Part 22: Episode XXII: The Great Teacher

Episode XXII: The Great Teacher


Music: Town of Twilight ~ European Town



It's a bright new day in the Port of Southampton. The inclement weather has passed by leaving Yuri and the gang to explore the town. At least the one block and change allotted to it in an early-aughts JRPG. Let's start with seeing the collection of local drunks who see it fit to return to their preferred watering hall first thing in the morning to get ahead on the daily saucing.



That really isn't something you want to hear when describing what in inevitably an upcoming dungeon. Let's be frank, mine dungeons are just dry sewer levels.



Same.



I dunno. It's like 10:00 AM. I think you might like drinking a LITTLE bit if you're starting that early.



...That luxury liner, the Titanic, left from here on its way to New York, you know.
Must have missed that one. How'd that work out for tourism?
...The Titanic?
Yeah.
...It sank en route. How do you not know this? It was one of the biggest news stories of 1912.
1912...? Was probably busy fighting monsters across Asia cuz a voice in my head that turned out to be a magic Romani lady in an insane asylum was telling me to and ehh... I liked punching monsters.
...
...OK, no more drinks for you, friend.
But I haven't drunk anything here.
And clearly you don't need anymore, pal.
......



Look at that lovely sickly yellow-grey sky. What a lovely day... by English standards.



Unfortunately, we cannot just head straight for the mines. Despite everything, we're still in the Joachim introduction arc and he has something in town he needs to do before he's done hijacking the plot. So we may as well chat up everyone in hopes of seeing what exactly that entails.



They say it ripped the sky apart and its light reached up to the heavens.
It was actually some magic glyph created by a warlock to summon an alien god from deep space to destroy the world.
Well, that'd be a spot of bother.
Wish I could've seen it...!
...It was like twice the size of the planet. How did you miss it?
I must have slept in late that day.
It was in the sky for nearly a month.
Oh, the weather is just dreadful in England this time of year. Well, most times of year, to be frank. Must have been overcast.



Yeah? Two drunks in the bar said there were no jobs at all here.
Those two? Maybe if they stopped being listless and crabby all the time they'd find some employment.
Maybe if they stopped drinking as soon as the sun came up, too?
Ehh... that part is optional. <hic>



Neat? Can I fire one of 'em?
Heavens no! They're antique pieces of history!
Pfft ...Then what do I care?



I'm on vacation, but I can't find anything to do! I've already read this book... Here, you have it!



Yeah, sure. OK! A bit peculiar to only be reading one scene in the middle of an opera in your spare time. But what do I know?



This teaches Karin her second Sword Arts -- Bullenfogel. We don't really have any chance to use this right now. We'll just remember she has it when we venture into the mines.



I thought it was called football...?
It is. But I'm trying to get soccer popularized around here.
How's that working out?
...I'm the only person in Southampton that calls it soccer.



<Becomes Lottery Member 15> As it happens, I'm one of them! Come on, have a go! You're young. You can afford a few risks!
Yeah, I should enjoy my youth!



Fantastic! Well done!

This is a very easy Lottery wheel. I didn't even have to same scum. Got it on the first shot no problem. Another Slow augment for the Judgment Wheel couldn't hurt. Plus, you know, we do have to win SOMETHING from each Lottery Member anyhow.

In any event, it seems the Magimel Brothers have migrated from France to England and have set up shop in town. I suppose we can take a minute to browse their wears.



I wouldn't go that far, but...
Yes, I hope our relationship be long and mutually beneficial. Now please favor me with your kind patronage!
Patronage? Okay, I guess.



La Cage Aux Songes has updated its inventory with upgraded weapons for everyone but Joachim. But Joachim has a... different method of acquiring new weapons that we'll get into later.



The only one we're actually going to splurge on here is the weapon upgrade for Yuri -- the Bearclaws. These offer +33 Physical and +28 Special Attack Power. Which is an eleven and ten-point upgrade respectively from his Stinger weapon. We'll skip everyone else's stuff for now. If we just wait until the mines, they'll all get a free one from looting treasure chests.



Tee hee! If you have a card, then I'll sew a dress for you...
Yeah, please make me a dress.
And by mean I mean Gepetto's doll. Ergh... Why am I doing this transaction?
Fabulous! Did you bring me what I want, then? My hot little heart's desire?



Other than the Water element dress being desirable back when Gepetto was mandatory in battle, it doesn't really matter what order we obtain the dresses. So we'll just go down the line as we collect more Stud Cards. We'll eventually have to get them all anyway.



You know, for completion sake. Not because I particularly want to play dress-up with an old man's extremely underaged looking living doll.

Drumroll.



Presenting the latest creation from my 1915 Pierre Magimel Collection! I call it...



Cornelia thankfully never speaks. But I assume if she did she'd sound exactly like the Super Mario Brothers Super Show version of Toad.



We may as well turn in all the Stud Cards while we're here. So continuing down the line, we get...

Drumroll.



Presenting the latest creation from my 1915 Pierre Magimel Collection! I call it...



Sure. Fine. Well, that all happened. We'll be back with more lewd beefcake trading cards in the future.



For now, there's one more area of importance in this front street of town. Now that the rain has concluded, we're allowed to explore the upper wall of the town.





Doing so automatically initiates a scene in which Yuri notices something on the ground behind an idling man and starts a dialogue.



What are you carrying dried up straw around for anyway?
Dried up straw...?! Yes, I guess it looks pretty useless to most people. But there are people in the world who'd do anything to get their hands on this.
Are you sure? For this?!
It's true. I guess you find it hard to believe. Ten years ago, I was a poor farmer, with only one strand of straw.
I ain't no expert but that's some PRETTY poor farming.
But I found someone who wanted it, and traded with them. Then I traded what I got for something else, and...
What did they trade it for some lint?
The details do not matter.
...They kinda do or your story sounds like a crock of crap.
<looks out to sea> Over time, I gained status and property. Almost without realizing it!
That's... amazing! I guess you really wouldn't wanna lose it then, huh? Here you are! <attempts to hand over the straw>
<turns back> ...No, you picked it up. You should keep it. It's probably fate. I'll let you have that bit of straw. With a little luck, that bit of straw will turn you into a millionaire! With a little luck, eh!
...Wait, didn't this story start with you trading the straw? How do you have it again?
Details, my boy. Unimportant details...
Why do I get the feeling this is gonna turn out to be a pain in the butt...?!

Himovic walks away.



And so we initiate a game spanning quest of becoming the barter king by trading seemingly innocuous items to random folks who desire them which will one day lead us to great fortune. Probably. But that is far, far off in the future.



Even though it has its own camera angle and everything, there is absolutely nothing at the end of the wall.



There is, however, some treasure hidden just to the right of the stairs we accessed to get up here. Dick move.



This gains us a rather important returning accessory from the original Shadow Hearts. Leonardo's Bear only offers a paltry +1 to Special Defense. But its real purpose is that it prevents Instant Death attacks from working. We may need this in the immediate future.



For now, let's head back downstairs and past the Magimel Brothers' cart and see what's around back of Southampton.



I see why something was calling out to Joachim now.



Speaking of Joachim, before taking another step forward we're going to shuffle some Judgment Wheel stats to up his number of attacks to the maximum level.



We're also going to slap that Leonardo's Bear we just acquired on him. Just in case...






Music: Grand Papillon!! ~ Pro Wrestler



<looks around confused> Teacher!?



"Welp. This is happening now..." - Shadow Hearts: Covenant back of box tagline.



How have you been?! When a man stops moving forward and forgets the struggle, that's when he grows old, my boy.



I already feel a headache coming on...
<turns to Yuri and shakes head> No, no! This is my teacher and mentor, the Great Gama!!
Your teacher?!
That's right.





Teacher! You're alive and well!
My rippling muscles have yearned for your lessons again.
...OK. I'm starting to see the connection here.
<clenches fist> No need to worry, Joachim! "Train hard day and night, sharpen your mind and work hard for the good of others..." That's the motto of the Great Gama School of Combative Techniques. Don't tell me you've forgotten, my boy! You walked along a man's arduous path of fight and sweat. Now let me see how much your skill has improved!
Teacher! You mean you'll give me the chance to show you all I've learned? All my spirit and passion?!



<enters combat stance> Wraaahhh! Teacher!!



Tune in next time for a heated, manly battle between student and teacher in the squared circle as Shadow Hearts: Covenant continues to just do whatever the hell it feels like.









Port of Southampton Concept Art - Looks like a lovely town. We've seen 100% of it as presented in the game.