We're All Mad Here: Let's Play Rune Factory 3!

[Deme]

Well, I'm not asking for a vote now, since we're far from the point where we can see those events with anyone. Lot of story to travel between the two points. I was just asking what people might think of the idea, or if I should just do all of them because, hey, events! Why not complete them?


Edit: Oh, update on the previous page, folks.

[erikun]

I seem to recall that there is a seperate Brawling, for Fistfighting, skill that governs Wooly combat.

Fighting as a Wooly is a lot of fun. Besides smacking stuff around, you can also grab things and toss them around the area. You can pick enemies up and swing them around, hitting other enemies nearby and doing damage to both. You also have a jumping spinning piledriver after enough skill. The disadvantage though is the range, plus not getting the attack bonus as you would from a weapon, plus there not being any Brawling activated skills like you would find for swords or spears.

Also, if you toss enemies around the screen enough, it can be hard to find where they landed to pick up the items they drop.


As for people to show, Daria works. We might want to hang out with Ms. Rainbow there anyways, if we want to see more of her. Shara might be an idea as well, especially given that she found you in the first place...

[Ogremindes]

I seem to recall that there is a seperate Brawling, for Fistfighting, skill that governs Wooly combat.

There's also a stat boost from transforming, which I've read but not confirmed is governed by the Love skill.

[Deme]

The wiki says the love skill does boost that, yeah. Not sure to what extent I'll trust the wiki, but *shrug* It's there.

Also, I've updated the index and cast of characters. And including wooly-form Ramza. Who is totally adorable, and I will spend a lot of just down-time like that, because it pleases me on a narrative and cuteness level.

[Ogremindes]

The wiki says the love skill does boost that, yeah. Not sure to what extent I'll trust the wiki, but *shrug* It's there.

With a healing spell and a supply of sweets it should be reasonably easy to work out if love effects it, since you're still early on.

[Deme]

Well, if that's a request, I'll see about making the money to get such a thing at once. We're going to science up some things!

[erikun]

I think I mentioned this before, but I found that fishing/cooking the fish is a ridiculously good way to boost skills, stamina, get a bunch of recovery items, and a large amount of money. I don't think I really started until after the desert, though, so perhaps it was just easier to begin with the boosted stamina.

It might be worth looking into, to see how quickly you can earn money that way.

P.S. I don't think giving Pia sushi is a good idea. Well, nothing but squid.

[Deme]

Knifing up fish is, in fact, an excellent money maker at this stage in the game. Basically, this last in-game day, between the improvements we'll see from having beaten a dungeon, and having gotten the fishing rod, the game's giving us a to to do all at once. We'll probably take a while to get established before we deal with too much of the next area...But we'll have to handle some.

Giving Pia sushi is indeed a terrible idea. Except for Squid Sashimi, which she loves.

[Dragoon]

I assume that you talk to Shara's grandfather at the actual festival to be a monster to be thrown at?

Anyways enjoyed the update and obviously about doing the events, we should see who like the cute monster form and then tell them later. Obviously tell the artist as it might inspire her. As long as Ramza does not become part of the masterpiece.

Oh, of the two rune factory games on the Wii, do have a suggest on which one to get, if you've played either one?

[Deme]

Indeed! You'll see my gross incompetence in that regard next update. I'm... Not good at that festival. At all. I'd do better if I just stood still, I think.

Rune Factory Frontier, definitely. I really enjoyed it, and to be honest, it's what convinced me to give the series a second shot after the original Rune Factory left me a little cold. I couldn't get into Oceans: I hated moving around that stupid golem-mecha-whatever-that-was.

[Deme]

Chapter 6: The Desert Settlement

Spoiler

Show

I can't do much farming like this, which is kind of a shame: I mean, I don't think I'll be able to walk around town as a wooly, but it's been a while, so it feels like a nice relief. Oh, well. I've got some things to harvest and to cook, but nothing too exceptional.


Anyway, there's a festival today! Somehow, they got confetti to fall from the sky...Some sort of spell?
Oh, well! Everyone's out having fun today, too.

"I really love this festival!"


"I gotta make sure to hold back a little to give everyone else a chance to win, though!"
"Carlos, maybe you shouldn't be so overconfident..."
"Hm? You say something, bro'?"
"N-nevermind..."


Everyone's so excited... Actually, since I couldn't do anything with the sardine...I wonder if I should return it?



"Y-yes?"

"There, I said it! So, keep that in mind next time!"
I think she's over-estimating my cooking... Fish it is.


The sisters are having a chat.
"What is it?"
"How come demons lose their power when you throw beans at them?"
Shara assumes a pose of elder-sisterly knowledge.
"Beans have invisible energy inside them. Demons are weak against the energy, and run away from it. And that's why you can beat ogres with beans!"
Spoken like a true sister: a total lie.



...But that's the first time I've seen Monica smile.


She's really happy. She almost looks like just a sweet little girl...
"You're in a good mood, Monica. Do you like the Bean Throwing Festival that much?"
"Yeah! I love it!"


"Uh...You sure?"
Because that's not the face of a disgusted man...


There are several requests on the board: I'll talk to Pia today, though.

A bunch of the girls are talking on the beach.




"That bean on the ground is so pretty..."
She mumbles, ignoring them entirely.

The two turn their heads.

"I've never been the one hit by the beans in this festival. I've only ever thrown the beans. (Maybe I should try it once...It might be less tiring than throwing the beans...)"

Sofia turns to Raven at that, her face neutral as a pond.
"Shall we help her practice, Raven?"
"Gladly."

They start throwing dried beans at Karina's head, without any expressions on their faces.
...Girls are brutal.

"Hey, those beans hurt! Ow! Stop it! They really hurt!"
"Th-that's a little harsh..."

After a moment, Sofia nods sadly.

Now Karina smiles, wiping at a red welt.
"Is that right? (Hmmm... That gives me an idea...)"
"Wh-what do you mean?!" Sofia gives them a weak attempt at an imperious glare.

"Shall we start?"

Once again, they start hurling beans at her.


...Remind me never to cross them.


"That's why I think I'm gonna win this year."
I don't think I have a chance of winning...

I also spot Shino around the mansion.
"Excited?"
"Oh, yes, though... Not as much as Sakuya. You see, there's one difference between your custom here and my homeland's."
"What's that?"

"It seems like Sakuya is treating them the same, though."

I find Collette and Marian talking, too.
"Mmmmm"

"Oh, it's just that those beans look SO good!"
"*sigh*...I'll make some beans for you later, then."

"Hey! What are you planning on making?!"

"Something special!"
She waves a jar of beans around.



"Of course! That's why I mixed them in my medicine ahead of time! You want a taste?"
Collette glares at her and reaches into the jar, and…
"Ow! Hey, don't throw beans at me, Collette!"


"I think so, yeah."
I'd like to belong here, after all. At least for now.


...What is she plotting?


She is treating them the same.
"Okay! That's awesome!"
Pia says this with a very serious look to her eyes.
"It sure is!"
"It's time to get out of the red!"
"Exactly."

"We're in this together!"

It sounds like they're gearing up for war...


"Um, Pia..."

"Oh, I saw your request on the bulletin board."
"Oh, that! Cool! I could really use your help. It's for the census!"

I tilt my head.
"The census? For the town, you mean?"
"No, it's the bath census!"


...A...bath census? What would I even put down for 'Race'? 'Other?'
"Question the first! You like your water hot or cold?"
"Uh, I don't think I ever agreed to a bath census..."
She looks up at me; she's pulled a clip-board from uner her capelet. She looks so happy... That in a second, I'm going along, swayed by her little bouncing on her heels.

Well, it's not a good bath unless it's nice and warm.

"Uh, I like my bats as hot as possible. What can I say?"

"Question the second!"
"Oh, there's more than one question?"
"Duh, it's a census!" That's not what a census is... "So, what's your favorite color of water?"
...Uh, is clear an option?

...No, it's not.
"...Tan?" At least that's a color water can be...

"Ah, the color of iron! The water turns that color when iron oxidizes!"
"Wow! I didn't know you were so much into science!"

"Uh, I'm not made of metal!"

This was met by her hurrying onto the next question.
"Okay, question the last! How do you like the water to feel on your skin?"


Well, except for Slimy, are these even real water textures?
"Crunchy, then," I answer, since this whole thing's gone ridiculous.

"I was actually joking..."

[color=palvevioletred]"Don't be dissing crunch water, buddy!" She said...But I'm not sure she's really putting forth a good defense.

...Isn't crunchy water ice?

She writes down this answer and looks at her clipboard, nodding. In a voice attempting to be official, but sliding wildly into just silly,
"Okay, we will carefully review this information! It may or may not improve your bathing experience!"



"...I get a sticker?"
"You get a sticker!"
"I get a sticker!" I must be catching her ridiculous enthusiasm.
"...But a prize? For a census?!"

She brings out a chest.
"I'll come around again next census!"



Well, until next time...
I guess it was kind of fun. I wonder what she'll do to the bath from all of this?


My prize is juice.

Anyway, time to gather in the town square!




"I'm quite good at throwing my sewing needles, though..."
W-what?!
"P-Please don't throw your sewing needles..."


"How about it? Do you want to enter?"
"What are the rules?"
"The rules are simple. You're playing the part of a demon that everyone throws beans at. Your job is to try and get hit by the beans. Get hit by green beans to get points. Getting hit by Brown beans can get you a lot of points. Get hit by many beans in a row to start a combo! However, if you get hit by a failed dish, your combo will reset, so be careful!"

Hmm...
"Sure, I'll enter!"


"Okay! Ready....set...Go!"



To be honest, I don't think I'm any good at this festival: I get by beans some of the time...But mostly, I'm just diving past them on accident, or getting there a moment late. It's really kind of sad.

But since nothing hits me, at least I'm rarely hit by failed dishes...


"The results are in!
The winner of the Bean Throwing Festival is..."


6222? How does someone even get all those points?
"Yay! So, what was this for again?"


Woooh! I mean, it's not 6000, but it's great!
"Congratulations, everyone! All of the winners, don't forget your prizes! Until next time!"


My prize is a mound of recipe bread. Well, let's see what I get.


Well, if I can ever get those things, I'll be able to prepare some filling meals!

Anyway, with the festival handled, it's time to check out that desert. I want to see what that guy was about.

I'm stopped by Wells before I can enter, though.

"You weren't thinking of going into that desert, were you?"
"Yeah, I thought I saw..."
"Well, don't even think about it! There's nothing but monsters in there!"

Really? Didn't we have this talk before? I place my hands on my hips.
"Huh? But there are monsters EVERYWHERE. What makes this place any different?"

And Wells then just turns around and leaves.

"That was strange..."

If there was only monsters there, then why did that guy not look much different from a human? I wonder...If I'm not the only one hiding something like this...
Ah, no. No sense getting my hopes up, right?

Before I go in, though, I shift into my wooly form. It'll be nice to get in a good run, and anyway, I want to get some practice in on my punching.


This is me, punching a pinapple. I feel like my life went somewhere odd.

Anyway, this area has some water and some fields, so I could grow crops here! Probably something that can handle heat, though...
It's also got some mining rocks, so I'll dig around through those.


Oh, geeze! That guy looks big!

And those knives are sharp!
But what I also notice, not yet covered by the wind and sand... Footprints.

"I'm definitely following his trail."
I just have to keep going this way, and I'll find what I'm looking for in no time!


...Oookay, this is not what I was expecting. It's... It looks like a town.



A woman steps out of the central building, pushing aside the curtains and moving into the heat. Her hair is pale as the desert sand, bleached by the sun, and very long; it flutters like an echo of her long cape. On her forehead, she has a spiral horn the length of her hand.
Her blue eyes pierce me, but when she sees I've arrived, she walks toward me quickly, hands folded peacefully.


I look down to make sure I haven't forgotten what shape I'm in: it's not every day a pretty girl calls a monster 'comrade.'


"Oh, don't worry. It simply means we're cohorts-in-arms! Proud patriots!"
...Isn't that a bit of a rush to decide? Still... She has a gentle smile on her face.

"I'm Kuruna, the proud elder of the Univir Settlement. My duty is to defend this land with my blood. What's yours, comrade?"
I can hear that pride in her voice -- she says she's an elder, but she looks only a little older than I do -- well, my human form. Woolies age pretty gracefully, so it's kind of hard to tell, there... But when she speaks of her duty, she sounds almost like an empress.


I'm not exactly sure I have a duty...
Or, worse, what if I do? I have no way of knowing that, and so...There's nothing I can do about it.
Is it better to be purposeless? Or to have abandoned something that needs you?



"I never knew there was a settlement here..."
It's pretty small: just three buildings, surrounded by stone. There are some monsters wandering about, but they look peaceful enough. There's a pond, and...That's it, really.

"My proud, advanced ancestors built this settlement, an oasis against savage aggression."

"...And by hornless, you mean...?" Because, you know. I see a lot of things here, not with horns, so it's a little...

"Ah, pardon. Of course you'd have your own terms... I mean, of course, those so-called 'human beings,' who reach wide and greedily across these lands."
Her voice plunges me into icy water -- or, at least, that's how it feels. She says she hates humans...And her tone makes that hardly rhetorical.

"Are humans really deserving of all that hatred...?"
She looks at me like I've grown a second head. Then she stoops down and looks me in the eye. Her eyes are the color of ice, but they're not cold eyes. Instead, she looks...Confused, maybe. And concerned. What I'd said seems like it confused her -- like how could I not know this? -- and it worries her, too. She explains it simply and matter-of-factly.
"Hornless are to be NOTHING but hated, comrade."
"I don't know..." I edge away. At the end of the day... Part of me is human. A large part, to be honest. And...
More than that... Isn't that awfully quick to assume?

She pulls back and asseses me again, trying to understand what it is she's looking at.
"Well, you must have your reasons. An elder should not be so insensitive."

"Well, if you say so." She sure takes her job seriously... I can't help but envy that purposefulness.
The best I have is that I want to find more of those stones. On a scale of purposeless to purposeful, that's... Barely a 2.

"I can see it in your eyes, comrade. You yearn to join us!"

"I-Is that what my eyes were saying? I was just thinking... How nice it'd be to have a real duty."
"Then perhaps that's what I saw. All the same..." She smiled then, and all that chill seemed gone. "Know that you are welcome here...always."
She bows her head.
"Please, have a look around. Meet our other residents."

Well, I guess meet the other villagers, I shall.


Wow, that guy….I like him. He understands the soul of our era. A true poet-philosopher of our times.

I finally found the guy who was by the tree before, but...There's no way to ask him about it without letting on about the whole 'half-human' thing.
"Nice to meet you," I try instead.

"I'm Ramza."
"I'm Zaid!"

I... Is he hitting on me, or is he just super-vain?
"Um, yeah, I guess." It's not a common color or anything... He looks unimpressed by my lack of enthusiasm.
"They're unique to my tribe. No other dwarves have our gleaming silver eyes!"

"Wait, you're a dwarf?!"
I mean, he's not the tallest guy, but that's hardly short enough to be a dwarf, right...?

"Sure I am! What's surprising about that?"

"Um...Aren't dwarves usually short and hairy with big, braided beards?"

"Oh. I stand corrected," I said, holding up my paws in an attempt to pacify. I really don't think I've met many dwarves...
"A-anyway, it's nice to meet you, Zaid."

"Good to meet you too. Just don't forget what you learned about dwarves today!"

Right. Well, let's hope the next introduction goes better.

I eventually find someone I can talk to -- a tall man, I guess another Univir, in a purple cloak.

"I'm Ramza. I just discovered this place."
"Ah, I see. I'm Ondorus." His voice has a mature, cultivated air, but his smile's approachable enough. "Welcome to our settlement, Ramza."

"I never expected to find a camp of monsters living together like this."
"Not all monsters behave like mindless, rampaging beasts, you know. Some of us can be quite civilized."

I think that's a given, looking at who's having this conversation.... I more meant, well, it's not usual to see a big group of different species together, is it?

"We univir are actually quite similar to humans, you know," he's still explaining, though. Then he pauses and looks at me thoughtfully. "How do you feel about humans?"

I -- I -- what answer is he looking for? Is he looking for Kuruna's answer? Or...Well... I can't lie.

"I think some of them are actually pretty nice," I settle on. After all... Every group has bad people. But they usually also have good people.
I don't know what I'm expecting, but he smiles.


"Oh, but don't tell the elder I said that. She does not like humans." His smile looks uneasy on that.
"Yeah, I noticed. She isn't she about letting people know."

"Well, it's good to meet you. I hope I'll be seeing more of you around here."
He seems like a nice person to have around.

Having had a look at it all -- or at least the parts that catch my interest on a first sweep -- I find Kuruna.

"It's very nice and quiet..."

"Isn't it? Perhaps you should move here."
Wow, she went there fast. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine."

Seeing that look of concern and defeat... I'm not sure I can make sense of it. Not when I'm thinking about the people I know.
"Do you really hate humans that much?"

She glares intensely.
"Of course. Do you know the town that is nearby?"
"Oh, yes. What about it?"

"The people there ran us univir out of their town!"

"Really?!" That doesn't sound like...Well, thinking about Wells... Well, maybe I didn't give him a chance... Well... Um...

Kuruna's absolutely fuming.
"Yes, univir and humans used to live together."
"Did something happen?"
Here, Kuruna pauses. Her face relaxes, and she remains silent for a moment.

"...
I am not sure," she says eventually.



I...I have no idea how to respond to that.

"I don't know the reason. It was before I was born. But we were exiled, and now we live here."

I wonder when that was, I mean...
Before I can finish the thought, Kuruna bursts out in fury,

"So you should be careful not to wander too much outside."
She points at me insistantly.
"The humans might do something to you."

"I-I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

She really hates them... I wonder what happened...
Maybe Wells knows something. He's the older person in town, and he's mayor, after all.

I teleport back home, but when I get there...
The tree's changed. It's taller and thicker now, even though it's only been a few hours since I saw it last!



Wells comes up behind me, sounding as stunned as I am.
"Have you been feeding the Sharance Tree a special fertilizer or something?"

"No, I didn't do anything." There's fertilizer for house-trees?
"What could have caused this, then?"

We stand there for a moment, shaking our heads, when I remember what's what.
"Um, Wells. Did you know about the univir's camp?"
"Yes."

Things make more sense that way...
"Is that why you told me not to go into the desert?"
He gives a little nod.
"Yes. I didn't want you to run into that camp of human-hating monsters. I'll bet their elder kicked you out the second she laid eyes on you."



...
...

"I thought so."
...He bought that?

He bought that.
He actually did.

...I should press my luck, then.

"Though the elder did say something about how the univir lived in this town until they were chased out. Do you know anything about that?"
"All I know is that happened a long, long time ago. There aren't any records of what happened or why."

"I see..." Is that so?
...If it happened so long ago Wells doesn't know about it... Then doesn't that mean no one has anything to do with that?

"Ramza..."

I snap out of my concerned reverie.
"Yes?"
"Don't do anything foolish." Wells' expression is grave.
"What?"
"We're better off without the univir."
"But..." You weren't even alive when that decision was made! How can you decide that?



He walks away, leaving that stinging comment in the air.


...Leaving just me, naturally unnatural... There's nothing I can do about that, so...


It doesn't matter what he'd think of me if he knew, but...
"It doesn't look like anyone has any idea about the whole story.
But why do they hate each other so much? It doesn't look like either of them deserves it...
Maybe I should talk to Kuruna again."

But first... I wonder if all the new growth did something to my house?

...Is that...
"A staircase...The tree...Grew a new room?"
And a perfectly sound staircase? What...
No, not what, how? How does a tree just make a staircase? Is it intelligent?

I stare for a minute in mute incomprehension.
"I should take a look."


Well, it might be a little much to expect a magically appearing room to be furnished.
But it is pretty spacious, and surprisingly clean. And... full of structural support, somehow.




I turn quickly and see Shara darting up the stairs.


"The Sharance Tree grew a 2nd Floor!"
"Yeah, that's...That can't be normal, right? Weird, isn't it?"
"It's amazing! I've always known the Sharance Tree was special, but I had no idea it could do something like this."
"Yeah..." Thank goodness there's something strange relative even to here.
"But..." She looks around the room carefully and smiles.
"It's a nice room, isn't it?"
"Yeah... I just hope it doesn't disappear as fast as it appeared!" Who knows?
"I'm sure this room is here to stay. Why don't you make it your work area?"

"Work area?" I thought the farm was my work area.
"Sure! You need a place where you can craft things, right?"
"That would be pretty handy."
"You should be able to fit a forge up here."
I'm immediately unsure of the value of a hot forge in a wooden tree, but go on.
"Also a pharmacy and a workshop! Ask around at shops and they should be able to sell you what you need to get started."
"Gotcha. I'll go visit them later."

"Great! This room gives you so many exciting new possibilities!"
"Yeah! I can't wait to try crafting something!"
"Glad to hear it. ♪ I can't wait to see what you make!"
The way she says that...makes it sound almost like a challenge.


"It's alright...Well, see you later, Shara."
And with that, she left. Since all the shops are closed for the festival, I can't really worry about that. Instead, I decided to go fishing.


Just my luck...
I catch a bunch of Masu Trout after that, though, and a fish called a Gibelio. The trout I made into sashimi, but I couldn't work out even how to start cutting the Gibelio up.
I make a lot of money off of that, too, so I head back for more fishing after 5...

And my luck re-emerges. But again, not completely...I managed to at least catch enough fish to make some more sashimi, and to save some for tomorrow: I bet Pia would like this squid, and I'd like to thank Carmen with a fish, and who knows what else.

After that, I had a little energy left over for clearing the field, so there was a bit of that.

The next day...

My cabbages came in!

I go up and check my mailbox;

I actually have a request in the mail today! It looks like Hazel needs my help with something.

I go over to see about that, but first...

It looks like she has some new seeds. I'll buy some of the new Onion and Strawberry seeds for my farm.

While I'm at it, since there's space in the Desert to grow crops, I go for something that would like heat more: just some cucumbers for right away.

"Anyway, you wanted to see me, Hazel?"

"Yes. I need a favor. Could you take these Relax Tealeaves to Marjorie?"
"No problem."
"I'd ask Karina, but I can't find her anywhere." She sighs. "The only thing that girl works hard at is skipping out on work!"
"Ha ha..." Just smile and nod...

"Anyway, thanks for doing this for me."

To Marjorie!


"I know. Why don't you install a pharmacy?"
"What?" I came here about a delivery...
"I know someone who was selling one. They'd sell it for a good price as long as they got some wood."
"That would be great."
"Well, I'll let Marian know, too. Just mention something while we're working. We might forget it otherwise."
Delivered with a blithe smile...


Wait, about the delivery...
"Thank you. Did you get hurt?"

At last, she gives me a word in edgewise.
"No, but I needed to give you these."

"Karina must be hiding from work again."
"Looks like it." I don't want to bad-mouth her... But Marjorie just laughs.
"Ho ho. My Marian's a handful, but I'll be Hazel gets just as much trouble from Karina."
"Ha ha..."
"But you don't have to worry about those two. They actually love each other very much."
She proclaims that easily, but...Neither of them has anything good to say.
"Is that right?"
"They just have a funny way of showing it. Anyway, I got the goods. Give Hazel my best."
"Will do!"

I decide to try making Marian less scary via application gifts. Case in point: cabbage. Cabbages are nice, right?

"I love how green vegetables smell. Although some people hate it. Thanks.♪"
Well, that seems like a chance to talk normally.

"When I was younger and would play doctor with Collette, I had a toy syringe I used to use. Then, one day Grandma gave this to me and told me to use it instead." She smiled with warm reminiscence, a sincere and cheery expression on her face. That was surely a happy memory for her, being trusted by her grandma like that... "Collette sometimes shivers when she sees me holding it..."
Well, that got dark quickly.
"I...I don't blame her..."

Well, back to Hazel.

"Yep."
"I'm glad there's someone around here I can count on! Here's your reward."


Kind of a small reward, but...Oh well.

I keep thinking about what Marjorie said, though.

"What is it? Is there something on your mind?"
"Well, you and Karina seem to have a...contentious relationship sometimes."
"You're darn right! That's because she's a useless slacker! Why, did Marjorie say something about us?"
"Uh..." Oh dear.
Hazel glares at me.
"What? What did she say?!"
"well..." This might be trouble, if I say anything...
Hazel sees this and sighs.
"No, nevermind. I don't want to know."
"It really wasn't anything bad."


"Huh? But I..."
She pushes me out the door with an aggressive glare.

"Well, I need to shop here, so I'd better not bring it up again."

I was over limit, so the rest of this chapter, including some bonus stuff and voting, will probably be up this evening, when I get the bonus stuff done.

[Deme]

Or now. It's 5. That's...Evening-ish. A month ago, it'd have been evening.

Chapter 6, Part 2: Lazy Girl

Spoiler

Show

Wow, there are a lot of options on the bulletin board today. Well, let's see...

This sounds doable. I'll go see Karina. Let's see...Maybe she's started her item shop shift by now?


I draw closer, not exactly wanting to wake her...But I do sort of need to.
"Ummm."
At the sound of my voice, she yawns and rubs her eyes, pulling herself from the counter-top.

"Sorry to wake you."
"Oh...it's okay. (I was having such a nice dream, though...)"
"You posted a job request?"
She looks at me like she's forgetten it.
"A job request...?" Then awareness creeps in, and she starts.

"Uh, yeah. There weren't a lot of details."
"Oh, that... (I forgot all about it...)"
"What?"

"I need you to get a pendant from Sofia. I'm too busy to go myself."
"Weren't you just sleeping?"
"Well, yeah."

"How does that qualify as being too busy?"
"I was too busy sleeping. Seems pretty obvious to me."
*sigh*
... I give up.
"Okay. I'll go get the pendant from Sofia."
"Great. Thanks. (Maybe I can get back to that dream.)"


Well, I want to do some of my normal routine on top of this, so...
The flower shop!

"Hi, Monica?"
"Shara keeps on talking about you..."
She looks at me like I've betrayed her somehow.

"Uh...I'm sorry?"
Aw, she only bites me because she's afraid I'll intrude on her relationship with her sister somehow. That's sweet.
Except the biting.


I get some cologne and talk to Shara, too.

"Rainbow!"
Daria's going to love me.
"What do rainbows even smell like?"
"I have no idea, but that's how Daria described it."

Moving on...

"Yeah...I didn't want to do anything violent, but I couldn't just sit here and do nothing..."
"Hmmm...Do you like monsters, Ramza?"
"What?!"
I'm not exactly sure what he's asking...But there's a lot of room for it to be dangerous to me here.

"Well, you just seemed a little apologetic about the raccoon...It's not a bad thing..." I breathe an internal sigh of relief. "Raven's the same way. There are people who understand monsters' feelings very well."

There are a lot of farms that make money that way...So I see what he's saying.
"But if I befriend a monster, I'd need a place for it to live..."
"Hmmm...If you have enough wood, I'd be happy to build you a barn for monsters."
"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Just ask me or Raven, and we'll build one for you.
...Also, I heard that the Sharance Tree got bigger."

"I think they'd be really helpful for you. You can use them to forge weapons and make accessories."
Won't that damage his busi-- no, wait. Gaius doesn't care about his business. He'd spend all day making weapons even if no one paid him.
"Nice! Sounds great!"
"Well, just give us a shout at the shop if you want a forge or workshop. We can build it for you as long as you have enough gold and wood."


Hmm...Well, it's an option.

Those...are not yet options.

I see Raven running back through the rain.
"Hey, Raven."

"Huh?"
"If you get near me, you'll become cursed, too..."
"...?"

I run into Carmen, too.

"It had a big effect on Carlos, too! That's why our store has a lot of items you'd find around the sea!"
Have I seen the sea? ...Nope, no way of knowing.
"Feel free to take a look! Carlos might tell you more about them!"

I decide to actually check on that pharmacy option...

I could get this now, even.

But for today, I'll buy a healing spell.


And to the mansion!

"Well, yes..." Who knew she liked 'rainbow'?

"Yeah, I'm a big fan of fishsticks myself!"
"Exactly. They make good clothes."
"Clothes?!"

...Just going to walk away, and talk to Sofia.
"Hey, Sofia."
"What?"
"Karina asked me to pick up a pendant from you."
"No."
"What?"




"What's the matter?"
"Um, nothing..."
I'm sure she knows how confusing this is...
"I see. Anyway, it's not important, so please tell her to be careless."
"Wait, what?"
Sofia speaks slowly and more insistantly, as if talking to a child.
"She needs to be careless with it. Don't tell her that."
"Oh, okay. Got it...I think."

Well, back to the store, I guess...
Of course, she's asleep again.


"Karina," I say in a hopefully-cheerful tone as I draw near.
"Hmmm..."
"Good morning."

“Sleeping on the job again?”
”Yeah…”
She looks up at me, suddenly awake.

“You already said you were.”
”I was copying Sofia.”
Objection!
“But you said ‘Good Morning.’”
”I meant the opposite.”
I laugh.
“So you meant ‘Good Night’? You’re going to bed?”

“…Anyway, I got you the pendant.”
”Oh, thanks. I’ll take it, then.”


This really is a strange pendant. Well, I hand it over to her.

”Oh, thanks.”
“It was really no problem. I could’ve almost done it in my sleep.”
She looks surprised.
”What?”
“Hm?”

“Oh, and Sofia said you should be careless with that. But I think she meant…”
”Yes, I know. I’ll be careful.”
“…”

“I’m just impressed by how well you understand her.”
”Why wouldn’t I? I don’t think there’s anything strange about how she talks.”
“Really? I think it’s pretty weird.” The shape-shifting amnesiac half-wooly is looking more and more normal.
But Karina just shrugs, and with an expression that seems full of apathy at the world just says,
”Oh, it’s just her way. Who isn’t a little weird?”
That’s actually really kind; I’m a little impressed… I think I need to try harder to be so accepting.
Anyway, here. For you. Thanks.”


…Riot!

Flip tables!
“Ah…”

….Despair.

Oh, well. Hazel greets me as I leave.
“I was just giving Karina a hand.”
”You were?”

…Maaaaybe.

I’m not a rat.
”I guess that’s okay, then…Well, thanks for helping.”
“Oh, it’s OK. I (kinda) got a reward for it.”
”Oh, I see. She’s usually too lazy to even pay for help, you know. You should be flattered.”
“Ha ha…”
”Well, back to work. If I left it up to her, there’d be no store!”
“Heh heh. See you later.”

After she enters the store, I hear here shouting through the door.

”WAKE UP!!!”

Bonus And Mechanics!

Spoiler

Show

For some bonus fun, let's see our other choices for the Bath Census.





...Well.
Let's try saying "Cold," then...


Not as entertaining.
Also, who snuck a Mask reference in there, anyway?






Eh, not so great. Let's try the Daria answer, shall we?

We like RAINBOW~!







...
...
I actually had to call in friends to decide which would be the better choice to put in the LP.
I doubt I'll ever be sure I made the right call. (Also, any time you alert me to a problem in the future, this will be my answer.)

The gnomes have the final say, though, so let's just answer the last question.




...Well. So much for wanting something nice. Also, Ramza, water doesn't have biology. Except on the level of the ecosystem. But point is, it's not alive.

Slimy water it is!




...Uh, somebody help me understand that bit?
I don't get it.

I can't offer any stategy about the festival minigame because I am horrible at it. Getting to 3rd place took me five attempts.
People who are good at that minigame, the field is yours.


What else to say, what else to say...?
Oh, yes! The monster barn! We can actually start raising monsters soon! Which means we'll need to decide what to do.

Monsters can do work in the fields, fight along side you as party members, be ridden (sometimes), and produce
Monsters, in order to do work and I think gain affection (in the original Rune Factory, anyway), need to be fed fodder from your field. So we'll need to get some going if we get a monster. Unlike the Harvest Moon series, monsters you don't feed will not get sick or die.
You can, at any time, release a monster back to the Forest of Beginnings, making space in your barn.

Anyway, we need to decide, for when we get a barn, what sort of monsters we want. We get monsters by feeding wild ones stuff, basically.

here is a list of available monsters: stay out of the boss section unless you want spoilers, of course. And we're only really of a level to go get monsters from Privera and Sol Terrano, so keep it to that for now.

For those not wanting to wade through the list, you can just specify what we should have a monster for: General Use, Production, Mount. Production will probably mean I get a buffamoo (for milk) or a wooly (for wool, and also unease) first.


Oh, and while I'm at it...
One feature of Rune Factory 3 is that, starting around affection level 3, we're able to take people adventuring with us! Also on dates, if they're girls. That's actually coming up for us pretty soon, so... Uh, vote #3 is for who we should take adventuring. I'll probably cycle through some of the more popular options, and we'll talk about what sort of equipment and magic our allies have...later.
Sadly, the next stretch of plot has us forcibly carrying a specific character along, so this'll be for extra-curricular adventuring.

Right! We've got a few things to vote for!
#1, Which of our new 'post 1st boss upgrades' should we go for first? The forge (weapon-making), the workshop (armor and accessories), the pharmacy (healing items, status-effect cures, fertilizers, and other junk), or the barn (taming monsters)! If we get a variety of votes, I'll probably pick based on popularity from there.

#2, What should our first monster be when we do get the barn? Again, if something gets some votes or even a vote, I'll probably put it on the list to pick up. More details above.

#3, Who should we take with us in our spare time for a while? We can make another, more informed decision on that in a bit, particularly when we won't be shackled to someone for the dungeon (which we will be), and can start making gear for our companion. This'll only start when the character's available.

[erikun]

Can I vote for Kuruna, Raven, or Pia now? Mainly because they're silly or interesting (or both) and I don't know how they are in a fight. I've only used Karina back when I was playing.

[Ogremindes]

For monsters I reckon get four buffamoos, four cluckadoodles and as many different produce types as you can cram in. I got four woolies and four hornets in mine, which is good for cash (and for having more woolies) but having more crafting mats on hand seems like a better use of finite space.

[Javan]

It may be to late for my vote to have an effect.
1) Barn
2) It seems from the list that the 3 most generically useful monsters are Buffamoos, Cluckadoodles, and Woolies. At least from the cash perspective.
3) I will hold out for a more informed decision.

Further investigation shows honey sells for more than eggs milk and only for slightly less than wool. I say milk and honey and skip the wool.

[Dragoon]

Well enjoyed the update as usual.

I think the barn would be good first, don't know about the monsters, trust the others on that, though you might want one to help with farming, perhaps...

On #3, Gaius, assuming he doesn't fall asleep if we take him with us, Sakuya, to help with her shop, or Sofia. Actually now that I think about it, could we take Shino, since she supposedly knows something about weapons?

Lastly, just started on Frontier and it is difficult to find people sometimes... It doesn't have a way to have the map to show where people are in town, does it?

[Deme]

I'm pretty sure Hornets would, at this stage of the game, just flat-out kill Ramza before he could toss food at them. But I'll give the Cluckadoodles a shot, at least, see if we can even get into that area without getting clobbered.

Well enjoyed the update as usual.

I think the barn would be good first, don't know about the monsters, trust the others on that, though you might want one to help with farming, perhaps...

On #3, Gaius, assuming he doesn't fall asleep if we take him with us, Sakuya, to help with her shop, or Sofia. Actually now that I think about it, could we take Shino, since she supposedly knows something about weapons?

Lastly, just started on Frontier and it is difficult to find people sometimes... It doesn't have a way to have the map to show where people are in town, does it?

We could take Shino, at least when her affection gets high enough that we can ask her.

It does not. However, there's an excellent schedule walkthrough on Gamefaqs I kept with me when I played, and that helped a lot.

[Stuebi]

I cracked up when I saw this, since im playing the Game myself currently. (Pursuing Karina, if anyone's interested).

I wasnt even aware you could take everyone with you, I thought it's just the Bachelorettes you could ask out. Altough I have to admit that I usually just take a Monster with me.

On that note, take at LEAST one Combat-Mosnter for the Barn. I'm aware that a lot of people prefer a Barn full of producing-Monsters (altough I find that very boring. ), but some of the Guys get REALLY strong on high-Friendship Levels and serve as excellent Damage-Sponges in Bossfights. Also, they keep pesky enemies of your back if you just want to mine / farm.

Also, I didnt read all the Updates, so forive me if this has been mentioned:

I'd heavily recommend planting Strawberrys in Privera Forest, on the very first field. They have multiple harvests, and Runeys spawn more often when you harvest in a Dungeon. Its also a pretty reliable source of side-income. Depending on how much farmwork you want to do in a Day, you could also place a multi-harvest vegetable in the Desert, altough that would require you to check on both Dungeons regularly to make sure nothing has withered. The source of Runeys is worth the effort tough.

EDIT OT:

Also, when we're talking about RF. Can anyone recommend Fonrtiers for the Wii? I was thinking to get it for my upcoming vacation.

[Javan]

Rune Factory Frontier, definitely. I really enjoyed it, and to be honest, it's what convinced me to give the series a second shot after the original Rune Factory left me a little cold. I couldn't get into Oceans: I hated moving around that stupid golem-mecha-whatever-that-was.

Deme recommended it not to long ago

[Ogremindes]

On that note, take at LEAST one Combat-Mosnter for the Barn. I'm aware that a lot of people prefer a Barn full of producing-Monsters (altough I find that very boring. ), but some of the Guys get REALLY strong on high-Friendship Levels and serve as excellent Damage-Sponges in Bossfights.

If you wear the appropriate pendant (Sun for NPCs, Field for Monsters) almost any partner can be very powerful.

[Deme]

I cracked up when I saw this, since im playing the Game myself currently. (Pursuing Karina, if anyone's interested).

I wasnt even aware you could take everyone with you, I thought it's just the Bachelorettes you could ask out. Altough I have to admit that I usually just take a Monster with me.

On that note, take at LEAST one Combat-Mosnter for the Barn. I'm aware that a lot of people prefer a Barn full of producing-Monsters (altough I find that very boring. ), but some of the Guys get REALLY strong on high-Friendship Levels and serve as excellent Damage-Sponges in Bossfights. Also, they keep pesky enemies of your back if you just want to mine / farm.

Also, I didnt read all the Updates, so forive me if this has been mentioned:

I'd heavily recommend planting Strawberrys in Privera Forest, on the very first field. They have multiple harvests, and Runeys spawn more often when you harvest in a Dungeon. Its also a pretty reliable source of side-income. Depending on how much farmwork you want to do in a Day, you could also place a multi-harvest vegetable in the Desert, altough that would require you to check on both Dungeons regularly to make sure nothing has withered. The source of Runeys is worth the effort tough.

EDIT OT:

Also, when we're talking about RF. Can anyone recommend Fonrtiers for the Wii? I was thinking to get it for my upcoming vacation.

I'll try and get a good attack monster for you, then. Anything you'd recommend for this stage (well, not that it's super-relevant, except for when I'm not trying to do the desert's story)? In my own play through, I went it pretty much alone the whole game, except for maybe a mount or a magic seed, so...Uh...*shrug*

[erikun]

Also, when we're talking about RF. Can anyone recommend Fonrtiers for the Wii? I was thinking to get it for my upcoming vacation.

I'm definitely a fan of the atmosphere of Rune Factory Frontier. The biggest complaint I've heard about the game is Runey management; other than that, I've not seen nor heard any glaring problems with the game.

[Stuebi]

I'll try and get a good attack monster for you, then. Anything you'd recommend for this stage (well, not that it's super-relevant, except for when I'm not trying to do the desert's story)? In my own play through, I went it pretty much alone the whole game, except for maybe a mount or a magic seed, so...Uh...*shrug*

I liked taming a Scorpion or Spiders, since they provide Items AND are decent combatants. Scorpions drop Claws and Stingers if I remember correctly, which are a great gift for Sakuya. Spiders provide string, which is used in a variety of crafting recipes.

Shadow Panthers are fast, deal decent damage and provide Fur. Cant remember if you can ride them tough, that'd be interesting.

Trolls are cool as "Bodyguards" when you just want to mine or fish. They have massive knockback, and I could safely mine and fish while Florence was playing with his chums that came out of Portals. I remember them having decent DPS on higher Levels too.

[Deme]

You can ride Shadow Panthers, yes. Also, quick, before the forum goes down! Someone suggest names for our Barn's first room and some early monsters of your choice!

[Javan]

Monster go in the barn room, I choose Moria.
Cluckadoodles, at least one needs to be named Cojiro.

[Seerow]

I'm in favor of any monster that can be used as a mount. The aforementioned shadow panther sounds cool.


Also you name individual rooms in your barn? That's just weird. No preference.

[Deme]

Chapter 7: Your Loathsome, Detestable Visage

Spoiler

Show

Well, anyway... I don't have much to do today besides all those requests, so...

I join in listening to Carlos in a reflective mood.

"The smell of the ocean breeze, fishing in the open sea... Sounds great, right?!"
Well, it does have some appeal...
"But that's not what happened to you, huh?"
What happens to a dream deffered?
"Well, I ended up becoming a fisherman, which isn't so bad. I mean, I can still fish, right?"
"I think so. There's no good crying over spilled milk, right?"
"Right, bro! You get me! Still...Maybe one day, I'll go to sea anyway!"
"That's right."
There's still hope.

I notice Shino has been watching me since I left the building, but...I'm not sure why.

Oh, that's why.

Well, it's about lunchtime, so I'll hit the diner next.

"He does seem to have a lot of things he doesn't like... But you don't have anything you hate?"
"No way! I'll eat anything! Actually, check that! I absolutely HATE milk!"
"Uh, so how's that different than Rusk not liking vegetables?"
"It's totally different! It's a metabolism thing! You wouldn't understand!"
...I wonder if she knows what a 'metabolism' actually is.
Well, everyone has their eccentricities.


"And I'm sure he's good business."
"I could set up in a mansion with Sherman's bills...But cooking like this is more important."

I have money, so I might as well buy some things to help make home more cozy. I get both cooking appliances he has for sale.



And some recipe breads.
I'm not worried about cash at the moment, since I know what the first thing I want to add to the house is.


"Yeah, I think so."
I'll need some grass seeds, too...Today never stops being a shopping trip, does it?


"Great!"
"Raven told me that monsters will befriend you if you give them food. However, monsters won't befriend anyone they see as weaker than them."
"Got it. I'll be careful."
Makes sense. I mean, if you're expecting someone to provide for you, they can't be too pathetic.
"Well, it shouldn't take too long to build the barn."
"Uh... It won't...?"
It's a barn. How quickly can you make a barn?
"Nope. In fact, it should be done by the time you get home."

"Really?! How is that even humanly possible?!"
No, forget humans -- who could do that?!

"You need something else?"
"...N-no, I'm good..."

Anyway, I need to stop by the inn, too.
"Hey, Pia. How's the baths?"

That's not...Oh, well.
"But you should take a bath if you're tired. Baths are amazing."
She notices that I don't exactly seem to be having the same conversation she is.
"Huh?"
"...Nothing."


"Hm...Well, I like going to places I've never been before."
Not surprising, but then she says, with a soft and thoughtful smile like I've never quite seen on her before...

"But there's no reason I like it...I just do!"
"I don't think you need a reason to like something like that...Or, I guess, maybe anything."
Going home, seeing people's faces light up...All those familiar old favorites, made new by being away...

...That sounds really wonderful. I wonder if I have something like that, somewhere out there. A place where people will smile when they see me...

"...Well, whatever the reason, it makes you happy."
"Yup!"

"Oh, I made this last night, if you'd like to sell some here retail or something...?"

"O-or you could have it?"
"I'm so happy. I really like sashimi. Thanks, Ramza ♪"

I'd originally made it for Pia, so...

Success. She did say she liked raw squid.
"Squid is so tasty raw and cooked."

Anyway, I want to go out and see the people of the settlement again, before I get down to planting...

I find an orange tree along the way that's pretty nice, and do a little fighting along the way.



I'm getting more used to fighting in this shape again, although...

There's no way I'm staying through that! Ow!

I end up running in, poisoned and weakened, scarfing down an antidote herb to keep from collapsing into the dirt.
Directly where Zaid can see me.

Lucky for me, he's busy admiring the weather.

"I could see that..."
There are rabid scorpion-things not a mile from your door.
"There are lots of hostile monsters to fight outside the camp, though. I guess that's something."
That's...
That's a plus for him, isn't it? The poisonous scorpion-monsters and the giant ogres.

I need to talk to someone with sense. Ondorus!
"Living here must be tough."

"That does sound nice..."

Well, I suppose I need to see Kuruna.
When I go inside, I find a house that, while maybe not luxurious, has a regal atmosphere.

"Oh, perfect timing."
"What is it?"
"I wanted to ask you to run an errand for me."
"An errand?" I wonder what she could need an outsider like me for.
"Yes, an errand. Can you do it?"

"Umm..." She hasn't said what, exactly...
"Oh, you do not have to if you do not want to."
Oh, no! Backpeddling! Please don't backpeddle over my account!
"That's okay. I'll do it."

She smiles.
"Thank you. You would be a great help."
"I'm not really familiar with the paths around here..." Or what you want me to do yet.
"Do not worry. I will send a guide. Have you met Zaid?"
"Yes."

"Good. I have already talked to Zaid. Please go see him when you are ready."
"Okay. Is...it an urgent errand?"
"No, not really. You may take your time with it."
"Alright, then. I have a lot to do today, is all, so..."

She nods.
"Oh, Comerade...
I know this place may seem dull and barren..."
"It does seem a little bit, yeah..."
"But it's a nice place once you've lived here. What do you say?"
"I'll pass... I have a place to stay until later that's just fine."

She looks...so disapointed.

I go plant my seeds, and plow a little spot for fodder for a monster.



And, after that...I think I could use a nice hot bath.


I run into Daria on the way for some evening fishing.

"I don't think so." I just went for a bath, and all...
Oh, but I am wearing cologne! ...Do rainbows smell like dried sardines? That's...
I guess it appeals to Daria.

"So, Ramza..."
"Yes?"
"The Sharance Tree...Can I dye it a new color?"
"Um, what color?"

"Wouldn't a rainbow be lots of colors?"
She gets a fervent look in her eye, and begins to speak quickly and eagerly.
"Yes! But no! The colors are different, but so inseperable that they might as well be one!"
Huh....
"Well, that sounds interesting. But I think a lot of people would get angry if you painted the tree."
She shrugs, but her eyes go wide with surprise.
"Oh, that's too bad."
I guess it never occured to her...

Well, I get some fishing in. If you count the squid, I come away with a nice 6 fish. I go back, slice those up...

Make some orange juice, too.

I go out to the desert, clear out the monsters for a bit of training,

Plant some cucumbers...

And find this ludicrously nice treasure. This is worth a third of my ready cash, and it's just -- just sitting around! Like it aint no thing!
Into the shipping bin, kaching, kaching!

And then it's home for a bit of logging and going to...Oh. Right. I forgot to look at the barn, didn't I?


He actually built it. Probably even before I made that fish.

There's an entryway, with a notebook and some things...

And an inner room for monsters.

It's named Turnip. It needs a better name, but I'll think on it...

Tomorrow, because tonight, I'm going to bed.


Some pink turnips and toyherbs in today; not a lot, but every bit helps, right?


I've gotten more mail today. I was a bit sorry for letting down Daria yesterday, so...I guess I'll go see Daria. She says she wants lumber, but I bet I can go get some in advance.
I go chop up a handful of branches, just to be safe.

I run into Marjorie on the road, and she has a bit of advice for me.

"That way, no one will notice that you're actually taking a nap."
"Uh...Do you actually do that...?"
She just laughs, pats me on the back, and lets me go on my way.

Speaking of on my way to Daria's house...I run into Collette. We get to talking, and run back to yesterday's topic.

"Hmm... Well, I really like Rice! Oh! And Tempura Bowl! And Fried Rice! And Baked Rice Balls! And --"
She peppers me with food names, like a series of raindrops.
"Okay, okay!" Make it stop, please! "I got it! So you really like Rice, then."


Anyway, I do eventually get down to seeing Daria.

She waves off the comment.
"Of course you are! You're my loyal assistant!"

She has a point, I su--
"Wait, I'm what now?"
What did I get roped into?
"I'm out of Wood to carve. And inspiration just struck me!"
She beams at me, wild ideas spinning in her eyes.
"So hurry and bring me 3 Wood! Inspiration waits for no one!"

"Ah...okay."
"You can get Wood by chopping branches with an axe." Still excited by my, uh, being her assistant now or something, she adds, "But if that's too slow, maybe you can try chopping down some signs or something.
Art demands sacrifices!"
She declares.
"Uh, I think I'll stick with branches."
"Well, whatever you think is best."
"I'm on it."

Well, actually...I count the lumber I have prepped.
"Three you said, right?"
"Right, right!"

"Well, uh, here."

...Rainbow?
"So you make woodcarvings too? Is there anything you can't do?"
"Of course! Imagine if I could carve up the Sharance Tree. I could make a towering statue that would put every other wood carving to shame!"
Practice restraint, apparently.
"Y-you can't do that! The Sharance Tree is sacred!"
I pause, aware that that probably means nothing to Daria.
"And...it's where I live."

"..."
Here, Daria actually pauses. And looks at me, and she seems to think and consider what I'm saying.
It was a strange moment, like the quieting of a whirlwind. Actually, a whirlwind might be what I think of Daria -- just a nonstop force or artifice. But just for a moment, she fell still.

Then she smiled.
"I'm just kidding! For now, anyway."
And the whirlwind's kicking up paint and bits of clay and wood again.
"For now?!"

"Thanks for your help, assistant! Here you go!"
"uh, thanks."
"I'll send for you again if I need anything, my dear assistant!"
"O-Okay..." Now that she's started calling me that...She seems very...happy.



My reward is Iron.
Well, alrighty, then.

I decide to head back up and check the bulletin board, but run into Wells along the way.
"Hello there...Hey, could you tell me a bit about the tree?" I had said it was sacred, but...I might have just been making things up.

"It watches over the town like a tall and silent sentinel."
"I've never seen another tree like it." ...Probably. I can't think of one like it, anyway.
Not that can grow stairs.

I head to the general store first. According to Hazel, it's her birthday.
"Oh, I wish I knew before! Um, um," I start looking for something to give her, but I can't imagine she'd want bamboo rice.

"Oh, I haven't said anything, yet..."

I buy some rice and nearly die of shame from not having anything to give her...But then I think, at the very least, I could give her something I cooked, just a pickled turnip.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'd like to get some vegetables, too. Raw vegetables are great to cook with, but I can't very well take our store veggies."
"Yes, ma'am. Happy birthday. I'm sure Karina will come through," I say as I wave and go away.


Raven has a request for me, as does....Nearly everyone. Well, one at a time.
And I have iron on-hand, even.

But first, the flower shop.

Monica's got more complaints against me.
"Well, you're welcome to come by and play any time you want to."
"With you there? No way!!" She glares.


"I wish you had warned me..." I say, despondantly.
"I'm sorry! Don't worry! I'm sure she wasn't expecting anything from you."
"That's a mean way to put it."
"Sorry! I just meant...Everyone knows you're still getting settled. It's barely been a week."

"Well, what's today's scent?"

" This scent will cause all the girls to swoon!"
"...Huh."
I wonder what I usually smell like?

Anyway, I buy some flower and grass seeds.

...And see the cologne in action quickly.

Manliness probably smells the opposite of like a bath!
"Oh, that reminds me, Ramza! When I was cleaning the bath, I found a squid floating in it!"
"Like, a live squid?"
"Looks like someone didn't finish eating it!"
"Yuck! Who would be eating in the bath...?"
Pia acted as if she were very innocent...Right.



Even Karina seems happy to see me today...But her expression quickly went neutral.
"What do you think Mom would like for her birthday?"
"Umm..." I almost say something corny like, 'If you give something to her, that's the gift she really wants.' And it may have been right, but...
"Memories?"

"What?! No! I can't give your mom memories!"
...When I say it like that, it sounds strange.
Well, I stand by it!

I head to the forge next.


She gasps. Her face is very red.
"What, is my cologne too strong?"

She silently fetches some iron from somewhere in the depths of the shop and brings it before me.

"Bring me some more of this..."
"What? O-Okay..." It's unusual for her to ask for a favor like this...

I look around, and see the empty shop. There's not even the sound of forging, which is...Odd.
"Where's Gaius?"
"He needed more iron..."
Her face is still as red as her hair. Is she really that shy?
"Ah, so he went to get some more iron?"

Silence.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"Hurry..."
"Oh, sorry!" I laugh to push away the uneasiness.


As I walk away, I hear a loud 'thud' sound. I turn immediately.


She'd collapsed on the floor. I cross the room again.

"I'm fine..." she mutters.
I put my hand on her forehead, and I realize that she's red in the face not out of shyness or something like that, but...
"You're burning up! I think you have a fever!"
She shakes her head.
"No, I'm fine...I was just near the forge earlier..."

She thinks I'd be tricked like that?
Maybe earlier! But not today!
"Raven, this is no joke! C'mon, let's head over to the apothecary!"

"No."

I sigh.
"Raven..." No, I can't get discouraged!
"Well, at the very least, you should lie down and try to get some rest!"

She shakes her head weakly.
"I can't..."
"Why not?!"

"The store..."

I pause.
"What?"
"I need to watch over the store..."
Is it really that important?
She's just as bad as Gaius!
"Raven!"


I consider the store for a moment, the busy shelves and empty floor. No one's here -- it's OK, I want to tell her. You can stop. No one'll even notice.

But when I look back...
"She fainted..." Well, that settles that. "Let me take her to bed..."

Raven's body offers no resistance to my lifting her; like holding a flame, weightless and hot. Like something insubstantial, and like the expression in her eyes, always about to fade or turn away.
Actually, the whole thing gives me pause. I never thought about it until I realized there were two beds upstairs, but it's strange that she lives here, too. I don't think they're related, and I'd have assumed either she lived elsewhere or they were dating, but... I don't think that's it, either.
Still, there's a second bed, and the closeness of a potted plant tells me that it's hers.


After a while, she looks restful. Almost peaceful, which I can't say is how I think of Raven the rest of the time.



I turn on the edge of her room and look back. She was really worried about someone being there to watch the store, and...Well, it's not like I can fault her that.
"Well, I guess I've got no choice but to watch the store while Raven is resting!"


And that's the story of how I ended up here.

"Ah, I guess I should check the prices of everything on sale..."

I dig around for a while and come up with an inventory.
"Let's see... Here's a list of the prices...
Broadsword: 630g
Spear: 900g
Cheap Bracelent: 560g
Focus Earring: 1400G
Battle Hammer: 1400G
Claymore: 960g

Got it! Okay, let's go!"
...I say that, but what am I expecting to happen?

But then!

A traveller shows up! WhatdoIdo? WhatdoI doooo?

Nailed it!

"Hello. Let's see... Do you have a Cheap Bracelet?"
"I-Indeed we do! Just one moment, please!"

I go looking through the cabinets until I find them and hand it to him for a closer look.

"560G, please!" I hope I remembered that right...

"All right, here's the money."
"Thank you very much! Please come again!"


At least that wasn't a disaster.
"Whew...I guess I did that right..."


Here we go again...
"Welcome!"

"O-Okay!"

Now where do they keep...

Eep!
"S-Sorry!"


Um, um... I'm too panicked to remember! Battle Hammers were expensive, though...
"1400G?"
"Thanks, kid! You look like a hard worker! I'll be back soon!"
"Th-Thank you very much!"
Wow...Raven must not be much of a salesperson...

And finally...

Karina?!
I cross to in front of the desk.
"Welcome!"

I drop the act for a second.
"Oh, well, you see, I..."
"Uh...Never mind..."
"What?" But I was just getting set to try and explain!
"I'm kinda in a rush... (And I don't really care...)"

"I...I see..." I guess no one cares.
"Ah, there's my order...I've already paid..."
"Oh, you paid in advance?" Not having to remember prices for the win!
"Yep. See you..."

She picks up her item and leaves without so much as a wave.

"Maybe I should have taken Raven to the apothecary..." But would she have put up with me carrying her that long? There's no way she'd have walked... "I guess she wouldn't have listened to me anyway, though..."


Finally!


"N-no, it's actually ME, Gaius!"
He just chuckles.
"Yeah, I figured."

Oops.


"She got a cold, so she's sleeping upstairs."
"I see."
His face is completely calm.


He turns and smiles up at the staircase.
"Hey, Raven. How you feeling?"

"Raven?!"

I run to the stairs, while Gaius saunters towards the door.
"I'm fine..."
"You're bright red, Raven..."
"I'm...fine...I'll do it..."
"Raven, no!"
Please don't let her faint again!
"It's my job..."
"But...Gaius, help me out!" I turn around. "Huh?"
I look around for Gaius to back me up...

But there he is, all but about to leave.

"Closing the store."
"What?"

He smiles and flips his sign.
"There we go. All closed. Let's go to the apothecary now."
Oh, good, so he is with me on this.
"But..."

"The store's closed, so there's no work to do. I'll go on ahead."

He leaves the store, leaving Raven and I to catch up. Well, I guess I don't have to, but...
"Let's go to the apothecary, Raven..."

She stares at me for a moment, and with a sigh of surrender, begins to slowly walk behind me to the door.
"Um..."
"What is it, Raven?"
"..."
She stares at me, weighing her options in silence. Her eyes fix on mine -- and before something might be said, something honest in a fevered flush -- she looks away.



She leaves behind a reward.
"*sigh* Raven's so stubborn...But it looks like it worked out in the end..."



Ooh, Silver!


I come back when they've returned and gotten some medicine. It looks like her fever's down. Still, she has a far-away look in her eyes.

"Shara's flowers..."
"Oh, yeah. They're pretty!" Insightful commentary!
"Flowers reflect the personalities of those that grew them..."
"Huh? What do you mean...?"
She looks away.
"Never mind..."


Ooh, new shoes. I'll take them!

Onward with my day!

"Huh?" She steps closer to me, but her face grows sad.
"I'm sorry about before."
"Huh? Sorry about what?"

There's something she thinks of as lying...?
"Oh, right. Don't worry about it. It's fine." Being busy on the inside is like being busy on the outside.
...I think that's what she means by "free."
"Great! No hard feelings, then!"
This might be the longest Sofia's gone without talking in opposites since I met her. It's really nice to talk with her clearly.


"You don't?!" I thought we'd reached a breakthrough...
She just strolls away, happy as a clam.


"It's so relaxing. I wonder why this reminds me of Carlos. It's so nostalgic."
So to her 'manliness' smells like her brother?
...I'm not going to lie, that's a little odd...
She seems to realize that, and changes the subject.

"Sometimes I go too deep and get all dizzy, though! Heh heh!"
"That can be dangerous, Carmen..."
"Yeah, I always push myself a little too hard! I need to work on that! Thanks!"


...I...I'm not sure this cologne is a good idea.
"Let's not do that."


...
"Well, you're half right..."

Well, anyway, while I'm there, I buy some recipe breads. All cooking, still.






She turns back to her calculations, but then sighs.
"Darn, I'm in the red again..."
"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that."
"I just need to come up with a plan! Find me something good to sell, alright?"
R-right...


A surprising reaction!

Anyway, after that I go home, ship a few things, and plant my grass seeds. Then I head out into the desert, all the way to the settlement.
"There are a number of travelling merchants who do business with us. They're all elves, monsters, and other non-humans. We trade with them for whatever the desert cannot provide."
That's...probably a lot, huh?
"Sounds like you've got life here figured out."
A faint smile touches Ondorus's face.
"Yes, I suppose we do."


You know, I don't think I've seen Kuruna look that carefree before -- normally, her smiles have a subtle, controlled quality to them. Is that the reserve of a leader, I wonder? Or just someone with a lot on her mind? It can't be easy to make a community out of so many different species...
"There are many monsters that live in the settlement."
"We're not racist like those savage Hornless. We welcome one and all to the settlement...Hornless excepted."
...How is that not racist?
Besides, well... I don't think all the residents of the town are exactly human, even if you don't count me.
I mean, heaven only knows what Sherman is...


"Really?" So there might be ones with big beards, is what you're saying.
"Yeah, my tribe has silver eyes. You might not be able to tell at a glance."
"...So you've mentioned." Several times.
"Hmph! Pride's nothing to apologize for."

After my visit, I go training on old familiar grounds.

I find a treasure chest, full of things!

...And decide to try populating my barn a little.

"Here you go, big lady...Wanna head home with me? Um, not in a sleezy way. That probably sounds bizzare."
After a few apples, she seems to have accepted my offer.


For a name...A name, huh?

There we go! Well, it'll do for now.
“Let’s go home.”
”Moo.”
I’ll assume that’s a yes. I only speak wooly.



I'M RIDING A BUFFAMOO! YIPPEE-KAY-AY!

I ride her to the inn where I take a bath.

Look at that moon...

Well, I send her to the barn and go to work in the field.


After all, all my goals in terms of upgrades need lumber, and lots of it.

I do go check on her...When Gaius walks up.


"Yep!...You're out late, though."
"I heard you rode a Buffamoo right into the inn, so I came to see."
"Uh...Heh heh..."
He sighs and shakes his head.
"You're just like Raven, Ramza. Monsters seem to like you guys for some reason."
Well, I know why they like me...But I wonder why Raven? She's very quiet, so that's probably soothing...


"That's correct."
"All right. Well, today I'll teach you how to take care of monsters, then."
"Thanks!"

We both stand there for a second.
"But I'm bad at explaining things. I don't know where to start. So, um, what do you want to know?"
"Um...Let's see..."
Well, we break down a couple of topics. The most important thing is feeding monsters: not just fodder, but sometimes special treats or cooked dishes. If I do, they'll produce goods and be able to work the field. Two monsters can't work the same section of field, though.

"What are they?"
"It's a Brush and Clippers. They're for taking care of your monsters."
"What are they for?"
"The brush helps you befriend monsters, and the clippers are from shearing wool from woolies."

Just the word makes me break out into a cold sweat.
"Hm? You look like you're shaking, Ramza. Is something wrong?"
Ah! I almost let on too much!
"Oh, um...Isn't nothing..."
"Okay. Anyway, you should brush your monsters frequently. All monsters seem to enjoy a nice brushing. Oh, and here's some Grass for you, too."
"Thank you very much." This is sure to tide Alma over.
"Oh, and please tell Raven that I said thanks for all the help."
"Sure thing."





She's already producing milk, which is just great! I'll be able to do a lot with this.


ICE CREAM!

On this, happiest of all notes, I'm calling it a night.

[Javan]

A fear of shearing, awesome.

Was that a random special event with Raven?

[Deme]

That was a request.
Some requests are 'bring me X,' but they can also be events, or taking characters to places. Raven's requests start off more involved than some other requests of equivalent level. But these sorts of requests are not random, and not repeatable.
(In case anyone keeping track with other LPs of mine, this is actually the last LP to updated since the forums went back up, so check on the other two if you haven't.)

[Javan]

Okay,that makes sense.

I just started playing Rune Factory 4 myself, considered getting 3, but I didn't want the story to overlap.