Part 7: Post 07: In which we visit the volcano portion of the story.

Post 07: In which we visit the volcano portion of the story.


(After activating the pillar, there was a hideous full-3d cutscene where somone throws a torch into a volcano and it explodes. I'm having trouble recording it or even screenshotting it, and that's just as well - it looks awful. It lacks the quality of even the cutscenes from FF7, and this game was released several years later. But if you find that you really must, it's a few mintues into the youtube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9FR...feature=related - apparently it's a video LP of this game)



We don't see the likes of you every day. This is the village of Engow. There's not much here, but please enjoy your stay! Who knows? Maybe you'll find something good here!
Have you seen the big volcano north of here? That's Mt. Flame, where the God of Flame lives. It's thanks to Mt. Flame that we can live this far north without freezing to death.
That house over there belongs to the village Elder. You should go in and say hello.
Well, that's reasonable. Let's talk to the Elder.

(Elder) Engow. Whoa! (Everything shakes!) Hmm. I wonder how many tremors that makes it for today? What? You had a vision of our beloved Mt. Flame erupting and burning us all to smoldering cinders?
Well, I had a vision of some volcano erupting and burning people to smoldering cinders. I'm not 100% on whether or not it was your beloved Mt. Flame.
(Elder) Ha ha ha ha! You must be kidding! We haven't done anything to anger the God of Flame! We of Engow worship the god living in that volcano. He wouldn't hurt us! Besides, it's nearly time for the yearly festival in his honor. Good! Don't scare me like that! When the God of Flame permits these tremors, it signals the time of the Festival. Why not stay at the inn until the festival begins? You'll soon find out that your fears are completely unwarranted!

It should be noted that that is verbatim - the script is kinda weird at times. One stay at the inn later...


I haven't gotten any word of the festival yet. What could it be?

(Pamela) have seen a vision I saw Mt. Flame spewing forth angry red flames, engulfing the village in molten lava! When the fire procession ends, the volcano will erupt and destroy this land! We must not observe the festival this year! It has to be cancelled! (another big tremor) Ha! Did you feel that? Listen to me, that tremor is just the beginning of...
All Pamela's doing is angering the God of Flame!
Oh! That must have been a notice about the festival! It's finally starting!
Exactly! We'd anger the God of Flame if we cancelled the festival!
(Pamela) Aarrgh! You idiots! Don't you believe what I'm trying to tell you?
Of course I do! In fact, I believed it when it was my vision, you copycat!
(Pamela) I'm not asking you!
I just can't believe this at all. This can't happen to us!
You're exactly right!
(Pamela) Oooooh.
(Elder) What's all this noise? Just what are you up to?!
(Pamela) ...
Ummm, Pamela prophesied that Mt. Flame would erupt.
(Elder) What? I can't believe this. Oooohh! Listen! Calm down, fellow villagers! There's no reason to panic! Even you look nervous, travelers. Pamela, come with me. I want to talk to you inside. You may come along as well if you'd like. Okay everyone, back to your business!
That really seemed worth the walk. Oh, well. I guess I'll go back to sleep.

(Elder) everybody?
(Pamela) I felt a message from God this morning. It's my duty to tell the people about it!
(Elder) A seer? I thought you were a medicine woman! Ahh, whatever. It's bad enough you go around spouting stuff like that.
(Pamela) The future lies in my vision, and it's vital we start thinking about our future.
(Elder) But right as the Festival of Flame is beginning?
(Pamela) You must cancel the festival! If you don't, we'll all face disaster!
(Elder) We can't stop the festival! Do you want this town to have a nervous breakdown? That last tremor proves it! We must hold the festival tonight! Yes! Bring on the festival! The God of Flame will surely forgive us then!

(Elder) has finally arrived! It starts tonight! Prepare yourselves for the greatest festival ever!

(Pamela) Hmm? My, travelers. You'd best be getting out of here. Wait! I see something! You might be the ones that can save us all! I want all of you come over to my place later. It's right behind the tool store. Please! You've got to help us!

(Pamela) Let me hear your names first. I'm sure you know mine already.
I'm Link!
I am Kiefer. Kiefer of Estard.
My name is Maribel. Nice to meet you, Pamela.
(Pamela) I see. Tell me, Link. Do you believe my prediction will come true?
Well, I believe *my* prediction will come true - yours can come along for the ride, I suppose.
(Pamela) Well, whether you believe it or not, my predictions are never wrong. Of course, a seer can only tell the future, and the future can be changed! I'm trying to steer this village's future for the better, but I need your help! With your support, I think I can save this village. Please, will you help me?
I sense a recurring theme of going to places in the past and saving them. C'est la vie, I suppose. Sure, why not?
(Pamela) Good! Now, I don't think the God of Flame has the power to make Mt. Flame erupt. My gut feeling tells me that something else has taken control of Mt. Flame. The problem is, no one's allowed to enter Mt. Flame except during the festival. So we'll have to wait until it begins before we can do anything. The festival begins tonight. You should rest up at the inn until then. I'm sure the owner will let you in for free. It's festival time, after all.

Another mandatory rest later...


Sorry, traveler, but I'm taking off for the night!

(Elder) Festival of Flame? I hope you like it!
Well, I am pro-fire.
(Elder) Splendid, just splendid. The best part is yet to come! The procession of fire's starting soon, so keep on partying!

(Pamela) Ah, you've returned! The Festival of Flame has finally begun. The road to Mt. Flame will soon open for the procession at the end of the festival. That is when I 'll need all of your help. Be ready for me. I suppose you can enjoy the festival until then, but don't overdo it!
Outside...
Hey! It's you again! Hic! Where are your torches? The, uhh, walking part is about to start. Huh? What about me? Hic! Oh, I'm staying here. Don't worry about me!
Mmmm. Well, I've had my food and I've drank my wine. Once I bring this flame back to the God of Flame, the festival will be over!
Oh, ho ho ho! What do you think of my flame? Biggest of them all, huh?
Eh, I've seen bigger.
You think so? Hmm. Maybe I should trade this torch in for another one.
(Elder) Hey, wait a minute, travelers. You still don't have your torches! Hey, boy! Give these people some torches!
Yes, sir! (Link's party recieves torches)
(Elder) All right, does everybody have their flame ready now?
Yes. I've given one to everybody that's going.
(Elder) Good. It's time to begin the Procession of Fire! Are you guys ready to go?
Sure, whatever. Let's just get this over with.
(Elder) Okay, it's time to make the announcement.
Right.
(Elder)My fellow villagers! The Procession of Fire shall now begin! Oh God of Flame, cherished by the people of Engow. We now proceed to return the Holy Flame, which has granted us divine protection. Please allow us entry into thy holy residence, to pay tribute to thy power, and may we continue to be warmed by thy divine guidance forever. All right! Everybody, onward to Mt. Flame!

Boy, do I want to see that volcano soon! I bet that the lava is blisteringly hot!
May the great God of Flame continue to protect us for all eternity.
I'm tired of standing in line. Is it even moving?
Ho ho ho! I can't wait to present my humoungous flame to the God of Flame!
I got here first! I won't let anyone ahead of me!

(Elder) Procession of Fire!
At long last, I get to be first!
(Elder) This is our most important ritual, where we receive a new PilotFire from the God of Flame. Proceed more solemnly and sternly! Oh, it's the travelers. Please, right this way.
Hey! I thought I was first! You can't do that!
(Elder) It's okay. These people traveled from a faraway land just to be here!
Damn!
(Elder) Please, right this way!

(Elder) ... and throw it in! This is how we return the God of Flame's protective flame to its origin. Are you ready to throw your flames into the volcano?
Sure, but only so that I can before that bully!
(Elder) Right. One at a time, if you please. (Link throws the torch into the crater)
This feels kind of silly, but... here goes! (Kiefer throws the torch into the crater)
Gulp! I'd sure hate to fall from here! (Maribel throws the torch into the crater)
(Elder) Right, good. Now, it is the villagers' turn. Nice work! You can go back to the village if you'd like.
Hrmm, that woman on the other side of the crater looks suspicious...

Okay, maybe *she's* not a monster, but can we really be certain? Time to search this volcano and find out what's what!

(Pamela) started! We haven't a moment to spare! You must hurry into the depths of Mt. Flame. I'm sure whoever's behind all this is lurking within. Come back here if you get into any trouble. I can heal your wounds and save your adventure. I used to be a Priestess, you know! Mmm! (Bully throws his torch into the volcano) Don't forget, we have little time left! Hurry, as fast as you can!

Just trucking along through this dungeon, la la la.

One day, treasure, one day.

Okay, we've checked out every entrance and exit, and all it leads to is the volcano's caldera... No guts, no glory!

... What is that, some kind of monster? And what's with that pot? And why is that flame black? Maybe I should go and talk to that.. round, dome shaped thing?

LithoHead: Humans are such foolish creatures, worshipping a God of Flame that doesn't even exist! And now these humans will turn over the final flame to me, unleashing the fury of the Flame of Darkness! Wuth the flame's power, this volcano will erupt and raze the land to cinders. These humans will faill into despair, thinking this is the wrath of the god of Flame! And you, human! Do you dare to step in my way? Fools! You are nothing more than kindling for my scorching flames! Your flesh, your bones, your very soul, I will now turn you into piles of gray ash!
You're not so tough!

OH CRAP FIRE! But that's pretty much all the Fire Giant has - he rarely even uses that, and he's vulnerable to Sleep for crying out loud. He leaves us an Aquashard, and...
LithoHead: Aaarghhh! How... How could someone as lowly as you defeat me? Note well, human! Even if I die, this Flame of Darkness will never be extinguished! All you can do now is wait for it's blazing fury to... Aaarghhh!

Hey! The dark flame's just floating away! Well, that's one less problem, I suppose!

That can't be good... What do you think, random townspeople?
Why is the flame black like that? Something terrible's going on here! What sort of evil could cause this?
This is no flame! A real flame gives off light, warmly and softly... But it feels like this flame is sucking light in. I'm starting to get scared!
Could this have been what Pamela was talking about? If it is, then we've got to do something fast!

The elder will know what's going on! He'll fix this situation!
(Elder) What in the world is this?
...Okay, let's try Pamela. She seems less remarkably stupid.
(Pamela) Oh, it's you! By the God of Flame, what happened inside the volcano? Please, tell me everything you saw down there!
But I don't wanna!
(Pamela) Come on, quit fooling around! You must know what happened! (ad nauseam)
Well, okay.
(Pamela) Hmm... I see. If that's true, then this flame won't be put out so easily. But if we leave it like this, I don't know what will happen!
There has to be a way to put out the flame! Isn't there, Pamela?
(Pamela) That's what I'd like to find out myself!
(Elder) What? Can't you see anything with your clairvoyance?
(Pamela) Everyone knows my predictions never come true, after all. Ah, just joking. Let me take a look. ...... I see something! Hmm, I see... a shabby little room... Oh, and a man with a slovenly face... He has something in his hand... a jar... no, a bottle, with some liquid in it... Oh! it's Link! I see Link with him. That's all I'm getting. The liquid in that bottle may have the power to put out the flame! Link, do you have any idea who that man is?
That could be anyone! I have no idea!
(Pamela) No... That can't be. I saw you together with that man just now! You must have met him at least once! Try to remember. You have to find that man and get his bottle!
(Elder) Please! I beg of you! You must help us!
(Pamela) The flame show no sign of causing trouble, but you must hurry, Link!
Who do I know that would know slovenly men with shabby homes carrying bottles of liquid... I know! Time to ask our Uncle Hondara! Let's revisit the Castle!

(Hondara) Oh, I was wondering who was there. It was you, Link. You're just in time. Actually, there's something I want to ask you. If you answer me correctly, I'll give you this HolyWater. How's that?
I just came to see here if you knew about any slovenly, shabby men with bottles, but that Holy Water might be helpful... Okay, what's the question?
(Hondara) Okay, here goes! Is it true that Amitt and Borkano were called to the castle about that new island?
Of course! It's not like anything else has been going on!
(Hondara) Just as I thought! I smell a profit to be made here. Damn! I guess I owe you this HolyWater. Well, that's it. I've got a lot to think over. Sorry, but would you mind leaving me alone?
HolyWater in hand, time to go back to the Volcano!

(Pamela) Oh! Excellent! You managed to get the bottle and bring it back. Now, let's try it's contents on the black flame.

(Pamela) Wow!
(Elder) The black flame is disappearing!
(Pamela) It looks like we owe you a great debt, Link. I no longer believe that prediction of mine is going to come true!
(Elder) You're sure about this? You're sure it will be all right?
(Pamela) Yes. My vision of Mt. Flame erupting is gradually fading away.
(Elder) All right. In that case, I hereby declare the ceremony complete! Let us return to the village and get pissed drunk! You have saved our village, Link! We can't let you leave without thanking you properly! Let's go!




... I can't even remember, so... probably?
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Character updates:


Level: 5-7
New Spells: Upper


Level: 6-8


Level: 6-7
New Spells: Sleep


Items to note: DefSeed, STRseed, Knife


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Next time, on Let's Play Dragon Warrior 7: The Engow of the present!