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Beyond the Beyond: Update 41: Legacy of the Ancients (Simone Village pt. 3)
Welcome to Act 3 of Beyond the Beyond! We actually managed to accomplish something in this haphazard quest across Greenheim. (I know. It feels weird.) The team has also returned to Simone. All that trouble over one little rock...
Well it's all over and done with. First and foremost for Act 3 we have to cover something from the game's manual. The team has already learned or experienced most of this so it seems appropriate at long last.
--Backstory--
Two Kingdoms Clash!
Long ago, in the mists of a forgotten age, a disastrous battle raged between the Beings of Light and the Warlocks of the Underworld. All lifeforms above and below the Earth took part or became victims of the cataclysm. It seemed certain that the world would be destroyed.
As the planet approached the brink of annihilation both sides came to their senses. A truce was called and a treaty devised. The Beings of Light would stay on the surface of the Earth. The Warlocks would inherit all regions below the ground. Both sides vowed never to interfere with each other and to respect the separate domains set by the treaty. The Kingdom of Quamdar was chosen as the boundary between the two realms.
Now after centuries of peace, the world grows uneasy. The people of the Common World have seen strange beings in the countryside. A foreboding cloud settles over Quamdar as mysterious sightings and inexplicable happenings become more frequent.
Finn, a youth in training for knighthood has come to Isla to stay with his guardian Galahad. Finn and his friend, the dragon Steiner, are about to embark on a treacherous quest. They must stop the evil powers that have broken the treaty and invaded the Common World.
Take up your sword as the young adventurer Finn. As you travel and fight, you will gain friends to battle at your side. you will become more powerful and find ever fiercer weapons. You will learn of a world of magic and deadly spells that increase as your powers grow. You will risk everything...even your life...to save the world from destruction!
--End of Backstory--
Yeah it's kind of boilerplate for Camelot games up to this point. Evil invaders from the underworld/otherworld/whatever are standard fare. You've got the human world of sunshine and kittens and then you've got the evil, horrible, no-good world of baddies that the villains are trying to escape from; baddies who will happily stomp all over the kittens in the process if they have to. Shining in the Darkness and Shining Force 1 were more along the lines of "evil thingy sealed over there in that deathtrap" but the core concept is the same. "Good" world the player characters live in on one side with an "Evil" world on the other side. Don't let the evil stuff cross the barrier. (I would crack a joke about how the deathtraps aren't very effective at staying sealed but the ocean palace in SF1 held Dark Dragon for 1,000 years without incident and the labyrinth in SitD is said to be ancient without giving an age so I'll give them a pass.)
Our overall goal is quite simple: find the right person to apply violence to so that the baddies will go away. Along the way we'll apply violence to a whole lot of people just doing their jobs purely because they happen to pop up in random encounters. It's the Shining way!
So we're back in Simone. All that work just to come back here? 
I don't mind that much. I mean, Sir Samson seems pretty happy. 
*big grin* That's what disturbs me.
Oh hi there kids. You managed to get into the shrine I take it.
Yup! We're big problem solvers.
Speak for yourself, Steiner.
I am speaking for myself and quite proud of it too, Finn.
Did Master Zeon come by here?
Master Zeon has returned, but he looks a bit startled. He's certainly not the same as the last time I saw him. I wonder what happened?
Arawn paid him a visit in the shrine.
Oh! Oh my... Don't worry. Everything's under control.
Now that Master Zeon has returned, we can travel freely to the Mystic Shrine.
See?
Well, uh, I mean Arawn must have appeared for a reason.
Or just to annoy Master Zeon. That would be a reason, wouldn't it?
I... suppose.
You kids seem a lot more chipper than the last time you were here.
It's a good day! It's a great day, Steiner.
Ok then I stand corrected. It's a great day!
Is that crying coming from that house? Maybe? I don't really know. I kind of have Steiner being all happy in my ear here. *pauses* Should we investigate?
*shrugs* It's not like we've ever hesitated before. True that. Well here I go.
Wha...? Oh, someone had an accident.
Hey! Look at me. The transformation powder turned me into this. When can I get back to normal?
Um, I have no idea. Tont?
Why are you asking me? If I knew that I wouldn't be stuck in the same situation. 
I guess he'll just have to ask the elder for help.
And that, kids, is why you don't play with transformation powder.
It's been awhile since we've been in a town so we need to sell off some stuff. Our inventory isn't completely full but as was demonstrated by having to delete stuff to pick up key items back in update 39 it is getting fairly crowded.
*sniffle* Goodbye sword. You were good to me. Prrayr. Don't be said, Finn. I'm sure it'll go to a good home.
Besides you've got one that's better.
I know, it's just, kinda hard ya know? Don't worry, sword, you'll get more chances to see combat. I'm sure of it.
Aaand this conversation suddenly turned towards the creepy. Thanks, Finn. You're welcome.
What do you mean you can't price this hammer? It's... a hammer! It hits things!
Sorry but I don't take items with dodgy magical enchantments. Aargh!
I sell the Great Sword, a Healing Herb, a Cure Herb, and the obsolete Magic Cape but since the Hammer is a key item needed for a puzzle the game won't let me get rid of it. There's no other use for the Hammer in the entire game so we just have to carry it around until we can finally get back to the item storage box. Yes, the fact that the one item storage area is in Marion Kingdom, which the player cannot access for a good third of the game, is a bit of dodgy game design.
Tont, isn't that your dad?
Uh, yeah.
Shouldn't you tell him that you're ok?
No! No, no, no, no! Huh?
No one is to mention anything about me to either of my parents, kapische?
But...
Not.one.word!
Oh hello there kids. Back in the village already?
You could say that.
*rolls eyes* You still looking for someone, human?
Steiner...
Yes, my son Tont. That Tont! I can't find him anywhere. He must have left for the Common World.
You don't exactly sound very worried about him.
Tont's gone! Could it be because I yelled at him all the time...? Sounds like our family, eh Annie?
*shrugs*
Well I'm sure he's ok. I mean look at you. You ran off and you turned out just fine. Don't remind me.
I'd like to point out that Tont leaving the village is independent of the team finding the Emerald. He has always run off no matter what the player has done. He also never shows up unless the player summons him. If we take the game mechanics of Tont being level 1 as a serious assessment of his strength at that point (which isn't that farfetched since, ya know, little kid) then there's no way Tont could survive outside the village. One random encounter and he'd be toast.
Hey, you're back! Did you see Master Zeon? He came by a little while ago.
Yeah we saw him.
*big, happy grin* And Sir Samson is starting to scare me with how happy he is. Prrra. Finn prefers it when Sir Samson isn't smiling. It' s kind of creepy, actually, like he's contemplating mass murder or something.
...I don't get it. What's the joke?
There's no joke. Finn is just coming to the realization that without that curse on him Sir Samson might go back to some old habits.
Curse? What curse? It's why we were here before. We needed Master Zeon to break a curse.
Ooohh, so that's what everyone was talking about! Did Master Zeon help you? I heard the curse was too strong for anyone to break.
Just ask the satisfied customer over there.
It seemed kinda easy for Zeon, though. I wonder why everyone else had so much trouble. Maybe Zeon just knows a few tricks the others don't.
Did you say Master Zeon broke that impossible curse? Wow! Isn't he amazing?
He is a master of white and black magic. That alone is impressive.
While they're in the neighborhood the team stops by the eccentric loner mage living all by his lonesome self just outside the main village.
I would like it to be known that I'm here under protest. Don't look at me. This was Edward's idea.
I just want to know if this fellow has made any progress.
His house has a new roof so he's at least made progress at hiring contractors. Maybe he used magic to fix it. ...If he uses magic on us while we're here I'm probably going to kill him. Just throwin' that out there so no one's surprised. 
I can't seem to complete the summon spell successfully... I'm almost there though. I won't give up! Yes. Can't have this roof lasting too long now can you?
Just you wait. I'll complete the spell for sure... When I do, I'll teach you the spell.
Seems legit to me.
Aaagh! That's it. We're leaving!
Do you think Master Zeon is up here?
Where else would he be?
I don't know.
Once again the team marches straight into the great tree just north of the village.
And I see Finn is in no great hurry to find out if Edward is right or not.
Master Zeon spent weeks up in that shrine. Do you really think he's gonna run off and disappear in a couple of hours?
I guess you do have a point, Finn.
Don't worry, Annie. Finn'll be lost and confused again before you know it. Ha, ha. Very funny Steiner.
What? Who? Oh, you kids again. Raising a racket like the last time you barged in here.
Hey I'll have you know I don't 'barge' anywhere! Shh. I'm trying to see if the old texts have any clues as to what is going to happen.
Ahh, uh, sorry? *giggles*
Please excuse my friend here. He's still a bit high strung. We just came from Arawn's Tower. What?! You've been to Arawn's Tower? What was it like?
It kinda sucks actually. Oh Finn you're just saying that because your feet are tired.
Wait, hold on, let me get my quill.
My feet are tired but that's not what I was talking about. I'm referring to the horde of vicious, flesh-eating monsters that walk the tower's halls. For our research, please describe your experiences at Arawn's Tower so I can write a text about it.
We'll be here all day if we let Finn dictate everything that happened to him.
I'm not in any hurry! I mean we did kind of risk life and limb getting up there only to narrowly avoid having our faces gnawed off, or freezing to death, or walking right off the tower to an early grave. We didn't even get to ask Arawn why his house is falling apart or why he's got hundreds of monsters sealed up in it. That's probably for the best. I doubt we'd like any answer he would give us.
This odd fellow is another instance where getting all the dialogue requires talking to him twice which is odd because he repeats the previous lines then just tacks on the last one. Also we're not talking to the other mage on this floor because they don't have anything new to say.
Upstairs the team finds the elder has relocated since the last time they saw him.
(Elder Xelmet) Ahh, welcome back. Master Zeon told me that you are Arawn's chosen heroes.
Arawn must have a funny definition of the word 'hero' then.
I am not one to judge his or Master Zeon's wisdom. We shall see if mighty Arawn has chosen wisely. When you put it that way it sounds kind of ominous.
We are all counting on you to save the Common World. We'll do our best to support you.
(Assistants) Our magicians will do all they can to avert the Common World's disaster. It would be nice if someone could tell us what that disaster was supposed to be.
Don't worry, Finn. I'm sure you'll trip and fall right on it. That's not encouraging, Steiner.
I assume you kids will be staying a day or two. Master Zeon mentioned something about Arawn's Tower... We would be honored. Good, good. I look forward to hearing all about your adventures. *looks at Tont* Especially you. *gulps*
Downstairs in the depths of the tree the team finds Master Zeon has taken the elder's former spot in the room with the creepy eye carpet.
Sir Samson you have been rather quiet the last hour. Is everything all right?
Prrr. But Sir Samson's always quiet, Edward. I am just enjoying... everything.
You know what they say about the quiet ones, right Steiner?
That they always steal the pie? Wha - what? No, that's not how the joke goes!
Steiner has a strange, almost alien, sense of humor, Tont.
Tell me about it.
Ok! Well, you see...
AAARRGH!
You know what. I don't even care if nothing these guys say makes any sense. It's gotta be better than listening to Steiner.
As if you need an excuse to ask them a million questions.
And where exactly are you going to start, Finn?
Some of these mages seem to be meditating. Are you sure it's such a good idea to disturb them?
No but if we're going to do it we might as well get it over with. *walks up to a mage* Hi there! Anything new happening around here since the last time we were in town?
(lower left) Umm... um... um... the Vicious Ones are trying to suppress our power.
(upper left) I remember you kids. Master Zeon said you spoke with Arawn.
Yeah we kinda did. Erm, well, it was more like Arawn just gave us some vague instructions about what we're supposed to be doing.
The Vicious Ones? Didn't Arawn say something about them?
Yes he did. I'm not really sure who the Vicious Ones are but maybe Master Zeon knows more.
He did just kind of drop the name on us out of the blue, didn't he? The name seems kind of straightforward to me.
So these Vicious Ones, whoever they are, are trying to directly interfere with the mages here?
(lower left) A long shadow stretches out over the world trying to put Simone in its grip.
Uh, Edward, do all mages eventually sound this trippy?
No, why?
'Cause I'm starting the think the only shadow is maybe sleep deprivation... or drugs, maybe both.
(upper left) Did Arawn saying anything about the Great Light?
Nope!
The last time we were here you said that the "Great Light is about to be released." What did you mean by that?
(lower left) The Great Light is the vehicle of destiny.
We really need to stop letting the vague one answer these questions.
(upper left) The Great Light... That must be you guys.
Does that mean we're supposed to build a big fire or something?
What? Where'd you get that idea? Well there's a shadow stretching over Simone and if there's supposed to be a great big light that means you have to have a great big light source.
That's... not even wrong. Besides, Finn, we don't know what this Great Light thing is or if it even applies to us.
Hey, Edward, the last time we were here you were down in their library, right?
Yes.
Did you see anything about a Great Light down there?
It's a big library. I didn't get to read many of the books.
Hmm.
I can ask the elder if you want.
Yeah.
Soooo if the Vicious Ones are trying to suppress Simone's power what exactly is it that Simone is trying to do? Like, what is being suppressed?
The mages are concentrating on something but it's hard for me to tell, Finn. There's an awful lot of mana under the village.
In order to keep our promise with Arawn, we must gather Simone's forces. If we don't, the Common World... all life... Please do your part.
Well I guess that kinda sorta answers my question. I'm not sure what my part in all this is though. I'm just a guy with a sword.
Truer words were never spoken. Perhaps we should just focus on Marion for now, Finn.
(upper right) Don't worry, kids. We will gather our magic forces with Master Zeon to protect the Common World.
And what about you?
(lower right) A wicked cloud! You must leave! Uhh... It's still approaching. Well I see someone's been, uh, sampling the merchandise. I think we're done here. Before you ask, Finn, yes we're staying a day or two. We need some answers about this Great Light business. *chuckles* What?
Miss Annie, you seem to have taken charge over the last day.
Well someone has to!
Next time on Beyond the Beyond - Elder Xelmet invited the team to stay a night in Simone so before we go running off to valor, or war, or whatever we might as well take him up on his offer. I think the kids have earned a little relaxation.
