If there were a ranking of the most beloved entries in the Dragon Quest series, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (also known as Maboroshi no Daichi) would undoubtedly claim a top spot. This installment was the first to successfully evolve the vocation system introduced in Dragon Quest III, blending it perfectly with a gripping narrative and engaging combat.
The story draws players in from the very beginning. You take on the role of a hero setting out to defeat a Demon Lord, only to be struck down and turned to stone—before suddenly waking up from what appeared to be a dream. From there, you embark on a journey across the "Phantom World" to uncover the truth behind your visions. If you haven’t played it yet, you are truly missing out on a masterpiece.
However, discussing this entry inevitably brings to mind one of the most overlooked characters in the entire franchise: Amos. As the hidden seventh party member in Dragon Quest VI, he is so easily missed that even some strategy guides and walkthroughs fail to mention him. Let’s take a closer look at this forgotten warrior
For those who have never played Dragon Quest VI, the game follows the traditional RPG formula: you travel to various locations and recruit allies as the story progresses. However, what sets Dragon Quest VI apart is the inclusion of a hidden seventh party member named Amos. Unlike other main characters, recruiting him is entirely optional.Amos is found in the town of Scrimsley, a village steeped in the legend of a hero who once protected them from a monster. Unfortunately, during that battle, he was cursed; now, on every night of the full moon, he transforms into a terrifying beast known as the Scrimsley Terror.
The villagers, well aware of his condition and grateful for his protection, have dedicated themselves to looking after him. Upon arriving in town, players are tasked with a special quest: to find the Seeds of Reason, a legendary item capable of curing Amos and helping him regain control of his senses Once Amos is cured, he gains the ability to control his monstrous powers. At this point, the game presents you with two choices: invite him to join your party as the seventh member, or let him remain in the village to atone for his actions and continue helping the locals.
According to data from Japanese player communities, a vast majority of players actually choose not to recruit him. The primary reason is that he simply feels out of place; his character design looks more like a generic NPC (Non-Player Character) than a main hero.Most importantly, Amos is notoriously absent from promotional materials, official art, and even many strategy guides. Even when Dragon Quest VI was remade for the Nintendo DS, Amos was still left off the cover art and out of the manual. Because of this lack of presence, many players never formed an emotional connection with him and felt no strong desire to bring him along on their journey
And if you think that’s bad, wait until you see his portrayal in the manga adaptation. Dragon Quest VI: Maboroshi no Daichi, illustrated by Masaomi Itō (serialized as Aki Tomato in some contexts), features the Amos storyline in Volume 6 when the protagonist (named Botsh in this version) arrives at Scrimsley.In the manga, Amos’s backstory is even more tragic. He was a hero who successfully slayed a dragon to save a princess, but he was mortally wounded in the process. However, the power of the dragon’s blood kept him alive, inadvertently turning him into a monster. When Amos eventually reunited with the princess, she accidentally shrieked "Monster!" in terror. Heartbroken by her words, Amos regressed into an infant.
Feeling a deep sense of guilt, the princess raised the baby until he grew up. Once Amos reaches the same age he was when he fought the dragon, he reverts back into a child and loses all his memories—a cycle that has repeated for hundreds of years with the villagers continuously caring for him. Just like many players who played the game, Botsh and his companions ultimately do not recruit Amos into their party at the end of the arc
That is the story of the forgotten character from the Dragon Quest VI series. To be honest, if our team hadn't revisited the Maboroshi no Daichi manga recently, we might have completely forgotten he existed as well. And between us—when we played Dragon Quest VI on both the Super Famicom and the Nintendo DS—we didn't recruit Amos either. There was just no sense of connection; he felt like a complete stranger.
This stands in stark contrast to characters like Vincent and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII. Much like Amos, they are optional party members, but because they were featured on game covers, posters, and in manuals, players knew who they were. Amos, however, was nowhere to be found in the marketing of that era, leaving players with no emotional bond to drive them to recruit him.How about you? When you played this installment, did you bring Amos along on your journey, or did you leave him behind?
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