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Star Ocean: The Second Story

Star Ocean: The Second Story is a Playstation 1 game that was released in 1999, which has since gained something of a cult following. It follows the story of two heroes, Ensign Claude C. Kenni of the Earth Federation who lives under his father's shadow, and Rena Lanford, a native Expellian with the power to heal and whose precise origins are shrouded in mystery, even to her. The player has the option of playing through one of these two scenarios, which, when coupled with other decisions the player makes, can change how the story evolves and ends.
A PSP remake was recently announced for a Japanese April, 2008 release.

World

[Under construction]

Star Ocean: The Second Story takes place in the year SD 366 (2452 A.D.), about 20 years after Star Ocean: Fantastic Space Odyssey, and almost 500 years prior to the events in Star Ocean: 'Till the End of Time. The canon contains a vast, highly detailed universe with many planets, but these are the key places found through out the story.

Expel
An underdeveloped planet located in the Arkula System of Theta Sector that has an atmosphere and gravity pull almost identical to Earth's. It is a world with natural beauty and abundant resources, and, as such, was enjoying a fair amount of prosperity until a strange object called the Sorcery Globe collided with the planet's surface in the year SD 366. Because of the strange debris and radiation it gave off, much of the world was polluted, and it had a negative effect on much of the wildlife (and some of the native Expellians), causing them to act violent and irrational, almost possessed. The continent of El was once a propserous region, but was practically crippled once the Sorcery Globe crashed into it.

The Expellians are a hybrid species, being the result of breeding between the humans and Felinefolk of the planet, among other sentient lifeforms. Because of this hybridization, Expellians a wide variety of distinguishing characterisitics. Some have tails, and there are many different eye, ear and hair colors and patterns.

Energy Nede
The home of a highly advanced civillization that our heroes discover halfway into the story. The Nedians were once a powerful race that controled a good portion of the galaxy, but after a conflict that nearly resulted in the universe's destruction, they decided it would be best if they sealed and isolated themselves away within an energy barrier, hence the name Energy Nede.

Milocinia
A mysterious, uninhabited planet in the Theta Sector. The planet's ruins indicate it once had an advanced civillization, but was wiped out somehow. A giant, dome-shaped ruin contains a strange device that whisks Ensign Claude C. Kenni away from his away team and onto another planet.

Earth
Never actually visited in the game, but worth mentioning just the same. Located in the Theta System, Earth started the first interplanety government in the year SD 12, which was then known as the Terran Alliance, though they eventually changed its name to the Earth Federation, or the Pangalactic Federation. During this time, the highly inflluencial Underdeveloped Planet Protection Act (UP3) was passed. This law prohibits contact with any underdeveloped planets except during dire circumstances. The Earth Federation has been criticized for its seemingly imperialistic attitude towards other planets, though, at this time, it is without a doubt the strongest and most politically influencial government in the galaxy.

Tetragenisis
Yet another planet that's never really visited in the game, but still worth mentioning. It's the home of the Tetrageniot race, which is known to have a strict social structure consisting of noble courts. A distinct Tetrageniot trait is the fact they have three eyes, instead of two. Because of this, they have superior spacial perception and typically make skilled gunners.

Culture

There are countless worlds within the vast reaches of space, many of which fall under the influnce of the Earth Federation. This is a period marked by research and exploration by Federation vessels, as they seek to understand the mysteries of space, as well as to scout out new life, though they are very strict about leaving underdeveloped planets to their own devices, as its prohibited by the UP3. Partly due to the Federation's controlling nature, there is ocassional tension with other races it comes in contact with. Twenty years prior, and again four years prior to the events in the game, war had erupted between the Federation and the Resonians, both conflicts Claude's father played a signiciant role in, although the Resonian front seems to be quiet at this time.

It is a research mission that takes the starship Calnus to the planet Milocinia in order to investiage a piece of technology that doesn't match its environment (an OPA, or Out of Place Artifact), which in turn triggers the events of the game.

A good portion of the story takes place on the planet Expel, however. Due to its underdeveloped status, most natives are completely unaware of the concepts of space travel and other worlds. Although there are several different continents on Expel, the culture between them all doesn't seem to differ radically. Swords and sorcery are the main forms of attack and defense of the world, with magic once again being referred to as Heraldry (see powers section for more details).

Technology is next to unheard of, with only a few minor examples (such as Precis' robot) of anything more advanced than the 1700s. Some things like heraldric-powered clocks also exist.

Religion seems to be entirely the realm of one goddess, Tria, who seems to have an affinity for things that come in threes; as such, the number three has some slight significance to the natives. Prophecies tell of a messianic figure known as the Hero of Light, who will descend from the heavens dressed in "alien rainments" and wielding a "sword of light," and save Expel from darkness. He is depicted in stain glass windows and art in some churches, most notably the one in Arlia. Many native Expellians insist Claude is the legendary Hero.

Wildlife has some familiar examples from elsewhere in the universe - dogs, for instance, and rabbits, although those tend to be giant and pink, as well as flora such as lavender and wolfsbane - but also contains plants and monsters entirely unique to Expel. Mythical minerals such as orihalcum, damascus, and the fabled Sage's Stone are realities on Expel, although still exceedingly rare, and are used to make the best weapons and armor. Healing magic is, aside from Rena, entirely unheard of on Expel.

Powers

Celine Jules is an accomplished heraldry user who has various symbols tattooed on her body

Until about 20 years ago, any form of magic was more or less unheard of until Ronixis J. Kenni became the first Earthling to discover and learn Heraldry ( also known as Symbology and Runology in subsequent games). According to the Star Ocean encyclopedia, it's "a technology discovered in 346 SD on the planet Roak whereby certain phenomena can be induced through the combination of the three aspects of invocation, marking, and mental power near an inscription of a special type of design called a symbol." In other words, people who are born with the ability (known as the Blessing of Mana) are able to use specific symbols, or crests, in order to cast spells. Some people tattoo these symbols onto their bodies, while others simply must be be near them, in order to perform heraldry.

The inhabitants of Expel, aside from those born with magical talents, possess no innate abilities beyond skill in various areas that might occur in anyone else - artistic talent, dexterity, etc.

Quatrina	Latest page update: made by Quatrina , Feb 18 2008, 4:19 AM EST (about this update About This Update Edited by Quatrina 2 words added 7 words deleted view changes - complete history)
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