Red Mage Rules

Since I can’t really play FFXI right now, seems like a good time for a filler post

I asked my LS to briefly talk about their favourite three zones in Vana’diel, explaining why its a special place to them. Heres what they said:

Millionsknives (me!)

3: Aht-Urghan Whitegate.

While i want to say Promyvion, as that zone is plain awesome, I had to pick Whitegate. Unlike 1 & 2 this is purely based of Whitegates beauty~ the sky there is amazing! The zone is one of the most detailed in the game, and feels like a bustling city. The music begs you to hum along and i can almost feel the humid air on my face…. no wait… thats my flatmate… he just poured water on me.

Realy tho, the SKY!!! Next time your in Whitegate look up.

2: Pashhow Marshlands

Yay Pashhow! This is mainly for memories. Oldies of the LS may remember the weeks we spent farming here. I can mainly remember me, Spen and Evasn running around the area as a party slaughtering anything we could find to stack up Beastmen Blood, Silk thread and Beehive Chips.

Weeks and weeks on end.

But it was hella fun, and made us loaded ;P Shame that doesnt pay well now…

Its also the place where I realised that MillionsKnives was born to be a Red Mage. Farming with a Warrior and Paladin who had nearly no means to stay alive, I loved that I could rush in, save them, chuck a protect on them both, then run off and fire a nuke, throw up an En-Spell and start farming by myself. I can actually remember that moment and thinking ‘man, I love this job! I can do anything!’

Also, when the sun comes out over Pashhow, it becomes a very pretty zone. You start to notice all the flowers.

1: (South) Gustaberg

Sweet, sweet Gustaburg. One of the first places i ever stepped into. I spent aggggges in Gustaburg, and it was the first place id ever been in (in a game) that felt like it went on forever, which i loved!

Its mainly memories that make this my favourite zone, some of them don’t even involve me. Like the time Livija dragged an undead hound to the Bastok zone as she was dying. Before the MPK patch when monsters didnt despawn, it just hung around the gates and proceeded to kill every newbie that zoned into Gusta. Good times!

I remember when me and Spen ran to the lighthouse to kill our first NM; Bubbly Bernie. I basically stood and watched, dont think we knew how to make a party back then… XD

Gustabergs music is also my favourite in the game Its really simple and arid, just like the zone. But brings the sense that somewhere, there are other people about in this massive dust bowl.

In all, its the sense of wonder this zone gives me that makes it my favourite place to be. It makes me remember what I was like, and what FFXI was to me when i first started playing. When i run through Gusta all those memories come back.

OverlordLaharl

This was a tough one but I can sum them up, fishing boat is prob one of my favs for many reasons but its not really a overall zone

3: West Sarutabaruta [S]

I love this place, the music is breathtaking and just makes you want to fall peacefully asleep, as well as the soothing sounds of birds chirping and the river flowing, I basically sat there all night one time taking it all in. It’s also a special place where lots of stuff happened and will always remind me of someone, I have a lot of memories from it even though its a new place.

2: Crawler’s Nest

My second home with Nauthima (my NPC). Probably the best farming place I have found that no one else really uses. I can make about 40k in a hour, why I love it so much is I know it like the back of my hand, but its so dangerous that I actually have to pay attention and work hard to gain all my gil. I also have lots and lots of memories there in the early days like meeting RMT for the first time, and spending years in there getting everyones G1 item

1: The Sanctuary Of Zi’tah

Well what can I say really, this place has probably one of the best pieces of music in my opinion, I could sit there all day listening to it and also enjoying the sceneary which is uniquely beautiful. It’s also my first major farming area, where I went with nauthy to lvl up killing goobue’s, farming thier grass and cuttings but also summoning the NM which was tough to kill, I was like a 64 warrior at the time if I remember.

Kroeger

3: Halvung

Unlike Ifrit’s Cauldron, apparently Square Enix went all-out to create something that looks more believably volcanic (in spite of being underneath Mount Zhayolm itself). The concept of a subterranean city built into a volcano’s magma reservoir is also simply too cool.

2: Tu’Lia

Not because it’s even remotely like artistic depictions of heaven, but because it’s hugely reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s film “Laputa: Castle In The Sky” which is a sensational film.

1: Arrapago Reef

Because, well, it’s a pirate ship graveyard… and it’s also Tim Burton’s playground. The music’s haunting on one level and beautiful on another, and it’s got some very nice storyline connections to COR (and, to a lesser degree, PUP)

Ozrox

3: Selbina

A zone I’d spend all my time LFP in the dunes in… I love the calm little jiggery tune that plays in this zone, and you really get the feeling that it’s just a sleepy little fishing town, off the edge of the continent.
It’s also the zone I first met Millionsknives in, which for me kinda makes it a bit extra special too

2: La’Thaine Plateau

My first real experience of exploring zones was spent here, back when the sheer scope of the game had me awe struck. Visiting somewhere larger than the East/West Ronf. zone for me, was mind blowing.
Being at the time, I was a measly level 8 MNK, the zone was new and scary, so I convinced Randall (Bob’s character at the time) to travel with me. It felt so cool looking over this absolutely massive zone and daring myself (and Bob) to venture deeper.
Really, I’ll remember this zone as my first real taste of adventure in Vana’diel

1: Xarcabard / Dynamis – Xarcabard

Both of these zones are for me, the “single” most epic zones ever, the lay of the land, especially leading up to Castle Zvahl, is daunting, even more so for those unfamiliar with the territory.
This feeling is even more accentuated in the alternate reality of Dynamis ~ Xarcabard, where the dusken backdrop and booming music give such an ominous atmosphere to the entire area. In both zones, the presence of the Demon monster family gives the entire area an air of the unholy.

Definately one of the best designed zones, both in storytelling scope and visual strength, I feel it does Castle Zvahl justice to have it looking over such a vast, dead land.

Amith

3: Selbina

I just like this zone cause the musics awesome and when i was new to the game it was a sanctuary to run to when i agroed one of the many goblins there.

2: Castle Zvahl

I always picture Amith as evil, again i dunno why. When I picture him plotting some…. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIL i always picture him doing it in castle zvahl, like he lives there or something, its awesome.

1: Kazham

I like Kazham cause for some odd reason I keep accidentally going there when I mean to go somewhere else and i dunno why lol. I’ve done it repeatedly, I must run around with my head in the clouds. when I think of Kazham it makes me laugh.

Kenjetsu

3: Sandiora [S]

My god. It looks hot! Ultimate fortress where the ever sexy elves stand ready to battle the beastmen till the end. Everyone a loyal and elite. Fuck it may be more to do with the fact that Elvaan stay there and they are the coolest race ever. Strong, tall, powerful and noble. Master paladins and determined to survive. True heros unlike ue cleche wood elf these guys clad in thick armour and behind high walls residing in beautiful castles. I love the past because again the area is so war torn and realistic it could easily be turned into a movie.

Elvaans are the king of bling…

2: Qufim islands

Don’t be shocked. This is favourite zone. Why? Cos it contains alot of Vanediel history. It’s gorgeous with the northern lights illumination the horizon. The fact that it’s like a historic battlefield with gigas giants stalking the whole area and the secrets of a Promathian temple locked inside itself. Fighting mobs is cool. Shame it’s a low level zone.

1: Gustaberg

I always loved Gustaberg. Since FFXI formed the moment I saw that zone I was impressed. It was huge, it was beautiful and it had a catchy song that reminded me of Red 13 theme which is one of my faves. Because it was so desolate and seemed to be ravaged by war it made Bastok look even more impressive that it found a way to survive of a chunk of dead rock. Also the one waterfall looked gorgeous standing out as the only spark of life in the wasteland. I used to love climbing the mountin and kicking some ass aswell. Funny story but I actually met knives for the first time in there where we took on 20 off goblins and then formed SM an hour l8r

Weissberv

3: Rolanberry fields [S]

Its so tropical compared to the normal Rolanberry fields. Its controlled by Bastok. <3. The music is nice there too but I mainly like all the tropical colours and vegetation there. Its got quads there to kill, a Bastokan hobby of course.

2: Misareaux Coast

Even though I just unlocked this zone for myself just recently, I have to say its an amazing area O.O, the music is more fantasy-rpg style than the rest of the other zone’s music in my opinion, which adds to the atmosphere of the whole zone. The monsters were picked nicely for this area, as you don’t see many small monsters near enough xD. I think all the monsters here, sheep, giants and Bugards fit the zone perfectly as the zone’s “walls” are all massively big, which makes you, the player feel small, but you know you’re a match for the mobs… If that makes sense… Anyway, this zone is made so well it just earned that #2 slot.

1: (South) Gustaberg

The best zone ever. I put this zone as my favourite, number 1 because when I started playing I was a bastokan (still am <3) and although I did not found out about this zone until about level 4 (I thought the gates were just a fancy dead end so I went into the Zeurhen mines) I loved it so much because its so big compared to everywhere I went so far. I was amazed when I was fighting a goblin here, another goblin came and decided to help him… I was all like “Um… I’m gonna die now?!” but then I killed them both and <3′d the zone even more because of that reason lol. The music in this zone is one of the best tracks in the game. Granted.
I did the Bubbly Bernie quest a few times when I was around level 11 or so, xD I remmember being scared before the fight with him ><. Anyway, this zone makes Bastok even more rad!

Ending

So tharr you have it. In my LS Gustaberg is getting lots of love! I’d like to take a moment to say I’m very flattered that some people mentioned meeting me as a memory they have of their fave zone ;.;

Also, SE’s picture of Qufim is bullllll, no way the water there renders like that…

If you’d like to see some more pictures of beautiful Vana’diel this site I’ve just found my be the next place for you to go

If you’d like to leave a comment about your fave zone, please do!