Today's post was intended to be the beginning of the Great Exploration, and some of the content we'll see will be in this vein. However, it turns out that the game is somewhat picky about Party Chat if you play it that way, so by the end of the update, I switch gears to finish up everything relevant to the main plot before we do a proper Great Exploration.
Starting up, this guy over here has a Quest. Act 3 Quests, as a rule, are a lot more difficult and send you all over the world. Still nothing as tough as getting a Jackpot.
This guy wants us to find a Rarefied monster and kill it. Nothing that special.
The reward is a somewhat interesting axe. I wouldn't say it's worth it, but if you're in the area...
He means the South Hotto Whale Way Station.
Someone is excited. And honestly, it's not me.
Heading over here, to the pink dot, we get introduced to some of the... changes that pink dots have undergone for Act 3. There is a short plot that we'll be doing, but after that, Act 3 is entirely optional content. Every nugget of additional content you can find that the game deems worth doing is represented by a character with a pink dot somewhere relevant to the content (for example, although this is not a Heliodor quest she's describing, it does concern Derk, so this is where you'd look first), pointing you to it. We will later get an item that can hunt down these pink dots for us, but for now, we'll be relying on the old standby: I know where all this stuff is.
Derk has found himself over on the Cobblestone Tor, incidentally, and there's some goodies in it for us if we go and do something about it.
Entering Heliodor Castle, we can talk to this man and learn a shadow has been mildly disturbing the staff. This particular sidequest is actually new to the Definitive edition- one of the few additions, if not the only one. It's somewhat special, but we're not ready to handle it yet.
Fortunately, it has gone to the courtyard, so we are not invited to begin the shadow's journey until we're prepared.
In the vanilla release, your main reason for coming to Heliodor Castle is to visit the King.
Veronica: It seems like there are people here who will never accept that their king was the Lord of Shadows' puppet. I suppose it's not surprising, though. They just kept their heads down and got on with their lives, so I suppose they never noticed anything was wrong.
Erik: It's kind of weird, right? If I'd never met the Seer, I might never have known that my destiny was to join you. I might never have fought beside the Luminary on a quest to save the world... I guess you never know quite how life's going to pan out, huh? It's never boring, that's for sure!
Jade: Come on, let's go and tell my father what we've discovered. He'll be desperate to learn more of this dark star's true nature.
Hendrik: As a soldier of Heliodor, it is my sworn duty to protect the people of this realm. Now, however, I have others to protect- I must fight for the peace and security of all the people of the world.
Serena: Whenever we come to Heliodor, I get the feeling that Jade is more relaxed than usual. Well, it is her home, I suppose. It's only natural that she'd be relieved to have finally made it back after so many years away.
Sylvando: Can you imagine, honey? If we hadn't discovered the truth, Mordegon might still be posing as the king of Heliodor. Brrr! The thought of it makes me shiver! I dread to think what would have happened to the kingdom if he'd stayed in charge...
Rab: I cannae be sure, but it seems the regular folk of Heliodor weren't much affected by their king being possessed by Mordegon. If the truth hadn't come out, he'd likely still be seen as a normal ruler, hiding in plain sight.
As "first priorities" go, this is a pretty sensible one.
Carnelian does retain a skilled edge at figuring out the "least harm" solutions.
For now, though, that's leaving things to us before things get dire.
The big mechanical incentive to return here is this conversation.
Carnelian wants to talk to Jade.
They're going to have a good chance for some father/daughter bonding, after an entire game that made this difficult.
This is a fairly valid regret, but it does kind of ignore the setup of the attack as we witnessed it in Act 2- Jade was in Eleanor's company, as she normally is, while Carnelian was in a critically-important meeting. Carnelian held back monster onslaught while Irwin led Eleanor, Erdward and Jade to safety, and rushed after them in order to be alone long enough for Mordegon to pull off the switch.
At no point in this setup was Carnelian doing the wrong thing as a father.
This part, though, this is something Carnelian possibly could have improved. Considering he wasn't even aware of his possession, it's fairly doubtful, but who knows.
Yeah, uh, that would last until you died at best. If Jade is going to have any hope of being at least as good a Queen as you are King, she is going to have to learn the woes of the world.
...
Carnelian, you numpty.
I feel like Jade, at least, isn't thinking that, although she probably does think the man is a little bit naive.
Jade shares my opinion about how the attack on Dundrasil, as sad as it was for Irwin, Eleanor, and all the Drasilians that died, set Erdward and Jade up to be better people for it.
Jade has a sense of fulfilment in her wandering.
And she's going to stick with us to help each one.
Carnelian understands, respects, and acquiesces to Jade's desires.
And here's the mechanical hook: This is an actual inventory item he's giving us.
Don't confuse this scene for Jade establishing herself as an itinerant martial artist instead of a Queen. She fully intends on going back to Heliodor, getting her Queen degree and taking on Carnelian's job once he retires. But for now, she's got a little more she's got to find from us.
The Golden Tiara is a recurring Dragon Quest helmet for women as of DQ4, usually one of the strongest you can find, and giving a wide breadth of status resistances. Here, it's giving 80% resistance to Snooze, Fuddle, Fizzle and Whack, which is pretty standard for the Golden Tiara. There's a few more ailments in this game than there were in past DQs, but this is a respectable list of status resistances to have.
The hard part is you only get one Golden Tiara in this game, and three heads on which to don it.
Veronica: The golden tiara that King Carnelian gave us really suits Jade's jet-black hair. You'll encourage her to wear it, won't you? It belonged to her mother, so I just know she'll enjoy putting it on.
Erik: I never had anyone around when I was a kid, so I can't really imagine what it would be like to have a mum and dad. Seeing how happy Jade and her old man look when they're together, though, it makes me feel like I might be missing out.
Jade: It's been tough, but those long years I spent exiled from Heliodor have taught me a lot. I've learned what's important in life. Of course, I treasure my father, my kingdom and my companions. But more than that, I treasure every living thing in Erdrea. I will fight for them all. When we take on Calasmos, we will be fighting for the future of our entire world and everyone in it. And we will win.
Hendrik: As a humble servant of Heliodor, I know how much the return of Princess Jade means to the people of this kingdom. In a world filled with so much darkness and despair, she will bring the light of hope into their lives.
Serena: Seeing Jade back in her hometown does make me miss Arboria... Oh, but don't worry, Erdward! We're not going to abandon you. We'll stand beside you until we have fulfilled our destiny!
Sylvando: If Jade is King Carnelian's only child, does this mean she's going to be queen one day? Well, I'm sure she'll do great. She's tough, she's kind-hearted- her people are going to love her to bits!
Rab: Jade's felt like a daughter to me for years now, but it's time for her to be with her real father. Now that Mordegon is no more, my auld friend Carnelian can begin to make up for lost time and start getting to know his beloved daughter. Aye, they've a bright future ahead of them, I'm sure of it.
Despite the fact Veronica might be one of the better options for the tiara mechanically, her narrative self encourages doing the natural thing and giving it to Jade.
Early warning sign of things to come: Erik actually delivered a "seedlings" Party Chat rather than the one listed for me. The datamine, for all its faults, is still helpful at catching a few of these.
The first Drustaniad we need is back in Jasper's room, and now we have the Quest, we can read this.
I love how they say "Erdward has learned" these teachings as if it's not Hendrik who'll be benefitting.
The guards are surprisingly happy to let us back into the dungeons, considering our history with visiting them in this story.
I think this is the Upper Level? Both floors kinda look similar aesthetically.
...Why would a full dungeon be fun? I don't want to know.
We want to visit the lower dungeons.
Now this is a recipe book. It'll take a bit for me to make it, but this is the upgraded armour set for Erik's Swindler armour. That hat will help him with his Half-Inching.
There's also one of these. Used to be Cursed, now it's good for 50% Dark/Curse protection on... Erik, Serena or Rab? I guess Erdward/Hendrik already have the Hades Helm...
Every Dragon Quest game has prisoners like this. This is the main explanation for why prisoners won't jump out of their jail cells once you've opened the doors with the Ultimate Key. Some do, but DQ likes for those prisoners to be wrongfully imprisoned in some way, to brush over the complete insanity of giving the player a key that can open jail cells currently in use.
There's a kid in the corner playing hide-and-seek with a Quest for us.
I search places pretty thoroughly.
Also you're marked on the map.
...Honestly, that sounds like such a simple task that it almost doesn't fit in Act 3.
Ten medals? That's a big boost!
He's talking about Xero the Shadow, the Octagonian fighter that never gets seen even when he tries to get spotted.
It's interesting they point you to the orphanage. Xero has gone someplace else- although you don't have to ask where he went to find him.
Our old "friend" Mistress Bev also has a Quest for us.
I think you really should get out of the holy water business. The item shop across the road is selling holy water at a much lower price than you.
...
Still not the worst Quest in the game. Stupid bunny girl quest skewing the statistics.
That's a short quest description. To be fair, it's a simple Quest.
Just find some in the First Forest. It'll be a quick and easy jaunt when I feel like heading that way.
You still terrify me, lady.
All right, let's start picking up these seedlings...
Party chat line that I didn't get, but would like to show:
Hendrik: I was born and raised in Zwaardsrust, but I had no idea that the mountains concealed such a secret. They may be mere ruins now, but people made their homes here once... Perhaps they were the guardians of the sacred seedling?
Silent, solitary and utterly unyielding hunters who look down on other sabrecats for their less-than-perfect technique.
Dark sabrecats come from DQ8, technically. In that game, they were black and black creatures from "the world of darkness"- that world was full of enemies that looked like this. They have crits and battering slams, but you should handle them decently fine.
It might take a bit of doing, though.
I think this is Multifeet? This is certainly a frame I have caught.
Right, Seedling.
Starting with the basics here- going back to Erdwin forging the Sword of Light.
And along comes Cetacea.
...I get these guys didn't see the first round of visions, but how was that helpful?
On second thoughts, I wonder how much of Act 2 Yggdrasil knows about.
Everyone's going to catch up on base principles: the fact that we're seeing Erdwin and his merry band.
In Act 2, this was for Party Chat and because the various thoughts were disconnected.
Here, though? Kinda feels like padding.
Veronica: So the Sword of Light you got from Yggdrasil was forged by Erdwin and his companions... I wonder if we'd be capable of doing the same. It's an interesting question, but we have other things to be worrying about right now...
Erik: Well, we've found one of the seedlings. That means there are two to go. Unless you've got a better plan, I think we should see if the Watchers can point us in the right direction.
Jade: The Luminary was born of Yggdrasil, so it makes sense that the seedlings can share their memories with you, Erdward. It may feel completely natural, but it really is an incredible power.
Hendrik: It appears that the Dark One is protected by some kind of barrier- one that not even Cetacea can penetrate. All we can do is search out the seedlings and see if they can offer us guidance.
Serena: The vision Yggdrasil shared with us showed Cetacea carrying the first Luminary and his companions. I wonder if Cetacea can sense that you share the same power as Erdwin, Erdward? I wonder how much She knows...
Sylvando: If there's one thing we've learned from all our globetrotting, it's that sacred seedlings aren't easy to find... But you know what this means, don't you, honey? We just need to visit some spots we weren't able to get to before! Who knows where we might strike it lucky!
Rab: Aye, there's no doubt about it. The fellow we saw with the glowing mark on his hand must have been Erdwin, the first Luminary. Now, let's see what else these seedlings have to show us, laddie. With any luck, we'll find out how he managed to take on the Dark One.
...I mean, it didn't even take any effort to get to this one. At least we had to fight off some sabrecats in Zwaardsrust.
Yes, Serenica is playing the Calamus Flute after Cetacea has already arrived.
Also, here's Serenica showing she can play two instruments. No wonder Erdwin liked her.
This play of the Calamus Flute has empowered the Sword of Light in some way.
And with this power, Cetacea has been zapped to don new armour!
Well, we have a pretty good idea what we'll be using to get to Calasmos... although "Serenica played the flute and then magic happened" is a terrible starting point.
I don't think it's "let's not jump to conclusions", I think it's "we need more information to repeat the feat".
Veronica: Cetacea looked amazing, didn't She? There was something really...divine about the way She wore that armour. We still don't know how dressing Her up like that will help us find Calasmos, though...
Erik: Well, we've found two of the seedlings. That means there's just one to go. I guess we should go see if the Watchers can point us in the right direction. Unless you've got a better plan, that is...
Hendrik: It appears that the Dark One is protected by some kind of barrier- one that not even Cetacea can penetrate. All we can do is search out the seedlings and see if they can offer us guidance.
Serena: After Serenica played her flute, the Sword of Light glowed, and Cetacea became ever so powerful... I can't pretend to understand how it all works, but it seems that finding that flute should be a priority!
Rab: The visions Yggdrasil has shown us seem to suggest that Cetacea is the key to reaching the Dark One. It's still far from clear how that's going to happen, though. Let's see what the final seedling's got to tell us, eh?
(Sylv and Jade double up.)
I finally got off Cetacea in a good place to forge these here. One of these days, I'll find the slipweed.
6% extra chance of successfully stealing just for wearing the hat.
The new Swindler set colours. The original Swindler is the clear winner here.
You can literally Zoom here.
Here's the Erdwin crew, standing atop Cetacea to go face Calasmos.
...Has Morcant always been holding that staff?
Well, there we go. We need to get Cetacea a horn.
Hi there, Calasmos.
...Did these four fight him from whale-back? No wonder people speak so highly of them.
Incidentally, I haven't removed Veronica's costume. The game does that on its own here, and if you have a costume on her, it's exceptionally jarring.
That vision told us nothing new, somewhat frustratingly. We're still at the same point we started.
Fortunately, we've got just the person to lend a hand.
...I'm not sure where this white field is, although it's possible it's supposed to represent "anywhere we checked a seedling" and the devs didn't feel like rigging this cutscene for each area's geography.
It's the Seer. That's a normal occurrence for her.
Good thing we used up all the Seedlings finding out, in total, "Cetacea is the key"!
I know she's been dead for a good stretch of the plot, but this might be the first time the story has acknowledged Veronica isn't supposed to look like this since... well, I guess Act 1 Arboria.
The Seer seems to know something about how to deal with that!
We get a necklace, and...
...
Yep. That's Veronica back to normal. This is kinda why they took away Veronica's costume, although the fact the game had to do so tells you plenty.
Weirdly, this model doesn't have the little necklace that's apparently supposed to be fuelling this.
The Seer tells the scions of Serenica that if they tap into that power, they just might be able to make up the difference.
Apparently, Jarvis gets the last laugh. I can't believe a recoloured jargon is still causing us trouble.
The Seer: Master of dodging the question.
All right, so what miracles are the scions of Serenica pulling out for us?
...
Sometimes you've got no intelligent remarks to make. Sometimes you really do just... turn into a tree.
Excuse me, those are my friends.
The Seer: Veronica and Serena have taken on a new form in order to be closer to Yggdrasil. Their prayers can reach the World Tree directly now, and guide you on your way. Come closer, Luminary. The tree has something to show you...
Erik: A... tree...? That's, uhh... Now I really have seen it all...
Jade: I've never seen anything so beautiful. I feel purer somehow just looking at it...
Hendrik: First he returns Veronica to her true form, then he turns her and her sister into a tree... Who is she really? Who is this Seer?
Sylvando: Can you feel it, honey? The tree is giving off a beautiful energy. Why not go see what the girls have to show you?
Rab: So this was their destiny all along, eh? We knew they were meant to guide the Luminary, but turning into a tree? Jings, I never saw that coming. I've a feeling you're about to learn a little more of what happened back in Erdwin's time. Why not go and see what the tree has to show ye?
This particular tree can be used as a Yggdrasil's Guidance point. Time to see the echoes of Serenica...
Calasmos has been defeated, he lies, broken, on the sands of Gallopolis.
Erdwin brings his sword up for the kill, and-
...That wasn't supposed to happen.
...
Morcant killed Erdwin.
And the powers of Calasmos cascade into him.
Morcant always did have the strive to become a better sorcerer. And he's certainly far stronger now than he ever was at Erdwin's side.
And off he teleports.
I think the massive implication of this scene, beyond just the revelation of just how far Serenica outlived Erdward, is that Drustan and Serenica didn't see Erdwin die. Which, in addition to the fact this fight has gone to the Celestial Sands, makes it sound as if these guys couldn't exactly keep their balance on Cetacea, or some other manner of exciting business occurred during their final battle.
Remember that exposition about Erdwin and Morcant in Act 2? This is the pay-off: Their competitive rivalry turned into murder.
Not a way anyone wants to go, really.
The Seer, meanwhile, seems... well, there's clearly more to the story.
The Seer: The tree's light has not faded. It has more to show you.
Erik: Can it be true? Can that really be how Erdwin died? That's no way for a legendary hero to go. But what happened to the others? Guess the tree has more to show us...
Jade: So Morcant killed Erdwin so he could steal the Dark One's power... But they'd been fighting side by side for so long- how could he just betray him like that...?
Hendrik: So Erdwin was about to finish off Calasmos when Morcant struck him down... But why? What could make him do such a thing?
Sylvando: I can't believe he'd do something like that to his friend after they'd been through so much together! It's just... It's just... awful! Erdwin trusted Morcant, and he stabbed him in the back! Oh, it's so sad...
Rab: I still cannae believe it! Erdwin, cut down by a man he thought was his friend! But there's more to this sorry tale, I'll warrant. Let's see what else the tree has to show us...
A recurring thread so far on our adventure has been some of the elements that have echoed from Erdwin's quest into ours, such as the return of Serenica, Drustan and Morcant's magic into the twins, Hendrik and Rab, respectively.
I appreciate the fact that absolutely no one in this party could stomach taking on doing this part of Morcant's legacy. Erik and Hendrik, especially, are probably well aware that they're the most likely people to do that bit.
Our next vision starts with Serenica, Drustan and the Watchers in the Celestial Sands, where the massive ruins rest.
With what will be known as Erdwin's Lantern hanging above them. Someone had to dispose of Calasmos's corpse, after all.
With Erdwin dead, and no one left bearing Yggdragon's blessing, Calasmos is not dead, and he cannot be killed. Thus, the decision to seal him instead.
Also, just casually revealing Eegoltap knows Calasmos isn't dead and why. Frankly, the fact that neither Drustan nor Serenica explain this to their descendants is criminal enough.
Perhaps they thought this would do the trick. At no point in these visions is it obvious when the dark Tockle that came along to awaken Calasmos in the end was born.
And with that, Calasmos now hangs in the sky, an omen marking the passing of the man who couldn't destroy him when the world needed him to.
Drustan and Serenica part ways. Drustan will go back to his homeland of Zwaardsrust and usher in prosperity.
Serenica has alternative business to arrange.
And, somewhat similarly to Act 2 Erdward, goes in search of a way to bring back her fallen comrade.
And that's the story of who put Erdwin's Sword of Light in here in the first place.
Serenica set out to find a way to bring Erdwin back.
And found something in the Royal Library. We saw a few Watcher books when we visited the place ourselves, although they weren't as legible for us. Considering their age, I can see the problem.
She found something in there.
And with that, she's somehow forged her own Sword of Light- I mean, all she needs is a lump of orichalcum, that Hammer, and access back to the Crucible. And, well, I'm not really sure any of those ingredients are locked now- the Crucible is probably the hardest bit, since we needed the Guiding Light and Serenica doesn't have Yggdragon's blessing.
Erdwin's Sword of Light resembles Erdrick's Sword, while Erdward's Sword of Light resembles the Zenithian Sword. You'd expect Serenica's Sword of Light to therefore be a reference to another DQ legendary blade, but it is not the Okeanos sword from 7 or the Dragovian Sword from 8 (the DQ9 Hero doesn't have an ultimate personal sword). I even tried a few other semi-valuable swords, like the Sword of Rubiss, the Double-Edged Blade or the Sunderbolt Blade, but nothing felt right.
Serenica has found the Tower of Lost Time.
It was a lot easier a decision for her. She didn't have her party telling her not to go, and the Timekeeper isn't here, either.
...Again, I question how much security there is around the essence of time itself.
Unfortunately for her and her Sword of Light, the real security is in the fact that only the Luminary may shatter the sphere and turn back time.
And, with one last disappointment in her failure, collapses on the spot.
Erdwin must've been one heck of a man.
The Tockles come to investigate this weird girl who's intruded upon this most sacred of grounds.
And, for reasons known only to them, turn Serenica into the Timekeeper. That explains why she wasn't there to tell Serenica her efforts were doomed.
We've, uh, been a while since we've checked out the Party's reactions.
Serenica's Tree ends there, and the twins come back to us. At which point Veronica is back in kid form. Yeah, I regret to inform you that wasn't a permanent shift back. There are a number of potential culprits, from costumes to animation rigs, but I think it was the Pep Power cutscenes that really did the potential in. Once the adventure is over, can the Seer's necklace resume her normal form in the setting? I don't know, but I'm going to go forward as if the answer is yes.
...Well, I guess we do know where Serenica is to ask her for help?
The Seer tells us that, if we want to do what Serenica did, we're going to have to ask the woman herself.
Erik asks this question, and before you scoff at it, remember that very little of this information is in history books. It'd take someone who knew Erdwin's party members to get insight into this.
And it's somewhat implied that most of them didn't actually see one of those visions...
The Seer was Morcant.
(The fact that the Seer's preferred form for the Luminary, and even Erik when he wasn't awake, was a woman almost makes me wonder if Morcant's got unexplored gender dysphoria baggage to work through. He's got much bigger issues to tackle first, though.)
Erdwin's allies guided us through the adventure metaphorically, but in some cases, also very literally.
And a moment for some Party Chat.
Veronica: ...Phew! We're back to our old selves! I was worried we'd have to stay as a tree forever! But never mind that now- it looks like the Seer has more to say!
Erik: I remember it so clearly. I was asleep, and suddenly I heard a voice. It told me I'd meet the Luminary someplace deep underground. It was his voice- the Seer's. And now we find out the Seer was actually one of Erdwin's companions? This is kind of a lot to take in...
Jade: So the Seer was really Morcant all along? But I don't understand—why would the man who betrayed Erdwin help us?
Hendrik: So this is Morcant, slayer of Erdwin... But why? I still do not understand why he would do such a thing...
Serena: So Serenica turned into that strange... being, and is still living in that tower? And she did it all so she could meet Erdwin again? But why did Morcant want us to see all of this? We need to speak to him and find out more.
Sylvando: Erdwin and Serenica were in love, but they were torn apart by the betrayal of a friend! It's such a tragedy! They should have been together forever, but Morcant drove them apart. He did a terrible, terrible thing...
Rab: At least that explains why the Seer knew so much- he was none other than Morcant himself. But all of this raises as many questions as it answers. Come on, laddie- let's see what else he's got to say.
Calasmos, with Erdwin poised to finish him off, had one last vile trick up his sleeve.
And it worked. Morcant, almost in spite of himself, fell to the temptation to give Calasmos his second wind.
"So you're seeing me as Mordegon now?" takes on a whole new meaning. The revelation that Morcant is Mordegon is a little less surprising when you think about how close the two names are, as well as the fact Mordegon's still wielding Morcant's staff, but the personal nature of the reveal sells itself.
Morcant was not wholly evil enough to become Mordegon, and the part of him that resisted ultimately separated from his former self to play chessmaster and engineer a situation where he could be fought against.
And I find it very fascinating that his most significant contribution, by a huge margin, was to find a conflicted soul and promise him forgiveness if he helped the Luminary. Rab is "supposed" to be Morcant's successor, but I can't help but see a little of Erik in him, too.
Mordegon, Morcant's earthly form, has passed on, and now there is little to continue Morcant the Seer's existence. This is why I believe the Seer believed this matter was time-sensitive: Because he was "dying".
Morcant tells us to get the job done. And this time, do it right.
Which means no backstabbing.
If we want to get into the Tower of Lost Time, we'll need to get the Wheel of Time again. And in this timeline, Eegoltap probably still has that.
Mighty Magic Burst is the most powerful trick you will learn. Veronica and Serena's MP will be zeroed out, but in exchange, every enemy on the field will receive (3xMP) points of damage, with no potential for resistance. If you're ever really annoyed with a boss, this is what you do to just say no. This Pep Power also uses adult Veronica for its animation, which is why it unlocks now, although Veronica hasn't actually gotten around to learning normal Magic Burst yet.
Arboria's Blessing also uses adult Veronica now, too. A few other Veronica Pep Powers- like Ring of Wrack and Ruin, where Erdward gives her a piggy-back- only really work with kid Veronica, though.
Veronica: It seems the Dark One used Morcant's weakness to manipulate him... I suppose we're all vulnerable in the face of true evil- not that it excuses what the Lord of Shadows did, of course.
Erik: The Seer told us we'd need the power of the Watchers if we're going to get to Serenica... And if there's one thing I've learned, it's that when he says something, he means it. So let's go see what the Watchers have to say!
Jade: Can it be true that whatever good was left in Mordegon's heart split off and became the Seer? It's hard to believe, but I suppose we have to take him at his word. He has helped us a lot, after all.
Hendrik: If we wish to confront the Dark One, we must find a way to penetrate the barrier that surrounds him. I suggest that we speak to someone who has battled with him in the past... Our journey is drawing to a close, Erdward, but first we must find Serenica.
Serena: It's amazing to think that Serenica has been in that tower all this time, waiting for Erdwin. Losing him must have hit her very hard. I can't even imagine how she felt...
Sylvando: So the good side of Morcant became the Seer and decided to help us out, did he? Well, it's the least he could do after betraying his closest companion! Everyone's got good and bad in them, honey, but Morcant didn't have to go and take things quite so far!
Rab: Och, I still cannae get my head round it. Could the Lord of Shadows really have been born from the darkness within the mighty wizard Morcant? Look, I'm never going to forgive Mordegon for what he did, but the more I think about it, the more it seems like he was just another victim of the Dark One.
While I was in the area, I decided to go check in on Angri-La. I didn't really see the harm, although ultimately, I did have a bit of an issue with it. Not that it'll affect much in the end, but still.
Starting with this Quest over here.
A sorcerer, trying to defeat the Dark One, talking about means with which to extend access to their innate magic? Why does that sound familiar?
Hi, Morcant. We were just talking about you.
...
I say this with all due respect to my grandfather. I'm not sure I want to.
The Watchers have Quests to boost the powers of Serena and Hendrik, but Rab's power Quest lies in the world below. The Watchers may not know what Morcant's legacy is, but something in their society does.
This is basically the same as the Drustaniad Quest, except all the books are in the one place.
It shouldn't be hard, but it'll be out of the way.
There's another Quest with this monk up here.
He has something to prove against the world with his... metallic muscles?
Probably.
I love how even the game is kind of mocking this guy. With that said, though, 10 Seeds of Skill is quite a reward.
There are better weapons for demonstrating the point we are trying to make, but he will only accept this one.
Child's play. I already know the secrets of Haephestus's Flame.
Oh. That might be a bit more of a problem.
We'll get back to you.
If we head up to the Field of Discipline, we can find Pang, the High Lama and all the monks waiting for us.
Wait, Pang?
Excuse me, just because you are alive now...
Erik and Jade have no idea what the hell they're talking about.
Ah, that's the Pang we all know.
You know, if you want to highlight the positives, maybe leave out the "...educated" bit.
Yeah, I think there's little more you can teach me. I have a dark lord to defeat and a home to go back to, and I'd rather that didn't take me six years.
Rab comes up and apologises for not visiting sooner. As if there needed to be any more confirmation Rab did his own training of Jade. I can't help but feel like Jade and Pang might've gotten along in time.
In Act 2, this got taken literally, although neither character was entirely dead at the time. Pang was more dead than Rab, at least.
Erdward has been looking at Pang, completely flabbergasted about what exactly she's doing alive. Thanks to turning back time, she never needed to sacrifice herself.
Angri-La might be one of the furthest places from Gallopolis, considering wrap-around. I'm not sure what the exact opposite of the map is, though.
And that's the story of how we'll still have access to the Wheel of Harma.
"None have ever succeeded" implies even Erdwin's crew failed. To be fair, they had four people, not eight.
Rab has a dramatic speech prepared, complete with an otherwise out-of-place mention of abstinence. The punchline writes itself.
If anything, he's too focused now.
I'm not sure whose expression is my favourite. Veronica, Erik, Jade, Hendrik, they're all pretty cool.
Rab realises why no one's clapping.
"A record" referring to Rab's unprecedented ten thousand strokes with the Naughty Stick.
Hopefully she just means the 10000 number is getting updated.
And it is at this point that I notice that the Party is still stuck on Serenica's moment for Party Chat. I thought I could get away with visiting the Tower of Lost Time after the Great Exploration, but clearly not if I want to get the Party Chat. Luckily, the Angri-La stuff I wanted was available to me after the fact.
Veronica: I'm so jealous of that stick Grand Master Pang's got for whacking people! I wonder if she has a spare one? It'd be handy for giving Rab a good smack whenever he makes one of his off-colour remarks...
Erik: The High Lama is pretty impressive for a kid- I mean, he's second in command after Grand Master Pang. I guess he isn't a regular little boy, though, right? He can definitely look after himself. Maybe we should challenge him to a fight sometime.
Jade: So Grand Master Pang plans to summon a stream of enemies for us to fight. It sounds like she's really going to push us to the limit. If we can get through this, who knows what new powers we might gain?
Hendrik: To think, if Dundrasil had not fallen, you would have undergone training here as part of your education as Crown Prince. Things panned out differently in the end, but it seems that fate has brought you here nonetheless. Let us undergo the training- I sense it will have much to teach us.
Serena: The Wheel of Harma sounds rather brutal. Fighting monsters without a break will certainly not be easy. If we're not allowed any time to stop and recover our strength, we're going to have to make sure we're well prepared before we get started.
Sylvando: Grand Master Pang is a harsh taskmistress, but it's obvious that she really cares about her students, and they feel the same about her. I guess you really do have to crack the whip to bring the best out of people sometimes. They'll thank her for it later.
Rab: Och, that was a mighty wallop that Grand Master Pang gave me. She hasn't mellowed with age, that's for sure. My jacksie'll be red raw for a week! Ah, but it'll take more than a smack on the backside to stop me! Well laddie, it's time to take on the Wheel of Harma. No one's managed it since Erdwin himself, so it's going to be a stiff challenge. I know we can do it, though- let's show Grand Master Pang what we've got!
...OK, maybe I should've talked to the High Lama first, because Pang seems to know a lot more about Act 2 than she should.
The High Lama prepares for us to start the Wheel of Harma, but notices something strange: when we went back in time, our Wheel of Harma records weren't wiped.
The High Lama takes one look at this anomaly, shrugs, and chalks it up to "the Luminary can do whatever he wants".
And that is the story of how you're allowed to keep going without redoing the Wheel of Harma despite the fact all narrative suggestions tell you you should be set back to square one.
You may recall the High Lama mentioned that the Third Trial is as high as he could go alone. Pang's survival is necessary for Four and Five to be made available.
So we can get started on the Fourth Trial, right? I would not recommend it. This could pose an issue for even a "maxed out" party. If you know what you're doing, you can get the prizes earlier than you might be expected, but do not be surprised if beating both of these trials is one of the last things you do.
My main suggestion for getting a decent time on Four is that Erik must have 192 MP.
We know what we have to do. We just need to find out how.
...Eegoltap, you smell something? I guess there aren't a lot of things to detect while you're sleeping.
That's a good clue we met Morcant personally, rather than in some kind of dream. We wouldn't smell like him if it was all a dream.
All right, Eegoltap, what do you have to make of all this.
Eegoltap's comment is that he didn't actually know Morcant was Mordegon. He had a general idea, but no hard evidence. Like Drustan and Serenica, he was somewhere else when that whole business went down.
It is, perhaps, not surprising that Morcant wound up submitting to Calasmos's whispers. The signs were there ahead of time.
In many respects, Mordegon is a victim of the same urges that drove Jasper and Gyldygga to their respective ends.
Eegoltap's happy to give us the Wheel of Time so we can get to Serenica.
Veronica doesn't realise just how much significance there is behind this Wheel.
Eegoltap wishes Serenica well, and goes back to bed. I don't think he ever wakes up again in the whole game.
Veronica: Who'd have thought that the cog in the wall behind the Elder was really the key we need to get to Serenica!? Now, I don't know how it's going to work exactly, but there's only one way to find out. Let's stop messing about here and head to that tower!
Erik: So the Wheel of Time will get us into Serenica's tower, right? Looks like it's all coming together... With any luck, Serenica will be able to help us power up Cetacea. Now let's get going!
Jade: The Elder wants us to give Serenica his regards- I suppose they must go back a long way. It's hard to believe we're going to meet one of the first Luminary's companions. We should be grateful to the Watchers- we wouldn't have been able to do this without them.
Hendrik: We owe the Elder a great deal. Not only did he grant us new powers, he also presented us with the Wheel of Time. Once we have defeated the Dark One, we should bring him some kind of gift to show our gratitude. Indeed, I know just the thing. The pillowmakers of Heliodor are unparalleled in their craftsmanship. For someone who spends most of their life asleep, a pillow would make an ideal offering.
Serena: You heard the Seer's words, Erdward!- Serenica is waiting for us in the tower north of Yggdrasil. We need to call Cetacea and head there right away!
Sylvando: If the Elder says the Wheel of Time will get us into Serenica's tower, I guess we're just going to have to take his word for it! Sure, it doesn't look much like a key to me, but what do I know? Now come on, darling, let's get going. I can't wait to see what happens next!
Rab: The Elder said that Mordegon always craved more power, and that he'd do anything to get his hands on it... Aye, that sounds about right. Up in Angri-La they talked about how hard he trained. How single-minded he was... It's just a shame he didn't choose to channel all that determination into something that'd do the world a bit of good.
So then, heading to the Lost Land, and...
I'll do it on my time.
Veronica is here, we don't need to do anything but talk to Serenica...
Welcome back to the Tower of Lost Time. There was stuff to pick up here, after all.
Veronica: Come on, let's climb the tower and find Serenica. She's waited long enough.
Erik: Wow! Look at that huge hourglass in the centre of the tower! It's weird, watching the sand fall. It feels like all the time that has passed is right here, somehow... Sorry, I'm not sure where that came from. It was just a thought that came into my head. Just ignore me, okay?
Jade: Have you ever thought about time, Erdward? I mean properly thought about it? Where did it start, and where does it end? I remember wondering about it when I was a girl, but now it seems we'll live our whole lives without ever getting a proper answer... Sorry, I know we have other things to be worrying about, but in a place like this, you can't help but think about these big questions.
Hendrik: Interesting. The floating stones used by the Watchers are also present in this tower. That is fortunate for us. Without them, I fear we would not be able to progress.
Serena: Serenica came to this tower after losing Erdwin, and it seems she's been here ever since. It's so sad to think of her all alone, pining for the man she loves...
Sylvando: Darling, colour me bedazzled! Watching all that sparkly sand falling in the hourglass is totally mesmerising!
Rab: This tower uses some of the technology we saw in the Watchers' village, but it's got something that's all its own, too. I've got a feeling that whoever it was who built this place, it wasnae the Watchers...
Even if you wanted to break this again, the game won't let you. Once was more than enough.
...Although I wonder what happens if we time travel without bringing the tockle back with us... no. Let's not think about that.
In the procedure taking her from Serenica to Timekeeper, some amount of her personality was overwritten. It's also not exactly like we know how long Serenica spent between "hitting the sphere" and "getting turned"- that is, if striking the sphere without the mark of the Luminary didn't have consequences of its own!
Something about this argument sounds familiar to her, though.
The Calamus Flute seems to be a better way to jog her memory.
Serenica not only recognises the flute, but that it isn't quite the one she had way back when.
There we are, that should cover it.
Veronica and Serena prepare to play the song they need.
And even Serenica chips in!
The song in question, incidentally, happens to be Heavenly Flight, the song that plays while aboard Ramia of DQ3, the Godbird of DQ8, and Cetacea of DQ11.
A power is formed...
And Erdward can do the deed that Erdwin did before him.
Deck out Cetacea in the golden armour of Yggdragon!
And aboard we get! We never have to leave the Tower of Lost Time on our own, surprisingly.
Sylvando, of all things, compliments Cetacea. I mean, there are worse things to have as a first instinct.
And she speaks back, too!
Probably best to listen, then.
Cetacea has spoken up to recommend we go do something else before fighting Calasmos- take on a challenge in Zwaardsrust of Drustan's creation.
This challenge is only opened once Cetacea has been decked out.
The only strict requirement in place to challenge Calasmos is to get the golden armour for Cetacea. Everything from this point forth is optional!
Rab and Erik speak highly of taking the option to take the chance for more EXP and treasure first, though. I'm not going to say beating Calasmos is impossible for us at our current power level, but there's definitely wisdom in doing at least some things in Act 3.
The name "Erdwin" rings a bell for Serenica. Although with all the content we have to make up, that bell will be ringing for a while.
Erik gives us a reminder on how to get to Zwaardsrust-
And we get an Accolade for blessing Cetacea.
It turns out this is the last story-related Accolade in the set: There doesn't seem to be one listed for killing Calasmos himself.
Veronica: Listen Erdward, I'd much rather we didn't have to go toe to toe with the Dark One, but we've got no choice. We're not running away from this one. We have to remember that we're not just fighting for ourselves. We're fighting on behalf of every living thing in Erdrea. We're fighting for their future.
Erik: Okay man, we know what we have to do! We have to defeat the Dark One and break the cycle of light and dark that brought him back in the first place! We know where he is, so let's take Cetacea and head to the dark star. It's time to finish this!
Jade: Defeating Calasmos will be no easy task, but we just have to remember that we're not fighting alone. Whatever happens, we're in this together. That's what friends are for!
Hendrik: The Dark One will doubtless be a mighty foe, but we should go into battle without fear. My destiny is to protect the Luminary. I will be your sword and your shield, and I will not allow us to be defeated.
Serena: Think about all the people we've met on our journey, Erdward. No matter who they are, no matter how rich or poor, they're all trying to live their lives as best they can. We owe it to them to rid the world of the Dark One. We must give them hope for the future.
Sylvando: Listen honey, the only way we're reaching the Dark One is to follow in the footsteps of the original Luminary. There's nothing to worry about, though. Now that Cetacea's got Her fancy outfit on, She'll make short work of that barrier!
Rab: Listen, laddie. The Dark One's not like any enemy we've tangled with before. He's posed a mortal threat to our world ever since he first appeared. We need to be sure we're ready to face him, so honing our fighting skills in the trials of Zwaardsrust doesn't sound like a bad idea. If we put the work in and make sure we're in tip-top condition, there's no reason we cannae defeat Calasmos.
Thus has been the main "plot" of Act 3, insomuch as it exists. We get a short quest to power up Cetacea to open the path to Calasmos, and then we also get something that Dragon Quest has been sorely lacking: Backstory on the big bad. Mordegon may not exactly be Dragon Quest 11's final boss, but very few evil overlords have stories to tell about their fall to evil- Psaro the Manslayer and Corvus of DQs 4 and 9 have backstories, but (as of the remakes of DQ4) both stories seek to tell of their redemptions as well as falls.
While The Seer was a helpful figure across the story of DQ11, her actions do not necessarily redeem Morcant's legacy. The man was both good and bad, and while separating the two allowed the good to arrange for the Luminary to get the help he needed from Erik, the bad, left to his own devices, proved almost more devastating to Erdrea than Calasmos ever was (admittedly not for the lack of trying). Morcant righted the wrongs he did and left the world a better place than he made it, but it will be difficult to speak of Erdwin's group without thinking of the destruction Morcant would one day create.
The story speaks of Morcant's "friendly" rivalry with Erdwin, and when Mordegon corrupts the similar bond of allegiance with Jasper and Hendrik, one can't help but think Morcant may have held resentment towards the more successful and popular Erdwin along their Quests. This element of their relationship goes unexplored- although we know where Mordegon comes from, what drove Morcant to be the man who let Mordegon be born is simply left to the imagination. One thing I find interesting, however, is the destruction that Mordegon wrought upon the world. Setting Nhou Wat to one side, the two places Mordegon is directly confirmed to destroy utterly are Zwaardsrust and Dundrasil, the hometowns of, and places that honour, Drustan and Erdwin. I feel as if there might be an element of spite that drove those particular places to ruin. If that is the case, then, why was Arboria spared? Was Mordegon unable to drive his sword in that direction for practical reasons, or was he less interested in ruining Serenica's legacy than he was his brothers-in-arms? If so, what checked his hand? Morcant gave us plenty of answers, but just as many questions.
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