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Bandits of the Desert (4-1)
I think I’m doing okay on time. Still concerned in case things take way longer going forward, and that more main quests may appear after these first four, so on we press.
-Hopping a South Station train over to the Dead Dunes.
-I’m the only disembarking passenger. Makes sense. Probably not much traffic in the “Dead Dunes.”
-There’s a red cactuar statue here. This must be the old Archylte Steppe. I wonder if we’ll get more on the Cactuar fal’Cie here.
-Unlike most zones, Dead Dunes monsters are apparently active in day, not night.
-The holy clavis is supposed to summon the souls of the dead.
-This zone feels so different from Luxerion and Yusnaan. A wide open desert.
-My favorite thing about the Dead Dunes: SKIING! It’s SUCH A COOL TOUCH that when Lightning runs downhill, she slides down the sand and sprints without using energy.
It helps mechanically helps navigate this large zone. And she looks BADASS.
-A bandit group called Monoculus makes their living pillaging the ruins below the desert. They might have a lead on the clavis. For all I know, Fang may be their leader.
-OOH! Found my first “Last One” monster, a pink rare gremlin with an omega sign.
It’s the platonic ideal of a gremlin, and basically a boss. Chains x-aga spells my way.
-I’m trying to explore the different ruins, but they’re locked. That must come later.
-The short way to the bandit town is blocked by a sandstorm.
-HI CACTUAR! That sproing sound cracks me up lol.
-The zone’s naming conventions is “Giant’s Head,” “Giant’s Sandbox,” etc.
OH GOD, THAT’S A GIANT HAND! THAT’S FRIGGING TITAN! He died in the Chaos too??
-The Earth Eater enemies are simply brutal. Even with practice.
-Pilgrim’s Cruxes are key items that unlock different things, like a tablet in a tomb.
-I can kill non-hostile lizards for tails and “unappraised items.” I’ll probably find an appraiser in town.
-Speaking of which, finally arrived at the bandit town called Ruffian.
-The fal’Cie Atomos’ remains are nearby. RIP bowling ball god.
-Monoculus’s rival for the holy clavis it an Order group called the Secutors.
-I meet the gang’s leader, Adonis. Seems friendly.
-He won’t tell me what he knows about the clavis unless I complete a trial to join Monoculus.
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Aspiring Bandit (4-2)
-The trial is to disperse the nearby sandstorm. Some nearby monster holds the key.
-Whew! Just a gurangatch, one of those spikey armadillo bois.
[Later edit: The only reason I’m not afraid of so many monsters is because I’m on easy mode. My challenge is to defeat the enemy, not necessarily to defeat the enemy while conserving as many resources as possible. That would make this feel frustrating and brutal.]
-Adonis watched me. It drops a crux, but apparently only God’s chosen can use them.
It works for me. The sandstorm stops. He’s shocked… to a point.
ADONIS: “Guess the boss was right, as usual.” Okay, 99% chance Fang is the boss.
-I’m in! Officially part of Monoculus.
-Met the appraiser in Ruffian. They identify my items. Mostly vendor trash, but got another Crux.
-YUP FANG’S THE BOSS AND I’M SO HAPPY. GOD I LOVE HER
-I’m so happy also that she doesn’t seem clouded with Chaos, like Noel or Snow were.
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Where the Clavis Lies (4-3)
-She’s been out here looking for the clavis, and wants my help to find it before the Order.
Why is she working against the Order though? Wouldn’t it help Vanille either way?
-Sounds like no. She hints at some nastiness with the Order.
-WAIT FANG JOINED THE PARTY? THIS GAME HAS PARTIES NOW??
-She’s more like a walking buff/damage. On auto-pilot, which I’m fine with.
Look at these two queens.
-Y’know, this might be a good chance for me to re-evaluate my schema. I’ve had a magic schema and two general scheme, but I have so many new things now. I should add a “saboteur” schema to the mix.
[Later edit: I tried this, and it’s just not needed yet. Currently using schema for physical attack schema, a jack-of-all-trades (debuffs, physical attack, a magic attack), and a pure magic.]
I ask her more directly about the Order. “That’s a story for later.” Boooo, just tell me now!
-We enter the ruins beneath the Giant’s Hand. The chamber is full of “timed doors” that change whether they open or close on the hour.
*20 minutes later*
-This is quite a maze down here. We reach a door with huge energy radiating behind it. Perhaps the Clavis, which reacts to the savior.
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Murals of the Gods (4-4)
-To unlock the door, I have to gather keys from three nearby murals telling the “true story of the gods.”
-The first mural shows blood flowing from Etro as Lindzei and Pulse stand above her. Lindzei used the blood to give birth to the first humans.
FANG: “Yeah, so we could do his dirty work. Among my people, Lindzei was known as a trickster, never to be trusted.” Though she admits even Pulse used her people.
LIGHTNING: “Yeah, I think we’ve all learned not to trust the gods.” Whew, that carries some weight given Lightning’s current role.
-The mural’s inscription is fascinating. It says Etro returns to the chaos in death (where she is now I assume), welcomes the souls of the dead, and gifts them with life.
“She is the goddess of reincarnation.” It’d be awesome if she came back to help us against Bhunivelze at the end, or to help rebirth the world if Lightning turns on Bhunivelze.
-Before continuing, we need to find two more tablets. One in the Dry Floodlands, one near Atomos.
-Interesting! Fang tells me that when she and Vanille were “asleep” in the pillar, they were still somewhat conscious. They saw the events of XIII-2, like it was a hazy dream.
-Someone wants me to fight an Aeronite. He mentions it’s from 500 years ago – I don’t remember if I’ve seen it before in a prior game.
*45 minutes later*
JESUS DOES THIS PLACE EVER END?? I’ve been winding my way through here, totally and utterly lost.
Finding doors I end up skipping cause I don’t want to wait for timing doors or find alternate routes and it’s just all kinds of confusing.
At least there are checkpoints, red cactuar checkpoints and exits to the surface. Gonna head up to find the two tablets I’ll need for the remaining murals.
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Next time: Gathering the tablets in the Dead Dunes.
