Chapter 22: Ecruteak City, the Burned Tower and the Fog Badge

Ecruteak City is a quiet old town with a Dance Theater, the Burned Tower in the north-west and the Bell Tower behind a gatehouse in the north. Team Rocket turns up here too: a man in a red cape, the Marauder, is about to smash the Sealing Mirror in the Burned Tower, and he will only listen to Morty, who is away at the Bell Tower.

Main quest in this chapter: stop the Marauder in the Burned Tower basement, pass the Bell Tower gate quiz to reach Morty, fight the Marauder and Maxie in the Burned Tower, then win the Fog Badge from Morty (Chapter 23 starts at the road west to Olivine).

Before the Rising Badge (Chapter 27): Sakura’s Water Stone request in the Dance Theater. Before the Route 39 scene with Gold (next chapter): Gold’s training battles in the Pokémon Center.

Hidden items along the way

Optional stops in this chapter’s locations. Some spots may need a return visit; check the location notes for access limitations.

Open a location for item names, directions and available screenshots.

• Ecruteak City — 3 spots
• Burned Tower — 4 spots
• Bellchime Trail — 5 spots

Browse all hidden items

Walkthrough

The Burned Tower and the Bell Tower gate. In the Burned Tower basement the Marauder is at the Sealing Mirror: pick the option that stops him. He says he will only listen to Morty. Go to the Bell Tower gatehouse in the north of town and tell the guard “I’m the Champion. I need Morty.” Then answer his six questions, all in one go (a wrong answer starts you over). Walk up Bellchime Trail to Morty and Eusine, then go back to the Burned Tower: Gold and Silver wait at the entrance, and in the basement the Marauder breaks the seal and Team Rocket attacks. You fight the Marauder and Maxie together in a Double Battle on your own.

Opens up:

• Burned Tower → Bell Tower gate: bring Morty to the Marauder (story; the gate quiz)

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/10 q-0280 (script file 23: script 5 L3965-L5402 sets 0x4098 = 4; script 4 sets 6; script 1 L1482 trainers 800 + 822, L3517 sets 7 and flag 462 which opens the Gym; file 22 script 7 sets 5; file 922 script 1 flag 457). Starts after Silver’s scene on Route 37 (guide/10 q-0280).

What the Burned Tower story opens in Ecruteak. Morty’s Gym is open now, and Gold appears at the left of the Pokémon Center entrance for a series of training battles (three in a row, 12 Soda Pop in the end). The Bell Tower gatehouse guard now teaches Aura Sphere. Around town:

• Two kids argue about the strongest legendary beast (one answer per game).
• A girl at the west end wants to see a Pokémon as stunning as Ho-Oh (Shed Shell).
• An old man on the east side asks five lantern riddles (2 Power Bands).
• The wheelchair-bound writer in the house east of the Pokémon Center is waiting for her Pidgey; if you carried the letter from Route 35, she rewards your stories (Wise Glasses).
• The boy with a Shellos in the right-hand of the two houses below the Burned Tower (a one-time choice).
• Sakura, the Kimono Girl at the right end of the row in the Dance Theater, wants a Water Stone for a Spell Tag.
• Route 37 and the rest of town have small extras (Sunny the Sunday sibling, the S.S. Anne fan, the Eruption tutor and more).

Opens up:

• Ecruteak Pokémon Center: Gold's training battles (→ 12 Soda Pop; missable) Missable
• Ecruteak City: which legendary beast is strongest? (one-time)
• Ecruteak City: show the girl a Pokémon like Ho-Oh (→ Shed Shell)
• Ecruteak City: Grandpa's Pokémon lantern riddles (→ 2 Power Bands)
• Ecruteak City: the wheelchair-bound writer's Pidgey letter (→ Wise Glasses; continues Route 35's hungry Pidgey)
• Ecruteak City: Shellos for the boy without Badges (choice; one chance) Missable
• Ecruteak City (Dance Theater): Sakura wants a Water Stone (→ Spell Tag; before the Rising Badge) Missable
• Ecruteak City: small extras

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/10 q-0285 (‘after the Burned Tower chapter’; Gold leaves when the Route 39 scene plays), q-0282, q-0283, q-0284, q-0286 (hand over a Water Stone; skipped once you hold the Rising Badge), q-0287 (NOCLOSE q-0287: a one-time choice, nothing later closes it), q-0289 (needs the Pidgey letter from q-0271), q-0293 (Aura Sphere tutor after the Burned Tower battle). Gym opens with var 0x4098 = 7 and flag 462 (file 23 script 1, @3517).

Morty’s Ghost Gym. Morty only battles a full party of six, and the game checks each Pokémon against a fixed list of Psychic and Ghost species, not their actual types. It is a Double Battle and he sends out his six two at a time. Win for the Fog Badge and TM30 Shadow Ball. Get the Fog Badge before the League HQ’s round 4: after Ho-Oh is stolen at the Bell Tower Morty will not battle you until your final Hall of Fame entry.

Opens up:

• Ecruteak Gym: Morty's Ghost challenge (the Fog Badge)

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/10 q-0281 (script file 918 script 2: party-size and species checks, TrainerBattle 31; the Gym refusals in two windows of the League HQ investigation are in its Notes). The story does not check for the Fog Badge on Routes 38 and 39 (no script test of 0x4098 on those routes; the Route 39 Gold scene triggers on var 0x4098 = 7).

Quests in this chapter

Open the ones you want; tick Done to hide them. Filters at the top apply to this whole page.

Burned Tower → Bell Tower gate: bring Morty to the Marauder (story; the gate quiz)

Burned Tower Bell Tower Main quest

Where: Burned Tower (north-west Ecruteak), the Bell Tower gatehouse (at the north end of town, east of the Burned Tower), Bellchime Trail behind it.

Who gets it / when: the Ecruteak story chapter, after Silver’s scene on Route 37.

How it works:

1. In the Burned Tower basement a man in a red cape (the Marauder) is about to smash the Sealing Mirror. Pick the option to stop him. He says he’ll only listen to Morty. “I’ll give you today…” is only talk: there is no real time limit.
2. Go to the Bell Tower gatehouse. The guard at the back says the tower is closed. Choose “I’m the Champion. I need Morty.”, then Yes to answer his questions. All six must be right in one go; one wrong answer ends it (“Wrong answer…”) and you start again from question 1. The old man on the left tells the legend if you want hints.

Question	Answer
What did Ho-Oh later do for the three Pokémon that burned to death?	Revived them
Which three Pokémon are the legendary beasts?	Raikou/Entei/Suicune
What did Ho-Oh do to them to keep them from clashing with people?	Sealed them in a mirror
What did Ho-Oh choose to do itself?	Left Ecruteak City
When will Ho-Oh and the beasts return?	When people need them
What kind of Pokémon is Ho-Oh?	Kind and forgiving

3. Walk up Bellchime Trail to Morty and Eusine (cutscene).
4. Back in the Burned Tower: Gold and Silver at the entrance, then in the basement the Marauder breaks the seal and Team Rocket attacks. You fight Marauder and Maxie together in a Double Battle on your own. Losing whites you out; the scene replays.

Reward: the story moves on. Afterwards Morty’s Gym opens (until then a man a few steps inside the entrance says Morty is away at the Bell Tower, and he stands in the only way in), and Gold’s training (below), the Aura Sphere tutor in the gatehouse and the Poltergeist disciple in the Gym appear.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 23 (script 5 L3965–L5402 sets 0x4098 = 4; script 4 sets 6; script 1 L1482 trainers 800 + 822, L3517 sets 7 and flag 462), file 922 (script 1, L370–L947, flag 457), file 22 (script 7, sets 0x4098 = 5), file 918 obj 6 (flag 462). Gatehouse door ≈392,153. The Gym man (≈16,49, hidden by flag 462) stands on the only tile leading onto the invisible floor.

Ecruteak Gym: Morty’s Ghost challenge (the Fog Badge)

Ecruteak City Main quest

Needs a full party of six accepted Pokémon. Morty also refuses in two windows of the League HQ investigation: do it before round 4.

Where: Ecruteak Gym (south-west of town). Morty is at the back, past the invisible-floor maze.

Who gets it / when: after the Burned Tower chapter above. See Notes for when Morty refuses.

How it works: Morty only battles a full party of six from his accepted list (meant to be Psychic- and Ghost-types). The match is a Double Battle against Morty’s six, sent out two at a time (see Known issues for its Lv. 1 members).

• Fewer than six Pokémon: “You’re carrying fewer than six Pokémon…”
• Any Pokémon he doesn’t accept: “Some of the Pokémon you’re carrying…”. The game checks a fixed list of species, not types (Eggs are skipped by the species check). Psychic and Ghost lines from Gens 1–4 are accepted, plus Golduck and Noctowl (Psychic in this hack). Exeggutor and Rotom are refused. Stunfisk, Yungoos and Gumshoos also slip through.
• Full list from Gens 1–4: Abra line, Slowpoke line (incl. Slowking), Gastly line, Drowzee, Hypno, Exeggcute, Starmie, Mr. Mime, Mime Jr., Jynx, Smoochum, Mewtwo, Mew, Natu, Xatu, Espeon, Misdreavus, Mismagius, Unown, Wobbuffet, Wynaut, Girafarig, Lugia, Celebi, Ralts line, Gallade, Shedinja, Sableye, Meditite, Medicham, Spoink, Grumpig, Lunatone, Solrock, Baltoy, Claydol, Shuppet, Banette, Duskull line, Chimecho, Chingling, Beldum line, Latias, Latios, Jirachi, Deoxys, Drifloon, Drifblim, Bronzor, Bronzong, Spiritomb, Froslass, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Giratina, Cresselia, Golduck, Noctowl. Exeggutor and Rotom are refused, although they are Psychic/Ghost.
• Losing whites you out; try again.

Reward: Fog Badge, TM30 Shadow Ball, Morty’s number. Afterwards Morty offers repeatable practice battles (Single or Double, no restrictions), and his disciple by the door teaches Poltergeist (free, Ghost-types).

Notes: Morty won’t give the Gym battle in two windows of the League HQ investigation (League HQ): while the League has sent you to him about the Rainbow Wing, and after Ho-Oh is stolen at the Bell Tower until your final Hall of Fame entry (“We must defeat Team Rocket and rescue Ho-Oh!”). Get the badge before League HQ round 4. After the final Hall of Fame he asks for “three Pokémon… 3-on-3”, but the check still needs six (see Known issues).

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 918 (script 2; L1055–L13734 party checks, 660 PlayerHasSpecies refusals; L1055–L1133 refuse party sizes 1–5; TrainerBattle [31, 31, 0, 0] at L13687, trainer 31 = Gengar, Dusclops, Mismagius Lv. 80 + Mimikyu, Dhelmise, Sinistcha Lv. 1; PlayerHasSpecies skips Eggs (arm9 0x0204D3D4); L14662 TM30; L500 var 0x40a9 ≥ 5 + flag 2261; L635 var 0x40a9 = 3).

Ecruteak City: which legendary beast is strongest? (one-time)

Ecruteak City Side quest

One answer per game.

Where: two kids arguing in the middle of town, about a dozen steps west of the Dance Theater door.

Who gets it / when: any time; one answer per game.

How it works: they ask you to settle it.

Answer	Result
Raikou	the Entei fan battles you (Magby) → 3 Cheri Berries
Entei	the Raikou fan battles you (Elekid) → 3 Rawst Berries
Suicune	they both laugh at you; nothing
None of them	both battle you in a Double Battle; nothing

Notes: losing whites you out and the question comes back. After the answer they just repeat their favourite.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 916 (scripts 26, 27; L3611–L4253; trainers 802, 803; flag 782). Kids at ≈385,171.

Ecruteak City: show the girl a Pokémon like Ho-Oh (→ Shed Shell)

Ecruteak City Side quest

Where: west end of town, a few steps east of the Route 38 gate.

How it works: she asks to see a Pokémon as stunning as Ho-Oh. Pick one from your party: Fearow, Rapidash or Milotic. Anything else “looks pretty ordinary”; try again any time.

Reward: Shed Shell (once).

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 916 (script 29, L2393–L6002; flag 459). Girl at ≈365,167.

Ecruteak City: Grandpa’s Pokémon lantern riddles (→ 2 Power Bands)

Ecruteak City Side quest

Where: old man on the east side, about nine steps north of the Poké Mart door.

How it works: say you want to play. For each of five riddles, answer with the last digit of the Pokémon’s National Pokédex number (menu 1–8). You only find out at the end whether you got all five.

Riddle	Answer	(Pokémon)
1. “A horn on its head, a neck so long…”	8	Rapidash (#078)
2. “Round head, round hands, a body round too…”	5	not identified
3. “Eyes like bronze bells, a body like a nail…”	3	Yanma (#193)
4. “A plump old lady with a house on her back…”	7	probably Dwebble (#557)
5. “Wide bill, big eyes, a tuft on its head…”	4	Psyduck (#054)

Reward: 2 Power Bands. Repeatable until you get them all right.

Notes: if you get riddle 4 or 5 wrong, Grandpa asks riddles 2–5 again before telling you that you failed. That’s only a quirk (suspected hack bug); just start over.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 916 (script 30, L5147–L6927; flag 432). Grandpa at ≈408,164.

Ecruteak Pokémon Center: Gold’s training battles (→ 12 Soda Pop; missable)

Ecruteak City Side quest Missable

Gold leaves the Pokémon Center for good when the scene with Gold and Crystal on Route 39 plays.

Where: Ecruteak Pokémon Center, Gold with his Quilava, just left of the entrance.

Who gets it / when: after the Burned Tower chapter. Missable: once Gold (with Crystal) stops you for a battle on Route 39, near its south end on the way to Olivine City, he leaves the Pokémon Center for good, finished or not.

How it works: three battles in a row (talk to him each time):

1. Single Battle.
2. Double Battle (a Single Battle if you only carry one Pokémon).
3. Single Battle: his Quilava evolves into Typhlosion.

Reward: 12 Soda Pop after the third battle. Losing whites you out; talk to him again.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 919 (script 12; trainers 804, 805; flags 2060–2062, obj flag 572), file 23 L3535 (shows him), file 249 (script 23, Gold’s Route 39 battle, trainer 809; L4114 hides him). Gold at ≈5,18.

Ecruteak City (Dance Theater): Sakura wants a Water Stone (→ Spell Tag; before the Rising Badge)

Ecruteak City Side quest Missable

Needs a Water Stone. Once you hold the Rising Badge Sakura no longer makes the request.

Where: Dance Theater, Kimono Girl Sakura (right end of the row).

How it works: say Yes and hand over a Water Stone.

Reward: Spell Tag. After that (and in any case once you have the Rising Badge) she offers repeatable Single/Double Battles with her Vaporeon team.

Notes: once you have the Rising Badge she skips the request, so the Spell Tag is lost. While the League HQ’s Bell Tower lead is running (and until the final Hall of Fame after Ho-Oh is stolen) the Kimono Girls only talk about Team Rocket. Tamao, next to her, also battles you (repeatable). The Guard Letter for Momo (Route 27 → Ecruteak City: the outpost guard’s letter) can’t be handed over in that window either.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 924 (script 13, L3513–L4297; flag 166; trainer 801; Tamao script 5, trainer 750; Momo script 4).

Ecruteak City: Shellos for the boy without Badges (choice; one chance)

Ecruteak City Side quest Missable

A one-time choice: only 'Then give it to me' gets the Shellos.

Where: the boy with a Shellos. Below the Burned Tower are two houses side by side; his is the right-hand (eastern) one.

How it works: he can’t control the Shellos a friend gave him.

Choice	Result
Then give it to me	Shellos, Lv. 25 joins you (needs a free party slot)
Don’t give up on it	he keeps it for good. After your Glacier Badge he says he’s won two Badges
Not my problem	nothing; ask again later

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 925 (scripts 5, 7; L771 GiveMon 422 Lv. 25; flags 1991, 1992). House door ≈385,164.

Ecruteak City: the wheelchair-bound writer’s Pidgey letter (→ Wise Glasses; continues Route 35’s hungry Pidgey)

Ecruteak City Side quest

Needs the letter from the hungry Pidgey on Route 35. Do first: Route 35: the Pidgey with a letter (starts a chain in Ecruteak City).

Where: the house just east of the Pokémon Center, near the east gate. The writer is a woman in a wheelchair.

Who gets it / when: after the Pidgey carrying her letter flies off on Route 35 (see the Route 35 entry). Before that she only worries about her Pidgey.

How it works: answer Yes (“you saw the letter”). She asks for stories from your journey. Only “I broke up Team Rocket” finishes it; the Sabrina and Mt. Silver stories are just chat and you can pick again.

Reward: Wise Glasses (her late Pidgeot’s item).

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 925 (script 15, L1160–L2323; flags 1061, 2035), file 240 L4099 (clears 1061). House door ≈407,183. Gender: the Chinese text (banks 610#54–#72, 380#44) uses no pronoun for the writer, but her object (zone 84, ≈69,37) uses overworld sprite 325, the same sprite as other NPCs who are women by their own lines (Buena in Radio Tower 2F, Molly, the Violet City woman with a boyfriend, the Cianwood woman minding “her” friend’s Gligar, the National Park and Five Island girlfriends), so the player sees a woman. Wheelchair: 610#57 (her legs were broken standing up to Team Rocket).

Ecruteak City: small extras

Ecruteak City Side quest

A mixed entry. The S.S. Anne fan and the Eruption tutor only exist if the ship was saved; the Kimono Girls' dance rehearsal needs Koume's Ilex Forest story.

• Sunny, the Sunday sibling (Route 37, Sundays only): gives a Magnet. If you’ve met all seven siblings she gives your lead Pokémon a ribbon instead (this ends normally from rc8; on rc7 and earlier the message stayed on screen until you walked away or pressed X; see Known issues).
• Sage Mozhi (Route 37): repeatable Single/Double Battle.
• S.S. Anne fan: in the left-hand (western) of the two houses just south of the Burned Tower. Only if you saved the S.S. Anne. Gives a Muscle Band once.
• Eruption tutor (Burned Tower 1F): the S.S. Anne survivor teaches Eruption only if the ship didn’t sink. Aura Sphere tutor (Bell Tower gatehouse): after the Burned Tower battle, the guard at the back of the gatehouse (the one who gave you the quiz) teaches Aura Sphere.
• Dance rehearsal (Dance Theater): watching the Kimono Girls’ rehearsal and either answer to Satsuki’s question give the same result. Plays once, after Koume’s Ilex Forest story (Ilex Forest: Koume).

Technical source (script files and flags)

Sunny: file 246 script 2 (ribbon gift dies at opcode 2009 @764: D-1331, D-1558). Mozhi: file 246 script 7, trainer 798. S.S. Anne fan: file 925 script 3, flag 1621, house door ≈375,164. Eruption tutor: file 23 script 7. Aura Sphere tutor: file 922 script 1 (the gate guard, object 0, no hide flag) → L329 with flags 457 (quiz passed) and 462 (Burned Tower battle won, file 23 L3527) → L1065. Dance rehearsal: file 924 script 14/18, trigger on var 0x409a = 1.