Saturday, July 5, 2014

FFIV After Years – Part 18: Her Brother’s Keeper (Porom’s Tale)

Summary: The introduction to Porom’s tale. We see Palom and Porom in flashback in Mysidia, just after the events of the base game. Good set-up for Porom’s perspective on her relationships, personality, and motivations.

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-We start out with Porom as a kid. Flashback!

-Actually, it’s the moment where Palom is bragging to Leonora about Mount Ordeals. He’s supposed to be learning from the Elder, and Porom has to go get him. I get the sense she has to do this a lot.

-My first task with control of Porom is to find Palom and drag his ass back to school. I’m like a combination of white mage and truant officer.

-A random black mage is complaining that Palom’s not acting his age. I disagree. He’s acting as a 7 year old (or whatever he is) normally does. Porom is the one not acting her age. She’s way more mature than most girls her age would probably be.

-After chasing Palom around town, eventually what gets through to him is Porom reminding him that he wants to be like Tellah, a sage. It’s kind of cool to me that he was so heavily influenced by Tellah.

-Great discussion between Palom and the Elder. Palom wants acknowledgment for his success and growth with Cecil’s party, which is true. But the Elder wants him to acknowledge how success is a group effort, and how many people contributed to Palom’s growth. Palom admits he didn’t do it alone, but the Elder thinks he agrees intellectually, but still believes deep down that it was mostly Palom’s work.

This is very similar to the “You didn’t build this” controversy. I won’t get too political since it’s not a strong suit of mine, but the basic argument seems very similar. When we succeed, it seems important to me to acknowledge that so much of our success (and failure) is a product of many external factors and contributors, not just us.

-Palom really wants to strike out on his own. This is overt and explicit. Interesting to me that the Elder sees in Porom’s eyes that she wants the same thing deep down, but is more reluctant to express is.

-This REALLY interests me. So much of Porom’s actions and characterization have centered on her relationship with her brother. Caring for him, watching out for him, scolding him, shepherding him around. What about her own personal goals?

Now, it’s not like she JUST that. She’s selfless, kind, caring… but I also imagine that a theme of this tale might end up being how her self will emerge from simply being self-less.

-The title: “Porom’s Tale: The Vanished Lunar Whale”

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Next time: the training of twins.

FFIV After Years – Part 17: The Light at the End of the Tunnel? (Palom’s Tale)

Summary: Palom and Leonora flee to the Lodestone Cavern with the Earth Crystal to escape Baron’s soldiers. They encounter an old enemy at the end of it, the Dark Elf, and are then magically saved from certain doom! Hurray! It’s Evil Moon Girl, who still gives no fucks and takes the Earth Crystal from them. Boo! Valiant effort, but no luck for them.

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To the Lodestone Cave

-Restocked in Troia, then up to the Chocobo Forest to find a black chocobo to fly us east. I’m a bit nervous about this, since there was so much talk in Troia about black chocobos being endangered, but then I remembered seeing Palom and Leonora on a black chocobo in Rydia’s tale, so yeah.

-Oh shit, the soldiers followed us to the Chocobo Forest. ATTACK, MY CHOCOBO MINIONS!

-Maybe not.

-What does the chocobo say? “Kweh”

-Palom has a bit of a point as he cautions Leonora. This is different from training. On the other hand, Leonora did great in the waterway. Plus, where else is she gonna go? Troia’s a bad place for her to be right now.

-Hee! The evil mages in this cave are called “Lamage.” Can’t help but think of the breathing technique. Yes, I’m secretly 12 years old inside.

-Note to self: Waxing moon = BAD for this party. Full = good.

-Leonora’s black magic SUCKS. Usually hits for zero. At least she has her bow and arrow.

-Here come the guards, following us into the cave, but at least they’re naked.

-By which I mean I’m glad that they’re unarmed, not that Palom and Leonora will get some kind of peep show.

-Urg

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Crystal Chamber

-Made it to the Crystal Chamber.

-Now Palom’s being a downer, while Leonora’s in “Never tell me the odds!” mode. These two have swapped those roles quite a bunch.

-WHAT???? The Dark Elf is back? I don’t like this retcon. It feels like Lazy Boss Design Demon Wall Syndrome.

-“I simply lost my body in the previous battle. Nothing more.” Sorry, I call shenanigans. You died.

-At least the encounter feels different than the first time fighting the Dark Elf. Unlike *ahem* the three Demon Wall encounters in the Sealed Fucking Cave.

-Dark Elf again transforms into Dark Dragon

-He seems untouchable. Trying a band attack… no luck, no band found.

-Edge is right! History is repeating itself! Rydia deus (dea?) ex machinas us out with Diamond Dust to save our asses!

-…

-…

-…

-Wait.

-Okay, I was like 3% right and 97% wrong. Diamond Dust is Shiva’s spell. The Eidolons are still shackled. Which means that it’s actually Evil Moon Girl who saved us.



-I don’t get Palom’s plan here. He takes the crystal, warps Leonora out, and…?

-Sasses EMG and stones himself!

-Again, Edge was dead on about history repeating.

-Poor Leonora is on her own in a Lodestone save point. Now the full moon sucks. Waning moon moon is okay, since her best attack is bow and arrow, so I’ll go with that.

-Here comes Leonora back for Palom! Weird thought conversation between the two.

-AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

-She was the girl he was talking to as a kid at the end of the base game. She knew him as a child and liked him then.



-At least her Esuna worked on him this time.

-I continue to like how story ties in with gameplay. Once Palom learns of their previous connection, they get a Band attack: Particle Bomb. And it looks fucking incredible. Starts with a machine-gun pelting of ice, then an explosion of fire. 20 MP each, but huge single-target damage.

-…But still doesn’t significantly hurt EMG. She’s just too strong. She summoned Shiva and wrecked us.

-Now EMG has the Earth Crystal. :(

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Mount Ordeals

-POROM AND KAIN! On a mountain! She did find him! Aw… Porom senses Palom’s fall.

End of Palom’s Tale. What a downer to end on.

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Next time: Not sure which tale I’ll start up, between Edward, Porom, or Yang. Let me know if any of y’all have a preference, otherwise I’ll probably just pick one this Sat/Sun.

FFIV After Years – Part 16: The Great Escape (Palom’s Tale)

Summary: Palom presents the new Epopt to the council, and proceeds to take credit for her work. Baron attacks, and Evil moon Girl tries to take the crystal. Palom and Leonora take it and escape through the waterways in the castle.

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Troia

-Palom is taking full credit for Leonora’s success. Stay classy.

-I’m glad Palom is pressing for answers on why Troia needs black magic.

-OH, OF COURSE! They want to protect themselves from Baron this time.

-Palom doesn’t want to believe Cecil would do anything this bad. (p.s. He’s right.)

-It hits Palom that the weirdness is moon-related. Yay!!

-Ruh-roh, Raggy. Leonora sense that the crystal is afraid.

-BARON ATTACKS!!!

-Palom plans to hide the crystal to prevent the Troians being hurt. Well and nobly played, Lord Palom.

-Leonora wants to join in. She’s right to do so; she’s a white mage and has a duty as an Epopt to the crystal.

-OH SHIT IT’S EVIL MOON GIRL IN THE EPOPTS ROOM

-She’s using that old “I don’t have to answer to an inferior species” lines.

-Run, guys! They escape through a secret passage in the Crystal Room. This reminds of Palom’s love for
secret passageways, though I can’t remember when that was from.

-And it leads into a waterway, “Troia Castle Waterway.”

-Do arrows no longer run out? Like, one single Holy Arrow allows my character to shoot infinitely? I LOVE THIS CHANGE MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY.

-Hee! The Epopt popped out of the waterway. I’m easily amused.

-Not much to say about the waterway. It was a fine cave, pretty straight-forward.

-Leonora is starting to despair about the safety of the Epopts in the presence of EMG, but Palom drops some WISDOM BOMBS!

PAL: You respect the Epopts, right?
LEO: Yes…
PAL: So have faith in them.

Do I smell character growth?

-Also, the Epopts are in a uniquely good position to survive. They won’t fight EMG overtly, and EMG doesn’t seem to kill unprovoked.

-Where to now? Lodestone Cavern.

-Oh man.

-Fucking magnets again. As good a plan as any I guess, especially when I have two mages.

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Next time: restocking in Troia town, then off to seek shelter in Lodestone Cavern.

FFIV After Years – Part 15: Leonora Rising (Palom’s Tale)

Summary: Palom meets the Circle of Epopts, and acts like an asshole to them. He meets his trainee, Leonora, who’s already a pretty good white mage. The two of them pop over to the Tower of Trials. Leonora has to reach the top and get a “Monastic Seal” up there to become an Epopt. The tower is geared for training. Each floor, Palom teaches her a new spell, and that floor’s enemies are weak to it. They reach the top successfully.

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Troia

-Disembarked, made my way to a Chocobo forest and to Troia.

-Guard: “The Epopts devote their entire lives to the guards. Please don’t do anything to offend them.” This is Palom she’s talking to. This can’t end well.

-An Epopt fell ill.

-Leonora, whose name we’ve heard before, will be the next.

-How young is she? Her portrait makes her look 14-15.

-Oh, she snapped him to stop being rude! I like her.

-The Epopts seem surprised that Palom only knows black magic.

-Interesting! Both black and white magic can help Leonora grow spiritually. Reminds me of the portrayal dark and light in FFIII.

-Leonora has to reach the top of the Tower of Trials to become an Epopt. Izayoi saw Palom still in town when she left, so I guess she reached the tower before Palom and Leonora left.

-The Troian treasure chamber is still empty from when my party in the base game ransacked it before taking out the Dark Elf.

-Another Challengingway in Troia Town.

-The lady who hit on Izayoi also hit on Palom. Or maybe Leonora? Or both?

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Tower of Trials

-The top floor has a Monastic Seal. I’ll be half-disappointed if this seal isn’t an animal tail of some kind.

-Cool! The Epopt’s prayer unlocked the door. That means that even though we’re redoing the Tower of Trials, what we’ll see on the inside is probably different from Izayoi’s journey on the outside.

-PALOM: “Could you knock it off with that ‘Lord Palom’ junk? He’s really uncomfortable with that title, despite his haughtiness.

-Leonora is two years older than Palom. I’m a bit confused. I thought this is taking place 17 years after the base game, where Palom and Porom seemed like 6-8 years old. I must’ve got that wrong.

-LOLOL at Palom’s response. “Oh yeah? Good for you, but don’t expect me to start calling you Ms. Leonora or anything.”

-For this whole next part, just assume that LOLOLOLOL goes with it.

Palom starts training Leonora on how to cast fire.

PAL: “Okay, first. Do you know what ‘Fire’ is?
LEO: “No… what is it?”
PAL: “…it’s a fire attack.”

-In this training combat sequence, the Leonora’s spell is “Fire?” with a question mark.

-Hee! Leonora can cast “Fire?” on Palom. “Watch where you’re aiming!”

 A random cool thing: they gave some insight into how magic works in that universe. It's about envisioning the magic you want to cast very clearly and tangibly in your head first and then using some kind of will to make that thought reality.

From the fire training sequence:



Leonora trying to think fiery thoughts.

-Nice! She learned it.

-Very meta. He’s teaching her to watch her MP.

-She continues to kick ass. Go Leonora!

-Palom doesn’t want her to train as a sage. Why not, jealousy?

-HAH! Leonora really gets into it when learning Blizzard. Palom: “That’s one seriously creepy face you’re making.”

-Glad I waited for the full moon so my black magic got boosted.

-Her spell is still “Blizzard?” I wonder if we’re flashing back to FFII briefly, where she has to cast it x number of times to remove the question mark.

-LEO: “You’d like me to handle this [floor Guardian] too, right?”
PAL: “Of course. Now, just keep that creepy face of yours going.”

-Palom: “An Epopt shouldn’t need to know black magic for her job. So why are you so set on learning this stuff?” I’d like to know that too, but Leonora’s keeping it close to the vest.

-Aw. Waxing moon. No more black magic bonus.

-Despite Palom’s dickishness, he’s not a bad teacher. Reminds me of Roland or Cort as teachers in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. Creatively tough.

-No band attack for these two.

-We get to the top, and there’s no animal tail. Just a stone with some writing on it. Palom acts like an asshole again, like “That’s all there is? Epopts suck!” and Leonora’s having none of his shit.

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Next time: Back to Troia.

FFIV After Years – Part 14: The Mage’s Voyage (Palom’s Tale)

Summary: We start off Palom’s tale on a ship heading to Troia. Backstory shows us that he’s very reluctantly heading to Troia at the Elder’s behest to train a new Epopt. Usually this is a white mage’s gig, usually Porom’s, but the Elder’s working some game here.

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Ship

-A ship heading west, with fishermen

-“Captain, how much longer do we have to keep putting up with that brat?” LOL – Palom grew in power, but also grew in assholitude.

-Yeah, he’s complaining that the sailors aren’t catching him enough fresh fish.

-Still, it’s a specific brand of assholitude. He doesn’t like being called “Lord” by someone much older than him. There’s something at least a bit admirable there. He’s no Joffrey.

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Prayer Dais

-Porom and the Elder

-Palom, on hearing they’ve gotten request from a foreign nation for help: “Another prayer job from some country trying to palm off its problems on others, no doubt.” PALOM: founding member of the Tea Party of Mysidia.

-Palom’s getting sent to train the Epopts.

-Why are the Epopts trying to learn black magic?

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Ship

-Palom sees moon #2.

-“Palom’s Tale: The Mage’s Voyage” = very cool title!

-LOL Palom: “Are we there yet?”

-Apparently a large city recently fell under monster attack. I guess this is Baron.

-Another sailor: “I saw a falling star to the north.” Really cool to see the partial information from different tales come together.

-Weird. This trip is a month long, but was supposed to take a week. The compass sounds like it broke. Moon-related?

-Ah! This is the ship near the Tower of Trials I saw in Izayoi’s mission.

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Next time: Troia.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

FFIV After Years – Part 13: Nin-ja, Nin-ja RAP (Edge’s Tale)

Summary: Edge progressed through the Tower of Babil towards the top. As he did so, he gradually was joined by his fellow ninjas, one-by-one, returing from their reconnaissance. (Except for Izoyai. R.I.P.) Eventually, they encountered Evil Moon Girl who summoned the shackled Ifrit and basically kicked their asses six ways from Sunday. The party fled through the tower, took a leap of faith off it, and landed in Rydia’s ship, right where her tale ended. END OF EDGE’S TALE.

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-The first fight: “???: You’d better not leave me behind!” Huh?

-TSUKINOWA HI

-Awesome reunion

-Do boomerangs still suffer back row penalties for attack?

-Another “boss” fight, but no ninja joining up like last time. This makes me sad, because now I know that I fucked up with Izayoi. She’d join me here probably.

-Zangetsu joined now. Avengers assemble!

-And eventually, Gekkou hops on board, warning us about Evil Moon Girl.

-Now I, the player, actually feel guilty that I let Izayoi die. A full reunion would have been so happy here. I’ll bet the full ninja team would also have access to some awesome and badass Band attack.

-Top of the tower, and who do we see? EVIL MOON GIRL!

-Is Edge now hearing his dead parents’ voices? “(Run… runaway from here as fast as you can.)

CREEPY

-Yes. He now sees them flash, and sees Rubicante flash briefly as well.

-Great conversation between Edge and EMG:

EMG: No use explaining [my plans] to an inferior species.
EDGE: Inferior species, you say? Yes, you may have a point.
EMG: Good. You have some sense, I see.
EDGE: Well, I do my best. But you do realize that humans have the power to adapt, right?
EMG: Adapt?

Very cool. Love you, Edge. He’s also matured greatly from the hothead from the base game, while retaining the same snarky core.

-CRASH! Battle time with EMG! Her battle sprite is really cool.

-She summons Ifrit. He seems untouchable, except for shurikens.

-Now I’m on the ropes. Edge tries to run, but EMG is having none of it. Eventually he finds a trap door from his previous time in Babil.

-I keep getting random encounters with Ifrit, but Edge says to keep running and that seems like sound advice.

-Each time I run, a party member talks about how tired they’re feeling, how physically exhausted they are. This is a nice touch, to emphasize the escape.

-What’s Edge looking for?

-THE AIRSHIP HANGAR! We get a sepia-toned flashback to Cecil and company discovering the Falcon. Will we find an airship to save us now?

-No. No airship in dock. We’re backed into a corner.

-Edge keeps mentioning that history is repeating itself. It certainly seems that way. Coincidence? Like, is he talking about finding themselves in a similar danger and needing to learn lessons, or is it more metaphysical? Like, is there some time loop thing about the past influencing the present, causing history to repeat?

My guess is that it’s the former rather than the latter, but not sure.

-Edge JUMPS OFF THE EMPTY DOCK!!! His fellow ninjas follow suit. He said he was following his instinct, and as you might expect, this leap of faith befuddled EMG.

-HAHAHAHA YES I FIST PUMPED THE AIR

-THIS IS AWESOME

-At the end of Rydia’s Tale, Rydia and Luca flew their airship towards the Tower of Babil. We pick up (lol) where we left off, as the ship happens to catch the falling ninjas.

-Edge on seeing Rydia: “I haven’t died and gone to heaven, have I?” Aw. Cheesy, but aw. It also might have been a literal question. After all, he did just jump off a building.

-LOL MORE FLIRTY BANTER

EDGE: Luca! Looking good!
Luca: Not as good as you!

-And now the Man in Black is on the ship. WTF. He’s all like, “No time to explain!” Is every tale going to end with a mysterious and unnamed person being mysterious?




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Next time: Palom’s Tale

FFIV After Years – Part 12: Trek to Babil (Edge’s Tale)

Short session here. Edge sees Babil start to glow, then leaves Eblan. He heads through the Cave of Eblan to the Tower of Babil.

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-LOLWUT. Edge has a door in his tower bedroom that leads to the outside. He just jumped out.

-Ah, we see that he jumped onto a lower parapet. That’s so Edgy (har har har) of him. Very in character.

-I feel kind of bad for the seneschal, having to worry about him.

-Onto the Cave of Eblan.

-Nice continuity! Edge still has “Mug” instead of “Steal,” the ability that combines normal attacks with an attempt to “Steal.” He got it as a reward from the Lunar Cave trial in that maze-like castle ruled by Lunar Ifrit.

-Aw. In the Cave, there’s a gravestone for Edge’s parents. He gets a little moment of remembrance that actually makes me tear up a bit:

“You were buried out of sight… just as you requested, father. A ninja to the end. Do you ever get lonely all the way down here?” :( :( :( TALK ABOUT A PUNCH IN THE HEART

-Edge continues on: “And now that the tower has been set in motion… I know what all this means. I swear. I won’t let anyone go through that again.” Now that I think about it, it really must have been a traumatic experience for Edge especially.

-WTF – he sees the ghost of Rubicante flash before him?

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Next time: the Tower of Babil