#let alone TEMENOS

[viridiave]

Spoiler-heavy thoughts about Crick and how the Game Mechanics treat Temenos’s story

So. yeah if you press ‘Keep Reading’ I should probably let you guys know that these thoughts are just a tiny bit unhinged. And again - spoiler alert! You’ve been warned!!

GAME MECHANICS AND UI

- Gonna preface THIS section by asserting that yes, not EVERY mechanic needs to be taken apart under a microscope and re-contextualized into the greater lore of the game. Not EVERYTHING has to mean something to everybody. Some of my classes in game design disagree though and honestly for the genre that Octopath Traveler is, that being a story-heavy role-playing game where the narrative is half the game, I'd say that integrating lore into the mechanics and vice-versa wouldn't hurt - in fact it ENHANCES the experience. The second game does this pretty handily through the EX Skills (the first of the skills being Divine Blessings, and the second being earned at the end of the story.) and the Latent Powers.

Okay the Latent Powers? Honestly that part's mostly for Hikari. Shadow's Hold/Light's Radiance is STILL one of the best examples of Gameplay and Story Integration that this game has

No I swear I don't have a bias for 'other selves'/'deep parts of yourself made manifest' what are you talking about -

I swear I can write an entire separate post JUST about the EX Skills. Mostly for Osvald, Castti, and mOTHERFUCKING TEMENOS AGAIN

aND THIS IS WHY I GO FUCKING BONKERS WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE DEMO VERSION OF THE GAME LIKE WHAT THE FU-

- Literally the fucking emblem for Temenos's story is a staff and a sword over the Sacred Flame like - they REALLY want you to know how important Crick is to this tale

- tHE FACT THAT CRICK IS THE ONE WHO HAS COVER. NOT EVEN HIKARI OR THE WARRIOR CLASS. IT'S CRICK - DOES THIS COUNT AS FORESHADOWING???

I'll like - write here what I should have written in the bath - and that's me being like 'oh it's because he's recklessly protective. OH SHIT IT'S BECAUSE HE'S RECKLESSLY PROTECTIVE'

I fully acknowledge that it doesn't have to be that deep. MAYBE I'm pulling stuff out of my ass. But allow me to go bonkers over Crick and his for-some-reason-worryingly-appropriate moveset

Man I wonder how bonkers I'd go over Malaya if she was allowed to throw hands. I want her to complement Castti's moveset so bad

- Also the fact that both of their kits complement each other. Crick's bulkier build was made specifically with supporting Temenos in mind.

My guy's Sacred Sword reduces the enemy's elemental defense. Wonder if that implies that the Sanctum Knights normally work with magic and/or magicians

aGAIN HE HAS FUCKING COVER which is PERFECT because early-game Temenos can and will faint if a monster blinks at him too hard

Then there's his OTHER skill Godsblade's Shield which RAISES his physical defense to SO HE CAN COVER FOR TEMENOS BETTER LIKE. AT SOME POINT I SHOULD JUST ASK WHY THEY TRIED SO HARD FOR HIM SPECIFICALLY

And I mean. It makes SENSE but I don't think any of the other helper characters really had this level of chemistry in their mechanics as these two do

Emerald and Gus both have healing moves for better survivability considering how squishy Osvald and Agnea are

And it makes sense, Temenos already has access to a healing move because he's a cleric

The thing that separates Crick from them is that neither Emerald nor Gus really have moves to further support their leads on the level that Crick does. Emerald is fast and he breaks well and Gus is clearly meant to be the DPS of Agnea's Chapter 1, but again - Crick has moves tailor-made for Temenos to go off and do his thing

You lose Pirro and Scaracci/ Rai Mei and Ritsu after the intro and none of them really complement the Throné and Hikari and vice versa as much as Crick and Temenos do with each other

The difference with them too is that they have established relationships with their lead characters prior to the story, sometimes even encountered as antagonistic forces

Pirro, Rai Mei, and Ritsu are all bosses that were once considered close comrades of Throné and Hikari

Scaracci displays mutinous traits throughout Throne's Chapter 1

Emerald subverts this by acting mutinous - which, his conflict with Osvald amounted more to a sacrifice of goodwill

He knows Osvald and how he acts even prior to the beginning of Chapter 1, so he's in this category of having an established relationship

Gus averts this completely by just being a genuinely supportive part of Agnea's life

Mechanically, you never have anything to do with these characters again past Chapter 1 - save for Rai Mei and Ritsu being bosses. Hikari's companions also play an integral narrative role in his final chapter, with Ritsu being encountered as a boss again for the final time

Crick is a subversion of all of them in that he doesn't have any direct relationship with Temenos prior to Chapter 1, and though we never use him as a helper character ever again he consistently shows up as an integral part of Temenos's story up until his death in Chapter 3: Stormhail

Weirdly Crick is also the only one out of all of them where the use of Path Actions is required more than once - Osvald has to Scrutinize Emerald at one point

AND GODDAMNIT OF COURSE THE FIRST AND LAST TANGIBLE INTERACTION WE HAVE WITH CRICK IS TO FUCKING GUIDE HIM I'M SO MAD ABOUT THIS BOOKEND IT'S SO MEAN AKSJKAS

And this in itself makes complete sense given that he has larger roles to play outside of Chapter 1 - just not in the same vein as Ritsu or Rai Mei, but the fact is that Temenos's story is VERY good at establishing and building up chemistry between its characters

bUT FOR MECHANICS WE NEVER HAVE TO USE AGAIN AFTER CHAPTER 1?? THEY WENT SO HARD AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY

- It's not as big of a deal as it looks but I also find it funny just how much fun the devs seemed to have with Crick's introduction and entry into the party - using the Path Action to fucking TROLL with him.

- ON THAT NOTE, LET ME FREAK OUT OVER GUIDE AS A PATH ACTION A LITTLE MORE

I saw a post on Reddit earlier about the 'summoning townspeople' Path Actions and it kind of shook my world a little, so I'll just put my response to it here

For a guy who makes it a point to tell people not to follow anything blindly it's INCREDIBLY hilarious to me that Temenos's Path Action is getting people to follow him blindly.

MECHANICALLY, it's because he's the designated cleric. Temenos has Guide, because Ophilia has Guide. But thematically it's interesting to think about just how antithetical it is to his central creed of doubting, and how this specifically applies to Crick.

I did go back and check and yeah - Crick's one of three individual people I was able to find over the course of the stories that has a required Path Action used on them more than once.

Malaya is one other example with Inquire, and she even one-ups him with one use of Soothe. And I'll get to HER when I get to Castti's essay - I mean infodump - because it's like. Somehow even MORE heartbreaking than this instance of Guide

While I'm here I'll also mention Roque, who also has two instances of a Path Action used on him, namely Purchase and Hire in Partitio's Chapter 5

But back to the dramatic aspect of it it's like. I really want to shake the devs because it's so mean of them to have Temenos's relationship with him begin by guiding him towards not only the cathedral but to a healthier way of thinking, and to end with Crick's fucking GHOST leading Temenos to the crucial truth that he's lost so many people to find, including Crick himself

- I won't scrutinize everything about the cleric class itself but I WILL talk about the EX Skills, because to me it's ironic just how mean they are. I'm glad that the irony isn't lost on the fanfic writers like I see you guys use these as fanfic titles - bless you all

First - Prayer for Plenty, the sequel's answer to how absolutely fucking broken Saving Grace was as a passive in the first game. Limiting it to JUST Temenos's natural moveset feels like it should be sending a message honestly - it's a way to prolong the lives of his comrades and he couldn't do that for the ones he held dear in his own story. Can't help but feel like the fact that this is the one he gets from AELFRIC'S SHRINE rubs salt in the wound - no pun intended -

Secondly is Heavenly Shine and it's like. It's a holy nuke filled with divine power that drains Temenos's magic reserves completely. He invokes Aelfric's name when he uses it to and to this day I think the reason it feels cathartic to use is because it feels like a manifestation of Temenos's wrath

Unlike Osvald's own magic kamehamehadouken nuke where he learned it out of a need to protect Elena, Temenos learns this AFTER his story - and maybe it's just my concern speaking but man I really want this to represent his sheer need to go absolutely fucking apeshit like my man is NOT in a good place after his story is done

- This is the part where I go into the tinier, 'definitely stretching this past the realm of MATTERING' details that actually have something to do with the game mechanics

Some of Temenos's class lines are reminiscent of Crick's own. We've drawn the comparison with Temenos's Sweeping Cleave line already and it's adorable

Temenos Sweeping Cleave [insert handshake emoji] Crick Sacred Slash: I'll cleave you in twain!

Reaching even further here. His lines for Lux Congerere and Sacred Effulgence also somewhat invoke Crick's declaration of 'cleaving the shadows from this world', but it's not exact and I'm just indulging

Lux Congerere: Banish the shadows from this world!

Sacred Effulgence: Aelfric, banish the shadows from this world!

I'd also be extremely remiss to NOT mention the recruitment of Ort in postgame and it physically hurts me to summon him because of the way he says 'I will avenge you, Crick!' like DUDE. Oh well at least he's grieving healthily

Sacred Slash brothers let's gooo

There's like. No way that I'll be able to fit all of this in my other thoughts about Crick that are dedicated mostly to his and Temenos's arcs so. It's like not even in a ship sense anymore even if I do think they're fruity as hell

Honestly I'm just glad to get this all out of my system EXCEPT THERE'S MORE, because Temenos's story loves to torture my brain and its themes resonate with me a bit TOO much

#octopath #octopath traveler 2 #temenos mistral #crick wellsley #vir rambles about octopath yet again #this time - FOR WAY LONGER THAN IS NECESSARY #these aren't even like half the overall thoughts i have about crick #let alone TEMENOS #i honestly don't know why it matters to me this much #it's kind of scary lmao #this is why i should talk to people more #shoutout to jae for some of the lines here because there really was no better way of putting it #temenos why are you such a STICK #ot2 spoilers

[riverin-stories]

if temenos’ job is to doubt, and i doubted him, do 2 negatives cancel out?

#riverin art #temenos mistral #octopath traveler 2 #octopath traveler ii #i loved ophilia's vibes in octopath 1 but came in blind with temenos #i recruited him 3rd to last because he was lower in my interest list #what a fool i was #the timeline with me playing his story went something like #ch 1: oh huh this is an oddly brutal murder mystery but let's see where this takes us #ch 2: oh okay. i see the appeal now. also crick my dude my guy why i can't i recruit you #ch 3: guttural wailing #ch 4: we won but at what cost ............. #props to the game for really surprising me with how invested i'd be #also temenos became a full time member of my a team after his chapter 3 #i didn't want to leave him alone at the tavern ..... ;;;;;;

[auncyen]

The visions at the sacred flames had given them some idea that whatever awaited them in the midst of the Sundering Sea was bad news. Temenos connecting the island to scripture about the dark god being locked away only made it more ominous. Still, Partitio would bet they could stop whatever Oboro was planning.

They hadn't expected there to be one last flame, this one vile with Shadow energy. Hadn't expected Oboro to throw himself in, and for Vide, the dark god itself, to burst out, huge and terrifying, a cross between a pod and the upper half of an almost human skeleton. They'd gotten themselves in formation and been doing their best to withstand its vicious attacks while chipping away at it, but then there'd been a burst of dark energy and now--

Now Partitio was in darkness, and he knew from the way his bones were aching it wasn't a natural darkness. Worse than the darkness that had blanketed the world, this felt like it wanted to leech his soul away. He didn't plan on letting it, though, and Bifelgan must've been looking out for him; the only light he could see came from himself, a yellow, almost golden sheen--

No, wait. He wasn't the only light. He could seem a glimmer of bright orange in the distance, and a smaller dot of dazzling pink. He walked toward the bigger dot--at least, he thought he was walking, but in such a strange place with his body feeling so out of sorts, he wasn't quite sure. The dot got bigger and bigger though, and then he realized it was Agnea glowing like the star she was. The dazzling pink seemed to be closing in on her too, given it was getting bigger, and Partitio realized that it was Ochette under all that bright light, the tiny huntress running to them at full tilt.

He swept Agnea up in a hug as soon as he reached her, just so relieved he wasn't alone in the darkness, that she was also--as okay as could be in these circumstances. Only seconds later, Ochette's arms wrapped around his waist in a squeeze.

"I'm so glad you're both alright!" Agnea said, smiling with tears in her eyes. One tear leaked out when she winced. "Well...you're here...wherever here is."

"You guys don't know what Vide did either, do you?" Ochette asked. "I think Mahina managed to fly clear, but she sounded so worried..."

Partitio wished he could reassure the ladies but had to shake his head. "Haven't got a clue. That black energy just exploded and then--then it sucked us in." A thought occurred to him. "Hol' on, I couldn't do anything to resist it, and you were behind me. If Mahina could fly clear, it musta gotten weaker with distance. So Temenos and Osvald probably didn't get caught up in it. Maybe they can spring us free!"

Ochette perked up, her tail wagging in spite of the situation. "Yeah! Pops and Temenos are clever! Ma's with them too, and Néné I think, and..." Her tail slowed as something occurred to her, and she turned away from them, scanning the darkness.

Partitio had an awful feeling that wasn't just the darkness trying to consume him. "Hikari's...with them too, right Ochette?" Because Hikari sure didn't seem to be with them. The only lights around were theirs, mixing in between them to become an even brighter warm hue. If their gods were protecting them like Partitio thought, wouldn't Brand be protecting Hikari?

But Hikari had been near Partitio's side for most of the battle, a close range fighter just like him. While Throné seemed to have gotten lucky--maybe a thief's intuition had prompted her to pull back when Vide declared all would be theirs because, yep, in hindsight, that'd sure been a sign of bad news--had Hikari?

Ochette was shaking her head, still looking. "He was--he was in front of me. He tried to push me back from it." She cupped her hands over her mouth. "HIKARIIIIIIN!"

Agnea shouted too, even if she couldn't muster anything close to Ochette's volume. "Hikari! Hikari!"

"KARI!" Partitio bellowed.

The silence was choking. Partitio wanted to call out again, but the despair was strangling his throat, tears springing to his eyes. If Hikari had gotten caught up in Vide's attack too, why wasn't he here? What had happened to him?

"My apologies," Hikari's voice said, muted and exhausted but there, and Partitio scanned the darkness again, trying to figure out where he was, so relieved that it took Agnea jumping back for him to notice the shadow encroaching on their light.

He jerked back a step. Ochette flinched as well, but then she leaned forward, sniffing. "Hikarin...?"

The shadow drew back, disappearing into the rest of the darkness again. "Apologies. I should have come to you sooner, but I... I find myself weary. And..."

He seemed to lose the energy to even finish that thought, at least not before Agnea recovered from her shock. "Oh, goodness, Hikari, what's happened to you? Are you--are you hurt, what--" She took a few steps toward the shadow, her orange glow illuminating as much of its silhouette as could be seen with an ominous, smoky energy billowing out from it. She stretched a hand forward, but as soon as her hand reached into the wisps she gasped, faltering and forced to pull her hand back.

The shadow pulled back again, and Partitio stepped forward to make sure it--Hikari--stayed in sight. "'Kari, you gotta stay with us," he urged. "I'm sure the others are doin' everything they can to get us out of this mess. You gotta hold on."

Ochette nodded frantically. "It's going to be okay, Hikarin! So don't give in!"

"...You all have such bright spirits," Hikari's voice murmured. It sounded distorted from under the dark veil, all of Hikari's usual determination stolen away. "I wish I could be more like you. But even then, I fear that would not be enough."

"What d'you mean?" Partitio asked. He tried reaching out to Hikari himself, but the ache in his body, his very spirit, seemed to multiply the instant he got too close. Just like Agnea, he had to pull away.

"'The Eagle of Ku'. Kazan's plans always worked because he was so clear-sighted. And he could not find a reason for the world to see another dawn."

"He wasn't lookin' for one," Partitio said, taken aback. Hikari couldn't be saying the world should end, right? He hadn't thought that after the vision at the Sacred Flame near Ku, when they'd found out Kazan was part of this whole mess.

This really was Hikari, right? Not some trick?

"It didn't seem like Ori was looking for one, either, and yet she found one in you. I knew Kazan for years, and yet...I could not...guh..." The shadow shook, then shrank.

No, not shrinking. That was Hikari in there, on his knees from grief and hopelessness, and as Partitio was trying to figure out how he could help him, what could even be said, Ochette surged forward, tackling the shadow and groping until she seemed to find Hikari's neck to loop her arms around. She was whimpering, the energy hurting her too, but she held on determinedly.

"Ochette." Hikari's voice shook with surprise. "You should not..."

"You would be there for me if I was hurting!" Ochette cut him off. "So don't tell me not to! Ngh..."

If Ochette could do it, Partitio could do it too. Had to, because no way was he leaving Hikari alone in this despair. Agnea got down on her knees at the same time as Partitio, both of them using Ochette as a guide to figure out where Hikari was in that smothering darkness as they reached in. It burned the same as it had before, Partitio having to smother a grunt of pain, but Ochette and Agnea's light being close seemed to make it a little more bearable, and he wrapped his arms around both Hikari and Ochette tightly, feeling Agnea do the same from her side. He still couldn't see Hikari, only feel him, and the warrior was shaking like a dry leaf in the wind.

"Hikari," Agnea said. "I want to make everyone smile, but no one can force people to be happy. You can offer a smile and a helpin' hand, but if things don't work out, that doesn't mean it was your fault."

Partitio had been grounding his teeth against the pain, but he was determined to say something too. "Just 'cause he was smart doesn't mean he was thinkin' clearly. There are plenty of reasons to want to see another dawn. You're one of mine."

"And mine!" Agnea said.

"Mine too!" Ochette chipped in.

"We just need you to keep fightin' a little while longer, 'Kari. Even if you can't see a reason to right now. I promise there's a ton, and we'll help you find 'em."

"All of you are my reasons," Hikari said, and from underneath all the shadowy wisps, Partitio could see a glimmer of red. "I fear I will lose you, but..."

"You won't."

"I may. But I would lose you even sooner if I gave in now," Hikari said. Partitio's heart wrenched that even now he didn't seem hopeful. But the determination still seemed to be doing something, the red brightening, the darkness fading from him as he shone brighter. "My place is at your side, my friends. 'Til we bring back the dawn."

"We'll definitely do it!" Ochette said, her tail wagging in joy as the darkness left Hikari. "You an' me, Hikarin. Let's show that god and then have the biggest breakfast ever!"

Hikari's face was pale underneath the red glow, but he managed a small smile and laugh at Ochette's declaration...and then the darkness fell away, and they found themselves back at the summit of Vidania. With Vide looming over them they quickly broke out of their hug to stand, but there was still an overwhelming sense of relief. The others had managed to get them out of that awful darkness, and if that was the worst Vide could do, then the eight of them together would pull through.

#partitio yellowil #hikari ku #ochette #agnea bristarni #octopath traveler 2 #octopath traveler 2 spoilers

[cremeriie]

Osvald tugged at the ruffled sleeves of the stolen blouse, unused to wearing such finery-let alone one so frivolous. Uncomfortably, he clasped the topmost button that sat a little too close to the neck for his liking.

"Oh, you shouldn't have that buttoned all the way up, it's too stuffy looking!" Ochette commented, seemingly reading his mind (or his obvious grimace.)

"Agreed." Castti replied, not looking up from her pestle and mortar.

A quiet sigh of relief left his lips, and Osvald quickly unbuttoned the offending fastener. However, the force and speed of his movements caused four more under it to also snap open.

From the back of the small room they had rented, Throné tittered, "You should leave it like that, Professor."

Temenos glanced up and smirked, "Indeed, you should."

Osvald raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

At Temenos' sly shrug and Throné's devious refusal to answer, Osvald turned to Partitio, who had his hat lowered over his eyes to conceal his awkward flush.

"Shucks, how do I put this? Y'see, out of all of us you have the most..uh...well defined physique...y'know?"

His eyebrow simply rose higher.

"Jeeze guys, a little help here?"

Hikari resolutely shook his head. Agnea covered her face with her hands. (Whether this was out of shame or hilarity was not clear.) Partitio turned pleadingly back to Temenos.

"Worry not, little lamb, I couldn't possibly let you suffer any longer. Osvald, what our fine merchant here is trying to say is-"

"You've got great tits."

"Why, Throné, I was getting to that!" Temenos playfully admonished as the thief snickered into her drink.

All at once, Castti coughed to unconvincingly hide her shocked laughter, Hikari closed his eyes with a painful expression, Agnea, still hiding her face, started to shake with mirth, poor Partitio groaned in embarrassment, and Ochette simply looked on in confusion.

Osvald, for once in his life, was stunned silent.

#a scene that's been floating around my head. would probably be a funny comic but alas i am too busy to draw it #octopath traveler 2 #osvald v. vanstein #temenos mistral #partitio yellowil #throne anguis #i dont think the rest need ot be tagged you know who they are #maddy talks #i bet later in the night os looks into a mirror at his chest and scrutinizes it lmao. like 'are they really that impressive?'

[bespokeminutiae]

Cassti is my protag and I love her so have some headcanons!!

Disclaimer: I have not finished the game. I've only played through the Cassti's chapter 2.

Please do not put spoilers on my post!!

Honestly I was not expecting to like her as much as I do but from the start she's been so damned compelling. I love her.

Very pragmatic

She's the epitome of "I'm a healer, but."

Like this is a deeply kind and compassionate woman but like. Do no harm take no shit. Some problems can best be solved with rest and fluids and an herbal tincture. Some problems can best be solved with a battle axe.

Extremely smart, like at the top of her field as an apothecary.

The second any of the other travelers realize how much medical knowledge she has they start pressuring her to write books or teach or found a medical school or something. Half of them even have ideas for how to fund it!

...She'll consider it if/when her joints start to go bad and she can't travel anymore.

So pre-amnesia Cassti was probably a lesbian (and in love with Malaya), but I feel like she's still reconstructing her sense of self post-amnesia and is more open than she would have been otherwise because there just. Isn't anything for her to go on.

She ends up poly and bi, in a polycule with Throné, Hikari, and Partitio.

Said polycule was originally just Throne, HIkari, and Cassti, and had not really progressed beyond a mutual acknowledgement of attraction and an understanding that maybe we'll do something about this sexual tension After The War TM, but Partitio is very free with physical affection and eventually broke down the walls between all four of them without meaning to.

For Partitio, Cassti is attracted to his optimism and charm and strong sense of right and wrong, as well as his determination to back up any of the ridiculous moves he made in the name of doing the right thing. He's not just bluster, he always puts in the work to back up his word and she likes that. He's also an easy mark to tease and that's fun.

Hikari was the first companion Cassti met on the road, and Cassti's first close companion post-amnesia. She's attracted to his grace and dignity, as well as his strong sense of duty and strong moral compass. They have similar worldviews and perspectives on a lot of things, despite coming from very different backgrounds.

Cassti's attracted to Throné because I'm a long-time thief/apothecary shipper and I'm not stopping now of Throne's sharp wit and sense of humor, as well as her grace and sense of fashion. She also admires Throné's determination to pursue her goals and is a little jealous of Throné's ability to be selfish, and really wants to see who Throné becomes once she's free of the collar.

...Every one of Cassti's partners made the first move. Cassti's very reserved and pragmatic and in the wake of the amnesia was really not looking for romance (let alone so much of it). She's not really sure how she ended up here, but she's happy.

She's always been somewhat reserved and a bit of a workaholic, but it's only gotten worse since she amnesia because her medical knowledge is all she has left.

Lost what few coping mechanisms she had in the war

Is a good patient as long as she's the only patient. Is a terrible patient the second someone else is also injured

Every time it is suggested that she get a hobby for relaxation purposes, she somehow manages to turn it back into work. Loves gardening! Only grows medicinal plants, etc.

She and Throné have chronic "No, let ME help YOU." at each other.

Gender-wise, Cassti is pretty solidly in the middle of the butch/femme spectrum. She'd probably be actually more butch, except her gender presentation is more about managing other people's expectations first and expressing her own preferences second.

Like seriously. She's designed her entire presentation around "Even if you only catch the hem of her skirt out of the corner of your eye, you know you've seen a member of Eir's apothecaries and can ask for help if you need it."

Like Temenos, she also feels that presenting as the gender she's chosen to present as is the one that grants her the most social benefits on the path she's chosen to walk.

She would not consider herself trans or nonbinary, but she's not at all attached to her femininity. The skirt uniform and long hair and she/her pronouns just contribute to the impression she wants to give off, which is "helpful apothecary."

People who had a hand in Cassti's dancer outfit: Agnea, Partitio, Throné

People who did not have a hand in Cassti's dancer outfit: Cassti

#octopath traveler 2 #octopath castti #castti florenz #octopath meta #meta #hahahaha i complained about temenos' being long and castti's is longer #she's my favorite your honor #I can't help it #this one has a ton of ship info though. #long post #also!!! feel free to talk to me about these headcanons if you want

[armed-ruebarb]

Assorted Octopath II Thoughts

Just random things I noticed throughout my playthrough that I think about excessively Spoilers for both games in their entirety (endgame spoilers are vague but they’re there).

Ochette

Ochette, much like H’aanit, is the only traveler in the game to lack a human boss. Interestingly enough, however, humankind is portrayed as the overarching antagonist in Ochette’s story.

Ochette is the only traveler to directly interact with any of the gods outside of boss fights or shrines.

Ochette is the only traveler to never actually meet the main antagonist of her story.

Castti

Castti holds the record for the highest named NPC deaths (not counting bosses) by an absolute landslide. She pulls most of it off in the span of one chapter too.

Castti’s story is the only one to directly kill off children. I’m not 100% sure on that one so if I’m wrong let me know.

Throné

Throné is the only traveler in the mainline games to have more than four boss fights—excluding mandatory duels or battles from the same chapter—with a total of five.

Furthermore, Throné is the only character in the game whose boss battles always end in the enemy’s death—a characteristic shared only with Primrose from the first game. So yea, Throné meant it when she said her freedom reeks of blood.

Throné is the only traveler to fight a member of her own family (I don’t count Osvald fighting Rita as it was merely a creature made with her blood). She doesn’t stop there though. She does it four times and kills all of them (she doesn’t know the first three times but still).

Osvald

Osvald is the only traveler who fails to accomplish their initial goal. Harvey’s fate is left ambiguous with no confirmation of whether he truly died.

Osvald is the only character whose sprite undergoes major changes between the game and the epilogue (I say major because of Agnea’s hair). You literally see him getting his life back together and it’s very sweet.

Partitio

Partitio is the only traveler in the game who does not kill his final boss after beating them in combat (I say that last bit because there’s no way in hell Agnea and Dolcinea actually threw hands in that stadium). He’s the only character to grant mercy on his final boss, but he’s also the only one who had much of a choice.

Every last one of Partitio’s boss enemies end up working for him. Even the fucking dog. On that same note, he’s the only character where all of their bosses show up in the epilogue.

Agnea

Agnea has more unique tracks than any other traveler in the game. It makes sense considering she’s the dancer, but literally all of her music is a fucking banger. I believe she also has more unique animations than anyone else either.

She’s the only traveler to have a boss fight that is not an actual battle in the context of the actual story.

Temenos

Temenos has the fewest number of people present in the epilogue. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Ort is the only person from his story there because he’s the only one who survived.

Temenos is the one of the only travelers whose story progression results in permanent overworld changes (the other two being Olberic and Hikari and I could be missing a few)… yes I am referring to Crick’s grave.

Hikari

Hikari is the only traveler to fight the same boss (Ritsu) twice over the course of two different chapters. This excludes Claude’s boss gimmick and the Gates of Finis fights.

Hikari’s chapter one boss fight is the only fight in either game that has no summoning path action and no traveling companion available. It is the only boss fight in the series where you are completely and utterly alone.

#octopath traveler 2 #octopath traveler spoilers #octopath traveler ii spoilers #octopath #octopath traveler #This game makes me explode #Let me know any other things you guys picked up on #I’m sure I can think of more but it’s very late

[moxagita]

my thing about kaldena is like. idk i don’t like that a genocide survivor who clearly isn’t coping well with that trauma is the big bad of temenos’s story. it doesn’t sit well with me. i love octopath ii but i’m really not fond of that in particular

Final chapter spoilers for this ask answer

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-

If thats your personal reason for not liking Kaldena in particular then thats understandable but tbh i dont think a vast majority of people think about, let alone critically analyze Kaldena enough to come to that conclusion.

Nevermind that shes not even the big bad, Arcanette is, who despite showing up in the Final Chapter, is a character that shows up consistently in Temenos' story and is fought in Temenos (and Throne's) "location" in the final chapter. Kaldena is objectively just as much a victim as Crick, (Tanzy) and Roi are, which is why it annoys me when people either have nothing to say about her when talking about...idk how much Temenos suffers, or even worse, have such vitriol for her because she killed one half of the fandom's darling yaoi ship

#octopath 2 spoilers #asks #i love crimenos i truly do but my god its shippers are soooo annoying #tbh i dont think people have to LOVE Kaldena you know i just wish people would give a bit of thought to her #both as another tragic pawn of the moonshade order and as temenos foil and counterpart

[beantothemax]

Castti didn't want to do this. Trousseau was lovely. He was helpful, kind and loving and he'd made lots of friends. He'd even caught the eye of a certain prince and those mutual feelings had turned to something special.

But he wasn't a good person, far from it. Sure, he acted shocked and devastated when he learned he had killed an entire village, but he didn't change. It's impossible that some kind words and a hug could turn someone from a bloodthirsty murderer to a saint in mere months. Knowing him, he'd likely even lied about the amnesia.

Castti didn't know or care about the finer details. Trousseau was a threat to Solistia.

He slept on a different floor of the inn from her. She was careful to step on the edge of each step where the floorboards wouldn't creak as much. She made her way down the long hallway, stopping at 214. That's where Trousseau and Hikari stayed. Castti opened the door and stepped inside. 

Hikari wasn't to go to bed for another hour. Last she checked, he was still laughing and drinking with Partitio and Throné. Trousseau, as usual, had gone to bed early. He always liked getting a good night's rest, even if it meant missing out on "fun" drinking games.

Her heart stopped at the sight of Hikari, awake, angry and armed.

"Trousseau's staying with Temenos and Osvald tonight, I'm alone," he said.

Castti stuffed the vial of poison back in her pocket, but he'd already seen it.

He stood and held the blade to her neck, "shut the door."

She did as she was told.

"I understand your anger, believe me, I want to kill the bastard that killed my mother as well. But I do not act on that because it is unnecessary bloodshed," Hikari started.

"That's different, they were just hired assassins. Trousseau kills-"

She felt as he pressed the blade to her neck. It stung as the cold sword cut a small line of skin. She fell silent.

"Trousseau would never kill anyone. He was brainwashed by his father who wanted to use him as a puppet."

"You're an idiot for believing him!" Castti yelled.

"Shh, it's late, other guests are trying to sleep," Hikari whispered, "I love Trousseau and I will not let you hurt him. Either you leave now and never look back or I have you arrested for attempted murder."

Gods, she wanted to punch Hikari. Sew his mouth shut and force him to listen to what she had to say. How she wanted to beat him till his vocal chords failed him and he could no longer defend the murderer he had the misfortune of falling in love with.

"I will kill you too if it's necessary," she stated, firm and unfeeling.

Hikari was a beloved friend, but if he defended that monster's actions, she would take his life. It wasn't a big deal. Countless times before, she had to take people's lives for the greater good. Ending the life of someone with plans to kill was always better than arresting a murderer.

Hikari sheathed his blade and stood. As he walked towards her, Castti took several steps back. She knew not what he might do. But he only opened the door.

"I will escort you to your room and I will not leave you alone till you're at least a few kilometers from town. I've explained the situation to the others and they've accepted that you're leaving our group. Do not try to say goodbye to them."

He followed her to her room and watched with a scowl as she packed. Everytime Castti tried to argue, Hikari would gesture to his easily concealed dagger. They didn't exchange a single word as he walked her to the rest stop outside town.

Hikari said without a hint of anything but anger, "Farewell. I hope you can grow as a person and-"

"Just shut up, I know you hate me," Castti interrupted him.

"Fine. Goodbye."

They each went their seperate ways. As Castti walked, she glanced back at Hikari. His hands were in his pockets as he yawned. It had been a long day and he was tired.

Hikari hardly had a chance to turn before Castti struck his side with her axe. The air was knocked out of his lungs as he fell to the ground. His weak, desperate attempts to breathe were interrupted and cut short as Castti chopped his head off.

What a fool he was.

Trousseau still waited at the inn.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA AGAAAAHHGGH AFGAGAGRAAAGHHHHHGH AAAAAAGGHHH AAGAGGGG WAAAGGGHHHH

PIE. PIE NOTHING ABOUT THIS WAS JOYFUL OR WHIMSICAL. I WAS JUST SITTING HERE ENJOYING THE SILLY LIL TROUKARI THINGS ME AND MAV WERE MAKJNG AND THEN YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE AN INBOX FIC. OK IT’D BE ANGSTY BUT HOW BAD COULD IT BE?

THEN YOU MAKE CASTTI FULLY DRIVEN TO MURDER TROUSSEAU AND EVEN HIKARI IF SHE NEEDS TO. THEN YOU HAVE HIKARI THREATEN TO HAVE HER ARRESTED, AND AFTER HE DOES THAT HE TELLS HER TO LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK. AND THEN CASTTI NOT ONLY KILLS HIKARI, BUT DECAPITATES HIM. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE LAST LINE OF THE FIC BEING “TROUSSEAU STILL WAITED AT THE INN”. AND. AND NOW I WANT TO CRY

#asks #pie-knight #inbox fic

[soup-for-ghosts]

I would love to hear your thoughts actually!

I’m guessing this is about the crick thing? well then buckle up buckaroo because you are indulging me and my insanity here good anon and this is either gonna make total sense, or you’re gonna have no idea what the heckity heck I’m talking about

ot2 (temenos chapter 3 stormhail + a bit of his chapter 4 and a little from jftd) spoilers and also me just rambling extensively under cut

ok so first of all, let’s the establish the reason they killed off crick in canon, cause yes there is a reason. obviously they want to make you sad, it’s a tragedy. they want to make you feel shocked and sad over the death of a very prominent and generally lovable side character. but, why? it’s pretty annoying actually, the more you think about it. chances are, everyone who played this game went into temenos chapter 4 with a desire for vengeance. kaldena was the mastermind, yes, but more importantly, she killed crick. see what I mean here? crick dies to give the player a good reason to hate dena, who otherwise is a lot easier to empathize with (at least for me). did she have all those people killed? yes (god forbid women do anything), but why? she’s one of the sole survivors of the genocide against the kal, and she was a child when she witnessed it. not to mention, she, like several characters in this game, was manipulated by arcanette. does this justify her actions? no. but it’s a lot easier to understand why she did what she did when you consider all of those factors. this isn’t about dena though, it’s about crick. why did she kill crick? because he “knew too much”? it’s so out of nowhere, you blink and in the next scene he’s dead, all just to make the player have a reason to hate dena. does she deserve to be hated? that’s a matter of a opinion, and I don’t want to go on too much of a tangent here. I will get back to the characterization of dena momentarily, however.

main thing for me is just how spontaneous his death is. like one second he’s there talking and the next he’s just. gone. you could argue there’s at least some build up to it, but if you ask me, some does not equal enough. man gets all his death flags in one scene, like buddy this isn’t a speedrun… ok so here’s the part where I propose an alternate way for chapter 3 stormhail to go. crick still goes to the library alone, that part makes sense given the conversation prior. he’s trying to find out for himself what to have faith in, and if the sacred guard is not worth said faith. he finds the book of night, and so far everything progresses like it would normally in canon, until dena shows up. dena still attacks him, and the game would still have the player witness that, but I feel like it would be better if her dialogue in this scene was different. just to make an example, in chapter 4, she asks temenos to join her. why wouldn’t she do the same here?? it’s not like she believes crick isn’t capable, she knows for a fact that he is. she doesn’t have to be entirely sorry, because at this point she’s pretty much in that too far to turn back mindset, but I dunno. I just think she could have been written way better overall, tbh. but anyways, crick and dena still have their fight, and crick still gets injured. injured, not killed. he manages to run away with only the page that he normally tears from the book, while kaldena was able to take the rest of it back, and henceforth let him run, considering that he’s probably dying anyways, and she has what she wants. eventually, temenos would encounter crick trying to find him, acknowledge that he’s injured, and probably take him to some kind of healer as soon as possible. whether he tries heal him himself, whether he finds someone else, or if you’re me and you says stormhail’s got nothing on castti florenz, you let her be a miracle worker, it’s up to whatever interpretation you think is more interesting, really. regardless, once temenos can confine that he’s at least stable, the phantom guiding segment would proceed as normal, but instead of coping with the denial that he’s dead, temenos would have to cope with the unsurity of it all instead! is he dead, is he not? is he going to lose him too? no one knows (not yet at least)! so you still get that dread, you still get the sadness of it all, and if the writers so desperately want to make dena more hateable than I personally think she is, you can still extrapolate that I guess (I’d rather no one did though). as for the confrontation with cubaryi, that would progress as normal, with her still regarding crick as dead, because as far as she knows or cares, he is. after all that though, give it some time and eventually crick would regain consciousness, but there’s still that lingering fear that he almost died! it’s not unlikely for death to come back to knock so terribly soon. it’s the fear of not knowing versus the acceptance of what has already happened and cannot be undone. also ort probably has no idea whether or not crick is dead until either the events of chapter 4 or afterwards, so that’s fun for him. but yeah, crick not dying still has that fun sprinkle of tragedy and worry to it, almost more so than him actually dying if you consider that death is a set in stone thing here, and with him dying there’s that stage where it’s just accepted, and they move on. with him still being alive, but having almost died already, there isn’t a chance for that acceptance, because nothing definite has occurred. does that make sense?? I have no idea.

as for crick himself, I’d imagine he’d probably sustain an injury that would more than likely hinder his ability to act as a knight, but that kinda gets into my perception of post-canon, which isn’t. terribly relevant to this topic? but considering that this subject feeds into that, I guess it kinda is? long story short, I imagine ort taking over as the captain, considering both dena and cubaryi are dead by now and he’s kinda the next best as far as the authority here goes. and then like I mentioned before, due to the injury and ort not wanting him to get hurt any further, crick might retire from the sacred guard. that’s. just my view on things, though, I don’t expect everyone to agree. I do have thoughts on the concept of him not retiring, as well, but like. he deserves a break I think. he’d keep the sword by his side, but he’d get a break from everything that caused him such strife. lastly maybe he moves away from stormhail, maybe even to flamechurch. but I like knightlight so of course I’d say that lmao

anyways I’ll cut it there. I hope that made any bit of sense, and that I’m not just being ridiculous with my thoughts here- if I make no sense, and my imaginings are preposterous then oh well, it makes more sense in my head than on paper (tumblr post?) then.

#calc rambles #<- but like. for real. #asks #I really hope this made sense and I’m not just being ridiculous ach-

[lazytyphooncollector]

Here's some cute selfies of my precious good sweet loving gorgeous baby girl doggy aka Tikaani. I kid you not guys but I've been through hell and back especially she has because she's legit literally been I kid you not going in and out so many health problems ever since September more so than the average dog as it's been back to back nonstop. Ever since the worst thing that she ever went through back in September she I can tell you for a fact is traumatized because of that. She literally refuses and doesn't walk on any kind of hard floor inside anymore like wood and tile and also now refuses to jump off and on furniture and only let's me help her by picking her up gently and carefully or set her down on the ground on carpet floors. She stayed for 2 nights in a speciality animal hospital 2 hours away up in Manhattan Kansas where she got an MRI like how I did her human and her mom a couple years back for migraines but I was told that she was getting lots of love and care from all the female employees that worked there when she was there and they apparently just couldn't stop telling my mom and I how much they all loved her and how she's just the sweetest thing which is no lie at all. She was given the diagnosis of an extremely rare condition that she unluckily went through as it's not very common for any dog to get it called FCE for short where one day a dog's perfectly fine with their motor skills to literally being on deaths door the next friggin day. She was completely paralyzed on all of her right side and because of that she couldn't pee poop walk sit or stand at all or the right way but through strict crate rest for nearly 7 weeks on top of giving her steroid oral medication every day all those weeks the percentage was very slim if she would even get her good quality of life back let alone if she would ever sit stand or walk again. But like the friggin miracle she is astounded and shocked everyone where she overcame all the odds and she can now sit walk and stand again without a problem. Then from last month up until recently this month she went through hell again where she had bloody vomit and bloody mucus diarrhea on and off a few times nonstop to where she was diagnosed as either having colitis or pancreatitis. She's now on a low fat diet the rest of her life and thanks to the medication she was taking it appears to have all fully gone away and stopped for now. Today she went to the vet again because ever since Sunday she's had abnormal colors of eye bugars right by her right eye so they did 2 eye tests on her today and yep there is something going on. She was prescribed eye drops and another oral medication that I have to give to her. One drop of the eye drops on her right eye 4 times a day basically every 8 hours for 10 days and a half tablet of the oral medication every day until gone. I hope to god she once again recovers gets better and stays better. As long as she has that fight in her and the will to live and not give up neither will I. She's my little strong brave powerful warrior fighter and miracle and she means everything to me. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers guys and wish her well. Anyway sorry long rant over and here's pics of her now in her brand new valentine's day sweater

@raph-red-fan @primroseprime2019 @mistyroselove @naya-queenzie @tulipvalley27 @nikitaboeve @lady-maria-the-wolf225 @lasttriptonyc @miyokovektor @raphsgrl @rebellious-mutant @doctorelleth @jaenisamusculargurl @camibanani @darkhoodedvendetta-blog @immadollfacelove @kkloco @redhoods-daughter-from-hell @hotredphoenix @swagtreecrown @pissybird @knobsshamanics @tamitaninja2007 @sweetshepherdslimeartisan @lovelylulu1 @rin-oroku @dasdummenutellabrot @chuu-u3 @kawaii-anime-life123 @cattonmilap @landsel @janet-the-dark-queen @ninjagirlsworld @lolatheatiny @michelangelokin @shortgremlinaxolotl @scarlettestitch @foreignbrunette @slutforoptimusprime @themonsterarchive @temenos-empath @xxcirus-masqueradexx @skeezpyuff @screamingnoodl

#my doggy #my doggo #my dog #my rants #doglover #dog #dogs #doggylove #my baby #fur baby

[throne-anguis]

Piecing together the order the travelers become Phantom Thieves and right now the most reasonable seems to be that Agnea, Osvald, and Ochette would be the first three people?

I’m operating off the idea that L’Manni is the first guy the Phantom Thieves target. Would kind of make sense since the guy would be putting pressure on Gil to sell off the building and well. Gil is the guy who owns the building Osvald and Hikari are currently in and he’s the guy who’s running the shop that Agnea works in. Ochette we can argue could be someone who ended up meeting them to investigate the Persona User attacking the Beastlings and after clearing up their motives she decided to stick with them to find more clues.

From then on I think it would only make sense that the order would be Partitio, Castti, Throné, and then Temenos.

What I think would make sense is a gradual escalation. Temenos would be the last and probably the biggest escalation as he is part of the Shadow Operatives and is investigating the Mental Shutdowns.

Yeah that is an interesting idea to think about. I like the idea of Agnea and Osvald accidentally stumbling upon the Metaverse first. I'd imagine Osvald trying to seek out the Metaverse as he's aware of its existence and probably through the research of cognitive psience which Harvey had manipulated.

The idea of him doing some research at Gil's coffee shop, he somehow makes a breakthrough and is able to access the Metaverse and accidentally takes Agnea in with him while she's working there. First he has a minor panic for bringing in someone random but while he's missing Elena he might even have the urge to protect Agnea like she's his daughter. But Agnea can fight. Even if Osvald gets his persona first since he's educated on this Agnea can still try to fight and they find Ochette who can initially help them navigate.

It might be even funnier of Agnea gets her persona first while they're in the Metaverse. It might make more sense for Osvald but that would certainly do something to their relationship.

After that Osvald would likely try to do this on his own but Agnea might be too drawn in to let him go alone. And Ochette might've taken a liking to her.

Partitio probably has a crazy story here, I wouldn't be surprised if he actively tried to recruit Castti since they don't really have a healer (and he happened to stumble across her in a tight spot). Throne has her own problems with Claude (and Hikari being her roommate may get her drawn in). Looking back I might've thought about the order without considering where Hikari fit but this could work

#persona octopath au #octopath persona au

[viridiave]

I was trying to compile my thoughts on Temenos (again) and trying to compare him to other Travelers and it's kind of weird to me how similar Osvald and Therion actually are

//OT2 spoilers ahead

Like. You've got two guys who make it an absolute point to keep their companions at arm's length, acting cold and distant to them. They both have no qualms with robbing the shit out of EVERYONE.

Both of their lives were ruined because of a guy who they thought they could relate to and connect with on the same level and could let their guards down around. Neither of them noticed the sheer life-ruining ENVY that these dudes had towards them until it boiled over and left them with irreparable scars - Osvald losing his family, and Therion what little trust he had in others. These dudes would proceed to haunt their thoughts and strain the way they interact with other people. Darius and Harvey both bide their time and amass power and resources to reach the top of the world that they so desperately wanted to see.

But their stories continue, and by the end they've both found something worth fighting for. Therion regains his capacity for trust. Osvald finds out that Elena is still alive. The reasons they both fight are fundamentally different but one thing is clear - this newfound resolve that ultimately defeats their old tormentors is something they share.

Heck even then neither of them even deal the finishing blow. They let go of their grudges once they find their peace with their new reasons to fight. Darius and Harvey are both instead defeated by their own hubris - Darius gets stabbed in the back and left to die alone, and Harvey (kind of) blows himself up with the Shadow.

In the end, neither Therion nor Osvald really do a complete 180. They're still distant, but it hurts a little less now because they have something to look forward to.

anyway back to compounding my thoughts on Temenos -

#octopath #octopath traveler #octopath therion #osvald v vanstein #ot2 spoilers #in hindsight i think this was obvious to everyone but i really wanted to write it down #honestly i still think therion's story could be better executed #like they have SOMETHING great there #I STILL think they pulled the lone wolf thief story too early because let's be real OT1's format is horrible for the 'regains trust' thing #i get what they're going for but the execution was flopped because no #i cannot be convinced that Therion regained his trust through CORDELIA of all people #out of all the ot1 travelers Therion would have benefited the most from a Crossed Paths #and yes I know that the Light Novel exists but it WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE IT IN-GAME

[stars-and-loops]

how good is ochette at cooking monsters? I’m not sure how you would make a skeleton or an animated suit of armor edible, let alone tasty…

She’s actually really good at it! I think there’s a magical conversion process that transforms anything like the armor into meat, which can then be seasoned and prepared like normal food. I think it’s mainly a magic taught amongst beastlings, which would explain a lot...

But Ochette’s one of our top cooks! Temenos is another, surprisingly. You’d never believe it when he set the pot on fire by accident, but I guess that was just because he wasn’t used to the set-up yet.

#bewildering grace #huntress of the wild #guiding light

[auncyen]

riffing off the post-Healeaks banter between Hikari and Castti

“There is a cast to your face I have never seen before,” Hikari remarks. The determination in her eyes is familiar, but there are other things, too. A stronger sense of self-awareness, he thinks. …And a deep sadness. “…Your memories have returned.”

“At the very least, I’ve remembered what it is I need to do next,” she says.

“I…am happy for you,” Hikari says, second-guessing the words as soon as they leave his lips. He always expected recovering Castti’s memories would bring her some happiness, or at least peace, and neither seemed the case. A purpose is still something, though, so he forges on. “Know that I have no intention of prying into your past. Yet I would remind you that I am by your side here and now. You are my friend. Let us face the future together.”

He knows he has said something wrong by the way her gaze flickers. She looks at the harbor for a long moment, and when she turns back to him, her smile does not reach her weary eyes. “…Thank you. But… my journey is mostly done. This last part, I’ve decided, I’ll do by myself.”

The words take Hikari so aback his mouth falls open. He doesn’t immediately know what to say. All eight of them have always been free to take their leave when they so wished, and it makes sense that Castti’s time with them might end soon after she regained her memories. But while he doesn’t know what she remembered, it had obviously been distressing, and now she wanted to travel alone to—to do what? This suddenly? “Are you certain—“

“MA!” Ochette hollers, bounding over. “You’re leaving?!”

Her exclamation snags the attention of the entire group. “What’s this about?” Osvald asks as he walked over, and while Throné doesn’t say anything, her eyes are sharply focused on Castti, who looks flustered by the sudden attention. She takes a deep breath through the nose to compose herself.

“I’ve regained my memory. Enough of it, anyway. There’s no need for you all to worry, I’m simply—I’m going to visit family so they know I’m alive,” she says, “and take care of some other affairs. Nothing interesting, very boring, in fact, but I’ve been missing for several seasons so I’m sure there’s much that needs to be done.”

Her explanation is plausible. It makes perfect sense that someone who had suffered amnesia would have much to catch up on in in their life once they rediscovered what it had been. But the words do not seem to match the grim set on her face just before.

Why would she lie, though? To all of them?

“Castti,” Throné says, “What’s really going on? What happened in Healeaks?”

“Healeaks is where I lost my memory,” Castti says. “There was a disaster there, as I’m sure you could all tell.” She shrugs, glancing aside. “I don’t remember it well.”

“You’re lying—“

“Now, Throné, let’s not sour our so-longs,” Temenos says, gently placing a hand on the thief’s shoulder to pull her back. “This parting is sudden to me as well, but I’m sure Castti has her reasons. Besides! We should run into one another again soon enough, at the grand celebration.”

Castti has been more focused on Throné, but those last words cause her to glance at Temenos. “The…grand celebration?”

“Timberain’s coronation ceremony, of course.”

Castti’s eyes widen in what looks like horror before she controls herself, her gloved hands clenching tight. “Why would you go there? None of you have any business at the coronation ceremony.”

“On the contrary!” Temenos objects. “The church likes to keep abreast of current politics.”

“And as a future ruler, I should strive to do the same,” Hikari adds. It had not, in fact, been a priority for him with everything else he needed to do. But for once he can see the game Temenos is playing, and moreover he can see it working. Castti does not want them going to Timberain?

This one time, perhaps there is a need to pry.

“And it’d be fun to put on some dancing for people before the big event!” Agnea jumps in, catching on as well.

“And there’ll be loads of merchants to trade with,” Partitio muses.

“And nobles to steal from,” Throné says smugly.

Castti struggles to keep her expression even, lips pinched tight.

Temenos leans forward. “You asked about the coronation while you were still disoriented, and the manner in which you asked about it made it an easy enough guess that would be your first concern, not a family reunion. Now, I could make further guesses, but I’d rather ask: what do you think is going to happen at the Timberain coronation that you must push us away?”

“Castti, please,” Hikari urges when she still hesitates. “We are all friends here. Let us help you.”

The sea breeze whisks away the quiet sigh the apothecary lets out as she closes her eyes for a moment. When she reopens them, they look past everyone, still tired. She strips off her gloves and rolls her sleeves up, revealing more of the gnarled and twisted black scars that mark her forearms.

“This is what happened to me, and I am the one who survived. Everyone else in Healeaks died. We were poisoned… by a member of Eir’s Apothecaries who has completely lost his mind. He said he’d target the crowd the coronation will draw. The rain over Healeaks spread so far, its poison even came down here,” Castti says, gesturing at the harbor for emphasis. “My friend set me adrift in a boat because it was the only way to get me out of the range. Nowhere was safe. Nowhere in Timberain will be safe, either. If you follow me, and I fail to stop Trousseau, you will all die.”

“Then we don’t fail,” Osvald concludes.

“I don’t have a cure, Osvald.”

“You will. You’ve already decided to save the people of Timberain, correct?” Osvald waits for Castti’s response, his patient manner evoking the professor he once was. She nods, still looking frustrated. “Then you will figure out a cure, and we won’t be in danger simply by accompanying you. You’re overcomplicating things.”

Osvald is not the most tactful man. But they’re all long used to that, enough to hear how plainly You’re overcomplicating things means Stop doubting yourself. Castti seems to finally be focused on them, and not a far off memory. “…Thank you. As long as you’re all sure… The company will be appreciated.”

-

so the banter is verbatim up until the bit about Castti saying she'll do things by herself. I found it interesting that in canon with this banter they leave it kind of ambiguous if Castti actually explains to the group what happens in Healeaks even though it's...pretty much necessary to explain at least the BASIC situation of Healeaks to warn the group of Timberain which is really the only responsible route to take, she can't just bring them there and then be like "lol everyone's gonna die if we don't stop Trousseau and possibly even then". So I just wanted to play around with the banter and what she's thinking if she doesn't explain things to the group at first.

#octopath traveler 2 #octopath traveler 2 spoilers #castti florenz #hikari ku

[riverdamien]

Peniel--Newsletter of Temenos Catholic Worker, November-December, 2022

      PENIEL

“Where Jacob walked with God and survived.. .”

Newsletter of Temenos Catholic Worker

November/December, 2022

‘Gratitude and Advent Seasons’

Father River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

P.O. Box 642656                          San Francisco, CA 94109

www.temenos.org

email: Temenos.org                           phone: [phone]

snapchat: riodamien3

We Are Beggars! Please, Please Give Using an Envelope in the Newsletter PayPal, or www.temenos.org!

  Journal of An Alien Street Priest:

Sloughing Towards Bethlehem!

As I read Joan Didion’s essay, “Sloughing Towards Bethlehem”, I find myself thinking of Haight Street then, and Haight Street now.

The neighborhood of course has changed, the “hippie” culture is now a part of history, and it has been romanticized; Jerry Garcia’s apartment is now over an upscale apartment store; clean cut tourists with their cameras are everywhere.  Apartments are rented for thirty to forty times the price of that era.

But what remains are the street youth/adults who are on the street pan-handling, smoking pot, and struggling with their issues. Their needs are the same as that era, trying to find a place to belong, parents who abused them, rejection, and always being preyed upon by predators. Our society is filled with a sense of meaninglessness, godliness, and materialism, that dominated the Ms. Didion’s reflections.

The streets of San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angles, Chicago, and all our major cities—not just a California “thing”-are filled with the poorest of the poorest, homeless, drug-addicted, mentally ill, and all who do not make enough on minimum wage to have housing. In San Francisco, alone, we have twenty thousand-plus unhoused people. And people who are housed simply walk by, without giving a nod or a glance.

During these seasons of “Gratitude” and “Advent” let us join together in reading Hebrews 11: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” and with a child’s awe of the reading of C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicle’s of Narna, in particular, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and envision the Reign of God, “Narnia”, in which we see our friends, and loved one’s in the Great Cloud of Witnesses, calling us forward in struggling for the healing of our communities.

Calling us to advocate with our leaders to turn their eyes to the streets, and pour out our taxes for food, housing mental health, physical health care, and treatment centers for all; calling each one of us to look at every corner of our streets and see the suffering of individuals in our midst, and provide food, and the presence of ourselves to each one.

I would like to invite each and every one of you to purchase (if you can not afford the book, I will gladly give you one as a Christmas gift) Advent in Narnia: Reflections for the Season, by Heidi Haverkamp, and meditate on each day of Advent.

In our childlikeness in the midst of our Narnia winter let us look for the green leaves, hear the birds singing, see the flowers blooming, the trees putting on fresh leaves, and know the winter is over and the “the White Witch” (evil, hunger, and all forms of degradation) is on the run, her sled is useless, and she must walk. Finally, her dwarf declares: “This is no thaw, this is spring. What are we to do? Your winter has been destroyed. I tell you! This is Aslan’s doing” (See chapter 11 in the book). On Christmas Day Christ is born!

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EVENTS

All Saints and All Souls Days—November 1 and 2nd:

On November 1 and 2nd we will remember in thanksgiving our loved ones who have died and entered into the Great Cloud of Witnesses, who now surround us encouraging us on our present journey, with anticipation of our joining them.

At 5:00 p.m. PDT. November 2, "All Soul's Day,  we will have a Zoom “Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving” so please join us, and send your email to [email protected]. or call 415-305-2124.

Gratitude Day, November 24, 2022:

On November 24, 2022, we will celebrate “Gratitude Day” by serving a hot meal of Vegan Turkey on the Haight and Polk Street, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Any one who would like to volunteer you are invited to join me at 4:00 p.m. Maxes 

at Opera Plaza for a Gratitude meal and join in serving our meal. Allow until

9:00 p.m. This invitation is for anyone who is home alone and would like to join us as well.

Christmas Eve:

Mobile Christmas Eve Eucharist at 5:00-9:00 p.m. Haight/Polk

Followed by gift-giving on the street!

Gifts of Sweat Shirts, Long Sleeve Shirts, and/or Jackets are needed!

Thank you! Thank you! To the Eight Grade Class of St. Apollonia Middle School in Napa for their sock drive!

Join Us For Our Advent Study Advent In Narnia: Reflections for the Season by Heidi Haverkamp

Beginning  First Sunday in Advent!

November 27, 2022, 2 p.m. PST, On Zoom! Send an email to Fr. River to Sign You UP!

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[thesilverdragoon]

Bumps and Bruises

Previous: An Iron Grip

Next: By Order of the Exarch

Vesevont landed on the ground backside first as the viera captain, Lyna, circled around him like a wolf who’d managed to single out its next meal. "I thought you said you were trained."

"I am!- I was… ow… it's been a long time since I've had to do any fighting like this," The Ishgardian groaned as he got back to his feet with a slight wobble.

"Mayhaps if you direct more of that energy you spend on complaining into your messy footwork, you may be able to land a hit on me yet." Lyna goaded him on.

Training and assessing novices wasn't something she typically had the time for. But the Exarch had absolutely insisted she take the outlander out for a practice session. He wouldn't explain why, of course, but she'd come to expect that from him. He always had his reasons. She just hoped that the answers would come to the surface a lot sooner than they usually did.

She twirled her sword in her hand as easily as a baton. "Again. Better this time. Faster. Harder."

Ves' ears pinned back in annoyance as he clutched his own weapon with his prosthetic arm. He'd lost his sword-arm to Puffy when they had rejoined together again in Coerthas, and he hadn't the time nor the need to practice fighting anything while he recovered.

He became used to using his right hand for more mundane activities of course, but not combat.

Using the prosthetic for swashbuckling and sword swinging felt awkward and clumsy, despite him finally growing accustomed to the weight of it. Regardless of its impressive range of movement, it still couldn't account for the real thing. And it never would.

He didn't want to fight anymore. But Lyna wouldn't let him quit.

"Hurry up. The eaters won't wait for you. And neither will I." She suddenly lunged for him swinging her sword down hard, leaving the knight barely any time to react (a more recently trained soldier would have begged to differ.)

The sounds of their steel rung in the Temenos Rookery where they kept pastures for the furry flying beasts they called amaro.

Quite strange looking things… Puffy would try to catch a glance at them every time Ves' back faced one of the holding pens, putting the poor beasts on edge.

On one of the nearby corrals the worm spotted a boy standing on the fence boards, watching them eagerly.

The young dark haired elezen boy with the ball from the marketplace.

Ves tumbled backwards suddenly, startling the worm enough to let out a shriek as they both flopped down into the dirt ungracefully.

Arval laughed from his place at the fence as another boy, his brother, came up from behind him.

"What are you doing?" Fenick eyed the scene before them, sticking his head in between the fence boards rather than standing on the middle one like Arval had been.

"Watching Captain Lyna beat up the old man! He's Eulmoran you know. I saw him with the others in the marketplace yesterday! He got hit with the ball right in the face on accident."

Fenick raised a brow curiously as he turned his attention back to the two. "How do you know he's Eulmoran? They don't like it here, even if they DO run away."

"Look at his coat! Have you seen anything that fancy around here?" Arval pointed at Vesevont. "That means he had money at some point. Pixies got to him he said! Poor sod."

Fenick hummed in disbelief as Lyna shoved the old man back into the dirt. "He's not very good at fighting, is he?"

"Not at all! He's probably going to have to pay a visit to mum after all that."

The sparring went on for a little while longer, until Lyna decided enough was enough for one day.

"I'm not sure who taught you, but your swings are too readable. Too stiff. You need to work on the flow and timing. Next time it will be against a more appropriate sparring partner than I." Lucky for him, she wanted to say. But she kept it to herself.

Ves panted as he leaned forward, hands on his knees. "What's… what's wrong with the way I... fight?" He remembered the techniques Ishgard drilled into his head. They were perfectly fine under any other circumstance. And certainly fine enough for fighting dragons with. Sin eaters were just a different flavor of beast.

Lyna, however, danced around as she fought and never held still. It was hard to catch her and stay in range long enough to actually strike out against her.

He could feel Puffy snickering at him from his back. If only the worm was allowed to help him... But... 

He could hear the Exarch’s words in his head, and for whatever reason, they always gave him a harsh sense of deja vu. “A time and place for everything, my friend. But not now...”

Lyna frowned. "You need to work on listening as well. No matter... enough for today. I will report your progress to the Crystal Exarch when I have finished my daily duties. Go and get yourself cleaned up." She came to his side, pulled him back up by the arm (before dusting his sleeve off a little for good measure) and turning her back to him, walking away and back to the Rotunda.

Ves eventually was able to catch his breath. His knees hurt, his elbows hurt, his head, his ribs- every little thing. Lyna really knew how to hurt someone when she needed to. And she wasn't even trying, he would have bet.

"You almost had her that one time!" Arval called out, climbing over the fence and hopping back down onto the dirt.

Fenick followed him by stepping through the fence instead.

The knight paused and looked around before he turned and saw the two boys approaching him, one of which he recognized. How long had they been there? "Oh. You're the one with the ball back in the marketplace, right?"

"That's right!"

"Ah… er… what...are you doing here? If you don't mind me asking." This area didn't look like a place for children to play. Especially not with the brutal looking amalj'aa keepers around (or the Zun, as Lyna had called them.)

"Watching you and Captain Lyna spar. It was good fun!" Arval grinned as Fenick cringed at about the same time.

Ves pursed his lips. These children watched him get knocked around in the dust. And so gleefully too. Well, one of them anyway.

He eyed Fenick then. "And...you are??"

"Fenick, I'm his older brother."

"Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you?"

"You look like you could use a trip to the Spagyrics. Have you ever been there? Mum works there. She'll be able to clean you up in no time!" Arval suggested as he quickly began to lead the way with Fenick following behind him.

"Your m- oh! I believe I've met her already. Hanameen, yes? Brown hair, long ears," ...Adorable freckles-

"Yes! Wait- you met mum already??"

"Yes, my arm was hurting me the other day. So she took me upstairs to the craftsman terrace up on the top floor to find someone to fix it for me. I was there all evening yesterday."

Arval paused and waited for Ves to catch up before coming closer to look at his prosthetic. "Your arm? Can I see??"

The Ishgardian stooped lower a bit so that they could both look if they wanted to.

Arval's eyes lit up. Even Fenick came closer to have a look, only he was more sheepish about it.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything like yours before! Where'd you get it??" The old man definitely had to be Eulmoran. Without a doubt.

"A friend built it for me; her family makes these. They're very talented." 

"I wish I had one, it looks so cool.."

"N-no, you might reconsider when it gets stuck or starts hurting your back or whatever else!"

"Well it's attached to your shoulder, not your back."

"Your shoulder connects to your back."

"WELL-"

Fenick remained quiet as the two bantered along the way. Something about the old man was… odd. He could have sworn he'd seen something in his coat moving at one point, but it was impossible to tell otherwise.

The Spagyrics came into view, and the three walked inside. "Mum! The old man's gotten himself beat to a pulp by Captain Lyna!!" Arval announced, leaving Vesevont incredibly red in the face.

Hanameen glanced up from wrapping another soldier's arm in linens. "I'll be a minute!"

"Well now! Back so soon?? It's only been a day. Vesevont was it?" Chessamile chuckled from her desk, once again busy with her log book.

Steam could have been coming out of Ves' ears by that point. "Yes ma'am."

"You should have been there- Captain Lyna was throwing him around all over the place like a blanket that needs a good dusting!" Arval began to swing his arms in very dramatic sword-wielding-like fashion.

"No- it wasn't like that." Ves retorted, trying to look at a wall or a shelf instead of anybody directly.

Arval paused. "You’re right- it was more like this," He yelled and threw himself on the floor.

Fenick's ears were completely pinned back at the embarrassing display (right along with the old man,) and he floated off towards the back where his mother worked.

"Now you're just exaggerating it too much!!”

"If you were an eater you would have exploded into a shower of sparkling aether! Poof!! Like a cloud!" Arval picked himself back up, moving his hands in an outwards motion as Ves groaned.

"Arval leave the man alone! Any more of that and he's going to stay that shade of red for the rest of his life!" Hanameen scolded from behind one of the dividers. She couldn’t even see him and somehow she knew (Ves wanted to hide.)

Arval winced but still held a smile on his face. "At least that would mean you're not white as a sheet... We’d have to start panicking then."

Eventually Hanameen came over, eyeing Ves up and down and shaking her head, clicking her tongue a few times for good measure. "I'll fetch you a basin. You don't look too bad, maybe a bandage and a bit of salve here and there once you wash all that dirt off and you'll be good to go get beat up again."

Ves sputtered as she turned and walked away to the other side of the room as Arval giggled to himself.

When she returned she set the water-filled basin down on the floor at his feet and threw a few clean rags at his lap, then quickly walked over to a shelf filled to the brim with potions and salves and other sorts of colorful liquids in equally colorful bottles. Fenick had retreated there earlier and remained close to her, watching the old man warily from afar.

"So, when are you going to actually go out and fight eaters instead of fighting the dirt??" Arval asked, leaning against the edge of the cot in which Vesevont had sat.

"Fight? You mean the sin eaters?? Oh no no no- I'm not doing anything of the sort."

"But you were sparring with Captain Lyna! Doesn't that mean you're going to join the guard and help defend the Crystarium?? You need a job right??"

"Arval you'd best watch where that tongue of yours is wagging." Chessamile warned from her desk.

Arval groaned aloud before looking towards his mother who had returned with a short and round glass bottle in hand. The sour smell of herbs clung to it.

"Arval," Hanameen eyed him.

"Well… I guess he is a bit old,"

"Arval!"

The boy quickly darted away towards the back of the room.

Hanameen sighed. "Sorry about him. He gets too excited sometimes.

Done scrubbing off??"

Ves blinked a few times as he went back to wiping off the dirt from the few scrapes and bumps he had collected in the short time he sparred with the viera. Or viis. Or whatever Lyna was. Whatever anyone was anymore. "It's no trouble really, my own son was a handful, so I know what you mean. He was shy, but he had his moments. Very outspoken ones." Just remembering those moments made him chuckle. "Oh- yes, I am, sorry."

"Oh! I had no idea. How old?" Hanameen asked as she knelt down, cotton in one hand, now uncorked bottle in the other.

"He'd be about twenty now I believe. Time certainly flies all too quickly."

"Ah… I see." She didn't ask beyond that. Instead, she pressed the cotton piece to the lid of the bottle, turned it upside down, and then pressed it lightly onto one of the few scrapes. It burned immediately.

The Ishgardian looked away and scrunched up his nose briefly before the sensation faded. "He uh… Arval, was it? Seems to really like the guard."

"Oh, that's because their father Gennar is one. He’s stationed at Fort Jobb most days. He's gone for a week or maybe several and then he comes home for a few nights. It's hard sometimes, but you have to manage as best as you can, right?"

Ves hummed in agreement as his head drifted off into memories of pulling very, very long shifts at the Vigils. He'd be stationed for weeks, maybe months at one before moving on to the next.

Those days were very wearing. When he'd heard he was to finally be permanently stationed at Whitebrim, it had truly been a blessing.

Again came the burning cotton with the salve and his breath hitched suddenly. "Ow-"

"Hold still,"

"I am,"

After a few more times Hanameen stood up again to put the bottle away. "There we are. Try not to roll around in the muck and they'll be healed up in no time. They weren't so bad.”

Ves sat there, watching her move to and fro almost falling into a sort of trance before shaking his head slightly. "I won't.

...Roll in dirt that is." He quickly added as he got to his feet, his knees creaking. "I don't have pay-"

"Oh it's not a bother. You know how much I wish I were treating only minor scrapes and bumps all day long? It would mean there's less trouble in the world." Hanameen rolled her eyes. "Speaking of, find some ice for those lumps on your head lest they turn to horns. That goes for the rest of the bruises I see beginning to form already. They’ll be only end up purple as opposed to yellow, green, red, blue, and a whole myriad of other colors."

Ves reached up towards the spot on his head tenderly. "I'll try…"

As he wandered away from the Spagyrics, Arval came to the doorway and watched him go. "I like him, he's funny!"

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing him a lot." Chessamile said aloud, mostly to herself. "He seems like the sort."

Fenick scowled and joined his brother, glaring at the old man's back as he wandered off towards the other side of the Crystarium. "Didn't you see the way he was looking at mum?"

"Huh? No." Arval tilted his head in confusion.

"Well, I did.

He looked at her like father does. He can't do that!"

Arval glanced at him, and then back outside. "...Well, I think he's funny… and nice." He didn’t believe him.

Fenick gave a sharp hmph before making his way back to Hanameen protectively.

"Fenick?? What's wrong??" She asked, looking down at him as he clung onto her and pulled on her arm a little.

"Nothing," He muttered darkly, shoving his face onto her apron afterwards.

#dovah writing #ves gets beat up chapter 308393993 #i actually had to proofread this it was pretty IN NEED OF IT