Quick note: I tried getting a new party to do the trials I had missed. Got them set up and equipped, pushed through the early stages of the Lunar Ruins, and reached Edward’s trial door. It wouldn’t open. I checked online to see wtf the deal was, and I would have to defeat Zeromus with my new party. It probably wouldn’t be that tough given that I’m like 15 levels higher than when I beat him the first time, but to be honest, I really don’t want to redo all that.
Just as with FFIII, I wanted to see more of the game by replaying it with different classes, I want to see more of FFIV’s trial with different characters. But as with FFIII, I’ll save this for a replay.
Onto the Interlude.
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We start out in Cecil’s dream, where some amorphous thing seems to be threatening. Ruh-roh, Raggy. But he wakes up in his royal bedroom, with Queen Rosa there. They have to get ready for the celebration! Damcyan Castle has finally been rebuilt.
Some bullet point notes from various conversations while in Baron:
-“Lord Palom” will be in Damcyan!
-Very cool to see the FFIV world in a state of peace, where everyone is pretty content.
-Someone named Biggs is a vice-captain in the Red Wings
-The departure of the second moon resulted in some geographic and meteorological changes, including much stronger winds.
-We’re still finding survivors from Mist. I can’t imagine that all is forgiven for the horrors that were perpetrated by Baron. Even if the King was a Fiend, most of the people who carried out the murders and horrific acts were NOT mind-controlled. They were “just following orders.”
-Ok, so it’s been one full year since the events of FFIV’s base game.
-“Vice-Captain Biggs is like a demon when it comes to training.” FORESHADOWING???
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Then… NO FUCKING WAY. SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES. CAPSLOCK. We shift to controlling Rydia in the Feymarch, where she’s been living for most of the last year.
-The Eidolon’s love her! They want her to stay there, hang out. One of them (a blue bomb/balloon creature) even says she’s sad that Rydia has never summoned her!
-I wonder how old she is now. If she spent a full overworld year in the Feymarch, does that mean like 15 Feymarch years passed? She’s probably in her late 20s/early 30s now.
-I would totally be down with the game just staying here with Rydia in the Feymarch. It could focus on her reading in the library, hanging out with her Eidolon friends for dinner and tabletop RPGs, getting a job, falling in love.
-And now she’s leaving the Feymarch to visit the Damcyan celebration. Hurray! Avengers Assemble!
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Then… Damcyan.
-“Lord Palom and Lady Porom!” How old are they? Like 10, 11?
-I’m an awful guest. First thing I do is plunder whatever treasure I find in Damcyan.
-…What’s with Yang? He’s acting weird and withdrawn.
-LOL. Cecil asks about the crystal to make sure it’s safe, Edward opens a secret door to the crystal room, and Palom is so happy. The game nailed how much kids (especially someone like Palom) would love secret passageways.
-Now Rosa seems weird. She’s pale, hesitant. This, combined with Edge’s and Rydia’s conspicuous absence, combined with Yang’s detachment, (combined with the fact that this is a video game), make me think something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
-Trouble on Mount Hobs! And Yang’s now a “High Monk.” Is that the term for King? I want to know more about Fabulian politics.
