Mother 4

Mother 4 is an upcoming Role-Playing Game for the Nintendo Switch, it is the fourth entry in the Mother series, the game is developed by TRI.

Plot[]

Synopsis[]

The game takes place on the Epocris Islands, strange islands where human-like beings known as Nalterres live, though night identical in appearance to humans they're born from the planet itself and have over time developed communities around focal points, attempting to live in harmony with nature. Though there is communication between the various tribes they tend to keep to themselves as the environments between their settlements can often be hostile and dangerous. The Nalterres various mythologies make note of the ancient human civilization, though not knowing of it by name its relics survive as old monuments buried under land and sea.

On these islands strange powers, those known as PSI manifest in the Nalterres as well as the other creatures of the land, though most do not understand these powers they prove useful in helping to protect the Nalterres from the dangers they face particularly when away from their homes. Among these tribes is the town of Otsoto where a young boy known as Miles lives amongst large lakes overlooking sheering cliffs and farmlands along gentle hills, for him, like the rest of his tribe their relative peace is welcome but fragile.

Act 1: The Coming Storm[]

The first act of the game has the player being introduced to the world of the Epocris Islands, specifically Summer Island where Miles lives. The game at this stage serves to introduce through tutorials the various mechanics of the game both in the battle system and exploration as well as the new means by which the player can interact with the world. Within the plot Miles has come to a particular age within the town's community where he is ready to learn the origin of their people, however before this Miles has various preliminary tasks to complete as part of his day-to-day including helping to deliver milk from the farms to the various townsfolk, managing to wrangle some lost chickens found around the lakes as well as playing with the other children in the town who seem interested in the Gilded Woods to the East.

As the player progresses through this first Act they'll learn about the neighbouring settlement of Port Sicoco and overhear about a delivery from that town. After completing the various checklist of activities he'd gotten after playing with the other children Miles overhears mention of a person becoming lost near the Balding Mountain, going to investigate and fending off some of the creatures of the mountain Miles comes across Helene, a girl from Port Sicoco who had arrived to deliver a series of packages and letters. Initially forced to help one another against the monsters of the mountain the duo make it back to Otsoto Town where Miles offers to show Helene around.

After exploring some of the town and heading out to the Hexagonal Brinebath, Helene's interest in the strange island on one of the lakes has the duo explore within finding a fragment of some kind of ancient relic, deciding to hold onto it for the time being Miles brings Helene back intending to present the relic fragment to the town's elders after his ceremony. Helene decides to stay in the village for a while longer as the sun had already set by that point as Miles head into the town's Verdant Castle. Within Miles learns about the origin of the Nalterres of the village discovering a large tree that produces giant globules of sap in the heart of the castle. The elders explain the process noting how the tree focuses the energy of the Earth allowing Nalterres to be born among the safety of the town.

After taking some time to explore the tree and the murals surrounding it showing the past of Otsoto Town, Miles and the elders hear an unearthly rumble which quickly subsides as it begins to rain. The group head out from the castle however by the time they have the rain intensifies drastically into a torrential downpour, looking around many of the townsfolk appear to be trying to create a barrier against the rising tides of the lakes. Miles quickly runs down towards the houses around the lakes finding a group of townsfolk including Helene stranded amongst the intensely raging rivers. As other townsfolk catch-up to Miles they manage to bring a number of reinforced tree trunks which they use to form a temporary bridge, the remaining townsfolk quickly crossing over. As they do Helene remarks that she'd seen more townsfolk down near the farms and was going back to try and find them, as she runs off Miles gives chase as well much to the dismay of the other townsfolk.

Managing to reach the farms the duo find the farm being attacked by strange monsters as the farmers and their livestock are held up in the barn's upper floor. Miles and Helene manage to fight off the strange creatures and the entity protecting them as they disappear in a puff of smoke. The farmers climb down thanking the duo, commenting that the rain seemingly came out of nowhere although notes that the barn's sturdiness will keep them and the livestock safe. As Helene and Miles begin to make their way back towards the town proper Helene notices a billow of smoke coming from the mountainside to the North, wondering if it could be more of the strange creatures the duo head up towards the cave where the smoke is originating from, although entering they don't find any creatures and only some rubble that appears rather recently disturbed. Although their search bears no fruit as the duo exit the cave they find the storm subsiding almost as suddenly as it had appeared. With the pathway back to the town now secure the duo head back informing the townsfolk of the safety of the farmers.

However unbeknownst to Helene and Miles the elders lament that the island on the lake had collapsed in on itself, however this causes Miles to remember the relic fragment and presents it to the elders rapidly turning their dismay to hope. The Elders express that Miles and Helene should follow them so they can elaborate. As the duo head back to the Verdant Castle the rest of the townsfolk begin repairing the damage done to the town although many seem both disheartened and perplexed at the sheer natural damage of the storm and its suddenness. As the duo catch-up with the elders they inform Miles & Helene that the relic fragment is one part of a greater Amulet that is able to reverse the scars of a disaster rendered onto the Earth, known generally as the Amulet of Seasons. The elders declare that it was no accident that they were the ones to find the amulet fragment before the disaster and believes it was a sign from Mother Earth herself, requesting now of Miles & Helene that they go and find the fragments on the other islands to reform the Amulet once again so it can be used to undo the damage dealt by the storm. Although initially hesitant Helene agrees declaring that her father back in Port Sicoco is a ship's captain and so could help them travel across the seas.

As the duo prepare to head through the Balding Mountain to Port Sicoco the act concludes with a pan back to the smoke billowed cavern where a series of strange figures are seen huddling around the rubble picking out debris of some strange machine from within.

Gameplay[]

Mother 4's gameplay continues the push towards a more active system of battle that the previous two Mother games had done, like the previous games Mother 4 is a Turn-Based Role-Playing Game where the player explores the world from an angled top-down perspective, battles are engaged by interacting with enemies on the overworld, like in Mother 3 these enemies are each individual enemies and can gang up on the player if they're close enough to one another.

Exploration in the overworld is also important as the game offers more open areas allowing the player to explore and find secret alternative paths as well as various items not found on the primary path. In addition the player will be able to interact with various overworld environments and in some instances can use different PSI abilities to alter their surroundings. The player can also interact with NPCs in the overworld learning information from them as well as various secrets, there are also a number of sidequests that can be obtained this way allowing the player to acquire optional gear for their characters although sidequests are only available in the chapter they appear in with some being unlocked by completing others. The player can check what sidequests in a chapter they haven't completed after beating the chapter for the first time, chapters can be replayed after they're completed allowing the player to go back and level up their characters more carrying over their experience and items from at the end of the chapter however characters who become playable in that chapter or later as well as key items will be unavailable until that point that they appear in the story.

Battle System[]

The Battle System of Mother 4 continues the series trend towards active forms of battle, although retaining the turn-based system of the previous games the actions follow the rhythm system introduced in Mother 3. Like in the previous game, using the basic attack and striking by pressing the action button in time with the beat of the music will allow the player to rack up considerable damage against an opponent, this system has also been altered so damage tapers off more smoothly encouraging players to at least attempt the rhythmic damage. A new addition to this basic damage is the ability for other characters to join in, if the player manages to keep the beat going for long enough (typically the number of hits needed is equal to 1/2 the difference in agility between characters) then other characters will join in, each character that joins in will increase the damage but also increase the tempo with the tempo being doubled when all four characters are attacking.

In addition to the continuation of rhythmic systems, the gameplay in general works on a active minigame battle system, every PSI Ability and enemy attack now also feature rhythm based mechanics to allow for maximizing damage as well as inducing or preventing secondary effects. PSI Attacks will typically contain more complex actions such as manipulation of the left joystick, face button presses or shoulder button presses as well as holding buttons. Each PSI ability has its own requirements but the methods are always the same across all levels of said PSI Ability.

Enemy attacks meanwhile make use of a new Evasion System, the player takes control of the four characters in an attempt to dodge the enemy's oncoming attacks, attacks can target any number of party members and can be dodged with the A Button and blocked with the B Button, some attacks which are denoted by flashing can also be reflected with the Y Button which can inflict damage back at the enemy. Some enemy attacks also require the player to make use of movement during them and are represented by the leader of the team appearing on an arena in the overworld style that needs to dodge attacks by moving around, jumping, blocking or reflecting.

Seasonal Weather[]

A new element introduced in the game is Seasonal Weather, this is an in-between turn event that occurs periodically during battles, it can be Natural or Freak Weather depending on the weather itself. At the start of the battle the player will be informed through an icon what the weather is as well as the season, if the two match up (denoted by a blue ring around them) then they will be Natural Weather whereas if they do not match up (denoted by a red ring around them) then they will be Freak Weather.

Natural weather occurs every two turns for the Weather and every three turns for the Season with the Season overriding the Weather when both occur on the same turn. Freak Weather can occur on any turn and does not have a down-time, the Season will still supersede the Weather but either can occur. Weather and Seasons will cause small minigames which can reward or harm the player, these are similar to enemy attacks in that they must be dodged or blocked, there is no option to reflect although some minigames do involve movement with the left joystick. Every Season or Weather has the capacity to reward the player either through healing, items, stat boosts or even experience but also can have the capacity to damage the player hurting their characters, the character hurt depends on who is highlighted during that event and can change during the event itself.

Seasonal Weather can be disabled at the start of a game if the player chooses and re-enabled or disabled in-game when the player is not in an area with enemies.

Weather	Seasons	Event
Sunny	Summer - Natural Autumn - Natural Winter - Freak Spring - Natural	Solar Rays appear from the top of the screen and must be jumped over, succeeding recovers PP while failing can lead to getting burnt.
Cloudy	Summer - Freak Autumn - Natural Winter - Natural Spring - Natural	Cloud covers parts of the screen, the player must quickly tap the face buttons to clear the clouds, succeeding increases the Offense Stat & PK Stat, failing reduces the Accuracy Stat.
Raining	Summer - Natural Autumn - Freak Winter - Natural Spring - Natural	rain falls down the screen distorting the view, the player must react by dodging oncoming floods of water which are denoted by warning signals, the player can move out of the way or reflect them if they time correctly. Succeeding will remove any negative Status Ailments, failing will damage the player's HP.
High Winds	Summer - Natural Autumn - Natural Winter - Natural Spring - Freak	Winds attempt to blow the player off a small arena, the player must try to stay on by moving against the wind. Succeeding increases the Defence Stat & PSI Stat, failing reduces the Agility Stat.
Snowing	Summer - Freak Autumn - Natural Winter - Natural Spring - Freak	Snowballs are hurled at the player character which must be dodged or reflected, the snowballs can bounce, roll or fly through the air. Succeeding increases the Agility Stat, failing can lead to getting frozen.
Lightning	Summer - Freak Autumn - Freak Winter - Natural Spring - Natural	Lightning rains down from above and the player must manoeuvre out of the way, if the player has the Franklin Badge they can reflect the Lightning at their enemies. Succeeding increases the Luck Stat, failing can lead to getting Electrocuted.
Rainbow	Summer - Natural Autumn - Freak Winter - Freak Spring - Natural	A Rainbow appears across the screen, the bands move up and down the screen and the player must jump over them similar to a jump rope, each band moves at a different speed and there can be between two to five bands. Succeeding will restore the the player's HP, failing can inflict a random status ailment.
Leaf Storm	Summer - Natural Autumn - Natural Winter - Freak Spring - Freak	Leaves cover the screen as the player character tries to avoid getting buried under a leaf pile by moving around and clear out leaves in front of them, the colour of the leaves indicates how deep that section of the arena is. Succeeding increases the Offense Stat & Defence Stat, failing reduces the Evasion Stat.
Heat Wave	Summer - Natural Autumn - Freak Winter - Freak Spring - Freak	Waves of heat come from all directions and must be jumped over, some waves are differently coloured denoting that they can be reflected, waves in opposing directions will destroy one another. Succeeding rewards the player with some Experience and gives them an immunity to being burned for a few turns, failing will reduce the player's HP and can lead to getting Burned.
Tornado	Summer - Freak Autumn - Natural Winter - Freak Spring - Freak	A giant tornado moves around the arena as the player must avoid it, the tornado will periodically intensify pulling the player in, the player can jump to get away but this will backfire if the tornado is pulling them in. Succeeding rewards the player with some Experience and increases the Accuracy Stat, failing can lead to the character getting ejected from battle.
Hailing	Summer - Freak Autumn - Freak Winter - Natural Spring - Freak	Hail rains down from above, when it crashes down it can split into more pieces depending on how big the piece is, some pieces will become lodged in the arena and shatter if another hail piece land s on them, warning icons can be seen where a hail piece will land. Succeeding rewards the player with some Experience and gives them an immunity to being frozen for a few turns, failing will reduce the player's HP and can lead to getting Frozen.
Petal Storm	Summer - Freak Autumn - Freak Winter - Freak Spring - Natural	Petals spin around the arena as the player must dodge or reflect them, the petals come in pairs, triplets or quartets and rotate around a central point. Succeeding rewards the player with some Experience and increases the Evasion Stat, failing can reduce the player's HP and PP.

Characters[]

Mother 4 features nine playable characters as well as various NPCs, notable NPCs will be included below however minor NPCs including named townsfolk will not be detailed.

Playable Characters[]

The main playable character, a young boy from Otsoto Town, a rather calm and collected individual he seems to show a great deal of empathy for others in particular the animals that live around the town which often attempt to sneak in to find scraps of food. Strange visions that Miles experiences suggest to him a forthcoming danger to his town although unsure if they're real or merely dreams. His PSI is geared towards Healing and Support.

The first companion that Miles will come across, Helene is native to Port Sicoco, also on Summer Island. Although more adventurous in nature she is still somewhat timid, although more so towards the creatures of the island than natural forces, being an aspiring meteorologist she seeks to find a way to forewarn of dangerous weather although is surprisingly resilient to such weather herself having been swept away in a flood when she was a young child although managed to somehow survive despite the odds. Her PSI is focused on weathering opponents down through staggered damage.

Locations[]

The main setting of Mother 4 is the Epocris Islands, a series of islands each with their own landmarks and important locations.

The four islands each are comprised of their own settlements and features are denoted below.

Summer Island

[]

Summer Island is the South-East Island in the game and the initial starting location for the player, it is home to Miles and Helene and the island's most common weather is Sunny. The island is also the only one without tertiary islands around it being a single landmass.

Miles' hometown, this small town nestled on the southern side of the island is a quiet farming settlement with a tightly knit community. The town's simple and peaceful lifestyle allows many to simply relax and leisurely go about life, helping out to maintain the farms and rarely setting off beyond the town. A series of green areas also serve as frequent meeting spots for the townsfolk to wander around and sightsee the various animals that come from the nearby forests and hillsides.

The Hexagonal Brinebath is a series of saltwater lakes located immediately west of Otsoto Town that overlook the cliffsides leading to the ocean below, various fish and amphibians make their homes in the lakes and quite a few of the nearby town's residents can be found fishing around these parts. A strange little island located on the westernmost lake is said to be home to strange monsters and is off-limits to the children.

Easily distinguishable for the permanently golden leaves of the trees in the woods that are distinct from the evergreens of the rest of the island, the large river that surrounds the woods acts as a sort of moat, often keeping both those unwelcome guests out of the woods as well as the creatures that lurk within kept where they won't cause harm to others. A bridge was built long ago connecting the woods to the mainland but the townsfolk keep part of the bridge detached and only go into the woods when needed.

A rocky mountain located North of Otsoto Town through a tunnel, the mountain used to have many trees on it although they disappeared over time for unknown reasons, the pink-ish colouration of the rock makes many compare it to some of the more elderly gents of the town although like them the mountain is known to have quite the short temper as loud bellows from the monsters that lurk in the caverns of the mountain can be heard, often keeping most from attempting to traverse the mountainside.

This strange structure located in the desert valley on Summer Island is an ancient relic of the long forgotten past although doesn't resemble any of the other ruined structures, its strangeness is compounded by being extremely difficult to enter although some from nearby encampments believe that it might hold a great wealth of treasure just waiting to be found. Reportedly at night strange creatures have been seen coming out of the pyramid although disappear by the morning of the following day.

The port town of Sicoco is home to Helene, being along the way between the other islands the town is often greeted by visitors from other port towns as it's the easiest way to travel. The large lighthouse on the South-East of the town is easily its most identifying feature and helps guide travelling ships, the port's shallow hills also make the area have rather high grass that many harvest for making baskets as well as harvesting food from.

A rather unusual location, this pink-ish coloured swamp has strange bogs that funnel up from underground geysers which are known to blast to the surface form time to time, it's unknown what the liquid is but few are daring enough to try to drink it. The trees in the area also notably have a pink-ish colour to them and attract strange creatures to the swamp's environment.

This large craggy hill is immediately identifiable for the strange series of step-like cliffsides that earnt the location its name, an old legend about the location mentions the steps leading up to a giant's home in the sky however stopped appearing when people who lived on the hillside attacked the giant for stomping on their homes, to this day some believe that they can see the giant's home when the sun beams through on a cloudy day.

Autumn Island

[]

This Portside town located on the hilly North-East shores of the island is known for the strange rocky formations that can be found throughout, many attribute the formations to some ancient volcano that existed long ago but sunk into the ocean. The townsfolk are known to be deeply spiritual believing the stones themselves are in fact embodiments of an ancient god-like being that came to slumber on the volcano causing it to sink and that the stones are the divine being's body itself.

This small forested canyon located on the northern outskirts of Autumnfall Forest is believed to be the resting place of twin ancient Nalterres who first established the settlements of Mittal and Ponene long ago, the place is considered sacred and passing through the canyon requires permission from both settlements leaders. There is a strange air to the location and it's known that during the cooler nights a deep mist can roll in that's believed to be the twins' spirits purging the canyon of foul creatures.

This large, ancient temple located West of Twin Sun Canyon is of unknown origin, its design is unlike anything found on the island and seems to be beyond the history of the Nalterres in general. The interior is very strange, bizarre machines seem to maintain the temple's interior with water flowing from underground rivers through the temple allowing the doorways between areas to be opened and closed. Stranger still are the unusual mechanical life forms that reside within that seem almost unearthly.

These spires located on the Western cliffs of Autumn Island are said to be a source of enlightenment for those that visit, many have visited this location in hopes of attaining a greater knowledge and a cavern located in the crater surrounded by the spires is said to change itself to the mind of the individual who enters. The Spires themselves seem to exude a powerful energy and when approached can re-energize one's PSI abilities.

The banks of the Greater Autumn River are known to pass over a series of underground geysers through this part of Autumnfall Forest, as a result steam blankets the landscape obscuring much of the terrain around, only those familiar with the area would dare attempt to explore especially as the scalding water hides many dangerous creatures.

A large forest that stretches across the center of the island, it follows the Greater Autumn River where the many trees, brush and grasses get their source of water from. For many the forest is a beautiful sight, bountiful in food and life alike, it's well-known that many songbirds reside in the forest and can be heard creating a cacophony of noise during the day and well into the night.

One of the larger settlements of Nalterres, the Ponene Kingdom is a large, established settlement that exists on the South-West if the island. Its people are known to work all sorts of jobs with some exploring the old ruins around the island while others gather and harvest resources for the kingdom. Although most settlements have some form of leadership, the Ponene King and Queen are the only ones with a distinct title and the strange lineage of successors has lead to a great deal of prosperity for their people.

A giant statue and tower, this construct found on the Northern reach of the island is believed to have been built by the ancestors of the inhabitants of Mittal and Ponene to pay respect to the mother earth itself. The tower is generally off-limits even to those that make it through the canyon so many instead gather outside and around the tower to pray as well as leave behind numerous offerings.

Winter Island

[]

The icy northern coastal town of the islands, Port Levate is a bitter and barren environment and serves little more as a means onto the island proper, the townsfolk are hardy and known for their rough and sometimes abrasive personalities although they mean well and have been tempered by the bitter cold. The portside is covered in small monuments to the ancestors of their lands who are believed to continue to watch over them, helping to keep them safe and in good fortune.

A large forested area located West of Port Levate, the gardens within are maintained by those who live in the grove and are close neighbours to the people of Port Levate, even periodically having people move between the two places. The gardens attract many a strange creature however the bountiful harvests they provide often offset the troubles these creatures could bring.

A large river that splits into a Delta heading southwards to the tip of the island, there are many strange buildings located along the riverside including a large factory-like structure that roars with life but is generally inaccessible. Strange folks live in the houses around the rivers but speak very little in the way of words and are described as having a distant look in their eyes. The river's rushing waves provide power for the wheels of the buildings to turn, generating electricity for the people that seems to be funneled off somewhere.

The Thorny Crown is the second tallest mountain on all the islands, made up of several peaks it was named for its appearance similar to a regal crown, some believe that a king once lived atop the mountain long ago with his kingdom although vanished when a strange darkness overcame the mountain. To this day few dare to venture up the mountain as dangerous creatures roam about that seem to lay claim to much of the mountain.

Nettlebark is a small pathway through a dense forest found North of Gerral Village, the place is known for the sharp thorns of the trees that can be used as weapons. The forest's evergreen appearance hides many creatures within who use the trees constant colouration for camouflage. Over the years travellers have gradually built up a safer method of travel through the forest by the construction of two bridges that cross over large parts of the forest allowing for safer travel and an ease of getting one's surroundings.

This small village nestled amongst the southern greenery of the island, thanks to the more hospitable environment the people of the village grow various foods that are sold to the nearby Tamotan Town. For most the village is simply their way of surviving as the various forms of nature that surround the village put pressure on the village to work together.

A small island off the coast of the mainland, connected by a large bridge, the island holds many old ruins on it suggesting an ancient civilization once resided here, the island's relatively small size and isolation from the mainland allowed very strange creatures not seen elsewhere to develop and even with the arrival of a few Nalterres from the nearby Gerral Village the island remains almost untouched.

These wetlands where large lakes have formed are known to be the most verdant location on Winter Island, the various lakes that have formed are known to have eventually combined together into the Pourstrung Major Lake found near the North-West of the area as a result of frequent heavy rain. In recent years a whirlpool has formed on Pourstrung Minor Lake although no one knows what is causing it with some believing there to be a secret underground passage leading to the ocean.

Nestled amongst the large rocky formations, Tamotan Town is easily identifiable thanks to the festive decorations covering much of the town that are made from various pieces of glass and reflective metals that are molded by master craftsmen who helped to establish the settlement and its traditions. Much of the town's history is well-documented through wooden blocks denoting major events in the past.

An unusual crater found at the top of the third tallest mountain on all the islands, the crater is incredibly deep and some believe a monster that lived on the asteroid that struck the mountain must've burrowed deep into the earth creating the fissure. No one has truly explored the depths of crater as powerful monsters roam about it warding off would be adventurers who'd be foolhardy enough to approach it.

A giant snowy pyramid that exists atop an ice shelf overlooking the Northern coast of the island, the Snowmarid is an ancient structure who's history predates anything else on Winter Island, no one knows what prevents it from entirely melting as it reforms during the night always ensuring its structure is maintained. Some believe there is an ancient magic that flows through the pyramid protecting vast treasures and wealth while others believe it is a magic spell put on the one buried in the Snowmarid to remind everyone of their existence.

The largest settlement on al the islands, while most settlements are more specified and generally less technologically developed, Daealm is the exception, its presence is visible from across all the islands as it sits high atop the tallest mountain. The strange city has been visited by some although most find it unusual as the people seem almost unconscious in their actions as they go about their day to day lives. Large walls keep unwelcome outsiders from entering uninvited.

The tallest point in all the islands, the Broken Horn Peak is the crest of the Dragon's Head Mountain and is comprised of the lower icy pits where the floating island rose off from and the floating island itself. Many believe the island suspends itself with a powerful form of PSI that is innate to mother earth herself. No one has ever managed to access the floating island however buildings atop the island suggest in the ancient past some were able to.

Spring Islands

[]

A small village located on the main island of the Spring Islands, the village is quite relaxed and although less visited than the other islands is well-known about. Predominantly fishermen, the villagers will retrieve various artifacts from the ocean's deep including the giant shells found throughout the village and turn them into beautiful jewellery. The soothing waves of the ocean are said to create vivid dreams for those that live in the village.

A series of waterfalls overlooking Eden's Garden, the rich array of flowers attracted quite a few people who sought to find cures to ailments through the flowers themselves. There is a common belief among the people who reside around these parts that the closer something is to mother nature the more beneficial it can be, as such there is a great deal of care to maintain the forested areas around the falls as they're believed to help purify the water.

The only notable mountain on the island, the Cerulean Peaks are signified by the beautiful flowers that grow a brilliant shade of blue, remarkably the flowers are actually the same species as the more purple ones found at lower altitudes however their colour changes as a result. Ancient legends on the islands tell of a giant hermit crab who resided on the island and let the first Nalterres live on its shell, over time as the people grew the crab merged with the land below forming the island with the mountain being the remnants of its shell.

The main water basin for the island, all waterfalls flow towards Eden's Garden, as the old saying goes. The rich array of colours leads many to believe the location is blessed, many creatures roam freely and there is a sense of tranquility in the location that has a calming effect on even those who're typically agitated. Despite the calming atmosphere however it is unwise to stay around the gardens for too long as stories mention people losing themselves in the fog of their own mind and disappearing into the gardens never to be seen again.

An ancient island located North-West of the mainland, the island has a small temple and shrine built in dedication to the amphibious creatures although its construction far pre-dates the Nalterres presence on the island. Strange murals depict frogs in the past possessing great powers and helping ancient heroes in their quests.

The most well-known volcano on the four islands, the rivers of lava that flow along the island out to sea make it a dangerous approach however the volcano itself has been dormant for many years. Some believe that a powerful spirit resides within the volcano and as long as they're not disturbed the volcano will remain asleep. In recent years some villagers have even taken to leaving seashells on the island as gifts to the sleeping spirit although whether the spirit actually takes them or they're just reclaimed by the ocean is unknown.

A small island located off the coast of the Grumbling Island, this tiny island was once mistakenly believed to be the peak of Grumbling Island however this belief has fallen to the wayside over the years. There are strange structures seen in the water underneath the island leading many to believe it may have once been a far larger island long ago. However, reaching said structures would be nearly impossible due to how deep underwater they are.