Greetings. Thought I'd put out a save file here with some checkpoints to begin from for people to test things or otherwise begin from a certain point in the early game.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/u7fq2f17764jvco/
Three saves in this .srm, each at a different early-ish game point. In order from the top of the save screen to the bottom...
1. At the beginning of the scenario splits.
2. Outside of Narshe, pre-Zozo.
3. First espers obtained.
Enjoy!