#salikawood

[ff12-ultimania]

Salikawood

Located in the heart of the Nabradia region, Salikawood is a vast, tranquil forest bathed in soft sunlight filtering through the canopy of towering trees. A system of elevated forest roads, created by constructing bridges between the tree branches, was once the main travel route through this area. However, with the rise of airship travel, use of these roads has significantly declined. Since the fall of Nabradia, which once maintained and patrolled the forest roads, the area has become overrun with monsters.

One of Salikawood's exits leads to Archadia's Phon Coast, but the gate at this point has recently malfunctioned, preventing travelers from passing through. A Moogle and his team of nine Craftsmoogles' League apprentices are currently working on repairing the gate to restore the path.

[jokersenpai-thenavigator]

You ever have those songs that are so deeply associated with your experience of playing a video game that when you hear them, you get transported back in time to when you were first playing that game?

[penroseparticle]

Hiiieeeeeeee. I heard you like v-games.

3. Favorite boss?

15. Hardest game you’ve ever played?

19. A game that you wish you could play for the first time again.

25. Favorite environment in a game?

40. Best game cover art.

I went back in my inbox and there are some asks I haven't answered, clearing things out. So throwback meme!

3. Favorite Boss:

I'm partial to Facade from Link's Awakening. I think he's simple, he's memorable. He comes at a part of the game where you learn a very big revelation. The music for The Face Shrine is stunning, and really does something interesting considering the Ballad of the Wind Fish isn't a part of the song despite being part of the other dungeons' music. I like that Facade isn't an enemy you can fight with a sword. I like that his name means edifice, and he's the floor aka part of the building, but also mask, and he's a face. I like that he comes when you have to decide between dream or reality.

Can you tell I did a Zelda deep dive a bit ago?

15. Hardest Game You've Ever Played?

This is a tough and interesting question- what's a hard game, after all. Do I play hard games? I don't know if that's something I do. I like fiddly or intricate games. But I'm not sure I play hard games- I get frustrated easily. I guess I do play hard games, but they have to onboard you really really well. You have to feel like it's hard but achievable right? Like you're struggling but you could succeed.

I might say Desktop Dungeons. Simple concept, really intricate execution, technically not hard at all, but the Tower of Ga'antalet is still not cleared on Vicious on my save file, and I followed that game from Alpha to Beta to release to Rerelease with better graphics. My account is like a decade old. Maybe I'm dumb. Or maybe I just need to drill in and practice, because I've cleared almost everything else.

19. A game that you wish you could play for the first time again.

Final Fantasy Tactics. It's my first major game. Introduced my love of turn based strategy. Great story, rich execution. Broken as hell and glitchy, but in a fun way. Tons of side content but plenty of room to be expanded. I wish I could go through it the first time all over again, not knowing what was next, what was important, how to play correctly. The struggle was fun. I remember getting creamed on Dorter Trade City, like every new player. I remember thinking the Desert Map was crazy. I remember not playing the game for like 3 weeks when I got to the rooftop with Rafa because it was IMPOSSIBLE (Ok maybe some bits of the game aren't that great. Fix Rafa's AI so that's not a roulette ok thx).

Favorite Game. Excellent content. Gonna play it again right now probably.

25. Favorite Environment in a Game?

God I really, REALLY like the setting in FFXII, but particularly I like the Rainy Season Giza Plains. I just have such fond memories of that area, and the Wild Hunts are fun. It's early, it's accessible, its somehow new and exciting because it introduced weather as something that you have to care about. I like Phon Coast too but it's a bit too sparkly, and I also like the Salikawoods too. Just a great game for environments imo.

40. Best Game Cover Art

Ask me this in 5 minutes and my answer will change. I think it would be really funny to say Triangle Strategy (Hello most generic cover art and name of all time. Great game, but TERRIBLE marketing). I think today I'm going to go with Celeste- because it's nostalgic for me. It's cute.

[freeusemuses]

Wooded Guardian: Vjrn Ymir

Name: Vjrn Ymir

Age: 100

Race: Viera

Home: Ivalice/Salikawood

Vjrn is a Wood Guardian for her clan located deep within the Salikawood of Ivalice. She like most of her race has a distrust of Humes/Humans, or rather any outsider. Despite this distrust, Vjrn is willing to escort those lost in her wood to saver paths.

[fioras-resolve]

This Enemy Is Too Strong

So like, I've been playing Final Fantasy XII again, and I've been thinking about in comparison to that other single-player MMO, Xenoblade Chronicles. There's a lot I can talk about there, and I probably will later, but the thing I wanna talk about is level scaling.

The thing is, right, both of these games let you fight enemies that are far above your current level. They just go about it in very different ways.

Xenoblade Chronicles is largely a linear game. You will go to Colony 9, then Gaur Plain, etc. It's a chapter structure, the Switch version literally has chapter markers.

But these areas are massive, you can spend several hours in one just exploring the place. And from the very first area you can venture off and find monsters way above your level. They're just scattered around the place, Xenoblade has some of the most level diversity you'll ever see in an RPG.

And since a lot of them attack on sight, or on hearing your footsteps, or detecting the game's magic equivalent, it means you genuinely have to watch out when you're exploring. Like, this is an ecosystem that you have to keep in mind, and it's honestly pretty damn lifelike in a lot of ways.

FF12, on the other hand, is different. Let's start out with the major difference in terms of structure. Yes, this game does have a linear story, but you have a fair bit more freedom in what areas you can access and when.

From the beginning, you can go to the Estersand, the Westersand, or Giza Plains branching off from the hub city of Rabanastre. You'll have to go through all of these branches at some point, but the freedom is pretty nice for an open world feeling. If you visit the Salikawood early, and get past a boss, you can visit Nabreus and Nabudis, optional lategame areas that will almost certainly kill you if you try to go through them too early. It's a lot of freedom for a game like this, and I appreciate it for that open feeling.

...But this runs into a problem when you get down to the realities of each area. Because FF12 doesn't really have level diversity in its areas. If you're encountering a high-level enemy, that's because you're in a high-level area. If you can't fight one enemy in Nabudis, you're probably not going to have a good time in Nabudis. And, conversely, going back to an old area kinda sucks, because every enemy is a pushover.

If you want to actually play at the right difficulty level and have a good time, you basically have no reason not to just play the story normally. And it honestly makes the game feel more gamey. FF12 just doesn't have the kind of unique enemy behaviors that XC does, and it makes each enemy feel like, well, mobs in an MMO. I can appreciate in some sense, like FF12 is not trying to hide the fact that it's a video game, and in a lot of ways that's really good. But it kind of makes the game feel more lifeless, you know?

In a post-BotW world, it can be kind of trite to think about these kinds of semi-open-world games. Like yeah, it's the Switch era, everything is open-world now. Fucking Sonic and MegaTen have these massive areas, you can't escape it. But there's a lot of room to talk about how to do these things well.

If anybody sees this, which I fuckin hope people do, tell me what you think about this! How do you like these kinds of games to be structured, and how much do you care about stronger enemies?

[joulethieves]

Balvaan spooning to sleep …. Vaan big spoon wrapping around him like a salikawood vine …

[jmkitsune]

Some marks need hunting and then traveling to the Salikawood for today in FF12 Zodiac Age! Wednesdays are for FF12 over on youtube with each episode being the full streamed episode (minus breaks) so they'll be a couple hours per week

The playlist to watch all public episodes will be found here

Social Media Links- https://beacons.ai/jmkitsune/

--Reminder--

if you enjoy the stuff i post on the youtubes: subscribe to the channel as well as interact with the video (likes/comments/shares blah blah) I wanna monetize my youtube as well so that I don't have to worry as much but for that the youtube needs 3000 hours of watch days (1/3 of that is achieved) as well as 500 (we're bout half way to that goal) held subscribers so ye

plez and thanks <3

[blaserables]

I imagine villages and walkways really high up in the trees, like Eruyt Village, Golmore Jungle, and the Salikawood from Final Fantasy XII (if you've ever played it.)

In the Dragon Age tabletop RPG, the Chasind stalker and Dalish raider (both rogues) both have one magic point, which indicates that the Chasind have an affinity for magic like the elves do. And in Prima's collector's guide, it says “The Wilders have been particularly welcoming of rogue elves into their numbers.” It's likely that they're part elven.

Also according to the Prima guide, the Alamarri first appeared in Thedas in -2415 Ancient and settled in what would 3,000 years later be called Ferelden. And since the Chasind settled in the Korcari Wilds at the same time, they've been there ever since, for 3,500 years. Because they're isolated and have never been conquered by anybody, they're going to be very different from the rest of Thedas.

From the ttrpg. It shows how strong and magically inclined the "barbarians" are that Tevinter had trouble with them:

The renowned fortress Ostagar was built in the far south to watch for the coming of the Chasind and its mortar was so reinforced with magic that legend holds nothing will ever tear it down completely.

Tevinter's success came at a high price. While they remained entrenched, they were subject to near constant raids, their supplies eternally rationed. Rumors slipped back into the Imperium of the fierce and unrelenting blood thirst of the southern barbarians. Being posted to Ferelden was soon looked upon as punishment, exile, and likely a death sentence.

Can you guys re-imagine the culture(s) of the Chasind?

Hey anon!

That's a fantastic suggestion! Our campaigns have been taking place mostly in northern Thedas, so we didn't even have Chasind people/Kocari Wilds on the map yet, but you're so right. I didn't know much about the Chasind before reading up on the Bioware Wiki (BW for short) and.....yooof.

We'll definitely do a more thought-out and 'official' entry, but since a lot of our re-imaginings move at a snail's pace, I'll share some of our immediate thoughts after discussing this:

Geography:

It's giving BIG bayou vibes, and we're taking that and running with it, nodding at inspiration of early Black-American culture that emerges in the southern USA and the greater Caribbean Islands. Visuals of the Florida Everglades and Bayou Bartholomew in Arkansas, with a majority of the villages being built on stilts or the massive trees that are similar to the ones seen in the Frostback Basin (Jaws of Hakkon DLC specifically). There are settlements on more solid land, but most of the population and the 'civilians' live inside the swamp, as the tricky terrain doubles as protection and security.

The People:

Based off the BW, we're seeing patterns of love for nature and the seasons, and the mention of "animalistic goddesses" is making us think....DND druid style. (we took one look at the "barbaric" descriptions and tossed it all out, thank you)

Animal companionship is common among Chasind, whether they are "working animals" that warriors and hunters may keep that help them in their tasks, or companions for your local shopkeep or fisherman. Big or small, smart or.....lovable...animals are all around and children may even receive their companion at very young ages, growing up with their animal friend.

Some more magically gifted Chasind can even transform and take an animal form.

Chasind are bonded by clan systems, not blood or background. Meaning that if someone needs help in the village, people will band together to support that person. Once you settle in the swamp, you're family.

The Chasind have a large population of people with darker skin tones, but people with lighter skin tones are not uncommon either.

The Culture

Being situated on top of it, of course, water is EVERYTHING.

Navigating the bayou is no easy feat, and children are taught from a young age through legends, stories, and all sorts of oral histories how dangerous the water can be.

There are definitely some pretty cool eldritch beings living out in the swamp, and there are definitely stories about them.

Fishing culture is HUGE. Fishermen are taught a very sophisticated type of navigation and tracking, most commonly using the stars as a guide to chart the swamp, because the landscape can be incredibly difficult to navigate, especially after dark.

According to the BW, the Chasind have "developed their own language, but are capable of speaking the King's tongue", so we took this as they've managed to blend an older language like the one spoken by their Alamaari ancestors and merged it with the King's tongue (not unlike real-world languages, such as Haitian Creole, Jamaican Patois, or Michif)

People also traverse the swamp on stilts to keep out of the water and out of the way of other water predators. Whether they are walking across the village or going out to the fishing holes to get a daily catch.

Please feel free to add your own comments or thoughts on this re-imagine! This entire project is a joint effort, and having perspectives from other backgrounds is always helpful to make it more inclusive.

[kingslayer-gabranth]

One of my favorite places in the game, the Salikawood.

[stoked-theorem]

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What do I do on a tough weekend with lots of obligations? Get immersed in my fav game and stay up learning its music, of course . . . . #finalfantasy #finalfantasy12 #finalfantasyxii #ffxii #thezodiacage #squareenix #salikawood #videogamemusic #piano #cover #music https://www.instagram.com/p/BpxfTp-AgvX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xpj2dpt8pl48

[i-say-spooky-you-say-scary]

salikawood replied to your post “i love getting fucked over by jealous girls lmfao its the fucking best”

:( it’s seriously the worst that happened to me a few years ago I hope everything is ok

yeah I think we’re gonna be ok in the long run, its just. wow. i’m overwhelmed by how pathetic this is. and also amused by how girls get so bent out of shape about me and my exes like no y’all really can’t comprehend how much i dont fucking care and how much I don’t want their dicks. go direct your energy into something worth worrying about or like whatever. 

thank you though, I appreciate it

[ff12-ultimania]

100 secrets

According to Al-Cid, There are so many secrets and hints hidden in [FFXII]. We will show you all the mysteries that our highly competent information department has collected overnight. This is but 100 of the many mysteries.

The first time you approach the Hall of Slumbering Might in Salikawood or the Nabreus Deadlands, Basch will say, "We should head back," and the cutscene ends. But if you visit the above locations before defeating Judge Bergan and visiting Archadia, there will be a different scene in which Fran talks to Ashe as the Princess gazes longingly at the ruins. 

read the full article by becoming our patron, kupo!

[vgosts]

The Salikawood - Hitoshi Sakimoto. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age.

[ignis-need-that-bootyo]

Omg!

A requested fanart work, presenting Fran from Final Fantasy 12. I started this quite a while ago, but this really turned out to be one of those on/off paintings.  I liked the Salikawook part, as the forest was really beautifully made and it was  nice to just run around and look around you. I wanted to paint some foliage around her for the atmosphere. I got a bit exhausted with this at some point though, but pushed through as it didn’t feel good to leave this hanging around unfinished anymore. I’m happy I decided to call this done for now :). Anyhow, thank you for your interest so far! Next in the row is a FF character as well

[smokeybrand]

Zodiac Age

It’s no secret that i am a massive fan of the Final Fantasy series. Essays abut that franchise riddle this blog. My adoration for their world building and storytelling is profound, even is they kind of devolve into a Star Wars-esque retelling at time. Square sure does love that Hero Journey literary trope. Things like that don’t bug me because there are little unique changes to that specific plot, little dashes of creativity that take the form of setting, characters, or overall plot. It might follow the trope in the sense of character development, but the story told to get there is wholly it’s own. And let me tell you, some of these stories are the best that’s ever been told.

Final Fantasy VII is my favorite of the entire series. Great characters, vivid world, and a plot simple enough to follow but embellished to near mythic levels. Final Fantasy IX is another favorite, though, that one is more a fairy tale than anything. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a goddamn masterpiece and epic in it’s own right, but that story is more than at home with those old Grimm tales we were told as kids. It’s mad endearing that way. Final Fantasy Tactics, spin-off title, is probably the best story, overall, told under the FF banner and it’s not even a main title. The War of Lions is a tale of political intrigue, familial bonds, and devastating betrayal sprinkled with magic and demons and summons and dragons. It’s f*cking incredible and can give Game  of Thrones a run for it’s money. I imagine, in time, i’ll revisit these stories and gush about why i love them so but that’s not what this essay is about. No, this essay is about the second best narrative in the entire FF franchise; A narrative that has been written off because people couldn’t get passed the gameplay. This essay is about my fourth favorite Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy XII

The strongest part of this game is easily the story. It starts with a wedding. A beautiful affair between two nations to solidify a peaceful relation and treaty of prosperity but that bliss would not last. War, a bloody coupe, the death of a prince, and the betrayal of a king. All of this happens in the intro to the game. As you play, you take the perspective of a common street rat. You follow along with his misadventures, exploring the oasis city of Rabanastre withing the annexed kingdom of Dalmasca. During his various excursions, Vaan finds himself entwined with the charismatic sky pirate and main character, Balthier, as well as his longtime Viera companion, Fran. After a heist gone wrong, the group find themselves thrown into the same lot as the presumed dead princess of Dlamasca, Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca, and the man framed for murdering her father, Basch Fon Ronsenburg. The party is eventually completed by the final addition of Vaan’s childhood friend, Penelo. What starts as a tale of rebellion and unrest, evolves into something so much more. The dismantling of the current world system, the shattering of chains binding man to malevolent gods, wresting control of human destiny back into human hands, and a destiny laid forth by a visionary painted as a tyrant.

Final Fantasy XII is a grand epic that feels very intimate, very small. You’re never far from the characters or their plight. Indeed, it’s their development and relationships that drive this story. Political intrigue and human destiny aside, the interactions between these individuals are absolutely wonderful. Vaan is a chump but, having played this game several times and looking back on this story with the eyes of an adult who appreciates great storytelling, his blank personality is necessary. He’s the vehicle the audience uses to immerse themselves in this world. He’s our allegory so ll that bland that colors him is simple place holder. an is who we make him. On the other end of that spectrum, you have the “villain” Vayne Carudas Solidor. Vayne is easily one of the best written characters in the entire franchise. His characterization and development can give Delita from Tactics and Ardyn Izunia from XV. Holy sh*t, Ardyn is magnificent. I can write an entire essay on him, alone, but that’s one for later. Maybe. XII is one of the best written of all the FF titles but Vayne, specifically, is written on an entirely different level. There’s never a time when you do not understand his motivation. There is never a time where you do not agree with his logic. There is never a time when you condemn his deeds. They are all necessary for the ultimate goal of human prosperity. Vayne is the antagonist of this story because of circumstance and he understands that better than anyone. He even prepared for that eventuality with his brother, Larsa. Even in defeat, he still wins; A victory for all that cost him everything. F*cking brilliant writing, man. Brilliant.

The world of Final Fantasy XII is absolutely gorgeous. It takes place in Ivalice, the only recurring setting in the FF franchise. It’s a staple, like Chocobos or Moogles. Vagrant Story and the Tactics games all take place here, to varying capacities. I love how meaty the lore and systems are for this universe. The Judge system permeates almost every title taking place here and they are to be heeded. Ranging from consequences of battle to outright characters in the narrative, these judges often have ornate armors and insane strength. Gabranth, the main Judge of XII, serves a rather dubious role throughout this tale. He and his contemporary, Cidolfus Demen Bunansa, the Cid of this game and father of Blathier, work together with Vayne to further his ambitions. Chasing their wake leads our team all over Ivalcie, visiting Ordalia, Valdenia, Kerwon, and Purvma. We follow Fran home to the Salikawood and hunt some powerful monsters in the rolling dunes of the Giza Plains. This world is gorgeously realized with loving passion and gentle renders. It really is a feast for the eyes.

Now, the reason everyone passes on this particular title lies in the fact that the gameplay doesn’t feel like an FF title. In that regard, the discourse is correct. XII does not play like a traditional Final Fantasy title. It skews closer to their MMO titles rather than their offline fair. It can be difficult to learn but is it really so different than what you’re used to? Is it really so alien? XII does a pretty decent job teaching you how to manage your party. Admittedly, yo can’t directly control what everyone does at every second but all titles in this franchise are kind of like this. I can see how that aspect can be disorientating wit the pseudo-action RPG aesthetic. That’s why there are Gambits. These things are little predetermined commands that allow you to program your party while you handle the heavy lifting on wither offense, defense, or support. It’s kind of like the system they use in FFXIII but, you know, good. You still play XII. You still have the ability to control your characters, in a limited capacity. Sure, i would have liked to have more direct command over my party but this workaround is fine once you get used to it. Besides, i think they fixed this in the international Zodiac version or whatever. I haven’t played that one yet but what we have in the vanilla game, the License Board, Tecnicks, Magicks, Quickenings, and Espers, all add a variety that gives you copious amounts of strategy. Building a character strong enough to trust to the Gambit system has it’s own reward.

Final Fantasy XII is an outstanding title that deserves so much more respect than anyone gives it. Your requisite hitters like IX and VII are rightfully mentioned in a much greater capacity but lesser titles like X and VIII have no business holding their position in the fandom zeitgeist in lieu of XII. This game has one of the most epic stories, a brisk plot rarely marred down by melodrama, one of the greatest villains in the entire franchise, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. The world is lush, full of life and vibrancy, hiding a sinister undertone that grips your attention until the very end. If you can manage the learning curve of the battle system, if you give it a chance, you’ll be rewarded with one of the all-time great games in the Final Fantasy pantheon.

[neronium]

Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age #71- That's A Big Carrot

Carrot is a big ol’ stinky hunt. Luckily with my brokeness it’ll go down quickly...if my healers will stop trying to cast Bubble and fail.