Last time, Temenos reunited with Crick, and together they discovered how the murderer is choosing their victims, and thus have deduced who the next target is.
So we're off to stop that.
Miscreant's Melody
Are you having the time of your lives this evening?
Do you really think the killer is in the audience?
Haha. Very carefully hidden, yes.
Before we get to deducing, some banter.
Yes, with your help I believe I have some extremely educated guesses.
I knew you would figure it out. So, who is our enemy? The note the pontiff left behind was as big a clue as I suspected.
This phrase, given to use by a particular people, is what binds these cases together.
And there will be a mark on their person that proves it. Hm... So you expect to find them among the crowd at the tavern? Precisely. Though it won't be easy. You have my sword, should it come to blows.
So yeah, seems Temenos has figured out a lot more than he's even let on to Crick. In fact, you wouldn't know Temenos has deduced this information yet outside of this banter. That said, at this time it isn't relevant considering we have to apprehend this murderer before they strike again.
There's three suspicious-looking people in the audience.
There's one surefire way Temenos knows to get answers.
REPENT
If circumstances were different, we'd be better off taking care of this person too. Alas, not today.
CONFESS YOUR SINS
Meanwhile, this is simply a relative showing her support in the only way she knows how: silently and very suspiciously.
That leaves this really suspicious figure with high shields, and thus a lot to hide.
But Temenos will always uncover the truth.
This is our murderer. This is the person who murdered the pontiff, the apothecary, the theologian.
Video: The Culprit is You!
SILENCE
This string of murders was committed by none other than you...
Upon vanquishing the "Flamebringer," you came here to Canalbrine. Where you easily crossed the "Charitable" and the "Scholarking" off your list. And in accordance with the scripture, your next target will be...
Who shall be played this evening by the renowned dancer Hermes. Isn't that so?
......Urgency
Open your eyes to the truth!
Bravo, Crick. ......
Unfortunately, he ran off before we could stop him.
That's the Sacred Guard's ship! We must be swift!
No time to waste, we must climb aboard the Sacred Guard's ship to chase down Vados.
It's basically a mini-dungeon with a small amount of loot and a few elemental sentinels keeping guard.
The insides are appropriately fancy. Also, just now looking at this screenshot I notice a chest behind the beds that I missed. I don't know if I can ever live with myself after that mistake.
It's not far until we reach Vados.
SILENCE
The late pontiff left a note behind just before his death. It reads as follows:
Words from the Keepers of the Flame, I believe. ......
Which means the pontiff wanted us to know that the killer was one of you.
You lured the beast that killed the pontiff to the cathedral...
Standing watch as the pontiff died.
Well deduced, Temenos...In Pursuit of Truth
Vados... Why!? You cannot detain me here.
Video: Boss - Vados the ArchitectCritical Clash I
It's time for our first boss of Chapter 2. Fortunately, we have a variety of jobs and allies to help us, because we're going to need them!
Also, if you do watch the boss videos, you're in for a treat, as Octopath Traveler 2 adds a bit of banter between characters during battle. It's not as prevalent in this battle, but characters will complement each other when breaking a foe, or yell to a character in concern if they hit low HP.
Anyway, despite loving to brandish a knife in cutscenes, Vados is primarily a magic user, preferring to summon elemental wisps to assist him.
Just because Osvald isn't here doesn't mean I can't take advantage of their elemental weaknesses!
As usual, the start of the battle is mostly about whittling down the adds while figuring out what weaknesses our foes have.
The wisps themselves use weak elemental attacks. Nothing too scary on their own.
However, Vados won't simply leave them on their own. He'll eagerly boost their E.Atk to make them (and himself) hit harder.
He'll also sacrifice weakened wisps to unleash a powerful elemental attack. These hit pretty hard, in this case for over half of Partitio's HP.
Vados even has some AoE damage to weaken the party with. Dealing with him can be difficult if you're not prepared.
But that's why we have a Cleric as our protagonist. Temenos can bail our party out of almost any situation.
Granted, I had to spend some BP to do this much healing, but it's not like you're going to always use it for attacks. Sometimes you simply need to stay alive at all costs.
We break and buff...
...and utterly lay our offense into Vados. Turns out Hikari and Ochette can do a lot of damage, go figure!
Of course, this isn't Chapter 1. Vados is just getting started.
Fortunately, during the battle I buff our party's E.Def. by having Ochette summon a Sanctum Knight immediately before this attack who immediately used Mental Augmenatation to boost the entire party's E.Atk and E.Def, else it probably would've done much more to Hikari!
Bosses still have powerful moves under their sleeve if you don't break them in time.
These are proper elementals, which also temporarily seal half of Vados's weaknesses so that they can't be triggered.
With Advanced Magic, Temenos now has more powerful versions of Revive, Heal Wounds, and Luminiscence.
Heal More heals, well, more. It heals less than the last screenshot because this one isn't boosted at all.
The various monsters I collected for Ochette pull a fair bit of weight this fight.
Also, since I have Partitio here, you better believe he got paid for his troubles.
Advanced Magic makes target-all elemental spells hit two times, somewhat reminiscient of the Sorcerer job in OT1. It's great for doing damage of course, but it's one of the best ways to shred elemental weaknesses, which is generally more difficult to pull off.
And it turns out Ochette gets the honors of delivering the killing blow.
Video: Two PathsSILENCE
......
"Surrender yourself not unto silent dusk. For the light shall fade." ......
Beg for His mercy, for it is He who shall judge you for your crimes.
Take him away.
...so eager to take the credit for the hard work of others.
Go about your business. Your little interrogation is over. I will merely note that the criminal now in your custody is a heretic.
Will nothing stay your tongue?
...Yes, Captain.
......
We will deal with the aftermath here in Canalbrine.
You shall be his escort. I am honored, Captain. Yet... ...Yet what?
As such, might we not grant him the opportunity to interrogate Vados?
Many thanks, Captain.
Did your investigation reveal anything of note?
"Surrender yourself not unto silent dusk. For the light shall fade."
Good work. That will be all.
It seems...odd that the Sacred Guard is fine with Temenos interrogating Vados, considering how at odds the two sides are with each other.
Ort... Are you joking?
I scarcely deserve the admiration of someone so clearly superior.
Haha... Is that so?
Come now, you needn't spar with me to know you're better...right? Hah... It is possible for skills to atrophy, you know.
Just as the inquisitor brought you into the church. Right...
We just happen to be following our own flames. Down paths we pray are righteous.
Crick and Ort have respect for each others' skills and devotion. They may be walking on different paths, but both have the same goals of defending the Sacred Flame. Crick's path is just a bit more...unorthodox, due to his mentor.
What is it that you're reading, Temenos?
Let's not say anything we'll regret, Crick. This is well within the bounds of our investigation.
What do you plan to do next, anyhow? Well, the case this string of murders opened is now closed... I have been told to escort Vados back to headquarters, and that is what I shall do.
I think you would do well to choose gratitude over doubt, just this once.
If Temenos is nothing else, he certainly is consistent in his convictions.
Temenos, the Cleric
Two pa-- Are you not returning to the Sacred Guard headquarters yourself? That is the first path, and it leads to the interrogation of Vados. The second path, however, lies within these notes.
Apparently they're somewhere in Crackridge. The theologian Lucian intended to visit them before he was killed. ...... I feel this might be a momentous clue. And so the second path leads to the Fellsun Ruins.
Whichever you choose to follow... Take care of yourself, Temenos. I shall welcome you at our headquarters whenever you arrive.
(Why did Vados kill these people? Why did he liken his victims to each of the eight gods?)
......
And thus ends Chapter 2 for Temenos.
Let's end with some banter.
That is a question with no easy answer, I'm afraid.
Dogs are wise, they've got good noses, and they're fast...
...... Would you mind if I called you a hound, too?
Somehow I don't think Inquisitor Temenos Mistral would rather actually be known as "The Hound". Even if he does have a nose for solving mysteries...
That's it for today, and normally I'd either do some side stories or jump to another character's story next, but...
...Octopath Traveler 2 adds Crossed Path stories, four different two-part stories starring a different pair of characters. The first part unlocks when doing both characters' Chapter 2 (or one of them if they have multiple, like Throné). So we'll get to see Throné and Temenos work together to search for a mysterious treasure next time!
