Part 6: Becoming a Rebel

It appears Varkas and Sydonia are in a bit of a pickle.

Gremio: Security's pretty tight, it'd be tough sneaking in.

Viktor: Leave it to me, I'm used to things like this.





I love Viktor already.

Viktor: Heh heh, I didn't do anything. Must have been the dry weather.



at least the fire is in a condensed, 1995 PlayStation-limited zone.



We fight a couple Empire soldiers in Grady's house, and it's a good idea to fight them because they guard chests. It's a bit problematic since the game doesn't expect you to have level 5 weapons already. Oh well.





Cleo's already got a cast of the level 2 Fire spell, Firestorm. It's wicked overpowered for this stage of the game.



The last fight is us against a full cadre of soldiers. Luckily, it's not too bad. Kinda wish I saved Firestorm for them, though.



Ha.



Varkas: My god! It's you Imperials! Why are you here? Come to laugh at me?

Gremio: Of course not. If we'd known what kind of fellow Grady was, we'd never have helped him.

Cleo: A few things happened, and now we're wanted by the Imperials, just like you. We'll help you out.







Sydonia: Ha. Not necessary.

Varkas: Sydonia! Why you... if you had tricks like that, why didn't you get us out sooner?

Sydonia: Ha. Can't very well escape alone.

Varkas: Sydonia. You...

Viktor: Hey, let's get out of here.



Varkas: So you want a fight? Don't think you're the only one with a grudge. Why I'll cut your eyeballs...



Yes, that's right, we're witnessing a character get threatened to be mutilated before FFVII came around and popularized it.



Who cares? Piss off.

Gremio: Cleo, do you think the Empire'll take us back?

Viktor: Ha ha ha! Don't worry. There's all kinds of ways to make a living.



Varkas: Tell Lady Odessa that if she ever needs help, Varkas and Sydonia will be there in a flash. Well, we're off! Perhaps we'll meet again.



We've already betrayed the Empire twice, why not keep it up?



Flik: Odessa! You're not planning to...

Odessa: Yes, I am.

Viktor: What? What? What's going on?

Odessa: Miles, take a look at this.



Suikoden Tunes - This is Just A Rumor


Odessa: Right. The Liberation Army may be tiny now, but someday we'll be big enough to meet the Imperials head-on. When that day arrives, the fire spear will be handy.



Odessa: Miles, this blueprint must reach our secret factory, but we can't leave this hideout unattended. I'd like you to take on this assignment.



Gremio: How can you expect us to betray them? Let's go, Young Master! We need not stay here any longer!



Odessa: Or will you pretend to ignore all that? Gremio, you saw with your own eyes, heard with your own ears. Are you willing to ignore the truth despite what you see and hear? What about you, Miles? Do you still want to return to the Empire?



Odessa: Fine, I understand. I don't want to force my beliefs on you. But, if you should change your mind, come back.

this is, again, another one of those times where nothing will progress unless you do this. Primarily because you, the player, have nowhere else to go as we're still on the run.



Sanchez: Over the mountain is a village called Sarady. Someone from the factory will meet you there.

Flik: Odessa, I just don't get it. Why do you insist on this guy? He may be an Imperial spy. Yet you want to give him the blueprint for something that could change the future of the Liberation Army?

Odessa: Don't worry, I'm going too.

Flik: What? If you're going, so am I.



Odessa: It's about time you began acting like a leader.



Odessa is now in our party, and she uses a bow much like Ted did. She also comes with a Wind Rune, although she's not very proficient in magic so she can't do much with it. The first level spell of the Wind Rune is “Wind of Sleep” and that has a low chance of putting all foes to sleep and is generally quite worthless. If you Gameshark her levels up, though, you'll find that she's one of the fastest characters in the game, and actually gets a decent magic stat.



Suikoden Tunes – Distant Mountain

So let's start climbing Mt. Tigerwolf, then.

Cleo: I don't want to spend the night out in the open.

Odessa: In any case, we have to go up. Let's go.



Odessa gives us the first example in the series of equipment we cannot get rid of on a character. Certain characters favor certain equips that they will never, ever, let go of, and Odessa's Headgear is one of them. We will, nonetheless, be able to buy these for ourselves later.



Mt. Tigerwolf is MUCH easier with a full party.



Well hello there sleazeball.

Ledon: It's dangerous around here, what with the bandits and all. Why don't you spend the night here?





If we say no, Gremio and Viktor claim their “feet can't control themselves” and walk towards the inn/bar.



Ledon: It's special tea from Mt. Tigerwolf.

Gremio: Ugh, it's pretty bitter.

Cleo: Very bitter.



no way, I hate bitter tea. Give me some sugar or honey to put in it, bro! But again, we have to drink it.



Viktor: Say old man, what's this tea called?

Ledon: It's a Mt. Tigerwolf brew, “Robber's Tea.”





Too little, too late guys.



Viktor's sprite looks so cute completely passed out. :3



While Ledon goes around stealing our cash.

Ledon: Wow! For a bunch of stragglers, these guys are loaded. We'll be living the good life for awhile.



Ledon: Why, it's Boss Kessler. As you can see, I just pulled a job...

Kessler: And a fine-looking woman in the bunch. Hey wait, this is... Ledon! What have you done, you fool!

Ledon: W-what do you mean??

Kessler: Do you know who this is? Even an ignoramus like you must have heard of Lady Odessa of the Liberation Army!



Kessler: Yes, I do. Hurry up and prepare the antidote.



Kessler: Ledon, if anything happens to Lady Odessa, you can say goodbye to your head!



Kessler: If you like, I'll make Ledon pay with his...

Odessa: Don't be ridiculous. I'll have to be much more careful from now on. Maybe I do trust people too much, like Flik says.

Ledon: I have no way of apologizing, but please, stay here for the night. I'll do what I can by way of hospitality.

Viktor: But no more poison, you hear?



Let's talk to people while they sleep! This is not creepy at all!



when I said Viktor was a beast, I meant it



and Odessa sleeps like she has a drug problem.





Kessler: I see, so you're not. Lady Odessa is a true heroine of the Liberation Army. There are many who express discontent, but she's the only one who seems to do something about it. I hate the Empire too, but I'm just a bandit.



Cleo: …

Viktor: Ha, Cleo, why in such a bad mood?

Gremio: Don't bother her, Viktor. Cleo always wakes up in a bad mood.





The last treasure on Mt. Tigerwolf is the incredibly awesome Clone Rune. It does the same thing as the Boar Rune, but I think it does more damage. I usually stick this on Viktor because it allows him to always hit something and always do critical damage.



We're now in Sarady, when we're SUPPOSED to be in Sarady. If you wanted the Fortune or Prosperity Runes this early on, they are impossible to get now.

Artwork:



Odessa Silverberg

“No, I'm not from Phantasy Star!”