Part 125: Miska Doctoral Degree

Today, we're gonna do a kinda lengthy but fairly simple sidequest.



Over in Nam Cobanda, there's this counter I've been ignoring until now. Talking to that Kowz initiates the sidequest.





Welcome to IACCRO's official testing facility! Are you here to take the test?
I...uh... I don't even know what ta say ta that.
Well, first off, what sort of place is this?
This is where you can take the Imperial Academic Conference Collaborative Research Organization's certification test! We've set the hurdle rather high, but passing this fine examination will earn you a special doctoral degree!



The famous organization recognized by Researcher's Weekly, the top academic journal for peer review and research presentations?
Oh, quite impressive! It seems you are no stranger to our field of study. Then you are no doubt familiar with the "Miska Doctoral Degree?" You can take the test to get that degree here!



Quit pulling my leg! The Miska degree is the highest honor a blastia researcher can achieve! You expect me to believe that you can take a test for something like that here, of all places? Hah!
Hey, Yuri. Are those two speaking in another language, or is it just me?
I don't understand what they're talking about, either. I guess all we can do is see what happens.
The original test can only be taken in the imperial capital, it is true. But our facility is recognized as an official alternate site. Actually, it was at this site where I received the degree, myself.
You're saying that YOU are the single person who's managed to obtain the Miska Doctoral Degree...?!



Whaaaaaaaaa! Hold on, you can't be serious...!! Are you saying you're the same Miska Jutalion who discovered magical antibodies? You're THAT Miska Jutalion?!
That's a person?
Yeah, looks like it. He's standing on two legs, isn't he?
Yes, I am the same Miska Jutalion who discovered magical antibodies.



Ahhh, right. Simply put, this person is the most renowned blastia researcher in the world. I've always felt a certain connection to what he wrote in his research papers, and his ideas are very close to my own. I had never met him before, but I guess I felt like we were close nonetheless...
So you were trying to get this "Miska Doctoral Degree?"
To be honest, I never really cared about other prizes or papers, but I always thought, if I could only get the Miska Doctoral Degree...
Oh my! How flaaattering that you could have so much respect for what I've done!
I guess ya can't judge a cow by its udder...
So, what do you say? Would you like to take the test?



Estelle's right. We wouldn't be able to go to the original test site in the capital, anyway.
Are there any requirements for taking the certification test? Anything I need?
You're determined. I can tell from the look in your eyes. You remind me of myself when I was your age. All of the items that you need in order to take the test are written on this piece of paper. Make sure not to lose it.



If you come back with those five books, you'll be able to take the test.
"The Village Carpeted with Flowers" "Reflections on the Scent of the Sea" "Urban Planning for Bustling Cities" "The Legend that Sleeps in Searing Sands" "Against a Backdrop of New Hope"
Think of the search for these books as the first part of your test. Good luck! ♥
Since it's books we're looking for, maybe we should look in the sort of places that you'd normally find things to read?
Right. Let's go around and see if we can think of any good places to search.


All of the book titles are hints relating to where to find them.



"The Village Carpeted with Flowers" obviously refers to Halure. It's in the mayor's house.





Ummm...would you mind if we borrowed it?
Certainly, I don't mind. It's just some old technical book. It's all gibberish to me.
Thanks a lot.
No, think nothing of it. I can never thank you enough for what you've done for our town.




"Reflections on the Scent of the Sea" could be multiple locations, all of the harbor towns more or less.



It's in Capua Torim, in the Fortune's Market HQ.



Yes, there's no mistaking it. That's "Reflections on the Scent of the Sea."



You wrote this? What the--oops, I mean, could we have it?
Straight and to the point, as usual. Heh, I admire your candor. You may have that book if you like. Study it well...you might learn something.
Thank you. This helps a lot.
Oh my, all this interest in my life story and now words of thanks from you? I can feel the winds of change blowing across the sea!



That's a typo for "Torim".


"Urban Planning for Bustling Cities" isn't a great hint.



It's Heliord, in the Chevaliers' HQ.



Aha! "Urban Planning for Bustling Cities."
We've found what we're looking for, but there's nobody around at all.
What should we do?



I don't hear any objections. Let's take the book and go.
I don't know how anyone could hear such a quiet voice...





"The Legend that Sleeps in Searing Sands" is a pretty helpful hint.



Can only really refer to the desert town, Mantaic. It's in the inn.



Oh! Here it is, here it is! It's "The Legend that Sleeps in Searing Sands!"
Well, well! This book belongs to the inn, doesn't it?
Yep.



Well, it's about this book in this shelf here...
Oh that? That shelf is full of books that guests have accidentally left in the inn when they've stayed here. To be honest, we don't have any use for them at all, and guests hardly ever come back for their books... You can feel free to do whatever you'd like with any of the books in that shelf.
So you mean, you don't mind if we take one of them?
No, go right ahead! In fact, that shelf fills up pretty quickly. We've just been throwing away the books whenever it gets full.
All right, we'll take it, then. Thank you!




The last one, "Against a Backdrop of New Hope", is obvious if you paid attention to what descriptive text Aurnion got in the name tag thing, and even if you didn't it's not too hard to puzzle out.



It's in the Aurnion HQ.



Hold on. What's that book...?
Huh? It says "Against a Backdrop of New Hope."
Bingo! That's what I was looking for!
Oh, good.



Hey, hey, don't be so harsh! At least refer to me as an honorable outlaw!
Honorable outlaws are seldom so immodest as to refer to themselves as such.
Meh, details, details.
So, what is such an honorable outlaw doing in my room?
Sorry, but could you give us this book?
Yuri?



Somehow that doesn't sound entirely sincere...
Yuri, when will you ever learn...
All right. You can have the book.
Thank you!
Thank you!
You fool, faking politeness is even harder than just asking direct...



After you get all five, a short scene reminding you to go back to Nam Cobanda triggers:



Yep. I've collected all five. Now I can go and take that test.
Going out to look for books all across the world...what a crazy test!
Oh, the real test has yet to begin. There'll be a written test that requires using these books as reference material.
Agh, just thinking about taking tests makes my head hurt.
Wouldn't you like to give it a try? Just to see how you do.
Nah, I wouldn't have a chance. I don't care about that what's-his-face degree anyway.
Yeah, giving something like that to you would be like casting pearls before swine.
Hey, who're you calling swine?!


With that done, all we have to do is go back to where we started the sidequest.



From the look on your face, I'd guess that you've brought back all five books.
Yep, every single one!
All right! Then without further ado, shall we get started with the written test? You may refer to the books that you brought to answer all of the questions that follow.
How hard can it be to ace a test where you can look up all the answers in books?
Then maybe you should take it too, Karol. Who knows--you might surprise yourself and pass.
You there!
Ah, ah, I'm sorry...



Th-the Nam Certificate?
Yes. It's a test for kids around age ten. It's one of our most popular attractions!
Oho, aren't ya scared ya might fail? A test like this could be tough for a kid like you.
Don't insult me! I'm already twelve years old! That's a full two years above the age level for the test. It should be a cinch!
If that's what you've decided, then both of you, get ready to take the test.



Yeah, I understand. It's not just your pride that's on the line here!
All right, let's go. Let the test begin!


The Nam Certificate questions are different for all three regional versions (JP, NA, EU) of Vesperia, but identical between the Japanese 360 and Japanese PS3 versions. They were changed so people who only played locally released Tales games could still answer them properly.

This question is pretty straightforward in all versions, though while you could reasonably guess the ToP and ToD dates, I'm pretty sure you'd have to look up the European PSP Tales of Eternia date. The answer is #3 for all three questions. This is, by the way, true for all questions: They didn't change which 'slot' was the right one when changing the questions, they just placed the correct answer in the slot that was the correct answer in the Japanese version.

If you get the question wrong, Karol loudly complains that he doesn't know.





Alternatively, if you get a question right, Karol keeps quiet:



The quiz says #24 here, but it's the second question you get to answer. There's a total of five questions.

The Japanese question is referring to the PS2 version of Symphonia, which did add a Blackjack minigame in Altamira's casino. Some people believe that it was removed in the US and EU ToS by Nintendo for censorship reasons, but it's not in the JP Gamecube version either. The other answers refer to minigames in Tales of Phantasia, Tales of the Abyss, and Tales of Eternia, respectively.

The US and EU questions are identical, and the answer is obviously Raine.

Oh, so it was the other one...

ToD:DC is a second release of the PS2 version of Tales of Destiny, which changed a few minor things and added an additional scenario to play, i.e. the same game from another character's perspective. Stahn's scenario is the default game and was already in the previous release. The new one is Leon's.

The other two answers are Bubbles and Seles.

Agh, I don't know the answer...

So this is something even I didn't know, but as it turns out, Tales of Eternia had PocketStation functionality in Japan! The minigame was called "Etapoke" (エタポケ) and allowed you to get secret items in the main game, which were removed in the western versions. The correct answer here is Craymel Shooter, since it's a title in the main game, rather than the minigame.

This is the second of two questions that is identical between US and EU versions. The answer is Presea. Also note how Stahn is spelled wrong, which was not fixed in the year it took for Vesperia to reach Europe.

M-maybe this is tougher than I thought...?

This question is the only one that was not changed for the US version, though it should be noted that the translators failed to get Phelios' name right. The correct answer #1, Ishtar turning to stone.

The European question is a gimme for anyone who played Symphonia, though kind of a spoiler otherwise. Also, maybe to match up with Stan above, Lloyd's name is spelled wrong.

Aghhh! This is so hard...

If anyone wants the Japanese version question in Japanese, you can find them here.



There are two outcomes here, depending on how many questions you got right. I'm not sure what the cutoff is. If you get few questions right, you get this:




Terrible... Thanks to this little bozo, I couldn't concentrate at all.
Whaaaaat?! It's not my fault if you didn't do well!
What do you mean it's not your fault? You were the one groaning in despair the entire time!
Th-that was just me thinking out loud...
Sorry to keep you waiting! I have the results of your tests!





Hey, not half bad.
Hmph. I would've done better if not for that little squirt.
Nah, doin' that well even with all that distraction...that's quite a feat. Genius mage, indeed.
What about me? What about me?





Oh no! It can't be true!! This is a joke, right?
No, no. Sorry, you just didn't pass. You didn't have enough points.
*Whistles* A 12-year-old failin' a test with problems written fer a 10-year-old! It's a new low!
Well, you were just having an off day today! Right, Karol?
I, I... I don't...
Don't cry, Karol. We all flub up every now and then.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Let this failure inspire you to try harder in the future. So then, a glorious title for the successful test-taker.



Just look at them... What the...
Only those who has earned the honored Miska Doctoral Degree gets to put on this special costume.
But, of course...
I'm just so happy to know that I was right to believe in myself!
You wouldn't be the Rita we know without that self-confidence of yours!
Congratulations, Rita!



If you get many questions right, you get this instead:



Mmm...it was pretty tough, even for me. ...But I think I probably did all right.
That sounds like the Rita I know.
What about you, kid? How'd ya do?
I think I probably passed. I've got a good feeling about it.
It sounds like you're pretty confident.
Heh heh, I guess.
Sorry to keep you waiting! I would like to present the results of your tests! First, Miss Rita Mordio. Out of a possible 800 points, you received...



Wow, Rita! You're amazing!
When it comes down ta it, ya can get things done, kid.
I'm actually quite relieved... Only one other person has ever passed this test before.
So then, that makes you the second person in the world to pass it, Rita!
You guys! I still haven't gotten my results yet!
Next, we have Karol Capel. Out of a possible 100 points, you received...



I did it! I did it!! Yeesssss! I passed, I passed!
Eh? Why isn't everyone else celebrating?
Well...they're questions written fer a ten-year-old. A twelve-year-old passin' them just isn't too impressive.
It would've been pretty shameful if you'd failed.
C-come on...
Now, to bestow the honored titles onto the successful test-takers!
Just look at them... What the...
Only those who has earned the honored Miska Doctoral Degree gets to put on this special costume.
But, of course...
What's the matter? Aren't you happy, Rita?
Uh...y-yes, of course. I'm happy...
You're cryin'! Overwhelmed by emotion! Reduced ta tears! Salty, salty tears of joy!



Heh heh. Suuure, Rita.
Now then, next off, we have a title for Karol, as well.
F-for me? Really?!



L-little shrimp! I thought I was getting the Nam Certificate!
The Nam Certificate has various levels, and you're at the lowest of those levels. If you get a higher score, you'll go up in rank.
Hoo boy! Little shrimp professor! A fittin' title, if I do say so myself.
A good title...for a ten-year-old.
Oh no...oh no! Ack, I don't want it! I can't have a title like that! You can have it back!



I think it's a perfectly good title...



Ah, yeah, thanks.
Keep up your research so as to not soil the honor that you have earned today. ♥
Leave it to me. This genius mage has yet begun to shine!




You get this costume no matter what, but if you get all questions right, you get this achievement as well:

Achievement/Trophy:

Smarty-pants

Sadly, Karol's little shrimp title is not an actual title.


Skit: Learn Well / Baldurdash
...My head hurts.
Are you okay? Should I use my healing artes?
Leave him, Estelle.
He's just not used to hard questions like that. I think he sprained his brain.
But Rita! I'm impressed! You know everything!
Well, you never know what might be useful for research.
Knowledge is no burden, they say.
Estelle's living proof of that.
Read enough books and you just learn lots of things without realizing it.
Maybe you absorb facts better because you're already reading all the time.
That tactic won't work for the old man at all.
Ugggh... My head hurts...
Here comes the second doofus...


And that's all for now! Next time we do what is probably the best optional fight, and a couple other things.