GamerEscape

«In Mt. Gulg's Shadow

Meet the Tholls»

Transcript may differ from in-game version as efforts have been made to incorporate unused and/or altered text. Text in green is conditional. Hover your mouse over it to see the condition for making that text appear!

The First ► Norvrandt (Landmass) ► Norvrandt ► Kholusia ► Scree ► Top Rung

Alphinaud Soon after you left, who should arrive in Amity but Urianger and the Exarch. I'm glad they were able to find you.

Thancred I'm told you went ahead to scout out the volcano. I don't suppose some grappling hooks will suffice?

Ryne A-All that grinding and shaking... I-I was afraid the lift floor would fall out from underneath me... B-But don't worry! I-I'm sure the trembling will go away s-soon!

Urianger Thus are we all gathered...though Ryne, I am afeared, did not much enjoy the ascent.

Y'shtola Forgive us our delay. The Exarch arrived and we took some time to apprise him of our mission.

Crystal Exarch ...Concerned for my health, are you? Indeed, we are a little far from the Crystarium, but rest assured this old man can muster up another wind for what is to come.

Chai-Nuzz Oh, don't mind us. We're just taking in the sights.

Dulia-Chai Ahhh, such an exhilarating ride! And such a magnificent view! Nothing in Eulmore compares to this!

Voiced cutscene start.

Thancred ...In short, there's no path, and the sky is thick with Vauthry's winged devils.

Alphinaud We might consider amaro, but without extensive training, we cannot hope to contend with the eaters. Eulmore's airship fleet, meanwhile, consists solely of transport vessels ill-suited for battle. And without the expertise of one such as Cid, we are in no position to attempt a refit.

Dulia-Chai Oh, it's so frustrating! That wretched mountain should jolly well come back down to earth!

Chai-Nuzz Now, now, dearest. We mustn't disturb these good people at their work. We've ridden the Ladder and seen the sights. It's past time we took our leave.

Y'shtola The lady may well have the right of it. Mt. Gulg will not soon come down to earth, nor can we compel it to do so. But if the mountain will not come to the land, mayhap the land may be made to come to the mountain... ...In the form of a Talos. A Talos large enough to reach out and take the volcano in its grasp.

Urianger To build such a golem would be an onerous undertaking indeed...yet the principle seemeth sound in itself.

Chai-Nuzz Balderdash! No one has ever made one even half that size! Leaving aside the small matter of logistics─which, by the way, would be no small matter─the design would need to be unimaginably complex! Though, I suppose... Hmm... If its only function is to cling to the ruddy mountain, perhaps it needn't be... A solid base, firmly rooted to the ground─sacrifice mobility to simplify the construction, reducing materials required... Wait, wait, wait! What am I thinking!? We would still need a veritable army of people to do the work! Left to the crew that helped down below, it would take decades, if not a nice round century!

Alisaie So we need more hands. And what sort of things would these hands be required to do?

Chai-Nuzz Oh? Er... Well, er... Well, let's see... First, we'd need people to procure the stone for the chassis. The rock found near the mountain would suit our purposes well enough. It'd be a simple task to quarry the stuff, but given the stupendous quantity required, we'd need all the help we can get.

Thancred We have friends amongst the miners of Amh Araeng. I will go and petition their aid.

Alisaie While you do that, I'll make for Mord Souq. I'm sure I'll be able to drum up some support.

Alphinaud Then I shall return to Kholusia. From fishers to carpenters, Eulmore is home to all manner of talented folk. I daresay their skills will avail us.

Ryne Is there anything else you need?

Chai-Nuzz Well...yes, actually... Magic. Lots of the stuff. As much as possible. To awaken a Talos of this size would require an entire congregation of mages.

Y'shtola Many among the Night's Blessed are gifted in the arcane arts. I will recruit them to our cause.

Urianger The fae folk too, possess surpassing aptitude in magicks. Yet they are not wont to cooperate in the endeavors of men. Leastwise, not without making all manner of mischief. That being the case, I would instead call upon the people of the Crystarium─with thy permission, Exarch.

Crystal Exarch We are at your disposal, as are our amaro and chocobos.

Chai-Nuzz I'm sorry─you mean to tell me you can call on not only the people of Eulmore and the Crystarium, but the Night's Blessed, and the Mord, and even those miners!? But that's just about everyone in bally Norvrandt! Who are you people!? And how did you come to have so many friends!?

What will you say?

The saviors of the world.	Adventurers of no import.	The artist Alphinaud and his assistants.
Chai-Nuzz Saviors of the world? Are you being serious? Oh gods, you are...	Chai-Nuzz No import? You expect me to believe that after you just promised me the help of the better part of the world!?	Dulia-Chai Oh, dearest, have you forgotten already? Alphinaud told us that when we first met. Chai-Nuzz Um, actually, that may not have been... Never mind...

Y'shtola So, as you can see, you will not want for bodies. I trust you will have your design ready in good time for their arrival.

Y'shtola Norvrandt is counting on you...heir to Daedalus Stoneworks.

Ryne We'll be back as soon as we can─and we'll bring the whole world with us.

Crystal Exarch ...I take it we will be assisting Master Chai. Though I am quite sure he has everything under control...

Voiced cutscene end.

Crystal Exarch Shall we see how we might be of service?

Dulia-Chai When he asked for my hand, my husband promised that he would one day build a Talos that could take us to the very heavens. And now he'll do it!

Chai-Nuzz Have the design ready, she says! In good time, she says! Does she even understand what's involved!? Before I can even attempt to design anything, I need intimate knowledge of the land─the knowledge of locals. Last I heard, no one lives here! What? A village of Eulmoran exiles!? B-But...those people have every reason to loathe a free citizen like me! They couldn't possibly be willing to cooperate! <sob> This will never work. Never. I never should've fixed that ruddy lift. Never should've ridden it up here... Never should've...never should've... I can't do it... It's impossible...

Dulia-Chai Oh dear, darling appears to have lost the plot... But he has it in him, Forename. He's the cleverest man I know─he just wants for confidence sometimes. If you were to give him some words of encouragement, I'm sure he can give you your Talos. A bit of advice I learned from his mother: he responds poorly to obvious praise. You'll need to find another way to stoke the fires of his motivation─awaken his sense of daring!

Cutscene start.

Chai-Nuzz I can't do it. No one can. A Talos of that size...no one's even dreamed of it.

What will you say?

Alphinaud once struggled to collect firewood.	Dulia is counting on you as well.	You're a genius! You can do this!
Chai-Nuzz He did? But...he's such a capable lad, brimming with confidence. Hmmm... I suppose even the most capable among us have struggles to overcome... But regardless of my own feelings, I can't do a damn thing without help from those villagers...and they're not bally likely to give it!	Chai-Nuzz I know, I know! You hardly need to tell me that! Do you think I'd disappoint her if I could help it!? But regardless of my own feelings, I can't do a damn thing without help from those villagers...and they're not bally likely to give it!	Chai-Nuzz Oh, it's simple as that, is it? You say some magic words and I can suddenly do the impossible? Don't make me laugh! As I said, I can't do a damn thing without help from those villagers...and they're not bally likely to give it!

Chai-Nuzz Tristol's among them, you said so yourself! Lest you've forgotten, we essentially sent him to his death! Even if the others don't bear a personal grudge, he would never forgive us!

What will you say?

You don't know until you apologize. I'll come with you.	Don't worry! He'll forgive you for sure!	Things won't improve by themselves. You have to take the first step.
Chai-Nuzz Hmmm... If you were there too, perhaps he'd be more willing to accept an apology... W-Wait... What am I thinking, relying on others to fight my battles? It's disgraceful, is what it is, and it might even make things worse... And in the end it's not even a question of forgiveness. Building such an enormous Talos is impossible, and no amount of contrition will change that!	Chai-Nuzz How can you make such blithe claims without proof? You're either naive or you think I am─and I most certainly am not! And whatever you say, in the end it's not even a question of forgiveness. Building such an enormous Talos is impossible, and no amount of contrition will change that!	Chai-Nuzz I know, I know... Unless we take the first step, there can never be reconciliation. This is a chance for everyone to come together. Even if they hurled stones at me, perhaps it's worth trying to apologize... But what then? In the end it's not even a question of forgiveness. Building such an enormous Talos is impossible, and no amount of contrition will change that.

Chai-Nuzz And even if by some miracle the people of Amity were willing to let bygones be bygones, they'd think that the plan is absurd! I think it's absurd!

What will you say?

It's less absurd than the change that's come to Eulmore.	We liberated a castle with a strategy that many would call absurd.	Everything you touch turns to gold! No one would doubt your plan!
Chai-Nuzz Well, I can't argue with that logic... Enormous as the task is, it's simply a matter of finding a solution to a practical problem. From that perspective, it's not entirely unrealistic. But realistic or no, there's no guarantee of success. There are risks to consider should the venture fail.	Chai-Nuzz Well now, to flood the very castle you sought to reclaim... Such a strategy could indeed be considered absurd. Yet you succeeded not in spite of, but because of it. Our own strategy may likewise seem absurd, but maybe─just maybe it stands a better chance of success for it... But be that as it may, there are risks to consider should the venture fail.	Chai-Nuzz I've no idea where that absolute confidence of yours comes from, but it only makes me feel more wary! And even assuming there's a semblance of realism to the plan, have you considered the risks should the venture fail?

Chai-Nuzz Aye, imagine for a moment that we fail to reach Vauthry and only succeed in provoking him. In his fury, he may well unleash his hordes of eaters and we'll meet a horrible end!

What will you say?

Then we'll go together!	I'll protect you. I'll protect everyone.	We could build Talos for battle.
Chai-Nuzz Oh, so I can die with you!? How very kind of you to offer! But if it's all the same, I'd rather keep on living! <sigh> How can you remain so...so optimistic throughout all this? It's downright tiring... Tell me, why did you throw yourself into the midst of such a grueling struggle?	Chai-Nuzz <gasp> I-I see what you did there. That's how you win over the masses─with that irrepressible aura of dependability. But very well, you've made your conviction clear...and I'm assured in spite of myself. I won't let my fears get the better of me. It's unseemly if nothing else. Still, I find it astounding that you can have such certainty given the circumstances. Tell me, why did you throw yourself into the midst of such a grueling struggle?	Chai-Nuzz I've thought of that, I assure you, but I'm afraid Talos cannot contend with sin eaters. If they could, I would never have come to Eulmore. Nonetheless, I appreciate your earnest attempt to find a solution. It makes me wonder, what is it that drives you?

What will you say?

To protect those I love.	Because I live for adventure.	I got roped into it...
Chai-Nuzz ...! Indeed... What else could compel us to face such dangers? I too have someone I wish to protect, with whom I want to live out my days in peace...	Chai-Nuzz Adventure... Such a strange word coming from my lips... I used to have a sense of adventure too. Strove to challenge myself. Whenever did I lose it?	Chai-Nuzz So you do not fight willingly. Just like me. We may put on a smile, but behind it there's only doubt. If even your heart isn't in it, there's no hope for any of us. No point in building the Talos.

Chai-Nuzz Yes... Yes! By the gods, I can do this! I just need to have a little faith in myself! Right, let's head to Amity and speak with the villagers─with Tristol. My love, things are liable to become more dangerous. I want you to wait for me back in Eulmore.

Dulia-Chai No. Wherever you go, I'm going too. Besides...you're not the only one who has to apologize.

Chai-Nuzz B-But there's no telling what may happen out here! I don't know if I can keep you safe! P-Perhaps this is a bad idea after all... I-I don't think I have what it takes...

Crystal Exarch Master Chai. That you are beset with doubt is proof that you can envision the task ahead. And that which man can envision, he can make reality. Thus did some old friends of mine once say. Even should it be a feat fit for the divine, if something has been done before, then it most assuredly can be done again by our own hands.

Chai-Nuzz That's a little idealistic, don't you think!?

Crystal Exarch Perhaps, Master Chai, perhaps. But what is man if not an idealistic creature? 'Tis not an easy thing to achieve one's dreams─my friends can attest to that. Countless times did they meet with frustration in the course of their endeavors. None would have found fault with them had they given up, yet they never did. One step after the next, they forged on towards their goals. And for their determination, they accomplished numerous feats that many believed lay beyond the reach of mankind. Like them, you are a man of science. Amidst your doubts, surely there is a spark of desire. The desire to make the impossible possible.

Dulia-Chai Come, darling. Like the old days, I would be the first to see your Talos.

Chai-Nuzz And you shall be, my dear. I would have none other at my side when my greatest masterpiece awakens. Right, then. To Amity.

Crystal Exarch I am glad my words struck a chord. Shall we?

Cutscene end.

The First ► Norvrandt (Landmass) ► Norvrandt ► Kholusia ► Scree ► Amity

Cutscene start.

Tristol Y-You!

Chai-Nuzz You have every right to be angry with us. But please listen to what I have to say. I am tasked with delivering these people to Mt. Gulg─by means of a Talos of heretofore unseen proportions. However, I cannot do this without the cooperation of those with intimate knowledge of this land. That is, you and your fellow villagers.

Tristol ...Cooperation? After you ignored my desperate pleas and cast me out, you have the gall to come here and ask for my cooperation?

Chai-Nuzz You've every right to be upset. Vauthry's not the one to blame for your suffering─we are. We were free citizens without a care in the world, indifferent to the hardship of others. We didn't know what would become of you, and frankly, we didn't care. But we know now that what we did to you─to full many─was wrong. Terribly wrong. No words will suffice to make amends, but I want you to know that we are deeply sorry.

Tristol I'm not sure how I feel. Should I forgive you? Hate you? Perhaps it's not even my place to judge. After all, I sought a place in your city. I wanted to be you, once... But one thing is clear to me. All of that is in the past. And we mustn't let past wrongs stand in the way of a brighter future. And so...I will cooperate with you. Please see our friends to Mt. Gulg.

Chai-Nuzz You have my word! I'll set to work on the design at once. Wouldn't do to have nothing to show the others when they return with help. Make no mistake, this venture is unprecedented in the history of Talos building─nay, the history of all mankind! But rest assured this genius of Daedalus Stoneworks will deliver! Ah, wicked white!

Crystal Exarch Is there a problem?

Chai-Nuzz Well...er, you see... I've been promised people to procure the stone as well as imbue magic. When I was put on the spot earlier, I thought that was all we required. But I forgot about one rather important item needed to bring a Talos to life...

What will you say?

The heart?	What is it?
Chai-Nuzz That's right, the heart! I'm pleased to see you have some familiarity with Talos!	Chai-Nuzz The heart! The godsdamned, bally heart! Without one, a Talos is just a hunk of rock!

Chai-Nuzz So, while I work on the design, I'd be much obliged if you could see to procuring the ore with which to fashion a heart.

Chai-Nuzz A heart suitable of bringing to life a Talos that shall embrace the very firmament!

Cutscene end.