Part 68: The Volcanoes of Ivalice

Update 68: The Volcanoes of Ivalice

In This Update:
- We witness an anime murder.
- And a spot of intercontinental travel!

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This quest is either pure world-building or the writers really wanted to portray a couple badass warriors.


I admit they did pick a scenic spot for it.


Name a better place for a bitter duel, really.


We're not taking anyone's place in the duel, we're not here to save a life, we're strictly observers.

I mean, you could break the law and heal one of them, or even attack, but... might as well let it play out, yeah?


We're locked to sending one unit, and I think Samuel is the best choice. Because, uh, I don't actually have a good reason. Also, take Regenga, it helps.


This is Grant, our client's mentor.

: Today we'll prove once and for all who's the strongest!


And here's Ward, Grant's great rival.

: I should have known only you would call me out here for such a frivolous reason. Wasn't your loss in the clan tourney proof enough?

: Bah! Your clan may have defeated us in the tourney finals...but in the end, that is only a contest between clans. It means nothing to me!



: Fine. If its a contest you want, a contest you shall have! In light of your challenge, I can only assume you believe yourself to have grown stronger since last we met.

: Don't tell me your arm's gone weak from lack of use! I've been training these many years for the sole purpose of defeating you! Now I've a mind to show you just what my efforts have accomplished!

: And I don't want any draws, got it? We fight till one of us lies upon the ground!


It sure isn't a date, Samuel. Though these two should probably go on one already, this tension is killing me.

: Better not interfere. We'll just watch for now.


Both Grant and Ward are level 99, which I guess is why this quest is rank 99. Henri had more abilities at level 25 than Grant does.


The most important factor is just how much HP these guys have. They're seriously tanky.




Seriously, all we need to do is watch these two duke it out. Technically Grant is an ally, but that doesn't really matter.


I'll be skipping Samuel's turns because all he does is hop around.


The reality of FFTA2 battles is that whoever attacks second usually has a better chance of getting a back attack. But, between two AIs, it depends on whoever decides to be smart that day.


As with the other volcano maps, the environment is a hazard. Every two rounds, there will be an earthquake that damages everyone. This is why you should take Regenga.




Grant gets lucky on his attack role, Ward doesn't.


Ranged attack! Smart, Ward doesn't have enough movement to reach Grant's back.


Except Grant is also much faster than Ward and gets a double turn. (Well, Samuel took a turn in between.) That messes up the great positioning.


Fortunately for Grant, Ward doesn't capitalize on the mistake very well.


Round 2 ends and triggers the earthquake.


It's pretty painful! It sends Ward into critical HP, sending him into a Berserk rage.


Dark Fist is the worst possible attack here!


It hurts the caster, albeit for not very much. And it's a 2-panel range, why are you attack his front, Grant?


Excellent, they're both Berserk now.


But this seems to be decisively in Grant's favor now.


Ward is trying, but his damage just can't keep up.


Grant ends it.



: Your blade doesn't cut nearly as fast as it once did. Bah! There's no joy in winning like this.



: If the bangaa's opponent is "weak" now, how strong was he before...?


If Ward wins, you still complete the quest successfully. As far as I know, he says something about Grant being as weak as always.

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Our next handful of quests is actually one of the quest lines that we've voted for previously. The quests themselves are quite short, but there are seven of them.


We've actually completed the first three already, but we're free to complete them again.


These are the Stamp Quests, where you visit each location and collect stamps.


They remind me of visa stamps, but that's not quite right.


I'm sure there's a real-world equivalent to this, but what comes to my mind is elongated pennies.

Edit: It's come to my attention that collecting stamps from locations like this is actually pretty popular in Japan. There's a similar thing in the US, where the National Parks Service has "passports" that you can stamp at each national park. Thanks, The Golux and kw0134!


Each quest ends with collecting the Wayfarer's Log for those locations. The text is the same as the quest description, with an extra section with a cool fact about one of the regions!


These are really designed to be dispatch quests, and I probably should have done them that way.


But as I've mentioned before, I don't like dispatch quests.


You're basically guaranteed to fail all but the easiest dispatches, in my experience, due to how random they are.


And anyway, these missions are easy enough that you don't need to dispatch them. Just be slightly thoughtful about where you accept the mission and you'll be fine.


Completing the Lands of Loar gives us the Brown travel log. Oddly, I don't recall many bandits between Bisga Greenlands and Graszton.


This is the last one of the ones we completed already. You really don't need to see me visit the three towns, do you?


Reiglard Forest is the location of the stamp in Moorabella. No, the quest doesn't take you to new locations if you take it again.

Knowing Moorabella, there's probably the ruins of some awful alchemical accident prowling through those woods.


The first new one, Seas of Ordalia, takes us to across the ocean.


I think this makes sense, warmer water should be able to absorb more salt. We don't really interact with the sea much in this game.


You know, this makes me curious: what counts as a wonder here?


I have no idea what a zegrot is, but the description reminds me of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. Or it could be a reference to monoliths like Stonehenge.

UPDATE! Forums poster lobster22221 pointed out that "zegrot" is similar to the Dutch for cave -- Google Translate gives "sea cave" for "zegrots", in fact. Giant stones? Not at all. But still an interesting fact.

On a related note, "Jylland" is the Danish for "Jutland," the peninsula that Denmark is on. Perhaps Ivalice is based on northern Europe?


I'll admit I'm enough of a nerd to find mines cool, and obviously magicite is very important in Ivalice. So presumably this is a highly magickal area with lots of beautiful vistas, or something.


In Kthili Sands, it's the Wizard D'Tidle. It's a wonder she's still around.


Strong doubt here. We had a whole part of the main quest line about Vaan and Penelo being accused of stealing gems. Unless that was just more magicite? Hard to say!

But gemstones have important uses in various aspects of engineering and science, and I expect the moogles would have uses for some of them.


Obviously, after the wonders of Ordalia, we have to check the wonders of Loar.


I really wish we knew more about the Ruins of Delgantua. It's a whole area filled with spectacular, large-scale ruins, like a giant, crumbled city or palace. But it's only ever a set piece.


I suppose it has a fantastic view of the ocean? I imagine it's rather like the Cliffs of Dover.


Confession: I routinely confuse the Aldanna Range and the Rupie Mountains. They're right next to each other!


I also keep forgetting they aren't directly connected, due to the mountain range. I wish I could see this view, but I bet the hike is brutal.


This has come up a few times. One of our first bounty missions was hunting Gilmunto the Nidhogg in the Aldanna Range, and its mutations due to Mist were mentioned. It also exploded into Mist.


The seventh and final quest in this chain takes us all around the globe. I had expected a stop in Jagd Zellea, honestly. (Even I would dispatch that.)


Was this forgotten by people? Or are these locations that rarely host quests?


For example, I only recall a couple quests here.


Here, too. This one hosts a monster battle, I think.


On the other hand, we spent half of the last update here!


I'm really happy to hear effort goes into restoring the ruins! It's undoubtedly an important archaeological site.

And I'm a huge nerd who likes antiquity and ruins, OK?

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Now I'm sure you're wondering: what was the point of doing those seven quests?


Signed, "Old Man Boiboi," Memories is the payoff for collecting the Wayfarer's Logs.


This is Old Man Boiboi.




I am including screenshots instead of transcribing his dialogue because he is dramatic and I kind of love it.


Seriously, look at him. So much emotion with just a little spritework.


And then he just runs up in your face! He's extra.

: Merely gazing upon it was enough to take me back!

: And...you lost it?


DRAMATIC TURN!


Pensive step!

: So it's not lightly that I'd ask another for theirs... Ach, if only I had the strength or spirit to get one myself...

: (I'd say you've got spirit in spades...)


HEAD BOWED WITH SORROW!


HOPEFUL ABOUT-FACE!


Then, collapse, as if weak with joy.

: Never did I dream that I'd become acquainted with so many new wayfarer's memories...and at my age! 'Tis a thing to be thankful for...aye, that it is.


And here's why doing all seven is a good idea. The reward changes based on the number of logs you give, with Eureka Crystal at 5 and Grimoire Stone at 6. After you get the Ribbon, 7 logs will earn you more Grimoire Stones. The other rewards aren't very interesting.

You may be wondering: how did Old Man Boiboi lose his logs in the first place?


Personally, I had assumed it was just due to old age forgetfulness. But if you take Memories again, you learn a little more.


It starts off the same way as before.


He's just as dramatic, too.

: Erm... There is something I needs must tell you... You see, that which you so generously gave me...is gone.

: Whenever I see a wayfarer's log, I recall the halcyon days of youth...and a girl I once knew. Well, my wife doesn't like that too much, and whenever she sees one, she throws it out!

: (I knew there was more to this story...)

: Oh, I love my wife, and she knows it. But memories are important too, eh?

: You're in luck, because that's why I'm here.

The rest of the quest follows as before.

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Well, here we are. This was another six missions down, though we ended up doing nine total. And yet this still ended up being a short update!

Next time: the last of the filler missions.