Return to Narshe

You now have full control of the Blackjack, and the world is open to you. It makes sense to follow the plot and head for Narshe right now since there's a lot to be gained there, but you don't have to do so immediately. If you haven't yet looked at the Espers you earned in the MagiTek Research Facility, now is a good time to do so. Both Terra and Setzer are lacking in Spells, and whoever you left in Narshe all this time likely is as well. None of the new Espers have powerful attack Spells that you should go out of your way to learn (though Shoat's Bio is not bad), but they do offer a wide variety of support and utility Spells. Of particular note is Bismark's +2 bonus to Vigor on level up. Maduin offers the same +1 bonus to Mag.Pwr as Stray, allowing you to increase the magic damage dealt by two Characters at once.

Narshe

The Returners in town will find you as soon as you enter the city proper. The team lays out a new plan: head to the Sealed Gate and recruit the Espers to help fight the Empire. Your next destination is the Imperial Base that guards the Cave to the Sealed Gate, but there's no need to rush. You'll regain control of the party at the Elder's House and you're free to go where you will.

Narshe's shops have upgraded their wares, so it pays to take another look at them. The Weapon Shop sells the Poison Rod, an odd Weapon at this point since no one can use it. It can be used in combat to cast Poison, but as the Rod breaks upon use and costs 1,500 GP, this seems a bit excessive. On the other hand, the Hawk Eye is well worth its steep 6,000 GP price. It's a powerful weapon for Locke in its own right, and will deal +50% bonus damage half the time. The bonus is even crazier against flying creatures, resulting in triple damage dealt. The downside is that these effects will not occur if used with the Thief Glove. The Morning Star is a better version of the Flail, and is a valid choice if you want to keep Terra in the back row.

In addition to being the first place you can buy Gold Shlds and Gold Helmets, the Armor Shop features two brand new items. The Tiara offers a +2 bonus to Mag.Pwr for Terra. It's not as extreme as the Mag.Pwr bonus offered by the Magus Hat, but does feature substantially better Defense and Mag.Def. The Power Sash is a piece of body Armor that offers good stats and a substantial +5 bonus to Vigor and Stamina. It's a very nice upgrade for any physical attackers that can use it.

There is nothing new available in the Item Shop or Relic Shop, but the Relics on sale here include many of the best you've seen. You can pick up Earrings, RunningShoes, Wall Rings, and more here.

Lone Wolf and the Gold Hairpin

If you speak to the old man in the southeastern part of town, he'll mention that the thief Lone Wolf has been spotted, and worry about his treasure. Head to the Old Man's House where you will catch Lone Wolf in the act of looting the one chest that was locked earlier. Follow him outside and north, using the same path Terra did at the start of the game. Every now and then, you'll spot Lone Wolf again, telling you you're on the right track.

When you reach the North Mine, head east along the tracks rather than continuing north. This path leads to the Snow Maze where you fought Kefka, and eventually to the Cliff Top. Lone Wolf is holding Mog hostage, and demands you stay still. Do so, and Mog will break free on his own, leaving you with a choice: rescue Mog, or take the Gold Hairpin Lone Wolf stole. It's one or the other.

Mog will join you later in the game even if you don't rescue him here, but you won't see him again in the World of Balance. This means you will never learn his Water Rondo Dance, which may be a deal-breaker for perfectionists. The Gold Hairpin is a nice relic that halves MP consumption, effectively doubling the number of Spells you can cast. There are several others available in the World of Ruin, but it will be some time before you get your hands on one if you pass this one up.

Mog

As you may remember from the battle with the Marshal, Mog can learn various Dances by fighting in different terrain. He likely already learned the Dusk Requium, but he can learn seven other dances (only six at the moment) by fighting battles across the world. Note that when Mog starts Dancing, the terrain changes to match the Dance, so you'll want to avoid using Dance while learning. There's no way to learn the Snowman Jazz just yet, but the other available dances should be easy to pick up:

Learning the Water Rondo is easy. You can fight either on the Lete River or in the Serpent Trench. The problem is that doing either of these will result in you being taken somewhere else. You can follow most of Sabin's Scenario, similar to the steps needed to teach Gau Rages up until now, but there is a shortcut available. If you rent a chocobo in Nikeah, you can ride across terrain you couldn't normally walk across, making your way all the way to Baren Falls. Jump down the falls once again, and you'll appear on the Veldt. Head south to Crescent Mountain and dive into the Serpent Trench. You'll learn the Water Rondo along the way, can pick up any Treasures you missed earlier, and will end up back in Nikeah where your airship is waiting for you.