Friday 8 July 2022

DQXIS Act 2 Sniflheim: Their Weight In Gold

While I was in Gondolia at the end of the last update, I went looking for the kids and found them up here.

Yeah, now that we have the Harp... Alizarin is actually our next concern. He's still out there.

Placido, on the other hand, is taking cues from his father.

He's putting the mermen first.

Alizarin appears once we play Lorelei's Harp here. Or at least... that's just how I've always played the game. Now I think on it, though, why is Alizarin here? We found him last time in the Inner Ocean, and Nautica's right there... is it possible that the Alizarin boss is intended to be fought outside Nautica, and I've just been doing it wrong this whole time? I'll have to try that out sometime.

Hendrik: Both the monster who had Princess Jade under his spell and the beast who attacked the Last Bastion referred to themselves as Spectral Sentinels... I have a feeling those are not the only ones. We must find any who remain and slay them without mercy.
Rab: That Lorelei's harp thing Jade gave ye should let us travel to places we've not been before. But before we seek out pastures new, perhaps we should investigate this giant lump of gold that's blocking the way to Sniflheim... It cannae be easy for them up there, being cut off from the world. Let's head north to see what we can find!
Sylvando: You know, the thought of hopping aboard the Stallion for adventures on the high seas used to fill me with excitement. But now things are getting serious.
We need to bring peace back to the world so we can all start letting our hair down and enjoying life again!
Jade: Being aboard this ship reminds me of the night I fled from Dundrasil. After Rab found me, we travelled to Zwaardsrust before setting sail for Heliodor.
I was just a helpless child back then, but things are different now. This time I will not flee- I will stand and fight!
Erik: You know what, man? Staring out at the sea like this makes me wonder if it really matters who I used to be. Maybe I should just start a new life, from scratch...
Whoa, relax! Relax! I was just kidding!

Everyone has some standard gear to prepare for the fight with the demon of the deep. All-Weather Earrings, as a reminder, are good for Ice and Wind. Could I have done better? Probably. But it worked.

All right, so there's Alizarin again. Clearly we're not getting to Sniflheim without a fight.

Although that does bring up the question of how we're planning on getting past the red mist.

Nothing's coming to Rab's mind, but that's not much in the grand scheme of things.

Put courage in your heart, and lightning in your hand...

...Oh hey, wasn't this the same thing that happened when-

It looks like this has gotten just a bit more voluntary!

...When they said "only the Luminary could save the day", I wasn't expecting it to be quite so bluntly literal.

This Spectral Sentinel and de facto ruler of the seas is so massive that anyone attacked by him remembers little other than an enormous red mass blocking everything else from view.

Dragon family
4800 HP
999 MP

Alizarin, ruler of the deep, has few strategies for making your life painful, and uses those strategies well. He has the Hellfire Howl of a single-target fireball, can throw out the envenomate effect, knows Maelstrom and Deceleratle, and can just flat out rock the boat for mass damage and knockdown. I'd say you might be well placed to start using those Angel Sandals that allow Turn Skip negation, if you've got any.

Last time I'm trusting you.

Jade showing off Re-Vamp. I'm not entirely fond of the forced costume switch, but it's hard to say no to that suite of buffs.

Although Alizarin did.

Status resistance. This isn't a free Snap, Crackle, Poof.

That got through to him.

Erdward begins the hurting.

One of these days, Deceleratle will be worth something.

Just because she's still technically knocked down doesn't mean she can't be buffed.

Rab goes in for the Hardclaw.

But Jade still has him beat.

It windy!

...Alizarin? Alizarin, you forgot to show us the power of the Orb!

Alizarin's Orb attack summons a red mist that makes everyone on the field take more damage from attacks and spells. So, the opposite of what he was using the Orb for in cutscenes.

Alizarin isn't quite dead yet, although there'll be no stopping that from happening.

Alizarin has decided to use the last of his time productively.

So much for the element of surprise. I'm not going to begrudge Alizarin the opportunity to use his death throws tactically- Yggdrasil knows fiction is filled with friendly characters doing the same- but it is still rude.

At any rate, he's gone now, and we have recovered the Red Orb of Heliodor. Of the Orbs, this is the one we have most personal attachment to- it's Erik's personal motivation throughout the first half of Act 1 to reclaim it. There's a part of me- the part of me that loves narrative connections and ironies- that feels like this Orb should belong to the next Sentinel, the one ruling the roost in Sniflheim, but I understand the valid reasons they had for giving them the Orb they did.

Too late. There'll be plenty more where that came from. What remains to be seen is whether Mordegon is in the business of making new batches. Mordegon still hasn't replaced Tyriant yet.

...Did Alizarin not just blab?

Hendrik: Alizarin was the Lord of Shadows' servant, and now that he is defeated, the oppressive atmosphere that hung over the ocean has been banished. Doubtless the people who live by the coast are overjoyed. It would be no bad idea to pay them a visit at some point and see how they are faring.
Rab: The likes of Alizarin are no match for the power of the Luminary. The ocean's safe for seafarers once again!
Ach, but if we don't defeat the Lord of Shadows, who knows where the next hideous beastie might spring from. Come on, laddie. Let's get going!
Sylvando: Honey, that monster didn't know what hit him! Well, good riddance to bad rubbish! The seas are safe once again!
Oh, and that reminds me- we should pop down to Nautica and check everything's okay.
Jade: Looking at the sea, I can't help but be reminded of everything that happened, all those years ago... I remember it like it was yesterday, Rab and I setting sail from Zwaardsrust before dawn.
I remember Rab putting his arm around me on that dark ship and telling me everything was going to be alright. I don't know how I would have got through it without him.
Erik: That was amazing, Erdward! You made that thing regret ever messing with the Luminary! ...Wait! Th-The Luminary... That word...
It means something to me... b-but I can't remember why...

And that's Alizarin dealt with. Nautica is now reopen for exploration.

I had a few choices in mind for when I would add the first Nautica revisit. I went with right now, because "might as well". Strictly speaking, the Nautica visit happened during the Sniflheim story, but there isn't really any combat in the meantime.

Wherever Marina was hiding, it seemed to have worked. Nautica is... more or less back to normal. Actually, I don't think anyone is missing- not that there's a whole lot of people to be missing.

Oh great, so now I'm speaking for Yggdrasil.

Incidentally, Marina will now invite us to change into a fish whenever we so please. There's a lot of treasures and general stuff lying around Nautica accessible only in fish form, and it always helps to have it at hand.

First order of business: Finally.

Second order of business: This.

We can use the Sage's Stone immediately after we find it, we don't have to finish the Quest or anything. This is going in Hendrik's inventory and he's going to be our anchor.

With Alizarin dealt with, this shop is now open for business.

I think the Siren's Staff may have been a mistaken purchase- I'm not entirely sure, but in general, it's not really a good idea to buy for someone you don't have yet. The corsair's coat is a cosmetic armour for Erik that is not available elsewhere.

There's also two Quests around Nautica now, the first involving this old turtle.

He wants a new exhibit for his museum of human artifacts. Much like in the Little Mermaid, none of the mermaids have any idea what is on display here. And they probably have more fun not knowing.

Since we can go to the ocean's surface ourselves, we can probably source something for him.

Of course, now we have the job of translating ocean interpretations for land ones.

This is a bit of a mouthful, especially since he has no idea what he's asking you to find, but he wants a cannon.

...Legless squid?

There's one good suggestion to look for a cannon. Not that we've been back in Act 2 yet, though.

This lady over here is the one actually trying to figure out what it is they're looking at.

I wonder where she's getting that information. Sure wasn't us, and I don't think any humans have been in contact since Kainoa. Maybe Marina's using her scrying magic to help.

Some of the things they recognise, they'd rather not. At least it's not hurting anyone anymore.

...OK, I'm not sure what that thing in the back is. Maybe it's not supposed to be an exhibit, I dunno. It's on one of the purple rocks, though.

As it happens, the other Quest has to do with the under sea trial down here.

The defence lawyer is pretty new at being a lawyer, and this case is pretty open and shut on the defendant. There's not a whole lot she can really do here, and depending on the severity of the crime and the harshness of the punishment, now might be the time to be considering a plea deal. Or even just taking the loss.

She reckons her old mentor probably has some old precedent she can use, but isn't currently allowed to leave the trial. I am not nearly enough of a lawyer to judge how legal this is, but this is also not exactly a real court.

I assume "her friend" is being used colloquially- I don't think there's any evidence in particular that suggests the lawyer knows the client personally. I think real lawyers aren't supposed to represent their friends, but it's not as strictly enforced as juries. You're allowed to go to court with a fool for a client, after all, you'll just be laughed at.

...A merman who went to live with the humans? I think this isn't a Mermaid's Burden thing, but I imagine this would be a problem to the lawyer, anyway. She has the Mermaid's Burden.

We've met a human like this, and got no real indication he isn't a merman.

Well, she's allowed to use case notes, but I'm not sure this whole situation is going to rise your esteem as a lawyer on your own merits.

By the way, yes, you can Zoom straight out of Nautica as a fish, you don't have to go back to Marina.

Anyway, back to what I had in mind: Sniflheim.

Had you not gone out of your way to collect Erik as soon as possible, he would have just joined the party by the time we got here to Sniflheim proper. Amnesiac Erik doesn't linger for as long as it feels like it does in the plot.

...I mean, Sniflheim is still surrounded by gold glaciers. We should do something about that right?

Rab suggests the other four run around Sniflheim looking at what's going on at the ground floor, so to speak.

No problem for Hendrik, Sylv and Jade, but Erik is another story.

Perhaps we should keep an eye on him while this whole thing goes over. Wonder if it's related to why he stayed out of Sniflheim in Act 1.

It still feels bad as it's happening.

Rab: The fall of Yggdrasil turned everything upside down. I just hope Queen Frysabel and the rest of the Sniflheimers are still safe. Come on laddie, let's go and check on Her Majesty.
Erik: What's going on...? My heart's beating like crazy...

Sounds like whatever it is that's been bothering Sniflheim has gotten to breaking point. Damn glacier.

At this point, I'm not sure you'll be in luck there.

The town is as lifeless as it was in Act 1. But I don't see any statues...

Sylv, I wouldn't ask that of people.

No, we can't get in the houses either.

Shame they've left out their produce.

...A disease?

Dear Yggdrasil, we're going DQ9 and having a Topical Town Story today, aren't we?

Frysabel's been hoping to see us. Although finding out we're safe is just one of many burdens she faces, and unfortunately, one of the smaller ones.

The castle's even emptier. Emptier, though, there's still some hangers-on.

The maid who was friends with Frysabel is of no help, and nobody is more distressed about that than herself.

The nobleman over here acknowledges Krystalinda as the prime suspect, but is not of the camp that she is the right suspect.

I feel like we'd know sooner if it were Krystalinda.

How indeed. The boring answer is a lot of research. The less boring answer is to pay attention to what happens next.

Probably good to clarify that one, since it sounds like you're in danger of stopping one of those things but not the other.

Oh wow, apparently even the guards are getting in on Krystalinda's friendship. I take it it was good in the long run, then?

All right, fine, I'll stop putting it off.

...I assure you there is nothing here I'm skipping. I assume "it might never happen" is an expression, but in context, a very poorly chosen one.

Fair play, Frysabel hasn't met Erik and the fact we left the rest of the group outside means this isn't exactly the best sentence either.

I think "some were not so lucky" might be referring to other kingdoms here? As disasters go, the Gold Fever is actually surprisingly non-lethal. That said, there's a gold glacier blocking all contact.

...I guess if you skipped all the dialogue, you could kinda be forgiven for not knowing what's going on?

Ah, that actually explains it. This particular issue hasn't been looming over their heads as long as everyone elses', it sounds. Perhaps they had something else, but then this interrupted.

At this point, I'd start to doubt it's really a disease, but this was never going to be a disease.

Erik looks up from his amnesia long enough to recognise... something about the affliction.

Frysabel is at a premium on both ideas and solutions. Whoever's in charge of these monsters means business.

I'm not sure if this is to make it look like she's doing something or just making sure Krystalinda is out of reach of the lynch mob. You'd think Krystalinda would be able to manage that part on her own- she does fly around from time to time- but her magic has also been drained, and the last thing Sniflheim needs is ice statues to go along with the gold ones.

We're what you call Special Ops Detectives.

That should open up the shops and all the miscellaneous "business" we might need to do.

Erik lingers on the thought of the gold statues. Apparently, something about it is triggering a memory, deep inside there. It's not like we've seen any gold statues with him, though- or at least, not any gold statues that started life alive.

Rab: Ye heard what the Queen said, laddie. There's a mystery disease going around that's turning things to gold left, right and centre. Gold Fever, she called it. And it sounds like we won't be going to Arboria any time soon, either, not with that golden boulder blocking the way up into the Highlands. ...Ach, it never rains but it pours, eh? First things first, though, let's head back outside and see what the Sniflheimers can tell us about this Fever.
Erik: It turns people into... gold...?
This Fever... Could it...? Urrrgh...

Snorri has noticed Gold Fever isn't something that's ever come up before. Perhaps it might be time to check some other books.

Oh hey, these two warmed up to her enough to agree Krystalinda's innocent.

You can visit Krystalinda herself- go down the elevator and she's directly opposite. I think this is the only time this cell is ever occupied.

Krystalinda is attached enough to the people of Sniflheim- or at least Frysabel's control over them- that she's willing to lock herself up to keep them happy. If that's not commitment, I don't know what is.

Krystalinda does know something Snorri at this point only suspects. Which is probably evidence Snorri hasn't warmed up to Krystalinda as much as the nameless bodyguards have.

For the record, I think Krystalinda has told Snorri this, and Snorri has just approached his research to draw the conclusion on his own.

Even if Krystalinda was physically capable of trying, whoever's running around causing mayhem is above her pay grade. Not only that, more powerful than she was at her peak. Not that I'm entirely surprised someone passed her ceiling.

Is everyone not paying attention? I assume at least part of my confusion on how disinterested the party seems to be about the circumstances is because of the increased presence of pandemic status the real world has faced since this game launched, but still. I feel like Jade has usually been more sensible than this.

Rab hasn't.

Rab starts explaining through yadda-yadda, and as he does so, an old lady starts to pass us by.

Rab notices first, and decides this is how we are going to get our understanding of Gold Fever.

At your age, I'm sure you probably considered that every other week or so, but the Gold Fever has ramped up that fear.

Also, at some point, she has gotten behind us- she was in the middle of the square earlier, but is now almost in the castle.

The Sniflheimers recognise Erik- and clearly not because we were here in Act 1- she doesn't recognise the rest of us, even if Erik had been among us then.

Always when they're about to say something important.

Not you too, Sylv- actually, I'm not that surprised. I want Erik and Ronnie back.

This particular miasma happens to be Gold Fever in action.

There is now more gold in the world.

At least curse them quickly enough that they don't have time to freeze in place with screams of terror on their face. More horrifying for all involved, but at least it's slightly less tacky.

Erik is having a traumatic response to the sight of a golden statue, which would be bad enough even if he didn't have amnesia about why he hates golden statues so much.

Sylvando immediately going in for the assist.

...Ah dear, he is the group doctor, isn't he?

Fortunately, we have someone a little more qualified to lend a hand- a priest who knows Erik.

At this point, he's suddenly realising he's got a long story to tell.

...You know, people have been locking themselves in their houses, but is that really getting in the way of Gold Fever? If no one's been hit while indoors, I'll gladly follow your lead, though.

Hendrik: To turn people to gold when they least suspect it... Truly, this plague is a vicious one. We know nothing of its origins or of how it spreads, only its name- Gold Fever. Could this be the Lord of Shadows' doing too?
Rab: Gold Fever's even nastier than I thought. It turned that poor auld woman to gold quick as a flash. We have to find a cure, and fast.
But first of all, let's see what that priest has to tell us about Erik's past. Maybe he'll be able to help us work out what's behind the Fever too.
Sylvando: That poor lady turned to gold right in front of our eyes... She must have caught that Fever Rab was telling us about.
One minute she was walking around without a care in the world, and the next she was a shiny statue. Now I see why everybody's shut themselves up inside their homes...
Jade: I've never seen anything like it... That woman turned into a golden statue right in front of our eyes...
It all happened so fast... No wonder everyone around here is living in fear of catching the Fever...
Erik: That priest we met outside the castle said he knew me. Maybe he could help me remember my past...
The church is by the main gate. Can we go and see him?

There's a lovesick couple out here flouting the restrictions to go moon over each other. The story of the past two years....

(By the way, this is when I went to Nautica. Felt it'd be the least disruptive mechanically.)

Anyway, we already did that, back into the church.

Five years? That interests me plenty. Especially since Erik's due a spin-off that's presumably going to happen a little bit earlier than this, although perhaps that's just weird timeline business.

Erik got brought along to Sniflheim with the Vikings. The role the Vikings play in the Sniflheim economy is incredibly confused, and nowhere is that more apparent than in this sentence, where they seem to be both trading partners and raiders in the same breath. The priest thinks worst out of everyone in Sniflheim, as it happens.

Hendrik is surprised to learn this, but not more surprised than Erik himself is.

Remember the whole "slave labour" thing? Erik went through that himself when he was younger. You'd think this sort of thing would make Sniflheim think twice about being as friendly as it is, particularly since they're not exactly trying to hide the replacements.

As for what happened to get Erik out of the Viking's hands, all that is known is that Erik left and the little sister probably "stayed behind forever".

Something about the priest's words have triggered something in Erik's memories.

...Whatever it is, we should walk and talk.

...

...If nothing else, he might need someone to make sure he doesn't get himself lost and confused a second time.

Hendrik: If Erik was raised by Vikings, why did he not follow in their footsteps? Why did he leave their fellowship and become a thief? The Sniflheimian Vikings are known to sail the northern seas, hunting for treasure. Might something untoward have happened on one of their raiding voyages, perhaps?
Rab: We do need to work out what's going on with this disease, but right now, I'm more worried about Erik. The lad was in a bad way back there. Let's go and find him, shall we?

Sylvando: Well, Erik certainly left in rather a hurry. And the way he shouted at that priest- so rude! If you ask me, there's something seriously wrong with that boy...
Jade: Come on Erdward, let's go and find Erik. We can't leave him all alone out there, especially with this Gold Fever going around.
He can't have gone far. I'm sure he'll still be somewhere in the city.

No, this random NPC isn't behind the Fever, although I'm sure there's no real innocent reason for her to say this.

Erik's out here, in the outskirts of Sniflheim.

...Well, so much for being a comforting best friend.

We have guests.

Erik has another traumatic reaction to the new arrivals. The amnesia itself is probably causing at least some of these, although I wonder how Erik felt about that sidequest that had us helping these guys out...

Whatever it is, these guys are a problem now.

The attackers making their approach are monsters... made entirely out of gold.

For some reason, these gilden warriors decide they do not yet possess enough gold, and have come to claim more. Gyldygga happens to be the last Spectral Sentinel not yet accounted for.

...They're here for the Gold Fever victims!

Hendrik: Did you see the ship that drew into the harbour? No doubt you heard the screams that heralded its arrival. It would seem that Sniflheim has some unwelcome visitors. Come, Erdward- let us ready ourselves for battle and hurry to the city gates.
Rab: Don't worry about Erik, laddie- the priest'll take good care of him. Let's away to the harbour.
If the townspeople's screams are anything to go by, the ship that just docked down there isn't a welcome sight.
Sylvando: I've never seen Erik moan and groan like that...
I don't know what's got him so shaken up, but we have to sort it out as quickly as we can. I want the old Erik back!
Jade: ...Do you hear that, Erdward? Monsters, inside the city walls!
We have to protect the townspeople- and there isn't a second to lose!

You can find them terrorising people around in here.

Hendrik makes the reasonable guess that, since the monsters are profiting off the Gold Fever victims, that they have a hand in making them in the first place. Considering they are themselves made of gold... there's not much of a counterargument here.

The conversation quickly turns to blustering at each other.

I think the matters of "not worth stealing" and "gold ones and dead ones" are relevant statements to take note of, although they're not exactly standing out.

Glittering golden warriors who go around grabbing people's valuables, but always fail to find anything they like quite so much as their own twenty-four carat bones.

Gyldenauts are the deadnaut recolours- these golden enemies are new to DQ11, and are designed specifically around Gyldygga. Gyldenauts have the ability to paralyse you, I guess.

Guv'nor of the Gyldenauts, and a great lover of booty. Enjoys draining his enemies' defences so his boys can step in and batter them. 

Oi, only Eight is the Guv! Gyldenbritches is the restless armour recolour, and despite the fact this feels like a name, these guys are regular enemies. In addition to paralysing blows, they can also use the Armour Hammer sword stroke, cast Kasap and Kabuff, and can block your attacks. Gyldenbritches can use the Gyldebonk Pep Power with a Gyldenaut.

Key word: Can.

Unfortunately, the guys we attacked were just a distraction for the rest of these Gyldenauts. And also I don't think anyone in our party is good at projectiles. Erik and Ronnie probably could've lent a hand.

Hendrik orders the pursuit towards their ship, which has unfortunately set sail before we could attempt a boarding.

...When did they get Erik?

Sylv asks the same question, and also asks a second, more important one- Gyldenbritches explicitly said Gylddyga doesn't like humans. What makes Erik different?

Hendrik tells him to snap out of it.

Sylv, awkwardly, has had a bit of an issue with tunnel vision: The Gyldenauts have sailed away to parts unknown, or at least they would have if we weren't locked inside a very tiny segment of the ocean with only two ports, one of which is Sniflheim itself. But no, apparently we need directions.

Hendrik: Forgive me, Erdward. I was so preoccupied with defeating those fiends that I failed to notice their accomplices absconding with Erik. Rest assured that I shall not fall for such a feint again. We will find Erik, save him, and make those monsters pay for their crimes!
Rab: Don't fret, laddie. We'll get Erik back. Maybe the priest who was taking care of him will know where those monsters are headed.
Sylvando: I don't believe it... Those rattling rotters have abducted our Erik! Maybe that priest will know where they've taken him. The last time we saw him, he was up on that lookout to the west of that city. So what are we waiting for, honey? Westward ho!
Jade: Now isn't the time to be standing around chatting! We have to find out where those monsters have taken Erik!

No matter. I'm sure the priest has other information.

Apparently they just sent some Gyldenauts this way and, well...

Well, it still raises the question of why Erik is so interesting at all.

The priest was lucky to be alive, or at least, it probably felt that way to the people. I feel like the Gyldenauts, while actively hostile to humans, don't really put much effort into killing them. After all, they can always be struck with the Fever later.

Speaking of, they've gone and looted all the Fever victims for their own ends.

Oh, that could've beared mentioning. Not only was Erik a kidnapping victim worth making, but the Gyldenauts that came in this direction- and possibly the whole boat- were explicitly after Erik as priority one.

The Gyldenauts arrived on a Viking ship, although we have no real room to judge their manner of speaking unless you're really good on the text accents.

The Sniflheimers suspect that the Gyldenauts are, somehow, the Vikings. Presumably, Gyldygga handled the makeover.

Also noted by the fact is is labelled "Viking Hideout" on our map.

Hendrik: Those monsters have stolen every last scrap of treasure from the people of Sniflheim. And that is but the least of it... Stealing the bodies of those affected by Gold Fever is truly unforgivable. On my honour as a knight of Heliodor, I cannot allow this crime to go unpunished!
Rab: So Erik used to work for the Vikings here, alongside his wee sister... And now a gang of golden horrors have grabbed him and taken him away...
I cannae help thinking there might be some connection between the two things.
Sylvando: If those monsters are actually Vikings in disguise, maybe they took Erik back to their super secret hideout!
It's in a cave just around the cape from Sniflheim harbour. Everyone knows that, right? Come on darling- we've got a blue-haired boy to save!
Jade: Those golden monsters have a lot to answer for. They've stolen the Sniflheimers' possessions, the bodies of the people who were struck down by Gold Fever, and now they've taken Erik.
It seems they're working for someone- or something- called Gyldygga. But I still don't understand what the point of it all is...

Seriously, it was either they went here or they went through the golden glacier.

...OK, fair play, that's not an unreasonable guess, but still.

This thing still heals, but now it's more relevant that it does so!

In here, we can find another Gyldenbritches playing the role of sub-commander to Gyldygga, leading whatever equivalent of a round of drinking he can with the skeletal Gyldenauts.

...The plot thickens on this one.

Don't ask stupid questions.

...I think this is five on five. It's a little difficult to tell gold piles from Gyldenaut.

Guilty as charged. I guess they know we're back now.

Again, really wishing one of us could throw projectiles.

I'm being hunted by monsters wherever I go. Trust me, I'd much rather be the Great Sylvando than the Luminary.

You think you can pull that off? Don't make me laugh.

This line, here, really draws attention to the fact that Mordegon hasn't been refilling the seats of the Spectral Sentinels as we've been taking them out. To be fair, we are also reclaiming the Orbs and those things were responsible for some of the Sentinels' power, but still.

I think Gyldenbritches is capable of getting such a promotion, but I'm not sure Mordegon would want two gold-obsessed Sentinels. Then again, we've already taken out three of the Sentinels, I'm not sure he can be that picky.

I notice that's "For Gyldenbritches" and not "For Gyldygga".

(Anyway, these guys are Material family. The Gyldenbritches is ~490 HP, Gyldenauts ~284).

Rab fired off a Dirge of Dundrasil to make this fight go that much smoother.

...OK, I kinda like this sleeping pose.

Jade swings Party Pooper over to one side. The formation means the Gyldenauts on either side are separate Groups and killing the Britches won't change that.

Rab goes for the Pearly Gates. This is less inspired when you remember the Gyldenauts aren't Undead, but it's still AoE damage.

Hendrik focuses on the Gyldenbritches.

And it's not long until Erik's out of the cell.

Jade reckons the plan is to head back to Sniflheim to reassure the priest. At this point, though, I'm not sure what exactly we're going to do back there- either we push further and win, making any further plans redundant, or we lose, and at least come back with something to be worried about.

Clearly, something happened to shake Erik while under the Gyldenauts' control. I'm not entirely certain Erik is any better informed as to what that might've been.

Erik has someplace to be here.

And we should probably find out where.

Hendrik: We know not what wicked scheme this Gyldygga creature had in mind when it commanded its forces to steal the bodies of the Fever victims. Let us proceed with the utmost caution.
Rab: Did ye hear that, laddie? Erik was muttering something about his past as he walked away... D'ye think being back in the auld hideout might have brought back a memory or two...?
Sylvando: What's got Erik's goat? He could at least have acted like he was pleased to see us... Instead, it was almost as if he didn't see us at all. Let's get after him, honey. He should still be somewhere near the Vikings' hideout.
Jade: Thank goodness we were able to save Erik from those awful monsters. He was acting very strangely, though, wasn't he...?
Did those fiends do something to him, do you think?

Brutal, bloodthirsty bears with cruel, cold-hearted dispositions, and two sets of razor-sharp claws that can slice any foe to ribbons.

Ursa majors appeared only in DQs 3 and the remake of 7, and here, they're only good at critting. Which isn't a terrible place to be, all things considered.

At any rate, this seemed the place to cut the Sniflheim Act 2 story. As funny a note as bumping into one enemy is.

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