Prince got off easy in terms of Runes *minor spoilers*

[JanusThePaladin]

It depends on the ending. According to the "best" ending, both Riou and Jowy continue to carry their halves of the Rune of Beginning, and they were both able to conquer the rune's will that they battle one another. This is believed to be the cannon ending. However, when both Riou and Jowy die, their rune will return to the cave in Toto.

In the basic ending, Riou becomes leader of the Dunan Republic and and never completes the rune, Jowy subsequently dies. In the second ending, Riou defeats Jowy in a duel and completes the Rune, given him the Rune of Beginning.

[Mio]

oh then... the Rune of Beginning never really reformed?

sorry for being overly confused

[EternalOnslaught]

Exactly. Seeing as that is the best ending. Thats the ending Konami went by, correct?

If Freyjadour got off the easist, Riou should be right behind him.

[JanusThePaladin]

Oh i agree. I really do not like the best ending to Suikoden 2, its to hunky dorey, alls well that ends well, my sister is a whiny bitch who decided to put me through pain when i really needed her, but its ok now and alls forgiven bull.

[highwind44029]

Yeah, I wouldn't say that Riou didn't get off easy either. His Rune doesn't grant immortality, unlike the Rune of the Life and Death and the Punishment Rune.

[Author]

In terms of Runes, yea, the Prince and Riou got the easiest, especially since the Dawn Rune and the Bright Shield Rune are both healing/"good" runes, unlike Lazlo and Tir who, well, you know. The Prince's tale is very tragic though. First, he was thought to the least important for being prince, then the senate, then the Lordlake, then his senile mother, then his parents dead, then all the strings of betrayal...yeaaaa. And the bad endings of S5 are SO horrible it makes you laugh.

I think Tir had the hardest blow. It's not a very good feeling to be bearing the souls of those you love in your rune...yeaa and having to eat them...at least Lazlo's rune is in the Forgiveness phase forever.

[suiko2fan2]

I think Tir had the hardest blow. It's not a very good feeling to be bearing the souls of those you love in your rune...

Its probably a little cold (or weird), but a least Tir always has his loved ones close to himself always.. and not metaphorically, but literally!!! sigh..lol

[Mio]

Its probably a little cold (or weird), but a least Tir always has his loved ones close to himself always.. and not metaphorically, but literally!!! sigh..lol

having your deceased love ones close to you *literally* is not a good thing

that's why we have cemeteries for

how do you expect Tir to move on with his life whence everytime he looks at the rune he bears on his arm he is reminded how his loved ones died

and that their souls are still being held captive inside that insipid rune

so Tir suffered the most

Riou suffered the least inside the story (since his life returned to as how it was at the beginning of the game)

Prince ranked second least since he did lost his parents and his aunt during the game

im off topic so nvm me

[JanusThePaladin]

I think Tir had the hardest blow. It's not a very good feeling to be bearing the souls of those you love in your rune...yeaa and having to eat them...at least Lazlo's rune is in the Forgiveness phase forever.

Not to mention having to kill your own father with your bare hands and your rune taking control and killing your best friend. Thats gotta suck.

Anyway, the prince definitely got off easiest, he is not required to keep the power of his rune, isnt cursed with immortality, and doesnt have any responsibility forced upon him to flee, like the majority of our heroes do.

[Author]

Anyway, the prince definitely got off easiest, he is not required to keep the power of his rune, isnt cursed with immortality, and doesnt have any responsibility forced upon him to flee, like the majority of our heroes do.

In terms of Rune, of course, but Arshtat had a horrible encounter in the Sun Rune, haha

[KFCrispy]

However, when both Riou and Jowy die, their rune will return to the cave in Toto.

i'm not so sure the runes will return to the cave.. Genkaku and Han built that shrine to hold the runes there and prevented others from getting too close to the runes by having the villagers protect it or whatever. not sure if the runes actually liked being there -_-

[JanusThePaladin]

Good point. Maybe i'm confusing them with the punishment rune?

[Author]

However, when both Riou and Jowy die, their rune will return to the cave in Toto.

i'm not so sure the runes will return to the cave.. Genkaku and Han built that shrine to hold the runes there and prevented others from getting too close to the runes by having the villagers protect it or whatever. not sure if the runes actually liked being there -_-

It WILL return to Toto. It was confirmed by Konami. Someone quoted it here or another Suikoden board, I forgot....

And another point, the runes are not exactly True Runes, but Child Runes so it's not as powerful as True runes, but does share some characteristic of TRs.

[JanusThePaladin]

I thought their runes were halves of the true rune, sorta like, but different from the Gate Rune, where as the Dawn, Twilight, and Star Runes are all child runes?

[Author]

I thought their runes were halves of the true rune, sorta like, but different from the Gate Rune, where as the Dawn, Twilight, and Star Runes are all child runes?

...they are. Wasn't the term 'Child Rune' fit too for the two?

We're getting a bit off-topic by the way o.o;