Shumi Village

Shumi Village is an optional location in Final Fantasy VIII whose primary inhabitants are the Shumi. The village is located 323 meters underground on the Winter Island in the cold northern reaches of the world map, but is characterized by a warm, comfortable climate. The village can be explored after the player gains access to the mobile Balamb Garden.
The village is headed by an Elder, who is taller and thinner than regular Shumi. At a certain point in their lives, Shumi evolve into a new form—a form most reflecting their personality. Due to their holding Moombas in high regard, most Shumi wish to become one when their time comes. Those who demonstrate certain traits toward the Shumi community may become an Elder.
The village has little contact with the outside world, but the Shumi Tribe are not hostile towards other races, although visitors are rare; the Artisan Shumi is friends with the Grease Monkey from Fishermans Horizon whom he made a Moomba doll as an act of friendship, and the Master Fisherman is, in fact, an Honorary Shumi and visits the village from time to time.
Balamb Garden's proprietor, Master NORG, is a Shumi though considered a black sheep among his tribe for his eccentric behavior and his willingness to show off his large hands.
==Story==
Around 18 years ago Laguna Loire departed on his quest to save Ellone from Esthar, a hostile nation that had closed its borders, and making his way there proved difficult.
During his attempt to cross the Vienne Mountains to Esthar region, Laguna traveled north, but was injured and found by Moombas and brought to Shumi Village to recover. During his stay Laguna befriended the Shumi and tried to teach the local Moombas how to talk. Despite his efforts, the Moombas only ever learned one word: Laguna.
At some point in time Shumi Village developed a connection with Fishermans Horizon, and especially with Master Fisherman who became an honorary Shumi for developing the hologram system used in the village lift.
Squall and his team happen upon Shumi Village and are let in. In the village workshop they find a statue of Laguna, whom the party is familiar with due to the mysterious dreams they keep having. Squall and his friends help the villagers find materials for the statue, but later discover the Shumi did not really need their help, and only wished to offer them a moment of respite.
When visiting Fishermans Horizon, Squall finds a Moomba doll in Grease Monkey's house that reacts to his presence. Grease Monkey gives him the doll, and Squall passes it along to the Artisan of Shumi Village who becomes motivated to work on the statue. The Elder is pleased with Squall's party's help, and later the party can visit the village and find the statue completed and meet Master Fisherman there.
==Geography==
===Overview===
Shumi Village is situated underground within the mountainous region of Trabia continent's Winter Isle. The village is built underground as the Shumi's station's purpose is to mine and trade minerals. Apart from this profession, the village has little contact with the outside world. Its inhabitants are the Shumi and some Moombas.
Shumi Village is reached by a brown outer dome structure with blue windows letting in light, inside which is an elevator leading down to the village below. The village underground seems warmer than the snow on which the outer dome is situated, as village comprises huts built alongside a pond, grass, trees, and seems well-lit. The village itself is cliffside, with huts situated on plateaus of different level, and the roots of many trees growing on the side of cliffs.
There are four explorable buildings in Shumi Village: the Artisan's house, the Elder's house, the hotel, and the workshop. There are no shops or junk shops at the village. There is a save point inside the hotel. Most of the village has no music, only ambient nature sounds.
===Village outer dome===
The village outer dome is the village's "above ground" area from which people must access the village elevator to arrive in the village proper deeper underground. It is an immense, brown, dome-like structure built to withstand the harsh cold of the Trabia continent, with several blue windows that let in light, and large metal pipes on the outside that bury into the ground.
The inside of the dome is a mostly barren area with some worn pillars from old ruins that cast a small shadow, with the large, circular, blue elevator at the center. On the left is an Ultima draw point, which can be used if Squall pays 5,000 gil to the three Shumi guarding it.
===Village elevator===
The village elevator provides the main means of accessing the village proper. Seats are provided on a carpet as well as a viewing window which reveals the view of the outside. There is a holographic representation of a Shumi that will address the patrons during the trip. The hologram was built by the Master Fisherman of FH.
===Shumi Village interior===
323 meters underground, the village proper is in stark contrast to the land of Trabia. Lit by glowing rocks from atop the cavern, the village is bathed with green vegetation, in the form of trees, grass, and a pond. Both Shumi and Moombas reside here, and a frog can be seen in the pond. A road through the grass is found connecting the huts, which are themselves brown structures with dome-like roofs, and grand electric doors.
The village consists of three areas. The first on the furthest right contains the elevator, the Shumi Hotel, an inaccessible residential hut, and a pile of rocks in the middle. The second area to the left of the first contains a large cliff with tree roots hanging from it as well as the Elder's hut, which has a Blizzaga draw point to the right of the entrance. The left contains the pond, the Artisan's hut, and the village workshop.
===Shumi Hotel===
The first shelter from the elevator, the Shumi Hotel is a quaint, cozy place with a music player in the room. The interior is largely wooden, both at the reception and inside the room where the party stays.
The hotel plays the melody of "Eyes on Me" upon first entering, perhaps an indicator of Laguna having once stayed there. The hotel is home to a particularly small Shumi hiding behind the counter. The hotel room has a save point.
===Elder's hut===
The Elder's hut is the home and visiting quarters for the leader of Shumi village. It is a much wider hut than the rest of the residential huts, but retains the brown design. Inside, it has a large aquarium, with a donut-shaped fish tank near the ceiling, and several tanks surrounding the room where the Elder resides.
The Elder rewards the party with items for completing the two sidequests att (see below) in the village.
===Artisan's hut===
The Artisan is a Shumi renowned for his gift in crafts. The walls of his hut are filled with models of many vehicles seen around the world, which the Artisan will show after talking to him. One of the miniature vehicles is actually a vehicle that was dummied from the main game; Laguna's green pick-up truck he had while residing in Winhill.
If the player reads the Timber Maniacs magazine found here before the Laguna flashback taking place in the Vienne Mountains, Ward will not appear alongside Laguna and Kiros. If the player does not read the magazine before the event, Ward will appear in the flashback. 
===Village workshop===
The main workshop of Shumi Village is a long building with workbenches on the sides of the long room. At the back end of the building, an artist is currently working on a sculpture of Laguna Loire. Behind this sculpture is a hidden Firaga draw point.
Speaking to the Scupltor at the end will trigger the finding the stones sidequest, the first sidequest in Shumi Village.
==Quests==
===Finding the stones===
When the party first visits the village, they can examine the statue at the workshop and talk to the Sculptor. At this point, the Moomba that was previously blocking the door of the Elder's residence will move out of the way. After talking to the Elder, the party should return to the Sculptor and agree to help him finish the statue by bringing him five stones scattered around the village.
*The Blue Stone: the large blue rock behind the statue.
*The Wind Stone: the pile of rocks next to the hotel.
*The Life Stone: up the tree roots to the right of the Elder's house.
*The Shadow Stone: the shadow behind a pillar in the screen opposite the Ultima draw point.
*The Water Stone: the Artisan's sink. The party can find a stone from the pond, but it is not the correct one.
These are not items that enter the player's inventory; the game only notes that the player has located them.
After getting all five stones, the Elder will give the party a Phoenix Pinion. Completing the stone collecting quest will earn 50 SeeD Exp toward the player's SeeD rank.
The player can come to Shumi Village as soon as they have the mobile Garden. Selphie can be added to the party formation after the Balamb Town liberation event. If the player does the stone searching quest with Selphie in the party, she will mention it reminding her of playing in Matron's house, even if this is before the Trabia Garden revelations where the party uncovers their buried memories.
Selphie talks about her childhood from FFVIII Remastered.png
Blue Stone location in Shumi Village from FFVIII Remastered.png|Blue Stone.
Wind Stone location in Shumi Village from FFVIII Remastered.png|Wind Stone.
Life Stone location in Shumi Village from FFVIII Remastered.png|Life Stone.
Shadow Stone location in Shumi Village from FFVIII Remastered.png|Shadow Stone.
Pond Stone location in Shumi Village from FFVIII Remastered.png|"Pond Stone".
Water Stone location in Shumi Village from FFVIII Remastered.png|Water Stone.
===Workers for the statue===
After getting the Phoenix Pinion, the party can return to the village and talk to the villagers about the Elder's Attendant not wanting to help with the statue, and not being keen on becoming the next village Elder, which greatly saddens the current Elder. The Attendant is found at the corner of the workshop, refusing to work.
Talking to the Elder has him suggest the party ask the Moomba outside for help. The Moomba comes to talk to the Attendant, and convinces him to work on the statue. Returning to the Elder, he explains that the Attendant does not want to stay in the village and work on a statue; he wants to join the human world and fight alongside "Master Laguna."
The Shumi still need a third person on the job, but the Artisan at his house says he is too busy to help. The party must return to FH and talk to the Grease Monkey to get a Moomba doll to give to the Artisan. After they leave his house, and if the player completed the Master Fisherman sidequest in FH earlier, they find him by the pond. Afterwards, the party should speak to the Elder to get the Status Guard.
===Secret Laguna flashback===
The last event in Shumi Village yields no item rewards, but the player can witness an extra scene of the time Laguna spent in the village. The party must return to Shumi Village on disc 3 after Laguna's statue has been completed and enter the workshop and the scene will play automatically. If the player completed the Master Fisherman side quest during the time the player first visited FH as part of the story, he will also make an appearance.
===Triple Triad===
The Shumi play with Trabia rules, where Random and Plus are the starting rules. There are no rare cards to be won in the village, although the Elder has level 7 boss cards, which are uncommon.
If the Queen of Cards says she is going to Trabia, she comes to Shumi Village where she is found in the hotel. The player can do her sidequest if they send her to Dollet. She always moves when the number of rare cards (Lv.8–10) in her possession changes; the player needs to lose a rare card to her, or win one from her, but she does not start with any rares. From Shumi Village, she will move to Balamb (25%), Dollet (50%) or Lunar Gate (25%). 
==Musical themes==
"Find Your Way" plays in the Outer Dome, "Julia" (a rendition of "Eyes on Me)" plays inside the Shumi Hotel and "Breezy" plays inside the workshop housing the statue of Laguna. No soundtrack is played in the actual village, unless the player fully completes both sidequests involving the statue and all sequences involving the Master Fisherman. At that point, he will set the soundtrack to the tune the player chose for the Garden Festival at Fishermans Horizon. The theme for the workshop will be set to "Fragments of Memories".
==Gallery==
Shumi Village FF8 Art 2.jpg|Concept art of the workshop.
Shumi Village FF8 Art 1.jpg|Concept art of Elder's house.
Shumi Village entrance from FFVIII Remastered.png|Entrance to the dome.
Laguna teaches a Moomba to talk from FFVIII Remastered.png|Laguna teaches a Moomba to talk.
it:Villaggio Shumi
Category:Locations in Final Fantasy VIII
Category:Towns