Editing Rhapthorne (section)

==={{DQ8}}===
Rhapthorne was born in the [[World of Darkness]], subjugating it with an onslaught of loyal followers and overwhelming magical force. Rhapthorne's ambition drove him to attempt to invade the [[World of Light]] as well, bringing him into conflict with the [[Seven Sages]] and [[Empyrea]] the Godbird. The battle between the two forces nearly rent the world of darkness asunder, but the forces of light proved victorious and the demon was slain. Fearing that Rhapthorne would be revived in the future and menace the world once again long after their deaths, the Seven Sages split his soul from his body and sealed them away to prevent his resurrection. His lifeless body was sealed within a massive rock on a craggy atoll that would one day become the Holy Isle of [[Neos]], where it was chiseled by the Sage Alexander into a statue of the [[Goddess]] to avoid being tampered with by humans. Empyrea and the Sages created a prison for Rhapthorne's soul in the form of the [[Godbird sceptre]], a tall staff that would be entrusted to the royal family of [[Trodain|Castle Trodain]] and remain guarded for centuries.

Rumors of the staff began to circulate the world in the intervening years, developing into a legend that it possesses incredible magical might that could turn the most humble dabbler into a powerful sorcerer. This is what drew the attention of Dhoulmagus, the failed student of Master Rylus of [[Farebury]]. Posing as a wandering jester, [[Dhoulmagus]] infiltrates the castle and steals the staff. Rhapthorne seizes this importunity and takes full advantage of the overwrought bitterness within the man, testing him by transforming King [[Trode]] and Princess [[Medea]] into mockeries of themselves when they attempt to stop him as a test before placing a curse on Trodain that turns the inhabitants into plants and wraps the structure in a wall of immense thorns to prevent anyone within with knowledge of the sceptre's menace from following him. Unaware that a certain [[Hero (Dragon Quest VIII)|guardsman]] remained unaffected by the curse and that the king and princess of the castle were spared by, Rhapthorne influences Dhoulmagus into murdering the descendants of the Seven Sages to break the seal on the sceptre and begins with Rylus.

Rhapthorne's killings earned him several powerful foes in the forms of [[Jessica]] and [[Angelo]], whose brother and foster father were assassinated by Dhoulmagus respectively. The mage and priest would join the cursed King and his companions as the pursued Dhoulmagus across several continents. The jester's rampage would be put to an end inside the depths of the {{Dark Ruins}}, but Jessica would place her hands on the sceptre after the battle and become Rhapthorne's new vessel. Though still carrying strong negative feelings over the murder of her brother, Jessica is unable to be fully controlled by Rhapthorne and avoids killing a descendant herself. When confronted by the party in the city of [[Arcadia]], Jessica loses her grip on the staff, which is retrieved by a dog named [[Sir Leopold]]. Being an animal, Rhapthorne is able to fully possess the hound and continues his rampage until Leopold is killed in battle against the party in [[Savella Cathedral]].

It is here when Angelo's scheming half-brother [[Marcello]] takes hold of the sceptre and uses it to kill the Lord High Priest after having the party arrested on accusation of the murder. Marcello's will is strong enough to resist being manipulated by Rhapthorne, but when defeated in battle he becomes too mentally exhausted to continue and becomes fully possessed. With the final descendant killed, Rhapthorne unseals his body on Neos and summons the [[Black Citadel]] to the World of Light. The party invades the citadel with the aid of Empyrea, and defeats Rhapthorne in the heart of the fortress. Refusing to die so soon after his resurrection, Rhapthorne absorbs the magic contained within the citadel and becomes a colossus protected by in impenetrable barrier. He then summons all of his forces from the World of Darkness and commands them to besiege all around them, sending powerful monsters to roam the land.

When the party gathers [[Six Orbs|seven legendary orbs]] to allow the Seven Sages to weaken Rhapthorne's barrier, they ride upon Empyrea's back and channel their power into replicas of the Godbird sceptre to shatter the shield. The climactic battle in the high skies ends with the heroes victorious and Rhapthorne's soul completely eradicated, with the curse he laid upon Castle Trodain and its people fading shortly after.
====First Form====
{{DQ8Enemy
|name=Rhapthorne (1st form)
|kanji=暗黒神ラプソーン
|romanji=Ankokushin Rapusōn
|sprite=[[File:HQDQ8-286.gif|300px]]
|hp=4,850
|mp=∞
|exp=0
|gold=0
|attack=346
|defense=186
|agility=115
|bestiaryNumber=#286
|family={{Q family}}
|spells=[[Kafrizzle]]<br>[[Kaboom]]
|skills=Acts twice per turn<br>{{Desperate attack}}<br>[[Disruptive Wave]]<br>[[Freezing Blizzard]]<br>[[Dazzleflash]]<br>[[Lullab-Eye]]
|description=The Lord of Darkness. His soul is imprisoned in the magical scepter of [[Trodain]] Castle, while his physical form is entombed within the [[Goddess]] Statue on the Holy Isle of [[Neos]].  He dreams of ruling the [[World of Light]].
|locations=[[Black Citadel]]
|items=None
|evasion={{fraction|0|64}}
|attack-resist=0%
|frizz-resist=25%
|sizz-resist=25%
|bang-resist=0%
|woosh-resist=0%
|crack-resist=0%
|zap-resist=0%
|flame-resist=25%
|ice-resist=0%
|grapple-resist=0%
|troop-resist=0%
|death-resist=100%
|poison-resist=100%
|paralysis-resist=100%
|shock-resist=100%
|sleep-resist=100%
|confusion-resist=100%
|dazzle-resist=100%
|fizzle-resist=100%
|dance-resist=100%
|sap-resist=50%
|drain-resist=100%
|remake-sprite=
|remake-changes=HP increased to 5,350<br>Defence increased to 196<br>Agility increased to 125
}}
====Final Battle====
{{DQ8Enemy
|name=Rhapthorne (2nd form)
|kanji=暗黒神ラプソーン
|romanji=Ankokushin Rapusōn
|sprite=[[File:HQDQ8-287.gif|300px]]
|hp=5,640
|mp=∞
|exp=0
|gold=0
|attack=428
|defense=161
|agility=115
|bestiaryNumber=#287
|family={{Q family}}
|spells=[[Kafrizzle]]<br>[[Kaboom]]<br>[[Magic Burst]]
|skills=Acts twice per turn<br>Anger of the gods (84~96 Bang-type damage randomly to entire party)<br>Burst out in defiant laughter (wastes turn)<br>[[Disruptive Wave]]<br>[[Freezing Blizzard]]<br>[[Inferno]]<br>[[Lullab-Eye]]<br>[[Meditation]]<br>[[Incantation|Flings the ball from the top of his staff]] (randomly attacks twice)<br>[[Starfall|Summons Meteors]] (80~96)<br>Smashes the party with his arm (100~120 damage to entire party)<br>[[Evil Prayer]]
|description=The Lord of Darkness himself, taken physical form, and grown powerful enough to absorb the massive [[Black Citadel]] into his new body.
|locations=The Vast Skies
|items=None
|evasion={{fraction|0|64}}
|attack-resist=0%
|frizz-resist=0%
|sizz-resist=0%
|bang-resist=0%
|woosh-resist=0%
|crack-resist=0%
|zap-resist=0%
|flame-resist=0%
|ice-resist=0%
|grapple-resist=0%
|troop-resist=100%
|death-resist=100%
|poison-resist=100%
|paralysis-resist=100%
|shock-resist=100%
|sleep-resist=100%
|confusion-resist=100%
|dazzle-resist=100%
|fizzle-resist=100%
|dance-resist=100%
|sap-resist=15%
|drain-resist=100%
|remake-sprite=
|remake-changes=HP increased to 6500<br>Attack increased to 448<br>Defence increased to 191<br>Agility increased to 125<br>No longer wastes turn laughing<br>Anger of the gods damage range increased to 160~192<br>Ball fling damage range increased (attack/2 +'''87''')
}}