Part 12: ARC II: Part 5: Meet the Villains.

ARC II: Part 5: Meet the Villains.


You and me both.

One thing is for sure. Those people were nothing like our usual enemies.

You're right. Andau was a rogue... working alone for his own reasons. Morias is part of a group, but the Toutens aren't nearly as organized as these zealots seem to be. But who are they?

What we need to ask ourselves is... why? Why would they do this? Who benefits?

Hmm...
Shroud starts pacing...



What is it?

What's going to happen as soon as we get back?

We'll return the kids to their families. What else would we do?

What will the parents do?

Be relieved.

Then what?

Where are you going with this?

They're going to commit to being more careful... and keeping their kids safer. They're going to buy weapons.

Weapons from Equipment King.

And if we weren't here to rescue the kids, what would the parents have done?

Make a search of their own.

What would they need?

Weapons... from Equipment King.

Just by kidnapping these kids, whoever did this has ensured a profit for them. It didn't even matter if they were rescued or not.

But we didn't have a chance to really question them... so we don't know for sure.

The connection is there, though... it has to be. Why else would this happen just as the new store is opening?
But what can we do?

Well, I have one idea. I can't guarantee it will work, but it would be fun.

What idea is that?





ULBER: You guys are something else.

KID: I got bored so I drew something for you!

ULBER: Kid said he found that piece of paper inside the cave.

Thanks! I'll have a look at this later. Right now we've all got to get back to town. Your parents are probably worried sick.

Then we'll go right to the culprits.

...



"It is a resource that will provide all sorts of job opportunities and revenue for the citizens of Port Arianna!
It is now my great pleasure to declare Port Arianna's Equipment King officially..."

Corrupt!!

https://youtu.be/Y3i74uxxvjM Shrouds theme!!!

What the!!
And so begins the classic Superheroes stand on building and call someone out type scene.



What the hell is this?



There he is...

We can also see Kovak's friend Vec on the other side of Barry.

MAYOR ROWAN: What's the meaning of this? After stopping that bank robber, you two are more than welcome at town events... But why be so disruptive?

We just rescued several kidnapped children... and this place is responsible.

MAYOR ROWAN: Equipment King responsible? How could that be?

That's ridiculous!

Their greed is what's ridiculous.

*chuckle*

A rich and powerful organization corrupt? That's pure fantasy.

You can not simply saunter around on rooftops and hurl these baseless accusations. You must have proof!

Proof? Take a look at the money you make by the end of today! Your henchmen are scaring the people of Port Arianna into buying weapons in order to protect their own children!
Or is it just good luck that a crime like this, which has never occurred here, happens right before you open your store?

What's wrong wit you idiots!? What you're saying is insane!

It may sound insane to you, but not to your new boss there. He used the same tactics when he opened in Rellenia!

Is that so? Well, how do I know you didn't have the children kidnapped in order to stage this dramatic scene?

That's absurd!

No more absurd that (SIC) what you've already said.

This is all so silly.

MAYOR ROWAN: Shroud... Stoic... The town appreciates what you have done, but I'm afraid I must ask you to leave.

Fine. But I want you all to remember something. Our mission is to protect the people here. His mission is to make money.
That's why he's here, and he'll do what he has to in order to get it!
Then the crowd starts butting in...

"Enough already!!"

"Get outta here!"

"Do you guys hate business or something?!"
Shroud and Stoic leave... their impulsiveness having bit them in the ass bad enough.



Don't worry, Barry. I don't know why they have chosen to come after us, but they can do nothing.


...



I'd say so.

Good.



Shroud goes behind a tree to change.

We'll enter town again through Gino's place to be extra sure we don't look suspicious.


That Kovak is a pro. I was foolish to think we would get him flustered enough to expose himself. He knew it was coming.
He threw it right back in our faces, the cocky son of a bitch!
Cade's in a temper tantrum mood now, and demonstrates it by blasting a bush into nothing with his magic.

He was right, though... we don't have any real proof.

Well, he's definitely behind it. I could see it on his smug face.

Can't go to jail for smugness. A shame, really. The world would be much more pleasant if you could.

*sigh*
Huh? Oh yeah... I never had a chance to look at this drawing the kid gave us.


awwww

Ah ha ha! We may not be able to pin down Equipment King, but we have at least one fan.

Heh. Got my good side.

Where did my ears go?

Hey, I think there's something on the back.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F85XEb1PXk Volrath must really like Apocalyptica because he uses a lot of their stuff. This track in particular is the central theme of our antagonists...

Ick! What the hell is this?

Not sure... I've never really seen anything like that before.

The kid found this sheet of paper inside the cave... it must have something to do with the kidnappers.

It's definitely something we should hold on to. For now, let's get back to town.


...
This next scene, and our villains in general, are something Volraths said a fair bit about over time. I actually like the following scene but Volrath thinks if he ever remade MOTW, he'd remove it because it reveals too much of the mystery so early. Also, he'd make the villains a straight out supervillain team rather than what they wound up being, which I don't care for the idea of.





Like, he said Ketsu here should've just been a hooded guy called THE PROPHET, and I'm thinking nooo way dude, that's so lame. You got it right the first time. Don't meddle with greatness.

What happened was unprecedented.

Yes, that is quite clear. Had I known Dican would have had to contend with a wind mage and an undead warrior, I would have sent someone else.
Now he is dead and I am without one of my most effective lieutenants.

You think I wanted that to happen?! Those two blowhards showed up right as the store opened!
Good thing you people are so good at covering your tracks, or they would have nailed us.

Our operation on the Terr coastline has suffered irreparable damage. It was once a sturdy base for us.
Now it is useless. This is a grave failure you are responsible for.

I'm not in the mood for your arrogance right now, Ketsu. Let's not kid ourselves. The restrictions you place on my operations are to blame for this as well.

Is that so?

When we opened in Rellenia, I insisted that I be allowed to hire elves. "No," you said. "Arcadius hates the elves," you said.
You have no idea how much money we would have made there had I not excluded them. No idea. Now we've moved into Port Arianna and you're singing the same tune. Do you know how diverse that area is? Do you realize that your policy is forcing me to alienate half of the entire town?!
So it occurs to me that if I'm not currently able to do something about these two costumed troublemakers, it just might be your fault, not mine!

Your store's profits are not worth violating the wishes of Arcadius. As long as you want our help you will honor our creator.
And, sure I understand wanting to preserve the sense of ~mystery~ a while longer, but on the other hand I find clearly establishing an interesting and very strained relationship between two different groups of antagonists much more compelling. Especially as we'll see a lot more of this.

I've had enough of this garbage. I'll play by your rules for now, but you are seriously limiting my ability to deal with those who killed your man.

You're resourceful, Don. You'll figure something out.

Only my friends call me Don. You... can go to hell!



Also, I think I find the cultish atmosphere the current version of the villains have more intimidating than I ever would if they were more overtly a league of supervillains.



Yes, but capable. We can still use him.

Poor Dican. What an awful turn of events.

It is quite unfortunate. However, Arcadius works in mysterious ways.
Dican's life coming to a close may lead to an opening somewhere else.

What do you mean, master?

You will understand soon.

...

And that's it for this update.

the end