Legend of Dragoon - Chapter 5: The Black Castle

When you arrive at Hellena, Lavitz will rush the closing drawbridge, just making it in time for Dart and the others to infiltrate inside. Lavitz will then be a required party member for the dungeon. You'll see a scene with Fruegel, taunting King Albert with death upon the break of dawn, despite orders from Doel to keep him alive.

Everything should look familiar to you when you regain control of Dart. If you enter the first door on your left the merchant from earlier is still inside and will sell some new items. Midnight Terror, that induces Fear in an enemy, and the thunder elemental Thunderbolt magic item are newly for sale. It's going to be a very long time before you will see Midnight Terror for sale again, just for note. Back outside, if you missed some treasures from earlier, or you want to do some fighting, take the stairs on the right-side back to the previous area Dart explored on his first visit to the Prison. Note: You can't make it back to the area Dart found Shana yet, but will later. I highly recommend you use this opportunity to maximize the levels on Dart's Burning Rush addition, Rose's Whip Smack, Lavitz's Rod Typhoon, and make some progress on Haschel's Double Punch, preparing to move on to their next one when they learn it. Also, along with your Dragoon's being at a minimum level 3, with Shana at least at 2 now.

 

The tougher Hellena Wardens have a chance to drop the Morning Star weapon, that we haven't yet met the character for. You will be able to purchase this later, but it will be nice to have when this new character joins our party. A few last notes before we continue with the dungeon: First, make absolutely sure you have cleaned this dungeon out of items before fighting Fruegel. This is your last visit to Hellena and you will be unable to return here in the future. Second, Lavitz will be leaving your party afterwards. If you wish to see his spells and additions, you'll need to learn them all now; with the latter being very different than his successor's. They will carry over to this character, as well. I will be providing how to get Lavitz back, however, via Gameshark for those that are interested.

You'll recall that on Dart's previous visit, the elevator on the western path of the Hellena entrance led to an out-of-service elevator; well, it's fixed now and you can use it to reach the upper levels. Have Dart get off at the first stop, climb the right-side ladder, and follow the path to a Leather Armor treasure. This, along with the one Dart had initially equipped, are the only two Leather Armors in the game. When you've nabbed it, make your way back down the ladder and enter the door that will take you down to a lower level with several more doors.

 

Jump across the crevice to the far-right-side door and enter it. Halfway down the path is a chest with a Felt Hat inside. Shana and Rose both had these initially equipped, and this makes the third, and last one, you will find.

Continue to follow the linear path to the east to an eventual chest with the Therapy Ring accessory inside. Restoring a percentage of the character's HP every round, this is one of the best accessories in the game; and there are only two of them to be found. It's difficult to decide who should get this accessory, as it works amazingly for anyone, but I would suggest it for either Rose or Haschel, with the latter getting the nod for me, at least for now. Haschel is probably a couple of levels below the rest of your characters and only has average HP, physical, and magic defense. If you decide to go with Rose, you should switch her Elude Cloak to Haschel. The Therapy Ring can help Shana tremendously, too, but personally, I stick with attack-raising accessories with her due to the lack of additions, but you decide what works best for you.

 

Work your way back to the multi-door area, and enter the far-left door and take the elevator. Enter the nearby door and plunder the treasure with the Pandemonium item in it. Pandemonium, like the Magic Signet Stone, is an item you can use once per battle and never disappears. When used on a character, all lesser enemies, no bosses, will only attack that character for 3 rounds.

Take the elevator back down, then use the door second from the left. Hop in the elevator and use the door to find a Thunderbolt. To the right of the door, an action icon will appear allowing Dart to climb a rope down to a chest with a Silver Vest inside. While usable by Shana as well, she already has the Angel Robe, so give this to Rose to replace her Leather Jacket. If she has an Elude Cloak equipped, this will raise her physical evasion rate to 30%. Return to the elevator the party used to reach the upper levels, then select to Go Upstairs. Grab the Healing Potion item on the left-side of the screen and cross the bridge to the next area.

 

The party will fall into a trap and be deposited as food in the lair of Fruegel's pet down below. Snatch the chest containing the Sachet item and prepare for a boss fight. I highly advise against using Shana for the next battle, but when you're prepared, have Dart use the action icon near the wall where Shana is standing.

Somehow Dart knows this bosses weakness: that being the Sachet item you found in the treasure chest. However, despite this, DO NOT use this item! You can, but it will cause you some extra grinding later on in the game. It only grants you three extra turns against the boss, anyway. More on the Sachet in a minute. If you brought Rose instead of Haschel, use Lavitz's "Special" Dragoon command to give the battlefield a wind aura and power Lavitz while weakening Jiango. Lavitz should cast Blossom Storm on the party to cut damage, then his Dragoon addition, Dart should use Final Burst, and Haschel attacking or Rose using Astral Drain. Jiango's major attack is dropping stalagmites on the entire party for heavy physical damage; hence why I recommended not bringing Shana. Don't be afraid to use your Healing Breezes if need be. If Jiango manages to confuse a character, administer Mind Purifiers, or wait for them to recover. If needed, recast Blossom Storm after three turns. Once Jiango is defeated, he drops a second Sachet for you. The Sachet deals a guaranteed 10 damage to any enemy. What's so good about that? It kills the special monsters, which have single-digit HP, instantly! And later there will be those far more difficult than the ones you've faced thus far. Keep these two Sachets in your inventory and don't sell them.

 

With Jiango defeated, the wall the group felt a draft from will have crumbled allowing you to escape the lair. Climb up the stairs and defeat the Wardens, grabbing a Healing Potion on the way, to emerge in the room you fell into the trap from. If you exit south, you can return to the area where Shana was held prisoner and claim any treasure you may have left. The east path takes you back to the elevator you rode to the upper levels. I suggest you return to the lower levels and exit Hellena to rest either at the shack at the Prairie or the inn in Lohan.

From the trap room, use the northeastern stairs to make the ascent to the top of Hellena. You'll have to fight two battles with Wardens and a new enemy, the Fowl Fighter, before you get to the top. Break open the three chests with 20G, a Spear, and Broad Sword, before saving your game. For an easy battle, bring Rose as your third character. Climb the stairs with the burning torches to confront Fruegel.

 

Fruegel and his two flunkies weren't going to wait for the "silver-haired man" and were about to have Albert's head before the party arrives. If you brought Rose, and she's at least Dragoon level 3, her Demon's Gate spell will instantly kill Guftas and Rodriguez; alternately you can use a Total Vanishing on them. Even without, this battle isn't too bad. The Thunderbolt item you found/bought here can be very useful along with Dart casting Explosion and Shana with Star Children to target all enemies. Lavitz casting Blossom Storm, as usual is of great help to defend against Fruegel's powerful physical attacks. Watch Shana and Rose's HP closely and victory should be pain-free. For winning the party will receive a Gravity Grabber item, which is the most powerful earth-based magic item and besides dropped by a single monster at the very end of the game, it is not a plentiful item.

The black-robed, hooded man from the attack on Seles, seen with Fruegel, and King Albert's strategist, will appear and seemingly remove an object from the body of Albert, called the Moon Gem.

 

An enraged Lavitz will transform into a Dragoon and lunge at the hooded man, only for him to draw a sword of light and impale Lavitz through his Dragoon armor, killing him almost instantly...The man's hood is removed, revealing that is it Lloyd from the Hero Competition in Lohan.

Lavitz, in the arms of Dart, will pass away, having defended his King to the very end. His Dragoon armor rescinds itself and the Dragoon Spirit of the Jade Dragon is passed onto a grateful Albert.

 

The group takes shelter in an underground room in Seles. Have Dart talk with his party members as they devise a plan on what to do next. Rose reveals that Lloyd possesses the Dragon Buster; an ancient weapon meant to kill both Dragons and Dragoons. Albert then talks about the Moon Gem which Lloyd removed from his body. It's a magical relic of the Winglies containing immense power, which means that Lloyd is likely up to no good. Undeterred, Dart and the group agree that the only way to stop Lloyd and restore Serdio is to march on Doel's Black Castle in Kazas. Afterwards, a cryptic scene between Doel and Lloyd will play: perhaps the two have separate goals.

Albert has now replaced Lavitz as the Jade Dragoon. He takes on every single detail of Lavitz's character, down to the total experience and equipped items. The only difference between the two are the animations for his additions and Blossom Storm is now Rose Storm with Albert.

 

This isn't the end for Lavitz, however, if you have a Gameshark. If you use the following code you can add him back to the active party with ease:

300BAF24 0003
300BAC54 0001

 

With the code on, once you save and reload your game with it off, you can perfectly use Lavitz throughout the game with zero issues. The only thing to be aware of is you cannot party him with Albert or the game will freeze upon entering battle.

Your destination is the Black Castle in Kazas, which is southeast of Lohan. However, for whatever reason, if you trek all the way back to the Seventh Fort in the Marshlands, Albert and Dart will have a small scene where he is concerned with the safety of Bale that is still occupied by Sandora.

 

Outside of Kazas, particularly on the road leading from Kazas towards the Forest, our next special monster makes its appearance: 00PARTS. Besides the fact he will instantly kill a character before fleeing, this bugger seems to like to stay around a little more often than his predecessors. We'll handle 00PARTS in the same way we did the Cursed Jar: land an attack, wait for him to attack, then throw the Magic Signet Stone at him. You should be able to get in three additional attacks on him before the Signet Stone wears off, and as long as your attacks hit, he'll have his 4 HP depleted.

 

00PARTS gives up a hefty 600 Gold and a Spirit Potion item: the best place in the game to get the latter item consistently. When ready, make your way into Kazas.

Entering the dark city of Kazas, use the lower-left door, slightly behind the stairs, then look in the barrels for a piece of Stardust.

 

Next, use the lower-right door, opposite of the one you just came from, and talk with the guy standing in line at the mercenary recruitment office. Answer "Yeah" that you're there to signup and watch the scene. Afterwards, the recruiter will give Dart an easy 100 Gold. From there, climb the right-side ladder and open the chest for an Attack Ball. Lastly, check around the upstairs junk for a Stardust.

The second door down on the right-side of the strip holds a treasure with the Twister Glaive. This weapon for Albert/Lavitz is one-of-a-kind and wind elemental. Don't miss this as it will be a long time before you find another of this type.

 

Inside the last house on the right, Dart will run into a man claiming to have defeated Feyrbrand. Subsequently, a guard will come in an arrest him and Dart can search the weapons display next to the counter to pocket your third Stardust.

Talk to the man in front of the counter to access his shop. Pick up a Heat Blade for Dart, Long Bow for Shana, and Armet/Iron Kneepiece for Dart and Albert/Lavitz. In regards to the fire elemental Heat Blade, for the moment, keep Dart equipped with the Bastard Sword as we will be facing-off with enemies strong to this soon. When done shopping and picking up the items, exit north. At the drawbridge Albert will suggest the group find another way to enter the Black Castle. Use the upper-right exit to find a kind of shanty town built into the cliff.

 

Move Dart down the slanted, dodgy roofs and enter the large door with the light coming through it. Inspect the bookcase on the second level to obtain another piece of Stardust, then use the western ladder to descend further.

Continue down the roofs, then a ladder to the bottom level; entering the first door on the right-side. Inside, search the barrels stacked in the bottom-left corner of the room for a Stardust.

 

Just to the northwest of here is a trio of barrels where Dart can find the last Stardust in Kazas; which should make 20 in total. This is enough to get another item from Martel, but unfortunately, Bale is inaccessible to us at the moment so we will have to wait.

There's an item shop on the right-side of this room where the party can purchase Dark Mist and Fatal Blizzard magic items for the first time. Fatal Blizzard can be useful in the next dungeon, but not necessary.

 

Above, talk to the clinic doctor to access another shop. This sells rather useless accessories. There's no need to buy a Fake Shield, as you will find one for free later on, but you'll need to purchase the Fake Power Wrist if you didn't get one as a drop from the Strongman enemy outside Kazas or the Shrine of Shirley.

Back outside the large room, enter the left-side door with the light coming through to meet Popo: the leader of the New Serdio Party. Have Dart and Albert select the answers "I can't say which.", Take care of home", and lastly "To protect something". Albert will then reveal himself as the King of Basil and Popo will excitedly invite the party downstairs. He knows a way that you can use to invade the Black Castle, but you'll need to prepare. When ready, talk to Popo near the underground passage.

Now underground, climb the poles to the top of the screen, then take the first pole down into an alcove where Dart can find 20G, a missable chest, then return to the top. From there, use the third from the left pole and climb the stairs to the far-right pole that descends further into the underground. Follow the next pole down and climb the myriad of ladders to reach the Black Castle.

 

You'll arrive in an aquifer area of the Black Castle with soldiers patrolling. Make sure you have Dart equipped with the Bastard Sword instead of the Heat Blade as you'll encounter many fire elemental enemies here. Fight through, or sneak around the soldiers, if you'd like, and exit to the east after scooping up the chest with a Spark Net. Note: The Black Castle is a one-time dungeon and all of its treasure needs to be obtained before defeating Doel or it will become missable.

Climb down the ladder to reach a passage leading inside the Castle. Defeat the soldiers, then exit to the south. This is the area just beyond the drawbridge leading into Kazas. Search in the right-hand corner for a Pellet treasure, then use the doorway with the greenish light coming through to climb to the upper level where there is a Burn Out item waiting to be plundered. Return the way you came and proceed north and into the center of the Castle.

 

Inside, exit to the east on the lower floor. Here, Dart and Albert will meet some magic researchers, who, thinking them mercenaries, hand over the Magic Oil item that allows you to operate the Black Castle's elevators. If you talk to the White Flame Researcher, he will heal you.

Use the Magic Oil to light the purple flame and descend the elevator on the right-side of the Researcher's room. The party will find the source of the Castle's purple flame: The Violet Dragon. I think we know what that means...A Dragoon can't be far away.

 

Use the left-side elevator to travel below to the Castle's trash dump. Wait for the worker on the opposite side to raise the platform, then have Dart dash across to the other side, dodging the rocks. Open the chest with the Red Stone inside, then, purposely let Dart fall with the platform to the below area where he will find chests with a Trans Light and Dark Mist. Climb out and return to the center area of the Castle.

This time, use the Magic Oil to light the western-side's elevator and work your way around the outside of the room's upper level, defeating the soldier, and exiting to the upper-east. In this room, the group will meet the black sheep magic researcher, Magi. He'll threaten the party with ineffective magic, then turn himself into a "Cerberus", which you can walk past and steal his Blue Stone in the treasure chest. Back to the center room, defeat the soldiers guarding the northern elevator and ascend to the second floor. Light the flame, then use the elevator again to go up to the third floor.

 

Defeat the soldier guarding the stairs to the right, then follow the path where you'll have to battle a Sandora Elite that is similar to the one back in Hoax, but without the illusion ability. Continue right, light the first elevator shaft you come across, then descend to find a chest containing a Spinning Gale magic item in the small room.

Return up the elevator and light the purple flame in the right-corner to use the lift taking you top-side of a building project of Doel's. There are two chests with a Spirit Ring and Spear Frost to obtain here. The Spirit Ring is the first of only two of these you will be able to obtain. When equipped, it grants the bearer 20 SP per turn, allowing them to transform into a Dragoon and build its levels quicker. Myself, I don't use this, but you decide for yourself. Now, make your way back to the very beginning of the area, where you used the elevator to reach the second floor.

 

Move east around the outside of the second level, then up the stairs to a small room containing a Beast Fang weapon for Haschel. You may already have one of these from the Lizard Man back at the Nest of Dragon, and it is purchasable later in the game. There is also a merchant here that sells basic items.

Continue right, past the merchant, and use the Magic Oil to reach the third level where a group of soldiers are training. They'll foolishly challenge the party one at a time. Once defeated, use the elevator to the right to reach the Great Commander's rather shoddy-looking room. He'll apologize for what happened in Seles and plead with Dart and Shana to defeat Doel, handing over the Yellow Stone.

 

Return to the elevator you used to reach the third floor, just before the training soldiers, and select to ascend to the fourth floor. You can talk to the Father here for a short scene about Doel and his late wife, then use the three colored Stones in the altar (Removed from your inventory) above to open a door in the base of the statue. Make sure you are healed, your game is saved, and Dart switched back to the Heat Blade before making your way to the next level where a boss awaits.

Kongol might be a threat if his HP was higher and he wasn't totally devastated by magic. If using three Dragoons and Albert/Lavitz, have him use their "Special" command to power themselves and weaken Kongol. Then, cast Gaspless for huge damage. If you hit him enough with magic, he'll set a barrier protecting against the following magic attack. Additionally, toss the Spinning Gale you found earlier for a large amount of damage, as well. Watch Shana/Rose/Haschel's HP, and pound the boss with magic and he'll fall fairly quick.

 

Kongol has a chance to drop the Wargod Calling. While hardly a good accessory, if you don't obtain one here, you'll have to spend 1000 Gold in Lohan to purchase or you will find another one toward the end of the game. This accessory automatically produces your addition for you, but at half damage and SP: terrible!

The fallen Kongol will ask Dart to kill him, but Dart and Shana refuse, confusing the Giganto with their kindness. The next door leads to Doel, but just before it, behind the pillar, search for a very hidden treasure chest containing the Material Shield item. It is another item you can use once per battle and never disappears, with it protecting a character from physical damage for three rounds. I recommend you return to the White Flame Researcher to heal before confronting Doel in his throne room.

 

Yeah, this is going to be your toughest challenge yet. Doel's a monster both physically and magically. Initially, he'll only use basic attacks, so just use your character's additions to whittle down his HP while saving your Dragoons. Once he transforms into the Violet Dragoon, things can go south quickly. If you brought Albert/Lavitz, make sure they have the Spirit Cloak equipped to potentially evade Doel's magic as they will take heavy damage. You should throw the Material Shield on Shana/Rose, as well. Watch Doel closely: he likes to throw up a damage-nullifying shield that lasts for four turns. If you're in the middle of Dragoon form, there's little you can do but use defensive spells or waste your turn, but in human form, just Guard and recover. Albert/Lavitz should use Blossom/Rose Storm every three rounds, Dart casting Final Burst, Shana saving her MP for emergency casting of Gates of Heaven; Rose with Astral Drain, and Haschel using recovery items and his additions. Fight defensively, and keep everyone healed and you should come out victorious and free Serdio.

Doel will pass, relinquishing the Violet Dragoon Spirit and tell the group to go after Lloyd to learn the truth. Everyone but Haschel will be resolved to follow him to Tiberoa, but as he's leaving, he is chosen as the next Violet Dragoon and destined to share his fate with the others. The Violet Dragon DS is then added to your inventory and the save screen to advance to Chapter 2 is shown.