At the ancestral hall the family prepares to honor a young man—Aldric/Dory—after a disputed piece of calligraphy, and Grandma urges him to greet their grandfather. She then reveals the household descends from Navorin royalty. As they begin the ritual, a sudden tremor sends people into panic. A harsh voice interrupts: "You so-called ancestors of the Valmonts are all my descendants. I think you are unworthy of my respect." The rebuke and shaking shatter the ceremony, leaving the family unacknowledged and the crowd shouting, "What's going on?"