The Armlet of Transmutation (Golden Bracelet in the NES version) is a critical plot item in Dragon Quest IV.
Appearances
Dragon Quest IV
The Armlet of Transmutation is an evil magical artifact specifically designed to amplify dark power and create strong energy waves in order to aid the better performing of alchemy and magic; as such the armlet is instrumental in the successful performing of the ultimate alchemic secret, the Secret of Evolution; without it, one's transformation will more often then not turn out imperfect and warped. It is presumed to be composed of valuable materials.
At some point it was housed in the town of Vrenor, becoming the most prized possesion of the settlement; the people of Vrenor had guessed that the artifact had some kind of special powers, but not specifically what those actually were. However after the high monetary value of the tool had caused constant in-fighting and bickering over its ownership among themselves, the populace eventually decided to get rid of it, stashing the Armlet forever in an holy vault constructed nearby.
Alena and her party discovered it in the Vault of Vrenor during Chapter 2. However, unaware of its true importance, they bargained it away as ransom to save the kidnapped Fake Tsarevna of Zamoksva as the thugs specifically had requested. The criminals made off with the Armlet to sell in a black market in Endor.
Sometime between Chapters 2 and 5, monsters found and stole the Armlet from the thieves, presumably under the orders of Psaro.
The Armlet was again mentioned in Chapter 5 upon Balzack's defeat. It was later used by Psaro at the climax of the story to achieve his trademark form.
Dragon Quest X
The Armlet of Transmutation appears again as an important item in the Promised Reunion sidequest. Balzack was pursing this bracelet before he was killed and it was inherited by his grandson Abh, who entrusted it to the Hero's sibling. However, Abh and his wife Emria ventured to the Carsadora Volcano to destroy it and all associated jewelry, though they are confronted by Balzack's Zombie form, which desired the Armlet. However, after the Zombie's defeat at the hands of the Hero, they throw the evil artifact into the volcano, thus destroying it.
Trivia
- According to some of Kiryl's optional dialogues, the Armlet radiates some kind of evil energy, which was initially countered but not completly suppressed by the Vault of Vrenor's holy energy.
- While it is not explicitly stated, it is highly likely that Aamon required the usage of the Armlet since his transformation is identical to that of Psaro's later phases. How he acquired it is unknown, but since he was also in Nadiria during Psaro's transformation, he probably snatched it sometime before returning to the overworld.
- According to a resident of Zenithia, Estark did not use the Armlet of Transmutation. This indicates that Psaro's transformation (as well as Aamon's) from the likeness of Estark to his own trademark form is what signifies the ultimate evolution achievable through the Armlet.
- Grandmaster Nimzo was apparently able to achieve his trademark form without the usage of the Armlet. There may be other ways of using the Secret of Evolution to its fullest potential without the Armlet, since Nimzo's form is vastly different than that of Estark, Psaro, and Aamon and yet powerful in its own right.
- The Armlet's destruction in the Carsadora Volcano is a reference to Frollo's quest to destroy the Ring of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings franchise.
Other languages
| Other languages | |
| French | Brassard Etincelant |
| German | Wandlungsarmband Wandlungsamulett (TR) |
| Spanish | Brazalete de Transmutación |
| Latin American Spanish | Unknown |
| Italian | Fascia crisalidea |
| Dutch | Unknown |
| Norwegian | Unknown |
| Greek | Unknown |
| Portuguese | Unknown |
| Russian | Unknown |
| Chinese | Unknown |
| Korean | Unknown |