FFT War of the Lions – Part 12: Lionel’s Betrayal

Summary: The Clockwork City. The Cardinal’s true colors. Moving with Agrias to save the princess.

FFXIV – Part 31: Starlight Celebration

Summary:The Ascians kidnap Minfilia. Not!Christmas in Eorzea.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 11: Under the Cardinal’s Wing

Summary: Party paring. A new artefact. Balias Tor and Lionel Castle. Dycedaarg twirls his mustache.

FFXIV – Part 30: Crafting Up a Storm

Summary: Finishing the level 50 crafting quests as a blacksmith, armorer, botanist, carpenter, leatherworker, goldsmith, and miner. A delightful FFXI callback.

FFXIV – Part 29: Fish Stories

Summary: Odin. Finishing up the level 50 storylines for weaving, alchemy, fishing, and culinarian.

TW: brief mention of domestic abuse in a quest.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 10: The Machinist

Summary: Trying out dragoon. A new party member. The Castled City of Zaland.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 9: Ovelia

Summary: Exploring errands. Ramza and Delita reconnect to help Princess Ovelia. Boco!

FFT War of the Lions – Part 8: Manipulative and Subservient

Summary: Victory at Ziekden Fortress. Beginning of chapter 2. Pursuing Ovelia. My first errand.

FFXIV – Part 28: Crossover

Summary: Crossover events with Final Fantasy XI and Dragon Quest X. Ixali beast tribe quests. ---

FFT War of the Lions – Part 7: Brigadiers

Summary: The stormy side of the Northern Sky. March to Ziekden Fortress. I want to join Team Corpse Brigade.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 6: Walking Corpses

Summary: Exploring jobs, evening out the party. Striking at the Corpse Brigade while they strike at Eagrose. Argath is the wooooorst.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 5: Fucking Dorter

Summary: Rescuing the Marquis from Wiegraf and Gustav. Continuing mental adjustments to Tactics.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 4: The Missing Marquis

Summary: Gariland to Eagrose, and searching for a missing marquis. More death in combat. Starting to formulate party and combat strategies.

FFXIV – Part 27: Midgardsormr

Summary: Halloween comes to Final Fantasy XIV. Audience with the ancient wyrm, Midgardsormr. Crafting up a storm.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 3: Party of Five

Summary: A series of early Game Overs, until I realize my big mistake. First glance at the “Personae” in this medieval play.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 2: Mental Overload

Summary: Finishing the tutorial.

TW: discussion of anxiety and self-hate near the end.

FFT War of the Lions – Part 1: Back to Ivalice

Summary: Initial predictions. Ramza and Delita. A princess kidnapped. Beginning to take in the combat system.

FFXII – Part 36: The Mist Burns Away

Summary: Final thoughts on Final Fantasy XII.

FFXII – Part 35: Change of the Guard

Summary: Sky Fortress Bahamut. I get obsessed with Star Wars parallels. Emperor Vayne falls. Leadership change in Dalmasca, Archades, and aboard the Strahl. The end of Final Fantays XII.

FFXII – Part 34: Yiazmat

Summary: Gilgamesh. Hell Wyrm falls. Yiazmat does not. My final push before Sky Fortress Bahamut.

FFXII – Part 33: Keeper of Precepts

Summary: Gathering cockatrices. More marks go down: Wild Malboro, Catoblepas, Behemoth King. Zodiark.

FFXII – Part 32: Going Down

Summary: Hunts and exploration. Fafnir, Piscodaemon, Diabolos. Exploring the brutally hard Pharos Subterra. Ixion and Shadowseer.

FFXII – Part 31: Visitor on Deck

Summary: Learning of Imperial Sky Fortress Bahamut. Revisiting Port of Balfonheim, Rabanastre. Picking up many new hunts. Deathgaze.

FFXII – Part 30: The Choices of Lady Ashe

Summary: Climbing the Pharos lighthouse. The Sun-cryst. Cid and Gabranth. Ashe’s decision. Reddas.

FFXII – Part 29: Divine Audience

Summary: Giruvegan. Ashe meets the Occuria. Defeated by the Great Crystal. Fuck Necrophobes.

FFXII – Part 28: Hell Wyrm

Summary: Arrival at Giruvegan. Cerobi Steppe. Defeated by Hell Wyrm.

FFXIV – Part 26: A Change is Gonna Come

Summary: Saint Shiva. Recapturing an Imperial spy. Political upheavals on the horizon in Ul’dah. Completing the Yo-kai event.

FFXIV – Part 25: Double Dragoon

Summary: Completing the dragoon questline. Starting the archer job. Finding an Imperial spy. Opening the path to Saint Shiva.

FFXII – Part 27: Beasts of Nabudis

Summary: Zeromus goes down. Rolling through the Necrohol of Nabudis: Humbaba Mistant, Fury, Chaos.

FFXIV – Part 24: Snowcloak

Summary: A spy in the Grand Companies. Ishgard vs. Lady Iceheart and the heretics. The Yo-kai Watch event continues.

FFXII – Part 26: Broken Medallion

Summary: Lindwyrm, Goliath, and Deathscythe hunts. Necrohol of Nabudis. Gathering broken medallion pieces.

FFXII – Part 25: Man of Mystery

Summary: Reddas’ Balfonheim. Gilgamesh and “Belito.” The Esper of Wroth.

FFXIV – Part 23: We Are the Crystal Braves

Summary: Eorzean cosmology. The founding of the Crystal Braves. Problems in Ishgarde.

FFXII – Part 24: The Doctor is In

Summary: Tsenoble. Climbing Draklor Laboratories. Cid.

FFXIV – Part 22: Gera Gera Po

Summary: Playing the Yo-kai Watch event. Teledji Adeledji’s plans for Ul’dah. The Primal Ramuh.

FFXII – Part 23: Pinewood Derby

Summary: The class divide between Archades and Old Archades. Darksteel. Earning my pinewood chops in the city.

FFXIV – Part 21: The Rising

Summary: Leviathan. Revolution stirs in Ul’dah. The most meta quest yet where I meet an FFXIV dev.

FFXII – Part 22: VeggieTales

Summary: Testing out my espers. Killing Mandragora royalty. Ahriman. Puzzle frustration in Sochen Cave Palace.

FFXIV – Part 20: Morphin’ Time

Summary: The conclusion to the Hildibrand quests. Refugees from Doma. A new, watery Primal.

FFXII – Part 21: Tricked Out

Summary: Elite hunts for the Trickster, Antlion, Carrot. The Trickster especially was a pain.

FFXIV – Part 19: You Have Selected Regicide

Summary: The Moogle King primal. The Ascian emissary. Minfilia’s mother. Scion HQ moves.

Note: this session is all back to the main story. Will aim to finish up the Hildibrand/Gilgamesh quest next session.

FFXII – Part 20: Skywalker

Summary: Atomos, Roblon, Braegh. The Phon Coast on the road to Archades. Mysteries of Moshporan Highwastes. My fifth esper.

FFXIV – Part 18: Her Last Vow

Summary: The Thief of a Thousand Faces’s identity revealed. Ul’dah’s secret history. Gilgamesh’s friend returns.

FFXIV – Part 17: Eight-Armed and Dangerous

Summary: The Man of a Thousand Faces steals a third treasure. Ultros and Typhon.

FFXII – Part 19: Impure

Summary: Some non-elite hunts. Two more espers go down, including the especially brutal Cuchulainn.

FFXII – Part 18: Sword of Kings

Summary: Stilshrine of Miriam. My second esper. The invasion of Mt. Bur-Omisace.

FFXIV – Part 16: Get a Job

Summary: Raising my various crafting jobs. Continuing the Hildibrand quests. 

TW: transphobia

FFXII – Part 17: Imperial Succession

Summary: Mt. Bur-Omisace and the Gran Kiltias. Al-Cid of Rozarria. House Solidor moves against the Senate.

FFXIV – Part 15: Battle on the Big Bridge

Summary: Dueling Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Completing the lancer questline.

FFXII – Part 16: Return to the Waterways

Summary: White Mouse, Orthros, Cuchulainn, Marilith, Ixtab. Adjusting gambits. Revisiting Bhujerba.

FFXIV – Part 14: Way of the Lancer

Summary: On Odin’s trail. Relic rod. Leveling up the lancer job. A slapstick inspector, and sightings of Gilgamesh.

FFXII – Part 15: Rabbit, Run

Summary: Fran, Mjrn, and the viera.

FFXIV – Part 13: Rock the Castrum

Summary: The conclusion to A Realm Reborn’s main story and black mage story.

FFXII – Part 14: Jahara

Summary: Garif Village. Larsa and Ashe join. Enkelados. Mosphoran Highwastes, Salikawood. King Bomb.

FFXIV – Part 12: UIltima Ultimatum

Summary: Prison break at Castrum Centri. The Empire and Ultima Weapon. Lahabrea uncloaked. The Moonfire Faire.

FFXII – Part 13: Hunting Party

Summary: Lots of hunting targets. Victories along with many, many deaths.

FFXII – Part 12: Job Hunt

Summary: Selecting second jobs. Healing Dantro’s wife’s patient.

FFXIV – Part 11: Primal Fear

Summary: Cid’s memories return. Taking on Garuda. The Empire makes its move. Ququshu readies to close the Voidgate.

FFXII – Part 11: The Flowering Cactoid Blooms Again

Summary: The 8th Archadian Fleet sinks. The Imperial senate moves against Vayne. Rabanastre revisited. Flowering Cactoid redemption.

FFXII – Part 10: Tomb Raiders

Summary: The Tomb of King Raithwall. Demon Walls. Belias the esper. License board access.

FFXIV – Part 10: Heretics of Ishgarde

Summary: Titan goes down. “Marques” uncloaks. Involving ourselves in Ishgardian politics to help retrieve an airshp.

FFXII – Part 9: Sandsea

Summary: Exploring Dalmasca Westersand and the Sandsea. The tragedy of a rogue Urtan-Yensa.

FFXIV – Part 9: Looking for Lahabrea in All the Wrong Places

Summary: Chasing down Lahabrea of the Ascians. Preparing for Titan.

FFXII – Part 8: Rise from the Ashe

Summary: Marquis Ondore betrays/doesn’t betray us. “Amalia.” Escaping the Dreadnaught Leviathan. Penelo returns.

FFXIV – Part 8: Taking the Black

Summary: Memorial services. Choosing a Grand Company. Sylph diplomacy. From thaumaturge to black mage.

FFXIV – Part 7: Lord of the Inferno

Summary: Tam-Tara Deepcroft. Copperbell Mines. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Ifrit.

FFXII – Part 7: Cloud City

Summary: The hellish Garamsythe Waterways. Cluckatrice. The “independent” city of Bhujerba. Lamont.

FFXII – Part 6: Basch Brothers

Summary: Escape from Nalbina Dungeons. Captain Basch returns, with a new twist on the king’s death. A full party.

FFXII – Part 5: Fran and Balthier

Summary: Invading a fete. Two full party members join, along with the guest Amalia. Taken prisoner.

FFXIV – Part 6: The Gold Saucer

Summary: My first dungeon. Botanist. Preparing to exorcise Cocobusi as a thaumaturge. Exploring the Gold Saucer.

FFXII – Part 4: Vaan Ratsbane

Summary: Penelo (briefly) joins the party. Sunstone from the nomad village. Unsuccessful attempts to get a rat tail.

FFXIV – Part 5: World Traveler

Summary: Leaving Ul’dah for Limsa Lominsa. A glimpse of the magitek-hungry Garlean Empire. Rogue and fisher.

FFXII – Part 3: Greater Rabanastre

Summary: Old Dalan. Exploring upper and lower Rabanastre, as well as the deserts around it.

FFXIV – Part 4: Crafty

Summary: Revisiting the Battle of Carteneau. Aldis under attack. Trying out a host of crafting classes in Ul’dah.

FFXII – Part 2: License and Registration

Summary: FFXII’s job system. Vaan’s first job locked in. Lord Consul Vayne’s introduction to Rabanastre. Tomato hunting.

FFXIV – Part 3: A Man Possessed

Summary: Corruption in Ul’dah. A legendary gladiator. A demonic Lalafell. (More demonic than most I mean.)

FFXII – Part 1: The Fall of Dalmasca

Summary: Welcome to FFXII, where everyone dies! The prince, princess, king, soldiers, everyone. Occupied Dalmasca. Vaan.

FFXIV – Part 2: Lalafell of All Trades

Summary: Reactionary forces protect their power in Ul’dah. Trying out thaumaturge, miner, goldsmith, and gladiator.

FFXIV – Part 1: A Realm Reborn

Summary: A tiny terror enters Eorzea: Ququshu Qushu, Lalafell thaumaturge.

FFXI – Part 109: Logging Off

Summary: Brief final thoughts on Final Fantasy XI.

FFXI – Part 108: Coronation

Summary: The end of “Seekers of Adoulin.” Hades falls. A queen rises. My final FFXI play session.

TW: an animal teased/in pain at one point.

FFXI – Part 107: August and Everything After

Summary: The legacy of August Adoulin, Founder King. “Melvien’s” betrayal. Balamor’s curse.

TW: animal death, suicidal ideations

FFXI – Part 106: Feline Rescue

Summary: Cats save the day. Ingrid’s betrayal and atonement. The Winged Scourge rises.

FFXI – Part 105: Ingrid the Merciless

Summary: My first attempts at the brilliant Cloud of Darkness encounter. Uncovering mysteries in Adoulin with an exorcist and a not!vampire.

FFXI – Part 104: Trinity

Summary: Twin Detolillas ascend as gods of light and darkness, working together against the Cloud of Darkness. Altana Herself appears.

The Last Week of FFXI

Summary: This is last week of Final Fantasy XI on Coldrun Gaming. Moving on to two new games next week, even with FFXI left unfinished.

FFXI – Part 103: Cloudy with a Chance of Godhood

Summary: In Rhapsodies, an old Big Bad is revealed. In Adoulin, factions clash. Grand Chancellor Leafkin. 

FFXI – Part 102: Twin Trees

Summary: On Abyssea, Gilgamesh and Promathia’s rise. In Adoulin, the ancient pact and weakening of the World Trees.

Earn a Mythic Weapon in 15 Easy Steps!

I recently learned about the possibility of a mythic dragoon weapon in FFXI. "AWESOME," I thought naively! "The mythic dragoon lance, Ryunohige! Sounds super badass. Let's do it!"

So I researched how to get it.

Look. Ok.  *deep breath*

FFXI – Part 101: New Frontiers

Summary: Exploring the post-apocalyptic dimension of Abyssea and the new frontier of Adoulin.

The Final Stretch of FFXI

Whew! Starting out this week, I passed the 100 session marker for FFXI, as well as passing 400 hours in played time. This is by far the most time I've spent in a Final Fantasy game.  It is starting to be a bit exhausting, and I'm psyched as hell for the next games, but I still love it. :)

I want to warn y'all that the remaining FFXI posts will likely less focused and more infrequent.

Endgame content requires more non-story grinding than before. I might play for ten hours and only have a bullet or two worth noting. Also, some content requires the help of linkshell-mates.

To alleviate the slow-down, I plan to focus on a broader range FFXI content per session.  For example, my last session was just about "A Shantotto Ascension."

Instead, my next session may have some Abyssea content, some "Seekers of Adoulin" content, some gearing-up, and some "Rhapsodies of Vana'diel." The variety may help some FFXI-burnout I feel coming on as I push for the finish line.

Thank you for reading, kupo!

FFXI – Part 100: Doppelgangland

Summary: A transporter accident results in Good Shantotto and Evil Shantotto. Spoiler: there is no such thing as a “good Shantotto.”

FFXI – Part 99: Kupo d’Etat

Summary: A story about capitalism, the evils of gentrification, and cute lil moogle tummies.

FFXI – Part 98: Ode of Life Bestowing

Summary: The entirety of “A Crystalline Prophecy,” the story of an evil crystal. An odd addition to FFXI.

FFXI – Part 97: Boss Rush

Summary: Birth of a new mothercrystal. Balamor and Volto Oscuro go down. Three Detolillas. Expansion bosses return to haunt me.

FFXI – Part 96: Gods of Vana’diel

Summary: Rhapsodies of Vana’diel. Pursuing Volto Oscuro. A meeting of avatars. Balamor, the demon jester. Iroha the heroine.

FFXI – Part 95: Future Fabulous

Summary: Lilisette returns. Lilith goes down… sort of. History set on a bright path. The conclusion to “Wings of the Goddess.”

FFXI – Part 94: Shattered Memories

Summary: Lilisette has been shattered into memories scattered by Atomos. Time to put those pieces back together.

FFXI – Part 93: Bonds of Mythril

Summary: The full history of Zeid and Klara. Exorcism. The conclusion to this expansion's Bastok storyline.

FFXI – Part 92: Lilith Rising

Summary: Lilith’s total victory. The Allied Forces fall. Ragelise and Portia fall. Lilisette falls. FFXI at its best.

TW: brief imagery of suicide.

FFXI – Part 91: Operation Snowstorm

Summary: The Allied Forces prepare to move on Castle Zvahl. Lilith sets her traps, plotting for her own war-torn future.

FFXI – Part 90: The Man in the Iron Mask

Summary: Zeid’s past, Zeid’s choices, Zeid’s loyalty to Klara. “Captain Klara’s” disguise begins to unravel.

FFXI – Part 89: Distorter of Time

Summary: Atomos emerges. Cat Voltron. The wings of the Goddess. A mother gained, a father lost.

FFXI – Part 88: Queen Takes Pawn

Summary: Cait Sith origins and treachery. The brutality and temptation of Lilith.

FFXI – Part 87: CSI: Bastok

Summary: A murder mystery in Bastok. Impostors and illusions left and right, old secrets being dredged up.

FFXI – Part 86: Nation on the Brink

Summary: A traitorous “Nag’molada.” The Battle of Jeuno. Cat betrayal. Lilith revealed.

TW: sexual assault.

FFXI – Part 85: Chrono Trigger

Summary: Blue mage job quest. Jumping across time to help Sir Ragelise. Aquila the cat-snuggling villain.

FFXI – Part 84: The Battle of Bastok

Summary: Another attempted assassination. Galka-Hume tensions boil over into open rebellion. The Quadav invade.

FFXI – Part 83: Moonshade Butterfly

Summary: Lilisette the glorious battle dancer. Cait Siths – plural. Servants of Lady Lilith (new Big Bad?).

FFXI – Part 82: Burden of Suspicion

Summary: Switching my allegiance to Bastok. Diving into the city’s politics and the mystery of a senator’s assassination. Scholar Adelheid.

FFXI – Part 81: Terrible Tigresses

Summary: Time traveling to start “Wings of the Goddess.” Joining the Windurst Cobra Unit. Cait Sith.

FFXI – Part 80: Clash of the Titans

Summary: Odin vs. Alexander. Empress Nashmeira’s re-coronation. (Brief) Naja backstory! The end of “Treasures of Aht Urhgan.”

FFXI – Part 79: Signs of a Counteroffensive

Summary: The Age of Judgment begins. The Grand Vizier’s colossus. Naja Salaheem’s loyalty. A frustrating mission.

FFXI – Part 78: Odin, the Dark Rider

Summary: Odin calls in his debts. Grand Vizier Razfahd tries to restore Alexander. Luzaf, Nashmeira and I fight both.

FFXI – Part 77: Sympathy for the Admiral

Summary: Gessho’s possible betrayal. Undead Admiral Luzaf vs. monstrous Imperial tactics. The Dark Rider. Empress Nashmeira uncloaked.

FFXI – Part 76: Playing the Part

Summary: Shantotto’s machinations. Aphmau’s history with Ovjang and Mnejing, her beloved puppets.

FFXI – Part 75: Tarutaru Diplomacy

Summary: Shantotto leads a Windurstian delegation and clashes with the Aht Urhgan court. The adorable puppety pair of Aphmau and Ovjang.

FFXI – Part 74: Aht Urhganite Alexander

Summary: A brief return to the Rhapsodies of Vana’diel storyline, hunting Volto Oscuro in Aht Urhgan. Alexander the Prime Avatar.

Note: this overlapping RoV questline spoiled something major for me in ToAU and I get a bit... ragey.

FFXI – Part 73: Pirate Ghosts

Summary: Exploring the mystery of a ghost ship haunting Aht Urhgan. Gessho, the Yagudo monk, and some cute Qiqirin. Fashion.

FFXI – Part 72: The Empress’ Court

Summary: Empress Nashmeira and Grand Vizier Razfahd. The odd duo of Aphmau and Ovjang. Plots swirl around the Astral Candescences.

FFXI – Part 71: Princes of San d’Oria

Summary: “Raillefal’s” past and purpose. The Yagudo monk Gessho. The mystery of the Astral Candescence.

FFXI – Part 70: Welcome to Town

Summary: The start of the the next expansion. Exploring Aht Urhgan. Joining a mercenary company, more asshole Tarutarus, and the glorious, radiant Naja Salaheem.

FFXI – Part 69: Break the Chain

Summary: The conclusion to Chains of Promathia. Many happy endings. Even for the Tarutaru Trio.
A longer session than usual, but I didn’t want to divide this up.

FFXI – Part 68: Dawn

Summary: The Twilight God falls. The Dawn Goddess weeps.

FFXI – Part 67: Promathia Unchained

Summary: The party faces temptation. We find the incarnation of Promathia. Nag’molada frees him.

FFXI – Part 66: The Celestial Capital

Summary: Exploring the watery, alien landscape of Al’Taieu and the Grand Palace of Hu’Xzoi. Opening the Gate of the Gods.

FFXI – Part 65: Road to Al’Taieu

Summary: Weighing sacrifices to save the fifth mothercrystal. The path opens to Al’Taieu, the celestial capital.

FFXI – Part 64: Calm Before the Storm

Summary: Final preparations before we move on Al’Taieu.

FFXI – Part 63: One to Be Feared

Summary: Battle in the sky. Omega. Ultima. Face-off with Bahamut. My certainty around the Keeper’s identity is erased.

Note: I'll be on vacation until Sunday, May 7th, so the next post will likely be up on Monday, May 8th. Have a great week y'all! :)

FFXI – Part 62: Break the Cycle

Summary: A save from the Tarutaru. Esha’ntarl’s plans revealed. Preparing to resurrect the Twilight God.

FFXI – Part 61: Moblin Legends

Summary: Competing goblin legends of Promathia and “the iron giant.” Putting the pieces together in Jeuno. Keeper of the Apocalypse revealed.

FFXI – Part 60: A Century of Hardship

Summary: Sir Louverance’s search for Al’Taieu. Movalpolos, the Moblin city. Jabbos, the Galka living among Moblins.

FFXI – Part 59: Wolf’s Eye View

Summary: Fenrir, the final terrestrial avatar. A glimpse of the past. A new most likely Keeper of the Apocalypse. The hunt begins for Al’Taieu.

FFXI – Part 58: Rise of the Zilart 2: Rise Harder

Summary: Wolfgang’s choice. The cause of the Emptiness. Nag’molada’s goal and philosophy. Tenzen’s doubt.

FFXI – Part 57: Bringer of Rainbows

Summary: Tenzen and I seek help from the terrestrial avatar, Carbuncle. Regrouping in Jeuno with the Duke Vicarious.

FFXI – Part 56: Heel Turn

Summary: A sleeping, evil god. Magicite that drove the expedition 30 years ago to destruction is rediscovered. Prishe treats it like an old friend.

FFXI – Part 55: Rough Kitties

Summary: Ulmia and I try to find Prishe. Some Mithran trackers get in our way. Ominous black magicite embedded within Prishe’s chest.

FFXI – Part 54: Rock and a Hard Place

Summary: Regrouping in the Emptiness. Diabolos fills in some blanks. Selh’teus’s goal. An apocalyptic dilemma.

FFXI – Part 53: Whisper of the Soul

Summary: The Pale Kid gets a name: Selh’teus. The ancient conflict between Zilart and Kuluu carries on today.

Note: this session had a whole ton of plot dropped on me that I had trouble processing as it came. I went over it again, and a lot of my “later edit” notes are reviewing the dialogue and plot, trying to make sense of things.

FFXI – Part 52: The Fourth Mothercrystal

Summary: The party of Prishe, Ulmia, Tenzen, Sir Louverance, and Detolilla sets out for the fourth mothercrystal beneath Pso’Xja. 

FFXI – Part 51: Communion

Summary: Prishe communicates with a statue of Promathia, gaining visions of the past.

FFXI – Part 50: Wyrmking

Summary: Bahamut’s plans revealed. Nag’molada against the Pale Kid. Prishe’s terrifying mission.

FFXI – Part 49: Abhorrent

Summary: The relentless goodness of Prishe shines through. Ulmia believes in her, and so do I.

FFXI – Part 48: Dream Weaver

Summary: Into the Shrouded Maw beneath Pso’Xja to meet Diabolos, Ruler of Dreams.

FFXI – Part 47: The Trouble with Tarutarus

Summary: Solving mystery of the Tarutaru Trio’s father. Nag’molada’s plans move forward. Prishe falls ill. Cardinal Mildaurion’s identity revealed (maybe).

FFXI – Part 46: Are You My Daddy?

Summary: The San d’Orian side of the Northlands Expedition. The Tarutaru triplets search for their father in Windurst.

FFXI – Part 45: Schism

Summary: Tenzen meets Iroha. Soul of the Phoenix. Religious differences about the Gates of Paradise. The mystery of Prishe.

FFXI – Part 44: Meet the New Boss

Summary: Samurai unlock. Archduke Kam’lanaut’s replacement holds palaver with Tenzen about the coming Emptiness. The Keeper of the Apocalypse.

FFXI – Part 43: Lay of the Immortals

Summary: The plot twists into knots and I struggle to keep up. Prishe is the literal best, Nag’molada is confusing, and Bahamut is awe-inspiring.

FFXI – Part 42: Prishe

Summary: A bunch of stuff happens with a minotaur and mischievous Tarutaru, but who cares because PRISHE.

FFXI – Part 41: Mindscape

Summary: Diving hard into the second expansion. The Pale Boy seems to bring darkness to the crystals. I have a hard time telling friend from foe. The abstract land of Promyvion.

FFXI – Part 40: Notion of a Nation

Summary: The conclusion to the Bastok storyline. An imperfect city, slowly finding its way.

FFXI – Part 39: Refugees

Summary: The history of the Galka. Anger boils over in the city before the new child Talekeeper reveals himself.

FFXI – Part 38: Volto Oscuro

Summary: Rhapsodies progress. Siren, the masked man, Tenzen, and Iroha. Limit break to 99. A frustrating weapon skill quest.

FFXI – Part 37: The Lion Roars

Summary: A heroic sacrifice stops Prince Eald’narche. The conclusion to Rise of the Zilart.

FFXI – Part 36: Ark Angels

Summary: Taking down the five brutal Warriors of the Crystal, five sins embodied. Limit breaking past 85 and 90.

FFXI – Part 35: Skyward

Summary: Questing for the floating island of Tu’Lia.

FFXI – Part 34: Two Princes

Summary: Prince Kam’lanaut betrayed. The path to Tu’Lia, Gate of the Gods, opens. Elder Prince Eald’narche ascends.

FFXI – Part 33: Pilgrim’s Progress

Summary: Collecting eight fragments of light before getting repeatedly stomped into dust by a trio of Anticans.

FFXI - A Note on Changing Pace

A general heads-up on the pace of this series: things will probably slow down a bit.

FFXI – Part 32: Mask DeMasque

Summary: A masked fellow reappears. Siren and a quad of Quadavs stop my progress on two storylines.

FFXI – Part 31: False Prophet

Summary: The next chapter of the Bastok storyline and limit break #5. Maat of Jeuno’s noble work unveiled.

FFXI – Part 30: The Tonberry Queen

Summary: Limit Break #4. Into the Temple of Uggalepih and the Den of Rancor, learning the history between Tonberries and the Zilart.

FFXI – Part 29: The Last Dragoon

Summary: Completing my dragoon artifact armor set. Temple of Tonberries. The glorious story of Erpalacion, the last dragoon.

FFXI – Part 28: Inheritance

Summary: The start of new storylines in the first expansion. Beginning the dragoon artifact armor quests. Cactuar! A son grapples with his father's legacy.

FFXI – Part 27: Rise of the Zilart

Summary: Limit break quest #3. New context for the Shadow Lord fight, as new antagonists unveil themselves: the Zilart and the Warriors of the Crystal.

FFXI – Part 26: Fall of the Shadow Lord

Summary: Attack on Castle Zvahl. The origin and demise of the Shadow Lord. End of the first main storyline.

FFXI – Part 25: Fei’Yin

Summary: Heading north to attempt resealing the unleashed Shadow Lord. (Unsuccessful.) My first Tonberry sighting. Limit break #2.

FFXI – Part 24: Limit Break

Summary: Progress in “Rhapsodies of Vana’diel.” Limit break #1. Preparing to trek out to the Northlands against the Shadow Lord.

FFXI – Part 23: Kupo Curse

Summary: My handymoogle repairs the roofs, but finds her professional and romantic life under threat. A moogly curse.

FFXI – Part 22: Shadow of the Past

Summary: Retrieving the final two pieces of magicite from Davoi and Castle Oztroja. Too late. Fickblix, sweetest goblin. *weeps forever*

FFXI – Part 21: Attaché

Summary: Delkfutt’s Tower to save the Bastok ambassador. Joining Tenshodo. Stealing magicite from the Quadav.

FFXI - A Change and Disclaimer

Hallo!  Next post going up tonight, but I wanted this to be its own post since it formalizes a decent-sized change in my FFXI run-through.

I've tried to play this game unspoiled.  I have.  Looking stuff up as little as possible, not using guides, etc.  It's just too hard.  FFXI simply doesn't seem intended to be done this way.  Some quests tell me where to go and what to kill, which I like! Others I can make a decent guess at.  Others I have no flipping idea what the game is talking about, to a degree that it's not fun to try finding out on my own.

I'm still going to give a reasonable attempt at solving each mission/quest on my own, without looking up where to go or what to kill.  And even when I do look stuff up, I'm going to try to just look at the minimum info needed to progress - where to go or what to kill - and not any story stuff.

But just in general, I'm going to be quicker to look stuff up going forward and less self-flagellating.  Sometimes I'll mention it in my posts (e.g. "Tried looking for this for a while but gave up and looked up what to kill") but sometimes I won't.

Anyway. Disclaimer made. :)

FFXI – Part 20: Jeuno

Summary: Exploring Jeuno. Chains of Promathia intro with Bahamut. Lion is sucked into an alternate dimension.

FFXI – Part 19: A Crystalline Prophecy

Summary: Gusgen Mines. Trek to Jeuno. Through the Atomos/Cavernous Maw. A mysterious crystal in the sky. The terror of love.

FFXI – Part 18: The Tragedy of Cyranuce

Last session of the week. See y'all Sunday!


Summary: The paladin quest sputters. The dragoon quest blows me away on wings of awesomeness. This is FFXI at its best.

FFXI – Part 17: Long Dark Knight of the Soul

Summary: The Mythril Musketeers in Quadav territory. Then I conquer the enemy within to become a dark knight. And by “enemy within,” I mean “the crushing boredom from this awful quest.”

FFXI – Part 16: LionVision

Summary: Handymoogle fixes the roof. Lion gets a vision of the Emptiness from the mothercrystal. The Mythril Musketeers move on the Quadav. Malboro.

FFXI – Part 15: Spotter and the Dread Dragon

Summary: Journey to San d’Oria. The Orcish fort, Ghelsba. A boss fight forces me to make friends. Rank 3. Ayame.

FFXI – Part 14: A Shantotto Ascension

Summary: Journey to Windurst. The Yagudo outpost of Giddeus. A Tarutaru villainess rises.

FFXI – Part 13: Judgment Day

Summary: Monk support job. The raindrop that begins “Moogle Kupo d’Etat.” Gilgamesh and I meet a time-traveler from a dead and empty future.

FFXI – Part 12: Gilgamesh the Pirate

Summary: Journey from Bastok. The port town of Selbina. Progress in “Rhapsodies of Vana’diel.” Meeting an old friend. Support job access.

FFXI – Part 11: Woman on a Mission

Summary: Missions across the Bastok region for Cid and the Bastok high-ups. Preparing to travel as Bastok’s emissary.

FFXI – Part 10: A Matter of Trust

Summary: My introduction to the “trust” system. Puttering around the Bastok area without much direction, but a major breakthrough at the end as I find the next mission. Helping Cid.

FFXI – Part 9: Lost in Dangruf Wadi

Summary: Exploring South Gustaberg, North Gustaberg, and Dangruf Wadi. Fishing!

FFXI – Part 8: Incomplete

Summary: Picking up many quests in Bastok while completing only a couple.

FFXI – Part 7: Adventuring Primer

Summary: Going to go through “Adventuring Primer” in-game tutorial section by section. The basic mechanics of FFXI.

FFXI – Part 6: Cover Up

Summary: A Bastokan boy copes with anxiety. Finding a rare river gem. Stamp collection and brief fashion show.

FFXI – Part 5: Mercenary Recruitment

Summary: Questing in Bastok. More Cornelia. Recruiting for a mercenary company, Salaheem’s Sentinels of Aht Urhgan.

FFXI – Part 4: The Zeruhn Report

Last post of the week!


Summary: Finishing the tutorial event. My first death. Into the labyrinthine Zeruhn Mines.

FFXI – Part 3: Key Combinations

Summary: Intro cinematic. Continuing the tutorial event in North and South Gustaberg and the Konschtat Highlands. Some gear/magic upgrades. Atomos?

FFXI – Part 2: Rhapsodies of Vana’diel

Summary: Port Bastok, the Bastok Market, and some newbie combat in South Gustaberg Mountains. Start of a tutorial.

FFXI – Part 1: Logging On

Summary: Expectations. Installing and setting up FFXI. Semi-randomized character creation.

FFX/X-2 Credits & Bonus Audio: Will

Summary: Chuami and Kurgum. Sin returns. Yuna breaks up with Tidus. Wtf.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 7: Black Sky Over Iutycyr Tower

Summary: Yuna avenges Rikku’s defeat. Top of the tower. The end of FFX-2 Last Mission.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 6: Back on the Horse

Summary: A LONG session. Creating a database of generic and unique abilities, exploring autoabilities, and planning out my strategy.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 5: Hail Hydra

Summary: Difficulty ramps up as I push towards the top. I fight the final boss (a hydra) who kicks my ass. Stuck.

TW: large insects.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 4: Divergent Paths

Summary: Iutycyr Tower, floors 31-60. The challenges of reuniting with friends in a new context.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 3: Drop It

Summary: Climbing back up the tower. I get salty af on floor 15, eventually moving up through floor 30. Paine and Yuna fill in some blanks.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 2: Tabletop

Summary: Starting up the tower. Gullwings catch up. Stuck at floor 15.

FFX-2 Last Mission – Part 1: Encore

Summary: Gullwings reunion. Iutycyr Tower. Tutorial on the many new systems of “Last Mission.”

FFX-2 – Part 38: Showstopper

Last post of the week - and of the main FFX-2 game. Thank you SO MUCH everyone for reading and commenting

Summary: Some final thoughts on Final Fantasy X-2.

FFX-2 – Part 37: Acceptance

Summary: Road to the Farplane. Shuyin and Vegnagun. Yuna moves on. The end of Final Fantasy X-2.

FFX-2 – Part 36: Before the Plunge

Summary: Revisiting the New Cave of Thunder Plains. Wrapping up before jumping into the hole.

FFX-2 – Part 35: Turning it Around

Summary: Guadosalam’s renewal. More Crimson Squad background. Fiends in the Thunder Plains and the New Cave below.

FFX-2 – Part 34: Peaceful Battles

Summary: Friendly combat against all-comers on Mushroom Rock Road and the Al Bhed experiment in Djose Temple. Deathseeker Nooj.

FFX-2 – Part 33: Blitz…ball?

Summary: X-2’s take on blitzball. I have questions. Sphere Break. Mystery solved on the Mi’ihen Highroad.

FFX-2 – Part 32: Demon of the Desert

Summary: The final cactuar gatekeepers are assembled. Cactuar Hollow. Angra Mainyu.

FFX-2 – Part 31: Persistence of Memory

Summary: Finding Erio. Reunions in Kilika. The now-quiet Macalania Woods and Zanarkand Ruins.

FFX-2 – Part 30: Searching for Chiapa

Summary: Trouble in Cactuar Nation. Seeking the next cactuar gatekeeper. Ronso resolution on Gagazet. Kilika reunion. Monkey gathering.

FFX-2 – Part 29: The Next Generation

Summary: Stopped at Cloister 80 of Via Infinito. Besaid Island. Lulu’s and Wakka’s baby to be named later.

FFX-2 – Part 28: Via Infinito

Summary: The first 60 cloisters in the Via Infinito. Three maesters down. The most challenging session in my FFX-2 playthrough by far.

FFX-2 – Part 27: Elevator Operator

 Summary: Checking in with my chocobos and Tobli. Tying up loose ends and puzzles beneath Bevelle. Via Infinito. Ribbon and Dark Knight.

FFX-2 – Part 26: Two Voices

Summary: Yuna’s concert for world peace, with guest musical stylings of a thousand year- old dead summoner. I get a bit capslock heavy because it’s fucking incredible. New lead on the faction leaders.

FFX-2 – Part 25: Tobli on the Run

Summary: CommSphere cheks around Spira. Investigation on the Mi’ihen Highroad. Tobli outruns debt collectors.

FFX-2 – Part 24: Way Down in the Hole

Summary: Cleansing the fiends of Djose Temple. Yuna takes a dive. Shuyin and Lenne. Faction leaders united. Paine’s past. Chapter transition.

FFX-2 – Part 23: Exorcising Kilika

Summary: Cleansing the fiends within Kilika Temple, with a little help from Dona. Raising and dispatching chocobos.

FFX-2 – Part 22: Cactuars of Spira

Summary: Collecting five more cactuar gatekeepers from around the world. Some more spheres from the Leblanc Syndicate. New thoughts on Not!Tidus.

FFX-2 – Part 21: Besaid Hot n Cold

Summary: Valefor (maybe?) in the Besaid temple. Search Sphere around the island. Above the waterfall.

TW: brief mention of stalking

FFX-2 – Part 20: Science in the Sand

Summary: Clearing out Clasko’s new chocobo ranch. Exploring the Northern and Eastern expanses of the Bikanel Desert. Angra Mainyu. Testing the Alchemist.