Part 23: Forgotten Days

Of course it's obvious. Isn't it obvious?

Zorak: I won't let you have Tengaar!

Hix: Th-that's right! Besides, why are you here in broad daylight when you are a vampire? Have you no shame?!



Neclord: Besides, the sunlight is no big deal. It does make me kind of sleepy, though.

Zorak: Leave us now! Or I'll show you the power of the Warriors' Village!



That went splendidly.





So Viktor charges in and we get caught up in a not-winnable battle with Neclord.





Every attack whiffs as he changes into bats.



His magic is also super powerful, capable of taking out most of our party in two hits. Basically, just let him fuck your shit up.





They look so cute when they're dead.



And he ends the battle by feasting on Miles' face.



Neclord: Well, are you satisfied now? Please give me your daughter. She will become my 70th bride.



Neclord: Please get out of the way. Or would you like to die?



Tengaar: Thank you Hix, but I can't let you die. So get out of the way!

Neclord: I like your style, young lady.

Tengaar: If I go with you, do you promise not to harm the villagers?

Neclord: Of course, you have my word.



Tengaar: I'll be waiting for you, Hix.



Viktor: We need a special weapon to beat him. Most ordinary weapons are useless against vampires, especially runic vampires.



This is not to be confused with our child slave valet, Qlon. These two nouns cannot be more different from one another.



Zorak tells us Qlon Temple holds a secret, but he doesn't know what it is. Since we have no other option, off we go.



Suikoden Tunes - Inside the Silence ~ Qlon Temple Theme

Qlon Temple is one of the most 'zen' places in the series. Suikoden 1 goes to great lengths to try and replicate a world that is, in large part, a replication of China and Japan, with occasional spatterings of Western mythology and medieval stuff.



Inside the temple is a Buddhist monk in constant prayer.

Fukien: Master Miles is the destined leader of the 108 Stars of Heaven and Earth.

Viktor: 108 Stars? Cleo, this priest is bonkers.

Fukien: Viktor, you were born under the Star of Heavenly Loneliness, and Cleo under the Star of Heavenly Fulfillment. You were all born under the signs of the 108 Stars, as was I myself. We are all destined to gather together, once again, under Master Miles' sign, the Star of Heavenly Guidance.

So to the person who inquired into the importance of the “Stars”, this is the game's explanation of it. Of course, The Water Margin goes into this in much, much, much greater detail. The basic idea is that every character is born under a different star, and this star represents who they are, and what they are destined to be. Fukien even acknowledges the two games that take place before Suikoden, IV and V respectively, by saying that the Stars are gathering “once again”. We'll delve into the Stars and their meaning in the penultimate update to this game's LP. Anyway, Fukien tells us that he already knows why we're here: To get a weapon to slay Neclord.



He also automatically joins.



Before we go in, though, there's two recruits to get.





Morgan: I can see a big sky behind your back. My life is in your hands.



This farmer wants the red, blue, and yellow flower seeds we could buy in various shops.



The appropriately-named Zen joins Blackman as another farmer.



But only after planting his seeds of course.



The Cave of the Past has pretty tough enemies, I tend to use them to level up slightly and then skip past them afterward.



The Cave of the Past gives us the upgrade to the Water Rune, like the Mother Earth Rune is to the Earth Rune. The Flowing Rune is one of the best Runes in the series, giving a character multiple ways to heal the party to full as well as provide magic resistance.



We also pick up a Window crystal, which is used to recruit a character back in Warriors' Village.



God I hate Banshees.



We also pick up another item needed to recruit a character back in the temple.







Suikoden Tunes – Forgotten Days (MUST LISTEN MUST LISTEN MUST LISTEN, the definitive Suikoden track)

The Star Dragon Sword immediately teleports us to some... village. This is by far my favorite part of the game.



Ted's here... but he's a kid. Are we in the past?

What treasure?



Ted: Grandpa looked real angry, so I was worried.

The chief then calls out Ted's name and the kid runs off.







This village is apparently protecting something from Windy. Wonder what it is?



Well, finally, a name. The Village of the Hidden Rune is unique in the series in that no one knows where the fuck it is in the Suikoden world. The game gives no clue as to its actual location.



Viktor: What woman? Messengers? What are you talking about?

Chief: So you have nothing to do with her?

Viktor: With who?

Chief: If you don't, then you must leave this place immediately. Come with me, Ted.



We go inside and talk to the chief, continuing to berate him with questions, until...





Cleo: Who cares?

Windy: Village Chief, I came all the way out here because you refused to give me that rune. You should be thanking me for the effort, now give me the Soul Eater.

Chief: I've never heard of such a thing!

Windy: Don't bother to lie to me. I happen to know that this is the Village of the Hidden Rune.



And suddenly the village is set on fire.

Windy: Did you see that, Chief? When you were in denial, Yuber got bored. Give me the rune, or else this village will be charred beyond recognition.

Chief: Damn you. Are you that eager to see the power of the Soul Eater? Oh Soul Eater, Cursed Rune, show me your power and strike the enemy.









Shit's getting REAL



Apparently a power of the Soul Eater is to teleport like fifty feet away.



We are witnessing when Ted was given the Soul Eater, a Rune that would make him live for 300 years, all the way up to the beginning of this game.







This would really suck when you're like, eight.



Chief: Remember that the power of the rune must never be unleashed.

The chief tells us to take Ted with us and use the secret path around the village.



It's a really short part of the game, but I still find it to be the most memorable. We not only see one of the most important scenes in the whole series, but also learn more about the Soul Eater and get to listen to one of the most beautiful compositions Miki Hagashino has ever made.



However, Yuber isn't going to let us get away so easily.

Yuber: I just follow my orders and and stand on guard, and look who's coming. Just a child and some cowards.

Viktor: What did you say?!

Cleo: Viktor, keep your distance from him, this one's tough!



Yuber is one of the most enigmatic characters in the series. His backstory is woefully shallow and we have yet to really find out who he is, what his intentions are, and his connection to another character we shall acquire later on.



Thank god for Neclord interrupting shit.



Cleo: Master Miles, this boy is definitely the Ted we knew. We're in the past.



Before we do that, though, there are two chests in this area that can be permanently missed.



Morgan, the blind fighter we met earlier, could use this. He's basically a palette-swapped Pahn.



And a free Champion Rune if you didn't want to buy it.



Our grand idea is to head back from where we came out of to get back to the present, but we have to do something about Ted.



But remember, that was the past. All of that has already happened, and we can't undo history to save Ted.

Cleo: He probably belongs on the other side. We cannot bring him back, and his destiny cannot be altered.



Star Dragon Sword: Viktor... Viktor... don't you have an important mission?

Viktor: That's right. I'm going to kill Neclord.



Viktor: What's with this thing? Pretty arrogant for a sword.



Viktor and the Star Dragon Sword have the best conversations in the series.



I'm sure they'll be the best of friends.

Artwork



Zen – Chikei Star



Morgan – Chian Star

The game never tells you this, but Morgan is from the same region that Suikoden V takes place in, and also spent a brief period of time in the same area as IV as well.



Fukien – Chijyu Star