The epic world map music and not so epic battle music is still around, I see. So I guess we're officially in Act 3 of the game now, as if that wasn't obvious.
As I collect my party members one by one it seems the previously incapacitated villains are regrouping as well. Dist broke out of confinement(seriously, no prison can ever hold a JRPG villain, even a minor one, so why do they even bother), and rescued Mohs. Later Legretta shows up and from what it sounds like, the entire loser squad is still around. I knew I wasn't going to get rid of them that easily despite their incompetence... sigh.
Asch is still being an idiot too, refusing to cooperate with anyone and getting wounded all the time. How hard can it be to just jump him, tie him up and drag him to Jade for some pleasant Q&A?
Speaking of Jade, after meeting him in St. Binah I am treated to an utterly surreal and completely insane chain of events concerning a mortally wounded General Frings. I assume I don't have to elaborate on the complete ludicrousness of these events because you guys have all played the game. Just... what. (And I spent so much time doing pointless fetch quests for him too...)
The new macguffin everyone is after is the Key of Lorelei, which comes in two parts as detailed earlier in the game. Clearly, Van's sword is one of them and it now belongs to Asch. He's going to need help protecting it.