Monsters
This leaves the Unique Monsters of the Fiorwoods, one of which is actually in the central area of the forest. Exit the western area and you'll come to a series of paths. In roughly the middle of the area you'll find a copse of trees that you can circle. Run around them three times and you'll spawn Ekskalibur, a Unique Monster.
- Forest Wyrm - Drops Dragon Spore
Loot and Materials
- Banana
- Branch
- Dahlia
- Dragonfly
- Garment
- Metal Frog
- Root
- Simple Leaf
- Spring
- Yellow Snail
An eeriely-beautiful area discovered early in Chained Echoes, the Fiorwoods serve as an important location for getting to know the party before the plot really kicks into high gear. You're done with two-third of the Fiorwoods before even reaching the game's second major city. That does not mean, however, that you shouldn't revisit the remaining third, as there's plenty of important stuff to see and do in the Fiorwoods.
This guide covers the west of the Fiorwoods, which, early in the game, will be more or less locked away from you. If you're looking for information on the southeast of the Fiorwoods you should check out this guide, and if you want information on the rest of the central and eastern sections of the Fiorwoods you should check out this guide. There's also a little bit more on the eastern side of the Fiorwoods in this guide, accessible once you complete your first trip to Tormund.
Truthfully, you can explore the west of the Fiorwoods fairly early on. If you do, however, you'll run into pairs of Forest Wyrms, massive dragons that are way too powerful for your party during your first visit. If you return to the Fiorwoods later - feasibly once you've gained access to Hermit's Isle - you should be strong enough to fight the Forest Wyrms. They have no weaknesses, though Blinding and Paralyzing them will help immensely. A bit of Wind Resistance doesn't hurt either.
Northwestern Fiorwoods
There are two ways to enter the northwestern section of the Fiorwoods. The first is heading west from the northern Fiorwoods, while the second is heading south out of Tormund's western area. Both will ultimately put you on a lengthy series of boardwalks leading south through the Fiorwoods, though if you come through via Tormund you can skip two battles with Forest Wyrms.
- In the northeast, along the boardwalks, you'll find a dead end clearing with two Crystal Sources and a chest containing two Meals.
- Head south along the boardwalks and you'll run into an Adventurer's Guild explorer who will tell you about the Fiorwoods' Unique Monsters, both of whom we'll address in this guide. East of him you'll find a Crystal Source and a red chest containing Chain Mail.
If you stick to the ground and check in the southwest of this area you'll find a path to the Inner Sanctum, an area that's important to a side quest. You can't get much of anywhere from this side, though you can get at a red chest containing a Healing Belt.
Western Fiorwoods
There are three entrances to this section of the Fiorwoods. Two of them are in the north, accessible via the boardwalks in the northwestern Fiorwoods, while the third brings you in from the central area and puts you down on the ground. We'll check out the ground first:
- In the middle of the boardwalks is an area with two pairs of Forest Wyrms. Defeat the wyrms in the northeast and you'll find a chest containing three Platinum Ores, as well as a path up to the boardwalks.
- In the west is a sheltered path leading to a chest. Inside the chest you'll find four Hard Shells. You can either defeat the Forest Wyrms in the south or sneak up northwest to get at the chest.
- In the north you'll find a heap of rubble. Behind it is a cave, and inside the cave is a chest containing 900a.
If you're entering this area from the northwestern Fiorwoods you'll wind up on the boardwalks. Travel south along the eastern boardwalks to start, as they meet up with the path from the ground. Both paths converge on a strip of land guarded by two Forest Wyrms. This westbound path leads to a cave into the Ograne Grottos, where you'll find a switch. The switch is part of the side quest The Gates to Nhysa, and whether you're doing the side quest or not you should trip the switch. A quick walk west of the cave is a chest containing four Ancient Skulls.
Both east and west boardwalks converge in the south, near a Fast Travel Crystal. If you check along both sections of boardwalk you'll find a cumulative three Crystal Sources, two in the east and one in the west.
Defeat Ekskalibur - which should be pretty easy, if you're exploring the west end of the Fiorwoods - then head back to the boardwalks. If you check the southeastern platform along the western boardwalks you'll run into Arthros, another Unique Monster that only spawns when you defeat its turtle buddy.
Southwestern Fiorwoods
The southwestern Fiorwoods consist of a lake, surrounded by a crescent-shaped path. In the northwest you'll find a chest containing 1,900a, and in the southwest you'll find a red chest containing a Raincoat. Along the path between these two points you'll find two Crystal Sources.
In the middle of the lake you'll find an empty cabin, and in the southwest you'll find a boat. Both of these are part of a side quest that will take you into the Inner Sanctum. They're of no use to you if you haven't triggered the side quest. (Which I haven't. Yet. Once I do I'll update this section with more details.)