Dead Dunes



The Dead Dunes is the desert continent in Nova Chrysalia from Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. The area is dotted with numerous ruins and Lightning can explore the area and slide down dunes. There is also an oasis village located in the Dead Dunes that serves as a base for Lightning and the local bandit group called Monoculus. The locale features the fal'Cie Atomos, rendered in an immobile state.

Datalog
''The fringes of this desolate desert are lapped by the ocean of Chaos. It is not a place meant for human inhabitation, but thanks to the ancient ruins that are scattered among the dunes, many lawless bandits have come here to plunder the treasure within.'' ''In the desert, wild monsters are most active during daylight hours. Unlike other parts of the world, nights in the desert are blessed by relative peace and quiet.''

Centuries of plundering have emptied most of the ruins, but one legendary treasure—the holy clavis—still sits beyond a seal that no one has been able to break.

Story
Lightning arrives on the Dead Dunes following the rumors that an artifact called the holy clavis is buried somewhere in the desert. Suspecting the local bandits know something of it, she locates their settlement and speaks with a Monoculus member named Adonis, who says they won't divulge anything until Lightning joins their gang. As a trial, Adonis tasks Lightning with stopping the sandstorm known as God's Wrath that blocks a path to the settlement. After defeating a Gurangatch, Lightning obtains a crux which helps her operate a monument to quell God's Wrath.

Adonis accepts Lightning as a part of Monoculus and reveals the group's boss is a woman who knows Lightning and has been keeping tabs on her ever since she got off the train at the station. Back in the Ruffian, Adonis introduces Lightning to the boss, who happens to be her old friend Fang. Fang explains she left the Order and is now looking for the clavis, and asks Lightning's help. Fang and Lightning team up and head for the Temple Ruins. As Lightning is the savior is able to open the doorway. Fang and Lightning locate tablets from shrines around the desert and use them to activate murals within the ruins to open the chamber where the clavis is kept. The murals spell humanity's creation story, showing how Goddess Etro's blood birthed mankind, whose souls would cycle between death and rebirth. Bhunivelze, however, saw death as impure, and thus the souls of the dead as tainted.

Lightning and Fang reach the clavis and to Lightning's surprise Fang sets out to destroy it, but Lightning stops her. Fang explains Vanille wants to use the clavis to draw in the anguished souls of the dead from the Chaos so that the Order can destroy them for good, but the ritual would kill her. Lightning is shocked the Order wants to eradicate the souls of the dead, and that Vanille is onboard with their plan.

The Order's military branch, the Secutors, arrive to claim the clavis and send a monster after Lightning and Fang. The two defeat the monster, but meanwhile the Secutors nabbed the clavis and have sealed the pair within the chamber. Lumina appears, gloating how she led the Secutors to them, and how she looks forward to Vanille performing the Soulsong on the world's final day to obliterate the souls of the dead, including Serah. Lumina opens the chamber's door and disappears.

Lightning tells Fang she cannot save Vanille if she is bent on dying, and says Fang is the only one who can convince her. Fang departs, saying the Monoculus is officially disbanded, and the two promise to meet in Luxerion on the eve of the Apocalypse.

Ruffian
The headquarters of Monoculus is located here.

Atomos's Sands
Area of the Dead Dunes where the fal'Cie Atomos's remains lie. It is assumed that Atomos had felt God's presence, thereby prompting it to enter into a form of stasis while it waits for the world to end. The people residing within the Dead Dunes apparently think of the area as a "public dumping ground," prompting Adonis to post a bulletin about littering.

Temple Ruins
Temple Ruins is an expansive ruin below the sands. The structure is ancient, predating Cocoon, and nobody knows who built it or why. The ruins are said to hold the holy clavis, an artifact that can draw in the souls of the dead. The ruins are littered with murals that spell the creation story of mankind. The temple is filled with sealed doors that operate via magic and mystical tablets and cruxes are needed to delve deeper into the ruins. The skeletons standing guard can be torn apart to reveal Unappraised Items and Yellowed Skulls.

4-1 Bandits of the Desert

 * Somewhere in the Dead Dunes lies the holy clavis, a treasure with the power to draw the souls of the dead and open doors to the otherworld. The Order is anxious to find it--perhaps Lightning should search, too. Bandits operate in the desert, making a living from plundering the ruins. They might have information about the clavis. Lightning should seek them out.


 * The barren sands of the Dead Dunes are not a fit place for human habitation. People are drawn here only for some powerful reason--and in the case of the bandits who form the majority of desert dwellers, that reason is treasure. If anyone knows where the clavis is, it is them. The question is: will they share their knowledge with an outsider?


 * The settlement of Ruffian is run by a bandit gang calling itself Monoculus. They are a cagey, secretive group, and they are not willing to share information about the clavis with strangers. Lightning does not particularly want to join the gang, but she has little choice. She is going to have to take this trial that Adonis has presented to her.


 * Lightning isn't going to get information about the clavis or anything else until she joins the Monoculus gang, She has little choice but to take their absurd trial, however impossible it sounds. She must find the sandstorm known as God's Wrath that rages near the bandit settlement...and somehow make it stop.

After arriving to the Dead Dunes Lightning is to seek out the bandits' hideout, which is marked onto the map as the next destination. The shortest way there is blocked by a sandstorm, and Lightning must navigate her way to the west to find an alternate route. After finding the bandits' hideout, called Ruffian, Lightning is to speak to Adonis inside who says she must join their group to get any information out of them, but Lightning must first pass a test: Adonis's Audition.

4-2 Aspiring Bandit

 * If Lightning wants to join the bandit gang, she must quell God's Wrath, a sandstorm that rages near Ruffian. The key to breaking it is held by a monster that can be found nearby. No ordinary human has ever been able to make the key work, but then, the savior is no ordinary human. God's Wrath rages in the area around the Giant's Sandbox.


 * Lightning does something that no human has ever done: she activates the crux and ends the storm. Adonis is impressed--but not exactly surprised. Apparently, his boss had already determined that Lightning possesses special powers. In any case, Lightning is now part of the gang. She should follow Adonis back to the settlement and meet her new boss.


 * Lightning has become an official member of the Monoculus gang. When she is taken to meet the bandits' leader, she finds herself face-to-face with Fang, an old comrade from centuries past. Fang has also been searching for the clavis--she wants to find it before the Order does. But she doesn't explain why, nor does she offer a reason for leaving Vanille alone with the Order, back in Luxerion...

After accepting the trial, Lightning must complete the quest Adonis's Audition to quell the sandstorm. After the sandstorm is dealt with, Adonis welcomes Lightning into Monoculus and rushes back to Ruffian. Talking to him again has him introduce Lightning to Fang, who joins Lightning's party as a guest.

4-3 Where the Clavis Lies

 * Fang has been using her position as head of the bandit gang to search for the clavis, but she does not disclose why she wants an ancient relic that gathers the souls of the dead. Meanwhile, the Order is redoubling their efforts to find the clavis. If Lightning and Fang are to reach it first, they must head quickly to the ruins in which it is buried. The entrance stands near the Giant's Hand.


 * Fang is unwilling to discuss her reasons for wanting the clavis. She does reveal that it is ultimately meant for Vanille, but why, and for what purpose, she remains silent. Fang will reveal all in her own good time; for now, Lightning needs to concentrate on the search. Inside the ruins is a sealed door that Fang and her gang have not been able to open. It seems the obvious place to begin...


 * Within the desert ruins, Fang and Lightning at last arrive at the place where they believe the clavis rests. They can feel powerful energy surging within the chamber, but the way is barred by a massive door, sealed shut. Somewhere else in the ruins are strange murals that hold the key to breaking the seal. Lightning has to find them.

Lightning and Fang's destination is on the far east side of the desert, in an area marked on the map, known as the Giant's Hand. Lightning and Fang locate the Temple Ruins by the sea and Fang explains she is searching for the clavis for Vanille's sake. Lightning must follow the path until reaching a larger room with a teleport stone. Continuing south, there is a pit in an adjacent room. Before jumping in, there is a Guard's Cravat on the right.

After descending into the pit Lightning and Fang emerge at Chamber of Dusk — Lower Level. This area has time doors that open and close at certain times of the day. The doors don't take too long to open, but it wastes time to get trapped behind closed doors. Chronostasis allows one to manipulate the doors; otherwise the player has to hope to get lucky. Checking the stone monuments near time doors to registers them on the map.

Past the time doors and down some corridors there is a doorway blocked by skeletons. Tearing through these finds either Unappraised Items or Yellowed Skulls.

Up ahead is a time door and behind it there is a Deprotect Lv. 2 and a Slow Lv. 2, as well as another time door. Through the large, northern chamber is another pit. Going down, there is another time door connecting to the previous chamber, as well as a Nacre Cameo.

At the bottom is a long hallway. There are time doors ahead on the left and right; to the west there is a Deshell Lv. 2, to the east a White Strap. To the left there is an Earth Eater guarding a Warding Talisman. There is a time door at the south end of the hallway. If the player forgoes fighting the Earth Eater, they can wait for the door to open and get at the Warding Talisman this way instead. The party can also surprise attack the Earth Eater from here. Here is an open hallway leading to a red device. After activating it the nearby door leads to Path of Vicissitude.

The player should follow the path until it splits. Fang run ahead urging Lightning to follow her. There's a teleport stone and a closed door that can only be opened by first viewing three murals.

4-4 Murals of the Gods

 * Three murals depicting events of the crystal legends are the key to unsealing the door to the clavis chamber. Only those who have seen the three murals and know the deeds of the gods may pass through the Sacred Gate and into the presence of the holy treasure. Each mural is displayed in its own gallery, located in different parts of the ruins. Lightning must visit each one in turn.


 * The holy clavis is in a chamber beyond the sealed Sacred Gate. By inspecting the murals in the ruins, Lightning can collect fragments of a special crux that, when assembled, should break the seal. Certain tablets are needed to view the murals. There are three Shrines of the Tablet in the desert--Lightning's task is to explore each one, recover the tablets, view the murals, and obtain the three fragments of the crux.


 * Once Lightning has assembled all the pieces of the crux, she will be able to break the seal that holds the Sacred Gate shut tight. To do that, she must use a third tablet from the Shrines of the Tablet to view one more mural and recover the final crux fragment.


 * When Lightning sets eyes on the final mural, she understands what the Order is trying to do. They hope to use the clavis in a special ritual called the Soulsong. The Soulsong will summon the souls of the dead to the clavis, and Vanille herself will perform it. It is a role she has willingly embraced--but Fang does not appear to agree with her choice.

Turning back from the door and running back through the Temple Ruins, there was a split earlier Fang asked Lightning to ignore. Taking a right at the Chamber of Flame and following a winding path the party will appear in the Sacred Grove. There is a Pilgrim's Crux nearby that can be used on the wall ahead to open a path to the south of Ruffian.

Returning to the Sacred Grove, in the room to the left as coming back down, there is a room with an archaeologist. North, there is another a Pilgrim's Crux and a quest with a robot, The Life of a Machine. South is a long hallway. Heading to the hallway and walking partway down, there are two rooms, the other being behind a time door. The first one holds a Pilgrim's Crux. The party should register the time door and inside is a Study of the Savage, as well as yet another Pilgrim's Crux.

Turning north at the end of the hallway there is a device that opens the door the party just passed. This northbound hallway leads to a Twilight Gallery that has a mural, but it requires a tablet to open. The party will need to track down three tablets to view the three murals. The player can continue further into the ruins, but there's not much point if the party lack the tablets.

The Shrines of the Tablet are scattered all over the Dead Dunes. In Grave of the Colossi, north of Ruffian, there is a set ruins near the teleport stone. Inside there's a Bandit's Bloodseal by the entrance and once inside, using a Pilgrim's Crux opens the way. (If the party doesn't have any Pilgrim's Cruxes, they can be bought from a man in Ruffian's main building.) There's a Tablet at the bottom and the party will have to kill a number of Skeletons on the way back out.

Atomos's Sands is north of Ruffian. The shrine is built into the base of fal'Cie Atomos's resting place, and and there is a teleport stone outside. Down the entrance and to the left there is some Bhakti's Oil, and near the bottom there is a Pretty Orb in the antechamber before the Tablet's chamber.

The Dry Floodlands cover the west of the desert, and are connected to Atomos's Sands. The shrine is southwest of the Oasis Lighthouse built against the left of two clumps of rock. There is a teleport stone beside it. The shrine's larger chamber has a Bhakti's Oil and a sphere containing a Pain Dampener on the way back out.

With the three Tablets it is time to return to the Temple Ruins. Heading to the room north of the red device the party used earlier, inserting a Tablet activates the mural and the party receives the Crux Body. Going through the door with the red markings to the west, and following the path there, leads to room to the right that is protected by a Gurangatch. Defeating it and going through the passage finds a Collector Catalog. Jumping down into an adjacent room finds a ladder, a monument for a time door, and a Pilgrim's Crux. There is a pit down right below this point, but Lightning can just take the ladder up if she fell too far down. Going up the ladder next to where the Pilgrim's Crux was leads to the Golden Chamber. The party can also go past the earlier Gurangatch and reach the same general area.

Golden Chamber is large and complex. The party enters a cross-shaped area and following the path along the upper wall past some bars in the west, the party should hop down a level. There is a treasure sphere containing a Demon Claw. Entering the adjacent room to the west, and hopping through the hole in the room north, the party comes to a room with a dead tree in the middle. The party must head south, then east through the first time door. There is an Earth Eater guarding a door ahead. Defeating it leads to the lower levels of the complex, but it doesn't lead to a mural. The party should head north and there is a teleport stone. Heading east one chamber, there is a Thorn of Speed near the ladder leading back upstairs.

The party must reach a chamber two rooms south of the teleport stone. The player can either head east, go back upstairs and sweep around via the central corridor to reach it, or move through the southern time doors on the lower level. Once inside, Lightning can trigger the device to open the door in the eastern corridor. Running through the adjacent room east and climbing up to the treasure sphere on the crates finds a Satin Scrunchie. Besides this is a Pilgrim's Crux, and beside that a route to the opened door. North of the door with red markings is a treasure sphere for Poison Lv. 2.

The party winds up in a larger room that has a Pilgrim's Crux. Ahead is a door opened by the Crux and beyond is a teleport stone. Past here is a path up to the desert. Heading east leads to Path of the Dead. Ahead, there is a split and taking a right locates the second mural chamber, Gallery of Creation, resulting in Crux Tip.

Heading back out and continuing north, at the end of the passage there is a Pilgrim's Crux, and a red gate that cannot be opened yet. Returning to the teleport stone located earlier, the party can teleport to the Sacred Gate. At the Sacred Gate the way ahead still isn't open, but the door beside it is. Going through locates the final mural at the Gallery of Forgetfulness and the Crux Base; it will turn into a Saint's Crux.

4-5 The Holy Clavis

 * Lightning and Fang have seen the three murals. They have the three pieces of the crux, and now they can open the Sacred Gate. Soon, the holy clavis will be in their hands. But the Order is closing in on the treasure as well. The pair will have to hurry to the chamber if they are to claim the prize and keep it out of the Order's hands.


 * For the first time in centuries, the door to the chamber swings open. A great power beyond all human understanding thrums within, a beckoning force that draws the souls of the dead toward it. There can be no doubt. They are in the presence of the holy clavis. The Order Secutors are close. Lightning and Fang must hurry to claim their prize.


 * The order plans to use the clavis in the Soulsong. The ceremony will not ease the suffering of the dead--it will obliterate them once and for all. Vanille does not know this, but she does know the ceremony will kill her. There is one more chilling fact: if the Soulsong is carried out, Lightning will lose all hope of finding Serah again.

There is a boss battle ahead, and afterward Fang will permanently leave the party. If the player wants her to stay and help out in side quests, it is best to forgo completing the main quest yet.

Back at the Sacred Gate examining it opens the door. Examining the clock at the far end pits the party against a boss; depending on the day it will be either Grendel or Parandus. After vanquishing the boss, Lightning can pick up the Preta Hood and exit the ruins.


 * First Time Rewards: Max HP +540, Max ATB +10, Strength +28, Magic +56, Recovery Item Capacity +1
 * Subsequent Rewards: Max HP +192, Strength +5, Magic +5

Canvas of Prayers
There is a Canvas of Prayers located outside the train station where Lightning can do quests. These do not earn Eradia, but completing them awards with gil and adornments, as well as stat boosts.

The Life of a Machine

 * Quest Begins
 * In an isolated chamber of the Sacred Grove in the Temple Ruins, Lightning finds an exploratory rover bot called Bhakti. It seems he is almost out of fuel, but Lightning might be able to help. This quest has a time limit.


 * The energia Bhakti needs can be found in three locations: Tobias's General Store in Ruffian, next to the Shrine of the Tablet in the Grave of the Colossi, and the foot of the Oasis Lighthouse. There might be other supplies elsewhere, too. Once Lightning has three energia of fuel, she should take them to Bhakti.


 * Difficulty: ★★
 * Requirements: Available after completing main quest 4-3 Where the Clavis Lies
 * First Time Rewards: Cyber Scanners, Max HP +80, Strength +4, Magic +4
 * Subsequent Rewards: Max HP +20, Strength +2, Magic +4

In Sacred Grove area of the Temple Ruins, Lightning runs into Bhakti and must bring three Bhakti's Oils to it. If Lightning takes too long she will fail the quest. Bhakti gives clues on where to find them, but the fastest way is collecting three oils from Oasis Lighthouse. When Bhakti is oiled up Lightning must examine the door it points to to find the pile of bones in the next room. The bones hold 1200 gil, Bhakti's Oil, and a Pilgrim's Crux. Talking to Bhakti again completes the quest.


 * Quest Complete
 * Fully mobile once again, Bhakti finally manages to open the chamber where he believes his comrades are waiting for him. But those comrades are not robots; they are humans, and long dead. When Bhakti learns his friends cannot be repaired, his own systems shut down and he falls silent for good. Who can say if machines have souls? What is clear, is that in his final moments, Bhakti knew what it meant to be human.

Old Rivals

 * Quest Begins
 * Tobias is a wealthy merchant who runs several shops across the Dead Dunes. But the lack of competitors out in the desert means his selection is poor and his customer service worse. Tobias just can't bring himself to get excited about his business without competitors to spur him on. People like Ramon, for example, who was once a fierce rival but now does nothing but loiter around the Giant's Sandbox.


 * Difficulty: ★
 * Requirements: None
 * First Time Rewards: 500 gil, Snakeskin Hat, Max HP +50, Strength +4, Magic +2
 * Subsequent Rewards: 750 gil, Max HP +20, Strength +4

After talking with Tobias at the Ruffian settlement's general store, Lightning must seek out Ramon in Giant's Sandbox, near a teleport stone in Temple Ruins North Gate. After starting and completing His Wife's Dream quest, returning to Tobias completes the quest. He will now offer more items for sale.


 * Quest Complete
 * Now that Ramon has reopened his shop, Tobias is fired about his business again--it's the competition that he really loved. His soul is released from the ennui that had gripped him, and now Lightning can expect to find much better wares in his shop. Maybe Lightning should visit Tobias's General Store some time and see what new merchandise is available.

His Wife's Dream

 * Quest Begins
 * Ramon was once a hardworking businessman, but he abandoned his shop and now spends his days lounging near the north entrance to the Temple Ruins. The only reason he hasn't left the Dead Dunes is because he is still hoping to find the arithmometer that belonged to his departed wife, Monica. Perhaps Lightning can help.


 * Ramon's wife, Monica, was killed by a monster out in the desert. Perhaps the monster that did the deed is still prowling the sands. Lightning should search for evidence of monster attacks on merchants and caravans. If Lightning can find Monica's arithmometer, she should take it to Ramon, who lounges near the north entrance to the Temple Ruins.


 * Difficulty: ★★
 * Requirements: Available after starting Old Rivals quest
 * First Time Rewards: 1300 gil, Gold Padlock, Max HP +100, Strength +6, Magic +2
 * Subsequent Rewards: 1950 gil, Max HP +40, Strength +4, Magic +2

Ramon near the north entrance to the Temple Ruins wants to find a memento of his wife who was killed by a monster. In the Grave of the Colossi area, near the tablet shrine, Lightning needs to use a Pilgrim's Crux to unseal the stone by the eastern sandstorm to quell it. The clearing holds a battle against three Goblots to obtain an arithmometer. If you had already led to the extinction of all the Goblots, you'll find the arithmometer on the ground, near the skeleton of Monica. Giving the item to Ramon completes the quest. He opens a shop Lightning can use.


 * Quest Complete
 * With his wife's arithmometer in his hands at last, Ramon remembers the dream Monica had for the both of them, in which they built a shop out here in the desert and made it a grand success. Ramon resolves to take up the dream once more. He reopens his shop, Ramon's Essentials, and Lightning becomes his first customer.

Tool of the Trade

 * Quest Begins
 * In Ruffian, Lightning meets a young man who speaks in a strange code. Elmer first came to the Dead Dunes to unlock the secrets of the ruins, and although he has given up on his research, he still knows a great deal about them. Lightning may help rekindle his motivation if she finds his old appraising tool, the loupe. Hint: The bandits discard their garbage in the Atomos's Sands area.


 * Difficulty: ★
 * Requirements: None
 * First Time Rewards: 400 gil, Retro Scopes, Max HP +50, Strength +2, Magic +4
 * Subsequent Rewards: 600 gil, Max HP +20, Strength +2, Magic +2

Elmer is found in the second floor of the Ruffian, where he says he has discarded his equipment. The Loupe is found in Atomos's Sands, north from Ruffian. Climbing the nearby observation post lets Lightning spot something glimmering on the ground. Handing the Loupe to Elmer completes the quest.


 * Quest Complete
 * The loupe that Elmer discarded belonged to his father. When his father died, he fell into despair and abandoned the dream he had of becoming a scholar like his father wanted. That was when he threw away the tools of his trade. But dreams are not discarded so easily. Elmer says that if he could be born again, he would become a great scholar and unlock the secrets of the ruins. Now, thanks to the savior's intervention, he may do exactly that--in the new world to come.


 * In the days that follow...
 * Elmer learned many things from his father. If Lightning finds any unappraised items, she can bring them to Ruffian to have Elmer appraise them. Who knows, some mystery items might turn out to be valuable treasures? Unappraised items can be recovered from lizards and the remains of hapless adventurers.

After completing the quest Elmer will appraise unappraised items for Lightning:
 * 1 unit: Pilgrim's Crux
 * 5 units: Gold Dust
 * 10 units: Ether
 * 20 units: Platinum Ore
 * 50 units: Turbo Ether

Lightning also receives a random amount of Bronzed, Silvered or Crystal Medals.

Adonis's Audition

 * Quest Begins
 * In the outlaw settlement of Ruffian, Lightning encounters a character called Adonis, who appears to be an important figure in the bandit gang known as Monoculus. He tells her that they have information about the holy clavis, but they will only share it if she joins the gang. Monoculus runs everything in the desert. If Lightning wants to accomplish anything while she is here, it might be a good idea to do what Adonis suggests.


 * Out in the desert, a storm called God's Wrath rages endlessly. If someone can activate the monument that stands nearby, the storm will finally cease--or so the locals believe. Lightning must battle the Gurangatch that prowls nearby and recover the key that activates the monument.


 * Difficulty: ★★
 * Requirements: None
 * First Time Rewards: 1500 gil, Monoculus Mask, Max HP +100, Strength +4, Magic +8
 * Subsequent Rewards: 2300 gil, Max HP +50, Strength +4, Magic +6

After talking to Adonis in Ruffian Lightning can accept the trail to join the Monoculus. Her task is to quell a sandstorm. The location is marked on the map, and the fastest way to get there is by warping to the nearby teleport stone: Near God's Wrath. After battling a Gurangatch, Adonis congratulates Lightning on her success and she uses the crux to quell the storm. Adonis rushes back to Ruffian and finding him there and talking to him again completes the quest.


 * Quest Complete
 * As soon as Lightning gains possession of the Anchorite's Crux, the monument is activated, and the storm that no one could calm suddenly grows still. This is proof that she is indeed a messenger from God. Lightning has passed the trial. Now it is time to return to Ruffian, talk to Adonis, and be introduced to the bandit boss.

What Rough Beast Slouches

 * Quest Begins
 * Inside the southern entrance to the Temple Ruins, on the upper level of Scorched Earth, Lightning meets a man who presents Lightning with a perilous mission. He claims that a terrible beast has appeared to herald the end of the world, and he wants Lightning to find this beast, the Aeronite, hunt it down, and bring back a sample of its flesh.


 * Difficulty: ★★★
 * Requirements: Available after completing main quest 4-3 Where the Clavis Lies
 * First Time Rewards: 8200 gil, Pro's Beret, Max HP +160, Strength +12, Magic +16
 * Subsequent Rewards: 12300 gil, Max HP +90, Strength +6, Magic +10

The client is found within the fenced off bit when entering the Temple Ruins from the southern ruins entrance (the door must be opened from the inside). To get to this bit, Lightning must go through the path leading east from the previous location that is guarded by an Earth Eater, south from the area's teleport stone. Upon accepting the quest Lightning obtains Study of Despair notes.

To complete the quest, Lightning must defeat Aeronite that appears in Giant's Sandbox from Day 7 onward. Like the rare enemies in Final Fantasy XIII-2, it appears as a distortion. If struck first it starts with 10% HP already lost, but preempting it for a 25% HP loss is impossible. Lightning must deal consistent damage and stagger it four times, otherwise it flies away and Lightning must find it again and start the battle from the beginning. When it's defeated, Lightning obtains Monster Flesh. It also drops a Falcon Charm on the ground after battle. Giving the Monster Flesh to the client completes the quest.

Skeletons in the Closet

 * Quest Begins
 * In Ruffian, Lightning encounters a former bandit by the name of Jamus. He is a tormented soul, who cannot forget the day when Skeletons attacked him and his children and left him as the only survivor. Jamus's life is in tatters, and the only thing that might save him is revenge. Lightning agrees to seek out all the Skeletons and destroy them once and for all.


 * Difficulty: ★★★
 * Requirements: Available after completing main quest 4-3 Where the Clavis Lies, and collecting Crux Body
 * First Time Reward: 4500 gil, Pioneer's Eyepatch, Max HP +140, Strength +14, Magic +12
 * Subsequent Rewards: 6750 gil, Max HP +60, Strength +6, Magic +6

Lightning must exterminate the Skeleton species by defeating Skeleton Ω. To make Skeleton Ω appear, she must slay 60 of them (the number remaining is displayed on the quest's page in the menu), or, alternatively, fight the Skeleton Ω in Ultimate Lair. After vanquishing the foe, returning to Jamus in Ruffian main building completes the quest.


 * Quest Complete
 * Lightning has destroyed every last Skeleton in the world. It does not end Jamus's pain, but it does allow him to face his grief at last. Jamus declares that he will visit the graves of his children and tell them that the skeletons are no more. The children are lost, but at least Lightning has saved the soul of a father.

Last One Standing

 * Quest Begins
 * At the foot of the Oasis Lighthouse, Lightning meets a man called Zanford who claims to be the last researcher. Not the last remaining researcher, he clarifies, but someone who investigates the phenomenon of Last Ones. Last One monsters are fearsome beasts that concentrate the strength of their fellow predecessors into one last ultimate incarnation. Lightning's task is simple, yet surely impossible. Can she eradicate all monster species and slay every last Last One incarnation?


 * Lightning must slay every single Last One monster, fill every page of her Bestiary, and then report to Zanford, who waits for news by the Oasis Lighthouse. This is an incredibly difficult quest that requires all of Lightning's hardened battle skills. But there is a way to make Last One monsters appear without killing every individual of the species first. If Lightning can find out how, her task will not be quite so daunting.


 * Difficulty: ★★★
 * Requirements: None
 * First Time Rewards: 12000 gil, Bladed Lance, Hermit's Cap, Max HP +160, Strength +18, Magic +16
 * Subsequent Rewards: 18000 gil, Max HP +100, Strength +10, Magic +8

This quest cannot be completed on the first playthrough. Lightning must kill every Last One enemy in the game, and three of them only appear in last storyline dungeon. She must also kill Cactair and Ereshkigal on floor 33 of Ultimate Lair. Aeronite doesn't count. On New Game+, Lightning can approach the client, start the quest and immediately complete it.

Ramon's Essentials
The shop becomes available after completing His Wife's Dream quest.

Treasures

 * Angel's Headband – Found at Oasis Lighthouse.
 * Arithmometer – Found in Grave of the Colossi behind the sandstorm as part of the His Wife's Dream quest.
 * Bandit's Bloodseal – Found at the entrance to the Shrine of the Tablet at the Grave of the Colossi in the Dead Dunes.
 * Corsair Scarf – Found in a treasure sphere in the Dead Dunes, Ruffian on the south end of the cliff.
 * Crux Body – Obtained after activating a mural within the Temple Ruins.
 * Defaith Lv. 2 – Found in the north of Giant's Sandbox.
 * Debrave Lv. 2 – Found under an arch of ruin in northern Giant's Sandbox.
 * Earth Eater's Notes – Found in the Grave of the Colossi area, in the ruins near the path that leads to Ruffian.
 * Key to the Sand Gate – Found at Oasis Lighthouse.
 * Loupe – Found north of Ruffian.
 * Lizard Tail – Obtained by killing the lizards wandering around the desert.
 * Pilgrim's Crux – Found in various places in the Dead Dunes. Can also be bought from a man in Ruffian.
 * Rainbow Gem – Found in a treasure sphere in Atomos's Sands, east from the Tobias's Branch Store.
 * Serenity Sachet – Found in a treasure sphere in the Dead Dunes, Grave of the Colossi west.
 * Silk Scarf – Open the 4 EP cost treasure sphere in the dead end of the Grave of the Colossi area in the Dead Dunes.
 * Silver Barrette – Found at Oasis Lighthouse in a 4 EP cost treasure sphere.
 * Star Bracelet – Found in a treasure sphere in Dead Dunes, Dry Floodlands south.
 * Study of the Depths – Found in Giant's Sandbox area of the Dead Dunes; south from the general shop, east from the Temple Ruins: South Gate
 * Tablet – Found in shrines in Atomos's Sands, Dry Floodlands and the Grave of the Colossi.
 * Unappraised Item – Found from killing lizards and destroying skeleton statues.
 * Yellowed Skull – Destroy skeleton statues in the Temple Ruins and Shrines.

Enemies

 * Anubys
 * Cactair (One encounter per playthrough)
 * Cactuar
 * Desert Sahagin
 * Earth Eater
 * Gaunt (Temple Ruins)
 * Goblot
 * Gorgonopsid
 * Gurangatch
 * Schrodinger (Temple Ruins)
 * Skeleton (Temple Ruins)

Creation and Development
The Dead Dunes were inspired by real-world location Cairo. Early screenshots of Dead Dunes differ from the gameplay demo shown during Japan Expo 2013: while early screenshots suggest Lightning was meant to look for a hidden treasure, the treasure became the holy clavis artefact. In early screenshots, Adonis wears silver as opposed to his final red color.

Musical Themes
The theme that plays depends on the time of day. "Desert Awakening" plays in the morning, "The Dead Dunes" plays in the afternoon and "Desert Lullaby" plays in the evening. "Graveyard of Dreams" plays during the night. "Bandit Gang Monoculus" plays when Lightning reunites with Fang and "Fang's Theme ~The Boss~" is Fang's leitmotif that plays in scenes associated with her. "Treasures Within" plays in the Temple Ruins.

In the Ruffian bar a singer performs a vocal arrangement of "Eternal Wind", the theme of Final Fantasy III. A full arrangement of the song appears on the game's Original Soundtrack PLUS.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Dead Dunes appear in a Field Music Sequence.

Trivia

 * The Dead Dunes are likely the dried remains of the Pulsian Archylte Steppe. Evidence to this can be seen by the oretoise skeleton, creatures which were only found on the Steppe in both Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2, as well as Cactuar Waystones being present. The dormant fal'Cie Atomos and pieces of Titan are also found here, where they resided and toiled over a thousand years ago.
 * The small lizards roaming the sands use the same model as a staggered Gurangatch.