All grown up and back where he started, Ryu has joined Garr on yet another trip to Angel Tower. Unlike the last time he traveled through the Dauna Hills, however, Ryu needs to hoof it across the landscape rather than being carried by train. Better make tracks to the east.
There are several points of interest in the Dauna Hills, before you move on to the next area:
- To the east of Dauna Mine, in the shadow of the railway track that runs through the region, you'll find a hut. This is the home of Emitai, the wizard / scammer that you fought in the Contest of Champions. Emitai is broke, and needs to pay the mortgage on his lovely home. Give him 10,000 zenny and Emitai will become a Master to your characters, though he's not a great fit for Ryu or Garr (unless you've decided to take Ryu down a spellcasting route, anyway).
- Beneath Emitai's home is a huge, technologically-advanced pad, similar to the one that you might have seen beneath Durandal's house, on the outskirts of Wyndia. You're not too far off from these things being important, but... not yet.
- West of Dauna Mine is a Checkpoint, similar to the one east of Wyndia but far more boring. Check the cabinets inside the guard shack for a Healing Herb and 80 zenny. There's also a locked door here, but Ryu and Garr are not equipped to deal with it.
- In the southwest, west of the forest that stretches through this region, you'll find Syn City. This is the home of the organization that employed Balio and Sunder. There are a few merchants near the entrance worth checking, and the colorful locals are worth a chat, but otherwise this place isn't much use to you right now.
- Near Emitai's home and the Checkpoint you'll find Fishing Spots. The Fishing Spot closer to the Checkpoint has a Manillo merchant that you can catch, and he has a few pieces of equipment that are worth grabbing if you feel the urge to fish.
- If you check any flower rings you'll be sent back to the Faerie Village. Cadis, the... mayor?... is angry that you left the faeries alone for so long, and will demand you give them instructions. This opens up the Faerie Village minigame, which has you constructing a little village of your own. The Faerie Village is complicated enough - and earns you powerful enough items - that it deserves its own side article. Just check in on the faeries occasionally to see how they're doing, and allocate them to tasks to build the village.
Your next storyline destination is Ogre Road, to the southeast of Dauna Mine.
Ogre Road
Monsters
- Goo Titan - Steal Life Shard, Drop Protectors, Learn Burn / Timed Blow
- Slasher - Steal Berries, Drop Swallow Eye, Learn Mind Flay
- Tricker - Steal Gems, Drop Thieves Knife, Learn Blind / Flying Kick
- Vagabond - Steal Moon Sword, Drop Mithril Armor
Ogre Road is a zig-zagging, yet ultimately straightforward, route. Follow the main path and you'll find yourself on the other side in no time. There are nevertheless two items you should pick up before you head for the exit in the southeast:
- Partway along Ogre Road you'll see three unfamiliar plants off to your left. Slice them up using Ryu to receive Horseradish. You'll need to come back here to get the Horseradish later if you don't grab it now, so you might as well save yourself the trip.
- South of the Horseradish you'll see a fence, and next to it is a side path on your left. Take the side path north and it will eventually bring you to a chest containing an Hourglass. Hourglasses are very powerful items that completely halt enemy actions in combat for a few rounds, including those of bosses, so don't use this one lightly.
A slope to the west of the chest will bring you back near the Horseradish plants. Head southeast, past the fence, and you'll find the exit... just as something else finds you.
Weretiger
Steal: Nothing
Drop: Nothing
Learn: Snap
Huh. Despite its fierce looks the Weretiger is not a big deal, and won't last long against Ryu and Garr. Use Shield if you're worried about physical attacks, or just change Ryu into a dragon. Eventually the beast will run away, ending the battle.
Continue southeast once the Weretiger leaves, and you'll be back in the Yraall Region! Long time no see, only... you're on the other side of the bridge that used to be broken. Almost home, but not quite. There's a Fishing Spot on this side of the water, and before you return to the Yraall Region you used to know you'll need to cross Mt. Levett.
Mt. Levett
Monsters
- Blue Goblin - Steal Beef Jerky, Drop Scramasax
- Boss Goblin - Steal Waistcloth, Drop Brass Helm, Learn Influence
- Goo Titan - Steal Life Shard, Drop Protectors, Learn Burn / Timed Blow
- Slasher - Steal Berries, Drop Swallow Eye, Learn Mind Flay
- Tricker - Steal Gems, Drop Thieves Knife, Learn Blind / Flying Kick
Similar to Ogre Road, Mt. Levett is a small area that you can bypass within a minute or two once you know where you're going. Unlike Ogre Road, alas, you'll never be able to just walk straight through it on the world map. You'll need to travel through here at least twice more.
Also similar to Ogre Road, there are only two items for you to grab before you move on from Mt. Levett:
- When you climb the hill running northeast through Mt. Levett you'll find a crossroads at the top. If you go southeast at the intersection the ground will give out, dumping you into a cave. You'll land beside a chest containing a Gold Hairpin. Exiting to the southwest will take you back to the bottom of the slope.
- Climb the slope to the crossroads again. If you go northwest this time you'll find two slopes leading back to the bottom of the mountain. Take the slop on the left and you'll find 800 zenny about halfway down. The cave at the bottom will take you back up to the top...
... and if you look a little ways southeast of the second cave, you'll find the path to Mt. Levett's exit. Make sure you hug the northern wall as you walk east, or you'll end up on the path with the collapsing ground and get dumped into the cave again.
You're back on the world map, and the bridge to McNeil is a short walk to the east. You'll also notice a small house nearby, and if you check it out you'll discover that it's empty. A dresser on the upper floor contains a Healing Herb, and there's another mystery platform in the basement. Still not useful. All that leaves is Ryu's former home, and whatever he may find there.