ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo F I N A L F A N T A S Y T W E L V E ~~ The political simulator --------------------------------------- zukalous(at)gameintestine(dot)com THIS FAQ CAN ONLY BE POSTED ON THE FOLLOWING SITES: www.gameintestine.com www.gamefaqs.com www.ign.com --------------------------------------- _____________________________________________ | Introduction | Well here we are again. Number 12. Same old same old: Androgynous brat fights to save the world by traveling deep into some dungeons, monsters approach only to stand around as we hack them to death, talking rabbits perform magic and giant chickens run around. It must be Final Fantasy because in what other franchise is that considered same old same old. This version is actually the first game to use gambits which has finally programming fun. This iteration should be pretty good. I was looking at the box and it is rated T for Teen because of the following "alcohol reference, partial nudity, and suggestive themes" which means we will probably get to see some pixilated boobs attached to someone who is drunk. Read this guide and I will be sure to point it out when it happens. Final Fantasy 12 is a bit of a departure from the other 11.5 (or however the frick you calculate FFX-2) in that it is actually a political revolution simulator. _____________________________________________ | About this guide | The audience for this guide is the casual Final Fantasy player. Maybe you like the games, been playing them since FFVII, curious about the cut scenes, when you beat the game you may try a few sub quests. But, you are not going to even try and hunt down all weapons, find every esper, and kill every boss. This is like the Wii of guides. I want to get you through the main storyline with as little hassle as possible. Before any big boss fights I will give you a shopping list of potions, armors, or spells you may need. Recommended character levels will also be listed throughout the game to make sure your party is strong enough to proceed. Final Fantasy games like to trick you into getting stuck in dungeons with only one HP potion left and then sending the hardest boss against you. I feel bad for people that get stuck like that. This guide will keep that from happening. I also want point out all the cool things in this game. The art direction is quite good and there are a number of details people may miss if they don't look closely enough. The architecture, most specifically, has some parallels to our real-life world and I will be sure to point them out. This guide is also for people who may have put the game down for a month and are just getting back into it. I have detailed the plot so that you can do a little back reading to catch yourself up with what is going on in the overall story. Finally, if you are one of those hard core types I will tell you what chests not to open so that you can get the zodiac spear. So, before we start here are some tips, background: - Do not use ethers, elixirs, or any other MP boost potion. In FFXII they are very scarce and will need to be saved for the final boss - Don't sell accessories - they have saved me a few times, bosses in future battles may tie you down with something you can use later. - I will use the following terms: + Tanks are your front line who rely on shields and swords + Casters/Healers are your magic users + Buffs are any effects that increase your character's performance _____________________________________________ | The Themes of Final Fantasy XII | Identity - Before the empire invaded, there was an entire ruling class hierarchy. However following the fall of Damalsca everyone who held power lost it. Look at key characters such as Basch and Ashe and see how they seek to reclaim/deal with their new identities. Human made solutions to problems - FFXII seems to emphasize the fact that "man-made" objects will not always be the best. Pay attention to what the various judges think about man-made objects vs natural or divinely created things. Also see how the people in old and new Archades live with the ultimate man-made object: money. Science Vs Nature - Magicite is a powerful element. However, there is a debate over what is manufactured and what is real. Is it good for Humes to create such a powerful device? Sound similar to today's politics? Mmmm Hmmm. The Outcast - each one of the characters is an outcast to some regard. Balthier - The judges Fran - Her village Ashce - Kingdom Vaan - From his home Basch - Trator Pinelo - Not sure Fate vs Free Will - The gods play an important role in this game. They often seem to influence the actions of the people in Ivalice. Watch out for terms such as "the fates", "string", "thread" or being "bound." Also, any time characters are brought together due to amazing odds, they were probably driven there by the gods. On the other side is Free Will, or humans having total control over their destiny. Key words are "history" and "hands of man." Revenge - Keep track of who is trying to level the score with whom. Also see who forgives and who maintains their grudge. _____________________________________________ | Hour by Hour review of FFXII | The following is a graph of how entertaining FFXII is on an hour by hour basis. The vertical line is the entertainment factor from 1-10. The number of hours is listed along the bottom. FFXII started strong but slows in the middle before resurrecting itself by the end. 10| 9| 8| * * ** * * 7| * * ** * * * * 6| * * ** * * ** * * * 5| **** **** * * ** * * * ** ** *** * 4| *********** * * *** ** * * * **** ** **** ** * 3|************** ** ********** *** *** ****** ***** * ********** * 2|********************************* * ********************** ************ 1|************************************************************************ 012345678911111111112222222222333333333344444444445555555555666666666677 01234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901 For a description of what was done at each hour go to: www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178 _____________________________________________ | Contents | ACT I Title Screen ----------------- (x01) Red and Rotten in the desert - (x02) Giza Plains ------------------ (x03) Royal Palace of Rabanastre --- (x04) Garamsythe Waterway ---------- (x05) BOSS: Firemane ---------- (x05a) Nalbina Dungeons ------------- (x06) Barheim Passage -------------- (x07) BOSS: Mimic Queen ------- (x07a) Return to Rabanastre --------- (x08) Bhujerba --------------------- (x09) Lhusu Mines ------------------ (x10) Dreadnought Leviathan -------- (x11) BOSS: Judge Ghis -------- (x11a) On to Ondore ----------------- (x12) Ogir-Yensa Sandsea ----------- (x13) Nam-Yensa Sandsea ------------ (x14) The Tomb of Raithwall -------- (x15) BOSS: Garuda ------------ (x15a) BOSS: Demon Wall -------- (x15b) BOSS: Belias ------------ (x15c) BOSS-ler ---------------- (x15d) ACT II Giza Plains in the Rain ------ (x16) Ozmone Plane ----------------- (x17) Jahara - land of the Garif --- (x18) Ozmone Plane / Golmore Jungle (x19) Golmore Jungle --------------- (x20) Eruyt Village ---------------- (x21) Henne Mines ------------------ (x22) BOSS: Tiamat ------------ (x22a) Back to Golmore Jungle ------- (x23) BOSS: Elder Wyrm -------- (x23a) Paramina Rift (North) -------- (x24) Mt. Bur-Omisace -------------- (x25) Note to the Player ----------- (x26) Paramina Rift (South) -------- (x27) Stilshrine of Miriam --------- (x28) BOSS: Vinuskar ---------- (x28a) BOSS: Mateus ------------ (x28b) Mt Bur-Omisace --------------- (x29) BOSS: Judge Bergan ------ (x29a) ACT III The Mosphoran Highwaste ------ (x30) The Salikawood --------------- (x31) The Phon Coast --------------- (x32) Tchita Uplands --------------- (x33) Sochen Cave ------------------ (x34) BOSS: Mandragora -------- (x35a) BOSS: Ahriman ----------- (x35b) Old Archades ----------------- (x36) Archades --------------------- (x37) Draklor Laboratory ----------- (x38) BOSS: Dr. Cid ----------- (x38a) ACT IV Balfonheim Port -------------- (x39) Feywood ---------------------- (x40) BOSS: Rafflesia --------- (x40a) Ancient city of Giruvegan ---- (x41) BOSS: Daedalus ---------- (x41a) BOSS: Tyrant ------------ (x41b) The Great Crystal ------------ (x42) BOSS: Shemhazai --------- (x42a) Ridorana Cataract ------------ (x43) Pharos - First Ascent -------- (x44) BOSS: Hydro ------------- (x44a) BOSS: Pandaemonium ------ (x44b) BOSS: Slyt -------------- (x44c) Pharos - Second Ascent ------- (x45) Boss: Fenrir ------------ (x45a) Third Ascent: Mete of Dynasty (x46) BOSS: Hashmal ----------- (x46a) BOSS: Gabranth ---------- (x46b) BOSS: Cid --------------- (x46c) ACT V The Final Preparations ------- (x47) Sky Fortress Bahamut --------- (x48) BOSS: Gabranth ---------- (x48a) Boss: Vayne ------------- (x48b) BOSS: Vayne Novus ------- (x48c) BOSS: The Undying ------- (x48d) Denouement ------------------- (x49) APPENDIX _____________________________________________ | Title Screen (x01) | An airship descend through some clouds which part and the camera descends like it is the opening of "The Simpsons" but only if it was "Simpsons 3035 AD." Actually the text tells us that it is the year 604 in the Kingdom of Dalmasca. PUSH START! View of the market. It is just a typical busy day at the bazaar: Lizards talk with giant pigs and a pair of Tyra Banks clones hurry on their way to work at the Playboy mansion. A Disneyland-esq parade swings into full gear lead by an army of Teddy Ruxpen dolls. There is a chicken drawn carriage and there is a handsome couple riding on it. The couple is actually in the middle of their wedding. She is wearing a traditional white wedding gown while he is wearing an Apollo Moon Landing space suit (sans space helmet). This whole extravaganza (Teddy Ruxpins and all) was clearly her idea. Guys, if a girl ever tells you that she wants a fairytale wedding, you say no! You can kiss any freewill goodbye from that point on. Like most grooms he is just along for the ride, waving carefully, breaking a smile here and there, just trying to make the best of it and make her happy. He half smiles at her probably because he is half hung-over and half anticipating all the crap he is going to get from his buddies. The couple moves inside a huge cathedra and someone "Pronounces them man and wife." A hundred white birds signify the upcoming wedding night. But before that, quick cut to the wedding reception, which is being held in a war room. Instead of dancing, everyone plays some kind of Risk/Strategy game. An Albino comes running in proclaiming that the Nabudice has fallen. The guy who was just married volunteers to fight with the albino for the sake of the kingdom. A huge starwars-esq air ship descends as warriors prepare for battle. Atop the cathedral, the groom gets a new sword and looks over at his new wife then turns to the assembled crowd and performs a William-Wallace-style yell. The crowd eats it up like candy. A flying high-heeled shoe zooms off and then reappears in the heat of battle. The battle for middle earth rages below. I would tell you who is winning but it really looks a giant free-for-all. I can't even tell who is on what side. They really should play shirts VS skins. The groom, the albino, and a bunch of other soldiers ride in on chickens. Albino says that they should withdraw. The groom disagrees because there are still some guys chanting around a giant bon fire. The groom shouts that this is for his father and then he is quickly given an arrow tracheotomy. A huge spaceship falls on the battle below. The albino picks up the groom and on fowl-back they jump over the attackers. Well, the wedding probably lasted longer than the marriage because we are now at a funeral for the groom. His bride, I don't know if she had time to change out of here wedding dress, looks over his open casket. We started with a wedding and ended with a funeral. Open casket funeral, it looks like they laid him to rest in a lettuce wrap. Pan over a smoldering battle field, crows are everywhere. Well, way to start this game off on a high note. Makes me really want to continue. Final Fantasy: Ecks, eye, eye! Spotlight on a book. Ugh I hate words? I didn't play a video game so I can read. A man who sounds like a speak-n-spell says "The death of Rasler Hetos Nabradia was a tragedy for Dalmasca." He goes on to tell us how the Archadian Empire was advancing towards the other Empire of Rozarria. First step to Rozarria is through Nabradia (the grooms home). The next country in line for the Archadian march, Dalmasca (the bride's country) counter attacks the Empire and ends up loosing the fight. Dalmasca has no choice but to sign a surrender treaty. The treaty is said to be "Signed with steel and Writ in royal blood." I don't know why Writ is capitalized. All black: someone asks if you can hear me. Eyes slowly open. A man in front of us has awfuly crusty hat hair. I have never seen hair like that, actually I have but he worked the grease fryer at an Arby's. Greasy asks if "I" can stand. It turns out "my" name is Reks am "I" am in Nalbina Fortress. Reks is seventeen and is an orphan living in Rabanastre. Reks and the party he is with are attacked by sworded men. Do I get to fight? Nope! More cut scene. Greasy - name Basch - kills all of them. Reks is alarmed to see all this bloodshed. Enter the tutorial mode. Learn to look, walk, and talk. Try it out by talking to the guy by the gate. Run up to the gate to open it. Basch tells us to open the party menu, I used to open the party menu a lot more in college, but now that I am old, not as much anymore. <> Time for another cut scene. A spaceship attacks us and its name is Tornberry. Start attacking it - don't worry it is very unlikely that you will die. Basch Shoots green fire at him. Tornberry has a Scottish accent. Tonberry escapes - more like lameberry. The attacking party runs through a castle. Reks asks if Vossler has died. Basch tells Reks "men like him don't die places like this." It looks pretty nice - I wouldn't mind dieing there. Basch tells Reks that we need to find the king because the attackers may kill the king the moment he signs the surrender. Run around the halls and look at the minimap for the green flashing rectangles - those are the doors. Go up them and on the second floor is a save crystal. Go up and around to the next set of stairs. Someone says intruder and attack us. Reks says he will stay behind to fight. Let the battle run on auto pilot. Keep attacking the enemy with the lowest power. If you kill off one of them, press X again to attack another one. After defeating the three, don't go up the stairs, go through the passage door. Run around and see the cut scene of a bunch of dead guys. Reks gets all huffy-breathy and sees the king lying dead in his throne. The greasy captain gets right in Reks face and stabs Reks. Basch killed the king because his majesty was a traitor. Guards rush in and seize Basch and let Reks die. A Black Pants man enters and Basch says "we will never surrender to you." Then black pants says that the Empire owns Dalmasca now. As he dies, Reks yells out "Van!" A little strange that Reks' last though was of his ride. I mean even if it is a totally boss 1978 conversion van with the indirect black lights, built in keg-erator, and a mattress in the back, shouldn't he be thinking of his family. The narrator-n-spell describes how Dalmasca falls to the Archadian Empire, and Princess Ashe (the bride in the wedding) kills herself. Basch Fon Greasy was put to death for killing the king. A new scene of waterfalls. This may be the Hoover damn. Is that Meg Ryan? Oh, it's not, just a kid named Vaan. He is standing in exceptionally clean and architecturally impressive sewers that contain three rats. When you have control of him, kill all of them (look for the red spots on the map). After killing them, Vaan tells his friend Kytes that he has "work" to do real; suspicious like. We know it is not work that he will be doing. Vaan emerges from the sewer and the camera descends on the town. The town is Rabanastre and it is two years after fall of Dalmasca. Rabanastre is under the iron grip of the Empire. However, the town doesn't look that bad. In fact, the village would have a whole exotic, Morocco, Bedouin feel too it except that everyone is either Aryan or a giant lizard. Some guys in armor with English accents steal from a fruit vender. Probably trying to steal limes. Really, if this petty crime is the most oppressive thing the Empire does, I don't think the people of Rabanastre can complain. Vaan pickpockets from the Knights and is able to disappear into the crowd. For tyring to impress upon us the dread that is a marshal state, the music sure is upbeat. Vaan doesn't get far because he runs into Cindy Brady. Her name is Penelo and she accuses him of stealing. She tries to be all Robin Hood and return it for the Dalmascans. Vaan, even for a thief, is a real prick. He steals and doesn't share, steals bread, and doesn't work for their friend Migelo. They discuss how hard and poor they are even though they are both wearing immaculate and custom tailored clothing. A huge airship passes overhead as an excuse for a quick up-skirt shot of Penelo (keep in mind the instruction book lists here at 17 years old - yuck!) Vaan says he wants to be a Sky Pirate. However, that vest of his is saying more "Pirates of Penzance" than "Sky Pirate". Penelo smiles because, well, I don't know why. Penelo tells you to lend a hand to Migelo. I think "o" is added to anything to make it sound exotic. Lets see: check your mapo and head southo to the lowest branch of the towno. Ya it works. Using your map, head towards the southern pocket of the town. Everyone either talks about how Rabanastre is in lockdown because there is a new Council or about how horrible the Empire is. When you get into the generally southern quadrant of town, Migelo tells you that he lost some foodstuffs. He rambles and wants us to fetch Kytes (the other kid in the sewer) back from the bar. Vaan says it "sounds wild" and I can't tell if he said that sarcastically or fearfully. Press select to access your map and head towards the flashing red X. The destination is a tavern and there is Kytes. He explains that he was looking for a courier and discovered why the courier got lost. Vaan looks at a picture of a tomato-head monster that is tacked to the wall. Tomaj shows up and says "nastiness" is stopping the couriers. Vaan volunteers to kill off the monster. Tomaj explains bills and bounties. _____________________________________________ | Red and Rotten in the desert (x02) | Check your map and head for the red X. When you get to the gate, the guard stops Vaan. Vaan lies up the guard about how he is getting some food for the consul. The guards are scared about making the consul mad so they let him through the gates. On the other side, there is a group of people waiting to get in. Hit the save crystal. Venture off and into the desert. It is your typical desert where T-Rexes chase wild tiger-wolves. Walk straight ahead to the cliff. If you see that T-Rex, run, and do not fight it. The tomato is under the tree at the end of the cliff. Start attacking it. When it is low on Hit Points (HP) it will jump down. Follow it then finish it off. Cut Scene: Vaan sees some flowers and picks them. He says that these "Galbana Lilies" will make a nice souvenir. And that was it - anticlimactic end to fighting an animated tomato beast. Go back the way you came to Rabanastre Proper Talk to the Kytes to start a cut scene about getting back into Rabanastre. A white Chocobo comes up and the guards let it pass because the birds are parade grade. Vaan's flowers get smashed. Note the metaphor, at this point I am guessing they mean hope - which is smashed by the empire. Miguelo comes out of the gate and starts talking up the guards. He is one of those close talkers. The guards let everyone back in through the gates probably because they don't want to talk to Migelo any more. Cut Scene: Daniel day Lewis in full Mohican mode rides through Rabanastre atop a parade ship. He smugly looks down at the people - who all look like they just got back from their government forced workout at the gym. Penelo holds Vaan's arm, I hope she is not his sister because that would be real creepy. Side note though to the girls: hold a guys arm like that and he will be yourse. An armored guard introduces the new Councilor from Arcadia. His name is Lord Vayne - how Dickens. He jumps from the ship and goes down to mingle into the monochromatically well-tanned crowd. The Councilor asks why people hate him. The crowd says stuff like "spit on your Empire." Vayne references the slain King to show his sympathy. The camera switches to the sky cam. Lord Vayne says lets make peace just like your King would have wanted. He tells them that you can hate me all you want but that is fine as long as you welcome peace. Oh and he used the phrase "Slings and arrows" - what a bard. He shoots off typical political lies/promises that he "will defend Dalmasca." I guess the two years of oppressive Empirical rule were not so bad because after a two minute speech the crowd starts clapping. How naive are these citizens if they can be lulled into approval by a few sentences spoken in iambic pentameter? I think I heard someone yell out "CHURCH CHURCH." Satisfied with his speech, Vayne turns from the crowd. He says to one of his advisors that the cathedral there is magnificent. I would call it gaudy, but looking at his armor, I have a feeling there is very little that he finds overindulgent. Migelo comes up to kiss ass but Vayne is all "hey man we are on the level, just call me dude and lets go get some beers." The Councilor sounds like a decent guy but if you have played any Final Fantasy game before you will know that any guy with long hair always turns out to be evil. The camera then turns to Penelo and Joan Rivers sitting on the steps. Oh wow, my mistake that is Vaan. Vaan wants to try to get into the Fete. I looked it up, and a Fete is a "day of celebration; holiday" (www.dictionary.com). Vaan says that he will sneak into the palace and get all the treasure. With the loot he is sure to acquire, Vaan offers to buy everyone dinner and Penelo teases by saying that he would just buy an airship. She runs off. Did she just turned down dinner? Follow the map to the gate that leads to Lowtown. Lowtown is implied to be the slums of Rabanastre. However, it looks about as rough as the red-light district in Salt Lake City. It actually looks like what would happen if you took Rabanastre proper and titrated out everything that looks like it came from the Aladin Hotel and Casino. I like Lowtown much better. Pull up the map and head for the red X - which is Old Dalan's place. ZODIAC SPEAR WARNING: The Zodiac Spear is a special weapon that is not required AT ALL to beat this game. It is, however, super-secret and super- difficult to obtain because it spawns only 1 out of 1000 times. Furthermore, it will only spawn if you DON'T open certain chests. I will tell you which chests to avoid so that you can have a shot at this weapon. Here is the first chest to avoid. ZODIAC CHEST: Do not open the chest that is right near Dalan's place. Cut Scene: Dalan looks like the Maharishi. You know he is exotic too because there are rugs behind him. Vaan asks him how to get into the palace because he wants to steal all the treasures. Dalan smokes a hooka and his accent migrates from East Indian to Jamaican. He says there is a secret passage to the Palace that can only be accessed with a magic crescent stone. The camera focuses on a book - that looks like the one at the beginning of the story - does that mean he was the narrator? Or maybe it is just a script. Or maybe that is just the book from the Never Ending Story. Dalan tells Vaan that he need to charge the sunstone to make the crystal work. So to charge it, go to the Nomads of Giza Plains. Leave, and make a quick right outside of Dalan's and go to the gate to get out of Southgate. Get a map of Giza by going through the main gate and back into town. From the SOUTHERN PLAZA go to the Northwest to find a little Moogle that will sell you a map to Giza for 30 gil. Buy it, and then head back to the south gate and into Giza Plains. You should also activate the clan provisionar at this point so that you can earn extras as you defeat bosses. - Go to the bar that is located in EAST END of Rabanastre. That is the same spot where you read about fighting that tomato. - Go to the balcony to talk to Tomaj he will give you 300 Gil for killing the tomato and will tell you to see Bangaa, he is in Rabanastre's NORTH END. The face icon on your map indicates where it is. - Go inside and talk to the moogle at the top of the stairs: named Montblanc - After he gives you the proper papers, talk to him again. He will give you a prize for each big boss you defeated. - The clan shop in MUTHRU BAZAAR will now be open to you. The actual shop is indicated with the pot icon. - As you finish posted hunts you will be given marks. The more marks you get the more stuff will be available at the Clan Provisioner. Here are the levels of the items you need. - As you beat bosses in this game come back to Montblanc because he will give you additional rewards. _____________________________________________ | Giza Plains (x03) | Shopping List - Heal from the White Magic 1 on the License board - Heal spell from the magic shop in Rabanastre THRONE ROAD > NOMAD VILLAGE > GIZAS NORTH BANK > GIZAS SOUTH BANK > CRYSTAL GLADE THRONE ROAD In the Giza Deserts, head south to the Nomad Village. Talk to the nomad named Masyua to learn about the Sunstone. Vaan needs to find Jinn, who went exploring to the south. These nomads let a boy run around a monster filled desert? When I was a kid I wasn't even allowed to go trick or treating alone. Cut Scene: Penelo looks like she is on a Greenpeace mission to the Nomads of Giza. Vaan wonders why Penelo is there and she says she would be surprised too but assumes that he is up to "no good. She doesn't have to guess that he is up to no good, Vaan already told her that he was going to rob the palace - that is "no good" no matter how you look at it. Penelo still wants to tag along though. Do you think that is head lice causing their hair to move or just those Giza winds? Use the save crystal then listen to what she has to say about Gambits and parties. Follow the directions at the top of this section to navigate the Giza Planes. If you die and Penelo is still alive, use a phoenix down to revive him. CRYSTAL GLADE At the southern most field, find Jinn sitting under a black rock. He hurt his leg running from monsters. He gives us a shadestone to absorb the energy from the sunstone. Go to each golden, glowing Sunstone and press X by it to charge up your shadestone. Find the stones in several of the zones in Giza, you can see them from quite a distance. You need three to charge the shadestone. After every charge, Vaan holds his head like he is going to do a lap dance. When all stones are charged, a cut scene shows Vaan/Penelo returning to the nomad village. The nomads let Vaan keep the sun stone. Return to Rebanastre and venture down to the lowtown. Walk back to Dalan's. Penelo talks and says that its been a long time since we did anything together. Her crotch is right in camera. She hints that she would really hate to see me go... Vaan lies that he will not be going anywhere. Vaan then gives the stone to Dalan who tells him how to get into the palace. Don't worry what he has to say because I will tell you how to get through there. _____________________________________________ | Garamsythe Waterway (x04) | Shopping List: - 5 x Eyedrops - buy from the Traveling Merchant in Northwest lowtown. CENTRAL SPUR STAIRS > NORTHERN SLUICEWAY > NORTH SPUR SLUICEWAY Cut Scene: A man with a buzzy beetle on his head tells another guard to prepare for an invasion. A woman with a blue belt walks up and the scene fades away. That must belt must have some relevance. Go to the north east corner of Lowtown. The music has handclaps, I love that, if I wasn't holding a controller right now I would clap along. Kytes tries to get us in through a gate. Continue through the doors to the Garamsythe. CENTRAL SPUR STAIRS Use the blue crystal to save. Then continue through the tunnels east. Note: if there is a dead end on the map, it usually has a treasure chest at the end of it. NORTH SPUR SLUICEWAY Run up the stairs to reach the Royal Palace. Cut Scene: Fireworks over the castle. Two people are riding a hover motorcycle through the hallways. One of them doesn't seem to be a very good driver so the guy not driving jumps off then hmphs at the camera like "ya I know she is bad driver but look at how hot she is, you would tolerater her too." _____________________________________________ | Royal Palace of Rabanastre (x04) | CELLAR STORES > CELLARS > LOWER HALLS > SECRET PASSAGE > THE GARDEN STAIRS CELLAR STORES: When you regain control of Vaan, don't enter the gate yet. Turn around for a map in the Urn - they turned grandpa into a map? And a save. Now enter the doors. CELLARS ZODIAC CHEST: If you are thinking of going for the Zodiac Spear (I strongly recommend against going for it - it is a waste of time), do not open the chests that are located in the south east corner of this room. Everyone is talking about the Fete. A Guard tells the servants to stay in line. Talk to the guard watching the stairs. He tells you to go back to the room. Talk to the fat lizard servant. He will tell you how to get past the guards. LOWER HALLS It smell like a stealth game in here - which smells like a day old halibut. The object in this room is to sneak up to the Lion Signet and unlock the secret passage. To do so, run around to the easternmost hallway and call for the guard. Then, run around to where they were guarding. The Lion Signet is located in the east/west hallway that is second from the top. Stand on the signet (which is on the floor) and select "use crescent." It will tell you that the secret passage is lit. Call any guards in your way and head to the northwest corner of the room. Look for a faint green light. Select "approach" and the wall will open. Inside the next room, run to the small dead-end and press the switch to unlock the "Suspicious-looking Wall." Cut Scene: Treasure room. What is that sound? Whats with the moaning and grunting? Please don't show it, please don't show it... Oh good, its just Vaan rummaging. The face of a statue opens and there is a glowing thing in there. In walks the man and his totally hot rabbit ear girlfriend. In a Colin Farrell accent he says "Quite a performance and he said he is the leading man." He demands that Vaan give him the Magicite. When he looks away, Vaan escapes out the window. Hey! That ragamuffin just escaped with our Macguffin. When you regain control of Vaan, go up and around the stairs. Cut Scene: Guards are fighting people. Someone drops a bomb. Colin Farrell says they are the Ifrit and they have good timing. Vaan tries to escape but gets caught by Colin, his girlfriend and their bike. Cut Scene: They have crashed and rabit ear asks "What happened? Our hover didn't just drop - it disappeared. Ya just keep playing dumb, try telling that to the insurance company... "Ahh ya my brake pads disappeared just before I ran into that tree." After some introductions we hear that his name is Balthier and you would think his super-hot girl-friend would probably have a super exotic name but nope, it's Fran. I wonder what he uses her ears for... He says she is a Vierra and "Deign to partner with a hume." Which means she condescended to join him. The relationship between them remains ambiguous. Balthier is a sky pirate, just like Han Solo. Fran is his sexy-beast sidekick, just like Chewbacca. Balthier offers Vaan a position in piracy and Vaan is like "oh yes, yes, yes, they like me they like me. Ok man play it cool... play it cool." There is that constant wind again that causes their hair to pulsate. _____________________________________________ | Garamsythe Waterway (x05) | EAST SPUR STAIRS > EAST WATERWAY CONTROL > NO. 11 CHANNEL > EAST SLUICE CONTROL > SOUTHERN SLUICEWAY > WEST LUICE CONTROL > NO. 10 CHANNEL > CENTRAL WATERWAY CONTROL > OVERFLOW CLOACA EAST SPUR STAIRS Use the save crystal. Cut Scene: Balthier says that the people we saw attacking were the rebles trying to assasinate Vayne. However, he was smart enough to know they would attack and drew all the rebles into a trap. Balthier then complains that he soiled himself and needs a change of wardrobe. Follow the lesson on gambits. set up the gambits as follows: For Vaan: Buy the license for heal if you have not already Vaan: [Ally: HP < 70% > Cure] [Foe: Nearest Visible > Attack] Balthier - [Ally: HP < 70% > First Aid], [Foe: leader's target > attack] Fran [Foe: leader's target > fire] [Foe: leader's target > attack] //placing this second means Fran will automatically use physical attacks when she runs out of MP. EAST WATERWAY CONTROL Look along the east wall to pickup a map and eye drops. Work your way south through the sewers. NO. 11 CHANNEL Watch out for the toads as they pack a wallop. It is best to pick one off then flee, heal everyone, run around in circles to restore your MP and then go back to get the next one. EAST SLUICE CONTROL Use the save crystal here. Cut Scene: A woman is attacking a series of "bucket heads." Vaan tell her to jump down. She falls in his arms and they meet eyes, I bet she smells sweet like red/cherry Sanford Mr. Sketch scented markers. The woman joins our party. Fran complains that our party is growing too large - why should she care? Beat back the guards. Vaan introduces everyone, her name is Amalia, and the music swoons which means there is a crush forming. Amalia indicates that she was leading the group that Vayne trapped and killed. Is Vaan turned on? Because his crotch starts glowing. Oh wait, it is just the crystal he stole. Vaan invites the woman to come along despite the fact that she is super bitchy - I say leave her. Run back up to her. She complains that thieves are guiding her. All of sudden Balthier is all for Amalia joining our party as a "Guest." Quick mood change? SOUTHERN SLUICEWAY Run into the room and we see blobs on the roof and all around us. They are called Flan which is funny if you have ever had the Mexican dessert. Fight blobs (named flan): just attack the purple glowing one first because he casts magic to blind your team. If he does blind one of you, use the eye drops. After he is dead, attack the largest Flan. Then work down from there. Screen says CONGRATULATIONS. CENTRAL WATERWAY CONTROL The semicircle has a save crystal, use it. ----- BOSS: Firemane (x05a) ----- - Watch for status attacks like poison and use antidote to remove it. - Turn off any health gambits so that your party will spend more time fighting instead of healing. - Watch closely and use potions if a part member gets too low on health. - Keep Amelia in the attack party, and keep her alive, she will automatically revive someone who gets killed in battle. - Make sure that no one uses a fire based magic because it will refill Firemane's health. ----- END Firemane ----- Death sequence: it turns into a fireball again and flies off into the rest of the sewer. Guards with crossbows surround the party. Balthier tells Amelia to stand down. Vayne is there and he looks puzzled or probably just worried that the humid sewer air will cause kinks and split ends. The Dalmascan crowd around them whispers stuff like "what a bunch of thieves" and "they deserve whatever they get." Ashe is shocked to hear that people think she is a common thief - not in that dress sister. Penelo tries to fight for Vaan's freedom. Vaan looks over at her, shows her how his hands are stuck in a cinder block and then says "Sorry, that dinner will have to wait." Whoa! I think I just controlled this cut scene with my mind because that imperial guard just slapped Vaan in the back of the head real hard. Balthier calms Penelo by giving her a security blanket, scratch that, a security handkerchief to hold on to until they get back. Watching from around the corner, two lizards complain that they should be the ones who get to kill Balthier. Cut Scene: Cut to a light filled window. Vaan enters a small white room with a bed and medical equipment and all of a sudden we are playing E.R. XII. His brother Reks is sitting in a chair and then turns and says "Let's Rock" (in backwards talk). Vaan gives him Galbana Lilies, there is the symbolism. These were the flowers Vaan picked after the Red and Rotten in the Desert hunt. The flowers were smashed by the incoming Chocobos. My guess is the flowers represent Reks who (like the flowers) grew up in the desert and was trampled by the incoming empire. Reks says nothing. Vaan worries that Reks was part of the king's assassination. He then thinks that if it was Reks who killed, he was probably brainwashed by Basch Fon Greasy. Reks disintegrates out the window and Vaan holds the ring that was on his brother's finger. White light floods the screen and the scene ends. At least we didn't have to see a creepy Michael J. Anderson dance sequence. _____________________________________________ | Nalbina Dungeons (x06) | STOCKADE > ARENA > CONFISCATORY > THE BLACK WATCH Vaan awakens and we are looking up at Dormin?! He want's us to go kill a Colossus? Oh, no this is FFXII and we are back now with Vaan. He was knocked out by that emperial guard that I miraculously commanded into striking. Balthier tells him that they are in a dungeon which he surmises must be the bottom of the palace. Fran is looking for a way out. Vaan decides to go for a little walk. STOCKADE Run to the northern most part of the dungeon to the save. As far as dungeons are concerned, it doesn't look too bad, just very sandy. Everyone you talk to says how bad the empire is and how bad it is in the dungeon. Run around to the various chests and collect four "Knots of Rust." Go out the door. Vaan enters a large room with an oculus. Two pigs start beating one of those lizard men. Vaan begs the pigs to stop beating the skinny lizard. First rule of prison: never yell at the big guy everyone calls Tuff Susan. Here is an example why not: the pigs go after Vaan and knock him out. Gather round chillin'! Looks like we got ourselves a good ol' fashion backwater pig fight! Note: I can't believe I worked so hard for a college degree so that I could someday write about a lizard/pig/hume fight. Sometimes I wonder why I do this. Fight against the pigs: - Focus your attacks on one pig at a time. - Use heal and cure as needed to keep your party alive. - Throw the knots of rust you got from the treasure chests to inflict damage. Cut Scene: All the other lizards gather around to see what is happening when the guards arrive. Vaan and Balthier find a real crappy hiding place and then Fran appears to tell them that there is a way through the oubliette. A green lizard scolds the soldiers about their incompetence for loosing Balthier. The Judge shows up - he is the leader of the imperial commanders. The judge approaches the lizard and tells him off - is that a black jock strap on the lizard's nose? The lizards and guards strike out to find the prisoners. They should check the OTHER SIDE of the CAGE that Vaan and Balthier were LOCKED IN. CONFISCATORY ZODIAC CHESTS: If you are thinking of going for the Zodiac Spear, do not open the chests that are located in this room. I recommend opening them, the Zodiac spear is not that great and your chances of getting it are so slim. Don't waste your time. But, if you want to be a dumbass, skip these piles of goodness - I hope you enjoy your stupid spear. Use the save crystal and don't open the treasure chests here if you are going for the spear. Head into the next zone. The gates nearly close on the party, trapping them in a room swarming with soldiers. A guard looks over at the strange sound Balthier made. The guard's mask laid sideways looks like the following emoticon [>-<]. THE BLACK WATCH Head around the large room to the door in the center of it. Fight any of the guards you see to pick up some good loot and EXP. When you get close to the locked magick door you will see a cut scene of the soldiers using a magic spell to unlock it. I swear the magic words were "How are my roots Eliza Dushku?" Follow those knights. A cage is pulled up from the depths and Basch is in it (he was the one who allegedly killed the king and taught us how to talk to NPCs and open doors). His emaciated frame implies he has been there the whole two years since the assassination or spent a lot of time doing calisthenics. The judge removes his mask (he looks a lot like someone we know...) and asks Basch why he still clings to life. Basch says that he is covering for Ondore. The Judge tells the imprisoned Basch that Amalia was caught. As the Judge leaves, he blames Basch for killing the king and thus "throwing away our homeland." As the party walks by Basch pleads for his escape. When Basch tells the party to do it for the good of Dalmasca, Vaan jumps on his cage and blames him for the death of his brother. Hearing the approaching guards, Fran and Balthier join in the cage jumping and descend into the abyss. Basch is free and Vaan attacks him but is pulled away. Balthier calls Basch a "Sword Arm". Which would make me a "controller arm". Vaan seethes with all the teenage angst he can muster. It just makes him look like Julie Bowen from TV's Ed and TV's Lost (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0100866/) _____________________________________________ | Barheim Passage (x07) | The Barheim Passage appears to be a mine or a subway system. There are tracks and broken mine cars. The wires sit everywhere. The arches in this area are directly copied from a real-life building in Spain called the Great Mosque of Cordoba. Those alternating red and white stripes that make up the arches are one of the most copied elements in all of architecture. You will see it everywhere. I live by the University of Arizona and several buildings make use of it. Go to www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129 for pictures of the temple and of examples of other real building using it. Each stripe that makes up the arch is called a voissoir (pronounced voss-wa). Now go tell your mom that you learned about architecture from a video game and maybe she will buy you another one. Get her to pre-order of God of War II. Based on early screen shots, there is a lot of real world architecture in it. THE LIGHTWORKS > OP SECTOR 29 > GREAT EASTERN PASSAGE > OP SECTOR 36 > OP SECTOR 3 > OP SECTOR 37 > SPECIAL OP SECTOR 3 > NORTH-SOUTH JUNCTION > GREAT CENTRAL PASSAGE > THE ZEVIAH SUBTERRANE > TERMINUS NO. 4 ADJUNCT THE LIGHTWORKS Open the nearby treasure chests and use the save crystal || HOUR - 4:13 || From the second story, walk up to the large cylindrical thing in the middle of the room. Balthier says the fuse is blown so there is no power. Talk to the merchant at the bottom to get a Tube Fuse. Go back up to the cylinder and insert it. Then, go back to the bottom floor and sell all your loot except for teleport stones. You can sell anything in your "items" category that is not equipped. Now is also the time you need to pick who will be your casters and who will be your tanks. A caster will be the person is responsible for healing, applying status cures, enemy status ailments and shooting off magic attacks. Tanks are the front line of team and will need the best weapons and best armor. It really doesn't matter which character you pick for which role because none of the characters in FFXII are pre-disposed to one job or another. Furthermore, by the end of the game most of your characters will have so many licenses that their abilities will overlap. It is just in this early half of the game that you must assign roles and stick to them. I arbitrarily picked Fran and Balthier as my caster. I use Vaan and Balthier as my tank. When you pick your caster, buy just that person the Poisona square from the License Board. Note, to use the spell you must buy it from the License Board and have purchased the spell from the merchant. See Lloyd1337's License Grid map at GameFaqs (http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/final_fantasy_xii_license_grid_na.pn g) Shopping List - Blizzard for everyone - Thunder for caster - Slow caster - Blindna, Poisona (for your caster) - 2 x phoenix downs If you don't have enough to buy all of these things fight through the dungeon to gain loot. Then, come back to this merchant and sell what you have collected. Tanks: On the License board, head straight south to pick up Shield block, battle lore, +100 HP and that quickening. Path - send a second tank to the north east to pickup Accessories, 2, 4, 5, 9, then the quickening. Casters: Buy the Magick lores. The direction they will head on the board is north east. When done with your purchases, press the switch that is adjacent to the merchant and enter the opened door. Balthier explains that this whole area is basically a big mimic crack den where they lie around sucking down the juice. When you first see one, run right up to it and kill it to prevent it from further consuming the power. The fight is easier if you cast their weakness, blizzard. In order to find them all in the level, regularly check your map and look for the word bubble/exclamation point icon. OP SECTOR 29: Continue south through the dungeon and focus all attacks on any mimics that are feeding off of the power. Continue south through here. GREAT EASTERN PASSAGE When you get to the middle of this zone, head up the narrow hallway that leads north. There is a map urn at the end of it. Head south here and enter the door located along the northern wall to get to... OP SECTOR 36 Kill the mimic in here and return to GREAT EASTERN PASSAGE. Move south to... SPECIAL OP SECTOR 3 Kill all the mimics in the room then go to.. OP SECTOR 37 Head to the north end of the room to the switch. Press it to unlock the gate located back in OP SECTOR 3. Cut Scene: Fran says the "mist seethes." Basch, with a bad case of Kerri Russell hair, finds a sword. Balthier coos "Nice moves captain" - that sounded like a come-on to me. Vaan corrects him: "traitor." Whoa touche. They have a little back and forth and Vaan accuses Basch of killed his brother Reks. Bloobidy Bloobidy Bloobidy - Flashback: We hear a bunch of stuff that is real fast and blurry. Somehow Balthier was able to make sense of it realizing that Basch has a twin brother who actually did all the killing. Vaan does not believe it and I wouldn't either. Then Balthier ends the argument by giving the most half-assed resolution - "what is done is done". Now nothing is resolved and we can have another flashback and more confrontation later. Cut scene: A thick green viscous fluid pours over the mimics as they are dropped from the mimic boss. I know it is wrong, but I just got a hankerin for omlettes. Pan back of the beast and we find out her name is Mimic Queen... wait, isn't that the name of a Freddie Mercury cover band? ----- BOSS: Mimic Queen (x07a) ----- Levels: All party members: 9 Gambits: Caster [ally HP < 60% > cure] [Foe: any > blizzard] Tank [Foe: any > blizzard] - She and her babies are vulnerable to Blizzard - First clear out all the mini mimics that feed off the power. If the power reaches 0 you are in big trouble. - When all the mini mimics are dead, focus your attack on the queen. - If the queen sends out more mimics, kill them before they feed for too long - Use cure to keep your party healthy ----- End Mimic Queen ----- Cut scene: Everyone escapes from the collapsing underground and out into the desert. Basch says "Damalscan air tastes so sweet" - maybe he thinks this is a dessert not a desert. Balthier calls him captain again and says "lead the way." Basch says that it is time for his return. Not in those words though, he says it in a Yoda sort of way. _____________________________________________ | Return to Rabanastre (x08) | PASSAGE ENTRANCE > SAND-SWEPT NAZE > YARDANG LABYRINTH > OUTPOST > THE STEPPING PASSAGE ENTRANCE Save and then head to the next zone. SAND-SWEPT NAZE Check the map and proceed towards the red X that is located in the southern edge. OUTPOST You can find some glinting gil in the sand and chocobos to rent. Just continue south. When you reach the final field... THE STEPPING Go to the gate, it leads to Rabanastre. If you see a T-Rex named Saurian, do NOT attack it, it will still kill you. Cut scene: They arrive back in town and Balthier advices Basch to lie low because he is a traitor. Basch says that "The resistance will find me soon" - especially if you are running around wearing a cod piece like that. Basch tries to reassure Vaan that he did not kill his brother by awkwardly saying "I would pay my respects to your brother." Vaan asks Balthier if he still wants the stone - probably to remind Balthier that he is a good pirate. Balthier does not want it because it is "ill- favored." Ill-favored eh? Vaan decides to give it to Penelo instead. Save at the stone then proceed through the gate that leads to Lowtown. SOUTHGATE > SOUTHERN PLAZA > EAST END > SOUTH SPRAWL > NORTH SPRAWL SOUTHGATE Head back to Migelo's to see if Penelo is there to show her that you "got something." Kytes is there instead and tell you to see Dalan. Return to Lowtown to talk to Dalan. Cut scene: Vaan shows Dalan the stolen stone but Dalan seems to feign interest in it. He then asks Vaan to take a sword to Azelas. Vaan recognizes it as a sword of the old order - an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. Dalan whispers something about "reminding someone about what the order once meant." SOUTH SPRAWL Proceed to the marked X. NORTH SPRAWL Talk to the boy sitting on a crate. He is wearing Capri pants, a corset and his name is Balazac (sorry about the name dude, Jr. High must have been rough). The kid lets Vaan through. Cut Scene: A group of resistance fighters debate Basch's twin-brother-kill- king story. One of the men surmises that if it were true that a Judge killed the king, then Basch (the Captain) would be a brother to an Imperial stooge. Basch comes walking in having cleaned up a little. And I do mean a little. He looks like a homeless George Washington. I bet still smells like dungeon. And really, if all you can grow is that pathetic puberty beard just shave it all off. Basch asks the men if they will fight with him and against the Empire. They don't trust him. Someone mentions Reks and of course Vaan gets all butt-hurt about it. Basch defends Vaan's brother by explaining that Reks was killed because he was a witness to the king's killing. The Empire could not frame Basch if Reks knew the truth; so he was killed. The clan leader, Vossler, does not believe any of this and decides not to talk to Basch any more. Vossler can't trust anyone because he suspects there is a mole in the resistance. Basch says "you going to hold me here in chains?" Quick cut to the two of them staring at each other for a LONG time. It gets awkward so Vossler does the only thing he can think of: tossing a sword to Basch. Vossler lets him leave warning him that everyone in the resistance thinks he is a king-killing spy. God these Rabanastrians are gullible. First they bought Vayne's I'm-on-your- side speech and now Vaan trusts Basch after he says just one positive thing about Reks. Now Vaan has a total man-crush for Basch and agrees to take him to see Balthier. NORTH SPRAWL > EAST END NORTH SPRAWL Leave Lowtown through the Gate to Rabanastre. Balthier and Fran-bacca went out for dinner at The Sandsea. It is in the EAST END of Rabanastre and identified by the bottle and cup icon. Cut Scene: Vaan and Basch see some kids and Vaan talks about how he is an orphan and that he lived with Penelo's family. Vaan comes full circle and trusts Basch and blames the Empire for his brother's death. EAST END Enter the Sandsea and head up the stairs. Migelo is urging Balthier to rescue Penelo because a ransom note said "We have Penelo, send Balthier to rescue her." Vaan offers to save her but I have a feeling that he just wants to see Balthier's airship. Basch offers to join in the adventure and Balthier assumes that it is to see someone called the Marquis. Vaan offers the crystal as payment. Fran growls "god's are toying with us" - easy Chewie. Notice the mention of god's controlling their lives - think FATE. Levels: Most characters should be at 10. Head out into the eastersand if you need more experience. While you are leveling up you should also use this opportunity to earn Gil by picking up loot dropped by beasts. To get the best loot you should do something called "Chaining." Chaining is a bit like racial profiling in that you are only attacking creatures of a certain species. The more species you kill of one type the higher your chain will get. As the chain gets higher more valuable loot is dropped which will fetch a higher price when sold in the shops. If you kill another species while you are chaining your combo will drop back down to zero and you will not get the valuable stuff until you build it back up again. Stock up in the various shops, make sure have all the gambits that are available in town. _____________________________________________ | Bhujerba (x09) | To start the quest for Penelo, proceed to the Aerodrome. The door to it is marked with an X on the map. Enter and talk to Balthier who is standing at the top of a little sunken living room, looking out the window. Tell him you are ready. Cut scene: The clan enters Balthier's airship named "The Strahl." It looks like it has a colorful candy shell. Balthier notices Vaan's airship boner and asks him if he wants to look around. The adults plan the route to Bhujerba. Watch closely because Vaan looks down Fran's shirt and she turns around like don't even try it. Basch reminds that if anyone learns he is alive the Marquis will loose favor. Everyone was so happy when Basch was dead. The engines rev its wings lock into fly mode and it takes off into the sky. I guess that is the end of the game because the Strahl flew right back to the title screen. Tune in for Final Fantasy XIII to see if Penelo ever gets saved... Ah never mind. Cut Scene: Penelo is doing her best Anne Frank when the bounty hunting lizards arrive. They are using Penelo as bait to lure Balthier so they can claim a bounty. Penelo looks at the window and says "where are you." I feel bad for her because as those bounty hunters should know, a sky pirate wouldn't give two craps about saving a little girl. But then again, Balthier is driving off to get her. Maybe sky pirate doesn't mean what I think it does. Maybe in the world of Ivalice "sky pirate" is just another name for "high school guidance councilor." Cut Scene: The clan lands and some Imperial guards run by. Balthier turns to Basch and calls them "easy." Yup, Balthier just call a pack of the guards sluts. Basch must know what he means because he nods in agreement. Walk out the back door to enter Bhujerba. Cut Scene: The clan walks out into the city and Balthier says "The Lhusus mines are just up ahead so hurry so we can have time to visit the gift shop." A sprightly you lad stops the clan and asks them if he "can accompany them". Basch asks what errand the kid has in the mines and the kid retorts "well why do you want to go to the mines?" No! We asked first times infinity! Balthier offers to take the kid (who is named uh... ah... Lamont) as long as he can keep his eye on him. Vaan is all trusting of the kid - probably because he has not yet said anything about his brother. Vaan then blows Basch's airtight cover when he uses his real name. TRAVICA WAY > MINERS' END > LHUSU SQUARE > LHUSU MINES Buy a map from the moogle located at the first intersection of TRAVICA WAY. Upgrade your party in the shops as you proceed through twon. Shopping List: - A shield for Basch - just make sure that he has enough LP to buy the upgrade needed to equip the shield - Antidote x 5 (buy from the potion merchant in LHUSU SQUARE) - Add a gambit for [Self > Libra] LHUSU SQUARE: After buying the antidote from the merchant, run down the stairs to enter the Lhusu Mines. Cut Scene: Balthier, as always, knows all about this place and of course has to tell us all about it. The Bhujerbans mine magicite out of it. Lamont one-ups him by telling him that this is neutral territory and the Empire rarely gets involved. I bet Lamont has a collection first place geography bee ribbons at home. Cut Scene: A judge and his entourage are exploring the mines by Bhujerba's local authority the Marquis. These mines are quite the tourist trap. The judge is there to make sure the mines are supplying the empire with an adequate amount of Magicite. All the talk about saddles, bridals, and whips is just a weird/wrong way of describing Bhujerba's reluctant cooperation with the Empire. Think Bhujerba : magicite :: Middle East : oil. It is implied that the Marquis is helping the resistance fight the Empire. _____________________________________________ | Lhusu Mines (x10) | SHAFT ENTRY > OLTAM SPAN > TRANSITWAY 1 > SHUNIA TWINSPAN > SITE 2 The clan enters Lhusu mine. If your party only includes Vaan and Lamont, go to the party menu and select another two members to round out squad. For a mine it sure is shallow and quite detailed. The whole mine looks like Grand Central Station with its lights turned off. SHAFT ENTRY Battle the bats in this unfortunately named room. If the bats are giving you trouble, you may need to upgrade your party. Buy a few Battle Lore / Magick Lore square from the license board or go back to town and buy new swords/armor. SHUNIA TWINSPAN Watch out because there will be a steady stream of attacking skeletons. If you are having trouble beating the group of them I strongly suggest fleeing. If your can kill them with little problem, fight it out here to build up a pretty long chain of loot. SITE 2 Cut Scene: Our Rococo companion, Lamont, prances into the open site. I hope I never have to see a cos-player dressed like him. He pulls out a small, blue, glowing stone. The stone is Nethicite which is a man-made substance that can absorb Magickal energy. This mine, however, is filled with Magicite; the naturally occurring -cite. The Draklor Laboratory is using the Magicite in this mine for the production of Nethicite. I think this is research for Lamont's sure to be prize winning science fair project called "Science is Alright with Nethicite" Balthier gets suddenly Socratic and asks, you done? Where's my money? Where did you hear about Nethicite? Where did you get it? Draklor Labs? Who are you? The lizards who were looking for Balthier in the prison are back. One of them is carrying a huge spinning chainsaw that could make quick work of weeks and underbrush. The lizard is Ba'Gamnan and is glad to finally have Balthier. Listen closely because as the lizard talks he gains a Scottish accent. It hits its peak when he says Penelo ran off "crying like a babe." Lamont throws his nethicite at Ba'Gamnan and escapes. The rest of the party runs off too. Don't even try to fight the lizards. They are too strong for your party at this time. Run through the level to the exit following the same path you used to get into the mines. When you exit via the SHAFT ENTRY see the cut scene of the whole party hiding behind the columns. Lamont approaches the judge who scolds him for running unaccompanied and exposed to crazies such as Penelo. Lamont lies that he was alone - thus saving the party from discovery. Lamont asks if Penelo can spend the night. The Marquis agrees and the whole entourage leaves the mines. Vaan seems a bit too preoccupied with Lamont and his sudden interest in Penelo. Balthier knows that Lamont is really named Larsa and is the kid brother of Vayne. Fran reassures Vaan that she is in safe hands. Balthier says "Nobody knows men like Fran does" then everyone pauses for the laugh track... and then Basch continues with the narrative. Basch explains that the Marquis is indeed helping the rebels fight the Empire. The reason Basch is still present is because the Marquis publicly signed an execution paper but secretly kept Basch alive. Balthier thinks he is all literary by alluding to Mark Twain's famous quote "Rumors of your death were, in fact, greatly exaggerated." Balthier actually misquotes there - and many people make this mistake. You see Mark Twain actually said "the report of my death was an exaggeration." Samuel Clemens was responding to his premature newspaper obituary. I am not making this up. If you want to get a more complete background of this commonly misquoted line see: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=191570 NOTE: In this next part you may want to make sure there is no one in the room you would be embarrassed by. Because this next part is super uncomfortable, I felt embarrassed and I was all alone playing it. Balthier gets the idea that if we spread rumors that Basch is alive the resistance will bring them right to the Marquis. The clan decides that when it comes to being annoying, no one does a better job than Vaan. They are right when Vaan belts out "I'm Captain Basch Fon Ronsenburg of Dalmasca!" I still hear that when I close my eyes at night. NOTE: Before you start going around yelling about how you are "THE Bashe" and "not listening to Ondore's Lies" you should hit the shops because this is your last chance to stock up before a boss fight. -- Shopping List --- - You MUST get Charge from the techniques shop. Don't get anything else from that shop though. - Quickenings for 2 of your tanks. The one in the accessories, the other at the bottom of the grid. - Visit the magic shop and get some de-enhancers to cast against your enemies. - Levels: 10s for most of your party. Run around the city and press the "Testify" button near anyone with a smiley face over their head. Al Sharpton also has a "Testify" button but his has turbo mode (which is always engaged). You get more Notoriety for annoying people named "City Parijanah." Do not yell anywhere near guards in full armor because you will loose a lot of the points you gained. When you fill the notoriety meter, Vaan gets picked up by guards and thrown into the resistance fighters' secret hideout. Cut Scene of Marquis palace: Penelo says she was glad to have seen Vaan. Larsa is busily working on an extra credit book report and says "You will join him soon"... in HELL. He actually tells her that his brother is Vayne the Counsel of Dalmasca. Larsa further apologizes for Vayne but is confident that as Counsel things will be ok in the end. Penelo tells him that she fears the empire; he is shocked that she is and promises that she will not be harmed. The clan and the resistance fighters gather around a table discussing a meeting with the Marquis. The man who is sitting at the table has an accent that sounds like an American imitating an Englishman mocking an Irishman. Talk to the lion-faced assistant to find out where to go (northern end of TRAVICA WAY - it is marked on your map too). When you get to the gate, talk to the guards and they will take you to the Marquis. Cut Scene: Basch begs the Marquis to release Amalia from the Empire's custody because she is an important leader in the resistance. Vaan asks about Penelo but Marquis said she has already left with the Judge's entourage for Rabanastre. Meanwhile, a huge craft hovers over Bhujerba and takes an airship-style dump on the Marquis' castle. Vaan gets hysterical. Basch pulls out his sword. Marquis calls the guards. Cut Scene: Vayne is talking to one of his own personal robo-teddy about the rising insurgency in Bhujerba. Oh wait it is Judge Gabranth and he thinks the Marquis is responsible for the insurgency's enduring success. Vayne mentions the news that the Marquis has turned Basch over to Judge Ghis. What a shame that the term "coked-up" has been so cliched that people use it to describe kids at a birthday party (well white-trash people anyway who would consider Parliaments a good substitute for candles). Because when Doctor Cid enters and starts talking to himself about "The Reigns of History back in the hands of man" I need to call him "coked-up" and really mean it. Dr. Cid reports that the Senate is just trying to stop Vayne's power. Vayne says bring it. Cut scene: The clan is taken via a small airship to a big white airship called the Dreadnought Leviathan. Ironic choice of name considering that we should dread it quite a bit. Someone yells out "The Prisoners my Lord" referring to the clan. They step out to see Amelia standing there with the Judge Ghis. Amelia recognizes Basch and slaps him and says "How dare you, I thought you were dead." The Judge introduces her as Princess Ashe, daughter of the now dead King of Dalmasca. I would expect her to react stronger than a "how dare you" considering she thinks Basch is her father's killer. But she has even bigger problems as she has no proof of her lineage. Furthermore, Vayne is asking all royalty of the previous monarchy to help put down the insurgency. So even if she can prove her royal blood, she will be executed for helping the Rebels. Vaan barges in and Ashe says shut up. Vaan looks legitimately surprised, like no one has ever told him "no" before. The stone he took from the palace starts glowing because it is the Dusk Shard and it is reacting to Princess Ashe's blood. I think my pan-European-commoner blood would turn that stone a light to medium brown. Vaan gives it to Ghis under the promise of no executions. Vaan really isn't showing that he is Sky Pirate material at this point. Judge Ghis mentions that this is deifacted nethicite. The root word being deity, and thus, coming from a god. So if a girl has a really heavenly body you could just say she has a deifacted figure. The clan is brought back in shackles. Basch remarks that the fates are toying with them by bringing the Dusk Shard into play (notice this second mention of the Fates - the other was back in the Sandsea bar). The party gives a Jackie-Chan style beat down to their captors. Vossler, last seen at the resistance meeting back at Dalmasca, had infiltrated the guards and will help free Ashe. _____________________________________________ | Dreadnought Leviathan (x11) | PORT LAUNCH > PORT SECTION > LARGE FREIGHT STORES > AIRSHIP BERTH ACCESS > CENTRAL BRIG ACCESS > BRIG NO. 1 PORT LAUNCH: Save here, but do so in another save slot, there is no way to transport back to the mainland until you beat this area. Tip: If you are running low on MP use the charge technique that you should have bought in Bhujerba. Otherwise, run around in circles. PORT SECTION Vossler warns not to trip the red lasers. You can find a route through this section without hitting any of them. But, if your party is strong enough to handle fighting four or five guards at the same time, I recommend tripping them to gain the EXP and loot. Tip: If you get in over your head run back to the last zone you were in and the guards will not follow you. You can heal up then go back with a fully ready party. Tip: If your party is looking real haggard, run back to the blue save crystal for a full refresh. AIRSHIP BERTH ACCESS You will be ambushed by several high powered enemies. Focus your attack on the Magnus to stop all the spells. Then, fight the weaker ones first so you can unleash your party's might on the Judges. BRIG NO. 1 Free Ashe. She is afraid of Basch like he is the good version of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 coming to get her out of the insane asylum. Ashe is Linda Hamilton, Vaan (naturally) would be John Connors. Use the save crystal and open the urn for an access key. Buy supplies at the moogle. Buy like you are going to a boss fight because, well, you are going to a boss fight. -- Shopping -- - 10 x Potions //find out if that moogle gives you potions. You are shopping for a boss fight here. - Protect - Shell - All the gambits the moogle has. The Escape Path: AIRSHIP BERTH ACCESS > LARGE FREIGHT STORES > PORT SECTION > PORT LAUNCH AIRSHIP BERTH ACCESS Cut scene: Vossler says that Ashe must confront the reality of our plight. I wouldn't consider it a plight for her; she is in the company of four bachelors. LARGE FREIGHT STORE Stop fleeing for a second and go to the "Security Stations" located on the east and west walls. Turning them off will give you 60 seconds of unmolested escape time. For the rest of the airship hold the R2 button to flee past all the guards. PORT SECTION The party runs into Penelo and Larsa who both get this look on their face like "uh... we weren't making out." Penelo is glad to see Vaan and hugs him. The boy tells the clan that Ghis is aware of their escape. Larsa then uses a weak analogy using thread to try to tie up the letting us escape plot hole. Larsa gives Penelo a clump of manufactured nethicite - Vaan pouts in the background by flexing his abs as hard as he can. Just as the party is about to escape, the judge stands in the way and uses his Fire Flower to pitch a Mario style fireball at Ashe. Penelo's manufactured Nethicite absorbs the magic just as Larsa said it would. The judge says Ashe will die easily just like the king did. Ashe retorts "you know nothing of my father" and thank god Judge Ghis doesn't say "No, I am your father." ----- BOSS: Judge Ghis (x11a) ----- GAMBITS: Caster: [Ally: Any > Phoenix Down] [Ally: HP < 40% > Cure, potion ] Tank: [Foe: Any > Attack] STRATEGY: - Send in one Tank and two Casters - Attack the judge's assistants, would those be his clerks? - Half way through the battle, use the quickenings I told you to get for your Tanks. ----- END GHIS ----- Cut scene: Judge Ghis' helmet is knocked off and he holds his hand up to his face like " it's been a loooong day." Then he thinks to himself "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" Actually if this were indeed Scooby-Doo it would turn out that Judge Ghis' was just the local Gas Station Attendant trying to scare people away from his stolen Aztec Gold. Vossler enters to tell the party that he has secured a ship called an Atomos. Balthier complains that the ship is no good and then he refers to himself a "leading man." Kinda pushing on the "4th wall." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_wall) Fran is in the driver's seat as the clan tries to sneak out of the empire's airship. This is going to be chancy but it is a good thing Fran's foot is lucky. Penelo urges "can't we go faster?" "Keep your distance though, Chewie, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance, I don't know. Fly casual" Fran-bacca pilots the ship past some Imperial Ice-cream cones and safely back to Bhujerba. The party files out into the Aerodome. Penelo gives the handkerchief that Balthier gave to her before he, Fran, and Vaan were taken into the dungeon. He says "I shall wear it close to my heart." She does this shoulder shrug and Balthier joins Larsa on Penelo's crush list. It is actually a cute little scene. Basch, Vossler and Ashe discuss what they will do next. They will consult Ondore - another name for the Marquis - because he actually does support the resistance. Vossler starts trusting Basch and tells Ashe to do the same. For being such an uncharismatic guy, Basch sure does get people to turn around on him quickly. Wasn't it just yesterday that Vossler told Basch that their "paths will remain separate." _____________________________________________ | On to Ondore (x12) | This is cool: if you talk to the people in the airport they refer to Vaan as Basch because of that yelling stunt he pulled the last time he was in Bhujerba. Leave the Aeordrome and head to the red X. Talk to the guards there. Cut Scene: Ashe recounts to the Marques what happened after the night the Dalmascan Emperor was killed. She says that Vossler hid her. Vayne played the Marquis against Ashe by having him provide a fishy suicide story. Ashe could not trust the Marquis if he was making up stories about suicide for the empire. She urges him to makeup so that they can stand together against Vayne. The Marquis is her uncle but he will not stand up to her because at this point she has no credibility. Look at the glossy-eyed Basch in the background - I think all of this is going right over his head. Balthier breaks in requesting food and a bath. I think he intends the bath for Basch - his hair is looking extra crusty since Lhusu mine. The Strahl: Vaan catches Ashe playing with the Strahl's buttons. She intends to use the ship to get the Dawn Shard to prove her royal lineage. She is frustrated by the Marquis' inaction and will do anything to get her kingdom back. Balthier finds them and demonstrates his magic microphone that can make voices sound like someone else's. Ashe begs Balthier to take her to where she wants to go. Eventually everyone is there and everyone has a reason to seek the dawn shard. Imperial City of Archades: Pan up of a long phallic spire. A Ship lands on a dock and Judge Gabranth exits then sashays down the bridge to the building. The emperor asks about Doctor Cid and his weapons research. Judge Gabranth tells him that Vayne is funding research and there is some strange stuff going on - The emperor does not like this. The Emperor starts coughing and says that the illness will claim him. The Emperor asks Gabranth about his advice as to who will succeed him as emperor: the psychopath Vayne or the little turd Larsa. Gabranth explains that he is loyal to the Empire and despite his home being raped and pillaged, he is a total Empire stooge - even enough to kill his own brother. The Emperor likes Gabranth's Ruthlessness. However, The Emperor does not want Larsa to be such a nutcase yes man. He tells Gabranth to be Larsa's protector even if it is Vayne who attacks. _____________________________________________ | Ogir-Yensa Sandsea (x13) | Cut Scene: The party is in the Dalmasca Westrsand. Balthier pushes a button and the Strahl disappears. The destination is King Raithwall's tomb to obtain the dust shard that will prove Ashe's lineage. Vaan tries to explain away the reason why we can't just fly the airship to the front steps of the tomb. Penelo says your dumb and for once you know something I don't. Vaan gets all bothered by this and then the rest of the party is all "oh puppy love ." Everyone except that cold hearted imperial - Ashe she is annoyed by this whole exchange. Vaan, dressed in his futuristic Tevas, approaches the edge of the Sandsea. The sands churn like they are made of water and he reaches into the sand. It dribbles out like sand but floats water-like. It is impassable - the catwalks above it is how the party will get through. I have to say that the Ogir-Yesa Sandsea is my favorite area in all of FFXII. The endless expanse with its absolute desolateness contrasts so strongly with the complicated technology of the oil refinery platforms. For one, I am totally fascinated by complicated machinery. Secondly, the presentation reminds me of the great surrealist painters such as Dali, Magritte, and most importantly de Chirico. In fact, it actually feels like running around in de Chirico painting. www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=135 Check the link and see the de Chirico's painting called The Red Tower and try to tell me it does not remind you of fighting in the sand sea. In the painting, look at how quiet emptiness of the field is contrasting with the striking red tower - same thing in this game. PALATFORM 1: EAST TANKS > PLATFORM 1: REFINERY (GET MAP) > PLATFORM 1: SOUTH TANKS > SOUTH TANK APPROACH > YENSA BORDER TUNNEL PLATFORM 1: EAST TANKS Before you head into the Sandsea, go east back into the Westersand. Use the orange crystal and then buy supplies from Lohen -- Shopping List - - LEVELS: 11 - Make sure you have Protect and Shell - 10 x Alarm Clocks This will be your first confrontation with a new set of beasts. Try to fight the little red Alraune and if you can not beat them use your accumulated LP to upgrade your MP and Battle skills. If you are still facing problems, go back to the Westersand to rape the earth some more by poaching animals so you can get some semi-precious resource like Loot, EXP, LP, or while you are at it, ivory. What I really mean to say is go level up in Westersand. Cut Scene: Vaan stares at the strange machinery. Basch approaches to give a bit of history. The Rozarrians built it to extract oil. Vossler arrives because he realized that Ashe had escaped. Just a lucky hunch that she would be wandering around in the Sandsea? I wonder if cel-phones will ever make it into a Final Fantasy game. Vossler could have just called her and said "hey, Ashe where are you? The Sandsea? Cool, I will be there in a Half Hour." By the way, is Vossler wearing two little fanny packs Justifying his reason for the trip, Basch is trying to improve his total royals protected percentage. His record took a big hit when Prince Rasler took that arrow to the throat. Protecting Princess Ashe my improve that average a bit. Vossler joins the party too. Fran's rabbity senses start tingling because some pretty bad beasts will be coming. Sand people riding on the back of tremors ride through the sand. The party runs and Vossler insists that we get the dawn shard. PLATFORM 1: REFINERY Get the map in this zone; it is actually located on a platform separated from the main one. You will need to get off the main catwalk and cross the sand to a square shaped structure. The map urn is located on it. YENSA BORDER TUNNEL Use the save stone and purchase goods from the merchant. _____________________________________________ | Nam-Yensa Sandsea (x14) | AUGUR HILL > WITHERING SHORES > THE URUTAN-YENSA SEA > THE SANDSCALE BANK AUGUR HILL Get the map by crossing the bridge at the middle-north part this zone. This is not the bridge that leads to the next zone, but the one just to the south of it. The urn sits on a small island. Return to the bridge at the north of AUGUR HILL to get to WITHERING SHORES. THE SANDSCALE BANK Use the blue save stone then talk to the Sandsea moogle. One of the sand people (a urutan-Yensa) asked him for help in killing a giant tortoise. WITHERING SHORES Go back to here to fight the turtle called Urutan Eater. Poor name choice because the turtle doesn't really eat the Urutan, he just stomps them to death. Well, perhaps he is just tenderizing them first, then eating them. Urutan Eater - Attack him with two casters and a tank. - Use wind and basic melee attacks. - Observe that super shinny shell, that is all I looked at during this fight - After his demise, think of secondary uses for that shell: I would suggest affordable public housing unit or using it as a roadster body. THE SANDSCALE BANK Return to this zone and talk to the moogle. He will tell you to go to THE OGIR-YENSA SANDSEA to talk find the Urutan that sought your aid. PLATFORM 2: REFINERY Climb up the ramp and the Urutan will run back to... THE SANDSCALE BANK Follow it to see a Urutan gathering. There group is lead by a queen who looks like a cross between bozo the clown and Susan Powter. She lectures her fellow Urutanians on the sins of outsourcing their problems to other species. The punishment for such interspecies collaboration, immediate and unconditional vaporization. The little Urutan is gone and his brethren flee. All that remains is a small flower - just like in "Where the Red Fern Grows". Run up to the flower and press "X" and you will get Eksir Berries which will be useful against the coming boss. I don't mean to get picky here but berries don't come from flowers. Flowers become berries after they are fertilized. The designers should have named them after flower parts - maybe "Eksir Pistils", "Eksir Carpels" or "Eksir Stigmas." THE URUTAN-YENSA SEA > WITHERING SHORES > DEMESNE OF THE SANDQUEEN > TRAIL OF FADING WARMTH THE TRAIL OF FADING WARMTH Isn't the name of this zone what they should call marriage? Talk to the merchant and stock up before your next boss fight. Listed are some things to buy. Shopping List: - Raise - Esuna - Cura - 10 x Alarm Clocks - The boss is flying so he will be invulnerable to melee attacks. So, make sure a couple of your fighters have ranged attack weapons such as guns or bows. Magick attacks also hurt flyers. - Instead of buying your tanks bows, I suggest buying them the water spell, it will hit flying enemies. When you go to the next zone, you will be asked to save. Do so, but use a new slot instead of overwriting your current one. Just in case the boss is too difficult for your current setup. _____________________________________________ | The Tomb of Raithwall (x15) | Cut Scene: Arial shot of a mausoleum cut out of the stone cliffs - wait, how did this camera get a flyover? I thought the sand caused problems to all fliers. The temple looks a bit like the Cambodian temple Angkor Wat. This is the Tomb of Raithwall and the location of the stone that will prove Ashe's blood is good. Walk down the central colonnade and you are confronted by a large flying bird. ----- BOSS: Garuda (x15a) ----- - Start by throwing the Eksir Berries you picked from the vaporized Urutan - Put in all your range fighters and attack with arrows or water spells - Basic Melee weapons will not work on the boss. ----- End Garuda ----- Cut Scene: A candle holder starts moving and if you have ever played a video game before you know that inanimate objects don't get their own cut scene unless they are magic or evil or both. Ashe uses this opportunity to give a bit of history. She drops names and territories and ruling classes like she is giving a freshman survey course on the world of final fantasy. Here are the basics: - The gods gave Raithwall some magical crystals and a mighty beard. - He was dubbed the Dynast-King - He ruled a vast territory and brought stability/peace to many of the factions in Ivalice - There were three shards that Raithwall had that gave him his power: + Midlight Shard-given to House Nabradia (Ashe's husband was Nabradian) + Dawn Shard-hidden in Raithwall's Tomb for emergency use only + Dusk Shard-given to Dalmasca (Ashe's family) In the background, Balthier gets bored and turns around. Basch pretends that he is interested but I know he lost track shortly after Ashe said "The gods granted their favors to King Raithwall..." Balthier doubts this quest and says no deal, it is too dangerous. Really? Balthier? A sky pirate? The IT guy at work is more sky pirate than him. Ashe reminds him there is treasure inside and he changes his mind. Save at the orange crystal and use it to transport to other areas if you need to buy supplies or level up. Otherwise go down to the stairs in front of the temple. Shopping List: - 10 x Alarm Clocks - 10 x handkerchiefs - 4 x Bacchus's Wine - 10 x Phoenix Downs - 20 x Hi-Potions - 10 x eye drops - Every gambit from the Rabanastre Gambit shop - Cura - Oil - Berserk Levels: 15 - Get your grind on if your party is not to the recommended levels. Transport to YENSA BORDER TUNNEL and chain the beasts in the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea. Focus on the Urutan-Yensas and look for treasures hidden among the various catwalks. - Buy more Quickenings for party members. Each tank should have at least two at this point. - When your party is to the right levels and has the right supplies, go to the way stone at Raithwall's tomb. Cut scene: The Cambodian architectural influence changes to a more Middle Eastern style on the inside of the temple. It is very Egyptian and uses some more elements from the Spanish Mosque of Cordoba. All the doorways have horse-shoe arches on them. That is the really what they are called - not very creative are they. Go to the following link to see some of those horseshoe arches: www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=137 Also, the game refers to the burning torches that line the walkways as braziers. This makes me think of those bra-burning's in the 1970's. The entire temple gives me an ancient, scary, magical feeling. HALL OF THE DESTROYER > HALL OF THE SENTINEL > ROYAL PASSAGE HALL OF THE DESTROYER While on the upper platform, cast protect on your entire front line melee fighters - it will be important in the coming boss fights. Descended down the central staircase. The wall comes alive and pursues the clan. Run from him, you will not be able to beat him at your current levels. Much later in the game you will be strong enough to beat him though. Hold R2 and run to the back door. HALL OF THE SENTINEL Cut Scene: The entire room is black and Vaan wanders around. Another demon wall emerges and as he does, all the torches light. Fran yells out at the party that "we must be quick! Together we can bring it down!" Wow! I just realized that Fran has a slurry, South African/English/Finland-esque accent. I looked up who did the voice work of Fran and her name is Nicole Fantl. She is an English actress and I have to say she is hotter than Fran. Her only real world acting credit was a bit part in Star Wars Episode II as Senator Lexi Dio (that name actually sounds like it would have been a character from the erotica version of Ep. II.) ----- BOSS Demon Wall (x15b) ----- Note: Don't get too discouraged by this boss. Defeating him is really dependent on a number of random factors all going your way. Several times I would have him down to 10% HP and then the next time not even getting him down to 75%. However, if you are consistently not even close to defeating him, I recommend going back to the Sandsea and leveling up, buying enhancements from the LP board, and/or upgrading your armor/weapons. See the shopping list at the top of this section for more information as to what to get and where to level up. GAMBITS: Caster: Don't use them for this boss Tanks: [Ally: Any > Phoenix Down] [Ally: HP < 20% > Hi-potion] [Ally: Sleep > Alarm Clock] [Ally: Blind > Eye Drops] [Foe: Any > Attack] Part I: - Quickness is the most important thing in this battle. - All status ailments should be fixed with potions rather than spells. - Attack with three of your tanks. You don't have time for casters to be using spells - Before attacking, run straight for the wall and touch the torch right next to him. - If the "brazier" flame turns blue, the demon wall will speed up, if it turns orange, the wall will be slowed greatly. If the flame does go blue, run to the very next torch and touch it to cancel the speed increase. - Once you successfully start an orange flame, unleash a quickening (you should have many party members with quickenings so you can chain them) - Burning Bras: When the slowdown effect of the brazier fades, have your party leader run to another one and touch it. Pray for another orange flame but if it turns blue, quickly go to another torch. - Switch out any fighters that are sent to the X-Zone (isn't that what they call raves?) The banished character will be out until you go to the next room. ----- End Demon Wall ----- Cut scene: The hallway is now clear giving you access to the door behind the Demon wall. The sweeping shot of the central room to the temple is quite impressive. It reminds me of the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Vossler looks over at Fran and Balthier and condemns them because they are intent on stealing the treasure from this sacred temple. Ashe says we need their help to get through this temple. Ashe says she can feel the dawn shard the same way a pregnant woman says she knows what gender the baby is ROYAL PASSAGE Get the map - it is hidden behind the way stone. The only save stone in this tomb is the one at the main entrance. In case you accidentally die and thus have to fight that demon wall again go save now. Use the middle way stone that is colored white to take you back to the HALL OF THE DESTROYER. Once transported, use the way stone there to transport you to the Tomb entrance. After you have saved, use the way stones to get back to the ROYAL PASSAGE. The temple is split into a northern and southern half; each of which you will need to access to get to the Dawn Shard. The red and the green way stones here don't work at this time so you have to walk all the way down to the north and south passages to activate them. I suggest tackling the Northfall passage first, and then go for the Southfall passage. NORTHFALL PASSAGE From the ROAYL PASSAGE, descend down the northern staircases. Once you reach the bottom, wind your way through the various rooms to the very center. You should be strong enough to fight all the beasts here - my favorite the Lesser Chimeras because it looks like a giant turkey. There are several undead monsters here so set your castors with the gambit [Foe:undead > Cura]. Note that Cura will affect all the monsters in range, so try and round up a bunch of them before casting the spell. When you reach the center, make sure your team is fully healed and ready for an ambush. Touch the glowing red stone lodged in the "Northfall Pedestal." The party stands there for a second and it looks like they are waiting for an elevator. The pedestal lowers and then out come the zombies. After clearing the room, transport back to the ROYAL PASSAGE by touching the red way stone. It would be a good idea to go back to the orange save crystal again to save. SOUTHFALL PASSAGE Like in the Northfall passage, work your way room-to-room to the center. When you get there, prepare for another ambush before touching the green Southfall Pedestal. The party is ambushed again but this time by ghosts called Liches. They attack your party by spraying them with oil and then shooting them with fire. The oil will greatly increase the potency of the fire attack so you should set up a gambit [Ally: Oil > Handkerchief]. Another good idea is to send in all your female protagonists so that they all end up oiled. Just imagine the three of them all slick, shinny, pushing off each other as they swing theirs swords around and probably grunting a lot too. Ya, that's hot. I guess you could send in just guys if you like it that way. But, I can't imagine Basch getting any oilier than he already is. After the fight, teleport back to the ROYAL PASSAGE using the newly activated way stone. Go back again to the orange save crystal. There is another boss fight coming and this is your last time to upgrade. Refer to the following shopping list. -- Shopping List -- Levels: 15 - protect spell - Shell - 10 x handkerchiefs - 20 x Hi-potions - 10 x Phoenix downs HALL OF THE DESTROYER > ROYAL PASSAGE > SOUTHFALL PASSAGE > CLOISTER OF FLAME > CHAMBER OF FIRST LIGHT SOUTHFALL PASSAGE / NORTHFALL PASSAGE At the very center of both the SOUTHFALL PASSAGE and NORTHFALL PASSAGE is a secret room that was unlocked when you pushed both of the Pedestals. To get there use either of the way stones that transport you down there. Enter the secret room by going through the opening on the west side of the Way Stone room. The hallway will lead you around to a door that leads to CLOISTER OF FLAME CLOISTER OF FLAME Cut scene: The clan descends into the central room and the air is brown. Penelo wonders about the fog. Fran says "Not fog - mist." Thanks for the big distinction Fran but we didn't ask you. And of course she goes on - the Mist is dangerous but it lets magick happen. Penelo says "I will keep that in mind" with the same phrase and tone I use when responding to bums who yell strange advice at me like "keep your nose clean and all your dreams can come true." Penelo then looks over at Vaan who is talking to Vossler. You can't hear him, but Vaan goes "Hey Vossler, do my abs look more like a plate of buffalo wings or popping-fresh rolls?" Descend around the stairs and into the center of the room. Along the middle ring of hallways there are a number of chests. Two of them contain Elixers which are VERY helpful in this game's very, very, final boss fight. So DON'T use them until then. Before you get to the very bottom of this room make sure everyone in your party has protect and shell cast on them. Doing so will save time in this boss battle. When you get to the bottom of the room, a large beast with a thick red beard awakens and then approaches the party. Belias has a parasitic twin who keeps his arms crossed most of the battle. But, when needed, the little guy will start pointing and casting Firaja. The pair also has a sword with a cute, ornate heart on the end of it. ----- BOSS: Belias (x15c)----- Levels: 16 on all party GAMBITS: Casters: [Ally: any > Phoenix Down] [Ally: any > shell] [Ally: any > protect] [Ally: HP < 40% > Hi-Potion] [Any: foe > water] Tanks: [Status: oil > handkerchief] [Any: foe > attack] Part I: - Don't use ethers - save them for later in the game. - Hit him with a quickening at the start - Keep Vossler alive because he can not be swapped out. - Belias is immune to ice and lighting but he hates water. - Fire spells will give him health. - If someone is covered in oil, clean it up. It increases fire damage. - Use potions to heal instead of your magic. Your casters need to save their MP for water attacks. ----- End Belias ----- Cut scene: Belias falls. The little one puts his hands on its knees - cute in a freakish way. It growls and then explodes. A Rorschach test appears. I see an owl wearing a kimono. Everyone stands around and it feels post-coital. Some of them even start with little pillow-talk stories. Fran goes first with a poem that describes espers as challengers to the gods who are trapped in the Mist. Ashe, never to let someone one-up her, tells a story that uses the word "thralldom." I looked it up, thralldom means slavery. Ashe's story is that the boss we just beat served King Raithwall and he is really the treasure of the legend. Basch sits quietly deciding whether he should go next and tell everyone about the time he got a free 32-oz steak at Rusty Pete's Chuck Wagon because he ate it in half an hour and then got to wear a cowboy hat for the picture that was pinned on the wall of fame. He opts to wait for the next boss fight to tell it. Go back to the temple entrance and save. This is the only time to actually buy power-ups for your next boss battle. -- Shopping List -- - Levels: 15 - 10 x Hi-potion - 10 x Phoenix downs - Upgrade your Armor - Have one of your tanks purchase the Esper from the LP board. Way Stone your way back to the room where you fought the Gigas Boss and proceed through the door that was behind him. Go down one set of stairs and up the other. CHAMBER OF FIRST LIGHT Get it? The room is called First Light... it holds the Dawn Shard... very clever. Cut scene: There is a stone floating in a pedestal. Vossler gets a strange look on his face and tells Ashe that we need to get out of here. Ashe ascends the stairs and just before she reaches the stone she sees her late husband, Rasler, in ghost form. It seems as if Vaan can see him too. Ashe toys with her wedding ring and then says "you will be avenged." Funny, because in her hand appears the item that will help her with that vengeance: the Dawn Shard. I have to say that this is some pretty good emotion that the artists are able to get out of a cluster of polygons. Go back to either the SOUTHFALL or NORTHFALL PASSAGES and teleport your way back to the Tomb's entrance. Cut scene: Vaan runs out of the tomb and the shadows of airships pass over him. The whole armada is there overhead - they seem to have no problem flying over the Sandsea. Vaan is all this is soooooo cool until a pack of attack ships come down and arrest him and the rest of the clan. Judge Ghis fondles his gold helmet then addresses the clan. He has grey umpa-lumpa hair. Ghis wants the nethicite - the good stuff, not that manufactured crud. King Raithwall's Dawn Shard is pure, deifacted nethicite. So wait, how did the judge know we got the good stuff? Vossler betrayed Ashe and ratted her out. He justifies his actions by telling her that this is a pragmatic approach that would give the Empire what they wanted (nethicite) in order to get her back in power and thus Dalmasca's sovereignty back. Ashe reluctantly gives up the Dawn Shard. Ghis says that Dr. Cid will love to analyze this sample - he is the coked up weapons expert we saw earlier. Ghis gives the stone to a lab tech for testing just to make sure that it isn't fake. The clan is flown to a secondary airship for transport back to Rabanastre. Vossler discusses his future plans and Ashe is quite mad at him for betraying them. Remember when we first met Vossler back in Damalsca, he was looking for a mole - it turns out it was him all along. One of the lab techs places the stone in Michael Jackson's hypobaric oxygen tank. Note: Nine times out of ten I prefer Ashe over Fran. However, this next scene could be one of the hottest in all of video-game-dom. It starts when Ghis and his crew begin heating up the Dusk Shard. Fran starts to feel some the Mist-related side affects. As the heat is turned up further, she has some slight herbal-essence style quivering but quickly transitions into all out finger curling, in heat, orgasmic, fervor. A guard notices her strange reaction and tries to control her but she jump kicks his face. Exactly! Kicks his fat Imperial face! The controller even shocked me. Fran goes on a total tear jumping and kicking and Balthier says "I always knew Fran didn't like to be tied up" - oh I bet you don't. Guards are thrown around and it sounds like she is beating the crap out of bag full of Bud Light cans. Vossler thinks this has all gone far enough and tries to stop the party by force. Cut Scene: Vossler looks at Basch and asks him if he realizes that he is going up against the whole Empire. Basch says "I do know, All too well" and then his brow furrows and he stands there with an empty look on his face. I have a feeling he doesn't know, and that he doesn't understand what is going on. ----- BOSS: Vossler (x15d) ----- GAMBITS: [ally:any > raise] [ally: HP < 40% > cura] - Send in 2 healers and keep Fran in. - Keep Fran in her berserk state and keep her healed. You can't control her during this battle. - Defeat the Vossler's helpers before attacking him. - Cast the new Esper to attack Vossler and it should kill him. It is listed under the Mist ability on the Tank that you purchased it from. Note your character that purchased the Esper must have full MP to summon him. ----- End: VOSSLER ----- Vossler falls and says "gasp, gasp, guttural sounds." Cut to the main deck of the Dreadnaught Leviathan an all the sirens are going off. The nethicite is draining all of its power. Vossler says that he was always trying to do the best for Dalmasca. Vossler turns Ashe-sitting duty over to Basch. Basch doesn't know what to say so he just runs away with Vossler crouching there like he is ready to run the 100 meter dash. Vossler looks bad but not on his deathbed; Basch may have been able to carry him back to an escape pod. Ghis' ship, the Dreadnaught Leviathan, makes this sound like the DC metro pulling into the station and then implodes on itself sending out a layer of gooey, buttery fire. All the other ships in the fleet are taken out by the resulting fireball. Balthier and party escape via a stolen imperial craft. Penelo, looking like a gelfling, asks "what's that?" It is the dawn shard trying to sneak away from all the carnage that it wrought. Balthier turns the ship around to pick it up. Use the save crystal. ----------------------------------- ACT II ---------------------------------- Fade in to the candle and the "Special Edition Brady Games Ivalice History and Plot Guide." I have narrowed it down, it is the Marquis who is narrating all of this. All of the Empire's 8th fleet was lost by that nethicite explosion. In light of that blow to the Empire, the Marquis readies the resistance. Meanwhile, Ashe returns to Rabanastre to play super secret, super hiding princess so she can further build up the resistance. They will need to be strong because we know that if Fleet No. 8 blew up, there has to be at least 7 more just as strong. Did you just see that math I did? Crane shot of the Arcadian Capitol's buildings and cars. It actually looks like one of those 1950s educational films about how transportation will look in the year 1988. The Imperial Senate discusses the aftermath of the Leviathan explosion. The Empire was actually hard hit by this explosion. Furthermore, it was Vayne's ambitious deployment of that fleet that is putting the Empire in a precarious position now. The Senate urges the Emperor to punish him. Furthermore, the Senate suggests that Larsa be the next Emperor. They say that Larsa's efforts to undo the problems Vayne causes prove that he would make a good Emperor. That and he is a really good speller. The Emperor agrees to remove Vayne from Dalmasca and put him back in Arcadia for time-out. Ashe stands looking out among some cloudy cliffs. Stop right there because that is an almost copy and paste of a famous painting by 19th centry German painter named Caspar David Friedrich. It is shocking how similar the two are. The painting is called "Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog" and depicts a lone figure escaping the craziness of urban life in order to contemplate on the raw, scary, awesome power of nature. It seems like Ashe would be trying to do the same thing at this point in the story and I think that is why the designers used this artwork as their model. To see a side by side comparison of the game and the 200 year old painting go to: www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177 Ashe turns around and is startled to see her husband's ghost. He gives her the Dawn Shard back then disappears. Vayne comes walking up and is all "hey, ah... would you like to get a bite of coffee; I mean a coffee cup meal, the cup of coffee some time?" Back at the party's super secret hideout, Ashe is staring forlornly at her wedding ring. Wow, is a side effect of Deifacted Nethicite and increase in suppleness and fullness because Ashe looks like she just leveled up with a +2 breast size. Basch finally puts all the complicated pieces together to realize that it was "the Dawn Shard that brought down the Imperial Fleet." Balthier condescendingly mocks him by saying "You know your stuff." Basch recants a similar explosion. The Nabrudians (Ashe's husband's homeland) used the Midlight Shard to stop the invading Imperial Army. It killed everyone - and been a solemn subject ever since. The Imperials were invading to get that Midlight Shard. It seems as if all the past invasions by the empire were to get the various shards. They surmise that Vayne is trying to collect them in order to harness their destructive power. Currently, he has the Midlight Shard. Vaan gave the Empire the Dusk Shard when he handed it over to Judge Ghis in the Dreadnaught Leviathan (which he stole from the palace). Ashe holds the only one left - the Dawn Shard. To further build suspense, Balthier reminds that the Empire has the technology to manufacture this stuff. Ashe gets this really bad idea to use the Dawn Shard against the Empire. She recites a poem that seems to justify Dalmasca's right to use weaponized nethicite. I think it was by Machiavelli. Long pause as the clan thinks of a way to tell Ashe she is wrong without using the word "fascist." Changing the subject, Fran suggests that they all go see the Garif people who may know how to use it. Balthier will escort Ashe to these people but asks for her wedding ring as payment. Balthier will give it back when he "finds something more valuable." -- Shopping List -- - Levels: 16 - Visit the Clan Provisioner moogle named Montblanc to receive the rewards owed to you. - Stop by the Gambit shop and get everything they have - you never know when you are going to need a special gambit and they are only 50 gil each. - Upgrade your armor and weapons - Be sure to have Aero black magick. - If you need gil, go back to Ogir Yensa Sandsea and chain those sand people When you are ready to proceed go out the southern exit of Rabanastre. _____________________________________________ | Giza Plains in the Rain (x16) | THRONE ROAD > NOMAD VILLAGE > TOAM HILLS > STARFALL FIELD So the rain really does fall mainly on the plain. In fact this area used to be the dried sandy area we charged the Sunstones. However, the rainy season has made this land come to life. THRONE ROAD Watch out because a powerful Elemental floats around mad as hell and if it sees you, it will approach and probably kill your party instantly. If you happen to see one, just pick up and run - even if you are in the middle of a fight. NOMAD VILLAGE Use the save crystal here. Talk to the only nomad left in the village, his name is Sadeen and he will tell you that he is looking for his lost ring. The ring was taken by a Croakadile. He offers you a reward if you can retrieve it. TOAM HILLS At an important crossing sits a monster that must be the result of a late night game-developer drink fest: part frog, part crocodile: Croakadile. He can be brutal to fight but here are some tips: - Set your casters to Blind and slow him - When he is both blind and slow, use the Esper against the Croakadile - Then use every quickening you have. - Attack with 2 brawlers and 1 caster to keep him slow. After defeating it, return to the nomad village to save and talk to Sadeen to get a goody bag with 1200 gil. Head south to Ozmone Plane. _____________________________________________ | Ozmone Plane (x17) | Pan shot of the entire plane and the title card comes up "Ozmone Plane." The music sounds ALMOST like it was done by Aaron Copeland. Cross through as follows: FIELD OF FALLEN WINGS > THE SWITCHBACK > HAULO GREEN I suggest just running through this area as the monsters are super hard and like to gang up on the clan. _____________________________________________ | Jahara - land of the Garif (x18) | BANKS OF THE SOGOHT > LULL OF THE LAND > THE ELDERKNOLL BANKS OF THE SOGOHT Go to the moogles located to the left of the bridge and buy a Jahara map. That Ozmone Plane map is quite pricy so I skipped it and was never disappointed by my non-purchase. The Garif at the bridge says "No place for Hume-children to play at games." Eesh, check out that Engrish. Time to hire a new localization writer. Hey Square-Enix, I freelance write. Call me, no Engrish will get past my watchful eye - at least the non funny ones won't. The Garif War Chief vouches for the party's warrior cred. His name is Supinelu. Vaan talks but no words come out. I guess Supinelu assumes that we are here to research nethicite. He walks off. Notice that although he is a powerful warrior he still has some rather curvaceous birthing hips. LULL OF THE LAND The Garif village has a very mad-max, post-apocalyptic motif going. All the Garif talk about how noble they are and how some other kid was poking around asking about nethicite. Hmm, poking around that sounds like something our little prince may be up to Stop by the Merchant here and stock up if necessary. THE ELDERKNOLL Go to the far edge of the village and talk to Supinelu again to get the Great-chief. Supinelu can see the party's true intentions and gives us over to the Great Chief. Cut scene: It looks hot in Jahara but it seems the Great Chief still needs a huge bon fire next to him. With nasty elephant man hands, the Chief looks at the nethicite and determines that it has been used. Ashe gets defensive and says "it wasn't me." Ashe then presses further by asking how to use it, just in case. The Chief drifts off into story mode and tells how the gods gave his people the nethicite first. The gods, in their infinite wisdom and infinite Indian-giver ways, took it back from the Garif. The gods gave it to King Raithwall and as we know he used it to make peace among the various kingdoms. Notice how King Raithwall points his sword right at Ashe, signifying her relation to him. I think the chief revels in the irony that even though Ashe is related to Raithwall she does know how to use it. Maybe the gods need to come down and take it from her. He then goes on to tell her that the nethicite is a one shot pistol. All the mist that was in it was used up when it blew up the Dreadnaught Leviathan. Ashe is all "like no way, I totally didn't get use it even through my grandpa said I could have it." It takes a long time for it to suck up all the mist required to make it useful for tyrants. It looks like Ashe is holding a mini watermelon. All of a sudden it is a first person shooter as someone approaches the Chief's tent. Larsa swishes his way up to the Chief's tent and he is all "Hello Bitches!" Damn those home schooled kids get it easy. Larsa tells Ashe that the Marquis is readying the resistance for a fight against the Empire. As a preventive measure, Ashe should go to see the Grand Kiltias (the spiritual leader of Ivalice) so that he can crown Ashe queen. As queen, she will have the power to tell the Dalmascans not to attack the Empire. Larsa seems pretty reasonable here, considering he is from the Empire and wants to stop an invasion. Ashe doesn't take to all this talk of peace and treaties and she kind of wants a big showdown with the Empire. Larsa warns her that if there is a war, Vayne will use the stolen Dusk Shard to nuke Rabanastre. Larsa says "take me as you hostage." This would make Larsa prisoner to Ashe who is currently being kidnapped by Balthier. It is night now and Ashe leaves the Great Chief's tent. As she is walking back to her tent she sees Rosler's ghost again. As she nears, she realizes that it is just Vaan (whose hair is looking extra feathery tonight). Now you may think because Ashe sees someone she loves juxtaposed over Vaan that this may be the start of some sort of crush, romance, or some high school level chemistry, but get over it. That chance at romance is killed by Vaan bringing up his dead brother again. This talk illustrates the many parallels between Ashe and Vaan's lives. Except Ashe would never use the phrase "I want to be a sky pirate." Vaan says he has moved on from Empire hating. Maybe it is time Ashe did the same. I mean, it will prevent nethicital warfare. The next morning, Ashe tells Larsa that she will follow him to Mt. Bur- Omisace to see the Kiltias. The rest of their discussion is so stiff and forced it sounds like two automated telephone operators having a conversation. This is supposed to be a big change for Ashe's character but is it really that hard of a choice knowing that when you get there she will be anointed queen. Cripes, I would walk half way to Montana just to be nominated for Mayor of Flagstaff. Larsa says that he has someone he wants her to meet waiting at Bur-Omisace. Let me tell you, as soon as it is know that you are single everyone and I mean everyone tries to set you up. Vaan wonders about the kid's secrets. You better watch yourself Larsa, we killed the last guest who disagreed with us. Balthier has another excuse why we can't use his airship. Basch accuses Balthier of helping Ashe just to get a hold of the nethicite. Balthier promises him that he has no intention to. Then, as he walks away, Balthier pushes against the fourth wall again when he refers to this as a story and himself as a leading man. _____________________________________________ | Ozmone Plane to Golmore Jungle (x19) | -- Shopping List -- Levels: 17 Go talk to the moogle with the red balloon and he will give the party a free chocobo ride, use it to get you quickly to Golmore jungle. HAULO GREEN > THE SWITCHBACK > THE GREENSNAKE (greensnake is east of THE SWITCHBACK) > FIELD OF LIGHT WINDS (NE of GREENSNAKE) > SUNLIT PATH (Southeast of FIELD OF LIGHT WINDS) SUNLIT PATH Cut scene: Basch and Ashe talk about the alliance between Dalmasca and the Empire. If Ashe signs a peace treaty, she is worried she will appear as a flip-flopper and weak on terrorism, I mean weak on the Empire. Basch says he does not worry about the shame, it would mean that he is saving lives. Basch says that there is hope of peace between the Empire and Dalmasca. Then pan over to Vaan, Penelo, and Larsa playing, singing Kumbaya and saying things such as "we are such good friends despite the nations in which we were raised and the economic castes we were born into" and then they end it with "BFF!" Dear Final Fantasy XII cut scene director: If you have a scene about political infighting among the judiciary branch (which is already boring) don't make it even less interesting by hiding all the actors behind masks. I am just going to cover this scene in bullet points because this one is super dull. - Judge Bergan (The one with the peacock frill helmet and labia collar) gets a military hard-on for Vayne's impressive troop deployment. - Judge Drace (the female with chrome Princess Leia buns) says not so fast the last judge (Zecht) to have a man-crush on Vayne disappeared in a Nethicite explosion during the battle of Nabudis. - Judge Zargabaath (the one with the razor sharp pig tails) says stop gossiping Bergan. - Judge Gabranth (the other one in curls) arrives and says "staff meeting in 10 minutes." - Judge Bergan gossips (again) that Larsa's mission to influence Ashe into a ceasefire may buy the Empire time to build up their defenses. Who is Larsa working for? I am sure that the designers were trying to use the armor to signify the secrecy and hidden agendas of the judges but this looks downright goofy. In reality all the judges should be standing around saying "What? I can't hear you, take your helmet off.", "did you just say I have beer on my face?", "oh you mean Larsa is in Bur-Omisace." _____________________________________________ | Golmore Jungle (x20) | PICTURE OF WELCOME TO THE JUMGLE Status ailments will come aplenty in the Golmore Jungle, make sure all of your casters have the [ally: any > ensuna] gambit setup near the top. PATHS OF CHAINED LIGHT > THE NEEDLEBRAKE PATHS OF CHAINED LIGHT First, get the map urn by following the path that leads east from the entrance. Turn down the first right (it leads south). Run down the stairs and the urn will be just west of the last step. From the urn, travel east until you reach the eastern most part of PATHS OF CHAINED LIGHT. Proceed down this path into... THE NEEDLEBRAKE Traveling south, continue past the opening on your left. However, the next left will have the force field. There are other force fields in the Golmore Jungle but only this one will trigger the cut scene. Cut Scene: Fran says "The jungle denies us our passage." Ashe says "what have we done?" - guilty conscience Ashe? Fran storms off and all bitchy like. She tells Balthier that he has been caring too much about the nethicite - I think this is code for "you hang out with your friends more than you have been with me." She waves her finger around like she is in a rave and a grass field expands in front of her. She tells the party to talk to the Vierra (Fran's people, or Fran's rabbits, or whatever) so that they can get past that force field. Yup, we are going into babe city. Now, judging by all the forum posts about what they want to do to her thong and what they want to stick in her ears, Fran has a pretty big nerd following. However, I have a hard time getting it up for a character that I know was designed by a bunch of otaku game artists during a late night character design meeting. Every time I catch myself staring at her digital rack I get these pictures in my mind of fat Japanese guys with pork ramen stains down their shirt drawing pictures of her in their Hello Kitty notebooks. That is the reason I am an Ashe guy: I have a feeling she was just modeled after the cute secretary at the front office. Fran will not be going with the clan, she is an outcast. It is probably because of her relationship with Balthier. Proceed down the path to continue to Eruyt Village. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up but I think visiting Fran's home world is probably our best bet to see some partial nudity that the ESRB promised us. _____________________________________________ | Eruyt Village (x21) | ROAD OF VERDANT PRAISE > THE SPIRITWOOD > THE FANE OF THE PATH Vaan leads the party through the secret passage and into Eruyt Village. Their mission is to bring Mjrn (which sounds nothing like it is spelled) back to the entrance so Fran can talk to her. A couple OF moogle merchants enter Eruyt village. Nestled in a deep forest, the Eruyt Village is just a timeshare that is co-owned by the Ewoks, Wookies, and Donkey Kong. www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=143 ROAD OF VERDANT PRAISE Get the following Spells from the Moogles - Berserk - Float - curaga Now if you have heard the urban legend that women who live together sync their cycles, you can rest assured that it is true after visiting Eruyt Village. Don't expect more than a raised white eyebrow when you try to talk to them. Travel north along the catwalks to locate the Vierra town hall. THE FANE OF THE PATH Cut scene: When the clan arrives in the town hall they all gawk like tourists saying to themselves things like "wow look at this bridge", "ah look at that tree," and "so this is what Switzerland is like." Vaan asks for Mjrn. A woman comes out of one of the nearby huts and tells the party to leave. Vaan gets real stern with the woman telling her they are not leaving until they see Mjrn. Now you may be thinking to yourself "boy Vaan's character arc is coming around and he is actually taking a leadership role" - but it is more of his sexual frustration speaking. I would be in the same mood if I found out that the fabled home of a super-sexy super-race was actually just full of xenophobic lesbians. Vaan then says "Fine we will find her ourselves" - starting with a thorough search of the bathhouses. Fran arrives to tell the party that Mjrn is not in the village but demands to know where she went. Jote doesn't tell her but instead lays a big guilt trip on Fran for leaving the wood. Jote then raises her arms, kicks up a small whirl wind, and tells the clan that she went west. Fran says something really convoluted but it boils down to "you can take the Viera out of the Eruyt but you can't take the Eruyt out of the Viera." Balthier compliments Vaan on his pirate-like negotiation skills. Larsa thinks that Jote's cryptic message was referring to the Henne Mines and recommends we go investigate. On their way out, Vaan asks Fran now old she is. Set eyeballs to roll mode... ok... now roll them. Dumb Vaan doesn't know you don't ask a girl her age. Ha Ha Lets go. _____________________________________________ | Henne Mines (x22) | LEVELS Recommended for the Henne Mines: 17 for all characters Return to the Golmore Jungle. If you encounter a Treant, use Aero spell to really damage it. This is a good area to level up. Target the Panthers and Malboros. When you are ready, proceed north through NEEDLEBREAK > PATHS OF CHAINED LIGHT. Use the save crystal in SUNLIT PATH and talk to the two soldiers. Offer up the potion and get a chocobo in return. You need it to access the hidden path to the mines. Take the Chocobo through SUNLIT PATH > FIELD OF LIGHT WINDS > THE SHRED FIELD OF LIGHT WINDS To get to THE SHRED run along the southern wall of FIELD OF LIGHT WINDS. Turn left at the white flowers, there is a chocobo standing there. Continue south from there. NORTH ENTRANCE Cut scene: Along the grassy entrance to the cave lie dead soldiers and civilians. Larsa asks "what were researchers doing here?" Balthier replies "Research" and I can't figure out if it was sarcastic or mournful. Dismount the Chocobo and enter the mines. NORTH ENTRANCE > PITHEAD JUNCTION A > PHASE 1 SHAFT > PITHEAD JUNCTION A > PHASE 1 DIG > CROSSOVER A > CROSSOVER B > PITHEAD JUNCTION B > CROSSOVER A > CROSSOVER B > STAGING SHAFT NORTH ENTRANCE Henne Mines has a bit of an Art Nouveau style to it. If you have ever seen those Metropolitain subway signs in Paris you will know what Art Nouveau looks like. See the following link for an images of this. www.gameintestine.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=144 Proceed south and stop at the switch, the map indicates it with gears. Press it. Continue down the right path and read the notice posted on the wall. The switch will toggle between blue and red doors. PITHEAD JUNCTION A Talk to the guard then look for a second switch located in the junction. Before you hit it ensure that your party is ready for an ambush by casting protect on everyone. Set the following gambits: Caster: [enemy: any > oil] [enemy: oil > fire] Tank: [enemy: oil > fire] Hit the switch and jellys fall from the sky and will continue to come in multiple but finite waves. If your party is looking ragged, run out of the zone and get your party healthy again before returning to the fight. PHASE 1 SHAFT After defeating the jellys, heal your party and then head south to get the map. You will be ambushed again but this time by bats. You can fight them or just dash in, get the map, and then escape. PHASE 1 SHAFT Go back to the pithead junction A, press the switch and go west and then south through PHASE 1 SHAFT PHASE 1 DIG Work your way through the winding shafts towards the exit on the east. As you proceed, keep a lookout for the many treasure chests scattered throughout this zone. CROSSOVER A Follow the tunnel north. In the hallway is a powerful T-rex. Why, you may ask, is a dinosaur down here? Because, dinosaurs love mines. That's why archeologists have to dig so deep to uncover them. To defeat him get all the spell casters to shoot Aero at him. Don't worry about the bats,