AEHU/Plot/Chapter 10

Event Geography[edit]

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Event Complex 1[edit]

• Wittel and Raqh are stopped by Guardian border agents at Zenan Bridge; North Zenan has been sealed off entirely in an effort to keep the plague from spreading to Guardia. Raqh produces his token of Guardian citizenship and it is deemed legitimate, but the border agents still won't let them through -- instead, they place Wittel and Raqh in a quarantined holding cell in San Dorino for a planned period of five days. If they don't show signs of plague by that time, they will be allowed through.

Event Complex 2[edit]

• Raqh proselytizes to some prison guards, who confide their various woes and are easily swayed to his way of thinking. Raqh persuades them to release him and his traveling companion, instructing the guards to await his return in Porre, which is to occur on such-and-such a date. If the guards bring their families with them to Raqh's lieutenant in Porre, they are assured protection from the plague as well as the aforementioned salvation.

• While free in San Dorino, Raqh consults some freewandering spirits, giving Wittel time to explore and shop. Townspeople recount various aspects of the town's complex history (including its shift from Porrean to Guardian protectorship), as well as the fact that Queen Leene hails from this locale. It is noted that Leene's father (now deceased at the hands of the Magus' army) was a wealthy and well-connected tradesman, and that she seemed crestfallen upon learning of her arranged marriage to the man who was to become Guardia XXI. Some middle-aged female NPCs still wonder whatever happened to the most intelligent and handsome bookkeeper Leene's father kept while war raged in South Zenan decades ago... Meanwhile, Dalton also wanders through town, wondering at the fact that he keeps running into Wittel seemingly everywhere. Dalton seems extremely interested in the town's history -- how strange that Guardia's most beloved queen was technically of Porrean blood.
  • FW Note: Dalton will later corrupt the complex medieval interplay between Guardia and Porre for his own purposes when he arrives in 1005AG.

• After Wittel has explored San Dorino for awhile, he returns to Raqh, who in turn reports that the time is ripe to approach Zenan bridge once again. Wittel notes that only a single day out of their quarantine period has passed, but Raqh assures him they will pass unhindered. And it just so happens that a loyal cultist is conducting his shift at the bridge guard today. Raqh and Wittel thus cross the Zenan.

Event Complex 3[edit]

• Raqh's destination is Truce, where a sizable portion of his cult has gathered at the Guildstern estate. In an extremely weird turn of events Wittel learns that Raqh keeps his wife and infant son locked inside -- he "loves" them so much that he can't bear the thought of them escaping and thus missing out on salvation. Lady Guildstern is an extremely nervous individual, clutching her child at all times to keep him out of the hands of the cultists guarding the compound. Raqh reports to his Guardian lieutenants that he's found an especially old and knowledgeable spirit, and she has directed him to an island between Medina and Choras in his search for a path to the Power that can free them of suffering.

• Wittel's awe at the beauty of Truce and Guardia's landscape sort of dispels the tension in the Guildstern household, and Raqh encourages him to explore while he deals with various administrative matters. Wittel explores everywhere he can, learning more about the hero Cyrus and inquiring about the uncle who brought him to Sensei's monastery so long ago. Apparently fulfilling Wittel's wildest dreams, some NPCs recognize the name "Glenn" as Cyrus' squire, but report that he met an unfortunate end in the Denadoro Mountains alongside Cyrus during the battle that finally pushed the Magus from South Zenan in 590. Wittel wonders if self-sacrifice is the mark of a true hero.

• Despite Guardia's wealth and security, it is the anniversary of Guardia's entrance into the Mystic War and a sense of dreariness pervades Truce as NPCs reflect on the meaning of this day and the ten-year war that followed. Wittel discovers that Queen Leene has not borne a child since 590AG, and that ended in miscarriage. NPCs wonder at Leene's fortitude seeing as she lost her father to the Magus' troops once Guardia entered the Mystic War and she lost her child in the same year.

• Wandering into Manoria Cathedral, Wittel probably reflects on the people he's left behind at Sensei's monastery and Choras in general. He wonders if he'll ever succeed in finding the meaning of heroism.

• Growing extremely adventurous now, Wittel sneaks into Truce Canyon. Leene's Bell now adorns the area and the canyon has been largely leveled, Leene Square already partially constructed. Wittel sneaks past some guards and witnesses a private moment between King Guardia XXI and Queen Leene, now on the verge of middle age and discussing the course of their marriage. Guardia XXI professes his love for Leene but apologizes for his inadequacy, noting that his decision to renew the Mystic War led to her father's retaliatory death and the subsequent miscarriage of their child. Guardia XXI announces he has tasked the Chancellor with creating a Parliament to carry the country on after they have both passed; he refuses to divorce her because she remained devoid of child for the past sixteen years, as has been encouraged in some quarters. Generally very heavy emotional stuff; Wittel ponders the awesome responsibilities that accompany adulthood.

• Wittel returns to Truce, now satisfied that he has beheld Guardia, possibly learned what it really takes to be a "hero," and discovered the fate of the Guardian native who left him in Choras. However, he longs for the upbeat mood of the Frog Festival and wants to see Brione again. He looks for Raqh, hoping that he can get a ticket out of Guardia. Along the way he sees Dalton, who similarly has arrived just to take in the sights; though Dalton wears a disgusted look on his face as he wanders the streets of Truce.

• Wittel is stopped by Artemis, who inquires where Raqh is. He tells her, and when he sees her storming toward the Guildstern complex ready for a fight, he questions what new trouble he's just inadvertently caused and follows her. Artemis demands entry into the Guildstern estate, explaining that Raqh harbors an extremely dangerous spirit. She annihilates the guards with impunity and is about to storm in when Wittel stops her. Our protagonist notes the general chaos Artemis' actions are causing on an extremely heavy date on the Guardian calendar and pleads with her to stop, at which point he confronts her in an unwinnable boss battle. Artemis spares him and storms into the compound.

• Wittel follows Artemis into the Guildstern estate, which Artemis is tearing through like a crazy ninja. Raqh emerges, enraged that she's killing people who could be "saved." Artemis argues that the repercussions of Raqh's harboring Gladus outweigh the damage she's causing right now, and they take their fight outside. Lady Guildstern takes advantage of the situation, trying to pass off her child to a really confused Wittel, who just tenses up emotionally and freezes. One of Raqh's lieutenants leads Lady Guildstern away, causing her to despair at the prospect that her son should have no escape from this cult.

• Outside, Raqh smashes Artemis with power borrowed from Gladus. Guardian citizens are generally flipping out, and knights keep the bewildered King and Queen away from the scene. Raqh announces that he's finished here, telling his lieutenants that he's off to determine the veracity of information he has learned from Gladus and that they should await his return. Guardian citizens crowd around the injured Artemis. Dalton steps forward from amongst the NPCs, and Artemis acquiesces to helping him uncover the mystery behind Levantine because she feels a need for the blade now.

• Wittel follows Raqh to Truce's marina, where a group of fellow cultists waits to take Raqh to his destination. Raqh turns to Wittel and asks if he's divined the meaning of "heroism" yet, and Wittel responds that he believes the true hero is a selfless individual willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others. Raqh consults the "spiritual winds" for a moment and learns that an event of the kind to which Wittel refers is about to happen in Medina. He orders his loyal cultists to plot a course directly to Medina: it's on the way to their destination, and the experience will prove beneficial to his "protege" -- it is thus revealed in stark terms that Raqh has been setting up for Wittel's "conversion" this whole time.

Event Complex 4[edit]

• Medina is abuzz with excitement - news is quickly spreading that Slash has secured Fiona's consultation on Medina's farming issues. Seeing as Fiona has had fair success in revitalizing the forest south of San Dorino, a glimmer of hope has arisen in some quarters. Raqh and Wittel observe Fiona's initial meeting with Slash in Medina's city commons, and while they're trading some medieval niceties a Mystic darts out of the crowd and knocks Fiona out cold. Her and Slash's entourages are both besieged, and in the ensuing struggle she's carried away. Raqh, Wittel, and Slash all fight off a troupe of mercenaries instructed to kill all humans in the crowd.

• Raqh pulls Wittel aside while the dust settles, taking the opportunity to point out that this is what inevitably happens to the kind of selfless heroes Wittel alluded to on the docks of Truce. There can only be two types of heroes in a meaningless world -- those who devour and those who are devoured by others. Raqh asks what kind of meaningful change a selfless hero can possibly bring.

• But what the heck just happened, anyway? An announcement immediately hits the streets that the Magnanimous Ozzie has one-upped Slash -- instead of trying to slowly vitalize an arid landscape, why not take a high-profile hostage and demand direct food shipments as ransom? Slash vows to track down Fiona himself and rescue her to preserve the honor of the Mystic tribes.
  • FW Note: This idea comes from the film/book A Mighty Heart, in which a Pakistani security officer's efforts to locate the captured journalist Dan Pearl are driven by his desire to counter the kidnapping's damage to Pakistan's international reputation.

• By way of responding to Raqh's definition of heroism, Wittel observes that *additional* heroes are needed to protect the selfless kind who get devoured, and it is his turn to challenge Raqh -- help save Fiona instead of simply standing by. Raqh replies that "this one" -- Fiona -- is far too attached to earthly existence to be truly saved (i.e., he perceives she wouldn't join his cult).Raqh expresses his belief that true heroism involves releasing people from the endless cycle of suffering, and leaves Wittel with some ominous message about how any alternative search for heroism will prove fruitless.

• Wittel follows Slash to the Magnanimous Ozzie's New-And-Improved-SuperFortress, which is of course nothing more than the Magus' now-dilapidated citadel. In the forest outside the old Citadel Wittel meets Slash's party in the midst of battle with Ozzie's minions and saves the life of one of Slash's subordinates in the nick of time. When asked if he's trying to be a hero, Wittel responds affirmatively, and Slash is fine with Wittel's presence provided the boy doesn't get in his way, and thus our first playable recruit is none other than an honorable enemy from times past.

• Flea serves as the fortress boss and Slash scolds him for choosing Ozzie's side in the struggle for power in Medina.

• When Wittel and Slash finally ascend to the Magus' ruined summoning sanctum, they find Ozzie's personal henchmen unconscious and Ozzie in one of his "pickle" moments -- turns out Fiona is more than capable of handling herself, and is unleashing a can of magical H20 whoopass on her captors. After Ozzie slip&slide's out of sight on a torrent of water, both Wittel and Slash marvel at a human's ability to utilize magic -- all human magic-weilders supposedly perished with an ancient kingdom long ago. Slash supposes that this is the secret to her forest-raising success in the middle of desertified South Zenan, but Fiona insists she's never done this before, and it was as if another consciousness had taken control of her. She pleads with Wittel and Slash not to breathe a word about what they just saw because it would lead to Fiona's ostracision in Guardian society.

• Fiona's husband Marco busts in with some would-be rescuers, and while he thanks Slash for his decisive action, he insists on leaving with Fiona immediately. She agrees that she can do little to help him given Medina's political situation (or lack thereof) -- the best she can do is make some personal donations from her own land holdings until some law and order takes shape.

• On their way out, Slash and Wittel encounter Dalton and Artemis, who start their search for Levantine in the bowels of the abandoned Citadel -- its production would have occurred here. Slash and Artemis recognize one another, and we're introduced to a bit of the history surrounding Slash, Artemis, and Levant. Slash insists that Levantine was discontinued under the Magus' regime, though he can't rule out the possibility that the blade came into being later, as quite a bit of research had been completed during the project. Slash recounts the blade's planned properties but says he knows no more. Dalton is angered at the difficulty of finding the supposed superweapon, but says he simply must have it.

• As thanks for Wittel's assistance, Slash invites him to what passes as his headquarters - a rundown slavemaster's house somewhere along the Medinian coast. Slash explains that the building stands as a testament to an era during which Mystics were enslaved following Porrean invasion. Dinner is something scant as usual, and Slash broods over how he's supposed to save his people.

• Being his rambunctious self, Wittel wanders somewhere he's not supposed to and encouters a room adorned with a portrait of a Mystic woman who appears strikingly similar to someone Wittel's seen before, but he can't quite place it. Slash enters. After assuring Wittel he's not angry with him for wandering around unattended, Slash shows Wittel a mark on the underside of his wrist -- a viper coiled around a sword, the Acacian Empire's brand placed on enslaved Mystics upon birth or capture; iron dust was rubbed into the wound so the neverending ache would remind all Mystics who their masters were. Slash explains that Deneb, the woman depicted, sacrificed "her dignity" so that her fellow slaves wouldn't be executed by the overlord Belial Viper, and Slash credits Deneb with his own survival. While Wittel's young mind doesn't quite grasp the full meaning of what Slash is telling him, he understands her importance. Reminiscing on the past reminds Slash just how powerless he is to help the people of Medina now, despite all his military training.

• Wittel's still-childish mind devises a plan for saving Medina -- he'll bring some of the malnourished Imp children languishing inside Slash's headquarters with him to Choras and confront the Lord Magistrate with their image. How could the Lord Magistrate possibly refuse a giant aid shipment to Medina after seeing the ravages of poverty firsthand? Slash's advisors laugh at the suggestion, but the would-be Mystic chieftain is at such a loss he figures he might as well try it, because he has no other ace up his sleeve. He plans to accompany Wittel back to Choras.

Event Complex 5[edit]

• Wittel knows his way around the Choran waters well enough to steer clear of coastal security. He tries approaching Toma Levine for additional support (Toma's well-loved among Choras' upper echelon because he fetches shiny objects for them), but is rebuffed because Toma's too busy wining, dining, and wooing the ladies in Choras' cafe. Plus, there doesn't seem to be any money in what Wittel's trying to do.

• Wittel sneaks into the Lord Magistrate's manor with Brione's help, though she wonders at the bundle slung over Wittel's shoulder. Brione is freaked out at the sight of the imp children, but decides they're cute once they start cooing. Wittel hastily explains the situation as much as possible and furthermore unlocks the manor's back door so Slash can waltz right in and speak personally with Choras' leader. The Lord Magistrate is hardly pleased at the sight of Mystics walking through his house and promptly flips out.

• The Lord Magistrate calls upon the locally-stationed Guardian military official we last saw during the harvest celebration, and it is immediately determined that Wittel has assisted in an assassination attempt. Brione prevails upon her father to let the imp children stay in her care while Wittel and Slash are bound and drug off to a Guardian ship bound for North Zenan. They notice a few dead frogs along the path taking them to the awaiting vessel.

• In an homage to Chrono Trigger, Guardia's Chancellor tests his budding criminal justice system in a jury trial examining Slash's role in the Mystic War and Wittel's behavior during the Frog Festival. Written statements by Sensei, Brione, and Choras' Lord Magistrate all play a role, and there's got to be some way to give this scene some much-needed comic relief. Whatever the result of the trial, Wittel and Slash are imprisoned for a time.

AEHU/Plot