The Temple of Trials (試練の洞窟 Cave of Trials) is an area that holds a series of tests that Oliver and Esther must overcome. It is the home of Supreme Sage Solomon, mentor of the Great Sages. With Rashaad's convincing, he allows Oliver to go through the trials that will make him a sage-in-making. The trials are slightly different between the NDS and PS3 versions.
It is also home to what people call the Solomon Series, a competition pitting familiar handlers from all over the world.
NDS Game (Japanese)[]
Once you arrive in an area with a save stone and four paths (three in front, one behind you):
"ほのお flame" in Nazcaän/Astram, at the cave of trials.
- Right path, upper - The trial of wisdom (知恵の試練). There are two large statues, clicking on the left will say "ほのお flame" in Nazcaän/Astram. In this room, talking to the monitor bird statue will heal your MP and HP. Draw Fireball. The statue to the right says "こおり ice", draw Frostbite. Go through the door, talk to the bird statue. Now the animal statues can be used. (If you get the error "順番が違ううようだ" after using spells on the statues, it means "the order of things was wrong"). If the statue lights up blue, it was the correct order. Red, it was the wrong order. Upon completion, one receives (ちえのたま orb of wisdom).
- 1. Use Healing Touch on the bottom (cracked mouse) statue.
- 2. Use Nature's Tongue on the left (open-mouthed bird) statue.
- 3. Use Draw Poison on the right (poisoned cow) statue.
- 4. Use Spring Lock on the locked/chained dragon statue.
- Right pathway, lower - The trial of friendship (友情の試練). This is where Oliver and Esther get separated after your first teleportation using the bird statue, and have to shut off/turn on alternating gates of fire in order to reach the same spot at the top of the area. In the NDS game you must switch between her and Oliver by pressing the Y-button. In the PS3 game it's a dual-stick challenge that involves navigating the two characters through a maze simultaneously.
The culmination of the trial of friendship in the NDS game.
- After completing, the monitor bird gives you a blue (ゆうじょうのたま orb of friendship).
Houou at the Cave of Trials, next to the locked door on the front-middle path.
- Left pathway - the trial of courage. In the NDS game, Oliver will eventually step onto a rug that removes Healing Touch and you will have to re-draw it on the screen. The screen will pan up to reveal a lot of these rugs. Immediately afterwards you'll be told to draw Levitate so that you can float over the rug-traps. Eventually there will be another monitor bird statue which teleports you to a string of harmless rugs with the Nazcaän Script on them. A timer with 00:30 appears at the top of the screen, and you need to run to the rug that matches the symbol on the door (presumably). After the timer runs out, the walls will start to close in on you, but you will be saved.
- After completing, the monitor bird gives you a blue (ゆうきのたま orb of courage).
The middle-front pathway is a locked door with glowing jewels/orbs in it. The monitor bird stands to the left of the door. Once you have all four orbs (the first one was given to you automatically when you saved the bird before entering the temple), he will unlock the door and allow you to do the test of power/strength (力の試練). A praying, purple, four-armed statue called Bashura comes to life and attacks you.
PS3 Game (English)[]
The tests included the Trial of Wits, the Trial of Friendship, and the Test of Strength. The Test of Strength involves defeating Bashura. The Trial of Wits is a series of puzzles that demand the use of the spell Puppet String.
Characters[]
- The monitor bird (ホウオウ Houou) - A bird with fire on top of its head, there are statues of it in the cave that can teleport you. He tells you about the various trials.
- Esther gets separated from you after the first teleportation, and you switch between her and Oliver.
- Rashaad leads you to the temple.
- Supreme Sage Solomon (ポコロ様 Pokoro-sama), his full title is "仙人様 Hermit/Immortal Mountain Wizard-sama". A blue-skinned, orange/brown-haired mage who wears blue mage robes and sits on a throne in the temple. You meet him just after beating Bashura. He gives Esther the Heart-Winning Harp. Then he tells her to battle against the three familiars (ニャン Meow), a black cat wearing human clothes and wielding a dagger, (ヤドケロリ Yadokeloli), a frog wrapped up in a stitched-up blanket, and (はつがビックリ budding surprise), a green faerie with wings. Battling, then playing the correct song on the harp will sometimes capture a familiar.
Location[]
The Temple of Trials is located at the north-east part of the Shimmering Sands. It's to the bottom-left of Al Mamoon, in the southern Summerlands. The Bridge spell is needed to get to it, as directly above the area there is a gorge/ravine without a way to cross.
In the NDS version, the Temple of Trials is located halfway up the Molten Mountain path.