The Trials of the Sacred Gems

Complete the Trials of the Sacred Gems in Star Ocean: The Last Hope, including the Trial of Love, Courage, Wisdom, and Might for unique rewards.

After you complete the story events at the En II Sanctuary, you can undertake the Trials of the Sacred Gems. There are four shrines on the dais where you fought Kokabiel. Each shrine is dedicated to a Sacred Gem. If you enter a shrine and talk to the Sacred Gem inside, you can take on its Trial.

Trial of Love

The Sacred Gem of Love (the red or northwest Gem) wants your help to preserve the next generation of Psynards. It wants you to hatch a Psynard chick from its egg. You will first have to obtain a Psynard Egg from one of the Early Psynards in the Sanctuary. This is an Ornithology drop, so Meracle must be in your battle party and she should have a high Ornithology skill level.

1. Battle the Early Psynards in the Sanctuary until one of them drops a Psynard Egg.
2. When you have your Psynard Egg, take it to Nimahl at the Front Desk of the Flora/Fauna Laboratory in Centropolis.
3. When you tell him you are trying to hatch the egg, he will give you Recipe Memo 30 x1.
4. It normally takes 50 years for a Psynard Egg to hatch. You can use the recipe to make a Growth Stimulant Ampule that will speed up the process.
5. Return to the Calnus and show his recipe to Welch. You probably already have the common ingredients you will need: Ginseng x4 (Harvesting: Lemuris - Van Elm Region, Aeos - Southern Reaches), Caterpillar Fungus x2 (Harvesting: Lemuris - Van Elm Region, Roak - Astralian Continent, Cave to the Purgatorium), and Empty Bottle x1 (Shops: Woodley, Tatroi, Li'l Vending Machine No. 2).
6. Create the Growth Stimulant Ampule and take it to Nimahl.
7. He will use it on the egg and hand you a Psynard Chick x1.
8. Take the Psynard Chick to the Sacred Gem of Love to complete the Trial.

Trial of Courage

The Sacred Gem of Courage (the blue or northeast Gem) wants to test your bravery. Agree to undertake the Trial and you will be thrust into battle. You will fight a total of four battles, the last three coming as ambushes. The enemies you face are new--you won't see them in the Monster Data files--but they are re-skinned versions of monsters you have already encountered. They will use tactics and attacks similar to other monsters of their type, so you will have some idea what to expect. They shouldn't pose any greater threat than the Ancient Chimerae and Early Psynards you fought in the Sanctuary. It is a good idea to heal up when you reduce an enemy party to one monster so you will be prepared for the ambush to follow.

Trial of Wisdom

The Sacred Gem of Wisdom (the green or southeast Gem) will give you the Valuable Item, Cryptograph 1. You are to unravel the hint it contains and continue to follow the trail until you find the Philosopher's Tome. Bring the Tome back to the Sacred Gem of Wisdom to complete the Trial.

Cryptograph 1 - "A cleft beyond an argent land."

The "cleft" refers to a very narrow pass on the northeast side of the frozen lake in the Thalia Plains area of Planet Lemuris. Examine the sparkling spot there to obtain Cryptograph 2 x1. When you do, Cryptograph 1 disappears from your inventory.

Cryptograph 2 - "A fosse within an azure forest."

In the Southern Reaches of Planet Aeos, take the southernmost path east from the large western beach area. You will see a sparkling spot behind a large rock formation. Examine it to find Cryptograph 3 x1 and cause Cryptograph 2 to disappear from your inventory.

Cryptograph 3 - "An ancient pillar amid a sea of dust."

In the eastern half of the Tropp Area, near the entrance to the Cave to the Purgatorium, you will find a stone pillar with a square base. Search the west side of the pillar's base for a sparkling spot. Examine it to obtain the Philosopher's Tome x1.

Return to the Sanctuary and deliver the Philosopher's Tome to the Sacred Gem of Wisdom to complete its trial.

Trial of Might

The Sacred Gem of Might (the white or southwest Gem) will test your strength. Agree to undertake the Trial and you will immediately square off against the Vigorous Beast in battle. The Vigorous Beast bears great similarity to the Guardian Beast you faced at the Purgatorium. It is resistant to Darkness but it is weak against all other elements except Earth. Control a melee fighter and try to keep the Beast occupied while your symbologists take advantage of its weaknesses.