Some Strings Attached

In the Automaton shop (I-7) on the map, I found a very large Galka named Ghatsad. He was an Automaton craftsman, and while he didn't have an Automaton he could offer me (they take very long to make and he already has more requests that he can handle), he told me he might know of where one of his early prototypes was. It seems the prototype Automaton had finally broken down and sat to rest in an old ship in Arrapago Reef. Ghatsad said that if I were to retrieve the prototype, he might be able to fix, and then offer, it to me. I agreed to undertake the task not truly knowing what I was in for.

I caught a ferry to a place called Nashmau. It was my hope to leave the small port town of Nashmau and travel through the Caedarva Mire and into Arrapago Reef. It was there Ghatsad thought I might find his prototype Automaton. I used the crystal to in Nashmau to set my home point and changed to White Mage so I could make use of sneak and invisibles spells. To get back quickly, I decided I should also utilize my Black Mage skills. This way I could have my warp spell close at hand to make a quick exit if I ran into trouble. A short way into the Caedarva Mire, I found that trouble.

In Caedarva Mire there are some nasty little demons called Imps. I'd never run across the likes of such a vile creature as these before. Amazingly, they seem to have truesight and one saw right through my sneak and invisible spells. Just as soon as it saw me, it attacked! As a White Mage, my defenses were so weakened that it knocked me out in only a few hits. I never had time to even start my warp spell in hope of escape. I fell on the soft ground of the Mire and laid there while little chigoes jumped on an around me. I hoped for a high-level White Mage to see me and raise me but I was hidden by the growing weeds and no one ever did pass by. It was a good thing I'd set my home point using the crystal in Nashmau. Using it, I transported myself back to the small port town and nursed my wounds while deciding if Ghatsad's quest was really worth the struggle.

After a little rest, I took the ferry back to Aht Urhgan Whitegate and returned to my rented Mog House to recuperate my strength. Later that week, I got out into town again to see if I might be able to find some help. I wasn't defeated yet and I was even more determined to find Ghatsad's prototype Automaton.