Captain (Dragon Quest)
| Captain | |
| Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake | |
| Japanese name | 老隊長 |
| Romaji | Reu Taicho |
The Captain is the leader of the Tantegel knights in Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake. Though aged, he is forced into action by the kidnapping of Princess Gwaelin by the Dragonlord some months prior to the game's beginning. Though the Hero cannot prove that he is of the bloodline of Erdrick, the Captain places his faith in the lad for his strength of arm and sense of justice.
Appearances[edit]
Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake[edit]
The Captain is first seen in the game's opening sequence where he, his daughter, and a surviving knight are cornered by a swarm of monsters. The group puts on a brave face in spite of the dire odds, but are saved by the intervention of the Hero. He thanks the Hero for his timely rescue and is astounded to learn that he is the descendant of Erdrick; the Captain insists the group escort the Hero to Tantegel as thanks for saving them, and speaks to King Lorik on his behalf so that he may be granted an audience. The trio departs to continue their mission to rescue the princess.
The Captain is next seen after the Hero crosses the bridge to Kol and encounters a dying Tantegel guardsman. The guard informs the Hero that the detachment sent to rescue Princess Gwaelin has been wiped out, and she was last seen being dragged by the monsters into the Quagmire Cave. When the Hero relays the dying man's message to the Captain, he orders his men to give their fellow a burial and for one to inform the king of what they have learned. He also asks that the Hero not tell the commoners of what he has learned while he travels, fearing the populace would be cast into despair if they were to learn of what has befallen Gwaelin. The Captain, his daughter, and the royal guard then depart for Quagmire Cave, but not before he suffers a severe coughing fit.
The Hero rendezvous with the group in the opening of the fetid cave, where the Captain confirms Gwaelin's imprisonment and insists the group continue on to Rimuldar. His daughter argues that they cannot flee when they are so close to rescuing the princess, but her father warns her that a dragon lurks and if they were to be killed here then none would be left to recover Gwaelin. To wit, the Royal Guard has given into his fear and fled to his family in Kol out of shame, leaving father and daughter to continue alone. As the duo continues deeper into the cave the Captain's daughter is ambushed by a mysterious black fog, but it is driven off after being sliced from behind by the Hero. The Captain's coughing worsens in the exchange following the attack, and Gawelin's Guard shoulders him until they reach Rimuldar. There the Captain's condition worsens and by all accounts appears terminal, with not even the resident Priest being able to alleviate his suffering by casting Squelch. It is here that Gawelin's Guard tells the Hero that the Captain is indeed her father, who was forced out of his retirement when the Dragonlord destroyed the entourage of knights escorting Princess Gwaelin to the Shrine of Rain several months before the game's beginning. Gwaelin's Guard suffers survivor's guilt as lone remaining knight from the expedition, and blames herself not only for failing to protect the princess but also for making her father take up his sword once more despite suffering a grave illness. The Rimuldar Priest then interjects, explaining the Captain's disease was caused by the putrid swamps that have sprung up across Alefgard in the wake of the Dragonlord's rising.
The Hero departs to find a cure for the Captain, going on a winding adventure that takes him from the home of the Warlock of Doorlocks to the Cave of the Dwarves before ending up aiding the Faerie Village. The trouble was worth it though as the pixies were able to produce sunup syrup for him, which is able to instantly cure the captain's swamp sickness. In awe of the Hero's capability, he concedes that Gwaelin's rescue is best left to Erdrick's blood. Feeling revitalized now that his illness is cured, the Captain begins patrolling the forests surrounding Tantegel and can be found in the secret spot west of the castle.
When the Hero is making his way through the Weirdwood west of Cantlin in the far south, the monster controlling the forest attempts to trick him by conjuring mirages of the Captain and his daughter, which try to persuade him to abandon his quest. If Princess Gwaelin is present then she will see through the ruse at once, as she expressly forbade the two from addressing her as "her Highness" or any other formal title.
The Captain and his daughter are present when the Hero triumphantly returns after slaying the Dragonlord and bringing peace to Alefgard, congratulating him on his monumental achievement and calling him an inspiration to all.