Beyond the Beyond: Update 82: Pyramid Power (Tablet Shrines)

[ladyabaxa]

Beyond the Beyond: Update 82: Pyramid Power (Tablet Shrines)

There's no sign of Shutat anywhere. He, his crew, and his battleship have all apparently gone invisible and wandered off to some distant corner of the world. In light of that strange reality the team has little choice but to figure out what the deal is with those tablets they've been collecting.

First though there is the little matter of Lorele's starting stats. She joins at level 19 which means she isn't quite able to go straight to a class up. Grinding her up to level 20 is high on the priority list but won't happen in this update. Her stats aren't all that impressive but her attack power isn't too bad. Unfortunately her defense isn't high enough for me to consider putting her into the front row so her attack power will be inherently nerfed.

The most concerning thing is her low Speed. She's the slowest member of the party by a good margin. Finn has 28, Annie has 39 (!), Samson has 29, and Domino has 24 Speed. I suppose a valid strategy would be saving Defense and Speed boosts for Lorele in hopes of making her a decent frontliner. As is I have no plans on altering the team's formation. Lorele will just have to make do with the attack penalty from sitting in the back row.

As befitting a monk Lorele has a mix of offensive and defensive magic. Two levels of Heal make for decent patch healing and she can cure poison. Sleep is a bit useless - Lorele's too slow to be effective with it plus we're getting well into the late game where enemy resistances are more serious - but being able to raise defense power with the Defense spell could be useful. We've been the target of many Wind spells and it is unfortunately less useful for us because of the way groups are built but Lorele might get some mileage out of it.

The team's got a lot of traveling to do so here's a look at the part of the world map that concerns them. I've placed X's on every location related to the quest for this part of the game. Two we've already dealt with and one doesn't come into real play until later.

The journey begins just outside of Bandore where Steiner waits impatiently for something interesting to happen.

So what's the plan?
There are a number of small islands scattered around. Nobody lives on them to my knowledge. Couldn't hurt to check.
How many are we talking about?
Not many. Feeling up to it, kid?
We have nothing better to do.
All right! I've been waiting for a chance to put these wings to use.
How are we going to find these islands? It's a big ocean out there.
I know the general direction we must go. I trust Steiner's sharp eyes to do the rest.
Damn right! Nothing gets past me.
So how many monsters have slipped past you since you grew up?
They don't 'slip past me.' They take one look at me and scurry off lest I eat them.
I have a hard time picturing you eating any monster no matter how hungry you are.

The team saddles up and heads out only to run headlong into something I haven't mentioned: invisible walls! I would say these are rarely and easy to avoid but that would be a lie. Every continent, sadly, has them, and they are completely invisible (as already suggested) so there's no way to tell where they are without flying right into them. Screenshots don't really convey their presence well (again, nothing there to see). They're used to wall off parts of the world map so Steiner can't reach them.There's no warning they exist either. The player just has to sort of bumble into them.

Why yes we did go through a bunch of trouble classing up just so Steiner could grow up... and then find out that he can't fly the party to any of the interesting places the team's been hearing about on their journey. That's why we're going to spend this update going to places we could already reach by boat. As a small compensation there are no random encounters while flying.

Finding the exact borders of the invisible barrier takes some poking around.

I'm sorry, Finn. I can't climb any higher. The air up here is just too thin.
It's okay. You did your best.
So much for flying to Zeal.
We'll just have to find another way.
That doesn't bode well. If we can't find any way in how can anyone still alive in there get out?
I'm hoping Zeal's fine and we find out Shutat just blocked the tunnel to cover his tracks.
Finn is ever the optimist.
With everything that's happened lately someone has to hope it doesn't get worse.

The forests around Barbaros continue to provide no opening for Steiner to land even if he wanted to.

I see it now. Wow! Shutat's bunch really did a number on the place.
It looks worse from the ground.
There's a big hole in the outer wall! What caused that?
I don't think Finn wants to know.
You're right. I don't.
There was a big explosion and the ground shook. I didn't see it but the sound... it was unlike anything I've ever felt.
I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that whatever they did they didn't use it earlier. That would have been a nasty surprise for Zalagoon.

All around Barbaros is pristine wilderness as far as the eye can see.

Is any of this part of Barbaros, Lorele?
Sort of. Father always had a tough time with people this far out. Not too keen on listening to authority, you see.
So they didn't think of themselves as part of the kingdom. I wonder if they're still out here, clueless as to what's happened.
Word has already spread to Marion so my guess is that they've heard. Whether or not they care is another matter entirely.
You say that as if they might be happy to see your father dead.
I don't really want to think about it but Father had his share of enemies. All kings do I suppose. He never let it bother him though so it couldn't have been too serious.

To the south is a network of rivers that can be traversed by ship but don't lead anywhere but wilderness. The rivers are elegantly horizontal as they snake around in their grid. It is a little jarring given how much other elements of world topography at least try to have natural-looking curves and indentations. It's a shame that this is all eye candy with nothing to actually do except fight random monsters.

From there though they start flying south.

How far are we talking about?
Just keep flying, Steiner. I've sailed this route before.

With the right starting point it doesn't take long to find this little island tucked away in a distant corner of the world map. It is small and looks unremarkable but there's a building of some sort.

There we go. That's it.
What is it?
I don't know. The entrance was locked the last time I was here.
You couldn't have told us that before we flew all the way out here?
*chuckles* Just wait. I think you'll find it interesting.

Once they get closer the team finds an odd little pyramid on top of a stone platform tucked inside of tree-covered hills.

Hmm... unusual.
That doesn't look locked to me.
You sound like you were expecting this, Domino.
I had a hunch something might have changed. That seems to be how these things work.
Are these torches magical? It doesn't look like there's anyone around here to light them.
As far as I know no one lives on this island.
It looks almost new. How long has this been here?
That eye up there reminds me of Simone.
Eyes everywhere! I wonder why. Do they actually see anything?
Let's hope not.

Downstairs is a nice red carpet that leads to what appears to be an empty altar. Nothing happens when the team walks up the stairs though. It's just a red herring.

There is something valuable hidden in the left/west torch. Finn fishes out a Magic Staff. No one in the party can equip it since both of our mages are elsewhere.

Finn! Why in the world would you stick your hand in a fire?
There was something interesting in it!
*sighs* Let me see your hand.

The only other thing of note is a torch on the right/east wide that blocks an open passage.

Ugh, no. This won't budge.
I wish Edward were here. This is probably magical.
I don't get it. Why bother building this?
There must be some test or trick we're just not seeing.
It is very peaceful here. I like it.

Back on the overworld the party takes a look at the World Map. I've marked the location of the island they are on since it is difficult to see to begin with. Obviously we'll have to return to this shrine later.

Rather than fly across the map, which would require maneuvering around those huge mountain ranges on Aridia that Steiner can't traverse, I instead warp back to Bandore. Technically there are closer locations like Luna or Discipline Town but in the time it would take to move a character to either site the team could just fly the distance. Again, we don't have random encounters while flying so the time difference means little.

There are four little islands in the center of the interior sea. We could have visited these earlier when sailing around but since the team couldn't complete the tablet quest yet I decided to wait. Visiting would have meant more sea encounters and the team was getting plenty beat up as it was.

Another shrine?
That wasn't here before.
So a shrine has spontaneously appeared?
Hidden by magic most likely.
What makes you think that?
These old places seem to be brimming with magic.
...old?
Whatever. Let's land and see what it is.

What they find is a stone platform, much like that distant shrine, upon which rests a small pyramid. This shrine has an occupant to talk to though.

Good day to you travelers. What brings you to this sanctuary?
We want to know what the deal is with those big stone tablets scattered around.
Have you heard the legend of the Flying Palace?
Not really.
Then I shall tell you. Long ago, Arawn and his four followers headed to Quamdar in the Flying Palace and made a deal with the Vicious Ones.
A deal?
We've heard about this, Finn. That's the agreement where we stay on our half of the world and they stay on their half of the world.
So this shrine was built by Arawn? That would explain why it's appeared now.
To obtain the legendary Flying Palace, you must collect all of the Ancient Tablets and place them in each of the four shrines.
The Flying Palace, eh. Here's hoping it can fly high enough to cross those high mountains.
Arawn does seem to love being way up high.

Hidden in a torch is an item so cursed the game doesn't even try to hide it. The Cursed Scarf is like picking up money, if said money occupied an inventory slot and had to be liquidated at a shop that probably doesn't actually want it.

Searching the indentation at the base of the pyramid reveals that something is missing - something, oh, tablet shaped.

Arawn could have just told us what the tablets are for. It would have saved a lot of time.
Yeah but then he'd be "getting involved" and you know he doesn't want to do that.
So why did he talk to us from the sky while we were on the volcano?
I just like to keep tabs on you kids.
Eep!
Are you watching everything we do?
Not everything. I just check on you now and then to make sure you're still going in the right direction.

In game the four islands are laid out in an equidistant cross unlike how they appear on the manual map. That's good. It means the team can just fly straight south to reach another island. In the middle is this curious ring of ship-barring shoals marking what is doubtless some plot-important spot.

The southern shrine sits on a flat green plain with some small trees for company.

Greetings, travelers. What brings you here?
You mean besides paranoia from Arawn watching our every move?
You have nothing to worry about.
You're not helping right now!
*hearty laughter* Never change, Finn.
So you serve Arawn? Ahh, then you seek the tablets.
And what is your role in all of this?
To protect the world, Arawn put the palace in the sea and placed guards at each shrine. It is my task to protect this place and ward off any interference.
Now ask the nice man where the tablets are. I'm sure he knows.
Okay. Where are the tablets?
Three of the tablets are in Barbaros, Bandore, and Pity. Arawn took the remaining tablet.
So why was Zalagoon left out?
It didn't exist yet. _{Brelin was being a lazy git.}
What was that? I didn't quite hear you.
Don't worry about it. Way before your time.

Once again there is a piece of cursed equipment hidden in a torch. This Evil Scale will not be sitting in Finn's inventory for long on account of being rather icky.

Flying north to the ring and turning east the team finds a stone structure in the middle of a desert. Why yes the island it's on is indeed green and lush from the overworld.

Greetings. What brings you here?
We were sort of in the area checking out the shrines. Might as well visit all of them.
I hope those other tablets won't be hard to find.
You're searching for them?
Arawn gave us one. Another one was a wall decoration in Barbaros.
I guess we should be thankful the king of Barbaros died to protect it.
I had no idea it was so valuable.
When you find all four tablets return. Place the four Ancient Tablets in all of the shrines. When the holy light forms, the pyramid shall rise.
We have heard of this Flying Palace. It will be an honor to see it in action.
How are we going to fly it, anyway? Does it come with instructions?
Getting the tablets is only the first challenge. Use of the Flying Palace shall be given to those who are strong, brave, and intelligent.
So a bunch of tests? Lovely...
Hasn't everything about Arawn been a bunch of tests?
Why yes it has. Good observation there, Finn.
Gah! Why do you keep doing that?
Well you're standing in a shrine I designed, planning to raise a machine I submerged, for a task I pointed out you should undertake. Is that enough?
*grumbles something incomprehensible*
*chuckles*
Are you going to be talking to us if we get this pyramid thing in the air?
I just might.

The last of the four shrines is another flat, grass covered plain.

Hi there.
Good day to you. What brings you here?
Yours is the last shrine we have to visit.
Ahh, so you are Arawn's chosen. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. We guard all of the shrines to protect the road to Quamdar, but I doubt if anyone can gather all of the Ancient Tablets.
We've already got two. Is there something we should know?
Pity's crawling with monsters. I doubt it'll be easy to get the tablet there.
Why Pity? Why was it not stored in Marion Castle?
Shutat would have it now if it were.
He stole all the treasures in the castle, the bastard!
Still bitter about that, kid?
Damn right I am! I worked hard for that treasure and he just walks off with it.
Pity wasn't an island yet when the tablet was hidden there. Marion hadn't become the kingdom it is now.
We'll get the tablet no matter where it is.
Such brave words.
After everything we've been through an island with some monsters doesn't really bother me. We'll just deal with whatever it throws at us.
Pity has lain undisturbed since its separation from the mainland. Few remember the tablet hidden there. As time has passed, their importance has been forgotten.
Is that perhaps to our benefit? What did Shutat do with the tablet in Bandore?
I don't know. It never came up.

Hidden in a torch is a Fire Ring. The desert-themed shrine had no treasure - because it wasn't enough of an outlier and just had to go whole hog. At least the Fire Ring makes sense as being stuck in a burning flame.

With all the shrines visited the team wonders what to do next. I opt to warp to Mistrall because there's cursed gear to offload and there's stuff to buy. They're not quite ready to head to Pity. Although they could get the tablet inside there are a couple of loose ends to tie up first.

In Mistrall the Cursed Scarf and Evil Scale are both sold. While the Cursed Scarf is only worth 667 gold the Evil Scale is worth an impressive 9,000.

You really want to buy this? Even with that horrible demon face on the front?
Sure thing. We can study the enchantments on it. How about it? You interested in selling?
Yes. Take it.
A pleasure doing business with you, human.

The Seraphic Robe is a small defense upgrade for Annie taking her defense from 48 to 50. It only costs 1,600 gold and as a front liner as well as the team's cleric her defense power is rather vital to the party's survival. I opt not to buy a Rune Axe for Samson even though it would raise his attack power from 118 to 132 because the +Speed effect of the Tempest Axe is more useful than the attack power boost. (Attack power has diminishing returns but Speed is always helpful.)

Next time on Beyond the Beyond - Lorele's not yet level 20. I suppose we should do something about that.

Update Eighty-one | Index | Update Eighty-three