Sylvester

Sylvester
Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake
Japanese name	サザナ
Romaji	Sazana

Sylvester is one of the foremost fishermen of Zahan whose life was saved by a mermaid when his vessel and crew were attacked by monsters. Though he accidentally causes his saviour much grief, he is nevertheless the first man of Zahan to totally abandon the superstitious surrounding the sirens.

Appearance and Personality

Sylvester is a middle-aged man with a strong tan forged from a life time of working at sea. He is seemingly the chief among the island's fishermen, having the largest home and wielding much authority within the community. He lives with his wife and son, and is expecting his second child to arrive any day now.

Unlike seemingly every other inhabitant of Zahan, Sylvester did not believe in any of the superstitions surrounding mermaids. This, along with his life being saved by a pair of the fish women, encourages him to causally step on longstanding traditions to see that his debt to them is properly paid.

Appearances

Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake

Sylvester accompanied the rest of the fishermen of Zahan on a voyage to the plentiful waters surrounding Gaggle Rock, but was attacked by a school of madder mermen in an ambush that left him critically wounded and the vessel damaged. As fate would have it, Sylvester and the other fishermen were saved by a pair of mermaids named Elaine and Melinda, who drove off the monsters and nursed the wounded back to health while the others repaired the boat. Melinda was smitten with Sylvester at first sight and gave him almost all of her attention, with the two speaking at length.

Unfortunately Sylvester had neglected to inform Melinda that he was a married man with a son and a daughter on the way, which enabled Melinda's crush to bloom unchecked. This was likely due to the man not being in his right mind after his brush with death and the recovery from his wounds, and would have been besides himself with gratitude towards Melinda. Once the ship is repaired and the wounded, including Sylvester, are fit to travel the fishermen depart from Gaggle Rock with Elaine and Melinda escorting them to prevent any further sea monster attacks. Coincidentally, they return to Zahan not long after Sylvester's Wife asked the Scions of Erdrick to investigate his disappearance when the young heroes arrived on the island, with the two groups just missing one another. Sylvester made a promise to reward Elaine and Melinda in thanks for all they had done for the fishermen.

Overjoyed to be reunited with his family, Sylvester was making plans to deliver the reward to the mermaid duo when the Scions also return from Gaggle Rock. The Prince of Cannock let it slip that Sylvester has a family when he speculates that they will accompany him to express their gratitude to Melinda, which crushes her spirits; she calmly insists that there is no need for Sylvester, and his family, to venture out to Gaggle Rock just for her sake and asks if the Scions can inform him of this before he sets sail. Back at Zahan the party encounters him before he departs, delicately explaining that there is no longer a need for him to deliver the reward to the mermaids.

Sylvester is absolutely adamant that Elaine and Melinda be justly rewarded for their good deeds, however, and points out the technicality of Melinda not saying that the Scions cannot deliver his gift on his behalf. He explains that in the nearby Shipwright's Shrine is a set of sacred claws and a pearl earring that was allegedly given to a Zahan fisherman by a mermaid many, many years ago; as the people of Zahan fear mermaids as ravenous man-eaters, the set of sacred claws is meant to symbolize the severing of all ties with the sea folk. Sylvester says the earring should be with its proper owners and uses his authority to bequeath the sacred claws to the Scions as preemptive payment for their trouble.

Should the player visit Sylvesters's home during the game's finale, his wife will have given birth to a healthy baby girl. This prompts humorous dialogue from the Prince of Cannock and the Princess of Cannock, whose own age gap is close to that of Sylvester's children.

Etymology

• Sylvester's Japanese name, Sazana, is taken from the word for ripples さざ波 (sazanami), reflecting his profession as a man of the sea and the chaos he accidentally causes for Melinda