FF WalkthroughDamcyan Castle has been destroyed. As you exit the Underground Waterway with Tellah and Rydia, you see the aftermath of Baron's attack. The Red Wings bombed this castle just like they bombed Mist Village. The destruction is fresh, smoke still rising from the ruins.
Arriving at Damcyan
Walk into what remains of the castle. The interior is filled with rubble, collapsed walls, and mourning survivors. Tellah immediately rushes ahead - he's spotted someone familiar. Follow him through the devastated halls toward the throne room.
Before chasing Tellah, explore the accessible areas for treasure. The castle has multiple floors and sections with chests scattered throughout.
Castle Layout and Treasure
Damcyan Castle has three main treasure areas: the main floor, a jail section, and a basement. The layout is somewhat confusing due to the bomb damage, but take your time to explore each area.
Main Floor
On the main floor, you'll find several chests near the entrance and side rooms. Grab the Tent on the left side - always useful for saving MP between dungeons. The center area has a Crossbow which is a ranged weapon option. Collect the Feathered Cap and Ruby Ring from the right side. The Ruby Ring prevents Pig status, which enemies can inflict later in the game.
Jail Section
The jail area in the castle holds three more chests. You'll find another Crossbow, another Feathered Cap, and another Ruby Ring. Having duplicates of these items means you can equip multiple party members with the same gear.
Basement
Descend to the basement to find the bulk of the consumable items. The Potion, Antidote, and Eye Drops are standard healing items. The Ether is valuable for restoring MP - save it for tough fights. The Phoenix Down revives fallen party members. The Gold Needle cures petrification, which becomes relevant in the upcoming Antlion's Den where Basilisks can stone your party.
Recovery Pots on 3F
On the third floor, you'll find two magical pots that restore HP, MP, and cure all status ailments when you interact with them. Use these to fully heal your party before leaving. The pots can be used repeatedly.
Anna's Death
When you reach the throne room, you find Tellah confronting a young man holding a harp. This is Edward Chris von Muir, the Prince of Damcyan, though he prefers life as a traveling bard. Edward is also the man who ran off with Tellah's daughter Anna.
Anna is here too, lying wounded on the floor. She was caught in Baron's attack on the castle. Tellah is furious - he blames Edward for putting Anna in danger and attacks him in rage.
But Anna stops them with her dying breath. She explains that she truly loved Edward and chose to be with him. She begs her father to understand. Anna passes away in Edward's arms, leaving both men devastated. Tellah's anger turns to grief as he realizes his daughter died protecting the man she chose.
It's a heavy scene. FF4 doesn't pull punches - characters die, relationships matter, and Baron's aggression has consequences.
Party Changes
Tellah Leaves the Party
After the scene, Tellah leaves your party. He's consumed by grief and anger, determined to hunt down Golbez - the man behind Baron's actions. He storms off alone, despite being an old mage who can barely remember his spells. You'll meet him again later under different circumstances.
Cecil reminds everyone that Rosa is still dying from Desert Fever back in Kaipo. The only cure is a Sand Ruby, found in the Antlion's Den to the east. Edward knows the location and agrees to help. Despite his grief, he won't let another person die when he can do something about it.
Edward Joins the Party
Edward joins as a permanent party member. He's a Bard class with low stats across the board. His physical attack is weak, he has minimal HP, and he tends to hide when his health drops below a certain threshold. Put him in the back row immediately - he's not a frontline fighter.
Using Edward Effectively
Edward gets a bad reputation as FF4's weakest character, and there's truth to that. His attack power is low, his defense is paper-thin, and his Hide ability triggers automatically when he's hurt. But he's not useless if you use him correctly.
- Back row positioning - Keeps him alive longer with reduced physical damage
- Item support - He can throw Potions and Phoenix Downs from the back row at full effectiveness
- Bardsong ability - His songs can buff the party or inflict status effects on enemies
- Equipment - Equip him with a Crossbow or bow for ranged attacks, and grab the Lamia's Harp in the Antlion's Den
Your party is now Cecil, Rydia, and Edward. You've lost Tellah's healing magic, so conserve items and have Rydia cast Cure when needed.
The Hovercraft
Damcyan has a hovercraft docked at the castle. This vehicle can cross shallow water - the light blue shoal areas that regular ships can't navigate and characters can't walk through. You'll receive the hovercraft automatically after the story scene.
Hovercraft Navigation
The hovercraft travels on shallow water (light blue areas) and land, but can't cross deep ocean or rivers. You must disembark before entering towns or dungeons. Park it close to your destination entrance so you don't have far to walk back.
World Map Enemies
The area around Damcyan has different enemies than what you faced near Kaipo. Watch out for these encounters while traveling:
- Goblin - Basic enemy, no threat
- Sword Rat - Slightly stronger than goblins
- Insectus - Bug creatures, can poison
- Flying Eye - Can paralyze party members
- Hundlegs - Centipede enemies, moderate threat
- Sand Worm - Appears in desert areas, can burrow underground
- Sahagin - Fish creatures near water areas
- Tiny Mage - Small magic users, can cast offensive spells
Next Destination: Antlion's Den
Board the hovercraft and head east across the shallow water. The Antlion's Den is on a small peninsula east of Damcyan. Travel northwest across the water rocks first, then curve southwest toward the cave entrance.
Before entering the den, make sure you've collected all the treasure from Damcyan. The Gold Needle from the basement is particularly important - Basilisks in the Antlion's Den can petrify your party members, and you'll want backup cures beyond the one chest inside.
Treasure Chests
Damcyan Castle contains 13 chests across multiple areas, plus 3 items hidden in pots. Don't leave without checking every floor.
Main Floor (4 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Tent | Main floor, left side |
Crossbow | Main floor, center |
Feathered Cap | Main floor, center-right |
Ruby Ring | Main floor, right side |
Jail Section (3 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Crossbow | Jail area, left cell |
Feathered Cap | Jail area, center cell |
Ruby Ring | Jail area, right cell |
Basement (6 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Potion | Basement, northwest corner |
Antidote | Basement, north side |
Eye Drops | Basement, northeast area |
Ether | Basement, south side |
Phoenix Down | Basement, southwest corner |
Gold Needle | Basement, southeast corner |
Pot Items (3F Recovery Room)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Elixir | 3F recovery room, left pot |
Holy Arrow | 3F recovery room, center pot |
Iron Arrow | 3F recovery room, right pot |