Maurits's Hermitage is a large tree-house located between the Forest of No Return and Man Eating Ruins in Tales of Legendia.
Geography
Maurits's Hermitage serves as a temporal base for the Ferines, hidden by a barrier to protect it from intruders. There is only one building, which contains a meeting room and a lower floor with sleeping quarters. There is also a nearby hillside, teeming with hostile wildlife. Maurits Welnes describes the hermitage as an inconvenient location with almost nothing around, but an ideal place for hiding. Maurits himself is the namesake for the location.
History
When the group first arrives here, Maurits reveals the hermitage from its camouflaged state. Once inside, the group encounters Walter Delques as he is about to leave to retrieve the "Whisper Crystal". Maurits then invites everyone inside to discuss the reason why he and the others wished to speak with them. Maurits explains that if things go on as is, Shirley Fennes and Stella Telmes will be used to fire the Nerifes Cannon, an ancient and terrifying weapon that was sealed on the Legacy until Vaclav Bolud revived it. He further explains that the lives of the Ferines are used as the cannon's source of power, as well as that there are records indicating that countless lives are taken with each use. When Will Raynard asks what Maurits's true objective is, he answers that he wants to form with an alliance with the Holy Rexalian Empire.
Maurits claims that there are large number of Rexalian troops secretly stationed onboard the Legacy, though Will calls this merely a precaution, as "the Legacy belongs to no nation". The group agrees to the alliance, and Will decides to play his part as mediator between Rexalia and the Ferines. Although everyone is all anxious to begin the operation, Will asks that Senel Coolidge, Chloe Valens, and Moses Sandor remain off the front lines due to their current emotional states. Fenimore Xelhes then shows them to their quarters. Senel wanders outside during the night and begins remembering the time when Shirley showed him her Teriques. Chloe then appears and begins talking with Senel, expressing how Will's words made a heavy impact on her, as well as explaining how her family was stripped of their knightly title. It is revealed that Stingle was the one who murdered Chloe's parents in front of her, so she came to the Legacy to avenge their deaths. As Senel proceeds walking out, Chloe decides to accompany him. Suddenly, Norma Beatty and Moses appear and exclaim that they wish to help. Fenimore asks why they are doing this, and Senel simply answers that this is who they are, as well as asks her to keep Shirley in her thoughts.
The next morning, the four try to re-convince Will to let them join the group, but he continues to deny them, stating that the alliance has yet to even form. Suddenly, a Ferines rushes in and informs that Walter's search party has returned with injured assistants. Maurits explains to them that the Whisper Crystal was to be the key to their victory, which gives Norma an idea: they retrieve the Whisper Crystal, and in turn, join the alliance. Maurits gives them directions to where the crystal is held, and Norma realizes that the place is the Man Eating Ruins, a forbidden place for treasure hunters. Just as the group leaves, Will states that he will send someone else to deliver the letter and accompany the group instead, explaining that he will grow worried leaving them be. After returning with the Whisper Crystal and a recently awakened Grune, the group encounters Jay at the entrance. Chloe reprimands him for the submarine incident, but Jay counters by claiming he was impressed that she got in there in the first place, despite her weakness, which he discovered on his own. He explains that he came to meet the Ferines, but suddenly felt the wind growing more powerful.
Inside, Maurits explains that the Whisper Crystal will be used to mobilize the Automata sentinels. While the group was away, a reply came to Maurits, stating that the alliance is now officially formed, as well as that Jay is to accompany the group as head tactician. Jay explains that Vaclav is steering the Legacy toward the Holy Kingdom of Gadoria, which is currently at war with the Crusand Empire. Taking into account the range of the Nerifes Cannon, the group comes to the conclusion that they do not have much time. However, with the ship on the move, Vaclav cannot call reinforcements from offshore. Maurits calls Will and Jay to discuss the details of their attack plan. Chloe then asks Senel to meet her at the spring that night. When he arrives, Chloe then requests him to do some training with her. They go to the nearby hill and begin their training against the local beasts. After taking a break, they both agree that it is reassuring to have someone to fight alongside. After continuing some more, they take a another break. Chloe asks Senel what kind of person Stella was, and he responds, saying she was kind, caring, gallant, brave, stubborn once she sets her mind on something, and also frail at times.
Senel tells Chloe how she was separated from Stella when Vaclav's army attacked the village three years prior. It was then that he vowed to save her and Shirley. Upon telling her this, the two hear a sound, and as they prepare to attack, Norma and Moses appear from hiding, exposing their eavesdropping. The following morning, Maurits and Jay begin explaining the details of their plan: they will attempt to capture Vaclav's front-line base during a nighttime raid, which will get Vaclav to draw his main forces into the Bridge Plain, which opened recently. Senel's group will serve independently from the main army. Outside, the group finds an entire unit of Automata in formation. It is then that Walter appears in Ferines garb, and the group learns that Walter was to be the leader of the Merines' personal guard. Once preparations are done, the group makes their way toward the front-line base.