The Dunan Castle is a location in Suikoden II.
Overview[]
Formerly known as North Window, it was abandoned after its attack by the vampire Neclord. It later officially became the headquarters of the New State Army.
Story[]
In SY 460, at the beginning of the Highland Invasion of Jowston, Viktor was asked at the request of the Mayor of South Window, Granmeyer to look into rumours of young girls disappearing near the castle.
Riou, Nanami, Eilie and Granmeyer's assistant Freed Y join Viktor and set off. On arrival Viktor tells the group about what happened to the villagers noting how he had killed Neclord years previously during the Toran Liberation War. However, Neclord appears and goads Viktor, mentioning how well the condition of the corpses were thanks to his burial of them. At this point, the group can either attack or back down, if they fight they can't defeat him. Neclord tells Viktor to go retrieve the Celestial Sword and return to once again fight.
After retrieving the Celestial Sword from the Cave of the Wind south of the castle and recruiting Vampire Hunter Kahn, the group make their back and through the castle, encountering various puzzles and undead on the way to the top of the tower. Upon reaching Neclord's stained glass organ room he further goads Viktor summoning an undead Daisy, a childhood friend of Viktor's who died in the attack. He demands Viktor hand over the Celestial Sword in return for Daisy, who in turn refuses, decapitating her. Just as he goes to finish Neclord, he teleports away leaving behind an Abomination creature to take care of the group.
Following the battle the group set out to return to South Window to report their findings when Flik, Leona, Tsai, etc. appear at the castle gates. They inform the group that whilst they were away South Window was attacked by Highland, led by Solon Jhee, who had Granmeyer killed.
They stayed at the castle with no where to go and eventually decide to fight back and make it their headquarters. This leads to the castle being named after the lake it sits by, Dunan, with North Window no longer a relevant name.
The once-abandoned town quickly established itself as the HQ of the New State Army. As the war progressed, the castle attracted residents from diverse backgrounds as well as a variety of merchants desiring a fresh start and with that the castle and its land quickly expanded.
Living Conditions[]
Dunan Castle catered to a variety of individuals during the Dunan Unification War. A first-time visitor would be amazed by the sheer amount of space present on the premises. Barracks were readily available throughout the castle’s main halls and passersby could find lodging at the inn run by Hilda and Alex. On the castle’s west wing, one could find a variety of stores run by professional peddlers. A library operated by Emilia was opened on the grounds also.
Farmers could feel at home thanks to the small pastures run by Yuzu and Tony. A dojo was also readily available for use, although it was often monopolized by Wakaba and Long Chan Chan. The castle even had a port that was easily accessible, opening the castle up to trade. Life inside was accommodating and although many residents left the castle grounds following the war, others stayed behind in their new home.
Fortification[]
Life inside Dunan Castle wasn’t always fun and games as war was constantly looming. En route to Dunan Castle, General Kiba Windamier and his son, Klaus, attempted to ambush the fortress in order to quickly end the war. This was unsuccessful, resulting in a major victory for the Dunan Army as well as the surrender of Kiba and Highland's 3rd Army.
On another occasion, General Ridley Wizen and a small battalion of Kobolds were ambushed by Highland and Harmonian forces during what should have been a routine reconnaissance mission. Riou and Shu had no choice but to immediately dispatch a rescue party to save the general.
Perhaps the turning point of the war also proved to be the castle’s greatest challenge. On one fateful night, Luca Blight planned on conducting a covert raid on the castle. Had this operation not have been leaked to the Dunan Army by Leon Silverberg and Jowy Atreides, it is doubtful that Riou and his forces would be able to defend themselves, thus resulting in the massacre of thousands of people and the subsequent surrender of all of Dunan to Highland.
The castle and its fortifications held and Luca’s forces were instead slaughtered in the woods immediately beyond the vicinity. Luca Blight also lost his life, thus turning the tides in favor of the New State Army.
Security[]
Despite the fact that Dunan Castle held well during battles, undocumented guests occasionally fell through the cracks and managed to sneak in without further notice. Although the son of Lepant and Eileen, castle security initially had reservations about Sheena, as seen in his snooping tendencies on castle grounds.
Several of Seiryu’s competitors often proved to be somewhat maniacal in their pursuit to enact revenge on the master chef (one of which went so far as to poison Barbara for seedy reasons). Still, these are trivial matters when compared to the intrusion made by Lucia into Riou’s chambers. Luckily, the assassination plot was foiled and security measures were stepped up to squash any outside risks.
Current Conditions[]
Unlike the Toran Castle, which was largely abandoned after the Gate Rune War, Dunan Castle continues to be a thriving community. Unfortunately, many of the Stars of Destiny left to continue with their lives. Among those who remained include Hans, Shilo, Jude, Feather, Zamza, and Leona.
Services[]
- Inn
- Tavern
- Restaurant
- Item Shop
- Storage Room
- Armor Shop
- Blacksmith
- Rune Shop
- Scroll Maker
- Appraisal Shop
- Trade Shop
- Detective Agency
Trivia[]
- While the name is officially "Dunan" Castle, the player can name it to anything he wants.