Missions: The Jester Who'd Be King (Windurst 8-2)

After completing Mission 8-1, we headed to the gate guards to get our next orders. Apparently we hadn't done enough for our nation, so we each had to donate over 6 stacks of crystals for the cause. The gate guard was then happy to give us the next mission, though it didn't sound like it was an official mission.

We headed to the Manustery to speak with Apururu. Her brother, Ajido-Marujido, is locked in a dungeon, and she asks for our help. Shantotto told her if she could get five of the Ministry rings, she could most likely open the door to the Dungeon of Darkness. Shantotto also made some not-so-pleasant remarks about taking advantage of a certain adventurer, but I always thought Shatotto was a bit evil anyway.

So we set about collecting the rings. Apururu gave us her Manustery Ring, then we headed to the Optistery to ask for Tosuka-Porika's ring. He was suspicious of our motives and didn't want to give it to us, but he changed his mind. Next, we headed to Davoi to get the Aurastery Ring from Sedal-Godjal. He actually wanted to give it to us without us needing to ask for it, since it was the power of the ring that allowed us to find him with the help of the talking doll in the previous mission. Then we had to head to the basement of Fei'Yin to get the Rhinostery Ring from Rukusu. She was surprised to see us, but seemed happy to help Apururu get her brother out of the dungeon. While we were there, we killed a bunch of Utukku to get a Wandering Bulb for Elboron's quest for his Opo-Opo Crown.

We headed back to Windurst to talk to Apururu and then Kupipi. We learned that Semih Lafihna has the Orastery ring, and has gone off to investigate something in the Outer Horutoto Ruins, and hasn't returned. Kupipi actually seemed a bit concerned about Semih Lafihna's safety.

Saturday night, we gathered together ten people on the mission, and two helpers, and headed off to look for Semih Lafihna and get the fifth ring. We had:

Ryken PLD68/WAR34
Emith BLM73/WHM36

Charcole MNK73/WAR36
Midget THF73/NIN36
Elboron BRD67/WHM33
Grymalkyn THF67/NIN33
Tsakiki PLD67/WAR33
Wendell WHM65/BLM32
Muirnin THF66/NIN33
Kitti THF66/NIN33
Akuma BLM66/WHM33
Vyce SAM62/WAR31

Kiki asked for a Sneak, and headed over to the Cracked Wall in the ruins, and examined it. Suddenly, two Cardians appeared, the Queen of Coins (RDM) and the Queen of Swords (PLD). Grym pulled the Queen of Swords, and we all attacked. With two tanks and four thieves, as well as our other damage dealers, the fight was over quickly, and we pulled the Queen of Coins. This fight was a bit tougher (Kiki got hit for close to 800 damage with a Fire IV), but again, it was over quickly and we all ran over to the Cracked Wall for a cutscene, and got the Orastery Ring from Semih.

The rest of the mission involved a lot of footwork, running from Apururu to Shantotto, back to Apururu, then into the ruins through the Three Mage Gate to the Gate of Darkness. We rescued Ajido-Marujido, and headed back to Windurst for more cutscenes, and get Rank 9 (as well as 80,000 gil, which most people probably used to buy crystals to get the next mission - the city giveth and the city taketh away).