Withdrawal in the Thistly Islands

Story

Some say that everything—ordinary humans, powerful saints, even the vicious rebels—came from a single source. They say that the source gave the humans a mission to eradicate all the rebels. It was supposedly on account of that mission, at least in part, that pioneers first settled in the Thistly Islands.

Rugged has never paid much attention to such lore. He is much more interested in running his farm: slashing down weeds, planting seeds, and reaping a harvest. With Gentle by his side, he is living his dream.

Living a dream, however, is a lot harder than dreaming a dream. Running the farm takes a lot of work, and since his children moved away, Rugged hasn't been able to recruit a loyal helper. Now that he's hired Tough Hand, he's hoping his luck is about to change. Unfortunately for him, the change isn't what he was expecting.

Characters

Rugged

Rugged enjoys each day on the farm and each day with Gentle. Weeds and pests don't scare him, but losing the farm does. He's hoping that Tough Hand won't leave him as his children and previous workers did.

Actually, his biggest fear is losing Gentle. He knows he shouldn't worry, but he always gets anxious when Gentle leaves town on her own. What would he ever do without her?

Gentle

Gentle is one of the most famous people on Base Island. Ever since she gained the power to heal injuries and cure diseases, she's had regular visits by people in search of healing. Not content just waiting for work to come to her, she routinely visits the neighboring towns to help those who can't leave home. She doesn't like to admit it, but all the healing actually drains her own strength. She should rest more than she does, but she secretly fears that she hasn't done enough to be worthy of such power.

Tough Hand

Tough Hand is Rugged's newest recruit. He has his doubts about a career in farming, but he figures it can't be worse than his last job. He felt totally unappreciated at the delivery service, constantly being criticized for a lack of speed, never commended for his ability to carry a heavier load than anyone else. He likes the way Rugged treats him and feels good about being wanted.

Hints

Save my farm!

Pests gain energy, up to a limit, by eating plants. Each time you scare a pest, it will use up some energy running away from you. When its energy is gone, it will flee to its favorite escape route.

What was I doing? (What did she say?)

In case you forgot what you were doing (or you missed some important dialogue), you may check what your party members are currently thinking about. Select the status option on the menu screen and then choose the character whose ideas you would like to check.

Failure is not an option...is it?

Defeat in combat does not always end the game. Sometimes, the enemies just want to take some goods they value, such as food or weapons, allowing your party to retreat to a safe place for recovery. Certain areas, however, are inherently dangerous; defeat in such an area will end the game.

Weeds are tough.

Chopping down weeds requires a farmer equipped with a scythe.

Need work?

If you run out of money, have no items to sell, and can't farm, you might be able to find another job in Tranquil Flat that pays a little silver.

The tumbleweed has gone too far!

If you regret pushing the tumbleweed to a certain place, you can reset its position by leaving the current town (or named area) and returning.

Shop faster.

When selecting the quantity of goods to be bought or sold, you can hold the run button while pressing the up button to increase the quantity to the maximum. Hold run while pressing down to decrease the quantity to the minimum.

Sleep helps learning.

Gaining a level requires two things, EXP and rest. When someone in your party has enough EXP to gain a level, head to a resting area and sleep there to experience the benefits of a level increase.