The party walks in the Capitol City of Basil, Bale, and I decide to explore. I walk into the first house on the left, and Lavitz gets his portrait painted by a small child. Despite taking a mere 30 seconds, it looks so lifelike. Throughout the rest of the town, we learn that Lavitz is pretty much a national hero to everyone. Children want to grow up to be like him, older people compare him favorably to his father, and men say how great he is. We’re just an entourage. Heroes aside, we run into a hospital type place that heals several status ailments. It also has its own music theme. I’m starting to notice that Legend of Dragoon may be a nice callback to retro gaming. The hospital/church gets it’s own theme, as does the menu, shops, inn, and castles. Late 80s and early 90s games get the same treatment. If there are multiple world nap themes, I’ll be pretty thrilled. Continuing to explore, I stumble across several items, learn there’s a 32 item limit (which is awful), and learn what Stardust is. It’s a wish maker. Collect enough, 50, and you get a prize. Every 10 also gets you a new accessory. I don’t know much I’ll be collecting them, but it’s there if I want the super boss. There's also world building lore here and there. Someone mentions an ancient race that controlled the world, and, as I skimmed earlier, we learn a bit about Lavitz' dad. He was a knight, himself, who died in battle. It's all interesting, I hope, foreshadowing.
After I finish the long winding boat trip where I aid an alcoholic in ruining his liver and gain a Stardust, I head to see King Albert. While there, Lavitz fills his liege in on what happened and who Dart and Shana are. As a reward for helping Lavitz, Dart asks Albert if Shana can stay here. She protests, saying she’s tougher than Dart remembers. Albert agrees. Not only that, but he says Dole, the bad guy, has gained a dragon that can fly. Because of the threat of an aerial assault, Shana isn’t safe. Dart acquiesces and then asks for information on the Black Monster. The Minister can only say that rumors of its existence began 11000 years ago, after the Dragon Campaign. Because he knows nothing more about the monster, he tells us about the campaign itself. 11000 years ago, the world was controlled by an ancient race named Winglies. They enslaved the humans until man rose up and split the life of Emperor Diaz into seven dragons. Using the dragons, humans won their freedom, and the age of man began.
The Bale knights go their separate way to discuss the war, while the Selesans go out to the balcony. Shana is a naive girl who just wants to help. Dart is a confused boy who just wants to protect. Lavitz comes back from the shortest war meeting ever and says he’s being sent to the front mines of Hoax. Dart and Shana join up. Before heading there, we go meet Lavitz’ mom.
We follow the 36-year-old man-who-stil;-lives-with-his-mom home and Mama Slabert serves us lunch. She’s a wannabe grandmother, so she confuses Shana with Lavitz’ bride, leading to some humor and some are-they-or-aren’t-they between Dart and Shana. Before lunch, Lavitz takes Dart to the roof to show him “his treasure.” The roof has a great view of the entire city and castle. It’s also Fall, and I’m, once more, amazed at how beautiful this game is again. The treasure is the city and the whole kingdom as a whole. Lavitz is a very patriotic man who considers being a knight to be one of the greatest things a human can do.
After a quick food stop, we say goodbye, Lavitz gives his mom a hug, secretly says he wants her jerky, and we head to Hoax.
Hoax is a small village that was quickly rushed into being a fort. Many of the residents are still here, fortifying their homes and churches. The group talks to Kaiser, the leader and head of the 8th Knighthood, and we’re told our orders. Shana is to cook for the troops, and Dart is to be night watch. Before assuming our roles, we meet the townsfolk. There’s a religion, soldiers, and a famous midwife who assumes Shana is pregnant with Dart’s child. It’s just more will-they-won’t-they comedy. The interesting thing from walking around the town is I finally understand the world. Several years ago, the former king of Serdio, Carlo, died and left his six-year-old son, the current Albert, to reign. Carlo’s brother, Dole, believes he should lead and not a child. This leads to the civil war we’re currently in between Albert, Basil/Bale, and Dole, in Sandora. After the walkabout, Dart and Lavitz take their roles as nightwatchman.
During the night, a confident Dart wants to go get something from Shana. He says as long as the owls hoot, nothing is in the forest. As he walks down the stairs, the owls stop, and a flaming arrow hits the city. It’s time for war! Sandorian soldiers rush the town. Dart and Lavitz take care of the easy ones, but an elite soldier climbs the ramparts, and we to come to the boss.
He’s the toughest fight in the game so far. He has a magic attack that strikes both men, doing a large chunk of damage to Lavitz. He also has the ability to shadow clone himself, making copies who attack us. If we hit the correct one, they fade, but he can use that spell several times, and I couldn't find a way to distinguish who was real. When he dies, the battle is not over.
From our backs comes the Giganto, another race on the continent of Endiness, named Kongol. He’s a massive human being who wields an even bigger ax. However, he’s very limited and has no tricks or multi-target attacks. We use a few magic items I bought, chinking his HP and defeating him before he manages three attacks. As Dart goes for his kill-steal boss attack, Kongol counters with a massive lariat. Kongol isn’t even close to dead. Not only that, he’s managed to turn the tables and put Dart on the ropes. As he brings down his ax onto Dart, a purple armored woman flies into battle to save him. The woman then says a magic spell, mentioning Dragoons, and Dart transforms into a heavily armored winged knight. He managed to re-turn the tables on the fight, and the invading troops, including Kongol, flee. Shana runs out of the house, and Dart turns back into normal before collapsing.
In the morning, Dart is awoken by Shana and the purple woman, Rose, having an argument. Shana is jealous that Dart knows another woman until he wakes up and clarifies everything. Rose saved him from the dragon at the start of the game and again here. Rose then fills us in on why: Dart has the Red Gem of the Dragon. His dad’s keepsake signified he was of Dragoon lineage, created to control dragons 11000 years ago. I don't know if that lineage thing is true, but that's what I'm going with.
Eventually, we learn that Hoax isn’t the only place being attacked. Kaiser asks us to go to the Nest of the Green Dragon to weaken Sandorian power. As we leave, Rose tutorializes Dragoon combat and...
...I call it a night. I still have a headache. Am I gonna die? Goodnight.
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