Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

The next morning, Eleanor says she's fine, and Laphicet warns Eleanor not to pull that stunt again.

Velvet threatens to eat her if she starts running...eee...

Eleanor swore her oath before their duel that she would stay as Laphicet's vessel. Right...

Velvet asks her about the Abbey's plans next with Innominat. Her answer: To stop daemons and end the Era of Disaster.

Eizen tests her.

So Eleanor lies (I think?), saying that only higher-ups have knowledge of what the Abbey does with Innominat.

Our next stop is to find Grimoirh, but our first step is to find a village.

Laphicet: "Even the greatest scholars don't know everything at first. You can't get answers without asking for them."

Velvet assigns Eleanor the task of protecting Laphicet no matter what. The same task that the Shepherd gave her.

Velvet warns Laphicet about Eleanor just in case she does anything funny...

Laphicet says she's nice and honorable. Velvet knows the same things that I do about the exorcist.

Magilou mentions oaths as complicated magic...

Velvet warns Laphicet again to be careful. Magilou agrees, using Velvet as an example.

Eleanor's now in our party!

She's also earned additional titles too!

Another skit, where Eizen almost sounds like Barbossa when he warns Laphicet.

Eleanor objects to the crew's perceptions of her, saying she hates manipulations and "duplicity." Eizen gives her his blessing to not have Laphicet end up like him and Rokurou.

I have our newest member take the lead.

Aside: I'll admit that I got spoiled on the fact that Eleanor will join the party weeks ago. I didn't get spoiled on how she was going to join, thank goodness.

Checking the menu and Eleanor's stats now, along with the area map. Even the world map"s not opening since we don't know where we are.

---

Expedition check: we get a Portrait of the Three Guardians, and a Swordsman's Eyepatch!

Eizen looks at the material of the stained glass used in the window.

This guy is an art connoisseur, I swear. He refuses to sell this treasure!

Velvet still doesn't understand why Eizen would want to keep the window.

But the creatures in the window look familiar, one of them I know from another Tales game...

Engaging into a battle with another flying monster now: the Scaled Bird!

Newer enemies like the Witch and Harpy are here too!

The battle music's also changed!

Laphicet unleashes his Mystic Arte!

I get pointers on weaknesses and resistances afterwards...

I read the synopsis at the part where Velvet and crew are at the Empyrean's Throne. The Shepherd mentioned the ritual where he killed Velvet's brother needed "two sacrifices!"

Eizen pretends not to know that Eleanor's a mole spying on the crew.

Laphicet notices a rock, which might be brightsteel. Rokurou knows it too. By the material, Eizen thinks they're in "Endgand or Islegand." He mentions there's not that much Abbey troops around those parts.

Velvet praises Laphicet and tells him to wash his hands.

Another skit, where it's a continuation of the one at the entrance of the ruin.

A third skit, where I'm told brightsteel's hard to mine...

The prospector has to do plenty of work and tons of gambling to get brightsteel.

Laphicet mentions a pendulum, which Magilou mentions dowsing. Velvet thinks dowsing's a scam.

Rokurou now gets to the topic of Zaveid on his use of a pendulum as a weapon. Easier to fight with, Eizen says.

Eizen mentions the four elements and malakhim.

Eleanor: (thinking) "I never realized malakhim could be so calculating."

Eizen adds that Zaveid's serious when he fights. That's how much he loves fighting.

---

Another battle with three Treants!

Across a bridge and down the hill we meet our first local, a Brigid Brigand.

He gets frightened and mentions a Swordbreaker! Who's that?

He draws his weapon, and we fight!

We beat him and Rokurou readies his daggers and charges at him! He breaks the brigand's sword!

The brigand goes to his knees, begging...

Laphicet brings up Eleanor.

Eleanor asks him where the nearest settlement is.

He tells us we're in "Cadnix Island in Islegand," and that the "port's on the other side of the ravine."

Rokurou asks about the Swordbreaker.

The Swordbreaker's a daemon who fights other swordspeople and breaks their blades, just like Rokurou.

He even took care of exorcist praetors too!

More info about him: he wields "a foreign sword." The brigand warns Rokurou about Stormhowl, and that the Swordbreaker's on the prowl for people like him.

Eleanor tells the brigand to give up his criminal ways...

We get another new glacite as a reward!

Skit: We see Laphicet with the ancient book...he can't read it. Neither can Eleanor. Velvet calls it "a lucky find."

And it all goes downhill from here when Bienfu steps into the picture...

I quick save here.