Rune Factory 3 Road Journal Part 5 - One of the Most Mysterious Harvest Moon Characters

Weddings Aren’t Just Ruined in Soap Operas

After taming a bunch of a woolies, putting up with the indecisiveness of one of the most mysterious Harvest Moon characters ever, and completing four season-themed dungeon areas, I was ready to settle down in the world of Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon. All of the effort I put into winning over the shy Raven was worth it, and it was time to take the next step. Marriage was in my line of fire, and I was ready to make protagonist Micah a married man.

Where Did Raven Go?

The oldest citizens of Sharance approached me and gave me instructions on creating an engagement ring. I needed to go out and do a little mining, get some crafting done in my workshop, and then it was time to take Raven out on a date. I did just that, presented the ring to her, and got a positive response followed by a big hug. Micah, you sly dog!

Sadly, my excitement was short-lived as the next morning I got news from the town elder: Raven had gone missing. Had it been any other Harvest Moon characters from throughout the series, I would have been surprised. But Raven’s flaky attitude made her the perfect candidate for the runaway bride in this installment of Rune Factory. Naturally, I had to seek her out. After a few lengthy cutscenes and some lengthy dialogue, I was prompted to enter a special dungeon within Sharance.

Entering the Dragon Cave

I expected the Dragon Cave to be the toughest dungeon in the game, but I had no idea the monsters would be as deadly and aggressive as they were. The creatures in this dungeons—wizards, dragons, and demons—were relentless, powerful, and resilient. I got knocked out a handful of times, and I just kept going back for more, faring better with each attempt. I then came to a halt as I stumbled upon a statue of the game’s first boss. I had to provide the statue with four pink turnips (strange), so I headed out and decided to do some good old Harvest Moon farming.

Progressing Through the Dragon Cave

I returned to the Dragon Cave after growing some pink turnips, presented my crops to the giant raccoon stature, and continued through to the next area. The further I got, the tougher the enemies became. I came across three more areas with statues. These statues were similar in appearance to bosses I had faced before, and they each required different vegetables in order for me to get through. The pattern wasn’t tedious in any way, but I must admit that I was pretty interested in seeing the outcome so I hurried and harvested as quickly as possible.

When I finally got past the four guardian statues, I had one more stretch to run and battle through. It was finally time to challenge the final boss of Rune Factory 3. The creature that awaited me at the end of the Dragon Cave was Aquarius, a massive blue dragon with some mean ice and energy attacks. Easily the toughest boss in the game, I found myself outmatched for about half of the battle. Luckily, I had plenty of health items to keep me alive long enough to defeat Aquarius. Though I won the battle on my first attempt, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a bit of doubt throughout its entirety.

Wedding Day

I defeated Aquarius, only to discover that the beast was merely testing my character’s loyalty and affection toward Raven. He could have asked if he wanted to know so badly! In any case, Raven was saved from the clutches of the Dragon Cave boss, and it was the day of the wedding. This event triggered a lengthy cutscene where both Micah and Raven wandered around Sharance and talked to the citizens as the credits rolled by. It was a cool little cinematic, and seeing the whole thing culminate with both characters trading vows and taking one another as their partner was pretty moving. I had conquered Sharance; I had conquered Aquarius; and I had conquered Raven’s heart.

What Now?

It’s been a couple of weeks since I beat Rune Factory 3, but I continue to work hard in the game. Micah and Raven had three daughters, I unlocked a new set of dungeons, I continue to fulfill requests for the game’s characters, and the farm sim aspect of the game is keeping me pretty busy. I may have gotten through Rune Factory 3, but believe me, the game has plenty more to offer!