The Owl and the Wolf

**The Owl and the Wolf** is the final and ultimate hunt sidequest in Invidere I. After successfully conquering all others available marks throughout the Kilranese continent, a final mark is posted in the hunting network, petitioning for the neutralization of two ominous figures believed to be bounty hunters causing chaos in trade routes along the coast of Western Aphelion. In reality, the hunt was posted by Emmanuel Drodd and Jeremiah Garland, hoping to draw the Outlanders to a forgotten land for a final test of their capabilities and resolve. The targets await in the remains of the ancient thalassocracy of Cielo - one of the game's secret and most dangerous areas -, and can be accessed using the party's flagship from the ports of Windforth and Tyfen.

## Lore and Unlocking

The Outlanders were a quartet of heroes assembled seemingly by chance in the central Kilran that went on to protect the world against incursions by nightmarish legions and gods of eld. However, the chain of events that led to their union was not entirely coincidental, and outside players such as Dr. Emmanuel Drodd of the Aquilan Chemical Society had a role in discretely spreading information to individual members that would bring them together. This is implied in the main story throughout various sidequests, and is explored more in each of the character's individual DLC episodes.

Unlocking this final hunt requires fulfillment of the following:

* All other hunts must be defeated.
* The party must have completed the story at least up until the final incursion into Imperium, or reload a save file after the final boss.
* The "Silent Warrior in Stirring Snows" sidequest in Sovenosk must be completed.
* The "Ancient Benevolence" sidequest in New Albion must be completed.

Once these are fulfilled, the hunt will be posted in any adventurer's guild outpost in the game world as a Rank X mark. The posting asks the party to speak to Darlen, a captain in an established naval transportation company based in Windforth. Upon meeting, Darlen explains to the party that a number of his ships have recently come under a siege by a mysterious duo that capture and brainwash members of their crew, letting a small number live to relay ominous and cryptic messages about "destiny" and "things past". He states that the focus of activity is around a mysterious archipelago pictured only on maps of millennia past, and the group can take one of the company's ships there from either Windforth or Tyfen.

Once there, the party is greeted by a beautiful landscape enshrouded in a thin layer of fog and in a perpetual state of light downpour. Flowerbeds and trees adorn the landscape, split apart by creeks. Despite its enticing beauty, the archipelago and its creatures pose one of the greatest threats yet to the Outlanders. Foul, mutated beasts now call the islands their home, and attack the party viciously and powerfully. Groups of mages, driven mad with isolation, besiege the traveling party with powerful magics. The land itself poses challenges to the heroes, blocking the way forward with poisonous, thorny vines that recede only when puzzles hidden in the trees and ruins are deciphered.

As the Outlanders continue inward, they see more and more grandiose ruins reclaimed by the earth, finding that the landscape is dotted with the remains of small towns and fortifications, containing signs and posts in an unknowable script. After an arduous trek, the heroes finally arrive at the ruins of a marvelous city covered in greenery, fog, and silence and replete with buildings of marvelous architecture and promontory parks that give beautiful views to the ocean below. There are even remnants of a large port and a grand castle. Making their way to the latter, the group encounters Emmanuel Drodd and Jeremiah Garland - the latter recognized by Zoomer and Sam.

They reveal the mark as a facade created to draw the Outlanders into their most difficult test yet - a battle with the two mysterious warriors. They also reveal their deeper intentions to the party, as benevolent watchers who wish to see the Outlanders succeed against threats present and future. The player is given the option to accept or deny the test; if they deny, they may leave and return at a different time. Should they accept, the superboss of the first installment in the Invidere series will begin.

Should the Outlanders win, Drodd congratulates them and bids them farewell, promising that the six would meet again before he and Garland disappear with a white fog bomb. They will leave behind the *Ancient Bookmark,* a key item without practical use that serves as bragging rights. They will also leave a *Linguistic Manuscript* that can be used to translate script throughout the archipelago that has not yet been naturally degraded, giving more background for the islands. The player will receive the trophy "Enigmatic Admirers" for their victory. They may teleport back to their dropoff zone with a 1-way teleport totem nearby.

Back at Windforth, Darlen will reveal that he was instructed to set up the mark as a ruse, and gives the Outlanders 128 emerald blocks for their troubles, as well as a turbo engine that maximizes the velocity of the party's boat.

## Gameplay

### Emmanuel Drodd - Stats

* Moveset (Chemist mode)
* Moveset (Artificer mode)

 Illusive Brew
 Senescent Brew
 Destructive Brew
 Galvanizer
 Conqueror's Brew
 Blurry Moon

 Shock Chain
 Sticky Bomb
 Luminescent Dance
 Ravenous Gale
 Dragonmouth
 Carmine Bomber

#### Battle Quotes - Drodd

* First turn: "*I have waited too long for an opportunity like this... a chance to test the mettle of Aquila's chosen protectors. Outlanders! I would have you come at us with all your strength!"*
* At 50% health: "*...It's been centuries since I was this winded. I see it now for myself, the passion and willpower of heroes."*
* At 25% health: "*Heh... you have more than impressed me. Allow me to show you the true extent of my power."*
* Upon defeat: "*I knew... I was right about you."*
* Dodging attack: "*Not quite."*
* Landing a critical blow/striking a weakness: "*You're too vulnerable..."*
* Changing modes: "*It is time to play with a new hand."*
* Rendering a character unconscious: "*Fall, and rise again!"*
* Engaging combined limit break: "*It seems after all that you are not up to my standards... Garland, join me."*

### Jeremiah Garland - Stats

* Moveset (Unarmed mode)
* Moveset (Hunter mode)

 The Garso Way
 Rock Explosion
 Haymaker
 Charge Will
 Inviolable Stance
 A Warrior's Pride

 Heartbreaker
 Smoke Bomb IV
 Hunter's Assertion
 Reaper Arrow
 Exploding Shot
 Heavenfall

#### Battle Quotes - Garland

* First turn: "*..."* *(Garland is completely focused.)*
* At 50% health: "*..."* *(Garland seems amused.)*
* At 25% health: "*..."* *(Garland is in full overdrive.)*
* Upon defeat: "*Well done."*
* Dodging attack: "*You may not."*
* Landing a critical blow/striking a weakness: "*Guard yourself."*
* Changing modes: "...*" (Garland brandishes a fearsome bow/Garland assumes a brawling stance.)*
* Rendering a character unconscious: "*As was fated."*

### Battle and Strategy

The battle against the duo is easily the most challenging in the game, outclassing even the final boss against Makrozoia. Their power is born from both their individual strengths and the interplay between their tactics and abilities. Each of them has two primary "modes" that they switch between at will. Drodd besieges the party with potent non-elemental techniques, which have their damage output maximized by his 100 intelligence stat. Many of his abilities also saddle the party with ailments and debuffs, which impede their ability to continue to fight and defend themselves. In his artificer/engineer mode, he uses an array of machines to deal high elemental damage to the party, afflicting them with ailments that Garland may take advantage of for bonus damage.

Garland, in opposition to Drodd, fights with much more tangible methods. In his default unarmed stance, he fights with his fists, using them to deal tremendous damage. This form has two particularly fearsome elements; firstly, his skillset allows him to attack even outside his turn, with a 1/4 chance of countering attacks dealt against him or his comrade. Secondly, it can take advantage of damage multipliers; he can charge up to deal almost triple damage his next turn, and his critical rate triples when he is nearing defeat. He can also take advantage of Drodd's Conqueror's brew skill to increase his damage even farther. In his archer form, he assaults the party primarily with single-target elemental arrows that cause greater harm to victims of Drodd's attacks, and counters all ranged attacks dealt to him.

Because of the tactical nature of the fight, all four Outlanders should be as highly leveled as possible, and come with equipment that protects them against ailments first and the elements second. Care should be taken to reinforce their weaknesses, such as Ned's fire weakness or Zoomer's lightning weakness. Cannonwalker and Zoomer should be free to act as much as possible, as the former's curative spells and the latter's boosted items will be working most to heal the party. Ned and Sam should focus on the offensive; the former in particular is able to more easily tank Garland's erratic counters, and has a layer of protection against Drodd's ice-paralysis. The two could focus on either target; however, Garland's Hunter Mode will cause him to counter all of Sam's attacks. Defensive items should also be used, as well as buffs such as Zoomer's evasion-raising Rallying Cry.

It is also worth noting that Drodd is weak to Dark, so equipping dark-elemental weapons such as Cannonwalker's Deathbringer could help bring him down faster.

It will be a battle of endurance, and the designated healer should immediately heal ailments and low HP status as they emerge. The duo powers up as they near defeat, with Drodd's evasion rising sharply as does Garland's critical rate.

Beyond the sheer difficulty, the battle has two hidden gimmicks. First, the battle *must* be won within 40 turn-rounds, or Drodd and Garland will unleash their combined limit break - "Showstopper" - in which they join forces and decimate the party, leading to an instant game over. Secondly, upon defeating one of them, the other will wait 1 turn before using a *Revival Drop* to revive their fallen comrade at 25% of max health - about 60,000 for either of them. Therefore, the battle will test the player's endurance as well as decisiveness and speed.