We finally clear out the enemies and advance to the next fight.

Things go much better this time, particularly since the level 26 monster hasn’t spawned.

After getting a game over, we try again with The Forbidden Technique.

This fight goes spectacularly pear-shaped.

We take our first shot at the Pirate’s Graveyard.

We manage to win the fight, but not without tragedy.

Now that things are getting more stable, I turn the forbidden technique off for the remainder of the fight.

I continue to fudge things as AI and the map layout work against this particular escort quest.

After learning that losing this Escort Mission gets a Game Over, I make the decision to bust out a forbidden technique.

Azelstan has a run-in with the Bakram and we try to help.

We have a random encounter on our way to the next sidequest.

We find Catuia and talk things out.

We finally take down Tartaros.

Tartaros finally joins the fight, and we finally get to deal some damage to him.

We finally take down Barbas, opening a path to save Catuia.

We contend with our clerics and ninja attracting arrows.

We contend with the fact that not a lot of our party members can climb or jump up walls.

We face off with Barbas, who has gun he doesn’t know how to use – and is a Dozle.

We finally clear out the first line of defenders.

We decide to push forward to clear the enemy out.

We find ourselves dealing with some terrain issues with the battlements on the map.

We launch our attack on the Castle’s front gates, and have to contend with more tar.

We defeat the enemy commander, opening the way to the castle.