Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Here's another experiment that I'm trying out. Like my PSIV series, that melded Phantasy Star IV with Chinese literature and films (both kung fu and fantasy) set in period, I shall be writing a series of Phantasy Star III stories in a similar way: PSIII re-imagined as an Arabian Nights tale. Our first story, The Dreaming Prince, is a mixture of elements from the stories "The City of Brass" and "The Story of Kummir al Zummaun and Badoura, Princess of China" with Nial's quest. Naturally, liberties with both Middle Eastern cultures and the PSIII storyline will be taken. Please enjoy!

The North Country is an especially beautiful place, marked by extensive plains of emerald green grass and numerous lakes of crystalline water. Contrasting nicely with the flat green expanse are the numerous small mountain ranges dotting the landscape, some of which don’t go beyond a couple of thousand cubits in height, and are mostly covered with beautiful pine forests. Other, smaller ranges are made up of higher mountains, destitute of vegetation but making up for it in great mineral riches.

At the northern end of the country is a small collection of slopes from which springs the major river of the land, which river flows all the way to the sea. The low peaks and river form a natural wall between two large kingdoms, “sister cities” if you will. For many years, the two cities maintained a strong, friendly relationship together, despite their geography keeping them apart physically. The kingdom of Landan found itself nestled snugly in a bowl-shaped valley at the foot of the mountains, while the city of Satiri had been built on the banks of the river as it flowed down the slopes and into the grassy plains.

Not many years ago, the friendship between the two peaceful nations became strengthened in the wake of the union between the prince of Landan, the young Rais, and the princess of Satiri, the beautiful Lina. It had been the first marriage between the royalty of those two countries in many generations and had been arranged since the children were infants.

Within a couple of years of the wedding, Lina had given birth to a child, a son. He was given the name of Na'il Sarik bin Rais bin Sa'iki al-Satiri al-Landani and was the pride and joy of the kingdom. He was an exemplary son, obedient to his parents in all aspects, never once showing any sign of rebellion. He was a champion swordsman and, by the time he had reached early adolescence, had bested the best fencers in the land and made a name for him as a son fit to inherit his parents’ kingdom one day.

It would be on that point, however, that Na’il would eventually become the source of vexation for his parents. Rais and Lina had decided against arranging his marriage like theirs, but soon pressure from the nobles had put them in a position to find a suitable lady for him, even if the nuptials themselves would not take place for a few years. Na’il, however, was adamantly against the prospect of getting married, much less to being part of an arranged marriage. The sultan and his wife desperately held balls and parties, inviting nobility from the countries of al-Qatif and Elesvaram, but to no avail.

It is here, my dear reader, where our story proper begins.