___ _ / _ \| | __ __ _ __ _ ___ _ | | | | |/ // _` |/ _` |/ _ \_) | |_| | <| (_| | (_| | __/_ \___/|_|\_\\__,_|\__, |\___|_) ____ _ |___/ _ _ ___ / ___|| |__ __ _ __| | ___ __ __ | |/ /_)_ __ __ _ \___ \| '_ \ / _` |/ _` |/ _ \\ \ /\ / / | ' /| | '_ \ / _` | ___) | | | | (_| | (_| | (_) |\ V V / | . \| | | | | (_| | |____/|_| |_|\__,_|\__,_|\___/ \_/\_/ |_|\_\_|_| |_|\__, | |___/ OKAGE: SHADOW KING North American Version Released October 10, 2001 For PlayStation 2 FAQ & WALKTHROUGH By S. L. Richardson (a.k.a. Falconesque) Version 1.3 Originally released (v1.0) Saturday, July 29, 2006 Last revised Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Best viewed with a monospace font, such as Monaco or Courier. 123456789|123456789|123456789|123456789|123456789|123456789|123456789|12345 =========================================================================== CONTENTS A. FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS A1. SPOILERS A2. PREPURCHASE A3. CONTROLS A4. POV A5. TRANSITIONS A6. TIME A7. QUIT A8. SAVE B. WALKTHROUGH B0. PROLOGUE B1. CHAPTER 1 B2. CHAPTER 2 B3. CHAPTER 3 B4. CHAPTER 4 B5. CHAPTER 5 B6. CHAPTER 6 B7. CHAPTER 7 B8. AFTERWORD C. MENUS C1. STATUS C2. ITEM C2.1 CONSUMABLE ITEMS C2.2 QUEST ITEMS C3. SPECIAL C4. EQUIP C4.1 WEAPONS C4.2 GEAR C4.3 ACCESSORIES C5. CONFIG C5.1 TEXT SPEED C5.2 SOUND D. QUICK REFERENCE D1. ELEMENTS D2. STATUS AILMENTS D3. CURSES D4. POP-UP STANLEY D5. SHOPS D6. MONSTER DROPPINGS D6.1 TREASURE HUNTING D7. KNOWN BUGS D7.1 USEFUL GLITCH D7.2 MISLABELED CHARMS D7.3 SAVE BUG D7.4 DISC READ ERRORS D7.5 MISSING STAT INCREASES D7.6 FALLING OFF THE UPPER DECK E. ADDENDA E1. MAPS E2. SIDEQUESTS E2.1 COMPATIBILITY GIFTS E2.2 TINY GEAR E2.3 SECRET SOCIETY E2.4 ITEM HAND-OFF E2.5 LETTER BOTTLE E2.6 MISS MATCH E2.7 RESEARCH CENTER E2.8 HOPKINS' SWORD E2.9 OTHER PUZZLERS E3. OTHER RESOURCES E3.1 STRATEGY GUIDES E3.2 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK E3.3 ACTION REPLAY CODES E3.4 GAMESHARK CODES E3.5 ANOTHER CHEAT E3.6 FAN SITES E4. Q OF HEARTS E4.1 OBTAINING THE Q E5. MINUTIA E5.1 PLACE NAMES E5.2 WAP-WAP E5.3 MAP O'EVIL KINGS E6. HELP WANTED E6.1 LOCKED ROOMS E6.2 TINKER TOYS E6.3 RED HERRINGS E6.4 SHARK'S FIN E6.5 FOOTPRINTS E6.6 THE BIG SNOWMAN E6.7 MYSTERY ITEMS E6.8 STUBBORN COMPATIBILITY GIFTS E6.9 STAN'S THE MAN E6.10 OTHER LOOSE ENDS F. FAQ & AUTHOR INFO F1. LEGAL F2. FAQ INFO F3. AUTHOR INFO =========================================================================== A. FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions A1. SPOILERS. How are spoilers handled? SECTION A (FAQ). Free of all spoilers. SECTION B (Walkthrough). Spoiler-free, insomuch as presuming all events leading up to a particular passage have been played through. Read ahead at your own peril. All leeway is given for solving puzzles on your own, providing hints as appropriate and with some answers relegated to an addendum. However, this IS a walkthrough, so such measures are not always practical. SECTIONS C, D, & E (Menus, Quick Reference, & Addenda). Potential spoiler territory. Spoilers are avoided wherever possible. Addendum lists are devoid of most context that could spoil the game-play story. However, for some gamers even character and location names may prove spoilers. Gauge accordingly. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A2. PREPURCHASE. Will the game appeal to you? OKAGE: SHADOW KING falls into the adventure genre of role-playing games (RPGs). Explore the world, pursue your goals, and pick up goodies and experience along the way. The topology is familiar. World maps rife with random enemies stretch between towns and isolated dungeons where bosses may hide. As the story progresses, new areas open up and introduce tougher enemies, while foes on well-worn turf give less and less experience as you gain strength. Imagery is highly rendered, some of the finest ever released, and true to the game's fantasy world rather than "real life". Playable characters are anime in style, while nonplaying characters (NPCs) and scenery display influences from Tim Burton. High places may even evoke vertigo. Sound is well-used throughout. Areas and characters have their own themes. Game play is fairly linear, but thorough for character building. Only twice are foes accessible that you may have difficulty defeating, which reinforces following the storyline. Running in circles to "level up" is unnecessary. Buying better equipment can be expensive, however, so most dungeons may be revisited for defeating some of the best-paying enemies in the game. The battle system is active turn-based (ATB) and menu driven. Battle holds in place while commands are selected (in general, breaking away to answer the phone is no problem). The battle system may seem simplistic to those preferring intricate controller "combos" executed with split-second timing, but in most cases the storyline thoroughly engages even "hardcore" gamers. Of parental concern: No blood splatters, no people-killing-people, no gunplay. Random foes are "monsters" but not terrifying -- overly bouncy bunnies rather than frothing killer rabbits -- that are knocked out and vanish. Bosses are dethroned and deflated, not killed. While OKAGE is not geared toward children, the story is easily followed and there are good lessons here. As always, the best advice is to play it yourself first. Like a vintage Roadrunner cartoon, some of the humor will appeal more to you than your youngsters. What recommends OKAGE most highly, however, is the story. Like most adventures, game play runs the gamut from playful to poignant to purely pugnacious. However.... Common failings of adventure games and RPGs are then poked at with a knowing smile and tongue firmly in cheek. The designers have a good-natured time holding up a mirror to themselves, in fact. Insipid flunkies? Invincible overlords? Inflated urgency? Pointless sidequests? You bet, but be prepared to chuckle a time or two. Mostly subtle stuff, never jarring. For more info, screenshots, and so forth, visit: http://www.us.playstation.com/games.aspx?id=SCUS-97129 http://www.us.playstation.com/content/ogs/scus-97129/site/ For a fair, balanced, and mostly accurate review, visit: http://www.absolute-playstation.com/okage/okage_review.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A3. CONTROLS. How do the controllers work? OKAGE is pretty straightforward and not at all taxing on controller skills. X ............. Select a menu option Respond to ! balloons: - Open doors and chests - Examine objects Talk to nonplaying characters (NPCs) Continue in dialogue O ............. Cancel; back out one level Square ........ Get a comment from the Shadow King Triangle ...... Display the main menu Start ......... Pause Select ........ Not used L1/R1 ......... Scroll a page up or down on a list Cycle through screens Cycle through characters in battle Rotate the camera L2/R2 ......... Not used/Toggles the overhead map off and on L3/R3 ......... Not used/Not used Left Stick .... Move the character; move the highlight in a menu Right Stick ... Rotate the camera D-Pad ......... Move the character; move the highlight in a menu Missing the manual? Download a copy from: http://www.us.playstation.com/games.aspx?id=SCUS-97129 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A4. POV. What is the game's point-of-view? OKAGE is played from the lead character's view. A default name is offered for the lead, but the name may be changed by the player when New Game is selected. Voice-over narration refers to the lead as "the boy" or "our hero", while in-game text displays the name chosen at the outset (word wrapping in-context, with very few odd breaks). No customization of the lead's on-screen appearance is offered (such as gender, hair, eyes, or clothing), nor can the boy be renamed after the initial selection. In game play, the lead is shown on-screen and the camera follows his movements. Use the right analog stick (or L1 and R1) to swing the camera around for a different view, usually a full 360 degrees, such as when scenery gets in the way, but remember that movement relates to the on- screen directions. Releasing the right analog stick smoothly swings the camera angle back around to the default. Once additional party members are available, those "allies" also appear on the world maps, following the lead around. The lead can turn and face them, but won't be able to speak with them. Party members may be separated by obstacles in the terrain, but never become "lost" and neither does the lead need backtrack to find them. Party members may split off when the lead enters towns and certain buildings, then rejoin him when he exits. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A5. TRANSITIONS. How are area and battle transitions handled? Area transitions are either automatic, accompanied by a brief fade-to- black, or entirely seamless. Loading is unobtrusive throughout and can go largely unnoticed, depending on your tolerances. Fights are joined by a change in theme and gently swirling display. The battlefield transitioned to is relevant to the terrain, but indirectly featured. Victory is accompanied by a brief triumphant display, followed by a status screen. Money gained tallies up, but pressing X skips to the full amount gained, handy later in the game. Level-ups are announced with fanfare and await acknowledgement (by pressing X) before the stat increases are shown. The status screen is dismissed by pressing X, then the display returns to its prebattle state, although the camera angle may be slightly different. If the lead is knocked out in battle, the game is over. Defeat displays a "Gave Over" screen (with a border) that, after a few moments (pressing X dismisses it sooner), fades to the Start screen where the game may be reloaded from its last save. No "continue" option is offered after defeat. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A6. TIME. How is game time measured? Once a game is loaded, time marches on. Pausing or calling up the menu does not stop the clock. If playing for a fast completion time (under 30 hours is easily achievable), save and quit the game before taking a break. Elapsed game time and your console's time have no bearing on game play. While many reviews place the expected game time at 35 hours, OKAGE is detailed and richly featured, enough to occupy RPG aficionados for 40 to 60 hours or more. Your mileage may vary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A7. QUIT. How do you quit the game? OKAGE includes a Quit command in its main menu. The command IS confirmed before quitting actually proceeds, but be certain you wish to quit because the loaded game is NOT automatically saved. Once Quit is confirmed, "The End" (without a border) is displayed briefly before the Start screen appears. You may also quit by resetting the console, but using the Quit command is strongly advised. If you reset and receive a "disc read" error, don't fret. Just open and close the disc tray to reread the game disc, then select the disc in the system browser. No reset controller sequence is offered, a la Square-Enix games. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A8. SAVE. How do you save the game? Warning. Free of context, but still may be considered spoiler material. If you choose to skip this section, be sure to read the IMPORTANT! notice before moving on. OKAGE doesn't provide a Save command in its main menu and saving is never automatic. The game must be saved at established Save points, by speaking with innkeepers, for example, or at "diaries" scattered across the terrain. Innkeepers offer some variation of three options: Rest ........... Restores the stats of all playable characters, whether in the active party or not. Also "cures" and removes all status ailments and curses, including KO. Change Party ... Select which two other members join the active party. The lead is always a member and cannot be removed. Save ........... Records the current game state exactly as-is. With one exception late in the game, it's best to Rest before Saving. A save diary is a book lying open atop a pedestal, in a shimmer of pastel bubbles. Diaries are located in dungeon entrances and other key places around the topology. Diaries appear as blue dots on world maps and as cyan squares on dungeon maps. Approaching a diary's front, a ! balloon appears. (If you approach from the side or rear, circle the diary until the balloon appears.) Press X and a "rest" is automatically invoked, followed by a prompt to save. Select the appropriate save slot and confirm overwriting as needed. (Alternatively, you can press O to skip saving.) Once the save is complete, control is returned with the lead (and company) standing before the diary. You cannot Change Party from save diaries. OKAGE offers three save slots. When saving for the first time, a single OKAGE save file is written to your memory card. Its size varies depending on the number of in-game save slots used, but the initial save file is less than 100 KB (with two saves, 150 KB; three saves, 154 KB). No option is available for individually deleting saved games. Trivia. In your console's system browser, select the OKAGE save file on your memory card, then select Delete. Enjoy what happens with the icon, then select NO (or press O) to cancel. --IMPORTANT!--------------------------------------------------------------- | A known bug in OKAGE can result in the loss of your saved game. Most | never see the bug, but to help reduce your risk, never overwrite the | last game you saved. Instead, alternate between slots with every save. | | Steps to reproduce the bug and its exact cause are unknown. Some have | reported the bug surfacing when saving at Level 23, but others have | reported seeing the bug at other times, as well. If you run into this | bug, the last-used save slot will be vacant or otherwise unusable. Your | only recourse is to return to a prior saved game or restart from scratch. =========================================================================== B. WALKTHROUGH Before beginning, here's a quick explanation of the abbreviations and other conventions used in this document. LV, Level HP, Health Points EP, Experience Points AP, Attack Power DP, Defense Power MP, Magic Power LP, Labor Points LCK, Luck AGL, Agility NPC, Nonplaying Character Highlight: Use the left analog stick or the arrow keys on the D-Pad to move the selection from one choice to another. Choose, Select: Highlight an option and press X. Ally: While the lead character starts his adventure alone, he meets other characters as the game progresses, who become friends that may fight alongside him as members of the active party. The lead, too, is included in "allies". KO: When HP falls to zero, party members are "knocked out", or KO'd. (Also known as a "Disabled" status ailment.) A KO'd ally may be revived with an item or magic command, if available, or in the worst case by resting at any Save point. If the ally hasn't been or can't be revived before the battle ends, he or she receives no EP (and therefore no status increases) in the after-battle tally. If the lead's HP falls to zero, however, "Game Over" is immediately displayed. Party members will have no opportunity to revive him. Note. This is consistent with the storyline, and the lead's connection with the titular Shadow King. Allies gain an LV for every 1,000 EP earned. As allies grow stronger, weaker monsters reward with less and less EP. LP reflects the status of "the whole team." The maximum LP equals the combined maximum MP of the active party. For example, if the party's MP breaks down as 10MP, 15MP, and 5MP, then the party has 30LP. The LP pool is usable by any party member without regard to the size of his or her MP contribution. MISCELLANEOUS NOTATIONS Throughout the walkthrough, to ease your searching efforts later, a few possibly cryptic markers are embedded. [TGn], Tiny Gear, where n is from 1 through 32. [CTn], Cyphertext, where n is from 1 through 6. [TC: item], Treasure Chest, containing the named item. [Trigger: some action], a trigger event, where some action sets other events in motion, usually with no going back. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B0. PROLOGUE - The Boy Overshadowed OKAGE is an early PS2 game, so ensure your controller is plugged into the first port. You will also need a memory card with at least 150 KB available plugged into slot 1. (Having 155 KB available is recommended, as 154 KB is the maximum size of the OKAGE save file.) Note. OKAGE can't read from or write to memory card slot 2. Insert the OKAGE disc and either reset the console or select the disc in the system browser. The Start menu appears, but DO NOT press the Start button yet. After a moment, an introductory segment begins. Watch until it plays all the way through at least once. When the Start menu returns, press Start. Two options are offered: New Game and Restore Game. (What's selected blinks and is prefaced by a dot rather than a circle.) If you're continuing with a game-in-progress, select Restore Game. Select the game you wish to load, then confirm your selection. Skip ahead to the appropriate section of this guide. Note. If no saved games are listed, ensure your memory card is properly seated in slot 1. OKAGE immediately recognizes when a memory card is plugged in, no reset required. Otherwise, select New Game. The Name Entry screen appears, without any explanation about who you're naming. Well, the character is a "young boy" of 16, with reddish hair and green eyes, who lives with his parents, grandparents, and sister in a house outside a rustic village. Note. Once a name is selected, the character cannot be renamed through the course of the new game. The default name is Ari, used throughout this guide, but feel free to type any name you like, up to seven characters in length. Use BS to backspace off characters. No Space character is offered, but in the lower-right are period (.) and hyphen (-) characters. When you have typed the name, select either of the OK buttons. When prompted, select Yes to confirm the name, or No to go back and alter your choice. (The prompt may show extra spacing around the name, such as " Ari ".) The Chapter 1 title-card displays. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B1. CHAPTER 1 - The Boy Meets the King INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE. A typical dialogue screen appears. Who is speaking appears on the left under Name. On the right, an Information line displays your LP and Money. (The coin of the realm is measured in "sukels".) Below this the Woman's spoken text is typed. How fast text is typed may be set through the menu. Regardless of the menu setting, you can "speed up" the typing by pressing X. However, X must be pressed before the button icon in the lower-right begins blinking. The blinking button icon means the line of text is complete and X must be pressed to proceed. (With a few notable exceptions, text typed like this never automatically advances.) NAME INTEGRATION. Proceed through the conversation at your own pace. Notice when the camera angle shifts and the bottle from the introductory scene is shown atop the table. A girl, Annie, then a boy (The Boy) enters and Annie's text reads, "See, Ari", "came too!" If you chose a different name for the boy, that name replaces "Ari" in the text. (Usually, the name integrates with the text more smoothly than in this first instance.) NARRATION. With the first good look at Ari, the narrator intercedes, setting the stage. MAKING CHOICES. The conversation continues, and Ari is asked to take a guess about dinner. When offered a choice in dialogue, three options are shown on a green background. Notice that none of the choices is highlighted initially. Use the left analog stick or D-pad to move the highlight between choices and press X to select a choice. The third choice, even if text is shown rather than "...", is often interpreted as silence, internal dialogue, or a general "no response". Note. Your choices may have some bearing on other aspects of the game. A "compatibility gift" is one such, given later depending upon with whom Ari is most compatible. (See the "Compatibility Gifts" section of the "Sidequests" addendum for the gifts and how best to obtain them.) Another pertains to an aspect of the storyline revealed in Chapter 5. For now, select any one of the three choices offered and the conversation continues. Another choice, and this time the result of your choice is typed in yellow and varies depending on what was selected. More conversation and another choice. Whichever you select, the result is the same: Mom sends Ari on an errand. Okay, you gain control of Ari for the first time. Press Triangle to display the menu. MENUS. At the top, Information displays the party's LP and Money. At the bottom is an Explanation of what is highlighted, whether a submenu, item, Special, or command. To the left, the submenus -- Status, Item, Special, Equip, Config, and Quit -- are listed. The main features of this screen are the three "thumbnail" displays of the active party members. Only Ari is displayed until he gains some allies. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the menus. Pressing X selects a menu or option, while pressing O backs out of submenus and cancels selections. Note. Pressing O is the same as selecting "No" in yes-or-no prompts. Selecting STATUS displays the complete stats of one ally at a time, whether in the active party or not. Use L1 and R1 to cycle between allies, which are listed in the order they become Ari's allies. The three circles below HP note element affinity (Ari is Neutral), status ailments (Normal), and curses (Normal). Ailments and curses result in battle and may be cured by using items or Special commands. Ailments, however, generally wear off automatically at the battle's end. See the "Quick Reference" section for more on element and status attributes. Ari's initial status displays as: LV HP EP AP DP MP LCK AGL 1 32/32 0 9 3 10 1 55 The maximum LV is 99. Once LV 99 is reached, the character gains no further EP. HP's two numbers indicate the current HP and the maximum HP for that LV. The maximum HP possible is 999, though that's rarely (if ever) seen. EP has a max of 999, at which point LV goes up one and EP returns to 0. Once LV 99 is reached, EP remains a static 0 (zero) from then on and no further status increases are gained in battle. AP, DP, LCK, and AGL won't exceed 254. MP has a maximum of 99. (LP, too, has a max of 99.) Selecting ITEM lists all items Ari and his allies have collected. Some items may be used to heal allies or damage enemies. Some may increase or decrease stats permanently or temporarily. Some are equipment. Items that may be used at that moment appear in bright type (white versus gray). If a healing or curative item is selected, you're prompted on who to use the item; if the ally selected won't benefit, a beep is heard, so you won't use up items unnecessarily. Note. When selected in battle, an item is immediately removed from inventory. If battle ends before the item can be used, the item is lost and is NOT returned to inventory. Ari's initial inventory: NAME DESCRIPTION EFFECT Picked up Branch Branch picked up somewhere. Atk +1 Ordinary Outfit Nothing notable mere casual clothes. Dfns +0 Holly Spiky leaf wards off evil spirits. Luck +1 Note. Because what's equipped affects Ari's stats, his "naked" AP is 8 and his LCK is 0. While the Holly accessory may be unequipped (and Ari's LCK reduced), a weapon and some armor (or "gear") must always be equipped. Selecting SPECIAL lists Ari's "special" commands, spells and the like. Specials may heal allies or damage enemies, or affect stats temporarily. Ari starts out knowing two Specials. Decoy affects all enemies and makes them attack only Ari their next round. Decoy is the only Special where using it has no cost. Overdrive targets one ally, enhancing his or her attacks and letting them use a one-time "burst" attack, which in turn targets all enemies. Using Overdrive costs Ari 15% of his HP (5 HP initially), whether he targets himself or an ally. Note. A Special's "cost" is levied immediately after the command is selected, whether the command has a chance to be used or not. If Ari chooses Overdrive, for example, his HP is immediately lowered; if battle ends before Overdrive executes, the HP is NOT returned. Selecting EQUIP allows for changing out weapons (Wepn), gear (Eqpt), and accessories (Gurd). Try removing the Holly by selecting Gurd, then Holly -- selecting the same accessory unequips it -- and notice Ari's LCK goes down. Be sure to equip the Holly again, though. Note. The game's manual and other resources imply that the Equip menu can be accessed during battle, when in truth it cannot. When Ari gains some allies, use L1 and R1 to cycle through active party members on the Equip screen. Note. Weapons and gear are unique to a particular ally and can only be equipped by that ally. Ari's equipment are swords and outfits. Selecting CONFIG sets two common aspects of the game: How fast dialogue text is typed ("Text speed") and whether to use stereo or mono sound. However Text Speed is set, pressing X immediately completes the line of text being typed. With a 5.1-channel sound system, the mono setting channels sound through the center speaker(s). QUIT is for quitting your game, but be careful. Your game will NOT be saved! You are prompted to confirm quitting, however. Once you're finished looking over the menus, press O (repeatedly, as needed) to leave the menu screen. Before you go exploring, however, press the controller's Start button to Pause the game (and enjoy a respite from the music, if desired). Be aware that the game clock, shown on Save and Load screens, continues all the while the game is loaded, even while in the menu or paused. Press Start again to continue. Walk over to Ari's mother and press X to speak with her. She gives a bit more info about Ari's errand and, a-ha, a tip to visit Ari's dad BEFORE going to the bakery. Tip. Interacting with NPCs is vital in OKAGE and it's a good idea to speak with people you meet multiple times, until they repeat themselves. Watch, too, for clues like "before". Before heading out to find Tenel Village, however, explore the kitchen and find the door. Note. Most cupboards, cabinets, and boxes don't hold anything. If an object can be manipulated, OKAGE displays a ! balloon when Ari stands before it, such as the door out of the kitchen. To leave by the door, move Ari to stand between the two truncated posts so that the ! balloon appears. Then press X to open the door. Ari is now in the entry hall. First off, notice most of the doors look like doors; rooms may have either or both types of doors. From the entry's ground floor are four doors: The kitchen door at Ari's back; two other inside doors; and the door (opposite the foot of the stairs) that leads outside. Do not go outside yet, but enter the room to the right of the kitchen. Speak to the two people, then exit to the foyer. Now enter the door to the left of the stairs. A hallway. Walk downstairs and open the door at the bottom. Nothing here, so go back upstairs and out to the foyer. Explore the second floor, starting with the left-hand door at the top of the stairs. Another hallway. Try opening the first door on the right. Locked, with a choice of what to try. You can try again, but Ari may need to step away and back before the ! balloon reappears. Walk down the hall and open the second door. Empty bedroom. Backtrack and from the top of the stairs open the right-hand door. Ah, another hall and another locked door. (Something does happen with these locked doors at one point, so it's always good to check.) Open the second door along the hall. It's Ari's room and the first Save point in the game. Rest restores all stats and cures all curses and ailments. Change Party let's you pick the allies in Ari's active party (later, when he has allies). Save prompts for which slot to save the game. (Be sure to read the IMPORTANT! warning in the "FAQ" section about a notorious saving bug.) Pick an empty slot and press X. Note. OKAGE provides only three save slots, which cannot be deleted individually. When overwriting an existing saved game, you are first asked to confirm the save. Once the save is complete, control returns to Ari. Note. If you need to use more than one of the commands at this Save point, Ari needs to leave his room and return to select another command. Other Save points do not have this restriction. Time to find the village. Backtrack to the foyer and go out the front door, opposite the foot of the stairs. Ari is now outside on a "world" map. WORLD MAPS feature an overhead display of the region. Pressing R2 toggles the overhead map off and on. L1 and R1 swing the camera angle left and right, as does the right analog stick. Follow the edge of the house to the left and circle the base of the windmill. Ari will stop and pick something up -- a Tiny Gear [TG1]. TINY GEAR are plentiful, thirty-two in all, eight found across each of four different regions. The Tiny Gear sidequest is one of the most amusing for long-time RPG fans -- the gears are invisible both on-screen and on the overhead maps -- and, for the same reason, potentially frustrating. An excellent checklist may be found at GameFAQs.com, however. SIDEQUESTS. In OKAGE, sidequests generally have no bearing on the main storyline and may be safely skipped. Most sidequests, however, like this one, are easily completed with little extra effort and usually return good rewards that can't be achieved or acquired any other way. This guide presumes completing each sidequest as it comes up. (See the "Sidequests" addendum for the isolated steps required for each.) Annie blocks the steps. Talk to her, or if Ari tries going around her, she'll initiate the conversion. After she walks off, go down the steps. Open the gate on the left and enter the small cemetery. Examine each of the three tombstones. Ominous. Backtrack and approach the big gates. They'll swing open automatically. Follow the path (looking for Tiny Gear if you like) until you reach a signpost. Examine it to get directions (on the overhead map, towns like Tenel and Madril appear as red circles; Ari's house is the Nameless Dwelling). Try to go south toward Madril and the Skinny Boy will call Ari back. Talk to either of the boys, and then each separately. The scene shifts to show Tenel Village. Walk up to Tenel's gates and press X to enter the village. Talk to the girl, Julia, just inside the gate. In the village, signs appear over merchant's doors. [Trigger: DO NOT enter the Bakery yet, or if you do, leave WITHOUT talking to either occupant. After a conversation inside, leaving the Bakery initiates a progression in the story, but remember Ari needs to talk to his father first.] Explore the rest of the village and talk to everyone else. Begin with the Inn behind where Julia was standing. Next, try the Butcher's ("Meat") across the street. When offered, buy the meat. Talk to him again, then exit. Now talk to the two gents standing in the street until you hear everything they have to say. Next, try the Tinkers. SKIP the Bakery for now and talk to the girl. Try the Bar next, then talk to the old man. Now try the Shop (Other One). This is your typical restocking station, but notice too the stairs going up to the second floor (differing from the stairs at Ari's house) and another door behind the shopkeeper. Enter the backroom first and talk to the old man, who gives Ari a few coins. Talk to him again, then exit and explore upstairs. Talk to the woman (hmm, Ari may need to see the Butcher again), then go back downstairs. Talk to the shopkeeper. SHOPS offer supplies and sometimes weapons or gear. You can Buy what the shop has to offer or Sell excess items. OKAGE doesn't limit the variety of items carried (no "bag full" problems), though there's a maximum of 99 on any one item. Tip. If an item nears the maximum, sell off a few for some easy cash and to leave a little room for collecting more (which in turn may be sold). Shops have a static inventory of what they sell and an endless supply of those items, but any items may be sold at any shop, for half their purchase price. Items you sell don't subsequently appear in the shop's inventory, however, and not all items may be sold. Tenel Village Shop offers: ITEM DESCRIPTION EFFECT COST Nut Great for a snack. Recover 50 HP 10 Energy Flower Heavenly Beauty. Recover frm KO 150 Purging Stone Brings pure Winter mountain air. Cures Poison 10 Guidance Jewel Dungeon depths won't get you down. Dungeon Entry 100 As you scroll through the offerings, notice any changes on the left side of the screen. If the highlighted item is already in inventory, how many is displayed near Ari's icon; if not, the number is zero (0). When you select an item to buy, you're then prompted for how many. Use the right and left arrows to increase or decrease the number by one; use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the number by ten. Then press X. The total cost is shown; select Yes to make the purchase, or select No (or press O) to back out without making a purchase. Notice that after making a purchase, the number shown in inventory increases. Recommendations: Guidance Jewels are offered at every shop in OKAGE; buy one now if you like, but there's no dungeon before the next shop. Poison wears off at the end of battle, but at low HP can take a toll; buy 5 Purging Stones. Buy 2 Energy Flowers, good to have a spare on hand, but pricey at the moment (and since a KO is an immediate game-over while Ari's adventuring alone, he can never use an Energy Flower on himself). Nuts are used most at this level; buy 30. You'll still have 240 sukel left. Alternatively, to save your sukels for later, purchasing only a few Nuts now should serve Ari well enough. When you're done with your purchases, press O to back out one level, then O again to leave the bargaining table. Exit the shop. Try the little house just next door, then the little ell-shaped house (easily overlooked) immediately across the street. Talk to the woman, then exit. Now talk to the guy on the street (another hint to see Dad, hmm). Enter the big house, which offers two other doors at ground level, plus an upstairs. Enter the door on the right first and talk to the woman. Exit and enter the door across the way. Talk to the Elder and listen to his story. Exit and go upstairs. Try the door on the right first, then go back and try the other door. Go back downstairs and exit the house. Head to the right and up the steps. Talk to the guy standing in the courtyard. Off the courtyard are entrances to the church, on the right, and the town hall. Try the church door, then read the sign beside it. Enter town hall. Talk to the two clerks and try the two doors. Then talk to the guy in the glasses, Ari's Dad, until you hear all he has to say. Exit and retrace your steps to the Bakery (yes, it's time). Enter the Bakery and talk to the guy on the right. Now talk to the lady behind the counter and pick up the loaf of bread. If you like, press Triangle to bring up the menu, then Items to view the new quest item. Green QUEST ITEMS, such as the Butcher's Ground Beef and the Baker's Loaf For Pickup, are unique items pertaining to the storyline and may appear in Ari's inventory only briefly until called into play by the story. Some quest items linger indefinitely, act as keys, or serve as red herrings. When ready, exit the Bakery. Dusk is falling and Annie intercepts Ari. Thus, the narrator intrudes. The next night, everyone gathers. When control returns, AVOID talking to Dad for the moment, but talk to everyone else. Ari can't leave without talking to his father, though, so talk to him now. When Ari can, leave the room. Make a circuit around the house, stopping in Ari's room to save. Backtrack to the foyer and leave by the front door. Dark outside. Look at the overhead map. The yellow arrow shows "you are here" at Ari's house, but notice the circle due west, past the crossroads. That's where the circus is set, so head that direction. If Ari wanders too far south, a guy will turn him back. As Ari approaches the circus, a couple stop and chat. Read the signpost just outside the tent, then talk to the pudgy man (he'll stop Ari if Ari tries following Julia). To the left of the guy is a big pole in a stone circle; examine it, but more about this later. Retrace your steps to the crossroads and a scene ensues (with narration). The events take a while, but enjoy Dad's gyrations. When control returns, the next morning, step out of Ari's room, then back in to save (in case of power failure). Make a circuit around the house, talking to everyone. Then leave the house. A short scene ensues. (Trivia. This is the only time Ari can walk around with his shadow "out" like this.) Talk to James. Then press Square. From now on, STAN, the Evil King, gives Ari a comment or two when Square is pressed. Check with Stan often, or if you get stumped on what to do next. For now, go back into the house and enter the kitchen. Talk to James, then Mother. Leave the house again and head toward the village. Be sure to speak with everyone. [Trigger: Ari can't enter Tenel until he's spoken with all six villagers on the road.] In town, enter the Butcher's. Sell the ground beef back for 30 sukel. Exit and make the rounds, hearing everything everyone has to say. Then enter the town hall. The woman has more to say about Ari's classification, while the man tells the secret of the water problem. Talk to Dad to get the church opened. Enter the church, and then the door on the left. Examine the dry fountain. Enter the next door. After a brief exchange, finally, Ari's first battle. BATTLE SCREENS. Battle is entered with a brief transition and almost immediately the Battle menu is displayed. Note. Later on, random battles may come up as "surprise" attacks, sometimes allowing foes the first move. These are infrequent, however. Battle menu commands: Attack > Attack Target an enemy group. Attack one enemy physically. Combine Combined physical attack with other Waiting party members, targeting one enemy. Burst Available after Overdrive. Attack all enemies. Special Select a Special command, such as Overdrive, then a target, either friend or foe. Item Select an item, such as Nut, then a target.* Defense > Wait Hold in place for a Combine attack. Escape Run away, flee. Invokes Retreat, using LP. Defense Guard posture. Reduces physical damage, less prone to status attacks. * Although the manual says weapons may also be selected via Item, such is not the case. Ari can only change his equipment outside the heat of battle. As Ari's first fight is considered a boss fight, the Escape command is disabled. The Wait and Combine commands, too, do not appear for this fight, though once Ari has an ally or two this pair of commands proves invaluable (more then). Lastly, the Burst command only appears after Ari uses his Special, Overdrive. Overdrive may be the most often used offensive Special. The Burst command it enables is best used at the outset because it targets multiple enemies at once, possibly taking out a number of foes in one fell swoop without diffusing the damage done to each. Once the minions are whittled down, then Ari can focus regular attacks on the remaining foe. Tip. Overdrive intensifies Ari's normal attacks, too, and remains in effect until Burst is used. Sometimes it's more beneficial to delay using Burst. Try the Overdrive Special -- a "whoosh" is audible when it executes and a purple pool of light appears under Ari's feet. Then attack with Burst, but remember the Burst command need not be used immediately. If Ari takes any damage (or just to recover the hefty HP cost of using Overdrive), use a Nut first to keep him healthy. Timing is crucial when choosing items. The item selected must be useful at that moment. For example, if an enemy is poised to deliver damage when Ari is prompted for his next action, but he hasn't actually suffered any damage yet, he won't be able to target himself with a Nut. Tip. Using Wait is also helpful in these situations. As soon as the damage is done, press L1 or R1 and have a waiting character immediately invoke a little healing with a Special or Item. Another tactic to consider is having Ari use Defense > Defense constantly. After Ari takes a little damage, Stan will step up and lend a hand, inflicting big hurt on the foes. Across the lower portion of the screen, keep an eye on Ari's health meter and status indicators. If a foe poisons Ari, for example, be sure to choose Item then Purging Stone on his next turn. When Ari (or an enemy) is afflicted with a status ailment or curse, a balloon icon appears over his head on-screen. The OKAGE manual shows each of the icons, helpful to keep at hand until you're familiar with them all. If the same ailment is inflicted more than once, the status indicators show a number (rather than an icon) to indicate the severity, with 3 being the worst. See also this guide's "Quick Reference" section. Be aware, too, that Ari's recharge (or "Wait") meter must fill before his next action may be selected. As the game progresses, Specials may be learned that affect the recharge rate, for foes as well as allies. Damage inflicted appears as numbers over the heads of Ari and his foes. Healing displays similarly, but in green. In the lower-right of the screen, a History list also records damage and healing. Other important information may also display in History. TALLY SCREENS. After the fight, items dropped by the foes, if any, are automatically picked up and listed under Get Item. Money dropped is tallied up under Get Money, along with the Total Money. (Tip. As the money amounts get larger through the game, press X to skip the tallying-up and go straight to the final total.) Then EP is calculated under Get Experience. If Ari earned a level-up, a fanfare plays and a message to that effect displays near the bottom, also showing any new Specials he may have learned. Note. The EP earned from each foe decreases as Ari gains levels. During the post-fight accounting, the EP-earned is based on Ari's level at the beginning of the tally. (This can result in some leapfrogging in who has the most EP later on). For example, if at the end of a fight Ari is at level 5 with 998 EP, Ari earns more EP for the fight than if he had been at level 6 with 3 EP at the fight's end. Read RBury's Experience Point FAQ at GameFAQs.com for more details. After a level-up, press X and the remaining EP is tallied. Note. Occasionally the stat increases shown on the tally screen are inaccurate. This is an infrequent anomaly with the game, but it's only aesthetic. The correct stat increases display on the Status screen. Press X again to dismiss the tally screen. A scene ensues, automatically opening the treasure chest [TC: Old Glass Tube]. When control returns, walk around behind the chest until the ! balloon appears. Open the valve. Exit the room and again examine the fountain. Exit the church and a scene ensues. Read the sign beside the church, then it's time to talk to everyone again, visit stores that have reopened, and stock up at the Shop. Dad's a source of direction. The Elder has something for Ari, the first of six cyphertexts [CT1] for the Secret Society sidequest. (Hint. Read it in reverse.) Note. In the menu, select Item then Cyphertext 1 to again see the clue. The text varies slightly from the Elder's reading. The Tinker, too, has something (but no, it can't be equipped). Be sure to visit the Inn, where the Innkeeper kindly explains how Inns work. Rest and save. Enter the door on the right and talk with the Fortune Teller (remember the compatibility gift?). Explore upstairs, then exit the Inn. Finally, talk to the guy blocking the town gates. Go to the Bar and talk to the Ringmaster. When you can, press Triangle and select Item. Select the Map o'Evil Kings for a hint; check the map often for clues on how to proceed. Exit, then talk to Julia near the town gates. The narrator adds some commentary, then.... The next morning, Ari is awoken in his room. Leave and come back in to save. Explore the second floor, if you like. When ready, go down to the foyer. [Trigger: Going down the main staircase initiates an event.] Talk to everyone, saving Dad for last. Once Ari agrees to go along with Stan's plan (toy with him a bit first, if you like), speak to everyone again. Mom has something for Ari and Grandma sets Ari on the beginnings of a lengthy (but again, straightforward) sidequest. Finally, talk to Ari's father, receiving another item. Leave via the front door. Following some narration, the Chapter 2 title-card displays. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B2. CHAPTER 2 - Enter the Pink Hero and Her Parasol From the crossroads, head north and enter Tenel. Talk to everyone for hints on what's going on in the world. The blacksmith has a few words of wisdom, too. Drop off the pebble with the Baker (and gain another item in exchange). Save at the Inn, then leave town. If you like, at the crossroads backtrack to Ari's house. Talk to Annie by the fountain and everyone inside. Save again (the next Save point is a ways off). Leave and return to the crossroads. Head to the circus tent, reading the sign on the way. To the right of the entrance, speak to the man and receive the next cyphertext [CT2]. Speak to the guy again to hear the text, or from the menu, choose Item, then Cyphertext 2. (Hint. Read the lines in numerical order.) Try to enter the circus tent. To the left, the pole in the stone circle is now enveloped in green light. Examine the pole and Ari is whisked away to a strange island with nothing but inert stone circles. Use the right analog stick to get a good look at the terrain. Follow the cliff edge around and speak with the girl on the far side, who explains about the Isle of Wap- Wap, or "Traveler's Island". (Nice use of "stele".) STELES. Whenever a new stele is encountered, always use it right away, even if you only turn around and go straight back. The steles on Wap-Wap remain inert until the corresponding steles become active on their world maps. Examine the now-active Tenel stele and Ari returns to the circus grounds. Leave the circus grounds and at the intersection, turn south. Walk down the center of the path and Ari finds the next Tiny Gear [TG2], just as a bridge comes into view. Approach the bridge, but don't cross it yet. Instead, veer to the right, down to the north shore of the river. Walk under the bridge, past the man, and open the treasure chest [TC: Holly]. Turn around and talk to the man, to swap the Bread Crust for a Worn Brush. Retrace your steps. [Trigger: Crossing the bridge initiates a scene.] Ari receives his first sword...and the gates of random enemy encounters open wide. From now on, ghosts will attack Ari on the world maps. You'll see them coming, and they can be avoided, but the ghosts get steadily more aggressive. Ghosts may also initiate a "surprise" attack from time to time, meaning they get a slight jump on Ari at the outset. Note. The ghosts' color has no relevance to the strength of the foes encountered. Press Triangle right away and ensure the new sword is properly Equipped. In the menu, select Equip. Beside Wepn, Leftover Sword now appears. Select Wepn and notice that Leftover Sword raises Ari's Atk (or AP) by 5. His Luck is also raised by 5, though the sword's description doesn't mention that increase. (Tip. It's always a good idea to check Ari's stats both before and after changing his equipment.) Notice, too, that his Picked Up Branch is no longer listed or found in inventory. Exit the menu and get ready to fight. When battle is joined, a brief swirling transitions Ari to the battlefield, which reflects the terrain (with astonishing accuracy, at times) but is indirectly featured. Trees surrounding the battlefield, for example, don't necessarily surround Ari on the world map. In Tenel Forest, the most common foes are Airy Bunnies, Perky Frogs, Chicken Chickens, and Maneating Onions, though others will appear. Note. While this guide occasionally highlights enemies of special note, the Lists FAQ at GameFAQs.com details each area's new foes. The chickens have an, uh, interesting attack, but may Escape as well. When enemies flee, they leave behind (or "drop") no treasure or money, and Ari gains only 1 EP for the fight. If some enemies are KO'd before the others Escape, however, those rewards are still collected. The onions appear fiercest, but individually deal small damage. They can show up in groups of three or five, however, a good time to use Overdrive and Burst. (Tip. Observe the damage each enemy inflicts. The damage dealt by some foes may be less than Overdrive's HP cost.) Heal Ari whenever his HP dips below halfway in these early fights. The most damaging foes through Tenel Forest are Tricky Ghosts and Wild Cows (a good time to try Overdrive without using Burst). If you run out of Nuts, remember Ari can choose Defense, then Escape to invoke a hasty Retreat. Note. Unlike in some other RPGs, in OKAGE Escape always succeeds. Enemies won't block Ari's retreat. After battle, any money or items left behind by the ghosts are automatically collected and EP is awarded. If Ari needs healing, from the menu choose Item, then select Nut (or Special and then Mend, which he learns at LV 4). Since stats are restored without cost at Save points, healing magic is often more economical than restorative items, which must be purchased if Ari runs low. Many foes in the Tenel Forest drop Nuts, however, so gauge accordingly. Note. If you'd like to follow-up on the blacksmith's words, turn around and head back to Tenel Village (Leftover Sword isn't considered "strong" enough, apparently, but you may wish to show the Tinker any new weapon Ari buys or receives, your choice). If you go, after speaking with the Tinker return to the bridge. Cross the bridge, but veer to the left and walk under the bridge to find another Tiny Gear [TG3] in the patch of dirt. Retrace your steps, then head due south until Ari reaches a lakeshore. Swing the camera around. A little northeast is a short plateau. Explore the bushes abutting this plateau (climbing the plateau to reach the back the bushes) for the next Tiny Gear [TG4]. Go back to the lakeshore and follow its edge east until Ari finds another Tiny Gear [TG5] at the lip's dead end. Okay, backtrack a few steps and follow the main path east. Talk to the traveler, then continue toward the next bridge. Note. When ghosts initiate a fight, Stan may pop up and ask Ari a question. Ari needs to pick one response from each of three groups of possibilities. It's not easy and the answer's rarely apparent, but if Stan is pleased with the combined response (such as "Earth shaking / ideal / hunk!"), he'll hit the enemies with a preemptive strike. See the "Pop-up Stanley" section for some sure-fire winners. Head across the bridge and talk to the man blocking the way. (It may take a few times, but enjoy Kisling's observations.) After Kisling walks off, veer hard left to find a Tiny Gear [TG6] under the tree. Follow the path south and talk to the woman. Continue on, but keep a lookout for a path toward the southern lakeshore and a treasure chest [TC: Wild Strawberry]. Note. Rare restorative items that benefit all party members, such as Wild Strawberry, appear in red type in the Item menu. Use them conservatively until you find a ready source for restocking more. Backtrack and go south again. Watch for a log blocking a westward path. Read the signpost and explore the path west. When a boarded-up tree stump first comes into view, look for a path down to the water's edge and another Tiny Gear [TG7]. Return to the log and the main road. Head south again. Ahead another stele comes into view, awash in red light, but before it, on the east side of the road, is a lone tree. Circle the tree to find the last Tiny Gear [TG8] on the Tenel Forest world map. Now examine the stele to activate it. On Wap-Wap, examine the same red stele and return to where you just left off. Tip. If Ari hasn't reached LV 4 yet (and health-wise he's not on his last- legs), you may wish to wander a bit until he does. His Mend Special is well worth the extra effort. When you're ready, walk over and open the big metal doors. Welcome to Madril. Random attacks cease while Ari's walking around the public streets. Walk over and talk to the group of townies, then talk to each in turn. The building behind them is Town Hall, but first stop at the Inn, the first building on the left side of the street, to rest and save. Talk to the Fortune Teller, while you're there, and explore the Inn. (The two guest rooms are obvious, but at the end of the hall is also a staircase leading up.) Now return to Town Hall and talk to everyone. Don't miss any clerks behind the windows. The guard won't let Ari into the Hero's Club yet, however. So leave. Before going on to the next building, look at the south end of Town Hall for a striped awning and a ! balloon. If you figured out Cyphertext 2, Ari acquires Cyphertext 3 [CT3] now. (Hint. Read between the lines.) Visit the next two houses on the same side of the street. Then visit the house next to the Inn. Talk to the boy standing outside. Examine the lift behind him, too. Next, stop in the Bar beside the lift and talk with everyone. (Take note of Lover Boy for future reference.) Exit the Bar and speak to the sentries. Since they won't let Ari go any further, return to Town Hall and try to get into the Hero's Club again. Ms. Parasol and the guard have a brief exchange, then keep talking to the guard until he lets Ari in. Inside, avoid Ms. Parasol for the moment and starting at the far left learn what everyone else has to say first. Query the clerk until all he has to say is heard. [Trigger: Speak with the guy at the far right to hear his comment and initiate a brief scene. Speaking with the woman or the man she's arguing with instead initiates the same scene, but skips the other guy's comment.] Speak to the guy at the far right again. Talk to the clerk on the floor, but choose the second or third response for the most exposition. Exit the Hero's Club, then go right back in. Two of the guys near the door have new things to say, the clerk on the floor is now behind a window, and there's a backdoor, though it leads to nothing. When you're done, exit Town Hall and Stan has something to say. Interrogate the kid over by the lift again. Visit Toby, in the house next to Town Hall, and take a guess at the password. (Hint. Which gang calls the lower level home?) Go out the back way and follow the pipe around the corner. Avoid the queue of would-be heroes for now. Over near where the sentries block the road is a house, just a posting on the door to read. Across from the queue enter Madril's Shop. Speak with the girl in the corner (hmm, a manhole). Talk to the boy at the counter, but do NOT accept his first offer of 300 sukels. Talk to him a second time and he ups his offer to 400 sukels -- take it! Talk to the man behind the other counter to buy his wares, including better equipment for Ari. Madril Shop offers: ITEM DESCRIPTION EFFECT COST Ordinary Sword Widely used by travelers for Atk +10 40 defense. Clean Outfit A new line with a trendy style. Dfns +1 30 Nut Great for a snack. Recover 50 HP 10 Energy Flower Heavenly Beauty. Recover frm KO 150 Purging Stone Brings pure Winter mountain air. Cures Poison 10 Writeoff Charm For carefree living. Cures Tax 100 Awakening Stone Bright as sunshine in summer. Cures Sleep 50 Guidance Jewel Dungeon depths won't get you down. Dungeon Entry 100 As you highlight the sword and outfit, an up-pointing triangle indicator beside Ari's icon displays in green to show the item is better than what Ari currently has equipped. (The down-pointing indicator displays in red if the equipment is less robust and neither indictor displays in color if the item is of equal power.) Notice, too, that nearby how many of that item are already in Ari's inventory is shown as zero (0) or another number. You never need more than one of any particular weapon or gear. Be sure to Equip the new sword and gear. When you're done, leave the shop. Try the door before which everyone's queued up. Talk to the guy facing the queue, then each hero standing on line, from left to right, leaving Rosalyn until last. Speak to her several times. After she runs off, talk to the File Clerk again, then examine the small manhole cover. Follow the passage and climb the ladder at the other end. On the left, enter the house. Gear love abounds! (Ahem, sorry.) Gear Freak swaps for the Worn Brush, giving Ari a Rare Gear. Exit and try the double- doors of the next building on the right. Skip the next door, but try the gates and the door beside the trash barrier. Now enter the door you skipped. A scene ensues. When control returns, talk to the two kiddies. Follow Robert (that's "roe-bare"; he's apparently of French extraction). Another brief scene, then walk up and examine any of the boxes (the "puzzle" auto-solves). Enter the next door. Another scene, then talk to everyone, including the cat. Try to leave and Maggie stops Ari. Leave the building when you can. The barriers are all gone now. Stock up if you didn't earlier and backtrack to the Inn to save (you don't want to go through all that again). [Trigger: When you're ready, open the now-unlocked gates to access the sewer.] After a scene, Ari and Rosalyn descend. Step right up and face.... SEWER EVIL KING Ari's first real boss fight. Take out any minions, Lurking Rats, accompanying the boss. Then the party may combine their strength against the boss itself. To activate the Combine attack, have a party member select Defense, then Wait. (When the party has three members, you can have two do this step, but that's optional.) The last member chooses Attack then Combine and all members physically attack the single target at once. Note. If accidentally you have everyone Wait, the party may do nothing for wave after wave...other than take a real pounding. Press L1 or R1 to get out of the trap, "skipping" to the next Waiting party member so another command (such as Combine) may be selected. After the fight a rather long scene goes on and on and on. Eventually, Rosalyn officially becomes an ally. With some narration, the Chapter 3 title-card displays. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B3. CHAPTER 3 - As Her Majesty Commands When control returns, Ari is standing outside the Madril Inn, fully healed. Duck inside and save before doing anything else. Press Triangle and take a look at Ari's new ally. The Information line now displays an LP totally Ari's and Rosalyn's MP combined. Notice, too, that Rosalyn's gear is included under Items and her unique commands are listed under Special, following Ari's Specials. With two allies, use L1 and R1 to cycle through all allies on the Status screen and only members of the active party on the Equip screen. Use these buttons to scroll a page at a time through long lists, too, such as Item and Special, in both the main menu and the battle menu. Rosalyn's initial status: LV HP EP AP DP MP LCK AGL 5 75/75 544 32 12 10 5 60 Rosalyn's initial inventory: NAME DESCRIPTION EFFECT Ordinary Rapier The most popular mass produced Rapier. Atk +10 Swordsman Armor Light armor appropriate for long battles. Dfns +4 Wildcat's Fang Fang of small but formidable beast. Atk +1 Rosalyn's "naked" stats, then, are AP 21 and DP 8. Her element is ice (blue). Her Parasol Amulet command can be cast only on herself, but protects her from most status ailments, though not from curses. Press Square to hear what Stan has to say. Bring up the menu, select Item, then Map o'Evil Kings for a clue on what's next. Talk to the Fortune Teller again, if you like, then go back outside. Make a circuit around Madril's lower level, talking to everyone. An exchange occurs at Maggie's house, where Ari met her snob-hating father earlier. A strange fanatic has taken Lover Boy's place in the bar. The sewer management office is now open. Note. You can revisit the sewer, the location of the boss fight, but be prepared for lots of losing, as the foes now found down there are WAY over Ari's head, easily taking him out with a single hit. If you try it, though, (for beaucoup EP, yes), be sure to save at the diary the moment you get there, to save yourself from retracing too many steps every time Ari ends up twitching on the floor. Enough said. After you've spoken with everyone, save at the Inn again. Exit and take the lift up to the second level. As soon as you move away from the lift, a girl sporting horns (and a microphone) petitions passers-by to listen to her song -- Ari included. When control is returned, make a circuit of the upper level and talk to everyone. After talking to the counting guy, who has something for Ari, visit the hung-over woman, who swaps with Ari for something else. Be sure to find and speak with Miss Madril. Lover Boy is now stationed over by the Research Center, which Ari should visit, as well. When you're ready leave the top level by the big metal doors. Outside, Professor Gutten Kisling stops Ari and Rosalyn. After a brief exchange, Kisling becomes an ally. Press Triangle and get familiar with the Professor. Kisling's initial status: LV HP EP AP DP MP LCK AGL 10 55/55 0 22 16 24 5 45 Kisling's initial inventory: NAME DESCRIPTION EFFECT Ghost Basics General handbook for monsters. Atk +5 Wornout Coat Well seasoned and pretty worn. Dfns +6 Heatwave Ring Rising heat wave diverts swords. Avoid Attack Kisling's "naked" stats, then, are AP 17 and DP 10. His element is thunder (yellow). His Spell Suction command is a great way to recover LP during battle. Note. From now on, the active party will always consist of Ari and two allies, except the few times when the story requires otherwise. If you try to reenter Madril, Kisling blocks the way, so head south onto the Rumille Plains. Veer left and northward to a treasure chest [TC: Cool Vest]. Continue east and north, following the river bank all the way up to the waterfall, where Ari finds a Tiny Gear [TG9]. Across the river, notice a signpost for future reference. Backtrack, following the riverbank to a bridge. [Trigger: Random encounters resume when Ari approaches the bridge.] Kisling is delighted when a fight ensues. Note. In the post-battle tally, notice the difference between the EP Kisling gains at LV 10 and that of Rosalyn at LV 5. After dispatching the enemies, cross the bridge and veer right this time, following the river west as far as Ari can go, to find the next Tiny Gear [TG10]. Backtrack to the bridge, then head south, hugging the western cliff face. Ari finds another Tiny Gear [TG11] a little while after the grass turns to sand. Now head due east to the opposite cliff face, turn south, hugging this wall until Ari finds another Tiny Gear [TG12]. Turn around and follow the eastern wall north this time. Watch for a little bower with flowers, butterflies, and a treasure chest [TC: Punk Wig]. Explore the rest of the way north, if you like, and note what Ari finds for future reference. Turn around and head south. On the overhead map, make for a blue dot along the western edge. This is a standalone save diary. Continue due south until Ari runs into an area with moss-covered rock slabs. Follow the line of rocks east, and turn in when an opening presents itself. Explore the enclosed area until Ari finds a Tiny Gear [TG13] hiding behind a rock standing on-end. Walk around this stone and go due east. Ari walks into a trio of stones. Walk around the trio and find another Tiny Gear [TG14] in the alcove created by the three stones. Take to the road south again. Watch for a stone with a wee frog sitting atop it. Turn in at the end of the stone to find a well-concealed treasure chest [TC: Chic Suspenders]. Just past, the road forks. Take the left fork and at the inert stone circle (remember it for later), turn due east for the beach. Follow the shore south to a treasure chest [TC: Gorgeous Mascara]. Turn back southwest and cross the bridge. Veer hard left and by a cocoanut is a Tiny Gear [TG15]. Follow the beach west. In the distance, notice the curly cliff and, yikes, the shark's fin in the water. Turn north to cross the next bridge and enter the circus grounds. No ghosts attack while Ari's on the grounds (usually; rarely, they will). Talk to the clown, under a tree south of the first tent. Look to the left for another treasure chest [TC: Cholesterol] nestled among the bushes. Turn around and ascend the wide grassy slope. Walk all the way out to the curly cliff's end and, after a brief exchange, Ari receives Cyphertext 4 [CT4]. (Hint. X never, ever marks the spot.) While Ari's out here, play with the camera for some stunning scenery. Descend the slope along its northern side. Explore the dead-end of the short ledge near level ground for the last Tiny Gear [TG16] on Rumille Plains. Backtrack to the clown, then explore the three tents. Outside the northernmost tent's entrance is another treasure chest [TC: Lustrous Hair]. One more thing to do on the grounds. At the northern exit, read the signpost, but don't cross the bridge. Staying on the river's west bank, continue north and talk to the man, who explains another little sidequest (more on this in just a bit). Note. The next Save opportunity is a ways off, time-wise. If you're short on time, backtrack to the save diary on the plains -- take the first bridge east and go north at the fork -- then return to this point when you can. Turn around and head south, leaving the grounds via the southern bridge. On the beach, head for the pier leading out over the water and enter Rashelo. After a brief scene, control returns. The Inn is to Ari's immediate left, but save it for last -- you can't save just yet anyway and leaving the Inn after speaking with the Innkeeper triggers an event. (If you enter the Inn now anyway, do NOT speak with the Innkeeper yet.) If Ari tries leaving Rashelo, Stan stops him. At the three-way junction, go left and enter the house. Talk to the Young Man in Love with Miss Madril. "Give" him three of the six somewhat esoteric items Ari's carrying -- while standing in front of him, press Triangle, choose Item, then select the item you think he needs. (Hint. Take a good look at him and pick what matches his appearance.) He either offers Ari his thanks or apologies if the item is right or wrong. (See the "Miss Match" section of the "Sidequests" addendum if you're stumped.) After figuring out the items he needs, speak with him again for another clue. Exit for now. Take the leftmost pier further south. Enter the shop, which has some nice gear upgrades and one very expensive weapon, a sign of things to come. Rashelo Shop offers: ITEM DESCRIPTION EFFECT COST Ordinary Sword Widely used by travelers for Atk +10 40 defense. Nameless Sword No name but well made. Atk +15 470 K of Clubs Gives unshakable confidence. Atk +20 150,000 Clean Outfit A new line with a trendy style. Dfns +1 30 Fancy Outfit Impeccable fashion-minded garb. Dfns +3 310 Nut Great for a snack. Recover 50 HP 10 Energy Flower Heavenly Beauty. Recover frm KO 150 Purging Stone Brings pure Winter mountain air. Cures Poison 10 Guidance Jewel Dungeon depths won't get you down. Dungeon Entry 100 When you're done, Equip any new goodies, then exit the shop. Take another left, past the next intersection. Outside the Restaurant, read the menu before heading inside. The first guy expounds on the joys of fishing. The rich kid wants to see Ari's shadow. Relent and he gives Ari the Shiny Lens. Finally, talk to the bar owner. Leave the bar and return to the Young Man's house, two doors north. Use the Shiny Lens in front of him, then talk to him for another clue. Return to the Restaurant and speak with the bar owner again. Ask after what concerns the Young Man. Return to the Young Man once more. When he takes off, all that remains to complete this sidequest is seeking out the Young Man on Ari's next trip to Madril. Exit and again head south, past the Restaurant. Make another left, toward the lighthouse. Speak with the lighthouse keeper, who swaps a Penlight for the Rare Gear. Try entering the lighthouse twice and Stan lends a hand, retrieving the Letter Bottle (more on this in a bit, too). Retrace your steps, then explore the southernmost docks. From one, Ari gets a good view of the horizon, with the Aquatic Ruins (a listing clock tower) and the curly cliff both visible. Looks like there's a gathering over to the west, too, but first explore due north, up the center of town. On the northwest side of the market plaza is a blank bulletin board. North again, and the notice board here provides something to read (hmm, a rumor). Past the board, turn left and speak with the sentry. Retrace your steps to the central plaza and take the pier to the right of the well. Turn left at the Young Man's house and then left again. Enter the next shack, the Hero's Club. Talk to everyone as best you can, when the wandering guys aren't blocking Ari's way. Exit the club and visit the next house to the south. Speak with the woman then leave, examining the fishing pole outside, if you like. Go south again, onto the stone platform, and a scene ensues. When control returns, Ari is standing outside the Hero's Club, though nothing new is said inside. Return to the stone platform and enter the mayor's house. Speak with the mayor, then exit. Follow the narrow stone path toward the central plaza. Speak with two folks there. Head south to the market plaza. Circle counterclockwise and speak to the blond. Speak to the sentry next. A brief exchange occurs, followed by a scene with James. Speak to the sentry again, then a new guy standing by the lighthouse. Head north toward the Inn, speaking with the blue-haired girl and the brown-haired boy along the way. Finally, visit and explore the Inn. Two doors are wedged between the Fortune Teller and the Innkeeper. Rest and save. [Trigger: Once Ari exits the Inn and approaches the crossing pier, Stan points out something happening and they automatically go to the central plaza.] When control returns, make a circuit, but this time save the mayor's house until last. Read the notice board again. Talk to everyone standing outside, including the boatman on the southernmost dock. Stop in at the Hero's Club, where it's even more crowded, then save at the Inn. When ready, enter the mayor's house. Talk to Rosalyn and the group of men, then leave. [Trigger: On leaving the mayor's house, the Princess's chamberlain, Beiloune, approaches Ari's party.] Speak with Beiloune again, then head for the southernmost pier once more. This time the boatman lets Ari aboard. After a few words, Ari enters his first real dungeon. AQUATIC RUINS DUNGEONS. Each dungeon has a save diary posted in its entrance, so use it right away. Ghosts can follow Ari to the diary, so the entrance isn't a safety zone. Most dungeons consist of multiple floors, with at least one stairway leading down to the next level. To open the grate to the stairs, however, all of the big urns on a floor must be found and defeated. Urns generally pay very well, in money and EP. Note. Occasionally, urns drop some form of "bottle". These bottles may be used in battle as magical attacks, but save them for the eventual boss battle where physical attacks are meaningless. Once all the urns are defeated, the grate slides open and that floor becomes ghost free (no further random battles). When Ari reaches the entrance to the Evil King, Stan always asks if Ari's ready. It's a good idea to return to the entrance and save at the diary before facing the evil king. DUNGEON MAPS. The overhead maps in a dungeon are filled in only as Ari wanders about. The maps remain in force as Ari goes from floor to floor, but if Ari leaves the dungeon entirely, the maps need to be walked anew. Exiting also replaces all of the urns and reinitiates random encounters, though grates opened between floors (and other devices later) remain open. Note. Carry a couple of Guidance Jewels in case you ever you need return to the save diary FAST. When used, the jewel transports the allies to the entrance, right before the diary, NOT all the way out of the dungeon. DUNGEON ENEMIES. In addition to the urns, dungeons are home to some of the game's toughest foes. You may see some familiar enemies in these random encounters, but the Lists FAQ at GameFAQs.com accounts for the unique foes found in each dungeon, as well as their spoils. Tip. If you're treasure hunting, dungeons are fertile proving grounds. Leave the last urn on a floor untouched to keep the random foes coming. You may find that certain foes only appear in particular areas, however. Read the signpost to the left of the diary. Using the following rough textual maps, make your way through the dungeon and gather its spoils. Return to the save diary as needed to rest and replenish. Note. Since dungeons are rife with random encounters that can easily get you turned around, step-by-step directions through every floor are nearly impossible and can, in fact, prove a hindrance. The "Maps" addendum, however, contains several links to additional resources (well regarded, but not this author's work) that may help you better navigate OKAGE's dungeons. D, Diary (cyan) P, sign Post X, Urn (red) v, Stairs, down (green) ^, Stairs, up (white) C, Chest =, Locked gate ---AR-B1-------------- --------- |X X| | v | |X X| ---| |-- | | --| |-- |P D| | | --| |-- Entry P, "Destroy all of the Urns." ---AR-B2-------------- ------- | ^ | | | | | --- --- -------|X X| | | | ---- | |C | | v | | ---- | | | -------- | |X X| | -- -- | | || || | | -- -- | ---===--- | | ----- C, Bountiful Nut Before accepting Stan's warning and descending the final stairs, an unimpeded trip back to the save diary is a worthwhile precaution. If you missed the treasure chest, collecting it now is also advisable. As with all of the game's remaining boss fights, Ari and company will automatically leave the dungeon after the boss is defeated. BUBBLE EVIL KING Take out the minions first, since Compassion Crabs can Mend themselves. You may want to follow their example and designate a healer, come to think of it. Once the crabs are out of the way, then gang up on the boss with Combine attacks. Be sure to keep Ari's HP topped off, however. In defeat, the Bubble Evil King gives up the Spiral Wire and unlocks the gate a floor up, which is where the party automatically goes. Words and more words, then the Princess slaps Ari, taking off a good chunk of HP. The narrator segues the group topside again. When control returns, talk to everyone and read the notice boards again. Again, save the Inn for last. Talk to Beiloune outside the mayor's house. A colorful guy on the central plaza has a Whim Berry for Ari. When you're ready, rest and save at the Inn. Step outside and a girl delivers a message. Yes, talk to everyone again; their messages have changed. Go to the mayor's house and Beiloune gives the team an errand. If you like, you can revisit the Aquatic Ruins to battle urns and random foes for money and EP. The stairways are now permanently open and the Former Bubble Evil King is down on the bottom floor, but he only reiterates what he's already said and nothing else is new there. Stop by the Shop to replenish supplies and save at the Inn. Leave Rashelo by going north up the long pier. Veer a little to the west, cross the bridge, and enter the circus grounds. Speak with the clown near the southern tent, and those found inside the tents. Remember the Letter Bottle Stan fetched from the lighthouse? Find the romantic guy, just north of the circus grounds, and talk to him. This is a good time to work on his little sidequest. When prompted, pick any message (which one makes no difference to the outcome, only the reply received). Backtrack to the first bridge, cross it, and continue due east. On the beach, the bottle is a little to the north. Pick it up and then return to the romantic. Once more Ari tosses the bottle. Go back to the same place, retrieve the bottle, then come back and show the reply to the romantic. The bottle goes in the drink once more. Go and read the final message. The Rashelo stele remains inert, so start hiking north. Enter Madril. Skip the Research Center for a moment and first talk to the researcher standing outside the center's other wing, who has something for Ari. Now backtrack and enter the Research Center. Note. When asked for donations at the Research Center, either amount yields the same reward, so choose the smaller amount. A complete list of the donation gifts is found in the "Sidequests" addendum. When you're done, exit. Stay clear of the singer for the moment, but talk to everyone else on the second level. Tidy up the end of the "Miss Match" sidequest by visiting Miss Madril. Talk to the counting guy (remember the last cyphertext?) and receive Cyphertext 5 [CT5]. (Hint. Watch with a group of chilly friends.) After Ari has spoken with everyone else, approach Linda, the singer. [Trigger: Getting too close to the lift pulls Ari over to Linda anyway.] Grab the lift and ride it down to the lower level as soon as you can. Make a circuit and talk to everyone. Mr. Know-It-All has a new shtick. Stop in at Maggie's and a scene ensues. In the Madril Shop, beside the usual merchant, a Wandering Peddler has arrived with upgraded gear. Madril Wandering Peddler offers: ITEM DESCRIPTION EFFECT COST Nameless Sword No name but well made. Atk +15 470 Omnislice Sword Powerful but not durable. Atk +20 1,900 Hardy Rapier A popular product that's very Atk +15 2,100 durable. Ghost Pictorial Illustrated book of existing Atk +10 1,600 monsters. Fancy Outfit Impeccable fashion-minded garb. Dfns +3 310 Durable Outfit For heavy duty tasks. Dfns +5 1,100 Chief's Armor Improved quality. For the team Dfns +6 1,250 leader. Starchy Coat Crisp finish gives a clean Dfns +9 1,500 impression Energy Flower Heavenly beauty. Recover frm KO 150 Clarity Charm Firmly screws your head back on. Cures Confusion 200 Villain's Charm Attack again with zeal! Cures Saint 300 Rust Off Charm As if youth returned. Cures Rust 250 Liberation Stone Has richness of earth in Fall. Releases Seal 100 Cheerful Stone Envelops with spring flower Cures Lock 50 scent. Guidance Jewel Dungeon depths won't get you Dungeon Entry 100 down. Short on cash? Now is a good time to revisit the sewer. Ari has a much better chance of winning and the rewards are excellent. Watch for a solitary old-looking weed (Leering Seaweed), as it pays the best, but be wary as it may take your money and run. The rats can rob you, too, so save after every battle in case you need to Quit and reload to retain your hard- earned spoils. Rest and save at the Inn, then leave Madril north for Tenel. Take the red stele to Wap-Wap and transfer to the green stele, zipping down to Tenel Field. Very handy. At the crossroads, go north and enter the village. Talk to everyone. At the Elder's house, visit the sick girl upstairs. Outside the house, a girl tells the beginnings of a long parable. Save at the Inn (you won't have another chance for a while). Leave for Ari's house. Go inside. Dad stops Ari and then the scene shifts to the kitchen. When control returns, Ari's in his room. Note. Until the chapter ends, Ari's room won't act like a Save point. Exit the room, step down the hall...and voices come from the locked room next door. Listen until Ari hears everything. Cross over to Annie's room for a short scene, then speak to both Annie and Rosalyn. Go downstairs, talking to Ari's grandparents. Stop in the kitchen for another scene. Speak with Mother and Marlene afterward. Return to Ari's room, where Stan tucks him in. Ari awakens in the night, however. Check all around the house, visiting the basement last. After the scene, go upstairs. After a brief exchange, follow Rosalyn outside. Dark out, nice ambiance. Tenel's gates are locked and a guy blocks the road south, so approach the circus grounds (see if you can spot Marlene through the bushes) and talk to Rosalyn. When control returns, leave Ari's room and go downstairs. Talk to everyone, leaving Mom and Marlene until last. [Trigger: Speaking with Mother or the Princess initiates a sequence that ends with the Chapter 4 title-card being displayed.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B4. CHAPTER 4 - STRANGE DAYS AND STRANGER COMPANY Get comfortable for the longest chapter in the game. Though the princess now travels with Ari, she's not an official ally and can't fight -- not alongside him, at any rate. Turn around and enter Ari's house. Stop in the family room, where everyone's gathered. Have a chat, then save up in Ari's room. Leave the house and head north to Tenel. Talk with everyone, but especially Julia and the next villager on the street. Stop in the Bar and the ell-shaped house for brief scenes. Finally, save at the Inn. Leave town and head for Madril. Walk (a nice stroll might be refreshing and the Merry Traveler along the way is worth finding) or take the steles, whichever you like. Enter Madril and talk to the guy for a little exposition. Make a circuit around the lower level, finding out what's going on. Enter Town Hall, then the Hero's Club, talking to everyone. The town manager gives Ari his card. Exit the hall. A brief scene at Toby's, talk to Rosalyn and Toby afterward. Maggie lends moral support. Two scenes occur in the Bar, keep talking until all is heard. Talk to the Greasy Man outside the blue-roofed house. Save at the Inn. Talk to the man outside the Mr. Big building, then go inside and talk to the guys behind the desk. (Hint. Who has a crush on the hostess?) Enter the door on the left, into the stairwell. (Rest easy, it's only a nod to Final Fantasy VII.) Talk to everyone, including a couple times with the middle manager to get an idea of what to do. (Hint. Eh, it's ok.) Once Ari gets to the second floor, explore the room to the right, then return and talk to the next middle manager. (Hint. Official.) Next floor, same story. Wait, the Claims Manager? (Hint. Gaudy.) Up on the next floor, in the room, the workers sing a different tune. Okay, talk to the Exe Director and each ally. (Hint. Ordinary.) After Marlene makes herself useful, ascend the last flight to the top floor. Enter the office for a long exchange and a, uh, proxy fight. Once control returns, talk to Ari's allies then exit. On the way downstairs, check on the workers, too. Hmm, all vanished. Backtrack to the Inn, rest, then save. Take the lift up to the second level. Make a circuit, talking to everyone. Then leave town by the road south. Head due south and cross the bridge. Turn east and follow the river northward. Read the signpost and after a brief exchange enter the dungeon. ESCAPELESS ABYSS Among the most frustrating dungeons in OKAGE. There are three floors to clear, but finding all the urns requires a convoluted weaving up and down between all three floors. In addition, stone barriers block passages and glowing green floor switches must be stepped on before barriers will slide away. (To get to the boss, all floor switches must be activated. An activated switch no longer glows.) The last difficulty are gaps in the floors, which Ari may (and at times MUST) fall through, albeit unharmed. Note. See the "Maps" addendum for links to some ingenious webbed maps of the abyss. D, save Diary (cyan) X, Urn (red) O, Green Switch B, Barrier G, Gap L, Landing (from gap) C, treasure Chest v, Stairs down (green) ^, Stairs up (white) =, Locked door ---EA-B1-------------- ------------------- | | | | | O X v | | | | | |-----| |-----| | | | | | v | v B G | | | | | |-| |-|--B--| | | | | | | X O | X | | | | | ------------|-----| | | | v | | | |--B--| | D| | O | | | --| |-- Entry ---EA-B2-------------- ------------------------- | | | | | v | v G X | | | | | | |-----| ------| | | | | | | X | G | ^ | G | | | | | | |-----| |------ | | | | | | ^ | ^ | L X | | | | | | | |-----------| | | | | | | v | X v | | | | | | ------------|-| |-|------ | | | ^ | | | ------- ---EA-B3-------------- ----------- | | | C1 v C2 | | | --------| |-------------- | | | | | ^ | ^ | L | | | | | |-|B|-------| X | | | | | X L B L | | | | |--=----| |-|-------| |-| | | | | | C3 | O | O X | | | | | |-----|-----|-| |-------| | | | | | | ^ B X B ^ | | | | | | ------------------------- C1, Bountiful Nut C2, Ghostologos C3, This and a few chests in other dungeons can't be reached until late in the game. See the "Hopkins' Sword" section of the "Sidequests" addendum. Be sure to get the chests and equip Kisling with the Ghostologos before going downstairs for the boss fight. Backtracking to the save diary is worth the effort, too. CHAIRMAN EVIL KING Dispatch the lackeys, as Steel Armor are devastating if they gang up on an ally. The Chairman has an effective Drain attack, so keep Ari above 50 HP. After the fight, Ari gets two items from the Former Chairman, one of which unlocks a secret tunnel. The allies then find themselves outside the abyss. Head south, stopping at the diary on the plains. Then continue south to the Rashelo stele, which is finally glowing blue. Take a quick trip to Wap-Wap, but come right back. Visit the circus grounds while you're there and be sure to speak with the Ringmaster. Head north again, but up the plains' eastern edge. Not far above the shore, a tall statue is embedded in the cliffside. Use the Former Chairman's gift and in you go. Note. There are some tough foes along this corridor, some not found anywhere else, but they pay well and may drop some rare goodies. Stepping out at the other end, a scene ensues. Yet ANOTHER evil king? Before trotting after him, stop in the house on the left (north). The man just inside the door has goods for sale. Note. The merchant's initial comment may be confusing. He seems to be talking about the evil king just encountered, but the pronouns don't match. Hmm. Talk to him again and he speaks of someone else...maybe. Pospos Spa offers: ITEM DESCRIPTION EFFECT COST Brand Sword Obviously a well-made product. Atk +25 15,000 Hardy Rapier A popular product that's very Atk +15 2,100 durable. Worldy Ghost Handbook on connection Atk +20 17,000 w/folklore in world. Custom-made Wear Custom made for exceptional Dfns +7 10,000 comfort. Honorable Armor Only for those swordsmen with Dfns +15 12,000 honor. Starchy Coat Crisp finish gives a clean Dfns +9 1,500 impression. Conjurer Tux Made durable for dangerous Dfns +5 100,000 shows. Big Nut Bigger and better. Recover 100 HP 100 Bunny Charm Relaxing? No way! Cures Turtle 450 Sommelier Charm Such impeccable taste. Cures LPDrain 350 Alarm Charm Could wake the dead! Cures Evil Eye 500 Big Boss's Charm Gets your nerve back. Cures Paralyze 400 Cheerful Stone Envelops with spring flower Cures Lock 50 scent. Guidance Jewel Dungeon depths won't get you Dungeon Entry 100 down. The next guy tells some more of the tortoise and the pebble story. The last man is the innkeeper. Have a rest and save. Before leaving, squeeze past the innkeeper and go up the stairs. Witness Kisling's awesome derring-do. Leave the inn. If you like, head east and take one step beyond a solitary snowman a little ways away. A scene ensues. Note. The scene may also be triggered later. What's said varies between now and then, with some of the same fluid pronouns as the merchant exhibited, so your choice. The foes on the Pospos Snowfield are a bit beyond Ari and company for the moment and will still be challenging when the allies return. Try an encounter or two now, but stay near the spa, guard Ari well, and save often. The pay-offs may yield enough for one good equipment upgrade. When you're ready to move on, take to the Transverse Tunnel again. Head south and pay a quick visit to the circus grounds, speaking with the Ringmaster again. Leave the grounds and take the blue Rashelo stele to the red Madril stele. Enter the town. Make a circuit of the lower level. Check in with the Fortune Teller, rest and save. Stop by the bar and speak with Mr. Know-It-All. If you're low on Energy Flowers (you'll want a few handy for the upcoming brawl), visit the Madril Shop and stock up. A gent outside Mr. Big Inc. shares several tidbits; keep him talking. (If you learn of any way to ride the rails, please alert the author.) Then go upstairs and see the reinstated Chairman (albeit still ex-evil king) for an exchange. Check in with the flunkies on the third floor on the way down. Finally, something new happens in the Gear House that initiates a mini- event, so don't skip stopping in. Take the lift up and make a circuit of the upper level. Be sure to visit Robert. Speak with the Gossip Monger on the street for a brief exchange. The researcher usually guarding a door is gone, to Stan's delight. Enter and a scene ensues. Stop by the usual Research Center door and donate more if you can. Visit Robert again, then go back down to the lower level. Stop in at Maggie's house and speak with her father for an interesting development. (Where HAS she gone? Hmm.) Rest and save at the Inn. Okay, the brawny evil king has cooled his heels long enough. Leave Madril for Tenel Forest. Go north to the signpost and the path leading west. Follow the path to its end. As Ari nears the tree stump, an exchange occurs (slightly confusing; perhaps ill translated) and then the party automatically enters Big Tree Hole. Save at the diary. BIG TREE HOLE The dungeon has three floors to clear, with barriers and floor switches, but no gaps or convoluted paths. And a new twist is added: Illusion walls that look solid but Ari can walk right through. Bump into everything. The foes are interesting, too, but this dungeon often receives short-shrift, coming so close on the heels of Escapeless Abyss. Beware the Stingy Onions, as they can snatch 1,000 sukels and run. Berserk Boars have a mighty Drain, but like the urns go down easily with full-party Combine attacks. The Lone Wolf is fast, hard to hit. D, save Diary (cyan) P, sign Post X, Urn (red) O, Green Switch B, Barrier G, locked Grate C, treasure Chest v, Stairs down (green) ^, Stairs up (white) ., Illusion wall =, Locked door ---BTH-B1-------------- ------------- | | | | v | | | | ------------|--B--| | | | | X v | X | | | | ------|-------...-| ------- | | | | | | O G | C | O | | | | | | |-| |-| --| |-| ------- | | | | | X B X | | | | | ------------- |------ | D| | | | | --| |-- Entry C, Black Cat Jewel ---BTH-B2-------------- ------------------- | | | | | X | P1 | X | | | | | | |-| |-| | | | | | ------| G ^ G |------ | | | | | | | P2 |------ O | | | | | | ------| B ^ |------ | | | | |-| |-- | | | | | | X | | X | | | | | ------|-...-|------ | | | v | | | ------- P1, "A path beyond the treasure chest." P2, "A secret in an empty room." ---BTH-B3-------------- ------- | P| | v | | | ------|-| |-------- | | | | O B | | | | ------| |-...-| |------ | | . . | | | X G . X . G X | | | . . | | ------| |-...-| |------ | | | | B O | | | | --------| |-|------ | | | ^ | | | ------- P, "One more between two." Backtrack and save before going down the last stairs. BIG BULL EVIL KING Use the Black Cat Jewel first thing (lopping off half of everyone's HP) but be poised to counter its side effects (yikes, it also hits allies). Take out the minions, Burly Bulls, then gang up on the boss. Big Bull, as might be expected, deals mostly strong, physical attacks. (Strong enough to KO Kisling in one round, though the Heatwave Ring proves a very effective deterrent and keeps the KOs to a minimum.) Make liberal use of Defense when you can. Big Bull also uses Flame and Charge from time to time. When he's defeated, Big Bull becomes an ally and gives Ari an item. When control returns, the group is automatically outside Big Tree Hole. If needed, step back inside and save at the diary. (While you're there, you might as well take out a few more urns for a little extra spending money.) Then again leave the dungeon. Big Bull's initial status: LV HP EP AP DP MP LCK AGL 25 209/209 0 95 25 6 5 42 Big Bull's initial inventory: NAME DESCRIPTION EFFECT Battle Manual Scroll describing how to fight. Atk +20 Infantry Pants Stretchy fabric allows easy movement. Dfns +5 1st Fight Charm Gift for beginners for their first battle. Dfns +1 Big Bull's "naked" stats, then, are AP 75 and DP 19. His element is fire (red). His Wild Cry command makes enemies scatter, but has its downsides. Talk to the man beside the water, then head to Madril. Take a break and save at the Inn. This is your first chance to rearrange party members to your liking. First, unequip the accessory from whichever ally you're trading out, a good habit to establish. Then bring in Big Bull, especially if he's several LV lower than everyone else. From now on, you want to keep all of Ari's allies leveled up more or less equally. Exit the Inn, then press Square to get Stan's comments and check the Map o'Evil Kings. Stock up at the shop, if needed. The only one on the lower level with something new to say is Mr. Know-It-All in the bar. Take the lift to the upper level. Linda draws Ari into an exchange. After a little narration, Ari automatically goes to the Inn for another scene. When control returns, Ari's in the lobby and...the theme music has changed. Try talking to Marlene again. Exit the Inn. Tip. If the music becomes too much while walking around, remember the soundtrack dims when Ari steps inside any building, including the bar (even the Turk-like theme is supplanted). Plot your course accordingly. Make another circuit, talking to everyone this time. Call up Stan again, too. Dill's parents finally change their tune, as do the Barkeep and the neophyte in the Gear House. Check the door of the blue-roof building. Those in the Mr. Big building are oblivious and safely skipped. Take the lift to the upper level. Make a circuit up here, too, but avoid the train station for now. Stop in at the Research Center and query each of the groupies for a scene. Once Ari has spoken with everyone, approach Linda at the train station. When control returns, check in with Stan and the Map o'Evil Kings (hmm, snow). Time for Ari to take his leave of Madril, going south from the upper level. After the bridge, head for the Transverse Tunnel and the snowfields. Coming out of the tunnel, on the north side read the signpost. Walk around the hot springs until Ari finds a Tiny Gear [TG17]. Stop in the Pospos Spa. Stock up with the merchant and upgrade some gear. Rest and save. Tip. Faced with expensive purchases and multiple choices but little money, save BEFORE buying. Step outside, try out the new gear, and if you like it, save again. Otherwise, quit without saving, reload, and purchase something else. Time to explore the Pospos Snowfield. Enemies of note: The Half-Cocked Yeti are flighty and can run away quick, but drop a handy item if you can defeat them. The Coolhead Snowmen do the most damage, but pay best. Leave the spa. If you didn't earlier, take a step beyond the nearby snowman for a brief scene. (The scene occurs only once and the exchange differs slightly once Big Bull is an ally.) Head east with Ari sticking like glue to the northern edge. Near where the tree line turns south, Ari finds a Tiny Gear [TG18]. Keep going south, staying to the east side, until a grove of trees appears in the distance. Watch for a narrow path that wanders off southeasterly. Follow the path, which emerges from the snow bank as the top of a wall. After a short walk, the wall dips down. Turn right, into the trees, and a little north to reach a treasure chest [TC: Life Candy]. Backtrack all the way up the top of the wall and then turn south. Keep to the east side and follow the wall, into the middle of the first clump of trees to find a Tiny Gear [TG20, deviating slightly from HonestLiar's TG FAQ]. Follow the wall a little farther, then continue south, clinging to the tree line. A ways down lies another Tiny Gear [TG21]. Go south again and at the last tree, cut back north between the trees and the wall. The Tiny Gear [TG22] is found following the west-most trail of the inside track. Back out of the trees. Go a few steps west to find a line of snowmen (cold friends). Read the signpost just north of them. Then position Ari at their backs and notice where they are looking. Head to the tree. A ! balloon appears. Examine the tree and Ari receives Cyphertext 6 [CT6]. (Hint. The clue is best found in the woman's dialogue. Where might "help for the righteous" be found?) Turn around and head east, through a small gate in a low fence. Approach the battlements and save at the diary. Try the big gates, but they won't open. A little north is a stele glowing white. Take it to Wap-Wap, and make a brief side trip to Tenel. Speak with people or not as you choose, but Ari should visit the church -- the only church in the land -- for the World Crypto Organization's prize (Divine Shoes). Leave Tenel for the circus grounds and take the stele to Wap-Wap. Use the white stele to return to the snowfields. Save again. Have Ari move along the big wall to the furthest point south. Using L1 and R1, or the right analog stick, you can get a glimpse of what lies inside the fortress. Follow the top of the wall west, but cut back east and follow the base of the wall until Ari finds another Tiny Gear [TG24, another small deviation]. Walk west, through the small gate, and read the signpost (the walled town is Triste, "trees-tay"). Despite what the sign says, go southwest toward a cottage. First approach the tree outside and Ari finds one more Tiny Gear [TG23]. Have some fun pushing around the big snowman (let the author know if you find another use for it) and then go inside. Talk to the man to finally learn why Ari is collecting the Tiny Gear (30 are needed; Ari should have 23 now). Leave the house and go north along the shoreline. (Watch for Bumble's footprints along the way.) Ari comes to some little islands, but can't cross all the way to the isle with a treasure chest. Go a little farther north to read another signpost. [Trigger: Step onto the bridge and after a brief exchange Ari and company are automatically transported inside the temple.] Whoa, not so hasty. Transport outside again; you'll be right back. Wind your way down and circle the temple at ground level. Behind the temple near the water is the last Tiny Gear [TG19] on the Pospos Snowfield. Now look for a tree on the south side, which Ari can use as a bridge to the small island and the treasure chest [TC: Bandit's Shoes]. Climb the tree on the isle's east side, cross the small ice platforms to terra firma, and head north, back to the Sealed Cave. Cross the bridge, climb the temple, and transport inside. Save at the diary. SEALED CAVE Another twist has been added. Sealed Cave includes sunken walks (or "bridges") that the floor switches raise. There are barriers, too, but many open by examining them. The dungeon is all on one level and offers some interesting foes. Stalking Tigers have a disconcerting physical attack. The Bed Head Walrus drops Heart Candies. The flock of crows can steal 1,000 sukels and run, but drop handy accessories. D, save Diary (cyan) P, sign Post X, Urn (red) O, Green Switch B, Barrier W, sunken Walkway C, treasure Chest v, Stairs down (green) ^, Stairs up (white) =, Locked door ---SC-B1-------------- ------------------------------- | | | | | | X B O | O X | | | | | | |--B--- ------B----| |-|-----| | | | | | | | C2 | | | | C4 | | | | | | | |-----|--B--|--B--|--B--- | | | | | | | X B | | X | | | | | | |-| |-| ---B--|--B-----B--| ------- | | | | X | | | | |------ X | ------| | | | B O | | | | | | |-----| B v | |--B------- | | | | | | | | B X | |------ C5 | | O | | | | | C1 | | | | |--=--|-----|--B-----B--|--=--| | ----- | | | | | | | | C6 | C3 |--W--------| C7 | | ^ | | | W D O | | | | --------------| |-------------- ------- Entry C1, Sleeping Bottle C2, Mirage Ring C3, BattlefrontCoat C4, Mega Charm C5, Power Candy C6, See the "Hopkins' Sword" section of the "Sidequests" addendum. C7, See the "Hopkins' Sword" section of the "Sidequests" addendum. Note. The green switch on the lower floor has no appreciable effect. The barriers and walkways on the upper floor remain raised regardless. TEEN IDOL EVIL KING Take out the minions, Shrewd Bears, as they have a nasty virus attack, but Linda's biggest weapons are her speed and a wide array of magic. After the fight, Linda gives Ari the Long Screw and something magical happens in his inventory -- all the strange mechanical bits become a cohesive unit, a Voice Recorder. Linda becomes an ally. Linda's initial status: LV HP EP AP DP MP LCK AGL 30 125/125 0 75 47 18 10 53 Linda's initial inventory: NAME DESCRIPTION EFFECT Mike o'Hope Allows singing of bright futures & dreams. Atk +20 Stage Dress Gorgeous dress that enchants all. Dfns +12 Bandit's Shoes Easy to wear shoes. Favorite of bandits. AGL +1 Linda's "naked" stats, then, are AP 65, DP 35, and AGL 52. Her element is ice (blue). Her Omni Concert command is handy for slowing down enemies. When control returns, Ari is atop the temple. If needed, transport back inside to rest and save. Note. If you seek lots of money in short order (for the Research Center's top donation, for example, which is huge), Sealed Cave can provide what you need. With seven urns (at 2,980 sukels apiece), one trip clearing the dungeon can net 20,860 or more in coin. Exit again when you're done. Head for the Triste gates and take the stele to Madril. Enter the town, notice the music, then rest and save at the inn. Make the circuit around the lower level, hearing everything everyone has to say. Do NOT enter the sewer just yet, however. In the Hero's Club, talking to the far-left clerk triggers a brief exchange. And talking to the swordswoman before him triggers another (hmm). Toby has some wisdom to impart, as well. Cat fight at Maggie's, not to be missed, but go back in afterward and hear her father wax nostalgic over some lyrics. A brief exchange over the fanatic in the bar and a couple of new faces on the streets. Be sure to stock up at the shop. Oh, and the neophyte Gear Lover falls a little deeper. Nothing new with Mr. Big Inc., so take the lift up and make the rounds of the upper level. Hmm, a whole lot of nothing new up here, too. But stop by the Research Center and donate more, the top amount if you can. Then go back down to the lower level. Now is an excellent time for completing any lingering side trips you may have put off (other than searching for missing Tiny Gear; what's about to happen will help with that), as you won't have another chance for a while. Return to this point when you're finished. Take a moment, too, to consider how your party is composed and equipped. The sewer's foes are exactly as before, easy pickings by now, so favor the highest Luck stats possible to gain more (and better?) item drops. Tip. See the "Known Bugs" addendum for a useful (and spoiler-free) glitch you can exploit. When you're ready, check in with the Fortune Teller (your last opportunity for a while) and save at the Inn. Then head down into the sewer. A scene ensues. Save at the diary. MADRIL SEWER The dungeon, the last one in Chapter 4, has opened up but hides no boss this time. What's presented is a true puzzle to solve, with its various pieces secreted in treasure chests on different levels. Take out the urns and activate floor switches to reach each piece. Leering Seaweed, found only in the sewers, can drop a very rare consumable item, the White Cat Jewel, but may also take flight after only a few rounds. D, save Diary (cyan) G, Gear box M, Miniature panel X, Urn (red) O, Green Switch B, Barred gate C, treasure Chest v, Stairs down (green) ^, Stairs up (white) ---MS-B1-------------- ------- | ^ | | | | | ------| |------ | | D| | | B B | | | | | ------| |------ | | | | | v | ------- ---MS-B2-------------- Note. No ghosts attack on this floor. ------- | v | | | | M | ------- ------- | | | | | | ------- ------- | | |v M A M v| | | ------- ------- | | | | | | ------- ------- | M | |G | | ^ | ------- Inspect the Gear Box. Your task is, using the Miniature Panels, to adjust the actual pathway grid (A) so Ari can descend into the east and west wings, retrieve the two missing gears, and then access the north wing. The Miniature Panels consist of a 3 X 3 grid of moveable squares. Ari steps on the one he wants to move, examines the square, and the corresponding larger panel rotates. Easy peasy, though getting it right may take a little trial and error. ---MS-MP-------------- ------------- | 1 | 2 | 3 | |---|---|---| | 4 | 5 | 6 | |---|---|---| | 7 | 8 | 9 | ------------- Not all of the buttons are working, however, so start with the east wing. On the Miniature Panel, have Ari stand on (6), then press X. Now follow the path around (A) to reach the east wing ladder. Descend. ---MS-B3-East-------------- ------------------------------- | | | X | |X O| | | | | | C2 | | | | ------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ------- | | | | O| | | |^ v| | | | | | | | ------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ------- ------- | | | | | |X O C1 X | ------------------------------- C1, Skull Bottle C2, Whim Berry Go down the ladder and pick up the Silver Gear. Return to MS-B2. (Notice that the up ladders are one-sided.) Examine the Gear Box and the Silver Gear is installed. More buttons on the Miniature Panels now work. (Go back upstairs and save, if needed to replenish LP.) Poke around and get Ari to the west wing. Take the ladder down. ---MS-B3-West-------------- ------------------------------- |X O | | X| |C2 O | |------------ ------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |------------ | | | | | | | | v| |C1 ^| | O | | | | ------- | | | | | | | | | |C3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ------- | | | | O | |X | | | | | | X| ------------------------------- C1, Bountiful Nut C2, Magical Armor C3, Panther's Fang Go down the ladder and pick up the Gold Gear. Return to MS-B2. Install the Gold Gear, just like the Silver Gear. Even more buttons now work. (Go back upstairs and save, if needed to replenish LP.) Poke around a little and get Ari to the north wing. Take the ladder down. ---MS-B3-North-------------- ------------------------------- | | | | | X v X | | ------------------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ------------------- | | O O | | | | O O | | ------------------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ------------------- | | X ^ X | | | | | ------------------------------- DO NOT go down the last ladder yet. Backtrack up to MS-B1 and SAVE. Note. If Ari is close to making level, stick around. There are still ghosts up on the first basement floor and it may be a while before Ari has the chance to level up again. When you're ready, return to MS-B3-North. If you haven't already, this is your last chance to set up things to exploit a useful glitch (see the "Known Bugs" addendum). Note. Some dialogue automatically advances during the next exchange. Wipe eyeglasses and banish distractions now, as needed. Descend the last ladder. A long scene ensues. With some narration, the Chapter 5 title-card displays. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B5. CHAPTER 5 - LOST SOULS AND SHADOWS Another scene automatically begins. When control returns, Ari's up near the sewer entrance, looking a bit peaked. Try the manhole cover. Hmm. Check the menu, then Status. Press L1. Hmm, nothing. Try the gates. Yes, Ari can still open gates. Talk to the man in the yellow coat. Might as well make the rounds. Duck into the Gear House. Try Mr. Big Inc. Eerie. Keep going, there's exposition to be had. Linda's outside Town Hall. Ari can't Shop, but he can rest and save at the Inn. Take the lift to the upper level and make a circuit, hearing what everyone has to say. Kisling is inside the Research Center. When you're done, leave town and head toward Rashelo. Hmm, no random ghost encounters. But as Ari crosses the bridge, Big Bull appears. When control returns, continue south toward Rashelo. Note. You can safely skip the next two paragraphs, if you like. Ari is free to wander the known lands, but even if he talks to everyone, no clue regarding what to do next is forthcoming. Only the process of elimination reveals the right path. Still, this is a good low-pressure time to explore, and without random battles or interactions, ground is covered swiftly. If Ari is missing any Tiny Gear, now is an excellent time to pick them up. Dead center on Rumille Plains is a hillock Ari can climb for a panoramic view. The Rashelo stele still works, but swing through the circus grounds, where the crypto man is visible up on the curly cliff. Continue on to Rashelo. Make a circuit and then save at the Inn. Hmm, go back north and take the blue stele to the Madril stele. Hike toward Tenel, past four NPCs en route. Hear what you can in the village. Take the green stele back to the Rashelo stele, but this time head for the Transverse Tunnel. Stop in the Spa, then travel south to the Gearman's cottage. (Good time to play with the big snowman.) Okay, no clues yet. Try the Triste gate. Lo! The gates open and a scene ensues. Nifty. When control returns, wander the new terrain, but avoid the park for now. Ari can rest and save at the hotel near the entrance. Just north of the park are railroad tracks that Ari can follow for a ways and get a good aerial view. Note. Camera angles can get pretty extreme in Triste. Use L1/R1 or the right analog stick to "fix" the angle as needed. South of the park, a merchant stands by the Hero's Club. With him, Ari can shop. Weapon and gear upgrades are pricey, but the man offers a very good selection of restoratives, too. (Save enough money for the final donation at Madril's Research Center if you can, though. The reward there is a better bargain.) Triste Merchant offers: ITEM DESCRIPTION EFFECT COST Ordinary Sword Widely used by travelers for Atk +10 40 defense. Nameless Sword No name but well made. Atk +15 470 Omnislice Sword Powerful but not durable. Atk +20 1,900 Brand Sword Obviously a well-made product. Atk +25 15,000 Rustic Sword Very practical but not elegant at Atk +30 75,000 all. Ordinary Rapier The most popular mass produced Atk +10 660 Rapier. Hardy Rapier A popular product that's very Atk +15 2,100 durable. Slim Rapier Difficult to use. For the Atk +20 80,000 advanced. Ghost Basics General handbook for monsters. Atk +5 410 Ghost Pictorial Illustrated book of existing Atk +10 1,600 monsters. Worldy Ghost Handbook on connection w/folklore Atk +20 17,000 in world. Clean Outfit A new line with a trendy style. Dfns +1 30 Fancy Outfit Impeccable fashion-minded garb. Dfns +3 310 Durable Outfit For heavy duty tasks. Dfns +5 1,100 Custom-made Wear Custom made for exceptional Dfns +7 10,000 comfort. Latest Outfit Cutting edge but a little pricey. Dfns +10 49,800 Swordsman Armor Light armor appropriate for long Dfns +4 440 battles. Chief's Armor Improved quality. For the team Dfns +6 1,250 leader. Honorable Armor Only for those swordsmen with Dfns +15 12,000 honor. Hero's Armor With the genuine Hero's Club seal. Dfns +17 55,500 Wornout Coat Well seasoned and pretty worn. Dfns +6 730 Starchy Coat Crisp finish gives a clean Dfns +9 1,500 impression. Stately Coat Royal motif. Favorite of people Dfns +13 51,000 w/status. Infantry Pants Stretchy fabric allows easy Dfns +5 2,600 movement. Blood&SweatPants Durable even during ferocious Dfns +6 38,000 fighting. Nut Great for a snack. Recover 50 HP 10 Big Nut Bigger and better. Recover 100 HP 100 Wild Strawberry Wakes you up with sour power. Recover 25 LP 500 Energy Flower Heavenly Beauty. Recover frm KO 150 Mega Charm Rarity that repels all curses. Cures curses 1,000 Mega Stone Rare stone with 4 powers. Cures ailments 400 Guidance Jewel Dungeon depths won't get you down. Dungeon Entry 100 Explore the side street, then Down Town Street (the street sign's by the red ghost, by the by). A brief scene occurs at the far bend in the road. At the end, try to leave by the door. Now return to the park and talk with the man standing there. An exchange ensues and Ari gets a purpose. (Ari can speak with Block again to have the story repeated.) Leave Triste by the big gates. Go seek out people and strike up a few conversations. Note. Ari needs to speak up, making 30 or more unique contributions. But when talking to people do NOT choose the third response; it won't help Ari's cause. The responses given may also affect Ari's compatibility. While it doesn't matter where Ari speaks with people, make sure to visit Madril's lower level, either from the lift or from near its stele -- before Ari is "cured". An event occurs. Ari should IMMEDIATELY follow Marlene into the Inn, find her room (talk to the Innkeeper for a hint), and listen in. Afterward, continue talking with people until Ari becomes solid again (the screen briefly fades to black, and when the image returns, Ari is no longer transparent). Then head to the nearest stele and Triste. Try the big doors, and remember to ask for K.T. Talk to Block and a long scene ensues. Ari receives the Friendship Bond, a quest item which gives him a few really big Specials, including the one he gains right away: Friendly Thunder. The cost is large, but so are the results. Note. While the "friendly" Specials carry elemental affinities, they are nonetheless physical attacks. Control doesn't return yet. The other allies are automatically gathered up one by one, ending in Madril. The narrator intercedes. Ari automatically takes the lift down, just as Beiloune leaves the Inn. After that, control finally returns. Check the menu and ensure the active party has been restored. Go to the Inn and talk to the Fortune Teller. Save and then leave, talking to the man on the way to the northern gates for a good tip. Unfortunately, the stele is disabled, so head for Tenel on foot. Note. The ghosts are back. A fun little challenge is having Ari evade all random encounters en route to Tenel. When Ari approaches the crossroads, a scene ensues. Everyone automatically heads for Ari's house, where the scene continues. After a while, the scene continues inside. Control finally returns. Talk to everyone, and then talk to Kisling and Rosalyn until everything is heard. Make a circuit of the house, speaking with everyone. Visit Ari's room, rest, and save. Note. Remember to change party members, to bring along anyone who's lagging, and do so often from now on. Especially Linda, who has some great Specials at higher levels. Exit Ari's house. The steles are working again, but before dashing off to Triste, swing by Tenel. Enter the Inn and save. Speak to the Fortune Teller. [Trigger: Requesting a reading from her initiates the final stage of the Compatibility Gift sidequest.] She'll tell Ari a bit more than previously (and won't repeat herself, so pay close attention), but specifically WHAT she says depends on Ari's compatibility, AND the message may be vague. For example, the Fortune Teller may tell Ari to "stay the night at the hotel", but she doesn't mention WHICH hotel. If you speak with her again, she's closing her doors. (All fortune tellers from now on may parrot that final sentiment.) Note. If you don't like the final reading, you can try for another outcome, though frankly few opportunities remain. If you'd like to try anyway, Quit your game without saving and avoid the fortune tellers until you believe you've altered the findings in the desired direction. Follow through on the Fortune Teller's directive now, as it will undoubtedly aid Ari. (See the "Sidequests" addendum if you're stumped.) Note. Also, now is a good time to visit Madril and donate the top amount, 100,000 sukels, to the Research Center, if you haven't already. The reward is a great benefit to Ari. (Yes, better than a Triste-priced upgrade.) When you're ready, proceed to the Triste gates. Knock at the gates, ask for K.T., and enter. Save at the hotel. Buy the best weapon and gear upgrades possible, as well as plenty of restoratives, if you didn't earlier. If Ari buys anything, save again. Head down the side street and toward the back gate Ari couldn't get through previously. As Ari nears the last bend in the road, another brief scene occurs involving the Old Music Box, which vanishes. Exit Triste via the back gate and a scene occurs, with a hint of where to venture first on the Addashi Desert. When control returns, go forward and read the tombstone. Go that-a-way, south. Foes across the desert can be tough, but pay well, and laggards in the active party are sure to catch up swiftly. The entrance to the Deep Grave Pit is fairly obvious, but first follow the wall behind it a little west to a notch in the wall, where Ari picks up a Tiny Gear [TG28, a slight deviation]. Return to the pit's entrance, walk all the way up to the face, and enter. Save at the diary. DEEP GRAVE PIT Nine levels deep. NINE, and only the one save diary. On the plus side, however, each level is very simply laid out and the up and down stairs are nicely aligned. (Even so, Guidance Jewels prove invaluable time-savers.) The first eight levels all have urns and many have floor switches to raise sunken walkways. At the end is a tiny puzzle to solve, in lieu of a boss fight. Ari's goal is to find the Gear Tower's key. Foes pay well indeed. Of note, the 24K Screws pay 9,999 sukels each if you're quick enough (apropos of their name, they run away fast). Evil Masks can pinch 10,000 coins and flee. Perpetual Mudmen inflict big damage. Ebon Slumbers (aardvarks dangling from balloons) have a devastating one-two punch of incapacitating spells, Midnight and Numb, a good time to use Decoy. Daring Dinos and Rayless Sea Rays drop candy, yum, and Bloody Armor drop Bountiful Nuts. There's plenty of other good stuff to be had, as well. Note. While the usual textual maps are provided here, the "Maps" addendum provides a link to a page of detailed graphic maps of every level. A very useful aid. The maps below show only the paths in from the border, but the central areas are just a matter of winding back and forth. After clearing each floor, be sure to return to DGP-B1 to save before proceeding lower. D, save Diary (cyan) P, sign Post X, Urn (red) O, Green Switch B, Barrier C, treasure Chest v, Stairs down (green) ^, Stairs up (white) ---DGP-B1-------------- ----------------------------- | | | ---------| |--------- | | | X X | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | C1 C2| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | X X | | | ---------| |--------- | | | -------------| |------------- | | | D v | | | ---| |--- Entry C1, Energy Bouquet C2, Miracle Nut ---DGP-B2-------------- ----------------------------- | | | |-----| |-----------| |-| | | | | | | | | | X | | | | | | | | X X | | | | | | | | X | | | | | | | | | |-| |--------| |--------| | | | -------------| |------------- | | | ^ v | | | --------- ---DGP-B3-------------- ----------------------------- | X | X | |------------| |-| |----- | | | | | |---| ----| | | | | | | | C1 | | |---| | | ----| | C2| | | |---| | | | | -| |-----| |-| |----- | | X | | X | -------------| |------------- | | | ^ v | | | --------- C1, Treasured Dress C2, Bountiful Nut If Linda's in the active party, have her equip this new dress right away. ---DGP-B4-------------- A floor switch at the beginning of this level raises a bridge to Ari's immediate right, but don't miss the existing bridge to the right of that. ----------------------------- | O | O | O | | -| |-| |-----| |-| |----| | | | | | | | X X | |---| | | | O | | O | | | |---| | X X | | | | | | | |----| |-| |-----| |-| |- | | O |O | O | -------------| |------------- | | | ^ v | | | --------- Halfway there (the ninth floor is tiny). Save upstairs and keep going. ---DGP-B5-------------- ------- | | | v | | | |-|B|-| | | | C1 | | | -------------| |------------- | | | | -----| |------------- | | X X | | | | | | ----| | |---- | | | |---| | | C2 | C3| | |---| |---| | ----| |---- | | | | | | X X | | | -| |-| |-----| |-| |- | | | | | -------------| |------------- | | | ^ v | | |