Trails in the Sky (Part 15) - Scenic Tour to Bose City
New
- Location
- Netherlands
Scenic Tour to Bose City
With all loose ends tied up as much as possible, I stock up on some items and open up an extra orbment slot for Schera, then head for Verte Bridge Checkpoint. Been there a few times at this point, so it's not hard, heh. Private Scott greets us and asks if we're headed for Bose, then? Estelle wonders why he'd think that given that we could have been visiting again, and he explains that a number of people like ourselves have been passing through lately. Exponentially more than usual. Joshua concludes it's because flights have been suspended in Bose airspace, and Scott agrees that's the reason - you wouldn't believe how busy this place is because of it! Scherazard dryly points out that the Royal Army is responsible for all the restricted flights, so he really isn't in any position to complain…
Scott acknowledges her point, then says there's another thing: traffic through this checkpoint is also being regulated, so if we want to go through we'll have to get a pass from the Chief Warrant Officer next door. Before heading in we can also chat with Private Harold, who says that since joining the army, this is the first time he's ever been so busy in his life! It's no time to fish or read books, and he just bought a new book, too… Guess he'll give it to us, since the chief would be livid if he caught him with it… We receive Carnelia - Chapter 2.
Article: [Carnelia - Chapter 2 - The Train Station]
'Hello there, Toby. You've come at just the right time.'
Greeting me with these words, Micht shuffled slightly in his seat behind the counter. The baked confection he had been eating was ever so carefully placed atop his lap to prevent it from falling onto the floor. He smacked both of his powdered sugar-covered hands together with a clap, and a cloud of white particles puffed into the air. The smell of sweet spices and baked apple pervaded the dimly lit shop.
'We had an item dropped off no more than a few minutes ago,' he continued.
Turning in his seat, Micht reached back and snatched up something wrapped in old magazine paper from off the shelf, tossing it to me. Knowing full well I wouldn't get any sort of answer, I asked anyway.
'What do we have this time?'
Laying out my railway and airship tickets, Micht ignored my question and said, 'Make sure this gets to the same place as always.' In his slow drawl he added, 'It would be in your best interest to keep your involvement to a minimum by leaving the business side of things to me and focusing solely on getting the job done, Toby.'
He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh, the balls of his fingers kneading the bags under his eyes. Then, once again, his large hand extended down toward the unattended cake resting on his leg. Before the sweet treat could reach his watering mouth, I had already made my way out the door of his tiny shop.
As I walked, the waste paper-bundled package bounced around inside the folds of my bag. By the feel of its shape and weight as it beat steadily against my side, I concluded that the object in my possession was probably just more swag. It didn't make me nervous not to know what it was that I was carrying, for I had done this type of job many times before. And no matter what kind of trouble I found myself wrapped up in, I had always somehow managed to come out unscathed.
In truth, my experience on the job had made me tough, and I had become well-versed in the art of orbal magic. So it was that when I laid eyes on that rough-looking trio at the station, I felt no more knots of uneasiness in the pit of my stomach than was necessary for someone of my abilities.
The platform for the train bound for Liberl was a bustle with passengers awaiting its eventual arrival. Seeing that the benches were so crammed full of people that they could have very well been a tin of packed sardines, I resigned myself to standing near the entrance as I patiently waited for the train to come in. Twisting my body in order to move the bag to my other shoulder, I noticed the figures of two men.
Heads bent together and conversing in an inaudible tone, they stood just beyond the ticket gate, right about where the horse head of the imperial emblem lay embedded in the ground in a grand mosaic of tiles. After a short interim, another man approached and joined in the conversation.
From my own perspective, this was one ragtag group I most certainly couldn't have given a passing grade to based on looks. All three were extremely well-built and sported the same haircut. To put it mildly, they stuck out in the crowd like a bunch of sore thumbs.
Making sure to avoid eye-contact with them as they glanced in my direction, I slung my bag back onto my shoulder, and ever so calmly reached my hand into my pocket and ran the tips of my fingers across the surface of my orbment.
A woman's voice reverberated within the walls of the station notifying the passengers that the train had arrived. The low rumble of an orbal engine could be felt in the distance and after a few moments, a large vehicle was seen rolling up on the shoulder.
I muttered to myself, 'All is well,' but the sound of my voice was drowned out by the din of the massive machine. Brakes screeched, and a flash of black light reflected off the surface of the giant iron beast as it came sliding in across the rails. The immense vibration in the air emanating from the moving locomotive at its epicenter let me know that the orbal engine had been put into full-reverse in order to decelerate and bring the train to a grinding halt.
While being shoved to and fro by the waves of impatient travellers flooding out of the waiting area, I was swept toward one door of a passenger car. As we passed by the conductor, I caught another glimpse of the ticket gate. The men who were once there were now gone and the only thing that remained was the profile of the horse made of glossy tiles, glaring back at me in a shade of deep crimson.
These books are really stuffed into blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments, aren't they? At least I habitually talk to everyone… We head into the little building next to the gate, where our old pal CWO Ashton greets us all - he has to think for a moment to identify Scherazard. She tells him we're here to cross over into the Bose region, so we were wondering about getting a pass? He concludes that this has something to do with the Linde, doesn't it? Estelle confirms that, and explains that our dad was aboard. Ashton decides this is major - and he'll issue us a pass right away. Estelle thanks him profusely, but wonders if it's really okay to issue a pass just like this?
Ashton wonders what she's talking about? He knows us by face, and as a member of the Royal Army he should do his best to cooperate with the Bracer Guild!
Oh, but there is one other thing… We should be careful if we have any errands at the Haken Gate to the north of here. We might want to hide our identities as bracers there… Joshua asks what he means, but Ashton apologizes that he can't say any more about the matter. If we do intend to investigate the incident, though, we should please do it with discretion. He prays to Aidios for Cassius' safe return…
We hand the passes we just got over to Private Scott, who comments that that was quick! He then turns to the gate and uses a remote control to open the gate, allowing us passage. We're clear to go through now, but he warns us that once we cross over, we won't be able to come back unless we get a pass from the other side. We should be aware of that before we cross! …Got it. This is a point of no return, and anything you leave unfinished in Rolent is pretty much locked off. Sidequests, loot, that sort of thing. I suppose this is a way the game ensures that they don't need to rewrite everyone's dialogue for the entire map, just discrete chunks at a time, and keeps the traveling manageable…
On the far side of the bridge, Private Lacos mentions that the Eisen Road which runs north off the East Bose Highway is blockaded right now. For those heading to the north border, they'll have to go to Bose first and wait until the road reopens. Private Antose mentions they're currently in a state of emergency, and they're looking for any suspicious individuals among those headed from Bose to Rolent. Warrant Officer Dyne has a little room just like Ashton, but his contains an orbment recharge station for the road. He's surprised to see bracers here - traveling the road on foot is a bit of a hassle, isn't it? We should be careful out there…
We enter Bose from its easternmost border, naturally, and thus travel along the East Bose Highway. After running along the path for a while, on the second or third screen, there's something that catches my interest - a rather massive scorpion enemy is just sitting along the road, and it's not doing anything. Approaching it, sure enough, there's the 'large mob' warning as if this is a monster-slaying sidequest. Apparently you can (sometimes?) see these things before you pick up the actual quest? Given that it's just a monster killing quest, though, I figured I might as well give the fight a shot, and see if I can knock this one out before even getting to Bose.
[Boss: King Scorpion, 3*Queen Scorpion]
Ironically, the sole male scorpion here is the less troublesome one - the females are the tough ones, the hard hitters. That said, I had Aerial on a couple of my characters at this point, and it turns out they're quite weak to wind attacks… and these are AOE blows to boot so I can catch a few of them at a time. That sure speeds things up! (Actually speeding up people with time abilities also helps.) The King Scorpion is pretty weak to earth attacks, actually, but I wasn't really using any… After the fight we get a message that we exterminated a monster, but nothing more. Guess I'll report it at the guild later?
Also along the path here we find a passage to 'Nebel Valley' which, you know, is nebulous.
In practice this manifests as a lack of minimap, so you kind of have to mentally map it out and try not to get lost. That said, it's mostly linear - there's a few choices of where to go here and there, but for the most part it's just following very long, winding mountain paths around the level, with relatively few enemies around, most of which can be easily avoided. There's some scary-huge yetis on the left side, though. Anyway, down the eastern path here I found another Bear Claw just sitting there in the road, and a box containing a pair of Strega boots - naturally, those go straight onto Estelle's feet.
After running into a pretty obvious 'there will be a boss here later' dead end, another nearby path leads to a cabin on a cliff, out in the middle of nowhere. Here lives the hermit Whemler, who says we've done rather well in making it to this place. There's not much he can offer us, but we should make ourselves comfortable. If we need it, we're welcome to use his bed, too! This guy is actually an innkeeper, of a sort - he sells Red Tail Soup and a bunch of curative items, and you can also share a meal with him to get the 'Abaddon Potluck' recipe. That's two more food items for the growing list! The potluck is a weird one, since it can raise your CP but I think it just tanks your HP to 1 automatically? Handy when you're next to an inn (like in here) but otherwise a bit of a dicey strategy.
After backtracking all the way to the East Bose Highway and picking up another Bear Claw after taking the wrong path, we finally get back on the road to Bose… and almost immediately run into a cutscene. Something's headed this way! Our party steps to the side of the road, and it's revealed that an orbal vehicle is dragging several huge cargo containers along the road. The machine is escorted by a red-haired guy named Grant, who immediately recognizes Scherazard - where has she been? Schera says she's fine, and she hasn't seen her fellow bracer Grant in a while either. What's he up to? Grant points out he's doing an escort job at the moment - he's sure we've heard about all the airliners being grounded after the Linde incident, right? Because of that, they've had to move all this cargo to the Royal City by ground transport.
Grant asks about Schera herself - what's she doing with these youngsters? She's not looking into the incident, right…? Schera confirms that was the plan, yes. Why? Does he know something we should be aware of? Grant muses that, well, he thinks it would be best if we spoke with Lugran about it, over at the Bose branch. Anyway, he's got to get going! See us later! He then escorts the cargo transport further, leaving us in the dust. Estelle grouches that first Mr. Ashton was being mysterious, and now this guy… Everyone keeps hinting at something, but no one will just come out and say it. What's going on? Joshua thinks there must be a good reason for it, and we'll probably find our answers at the Bose branch. Schera agrees that we should do as Grant suggested and ask Lugran about it to get a clue as to what's going on…
Further along the road we come across yet another road branching off - this one is the Eisen Road that heads towards Haken Gate. We were warned about this place, but I'm curious, so sue me. Just inside there's a blockade, and two Royal Army soldiers tell us to hold it right there! The Haken Gate is currently not permitting civilian passage through the checkpoint. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed past this point! Estelle grouches that, come on, it'll be all right if they let us through! The soldiers argue it's not, as the border garrison is putting all of its efforts into searching for the missing airliner. They won't allow anyone to hinder the search.
Schera says we have no such intentions - we're bracers, so are they trying to tell us we can't pass either? One of the soldiers is dubious that the kids are bracers too, which prompts them to proudly show off their emblems. The soldier nods, but apologizes that bracers are no exception to this blockade. Now how about we move out of here? Estelle growls that she bets she could change their tune with a little help from her staff, but Joshua tells her to forget it - they wouldn't be much use to us unconscious either. Heh!
We head west again and finally, finally, get to our destination: the commercial city of Bose! As we enter, Scherazard is relieved we finally made it here. Estelle remarks that this really does look like a city, and Joshua agrees that of the five major cities in Liberl, this one comes next after the Royal City. Compared to Rolent, the buildings are all made of stone and seem a lot bigger. Estelle asks about the huge structure in the center of town, and Schera explains that it's the Bose Market, an indoor marketplace made up of various shops. Food, clothing, sundry goods, furniture, books, and so on… You can buy pretty much everything there with the exception of weapons and orbments.
Estelle says it's no surprise they call this a commercial city, then - man, she really wishes this trip could have been for shopping… Joshua mentions that we can try that some other time. Let's first stop by the guild and find out what's going on regarding the incident… (Near the chapel due south of where we enter the city, a young woman tells her servant, Lila, that this is her only chance! The maid just complains 'not this again!' Hm… They disappear after you head into the Bracer Guild, though. Curious.)
When we walk into the guild, the local Aina-equivalent, Lugran, immediately notices and is surprised that Scherazard arrived so quickly - it's sooner than he expected! He appreciates us coming all the way from Rolent. Schera says it's been a while, hasn't it? Did someone let him know she was coming, then? Lugran confirms he received a call from Aina not that long ago. That means the kids behind her are Cassius' children, huh? Schera confirms that, and we quickly introduce ourselves. Lugran explains that he oversees the Bose branch, and he and our father go way back. Estelle is pleased to meet him, but asks for a quick update on the missing airliner incident - it's clearly weighing on her mind.
Lugran explains that the Royal Army is still investigating, but with the army's current restriction on information, no public updates of the situation have been made. Not only has the general public been kept in the dark, but the guild hasn't heard a word either! Estelle is surprised - really/ Why not? Aren't the army and the guild supposed to be cooperating together? Schera agrees that's the way it is on the surface, anyway. In actuality, there's a lot of opposition between both parties on a number of aspects. Joshua concludes that what she's saying is that it's a bunch of jurisdictional disputes, right? Lugran agrees that's the situation, and in addition General Morgan has gotten involved. Schera concludes that with him involved, now it really looks like things are going to be a pain…
Estelle wonders who General Morgan even is, and Joshua explains that he's famous for repelling the Imperial Army's invasion ten years ago. She should read about him in history books some time. Estelle muses that amazingly enough, she doesn't recall that name. What's the big deal with him, then? Schera says that from what she's heard, he's not the biggest fan of the Bracer Guild. Hates bracers, in fact. It seems he even makes it a point to routinely assert that there's no need for a Bracer Guild. Estelle thinks he sounds like a real whack-job. So what she's saying is that we're not getting any information because of that General? Lugran argues that's not really important at the moment - what really matters is that bracers are being prohibited from entering the regions the Royal Army is investigating, which is causing conflicts with their other work.
Estelle says we just came all the way here from Rolent. If that's the way it's gonna be, then it's time to duel it out with the General to decide who gets to investigate the incident! Joshua tells her she's talking like a crazy person, and Lugran agrees that she should keep her cool - there are other ways. Like the request they just received from the mayor concerning the incident… She's asked the bracers to conduct an investigation from their side, separate from the army. Schera says that's encouraging news - if it's an official request from the mayor, it'll be a great pretext for us to conduct our own investigation. Estelle agrees that this seems like perfect timing - we'll accept that request!
Lugran is happy to sign us up, but notes we are junior bracers, right? Junior bracers, so to speak, are members-in-training registered at various branches. In short, their performance is monitored by the branch where they're currently registered. Right now, for the two of us, that would be Rolent. Joshua concludes that he's saying we'll have to change our registration if we want to accept any jobs here in Bose, right? Lugran says he's got it, then puts down some forms for us to fill out to transfer our registration. We quickly do so, and Lugran confirms things look like they are in order - as of 15:20 our registration at the Bose branch has been approved! Schera points out that once we're senior bracers, we can do any job without being registered at a particular branch. On the flip-side, our duties and responsibilities increase as well…
It's off to the mayor, then! Eventually.
The city of Bose, unlike Rolent, is divided into two segments - a large north block which is centered on the Bose Market building, and a smaller south block which is mostly residential alongside the few shops which can't be found at the market, namely those selling weapons and orbments. There are several staircases which connect the north and south of the city, and there's also exits to the airship landing port of Bose, the West Bose Highway (alongside the East one we came in from) and a third road to the south, New Ansel Path.
Wandering the northern streets of Bose is Lucas, who welcomes us to the city - he describes it as the most commercially active city in all the kingdom. It's the place where merchants who dream of success gather! That includes him, of course! Jacob is also wandering here, and says Bose is nearly, if not just as lively as the Royal City. They do a lot of trade with merchants from the Erebonian Empire. In other words, they're not in short supply of pretty much anything! Ho ho, there's no place like the Bose Market in Grancel, that's for sure. Another wanderer, Elegia, wonders what she'll buy today… She hopes she can find some kind of outfit that she likes!
To the north of where we enter the city, close to the Bracer Guild, is the expansive Anterose restaurant. Manager Lechter welcomes us to the place, and wonders if we have a reservation? Estelle denies it, and asks if this is a restaurant, then? Lechter confirms it is as she says, and introduces himself - he tends to the restaurant's needs while the owner is away. Herein, the best quality ingredients and servers await us, amounting to the greatest dining experience of our lives! He personally guarantees that if we partake of the delicacies, we will emerge full and satisfied. Please, we should come along, and he'll gladly show us to a table!
Joshua comments that this guy's got a lot of confidence in his restaurant, and he must admit that it certainly looks like a nice place… Estelle agrees, but says the manager is a bit pushy, isn't he? When she sees this place, her first thought is 'CHA-CHING!' We'd go broke if we ate here! Schera says it's certainly not cheap. If one wishes to stay for a full course dinner, let's see… it would require the bounty from thirty large monsters, at minimum, to gather enough mira. Estelle winces, and says that's not for her, thanks! At that price she'd gladly go to a street vendor. Deep fried Pom, Pom-on-a-stick, Poms-in-a-blanket…
We might not wish to eat here, but we can still speak to the people already here. Alta says that the flavor of the food hasn't changed one bit - it's as good as ever! She heard the owner of this place changed a few years back, but the quality certainly hasn't dropped any. If anything, the food's gotten better since then! The flavor has improved ever since the new owner took over. Lenore the waitress asks if we're here for a good meal? She'll show us to a table… At the next table, Shaque says they've begun running out of certain goods here in Bose, and while they have no means of eliminating the problem, they can at least try to make it better, if only slightly. Caron mentions that army regulations, along with the grounding of the airships, have a definite effect on business that cannot be ignored. He needs to reopen negotiations and get things squared away as soon as possible!
At the next table, Fannie exclaims that goodness, what a restaurant this is! It's just as glorious as she'd always hoped it would be. Up until now, they've just been admiring it from afar. Letta haltingly wonders what he should order…? Horace yells 'Hot-hot-hot-HOT!' Spicy food is just the thing for an old man like himself! It brings back the old appetite something fierce! He must say, this coriander-infused duck dish really does the trick, and he bets he could eat another two of them, easily.
Norche says she often vacations with Marian, as they have similar interests and obnoxious amounts of money to spend on them. Her goal this time was more shopping than food, though. One can never have too many Dinedile wallets or Rhinocider salad bowls, after all. Marian mentions they came from the capital for food and shopping. The capital is quite lively, but she must admit that this town gives it a run for its money!
At the door to the kitchen, Citron introduces himself as the sommelier here, so if we have any questions or concerns regarding wine, he'll be more than happy to address them for us. Inside the kitchen, Head Chef Ross says that to a chef, each and every day is lived in pursuit of flavor. When the flavor stops, it's time to put the kitchen knife down once and for all. One must never be satisfied, recipes must never stop evolving! Complacency disqualifies you as a chef. A complacent chef is no chef at all, as far as he's concerned. Estelle thinks this guy is pretty intense, and it's kinda scaring her. Joshua says he has the eyes of a pro - a really skilled, really psycho sort of pro. Gwen says it's amazing how tenacious the head chef is about his flavors. She's trying to work on her flavors too - she even stayed in the kitchen all night to perfect a new soup recipe!
Inside the local church we run into Seagaro again - he says that just as they were arriving in Bose, the airliner flights were canceled. Right in the middle of his pilgrimage, too. Edel is just glad they're finally here. The day has finally arrived - after her husband is done worshiping here, it's off to the Bose Market to buy, buy, buy! Upstairs, Sister Rosa welcomes us to the Septian Church and wonders if we're here to worship? He's impressed to see people as young as ourselves concerned with spiritual matters. (We'll get to the good Father when tackling the sidequests.)
At the southwestern corner of the plaza we can find Harry, who says one day he's going to be a merchant and live in a big mansion. Mina wishes him good luck with that one. If he hasn't noticed, not every merchant can live in a big home. Harry whispers that it feels like he just had his hopes dashed… Mina says that's just the reality of things, and she told him for his own good…
On the west side of the market is the Mayor's residence. Inside, Butler Mayner apologizes, but the mayor is currently out. If we have some business with her, could we come back at a later time? Upstairs, Sarah the maid says she'd better hurry and get this cleaning done ASAP, or else Lila is going to get really mad! (Hey, wait a minute…)
A little north of the residence is the Frieden Hotel, where Barlowe tells us to please enjoy the hotel's atmosphere which is rich with tradition. Upstairs, Dina the maid says she wants to hurry and finish all these terrible jobs and then head out of town. She's so busy today!
To the northwest of the market building is Kirsche's Bar. Inside, we can find Lyndon, a scholar who specialized in living beings from days long past. On the subject of peculiar living beings, he encountered the most uniquely swift monster he's ever seen during a recent geological survey. That was along the road in West Bose, if he's not mistaken. Having never seen such a creature before, he thought to capture it, but it was far too quick on these legs of his. He'd best add some exercise to his daily regime, he surmises!
At the bar, Warner asks us to order up - they've got good, cheap food that'll make our belly sing with delight. Platina the waitress tells us to sit wherever we like. The local special is Cheese Risotto, a new recipe! Upstairs we can find Simon again, who sighs and says that being Ms. Mirano's attendant is exhausting work. It's precisely because of the power she wields that she's earned the dubious role of shadow mayor, he supposes. (Hmmm….) Cornelius sits nearby, and he's drunk - he hiccoughs and declares 'woe is me!' How did things get like this? He gave up his whole life for that damned workshop…
Time to hit the central market - just inside we speak to Claire (no relation) who says she's been living in Bose her whole life, but this is the first time she's actually come to the market. Where to start? There are goods and stores all over the place. She coughs, and says there's dust everywhere too… At a stall nearby Felicia greets us with a bellowing 'GOOD DAY AND WELCOME!' She demands we look at her goods, since she's got everything we need. Estelle panics, and says that it was so loud her ears are bleeding. Joshua comments that this place is alive and bustling like everyone says, and wonders if it's like this every day…? Schera confirms that it is, since people from all corners of Liberl gather here to grow their businesses. Their eagerness and zeal to succeed is nothing to be balked at…
Pomme says that tentatively speaking he's an employee here at Felicia's store. He helps out his mother. He's not playing around, just in case we're wondering. Meissen is looking over some dishes and says a particular one is quite the catch… Spence wonders if he can help us find something? The medicine he sells can take care of almost any kind of ailment. Estelle mentions that it seems to be that almost anything one could ever want is for sale somewhere in the market. Joshua agrees that the sheer amount of stuff for sale is pretty overwhelming.
On the western side of the hall, Libro complains that the book he's after isn't here. Maybe he should try at another shop? Minuet greets us and welcomes us to her shop - she carries everything from antique books to textiles and daily necessities. Estelle is amazed, and says that Mr. Rinon's general store has lots of stuff, but this one carries even more than he does! Joshua says it's pretty easy to see exactly why this store is here in the market. Minuet explains she stocks a lot of imported goods from the Empire and the Republic, and she's pretty confident in her selection. (You can actually buy a few Carnelia and Liberl News issues here, I guess in case you missed the free ones.)
Near the western entrance, Gantz says it looks like a girl is running the confectionary shop now - before it was some guy who ran the place. Wonder what happened to him? Katrina asks if we want a fluffy, eggy sponge cake? It's a specialty here at the Bose Market. Estelle thinks it looks really good, and Joshua says it does have a nice smell to it, doesn't it? Estelle insists that after we find Dad, we should come here and get one of these to eat together, okay? Joshua says it's not a bad idea, and Estelle tells him he'd better not forget about this later on, yeah? (I'll make a note.)
Around the central fountain, Lyril says this is the first time she's ever been allowed to go on an errand by herself. Uh, let's see… Now what was she supposed to buy again? Emmy wonders who's having a sale today? Where's her memo? She knows she's got it written down somewhere… Near the eastern entrance we spot Dorothy, who is amazed at all the stuff they're selling here and keeps turning every which way - she's getting a kink in her neck just turning her head to try and take it all in. Joshua says she's so into her surroundings, it looks like she can't even hear us…
At the southeast corner, Carol wonders what to do about today's side dish. Should she try making something with meat, or should she try something with fish? Trayton says that his pal Buck has started raising prices on his goods, but in light of the situation, he guess he can understand why. Although some of his prices seem a bit too high. Buck says that thanks to restrictions placed on everything by the army, nothing has gone right. When he thinks about the price of getting things in stock, he feels like his business is going to dry up! After all his hard work, and just when sales were starting to take off, he had no choice but to raise prices… Estelle muses that Buck seems in a rather foul mood. Joshua agrees, and guesses it's to do with airliner flights being canceled and the Eisen Road being blockaded too. He's sure it's not doing wonders for these merchants' businesses either…
In the southwest corner, Paul wonders how we're doing today? Is there anything he can help us find? He carries brands from the Royal City here as well. If we'd like, please have a look around. Estelle says she's fine, she already likes the clothes she is wearing now. Paul adds that he can also do custom designs, or tailor any clothes we'd like. We should just keep him in mind that if we decide we want something more fashionable than our current… uh, unique outfit.
At Bose International Port, where airships usually land, Receptionist Ted mentions that flights have been canceled, and there's no indication as to when they'll resume. He feels extremely bad for all the customers that are waiting, to say nothing about other landing ports… Berna had planned to take a trip to the Royal City, but the airliner she was supposed to be on hasn't shown up. Hardt is waiting for his flight too, but is a bit baffled when it seems nobody is getting ready for one to come in…
Norm, a mechanic, says they've been standing by here the whole time, as per the company's orders, and he wonders how much longer they'll be waiting like this? Lakely similarly wonders where the airliner might be? What's going on? Aldan, meanwhile, giggles and says he found the perfect place for taking photos. Come out now, fair-winged airships… (Hate to be the bearer of bad news, man…)
Down in the South Block of the city, we can find the Lucir Orbal Factory. Inside we run into Nigel, who muses that he'll be running the show starting today, huh? Excellent! Now it's time to make some real money! Gya ha ha! Upstairs, Carrie says she hasn't seen her boss around recently. Wonder if he's gotten sick or something…? Just east of the factory is a house, where we can speak to Launa, who wonders if her husband's business is doing well. Elke explains that her dad makes clothes and then sells them to the people. He made hers too, see? (Guessing they're talking about Paul.)
West of the orbal factory is another residence, where Modena says it's strange - she would have thought that her husband would be home by now. With her daughter at home now, it seems like they can finally enjoy a meal together as a family for the time in ages, but… Could her husband have gotten into an accident? She's starting to get worried. Upstairs we find Mirano again, who says she came all the way back here to be with her family, but her father is nowhere to be found! He's the one who said to come back to Bose as soon as possible, so what's going on? He mother's worried, so maybe they'll give a call to the place where he's staying? It's not like him to be late like this…
In the next house over, Kuwano states that it's important for people to have hobbies in their old age. He doesn't see why his wife has to get so mad about his hobbies! Doesn't she realize she's just going to turn into a wrinkled old prune getting angry all the time? Ah, now that was a scary look! His wife, Cecile, furiously tells him that's not what she's mad about! The thing she's mad about is the fact that he doesn't have the decency to say one world before he leaves! How many years does he expect her to keep yelling at him for the same thing?
In the far west is another house, where Borden mentions that Bose merchants enjoy the freedom of the market system here, but they also have a rule to always keep their word. For that reason alone they are very strict about meetings and punctuality. Rionne says it's certainly been a while since the army clamped down on things, and at this point, because of it, they're definitely going to be in the red this month. Upstairs, Alvelle says his dad works in the trade business, and their family has been doing the same job for generations, but he doesn't think he's cut out to be a merchant… There's a weapon shop in the southeast of the southern block too, where Sein tells us to look around and see if there's anything I like!
There is some more to see, beyond the city's borders, but I'll get to that next time...
Wandering the northern streets of Bose is Lucas, who welcomes us to the city - he describes it as the most commercially active city in all the kingdom. It's the place where merchants who dream of success gather! That includes him, of course! Jacob is also wandering here, and says Bose is nearly, if not just as lively as the Royal City. They do a lot of trade with merchants from the Erebonian Empire. In other words, they're not in short supply of pretty much anything! Ho ho, there's no place like the Bose Market in Grancel, that's for sure. Another wanderer, Elegia, wonders what she'll buy today… She hopes she can find some kind of outfit that she likes!
To the north of where we enter the city, close to the Bracer Guild, is the expansive Anterose restaurant. Manager Lechter welcomes us to the place, and wonders if we have a reservation? Estelle denies it, and asks if this is a restaurant, then? Lechter confirms it is as she says, and introduces himself - he tends to the restaurant's needs while the owner is away. Herein, the best quality ingredients and servers await us, amounting to the greatest dining experience of our lives! He personally guarantees that if we partake of the delicacies, we will emerge full and satisfied. Please, we should come along, and he'll gladly show us to a table!
Joshua comments that this guy's got a lot of confidence in his restaurant, and he must admit that it certainly looks like a nice place… Estelle agrees, but says the manager is a bit pushy, isn't he? When she sees this place, her first thought is 'CHA-CHING!' We'd go broke if we ate here! Schera says it's certainly not cheap. If one wishes to stay for a full course dinner, let's see… it would require the bounty from thirty large monsters, at minimum, to gather enough mira. Estelle winces, and says that's not for her, thanks! At that price she'd gladly go to a street vendor. Deep fried Pom, Pom-on-a-stick, Poms-in-a-blanket…
We might not wish to eat here, but we can still speak to the people already here. Alta says that the flavor of the food hasn't changed one bit - it's as good as ever! She heard the owner of this place changed a few years back, but the quality certainly hasn't dropped any. If anything, the food's gotten better since then! The flavor has improved ever since the new owner took over. Lenore the waitress asks if we're here for a good meal? She'll show us to a table… At the next table, Shaque says they've begun running out of certain goods here in Bose, and while they have no means of eliminating the problem, they can at least try to make it better, if only slightly. Caron mentions that army regulations, along with the grounding of the airships, have a definite effect on business that cannot be ignored. He needs to reopen negotiations and get things squared away as soon as possible!
At the next table, Fannie exclaims that goodness, what a restaurant this is! It's just as glorious as she'd always hoped it would be. Up until now, they've just been admiring it from afar. Letta haltingly wonders what he should order…? Horace yells 'Hot-hot-hot-HOT!' Spicy food is just the thing for an old man like himself! It brings back the old appetite something fierce! He must say, this coriander-infused duck dish really does the trick, and he bets he could eat another two of them, easily.
Norche says she often vacations with Marian, as they have similar interests and obnoxious amounts of money to spend on them. Her goal this time was more shopping than food, though. One can never have too many Dinedile wallets or Rhinocider salad bowls, after all. Marian mentions they came from the capital for food and shopping. The capital is quite lively, but she must admit that this town gives it a run for its money!
At the door to the kitchen, Citron introduces himself as the sommelier here, so if we have any questions or concerns regarding wine, he'll be more than happy to address them for us. Inside the kitchen, Head Chef Ross says that to a chef, each and every day is lived in pursuit of flavor. When the flavor stops, it's time to put the kitchen knife down once and for all. One must never be satisfied, recipes must never stop evolving! Complacency disqualifies you as a chef. A complacent chef is no chef at all, as far as he's concerned. Estelle thinks this guy is pretty intense, and it's kinda scaring her. Joshua says he has the eyes of a pro - a really skilled, really psycho sort of pro. Gwen says it's amazing how tenacious the head chef is about his flavors. She's trying to work on her flavors too - she even stayed in the kitchen all night to perfect a new soup recipe!
Inside the local church we run into Seagaro again - he says that just as they were arriving in Bose, the airliner flights were canceled. Right in the middle of his pilgrimage, too. Edel is just glad they're finally here. The day has finally arrived - after her husband is done worshiping here, it's off to the Bose Market to buy, buy, buy! Upstairs, Sister Rosa welcomes us to the Septian Church and wonders if we're here to worship? He's impressed to see people as young as ourselves concerned with spiritual matters. (We'll get to the good Father when tackling the sidequests.)
At the southwestern corner of the plaza we can find Harry, who says one day he's going to be a merchant and live in a big mansion. Mina wishes him good luck with that one. If he hasn't noticed, not every merchant can live in a big home. Harry whispers that it feels like he just had his hopes dashed… Mina says that's just the reality of things, and she told him for his own good…
On the west side of the market is the Mayor's residence. Inside, Butler Mayner apologizes, but the mayor is currently out. If we have some business with her, could we come back at a later time? Upstairs, Sarah the maid says she'd better hurry and get this cleaning done ASAP, or else Lila is going to get really mad! (Hey, wait a minute…)
A little north of the residence is the Frieden Hotel, where Barlowe tells us to please enjoy the hotel's atmosphere which is rich with tradition. Upstairs, Dina the maid says she wants to hurry and finish all these terrible jobs and then head out of town. She's so busy today!
To the northwest of the market building is Kirsche's Bar. Inside, we can find Lyndon, a scholar who specialized in living beings from days long past. On the subject of peculiar living beings, he encountered the most uniquely swift monster he's ever seen during a recent geological survey. That was along the road in West Bose, if he's not mistaken. Having never seen such a creature before, he thought to capture it, but it was far too quick on these legs of his. He'd best add some exercise to his daily regime, he surmises!
At the bar, Warner asks us to order up - they've got good, cheap food that'll make our belly sing with delight. Platina the waitress tells us to sit wherever we like. The local special is Cheese Risotto, a new recipe! Upstairs we can find Simon again, who sighs and says that being Ms. Mirano's attendant is exhausting work. It's precisely because of the power she wields that she's earned the dubious role of shadow mayor, he supposes. (Hmmm….) Cornelius sits nearby, and he's drunk - he hiccoughs and declares 'woe is me!' How did things get like this? He gave up his whole life for that damned workshop…
Time to hit the central market - just inside we speak to Claire (no relation) who says she's been living in Bose her whole life, but this is the first time she's actually come to the market. Where to start? There are goods and stores all over the place. She coughs, and says there's dust everywhere too… At a stall nearby Felicia greets us with a bellowing 'GOOD DAY AND WELCOME!' She demands we look at her goods, since she's got everything we need. Estelle panics, and says that it was so loud her ears are bleeding. Joshua comments that this place is alive and bustling like everyone says, and wonders if it's like this every day…? Schera confirms that it is, since people from all corners of Liberl gather here to grow their businesses. Their eagerness and zeal to succeed is nothing to be balked at…
Pomme says that tentatively speaking he's an employee here at Felicia's store. He helps out his mother. He's not playing around, just in case we're wondering. Meissen is looking over some dishes and says a particular one is quite the catch… Spence wonders if he can help us find something? The medicine he sells can take care of almost any kind of ailment. Estelle mentions that it seems to be that almost anything one could ever want is for sale somewhere in the market. Joshua agrees that the sheer amount of stuff for sale is pretty overwhelming.
On the western side of the hall, Libro complains that the book he's after isn't here. Maybe he should try at another shop? Minuet greets us and welcomes us to her shop - she carries everything from antique books to textiles and daily necessities. Estelle is amazed, and says that Mr. Rinon's general store has lots of stuff, but this one carries even more than he does! Joshua says it's pretty easy to see exactly why this store is here in the market. Minuet explains she stocks a lot of imported goods from the Empire and the Republic, and she's pretty confident in her selection. (You can actually buy a few Carnelia and Liberl News issues here, I guess in case you missed the free ones.)
Near the western entrance, Gantz says it looks like a girl is running the confectionary shop now - before it was some guy who ran the place. Wonder what happened to him? Katrina asks if we want a fluffy, eggy sponge cake? It's a specialty here at the Bose Market. Estelle thinks it looks really good, and Joshua says it does have a nice smell to it, doesn't it? Estelle insists that after we find Dad, we should come here and get one of these to eat together, okay? Joshua says it's not a bad idea, and Estelle tells him he'd better not forget about this later on, yeah? (I'll make a note.)
Around the central fountain, Lyril says this is the first time she's ever been allowed to go on an errand by herself. Uh, let's see… Now what was she supposed to buy again? Emmy wonders who's having a sale today? Where's her memo? She knows she's got it written down somewhere… Near the eastern entrance we spot Dorothy, who is amazed at all the stuff they're selling here and keeps turning every which way - she's getting a kink in her neck just turning her head to try and take it all in. Joshua says she's so into her surroundings, it looks like she can't even hear us…
At the southeast corner, Carol wonders what to do about today's side dish. Should she try making something with meat, or should she try something with fish? Trayton says that his pal Buck has started raising prices on his goods, but in light of the situation, he guess he can understand why. Although some of his prices seem a bit too high. Buck says that thanks to restrictions placed on everything by the army, nothing has gone right. When he thinks about the price of getting things in stock, he feels like his business is going to dry up! After all his hard work, and just when sales were starting to take off, he had no choice but to raise prices… Estelle muses that Buck seems in a rather foul mood. Joshua agrees, and guesses it's to do with airliner flights being canceled and the Eisen Road being blockaded too. He's sure it's not doing wonders for these merchants' businesses either…
In the southwest corner, Paul wonders how we're doing today? Is there anything he can help us find? He carries brands from the Royal City here as well. If we'd like, please have a look around. Estelle says she's fine, she already likes the clothes she is wearing now. Paul adds that he can also do custom designs, or tailor any clothes we'd like. We should just keep him in mind that if we decide we want something more fashionable than our current… uh, unique outfit.
At Bose International Port, where airships usually land, Receptionist Ted mentions that flights have been canceled, and there's no indication as to when they'll resume. He feels extremely bad for all the customers that are waiting, to say nothing about other landing ports… Berna had planned to take a trip to the Royal City, but the airliner she was supposed to be on hasn't shown up. Hardt is waiting for his flight too, but is a bit baffled when it seems nobody is getting ready for one to come in…
Norm, a mechanic, says they've been standing by here the whole time, as per the company's orders, and he wonders how much longer they'll be waiting like this? Lakely similarly wonders where the airliner might be? What's going on? Aldan, meanwhile, giggles and says he found the perfect place for taking photos. Come out now, fair-winged airships… (Hate to be the bearer of bad news, man…)
Down in the South Block of the city, we can find the Lucir Orbal Factory. Inside we run into Nigel, who muses that he'll be running the show starting today, huh? Excellent! Now it's time to make some real money! Gya ha ha! Upstairs, Carrie says she hasn't seen her boss around recently. Wonder if he's gotten sick or something…? Just east of the factory is a house, where we can speak to Launa, who wonders if her husband's business is doing well. Elke explains that her dad makes clothes and then sells them to the people. He made hers too, see? (Guessing they're talking about Paul.)
West of the orbal factory is another residence, where Modena says it's strange - she would have thought that her husband would be home by now. With her daughter at home now, it seems like they can finally enjoy a meal together as a family for the time in ages, but… Could her husband have gotten into an accident? She's starting to get worried. Upstairs we find Mirano again, who says she came all the way back here to be with her family, but her father is nowhere to be found! He's the one who said to come back to Bose as soon as possible, so what's going on? He mother's worried, so maybe they'll give a call to the place where he's staying? It's not like him to be late like this…
In the next house over, Kuwano states that it's important for people to have hobbies in their old age. He doesn't see why his wife has to get so mad about his hobbies! Doesn't she realize she's just going to turn into a wrinkled old prune getting angry all the time? Ah, now that was a scary look! His wife, Cecile, furiously tells him that's not what she's mad about! The thing she's mad about is the fact that he doesn't have the decency to say one world before he leaves! How many years does he expect her to keep yelling at him for the same thing?
In the far west is another house, where Borden mentions that Bose merchants enjoy the freedom of the market system here, but they also have a rule to always keep their word. For that reason alone they are very strict about meetings and punctuality. Rionne says it's certainly been a while since the army clamped down on things, and at this point, because of it, they're definitely going to be in the red this month. Upstairs, Alvelle says his dad works in the trade business, and their family has been doing the same job for generations, but he doesn't think he's cut out to be a merchant… There's a weapon shop in the southeast of the southern block too, where Sein tells us to look around and see if there's anything I like!
There is some more to see, beyond the city's borders, but I'll get to that next time...
