Summary:
Exploring Gagazet fruitlessly for the Besaid key-holder. Post-Sin
Zanarkand. Yuna and Rikku try to cope with seeing the pilgrimage road
in such a different light. Kinderguardians.
Mt. Gagazet
-Kimahri is the Ronso elder.
-Some of the Ronso children left to search for “elder’s horn.” Heh. Makes sense I guess that something from Kimahri’s past would be considered a relic.
-hahaha these dialogue options from Yuna to this Ronso, Garik.
-Talking to the other Ronso in this main area and I get multiple dialogue options for a bunch of them. Many of the Ronso harbor hatred and rage at Seymour and the Guado. I can’t blame them, and feel super uncomfortable with the “hatred never solved anything!” dialogue options.
Don’t get me wrong – I do NOT want to see the Ronso take revenge. But telling them to forgive seems incredibly dismissive of real and legitimate anger.
-I’m almost ready to continue on the mountain, but there are two things I want to mentally play with beforehand. First, the new garment grid, and second, how to continue with my dresspheres.
-I thought the Protection Halo (my new Garment Grid) would just be a new configuration, but it’s not. It gives defense bonuses. I’ll go to this. I don’t really see a reason to stick with First Steps. Sure, it has one extra dressphere slot, but that hardly seems worth it right now.
-The Protection Halo also provides bonuses for swapping dresspheres, which brings me to my next question. Do I focus each party member on one dressphere like I’ve been doing, or give them a variety? I think I’ll try a variety.
---
Exploring Gagazet
-Lots of upgrade Ahrimans here, Fly Eyes. Found an Oversoul early.
-Rikku as white mage is pretty awesome. “Time for some Rikku-brand white magic goodness!” No attack ability. Instead, her main ability is Pray, a light group heal.
-Fought two Takubas, and they were WAY tougher than anything I fought before them. Thank goodness for white mage.
-Definitely weird revisiting this area. Like, I just reached the Prominence and half expected to see Seymour appear.
-Reached the Cave, just past an area called the Fayth Scar.
-A ronso is here in the cave. Says that the Ronso will change now that the fayth are gone, and we get another dialogue option. I wonder if this impacts story here at all.
-All the trails that were so full of secrets and treasure and story before now feel empty. Paths leading nowhere.
Three things about this:
1)It could just be because I’m not on a mission right now.
2)If not, it feels like a lot of wasted space.
3)Perhaps it’s a bit poignant – like, all this area that was made vibrant and magical by the fayth is now desolate. (But still mostly feels like wasted space.)
-Whelp. We’re almost at Zanarkand, and I still haven’t found the person with the Besaid key I was hoping to find. Ah well. Hopefully I’ll find them later in the game – maybe when Mt. Gagazet is a hotspot.
Mt. Gagazet
-Kimahri is the Ronso elder.
-Some of the Ronso children left to search for “elder’s horn.” Heh. Makes sense I guess that something from Kimahri’s past would be considered a relic.
-hahaha these dialogue options from Yuna to this Ronso, Garik.
-Talking to the other Ronso in this main area and I get multiple dialogue options for a bunch of them. Many of the Ronso harbor hatred and rage at Seymour and the Guado. I can’t blame them, and feel super uncomfortable with the “hatred never solved anything!” dialogue options.
Don’t get me wrong – I do NOT want to see the Ronso take revenge. But telling them to forgive seems incredibly dismissive of real and legitimate anger.
-I’m almost ready to continue on the mountain, but there are two things I want to mentally play with beforehand. First, the new garment grid, and second, how to continue with my dresspheres.
-I thought the Protection Halo (my new Garment Grid) would just be a new configuration, but it’s not. It gives defense bonuses. I’ll go to this. I don’t really see a reason to stick with First Steps. Sure, it has one extra dressphere slot, but that hardly seems worth it right now.
-The Protection Halo also provides bonuses for swapping dresspheres, which brings me to my next question. Do I focus each party member on one dressphere like I’ve been doing, or give them a variety? I think I’ll try a variety.
---
Exploring Gagazet
-Lots of upgrade Ahrimans here, Fly Eyes. Found an Oversoul early.
-Rikku as white mage is pretty awesome. “Time for some Rikku-brand white magic goodness!” No attack ability. Instead, her main ability is Pray, a light group heal.
-Fought two Takubas, and they were WAY tougher than anything I fought before them. Thank goodness for white mage.
-Definitely weird revisiting this area. Like, I just reached the Prominence and half expected to see Seymour appear.
-Reached the Cave, just past an area called the Fayth Scar.
-A ronso is here in the cave. Says that the Ronso will change now that the fayth are gone, and we get another dialogue option. I wonder if this impacts story here at all.
-All the trails that were so full of secrets and treasure and story before now feel empty. Paths leading nowhere.
Three things about this:
1)It could just be because I’m not on a mission right now.
2)If not, it feels like a lot of wasted space.
3)Perhaps it’s a bit poignant – like, all this area that was made vibrant and magical by the fayth is now desolate. (But still mostly feels like wasted space.)
-Whelp. We’re almost at Zanarkand, and I still haven’t found the person with the Besaid key I was hoping to find. Ah well. Hopefully I’ll find them later in the game – maybe when Mt. Gagazet is a hotspot.
---
Zanarkand
-We arrive at where FFX opened. It’s empty.
-OH SHIT THAT WAS JUST IN HER MEMORIES THAT IT WAS EMPTY!! It’s a tourist attraction now. Weeeeeird.
-Mission time. “Claim the Treasure Sphere!”
-This is fucking surreal. People are talking about the magical adventure that starts in Zanarkand, and I get it, but god it’s weird weird WEIRD.
-The Hunchback Hellions are another sphere hunting group.
-IT’S THAT GUY!! I can’t remember his name, but he’s the other summoner with the brothers who was pretty nice. Issarru?
-He’s been helping Cid. He’s a guide through Zanarkand.
-We move in towards the dome.
-As we walked in, I thought I saw two figures appear out of nowhere in the foreground. Backtracked to check it out, but didn’t see them. Huh.
-By the way, I’ve kind of reneged on my intention to diversify the dressphere pool. I like building up a few dresspheres for the moment. Going to try building Warrior and Festivalist on Paine, Gunner and White Mage on Yuna, and Thief and White Mage on Rikku.
-I SAW IT AGAIN!! Yeah. Definitely some up-to-no-good-niks lurking around here.
-A group of kids run inside. Taro, Hana, and some unnamed due. I think the unnamed dude is Isaaru’s brother.
-Goons inside.
-Pacce!! That’s the kid’s name. He’s leading a group of “sphere hunters” in here. I can’t tell if this is a tourist thing or if they’re legit hunters. My guess is that it’s just for fun.
-HAHAHAHAH THEY CALL THEMSELVES THE “KINDERGUARDIANS” FHDJKLSFHDFLDKLS
-“Key” is a clue to finding the treasure. Huh. Maybe the dude who took the Besaid key actually came up here.
-Another of those goons is lurking in the background.
-heee!! This “goon” is absolutely not scary at all up close and hearing him talk. He sounds a bit Californian.
-He thinks the clue is “mon,” not “key.” Guessing that one of those shifty-eyed monkeys/lemurs is the secret.
-Something I’m really loving about this game so far: the stakes are pretty low. We’re hunting spheres. The villains (competing treasure hunters, Leblanc’s group I assume here) just now said they don’t want to pick on kids, and so they let them continue on.
It’s a nice change of pace. I’m always a fan of fantasy and action that focus on a narrower scope than saving the world.
(This isn’t to say the game won’t or shouldn’t go there, but I like it now.)
Zanarkand
-We arrive at where FFX opened. It’s empty.
-OH SHIT THAT WAS JUST IN HER MEMORIES THAT IT WAS EMPTY!! It’s a tourist attraction now. Weeeeeird.
-Mission time. “Claim the Treasure Sphere!”
-This is fucking surreal. People are talking about the magical adventure that starts in Zanarkand, and I get it, but god it’s weird weird WEIRD.
-The Hunchback Hellions are another sphere hunting group.
-IT’S THAT GUY!! I can’t remember his name, but he’s the other summoner with the brothers who was pretty nice. Issarru?
-He’s been helping Cid. He’s a guide through Zanarkand.
-We move in towards the dome.
-As we walked in, I thought I saw two figures appear out of nowhere in the foreground. Backtracked to check it out, but didn’t see them. Huh.
-By the way, I’ve kind of reneged on my intention to diversify the dressphere pool. I like building up a few dresspheres for the moment. Going to try building Warrior and Festivalist on Paine, Gunner and White Mage on Yuna, and Thief and White Mage on Rikku.
-I SAW IT AGAIN!! Yeah. Definitely some up-to-no-good-niks lurking around here.
-A group of kids run inside. Taro, Hana, and some unnamed due. I think the unnamed dude is Isaaru’s brother.
-Goons inside.
-Pacce!! That’s the kid’s name. He’s leading a group of “sphere hunters” in here. I can’t tell if this is a tourist thing or if they’re legit hunters. My guess is that it’s just for fun.
-HAHAHAHAH THEY CALL THEMSELVES THE “KINDERGUARDIANS” FHDJKLSFHDFLDKLS
-“Key” is a clue to finding the treasure. Huh. Maybe the dude who took the Besaid key actually came up here.
-Another of those goons is lurking in the background.
-heee!! This “goon” is absolutely not scary at all up close and hearing him talk. He sounds a bit Californian.
-He thinks the clue is “mon,” not “key.” Guessing that one of those shifty-eyed monkeys/lemurs is the secret.
-Something I’m really loving about this game so far: the stakes are pretty low. We’re hunting spheres. The villains (competing treasure hunters, Leblanc’s group I assume here) just now said they don’t want to pick on kids, and so they let them continue on.
It’s a nice change of pace. I’m always a fan of fantasy and action that focus on a narrower scope than saving the world.
(This isn’t to say the game won’t or shouldn’t go there, but I like it now.)
-I can’t get over the cognitive dissonance I’m experiencing right now.
We’re in the hall leading to Lady Yunalesca and Dark Bahamut iirc, and
instead we see a bunch of tourists chilling out, snapping photos, paying
gil to “loot chests.”
-There’s a group of old women here. Sphere hunters. The Grannies. “We’re having a meeting, so git!” This is amaaaazing.
-Two dudes here. Looking at people and wondering if they’re “New Yevon” (?) and scouting for the Youth League.
-OMG LEMUR SEEING HEARTS
-Terran and Maxx.
-The Kinderguardians. This is beyond adorable.
-Why do I keep hearing the “cha ching” sound whenever I talk to the lemur?
-MY GIL KEEPS GOING DOWN!! That frigging lemur Terran is stealing my gil.
-Okay. Let’s head down to the tourist trap chamber of the fayth.
Meta as fuck.
-Four monkeys are by the door.
-Hi Cid!
-We talk to Cid about how this touristiness seems to cheapen things. He sees our point.
RANDOM DUDE: “Keep an eye on your gil. The monkeys have sticky fingers.” Thanks. I noticed.
-Each has a description. Valli’s up to no good. Peke drools tentatively. (?) Birch bats his eyelashes timidly. Golde looks ready to rant. Summer looks unfulfilled. Sequoia is fuming.
These descriptions remind me of the cactuar descriptions.
-Into the Great Hall. More monkeys and closed treasure chests.
-Minni drools lecherously. Spring sure looks testy. Rosemary is after your gil! Canis wants something. Sol hates tourists.
-Writing these down because they might be important later.
-There’s a group of old women here. Sphere hunters. The Grannies. “We’re having a meeting, so git!” This is amaaaazing.
-Two dudes here. Looking at people and wondering if they’re “New Yevon” (?) and scouting for the Youth League.
-OMG LEMUR SEEING HEARTS
-Terran and Maxx.
-The Kinderguardians. This is beyond adorable.
-Why do I keep hearing the “cha ching” sound whenever I talk to the lemur?
-MY GIL KEEPS GOING DOWN!! That frigging lemur Terran is stealing my gil.
-Okay. Let’s head down to the tourist trap chamber of the fayth.
Meta as fuck.
-Four monkeys are by the door.
-Hi Cid!
-We talk to Cid about how this touristiness seems to cheapen things. He sees our point.
RANDOM DUDE: “Keep an eye on your gil. The monkeys have sticky fingers.” Thanks. I noticed.
-Each has a description. Valli’s up to no good. Peke drools tentatively. (?) Birch bats his eyelashes timidly. Golde looks ready to rant. Summer looks unfulfilled. Sequoia is fuming.
These descriptions remind me of the cactuar descriptions.
-Into the Great Hall. More monkeys and closed treasure chests.
-Minni drools lecherously. Spring sure looks testy. Rosemary is after your gil! Canis wants something. Sol hates tourists.
-Writing these down because they might be important later.
-We move into the Beyond. Yuna remembers this as the place she cast off her beliefs. Her false hope.
-Two more monkeys here. Birch is in the mood for love. Dawne looks sleepy. A third one I don’t get to talk to yet.
-A voice. “Muwahahahaha!!” Unless this is Exdeath, no way we’re about to encounter a legit villain. Some old friend probably just fucking around.
-oh my god this is beyond ridiculous. Rikku gets the password and the mystery dude continues. He must work for Cid on the attraction.
-THESE “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE” RESPONSE OPTIONS THOUGH
-It’s Isaaru. He says how much eh always wanted to come here, and now working here is the closest he’ll get.
-I feel gross. And cheap. Not in a bad way – or rather, yes, in a bad way, but in a way that speaks to the high quality of this section.
-lolol Paine: “I guess ex-summoners come in all flavors.”
-The last monkey is Skye. “Skye is gazing into the distance.”
-There’s a huge hole here. It took me a second to remember what it was, but it was where Yunalesca’s true form lay, right?
---
Treasure Chamber
-A new area down the stairs
-and HOLY FUCK IT’S A BEHEMOTH
-Hm. Much like the Iron Giant, it wasn’t that bad.
-The Nashorns here can be nasty in pairs.
-Found the boss at the end, guarding a sphere.
Paine’s reply: “How about ‘kick… its… ass?’”
-Got it!! That was a toughy. It started ramping up near the end with Damocles Photon, a heavy group attack.
-The prize is just half a sphere. The most disappointed mission complete screen ever, and a perfect ending to this session.
---
Next time: probably will revisit Zanarkand in case anything changed post-mission.
-Two more monkeys here. Birch is in the mood for love. Dawne looks sleepy. A third one I don’t get to talk to yet.
-A voice. “Muwahahahaha!!” Unless this is Exdeath, no way we’re about to encounter a legit villain. Some old friend probably just fucking around.
-oh my god this is beyond ridiculous. Rikku gets the password and the mystery dude continues. He must work for Cid on the attraction.
-THESE “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE” RESPONSE OPTIONS THOUGH
-It’s Isaaru. He says how much eh always wanted to come here, and now working here is the closest he’ll get.
-I feel gross. And cheap. Not in a bad way – or rather, yes, in a bad way, but in a way that speaks to the high quality of this section.
-lolol Paine: “I guess ex-summoners come in all flavors.”
-The last monkey is Skye. “Skye is gazing into the distance.”
-There’s a huge hole here. It took me a second to remember what it was, but it was where Yunalesca’s true form lay, right?
---
Treasure Chamber
-A new area down the stairs
-and HOLY FUCK IT’S A BEHEMOTH
-Hm. Much like the Iron Giant, it wasn’t that bad.
-The Nashorns here can be nasty in pairs.
-Found the boss at the end, guarding a sphere.
Paine’s reply: “How about ‘kick… its… ass?’”
-Got it!! That was a toughy. It started ramping up near the end with Damocles Photon, a heavy group attack.
-The prize is just half a sphere. The most disappointed mission complete screen ever, and a perfect ending to this session.
---
Next time: probably will revisit Zanarkand in case anything changed post-mission.
