Final Fantasy III [GAMES]

I have, very, *very* slowly been working my way through the Final Fantasy series: I finished # 1 in May of 2010 and # 2 in August of 2011!.  This past weekend, I finished # 3.  It was a solid entry to the series, though there wasn't anything spectacular about it.  The main difference was the introduction of a "Jobs" system which is a little bit like a class but the characters are encouraged to change back and forth between various jobs depending on need.  Frankly, I found that too much trouble and tended to mostly stick with jobs as long as possible, as it wasn't clear to me how the game's equivalent of "multiclassing" worked.  The premise of the game is that four crystals of Light need to be recovered to undo a terrible darkness that threatens to destroy the land, and blah blah blah, plots so generic can put me to sleep.  The hardest part of the game was the end:  there's a final dungeon that you can't save in and, after a particular point, can't leave, and you have to fight four end bosses and the then the big final bad guy.  A TPK here means making up for a couple of hours of game time, so I had to grind a bit at the end before making a final push.  I probably invested about 45 hours in the game, but at least now I get to move on to something more fun:  Batman Lego!


Official Time:  39:07:01

Tmeris, Level 59  
Dark Knight Job Level: 99 (Freelancer 23, Warrior 35, Knight 14)
HP: 3409

Eli, Level 60  
Sage Job Level 42 (Freelancer 11, Red Mage 26, Scholar 99)
HP 3243

Persi, Level 60
Devout Job Level 47 (Freelancer 12, White Mage 74)

Talos, Level 60
Ninja Job Level 47 (Freelancer 10, Warrior 25, Knight 45, Dragoon 34)
HP: 3461

The Buffy Comic Project: "Viva Las Buffy! Act 2: Full House"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer # 52 (Dark Horse, Volume 1, 1998-2003)

Creators:  Scott Lobdell (plot), Fabian Nicieza (script), Cliff Richards (pencils), Will Conrad (inks)

Setting:  Between movie and Season 1

T.V./Movie Character Appearances:  Pike, Buffy, Angelus, Quentin Travers, Giles, Gwendolyn Post, Wesley,

Major Original Characters:  Willem Bryardale (Watcher), The Manager (Golden Touch Casino manager)

Summary:  Pike and Buffy have gained employment at the Golden Touch Casino in Las Vegas.  Pike will be working as a valet, while Buffy is a coat-check girl, and together they hope to discover the truth behind the rumor that that there is vampire activity in the area.  Meanwhile, Angelus has been hired by the casino's manager as a personal bodyguard, but the vampire's real mission is to meet the owners of the casino.   Pike witnesses vampire employees of the casino murdering a gambling debt deadbeat, and tries to fight them with little luck until Buffy arrives and stakes them instantly.  Thousands of miles away, in England, Rupert Giles has a run-in with his rival, Willem Bryardale.  Both are being considered for the new role of Watcher for Buffy.  Giles prospects are dimmed, however, by Wesley Wyndham-Price reporting to Quentin Travers that Giles has been researcing forbidden magicks.  Back at the Golden Touch, Pike and Buffy find themselves on the run from several Golden Touch vampires.  Buffy prepares to fight, only to realize that they've already have Pike in their grasp  And as for Angelus: he asks one too many questions and he ends up getting tossed through a doorway . . . and into the past!

Review

I'll start by saying that the interior artwork is gorgeous.  Buffy as a coat-check girl could be a poster.  The idea of getting Buffy and Pike in Las Vegas has been a great one, as it's nice to see some non-Sunnydale, non-Scoobies stories for Buffy.  Pike is characterised as a bit of a weiner here, which I don't remember from previous stories with him.  I also haven't quite figured out Angelus' purpose in the book yet; why he's asking questions, and so forth.  Probably not really needed, especially because the script requires him to narrowly avoid Buffy at every turn.  Some great cameos and callbacks in the Watcher's Council pages:  Gwendolyn Post and Wesley!

Notes

*  A note from editor Scott Allie on the letters page talks about how the comic might not always fit within the continuity established by the show, but that should be a secondary consideration to telling a good story.  I'm not sure the fans agree with this commonly expressed editorial statement . . .

*  Chock-full of Buffy product acts:  the role-playing game, Season Three DVDs, a Dark Horse Comics contest, and a ton of cool collectibles.  This was a golden age for Buffy stuff . . .

Next Issue

Realms Toowoomba Recap # 59 [RPG]

[3 Flamerule 1372 continued]

After leading his companions into victory against the gnolls who defiled a sacred site, Syd summons a unicorn to heal them. The group begins to walk back towards their camp. On the way, Mellia asks Myst (still in Ralkin's body) how he is coping with the loss of his friend Gelkar; Myst replies that he is doing the best he can under the circumstances, especially since the cleric did not wish to be returned to the land of the living. Dolcetto (still in Fargrim's body) asks Mellia if she is sure Cain wishes to be rescued. The red-haired diviner replies that Cain said they should hurry, and, regardless, she owes him.

When the group reach their campsite along the river, the small hawk that had telepathically communicated with Syd earlier changes shape, slowly and with some difficulty, into an elderly half-elf. The figure introduces himself as Kithrin Rei, Heirophant and Yuir-Warden. Rei tells the group that although Thay seems to have abandoned its schemes of conquering other lands by force, it has turned to trade and economic might to expand its influence. Thayan merchants sell magickal weapons and other wondrous devices throughout Faerun, and some of the rare alchemical and other ingredients for these devices are "harvested" by raiding parties of gnolls from ancient, holy areas in the Yuirwood! 

Rei says the intrusions of raiding parties sponsored by the Red Wizards are becoming more and more frequent, and that his energies are waning. He says he is looking for a successor, and implies that Syd could learn much under his tutelage while simultaneously showing his determination to protect nature. Syd responds, however, that he has vowed to help his friends on their current mission. The halfling apologizes profusely for starting the fire in the forest. Dolcetto adds that if the group comes across anyone who might help Rei protect the Yuirwood, they will make clear the urgency of the task.

Rei departs, and the group rests for the night.

Thousands of miles away, in Silverymoon, Markus arrives at the Academy for his rematch against El Capitan just in time to hear the dashing swordsman tell his coterie of female friends a story about dashing into a burning building to save an infant. The crowd is definitely in El Capitan's favour as the duel begins. For this bout, the arena has been laced with a wide variety of mechanical and magickal traps, and the winner is the first duelist to land four strikes on his opponent. Darts, javelins, fire, and more threaten the two fighters as they move across the perilous floor, but in seconds both are trapped in the same pit! Markus takes advantage of El Capitan's inabiity to evade his strikes, and wins the day, much to the dismay of El Capitan's devoted followers. The booming voice of the next swordsman on the Academy's leaderboard, a dwarf named MacBronzebottom, can be heard welcoming a match. MacBronzebottom bets Markus 100 gold that the latter won't even hit him once during their match, and Markus accepts.

[4 Flamerule 1372]

Back on the Aglarondan Peninsula, the adventurers prepare for another day of travel and talk about various things. Mellia reveals to Fargrim that her daughter has been turned to glass by the mysterious figure who is forcing her to find the Crown of Horns, and that she plans to return Cain to Startop Mountain before letting him make any important decisions about his future. Soon, Mellia starts to suspect that her companions whose minds have been placed in different bodies are starting to forget who they are. Dolcetto (in Fargrim's body) says that when she served in the army, it was common charge headlong into the enemy. Fargrim (in Dolcetto's body) has difficulty remembering details about Cain, and talks about his "great love of stone." Ralkin (in Myst's body) says he always loved casting spells. Only Myst (in Ralkin's body) seems unaffected, and he says that his anger after Gelkar's death keeps his memories in place. Annoyed, Mellia quips that the group "will be lucky if we don't end up with a bunch of Multivars!"

The group's multiple channelers of arcane energy summon phantom steeds for the day's ride. Before they go, Ralkin (in Myst's body) casts a permanent spell to sharpen the claws of his real body. The group makes quick speed through the countryside, following the Yuir south and then heading east across the narrow strip of land dividing the Yuirwood and the southern swamps of the Wizard's Reach.

Despite their map indicating that they should be passing through relatively level terrain, the adventurers find that the ground ahead seems to be getting steeper and steeper. Soon, a thick grey fog rolls in and the riders find themselves on a high ridge overlooking a valley below. As the fog roils and shifts, the faint outline of a city can be seen in the distance. Remembering Fargrim's tales of Phynys Muir, "The City of Lost Hope", the group quickly decide to ride back down the slope and find another way east towards Thay. Dolcetto and Myst find themselves drawn to the edge of the ridge, however, and stare at the misty city with longing. Dolcetto says she sees a golden statue in the center of the city, while Myst begins whispering as if in conversation! Both try to persuade the group to ride forward. Mellia says she doesn't see any statue and has no interest in what lays ahead, as she has "bigger fish to fry." Myst, however, responds "I too care little for the statute, but there is something I want: power!" Mellia persuades a reluctant Dolcetto and Myst that the group can come back and explore after they rescue Cain. 

The adventurers ride back the way they came and then south into marshland before once again turning east. Soon they pick up a road, cross another river, pay a small toll at a tax station, and reach the outskirts of Escalant. The city is firmly in the hands of Thay and is the last stop before the border. The adventurers find their way to the large fortress that serves as the headquarters for the Thayan Legion. A long line of petitioners are there waiting for a permit, and a clerk inquires about the adventurers' presence. Mellia explains that the group is on a pilgrimage to the Flaming Brazier where they hope to meet up with an old friend who is a cleric of Kossuth. She says that the others are all "part of her retinue." Syd in particular comes into heavy questioning about his deity. At last, the adventurers are told that they can rest in the fortress' courtyard for the night, along with many other petitioners, and expect an audience with the Legion Commander the next day.

[5 Flamerule 1372]

The hours stretch on until finally, late in the afternoon, the adventurers are led the fortress' narrow corridors to the office of Lord Vicnan Chorster, commander of the Legion's western expeditionary force. Chorster is an imposing figure and eats a greasy meal of some indeterminate meat. He interrogates the adventurers about their purpose in seeking to enter Thay, and why they chose the unusual route of travelling across the Wizard's Reach. He seems to already know that they were seen in Laothkund, and the adventurers soon suspect that an invisible figure is lurking nearby, scrutinizing them carefully. Mellia provides a persuasive explanation that adheres closely to the truth, as she proclaims her growing appreciation for Kossuth and her desire to be reunited with an old friend. Somehow, Chorster knows that the adventurers are carrying several magickal items and says the group will need to donate to the cause of Thay's defence in order to receive a permit. The adventurers retreat to a corner of the room to discuss what should be turned over, with Mellia pushing for more valuable items and Dolcetto suggesting restraint. The group decides to turn over two suits of magickal armor, and an hour later the adventurers have a permit in their hands. As the sun is already starting to set, the group decide to camp for another night in the fortress' courtyard and start again upon the morrow.

Next Recap

Little Bigtoes [RPG]

Little Bigtoes is a memorable character I recently played in a Pathfinder campaign that lasted from around level 5 to level 11.  The concept of Bigtoes can be summed up quickly:  a little gnome with a huge hammer and a predilection for thuggish crime.  His combination of the grossest coarseness and a tiny heart of gold for an alchemist named Rosie proved great fun to role-play.  He was built as a true multiclass Fighter/Rogue, and didn't end up being especially useful in combat until near the end of the campaign when the right combination of feats and class abilities came together.  I developed him mechanically to follow an (unoptimized) strategy as swinging as hard as he possibly could at every opponent he saw, which meant that when it worked, it worked pretty well.  Perhaps his most memorable moment came when a fellow PC ran into a confusion trap and attacked Bigtoes.  Bigtoes swung back, critted, and dropped the fellow stone dead.  The gaming group will laugh about that for a long, long time.  When that campaign came to an end, Bigtoes had saved enough cash to build a house across the street from his mom's so that he and his alchemist sweetheart Rosie could retire in style . . .
-------------------------------------
Little Bigtoes
NE Gnome F6/R5 (FC: Rogue)
Male, 75 years old, 3'6 height, 38 lbs weight, greasy black hair, grey eyes

Str 14 (16): +3
Dex 12 (16): +3
Con 16 (18): +4
Int 12: +1
Wis 12: +1
Cha 15: +2

Hit Points: 106

Speed:  Base 20', with armor 15'

Initiative: +3

AC: 27 (+11 armor, +3 dex, +1 size, +1 amulet of natural armor, +1 ring of protection)  (Touch AC: 15, Flat-footed AC 21)

Saves:  Fortitude +10, Reflex +9, Will +4

BAB: +9/+4, CMB +11, CMD 24

Attacks:  Corrosive Vicious Earthbreaker +1 (Small) (with vital strike and power attack):  +16, d. 2d10+3d6+19 (+4d6 sneak attack) (19-20x3)

Skills:  Acrobatics -1, Appraise +6, Bluff +15, Climb +8, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +10, Disguise +7, Escape Artist -1, Heal +1, Intimidate +21, Knowledge: Engineering +10, Knowledge (Local) +6, Linguistics +5, Perception +10, Ride -1, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +13 (+21 w/mask), Survival +6, Swim +5

Languages:  Common, gnome, sylvan, orc, undercommon

Feats:  Toughness, WF: Earthbreaker, Lunge, Steadfast Slayer, Power Attack, Furious Focus, Vital Strike, Weapon Specialization, Intimidating Prowess, Improved Crit, Devastating Strike, Accomplished Sneak Attacker

Traits:  Dirty Fighter, Unabashed Gall

Magic Items:  Belt of Physical Perfection +2, Earthbreaker +1 (small), Ring of Protection +1, Cure Moderation Wounds Potions (x2), Cure Light Wounds Potions (x3), Heavy repeating crossbow +1 (small), Cure Serious Wounds Potions (x4), +3 Agile half-plate of Comfort, Muleback cords, Potion of Bull Strength, +1 Amulet of Natural Armor, Goggles of Night, Cracked Magenta Ioun Stone, Snakeskin tunic, Haste potion, Burglar's Bracers, Stalkers' Mask, Potions of Bless Weapon (x5)

Savage Worlds and the Explorers Guild [RPG]

The second adventure in my RPG system/genre hopping plan finished over the weekend and was good fun.  This time, the system was Savage Worlds and the genre was 1930s pulp.  The PCs were newly-minted members of the Explorers Guild.  In the first session, the annual meeting of the group was interrupted by a zeppelin attack and the theft of the recently-unearthed Pandora's Box by a masked crew led by the Phantom Marauder!  The PCs, a merchant seaman (and Brooklyn boxer) named Sam, a pacifist scholar named Benjamina, and a dashing swordstress named Victoria, traveled all the way to the deepest jungles of the Amazon in a race to secure a key to Pandora's Box before the Phantom Marauder and his henchmen could get their menacing hands on it.  Along the way, they handled a bomb on their plane, fought river bandits, survived one of their own getting nearly chomped to death by a crocodile (Sam), and then one of their own getting gutted nearly to death by a booby-trapped temple (Sam again!).  But the clever heroes managed to blow up/stab the massive "Crocodile God" of the stereotypical natives and recover the key, thus saving the world from the evils of Pandora's Box.

I used The Eye of Kilquato! scenario as a basis for the adventure, but with plenty of modifications.  I ran it very much in the vein of classic serials and Indian Jones-type movies, with lots of travel montages, cliffhangers, and larger-than-life (if not blatantly offensive) caricatures of foreign cultures.  I think the players had fun with a very different style of gaming, and I thought Savage Worlds was a good fit for the system as it featured just the right amount of mechanics to keep things working without getting in the way of the fun.  It was everyone's first time with it, but I could imagine using it again for other genres.

Next up:  post-apocalyptic mutants run wild in Gamma World . . .

Defenders of the Earth (Marvel 1987)

So apparently, circa 1986, there was a cartoon series called Defenders of the Earth.  It lasted 65 episodes, though I don't think I ever saw it when I was a kid.  The idea was that the heroes of three King Features comic strips, Mandrake the Magician, the Phantom, and Flash Gordon, would team up to defend the planet against the evil Ming the Merciless.  Along with the cartoon and a toy line, Marvel Comics' Star imprint launched an on-going series that only lasted four issues.

In Issue # 1, written by Stan the Man (with an "assist" from Bob Harras), we get a team origin.  Flash Gordon's spaceship crashes on Earth and is found by Mandrake and Lothar.  After escaping from robots sent by Ming the Merciless, Flash warns his rescuers that Ming plans to invade Earth and that his wife and son have been captured.  The heroes decide they need help, and travel to the jungle to recruit . . . The Phantom!  The four fly a spaceship to Mongo and into a space battle, but Mandrake uses his illusions to trick Ming's fleet into attacking his own palace!  Ming flees to a new base on Earth (in the Arctic), but the heroes find that Flash's wife, Dale, is dead (although her soul is trapped in a crystal shard).  There's a lot of kid sidekicks in this issue, but fortunately they're mostly sidelined.  And I still have no idea who Lothar is or what contribution  he makes. . .  [Edit:  Later research reveals he is Mandrake's assistant, is super strong, and, his toy packaging describes him as a "magic ninja of the Carribean".  That's awesome.]

At the beginning of Issue # 2, Flash's wife, Rick, has the bright idea of putting his mum's soul into a computer and naming it "Dynak X."  I wish more people would think of that!  The heroes discuss getting a new HQ (instead of just crashing in Mandrake's mansion), and some allied aliens called the Cryl agree to build a new base dubbed "Monitor."  I'm guessing this is all effectively a prequel to the cartoon, but I still have no idea since I've never watched it.  Anyway, Ming mercilessly intercepts the group's communications and launches an attack on the Cryl spaceship, but Flash and Mandrake save the day.  Ming then attacks Monitor, but the Defenders of the Universe set off an explosion to trick Ming into thinking they're all dead.  I make jokes, but it's not bad for what it is.

I've had Issue # 3 for years and must have purchased it right off the rack.  "It's a rumble in the Jungle!  Brothers vs. Brother" promises the cover, and indeed the story does involve The Phantom going up against his brother, Kurt Walker, to protect the indigenous Bandar people (the people with whom The Phantom usually lives with).  Walker is torqued that he got passed over to be The Phantom, but while trying to steal some jewels from the Bandar he sneaks into an old cave, finds a skeleton wearing a strange costume, and dons it to become the demonic N'Dama!  N'Dama takes over the Bandar village until The Phantom arrives to save the day.  N'Dama ends up seemingly consumed by his own power.  This was effectively a Phantom solo story, but good quality.  If it had been a solo Avengers story, I wouldn't have blinked.

If the previous issue focused on The Phantom, Issue # 4 is all about Mandrake.  Earth's mightiest magician recalls how he found the orphaned boy Kshin, and decides it's now time to initiate the lad in the ways of magic.  He starts by sharing his own origin (family killed by avalanche, saved by monks, excelled in mystical arts, etc.) and then leads Kshin in meditation.  But meanwhile, Mandrake's arch-rival, Dr. Dark, escapes from another dimension (with Ming's aid: super-villain team-up!) and invades the mansion.  Lothar is quickly stunned, and we're treated to a Mandrake vs. Dr. Dark magic duel, which appears on the page in very much a Doctor Strange-style.  Dr. Dark casts a cool spell to tie Mandrake's life force to the flickering flames of a candle, but Mandrake helps Kshin cast a spell to free him.  And then, a cliffhanger:  the Defenders of the Earth discover Ming's plot to rule the word with ice men!  Alas, since it's the final issue, we may never know who prevailed . . .

Overall, these are perfectly serviceable comics, especially for their intended age bracket.  They don't exactly leave me breathless for more, but I know I've read far worse!

Mynock Squadron Recap # 7 [RPG]

[4.6.11 ABY]

Keth awakens to find himself laying on a med-recliner in an empty infirmary.  Finding his clothes and gear nearby, he staggers out into the hallway and soon realizes he must be on a New Republic starship.  A young red-haired officer spots Keth in the corridor and tells him that he's late before hustling him over to a hanger, handing him a datachip with hyperspace coordinates, and pushing him into an old utility shuttle.  A confused Keth follows his instructions and pilots the shuttle out of the hanger bay and into hyperspace.

Meanwhile, in hyperspace, the new members of Mynock Squadron converse about why they joined the New Republic.  Kero says she joined because it was the honourable thing to do and expresses cautious hope that Starfighter Command will be a place where females have equal opportunities to advance as males do.  Stavros is surprised that anyone would express concern about equality in the New Republic and mildly teases Kero about whether she would like to be called "Sir" or "Ma'm".  Tazo-Rhi says she joined because she didn't want a life of research and study like many Cereans; she wanted a life of adventure and service.

The group also discusses what their plan should be for retrieving the New Republic spy operating under the alias of Kors Tanzent.  Waric suggests potentially posing as pirates and "capturing" Tanzent as a hostage; other ideas include sneaking aboard the NIF freighter and disabling its engines before it even leaves the city of Drushar.  Torga suggests she should be given leadership during any ground operations, but Kero quickly rebuffs her.  The final plan agreed upon is that, should an intercept be necessary, Gamma Leader (Stavros & Kero) and Gamma 3 (Waric) will focus on taking down any uglies escorting the freighter, while Gamma 2 (Torgo and Tazo-Rhi) will try to disable it.

When the Y-Wings drop back into realspace near Nishr, a surprise is waiting for them: due to the vagaries of hyperspace, Keth has actually arrived first!  The others are initially suspicious of the shuttle, but fortunately Stavros recognizes Keth's voice.  Waric tells Keth to hang back from any battle that may soon start, but no one fills Keth in on what the mission is.  On a private channel, Tazo-Rhi says she is uncertain if Keth should be entrusted with any responsibility during this mission given his recent instability, but Kero disagrees.

While Gamma 2 and Gamma 3 fly to the incredibly dense asteroid belt that lays near Nishr to take cover and await further orders, Gamma Leader and Keth's shuttle enter Nishr airspace.  During the flyover of Nishr settlements, the pilots confirm the briefing notes that most of the planet's technology is barely at an Industrial level of development, though signs of the influence of Imperial technology from the forces garrisoned on the planet could occasionally be seen. The pilots soon set down outside of Drushar on a haphazardly arranged landing field.  

A local named Jorrusk tries to wheedle some local currency ("kolkaks") from them, but Stavros uses this as an opportunity to see if the man knows anything about the freighter the NIF could be using.  Having seen some uglies during their initial flyover, Stavros and a recently-arrived Waric decide to casually walk around the field to see if they can spot their target.  The duo do notice a droid-operated cargo loader that is now empty and leaving the field.  Waric hops aboard and downloads its operating manifest and then, in a bid to distract everyone so that his companions can investigate unhindered, starts attacking and yelling at the droid.

It all goes for naught, however, as a trio of TYE-Uglies and a YT-series freighter lift off and start heading for orbit.  The members of Mynock Squadron on the ground immediately head for their vessels to give pursuit while calling in for reinforcements from the asteroid base.  Blasters blazing, Waric corkscrews his vessel at top speed towards one of the uglies and destroys it just instants before a devastating collision would have taken place.  Now piloting the utility shuttle, Stavros talks the pilot of one of the two remaining uglies to flee the scene, while, despite the plan, Torga and Tazo-Rhi line up a careful shot with a photon torpedo to destroy the third.  Its escorts gone, the freighter stops climbing for orbit and instead dives steeply to the east, in the direction of what sensors show is a massive sandstorm.  Repeated hits from laser and ion cannons knock out the freighter's shields and cause it to trail thick streams of smoke, but the battered vessel skims the ground at treetop level.  

Can the new pilots of Mynock Squadron disable the fleeing freighter without destroying it before every trace of it is swallowed up by the incoming sandstorm?
------------------------------------
Director's Commentary (May 6, 2016)

Keth's strange arrival in the adventure was of course the best way I could get his player into the game after last session's absence saw the character out of action with a concussion.  The funny thing was that the other characters never filled Keth in on what the mission was, so he had to wing it the whole time.

It fills my heart with joy to sit back and watch as the PCs make battle plans in-character.  When there's excellent role-playing arising out of the initial premise I've laid down, it feels very rewarding to be a director.  And it was fun to see them discuss the very options (and imagine how they would play out), and come up with a plan that was tactically sound.  It also fit well with the premise that the PCs are a combination of fighter pilot/ground commandos.

The TYE-Uglies as mish-mash junker space fighters comes from several of the X-Wing Rogue Squadron novels, and fit in nicely here for the PCs' first real taste of space combat.  In other words, their foes couldn't be flying anything worse that could still shoot back!  And even though the Y-Wings are almost obsolete in the New Republic Starfighter Command, they still are a huge step above TYE-Uglies.  (And one thing I learned from this campaign:  proton torpedoes pack a punch!)