Part 150: Laine NPC Chatter 2

Welcome back!



: First you'll be eating. You'll like our large portions!

This is an important episode, because it marks our first optional dinner since New freaking Parm. Y'know, when Feena had just joined the party, and we were all excited about going to see the Dom Ruins, and seeing what the End of the World was all about.

Apparently you get one town with optional dinners per continent.





: That's more like it Feena! We's all good folks here.

: We've taken a liking to you too!

: Thank you, Milda.

: How beautiful, so neat and tidy. And with people like Milda, I'm beginning to understand.

: Such a nice village... and such nice people, too. I think I'm going to like it here!



: But they eat meat like everybody else!

: You could tell that just by looking at Milda and Darlin. No one gets that strong just eating grass.

: Don't think we eat meat all the time. We keep those animals for their milk more 'an anything else. It's cold here in Laine, and we find ways to be sure we have enough food.

: Oh yeah. No kiddin'. People in Laine GOTTA be tough to live in this kind of cold. Sheesh!



: Wait a minute. This wouldn't be beef, would it?

: That would be cannibalism!

: Cannibalism?

: Maybe y'all could find out his name from the herdsman, Rapp! I do like billin' an' cooin' alone with my Darlin, but it sure is fun to eat with y'all like this!

: Well, time to hit the hay.

It's nice to have a conversation where the party can just chat without having to worry about making sure to trip the next plot flag.

Anyway, next up is Dorlin's house. Dorlin is the only Wise Man you can speak to early. Darlin kicks the whole thing off, and you automatically start the conversation with him before you can wander over to Derlin's.





: Now just... just get a hold of yourself Master Dorlin! There'll be no talkin' like this.



: He looks different, too. How wonderful. He'll soon be an adult like the rest of us. Well, I'll just have to make plenty of that ice cream that he loves for a celebration. We'll have a big celebration with plenty of ice cream for his coming of age. And you must all come too!

: HEY! It's COLD, you know? What, are you trying to KILL me?

: You must all come and have ice cream to celebrate our boy's coming of age, now.



: The only thing a father can do at a time like this is to stand back and watch over him. Pretty soon he will grow horns of knowledge and he'll finally be a real adult. In Laine we call these changes the "coming of age". If you really get into it, this process of "coming of age" has many fascinating aspects.

: Looks like it'll be a while. Let's go, Juss.

: So is it these horns filled with knowledge that make us an adult? Can this question be answered?

: Hey Juss, I'm outta here.



Dammit, you ever start yawning after reading about someone yawning?

: (Yawn) I can't keep my thoughts together and I keep forgetting things.... (yawn...) Lately I'm sooo sleepy.... (yawn...) (Yawn...) I'm too sleepy. Come back some other time. (yawn)



: When Derlin was my age, they say he MEMORIZED the books he read!



: still without his horns. I don't need him to be a Wise Man. All I want is for him to grow up to be healthy. He'll have his fill of studies once his horns grow in. Really, who raised this boy, anyway!?

: Now just hold ON there! YOU raised him! REMEMBER?

: It's not normal for a child without horns to want to be a Wise Man.



: Even before his horns having grown, it seems all he does is think. I keep telling him all he has to do is eat well, play a lot, and sleep and the horns will grow in time. But he wants more. I keep telling the boy to just eat well, play a lot, and nature will take its course. But....



: My Darlin's the same way. ♪ I have no IDEA what's on his sweet mind, but he goes a snortin'. ♪

: We have a little arrangement. He keeps the forge with his snortin' and I hammer the iron. Smart, huh? This is where all the farm tools are made. Of course, we can also make weapons. But that ain't too important.

: B-but... You sell a bone-splitter ax in the weapon shop! It causes instant death!



: Same thing with youth. Youth gives you opportunity. But that's not enough... (snarf) What do you DO with that opportunity!? THAT's what's IMPORTANT! (Snort, snarf, snort) Wasting opportunity is the SAME thing as wasting MONEY! It IS! (Snarf, snort, snarf)

Next up is the barn where they raise their livestock. This place is important because it is home to a dialog flag that changes a few conversations elsewhere in the village.



That was less than helpful. Let's examine the reindeer-lookin thing.



: What's up with these Lainians anyway? Go figure.



Ahh, the... Rappijulian Laine Volvok?

: Actually, the name is such a pain to say, most of us just say "Rapp" for short.

: HEY! That's no way to talk about someone's NAME! Show some RESPECT!

: Indeed... indeed... ahem, the Rappijulian Laine Volvok are commonly called "rapps". All right? Rapps are known to be quite gregarious and to enjoy the company of humans. They are also highly intelligent. Also, they are quite resilient and survive under adverse conditions, making excellent domestic animals.

: That's Rapp all right!

: Especially the "resilient" part.



And here we have the theme for the new dialog that this conversation unlocks. Justin makes fun of Rapp for having the same name as the livestock, and Rapp gets increasingly agitated.

: So you are also called Rapp, eh? You do seem intelligent... and... considerably... resilient.

: HEY! You wanna knuckle sandwich!?

: There really is a problem with our Lainian men. Mine'll talk about some nonsense that don't mean a thing! I mean, researching "rapps", REALLY! It's not USEFUL, you know? But come to think of it... I DO like that brainy part of him. Kinda turns me on. ♥ Let's see if I can't do a bit more. After all it's for my darling Yadrach.



Justin is loving every minute of this.

: it's a "rapp"! Say hello to the rapp!

: I'm outta here.

: Look, isn't he a good boy? Isn't he a good-widdle-rappy-wappy?

: Now I know how the Lainian women feel when they lose their tempers.



: Hey Juss, you want a knuckle sandwich!?

So, uh, remember what Rapp said about this guy last time?

: What a stupid face. I'll bet it tastes awful! What's it's name, anyway?

: Say your prayers, Justin, say your prayers.

And the final bit that gets changed, for now, at least, is back at dinner. Specifically, Milda's conversation.



: Hey... this meat wouldn't be...?

: Aw, what the heck... I'm eating it! I'm EATING it, OK?!

: Good, ain't it? The thing I like about rapp meat is not only does it taste good, it's good for you too!

: Argh... I have to admit it's good. I don't know WHAT to think.

Suddenly puts all of Rapp's earlier comments about eating roast beef in a new light, huh?

Speaking of, let's skip ahead until just after our chat with Derlin.



: The problem is... well, just go see him anyway.



Oh my. Lerdin, you've got... um...

: A-a-MAZING! EUREKA! It's AMAZING!

: WHAT!? What IS it!?

: Aw, ain't nothin' no one's seen a million times before. He's just come of age. He'll settle down by and by.

: EUREKA! Eureka! It's INCREDIBLE! It's almost as if knowledge was flowing into me!



: went "WAAAAAA", and then he changed shape! And he's still yelling! Is Lerdin going to be all right? Um... Lerdin? Um... can you, um, calm down? I'm, um... kind of scared.



Succinct.



: Dorlin lives in a big old tower on the banks of a lake southeast of the village. You can't miss it.

And now, part two of the saga of the Racist Lainian.



: Hey what did I just tell you, huh? Don't sweat it, OK? The old man and old lady aren't dead. I can see 'em anytime in the petrified forest!

: Anyway I'm glad to be rid of the old bag for a while! Ha, ha!

: And what's-his-name, Mr. roast beef. He says all we gotta do is go to this Alent place and everybody's back to normal. So that's why I hooked up with these guys, see?

: Know what? If anyone can do it, you can, Rapp. You can bring everyone back.

: Well, if a Lainian woman says so, it's gotta happen! I guess.

And that's all that's changed between Derlin and Dorlin. There's a few extra bits now that we have our quest to get the Horn of Knowledge, though.



: What's happenin' is they decided to go to the lower village and git that horn for ol' Master Dorlin.

: What? The lower village!?

: That village may be close by, but 'taint no safe place by no means. Milda sweetheart, y'all go with Justin and help out as much as you can. We was trying to find out the cause of those mysterious events in the lower village. Thanks to you investigatin' the Tower of Doom, we traced it all to Gaia. Most likely, there's some kind of Tower of Doom down by the lower village, too. Must be another failed Gaia genetic engineering experiment. The lower village is a nest of monsters. So be prepared, and watch yourselves good, y'hear?

Apparently Garlyle has been active all over this continent for a while. That doesn't bode well.

See you next time, when we tackle the dialog that's changed after the lower village!