Summary: G-Warrior vs. Sapphire Weapon. The Rising 2020. Requesting your help in picking my next goal!
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Sleep Now in Sapphire
-Last time in this quest line we dealt with Ruby Weapon. Pretty sure Sapphire’s next.
-Ruby
Weapon’s oversoul system supplanted the pilot’s consciousness with data
based on the memories and experience of another. That explains the Nael
phase.
-It also uses some artificial auracite system that mimics the power of Ultima Weapon.
-Cid made his own version of an Allagan weapon! Calls it the G-Warrior.
LOLOL I’M PLAYING AS “G-WARRIOR!” The music is pretty sweet. I especially like the piano.
-It’s fine mechanically, but it has the downside of being a vehicle fight basically.
-We take it to attack a cliff. Makes sense, as that’s where Sapphire Weapon attacked in VII, right?
-I thought this would be a trial, but no. This squid thing is Sapphire Weapon. I’m going solo.
-The Sapphire Weapon’s pilot (unnamed) activates Oversoul: “I can’t afford to lose… It’s all or nothing!”
-Hydrus’s memory overwhelms them. Where do I know that name from?
-Ah! Regula van Hydrus. His images appear periodically to attack during the fight.
-It’s a surprisingly fun fight. Most vehicle fights suck (I’m looking at you, World of Warcraft’s Flame Leviathan!) but this was kept fairly simple.
-As the team surveys the remains, an Echo flashback hits.
-It’s Rex, one of the Au’ra orphans. He knows Sapphire Weapon kind of sucks right now, and so he’s just trying to buy time.
“Not quite how I’d imagined it, but this seems as good a way to die as any.” A noble death in his eyes.
-Another of his comrades, an Au’ra named Ricon, steps up to take his place. Rex will move the remaining Weapons to safety while Ricon does the piloting.
-I like these two. This whole group. Give me antagonists with a tight and loving bond. Season 3 of Korra is my JAM.
-The flashback ends. Hearing about Ricon’s bravery clearly affects Gaius.
-Not that this humanization of him or his foster kids absolves him. The Empire is still awful, and lord knows how many atrocities he committed as the Black Wolf.
-We hear first-hand from someone named Valdeaulin here. A former victim of Gaius who agreed to hold off killing him to rid the world of Ascians.
-One of the foster siblings, Alfonse, seems to be the one pulling the strings here.
-There’s a closing cutscene. Alfonse comes to deliver a report to some dude doing one-arm push-ups, Lord Valens. Never mind on Alfonse being a string-puller. Valens is CLEARLY the boss.
-Valens is a massive jackwagon. Doesn’t even know Alfonse’s name.
LOLOL, he’s drinking from a carton of milk. Idk why that tickles me. Just seems so modern to have milk in these cardboard boxes in Garlemald.
-Valens is legatus of the VIIth Legion. And one heck of a sneering, scene-chewing antagonist.
-oh shit, I didn’t notice that at first. Three kids are standing at
attention in Valens’ room off to the side. Perhaps more hostages.
-Alfonse
leaves, and Valens van Varro dons some pretty badass armor before he
has to meet with the head of weapon development (who I’m still
predicting will be named Hojo).
-One of the other orphans arrives, Allie. Valens has some kind of evil plan for her. I doubt it’ll be as simple as just making her the next pilot.
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Glass from the Past (The Rising 2020)
-The seasonal event celebrating XIV’s anniversary is back. I love how “Answers” plays quietly in the parts of the city with seasonal NPCs.
-A stain glass artist is commemorating a particular moment in Ul’dah history. When the Calamity hit, the city rioted in panic. The Sultana took to the streets with a small guard of seven to quell things.
I see… hm, four thaumaturges and Pippin. Who are the two on the right? The white-haired lalafel in the crown and the black robed lalafel.
-There’s an especially timely message in the piece. The city is currently overrun with sniping, greed, loan sharks and welchers, tons of mistrust.
-Some kids accidentally broke the art. I love the (short) mini-game where I piece it back together.
-Another key player here is a guy named Astin. The artist’s best friend who has become an especially crafty and aggressive money lender. The artist hopes the piece will move him to change his ways.
-Awww! I like how even Astin has a soft spot. He does what he does to SUPPORT the artist, so the artist doesn’t have to beg and pander to the wealthy.
-The exhibition starts, and the Wandering Minstrel arrives, the game dev stand-in.
-After the exhibition, the minstrel plays music that transports me to this dreamy meta zone once more.
-Dalamud is here, and images of the Sultana and her Seven. Flanked by Naoki Yoshida himself.
-He gives a beautiful little speech about the things the artist was talking about. How the spirit of community and generosity runs through XIV.
It really does. I loved playing World of Warcraft, but the community here does feel notably less hostile and nasty. (And I love WoW! I’m not crapping on that game, but the community does feel different.)
-Back outside the dream world, fireworks go off.
May this game live on for years to come.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
-I like the event reward, a wind-up Ardbert:
-On the advice of Danny B, I’m checking two places. First up, my inn room in the Crystarium.
I was expecting to see someone like Ardbert’s spirit there or something, but no luck.
Is… is that the bird that Ryne was having the staring contest with? Just sitting on my table? Was that always there? How fast will it murder me?
-Next, I stopped by the Rising Stones to talk to Unukalhai, but he didn’t have anything to say. I still wonder if he knows anything about Gaia.
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Next time: Hm. I don’t know! I’ve finished the MSQ for 5.3. I know there’s more stuff coming in 5.3 around the relic weapons, but it’s not here yet. I’m deciding between a few possible things to work on:
a) Blue mage leveling, spell collecting, challenges
b) Eureka! I’m currently in the second zone of Eureka, around level 23. This would almost definitely be the longest path.
c) The remaining Shadowbringers beast tribes, Qitari and Dwarf.
I’m open to suggestions.
