The Origin of Lilliput Steps
There is a series of tiny footprints a spelunking expedition away from Happy Happy village. As with Giant Step, this strange landmark contains mysterious powers. It is referred to as Lilliput Steps. Now, reaching Lilliput steps is not easy; from Twoson (the nearest numbered city and teleport location) one has to fight his way through Peaceful Rest Valley, pass through the cult town Happy Happy Village, and finally battle through some caves. One has to wonder how such a remote area became imbued with Sanctuary Power. So, let us examine the facts.
First, consider the size of the footprints. We can conclude that these were not human, but instead were caused by something considerably smaller.
Second, we know that some strange events have been occurring in nearby Happy Happy Village. This suggests that the cause of the cultism is related to the cause of Lilliput Steps becoming a sanctuary.
Third, all of the enemies in the cave leading to Lilliput Steps, including the boss, have names that begin with the letter "M" (Mole Playing Rough, Mr. Batty, Mighty Bear, and Mondo Mole). So the letter M seems to be significant.
So now that we have that, we have to figure out the story that fits those facts. Now, as far as the landmark itself goes, we need to find something with a footprint smaller than a human's that is in Happy Happy Village, or maybe at the farthest Twoson. Now, there are enemies in the cave small enough to do this, such as the Mole Playing Rough. However, we need to consider the possibility that the landmark had existed and only recently became a sanctuary. If that's the case, then there would be no enemies in the caves when the landmark was created, so it would not be very difficult to reach the Lilliput Steps.
So what could have created these footprints? I now turn your attention to everyone's favorite money-making sport: Chicken Hawking! With an ample supply of fresh eggs in Twoson and Happy Happy Village, it can only be expected that some of them hatch and escape. With no predators in the cave to Lilliput Steps, a chicken could have easily run through it and left its marks on the small valley.
So that explains where the footprints came from, but what about the sanctuary's power?
Now, we know that the cult's leader, Carpainter, was influenced by Mani-Mani; and from my previous article we were under the assumption that the Mani-Mani statue was able to transfer sanctuary power to any spot it stayed near long enough. Thus it seems reasonable that the statue is the cause of the sanctuary's power. On the other hand, if I remember correctly, the Mani-Mani was with Carpainter when Ness fought him. Why would the sanctuary not be here, instead of at the end of the caves? My best guess is that the statue could not be kept near the general Happy Happy population, or they would have the potential to leech off the powers of the statue and overthrow Carpainter. Carpainter, upon realizing this, would have needed to have a safe place to store the statue; and what better place than the back of an extensive cave? The enemies there were probably drawn to the sanctuary by the Mani-Mani as a means of self-protection. Through the Mani-Mani's power they were kept from harming Carpainter, but anybody else who entered was to be attacked.
As to why the enemies all have names that start with "M," I suppose that Mani-Mani was just in an alliterative mood when he set up his security.
There is a series of tiny footprints a spelunking expedition away from Happy Happy village. As with Giant Step, this strange landmark contains mysterious powers. It is referred to as Lilliput Steps. Now, reaching Lilliput steps is not easy; from Twoson (the nearest numbered city and teleport location) one has to fight his way through Peaceful Rest Valley, pass through the cult town Happy Happy Village, and finally battle through some caves. One has to wonder how such a remote area became imbued with Sanctuary Power. So, let us examine the facts.
First, consider the size of the footprints. We can conclude that these were not human, but instead were caused by something considerably smaller.
Second, we know that some strange events have been occurring in nearby Happy Happy Village. This suggests that the cause of the cultism is related to the cause of Lilliput Steps becoming a sanctuary.
Third, all of the enemies in the cave leading to Lilliput Steps, including the boss, have names that begin with the letter "M" (Mole Playing Rough, Mr. Batty, Mighty Bear, and Mondo Mole). So the letter M seems to be significant.
So now that we have that, we have to figure out the story that fits those facts. Now, as far as the landmark itself goes, we need to find something with a footprint smaller than a human's that is in Happy Happy Village, or maybe at the farthest Twoson. Now, there are enemies in the cave small enough to do this, such as the Mole Playing Rough. However, we need to consider the possibility that the landmark had existed and only recently became a sanctuary. If that's the case, then there would be no enemies in the caves when the landmark was created, so it would not be very difficult to reach the Lilliput Steps.
So what could have created these footprints? I now turn your attention to everyone's favorite money-making sport: Chicken Hawking! With an ample supply of fresh eggs in Twoson and Happy Happy Village, it can only be expected that some of them hatch and escape. With no predators in the cave to Lilliput Steps, a chicken could have easily run through it and left its marks on the small valley.
So that explains where the footprints came from, but what about the sanctuary's power?
Now, we know that the cult's leader, Carpainter, was influenced by Mani-Mani; and from my previous article we were under the assumption that the Mani-Mani statue was able to transfer sanctuary power to any spot it stayed near long enough. Thus it seems reasonable that the statue is the cause of the sanctuary's power. On the other hand, if I remember correctly, the Mani-Mani was with Carpainter when Ness fought him. Why would the sanctuary not be here, instead of at the end of the caves? My best guess is that the statue could not be kept near the general Happy Happy population, or they would have the potential to leech off the powers of the statue and overthrow Carpainter. Carpainter, upon realizing this, would have needed to have a safe place to store the statue; and what better place than the back of an extensive cave? The enemies there were probably drawn to the sanctuary by the Mani-Mani as a means of self-protection. Through the Mani-Mani's power they were kept from harming Carpainter, but anybody else who entered was to be attacked.
As to why the enemies all have names that start with "M," I suppose that Mani-Mani was just in an alliterative mood when he set up his security.
