The Phon Coast - Tchita Uplands
(4)Two highlights of Phon Coast: the Hunters
Camp and last stage to the Zodiac SpearOk, let's get it over with: the Phon Coast must be the least interesting region of the whole game. There. Said it. Areas are huge with rather few monsters (although if you haven't levelled up much, it should be welcome news as the foes are definitely stronger than everything you'd encounter so far on the course of the main quest), which doesn't make them suitable for levelling up significantly. There are potentially interesting treasures but there the chances for them to turn up are rather few. You must go through it this time but it's unlikely you come back to roam this region very often after that. However, there are two redeeming features here: one is the Hunters' Camp, and not just because your arrival there triggers an important scene [4] but it's an interesting center of activities, with a well-fournished shop and even a notice board. It will also be at the heart of one of the most time-consuming sidequests, the hunt club - it will, however, only be available at little bit later (see sidequests section - coming soon!). The other point of interest to you, if you've stayed well away from all those "must-not-be-touched" chests that have been mentioned in this walkthrough, is that the last of those is here, at the eastern end of the Vaddu Strand: you'll easily spot a 16 set of chests. One of them should not be open in order for you to get a sure shot at finding the Zodiac Spear in the Necrohol of Nabudis: the simplest thing is to simply leave them all alone, as they only contain knot of rust anyway. When you feel like continuing on your journey, travel all the way NE towards Rava's Pass, which is a transitional area leading to the Tchita Uplands
(5) You lhave a taste of Archadian gentry's
snobery in the Tchita UplandsIf the Tchita Uplands ressemble the Phon Coast in that it is also big and lacking in events, it has at least the merit to propose a greater density of ennemies, mostly Coeurls, Lizards and Serpents; there are also a few Bell Wyverns which might prove a tad difficult depending on your level an equipment. At any rate, you should gain a level or two wandering around. The Tchita Uplands is also a connecting area not only between the Phon Coast and the Sochen Cave Palace, your next destination, but also to an entirely facultative area, the Cerobbi Steppe; note however that the access, which lies all the way east, is closed until you finish with your visit to Archades. Finally, although there's only a slighgt chance for each of the treasures chests to show up, most of them have potentially a very interesting piece of equipment to offer. But let's go back to the main quest here: there are two exits to the area you enter first from the Phon Coast. It matters little for the course of events which one you choose. Either way, cross one more area to end up in a small one with a save crystal. The event is the same, only the identity of the person change: you'll either talk to a father or a son, members of the Archadian gentry, as their condescendent tone, which you will become familiar with shortly, will indicate. Whoever you talk to first will give you an assignement ressembing an mob hunt ad but as they explain, they didn't go through officals channels so this hunt won't appear in your clan primer [5]. Once you accept the hunt they will also give you the Soul Ward Key which you'll need to enter the Sochen Cave Palace. With that, your next destination should be clear: you'll want however to go back on your steps or use the yellow save crystal in the Chosen Path if you need updated equipment and/or new spells as there will be no other such device, nor any shop, on your way until you actually reach Archades, and there are a couple of bosses ahead. Going back to civilisation from the caves would be a rather long jounrney so you better make sure you're ready before going in there
The Sochen Cave Palace
(6)You must defeat the Mandragoras gang
before going further into the Sochen CaveThis is getting more exciting now. A short scene will welcome you as you enter the Doubt Abandoned area which serves as an antechamber to the Sochen Cave. Go all the way north to find yourself in front of an old door. The target of the ad you've accepted back in the Tchita Uplands are waiting just behhind it and, although they are undeniably cute, they can also prove quite annoying to fight. In particular, you'll want to make sure to set up your gambits in order to keep everyone with Haste and Protect. Use the key you've just received to open the door. Inside the five Manragoras (9069 HP each) await. At first they'll tend to scatter all over the place away from you. If you haven't buffed up your party, now's the time. They do regroup after a little while though and give chase in pack: that is when they become dangerous since their combined attacks can quickly and easily bring your characters down one by one. I tend to follow one of them when they first scatter trying to finish it off before they regroup, that way their pack is less powerful. Once they regroup they chase you then scatter again after they've been dealt some damage to in order to heal, then regroup again. You have two options: run away when they are together and take them down one by one when they scatter again, or wait to meet them when they are together and unleach a quickening on them, hoping to trigger a concurrence and hit them all at the same time. Whichever you choose, your win will earn you another cute scene that concludes the hunt. You are now free to proceed inside the cave, unless you want to head back to the Chosen Path in the Tchita Uplands for your reward (1000 gils and 3x Remedy). Whatever you do you'll eventually press forward by going through either door of the Hall of Lambent Darkness that both finaly open on a room at the back of which stands what looks like a save crystal....but isn't. Remember the Crystal Bug in the Stilshrine of Miriam? Well, it's another one of those, only stronger. You don't have to fight it but the other save crystal in the area only becomes available after you defeat the next boss, so you might want to take a shot at this one. Once you're done, exit east to the Mirror of the Soul
(7) Ahriman is your last block on the road
to ArchadesThe next three areas are the heart of the Sochen Cave Palace and home to two puzzles to solve in order to access two locked areas. Since neither is necessary to the main quest, they'll be dealt with elsewhere. To exit the Sochen Cave, you must go all the way north: while the Mirror of Souls offers foes aplenty (make sure you don't miss the map in a nook east of the area), you can run through the Falls of Time mostly at peace. Continue northward through the Destiny's March where you'll regularly run into Strikers and Wendigos. The northern exit is the one you're aiming for - it's also opening on another boss fight. I know it's been a long way but this is the last hurdle before reaching Archades so grit your teeth, buff up your team and enter. Ahriman (62'149 HP) offers a much more traditional fight compares to the previous one. It doesn't mean that it doesn't have its own bag of tricks: it can divide into clones of itself, sometimes into as many as three or four, which can deal consequent damages but that you can dispose of with just a few hits, so always make sure to go at those first when they appear (they are all named "Ahrimans" - however only hits on the real one will be reflected on its HP bar at the top of your screen). A good tactic would be to cast one or two area spell like Cura (against which the Ahriman is weak) to get rid of several replicae at the same time to the main storyline now. Otherwise, you'll mostly have to worry about statuses, of which Countdown is the most worrying. You might also consider wearing protection against the Ice element like Ice Shields. Once the fight is won, exit east to the Temptation Eluded area, then the only other exit to the Chamber of the Chosen. There's an old lift there. Touch the control on the right and take it. You'll reach the Skybet chamber, where you might be happy to find a save crystal; you might yet be even happier to know that behind the door at the end of the corridor lies the open sky of Archades
Coming next: Old Archades - The Imperial City of Archades - Draklor Laboratory
