Enemy listEnemies
Chest listChests
Hidden itemsItems
Three new bestiary entries roam the lava fields outside the castle. Fight until all three register before heading inside; that puts you at the halfway mark. Use a Tent and save, then enter the Dwarven Castle.
Dwarven Castle
Most of the castle is locked until after the boss fights. Head north through the main hall to the throne room. Cid leaves the party during the cutscene. Shortly after, you're thrown into battle against a group of creepy dolls: 3 Brinas (369 HP each) and 3 Calcos (1,369 HP each).
Focus the Brinas first with normal attacks since they go down fast. Once all Brinas and at least one Calco are defeated, the remaining dolls combine into Calcobrena (5,315 HP). Despite the boss music, Calcobrena has low HP for this point in the game. Have Kain Jump while everyone else attacks physically. Rosa handles healing; watch out for Charm and Paralysis. The fight ends quickly.
How to beat Golbez
Golbez shows up immediately after Calcobrena. He has 23,001 HP and is weak to Fire and Holy, but the fight doesn't start normally. Your attacks miss, and Golbez casts Ice Bind to paralyze the party, then summons the Shadow Dragon to kill everyone except Cecil. Just skip turns until the events play out.
An old friend saves Cecil at the last moment. Adult Rydia returns as a Summoner and destroys the Shadow Dragon. Now the real fight begins. Spam Bio with Rydia while Cecil attacks physically. Golbez drops in two or three turns. If you want your fallen party members to receive EXP, revive them with Phoenix Downs and heal them before finishing the boss.
Golbez steals the crystal and escapes, but Rydia officially joins the party as an adult Summoner. The castle fully opens up for exploration.
Castle loot
Twelve chests and six hidden items are spread across the towers, basement, and shops (the dwarves were generous after you saved their castle). The west tower connects to the inn and item shop; the east tower connects to the weapon and armor shop. And the basement hides three Gysahl Greens in pots.
Inn and item shop. From the main hall, go west and upstairs. Search the pot between the inn counter and the bed for 5,000 Gil (39/54). The item shop stocks Remedies (5,000 Gil) and Hi-Potions (150 Gil). Restock here.
West Tower. Continue up to 2F. Walk southwest and through the fake wall to reach the bottom of the room. Search the bottom-right pot for Bacchus's Cider (40/54). Head up to 3F. This floor is a maze of fake walls. Go west through the first secret passage for a Hi-Potion (163/342). From that chest, push south through another fake wall for the Black Belt Gi (164/342). Continue counter-clockwise through the fake walls to reach the Ether (165/342) on the east side and the Elixir (166/342) on the north side. Go back downstairs and exit the tower.
East Tower. Enter the east tower from the courtyard. On 1F, open the chest north of the central stairs for the Dwarven Axe (167/342). Head up to 2F. Walk south to the wall, push west, and search the pot for Bacchus's Cider (41/54). Continue to 3F and open all four chests: Ether, Power Armlet, Silver Hourglass, and Elixir (168-171/342).
Shops. The weapon shop sells Flame Sword (14,000 Gil), Fire Lance (11,000 Gil), and Dwarven Axe (15,000 Gil). The armor shop has Flame Shield (1,250 Gil), Flame Mail (30,000 Gil), Sage's Miter (2,000 Gil), Sage's Surplice (1,200 Gil), and Rune Armlet (2,000 Gil). Pick up Rune Armlets for your mages and any fire-resistant gear you're still missing.
Basement. Take the stairs down from either shop to B1. Search the left, middle, and bottom-right pots for three Gysahl Greens (44-46/54). A Fat Chocobo summoning spot is here if your inventory is full. Talk to the dwarf next to the northern wall to open a passage. Go through to B2. Head west to the two dwarves, then south and east to find three chests: Cottage, Cottage, and Cottage (172-174/342). That's 12/12 chests and 6/6 hidden items.
Road to Tower of Babel
From B2, head south and west to the stairs. Go up to the Dwarven Base. Walk west and exit through any door. Interact with the pot near the exit to restore HP/MP for free, then take the stairs at the bottom to reach the underworld. Head west and follow the linear path north. You'll spot a large tower being shelled by five tanks. Heal up, save, and head inside the Tower of Babel.