Post #10 for Blaugust Reborn
Continuing the recap about the Machinist storyline. Again, this is mostly something I do for myself in case I decide to reminisce about it later on but can barely remember what the heck was going on during these quests.
If anyone is curious about what happened during the level 30 to 50 quest, you can find my recap of it here.
WARNING: Spoilers about the storyline for Machinists from 50 to 60 ahead.
Last time in this storyline we just received news that Joye had suddenly married due to some unknown familial circumstances. Due to tradition she quit her job at House Hallinarte too.
Now at the time I didn’t think much of it despite everything in the cutscene pointing this to not being a good thing. Honestly I don’t know what my brain is doing at times like this. /sigh
Stephanivien was determined to try contacting Joye’s family to see if he could convince her and her supposedly husband to come work in the Skysteel Manufactory.
To summarize the next set of events: they find out that Joye’s father had also vanished at the same time of the wedding. Supposedly he had found some work at Falcon’s Nest but nobody saw him there either.
They did meet Joye who pretty much told them to leave her alone, leading to a bit of drama within the manufactory.
Just before the machinists have to fulfill their duties and help house Dzemael fight some dragons, Celestaux, one of the manufactory’s employees, come with the news that Joye’s marriage was a farce. Her father was kidnapped, forcing her into this lie.
He is pretty sure that house Dzemael is behind all of this too.
The crew then decides to split up. Some of them will stay behind to fight the dragons while the rest of them go rescue Joye’s father.
The rescue is pretty easy as there is only one, very cowardly guy, guarding the door to where Joye’s father is kept. One non-lethal shot solves the problem.
Stephanivien is even kind enough to offer the poor fellow a job, since he is obviously just another desperate fool being used by someone with lots of money.
As for Joye’s father, he unfortunately doesn’t know much about his kidnappers. All he can tell is that house Dzemael hired him to work on Falcon’s Nest then some thugs put a sack over his head and dragged him away.
Poor guy didn’t even know about Joye’s wedding or her quitting her job at the manufactory. Needless to say he didn’t think those were a good idea either and quickly figured out the reason for his kidnapping.
Stephanivien sends us ahead to help fight the dragons while he goes find Joye.
When we arrive at the battle site, things just aren’t going well for house Hallinarte. It is time for us to teach those overgrown lizards a lesson.
Again, not a particularly hard fight that I can remember off.
Just when we think the fight is over, a big dragon appears right behind us. As it gets ready to take a bit of our head, Joye shows up and shoots it down.
Normally I’d complain about a NPC kill stealing us in a cutscene but due to circumstances I will make an exception this time. :p
Everybody is rejoiced to see her back. Joye apologizes for the troubles she caused and thanks everyone for the help they gave. And of course, they offer her job back which she accepts.
Tedalgrinche, aka Jerkface, chooses this time to show up too just to do some more trash talking.
I swear, I haven’t seem a more shameless villain in these Job quests than this guy.
Back at the manufactory, Stephanivien gets accused of insurrection. He was charged of arming commoners and shooting within Brume… which isn’t entirely inaccurate as it is what happened during the rescue of Joye’s father. Just the part about insurrection is entirely a lie.
Unfortunately this means that the manufactory will be under the Temple Knights vigilance until this charges are judged. Failing to prove their innocence means that the place will be closed down and all the accused to end up in jail.
It is pretty obvious who is behind these accusations. Stephanivien doesn’t feel like taking this standing down though. He is determined to turn the tables and prove Tedalgrinche’s crimes.
He decides to stay behind to keep the Temple Knights eyes on him while we go do some investigation.
Fortunately for us it isn’t a very hard task. Remember that guy that was guarding Joye’s father? Yeah, turns out someone kidnapped him this time. The trail is pretty easy to follow too, leading to the Tailfeather.
Over there we find the kidnappers, and our man, trying to lay low in the wilderness. The bad guys are pretty easily dispatched, and the man who we were looking for, a man named Fraideoux begs us for forgiveness for giving a false witness account.
According to him they were threatening his life unless he complied with their demands. Stephanivien convinces the man to change his testimony and lucky is with us as we even find a seal of House Dzemael to prove Tedalgrinche’s wrongdoings.
Back at Ishgard, Stephanivien files a counter-accusation against Jerkface.
Since this is a game things obviously don’t end here. Tedalgrinche shows up again for some more trash talking and announce that everything we did was for naught. The accusation stands. The Holy See however agreed on a way to prove our innocence: by killing a beast that has been plaguing the city’s supply trains.
The only problem is that it is an infamous dragon called Veri Selen. Which apparently is a big deal considering Stephanivien’s reaction.
After Jerkface leaves, Rostnsthal proposes that he confess to be the one firing the weapons. Since his reputation isn’t all that good to begin with it shouldn’t be hard to convince anyone.
Of course, none of them agrees with it but Rostnsthal just runs off before anyone can stop him. Joye goes immediately after the Marksmanship Instructor while Stephanivien aks us to go gather some materials for a new invention of his… Because that is absolutely the right time to do so! /sarcasm
Ok, they do try to justify it within the story but it is still pretty silly so I will just pretend it didn’t happen.
Back in Ishgard it seems Rostnsthal was sighted at the Pillars. When we arrive at the scene, Joye is trying desperately to try to stop the instructor but since we are the hero of this story it is of course up to us to shoot him down. Non-lethally of course.
Stephanivien finally arrives at the scene too. His words, together with our shot, is able to convince Rostnsthal to not turn himself in… on the condition that he instructor can help in the fight.
Rostnsthal goes on to explain that this is a matter of penance for him. Back when he was the leader of the Barracudas, he lied to his man. Instead of working for Limsa Lominsa Thalassocracy, they were working for Rostnshtal’s own agenda.
Things ended badly when he sent some of the men to a fight they had no reason to be involved in. After that he got stripped of his rank, tried to drown his sorrows in booze and became a pirate.
Rostnsthtal has been trying to make amends since. And now he finally sees an opportunity to finally do some good by helping his students get out alive of a situation they were never meant to be in to begin with.
After hearing all that Stephanivien is more than happy to let the instructor join the fight.
At the day of the trial, Stephanivien arranges a small feast before they depart for the fight, just to lift everybody’s morale. It works as everyone is pumped for the battle to come.
After that they go to the designated location where they will attempt to bait Veri Selen. There we end up meeting a priest representing the Holy See who will oversee trial. Tedalgrinche is also there too.
The priest explains that if we kill the dragon or die in combat against it then we’ll be declared innocent. If we try to flee then we are guilty. Because that is how a reasonable judicial system works, just send some the accused to do a near impossible task and completely ignore any evidence or testimony. /sarcasm
While the priest and Tedalgrinche go to a higher vantage point to oversee the battle, Stephanivien explains his strategy which is… just use everything we got until it is dead. Ok, it isn’t much of a strategy but given the circumstances I can’t really blame him.
When Veri Selen arrives it does a few swoops around the area before landing. During one of those it knocks down the priest and Tedalgrinche down to the battlefield leaving them weaponless.
Stephanivien doesn’t even think twice, he orders the machinists to protect them. Jerkface is surprised by that, asking why they are doing it, when it would be much more beneficial to them if he just died there.
Stephanivien doesn’t disagree with that but he argues that if the machinists are meant to defend Ishgard then they it is their duty to protect all of is citizens with equal zeal.
After this… touching (?!?) scene we get to finally fight. Which isn’t a hard one. At least it wasn’t for me but I had some good level 60 gear. :p
With the beast dead, all accusations against us are withdrawn. Surprisingly though, Teldagrinche not only thanks us for saving his life but offers a boon: he will do anything we ask as long as it is within his power to grant it.
Stephanivien just asks one thing though: for Jerkface to promise to never oppose the machinists again nor try to sabotage the Skysteel Manufactory.
Teldagrince is surprised by that but agrees. In the ensuing discussion he seems to finally realize that the machinists aren’t meant to substitute knights: rather they need the knights to be in the frontlines protecting them, so they can do their job.
As for the others, Rostnsthal decides to leave as it is not his style to stay in one place for too long. He nominates Joye to become the new Master of Markmanship for the Manufactory, gives us a pat on the back then goes on his way.
Back at Ishgard, Stephanivien also exalts our feats and reminds us that we are always welcome at the Skysteel Manufactory. Oh, he also gives us a new skill too. :p
With that the 50 to 60 storyline for Machinists ends.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad one. My only nitpick was with Jerkface as a villain. He often felt more like a high school bully to me than an actual good villain. Granted, I don’t think all villains need to have some big motivation or act in a certain way to be good. In fact, I think the idea of a noble feeling threatened by the idea of commoners being effective in the battlefield is a good one.
It is just that when a villain makes me feel like punching them in the face because they are annoying they just don’t feel all that interesting to me. They just feel more like a nuisance that I want to get rid of, not one that gives me a cathartic feeling once I defeat them.
Maybe the next questline will have a more interesting villain. Right know much of what to expect but it does have a good start. 🙂