#tantalus troupe

[bluerants]

Sale until end of week! 10% off AND free shipping!

Every penny goes toward moving costs and vet bills as we prepare to move States!!

[butt-berry]

Zidane and the rest of the Tantalus 'Theatre' Troupe getting advance payment before their next show

[summerendroll]

junah would love to be part of a theatre troupe like tantalus.. wipes a single tear from my eye. we’ll get you in there babe we’ll mkae it happen

[ladyirisreviews]

Final Fantasy 9 - Review

Final Fantasy IX is considered by many as a love letter to everything Final Fantasy stood for, with a number of callbacks and classic designs, it is also considered one of the best in the franchise and I can see why some people would think that.

I think it's an interesting game and it's worth talking about, so that's what I'll do.

Unlike the past 2 games in the series, Final Fantasy 9 comes back into a more traditional fantasy world.

You follow Zidane, a member of a band of thieves that call themselves the Tantalus Theater Troup, with the facade of throwing a theater show, they plan on kidnapping the Princess of the Alexandria kingdom.

But unbeknownst to them Princess Garnet also wants to be taken away from the castle, as she has noticed some concerning changes in her mother's behavior.

After a very entertaining introduction, they both get away from the castle, along with Steiner, a knight set on taking the princess back, and Vivi, a young black mage who got dragged into the situation against his will.

They will discover what is really going on with the queen, and you will see the personal challenges every character has ahead of them. New characters are introduced throughout the game, each with their own conflicts.

In multiple parts of the plot, the characters will get separated, and you will take control of them, but the most important characters are Zidane and Garnet.

Both of them are on a journey that will make them grow up, learn who they truly are, and make hard decisions.

The characters also interact between them quite a lot, which is not something Final Fantasy did a lot of before this point, and I really appreciate that they interact so much.

Besides this, every time you reach a new town or village, characters will split up, and you are able to see how everyone interacts with their enviroment, you can clearly see the personalities of each of the main cast and get attached to them.

Though I wish some characters had more dialogue and that some of the optional cutscenes were not so easily missable, it's a huge step forward compared to what they were doing before in characterization.

Another thing I like about the plot is that the main villain changes and grows, it might still have a simple motivation that comes down to wanting to destroy everything, but you can believe that the villain has emotions and acts according to them, which is saying a lot when talking about Final Fantasy villains.

So in general, both the plot and the characters are pleasant to see, and I didn't find many things that really bothered me about the writing at all, it's for sure one of the best Final Fantasy plots.

It also has the best Final Fantasy character ever, just look at this little guy.

The exploration in this game is also very good, at least in the cities, they are very lively, and with the characters interacting all around a given city it makes every location stand out.

Unlike in so many other RPGs where the cities all look the same, every location has a very distinct style and feeling to it, visiting a new place doesn't get boring.

While the city exploration is good, the dungeons leave a lot to be desired.

They all look nice, but every single dungeon is extremely short, there were several times during my playthrough when I thought a dungeon was looking interesting with the concepts it introduced, and right as I thought it was getting good, the dungeon was over.

There's a lack of gimmicks and puzzles, and they all feel very linear. I would have loved if dungeons were more intricate, even if that meant they were worse looking.

Now it's time to talk about the gameplay.

Like it's usual now, ATB makes a return, and it works the same, we are back to 4 player characters and there's a new addition, the trance status, which replaces the limit break system.

When you take and deal damage the trance gauge fills up and when it reaches 100% your character transforms, this gives them new abilities and generally makes them stronger.

Although it is neat, I don't really like that it activates automatically, most of the time it will activate on random encounters where they don't make a significance, and if it activates right before a boss fight it'll take extra time to fill all the way, making trance extremely situational and not something to rely on.

Every other aspect of the fights is more or less the same as it's been for a couple of games now, you wait until your ATB gauge fills up and decide what to do, and like past games magic still works the same, you can decide to use a spell on 1 enemy or on multiple by pressing a button.

What is different is how characters learn skills, which is very unique to this game.

The skills come from equipment, every piece has skills that can be learned, though the character has to be compatible with the skill.

To have the skill you have to actually equip it, and each one has a cost of gems, which you get more of as you level up.

If it ended there it wouldn't be that different from how Materia worked, but what sets it apart is that you can permanently learn any skill.

At the end of every battle you earn AP points, which go into mastering the skills you have equipped, once you master them, they are yours forever.

It's a neat system and it allows you to customize your characters however you like while also letting each character be unique in what they can do, which I appreciate.

Another mechanic in the game is the ability to combine equipment in specific stores.

This nets unique equipment with unique skills that are not able to be obtained any other way.

If you happen to have the required ingredients you can get a way stronger armor or weapon than you could get in other ways, with the advantage of learning good skills.

Though I wish some of the equipment wasn't missable, so if you play it try to check every equipment store for stuff you might not have yet, and don't be afraid to buy repeated equipment.

Some of the strongest equipment can be entirely missed, along with some skills, which kinda sucks if you want to get all the skills on all the characters.

While I'm at it I also want to mention that the difficulty in general is very accessible, it's very well balanced, and the superbosses are quite challenging, and even if you decide not to tackle the superbosses, the final boss is quite challenging without being unfair.

In the Playstation 1 version of the game, there's an issue I do have with the gameplay, and that's the battles taking too long.

You might not think it's a gameplay issue but the length of most of the animations messes with the ATB system and how it works.

Some animations are so long that while the animation is playing, every other character filled their ATB gauge already and is waiting for their turn to act, it also messes with how some bosses attack, they have higher speed stat so it's natural they would attack more, but with how the system feels stuck waiting for the animations to play, it more or less feels like they are getting way more turns than they should, it's hard to put into words.

Just for reference, this is how long a fight against a single enemy can be with the default game speed, just as it was on the PlayStation 1.

If this ATB worked like how it worked in older Final Fantasy games, with all the gauges pausing every time an animation played, I wouldn't have any issue with the gameplay, besides feeling battles take too long, which they already do.

This general slowness also discouraged me from willingly starting random encounters when I played the original version, and only really playing through the absolutely necessary encounters.

There's also the introduction to every fight, as if it was the first time you saw the battle arena, it might not seem like much but it takes so much of your time as you progress through the game.

This isn't an issue on new versions since there's is both a speed-up option, a skip battle intro option and an auto-battle option, I replayed the remastered version and it's such a better experience compared to the Playstation 1 version, it's definitely the way to go.

The past six paragraphs or so don't really apply on this version, except maybe only the bit about the ATB not behaving like in olderFinal Fantasy games, but that's a nitpick I have with every single game doesn't behave like that.

Just for comparison, this is how fast the same battle can go in the remaster.

The music is, as usual, very good, with a lot of memorable themes, the graphics are outstanding for a PlayStation 1 game, for the longest time I thought this was a PlayStation 2, the prerendered backgrounds are very good and the models themselves have a lot of detail.

The visual style is also more animated than the previous 2 entries, the designs really stand out and are absolutely memorable.

On top of Vivi being the most handsome guy we also got another peak design in the form of Freya, take a look at her please.

So yeah, in general, this game is great, I do have some grievances with the missable weapons and skills, but that's almost to be expected from a Final Fantasy game at this point, to have missable things, and it's not that much of a problem if you consult some guides for missables.

So don't be afraid to try this Final Fantasy, it is not only one of the best places to start, but it's one of the best Final Fantasy games out there, if you want a good RPG this is definitely a game I would recommend.

[caityelizabethjoy]

@ff9week2024 Day 2 - July 2nd - Side Character || Trance || AUs

Zidane Tribal is a member of Tantalus, the famous theatre troupe. He and his brothers enjoy being Broadway stars, performing popular plays and musicals all around Gaia.

Garnet Alexandros is the daughter of a wealthy and successful politician. She grew up in Alexandria, but spent many weekends visiting her Uncle Cid, Aunt Hilda and cousin Eiko in Lindblum. On one such occasion, when she was 11 years old, she watched Tantalus perform 'The Lion King', and fell head over heels for the boy who played Young Simba.

10 years later, now studying at Lindblum University, and with tickets to see 'Aladdin' in a few months time, Garnet finds herself having an unexpected meet cute with the very same star she had a crush on in her youth - Zidane Tribal! Meeting briefly in a coffee shop, the broadway star (who just so happens to be leading as Aladdin) is quick to ask her out on a date.

Garnet's friends Freya and Beatrix, along with Eiko, help her navigate her way through her first romantic experience. Although cautious at first, Garnet is quick to fall for her childhood crush. She soon meets Zidane's brothers, Blank, Marcus and Cinna, who play Aladdin's friends Omar, Kassim and Babkak, and Ruby, playing the lead role of Jasmine.

Despite her inexperience, Garnet can't help but feel this relationship with Zidane was meant to be. It doesn't take long before she's frequenting the theatre, watching Zidane perform, cheering him on - and perhaps enjoying a sneaky kiss or two between rehearsals. But Zidane is keeping a secret from her... a secret that may just ruin this meaningful bond he has been so desperate to find all his life.

[rpgxyz]

The Tantalus Theater Troupe (salute)

[startgamc]

"You ever leave Lindblum, Ruby?" Meiko wondered. "Like, traveled 'cross the sea or whatnot?"

She was wondering if the other would ever consider packing up her theater troupe and going on the road to Eorzea. Not that Meiko herself was particularly cultured, but she hadn't seen very many theaters across her home continent. Maybe when Troupe Falsiam headed back that way...?

"'ve traveled 'cross the continent, but never 'cross the sea. Been wantin' to do more travelin' actually now that ya mention it." According to the stories Zidane and his crew came back with, there was a lot more outside of the Mist continent than she would've guessed, but she wasn't ever sure if the type of theater she produced would be well-received elsewhere.

Besides, finding the right travel companions was tough, especially when the last time she did any major traveling the Tantalus boys left her behind in Alexandria.

"Why ya askin'? Are ya invitin' me along or somethin'?" She teased, waving her hand playfully.

[toranoya]

Zidane nodded as he followed his new friend to an interview, he supposed with someone in charge. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be asking for any actual papers or anything, so here went nothing.

"Zidane Tribal, pleasure to meet you, great pleasure. I'm a singer and actor with the Tantalus Theatre Troupe. I could also demonstrate, but you know talent when you see it, right?" Zi winked playfully.

A guy named bard

.

[goatofgehenna]

I decided to give fun descriptions to all of the tantalus. Bare in mind, some of these are headcanons.

Ruby, the Belle of the Tantalus and arguably the spiciest pepper of the troupe. She's sassy and headstrong with a tall passion for theatre. She's very supportive of her boys but not afraid to put them in their place.

The mysteriously patched and scarred Blank, often considered the 'brains of the Tantalus', is adapt at potion making and remedial magic. Slightly reserved, he might seem a bit grumpy on the exterior but once you've gained his trust and respect you'll find he has a heart of gold.

Zidane, the youngest tantalus member, known for his cheeky attitude and boisterous personality, he's undoubtedly Baku's adopted son. Though he's sometimes recklessly implusive, Zidane will always be there for his friends.

Marcus is often playing the moderator in the troupe, he's the voice of sense. He loves a good joke, especially one that involves getting Blank fired up (he thinks it's hilarious), whiskey on the rocks and a cigar by the fire. He'll probably beat you in a game of tetra master and although he looks big and intimidating on the inside he's a total softie... Just don't get on his bad side.

Cinna, master of dry sarcasm and coffee making (and a litany of other hobbies that, much to the amusement of the other Tantalus, include knitting). He's a bit over protective of what's his; "Nobody wants your raggedy-ass doll Cinna!" He's also not the most patient person sometimes, but hey, at least he's usually very dependable!

Baku -- the big man on top! He's the boss of the tantalus with the booming voice to prove it! He has a motto that involves something about tough love, respect and loyalty but everytime he repeats it he changes the words so maybe his memory isn't too great. What he says goes, even if it's a little questionable at times.

[artisticflutter]

AU August - Day Eighteen: Wedding

I had a dentist appointment and proceeded to get distracted today! Hooray!

Series: Final Fantasy IX Rating: PG Genre: Romance Pairing(s): Zidagger Summary: The day has finally come. Just a brief conversation before the ceremony begins. Warning: Fluff! Also, you’ll see what might make this an AU (that is, if you didn’t just read the tags)

“Well? How do I look?”

Zidane turned to face his company after making one more adjustment and the silence that followed was almost deafening. Looks were exchanged, words were left unsaid, but eventually, someone had to break it.

“Punchable.”

“Thanks, Blank.”

He rolled his eyes, but he knew what his Tantalus brother meant. He was just going to ignore how Marcus and Cinna snickered, and caught himself before falling over, Baku’s massive hand having clapped against his shoulder.

“Who the hell are ya? My boy doesn’t clean up this well ever!”

“C’mon! I’ve always cleaned up well for my parts!”

The old beastman guffawed while Zidane scowled and fussed with his cravat again. He wished he could be wearing his old clothes; damn aristocrats sometimes.

“You look fine, Zidane,” Marcus said, giving a toothy grin. “You’ll be the best looking man in the room. Well, since some of us dressed down for the occasion.”

Eyes drifted to the last among them who’d yet to say anything. Their hand was to their chin, but they seemed to come back into awareness from whatever thoughts they had, and scoffed. “I would never dress down for any occasion. No, he’s just missing one piece…”

And stepping forward, Zidane shook out his hand after it was smacked away, and held still as his cravat was yet again fiddled with by other hands. Once it was done, the groom looked down to see the gold choker now sitting on the cravat, its opulent filigree front on open display.

“Much better.”

“Huh… that does look better.” Zidane turned to better examine it in the mirror, nodding his head a few times as he shifted to other angles. “... Yeah, way better.”

A knock at the door drew all of their attention, blonde hair appearing before peridot eyes peered at them all.

“We’re ready to begin.”

“Ah! Alright! Thanks Mikoto!”

She nodded and ducked back out, closing the door carefully. Zidane grinned and looked around again. “Well, time to get married… Still can’t believe this is finally happening.”

“Hm… Among us, I believe I can say that you’ve earned this.” Striding to the door first, there was just a look back with a small smirk. “Try not to make a fool of yourself up there.”

“What? No way! … I’m saving that for the reception!” Zidane laughed, but then smiled. “Go on, Kuja. Mikoto’s probably wondering what’s taking you.”

“I can’t believe how impatient both of you are…”

But combing back some of his silver hair, the elder Genome stepped out to join their younger ‘sister’, and watch the wedding of the Queen of Alexandria and her Prince Consort commence.

[zidanetilornitier]

Started my first ever playthrough of Final Fantasy IX on my PS2 (it's the thick ver) since I got the game, fresh out of the cellophane, for my birthday. And if you all are wondering why I'm writing the IX-2 despite having never played it before, I got my info of all that is FFIX from streams of gameplay and wikis.

While I'm playing it like a compleitionist, so far, this is how things went.

Almost had the PS2 bisect disk one while closing the disk drive.

Game glitched the title graphics and stalled, had to modify PS2 settings and reload disk.

Had the first cutscene glitch and skip, likely because the PS2 is old and may need a deep clean.

No, I did not name Zidane MONKE despite wanting to.

Failed to pay attention to what I stole from the Masked Man and got the Mage Masher I wanted.

Could've finished that Masked Man battle several turns earlier.

Snooped in rando people's houses as Vivi.

Found 27 gil on the floor of a bar/pub/tavern.

Learned there are three hidden cards for me to find.

Started Jump Rope Simulator 2000.

[the-fellowship-of-lalafell]

Squallall was selling custom armor and weapons at the time, among other things; selling her craftsmanship through custom pieces ranging from weapons and armor to furniture and trinkets was her main shtick, where payment often came in the form of reimbursement for the materials spent by giving her new materials.

A week before ARR, specifically the Ul'dah intro, she had been located by the Fellowship of the Lupine's Kin, seeing as their last leader

1. Died some years back.

2. Nobody could remember who it was that was their last leader.

3. Their temporary leader, an old Hellsgard/Sea Wolf man named Helm's Deep, knew that their late leader had a kid, so said kid was the logical next leader if they were of age (at least 18).

She used to be babysat by Helm's Deep, so she knew him, but he did have to coax and borderline force her to take the position since her late caretaker was the last don of the Fellowship. This wouldn't interrupt her current work, but would instead

1. Give her a secret new job to do.

2. Give her an opportunity to pursue her theatre skills, as the Fellowship often went undercover as The Tantalus Theatre Troupe; the Fellowship actually has a lot of good actors, so pretending to be a theatre crew isn't difficult, but means that sometimes the Fellowship is hired strictly for the fact they can perform quite well.

3. Give her added info relating to her missing, unknown caretaker that people seem to have zero memory of, including herself.

4. Give her the manpower needed to further investigate the origins of her blue facial mark and the serial number on the back of her right ear; she knew a Garlean scientist designed her for war, but elsewise, she knew nothing, not even who the scientist was that did that. This rabbit hole would also lead to her figuring out that her "blacking out" after encountering too much darkness expected aether wasn't her blacking out, and that the faint memory of her caretaker gently explaining that she would mutate into a voidsent-looking monstrosity was true.

The carriage ride to Ul'dah was her first day as don of the Fellowship.

9/28/24

What was your wol(oc) doing before ARR?

[nintendocafe]

FINAL FANTASY IX - $10.49 Buy Now!

Selling over five million copies since its release in 2000, FINAL FANTASY IX proudly returns on Nintendo Switch.

Experience the adventure once again with characters and pre-rendered movies featured in high definition, as well as a new booster system with a selection of various modes such as "high speed" or "no encounters"!

Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have kidnapped Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, however, the princess herself yearned to escape the castle. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and set out on an incredible journey.

Meeting unforgettable characters like Vivi and Quina along the way, they learn about themselves, the secrets of the Crystal, and a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their world.

[tantalizingbro]

| ⚜ | @heroofgrymoire | 

| ⚜ |  “Lookin’ for somethin’, kid?” It was unsurprising for an unfamiliar face to become lost in a place as grand as Lindblum, and he only dares to raise his voice at a particularly confused tourist, because it seemed as if the boy might cry, not something anyone would wish to deal with.

“This isn’t the best place to check.” The thief supplies helpfully, strolling over to stand at the side of the blond. 

“Ya might want to try the Business Distruct. There still isn’t much down here, even with repairs done.” 

[kiome-yasha]

If any of my followers are FFIX/FF9 fans. There is a discord for the game now! It has been newly made, all are welcome to see it grow and build! :D We'll talk about FFIX of any related source, and potentially other FFs as well. I hope to make new friends who love the game as much as I do :).

[finalfantasyix]

What’s So Good About FINAL FANTASY IX?

It's Final Fantasy IX's release anniversary today! It's one of the most beloved games in the Final Fantasy series, but why? We look at why the Tantalus Theatre Troupe continues to draw in the crowds...

1. Every character is memorable and unique

FINAL FANTASY IX features one of the quirkiest casts in the entire FINAL FANTASY series - maybe even in all of gaming. Every character in the game is utterly distinct - both visually and in terms of their personality.

Take the nominal lead, Zidane, for example. He’s one of the most outwardly cheerful heroes to lead a FINAL FANTASY game, and his mischievous nature is mirrored in his prehensile monkey-like tail.

Then there’s Quina, the lick-y gourmand who joins the gang - essentially to eat as much of the world’s flora and fauna as possible. As motivations go, it’s… um… one of a kind and the long-tongued character design is also unlike anything else is the series.

That’s just a tiny sample of this amazing cast - whether it’s the solemn stoicism of Amarant, or the grotesque cruelty of Queen Brahne, every character wedges themselves in the mind long after you’ve shut down the game.

2. The story is uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time

The opening of FINAL FANTASY IX is so fast, funny and entertaining, you’d be forgiven for thinking you know what to expect from the rest of the adventure.

But FINAL FANTASY IX wants to take you on an emotional journey that ranges as far as the physical one the characters undertake. There’s serious darkness in this world.

This is particularly evident in the case of Vivi. The young Black Mage’s journey of self-discovery is shocking and heart-breaking in equal measure.

And yet despite all the pain and the tragedy the heroes endure, the game never wallows in misery. It still looks for joy and humor in the world and goes out of its way to leave you with a smile on your face. It’s actually amazing that a story with so many potentially disturbing twists can be so inspirational.

3. The ability system is fun and flexible

The genius of FINAL FANTASY IX’s ability system is that it’s incredibly easy to understand yet has incredible depth.

Here’s a very basic rundown of how it works: almost all gear and weapons contain inherent skills and support abilities.

Skills are active commands that you can use in combat, such as magic spells, or deadly physical attacks. So long as you have that item equipped, you can use it, and eventually you’ll learn the skill permanently.

Support abilities are passive bonuses that boost a character’s abilities, such as more health or extra damage against specific enemy types. You’ll need magic gems to equip them - different abilities require a different number of gems, so you’ll never have enough to use everything.

Then there are extra complications, like the fact that some characters can’t use certain skills and abilities. It all means that you have to make constant decisions about the makeup of your party.

Do you stick with an underpowered piece of kit to bank the skill for later use? Should you switch up your support abilities to help overcome a particularly bothersome boss? Smart choices can mean the difference between success and a messy end.

4. The side activities are particularly good

If you’re someone who enjoys poking away at every nook and cranny of a game, FINAL FANTASY IX must feel like a gift from the Eidolons - it’s absolutely packed full of entertaining side quests, secrets and minigames.

The most well-known is undoubtedly Tetra Master. This deceptively deep card game can be played with many of the characters across FINAL FANTASY IX’s massive world, and depending on the type of player you are, it’s either a fun diversion, or an all-consuming mega-game that will become an obsession for hours.

But there’s far more than that to do in FINAL FANTASY IX. Chocobo Hot and Cold sees you using the iconic birds to find unique treasures across the world. You can also search for Stellazzio coins, meet friendly land spirits, chase frogs, jump rope and more.

The main story is already pretty chunky, but factor in all the entertaining side activities, and FINAL FANTASY IX will keep you busy for a very long time indeed.

5. It’s one for the fans - in the best possible way

There’s a right way and a wrong way to do fan service - FINAL FANTASY IX does it the right way.

The game is a celebration of FINAL FANTASY up to that point, and it’s full of fun nods to earlier titles. For example, the Black Mage design is a direct reference to the original FINAL FANTASY, as are some of the airship designs.

Character and place names are reused from earlier titles too. You’ll notice off-hand comments about ‘spiky haired sword wielders’ and you may recognize certain ability names from prior games too. If you’re a long-term fan of the series, you’ll be amazed at the sheer volume of callbacks and Easter eggs.

And yet you don’t need to be a veteran of the series to enjoy the game. Not getting any of the many, many references won’t impact your understanding of the plot, characters or world. The game still stands up as a fun standalone adventure in its own right.

(source)