Chains of Promathia
-It’s been a while since I got thrust into the intro cinematic for this expansion. I remember Bahamut was involved, but not much beyond that, so I want to first refresh myself. Here’s a quick tl;dr:
1)There was a meltdown of sorts in Delkfutt’s Tower that caused “energy to reverse.”
2)Bahamut arose from the ocean and threatened to rain doom on the seed of the gods or something. Something about the Keeper of the Apocalypse.
3)Jeunoan soldiers found a pale kid knocked out in Delkfutt’s Tower and brought him back to the city to heal.
-This expansion looks to be broken up by chapters. The first chapter of missions is called “Ancient Flames Beckon.”
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Mission: The Rites of Life (Chains of Promathia, ch.1)
-I head to the infirmary where that kid was taken.
-Doctor Monbereaux is here, but leaves me alone briefly to deal with guards who want the boy.
-When he goes out, the boy wakes up and walks over to me. Doesn’t say anything. Just holds out a blue jewel and his eyes glow blue too.
-That jewel gives me a vision of a visually stunning purple and blue land, with some large structures.
When the vision fades, the boy is gone.
-Outside the clinic, Jeunoan guards led by Doctor Monbereaux’s frenemy, Wolfgang, starts to send his soldiers charging past Monbereaux to apprehend the boy.
-At that moment, the boy appears at the door. He starts to run, and runs LITERALLY THROUGH the soldiers, going transparent like Shadowcat.
-One of the Jeunoan guards is a Bond villain looking dude named Nag’molada. He recognizes the child.
-The soldiers set off in pursuit.
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Mission: Below the Arks (Chains of Promathia, ch.1)
-I head into the Jeuno palace to see what I can hear.
-The rumor around is that telepoint crystals at the crags of Holla, Mea, and Dem have broken.
-On top of that, travelers recently have been sucked into whirlpools in Valkurm Dunes and Qufim Island. What do all these things have to do with each other? General disruption caused by Bahamut’s appearance?
-Jeuno scientists think the shattered telepoints at the crags are related to this.
-I teleport over to the crag in Konschtat Highlands to check it out, the Crag of Dem.
-I investigate the telepoint and get teleported inside the crag. The “Hall of Transference.”
-I walk into a “large apparatus” insdie here and activate it, opening a gate.
-OH SHIT – two dudes run out of the gate screaming but got sucked back insde by a black smoke
-The gate opens up, and I go in.
“…Come, Detolilla… It is… time… Return…”
-Visions appear before me of this jaundiced and yellow ruined landscape.
“…to the darkness……”
-And now I’m here. A new zone called “Promyvion – Dem.”
-There are floating patches of land here in a void.
-The enemies here are almost abstract compared to what I’m used to. Floating brains with glowing yellow, giant spindly crab things with purple lights at their core…
And they drop interesting loot. “Radiant Memory,” “Recollection of Guilt,” “Profane Memory.” These items refer to the enemies as “the Empty.”
-This place is definitely some weird-ass memory, or a mindscape. A portal I hop on is called “the memory stream.”
-After much wandering, I eventually reach a structure called Spire of Dem. A new zone within this weird place.
-Battlefield inside called “Ancient Flames Beckon.” A boss lies inside: “Progenerator.” It’s one of those gorger crab things.
-It goes down and I teleport out. To the mothercrystal within the crag of dem.
???: “You shouldn’t move any closer.” Is that the mothercrystal itself talking to me?
-No. It’s Nag’molada, the Jeunoan who looks like a Bond villain. He has two minions with him.
“Can’t you feel her power? Can’t you feel her marvelous light streaming through your body? Can’t you feel the endless joy she brings? The light from this crystal feeds our souls and keeps us alive… It keeps the whole world alive.”
…yes. Okay. But are you good or evil cause I really want to know and you’re creeping me out.
“And that is why we cannot forgive any who attempt to harm the crystal!”
Evil. Got it. He’s about to let loose a blast of magic at me, when all of a sudden that pale kid walks out from inside the crystal. The kid spews some sort of dark gas at Nag’molada, and extends his hand to me with a burst of light.
-I see an image again. A vision of what looks like a Dawnmaiden, one of the Zilart priestesses of Altana.
???: “The end of Vana’diel… the world stands on the brink of oblivion. The final battle betwixt the Twilight God and the Dawn Goddess is at hand.”
So I’m guessing the Twilight God is Promathia, since I know Altana is the Dawn Goddess. My main question now: is what I’m seeing in the past or present?
And who is the kid? Some kind of embodiment or avatar of Promathia? Maybe an embodiment of the mothercrystal?
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Mission: The Mothercrystals (Chains of Promathia, ch. 1)
-The mission description says that the first Crag was corrupted by “Emptiness.” The big bad from the future in Rhapsodies of Vana’diel.
-The next shattered telepoint/crag is in La Theine Plateau.
-oh hi!! It’s the Mythril Musketeers! Ayame and Cid and Naji arrive on chocobo.
-But then Wolfgang of Jeuno arrives as well.
-Cid is here because of high readings of the Crystal Line, a heavy flow of energy. Oh, and also the reports of a freaking dragon flying over the sea.
-Jeuno has lost a number of people investigating this. I wonder if they got sucked into that Emptiness – maybe even became the Empty.
-Amidst the bickering, the crystal teleports me away to “Promyvion – Holla.” That dream world.
A voice begins speaking again.
“…Come, Detolilla… Wheels are… in motion… Darkness… calls… Heed… your destiny…”
Current guess: the voice is Promathia.
-The structure of this version of Promyvion is the same as the last. I have to explore a floor until I find a “Memory Receptacle,” kill it, and ride the resultant memory stream.
-I’ll even take my guess farther. I think this voice is Promathia, that this “Promyvion” zone is inside Promathia’s mind or memory, and that he’s trying to tempt us to break him free.
And I’ll bet it’s working. Like, I wouldn’t’ be shocked if the “bosses” we’re killing are the Promathia’s jailers.
-Next spire. The Spire of Holla. The boss here is crabby creature called Wreaker. I beat it and teleport out.
-I pop out at the mothercrystal in Holla, and the pale kid is lying on the ground. I run up to him, and images flash quickly before me.
“Can… feel it… This dream… Whose… can it… be?”
-Another of those purple-blue landscapes. Then a woman with light bursting from her.
-I head to the final Crag. The Crag of Mea.
-Bond Villain Nag’molada is inside.
“Hah! So you’ve finally arrived. I heard you were poking your nose into matters at the second crag, so I naturally assumed this would be the next place you’d visit.”
-All Nag’molada wants it that boy. Nag’molada orders Wolfgang to kill me. I don’t think he’ll do it. Wolfgang seems ultimately like a pretty good guy.
-Yeah. Wolfgang is hesitant, but Nag’molada is pressing pretty hard. This citadel is built to protect the mothercrystals, and Nag’molada feels the need to kill any who might also have knowledge of this.
-Hm. I wonder. Maybe Nag’molada is actually good, and he’s trying to stop me from royally fucking up.
-The boy arrives here again.
NAGMOLADA: “You, boy wthout a name., you know the darkness of which I speak. The darkness that the Dawnmaidens have feared for thousands of years. The darkness that eats away at the very soul of Vana’diel. The darkness known as the ‘Emptiness.’
“And you. You were born with the Emptiness. You brought it with you into our world. From where did you bring it?” No answer. I don’t think this kid is some embodiment of evil or “Emptiness.” I don’t know what I think, but I do think it’s more than that.
-Wolfgang charges the kid, stabs him… kills him? No way. The kid didn’t run away though. He…
Oh lol yeah, he’s not dead. He gets up, and starts spreading that darkness beneath him again.
It teleports me to “Promyvion – Mea.”
The voice again.
“…Come, Detolilla… Why… do you struggle…? Face… the darkness…”
“…Face… your inner… self…”
-I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m definitely interested.
-I pass through the same landscape as before and arrive at the Spire of Mea, and the spindly-legged “Delver” boss goes down.
-I pop out at the mothercrystal, where Nag’molada is staggering, wounded. “That evil boy has released the darkness!”
-Dark starts to pour from the mothercrystal.
“The Emptiness is destruction that knows not of its destructive force. Even the Dawnmaidens, who fear neither man nor god, tremble in the presence of this hideous darkness.”
-The pale kid floats up, touches the mothercrystal. This shocks Nag’molada.
-Flash of white. This next scene could be happening now, or the past or anytime. A kid (who looks more than a bit like Zilart Prince Eald’narche from behind) in front of the crystal.
???: “You… You will never betray me. The will of the crystal is aligned with the will of this world. Yes… that which was broken into five parts…”
-We see the statue of the winged goddess Altana.
???: “There will be no salvation.”
-A Dawnmaiden walks here, and behind her we see the statue of Promathia. This is the Hall of the Gods.
???: “It exists within the soul of every living person. We are all ‘vessels.’ Let us pray. To the goddesss. To all the gods…”
-Still confused af lol.
-I’m in a new zone now. Lufaise Meadows.
-A title screen appears: “Chapter Two: Island of Forgotten Saints.” That’s the end of the first Chains of Promathia chapter.
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Mission: An Invitation West (Chains of Promathia, ch. 2)
-Nag’molada also has no idea where we are.
-A purple light rockets across the sky.
-A trio of Tarutaru find my unconscious body. They want to tell someone that they found me…but first those assholes rummage through my stuff and steal the amulet that pale kid gave me.
Man, frigging felonious Tarutaru. They’ll probably wind up bringing the Darkness into their town through that amulet.
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Next time: Chasing the Tarutaru thieves to get the amulet back.
