Beyond the Beyond: Update 19: Oasis (Ophera Village)

[ladyabaxa]

Beyond the Beyond: Update 19: Oasis (Ophera Village)

When last we left our protagonists they had struggled their way into the vast desert that covers part of eastern Greenheim. After days of travel in said desert they found a small village huddling around an oasis. Their supply of water gone and the team nearing total exhaustion from heat and exposure, they are forced to stop.

(I might have embellished things here and there for narrative purposes. Maybe, just slightly, a teeny tiny bit.)

A dirt path leads through trees towards signs of human habitation.

It's real! Aww, smell that beautiful water!
Waaaaay ahead of you there, Finn.
The village, there are people still here. We're saved!
*coughs* Yes, we made it.
If you had asked me if I expected to find trees in the middle of the desert I would have laughed. Now I can't express how happy I amto see them!
They are beautiful to behold, aren't they?
I could almost kiss one. Almost. I don't like trees that much.

Welcome, travelers! Enjoy our peaceful village of Ophera.
Oh we will as long as there's plenty of water to drink.
*laughs* Don't worry we get that from everyone who wanders in here. There are several natural springs so there's plenty of water.
Is this the village you remember, Sir Samson?
It's been almost ten years since I was out here. I guess the village looks similar.
Oh you've been here before? Funny, I didn't peg you as the caravan guard type.
I'm not.
Ah, you're a soldier. I should have realized that with all that armor you're wearing. You do look awfully tired, though.
I'm fine. We really should go about our business.
Oh, yes, of course. Don't let me stop you. I'm sure you all must be exhausted.

Although an inn sits just inside the village the group's first priority is hydration. Thus they make a beeline for the nearby spring.

Finn you shouldn't drink so fast. You'll just make yourself sick.
I've been through this sort of thing before. I know how fast I can drink.
Um, are we sure this water is safe? Ah, hell.
Don't worry. If any of us get sick Annie will heal them.
*slurp, slurp*
Yeah but who's going to heal Annie if she's the one who's sick?
*look at each other and shrug*

Refreshed, the team walks up to the inn's second cozy-looking floor and immediately updates the game's running joke.

*sniff, sniff* Oh no notmore of that nasty smelling bait stuff! YUCK!
What? Oh, that stuff. It really is quite foul, isn't it?
Don't look at me. I can't smell anything.
I'm with Sir Samson on this one and for once I'm grateful to have a stuffed up nose.
What about you, Annie? You've been rather quiet since we got into town.
I'm too tired to worry about how anything smells. *chuckles* Check back in later.
I just might.

Oh, I didn't expect to run into anyone else on the road out here. Are you also travelers?
Yes. Where are you headed?
I want to learn magic! That's why I'm trying to find the ancient village of the elders. I've heard that it's hidden away in the mountains to the West. [sic]
We're also headed that way. Do you know anything else about the village?
I've heard a lot of tall tales about it but none of them seem to have any basis in fact. I've read everything I can find on the subject and no two agree on anything except that it is the home of great magic.
Figures.
Are you from Zalagoon?
Oh heavens no. I'm from western Aridia. Say, that reminds me. I heard a rumor that Bandore was building a score of new warships. Do you know anything about that?
*shakes head* No, I haven't. Why?
Well to tell you the truth I didn't plan on getting stranded in this remote village. I got here by boat thanks to some unsavory types with the understanding that they would return in a couple of months and I would travel on with them. However, they're late and I haven't heard anything.
They just left you here?
Well it was a sort of quid pro quo situation, really. I would stay here for awhile and research the nearby ruins and when they returned I would pay my way in information. Honestly I don't know why anyone is interested in that ancient structure. It's stood there for centuries. I'm sure anything of value was taken a long time ago.
So you've seen these ruins?
Not up close, no, but when the wind dies down you can climb the seawall just north of here and in the distance you will just barely see a pyramid to the northwest. It's tucked into a natural shelter by the mountains and, if my research is correct, this protects it from the desert wind and sand.
Why haven't you gone to see it yourself?
The desert is a dangerous place, as I'm sure you already know. I'm no warrior. If I set out into the desert alone I'd never return. Besides, it wouldn't get me closer to my real destination.
We understand. Thank you. I hope you find the village.
Ha! Thanks. Right now I'd settle for not being stranded here. Good luck with your journey.

Hey there old timer! Any news?
News? My you're a youngster who gets to the point. Well, hmm, let me think. Ah, yes! Recently, I've heard stories of pirates appearing everywhere on the continent. They seem to be interested in the ruins to the west.
Yes, we sort of heard about that.
Ruffians, the lot of them. I hope they rot in the desert.
Ok, moving on now.

Seeing as how the team has reached a new town and already found the inn the next place their inquisitive minds turn is to finding the local goodies shop. It's right by the entrance, though, so the search doesn't take long.

Hey, this place is well stocked.
Prrr, surprising for such a remote village, yes?
Yeah, it is.
Hi there kids. You must be new in town. See anything you like?
We're surprised you have so much stuff. How do you get it all the way out here?
Most of it's made right here in town, that's how.
So you made it?
Ha, nah. The crafters live about a mile up north of here. The ground here is rich in metal but smelting the stuff stinks to high heaven.
I see. A fortuitous arrangement, I'm sure. Do you think we could go meet them, Sir Samson?
These weapons look very similar to those sold in Zalagoon.
We sell arms to the northern kingdom from time to time so what you saw might have been made right here.
Sir Samson?
*strained breathing*
Wow! That's amazing.
Sir Samson what's wrong?
Huh?
*collapses*
By Arawn!

(Just a teensy bit of embellishment. Yep. I'm certainly not making up story twists as I go along because the game is light on plot during this period and well that just won't do.)

I've completed my initial exam. Before any of you begin the deluge of questions I can say, definitively, that any further travel is out of the question for the next few days.
What happened?
Exhaustion, first of all. He's also suffering from some sort of wasting disease. I've never seen anything like it. Until he's had some rest, though, I can't even guess on how to start treating that.
I... see. Thank you, doctor.
I'll stay with him for now. His pulse is weak and someone needs to keep an eye on him.
Do you mind if I stay too? I know a bit of magic that might help.
No I don't mind. You can fill me in on what happened before you reached the village.
Finn, you look shocked. Why don't you walk around the village to clear your head?
Uh, y-yeah.

(Once again Beyond the Beyond does not have day-night cycles, yadda-yadda faking it with Photoshop to better illustrate the passage of time.)

Ryruuu. Poor Samson.
Yes.
What are we going to do?
Right now?
I mean... what are we going to do about continuing our journey?
I'm worried about what the doctor said but there's nothing we can do about it.
Just cross our fingers and hope for the best?
It's all I've got.
We're all out of miracles.

Well at the very least we can pick up new supplies while we're here. That's what Sir Samson would want us to be doing.

Two new selections are available in Ophera's item shop. The first is the Healing Potion which is essentially a full VP heal for one character. At 500 gold a shot, however, they're usually not worth using unless you get yourself into a bind in a boss battle. The other new item is the Mage's Potion and later in the game it is going to bite us in the ass that this is the only shop that sells it for miles. A Mage Potion restores 20ish MP to one character when used. At 600 gold a shot they are definitely emergency-only at this point. We will probably need them later to refill some MP during long dungeon dives which means I'll have to stock some before we leave this part of the continent for good.

As far as equipment goes the only upgrade is the Leather Garment for Edward. I'm not going to buy it just yet though. I have no particular reason for not buying it right away. I just figured that I might wait until we reach Luna to worry about equipment.

Ophera village is bifurcated by a stream that runs through it so it has small bridges that make getting around easier.

Hi kids. I saw the commotion a little while ago. It's too bad about your friend. I hope he gets to feeling better.
Thank you.
Did you stop by here on your way to the port town of Luna to the south? There's not much here at Ophera, but please enjoy your stay.
Yeah we're on our way to Luna. Is it far?
Far? Yeah. It's a good two weeks on foot.
Two weeks? Really?
Prrr. You shouldn't let yourself get all worked up.
That's two weeks of who-knows-what going on in Marion while we're stuck all the way out here.
Prrr. I know that. Marion will take care of itself.
That's rather callous of you Steiner.
If you worry about Marion all the time how can you focus on what you need to do today?
...
At least think about it.
Uh, eh, heh, heh, heee, ok. Thank you for the directions, mister.
Uh, yeah, any time.

Next to the northern pond sits a small house. Nobody is home but we waltz in anyway and find a Flame Card that will get passed on to Annie for safekeeping later.

I don't see anyone home. Are we really going to just barge into somebody's house?
It's not like we're thieves. We're just looking around.
If we're not thieves why are you taking that card from the vase?
Because Finn cannot help but poke his head into everything in his eternal quest for interesting junk.
This isn't junk, Steiner! Look, there's magic script on it.
Huh, yeah you're right, Finn. There's some pretty potent fire magic in that. If you're going to steal it then be careful with it.
I'm not... stealing. I'm just looking at it for a few minutes.
Riiiiiight.
Look at this. There's a book here titled "A Guidebook to Arawn's Palace". How curious. I wonder if that traveler in the inn read this book as part of his research.
A guidebook to old ruins out in the middle of nowhere? That sounds boring to me.
Wow it has a dust jacket and everything. See, Finn, there's a little blurb back here to get the reader interested. It says, "It's a classic example of the Greenheim continent's oldest form of architecture."
Oldest form of architecture? You mean there used to be buildings like it all over the continent?
I guess. I wonder how old the ruins really are.
Prrr. Your spirits seem to be lifting Prince Edward.
I was just thinking, if the ruins might actually have some connection to Arawn...
...there might be some ancient knowledge or gizmo there we could use.
Well, yeah.
Hmm, I can hear a kid playing out back. I wonder if this is their home.
Then let's go find out.

Behind the house there is indeed a child playing, all alone.

Hurray! It's true! I heard there were new visitors to the village and it's true!
Ha, ha, ha! Hi there!
You must be great warriors! Are you here to explore the ruins? Many warriors have come to find the secret treasure of Arawn's Palace.
Many warriors? What happened to them?
Most came back empty-handed. The others didn't come back at all. That's why everyone's afraid of the Palace. They say evil spirits live there. So are you here to explore the ruins?
Not really, no. We're passing through on our way to Luna.
Well, wait a minute, Edward. You just said you were interested in checking the place out.
Well, yeah I am but we really don't have time for that right now. Remember? Village of ancient magic we're trying to reach?
I haven't forgotten.
If you do go come back and tell me ALL about it, ok?
Pryraaa. You bet!

Good evening, kids. You must be travelers. Where are you headed?
A town called Luna.
I see. Luna, to the south, is a bustling port town with numerous shops. I've also heard the night life there is great.
The nightlife is great?
Well, that's what I heard. *clears throat* Ahem, excuse me, kids, but I have some business to attend to. Goodbye!

Are you as mystified by what that man said as I am, Finn?
I dunno. Probably.
There's a church here.
Then I guess that's where we're going next.

Welcome, travelers! I heard about your friend. I hope my humble house of worship can bring you some comfort.
Oh, so you're the travelers everyone's been talking about. You look awfully young to be making such a dangerous journey on your own.
Well they're not entirely alone. The leader of their group is just exhausted right now.
Yes, our leader.
We've had many strangers come to town ever since the tower appeared but none have arrived on foot. You must be either very brave or very desperate to take your chances with the desert.
It's not like we have any other way of getting around.
So how long ago did the tower appear?
About two months ago.
We are all amazed at the appearance of the tower above the ruins of Arawn's Palace. Such a structure can only be a sign that something big is about to happen.
Let's hope not. The dust storm kicked up the night the tower first appeared in the sky was bad enough.
How bad are we talking about?
Oh it wasn't that bad! It was just a couple days of sweeping and shaking dust out of everything. Honestly!
That's easy for you to say. You didn't have dust leak through your roof.
I imagine that would be a problem. If it's all the same, though, we should probably move on.
Of course. Come back if you need anything. You are always welcome here.

There's a Smoke Bomb in the vase by the woman shown in the shot above. Naturally, Finn makes off with it when no one's looking. I would worry about the kid if I wasn't the power making him steal all this stuff.

This looks like the last house in this part of the village.
Are we going to visit the other half tonight?
No. I don't think I can stand much more walking.
Kyraa. You're just not built for walking are you, Prince Edward?
Not really.

Oh hello. You must be the travelers that arrived earlier today.
Yes, we are.
My household might not seem very friendly at the moment and for that I do apologize.
What's going on?
Something's wrong with my father. Ever since he spotted the tower, he's been very quiet.
Everyone in town is talking about that tower. Maybe he's spooked?
Maybe. Perhaps he will talk to you.
Well we're chatting with everyone in the village so what the heck!

Hey there!
I have ears, you know. I heard you talking with my daughter. Honestly, the nerve...
She's just worried about you, you know.
I don't need her sympathy!
Wow, uh, we come in peace and all that.
Well we're here now. Is something wrong?
Have you seen the tower that floats above the ruins of Arawn's Palace?
Tower, no I don't think we have.
No one in the village would believe me, until they saw it with their own eyes. It can only be the legendary Tower of Arawn! The tower is supposed to appear when the world is threatened by a great evil.
Prrrr. Finn, don't you remember? We could see it in the west when we were out in the desert.
Well I don't remember seeing it. Do you, Edward?
Maybe. All those days in the desert have blurred together and I honestly wasn't looking for a tower floating in the sky.
Well at least one of you was paying attention out there. So, dragon, [y]ou've already seen it? According to ancient texts, the Tower of Arawn used to lie on top of those ruins. I never thought that it would reappear in my lifetime.
What ancient texts are you referring to?
Unfortunately I had to sell them years ago but I still have an anthology over on the bookcase. Go see for yourself.
You mean this book? "The Ancient Legends of Arawn's Tower".
Yes.
Well go ahead and enlighten us, Edward. What does the book say?
You don't really expect me to read the whole thing to you right now, do you?
Nah, just flip it open to a random page and read the first thing you see.
Ok then. It says, "The Holy Hammer is only a guide. You must open the road on your own."
Well that was as clear as mud!
Hmm, some of this is written in ancient Marion. Uh, sir, do you mind if I borrow this book for a couple days?
So you can read the old tongue, eh? Very well I'll let you borrow it. I just wish more young people were as eager to learn as you.
You can read ancient Marion?
I wish. There's a reason it's a lost tongue, boy.
I want to know how a now-floating tower was once sitting on a pyramid.
That's something we'll probably never know, Steiner.
So are you going to stop giving me the silent treatment now, Dad?
I'll think about it.
You're just as stubborn as ever.
Psst, Finn, we should leave before this becomes an argument.
Right behind you.

Upstairs...

Say, Edward, that reminds me.
What?
Where did you learn all this old language goobledeguck anyway?
Sir Samson taught me.
WHAT?!
*chuckles* Does that really surprise you?
I, but, what, HOW?!
Wow you left Steiner speechless. I didn't think that was actually possible.

*sigh* You must be the newcomers in town. Taking in all the sights?
Uh, hi there.
If you are going on to Luna, you should be very careful.
Why is that?
I've recently heard stories of pirates frequenting that area and a lot of stolen merchandise being passed through there.
Can Luna really be all that dangerous?
Yes.
How did you know that's where we're going?
The village is talking about all of you. At least it's something other then doomsaying about that stupid tower. To answer your question, though, three kids, an infant dragon, and one sick soldier are not a research team so I'm going to wager a guess you're on the run or somebody wants all of you out of their hair. Since I'm guessing none of you want to live in the desert the next logical place is Luna. Am I right?
*clears throat* Well, yes, yes you've certainly figured us out. Our dastardly secret is out now.
You don't have to get snotty with me, kid.
*grumbles under his breath*
It's been a long day for us, ok mister? Can you cut my friend here a little slack?
Fine, fine, whatever. Now do you have any other questions for me or can I return to another mindnumbingly boring night of hearing my wife and father-in-law argue for the millionth time?
No, I think we're done here.
Then I trust you know the way out.

Next time on Beyond the Beyond - uh, hopefully Samson will be feeling better because we have a lot of ground to cover.

No, seriously, I want to know how the hell Samson, OF ALL PEOPLE, can read a language that has been dead for centuries.
*shrugs* I don't know. He does and he taught me. I've asked him a million times where he picked it up but it's one of those topics he'll never ever talk about.
Ah, you mean where he gets all quiet and his eyes narrow and he stares at you like he expects you to grow a couple more heads or something. I thought only Sir Galahad could do that.
Prrr. It must be a knight thing then. They sure do get defensive sometimes, don't they?
As someone who has lived around the knights for their entire life I can say yes, yes they do get very, very defensive. It was an unwritten, unspoken rule that there were things you didn't talk about. Ever.
You'd think my dad would warn me about such stuff if he wanted me to join the knights.
You know, now that I think about it, that's why I was shocked to find out Lord Kevins has a son. It was always understood that you didn't ask him about his family. Master Myrrdin always changed the subject whenever I asked. He liked to pretend he hadn't heard the question.
Huh. Weird. Well we've got time now. Care to fill me in on all the forbidden topics?
Sure.

Update Eighteen | Index | Update Twenty