Calm Lands

The Calm Lands is a location in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. They fall between Macalania and Mt. Gagazet on a summoner's pilgrimage to Zanarkand. The Calm Lands, an expanse of wide plains, is the location where the final battle with Sin was once fought, forming a ravine to its north that has since been dubbed 'the scar'.

The middle of the Calm Lands hosts a shop. In Final Fantasy X the quickest way to traverse the Calm Lands is via chocobos, which become available if Tidus plays a minigame where he can train one. Like Mi'ihen Highroad, there are no random encounters while riding a chocobo. At the Calm Lands, however, it is free to ride. Along the eastern boundary lies the entrance to the forgotten Remiem Temple, which can only be accessed after training said chocobos, and the Monster Arena, where the player can battle monsters after capturing fiends roaming throughout Spira. In Final Fantasy X-2 the Monster Arena is a chocobo stable and a dungeon. The Cavern of the Stolen Fayth lies to the north, at the foot of the Mt. Gagazet.

Calm Lands is one of the few areas that has been remade for Final Fantasy X-2 by making it much larger than what it was in Final Fantasy X.

Final Fantasy X
Yuna and her guardians cross the Calm Lands on her pilgrimage to Zanarkand, but as they have been labelled heretics and criminals they are being pursued by Yevon. After crossing the Calm Lands, the party is attacked by the Guado and their machina weapon, but Yuna's party prevails and continues onwards to Mt. Gagazet.

Final Fantasy X-2
Since the beginning of the Eternal Calm, the Calm Lands have become a place of fun and excitement for travelers. Two rival companies, Argent Inc. and Open Air, have set up several games for tourists to enjoy. The companies represent the divide between the younger generation of Spira and the older generation; Open Air is run by young adults, while Argent Inc. is managed by the elderly. The Gullwings can align with either group and assisting either one or both companies with their Publicity Campaigns to open up new games.

After speaking to Kimahri on Mt. Gagazet, YRP can meet Lian and Ayde, two Ronso youths at the travel agency, who set out to search Spira for a way to repair Kimahri's broken horn. YRP can also find a wife for the heir to Argent Inc.

Eventually, if the YRP promote the Calm Land companies enough, Tobli comes to settle the two companies' differences and they merge to become the Calm Skies Partnership.

The Monster Arena has been abandoned, but should YRP bring Clasko to the Calm Lands, he will see it as the perfect place to set up a Chocobo Ranch.

Locations
A spot free of fiends in its small vicinity. The save sphere and items/equipment shop are found here.
 * Calm Lands Shop

In Final Fantasy X-2 Lian and Ayde, two Ronso children, can be met here and the Gullwings can also find a wife for the heir of Argent, Inc in a sidequest.


 * Cavern of the Stolen Fayth

Legend says this cave hides a fayth that was stolen long ago to prevent summoners from finishing their pilgrimage to avoid the death that comes with its completion. Many summoners perish when trying to recruit Yojimbo from its depths. The cave has become a tourist attraction after the Eternal Calm, much like the rest of the lands.


 * Monster Arena (Final Fantasy X)/Chocobo Ranch (Final Fantasy X-2)

An arena that serves as a storage area. In Final Fantasy X, fiends caught from all over Spira, as well as original creations, are kept here and looked after by an unnamed owner.

In Final Fantasy X-2, Clasko converts the arena into a chocobo ranch.


 * Ruin Depths (Final Fantasy X-2)

Hidden dungeon under the Chocobo Ranch, the Gullwings must raise chocobos to discover its entrance.


 * Remiem Temple (Final Fantasy X)

Unlike other temples of Yevon, this one lacks a Cloister of Trials. Rather, the unsent summoner, Belgemine, stays to test the strength of Yuna's aeons, and the entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth is sealed and requires key items to break it.

Belgemine
Belgemine challenges Yuna to a battle of aeons and fights with Shiva. If Yuna wins, she earns the Aeon's Soul that allows her aeons to increase their stats using spheres.

Chocobo racing
The player can play four types of chocobo races on the Calm Lands, used as a method of taming and training wild chocobos. The player can find an NPC on the plains that lets Tidus race chocobos to train them. After having tamed a chocobo, the player can take the chocobo for a ride around the Calm Lands.

The Wobbly Chocobo is a beginner's race straight to the finish. To add a degree of difficulty, the racer is given a chocobo that tends to wander off the track. With the Dodger Chocobo the race gets harder in difficulty as blitzballs are thrown onto the track and must be dodged, as being hit slows the chocobo down. Blitzballs and homing birds are pelted at the racer, which must be dodged. Slightly different from the previous races, in Catcher Chocobo the racer must catch as many balloons on the track as possible while avoiding incoming birds. The racer with the better final time wins (a bird adds three seconds while a balloon removes three seconds from the racing time). However, even if one wins the race, they only get a reward if they beat the current record. It can be difficult as this minigame is full of glitches.
 * Wobbly Chocobo:
 * Prize for first time: Elixir
 * Prize for tie/beaten record: X-Potion
 * Dodger Chocobo:
 * Prize for first time: Lv. 1 Key Sphere
 * Prize for a tie/beaten record: Mega-Potion
 * Hyper Dodger Chocobo:
 * Prize for first time: Lv. 2 Key Sphere
 * Prize for a tie/beaten record: Ether
 * Catcher Chocobo:
 * Prize for first time: Lv. 3 Key Sphere, Sun Sigil
 * Prize for a tie/beaten record: Turbo Ether

For the Sun Sigil a time of less than 0:00 is required.

Completing all chocobo training to become able to ride a chocobo on the Calm Lands earns the trophy Chocobo License in the Final Fantasy X HD Remaster version. Winning a chocobo race in perfect time earns Chocobo Rider.


 * Tips
 * It is better to use the D-pad as the analog stick does not allow fast enough turns. It is best to only tap the directions, not hold them down.
 * Hitting the invisible walls causes the chocobo to veer at an almost 90 degree angle away from it. While sometimes desirable to avoid birds, it should usually be avoided.
 * A perfect run is ~35 seconds. To get 0:0.0 the player must get 12 balloons and hit no birds. A more likely winning scenario is to finish in ~37-38 seconds, getting 14 balloons and allow one hit from the last pair of birds.
 * The balloons are placed randomly, but the bird strikes happen in set places and they always aim for the same target. With some practice, the player can learn to never get hit more than once at the end.
 * Even if the balloon positioning is unfavorable in the beginning of the race, the player need not get discouraged. This can be used as an opportunity to practice the rest of the stages of the race.
 * The player should collect at least three balloons immediately. The player should never go to the trainer's side, but line up for the first balloon on the player's own side and then make minute adjustments to get the rest. The key is to get ahead of the trainer. Sometimes the last balloon of the first stretch will be way to the left, or at the turn. It may be better to give those up.
 * At the first turn the player is supposed to do a sharp turn around the corner and then immediately tap left to center themselves and get the 1 or 2 balloons around the corner. It is not critical to get these "turn balloons", however, and many players do not even attempt unless they are right in front of the chocobo. The player should be ahead of the trainer by this point, and to stay ahead one will need to make a perfect turn.
 * When rounding the corner and trailing the trainer, the first wave of 4 birds will arrive; 2 will go for the trainer and 2 will go for the player. Rather than worry about the balloons coming out of the curve, the trainer needs to be hit by a bird, while the player themselves need to not be hit. The first is determined by chance, but she gets hit more often than not. The player can avoid getting hit by tapping when coming around the curve.
 * If there is a balloon right in front one can try for it, but there is only about 1 second window before the two birds meant for the player will fly out. If all goes well, most of the time what will happen is the trainer will get struck and the player won't.
 * After passing the first straight and the first turn after dodging the first pair of birds, the sharp right tap has likely destabilized the player's chocobo. After dodging the two birds the player needs to immediately tap gently to straighten up. The player must avoid over-correcting and potentially cause the chocobo to go too far left. The aim is to stay slightly to the right side of center.
 * Being ahead of the trainer again, the next two birds are guaranteed to go after her, and with some luck will hit her. Thus, the player has a few seconds to align and pursue balloons.
 * The player needs to collect some balloons in the second straight while gently tapping to control the chocobo's trajectory to grab them. It is acceptable to go after balloons in the center as well as the right. The player should not go far to the left as that will drastically increase the chance of a bird hit. The player must neither stick too far to the right and risk hitting the invisible wall to bounce off, likely right into a bird hit.
 * After picking up a few balloons in the 2-3 seconds the 3rd pair of birds flew after the trainer, one can anticipate the 4th pair aiming for the player. The player's position should be around the center or slightly to the left or right of it, depending on balloon positions. When the 4th pair of birds show up the player should tap right and have room to dodge. Afterward the 5th pair of birds is aiming for the trainer. The player should not pursue any more balloons as the second turn is approaching, which is more gradual than the first turn was.
 * The second turn coming up is heralded by the shadow of the mountain. There is almost always a balloon here as well. The player should gently hug right and the screen is going to rotate while the 5th pair of birds is off hitting the trainer, giving the player a free pass to get through the curve and line up. A 6th pair of birds targeting the player will show up, but being in the middle of the screen they will miss most of the time if the player is hugging right.
 * It is not critical to pick balloons in the second turn. After the turn the player should aim to straighten the chocobo out by gentle tapping and get ready for the last stretch to the end.
 * The player will need there to be a couple of easy balloons lined up near the center or right. The player has about 2 or 3 seconds to align appropriately and pick them up, because birds are approaching. The first pair will always go for the player and one must dodge them by shading right by gently tapping the d-pad, and when the birds begin to approach, the player must tap hard to the left to go 90 degrees across the path. This will avoid both birds meant for the player most of the time.
 * The next pair of birds, or pair number 8, will aim for the trainer who by now has made the turn. There are a few seconds of breathing room to straighten the chocobo out and to survey the field. The end of the race is in sight when the corridor begins to narrow, making bird dodging challenging if not downright impossible.
 * There will be a few balloons near the end of the race. The player must hope for a configuration where they line up 3 or 4 in a row either on the right or the left. If the balloons are instead scattered, the player will have to pick up what they can.
 * 9th and the player's last and hardest pair of birds appear right before the end. Ideally, while the 8th pair of birds are off hitting the trainer, the player should use the time to straighten the chocobo out and get it around the center again, so when pair nr. 9 comes on, the player can do another hard left to dodge them. At this point, hard left is the only realistic way to dodge them. However, there is hardly ever the chance to do this because the player needs to pick up those last balloons.
 * The worst configuration of balloons at this stage is scattered, but the second worst is a line of balloons on the left side, as it is almost right at the left wall. While getting them, there is a good chance of bouncing off the wall and getting hit by the last birds as well as missing the last balloons.
 * How the last balloons are arranged has a big effect on the success of a run. Some players opt to get hit by the bird on purpose if they had a perfect run so far, as it is more important to pick up all 2 or 3 balloons.
 * Bird pair nr. 10 will go after the trainer so the player should have an open run to the finish after the 9th pair of birds.
 * If the player is very lucky, the last balloons will be lined up so far away the player can grab them and then hang a sharp turn left to avoid the 9th pair of birds.
 * If unlucky, the player can get hit by a pair of birds meant for the trainer. This happens most frequently in the last straight.

Monster Arena


When the player first visits the Monster Arena, the owner will ask the party to capture monsters of Calm Lands for the Arena as previously all escaped. After completing this side task, the player will be able to collect monsters from all around the Spira. Capturing more monsters of various species and numbers unlocks more and more dangerous monster with each capture.

Tidus's Celestial Weapon
Tidus's Celestial Weapon, Caladbolg, is found in a small cave to the northwest. The Sun Sigil needed to enhance the power of the Caladbolg can be won in the Chocobo Races. Like all Celestial Weapons, it may not be obtained until after the party obtains the Celestial Mirror. Additionally, a man will be standing guard outside the cave, and will not move aside until after Tidus has won a race against the Chocobo trainer.

Penance
In the International, PAL, and HD Remaster versions, after defeating all of the Dark Aeons, Penance appears in the Calm Lands and can be fought.

Attractions
The games of the Calm Lands are played by betting credits. The player starts out with 100 credits for each agency courtesy of Rikku and Paine. Winning games can earn credits, otherwise they are available through the shop for 10 gil per credit. One can also ride the hover to another attraction for 10 credits. If the player rides either hover ten times they will receive a pass that lets one ride for 5 credits for both companies. After Episode Complete, the former manager of Argent Inc. will give the player a pass to ride for free.

Sky Slots
Rules: Three rows of fiends fly through the air. Line up fiends of the same type in one column to win credits!
 * Help
 * Press at just the right time to try and line up fiends of the same type.
 * They are fiends, so don't expect them to always stop right where you want.
 * The rows stop form top to bottom.
 * The amount of credits you win depends on the type of fiend you line up.
 * Only fiends lined up in the column with the triangular cursor count.

Reptile Run
Rules: Maneuver a lizard through the course, avoiding any fiends that get in the way. The faster you finish the course, the more credits you can win!
 * Basic Rules
 * Navigate the sphere points to make your way past eight rows of potential reptile ruin.
 * The time remaining when you cross the finish line determines your payout rate.
 * You can only move forward and diagonally forward.
 * If a fiend attacks you, it's game over!
 * Fiend Attack Range
 * Helms attack the sphere point directly in front of them.
 * Bombs slowly rotate, attacking the point in front of them.
 * Drakes attack any point in their line of sight.
 * Winning & Losing
 * After crossing the finish line, you can leave the game or press your luck and try to increase your payout.
 * However, failing to complete the course will cost you all the credits you earned, so it's all or nothing.

Lupine Dash
Rules: Predict the outcome of a five-lupine race.
 * Win Bet: Pick the first place winner.
 * Double Bet: Pick the first and second place winners.

The tougher the odds, the more credits you stand to win!

Publicity Campaign
The player can advertise the Calm Lands attractions around Spira.

Chocobo Treasures
Sending a chocobo to the Calm Lands to look for treasures finds the following items (depending on the chocobo's level):

Marriage Quest
At the Travel Agency, Yuna can speak to the owner of Argent, Inc. He will first ask her if she wants to marry his son, after she refuses, he asks her to help find someone that will. Similar to how the Publicity Campaign is done, the player must press and choose a pitch. This only works on the female NPCs. It does not matter which company the player signs up for.


 * Rewards: Elixir (if score is between 0-29), Speed Bracer (if score is 30+)

Clean Sweep

 * Note: If the player hasn't participated and completed the mission in Chapter 2, it can be participated and completed in Chapter 3.
 * Note: This is not a compulsory mission, thus is not required to complete the game.

''Exterminate the fiends that have taken up residence in the ruins. Leave no fiend unslain!''
 * Objective: Wipe out all the fiends.
 * Unlock: Becomes available when Clasko, Calli and the chocobo board the airship.
 * Reward: Highroad Winds Garment Grid, Alchemist dressphere.

Tourist Trap

 * Note: If the player haven't participated and completed the mission in Chapter Three, it can be participated and completed in Chapter 5.

''Rescue the tourists who didn't make it out of the cave! They hold the key to unlocking its secrets.''
 * Objective: Save the tourists from the fiends.
 * Unlock: Becomes available at the beginning of Chapter 3.
 * Reward: Tetra Master Garment Grid, Star Bracer accessory.

Episode Complete

 * All Chapters – The player must raise either Open Air or Argent to publicity level 5 via the Publicity Campaign sidequest. If, in Chapter 5, the player hasn't managed to pitch to enough people, they can still play the minigames to get more publicity to get the Episode Complete.
 * Chapter 3 – The player must rescue all the tourists trapped inside the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth.

The Chocobo Ranch quests or the matchmaking sidequest do not affect Episode Complete.

Final Fantasy X

 * 5,000 gil
 * 10,000 gil
 * Al Bhed Primer vol. XXIII
 * Lv. 2 Key Sphere
 * Power Sphere x30 (defeat Belgemine's aeon)
 * Speed Sphere x30 (lose to Belgemine's aeon)
 * Aeon's Soul (from Belgemine after duel)
 * Rusty Sword (in Gorge Bottom)
 * Sun Sigil (win Chocobo Race with a time 0:00)
 * Caladbolg (down slope in northwest corner, complete Chocobo Training, Celestial Mirror required)

Final Fantasy X-2

 * Any Chapter
 * Calm Lands Discount Pass (ride the hover ten times)
 * Chapter 1
 * Phoenix Down
 * Ether
 * Chocobo Feather x2
 * Potion x2
 * Phoenix Down
 * Chapter 2
 * Ether x2
 * Phoenix Down x2
 * Chocobo Wing x2
 * Phoenix Down x2
 * Phoenix Down
 * Chapter 3
 * Ether x3
 * Mega Phoenix
 * Sprint Shoes
 * Hi-Potion x2
 * Mega Phoenix x2
 * Chapter 5
 * 50000 gil (must see man move chest on the Commsphere in Chapter 4)
 * Sword Lore (talk to man at Travel Agency, answer "Actually, I did", after collecting the gil)
 * Cerulean Ring
 * Speed Bracer (possible prize for marriage quest)
 * Elixir (possible prize for marriage quest)
 * Mega Phoenix x2
 * Turbo Ether
 * X-Potion
 * Mega Phoenix
 * Calm Lands Free Pass (get either agency up to lv. 5)

Rin's Travel Agency
Note: This shop only appears when the player first arrives in the Calm Lands. Once they leave the Calm Lands riding a Chocobo, or after defeating Defender X, this shop will disappear.

Calm Lands Shop

 * Before airship
 * After airship

Final Fantasy X

 * Entrance
 * Mech Scouter, Nebiros, Skoll
 * Skoll, Flame Flan, Mech Scouter
 * Nebiros, Shred, Flame Flan
 * Southeast, Central-East and Northeast
 * Nebiros x2, Skoll, Mech Scouter
 * Skoll, Flame Flan, Mech Scouter
 * Nebiros, Shred, Flame Flan
 * Mech Scouter (flaming) x2, Coeurl
 * Coeurl x2
 * Anacondaur x2
 * Chimera Brain x2
 * Ogre, Skoll x2
 * Malboro
 * Central-West and Northwest
 * Mech Scouter, Nebiros x2, Skoll
 * Skoll, Flame Flan, Mech Scouter
 * Nebiros, Shred, Flame Flan
 * Mech Scouter (flaming) x2, Coeurl
 * Anacondaur x2
 * Chimera Brain x2
 * Ogre, Skoll x2
 * Malboro
 * Entrance, Southwest and Central
 * Mech Scouter, Nebiros x2, Skoll
 * Skoll, Flame Flan, Mech Scouter
 * Nebiros, Shred, Flame Flan
 * Mech Scouter (flaming) x2, Coeurl
 * Coeurl x2
 * Anacondaur x2
 * Chimera Brain x2
 * Ogre, Skoll x2
 * Shiva (Optional Boss)
 * Penance, Right Arm, Left Arm (Boss) (International, PAL, and HD Remaster versions only)
 * Near Bridge
 * Defender X (Boss)
 * Gorge Bottom
 * Mech Scouter x2, Epaaj
 * Mech Scouter (flaming) x2, Epaaj
 * Epaaj x2

Final Fantasy X-2

 * Chapter 1
 * Coeurl, Chocobo
 * Ahriman, Nashorn
 * Coeurl
 * Ahriman, Coeurl
 * Wild Wolf, Coeurl
 * Ahriman, Chocobo
 * Wild Wolf x2, Divebeak x2
 * Divebeak x3
 * Nashorn x2
 * Nashorn, Death Dauber
 * Nashorn, Wild Wolf
 * Wild Wolf, Death Dauber x2
 * Wild Wolf, Chocobo
 * Amorphous Gel
 * Ahriman, Wild Wolf x2
 * Ahriman, Divebeak
 * Divebeak, Chocobo
 * Wild Wolf x2, Death Dauber
 * Chapter 2
 * Divebeak x3
 * Nashorn, Flan Blanco
 * Divebeak x2, Peregrine
 * Ahriman, Nashorn
 * Ahriman, Chocobo
 * Divebeak, Chocobo
 * Ahriman, Coeurl
 * Coeurl, Wild Wolf, Chocobo
 * Chocobo
 * Amorphous Gel
 * Coeurl, Wild Wolf x2
 * Coeurl x2, Chocobo
 * Coeurl x2, Wild Wolf
 * Divebeak, Wild Wolf, Chocobo
 * Divebeak, Wild Wolf x2, Death Dauber
 * Wild Wolf x2, Chocobo
 * Chapter 3
 * Vespa, Flan Blanco
 * Vespa, Flan Blanco, Watcher-S
 * Flan Blanco x2, Watcher-R
 * Flan Blanco x2
 * Vespa, Chocobo
 * Peregrine x2
 * Peregrine, Leucophylla
 * Peregrine, Chocobo
 * Adamantoise
 * Flan Blanco, Chocobo
 * Peregrine, Leucophylla, Watcher-R, Watcher-A
 * Peregrine, Leucophylla, Watcher-R
 * Peregrine, Leucophylla, Watcher-A
 * Leucophylla, Wild Wolf
 * Peregrine, Leucophylla, Watcher-S
 * Leucophylla, Vespa
 * Vespa x2
 * Peregrine x2, Chocobo
 * Vespa x2, Watcher-A
 * Leucophylla, Wild Wolf, Peregrine
 * Protean Gel, Chocobo
 * Protean Gel, Amorphous Gel
 * Chocobo
 * Wild Wolf x4
 * Flan Blanco x2, Watcher-A
 * Chapter 5
 * Vespa x2, Taromaiti
 * Leucophylla x2, Vespa
 * Leucophylla x2, Vespa, Watcher-R
 * Leucophylla, Vespa, Lich, Watcher-A
 * Vespa, Flan Blanco, Chocobo
 * Vespa x2, Flan Blanco
 * Peregrine, Leucophylla
 * Peregrine x2, Vespa
 * Flan Blanco x2
 * Lich, Chocobo
 * Aka Manah
 * Flan Blanco, Taromaiti
 * Adamantoise
 * Chocobo
 * Flan Blanco, Taromaiti, Watcher-A
 * Amorphous Gel, Protean Gel
 * Lich x2, Leucophylla
 * Vespa x2, Taromaiti, Watcher-R
 * Leucophylla, Vespa, Lich
 * Flan Blanco x2, Watcher-A
 * Adamantoise, Watcher-S
 * Vespa, Chocobo
 * Peregrine x2, Leucophylla
 * Lich, Varan
 * Peregrine, Vespa, Chocobo
 * Peregrine x2, Chocobo
 * Lich, Varan, Watcher-R
 * Flan Blanco, Chocobo
 * Vespa, Leucophylla, Peregrine
 * Taromaiti, Leucophylla, Chocobo
 * Leucophylla, Vespa, Peregrine, Watcher-R

Musical themes
In Final Fantasy X, the theme that plays in the Calm Lands is known as "Yuna's Decision". "Chocobo Jam" plays while riding a chocobo and during the chocobo training minigame. "Zanarkand" plays when the player approaches the Scar for the first time.

In Final Fantasy X-2, the theme of Calm Lands is known as simply "Calm Lands". A piano arrangement of the theme is included on the Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collection album.

Trivia

 * A man appears on a hover during the player's first visit to the Calm Lands. He sells a special Buckler for Tidus that has Magic Counter—an ability otherwise exclusive to weapons. The man will leave the area after the party moves on, making the Buckler unobtainable after that.
 * An early concept design for Final Fantasy X shows what appears to be the prototype Calm Lands.
 * In the north edge, along the Scar, there is a patch of soil in the shape of a heart (this patch is actually an encounter-free zone).

Stille Ebene Llanura de la Calma Plaine Félicité Piana della bonaccia