Part 9: The Forest of Symbols 

Main Walkthrough

Now that you've wrapped up things in Marze it's time to leave the kingdom of Krosse... in theory, anyway. To do that you'll need to head east of Marze to Harley, a port town on the tip of the continent. The road between Marze and Harley is pretty short, so don't expect much of a trip.

There are three things to note between Marze and Harley:

  • Keep your eye on your right as you approach Harley. There's a side path leading south. It will bring you to a chest containing five Magic Canvases.
  • There's a fishing spot right outside Harley, on your right as you approach the town.
  • If you can use the Bunny Call Super Specialty you can climb into the mountains to the southwest of Harley. Up on the cliffs is a Raid, a type of super-enemy that offers lavish rewards. You are not even remotely strong enough to fight it at this point in the game, so... at least save your game before you wade into battle.

Harley

A coastal settlement that will not fall apart and sink into the ocean - promise - Harley is your final stop on this continent before you head to distant shores. If you want you can hop on a boat immediately and leave for the kingdom of Lacuer, where new adventures await.

But... first, maybe you should look around, and maybe you should start with the two men standing by the entrance. If you speak to the older man on the left he'll tell you that there's a two-headed dragon in Salva, and the authorities are looking for help with the creature. Salva's a long way back southwest, but thanks to Fast Travel you can go there right away and see what's up.

If you chase this lead down to the Salva Mines you'll recruit a new character, Ashton, into the party. Ashton is... an unfortunate man... but he's a great fighter, and pairs well with Claude in your frontline offensive position. It's important to note, however, that if you recruit Ashton you cannot recruit two other characters: Opera and Ernest. (You've already met one of them.) Check the character recruitment guide for more details.  

Whether you recruited Ashton or not, you can now have a look around Harley. We'll start with the town's services, and its more notable NPCs:

  • The Inn is dockside, near the entrance. The usual. If you go down the dock outside the Inn you'll find a fishing spot.
  • In the east, still dockside, is a small restaurant, right beside the bar. The owner sells some crafting items, as well as a variety of dishes. The Sashimi is of particular note, since it gives you SP, though it might be a little pricey for only 2 SP.
  • On the east side of Harley, down by the docks, you'll meet an... enthusiastic... young man named Reel. He's over the moon about fish, and offers to give you prizes if you show him fish from around the world. Reel will also give you three Lifes in Nature and three Pocket Encyclopedias, as well as unlock the Fish Encyclopedia in the Database. We'll discuss Reel - and Fishing - in another section of the guide.
  • Head up the main stairs through Harley and you'll find the local Guild on your left. A bit further up and on your right you'll find the Weapon / Armor Shop (the armor is decent), and the Antique Shop (where, among many crafting items, you can buy your first Thief's Glove - a necessity if you want to use the Pickpocketing ability).

Harley also has some treasures for you to collect:

  • Next to the stairs leading into the north of Harley is The Emperor of Fish Unique Spot. Inspect it to receive five Fishy Fragrances.
  • If you check the houses on your left as you climb the stairs in Harley you'll find the home of a little girl named Eleanor. She's the subject of a side quest for two potential party members, which we'll get into under the Private Actions section, at the bottom of the guide. In the room next to Eleanor's bedroom you'll find a chest containing a Ring of Sadness.
  • At the top of the steps in Harley you'll find Zandor's Mansion. This is the setting for one of Rena's Private Actions. There are Leather Boots in a chest in the foyer, a Ring Mail inside a hidden chest in the eastern room on the ground floor, 1,200 FOL in the northeastern room on the second floor, and a Sinclair in the northwestern room on the second floor. 

And that's all for Harley! Head to the docks when you want to leave. Right by Reel you'll find a sailor who will offer to take you to Lacuer for 120 FOL. Hand the money over and you'll be on your way. Much easier than in Kurik.

Private Actions

  • Rena only. Approach the Warehouse, a short walk to the right of Harley's Save Point, to trigger a cut scene. This begins a small chain of PAs:
    • Rena will hear yelling from inside the Warehouse. Decide to intervene and Rena will stop several thugs from attacking a young man named Yoole. He'll leave without much appreciation.
    • Trigger another PA, then visit the Antique Shop. Yoole is inside. Speak to him to learn about his aspirations, then walk back to the entrance of Harley. Rena will be kidnapped by the henchmen of Zandor, a local gang leader. You'll wind up in Zandor's Mansion. Go upstairs to the office to find Zandor and Yoole. Rena will have to fight Zandor solo. Get in his face and just keep punching, only using items to heal. If you win the fight Rena will receive some closure with Yoole, and her relationship with other characters will improve. If you lose Rena's relationship with all of the male characters you can find in Expel will suffer, and you won't see Yoole again.
  • Ashton - Rena only. Walk through Harley and you'll see Ashton outside Eleanor's Home. This leads to a chain of PAs: 
    • Follow Ashton inside, then speak to him by Eleanor's bedside.
    • Head back into Eleanor's Home after the first PA to trigger another one with Ashton. Eleanor's illness is progressing, and she needs a cure fast. A doctor suggests that an herb named Metorx can cure Eleanor. You'll find the Metorx in the Lasgus Mountains, west of Krosse City. Take the right path from the Save Point and it will lead you right to the Metorx.
    • Return to Harley after finding the Metorx. Starting a PA will trigger a cut scene, earning you a relationship bump with Ashton. This also unlocks a special ending between Ashton and Eleanor.
  • Bowman - Claude only. Walk through Harley and you'll see Bowman outside Eleanor's Home. This leads to a chain of PAs: 
    • Follow Bowman inside, then speak to him again outside her house.
    • Travel to Linga and look in the library. Bowman is doing research, and he'll discover that an herb named Metorx can cure Eleanor. You'll find the Metorx in the Lasgus Mountains, west of Krosse City. Take the right path from the Save Point and it will lead you right to the Metorx.
    • Return to Harley after finding the Metorx. Starting a PA will trigger a cut scene, and you'll need to decide whether or not you should give the Metorx to Eleanor. Choosing to try the herb will give you a good chance that it works... and a small chance that it doesn't. Either way, Bowman's relationship with Claude improves. If you opt not to use the herb then the quest ends.

Part 11: Hilton

Main Walkthrough