Imperial Knights Ariel

Ariel (アリエル) is a spirit pact character who appears in the elf forest on Route 3, briefly joins as a temporary party member, and is referenced in guild quest flags across Routes 1 and 2 on New Game+ files. She is not a permanent party member on any route — her value is quest-specific and flag-dependent. Players who encounter her for the first time often mistake her for a Route 3-only character; she actually has content that bleeds into Route 1 and 2 files via the guild board.

This page covers her actual role, the quest flags she affects, and why she belongs on the checklist even if she never stays in the party for more than one dungeon section.

Profile

• Japanese name: アリエル
• Role: Spirit pact, support magic, quest flag trigger
• Join timing: Elf forest (Route 3)
• Leave timing: End of elf forest section
• Route availability: Route 3 primary; referenced on Routes 1 and 2 NG+ via quest flags

How Ariel joins (Route 3)

1. Navigate the elf forest on the Route 3 spine (after Hertzots).
2. Progress through the forest until you encounter Ariel.
3. A story event triggers — Ariel forms a spirit pact with the party.
4. Ariel joins as a temporary party member for the elf forest section.

She does not stay after the forest exit. She registers as a quest flag reference, not a permanent hire.

Spirit pact mechanics

Ariel’s spirit pact is a support-focused kit:

• Spirit-based attacks — moderate magic damage
• Support spells — party buffs and healing assistance
• Lower combat ceiling — she is not a primary damage dealer

Her role in the elf forest is to ease the transition into Route 3’s more demanding dungeon mechanics. She provides enough support to make the forest survivable while Ellis (the real carry) is still in the mines or not yet paired.

Quest flags that reference Ariel

Ariel appears in three guild quest flags across routes:

Scene 104 (Route 1 — Lighthouse goblin hunt)

• Condition: Take the lighthouse goblin quest with Ariel in the party
• Effect: Different dialogue and an extra flag compared to the standard quest
• Note: Ariel is NOT in the Route 1 natural party — she must be hired from NG+ (clear Route 3 first, then bring her on a Route 1 NG+ file)

Scene 126 (Route 3 — Girl’s revenge)

• Condition: Take the girl’s revenge quest with Tania in the party
• Ariel connection: The quest NPC references spirit pact characters from the elf forest

Guild request flags

• The lighthouse goblin quest (Route 1) has an Ariel variant flag
• This flag is only accessible on a New Game+ file where Route 3 has been cleared

The lighthouse goblin quest in detail

The lighthouse goblin hunt (灯台のゴブリン退治) is a Route 1 guild request at the Alexandria Great Lighthouse. The standard quest has you fight the Salmon Hydra at the top (~1,500 HP, resists fire and water, weak to wind).

With Ariel in the party:

• Different NPC dialogue at the lighthouse entrance
• The hydra fight has modified attack patterns
• Scene 104 flag triggers if you lose the hydra fight with Ariel present

This is one of the most cross-route flag dependencies in the game: a Route 1 optional job changes outcome based on a character who only exists on Route 3 files.

How to get Ariel on a Route 1 file

1. Clear Route 3 on any file (Ariel joins during that clear)
2. Start NG+ on Route 1 — the mercenary board now lists Route 3 characters
3. Hire Ariel from the board before taking the lighthouse quest
4. Take the lighthouse goblin quest with Ariel in the party
5. Lose the hydra fight intentionally to trigger Scene 104

This is a five-file completionist workflow. Most players will never see this flag on a first playthrough.

Ariel versus Ellis in Route 3

Character	Join	Role	Duration	NG+ value
Ariel	Elf forest	Support, spirit pact	One dungeon	Quest flags only
Ellis	Mines	Fire/earth mage	Permanent hire	Highest

Ariel and Ellis do not overlap in the Route 3 timeline — Ariel is in the elf forest while Ellis is in the mines (or already hired from Hertzots). They are parallel track characters, not competitors.

Gallery and scene collection

Ariel’s scenes are quest-gated:

• Elf forest spirit pact event (automatic during Route 3)
• Lighthouse goblin variant (requires NG+ hire)
• Scene 104 loss variant (requires intentional defeat)

The gallery guide explains the overall collection system. Ariel-specific rows are:

• Scene 104: Lighthouse with Ariel, hydra loss
• Scene ~126: Girl’s revenge with Tania (Ariel referenced)

Quick reference

• Join: Elf forest (Route 3)
• Role: Spirit pact, support magic
• Duration: One dungeon section
• NG+ use: Route 1 lighthouse quest flags
• Key flag: Scene 104 requires hiring Ariel on a Route 1 NG+ file

Related pages

• Route 3 guide — elf forest section
• Guild quests — lighthouse goblin, scene 104
• New Game+ — cross-route mercenary board
• Gallery guide — Ariel-specific scene rows
• Checklist — quest flag tracking