Rashugal

Rashugal (ラ・シュガル, Ra Shugaru^?) is one of the two countries of Rieze Maxia in Tales of Xillia and Tales of Xillia 2. The country occupies the forested and valley-oriented southern hemisphere of the world under the rule of King Nachtigal I. Fenn and is frequently involved in power struggles with the neighboring country of Auj Oule.

Geography[]

Rashugal lies to the south of the great bay that separates it from Auj Oule. To the west, it connects to its northern neighbor through Fezebel Marsh, an autonomous area that has become notorious for its dangerous terrain. The wetlands extend down through the Arklund Quag (アルカンド湿原^?), eventually fading out farther south, whereabouts lies the elaborate capital city of Fennmont, which is cloaked in a nighttime spirit clime and boasts the advancement of spirit artes, yielding both the Laforte Research Center and Orda Palace. South of the capital, the forested Barnauer Highroad (バルナウル街道^?) trails downward into Fort Gandala, a military base located in a barren region.

Extending from Fort Gandala east is the Talys Highroad (タラス街道^?), which leads to the large, commercial city of Sharilton, a relatively peaceful place where traders and merchants gather. Culmar Trail (クラマ街道^?) extends south of the city, leading into Bermia Gorge, a windy liminal region where spirit climes collide. Northeast of Sharilton lie the Sapstrath Highroad (サマンガン街道^?); Sapstrath Deepwood, a densely-forested area; and Sapstrath Seahaven, which serves as Rashugal's only port, aside from the one attached to Fennmont, as well as the one attached to Leronde, an island town located near the Voltea Woods (ボルテア森道^?), which lead to Felgana Mine and the Old Vicalle Mine (バイカール廃坑, Baikaaru Haikou^?).

Towns[]

Fennmont - The capital of Rashugal, as well as home to the Laforte Research Center, Orda Palace, and the Talim Medical School (タリム医学校^?).
Sharilton - A large city of commerce and trade. It is where House Sharil, one of the Six Ruling Houses, is located.
Leronde - A relatively small town located on an island abundant in mines.
Sapstrath Seahaven - One of the two ports in Rashugal, the other being the one in Fennmont.

Sapstrath Deepwood[]

It is said that few who set foot in this massive forest are never heard from again.

The Sapstrath Deepwood (サマンガン樹界, Samangan-ju-kai^?) is a thick forest in eastern Rashugal, reachable via the Sapstrath Highroad. Almost bearing the resemblance of a jungle with its wild plants and large streams of water that flow throughout it, travelers can pass through the forest by crawling beneath thickets and crossing over fallen trees. When the group enters the forest, they are attacked by a monstrous plant, and Elize Lutus joins in on the battle to provide healing artes while the others fight in close quarters. Near the end of the forest, they encounter Jiao of the Chimeriad, who seeks to return Elize to Hamil. Refusing, the group engages him in combat and subdues him, using the forest's plants to escape.

Bermia Gorge[]

A liminal region where the wind blows all year round, due to a spirit clime that is rarely seen in Rieze Maxia.

Bermia Gorge (バーミア峡谷, Baamia Kyoukoku^?) is a dungeon located south of Sharilton, reachable via the Culmar Trail. The area is surrounded by high rock faces, and in its center rises a tower-like rock formation that can be climbed. Being hollow inside, it is also capable of being entered, yielding a laboratory for experiments being conducted on citizens, an operation led by Rashugal. Rowen J. Ilbert leads the group here in order to save Cline K. Sharil, who was abducted in his attempt to protect Sharilton's residents from being used by Nachtigal and the Rashugal military.

When the group enters the area, Jude Mathis acts as bait to distract a crossbow-wielding guard while Milla Maxwell and Alvin kill her. The ravine, however, is then revealed to be sealed, but the group finds the caged people. Rowen then recognizes that the invocation circuit that seals the input is not closed, so he assumes that the excess wind energy flows upward, meaning the group can penetrate the interior from above and destroy the core that serves as the catalyst of the operation.

At the summit, Rowen conjures an incantation circle through which the group can glide down into the interior of the mountain. During the flight, Alvin destroys the core with an aimed shot, freeing the prisoners. Cline then states that he actually came to the area seeking answers on the human experiments, but Nachtigal's guards captured and imprisoned him. After the prisoners flee, a large, moth-like monster slips from a monstrous cocoon beneath the destroyed core. The group subdues it but decides not to kill it since it is composed of lesser spirits that then dissolve from each other.

Fort Gandala[]

An impregnable stronghold south of Fennmont, ostensibly built to safeguard the city and its trade routes.

Fort Gandala (ガンダラ要塞, Gandara Yousai^?) is a military base located near Sharilton under Rashugal control. The fortress is large and contains powerful golems that act as guardians, being hardly passable when active. The group is split into two teams during their visit to the area: Milla, Elize, and Driselle K. Sharil are abducted in Sharilton and brought here, prompting Jude, Alvin, and Rowen to visit the base in search of them. Jude and his crew traverse the fortress, while Milla and her crew focus on escaping. However, Gilandor Yul Svent places ankle braces on the girls to prevent them from passing a certain point in the fortress, which would cause their ankle braces to react and explode.

In the lab portion of the base, both groups meet, Milla having fought her way through the fortress alone because Driselle cannot fight and Elize refused to fight without Teepo. Gilland, accompanied by Nachtigal, prepares to leave when Milla pursues them and passes one of the barriers that triggers her ankle brace. Despite her heroic efforts and managing to knock Nachtigal to the ground before he and Gilland escape, the incident leaves Milla paralyzed in both of her legs, unable to walk. The group then leaves before the fort's golems activate.

Felgana Mine[]

This well-known former mine helped sustain Leronde's ore rush.

Felgana Mine (フェルガナ鉱山, Ferugana Kouzan^?) is located on a small island between Rashugal and Auj Oule but is officially part of Rashugal territory. The island is known for its mines, which is why there are many miners living in Leronde. However, after monsters accumulated in the mine, it became gradually abandoned and finally abandoned completely. Nevertheless, rails and tools of the miners can still be found within. The mine is visited by Jude and Leia Rolando, who pushes Milla in a wheelchair. Milla has lost power over her legs, so Jude is looking for a way to heal her again. For this, he found the "aspyrixis", which his father invented. However, to make it work, a certain fossil is needed. Since the fossils lose their mana quickly, Milla must be there so that the fossil can be put into the aspyrixis before this happens.

Jude and Leia work their way to the deepest space of the mine, where they encounter a monster that grows a gigantic fossil, which they need, out of its forehead. Leia tries to get to the fossil and succeeds in knocking out a small, handy piece. She and Jude are then attacked by the beast. In order to protect the two, Milla throws herself out of her wheelchair and pulls herself to the fossil, which she puts into the aspyrixis. As expected, her nerves are so strongly stimulated that she suffers from severe, hardly tolerable pain, but she is again able to stand and walk. She fights alongside the two in battle against the monster, then collapses from the pain.