The Rainbow Shell

Marle's sidequest spans two time periods and covers dungeon crawling, a courtroom drama, and family reconciliation. You'll recover a legendary treasure, expose a conspiracy, and craft some of the best equipment in the game.

Quest Overview

• Time Periods: 600 A.D., 1000 A.D.
• Bosses: Rust Tyrano (25,000 HP), Yakra XIII (18,000 HP)
• Key Items: Rainbow, Prism Dress/Helms, Prism Spectacles, Blue Rock, Frenzy Band, Strength Capsule (x3)
• Character Required: Marle (for castle sequence)
• Gaspar's Hint: "There's an object in the Middle Ages that sparkles like a rainbow..."

Optional pre-quest scenes. Before you start, you can visit Guardia Castle in 1000 A.D. for extra dialogue. Put Marle in your party and enter - the guards let you in now that your sentence is suspended. The Chancellor mentions how King Guardia was heartless towards Marle's dying mother. The King and Marle exchange harsh words; he snaps at her to do whatever she likes.

Talk to the Chancellor again. He suggests cheering up the King with jerky from the Snail Stop at Porre. Buy some and give it to the King - he gets mad thinking you're trying to give him a heart attack. Not the best plan. The Chancellor also gives three different responses depending on whether you talk to him with Marle, without her and with Crono, or without either.

Finding the Shell

600 A.D. - Toma. Fly to Choras, the island with the Northern Ruins to the southeast. Keep Marle in your party. Talk to Toma in the bar to pick up Toma's Spirits. He asks you to pour it on his grave if he doesn't find the Rainbow Shell.

1000 A.D. - Toma's grave. Head forward 400 years and locate Toma's gravestone on the westernmost part of the island. Toma's ghost appears and points you towards the Rainbow Shell's location: Giant's Claw, northwest of the mainland. Check behind the gravestone for a Speed Tab. Head back to 600 A.D.

Giant's Claw entrance. Land on the island near Choras and enter. Read Toma's first diary page inside. You'll walk through Azala's throne room - any character in the lead can interact with the throne for an easter egg. Bring Crono or Magus for Lightning magic. After a while, this place should look familiar; it's the Tyrano Lair from 65,000,000 B.C.

Left path. Grab a Time Hat or Sight Cap down the left path, but don't follow it all the way. Dead end. You'll use it to return later.

Switch room. Head down the right path instead. The center switch activates a save point, the left one opens up the floor, and the right one summons monsters. You need to fall in the pit, so hit the left switch. Fall in and step on the right switch to summon monsters, then the left one to open the skull. Inside: Strength Capsule. Head south and out.

Lower levels. Head down the ladder. Go right for another Strength Capsule, left for a Hi-Ether. Head up and around the room for a few more fights; keep a healer on full-time duty. Check the northeast area by the door for a Blue Rock - activates another triple tech.

If you want, head north and take the ladder off-screen to return to the upper level (the dead end we ignored). To continue, head down the ladder to the left for a Zodiac Cape. Go right and grab a Lapis from the chest. Exit through the cave to the southwest.

Sneaking past enemies. You can sneak up behind the enemies here to scare them away or fight them. Head through the open left skull to find a familiar area with switches you can step on to dump the monsters. Go through the left exit to find the Frenzy Band - 80% counter-attack rate, eclipsing the feeble 50% of the Rage Band. Must-have from now on.

Kino's cell. Head back to the switch room and go through the right passage. Fight some Rubbles for easy tech and experience - helps everyone finish learning their single techs. Open the right egg switch to fall into the jail cell where Kino was held captive earlier. Go through the left exit to open the right skull you passed earlier; grab a Strength Capsule nearby. Return to Kino's cell and go through the new path to the right. Save. Equip fire-resistant armor.

Head north to find the Rainbow Shell. Too heavy to carry. Your party asks King Guardia for help; he agrees to keep it as a family heirloom.

The Trial

1000 A.D. - Guardia Castle. Put Marle in your party and enter. The trial of the century is about to take place - King Guardia is accused of selling off the royal treasures. Go right and head up the stairs to the council room where Crono was tried earlier. Speak to the guards; Marle barges her way into the courtroom. You need proof of the Rainbow Shell to save the King.

Castle basement. Head back downstairs to the main room. Go down the right stairway this time - odd, that wasn't there before. Fight your way through monsters to the Rainbow Shell. The forces of evil haven't found new goons in 400 years; same weak ones from the Cathedral.

Pick up 3 chests in a small room on your way: Lapis, HyperEther, Elixir. At the end of the hallway, the northernmost point of the basement, you'll find 3 more chests: HyperEther, Lapis, Elixir. Grab a shard of the Rainbow Shell and read the Queen's letter.

Back to the courtroom. Talk to the guards. They deny entry. But just as the Judge pronounces the King guilty, Marle smashes through the window. She shows the shard to the Judge and Jury. The Chancellor reveals he's actually Yakra XIII, descendant of the Yakra you defeated in 600 A.D. He's come for revenge.

After you win, Marle and the King make up. Melchior arrives and offers to forge new equipment.

Cleanup and Crafting

Free the real Chancellor. Before leaving, head up to the courtroom and pick up the Yakra Key from the floor (glowing blue dot). Use it to unlock a chest a level or two down. The real Chancellor was locked inside; he shows up in the ending.

Free healing. Head to the kitchen for a "Crono Special" - restores HP/MP for free.

Melchior's forge. Go to the basement treasury where you found the Rainbow Shell. Melchior offers a choice:

• 1 Prism Dress - blocks 1/3 of all magic damage (female characters only)
• 3 Prism Helms - slightly less useful but protect against status

He also makes the Prism Spectacles accessory, which greatly raises attack power. If you've already gotten the Sun Stone from The Sun Stone quest, Melchior forges the Rainbow - Crono's ultimate weapon.

Rewards