The enlightened = the mystics?

[Radical_Dreamer]

There is little true evil in Chrono Trigger, but lots of mutually exclusive goals. I like it that way; it makes things more interesting.

[Thought]

There's also evidence that by 1999AD, Mystics and Humans are no longer segregated and start working together.  There's one 1999AD factory you can enter, it's in one of the endings (dream team maybe?) and you can see Mystics and Humans working side by side.

I am a bit dubious on such a claim. Do you have any evidence of this?

Hmmm...why do you say that the Mystics could not have evolved without the Frozen Flame?

No species was definitively evolved by the Frozen Flame. Humans are cannonically influenced by Lavos, but the role of the Frozen Flame in that process is unknown; we don't even know if it had a role! Indeed, it is unknown as to when the Frozen Flame broke off of Lavos; it could have been as late as 1999 A.D.

As for the Mystics, they are actually probably human:

Long before you guys were born...
There was a kingdom that prospered by magic.
Everyone in that world used magic.

But that country grew addicted to magical power
and was destroyed...
After that, people became unable to use magic.
Except for the Demons anyway.

Spekkio tells us that after the fall of Zeal, people could no longer use magic... except for mystics. That "except" means that if Spekkio hadn't provided that clause, mystics would have been included in the "people" who could no longer use magic. Who were the people who could no longer use magic? The Enlightened ones, who were human. Therefore, in all likelihood, Mystics are humans (albeit, most likely a sub species, a Homo Sapnian Mysticus, as it were).

If humans were influenced by Lavos (and they were), then Mystics, being humans, were likely also influenced by Lavos.

A more indepth discussion of human evolution (with specific discussion of Mystics) can be found in this thread: http://www.chronocompendium.com/Forums/index.php?topic=5160.0

[maggiekarp]

I'm of the belief that Mystics and Humans are different creatures entirely, with the exception of certain in-game monsters (the possessed skeletons are not human in the sense that Vampires and Zombies aren't human) descended from "monsters" of the prehistoric era. Reptites and Dragonians are different from Mystics/Demons.

I also believe that the Frozen Flame that influenced evolution was Dreamstone, somewhat different from the weird wiggly thing in Cross but the same red crystal we see in Radical Dreamers. It's the strange red rock Belthesar spoke of in Trigger, though once it gave birth to dreams, it served as something to give power to those same dreams.

They mention at the end of Trigger that not just humans, but all living creatures were being used by Lavos, so I think dreamstone could have an effect on Mystics as well.

If Mystics are indeed human, they branched off from the tree waaaaay before the Enlightened Ones were even around. I think it's important for us to remember that Zeal was a fairly recent creation in its time, supposedly brought about by the Gurus and the powers of the planet.

[Dark Serge]

If Mystics were humans before it makes no sense that there's a war going on between the two different kinds. And saying that they mutated from the Zealians is just too big of a leap to take seriously. Why would Zeal have any survivors, and why would they reproduce and turn into Mystics, and go at war with the humans? And why would they treat Magus like some kind of god?

[Thought]

If Mystics were humans before it makes no sense that there's a war going on between the two different kinds.

... Yes, it is very silly for humans to be having a war between themselves.

But seriously, ethnic wars are hardly unique, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy is full of stories about humans being at war with near-humans. Heck, there have even been suggestions anthropologically that early humans were at war with other early humans.

And saying that they mutated from the Zealians is just too big of a leap to take seriously.

Not mutated, and not from Zealians. Evolved humans. Presumably they would share a common ancestor, with one branch evolving into the mystics and the other evolving into the Englightened Ones. The Zealeans are already essentially mutated humans (they have magic, in case you didn't notice), so why should additional mutations be a leap?

Why would Zeal have any survivors, and why would they reproduce and turn into Mystics, and go at war with the humans?

Well for one, Zeal did have survivors. We see them in the Last Village, but that is besides the point since we saw Mystics on Mt. Woe before Zeal fell. Thus, the survivors of Zeal are different than the Mystics. As for why would they go to war, why does anyone go to war? Limited resources, national pride, racial tension, etc.

And why would they treat Magus like some kind of god?

Why did the Romans treat Julius Caesar as some kind of god? Great leaders have a tradition of being deified.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

The Mystics are such a strange term any way.  Pretty much any sentient race that isn't Human or Reptite falls into the category of the Mystics.  That includes Hench, Gargoyles, etc. 

Obviously all Mystics (or Demons in the Japanese version) are capable of magic, but calling the Mystics a race or species is a little off.  That's why I have proposed that the Mystics are like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xindi_(Star_Trek)

They all share a common ancestor, however, the race as a whole is made up of "Tribes".  Technically they are all different species belonging to different phylum, however, together they make up the Mystics.  Make sense?

[Thought]

As a curiosity, Boo, humans are an amazingly homogenous species. Sure, we have our minor variations; our skin can have a few different shades (three primary variations), eyes (four common types), and hair color (five) can vary a little. Our muscular structure likewise; same with our skeleton (three general types, if I recall correctly). But all within very limited ranged. 5ft to 6 ft is the standard for height, for example. Normal weight ranges are generally within 50 lb.

Consider dogs, on the other hand. Compare a Chihuahua to a Bergamasco:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/images15/ChihuahuaDaisyphlox0417.JPG
http://www.bergamascousa.org/images/Clothos-2007-Nov-01.gif

Or a Chow Chow to a Corgi:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/597px-Chow-Chow.jpg
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/dogs/i/cardigan_welsh_corgi.jpg

Dogs have a rather large variation within the species. One might weigh about 10 lb, another might weigh a good 200. One might stand less than a foot tall, another could be ridden like a horse! Some might be black, others brown, tan, grey, red, tricolor, etc.

Might the differences between a Gargoyle and an Imp be nothing more than different breeds of the same species?

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

But some Mystics are mammals, others are amphibious, yet others are reptilian.  Or at least they SEEM to be.

[Thought]

Curiosity, but does a comprehensive list of the various possible mystics appearances exist anywhere?

There are the Imps and Gargoyles, the Naga-ette and the Omnicron dudes, Ozzie, Flea, and Slash ones, but what about others? Are those skeleton guys Mystics or just undead servants? What about bats? Those crusty Jugglers? etc

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

Perhaps the bats are trained animals (such as "war bats" of sorts).  The undead seem to act more as undead servants to Ozzie (the only necromancer we actually see).

Gosh...  If someone sees this could you check your CT and see what all NPCs are in Medina?  I would but I don't feel like starting a new game (I don't have any other save files on my computer).

[Thought]

Would the monsters in Magus' castle count, though?

[Kebrel]

Would the monsters in Magus' castle count, though?

Decedent, Grimalkin, Groupie, Hench, Juggler, Omnicrone, Outlaw, Roly Bomber, Sorcerer, Vamp

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

Ah!  Magus' Castle!  I forgot!

So all of those in Medina and Magus' Castle and Ozzie's Fort are all either:
A.) Mystics
B.) Mystics' Beasts of Burden

[Katie Skyye]

Perhaps the bats are trained animals (such as "war bats" of sorts).  The undead seem to act more as undead servants to Ozzie (the only necromancer we actually see).

Gosh...  If someone sees this could you check your CT and see what all NPCs are in Medina?  I would but I don't feel like starting a new game (I don't have any other save files on my computer).

They are Imps, Gargoyles/Diablos, an Omnicrome, and Henches. Also, Ozzie's descendant.

However, there was a comment made by a human that Kilwalas are Mystics, as well. (Some Mystics get along with humans, that piano player, for example.)