Star Ocean: Second Evolution (Part 1) - Arlia Village and Salva
3Arlia Village
Items: Rose Hips, Blueberry, Aceras, Leather Armor, 200 FOL, Resurrection Bottle, Strawberry Jam, Blackberry, Long Sword, Rena's Hairpin, Rena's Pendant
Enemies: *Ghark
As soon as you gain control of Rena, you can explore Arlia Village. For starters, go back inside your house (bottom left) and go upstairs to pick up a Blackberry. The three chests in front of the general store hold a Leather Armor, 200 FOL, and a Resurrection Bottle. The Leather Armor will be automatically equipped on Rena; if you know anything at all about RPGs, you shouldn't need this feature. Go to the Equip screen and press Triangle to bring up the menu which lets you disable it. The house at the top right has a chest with a Strawberry Jam. Go left one screen; the house at the top left has a Rose Hips and a Blueberry upstairs. Herbs like Rose Hips and Aceras will be fairly plentiful throughout the game, but they're useless for actual HP recovery; they're used in the Compounding Specialty. You can shop at the general store; buy two or three Blueberries and a single Sandals to equip on Rena.
When you're done, head to the bottom left to see a save point. Save if you want, then continue south into the Shingo Forest. You'll see a scene and a non-controllable battle; you'll get 300 FOL after it's done. Another scene, and Claude will enter your party. You can show him around Arlia; people will react differently to him than they did before. When you're ready, return to Rena's house for another scene. Next you have to search for Claude. You have to ask around; I *think* the trigger that makes him appear is talking to the man (the lovebird) inside the top left house in the left screen; exit and he'll be walking around the left screen. Talk to him to take him back into your party, then return to your house for another scene.
Another scene, then exit to the right and enter the rightmost house; it belongs to Mayor Regis (no, not Philbin). He'll "join" you; return to your house for a long scene. You'll wake up the next morning. You still can't leave the village, so return to Shingo Forest for one last scene. Go back to the save point and save, then try going north for one more scene. You'll come to in Alen's mansion in Salva.
Salva Drift / Salva
Items: Portrait B, Blackberry, Rose Hips, Blueberry (x2), Silver, Iron, Gold (x2), Spectacles, Heavy Ring, Ring of Happiness
Enemies: Funnythief, Vopalbunny, Lizardaxe, *Alen-Tax
Pick up the Portrait B in the room you're in (Alen's obsessed, no?). Don't bother trying to Use it, though; it's better to sell. Go out of the room and downstairs. Try to leave, then head into the room to your right. Rena will notice the statue in the top right; examine it to open a secret passage. Rena will talk to Bossman, then you'll be in the Salva Drift. You'll be attacked by enemies here, but you should be able to handle them easily. The bunnies will probably give you trouble, though; try not to get surrounded by them.
Go north one screen. You'll see two chests with a Rose Hips and a Blackberry, and a branching path. First take the left path. The way down is blocked by soldiers (and just leads back to town), so keep going left to pick up a Blueberry and a Silver, which raises defense by 1, so equip it. Go back right and now take the northern path. You'll get to a chest with an Iron; don't bother equipping it. Go down a bit and left (the passage is a bit hard to see, but saves you a bit of walking around).
You're now in a confusing-looking place, but it's not too bad. First, keep going left and to the next screen to pick up a Gold. You can't go any further left here (right, like you'd be able to beat a dragon with a Long Sword) so go back right one screen. Go up and take the first left to reach a Blueberry and another Gold. Go back right and up again; you'll see a save point. Going right (the passage below the door, that is) leads backwards, so head left for a Spectacles. Now save at the save point and head into the nearby door.
You'll confront Alen and enter a "boss fight". Alen-Tax has a mere 400 HP and is a total wimp; plus you'll have Rena for this fight to heal you if you get tired. He'll go down easily. You'll end up just outside Mayor Regis's house in Arlia. Go back into the house and talk to him for a longish scene, and you'll wind up upstairs in his house. Go down and to the balcony for yet another scene. Now go back up, downstairs, and exit the house. Head left a screen and down to the bridge for your last scene. Now that the story's all set up, the game begins! Rena joins your party, and the two scenarios now coincide for the vast remainder of the game.