Reward Board: 800a, 25 SP / 1,000a, 5 SP, 5 Adamantite
Valandis is home to many monsters, and none are more renowned, awe-inspiring, or dangerous as the Seven True Kings. You'll have heard a few whispers about them early in the game, and later on they'll become much more of a reality, thanks in part to a kooky, demanding scholar.
Once you complete the main quest Searching for a Princess you'll receive a notification that there are more side quests available. One of them is located on Hermit's Isle itself. Head back to base and check out the beach on the east side of the island. You'll find a weirdo named Maddeleine laying on the sand, and after recovering herself she'll request - demand? - that you escort her to Nhysa, a lost city of legend.
The trick? Nhysa is underground. Deep underground.
To reach Nhysa you'll have to travel through the Ograne Grottos, an underground area that stretches throughout Valandis. You had the opportunity to enter the grotto via the Rohlan Fields, early in the game, so some of what's to come may be old hat to you. To reach the gates to Nhysa you specifically need to enter via the north of the Rohlan Fields, using your Sky Armor to fly down to an entrance beneath a waterfall. This guide will help you find your way through the Ograne Grottos.
Once you've reached the central section of the Ograne Grottos you'll find a Fast Travel Crystal, and Maddeleine will be waiting to the north. The monster she complained of earlier is just ahead, and she'll give you an Incocybin Berry to weaken it.
Tadeye
Strength: Water
Weakness: Earth
Steal: Nothing
If you try to battle this beast normally you will lose. Tadeye is horribly powerful, and every hit will wipe out your party. To survive this fight you need to use the Incocybin Berry Maddeleine gave you. This will debuff the beast substantially, and reduce its health to manageable levels. A few strong hits should take it out, earning you a Long Tail.
To the north you'll enter some ruins, which contains four gates barring passage into Nhysa. Maddeleine will open the first gate, but she'll need you to hunt Valandis to find the levers to open the other three. You'll need to visit the following areas, with and without your Sky Armor:
- The first lever to pull is found beneath the Rohlan Fields, via the entrance to the Ograne Grottos north of Farnsport. You can climb in via an enormous slash in the ground. The lever is in a small shrine partway through the passage, one that's tough to miss.
- The second lever is in the Fiorwoods. To reach it you'll near to exit Tormund from its western section, heading south. You'll wind up on a series of wooden pathways that lead south. Go south to an intersection, take a right, then continue south and off the screen, to the western section of the Fiorwoods. Take a right and go east until you find a path down to the grass. From here you can travel west. You'll find a small cave containing the lever. You'll need to be strong enough to fight Forest Wyrms to get at this lever, though if you're this far in the game you should be okay.
- The third lever is in the southwest of the Flower Fields of Perpetua. If you Fast Travel to the Fast Travel Crystal in the west of Perpetua you'll be almost directly north of the cave containing the lever. Fly south and pull it. There's a good chance you'll be attacked by a monster named Da Capo when you leave the cave, so be ready to fight.
Jump back to the Ograne Grottos Fast Travel Crystal and head north through the ruins. The gates will be open, and you can hop onto an elevator to descend to Nhysa. Maddeleine will describe the Seven True Kings as you descend into the earth. Alas, there's another gate waiting in front of Nhysa, and Maddeleine will need to work on it herself. You'll get to enter Nhysa, but... not yet. Quest complete?