-I had gone offline and got an achievement when I logged in for this session: “It’s All in the Cards.” Another card discovery one I guess. I’m nowhere near completing my set, and I’ll be curious to see after this playthrough is over what cards I missed and where to get them.
-The Invincible is so fast!
-Checked back at Mognet Central. No change. Maybe I have to see Stiltzkin again.
---
The Invincible
-Haven’t explored the ship yet. Let’s do so.
-Dagger comments on the strangeness of being on the Invincible. Specifically for her.
But she’s okay – she knows it was Kuja and Garland to blame, not the ship.
-Steiner thought of giving up knighthood after Alexandria was destroyed. This Mist showed him he’s still needed.
-Found the Pisces coin on the ship. Not done with Treno yet it seems.
---
Lindblum
-Not much new here. Still rebuilding.
-Cinna and Marcus are gone from Tantalus HQ. Zenero and Genero go look for them.
---
Exploring
-Another round through the world’s marshes. Started at 55 frogs.
-Turned in my Kupo Nut to Moguta and got… an “Aloha T-Shirt??” It has pretty terrible stats and awards no particular abilities. The flavor text says it “provides a southern, tropical feel.” I don’t know what that means. Maybe I’m supposed to wear it on a particular Hawaii-esque island and have something happen, or…
OOH!! Maybe I take it to Chocobo Paradise. That’s on Uaho island, which is sort of like Oahu… nothing. Went to Uaho and to the Paradise with the shirt on, fought a few times on the island, nothing special happened. Could just be a fun flavor shirt or a puzzle I’m missing.
-Turned the Pisces into the queen in Treno. 30k gil reward.
One more coin to go for a full set.
---
Dali
-I can finally get into the Mayor’s room. Took a “Mini-Brahne” from his cupboard. That’s three Minis I have now: Brahne, Cid, and Burmecia.
-There’s a sleeping kid inside. I think that’s the mayor but can’t remember. Can’t get his key.
-The townsfolk are getting back to farming, but nervous.
-HOLY SHIT. There was an earthquake yesterday, and Morrid died in it. Morrid was the observatory airship guy.
-Yup. Checked the observatory, and roots are now blocking it. The long reach of the Iifa Tree. Dutiful Daughter Slai said that Iifa roots burst up from the ground and spread Mist all over.
Only upside is that I found a friendly Mu who gave me 10 AP in exchange for Ore. Hurray!
---
Exploring
-The roots are blocking a LOT of stuff now. Blocking the gates, the Ice Cavern…
-Went to Alexandria hoping to find Beatrix. No go.
-AHA! Found Stiltzkin here in Alexandria. He doesn’t know what’s up with Artemicion. Buying this pack of stuff off Stiltzkin gave me a Steam achievement, “Driving a Hard Bargain.”
-This is so exciting! We’re making progress.
Kupo gives me a letter for Atla, who my notes tell me is the Burmecia moogle. We have a destination.
-Talked to Stiltzkin once more, and he gave me a Ribbon in thanks for buying him stuff. Nice.
-Brought the letter to Atla in Burmecia. What a sad city to revisit. The letter related how Mognet Central just needs something to get the equipment up and running again. He gave me a Kupo Nut, and a letter for Mogryo, the black mage village moogle. I’m SO GLAD I wrote down the moogle names as I went.
---
Black Mage Village
-Back to the Black Mage Village where the Genome/chocobo interaction is still adorable af.
-Gave Mogryo the letter from Atla. Atla asked about that item to help fix Mognet. Mogryo has an idea. Gives us a letter for Kumool, the Ipsen’s Castle moogle.
-The black mages are feeling much more positive than the last time we saw them. Having the Genomes in town helps.
-The synthesis shop in the Black Mage Village is ridiculously great now. The only item I can’t get that I want is Masamune for Zidane. I’d have to give up my Orichalcon, which has better attack. Hm. Do I risk it? I really don’t know… it sounds great, but the game even describes Orichalcon as “the ultimate thief’s dagger.”
I’ll just keep an eye out for another Orichalcon at a weapons shop to use for this. Don’t want to give this up just for Masamune.
-There’s a piece of dialogue at the graveyard that really hits home with me, between one of the black mages and a Genome about the value of burying the dead. The Genome wonders why it’s needed since the dead don’t care.
The Black Mage replies that it’s not for the dead – it’s for the living. To value their lives, and to value the contribution they make during such short lives. To know that when they’re gone, they’ll have mattered to the friends who will stand over their graves.
I’m tearing up again irl right now. Not about the main story arc, not about the protagonist, or even one of the playable characters. Just this village of dolls that got such brilliant development throughout the game.
I also believe that this is a core theme of the game. Hell, even Kuja torched all of Terra not out of greed or contempt, but because the thought of his own mortality scared him so much and he didn’t know how to cope, how to react.
Speaking of which…
BLACK MAGE NO. 288: “If Kuja is also a Genome, I wonder how he felt when he manufactured us…” This is heavy shit.
---
Exploring
-Passed by the Iifa Tree on my way to Ipsen’s Castle and it has this ominous purple swirl above it.
-Gave Kumool in Ipsen’s the letter. He has a specific idea of the item needed to save Mognet. Gives me a letter for Mois. …uh oh. My notes say that Mois is in the Ice Cavern, the place that’s blocked by roots. Shit.
-So what do I do? First, let’s give the Kupo Nut to Moguta in case the reward will be something to bypass the roots.
-lol nope. Got a Tent.
-Next, head to Mognet Central. …Nothing there.
-Ok, I’m stuck. My best hope is that when I do whatever I need to do at the Iifa Tree, the roots will recede and I can help save Mognet.
-Roots blocked off Conde Petie. Same thing with Esto Gaza.
-Hot dang! Daguerreo is open, and their weapon shop has some GREAT stuff to buy, including Orichalcon for the Masamune, Ultima Sword, and some top armor. I want it.
-Oh, and some adventurer in Daguerreo talks about legendary treasure rumored to lie here. Hm. I want that too.
---
Next time: I’ll start by farming up some Grand Dragons on the Salvage Archipelago for gil to buy what I want from Daguerreo and the Black Cat Synthesis Shop. I’ll need about 90k to buy all that I want. I know, all this gear probably isn’t necessary, but building up my party members with better equipment and abilities is a core part of the fun I have with this game.
Then take Quina for another round of frog-catching at all the Qu Marshes, and onto the Iifa Tree.
