Just a Couple More Weeks

Hey all, I've had a lot going on these past few months, and it's not over yet. But in a couple of weeks, everything will start to settle down, and I'll finally have the time and energy to return to relatively regular posting. I've got plenty (and I mean PLENTY) of Dragon Warrior IV material to post, and then we'll see about maybe getting started on one of those extra features I mentioned way back when.

But right now, I have to finish packing! See you mid-November!

RGR020 - The Silenced King

Well, the work-related stuff I mentioned in my last tweet has more or less worked itself out now. The good news is that I should have some extra time to work on new posts and get back into the game. I'll let you work the bad news out for yourself, not that it really concerns anyone but me. Okay, let's get back to Alena's adventure!

The southern desert that guy in Frenor mentioned was quite a bit smaller than we expected, so it wasn't hard to find the little bazaar going on. For all intents and purposes, it's a town. It's got an inn along with the normal set of shops, so I'm calling it a town. A few people here mentioned Endor, so I think we'll be making our way there soon. We found a strange item called a gum pod in a jar, which it turns out is actually supposed to be a clump of horse... output, so to speak. Nintendo's censors strike again!

We were actually having a pretty good time, but that all changed when we ran into a castle guard from Santeem, who begged us to return to the castle immediately. Of course, we don't listen, so we hung out near the bazaar for the remainder of the day leveling up, and then settled in for a good night's sleep before setting out for home.

Awesome, let's buy some sandy junk!

What, you guys don't have maps out here?

What makes these jars so rare?

Eww...

This is your fault, isn't it?

We'd be happy to take some off your hands.

Can't it wait until tomorrow?

They smell better than the Gum Pod, at least.

Alena doesn't just WATCH tournaments.

And I'll be winning it.

Indigenous things we killed.

That can't be comfortable.

So you came from the stars?

But only in tiny deserts.

You have to have a door to be closed.

But we want more delicious meals!

Back at Santeem castle, we were shocked to learn the king had lost his voice. Well, maybe shocked isn't the term I'd use, but we certainly didn't expect him to suddenly shut up. We were pointed in the direction of the shed behind the castle, where old man Goz lives. I'm assuming he's a groundskeeper of some sort, but the chancellor didn't say, so he might just be some creepy old guy who lives in a shed.

Goz sent us over to Surene village to see Marone, who had once lost his voice, assuming he'd know what to do. Marone told us about the Birdsong Nectar, an elven medicine of some sort that helped him recover his voice. Of course, the Birdsong Nectar was only available at the desert bazaar; but when we tracked down the guy who sold it, we learned he had run out long ago, and now the only way we could possibly find any would be to climb a tower to the west, where elves are said to play.

NO SEGUE!

How is that awful?

How convenient, now
that I have that key.

Yeah, ................... right back at ya.

It's a secret to everyone.

Welcome to out of the loop!

Ugh, I hate that guy.
His lyrics are terrible.

Walking in circles, tra la la...

You could go back and check, you know.

At some point in every quest, there is a tower.

The tower was difficult, but relatively uneventful. As expected, the enemies were much stronger, and had a habit of attacking in large groups. We died several times along the way, but eventually reached the top of the tower, where we found a nice little garden of flowers, along with two elf girls. They weren't happy to see us, and ran away as soon as they could. Luckily, one of them dropped a small vial of Birdsong Nectar during the escape, and it wasn't important enough for them to double back for it.

We rushed back to the king with Birdsong Nectar in hand, and as soon as we gave it to him, his voice returned. He explained, in somewhat awkward English, that he'd had a terrible dream over and over again involving some kind of monster wreaking havoc on the world. As soon as he decided to tell someone about the dreams, his voice disappeared, no doubt the work of some evil curse.

Fine, I didn't want to
go to Endor anyway.

Let's capture some elves!

What welcoming decor.

So you just wander around here?

Indigenous things that kill us.

This tower...

seems to...

go on...

Oh, we're at the top.

Elves are such snobs.

But their loss is our gain!

Oh no, not the Evil World!

Yeah, I always forget my dreams too.

Oh, I'm sure they're nothing.

Now that the king has officially given us permission to go wherever we want, we'll be heading straight for the portal to the east that leads to Endor.

I've got a tournament to win.

Happy Independence Day!

To all my fellow American readers, it's roughly fireworks time, so I'll wish you all a quick happy 4th of July and be done. The next post isn't quite ready, but I might be able to get it together to post tomorrow night. But enough about that, go watch and/or set off some fireworks!

RGR020 - The Golden Bracelet

I said I'd get a post out there this weekend, and I've made good on my promise. So don't be mad, okay? After all, one post per month is still better than none, right? At this rate, I might finish the game in five years or so. Anyway, on to the game!

After a short hike (yes, a short hike that took a month), we reached the town of Frenor, where we were shocked to learn that we were apparently already there. Someone posing as the Princess of Santeem was in town, and everyone was doing their best to attend to this princess' every need. Of course, this meant they didn't have time to deal with some random visitors from out of town, so we couldn't even get a room at the inn.

About the only person willing to give us the time of day was a scruffy man who told us about the Golden Bracelet, a bracelet--presumably made of gold--that was the town's greatest treasure. And, like every greatest treasure, it made them miserable, making enemies of friends and all that, so they sealed it away in a cave to the south. You can be sure we're going to have to go fetch that bracelet for one reason or another.

Oh yeah, we were going to a town.

It'll involve very little going.

What's with the crazy talk, old man?

Why don't you ASK ME?

I beg to differ.

No, but I know where the princess is.

Wait, should I be offended?

Don't be creepy.

This sounds kind of important.

You already did. You can't take it back.

We decided to pay this "princess" a visit, to see if she needed to be roughed up or just threatened, but just as we entered the second floor of the inn, a pair of kidnappers appeared and took off with the impostor! At this point, it was hard to tell whether the kidnappers were in league with the fake princess, or if they actually thought she was the real Princess of Santeem. In any case, we were asked to help rescue the fake princess, and according to the ransom letter the kidnappers had delivered, rescuing her will require us to go fetch that Golden Bracelet we learned about not ten minutes earlier.

Funny how that worked out, eh?

Unhand that... uh... princess?

Yes?

Why does everyone say
"Gasp!" around here?

*sigh* That's not how these things work.

Yes, of course, the bracelet.

She's not really a princess, you know.

Aha, so you're in on it!

Yes, I'm so sure.

The Southern Cave wasn't far from the town, though the monsters around these parts are a little tougher than we're used to. Luckily, we spent plenty of time gathering experience and money, and were already well-equipped for the journey. The cave itself wasn't very exciting; a few new monsters, some dead-ends, and a couple of twisty paths. As expected, we found the Golden Bracelet at the end of the longest path into the deepest tunnel of the cave, and quickly brought it back to Frenor to exchange for the princess-like object.

The kidnappers were happy to have the Golden Bracelet, and took off immediately once we handed it off to them. The not-actually-princess, who revealed that she was actually an actress named May, thanked us for saving her by giving us the Thief's Key, which works out pretty well, since you know how we love us some keys. The following morning, everything was back to normal, though some people were a little depressed that they hadn't actually met a real princess. I guess that continues to be all funny and ironic.

Super Saiyan Snakes!

All right, let's find this stupid bracelet.

Blah blah cave yadda yadda.

That was easy enough.

I feel like a Russian spy!

You're a terrible kidnapper.

Yay, we saved the... lady.

Leave the princessing to the professionals.

Well, you're still a crazy old man.

Yeah, really... oh, wait.

Well, I guess we're heading south now.

Yeah, that other guy just told me.

A comma? What a refined dog!

Aw, man...

We got a tip from a couple of people about a desert bazaar going on to the south, so we're going to check it out and see if we can't at least get some new weapons.

And when we get there, with any luck, you'll read about it in less than a month.