Palumpolum Palumpolum is a port city in Cocoon and Hope Estheim ' s hometown in " Final Fantasy XIII " . The city holds a lively marketplace , said to be uncommon in a world where most people use online shopping , and is thus called " the Capital of Commerce . " Palumpolum is an unrevisitable location that comprises the game ' s seventh chapter , and represents the halfway point . In " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , it acts as the new capital city of Cocoon but is unvisitable . Datalog . " Hope ' s hometown , Palumpolum is one of the biggest cities on Cocoon . Retail stores line the streets — a rarity in a society where online purchases are the norm . " " With the goal of promoting their ' hands - on ' approach to commerce as a tourist attraction , the local government actively encourages businesses to set up shop in Palumpolum . " Story . " Final Fantasy XIII " . Lightning and Hope need to go through Palumpolum to reach Eden , but they are being pursued by PSICOM troops that have taken the city over from the local Guardian Corps . Hope is familiar with the area as Palumpolum is his home town , and leads Lightning through an underground complex to sneak through the harbor and avoid the patrolling soldiers . They find the fal ' Cie Carbuncle in the Nutriculture Complex , and after hearing Hope compare the Cocoon citizens to pets of the fal ' Cie , Lightning has an epiphany and abandons her plan to destroy the fal ' Cie Eden , and tells Hope to not follow through with his plans on vengeance either . Hope does not listen and chooses to continue focusing his energy into his objective ahead — to kill Snow and avenge the death of his mother Nora . They are beleaguered in the Agora by PSICOM and Yaag Rosch who prepares to publicly execute the two . Snow shows up along with Fang , who is now helping him . Snow summons the Shiva Sisters , who cover the area in ice , allowing the l ' Cie to escape . Lightning has Hope leave with Snow as she goes with Fang . The teams correspond by radio and agree to meet at Hope ' s house in Felix Heights , where his father Bartholomew Estheim resides . Fang reveals to Lightning that she and Vanille hail from Gran Pulse and awoke in Cocoon after being in crystal stasis for centuries . Fang cannot remember her previous Focus and their attempted forays on Cocoon resulted in Serah Farron and Dajh Katzroy becoming l ' Cie , and Fang to separate from Vanille at Euride Gorge . She explains how a l ' Cie ' s brand indicates his or her advancement towards becoming a Cie ' th , and reassures Lightning of her motivation to survive and see Serah freed from stasis . Meanwhile , after a close call with a crowd of angry civilians the latter tried to save from being Purge d , Hope and Snow destroy a PSICOM enemy on the rooftops of Rivera Towers . Hope confronts Snow about Nora ' s death and blasts Snow off a rooftop , leaving him hanging from the edge . Hope prepares to kill Snow but is attacked by a PSICOM airship and falls . Snow catches Hope in midair and shields him with his body as they fall to the streets below . Snow and Hope are weakened by their injuries but Hope overcomes his anger at Snow . They regroup with Fang and Lightning at Felix Heights and the party makes their way to the Estheim Residence . Hope tells his dad the news about Nora and at first he is grief - stricken but does not reject the l ' Cie and or take out his remorse on the injured Snow . Lightning apologizes for her previous behavior toward him , and the two resolve to see Serah again together . As the group tries to form a plan , Bartholomew points out that attacking the Sanctum would make the citizens of Cocoon hate the l ' Cie even more . The apartment is bombarded by PSICOM troops led by Yaag Rosch . Snow confronts them and argues with Yaag about the Purge . Cavalry soldiers disguised as PSICOM troops open fire on Yaag and the squadron , giving Snow the chance to sneak back to the house while the others tie up Hope ' s father so PSICOM does not know he helped them . The team is saved by the arrival of a Cavalry airship , and they leave Palumpolum with Hope promising his father he will return when his Focus is over . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . Although Palumpolum is a unvisitable location , according to fragment entries the city was nearly undamaged by Cocoon ' s fall , and many people stayed in the city . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 Fragments Before " reveals Palumpolum became the new capital after Eden was destroyed in Cocoon ' s fall , and became the base of military operations with the historic concert hall acting as the new Edenhall . Quests . Grinding spot . The Estheim Residence can be used as a grinding place for Crystarium Points , but mostly for gil after PSICOM raids it . The officers drop Incentive Chips , which can be sold for 2 , 500 gil at the save station , and the officers constantly respawn so as long as the player eliminates both enemy parties and moves to the back part of the residence . Musical themes . Several background tracks play in Palumpolum , such as " The Warpath Home " , " The Hanging Edge " , " Snow ' s Theme " , " Desperate Struggle " , " Will to Fight " , and " This Is Your Home " , all apart from the several tracks present in cutscenes . Other appearances . " Final Fantasy Record Keeper " . Palumpolum , Part 1 . Learning that l ' Cie are hiding in the city of Palumpolum , Sanctum forces have called martial law into effect . Lightning ' s party lay low , preparing to infiltrate the capitol , Eden . Palumpolum , Part 2 . Lightning is reassured after learning that Fang and Vanille awoke in Cocoon after being in crystal stasis for centuries . They move to regroup at the Estheim Residence . Etymology . The city ' s name is a reference to " Final Fantasy IV ' s " twin mages , Palom and Porom .