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With the Fiendlord's troops in retreat (for now) the party can cross the Zenan Bridge, where the southern continent awaits. This area has a few new locations in 600 AD to check out before moving on with the plot, which is found at the Denadoro Mountains, east of the bridge. We'll start with Dorino, the first village you see upon leaving Zenan Bridge.
A village that doesn't exist in 1000 AD, Dorino is pretty bare-bones. There are three things of note as you're passing through.
- There’s an Inn and a Market in Dorino. They’re not that interesting, but the Inn might come in handy after the fight with Zombor.
- There’s a small Residence here. Enter after collecting the Naga Bromide from Manolia Cathedral and the elderly man at the top-left table will offer you a Magic Capsule for the Bromide, assuming you check the bedside nightstand first.
- Last, check the Elder’s House. You’ll find Toma inside, brokering a deal with the elder. Follow Toma to the Inn and you can buy him a drink (30 G) to learn of a strange beast to the southwest.
Fiona’s Villa
South of Dorino is a small house in the middle of the desert. This is the home of Fiona, a nature fan with a missing husband. Much later she’ll be involved in an important side quest, but for now this is just a quick stop on your journey. Pop open the chests inside for two Mid-Ethers, then head out.
Porre - Market
South of Fiona's Villa is Porre, looking much the same as it does in 1000 AD. There are, as always, things to inspect:
- Porre offers the usual amenities, notably some new defensive equipment in the Market. You should also look on the left side of the Market for a Strength Capsule.
- You’ll meet Toma again in the local Tavern. He has a story about the ‘Rainbow Shell’, part of another side quest that will come into play much later in the game. Also here are several people that speak of the Legendary Hero, a local boy named Tata.
- You can visit Tata’s House and learn more about the boy from his father and grandfather. Tata isn't home, but you'll be meeting him soon.
- Last, you can visit the Elder’s House. It contains two mysterious black boxes, the same as the ones you may have seen in 1000 AD. This house is part of another side quest late in the game, so you’ll probably be back here at some point.
Cursed Woods - Enemies
Head northwest from Porre to find the Cursed Woods, a small area populated by Edible Frogs and Fangtooths. The Fangtooths are easily killed via normal attacks, but the Edible Frogs love to counter attacks and resist physical strikes, so magic is a good idea. Fight them simultaneously and the Fangtooths will drain health from the Edible Frogs when hit, allowing you to ignore the Frogs altogether.
The Woods are also home to the Nu, a strange, shambling race of blue creatures with a lot of HP. The Nu have two attacks:
- A headbutt that drains all but 1 HP from a single character
- A headbutt that does 1 HP of damage
Nu are hearty and dangerous, but they also gift you 30 TP on defeat, far more than any other enemy up to this point. Get the Nu by itself and you'll be fine so long as you heal even a little bit after an attack. You’ll occasionally see Nu wandering vertically through the forest, and the only way to fight one is to get into a battle with other enemies while the Nu is on the screen.
(Don't waste too much time trying to farm Nu here. There's a better place that's just one dungeon away. The Nu in the Cursed Woods appear far too rarely to be worth the effort.)
Check the sides of the short path through the Woods for chests containing a Mid-Potion and a Shelter. In the far north is a rustling bush. Slip behind the bush and you’ll find a hidden home… and living here is none other than Frog. He won’t rejoin the party (yet), so snag the Magic Scarf from the chest on the right and leave. You’ll be back.
You’ve now scoured all there is to see on the southern continent, save one location: The Denadoro Mountains to the northeast. Head to an Inn if you found the Cursed Woods taxing, then wander up to the Mountains and prepare for a lengthy series of battles.
Part Fifteen: Denadoro Mountains
Part Fifteen: Denadoro Mountains