Part 34: Update 32 – Mount Kazai

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It's hard to imagine that this was a volcanic area covered in lava at one time.

Okay, let's get this out of the way now. This is a volcano:



It is, essentially, a hole in the planet's crust through which magma leaks, and thus makes no sense whatsoever in a world of floating islands.

What is that thing?!



Normally I wouldn't try to argue about science and logic in a world made entirely of floating islands, but come on. It doesn't even work if you assume there's some giant sack of magma inside the mountain, because the actual cone-shaped part of a volcano only exists because of layers upon layers of solidified magma.

What?! It looks like a huge bird!



Bluheim?

Yes, Bluheim was the Blue Gigas. It looks like Bluheim was trapped in the lava and encased in stone.

If that thing ever got free, we'd be in trouble. The Gigas that you faced so far couldn't fly. I can't imagine how tough this one would be.

We should secure the Blue Crystal as soon as we can! Let's go!





Anyway, here's the inside of the impossible volcano. While we're on the subject, it also doesn't make any sense for it to be flooded, because the only entrance to Mount Kazai is above the clouds. Underwater movement is a bit on the slow side, but there's no random encounters so on the whole it's not nearly as bad as it could be.



Everything in this dungeon revolves around this central room with the giant pit leading into the depths. Presumably this was the main vent when this was, somehow, an active volcano.







And here's our mission. We have to find four of these stone switches to flood the giant central vent. The first one here is a gimmee, while the remaining three each get a side room to themselves.



The second switch is through a simple underwater passage, with a hidden underwater turning concealing this, the Zivilyn Bane chest of the dungeon.





And there's switch number two. The pit is now half full.



By the way, see these guys? They're a blue reskin of the Salamanders from the Temple of Pyrynn, and despite their new looks they're still fire based and cast Red spells. Honestly, I think this entire dungeon was just designed to fuck with my head. Their bizarre elemental affiliation also gives them just enough resistance to survive a Lamba Burst .



Switch room number three. The switch we want is the far one, but we can't get to it from here.





Fortunately, the other switch has a ramp leading up to it, and the brown blocks float on water, thus opening the path to the switch we want. After that it's just a quick underwater jog back to the start and a straight path to the switch. Hard puzzles, y'all.



The final switch room is a simple test to see if you can work out which hole to jump into to get to the switch. Despite spending several minutes peering into each one before jumping I still managed to bugger it up the first time.





I got it right the second time, thus finding the fourth and final switch and completely flooding the central pit.





After that there's nothing to do but take the plunge.



It's a long, long way down, into the inky blackness that could crush Vyse and his suit like a bag of marshmallows.



Wait. What? What? At the bottom of a ten billion gallon tank there's a tiny little stream flowing out? With that kind of pressure behind it you should be able to chisel diamond with this stream . How did the pit even stay full in the first place? Of all the nonsensical things in this level, this is the one that makes the least sense. My mind is now officially boggled. My lid, she is flipped.



Anyway, climbing the rope is a shortcut back to the central chamber, along with the sole Moonfish of the level. This level is bizarrely sparse on collectables – it contains a single Moonfish, two chests and one Cham. That's less goodies than most towns have hidden. On the whole it's not really a very big dungeon – there's the central chamber with the three side rooms on the top level, and the bottom level here is really just a straight corridor to the end.



That's not to say it's uneventful, or undefended. See those statues on either side of the door?



Yeah, they attack you when you try to go through. These enemies are...strange. They seem to have a very, very high chance of inflicting Petrify with their attacks, but according to the otherwise completely accurate site I'm reading they should inflict Driln with regular attacks and have a special attack named Furimun that inflicts Petrify, so I have no idea what's going on here. Something lost in translation perhaps? Anyway, they're not too tough if you just keep on top of status cures.



In the next corridor we have a choice. We can either ignore the switch here and go right on through the door, or with a little bit of playing with the water level...



Open up a path at the top of the room instead and go through to the next room from there. Why would we do that?



That's why. If we weren't taking the high road we would have had to fight every single one of those statues, which would have been incredibly slow and boring.


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On to the Moon Crystal! Maybe if we just run by here and...





Nope. Too bad, Tortigar Time.





Hoo boy. Tortigar is the boss of Mount Kazai, and he is a complete asshole. He's not tough, just designed to be as annoying as possible.







Yeah, his Steelskin ability cribs from Aika and makes him totally invincible for a turn. That's seriously, seriously annoying because he will do this a lot, and damaging him is hard enough at the best of times due to him having a ton of HP and defence. But hey, if a few rounds of attacks get negated, you just have to keep the pressure on, right?



Nope, he knows Sacrulen too, completely undoing all your progress. Fuck you, Tortigar.



Bearing all that in mind, I decided to just drop the moon on him. If he'd used Sacrulen again after that I would probably have broken something, by which I mean have would have reset and recorded it again in an effort to keep the battle to a reasonable length. Thankfully, he died instead.



With him out of the way, there's nothing standing between us and the crystal of unlimited power. I'll add it to the pile.



Vyse, that's another Crystal, you know what that means... it's time to celebrate!

Actually, let's include Fina on this one!



Aww, don't worry about it! Just give it a try!













Alright! With the third Moon Crystal safely in our possession, it's time to head on back to Yafutoma and tactfully explain to the king that no, he can't actually have it back.





Mikado: You are the first to make it back alive from the depths of Mount Kazai. How can I repay you for risking your lives to recover it?

Well... as we mentioned earlier, we were wondering if it would be alright if we borrowed it.

Mikado: Hmm... But it is the symbol of royal succession... I would like to keep it in my possession at least while you remain in Yafutoma.



Vyse, do you remember what happened the last time someone totally trustworthy got their hands on a Moon Crystal? And the time before that? Work those pattern recognition skills, boy.

Symbol of royal succession, huh? That makes sense why they want to keep it. Moegi... you're Lord Mikado's daughter, right? So does that make you the successor to the throne?



......



Mikada:Let us begin the preparations for the feast! Make yourselves at home and enjoy the festivities!

Alright! That's more like it! I can't wait to see the gourmet cooking of Yafutoma!

We would be honored to join you, especially Aika.

......





NOTHING CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG.



Thank you for escorting us.

That was some of the best food I've ever had.

And for some reason, I pictured those eating- sticks to be much bigger. It took me a while to get used to them, though.

I am very happy that you enjoyed yourselves.







Muraji: I will be sure and take care of it when it is passed on to me as soon as Moegi and I are married...

I will never marry you! And as long as Daigo is alive, you'll never be king!

Muraji: Have you forgotten that "Prince" Daigo has been exiled for treason? Heh heh... I find it very unlikely that a traitor could ever become king.

Moegi...?







If you insist on insulting her, then you will have to deal with me!



No, we think we can push you around because you're a weasel-faced, cowardly little twerp .

Muraji: I'm going to tell my father on you!



Oh, and Muraji's little running animation is hilarious, by the way.



I'm sorry you felt that you had to defend me like that... I didn't mean to put you in that position...

No no... That's quite alright. Where I come from, we have codes of honor on how a lady, such as yourself, should be treated. Well, honestly, not many people follow that code anymore.

Prince Enrique...

But, Muraji spoke of an exiled prince... Do you know what he was talking about?



...It, it is nothing. If... if you'll excuse me, I will be returning to my quarters. Pleasant dreams...











I'm not sure I've ever played a game that uses expressions to communicate between characters quite as effectively as this one. It really is quite extraordinary.



Hahaha... Well, what have we here?

Muraji: Eeek! Who... who are you?!





Well, well, look who it is. I guess the Armada haven't quite learned what happens when you mess with the Blue Rogues. I guess we can find time for a quick reminder next time, but now I'm off to the beach to jump up and down on the baby turtles. Fuck you, Tortigar.

See you next time!

Video list
Mount Kazai
Tortigar