Summary: Continuing through Memoria. Hades, Kraken, Lich. Ark. Space and the Crystal World. What a beautifully surreal dungeon.
Memoria
-Just for fun, I’m gonna startout by swapping my party up a bit. Let’s try Zidane, Amarant, Freya, and Eiko.
-Interesting. Dragon’s Hair (my prior Freya weapon) looks to be significantly stronger than Kain’s Lance, the legendary. [Later edit: checked the Steam achievement, and seems it seems that Kain’s Lance is a different achievement than the legendary achievements.]
-Starting out at an area with a waterfall called “Portal.” Kraken coming up?
-Seems likely. Walked through the waterfall and now we’re full-on underwater.
-…or not. This is a memory, and appears to be Quina’s. They’re swimming while Zidane is just walking, confused.
OH NO QUINA IS SUFFOCATING
-Phew. Zidane tells them we’re not really in an ocean, and the reality breaks through. Quina can breathe again. (Too bad the fish are gone now. )
-!!!!This place is called “Memoria/Birth.” Is this where Quina was born?
-A “Mysterious Voice” tells me to leave or I’ll die. I’ll bet they’re right. This is unlikely to be Kraken since it’s out of the way. Shinryu is more likely given the watery setting.
Whatever. Let’s die. Not leaving.
-New boss music, not regular boss music!
-It’s Hades. Does decent damage but not overwhelming.
-crap. Spoke too soon. He’s “powering sword.” One-shot coming?
-WOOHOO!! Just as his count reached 2, Eiko summoned Madeen to finish him off.
-He doesn’t die. Tells us to bring him two Pumice Stones and he’ll synthesize something. I can do that.
-Bought it. It appears to be a new summon. “A beast from the dark.” Eiko can’t use it. Likely Dagger’s final summon. This is really exciting. Let’s see what it’s about.
-I was trying to remember where I knew Ark from, and it just hit me: it’s the ship (or perhaps beast) we fought beneath Oeilvert.
-Hades is the ultimate synthesist. He also sells three others items I really want: Tin Armor for Steiner, Robe of Lords (that thing I could’ve grinded for 10,000 Hot & Cold points), and Save the Queen. Save the Queen is Beatrix’s weapon. Doesn’t appear that it’s usable even by Steiner, but I’ll bet something cool happens if I get it.
I have the materials for Robe of Lords and Save the Queen both, but need a “Hammer” for Tin Armor. Perhaps that’s something I’ll find later. The big block right now is pure gil. 80k for the stuff I can get now, and another 50k for the Tin Armor. I just have 8k. Maybe I’ll grind up a bit. I really want to give Steiner that sword.
-Will move on. Perhaps will come back. Not sure yet.
Memoria
-Just for fun, I’m gonna startout by swapping my party up a bit. Let’s try Zidane, Amarant, Freya, and Eiko.
-Interesting. Dragon’s Hair (my prior Freya weapon) looks to be significantly stronger than Kain’s Lance, the legendary. [Later edit: checked the Steam achievement, and seems it seems that Kain’s Lance is a different achievement than the legendary achievements.]
-Starting out at an area with a waterfall called “Portal.” Kraken coming up?
-Seems likely. Walked through the waterfall and now we’re full-on underwater.
-…or not. This is a memory, and appears to be Quina’s. They’re swimming while Zidane is just walking, confused.
OH NO QUINA IS SUFFOCATING
-Phew. Zidane tells them we’re not really in an ocean, and the reality breaks through. Quina can breathe again. (Too bad the fish are gone now. )
-!!!!This place is called “Memoria/Birth.” Is this where Quina was born?
-A “Mysterious Voice” tells me to leave or I’ll die. I’ll bet they’re right. This is unlikely to be Kraken since it’s out of the way. Shinryu is more likely given the watery setting.
Whatever. Let’s die. Not leaving.
-New boss music, not regular boss music!
-It’s Hades. Does decent damage but not overwhelming.
-crap. Spoke too soon. He’s “powering sword.” One-shot coming?
-WOOHOO!! Just as his count reached 2, Eiko summoned Madeen to finish him off.
-He doesn’t die. Tells us to bring him two Pumice Stones and he’ll synthesize something. I can do that.
-Bought it. It appears to be a new summon. “A beast from the dark.” Eiko can’t use it. Likely Dagger’s final summon. This is really exciting. Let’s see what it’s about.
-I was trying to remember where I knew Ark from, and it just hit me: it’s the ship (or perhaps beast) we fought beneath Oeilvert.
-Hades is the ultimate synthesist. He also sells three others items I really want: Tin Armor for Steiner, Robe of Lords (that thing I could’ve grinded for 10,000 Hot & Cold points), and Save the Queen. Save the Queen is Beatrix’s weapon. Doesn’t appear that it’s usable even by Steiner, but I’ll bet something cool happens if I get it.
I have the materials for Robe of Lords and Save the Queen both, but need a “Hammer” for Tin Armor. Perhaps that’s something I’ll find later. The big block right now is pure gil. 80k for the stuff I can get now, and another 50k for the Tin Armor. I just have 8k. Maybe I’ll grind up a bit. I really want to give Steiner that sword.
-Will move on. Perhaps will come back. Not sure yet.
-Next screen is a watery castle.
-Zidane comments that Gaia used to just be a big ocean. Doesn’t know how he came by this knowledge. I’m missing something about his backstory. Is he the reincarnation of someone super old? Is he containing Chaos within himself somehow?
ZIDANE: “And I was born on Terra, not Gaia, so how can it be in my memory…?”
-Vivi remembers it too, that Gaia used to be covered in water. Freya too.
-Kraken time. He’s even got that same goofy face from FFI.
Kraken.
-Kraken has two tentacles and his main body. I’ll start with the tentacles and see how that goes.
-Really should use Dagger’s turn to heal, but I desperately want to try Ark. Do I go for efficiency/safety or fun?
Fuck it. Let’s do fun.
-The summon is called “Eternal Darkness.” We see Terra. A ship tears out from that planets through space, towards Gaia. Not sure whether it’s just a ship or a beast. I saw claws. Perhaps it’s both, like a Transformer.
-IT’S TOTALLY A TRANSFORMER HAHAHHAA
This is fucking incredible. It launches what I can only describe as a mystical orbital strike towards Kraken, bathing him in flames and destruction. 9,999 to all parts of him. Badass.
-hahajahaha I can’t I can’t, the Steam achievement is “Firin’ Mah Lazor” XD XD
-Took out both tentacles.
-He has a decent bit of health, but doesn’t seem too dangerous to me. Waterga for heavy group water damage that I can counter with Curega. Also glides up to us to retaliate against hits by slapping with his leg.
-Victory!
-Next room is a broken clock. It’s moving still, but stuttering in place. Time Warp.
-Another card phantom, the ghost of Card Master Empress. Some really cool cards here – rare ones. BOCO FROM FFV!!!
-Got a Mog card too. Look at her furry li’l neck.
-Got the last item I need/want from her. Tiger Racket, the legendary weapon.
-Behemoth. Ow. Forgot not to use physical attacks since it counters with Meteor.
-Bought Robe of Lords. Has “Reflect-Null,” which would be great for Vivi to get around Reflects.
-Zidane comments that Gaia used to just be a big ocean. Doesn’t know how he came by this knowledge. I’m missing something about his backstory. Is he the reincarnation of someone super old? Is he containing Chaos within himself somehow?
ZIDANE: “And I was born on Terra, not Gaia, so how can it be in my memory…?”
-Vivi remembers it too, that Gaia used to be covered in water. Freya too.
-Kraken time. He’s even got that same goofy face from FFI.
Kraken.
-Kraken has two tentacles and his main body. I’ll start with the tentacles and see how that goes.
-Really should use Dagger’s turn to heal, but I desperately want to try Ark. Do I go for efficiency/safety or fun?
Fuck it. Let’s do fun.
-The summon is called “Eternal Darkness.” We see Terra. A ship tears out from that planets through space, towards Gaia. Not sure whether it’s just a ship or a beast. I saw claws. Perhaps it’s both, like a Transformer.
-IT’S TOTALLY A TRANSFORMER HAHAHHAA
This is fucking incredible. It launches what I can only describe as a mystical orbital strike towards Kraken, bathing him in flames and destruction. 9,999 to all parts of him. Badass.
-hahajahaha I can’t I can’t, the Steam achievement is “Firin’ Mah Lazor” XD XD
-Took out both tentacles.
-He has a decent bit of health, but doesn’t seem too dangerous to me. Waterga for heavy group water damage that I can counter with Curega. Also glides up to us to retaliate against hits by slapping with his leg.
-Victory!
-Next room is a broken clock. It’s moving still, but stuttering in place. Time Warp.
-Another card phantom, the ghost of Card Master Empress. Some really cool cards here – rare ones. BOCO FROM FFV!!!
-Got a Mog card too. Look at her furry li’l neck.
-Got the last item I need/want from her. Tiger Racket, the legendary weapon.
-Behemoth. Ow. Forgot not to use physical attacks since it counters with Meteor.
-Bought Robe of Lords. Has “Reflect-Null,” which would be great for Vivi to get around Reflects.
-Next room is a giant fireball. Garland says it’s the birth of Gaia. There’s a ladder going up. What’s above it?
GARLAND: “See for yourself.”
Well shit.
-Sometimes when Garland’s done speaking, the screen stops and what I believe to be another voice comes in. It happens again now:
“Terra reached the peak of its prosperity at this time. The people believed that their future was secure. Ultimately, that very hubris led to Terra’s demise. Thus, I was created to deal with their plights.”
Maybe this isn’t an outside voice. Maybe this is the memory of whatever part of Zidane remembers the birth of Gaia. That single source or whatever, that Vivi and Freya were also drawing on.
-Up the ladder. There’s a tower. And a capslocking card phantom.
-Cards here include Ozma, and a lot of Dark Matter. Played until I won Ozma.
-Found the Mace of Zeus. Seems to be Vivi’s legendary.
-Reached the top of the ladder. A tower, a room. Fancy. “Gate to Space.”
*is suddenly reluctant to open the door*
-The walls SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR, and it’s so beautiful.
-Lich time.
-Aw, tried using Ark again and it goes through the full summon animation. Boo. It was great the first time. The second time is just a coffee break because of how long this takes.
-Lich is a tough fight. Uses death and Earthquake, and half my efforts are spent trying to keep Dagger alive.
-Victory!
-Swapping in Vivi. The Mace of Zeus gives him “Doomsday,” shadow damage to all targets.
GARLAND: “See for yourself.”
Well shit.
-Sometimes when Garland’s done speaking, the screen stops and what I believe to be another voice comes in. It happens again now:
“Terra reached the peak of its prosperity at this time. The people believed that their future was secure. Ultimately, that very hubris led to Terra’s demise. Thus, I was created to deal with their plights.”
Maybe this isn’t an outside voice. Maybe this is the memory of whatever part of Zidane remembers the birth of Gaia. That single source or whatever, that Vivi and Freya were also drawing on.
-Up the ladder. There’s a tower. And a capslocking card phantom.
-Cards here include Ozma, and a lot of Dark Matter. Played until I won Ozma.
-Found the Mace of Zeus. Seems to be Vivi’s legendary.
-Reached the top of the ladder. A tower, a room. Fancy. “Gate to Space.”
*is suddenly reluctant to open the door*
-The walls SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR, and it’s so beautiful.
-Lich time.
-Aw, tried using Ark again and it goes through the full summon animation. Boo. It was great the first time. The second time is just a coffee break because of how long this takes.
-Lich is a tough fight. Uses death and Earthquake, and half my efforts are spent trying to keep Dagger alive.
-Victory!
-Swapping in Vivi. The Mace of Zeus gives him “Doomsday,” shadow damage to all targets.
---
Space
-Seems like we’re at the top. Space all around us.
A voice confirms that: “This is space. Your journey is not over. Do not fear. Step forward, and you will be closer to the truth.”
-Real sense of vertigo here as we walk into space. This place is called “To the Origin.” Origin of Terra?
-Amidst the stars, a white blob.
-Was about to try Doomsday in a random encounter, but it seems like it’ll harm my party members too. Unless I get 100% shadow resist on all, hell no.
-We’re still walking through the starry void. I don’t seem to be controlling anything.
“You have entered a new realm. There are no more worlds. There is no more space…”
It’s not lost on me that the fight in FFI against Chaos was fought in a starry void. [later edit: though now that I think about it, a TON of final FF fights took place in a starry void.]
“Follow your memory, your original memory, and march forth.”
-Zidane begs Garland to tell him more. Right there with ya, Zidane. Garland goes quiet, then says: “Do not limit memory to just one individual’s experience from birth. That’s only the surface. Every life born into this world, whether natural or artificial, requires a parent.”
Some sort of collective memory. What are we moving towards? The source of everything, the original creator of this race? But even that must’ve had a creator. Where does it stop?
And what’s the point? What does Garland get out of all this?
-Garland hints that a Crystal of some sort presides over all of this.
GARLAND: “Zidane… you are on your own now. Take care of Kuja, and protect the crystal.”
Zidane pleads with him not to go. The music has stopped.
“Even if I were created to serve one purpose alone, I do not regret being born to this world.”
-Believe it or not, I’m actually getting legit Garland feels. Wtf.
---
Crystal World
-We’re now on some sort of mini planet.
-Fighting Marilis. A crystalline version of her.
-A bit farther down the way is a crystalline Lich. Just normal encounter music.
-Save point. The music here is that classic FF rising/falling scale. There’s a portal beyond here. Five bucks says Kuja is next.
---
Next time: Kuja?
Space
-Seems like we’re at the top. Space all around us.
A voice confirms that: “This is space. Your journey is not over. Do not fear. Step forward, and you will be closer to the truth.”
-Real sense of vertigo here as we walk into space. This place is called “To the Origin.” Origin of Terra?
-Amidst the stars, a white blob.
-Was about to try Doomsday in a random encounter, but it seems like it’ll harm my party members too. Unless I get 100% shadow resist on all, hell no.
-We’re still walking through the starry void. I don’t seem to be controlling anything.
“You have entered a new realm. There are no more worlds. There is no more space…”
It’s not lost on me that the fight in FFI against Chaos was fought in a starry void. [later edit: though now that I think about it, a TON of final FF fights took place in a starry void.]
“Follow your memory, your original memory, and march forth.”
-Zidane begs Garland to tell him more. Right there with ya, Zidane. Garland goes quiet, then says: “Do not limit memory to just one individual’s experience from birth. That’s only the surface. Every life born into this world, whether natural or artificial, requires a parent.”
Some sort of collective memory. What are we moving towards? The source of everything, the original creator of this race? But even that must’ve had a creator. Where does it stop?
And what’s the point? What does Garland get out of all this?
-Garland hints that a Crystal of some sort presides over all of this.
GARLAND: “Zidane… you are on your own now. Take care of Kuja, and protect the crystal.”
Zidane pleads with him not to go. The music has stopped.
“Even if I were created to serve one purpose alone, I do not regret being born to this world.”
-Believe it or not, I’m actually getting legit Garland feels. Wtf.
---
Crystal World
-We’re now on some sort of mini planet.
-Fighting Marilis. A crystalline version of her.
-A bit farther down the way is a crystalline Lich. Just normal encounter music.
-Save point. The music here is that classic FF rising/falling scale. There’s a portal beyond here. Five bucks says Kuja is next.
---
Next time: Kuja?
