Palumpolum(商業都市パルムポルム,Shougyou Toshi Parumuporumu?, lit. "Commercial City Palumpolum") is a port city in Cocoon and Hope Estheim's hometown in Final Fantasy XIII. The city holds a lively market place, said to be uncommon in a world where most people use online shopping, and is thus called "the Capital of Commerce". It is visited in Chapter 7.
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.
Lightning and Hope need to go through Palumpolum to reach Eden, but they are being pursued by PSICOM troops that has taken the city over from the local Guardian Corps, much to the Corps' dismay. Hope is familiar with the area as Palumpolum is his home town, and leads Lightning through a series of underground pipes to sneak through the harbor and avoid the patrolling soldiers. They navigate the area filled with floating platforms and find the fal'CieCarbuncle.
After seeing the fal'Cie and hearing Hope compare the humans in Cocoon to pets of the fal'Cie, Lightning has a revelation resulting in her abandoning her plan to destroy the fal'Cie Eden, and tells Hope to not follow through with Operation Nora. Hope does not listen, and chooses to focus his energy into his objective ahead - to get revenge on Snow.
They soon find themselves cornered in the Agora by PSICOM and Yaag Rosch who prepares to publicly execute the two l'Cie. Snow shows up along with Fang, who is now helping him. Snow summons the Shiva Sisters, who cover the area in crystal, allowing the l'Cie to make a hasty escape. Lightning forces Snow to leave with Hope and she goes with Fang. The teams contact each other by radio and agree to meet at Hope's house in Felix Heights, the residence of his father, Bartholomew Estheim.
Fang reveals to Lightning that she and Vanille hail from Gran Pulse. They were crystallized on Pulse a long time ago and the found themselves in Cocoon upon waking up. Meanwhile, Hope waits for his chance to get revenge on Snow and, after a close call with a crowd of angry civilians they tried to save from being purged, they find themselves up on the rooftops of the Rivera Towers.
Fang tells Lightning how she and Vanille were separated at Euride Gorge and were the ones responsible for Dajh Katzroy becoming a l'Cie. She admits she and Vanille were responsible for Serah becoming a l'Cie as well. Fang points out how the brands change to show how long a person has left before they become a Cie'th and says she cannot remember the previous Focus. Fang tells Serah will eventually come out of her crystal stasis.
On the rooftops, Hope and Snow destroy a powerful PSICOM enemy and Hope confronts Snow about his mother's death. Intending to kill him, Hope blasts Snow to the edge of the rooftop but is attacked by a PSICOM airship and falls off the roof. Snow jumps to save Hope's life, fulfilling his promise to Hope's mother Nora. Snow and Hope are both weak but Hope overcomes his anger at Snow. The party are soon reunited and Snow, Fang, Lightning, and Hope make their way to the Estheim residence.
Hope tells his dad the news about Nora and at first he is grief-stricken. Bartholomew does not reject the l'Cie and does not take out his remorse on the injured Snow. He points out that attacking the Sanctum will make the citizens of Cocoon hate the l'Cie even more. Before they have time to discuss strategy, the apartment is bombarded by PSICOM troops led by Yaag Rosch. Snow heads outside to confront 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 behind. Hope takes a final moment to promise his father he will be back when his Focus is over.
Although Palumpolum is a non-visitable location, the story bits contained in fragments say the city was nearly undamaged by Cocoon's fall, and many people stayed in the city.
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.
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Palumpolum seen from the Gapra Whitewood exit.
Palumpolum port.
A section of Palumpolum, covered in crystal.
In-game Palumpolum.
In-game Palumpolum.
In-game Palumpolum.
Rivera Towers concept art.
Hope's house layout artwork.
Palumpolum worker concept art.
Artwork of outside Hope's house.
Artwork of the Estheim Residence.
Artwork.
Artwork.
Artwork.
Artwork of the Nutriculture Complex.
