Final Fantasy IV/Toroia and the Dark Elf

Exploring in the airship
Now that you have an airship, the entire world is now open to you. Well, sort of. The airship can land in any plotch of green. You cannot land on mountains, forests, buildings, water, or deserts. This section covers are a few places you can explore if you'd like. If you'd rather not, skip ahead to Troia to continue the walkthrough.

Mythril
As the name implies, Mythril is a town with some seriously great Mythril equipment. However, if you have the Gil to burn and decide to buy a full set of Mythril armor, do not sell your old armor just yet. Leave it in your inventory.

To get to Mythril, head east from Baron Castle until you hit land. Then, continue north. You should see a town on an island, with a small area for you to land your airship.

Mythril is town populated by pigs, toads, and Mini people who are great at making equipment out of mythril. Just outside the armor and weapon shop is a trio of brothers who will perform for the party on request. Before you go in to the weapon and armor shops, though, you can find some equipment for free.

Search in the grass behind the weapon and armor shop for a hidden chest with 5000 Gil. Then, head east and search the north part of the next patch of grass for Mythril Knife. Go back around the house and south, then follow the path east until you're in another patch of grass. There's a hidden chest here with Mythril Staff in it.

In case you want some mythril pieces for your party but can't afford them yet, spend some time outside of Mythril grinding. Don't waste your money on the Inn - 500 Gil a night! - instead, follow the chain of islands northeast of Mythril to Fabul, then continue northeast to the Chocobo Forest. Heal your party with Cure spells, then talk to the White Chocobo as many times as you need to restore your MP. There's another Chocobo Forest south of Mythril, to the southwest of Mount Ordeals, in case you get bored of Fabul's forest.

Agart
To get to Agart, head south from Baron Castle until you come to an island. The enemies on the island are a bit harder than what you might be used to, so be careful on your way to town.

There's admittedly not much to do in Agart yet, besides view the two moons through the observatory telescope and find the single item hidden here. The Antarctic Wind is located inside the little building with the well, in an invisible chest northeast of the well.

We'll be back...

Eblan Castle
To get to Eblan Castle, head west from Agart until you reach some mountains and desert. Head south to a castle on a peninsula. You may be a bit weak for the monster-in-a-box encounters at this point, so be sure to save before you go inside. However, there's still some worthwhile loot to find that isn't guarded!

Inside the castle the path splits three ways. First head west, down the stairs, under the gate, and into the tower. In the first room, position yourself one square north of the door, then walk east, and around to the room with the chest. This chest is guarded by a Steel Golem and some Skuldiers, but if you win, you receive a Sleep Blade. Afterwards, head for the stairs to the next floor. Examine the pot in the northwest corner of the room for Bacchus's Wine. Then, head south, between the two pots, and follow the secret passage in the wall east to two chests with 10,000 Gil and Silencing Arrows. Head back through the secret passage, then go to the east side of the room and continue walking south into the wall to go back down to the first floor. The chest on the first floor holds a Bomb Core. Exit the tower by going back through the secret staircase, and back down the normal one.

Go back out into the castle courtyard. There's a secret passage to the east just before the stairs, which leads to a chest with Hi-Potion. Take the stairs to the next floor. There are quite a few chests on the next floor, but no way to get to them here. Continue to the next floor. If you're playing the 3D versions of the game, examine the throne for a Ninja Sutra - no real point to this item though. Otherwise, head directly west of the throne, through a secret passage that takes you to a staircase. The staircase leads to the treasure room from the previous floor, allowing you to open the chests with Unicorn Horn and Alarm Clock. Back in the throne room, head east of the throne to get to the eastern treasure room. The eastern treasure room holds three chests with Gold Needle, Maiden's Kiss and Cottage. Head back out into the courtyard when you're finished here.

Now go east, down the stairs, under the gate, and into the tower. In the first room, go behind the northwestern column, walk through the wall, and around into the treasure room. The chest here contains Couerl Whisker. Take the stairs up to the next level. Press the switch just east of the stairs and go through the door into the main part of the room. The two chests to the west contain Emergency Exit and Hi-Potion. The chest not blocked by a hole in the ground contains Hi-Potion. Check the pot positioned between the two torches for Hermes Sandals. Continue walking east from that pot and around the outside of the walls to get to that other chest you couldn't get to before. This chest is guarded by two Coeurls and a Lamia. You win a Blood Lance upon defeating them. Walk back around the secret passage, and drop down the hole. Grab the Silver Hourglass from the chest and continue south.

Follow the path in the next area until you get to an area with three chests. Open the two on the west side of the room for two Ether. The third chest is guarded by three Mad Ogres, which are highly resistant to magic, so take them down with your strongest physical attacks and keep the party healed. Your reward for taking them down is a Silver Apple. Follow the path to pop back out on the overworld.

Troia
Kain stated that the Earth Crystal could be found in Troia, so head there when you're ready to move on in the story. Troia is located to the northwest of Baron, nestled between a lake with a waterfall and some forest. You can land in a small strip of green between the town of Troia and the castle.

You can go straight to the castle if you're in a hurry, but there's some fun - and loot - to be had in town.

Check out the weapon and armor shops, and consider picking up a Fireshard if you're playing the 3D version of the game. Next, head towards the Inn and enter the water. Follow the river around to the north, and go up a set of stairs. There is a hidden passage in the forest to the west, with four hidden treasures in the grass. Immediately north, and facing west of where you entered the hidden passage, you can find 1,000 Gil. Stand in the square south of this hidden chest and go south for another hidden item: Dry Ether. Head west from where you're standing and examine north, then south, for Decoy and Ether, respectively.

That's all for hidden items, but there's still some stuff to explore if you're interested in lore or the game world as a whole. First, enter the house in the far northeast corner of the town. Examine the cowskull on the wall to open up a secret passage to some stairs down. This quite busy room is the Black Chocobo stables, and you can even get around into the stable by going through the secret passage north of the pot on the east side of the room.

The other point of interest in this town is the King's Bounty pub. There's a person on a stool near the entrance who will sell you a Member's Writ for either 10,000 Gil or 100,000 Gil depending on what version of the game you're playing. It's not really worth the purchase on the 2D versions of the game unless you are super interested in the scene that follows. You could also just save on the overworld, buy the Writ, and then close your game without saving to get your money back. However, in 3D versions of the game, entering the dressing room after the scene grants you the Gil Farmer augment, so consider making this purchase if you have a lot of Gil and want to earn more.

That's it for the town, though! Head back onto the overworld and enter the castle.

Troia Castle
Enter the castle, and continue north into the throne room. When you speak with all of them, you'll learn that the Dark Elf stole the Crystal. However, they're willing to lend the Crystal to Cecil to save Rosa if he can retrieve it.

Exit the throne room, and head to the east, then through the door to the south. Walk through the courtyard south, and enter the door. You'll see three sets of stairs. The first stairs lead to a room that eventually will give you a lot of treasure, but we don't have permission yet. The middle set of stairs leads down to a whole lot of nothing, but there is Bacchus's Wine hidden in the pot in the lower east corner of the room. The rightmost set of stairs takes you to a room with a button. Step on the button and enter the door that opens. As you collect the treasure, each of the doors open up. In total, you'll find two Tent, two Hi-Potion, two Ether, and two Ruby Ring.

Head back to the main part of the castle, and go west. You'll find Edward in bed, his injuries being attended to a by a doctor and a nurse. Edward is eager to join the party again, but is too injured to do much. He may not be able to do much for the party now, but he presses Whisperweed into Cecil's hands.

Preparing for Lodestone Cavern
Before you leave town, do a quick check of everyone's equipment. You won't be able to use your metallic equipment due to a magnetic field. And after you bought all that good armor in Mythril, too.... However, if you didn't sell any of your equipment, you should still have everything you will be able to wear in Lodestone Cavern. Take your metallic equipment with you; do not leave it with the Fat Chocobo.

With that out of the way, exit to the overworld and head to Lodestone Cavern.

Lodestone Cavern
Leave the castle and walk north - you won't be able to land your airship where you need to land. Walk into the middle of the thicket nestled against the mountains and the coast. Catch a Black Chocobo, and fly across the river to the east, between two mountain ranges. You should see a cave to the north in the mountains, which is the Lodestone Cavern. Disembark your Chocobo and head inside.

When you enter, the party realizes that there is a magnetic field that makes it impossible to use metallic objects. Good thing someone warned you ahead of time, right? Yang remarks that his claws still seem to work fine. While in this dungeon, you may want to just think of Cecil as your healer for now, since he won't do much damage bare-handed. You could also technically give him a bow, if you must have the extra attacker.

Head across the bridge to the east, ignoring the bridge to the south for now. At the end of the path is a chest with Hi Potion. Head back across the bridge, and continue south until you reach the stairs down. Continue to the west just past the stairs down, and grab the chest for Unicorn Horn. Then, proceed to the next floor.

On the next level, head north, then bear west at the crossroads. The chest here holds an Ether. Grab it and head back to the east, and north across a bridge. Enter the doors at the northern part of the room and open the two chests to the east and west for Ether and 2000 Gil, respectively. Exit this room, and continue west, through the stairs to the next room.

On the next level, head south. The door just southwest of the stairs back up to the previous floor leads to a save point, so save, and rest up if needed. Continue across the bridge to the south. There is a door in the very southern part of the wall that leads to three chests with Hi-Potion, Spider Silk and Bronze Hourglass.

Cross the bridge to the west, then go north through the cave opening, between the two torches. Enter the door at the far north side of this passage, which leads to a room with Faerie Claws to the north. Head south from the chest and continue down to the next level.

Head west across the bridge, then to the north. Go east across the bridge to find yet another room with a save point. Head back across the bridge and north between the torches, but go east and around the rock formation instead of through the door. There is a chest to the west with an Emergency Exit inside. Head back to the save point if you want, and go through the door when you're ready.

The party will find themselves in a room not unlike Troia's crystal room. Continue north and you'll find the Dark Elf! He pulls the party into battle, but his magic is too strong, and the party is defeated. (If it takes a long time for your party to get defeated for whatever reason, or you're super impatient, re-equip all your metallic armor before talking to the Dark Elf.)

Just as the party has given up hope, we see Edward, back at Troia Castle, struggle out of his bed to play his harp for them. The Whisperweed carries the sound of Edward's harp into the cave, causing the Dark Elf to drop his guard and break the magnetic barrier. The party gets a second wind, and stands up to fight the Dark Elf once again.

Feel free to equip all of your strongest equipment again - except the Ruby Ring - and talk to the Dark Elf when you're ready to fight!

Boss: Dark Elf
Now that Edward's song is distracting him, the Dark Elf is much less powerful. He starts the fight with the same Fira, Thundara, and Blizzara sequence, so be sure to have Tellah or Cecil heal up the party afterwards. The Dark Elf can also cast Tornado, which brings a party member's health to single digits, and Pig, which obviously can turn a party member into a pig. The Ruby Ring you equipped before should help you avoid that annoying status, however. The Mythgraven Blade is useful in this fight since the boss is weak to Sacred Power.

Keep attacking the Dark Elf and healing through the damage, until he changes forms and becomes a dragon. Now, let's pay the Dark Elf back for casting Tornado on us earlier, shall we? Have Tellah cast the spell, and finish him off with an attack. Burn an Ether if you went overboard on Tellah's MP usage, because this spell is the difference between this fight being easy and dragging on forever.

After you've defeated the Dark Elf, take back the crystal, and exit the cave via Teleport, Emergency Exit, or old-fashioned walking. If you choose to walk, you won't have to worry about your metallic equipment anymore.

The Black Chocobo is waiting patiently outside the cave, and once you get back on it, it flies automatically back to the Chocobo Forest. Head south, back to Troia Castle.

Return to Troia Castle
Return to the throne room, where the Epopts wait for you. An omnious darkness appears and Kain will once again instruct you to bring the crystal in exchange for Rosa.

As promised, the Epopts will allow you to keep the crystal. Make sure you speak with all of them to get permission to take the treasures in the basement of the castle. Head back to the eastern wing of the castle, and down the far left staircase that we skipped before. Talk to the guard, and she will grant you access to the treasure. Head down the stairs to find the chests, which hold two Hi-Potion, two Remedy, two 'Ether, two Dry Ether, Elixir, two Echo Herbs, Great Bow, Silver Apple, 20 Ice Arrows, 20 Fire Arrows, and 20 Lightning Arrows.

Exit the castle when you're finished, save on the overworld, and board the airship. Kain flies up and escorts the party to the Tower of Zot.