Guadosalam
-Tried walking towards the Thunder Plains exit. Shelinda comes in asking about Yuna.
-lolol she corrects Tidus’ casual “Seymour” mention, having him use the honorific. I guess him just calling Maester Seymour “Seymour” is a bit like if I went to a priest and referred to the Pope as “Franky.”
-Wait, Seymour left Guadosalam? He went to the temple in Makalania, where he’s the high priest. Did he take Yuna with?
-No. Scene changes to Yuna inside his mansion, wondering how to help Lord Jyscal.
-The portraits of past Guado lords have this really cool watery texture to them.
-omg. Omg omg omg.
TIDUS: “They say Seymour went to Macarena temple.”
WAKKA: “Macalania temple.”
TIDUS: “AYE!”
They literally just made a Macarena joke. Wow. XD
-So what pulled him away? Wakka thinks he just wasn’t expecting Yuna’s answer so soon. Seems reasonable, and if I weren’t 1,000% sure that Seymour is a Big Bad up to Big Bad Things, I’d agree. The answer is likely more sinister.
-Yuna’s distracted. Probably still thinking about Jyscal. Let’s see if we can do something about that.
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Farplane
-I can get back here, just like a regular zone!
-And boy am I glad I did. Found another crest, a Venus Crest. Still dunno what these are for. Best guess is that it’s some bonus thing like the Stellazzio from FFIX where I turn them in down the line and get gil or items.
-We see some random dude here talking to his dead sister.
-wait what
-why are you talking about Yuna
-OH!!! The sister died in a Sin attack. He’s talking to her about Yuna as the person who’ll end Sin, as whatever comfort that might bring.
-Lulu’s trying to get someone to appear, a woman. Whoever it is, she’s not appearing. Someone Lulu thought had died but is actually alive?
-Walked out and came back in. This is pretty amazing. The parents of someone who died in Operation Mi’ihen are here communing with their son, and grateful to Yuna for performing the Sending. But for her efforts, this couldn’t happen.
I can see why Yuna is revered as much as she is, and why Yuna feels the responsibility she does.
-Exited and re-entered a couple of more times, but no change. Time to move on.
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Gandof Thunder Plains
-Rikku is terrified.
-HOLY SHIT WHAT AN AWESOME FUCKING LANDSCAPE
-It’s a lightning-strewn patch of land complete with lightning rod towers. I’ll bet I find the Iron Giants here.
-Rikku, I do not blame you at all. This is some scary shit. I’ve mentioned this before in my playthrough probably, but as a kid I went to the MIT science museum and saw a demonstration that scared the cream cheese out of me:
I knew I was safe from it, that it wouldn't hit me in the audience, but the sound and everything was overwhelming.
-So we can get struck by lightning if we move too far away from the towers. Huh. Wonder what happens in that case. Damage or death?
-We. Can. Dodge. Thunderbolts.
-See, stuff like this is why I don’t mind the lack of an overworld. If they’re going to be this creative with travel and landscapes, it’s fine by me.
-Tidus, your agility was tested in blitzball, but not like this. Hoo boy. The game warns me against mashing B. Just wait for the lightning flash.
-lol Lulu. Before casting Watera, says: “Go with the flow.” SO CHEESY I LOVE IT
-Digging the music here.
-Stole an Electro Marble from Gold Element. Petrify Grenade from Melusine. Lunar Curtain from Larva. Electro Marble from Aerouge. Hi Potion from Kusariqqu. Hi Potion from Buer.
-All the enemies here unsurprisingly use lightning attacks. Swapping when possible to lightningward armor and water weapons. I’m missing a lot of lightning ward armor, but don’t really feel the need to go back and farm for it or purchase it. I’m doing okay.
-Neat! This is my first time actually using SOS NulShock, but it works wonders here.
-Maechen is here to tell me about “the Crossing.” This place used to be nearly impossible to cross.
CACTUAR
Do cactuars live here? They’re usually desert creatures.
-A dude named Bilghen used Machina to create the lightning towers. He was building one particular tower when he was killed by lightning. Bilghen was an Al Bhed.
-Used Rikku’s Overdrive to mix two potions, and it resulted in “Ultra Potion,” healing the whole party for a ton.
-Another reason I don’t feel compelled to buy lightningward items is because they tend to drop from these monsters as loot.
-Found the Cactuar Stone. Tried interacting with it. All I get is the message: “A strange stone.” Hm. Maybe I’ll come back later.
-The sleeping animation for some of these enemies is pretty adorable.
-Ok, this is going to sound very Benjamin Franklin, but hear me out: I just got hit by lightning – and by an idea. What if I stand near the Cactuar Stone and get hit by lightning? Will that shatter it open?
-No luck. Stood around it, next to it, got struck about five times (which seems to have no tangible impact on the group?), but nothing happened.
-Arrrgh!! So frustrating. I was sure I’d solved the mystery of the cactuar block.
-Shelinda’s here. She heard from the Guado that Seymour and Yuna will marry… how? I didn’t think that she’d told anyone outside the party her decision. Maybe Seymour assumed she’d say yes.
-Tidus. What are you doing. He tells Shelinda Yuna’s gonna say no, but… she’s not. She said she plans to marry him. Are you being the jackwagon I was so proud of you last session for not being?
-Phew. I get the chance to refute that, to say “jk.” Kind of a dickish joke, but at least I could have Tidus take it back.
-Auron got a new ability, Threaten, which paralyzes the enemy until it’s hit. Nice.
-Found another of these cactuar stones next to a chest. Still dunno how to use or activate it.
-Coming near the end, and Rikku is laughing in a disconcerting way. This place seems to have really shaken her. Guessing she had some horrific personal experience with lightning.
Holy cow she just did a speedy crawl to Tidus, hugged his leg, and begs to go home.
-She wants to rest here.
The party wants to go on, but her pleas win out. We stop at the Thunder Plains Agency.
-Yuna is still distracted. Asks for a room to rest.
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Next time: continuing through the Thunder Plains.
