Scenario:Viceroy - Metal Maniacs

Metal Maniacs

The inquisitive Viceroy wants to create the world's strongest superalloy and asks (Captain) and company to help him find a gold brick to do so. Such bricks are hard to find, and a suspicious merchant almost convinces him to buy a fake one.

---

(Captain) and company land on a certain island in search of a new material their new crewmate Viceroy hopes to meld with iron.

The island is famous for its large bazaar, and they're delighted to see the bustling marketplace.

Viceroy stops in his tracks when he spots a family working at a produce stand.

Vyrn: What's up, Vice? Never seen a mom-and-pop produce stand before?

Viceroy: No, it's not that. Seeing that mom and her daughter gave me a rush of nostalgia.

Lyria: Huh? Did your family own a produce stand or something?

Viceroy: No, it's not that either. Just look at them.

Viceroy: See, that mom is teaching her daughter everything about their business, right? It's like how it was with me and my teacher.

Lyria: Um... Is your teacher that blacksmith you told us about before?

Viceroy, now somewhat embarrassed, squints his eyes and gives a slight sniffle with his nose as he begins to tell his tale.

Viceroy: First off, I'm not the sharpest tool in the box, right? So when I was younger, my friend tricked me into joining a band of thieves.

Viceroy: I had no clue what I was doing. And one day, for better or worse, we got this idea to break into a famous blacksmith's workshop.

Viceroy: But the blacksmith suddenly saw us and came at us with this giant hammer of his. I thought it was the end, right?

Viceroy: But he said he wasn't attacking us. He only wanted to reforge our spirits, and he taught us how to work iron.

Vyrn: Sounds like a really nice guy!

Lyria: Hee-hee... I can tell just by hearing about him that he was a great teacher.

Viceroy: Right? That's why I'm trying to learn how to make the best iron ever and repay his kindness!

Lyria: Yeah, great idea. That's really thoughtful of you, Vice!

Viceroy: That's why I really want that over there. It's okay if I buy it, right?

Viceroy points to an ingot sitting deep in the shop that's shining a brilliant gold.

Rackam: What? Of course it's not okay! That's a gold brick! They're harder to find than a four-leaf clover while blindfolded!

Viceroy: Huh? So I can't buy it?

Rackam: What'd I just say? There's some cheaper stuff at this other metal shop you can get though. Why don't I show you?

Rackam and the others hurry over to the shop, weaving their way through the crowd.

Only Viceroy is left standing by himself, unable to take his eyes off of the gold brick.

Charming Merchant: Hee-hee... Excuse me, good sir. You, the man with the golden hair.

Viceroy: Huh? Are you talkin' to me?

Charming Merchant: Pardon me, but I couldn't help but overhear your predicament.

Charming Merchant: Hee-hee... I have something right here you might be interested in.

Viceroy catches the glint of an all-too familiar color peeking out from the merchant's blouse. It can only be a gold brick.

Viceroy: Is that...

His voice cracks as he tries to speak.

Viceroy: C-could you hook me up with just a small piece of that?

Charming Merchant: Please step into my shop. I have plenty more inside.

Viceroy: Awesome! I don't know how to thank you.

The merchant says this gold brick has been circulating around the black market. It isn't as pure as other bullion sold legitimately.

Viceroy doesn't mind at all, because he can purify the metal as much as he needs to.

The two of them leave the main street and the crowd, and they slip into a dark alley where they enter a small, musty shop.

Viceroy: Hey, this place is kind of a mess. Lots of junk in here too. You really have gold bricks in here?

Charming Merchant: Of course. Here you are.

Viceroy: Finally! Heh-heh. I've waited so long to get my hands on this glittering—hey, wait a second!

Viceroy: You call this a gold brick? This just looks like a dusty brick you'd use for building a house!

Charming Merchant: No, you seem confused. That's the finest gold brick you've ever seen.

The kindly merchant drops her smile. Her eyes, now sly and cunning, dart back and forth as she moves closer.

Charming Merchant: All right, that will be one million rupies. Now pay up.

Viceroy: Are you serious? You think I'll pay all that for this hunk of dung?

Hoodlum: Oh, you'll pay all right. Heh-heh...

Some hoodlums suddenly appear as if on cue. The room grows tense.

Viceroy: Uh-oh... There's so little room in here that I doubt even I could take all these guys on...

A familiar voice suddenly echoes through the store.

Rackam: Hey, there you are, Vice. What are you doin' here?

Lyria: (Captain), we found him. So you got lost again, huh, Vice?

Hoodlum: What's going on here? I didn't hear anything about his friends coming along!

Charming Merchant: What are you waiting for? Take 'em all out!

Metal Maniacs: Scene 2

One day, Viceroy hears that it's possible to make a legendary sword by melting hair into iron, so he asks Katalina and the other female members of the crew if he can use theirs. However, after they refuse and yell at him, he leaves dejected and decides to go to a forest where he can find a monster with long hair that the suspicious merchant had told him about.

---

It's a lazy afternoon, but Katalina's angry cries can be heard throughout the Grandcypher as it sits anchored on the coast.

Katalina: Knock it off, Vice! Just give up already!

Viceroy: Please, Katalina! I just need a little bit!

Katalina: How many times do I have to tell you? The answer is no! And quit looking at me like that!

Viceroy: Sorry, but I'm not giving up on this. This is fate, Katalina. You're exactly what I need to make the greatest, most radiant iron in the world!

Katalina: Fate? That's not a word you should be throwing around so lightly.

Rackam: Hey, what's all the racket?

Katalina: It's just Vice. He said it's fate that he found me.

Rackam: Vice, you hound! I didn't know Katalina was your type.

Katalina: Wait... You've got it all wrong, Rackam!

Viceroy: How about you, Lyria? All I need is a small lock of hair!

Lyria: What? What are you saying all of a sudden?

Katalina: Huh?

Katalina spins around and finds that Vice has already gone over to Lyria and is begging and pleading on the ground.

Rackam: Now on to Lyria, huh? Ha-ha... Talk about casual relationships.

Katalina: What nerve...

Rackam: Oh, what could have been, eh, Katalina?

Katalina: Sigh... This is ridiculous. Quit yammering and help me put a stop to this.

The crew questions Viceroy on his strange behavior.

Crestfallen, he explains what's going on.

Viceroy: I heard about it from a blacksmith who once traveled to the far east.

Viceroy: According to the legends on an island he visited, you can make incredible swords by melting a woman's hair into the iron.

Rackam: Yeah, right! Sounds like a fairy tale to me. Why would putting hair in iron do anything?

Viceroy: Well, I dunno... I'd still like to try it for myself though.

Viceroy: If I could make a sword like that, then I'd be that much closer to the level of my teacher.

Viceroy: All I need is some woman's hair to complete my ultimate superalloy recipe. Then my teacher will finally recognize my skills!

Katalina: I get that and all, but still...

Lyria: Yeah, I don't know.

Charming Merchant: Hee-hee... I couldn't help but overhear your story.

No sooner do they hear her wicked voice than the mysterious merchant from before appears.

Katalina: You again, huh? You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here.

Charming Merchant: Now just hold on a moment! This isn't like before. I'm a new person now.

Katalina: Oh, sure you are. You're nothing but a crook, and we both know it.

Charming Merchant: I'm telling the truth! Look, I won't ask for a single rupie. This is my way of thanking you for letting me go before.

Vyrn: So you're going to help us for free? Now you seem even more suspicious.

Viceroy: But it couldn't hurt to hear her out, right?

Charming Merchant: Thank you, good sir!

According to the merchant, there's a forest nearby where a monster with long hair can be found.

This monster's hair is particularly famous for its beauty and fetches a high price at bazaars.

Viceroy decides it's just what he needs, so the crew sets off for the forest.

Vyrn: Hey, don't you think this is just another trick? It's hard enough finding any animals around here, much less a monster with long hair.

Lyria: No, it actually does feel like there's something around here. (Captain), be on your guard!

Monster: Groar!

Viceroy: Here it comes! Sorry, bud, but we need that hair!

Metal Maniacs: Scene 3

Viceroy obtains the monster hair and forges the sword, which stuns the crew with its perfection. However, an unexpected visitor warns them that a sword made using monster materials will lead to disaster.

---

With the monster defeated, Viceroy collects its hair and hurries to fire up his forge.

Viceroy: At last! It's all done!

Viceroy: Here, check it out! Notice the sturdy yet graceful curve. Stunning, isn't it?

Katalina: My goodness... That does indeed look spectacular.

Vyrn: You did it, Vice!

Lyria: Yes, well done!

With his work finally complete and praised by all around him, Viceroy smiles with satisfaction and breathes a sigh of relief.

But an unexpected visitor suddenly arrives.

Any version of Galadar is a crew member

---

Galadar: Dahaha! Just as I suspected!

Viceroy: Mastersmith Galadar!

Viceroy: What are you doing here? I never thought I'd see you on the ship!

Lyria: Vice, you mean Galadar is the teacher you spoke of earlier?

Vyrn: Uh, he's been on board the whole time, you know.

Viceroy: Oh, really? Well, you should've said something! I would've gone to see you!

Galadar: Dahaha! It's no problem, laddie. I've heard plenty about what ye been up to. Ye been bustin' yer beard, eh?

Viceroy: Th-thank you, sir!

Galadar: But I'm afraid ye dug a little too deep this time.

Viceroy: What do you mean, sir?

Galadar: Laddie, I'm talkin' about that curious blade ye got there.

Viceroy: The one I just made? What's wrong with it?

Galadar: Here, let me give it a wee look.

Galadar snatches the beautiful sword out of Viceroy's hands.

He eyes it carefully, inspecting the craftsmanship.

Galadar: Just as I thought! Ye used yeti hair. That's how ye got it to shine with such gemstone sheen.

Viceroy: Incredible! That's exactly right, sir! I failed so many times before, but I finally came up with this masterpiece!

Galadar: Indeed. But yer unfortunately not the first.

Viceroy: What?

Galadar: When I was about yer age and still a suckling blacksmith, I used the same method.

Viceroy: Really? You did?

Galadar: Aye, 'tis not so surprisin'. All the finest craftsmen should know this one.

Viceroy: But... I didn't...

Galadar: Heh-heh! And there's one more thing ye didn't know either.

Galadar: Forgin' a weapon usin' materials from a monster like this is askin' for disaster.

Viceroy: D-disaster?

Monster's Voice: Groar!

Galadar: Hear that, laddie? They smell that blade of yers.

No version of Galadar in crew

---

Artisan: Ha-ha! So the mastersmith was right.

Viceroy: Hey, shouldn't you be in the workshop? What are you doing here?

Artisan: Well, I heard about what you've been up to. You know, you've been worrying the mastersmith an awful lot.

Viceroy: I have? You've got to be joking! I wasn't doing anything bad!

Artisan: Ha-ha! Then what's that in your hand?

Artisan: Let me take a wild guess... You made an alloy with yeti hair and iron, and then you forged it into this fine item you have here, right?

Viceroy: That's amazing! You have quite the eye!

Artisan: Nah, that's what the mastersmith told me. You know what that means, right?

Viceroy: Not really.

Artisan: It means you're not the first to try such a thing.

Viceroy: Wait... Are you saying what I think you are?

Artisan: You betcha. Mastersmith Galadar did the same thing decades ago!

Viceroy: Whoa! Really?

Artisan: Just like you, he realized that he could make a powerful weapon by using materials collected from monsters.

Artisan: But what you apparently failed to realize is that doing so will bring about disaster.

Viceroy: Disaster? But there's nothing wrong with my swor—

Monster's Voice: Groar!

Artisan: Heh-heh... Looks like they already tracked you down.

Monster: Groar!

Metal Maniacs: Scene 4

Viceroy's new sword ends up attracting monsters, so he has to get rid of it. But he's not one to stay sad for long, and a short pep talk gets him back on his feet.

---

Despite having successfully fended off the monsters, Viceroy is still in a state of shock.

His shoulders are slumped, and he barely has the energy to raise his head.

Any version of Galadar is a crew member

---

Galadar: Dahaha! Now yer mind should be as illuminated as a burnin' forge!

Galadar: Heh-heh. Consider this a wee reminder of why I'm travelin' the world collectin' weapons.

Galadar reaches out and plucks the strange sword from Viceroy's hands.

Viceroy: Man... I was so sure that I'd finally made a great sword that you'd be proud of.

Viceroy: But all I really made was an idiot of myself. I'm still nowhere near as good as you.

Galadar: Oy, watch yer mouth, laddie!

Galadar: I think ambition's gettin' the best of ye. Did ye really think it'd be so easy to catch up to me?

Viceroy: But I'm such a screwup... Ugh... I just wanted you to be proud of me. That's why I tried so hard.

Galadar: Dahaha! It's not about recognition. Listen, laddie. I need ye to pass me up one day.

Viceroy: You do?

Galadar: Yep. I could ne'er have made a sword like this when I was yer age. Take some pride in what ye can do.

Galadar: Dahaha! Just keep at it. All right, Vice?

Viceroy: Thank you, sir!

No version of Galadar in crew

---

Artisan: Well, I think you get it now.

Artisan: See, you need to consider again why the mastersmith is traveling around the world and collecting weapons.

The artisan reaches out and plucks the strange sword from Viceroy's hands.

Viceroy: Man... I was so sure that I'd finally made a great sword the mastersmith would be proud of.

Viceroy: But all I really made was an idiot of myself. I'm still nowhere near as good as him.

Artisan: Hey, watch your mouth!

Artisan: Don't you think you're getting ahead yourself? Did you really think you could catch up to a mastersmith so easily?

Viceroy: But I'm such a screwup... Ugh... I just wanted him to be proud of me. That's why I tried so hard.

Artisan: Ah, but that's not really all that important. And even if he doesn't give you recognition, I still do.

Viceroy: You do?

Artisan: You know, when he was your age, I doubt he could have made a sword like this.

Artisan: Wahaha! What am I even saying? Oh well, just trust me!

Viceroy: Thank you, sir!

The road to making the ultimate superalloy is a long and winding one, but Viceroy will never give up.

He looks straight ahead, and with a will as strong as iron, vows to do the best he can.