ja sends only one of the Lords to kill us, even though he's the fucking Autarch and routinely blasts fools in Beseiged left and right (at least before the level 99 cap.) He promises to send in some troops to help, but doesn't really say when, which seems like an important thing to mention.
The Mamook Lord chosen to kill us doesn't seem to mind this fatal planning flaw - he gets in the saddle of his giant battle wivre and charges Aphmau, who just kinda stands there and winces.
Of course, the blow is deflected by Rishfee, who loses his Immortal cowl and organ functionality in the process. He tells her to run, but she doesn't want to leave without Ovjang.
So, of course, we have to step in and fight the fuckin' boss SE spent so much cutscene setting up for us to fight. He rides his wivre, he throws lances at you, but whateva, it's a pretty straightforward fight. At least we don't have to lob temp items just to keep him from freaking out. I'M LOOKING AT YOU CHAIN OF PROMATHIA...
After we've killed one of the ruling Lords of Mamook, we see Aphmau has been spending her time helping us save all our asses climbing a fucking totem pole to reach Ovjang, who is still unconcious.
Suddenly, the Imp Flit grabs Mnejing and flies him high to the raised platforms where the Lords were sitting. He threatens to drop Mnejing, making Aphmau freak out.
We are finally joined by gorgeous babe Luzaf, who picks up Ovjang and wonders if these two puppets he's found are connected to the "calamity." Aphmau yells at him to give her puppets back, as if he'll really listen, and he basically laughs in her face. He says that he missed the meeting with the Mamook Lords, but instead he got just the thing he'd been looking for.
On Luzaf's orders Flit opens a portal to Altana-knows-where, and Mnejing is tossed inside, still struggling. Then Ovjang, then Luzaf himself go through the portal. Aphmau jumps in after them, holding her nose like she thinks they're going to be underwater or something? Bleh. Then the portal closes.
Rishfee starts losing it because he was assigned to protect her, and it's really looking like part of that duty might have included to protect her from herself. In either sense, that duty has failed. Before he can get too pity-party about it, he senses the presence of a shit-ton of Mamool Ja - the badly timed reinforcements sent by Gulool Ja Ja.
He tells us to run for it, and says that as an Immortal he has the power to fight them off while we escape. Before we go, he makes us promise to find Aphmau.
After we're gone, he is quickly surrounded by Mamool Ja. So, he starts casting Self-Destruct as he reports in through his linkshell, stating that his mission is in the hands of the "wildcat"...
Summary: SEE THIS IS ALL I WANTED WAS IT REALLY SO HARD?
So, we head out to the Aydeewa because the palace told us so. Deep within the caverns, we find Rishfee....
Keeled over and surrounded by Qiqirn.
This is kind of what I meant.
The Qiqirn are frisking his body for money, and the cutscene of this goes on for way too fucking long. They only stop when they hear us coming.
With our beatific presence, Rishfee wakes up, recognizing us as a Salaheem's Sentinel. He tells us that he was caught off guard - the only thing he remembers is sensing a monster's presence behind him right before he got konked out.
When he learns that Razfahd sent us to help him, he tells us what he knows: He did indeed find Aphmau's footprints, but it appears she's headed back to Whitegate. He thinks that she went to the Walahra Temple, and says that place holds a special significance to her.
Well, at least we're getting some reasoning this time.
He tells us to go back as fast as we can, and he'll catch up. For some reason, he is keen to find her before the other Immortals do...
So, we head all the way back to Whitegate and go to the Temple, where we find our priest friend Nadeey, the same guy talking religion with Trion way back in the day. He talks as if we're not the first unusual visitor to the temple, and right one cue...
Gessho appears!
And he's so fucking happy to see us! He wants to know how we're doing, and worries that we've been through the shit. Which is true, but the fact that there's an NPC who is actually nice is a breath of fresh air.
When he learns that we're here after Aphmau, the Temple's resident priest Nadeey overhears, and realizes the jig is up. He only asks that we hear her circumstances before we go see where she's hiding.
Nadeey says that Aphmau's parents were very prominent in the royal palace, but after her mother died she was sent here to the Walahra Temple. Gessho guesses that we're not hearing most of the story here, which Nadeey confirms. Aphmau's father was ultimately unable to care for her, but that's all he will say.
When Aphmau arrived, she already had her two puppets with her, and so she would go to the streets of Whitegate to study the puppetmasters who performed there to better control her own two automatons. Eventually, word was sent from the palace that the Emperor had passed away, and Aphamu could finally return to the palace.
Finally, Nadeey says that she is currently hiding in the Hall of Binding, which is where the Astral Candescence is stored. Gessho tells us to go ahead without him, since Aphmau doesn't know who he is.
Standing before the Candescence, Aphmau is remiscing over the day she finally stopped recieving letters from her family. It was also the day that both of her automatons finally gained enough "sentience" from her that they were able to speak thier first words. I guess? They're not too clear about stating outright how the whole puppetmastery thing works.
Anyways, Aphmau watches the Candescence sparkle on the plinth, and admits that she has no idea what the thing is used for. She only says that the Grand Vizier, her brother, says that it is key to complete the "colossus" and bring happiness to Aht Urhgan, and she believes him ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.
She turns to see us entering the Hall of Binding, and she wonders how and why we found her. She correctly guesses that we're here on Razfahd's orders, and declares that she can't go back yet.
In a moment of panic, Aphmau asks who we are truly loyal to: her older brother the Grand Vizier, or her. The only thing the answer changes is how upset she is as she leaves the Hall of Binding to speak to Nadeey.
Aphmau's luck runs out when Rishfee appears in the Temple moments after she leaves her secure hiding spot. Her Immortal bodyguard tells her to go back to the palace before Razfhad finds out. Aphmau realizes that this means that Rishfee hasn't reported that she's been hiding at the temple, meaning that no one is coming after her just yet - barring present company, of course.
Mnejing and Aphamu state again that they're not returning until they find Ovjang. Rishfee is naturally dubious that this is going to succeed since neither girl nor puppet have any idea where to even begin looking. He tries to say that the Immortals will have better odds, but Aphmau already knows that Razfahd won't bother allocating the manpower just to find a puppet.
Gessho finally gets sick of all the arguing and steps forward, introducing himself as a friend of ours. He says that his business took him to Mount Zhayolm, where he saw a red mage-model puppet wandering around without a master. Rishfee notes that the Trolls who live around Zhayolm often steal Aht Urhgan's automatons and completely wipe them to accept orders from Troll puppetmasters themselves.
The information naturally makes Aphmau lose it, since he's basically suggesting that Ovjang got lobotomized. Gessho seems to sympathize and tells her that she should hurry out to rescue Ovjang ASAP. He says that he would help, but he needs to get to some mission in Mamook, and bids us all farewell.
Aphmau's ready to go, but Rishfee stops her. He says that Salaheem's Sentinels has recieved no contracts for business in Mamook. Also, he lets loose another minor tidbit: Gessho's distinctive yagudo-lifeforce matches the monster presence he sensed right before getting knocked unconscious in the Subterrane.
Uh. Well!
With both of these facts on the table, Rishfee thinks that Gessho's insistence on everyone traipsing through Zhayolm was less sympathy and more insurance that we wouldn't follow his trail. This is presented as a firm conclusion that he is going to where ever Ovjang is, which isn't the most solid line of reasoning... but I'll allow it, on the grounds that the plot it finally moving.
Rishfee insists on coming along, and Aphmau already assumes that we'll go too, seeing as we're her "faithful bodyguard". Which does not make a lot of sense if we told her we're working for Razfahd, but we didn't, so there you go.
Treasure of Aht Urhgan 26/27 - Seal of the Serpent/Misplaced Nobility
Summary: Nothing happens in Naja's office. Blue mages are both omnipotent and inept. Another plot thread is mercilessly slaughtered by SE.
Ok, look, I know I'm kind of cheating here, but....
So little happens in each of these missions that they're getting mushed into one entry yet again. It's like the polar opposite of Three Paths. I can't say I miss CoP's theme of having to traipse around the world for a nonsensical cutscene, so this is a miniscule improvement, but that's still not saying much. I'm getting impatient with SE's fucking hem-hawing because no one can decide which way the plot is going to go.
Anyways.
Naja is actually not pissed to see us this time, and it shocks even her. She says that there's been a steady flow of profits from the work that we and our fellow mercenaries are doing. Naja declares that from now on, things are going to start looking up.
Abquhbah us just as freaked out as we are, and said that since the Windurstian ambassador left, Naja has been focused on work even more than ever. He doesn't know when that will change, but even despite the calm he is very unsettled.
He tells us to never ever mention the Windy Ambassador ever again, lest Naja's rage annihilate the world. He also lets us know that Gessho hasn't reported in for quite a while. Abquhbah can only hope that means that he's doing missions and not slacking off somewhere.
If we ask about Aphmau, Abquhbah starts freaking out. He just then realizes has an important message for Naja, but he completely forgot about it. Throwing caution into the wind, he runs into her office and gives her an envelope.
Any rage Naja might have is cut off by the seal on the message - the two-headed serpent of the Royal Family. It's addressed to us, but Naja declares that since she's our boss she gets first dibs and opens it.
The letter is a summons from Grand Vizier Razfahd. Naja is suspicious of our good timing, but the pathological good mood does its work, and she only tells us to hurry off to the palace, lest we ruin the current streak of good luck she's having. She doesn't even insist on going to hog all of our glory!
So, we head to the gates to the Imperial Ward. The guards there helpfully remind us that this part of the city is open only to actual citizens of the Empire and not foreigners, but we show our spiffy letter and get access to the palace.
Inside, we find Razfahd, Immortal Captain Raubahn, and Immortal Amnaf. Razfahd tells us that Naja's reports state that our assigments have taken us all over not only the Empire, but the whole Aradjiah continent. We can either agree or make Naja look like a liar, but the reply doesn't matter.
Razfahd is impatient that despite our wanderings, Ghatsad of the AARI reports that the compass-device he gave us has given absolutely no readings - we haven't found a single extra astral candescence. He stresses over and over again that this plan is for the good of the Empire, and maybe we should have been working harder or something.
So, this is the exact moment SE abandonded the "Multiple Astral Candesences" direction to veer off somewhere new. You can see the stitches where the plotlines are cobbled together and everything.
So after that's taken care of, we get the new plotline - Royal Puppetmaster Aphmau is gone from the palace without a trace. Raubahn is watching us for a reaction, and his Blue Mage powers let him know that we were not involved in this caper. Razfahd thought, for some reason, that she would have gone to us after running away.
In any case, Raubahn gives us our next mission: We are to hunt down Aphmau and bring her back. They believe that she has gone in search of her missing puppet, and have already sent her BLU-minder Rishfee after her. However, they think that once she learns the palace is after her, she'll go into hiding and evade them.
Um... how? They're fucking Immortals - not just blue mages, but elite blue mages. You don't build up the Aht Urhgan secret police and then try to tell me that a fucking sixteen-year-old girl can juke them out.
They've already sent Rishfee to the Aydeewa Subterrane, thinking that Aphmau went there for some reason that no one bothers to give. We are to meet him there and help him in his search.
I predict we will be doing 100% of the work, Immortals or no.
Summary: More promises that something is going to happen. Nothing happens.
We venture back into Naja's office, because what else are we going to do? Like 99% of Aht Urhgan missions are just being yelled by Naja anyways.
This time, though, we find her slumped over her desk, still despondent over the lost deal with Shanotto. Abquhbah is hiding nearby, and advises for us to do the same.
However, before we can flee, she calls everyone over to her desk. She's just realized that she forgot to collect her service fees from Shantotto, from our escort into the Halvung volcano. Abquhbah prepares for his immortal soul to return to the Mothercrystal, but instead of summary executions, Naja's still listless and uncaring. ABOUT MONEY. WHAT.
However, Shanototto is leaving for the Middle Lands very soon - like, now soon. Naja sends us to go get our fee. She says that collecting the money is a matter of principle, so as long as we can get it, we can keep every coin.
Wha? I think Shantotto's shenanigans broke Naja. Seriously.
We find the troublemaking taru in the port with King. They are alone - and Shantotto wonders why there is no one to see them off. However, King says that his sensors detect many Immortals hiding in the shadows.
That literally cheers Shantotto right up, because if you can't strike terror into the hearts of blue mages, what's the point in life?
Shantotto also comments on the Royal banquet she attended the night before - she thought that she'd be able to meet with the Empress, what with it being a Royal banquet and all. Of course, they wouldn't let her, and of course that pissed her off.
She and King greet us as we approach, and Shantotto asks us if we've noticed that this nation is on the brink of something big.
Um, Shantotto, this nation has been "on the brink" for 25 fucking missions. Chains of Promathia may have been unintelligibly convoluted and full of its own shit but it had us breezin' in Promyvion by the third goddamm mission. STEP UP YOUR GAME AHT URHGAN.
Anyways, at least Shantotto admits that she owes us money for the job we pulled. But she makes it painfully clear - this is not actually in return for the mercenary job. It's campaign funds for our spying job. She admits she came here herself to appraise our job so far (not good) and try to figure out some things on her own.
What Shantotto is sure of is that the Astral Candescence is indeed linked to something huge. She actually tried to break into the Plinth Chamber to see it, but the Serpent Generals stopped her. So all of her attempts to strongarm her way into information have failed, to the surprise of no one.
Shantotto declares that we're going to the be the Middle Lands' best shot at getting to the bottom of all this. She tells us that Royal Puppetmaster is not as irrelevant as she seems.
Meanwhile, the imp Flit is watching the exchange. He is very interested to learn that we are actually a Middle Lands spy. Even if we aren't very good at it.
Meanwhile-meanwhile, Luzaf is aboard his ghostly pirate ship, the Black Coffin.
He studies a painting of a horseman and a castle, and muses that he's not the only one making plans...
Treasures of Aht Urhgan 23/24 Social Graces/Foiled Ambition
Summary: Two atomic bombs fight for dominance!
Okay, TOAU 23 actually activates after the boss fight, and basically consists of "LOL GO SEE NAJA FOR YOUR REWARD!" But that doesn't warrant its own entry. We all know there is no reward.
Back in the relative safety of the Sentinel's office, Shantotto is already reporting in our performance. This time around, she just can't stop praising us and the supposed great job we did fighting the Khimaira. Naja, of course, agrees wholeheartedly, assuring her that we're the best of the best amid Sentinels mercenaries.
As we enter, Abquhbah tells us that the two ladies seem to be enjoying the little chat, but for whatever reason he's getting the chills listening to them from the other room. Little does he know that's just the lizard brain reacting to all the concentrated danger.
We enter just as Shantotto drops the dramabomb - she agrees to establishing a Sentinels office in Windurst, giving Naja a foot in the door for the Middle Lands. Naja, understandably, has a hard time keeping her cool in the face of that, and immediately starts planning for ordering weapons and training staff.
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Shantotto claims that she can use Windurstian divination magic (otherwise known as the eenie meenie minie moe nursery rhyme) and pick a mercenary to help head the expansion. She picks our number, of course, and declares that we'll be the ones to head back to Windy with her.
I'm not sure why Shantotto is suddenly calling us back to the Middle Lands, presumably because we haven't made much headway in all this spy business. Which isn't exactly an unfair assesment.
Naja is still playing up the drama, going on about how we're such an advantage to the Sentinels and we'd be a huge loss for the company and so on and so forth.... She then makes her fatal mistake: she refers to us as her "Ace mercenary", and mentions our audience with the Empress.
King of Hearts freaks out, interpreting her words to mean we are "Ace" rank - the highest rank of Cardian. And Shantotto realizes that we might be making more headway then she thought, if we've caught the attention of Empire's reclusive ruler. Now Shantotto has to backtrack to keep us here, but that's not a problem, since it's fuckin' Shantotto.
Meanwhile, Aphmau is still in the palace, having a mental breakdown because Ovjang is still missing. Her distress is affecting Mnejing's performance, who is pining for her just as badly.
After that extremely short interlude, we're back at the Sentinels' office, where Shantotto is destroying hopes and dreams as per her usual. I mean, it's Naja's hopes and dreams, but my point still stands. Shantotto declares that if we are such a valuable asset to Naja, then she is refusing the offer of allowing a branch office in Windy, out of the infinite kindness of her heart.
Naja can't even get in a word as Shantotto makes it abundantly clear that the idea is off, and then promptly excuses herself for a very important meeting with Grand Vizier Rahzfahd and leaves without a second glance.
Abquhbah steels himself for the meltdown, but it's us that receive the brunt of it - Naja is pissed that all of this is because of us, even if she was the one talking us up so much.
She starts swinging the morning star willy-nilly and screams for us to get out of her sight.
Summary: Aht Urhgan's story theme is: plot happens wherever the adventurer isn't.
After sleeping off the concussion from King's magic, we enter the Sentinel's HQ to see what's going down on the job today.
Predictably, there is yelling this time.
From Naja's exclamations around the corner, we can discern that she is talking to "Lady Karababa". The report is that we went to Karababa offering our services without Naja's authorization, and then proceeded to fail the job completely. Naja is so aghast that she even apologizes, which just about gives Abqubah a heart attack.
When it's mentioned that Shantotto is going on another trek and needs hired help, Naja freaks out and continues to assure Shantotto that we are the worst soldier at the Sentinels, and she's going to fire us right away and all that jazz.
Ok, just a second here. I get SE's going for this whole "haha you're the player and the story's shitting on you" like they always do, but what sense does this make in the actual plot? Shantotto's kind of a bitch, but she doesn't outright lie if there's no benefit to her. Which there definitely isn't at this point. So what's with this...?
In any case, Naja yells for Abqubah to bring them a mercenary to send, and he stalls because he's having such a hard time deciding on one who's strong enough. Finally he just sends out some rando Elvaan in melee gear. Naja swears by him, and Shantotto agrees. She tells him to meet her at the Navukgo Execution Chamber....
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, Aphmau is wandering around looking for Ovjang. She catches Vizier Razfahd in the Empresses' chambers. When she asks if he's seen her mage puppet, he blows her off and tells her that she should've been done with dolls since she's almost sixteen.
Firstly: if Abqubah is to be believed from before, then those puppets were gifts to Aphmau from the late Emperor and Empress. Secondly: she's the Royal Fucking Puppetmaster. Fuck off, Razfahd.
He also mentions that she still has "that other puppet", which I will go ahead and spoil: no, no she doesn't. This is never mentioned again, and is the first of many plot-hole victims created due to SE changing this expansion's story every time a new update came out. RIP, plot thread. We hardly knew ye.
In any case, Captain Raubahn comes in and says he has some reports to make, so Razfahd tells Aphmau to beat it. She finally loses her temper and stands up to him, telling him that he can't keep condescending her like this. He says that she still acts childish, which while true, doesn't make him any less of a dick. She screams at him and runs off...
... kind of thus proving his point.
Raubahn promises that if she switches to red clothes again he'll have some Immortals shadow her, but that seems kind of pointless. She flat out said she was leaving in front of Rishfee and she still got away.
The reports from Raubahn concern the ghost ship. It has been seen in the waters around Halvung, the volcanic region/island where the Troll beastmen live. Not long after, the Immortal at the Halvung base reported a flood of mercenaries passing through saying that had seen the legendary beast Cerberus roaming the island.
Amnaf appears out of no where to add that the stories behind Cerberus state that it is a beast that guards the gates of the underworld - but also leaves to chase down souls that escape the other-realm to drag them back.
Razfahd seems elated at the thought - Cerberus, the ghost pirates, this mysterious Dark Rider everyone keeps mentioning... he takes it as a sign that this Big Plan of his is on the right track. He tells Raubahn to keep gathering surveillance on the Immortals' targets: Windy's spy/ambassador (!), the corsair-admiral Prince Luzaf (!!), the Middle Lands spy posing as a mercenary (!!!), and most of all, the Empress herself. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
While all this actual important stuff is happening, Naja is not having a great day back at the HQ. The mercenary Abqubah picked is begging on his hands and knees not to go to the Execution Chamber - it's where the Trolls take prisoners to die. On top of that, it's deep in the heart of Halvung, surrounded by lava and monsters and according to the rumors swamping Whitegate, now the beast Cerberus is hunting there.
Despite Naja's threats, he keeps begging and pleading not to go, and finally Shantotto remarks that perhaps Naja doesn't actually have a worthwhile mercenary for her to hire. Naja freaks out at the possibility of losing profit and prestige. She yells for Abqubah to send in someone else - she doesn't care who.
Of course, the only other person here is us, so Abqubah does what must be done and sends us in, come hell or high water. Naja is speechless with rage when she sees us, but Shantotto decides to take us anyways, saying she's willing to give us another chance. Naja knows better than to argue, and tells us to grab our gear and meet the client at the destination!
We travel through the staging points and through Halvung, which is covered in lava and all kinds of angry beasties. In the deeper caverns of the Trolls' base, we find a room covered in lava pools and stone pillars.
Well, I think this is the place!
I mean holy crap just look at it.
In the Execution Chamber is the Troll Elder Gurfurlur and his moblin translator Megomak. They are granting an audience to some particular characters. One of these, an imp beastman, is thanking Gurfurlur for sending his troll soldiers to attack Cerberus as it passed through Halvung.
Also there with the imp is none other than resident FFXI supermodel Luzaf, who says that now he and his crew can rest for a while, proving that the hellhound was indeed after he and his fellow corsair fomors. The imp, only called Flit by Luzaf, makes some jokes about it, but Luzaf tells him to shut up since it's not his ass on the line.
Gurfurlur says, in his troll language, that he and Luzaf share an enemy in the Empire, but Megomak translates it as asking for the Astral Candescence in return for the help. Nobody seems to catch the deceit, as Luzaf promises he doesn't give a shit who gets the Candescence as long as the Imperial Family of Aht Urhgan gets wiped off the map.
Flit tries to argue that the Candescence is important, but Luzaf reminds him that there's only one rule among corsairs: you always listen to the captain.
Gurfurlur says that he's more than prepared to launch the assault, but once again Megomak mistranslates the message into an offering of a certain "weapon". It's a creation of Megomak's called Khimaira 13. He says that he's broken into the Imperial laboratory called the Halzham Testing Grounds, a place we are already acquainted with from BLU Artifact.
This place is basically where Aht Urhgan does all its mad science, naturally. One such practice is fusing living creatures into completely new monstrosities against Altana, such as puk, mandragora... even lamia, he claims. He stole a creature there while it was in development, and now offers it to Luzaf.
The Corsair admiral, however, has no interest in it and leaves halfway through the story. By the time Megomak notices he's gone, Shantotto, King, and us have already wandered in.
Elder Gurfurlur is alarmed, but Megomak assures him that these newcomers are here for a reason. Shantotto's made a deal with the moblin, for the very creature he was trying to pawn off on Luzaf. She gives him a chest full of gil, and Megomak gives her the creature - in the form of a giant ravenous beast!
Anyways, we have to fight the Khimaira 13 with Shantotto's help, which means she casts black magic and yells at the players to help her out the whole time. I just remember this fight being kinda hard. I'm pretty sure this asshole used Tourbillion.
In any case, after we kill it, Shantotto is not at all surprised the deal turned to treachery. It turns out the chest she handed over was filled with bomb arms, meaning that it exploded all over that moblin. And Shantotto even got the wing off the Khimaira, so she can still do research on Aht Urhgan's science projects.
As we leave, Flit is watching from the top of one of the pillars. He recognizes us...
Next is a sequence of Aphmau pretending not to know what they mean, and then them threatening to kill her, and Aphmau still pretending she doesn't understand them, and they threaten to kill her some more, and let me tell you, it goes on for waaaay too long.
We eventually reach this section of Aydeewa with Shantotto and King, who are waxing poetic about how these ruins don't hold a candle to the Horutoto ruins around Windurst. Which is a bald fucking lie - Horutoto is both ugly and boring, and this place kicks fucking ass.
King detects the group of Qiqirn as a threat, and we amble over to see what's going down.
Aphmau decides to call for help, but she's too scared to call very loudly, until Ovjang tells her to get her act together. She finally yells out - but she calls our name.
Shantotto asks if we're going to help her - you can totally refuse - but regardless, Shantotto offers to cut out the middle-man and blasts the Qiqirn with magic.
They yell about the treasure Aphmau's holding, but flee anyways.
We check to see if everyone's okay, and Shantotto - very civilly, I might add - introduces herself as the Ambassador of Windurst, Lady Karababa. She does the Windy salute and everything.
Aphmau, however, is still pissed at Shantotto, and totally ices her out. Shantotto wonders if the introduction was too brief, and asks what Aphmau's issue is.
Aphmau finally blows her top, yelling about how Shantotto and King insulted and beat up Mnejing. She declares how she'll never forgive Shantotto, and Ovjang starts casting some black magic against the two.
...It doesn't even scratch King.
SO WE'RE DOING THIS AGAIN. Aphmau can you stop attacking people over petty bullshit? What the actual hell.
Shantotto gives King authorization to counterattack, and oh boy does he. His magic is so powerful and uncontrolled that it blasts Aphmau and Ovjang... and us too.
The character animations still show us breathing, so that's good, at least.
King finds the coil Aphmau was holding, and Shantotto discerns that it has a new kind of insulation cover that she can reverse engineer. She asks everyone if it's okay that she takes it, and then she's all, "HAH NO ONE OBJECTS! BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL DEAD LOL!" and then she and King just leave.
While we're dead and helpless, an invisible someone comes over to our bodies and inspects us. They pick up Ovjang, and their invisible spell flickers for a bit, revealing a Mamool Ja...
Some indeterminate time later, the two Immortals find us, along with Grand Vizier Razfahd. He rushes to Aphmau's side, and she wakes long enough to reveal that he is her older brother, before she passes out again.
He orders the Blue Mages to take her back to the palace. Amnaf wants to know what to do about us. We're awake, if a little woozy.
Razfahd forbids us to ever mention that the Royal Puppetmaster is his sister, on pain of death. If that's not a sign that it's going to be a big deal later, I don't know what is. They scoot back to the palace, leading us to wander home on our own.
Summary: Aht Urhgan reaches critical mass of NPCs bossing us around.
At the teahouse, we find not Shantotto, but Gessho and the Sando agent, Travialce, discussing the recent goings-on.Gessho is concerned that an ambassador from Windurst is here with no regard for the other two nations - he thinks it may mean that Windy is here to make some secret alliances.
Travialce says that Sando is not concerned. They share the Quon continent with Bastok, so in a weird way both countries have each other's backs if something happens. But not only is Windy alone on the Mindartia continent, they are also the closest to Aht Urhgan, leaving them in a weird, please-don't-invade-us position. Shantotto is probably here just to gather info and test the waters.
They talk about Trion and his terrible handwriting some more, until we show up and just plop down next to them. Happily, neither dude seems bothered, instead welcoming us to the little party and asking what's new in our world.
Wow, these NPCs are so fucking nice compared to what we've gotten so far.
In any case, we explain how Naja took all of our reward for the AARI expedition, way back when. We ask Gessho if Naja duped him into signing the contract, like with us - hint hint, she did. Gessho says that regardless of all that, we're comrades now, and we have to help each other out. He's shocked at all we've had to endure, and is more than a little nervous since he hasn't been doing the Assault commissions like Naja's always yelling for.
Travialce pardons himself, off to go do more sneaky spy stuff for Sando. After he's gone, Gessho admits that he has some stuff that he wanted to tell us with just the two of us. The reason he hasn't been doing Sentinel's work lately is because he's been on reconnaisance missions into the beastmen lands. He says that being in Aht Urhgan makes him nervous - with all of the beastmen tribes rebelling, on top of these new ghost pirates, Aht Urhgan is getting attacked by literally everything lately. Even with their celebrated Serpent Generals, things aren't looking so good for the Empire.
Anyways, Gessho has quite a story for us - he says that while poking around the Wajoam Woodlands, he was actually captured by a group of the lizard-people Mamool Ja, and taken to their base in Mamook. He was sure they were going to kill him, but instead, when the Sagelord Molaal Ja saw him, he declared Gessho a brother in arms, since he is a Yagudo and therefore a beastman too.
The Sagelord spoke to Gessho about a lot of things, the first and foremost being the state of affairs with Aht Urhgan. Molaal said that the Mamool Ja aren't attacking Aht Urhgan out of some rebellion, like the Trolls. They fear the Empire because of the Astral Candescence - they're sure that it's going to be used as some sort of weapon, and are therefore just trying to get it out of Aht Urhgan's hands before all of Mamook is wiped off the map.
Gessho entreats to us that he believes the Sagelord is indeed acting on behalf of his people, but c'mon, he doesn't have to argue too hard. All we've heard about the Empire is that it has a long and storied tradition of being a collective raging asshole. In closing, Gessho wonders if we're really on the right side, here.
Dude, I've been saying that for a while, now. The hostile takeover of Ephremaud didn't clue you in at all?
With all the stories, at least, Gessho notes that this land seems to be drenched in death. He begins to detail where he plans to investigate next, when...
OHSHIT THUNDER ATTACK ON GESSHO!
Our Yagudo friend uses his ninjutsu to teleport away, leaving us alone with Shantotto. C'mon, you knew it was coming.
She's shocked that she ran into a Yagudo in the middle of the city. She also at least has the presence of mind to pretend like she doesn't know us, and makes a show of wondering if we're one of those Salaheem's Sentinels she's heard about. She tells us to sit - she has a job for us.
Seeing as she knows that we're the collective Middle Lands' spy, we sit. Also, because it's Shantotto.
She starts off by telling us about the ancient civilization of Olduum. It's the city that became the Aydeewa Subterrane, the place we kept going to for the BLU quests. She says that Olduum was the home of the elder sage Ramuh, who deciphered a way to manipulate electricity, although if it was magic or technology no one knows.
Shantotto wants us to take her through the Subterrane so she can check out the ruins - if she can find some technology or the like, she might be able to overhaul the Cardians' systems.
Um, I don't think this is business for surveillance on Aht Urhgan. I think we're just here to do Shantotto's bidding. So, business as usual.
Near the entrance to the teahouse, Ovjang and Aphmau are hiding. Aphmau remembers that she came here when she was young, but Razfahd wouldn't let her eat the sweets here because apparently it was too low-brow for someone who lives in the palace.
They hear Shantotto's trademark laugh, and creep closer, getting pissed just seeing her. Aphmau's now doubly angry, because now Shantotto's eating the food Aphmau was never allowed to have. She declares Shantotto on the "enemy-for-life-list."
They finally notice us just sitting there, and wonder what a Windurstian ambassador would want with a seemingly random Sentinel's mercenary. They throw on some Silent Oil, just like a player character, and creep over the top of the cloth awning to eavesdrop while Shantotto's still talking shop with us.
Aphmau eventually gets so impatient that she has Ovjang help lower her over the edge so she can watch us, too. The more she watches the exchange, the angrier she gets, especially with how rude she thinks Shantotto is being. Whatever goodwill is generated by this is negated when she adds that the only person allowed to bully us is Aphmau herself.
As Shantotto wraps up and tells us to meet her at Aydeewa, she hears Ovjang pull Aphmau back across the awning. King says that he detects no threat. I'm guessing this infuriates Aphmau even more.
Summary: An international incident occurs and no one fucking cares!
We enter the office for Salaheem's Sentinels, and for once there is no yelling. Abquhbah explains that there's going to be an event at the Whitegate Port soon - an ambassador from Windurst will be arriving, and Naja aims to be there to represent the company when it happens.
Finally Naja appears - STILL WEARING OUR CROWN - and asks if she looks presentable, giving Abquhbah plenty of time to fawn over her some more. He (very politely) tries to get her to hurry up, as he is afraid they are going to be late, which would obviously cause another unholy meltdown from Naja herself.
Naja thinks he's in a hurry to see a Cardian, as the rumors say the Windurstian ambassador will have one of Windy's dolls along as an assistant. She compares the idea of Cardians to Aht Urhgan's own automatons.
Abquhbah is in a particularly suck-up mood, because he claims Cardians could never top Aht Urhgan's creations, especially the two connected to the Royal Puppetmaster, Aphmau. At the mention of the girl, Naja gets salty again, pissed at the memory of how Aphmau came in for that one mission and basically took over. All the shit she starts talking freaks Abquhbah, because apparently it would be bad if an Immortal overheard her say such things - especially since the two puppet Aphmau has used to belong to the previous Emporer and Empress.
Meanwhile at the docks, Windy's current spy-in-Whitegate, Rodin-Comdin, is waiting for the boat to arrive too. He's panicky because he was supposed to have more information by now, so if Windy is sending "her" then he might be in trouble.
But the boat indeed arrives, and first off is the Cardian, King of Hearts. If you remember from the Windy storyline, a King is a very powerful Cardian, so this is no joke. Then off steps the ambassador herself, and it's...
Shantotto in a pair of glasses. That's it.
I'm tempted to say this is even dumber than Trion's getup, but Shantotto's not an idiot, so it's probably safer to say that she just does not give a shit.
Romdin is quick to assure her that everything is under control - he even points us out, watching the scene from the upper levels of the city. Shantotto and King blast him down - he's openly alluding to our role as a Middle Lands spy, and he should be using Shantotto's alias, Karababa.
Their caution is extremely appropriate, as not even a stone's throw away is the Royal Welcoming Committee: Two Serpent Generals, Amnaf the lady Immortal, and... Mnejing, Aphmau's melee puppet.
Amnaf welcomes Shantotto to Whitegate, and bids her to follow for an audience with the Empress. Shantotto, however, is not a taru to mince words, and wonders aloud if all the security is here to moniter her, not protect her.
Amnaf is clearly unsure of how to respond to this. If there was anyone who could make an Immortal uncomfortable, it would be fuckin' Shantotto.
Mnejing speaks up, demanding that Shantotto be more respectful. The sudden outburst shocks everyone, and King demands to know what "rank" Mnejing is, guessing that he is at least a "Jack" to take that tone.
Suddenly Mnejing says that King should never speak to "us" in that tone, then promptly collapses, surprising Amnaf. King delights over the fact that his new rival is malfunctioning, and pokes Mnejing's body with his staff.
In the palace, Aphmau is controlling Mnejing by looking through his POV with a little screen on Ovjang, which is something they've never said puppetmasters can do, but whatever, I guess Aphmau's special.
At the moment, thought, Aphmau is freaking out. She used the royal "us", and she's afraid Rahzfad will get mad at her if he finds out she mimicked the Empress. Nevertheless, she bucks up and reactivates Mnejing to continue the arguement with Shantotto, long-range style.
However, King continues to be smugly condescending, and Shantotto seems totally content to just let the arguement continue. On her end in the palace, Aphmau gets more and more angry that her puppets are being insulted, and Ovjang agrees that these newcomers should be taught a lesson.
Back at the docks, Mnejing sudden hops up into action, slamming into King and pushing him back. King asks for permission to retaliate, which Shantotto grants, of course. So King administers an unholy beatdown against Mnejing with his staff.
All the while, the freaking Serpent Generals and even Amnaf are just standing there. Now, I've never run a country, but this seems a bad foot to start on.
Anyways, just to add insult to injury, King comments on the complete lack of skill behind the automaton's movements, and even gets a little "Level Up!" insignia like a player.
Shantotto calls out the Imperial officials, asking Amnaf if this is a regular occurrence. Amnaf apologizes yet again, and tries to hurry Shantotto to the palace before anything else happens.
Shantotto is having none of it, and decides to jerk them around some more for good measure. She says she wants to go get something to eat, and demands Rodin to show the way to the teahouse. Amnaf tries to use the Empress as some clout against Shantotto, who then points out that she basically stepped off the boat and got attacked.
Shantotto flat out tells Amnaf to beat it, which is pretty ballsy for talking to an Immortal. But... then again... y'know... Shantotto.
As she leaves, Shantotto muses to herself that on the boat ride over, King was hit by some sea spray, and the salt water weakened the Cardian's magic. Even so, the automaton never even stood a chance.
Back in the palace, Aphmau is positively steaming at the turn of events, nevermind that her stupid pride pretty much caused all of this in the first place. She finally gets up, pats Ovjang on the head, and leaves. When she returns, she's wearing a red fitted outfit instead of her white getup.
The change perks up Ovjang, because apparently this outfit has a certain purpose - this is the "sneaking out" clothing. Girl and puppet make a SUPER BFF promise not to tattle to Razfahd.
They then realize that Rishfee, Aphmau's Immortal minder, is standing literally like five feet away.
Aphmau's suddenly like "SORRY OVJANG TTLY SLEEPY!" and wanders off in the most hamfisted cover story ever, made even worse that they were talking about their plans right in front of him like two second before.
Aphmau, you're very stupid. Even Rishfee sighs very deeply as she walks away.
Back outside, Naja is watching the conclusion of the docks showdown. She's doubly worried now - she was going to offer her mercenaries' services to the ambassador, but the Cardian's power means Shantotto might not want extra help to begin with. In fact, Naja honestly thinks that she might not have a mercenary up to snuff in the first place.
She then notices that we're still standing there, and so she promptly yells at us to get back to the Commissions Agency and earn her some money!
The alchemists start to protest, until we enter. Raubahn silences them and turns to us, dropping the conversation to assign us a mission: there are reports of a soulflayer in the Alzadaal Undersea Ruins. A soulflayer is a really dangerous kind of monster, and another staple from the other Final Fantasies - the guys in the wizard coats with the squid faces. They're only found in certain areas in Aht Urhgan, and now we have to go fight one.
We can't tell Raubahn no, of course, so off we go the fight the mind-eating demon. After we leave, the alchemists are literally too shocked to speak, until one finally points out that we are only a new recruit - we don't even know the "truth" yet.
Raubahn is unconcerned - he says it doesn't matter if we can handle the truth at this point. We'll either learn to live with it, or be destroyed by it. He finishes by saying that no matter who transforms, the Empire should never be allowed to suffer for it...
So, we run around in the Undersea Ruins, which are just as beautiful as when we last left them. They are also decidedly empty, with no signs of any flayers, soul or otherwise.
We turn a corner, and in one of the windowed chambers, we finally find something - another blue mage, wearing the Immortal's uniform. He's wigging out!
He's thrashing around, clutching his face! We approach him to see what is wrong, and then he lowers his hand, and -
OH FUCK!
A bunch of slimy tentacles are thrashing out of his goddamm face!
He drops his scimitar and falls to his hands and knees, and all this energy starts emnating from him - blue energy. He suddenly looks up, twitching, and fucking launches himself to the ceiling and disappears.
We follow him deeper in the ruins, because - look, I dunno, we just do. He's not in the next room, so we look around like idiots - and then -
The camera pans up to show him standing on the wall, letting one arm hang down limp and pressing the other hand over his mouth.
He drops the ground and again zooms off, leaving us to dry heave, probably.
We are approached by another, none-horrific blue mage - it's Yasfel, the Immortal who originally accepted our item and took us to get the blue mage procedure done. He starts off by saying that the Immortals' uniform does not enhance the power of those who wear it - its main purpose is actually to suppress the physical corruption of the vessel - the blue mage's body. But it can only do so much, and once a blue mage can no longer control the powers they've absorbed, the transformation will happen no matter what.
He says that what we're witnessing could happen to any blue mage - no one's innate ability or potential will protect them outright. Also, once someone has undergone the procedure, there's no undoing or slowing down - you have to absorb abilities fast enough to stay stronger than the "beast within", but you can't go too fast or the essences will overwhelm you anyways.
In Yasfel's words, "The evolution cannot be stopped."
As he speaks, we see the fallen Immortal, convulsing on the floor, mouth full of wrangly tentacles. The blue energy overtakes him, and when the camera pans back, he's a slimy ol' Soulflayer!
Yasfel tells us to always remember the moment we took his hand: the moment we made the choice and enabled all of this. He says to carry that feeling with us as we kill this newly born monster.
So, against all better sense, we go charging into battle with a freaking soulflayer. We do, but of course he has all kinds of crazy magic and has a crazy Fast Cast trait. It's crazy, man!
After we kill it, Yasfel appears again. He says that physical vessel changes shape to adapt to the energies it contains - leading to the birth of soulflayers and flans. Yeah, that flan we fought? The Immortal Flan? YEAH.
This whole AF line we've been offing fallen blue mages.
Yasfel says our actions do us credit - we see the neccesary cruelty of this job. He asks if we understand why we got asked all those questions by Waoud - or, more correctly, Raubahn. He gives us the Immortal Keffiyeh, the head piece, completing our Immortal's uniform.
Did... did that head piece come from the dead guy? WELL DID IT?!
