Trial of the Scholar

The 'searcher' is a term used to call all high level Magicians of the Ivory Tower. In the first place, they are the ones who are supposed to search wisdom and thereby try to understand the nature of the world, those who try to make order in this chaotic world by applying the wisdom that he acquired through research, and finally, those who are willing to pass on the knowledge and experience to the young.

The searcher is qualified to pass on the highest magic. And the very test for examining the qualifications is the Test of the Searcher.

If you wish to acquire knowledge on a higher basis, you can't escape the trial, but for the time I think it is way too early. As the great Magician Akenias said, knowledge is something that you 'win'. If you think that your will is strong enough, do not hesitate to challenge the trial.

Good. From now on, you will have to seek the highly appreciated Scholar Magicians and complete the tasks that they give you. If you complete all the tasks, you will be qualified for the trial.

The person that you'll have to meet first is High Priest [High Priest] Sylvain. He is the one who has studied more than anyone about the light's purifying power. He is also in charge of the spiritual purification of Dion Castle Town territory. In the past, he also participated in the ' purifying plan by the Elves.

Greetings. I was waiting for you. Marya has sent you, right? By the look of your face, it must be. Divination signs of the stars is never wrong.

Here, do not hesitate and pass me Marya's Letter.

The Book of Knowledge? Ha! That was sold long ago.

Triph left it to cover his bar tab, but I didn't think he would pay it back so I sold it.

It was a Sage who bought it. He was a very eager buyer and paid handsomely for it. If you want the book, talk to him. I have his name here, I wrote it in the account book...

Ah! Here it is!. It was a month ago. Kasian is his name. Sage Kasian... Address...

Yes, I used to work for Master [Wiseman] Cronos. Ha, he told you that, did he?

I took that job because I wanted to learn magic. He mainly wanted an errand boy, but I was able to learn much from him eventually. Master was a nice man.

Since then I have been searching without success for any sign of the books. If this gets out I would be strung up for sure.

So, I forgot it until today. I have no idea where the scripture may be... Do you have any ideas? I would be very grateful if we could find that book...

Isn't an astrologer the same thing as a fortune-teller? If word got around to the other Magisters that I consulted a fortune-teller I would never hear the end of it. No way!

Who are you~hiccup

[Warehouse Keeper] Raut? Who is that, hiccup~

Leave me alone! I don't want any!

Again...one shot for sea, one shot for me. Two shots for me, one shot for sea...hiccup!

Uh, is this wine? For me?

Woohoo! What a pal! hiccup~

Yeah, is my great big brother, hiccup.

Not long after I arrived in Giran Castle Town frightening monsters began to gather in the corridor to the north. During this time I learned that the creatures using magic were not originally magic users.

I can't be sure, but I sense the complicity of Dark Magician Hardin. As you know, his school is nearby.

I can't imagine why, but I am quite sure that it is he who gave these monsters the ability to use magic. I have no evidence of this crime, and the suspicions seem to be mine alone.

Good. First, take this mark. Now I will tell you about the monsters you must investigate. First is the beamer. You must bring me 5 of the Beamer's Skins.

Second is the Breka Orc Shaman. They can be easily found in . Destroy them and bring back 5 of the Shaman Necklaces.

Beamer Skin, Shaman Necklace, Shackle Scalp. You have brought me all that I have asked of you. I thank you on behalf of the Magician's Guild of . With this, I will be able to find evidence to support my suspicions. If possible, I would also like to find out Hardin's true purpose.

The Test of te Searcher is a kind of test that all Wizards must go through. Only those Wizards who have the passion for research and humbleness in learning will pass the test and be handed down the high magic and knowledge.

But I see that you are not the kind of person involved in research. Every person has their own way. For some, it could be the mission as a Warrior, and for others it could be seeking the divine providence of God and contemplating on it. I hope that you will faithfully walk your own road and wisely overcome the obstacles that you confront along the way.

(Quest available only for Wizards or Wizards above Level 35 )

So, you have come in search of the Crystal of Purity? But...

Traditionally the first born daughter of our family inherits the secrets of making the crystal. But my aunt who taught me the methods died in a peasants' uprising, and ever since I have given up making the crystals. I don't make the Crystals of Purity anymore.

Sage [Wiseman] Cronos

Success? What do you mean by saying that you wish to succeed as a Magician? Did you ever hear of a Magician who became King? Well, the Emperor of Elmoraden, Baium was in fact a great Magician...But he didn't become King as a Magician! Do you understand? It's much better for you to earn money by doing business!

Sage

Sage [Wiseman] Cronos

You clumsy man. You should find that out for yourself! If you have completely no idea, I will give you a clue. Go and meet this guy called [Magister] Dieter from the Sorcerers' Guild in

Really? Thank you! However, is this Astrologer [Astrologer] Creta trustworthy?

Solved that robbery case, huh? That's impressive. I am not familiar with such things but I get the sense there may be some truth to it. I will take your word for it.

If you are looking for clues, you may find this interesting. Here is the key to the chest that the stolen books were in.

I can see that you are still in a hurry. I have told you all that I have seen. There were many shadows, this means many culprits. I definitely recognize the shadow of a human.

There are differences between shadows, but I see no more shadows of monsters.

Take this letter explaining the situation back to the owner of the key.

There will come a day when we will meet again. I hope our next meeting is of a more pleasant nature. Until then.

The loss of the scriptures diminished my reasoning for a time...

There were many outsiders around in those days... Mostly ill-trained Hunters Village, watching for a chance for one shot at the village. They were laughable. However there were some outsiders who did not hunt and were always gone in the evenings...

Yes! I remember them! There were 4 in the party, 2 humans, a Dwarf and a ! I remember speaking with the once. He asked me something about my master, I can't really remember.

Sage Kasian

Great. From now on, I shall let you know what is needed.

They are10 pieces of Ghoul's Skin, 12 bottles of Medusa's Blood, 5 bottles of Crimson Bind's ichor, and 5 Enhanced Gargoyle Nails.

You can get the Ghoul's Skin from himself. He often appears in the execution place of

Sage Kasian

How on earth...! Until now, I thought there were only 4 volumes of Scripture of Knowledge... But oh my God! It says that there is one before the 1st volume and one after the 4th...! How could it be...! Without the two, we won't be able to understand the Scripture completely! I can't believe that even after finding the 4 volumes, I won't be able to decipher the meanings...

While you are carrying out my task, keep this mark with you. Let's start purifying the doomed land of the Execution Ground. To do so, we need the Crystal of Purity. It is a crystal made out of pure formations without any substances added into it.

But this 100 percent pure gem cannot be obtained easily. The only person who can make it is the one and only, Marya

The excursion grounds...? I know... Many people were killed unjustly there. Among them were my families and relatives...

OK. I will do my part if it helps in comforting the depressed souls.

However... Somebody stole the scroll where I wrote down the secret methods for making the purifying crystal. It has already been a month, since. I reported this incident to the guard but for the moment, the crystal's whereabouts seems obscure. Take the letter that I write for you and ask Captain [Captain] Lucas about the progress in the investigation.

If you want to make me produce the Crystal of Purity, go and ask Captain

Maria's scroll... I heard that it was a very important thing. We've been searching everywhere but still there is no trace of it. The criminal must be a very thorough one.

Nothing turned up for a whole month! Phew...should we go see a fortune-teller just in case?...

Anywayplease tell that I am terribly sorry

No clues? I need to have my scrolls back to help you...

Speaking about [Captain] Lucas telling about the fortune teller, it reminds me of something. I know an astrologer who has been a long-time friend with our family. I think I'd better ask him for some help.

He is [Astrologer] Creta the Astrologer and I've never seen him since the uprising of the peasants... He is now living in

The clue I need is an item from the place where the incident happened. It could be anything, I only know that it is related to the incident.

Bring one clue for me. Speak with Marya, she can answer questions about any object associated with the incident.

You think so? Do you really think that this will be the clue that [Astrologer] Creta had asked for? Hmm... Maybe...! Then I will hand you Lucilla's handbag. But, keep it as a secret since Lucilla might be upset about it.

You said that Lucilla's handbag will be an important clue? Go then and give it to Astrologer

A very good idea, I shall do my best.... Let's see, the arms were unusually long, and the head much larger than a human's. And the tail... It seemed as though the shadow was cast by one far away..

Oh yes, one more thing before you go. . Soon you shall meet an ancient one. This meeting will be a part of the test you are taking. . You will return to this place soon.. Until then... Farewell....

This is the picture that [Astrologer] Creta drew for you? Hmm... Look over here! There is a strange shadow. Does this mean that this is the figure of the thief? But I can hardly tell who is who. By its appearance, it seems that he's not a human...

Why don't we rather show it to Captain [Captain] Lucas? I think he'll be able to distinguish who's figure it is, since he is an expert in this field.

Are you saying that this is the reflection of the criminal? One second glance,I can't help noticing that this looks exactly like Leto lizardman. His outlook fits for a perfect Warrior... I heard that they were having the time of their lives in the northern part of Town of Oren

If it is in fact, Leto lizardmen who stole the thing, like this fortune-teller's picture tells us, it is a huge problem. There must be something behind their stealing in this area.

It is finished.

Here you go. The Crystal of Purity... I hope that this crystal will sooth the souls of my dead families.

From now on, I'll do my best as well, and make the crystals. I wish you a bright future just like this shining crystal.

Good to see you again. How's it going with your job?

You have brought it. The Crystal of Purity made out of the purist formations!

To tell the truth, I already knew that she couldn't make the crystal. But I wanted you to help her find the way out in making the crystal. Thanks to you, the precious knowledge has been restored once again as well as acquiring the crystal which is essential for carrying out the purification job. Good work.

I will give you the mark as I had promised. Take this to Magister [Magister] Mirien standing over there. I wish you good results in the Trial of the Scholar.

Good job. I heard that High Priest [High Priest] Sylvain asked you to bring back the Crystal of Purity? I am glad to see that my worries were vain. Congratulations!

The next person that you have to see isGrand Sorcerer

Oh no! You have done well up until now but it seems that it's not yet time to face the final trial. If you go on like this you might get into real trouble.

Therefore, I suggest that you come back after some more studies. When I think that you are ready, I will let you know about the next step of the trial.

As the last step, you'll have to meet Sage [Wiseman] Cronos. He is known as the wise prophet and the greatest scholar of all times. Nobody know his real name or how old he is. There are rumors that he was even alive in the age of Elmoraden. The history book also mentions his name several times.

Certain people dare to call him a swindler, but I have met him during my days of discipline and as I see it, he is the true prophet.

At the last step, you'll have to meet Sage [Wiseman] Cronos He is known as the wise prophet and the greatest scholar of all times. Nobody know his real name or how old he is. There are rumors that he was even alive in the age of Elmoraden. The history book also mentions his name several times.

Certain people dare to call him a swindler, but I have met him during my days of discipline and as I see it, he is the true prophet.

So this is the letter that [Magister] Dieter sent? [Magister] Dieter... Ah! the blubberer! Of course I remember him! Did you say that he became a teacher of School of Wizardry? Oh, my! He made his way, in the end. He was apt to cry after being scolded by the wise, and everytime I had to cheer him up.

letter... The letter! Oh, yes, yes... It must be some 20 years ago, but I do remember. There was a big fuss about a stolen book, and the burglar... Hmm?

Yes, he sure seemed strange to me as well. Back then, the atmosphere wasn't so friendly among the Dwarves, Dark Elves and Humans.

What? The far west...? Uh? What fortune-teller?...

Ah, yes, I remember now. I was sitting inside the apple container that night, and right beside me, they were talking about going to Gludin Harbor, or whatever. Perhaps they stole the expensive book and hid it there? They were in such a hurry that they didn't even notice that something else came along with the inn fee.

Ha, ha... hey, young lad. You want me to give it to you for free? Then what about the debt? Are you going to pay for it instead?

Good! You are a cool guy. Then listen to me carefully. I heard that there was a very precious crystal. What was its name, yes that's right the Purifying Crystal. I heard that only one person can make it.

If you can bring me one of those, I shall gladly give you that Scripture of Knowledge or whatever.

You mean the Crystal of Purity? Hmm...OK, You helped me the other day, so I can't say no. I will give you a Crystal of Purity.

But, remember. You must never use it for bad purposes. Am I clear? Here, is the Crystal of Purity.

Wow, this is indeed the Crystal of Purity! How did you find such a precious thing so easily? You are more than I had expected. ha ha ha... Good! A man should keep his word. Here is the Scripture: Volume II. Take good care of it!

What, this envelope? It can't be... After so long time, you now...?

Whew... Please forgive me. It was a thoughtless mistake by my brother when he was young. I will apologize instead. Please forgive me this one time.

What? Weren't you here in search for the Scripture of Knowledge? In fact I have been suffering from nightmares for the last couple of days. Every night in my dreams an old man appeared and threatened me to give the scripture to the person who brings this envelope. First I thought it was just a silly dream, but then the same thing happen every night for a whole week... I was so frightened and anxious...

Anyway, I truly apologize. Here I will give you the Scripture of Knowledge: Volume I. But about the remaining 3 volumes, I do not know. My brother said that he shared it with his friends. I heard that some strange man asked them to steal the scriptures... However my brother and his young fellows enticed it from him again. And ran all the way to this village where I live. Afterwards they separated with one book each, and since then they lost contact.

What do you say, would you like to meet my brother? Perhaps he might remember something. By the way, he won't even try to speak to you if you don't bring him any alcohol, so here, take this wine with you. I hope you sort it out so that I can sleep in peace now.

Hiccup~ Everyone but I was confronted by Des... something?! He is an unusually cruel and deceitful Magician. Damn! Burp~!

Ever the hero, I gathered the scriptures and hid them away before he could find them. But the third one was lost to the forces of evil, the dastardly Grandis, a huge monster living in Giran Castle Town. Hiccup~!

But, now all is lost, hiccup~ all my friends are dead and I'm alone... sob...

Sage [Wiseman] Cronos

The absolute geometry was made a long time ago, around the era of myths. It contained every truth in this world. Mathematics, dynamics, architecture, astronomy, and navigation were all derived from the absolute geometry. So they say that he who understands the absolute geometry, can get hold of the world's power.

This absolute geometry is written down in Maphr's Tablet Fragment with the Giant's characters. I heard that the Dwarves are struggling to obtain the tablet these days...but I am afraid of the consequences it will bring if they are handed to such greedy creatures.

The Scripture of Knowledge is the book of absolute geometry written down in easy words. What do you think will become of it once they are in the hands of disqualified people? That is why I asked you to bring it back. After all it was only a part that I wrote... And with only 4 of them they'll never be able to find anything out... But just in case... Anyway, good job!

You have brought the Mark of [Wiseman] Cronos! Didn't you have any difficulties? I was a bit worried since he is a naughty man. Don't take me wrong. I didn't mean anything bad.

Now you have completely passed the Searcher's Trial! Congratulations! You have approached a higher level of knowledge and comprehension. I will give you the Mark of the Searcher. You will need it once you are trying to promote to a higher wizard. May Goddess bless you in your future. Bye.

These days I am very happy to help people who have misplaced precious items.