Tales of Zestiria
Tales of Zestiria

Marlind, the City of the Great Tree

Aid Marlind, the City of the Great Tree in Tales of Zestiria. This guide covers investigating miasma and aiding its distressed inhabitants.

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Marlind, the City of the Great Tree

Welcome to Marlind, a city struggling against the encroaching miasma and the malevolence it brings. Your journey here will involve investigating the source of the city's woes and aiding its distressed inhabitants. Be prepared for both combat and exploration, as there are many secrets and valuable items to uncover.

Arrival and Initial Exploration

  1. Upon entering Marlind, a cutscene will trigger, introducing you to the city's plight.
  2. Your first objective is to speak with the townspeople to gather information. Look for NPCs with speech bubbles above their heads.
  3. Head towards the central plaza. You'll notice the Great Tree, a prominent landmark, but also the visible signs of malevolence.
  4. Optional: Before proceeding with the main quest, take some time to explore the city.
    • Inn: Located near the entrance, the inn allows you to rest and recover HP/SC. It's also a good place to save your game.
    • Shop: The general store in the market district offers several consumables, equipment, and materials. Stock up on Apple Gels and Life Bottles if your inventory is low.
    • Weapon Shop: Upgrade your gear here. Consider purchasing a new weapon for Sorey or Mikleo if you haven't recently.

Investigating the Malevolence

The primary goal in Marlind is to understand and address the source of the malevolence affecting the city. This will lead you to a specific area within the city.

  1. After speaking with several townspeople, you'll learn about strange occurrences near the city's outskirts, particularly around the aqueduct.
  2. Proceed to the western part of Marlind, towards the aqueduct system.
  3. As you approach the aqueduct, a new cutscene will play, revealing a more intense manifestation of malevolence.
  4. You will encounter a group of Ghouls and Hellions here. These enemies are susceptible to Light-elemental attacks, so use Mikleo's artes. Focus on taking down the Hellions first, as they can inflict status ailments.
  5. After the battle, explore the immediate area around the aqueduct.
    • Item: Look for a hidden chest behind some crates near the aqueduct's base to find a Verbena.
    • Discovery: Examine the glowing point on the ground near the water flow to discover a Monolith, providing valuable lore about the world.

The Great Tree's Plight

The malevolence is directly impacting the Great Tree, and you'll need to find a way to purify it.

  1. Return to the central plaza and approach the Great Tree. Another cutscene will trigger, where Lailah senses a strong concentration of malevolence emanating from within.
  2. You'll be directed to find a way to access the roots of the Great Tree.
  3. Speak with the elderly woman near the Great Tree's base. She will mention a hidden passage or a forgotten entrance.
  4. Head to the northern section of the city, near the residential area. Look for a small, overgrown path leading downwards, often obscured by foliage.
  5. Follow this path into the underground section beneath the Great Tree.

Underneath the Great Tree

This area is a small dungeon with a few enemies and treasures. Be prepared for combat.

  • Enemies: Expect to encounter more Ghouls, Hellions, and possibly some new Slime-type enemies. Slimes are often weak to Fire-elemental attacks, so Lailah's artes will be effective.
  • Puzzle: There's a simple lever puzzle here. Activate the lever on the left first, then the one on the right to open the main path.
  • Treasure:
    • In a alcove to the east, you'll find a chest containing 1500 Gald.
    • Near the end of the path, before the boss area, another chest holds a Panacea Bottle.

Boss Battle: Corrupted Treant

At the heart of the Great Tree's roots, you'll face the source of the malevolence: a Corrupted Treant.

  • Weaknesses: The Corrupted Treant is primarily weak to Fire and Earth elemental attacks. Armatize with Lailah (Fire) and Edna (Earth) to maximize your damage output.
  • Strategy:
    1. Focus on breaking its guard with Sorey's martial artes, then unleash powerful hidden artes.
    2. When Armatized, use the corresponding elemental artes. Lailah's Fire Armatization offers strong offensive capabilities, while Edna's Earth Armatization can provide some defensive buffs.
    3. The Treant has a powerful area-of-effect attack that it charges. When you see it preparing this, try to interrupt it with a high-stagger arte or move out of the attack zone.
    4. Keep an eye on your party's HP and SC. Use Apple Gels and Orange Gels as needed.
    5. If you have any Blast Calibers charged, unleash them when the Treant is staggered for massive damage.

After the Battle

Once the Corrupted Treant is defeated, the malevolence within the Great Tree will dissipate.

  1. A cutscene will play, showing the Great Tree beginning to recover.
  2. You will receive the Earth Armatization Arte for Sorey, allowing him to fuse with Edna in battle.
  3. Return to the surface of Marlind. The city will show signs of recovery, and the townspeople will express their gratitude.
  4. Speak to the elder in the central plaza for a final dialogue and quest completion.
  5. You are now free to leave Marlind and continue your journey. Consider revisiting the shop to see if any new items are available after the city's purification.