1,000 AD – Medina Village
-Took the correct gate this time back to 1,000.
-lolol I think the gate opened in the home of some gremlins.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/fTzArIr.png
We’re kind of rude tbqh.
I didn’t expect them to be so… domestic. Thought they were just monsters in the wild.
-Medina was founded by the “Mystics” (citizens of Magus?) who lost a war to humans. The gremlins in this house are fine with humans, but most are not.
-A human lives in a house to the west. The gremlins recommend we visit.
-Most of the game thus far (in 1,000 AD at least) was spent on the western continent, both the northern and southern portions. We’re currently on the central continent. There’s still an island to the northeast and a smaller continent to the southeast that we haven’t been to yet.
-Ozzie VIII is the queen. Not a good one from the sound of it.
-Oops, not the queen. Village Elder. And kind of a jerk.
Well, maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. I don’t really know anything about the Mystic-Human war. Maybe the humans were assholes and tyrannical and seeking conquest. It didn’t appear that way, but we only spent time in 600 AD on the human side.
Anyway, she clearly is upset that Magus lost the war.
-A monster is in the cave to the west of town that can only be harmed by magic. I love these little hints and foreshadowing that reward talking to townsfolk. Incentivizes engagement with the world.
-The town isn’t just made up of gremlins – it’s LOTS of monsters! The market here is run by a hench (the koopa-looking thing) and an Omnicrone. We have to fight them for the right to buy.
-The stuff they sell is awesome. Also, most of the individual pieces cost three times the amount of money I have. Have to come back… ah.
Ferengi voice: “HYOO-MAHN.”
It’s because we’re human. My current guess is that we’ll kill something that’s been threatening the town, come back, and get them at more reasonable rates.
-A diablos says he wants Heckran to give the humans what they deserve. That must be the beast in the cave to the west.
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Around the Central Continent
-I can go north or west. The tent to the north is called “Forest Ruins,” but everything in town is pointing me west so westward I go.
-Sure enough, that mountain cave is called Heckran Cave.
-There’s a dwelling to the south of Heckran Cave called Melchior’s Hut. Looks promising.
-Yes! He sells us some weapons and armor. Not as good as those sold back in Medina, but still upgrades and reasonably priced.
-That’s all for now. He’s got a big home and an awesome sprite, so I don’t think we’re done with Melchior yet.
-Time to go north to check out Heckran.
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Heckran Cave
-Some “For the Mystics!” henches welcome me with violence. Not just a lone monster, but maybe a more extremist faction.
-No music here. Just a low buzzing sound.
-Lots of the monsters here are weak only to magic, and often spread out. Robo and their Laser Spin is my all-star.
-Found another sealed chest. I have a feeling that this game is going to pull a “World of Ruin” thing on me where I’ll end up revisiting all these areas after A Thing has happened and able to open these chests.
-Found Heckran. He’s kind of what you’d expect from a cave monster. Mostly water-based attacks. Whirlpools and bubbles.
-Tried tech attacks, but seems more effective to just have each party member cast their individual magic. Laser Spin for Robo, Lightning for Crono, Fire for Lucca.
-Oh, no no no. I’ve been here before. Heckran curls up, saying “Go ahead, attack me!” I’ve fought the Mist Dragon in FFIV and the Whelk in FFVI and the Guard Scorpion in FFVII and not letting you lure me into that.
-Victory!
-Really interesting dying words from Heckran: “If only the great Magus, who brought forth Lavos 400 years ago, had destroyed the human race!” MAGUS SUMMONED LAVOS BEFORE?? Why didn’t the world end 400 years ago then? Maybe Lavos was defeated… maybe even by us, since this game is all timey-wimey – or maybe Lavos was summoned and not unleashed until 1,400 years later.
-Continued on, and jumped into a lake just past the boss.
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Truce
-NOOOO!! I thought the lake would spit me out at the zone’s entrance, allowing me to explore the rest of the continent before moving on, but it connected up with the whirlpool that was mentioned earlier back in Truce and spit me out there. I hate when games do this.
Whatever. It’s probably fine. I doubt I was supposed to go into the Forest Ruins yet anyway. But it was an option, and I hope that by doing a 50-50 coin flip of choosing to go west instead of north that I won’t be punished or miss out on neat stuff.
-Immediate next step is to head back to 600 AD through the Gate at the fairgrounds. Going to explore around a bit first before hopping back in time.
-Lucca’s house. Lucca’s parents are here, and Taban seems notably unconcerned. Gives us Taban’s Vest.
Good defense, and says “Fire guard up.” Not sure what that means. I’m sure I’ll see when we get into combat.
-No news on Fritz. Poor Elaine.
-Happy reunion at Crono’s house, though still a bit underwhelming. His mom’s like, “I heard you were going to be executed. Whew! Don’t scare me like that.” And that’s that. As if instead of a massive trial prosecuted by the Chancellor, Crono merely stayed at a friend’s house without telling her.
-Out of foolish curiosity, I went back to Guardia Castle just to see what was up.
-Bad move lol. They chased us away.
-Robo learned an awesome new single-target tech, “Robo Tackle.” It’ll be a challenge for me to not think of it as “Robo Tackle-Hug,” a challenge I have no desire to overcome.
-Went down to Porre to see if anything was new. Nothing, but I’m now able to afford Jerky and bought it. Nice! Hopefully it’s not just there to troll me and actually serves a purpose.
-About done for now. Went back to the Millenial Fair and took the Gate. It brought me to the End of Time.
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Next time: through the “Truce Canyon, 600 AD” gate to start investigating the origins of Lavos. Or… wait, I now have access to that Medina Village gate in 1,000 AD. I’m first going to go there to see if anything changed in the town with Heckran dead, and maybe check out the Forest Ruins.
