Entering Elfheim
Speaking to the first member of the townsfolk confirms this - "I just don't know what we can do.. Please help our prince!". I've not lost it. Passing a couple of stores and an inn, I see an unmarked larger building which looks like it might be our initial destination. This place is charging 200 gil for a resurrection, they must have seen me coming. Dragging my party member along behind me...
Heading out after my tithe, I speak to a sage outside of the armourers, who is waiting patiently for the truth to be revealed to them. Another one to log in the back of the mind. I pick up some new headgear for the whole crew - a Helm for Rukus and Leather Caps for the rest for a slight defence boost. I spot some copper armlets at 800 gil a pop that would improve the sages' defence, but seeing at I only have 1800 total, I decide to shop around some more first.
In the weapons shop, I decided to get Glitz a Dagger - it's only a 1 extra attack over his staff, but I feel like he's doing a lot more fighting than magic at the moment, so every little helps. That being said, a trip to the black magic store gives us a chance at our first multi-enemy attack magics - Fira and Thundara. At 1000 each, that's a good chunk of our purse, but I think it might be worth it, particularly if I look to do some levelling/grinding in the area shortly.
I pick up a couple of Sleeping Bags and 5 Potions from the local item shop to give us a bit more of a safety net, but it still feels quite tight. I consider picking up an Ether for 150 gil, but I don't think 1 MP at each level justifies that right now.
Heading further into Elfheim, I realise there are also Level 4 magic stores, with each spell at 2500 gil! I'm now starting to worry I've come here early as I don't think I've had that much money at once in the game yet...
Heading back through the town towards the Inn, I notice a graveyard, and go to pay my respects. Apparently Link is buried here alongside two other nondescript gravestones... I'm not sure if that's a homage, a diss or just a random easter egg. Confused I continue on for a night's rest to properly heal Kaili, as well as give the rest of the party a nice reset of MP.
At least the Inn's only 100 gil. I head to bed, and while it's clear from here that I should go to the castle, my instincts are telling me to level up a bit outside of town, or at least try to. There's a forest surrounding the town that looks like it'll be good for doing so, and while the EXP is good, I run into some Cobras, who poison Rukus and Clair. I realise I may have missed out on a white magic spell, but had picked up a couple of antidotes on my travels, so they save us an immediate trip back to town.