The Royal Palace of Rabanastre
Walkthrough

Cellar Stores

Vaan will enter the Royal Palace from the Garamsythe Waterway winding up in the Cellar Stores. There is a brief intro video prior to the next scene which stars Balthier and Fran (the two new characters who will be joining your party shortly).

Balthier and Fran joining Vaan in the Royal Palace

Save your game using the Save Crystal and then examine the bright green and gold Urn to obtain the map of the Royal Palace of Rabanastre. The game will warn you that it is not easy to leave this area but that warning will have very few implications (especially armed with this walkthrough). Go through the doors and into the actual Cellar.

Vaan in the Cellar Stores of the Royal Palace with the Save Crystal

Cellars

Open all of the treasure chests in the Cellar with the exception of the two mentioned in the warning note above.

Entrance to the Cellars of the Royal Palace

Approach the crowd gathered on the north side of the cellars for a short cutscene involving the Imperial Guard.

Imperial Guard saying no one goes up into the Royal Palace

Approach the Imperial Guard near the stairs first and then speak to the Palace Servant (the red Bangaa wearing yellow clothing) standing near the guard twice. The Palace Servant will tell you that you can get past the guards by “calling them over”.

Speaking to the Palace Servant in the Cellars

The Imperial Guards are ridiculously easy to maneuver past – press the SquareButton and then run around the guard, up the stairs and into the Lower Halls.

Pressing the Square Button to sneak around the Imperial Guard to get into the Royal Palace

Lower Halls

The only way to get through the Lower Halls of the Palace is to use the “calling the guards” over strategy to move the guards out of the way. This will allow Vaan to travel down certain paths and hallways unimpeded.

Entering the Royal Palace Lower Halls

Take the pathway leading to the right (south) around to the east side of the zone and call the guards standing at the intersecting hallways down towards the south.

Run away quickly and back to the intersection near the entrance (to the west of the Hawk Signet) and call the guards that are standing to the north down towards you (leading them south). Run eastward past the Hawk Signet and around to where the first set of guards were standing.

Vaan shouting: Hey, Bucket Head! or Hello!

Travel north from there and then head west back into the middle of the room. You should pass over a Lion Signet on the floor.

Traveling through the Lower Halls of the Royal Palace to find the Lions Signet

Choose to use the Crescent Stone while standing on the Lion Signet to illuminate the sun’s light at the end of one of the pathways leading to the secret passage.

Using the Crescent Stone on the Lions Signet in the Lower Halls

Travel west again and call the guard to the north down towards Vaan. Head back east over top of the Lion Signet and circle around to the northwest corner of the room. The sun’s light is at the end of the hallway to the west as shown in the screenshot below. Go through the doorway and into the Secret Passage.

Examining the Faint Light behind the screen in the Lower Halls

Secret Passage

Vaan will immediately be locked into the Secret Passageway as soon as the team enters.

Entering the Secret Passage in the Royal Palace

Travel to the far end of the room and search the left side (south side, although there is no map) for a hidden switch as shown in the screenshot below. Go through the newly unlocked doorway on the other side of the room and choose the option to examine the suspicious-looking door.

Triggering the Switch in the Secret Passage

A short cutscene will take place involving Balthier and Fran and their first meeting with Vaan.

Traveling with Balthier and Fran up the Garden Stairs in the Royal Palace

The Garden Stairs

Climb the stairway to the top of the room for another video involving all three characters as they exit the Royal Palace and head back into the Garamsythe Waterway.

Use the map below to help navigate:

Map of the Royal Palace of Rabanastre

(Click on the map to enlarge)