Part 149: Laine NPC Chatter 1

Welcome back!

Laine is a busy little village, but the people are nice and their accent isn't offensive, so it's got that going for it. In addition to the music.





: You're the strongest woman in the whole village, girl. If you leave, who's gonna get the work done?

: I know, I know. Don't worry. ♪ I'm a little busy right now, but I'll clean up and start workin'!

: We's making preparations too. But hurry up Milda girl and give us some of your time for winter stocking.



: Ha ha ha! I never thought the stout ladies of Laine would ever get tired. You're kidding, right?

: Of COURSE we get tired, just like anyone else! In Laine it's only the MEN who don't get tired! The men of Laine'll do things y'all wouldn't believe when they need to. Why, when we had to escape the Lower Village with monsters on our tails, they picked up the families, a mountain of books, animals 'n all, put 'em on their shoulders while mowin' down monsters, cut through the forests and brung us here! They may look useless whilst they's 'a readin', but ain't NO-body a stronger or a better friend.

: Maybe Cafu should be more careful in our choice of enemies.

Next up, the inn. The dialog here changes a few times, so we'll be back as it does. First up, if you go in before meeting Darlin.



: Hi y'all, I'm back! Actually, I WAS on my way home. Um, hey Justin boy, is there anything to do before I see my Darlin?

And we're given the option to save.

Anyway, next up, let's see what Darlin has to say if we keep trying to chat with him.



: Justin, y'all oughta listen to Derlin down yonder before you head out for Alent. Now Derlin lives two doors down due west of here. It's the house with the ax leaning on it. Can't miss it. He's also got plenty of young'uns whoopin' 'n hollerin' round about. Y'all need to listen to Derlin down yonder before you head out for Alent. You'll still have time.

And now for everyone else in town.



: You hear that Justin? KIDS! Some nerve!

: Well don't y'all see we expect adults to look big-like. Take Darlin for instance.

: Milda girl, didn't y'all go to the Tower of Doom? What happened?

: With help from Justiln and his friends, I gave them Doom Tower no-goods a lickin' they won't forget!

: Glad to hear it! Least maybe our petrified folks'll rest a bit easier now. It's them what made a mess of the Lower Village, and petrified so many of our folks!

: Wait! You're tellin' me that Cafu wasn' the only place they attacked?



: The men can study all winter and not get bored. But for us womenfolk summer's the most fun!

: For me, I don't care if I'm inside our out. As long as I can be with my Darlin!♥

: When our short summer comes, we have to enjoy it fully... goin' swimmin', pickin' flowers....



: Hold on. There's still snow on the ground. Isn't it a little soon?

: Huh? It's almost summer, boy! Our summers are short so we have to grow when we can! Milda girl, y'all be sure to ask that man of yours later.





: Mama said she was so proud of me. She said this was enough for all next winter. I'll bet I'm the only one who can get the job done so fast!



: Why it's Derlin's boy, Lerdin! Y'all talkin' funny, boy. Why, you've come of age, ain't you!

: Indeed I have. My horns have come in, and by the grace of the Spirits, I'll be of age shortly. Do you wish to speak to father? I think he's busy with an experiment.



Laine is filled with great lines. Just, y'know, a forewarning.

: Umm... um... something's wrong with my brother Lerdin. He talks funny and stuff. I know he came of age and all that, but I've never seen this before. Um, is Lerdin going to be all right?

: Why, Madam Milda! How long has it been? I trust you are well.

: W-why, Denly! Lose the "Madam" part, boy.

: What HAS gotten into you three today?

: Linden is about to come of age, so we have decided to play as much as we can, while we can!♪ The first of us to come of age Lirden, did you hear? That's our brother♪, what a guy, huh?

So the oldest kid already came of age, and the middle one is right behind him. Keep this in mind.



: That's supposed to be the Boss of the Village. He looks down on us from morning till night, watching over us.



There's a few dialog boxes in town that change in response to a particular trigger. This is one of them.



: Well, Darlin wanted to find out if that's the case, so he sent me to the Tower of Doom. I guess. I mean, I wasn't payin' much attention. Y'all know how it is when them Wise Men start gabbin' on 'bout whatever.

: So the same thing is happening to the Lainians, but they don't understand it either. Figures.

: Some has left kinfolk there. I suppose they ain't gonna see 'em again.



: The Spirits give us strength and help us be happy. But you know? These real bad guys come around and gobble up the Spirits if they see them!



: In winter the lake's frozen solid. That's when we can ice fish, and pull out a year's worth of fish. Once we fish 'em out, we dry 'em in the summer sun and eat 'em the next winter. Once these fish dry out they'll keep a while. That way we eat fish year round!



: SO...!? You wanna throw me out or something?

: Well now WHY would I want to do such a thing to a mere CHILD!? You young'uns have come so far to visit, no one would DREAM of kickin' y'all out!

Yeah, the Laine/Cafu rivalry is hilariously one-sided.

In fact, the only Lainian who has a remotely negative reaction is this woman's identical twin that's standing right next to her.



: Huh? I think I heard something. Naw, can't be. It's a woman and I never listen to women!

: Just WHAT do y'all mean by THAT! I NEVER heard such talk in my life. Didn't your mama teach you right? Guess she didn't! Guess she was just as bad as y'all are. I can TELL, I can!

: My old lady had rocks in her head and so she's right where she belongs, in the petrified forest!

: So NOW what're you lookin' at? You got a problem? Huh? You got a problem?

: Your mother? Petrified? I... I'm sorry. I didn't realize.

: Hey... don't sweat it, OK? It's not like my old man and old lady DIED or something, OK?

Yep, and just like that, we've cured the one racist Lainian.

I, uh... I really don't think it's a spoiler to say that one of the major themes of this game is "Hey, maybe we should all try getting along."



: Hot? THIS is hot?

: Hot as blazes! Been a while since it's been this hot! Yep. At this rate, this summer'll be a real scorcher!

: These Lainian gals don't wear much.

: Their skin must be so thick they don't know if it's hot OR cold!



: Once in a while he'll sigh something about Alent or Liete, and mumble on to himself. I don't understand anything he says, but he sure gets worked up about that Liete gal. Master Dorlin gets scary if you mention that LIete gal. I don't want to get near him!



: Sure did. Actually, we arrived on a steamer.

: That was, like, a disc and a half ago, Justin.

: Well ain't that the BEST! My daddy reads me books and he showed me a picture of the ocean. But I ain't never seen the REAL thing. Sure would like to. They say the ocean is much, much bigger than our lake, and the water's salty too, right?

: Yeah. That's right. You know a lot about it.

: Yep! My daddy read to me all about it, so I know everything there is to know. But I ain't never seen it with my own eyes. What's it like to swim in it? Bet it's not like our lake. Sure would like to see the ocean too. My daddy reads to me about it but I can't quite understand.



: Pretty soon he'll be 'a growin' real sudden-like, and he'll come of age before you know it. Then it'll be too dangerous for him to walk around the village and cross the bridges. He'll have to get all his playing in now while he's little. I want him to play as much as he wants. 'Cause after he comes of age he'll be just like my husband, cooped up all day readin'.



: You gotta be KIDDIN' me!

: I like the winter 'cause we can skate on the lake, but now we can swim, so I like it better! When the snow is melting it's fun to swim and cool off a little. How about it, Justin? Wanna swim?

: You're not SERIOUS, are you!? You really SWIM in this?

: As long as it's not ice, anyone can swim in it, can't they?

: Yeah, right.

: It's fun to swim in the lake. C'mon, let's go swimming!



: But it's closed because of the monsters. Our Sanctuary is also up there too. But we don't want people wandering up there so it's closed. Sorry, we can't let you go through. If y'all get permission from Master Dorlin y'all can go through.

And that's that for the people milling around outside. For now.

See you next time with the interiors and stuff that changes at various times!