RGR002 - Then Peace Returned.

And it's ABOUT TIME.

Well, folks, it's finally over. After much pain and suffering (not to mention death), we were finally able to march our way through Hargon's Castle, take down every boss along the way, and wipe out Malroth himself. I had been planning on doing it systematically, beating a boss here and there, dying, and then going back through with that boss out of the way. But in the end, we managed to take care of all the bosses, Hargon and Malroth in a single try. Granted, Glynn and Gwen were both dead by the end of the battle with Malroth, but Rubiss was kind enough to bring them back with full HP and MP.

We were then transported magically out of the castle, which was no longer there. So we decided to wander the land, talking to everyone, but most people said the same thing as everyone else who looked like them, so I skipped a few. I even paid a visit to the Dragonlord's grandson, who wanted to be friends. How sweet.

Finally, we headed back to Midenhall Castle, where I inherited the throne and ushered in a new era of peace or whatever. Then the credits rolled, and it was all over.

Yeah, but Glynn and Gwen are...

Oh. Nevermind.

That's poetic.

Well, do you want me to pinch you?

Uh, woof?

Why yes, yes we are.

But how much for a room?

Not if you don't believe in him.

Nah, just sufficiently well.

Who talks like that?

Mostly, I'm just lucky.

She thought you were a loser, Glynn?

Was there ever any doubt?

Heh, you said "duties".

Holy crap, you're on fire!

Um, I knew you were the king all along.

Okay, but I'm not lending you money.

So eloquent!

Really? Sweet!

Go where?

Good, because it's mine! Mwa-ha-ha!

I also have his old stuff.

I hate important choices.

Hey, I just saved the world. I'll do what I want!

New monarch? Hey, that's me!

Yeah, get up here, you guys!

Evermore? That's a long time...

Yay for me!

It most certainly did.

So that's it for Dragon Warrior II. Now I have to figure out what I'm going to play next!

RGR002 - The Middle of the End?

I'm still working on Rhone and Hargon's Castle, but it's pretty frustrating; when we're not being annihilated by spells that... annihilate, we're being beaten to death. Even so, we press on, and have made it to the top of the castle.

First off, when you arrive at Hargon's Castle, it looks EXACTLY like Midenhall Castle (the beginning of the game). The people even welcome you to Midenhall Castle. But it's all an illusion, which you can break using the Charm of Rubiss. The true castle is full of talking fire spirits and damage floors, with no apparent place to go. But there's a special spot in the middle of some damage floors where the Eye of Malroth will allow you to enter the tower above the castle.

Enemies are pretty scant in the tower, but a few floors up, I encountered Atlas, the first of three guardian bosses blocking access to Hargon. He has no magic, but he hits HARD, and gets two attacks per turn. The first time I fought him, I managed a critical hit that killed him in one turn, but didn't last much longer than that.

Next up is Bazuzu, a purple monkey with wings. He has powerful attack magic, but isn't much tougher than Atlas overall. The third boss, Zarlox, is the trickiest of the bunch (though I had no problem with him when I was taking screenshots). He gets two attacks per turn, has powerful magic, and can cast Healall.

Hargon himself isn't too tough, though he also has Healall at his disposal. But Stopspell will prevent him from using it, and he's remarkably unprotected against attack magic, so he falls pretty easily. The trouble begins with Malroth. He's massive, hits hard (though only once per turn), has very powerful spells (including Healall, which can't be blocked with Stopspell), and is unaffected by attack magic. The best I can do is try to boost my defense as high as possible while reducing his, and keep at it until I can manage to get in a couple of good turns without him healing. Wish me luck.

But hey, as long as I don't save after I die, I can go back through the castle without having to fight guardians I've already beaten.

These pictures were captured during different visits to the castle, so there's some HP and MP inconsistency.

Ick, that creepy voice again!

Aww, he doesn't look that tough.

Let's not make that mistake again.

Phew...

Another cute, fuzzy killing machine?

Actually, he wasn't too bad.

Yeah, I've only heard your name
like a thousand times.

Ooh, is them fightin' words?

Heh, nice bat poncho!

Yes, the Ryan is victorious!

Say what now?

Wow, he's kinda huge.

Good thing it's just the one Malroth. I don't think two would fit on the screen.

RGR002 - The Beginning of the End

The cave leading to Rhone is a PAIN. Two floors are littered with pitfalls, one is perfectly symmetrical and loops in every direction, and one is broken into areas that fork such that choosing the wrong path leads you back to the beginning. But I persevered, and I drew maps, and I FINALLY emerged inside the giant valley that houses Rhone. Glynn got himself killed shortly before I reached the exit, but there's a monolith where a healer will revive everyone and restore us to full health and magic for free, AND save the game. Since I remembered to go back and get the Charm of Rubiss, I'll never have to set foot in that cave ever again (hopefully).

Rhone itself is actually quite scenic, with what appears to be white sands and lush forests. Of course, it also has very powerful enemies, including one that casts a spell that can potentially kill off everyone automatically. But I've got a nice spot to continue from, so I'm not too worried. Now, I'm off to Hargon's castle to wrap this up!

Who? Wha?

Ooh, epic.

I've always wanted one of these!

Sorry about that, Glynn.

Do you have ANY IDEA what
I went through to get here?

Hey, is this Sandals?

Took me long enough.

In other news, the poll has been closed, and it looks like I'll be sticking with NES games after I'm done with the Dragon Warrior games. There will be another poll, probably while I'm working on Dragon Warrior IV, to determine what game or games I move on to. Look forward to it!

RGR002 - The Road to Rhone

I guess updates have been a little less frequent lately; I don't just sit around and play video games all day, you know. But I did make some progress this weekend, and I've got a nice batch of screens too! The echoing flute turned out to be a waste of time, since I already had the crest I was being led toward. So I started visiting every place I could find, and happened upon a monolith north of Midenhall where I met an apparent expert on all things Eye of Malroth-related. This is good, because I happened to be looking for the Eye of Malroth at the time. She sent me back to the cave I had been searching, so I kept right on searching, and finally found a lava-lined corridor I had been unintentionally skipping up to then. After some more wandering, I finally found the Eye of Malroth.

Again with the specifics!

Eew, it's all squishy...

You sure know a lot, lady.

Oh, you mean this crest here IN MY POCKET?

Then I just had to figure out how to get to the valley where the entrance to Rhone is supposed to be. All around the world, there are a number of warps, many of which form a network. The warp I was looking for was, of course, not part of this network. It was behind a prison door in the town of Beran. On the other side of the warp, I found a hole in the wall that led me to a monster who told me where the Water Crest was. Except it wasn't there anymore, since I've had it for a while.

The caves leading to Rhone are a serious pain; there are hidden pits all over the floor you enter on, all of which drop you into an area overrun with Horks. Sitting right out in plain site, though, is a treasure chest containing the Life Crest, so I guess it's not all bad. I decided to keep exploring, and managed to get to some upper floor areas where I found Erdrick's Armor. I was getting pretty weak by that point, so I fled for the time being.

OHMYGODTHEMOUNTAINISOPENING!!!

Huh. That was easy.

Who put THAT there?

Now I just have to figure out how to get through the cave and actually make my way to Rhone. Easier said than done, I think.