What happens in chapter 1
You arrive in Idyll as a special observer on an expedition, catch your first Aniimo in Starfall Valley, follow a runaway survey drone underground, and come out of it enrolled at the Polaris Institute with a licence to record what you catch.
Show the plot
The trip opens with Nicole walking you through identity verification and a guided first catch. Starfall Valley is the Institute's chosen starting ground, so the next quest is pure fieldwork: three species, three Aniipod throws, three Aniilog entries.
Chasing BINI #9 into a cave turns the trip. A cube swallows the drone, you fall into an ancient ruin, and the Aniimo waiting in there asks you to choose between Helion and Lunara before a Summoned Infergon comes through the floor. Nicole fights it with you.
Principal Oswen pulls you back to Astra afterwards and offers you a place at the Institute. The enrollment ceremony opens character management, the tour ends at the front desk, and Dr. Lewis sends you back to Idyll to upload the catch results that switch the Aniilog on for good.
- Requires
- No gate
- Regions
- Starfall Valley, Nimbus Fields
- Quests
- 4
- Unlocks
- Character management unlocked, Aniimo Management unlocked
An Idyllic Trip
Where this happens
- Starfall Valley
- Prologue, no gate
Follow Nicole and verify your identity
Nicole meets you at the landing point and asks for your papers. This is the name and appearance screen, so take the time you want here: renaming later costs an item.
Explore Idyll until the marker moves
Walk the marked path. The game is teaching movement, so use Shift to dash on PC; the full control list is in the PC controls guide.
Catch up with Nicole
She calls you from further up the trail. Nothing is missable behind you, so run straight to her.
Burn the vines across the path
Twine with your new Emberpup, aim Fire Bolt at the vine wall and hold the skill until it catches. Burning obstacles is the core traversal verb in Aniimo and it comes back in every Sanctum.
Enter the valley
The burnt gate opens into Starfall Valley proper and closes the quest.
Quest log objectives
- TalkFollow Nicole to complete your identity verification.
- GoExplore Idyll!
- FieldCapture the Emberpup
- CatchTry catching the Emberpup!
- CatchCatch Emberpup
- GoCatch up with Nicole. She's calling for us!
- FieldBurn the vines blocking the path and enter the valley!
- GoEnter the valley!
Aniimo Catching Journey
Where this happens
- Starfall Valley
- 3 Aniilog entries
Talk to Nicole to start the survey
She hands over the survey brief and the marker moves to the drone.
Catch up to BINI #9
The drone drifts ahead of you down the valley. Follow it rather than the terrain; it sets the pace for the whole quest.
Catch a Celestis
A Dark flier with Shooting Stars and Star Glide. Knock its health down first, then throw. Report back to Nicole once it is in the pod.
Catch a Hummin
A Grass ground type. It runs. Twine and dash to close the gap, or hit it once to make it stand and fight.
Catch a Skippy
The Water one, and the one that matters. Skippy carries Water Orb, Ice Orb and Healing Water, and it is the counter to the boss two quests from now. Catch it, then level it as you go.
Restock from Nicole if you run dry
Running out of Aniipods does not fail the quest. The objective flips to "Go find Nicole" and she tops you up.
Quest log objectives
- TalkTalk to Nicole.
- GoCatch up to BINI #9!
- CatchTry catching a Celestis!
- TalkCapture complete, talk to Nicole!
- CatchTry catching a Hummin!
- CatchTry catching a Skippy!
- TalkYou don't have enough Aniipods. Go find Nicole.
The Mysterious Cavern
Where this happens
- Instanced cavern
- Boss: Summoned Infergon
Reach the cavern floor
The cube takes BINI #9 and drops you into an ancient ruin. There is no way back up, so head for the marker.
Follow the lit path through the ruin
Follow the lit path. The ruin is linear and the only branch leads to a dead end.
Clear both tracking points
The quest drops two Track Point markers in sequence. Stand in each one until the ring fills.
Talk to Principal Oswen and Nicole
The fight ends in a cutscene that moves you to Astra. Speak to Oswen to close the chapter beat.
Quest log objectives
- GoReach the Area
- TwineTalk to the mysterious Aniimo.
- GoExplore this mysterious place.
- GoHurry, go see what's happening!
- GoTrack Point 1
- GoTrack Point 2
- GoHelp Nicole defeat the mysterious Aniimo.
- FieldDefeat the enemy!
- GoTalk to Principal Oswen and Nicole.
- TalkContinue the story
Institute Initiation
Where this happens
Talk to Principal Oswen and Nicole in Astra
The quest opens in the Institute main hall. Oswen offers you the place; take it.
Follow Nicole on the tour
Three stops: the corridor, the Skylight Camera, then the front desk. The camera stop is also the photo tutorial.
Finish the tour and make your choice
The front desk asks which department you join. The answer sets flavour text and the greeting you get later; it does not change your stats or your kit.
Complete the enrollment ceremony
This is the step that unlocks character management, which is where your own Pathfinder skills and stats live. See the Pathfinder skills guide for what to spend your first points on.
Report to Dr. Lewis
He is the expedition lead and every later chapter routes through him. Find him at the Polaris Institute marker.
Go back to Idyll and upload your catch results
Fast travel to the Nimbus Fields Outpost and use the terminal. Uploading is how catches turn into Aniilog records, and it is the step that unlocks the Aniilog itself.
Talk to Dr. Lewis about the results
He reads the upload back to you and the Aniilog banner fires. From here every catch you report adds Safaris.
Follow Dr. Lewis out of the Outpost and find Bohr
Bohr stands at the Holographic Discovery Booth outside. Talking to him closes chapter 1 and opens the road to the Breezy Plains Branch.
Quest log objectives
- TalkTalk to Principal Oswen and Nicole.
- GoFollow Nicole on a tour of the Institute
- GoSkylight Camera
- StoryNavigate to the front desk.
- TalkFinish the institute tour and make your choice
- StoryComplete the enrollment ceremony
- TalkComplete your enrollment.
- GoReport to Dr. Lewis.
- TalkReport to Dr. Lewis.
- GoGo to Idyll.
- ReportUpload your catch results.
- TalkUpload your catch results.
- StoryTalk to Dr. Lewis about the results.
- TalkTalk to Dr. Lewis about the results.
- GoFollow Dr. Lewis out of the Outpost
- StoryGo talk to Bohr by the Holographic Discovery Booth.
What comes next
Chapter 2, Setting Out Again, sends you to the Breezy Plains Branch for Lumin Amber and then to Nimbus Fields for the freshman lesson, the First Spark Sanctum trial and your first regional badge. It is still ungated, so you can run straight into it.
Before you go, three things pay off immediately: level the Skippy, read the catching guide for the throw timings the prologue skips, and open the main story hub to see where the first level gate sits.
Frequently asked
Should you pick Helion or Lunara in the cavern?
Both are Light and both hit the same matchups, so pick on kit. Helion leans on Light Bombardment and Holy Storm for sustained damage; Lunara carries Lunar Eclipse and Lumin Bolts. The choice is permanent for that save.
What is the boss in The Mysterious Cavern?
A Lv 10 Summoned Infergon. It is Fire, so a Water Aniimo such as the Skippy from the previous quest hits it for 1.6x while your Emberpup only lands 0.625x.
Which Aniimo do you catch in chapter 1?
Four: a scripted Emberpup, then Celestis, Hummin and Skippy for the Aniilog survey. The cavern then adds Helion or Lunara.
Is there a level requirement for Journey to Idyll?
No. All four quests are ungated, and the first level and title gate in the main story does not appear until chapter 4, at Pathfinder Level 25 with the Student II title.