Part 44: Episode XL: Wastes

Episode XL: Wastes

Music: Dead Sea


Gee...why they said "Dead Sea" I didn't think it would be taken so literally. The frozen wasteland has its own world map. Not that the location is particularly large, content wise. But, it does take up around a tenth of El Nido's total real estate. So, it's just there to drive home the fact this place is HUGE.


A bit east of Death's Door is the highway ruins... Getting a familiar vibe yet...? Yeah...Final Fantasy XIII shamelessly ripped off this joint. Buncha hacks.


The highway offers a fairly linear route through the raised platforms leading north. Luckily, there is enough stable concrete from the road to make a sturdy path past the wreckage below.


This area is populated by strange yellow spirits that wander aimlessly around the stopped landscape. They do not seem to have much interest at all in Lynx's party disturbing the peace.


Some do, however, take issue with him try to fuck with their car. Hey, it may be a futuristic frozen anomaly with some major time-space dilation going down. But even then, that is no excuse to fuck with a man's vehicle.


The shades in question are called "Geos" and really do not put up much of a fight if provoked. Indeed, they usually just cause a status effect or two before going down. Curious.


The northern stretch of the highway offers something slightly more aggressive than the passive specters milling about.


Meet the Highwayman...known as Kevin by his friends (no...really...his Japanese name is "Kevin".) Highwayman is an...annoying fight. Before getting into it with him I'd highly suggest allocating some elements which negate black status effects. If you don't own any of them, then double back out of the Dead Sea, head to Marbule, and stock the hell up.


The mechanical monstrosity attacks using its buzzsaws for about 30-60 HP of damage a hit. Really, its offensive capabilities aren't the annoying part of this fight.




Its ExhaustGas tech is the real nuisance of the battle. It doesn't actually do any damage. Instead, it inflicts the Blindness status effect on the entire party. Blindness will dip physical strike accuracy to under 50% for all levels of attack. This is a very, very annoying thing unless it can be cleared up quickly. Chrono Cross is a game where you can fairly regularly miss a 90+ chance of hitting an enemy Accuracy in the 40s means you cannot hit the broad side of a barn.




Highwayman also has a fairly punishing secondary tech were it does donuts on the pavement and crashes into an ally for a good 250 HP of damage. But, it seldom uses it. Especially, if the party fixes their blindness often.






In any case, decommissioning the road hog will earn the party their 25th Star Level.


Following Kevin's untimely demise, the party is given time to focus on other details in the area. Namely...a bit of scrap metal debris resting next to where the robotic encounter took place...


Johnny...? Johnny!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


With hope for a highway racing mini-game dashed, the party presses further into the conveniently carved out hole in the frozen sea.


Before we move on, here's a full view of the map for the curious.


We're now spit out on the opposite end of the highway and left free to continue further toward the mysterious spire in the center. The Dead Sea world map actually has a few enemies crawling about. Some....rather odd enemies...




Mechanical ducks... Yes, in the future all fowl has been mechanized. A grim fate indeed. Said metal birds are pretty much harmless and are lucky to so much as let out a digitized quack before folding. But, I can't neglect to mention android ducks.


To the north is our final passage before reaching the tower in the form of a ruined block of the city.


Well, a flash frozen tidal wave cannot do much in the way of good for property value. You'll notice the tower to the far west still has a light on. There is a special scene to be had if the party investigates. The tower to the far east also has working electricity. But there is only a pair of Kung Fu Shoes tucked away in there. At least Kung Fu still exists in the far off future of...wherever the fuck we are...


"So many strange things happening here... The power source is still active. I do have knowledge of electrical engineering. Can you give me a minute, sir?"
"You're the boss, Sayid."
"Let's see..."


Norris conducts complicated Science on the computer console until it flickers to life.


"I got no idea what the hell a monitor is...but cool."


"A hedgehog...?"
"It lookz more like une of ze sandzpur t'ingz."
"Aargh! I *hate* stepping on those!"


2300 A.D.
Lithosphere Investigation Report

- Report no. 27 -

[Unknown Life Force, Parasitic to the Planet]
Geological Stratum Result - 65,000,000 B.C.
Code - "Lavos"


"Norris? Can't you download more info about zis world?"
"Ahhh... Yes! One moment, please. I'll just ignore the anachronism about using the term 'download' when computers don't really exist in any widespread form yet."
"Merci."

Norris fiddles with the console a bit more...


And the monitor immediately goes dead after saying two lines. Good work, Norris. Some wizard with technology from 1300 years in the future you are.


"The power supply has gone out. At this rate, we will not be able to gather further information. Damn... We were so close to learning about 'Lavos'..."
"Judging by the screen and what it said, a big space sandspur was underground, rises up in like 1250 years, and blows up stuff. Conclusion: it happens in 1250 friggin' years from now. Who cares?! Let's get moving. This place is freaky."
"We will not be able to find out anything new... Let's proceed."


The party slides down the slippery slopes further toward their goal.


That was the last obstacle in the path toward the ominous tower. Well, mostly...


There are some toxic gas farting gremlins along the path. But they are mostly harmless. Outside the aforementioned poisonous rectal releases, of course.


At the heart of the Dead Sea rests the "Tower of Geddon". Geddon... ARMAGeddon? Get it? Like how the Geno Dome in Chrono Trigger was the GenoCIDE Dome? Oh, those crafty future folk and their shortened name love.


"All this chaos must have spread out from here."


"Ze buildingz seem to have melted into one giant conglomeration. What'z up witt' zis place?"
"Tch... You talk like you've never seen an iced over metropolis from the future frozen in mid-cataclysm before. C'mon... Let's go."






A full view of the Dead Sea overworld.


Dead Sea