NALBINA FORTRESS

After the dramatic opening sequence, you’ll take control of Reks. Follow Basch’s instructions during the tutorial, beginning with movement and mouse actions. When prompted, talk to the Dalmascan soldier then approach the gate next to him. Press X to enter the fortress and fight the Imperial Swordsman that appears. After defeating him, move forward until a scene takes over.

Attack the Air Cutter Remora until Basch finishes it off. Continue forward to engage 3 more Imperials then go upstairs. After Basch explains how to access location maps using the Select button, move forward to trigger another scene. When you regain control, head north. Fight more Imperials to get a feel for the battle system or hold down the R2 button to flee. Grab a Potion from a pot in the eastern alcove then continue moving north. Before ascending the staircase, walk the rest of the length of the hall to find another Potion in the northern nook. Go upstairs when you’re ready to move on.

On top, you’ll find a blue Save Crystal. Use it to restore the party’s HP/MP, remove negative status effects, and to save your game data. Afterwards, continue up the stairs to the next screen where you’ll fight 3 Imperial Swordsmen by yourself. Upon defeating them, move south to a door. Enter and head west into the king’s chamber where a cutscene takes over.

ROYAL CITY OF RABANASTRE

Now controlling Vaan, defeat 3 Dire Rats in the city’s sewer. If you can, try stealing some items from them as well. Afterwards, watch a scene introducing Penelo, who suggests visiting Migelo in his shop. When Penelo leaves, [World Map] is added to the party menu. Head east then go south towards the red X marked on your map. Speak to some of the locals as you pass by. Upon reaching Migelo, a scene takes over. When it ends, backtrack north past the shops and enter the Sandsea tavern marked on your map.

Watch a scene inside, where Tomaj explains how the Notice Board works. In short, you earn rewards by taking on hunts that petitioners post on boards throughout Altair. At the moment, there is one bill posted involving a Rogue Tomato. Ask to hear the details:

After [Clan Primer] is added to the party menu (listing hunts, monsters slain, game tips, etc.), Tomaj explains how the License Board works. Basically, you accumulate license points (LP) by defeating enemies and use these points to unlock tiles in order to customize characters. Some tiles require that you have a corresponding item, spell, or piece of equipment in your inventory before you can take advantage of the license. Other tiles can only be activated once, such as Quickenings. Get these even if you don’t plan on using them, since they double or triple your MP. For now, spend 5 LP to unlock the ‘Accessories 1’ tile so that you can equip the Orrachea Armlet Tomaj gave you. After the tutorial, [Licenses] is added to the party menu and you obtain a Writ of Transit. Leave the Sandsea.

Before heading over to Eastgate, feel free to explore other areas of the city. In particular, go to the northern section of Rabanastre and talk to the Conspicuous Bangaa standing on the western side of the plaza near a green sign. Agree to enter the building behind him. Once inside Clan Hall, speak to the moogle (Montblanc) at the top of the stairs to automatically join Clan Centurio. As a member, you can purchase items at the clan’s specialty shop in Muthru Bazaar, which is on the west end of the city. Visit Montblanc regularly to get elite hunts not posted on regular notice boards, and to collect rewards when your clan rank increases or when you slay special creatures.

When ready, go to the southern plaza and talk to the Desert Merchant standing next to the fountain. Agree to deliver a Small Package for him (if you’re greedy, you can sell the package in town for 150 gil). Either way, take the eastern stairs down to the gate guard for a scene. Once outside the gate, speak to the Hapless Merchant standing near the Save Crystal. If you kept the small package, give it to him. You will not receive anything for delivering it, other than his gratitude. If you want to get back inside the city at this point, talk to the guard near the gate then queue up in line; otherwise, head into the Dalmasca Estersand.

 DALMASCA ESTERSAND

Spend time fighting foes and collecting items scattered throughout the Estersand. Most treasure containers will respawn after clearing an area already visited, though they may not contain the same items. Note that you can steal items from sleeping creatures without walking them – a good way to collect loot that you can sell back in town later on. Creatures with red bars over their heads are aggressive whereas those with green bars remain friendly unless provoked. Also, killing the same type of creature over and over again (without killing another type in between) creates a chain that allows for better drops.

Do not engage the large dinosaur-like creature (Wild Saurian) roaming to the north. As a rule, any enemy that has its name written in red will likely slaughter you at your current level. Visit the Outpost next to the large creature (northeast) if you want to collect some items and gil in the sand; otherwise head toward the center of the desert. The Rogue Tomato you are looking for can be found atop a hill with a flowering tree.

 MARK >> Rogue Tomato

Kill off the surrounding wolves before engaging the little vegetable. Don’t be shy about using potions if you need to replenish your health. After halving the tomato’s HP, it will jump off the hill. Run down and finish it off.

Watch the scene that follows, during which you’ll acquire a handful of Galbana Lilies. When ready, travel southwest to get back to Rabanastre.

 RABANASTRE

Back at Eastgate, speak with Kytes to trigger a scene. When it ends, any shops that were closed before the ceremony are now open for business. Before traveling to Lowtown, stop by the Sandsea to collect your bounty from Tomaj. You’ll find him standing at the bar now. Having completed the Rogue Tomato hunt, there should be a new bill posted on the Notice Board:

The petitioner, Gatsly, is sitting on the floor next to the board. Speak to him to get details on the Thextera hunt. Afterwards, exit the Sandsea and use either the northern plaza or southgate stairs to get to Lowtown. Consult your map if you get lost.

Navigate through the underground sprawl until you reach old Dalan’s residence, which is on the southernmost end of Lowtown. Although there are many treasure pots scattered throughout Lowtown, do not open the pot directly across from Dalan’s House. By avoiding this pot (and 3 others you’ll come across during the game), you’ll be able to acquire the Zodiac Spear later on. It is the most powerful weapon in FFXII but, of course, the choice is yours.

Watch a scene upon entering Dalan’s house, during which you’ll receive the Crescent Stone. Dalan instructs you to take it to the nomads in Giza Plains. Exit Lowtown via the Southgate portal near his house.

Outside, you’ll find a Chocobo rental stall and an orange Save Crystal that also functions as a teleport station once additional destinations are found. If you want a map of Giza Plains before venturing out, go to the southern plaza in Rabanastre and buy it from the Cartographer Guild’s moogle there. When ready, exit Southgate to reach the Giza Plains.

 GIZA PLAINS

Collect items in pots and fight foes as you travel south towards Nomad Village. Once there, speak with Masyua, who is standing to the northwest, to learn that you need to find a boy named Jinn. After Penelo joins the party, talk to the child next to the tent. Camina tells you that Jinn was last seen to the south. Stock up on supplies or buy a map from Nutsy, the moogle if you like. Save your game then exit the village in any direction to trigger a scene.

Penelo gives you some items (3 Potions and 2 Phoenix Downs) then [Gambit] is added to the battle menu. Although you cannot arrange or set them now, Gambits allow you to control party members’ actions in battle. Make your way south through the plains using either the left or right route. Note that the friendly Giza Rabbits may heal you if you stand near them for a while. Avoid the large werewolf creatures that roam near the southwestern region. Like the Wild Saurian in Estersand, these big foes will kill you instantly should you happen to engage them at your current level.

You’ll find Jinn sitting near a Save Crystal in Crystal Glade, which is at the southernmost edge of the plains. Explain your situation and Jinn will give you a Shadestone. To power it up, you must absorb energy from at least 3 of the 4 shimmering crystals in the plains. Jinn adds markers on your map so that you can find them easily.

A meter appears on screen showing how much energy you’ve absorbed from each crystal. Once it has reached 100%, Jinn automatically takes you back to Nomad Village. His safe return nets you 50 gil, 2 Potions and 2 Teleport Stones. Return to Rabanastre when ready.

 RABANASTRE / DALMASCA WESTERSAND

At this point, you might want to complete the second Notice Board hunt. If so, exit Rabanastre from Westgate. Travel west through Galtea Downs, hugging the leftmost cliff. After battling a few small wolves, you’ll eventually stumble upon a much larger one. This is Thextera - the mark Gatsly wanted you to vanquish.

 MARK >> Thextera

With Penelo still in your party, the wolf should not be too difficult to defeat. The creature uses a Lunge attack and can sometimes inflict poison. Rid the ailment with an Antidote. Use potions or Cure magick as needed. At critical, Thextera uses Call For Help to summon a new cadre of smaller wolves, so work fast at that point to take her out.

Return to Rabanastre afterwards and pick up your bounty from Gatsly in the Sandsea tavern. Once Gatsly relocates to the Muthru Bazaar, visit him there so that he adds a special item (Forgotten Grimoire) to the Bazaar Goods menu. Grimoires are expensive but worth the investment, as they increase your chances of getting rare drops from various species of monsters.

If you completed the Thextera hunt, check the Sandsea’s Notice Board for a new posting:

When ready, go to Dalan’s house in Lowtown. After Penelo leaves, speak with Dalan to obtain the sun-soaked Crescent Stone. Exit his house for a brief scene then head north. Look for Storeroom 5, which is near the northwest corner of Lowtown. Once there, Kytes will give you some restorative items and unlock the door on the left (the door on the right leads to the sewer where you fought the Dire Rats earlier). Enter the western sewers when ready.

GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY

Move forward and use the Save Crystal on the left. Explore the eastern path for treasure or just go west to the next screen. Once inside the Northern Sluiceway, travel north, veering down the two western paths to pick up treasure from pots. Continue east along the upper path, veering off to pick up an item when you can. Cross the water channels and when you get to the other side, head north. On the next screen, go west through the water, veering off occasionally to pick up more items from pots. At the end of the channel, travel north and ascend the staircase. Choose to enter the palace and watch the scene that follows.

ROYAL PALACE OF RABANASTRE

When you regain control, examine the ornate urn in the corner to acquire a map of the Royal Palace. Use the crystal to save your game then enter the door to the east. Avoid the treasure containers on the left and right as you make your way through the cellar. One of them forfeits your chance of getting the Zodiac Spear later on. Watch a scene towards the end of the room. When it ends, approach the guard near the stairs who tells you to wait with the others. Talk to the Bangaa servant closest to the stairs and he offers to help you get past the guard. When prompted, press Square to call the guard then quickly run upstairs before he has a chance to catch you. Enter the door on top.

Your goal is to reach the Lion Signet in the center of the room, but you’ll have to sneak around some guards first. Move forward to the first intersection then head south around a corner. When you reach the next intersection, call to the guards facing north. As they start approaching, run back to the first intersection. Once there, call to the guards facing north on the left side of the room then run east, past the Hawk Signet on the floor. Head north when you can then veer west into the next hallway. Use the Crescent Stone on the Lion Signet in the center. Doing so unlocks a passage elsewhere in the room.

Continue heading west then call to the solo guard facing north. When he starts to approach, run east down the Lion Signet hall then go north, up to the 4th hallway. Head west as far as you can and examine the faint green light behind the wall there. Enter the secret passage.

Move forward until you find a switch on the left wall. Use it to unlock the golden wall on the right. Go inside the new area to trigger a scene introducing Balthier and Fran. After obtaining the Goddess’s Magicite, go upstairs. Watch a cutscene on top. When it ends, you’ll be inside the eastern part of the sewers.

GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY

After Balthier and Fran join your party, descend the stairs to prompt a tutorial on Gambits, which allow you to script the actions of party members in battle. You will acquire different types of Gambits throughout the course of the game. Set some now if you like (recommended) then save your game at the top of the stairs. Both [Gambits] and [Party] are now added to the menu screen.

Examine the fallen soldiers in the water below for a scene then head south to the next screen. Move forward then veer east to find an urn containing a map of the Waterway and a pot containing treasure. Go west up a set of stairs to find another treasure pot then go down into the water. Zigzag along the paths, moving southward until you get to the No. 11 Channel.

Once there, take the western path over to a treasure then follow the eastern path around. Grab items in the alcove on the left then continue south. There are treasure pots off the southeastern paths. After looting them, continue south to the next screen. Veer west when you can to find a Save Crystal. Use it then go down into the water to initiate a scene with a girl.

After fighting off a group of Imperial Swordsmen, watch a scene then approach ‘Amalia’ and she will join your party as a guest. Guest characters cannot be controlled, however you can heal or revive them should the need occur. Travel west to the next area. Once there, snatch an item in the pot at the end of the lower right path then move towards the waterfalls.

BOSS >> Flans x 4

These gooey foes primarily cause damage by spinning, slapping, and blinding party members. Avoid getting stuck in the middle with them. Spread out and cast Fire spells, which are much more effective than physical attacks. Use Eye Drops to rid blindness and heal HP as needed.

Afterwards, grab an item from the pot at the end of the leftmost path then descend the stairs in the northwest corner. Get another item from the pot up ahead then travel west. Go north into the No. 10 Channel.

Veer west off the path to find more treasure then follow the eastern path over to the Central Waterway Control area. Use the Save Crystal next to 4 rusted devices before entering the Overflow Cloaca. Watch a scene then battle the fiery horse that appears.

BOSS >> Firemane

The horse is weak against water but Blizzard spells work fine as well. During the battle, Firemane teleports around the room, so your attacks will miss sometimes. When you see the boss preparing to cast Brushfire, move out of the way to avoid getting pummeled by raining fireballs. Should a party member fall, Amalia will automatically use a Phoenix Down (from her own inventory) to revive them. Heal often and use Antidotes to cure anyone’s poison status.

Watch the scenes that follow, with the party ending up inside a dungeon.

NALBINA DUNGEONS

Talk to other prisoners in the stockade as you search for pots containing Knots of Rust. These items may come in handy shortly since your captors have taken the party’s equipment, weapons, and items. Afterwards, go through the northern door and use the Save Crystal posted there. Once you move to the next screen, you’ll be thrown into a pit with 3 Seeq brutes. Balthier comes to aid you.

BOSS >> Galeedo, Gwitch, Daguza

Since you have no weapons equipped, you’ll be fighting with your fists. Toss those Knots of Rust on the guards or use Fire magick to make short work of them.

Watch a scene then move towards the Save Crystal to automatically recover the party’s gear and receive a map of the Nalbina Dungeons. If you care about getting the Zodiac Spear later on, ignore the pots in the room; otherwise, open them to receive a gambit action and Tourmaline Ring. After saving your game, move ahead to the Blackwatch area, where you’ll see numerous foes milling about.

The goal is to head northwest but Imperial Swordsmen, Hoplites, and Magus will have you surrounded if you try to rush through. The better choice is to watch their movements and strike when they have separated into smaller units. Gather a few nice items while moving through. Upon reaching the top of the northern chamber, a scene occurs showing a hidden passageway being opened by Judge Gabranth. Enter to trigger a scene.

 BARHEIM PASSAGE

After Basch joins the party as a guest, go downstairs. Search the small room on the right for treasure then continue west. Examine the power relay device on the left before using the Save Crystal up ahead. Go downstairs and speak with the merchant sitting near the gate. After acquiring the Tube Fuse from Burrogh, check out his wares.

When ready, go up and install the fuse on the relay device. A Charge Meter will appear on screen. Now, go down and flip the gate switch next to Burrogh to deplete the meter by 30%. Pass through and watch a scene showing how Mimic enemies siphon energy. Killing them will replenish the meter and prevents darker foes from appearing, but you’ll have to act quickly. All Mimics are weak to ice spells, btw.

Start by heading south into the next room. Kill the Battery Mimics and collect items in the corners then use the eastern exit to reach the Great Eastern Conduit. Follow the tracks south and look for an urn containing a map of the Barheim Passage about a third of the way down. Double-back to get it. Use the map to see where the Mimics are located and follow the railway tracks that lead to them, though veering off occasionally yields nice treasures.

Kill Mimics in a room to the west (Op Sector 36) then return to the railway and continue heading south. On the next screen, veer west to reach a room occupied by both Flans and Mimics. Make your way upstairs and into the sector further west. Fight your way up a second flight of stairs then go to the northwest corner where you’ll find a gate switch. Flip it to unlock a gate further down. Leave the sector and get back on the tracks. Continue south until a scene takes over.

When you regain control, use the Save Crystal then continue south to the junction. Be warned that some pots in this area are actually Mimics in disguise. Keep moving south until you reach the Zeviah Subterrane. Pass through to the eastern side of the cavern and continue to the next screen. There’s another Save Crystal on the tracks up ahead. Use it then head south to face a boss.

BOSS >> Mimic Queen

The Queen regenerates the little Batteries, so ignore them if you can. Focus on attacking the main boss, while staying clear of her Shockstorm and Ground Shaker attacks, which might kill weaker party members. Casting Slow on the boss buys you some time to heal. Use ice spells to great effect. When the boss is about to perish, a scene takes over.

DALMASCA ESTERSAND

You regain control outside of the freshly collapsed Barheim entrance. Use the Save Crystal there then determine which route to take back to Rabanastre. To travel on foot, head southwest through the Yardang Labyrinth to reach the Outpost and continue further south to return to Rabanastre.

If you want to complete the Flowering Cactus hunt now, speak to petitioner Dantro while in the Outpost. Afterwards, re-enter the Yardang Labyrinth and look for the mark close to the center of the region.

MARK >> Flowering Cactoid

It’s a speedy little bugger so try slowing it before it has a chance to run. You may need to chase it down while fighting off regular Cactoid enemies that accompany it. Prepare to revive anyone who gets hits with its 1,000 Needles attack; otherwise, pummel the little guy with long-range weapons and Aero spells. Heal as necessary.

After slaying the Flowering Cactoid, you’ll receive a rare Cactus Flower. Return to the Outpost and collect your bounty from Dantro. Talk to him again and he will ask you to deliver the cactus flower to his wife in a village to the north. If you have not visited South Bank Village yet, now would be a good time.

SOUTH BANK VILLAGE / NALBINA FORTRESS – Optional

Head north through Dalmasca Estersand, past the Barheim entrance, until you reach a village on the banks of the Nebra river. Inside South Bank Village, there’s a Teleport Crystal, an item merchant, and a moogle that sells maps. Dantro’s Wife is standing in front of a hut near the merchant. Give her the flower you obtained by defeating the Cactoid mark and she will hand you a Bundle of Needles.

Speak to Dantro’s Wife again and she’ll ask for some Semclam Shells. Look for shiny objects along the riverbank, both in the village and outside. After gathering at least 3 shells from the shore, return to Dantro’s Wife. Talk to her until she mentions needing Nebralim to help her ailing visitor. Leave the village and start trekking back to the Outpost.

En route, stop by the Nalbina Fortress, which is directly south of the collapsed Barheim entrance. Take the eastern exit out of the Estersand to reach it. You’ll find a chocobo stall, a Teleport Crystal, and an item vendor at the entrance. Head east into Jajim Bazaar. At this point in the game, Nalbina’s shops stock merchandise similar to Rabanastre’s but check in later for new wares. The fortress has an Aerodrome as well, but it is not operating at the moment.

When ready, exit Nalbina and continue traveling south, back to the Outpost. Ask Dantro for some Nebralim and he’ll tell you to look near the crates. Search the tall stack in front of him for a phial. There’s another phial of Nebralim in the northeastern corner of the Outpost. Grab both then return to South Bank Village. Give the medicine to Dantro’s Wife and she’ll ask that you gather some Valeblossom Dew, which can be found along the cliffs in the Broken Sands region. Since the ferry is not operational yet, you’ll have to wait to collect it. For now, use the Teleport Crystal to warp back to Rabanastre or trek back on foot.

RABANASTRE

Watch a cutscene upon entering the city. Once Balthier, Fran, and Basch leave, talk to the moogle standing by the colorful signpost near the Save Crystal. Hurdy explains that the moogle’s teleport service is now up and running, allowing you to warp to various parts of the city free of charge. Use it to warp to the Sandsea so that you can check the Notice Board for new hunts:

The shops now carry new merchandise, spells, etc. Spend some time upgrading then head over to Migelo’s shop. Watch a scene inside then go to Dalan’s house in Lowtown. Dalan asks you to deliver a sword to Azelas. Go to the west end of the northern sprawl (red X on map) and talk to the man sitting on the crates to gain entry into the resistance’s hideout. Watch a scene inside, during which Basch officially joins your party.

Exit the hideout and visit petitioner Milha, whose residence is near Lowtown’s northeastern stairs, to get information on the Wraith hunt. Before completing that mission, check in at Clan Hall to see if Montblanc offers any rank rewards or elite hunts:

Also, look for a Viera woman (Ktjn) sitting in a niche on the staircase leading to Muthru Bazaar. If she’s there, talk to her. Visit Ktjn every so often to give her guidance – after each major story event, for example. She’ll eventually tell you she’s made a decision and will leave. You’ll meet up with Ktjn later on in the game and receive a reward based on how you answered her questions.

Return to the Sandsea and watch a scene at the entrance. Go inside for a scene with Migelo upstairs, where you’ll learn that Penelo has been kidnapped. Once Fran and Balthier rejoin the party, you are told to go to the Aerodrome at Westgate, but you may want to complete some outstanding business beforehand (explained below).

When you’re ready to advance the story, go to Westgate and enter the Aerodrome. Seek out Balthier, who is standing on the left, beyond the ticket counters. Tell him you are ready to depart and watch the scenes that follow aboard the airship Strahl.

GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY - Optional

From Lowtown, enter Storeroom 5 and take the door on the right into the Garamsythe Waterway. Follow the path down to the Overflow Cloaca and wait in the water until the Wraith appears.

MARK >> Wraith

The mark absorbs ice, but is weak to thunder so exploit that element. Try to Silence, Blind, or Immobilize the ghost. In addition to Blizzard spells, the Wraith may try to Blind your party members. Use Eye Drops to cure the ailment. Its Doom spell will kill any affected characters once the count reaches zero. The timer continues even after you’ve killed the mark, so get out of the Waterway as fast as you can to avoid death or come prepared with several Phoenix Downs.

Afterwards, return to Milha in the northwest section of Lowtown to pick up your bounty and witness a scene with Deeg. When you regain control, enter the private residence in front of you and read the letter on the table. The Dusty Letter mentions an item divided into 4 pieces and offers a clue on how to find one of them: “Stop at the water’s flow then loose it once more - east, southeast, east, southwest, southeast.” This information will come in handy later on.

GIZA PLAINS - Optional

Talk to Dania in Nomad Village’s cockatrice pen to get information on the Cluckatrice hunt she posted. Afterwards, leave the village via the eastern exit and kill all creatures in that region (including the friendly Giza Rabbits, sadly). Once you’ve cleared the area, return to the village and save your game. Go back out to the eastern region and look for a small chick rolling on the ground up ahead. Swipe at it to draw out the large Cluckatrice, as well as several of its siblings.

MARK >> Cluckatrice

This is a pesky group but if leveled sufficiently (14+), you should be able to take out the family. Try Blinding and Poisoning the mama then cast Slow, Sleep and/or Disable on the little ones to gain you some time. Dark magick works nicely on the chicks. Water-based spells also work but do not hit the entire group. The Clucktatrice inflicts a host of status ailments that you’ll need to continually guard against. Come prepared with lots of potions, Gold Needles, and Phoenix Downs to have a fighting chance.

Gather your reward from Dania afterwards.

SKYCITY OF BHUJERBA

Save your game inside Bhujerba’s Aerodrome (no teleporting allowed at the moment), then exit to the sky city. Watch a scene outside introducing “Lamont” who joins the party as a guest. Head east to get to Travia Way’s shops. Buy maps from the moogle there or just freely explore the portions of the city that are currently open.

Make your way south to Miner’s End and pass through to Lhusu Square where there’s an item merchant, another cartographer moogle, and a Save Crystal. When ready, continue down the stairs towards the mine entrance where a scene takes over.

LHUSU MINES

Go downstairs to trigger another scene then move forward to an intersection. Equip Libra to easily spot land mines while down here. Your guest member has an unlimited supply of potions, btw. Head west along the tracks until you can veer south. At the bottom, go west to the platform at the end. Pick up treasure in a pot near the gate.

Backtrack to the northern tracks then continue west until you can veer south again. Go down to the bottom and head west to reach the Oltam Span. In this area, there are stairs on either side leading to a couple of items and more land mines so explore carefully. Move forward to the next screen, where you’ll have a choice of going north or continuing west.

Take the northern path, collecting treasure along the way, to the Shunia Twinspan. Once there, descend the stairs on the right to get an item guarded by a trap or just follow the upper path to the next screen. Ignore the path leading north and continue further down the tracks until you can travel south. Follow the path into a small cave where you’ll find 3 pots containing treasure, then keep heading north until a scene takes over.

BOSS >> Ba’Gamnan, Bwagi, Gijuk, Rinok

As soon as you regain control, start running back through the mines; avoiding contact with the 4 bounty hunters and all other enemies you pass. The bounty hunters are too tough to beat as a group, so keep running until a scene occurs, showing that you’ve successfully ditched them. Leave the mines to witness a scene outside.

BHUJERBA

Go upstairs to trigger another scene in which the group devises a plan to get inside the Marquis estate. Press Square to begin filling the new Notoriety gauge that appears on screen. The idea is to run around town spreading rumors until the gauge reaches 100%. The gauge fills faster when bragging in front of the city’s Parijanahs (those holding books) or in front of large groups. The gauge depletes if bragging within earshot of any guards or in front of those who don’t care. Upon reaching 100%, a cutscene occurs.

You’ll regain control inside the Cloudborne tavern. Talk to the patrons to learn that the Marquis’ estate is on the north end of Travica Way. Before leaving, check the Notice Board to see if a new hunt is posted:

Explore the remaining parts of the city now that all of the streets are open. In particular, go to the Khus Skygrounds in the southwest corner and talk to the moogle, Pilika, who posted the Rocktoise hunt in Clan Hall. Also, speak to petitioner Aekom in Lhusu Square. You’ll find him standing just below the Save Crystal on the steps leading to the mine. Next, enter the Staras Residence on Cloudborne Row. Speak to Niray, who asks you to find her son, Yrlon. You’ll find Yrlon sitting in Kaff Terrace, overlooking the sky in the southeast corner. Speak to him to prompt a quest later on.

When you are ready to advance the story, talk to the guard blocking the path near the armor shop. Tell him you want to see the Marquis and watch the scenes that follow.

DREADNOUGHT LEVIATHAN

Vossler joins the party as a guest and you receive a map of the Leviathan airship. Use the Save Crystal up ahead then go through the eastern door. Move forward to trigger a scene in which you are advised to avoid any security webbing that will trip the alarm system.

When you take control, you’ll be standing in front of a 3-way split. Take the third path down towards a security web where you’ll find a pot containing treasure. Backtrack north then follow the middle path down to another intersection. Go east then veer south to reach the large chamber at the bottom.

Once there, grab treasure to the south then head east. Move forward into the next chamber and continue east into the central part of the airship. Head south onto the next screen. Travel east along the upper Freight Room walkway until you get to the Starboard section of the ship. Once there, move forward until you can go north. Veer west when you can then continue north, avoiding any paths with security webbing if you can.

Navigate through the hallways towards the Sub-Control Room on top. Look for a Bulkhead Release Switch on the wall in the northwest corner. Read the advisory then activate the switch to unlock the door up ahead. Enter the Sub-Control Room and fight off the Imperial troops inside.

After defeating them, examine the security console in the northeast corner to see that it requires a key. Descend the steps on the right and kill the Imperial guard in the northeast corner. Once he’s gone, flip another Bulkhead Release switch on the wall where he was standing. Doing so unlocks the Berth section door to the south. Before entering, look inside the western niche for a hidden path leading to a couple of nice items. You’ll trip the security system afterwards but the foes that appear are easy to defeat. Afterwards, pass through the berth section and continue south to the central Block door. Enter for a scene.

BOSS >> Judges x 2, Imperial Swordsmen x 4, Imperial Magus

Dispose of the Magus first, before he has a chance to impose nasty status effects then focus on the Judges. Cast Blind, Slow, or Disable on them to make your task easier. Dark spells are most effective. None are terribly tough if you spread out and let Vossler do his thing; just heal as needed.

Afterwards, you’ll obtain the No.1 Brig Key. Use it to unlock the door in the southwest corner. Go inside and enter cell # C-202 to free Ashe. After she joins the party, enter the eastern cell to find two moogles, Lulucce and Tetran. Tetran sells a host of merchandise so spend some time shopping. Use the Save Crystal in the western cell and open an urn there to acquire the Systems Access Key.

When ready, leave the Brig to trigger a scene showing the airship’s alarm system activating. Your goal is to get back to the western room where you first entered the Dreadnought but you’ll have to fight through constant enemies to do so. The most direct route is to travel south through the lower Freight Room.

Once there, examine the console on either the left or right side and choose to reset the alarm. Doing so allows 60-seconds of freedom to move about before Imperial enemies swarm the party again. Grab items from pots in the middle of the room then reset the other alarm so that you have another 60-seconds to exit the Freight Room from the northwest corner. Continue heading west until a scene takes over. When it ends, Penelo replaces Vossler in your party. Keep heading west until you get back to the Port Launch room.

BOSS >> Judge Ghis, Imperial Swordsmen x 3

Take out the Swordsmen first (Dark spells work well) then focus on Ghis. The Judge will fixate on one party member at a time, so exploit this while you can. Cast Slow and Blind on Ghis then Shell any party members that have low magick resistance. The Judge’s sweeping Aero move hits all for serious damage. Eventually, the boss erects Great Barrier (Protect + Shell) around himself, making your attacks less effective. Just heal frequently and keep pummeling him until a scene takes over.

BHUJERBA / LHUSU MINES

After regaining control in the city’s Aerodrome, you’re supposed to return to the Marquis, but before going there you can wrap up two outstanding hunts on your list. Both marks are in the Lhusu Mines so go there after upgrading your party’s gear and saving your game. Once inside the mines, head west until you reach Transitway 1. Fight the Nidhogg at the fork in the tunnels.

MARK >> Nidhogg

Blind and Slow the sucker right at the start. Casting Immobilize will also help. The Nidhogg absorbs water-based spells but is weak against fire. If you Oil the mark beforehand, your fire spells will cause much more damage. The Nighogg’s regular attacks may inflict Slow or Poison. If you can, use Haste to cure anyone inflicted with Slow, and Antidotes to rid poison. Spread out and use technicks (such as Horology) or available Quickenings. As usual, keep everyone’s health up during the battle and revive fallen members when necessary.

After defeating the Nidhogg, you’ll receive a Great Serpentskin. Do not sell this item, as it becomes useful later on. Return to Aekom to pick up your bounty. Heal up at the Save Crystal then re-enter the mines. Head west again then veer north to reach the mine’s Site 2 section. You’ll find another mark in the large cavern where you ran from the bounty hunters earlier.

MARK >> Rocktoise

Blind, Slow and Silence the big creature then send in your tank. Piercing weapons that ignore the target’s defense (such as guns) also come in handy. Aero spells work nicely, too. If the surrounding skeleton enemies give you a hard time, try Immobilizing them. Move away when the Rocktoise is about to perform Sonic Turn or Stone Stomp as each has the ability to kill weaker characters if they are in range. If you’ve acquired any Float motes, use them to avoid being damaged by the mark’s earth-based attacks. The Rocktoise eventually uses Purify to rid itself of negative status effects so you’ll have to recast Blind, etc.

After defeating the Rocktoise, return to Pilika in the Khus Skygrounds to collect your reward. Speak to Pilika again and agree to do him a favor. After acquiring the Merchant’s Armband, go to Clio’s Tecknicks shop. Show the armband to the moogle at the top of the stairs then grab Pilika’s Diary off the bookshelf on the left. Choose whether or not to read it (I abstained). Give the diary to Pilika and he will ask if you read it. I was honest and received a Shepherd’s Bolero.

Once you are ready to move on with the main storyline, speak to the guard in front of the Marquis’ estate to gain entry. Watch the scenes that follow.

DALMASCA WESTERSAND

The group anchors the Strahl on a small patch of land in the center of the Westersand. The folks milling about advise you to equip Libra before venturing out from the Western Divide so that you can spot traps. Make use of the Teleport Crystal to save your game and talk to the traveling merchant (Lohen) there. If you want to return to Rabanastre before venturing into the Yensa Sandsea, now would be a good time to do so. Though teleporting is faster, you may want to walk there in order to fill in portions of the world map not yet explored. Use the eastern exit to reach Rabanastre; otherwise exit to the west.

RANABASTRE – Optional

The city’s shops offer some new merchandise. After purchasing what you need, check in at the Sandsea to find a new posting on the Notice Board:

After visiting petitioner Sherral in Rabanastre’s weapon shop, you can start Ann’s Letter quest by going to the city’s Aerodrome and booking a sky ferry. Here are some notes about Aerodrome flights:

To book flights from an Aerodrome, purchase a ticket from the counter that matches your destination. Selecting a ‘private cabin’ gets you to your destination quickly, whereas selecting the ‘leisure tour’ allows you to explore the vessel first (recommended).

If you select the leisure tour, you can purchase items from vendors in the Observation Parlor. Some sell teleport crystals. Later on, they will sell a few high-level spells and accessories. After shopping, talk to passengers upstairs on the Air Deck then go down to the Saloon. Speak to the Chief Steward behind the counter on the right when you are ready to rest. This triggers a scene between Ann and Rande, who enlist you in their sidequest.

You are asked to deliver messages to Ann’s 6 sisters who work on 6 different airships. Although you cannot complete this quest for quite some time, the idea is to take different flights out of each city’s Aerodrome until you have delivered all of the letters. You’ll know immediately if you’ve found a sister as one of Rande’s brothers will be standing at the counter. Here’s a list of the flights I took and the sisters found, though other combinations will work just as well:

There are only 5 locations with Aerodromes and the 6th sister (Cisset) may appear on any of the flight combos not specifically mentioned above. Once you find Cisset, she’ll give you a Ring of Renewal. At this point, just accept Ann’s Letter then talk to her again to rest. Upon waking, you will have arrived at your destination.

When you are ready to advance the main storyline, travel back to the Western Divide in Dalmasca Westersand. Once there, take the western exit out to the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea.

OGIR-YENSA SANDSEA

Move forward until a scene occurs, showing the direction you must travel in order to reach Raithwall’s Tomb. There are many traps throughout this area so equipping Libra would, again, be beneficial. When you regain control, head southwest. Climb the ramp up ahead. Go around the first tank then cross the southwest walkway to reach the next one. Continue west past the 3rd tank and onto the next screen for a scene.

After Vossler joins your party as a guest, head west and descend the ramp. Fight a few Urutan enemies on the sand below and if you’re low on health, step on the trap underneath the ramp to heal all of your HP. Restorative traps are extremely rare, so make use of it. After defeating the Urutans, search the western tank to find an ornate urn containing a map of the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea. Once you have the map, go back down to the beach. Ascend the ramp in the northeast corner then cross the western walkway to the next tank. Once there, you’ll have a choice of going northeast, southwest, or west.

Follow the northeastern walkway to the East Junction Tanks where you’ll find some treasures and new types of enemies on the beach below. A cave further east takes you inside the Zertinan Caverns, which will be described later on. For now, go back up the ramp and move northwest, exploring offshoots for items, towards the Primary Tank Complex.

Once there, navigate through the cluster of tanks, collecting items as you go, but avoid the Salamand Entite roaming around up there (looks like an orange ball of light). Elemental creatures such as these become hostile if you attack them or use magic on other enemies nearby. Run away if you come in contact with the Entite as it will kill your party with one hit of Firaga.

Upon reaching the southern end, take the southeast exit to the Central Junction. On the eastern beach, there’s another entrance to the Zertinan Caverns but for now, just collect the treasures. Take the eastern exit back to the Platform 1 Refinery area. Once there, use the southwest exit to get to the South Tank complex.

Explore the area for items while moving westward. Take the southwestern exit to the South Tank Approach section and head west across the beach to reach the Yensa Border Tunnel. Inside, you’ll find Dyce, a traveling merchant, and a Teleport Crystal. Warp to other places if you like; otherwise, use it to save your game.

The western exit leads to the Nam-Yensa Sandsea but before going there, backtrack east through the South Tank Approach. Exit to the South Tanks then use the northwest exit to get to the Platform 2 Refinery. Once there, explore the upper tanks for items then head west onto the sand. Look for a cave opening on the western edge. Enter to trigger a scene.

NAM-YENSA SANDSEA

When you regain control, talk to the moogle by the shore. Tell him you’re interested in hearing why the Urutan fled to learn about their blood enemy, a giant tortoise. Use the Save Crystal here then take the western exit out to the Urutan-Yensa Sea region.

Keep moving west along the shore, eventually veering south towards the bridge below. After collecting all of the treasures in this area, cross over into the Withering Shores region. Once there, head south towards the Urutans who are fighting their blood enemy. Help them defeat the giant tortoise.

BOSS >> Urutan Eater

Blind the creature and use wind magick, if you have it. The boss uses weak elemental spells and a move called Sonic Turn to damage all, but it’s very slow so just hack away until it falls.

After defeating the giant tortoise, go back and talk to the moogle. He tells you the Urutan hunter has gone into the Ogir-Yensa region. Take the eastern exit out to the beach and ascend the ramp to trigger a scene. Afterwards, return to the moogle in the cave where the scene continues.

When you regain control, talk to the moogle then examine the flower in the sand near the Save Crystal. Choose to pick the berries to receive a bunch of Esker Berries. Speak to the moogle again to learn that their scent staves off a particularly dangerous foe, the Garuda, you’ll be encountering a bit later. Save your game and head west into Nam territory.

Cross the lower bridge again and head south. Veer east to get to the Augur Hill region. Once there, cross the southwestern bridge. After defeating some enemies on the other side, open an urn to receive a map of the Nam-Yensa Sandsea. Cross the bridge to the south, where you’ll find new breeds of enemies.

Travel west to the next area or explore the northeastern section first. Heading northeast eventually takes you back to the Yensa Border Tunnel where you can buy items, save your game, or warp to other places. When ready, go west into the Yellow Sands region. Once there, continue traveling west (the southern route leads to another section of the Zertinan Caverns, btw). Cross the northern bridge and hike up the ramp. Head west to the next screen.

Go down to the beach and explore the northern tank area if you like; otherwise, continue heading west until you reach a rocky archway. Pass through to the Trail of Fading Warmth. Move forward until you can head northeast. If you accepted the Wyvern Lord hunt earlier, enter the Simoon Bluffs region and continue north until you come across the flying beast.

MARK >> Wyvern Lord

Since it’s airborne, short-range weapons will not affect the mark. Use long-range weapons, spells, and technicks to take it down. Cast Sleep on the creature if you can, as well as Blind and Slow. Element-wise, it is weak against earth magick but Dark spells work nicely, too. Spread out to reduce damage from its Aero attack and eliminate the regular Bagoly enemies that surround it if they become a nuisance.

After defeating the mark, gather some scattered items on the sand then backtrack south to the previous region. Once there, cross the northwestern bridge and move forward to find the traveling merchant (Dyce) mounted on his chocobo. Stock up before continuing west to the next screen. Save your game when prompted.

TOMB OF RAITHWALL

Move forward to engage the Garuda that appears.

BOSS >> Garuda

At the start of battle, the Garuda casts Enrage on itself but if you toss those Esker Berries on it, the bird becomes totally manageable. Cast Blind then follow up with elemental magick, long-range attacks and technicks, as short-ranged weapons will not harm the flying beast. Dark spells work best. Keep Protect on as many party members as you can.

Upon its defeat, you’ll see an ancient device stirring within the tomb. When you regain control, descend the stairs to find Dyce at the bottom. He has a fresh stock of merchandise. Buy what you need or just go back upstairs and use the Teleport Crystal on top to save your game. When ready, examine the ancient device to automatically warp inside the Hall of the Destroyer.

Watch a brief scene then examine the Way Stone up ahead. Read the inscription on it to learn that it’s not functioning yet. Afterwards, head west along the central walkway until a scene takes over.

BOSS >> Demon Wall #1

Although it’s possible to beat this boss now, the odds are very low – the better choice is to run to the door on the western end before the boss crushes your party.

Watch a scene inside the next hallway, in which a second Demon Wall approaches. This time, choose to engage it. Run towards the boss and you’ll see a meter-like map appear on your screen. The meter shows the location of braziers lining the left and right sides of the hall.

BOSS >> Demon Wall #2

Immediately touch one of the red braziers to halt the Wall’s movement for a few seconds, buying the party time to hack away at it. When it starts to move again, touch another red brazier. Do not touch any braziers with blue flames, as they will speed up the boss’s movement. Cast Berserk on your melee fighters and work fast to dispose of it before it reaches the end of the hall. The boss uses an arsenal of spells (Annul, Doom, Blind, Stone, etc.) but the worse one is X-Zone. This causes a party member to completely vanish and there is no cure for it.

After defeating the Demon Wall, cure any lingering status ailments. If anyone is in X-Zone state, you’ll just have to wait it out before the character reappears. Continue through the western door to trigger a scene. When it ends, go downstairs to get a map of the Tomb from an urn. There are 3 Way Stone devices here. Touching the center one warps you back to the Hall of the Destroyer. Once there, use the first Way Stone to warp outside, so that you can save your game and/or buy new merchandise from Dyce.

When ready, warp back to the platform where you found the map. Once there, make your way down the southern staircase and enter the chamber below. Wind through the hallways until you reach the center room. Once there, examine the green jewel sitting atop a pedestal. Touching it calls forth a bunch of Lich creatures. After defeating them, the mystic altar lowers halfway. Continue exploring the Southfall Passage for treasure or just warp back to the Way Stone platform.

Once there, take the northern staircase down into the opposite chamber. Go to the center room and touch the red jewel there. Defeat the Zombie Mages that appear then watch as the mystic altar fully lowers, revealing a hidden path. Feel free to warp outside to save your game before moving on. When ready, enter the hidden passage and move forward to a door. Enter to initiate a scene.

When you regain control, explore the upper parts of the Cloister of Flame for items then make your way down to the center chamber where a powerful esper awaits.

ESPER >> Belias

Use physical attacks and Water spells to rapidly deplete the fiery esper’s health. Use Handkerchiefs to rid Oil status, should the esper inflict it on anyone. Belias’ Firaja attack may kill weaker party members, especially if they are inflicted with Oil, so revive when necessary. Casting Shell or equipping the Nethicite accessory will help reduce damage.

Once defeated, you’ll receive your first esper, Belias the Gigas. Open the License Board to see that the esper has been added. Choose a party member to assign the summon creature to. Note that it takes a full mist charge to summon an esper during battle, so assign it someone who has MP to spare. Espers will attack according to preset gambits much like guest party members. You can cure them during battle but cannot revive them. Espers will fight alongside whoever summoned them until either the summoner or the esper die – or their allotted time expires.

Collect a couple of items in the room then go through the western door. Descend the long staircase. Continue past the Way Stone to trigger a scene in front of the altar. After receiving the Dawn Shard, use the Way Stone to get back outside. Make sure to save your game before going downstairs. Once you do, an Imperial airship whisks the party away.

AIRSHIP SHIVA

After a scene on board the airship, say goodbye to your pal, Vossler.

BOSS >> Vossler, Imperial Swordsmen x 3

While in her Berserk state, Fran can do the heavy lifting in this battle. Keep her healthy and focus on taking out the 3 Imperials first. Once they are gone, Vossler will fixate on one person at a time, so support whomever he is picking on. If you put Basch in a Berserk state as well, all will be over quickly.

Watch the scenes that follow, ending back in Rabanastre.

RABANASTRE

You’ll regain control in the Muthru Bazaar. If you didn’t teleport here earlier via the crystals, there are many things to take care of now. The shops sell new merchandise so spend some time upgrading. If you defeated the Wyvern Lord earlier, collect your bounty from Sherral. If you haven’t checked in with Migelo in a while, talk to him a couple of times in his shop. Stop by Clan Hall and pick up rank rewards from Montblanc. The moogle may have another elite hunt posted for you as well:

In the Sandsea, you should find several new postings:

Talk to the 3 petitioners in Rabanastre to formalize their contracts. Some of the hunts (Rank IV marks & higher) may prove difficult right now, so just try again later if you become frustrated. Also, there are a few quests that you can advance at this point (see optional sections below for details). If you prefer to skip them, leave Rabanastre from Southgate and enter the Giza Plains.

TOMB OF RAITHWALL - Optional

Warp back to the Tomb of Raithwall and fight the first Demon Wall. Upon its defeat, a jewel appears inside the wall the boss was blocking. Touch it to lower the staircases on the left and right sides of the chamber. Enter the door at the bottom of either staircase and follow the secret passageway west. Enter the next door and take the winding stairs down to a chest. It will either contain a Demonsbane sword or a Holy Mote. Fight through more enemies as you make your way back up the stairs. Head east to return to the first room in the tomb.

GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY - Optional

If your team is strong enough to complete the White Mousse hunt (level 28+ recommended), go down to Lowtown and enter the Garamsythe Waterway from Storeroom 5’s right door. Head south to the Save Crystal where you’ll notice a couple of orange disks on the floor. These tell you that certain paths are no longer blocked by water. Take the path that is 4th from the left down to the southwest corner of the sewers. Fight the gooey creature in the West Sluice Control room.

MARK >> White Mousse

The mark uses Waterga, Slowga, and Flash, but it is susceptible to Blind and Sleep, so cast these spells as soon as you can to give yourself a fighting chance. Fire-based spells work best, but Bio is effective, also. Note that you can put the Mousse into a Berserk state, which disallows its use of magic but increases its physical attack power. Summoning Belias while the mark is Berserk’d may be a good option. Alternately, cast Reflect on your own party to bounce spells back at the mark. If doing this, use hi-potions instead of curative spells to heal anyone with Reflect status.

Once you finish it off, you’ll receive a Broken Key. Return to Sorbet to pick up your bounty, as well as a freshly repaired Sluice Gate Key. With your new key in hand, head back to the Central Waterway Control room inside the Garamsythe Waterway.

Once there, turn off all of the lights on the devices near the Save Point. Note that only two sluice gates can be activated at the same time. Use the Sluice Gate Key to manipulate the devices in the following order:

If done correctly, you’ll hear a small object drop in the distance. Once this happens, head south towards the No. 1 Cloaca entrance, where you will find a ‘Shiny Object’ on the ground. The Dull Fragment you obtain comes in handy later on.

NALBINA FORTRESS / DALMASCA ESTERSAND – Optional

At the town’s entrance, soldiers block the path leading into the Mosphoran Highwaste. In order to open up the route, talk to the girl (July) spying on the duo near the Teleport Crystal. Afterwards, approach the hapless soldiers to trigger a scene. When it ends, rent a chocobo from Gurdy (the moogle) and ride it towards the guards. Once they flee, the route to Mosphoran Highwaste opens up. Your help will be rewarded by July later on in the game.

Note that July only appears in Nalbina Fortress during a certain window of time - after receiving the Dawn Shard and before arriving in Nalbina as part of the main storyline. On a side note, Final Fantasy fans will recognize that the two guards calling themselves Gibbs and Deweg are, in fact, anagrams for Biggs and Wedge. Whee!

If you completed the Flowering Cactoid hunt earlier, leave Nalbina and ride your chocobo north through the Estersand to South Bank Village where you’ll find a boat anchored on the dock. Talk to Tchigri and agree to accompany him to North Bank Village. Once there, you’ll find a group of cactoids holding Tchigri’s dad hostage. Speak with Ruksel to learn that the cactoids are searching for their missing relative, Dran.

Sail back South Bank Village and talk to Dantro’s Wife to learn that she threw the missing cactoid’s remains behind her hut. Go claim it to revive Dran. Take the little bugger back to North Bank Village and witness the family’s reunion, wherein you obtain 1,000 gil and a pouch of Wyrmfire Shot. Additionally, North Bank regains its population and you now have access to the northernmost sections of Dalmasca.

If your party is strong enough, you can gather the Valeblossom Dew that Dantro’s Wife requested earlier. From North Bank Village, continue north into the Broken Sands region. When you get there, search the western cliffs for shrubs with white flowers. Gather drops of Valeblossom Dew from them (3 total) and bring them to Dantro’s Wife in South Bank. If you acquired a Great Serpentskin from the Nidhogg mark in Bhujerba, give that to her as well.

Exit and re-enter the village until Dantro’s Wife tells you her patient has finally recovered. Speak to the Recovering Traveler behind the hut to acquire the Barheim Key. You’ll get an additional item depending on the items you gave Dantro’s Wife earlier. If you gave her all of the items she requested, plus the Great Serpentskin and second phial of Nebralim, you’ll receive a Golden Amulet. If you gave her everything but the second phial, you’ll receive a pair of Magick Gloves. If none of the extra items were offered, you’ll acquire a Balance Mote.

DALMASCA WESTERSAND - Optional

Go to Rabanastre’s Westgate and talk to the green Bangaa there. Rimzat asks you to find out how to navigate through the sandstorms in the Westersand’s northern pass. Go to the Southern Plaza and speak to Cotze, who is sitting on the fountain. Cotze tells you to visit Northon in Lowtown. You’ll find Northon south of Storeroom 5 in the northern sprawl. He tells you to look for an item that is buried in the Westersand under a giant cactus.

Travel west through the desert into the Midfault region. Take the southern exit into Shimmering Horizons and head towards the small patch of land in the northwest corner, which is part of Windtrace Dunes. Once there, search under all of the cactus plants until you locate the Wind Globe. Return to Rabanastre afterwards. You’ll find Cotze, Northon and Rimzat gathered at Westgate. Talk to them to acquire the Windvane.

Now travel southwest, back to the Windtrace Dunes region. Look for the Ring Wyrm mark near the center. If you do not see the large creature roaming about there, re-enter the region when there’s a sandstorm in progress.

MARK >> Ring Wyrm

The mark absorbs water but is susceptible to fire-based attacks. It has a ton of HP, so patience is key to winning this battle. Blind and Slow the creature to have an easier time of it. The Ring Wyrm uses elemental magick that may also inflict Confuse or Sap. It can immobilize the entire party as well. Use Esuna to rid these ailments and take advantage of its slowness to restore the party’s health. Ranged weapons (especially guns with Wyrmfire Shot) work nicely during this fight. If you have enough MP, summon Belias twice. The esper’s Painflare attack will cause about 2,000 damage per usage, plus Belias will be healed by the mark’s Breath skill.

After slaying the Ring Wyrm, use the Corridor of Sand’s northeastern exit. Continue heading northeast through the desert until you reach the Wyrm’s Nest region. The Windvane item allows you to navigate through the sand barrier here. You’ll find an optional boss inside called the Earth Tyrant.

BOSS >> Earth Tyrant

Cast Protect on your own party members then cast Blind, Silence, and Slow on the big dinosaur. Note that when fighting the Earth Tyrant at low levels, these spells will miss most of the time. If this is the case, Decoy whichever character has the best shield and armor to stand a fighting chance. When its HP starts to dip, the boss will use Screwtail to hit all allies in front of its face. Pound it from afar with Aero spells if you can, or cast Confuse/Sleep on the Tyrant to buy healing time.

After you beat it, the sandstorms ease and the eastern passage leading to the Yoma region of Dalmasca opens up. If you continue traveling east through that region, you’ll arrive at North Bank Village. Heading north from the village takes you inside the Mosphoran Highwaste, which you’ll be visiting later on.

ZERTINAN CAVERNS – Optional

If you feel up to it, you can attempt to beat the Marilith mark now also. Go to the southwestern edge of the Dalmasca Westersand to find a path leading inside the Zertinan Caverns. Once there, head south through enemies until you reach a clearing with several beams of sunlight coming in (Invitation to Heresy area). After clearing out the regular foes, wait in the sunlit corner for Marilith to appear.

MARK >> Marilith

Dispel the serpent’s enhancements then Slow and Blind it. The mark does not use a huge array of attacks but is speedy and hits hard with combos. Casting Protect and/or Bubble on your melee fighters will help. Bio and Water spells, especially Aqua Shot, work well from afar. Heal party members often and just hack away until the mark falls.

Upon defeating Marilith, you’ll receive a cask of Serpentwyne Must. Before taking it to the Tavernmaster in Rabanastre, feel free to explore other parts of the Zertinan Caverns. Keep an eye out for loose boulders as you travel through. Pushing them into the sand creates solid paths. You’ll find a map of the Zertinan Caverns inside the Balamka Fault region, btw.

If you head south from the Marilith mark area, you’ll eventually reach a Save Crystal. After using it, head east through the sandfalls to find a hidden path. You’ll pop out in the Hourglass Basin region, with some Grenade enemies and treasures to collect. Going west from the Save Crystal takes you to the Athroza Quicksands. Once there, look for a path on the left. Enter the next area if you want to fight the esper, Adrammelech.

ESPER >> Adrammelech

Addramelech is a flyer so only long-range weapons, spells, or technicks will damage it. Additionally the esper summons undead ground forces to help it out. Cast Disable or Stop on the Shambling Corpses if you can; otherwise, cast Reflect on your party to re-direct spells on all foes. Avoid killing all of the minions, as they will only respawn en masse. Dispel the esper’s enhancements then Shell your party to reduce damage from its lightning spells. Adrammelech’s attacks may cause Sap. Use Regen to rid the ailment. The esper absorbs lightning and is immune to all other elements except ice, so hit it with Blizzaja spells if you can. Bio works well also. When its HP dips below the halfway mark, Addramelech erects a Perfect Defense that makes it immune to physical and magical attacks. Try to inflict status ailments on it beforehand (Blind, Slow, Shear, and Expose work) and use the time to heal while waiting for the effect to wear off.

After defeating Adrammelech, the esper becomes available on the License Board. Use the southern exit to return to the Ozmone Plain or head northwest to exit into Nam-Yensa. Don’t forget to visit the Tavernmaster in Rabanastre to drop off the cask and pick up your Marilith bounty.

GIZA PLAINS

During the rainy season, new creatures and new paths appear on the plains. Avoid using magick near the Elemental foes floating around here. Like the orange ones you encountered in Ogir-Yensa, these blue ones will kill you if provoked. Head south and enter Nomad Village. There you will find petitioner Sadeen. Talk to him to formalize the Croakadile hunt contract and save your game while here. Take the western exit into Toam Hills then travel south through Starfall Field. After crossing the bridge, the mark will appear.

MARK >> Croakadile

In addition to using Aqua attacks, the creature doubles its level when its health dips to 1/3rd. It is weak against fire but immune to Oil. If you can spare the MP, use your Belias summon to take down most of its health then finish the beast off with regular attacks, spells, and technicks. Casting Blind, Immobilize, and Slow also helps.

You’ll acquire the Ring of the Toad afterwards. Give the ring to Sadeem in Nomad Village. After collecting your bounty, Sadeem asks that you take the ring to his beloved. She only appears in the village during the dry season, so just move on for now.

Head south through Starfall Field until you can go east into the Crystal Glade. Once there, speak to petitioner Nanau to formalize the Gil Snapper contract. Nanau will give you the Silent Urn required to trap the creature. In order to find this mark, you’ll need to figure out a way to cross over areas that are now underwater. Examine the withered tree behind Nanau to receive a clue on how to achieve this. Basically, you need to locate and cut down 6 withered trees to form a bridge leading to the Path of the Beast. The direction they float in hints at where the bridge will form.

Here are the locations of all 6 deadwood trees within the Giza Plains:

After chopping down all of the trees, you’ll hear a chime sound. Save your game in Crystal Glade then exit to the east. Locate the spot where all of the driftwood collected, which is further east. Cross over into the Path of the Beast and meet up with Bansat, the Bangaa from Clan Hall. He will assist you during this hunt, however the Gil Snapper will only appear when it’s raining heavily. Exit and re-enter this area until the weather conditions are such that Bansat tells you it’s time to fight.

MARK >> Gil Snapper

Dispel its positive statuses if you can then Silence the beast to make the battle a whole lot easier. Casting Slow and Blind on it also helps and if you’re lucky, Bansat will cast Immobilize on the mark, too. The Gil Snapper’s normal attacks cause Slow, so counter with Haste on any affected party member. Note that the mark absorbs ice but is weak against lightning spells. Casting Drain helps immensely when low on health.

Upon its defeat, you’ll automatically suck the Gil Snapper into the Silent Urn. Before leaving, look in the northwest corner of this region for an urn containing the Feather of the Flock – a key item that will come in handy later on. If the Silicon Tortoises in this area give you any trouble, just poison and petrify them. Go back to the Crystal Glade to find a Soggy Letter left by Nanau. You’ll have to visit him in Nomad Village during the dry season to pick up your bounty.

When you’re ready to move on, use the southern exit in Starfall Field to get to the Ozmone Plain.

OZMONE PLAIN

After killing enemies and exploring for treasure in the Field of Fallen Wings, use the southern exit to get to the Switchback region. The spiral path in the center leads to the Zertinan Caverns. If you did not obtain the esper Addramelech earlier, you can venture into the caverns from here to find it. Either way, head southeast through the Switchback to get to the Haulo Green region. Once there, travel southwest to reach the Jahara settlement.

JAHARA, LAND OF THE GARIF

You can purchase maps of Jahara and the Ozmone Plain from the moogle here or rent a chocobo for 30 gil. If you want to warp to other areas, use the Teleport Crystal; otherwise speak to the Garif warriors blocking the bridge to trigger a scene. After War-Chief Supinelu allows you to pass, enter the village and talk to all of the locals you see, especially the Elders. There’s a trader here if you need to stock up on supplies. After looking at his list of wares, the trader mentions collecting monographs. Grimoires listed in the Bazaar shop menu are what he’s referring to. Having them in your inventory allows for much better drops from the creature classes noted in each Grimoire.

At some point, seek out High-Chief Zayalu to acquire a Jaya Stick. He asks that you give it to the War-Chief, who you’ll find standing near the northwestern bridge now. Watch the scene that follows then enter the Elderknoll.

If you accepted the Enkelados hunt, look for Low-Chief Sugumu in the northeast to formalize the contract. Afterwards, approach the warriors guarding the Great-Chief’s tent. Ask to meet with him and watch the scenes that follow, during which Larsa joins your party as a guest. You’ll receive a Bowgun and quiver of Onions Bolts from the Great-Chief, as well as a free chocobo ride. Hop on and go out to the Ozmone Plain.

OZMONE PLAIN

Ride your chocobo east through the plains. If you want to hunt down the Enkelados mark, now would be an opportune time. You’ll find the beast southeast of Greensnake, in a region called the Shred. The Enkelados will not appear until you clear out all Wu enemies in that region first. After killing all of the Wus in the Shred, exit and re-enter to find the mark.

MARK >> Enkelados

Blind and Slow Enkelados then pound on the creature before it has a chance to restore its own health. Alternately, put it to sleep then use magick spells and technicks (Horology, Traveler, etc.) to take it out easily.

After defeating the mark, you’ll obtain an Errmonea Leaf. Go back to Jahara and collect your bounty from Low-Chief Sugumu. Speak to him a second time and he’ll ask you to deliver the Errmonea Leaf to Lesina in Nomad Village. She will only be there during the dry season. For now, leave Jahara and travel east again through the Ozmone Plain, either on foot or by chocobo. Enter the Sunlit Path to trigger a few scenes. Afterwards, use the Save Crystal then go inside the Golmore Jungle.

GOLMORE JUNGLE

Move forward to a crossroad. Follow the southwestern path. At the next crossroad, go east and look for an urn up ahead containing a map of Golmore Jungle. Continue east into the Needlebrake region. Glyph walls currently block the lower paths, so follow the upper path until a scene transpires near the glyph in the northeastern corner. When it ends, go down the secret path Fran created to trigger a scene.

ERUYT VILLAGE

Save your game at the Teleport Crystal and talk to the two moogles there, which you may recognize as the pair from Leviathan’s brig. Buy maps or merchandise from them then head north into Eruyt Village. The locals are not very friendly; so just climb to the very top of the village for a cutscene. When it ends, go back down to the Teleport Crystal. Watch another scene then speak to Fran, who suggests traveling to the Henne Mines. Backtrack north through Golmore Jungle to get to the Sunlit Path.

OZMONE PLAIN

The mine is located in the lower portion of the Shred in Ozmone Plain, which is only accessible via chocobo. If you decide to rent one in Jahara, talk to Judge Hausen to acquire 3 Hi-Potions and an Ether while there. He’s standing south of the trader.

Alternately, talk to the wounded soldier sitting across from the Save Crystal in the Sunlit Path. Give him a Potion and he’ll offer the use of his chocobo. The soldier tells you to look for chocobo footprints to access paths that humans cannot normally reach. Mount the chocobo and exit to the west. You’ll see chocobo prints right away. Follow them to the cliff’s edge and the yellow bird will jump to the southern part of the Shred. Continue riding south until you reach a cave entrance. Dismount and approach the bodies strewn on the ground to trigger a scene.

HENNE MINES

When you regain control, enter the mine and head south down the tracks. Look for a switch on a column to the left. Flip it to open a gate further down. Continue south and read the Advisory posted on a column to the right. It tells you that gates operate in pairs down here (e.g., opening the blue gates closes the red gates).

Move forward to Pithead Junction A where you’ll find a wounded soldier. Flip the red switch next to him to open the southern and eastern gates then kill the Jelly creatures that drop down. Take care of them quickly before they have a chance to sub-divide. If they begin to overwhelm you, just run. Either way, head east to find a map of Henne Mines. Backtrack to the soldier and flip the switch again so that the north and west gates open. Read the posted advisory then travel west. Follow the mineshaft down to the Phase 1 Dig area.

Move forward through the tunnels, veering off occasionally to collect treasure. There’s a hidden path in the southwest corner leading to treasure as well. When you get to the Crossover A section, head north. At the split, continue heading north until you reach Crossover B. Travel northeast to the end then veer south to Pithead Junction B. Flip the switch there to open new gates and fight more Jellys that appear.

Afterwards, backtrack west, north, east, and north to reach the freshly opened gate leading to the Staging Shaft. Enter to trigger a scene. When it ends, use the Teleport Crystal to save your game then head north to face a boss.

BOSS >> Tiamat

Tiamat uses Rake to mow down the party and casts Reflect, Poison, Aero, Breath, and Disablega… a nasty boss, in other words. Try Slowing the beast before it has a chance to cast Reflect and keep Larsa alive so that he continues using his unlimited supply of potions to heal the party. Luckily, the battle area is large enough for your healer to stand back and avoid most attacks. If you have any earth-based weapons, use them, as Tiamat is weak to that element. Use Esuna to immediately cure any disabled characters, or expect to go through your supply of Phoenix Downs.

After beating Tiamat, watch the cutscenes, during which the party returns to Eruyt Village and receives Lente’s Tear.

ERUYT VILLAGE / GOLMORE JUNGLE

When you regain control, speak to Fran to learn that you can now pass through the glyph barriers in Golmore Jungle. Leave Eruyt and make your way east (the southern jungle route leads to the Feywood, which will be visited later). Pass through the glyph wall up ahead then continue forward to the Parting Glade where you’ll find another Teleport Crystal. Use it then head north to trigger a scene.

BOSS >> Elder Wyrm, Treants x 2

Take out the Treants first so you have some room to move. All three are weak to wind magick, so spam them with Aero spells. Silence the Elder Wyrm before it gets a chance to cast it on you then prepare to be hit with Sporefall. The attack causes a host of status ailments (Confuse, Sap, Oil, Slow, Blind, Poison…). Undo these effects with Esuna or individual remedy items. The boss’s Fireball attack can be blocked by anyone with high shield skills but it may kill those inflicted with Oil status. Let Larsa handle the healing duties throughout.

Afterwards, continue along the eastern path to get outside.

PARAMINA RIFT

Talk to the Kiltias sentries up ahead to learn that Mt. Bur-Omisace is to the northeast. Use the Save Crystal on the left then travel north into the snowy mountains. When you get to the first fork in the road, go south if you want to explore the lower portions of the rift for items and to gain some decent experience. Eventually head north into the Freezing Gorge where a scene occurs. Once it ends, travel northeast until you reach Mt. Bur-Omisace.

MT. BUR-OMISACE

Upon entering, you’ll find two merchants, a chocobo stall, a map-selling moogle, and a Teleport Crystal. Larsa will be leaving the party shortly (upon reaching the temple grounds), so you may wish to complete some hunts prior to his departure. If you are eager to move on with the main story, skip the optional sections below.

RABANASTRE - Optional

Speak to the Wandering Viera near the chocobo stable at Southgate to trigger a brief scene. After she leaves, talk to the Lovestruck Man at the Southern Plaza fountain. Enter Yamoora’s Gambits shop and speak with the Viera again. After she leaves, talk to Lord Vain near the counter. Next, go to the Sandsea and speak to the Viera on the balcony. Vaan must select a partner for her: The Lovestruck Man in the plaza or Lord Vain in the gambit shop. Choose one and the man will ask that you convey his feelings to the Viera. Agree to help.

Back at the Sandsea, inform the Viera of her suitor’s request and she will run to meet him. If you chose to set her up with the human, greet the new couple in the plaza to earn a Loxley Bow and 2 Hi-Potions. If you chose to set her up with the Seeq, speak to the couple in the gambit shop to simply get the Loxley Bow.

Check in at the Sandsea to find some new hunts posted on the notice board:

Also, talk to Montblanc in Clan Hall to get information on a few elite hunts and to pick up any bonuses you may have earned:

GARAMSYTHE WATERWAY – Optional

Go to Lowtown’s Storeroom 5 and speak to the Contrite Thief sprawled on the floor there. After securing the Orthros mark contract, enter the Garamsythe Waterway. Walk over to the Save Crystal and make sure the rusted device marked No. 11 is activated. Assuming it is, head down to the East Sluice Control area, where you’ll find another Save Crystal and an ornate urn. Open it to receive a Candle that illuminates secret portions of the waterway (a map, basically).

Before entering the Southern Sluiceway, put Fran, Ashe, and Penelo in your party. The mark will only appear if you enter the next area with the 3 gals in your active party. After drawing Orthros out, you can arrange your party however you see fit.

MARK >> Orthros

First, dispel the blob’s enhancements then cast Blind, Disease, and Sleep. Shell any magick-weak characters, since Orthros mainly uses area-based spells (Darkga, for example). Prepare to Cure/Esuna/Revive frequently. Orthros absorbs water but is weak against fire so exploit that. Summoning Belias and using piercing weapons helps also.

Upon killing the mark, you’ll receive a bundle of Stolen Articles. Bring these to the Contrite Thief to earn your bounty, as well as a Blackened Fragment. The fragment is part of a subquest that you’ll be advancing later on.

After completing the Wraith, White Mousse, and Orthros hunts, you can track down an esper hiding in the Waterways as well but don’t even attempt to beat it before you’ve bought/licensed Dispel magick. To find Cúchulainn, go back to the Central Waterway Control room and use the Sluice Gate key to close the No. 11 and No. 4 gates. Exit south into the No. 4 Cloaca Spur, which is now drained. Locate the No. 1 North Waterway Control device on the southeast end. Activate it then backtrack to the Central Waterway Control room.

Once there, close the No. 10 and No. 3 sluice gates. Exit south into the No. 3 Cloaca Spur, which is now drained. Activate the No. 1 South Waterway Control on the southwest end then backtrack to the Central Waterway Control once more. Close the No. 3 and No. 4 sluice gates. Save your game then enter the drained No. 1 Cloaca area. Take the southern stairway into the shallow water to engage the esper.

ESPER >> Cúchulainn

During this battle, a magick field causes your party’s HP to rapidly deplete so have cure spells and a ton of potions ready at all times. Immediately dispel Cúchulainn’s enhancements then cast Disable or Slowga, followed by Fira, on the surrounding Foobar enemies. If left unattended, they will kill you. Cúchulainn is immune to all status effects except Expose and Shear. The Drain spell works perfectly during this battle since it heals your character and harms the esper. If it casts Slowga, counter with a Hastega mote or spell. Cúchulainn uses Bio, Toxify and Disable primarily, which means you’ll need to rid status ailments often. Cast Bubble on everyone to buy yourself some additional offensive time.

When the battle ends, Cúchulainn the Impure becomes available on the license board.

GIZA PLAINS (DRY SEASON) – Optional

If you defeated the Croakadile mark earlier and got the ring from Sadeem, go back to Nomad Village during the dry season. Give the ring to Elder Brunoa. If you completed the Gil Snapper hunt, pick up your reward from Nanau. If you completed the Enkelados hunt, give the Errmonea Leaf to Lesina and she’ll offer 2 Remedies in return. If you want to make some quick cash during the dry season, speak to Masyuain and create a few Sunstones that you can sell back to her. Her payment varies depending on how much time you took in creating the Sunstone. If you were fast (7 minutes or less), she’ll give you a Holy Stone, 2 Potions, and 200 gil. If you were slow (35 minutes or more), you’ll only receive 50 gil.

At this point in the game, Giza’s wet and dry seasons will shift every hour or so. If you’re having trouble calculating when to visit the region, locate a Seeq roaming around Rabanstre’s southern exit who calls himself the ‘Weather Eye’. He’ll tell you how close it is to the seasonal change.

OZMONE PLAIN / HENNE MINES – Optional

After formalizing the Ixtab contract with petitioner Zayalu in Jahara, rent a chocobo and ride east through the Ozmone Plains. If you hug the right side, you’ll find chocobo footprints leading directly to the Henne Mines entrance. Go inside and head south until you get to the Phase 1 Shaft. Continue down to the intersection where you’ll find the mark.

MARK >> Ixtab

Cast Slow and Silence on it then hack away. Ixtab has the ability to cast Doom and Annul, which reduces the target’s MP to zero. Use ethers or the Charge technick to restore MP. Light magick (Flare, Scathe, etc.) work well against it but avoid Dark spells, which it will absorb. Applying Faith on your magick users and Bravery on your fighters helps, too.

After defeating Ixtab, leave the mines and go back to collect your reward from Zayalu in Jahara. Also, travel to the Sunlit Path if you gave a potion to the injured soldier earlier. You’ll find a thank-you note along with 2 Alarm Clocks where you initially met him.

BHUJERBA / LHUSU MINES – Optional

In Bhujerba, enter the Staras Residence. Speak with petitioner Niray to formalize the Antlion hunt and to receive the Site 3 key. Before hunting down the mark, you can make some serious cash by locating casks of Madhu (the local drink) scattered around Bhujerba that specific people in town will buy (1,000 gil per bottle). Most bottles are hidden and will only become evident when you get close. There are 14 bottles/buyers in all, listed here in no particular order:

* Note that Niray will not buy the booze if her mark request is still active, but you can sell Magu (the Seeq in the Cloudborne) more than two casks…

After distributing the Madhu bottles, enter the Lhusu Mines and head north into the Site 2 cave where you fled the bounty hunters earlier. Use the key Niray gave you to unlock the Site 3 gate up ahead. Monsters on this side of the mines are a lot tougher, so come prepared.

Wind your way through Site 3 until you are heading south towards the western side of the Twinspan. Examine the mine cart on the tracks at the bottom of Transitway 1 then flip the gate switch on the platform next to it. Once the gate opens, continue west onto the next screen (Transitway 2) where you’ll find young Kait sitting next to a Teleport Crystal. When ready, continue west into Site 9. You’ll find the Antlion mark and his Killer Mantis pals in a small cave in the southwest corner.

MARK >> Antlion

Hit the group with an area spell then let them chase you into the clearing. If you happen to get stuck in the small cave with them, it’s game over. Warp will eliminate most of the Killer Mantis’ immediately. If you don’t have that spell, use Aero spells. Your goal is to take out the Mantis’ before the mark has a chance to Cannibalize them, which increases the Antlion’s stats exponentially. If it eats more than one, you’ll have a tough time surviving the battle. Once they’re disposed of, cast Silence/Slow/Disease and technicks such as Expose/Shear to reduce the Antlion’s power. Avoid earth-based spells since the Antlion absorbs that element. Stay clear when the creature starts using Flatten or prepare to revive those who have fallen.

Upon defeating the mark, a scene plays out with Yrlon, who has dropped the Site 11 gate key into the chasm below. For now, return to the Staras Residence to pick up your bounty.

MT. BUR-OMISACE / PARAMINA RIFT

Back in Mt. Bur-Omisace, speak with Gurdy to formalize the Trickster hunt and Hymms to formalize the Feral Retriever hunt. When ready, follow the path up to the temple grounds. Enter the Gate of the Holy Circle and approach the altar to trigger a few scenes. Larsa leaves the party afterwards. Go back down to the Teleport Crystal. After restocking supplies, leave Mt. Bur and enter the Paramina Rift. Head south.

If you accepted Gurdy’s white chocobo hunt, you’ll find the Trickster in the Frozen Brook region. When you get there, Monid from Clan Centurio will join you as a temporary guest. If the Trickster is there, Monid will mention it; otherwise, keep re-entering the screen until he says it’s time to fight.

MARK >> Trickster

Dispel the giant bird’s Haste/Protect status then inflict Blind/Silence/Sleep. Keep chasing it down, while avoiding traps along the waterfront. The Trickster’s Wild Charge attack can kill low-leveled characters and its Choco-Comet deals heavy damage to all in range. Those with a shield will have a better chance at blocking. When the bird’s HP is reduced by half, it starts using White Wind, making it immune to status effects. Quickly do a large chain-Quickening before it casts Paling, which makes it immune to all physical attacks as well. Optionally, cast Bio and Drain to slowly whittle the bird down.

After defeating the mark, take the southwest exit into the Path of the Firstfall. Speak to the acolyte up ahead to learn that the Stilshrine of Miriam is south of the slope. Use the Save Crystal there then continue forward to the next screen.

Fight through the Twintania and Garuda creatures as you travel south. There are many mines here so equip Libra in order to avoid them. If you accepted the Feral Retriever hunt from Hymms, you’ll find the mark in Paramina’s Spine of the Icewyrm region.

MARK >> Feral Retriever

Blind/Slow it to begin with then cast Protect on everyone to be super-safe. If the feral beast uses Stone Gaze, cure the effect with Stona or Gold Needles. If it uses Purify, recast Blind. The mark absorbs wind magick so avoid using any. Keep your healer out of harm’s way. Successfully casting Sleep, Silence, Disease, or Immobilize will also help.

After beating the Feral Retriever, continue south through the eastern portion of Silverflow’s End until you reach the Stilshrine of Miriam.

STILSHRINE OF MIRIAM

Follow the long walkway across to a Teleport Crystal. After using it, enter the building up ahead. Inside, look for a pedestal near the center of the room. Read the inscription on it, suggesting that only the bearer of the Dawn Shard will be allowed to pass. If you touch the pedestal without having the Dawn Shard equipped, zombies will appear. They are limitless and offer no EXP. Equip your party leader with the Dawn Shard then touch the pedestal to warp to the Ward of Velitation.

A giant Miriam Guardian immediately attacks as soon as you arrive in the room. Kill it then step on the trap next to the platform to replenish some health. Grab an item from the pot behind the trap as well. Head west into the adjoining chamber. The cluster of Dragon Aevis’ in the center of the room will swarm the party as you approach. If they prove too difficult to defeat, just run to the western wall where 2 Miriam Facers give chase. As soon as they unblock the doorway, enter the next room.

Continue heading west through the Walk of Torn Illusion, battling Facers and Guardians that line the halls. Make your way around to the eastern side of the chamber. Whoever has the Dawn Shard equipped should touch the pedestal there. Doing so reveals two hidden stairways in the previous room. Backtrack and take either the left or right stairway down to a door. Enter the Walk of Revelation.

Examine the green crystal up ahead to find out that it’s actually a Crystalbug enemy. Upon defeating it, a blue Save Crystal appears. Use it then travel west down the center path to reach the Ward of the Sword-King. Fight through enemies until you reach an intersection. Go south to a door. Read the inscription on it to break the magic seal on a door to the north. Go inside the newly opened room to find a Way Stone. Touch it to warp back to the first room in the Stilshrine.

Once there, feel free to save your game outside; otherwise, take the western stairs down to a door. Touch it to enter the Cold Distance. Move forward then veer west into the Walk of Prescience. Follow the upper path (rightmost) until you reach an area with a large statue. Inspect its movable base. Rotate the statue until it is facing east. Afterwards, take the southern stairs down to the Walk of Reason.

Enter the door up ahead and pass through the next chamber. Explore the southern hall for treasure or just go north. Veer east when you can and navigate through the passageways until you reach a statue on the southern end of this chamber. Rotate this statue so that it’s facing north. Afterwards, head east then go north to the next screen. Back in the Cold Distance, move forward until you can veer east into the Ward of Steel. Take the stairs down to a door. Heal up before entering.

BOSS >> Vinuskar

A meter appears on screen, suggesting that metal armor will grow heavier the longer you fight (thus slowing you down), but the effect is negligible. Vinuskar can Petrify, Slow or Confuse your characters so just make sure to remove these status effects should they occur. As usual, cast Blind/Slow on the boss then send in your heavy hitters.

After beating Vinuskar, go through the eastern door to find a map of the Stilshrine and the final statue. Rotate this one so that it’s facing west. If you rotated all 3 statues correctly, you’ll hear a chime. Backtrack west to the Cold Distance where a scene shows that the way past the colossus has been opened. Now, go north, back to the Ward of Measure. Save your game outside if you like; otherwise, touch the Way Stone on the far end of the room to warp to the Ward of the Sword- King. Head south and open the door at the end to trigger a scene.

ESPER >> Mateus

Cast lightning spells on the Ice Azers to eliminate them quickly then start working on Mateus. Dispel the esper’s Reflect status if you plan on using magick attacks; otherwise, wait until it wears off then cast Slow. Beware of her Flash-Freeze and Blizzaja spells. The latter inflicts Sap as well as heavy ice damage to all in range. Use Regen to cure Sap. At critical, Mateus’ spells no longer require charge-up time and her power increases. Those with Ice Shields equipped will have a much easier time surviving this fight. Shelling your characters helps.

Afterwards, a new esper, Mateus the Corrupt, is added to the license board. Go through the southern door then move forward to prompt a scene, wherein you receive the Sword of Kings. Leave the chamber and head north towards the Way Stone. At some point, Negalmuur may appear. Fight him and his undead minions (they are limitless) or run away if they start to overwhelm the party.

Either way, warp back to the first chamber and go outside. A scene shows trouble brewing to the north. When you regain control, travel back to Mt. Bur-Omisace either on foot or by teleporting.

MT. BUR-OMISACE

You’ll have to wait to pick up your bounties from Gurdy and Hymms if you hunted down their marks, since they are not stationed in their usual places. Save your game before hiking up to the temple where Archadian forces await.

BOSS >> Judge Bergan, Judges x 3

The party will be surrounded at the onset so work quickly to take out the 3 normal Judges (cast Immobilize) so that you can focus on Bergan. Hit him with Sap/Slow/Blind before he raises his attack damage with Battle Cry. If your melee fighters are Hastened and/or Berserk’d, the fight will be over pretty quickly.

Watch the scene that follows. When it ends, speak to the acolyte kneeling at the base of the temple to acquire the Stone of the Condemner then hike back down to the Teleport Crystal. Gurdy and Hymms are back now so collect your bounties if you defeated their marks. The merchants have new stuff for sale, also. Before going to the Nalbina Fortress in Dalmasca, you can track down an esper hiding within the Stillshrine of Miriam.

If you prefer to skip the optional journey, warp to the Nalbina Fortress. To travel there on foot, go through the Estersand’s Yardang Labyrinth, taking the northeastern exit into the fort’s town.

STILSHRINE OF MIRIAM – Optional

If you acquired the Stone of the Condemner from the acolyte outside Mt. Bur-Omisace temple, you can unlock a secret entrance within the Stilshrine of Miriam. Warp there and go to the Way Stone in the back of the first room. It reacts to the Stone of the Condemner, which allows you to reach the Throne of Veiled Gods. Go through the door to engage the esper, Zeromus.

ESPER >> Zeromus

You are barred from using magick during the battle, so make sure you come prepared with lots of healing items. Use Quickenings to take out any Dark Lord minions that appear, buying you a little time before they respawn. Using strong motes (other than Warp) also helps to clear the field. Zeromus casts Slowga, which pierces Reflect, and will cast Stop often so use Remedies to cure if you’ve upgraded the license. Its Gravity attack will damage you by 1/4 of your max HP and Piercing Gravija will take off half of your max HP.

Afterwards, the esper Zeromus is added to the license board. Leave the Stillshrine and travel to the Nalbina Fortress when you’re ready to advance the story.

NALBINA FORTRESS

There are new goods for sale in town, so stock up on what you ne