Passaj

Official Dark Dawn art of Passaj.

Passaj (コリドー Corridor) is a prominent settlement repeatedly visited in Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. It is an ancient settlement built into one of the lesser peaks of the Khiren Mountains that horizontally divide Angara's southern Ei-Jei region from the Morgal Region to the north. It was built in the ancient past by the local Exathi craftsmen who collaborated with the ancient ancestors to modern Adepts, the Jenei – or rather, a particular faction of Jenei who resided within Craggy Peak north across the mountains from Passaj, the Neox.

The modern-day descendants of the Exathi living in Passaj have not retained their forebears' exemplary craftsmanship, and the lack of readily available modern-day Adepts of the proper elements has left them unable to make use of the ancient Alchemy Machine in the center of the settlement, the Alchemy Forge. They rely on mining the floating mineral that occurs inside the mountain, Zol.

Matthew's elementally diverse party of Adepts, having been "trapped" in the Ei-Jei region by Blados, are led to Passaj by their newly recruited party member, Rief, to work out how the Alchemy Forge can be used to create an alleged "cloud passage" that leads to Craggy Peak. Their dealings with the town mayor Bogho and his grandson Baghi compel them to explore the Ei-Jei region and retrieve the Sol Mask from a dungeon, which must be inserted in order to enable its operation. The party will then have to go back to Harapa to fetch a cold-based Psynergy needed to unlock the Alchemy Forge's remaining functionality.

In Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

For all NPC gossip, see Side Scripts.

After the player's party departs east from Harapa to explore the southern Ei-Jei region of Angara, the route they must take northeast will unavoidably bring them near the overworld model representing Passaj Mountain Climb. The plot expects the player to progress up through the Mountain Climb to reach Passaj at its summit, where the party will eventually be directed to try to enter the underground portion of Ayuthay to the south. When the party finds they need authorization by King Wo of Kaocho far to the east to be allowed through by his forces occupying Ayuthay's surface level, they must detour there and receive Wo's Letter from him before returning to Ayuthay and reaching its underground shelter.

Technically, it is possible to hold off on reaching Passaj and head toward Ayuthay and Kaocho first, and it will be possible to receive the king's letter and be allowed by the Kaocho occupying force to explore the abandoned surface level of Ayuthay. However, the party will not be able to breach the underground shelter until they make use of the Tree Flute that is only received during the long cutscenes that take place in Passaj, which will open a special entrance into the shelter. Because of this, there is no reason not to climb up to Passaj and finish all available mandatory business there at the first opportunity given.

Initial visit

When the player reaches Passaj's settlement atop the pinnacle of the mountain, cutscenes with Rief will automatically transport the rest of the party through the main town and into the screen off its north end, where the Cloud Platform lies. Karis will prevent you from heading back down to the town until you approach Rief and learn about how the platform stands to become usable and create a cloud passage toward the distant Craggy Peak once the Alchemy Forge in town is operated using the proper types of Psynergy.

The Cloud Platform at the north end of the town provides an ancient method of reaching Craggy Peak in the distance that is dependent on working the Alchemy Forge in town.

Since the town hall at the north end of the main town area is currently closed off by a sign claiming that the mayor is in a meeting, the next cutscene advancing the story triggers when you enter the structure at the exact center of Passaj. The cutscene has Tyrell attempting to turn on the Alchemy Forge by casting his Fireball Psynergy, then Karis advising that the party reconnect the power lines before they do so again. To do this, push the large, green Zol block at the northwest corner right and then up, then push the other Zol block near it left, up, right, and up. (Even though this will complete the power line at the northwest corner of the Alchemy Forge chamber, casting Fireball on the fire-shaped inscription like Tyrell did will not yet cause a reaction.)

To fit the northeast Zol block into the depression above it, you must cast Move on the gray square pillar with a red stripe around its "neck" to shift it one tile east. That way, the Zol block can be pushed up, then left, then up. With both Zol power lines connected, cast Fireball on the front flame inscription to bring the Forge to life and trigger a very long cutscene in which the town mayor, Bogho, barges in. He reveals that the Forge requires a particular artifact to be inserted into it in order for the party to control it: the Sol Mask, which lies in the Ouroboros dungeon underneath Kaocho. Bogho requests that the party follow him into the town hall at the north end to continue the discussion.

Inside the town hall, it is established that the party can successfully "survive" the Ouroboros by enlisting the help of Amiti, the prince of Ayuthay. Baghi, Bogho's grandson, will give you the Tree Flute, which is needed to open a gate built into a "strange and ancient tree" situated at the north end of Ayuthay's occupied surface level; it is this entrance that will lead into the underground shelter wherein Ayuthay's people hide from the occupying forces. Before leaving Passaj, you can examine the bookcase Baghi was looking through to find Sun Saga 3, the third in the Sun Saga series of cinematic retrospectives on the events of the previous two games in the Golden Sun series.

The Alchemy Forge in Passaj lies dormant until Fire Psynergy is used on it, but the Sol Mask is needed to operate it.

Separately, it is worth exploring the complex of caves that connect to the backsides of the inn and both residences left and above it. Inside the room at the northwest end of floor 1F of this complex, examine the lone barrel left of two bookcases for one of the game's eight Power Breads. Meanwhile, the back of the lower-floor room with the sanctum features a simple puzzle where you can push a Zol block right, then, down, then right, and then up, letting you walk across it and head down the staircase to find a Quality Zol in a chest. (This will remain in your inventory for most of the game and can only be redeemed for a random piece of endgame-quality gear at the blacksmith service in a late-game settlement.)

The armory's two vendors currently do not sell anything because their forges are inactive. However, it is possible to finish an optional puzzle-like chore inside the armory by fitting three block-like pieces of the floor into the proper holes between the two smiths. First, Move the block behind the right smith two tiles left and then two tiles down to fit it into the upper hole between a barrel and a white pot. Then, move the "t-intersection" block that stands just to the upper left of that filled-up hole one tile right and then all the way down into the bottom hole. Finally, move the remaining "horizontal line" block two tiles left, two tiles up, and two tiles left into a third hole that is partially hidden behind the white pot left of the lone barrel. Having all three pieces of the floor filled out so that the conduits are connected does nothing at the moment, but they will come into play when you eventually return to Passaj with the Sol Mask.

If you head down the staircase a short ways southeast of the item shopkeeper, you will find Passaj's Zol elevator, which is now working because you had brought the Alchemy Forge to life. This will take you all the way down to the bottom interior floor of Passaj Mountain Climb, and you can step out at the base of the Climb through the large, cavernous entrance. This functions as a two-way shortcut between Passaj and the overworld that allows you to skip traveling all the way back through the exterior and interior portions of the Climb, and the elevator ought to be used whenever you need to reenter or exit Passaj going forward.

Subsequent visits

Wo's Letter, automatically granted during a cutscene that triggers when you enter the king's chamber in Kaocho, is needed to reach the aforementioned ancient tree deep into the surface level of Ayuthay, and using the Tree Flute in front of its stone face transports the player into Ayuthay's underground shelter. From there, the player will spend quite some time at Ayuthay, dealing with not only the connected Barai Temple but two separate boss encounters as well. By the time the player departs Ayuthay, Amiti will have permanently joined the party and can use the Insight Psynergy for the party's benefit, and Tyrell can use the utility Psynergy Arid Heat as well. This lets you then go back east to Kaocho and enter the main portion of the Ouroboros dungeon through the cave at the city's northeast corner, and you will gain the Sol Mask at the end.

The insertion of the Sol Mask into the Alchemy Forge raises Passaj's ancient mechanisms and turns it into a veritable fortress.

Use the Zol elevator at the base of Passaj Mountain Climb to return to Passaj quickly. While you hold the Sol Mask in your inventory, every NPC in the village will give their own remark on the mask when spoken to, though the town hall will once again be closed off by a sign. When you insert the mask into the Alchemy Forge, the town all but transforms into a fortress, with a set of new walls rising out of the ground to surround Passaj's south face. At the same time, the entire arid southwestern region of Ei-Jei will turn lush and green because of a shower sprinkled across the land by the buildings in Ayuthay, and water will now flow into Harapa to the west. The game will visually indicate that the the formerly inaccessible Harapa Ruins at the north end of the city can now be reached.

Stepping onto the Cloud Platform will fail to create the expected cloud passage, however, and the resulting cutscene reveals you must find yet another required component: the Ice Queen Stone, whose bearer lies in wait inside Harapa Ruins. Before you take the Zol elevator down and begin backtracking west toward Harapa, there are several other useful collectibles and functions that are now available.

Inside the armory, connecting the conduits (whether you had done so earlier or are doing it now) reactivates the forges, and the smiths will give you a Zol Ring and allow you to buy weapons and armor from them as traditional vendors. The weapon shopkeeper adds the Psynergy Rod to the artifacts menu shared between weapon vendors, and the armor shopkeeper's generic selection introduces the Psynergy Armor, Silk Robe, Iron Shield, Iron Helm, and Leather Boots. This being the only store in the game that sells Leather Boots, the only Boot-class item that isn't found in limited quantities otherwise, incentivizes the player to buy at least four pairs while they can, which will remain useful for the rest of the game.

The treasure room at the northeast corner of Passaj can now be looted; you can find a Hard Nut and the Prophet's Hat in the chests (as well as a Vial in the white pot to the right of the chests). You can also climb the stairs onto the glowing wall southeast of the treasure room and walk along the wall southwest, where two parts of the gate on either side of the arch connecting them each has its own staircase leading back south into the top screen of Passaj Mountain Climb. Take the left of these staircases to transition to the left part of said screen and slide down a cliff slide, then head east and hop along a smaller, modern gate so you can follow the linear path southeast to where the Mars Djinni Brand is standing. To make it back from Brand's ledge, head northeast to a sapling and turn it into a vine ladder with Growth, letting you climb back up to the glowing gate and walls.

Casting Cold Snap on the standing puddles puts the Alchemy Forge into reverse, empowering the clouds produced at the Cloud Platform.

Completing Harapa Ruins will win the party the Ice Queen Stone as expected, and either Rief or Amiti will be capable of casting the Cold Snap Psynergy while one of them has it equipped. After you take the Zol elevator into Passaj once more, cast Cold Snap on both standing puddles in the Alchemy Forge's chamber to turn the glowing orange conduits cyan and put the machine into reverse, turning the entire chamber blue and all of the glowing pillars and walls outside blue with it. This signifies that the Cloud Platform will now produce the right type of cloud to take the party to the Clouds of Passaj, the one-way route leading to Craggy Peak and the Morgal region on the north side of the Khiren Mountains.

Approaching the Cloud Platform causes Karis to ask whether you are ready to go; as she accurately points out, the party will not be able to return to the Ei-Jei region for a great while once you say "Yes." This amounts to one of the game's infamous points of no return; even though the party will be able to revisit Passaj and the other prominent locations across Ei-Jei during the final arc of the game that spans the Eastern Sea, several of the collectibles in the Ei-Jei region will become permanently missed regardless. This includes the easy-to-miss Venus Djinni Brick, which can only be gotten in Harapa during the short span of time between getting access to Cold Snap and departing for the Clouds.

Other noteworthy collectibles you ought to make sure to get before departing for Morgal include a Lucky Pepper and the Grandmother's Gift in Kaocho, as well as the aforementioned items sold only at the armory in Passaj itself, including the Leather Boots not sold anywhere else. (One example of a collectible that is technically possible to reach during a return visit late in the game, on the other hand, is the Flora summon tablet, which you can reach starting now in a room in Passaj Mountain Climb with the help of Cold Snap.) See here for a full list of collectibles that become impossible to acquire if you did not acquire them prior to riding the cloud spawned by the Cloud Platform.

Final visit

The Venus Djinni Ivy is found through a cryptic series of optional events that can be triggered between NPCs when Passaj is revisited late in the game.

During the final arc of the game, the entirety of the Eastern Sea can be explored, and the party can beach their new sailing ship at the Ei-Jei region's southern beaches to return to Passaj and other settlements, which will now be updated to account for recent circumstances. While the item shopkeeper remains open, the armory no longer buys or sells wares. Entering the Alchemy Forge building will trigger an optional cutscene where the party reunites with Bogho and Baghi, and the four elders provide additional insight into the Apollo Lens that will eventually become the party's final objective in the story.

In a particularly cryptic sidequest that takes place here, when you go into the far northwest room in floor 1F of the cave complex behind the inn, you can interact with the Old Rag lying on the table to pick it up. Then, head southeast into the inn, talk to the woman lying face-down on the bed, and show her the rag to get her to run off to the northwest room. After a short cutscene that takes place when you approach the woman and two men, talk to the upper-left man twice in a row and ask him to accompany you, then head into the cavernous Zol hall leading up to the Zol elevator and approach the Zol cube diagonally embedded into the wall left of the elevator room's entrance. The man will automatically remove the cube, and the Venus Djinni Ivy will pop out and automatically add itself to your collection. The man will return to his room.

Vendors

Passaj's inn is marked just left of the Alchemy Forge's building in the center of town, costing 8 coins per party member. Therefore, it will cost 32 coins when first visited with four party members and then 40 coins once Amiti is added to the party. When Passaj is later revisited during the Eastern Sea arc, the party will feature seven members, driving the price up to 56 coins, and adding Himi to the party in Yamata City will drive the price up to its final value of 64 coins.

It is important to note that the weapon and armor vendors are only available once the Sol Mask has been inserted into the Alchemy Forge, but will only remain available up until the moment the party rides the Cloud Platform's cloud toward the Clouds of Passaj at the end of the Ei-Jei arc. Neither shop will be available when Passaj is visited late in the game, and only the item vendor will remain.

Weapon Shop
Name	Class	Cost	Effect
Broad Sword	Long Sword	1000	Attack +40, Unleashes Critical Strike and Berserk Rush
Broad Axe	Axe	1400	Attack +50, Unleashes Critical Strike and Rolling Attack
Battle Rapier	Light Blade	2900	Attack +58, Unleashes Critical Strike and Berserk Rush
Battle Mace	Mace	2600	Attack +56, Unleashes Power Charge and Critical Strike
Composite Bow	Bow	1600	Attack +65, Unleashes Double Shot and Arrow Shower
Artifacts
Psynergy Rod	Staff	3800	Attack +64, Unleashes Critical Strike and Psynergy Leech

Armor Shop
Name	Class	Cost	Effect
Psynergy Armor	Armor	1000	Defense +21, Max PP +20
Adept's Clothes	Clothing	850	Defense +18, Max PP +8
Silk Robe	Robe	1400	Defense +20
Iron Shield	Shield	1200	Defense +20
Leda's Bracelet (Dark Dawn)	Bracelet	900	Defense +17
Iron Helm	Helm	1600	Defense +20
Bronze Helm	Helm	600	Defense +14
Silver Circlet	Circlet	1300	Defense +16
Leather Boots	Boot	270	Defense +6

Item Shop
Name	Class	Cost	Effect
Herb	Consumable Item	10	Restores 50 HP to one Adept
Antidote	Consumable Item	20	Cures Poison and Venom from one Adept
Elixir	Consumable Item	30	Removes Stun, Sleep, and Delusion from one Adept
Sacred Feather	Consumable Item	70	Temporarily lowers monster encounter rate
Artifacts
Potion	Consumable Item	1000	Restores all HP to one Adept
Water of Life	Consumable Item	3000	Revives one downed Adept

Collectibles

• Tree Flute: Given by Baghi when you talk to him inside the northern town hall near the end of the mandatory cutscenes that take place during the party's first visit to Passaj.
• Sun Saga 3: Found by examining the upper-right bookcase in the town hall (the one Baghi fetches the Tree Flute from).
• Power Bread: Found inside the accessible barrel in the northwest room of Floor 1F of the cave network behind the inn, left of two bookcases.
• Quality Zol: Contained in a chest reached by solving a puzzle involving pushing a large, floating Zol block in a cave room behind the sanctum.
• Antidote: Found inside the rightmost, larger white pot in the far western residence, west of the inn.
• Bramble Seed: Found inside the stack of dark-brown crates outside at the southeast part of town, near the staircase connecting to the Zol elevator.
• 10 Coins: Found in the middle of the three pots lined up vertically at the upper-left corner inside the inn.
• 55 Coins: Found inside the lower of the two white pots to the left inside the residence built to the upper left of the Alchemy Forge building.
• Herb: Found inside the barrel left of the white pot in the middle of the "cave hallway" in the network behind the inn.
• Nut: Found inside the larger white pot closest to the door behind the counter inside the inn.
• Smoke Bomb: Found inside the upper of the pair of pots set up against the east end of the armory.

The following collectibles can only be gotten after inserting the Sol Mask into the Alchemy Forge and transforming Passaj:

• Brand: The Mars Djinni that lies out of reach in the top screen of Passaj Mountain Climb just south of the town can be reached now that the walls are elevated. By either climbing the stairs up to the east wall or hopping across to the west wall, you can walk along its top and head south along the dark stairs now connected to the south end of the west stretch of wall. This will let you maneuver your way to Brand's position.
• Hard Nut: Contained in the right treasure chest in the northeast treasure vault, which is now unlocked.
• Prophet's Hat: Contained in the left treasure chest in the northeast treasure vault.
• Zol Ring: Received in the armory once the puzzle involving fitting pillars back into the floor is solved and the forges are reactivated. This is only available up until the party departs for the Clouds of Passaj.
• Vial: Found inside the white pot just right of the two chests in the northeast treasure vault.

The following collectibles can only be gotten during a revisit to Passaj late in the game, while exploring the Eastern Sea:

• Old Rag: Retrieved from the table in the northwest room in Floor 1A of the cave complex that connects to the inn and two other cave residences. Its use is to be given to the woman lying on the bed in the inn; follow her back into the northwest room to see a cutscene, which will unlock the ability to have one of the two men she talks to temporarily accompany the party while in Passaj.
• Ivy: This Venus Djinni is automatically acquired by approaching the Zol cube diagonally wedged into the wall near the Zol elevator while you have the man mentioned above accompanying the party.

History

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Passaj is a small community located near the edge of the Khiren Mountains. The city itself is located atop a large mountain mine filled with the mineral known as Zol, which is both mined and forged by the residents. The city was founded in ancient times by a subset of the Exathi race, a non-Adept race of craftsmen. Over time, the Exathi of Passaj became known as skilled smiths. The residents of ancient Passaj held an alliance with the Neox, a tribe of the Jenei race, who were ancestors of modern-day Adepts. This alliance was so strong that the Neox chose Passaj as the location for a passageway to their home on Craggy Peak. However, this alliance was severed due to the disappearance of the Neox following the sealing of Alchemy.

At the outset of Dark Dawn, Passaj is stagnant, due to their inability to use their Alchemy Forge, which had been built jointly by the Exathi and Neox. Passaj is governed by a group of Elders, with Bogho as their head. The Elders of the town know much lore, most of it relating to the town's rich heritage.

Passaj is an ancient city, apparently ruled by a council of Elders. Currently, Bogho serves as head Elder. They have long shared a close alliance with Ayuthay, partly out of their shared heritage as descendants of the Exathi. In ancient times, they also were close allies to the Jenei, impressing the Jenei with their craftsmanship. In recent times, Passaj is considered an enemy of Kaocho. Kaocho attempted to invade Passaj, numerous times, but was always unsuccessful.

Spoiler warning: The following section(s) contain plot details that some people may not wish to learn before reaching this point in the game on their own.

During Dark Dawn, Matthew's group of Adepts comes to Passaj seeking a way over the Khiren Mountains, having been trapped in Ei-Jei by the mysterious Blados. The group is led to a platform north of the city by Rief, who had traveled to Passaj with his sister Nowell and the scholar Kraden a short time before. The platform was once the location of an ancient passageway that led up and over the otherwise impassable Khiren Mountain Range. Traveling back to the town, the group heads to Passaj's Alchemy Forge, said to be the key to activating the passageway. Kraden had been unable to repair the Forge during his previous trip, due to a lack of proper Psynergy. When Matthew and co arrive, they are able to restart the Forge thanks to their party containing a Mars Adept, namely, Tyrell.

Bogho's initially hostile response to outsiders tampering with the Alchemy Forge gives way to admiration as they repeatedly help Passaj.

The activation of the Forge is noticed by Bogho, the town's Elder, who reveals the town's past to the Adepts. Unfortunately, however, restarting the Alchemy Forge was insufficient, as the Sol Mask was required to control the Forge. According to Bogho, this mask was held in a labyrinth below Kaocho, who were warlike and had attempted to conquer Passaj in the past (though had failed). Matthew's party agrees to retrieve the mask, after learning that the Forge will also help revitalize the Ei-Jei region in addition to activating the passageway.

After several adventures, Matthew's party manages to retrieve the mask. The Alchemy Forge's revival causes giant walls to rise around the city, transforming it into an impenetrable fortress, thus ensuring that the town will be safe from future attacks. In addition, it combines with the corresponding Alchemy Well in the city of Ayuthay to provide water to the entire Ei-Jei region. Though most of the remaining citizens had considered leaving, the Alchemy Forge's revival brings new inspiration to the town. However, to use the Forge as a mode of transport, the Adepts soon realize that they need to set the Forge in reverse. After speaking with Bogho, they learn that such a feat is only possible by using the Ice Queen Stone, which had been stolen from Passaj several years before. Matthew's group eventually find the Ice Queen Stone in Harapa and return to Passaj. Activating the passageway, they leave Passaj to travel to Craggy Peak.

When the Grave Eclipse strikes most of Angara, Passaj one of the only areas under the Eclipse's shadow to remain relatively safe. A couple townspeople are killed after attempting to leave the city, but the rest remain unharmed inside the Alchemy Forge-powered walls.

Passaj's encyclopedia entry updates between the following two versions when the Sol Mask is inserted into the Alchemy Forge:

This mountain town is home to craftsmen. Though atop a remote peak, Passaj is said to have gotten its name because it is, or was, a passage of some sort.

The Exathi descendants in this town mine the floating ore, zol. Passaj is said to have gotten its name because it is, or was, a mountain passage of some sort.

Trivia

• If the party returns to Passaj during the Grave Eclipse and triggers the cutscene with Bogho and Baghi, Bogho will return to the town hall, but Baghi will remain behind. If you then attempt to cast Cold Snap while close enough to one of the standing puddles that it would create an ice pillar, the camera will instead focus on Baghi, who will firmly request that the party not "mess with the forge" and risk compromising the walls currently protecting Passaj from the shadowy monsters prowling outside. Attempting this again will prompt Baghi to accuse Matthew of having gone mad and relate his fears that Passaj will end right then and there if the Alchemy Forge stops working for even a moment.
• The four elders who ruminate on legends in the town hall have a set of observations providing additional insight into the Apollo Lens and the Grave Eclipse when they are spoken to during the Grave Eclipse arc. This is the only in-game indication of details such as how legend holds that the Apollo Lens will only open up for use if there is an ongoing Grave Eclipse to begin with. Strangely, all four elders seem to be aware that Matthew is reading their minds if the party uses Spirit Sense on them, as though all four of them were Adepts – which is not indicated at any other point.