Hello all! Before we truly set out today, we have to train Rydia up so she doesn't die to everything. 30 HP doesn't mean much, even in the back row. Level 8 should do it, and in the process learns Blizzard, Cure, Sight, Thunder, Hold and Sleep. Told ya she learns fast.
Our destination today is the Underground Waterway, north of Kaipo. The start is linear, with a small detour for minor healing items, but as we continue, the path is blocked by some man!
Old Man: Could that be...? It is! That dark sword! Dark knight, I need your assistance!
Cecil: What's wrong?
Old Man: I must get to Damcyan to reclaim my daughter. She was deceived by a wicked bard! We must hurry, for I sense an ill omen!
Cecil: You must be Sage Tellah!
Tellah: Indeed I am.
I'm guessing either Tellah is really famous or I missed some info at Kaipo. Tellah recognises Rydia's skills, and when Cecil points out that we're headed for Damcyan (I believe I missed more background info here, but this waterway leads to Damcyan) as well, Tellah is set on joining us.
Sage Tellah has joined the party.
Tellah is, as already stated, a Sage. Tellah should have access to nearly every spell in the game... but he's so old he forgot them all. His spells are still more powerful than Rydia's, however (aside from Chocobo Kick, which is quite strong). If you want to try your luck though, Tellah has Recall, which will let him cast a spell at random. The spell lists are long enough to be not worth it. Also of note are Tellah's stats. The magic related stats and HP will increase on level up, but his MP will always be 90, and his physical related stats will decrease. He's good now, but will soon become worthless. He starts at level 20.
Now that we can actually go places here, we can actually enter the water to find some stuff. As well as some equipment we already have, we get an X-Potion and a Dry Ether from going behind a waterfall, which are late game healing items.
From now on, we start encountering Zombies. Zombies and related enemies, are Dark elemental. Just the same as Cecil's physical attack. So unless Cecil gets a critical hit, he'll only do 1 damage. Good thing Tellah knows Fire.
Rydia reaches level 10 and learns Poison along the way.
The path goes back to being linear, and we encounter a strange room with a disc... thing in the middle. Tellah introduces us to the concept of save points, and lets us heal up for free. It seems he had a Tent without us knowing.
That night...
Tellah: The girl's asleep already. She must have been exhausted. Who is she?
Cecil: A summoner from the village of Mist.
Tellah praises her skill again, and starts talking about his daughter, Anna
Tellah: She eloped with a bard to Damcyan because... I didn't consent to their union.
Yeah, that really sounds like the bard "deceived" her as you put it earlier.
Tellah: What business have you in Damcyan?
Cecil: A friend of mine suffers from desert fever.
Tellah: Ah. So you came for the Sand Pearl. It won't be easy to obtain.
Tellah warns us of the monster at the end of the waterway. Something about eight tentacles. Tellah also worries something terrible is about to happen.
After leaving the save point, we find an Ice Rod. It casts Blizzard in battle, but a bit weaker than a mage can do. Either way, free Blizzard is free Blizzard. It goes on Rydia.
In the next room, we encounter the Red Mousse, the first Flan type enemy. Flan type enemies are heavily resistant to all physical attacks, and are usually weak to the element matching their colour. In this case, Fire.
The next room introduces us to the most overused thing in the game, hidden passages. If you don't find at least one hidden passage a dungeon (aside from Mist Cave), you're probably doing it wrong. This hidden passage leads us to a Feathered Cap, which will give a small defence boost to one of our mages. I go with Rydia.
In the next room we find a Shadow Blade. This is a stronger weapon for Cecil, giving him a pretty good Attack boost. We also get a brief part outside, where we can heal up again. We do so, and head to the northern section. By jumping down a waterfall.
Rydia reaches level 12 and learns Warp.
We start finding Hades equipment down here, which are a set of Defence upgrades for Cecil. Does nearly nothing for his Magic Defence though.
At the end of the path, we see a tentacle waving around.
Tellah: There he is!
We get surrounded by tentacles.
Tellah: WATCH OUT!
You're over reacting Tellah, this guy's easy. The Octomammoth is weak to Thunder and Dark. I think the game might be rigging the Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors a bit too much in our favour, as these are two elements we can very easily take advantage of, although Rydia's using Chocobo Kick as it's more powerful. As we attack, the Octomammoth loses tentacles.
Tellah: Excellent! He's weakening!
Eventually, it's down to one tentacle, and then we just kill it.
Tellah: Come now! Damcyan's just beyond this waterfall!
So we leave. Next time, we head for Damcyan.
Stats:
Rydia: Lv 12 HP:148 MP:75 Strength:7 Speed:9 Stamina:6 Intellect:16 Spirit:11 Attack:9 (1 attack) Defence:9 Magic Defence:6
Cecil: Lv 15 HP:307 MP:0 Strength:17 Speed:13 Stamina:14 Intellect:7 Spirit:2 Attack:27 (3 attacks) Defence:23 Magic Defence:3
Tellah: Lv 20 HP:340 MP:90 Strength:5 Speed:8 Stamina:7 Intellect:16 Spirit:16 Attack:9 (1 attack) Defence:8 Magic Defence:4
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