Lia's BK tweets archive - 2020-12-18: Constellations, animals, Quzman, secret recipes

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:22 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

I’m now in the last stretch of the game, which means wrapping up the lengthy side-quests that have kept us busy the entire time.
Starting with the Star Map, which is only short one piece once you finish the character quests.

Keeper of the Star Map: “Let’s see... You’ve brought me 49 fragments so far.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “We need 1 more fragments [sic] to restore the entire Star Map.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:24 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We’re kind of running out of places to look, though. Let’s ask the Keeper if he has any information about the last fragment’s whereabouts... which makes him start philosophizing.
Also featuring an unusually polite Kalas.

Keeper of the Star Map: “Only one more fragment left... The map is close to completion...”

Kalas: “Excuse me, sir. Do you have any info on the last piece?”

Keeper of the Star Map: “Let me see... information... It’s not that there isn’t any...”

Keeper of the Star Map: “... I supposed you really want to finish restoring the Star Map, don’t you?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:27 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

I kind of like this, TBH. There’s something terrifying about putting the finishing touch to a giant project that is deeply significant to you.
Or finishing a game you’ve enjoyed a lot!

Keeper of the Star Map: “Now that it’s almost over, I have many doubts...”

Kalas: “Thanks to your enthusiasm and knowledge, we’ve almost completely restored it!”

Kalas: “Are you just gonna throw all that effort away?”

Keeper of the Star Map: “... Well, perhaps you’re right.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:33 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

You guessed it, the Keeper had the last fragment all along.
It’s Cetus, the Whale. Which contains a few stars with familiar names: Mira, and Zeta Ceti also known as... Baten Kaitos.

Keeper of the Star Map: “Very well, then. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll hand it over to you.”

Textbox: “You’ve obtained a Magnus: Cetus”

Kalas: “Th... this is the last fragment? Why have you been hiding it all this time?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:35 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Wrapping up the Keeper’s mini-arc.
This would work a bit better if the doubt was hinted at earlier, or if this didn’t come so soon after handing in fragment 49.

Keeper of the Star Map: “I just couldn’t being myself to complete the Star Map... I’m terribly sorry for my behavior.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “Yet, your words dispelled all my doubts and allowed me to make up my mind.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “We have no right to pretend the Star Map never existed. Not again... never again. My apologies.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:39 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

I’m pretty sure “Shimmering light, come forth” is one of Xelha’s finishers openings? Hmm.

Keeper of the Star Map: “Let us restore the final constellation...”

Keeper of the Star Map: “Shimmering light come forth! Let the Star Map shine once again in its brilliant glory!”

Textbox: “Constellation restored: Cetus”

The complete Star Map, now with a blue background and rotating.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:41 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We then get a bit of background on the maker of the Star Map.
Since it’s said to have been made 50 years ago, I wonder if BKO does anything  with it!
(This is not asking for answers, I’ll find out soon enough)

Keeper of the Star Map: “Fifty years ago, this Star Map was created by a lone Magnus architect.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “The Magnus engineer achieved great fame, and even celebrity status through his creation...”

Keeper of the Star Map: “However, his fame eventually became nothing more than a heavy weight that bore down upon him.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “No matter what new works he created, they could never surpass his masterpiece.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:44 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

*thousand-yard craftsperson stare*
No, definitely not a relatable existential anguish there, not one bit

Keeper of the Star Map: “His despair eventually drove him to shatter the Star Map.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “He broke the Map into pieces so that it could never be made whole again.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “But as time passed and he grew old, I am sure that he came to regret his destructive acts.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “He no longer had a legacy... Nothing at all...”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:47 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Our final reward, fittingly, is The Fool major arcana. It’s another unusable gimmick card that changes every third second and fills up 22 slots in the Magnus Gathering by itself.

Keeper of the Star Map: “The Star Map has finally been restored to its original glory. He would have been pleased.”

Keeper of the Star Map: “Please take this. It is the very last Magnus the engineer created.”

Textbox: “You’ve obtained a Magnus: The Fool”

Gathering screen, showing 22 major arcana Magnus.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 01:49 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Like a lot of major arcana, the typical interpretation isn’t the obvious one, but a fluffier one. The Fool is indeed about foolishness and a lack of care, but also about new beginnings, innocence, the potential that comes with being unburdened.
It’s a fitting reward.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 02:09 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Next: zoo turn-in, then the last members of Quzman’s family. One of them’s been standing under a waterfall in Sadal Suud since the very start of the game and must be getting wrinkly.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:42 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Off to Wazn to deliver the last animal! But first, let’s check on the Ice Sculptor / Terrible Father who asked Xelha if he could make her a queenly statue. Indeed he has, and... oh no.
Well, guess we’re coming back in a while. Unsure about the time criteria, it’s not just a rest.

Inspection text: “This sculpture of Queen Xelha combines the pureness of a young girl with the dignity of a queen.”

Sculptor: “I thought to myself that it was a masterpiece, so I displayed it at the entrance.”

Kalas: “Hmm, it does look pretty good. He’s not all talk, after all. He actually has some skill.”

Sculptor: “Would you like me to make one of you, too... if that’s okay?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:44 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We turn in the last animal (I’d previously delivered everything except the Olifant), and get Xelha’s last equipment. The room is now a mess.
Each character gets a “protects from everything, causes confusion” and “protects from nothing, has super-high stats” item, except Mizuti.

Court Lady: “I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please accept this small gift of gratitude.”

Textbox: “You’ve obtained a Magnus: Pegasus Anklet”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:46 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Ma’am that’s not how biology works.
You’re also going to need separate enclosures because that Bunnycat is probably eyeing some of those birds, to start with. And better accommodations. Someone call animal welfare.

Court Lady: “Thanks to you, plenty of animals are thriving in this nation where there were once none.”

Court Lady: “If we breed these dear animals, this nation will become full of wildlife. I can’t wait!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:49 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

As mentioned the room is now an EXTREMELY LOUD mess filled with intelligent dialog.
We’re done here, that’s the second ongoing quest in the bag.

Caplin (black): “Baaaaaaaaaa.” It’s a black winged sheep, standing on a bed.

Bunnycat: “Meow! Meow! Puuurrrr.” It’s a green cat-like animal with long ears, sitting on the floor.

Kalas, facing a hovering bird: “...This one is silent.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:51 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

On my way to the last (ish) family member, I pick a few fights to finally do the Secret Recipes combo and gets ABSURDLY lucky on second try.

Combat turn result screen, showing all 9 secret recipes combining into the 10th.

SP Combos collection screen, complete with 141/141, focused on Secret Recipe 10. “Attack: 100% chance of Sleep. Description: Supposed I got a little off track with those “recipes”, but I’m sure you got somethin’ out of ‘em, right? What? A splitting headache? Blah!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:53 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Absurdly lucky, because:
- You need to chain all 9 of them in numerical order.
- You only get 7 cards in-hand.
- So you need to accumulate 7 in there, with 1 and hopefully mostly early numbers.
- And pray that the last two show up while you’re running through the combo.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 05:54 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Last time I did this it took literally hours of trying, but this went smoothly. HURRAY.
Anyhow, now we can make Mister Waterfall Training sign the Family Tree ‘cause we found his wife in the desert. “They don’t talk much”, apparently.

Man with a Bracelet, standing under a waterfall: “Indeed. I am Asakir. What? You met my wife Zuhr? S... sorry for shouting there.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:20 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Guess we weren’t done with the fat jokes.
Anyhow, the douchy gym rat signs for his mother and that’s the family tree complete!

Asakir: “My mother died of overeating at a very young age. That’s why I’m worried about my brother, Nubata.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:24 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We’ve found everyone! Quzman can now go rot in hell like the misogynist he is, because those last two sentences are pretty contradictory.

Quzman: “Jumpin’ jellybeans!! You’ve found all my family members! What a pleasure for me to see everyone [cont]”

Quzman, as celestial light appears above him: “Watching their faces made me sleepy. I think it’s time to rest...”

Quzman: “I’m very satisfied. I’ve been a bad man to women... But I’ve lived a good life.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:29 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

He starts disappearing... then remembers that his brother went off somewhere and he’s like to see him too.
The Delinquency Stone, you say?

Quzman, as an exclamation mark appears where his body was: “Oh, no!”

Quzman, having reappeared: “Sorry! There’s another! I didn’t cal my brother, Rabbih. Hand me the Family Tree.”

Quzman: “Rabbih left in search of the Delinquency Stone twenty years ago. I haven’t seen him since then!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:44 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

So we hoof it back to Zosma Tower, grab another one of the unexplainably precious green crystal, and clamber back up to the first-to-last floor.

Textbox: “Magna Essence of Delinquency Stone has been extracted into a Blank Magnus!”

Old Man with a Bracelet: “How rare. A visitor... *cough* *cough* What made you come here?”

Old Man with a Bracelet: “Indeed. My name’s Rabbih. You came here on behalf of Quzman?”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:46 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

SOMEONE has already solved the entire tower, you just need to get on the elevators. Come on.
What is it with this family and the dying wish dramatics?

Old Man with a Bracelet: “Somewhere within this tower lies the Delinquency Stone. That stone is my heart’s desire.”

Old Man with a Bracelet: “But with tower, with its blocks to push and climb, is too strenuous for an old man like me to deal with.”

Old Man with a Bracelet: “If you can bring me the stone, and show it to me before I die, then I’ll go see Quzman.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:49 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We hand off the item, he signs the family tree... “Passed away”? What do you mean passed away?

Old Man with a Bracelet: “Could it be?! This is indeed the Delinquency Stone! To finally see it with my own eyes after all these [cont]”

Old Man with a Bracelet: “[cont] years... Thank you.”

Family Tree, focused on “Rabbih (passed away at age 99, male): An eccentric old man who hated people and loved stones. Passed away happily... hopefully.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 06:50 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

He’s sorry to break a promise, but he’s just done. Another beam of celestial light claims him, and we’re done.

Rabbih: “Tell Quzman that I’ll be waiting for him in heaven!”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 07:02 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We go back to the house and find everyone tossing glittering confetti of some sort.
Plus Zuhr making an assessment that I’ll read as “he’s a jerk anyway”.

Quzman’s family gathered around his deathbed, throwing glowing blue things.

Zuhr: “He’s almost gone, but I don’t feel that sad. Maybe it’s his personality that makes me feel this way.”

Lia @liareplaysbk · 07:04 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

We get the last equip item as a reward, and bye Quzman. Quest DONE.

Quzman: “I see. Rabbih is gone. Though he’s my brother, I didn’t understand him at all.”

Quzman: “Well... I can die happy now. As I promised, I’ll give you the Platinum Earrings.”

Quzman being carried off by a bunch of tiny cherubs.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 07:06 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

The entire family then forms a circle for a dance. Except the nerds sitting on the side, and the fat people because HAHAHA OF COURSE THEY CAN’T DANCE. For fuck’s sake.
The double-married man also brags about successfully deceiving his wives into thinking they’re the only one.

Most of the family in a circle, dancing.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 07:07 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

Overall this quest would be much improved by Quzman not being so proud of being an ass to his ex-wives, Sabin getting yeeted out the window by his deceived wives, and just NOT on all the fat jokes.
But hey, we’re done, no more of that.

Lia @liareplaysbk · 07:08 PM · Dec 18, 2020 Permalink

That’s all the sidequests!
Next time, which might be later today or not, I’ll go open Cor Hydrae and start the last dungeon.
Probably another two days of idle before the shampoo turns, but... might finish this week-end, and otherwise on Monday.