Maurits's Hermitage

Maurits' Hermitage is a location from Tales of Legendia. It is located between the Forest of No Return and the Man Eating Ruins.

Geography
The base is covered by a barrier to protect it from intruders. There is only one building where there is a meeting room and a lower floor with sleeping quarters. There is also a nearby hillside teeming with hostile wildlife.

History


When everyone arrives, Maurits brings down a barrier that was hiding the base from their enemies. Once inside, they run into Walter as he is about to leave to retrieve the Whisper Crystal. Maurits then invites everyone inside to discuss the reason why they wanted to talk.



Maurits explained that if things go on as is, Stella and Shirley Fennes will be used to fire the Nerifes Cannon, an ancient and terrifying weapon that was sealed on the Legacy until Vaclav revived it. He goes to explain further that the lives of Ferines are used as the cannon's source of power and there records that countless lives were taken with each use. When Will asked what Maurits' true objective to their invitation, he answers that he wants to form with an alliance with the Holy Rexalian Empire that's supporting Will Raynard.

He says that there are large number of Rexalian troops secretly stationed onboard the Legacy, though Will says it was merely a precaution as "the Legacy belongs to no man". Everyone agrees to it and Will decides to play his part as mediator between Rexalia and the Ferines. Though everyone is all anxious to start the operation, Will asks that Chloe Valens, Moses Sandor, and Senel Coolidge remain off the front lines due to their current emotional states. Fenimore shows them to their quarters, but Senel went outside during the night.

Senel begins remembering the time when Shirley showed him her Teriques. Chloe comes out and begins talking with Senel. What Will said to her really hit home for her, and she also came to tell him how her family was stripped of their knightly title. Stingle was the one who murdered Chloe's parents in front of her eyes, so she came to the Legacy to avenge their deaths.

As Senel was starting to walk out, Chloe decides to come along with him. After all, she's just as angry and worried as Senel is, so their own alliance came first. Just then, Norma Beatty and Moses come running out too and they want to help just as bad. Fenimore asks why they are doing this, and Senel simply answers that this is what they are and asks her to keep Shirley in her thoughts.

The next morning, the four try to re-convince Will to let them join. But he still denied them, saying that the alliance hasn't even formed yet. Just then, one of the villagers rushes in and said that Walter has returned with injured assistants. Maurits explains to them that the Whisper Crystal was to be the key to their victory, which gives Norma an idea: they retrieve the Whisper Crystal and in turn, they join the alliance. Maurits gives them directions to where the crystal is held, and Norma realizes that the place is the Man Eating Ruins, the one place treasure hunters should never venture to. Just as they were heading out, Will dashes out and says he'll send someone else to deliver the letter and go with them, explaining that he'll get an ulcer if they leave them be.

After returning with the Whisper Crystal and a recently-awakened Grune, they run into Jay at the entrance. Chloe got really angry, and started chewing him out about the submarine incident, but Jay countered saying that he was impressed that she got in there in the first place despite her weakness (which he found out on his own). He explains that he came to meet the Ferines, but suddenly feel the wind picking up.



Inside, Maurits explains that the Whisper Crystal would be used to mobilize the Automata sentinels. While they were away, a reply came to Maurits saying that the alliance is now officially formed and Jay is now coming along as head tactician. They then begin discussing the current situation. Vaclav is steering the Legacy towards the Holy Kingdom of Gadoria, which is currently at war with the Crusand Empire. Taking into account the range of the Nerifes Cannon, they don't have much time. There is good news though; with the ship on the move, Vaclav can't call reinforcements from offshore. Maurits calls Will and Jay to discuss the details of their attack plan. Chloe then asks Senel to meet him at the spring that night.

When he arrives, Chloe then requests him to do some training with her. They head to the nearby hill, and begin their training against the local beasts. After taking a break, they both agree that it's reassuring to have someone fight beside you. After going for another few rounds, they take a quick breather. Chloe asks Senel what kind of person Stella was. He said that she was kind, caring, gallant, brave, stubborn once she sets her mind on something, and also frail at times.

Senel split up from her when Vaclav's army attacked the village three years prior. It was then that he vowed to save her and Shirley. But then they heard a sound, and as they were about to attack, Norma and Moses pop up. After an all-night training session, Moses and Norma were all tuckered out but manage to awake thanks to a hard fist from Will.



Maurits and Jay begin explaining the details of their plan: they will attempt to capture Vaclav's frontline base during a nighttime raid, which will get Vaclav to draw his main forces into the "Bridge Plain" which opened recently. Senel's group will serve independently from the main army, which comprises of Senel, Chloe, Will, Norma, and Moses.

Outside, they find a whole unit of Automata all lined up. It was then that Walter shows up in Ferines garb, and it was then they learned that he was to be the leader of the Merines' personal guard. Once preparations are done, everyone heads out for the Frontline Base.

Trivia
The background music for Maurits' Hermitage is "Land of Peace". The Track is composed by "Go Shiina" and is on the original soundtrack at Track 29.