North Sprawl

North Sprawl

Laughing Seeq: Word on the street is Vayne’s gone back to Archadia. Word has a way of travelin’ fast, but then, words ain’t nothin’ but wind. 

Balzac: Sorry, but I can’t let you back inside. Outsiders such as yourselves would only be in the way.

Rabanastran (blue seeq sitting beside child): Them sluice gates down in the Garamsythe Waterway got some special device what controls ‘em. Drain the water off, you can walk the waterway into deep places you couldn’t reach otherwise. Couldn’t figure out how to work it all, m’self.

Dalmascan Patriot: The village in the Estersand is one of the few places we can go to escape the burdens of the city. I find the peace and quiet refreshing.

Cynical Boy: Plenty of people out there are happy, so long as there isn’t a war. Well, if this is peace, I don’t see what’s so great about it.

Kytes: Hey, Vaan. Haven’t seen you around much lately. Workin’ on somethin’ big? Can’t wait to hear more about it! You don’t have to worry about me and the others. I’ll watch after everybody.

Fussbudget: No fair… She said she had a dream she saw Princess Ashe. How come I never have dreams about the Princess?

Rabanastran (sitting next to black bangaa outside Storehouse 5): I hear there’s a stair down to the sewers through Migelo’s storehouse, but you shouldn’t poke around down there. It’s dangerous, boy.

Northon: Watchin’ Filo and her friends play at pirates reminds me of when I was a kid. We’d run around pretendin’ we were real sky pirates – had a secret hideout and everything. Things were so much simpler back then.

Watchful Seeq: I can’t let my eyes off this poor fellow for one minute. Little while ago he got himself all worked up over his son, went runnin’ off into a wall.

Impoverished Man: Everything I owned was confiscated after the war. Now I’m forced to live out my miserable days here. Suffering here because of the Empire, I feel I’m more of a Dalmascan than I ever was before. Ironic, don’t you think?

[For Milha and related dialogue, see “” in the Clan Primer section.]

Deadbeat: Lowtown… yeah, I like Lowtown. You got your South Sprawl in the… where’s the South Sprawl? Just let me lie here and think…

Angry Woman: Don’t you find it strange that the Empire lets us lead such normal lives? With the exception of living in this dungeon, of course. Are they waiting to use us in some sinister plot? Are we tools of the Empire? Are we their hostages? Just who do they think they are?

Well-spoken Boy: I’ve heard a rumor that the Imperial fleet was destroyed, but it’s hard to be happy about it. Think of all the poor people who must’ve died.

Vexed Father: I’ve told her a thousand times not to play outside, that it’s dangerous, but she goes anyway… To be honest, some of the places she’s been, I’m a little surprised. She made it to the Salikawood the other day. Said there were moogles there. Heh.

Furious Bangaa: Grrah! That son of a cockatrice! Who!? Vayne, that’s who! Know of anyone else gone runnin’ back to Archades with his tail between his legs? You know why he’s left, don’t you? Too scared to stay and face us, that’s why! Well, what can you expect from these Imperial pretty boys.

Rabanastre After The Sandsea

East End

Bucco: Hey, Vaan? I heard… I heard Penelo was kidnapped. It’s not true… is it?

Migelo’s Sundries

Kytes: Migelo’s finally back, but Penelo still hasn’t shown up. I hope everything’s okay.

Rabanastran (man chatting with bangaa): Migelo’s here all right, but is it me, or does he seem a little tired today?

Rabanastran (woman in pink headscarf): Migelo showed up, but he paid hardly any attention to my questions. I wonder what’s on his mind.

Migelo: What a terrible thing to have happened! You’ve got to see that Penelo gets back home safely, Vaan!

Southern Plaza

Rabanastran (boy in blue and green on south side of fountain): Oh, Vaan! I heard all about Penelo bein’ kidnapped. You’re gonna go rescue her, right? I know there’s nothin’ I can do to help her, but I’m sure you can do it, Vaan. I just know it!

Rabanastran (boy in blue near westgate): Hey, I just heard that Penelo was kidnapped… I sure hope it’s some kinda joke. But what if it’s not? The other day she seemed really down, and now this… I’m worried.

Lowtown

North Sprawl

Balzac: Sorry, but I can’t let you back inside. Outsiders such as yourselves would only be in the way. You and Captain Ronsenburg would do well to keep from drawing any unwanted attention. Avoid using your real names and you should be safe enough. Few people are like to recognize you by your face alone.

Old Dalan’s Place

Rabanastran (boy at right): Friend of mine ran into a viera out in front of the Sandsea. I dunno what exactly happened, but he sure thinks it’s a big deal.

Rabanastran (woman at left): A sword of the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca… Why give this to you now, of all times?

Dalan: I was just about to look into this Penelo business, and – what? Kidnapped!? So you’re off to the Lhusu Mines with this sky pirate then, are you? Why, that’s in Bhujerba… Can he even be trusted? No time to worry over that now… Listen to me, Vaan. You must hurry to Penelo. And be careful. Careful for both your sakes.

[If you talked to Dalan before going to Migelo’s previously...]

Dalan: What? Penelo’s been kidnapped!? So you’re off to the Lhusu Mines with this sky pirate then, are you? Why, that’s in Bhujerba… Can he even be trusted? No time to worry over that now… Listen to me, Vaan. You must hurry to Penelo. And be careful. Careful for both your sakes.

North Sprawl

Vaan:  I’m supposed to deliver something to a man, name of Azelas. This is the place, right?

Balzac: And who was it told you that?

Vaan: Old Dalan. He said I have to give this to him personally.

Balzac: Does nothing get past that Dalan? He has ears in every wall. All right, get inside. But not a word of what you see or hear in there, you got that?

[In the room beyond, a group of men in fairly piecemeal armor are having a heated discussion.]

Man 1: Then what of Ondore’s proclamation? Did they fool even the Marquis?

Man 2: What if a Judge killed the King, not the Captain? That would explain everything wouldn’t it?

Man 3: Then the Captain would be brother to a Judge! How are we to trust such a man?

[They are interrupted as Basch emerges from another room, now clean, groomed, and dressed properly.]

Vossler: Now there is the Basch that I remember.

Basch: Then will you fight again at my side?

Man 3: His word alone convinces me of nothing!

Man 2: I’d take his word over that of a mouthpiece marquis!

Man 4: Then you name Reks liar with him.

[Vaan shoves his way into the circle indignantly, silencing the men.]

Vaan: My brother was no liar!

Basch: Just the opposite. Reks was the witness they needed. They had to make it appear as if I’d killed the King – Reks bears no blame. The Fates have willed it.

Vossler: So this is Reks’s brother. [Vossler takes the sword from Vaan’s hands] Your words may convince this child, but they weigh too lightly on the scales for my taste. Our paths will remain separate.

Basch: Do you not think Amalia worth saving?

[This seems to give Vossler pause.]

Vossler: I hold men’s lives in my hands. I must see foes in every shadow. The night we moved against Vayne, he knew. I will not chance such disadvantage again. I must treat you as I would Ondore – as I would treat any abettor of the Empire.

Basch: Then what will you do? Hold me here in chains?

[Vossler and Basch lock eyes menacingly for a moment. Then Vossler tosses the sword to Basch.]

Basch: Some things never change. Do they.

Vossler: Listen to me, Basch. Your cage may have no bars, but it is a cage. The eyes of the Resistance watch unblinking.

Basch: Let them watch. I know something of cages.

[The scene fades out, and then fades back in on Vaan and Basch outside the building, in the alley in Lowtown.]

Vaan: That’s right… Amalia’s in the Resistance.

Basch: Then you know her.

Vaan: Sort of. We met just before we got sent to Nalbina. I’ve known nicer people.

Basch: Our paths keep crossing, yours and mine. It’s more than coincidence.

Vaan: It’s annoying.

Basch: I’m sorry. Allow me one last annoyance: a favor to ask. I want you to take me to Balthier. Even caged birds need wings.

Vaan: This makes us even.

Basch: Even?

Vaan: For Nalbina. We couldn’t have done it without you.

[Basch joins the party!]

North Sprawl

Vexed Father: My daughter won’t listen to a word I say. Before I’d say “behave like the knights of the Order,” but after what Basch did, that’s out of the question. In fact, I was just tellin’ another fellow this as he passed – had a tangle of a beard, filthy clothes – he just let out a sigh and kept walkin’.

Rabanastran (tan seeq walking around open area in east): Licenses aren’t just for equippin’ new weapons and castin’ new magicks, y’know. They can also make you a better warrior. Take the Remedy Lore licenses, for instance. Each one of those you get lets you use a remedy to cure more and more ailments. Not bad, eh? Probably best to strike a balance between licenses for equipment and magicks, and those with more direct, if not subtle, effects.

Well-spoken Boy: We live at the whim of the Empire. If the mood takes them, they can force us to do whatever they like. The masters of our destiny.

Angry Woman: What’s that? I’m a little on edge, at the moment. How can anyone relax, forced to live in a place like this? You heard about the ambush Vayne set for those thieves, I’m sure. If we get on the wrong side of some Imperial, the same will happen to us.

Deadbeat: Lowtown… Yeah, I like Lowtown. You got your South Sprawl in the south, and… where are we again? Oh, right, the North Sprawl. Saw a man scoldin’ his daughter over near the stair to the East End the other day. Don’t know why I remember that…

Rabanastran (woman in white with hat near Milha): Look, over there by the door. Do you not see Milha crouched there? What might have happened? That is the house where the man from Nabudis had lived but it has lain empty for some time now. I have recently heard tales of a... a ghost sighted not far from here. Might it have something to do with that?

Milha: The poor little guy. What am I going to do?

Furious Bangaa: Pah and fie! Blast those Imperials! They may say we’re all citizens good and proper, but not all citizens are created equal, apparently. Whenever there’s been mischief, “round up the lizards by the tail,” they say. Us? Lizards!? Bah!

Wandering Woman: Before I realized that the North and South Sprawl met in two places, I ran around in circles for hours. But not today! I have my map. Due south from here and I can take the passage up to Southgate. I think I find my way better with a sky above me…

Rabanastran/Northon: I saw a real familiar lookin’ man walk past just a while ago, and it’s killin’ me I can’t remember who he is. Had an unkempt beard… you know him?

Impoverished Man: Back before the war, I led a fine life up in the city. (snort) I hate to think of them using my wealth to strengthen the Imperial army.

Rabanastran (man in blue sitting against wall near Storehouse 5): The Imperials smashed the lock on Migelo’s storehouse back when those thieves snuck into the palace. It’s been open ever since.

Fussbudget: No fair… She saw Vayne arrest those thieves, and I didn’t get to see a thing! She didn’t see who they caught, though. All those Imperials kept gettin’ in the way.

Dalmascan Patriot: People have high hopes for Vayne, but I’d say they’re being rather naïve. It takes more than well-meant words to rule a city.

Cynical Boy: The people that live up in the city don’t care what happened before, so long as they’re good and comfortable now. Vayne tells ‘em what they wanna hear, and they eat it up. He probably has ‘em goin’ on about how great he is already.

Rabanastran (seeq sitting next to boy): Vayne, Vayne… Oh, that new consul what just come? The whole lot are the same to me. (snort)

Laughing Seeq: What’s so funny? Just saw a man with a beard you wouldn’t believe! Didn’t look half bad on him, neither. (snort) Hah! A refugee, maybe… who can say? Had a few other people circlin’ him in. They disappeared down the halls up north.

Balzac: Look, uh, now isn’t the best time, okay? Things are a little… tense. If you need something, come back in a little while, once things have settled down.

North & South Sprawls

South Sprawl

Layabout: Filo’s always fussin’ at me to be more like Kytes… Hmph. I say everybody oughta be himself.

Fidget: Kytes loves helpin’ ya out, Vaan. It’s like the closer you are to a sky pirate, the closer he feels to being one too… or something.

Filo: Arr, Vaan! That door what Kytes could never open? He finally figured it out! He come lookin’ for ya to let ya know, but since he couldn’t find ya, he went back up to the storehouse to wait for ya there.

North Sprawl

Fussbudget: Hey, Kytes finally got that other door in the storehouse open. I think he’s waitin’ inside for ya, Vaan.

[When you open the door to Storehouse 5 you see…]

Kytes: Hey, Vaan! I finally worked out how to get the door on the left side open! I hope there’s somethin’ in there besides rats… I wanted you to go in first, so I waited for you to come before openin’ it. Well, that’s one of the reasons I waited… Thing is, I’m gonna need some special tools to open the door… Gonna need you to go fetch ‘em for me. I know, I know. Not the most exciting thing to do, is it? Heh, heh. I’m just messin’ with ya. I’ve got everything I need ready to go! Hang on while I open it…

(Fade to black.) 

Hmm, let’s see… Yeah, that should do it… Huh? 

Ungh. Urgh. Angh! Hrooph! 

(Fade back in on the same scene.) 

It’s open! Now we’ve got a whole ‘nother place to explore! Oh, and I almost forgot. Take these with ya before you go. No tellin’ what’s down there… might come in handy. 

[You obtain 2 Potions!] 

[You obtain 4 phials of Eye Drops!]

Kytes (x2): Don’t know what kind of monsters are down there, but nothin’ you can’t handle, I bet. Let me know what ya find!

Fussbudget: So Kytes finally got that door open, huh?

Previous: South Sprawl & Dalan's Place

Next: The Garamsythe Waterway & The Royal Palace

North Sprawl

Furious Bangaa: Fie and pah! Blast those Imperials! Headin’ up to the city, I was – the right of any proper Dalmascan – when… SLAM! Gates shut in my face! I can’t fathom what it is they expected us to do had we gotten up there… Must be hidin’ away the rubbish lest we offend the good Consul’s nose.

Wandering Woman: Excuse me, do you think you could tell me where Old Dalan’s house is? Of course, the South Sprawl. I never have a map when I need one. Just keep heading down this passage, right?

Water-watcher: Didya know this water all comes from a biiig river in the Dalmasca Estersand? It runs right through Lowtown on down into the sewers. I heard there are ghosts livin’ down in those sewers, too – waaay deep inside in real hard-to-get-to places.

Vexed Father: I got stuck up in the city when the Imperials sealed off Lowtown. Which would be fine, if it hadn’t meant my daughter missing the parade. She’s been throwin’ a fit, goin’ on about how it’s not fair I got to see it but she didn’t . She’s got to understand, we have to do what the Imperials say.

Rabanastran (tan seeq wandering open eastern area): Wasn’t easy convertin’ Lowtown into someplace livable. (snort) I remember when it was nothin’ more than a maze of storehouses. Just look at these hangin’ rugs, for example. May not be much, but they help make the place a little more homey.

Well-spoken Boy: Grown-ups never cease to amaze me. When we first moved down to Lowtown, they said they couldn’t live in such a place. Now they pay it no mind. I don’t know if they’re just being brave, or strong… Or maybe they’ve just given up.

Angry Woman: Angry? Of course I’m angry. Isn’t it obvious? Living down here the past two years, watched by guards whenever I go to the city… Sure, they let you move up there if you have the gil for it, but who has that kinda coin? I’m not sure how much more of this I can stand.

Demented Merchant: Time was, I had a shop up in the city. Look what they’ve driven me to. Breaks my heart to think about it.

Previous: North Sprawl pt. 1

Next: South Sprawl

North Sprawl

Filo (with Layabout and Fidget): Arr, Vaan! Did ya go see the parade? Me? Are you kidding? Won’t ever become a sky pirate watchin’ parades. Gotta keep trainin’!

Today we’re trainin’ to hunt treasure! I’m gonna hide, and you have to find me. I’ll be somewhere down in the South Sprawl. Hop to it, mateys! Last one to find me’s a buckethead!

Deadbeat: Lowtown… yeah, I like Lowtown. You got your North Sprawl in the north, and… what was down south? Oh, right, the South Sprawl. That Old Dalan down there is somethin’ else. Get him talkin’, there’s no tellin’ when he’ll stop.

Private Residence: The door is tightly shut.

Rabanastran (woman near private residence): See that house on the corner? Well… it’s empty now. You see, the man who’d been living there recently passed away. He had fled from Nabudis during the war, the poor dear. If I’m not mistaken, that seeq laughing in the shop just across the way was his landlord.

Demented Merchant: You’ve come to make a purchase… yes? Oh, my apologies. My store has no ware fit for children, I’m afraid.

Impoverished Man: Back before the war, I led a fine life up in the city. But I refused to bow my head to the Imperials, so they took everything I had and forced me to live here in Lowtown.

Caring Woman/Milha: My husband died protecting me and my son during the war. I’m only glad that I survived. Not for myself, but for our child. No one should have to grow up alone in a world like this.

Rabanastran (man sitting against wall across from Milha): Migelo keeps all the provisions for his shop over there in Storehouse 5. You shouldn’t be pokin’ around in there. It’s locked for a reason, y’know.

Fussbudget: No fair! No fair doesn’t even – Aww! She got tossed into the air at the parade! I wanna be tossed in the air too!

Storehouse No. 5: The door is locked.

Kytes: Hey, Vaan. You here for some more rat hunting? The door’s open and ready to go. I still can’t get that door on the left open, though. Old Dalan said it led someplace really important… can’t wait to see what’s inside!

Yeah, open it up.
No, not right now.
>If you say so.

Kytes (x2): Hey, Vaan. You need inside again?

Yeah, open it up.
No, not right now.
>If you say so.

Traveling Merchant: Business’s been mighty slow. Help me out and buy somethin’, would ya? [shop menu]

Dalmascan Patriot: A new Imperial Consul? What difference does it make? I don’t care if they send the Emperor himself, Rabanastre belongs to Dalmasca.

Cynical Boy: “City’s off limits till further notice!” That’s all they said before lockin’ us down here. No explanation, nothin’. Little while ago I heard it was ‘cause there was a parade for some important person from the Empire. What did they think we’d try to do?

Rabanastran (light blue seeq sitting against wall next to child): Breaks me heart, all these poor orphans. It’s a hard life for them. Try ‘n’ keep it under your hat, but there’s a band o’ folks workin’ to free Dalmasca right here in Lowtown. Still, if it means war, I’ll pass.

Careful Listener: The grown-ups told me all about how come we have to live underground. You wanna hear?

Sure, why not?
>They told me we all used to live above ground. My house was up there, too! But I don’t remember. But then there was that war against the Empire two years ago, and Dalmasca lost. So that made us be under control of the Empire, too. Then when the Imperials come to Rabanastre, they ordered everybody to move down here. The Imperials let us do what we want, I guess, they just won’t let us live where we want. Something about keepin’ their control on us. You wanna hear the rest?
>>Sure, go ahead.
>>>But it’s not totally impossible to live up in the city, even for us Dalmascans. It just takes a whole lotta money. Way more than I got… It’s not all bad in Lowtown, though. At least there aren’t any Imperials down here. Hmm… maybe they stay out just so we’ll think it’s better down here than it is. I mean, if somethin’ happens, it’s a lot easier for them to round us all up if we’re already rounded up. It makes sense, doesn’t it? The grown-ups say I’m just bein’ pair annoyed, whatever that means. Sorry for talkin’ so much. I done listened to everybody to learn all that!
>>No, that’s okay.
[end conversation]
No, thanks.
>Aww, and I done did my best listenin’ ever to find all that out. Oh well, maybe next time.

Rabanastran/Balzac: …

Laughing Seeq: What’s so funny? Oh, I was just thinkin’ back on the Consul’s speech, see. So many sweet words, I’m like to get a toothache. (snort) Hah!

Demented Merchant: Come in! Come in! I’ve many fine blades on display. Forged each and every one m’self! Look them over… but they’re not for sale!

Kindly Girl: The South Sprawl is at the bottom of the map, and the North Sprawl is at the top. That’s how maps always are, y’know.

Watchful Seeq: This poor fellow here lost his son in the war. He’s built up so much hatred over the years, not tellin’ what he might do.

Rabanastran/Northon: The Consul can talk all he wants, he’ll never fool us down in Lowtown. We remember who it was what brought down Dalmasca.

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Next: North Sprawl pt. 2