Speaking of Gardening, today should see the release of Botanicula, but is also the day I have decided to once again become the Legendary Gardener.

The Quest for the Lunar Tear

Legendary Gardener is an achievement or trophy in the game NieR, rewarded awarded for cultivating the legendary flower Lunar Tear, or White Moonflower. There is no quest directly related to it and as such there is no in-game motivation to obtain; it doesn't offer any exceptional benefits either, apart from its value in gold and restorative properties. Due to the mechanics involved in cultivating, the rewards seem disproportional at best considering the time spent obtaining the flower. Likewise, the trophy/achievement awards - bronze and 10G respectively - aren't reflective of the massive horticultural undertaking required.

In the world of NieR things grow in real-time, not fake video game time, governed by your (console's) actual clock. Although growing a White Moonflower could be as simple as planting a White Moonflower Seed, watering it and waiting, it more frustrating involved than that.

Firstly, White Moonflower Seeds aren't as straightforwardly found or dug up like Berries, shops don't sell them either. White Moonflower seeds are the result of successfully cross breeding two different types (colour) of Moonflower seeds, Pink and Peach which first need to be bred using combinations of Indigo, Gold, Blue and Red seeds. Indigo isn't initially available either. Obtaining a new colour isn't guaranteed and for the rarer colours the odds are lower.

Typical cultivation process and growth/life cycle for Moonflowers is: Fertilize, Plant, Water, (Water,) Blossom, Wither. Fertilizing and Watering are optional but potentially beneficial, while the Withering phase is the one during which seeds can be harvested. Moonflowers, regardless of colour, will only wither after about 30-40 real hours have passed, depending on type of fertilizer(s) used. In the most ideal scenario, getting a White Moonflower (seed) will take about 6 days (4*36H), that is if you can be available to tend to your virtual garden at the required times and beat the odds to end up with sufficient yields of the seeds you need. Luckily the withering phase is rather extensive (50 hours) so the risk of losing seeds is minimal, but so are the odds of getting what you want.

The 'easy' way around the time part of the mechanic is to manipulate the console's system clock, bypassing the real-time element. However, statistics can still cause plenty of frustration and time spent.

In the past I may have walked the cowardly ways of fake-time gardening, but from today I strongly intent to seek redemption and become a true Legendary Gardener. I therefore hereby pledge not to manipulate time while on my Quest for the Lunar Tear!

Process and Progress:

Recently finished a first playthrough, resulting in Ending A, haven't resumed playing after that yet. The garden is fully expanded (3x5) and has only been used to grow Wheat and Watermelons.

Dates and times reported or mentioned are CEST (GMT+2), assuming my quest ends before Daylight Savings (or "Summertime") does. I'm currently playing on the Xbox 360.

[For the record: Successfully grown and harvested a White Moonflower on day 24, May12th 2012]

Day Zero; Ab Initio

Emil freed Kainé from her petrification and Weiss and I drove back that damn shade, hopefully for good this time. Apparently the villagers aren't comfortable having Emil and Kainé around, so they have to sleep outside. I don't understand how Devola and Popola can agree with this, I'll be thinking twice when those villagers ask me to help them with stupid tasks like fixing their creaking waterwheel. I do need the money though.

Day One; April 19th

2:45pm: Visited Seafront to be away from the Village for a while, there were lots of shades roaming the Southern Plains. They were heavily armoured too. Although Emil and Kainé say they are okay with not being welcome in the Village, it seemed they used this opportunity to let off some steam. Bought various seeds and fertilizer, went back to the Village by boat. Convenient.

Fertilized and planted Blue and Gold Moonflower seeds, spent 4,620 Gold. Maybe I'll do some fishing or chores next.

After getting wounded, Kainé lost control over her Inner Shade and went beserk, Weiss and I had to beat some sense back into her, I think Weiss did enjoy that a litte. It's remarkable how much Emil seems to appreciate Kainé's company, she's not exactly the most friendly person in the world. We also found a piece of some kind of key, Popola says it can unlock the Shadowlord's Castle, but we need to find the other pieces first.

The flowers have grown nicely, although one looks different than I expected. I'm pretty sure I put a Golden seed in that spot.. I think I'll do some more fishing today. the Old Man told me about fishing in a sand lake, this I got to see!

Day Three; April 21st

11:05 am: Sand fishing was great! Fishing is just one of those things that make you feel alive. I have started to record my catchings, maybe just to spite Weiss because he seems to despise fishing. He seems to despise lots of things, I think he just doesn't understand them though. All his knowledge and book smarts, but simple things like the joy of fishing are completely incomprehensible to him, go figure. Anyway, my biggest catch is a 115.35 inch Royal Fish weighing 1077 pounds!

That one flower turned out to be Indigo, but because I got caught up in all that fishing all flowers had withered. I managed to harvest the seeds though, so I can just start over. It seems that planting different colours close together can create new colours. I'll try Red and Gold this time, as well some of these Indigo seeds, since I only got five of those.

Fertilized and planted Red (9), Gold (2) and Indigo (4) seeds, netted 4,140 after selling surplus Blue and Gold seeds. Curious to see what comes up this time.

A large Shade has been sighted in the Southern Plains, the Seafront postman says it eats POSTMEN. I'm not sure if shades even eat anything, but I'll check it out. Maybe it has another piece of the key.

Day Five; April 23rd

10:07 am: Spent all day yesterday hunting that Shade, turned out it wasn't that big after all. It didn't have a key either, but at least those silly postmen can feel safer again.

Sand fishing is such a wonderful way to start the day, even Weiss admitted it at least certainly looks like fun, can't tell if he was just being sarcastic. Kainé doesn't appear to be much of a morning person though, she's even more cranky than usual. I didn't think that was possible! I caught all kinds of fish, but I wonder how all those buckets and empty cans ended up in the desert though, or what was in them..

The biggest fish I've ever caught, or even seen: a 347.63 inch, 15,597.92 pound Dunkleosteus, I didn't even know that existed! Too bad the Old Fisherman passed away, I wonder if he would have been proud.

About the garden, I've now grown Peach Moonflowers. I'm replanting some of them along with Red and Indigo seeds I harvested the other day. This gardening is interesting, almost like science. Too bad it's pretty boring otherwise, but I should continue looking for the key and Yonah anyway.

Popola thinks "The Law of Robotics" has something to do with the Junk Heap, time to visit those brothers. If anything I can get my weapons upgraded.

Day Seven; April 25th

0:48 am: We visited the Forest of Myth again, what a strange place that is! I think Weiss is reluctant to go there, because the people there tell the weirdest stories and he is afraid they might somehow end up affecting his pages. We did find another Key fragment though, so it was worth it.

I also learned that Kainé can eat poisonous berries like candy.

Apparently the younger brother died during one of their salvage trips deep inside the Junk Heap. The older brother believes the machines are to blame and told us a Shade was controlling them. I couldn't remember encountering any shades there, so I suspected it could be a ruse to get us to exact revenge on the machines and robots he holds responsible for his brother's death. If it were true and it would be a good opportunity to stock up on upgrading materials and junk to sell nonetheless.

As it turned out, there was really a Shade living with a Giant Robot. I'm not convinced the Shade was actually controlling the robot, but there was definitely a strong - maybe even symbiotic - bond between the two. Killing the robot and the Shade doesn't seem to have satisfied the remaining brother's lust for revenge or to have given him any kind of closure. Instead, he has committed himself to bitter retaliation.

It was sad to see him like that, but it made me think about my own situation. Do I need any justification to kill everything and everyone standing in my way of finding Yonah? I want to find Yonah. I have to find Yonah. But at all costs?

The garden is producing new colours every time now, Pink this time. I hope I'm getting close to growing a White Moonflower, I really want to give one to Yonah once I find her. I'm planting Pink and Peach seeds this time, at least that's what I'm trying, but it's kind of hard to see in this darkness. Maybe I should have waited until morning, but I want to go to sleep it's been a busy day.

Two pieces of the Key are still missing, "Loyal Cerberus" and "Sacrifice". Popola didn't have an idea what they could mean earlier, hopefully we can find some clues soon.

Day Eight; April 26th

3:51 pm: Word came from the mayor of The Aerie about the "Sacrifice" keyword. I think none of us had fond memories of that place, but we decided to check it out. It was a trap, Shades had infiltrated the village and possessed many villagers. It was almost impossible to distinguish between Shades and humans anymore. One monstrous Shade started to absorb everything, growing more and more powerful. We had to stop it. In the end Emil lost it and unleashed his tremendous power to kill the Shade and everyone inside it, obliterating the entire village in the process.

Such power! Afterwards Emil was very emotional and remorseful about the destructive power inside him, but I'm thankful he used it to save us. We didn't talk much on our way home. "Sacrifice", this Key fragment somehow weighs heavily.

It's clear that the Shades are advancing rapidly, their incursions become more frequent, more coordinated and closer to our homes. There was one hidden inside the Village and we even found one lurking around in the study of Emil's manor!

Sebastian, Emil's butler, has been trying to find a method to restore Emil's body and suggested we explore the Underground facility for look for relevant research data. After today's events, I was worried it would strain him too much emotionally, but Emil seemed to be okay with it and said he wanted to find out more about his past. We found documents, letters to Emil from the researcher who took care of him and his sister during their time in the facility. Although he realized this person was responsible for what happened to him and his sister, he also has fond memories of her. He seems content to have found his mother, I hope this helps him to come to terms with his past, his body and his powers.

Not much luck with gardening today, but that seems rather trivial. I'll just keep trying until it works.

Day Nine; April 27th

8:45 pm: Good news and bad news.

The bad news is, we haven't gotten any closer to finding what could be the last piece of the Shadowlord's Key. Popola has exhausted all her resources and contacts, but to no avail.

The good news though is that the King of Facade is getting married! This is a welcome distraction after yesterday's events. Everybody seems excited about this, especially Emil. Also, the bride to be is Fyra, they make a sweet couple.

The wedding is tomorrow. I decided to harvest all the flowers to bring them as a gift, I couldn't think of anything better in such a short time. Flowers aren't exactly easy to come by in the desert, I just hope it's not against some rule. Perhaps a new mask would have been more appropriate though.

Before we left for the deserted I re-planted the garden, I'll see what has come up when we come back from the wedding. I'd better get some sleep, not sure how festive these royal desert weddings usually are.

Day Eleven; April 29th

3:15 pm: The wedding turned into a disaster. At the height of the festivities a pack of wolves, led by a Shade entered the city walls and killed Fyra. We managed to drive them off, but it was too late to save her. It was heartbreaking to watch a young life come to an end like that.

The King made a strong resolve to avenge her and protect his people from the wolves. There was no way I could let him go alone. Besides, if there's a Shade involved I have to go. We wiped out the wolves in their den, except for the leader there weren't any Shades. I can't help but stop thinking: "What are they fighting for?"

We have all the pieces of the Shadowlord's Key now, but it feels each step that takes me closer to Yonah comes at a heavier price. With each victory, more seems to be lost. Everywhere I go looking for Yonah, other people suffer. But it's too late to turn back now, this conflict between humans and Shades has escalated beyond the point of no return.

I should make sure I'm well prepared. Unfortunately no White Moonflower yet.

Day Fourteen; May 2nd

Early morning: The last few days I've found myself lost in unsettling daydreams. I don't know if I'm experiencing past events, future premonitions or if I'm seeing into a parallel dimension. Everything looks so real and feels so familiar, but when I wake up nothing has changed. Yonah is still gone.

The dreams started after I found my wife's diary the other day. I don't understand most of the words, but I feel compelled to read them over and over again and experience the feelings and impressions they invoke.

Are these memories of our life together I have forgotten about?

"This is the world of the recycled vessel, created to avoid the destruction of all.
The Black Scrawl. A lost destiny. A White Book. A false truth.
A soldier of salt calling forth white death. He is Legion, the man who plunged the world into darkness.
The black sickness stains the future. They journey to return to soulless vessels.
The apocalypse divided the world in two; one that knows not day, and one which has never seen the night."

A warning?

"As long as this memory exists, as long as mankind still has hope, a bloody battle will be waged over the holy domain of the body.
Foolish human. Foolish human. Foolish human. Foolish vessel.
All is paid. All is sacrifice.
Do not bring back the light. Do not bring back the vessel. Do not bring back the future. Do not bring it back.
Every beam of light is an invitation to death."

...

Day Fifteen; May 3rd

1:30 pm: I'm worried about my sanity. The visions are becoming more frequent and more vivid, it's hard to distinguish between reality and dream anymore.

We visited a fortune-teller this morning, although I'm not sure why. What she showed us was remarkably familiar to something I'm sure I have seen before or somewhere I've been before. It's this false sense of déjà vu that is starting to make me doubt all the events I'm 'experiencing', it doesn't help that everybody seems to be a part of them either. Weiss, Emil, Kainé, Popola and Devola they are all there, it's so confusing.

Strangely enough, gardening seems to be the only constant factor telling me I'm here and now.

In a way, I envy the flowers I grow. They don't have to concern themselves with defending against Shades or defeating the Shadowlord, they seem content just fulfilling their purpose. For now, I'll rely on their stoic cycle of life and death to keep in touch with reality and hopefully, my sanity. Maybe it's silly, but I feel bad when I'm harvesting flowers and selling them because they are not the right colour, and keeping them from reaching their destiny, death. Am I saving them?

On the other hand, this flower business is pretty lucrative, soon I'll have more gold than I know what to do with.

Day Twenty Three; May 11th

7:30pm: The last week must have been the most confusing and scariest of my life. I'm afraid I have lost grasp of time and space, lost myself, lost everything.

I seem to be trapped inside a vicious cycle of reliving memories of future events, over and over. Everyone I care about - love - dies, Devola, Popola, The King of Facade, Emil, Kainé, every-one. In these dreams I find Yonah, rescue her. Only to be thrown back to square one, with nothing but an illusion of a memory of a time I fear will never be.

Analyzing these memories, these dreams only leads to doubt. If these are indeed foreshadowing of things to come, why do I have to fight Devola and Popola? How can I ask Kainé and Emil to accompany me to the Shadowlord's Castle, is it fair to ask them to fight with me and sacrifice themselves, over and over again? I need to find a way to break this cycle!

I'm convinced the key to this whole mess is this "Project Gestalt", it has become a recurring theme in my visions. Who is behind this? Devola and Popola, the Shadowlord? What is Weiss' role in all this? Who can I trust?

Gallery

In the mean time I have been selling dozens of flowers and I have upgraded all my weapons with the profits.

Day Twenty Four; May 12th

Finally! A single White Moonflower stands in the sunlight. I feel this could be sign I've been waiting for, telling me I can defeat the Shadowlord this time.

I'm ready.

Journey's End

This may be my last chance to write, I feel my journey has come its end here.

My dreams, my fears were real. Devola and Popola have been working with the Shadowlord all along, I had no choice but to fight them.

Emil made the ultimate sacrifice so we could go on to confront the Shadowlord and save Yonah.

Gallery

After defeating the Shadowlord the Black Scrawl overtook Kainé's body. Without Emil it seems there is no chance of bringing her back.

Tyrann, the Shade inside Kainé is trying to convince me there are two ways to save Kainé. I'd either have to kill her or trade my life for hers. I don't know if I can trust him, after all he is a Shade, but it seems these are my only options.

I am done killing. If ending my existence means both Yonah and Kainé can live, then that is my choice. Now it's my turn to make a sacrifice.