- Frederic: "Then, as more mineral powder is sold, the number of soldiers will go on increasing. It is an endless cycle that, once begun, will be hard to stop."
- Beat: "Wait a second. If they keep on doing this, building up an army for a war that may or may not happen, then sooner or later, there won't be any people left!"
- Viola: "Yes, that's exactly right, Beat! You figured that out fast."
- — Frederic, Beat and Viola discuss the mineral powder.
Mineral powder is an addictive mutagenic substance that, although can be beneficial for humans, when taken in excess is detrimental to mental health. If used extensively, the user first gains magic powers and then experiences the irreversible side effect of insanity and eventual death. Mineral powder is made from processed minerals from Mt. Rock, and the production has released untreated chemicals into Woodblock Groves, permanently destroying its delicate ecosystem, and is threatening to harm Agogo Forest. Mineral powder is banned in Baroque City and Andante due to its dangerous side effects, though most citizens are unaware of the reasoning. In Forte territory mineral powder has almost entirely replaced traditional medicine due to being the only item sold free of taxes. Though this is ostensibly an act of goodwill on the part of Forte's count, Waltz, it is actually part of a larger scheme to create an army of mindless soldiers.
Addicts of mineral powder are known to mutate into Maledictors, at which point they lose human consciousness and are possible to battle. Maledictors are exiled to Fort Fermata.
The Magic Researcher in Baroque Castle has been investigating the effects and nature of the mineral powder. If he is spoken to with Polka as the controllable character in Chapter 4, the player can visit him in his room again in Chapter 6 for a cutscene. He will tell the party he has discovered the minerals from Mt. Rock are rich in magitone, which is a power source for using magic. The body can't cope with large amounts of it, which is why those who keep taking the mineral powder go insane. The mineral powder is created with magitone mixed with healing ingredients and ingredients that provide a temporary boost to the user's mental state.
History[]
- "Haven't you ever heard that ignorance is a sin? We never once said anything about the mineral powder being harmless, did we? And to be honest with you, I'm tired of catering to a public so idiotic as to believe every little thing those in power tell them."
- —Count Waltz coldly dismisses the party's concerns.
Count Waltz discovered that mineral powder could be used in his plan to build up an undefeatable army, as it would let him to command Maledictors into battle, allowing him to invade Baroque. Count Waltz discovered that glowing agogos increase the potency of mineral powder, which later caused Legato to mutate into Ruined Body and open the portal to the Elegy of the Moon.
Behind the scenes[]
- In the original Xbox 360 version, Waltz states that mixing agogos into the powder will double its effectiveness and then states that if they can obtain ones that glow, "the potency will increase tenfold." In the PlayStation 3 version, he again states it will double the effectiveness, but then continues that it only works with the ones that glow. He then states the estimates state that the potency will increase tenfold, creating an apparent inconsistency.
- The pharmacy in Ritardando sells a number of mineral powder based drinks, such as Mineral Powder Muscle Drink and Mineral Powder Super Slim. Allegretto or Beat make amusing comments when examining these drinks. Additionally, the tavern in Forte City serves a type of beer called "Mineral beer" that is apparently beer made with mineral powder.