Welcome to Abyssea

With the version update finishing around 2am (so I was told), I didn't get a chance to try out the new content, but by the time I logged in (roughly 5pm that day) there were already six L80s on Unicorn, which was just insane. That must be well over 200-300k XP!

I went to Port Jeuno and obtained the cutscenes for Abyssea and after speaking to Joachim, got the Key Item: Traverser Stone. I then Teleported to the Tahrongi Canyon, entered the new Cavernous Maw there (by the entrance to East Sarutabaruta) and entered Abyssea-Tahrongi.



You seem to zone into a "camp" of sorts, full of NPCs. I spoke to a few, who just spoke random things, but one asked me if I wanted to recharge a Martello. Martellos are little towers which offer HP and MP to players but need recharging over time. I agreed and was given a Key Item to do it.

I put on Sneak and Invisible and went to explore. I saw various mobs, but nothing attacked me whilst using Sneak and Invis. Around the area where the Crag of Mea would have been I found an NM Sandworm called Minhocao, and further in I found Tortoise mobs (quite fascinating seeing as I've never seen a Tortoise mob before, not even Genbu!), and a Tortoise NM called Chukwa.



To explore the zone, you need to obtain a status buff, which you must obtain within five minutes of entering Abyssea (or you're chucked out). Trading multiple Traverser Stones (no idea how you get more than one) allows you to extend your time. I was just exploring so I didn't mind wasting time. After I'd filled up a Martello, I Teleported to the Crag of Mea and I received a notification that I lost the empty Key Item, so it seems you'll need to return to the NPC after you've filled up a Martello.