Time to slip past this guy.
There's nothing really wrong with what he's doing that we have to challenge, he's just a nondescript roadblock.
Welcome to Gallopolis! We can only explore the south half of the map right now- Gallopolis guards are second to Onett in terms of establishing roadblocks (there is also another roadblock preventing us from leaving Gallopolis until we have solved the problem here).
Veronica: So according to Noah, there's a branch from Yggdrasil somewhere in the palace here in Gallopolis. I mean, even if he's telling the truth and there really is a branch, I'm still not sure it's going to help us get to Yggdrasil. But we don't have any better ideas...
Erik: So let me get this straight- if we manage to get up to Yggdrasil, we stand a chance of finding out why the Luminary was reborn. That's how it works, right...? ...Sheesh! It's too hot to think! Come on, let's head to the castle, grab that branch and then go cool down somewhere.
Serena: We visited Gallopolis before we met you, Serena. It's a marvellous place. But I don't suppose we have time for sightseeing this time round. Let's go to the palace and find out if what Noah told us was true.
The wings of these half-bird, half snake hybrids are prized for their for their magical properties, meaning that they live in constant fear of being hunted.
Way to make me feel bad about Chimaera Wings, game. Chimaeras come from the very first DQ, and appeared since in 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. I'm disappointed they gave up on the odd-numbered thing, but their Wings are in every game anyway. They have Fire Breath, which stings right now compared to the healing we have. I'm also told they have their own Pep Power, but I've never seen that either.
There's a mini medal on this weird south peninsula. I have no idea how it works either.
These mallet-wielding midgets are massive fans of night clubbers, whose every trait they try to emulate. One day, maybe one of them will grow tough enough to actually take one of their idols' clubs in hand.
Night clubbers are enemies we'll encounter later. Brownies are upgraded hammerhoods that are a lot better about landing their damaging blows. In this game, they can block attacks, launch a multi-targeting spinning slice, and also Pep Up for the chance to unleash a powerful double-critical-hit. The Pep Power "Desperate Double" turns up on multiple enemies and I've never seen it once.
Time to head into the city, though. We'll have more reason to explore the outer region later.
Erik's looking around in as much awe as the cameraman is.
Serena observes the hustle and bustle going on and considers this is more than usual.
Horse racing festival time! This is called the "Sand National" and it's clearly going to be the centrepiece of the Gallopolis story.
Erik is skeptical of the relevance. While he has a point... he clearly hasn't spent long enough in a Dragon Quest game to realise we're only getting that branch when we engage with this festival.
Veronica doesn't fully understand how vigorously Heliodor is pursuing us, and dismisses Erik's concerns as moodiness. Honestly, she's not unreasonable with that assumption.
Serena: Veronica and I came here when we were looking for you, Erdward. We couldn't believe how lively it was! To get to the castle, you have to climb the central staircase then go round. Gallopolis is very big, so let's be careful not to get lost!
Veronica: Let's have a little look round town before we head to the palace, Erdward. It never hurts to speak to people- and who knows, we might even find out more about this branch.
Erik: Horse racing sounds kind of cool, but we've got a branch of the World Tree to find. Let's go talk to the Sultan.
True. Although I think, because of the Sand National, we can't actually do that yet. On the other hand, I don't think I tested?
Everyone's excited for the Sand National!
Down here in this well is a sparkly spot giving out narspicious. Because of circumstances, this might be a good place to remember to pick up enough narspicious for some recipes that are about to use a lot of it.
...I don't think this is the safest pastime.
Prince Faris is expected to attend the Sand National this year. Of course this is going to be a key detail.
Faris and Faiz are the crowd favourites to win the Sand National. Faris has never raced before, while Faiz is an expert.
In this volume, I shall describe a select few among the countless ferocious monsters that infest the harsh, unforgiving dunes of the Celestial Sands.
The Spitzfire: A naturally nocturnal beast that spends the daylight hours asleep (thankfully). Should you ever be unfortunate enough to happen upon one, take good care not to wake it.
The Slayer of the Sands: An enormous arthropod that has slain too many brave Gallopolitan knights to count. It is thought mainly to prowl the very centre of the Celestial Sands.
The Cactolotl: Swimming through the sands as if they were water, it attracts its prey with a scent like that of cactus flowers. Few have seen it and lived, but all who have agree that it is the true lord of the desert.
All three of these are dangerous monsters that we're going to wind up fighting at some point. Not all of them right away, though!
Mini medal in the alley.
And this in the Church. This is an accessory, and not a particularly good one. This gives Erdward the option of resuming his look while on the run from Heliodor. I mostly use it when I want to use cosmetic armour I don't like and want the normal Luminary design back.
Speaking of shady things in corners, here's someone running a gambling rig.
Well, he seems happy about it.
Ah, this is where we get the "you can't join the races yet" dialogue. The Sand National is too big.
Faiz is an actual character you can talk to. He's not the most interesting of named NPCs, but he does have an actual character arc (...by the loosest definition of such).
I like how Faiz approaches horse racing here, actually. I wonder what his opinion of what is about to happen is.
He's also taking good care of his horse. At least, I assume he is.
She's talking about the Sultan. Yes, this one random house is much more opulent than the others. Not that the other houses are made of dirt and thatch, but it's still very conspicuous.
This literature collection is going to be important later, and I assume the game wants you to remember this opulence as a clue to return here.
Whatever could have led people to brave the harsh desert heat and make their homes in the arid land of Gallopolis? To answer this question, we must go back to the very founding of the nation.
What records remain of the gallant men who first settled here refer to them as the Guardians of the Star. It is safe to surmise that their descendants went on to become the current royal family of Gallopolis.
We cannot know for sure how these first men came to earn such a title, but more than a few have speculated upon a link with the nation’s renowned knights and the numerous checkpoints they guard…
"Guardians of the Star" seems to have very little to do with the rest of the contents of this book, but this is an incredibly fascinating read. I do wonder a little about "how" and "why" Gallopolis was founded.
I wish you the best of luck, good sir.
More than fair. Although I do wonder how good riding a horse is in the desert. OK, we'll be doing plenty of it, and I know camels are a thing.
As evidenced by the lack of green bar, we'll never be allowed up there.
Sharukh is Faiz's horse. This is an amusing game for children to be playing. Although probably less innocent through an adult lens.
...Not actually an explanation for why you're standing here.
And he's just hoping some strapping young lads are going to get into some fight for your entertainment.
People willing to play along with you.
Well, at least, the man knows what he wants to paint.
Wild Side is a Pep Power, and with that, things are going to get... exciting.
Wild Side is a three person Pep Power. It's rather difficult to set up one of these for some length of time.
Don't mind if I do!
Erdward/Erik/Serena. Good to keep in mind. Erdward is involved in most of the Pep Powers, and this includes being involved in all Pep Powers that require three people. I think, for Quests, "what you need" is more important than "who you need", but right now, "who" is important.
Sylvando is also another "character who is going to be important"- at this point, we've got a prince, a horse race and a circus performer. Good luck figuring out how all of this is going to fit together.
Also, I'm not sure how well known he is, but Sylvando is likely one of the characters you've heard of before starting. I'm not going to talk about him until he's relevant, but the game certainly isn't pretending he's not important and interesting. I'm surprised the fact his origins are a mystery come up so early.
From the man next to you, yes. I'm going to say that means "no I haven't", though, I want an explanation.
...This wasn't much of an explanation, compared to your friend.
A lot of people really like Sylvando. Perhaps this guy takes it a little far...
This is Sylvando's horse Margarita. Because of course Sylvando has a horse.
I think a caballero is some kind of cavalier. Since he's from Puerto Valor, he's Spanish, I'm fairly sure. I'm not that good at determining which real country has which accent.
Sounds good! Hopefully he's getting payment for such services.
...Poor lady.
I think the important part of this dialogue is that people do not regularly see Prince Faris themselves. And also that the rumours place him as one hunk of a man. There is no way that this fellow is going to live up to that reputation, no matter how skilled they really are.
Imagine being a dancer in a bar and feeling like someone else is going to be better at marketing your product than you. Sylvando must be huge.
(Huge in terms of public power, not in terms of actual size.)
The bunny girl seems to be providing tips for the race too. I feel like this is more of a marketing gimmick than an actual service. Then again, I don't really understand gambling services like this one.
No matter how good faith you have in a man... why do you expect the best out of someone untried?
Faiz is by far the more likely victor. We don't know what the circumstances of this race were, but I see no reason for Faiz to be unable to repeat this success.
"Oh, and there are others." The Sand National, and most Gallopolis races, are usually completed between four racers. The identity of who else is supposed to race Faris and Faiz isn't hugely touched on.
You wouldn't do anything with that information like price control and calling people's tabs early, would you?
This guy is another Quest.
We're going to need to acquire something for his cactus cutlets. We're not actually able to sample them ourselves, though.
Ah, these golden globules. That would be something the average person wouldn't really be expected to acquire.
I think I missed the Quest accept dialogue here, though. No matter, there's a little tutorial stuff here.
This is supposed to be your tutorial on Rarefied monsters. I don't think fighting large numbers of the spawner is supposed to increase your odds, but any Quest that tasks you with facing a Rarefied monster implies it.
The thing about these Quests is that they only drop the globe after you get the Quest. Hope you didn't hunt a Golden Globe already!
This shelf has a recipe for us. Many of the items in here will be good for Veronica. This is also the book that's high on narspicious content.
No, this guy is not secretly the Dark One, Lord of Shadows, or whatever they're calling him. I have no idea who he is, though.
The main interesting thing here is Bunny Ears. You may want to buy them for the costume, but for that purpose, they're not the greatest deal. If you want them for armour for Veronica or Serena, I think that's an option, and not a terrible one for Serena.
Over here, the main thing is the Dancer's Costume. If you just want it as a costume, you can acquire it for free later (although not as a chest or anything). It's also relatively nice armour for Serena right now. I do question putting Serena in bunny ears and a Maya-inspired dancer outfit at the same time, though. Then again, Erik isn't into women and Erdward has a girlfriend.
I'm not sure if this is a tutorial on Rarefied monsters or recolours.
The Posey Pole is good on Nature monsters (not effectiveness, but for beguiling them), but I wouldn't say it's worth the purchase. Don't get the Faerie Staff.
These are both upgrades for Veronica and Serena. I suppose you'll want the damage up if you're using these weapons, but if you're not, don't bother getting them. Later characters can make better use of Spears and Whips, yes, but by the time they join, you'll have better gear.
And here's a Puff Puff. A few Puff Puffs have special gimmicks, and unfortunately for the idea of a zero-Puff Puff run, this girl's gimmick...
Well, she has some items in her house. To be fair, you can acquire these and leave, but still.
I know I was promised a Puff Puff, but I am suddenly concerned about completely unrelated things.
Once the Puff Puff is done (which is, of course, text box noises on a black background), you find one of the more common examples of a Puff Puff fakeout, that being "the squishy things in use are not actually breasts". I feel like "bodybuilder abs" isn't new, but I can't claim to know which game beat them to it. I know they've done "slimes" and "sheep butts".
I think that's the only party reaction you get. Well, for this one.
Anyway, time to pay a visit to the Sultan. Yes, we are allowed to just walk up and do this, what do you mean "security"?
Erik: This place is seriously big! The desert knights have got no shortage of space to train, that's for sure.
Veronica: There are rumours that the Prince of Gallopolis is an amazing horsemen, but we didn't get a chance to see him last time we were here. I wonder what he looks like...
Serena: Gosh, this really is a marvellous place! No wonder Gallopolis is world-famous! Now, let's see what the Sultan has to tell us about this branch from Yggdrasil!
("Last time we were here" was Veronica and Serena in Gallopolis before coming to Hotto.)
The palace has... a lot of cats.
Also some pikemen practicing on either side. I can understand doing it inside, but this also feels a little odd, in some way.
The Knight's Pledge is something that'll pop up from time to time, and is a favourite in Gallopolis and Puerto Valor. We will hear what it entails later on here.
...Hendrik's not coming here, is he?
I can see why he calls you weak. I'm not certain you're cut out for military service in Gallopolis with that attitude.
This guy, at least, recalls the Pledge. At least in part.
Be that as it may, I am literally incapable of judging fluffiness. I could also do with some better shots to judge adorableness.
Classic. You can also steal the Sultana's fishnets in the next closet over.
Day 21.
My beloved Prince attended his horse-riding lessons once more today. To see him training day in and day out to be the greatest leader he can be for the noble knights of Gallopolis fills me with hope for the magnificent future he will no doubt usher in for our realm!
Day 24.
My beloved Prince left the palace today and went out into the streets to speak with the common people. He seeks to study the lifestyles of his subjects first-hand- what a wise and benevolent young man he is! I have no doubt he will make a great sultan some day!
...But, uh... the people haven't seen much of Faris.
I'm starting to very much doubt our safety here.
Now if this isn't the greatest thing to find after that. Concrete earrings are good for decreasing Earth damage- also known as "not really good for much". Earth damage isn't something you're particularly concerned for.
...Don't tell me...
Prince, you forgot your sword! I'm sure he's training his horsemanship.
...I'm sure the Prince of Gallopolis can't read this book either.
We have all heard what they say: should one wish to be a great leader, one must be positive at all times- and it is true! Who would want to follow a mopey, indecisive man anywhere? Nobody, that is who! So forget all those negative thoughts and think positive! Lie flat on your back, gaze up at the big, blue sky and feel your troubles melt away like the petty, insignificant irritations they are! Say goodbye to the old you- the negative you. There is a bright and positive future waiting for you, so step right up and take it!
Well, that sounds like a fascinating philosophy for the Prince to be subscribed too. Hopefully his mental health is in good shape.
So it's time to walk right up to the Sultan and ask to... "borrow" a priceless possession of his kingdom's!
The Sultan is practicing the dramatic speech he will give for his people for this Sand National.
He also wants his speech to be much more impressive than it currently stands.
Well, that's that us in trouble. Erik, we may need to employ your... "talents" after all.
And someone bursts into the palace.
Hello, it's Prince Faris! Not as muscular as I was led to believe.
This is the Pledge, minus a few ums and has. As knightliness goes, it's not awful. Knightliness is still an attitude that kinda belongs in the pages of history, but on a scale from "reasonable" to "Faerghus", this is actually in the top half.
At the very least, it might be a lesson I teach my kids guiltlessly. Might.
On the other hand, now we're showing off all this training.
At least Faris seems confident.
...Little red flag going up right away.
Erdward is way too relaxed giving away this information.
Well, at least we have a name for our prize. Although if they named it, they surely have an interest in keeping it.
Well if that isn't concerning for a number of new reasons.
Erik: It sounds like we're one step closer to getting hold of this Rainbough thing. But I'm worried, Erdward. The Prince was really staring at you back there... You don't think he's figured out who you are, do you? I wouldn't put it past him, you know... After all, they say he's the most capable prince this kingdom has ever had. If we're going to see him, we need to watch our step.
Veronica: I've got a good feeling about this, Erdward! It sounds like the Rainbough that will lead us to Yggdrasil is right here in Gallopolis! Let's go and visit the Prince in his chambers- and mind your manners, you hear? We're dealing with royalty here!
Serena: It's a good job Prince Faris came along when he did. I thought the Sultan was going to refuse to listen to us! By the way, Erdward, did you hear the Prince's Pledge? It was terribly impressive, wasn't it? It sounds like the desert knights of Gallopolis are as amazing as everyone says they are!
Your cats may be impressive, but you are never going to shake the reputation of knights and horses. Especially not with the Knight's Pledge and the Sand National.
Speaking of, the Sultan has his own personal excellent view of the racetrack back here.
Faris is pronounced "FAH-riss". Yeah, good luck with that. I'd recommend moving away from "Embarrass". With that pause, it sounds like Faris is going to be the embarrassment.
(Although do keep that version of the song handy.)
...The racetrack floats on an oasis? Not literally, right? I think Dragon Quest is too early for that kind of floating.
...I mean, can we say anything different in front of the Sultana?
Am I allowed to say I think you might be telling yourself comforting lies rather than fact?
The Sultan is still working on his impressive speech.
How rude.
Although perhaps stealing his secret stash was out of line.
...But hey, I got rewarded for it.
So let's go see what this prince business is all about.
"The face of one who knows horses". I'm sure you know exactly what you mean there. Because I don't.
Completely fair. I wouldn't either.
Blink frame from Veronica. So far, she's not been too suspicious of Faris, but something's starting to tell me the prince has some dirty laundry here, if he's willing to trade a national treasure for something from a "wandering stranger".
...Especially when you follow it up with that.
And this is a relatively annoying moment- we now have to let nighttime trigger. Either we use the Inn or go exploring for a bit.
Veronica: Wow! Not only are we going to find out about the Rainbough, we're going to the circus- with a prince! I think the big top is over in the east of the city. Let's do as His Highness told us and head over there after dark!
Serena: Prince Faris said the Rainbough was a priceless royal treasure, but he's going to ask his father to give it to us! What a kind-hearted, generous young man! We could all learn something from him, don't you think, Veronica...?
Erik: Well, it looks like the Prince hasn't worked out that you're the Luminary, but I still don't trust him... We're wanted men, you know. We can't afford to forget that for a second.
These prickly plants are usually quite quiet, but when they get angry, their spines stand on end, and they'll attack anything that approaches.
Lucky we had an RNG sidequest to go complete! Cactiballs appear in the south part of the desert, and also in DQs 5 and 7. I honestly think of these guys as more iconic than they seem to be. Maybe it's all in the spinoffs.
Cactiballs like to spend their time pretending to be cactuses. It's easy to tell which cactuses are real and which are cactiballs.
The introduction of Veronica and Serena also represent the introduction of a lot more spells sneaking in. Fizzle we've seen before (it robs enemies of their spellcasting), but Bang is new. Bang is fantastic. Some nice, solid (for earlygame) damage on everything. Expect Veronica to perform a Bang family spell basically whenever there's more tha one kind of enemy on the field.
With the "MP restore after battle" spell, Veronica's going back into Vim. That elemental resistance is nice.
Serena learns Accelerate, if you want to increase someone's Agility by 40%. I'm not sure why you'd want to, but it's there.
That was close, that was close...
By the campsite is our first Tockle with our first Pastword. The colour of the Tockle doesn't mean anything- although there's one Tockle colour that's hard to pick out of the environment.
Moonahan is a town north of the castle of Moonbrooke. Moonbrooke is destroyed in the opening, but Moonahan is available to provide a variety of useful odds and ends, including an important moment to the history of DQ that the Pastword will be interfering with.
Coveted by collectors the world over, these poor plants are sick and tired of the seemingly endless string of kidnap attempts they're forced to endure.
Well if that isn't the greatest screenshot. Turns out we got ourselves our Rarefied Cactiball! The golden globe first appeared in Dragon Quest Monsters 2, which is important, because apparently they were an early Quest objective there too. They can attack twice and also have the ability to cause laughter and death by dancing. The Death Dance, as it is known, is less effective than other causes of instant death.
It doesn't feel like it, because of the whole x4 HP thing, but these guys do have the same Defence as cactiballs. They also seem to have less agility as well as more MP and Atk.
Buffing everything you can is pretty sensible, though.
Look, I know the official name of the daft dance is "Underpants Dance", but it's not that funny, girls. I thought you resisted laughter, Ronnie.
At least we have some power attacks now.
I'm not sure that cactiball is your friend, sir. Look at that grin.
And Veronica charges up her Pep. She gets Resilience, Magical Might, and Critical Spell chance, the latter of which is the third kind of "chance bonus" from Pep. This is all about making Veronica sling out spells as hard as possible. Veronica doesn't really have many good Pep Powers, though- at least, not in the teams I make. She starts with the very helpful Arboria's Blessing with Serena, at least- that will heal you and give you passive HP recovery for a few turns. She has a few other decent ones, but not ones I would describe as worth charging ahead of time.
...Gold Ore. Sure. I guess it's a little early for anything else.
Excellent hit! That's this done.
The Golden Globule drops for free after the fact.
And with that, it's a good idea to rest at this campsite at some point. Set it as a Zoom point and all.
Also time to make a few forges. Lightening Bash is a key Flourish- deliberately hitting for less than a Bash can make the difference between a +1 and a +3 in the end.
We basically want all of this for Veronica. The Lamp Post is a solid replacement Wand for Serena, and is statistically better than the one in stores, but doesn't have anything interesting about it.
Some bits, like this one, might be a little too close for Lightening Bash. You can always crit, but you are praying a bit on a risk like that.
...OK, I'll take it.
Didn't have enough narspicious to go around, so I decided to leave the hat for later. At least the feathered cap is a substitute until there.
And Zooming back into town to make it to the big top.
Oh, yeah, this is back.
Got the hat after all.
Faris can be found standing outside the tent, and talking to him starts the next cutscene.
We sneak into the circus and take a seat around a table in the back. Genuine question, why is it there? I'd hate to be in our seats.
Erik, of course, is too cool to use the seat in the correct position.
Of course, we'll get the chance to see a little bit of the performance while we're in here.
And in comes Sylvando!
He starts with a juggling trick. He juggles three balls in each hand, but I still feel whelmed.
Oh dear, he's turned them all into knives. And, uh... thrown them into the crowd.
Don't worry, he has Hot Lick at the ready.
I do not feel comfortable with this trick.
This is important to Sylvando's character. Sylvando defines himself by the joy he brings to others.
Sylvando is going to return to juggling knives while we have our plot conversation.
Faris, quite naturally is concerned about his appearance in tomorrow's Sand National. This is a perfectly reasonable concern to have.
This? Not so much. I dare say this legendary Sand National isn't going to be much of one with him in the competition.
...Actually, no, it will be legendary, but for all the wrong reasons.
Faris has put a lot of work into not learning how to ride a horse here.
You, er... really should've thought of that before you decided not to learn to ride. I'd understand if you tried and failed. Failing to try...
...A sign that the forces of destiny are willing to let you continue to keep your failings under wraps?
Erik is skeptical- Faris and Erdward look nothing alike.
Don't worry, "they" thought of that. Faris only needed to find a double of the same build, of course.
The begging is a nice touch, I must admit. You're really portraying yourself as the desperate one in this situation.
Veronica, of course, finding some good targets for her righteous indignation and dragging Faris over some very pointy rocks.
...
...
...The little bugger...
Veronica really doesn't have a counterargument there.
...Hell no.
Oh yes, this is a Dragon Quest game.
He seems to realise we're very not interested in accomodating his foolishness. But we kinda need this Rainbough to save the world...
At least we get a free naptime.
And Sylvando's gotten involved, has he? This is only going to end in comedy, and not because of the circus man.
Another day, another sense of impending "do I have to do everything for these people?" Calling it now, there's at least one character in Dragon Quest XII incapable of tying their own shoelaces. Or are shoelaces anachronistic?
Erik: This guy's not much of a prince, is he? I mean, I know we need to get hold of the Rainbough, but do we really have to go along with his crazy plan? Still, the circus was really something, right? That Sylvando guy was pretty wild. I'm not saying it's made the whole thing worthwhile, but getting to see that for free was cool.
Veronica: ‘Then I assume that your need of the Rainbough is not so great after all...’ Grrr! What a little weasel! Just thinking about that useless prince makes my blood boil! Still, you can't get out of this now- you've got to try and win that race! Let's head over to the racetrack and get training!
Serena: Gosh! Everyone seems so excited! It looks as though the whole kingdom is looking forward to the Sand National! Now, Prince Faris told us the stables were in the western part of the city, didn't he? I know the circumstances are a little unusual, Erdward, but I'll still be praying that you romp home in first place!
Well, let's turn in this golden globule while we're here.
I've honestly never considered cactuses as a dietary supplement. I know they have water in case of emergency and I kinda like the flowers they can blossom, but for some reason, I've missed the idea of eating one.
Well, that's us satisfied.
And a quick mention of Rarefied monsters as a mechanic, because this was designed to be the tutorial.
We got an item called the "Trickster" for completing that quest. What the hell is a "Trickster", then? By the icon, we can tell it is an accessory.
The Trickster is a Charm that can be used to increase the evasion of the holder. There's a wide collection of Charms available and all of them are like this. The Trickster is a pretty good one, especially early on when enemies are regularly using attacks it is possible to avoid.
The seedy guy in the corner has picked his winner, and is betting against Faris. Not the most foolish of decisions, but... hey, wait a second, he's betting against us now!
...I always find the best moments to screencap.
Unfortunately for our backdoor merchant, it seems that Faiz has actually met an unfortunate disqualification.
Considering the hype... I mean, yeah, this is going to sting.
I would be glad to volunteer, but unfortunately, "destiny" has other plans.
Probably not, but you have better odds than you think. Which says a lot about your odds beforehand.
Just pretend someone is slapping Prince Faris every time he opens his mouth.
I notice this deal is very one-sided, come to think of it.
He changes us into the full armour necessary to appear to be Faris. Honestly, I wonder if his helmet is the right size, but otherwise I agree about the size thing.
Necessary instructions: we don't even know how this whole "Sand National" thing works, since we didn't spend time hanging around Gallopolis before now.
This is less clever than you think it is.
I assure you, whatever I do will be less foolish than what you would do in my place.
Veronica: That royal get-up really suits you, Erdward! I bet that pathetic prince has never looked half as dashing as you do right now. Anyway, never mind that. It's almost time for the Sand National! You'd better be ready for this, because there's no pulling out now! You're the Luminary, remember! It's practically your duty to win this thing!
Serena: It sounds as though the entire kingdom is cheering you on, Erdward! Well, it's Prince Faris they're cheering really, but still... Anyway, we need to get hold of that Rainbough, so there's no need to feel bad about deceiving people. Come on- I know you can do this!
Erik: Wow... Listen to all that cheering! Seems all you got to do is stand next to a fake prince, and people go wild. Anyway, this might all be a big con, but a race is a race. Make sure you win it, okay? And don't worry- we'll be cheering you on from the stands.
By the way, nothing's stopping you from running around talking to people while dressed up as Faris. I have heard you can even go to the rest of Gallopolis, but I didn't want to beat the narrative flow to a pulp experimenting.
Faiz reasons that there might one day be another chance. Let's let him continue to believe that.
...Maybe I'm overdoing it a bit on making him look good.
If the horsemen are half as skilled as I've been led to believe, that won't be necessary. There's plenty of room behind you.
Laying it on a bit thick, are we?
And onwards we go to the Sand National.
The Sultan, of course, still hasn't figured out his speech.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, no one cares.
Our friends are in the stands too. Although I'm not sure whether they're cheering on Erdward or Faris.
Aside from the obvious, one thing I find interesting about this line is that Erdward is a prince- a prince, of course, who has no idea of his lineage and no subjects to fawn over him, but a prince nonetheless.
The speaker, of course, is Sylando, who sees fit to ride on Margarita and her giant peacock feathers. Those have to be illegal.
If you didn't explore the stable areas and learn Faiz a) was a character you can talk to and b) that he is the racer Sylvando is talking about, this line will take on a dramatically different context. With that said, however, we do know Faiz is not participating in this race, but the question of why is Sylvando replacing him is still a very valid one. I don't doubt his horse-riding skills, even if these clearly are not extensions of his circus skills, but it's clear the game wants you to ask questions about Sylvando's real motives.
I don't believe we are invited to guess Sylvando was responsible for Faiz being taken out of the race. That's not his style.
Sylvando is a skilled rider (or at least thinks he is) and will be more than a suitable replacement for Faiz.
And the four racers line up. The other two guys don't seem to have names or narrative roles, and if you were to lose this race, it would be to Sylvando.
So then... horse racing. If you're coming to this game expecting an RPG, this is going to be a massive curveball. If you've played Mario Kart, this isn't a million miles away- although perhaps I'd suggest other racing games like SEGA All Stars where the accelerate button is on the right trigger. The only controls you'll need to worry about are "Accelerate", "Drift" and "Steer"- which on Switch, are ZR, Y and the left stick respectively.
I don't get much screenshots of me in horse races, for one fairly significant reason: Like hell am I reaching for the screenshot button while I'm riding. While you accelerate, your horse is losing stamina, and you increase your stamina by jumping ramps or driving through green swirls. Playing the horse race to win requires collecting as much of this as possible. Playing the horse race to get the best times requires balancing risk/reward on which ones to pick up and which ones to cut for faster lines. Black stuff makes you eat stamina faster.
There is one secret to horse racing to share, and this is the screen where it matters. Like in Mario Kart, and many other racers, there is a time where you can press down the accelerate pedal before the race starts and get a speed boost. The timing, of course, differs from game to game, even in the same instalment. Dragon Quest XI's timing is as the "1" disappears.
As the race reaches its end, we can see a few more of those map features I discussed lie ahead, and also that one of the unfortunate racers got lapped.
This is my final time. It is impossible to complete the Sand National race more than once- although perhaps the racetrack is identical to one of the races you can repeat.
It is also not actually necessary to win the Sand National to progress the plot, but it's a good idea to learn how to ride in the horse race.
(Incidentally, the horse we ride on the overworld does not have a drift button.)
Faris jumps out from behind a pillar upon our successful completion of the race.
Presumably, if you don't win, this line changes.
Ah, wonderful! You showed my people that I can ride, and finished the race without mishap! This is more than satisfactory!
Uh, Faris, perhaps I should handle that-
Oh. You will. I do not feel comfortable with this agreement.
The camera lingers on this shot of Faris riding the horse for about ten seconds and he almost falls off the horse three times. In case you wanted a reference on how badly he needed a hero.
...Out onto the track? He's leaving it. Hopefully he got off the horse before he did something really embarrassing.
I disavow any and all responsibility for the existence of this plan.
Faris is a much more likable character than he might otherwise be because he legitimately does intend to talk about the Rainbough when he gets the chance. Although, obviously, "when he gets the chance" might be in question.
Sylvando, of course, finds the perfect time to walk into a place he is not invited and cause all sorts of delightful chaos.
Sylvando is here to congratulate a worthy adversary on the horse tracks.
Faris, of course, is suddenly tasked with explaining the fact there is a stranger dressed identically to himself.
Sylvando draws exactly the correct conclusion. Well, he's a little bit off- he seems to believe Faris and Erdward knew each other before this switch happened. Nevertheless, he caught on quick.
This is quite possibly one of the most pathetic counterarguments Faris can make, but honestly, it probably is the best one he can do. Once he got to this point, where "fake his accomplishment" is an easier solution than "learn to ride the damn horse", this is a valid reason to take this path as opposed to "admit defeat and tell the truth".
Faris hopes he can brush this under the rug.
Sylvando is familiar with the Knight's Pledge, and in taking this path, Faris is turning his back on it.
Faris refuses to engage on this point. I'm not really sure whether Faris knows he's failing to live up to the Knight's Pledge or he's deluding himself otherwise, but either way, he's not interested in hearing a counterargument from Sylvando, of all people.
Another knock at the door. I missed the shot, but Faris shoves Erdward behind the privacy screen before he allows this door to open.
The Sultan would like to chat with his son.
Faris hopes he will have the chance to talk about the Rainbough after what the Sultan has to say.
Sylvando doesn't agree with Faris's decision to have a substitute race on his behalf, but he does admire the skill with which the substitute did it. Although, do keep in mind that Sylvando is still unaware Erdward himself is a prince, just of a different nation.
"Out-Stand-In" is an amazing title for this Accolade.
Erik: Well, thank goodness that's over. That's the last time I'm doing any favours for royalty... Speaking of which, it sounds like Prince Faris has been summoned back to the Palace to talk to the Sultan. I think we should do the same, Erdward. Let's get that Rainbough and wave goodbye to this horrible, sweaty place.
Veronica: Well, well Erdward! You were really impressive out there! It did annoy me that everyone thought you were that stupid prince, though. I mean, he's not fit to lace your boots!
Serena: You'd never have guessed that Mr Sylvando was a last minute replacement. He was so fast, but he looked as though he was barely trying! I wonder where he learnt to do all these amazing things? I mean, first the circus performance, and now this...
To make Faiz feel even worse about missing the Sand National, Sylvando racing in his place has driven up glory. I really can't say he's wrong to be miserable about his situation. It's probably healthy to move on, but I'm not in a position to argue about how.
Don't worry, the people this shady dealer got to bet on Faiz are outraged that Faiz not only wasn't the winner, but wasn't even participating.
The Celestial Sands are filled with dangerous monsters the likes of which don't wander the southern sands. This is quite the serious threat.
I'll agree you didn't really have much you could've done about the stuff happening behind closed doors that led to the sudden change in racing participants, but claiming your powers really do work and should've worked here is just digging yourself a deeper grave. Admit you made a mistake and perhaps your next gamble might still pay.
Faris's fangirls are squeeing like mad. Hopefully things'll clear up around them.
...Although it may be more serious than we are positioned to handle.
Oh wow, you did get a ticket after all. I wonder how much tickets cost for the Sand National, though- do they charge for that?
This woman has discovered the problems with having a son that admires a man like Sylando.
...Perhaps I could give a few pointers!
I am having way too much fun being the subject of unaware adulation.
Faris is having his chat with his father, and we'll need to eavesdrop.
See what I mean about Faris being as good as his word? This moment really proves that Faris's agreement means something. Without this, we would have zero power in this deal. But Faris truly does respect that we did him a great service, and believes that he should repay that debt as promised. Perhaps the Knight's Pledge is kicking around up there somewhere.
The relevant part, of course, is "a knight's word is his bond". The game seems to take the position that this means "when a knight makes a promise, it is his duty to honour it". Say what you will about some of the characters who take the Pledge to heart, this is a truly valuable character trait that will certainly aid us when dealing with them.
Now then, about that "shoe drop"...
A monster is attacking Gallopolis. Well, the sands around it.
Something about the Sand National seems to attract the attention of the Slayer of the Sands, one of the monsters mentioned in that book we found. Unlike the other two, this one is the only one of its kind we fight, although it may be the case there are more somewhere.
The Sultan has had it up to here with that beast, and organises something to deal with it.
I think you might see where this is going.
Faris is quick to realise his odds of success. Which, to be fair, sound like "not amazing even if he did actually train for combat."
Mr Sultan, I think you are actively deluding yourself right now. A trained warrior humbly deflecting praise while trembling with excitement looks and sounds much different than how Faris sounds now.
But the Sultan has no reason to believe otherwise...
And Faris dejectedly realises that he has been tasked with something even less possible than participating in a horse race.
And, more importantly for us, that Faris doesn't exactly have much power to pursue the matter of the Rainbough while he is expected to complete this impossible ask.
After all, it doesn't look like he's got the power to stand on his own two feet. Honestly, with that gait, it's possible the stairs will get him before the Slayer.
Erik: Gah, wouldn't you just know it? We were about to bag the Rainbough, and then this ‘Slayer of the Sands’ has to go and turn up... What's up with that Sultan, anyway? Can he really not see how useless his son is? I know it's none of my business, but if I was him, I'd be pretty worried about this place's future...
Veronica: You don't need to say anything, Erdward. I think we both know what the Prince is planning... I'm not happy about it either, but we've got to get that Rainbough somehow or other. Let's go and see what His Highness has to say for himself.
Serena: We can't let the Slayer of the Sands continue its reign of terror! Let's go to Prince Faris's chambers and see what he has to say on the matter.
This, uh, went long. I'll talk about the Gallopolis arc once we've completed it in the next update.
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