Final Fantasy XIV Online Wiki - User contributions [en]

Embraced by Gods

2026-06-17T14:59:21Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Embraced by Gods
| description = Deryk is the very picture of peace.
| image = embraced by gods1.png
| quest-giver = Deryk
| related-npcs = Baby Opo-opo (NPC); G'raha Tia; Halone; Krile; Snoegeim
| location = Thaleia
| location-x = 11.2
| location-y = 11.3
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 200
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp = 0
| gil = 8000
| reward1 = 1 Twelvefold Blessings Framer's Kit
| reward2 = 1 One among Wonders Orchestrion Roll
| unlocks = ach For Eorzea For Etheirys, ngp Myths of the Realm (New Game+)
| prev-quest = The Heart of the Myth
| next-quest =
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.5
| id-gt = 70328
| id-edb = d1240e74200
}}
==Steps==
*Wait at the designated location at [[The Bramble Patch]].

*Speak with [[Deryk]] in [[Limsa Lominsa]].

*Speak with Deryk at the [[Tempest Gate (Lower La Noscea)|Tempest Gate]].

*Speak with Deryk and follow his lead.

*Speak with Deryk again.

==Journal==
*Deryk is the very picture of peace.

*Deryk explains that he is now simply a man, remade from the portion of his essence that was not returned to the star. At the last, he found that he could not bear to be parted from his newfound friends, and chose to remain. Henceforth, he means to travel the world with a renewed perspective, but ere he sets out, he wishes to move his brethren's hopes, harbored in the Omphalos monument, to a place in men's midst. It is decided that everyone will accompany Deryk on this task, and you set off for the Sanctum of the Twelve in the East Shroud.

*Gathering before the Sanctum's gate, your party watches intently as Deryk imbues the arch with his brethren's hopes. He then speaks fondly of the remarkable people they used to be, hopeful that they remain with you in some way. With the task complete, you next make your way to Limsa Lominsa, there to send off those of your fellows who are bound for Sharlayan.

*Having bid Krile, G'raha Tia, and Snoegeim farewell, you are left alone with Deryk. The erstwhile deity asks you to accompany him to a place outside the city, and so you make your way to the Tempest Gate.

*In order to mark his new beginning as a man, Deryk wishes to see Oschon's Embrace with you. He continues on to the bridge, and you follow close on his heels.

※You must be following Deryk to complete this task. Speak with him again should you become separated.

*You make your way across Oschon's Embrace side by side with Deryk, who is impressed with the bridge in progress. Upon arriving at the other end, your companion looks at you sheepishly, as if he had another request...

*Wishing to talk a little more, Deryk asks you for your honest opinion of the Twelve. You are happy to oblige, and after you share your heartfelt thoughts, he declares his readiness to set forth upon his journey. So it is that you go your separate ways, with the promise to look for one another out on the road. What the future holds, none can say, but one thing is certain: come what may, the Twelve shall ever watch over their beloved Etheirys.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>

-optional start
Krile: I expect Deryk has a few words to say. Let us lend him an ear.
-optional end
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Deryk: <sigh> What to say in such a moment...
Deryk: Best to speak from the heart, I suppose. I'm glad to be back.
Snoegeim: “Glad” hardly suffices to describe it! We're over the moon that you're still here, Deryk! Or should we call you Oschon?
Deryk: I no longer have Oschon's power. Deryk will do.
Deryk: I was remade from the portion of my essence that wasn't returned to the star, and will live out my days as a man.
G'raha Tia: May I ask what happened? No sooner had the Twelve vanished than you reappeared before us...
Deryk: At the very last, I couldn't bear it. Couldn't bear to say farewell.
Deryk: Your earnest friendship had weighed down my steps.
Deryk: And the little fellow's fervent call halted them.
Deryk: I was overwhelmed by the keenest longing to remain among you and see more of the world I love.
Deryk: Upon seeing me torn, my brethren bade me follow my heart. I needed no further urging.
Deryk: We created the instrument of blessing in the faith that, one day, the star would no longer need our guiding hand.
Deryk: Thanks to you, that day has finally come.
Deryk: Ah, but I ramble. How uncharacteristic. Let us head back to the Omphalos, shall we?

-quest accepted
Krile: Well, we must return to Sharlayan. The Forum will be expecting a report.
Krile: Yet if the entire truth were to be revealed to the public, it would shake the very foundation of the worship of the Twelve...
G'raha Tia: Aye, in penning our report, we would do well to consult the Forum on what details are safe to disclose.
G'raha Tia: Much pertaining to the field of mythology will need to be obfuscated, I fear...
Snoegeim: Worry not on my account! Inspired by our findings, I have a mind to examine the Twelve in the context of reception theory.
Snoegeim: The people's perception of deities are wont to be informed by their culture.
Snoegeim: By comparing the differences across eras and regions, I believe we may uncover heretofore unseen aspects to the Twelve!
Deryk: Reception theory, you say. Most intriguing. I should like to see the fruits of your research when I visit Sharlayan.
Krile: When you do, have care not to reveal who you used to be. Our scholars would be all over you like starved beasts.
Deryk: I see... Perhaps I shall wait a while before I come calling...
Deryk:Before I came to you, I simply roamed the world. I had no objective─nothing I wished to find.
Deryk:With this second chance I have, I mean to undertake my travels with a renewed perspective.
Deryk:But ere I set out...
Deryk:I would move my brethren's hopes elsewhere, to a place in men's midst.
Krile:Oh, what a wonderful idea! If you don't mind, we should like to accompany you.
Deryk:By all means. We make for the Sanctum of the Twelve, in the East Shroud.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Deryk: Feel free to go on ahead, my friend. While this won't be my last time here, I need a moment before I leave...
Krile: As engrossed as we've been in our work, we've seldom had the chance to thus gather and relax. The last and only time would have been the meal in Revenant's Toll, I think.
G'raha Tia: The words of the monument are a promise by the gods to watch over mankind.
G'raha Tia: 'Tis comforting to know that their promise will endure...
Snoegeim: The Sanctum of the Twelve! I couldn't imagine a more fitting place for their memories!
Baby Opo-opo: Ook, ook!
-optional end

===Wait at the designated location at the Bramble Patch.===
-cutscene start
Snoegeim: Ahhh! No matter how many times I visit the Sanctum, its majesty never fails to move me!
Snoegeim: And the rich history! Originally built during the dawn of the Fifth Astral Era, it was reclaimed by the wood before being restored in the wake of the Calamity.
Snoegeim: Truly, it stands as a testament to the influence that magical civilizations and city states have had upon Eorzean culture!
Deryk: This Sanctum harbors the hopes of men. And now, those of my brethren shall join them.
Deryk: If you are not averse, I would speak a little of my brethren─that is, those individuals whose essence lent them form. As it pertains to another age, some concepts may be foreign to you, but would you be interested nonetheless?
Deryk: Excellent.
Deryk: Byregot was a man with a gift for creating inanimate objects such as buildings and furnishings.
Deryk: With his abilities, he served a supervisory role at the Bureau of the Architect, where he was nothing short of a pillar. His chief was carefree to a fault, you see, and he took it upon himself to ensure the work was done.
Deryk: Rhalgr was a brawny man whom Venat encountered on her travels.
Deryk: They quickly struck up a friendship, and he joined her on a quest to destroy an enormous meteor that was hurtling towards the star. 'Tis fair to say this event gave rise to the legends surrounding the Destroyer.
Deryk: Azeyma was a woman who served as a judicial officer in the Bureau of the Administrator─an experience which served her well as the Warden.
Deryk: She was an ardent proponent of the seat of Azem, and dreamed of training under Venat and her successor.
Deryk: Nald'thal was a close personal friend of mine. A merchant by trade, he was outwardly gregarious, but also possessed a reserved side and knew quiet joy in his passion for ore.
Deryk: When men began treating him as a dual-aspected god, it reminded me of the person he used to be, and I couldn't help but be struck with the pang of nostalgia.
Deryk: Nophica was a landscape architect of great repute who grew plants gathered from the star over.
Deryk: Despite being skilled in magic, she preferred to nurture plants as nature intended, and her garden ever bloomed with beautiful flowers. All who visited were said to leave with their souls salved.
Deryk: Althyk was a researcher who observed newly made creations in Elpis.

>If player has completed the quest {{i|Methods of Mourning}}
Deryk: Althyk was a researcher who observed newly made creations in Elpis. He possessed mastery over time magicks, and was known to be a kind-hearted if reticent man.
---

Deryk: Although it was at his sister's urging that he first joined our faction, he soon became a stalwart believer in the cause, and always took the initiative in discussion.
Deryk: Halone was a formidable warrior tasked with hunting creations that were deemed detrimental to the star.
Deryk: For her prowess, she had been regarded as a leading candidate for the seat of Pashtarot, preserver of discipline and order.
Deryk: Menphina was the youngest among us, a student affiliated with the Words of Lahabrea at the Akadaemia Anyder.
Deryk: Even within that prestigious institution she was considered a prodigy, and hers were the hands that created the magick to isolate and seal Zodiark.
Deryk: Thaliak was the headmaster of the Akadaemia Anyder. A man of learning and leadership both, he presided over the institution's myriad faculties.
Deryk: No known phenomenon existed in which he wasn't versed. Words do not do justice to express the remarkable scholar that he was.
Deryk: Nymeia was an observer in Elpis, like her older brother Althyk.
Deryk: She possessed a caring and inquisitive nature, and was liked and trusted by her peers.

>If player has completed the quest {{i|Methods of Mourning}}
Deryk: She possessed a caring and inquisitive nature, and was liked and trusted by her peers. 'Tis said that she began the custom of offering flowers to the departed.
---

Deryk: Llymlaen was a researcher at Metabaseos Thalassai, a facility for the observation and evaluation of sea life.
Deryk: So passionate was she about her work, she once threw a knife at someone who inadvertently came too close to her observation subject.
Deryk: Oschon was a traveler whom Venat encountered in the wilderness. They shared a campfire and discussed at length what it meant to be free.
Deryk: Leaving my hopes as the Wanderer in this place, I shall set forth anew─as simply a man named Deryk.
Deryk: And last but not least, the watcher. He was the chief archivist at Anamnesis Anyder, and respected Venat deeply as an individual even as he cared for her as a dear friend.
Deryk: Indeed, among our number, none was more devoted to Venat. And that devotion made him best suited to his duty and the solitude that accompanies it.
Deryk: ...That is all. 'Tis a lot to remember, but I should be glad if they remain with you in some way.
Krile: We're grateful that you should share with us these new aspects of Hydaelyn and the Twelve. Thank you.
G'raha Tia: Well, 'tis past time we headed back to Sharlayan. It wouldn't do to keep Ojika waiting.
Deryk: I assume you will be traveling via Limsa Lominsa. In which case, allow us to see you off from there.
Deryk: Till now I have wandered alone, but as I recently learned─a journey is better shared.
-cutscene end
===Speak with Deryk in Limsa Lominsa.===
Deryk: Our friends are presently booking their passage.
G'raha Tia: That's where you were!
Snoegeim: There's room aboard the next ship, so we'll be setting sail shortly.
Krile: Oh, Deryk! No sooner do we arrive in a crowded place than you up and disappear!
Deryk: Ah, 'tis a force of habit, in order to avoid people...
Deryk: But I needn't do so anymore, do I? On the contrary, I should embrace the chance to connect with other souls.
Krile: As your comrades, we completely agree.
Krile: And remember, you're always welcome at the Baldesion Annex, so be sure to pay us a visit.
Deryk: You may depend on it.
Krile: Thank you, Deryk. For giving us your trust.
Krile: And thank you as well, [Forename]. Had you not been with us, we would have struggled to grant the Twelve their wish.
Krile: Well, we had best find our vessel. While the report remains to be compiled, I believe we can officially declare our investigation complete. Till next we meet, my friends!

Deryk: Do you still have time, [Forename]?
Deryk: Ere I embark on my journey, there is a place nearby I would like to visit. Might I ask you to accompany me?
Deryk: Thank you. Come, we shall head outside the city via the Tempest Gate.

===Speak with Deryk at the Tempest Gate.===
Deryk: Here, the wind whips in from the sea like a storm...but I've always found the sensation quite invigorating.
Deryk: Lest you wonder, I intend to strike west, and thence make my way through upper and outer La Noscea.
Deryk: And in order to mark my new beginning as a man, en route I wish to see Oschon's Embrace with you.
Deryk: You need only accompany me across the bridge.
Deryk: From there, I shall continue on my own.

-optional start
Baby Opo-opo: Ook, ook!
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk and follow his lead.===
Deryk: Such a great wave that was that ripped the Gods' Grip from the mainland...
Deryk: In the wake of the Calamity, my brethren and I were all occupied with our respective duties. This is my very first time seeing the bridge.
Deryk: Shall we, then?

System: Follow Deryk's lead and try not to fall behind.
System: Deryk and the baby opo-opo set off at a brisk walk!
Deryk: 'Tis already quite impressive to behold.

Deryk: So its temporarily constructed with wood.
Deryk: Ah, such an invigorating breeze...
Deryk: Oh, Eitherys...
Deryk: Your beauty truly knows no bounds.
Deryk: Forgive me, I was lost in thought.
Deryk: I look forward to the bridge's completion.

Deryk: 'Tis a fine bridge, boasting splendid views and brimming with life. The very image of man's determination to overcome adversity.
Deryk: I am honored that it should be named Oschon.

===Speak with Deryk again.===
Deryk: Well, this is as far as I asked you to come...
Deryk: But if you are willing, might we converse a little more?
Deryk: It occurs to me I hadn't asked you about your opinion of the Twelve.
Deryk: How you personally perceive us, for instance, or what you felt when you faced us.
Deryk: Your words from the heart, I would take with me as a memento.

-cutscene start
Deryk: Is that so? The others will be glad to hear that.
Deryk: Thank you for humoring me, [Forename]...and apologies for keeping you so long.
Deryk: I am ready to set forth now. To witness a world filled with our blessing.
Deryk: To begin with, I shall tour La Noscea and visit those locales which are named after the Twelve. After which, I shall go wherever the wind blows.
Deryk: Together with this fellow, of course─until such time as he tires of my company.
Deryk: This time, I shall embrace the joy of meeting and accept the sorrow of parting.
Deryk: And when the time comes for me to return to the star, I shall share my experiences with my brethren.
Deryk: Needless to say your words will feature prominently in my recounting.
Deryk: You will continue your own journeys, will you not?
Deryk: Then I shall look for you out there. Fare you well, my friend─and may the Twelve bless you and keep you.
-quest complete
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=Oh2Ttqoaseo}}

The Heart of the Myth

2026-06-17T14:50:37Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Heart of the Myth
| description = [[Deryk]] is awaiting word from [[Krile]].
| image = The Heart of the Myth.png
| quest-giver = Deryk
| related-npcs = Althyk; Azeyma; Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Byregot; G'raha Tia; Halone; Krile; Menphina; Nald'thal; Nophica; Nymeia; Oschon; Rhalgr; Snoegeim; Thaliak
| location = Mor Dhona
| location-x = 23.9
| location-y = 9.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 190
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp =
| gil = 5000
| unlocks = ra Thaleia
| prev-quest = The Secret of the Twelve
| next-quest = Embraced by Gods
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.5
| id-gt = 70327
| id-edb = 3207abefb11
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Snoegeim]] in [[The Omphalos]].
*Speak with [[Deryk]].
*Wait in front of [[The Watcher's Palace]].
*Enter The Omphalos.
*Speak with [[G'raha Tia]]
*Enter [[Thaleia]]
*Speak with [[Krile]] in [[The Twelve's Embrace]].

==Journal==
*Deryk is awaiting word from Krile.

*Outside Revenant's Toll, Deryk informs you that Krile and G'raha Tia are still busy compiling the findings of your investigation of the phantom realm. While awaiting developments, he suggests paying a visit to Snoegeim in the Omphalos, and together you set off.

*Snoegeim reveals that, while the Twelve have not appeared since your crew was last gathered, each of them apparently desires to speak with you in private; if you were to call to them before the entrances to their respective heavens, chances are they will answer. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, you begin taking yourself around the Omphalos.

*Having spoken with the Twelve to your satisfaction, you join the wait for Krile and G'raha Tia. When they eventually arrive, they share their finding that the deities expended a tremendous amount of aether in the course of battle. Before engaging them further, it is decided that you will seek out the watcher on the moon, who is believed to be the thirteenth unnamed being mentioned by the monument, in order to learn more about their objective. With your course decided, you promptly set off for the Watcher's Palace in Mare Lamentorum.

*Having confirmed that he is indeed the unnamed being, the watcher proceeds to explain the nature of the Twelve. Like him, they are entities created by Hydaelyn, charged with watching over the world after reality was sundered. And though he is unable to disclose the truth of their desire, he gives his guarantee that it will not visit harm upon mankind. Thus reassured, you and your companions decide to return to the Omphalos to continue engaging the gods.

*No sooner do you arrive in the Omphalos than Llymlaen and Thaliak appear before you. When G'raha Tia expresses to them his concern that doing battle dilutes their being, it is Deryk who answers─thereby revealing himself to be Oschon. The Wanderer promises that the truth will be revealed in the innermost part of their realm, before he and his brethren take their leave in anticipation of your coming.

*While saddened by the revelation of Deryk's true identity, you and your companions are determined to do the best you can by the Twelve. As before, the task of confronting the gods in their sanctums falls to you, and you turn to see to your preparations.

※Thaleia can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*Fighting your way through breathtaking realms of water and wind, you strike down the three gods in succession before coming face-to-face with the Twelve's combined form. This mighty being, too, must fall by your hand if you are to grant the gods their hearts' desire.

*At the end of a furious struggle, you succeed in overcoming your foe, and are joined by your companions just as the Twelve reveal the true nature of their desire: to give themselves unto the star as a blessing. While this means they must fade from existence, their stabilizing influence shall endure in the form of the instrument of blessing, a great contraption which they created to receive of mortal hopes in their stead. So it is that, one by one, the gods bid you farewell and disappear amidst blinding light─all except for Oschon who reappears before you as Deryk.

*Like everyone, Krile is surprised that Deryk is standing there. While she is curious as to what happened, above all else, she is overjoyed for a friend returned.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===

Deryk: Oh, [Forename]. 'Tis good of you to come, but I'm afraid there is still no word from Krile and G'raha Tia.
Deryk: They're working as fast as they can to compile the findings of our investigation, I shouldn't doubt.
Deryk: But between the phantom realm's aetheric data and the monument's epigraph, they have much and more to review.
Deryk: Now, while awaiting developments, I had a mind to pay Snoegeim a visit in the Omphalos.
Deryk: If you aren't otherwise occupied, you should come too.
-quest accepted

-optional start
Deryk: Snoegeim has become something of a fixture here. So focused is she on her work, she often neglects taking sustenance. I pray her health doesn't suffer...

Baby Opo-opo: Ook?

-optional end

===Speak with Snoegeim in the Omphalos.===
-cutscene start
Snoegeim: Oh, if it isn't [Forename] and Deryk!
Snoegeim: But no Krile or Raha, I see...

Deryk: Unfortunately. Speaking of whom, would you not prefer to be with them in Sharlayan? You're a researcher too, after all.

Snoegeim: I find myself much more effective in the field. Being here gives me inspiration, you see, and of late I've been mulling over the opening words of the epigraph.
Snoegeim: “As beings who endure by the will of the star, we are susceptible to the influence of hopes and prayers. Thus do we commit our yokes herein, lest we stray from our purpose.”
Snoegeim: The suggestion that faith has shaped the nature of the Twelve paints a truly intriguing picture!
Snoegeim: If truth be told, I was also hoping that I might speak with the gods again...
Snoegeim: But they haven't graced us since the time we solved the mystery of the monument. They only do so on exceptional occasions, it seems.
Snoegeim: Be that as it may, I believe there might be another way to see them.
Snoegeim: When we journeyed with the gods, Azeyma told me that each of them wished to speak with you in private. ''You'', [Forename]!
Snoegeim: If you were to call them before their heavens, I have a feeling they will answer!
Snoegeim: So...won't you give it a try? And afterwards, let us know what they said?

Deryk: I for one see no harm in it.
Deryk: But if you are disinclined, then do not feel pressured. It is entirely your decision.

System: You now have the opportunity to speak with those of the Twelve whom you have encountered thus far. To do so, call to them before the entrances to their respective heavens.
System: You may advance the quest at any time by speaking with Deryk in the Omphalos.
-cutscene end
-optional start
> Heaven of Lightning Gate
>> Byregot
Byregot: Ah, [Forename], pleased am I that you should seek me out. I had wished to speak with you.
>>>If Byregot is player's guardian
Byregot: Ah, [Forename], pleased am I that you should seek me out. As your patron, I had wished to speak with you.
---
Byregot: It does me well to see that you have been dedicating yourself to crafting. In my capacity as the Builder, I watch your progress upon this path with keenest interest.
Byregot: The act of crafting embodies the spirit of improvement and advancement.
Byregot: 'Tis my hope that you will strive ever forward, and seize that which you most desire with your own hands.

>> Rhalgr
Rhalgr: Well, well, if it isn't the dauntless [Forename]. Full glad am I that you would thus call to me.
>>> If Rhalgr is player's guardian
Rhalgr: Well, well, if it isn't the dauntless [Forename]. Full glad am I that you would thus call to me, your patron.
---
Rhalgr: When you and yours investigated the origins of the Fist of Rhalgr, you posited some interesting theories.
Rhalgr: The connection between myself and the sylphs' divinity, in particular. You did well to draw that conclusion.
Rhalgr: Your inquiring minds have taken you far, child of man, and they will take you further still!
---
> Heaven of Fire Gate
>> Azeyma
Azeyma: Ah, [Forename]! At last you've come!
>>>If Azeyma is player's guardian
Azeyma: Ah, [Forename], my dearest devotee! At last you've come!
---
Azeyma: Hehe, I was right to entrust your zealous scholar companion with the message. Ever since our first meeting, I knew that I simply must see you again.
Azeyma: There is something familiar about you. You awaken forgotten feelings in me─feelings that once smoldered like embers amidst the ashes.
Azeyma: Perhaps you resemble someone I knew long ago. Yet whatever the reason, your presence gives me comfort and warmth. May your light ever burn bright!

>> Nald'thal
Nald'thal: [Forename], we bid you welcome.
>>> If Nald'thal is player's guardian
Nald'thal: [Forename]. To you who have given us your faith, we bid welcome.
---
Nald'thal: Know that though we appear to be two beings─a dual-aspected divinity─'twas not always so.
Nald'thal: Man's hopes harbor power, and 'twas his faith, offered over millennia, that shaped us into our present form.
Nald'thal: In answer to your faith, we, the Traders, shall watch over mankind as he strives for that which he desires.

> Heaven of Earth Gate
>>Nophica
Nophica: Why, if it isn't [Forename]! You wish to speak, do you?
>>> If Nophica is player's guardian
Nophica: Why, if it isn't my faithful [Forename]! You wish to speak, do you?
---
Nophica: Tell me, have you ever met an elemental?
Nophica: Many hold that they were born of me, and as I mentioned, they are the voice of those who abide in the Twelveswood.
Nophica: At times, they may seem excessive in their actions, but it is out of an abundance of love. So pray be good to them, and heed their warnings!

>>Althyk
Althyk: [Forename], is it? I must say, there is something to be said for being summoned by a mortal.
>>> If Althyk is player's guardian
Althyk: [Forename], is it? I must say, there is something to be said for being summoned by a mortal, and one of your own besides.
---
Althyk: The life of man is but a drop in the great river of time. Thus are you and yours wont to rush ahead, not wasting a single moment.
Althyk: Be that as it may, certain sights will only come into view if one stops to look. So be not afraid to pass the time in ways which, at first, may not seem fruitful.
Althyk: Should you dare to do so, you may well be visited by an eye-opening experience. Such is the richness of time.
>>>If player has completed the quest {{i|Methods of Mourning}}
Althyk: This lesson, I learned in another life from an unexpected visitor.
---

>> Nymeia
Nymeia: Well now, if it isn't my dear [Forename]. How good of you to call to me.
>>> If Nymeia is player's guardian
Nymeia: Well now, if it isn't my adherent [Forename]. How good of you to call to me.
---
Nymeia: I'm sorry if I gave you a shock by joining my brother in battle, but I couldn't help myself. We've always done everything together, he and I.
Nymeia: Ah, such a joy it was to face you and yours. You displayed the selfsame determination that allowed you to defy fate, and it was one surprise after another.
>>>If player has completed the quest {{i|Methods of Mourning}}
Nymeia: Hm, I can't help but feel as though I spoke similar words long ago. Who was it to, I wonder...
---
---
>Heaven of Ice Gate
>> Halone
Halone: How bold you are to summon me, [Forename]. 'Tis no less than I expect from you.
>>> If Halone is player's guardian
Halone: How bold you are to summon me, [Forename]. 'Tis no less than I expect from one of mine.
---
Halone: In recognition of your valor and deeds, I offer a word of counsel.
Halone: Well do I know the power of men's hopes─of mortal faith. And there is no faith that I reject.
Halone: Yet in every age, there are those who invoke the name of the divine for their own ends. Be not misled by them.

>> Menphina
Menphina: Oh, [Forename], what a delightful surprise! You wished to see me, did you?
>>> If Halone is player's guardian
Menphina: Oh, [Forename], what a delightful surprise! You wished to see me, did you? Your beautiful and benevolent patron?
---
Menphina: I'm truly grateful that we can talk like this.
Menphina: As you know, I'm the goddess of love. Yet that obviously doesn't mean I have a ''monopoly'' on love. For instance, my brethren love mankind with all their hearts, just like me.
Menphina: And whether or not Oschon is my beloved as mortals believe, I have more than enough room in my heart for everyone. Be it men or gods, I love you all alike!
Menphina: And needless to say I love my adorable Dalamud too, whom you and yours gifted to me!
---
---
Snoegeim: Did the gods appear!?

Baby Opo-opo: Ook, ook!
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk.===
Deryk: Spoken to your satisfaction, have you? Then let us await Krile and G'raha Tia together.

Question: Wait with Deryk?

-cutscene start
Deryk: Hmmm... Still no sign of them...
Deryk: Ah, there is something I've been meaning to ask you.
Deryk: As an adventurer, you are better traveled than most. Of the places you have seen, what kind do you like best?

Question: What will you say?

> Bustling hubs brimming with activity.
> Natural environs unspoiled by man.
> Faraway lands where new encounters await.
> Quiet places where I can enjoy solitude.
---

Deryk: Ah yes, I can see the appeal in that. Though I travel alone, I quite enjoy listening to the sounds of life in the cities and towns I visit.
Deryk: So you too enjoy being amidst nature... It gladdens me to know that we have that in common.
Deryk: Ah yes, I can imagine you being given to such. The thrill of visiting unknown places is something I can understand.
Deryk: Is that so... Well do I understand it—the desire to have a place all your own, where you might be with your own thoughts.
Deryk: I myself am partial to wandering Eorzea. So rich in aether, this land, and possessed of so many aspects...
Deryk: 'Twas when I was traveling through the Twelveswood that I encountered this fellow. I knew not how he came to be injured and alone, but I couldn't turn a blind eye.
Deryk: He has long since recovered, and I probably should have returned him to his forest home.
Deryk: But when I see him here, undaunted in the presence of gods, I can't help but feel 'twas fate that delivered him to me.
Deryk: Still, the day will come when we must go our separate ways...

Snoegeim: They're finally here, everyone!

Deryk: Welcome back. How fared your work?

Krile: It took longer than we anticipated, but we managed to compile our findings, and thence deliberated a course of action.

G'raha Tia: Indeed. Hereon, we would do well to tread with caution.
G'raha Tia: The waveforms we recorded with the aetheric analyzer revealed an unsettling occurrence.
G'raha Tia: In the course of fighting us, the gods expended a tremendous amount of their aether. So much so as to dilute their very essence.

Krile: Lest you worry, you've done no wrong, [Forename]. The gods themselves wished to fight, after all.
Krile: That being said, we should avoid engaging in further battle until we learn more about their true objective.
Krile: To that end, we will seek out the thirteenth unnamed being, whose duty is to watch unflinching.
Krile: If Raha is correct, and we have no reason to believe otherwise, said being is the watcher on the moon.
Krile: You'll be pleased to know I've already acquired permission to use the Tower of Babil from the Ilsabard contingent, who presently oversee the structure.

> ??? condition
Krile: You'll be pleased to know I've already acquired permission to use the Tower of Babil from the Ilsabard contingent, who oversee the structure with the Garlean people's leave.
---

Snoegeim: We...we're really going, then? To the moon? Huzzah!
Snoegeim: Hehe, I wonder what the watcher is like! If there are no other matters, then let us set forth at once!

Deryk: If you still wish to speak with the gods, best to seek them out now. They may not be there later.
-cutscene end

===Wait in front of the Watcher's Palace.===
-cutscene start
The Watcher: Greetings, Hydaelyn's champion. You are ever welcome here, as are your companions.

Krile: 'Tis a pleasure to meet you, watcher. We come hoping that you would answer some questions for us—questions about Hydaelyn.
Krile: We have deciphered the monument at the heart of the phantom realm. In addition to the names and duties of the Twelve, it speaks of one who is unnamed, who shall watch unflinching.
Krile: Are we correct in assuming that that individual is you?
Krile: The Twelve have existed for eras. If you know aught about them, will you not share your knowledge with us?
Krile: They have a desire which they claim can only be fulfilled through battle with mankind. We wish to understand what that is.

Deryk: Please.

The Watcher: So man has managed to come this far...
The Watcher: Very well. You have earned the right to know.
The Watcher: Remember, however, that I am but a creation. Though I have been imbued with some memories of the past, they are far from complete.
The Watcher: First of all, I am indeed the unnamed being the monument describes.
The Watcher: An entity created by Hydaelyn to serve a purpose, alongside the Twelve.
The Watcher: Together, they were charged with preserving equilibrium on a sundered and unstable star.
The Watcher: Like myself, they were given shape from people who once existed.
The Watcher: And like myself, they believed that the world should be entrusted to the new life that had emerged.
The Watcher: While I do not possess detailed memories of that time, Venat selected those she deemed best suited to their respective duties.

G'raha Tia: That would explain why the Twelve appear to have personalities like mortals...

The Watcher: The men and women they once were influenced their personalities, yes, but so too did the faith of mortals.
The Watcher: Knowingly or no, when men pray, they will the object of their worship to assume a form that can better grant them their heart's desire.
The Watcher: In this manner have the Twelve been shaped over eons into images that fit men's ideals.

Krile: So you were right, Raha. Hopes and prayers have the power to influence the gods.

The Watcher: Yet even as they thus changed, at Venat's behest, they would have refrained from intervening in mortal affairs.
The Watcher: As a result, there will have been times when they acted in ways that are contrary to your expectations.
The Watcher: But now that Hydaelyn is no more and the Final Days averted, the Twelve have arrived at a decision regarding their fate all their own.
The Watcher: 'Tis not for me to reveal the truth of their desire. I can, however, guarantee that it will not visit harm upon mankind. Nay, far from it.

Snoegeim: Well, I for one never felt that the gods meant us ill. To have your guarantee as well, we couldn't possibly doubt them anymore!

G'raha Tia: It is most assuring to confirm the connection between you and the Twelve.
G'raha Tia: With this, we may proceed in our quest with easier hearts.

Krile: Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. We shall return to the Omphalos and continue engaging with your brethren.

The Watcher: That is well. As I watch on, I shall pray that the tale comes to a happy conclusion for gods and men alike.
The Watcher: May your journey be fulfilling...
-cutscene end

===Enter the Omphalos.===
-cutscene start
Krile: Something's amiss. The gods' avatars are nowhere to be seen...

Llymlaen@Audacious Woman: That's because our preparations are complete!
Llymlaen@Audacious Woman: Ahhh, I've waited so bloody long for this moment!

Thaliak@Sagely Man: Tsk-tsk, Llymlaen. Are such uncouth words the first you would speak unto our guests?

Llymlaen: Oh, leave off, Thaliak! You can't tell me you're not as excited as I am!

Thaliak: I would be the first to admit my joy, but on such a momentous occasion, I would act with due propriety.
Thaliak: Well met, children of man. 'Tis our understanding that you have spoken with the watcher and ascertained our true nature.
Thaliak: Indeed, we were created by Hydaelyn to tend the star.
Thaliak: Having built the Omphalos at its heart, and our sanctums throughout aether-rich Eorzea, we labored to preserve the balance of reality.

G'raha Tia: All of this we have learned, but there is still one thing we do not understand.
G'raha Tia: Our analysis of the phantom realm revealed that you and yours dilute your very selves by fighting us.
G'raha Tia: Would this not impede your ability to carry out your duties?

Deryk: We appreciate your concern, but you needn't worry.

Question: What will you say?

> What's going on?
Deryk: I haven't been honest with you, and for that I apologize.
> I knew it—you were ''him'' all along.
Deryk: Likewise, I knew that you harbored suspicion as to my true identity.
> So...the baby opo-opo was Oschon all along?
Deryk: Loath though I am to disappoint, it isn't the little fellow.
---

Deryk: While my brethren used various creatures as their avatars, I chose the form of a man, the better to share in your solitude.
Deryk: And it fell to me...
Deryk@Oschon: ...The Wanderer, to beckon unto the Omphalos they who could grant our wish.

Snoegeim: Wh-What? How could you hide such a thing from us!?

Deryk@Oschon: Had you known my true identity and our purpose, we feared that you would refuse to fight us.
Deryk@Oschon: But our fears were unfounded. You've heeded our request and, despite the hardships, endeavored to grant it.
Deryk@Oschon: Forgive me, [Forename], but I must leave the little fellow in your care.
Deryk@Oschon: In the innermost part of our realm, we shall reveal the truth in its entirety.

Deryk@Oschon: I await your coming with bated breath.
Llymlaen: This is our grandest moment, mortal. Gird your loins and have at us!
Thaliak: I shall receive you with my all. Be as a raging torrent, child of man.
>If Oschon is your patron deity
Deryk@Oschon: As your patron deity, ever have I watched over you. And now I await your coming with bated breath.
>If Llymlaen is your patron deity
Llymlaen: I know the ones who are mine, and I know you too, [Forename]. Gird your loins and have at us!
>If Thaliak is your patron deity
Thaliak: As your patron deity, I shall receive you with my all. Be as a raging torrent, child of man.

---
-cutscene end
-optional start
Krile: I don't blame Deryk for hiding the truth. 'Tis no easy thing to say that you're actually a god.

Snoegeim: In his wanderings, I can't help but wonder what Deryk thought and felt...

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...ook?
-optional end

===Speak with G'raha Tia===
G'raha Tia: So Deryk is the Wanderer, the deity who shares in men's solitude...
G'raha Tia: And in order to beckon us to the phantom realm, he posed as an explorer and solicited the aid of the Sons of Saint Coinach.
G'raha Tia: In spite of this, I do not feel as though I've been deceived, nor do I harbor any resentment. Rather, I simply feel sad.

Krile: I understand. 'Tis as if a dear friend were suddenly spirited far away...
Krile: In hindsight, perhaps it was in expectation of the coming battle that he had kept men at arm's length.

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...

Krile: I imagine it must be even harder for you...

Snoegeim: But to know that one of the Twelve walked among us... It makes me want to do the best we can by them.

Krile: Aye. Since time immemorial, the Twelve have watched over all who abide on this star.
Krile: And even as they fulfilled their purpose of maintaining stability, as beings possessed of sentience, they also heeded the hearts of men.
Krile: So let us likewise heed their hearts, and do our utmost to grant them their desire.
G'raha Tia: Then I believe we all know what comes next.
G'raha Tia: By all indications, this will be the final foray into the gods' sanctum. This task, we entrust to you and your adventurer friends once more, [Forename].

G'raha Tia: As there's no telling what may happen afterwards, I shall remain on guard here.
G'raha Tia: Twice now you have triumphed, and I have faith that you will do so yet again. Go well, [Forename]!

-optional start
G'raha Tia: Worry not, I shall hold the fort here. Pray focus on the battles ahead.

Krile: Though we're assured that fulfilling the gods' desire won't visit harm upon the star, I cannot help but worry what may come to pass. We must be prepared.

Snoegeim: For the coming foray, you should face Thaliak in the Heaven of Water, and Llymlaen and Oschon in the Heaven of Wind.
Snoegeim: While Nymeia would also abide in the former, I believe she has already fulfilled her part. Which means an easier time for you...or so I hope!

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...

-optional end

===After [[Thaleia]]===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: [Forename], are you all right!?

Krile: Thanks for clearing the way, [Forename]. That being, I presume, is the Twelve...?

Eulogia: You have done well, children of man. As promised, we shall reveal the truth in its entirety.
Eulogia: Our desire is simply thus: to give ourselves unto the star as a blessing.
Eulogia: In the twelve millennia we have existed, we have come to harbor tremendous power through prayers.
Eulogia: Through battle, our essence shall unravel and return to the star, where it might give rise to new life. Such is our final gift to you.

Snoegeim: You mean you'll disappear!?

Eulogia: Yes. The fragments of our former souls which serve as the core of our existence shall rejoin the Lifestream.
Eulogia: Yet though we may fade from sight, our individuality lost, our stabilizing influence shall endure.
Eulogia: The only thing to change is where your prayers find their way. Henceforth, it shall be this, the instrument of blessing, that receives of mortal hopes—hopes that shall be given back to the star.

G'raha Tia: But your presence brings comfort to mankind. Everyone would wish for you to remain. Must you truly fade away?

Eulogia: Such gladdening things you say, child. We must confess, what we do, we also do for ourselves.
Eulogia: When mankind overcame the Final Days, it so moved us that even we who are but constructs knew the greatest joy.
Eulogia: You have shown your unfaltering love for the world. In return, we would show our undying love for you.
Eulogia: Worry not. Myths are wont to be woven and passed down.
Eulogia: So long as men hold the Twelve in fondness, we shall live on in your faith in us.

Snoegeim: Wh-When you say such things... <sob>

Eulogia: The moment of parting is come. By our blessing, may you march towards a brighter future.
Eulogia: Farewell, beloved children.

Althyk: When you are ready, brothers and sisters.

Byregot: May the font of your ingenuity ever flow.

Rhalgr: Yours is the strength to destroy all obstacles.

Azeyma: Abide in virtue, and hold fast to the truth.

Nald'thal: There is meaning in your deeds. Celebrate life and embrace death.

Nophica: May you flourish, and reap a bountiful harvest.

Althyk: In your limited time, have boundless compassion.

Halone: Carry yourself with honor and forge on, towards victory.

Menphina: Harbor love in your heart—for yourself, for others, and for the world.

Thaliak: From past to future the river of knowledge flows. Be part of its nourishing waters.

Nymeia: May a wonderful new world greet you beyond destiny's horizon.

Llymlaen: Be calm as the ocean, and you shall weather any storm.

Oschon: As the wind blows unfettered, may you be free to follow your heart.

Halone@Halone's Voice: You needn't agonize so, Oschon.

Nophica@Nophica's Voice: Remain with them if that be your desire.

Oschon: But...this is what we've dreamed of. To return to the star together.
Oschon: I just... I never imagined that I would grow so fond of them. That parting would be so hard...

Nald'thal@Nald'thal's Voice: Long as we have abided in patience to rejoin the Lifestream...

Althyk@Althyk's Voice: For the drop in the river of time that is man's fleeting life...

Nymeia@Nymeia's Voice: Why not share your fate with them?

Llymlaen@Llymlaen's Voice: Follow your heart, as you ever have.

Menphina@Menphina's Voice: And when the time comes, we shall meet again.

Deryk: I've...decided to continue journeying a while longer.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Deryk: That I'm still here... I can scarce believe it myself.

G'raha Tia: It cannot have been easy for Deryk to break with his decision. I should like to hear what went through his mind.

Snoegeim: He's back! He's really back! <sniff>
Baby Opo-opo: Ook-ook-ook!
-optional end

===Speak with Krile in the Twelve's Embrace.===
Krile: Words can't well express my surprise when I opened my eyes to see Deryk standing there.
Krile: I'm naturally curious as to what happened, but above all, I rejoice for a dear friend returned.
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=7J5x19iUUME}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

The Secret of the Twelve

2026-06-17T14:46:18Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Secret of the Twelve
| description = [[Deryk]] casts a languid gaze to and fro.
| image = the secret of the twelve.png
| quest-giver = Deryk
| related-npcs = Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Byregot; G'raha Tia; Halone; Krile; Menphina; Nophica; Nymeia; Snoegeim
| location = South Shroud
| location-x = 25.5
| location-y = 20.8
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 180
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp =
| gil = 2500
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = Divine Nonintervention
| next-quest = The Heart of the Myth
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.3
| id-edb = 3e8dbc3cb3b
| id-gt = 70205
}}

==Steps==
*Enter [[the Omphalos]].
*Speak with [[G'raha Tia]].
*Speak with [[Deryk]] outside [[Revenant's Toll]].

==Journal==
* [[Deryk]] casts a languid gaze to and fro.

* Having extracted the information from her final stone, [[Krile]] rejoins you in [[Quarrymill]]. She expresses her thanks to her companions, mortal and divine alike, and together you make your way back to [[the Omphalos]].

* You arrive in the Omphalos to find [[G'raha Tia]] and [[Snoegeim]] already returned from their respective pilgrimages. After the gods take their leave, you use the information you acquired to complete the monument's epigraph. Appearing to be written by the gods themselves, it explains that they were brought forth by the will of the star, before going on to describe the duties of each deity. The revelations have given you and your companions much to ponder, and you all sink into contemplative silence.

* G'raha Tia posits that the gods created the epigraph so that they might never lose sight of their duty, no matter how much their nature might be altered over millennia. And Krile, identifying the will of the star as [[Hydaelyn]], turns her attention to the watcher on the moon, who could well be the thirteenth unnamed being.

: As it stands, you have yet to encounter three of the Twelve, and there is no telling what may happen once you have fought them all. In order to determine how best to proceed, Krile and G'raha Tia decide to return to [[Sharlayan]] to compile your findings. Deryk also excuses himself and heads out of the Omphalos, but Snoegeim bids you follow after the aloof explorer, unsettled by his melancholy musings.

* In response to Snoegeim's fears that he might suddenly vanish, Deryk philosophizes that all things must come to an end. Saddened though he will be when the time comes to part ways, he accepts that sadness as part of the joy he has derived from your companionship, and declares his intention to strive with you to the last. Inspired by his words, you inwardly pledge to follow the mystery of [[the Twelve]] to its very end.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Deryk: It doesn't take too long to extract the information. Krile should be here any moment now.

Krile: Apologies for the wait. With that, I've obtained information from all of my stones.
Krile: You've taken care of yours already, yes?
Krile: Thank you for worrying about me. While it's good to know that I can handle myself, I'm heartened to be doing this with you all.
Krile: I owe you thanks as well, Byregot and Nophica, for accepting my request with good grace.

Byregot: Think naught of it. You did well to see your task through, little one.

Nophica: Indeed. Come, come, let us all return to the Omphalos.
-quest accepted
-cutscene end

===Enter the Omphalos.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: You took your time, [Forename]. Did something happen?

Snoegeim: Ah, so you rendezvoused with Krile. How was your experience with the gods, if I may ask?

G'raha Tia: Not only did you help a disillusioned man find his way, you looked in on Krile besides...
G'raha Tia: Thank you, [Forename]. And you as well, Deryk.

Deryk: ...I fear I overstepped my bounds, but what's done is done.

Menphina: We shall return to our sanctums. You have our gratitude for the delightful time!

Nymeia: By holding your instruments out to the monument, you will be able to augment the missing information. Be well, dear children.

G'raha Tia: Shall we, then?

Krile: Amazing! What was impossible to decipher is now crystal clear!
Krile: Without further ado, I shall read out the epigraph...
Krile@Omphalos Monument: As beings who endure by the will of the star, we are susceptible to the influence of hopes and prayers. Thus do we commit our yokes herein, lest we stray from our purpose.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is named Byregot shall preside over construction. His duty: to fortify the works of men, and encourage them to build.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is named Rhalgr shall preside over destruction. His duty: to galvanize the star's beating heart, and facilitate mankind's regeneration.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: She who is named Azeyma shall preside over the sun. Her duty: to nurture its life-giving light, and illuminate the truth for all to see.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is named Nald'thal shall preside over the subterrane. His duty: to make gleam the riches hidden in the darkest depths—and in men themselves.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: She who is named Nophica shall preside over fertility. Her duty: to fill the land with life, and prepare a path of peace and plenty.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is named Althyk shall preside over space and time. His duty: to endow the star with material vigor, that mankind's march may never cease.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: She who is named Halone shall preside over the glaciers. Her duty: to hold the melting ice at bay, and imbue men with constancy and tranquility.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: She who is named Menphina shall preside over the moon. Her duty: to perpetuate the turning of night and day, and foster love in the hearts of all.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is named Thaliak shall preside over the rivers. His duty: to quench the thirst of men, and water their minds with wisdom.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: She who is named Nymeia shall preside over the stars. Her duty: to preserve the celestial fabric of the seasons, and weave the threads of men's lives.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: She who is named Llymlaen shall preside over the seas. Her duty: to administer the tides, and inspire men to come together as one and seek new horizons.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is named Oschon shall preside over the mountains. His duty: to sustain the breath of the firmament, and in wandering share in men's solitude.
Krile@Omphalos Monument: He who is unnamed shall watch unflinching. His duty: to stand guard over his charge, always and unto the end.
Krile: There the epigraph concludes. We've been given quite a lot to ponder...
-cutscene end

-optional start
Krile: Our yokes...lest we stray...

Deryk: Curiouser and curiouser...

Snoegeim: Writings about the gods, written by the gods themselves... This is utterly unprecedented!

Baby Opo-opo: Ook? Ook?
-optional end

===Speak with G'raha Tia.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: Hopes and prayers influencing their nature...
G'raha Tia: Have you any thoughts on the contents of the epigraph, [Forename]?

Question: What will you say?

> The prayers of her faithful made Halone more imposing.
> The worship of Dalamud brought forth Menphina's hound.
---

Snoegeim: You mean to say that prayers have changed the Twelve into their present forms? That is rather hard to believe...

G'raha Tia: Given what we now know of dynamis, I believe it is entirely possible. In the presence of that energy, hopes and prayers have more tangible results than one might expect.
G'raha Tia: Its power may be curbed upon our star, but over thousands of years of worship, it could have influenced the gods in various ways.
G'raha Tia: Ways such as that which [Forename] just described, for one. Others that come to mind are Halone's shield and spear, which reflect her status as a goddess of war, and Nymeia's spinning wheel, which is an apt apparatus for a goddess of fate.
G'raha Tia: Thus did they create this monument—this yoke—that they might never lose sight of their duty, no matter how much they may change.

Krile: I'm inclined to agree with Raha.
Krile: The gods wrote that they endure by “the will of the star.”
Krile: Who that refers to, we all know too well.
Krile: Hydaelyn.
Krile: By sundering reality, She must have known that She would shake the very foundation of existence. Anticipating the potential chaos, I suspect She charged Her collaborators with maintaining stability.

G'raha Tia: If this is true, then might not the thirteenth unnamed being be the watcher on the moon?

Krile: The pieces certainly fall into place. I wonder if he would be willing to share what he knows...
Krile: As it stands, we've yet to encounter three gods. As there's no telling what may happen once we've fought them all, I believe we should try to uncover as much of the truth as we can, the better to know how to proceed.
Krile: To that end, ere we seek out the watcher, Raha and I shall return to Sharlayan to compile our findings—the data from the analyzer not least of all.

Snoegeim: To think that the investigation might lead us to the moon! I eagerly look forward to the next stage of our fieldwork!

G'raha Tia: [Forename]. Like as not, yet more grueling encounters with the gods await. You should rest up and gather your strength.

Deryk: Not long now ere we arrive at the truth...
Deryk: For the longest time I've journeyed alone, not involving myself in the affairs of others.
Deryk: But I've enjoyed our time together. You've undertaken the investigation with all earnestness, and it has been a pleasure to be part of it.
Deryk: When I imagine the moment we must part ways, I can't help but be saddened. And it surprises me that I feel that way.
Deryk: ...Forgive me, I didn't mean to wax sentimental. If you'll excuse me, I shall head outside for some fresh air.

Snoegeim: There he goes again... [Forename]—do you suppose you could follow after him?
Snoegeim: I can't quite say why, but I feel as though he'll suddenly vanish one day, never to return...
-cutscene end

-optional start
Snoegeim: You know, I can't help but wonder why Deryk came to us for help. As an explorer, didn't he want to keep the glory of discovery for himself?
Snoegeim: I, for one, would have gone over the phantom realm with a fine-toothed comb alone before thinking to tell a single soul!
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk outside Revenant's Toll.===
-cutscene start
Deryk: Oh, 'tis you, [Forename]. What is it?
Deryk: Snoegeim's worried that I'll suddenly vanish, you say...
Deryk: Well, as the saying goes, all things must come to an end. Whether we will it or no.
Deryk: When our work is finished, we must go our separate ways.
Deryk: Doing so will sadden me, as you know.
Deryk: Yet that sadness is part of the joy I have derived from our companionship.
Deryk: So I will accept it when the time comes, and strive with you to the last.

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...?

Deryk: As you know, my friend, I would rather you live your own life. But having helped you, I won't send you away against your will.
Deryk: ...Well, you are a busy {{alternatives|woman|man}}, so I won't keep you.
Deryk: As before, rest assured I will share with you any tidings I receive from Krile. Take care, my friend, and see you again in due course.
-quest complete
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=cQ3iPhPhxTs}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

Divine Nonintervention

2026-06-17T14:45:06Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Divine Nonintervention
| description = Something appears to weigh upon [[Deryk]]'s mind.
| image = divine nonintervention.png
| quest-giver = Deryk
| related-npcs = Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Byregot; G'raha Tia; Halone; Krile; Menphina; Nophica; Suspicious Spriggan
| location = Coerthas Central Highlands
| location-x = 23.0
| location-y = 7.9
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 170
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp =
| gil = 2500
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = In Heavenly Company
| next-quest = The Secret of the Twelve
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.3
| id-edb = f9a13d3c0fc
| id-gt = 70204
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Deryk]] in [[Gridania]].
*Speak with [[Halone]].
*Search for [[Byregot]] at [[Rootslake]].
*Speak with Deryk.
*Speak with Deryk again.

==Journal==
* Something appears to weigh upon [[Deryk]]'s mind.

* Having finished visiting your destinations, Deryk expresses his concern for [[Krile]] on account of her earlier exchange with [[G'raha Tia]]. It is decided that you will check on her, to which end you first make your way to [[Gridania]].

* In Gridania, [[Menphina]] and [[Halone]] waste no time sensing [[Nophica]] and [[Byregot]], but curiously note that the two are in different locations. Observing that Nophica is close by, Halone dashes off to find her sister goddess, and you hurry after her.

* Halone leads you true, and you locate Nophica in the altar of her namesake. When pressed as to why she isn't with the others, the Matron explains that Krile wished to complete her task without divine supervision. Byregot still follows her discreetly, however, and so you decide to rendezvous with the Builder, who is near [[Camp Tranquil]] in the [[South Shroud]].

* Byregot informs you that Krile now makes her way to [[Althyk]]'s stone. In order to hasten your passage, he summons a pair of [[Rhalgr]]'s hawks to bear you and Deryk.

* You and Deryk take to the air in search of Krile, and find her already at the stone. There, she reveals that it was the desire to seek the answers in her own way and prove herself capable that prompted her to send the gods away. Your concerns thus laid to rest, Krile then turns to the task of extracting information, and bids you await her in [[Quarrymill]].

* Speaking with Deryk in Quarrymill, you learn how he feels about involving himself in the lives of others. Though he believes it wrong to interfere, it seems he can't help but extend a helping hand when it comes to it.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Halone: Among us Twelve, Menphina is the most approachable to mortalkind. 'Tis one of her positive traits.

Menphina: Suffice it to say we love you too, [Forename]!

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...?
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Deryk: With this, we have completed our task and may return to the Omphalos...
Deryk: Yet I can't help but think about Krile.
Deryk: G'raha Tia seemed to be worried about her, did he not? 'Twas as if something weighed on her mind. Though she is in the company of deities, I find myself worrying too.

Question: What will you say?

> Whatever it is, there's only one way to find out!
> You could ask her directly.
> ...
---

Deryk: Yes, I suppose so...
Deryk: So you didn't notice anything amiss? Perhaps I simply imagined it, but I worry nonetheless.
Deryk: If there are no objections, let us seek out Krile.

Menphina: She has headed to the Twelveswood with Nophica and Byregot, yes?
Menphina: They are presently too far away for us to sense, but we should be able to locate them once in the forest.

Deryk: I see. In that case, let us make for Gridania.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Halone: As I understand it, mortals hold that Nophica and I are at odds. Like other details about us, you are free to believe what you wish.

Menphina: For all his preference for solitude, Deryk certainly seems concerned for the welfare of others. How very intriguing...

Baby Opo-opo: Ook!

-optional end

===Speak with Deryk in Gridania.===
-cutscene start
Deryk: So, here we are in Gridania. Can you sense Nophica and Byregot?

Menphina: I do...but something is strange.

Halone: Indeed. They appear to be in different places.
Halone: Nophica is the nearer of the two, and is quite close by. I shall go and find her.

Deryk: Wait! You mustn't go off on your own!
Deryk: Ugh, confound it all! After her, [Forename]!
-cutscene end
-optional start
Deryk: I'd thank you not to do that again...

Menphina: Both Nophica and Halone are very good to me. 'Tis our way to look out for one another.

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...

Nophica: Oh? Have you already finished visiting your stones?
-optional end

===Speak with Halone.===
-cutscene start
Halone: There she is.

Nophica: Well now, I wasn't expecting to see you all here... Is aught the matter?

Deryk: You're supposed to be with Krile and Byregot. Where are they?

Nophica: Oh, we became separated while I was distracted, listening to the elementals.
Nophica: The beings are the voice of those who call the wood home. As I'm the patron of this land, they could not help but report to me.

Deryk: You gods can sense each other. Even should you become separated, shouldn't it be a simple matter to find them again?

Halone: Indeed. 'Twould seem you are keeping something from us, Nophica.

Nophica: Oh, Halone, there is simply no fooling you. Very well, I shall confess all.
Nophica: The child Krile wanted to visit our stones alone, you see. To complete her task without us watching over her.
Nophica: We merely respected that wish.
Nophica: With her abilities, I do not believe she is in any danger. But the worrier that he is, Byregot decided to follow after her discreetly.

Menphina: If this is her wish, then indeed, we must abide by it.

Nophica: As for Byregot... Ah, yes. I sense him in the place men call the South Shroud.

Deryk: One of the stones is situated there, I believe near Camp Tranquil. Let us search that area for Byregot—if we find him, we should find Krile as well.
-cutscene end

===Search for Byregot at Rootslake.===
''Interact with rustling undergrowth''
System: You scour the undergrowth, but see no signs of Byregot. It must have simply been the wind.

''Interact with broken barrel''
System: You search the broken barrel, but find no god disguised as an adorable critter.

''Talk with Suspicious Spriggan, X 16.6, Y 29.1''
-cutscene start
Byregot: ...What brings you all here?

Deryk: We understand you've been following Krile. Where is she?

Byregot: Having acquired information from my stone, she now makes for Althyk's.
Byregot: I keep my distance to avoid being seen, and was about to continue on when you appeared.

Nophica: Althyk's stone is her last destination, is it not? Let us all go and meet her there.

Byregot: If everyone so wishes, then very well.
Byregot: To hasten our passage, I shall call upon Master Rhalgr's servants to bear the mortals.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Deryk.===
Deryk: It seems we have the use of these hawks. Let's see if we can spot Krile from above.
Deryk: I will bring our companions, so you needn't worry about them. Are you ready, [Forename]?

Popup: Mount the hawk and search for Krile?

Deryk: Go, my feathered friend. Fly like the wind.
Deryk: I must thank you, [Forename]. Talking to you helped me to find the resolve to seek out Krile.
Deryk: No signs of her here... Let's continue on to Althyk's stone.
Deryk: There she is already. She certainly wasted no time.

-cutscene start
Krile: Well, now... Did you come all this way just to check on me?
Krile: I've been on edge, worrying that I might stumble into Odin, so you gave me a bit of a fright.

Deryk: Nophica tells us that you wished to travel alone. What prompted you to send the gods away?

Krile: Hmmm... It's difficult to explain.
Krile: I suppose... I suppose I wanted to seek the answers in my own way.
Krile: As the gods told us, if we wish to know the truth, we must discover it for ourselves.
Krile: In spite of this, they've seen fit to not only set us upon the right path, but accompany us besides.
Krile: This bespeaks the faith that they have in man's spirit of inquiry. And it gives me heart.
Krile: After all, 'tis the selfsame spirit that defines the Students of Baldesion.
Krile: Like everyone, I want to uncover the truth of the Twelve. To know their aspirations and understand them.
Krile: And having seen a dear friend embark on countless adventures, I've developed the desire to see and experience the world for myself.
Krile: There are dangers out there, of course, but I wanted to prove that I could handle them and perform my task.

Deryk: ...I see. Indeed, as much as we can learn from others, there's no substitute for seeing with one's own eyes.
Deryk: And in yours, I see the gleam of yearning for exploration and discovery. It reveals to me the love you bear for our star...and it makes me glad.

Krile: Wh-What's this all of a sudden? It's embarrassing when you say such things with a straight face...
Krile: Right, then. I've yet to acquire the information here, so I'll tend to it at once. Perhaps you'd like to wait for me at Quarrymill?
-cutscene end

-optional start
Halone: In this land, those voices raised in praise for Nophica are especially strong.

Menphina: Nophica and Byregot are also kind, are they not?

Baby Opo-opo: Ook, ook!
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk again.===
Deryk: Let's wait for Krile here. Nophica and Byregot are with her, so she will be fine.
Deryk: <sigh> First the man at Menphina's mark, and now Krile... In the course of traveling with you and yours, it seems I inevitably end up encroaching upon others' lives.

Baby Opo-opo: Ook! Ook, ook!

Deryk: Aye, yours as well... Though nothing binds you to me, you've followed me ever since I tended your wounds. You're free to go anywhere, you know.
Deryk: A person's life belongs to that person alone. Others can't be expected to assume responsibility for it, and thus is it wrong to interfere.
Deryk: Alas, once I've glimpsed someone's heart, I find I can't avert my gaze. It truly is difficult to be amidst people...
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=4kySt31lBBM}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

In Heavenly Company

2026-06-17T14:40:49Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = In Heavenly Company
| description = [[Menphina]] is fairly bouncing up and down in her eagerness to set forth.
| image = in heavenly company.png
| quest-giver = Menphina
| related-npcs = Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Deryk; G'raha Tia; Halone; Krile
| location = The Omphalos
| location-x = 5.9
| location-y = 6.2
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 160
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp =
| gil = 5000
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = Return to the Phantom Realm
| next-quest = Divine Nonintervention
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.3
| id-edb = c7ddc7ce2ad
| id-gt = 70203
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Deryk]] at [[Rathefrost]].
*Speak with Deryk at [[the Fury's Gaze]].
*Search for [[Menphina]].
*Speak with Deryk.

==Journal==
* [[Menphina]] is fairly bouncing up and down in her eagerness to set forth.

* Urged on by the eager Menphina, your motley party sets forth for your designated [[marks of the Twelve]]. The first is that of [[Thaliak]], which overlooks [[Silvertear Lake]] at a place called [[Rathefrost]].

* Upon arriving at Thaliak's stone, you promptly commit the information it holds to your instrument. Menphina and [[Halone]] then take the opportunity to speak about the stones, explaining that they were created due to the love men bear for gods, and the love gods bear for the star. Your business thus concluded at the first location, you set off for the next─the mark of Halone, located within [[the Fury's Gaze]] in the [[Coerthas Central Highlands|central highlands of Coerthas]].

* While [[Deryk]] extracts the information from Halone's stone, you tell your accompanying gods what you know of the worship of the Fury. With great enthusiasm, Menphina then sets off ahead of the party for the third and final mark─her own, which lies by the cliff west of the [[Steel Vigil]].

* As you approach the mark of the Lover, you encounter a man leaving it. He is revealed to be a former member of [[the Lambs of Dalamud]], the doomsday cult which emerged prior to [[the Calamity]]. Though he did not share the fanatical views of his fellows, he suffered as a result of their murderous actions, and had become disillusioned with his faith. Thanks to Deryk's words of guidance, however, he is able to find renewed hope amidst his despair.

* At Deryk's behest, you extract the information from the final stone. Menphina then lays her heart bare on the subject of mankind's faith in the divine. The gods have no wish to bring grief to mortals, she explains, but they are who they are because of those who believe in them. And though they may not be all-powerful, she assures you that men's prayers are always heard.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Baby Opo-opo: Ook! Ook!
Deryk: <sigh> Of all the self-indulgent things...
Halone: Menphina is winsome, is she not? We all think of her as our youngest sister.
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
Menphina: Well, what are we waiting for? Let us seek out the marks at once!

Deryk: Yes, yes... No need to be so hasty.
Deryk: Shall we, then, [Forename]?
Deryk: The nearest mark is Thaliak's, just outside in Mor Dhona. If memory serves, it overlooks the lake at a place called Rathefrost.
-quest accepted

-optional start
Halone: This is indeed the place.

Menphina: Do you like traveling, [Forename]? I ''adore'' it, and not simply for its own sake.
Menphina: It's an important way to perform one of our foremost duties, you see—peering into the hearts of mortals.

Baby Opo-opo: Ook...
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk at Rathefrost===
-cutscene start
Deryk: Now then, we're to hold out an instrument to the stone. Would you care to do the honors here, [Forename]?

System: The instrument vibrates rapidly!

Halone: 'Tis done. The information held in the stone has been etched.

Menphina: As Althyk said, these stones are eternal. No matter their shape or location, their nature is unchanging.
Menphina: Together with the monument in the Omphalos, they have remained the same since time immemorial.

Halone: 'Twas the love that men bear for us, and we for the star, that compelled us to create the monument and the stones.
Halone: And though men do not know the truth of the stones, they offer them prayer.
Halone: This act is a manifestation of your bond with us.
Halone: While the stones are a manifestation of our bond with the star.

Menphina: And so, by praying to the stones, you effectively cultivate a bond between yourselves and us ''and'' the star! Delightful, is it not?

Deryk: Ahem. Though we appreciate your eagerness to talk, perhaps we should save some conversation for the destinations to come.
Deryk: If we linger too long in any one place, we are liable to be late to reconvene with the others.

Halone: Then let us make for the central highlands of Coerthas. Within the Fury's Gaze, my own mark awaits.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Halone: In this land where mankind's faith in me is strong, I cannot help but feel uplifted.

Menphina: There is nothing like taking to the road with agreeable company, do you not agree?

Baby Opo-opo: O-Ook! O-Ook!
System: The baby opo-opo shivers uncontrollably in the cold...
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk at the Fury's Gaze.===
-cutscene start
Deryk: There it is—the mark of the Fury.
Deryk: It wouldn't do to burden you constantly. I shall extract the information this time.

Menphina: Looking back, Halone, you've grown noticeably more imposing this past millennium. There are also more statues in the Heaven of Ice...
Menphina: Ooh, but an idea occurs to me! [Forename]—this time I want ''you'' to share what you know about the worship of Halone.
Menphina: I daresay it will be interesting to hear what mankind thinks of her from your perspective!

Question: What will you say?

> The Ishgardian Orthodox Church is the heart of faith in the Fury.
Halone: Ah, yes. The prayers of the people are fervent indeed, and through the church they evolved—a change I felt with my very being.
Halone: Ah, yes. Ever did I feel the people's fervent desire to be strong, that they might protect that which they hold dear.
Halone: Ah, so the people's faith continues to evolve. You and yours are ever on the move, marching inexorably forward. 'Tis a quality I find admirable.
> You often hear Halone's name invoked in battle.
Menphina: Well, how very fascinating! 'Tis a fine thing indeed to hear directly from mortals.
Menphina: Still...as much as Halone loves her children, it troubled her to see them at war with the dragons. To see those who share this star spill each other's blood.
> The church is returning to its roots, and moves to separate itself from the state.
Halone: As you should well know, Menphina, it isn't our place to judge the faith of mortals.
Halone: Even when we lend them our aid, we must refrain from intervening in their affairs.
Halone: Lest there be any doubt, mankind's faith in us is mankind's alone.
Halone: By your prayers, our forms are become that which they need to be.
---

Deryk: Apologies for the wait.

Menphina: Acquired the information, have you? Excellent. Let us proceed to the next mark—mine!
Menphina: As I recall, it lies near the Steel Vigil, by the cliff west of the entrance. Follow me!
-cutscene end
===Search for Menphina.===
Menphina: Well now, aren't we quick? My mark lies just ahead. Let's wait for the others and then continue together.

-cutscene start
Menphina: Oh look, someone's praying. Hehe, how delightful to see one of my faithful children!

Lamb of Dalamud@Red-robed Man: O benevolent goddess... Grant me deliverance, I beseech you. Save my soul...
Lamb of Dalamud@Red-robed Man: Y-You! You're the one who was hunting down the Lambs of Dalamud!
Lamb of Dalamud@Red-robed Man: I knew it—knew you wouldn't stop till you've dealt with every last one of us. And now you've come for me... Ah, to think that this is Her will...

Deryk: The Lambs of Dalamud...
Deryk: They are the cult that appeared prior to the Seventh Umbral Calamity, are they not? In the name of their faith, they abducted and sacrificed innocent souls, and did not fear death.

Lamb of Dalamud: I've committed no crimes, I swear it! Menphina as my witness!
Lamb of Dalamud: In the beginning, we simply prayed to the twin moons—for Dalamud to one day shepherd our souls to the bosom of His mistress.
Lamb of Dalamud: But it all changed when Dalamud began turning red. More and more of us began believing that He was our savior. That we must prove our loyalty with our lives, else we would suffer eternal damnation...

Deryk: So that's how your group took on its fanatical ways, and came to be branded a dangerous cult.
Deryk: And at some point, I assume you were tasked with hunting them down.

Lamb of Dalamud: I used to be a merchant in Ul'dah. But timid as I am, I struggled to survive in that cutthroat world.
Lamb of Dalamud: That's why I turned to Menphina. I wanted to bask in Her gentle acceptance, and gain courage from Her strong and faithful hound. They were my solace—the only way I could be at peace with myself.
Lamb of Dalamud: But they took it from me! My fellows who committed those horrible deeds, and those who reviled me as one of them! They took it away!
Lamb of Dalamud: Y-You're strong, aren't you? Grant me deliverance, I beg you! Judge me and show me the way!
Lamb of Dalamud: <sob> I just can't bear it anymore... What good is a god I can't see, who won't grant me a thimble of succor no matter how much I pray?

Deryk: ...You mustn't seek in men what you seek in gods.
Deryk: Strong as {{alternatives|she|he}} is, {{alternatives|she|he}} is but a mortal. Like you, {{alternatives|she|he}} is made of flesh and blood and possessed of {{alternatives|her|his}} own will. Nothing more, nothing less.
Deryk: It avails you naught to raise others up while belittling yourself. You are your own person, with a path of your own to walk. Even should you be taken by despair, that you are here now makes you no different from this {{alternatives|woman|man}}.
Deryk: So believe me when I say, all will be well. Keep your faith in Menphina—believe in Her love and grace—and you will surely learn to love others as well as yourself.

Lamb of Dalamud: Please forgive me for my unseemly outburst... I had been feeling lost, and all my anguish came spilling out.
Lamb of Dalamud: It was Menphina Herself who brought you here, I'm certain of it. To encourage and guide me. Taking your words to heart, I'll try searching for a new path.

Deryk: Should you feel lost again—take to the road. See what is out there. Learn how others live and think. And you are bound to find your way.

Menphina: Blessings be upon you on the road ahead, dear child.

Lamb of Dalamud: Did you say something?
-cutscene end
-optional start
Halone: Your faith in us can harm as well as heal, but never forget: that faith belongs to mankind, and mankind alone.

Menphina: That child will be fine, I am certain of it.

Baby Opo-opo: Ook?
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk.===
-cutscene start
Deryk: <sigh> Unsolicited though it was, I don't regret saying those words to him. He needed to hear them.
Deryk: But come, [Forename]. This time it's your turn to extract the information.

System: The instrument vibrates rapidly!

Menphina: Forgive me, [Forename]. I fear I've caused you trouble.
Menphina: I'm relieved to know that. You truly are strong, in body and spirit both.
Menphina: Far be it from me to ask this of you, but please do not hold it against that child.
Menphina: We do not wish for our existence to bring grief to our children.
Menphina: Yet no matter which faith, we are who we are because of those who believe in us.
Menphina: My hound is no exception. He was born when men came to worship the object their ancestors cast unto the heavens.
Menphina: We are not all-powerful. We can't grant all of mankind's wishes.
Menphina: Nonetheless, we always—''always''—hear you. No hope is too small, no prayer too faint.
Menphina: I just wanted to make that clear. Lest you forget, we love mankind dearly!
-quest complete
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=5KofO_15qCQ}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

Return to the Phantom Realm

2026-06-17T14:39:17Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Return to the Phantom Realm
| description = [[Deryk]] betrays a gleam in his eyes at the sight of you.
| image = Return to the Phantom Realm.png
| quest-giver = Deryk
| related-npcs = Althyk; Azeyma; Baby Opo-opo (NPC); G'raha Tia; Halone; Krile; Menphina; Nophica; Nymeia; Snoegeim
| location = Mor Dhona
| location-x = 23.9
| location-y = 9.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 150
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp =
| gil = 5270
| unlocks = ra Euphrosyne
| prev-quest = The Face of an Explorer
| next-quest = In Heavenly Company
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.3
| id-edb = 0bd5aac06c7
| id-gt = 70202
}}

==Steps==
*Enter [[the Omphalos]].
*Speak with [[G'raha Tia]].
*Enter [[Euphrosyne]].
*Speak with [[Deryk]].

==Journal==
* [[Deryk]] betrays a gleam in his eyes at the sight of you.

* Outside [[Revenant's Toll]], Deryk informs you that [[G'raha Tia]] and [[Krile]] are on their way hither, having prepared for the next stage of your investigation of the phantom realm. They soon arrive, with the [[Miqo'te]] carrying the advanced-if-hefty aetheric analyzer borrowed from [[the Forum]]. This contraption will allow you to record detailed data of the gods' domain, to which end you set forth for [[the Omphalos]], where your companion [[Snoegeim]] awaits.

* Snoegeim has further studied the monument in the Omphalos, and found that the magic it harbors takes the form of an epigraph. The inscription is incomplete, however, and you must fill in the missing information if you are to decipher it. The mythologist suggests asking the gods themselves for help, and to everyone's surprise, [[Nophica]] appears in response to your whimsical charm. She promises you the key to unlocking the mystery, but in exchange you must do battle with more gods, herself included. The Matron then takes her leave, and you turn to discuss the developments with your comrades.

* Though the original plan was to revisit the Heavens of Lightning and Fire, it is decided that you will prioritize Nophica's invitation and sally forth into the Heaven of Earth with G'raha Tia. As the Archon must focus on acquiring data with the aetheric analyzer, it falls to you to give the gods the battle they desire, and you prepare yourself for another grueling foray into their sanctum.
** ※[[Euphrosyne]] can be accessed via the [[Duty Finder]].

* As you did once before, you fight your way through the gods' heavenly domain, and bring the mighty beings to their knees. Your task thus accomplished, you and G'raha Tia make your way back to the Omphalos.

* Gracing you with their presence once more, the gods reveal that the information you seek is contained within eternal stones scattered across [[Eorzea]]─stones which Snoegeim deduces are the [[marks of the Twelve]]. As G'raha Tia proposes splitting up to acquire the information, the divinities decide to accompany you. Having assumed their disguises, each chooses a member of your band as a traveling companion─though for some reason, you and Deryk appear to have been treated as a pair.

* Deryk appears none too impressed with the gods' spontaneous demand. And for your part, you struggle to imagine what an adventure will be like in the company of the divine...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Deryk: Oh, greetings, [Forename].
Deryk: If you've come to ask about developments in our phantom realm investigation, then your timing couldn't be better.
Deryk: A short while ago, I received word from G'raha Tia. He and Krile have completed their preparations in Sharlayan, and are ready to resume fieldwork.
Deryk: Even as we speak, they make their way hither. Let's wait for them together, shall we?

-cutscene start
Deryk: Ah, there they are.
G'raha Tia: <pant><pant>
Deryk: What in the heavens are you carrying?
G'raha Tia: This, my friends, is the latest technological marvel to come out of Sharlayan...
G'raha Tia: I give you the aetheric analyzer!
G'raha Tia: Holding it thus, you take a measure of the ambient aether...
G'raha Tia: ...Whose waveform is then recorded by the aetherotranscriber at the back. This provides us with detailed data of the environment, which we can study at our leisure.
G'raha Tia: As you know, the phantom realms are hidden by illusions. In order to ascertain their nature, I suggested to Krile that we record the data with proper equipment.
Krile: Alas, said equipment is tremendously cumbersome. Raha has done well to bring it here in one piece, and as expensive as it doubtless is, I hope we can return it in the same condition...
Deryk: Return it?
Krile: Yes, to the Forum. In approving our investigation, they granted us use of the device in addition to their financial backing.
Krile: Despite the Students' greatly reduced scale, the Forum has faith in our endeavors—thus did the approval notice declare, I'm proud to say.
Krile: We owe much of this goodwill to the Scions, yourself not least of all.
Krile: That being said, we can't depend on the Forum indefinitely. No, we must stand on our own two feet again, and it begins with our efforts in this investigation.
Krile: The Twelve are meant to be Eorzea's guardian deities, yet they seek battle with mankind. What could it possibly be that motivates them?
Krile: In treating with them earnestly, I am hopeful that we will find the answer.
Krile: Well, we shouldn't keep Snoegeim waiting. Without further ado, let's join her in the Omphalos.
-cutscene end
-quest accepted

===Enter the Omphalos.===
-cutscene start
Snoegeim: Welcome back!
Snoegeim: Well now, if that isn't the aetheric analyzer! You've done well to get a hold of it!
G'raha Tia: Indeed, we're duly grateful to the Forum for the loan. It's no small thing to be lugging about, but I've always wanted to try it.
Krile: If you are ready, Raha, you may proceed with measuring the aether of the phantom realm. [Forename]—please assist him, will you?
Krile: In the meantime, I have a mind to further examine the monument with Snoegeim. How does that sound?
Snoegeim: Like a plan! As a matter of fact, I've already done a little bit of work on that front.
Snoegeim: As you previously determined, the monument harbors some manner of magic. And this magic, I've since found, takes the form of an epigraph!
Snoegeim: By consulting Professors Rurusha and Namono, Sharlayan's foremost experts in the field of archaeology, I was able to make a discovery.
Snoegeim: Oh yes, a most startling discovery!
Snoegeim: ...That is, the epigraph is largely incomplete, so we can't read it.
Deryk: So you ''didn't'' make a discovery...?
Snoegeim: Ah, but see, establishing what one ''doesn't'' know is also an important step in research!
Snoegeim: For a blessing, the language used doesn't appear to be completely unknown. If we can but fill in the missing information, it should be possible to make sense of it.
G'raha Tia: But where do we even begin looking for such information?
Snoegeim: Why, we ask the gods themselves, of course!
Snoegeim: By giving them the battle they desire, we're doing them a favor, are we not? That being the case, I daresay they would grace us with their presence if called. Please come with me!
Snoegeim: Oh, the things I would ask them if they really did appear...
Snoegeim: Now, going by astrology, the Heaven of Earth should be the next to open. And it just so happens I know the perfect incantation for this purpose!
Snoegeim: Open Mun-Tuy!
Snoegeim: It's a time-honored charm passed down in Gridania, whose patron is Nophica, one of the deities said to dwell in the Heaven of Earth. Come, everyone—say it with me!
Question: What will you say?
> Open Mun-Tuy!
> ...Open Mun-Tuy.
>
---
All: Open Mun-Tuy!

Nophica@Cheery Voice: Hehe, what delightful children you are. I too have desired to speak with you.
Snoegeim: B-By the Twelve! It's her! It's really her!
Snoegeim: She looks precisely as depicted in legend! Amazing!
Krile: 'Tis an honor to meet you, Nophica. If I may, what is it that you wish to speak about?
Nophica: You seek to decipher the monument, do you not? If you face more of us in battle, I myself included, we shall grant you the key to unlocking that mystery.
G'raha Tia: We would of course be much obliged for such a gift, but are you certain? The gods before were not exactly forthcoming with your secrets.
Nophica: Closely have we watched you from our respective sanctums. Watched as you faced us and pursued the truth with pure hearts and minds.
Nophica: In light of what we have seen, we have concluded thus:
Nophica: Even should you uncover the monument's purpose, you would still be willing to lend us your aid.
Nophica: Help us to fulfill our heart's desire, and so too shall we grant you yours.
Nophica: I look forward to receiving you in my sanctum, my dear children.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Snoegeim: It worked! The charm reached the Matron! If it can be repeated, I shall have to mention it in my thesis!
Deryk: I wasn't expecting a god to actually appear. 'Twas but a coincidence, surely...
Krile: Our efforts to understand the Twelve appear to have paid off.
-optional end

===Speak with G'raha Tia.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: The original plan was to revisit the Heavens of Lightning and Fire...
G'raha Tia: But I believe all would agree that we should prioritize Nophica's invitation.
Krile: Well, Snoegeim, your charm did the trick. The way to another heaven lies open, and beyond it the truth of the monument.
Snoegeim: I can scarcely wait to pore over the aetheric data! Raha, [Forename]—I leave it in your capable hands!
Krile: As for you, Deryk—may we rely on your guidance once more?
Deryk: Now that we know what awaits, I do not feel my presence is necessary; on the contrary, I would only be a burden.
Krile: As you wish, of course.
Krile: We can still count on you to pray for our friends, though, I trust?
G'raha Tia: I'm glad that I can join you this time, [Forename].
G'raha Tia: Encumbered as I am with the analyzer, I fear I won't be able to assist in battle, but I shall do my part and secure the data we need!
-cutscene end
''Euphrosyne now available''

-optional start
Deryk: Knowing you, you should have no trouble finding your way without me. I will cheer you on from here.
Snoegeim: Thanks to the aetheric analyzer, even those who can't accompany you will have access to valuable data. Compliments to the Forum for the loan!
G'raha Tia: Curious about my attire, are you? I borrowed it alongside the analyzer. It's the choice of gleaners, cleverly designed to help one bear great loads.
G'raha Tia: And hefty as the analyzer is, by now I'm quite used to the feel of it. That's to say, I won't unduly slow you down. Come, let us set forth!
Krile: In actually fighting the gods, yours is the hardest task of all.
Krile: The rest of us are truly grateful to you, and we shall do our utmost to support your efforts.
-optional end

===Duty Dialogue===

Nophica: At last the time has come!
G'raha Tia: That the Matron should welcome us herself!
G'raha Tia: Such overwhelming aether!
Nophica: Prove to me life's resolve!
Nophica: Know true abundance!
Nophica: Feel you the heartbeat of the land?
Nophica: Take your ease among the trees.
Nophica: Nourish the soil!
Nophica: Let a thousand roses bloom!
Nophica: Reap the harvest!
Nophica: Let life flower and flourish!
Nophica: 'Tis time for revelry!
Nophica: Mine is the breath of the earth...
Nophica: My heart rejoices for our union!
Nophica: Let the forest be lush!
Nophica: Bow down like the willow.
Nophica: Beyond adversity lies strength!
Nophica: Good children... Be strong for what awaits...

G'raha Tia: Impressive as always, my friend!
G'raha Tia: The aetheric analyzer works as it should. Let us press on.

???: By my authority, let the land be remade.
G'raha Tia: Wh-What's happening!?
G'raha Tia: Servants of the gods... I leave them in your hands!
G'raha Tia: The data collection proceeds apace.
G'raha Tia: Of course... It would be Althyk who could so manipulate space!
Nymeia: Forgive me, but I couldn't stay away.
Althyk: Hm, it seems my sister shall be joining us.
Althyk & Nymeia: 'Tis only fitting that we face you together!
Nymeia: I will spin your fates.
Nymeia: Have you the strength to defy fate?
Althyk: The sands of time are mind to command!
Althyk: I shall measure your worth.
Althyk: Surrender to my power!
Nymeia: Drown in waters divine!
Nymeia: Pray to the stars on high!
Althyk: Time marches to my whim!
Althyk: Bear witness to the Keeper's might!
> Enrage sequence
Althyk: With me, Sister.
Nymeia: Ever ready, Brother!
Althyk & Nymeia: O time and fate inexorable, guide them true!
---
Althyk: Long have I awaited this moment...
Nymeia: This, too, is fate...
G'raha Tia: That Nymeia should also descend...

???: Upon the most exalted of battlefields you shall stand.
G'raha Tia: On to the next sanctum!
G'raha Tia: We are come to a frozen domain. Which means...
G'raha Tia: Ice sculptures? Nay, they're more servants!
G'raha Tia: None the worse for the wear, I hope?
???: Summon your courage and press on!
G'raha Tia: The same voice from before.
G'raha Tia: 'Tis all but certain that Halone awaits.
G'raha Tia: Be safe, my friend!
Halone: I, the Fury, shall test your strength of spirit!
Halone: O spears innumerable rain down upon mine enemy!
Halone: All-piercing spear, drink deep of raging blizzards!
Halone: For glory, you must be prepared to render your all!
Halone: No quarter!
Halone: You must do better that that against me!
Halone: O spears innumerable, leave naught unpierced!
Halone: There is no retreat—only victory or defeat!
Halone: Victory must be seized by one's own hands!
Halone: In ice unyielding now rest.
Halone: Mine is the aegis!
Halone: Ah, would that our clash could continue forever...
Halone: Yes, lose yourself in the joy of battle!
Halone: Ahhh, such thrilling battle!
Halone: Well fought, mortals! Your next test awaits!
G'raha Tia: Such a grueling trial that was.

G'raha Tia: The light... It seems to beckon us to yonder palace.
G'raha Tia: Only one other divinity would abide in the Heaven of Ice...
Menphina: Come bathe in the moon's tender glow!
Menphina: Bare to me your lover's heart!
Menphina: Behold my power.
Menphina: Lest you worry, 'tis naught I cannot handle.
Menphina: Is it too much for you mortals, I wonder...
Menphina: Prepare yourselves.
Menphina: O ring of ice, have mercy upon them!
Menphina: All our love, we give unto you. Pray accept it, my darlings!
Menphina: Love moves me to act!
Menphina: Let's delight in the simple things!
Menphina: Go on and play!
Menphina: You're always in my heart, my loves...
Menphina: Pray accept this, my darlings. How do you like this?
Menphina: Our dreams may yet become reality. Thank you.

===After [[Euphrosyne]]===
-cutscene start
Krile: You're both safe, thank goodness!
Snoegeim: You have the data, then? Wonderful, wonderful!
Snoegeim: I don't suppose I could do the honors and replace the transcriber cartridge? I've always wanted to take a closer look!
G'raha Tia: Take care removing it, now. We don't want anything to happen to the data.
Snoegeim: Carefully does it... Come to me, O knowledge divine! Come to me!
???: What is that?
G'raha Tia: Uwaaaaaah!
Snoegeim: Oh... I-It's all right! Th-The cartridge is safe!
G'raha Tia: Let's finish the task before there are any more surprises...
Althyk: You have our gratitude for bringing us closer to achieving our dream.
Nymeia: Oh, Althyk, must you always be so formal? Although he has trouble expressing it, I assure you, my brother is absolutely giddy with joy.
Halone: Why are you here, Nophica? Have you not sufficiently amused yourself with the mortals?
Nophica: Not nearly! I would talk to them some more.
Menphina: Nophica promised you the key to deciphering the monument, did she not?
Krile: Yes, that's correct.
Althyk: Then you would do well to hold in your minds that which harbors information.
Nymeia: Come now, Brother, you need to speak plainer than that. To clarify, we shall create the objects you need, but your assistance is required to give them form.
Nymeia: Worry not—appearance has no effect on function. Just try and imagine that which, in your minds, is used to hold information.
Nymeia: There. These instruments shall be useful in your quest.
Althyk: Across Eorzea lie eternal stones that hold the information required to complete the words of the monument.
Althyk: By holding an instrument out to a stone, it will take that information unto itself.
Althyk: We scattered these stones across the realm that mortals would not uncover our secrets. Of late, however, 'twould seem you have found alternate uses for them as objects of worship.
Snoegeim: Could they be the marks of the Twelve!?
Snoegeim: They are, aren't they? Oh, to think that they harbored information on the gods!
G'raha Tia: It seems we have our next destinations. Aside from the three city-states, I believe the marks are located in Coerthas and Mor Dhona.
G'raha Tia: I propose we split up, the quicker to finish the task.
Menphina: I wish to come too.
Nophica: No, Menphina. 'Twould not do to burden these children so.
Menphina: After all this time, we finally have the chance to speak with mortals—to learn about them from up close. And we're not like to have another...
Halone: I must say, I share Menphina's view.
Nophica: Even you, Halone...
Snoegeim: I'd like to learn about you too, and I believe I speak for all of us! By all means, let us travel together!
Menphina: Music to my ears! We shall watch over you and see that you safely reach your destinations. Without further ado, then...
Azeyma: Not so fast!
Azeyma@Meerkat with Azeyma's Voice: Did you think you could go frolicking without us? The others have our domain well in hand, so we are coming too.
Menphina: Well now, far be it from us to stop you. Let us assume our disguises too, and then each choose a mortal to accompany!
G'raha Tia: Please, let it be something inconspicuous...
Snoegeim: Hm-hm! I believe my destination is Thanalan. Then it's La Noscea for Raha, the Twelveswood for Krile... And last but not least, Mor Dhona and Coerthas for Deryk and [Forename].
G'raha Tia: Will you be all right, Krile?
Krile: I shall be fine. You needn't worry.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Halone: Others will remain to keep watch over our domain. You needn't worry on our account.
Menphina: Never before have I traveled with mortals. Ahhh, such fun this will be!
-optional end

===Speak with Deryk.===
Deryk: We abided by the gods' selections...but why do you suppose the two of us were grouped together?
Menphina: Why, because you make the most intriguing pair. The gods-felling hero, and the world-faring explorer!
Menphina: I shall relish the chance to learn about both of you!
Menphina: Now then, the others have already set forth, so let us do the same. Aside from my own mark, I believe we'll find those of Thaliak and Halone in Mor Dhona and Coerthas.
Baby Opo-opo: Ook! Ook!
Menphina: Oh my, what an adorable creature! Delighted to meet you, little one.
Halone: It seems to want to join us too.
Deryk: What an unusual company this has become... The gods truly know no inhibition.
Deryk: Forgive me, [Forename]. I couldn't have anticipated this turn of events...

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=u16pXd2JJsg}}

The Face of an Explorer

2026-06-17T14:34:48Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Face of an Explorer
| description = Apprehension is writ plain upon [[Deryk]]'s face.
| image = The Face of an Explorer.png
| quest-giver = Deryk
| related-npcs = Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Collapsed Scholar; G'raha Tia; Krile; Order of Nald'thal Priest; Snoegeim
| location = Rhalgr's Reach
| location-x = 11.1
| location-y = 10.4
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 140
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items = 1 Nigh-empty Waterskin
| requirements =
| exp = 0
| gil = 2500
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = A Divine Dilemma
| next-quest = Return to the Phantom Realm
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.1
| id-gt = 70075
| id-edb = b4bc02e883a
}}

==Walkthrough==
The scholar's bag is located at {{coords|24.2, 11.7}}.

==Steps==
* Speak with [[Deryk]] at [[Arrzaneth Ossuary]].
* Speak with Deryk again.
* Search for [[G'raha Tia]] in the vicinity of [[the Sunken Temple of Qarn]].
* Search for the collapsed scholar's bag.
* Deliver the [[Nigh-empty Waterskin|nigh-empty waterskin]] to the [[Collapsed Scholar|collapsed scholar]].
* Speak with [[Krile]] in [[the Omphalos]].
* Speak with Deryk.

==Journal==
*Apprehension is writ plain upon Deryk's face.

*Speaking plain, Deryk confesses that he isn't fond of working one-on-one with another, but he will dutifully do what is requested of him. Thus do you set forth─separately─for Arrzaneth Ossuary in Ul'dah, there to investigate the worship of Nald'thal.

*Joining Deryk at the Ossuary, you establish that though the Nald'thal you encountered differs somewhat in appearance from the twins revered by Ul'dahns, they still share many similarities. However, Deryk's blithe mentioning of your recent activities begins to attract the attention of the pious folk nearby, and upon being alerted to their dismay, he sheepishly takes himself outside.

*Deryk declares that your work in Ul'dah is done. Rather than wait for G'raha Tia to arrive, however, he suggests seeking your companion out at the Sunken Temple of Qarn, and you begin making your way to the ruins in southern Thanalan.

*You arrive at the temple to find Deryk tending to a collapsed woman, by whose attire he posits is a scholar. She begs you to bring food and water from her bag, and you go to search for it in the area.

*You soon come upon what appears to be the scholar's bag, but find only a skin with a meager amount of water inside. Though you doubt it will be enough, for now you decide to take the water to the woman.

*As expected, the water doesn't suffice, and the woman begs for food. Before you can offer something, however, G'raha Tia arrives on the scene. After his initial shock at your presence, he turns his attention to the woman, one Snoegeim, who promptly springs back to life thanks to his gift of nutritious provender. Introduced as the mythologist Krile recruited, Snoegeim can barely contain her excitement as she hears your account of the phantom realm, and identifies similarities between the domains you visited and the heavens of legend. Having thus successfully rendezvoused with your new colleague, you make your way to join Krile in the Omphalos.

*Upon arriving in the Omphalos, Snoegeim immediately begins making excited observations of the isle, which she believes to be the seventh heaven. Your party then reviews all that you have learned thus far and discuss a potential course, before taking a well-earned rest at the most fitting of venues─the Seventh Heaven in Mor Dhona─where you manage to catch a glimpse of Deryk with his guard down. Afterwards, your group disperses for a time, with the solitary explorer opting to go for a walk nearby. For want of an immediate task of your own, you decide to look in on him.

*Deryk informs you that he intends to remain in Revenant's Toll while awaiting developments, and promises to share any tidings with you. Though you know not when, it's only a matter of time before your investigation resumes, and you look forward to drawing closer to solving the mystery of the Twelve.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Deryk: What strange manners for the one who proposed the survey to so promptly abandon it.
Deryk: I'll not lie: I am not given to working one-on-one with another. But I suppose I agreed to this arrangement.
Deryk: <sigh> Well, we had best be on our way...
Deryk: As I recall, Milvaneth Sacrarium is still closed for construction, so let us try our luck at Arrzaneth Ossuary.
Deryk: You have no objection to traveling separately, I trust? Good. I shall see you in Ul'dah.
-quest accepted

===Speak with Deryk at Arrzaneth Ossuary.===
-cutscene start
Deryk: Ah, you're here.
Deryk: Of the deific twins Nald'thal, here they worship Thal, who keeps the realm of the dead and weighs the worth of men's souls.
Deryk: In contrast, Nald keeps the world of the living and oversees their financial fortunes.
Deryk: Their names are borne by many a location, and religious organizations—some extremely wealthy and powerful—exist to nurture faith in them.
Deryk: On the surface, it may seem strange that a hub of commerce such as Ul'dah could be home to such spiritual people. But it is actually quite logical when one considers that their religion is, in essence, commerce.
Deryk: In any event, Nald'thal is a truly unusual divinity.
Deryk: What was originally held to be one god came to be worshipped as twins.
Deryk: Indeed, rather than two distinct entities, that which we encountered was a single being possessed of two personalities.
Order of Nald'thal Priest: D-Did I mishear? Did he just say they ''encountered'' Nald'thal?
Deryk: And while his appearance differs somewhat to the divinities worshipped, it cannot be denied that there are striking similarities in their nature.
Question: What will you say?
> We're starting to attract attention...
> Perhaps we should avoid talking about that here.
> ...
---
Deryk: F-Forgive me, this is hardly the place for such a conversation... Let us continue it elsewhere!
-cutscene end

===Speak with Deryk again.===
Deryk: 'Twas careless of me to openly speak of our encounter with a divinity within a place where he is worshipped.
Deryk: Hereon, I shall exercise greater caution.
Deryk: I thank you for alerting me to my indiscretion...and ask that you keep it between us.
Deryk: Now then, to finish our conversation... As I mentioned, though the Nald'thal as worshipped by men appears somewhat different, there are undeniable similarities in their nature. I believe we may report this much to G'raha Tia.
Deryk: With that, our work here is done. Rather than waiting for our companion to arrive, perhaps we might seek him out at the Sunken Temple?
Deryk: He mentioned needing to make a detour. Were we to set out now, we ought to be able to catch up to him.
Deryk: After all, we hardly know one another. Rather than loiter with an unfamiliar person, 'tis better to use our time productively. Wouldn't you agree?
Deryk: Then let us head to the Sunken Temple of Qarn at once.

-optional start
''At the Sunken Temple of Qarn''
Deryk: Are you all right? If you hear me, please say something.

-optional end
===Search for G'raha Tia in the vicinity of the Sunken Temple of Qarn.===
Collapsed Scholar: Unnngh...
Deryk: You're here, thank goodness. I found this woman collapsed, though I can see no obvious injuries. By her attire, she appears to be some manner of scholar.
Collapsed Scholar: Water... Food... In my bag... Please...
Deryk: I see... [Forename]—may I trouble you to find her bag? I will stand lookout in the meantime.

-optional start
Collapsed Scholar: My bag... Somewhere out there... Unnngh...
Deryk: If I understand her correctly, her bag is somewhere nearby. Please find it.
-optional end

===Search for the collapsed scholar's bag.===
''Interact with the Large Bag (X 24.2, Y 11.7)
System: Examining the bag, you find a skin with a little water left, but there appears to be no provender.''
System:For now, you decide to take the water to the woman.''

===Deliver the nigh-empty waterskin to the collapsed scholar.===
-cutscene start

Collapsed Scholar: So thirsty... So hungry... Unnngh...
''Hand over the nigh-empty waterskin''
Collapsed Scholar: Not enough... Food... I need food...
Deryk: I have naught save dried meat, tough as leather. Do you have anything easier to consume?
G'raha Tia: [Forename], Deryk! What are you doing here?
G'raha Tia: Actually, that can wait...
G'raha Tia: Steady, Snoegeim! I've brought you Archon loaf and coffee—made sweet and creamy, just as you like it.
Snoegeim: Ahhhhhh, I am reborn! Washed down with a sweet beverage, the life-giving nutrients of Archon loaf permeate my being from head to toe!
Snoegeim: Thank you, kind stranger! However you knew my preferred source of sustenance, you are truly a godssend!
Snoegeim: ...Oh, it's you, Raha! What brings you here? I don't recall mentioning my fieldwork. It's for my research into the Belah'dians' worship of Azeyema, you see...
G'raha Tia: Haven't you heard from Krile? The Students are presently investigating the Twelve, and we would prevail upon your expertise.
G'raha Tia: May I introduce Snoegeim, expert mythologist. She is a collaborator of the Students, and like many a Sharlayan scholar, is passionate about her endeavors to the point of forgetting to eat.
G'raha Tia: Seeing as she has recovered, may I ask the two of you to tell her about the phantom realm?
Snoegeim: The Twelve abide in the phantom realm...and you exchanged not only words with them, but blows besides!? Incredible!
Snoegeim: And your description of the domains—a thunderous tower in one and a sweltering city in another—are precisely as the Heavens of Lightning and Fire and depicted in legend!
Snoegeim: In ancient times, worshipers of the Twelve believe that there exist seven heavens and seven hells.
Snoegeim: Aetherology has since established that departed souls return to the aethereal sea...
Snoegeim: But it seems those afterlife domains were more than just inventions of mortal imagination!
Snoegeim: As a pursuer of myths, I must say it feels somewhat anticlimactic to suddenly have these revelations given to me...
Snoegeim: But more than that, I'm dying to know more! Which is to say: please allow me to join your investigation!
G'raha Tia: ...Ahem. We would, of course, welcome your presence. Without further ado, then, let us head to the Omphalos. Krile awaits us there.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Krile in the Omphalos.===
-cutscene start
Krile: Welcome back, everyone—and welcome, Snoegeim! I'm glad you could join us.
Snoegeim: Krile, how delightful to see you again! I understand you've been doing a fine job leading the Students.
Snoegeim: But may I say what a lovely place this is! At a glance, this appears to be the highest of the heavens of legend: the seventh heaven!
Snoegeim: And oooh, if those aren't symbols representing the other heavens! I should like to pay them all a visit!
G'raha Tia: For Snoegeim's benefit, let us review what we have learned thus far, and thence deliberate the next step.

G'raha Tia: ...The gods reappeared before us in Rhalgr's Reach, though they were disguised as unassuming creatures; their laws forbid them from showing their true forms outside their realm.
G'raha Tia: Yet in the event the ambient aether becomes unstable, such as during an Umbral Calamity, it is possible for the realm—and indeed, the gods themselves—to be glimpsed by mortals.
G'raha Tia: And such sightings, we believe, have given rise to the various faiths practiced throughout Eorzea.
Deryk: As we confirmed in Ul'dah, the Nald'thal worshipped by people and the Nald'thal we encountered here have more similarities than they do differences.
Krile: In the course of exploring the Omphalos, two things caught my attention.
Krile: The first is the gate which lies in the innermost area.
Krile: If each of the other six gates lead to an elementally aspected heaven, and we stand in the seventh heaven as Snoegeim says...
Krile: What, then, lies beyond that last gate?
Krile: The second is this monument. It harbors some manner of magic, unlike anything I've seen before. I will endeavor to decipher it, but it will take time.
G'raha Tia: Divinities that have existed since time immemorial, who abide in domains resembling the heavens of legend... Why have they chosen to reveal themselves to mortals, seeking battle?
G'raha Tia: Unless they favor us with more off their secrets, 'twould seem this monument holds the key to solving the mystery.
Krile: Indeed. Much and more yet lies beyond our understanding, but we'll keep chasing the truth together.
Krile: As I'm sure you'll agree, though, this is tiring work, both mentally and physically. We need to pace ourselves.
Krile: To which end, might I suggest we return to Revenant's Toll and have a rest before we embark on the next stage of our investigation?
 
Krile: So rarely do I get to simply chat with colleagues, I had fairly forgotten what it felt like.
G'raha Tia: Indeed. And it's quite fitting that we should be doing so here at the Seventh Heaven.
Snoegeim: "Fitting"? That's an understatement if I have ever heard one!
Snoegeim: The seventh and highest of the heavens, which rules over the remaining six, was right here in Mor Dhona all this time!
Snoegeim: This isn't "fitting," my friends! It's ''destiny''!
G'raha Tia: You are obviously well versed in the myths surrounding the heavens and hells. If you don't mind, I should like to hear your thoughts on them.

Krile: Invested as they are in their research, it doesn't take much to stoke their passions. My apologies if it makes you uncomfortable.
Deryk: Having always traveled alone, I'm admittedly not too familiar with such a lively atmosphere. But...I do not mislike it.
G'raha Tia: By the way, the two of you arrived at the Sunken Temple rather quickly. Did something happen?
Krile: Well, as pleasant as this has been, it's past time we returned to the annex. The paperwork for this commission isn't going to complete itself, alas.
Snoegeim: Then I shall take myself to the Omphalos. There's so much there that I'd like to see!
Deryk: And I...
Deryk: I believe I will go for a walk nearby. It's getting a little warm in here.
Krile: All right. Do take care, now.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Deryk.===
Deryk: Oh, [Forename]... It's pleasant, isn't it? The smells and sounds of a tavern. It makes one feel...alive.
Deryk: And afterwards stepping outside alone and breathing the cool air... I like that just as much.
Deryk: While we await developments, I shall remain here in Revenant's Toll. If there are any tidings, rest assured I will share them with you.
Deryk: Thank you for your help thus far—I doubt so much could have been accomplished without you.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=lQ3OM3ybm08}}

A Divine Dilemma

2026-06-17T14:33:40Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = A Divine Dilemma
| description = [[Krile]] wishes to take stock of the situation.
| image = A Divine Dilemma.png
| quest-giver = Krile
| related-npcs = Amicable Resistance Fighter; Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Byregot; Deryk; Emet-Selch; G'raha Tia; Hyuran Scholar; Marjorie; Rhalgr; Scholarly Woman
| location = The Omphalos
| location-x = 6.3
| location-y = 6.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 130
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items = 1 Destructivity
| requirements =
| exp = 0
| gil = 3000
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = The Realm of the Gods
| next-quest = The Face of an Explorer
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.1
| id-gt = 70074
| id-edb = f54351c7f57
}}

==Steps==
* Speak with [[G'raha Tia]].
* Wait at the designated location in [[Rhalgr's Reach]].
* Make inquiries on the [[Fist of Rhalgr]].
* Wait at the designated location.
* Speak with [[Deryk]].

==Journal==
*Krile wishes to take stock of the situation.

*Having taken stock of the situation, Krile declares that she will remain in the Omphalos for a time to explore. In the meantime, G'raha Tia wishes to investigate the worship of the Twelve across Eorzea, and invites you and Deryk to accompany him.

*By learning about the Twelve as They are worshipped, G'raha hopes to identify any similarities or differences between Them and the beings you encountered; in so doing, he believes you will draw closer to the truth of their identities. Your mission thus established, you set out first for Rhalgr's Reach, the holy ground for disciples of the Destroyer.

*Upon arriving at your destination, Deryk states that those places where phantom realm sightings are known to occur often have a tradition of Twelve worship. Encouraged by this fact, you split up to seek out people who may possess knowledge about the local faith.

*Among a few other details, your search has yielded a copy of Destructivity, a rare surviving scripture of the Fist of Rhalgr. Satisfied with the fruits of your efforts, you go to reconvene with your comrades at Starfall.

*Skimming over the scripture, G'raha Tia finds an account of the construction of the great image of the Destroyer. The text states that, among the refugees who followed Rhalgr's comet to safety during the Sixth Umbral Calamity, some few claimed to have caught sight of the divinity Himself. Yet even as you struggle to decide whether the mysterious beings gave rise to their respective faiths or were born of them, Rhalgr and Byregot appear before you once more, in the form of a hawk and a spriggan respectively. The two explain that mortals may catch glimpses of them in their true forms when the aether surrounding their sanctums becomes unstable─a phenomenon known to occur during an Umbral Calamity. Having shared this detail in lieu of an apology for their earlier deception, the pair then take their leave. As you discuss these revelations, Krile contacts you with word that she has recruited an acquaintance to your cause─an authority on mythology. While G'raha Tia takes himself to the Sunken Temple of Qarn to receive this individual, you are tasked with going ahead to Ul'dah with Deryk to make inquiries about Nald'thal.

*Though Deryk has agreed to accompany you, his apprehension towards the idea is plain to see. Whatever may be the source of his discomfiture, for now you decide to focus on the task at hand.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Krile: Greetings. I am Krile, of the Students of Baldesion. Do I have the pleasure of addressing Deryk, the explorer who sought aid in investigating this place?
Deryk: Aye, I am Deryk. And this here is a baby opo-opo.
Krile: Yes, I can see that. Doesn't it have a name?
Deryk: None that I know of. Nor would I presume to bestow one, for that would be condescending.
Krile: I see. That's very considerate of you.
Krile: So, I understand you explored the various phantom realms with Deryk. Will you recount to me the experience?
G'raha Tia: So while the gods tested you sorely, you did not sense any malicious intent...
G'raha Tia: As Byregot said, they wish to do battle with us. But 'twould seem they do not necessarily wish to cause us harm.
G'raha Tia: Though much and more about this perplexes, mayhap 'tis safe to assume that they are not primals.
G'raha Tia: As you may recall, Livingway once told us that the art of summoning as taught by the Ascians incorporates the fervent desire to assimilate others into one's belief.
G'raha Tia: Thus do the resultant primals seek to enthrall worshipers, who in turn seek to grow their ranks.
G'raha Tia: But these beings appear to harbor no such desire. If they are primals, then they are unlike those that have been summoned in recent memory.
G'raha Tia: We might suppose that they were created in antiquity in like manner to Hydaelyn, but there is no way to prove it.
Krile: Who could they possibly be? And why do they desire battle with man?
Emet-Selch: Even of your little Eorzea, you know precious little. The true identities of the Twelve, for instance.
G'raha Tia: Emet-Selch did say that, didn't he?
G'raha Tia: By which we may assume he knew the truth...and challenged you to seek it out too. Suffice it to say you'll do so, of course?
Krile: Insofar as we can ascertain, this is a matter which has implications for the entire star. In light of this, the Students of Baldesion formally accept the commission. We will investigate the phantom realm and the beings who call themselves the Twelve.
Deryk: I'm pleased to hear that. Thank you.
Krile: Without further ado, then, I will take a look around. There are a few things I'm curious about.
G'raha Tia: Then with your permission, I will take myself around Eorzea and investigate the worship of those gods we encountered.
G'raha Tia: [Forename], Deryk. Seeing as you've already seen this place, would you care to accompany me?
Deryk: By all means. In which case...
Deryk: Could you stay here with Krile, my friend? It wouldn't do to leave a fair maiden alone.
Baby Opo-opo: Ook ook!
Krile: Hehe, I shall be glad for the company. Take care, then, and good luck.
-cutscene end
-quest accepted
-optional start
Deryk: Shall we ask G'raha Tia about his plan?

Krile: Raha has also shared his observations with me. Keeping your combined accounts in mind, I shall see what else I can learn here.
Baby Opo-opo: Ook!
-optional end

===Speak with G'raha Tia.===
G'raha Tia: So, to explain my plan...
G'raha Tia: 'Tis believed that the Twelve were already worshipped during the Third Astral Era, when the Allagan Empire flourished.
G'raha Tia: Come the Fifth Astral Era, those nations that fought in the War of the Magi each took one of the Twelve as a guardian deity.
G'raha Tia: This practice has continued to the present day in Eorzea, with some notable regional differences. For instance, Ishgardians hold Halone as absolute, while Sharlayans enjoy a moderate relationship with Thaliak.
G'raha Tia: By visiting various locations in Eorzea and learning about the Twelve as They are worshipped, I hope to identify any similarities or differences between Them and the beings we encountered.
G'raha Tia: In so doing, I believe we will draw closer to the truth of their identities.
G'raha Tia: For our first destination, I propose we take ourselves to Rhalgr's Reach. The place is holy ground for worshipers of the Destroyer, and promises to yield useful details.

===Wait at the designated location.===
G'raha Tia: There you are, [Forename].
G'raha Tia: This place served as the base of operations for your investigation into Omega, did it not? How delightful to be here together!
Deryk: If you don't mind my making an observation, it seems you enjoy traveling with company.
G'raha Tia: I do. It's something I had dreamed of for a long time.
Question: What will you say?
> There's nothing like traveling with good friends.
> I enjoy company, but sometimes I prefer my own.
---

Deryk: Is that so...
G'raha Tia: What of yourself? Do you normally travel alone?
Deryk: Aye. In my wanderings, I much prefer to have solitude.
Deryk: Not that I avoid people or communities, mind you. As a matter of fact, I've been here before, on the trail of the phantom realm.
Deryk: Hmmm, now that I think on it...
Deryk: More often than not, those places where phantom realm sightings are known to occur have a tradition of Twelve worship.
G'raha Tia: Then I dare to hope that we are on the right track.
G'raha Tia: As I'm sure you know, Rhalgr's Reach is home to the Temple of the Fist, the ancient headquarters of the Fist of Rhalgr.
G'raha Tia: Razed by the mad king Theodoric, the temple lay abandoned before the Ala Mhigan Resistance claimed it for its operations.
G'raha Tia: While I doubt that much literature has survived over the years, the people here may possess some knowledge of the local faith.
G'raha Tia: So let us split up and make inquiries, and reconvene here afterwards to share findings.

-optional start
Deryk: Learned anything thus far?
-optional end

===Make inquiries on the Fist of Rhalgr.===
''Interact with Bloodstorm''

System: You read the words inscribed on the monument...

Bloodstorm: A storm of blood approaches fast,
Bloodstorm:Hells open, Heavens weep.
Bloodstorm:For no one soul doth lie beyond
Bloodstorm:The measure of His Reach.
System: Once upon a time, Lyse explained to you their meaning─that we must prepare ourselves for the strife and sorrow that will inevitably come.

''Talk with the Amicable Resistance Fighter''
Amicable Resistance Fighter: Oh, if it isn't [Forename]! Is this man perchance a friend of yours?
Amicable Resistance Fighter: When last he visited, he shared with me the tales he heard on his journeys. And what amazing tales they were!
Amicable Resistance Fighter: If you have time, I'd love to hear both of your stories!
Deryk: Alas, we're in some haste. We're investigating the worship of Rhalgr, and seek literature on the subject─religious texts and the like. Can any still be found here?
Amicable Resistance Fighter: Just about all of it is gone, sadly─destroyed by the Empire if not the mad king before that.
Amicable Resistance Fighter: But we haven't lost everything. The mighty image of the Destroyer... The tales we share at the campfire, like the legend of our nation's founding...
Amicable Resistance Fighter: We still have these things, and they were a source of great comfort and strength to us in our darkest moments.
Deryk: I see. If you don't mind, I would be obliged to hear your stories this time.
Deryk: [Forename], rest assured I have this well in hand. Feel free to carry on as you were.

-optional start
Amicable Resistance Fighter: Next time, I hope to hear some of your stories too!
-optional end

''Talk with the Scholarly Woman''
-cutscene start
Scholarly Woman: ...Yes? If you have business, please make it quick. I'm due to meet with someone any moment now.
Marjorie@???: Forgive me my delay!
Marjorie: Why, if it isn't the adventurer who kindly escorted me to the Temple of the Fist! Are you studying monks too, perchance?
Marjorie: If so, you ought to work together with me and my colleague here! Few things are finer than joining heads with like-minded folk!
Marjorie: Researching the worship of the Destroyer, you say! Why didn't you mention it sooner!?
Marjorie: This is a copy of ''Destructivity'', a scripture of the Fist of Rhalgr. The original is one of the few texts that survived the temple's razing, and is in the safekeeping of one Professor Erik.
Marjorie: I went to the trouble of having this made for my colleague...only for her to say she doesn't need it. So I will offer it to you instead!
Scholarly Woman: <sigh> Lest you forget, this is ''your'' passion, not mine. I'm simply assisting you as a favor, and I'd thank you not to put us in danger.
Marjorie: Ah, but danger is the crucible in which the monk tempers body and mind! <sigh> So sublime, monks...
Marjorie: Well, we had best return to our work! Till next time, adventurer!
-cutscene end

===Wait at the designated location.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: [Forename], what were you able to learn?
G'raha Tia: A copy of one of the scriptures, you say? A moment while I skim over it!
G'raha Tia: I see... This chapter appears to be a record of the construction of the great image of Rhalgr, written in a style that suggests folklore was committed to parchment.
G'raha Tia: When the deluge of the Sixth Umbral Calamity threatened Eorzea, the ancestors of the Ala Mhigans were guided to safety by a comet.
G'raha Tia: Believing that it was sent by Rhalgr, they came to hold Him in the highest. This much of the tale, I had been familiar with...
G'raha Tia: But according to the scripture, among those refugees who followed the comet, some claimed to have caught sight of Rhalgr Himself.
G'raha Tia: Their accounts were passed down through the centuries, and worshipers of the Destroyer pieced them together to give shape to yonder statue.
G'raha Tia: I must say, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the being we encountered...
G'raha Tia: Were that Rhalgr a primal, the explanation for the similarities would be simple.
G'raha Tia: That is, the statue gives rise to a unified interpretation of Rhalgr's appearance, which in turn lends form to the primal.
G'raha Tia: However, this fails to account for what inspired the likeness in the first place. If the scripture is to be believed, it was the sightings during the Sixth Umbral Calamity. Yet for those witnesses to be able to recognize Rhalgr, they would have needed an agreed-upon idea of His appearance beforehand.
G'raha Tia: If we then consider the history of Twelve worship─that it already existed in the Third Astral Era─it would not be ridiculous to think that these divinities existed even prior to that.
Deryk: So the question is, did these beings give rise to their respective faiths, or are they primals born of them?
Rhalgr@Rhalgr's Voice: I thought we had made it clear. We are not summoned beings.
Rhalgr@Hawk with Rhalgr's Voice: Since time immemorial, our domains have lain scattered across Eorzea. As a matter of fact, one of those in which you set foot is nearby. 'Tis not unusual for mortals to glimpse us.
G'raha Tia: That voice... Could they be...?
Byregot: Indeed. I am Byregot, and the hawk beside me is Rhalgr. I shall elaborate upon my master's explanation.
Byregot: We thus disguise ourselves when we wish to observe the world without, for being seen in our true forms would violate our laws of conduct.
Byregot: Yet though we similarly disguise our sanctums, veiling them in illusion, rents are known to manifest when the surrounding aether is unstable.
Rhalgr: In such a time, should a gifted mortal chance to be near, they may inadvertently catch sight of us.
G'raha Tia: Of course! During an Umbral Calamity, aetheric imbalance occurs on a star-wide scale─the ideal condition for seeing the phantom realm!
Rhalgr: Precisely how many times we have been seen, we ourselves have no way of knowing, but aye─that is a sound assumption to make.
Rhalgr: Well, Byregot, I believe that much shall suffice by way of an apology for our deception. Shall we?
Byregot: Indeed, that is all we are at liberty to reveal. Fare you well, children of man.

G'raha Tia: Aside from their reticence where it concerns their identity and objective, these divinities are certainly approachable.
G'raha Tia: If what they said was true, and their worship can be traced back to their sightings, it would serve to explain one thing.
G'raha Tia: According to my research, in the field of comparative mythology, Rhalgr is often observed to bear many similarities with Ramuh.
G'raha Tia: Assuming both were inspired by the Rhalgr of the phantom realm...
G'raha Tia: Their divergence may be attributable to differences in culture between man and sylph.
Deryk: So you believe that they gave rise to the prevailing faiths of Eorzea?
G'raha Tia: Given available evidence, yes─I am inclined to. Yet none of this explains their presence. How and when did beings of such power come into existence?
G'raha Tia: ...Oh, 'tis you, Krile. Has something happened?
G'raha Tia: ...Truly!? Very well, I shall take care of it.
G'raha Tia: Krile has recruited an acquaintance to aid in our investigation─an authority on mythology.
G'raha Tia: I must go and receive her at the Sunken Temple of Qarn, where she is currently conducting fieldwork─after a brief detour to prepare...a little something.
G'raha Tia: Conveniently, Thanalan is home to countless adherents of Nald'thal. While I tend to business, may I ask the two of you to make inquiries in Ul'dah?
Deryk: Very well...
G'raha Tia: Excellent. I will join you as soon as I'm able. By your leave...
-cutscene end

===Speak with Deryk.===
Deryk: So, it's to be just you and me in Ul'dah...
Deryk: <sigh> I suppose it can't be helped...
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=zdV1KNAJzQ8}}

The Realm of the Gods

2026-06-17T14:31:13Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Realm of the Gods
| description = [[G'raha Tia]] is pondering how best to proceed.
| image = The Realm of the Gods.png
| quest-giver = G'raha Tia
| related-npcs = Azeyma; Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Byregot; Deryk; Krile; Nald'thal; Rhalgr
| location = The Omphalos
| location-x = 6.2
| location-y = 6.3
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 120
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp = 0
| gil = 5000
| unlocks = ra Aglaia
| prev-quest = A Mission in Mor Dhona
| next-quest = A Divine Dilemma
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.1
| id-gt = 70073
| id-edb = 24c3eae4faf
}}

==Steps==
* Speak with [[G'raha Tia]].
* Enter [[Aglaia]].
* Speak with [[Krile]].

==Journal==
* G'raha Tia is pondering how best to proceed.

*In order to solve the phantom realm's mysteries, G'raha believes that a thorough investigation is in order. But ere you are able to set off for Sharlayan to make the necessary arrangements, four mysterious beings appear who claim to be of the Twelve, the guardian deities of Eorzean myth. They declare that, in Hydaelyn's absence, they are the rightful rulers of the star, and you must prove your strength if mankind is to remain the master of his own destiny. After the gods take their leave, G'raha Tia expresses his uncertainty over the unexpected developments, but concedes that they may have far-reaching implications. So it is that you resolve to answer the gods' challenge, and formally accept the request to investigate the phantom realm.

*As you deliberate a course of action, Deryk reveals that he has previously explored the sanctums that lie beyond each gate in the Omphalos. Though he is no warrior, he offers to serve as your guide on your foray. And as strong as you are, G'raha Tia believes that it would be reckless to face an unknown threat by yourselves. As such, noting Byregot's instruction to assemble your comrades, he sets out to recruit your fellow adventurers to assist you. When you have completed your preparations, you may sally forth for whatever trials may await.
**※Aglaia can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*Stepping through the gateway, you emerge in a domain of thunder and lightning not unlike that described in Eorzean legend. Soon you come face-to-face with the Builder, and after a furious struggle, succeed in bringing him to his knees. Yet your trials are far from over, for the deity bids you press on. And you do so, going on to encounter yet more divinities in the form of Rhalgr, Azeyma, and finally Nald'thal. Each provides you with stern contest, but you succeed in prevailing over them all. Your trials appearing to be at an end for now, you and Deryk make your way back to the Omphalos.

*Back in the Omphalos, you are joined by G'raha Tia and Krile. No sooner do you begin recounting your encounter with the four gods than the entities themselves manifest before you. Having given their assurance that they are not primals, the beings reveal that they need to do battle with you in order to fulfill their objective. And though they cannot reveal the details of said objective, they encourage you to seek out the truth. With that, they return to their sanctums, leaving you and your companions to mull over recent events.

*While much about the mighty beings remains shrouded in mystery, Krile takes some comfort in the fact that they seem reasonable. In considering your next step, she is eager to hear your detailed account of them.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Deryk: Magically concealed...
Deryk: In like manner, perhaps, to the ruins of Amdapor in the Twelveswood. The city, I understand, reappeared when the Seventh Umbral Calamity weakened the elementals.
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: Well, it seems there is but one solution for our ignorance: a thorough investigation!
G'raha Tia: For this, we will require more manpower and supplies, among other things.
G'raha Tia: With your permission, we will confer with our representative, Krile, and make the necessary arrangements for a formal investigation.
Deryk: If that is what must be done to commence your work in earnest, then by all means.
G'raha Tia: Without further ado, then, let us return to Sharlayan.
???: Hold, mortals.
???: You profane this sacred realm with your very presence, and must answer for your irreverence.
Byregot: I am Byregot, the Builder.
G'raha Tia: Byregot!? Then...the Twelve are real!?
Byregot: Let there be no doubt: we are not simulacra born of mortal faith.
Byregot: Nay, we Twelve are divinities true.
Byregot: And in Hydaelyn's absence, we are the star's rightful rulers. Its will.
Azeyma@Spirited Woman's Voice: Closely have we watched mankind.
Azeyma@Spirited Woman's Voice: And we have determined that you, champion of Hydaelyn, pose a threat to our ascension.
Rhalgr@Sagely Man's Voice: You were foolish to wander into our realm. We could destroy you with ease here and now...but as divinities, we must demonstrate grace and forbearance.
Nald'thal@Measured Men's Voice: There is but one path. We must weigh this mortal's worth.
Azeyma@Spirited Woman's Voice: Hear, hear! Let there be a trial.
Byregot: Hmmm... While the mortal would invariably be destroyed, it would at least provide us with a diversion.
G'raha Tia: What!? You suddenly appear, and expect us to simply comply with your whims!?
Byregot: Protest if you wish, but mortal logic means naught to gods. You will abide by our laws.
Byregot: Lo! The gateway to our sanctums lies open.
Rhalgr@Sagely Man's Voice: Show us the strength of mankind.
Azeyma@Spirited Woman's Voice: Show us the honor of mankind.
Nald'thal@Measured Men's Voice: Show us the spirit of mankind.
Byregot: If man would remain the master of his own destiny, then assemble your comrades and come. Come, and prove your worthiness.
Deryk: Seven hells... During my previous forays, nothing like this ever happened. I encountered not a single soul─and certainly not gods.
Deryk: And by their own admission, they mean to take over the star. What are we to do?
G'raha Tia: The situation has indeed taken an unexpected turn...but we must try to think clearly.
G'raha Tia: The Twelve have long been revered and worshipped in Eorzea, and myths about Them abound.
G'raha Tia: But to my knowledge, They have never thus appeared so openly before people.
G'raha Tia: For these beings to suddenly reveal themselves just when we're here, claim supremacy over the star, and challenge [Forename] to a trial...
G'raha Tia: Too much about this feels odd, and it gives me pause.
Deryk: Fair enough... Yet as it stands, it seems we can't dismiss the threat either.
Question: What will you say?
> Whatever they are, if they're issuing challenge, then challenge accepted!
G'raha Tia: Dependable as ever, my friend.
> Gaius van Baelsar once said that the Twelve, too, were simply primals.
G'raha Tia: 'Tis true that even Hydaelyn and Zodiark were primals, and we cannot discount the possibility, but we know too little to draw conclusions.
>This is turning out to be another strange affair...
G'raha Tia:: Well, if 'twas an adventure we sought, I daresay we've found it.
---

G'raha Tia: In any event, if these beings seek dominion over the star as they say, what happens here may have far-reaching implications.
G'raha Tia: To that end, I believe we should take action. Suffice it to say you are with me?
Deryk: Then the Students of Baldesion will officially tend to the situation?
G'raha Tia: Aye. In the course of studying the star's mysteries, we have undertaken to deal with any threats that may arise. This is no different.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Deryk: To think that we would encounter the Twelve...
-optional end

===Speak with G'raha Tia.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: Right, let us deliberate a course of action. Deryk─know you aught of these beings' sanctums?
Deryk: Aye, they are domains in the phantom realm that lie beyond each gate. I've explored them all.
Deryk: Perhaps due to aetheric instability, there are times when one can enter when ordinarily one cannot. But 'twould seem the way has been opened for us.
Deryk: While I encountered no gods during my previous forays, I saw enough to know my way around.
Deryk: I am but a humble explorer and cannot contend with gods. But if you would be willing to protect me, I will serve as your guide.
G'raha Tia: “Assemble your comrades,” Byregot bade us...
G'raha Tia: As strong as I know you are, we know little and less about our foes. Neither their strength nor their true nature. 'Twould be decidedly reckless to contend with them unprepared.
G'raha Tia: And so, as much as I would like to accompany you, I shall do what affords us the best chance at victory.
G'raha Tia: While you set forth to answer the gods' challenge, I will work behind the scenes in my capacity as a Student.
G'raha Tia: For one, it would behoove us to arm ourselves with knowledge about the Twelve, and I shall begin by apprising Krile of the situation.
G'raha Tia: By thus utilizing our resources to the fullest, we shall overcome whatever trials await!
-cutscene end
''Aglaia now accessible''

-optional start
Deryk: If you are ready to set forth, then so am I.
-optional end

===Entering Aglaia===
====Duty Dialogue====

Deryk: A domain aspected to lighting... Byregot is here, I shouldn't doubt.
Deryk: The mechanical spire ahead could have been plucked straight out of legend!

Byregot: So, you are resolved to face me.
Byregot: Come, children of man!
Byregot: Scatter!
Byregot: Bend the knee!
Byregot: Tremble before my divinity!
Byregot: Behold the virtuosity of the Builder!
Byregot: To me, O hammer divine!
Byregot: Searing light, smite my foes!
Byregot: 'Tis too late to beg mercy!
Byregot: If you would halt our ascension, then press on.

Deryk: That you should best a divinity... I couldn't have asked for better help!

Rhalgr: The Builder has been made to yield...
Rhalgr: Intriguing. Then the Destroyer shall take your measure...
Rhalgr: ...After you have provided my servant with some sport.
Rhalgr's Emissary: In the name of the Destroyer, I will lay you low.
Rhalgr's Emissary: My divine axe will rend you in twain!
''Destructive charges are on the move!''

Deryk: So the gods have minions at their beck and call... We must proceed with care.
Deryk: Rhalgr isn't known as the god of destruction without reason. Steel yourself.

Rhalgr: Ahead stands a statute I have fashioned for our contest.
Rhalgr: Come, show me the strength of mankind!
Rhalgr: Upon the ground you shall crawl!
Rhalgr: By my authority as the Destroyer...
Rhalgr: Bask in my blinding resplendence!
Rhalgr: I will break you body and soul!
Rhalgr: Wandering star, descend and destroy!
Rhalgr: Keep a reverent distance!
Rhalgr: Can you predict your own undoing?
Rhalgr: Bask in my blinding resplendence!
Rhalgr: Most impressive, children of man...

???: Come, mortals. Enter my realm─if you dare.

Deryk: Come, let us keep moving.
Deryk: Another domain─one aspected to fire...
Deryk: Then the voice that called out to us...

Lion of Aglaia: That mortals should set foot in our divine realm...
Come, we shall see whether you are fit to remain!
Deryk: Yet more servants of the gods!?
Lioness of Aglaia: Grrr, it isn't over yet!

Deryk: Mere minions are no match for you, 'twould seem.
Deryk: A divinity awaits us beyond. Have care.

Azeyma: You will be scoured by the light of the Sun!
Deryk: Azeyma, goddess of the sun...
Azeyma: O crimson fan, in fire woven...
Azeyma: In your wake leave naught uncleansed!
Azeyma: Is it just a mirage...or something more?
Azeyma: An explosive finish!
''Celestial flames converge at Azeyma's feet!''
Azeyma: Let there be fire!
Azeyma: Raging flames, dance upon the wind!
Azeyma: None can escape the inferno!
Azeyma: This will burn!
Azeyma: A gift of flame for our children!
Azeyma: Ever shall the fires burn...

Deryk: Look how the sky has changed! The result of your victory over Azeyma, I daresay...
Deryk: There's a city up ahead... Could there be people here?

Nald: I am Nald, keeper of the realm of the living.
Thal: I am Thal, keeper of the realm of the dead.
Nald'thal: Prepare to be judged, children of man.

Nald'thal: You shall bear witness to our might...
Nald'thal: But will you be able to comprehend it?
Thal: Ashes you will be.
Thal: The flames of the abyss consume all.
Thal: Bitterest suffering awaits.
Thal: From ashes you came, to ashes you will return.
Nald: Will you weather my trial?
Nald: We have only just begun!
Nald: Still you defy our divine authority.
Nald: Very well. Let us proceed to your judgment.
Nald: We, the Traders, shall weigh your souls!
''An empty soul vessel has appeared!''
''The vessel has been filled with a mock soul!''
Thal: Preserve the balance if you can.

''5 seconds to Balance.''
''4 seconds to Balance.''
''3 seconds...''
''2 seconds...''
''1 second...''

Thal: The moment of judgment is come.
Nald'thal: Well done! You are deserving of reward!
Thal: As a show of esteem, we shall bring our all to bear.
Nald: Man's tenacity is a sight to behold!
Nald: Hahaha! Such vim and vigor!

Nald: You have been found worthy.

===After [[Aglaia]]===
-cutscene start
Krile: You're safe! Thank goodness!
Krile: I rushed here as soon as I heard the tidings from Raha. Is this true? Beings claiming to be the Twelve have appeared?
G'raha Tia: You defeated them all? Incredible!
G'raha Tia: I had no doubt that you would succeed, but I'm no less impressed for it!
Rhalgr: Gahahaha! Seldom have I felt such exhilaration!
Rhalgr: To think that the day would come that we would put on an act for men... I must say, Byregot, you played the villain's role to perfection!
Byregot: Come now, Master, I merely did what was necessary to compel the mortals to confront us.
Azeyma: <sigh> Still, it pained me to speak to our beloved children so unkindly...
Nald'thal: So you say, Azeyma, yet you seemed happy enough to fight them. You did not forget the true purpose of the trial, I hope?
Azeyma: Well, I couldn't help but be excited. And do not tell me you felt differently!
Azeyma: Consider yourselves fortunate, children. 'Tis rare indeed to see Nald'thal in such high spirits.
Krile: What in the world is happening? Didn't you say you had defeated them?
G'raha Tia: Did they manage to flee...or perhaps were resummoned!?
Rhalgr: Put up your weapons. You have naught to fear from us.
Byregot: Rest assured we are not summoned beings. We do not drain the land of aether, nor do we take men into our thrall.
G'raha Tia: But...what of the gods who were summoned during the Calamity?
G'raha Tia: The ones Master Louisoix called forth to protect the realm...
Nald'thal: That was not us, but a primal born of your fervent prayers for salvation.
Azeyma: Indeed. That the worst of the Calamity was averted and the realm restored in its aftermath was a direct testament to the power of your hopes.
Question: What will you say?
> If you aren't primals, then what are you?
> Do you truly intend to rule the world?
> Why choose to appear before us now?
---
Byregot: ...Just as men harbor hopes, so too do we gods.
Byregot: To realize our aspirations, 'tis essential that we do battle with you. Thus did I falsely claim that we sought to rule the world.
Byregot: 'Twas deceitful conduct unworthy of a divinity, and I must apologize. Not only for that, but for using my power to do harm besides.
Krile: These hopes of yours─won't you tell us what they are?
Nald'thal: We cannot. If you wish to know the truth, you must discover it for yourselves.
Azeyma: 'Tis not easy to move forward when there is seemingly no destination. But if you press on, you will eventually arrive at the answers you seek.
Rhalgr: Aye, you will understand why we hold our peace, and far more besides. You will learn the very truth of our existence.
Byregot: Go forth, mortals, and seek knowledge of us. And when the time is right, we shall meet again in this place.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Deryk: When I first explored the phantom realm, it appeared to be unoccupied. To think that it was home to the gods...
G'raha Tia: We have met and exchanged words with the Twelve... When I pause to think, I can scarce believe it.

-optional end

===Speak with Krile.===
Krile: As if hearing about your battling the Twelve weren't shocking enough, to have them appear before my very eyes... Suffice it to say it's been an interesting day.
Krile: While much about them remains shrouded in mystery, at least they seem open to reason. In considering our next step, I should very much like to hear your detailed account of them.
Krile: Right after I have a word with our client, that is. Please give me a moment to introduce myself, and then we can review the situation.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=40c84x1dhnk}}

A Mission in Mor Dhona

2026-06-17T14:24:19Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = A Mission in Mor Dhona
| description = The [[Fresh-faced Student|fresh-faced Student]]'s face lights up at the sight of you.
| image = A Mission in Mor Dhona.png
| quest-giver = Fresh-faced Student
| related-npcs = Baby Opo-opo (NPC); Deryk; G'raha Tia; Krile; Ojika Tsunjika; Rammbroes
| location = Old Sharlayan
| location-x = 9.1
| location-y = 11.5
| type = feature
| quest-line = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Myths of the Realm Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 110
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| req-quest = A Brother's Grief
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp =
| gil = 2500
| reward-opt1 =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest = The Realm of the Gods
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.1
| id-gt = 70072
| id-edb = 8e914168c97
}}

==Walkthrough==
Search for the explorer:

Baby Opo-opo: {{coords|25.0, 11.5}}.
You do not need to interact with the other points of interest.

==Steps==
*Wait at the designated location in [[Revenant's Toll]].
*Search for the explorer.
*Speak with [[G'raha Tia]] in [[the Omphalos]].
*Explore the Omphalos.
*Speak with [[Deryk]].

==Journal==
*The fresh-faced Student's face lights up at the sight of you.

*After receiving you with a smile, the fresh-faced Student leaves to fetch Krile, who has been wanting you and G'raha Tia to assist with a certain task. Though the details are sparse, the request comes from none other than Rammbroes of the Sons of Saint Coinach, and you depart for Revenant's Toll to meet with him.

*No sooner do you join G'raha at your destination than Rammbroes arrives, and the two former comrades enjoy a brief-but-warm reunion. The conversation then turns to business, with Rammbroes informing you that an explorer recently appeared who claimed to have discovered the phantom realm, an enigmatic place that has long persisted in Eorzean legend. Wishing to see the realm with your own eyes, you and G'raha Tia go to find the explorer in question, one Deryk, who should be somewhere near the banks of Silvertear Lake.

*Your search leads you to a peculiar baby opo-opo, whom you definitely did not assume to be the explorer. It turns out, however, that the creature is associated with the man, as it promptly clambers on his shoulder when he appears with G'raha Tia. Having been introduced, Deryk offers to show you to the phantom realm's entrance, and you watch in awe as he takes one step, and then another, onto the shimmering water of Silvertear Lake. Keeping your amazement in check for a moment, you follow him across the lake and into the unknown.

*You emerge in the phantom realm, a gasp escaping your lips as you take in the breathtaking scenery. Picking your jaw off the floor once more, you go to join your companions.

*According to Deryk, the floating isle to which you have come is called “the Omphalos”─a name of his own conception, meaning “navel” in an ancient tongue in reference to Mor Dhona's location in the heart of Aldenard. The explorer hopes that you will be able to shed light upon this place, and to that end you and G'raha Tia split up to explore.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Fresh-faced Student: Ah, [Forename], welcome back!
Fresh-faced Student: Are you perchance here to see Krile? I'm Given to understand she has a task for which she desires your assistance...
Fresh-faced Student: Then I shall fetch her at once. Pray wait a moment!

-cutscene start
Krile: [Forename], my thanks for coming. If you're now available, I'd like you and Raha to assist me in the task I had mentioned.
G'raha Tia: For you to call on [Forename], I assume the task in question is somewhat more exciting than sorting through paperwork—which, I am pleased to add, I have finished.
G'raha Tia: So if [Forename] is ready, then so am I. Our venture to the Bounty has only served to whet my appetite for fieldwork.
Krile: Not to oversell things, but I suspect you won't be disappointed. Ere I divulge the details, however, permit me to provide some background.
Krile: As you know, our organization, the Students of Baldesion, was founded by my grandfather, Galuf.
Krile: Our stated mission was to uncover the mysteries of Hydaelyn and interpret Her will, particularly though the study of Her gift to us.
Krile: We've since learned the whole truth, and it might be said that we've fulfilled our mission. But our work is far from over.
Krile: In the course of our endeavors, we've also sought to devise countermeasures against threats that come to light. Our involvement with the Warring Triad is an example of such.
Krile: 'Tis my belief that, in continuing to seek out the unknown and dealing with threats, we best carry on the Students' mission.
Krile: We best honor those we lost when the Isle of Val was destroyed...
Krile: Forgive me, I didn't mean to darken the mood. In saying all this, I simply wanted to clarify our organization's purpose for a new age.
Krile: In line with said purpose, I've been reviewing new requests...and one in particular jumped out at me.
Krile: It comes from none other than Rammbroes, of the Sons of Saint Coinach.
G'raha Tia: Truly!? Has something happened in Mor Dhona, then?
Krile: So it would seem, and he wishes to entrust the matter to us.
Krile: While his missive is sparse on details, he writes that it lies beyond the Sons' expertise. "Uncharted territory" are the exact words he used.
Krile: I'd like you to meet with Rammbroes and conduct a preliminary Survey. What say you?
Krile: Wonderful. When you are ready, pray make your way to Revenant's Toll. I shall let Rammbroes know to receive you there.
Krile: I must remain here to oversee our operations, but should it transpire that more hands are needed, don't hesitate to send word.
G'raha Tia: Well, there's no time like the present. If you could go on ahead to Revenant's Toll, I shall make ready and then be on my way.
-quest accepted
-cutscene end

===Wait at the designated location in Revenant's Toll.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: There you are, [Forename]. 'Twould seem we're early.
Rammbroes: My apologies for the wait.
G'raha Tia: Rammbroes, what a pleasure to see you again! How have you been?
Rammbroes: The pleasure is all mine, my friend. I've been well, and it gladdens me to see that you are too.
Rammbroes: Now, I know you have many demands upon your time, so I shall explain the particulars of our request at once.
Rammbroes: Recently, an explorer came to us who claimed to have discovered the phantom realm.
G'raha Tia: The phantom realm!? So this is what you meant by “uncharted territory”...
G'raha Tia: You're not familiar? Perhaps unsurprising, given that it is a lesser-known legend.
G'raha Tia: This legend holds that, across Eorzea, there exists a realm that appears as a mirage. Though visible from a distance, it fades away as one draws near.
G'raha Tia: While it has featured in myth since ancient times, the realm's existence could not be proven, and thus it is seldom mentioned in literature.
G'raha Tia: In spite of this, fueled by rumors of the occasional sighting, the myth has persisted, and continues to capture the hearts and minds of explorers.
G'raha Tia: That you yourself should reach out to us... It is real, then?
Rammbroes: When first the explorer in question approached us, we doubted him. But we couldn't doubt the evidence of our senses. Nay, the realm is real─as you will soon see for yourselves.
G'raha Tia: Good gods... A part of me still struggles to believe it, but we have no reason to doubt you.
G'raha Tia: Suffice it to say we are eager to see the realm too.
Rammbroes: Whatever truth awaits, I pray you will succeed in finding it.
Rammbroes: Seek out the explorer, one Deryk. He has seen more of the realm than us, and should be willing to serve as your guide.
Rammbroes: I asked him to accompany me here, but he preferred to continue exploring on his own. He will be somewhere near the banks of Silvertear Lake, I expect.
G'raha Tia: Understood. Our thanks, Rammbroes!

G'raha Tia: Come, let us split up and look for our explorer.
-cutscene end
===Search for the explorer.===
''Point of interest''
System: The explorer doesn't appear to be in the area...

''Baby Opo-opo''
System:You see a small opo-opo. It couldn't possibly be the explorer...or could it?
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: Just in case you were entertaining the thought, [Forename], that opo-opo isn't our explorer. I have the man in question here with me.
Deryk: I am Deryk, the one who discovered the phantom realm. My apologies for making you search for me.
Deryk: Curious about this creature, are you?
Deryk: I found him injured during one of my journeys and tended to him. Since then, he has taken to following me around. He's inquisitive but otherwise harmless, so pray pay him no mind.
Deryk: You are the hero who delivered our star from doom, are you not? What good fortune that one as capable as you should lend her aid.
G'raha Tia: To be clear, our organization has yet to accept the commission. Before we can make a decision, we would conduct a preliminary survey. Will you guide us to the phantom realm?
Deryk: Of course. I will show you to the entrance at once.
Deryk: The gate to a realm long dreamed of by explorers...
 
G'raha Tia: What are you─!?
Deryk: Impressive, isn't it? When the gate manifested, so too did this magick, allowing one to thus walk upon water.

Question: What will you say?
> Are you sure it's safe...?
> This is just like Urianger's spell!
Deryk: Someone conceived the means to do this at will? An intriguing individual...

---
Deryk: It's perfectly safe, I assure you. Come.
G'raha Tia: By the Twelve, you truly can walk here! What magick is this? By what means is it perpetuated?
G'raha Tia: F-Forgive me. Let us continue on!
G'raha Tia: This is the phantom realm...
G'raha Tia: To think that the entrance would lie over Silvertear Lake...
G'raha Tia: There is nothing out of the ordinary with the environment. The sights, the sounds, the smells─all appear as they should be in nature. That is to say, this place is no illusion.
Deryk: I bid you welcome to the navel of the phantom realm: the Omphalos.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Deryk: Well? Is it what you were expecting?
Baby Opo-opo: Ook! Ook!
-optional end

===Speak with G'raha Tia in the Omphalos.===
-cutscene start
G'raha Tia: The Omphalos, you say this place is called?
Deryk: A name of my own conception, I confess. I felt we needed something to call it by. Lest you wonder, the word means “navel” in an ancient tongue─an allusion to Mor Dhona's location in the heart of Aldenard.
Deryk: As you can see, there are man-made structures, and the place appears well kept. Yet there isn't a single soul in evidence.
Deryk: 'Tis my hope that you will help me to shed light upon this realm. To learn who created it, and to what end.
G'raha Tia: I should also like to know why it has revealed itself now. Was it simply chance that kept it hidden...or something more?
G'raha Tia: In any case, let us begin by taking a look around.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Deryk: Pray do not mind me. Take a look around at your leisure.
G'raha Tia: The opo-opo seems quite at home, wouldn't you say? How many times has Deryk come here, I wonder...

-optional end

===Explore the Omphalos.===
''Interact with the Mysterious Monument''
System: A stone monument has been erected here. By whose hand, you cannot say, but the motifs wrought into its base appear familiar...''

''Interact with the Vantage Point''
System: In the distance, you see what appears to be the Crystal Tower. Though the clouds makes it difficult to be sure, it would seem that you are in the sky above Silvertear Lake.''
System: No such isle could be seen from the outside, however...''

''Interact with the Enigmatic Structure''
System: A number of structures such as this can be seen in the area. What purpose could they possibly serve...?
G'raha Tia: The architecture is unlike anything seen in Eorzea. Truly exquisite stuff...

===Speak with Deryk.===
-cutscene start
Deryk: Finished looking around, have you? What are your impressions?
G'raha Tia: We have had only a cursory glance, but this is truly a mysterious place.
G'raha Tia: The gleaming spire rising beyond the clouds─that is most certainly the Crystal Tower.
G'raha Tia: And judging by its aspect, we are a considerable distance above Silvertear Lake. Which would suggest the gate we entered is a teleporter.
G'raha Tia: However, if this isle lies where it appears to lie, then it couldn't have escaped the Battle of Silvertear Skies unscathed...
G'raha Tia: Which is to say we are in Mor Dhona...and yet we are not. 'Tis as if we were displaced from our world, if only slightly.
Deryk: Displaced is an apt way to put it. Was there aught else you noticed?
G'raha Tia: Aye. The motifs upon yonder structure─they are unmistakably the marks of the Twelve.
G'raha Tia: By which I posit that this was created to be a place of worship.
G'raha Tia: But by whom? I cannot think of any who could have possibly built such grand premises, never mind magically conceal it. At least, not in the wake of the Battle of Silvertear Skies.
G'raha Tia: Aye, this is a mysterious place indeed...
-quest complete
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=a-bcjW4_UZk}}

Singed Fur Their Own Good

2026-06-02T12:46:41Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Singed Fur Their Own Good
| description = [[Narujj Boh]] has a unique proposal for depriving the Flamefangs of easy targets.
| image =
| quest-giver = Narujj Boh
| related-npcs = Cavalry Drake (NPC); Drake Whisperer; Gallant Ranger; Honorable Ranger; Keen-eyed Huntress; Strong-willed Huntress; Sweet-smelling Huntress; U Tribe Ranger
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23.4
| location-y = 14
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 46
| req-quest = Ranger Rescue
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp = 4743
| gil = 660
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 7 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 14 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-edb = 2b237a84117
| id-gt = 66772
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with the [[Drake Whisperer|drake whisperer]] and mount the [[Cavalry Drake (Mount)|cavalry drake]].
*Ride the cavalry drake into the [[Sagolii Desert]] and use its [[Fiery Breath]] at the designated locations.
*Report to [[Narujj Boh]].

==Journal==
* Narujj Boh has a unique proposal for depriving the Flamefangs of easy targets.

* Narujj Boh wishes to convince the U tribe rangers to quit the sands before their divided forces fall prey to Flamefang raiders. Speak with the drake whisperer in the Sagolii Desert to borrow a flame-spitting mount with which to cow the stubborn hunters.

* You have spoken with the drake whisperer and mounted a mighty cavalry drake. Ride it into the Sagolii Desert, and use its Fiery Breath to convince the U tribe rangers to flee the sands.
** ※Speak with the drake whisperer in the Sagolii Desert to mount a cavalry drake.

* The gouts of flame spat by your mount have had the desired effect on the hunters of Forgotten Springs. Return to the Ring of Ash and report to Narujj Boh.

* Narujj Boh praises your efforts in saving the Miqo'te rangers from their own ill-considered tactics. Though unconvinced that his plan will have any lasting effect, the stoic soldier is nevertheless content to deprive the Flamefangs of further tempered slaves for as long as possible.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===

Narujj Boh: The Miqo'te of Forgotten Springs have grown desperate in their ongoing conflict with the Flamefangs. They have spread their forces too thin in an effort to protect their hunting grounds.
Narujj Boh: The U tribe will not accept aid from us, but we cannot allow their ill-considered tactics to result in ever more tempered slaves.
Narujj Boh: I have devised a solution to this quandary: as there are various problems that would arise from a direct confrontation, I propose that we employ the unbearable heat of a drake's breath to drive the rangers back to their settlement.
Narujj Boh: Such a measure will not cow the seasoned hunters for long, but it will at least prevent the Flamefangs from swelling their ranks until we have had chance to enact further plans.
Narujj Boh: Speak with our master of drakes at the edge of the Sagolii, and heed his instructions well.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Narujj Boh: Ride forth on the mount supplied to you by the master of drakes, and seek out the Miqo'te rangers. A gout of flame at their feet should be enough to send them scrambling for home. Better to suffer a little singed fur than endure the madness of tempering.
-optional end

===Talking to Drake Whisperer===
Drake Whisperer: You are ready to ride forth, honored ally? My drake is at your service. Rattle the nerves of these foolish Miqo'te before they are snatched up by the next raiding party that happens along.

Drake Whisperer: Should you need to dismount, the drake will return here to me. I will hold her in readiness until you are prepared to continue your mission. Now go, and deprive the Flamefangs of their prey.

===Burning the Rangers===
Straight-backed Ranger: Ow, ow, ow! Gods-be-damned drake! I'll put an arrow down your throat...next time!

Sweet-smelling Ranger: Yeowch! My tail! You singed my beautiful tail!

Sharp-sighted Ranger: Ugh, the heat sears my eyes! Get away from us! Away!

Quick-witted Ranger: Ack! Who the blazes are you!? The nunh will hear of this!

Noble-featured Ranger: Ugh, what's this? Are tempered slaves given drake mounts now!?

High-strung Ranger: Ow, where did you come from!? The desert sands are hot enough without drake-fire!

===Report to Narujj Boh.===
Narujj Boh: The Miqo'te have retreated from the sands? That is well. Spilling blood without cause will not further our agenda. I thank you, honored ally.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=hrBo8DkQZNg}}

The Gland That Feeds You

2026-06-02T12:46:20Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Gland That Feeds You
| description = [[Narujj Boh]] asks that you try your hand at organ harvesting.
| image =
| quest-giver = Narujj Boh
| related-npcs = Cavalry Drake (NPC)
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23.4
| location-y = 14.4
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 46
| req-quest = Ranger Rescue
| req-items = 1 Lizardsbane Oil, 3 Incendiary Glands
| requirements = Recognized Relations
| exp = 4743
| gil = 660
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 7 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 14 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-edb = 2658799de8a
| id-gt = 66773
}}

?

==Steps==
*Harvest [[Lizardsbane Oil|oil from the lizardsbane plant]] found in the vicinity of the [[Zanr'ak Altar|Zanr'ak altar]].
*Use lizardsbane oil on the [[Battle Drake|battle drakes]] found at the designated locations, and obtain [[Incendiary Glands|incendiary glands]].
*Feed incendiary glands to [[Cavalry Drake|cavalry drakes]] at the [[Ring of Ash]].
*Report to [[Narujj Boh]].

==Journal==
* Narujj Boh asks that you try your hand at organ harvesting.

* After explaining the need to acquire incendiary glands from the ferocious breed of battle drakes, Narujj Boh suggests you first seek out the lizardsbane plant. Search the vicinity of the Zanr'ak altar for the elusive growth, and obtain a vial of lizardsbane oil.

* You have successfully drawn a full vial of lizardsbane oil. Use the substance to weaken the battle drakes found in the south of the Zanr'ak encampment, and harvest incendiary glands from their corpses.

* You have slain the battle drakes, and removed their highly developed incendiary glands. Bring the organs back to the Ring of Ash, and feed them to the Brotherhood's cavalry drakes.

* You have fed the incendiary organs to the seemingly appreciative cavalry drakes. Report the success of your task to Narujj Boh.

* Evidently forewarned by the drakes and their contented purring, Narujj Boh thanks you for your efforts before you have even had a chance to report your success. The Brotherhood warrior appears eager to witness the fiery results of the drakes' grisly meal.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===

Narujj Boh: Compared to the seething ranks of the Flamefangs, the Brotherhood of Ash is a small force indeed. Thus must we seek to attain the pinnacle of strength if we are to triumph against our foe's numerical advantage.
Narujj Boh: It is not a matter of merely honing our martial prowess─equal consideration and effort must be afforded our weapons, as well as our mounts.
Narujj Boh: It is to our cavalry drakes that I would turn your attention. The flames they breathe can be greatly intensified by feeding them the incendiary glands of a more mature creature.
Narujj Boh: Such glands as we require can be harvested from the battle drakes of Zanr'ak─a breed coveted for their unusual strength and ferocity.
Narujj Boh: Before engaging these desert demons, however, I suggest you first acquire the oil of the lizardsbane plant. Cast the substance at a battle drake's snout, and the creature will be crippled by nausea. That said, do not expect one to simply roll over and submit to your ungentle ministrations.
Narujj Boh: Return to us as swiftly as you are able, and feed the glands to our mounts while the organs are yet fresh!
-quest accepted
-optional start
Narujj Boh: Gather the oil of the lizardsbane plant, and use it to weaken the battle drakes. I do not otherwise suggest you engage the volatile creatures.
Narujj Boh: Once you have harvested the incendiary glands, hurry back to the Ring of Ash and feed the organs to our cavalry drakes!
-optional end

===Report to Narujj Boh.===
Narujj Boh: The contented purring of our drakes tells me you have succeeded in your task. I look forward to witnessing the blazing results of your efforts.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=Xp0TrTobEFA}}

This Infernal Heat

2026-06-02T12:46:05Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = This Infernal Heat
| description = [[Narujj Boh]] is exhausted by his stubborn kin's single-mindedness.
| image =
| quest-giver = Narujj Boh
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23.4
| location-y = 14.4
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 46
| req-quest = Ranger Rescue
| req-items =
| requirements = Recognized Relations
| exp = 4743
| gil = 660
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 7 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 14 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-gt = 66777
| id-edb = 2561eaf8910
}}

==Steps==
*Destroy [[Infernal Beacon]]s.
*Report to [[Narujj Boh]].

==Journal==
* Narujj Boh is exhausted by his stubborn kin's single-mindedness.

* Narujj Boh tiredly explains that the Amalj'aa in Zanr'ak have constructed yet more of their ominous flame-topped towers. Find the infernal beacons and destroy them.

* You have destroyed the infernal beacons. Return to the Ring of Ash and report to Narujj Boh.

* Narujj Boh deduces from the stink of ruin that you were successful in your task. He exults in the defeat of his enemies' plans, and thanks you for your contributions to the Brotherhood's cause.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Narujj Boh: Our fanatic kin are nothing if not persistent. Once more they seek to focus and intensify the blessings of their deity.
Narujj Boh: They have constructed sturdy beacons in Zanr'ak, and consecrated these towering talismans with Ifrit's fire.
Narujj Boh: You will need more than a handful of ash to smother such roaring flames, honored ally. The time for subtlety has passed! Use whatever weapons you have at your disposal, but bring these structures crashing down!
-quest accepted
-optional start
Narujj Boh: As ever, the Flamefangs will seek to deny you at every turn. Engage them if you must, but do not lose sight of your true task.
Narujj Boh: Find the infernal beacons in Zanr'ak, and leave of them nothing but smoking ruin!
-optional end

===Report to Narujj Boh.===
Narujj Boh: I judge by the smell of smoke and blood that your task was a success. Even my stubborn kin must now feel a flicker of doubt in the strength their vaunted blessings bestow upon them.
Narujj Boh: You, an outsider, have accomplished much for the Brotherhood. We are fortunate indeed to have you as our honored ally.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=cBHVD3DGLTU}}

Losing One's Tempered

2026-06-02T12:31:53Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Losing One's Tempered
| description = Fibubb Gah requests your assistance in testing a new remedy.
| image =
| quest-giver = Fibubb Gah
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23
| location-y = 14
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 43
| req-quest = Brotherhood of Ash (Quest)
| req-items = 3 Sacred Ash
| requirements = Neutral Relations
| exp = 4290
| gil = 480
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 5 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 10 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-gt = 66764
| id-edb = 9731b4b525c
}}

==Walkthrough==
Beat on a few tempered enemies and use a key item on them. 
''Note'': Don't worry about accidentally killing them, they'll just sit at 1 HP and not actually go down, making this a breeze.

==Steps==
*Head to the tempering ground in northern [[Zanr'ak]], and use the sacred ash on subdued tempered.
*Report to [[Fibubb Gah]].

==Journal==
* Fibubb Gah requests your assistance in testing a new remedy.

* Fibubb Gah has entrusted you with the Brotherhood of Ash's latest weapon in their kin war─a possible remedy for the madness of the tempered. Subdue the tempered found at the tempering ground in northern Zanr'ak, and test the efficacy of the sacred ash.

* You have tested the sacred ash on the tempered with uncertain results. Return to the Ring of Ash and report to Fibubb Gah.

* Though disappointed at the remedy's apparent failure, Fibubb Gah vows that the Brotherhood will continue its efforts toward creating a cure for the tempered. He muses that perhaps you just might be the one who tests the first successful batch.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Fibubb Gah: Honored ally, the Brotherhood of Ash has toiled to create a new weapon to use against our enemies─bone ash imbued with spiritual energy by the sacred chants of our mystics.
Fibubb Gah: It is our hope that the purifying properties of the ash will serve to cleanse the tempered of Ifrit's malign influence. This remedy has, however, yet to be tested.
Fibubb Gah: It is with bitter fortune, then, that we learned of a raid to the south. It seems that a hunting party from Forgotten Springs was ambushed by a superior force, and dragged before the Lord of the Inferno for tempering.
Fibubb Gah: I ask that you locate these unfortunate Miqo'te, and sprinkle upon each a pinch of the ash.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Fibubb Gah: Be sure to pacify the rangers sufficiently first, otherwise our unwilling subjects will simply shake off the ash before it has time to take effect.
Fibubb Gah: Find the tempered Miqo'te, and sprinkle a pinch of sacred ash upon each one to determine the remedy's efficacy. Do not forget to subdue your opponents thoroughly before attempting to use the ash!
-optional end

===Head to the tempering ground in northern Zan'rak, and use the sacred ash on subdued tempered.===
Tempered: Aaargh! It burrrns!

Tempered: Lord Ifrit! Your servant needs You!

Tempered: Wh-What is this strange sorcery!?

===Returning to Fibubb Gah===
Fibubb Gah: So...it seems the sacred ash failed to have the desired effect. Our mystics will be most disappointed.
Fibubb Gah: But the Brotherhood of Ash does not buckle at the slightest sign of hardship! We shall learn from this failure, and redouble our efforts to concoct a cure. You may yet be the first to reclaim a tempered mind from the abyss of madness.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=MtIO5poztsQ}}

Fighting Firesand with Fire

2026-06-02T12:06:58Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Fighting Firesand with Fire
| description = [[Fibubb Gah]] is incensed at the dishonorable tactics of his enemies.
| image =
| quest-giver = Fibubb Gah
| related-npcs = Drake Whisperer
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23.5
| location-y = 14.3
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 43
| req-quest = Brotherhood of Ash (Quest)
| req-items =
| requirements = Neutral Relations
| exp = 4290
| gil = 480
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 5 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 10 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-edb = f78316df344
| id-gt = 66762
}}

==Walkthrough==
Ride an Inferno Drake around and breath fire on 3 firesand piles. Easy, sometimes requires a fairly long run out of the way to the north or south though. Note: You can right click the Mounted buff to dismount whenever you're done.

==Steps==
*Speak with the [[Drake Whisperer]] and mount the [[Cavalry Drake (Mount)|cavalry drake]].
*Ride the cavalry drake into [[Zanr'ak]] and use its [[Fiery Breath]] to destroy barrels of firesand.
*Report to [[Fibubb Gah]].

==Journal==
* Fibubb Gah is incensed at the dishonorable tactics of his enemies.

* Fibubb Gah has tasked you with depriving his fanatic kin of the firesand they use in their cowardly traps. Speak with the drake whisperer to the west of the Ring of Ash, and climb atop one of his scaly charges.

* Ride the cavalry drake into Zanr'ak, and destroy the stockpiles of firesand using your mount's Fiery Breath.
** ※Speak with the drake whisperer west of the Ring of Ash to mount a cavalry drake.

* With the aid of your fire-breathing mount, you have successfully destroyed the barrels of firesand. Return to the Ring of Ash and report to Fibubb Gah.

* Fibubb Gah expresses fierce joy at the sounds of exploding barrels. He cautions you, however, to stand ready for whatever depraved strategy the foe will next attempt to employ.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Fibubb Gah: The honorless snakes of Zahar'ak care naught for the righteous glories of battle. They would sooner injure their foes with cowardly traps than risk an equal confrontation.
Fibubb Gah: The traps of which I speak often make use of barrels stuffed with firesand─a substance which, when ignited in sufficient quantities, can launch a merchant's wagon two full spear-lengths into the air. The victims of such shameful tactics are left dazed and vulnerable, if not slain outright.
Fibubb Gah: Does your blood not seethe at the thought? Then I task you with removing the source of this ignominy─the firesand itself. But I would not have you risk life and limb in its destruction.
Fibubb Gah: By the bridge to the west of here, one of our brethren awaits you. He is a tamer of drakes, and has promised to lend you a creature from his stables to aid you in your noble efforts.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Fibubb Gah: The barrels of firesand must be destroyed. Speak with the drake whisperer, and he will provide you with the means with which to safely dispose of your targets.
-optional end

===Talking to Drake Whisperer===
Drake Whisperer: My brother, Fibubb Gah, has told me of his plan. You will have command of one of my scaly children and the fiery destruction she breathes. Climb onto her back, honored ally, and direct her to the barrels you wish to incinerate.

Drake Whisperer: Should you need to dismount, the drake will return here to me. I will hold her in readiness until you are prepared to continue your mission. Now go, and bring ravenous fire to the servants of the flame.

===Returning to Fibubb Gah===
Fibubb Gah: The echoing reports of exploding barrels were as triumphant cries to my ears. I am afraid, however, that the loss of the firesand will simply spur our enemy into ever more shameless acts of cowardice. We must stand ready!

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=mUz6kKZWMdE}}

Smothering Instinct

2026-06-02T12:05:44Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Smothering Instinct
| description = [[Fibubb Gah]] wishes your aid in removing a blight from the land.
| image =
| quest-giver = Fibubb Gah
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23.5
| location-y = 14.3
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 43
| req-quest = Brotherhood of Ash (Quest)
| req-items = 5 Smothering Ash
| requirements = Neutral Relations
| exp = 4290
| gil = 480
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 5 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 10 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-gt = 66763
| id-edb = 78d2820f366
}}

==Steps==
*Use the smothering ash to extinguish Amalj'aa beacons.
*Report to [[Fibubb Gah]].

==Journal==
* Fibubb Gah wishes your aid in removing a blight from the land.

* You have been tasked by Fibubb Gah with extinguishing the unnatural flames of the Amalj'aa beacons. Take the ritually prepared smothering ash and use it to deprive the foes of the Brotherhood of their enhanced blessings.

* You have used the smothering ash to extinguish the tainted fires of the Amalj'aa beacons. Return to the Ring of Ash and report to Fibubb Gah.

*Fibubb Gah praises your efforts, claiming that the land itself breathes easier in the absence of the foul Amalj'aa beacons. He bids you stand ready to offer your aid should his vile kin once more ignite their vile flames.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Fibubb Gah: Tell me, honored ally, have you seen the ominous beacons the zealots of Zahar'ak light across the land? These unnatural flames are talismans of foul sorcery that amplify the blessings of the Lord of the Inferno.
Fibubb Gah: These symbols of servitude, of groveling weakness, cannot be allowed to taint the sacred domain of Zanr'ak a moment longer!
Fibubb Gah: If you truly wish to stand with us against our honorless kin, then I would ask your aid in extinguishing the beacons. Take with you this ash─it has been ritually prepared to fully smother the noxious fires of our foe.
Fibubb Gah: Be warned, however, that the beacons will not be unguarded. Our weakling brethren will be loath to surrender even a sliver of their undeserved might.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Fibubb Gah: Take the smothering ash and extinguish these beacons of unseemly servitude!
-optional end

===Returning to Fibubb Gah===
Fibubb Gah: The land itself breathes easier in the absence of those foul flames. You continue to show yourself a worthy ally of the Brotherhood.
Fibubb Gah: Our despicable kin, however, will not long countenance the loss of their magnified blessings. All too soon, new beacons will be lit, and we shall be glad of your aid once more.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=fWgAYfDKf6s}}

Blitzing the Beacons

2026-06-02T12:03:56Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Blitzing the Beacons
| description = [[Fibubb Gah]] wishes to entrust you with a new task.
| image =
| quest-giver = Fibubb Gah
| location = Southern Thanalan
| location-x = 23.5
| location-y = 14.3
| type = daily
| quest-line = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| journal-section = Allied Society Quests
| journal-category = Amalj'aa Quests
| journal-genre = Amalj'aa Daily Quests
| sortkey = 0
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 43
| req-quest = Brotherhood of Ash (Quest)
| req-items =
| requirements = Neutral Relations
| exp = 4290
| gil = 480
| mettle =
| reward1 = 1 Venture
| reward2 = 5 Allagan Tomestone of Poetics
| reputation-reward = 10 Amalj'aa Relations
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| patch = 2.1
| release =
| id-gt = 66767
| id-edb = 465672c6b20
}}

==Walkthrough==
Kill three Bonfire Torches around Zanr'ak. Each is also defended by 1-2 mobs. Pretty quick, with plentiful spawn locations.

==Steps==
*Destroy [[Flaming Beacon]]s around [[Zanr'ak]].
*Report to [[Fibubb Gah]].

==Journal==
* Fibubb Gah wishes to entrust you with a new task.

* Fibubb Gah has bid you strike out at the unholy altars of the Brotherhood's hated kin. Locate and destroy the flaming beacons in the west of Zahar'ak.

* You have destroyed the flaming beacons. Return to the Ring of Ash and report to Fibubb Gah.

* Fibubb Gah praises your worthy display of courage. Though the warrior exults at the blow you have struck for the Brotherhood, he warns that the fallen Amalj'aa will not be so easily dissuaded from their mad pursuit for power.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Fibubb Gah: Be they ten thousand strong, the mewling whelps of Zahar'ak could not stand before us without the invigorating strength of their deity's flames.
Fibubb Gah: They carefully capture the Lord of the Inferno's searing exhalations, and harness them for their unholy rites.
Fibubb Gah: The god-touched fires are then ensconced within towering altars, which radiate Ifrit's blessings upon all within reach.
Fibubb Gah: These flaming beacons must be destroyed! The Brotherhood of Ash will take from our vile kin every symbol of their undeserved strength!
-quest accepted
-optional start
Fibubb Gah: I entrust this task to you, honored ally. But be forewarned: the sentinels that guard these beacons stand closest to the source of their power, and will prove to be most fierce adversaries.
Fibubb Gah: Destroy these flaming beacons, honored ally! The symbols of our honorless kin's madness cannot be suffered to exist!
-optional end

===Returning to Fibubb Gah===
Fibubb Gah: A worthy display of courage, honored ally. May our enemies know that even their precious beacons be not safe from our wrath!
Fibubb Gah: ...But lust for power is not so easily dampened. Until our war is won, I fear we will need to break these infernal altars again and again...
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=Ys5uSeK83hQ}}

A Present from the Present

2026-06-01T14:48:55Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = A Present from the Present
| description = The affable researcher is trying to get your attention.
| image = A Present from the Present.png
| quest-giver = Affable Researcher
| related-npcs = Claudien; Diligent Warder; Erichthonios; Hegemone; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud
| location = Old Sharlayan
| location-x = 11.0
| location-y = 10.6
| type = sidequest
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre = Pandæmonium: Epilogue Quests
| sortkey = 35
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 1500
| reward1 = 1 Wind-up Themis
| reward2 = 1 Where Dæmons Abide Orchestrion Roll
| reward3 =
| unlocks = ngp Pandæmonium: Epilogue
| prev-quest = Guided by the Past
| next-quest =
| release = dawntrail
| patch = 7.1
| id-gt = 70788
| id-edb = e1d3fad5e3d
}}

==Steps==
* Speak with [[Claudien]] at [[Aporia]].
* Speak with [[Hegemone]] at [[the Gates of Pandæmonium]].
* Hide at the designated location.
* Speak with Hegemone.
* Speak with Claudien at Aporia.

==Journal==
* The affable researcher is trying to get your attention.
* An affable researcher introduces himself as Professor Claudien's new assistant, and requests your presence at Aporia on behalf of his superior. It seems Pandæmonium has intrigue to offer yet, and Claudien would make you a part of it.
* Professor Claudien and his colleagues greet you warmly before explaining that, inspired by a memory Claudien glimpsed of Erichthonios's past, they have commissioned a commemorative mammet of Themis for the young warder. As you are the only one who can return to the past, it falls upon you to travel to Pandæmonium and deliver it to your erstwhile companion.
* Upon arriving in Pandæmonium, you encounter Hegemone. While she understands the allure of witnessing his reaction to your gift, she cautions that as Erichthonios is currently training hard to become a more masterful warder, he may prefer to delay any reunions until he has made greater progress. As an alternative to a face-to-face encounter, she proposes that you conceal yourself in the shadows as she speaks with him, and send out the mammet when the time is right.
* From your hidden vantage, you learn that despite some hardship, the young warder is doing well under his father's tutelage. At Hegemone's cue, you send the mammet out from hiding, which prompts a pleasantly surprised Erichthonios to remark that he but recently met the emissary at the Words of Lahabrea─where they spoke fondly of their dear friend [Forename]. Before he can look too closely at the smile in the shadows nearby, Hegemone sends him away on his next task, happily accompanied by the Themis-shaped keepsake of your time together.
* Pleased to have been able to assist in your delivery via the art of subterfuge, Hegemone wishes you well as you depart Pandæmonium for what may be the last time. Now all that remains is to return to Claudien and report your success.
* As a reward for your efforts, Claudien presents you with a Themis mammet of your very own. Now you, too, carry a reminder of friendships forged across the endless expanse of time.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Affable Researcher: Oh, you must be [Forename]! Why, you look exactly as Professor Claudien described. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.
Affable Researcher: I'm the professor's new assistant, you see. His stories of your foray into Pandæmonium have been an endless well of knowledge and entertainment.
Affable Researcher: In fact, there is a small matter that has arisen with regard to the facility that he wishes to discuss with you, thus my seeking you out. He asks that you stop by Aporia at your earliest convenience.

-optional start
Affable Researcher: Professor Claudien can fill you in on the details better than I, so please visit him at Aporia when you're able.
-optional end

===Speak with Claudien at Aporia===
-cutscene start
Claudien: [Forename], you are ever a sight for sore eyes! I trust you've been well since last we spoke?
Claudien: Good, good. Now, as much as I'd like to reminisce, it will serve us both better if I cut to the quick.
Claudien: I asked you here to discuss a matter concerning Erichthonios, whom I'm sure you remember.
Claudien: I certainly do, for his memories reside within me still.
Claudien: Every so often, my mind's eye glimpses the grim spectacle of the Final Days. Though there are also visions of a simpler time...
Claudien: In one, I saw a warder under siege by colleagues. They demanded to know why a tiny Erichthonios was running amok in the halls of Pandæmonium.
Claudien: Upon hearing that the mammet was created out of profound admiration, my past self gave only a rueful smile.
Claudien: "Then Themis would have been a far superior choice of subject. Alas, I suppose you've never seen the man...“

Nemjiji: An inadvertently revealing deflection, we believe. As Themis's duties as emissary kept him away from Pandæmonium, Erichthonios doubtless grew to miss his dear friend.
Nemjiji: And ''we'' know what Themis looked like. So we thought: why not make a mammet here and send it as a gift?
Nemjiji: We employed a local artisan to take care of the first step. The resulting work is masterful indeed!

Claudien: Since you're the only one among us who can return to Pandæmonium, might I ask you to deliver this to Erichthonios?

Question: What will you say?
> You can count on it!
Claudien: Thank you, [Forename]. I suspect that he will be overjoyed.
Claudien: As I've recalled more of his memories, I've noticed that Erichthonios seldom expressed his own desires.
> You don't think it will distract him from his work?
Claudien: I understand the threat of distraction more than most, but there is more to life than work, is there not? And as I've recalled more of Erichthonios's memories, I've noticed that he seldom expressed his own desires.
> You don't think he'd want a doll that looks like me, too?
Claudien: The discretionary portion of our funding only extends so far, alas, though he very well might. As I've recalled more of his memories, I've noticed that he seldom expressed his own desires.
---
Claudien: Perhaps it was an unspoken rule in the society of the ancients. Nonetheless, I would very much like to do something for him. A small kindness is the least we owe him.
Claudien: I imagine you can still reach Pandæmonium from the neus in Elpis. Once there, the keywards will surely assist you in tracking him down.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Claudien: Given the peaceful state of Pandæmonium at present─er, past?─I see no reason that the keyward wouldn't allow you a moment of Erichthonios's time.
-optional end

===Speak with Hegemone at the Gates of Pandæmonium.===
-cutscene start
Hegemone: Are you returned to us so soon, [Forename]? Naught is amiss, I hope...
Hegemone: And this gift is for Erichthonios, you say? A man much in demand of late...
Hegemone: People expect great things of him now─greater than he's prepared for, by his estimation. Thus is he at this very moment studying at the Words of Lahabrea.
Hegemone: Under his father's tutelage, he hopes to gain further mastery over the creations here, that he might one day become keyward himself.
Hegemone: Although Master Lahabrea's harsh methods have more than once driven him to the verge of surrender, his determination to prove himself always drags him back from the brink.

Question: What will you say?
> That sounds like Erichthonios, alright.
Hegemone: Indeed. And while I'm certain he would enjoy seeing you, I wonder if he would rather the reunion occur after he has come into his own.
> He'll keep at it, I'm sure of it.
Hegemone: Hegemone: You speak as if you've already seen it come to pass. Though he would doubtless find that encouraging, I wonder if he would rather your reunion occur after he has come into his own.
> But they have so little time...
Hegemone: You should have more faith, [Forename]. I assure you, the pace of Erichthonios's growth leaves naught to be desired...though I do wonder if he'd rather your reunion occur after he's come into his own.
---

Hegemone: That said, I understand why you wish to be there when he sees your little Themis simulacrum. Would that I could witness his reaction myself...

Diligent Warder: Keyward Hegemone, we've received word from Erichthonios. He says he'll soon be returning.

Hegemone: His message is well received. Yes... I see in this a tidy solution.
Hegemone: When he arrives, can you tell him to attend me here? Say that there is something I would show him.
Hegemone: I want you to choose a suitably dark place from which to eavesdrop on our conversation. When the moment is right, send the poppet this way.
Hegemone: Thus shall we both be privy to his reaction, even as you remain undetected. While such subterfuge would usually fall outside my duties as keyward, rest assured I am happy to help.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Hegemone: He shouldn't notice you if you hide beyond the threshold yonder. Keep the tiny Themis close at hand─I trust you will choose the right moment to send it out.

-optional end

===Hide at the designated location===
-cutscene start
Hegemone: ...I see that Master Lahabrea has not softened. You've done well to endure his methods.

Erichthonios: Sometimes I feel he's become even more difficult... Were I not recently made privy to his true nature, I would have abandoned hope within moments.

Hegemone: Such is his way of nurturing your talents, I suppose.

Erichthonios: I know. He still aggravates me, but I have come to see that even our quarrels are a means to know him better─as a father and one of the Fourteen both.

Hegemone: ...Ah, yes. I called you here because I had something to show you.

Erichthonios: Themis!? Why are you so small? ...Ah.
Erichthonios: Another poppet, I see. But who managed to render such a striking likeness?

Hegemone: They asked me not to divulge their identity. I can say only that they have your best interests at heart.

Erichthonios: How curious. And to think such a gift would arrive so soon after I met with the man himself!
Erichthonios: I happened to run into him at the Words of Lahabrea. It was my first time speaking with him in his capacity as Elidibus, but he was friendly as ever.
Erichthonios: He told me of yet more belegged plants from the Words of Halmarut, which had escaped and taken root in a region designated for Loghrif creations, making proper assessment quite impossible.
Erichthonios: Themis was called upon to judge whether to switch testing grounds for convenience or uproot the unwelcome creations. So soon after returning from Pandæmonium, he said he finds such minor squabbles a welcome change.
Erichthonios: And of course, we spoke of [Forename].

Hegemone: Naturally. Perhaps we can ask your admirer to make a likeness of him as well?

Erichthonios: As much as I would like that, I don't believe it would suit {{alternatives|f=her|m=him}}. Unlike Themis and I, [Forename] isn't bound to {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} own small domain.
Erichthonios: I think {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} rather belongs to the entire star. To keep {{alternatives|f=her|m=him}}─or even an imitation─confined here would feel wrong.
Erichthonios: [Forename] and Themis are both dear friends, and I need no tangible proof to be certain of our bond. Though I admit that it will be nice to have a reminder of at least one of them around.

Hegemone: I'm glad to hear it.
Hegemone: Now, I believe you have duties to return to. If you wouldn't mind fetching those reports from Peripeteia on the new creations sent from Elpis...

Erichthonios: Gladly, Keyward Hegemone. And little Themis here will come with me.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Hegemone===
Hegemone: That turned out well, wouldn't you say? Erichthonios has a new companion, and you were able to witness his joy at meeting him.
Hegemone: Each and every warder here owes you a great debt. I hope that charming charade helped repay mine in some small way.
Hegemone: I must attend to my own work, but I wish you all the best. Whether or not we meet again, fare thee well, [Forename].

===Speak with Claudien at Aporia===
Claudien: There you are, [Forename]! Judging by the grin on your face, I trust the mammet is safely in Erichthonios's hands?
Claudien: I knew we could count on you! May that doll provide him some small reprieve from the stresses of his station.
Claudien: Speaking of which, I know you had to pull yourself from your own adventures to take care of this little errand, so I don't intend to let you go unrewarded.
Claudien: That's why we commissioned ''two'' mammets from the start. I daresay Themis will be delighted to travel a whole new era by your side.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=EVLD79yPb3o}}

Claudien

2026-06-01T14:44:33Z

Mintd: /* Additional information */

{{otheruses|the [[Endwalker]] NPC|the [[A Realm Reborn]] NPC in [[Eastern Thanalan]] who was previously named Claudien|Claudian}}
{{NPC infobox
| name = Claudien
| description =
| image =
| location = Labyrinthos
| coordinates = 8.6,27.5
| dungeon =
| raid =
| trial =
| title =
| gender = Male
| age =
| race = Hyur
| clan = Midlander
| class =
| job =
| profession =
| birthplace =
| organization = Sharlayan
| level =
| aggression =
| service = quest
| goal =
| patch = 6.01
| release = endwalker
}}
__NOTOC__

{{Quests started}}
{{Quests involved}}

==Additional information==
{{see also|Erichthonios}}

[[Category:NPCs]] [[Category:Patch 6.01 NPCs]]

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
'''After the events of Pandæmonium'''
Claudien: Both the aetherial sea and the Heart of Sabik are yet brimming with secrets to be discovered... I can hardly remember the last time my days were so exciting! Please, if there's ever anything we can help you with, do visit again.
Question: What will you say?
> What do you know of Athena and her connection to auracite?
-cutscene start
Claudien: Ah, that topic has been keeping us quite busy as of late. Nemjiji and Ruissenaud have been a great help in making sense of all these fabulous tales─I shall call them at once so we can share our findings thus far.
Claudien: Our research into the Heart of Sabik has led us through many magnificent legends and tales from bygone civilizations, some of which mention─or at least hint at─the presences of Athena, auracite, and the High Seraph Ultima.
Claudien: While we have formed an operating theory based on our findings, it is impossible for us to confirm its feasibility. Given your experience with the High Seraph, however, I can think of no one better with whom to discuss it.
Nemjiji: Although we know not the precise timing of the High Seraph's visit to this star, we do know that Athena somehow came into possession of a mysterious crystal said to be the source of the destructive magic known as Ultima.
Nemjiji: According to Lahabrea, it was Athena who gave this crystal the name of “auracite,” and from her tireless research was born the Heart of Sabik.
Nemjiji: The Heart of Sabik contained not only Athena's memories, but a concentration of aether unlike anything we have observed. Even a small portion of it could level mountains.
Claudien: It did, in fact, level Castrum Meridianum not so long ago.
Claudien: Records of your previous encounter with Lahabrea imply that the Heart was, for a time, in the hands of the Allagan Empire. Doubtless it was the Ascian himself who gifted it to them, thus sowing the seeds of calamity.
Claudien: The Allagans made little progress toward penetrating its mysteries, but some scholars attribute the fact that they were able to use it at all to theoretical encounters between Allag's researchers and the High Seraph.
Claudien: Regardless of its journey, however, we do know that the Heart of Sabik returned to Lahabrea's clutches soon after the Fourth Umbral Calamity. The rest hardly bears going over again.
Nemjiji: Tracing the legends of auracite back to their source suggest that the High Seraph may be the cause of countless tragedies, including our most recent one.
Nemjiji: Regardless of the auracite's source, however, it was Athena's bottomless ambition that set the wheels of tragedy in motion.
Ruissenaud: ...I found one of Lahabrea's remarks most odd. While we were discussing Athena, he said that he was a fool to think she could be confined. He didn't elaborate on the statement, but I think there's a possibility that Pandæmonium was built not as a prison for failed creations, but to contain his very own wife.
Claudien: We already know he was well aware of the influence auracite had on Athena─'tis not beyond the realm of possibility that Pandæmonium's true purpose was to keep her isolated from the other ancients.
Claudien: Even so, she had freedom enough to continue her research outside of Lahabrea's purview. Perhaps it was his love for her that kept him from tightening his grip on her activities.
Claudien: Given the peaceful state of Pandæmonium at present─er, past?─I see no reason that the keyward wouldn't allow you a moment of Erichthonios's time.
-cutscene end

> How goes your research?
Claudien: Fortunately for my assistants and I, my ordeal has left me none the worse for wear. I am back at work with characteristic aplomb─well, as much aplomb as can be mustered when reviewing the many records which have piled up in my absence.
Claudien: Of course, I have made the proper shows of gratitude to Scholarch Montichaigne and Master Fourchenault for their efforts to search for me.
Claudien: Master Fourchenault was stone-faced, claiming that he had only done his duty. The scholarch, on the other hand, seemed most eager to learn every detail. It takes all sorts, I suppose.
</nowiki>}}

Nemjiji

2026-06-01T09:28:55Z

Mintd: typo

{{NPC infobox
| name = Nemjiji
| description =
| image =
| location = Labyrinthos
| coordinates = 8.4, 27.4
| dungeon =
| raid =
| trial =
| title =
| gender = Female
| age =
| race = Lalafell
| clan = Plainsfolk
| class =
| job =
| profession =
| birthplace =
| organization =
| relatives =
| level =
| aggression =
| service = quest
| goal =
| patch = 6.01
| release = endwalker
}}
__NOTOC__

{{Quests started}}
{{Quests involved}}

==Locations==
{{NPC location table header}}
{{NPC location info|Old Sharlayan|9.6,11.9|-}}
{{NPC location info|Labyrinthos|8.4,27.4|-}}
|}

==Additional Information==
Players are required to talk to Nemjiji to unlock the [[Pandæmonium]] Savage difficulty raids.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
Nemjiji: The more I try to make sense of what happened, the more my mind ties itself in knots. It will take weeks─or dare I say months─to navigate this maze of questions. I may have to suggest that Professor Claudien hire more assistants...

>Before release of Abyssos
Nemjiji: [Forename]! Allow me to thank you personally for your contribution to our research. Your stories of the ancients' creations have planted the seeds of a great many theories, and I cannot wait for them to flourish!
---
Question: What will you say?

> Recount tales of Asphodelos.
-cutscene start
Nemjiji: Professor Claudien has asked me to write detailed records of your investigation. If you wouldn't mind staying for a while, I would ask you to tell me more of your adventures in the past.

Nemjiji: Adventures that started with that mysterious crystal, seemingly containing a message declaring a crisis in this “Pandæmonium”... Of course, Professor Claudien will eventually make a report, but we are deficient on concrete facts at present.

Nemjiji: To that end, I suppose a comprehensive catalog of the beasts you encountered in the “Asphodelos” circles would be a fine starting point. Yes...I require every gory detail, every hair-raising description!

Ruissenaud: Nemjiji! I've brought the volumes you asked for, but...are you quite certain we need all of this just to research the crystals?

Ruissenaud: Some of these─''Habitats of Aquatic Life-forms'' and ''Myths and Folklore of the Phoenix'', for example─seem to have little bearing on the subject. In fact, many of these tomes seem to be related to the creatures of Pandæmonium [Forename] spoke of...

Ruissenaud: Surely we have better things to do with our time! [Forename] has already encountered and subdued them, so what use could further insight offer?

Nemjiji: On the contrary, Ruissenaud, we would be remiss in our duty as academics ''not'' to take every opportunity to learn more of these subjects. To view the creatures of bygone times through the lens of modern science is a dream so few have the chance to achieve!

Nemjiji: Of course, I'll not deny a personal interest in the matter.

Ruissenaud: Hmph─as I thought. While there were enough relevant volumes for me to fulfill your request this once, if you wish to sate your appetite for knowledge again, might you do so on your own time?

Nemjiji: Ahem, shall we proceed? Tell me everything you remember. And please, spare not a single detail─I don't easily frighten, you may be assured.

Nemjiji: We might start with your battle with this transformed warder─Erichthonios, was it? I would also like to hear of the keyward and the nature of his metamorphosis.

Nemjiji: Good, good. Thank you for this priceless information. While I'm disappointed I couldn't behold your foes with my own eyes, your stories have given me more than enough to write sufficiently lurid─I mean, thorough─descriptions.

Nemjiji: Perhaps we should also include basic theories concerning the growth and behavior of these creatures. It would give our little catalog some flavor, wouldn't you agree?

Nemjiji: We could start with... Ah, I have it! Aquatic life-forms in our time have been observed to grow to sizes that are orders of magnitude larger than their larval forms.

Nemjiji: In fact, it may not be so preposterous to posit that the hippokampos you encountered was merely the larval form of a much more massive─and dare I say, horrific─entity!

Question: What will you say?
>> Are we making records or creating faerie tales?

Nemjiji: Now, don't look at me like I'm some mad magus. Breakthroughs have been precipitated by even wilder theories than that. As the professor always says─we mustn't let logic stand in the way of brilliance!

Nemjiji: Until proven one way or the other, every hypothesis is a valid one. Ah, there is nothing quite like the ambrosia of inspiration!
>> Your ideas are intriguing to me...
---
Nemjiji: So long as I make a note in the margins of my records indicating that a theory is unproven, we can let our imaginations run wild! Yes, I said ''our''─you needn't be a researcher to have an idea that will leave its mark for generations!
-cutscene end

> Recount tales of Abyssos and beyond.
-cutscene start
Nemjiji: [Forename], may I have a moment? If you would be so inclined, I would very much like to hear the story of your battles in Abyssos and Tartaros.
Nemjiji: While I have no difficulty producing reports for the Forum with a general summation of events, I could use some help with the finer details. For the record, you know.
Ruissenaud: For the record, you say? Come now, be honest and admit it's to sate your own curiosity. I've seen the tomes you've left scattered about the laboratory─bestiaries of creatures both real and imagined.
Nemjiji: I will not─and I daresay, should not─deny an intellectual stake in the matter. But surely [Forename] will understand that a thorough recounting will help Professor Claudien's research as well. Now then, whenever you're ready.
Nemjiji: ...Fascinating. As you say, the savage creation you encountered in Abyssos bears more than a few similarities to the Carbuncle. Could it be that the arcane entities we know now had their origins in ancient times?
Nemjiji: Just as curious was your story of the keyward who was melded with a tree of legend... Where do the limits of the hemitheos creation process lie, I wonder? And how do such creatures even survive, once melded?
Ruissenaud: As expected, you cannot help yourself from asking ever more questions─what purpose would such knowledge serve?
Nemjiji: Oh, Ruissenaud, one day you too shall develop the keen instincts of a researcher. Then you shall understand that it is impossible not to wonder, once the spark of imagination has been struck!
Nemjiji: [Forename]'s stories have already set several theories stirring in my mind, and I feel even more bubbling just under the surface.
Nemjiji: Take Hephaistos for example. It would not be a great leap to assume that he studied at length the regenerative and death-defying properties of the Phoenix. And that is just the tip of the proverbial berg!
Ruissenaud: You are free to exercise your imagination all you like, but─need I remind you─these reports are meant to be submitted to Master Fourchenault himself. I implore you to exercise restraint.
Nemjiji: ...Professor Claudien would have encouraged me, you know.
Nemjiji: He thrives on theories and imagination. But I do understand your point, Ruissenaud─if I were to submit such a report to Master Fourchenault, I would soon thereafter be forced to write a formal apology.

Question: What will you say?
>> Fourchenault is more open to wild theories than you think.
Nemjiji: That very well may be! An academic does not achieve the station he has without a curiosity as deep as the aetherial sea itself.
>> He doesn't look like someone you'd want to make mad.
---
Nemjiji: Now I should set ink to paper, and let the wonder of theory guide my hand. Within reason, of course.
Nemjiji: Yet I cannot help but dream ever larger─there are no bounds to what the mind can imagine! And if there are, let us both strive to find them, [Forename]!

-cutscene end

> Recount the threat to the aetherial sea.
-cutscene start
Nemjiji: [Forename], may I have a moment of your time? I would very much like to hear of the battles you fought within the Pandæmonium that appeared in our age.
Nemjiji: While I was fortunate enough to witness most events with my own eyes, I was not there to write down a blow-by-blow account. Your testimony would be a welcome and flavorful addition to my records.
Nemjiji: ...To think your foes would be even more fantastic than the ones you faced in the past. Truly, not even my wildest imaginings could come close to what reality gave us.
Nemjiji: I'm particularly fascinated by Athena, and cannot help but wonder what she would have become if left to her devices. We were terribly close to finding out, and doubtless it would have been one of the last revelations of our lives.
Nemjiji: But she may not have gone so far if not for the auracite, which magnified her desires to an almost incomprehensible degree. Just how it could influence one so is a matter well beyond the ken of modern scholarship.
Nemjiji: I believe you saw how twisted those under its sway can become when you faced the Lucavi. Just what designs did Ultima, the High Seraph have in bestowing the “gift” of auracite to those poor souls?
Nemjiji: If Athena had achieved her dream of godhood, she may very well have been able to bend even auracite to her will. And soon the world would have followed suit!
Nemjiji: What a chilling end to my story...and, er, a fascinating theory to add to my report, of course. I must scour our documents for any supporting evidence!
Claudien@???: ...Ah, now I understand why you sent Ruissenaud to fetch any scrap containing even a hint of crystalline machinations.
Nemjiji: P-Professor Claudien!
Claudien: I had noticed that important tasks were being left neglected, and when I inquired as to the reason, poor Ruissenaud explained that he could barely keep up with your requests. Something must be done about this new obsession of yours...
Claudien: ...You must pursue it until you find the answers you seek! I believe you are on your way to a discovery that shall make you the envy of your peers─myself included!
Claudien: We often find breakthroughs only after shattering the rules of conventional research. I shall tend to Ruissenaud's tasks, but you must promise me that your report will be a thing of wonder!
Nemjiji: ...Of course, Professor, you have my word!
Nemjiji: I shall give every scenario a fair shake─where evidence is lacking, imagination shall fill in the gaps. I shall blend the lines between fantasy and science so skillfully that you will doubt if they were ever there at all!
Claudien: I would expect no less from one of my assistants. Before you put pen to parchment, I would be honored if you shared some of your idle musings with me.
Nemjiji: I will, Professor, I will!
Nemjiji: If you have any interest, [Forename]─and I know you do─stop by any time and I will share with you my most recent theories.

-cutscene end
> How goes the investigation?
>>Before release of Abyssos
Nemjiji: By Professor Claudien's order, our reports to the other research bodies have been somewhat scarce on concrete information.

Nemjiji: Even if we wanted to go into further detail, there are too many unknown variables concerning how this crisis might affect our present...

Nemjiji: We only know for certain that the crystal we found ties us to the past. We've had no luck eliciting further memories from its depths.

Nemjiji: We're at present gathering as many soul crystals and shards as we can to conduct thorough comparisons, but those experiments have yet to bear fruit.

Nemjiji: Of course, the fact that none but you can hear our enigma's voice to begin with puts something of a damper on our potential progress. Yet even so, Professor Claudien is doing all within his power to move things forward!
>> After events of Anabaseios
Nemjiji: With Athena's research put to decisive end, things around here have returned to what one could almost call “routine.”
Nemjiji: But even so, we are as busy as ever. The aetherial sea must be analyzed thoroughly for any adverse effects caused by recent events, and Professor Claudien seems most eager to analyze the Heart of Sabik.
Nemjiji: Although no trace remains of Athena's memories, there is yet power inside the crystal, and it still possesses the same corrupting influence of auracite. Naturally, as the most qualified to do so, it falls upon us to plumb its depths.
Nemjiji: Knowing the Heart's history, and the history of other crystals like it, the prospect does fill me with some dread, but not so much as to overpower my sense of curiosity. So long as we move forward with courage and caution, I am sure our findings can prove to be a boon to the scientific community─and perhaps society at large!
> Nothing.
</nowiki>}}

Nemjiji

2026-06-01T09:28:26Z

Mintd: /* Additional Information */

{{NPC infobox
| name = Nemjiji
| description =
| image =
| location = Labyrinthos
| coordinates = 8.4, 27.4
| dungeon =
| raid =
| trial =
| title =
| gender = Female
| age =
| race = Lalafell
| clan = Plainsfolk
| class =
| job =
| profession =
| birthplace =
| organization =
| relatives =
| level =
| aggression =
| service = quest
| goal =
| patch = 6.01
| release = endwalker
}}
__NOTOC__

{{Quests started}}
{{Quests involved}}

==Locations==
{{NPC location table header}}
{{NPC location info|Old Sharlayan|9.6,11.9|-}}
{{NPC location info|Labyrinthos|8.4,27.4|-}}
|}

==Additional Information==
Players are required to talk to Nemiji to unlock the [[Pandæmonium]] Savage difficulty raids.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
Nemjiji: The more I try to make sense of what happened, the more my mind ties itself in knots. It will take weeks─or dare I say months─to navigate this maze of questions. I may have to suggest that Professor Claudien hire more assistants...

>Before release of Abyssos
Nemjiji: [Forename]! Allow me to thank you personally for your contribution to our research. Your stories of the ancients' creations have planted the seeds of a great many theories, and I cannot wait for them to flourish!
---
Question: What will you say?

> Recount tales of Asphodelos.
-cutscene start
Nemjiji: Professor Claudien has asked me to write detailed records of your investigation. If you wouldn't mind staying for a while, I would ask you to tell me more of your adventures in the past.

Nemjiji: Adventures that started with that mysterious crystal, seemingly containing a message declaring a crisis in this “Pandæmonium”... Of course, Professor Claudien will eventually make a report, but we are deficient on concrete facts at present.

Nemjiji: To that end, I suppose a comprehensive catalog of the beasts you encountered in the “Asphodelos” circles would be a fine starting point. Yes...I require every gory detail, every hair-raising description!

Ruissenaud: Nemjiji! I've brought the volumes you asked for, but...are you quite certain we need all of this just to research the crystals?

Ruissenaud: Some of these─''Habitats of Aquatic Life-forms'' and ''Myths and Folklore of the Phoenix'', for example─seem to have little bearing on the subject. In fact, many of these tomes seem to be related to the creatures of Pandæmonium [Forename] spoke of...

Ruissenaud: Surely we have better things to do with our time! [Forename] has already encountered and subdued them, so what use could further insight offer?

Nemjiji: On the contrary, Ruissenaud, we would be remiss in our duty as academics ''not'' to take every opportunity to learn more of these subjects. To view the creatures of bygone times through the lens of modern science is a dream so few have the chance to achieve!

Nemjiji: Of course, I'll not deny a personal interest in the matter.

Ruissenaud: Hmph─as I thought. While there were enough relevant volumes for me to fulfill your request this once, if you wish to sate your appetite for knowledge again, might you do so on your own time?

Nemjiji: Ahem, shall we proceed? Tell me everything you remember. And please, spare not a single detail─I don't easily frighten, you may be assured.

Nemjiji: We might start with your battle with this transformed warder─Erichthonios, was it? I would also like to hear of the keyward and the nature of his metamorphosis.

Nemjiji: Good, good. Thank you for this priceless information. While I'm disappointed I couldn't behold your foes with my own eyes, your stories have given me more than enough to write sufficiently lurid─I mean, thorough─descriptions.

Nemjiji: Perhaps we should also include basic theories concerning the growth and behavior of these creatures. It would give our little catalog some flavor, wouldn't you agree?

Nemjiji: We could start with... Ah, I have it! Aquatic life-forms in our time have been observed to grow to sizes that are orders of magnitude larger than their larval forms.

Nemjiji: In fact, it may not be so preposterous to posit that the hippokampos you encountered was merely the larval form of a much more massive─and dare I say, horrific─entity!

Question: What will you say?
>> Are we making records or creating faerie tales?

Nemjiji: Now, don't look at me like I'm some mad magus. Breakthroughs have been precipitated by even wilder theories than that. As the professor always says─we mustn't let logic stand in the way of brilliance!

Nemjiji: Until proven one way or the other, every hypothesis is a valid one. Ah, there is nothing quite like the ambrosia of inspiration!
>> Your ideas are intriguing to me...
---
Nemjiji: So long as I make a note in the margins of my records indicating that a theory is unproven, we can let our imaginations run wild! Yes, I said ''our''─you needn't be a researcher to have an idea that will leave its mark for generations!
-cutscene end

> Recount tales of Abyssos and beyond.
-cutscene start
Nemjiji: [Forename], may I have a moment? If you would be so inclined, I would very much like to hear the story of your battles in Abyssos and Tartaros.
Nemjiji: While I have no difficulty producing reports for the Forum with a general summation of events, I could use some help with the finer details. For the record, you know.
Ruissenaud: For the record, you say? Come now, be honest and admit it's to sate your own curiosity. I've seen the tomes you've left scattered about the laboratory─bestiaries of creatures both real and imagined.
Nemjiji: I will not─and I daresay, should not─deny an intellectual stake in the matter. But surely [Forename] will understand that a thorough recounting will help Professor Claudien's research as well. Now then, whenever you're ready.
Nemjiji: ...Fascinating. As you say, the savage creation you encountered in Abyssos bears more than a few similarities to the Carbuncle. Could it be that the arcane entities we know now had their origins in ancient times?
Nemjiji: Just as curious was your story of the keyward who was melded with a tree of legend... Where do the limits of the hemitheos creation process lie, I wonder? And how do such creatures even survive, once melded?
Ruissenaud: As expected, you cannot help yourself from asking ever more questions─what purpose would such knowledge serve?
Nemjiji: Oh, Ruissenaud, one day you too shall develop the keen instincts of a researcher. Then you shall understand that it is impossible not to wonder, once the spark of imagination has been struck!
Nemjiji: [Forename]'s stories have already set several theories stirring in my mind, and I feel even more bubbling just under the surface.
Nemjiji: Take Hephaistos for example. It would not be a great leap to assume that he studied at length the regenerative and death-defying properties of the Phoenix. And that is just the tip of the proverbial berg!
Ruissenaud: You are free to exercise your imagination all you like, but─need I remind you─these reports are meant to be submitted to Master Fourchenault himself. I implore you to exercise restraint.
Nemjiji: ...Professor Claudien would have encouraged me, you know.
Nemjiji: He thrives on theories and imagination. But I do understand your point, Ruissenaud─if I were to submit such a report to Master Fourchenault, I would soon thereafter be forced to write a formal apology.

Question: What will you say?
>> Fourchenault is more open to wild theories than you think.
Nemjiji: That very well may be! An academic does not achieve the station he has without a curiosity as deep as the aetherial sea itself.
>> He doesn't look like someone you'd want to make mad.
---
Nemjiji: Now I should set ink to paper, and let the wonder of theory guide my hand. Within reason, of course.
Nemjiji: Yet I cannot help but dream ever larger─there are no bounds to what the mind can imagine! And if there are, let us both strive to find them, [Forename]!

-cutscene end

> Recount the threat to the aetherial sea.
-cutscene start
Nemjiji: [Forename], may I have a moment of your time? I would very much like to hear of the battles you fought within the Pandæmonium that appeared in our age.
Nemjiji: While I was fortunate enough to witness most events with my own eyes, I was not there to write down a blow-by-blow account. Your testimony would be a welcome and flavorful addition to my records.
Nemjiji: ...To think your foes would be even more fantastic than the ones you faced in the past. Truly, not even my wildest imaginings could come close to what reality gave us.
Nemjiji: I'm particularly fascinated by Athena, and cannot help but wonder what she would have become if left to her devices. We were terribly close to finding out, and doubtless it would have been one of the last revelations of our lives.
Nemjiji: But she may not have gone so far if not for the auracite, which magnified her desires to an almost incomprehensible degree. Just how it could influence one so is a matter well beyond the ken of modern scholarship.
Nemjiji: I believe you saw how twisted those under its sway can become when you faced the Lucavi. Just what designs did Ultima, the High Seraph have in bestowing the “gift” of auracite to those poor souls?
Nemjiji: If Athena had achieved her dream of godhood, she may very well have been able to bend even auracite to her will. And soon the world would have followed suit!
Nemjiji: What a chilling end to my story...and, er, a fascinating theory to add to my report, of course. I must scour our documents for any supporting evidence!
Claudien@???: ...Ah, now I understand why you sent Ruissenaud to fetch any scrap containing even a hint of crystalline machinations.
Nemjiji: P-Professor Claudien!
Claudien: I had noticed that important tasks were being left neglected, and when I inquired as to the reason, poor Ruissenaud explained that he could barely keep up with your requests. Something must be done about this new obsession of yours...
Claudien: ...You must pursue it until you find the answers you seek! I believe you are on your way to a discovery that shall make you the envy of your peers─myself included!
Claudien: We often find breakthroughs only after shattering the rules of conventional research. I shall tend to Ruissenaud's tasks, but you must promise me that your report will be a thing of wonder!
Nemjiji: ...Of course, Professor, you have my word!
Nemjiji: I shall give every scenario a fair shake─where evidence is lacking, imagination shall fill in the gaps. I shall blend the lines between fantasy and science so skillfully that you will doubt if they were ever there at all!
Claudien: I would expect no less from one of my assistants. Before you put pen to parchment, I would be honored if you shared some of your idle musings with me.
Nemjiji: I will, Professor, I will!
Nemjiji: If you have any interest, [Forename]─and I know you do─stop by any time and I will share with you my most recent theories.

-cutscene end
> How goes the investigation?
>>Before release of Abyssos
Nemjiji: By Professor Claudien's order, our reports to the other research bodies have been somewhat scarce on concrete information.

Nemjiji: Even if we wanted to go into further detail, there are too many unknown variables concerning how this crisis might affect our present...

Nemjiji: We only know for certain that the crystal we found ties us to the past. We've had no luck eliciting further memories from its depths.

Nemjiji: We're at present gathering as many soul crystals and shards as we can to conduct thorough comparisons, but those experiments have yet to bear fruit.

Nemjiji: Of course, the fact that none but you can hear our enigma's voice to begin with puts something of a damper on our potential progress. Yet even so, Professor Claudien is doing all within his power to move things forward!
>> After events of Anabaseios
Nemjiji: With Athena's research put to decisive end, things around here have returned to what one could almost call “routine.”
Nemjiji: But even so, we are as busy as ever. The aetherial sea must be analyzed thoroughly for any adverse effects caused by recent events, and Professor Claudien seems most eager to analyze the Heart of Sabik.
Nemjiji: Although no trace remains of Athena's memories, there is yet power inside the crystal, and it still possesses the same corrupting influence of auracite. Naturally, as the most qualified to do so, it falls upon us to plumb its depths.
Nemjiji: Knowing the Heart's history, and the history of other crystals like it, the prospect does fill me with some dread, but not so much as to overpower my sense of curiosity. So long as we move forward with courage and caution, I am sure our findings can prove to be a boon to the scientific community─and perhaps society at large!
> Nothing.
</nowiki>}}

Guided by the Past

2026-06-01T09:09:58Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Guided by the Past
| description = [[Lahabrea]] watches over [[Claudien]] with concern.
| image = guided by the past1.png
| quest-giver = Lahabrea
| related-npcs = Claudien; Erichthonios; Hegemone; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud; Themis
| location = The Aitiascope
| location-x = 11.9
| location-y = 11.3
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 34
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 7500
| reward1 = 1 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward2 = 1 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward3 = 1 Savage Might Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Quickarm Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Quicktongue Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Battledance Materia IX
| reward-opt4 = 3 Piety Materia IX
| unlocks = ach Awesome Gaol Great Job, ngp Pandæmonium (New Game+)
| prev-quest = A Mother's Touch
| next-quest = A Present from the Present
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.4
| id-edb = 97f7480ab0b
| id-gt = 70296
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Lahabrea]] at the [[Stygian Insenescence Cells|Stygian insenescence cells]].
*Speak with [[Claudien]] at [[the Aetherial Lens]].
*Speak with [[Themis]].
*Speak with Claudien at [[Aporia]].

==Journal==
* Lahabrea watches over Claudien with concern.

* While waiting for Claudien to regain his senses, Lahabrea asks you about the Ascian that shared his name, confessing that he sees the Paragon's actions as a logical evolution of his own devotion to duty. Knowing now what is to come, he soundly rejects the now-awakened professor's attempts to express gratitude, though this may be out of principle rather than contrition. Regardless, having fulfilled his role to the last, Lahabrea fades into the aetherial sea once more, leaving you with the tantalizing suggestion that should you return to the past, Pandæmonium's final mysteries might be solved.

* While Erichthonios and Themis greet you warmly in Pandæmonium, Lahabrea reacts with characteristic curtness. Apparently, he was just on his way to settle some matters of grave import, so you follow him to an empty chamber where Hegemone awaits. Lahabrea accuses her of setting Hephaistos free, surmising that she has been under the influence of Athena's mind-controlling magicks for some time. With this truth come to light, Lahabrea's decision is made: in order to gain the strength required to break Athena's hold, he will rejoin Hephaistos's essence to his own. After absorbing those bitter memories, the change in his personality is immediately apparent─in him you see the Lahabrea who will one day stand against you as an enemy, and he seems well aware that your respective wills must one day clash. While far from an ideal farewell, the questions that led you back to the past are answered.

* You return to the present-day's aetherial sea, where Claudien informs you that a new memory has surfaced within the crystal. It shows you a vision of Erichthonios, apparently from the Final Days, wherein he resolves to set the crystal adrift as a warning to survivors about the nature of Pandæmonium. Ere you have time to reflect on your comrade's fate, however, Claudien reveals that the Heart of Sabik has come into his possession, now empty of Athena's memories. As it remains a powerful specimen, Claudien seems keen to devote his coming days to exploring its secrets. Though this is perhaps not the wisest idea, you have more pressing matters to attend to for the moment─namely, one last farewell.

* You have your final conversation with Themis, during which he reveals that he now possesses some of a later Elidibus's fragmented memories. From what he can make out, he speculates that he agreed to send you to Elpis because of vague recollections of your time together in Pandæmonium, though given the great change wrought upon his personality by the intervening millennia, it is impossible to be certain. Reflecting with fondness upon your time together and the meaning it may hold, he dissipates into the aetherial sea, leaving you to contemplate the vast expanse.

* Back in Aporia, Claudien affirms his resolve to continue research into the Heart of Sabik and follow such traces as Erichthonios has left behind, thanking you for your brave contribution. Although history may not remember your journey into Pandæmonium, the memories of your allies and their unfaltering courage will be forever etched into your memory.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Nemjiji: At least on the surface, Professor Claudien appears unharmed. We must wait for him to regain consciousness to judge anything beyond that, I fear...

Ruissenaud: Questions, questions, and more questions! Why did Claudien set out by himself? What did he see? Oh, I do hope he wakes up soon!

Themis: We shall stay here and wait for Claudien to regain his senses. Pray rest while you can.
-optional end
===Accepting the quest===
Lahabrea: It seems we can do naught but wait.
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: Perhaps we might discuss a matter which has been troubling me.
Lahabrea: While your colleague Nemjiji was enlightening us on the historical events which led to this era, she let slip the name of one of the Ascians...Lahabrea.
Lahabrea: Although she knew of the figure only from her research, she was most insistent that there is no evidence connecting the Ascian to myself.
Lahabrea: Yet I am aware that this Lahabrea used the Heart of Sabik to sow chaos throughout your world, and I would be a fool to deny such strong connections between us.
Lahabrea: You are the only one present who has met the Ascian in question, so I would ask you directly. Are he and I one and the same? Is my fate to work in the shadows and bring about untold destruction?

Question: What will you say?
> You are him.
Lahabrea: ...I see. If you say it is so, then there is no reason to disbelieve it.
> I cannot be certain.
Lahabrea: A diplomatic answer. I understand the Ascians often use the bodies of others to enact their plots, so it is impossible to say who they truly are...
> ...
Lahabrea: Perhaps silence is the most prudent response. I understand the Ascians often use the bodies of others to enact their plots, so it is impossible to say who they truly are...
---

Lahabrea: These Ascians─or “Paragons,” I'm told─were ruthless in their schemes to rejoin the sundered worlds. I have heard but a small number of their deeds, and still I find it difficult to comprehend the depths to which they were willing to sink.
Lahabrea: To choose a path of evil, all for the sake of the star...
Lahabrea: ...I admit, 'tis a decision I would make under the right circumstances. Although the ages may take their toll, my devotion to my duty will never waver.
Lahabrea: Paying no heed to what might be lost, I will treat the Heart of Sabik as a mere tool for my own ends.
Lahabrea: Never caring to look beyond the surface, I will unleash forces that I fail to truly comprehend...and remain blissfully ignorant of my hypocrisy all the while.

Themis: Ah, it appears Claudien has awakened.

Claudien: [Forename]... I have some faint memories of what transpired. You stood against Athena and won.
Claudien: And...you were there, too.
Claudien: Lahabrea. Erichthonios's memories of you dwell within me still.
Claudien: Through unyielding discipline you hoped to forge a son equal to yourself, but the crucible you placed him in left scars which were loath to heal.
Claudien: Yet you were never motivated by selfishness. All you did was in service of your duty. At the least, I...

Lahabrea: ...I will hear no more. Though you may possess Erichthonios's memories, you are not him. In rebirth you have become someone else entirely, and you belong to this age.
Lahabrea: As such, I am your enemy. And an enemy does not deserve sympathy.

Claudien: Of course, I would never condone the actions of the Ascian. But you are not him─you are Lahabrea, of the Convocation.
Claudien: You spared no effort in saving us from Athena's machinations. For that you deserve the utmost praise─and my personal thanks.

Lahabrea: ...If you insist on deceiving yourself, then so be it. My stance remains unchanged.
Lahabrea: The most difficult of your trials is behind you─but you may find that Pandæmonium has yet to relinquish the last of its secrets.
Lahabrea: Among them is the identity of Hephaistos's liberator, who set the very first wheels in motion. There is but one place to find these answers: the past.
Lahabrea: However, I must insist that you keep silent about Athena's fate. While I doubt it would change the decisions I make, you should not tender us information we could not uncover ourselves.
Lahabrea: Now that I have said my piece, I shall follow in my son's footsteps.
Lahabrea: These odious memories will fade to nothing, as was always their fate.
Lahabrea: Farewell.

Themis: My time, too, draws near, but I believe I can stay long enough to see this matter through.
Themis: You shall journey to the past to seek out the truth of Lahabrea's words, yes? While Themis himself may have been there to see this encounter, I have the unique opportunity to hear your perspective on the matter. That is, of course, if you will share it with me.
Themis: I look foward to it. I shall take in the aetherial sea one final time as I await your return.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Claudien: I, too, shall stay here and await your return. I could use the rest, and there is a matter I would discuss with you and Themis before we say our farewells.

Nemjiji: Ruissenaud and I shall return to Aporia and make our report to Master Fourchenault at once. Oh, where to begin?

Ruissenaud: I believe we've yet to see the full effect these events will have on the aetherial sea. Once Professor Claudien recovers, we must conduct a thorough investigation!

Themis: Now all that is left is to return to Pandæmonium and ask Lahabrea to shed light upon its few remaining mysteries. I look forward to your return.

''At the Stygian insenescence cells''
Hegemone: Ah, you must be [Forename]. I am Hegemone, keyward of Abyssos─but I suspect you may already know that. We did meet once before, after all, although I was not entirely myself at the time.
Hegemone: Thanks to you, however, I can rightly say my faculties are mine once more. At present, I am taking stock of the damage done to the facility.
Erichthonios: [Forename]! I didn't expect to see you again so soon, but 'tis always a joy. You seem...quite happy to be here.

Themis: Thank you for checking up on us. Did you speak with Hegemone and the other warders on your way here? The work is long, but we have made great strides in undoing Athena's meddling.

-optional end

===Speak with Lahabrea at the Stygian insenescence cells.===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: [Forename]. Truth be told, I thought you would have little reason to ever visit this place again. It seems I was wrong.

Question: What will you say?
> I'm looking for answers.
> I just wanted to say hello.
---
Lahabrea: How neatly you obfuscate your motivations. Do as you will, then.

Themis: She has gone through the trouble to visit us, so I hardly think curtness is in order. We braved Pandæmonium together─why not at least share with her our progress?
Themis: I have relinquished control of Pandæmonium to Lahabrea. I was never meant to hold it for long, and now such authority resides in rightful hands.
Themis: With Lahabrea's help, we have pored through Athena's research into the hemitheoi. Thus were we able to restore Hegemone's mind and body.

Erichthonios: Yet there is still much work to be done. Damage to repair, keywards to replace...the tasks are too many to count.
Erichthonios: But although the path may be long, our progress is steady. I believe we can safely say that Pandæmonium will soon function as it did before.

Lahabrea: Indeed. Before we reach that point, however, there are some matters which must be put to rest.
Lahabrea: One concerns Pandæmonium itself, and another is a personal matter. Until they are settled, I cannot move forward.
Lahabrea: It shall not take long. Lack of resolve caused me to delay, but I have chosen my course.

Erichthonios: These concerns must be weighty indeed. Do you intend to share your burdens with us?

Lahabrea: If you would bear witness, then come.
Lahabrea: Your arrival at this very moment almost beggars belief, but I shall not ask you to leave. I simply ask that you do not interfere─no matter what may happen.
Lahabrea: Stay here. This will be over soon.

Hegemone: Why did you call me here, Master Lahabrea? There is still much to be done if the warders are to be freed...

Lahabrea: You have served within Pandæmonium since Athena's time, have you not? That makes you the most senior keyward, now that Agdistis is gone.
Lahabrea: As such, you deserve to know a secret few others are privileged to hear. One concerning myself.
Lahabrea: Separating Hephaistos from myself required removing part of my soul.
Lahabrea: A necessary sacrifice, but one which came at no small cost to my natural talents. I am but a shadow of the man I was at the time of my appointment as Lahabrea.
Lahabrea: I could never hope to wield the same magicks that Hephaistos used to bind the warders' minds, let alone break their shackles.

Hegemone: That tone of defeat does not befit your voice, Master Lahabrea. Do not give in to despair.

Lahabrea: There is no despair─only truth. I do not confide in you to garner cheap sympathy.
Lahabrea: Hephaistos left behind fascinating research. His conclusion was that in order to transform a vessel into a hemitheos, absolute control over their mind was essential.
Lahabrea: As you well know, the magicks used to achieve such dominion exploited strong emotions within their victims' hearts. In the case of Hesperos and Agdistis, their respect for me.
Lahabrea: Upon slipping his bonds, Hephaistos took steps to throw Pandæmonium into chaos. With their attention divided, keyward and warder alike were easy targets.
Lahabrea: But there was an act that came before. Regardless of Hephaistos's prowess, he could not have won freedom on his own.
Lahabrea: For long days and nights I pondered who might have released him. I could only conclude that Athena's plans were set in motion long, long ago, when she claimed the mind of one of her admirers...
Lahabrea: Hegemone. None would question your pride in your position. Your devotion to Pandæmonium.
Lahabrea: But you do not believe I am the one fit to lead it, do you? Your loyalty lies not with my vision for Pandæmonium, but Athena's.

Hegemone: Master Lahabrea, whatever has spurred this sudden accusation, I assure you there is a proper explanation...

Erichthonios: What are you doing, Lahabrea!?

Lahabrea: Do not approach!
Lahabrea: As I have already stated, even should I detect Athena's tinkering, I am currently powerless to dispel it.
Lahabrea: And so I have come to a decision. One which was made with the best interests of our star in mind. In order to build a better future, I require the strength I have lost.
Lahabrea: I must embrace these odious memories!
Lahabrea: Mark well this sight─engrave it upon your very soul.
Lahabrea: You now bear witness to the true Lahabrea!

Themis: I cannot imagine this was an easy choice...but it is done.

Erichthonios: Is she...alive?

Lahabrea: Yes...and she shall remember this lesson well.

Themis: Athena's puppet no longer, I see...

Lahabrea: She may yet harbor ill will toward me, but that is a risk I am willing to take.
Lahabrea: Our star requires a steady hand to guide it, and now mine is equal to the task. I can no longer allow Pandæmonium to divert my focus.
Lahabrea: Hegemone, I would ask that you serve me anew. There is none other more suited to overseeing this prison─none other who will take such pride in their duty.

Hegemone: My loyalty to Athena led me to betray you once before. Why would you allow me to keep the position of keyward?

Lahabrea: I require your talents─as I require Hephaistos's. The past is of no consequence.

Hegemone: Very well. In honor of our fallen colleagues, I shall restore this institution to its former glory.

Erichthonios: Lahabrea is himself once more. He wields his authority without hesitation, and thinks not twice once his judgment has sounded.

Themis: Yet he is different from Athena. He thinks only of the betterment of the star. So long as duty guides his actions, he shall not share her fate.
Themis: And should his convictions ever waver, the emissary will set him back on the proper course.

Erichthonios: Good. If this is the path he chooses to walk, then I will walk with him.
Erichthonios: I'll allow our bond to fray no further. As his son, I will support him in the days ahead.

Lahabrea: I would not ask you to say the same, [Forename]. You and I stand on peaks separated by vast chasms. Our perspectives shall never align.
Lahabrea: And never shall one give way to the other, for such is our nature. With that in mind...let us consider any debts between us to be void.
Lahabrea: Before you leave here, mark well these words...
Lahabrea: My resolve shall weather loss unfathomable, and yield before no obstacle. Walk your path with the same conviction.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Hegemone: Master Lahabrea saw through me long ago... But now my mind is unclouded by doubt, and I shall not fail him again.

Erichthonios: From this day forward, I will do what I can to aid my father. In this way I shall forge my own future.

Themis: Hephaistos and Lahabrea were one and the same when he was named as one of the Convocation. This change poses no need for concern, for all is as it should be.

Lahabrea: If not for you, my long-slumbering demons may have gone unslain. I would have never been forced to reconsider my true nature. Yet as I said, do not consider this an admission of debt.
Lahabrea: Now, I believe you have other places to be. Remain here any longer and I may be inclined to place you in a cell next to one of our more...recalcitrant subjects.

''At the Aetherial Lens''
Themis: Ah, you are returned. I should like to hear of what you discovered, though I believe your friend has business with us first...
-optional end

===Speak with Claudien at the Aetherial Lens.===
-cutscene start
Claudien: There you are, [Forename]. While you were away, Themis brought me up to speed on all that happened while I was held prisoner.
Claudien: His story shone light upon any number of questions that were niggling at my conscious. Namely, those concerning the aetherial signature emanating from Azys Lla.
Claudien: Doubtless its source was Athena, reaching out as far as she could from her prison. Ever grasping for someone to take Erichthonios's place...grasping for the body his soul resided in.

Themis: I wanted to ask─when you first found the crystal, were you unable to hear the memories stored within?

Claudien: Indeed. It was only after our research was well underway that I could hearken to its whispers.

Themis: Contact with the crystal should have awakened the memories, but the passage of time likely changed Erichthonios's soul in subtle ways. Perhaps aetherial resonance was a gradual process in this case.
Themis: However, being attuned to Erichthonios exposed you to Athena's voice, as well. Doubtless the choice to venture forth into Azys Lla was not your own─it was Athena's influence working through you.

Claudien: I do recall being strangely fixated on acting alone─I never would have encouraged such recklessness usually. Although the choice was not entirely my own, I am still ashamed of my actions.

Themis: Reflection is how we plant the seeds of growth. Although we must not blame ourselves for events out of our control...
Themis: That the voice in the crystal belonged to the person from which your soul originated... Well, not even the most brilliant researcher could come to that conclusion.

Claudien: Your reassurance means more than you know. Thank you.
Claudien: Now, one final matter. It concerns the very crystal whose discovery set this adventure in motion.
Claudien: Perhaps sparked by recent events, a new light began to shine from within its depths. From my experience, this may indicate that a new memory has floated to the surface, eager to be observed.
Claudien: For some time, the question of why Lahabrea and Erichthonios would leave such a crystal behind in the first place has lingered in the back of my mind.
Claudien: With Erichthonios's memories and such magical talents as are at my disposal, I believe I can make this final memory manifest for us all to behold. Shall we witness it together?

Erichthonios: I leave this memory for you, the future of our star.
Erichthonios: The Final Days have come, and the creation magicks we have so relied upon now hasten our downfall.
Erichthonios: But despair has not yet won out. Lahabrea and the others of the Convocation are working to stem the chaos which threatens to engulf our star.
Erichthonios: Their plan requires great sacrifice. Elidibus─Themis─has already offered to give his life for our salvation.
Erichthonios: Yet there is another problem which must be dealt with: Pandæmonium, wherein are confined our most vicious creations.
Erichthonios: Even should we survive the Final Days, it will take time to restore order. If Pandæmonium's cells were breached and their prisoners set upon the star, our hard-won peace would be obliterated in an instant.
Erichthonios: Someone must stay behind to ensure that never happens. With Themis and Lahabrea otherwise indisposed, that responsibility falls to me.
Erichthonios: And that is why I must defy the directive of the Convocation. My soul will not be offered to manifest the will of the star, but instead consigned to eternal vigil.
Erichthonios: I know that in doing so, the Final Days may take me. I may not live to see my duty upheld.
Erichthonios: That's why I have resolved to set this crystal adrift in the tides of the Underworld. It contains memories of Pandæmonium from both my father and I, and shall bear this warning to the future even if I cannot.
Erichthonios: I've imbued the crystal with magicks that will attract it to my essence. Even should I journey through the Underworld and be born anew, this message will reach me. Pandæmonium shall not be left unattended.
Erichthonios: If all else fails, then perhaps another {{alternatives|f=woman|m=man}} like my dear friend will come along. One with an almost unnatural ability to pick up the scent of trouble.
Erichthonios: I wonder where {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} is now. How many souls has {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} saved, and how many beasts has {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} slain since last we met?
Erichthonios: Alongside my warning, this memory shall carry a wish. [Forename]...may we meet again.
Erichthonios: Now listen well: If anyone receives this message, you must come to Pandæmonium. Please make haste. I repeat...

Claudien: Well, that dispels the last of my doubts. Thank you for humoring me. And now we come to this...

Themis: It survived...

Claudien: ...Yes. The Heart of Sabik.
Claudien: The tie that bound Athena's memories to my body, no doubt. When I regained my senses, I found it on my person.
Claudien: Now it appears your efforts have left it bereft of memories. No trace remains of Athena.
Claudien: However, its power as auracite yet remains, and it may prove to be a valuable trove of knowledge in the hands of the right researcher. I feel that fate has left it with me for a reason.
Claudien: I shall take my leave, but on behalf of my colleagues─nay, the entire star─I thank you both for putting an end to Athena's wickedness.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Claudien: Pay the rest of us no mind─you deserve time to say your farewells.
-optional end

===Speak with Themis.===
-voiced cutscene start
Themis: ...I see. Then Hephaistos's story has been laid bare.
Themis: As has the nature of our mysterious crystal. The questions which led us into Pandæmonium are answered, and soon order shall be restored.
Themis: I, too, can fade away, unburdened by regret. I could not have reached this point without you, friend.
Themis: So many revelations, but there are more, if you would dig a little deeper.
Themis: Elidibus's soul was plucked from the aetherial sea, and from it I was wrought. Surely you have a passing interest in what I remember. In what I feel...
Themis: You deserve what answers I can provide. While my memories of Pandæmonium are clear, all else is...hazy at best.
Themis: Perhaps Athena made me this way, or...perhaps it is the result of who or what I was before.
Themis: Still, I can recall vague figures. Scenes from my future, and your past...
Themis: At the Crystal Tower's peak we clash. And later, from that selfsame spire, I send you forth...
Themis: Into our age. Into Elpis.
Themis: Why do I decide on such a course? Formless as these images are, I cannot say...
Themis: ...However, I can hazard a guess.
Themis: Somewhere within my fragmented memories, I catch a glimpse of our journey into Pandæmonium.
Themis: A glimpse which shows not the path we took or the destination where it led us, yet by its very presence demands that you are required in Elpis.
Themis: And even if that act is but one link in the chain of events which ends in Etheirys's salvation...
Themis: Then this all has meaning. Our time together─every moment─is worthwhile...
Themis: ...and I am unburdened by regret.
Themis: That said, it is possible my motivations become something else entirely.
Themis: That you would cross this vast expanse in the hopes of being reunited with your allies...
Themis: A devotion that once would have baffled me. But after having been to the depths of that twisted prison and back, I think I can understand.
Themis: Now, I have pulled back the curtain as far as I dare.
Themis: The people of your age call this the aetherial sea─a name I quite enjoy. For it teems with life, each star a soul on its journey.
Themis: And among these uncountable stars, it was yours that crossed my path. For that I shall be forever grateful.
Themis: I wish you well on your journey. A journey as long as your star is bright─a journey not bound by the confines of this world, or any other.
''Themis leaves...''

System: How fascinating, the truths that dwell at the edge of sleep.
System: The course of history is set by its victors. It is immutable. And yet...
System: Should this star continue upon its path...
System: Look...
System: The light...
-cutscene end

===Speak with Claudien at Aporia.===
Claudien: ...Welcome back, [Forename]. I hope you said farewell to Themis for me.
Claudien: Recent events have given me not only a new focus for my research, but also insight into my own origins. Truly, 'tis a gift I could never hope to repay.
Claudien: As Lahabrea said, I am not Erichthonios. Yet I bear a part of him inside me, and I shall do what I can to follow the traces he has left behind in the present day.
Claudien: A spark has been struck in my mind─I am ready to pursue my research with a fervor the likes of which I have not had since my youth.
Claudien: Doubtless I shall have need of you in the days and moons ahead. When that time comes, I only hope that you will once again lend me your sound counsel. Until then, may you fare well!
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=cb9qZEgQbHs}}

==Trivia==
*The final cutscene with Themis is one of the very few voiced cutscenes in non-main scenario quests (the other one being in [[the Coils of Bahamut]]).

A Mother's Touch

2026-06-01T09:05:03Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = A Mother's Touch
| description = [[Lahabrea]] would discuss the plan to bring about [[Athena]]'s end.
| image = a mother's touch1.png
| quest-giver = Lahabrea
| related-npcs = Athena; Erichthonios; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud; Themis
| location = The Dæmons' Nest
| location-x = 6.0
| location-y = 6.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 33
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Piety Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Anabaseios: The Twelfth Circle
| prev-quest = The Emissary's Judgment
| next-quest = Guided by the Past
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.4
| id-edb = a3a3574d41a
| id-gt = 70295
}}

==Steps==
*Enter [[Anabaseios: The Twelfth Circle]].
*Speak with [[Themis]].

==Journal==
* Lahabrea would discuss the plan to bring about Athena's end.

* It seems that Lahabrea has conjured a plan to free Claudien, though he is less than forthcoming with the details. For the time being, he tasks you with standing against his former lover, that she may be weak enough for his scheme to succeed. And so you steel your spirits for one final excursion into Athena's gate.
** ※Anabaseios: The Twelfth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* As befits one who has laid many a god low and lived to tell of it, you remain unshaken by Athena's attempts to plunge you into the abyss. Despite her power to warp nature itself, you emerge triumphant and ready to see her evil experiments ended for good.

* Although defeated, Athena yet lives. She is more than happy to reveal that her grand design was to replace life upon Etheirys with superior beings of her creation, and confirms that Erichthonios was never more than a tool for this end. Her ambitions now denied, she attempts to purge the aetherial sea with a burst of powerful magicks, but is stymied by the sudden awakening of Claudien's will, roused from its slumber by Erichthonios's memories. Her control over the body lost, Athena's memories are expelled, leaving her a powerless phantom. As the space that was once Pandæmonium begins to collapse as the forces holding it together vanish, Themis teleports you and Lahabrea to safety, leaving no witness to Athena's final moments.

* While the loss of Erichthonios lies heavy in the hearts of all present, you rest assured that his sacrifice was not in vain. Peace is restored to the aetherial sea, but Claudien remains insensate. Themis says that he will stand vigil over the professor, and instructs you to rest until such time as you are needed.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Erichthonios: Why would Athena use my name? More questions, and few answers to go around.

Themis: Our course of action is clear: we must lay Athena low and rescue Claudien. A difficult task, to be sure, but one which the present company is more than capable of achieving.
-optional end
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: Themis, you may have just handed us the key to rescuing Claudien.

Erichthonios: What must we do?

Lahabrea: First and foremost, we must confront Athena. She must be made vulnerable, as Elidibus was.
Lahabrea: Yet our opponent stands on the verge of godhood. As we are now, she would unmake us in an instant.
Lahabrea: [Forename], we have no choice but to place the burden of our fate─and the fate of many more besides─squarely upon your shoulders. I trust you have no objections.

Question: What will you say?
> God or no, I shall cast her down.
> It's a burden I'm used to carrying.
> Objections, no. Concerns, yes...
---

Themis: If you have faith in your victory, then so do I.
Themis: I imagine so. Ever have we relied upon your skill at arms.
Themis: Though we know not what form Athena will take, I have faith that your skill will see us through this trial, as it has many times before.

Erichthonios: And we all appreciate [Forename]'s willingness to fling herself at the unknown. However, we have yet to hear how this will liberate Claudien...

Lahabrea: ...I have a plan. Do not trouble yourself over the details.
Lahabrea: The same goes for you, [Forename]. You must focus the entirety of your attention on Athena. She will not be easily bested, even by one of your prowess.

Themis: Then let us trust in Lahabrea, and prepare for the battle to come.

Erichthonios: Before we face Athena, I must know...
Erichthonios: If she had never discovered the auracite─had never fallen under its influence─would she have lived a normal life? Would she have been a mother to me?

Lahabrea: I have asked myself the same questions. Questions with no answer, I fear.
Lahabrea: But let us put them out of our mind. There is something we must discuss, and I would do so not as Lahabrea, but as a father to his son.
-quest accepted

''Anabaseios The Twelfth Circle now accessible.''
-optional start
Erichthonios: For now we place our trust in you. The rest must wait until we have Athena before us.

Lahabrea: Right now, Athena must be the sole focus of your attention. She shall not hesitate to exploit any weakness she can sense.

Themis: Athena maintains absolute control over this space. Beyond the gate, she has doubtless built herself an abode worthy of a god, and now awaits the arrival of her supplicants...
-optional end
===After Anabaseios The Twelfth Circle ===
Athena: Countless years I waited within that stifling crystal. And now, when my dream is finally within reach, you stand in my way.

Erichthonios: Your “dream” is naught but selfish ambition. Its fulfillment would benefit only you.
Erichthonios: And why, Athena? At the end of this road to godhood, what did you hope to find?

Lahabrea: It matters not. The fact remains that she worked against the interests of the star.

Erichthonios: Even so, I would hear her answer. I would know why my mother cast us aside.

Athena: How unlike you, Erichthonios. You were never so inquisitive before.
Athena: Having struck upon a hypothesis, there is but one thing the wise woman desires.
Athena: Irrefutable proof.
Athena: ''My'' theory was that any true god would see us as we are─imperfect. She would hammer out our flaws, and build something...greater.
Athena: To prove this could not but benefit the star! I would give it the perfect stewards, that it might shine brighter than any other.

Erichthonios: And you would destroy the lives already upon it!

Athena: In that, I am no different from our peers. Over the course of eons, how many creations have we wrought? Such creatures cannot but usher their inferior predecessors into oblivion.
Athena: Even without our meddling, nature would take the selfsame course.
Athena: If the destination is the same, is it somehow worse to arrive there by the guidance of a god? I think not.

Lahabrea: The auracite made such thoughts irresistible, perhaps. But it cannot have created them from whole cloth. This is Athena's truth.

Athena: What right have you to pass judgment? You were but a vessel for my masterwork─your purpose ends there. My only mistake was leaving you possessed of a soul.

Erichthonios: ...What are you saying?

Athena: Poor Erichthonios. Always the last to arrive at the obvious conclusion...
Athena: I gave birth to you for a single reason: that you might serve as my tool. And like any tool, I crafted you to suit my needs, that you might accept my essence when the time came.
Athena: Of course, I also made you more amenable to my demands, and ensured that you would feel a cloying affection for your dear mother. However, it seems that my tinkering was insufficient...

Erichthonios: My very feelings were of your design?
Erichthonios: You created a boy unable to grasp even the simplest magic. Ever hopelessly clinging to his mother's robes, unable to do otherwise. I was doomed from the start...

Themis: Yet here you are, standing in defiance of her design. You are more than what she made you!

Erichthonios: I still feel the sting of it. But with pain comes clarity...
Erichthonios: You ill deserve to wear the mantle of a god!

Athena: As stubborn as you are witless. If this star will not be mine, then it serves no purpose!

Themis: She aims to obliterate the aetherial sea and stem the flow of life!

Erichthonios: ...She will do no such thing.
Erichthonios: Before the battle, Lahabrea told me I was the key to finishing this.
Erichthonios: Although I am but an illusion, my soul has crossed eons to find its home in another. One whose body Athena has seen fit to purloin as her own.
Erichthonios: Much of what I once was now resides in him. Should my memories seize this chance to follow suit, they may resound enough to wake his mind.

Themis: But Athena inhabits him still! What will become of you!?

Erichthonios: I don't know, but if I can rouse his soul, perhaps it will disrupt Athena's hold. It's the best chance we have.
Erichthonios: My whole life others have looked down upon me, but I've never given up searching for my purpose. Now I've found it.

Lahabrea: This decision is yours to make, and yours alone.
Lahabrea: Do as you will, my son. I know you shall make me proud.

Athena: Erichthonios...do not dare.
Athena: No! Stop this!

Erichthonios: Your words hold sway over me no longer. My life is my own...
Erichthonios: And I have found my true family!

Athena: Ungh...
Athena: My power...wanes... The vessel...rejects me!?

Themis: What is happening? Athena's magicks should be impotent with no body to fuel them...

Lahabrea: Precisely. Athena was the sole force holding the space around Pandæmonium together, and now it crumbles...
Lahabrea: Although little would change if we were buried here, we cannot let this be [Forename]'s final resting place.

Athena: Of all my miscalculations...to think that ''you'' would be my undoing. That you would even be capable of defying me...
Athena: Ah, is there more you would say to me?
Athena: Or have you decided to return to your dear mother's bosom? Have you brought Claudien back to me?

Erichthonios: Apologies, but I am only the dregs of your own memory. I can do naught but watch as the evil you've wrought collapses, burying you under its weight.

Athena: How disappointing... Truly, useless to the last.

Erichthonios: And who made me that way?
-cutscene end
-optional start
Nemjiji: At least on the surface, Professor Claudien appears unharmed. We must wait for him to regain consciousness to judge anything beyond that, I fear...

Ruissenaud: Questions, questions, and more questions! Why did Claudien set out by himself? What did he see? Oh, I do hope he wakes up soon!

Lahabrea: ...
-optional end

===Speak with Themis.===
Themis: Although Erichthonios was naught but a collection of memories, I know his absence pains you.
Themis: But he acted with resolve, full aware of the potential consequences. Let us look back on this moment not with sorrow, but with pride.
Themis: You both are the heroes of the day. Athena's ambitions would have swallowed the world had you not stemmed their advance.
Themis: We shall stay here, both to look over Professor Claudien and ensure that there are no further disturbances in the aetherial sea. You should rest─and I will not take no for an answer.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Images==
<gallery heights=200px mode=packed>
File:Pandaemonium-AMothersTouch_1.jpg
File:Pandaemonium-AMothersTouch_2.jpg
File:Pandaemonium-AMothersTouch_3.jpg
</gallery>

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=rDWJOOhgwTs}}

The Emissary's Judgment

2026-06-01T08:56:23Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Emissary's Judgment
| description = [[Lahabrea]] would discuss lingering questions concerning [[Athena]].
| image = the emissary's judgment1.png
| quest-giver = Lahabrea
| related-npcs = Erichthonios; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud; Themis
| location = The Dæmons' Nest
| location-x = 6.0
| location-y = 6.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 32
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp = 0
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Battledance Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Anabaseios: The Eleventh Circle
| prev-quest = Pandæmonium Awakens
| next-quest = A Mother's Touch
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.4
| id-edb = f72f9e2d294
| id-gt = 70294
}}

==Steps==
*Enter [[Anabaseios: The Eleventh Circle]].
*Speak with [[Erichthonios]].

==Journal==
* Lahabrea would discuss lingering questions concerning Athena.

* Given what you know so far, Lahabrea suggests that recent events likely began with Professor Claudien being lured to Azys Lla by the Heart of Sabik's aetherial signature, which led to Athena's awakening. Much remains unclear, however, and the only path to answers lies through Pandæmonium's final gate─and through Themis. While you do not relish facing your quondam ally in battle, you hold on to the hope that Athena's spell can be broken, and make ready to set forth to wherever he awaits.
** ※Anabaseios: The Eleventh Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* Themis proves to be an adversary worthy of his station, but you emerge victorious against the emissary. Although he is injured, his aether remains stable─for how long, however, is uncertain.

* By reinforcing Themis's dissipating aether with your own, you manage to grant him extra time in your own age. He is grateful for your efforts, and vows to judge Athena's actions as his position demands. You return to the entrance of Pandæmonium, where Erichthonios and Lahabrea stand eager to hear what the now-freed emissary has to say.

* Themis reveals that Athena's vessel, which will become her next stepping stone toward godhood, is none other than Professor Claudien. Although this ought to be impossible, Themis's time as Athena's puppet provided useful insight in how it works, as he observed her calling Claudien by a familiar name─Erichthonios. This revelation is a shock to all present, save Lahabrea, whose cryptic statement suggests he saw it coming for some time.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Erichthonios: The monster unleashed Ultima? I can only guess that it was Athena's hand that placed such magic within the Heart of Sabik...if so, it's only natural she would gift her own creations with such terrible power.

-optional end
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: ...I have told you all I know of Athena and the many secrets she kept hidden from the world.
Lahabrea: If she indeed stored her memories within the Heart of Sabik, we must ask ourselves how they were awakened in this age. When was the crystal last sighted?
Question: What will you say?
> During my fight with the Ultima Weapon.
Lahabrea: In which you triumphed, but failed to recover the Heart. Yet according to your colleagues, there was another on the battlefield that day. An Ascian...
> In the hands of the Ascians, presumably.
Lahabrea: Based on the information your colleagues provided, I presume the same. If an Ascian was present during your defeat of the Ultima Weapon, it stands to reason that he recovered the Heart.
---
Lahabrea: And this selfsame Ascian was later struck down at a location known as the “Aetherochemical Research Facility.”

Erichthonios: I've heard that name...and recently! The site of Professor Claudien's disappearance.

Lahabrea: Indeed. He was tracing an aetherial signature resembling that of the memory crystal in his possession─a signature that may well have belonged to the Heart of Sabik. In which case, it is no coincidence that Athena's awakening followed.

Erichthonios: But what reason would he have to bring her back to life? Was his mind not his own?

Lahabrea: ...Yet more questions without answers.
Lahabrea: Although Athena's essence is that of memory, her magicks have not suffered for lack of a physical body. As the world is now, it should not be possible, but she must have found a suitable vessel.
Lahabrea: If Elidibus is to be believed, she readies this vessel for godhood─and is perilously close to success.
Lahabrea: It beggars belief. As you well know, you were the lynchpin of her ambition.
Lahabrea: Yours was the only form that could contain the immense power Athena required, and it has long since turned to dust.

Erichthonios: As pleasant as this discussion is, we require more information if we're to unravel this mystery.
Erichthonios: You know who awaits you, [Forename]: Themis. I fear you won't find him so cooperative as we're accustomed to.

Lahabrea: We know not how vast the space beyond these gates may be, but somewhere within lurks Athena, with Elidibus leashed at her side.

Erichthonios: ...This may be a s
implistic theory, but hear me out. If Themis arose from his memories intact, he will be eager to see reason. We need only break the magicks that bind him to regain our old ally.
Erichthonios: When I had fallen under Hephaistos's influence, you didn't stop trying until I was freed. I would ask that you do the same for Themis.
Erichthonios: Though none of us are real in the conventional sense, I feel it must be done. Themis would never have wished to be your enemy.

Lahabrea: While Erichthonios's perspective is a sentimental one, Elidibus may possess privileged knowledge. To question him unimpeded by magicks would be ideal.
Lahabrea: Agdistis broke free of her bonds in her final moments, suggesting that Athena's hold weakens under the weight of combat. You might use the same principle to unshackle Elidibus's mind.
Lahabrea: But remember that our very nature is fragile. Even if he inhabits a vessel with which to meet you in battle, I am certain it is not meant to endure.
Lahabrea: If left weakened for too long, his aether may dissipate back into the aetherial sea. You had best act quickly.
-cutscene end
-quest accepted

''Anabaseios The Eleventh Circle now accessible.''

-optional start
Erichthonios: We know not for how long we'll have free rein to go between here and the Aitiascope. We'll remain here for now unless absolutely necessary.

Lahabrea: The crystal? I have returned it to the safekeeping of your colleagues. I could find nothing new amongst the memories stored within.
Lahabrea: This space, on the other hand, is fascinating. Wrought by the same power the keywards wielded, perhaps.
-optional end

===After Anabaseios The Eleventh Circle===
-cutscene start
Themis: The fog...has lifted. I knew that Athena's magicks magnified the desires of their victim at the expense of aught else, but I never guessed what desire of mine she could exploit...
Themis: Since the moment we met, I have made plain my interest in you─my desire to understand your nature. I suppose that curiosity extended to how each of us would fare in a match of strength.
Themis: What is this?
Themis: Free... Then I am no longer needed.
Themis: Do not look so crestfallen, my friend. These few moments of clarity are more than I could have asked for.
Question: What will you say?
> ''We'' need you, Themis.
> Your work isn't over yet.
>You must render judgment of Athena's actions.
---

Themis: This warmth... Your aether...
Themis: You've grasped the fraying strands of my being and tied them together with your own...
Themis: Nevertheless, I fear that I am here on borrowed time.
Themis: I only hope that I can see you through the last of our battles. Until then, I will cherish every moment.
Themis: I am Elidibus...the Emissary.
Themis: As such, it falls upon me to judge Athena, who would disrupt our carefully maintained balance to fulfill her own desires. I swear I shall not waver in this duty.
Themis: Let us return to Erichthonios and Lahabrea. There is much I would share with you before we embark upon our final ascent.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Lahabrea: As I surmised, Elidibus was constructed with the strength to see your battle done. Yet I fear his aether may not sustain him through another...

Themis: The four of us are together once again. Although I may not have directly experienced our adventures, my memories make our bonds as real as any other.

-optional end

===Speak with Erichthonios.===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: Themis, it's good to see you. I knew [Forename] would guide you to our side once again.

Themis: I am grateful she had the patience to tolerate my lapse in manners. Athena's hold upon me is broken, and I pledge every moment of my remaining time to seeing that she answer for her deeds.

Lahabrea: Very good. To that end, I would have you share what you know of her plan.

Themis: Of course. As I mentioned, Athena possesses a vessel that may serve in the creation of a god.
Themis: It is someone [Forename] knows well─a man by the name of Claudien. By a twist of fate, his body proved to be ideal for Athena's purpose.
Themis: The creation of a person requires not just body, soul, or memory, but rather all three.
Themis: We are made from the memories of our ancient counterparts, etched upon drifting souls and given form through the infusion of aether. We lack a physical body, yet you can see and feel us all the same.
Themis: Athena is different. She has carved her memories into Claudien's soul while it was still within its body, and thus made both her own.
Themis: But even she is prone to error. After the sundering, beings became more fragile in both body and soul, and this difference prevents Athena from realizing the full extent of her desires.

Erichthonios: So that's why she has turned her sights toward [Forename]... Her uncommon strength rivals even the mightiest of our age.

Themis: By scrutinizing her feats in battle, Athena aims to deduce the secret of [Forename]'s prowess and use it to fortify her own vessel. Only then will the culmination of her research be at hand.

Question: What will you say?
> We have to save Claudien!
Lahabrea: An arduous task, but not impossible.
> Can't we simply remove Athena's memories from Claudien's body?
Lahabrea: An arduous task, but not impossible.
>Then to fight Athena, we must fight Claudien as well...
Lahabrea: We need not hasten to the man's destruction.
---

Lahabrea: Athena can inscribe herself upon another's soul, but she cannot erase its will. If we awaken Claudien's spirit to the reality of his bondage, he might be compelled to wrest his body from Athena's clutches.

Erichthonios: We still don't know why she chose Claudien... What makes him more suited than anyone else?

Themis: Although I have never spoken to Claudien, I did witness an incident that may prove revelatory.
Themis: When instructing the vessel to do her bidding, she called it by a familiar name─Erichthonios.

Erichthonios: What!? Why would she...?

Lahabrea: It is as I thought...
-quest complete
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=mxnhH8viMcc}}

Pandæmonium Awakens

2026-06-01T08:54:48Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Pandæmonium Awakens
| description = [[Lahabrea]] is eyeing the frightened researchers with a mix of curiosity and derision.
| image = pandæmonium awakens1.png
| quest-giver = Lahabrea
| related-npcs = Erichthonios; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud; Themis
| location = The Aitiascope
| location-x = 11.7
| location-y = 11.3
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 31
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Quicktongue Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Anabaseios: The Tenth Circle
| prev-quest = Eater of Souls
| next-quest = The Emissary's Judgment
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.4
| id-edb = 9895f011810
| id-gt = 70293
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Erichthonios]].
*Enter [[Anabaseios: The Tenth Circle]].
*Speak with [[Lahabrea]].

==Journal==
* Lahabrea is eyeing the frightened researchers with a mix of curiosity and derision.

* With some encouragement, Ruissenaud and Nemjiji overcome their initial fright and introduce themselves to your allies from the ancient age. Although both sides have countless questions they could ask the other, they focus their efforts on coming up with a plan to foil Athena. While they share knowledge of the present and memories of the past, you are to begin your advance into Pandæmonium.

* Erichthonios advises you to first secure the entrance to Pandæmonium, that he and Lahabrea might safely join your exploration of the facility. When you approach, you are greeted by a familiar face: Themis. Like Lahabrea and Erichthonios, he has been recreated by Athena's hand, though with more combat potential and less free will, if his words are to be believed. Not moments after this unsettling revelation, the spires of Pandæmonium twist into a monstrous foe─the better for Athena to test your scientifically improbable strength.

* With Themis having vanished, you are left to face Pandæmonium's wrath alone. You know not what sort of soul inhabits its monstrous facade, but it is certain to be unmerciful.
** ※Anabaseios: The Tenth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* Though the dæmoniac dungeon attempts to ensnare you as it has so many ill-fated creatures, it is only a matter of time ere you cut clean through its web─precisely as Themis anticipated. As its walls crumble to the earth, one question echoes in the air: what, or who, shall be the next to face your blade?

* Themis reappears to congratulate you on your victory, as do Lahabrea and Erichthonios, having belatedly secured safe passage through the dark energy surrounding Pandæmonium. Before disappearing once more, Themis beckons you through the strange gate that has manifested where the prison once stood, leaving you and your companions with myriad questions.

* It seems that while you were battling Pandæmonium, Nemjiji and Ruissenaud apprised Lahabrea and Erichthonios of major events from the past several millennia. Armed with knowledge of the Ultima Weapon and beyond, the ancient pair theorize that Athena stored her memories within the Heart of Sabik, which it transpires was created by none other than the megalomaniacal chief keyward herself. The Heart magnified the desires of its users to a fanatical degree, but by the time its dangers became apparent, it was too late. Lahabrea was forced to kill his wife, and though he closely guarded the Heart of Sabik to prevent the spread of its influence, it was this very caution that allowed Athena's memory to survive. With but one path before you, you must press forward to where Themis─and Athena─await.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Erichthonios: Are those two over there researchers from this era? We must share what we know at once, that we might piece together this vexing puzzle.

-optional end
===Accepting the quest===

Lahabrea: Why do your companions hesitate to approach? We may be unusual visitors, but time is of the essence. Bring them here.

-cutscene start
Nemjiji: Although you may be but a confluence of memory, it is an honor to meet the personages I have only read of in [Forename]'s reports. As a researcher, this is beyond exciting, but I admit to no small measure of fear as well.

Ruissenaud: I know what you mean... I can scarcely stop my legs from shaking!

Erichthonios: We're powerless to do aught but speak. I see no reason why you should be afraid.

Nemjiji: It isn't my life I fear for─I only fear that I might not have the chance to ask you all the questions now burning a hole in my mind! We stand before two of the ancients, who hold priceless knowledge beyond the ken of any of our peers.
Nemjiji: But what purpose does fear serve if not to be confronted and conquered? To that end, we shall share with you our records, and perhaps together we can find the thread which will lead us safely out of this conundrum.

Lahabrea: Information shall be our most precious resource, for that is the only weapon we can wield in these forms. Our memories are at your complete disposal.
Lahabrea: We can start with Athena, whose thirst for discovery would see all life consumed.

Erichthonios: Her desires haven't changed. Still she seeks to transcend her mortal existence so that she might unravel the mysteries of life. She would become a god.

Lahabrea: A nebulous concept, but Athena had her own ideas on what divinity entailed. In her mind, a god can create souls at will.
Lahabrea: Thus she chose the Underworld─or the aetherial sea, as it is known in this age─as the staging ground for her final experiments. Here lies a practically bottomless well of aether.

Erichthonios: Even if it means stemming the flow of life itself, she intends to continue her work. She thinks of nothing else...
Erichthonios: We caught a glimpse of Athena as we came into this world. Her smile, her voice...they were just as I remember. Without even realizing it, I found myself feeling...an affection for her.
Erichthonios: Don't look at me like I've gone mad! I'm not asking you to join her side─I know the true Erichthonios would never want that. But these emotions remain─in memory, if nowhere else.

Lahabrea: We shall remain here to compile what information we can. You must infiltrate Pandæmonium and seek out Athena.
Lahabrea: I would ask that you leave the memory crystal with us. It may hold secrets which have yet to be unveiled.

Erichthonios: All that's left is to cross that menacing threshold. Shall we take a closer look?

Lahabrea: I have one question for you.
Lahabrea: Does the word “auracite” mean aught to you?

Nemjiji: Auracite? Why, yes, there are a few records of its existence. It mainly makes appearances in the legends of Ivalice, and in tales concerning the Ascian Laha─
Nemjiji: Ahem, well, in tales concerning an entity known as an Ascian. This personage is associated with black auracite known as the Heart of Sabik, a source of considerable power.

Lahabrea: I see...so time has not buried it.
-cutscene end
-quest accepted
-optional start
Nemjiji: Lahabrea asked me about auracite and has yet to say a word since he heard the answer. Did I say something wrong? He is quite...intimidating in his silence.

Ruissenaud: I've read that the ancients were much larger than the people of our era... Perhaps Athena endeavored to make them less imposing.

Lahabrea: ...I must think. Leave me be while you attend to your task.
-optional end

===Speak with Erichthonios.===
Erichthonios: From the outside, Pandæmonium looks no different than it does in the past.
Erichthonios: However, there is no guarantee that the inside will be familiar. You would do well to secure the area near the entrance first.
Erichthonios: Once it has been cleared of threats, Lahabrea and I can approach, and we shall begin our exploration of the interior.
Erichthonios: The portal should convey you to Pandæmonium's gates. I hardly need to tell you to keep your weapon at the ready!
-cutscene start

???@Themis:I knew you would come.
Themis: I never lost faith that we would meet again. I told you as much, did I not?
Themis: I understand you may be confused. I was, too, at first.
Themis: You see, I am not the true Themis. I was made by Athena, molded from one of the many souls at her disposal. I am only an illusion built from memory, no more real than Lahabrea or Erichthonios.
Themis: Even so, I believe I have a grasp on the situation. This is the distant future.
Themis: A future where Athena lives once more, although the means of her rebirth are yet beyond me. You are here to stop her. Have I the right of it so far?
Themis: Very good. I would be disappointed if you did not rise to her challenge.
Themis: ...Although I am sorry to say that I cannot aid you. My creator has tampered with my essence, and I am oddly inclined to act in her interests.
Themis: I can do naught but offer you words of warning... We will fight, and it cannot be avoided.
Themis: There is no need for that pained expression. Remember, I am but an illusion─nothing worth shedding tears over.
Question: What will you say?
> We can free you, just as we freed Agdistis!
Themis: I thank you for the sentiment, but I am afraid that is quite impossible. Athena's grip on my mind is unyielding...

> I would feel terrible if I had to trounce Elidibus again...
Themis: I know not what is in your mind, but I must stress once again that I cannot defy the urge to stand against you.

>...
Themis: Athena's hold over me is unyielding...
---

Themis: Still, I would ask that you listen carefully to the advice I offer you now.
Themis: Athena has prepared a new vessel to replace Erichthonios, so that she may become a god. By gathering the souls readily available in this sea of aether, she tempers her own essence.
Themis: Yet the souls are faint, diffuse. She doubts whether they are sufficient for her goals, so she has turned her gaze to you. Despite your thin aether, you managed to lay Hephaistos low, and Athena would know the secret of your strength.
Themis: To that end, she has prepared an experiment for her observation. Fight for your life against Athena's creation, and in doing so give her the knowledge she desires.

Nemjiji: What's happening!?

Lahabrea: Athena has made her move. We must find a way to reach her, or all is lost.

Erichthonios: We can do little but hope for [Forename]'s success...

Themis: Pandæmonium. Once a mass of lifeless stone, now imbued with a soul...
Themis: Athena has grown much since her death at Lahabrea's hand. Although the souls she creates are imperfect, they act with absolute obedience.
Themis: I know you shall cut your way through this monster, as you have so many others. Then you shall come before me...
Themis: Do not hesitate to do what you must, for that is the only way to stop Athena.
-cutscene end

''Anabaseios The Tenth Circle now accessible''

-optional start
Nemjiji: This...cannot be real... Can it?

Ruissenaud: I can't see a thing...

Lahabrea: That she would give life to those pitiless stones... [Forename], you know what you must do. We will stay here and do what we can to decipher the nature of this space Athena has created.

Erichthonios: Well, it seems you can come and go from that dark space as you please. We still don't know if it's safe for us, but must find out quickly─there's no telling what else awaits you in there.
-optional end

===After Anabaseios The Tenth Circle===
Themis: That was a beautiful display, as always. I stand enchanted by your grace in battle.

Erichthonios: [Forename], is that...?

Themis: Pandæmonium's final gate has been cast wide. I shall await your arrival beyond.

Erichthonios: Apologies for not coming sooner─this space is enveloped by some fell energy, and we couldn't risk venturing through it before taking due precautions.
Erichthonios: Were my eyes mistaken? Was that Themis?

Lahabrea: Tell us what you know. We must consider our next course of action carefully.

-optional start
Erichthonios: That must have been Themis... But how?
-optional end

===Speak to Lahabrea.===
Lahabrea: I ought to have anticipated this.
Lahabrea: If she bore witness to past events within Pandæmonium, Athena would have found Elidibus impossible to overlook. Few possess such a talent for magicks─to say naught of the emissary's discerning judgment.
Lahabrea: And so she found his soul upon the tides of the aetherial sea, and used his memories to craft a puppet that would serve her whims.

Erichthonios: But is what Themis said true? She imbued Pandæmonium itself with a soul?
Erichthonios: To breathe life into that which should never live... Athena's research is fast approaching its culmination.
Erichthonios: Fortunately, with the information shared with us by your friends, we've made some strides toward figuring out how to stop her.
Erichthonios: A crystal called the Heart of Sabik may be the key.
Erichthonios: The researchers related a quick but thorough history of events leading to the present. The sundering of the star, the emergence of the Ascians, and the calamities that they brought to bear upon the realm...
Erichthonios: Tales that under other circumstances we would have considered childish fantasy, if not for a name that rang true to Lahabrea's memories.

Lahabrea: The Heart of Sabik. To you, the secret of the Ultima Weapon's might─not least the spell known as “Ultima”─and a source of enduring mystery.
Lahabrea: We are told that a general from the Garlean Empire was gifted this auracite by an “Ascian,” that the Ultima Weapon might be perfected.
Lahabrea: The identity of this shadowy benefactor, however, remains a curious unknown.
Lahabrea: You seem to be a veritable trove of uncommon knowledge. If there is aught you are withholding...
Lahabrea: ...Very well. At present, the Heart of Sabik itself is of greater moment.
Lahabrea: It is a creation of Athena's, made during her time with the Words of Lahabrea.
Lahabrea: This predates even Pandæmonium's construction. She brought before us a crystal she claimed to have chanced upon, saying it contained immense power.
Lahabrea: She dubbed it “auracite,” studying it with a fervor unusual even for her. The eventual fruit of her efforts was a stygian crystal unlike aught we had ever seen: the Heart of Sabik.

Question: What will you say?
> What ''is'' auracite?
Lahabrea: We theorized that it came from beyond our star. Beyond that, naught was ever known.
> How did she find this auracite?
Lahabrea: Athena was never forthcoming as to how she found the crystal. We came to believe that it originated outside our star, but could deduce little else.

>Did Athena encounter Ultima, the High Seraph, perchance?
Lahabrea: An unexpectedly specific question. I gather that the Heart of Sabik is not the only auracite in this era? Regardless, I know naught of this High Seraph. Athena was never forthcoming as to how she found the crystal, though we came to suspect that it was not of our star.
---
Lahabrea: Much later, we discovered that auracite magnifies the desires of those who come into contact with it. This would do much to explain Athena's actions following her recovery of the crystal.
Lahabrea: Alas, this realization came too late. By the time I moved to seal the auracite and its insidious influence away, Athena's plot had already been laid.

Erichthonios: ...So what became of the Heart of Sabik?

Lahabrea: I took it from Athena's laboratory after I ended her life.
Lahabrea: The density of the aether within was unlike anything I had observed. I knew its capacity for destruction, but further analysis proved impossible. I elected to safeguard it myself.
Lahabrea: It is possible that Athena herself obscured the crystal's contents. Even were her memories stored within, I would have remained in ignorance.
Lahabrea: If she included some mechanism by which to give these memories form, as she did with our own...

Erichthonios: ...She would be reborn.

Lahabrea: Ironic, that I should have protected those very memories in the name of safeguarding the star. Fate is loath to see mistakes go unpunished.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=kTOTFgcz79k}}

Eater of Souls

2026-06-01T08:43:06Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Eater of Souls
| description = [[Ruissenaud]] breathes a sigh of relief at your arrival.
| image = eater of souls1.png
| quest-giver = Ruissenaud
| related-npcs = Athena; Erichthonios; Fourchenault; Lahabrea; Nemjiji; Themis
| location = Labyrinthos
| location-x = 8.6
| location-y = 27.5
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 30
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Quickarm Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Anabaseios: The Ninth Circle
| prev-quest = Truth Imperfect
| next-quest = Pandæmonium Awakens
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.4
| id-edb = 8200c040658
| id-gt = 70292
}}

==Steps==
*Proceed to [[the Aetherial Lens]] and wait at the destination.
*Enter [[Anabaseios: The Ninth Circle]].
*Speak with [[Erichthonios]].

==Journal==
* Ruissenaud breathes a sigh of relief at your arrival.

* Ruissenaud is elated at your fortuitous arrival, for it seems that moments ago, Fourchenault sent word of information that could shed light upon the nature of Claudien's disappearance and the subsequent manifestation of Pandæmonium in the current age. The researcher instructs you to make your way to the Aetherial Lens, where Fourchenault awaits.

* Fourchenault informs you that an investigation of Azys Lla recovered Claudien's airship, but found no trace of the missing professor. Furthermore, reports indicate that part of Azys Lla is no longer there─to all appearances having been removed from the facility in its entirety. Fourchenault and his peers believe that this missing portion was somehow reformed into Pandæmonium, which now floats forebodingly on the currents of the aetherial sea. Ere you can brave its halls in search of the truth, however, you will need to dispatch an aether-hungry beast that has emerged from its gates. Equipped with the memory crystal that once so fascinated Claudien, you step forth to confront the ravening monstrosity.
** ※Anabaseios: The Ninth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* With Kokytos slain, souls may now continue their journey through the Lifestream unimpeded. Still, the aetherial sea's safety cannot be assured so long as Pandæmonium looms in the distance, so you hasten to return to Fourchenault and initiate your investigation into the looming anachronism.

* Ere you can return to the Aitiascope, you receive an unexpected visit from none other than Athena. While she claims no ill intent, she confesses to kidnapping Claudien for use in her research, which she seems convinced will allow her to ascend to godhood. She would have you join her experiment, going so far as to create apparitions from crystallized memories and spare souls that can teach you of her ambitions. She then retreats to Pandæmonium, leaving you with the bewildered simulacra of Lahabrea and Erichthonios.

* The reconstructed Erichthonios and Lahabrea explain that while they have been given form of a sort, they are unable to wield magicks or affect the physical world. They remain adamant in their conviction to stop Athena's schemes, however, to which end Lahabrea suggests gathering information on the Pandæmonium now floating in the aetherial sea. The surprised researchers on the opposite end of the platform would be the perfect place to start, so it seems a strange meeting is in order...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Ruissenaud: Ah, [Forename], I had a feeling you would arrive soon! Urgent tidings always seem to carry you in their wake, after all, and Master Fourchenault recently sent word regarding his investigation.
Ruissenaud: It seems he's uncovered information regarding Professor Claudien's whereabouts and the sudden appearance of Pandæmonium in the aetherial sea. We would do well to meet with him at once.
Ruissenaud: If you have no objections, I ask that you proceed to the Aitiascope forthwith. I shall make the necessary arrangements and join you shortly.
Ruissenaud: I shall send word to Master Fourchenault of our departure. Make your way to the Aitiascope, and quickly─I'm afraid time isn't our ally in this matter.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Ruissenaud: I shall send word to Master Fourchenault of our departure. Make your way to the Aitiascope, and quickly─I'm afraid time isn't our ally in this matter.
-optional end

===Proceed to the Aetherial Lens and wait at the destination.===
-cutscene start
Fourchenault: I thank you for answering my summons with haste. Let us forgo formalities and jump straight to the heart of the matter.
Fourchenault: Namely, the whereabouts of Professor Claudien, who has not been seen since his ill-advised journey to Azys Lla.
Fourchenault: A subsequent expedition discovered an airship in the vicinity of the Aetherochemical Research Facility. Although the vessel clearly belonged to the professor, he was nowhere to be found.
Fourchenault: There were signs that someone─perhaps the man himself─had forced their way into the facility, so this trail was duly followed. However...
Fourchenault: The trail led nowhere, in the most literal sense. 'Twas almost as if an entire sector of the facility had been wrested from existence.
Fourchenault: Further investigation confirmed the expedition party's suspicions─nigh on an entire sector of Azys Lla has been teleported elsewhere.

Nemjiji: Teleported? To where?

Fourchenault: We believe that its destination was none other than the aetherial sea. Here were its Allagan facilities reconstituted as the halls of Pandæmonium─to great success, as you can see.

Ruissenaud: So that means Professor Claudien is in there? In that monstrous fortress?

Fourchenault: That is our leading theory. We are certain enough, at least, to risk sending you into its depths in search of the missing man.
Fourchenault: Yet before we do, there is another pressing matter...
Fourchenault: While Pandæmonium may appear firmly sealed, an unknown entity was recently spied crawling forth from its gates.
Fourchenault: We observed its behavior with the Aitiascope, and to our horror, witnessed it gorging upon the surrounding aether like a ravenous beast.

Nemjiji: What!? It must be stopped!
Nemjiji: The aetherial sea harbors the souls of the departed─'tis the wellspring from which all creatures are born. If its flow were disturbed, life itself might cease to be!

Fourchenault: Precisely. Its safety must be our first priority.
Fourchenault: Rid us of this menace, [Forename]. Then we will be at liberty to investigate what wicked machinations are afoot.
Fourchenault: This memory crystal was recovered from Claudien's airship. Take it with you─it may yet provide some insight into the enigma of Pandæmonium.

Nemjiji: Without Themis, there will be no army of phantom warriors. I realize you are more than capable in combat, but are you certain you'll be all right?

Question: What will you say?

>Themis isn't the only one who can summon our illusory allies.
Nemjiji: He...isn't? Wh-Why of course, I should have known someone of your talents would master even the ancients' arcane arts! Apologies for my failure of imagination.
Nemjiji: Once we are freed of the looming specter of Pandæmonium, you must promise to share your knowledge─for the sake of thorough reports, of course. In the meanwhile, I shall focus my efforts on providing you with what information and support I can!

> As long as I'm free to focus on my foe, there's naught to worry about.
Nemjiji: That's the spirit! I would lend you my arms, such as they are, but I believe I'll be more useful in the provision of information and non-martial support!
---
Fourchenault: I shall gather researchers from the Confluence to construct a means to convey you to your destination. The rest is in your hands.

-cutscene end

''Anabaseios The Ninth Circle now accessible.''

-optional start
Nemjiji: In truth, my days are stuffed to the brim, what with all the record-taking and document fetching─but worry not! The knowledge that the realm's survival hinges on my efforts sustains me.

Ruissenaud: At this depth, the aetherial sea itself poses little real danger, but we know not what else awaits you! I shall monitor your health from a distance, that we might leap to your aid should a crisis be at hand.
-optional end

===After Anabaseios The Ninth Circle===
-cutscene start
Athena@???: Impressive work, [Forename]. Their memories of your tenacity were not embellished in the slightest.
Athena@???: Do not be alarmed. A proper introduction shall set your mind at ease.
Athena: I am Athena, chief keyward of Pandæmonium. Wife to Lahabrea, and mother to Erichthonios. And it is I who made Pandæmonium anew in the Underworld.
Athena: In a manner of speaking, I am the source of all your recent troubles.
Athena: I must say, I did not imagine I would meet you in this age! A slight miscalculation, but perhaps a fortunate one. For your deeds in the past have left quite an impression on me.
Athena: I understand you have reason to be wary, but I assure you there is no need.
Athena: I know not what Lahabrea has told you of me, but all that I have done, I have done out of sincere scientific curiosity.
Athena: That appetite yet remains, even after my rebirth. Conflict is the furthest thing from my mind, and I ask that you at least hear me out before brandishing your weapon.

Question: What will you say?

> You were reborn?
Athena: In a sense, yes. 'Twas the only way I could see my research completed. The myriad souls floating in the aetherial sea provide all the raw material I require─and your Professor Claudien proved a most welcome surprise.
Athena: Worry not, for I treat all my tools with care. Especially those with which I will grasp godhood.

> Give Claudien back.
Athena: Claudien? ...Ah, you must be referring to the man who set foot in Azys Lla.
Athena: He is now indispensable to my work. Worry not, for I treat all my tools with care. Especially those with which I will grasp godhood.

> So you have no intention of halting your “research”?
Athena: I have not endured this long journey to let my dream of godhood go unrealized. The souls of the aetherial sea and the man you call Claudien are indispensable to my work.
Athena: Worry not, for I treat all my tools with care. Especially those with which I will grasp godhood.
---
Athena: You are as stubborn as Lahabrea, I see. Although I speak in earnest, you refuse to hear the meaning of my words. Perhaps you would be better served by a different teacher...
Athena: Luckily, you already possess the tools I require to make one for you.
Athena: Yes...that crystal teems with memories.
Athena: Memories of two souls you know quite well─Lahabrea and Erichthonios.
Athena: I shall stitch them into the fabric of two errant souls, that with their help, you may come to see clearly.

Erichthonios: You... H-How? Where are we?

Athena: Surely these two have much to tell you of me, and I would have you listen. Perhaps then you shall better understand me─my desire for godhood.
Athena: There is another, but their soul has proven...difficult to work with. However, with these memories, I may very well manage to weave together something presentable.
Athena: You have a place in my plans. I do hope that in time, you come to realize that cooperation is the best path forward.

Lahabrea: I have little understanding of where we are, yet somehow, I am unsurprised to find ''you'' here.
Lahabrea: At present I have more questions than answers─perhaps you can help me address this inequity. Is there somewhere we can speak without fear of interruption?
-cutscene end
-optional start

Nemjiji: H-How unexpected! I do hope we can consider them allies...?

Ruissenaud: One with an aura of overwhelming authority, and another that seems uncomfortable in his own skin. I believe I understand just well enough to be thoroughly intimidated!

Lahabrea: Some hints, I can glean from the surroundings, but I would prefer you simply cut through this knot of questions.
-optional end

===Speak with Erichthonios.===
Erichthonios: I don't know how long it's been, [Forename], but it's good as ever to see your face! Would that it were under more...conventional circumstances.
Erichthonios: Just where are we? And what events have led to this unexpected reunion?

-cutscene start
Erichthonios: ...Ah, yes, I remember you telling us about this memory crystal.
Erichthonios: To think that it contained ''our'' memories...
Erichthonios: This is a lot to take in, not least of all the fact that you hail from the future. I searched for you after a time, but could find no trace. Now I know why.
Erichthonios: Our age had its share of surprises, if my memories are to be believed. The supposedly world-ending Final Days came upon us...yet here we are, in a future where you, at least, exist.
Erichthonios: Do we overcome the despair that befalls us? Do we find a way to live on?

Lahabrea: Questions without simple answers, it seems. Let us take heart that life endured in some form─as but memories, we may never have the luxury of the larger picture.
Lahabrea: Regardless, now that it has come to pass, this future must be protected from Athena's scheming. Let this conviction guide our every action.

Erichthonios: Agreed. But as memories given fleeting form, we are bereft of any physical or magical talents. We cannot aid [Forename] in battle.

Lahabrea: Nay. Athena meant us to speak, and nothing more.
Lahabrea: But though we may be tools, we need not be slaves to her whims. We will tear ourselves from her grasp and shatter her ambitions.

Erichthonios: I must wonder how she knew of our history with [Forename].

Lahabrea: Likely she possessed some means by which to observe events within Pandæmonium, either while they were occurring or after the fact. Regardless, her knowledge far exceeds our own─a shortcoming we must remedy at once.
Lahabrea: We would do well to learn more of the Pandæmonium now dominating the landscape of souls. [Forename]'s colleagues will doubtless prove to be of value in that respect.
-quest complete
-cutscene end

</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=olWe5X7RyoE}}

Truth Imperfect

2026-06-01T08:41:45Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Truth Imperfect
| description = [[Lahabrea]] is looking at [[Erichthonios]] with concern.
| image = truth imperfect.png
| quest-giver = Lahabrea
| related-npcs = Athena; Erichthonios (NPC); Fourchenault; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud; Themis
| location = Stygian Insenescence Cells
| location-x = 6
| location-y = 6
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 29
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 7500
| reward1 = 1 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward2 = 1 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward3 = 1 Savage Might Materia IX
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt1 = 3 Quickarm Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Quicktongue Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Battledance Materia IX
| reward-opt4 = 3 Piety Materia IX
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = One Final Wish
| next-quest = Eater of Souls
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70176
| id-edb = bde6eae1cc8
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Erichthonios]].
*Speak with Erichthonios at [[the Gates of Pandaemonium|the Gates of Pandæmonium]].
*Speak with [[Ruissenaud]] at [[Aporia]].
*Speak with Ruissenaud.

==Journal==
* Lahabrea is looking at Erichthonios with concern.

* As Erichthonios regains his senses, Lahabrea finally shares the story of he and Athena. Conjuring phantom visions, he tells of his discovery of her experiments and journey into Pandæmonium to stop them. It is a story of betrayal and forlorn love, which resulted in Lahabrea and Athena bonding souls, and the former becoming corrupted by the latter's unquenchable thirst for knowledge. To save himself, Lahabrea was forced to cut away a part of his soul and seal it within a crystal. Yet even this was a part of Athena's scheme, as the crystal was used to imbue a vessel with life, creating Hephaistos.

* With the truth of the matter laid bare at last, all that remains is to return to the surface. While there is yet more Erichthonios would say on the revelations which just transpired, he bids the group return to Pandæmonium's entrance, where the scars of the past do not linger.

* Erichthonios thanks you and Themis for your efforts in aiding Pandæmonium─and in helping him understand his father. While questions remain as to the details of Hephaistos's experiments and Erichthonios's role in them, Lahabrea assures you that they are better left unanswered. When the topic of conversation turns to crystals, Themis remarks that the aether contained in the crystal you first showed him bore no resemblance to Hephaistos's, and wonders who might have sent it─a mystery of great interest to all present. As the others await such time as you are able to return with the crystal, they will set free the other warders, and inquire if any among them sent its message floating upon the aetherial sea.

* You return to Claudien's laboratory to find a flustered Ruissenaud, who informs you that Claudien has gone missing and an unusual confluence of energy has been detected in the aetherial sea. Together you rush to the Aitiascope and are met with the sight of Pandæmonium floating in the once-empty void. Moments after, Fourchenault Leveilleur arrives as well, evidently drawn by the marked fluctuation in energy. Upon hearing your story, he deftly maps out a tentative course of action. Ishgard will be asked to aid in a search for Claudien, and the brightest minds in aetherial research will be gathered to keep track of changes in the aetherial sea. For the time being, he asks you to stand by to assist them when the next step is decided. He departs to make his own report to the Forum, leaving you and Ruissenaud behind to process what just occurred.

* Before turning his wandering attention to his own report, Ruissenaud surmises that the hand behind Professor Claudien's disappearance may also have summoned Pandæmonium to the present. Like your allies in an age long past, he asks that you rest─warning that whatever may come, it is bound to demand your full strength.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: I feel no trace of Hephaistos's poison in your mind, and for a blessing, it appears your body is none the worse for wear.

Themis: I made my way here as soon as I could. I no longer sense Hephaistos, and the force assailing Pandæmonium's barriers has ceased. Are we rid of him for good and all?

Themis: ...I see. Despite his muddled senses, Erichthonios felt that to seal Hephaistos away was the proper course.

Erichthonios: It wasn't so noble as that. I only knew something had to be done, so I acted.

Erichthonios: Lahabrea...was that how you dealt with Hephaistos in the past?

Lahabrea: Indeed. He was naught but the parts of my memory and soul that I had cut away─a mass of aether without a material vessel. Storing his essence within a crystal was the most logical choice.

Themis: ...On that matter, I believe the time has come for you to share the rest of your tale. Of Hephaistos's creation and Athena's end.

Erichthonios: I heard your words, but only vaguely, as if from under the surface of a deep pool. My mother wished...to use me?

Erichthonios: I would hear the whole truth. I want to know what happened here, and what drove Athena to act as she did. I'm ready.

Lahabrea: Athena's brilliance outshone us all─even the other members of the Words of Lahabrea were as children in comparison. So dedicated to research was she that it was not unheard of for her to forget meals or even sleep.

Lahabrea: Her mind was ever grasping for knowledge, and it was in this endless search that she became obsessed with uncovering the secrets of life.

Lahabrea: You see, while we can conceive life in various forms, the means of creating a ''soul'' are beyond our ken. Similarly, though we can enhance and alter our physical vessels, we have ever been bound to them. Athena's purpose was to shatter these limitations.

Themis: Such limitations as we were not meant to surpass. She sought to enter the realm of the gods.

Themis: Scarce few have the ability to comprehend what such a task entails, let alone the courage to attempt it.

Erichthonios: For most, the thought would be an idle fancy, considered once and then discarded. Not so for Athena...

Lahabrea: As leader of the Words of Lahabrea, I spoke with her often about transcending our being. From an academic perspective, the challenge has plagued countless researchers through the ages.

Lahabrea: It was during these musings that I began to formulate a theory─a means by which a person could meld with a creation. The weaknesses of one would be mitigated by the strengths of the other, and the result could be something greater than we have ever imagined.

Lahabrea: Although it was but a theory, Athena insisted I develop it further, curious about every detail along the way. Our conversations became more frequent, and our platonic relationship grew into something much more...

Erichthonios: I take it I was born not soon after...

Lahabrea: Just so. I believed she bore true affection for me, and was blind to her hidden intentions. When Pandæmonium was built and she requested to lead the researchers, I saw no reason to deny her.

Lahabrea: Even setting aside our relationship, her accomplishments as a scholar made her the obvious choice. However, in giving her Pandæmonium, I also gave her free rein to conduct whatsoever experiments she could devise.

Erichthonios: And when you found out what she was doing...you killed her.

Lahabrea: I made haste to Pandæmonium the moment I learned of these hidden chambers. I left Agdistis to keep watch from Tartaros's vestibule as I ventured deeper, knowing not what would await me.

Lahabrea: ...As for what occurred next, 'tis best to see with your own eyes.

Erichthonios: Is that...me?

Lahabrea: You are well aware that out of respect for our neighbors in Elpis, the researchers of Pandæmonium are not to be masked.

Lahabrea: Yet you stand before me with your face covered. What petty defiance is this?

Athena: What indeed? So quick you are to rebuke me, though you yourself have not set foot in these halls since their inception.

Lahabrea: You must have known you could not conceal this from myself and Agdistis forever...as well you know that I cannot allow it to continue.

Lahabrea: I shall say this but once: release Erichthonios. Else I shall have no choice but to strike you down.

Athena: I would meet my end at the hands of none other. However, ere my time is come, I will have you know the why of it.

Lahabrea: ...Then you will not desist.

Athena: Once you understand what has driven me this far, you shall see that stopping was never an option.

Lahabrea: The feelings of one weigh little against the needs of the entire star.

Athena: Of course, of that I am well aware. But you did not deign to descend from your lofty heights simply to lecture me as you would a child.

Athena: You have an interest in my motivations. What possessed Athena, peerless researcher and mother to the son of the great Lahabrea, to embark upon the path to her downfall?

Athena: History will demand an answer, but it is you who deserves one. Give me your hand, Lahabrea, and we shall know one another more deeply than ever before.

Themis: Impossible... You bonded your souls?

Lahabrea: Aye. That the boundaries between us would cease to be... She offered me everything, to be understood.

Lahabrea: I found myself unable to refuse. At that moment, my mind was a storm of questions, yet one roared the loudest...

Lahabrea: Did Athena ever truly love me?

Athena: I am become thee, memory and mind...

Lahabrea: ...And I, thee.

Athena's Voice: ...Can you feel it?

Athena's Voice: My heart... All that I am.

Lahabrea: Yes. As if it were my own...

Lahabrea: A fathomless desire to dissect the mysteries of life... To transcend our mortal flesh, and bleed into a higher plane of existence!

Lahabrea: An unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Not a single thought spared for another...for the star!

Athena: How disappointing...

Athena: Yet what is known cannot be unknown. You have beheld my life's work.

Athena: Try as you might to excise the memory, the seed of desire remains. And when it takes root, you too shall be consumed by the selfsame fervor.

Lahabrea: I will dig it out! I will dispense with the corruption in my soul ere your rotten insight spreads.

Lahabrea: 'Twas my weakness that let this wickedness fester─but never again. Today I cast aside fickle emotion, and abide in duty alone.

Lahabrea: Today I renounce all that I was, and live only as Lahabrea!

Lahabrea: Thus did I forsake the part of myself that had been polluted by Athena, sealing it within a crystal.

Lahabrea: Never did I think I would one day face those memories made flesh.

Themis: Forgive my bluntness, but your actions bordered on insanity. To go to such lengths to escape your memories... You nearly rewrote your very existence.

Lahabrea: Rest assured, the change did not go unnoticed by our colleagues in the Convocation. Igeyorhm and Emet-Selch, in particular, made plain the suspicions they harbored.

Themis: As well they should have... That you escaped with your life was nothing short of a miracle.

Erichthonios: ...Why didn't you destroy the crystal then and there? Did you think to one day make use of the knowledge it contained?

Lahabrea: I will not deny such considerations played into my decision, but my main motivation was fear. I had never attempted such a feat before.

Lahabrea: The crystal was my sole recourse should something go awry with the remainder of my soul. In hindsight, to cling to it was a mistake born of doubt...

Lahabrea: Athena must have anticipated that I would resort to such measures, and prepared a vessel beforehand that would accept the dregs of my soul.

Lahabrea: Hephaistos doubtless believed he was performing his duty as a husband and father should. Yet in truth, he was but a puppet being pulled to and fro by Athena's desires.

Lahabrea: His goal was not to raise himself high... He thought only of seeing his dear Athena live again, that she might finish what she began.

Lahabrea: Yet for all of that, he and I were alike. We yet shared a fatal flaw, you see─our need for control blinded us to other perspectives.

Erichthonios: While I was in thrall to Hephaistos, you called out to me. What say you now? Does Lahabrea speak true?

Question: What will you say?===

> He did promise.

> Yes, and now it's your turn to do the same.

> What does your heart tell you?
---
Erichthonios: ...I just want to know one thing. Did you truly believe that hiding the truth was best for ''me''? Even knowing how I felt about my mother?

Erichthonios: The Lahabrea I know had a “fatal flaw,” after all. I'm still not convinced.

Lahabrea: I have said all that I can say. Now it is for you to choose to believe me...or not.

Erichthonios: The Lahabrea I know holds duty above all else. I would sooner prostrate myself before an erupting volcano than place my fickle emotions in his path.

Erichthonios: When you return to the surface, you'll doubtless don that mask once more. So before we climb out of this forsaken pit, I suppose I should say...

Erichthonios: Thank you, Hephaistos.

-quest accepted
-cutscene end
-optional start
Lahabrea: I have said all that needs to be said. From this moment forward, I pledge that my heart shall not lead me astray.

Themis: Hephaistos was far more than an imitation of Lahabrea. He was quite literally a part of him...

Themis: But Lahabrea, to me, is a man who thinks of naught but his duty. By casting aside the burden that Hephaistos represented, he shall become ever more “himself,” in a way.
-optional end

===Speak with Erichthonios.===
Erichthonios: I've heard enough. There is more I would yet discuss, but we should first return to Pandæmonium's gates. I'll gather my thoughts on the way.

===Speak with Erichthonios at the Gates of Pandæmonium.===
-optional start
Themis: We have regained complete control of the facility, but it shall take some time yet until things are in working order again.

Lahabrea: Athena viewed Erichthonios as the ideal test subject. Hephaistos's research must have been very nearly complete, to seek him out like he did...

-optional end

-cutscene start
Erichthonios: I owe you an apology, [Forename]. It was due to my own inexperience that Hephaistos was so easily able to take hold of my mind.

Erichthonios: I also owe you thanks. If you and Themis hadn't chosen to brave the chaos occurring in Pandæmonium, then I would have never known Lahabrea's story. My father's story.

Themis: 'Twas a tale I too was fascinated to hear. I very much look forward to speaking with Azem upon my return─I cannot help but wonder how much of this {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} foresaw.

Lahabrea: ...I am afraid I cannot allow that, Elidibus. So long as you retain control of Pandæmonium, there is work to be done.

Themis: But of course. I shall first free the remaining warders and restore this place to its former glory.

Lahabrea: Using the facilities in Tartaros, we should be able to reverse the changes made to their bodies and minds. I shall stay behind to oversee the process.

Erichthonios: That is well, but I must yet learn why ''I'' was considered the key to Hephaistos's experiments, and how he intended to revive Athena.

Lahabrea: Such questions are best left unanswered. In fact, I forbid the pursuit of that knowledge─the boundary between man and creation shall never again be crossed.

Lahabrea: And I intend to destroy the crystal containing Hephaistos's essence, that this mistake never again repeats.

Themis: I see no reason to gainsay your judgment.

Themis: There is yet the matter of ''your'' crystal, however. Truth be told, I had not considered its origin until I saw the one containing Hephaistos's aether. I was struck by how wholly different they were.

Lahabrea: ...There is another?

Lahabrea: While imbuing a crystal with memories is a simple process, storing a message─a warning, even─would be something altogether more complex.

Lahabrea: This also means that someone besides the present company─and Azem─was aware of the plot unfolding within Pandæmonium.

Erichthonios: Then why would they not make themselves known, even now? No threats remain...

Lahabrea: Perhaps it was one of the other warders. We shall question them after they are freed.

Erichthonios: That task may take some time─a resource I'd rather not steal more of from you. Return at your leisure, and we will share our results then. You've done more than enough for the time being.

Themis: I am of the same mind. Leave the loose ends to us, and continue upon your journey. Or if you are so inclined, take a much-needed repose.

Lahabrea: ...This talk of journeys smacks of Azem.

Themis: As well it should. She has pledged to keep moving until she has seen every corner of the world.

Erichthonios: If you do find yourself with a spare moment, you might bring that crystal of yours to Lahabrea─he may be able to offer further insight. Until then, my friend.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Themis: I look forward to your returning with the crystal... But worry not, I shall try my level best to stave off loneliness while you are gone.

Erichthonios: As you may have noticed during our battle, Lahabrea's mask crowns me when I've transformed.

Erichthonios: It is said that we manifest in a way that reflects our innermost selves. I had thought that mask a symbol of the chains that bound my heart, but recent events have caused me to reconsider that assumption...

Lahabrea: The crystal that hangs from Erichthonios's waist was a gift from me, made in the hopes that it would spark growth in his aptitude for magic. 'Tis plain he no longer requires it, but I see no reason he cannot wear it for a while longer.

-optional end
===Speak with Ruissenaud at Aporia.===
Ruissenaud: Why, if it isn't [Forename]! Excuse me if I'm not my usual chipper self, but we have not been without our difficulties in your absence...

Ruissenaud: You see, communication with the airship Professor Claudien commissioned for his search was lost some time ago, and now we have quite lost track of where he might be!

Ruissenaud: And to make matters worse, Nemjiji has just sent word of an unusually large amount of energy coming from somewhere within the aetherial sea. I was just on my way to the Aitiascope, in fact─please, you must come with me!

-cutscene start
Ruissenaud: What... What is that? Is it real!?

Fourchenault@???: Why is it that whenever danger visits the world, you are never far behind?

Fourchenault: And you two... Professor Claudien's assistants, I take it?

Fourchenault: As you arrived before me, I take it you are involved in this. I would thank you to furnish me with an explanation.

Fourchenault: While the research summary you submitted to the Forum gave us no cause for concern, these details are...alarming.

Nemjiji: The professor's last message indicated he was on his way to Azys Lla, but we know not whether he ever reached his destination.

Fourchenault: A rash endeavor, even for Claudien─but he has ever allowed the thrill of discovery to cloud his better judgment. We have no recourse but to entreat Ishgard's aid in searching for him.

Fourchenault: As for that unsightly fortress which materialized in the aetherial sea─Pandæmonium, was it?─it cannot be left alone.

Fourchenault: For the time being, information regarding this matter must be strictly controlled so as to minimize panic. We will gather those with knowledge of the aetherial sea, and continue monitoring it for further irregularities.

Fourchenault: You two, submit a ''detailed'' report to the Forum at once.

Fourchenault: At present, we have far more questions than answers. Nevertheless, I would ask for your assistance at such a time that our investigation has concluded.

Fourchenault: Very good. Now if you will excuse me, I must apprise the Forum of what has occurred here.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Ruissenaud.===

Ruissenaud: Just when we need him the most, Professor Claudien remains unaccounted for.

Ruissenaud: He even brought the crystal with him. We are left with scarce few straws to grasp at...

Ruissenaud: While I am but a lowly assistant, even I can see that our two current problems are likely related. The same party or phenomenon may responsible for both.

Ruissenaud: Conversely, I see now that my unexperienced imagination failed to do Pandæmonium's pitiless spires justice. I can only wonder─if the facility itself traversed the ages, did the creations within do the same? What of the keywards?

Ruissenaud: ...But answers to these questions shall come in time, I am sure. For now, I must do as Master Fourchenault asked and write that report!

Ruissenaud: As for you, [Forename], pray get what rest your responsibilities will allow. When next we call upon you, I wager we shall need you in prime condition!
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=34F0zmtfGN0}}

One Final Wish

2026-06-01T08:40:03Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = One Final Wish
| description = [[Erichthonios]] seems eager to dispel Lahabrea's doubts.
| image = one final wish.png
| quest-giver = Lahabrea
| related-npcs = Erichthonios; Themis
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x = 21.5
| location-y = 19.0
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 28
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Piety Materia IX
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks = ra Abyssos: The Eighth Circle
| prev-quest = Servant of Violence
| next-quest = Truth Imperfect
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70175
| id-edb = cd88a02b449
}}

==Steps==
*Enter [[Abyssos: The Eighth Circle]].
*Speak with [[Lahabrea]].

==Journal==
* Lahabrea would speak further of Athena's fate.

* With Pandæmonium free from Hephaistos's control, the way forward is clear of obstacles. Lahabrea senses that his other half is cloistered away within the depths of Tartaros, where Athena carried out her most clandestine research. Themis makes ready to send you and the chief keyward to confront Hephaistos, that you might rid the world of his wickedness once and for all.
** ※Abyssos: The Eighth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* In the heart of Tartaros, you find yourself embroiled in a frenetic battle that sees Hephaistos taking form after form, stretching the very boundaries of creation magicks. In the end, however, even the purloined power of Pandæmonium's prisoners is no match for your own, and the would-be god falls to you and your phantom band. At your heels, Lahabrea stands ready to at last set right the mistake of his past.

* As Lahabrea is about to deal the killing blow, Hephaistos shields himself with the insensate Erichthonios, prompting Lahabrea to at last reveal the truth of Athena's intentions before his son. A few well-placed words stir Erichthonios from his stupor, and gathering what strength he can, the keyward breaks free from the magic binding him. He inters Hephaistos in an aetherial casket, around which Lahabrea works his own magicks until all that remains is a fiery red crystal.

* You take a moment to check in with Lahabrea, who is impressed that his son was able to work the magic of interment so adeptly, and even verbalizes the sentiment. With the immediate threat vanquished, there are questions that demand answers, and truths that demand to be told.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Themis: From a son's undying love for his mother was born a deep well of hatred for his father.

Themis: For Erichthonios, those emotions were all too real─the efficacy of Hephaistos's magicks attests to that. Yet they were spun by a guiding hand, one which sought to use his inner turmoil as a tool for experimentation.
-optional end
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: The vision you saw told the story far more eloquently than I ever could. Athena was consumed by her research, and was willing to sacrifice her own child if it hastened her progress.

Lahabrea: She did not offer him a position here out of a sense of love or pride─'twas merely because she knew he would be the most pliable test subject.

Themis: I see now why you hid the truth from him. I cannot say with certainty that Erichthonios could handle the weight of such betrayal, after holding his mother on a pedestal for so long...

Lahabrea: Unfortunately, it seems not even her death has ensured his safety. Hephaistos has taken up Athena's research, and succeeded in creating hemitheoi.

Lahabrea: I know not what his ultimate end is, but 'tis plain it is connected with the resurrection of Athena.

Themis: That knowledge alone is sufficient to direct our next course of action. As for the rest of your story, we shall hear it after we have returned Erichthonios to safety, in accordance with Agdistis's last wish.

Lahabrea: ...Very well.

Themis: I can, at least, assure you that finding him shall prove relatively simple now that Hephaistos can no longer bend Pandæmonium to his will.

Lahabrea: There is but one place left for him to find refuge: the black heart of Tartaros, where Athena built her testing compound.

Themis: We can assume that Hephaistos will offer fierce resistance. I must focus my every effort on securing a safe means of approach.

Themis: Lahabrea, I would ask that you assume the duty of summoning [Forename]'s phantom warriors.

Lahabrea: ...I have no objections. My ability to fight within Tartaros would be greatly diminished in any case.

Lahabrea: However, I wish to deal the final blow to Hephaistos myself. There is no need to dirty your hands with such a deed.

Themis: I take it, then, that you have no intent to seal him away as before.

Lahabrea: The presence I felt when I encountered Hephaistos bore little resemblance to the entity I created. By his own hand he has become something far more wicked, and the same magicks that once shackled him may very well shatter before the power he wields.

Lahabrea: On my pride as a researcher, I am loath to repeat the same mistake twice. I would not see these events play out again, and so he must be extinguished.

Themis: Well then, I shall open the way forward. May we finish this─together!

-quest accepted
-cutscene end
-optional start
Themis: The end is in sight. Return to me safely, friend.

Lahabrea: If Hephaistos truly means to continue Athena's research, then Erichthonios is indispensable to his goals. He is safe, but for how much longer I cannot say...
[Themis is very glowy here.]

-optional end

''Abyssos The Eighth Circle now accessible.''

===After Abyssos The Eighth Circle ===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: The chain of events that led to this moment began with my error, when out of mercy I confined you here. Now I break it, and leave no trace of you behind.

Hephaistos: This...is not...over!

Lahabrea: I see you will not go peacefully...

Hephaistos: Even a castoff would uphold his pride. Though such an impulse must speak to the overwhelming arrogance of my other half...

Hephaistos: The name “Hephaistos” shall grow to eclipse yours. None shall remember the deeds of Lahabrea once I fulfill Athena's ambition...and bring Erichthonios's dream to life!

Lahabrea: You speak as if you care a whit for the boy. Why then do you cower behind him?

Lahabrea: There are some desires which must not be realized. Athena would see the world destroyed if it meant she could find hers in the ruins. As for Erichthonios...

Lahabrea: He knows not what his wish would beget─a truth which you have hidden from him. Do you truly believe a father's role is to deceive and manipulate?

Erichthonios: My...wish...?

Lahabrea: You would claim the name Hephaistos and call yourself his father, yet you bind his mind and body in dark chains. Your words─and your pride─ring hollow.

Hephaistos: Athena wanted her son by her side, and he desires to return there. What wickedness is there in mending a broken family?

Lahabrea: Athena cared naught for Erichthonios, beyond how he could serve her ends.

Lahabrea: You claim to be acting in his interest, but 'tis plain you are no different.

Lahabrea: As I ushered Athena to her end, I vowed that my sole mission in life would be to guide this star true.

Lahabrea: In service to that vow, I silenced the whispers of my heart. I could not nurture a son whilst an entire world looked to me for guidance. For that choice, I bear the responsibility...

Lahabrea: Yet he is still my son, and I'll not suffer you to seduce him with false hope. You, who are naught but the bitter dregs of Athena and I─the very worst of us!

Erichthonios: Mother, she... N-No! Then who─ ''How'' do I...?

Question: What will you say?

> Trust in Lahabrea!

> Hearken to your heart!

> Come back to us!
---
Erichthonios: I-I hear you... I owe you...and Themis...an apology...

Erichthonios: Athena, did you ever...? And Lahabrea, I...

Erichthonios: I will have my say!

Hephaistos: H-How!? His mind was mine!

Erichthonios: I can't explain. [Forename]'s words reached me through the haze...

Erichthonios: They rang loud and clear.

Erichthonios: As did the words of another. In a voice much like yours, but resounding with truth!

Hephaistos: How... When did you master these bonds!?

Erichthonios: Oh, we've interred much worse!

Hephaistos: You worthless... You... Aaaaaargggh!

Erichthonios: It appears my failures have borne fruit after all...

Lahabrea: You did well...son.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Lahabrea.===
-optional start
Erichthonios: Where...are we?
-optional end

Lahabrea: With Hephaistos's essence contained in this crystal, we may safely return Erichthonios above. That he would bind Hephaistos with only half his senses intact...

Lahabrea: You quite understated his adeptness in the art of interment. It was hardly what I had in mind, but a feat deserving of praise nonetheless.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=WO-lIF92ZvU}}

File:Pandaemonium-AMothersTouch 3.jpg

2026-06-01T08:38:23Z

Mintd:

== Licensing ==
{{Square Enix image|screenshot}}

File:Pandaemonium-AMothersTouch 2.jpg

2026-06-01T08:37:16Z

Mintd:

File:Pandaemonium-AMothersTouch 1.jpg

2026-06-01T08:36:57Z

Mintd:

== Licensing ==
{{Square Enix image|screenshot}}

Servant of Violence

2026-05-31T15:39:53Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Servant of Violence
| description = [[Erichthonios]] seems eager to dispel Lahabrea's doubts.
| image = servant of violence.png
| quest-giver = Erichthonios (NPC)
| related-npcs = Lahabrea; Themis
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x = 21.5
| location-y = 19.0
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 27
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Battledance Materia IX
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks = ra Abyssos: The Seventh Circle
| prev-quest = A Keyward's Gaol
| next-quest = One Final Wish
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70174
| id-edb = 027b6c66395
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Lahabrea]].
*Enter [[Abyssos: The Seventh Circle]].
*Speak with Lahabrea.

==Journal==
* Erichthonios seems eager to dispel Lahabrea's doubts.

* Lahabrea is impressed with your victory over Hegemone, and gives you leave to proceed deeper into Pandæmonium. However, he insists that Erichthonios stay behind, fearing him to be a liability during such a dangerous endeavor. The warder lashes out at his father, but is abruptly overcome by dark forces and spirited away to depths unknown. Time will be of the essence in determining your next course of action.

* With Erichthonios now at the mercy of Hephaistos's experiments, the only option is to press forward as quickly as possible to Tartaros, the deepest part of Pandæmonium. Agdistis, the final keyward, stands in your way, and although she is hidden away in the facility's liminal spaces, your aether allows you to be conveyed directly to her lair. Make ready to test your mettle against Pandæmonium's most gifted keyward.
** ※Abyssos: The Seventh Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* Hephaistos's attempts to create an immortal hemitheos have left little of Agdistis's once-brilliant mind behind, which is perhaps your saving grace in overcoming her primal fury. Having emerged victorious, you stand alone in the howling void.

* Ere you can begin to panic about your means of return to the gates, Themis and Lahabrea appear, seemingly ushered to your location as if by an outside force. As you ponder this mystery, the essence of Agdistis materializes before you, and you recognize her voice as the one vaguely heard throughout your investigation. With the last of her waning strength, she reveals a truth that Lahabrea long concealed for his son's peace of mind─namely, that Athena intended to use Erichthonios as a test subject for her experiments. Pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place, with the promise of more to be found as you make ready to confront Hephaistos at last.

* While Lahabrea grumbles about Agdistis's gall in putting his past on display, he also surmises that she was glad to face such a strong foe at the last─as close to an admission of sorrow as you are likely to hear from him. With the path into Tartaros clear, there is nowhere left to go but down...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: ...Our plan was a success, although I hardly need to tell you that. Hegemone has been sealed away, and now you have no choice but to admit the merit in our methods.

Lahabrea: You have the right of it. I am not so petty as to deny the achievements of those I've squabbled with, no matter how strongly we disagree.

Lahabrea: Moreover, this being─aether as thin as retreating mist, unable to wield creation magicks, yet powerful enough to subdue a hemitheos─has made this ordeal far more interesting.

Erichthonios: Then we have leave to continue?

Lahabrea: As for that...there is one among you whose very presence puts the others at risk. 'Twould be best to proceed without him, for failure would have consequences that reach far beyond Pandæmonium.

Erichthonios: ...And of whom do you speak?

Lahabrea: A warder who cannot even conduct his duty without aid. In this place, hope alone is not enough to overcome what awaits you. A single misstep will send all to their doom.

Erichthonios: So long as we each do our part and look to the allies by our side, even a neophyte can upraise his companions. That's something that [Forename] and Themis taught me.

Themis: While I do not wish to express any bias, I am inclined to agree. If my investigation has made anything clear, it is that we are together greater than the sum of our parts.

Erichthonios: And hope has brought us this far! It drives us to seek the ''right'' path─and to act before that path lies closed to us.

Lahabrea: Then tell me─what is it you hope for?

Erichthonios: To see Hephaistos in chains. That's the surest way to prevent further sacrifices.

Erichthonios: I'm aware that destroying Pandæmonium would rid us of him, but the cost is far too great.

Erichthonios: And I admit...I wish to know how he means to resurrect Athena.

Lahabrea: ...And there we have it.

Lahabrea: You must leave this place at once. And do not think to set foot in Pandæmonium again.

Lahabrea: You are capable, that much is plain. Yet Hephaistos cannot be suffered to live. And I shall not allow his talk of resurrection to poison mine or anyone else's mind.

Lahabrea: Life flows in a cycle. This is known.

Lahabrea: All souls return to the Underworld, and Athena's is no exception. She has likely found a new vessel─and a new journey to embark upon.

Lahabrea: You cannot be ignorant to the folly of Hephaistos's words. Even were he to breathe life into a body, the soul contained within would not be your mother's.

Erichthonios: What if our knowledge is imperfect? What if Hephaistos has discovered something that no one else has?

Erichthonios: He knows all that you do. Understands the bitter reality of the world. He wouldn't pursue the impossible!

Lahabrea: Think, Erichthonios. I have already explained that he is merely my twisted reflection. Is it worth bringing back your mother if it means others are used and discarded like tools?

Erichthonios: Is it worth it? To see her once more...

Lahabrea: ''Now'' you measure the worth of your colleagues' lives? What was that foolish braying about saving them? Merely a performance to hide your childish devotion to your mother?

Themis: Please, such barbs will get us nowhere. We should first discuss─

Erichthonios: You would call ''me'' “fool”? You, who murdered your wife in service of your ambition!? “For the sake of the star,” no doubt...

Erichthonios: Ungh... I can hear it again. That voice...inside my head...

Erichthonios: I know who to follow... Hephaistos... Father!

Erichthonios: Mother... Oh, I love you so! And this voice...will guide me to you!

Distant Voice: No, listen not! Listen not, Erichthonios!

Erichthonios: Apologies. You taught me that a calm heart stays the course...but I could never even grasp the rudder.
-quest accepted
-cutscene end

-optional start
Themis: This was Hephaistos's work, there can be no doubt. It seems he learned from his previous failure.

-optional end

===Speak with Lahabrea.===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: Hephaistos is cunning despite his warped mind. Whatever took hold of Erichthonios, it made short work of his reason.

Lahabrea: From the moment he laid eyes upon me, I could sense his hatred and rage simmering below the surface. 'Twas but a matter of time until it spilled forth─and that was when he fell into the spell's embrace.

Lahabrea: A magic woven with such skill that Erichthonios himself failed to notice until it was too late.

Themis: If this is the measure of Hephaistos's power, then the other keywards had little chance to resist it.

Themis: We saw his work during our encounter with Hesperos. Doubtless Hephaistos's magicks fed his admiration and envy until there was room for naught else in his heart.

Themis: And there was something else besides... Did you not feel the presence of another?

Themis: As I thought. Someone was trying to warn Erichthonios, but whom? Could it have been one of the keywards?

Lahabrea: Alas, their warning arrived too late. I had already provoked Erichthonios past the point of no return.

Lahabrea: I bear the burden for this failure. In my stubbornness I could but scorn the boy, and Hephaistos knew that.

Lahabrea: And now I dread to think of the ordeal that awaits him due to my rashness...

Themis: ...There is time yet to save him. We can easily regain control of Abyssos, giving us a firm foothold from which to brave Pandæmonium's lowest level. The enemy is within reach.

Themis: Just as with Hesperos, Erichthonios is in danger of being consumed by Hephaistos's spell. However, I have faith that he will not easily lose sight of himself!

Themis: The way forward is clear. Lahabrea, pray tell us all you know of what we shall find beyond Abyssos. I can only assume one more keyward lies in wait.

Lahabrea: The deepest level of Pandæmonium is called Tartaros, and your passage shall be challenged not only by a keyward...

Lahabrea: Hephaistos has laid traps in every corner of its halls. You have no hope of surviving far past the threshold.

Themis: ...That, I expect, is where [Forename] shall shine.

Themis: {{alternatives|f=Her|m=His}} dissolute aether shall allow her to slip through the traps unimpeded. We saw it when Hephaistos's had no effect, and doubtless even he has yet to devise a countermeasure.

Lahabrea: Then time is of the essence. Hephaistos is already well aware that you can match a keyward in battle─he will not stand idle while you stroll past his other defenses at your leisure.

Themis: Agreed. However, clarity will be indispensable to our success, and I'm afraid I must insist upon it ere we depart.

Themis: We have yet to discern to what end Hephaistos would use Erichthonios. If you know, I would ask that you enlighten us.

Themis: And then there is the matter of Athena. Why do you so fiercely rebuke Erichthonios's feelings for his mother?

Themis: While I understand the very thought of resurrecting the dead is anathema, you act as if grief over her passing should be equally so. How are we to grapple with what plagues our friend and drives our foe if you refuse to acknowledge it?

Lahabrea: I do acknowledge it. I wish only to spare those that feel it still greater pain.

Question:

> Did you mean to protect Erichthonios with your silence?

> So instead of being honest, you bicker like a child?

> And so you drove your own son over the edge.
---
Lahabrea: How dare you...

Lahabrea: ...No, no. You are right. The blame for Erichthonios's fate rests squarely on my shoulders.

Lahabrea: Very well. I shall lay bare the truth, but only after the foe before us has been laid low.

Lahabrea: The remaining keyward is Agdistis. She has served in Pandæmonium since its inception, and her affinity for magic is peerless even among the keywards.

Lahabrea: Hephaistos knows that losing her would mean the end of his experiments. He has hidden her in a space unreachable by conventional means.

Lahabrea: But your presence makes mockery of such barriers. The scarcity of your aether means it will be trivial to send you directly to Agdistis.

Themis: We shall approach as closely as caution will allow. We know where the battle will commence, so I do not anticipate difficulty in detecting your presence.

Themis: From afar, I shall do my best to provide you with ground on which to fight and phantom allies to aid you. As for the interment, I have yet to think of a foolproof method...

Lahabrea: Interment shall not be necessary.

Lahabrea: From here I can sense Agdistis's essence...but it is scarcely recognizable. Hephaistos was more ambitious with her than he was with Hegemone. She has been transfigured such that barely a scantling of her self remains.

Lahabrea: We can but take comfort in what a mercy the Underworld will be to her.
-cutscene end

''Abyssos The Seventh Circle now accessible''

-optional start
Themis: I shall establish control of Abyssos while keeping an eye on your battle. When the dust has settled, Hephaistos will have nowhere left to flee.

Lahabrea: I sense that Hephaistos has come close to perfecting his image of a hemitheos. Which means his research is in its final stage...
-optional end

=== After Abyssos The Seventh Circle===
-cutscene start
Themis: The moment Agdistis was slain, the flow of aether in Pandæmonium focused keenly on this location, creating a tunnel of sorts through which we could quickly convey ourselves. 'Twas almost as if we were ushered here...

Lahabrea: This space was created with care, and concealed with powerful wards. Only a keyward would have been able to detect it, and even then with great difficulty. Ergo...

Agdistis: If only I could restore Tartaros to order...but I am afraid this is the most I can manage with such power as remains to me.

Agdistis: It has been too long, Master Lahabrea.

Lahabrea: Likewise, Keyward Agdistis. I should not be surprised you were able to break free of Hephaistos's spells, even diminished as you were.

Agdistis: 'Twas not an easy task, even with your aid. His curses dig into one's heart, creating a storm of emotions that is all too easy to become lost in. Only by chance did a fragment of my self remain, illuminating a path through the madness.

Agdistis: And thus am I able to appear before you now. Even while my body was powerless to resist Hephaistos's commands, some small part of my logical mind stood alone in defiance. It even managed to speak to the outside world.

Themis: ...The report. That was you!

Agdistis: Doubtless you recognize my voice from the many times I have called out to you. The hope that those pleas would not fall on deaf ears was all that kept me from succumbing to hopelessness.

Agdistis: But I have a greater purpose here than simply saying my farewells. There is something you must know, that the tragedies of the past do not repeat in the present.

Agdistis: Forgive me for what I am about to do, Master Lahabrea, but the story must be told. 'Tis the only way to understand Hephaistos's fixation on Erichthonios.

Agdistis: No longer can you hide your heart away...

Themis: Hephaistos? No, the mask marks him as Lahabrea...

Agdistis: Master Lahabrea had brought an end to Lady Athena's life, and sealed away a part of his memories and emotions within Hephaistos. These are my recollections of the moments following.

Agdistis: ...And you truly have no intention of revealing the truth to Erichthonios?

Lahabrea: My lesser half is now buried where none can find it. We would be wise to do the same with our memory of this day.

Lahabrea: Blood should not sway the spirit so, but Athena's teachings have warped the boy. I fear he would see our star burn to keep his mother safe.

Lahabrea: Erichthonios believes that he feels love, but he is shackled by dependence. He could not bear the truth.

Agdistis: His dependence makes it all the more important to be open with him. He will seek answers about his mother's loss, which shall inevitably lead him to you. Are you willing to accept the blame for Athena's death? Are you willing to accept your son's hatred?

Lahabrea: If that is what comes to pass, then so be it. Better to be burdened with hatred than the knowledge that Athena thought his body and soul mere tools. To be used and discarded...

Lahabrea: Even were I to tell him what his mother plotted, he would ever seek reasons to believe that the true fault lies with me─or with him. Should he merely hate me, he will remain unfettered by doubt─free to serve the star far from his parents' shadow.

Themis: Erichthonios loved his mother more than life itself, and yet... What a dreadful truth you've borne all this time.

Agdistis: Such is Lahabrea's nature. Every action, every word a solution to life's great dilemmas─and none to spare for his own.

Agdistis: What I have revealed to you is but a small portion of a larger picture. I shall leave it to Lahabrea to paint the rest for you─and for Erichthonios, I hope.

Lahabrea: Thank you, Agdistis.

Agdistis: I always admired you, you know. What choice did I have, when you sacrificed so much to guide our star to the heavens?

Lahabrea: Hephaistos has doubtless sensed that his final keyward has fallen. We should return to the surface before he moves to strike us here.

Lahabrea: If we are to face him, we must be prepared to bring our full strength to bear.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Themis: It was Erichthonios's hatred of his father that caused him to fall victim to Hephaistos's magicks. Yet the roots of that hatred were born from a son's love...
Themis: ...A love nurtured not by a mother caring for her offspring, but by a researcher creating the ideal test subject. Pandæmonium abounds with demons indeed...
-optional end

===Speak with Lahabrea.===
Lahabrea: Agdistis was ever a bold woman, even in her final moments. That she would unearth the secrets of my past for all to look upon...

Lahabrea: ...Still, full glad am I that she faced you as her last opponent. I could think of none more worthy to send her soul off to the other side.

-quest complete

</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=juK7ZUBLa6A}}

Servant of Violence

2026-05-31T15:39:02Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Servant of Violence
| description = [[Erichthonios]] seems eager to dispel Lahabrea's doubts.
| image = servant of violence.png
| quest-giver = Erichthonios (NPC)
| related-npcs = Lahabrea; Themis
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x = 21.5
| location-y = 19.0
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 27
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Battledance Materia IX
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks = ra Abyssos: The Seventh Circle
| prev-quest = A Keyward's Gaol
| next-quest = One Final Wish
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70174
| id-edb = 027b6c66395
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Lahabrea]].
*Enter [[Abyssos: The Seventh Circle]].
*Speak with Lahabrea.

==Journal==
* Erichthonios seems eager to dispel Lahabrea's doubts.

* Lahabrea is impressed with your victory over Hegemone, and gives you leave to proceed deeper into Pandæmonium. However, he insists that Erichthonios stay behind, fearing him to be a liability during such a dangerous endeavor. The warder lashes out at his father, but is abruptly overcome by dark forces and spirited away to depths unknown. Time will be of the essence in determining your next course of action.

* With Erichthonios now at the mercy of Hephaistos's experiments, the only option is to press forward as quickly as possible to Tartaros, the deepest part of Pandæmonium. Agdistis, the final keyward, stands in your way, and although she is hidden away in the facility's liminal spaces, your aether allows you to be conveyed directly to her lair. Make ready to test your mettle against Pandæmonium's most gifted keyward.
** ※Abyssos: The Seventh Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* Hephaistos's attempts to create an immortal hemitheos have left little of Agdistis's once-brilliant mind behind, which is perhaps your saving grace in overcoming her primal fury. Having emerged victorious, you stand alone in the howling void.

* Ere you can begin to panic about your means of return to the gates, Themis and Lahabrea appear, seemingly ushered to your location as if by an outside force. As you ponder this mystery, the essence of Agdistis materializes before you, and you recognize her voice as the one vaguely heard throughout your investigation. With the last of her waning strength, she reveals a truth that Lahabrea long concealed for his son's peace of mind─namely, that Athena intended to use Erichthonios as a test subject for her experiments. Pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place, with the promise of more to be found as you make ready to confront Hephaistos at last.

* While Lahabrea grumbles about Agdistis's gall in putting his past on display, he also surmises that she was glad to face such a strong foe at the last─as close to an admission of sorrow as you are likely to hear from him. With the path into Tartaros clear, there is nowhere left to go but down...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: ...Our plan was a success, although I hardly need to tell you that. Hegemone has been sealed away, and now you have no choice but to admit the merit in our methods.

Lahabrea: You have the right of it. I am not so petty as to deny the achievements of those I've squabbled with, no matter how strongly we disagree.

Lahabrea: Moreover, this being─aether as thin as retreating mist, unable to wield creation magicks, yet powerful enough to subdue a hemitheos─has made this ordeal far more interesting.

Erichthonios: Then we have leave to continue?

Lahabrea: As for that...there is one among you whose very presence puts the others at risk. 'Twould be best to proceed without him, for failure would have consequences that reach far beyond Pandæmonium.

Erichthonios: ...And of whom do you speak?

Lahabrea: A warder who cannot even conduct his duty without aid. In this place, hope alone is not enough to overcome what awaits you. A single misstep will send all to their doom.

Erichthonios: So long as we each do our part and look to the allies by our side, even a neophyte can upraise his companions. That's something that [Forename] and Themis taught me.

Themis: While I do not wish to express any bias, I am inclined to agree. If my investigation has made anything clear, it is that we are together greater than the sum of our parts.

Erichthonios: And hope has brought us this far! It drives us to seek the ''right'' path─and to act before that path lies closed to us.

Lahabrea: Then tell me─what is it you hope for?

Erichthonios: To see Hephaistos in chains. That's the surest way to prevent further sacrifices.

Erichthonios: I'm aware that destroying Pandæmonium would rid us of him, but the cost is far too great.

Erichthonios: And I admit...I wish to know how he means to resurrect Athena.

Lahabrea: ...And there we have it.

Lahabrea: You must leave this place at once. And do not think to set foot in Pandæmonium again.

Lahabrea: You are capable, that much is plain. Yet Hephaistos cannot be suffered to live. And I shall not allow his talk of resurrection to poison mine or anyone else's mind.

Lahabrea: Life flows in a cycle. This is known.

Lahabrea: All souls return to the Underworld, and Athena's is no exception. She has likely found a new vessel─and a new journey to embark upon.

Lahabrea: You cannot be ignorant to the folly of Hephaistos's words. Even were he to breathe life into a body, the soul contained within would not be your mother's.

Erichthonios: What if our knowledge is imperfect? What if Hephaistos has discovered something that no one else has?

Erichthonios: He knows all that you do. Understands the bitter reality of the world. He wouldn't pursue the impossible!

Lahabrea: Think, Erichthonios. I have already explained that he is merely my twisted reflection. Is it worth bringing back your mother if it means others are used and discarded like tools?

Erichthonios: Is it worth it? To see her once more...

Lahabrea: ''Now'' you measure the worth of your colleagues' lives? What was that foolish braying about saving them? Merely a performance to hide your childish devotion to your mother?

Themis: Please, such barbs will get us nowhere. We should first discuss─

Erichthonios: You would call ''me'' “fool”? You, who murdered your wife in service of your ambition!? “For the sake of the star,” no doubt...

Erichthonios: Ungh... I can hear it again. That voice...inside my head...

Erichthonios: I know who to follow... Hephaistos... Father!

Erichthonios: Mother... Oh, I love you so! And this voice...will guide me to you!

Distant Voice: No, listen not! Listen not, Erichthonios!

Erichthonios: Apologies. You taught me that a calm heart stays the course...but I could never even grasp the rudder.
-quest accepted
-cutscene end

-optional start
Themis: This was Hephaistos's work, there can be no doubt. It seems he learned from his previous failure.

-optional end

===Speak with Lahabrea.===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: Hephaistos is cunning despite his warped mind. Whatever took hold of Erichthonios, it made short work of his reason.

Lahabrea: From the moment he laid eyes upon me, I could sense his hatred and rage simmering below the surface. 'Twas but a matter of time until it spilled forth─and that was when he fell into the spell's embrace.

Lahabrea: A magic woven with such skill that Erichthonios himself failed to notice until it was too late.

Themis: If this is the measure of Hephaistos's power, then the other keywards had little chance to resist it.

Themis: We saw his work during our encounter with Hesperos. Doubtless Hephaistos's magicks fed his admiration and envy until there was room for naught else in his heart.

Themis: And there was something else besides... Did you not feel the presence of another?

Themis: As I thought. Someone was trying to warn Erichthonios, but whom? Could it have been one of the keywards?

Lahabrea: Alas, their warning arrived too late. I had already provoked Erichthonios past the point of no return.

Lahabrea: I bear the burden for this failure. In my stubbornness I could but scorn the boy, and Hephaistos knew that.

Lahabrea: And now I dread to think of the ordeal that awaits him due to my rashness...

Themis: ...There is time yet to save him. We can easily regain control of Abyssos, giving us a firm foothold from which to brave Pandæmonium's lowest level. The enemy is within reach.

Themis: Just as with Hesperos, Erichthonios is in danger of being consumed by Hephaistos's spell. However, I have faith that he will not easily lose sight of himself!

Themis: The way forward is clear. Lahabrea, pray tell us all you know of what we shall find beyond Abyssos. I can only assume one more keyward lies in wait.

Lahabrea: The deepest level of Pandæmonium is called Tartaros, and your passage shall be challenged not only by a keyward...

Lahabrea: Hephaistos has laid traps in every corner of its halls. You have no hope of surviving far past the threshold.

Themis: ...That, I expect, is where [Forename] shall shine.

Themis: {{alternatives|f=Her|m=His}} dissolute aether shall allow her to slip through the traps unimpeded. We saw it when Hephaistos's had no effect, and doubtless even he has yet to devise a countermeasure.

Lahabrea: Then time is of the essence. Hephaistos is already well aware that you can match a keyward in battle─he will not stand idle while you stroll past his other defenses at your leisure.

Themis: Agreed. However, clarity will be indispensable to our success, and I'm afraid I must insist upon it ere we depart.

Themis: We have yet to discern to what end Hephaistos would use Erichthonios. If you know, I would ask that you enlighten us.

Themis: And then there is the matter of Athena. Why do you so fiercely rebuke Erichthonios's feelings for his mother?

Themis: While I understand the very thought of resurrecting the dead is anathema, you act as if grief over her passing should be equally so. How are we to grapple with what plagues our friend and drives our foe if you refuse to acknowledge it?

Lahabrea: I do acknowledge it. I wish only to spare those that feel it still greater pain.

Question:

> Did you mean to protect Erichthonios with your silence?

> So instead of being honest, you bicker like a child?

> And so you drove your own son over the edge.
---
Lahabrea: How dare you...

Lahabrea: ...No, no. You are right. The blame for Erichthonios's fate rests squarely on my shoulders.

Lahabrea: Very well. I shall lay bare the truth, but only after the foe before us has been laid low.

Lahabrea: The remaining keyward is Agdistis. She has served in Pandæmonium since its inception, and her affinity for magic is peerless even among the keywards.

Lahabrea: Hephaistos knows that losing her would mean the end of his experiments. He has hidden her in a space unreachable by conventional means.

Lahabrea: But your presence makes mockery of such barriers. The scarcity of your aether means it will be trivial to send you directly to Agdistis.

Themis: We shall approach as closely as caution will allow. We know where the battle will commence, so I do not anticipate difficulty in detecting your presence.

Themis: From afar, I shall do my best to provide you with ground on which to fight and phantom allies to aid you. As for the interment, I have yet to think of a foolproof method...

Lahabrea: Interment shall not be necessary.

Lahabrea: From here I can sense Agdistis's essence...but it is scarcely recognizable. Hephaistos was more ambitious with her than he was with Hegemone. She has been transfigured such that barely a scantling of her self remains.

Lahabrea: We can but take comfort in what a mercy the Underworld will be to her.
-cutscene end

''Abyssos: The Seventh Circle now accessible''

-optional start
Themis: I shall establish control of Abyssos while keeping an eye on your battle. When the dust has settled, Hephaistos will have nowhere left to flee.

Lahabrea: I sense that Hephaistos has come close to perfecting his image of a hemitheos. Which means his research is in its final stage...
-optional end

=== After Abyssos The Seventh Circle===
-cutscene start
Themis: The moment Agdistis was slain, the flow of aether in Pandæmonium focused keenly on this location, creating a tunnel of sorts through which we could quickly convey ourselves. 'Twas almost as if we were ushered here...

Lahabrea: This space was created with care, and concealed with powerful wards. Only a keyward would have been able to detect it, and even then with great difficulty. Ergo...

Agdistis: If only I could restore Tartaros to order...but I am afraid this is the most I can manage with such power as remains to me.

Agdistis: It has been too long, Master Lahabrea.

Lahabrea: Likewise, Keyward Agdistis. I should not be surprised you were able to break free of Hephaistos's spells, even diminished as you were.

Agdistis: 'Twas not an easy task, even with your aid. His curses dig into one's heart, creating a storm of emotions that is all too easy to become lost in. Only by chance did a fragment of my self remain, illuminating a path through the madness.

Agdistis: And thus am I able to appear before you now. Even while my body was powerless to resist Hephaistos's commands, some small part of my logical mind stood alone in defiance. It even managed to speak to the outside world.

Themis: ...The report. That was you!

Agdistis: Doubtless you recognize my voice from the many times I have called out to you. The hope that those pleas would not fall on deaf ears was all that kept me from succumbing to hopelessness.

Agdistis: But I have a greater purpose here than simply saying my farewells. There is something you must know, that the tragedies of the past do not repeat in the present.

Agdistis: Forgive me for what I am about to do, Master Lahabrea, but the story must be told. 'Tis the only way to understand Hephaistos's fixation on Erichthonios.

Agdistis: No longer can you hide your heart away...

Themis: Hephaistos? No, the mask marks him as Lahabrea...

Agdistis: Master Lahabrea had brought an end to Lady Athena's life, and sealed away a part of his memories and emotions within Hephaistos. These are my recollections of the moments following.

Agdistis: ...And you truly have no intention of revealing the truth to Erichthonios?

Lahabrea: My lesser half is now buried where none can find it. We would be wise to do the same with our memory of this day.

Lahabrea: Blood should not sway the spirit so, but Athena's teachings have warped the boy. I fear he would see our star burn to keep his mother safe.

Lahabrea: Erichthonios believes that he feels love, but he is shackled by dependence. He could not bear the truth.

Agdistis: His dependence makes it all the more important to be open with him. He will seek answers about his mother's loss, which shall inevitably lead him to you. Are you willing to accept the blame for Athena's death? Are you willing to accept your son's hatred?

Lahabrea: If that is what comes to pass, then so be it. Better to be burdened with hatred than the knowledge that Athena thought his body and soul mere tools. To be used and discarded...

Lahabrea: Even were I to tell him what his mother plotted, he would ever seek reasons to believe that the true fault lies with me─or with him. Should he merely hate me, he will remain unfettered by doubt─free to serve the star far from his parents' shadow.

Themis: Erichthonios loved his mother more than life itself, and yet... What a dreadful truth you've borne all this time.

Agdistis: Such is Lahabrea's nature. Every action, every word a solution to life's great dilemmas─and none to spare for his own.

Agdistis: What I have revealed to you is but a small portion of a larger picture. I shall leave it to Lahabrea to paint the rest for you─and for Erichthonios, I hope.

Lahabrea: Thank you, Agdistis.

Agdistis: I always admired you, you know. What choice did I have, when you sacrificed so much to guide our star to the heavens?

Lahabrea: Hephaistos has doubtless sensed that his final keyward has fallen. We should return to the surface before he moves to strike us here.

Lahabrea: If we are to face him, we must be prepared to bring our full strength to bear.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Themis: It was Erichthonios's hatred of his father that caused him to fall victim to Hephaistos's magicks. Yet the roots of that hatred were born from a son's love...
Themis: ...A love nurtured not by a mother caring for her offspring, but by a researcher creating the ideal test subject. Pandæmonium abounds with demons indeed...
-optional end

===Speak with Lahabrea.===
Lahabrea: Agdistis was ever a bold woman, even in her final moments. That she would unearth the secrets of my past for all to look upon...

Lahabrea: ...Still, full glad am I that she faced you as her last opponent. I could think of none more worthy to send her soul off to the other side.

-quest complete

</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=juK7ZUBLa6A}}

A Keyward's Gaol

2026-05-31T15:38:25Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = A Keyward's Gaol
| description = [[Erichthonios]] is resolutely avoiding his father's eye.
| image = a keywards gaol.png
| quest-giver = Erichthonios (NPC)
| related-npcs = Lahabrea; Themis
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x = 21.5
| location-y = 19.0
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 26
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Quicktongue Materia IX
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks = ra Abyssos: The Sixth Circle
| prev-quest = Masks of the Father
| next-quest = Servant of Violence
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70173
| id-edb = 1736041021d
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Erichthonios (NPC)|Erichthonios]].
*Speak with [[Lahabrea]].
*Enter [[Abyssos: The Sixth Circle]].
*Speak with Erichthonios.

==Journal==
* Erichthonios is resolutely avoiding his father's eye.

* At his son's prompting, a surprisingly cooperative Lahabrea explains that Hephaistos was an experiment born of his own negative emotions, meant to remain sealed away forevermore. While he does not know how his so-called “other half” came to roam the facility unfettered, he concludes that the best means to keep him from wreaking further havoc is to destroy Pandæmonium before the barriers surrounding it are undone. Following Erichthonios's stringent objection to this course, Themis invokes his position as Emissary to advocate for continued investigation of the facility, that the warders might yet be saved. Lahabrea begrudgingly accepts this decision, but states that he will not hesitate to move forward with Pandæmonium's erasure if you are unequal to the task. Angered by his father's callousness, Erichthonios stalks off.

* You approach Erichthonios at the entrance to Abyssos. He appears to have calmed down somewhat, and even admits that Lahabrea's knowledge will prove useful as you venture into Abyssos. He asks that you speak to Lahabrea in his stead, as it seems the chief keyward has a special interest in you.

* Although Lahabrea can no longer directly control Abyssos, he can yet sense the aether within. He informs you that while no creations have been set loose, the keyward Hegemone awaits your arrival. Traces of her original self remain, but corruption indicates the likelihood that she has already been transformed into a hemitheos. You brace yourself for the battle ahead, and hope that the keyward is not yet too far gone to be saved.
** ※Abyssos: The Sixth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* You find the keyward Hegemone either unable or unwilling to listen to reason─though that appears to be the least of her problems. After a skin-crawling struggle with her and the parasite stitched into her flesh, your phantom party attains victory, sealing the keyward away in the hopes that the harm done to her can be reversed in the future.

* With your goal attained, Erichthonios is convinced that Lahabrea can no longer deny your strength and resolve. Yet the stygian depths of Pandæmonium await, halls echoing with the cries of Hephaistos's damned...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>

-optional start
Themis: I admit my own grasp on what just occurred is somewhat tenuous. Doubtless Lahabrea can elucidate matters for us...
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: I don't know how long it's been since we last spoke, Lahabrea, and truth be told I had hoped we never would again.

Erichthonios: But I see now that I was a fool to think I would ever escape your meddling. Just what is that...''thing'' that called himself Lahabrea? And why is he the spitting image of your younger self?

Erichthonios: I find it hard to believe you've only just now found out such a being was wreaking havoc in Pandæmonium. Did you think matters would simply sort themselves out?
Lahabrea: ...Hmph. I suppose you deserve at least a cursory explanation.

Lahabrea: I was well aware of the anomalies occurring within Pandæmonium, including the fact that Azem and Elidibus had taken it upon themselves to investigate. I saw no reason to insert myself into the situation. For a time, that was...

Lahabrea: Imagine my surprise when instead of a formal report from you and yours, I received a communication from one of the keywards stating that research and operations were proceeding as usual.

Lahabrea: While Hephaistos's deception was almost childish in its simplicity, it became plain to me that your grasp on the situation was slipping.

Themis: So you knew of his existence from the beginning?

Themis: I can hardly imagine that you would suffer another to masquerade as one of the Convocation. Not without good reason, at least.

Lahabrea: As you well know, the name Lahabrea is but a marker of my station. 'Tis not the name I was born with.

Lahabrea: Hephaistos has claimed that for himself. I cannot fault him for it, as he is my other half, in a manner of speaking.

Lahabrea: He knows all that I know─my equal in every way. Yet within his heart is naught but greed, envy, and desire. All the emotions that we are loath to acknowledge within ourselves.

Themis: If what you say is true... What purpose would such a being serve?

Lahabrea: He is the product of experimentation gone awry. A reminder of the days when I was yet young and reckless. I thought him sealed away for good, but it seems time has a way of unearthing the shame we bury.

Erichthonios: When he spoke of my mother, he looked at you with venom in his eyes. Blamed you for her death...

Erichthonios: Tell me... Was he right to do so?

Lahabrea: ...His words were but the ramblings of a tortured mind. The hatred and despair he endures has warped his view of the world irreparably.

Lahabrea: And now that he has awakened, he must be put to rest. If he succeeds in breaching Pandæmonium's protective wards, he shall invite disaster unto our star.

Lahabrea: As chief keyward of Pandæmonium, it is my duty to decide the proper course of action. As such, I declare that all research shall be summarily abandoned and the facility destroyed.

Erichthonios: What? You would leave the other warders to their doom!?

Themis: ...'Tis a choice befitting Lahabrea.

Lahabrea: Do you disagree?

Themis: You speak of duty, and ours is to guide our star and its inhabitants upon the correct course. It is no surprise that you would choose annihilation of Pandæmonium if its existence posed even the remotest risk to our people.

Themis: Yet as you can see by Erichthonios's response, the decision is somewhat more nuanced than that. Azem and I grappled with this conundrum for some time, in fact.

Themis: That is precisely why I chose to involve myself directly. 'Twas the only way I could truly determine the best solution.

Lahabrea: ...And you need not trouble yourself with that further. The chief keyward must prevent the worst from occurring, no matter the cost. Your feelings, Elidibus, are of no consequence.

Erichthonios: Have you taken even a moment to consider another path!? No!

Erichthonios: You've spared nary a thought for aught but yourself and your duty! You have no idea of the trials we've endured! The foes that [Forename] has stood against!

Lahabrea: [Forename], is it? A being of such aether as I have never seen. What are you?

Themis: {{alternatives|f=She|m=He}} is the guiding star that shall lead us safely through this. Thanks to {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} stout arm and steadfast courage, we have subdued the mythic creations and returned them to their cells.

Themis: Speaking of which, I would hear your opinion, [Forename]. As outsiders, we are in a unique position to look upon circumstances with our vision unclouded by attachment.

Question: What will you say?=
> It's too soon to give up on saving the others.
Erichthonios: Agreed. We still know next to nothing about Hephaistos, and I highly doubt Lahabrea has been forthcoming with the truth.
Erichthonios: But we've managed to regain control of Asphodelos. He must be made to see that there's merit in continuing on this path...

> Lahabrea can't be trusted.
Erichthonios: Agreed. We still know next to nothing about Hephaistos, and I highly doubt Lahabrea has been forthcoming with the truth.
Erichthonios: But we've managed to regain control of Asphodelos. He must be made to see that there's merit in continuing on this path...

> What was that you said about being an emissary?

Erichthonios: That's brilliant! Elidibus the Emissary may speak on our behalf. Should he judge our approach the more sound, even Lahabrea would be compelled to listen.
---

Erichthonios: ...I have it. Speak in your official capacity as Elidibus the Emissary. Judge which approach is more sound, and even Lahabrea would be compelled to listen.

Themis: As Elidibus, I am duty-bound to assess the matter from a position of impartiality. My opinion as Themis can carry no weight. You understand what that means, yes?

Erichthonios: I do. Even so, you've walked with us all this time─seen what we've seen. Based on that alone, I trust that you'll find the best way forward.

Themis: Very well. Then in my capacity as Emissary, I shall state my judgment.

Themis: At present, there are merits both in destroying Pandæmonium outright and in taking time to rescue its researchers. And neither is yet an impossible task.

Themis: Therefore, I judge that the most measured choice would be to continue upon our present course. We delve into Abyssos, interring any mythic creations we encounter along the way.

Themis: You have yet to witness [Forename]'s might and Erichthonios's resolve. I would ask that you see our capabilities firsthand, and only then decide if our endeavor is futile.

Lahabrea: If such is the will of the Emissary, then I shall obey. However, if indeed I find your strength to be lacking, I trust there will be no objections to the immediate destruction of Pandæmonium.

Erichthonios: You needn't worry about that─we won't fail.

Lahabrea: You are...bolder than I remember.

Erichthonios: ...And you're even more tedious than I remember. [Forename], come find me when you're finished.

Themis: Erichthonios is understandably frustrated, but if we are to conquer Abyssos, we must go forth with clear heads. Pray lend an ear to his troubles, that their weight might be lightened.
-cutscene end
-quest accepted
-optional start
Themis: Despite recent developments, our plan remains unchanged. Pray call me Themis for the time being─it shall put us all in the correct mindset, and in fact I may be coming to prefer that name.

Lahabrea: ...You have done all you can with words. Only your actions can convince me now.
-optional end

===Speak with Erichthonios.===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: ...You do have my gratitude, ill-fit as I am to show it at the moment. Without your words to sway him, Lahabrea would have carried out his plan without a second thought.

Erichthonios: When at first we realized the creations had slipped their bonds, the other keywards did all in their power to restore order. Even though they could've chosen escape, they remained to aid their allies.

Erichthonios: I'm certain not a soul among them would wish to see this facility erased from the world, and they don't deserve to be abandoned simply for carrying out their duty.

Erichthonios: And besides, Hephaistos has secrets yet untold. Secrets that would be buried if Pandæmonium were reduced to rubble. I mean to uncover the truth behind his words...the truth of my mother.

Erichthonios: While Lahabrea was quick to dismiss his claims, I fail to see what Hephaistos would gain by fabricating such a story.

Erichthonios: All I was told of my mother's death was that she perished in an accident. No one would say more─it was almost as if they feared saying more, in fact.

Erichthonios: Even if it was not Lahabrea that dealt the fatal blow, we've seen with our own eyes how quickly he can condemn others to die. I only wish to know at last what befell her...

Erichthonios: What do you think, [Forename]? Does the Lahabrea you know have any regard for the lives of others? Or will he carry out his duty with another's blood on his hands?
Question: What will you say?
> He always was a man who worked from the shadows.

Erichthonios: Well, that in end of itself isn't reason for suspicion. He's one of the Convocation, who must forge the path of mankind. Naturally, not all of their activities are conducted within the public eye.
> He once used my ally as a vessel for his own twisted ends.

Erichthonios: What would possess him to do that!? Even for Lahabrea, such an act would be a black mark against him if it were made known. I can't imagine how much your ally suffered..
> I have no idea what he might be like in this age.

Erichthonios: “This age”? Just how long has it been since last you met? Regardless, I'd like you to try and view him as he is now. Another opinion would be much appreciated...

---
Erichthonios: ...But it is plain there is much to consider. Thank you, [Forename]. It's easy for me to get carried away by emotion where he's concerned.

Erichthonios: We should focus on the task at hand: proving to Lahabrea that we are capable of saving Pandæmonium and its keepers. The most convincing way to do that will be to regain control of Abyssos.

Erichthonios: Although I'm loath to admit it, he would know more about those depths than any of us. And seeing as how we require every advantage we can afford...

Erichthonios: [Forename], would you speak to him for us? He seems to have a special interest in your capabilities, and may deign to help at your suggestion─if only to see what you can do.

-cutscene end
-optional start
Erichthonios: Researchers of different layers seldom contact one another unless work is involved, and I know next to nothing about the keyward of Abyssos. Any morsels of information Lahabrea can offer would be a boon.

-optional end

===Speak with Lahabrea.===
-cutscene start
Lahabrea: Erichthonios appears to have a deep trust in you. And Elidibus tells me you share some relation to Azem.

Lahabrea: Your unusual aether does not mark you as a familiar. It is unlike anything I have seen, even among the countless concepts I have observed.

Lahabrea: To think that I would encounter an existence I could not create by my own hand. Azem never ceases to surprise.

Lahabrea: The previous Azem was much the same. In taking the entirety of the star into consideration, she came to hold dear emotions and people that a more logical mind would have discarded. This made her act in her own self-interest more often than not...

Lahabrea: Just as you and Elidibus have conducted yourselves in this matter. The true danger of Azem's nature is its tendency to infect all those {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} comes into contact with.

Themis: Emet-Selch said much the same. Trust that I shall do naught that would violate my duty.

Lahabrea: And yet you so frivolously invoked your authority as Emissary to justify this little excursion. It matters little, however─only your deeds can speak for you now.

Lahabrea: You wish to know more of Abyssos, I take it. Although I no longer have control over many of its functions, I can yet sense what creations lie within.

Themis: The chief keyward's reach is far indeed. Well then, what do we have to look forward to?

Lahabrea: I sense no creations of note. Perhaps they have been made into fodder for experimentation, or perhaps they have been transferred to the deeper circles.

Lahabrea: Yet Hephaistos would never allow you safe passage. He has left a trial for you to overcome.

Lahabrea: I speak of Hegemone, keyward of Abyssos. Although her presence is stained with marks of corruption, it is unmistakable.

Lahabrea: I knew her as a woman gifted in magic and blessed with a highly logical mind. While I can sense those qualities within her still, there is something else at work...

Erichthonios: If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that's because she's already been twisted into a hemitheos. Doubtless against her will...

Erichthonios: [Forename], Themis, we must rescue her from that cruel fate. And if we cannot, we can at least seal her away until we find a means to undo the damage.

Lahabrea: Your allies make you bold, Erichthonios. I very much look forward to seeing how far they carry you.
-cutscene end
''Abyssos The Sixth Circle now accessible''

-optional start
Lahabrea: Hegemone was a woman of reason and logic. She would never be swayed by Hephaistos's wretched schemes. I hope she was not made to suffer overmuch...

Themis: Let us not change a strategy that has served us so well thus far. Bring Hegemone to heel, [Forename], and Erichthonios and I shall inter her when the time is right.

Erichthonios: Now we prove our strength. Only then can we free the other warders and unveil the truth hidden in Pandæmonium's shadows.
-optional end

===After Abyssos The Sixth Circle===
-optional start
Lahabrea: I could sense from here that Hegemone had been contained. The effect of Hephaistos's tinkering is even more dire than I had imagined...

Themis: As is to be expected, Erichthonios appears quite pleased with our victory.
-optional end

Erichthonios: We've won! The keyward is sealed away, and alive this time!

Erichthonios: Lahabrea can't deny us now!
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=v0ExFfppPeY}}

Masks of the Father

2026-05-30T16:53:56Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Masks of the Father
| description = [[Erichthonios]] is certain he knows the identity of Pandæmonium's assailant.
| image = masks of the father.png
| quest-giver = Erichthonios (NPC)
| related-npcs = Lahabrea; Themis
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x = 21.5
| location-y = 19.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 25
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 2000
| reward1 = 5 Quickarm Materia IX
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks = ra Abyssos: The Fifth Circle
| prev-quest = An Unwelcome Visitor
| next-quest = A Keyward's Gaol
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70172
| id-edb = 0e201420be8
}}

==Steps==
*Enter [[Abyssos: The Fifth Circle]].
*Speak with [[Themis]].

==Journal==
* Erichthonios is certain he knows the identity of Pandæmonium's assailant.

* Erichthonios is adamant that the person behind the troubles in Pandæmonium is none other than Lahabrea. Themis acknowledges the possibility but remains doubtful that Lahabrea would put so many at risk for his own ambition. You all agree that the only way to find out for sure is to venture into Abyssos and meet the villain for yourselves. As you make toward the threshold to Pandæmonium's next circle, you steel yourself for what lies ahead.
** ※Abyssos: The Fifth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

* Spirited away to a strange space within Pandæmonium, you brave scorching rays and corrupting poison to seal the proto-Carbuncle in its cage. With the immediate threat quelled, perhaps a search of the area will reveal whose magic is at work.

* Your search ends quickly, as your foe reveals himself, claiming to be Lahabrea and offering Erichthonios the chance to meet Athena once more. He makes a convincing performance, but Themis sees through his act, declaring him an impostor. The proceedings are interrupted by the appearance of another man─the true Lahabrea, who calls Themis by the name “Elidibus.” With no reason left to hide the truth, the imitator introduces himself as Hephaistos before vanishing abruptly. As your companions depart for the relative safety of the facility's gates, Themis takes you aside to confirm that he is indeed the Convocation's emissary, and apologize for misleading you.

* Away from Abyssos's horrors for the moment, Themis explains his purpose in deceiving you─but also his reasons for trusting you. With several truths revealed and many more questions waiting in the wings, your curiosity points you toward Erichthonios...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>

-optional start
Themis: ...Erichthonios seems to have quite the story to tell. Perhaps we should lend an ear?
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: ...And so there can be but one conclusion─Lahabrea was the driving force behind this chaos from the start!

Themis: There is logic to that. There are few with the wherewithal to even consider experimentation on such a scale, let alone the capacity to create demigods from man and beast with the rest of us none the wiser.

Themis: Considering the magnitude of his work with the Convocation and the Words, his relatively minor role as chief keyward comes under little scrutiny, even as it provides him the authority to wield dangerous magicks. It may serve as veil and mantle both.

Themis: Still, I find the notion hard to accept. The misdeeds perpetrated here could not have been done by the Lahabrea I know...

Themis: You have met him, yes? Do you think he is capable of this?

Question: What will you say?
> Lahabrea is capable of far more than you know.
Themis: ...Is he? So you believe Lahabrea to be a man of few scruples, if it brings his goals closer in reach.

Erichthonios: That alone should be enough, but let me assure you─Lahabrea holds nothing so dear as his own ambition.
> It's still too early to say for certain.
---

Themis: While he may not be one to let emotion stand in the way of his mission, I cannot believe there are no depths to which he would not stoop.

Themis: Although we met but briefly, the impression he left on me stands in stark contrast to your evaluation. Though his methods are ever unorthodox, they seemed guided by a firm understanding of what is just.

Erichthonios: ...There's one way to find out for certain. We delve deeper into Pandæmonium and pull back the curtain on this mystery ourselves.

Themis: A wise course. I would not deny the truth if I saw it with my own eyes. Even if it was discomfiting to behold...

Erichthonios: Then we must move forward with no excess of caution. Lahabrea─or whomever is behind this─has likely spread their tentacles into every corner of Pandæmonium. We can safely assume the other keywards won't greet us with open arms.

Themis: Agreed. Let us make our way through Abyssos one careful step at a time.

Themis: I shall stay by Erichthonios's side, in case our enemies think to target him again. Could I trouble you to take the vanguard?

Themis: Thank you. As a precaution, I shall safeguard you with a simple spell. This will ensure that even should we become separated, my phantom warriors will still come to your aid.

Themis: If it does come to battle, the keywards' magicks will put us at a disadvantage once again. Luckily, we have you to even the scales somewhat. I trust you shall be liberal with your weight.

-quest accepted
-optional start
Themis: Judging from the demeanor of that familiar, there is little doubt that our enemy has a tight grip on Pandæmonium and its denizens. We will be vulnerable.

Erichthonios: Just what is Lahabrea planning? And what role do I play in his schemes?
-optional end

===After Abyssos The Fifth Circle===

Themis: So this is where research is conducted on creations imbued with poisons and venoms. Erichthonios and I were conveyed not far from here─it seems our foe is finding it more difficult to surprise us.

Themis: Fortunately for you, since they appear particularly keen to see you dispatched as quickly as possible.

Lahabrea@???: Even alone you are a force to be reckoned with. Part of me is glad you emerged victorious, that I might observe you further.

Lahabrea@Red Mask Holder: Were the circumstances different, I might thank you for keeping my son alive for this long. But I believe we can forgo introductions...unless I have misread you?

Question: What will you say?
> Lahabrea
Red Mask Holder: Passably perceptive. Yes, I am Lahabrea, of the Convocation of Fourteen.
> I'm all too familiar, ''Paragon''.
Red Mask Holder: A charming appellation, but I'm afraid I hold no such position. No, I am Lahabrea, of the Convocation of Fourteen.
>Am I supposed to know who you are?
Red Mask Holder: I understand that my son's rhetoric is rarely compelling, but come now--I can be none other than Lahabrea, of the Convocation of Fourteen.
---

Themis: If you truly are who you claim to be, then answer this question...

Lahabrea: That can wait.

Themis: Ungh! What is this!?

Lahabrea: Now this is curious... The trap I wove at your feet reacts to aether, but you remain unaffected.

Lahabrea: Such thin aether, and in an unfamiliar composition besides. It is of no matter, I suppose. A more direct approach will beget the same results.

Lahabrea: I would advise you to think carefully before deciding your next action. Strike me down here, and Erichthonios's wish shall remain unfulfilled. Never again shall he meet Athena.

Erichthonios: Mother? You would dare hide behind her name!?

Lahabrea: Listen well, Erichthonios. We are of the same mind concerning your mother. You have your allies for protection, so what harm is there in hearing me out?

Themis: Erichthonios, wait!

Themis: There is a question I must needs ask first.

Themis: ...If you truly are Lahabrea, why speak such blatant lies?

Lahabrea: Bitter in defeat, are we?

Themis: ...Say my name.

Themis: A simple request.

Lahabrea: Themis, was it? A trifle soon forgotten, as are you.

Themis: ...I have my answer.

Themis: The Lahabrea that I knew took pride in the Convocation, and would never suffer its denigration.

Themis: You sully his station with this farce!

Erichthonios: Themis, what are you saying? Lahabrea and I hardly saw eye to eye, but I know his voice when I hear it...

Themis: Indeed, he makes a passing fine imitation in appearance and manner. However, the real Lahabrea would never call me by the name “Themis.”

Lahabrea@???: What trouble have you gotten yourself into, Elidibus?

Lahabrea@???: Impostor. You have no right to claim that form. That mask.

Erichthonios: What─? Who─!?

Lahabrea: 'Twas a mask that sickened me to wear.

Lahabrea: The mask of Lahabrea! A man who values his position above all─who would murder his own wife in pursuit of duty!

Lahabrea: Yet you would assume my name and wield powers that are mine by right? Any worth you may have hinges on that which you so despise.

Lahabrea: Such trite provocations. I will not be goaded into finishing this ere my work is done.

Hephaistos: Erichthonios, listen well. I am Hephaistos.

Hephaistos: And it is I whom you should call Father...

Erichthonios: What in the name of creation...?

Lahabrea: ...We would do well not to stand idle while our enemy is about. I believe an explanation is in order, Elidibus. Let us return to safety so you may provide it.

Themis: Ah, that sounds more like the Lahabrea I know.

Themis: Before we depart, however, I must offer you an apology.

Themis: As Lahabrea said, I am Elidibus, one of the Convocation and emissary of their will.

Themis: For reasons which do not involve you, it was necessary to hide my identity while investigating this place. Still, that hardly excuses my deception.

Question: What will you say?
> I had a feeling.
Themis: Your perceptiveness does not surprise me. When the time comes, it shall make my explanation all the easier to understand.
> Whatever your name is, you're still Themis to me.
Themis: Such words are comforting, truly. I shall offer an explanation in time, but first let me assure you my choices were not born from animosity.
> I know a thing or two about deception myself.
Themis: That is reassuring to hear. The burdens we bear are heavy enough without adding a grudge to their weight.
---

Themis: In any case, we have pressing matters to attend to. Let us do as Lahabrea suggested and return to the Gates. We can speak there.

Distant Voice: Please, help him... Save him...

-optional start
Erichthonios: ...I still don't understand.

Lahabrea: I see Elidibus has chosen to keep odd company. Such a vexing composition of Aether you possess...
-optional end

===Speak with Themis. ===
Themis: As you are aware of by now, I am known as Elidibus. After my dear friend Azem and I detected irregularities in Pandæmonium, we decided the best course of action would be to hide my station as I conducted my investigation.

Themis: I am sure Lahabrea, as well, is eager to find out why I hid who I was, so I shall save that story for later. First, I would like to speak of you, my friend.

Themis: Although neither Azem nor I had ever met you in the flesh, you came with {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} highest recommendation. That alone was enough for me to accept you as an ally without question.

Themis: That somewhere in the world a guiding star so similar to {{alternatives|f=herself|m=himself}} was out there amused Azem to no end. There was not a shade of doubt in {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} heart that you would be a formidable ally.

Themis: Furthermore, I have heard stories that Mistress Venat, who held the position of Azem previously, journeyed with a familiar much like yourself. That made the decision to trust you all the easier.

Themis: She, too, now dons the white robes of an advisor. If she placed her absolute faith in you, I knew I would be in capable hands.

Themis: Aware though I was of the path you had walked, I had no interest in exposing you. I merely wanted to meet you─to travel by your side for a while.

Themis: I may know but a small portion of your whole story, but that is enough for me to believe you would never lead me astray. I wanted to tell you that.

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=DWhM4OA1tvk}}

An Unwelcome Visitor

2026-05-30T16:16:18Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = An Unwelcome Visitor
| description = [[Claudien]]'s eyes are brimming with the excitement of discovery.
| image = an unwelcome visitor.png
| quest-giver = Claudien
| related-npcs = Erichthonios (NPC); Nemjiji; Peripeteia Archivist; Ruissenaud; Themis; Words of Lahabrea Speaker
| location = Labyrinthos
| location-x = 8.6
| location-y = 27.5
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 24
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 1000
| reward(1-10) =
| overridereward(1-10) =
| reward-opt(1-8) =
| overridereward-opt(1-8) =
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = Who Wards the Warders?
| next-quest = Masks of the Father
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.2
| id-gt = 70171
| id-edb = 92dfc6ce017
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Peripeteia Archivist|the archivist]] at [[Peripeteia Krystalline]].
*Speak with [[Themis]].
*Speak with Themis at the neus to [[Pandæmonium]].
*Speak with [[Erichthonios]].

==Journal==
* Claudien's eyes are brimming with the excitement of discovery.

* Professor Claudien can scarcely contain his excitement as he informs you that the crystal has guided him to signs of another such memory repository that yet exists in the present day. He hastily departs to search for it, but not before asking you to make sure no further danger has visited Pandæmonium. A somewhat miffed Nemjiji, however, suggests first scouring the archives of Elpis for information on the failed creations interred within, that you might gain the upper hand in any future encounters.

* You arrive at Peripeteia Krystalline to see Themis speaking with one of the archivists, seemingly for the same purpose as you. He offers to share his findings, but first asks that you accompany him to the beacon in Lethe, where he intends to meet an acquaintance that might shed further light upon the facility's mysteries.

* Themis's acquaintance is in fact a member of the Words of Lahabrea, and their conversation reveals that while at first, Pandæmonium's researchers received creations from Elpis, over the years their focus shifted toward creations too flawed even to be considered for submission. Furthermore, the researcher informs you that a recent report from a keyward indicated that nothing is amiss in the facility. Knowing this to be a lie, Themis hurries to Asphodelos, where Erichthonios keeps a lone vigil.

* As you reach the Gates of Pandæmonium, you are met with the sight of Erichthonios being held aloft by some unknown force. Themis dispels the bindings, and you observe their maker to be a familiar, who makes vaguely threatening utterances before vanishing, though thankfully without Erichthonios in tow.

* Only the troubled-but-determined Erichthonios knows what transpired between him and Lahabrea moments ago. Fortunately, he seems more than happy to share the conclusion to which it has led him, should you but ask.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===

Claudien: [Forename], [Forename]! I've made a breakthrough! After uncountable days and nights, I finally hearkened to the crystal's whispers, and I must say─

Nemjiji: Professor Claudien, where are your manners? While I understand all too well your enthusiasm, I must remind you that even the most academically inclined prefer a ''composed'' recounting of events.

Claudien: Ah... Yes, of course! My apologies, [Forename]. Being consumed by my research for so long, I am afraid I have quite forgotten how to engage in civilized conversation.

Claudien: Ahem. In that case, perhaps we should start from the beginning─with a crystal set adrift upon the aetherial tides, containing the memories of a party yet unknown...

Claudien: They cried out for deliverance from Pandæmonium, where the ancients kept volatile creations under lock and key. You yourself witnessed the power devouring the facility from within, and the advent of a divine monstrosity wrought of mythic beast and powerful mage...

Claudien: Fortunately, your martial prowess and the combined magical talents of your companions Themis and Erichthonios was sufficient to restore order to the circles of Asphodelos, but the greater threat remains.

Claudien: In the depths of Pandæmonium, a presence yet stirs, its intentions and identity shrouded in mystery. That is the issue at hand, is it not?

Claudien: Since you returned to us, we worked tirelessly to discern the nature of the crystal. In the process, I detected an anomalous aetheric signature, which I believe arose from the memories stored within.

Claudien: Analysis of this pattern suggested a feeling of loss or yearning─specifically, the yearning to be made whole. And indeed, ambient readings have revealed a faint but identical signature! This can only mean that another such crystal exists in our time.

Claudien: So, my friend, I must depart to search for it forthwith. By tracing the matching aetheric signature to its source, I believe it will be a simple matter to find our crystal's twin.

Ruissenaud: ...Professor, will this expedition be carried out only by us? Or will [Forename] grace us with her protection?

Claudien: I'm afraid {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} has more pressing matters to attend to, my dear Ruissenaud. Namely, to seek out the secrets which lie nestled within Pandæmonium, where this all began.

Claudien: From all that we have heard, it appears that time traversal from the Crystal Tower is not fluid. That is to say, one can but travel in predetermined intervals. It would be prudent to check in on occasion, in case there are any unanticipated changes.

Claudien: As for you, my loyal assistants, I would ask you to remain here and continue cataloging the ancient creations.

Ruissenaud: You can't mean... Do you intend to search for the crystal on your own?

Claudien: Why yes, that would be the most efficient use of resources, would it not? In fact, I have already commissioned a ship and pilot for that very purpose. I trust you to take good care of the laboratory in my absence.

Ruissenaud: ...I apologize for that somewhat abrupt departure. When progress is in sight, Professor Claudien tends to become blind to all else.

Nemjiji: Indeed, and he has been worse than usual. While I cannot fault him for his excitement, I do wish he would spare a thought for those around him...

Nemjiji: For reasons unknown, the crystal seems loath to be overheard. Much as it spoke only to you last time, none but the professor has been able to capture its aetherial “yearning”...which has served only to convince him that he can solve this puzzle on his own!

Ruissenaud: Surely after some time alone he'll come to remember how valuable we are. The search for this crystal seemed to be a simple enough matter─let him have his adventure, and upon his return I'm certain he'll be back to his usual self.

Ruissenaud: As for you, [Forename], it may be best to return to Pandæmonium, as Professor Claudien suggested.

Nemjiji: Speaking of which, I did have a request of my own to make. Traveling to Pandæmonium requires you to pass through Elpis, correct? There is something I would have you investigate in my stead.

Nemjiji: While those creations confined within Pandæmonium are considered to be failures, I doubt that's their whole story.

Nemjiji: Barring exceptional cases, they must have been under observation in Elpis before being consigned to their shackles. And if we know anything about the ancients, it's that they would have kept thorough records of the results.

Ruissenaud: Ah, brilliant... Delving into these records may shed light on creatures [Forename] has yet to encounter. If your theory proves correct, that is.

Nemjiji: While there are no guarantees, it certainly beats the current strategy of rushing forward blindly with only her strength to carry the day. For your own sake as well as ours, please unearth what information you can.

-quest accepted
-optional start
Ruissenaud: While Professor Claudien is away, there is little to be done but compile our research. I'd ask you to help, but I'm well aware you have much greater tasks before you.

''At the Peripeteia Krystalline''
Themis: Ah, I did not expect to meet you here, of all places.

-optional end

===Speak with the archivist at Peripeteia Krystalline.===
Peripeteia Archivist: ...You seek records of Pandæmonium's creations? Master Themis has just finished perusing the very same.

Themis: I should not be surprised that we both arrived at the same conclusion. Luckily, I have saved you the trouble and gleaned what information I could.

Peripeteia Archivist: Ah, so you know each other. I was dreading having to once again scour the archives, but perhaps instead I'll rest for a spell. If there's nothing else, I shall take my leave.

Themis: As should we, for I have undone the warding sigil blocking the entrance to Abyssos. I came here merely to chase an idle suspicion while awaiting your return.

Themis: Fortunately, while Pandæmonium's protective wards continue to be assailed by our unknown foe, there have been no fluctuations so great as to make me doubt Erichthonios's capacity to keep watch over Asphodelos while I'm away.

Themis: He works diligently to master interment, that he might deliver the creations back to their cages by his own hand. I thought it best to give him time to hone his craft.

Themis: ...And since fate has brought us both here, I would ask you to accompany me while I attend to another matter. More idle suspicions that I would like to chase down.

Themis: Rest assured, it shall not take long. I simply have a few questions to ask an acquaintance of mine. Come, he has agreed to meet us near the neus to Pandæmonium.

===Speak with Themis.===
-cutscene start
Themis: As I have pondered our expedition into Pandæmonium, I could not help but be mystified by how strongly the warders we encountered felt for Lahabrea, whether it be for good or ill.

Themis: Hesperos and Erichthonios were two sides of the same coin. The former looked to his mentor with absolute devotion, while the latter looks to his father with bald hatred.

Themis: I would not expect a familiar such as you to understand this, but such extreme emotions toward a single individual are quite rare indeed.

Themis: Naturally, I feel gratitude toward my mother and father, yet we are all equals in the larger picture of the star. This view is not unique to myself─it is more or less accepted as the way of things.

Themis: By contrast, the researchers of Pandæmonium seem to view Lahabrea with a feeling approaching obsession. Whether driven by love or hate, they have all been drawn to him.

Themis: There were many other aspects of the facility's particulars I found troubling besides. I decided the best course of action would be to go straight to the source, and pose my questions to a member of the Words of Lahabrea.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: My apologies to have kept you waiting, Master Themis.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I understand you are conducting an investigation of Pandæmonium, and wish to know of its origins.

Themis: Indeed. In particular, I wish to know why exactly Pandæmonium was built directly under Elpis.

Themis: The facility is overseen by the Words of Lahabrea, after all. Why keep it so close to Elpis, whose governing body has no say in its day-to-day operations?

Themis: At first I thought it to be simply a matter of convenience. Those creations which were deemed failures by the researchers of Elpis could be easily ushered into their new homes.

Themis: Imagine my surprise when a trip to the archives revealed that many of the creations were sent from organizations beyond Elpis, including from the Words of Lahabrea themselves.

Themis: Given this─albeit limited─information, I cannot but feel that the Akadaemia Anyder would have been a more fitting locale.

Themis: What does Elpis have that cannot be found there?

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: These are fitting questions, and ones we have asked ourselves many times in recent years. Alas, the nature of Pandæmonium's construction does not lend itself to relocation.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: When first it was built, circumstances weren't as they are now. As you surmised, the majority of the creations kept within Pandæmonium were sent from Elpis.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Yet as the years passed, interests changed. Failures in creations deemed too flawed even to submit to Elpis paradoxically drew the attention of Pandæmonium's researchers.

Themis: ...That is quite the change, and in fact it almost runs counter to the facility's original purpose. Who is it that decides which creations will be the subject of research?

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Master Lahabrea. Such authority is reserved for the chief keyward, and he has taken it upon himself to step into that role.

Themis: So if Pandæmonium's resources ''were'' being misused, it would be under Lahabrea's authority, correct?

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I know not what you're suggesting, but the keywards also hold some sway within the facility. Not even Master Lahabrea would be free from their scrutiny.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: They are duty-bound to report any irregularities as soon as possible.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Although I admit as of late their communication has been somewhat sporadic, we but recently received a report from one of the keywards stating that all is well within Pandæmonium's halls.

Themis: Really? And you are certain that a keyward sent it?

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Yes, of course. Our communications suffered a temporary obstruction, but I can assure you that the Words did their due diligence in confirming the identity of the sender.

Themis: ...Thank you. This information will be helpful to my investigation. That will be all for my prying.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Then I shall take my leave. While you are yet permitted to conduct your investigation freely, I must remind you that the warders' work is delicate, and it would be remiss to disturb them for longer than is necessary.

Themis: “All is well”... A blatant lie, and to that we can both attest. One of the remaining keywards is most certainly in league with the party behind this.

Themis: Let us hurry. I know not why our adversary sent that report, but 'tis plain that we must return to Pandæmonium with haste.
-cutscene end

===Speak with Themis at the neus to Pandæmonium.===

Themis: I cannot guess as to why this false report has arisen now, but it certainly bodes ill. As does the knowledge that our mysterious mastermind has at least one more keyward to puppet...

Themis: Regardless, they have tipped their hand, and we would be remiss to leave Erichthonios at the mercy of their machinations. Let us hope no harm has befallen him...

-cutscene start
Erichthonios: Not quite...

Erichthonios: I've traced these sigils countless times, yet ''still'' I lack the strength to maintain the spell.

Erichthonios: And now time works against me. I can no longer be victim to my own ineptitude...

Erichthonios: ...What!? Who goes there?

x@???: Hehe. There is something to be admired in such single-minded effort. Even if your methods leave much to be desired.

x@???: You allowed this familiar to catch you unawares. Have you set your sights so high as to forget you walk upon the earth?

Erichthonios: I know this creature─a familiar of the phoinix. But that monster is locked away...

Ominous Familiar: That it is─in spite of the trouble I went to in freeing it, I might add. Begrudge me for addressing you in this ill-fitting form if you must, but with control of Asphodelos wrested from my grasp, 'tis simply the best I can offer you...

Erichthonios: Hide if you will, but mark my words─I will find you, and make you pay for the chaos you've sown!

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: Now, now, there is no need for such hostility. “A calm heart stays the course.” The wisdom of Lahabrea...your father.

Erichthonios: ...And how would you know what “wisdom” he speaks?

Erichthonios: I have heard those words, many times. The scolding of a tutor whose student struggled to grasp the most rudimentary lessons, seething with disgust...

Erichthonios: No...

Erichthonios: I've not told that to anyone─not even Keyward Hesperos. That can only mean one thing...

Erichthonios: That still you insist on mocking me!

Erichthonios: Stop this farce, Lahabrea!

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: ...At last, you move to keep up. Pity that you remain behind nevertheless.

Erichthonios: What!?

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: As ever you are. Always you fail to learn, fail to understand, fail to act...

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: And though fate deigned to offer an escape, you remain here. You are bereft of magical prowess and common sense both.

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: But you need not despair. Dull though you may be, you are yet indispensable to Pandæmonium's great experiment.

Erichthonios: Ungh... There's the affection I remember. Tell me...did I ever once measure up to your expectations?

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: You shall. Take pride in that, and rejoice to see your wish fulfilled.
Erichthonios: What? What wish...?

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: Come, and all shall be revealed. All this rage, this hatred, is but a consequence of ignorance. Our desires align more than you know.
Erichthonios: What...are you...?

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: Hmm... Uninvited guests join our reunion. It seems fortune no longer favors you.

Erichthonios: Do you think I have any interest in listening to your prattle, let alone bowing to your will? I am no longer a child, and my faith lies with those who have earned it.

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: So these are the “heroes” who brought Hesperos low, even as power divine flowed through his veins...

Lahabrea@Ominous Familiar: 'Tis plain there are worthier subjects to contend with.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Themis: Just what was that familiar after?
-optional end
===Speak with Erichthonios.===

Erichthonios: Thank you. If you had shown up even a moment later, I shudder to think what would have become of me.

Erichthonios: There's something I must tell you─I know who's behind this. There is but one person who can hold thrall over familiar, creation, and keyward alike!

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=WjTKJgst0g8}}

The Fires of Creation

2026-05-30T15:57:03Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Fires of Creation
| description = [[Themis]] is pondering the road ahead.
| image = The Fires of Creation.png
| quest-giver = Themis
| related-npcs = Erichthonios; Hesperos
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x =
| location-y =
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 22
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Piety Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Asphodelos: The Third Circle
| prev-quest = Under the Surface
| next-quest = Who Wards the Warders?
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.01
| id-gt = 70014
| id-edb = b689c497ee0
}}
==Steps==
*Enter [[Asphodelos: The Third Circle]].
*Speak with [[Themis]].

==Journal==
*Themis is pondering the road ahead.

*Although the hippokampos is back in fetters, Themis remains worried about the other warders. Erichthonios suggests that they might have found safe haven with the aid of Hesperos, keyward of Asphodelos, and fled to the innermost circle. This seems the best destination for you now─but Erichthonios reveals the path to be blocked by the phoinix, a bird of fulgent flame created in a failed attempt to give life to the sort of phoenix with which you are more intimately familiar. When you set forth steeled for battle, however, the corridor around you warps into a scorched wasteland.
**※Asphodelos: The Third Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*You manage to brave the phoinix's flames for long enough to allow Themis and Erichthonios to inter it. The identity of whoever arranged this conflict goes unspoken─yet must be confronted ere you venture further into Asphodelos.

*The hand at work in Asphodelos reveals himself at last, as Hesperos descends from the skies to berate Erichthonios for his foolishness and claim himself a hemitheos─a powerful fusion of man and creation. Declaring that he shall win the adulation of Lahabrea with this form, he then attempts to bind you in arcane chains, though Themis acts quickly enough to dispel the magic and spirit the three of you away. While Hesperos has not followed you, this incident does not bode well for the future of your investigation.

*The three of you are safe for now, but the other warders are still missing, and deadly creations have free rein of Pandæmonium. Furthermore, Erichthonios seems to be reeling from the revelation that his once-kindly keyward is the wicked force at work within Asphodelos. Themis believes he should be given space for now, but recognizes that time is not in your favor.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-optional start
Erichthonios: After witnessing the hippokampos's capabilities, I should not blame you for wishing to avoid engaging any further creations in the place of their choosing... Alas, I doubt we will have the luxury.
-optional end

-cutscene start
Themis: While our success in sealing away the hippokampos is certainly heartening, the fact that we have yet to see any other warders concerns me.

Erichthonios: The keyward of Asphodelos is nothing if not cautious. Doubtless he has gathered what warders he could and retreated to a safe area.

Themis: Let us hope so. It occurs to me that I know little of the keywards besides their magical prowess. Is there aught more you can share?

Erichthonios: Of course. A man named Hesperos is in charge of Asphodelos. Not only does he have thorough knowledge of the creatures here, but he takes great pains to be a mentor to each of the warders under his charge.

Erichthonios: He has done much to ensure that I flourished here, in spite of my ineptitude at magic...and I have always known him to be the sort of man who faces difficult decisions with unwavering composure.

Erichthonios: Furthermore, keywards are not only masters of interment─they can also bend the hallways of Pandæmonium to their will with creation magicks. With all this in mind, I am certain that so long as Hesperos guides them, the other warders are safe.

Themis: I can see why absolute control over the environs is imperative. Had we faced the hippokampos upon arid sands instead of the waterways, I suspect the battle would have ended much more quickly...

Themis: In any case, if this Hesperos is as capable and caring as you say, we would do well to seek him out as soon as we can. He has like as not taken your colleagues to a secure location.

Erichthonios: The safest place would be the innermost circle of Asphodelos. From there they could flee to Abyssos if hard-pressed.

Erichthonios: Even should they have sought safe haven within the other circles, if we make for the fourth, we ought to encounter them on the way.

Themis: Indeed─and we shall gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation within Asphodelos, which will be essential in determining whether we ought continue down to Abyssos.

Erichthonios: The rub, of course, is that I myself possess no power to bend the circles to my will... Instead, we must proceed through the central corridor─which was barred by the phoinix, last I checked.

Themis: Phoinix... I have heard the name before. A fiery bird with life eternal.

Themis: Beyond unquenchable brilliance, the perfected concept boasts nigh-boundless restorative powers, if I recall. Truly an exemplary feat of creation magicks.

Themis: Perfection is ever built on the back of failure, however, and Lahabrea suffered countless missteps during his experiments...

Themis: ...And he was hardly the only one. This phoinix will be but one of many attempts at the concept gone awry.

Erichthonios: Aye. Far from evoking wonder, our phoinix is a creature of fury and wrath, and seeks only to turn the world to ash. Thus was it confined within Pandæmonium.

Themis: Development of the concept continued elsewhere, but as the moons turned, more and more researchers abandoned the project as an impossibility... Save for Lahabrea and his Words.

Themis: When I received word that at long last Lahabrea had succeeded where so many others had failed, I was nearly overcome. Pray tell─how did the warders of Pandæmonium celebrate their master's accomplishment?

Erichthonios: I...don't believe we did. The research of the Words of Lahabrea has little consequence to our work here, save for those rare times it charges us with a new specimen. Truth be told, I don't remember anyone making note of the occasion.

Erichthonios: ...But enough reminiscing─we must make ready to confront the phoinix.

Erichthonios: While it's possible that it flew off to some other wing of Pandæmonium, we would make that assumption at our own peril. Better to assume that we'll need to bring Asphodelos's most unruly subject to heel.

Themis: I certainly see no reason to delay. The phoinix's power over flame will avail it far less in a barren corridor than elsewhere, so it may well serve us to subdue it sooner rather than later.

 

Erichthonios: Wh-What!?

Themis: It seems whoever is behind this can alter the space around us at will. We face an uphill battle.

Erichthonios: Impossible... If those were creation magicks at work, then that means...

Themis: Let us confront that reality after we have conquered the enemy in front of us. Every drop of our focus shall be required if we are to inter the phoinix.

-quest accepted
-cutscene end

-optional start
Erichthonios: Fight well, friend.

Themis: We shall gain naught from allowing the larger implications of this to distract us from the fight ahead. The phoinix's rage will be unbridled, but I trust you are prepared for the worst.
-optional end

''Asphodelos The Third Circle is now accessible''

===After Asphodelos The Third Circle===

Erichthonios: With that, the phoinix is shackled once more. However, there is yet the matter of this...arena.

Themis: As you've told us, there is but one person in Asphodelos with the ability and authority to wield such magicks...

Themis: Though fortunately, it appears he has saved us the trouble of finding him.

Hesperos@???: A contemptible display─as befits an inferior specimen.

Hesperos@???: Even so, I expected it would at least delay your advance. Imagine my surprise when I saw the chains of interment drag the phoinix back to its cage...

Hesperos@???: Either the bird is even more of a failure than its creators cared to admit, or you are no mean trespassers.

Themis: I had hoped our suspicions were misplaced, but alas...

Erichthonios: Keyward Hesperos, why!? Why have you brought such chaos to your beloved Pandæmonium!?

Themis: Pandæmonium─pitiless, impenetrable, and utterly steadfast...unlike those charged with its keeping.

Erichthonios: What has possessed you!? I don't understand!

Hesperos: Oh, Erichthonios, must you pester me with these inane questions? Think for yourself─surely you can muster a theory or two with that dim wit of yours.

Hesperos: Then again, you have never been one for insight. Why Master Lahabrea suffers your mediocrity I shall never understand.

Erichthonios: You... You may look like him, but you're not the Hesperos I know. Something has warped you, too, from the inside out...

Erichthonios: The keyward I knew had compassion for all those under his charge, be they clad in robes or shackled in chains.

Erichthonios: Was that all a farce? Did you hide your contempt for us all these years!?

Hesperos: Those who are content to merely glimpse the water's surface are doomed to be dragged into its depths. You prove my opinion of you with every word.

Hesperos: My mind is clearer than it has ever been. Even now, seeing you feebly grasp for answers makes the bile rise in my throat.

Hesperos: Such wasted potential! To be son to Master Lahabrea, yet no more skilled with magic than a newborn babe!

Erichthonios: But of course. It's ''always'' about Lahabr─

Hesperos: Silence! You are not worthy to utter his name!

Hesperos: For once, be grateful to witness a feat beyond your meager abilities. Beyond your shallow reckoning. I have slipped the surly bonds of mortality!

Hesperos: I have become one with our mythic creations, and rid myself of imperfections. I stand upon the threshold of godhood!

Hesperos: As a hemitheos shall I serve Master Lahabrea, ever faithful, unto the end of days...

Hesperos: And he shall require no other!

Themis: I think not!

Themis: Are you so blinded by arrogance that you have lost sight of what it means to serve? Erichthonios is more capable than you could ever know.

Themis: It was thanks to his instruction that I was able to master the art of interment. Both how to wield it...and how to break free of it.

Themis: [Forename], let us quit this place. Whatever poison has corrupted Hesperos's mind, it is plain his power far eclipses our own. We must have time to gather our strength.
 
Hesperos: Hmph. Weaklings though they may be, it takes a singular aptitude to master interment so quickly. To say nothing of how swiftly that familiar laid low the phoinix...

Hesperos: Regardless, their noble aims will be their undoing. Where they fritter away their strength in calming the beasts of Asphodelos, I continue my work. Even should they survive long enough to reach the heart of my domain, naught shall await them but doom.

Hesperos: ...I eagerly await your arrival, Erichthonios. Even dullards have their uses.

===Speak with Themis===
Themis: My darkest suspicions have been realized. We face the keyward of Asphodelos himself...

Themis: More than that revelation, however, Erichthonios worries me. He loved Hesperos for his compassion, but received naught but scorn from whatever the keyward has become.

Themis: ...He has said little since our return. I only hope that the shock of recent events does not prove to be a death knell for his resolve.

-quest complete
-optional start
Erichthonios: Please...leave me be.
-optional end

</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=M1jKDpBkjPk}}

Who Wards the Warders?

2026-05-30T15:56:10Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Who Wards the Warders?
| description = [[Themis]] would offer what comfort he can to [[Erichthonios]].
| image = Who Wards the Warders.png
| quest-giver = Themis
| related-npcs = Claudien; Erichthonios (NPC); Hesperos; Nemjiji; Ruissenaud
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x =
| location-y =
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 23
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 7500
| reward1 = 1 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward2 = 1 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward3 = 1 Savage Might Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Quickarm Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Quicktongue Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Battledance Materia IX
| reward-opt4 = 3 Piety Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Asphodelos: The Fourth Circle
| prev-quest = The Fires of Creation
| next-quest = An Unwelcome Visitor
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.01
| id-gt = 70015
| id-edb = cf706f28742
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Erichthonios]].
*Enter [[Asphodelos: The Fourth Circle]].
*Speak with [[Themis]].
*Speak with [[Claudien]] at [[Aporia]].

==Journal==
* Themis would offer what comfort he can to Erichthonios.

*Although Themis respects that Erichthonios may need space after recent events, he is also eager to get the investigation back on track. He suggests lending an ear to Erichthonios's troubles, hoping to give the warder a chance to air his doubts and misgivings.

*Erichthonios reveals his fraught past with Lahabrea, his father. Although the gaoler learned the art of shackles from said man, there is little else connecting father and son, and when Erichthonios's mother─previous chief warden of Pandæmonium─passed away, Lahabrea assumed her position with characteristic stoicism. Although there is surely more to the story, Erichthonios changes the subject to Hesperos and the battle ahead. After some discussion, you decide that he should be tracked down with the utmost haste and sealed away with interment magicks, that he might be questioned and his motives made clear. Although Hesperos's mastery of creation magicks means that you must face him in an unfavorable battle, hope ever remains in your heart.
**※Asphodelos: The Fourth Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*Hesperos throws every devious trick he can─along with no small amount of theatrics─at you and your band of illusive heroes, but eventually he falls before your combined might. All that remains is to inter him with the selfsame magic he once held dominion over...

*Your hopes to detain Hesperos for questioning are thwarted when he brings an end to his own life, his essence and secrets returning to the star. While this leaves many questions unanswered, Erichthonios is eager to begin rescuing his colleagues and the subjects he is charged with safekeeping. Themis takes control of Asphodelos, but as he does, he senses a presence from deeper within the facility─and no sooner does he inform you of this discovery than a ward appears to block your way forward. Stymied, Themis suggests withdrawing for now, that he might better gauge this new threat.

*With room to think, Themis concludes that Hesperos was not the one behind the chaos in Pandæmonium, and suggests that the true mastermind is hiding deeper underground. To progress further, however, you must find a way to surpass the obstruction blocking the entrance to Abyssos, a feat which may take some time. Themis and Erichthonios encourage you to rest until you are needed once more, and perhaps in the meantime return to Aporia to apprise Professor Claudien of your exploits.

*Claudien listens to your report on the events in Elpis with both interest and growing concern. He seems convinced that your success in the past is crucial to maintaining the present, and assures you that his team will devote their every effort to aid you. You return the crystal to him so that they can continue their research into its origins, and as your allies in the past have also done, he suggests that you catch some well-earned rest until further developments occur.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Themis: Much as I am loath to disturb Erichthonios so soon after what just occurred, I am afraid circumstances do not afford us the luxury of time.

Themis: Perhaps it will do him well to speak about recent events. Concerning both the keyward...and his father.
-quest accepted

-optional start
Themis: He seemed reticent to say aught concerning Lahabrea when the subject was broached. Doubtless his relationship with his father is a fraught one.
-optional end

===Speak with Erichthonios.===
Erichthonios: The creation of the ward which surrounds Pandæmonium was an astounding feat of magical prowess. A feat accomplished by none other than Lahabrea...

Erichthonios: That both my father and I can bind others in chains is perhaps the only thing that we have in common.

Themis: Ah, so it is true.

Erichthonios: Aye, I'm Lahabrea's son. Bereft of his talent for magicks or his brilliant mind, but his son nonetheless. Surely this doesn't come entirely as a surprise to you.

Themis: Nay... I had an inkling when you said you had practiced aetherial shackles since childhood. Assuming you haven't been employed here ''quite'' that long, it had to indicate some long-held connection with Lahabrea.

Erichthonios: 'Twas Lahabrea that taught me how to cast aetherial shackles, but that was it. My further education was overseen by the Words of Lahabrea─more specifically my mother, who was a researcher there.

Themis: You did speak of Athena, chief keyward before Lahabrea. She is your mother, yes?

Erichthonios: How astute. I can see now why you were chosen to lead this investigation.

Erichthonios: You've the right of it. Athena was my mother, and it was she who invited me to join her here. Lahabrea had nothing to do with it.

Themis: I see there is little love lost between you two. What I cannot see is why Lahabrea was appointed chief keyward when another was already in place.

Erichthonios: ...''Was'' in place. My mother is no longer with us.

Erichthonios: And Lahabrea was all too eager to assume her responsibilities, with nary a moment spared to mourn her. What love do I owe him now, when he offered not one drop of compassion then?

Themis: Ah...I see. “She is no longer with us.” An expression to convey the end of a life.

Themis: I have known only the public face of Lahabrea. While he is lauded for his ability to maintain composure in the face of unnerving circumstances, I must admit that oft he comes across as...cold.

Erichthonios: ...Apologies, but can we speak of something else? This topic isn't an easy one for me to discuss...

Themis: Of course. There are more pressing matters at hand, after all. Namely, how to deal with Hesperos.

Themis: We have yet to see the other warders. Judging by what we know, we can surmise that Hesperos has confined them somewhere beyond our grasp.

Themis: And now that he is aware of our presence, he will be preparing for our next encounter. We cannot expect to face him on equal footing. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Themis: Every moment we spend chasing after the creations is another moment Hesperos can contrive another advantage for himself. The wisest course would be to find him first and foremost.

Erichthonios: He said that he has become one with the creations...perhaps that means he is vulnerable to interment?

Themis: In theory, that should be possible. However, is it enough merely to confine him? After all he has done?

Erichthonios: I need to know why. I need to know what drove him to forsake everything he's worked for.

Erichthonios: Was it all truly so that he could serve his master? To my mind, he's merely put Lahabrea's own work at risk in trade for some nebulous power.

Erichthonios: Lahabrea is the chief keyward of Pandæmonium─how would throwing it into disarray win his favor? It doesn't make any sense...

Themis: I share your curiosity, but we must consider that our enemy has us at a disadvantage in every sense. ...What do you think? Should we seek to put him in fetters, or would it be too dangerous to allow him quarter?

Question: What will you say?

> I want answers too.

> If you fail to confine him, I could always strike him down.

---

Themis: Daring as ever, I see. I know not which trials you have faced in your past, but to see you so certain is all the convincing I need. Very well, let us try Erichthonios's plan.

Erichthonios: Thank you, [Forename].

Erichthonios: I believe I can shed some light on the nature of our foe. When Hesperos spoke with us, I noticed he bore the telltale fangs of the vrykolakas, a beast which feeds off the aether of its prey. Likely that is the creation Hesperos merged his essence with.

Themis: And we know all too well that he can change the environment around himself at will. The battle will not be an easy one, but I believe in our victory.

''Asphodelos The Fourth Circle now accessible''

-optional start

Themis: He called himself a hemitheos, and claimed immortality. I know not how he discovered this dark art, but his actions do not bespeak a sound mind.

Erichthonios: That Hesperos possessed such a lust for power that he would resort to this... Clearly I misjudged him. I'd like nothing more than to strike him down myself, but seeing you wipe that arrogant grin off his face will taste just as sweet.

-optional end

===After clearing Asphodelos The Fourth Circle===
-cutscene start
Erichthonios: Now, Themis. We end this here!

Hesperos: Fools... I will not be put in chains...

Hesperos: To think that I would fall before one such as you. Perhaps I should have treated you as more than a mere nuisance.

Hesperos: Despite your victory, you shall never have the knowledge you seek. The secrets of my transformation, the secrets of my deception─they shall return to the star with me!

Themis: You are wasting your breath, Hesperos. We have the upper hand now, surely you can see that.

Hesperos: Yes, yes. My repertoire is not exhausted yet, however... Although I have failed, my end shall be on my terms.

Hesperos: I remain loyal to my very last... Come what may, I die...with dignity...

Erichthonios: ...How did your ambition lead you so astray, Hesperos? You were better than that.

Erichthonios: Your star shone more brightly than any other in Pandæmonium. You had Lahabrea's respect, his trust─what more did you seek? That you would forsake all that, and sully your legacy besides...
 
Themis: He became so blinded by his own desires that he lost sight of his duty. In the end, he lost everything, and his plans lie in tatters. I fail to see any dignity in that.

Erichthonios: Even so, I would have liked to know why he chose this path.

Themis: Hesperos's infatuation with your father was his undoing. Perhaps he was jealous that fate had chosen you, and not him, to be Lahabrea's son. So terrible did this jealousy become that he sought verboten power─power that Lahabrea would be unable to ignore.

Erichthonios: How does a pursuit for respect warp one's heart so? How does infatuation with one person turn into contempt for everyone else? I've never heard of such a thing.

What will you say?

> It's not as uncommon as you might think.

> It happens, but that doesn't mean it's right.
---
Erichthonios: I see... I admit I cannot but find it vexing, but perhaps that signifies naught but my ''own'' capacity for bitterness...

Erichthonios: I do understand what it is to have a beacon to follow in dark times─a person you trust to guide you true. How it is to desperately wish their light would fall upon you again.

Erichthonios: ...But we have spent enough time assuming the intentions of the departed─there are the living to consider. We must find the other warders and round up the remaining creations forthwith. Of that, at least, we can be certain.

Themis: I believe I can be of help in that matter.

Themis: The influence of Hesperos's magic is fading throughout Asphodelos. Now is the perfect opportunity to seize control of the facilities and restore things to their original state.

Erichthonios: Seize control...? Can you really do that?

Themis: What!? What is this presence?

Themis: Erichthonios. What lies beyond that threshold?

Erichthonios: That's the passage which connects Asphodelos to Abyssos. Why?

Themis: Be on your guard, you two.

Themis: Now that Asphodelos is free of obstructions, I can more easily sense disturbances in the lower levels. Something stirs in Abyssos!
 

Erichthonios: A warding sigil? How!?

Themis: Let us return to the gates for now. I should like to apprise the situation from there.

Themis: Needless to say, our investigation is far from over.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Erichthonios: Just when I had thought our work to be done... Did this tragedy unfold all throughout Pandæmonium?
-optional end

===Speak with Themis.===
-cutscene start
Themis: Although we have defeated Hesperos, it appears we have but scratched the surface of Pandæmonium's troubles.

Erichthonios: My head is still swimming with questions, but could this mean that Hesperos wasn't actually behind this?

Themis: It is a stark possibility, yes. The root of this crisis may lie somewhere much deeper than even Abyssos.

Themis: When we first encountered you, you said the memories of your escape were vague and that your senses were muddled. I believe this was more than the result of a panicked mind─you were made to feel this way by a powerful magical influence.

Themis: It is possible that this same magic could have poisoned Hesperos's heart, twisting his affection for Lahabrea into a burning obsession. Then, in his altered state, he was made an offer of power he could not refuse...

Erichthonios: Wait... Are you suggesting that someone else turned Hesperos into that...thing? If so, it stands to reason that they wouldn't stop at him...

Themis: Indeed. Our mysterious mastermind does not lack for subjects for his experiments. For more potential hemitheoi.

Erichthonios: If what you're saying is true, then my colleagues...they're doomed to share the same fate as Hesperos.

Themis: Do not lose heart yet, Erichthonios. Hesperos challenged us alone, and that tells me that the process of his creation was a long and taxing one. If he was the first hemitheos, then the rest of the warders are likely still alive.

Themis: However, much as I would like to hasten deeper into Pandæmonium, the way forward is sealed off. We must focus our efforts on finding a way through.

Erichthonios: With the creations still having free rein of Asphodelos, that won't be easy...

Themis: On the contrary, I yet retain control of these circles, and thus can wield interment magick within their halls at will. The creatures will pose no threat to us.
Erichthonios: Just like that!? Then nothing's stopping us from returning order to Asphodelos.

Themis: Just so. I shall require your expertise to keep the peace after the subjects have been returned to their confinement, however. You are Asphodelos's sole remaining warder, after all.

Themis: Truth be told, I did not expect this investigation to become so involved. Of course, I would like to resolve matters here without resorting to outside help, but...
Erichthonios: Do you mean to send a report to Lahabrea?

Themis: 'Tis too soon to say. Let us first find a way into Abyssos. It would be best to withhold our judgment until we have ascertained the whereabouts of the other warders and the identity of the party responsible for their disappearance.

Erichthonios: Agreed. Even so, if it means saving even a single life within Pandæmonium, then I'm not above asking Lahabrea for help...should it come to that.

Themis: Recent discoveries certainly paint Hesperos's actions in a new light... The number of unknown elements in this investigation grows, and we must proceed forward with the utmost caution.

Themis: To that end, Erichthonios and I shall remain here for the time being. Much as I enjoy your company, I do not believe we shall be needing protection so long as we remain in Asphodelos.

Erichthonios: You should take this time to rest. Surely you are weary, and there may be more battles ahead of us. Themis's burden may grow heavier in your absence, but he's shown that he's more than capable to bear it.

Erichthonios: Still, I would help wheresoever I'm able. All we've achieved so far has been thanks to you two, and I mean to repay the debt I owe. I don't know what use I can be outside of placating the creatures, but I'll find a way.

Themis: Nonsense, you owe us nothing. It was thanks to your knowledge of the magicks which govern this place that we were able to come this far. Elsewise we would have likely succumbed to the hippokampos's assault.

Themis: Each of us has arrived at this dire pass by separate paths, but it is only by combining our respective expertise that we will reach the end of it and see Pandæmonium saved.

Erichthonios: Thank you, Themis. Hesperos's words seem to have affected me more than I realize. Together we've come this far, and together we'll reach the end.
Themis: I have no doubt we will. Even so, let us allow [Forename] {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} rest.

Themis: Besides, you have someone awaiting a report on your progress, yes? I daresay your story will be much more than they ever imagined.

-optional start
Erichthonios: Ah, so you don't serve the Convocation. I suppose I needn't worry about you going behind our backs to curry favor with Lahabrea.

Themis: My friend would be very curious to hear what has occurred here. However, I fear that if I left Pandæmonium, the wards protecting it would quickly deteriorate. I hope she does not mind assuming some of my duties in the meantime.

''At the Aporia''
Ruissenaud: Professor Claudien has tasked ''me'' with recording the aetherial signatures of each and every crystal in his recent orders. As a lowly assistant, I'm honored to be given such an enormous and monumental assignment!

Nemjiji: At the professor's behest, we have kept our reports on recent events as vague as we can manage. Even if we wished to do otherwise, not much of note has transpired here as of late...
-optional end

Claudien: Welcome, [Forename]! Back from the past none the worse for wear, I see. So, what did you find?

Claudien: So there is evil afoot in Pandæmonium─an already ominous place, I must say. Mythic beasts and missing warders... Truly, we are fortunate to see you returned to us in one piece.

Nemjiji: It appears the voice [Forename] heard from the crystal spoke the truth. As for who left it behind, and why, those are yet questions to be answered.

Claudien: Indeed. It could be someone who lived among the ancients, or it could be someone trying to avert a tragedy from the future. Much remains shrouded in mystery.

Claudien: Yet ilm by ilm, we shall unveil that mystery. With the help of [Forename], of course! By her actions was the fabric of the past reshaped, yet she returns to the same present she left.

Claudien: Which can only mean one thing: that her intervention in Pandæmonium's crisis is but one of the countless building blocks of history upon which our present has been built.

Claudien: There is no telling what consequences would arise if we stopped pursuing this matter now. Whatever plot is unraveling within Pandæmonium, we must not let it reach its conclusion. If one of those creatures should escape, what ripples would carry forth to the future?

Claudien: They might wreak havoc upon the world of the ancients, and their despair would leave an indelible mark upon history's pages. That despair would only feed the terrible beasts that arose during the Final Days.

Ruissenaud: The first Final Days already had a drastic effect on the eons that followed. If the scars it left were made even deeper, then we risk losing our present entirely...

Claudien: Whatever the cost, our connection with the future of Elpis must be preserved. I know I have asked much of you already, but can I count on you to continue your work in Pandæmonium?

Claudien: Your tireless efforts are much appreciated. If there is aught we can do to ease your burden, you need only say the word.

Claudien: Speaking of which, might you return the crystal into our keeping? While we cannot accompany you to the past, perhaps something can be gained by researching it further.

Claudien: Ah, it shines just as splendidly as the day we met! We shall begin work right away, but I cannot promise any meaningful results for some time. And as matters in Elpis seem to be in a similar state, I must ask that you rest.

Claudien: But before that, allow me to make an introduction. As our research moves into its critical stage, I found it only suitable to recruit another assistant.

Claudien: Mylenie is an expert in armaments from throughout history, be they from the far-flung past or made in the most modern forges. Should you find aught of interest in your adventures, bring it here and she will be glad to offer her services.

Claudien: We know researchers in numerous fields that would love to get their hands on artifacts from bygone eras, and would give you goods in return that should aid you in trials ahead.

Claudien: Furthermore, if you ever wish to peruse the records of events you have reported here, Nemjiji has been taking faithful and thorough notes. She is at your complete disposal.

Claudien: ...I sense that we have embarked upon something monumental. Something that will dwarf all else I have accomplished in my many years of research.

Claudien: I can think of no greater honor, nor reassurance, than to have your capable assistance in this endeavor. If there is anything to be found that will contribute to your success, we shall find it.

Claudien: We shall not rest until we have unlocked the mysteries of this crystal! And you will be the first to know when we do.

-cutscene end

-optional start
''Before the release of the next section Pandæmonium, Abyssos''
Claudien: Would that we too could hear the words of the crystal and see the memories stored within... Our research would progress by leaps and bounds!

Claudien: Alas, sometimes the greatest discoveries are made under the most severe restrictions. We shall redouble our research efforts and be not perturbed by the obstacles we face.
-optional end

-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=AeYfMFB__1s}}

Where Familiars Dare

2026-05-30T12:56:08Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Where Familiars Dare
| description = [[Themis]] is eager to commence the investigation into [[Pandæmonium]].
| image = Where Familiars Dare.png
| quest-giver = Themis
| related-npcs = Erichthonios (NPC); Words of Lahabrea Speaker
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 32
| location-y = 23
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 20
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Quicktongue Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Asphodelos: The First Circle
| prev-quest = The Crystal from Beyond
| next-quest = Under the Surface
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.01
| id-gt = 70012
| id-edb = 691464a5e7c
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with the Words of [[Lahabrea]] speaker.
*Speak with [[Themis]].
*Enter [[Asphodelos: The First Circle]].
*Speak with Themis.

==Journal==
*Themis is eager to commence the investigation into Pandæmonium.

*Themis suggests that you journey to Pandæmonium together, both because it will be easier for you to gain access to the sensitive area and because you seem to be the “star” that was foretold by Themis's colleague. The first order of the day is to receive permission from the Words of Lahabrea, which Themis assures you should be a simple matter.

*As Themis promised, your entry into Pandæmonium is granted without issue. While the member of the Words of Lahabrea assures you that any major irregularities in the facility are seen to by Lahabrea himself, Themis seems nonetheless eager to continue his own investigation into matters.

*As you and Themis step foot into Pandæmonium, he reveals that something or someone within is working to erode the chains and barriers which keep the creatures locked away. Though Themis uses his own magic to strengthen the protections for the moment, he suggests you seek one of the warders to gain a more thorough understanding of how the situation might be resolved. He further explains that although he cannot participate directly in battle without relinquishing his focus on the wards, he can create warriors based on your aether to aid you, should it come to that.
**※Asphodelos: The First Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*Not long after you begin your search, a man wearing warders' garb rushes toward you, shouting an angry challenge before transforming into a towering vision of punitive might. After a pitched battle, you emerge victorious, and await his return to consciousness.

*The warder introduces himself as Erichthonios, and it seems he scarcely remembers the moments leading up to your conflict. What he can tell you is that Asphodelos─the level of Pandæmonium closest to the surface─has become overrun by monsters, and that he became separated from his colleagues in the chaos. Concerned for their safety, he begs Themis to withhold his report to the Convocation so that he can be afforded time to rescue them ere the facility is obliterated. Although Themis cannot openly shirk his duties, he states that his investigation is yet incomplete, and the two of you agree to delve further into the hellish dungeon in search of survivors─and answers.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===

Themis: Now then, my proposal is a simple one: let us journey to Pandæmonium together. Our destination is the same, and I suspect the arrangement would work to our mutual benefit.

Themis: Besides, I should have no trouble gaining us both access. I do hope you agree─I would be loath to part ways from the falling star I had been waiting so long for.

Themis: Originally I had planned to conduct my investigation with the friend I mentioned earlier. {{alternatives|f=She|m=He}} had also noticed the anomaly near Pandæmonium, so it only seemed natural that we should investigate it together.

Themis: However, {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} eventually decided that it would be unwise for us both to go. If two members of our organization were seen poking our heads about restricted facilities, it could raise questions, you see.

Themis: I decided to go alone, but {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} left me with these words: “Fear not, for in my absence a star shall fall before you.”

Themis: While I could not comprehend {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} meaning at the time, I believe now I understand. {{alternatives|f=She|m=He}} does have a way of being right about these things.

Themis: Even so, {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} hints of what to come are generally more cryptic. I suppose I should have kept my gaze to the heavens.

Themis: Suffice it to say that I am grateful for your presence either way. As for the matter at hand, we must first gain permission from the Words of Lahabrea for entry into Pandæmonium. There ought to be a speaker waiting at Anagnorisis...

-quest accepted

-optional start
Themis: I sent a request for permission before setting forth to Elpis. With luck we shall not be waiting long.
-optional end

===Speak with the Words of Lahabrea speaker.===

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: What a fascinating aetheric signature... Ahem. In accordance with the Convocation's request, the two of you have been granted leave to observe Pandæmonium.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I shall register your aether for the records. From this point on, you may freely come and go from Pandæmonium as you please.

Themis: Now, that was a painless process. I take this as a sign that we were meant to conduct our investigations together.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Of course, while you have been permitted entry into the facility, the specimens housed inside must be handled with the utmost care. You are to heed the warders' instructions at all times.

Themis: Those who conduct their work within Pandæmonium are called “warders” for their role with respect to the creatures within.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Generally, creations that pose a threat to the safety of the star must be undone. However, the Words of Lahabrea has deemed certain such creations as worthy of further study, interring them within the facility.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Those who spend their days in Pandæmonium are not merely researchers─they must work tirelessly to ensure that none of their subjects slip their shackles.

Themis: For all intents and purposes, the place is a dungeon. Perhaps such a comparison arouses frightful imagery, but Pandæmonium is a frightful place.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I know not the purpose of your investigation, but if you discover aught that merits a report, pray do so with utmost haste. Master Lahabrea shall guide us upon the proper course of action from there.

Themis: Then I take it that means you have detected nothing amiss as of late?

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: The warders have reported nothing that would cause alarm. Minor fluctuations in aether have been observed, but surely Master Lahabrea would have acted if they were anything worth worrying about.

Themis: I see. It appears Lahabrea is kept well abreast of the goings-on here, then...

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I hope I am not overstepping my boundaries by asking, but... You seem to be quite familiar with Master Lahabrea. Do you know him?

What will you say?

> Know him? We've met.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: ...That a mere familiar would have had the honor to meet Master Lahabrea! He is not known to easily afford others his time, so you must be extraordinary indeed to be granted even a moment of it.

> Oh, the stories I could tell you...

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: You are no mere familiar, are you? Master Lahabrea is not known for being generous with his time─that one would have “stories” of his company almost beggars belief.
---
Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Regardless, while I doubt I need to tell you this, he is of the Convocation. Take care that your actions do not hinder his work.
Themis: And with that, we are free to make our way to Pandæmonium. The neus that will take us there is on the eastern bank of Lethe─let us delay no further.

-optional start
Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Pandæmonium can be reached via the neus on the island to the northeast. I suggest you hurry before your companion leaves you behind.
-optional end

===Speak with Themis.===
Themis: I had to contain my surprise for the sake of appearances, but is it true that you too have met Lahabrea in the flesh? I find you more fascinating by the moment...

Themis: Still, I shall refrain from asking too many questions. Secrets will make our journey all the more intriguing.

Themis: We shall come to know each other in time, I wager. Or else why would fate have orchestrated our meeting?

Themis: In any case, let us be off. Truth be told, this will be my first time beholding the fabled Pandæmonium with my own eyes. Here's to a new adventure, eh?

 
''At Pandæmonium''
Themis: It is much as I feared...

Themis: The speaker seemed in such high spirits that for a moment I thought the aetherial irregularity not nearly so grave a portent as I had imagined... Alas, 'twas a fleeing and vain hope.

Themis: To gaze upon this complex network of chains and wards, the untrained eye might not sense anything awry. No effort has been spared in making this place impenetrable.

Themis: Even the finest of masterworks is not without its flaws, however...

Themis: Someone, or something, is tampering with the protections.

Themis: It is working from within, eroding them from the inside out.

Themis: Fear not─there is no immediate danger. I reinforced what protections I could the moment we arrived.

Themis: This will not put an end to whatever is occurring, but it shall at least serve to slow its progress. One small victory─though the road ahead of us is yet long.

Themis: Yes... Powerful forces are at work here.

Themis: The silence in the air speaks volumes. While I did not expect a bustling facility, I see not a single warder.

Themis: Our first course of action should be to seek one out, wherever they may be.

Themis: However, there is something you must know...

Themis: The magic I wove upon entering requires my constant awareness. That is to say─if we are forced to fight, I cannot risk joining you in battle.

Themis: Should I lose focus, Pandæmonium's protections will rapidly crumble before the force assailing them.

Themis: Were there another way, I would gladly choose it─but let us at least be grateful that neither of us is here alone, trapped in hopeless circumstances.

Themis: If we should fail to find a peaceable solution, then I hope that I can rely on your strength to see us through.

What will you say?

> Of course. You have my promise.

Themis: Thank you for offering your help so willingly. If weapons are drawn, I hope to be able to lend at least a touch of magical support.

> This request doesn't come as a surprise, to be honest.

Themis: At least you received it with good humor. Rest assured I do not mean to stand by idly while you risk life and limb─I hope to be able to lend at least a touch of magical support.

---

Themis: Creation magicks do have their uses in that regard. I had it in mind to use your aether as basis for illusory allies that will fight at your side.

Themis: Perhaps...seven shall do. Not exactly an army, but by the looks of you, a formidable band nonetheless.

Themis: Then so shall it be. Now...what, I wonder, awaits us in Pandæmonium's pitiless halls?

''Asphodelos The First Circle now accessible''

-optional start
Themis: I cannot say for sure what awaits us. Let us make ready for the worst, and we shall not be taken by surprise.
-optional end

===After Asphodelos The First Circle===

Themis: That was a thrilling display! And if I may be so vaunting, the warriors I spun from your aether fought even more splendidly than I had anticipated. I suppose they were cut from excellent cloth, after all.

Themis: We should wait until this man regains his senses. He wears the robes of a warder, and I would be very curious to know what drove him to attack us sight unseen.
 
Themis: [Forename]. He stirs.

Erichthonios: What...what came over me?

Erichthonios: It... It's coming back to me... My mind was filled with a storm of desperation...anger... I leapt at you, though I knew naught of your intentions...

Erichthonios: Pray accept my apologies. And my thanks. Had you not knocked some sense back into me, I may have fallen upon someone less capable of defending themselves.

Erichthonios: I am Erichthonios, a warder of Asphodelos─Pandæmonium's highest layer, and the place we're in now.

Themis: One must wonder why you were so desperate to keep us out. What is happening in Pandæmonium?

Erichthonios: The creations interred within Asphodelos have been set free, and stalk its halls to no end but violence.

Themis: That is...not good, to say the least. Has this ever happened before?

Erichthonios: No, never. Each level of Pandæmonium is under the charge of a keyward, who keeps strict control over the most minute aspects of their domain. They're selected with great care, and their loyalty to Master Lahabrea is absolute...

Erichthonios: Yet something has gone terribly wrong. Try as we might to hold the line, the chaos within is overwhelming... I hardly realized that I had become separated from my colleagues.

Erichthonios: I remember a chorus of whispers assailing my senses, and afterwards only flashes of rage and fury. Then blackness...from which I awoke to find that whatever had overcome me was gone.

Themis: I see... Your senses may have been muddled by magicks that affect the mind─perhaps the selfsame ones that saw you separated from the other warders.

Erichthonios: Whatever had taken hold of me, thank you for releasing me from its clutches. That you've come here from the surface must mean some word of our plight has reached the outside world. If you know anything that may help, pray tell.

Erichthonios: Horror among horrors... So Pandæmonium's protections are indeed being dismantled from within.

Themis: By the same individual─or individuals─that released its captives and set them upon you, no doubt. Such knowledge avails us little, however, if we cannot ascertain their identity.

Erichthonios: ...Themis, was it? You said you worked for an organization under the auspices of the Convocation. Were they to receive word of what has transpired here, what measures would they take?

Themis: Doubtless they would consider this place to be a lost cause. Pandæmonium's ties to the outside world would be severed, or perhaps it would be wiped from existence entirely.

Erichthonios: As I thought. Were the creatures to escape into the outside world, there would be untold carnage. The Words of Lahabrea would never risk that, despite what value the research subjects may hold.

Erichthonios: All the more reason to work with haste. If we can't expect further help, then it falls upon me to save the others. I'll not leave them behind!
Themis: ...You would go alone?

Erichthonios: I won't leave the other warders to face certain doom.

Erichthonios: I know they fight for survival even now. They wouldn't abandon their duty─they would see the creatures returned to their cells at all costs.

Erichthonios: And so I must do the same. Themis, I know the request I'm about to make of you is a monumental one, but please...say not a word of this to the Convocation until I've been given a chance to set things right.

Themis: ...Forgive my rudeness, Erichthonios, but my decision cannot be swayed by emotion. You would only be consigning yourself to an early death─strength of resolve alone cannot win in the face of overwhelming odds.

Themis: That being said, our investigation has only just begun, and we would be remiss to turn back ere we've made an exhaustive survey. So, for the time being, there is slightly more than resolve to rely upon.

Themis: Heh... I knew you would be all too eager to join us.

Themis: Each moment since you fell from the skies has been more interesting than the last. More and more you remind me of my dear friend.

Themis: ...Which goes some way toward encouraging me that this matter will yet reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Erichthonios: So you...agree to help?

Themis: For the moment, our goals align. The protective magicks of Pandæmonium yet hold, so for the moment time is in our favor. Let us proceed upon the course you and [Forename] have set us upon.

Erichthonios: Themis and...[Forename], yes? Thank you. The warders owe you a great debt already.

Themis: We shall be glad to have someone familiar with Pandæmonium's halls by our side. A party of three is ever so much more entertaining than a pair of two.

Themis: Now, let us turn our attention to rescuing your colleagues. Perhaps it would be wise to approach the gates, in case any have followed you out.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Images==
<gallery heights=200px mode=packed>
File:Where Familiars Dare 1.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 2.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 3.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 4.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 5.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 6.png
</gallery>
[[Category:Quests missing dialogue template]]
==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=fTTGBn_5gaU}}

Under the Surface

2026-05-30T12:41:55Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Under the Surface
| description = [[Erichthonios]] is peering into the depths of [[Pandæmonium]].
| image = Under the Surface.png
| quest-giver = Erichthonios (NPC)
| related-npcs = Themis
| location = The Gates of Pandaemonium
| location-x = 21.4
| location-y = 18.1
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 21
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Battledance Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Asphodelos: The Second Circle
| prev-quest = Where Familiars Dare
| next-quest = The Fires of Creation
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.01
| id-gt = 70013
| id-edb = 25cb51b44d8
}}
==Steps==
*Enter [[Asphodelos: The Second Circle]].
*Speak with [[Erichthonios (NPC)|Erichthonios]].

==Journal==
*Erichthonios is peering into the depths of Pandæmonium.

*It transpires that Erichthonios's aim is not only to see his colleagues rescued, but also have the creatures contained within Pandæmonium returned to their confinement rather than destroyed. In pursuit of this goal, Themis agrees to lend the warder a portion of his power that he might use the powerful interment spell. As interment is usually only performed by the keywards, this stratagem must be tested first─upon the hippokampos which Erichthonios saw skulking in the waterways. The question of who is responsible for weakening the creature ere it is recaptured is a foregone conclusion.
**※Asphodelos: The Second Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*You find the hippokampos in the waterways as Erichthonios said, and quickly subdue it with the help of the illusive warriors. Themis and Erichthonios then succeed in sealing it away─meaning that there is yet hope to bring order to Pandæmonium without sacrificing warder nor inmate.

*Erichthonios is all too happy to place most of the credit for your success with you and Themis. Nevertheless, he seems confident and eager to journey deeper into Pandæmonium, where yet more creatures await.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
-optional start
Themis: It seems our investigation will be quite the ordeal after all. Still, I find it hard to believe that Lahabrea knows naught of what has transpired here. Whoever the mastermind of this crisis is, they do not lack for power and cunning.

-optional end

Erichthonios: Not a sound can be heard from within, which means neither creature nor warder has made it this far. We should begin forming a plan to save them at once.

Themis: ...Forgive me if I misunderstand, but do you mean to rescue the warders and creations both?

Erichthonios: Naturally. Although they may be dangerous, they're valuable research subjects. I wouldn't see our labor─our untold hours of study─go to waste.

Themis: I daresay Lahabrea would smile to hear you say such a thing. That is, if we had cause to report this incident to him.

Erichthonios: Smile? I'm not sure his face is capable of such warmth.

Themis: ...Ah, so you have met him before? I was under the impression he rarely visited Pandæmonium.

Erichthonios: I have, yes. My mentor was the previous head of this facility─that is to say, Lahabrea's predecessor in the position of chief keyward.

Erichthonios: Her name was Athena, and she was a researcher with the Words. 'Twas she who appointed me to this position, in fact.

Themis: I see... I did not know there was a chief keyward before Lahabrea. Your motivation to save your research subjects is not entirely driven by duty to the Words, then─you wish also to preserve the work of your mentor.

Erichthonios: You've the right of it. I'm lacking in ideas of how to go about that, however. I'm a mere warder, and cannot wield interment magicks.

Erichthonios: Ah, but of course I can hardly expect you to be versed in the magicks we use here. If you recall, during our battle earlier I bound you in aetherial shackles. Interment is a more refined and powerful magick based upon the same principles.

Erichthonios: While both are used to keep our subjects docile, only the keyward of each tier is permitted to use interment. Even if I were allowed, I lack the aptitude to use the spell to any notable effect.

Themis: Fascinating. I have some knowledge of these forms of spellcraft, actually. Lahabrea himself established their foundation, if I recall.

Themis: While shackles are meant to bind an object in place for a short time, interment freezes the very space around it for as long as the caster wills.

Erichthonios: Indeed. While the illusory beings you summoned in our fight suggested as much, I see your knowledge of magic is vast. Perhaps you've already mastered the art of interment, and I've been lecturing you like a child all this time...

Themis: I am afraid my knowledge ends there. I have not the precise understanding of how the invocations interact with natural laws that would be needed to cast said spells with any consistency.

Themis: While I consider myself well versed in various magicks, I would be ill advised to assume the duties of keyward without instruction. That being said, if I were to learn more of interment and its inner workings, perhaps...

Question: What will you say?

> Well, you have a warder standing in front of you.

Themis: Well, the solution is obvious when you put it like ''that''.

> Leave the fighting to me. You two can figure out the rest.
Themis: Hmm... I daresay we can do just that.
---

Themis: Erichthonios, you implied that what prevented you from performing interment was lack of magical capacity. What if I supplemented your power with my own? Would the spell succeed then?

Erichthonios: I...I can't say for certain. I've never heard of such a thing being done.

Themis: I believe it may be our best recourse. That is, of course, assuming you can perform the initial rites and incantations flawlessly. Even the smallest misstep and we would have to start over.

Erichthonios: You needn't worry about that. I've seen the spells cast so many times that their motions have been burned into my memory. I won't disappoint.

Themis: Very well, let us work out the specifics afterwards. Once we do, we can test out our methods on one of the escaped creatures─though I suppose there is the matter of finding one...

Themis: It would be foolish to rush in blindly, lest we find ourselves surrounded with naught but an untested stratagem at our disposal. Nay─I would prefer to engage a single creature that [Forename] could dispatch on her own if the spell were to go awry.

Erichthonios: I agree─and I may have an idea in that regard. I recall seeing the hippokampos wandering the waterways during my flight. Perhaps it's still there.

Erichthonios: Few of the subjects housed within Asphodelos are fond of water, and I believe we'll be able to engage the beast without fear of unwanted guests.

Themis: Then that shall be our first target─or perhaps “subject” is a better term. Before we commence with the interment magicks, the creature should be weakened to a sufficient degree. I believe I can trust you with that task.

Themis: As dependable as ever. Once you have given it a thorough trouncing, we shall bind this hippokampos with the keyward's magic. Until then, my illusions shall fight by your side.

Erichthonios: The hippokampos will be alone, but it's a daunting opponent nonetheless. Its magic warps the environment around it, and it will be at home amidst the waterways. Steel yourself for a fight.

-quest accepted

''Asphodelos The Second Circle now accessible''

-optional start

Erichthonios: Athena ever drove home the fact that our subjects should be treated with the utmost care. 'Twould be best if we could see them confined once again rather than disposed of like beasts gone feral.

Themis: I take it we are each ready to fulfill our respective roles. Truth be told, this will be the first time I have practiced magic that requires such a degree of cooperation between parties. How thrilling!
-optional end

===After Asphodelos The Second Circle===

Themis: That was a trial by fire─or water, I suppose─but I had faith we would see it through. So long as we had your stout arm, of course.

Erichthonios: I knew that you were no mere mercenary, but to make such clean work of the hippokampos... Seasoned fighters scarcely have occasion to visit Pandæmonium, let alone display their skills. Mastery takes all forms, indeed.

Erichthonios: Needless to say, our plan worked to perfection. In no small part thanks to you two.

Erichthonios: Themis's power was more than enough to complete the interment. Spellcasting was never my strong suit, but that almost made me feel like a proper magos.

Themis: Truly? Having seen your abilities firsthand in your fight with [Forename], I beg to disagree.

Erichthonios: Shackles is the one exception. And 'tis only because I've been forced to practice it since I was but a small child. Other magicks leave me feeling completely out of my depth.

Erichthonios: Regardless, it seems luck is on my side, to guide me to you. We may prove the impossible possible after all.

-quest complete

-optional start

Erichthonios: After witnessing the hippokampos's capabilities, I should not blame you for wishing to avoid engaging any further creations in the place of their choosing... Alas, I doubt we will have the luxury.
-optional end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=LSIaIcbp3pY}}

Where Familiars Dare

2026-05-30T12:35:14Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Where Familiars Dare
| description = [[Themis]] is eager to commence the investigation into [[Pandæmonium]].
| image = Where Familiars Dare.png
| quest-giver = Themis
| related-npcs = Erichthonios (NPC); Words of Lahabrea Speaker
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 32
| location-y = 23
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 20
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Quicktongue Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks = ra Asphodelos: The First Circle
| prev-quest = The Crystal from Beyond
| next-quest = Under the Surface
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.01
| id-gt = 70012
| id-edb = 691464a5e7c
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with the Words of [[Lahabrea]] speaker.
*Speak with [[Themis]].
*Enter [[Asphodelos: The First Circle]].
*Speak with Themis.

==Journal==
*Themis is eager to commence the investigation into Pandæmonium.

*Themis suggests that you journey to Pandæmonium together, both because it will be easier for you to gain access to the sensitive area and because you seem to be the “star” that was foretold by Themis's colleague. The first order of the day is to receive permission from the Words of Lahabrea, which Themis assures you should be a simple matter.

*As Themis promised, your entry into Pandæmonium is granted without issue. While the member of the Words of Lahabrea assures you that any major irregularities in the facility are seen to by Lahabrea himself, Themis seems nonetheless eager to continue his own investigation into matters.

*As you and Themis step foot into Pandæmonium, he reveals that something or someone within is working to erode the chains and barriers which keep the creatures locked away. Though Themis uses his own magic to strengthen the protections for the moment, he suggests you seek one of the warders to gain a more thorough understanding of how the situation might be resolved. He further explains that although he cannot participate directly in battle without relinquishing his focus on the wards, he can create warriors based on your aether to aid you, should it come to that.
**※Asphodelos: The First Circle can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*Not long after you begin your search, a man wearing warders' garb rushes toward you, shouting an angry challenge before transforming into a towering vision of punitive might. After a pitched battle, you emerge victorious, and await his return to consciousness.

*The warder introduces himself as Erichthonios, and it seems he scarcely remembers the moments leading up to your conflict. What he can tell you is that Asphodelos─the level of Pandæmonium closest to the surface─has become overrun by monsters, and that he became separated from his colleagues in the chaos. Concerned for their safety, he begs Themis to withhold his report to the Convocation so that he can be afforded time to rescue them ere the facility is obliterated. Although Themis cannot openly shirk his duties, he states that his investigation is yet incomplete, and the two of you agree to delve further into the hellish dungeon in search of survivors─and answers.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===

Themis: Now then, my proposal is a simple one: let us journey to Pandæmonium together. Our destination is the same, and I suspect the arrangement would work to our mutual benefit.

Themis: Besides, I should have no trouble gaining us both access. I do hope you agree─I would be loath to part ways from the falling star I had been waiting so long for.

Themis: Originally I had planned to conduct my investigation with the friend I mentioned earlier. {{alternatives|f=She|m=He}} had also noticed the anomaly near Pandæmonium, so it only seemed natural that we should investigate it together.

Themis: However, {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} eventually decided that it would be unwise for us both to go. If two members of our organization were seen poking our heads about restricted facilities, it could raise questions, you see.

Themis: I decided to go alone, but {{alternatives|f=she|m=he}} left me with these words: “Fear not, for in my absence a star shall fall before you.”

Themis: While I could not comprehend {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} meaning at the time, I believe now I understand. {{alternatives|f=She|m=He}} does have a way of being right about these things.

Themis: Even so, {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} hints of what to come are generally more cryptic. I suppose I should have kept my gaze to the heavens.

Themis: Suffice it to say that I am grateful for your presence either way. As for the matter at hand, we must first gain permission from the Words of Lahabrea for entry into Pandæmonium. There ought to be a speaker waiting at Anagnorisis...

-quest accepted

-optional start
Themis: I sent a request for permission before setting forth to Elpis. With luck we shall not be waiting long.
-optional end

===Speak with the Words of Lahabrea speaker.===

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: What a fascinating aetheric signature... Ahem. In accordance with the Convocation's request, the two of you have been granted leave to observe Pandæmonium.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I shall register your aether for the records. From this point on, you may freely come and go from Pandæmonium as you please.

Themis: Now, that was a painless process. I take this as a sign that we were meant to conduct our investigations together.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Of course, while you have been permitted entry into the facility, the specimens housed inside must be handled with the utmost care. You are to heed the warders' instructions at all times.

Themis: Those who conduct their work within Pandæmonium are called “warders” for their role with respect to the creatures within.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Generally, creations that pose a threat to the safety of the star must be undone. However, the Words of Lahabrea has deemed certain such creations as worthy of further study, interring them within the facility.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Those who spend their days in Pandæmonium are not merely researchers─they must work tirelessly to ensure that none of their subjects slip their shackles.

Themis: For all intents and purposes, the place is a dungeon. Perhaps such a comparison arouses frightful imagery, but Pandæmonium is a frightful place.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I know not the purpose of your investigation, but if you discover aught that merits a report, pray do so with utmost haste. Master Lahabrea shall guide us upon the proper course of action from there.

Themis: Then I take it that means you have detected nothing amiss as of late?

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: The warders have reported nothing that would cause alarm. Minor fluctuations in aether have been observed, but surely Master Lahabrea would have acted if they were anything worth worrying about.

Themis: I see. It appears Lahabrea is kept well abreast of the goings-on here, then...

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: I hope I am not overstepping my boundaries by asking, but... You seem to be quite familiar with Master Lahabrea. Do you know him?

What will you say?

> Know him? We've met.

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: ...That a mere familiar would have had the honor to meet Master Lahabrea! He is not known to easily afford others his time, so you must be extraordinary indeed to be granted even a moment of it.

> Oh, the stories I could tell you...

Words of Lahabrea Speaker: You are no mere familiar, are you? Master Lahabrea is not known for being generous with his time─that one would have “stories” of his company almost beggars belief.
---
Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Regardless, while I doubt I need to tell you this, he is of the Convocation. Take care that your actions do not hinder his work.
Themis: And with that, we are free to make our way to Pandæmonium. The neus that will take us there is on the eastern bank of Lethe─let us delay no further.

-optional start
Words of Lahabrea Speaker: Pandæmonium can be reached via the neus on the island to the northeast. I suggest you hurry before your companion leaves you behind.
-optional end

===Speak with Themis.===
Themis: I had to contain my surprise for the sake of appearances, but is it true that you too have met Lahabrea in the flesh? I find you more fascinating by the moment...

Themis: Still, I shall refrain from asking too many questions. Secrets will make our journey all the more intriguing.

Themis: We shall come to know each other in time, I wager. Or else why would fate have orchestrated our meeting?

Themis: In any case, let us be off. Truth be told, this will be my first time beholding the fabled Pandæmonium with my own eyes. Here's to a new adventure, eh?

 
''At Pandæmonium''
Themis: It is much as I feared...

Themis: The speaker seemed in such high spirits that for a moment I thought the aetherial irregularity not nearly so grave a portent as I had imagined... Alas, 'twas a fleeing and vain hope.

Themis: To gaze upon this complex network of chains and wards, the untrained eye might not sense anything awry. No effort has been spared in making this place impenetrable.

Themis: Even the finest of masterworks is not without its flaws, however...

Themis: Someone, or something, is tampering with the protections.

Themis: It is working from within, eroding them from the inside out.

Themis: Fear not─there is no immediate danger. I reinforced what protections I could the moment we arrived.

Themis: This will not put an end to whatever is occurring, but it shall at least serve to slow its progress. One small victory─though the road ahead of us is yet long.

Themis: Yes... Powerful forces are at work here.

Themis: The silence in the air speaks volumes. While I did not expect a bustling facility, I see not a single warder.

Themis: Our first course of action should be to seek one out, wherever they may be.

Themis: However, there is something you must know...

Themis: The magic I wove upon entering requires my constant awareness. That is to say─if we are forced to fight, I cannot risk joining you in battle.

Themis: Should I lose focus, Pandæmonium's protections will rapidly crumble before the force assailing them.

Themis: Were there another way, I would gladly choose it─but let us at least be grateful that neither of us is here alone, trapped in hopeless circumstances.

Themis: If we should fail to find a peaceable solution, then I hope that I can rely on your strength to see us through.

What will you say?

> Of course. You have my promise.

Themis: Thank you for offering your help so willingly. If weapons are drawn, I hope to be able to lend at least a touch of magical support.

> This request doesn't come as a surprise, to be honest.

Themis: At least you received it with good humor. Rest assured I do not mean to stand by idly while you risk life and limb─I hope to be able to lend at least a touch of magical support.

---

Themis: Creation magicks do have their uses in that regard. I had it in mind to use your aether as basis for illusory allies that will fight at your side.

Themis: Perhaps...seven shall do. Not exactly an army, but by the looks of you, a formidable band nonetheless.

Themis: Then so shall it be. Now...what, I wonder, awaits us in Pandæmonium's pitiless halls?

''Asphodelos: The First Circle now accessible''

-optional start
Themis: I cannot say for sure what awaits us. Let us make ready for the worst, and we shall not be taken by surprise.
-optional end

===After Asphodelos: The First Circle===

Themis: That was a thrilling display! And if I may be so vaunting, the warriors I spun from your aether fought even more splendidly than I had anticipated. I suppose they were cut from excellent cloth, after all.

Themis: We should wait until this man regains his senses. He wears the robes of a warder, and I would be very curious to know what drove him to attack us sight unseen.
 
Themis: [Forename]. He stirs.

Erichthonios: What...what came over me?

Erichthonios: It... It's coming back to me... My mind was filled with a storm of desperation...anger... I leapt at you, though I knew naught of your intentions...

Erichthonios: Pray accept my apologies. And my thanks. Had you not knocked some sense back into me, I may have fallen upon someone less capable of defending themselves.

Erichthonios: I am Erichthonios, a warder of Asphodelos─Pandæmonium's highest layer, and the place we're in now.

Themis: One must wonder why you were so desperate to keep us out. What is happening in Pandæmonium?

Erichthonios: The creations interred within Asphodelos have been set free, and stalk its halls to no end but violence.

Themis: That is...not good, to say the least. Has this ever happened before?

Erichthonios: No, never. Each level of Pandæmonium is under the charge of a keyward, who keeps strict control over the most minute aspects of their domain. They're selected with great care, and their loyalty to Master Lahabrea is absolute...

Erichthonios: Yet something has gone terribly wrong. Try as we might to hold the line, the chaos within is overwhelming... I hardly realized that I had become separated from my colleagues.

Erichthonios: I remember a chorus of whispers assailing my senses, and afterwards only flashes of rage and fury. Then blackness...from which I awoke to find that whatever had overcome me was gone.

Themis: I see... Your senses may have been muddled by magicks that affect the mind─perhaps the selfsame ones that saw you separated from the other warders.

Erichthonios: Whatever had taken hold of me, thank you for releasing me from its clutches. That you've come here from the surface must mean some word of our plight has reached the outside world. If you know anything that may help, pray tell.

Erichthonios: Horror among horrors... So Pandæmonium's protections are indeed being dismantled from within.

Themis: By the same individual─or individuals─that released its captives and set them upon you, no doubt. Such knowledge avails us little, however, if we cannot ascertain their identity.

Erichthonios: ...Themis, was it? You said you worked for an organization under the auspices of the Convocation. Were they to receive word of what has transpired here, what measures would they take?

Themis: Doubtless they would consider this place to be a lost cause. Pandæmonium's ties to the outside world would be severed, or perhaps it would be wiped from existence entirely.

Erichthonios: As I thought. Were the creatures to escape into the outside world, there would be untold carnage. The Words of Lahabrea would never risk that, despite what value the research subjects may hold.

Erichthonios: All the more reason to work with haste. If we can't expect further help, then it falls upon me to save the others. I'll not leave them behind!
Themis: ...You would go alone?

Erichthonios: I won't leave the other warders to face certain doom.

Erichthonios: I know they fight for survival even now. They wouldn't abandon their duty─they would see the creatures returned to their cells at all costs.

Erichthonios: And so I must do the same. Themis, I know the request I'm about to make of you is a monumental one, but please...say not a word of this to the Convocation until I've been given a chance to set things right.

Themis: ...Forgive my rudeness, Erichthonios, but my decision cannot be swayed by emotion. You would only be consigning yourself to an early death─strength of resolve alone cannot win in the face of overwhelming odds.

Themis: That being said, our investigation has only just begun, and we would be remiss to turn back ere we've made an exhaustive survey. So, for the time being, there is slightly more than resolve to rely upon.

Themis: Heh... I knew you would be all too eager to join us.

Themis: Each moment since you fell from the skies has been more interesting than the last. More and more you remind me of my dear friend.

Themis: ...Which goes some way toward encouraging me that this matter will yet reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Erichthonios: So you...agree to help?

Themis: For the moment, our goals align. The protective magicks of Pandæmonium yet hold, so for the moment time is in our favor. Let us proceed upon the course you and [Forename] have set us upon.

Erichthonios: Themis and...[Forename], yes? Thank you. The warders owe you a great debt already.

Themis: We shall be glad to have someone familiar with Pandæmonium's halls by our side. A party of three is ever so much more entertaining than a pair of two.

Themis: Now, let us turn our attention to rescuing your colleagues. Perhaps it would be wise to approach the gates, in case any have followed you out.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Images==
<gallery heights=200px mode=packed>
File:Where Familiars Dare 1.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 2.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 3.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 4.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 5.png
File:Where Familiars Dare 6.png
</gallery>
[[Category:Quests missing dialogue template]]
==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=fTTGBn_5gaU}}

The Crystal from Beyond

2026-05-30T11:25:55Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = The Crystal from Beyond
| description = [[Nemjiji]] nods at you as if she was expecting your arrival.
| image = The Crystal from Beyond.png
| quest-giver = Nemjiji
| related-npcs = Claudien; Ruissenaud; Themis
| location = Old Sharlayan
| location-x = 9.6
| location-y = 11.9
| type = feature
| quest-line = Pandaemonium Quests
| journal-section = Chronicles of a New Era
| journal-category = Pandæmonium Quests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 19
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 90
| requirements =
| req-items =
| exp =
| gil = 3000
| reward1 = 5 Quickarm Materia IX
| reward-opt1 = 3 Heavens' Eye Materia IX
| reward-opt2 = 3 Savage Aim Materia IX
| reward-opt3 = 3 Savage Might Materia IX
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = Endwalker (Quest)
| next-quest = Where Familiars Dare
| release = endwalker
| patch = 6.01
| id-gt = 70011
| id-edb = d5bc45b5af2
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Claudien]] at [[Aporia]].
*Journey to [[the Ocular]] and approach the portal.
*Speak with [[Themis]].

==Journal==
*[[Nemjiji]] nods at you as if she was expecting your arrival.

*As you stroll through [[Archons' Design]], you are hailed by a [[Lalafell|Lalafellin]] researcher who introduces herself as Nemjiji, assistant to one Professor [[Claudien]] and tasked with the study of the [[Aether#Aetherial Sea|aetherial sea]]. She explains that they have recently discovered a crystal of unknown nature, and asks that you take a look in the hopes that you have seen such a thing on your journeys. Nemjiji takes her leave and asks that you come to Claudien's laboratory in [[Aporia]] at your soonest convenience.

*Claudien introduces himself and quickly moves to the matter of the crystal, found during a routine observation around the time the exodus was declared. You recognize it immediately as one of the ancients' design, and at a touch, it reveals to you a warning and a plea that you come to “[[Pandæmonium]].” While much remains shrouded in mystery, it is plain that said location is not of this time... Thus does Claudien ask that you return to the past and seek the one to whom the crystal once belonged.

*As you approach the portal in [[the Ocular]], it responds to the crystal in your hand. You step past the threshold and are soon overcome by a blinding light, and when you open your eyes, you find yourself in [[Elpis]] with a massive headache. Next to you is a [[Themis|youth]] with striking features, lying on the ground as if he has been knocked down by some unknown force... How odd. Though your arrival seems to have surprised him─particularly in its trajectory─his demeanor suggests that he is eager to make your acquaintance.

*Themis explains that he has been tasked with finding out what has happened within Pandæmonium, a facility which houses a menagerie of dangerous creations used for research purposes. Several days ago, irregular aether was detected in its vicinity─ere communications ceased entirely. For the moment, at least, it seems that your goals align.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Nemjiji: Hehe, it appears my calculations were correct! I knew that at this very spot, I would encounter none other than [Forename], the hero who saw us through the [[Final Days]]. So certain was I of my math that I stood here for... Well, let's not concern ourselves with that.
Nemjiji: I am Nemjiji, assistant to one Professor [[Claudien]]. We work with [[the Aitiascope]], to observe the [[Aether#Aetherial Sea|aetherial sea]] and delve into its myriad mysteries.
Nemjiji: Some mysteries, though, are beyond even our capabilities to unravel... The strange crystal we but recently discovered, for instance, defies our every conjecture.
Nemjiji: You've been to the center of the [[Hydaelyn|star]] and far beyond it, however, so we hope that you may see something in this crystal that we academics do not. I beg you lend us your well-traveled eye at [[Aporia]]─Professor Claudien will be eagerly awaiting your arrival.

-quest accepted

===At Aporia===
-optional start
Nemjiji: Welcome, welcome. We appreciate any insight you can provide on the matter of this crystal. Professor Claudien will share the particulars with you.
Ruissenaud: As I live and breathe, it really is you! I assumed Nemjiji was simply attempting to “pull one over” on me, as it were. Perhaps I should pay more heed to her wild claims.
-optional end

===Speak with Claudien at Aporia.===
-cutscene start
Claudien: Greetings, [Forename], and welcome to my humble laboratory. I am sure Nemjiji has already told you plenty about us, but allow me to introduce myself personally. I am Claudien, leader of this little research collective.
Claudien: I must admit, I have been nervous about this meeting ever since Nemjiji set out to find you. For a researcher in my field, there is no greater an honor than to meet the first {{alternatives|f=woman|m=man}} in history to traverse the aetherial sea and return to tell the tale.

Nemjiji: The professor speaks often and at length of your deeds, but he has no small number of achievements to his own name. He has peered deeper into the aetherial sea than any other in [[Sharlayan]], and the breadth of his knowledge is peerless.

Claudien: Peerless, perhaps, but for a single {{alternatives|f=woman|m=man}}... We must seize this precious opportunity to learn what we can from {{alternatives|f=her|m=him}}, and perhaps crack this conundrum that has stumped the three of us for moons.
Claudien: It was we who peered into the fathomless sea from [[the Antitower]] in [[The Dravanian Hinterlands|the Dravanian hinterlands]]. There we spoke with [[Hydaelyn (boss)|Hydaelyn]], and learned of the fate that would befall this star─the Final Days.
Claudien: Soon thereafter all research was moved to [[Labyrinthos]], and through the Aitiascope did we continue our vigil. As impressive a work as the device is, however, it can glimpse but a fraction of the sea's infinite depths.
Claudien: Which brings us to the matter at hand. Not long after the exodus was declared, we recovered an unusual crystal shard during a routine observation. It appeared before us suddenly, as if propelled to the surface by some unknown force.
Claudien: We found that it possessed an [[aether]]ial density that exceeds that of normal crystals by orders of magnitude. And its shape resembles nothing which occurs in the natural world─it was ''made'', not formed.
Claudien: Unfortunately, that was the extent of the information we could glean before we were forced to turn our focus towards the exodus. The crystal was very nearly forgotten amidst the sudden upheaval.
Claudien: But thanks to the efforts of a certain someone, that crisis is now behind us, and we are free to resume our research.
Claudien: Thus did we decide to seek you out─the dauntless adventurer who delved into the unknown and beheld its innermost secrets. And now we would have you see for yourself...
Claudien: Here is the crystal in question.
Claudien: If it resembles aught you have encountered before, even by the smallest degree, please say so.

Question: What will you say?
> Memory abides within this crystal.
> I know of someone who bears a similar crystal.
---

Claudien: As I thought, you do know what this is! Please, tell me everything.
 
Claudien: I see. The [[Ascians]] use these to transfer their memories to new vessels. Fascinating indeed.
Claudien: It was plain that this crystal was special somehow, but this revelation surpasses even my considerable expectations.

Nemjiji: Similar artifacts have appeared throughout the ages. Memories of martial techniques manifested as crystalline shards on the battlefield, or storied stones passed from master to student...
Nemjiji: A comparison between said artifacts and this crystal may prove a fruitful first step in unveiling its true nature. What do you think, Professor?

Claudien: Ascian memories... Windows through which we can gaze upon [[the Convocation of Fourteen]]...
Claudien: ...Unlike the crystal in [Forename]'s story, this one does not bear the mark of the Convocation. Who, then, could these memories belong to?
Claudien: And more importantly, why were they stored in this particular shard? More importantly still, why was it set adrift on the aetherial sea?

Nemjiji: Professor! Pro. Fess. Or! Claudien!

Claudien: Huh... Yes?

Nemjiji: I'm well aware that contemplation is the key to breakthrough, but there is propriety to consider. We have a guest─one ''you'' invited explicitly. Must we do this every time?

Claudien: What...? Ah! Yes, of course, our guest! Terribly sorry─I do so easily find myself unmoored by the tides of rumination...
Claudien: Perhaps a more, er...engaging use of your time with us would be for you to take up that crystal. If indeed there are memories stored within, they may reveal themselves to you upon contact.

x@Faint Voice: If anyone...message...come...[[Pandæmonium]]... Please...
x@Faint Voice: ...faces...grave threat...star...in danger!

Claudien: That expression does not bode well... What did you see?
Claudien: ...“Pandæmonium”? 'Tis not a word I have heard before. If my knowledge of the ancient tongue serves me, it means “all demons.” Not a name that inspires optimism, all things considered.
Claudien: In the event that another star-shattering cataclysm is in fact bearing down upon us, I would have the aforementioned examples of crystallized memory to hand. Nemjiji, Ruissenaud─I entrust their procurement to you. If there are more memories to be extracted from this crystal, we will find them.
Claudien: As for you, [Forename], there is a person I would have you seek─the one who has delivered so dire a warning.
Claudien: Your story tells us that this crystal could very well have been made by one of the [[Amaurotine|ancients]].
Claudien: If that is the case, then discerning the nature of this “Pandæmonium” would require a trip far into the past. To an era before [[The Sundering|the sundering]].
Claudien: I know of only one individual capable of such a feat─the very hero who traversed time to prevent the world's doom.
Claudien: I must confess, the tales people tell of your adventures beggar belief, and their veracity has been a subject of much debate among my peers. After today's meeting, however, there can be no doubt in my mind that every incredible exploit is fact.
Claudien: So I ask you now─return to the past. Find out what and where Pandæmonium is, and if we need be concerned by this message.
Claudien: Thank you. For the time being, you should keep the crystal in your possession. I do not think you have seen the last of its memories, and more may be drawn out as you approach their source. Safe travels, and may we meet again soon to share our findings.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Nemjiji: From this moment on, our objective shall be to fill every cranny of this place with crystals! Surely the gleaners won't mind braving a few haunted battlefields─for the right price.
Ruissenaud: For Professor Claudien, I would burn the candle on both ends! Or rather, I will! First, I must find the historical documents he requested. And then...? Hmm... What was I meant to do again?
Claudien: Pray journey to the past and ascertain the severity of the threat. Keep the crystal for now─until we can find a way to listen to its messages, it will do more good in your hands than ours.

-optional end

===Traveling to [[the Ocular]]===

-cutscene start
x@Faint Voice: If...receives this message...
x@Faint Voice: Come...Pandæmonium...quickly!

Themis@???: Urgh...

Themis@Confused Boy: Could it be...?
Themis@Confused Boy: ...No, of course not. Apologies, but for the briefest moment I thought you to be a dear [[Azem|friend]] of mine. I realize now that such a notion is preposterous.
Themis@Confused Boy: {{alternatives|f=She|m=He}} told me a falling star would appear before me, and I suppose you must be it. Truth be told, I did not expect the expression to be so...literal.
-cutscene end

===Speaking with the Confused Boy in Elpis===
-cutscene start
Themis: Ah, apologies for not introducing myself properly. My name is Themis. As you can see by my bare face, I am not one of [[Elpis]]'s observers.
Themis: Rather, I am come here on an assignment, which has been more or less routine up until this very moment...
Themis: You certainly do know how to make an entrance. I must wonder what brought you here, for it is plain that you do not belong here─or any place I know, for that matter.

Question: What will you say?
> I'm [[Azem]]'s familiar.
Themis: Hmm, it appears my initial impression was not so preposterous after all. I did not know my friend had such a unique familiar at {{alternatives|f=her|m=his}} disposal.
Themis: If you are here at Azem's behest, then I believe I can hazard a guess as to your purpose. You are here to investigate Pandæmonium, yes?
> I'm also here on an assignment.
Themis: Hmm...are you here to investigate Pandæmonium, perchance? It would not surprise me should we share a purpose...
---

Themis: If so, we may be able to help one another. But first, might I trouble you to explain how you came to collide with my skull?
Themis: I see. I believe that dispels any major doubts I had concerning your intentions. Apologies for being so intrusive, but you must understand this is an uncommon occurrence.
Themis: I shall pry no further, for I am well aware that we all have secrets we must keep. However, if I may, I would very much like to take a look at this crystal of yours.
Themis: Fascinating. While I cannot say much as to what it contains, it is clear that there are memories stirring within.
Themis: Memories that speak of something gravely amiss in Pandæmonium...
Themis: The facility extends beneath Elpis, and is overseen by the Words of Lahabrea.
Themis: It houses those creations that are highly valued as research subjects...and highly dangerous to the star. Naturally, it is strictly guarded, and under constant surveillance.
Themis: Several days ago, however, an unnatural shift in the flow of its surrounding aether was detected. Soon thereafter, all communications from Pandæmonium ceased.
Themis: I am here as representative of an organization that works directly with the Convocation, and have been tasked with investigating this incident.
Themis: Now that there is some measure of transparency between us, might I offer a suggestion as to what we should do next?
-quest complete
-cutscene end
System: During the course of your investigation, you may discover valuable artifacts.
System: These can be exchanged for equipment by speaking with [[Mylenie]] in Aporia or [[Djole]] in [[Radz-at-Han]].
</nowiki>}}

==Images==
<gallery heights=200px mode=packed>
File:The Crystal from Beyond 1.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 2.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 3.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 4.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 5.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 6.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 7.png
File:The Crystal from Beyond 8.png
</gallery>
[[Category:Quests missing dialogue template]]
==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=zapbZJRH2Pg}}

Cutting the Cheese

2026-05-30T08:57:08Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Cutting the Cheese
| image = Smileton.png
| description = This [[panic-stricken Loporrit]] is desperate for the aid of an able-bodied adventurer.
| quest-giver = Panic-stricken Loporrit
| related-npcs = Buildingway
| location = Old Sharlayan
| location-x = 11.8
| location-y = 11.4
| type = feature
| quest-line =
| journal-section = Sidequests
| journal-category = Sharlayan Sidequests
| journal-genre = Old Sharlayan Sidequests
| sortkey = 8110
| level = 90
| req-quest = Endwalker (Quest)
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp = 0
| gil = 1087
| reward1 = 1 Piety Materia IX
| reward2 = 1 Quicktongue Materia IX
| unlocks = dg Smileton
| prev-quest =
| next-quest =
| release = Endwalker
| patch = 6.0
| id-gt = 69703
| id-edb = dd3be670e6b
}}

==Steps==
*Speak with [[Buildingway]] at [[Mare Lamentorum]].
*Enter [[Smileton]].
*Speak with Buildingway.

==Journal==
*This panic-stricken Loporrit is desperate for the aid of an able-bodied adventurer.

*There is an emergency on the moon, and despite lacking any specific details of the situation, the panic-stricken Loporrit is beside himself. He only knows that Buildingway is searching for you, and asks that you head to Mare Lamentorum posthaste.

*According to Buildingway, their automated construction machine─the Big Cheese─has gone out of control, burrowing into the moon causing untold havoc. The survey team sent to investigate has yet to return, and now Buildingway would ask you to force your way inside and assess the situation. You need only make your way to Smileton, and he will see to it you have clearance to enter.
**※Smileton can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

*The path through Smileton is treacherous, thanks in no small part to the Loporrits' security system. Nevertheless you press on, and at the center of it all you find the Big Cheese. After a thunderous battle, the great machine falls silent. Buildingway will be heartened to know the threat is over.

*You report back to Buildingway and the look of relief on his face speaks volumes. He is disappointed to see his plans go awry, but without the threat of the Final Days and impending doom, he has time to begin anew. This time, he affirms, he will take his time, and make certain to avoid any more abrupt changes of heart.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
===Accepting the quest===
Panic-stricken Loporrit: [Forename]! Oh, thank goodness you're here. It's absolutely terrible! Awful! An emergency of cataclysmic proportions!
Panic-stricken Loporrit: What is it...? I-I don't know, actually. They didn't say. But doesn't it sound simply dreadful!?
Panic-stricken Loporrit: What I ''do'' know is Buildingway has been asking after you. He said if I happen to see you, I should tell you to hurry over to Kydonia Knolls with all haste.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Panic-stricken Loporrit: Whatever the problem is, it sounds absolutely dreadful. I'm afraid you'll have to speak with Buildingway for the nub of this carrot.
-optional end

===Speak with Buildingway at Mare Lamentorum.===
Buildingway: You're here! And not a moment too soon. Sorry to call you here so abruptly, but you were the first person who came to mind that might be able to help.
Buildingway: Do you recall the domiciles we were planning to build for the evacuation?
Buildingway: I don't mean to brag, but they were immaculate─positively perfect. Except, of course, for the ever-so-small oversight of being three times larger than necessary.
Buildingway: At least, that's what I believed before speaking with Urianger. I learned a lot from him about what we should and shouldn't make of the domiciles, and so I began making changes. Small at first, but they soon became much bigger, more drastic!

Buildingway: By the end I'd swear I was drawing up wholly new plans by the minute.

Buildingway: But I was too ambitious─the myriad plans I dreamt up overwhelmed our automated construction machine, the Big Cheese! Even as we speak, it's burrowing underground with reckless abandon.

Buildingway: If we don't stop it, the domiciles will be the least of our problems. The entire moon is likely to end up looking like a truckle of hole-filled cheese! Delectable? Perhaps, but utterly unfit for habitation.

Buildingway: We tried going after it ourselves, but the survey team never made it past the security systems down there. At least, I don't think so. They've yet to return and aren't answering our communications.

Buildingway: I'd rather not resort to brute force, but I can think of no other way─and no other person─to see the deed done. Would you be willing to go down there and stop the Big Cheese?

Buildingway: Thank you! Thank you! Head down to Smileton, and I'll see that you're let in.

''Smileton now accessible.''
-optional start
I'll see to it you have clearance to enter Smileton. Now hurry along, you have to stop the Big Cheese!
-optional end

===Speak with Buildingway.===
Buildingway: You're back! What happened to the Big Cheese?

Buildingway: It's gone...? I suppose that's a mite better than the alternative. And you say the survey team is safe? Oh, thank heavens...

Buildingway: Smileton was meant to be a paradise, and the Big Cheese its architect. It was designed to learn what it is that makes people happy, and make manifest whatever we could dream up, no matter how seemingly impossible.

Buildingway: But I've been unduly fickle, every new plan contradicting the last. I fear my indecisiveness overloaded the Big Cheese, and it lost sight of what true happiness is. <sigh> All I wanted was to make the people of Etheirys happy, and look upon their smiling faces...
Question: What will you say?
> You still can, just take your time, think things through, and all will be well.
Buildingway: You're right. Next time I'll make absolutely sure of my plans before putting them into practice. No more radical changes at the last moment.
> Have you considered visiting residential areas on Etheirys for inspiration?
Buildingway: Now there's an idea. I mean, sure, Urianger has been incredibly helpful with his advice, but actually seeing how people live would surely be more informative than simply hearing about it.

---

Buildingway: And now that the Final Days have been averted, there's no longer a need to rush! I'll be sure to bear that in mind so nothing like this happens again.

Buildingway: Perhaps I'll start with something simple like furniture. Oh, and I can design a new automated system to build them! I'll call it the, uh...the Bigger Cheese!
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=0TlbT1vCW5Q}}

Methods of Mourning

2026-05-29T13:06:50Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Methods of Mourning
| description = [[Maira]] and her brother [[Alkaios]] look set to leave on an errand of some kind.
| image = Methods of Mourning.png
| quest-giver = Maira
| related-npcs = Alkaios; Charmion; Sokles
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 8.7
| location-y = 17.7
| type = side
| quest-line =
| journal-section = Sidequests
| journal-category = Elpis Sidequests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 6195
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 80
| quest-sync = true
| req-quest =
| req-items = 3 Krinos
| requirements =
| exp = 168300-190575
| gil = 895
| unlocks =
| reward1 = 2 Standard Spectrum Dye
| prev-quest = Familiar Fate, Unleash the Beast
| next-quest =
| release = Endwalker
| patch = 6.0
| id-gt = 70051
| id-edb = b2537eea946
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Sokles]].
*Speak with Sokles again.
*Speak with [[Maira]].
*Gather [[krinos|krinoi]]. 0/3
*Deliver the krinoi to Sokles.
*Speak with Maira.

==Journal==
*Maira and her brother Alkaios look set to leave on an errand of some kind.

*After asking if you've been to Anagnorisis, Maira suggests that you accompany her and Alkaios to meet with your acquaintance, Overseer Sokles. It seems the overseer has summoned the siblings to assist with what promises to be an intriguing duty...
**※Please note that the difficulty of this quest has been synced to your current level.

*Overseer Sokles explains that several creatures have fallen victim to rampaging lykaones. Alkaios, it seems, is often called upon to accelerate the decay of the remains with time magicks, and you have been invited to attend this somewhat solemn service in the southwest of Philomythes Notos.

*At the site of the fallen creations, the conversation turns to the subject of mourning and you share with the gathered ancients the traditions with which you are accustomed. Fascinated by the idea of leaving a physical reminder, Maira bids you follow her to a spot where she might prepare an offering of flowers for the deceased.

*Maira has manipulated the aether in the soil to produce a number of beautiful blooms. She bids you join her in picking a small bouquet for the service.

*Having gathered a small handful of Maira's conjured “krinoi,” you are ready to head back and deliver the offering to the waiting Sokles.

*Sokles accepts your offering of flowers and places them with the remains. The simple gesture, alongside Alkaios's solemn words, appears to have stirred the hearts of those present. The Anagnorisis observers express their thanks for your contribution before sending you on your way back to Poieten Oikos.

*Although perfectly normal to you, your ideas appear to be a source of great interest and inspiration to the long-lived observers. Again, you are forced to wonder if your presence here will affect how the future of the Source unfolds.

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Alkaios: Will you accompany us a while longer?
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===

Maira: Tell me, [Forename], have you seen much of Anagnorisis?
Maira: Oh, so you've met Overseer Sokles, then! He's sent my brother a request for aid, and we were just on our way to render our assistance.

Alkaios: You're welcome to come along, if you like—you may be interested to witness the duty which lies ahead.
Alkaios: Come along. We mustn't keep the overseer waiting.
-quest accepted
-optional start
Maira: I've not crossed over to this isle in some time!

Alkaios: There's only one reason they would ask for me by name...

Charmion: [Forename]!? You're acquainted with Alkaios and his sister, I see!

-optional end

Sokles: Alkaios. Maira. And [Forename], as well! Welcome, all of you.

Alkaios: A summons from you can only mean one thing... There has been an incident?

Sokles: Yes, the lykaones went into a frenzy, and more than a few of our observational projects were prematurely ended.
Sokles: We began the sending rites, of course, but the task is burdensome for so few. Thus did I hope to secure your particular expertise.

Charmion: Oh, you wouldn't be aware of the practice, would you, [Forename]? Here in Elpis, we expedite the aetherial dissipation of the deceased by employing time magicks.
Charmion: The decay of the corporeal remains is accelerated, and absorbed back into the ground upon which we stand.

Maira: As you may have guessed, the manipulation of time is Alkaios's specialty. Whenever some unexpected event results in the mass loss of creations, it is him to whom they turn.

Sokles: That we do. Nevertheless, I do regret tearing you away from your important work. We've prepared a site to the southwest, so if you'll follow me, we can put this unpleasant business behind us in short order.

-optional start
Maira: When you research such an eclectic collection of wildlife, it's almost inevitable that some of them will meet a sudden and unanticipated demise.

Alkaios: Okyupetes...

Charmion: The overseer and I moved the bodies here, away from the site of violence. It's...easier this way.

-optional end

===Speak with Sokles again.===

Sokles: This is them—the okyupetes which fell victim to the lykaones.

Maira: They were still being evaluated, yes? The poor things, they barely had a chance to fulfill their design...

Alkaios: Their flesh and bones will return to the land. We will ensure that their existence was not in vain.

Charmion: Seeing life taken mid-purpose can be distressing. Have you witnessed such events before, [Forename]?
Charmion: Tell me: how do ''you'' express yourself at these times?

Question: What will you say?

> With an offering of Nymeia lilies.
> By making a grave or cairn for the deceased.
---

Charmion: Nymeia lilies? A beautiful name for a flower, but not one I've heard of. I wonder if it was recently registered.

Maira: And you offer these lilies to the fallen... Interesting. We do have a custom of gifting flowers to those we love and admire, so I suppose this is not so different. Perhaps I can prepare some blooms to take the place of the ones you mentioned.

Charmion: A physical reminder of the life that was? An interesting sentiment, but if we practiced such a custom in Elpis, we would eventually run out of places to put them.

Maira: I do like the idea of a tangible offering, though. Like a final gift for a friend. What about something organic which would decompose alongside the remains? Say, a bouquet of flowers?
Maira: Come with me, [Forename]—you can help me gather something suitable.

-optional start
Alkaios: Were you finished with helping Maira? It isn't safe to wander alone.

Charmion: Your thought process truly is amazing. Where do you encounter these notions that have never even occurred to us!?

Sokles: I believe Maira will have some flowers for you to pick.
-optional end

===Speak with Maira.===
Maira: Here, I've made some flowers of our own. Even those fashioned directly of aether tend to sprout with more life and color when you grow them in the soil.
Maira: Pick yourself a handful, and we'll take them back to the overseer.
-optional start
Maira: Aren't they lovely? They're called “krinoi”—one of my favorite flowers.

''After gathering the krinoi''
Maira: Hm? Oh, I'll be just fine by myself, but it's sweet of you to worry. I'll pick a few more of these krinoi, then join you in a little while.

-optional end

===Deliver the krinoi to Sokles.===
Sokles: Maira's creations were acceptable, I trust?

-cutscene start
Maira: My apologies—I may have gotten a little carried away with the flowers.

Sokles: Not at all, Maira. Your effort is much appreciated.
Sokles: Alkaios, if you would be so kind...?

Alkaios: Vessels within which life once flowed; cheated of purpose, stilled and cold. Unto the land you now return, the fuel 'pon which new life shall burn.

Maira: That was a beautiful service. I like to think it brought some joy to their departed souls, much as one feels when receiving a thoughtful gift.

Charmion: Yes, the flowers were the perfect addition. How fortunate we are to have this knowledgeable familiar in our midst!

Sokles: We must return and commit this event to parchment while it remains fresh in our minds—a potential shift in our traditions is a historical moment worth recording.
Sokles: Thank you again, Alkaios. We are ever grateful for your calming presence.
Sokles: And our thanks to you, Maira and [Forename]—not only for attending, but also elevating the proceedings.

Charmion: Yes, you've contributed more than enough! Allow us to take care of the tedious administrative details.
Charmion: We hope to see you again soon, [Forename]!

Alkaios: It is time we were headed back ourselves, dear sister.

Maira: As you say. Please, [Forename], join us back in Poieten Oikos.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Alkaios: That was a different kind of service. I think...yes, we might consider some changes.
-optional end

===Speak with Maira.===
-cutscene start
Maira: What a fortuitous turn of events that you were present when we received the summons to Anagnorisis.
Maira: As time marches on, we encounter fewer and fewer of these truly new experiences...
Maira: Yet ever since you appeared, it's been one surprise after another. I suppose we should expect nothing less from one of Azem's creations.

Alkaios: And now we have these precious new ideas and perspectives to apply to our duties moving forward.
Alkaios: Speaking of which, we really must be returning to our work.

Maira: Be well, [Forename], and thank you. May our purposes—or simply our paths—align again in the future!
-cutscene end
-quest complete

</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=HjC7bQ7M5FI}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

Unleash the Beast

2026-05-29T07:33:09Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Unleash the Beast
| description = [[Kleon]] once more fixes you with an expectant gaze.
| image = An Expected Guest.png
| quest-giver = Kleon
| related-npcs = Alkaios; Io; Maira
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 13.1
| location-y = 24.5
| type = side
| quest-line =
| journal-section = Sidequests
| journal-category = Elpis Sidequests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 6194
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 80
| quest-sync = true
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp = 168300-190575
| gil = 935
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = Meekly Majestic
| next-quest = Methods of Mourning
| release = Endwalker
| patch = 6.0
| id-gt = 70050
| id-edb = a12fa5f943b
}}
==Steps==
*Inspect the io.
*Wait at the designated location.
*Speak with [[Maira]].

==Journal==
*Kleon once more fixes you with an expectant gaze.

*Disappointed that his favored creation seems fated to become cattle, Kleon asks you to look over the io for any changes he might make. Surely it wouldn't take much to transform this hulking beast into an apex predator...
**※Please note that the difficulty of this quest has been synced to your current level.

*You carefully inspect the io, noting its flaws and possible improvements before making your report to its anxious creator. Apparently inspired by your advice, Kleon rushes off to make adjustments, and you are left to wait alongside Alkaios and Maira for his return.

*Kleon eventually appears with his new and improved io─a beast which now greatly resembles the monster you know as a “behemoth.” Satisfied that his creation now qualifies as a dominant form of wildlife, Kleon leaves you in the company of Alkaios and Maira as he departs for Amaurot to begin work on his next concept.

*Both Alkaios and Maira thank you for your help with their visitor. It seems your intervention was instrumental in salvaging Kleon's promising-yet-flawed creations. You wonder, however, what good will come of unleashing a behemoth-like beast upon the world...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Alkaios: Here in Elpis, we only observe subjects worthy of evaluation as decided by the Bureau of the Architect. Kleon should be proud of his work.

Maira: It's heartening to see the io warm up to you so readily. She's always so timid around the observers.

System: The io appears calm and content in your presence.
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===

Kleon: Please, [Forename]—I have need of your worldly experience.
Kleon: My io, my darling, hulking io... She was meant for more than grazing in the fields.
Kleon: Will you look her over, and tell me what must be done? How can I transform her from potential livestock to apex predator?
-optional start
Alkaios: The initial design has flaws, but Kleon's passion for improvement is to be commended.

Maira: Kleon is very protective of his “children,” isn't he? I'm very curious to hear the results of your assessment!

Kleon: Please tell me you have some suggestions. I would hate to see my io relegated to the rank of cattle...
-optional end

===Inspect the io.===
-cutscene start

System: Upon closer inspection, you can't shake the feeling that you've fought similar beasts before...
System: Such magnificent horns...rendered all but useless by the creature's poor field of vision.
System: The io's monstrous claws seem capable of tearing a man limb from limb.
System: Even with the io's limited vision, one swing of its muscular tail would be enough to shatter bones. But for true dominance, the beast will need something more. Something ''overwhelming''.

Kleon: What say you? How can we enhance the deadliness of my creation?

Question: What will you say?

> Cut back on the horns and the hair, and let her bring those fangs and claws into play!
> An apex predator should wield apex magicks. Something like “Meteor,” for example.
---

Kleon: Yes! Deceptively simple, but devastatingly effective! I can already picture it...
Kleon: Alkaios, Maira, will you permit me to implement some new ideas? [Forename] has given me much to think about.

Alkaios: Strictly speaking, any significant adjustments should be authorized by the Bureau of the Architect...but I think we can allow some temporary modifications for the purposes of experimentation.

Kleon: That sounds more than fair, thank you! If you could spare a few more moments, I shall take my creation and return with a new and improved io!
-cutscene end
-optional start
Alkaios: You make me wonder, [Forename]...are you truly a familiar? Your thoughts, your behaviors, they resemble ours far too closely.

Maira: After living for years on end, our creativity tends to stagnate, I feel. Your revelations come as such a welcome breath of fresh air.
-optional end

===Wait at the designated location.===
-cutscene start
Maira: Kleon has been gone for more than “a few moments.” How extensive could these changes of his possibly be...?

Kleon: It is done!

Alkaios: Kleon, you... Well, you've certainly been busy, haven't you?

Kleon: [Forename]'s advice began the process, and then it became difficult to stop!
Kleon: After pruning back the horns and hair, I reinforced the talons, then moved on to arcane ability. She can now cast Meteor, as well as Charybdis. Surely now my io stands at the pinnacle of predators?

Alkaios: In all my time as an observer, I have seen many a creation. But this...this concept ranks in the highest echelons. The strength inherent in your io is more than sufficient to ensure its domination.

Kleon: Wonderful, then I shall submit my refinements to the bureau at once! But I think, perhaps, this new incarnation requires a new name...
Kleon: And I know just the familiar to bestow it. [Forename], have you a fitting title for this glorious creature?

Question: What do you suggest?

> “Behemoth” seems apt.
> “Queen Behemoth”...
---

Kleon: Ah, perfect! So it shall be known—at least for now. I still need to submit the official registration.
Kleon: And now the time has come for me to return to Amaurot. I've decided that my next creation will be more of a companion—a pet, if you will—suitable for the amusement of children and very clever familiars.
Kleon: Thank you all again for this most productive visit! I hope I might impose upon you again soon?

Maira: We always enjoy hosting visitors with such enthusiasm for their work.

Alkaios: Yes, and we very much look forward to observing your future concepts.

Maira: Well, Brother. [Forename]. Shall we head back to Poieten Oikos?
-cutscene end
-optional start
Alkaios: You did well, [Forename].
-optional end

===Speak with Maira.===
-cutscene start
Maira: What a wonderful help you were with our visitor, [Forename].
Maira: Even for a familiar of Azem, I cannot help but be impressed by your intelligence and unique sense of creativity.

Alkaios: I wholeheartedly agree. Your intervention salvaged some promising but unfortunately flawed creations.
Alkaios: You have our gratitude for providing us with such a fascinating experience.

Maira: Oh, Alkaios, must you always be so formal? Although he has trouble expressing it, I assure you, my brother is absolutely giddy with joy.
> If player has not completed the quest [[Familiar Fate]]
Maira: Thank you again, [Forename]. While I'm sure your duties as a familiar keep you occupied, you are more than welcome to visit us whenever you wish.
> If player has completed the quest [[Familiar Fate]]
Maira: Thank you again, [Forename]. While I'm sure your duties as a familiar keep you occupied, we would very much welcome another chance to share your company.
---
-quest complete
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=o4fVQJiaE0k}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

Meekly Majestic

2026-05-29T06:23:49Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Meekly Majestic
| description = [[Kleon]] hopes to retain your company a while longer.
| image = An Expected Guest.png
| quest-giver = Kleon
| related-npcs = Alkaios; Io; Maira
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 13.2
| location-y = 17.4
| type = side
| quest-line =
| journal-section = Sidequests
| journal-category = Elpis Sidequests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 6193
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 80
| quest-sync = true
| req-quest =
| req-items = 1 Aetherial Supplement
| requirements =
| exp = 168300-190575
| gil = 935
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = A Better Batrachoi
| next-quest = Unleash the Beast
| release = Endwalker
| patch = 6.0
| id-gt = 70049
| id-edb = 5f552277754
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Alkaios]].
*Search for the io.
*Use the aetherial supplement on the io.
*Speak with [[Kleon]].

==Journal==
*Kleon hopes to retain your company a while longer.

*Kleon tells you of another concept due for evaluation, and asks that you remain at his side during the process. Follow after Alkaios to the place where the io roams.
**※Please note that the difficulty of this quest has been synced to your current level.

*You join Alkaios at the spot where the io is usually found, but the creature is nowhere to be seen. At Maira's suggestion, you split up to track down the missing concept, a “shaggy, four-legged beast with rather majestic horns.”

*You eventually find the io, and Kleon shares his plans for the creature's place in the world. Unfortunately, however, Alkaios is forced to point out that although the beast is indeed physically powerful, it lacks the traits necessary to become a dominant hunter. Noting the io's tendency towards nutritional deficiency, the observer requests that you administer its scheduled aetherial supplement.

*The aetherial supplement appears to have been successfully absorbed by the io. You turn to see Kleon looking upon his creation, his face filled with bittersweet adoration...

*Facing yet another recommendation to adjust his original concept, Kleon seems unwilling to abandon his dream of turning the io into an apex predator. A sudden hope lights up his features, and he looks to you─the worldly familiar─in search of inspiration...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Alkaios: What a wonderfully unusual familiar you are...

Maira: Kleon certainly has taken a liking to you, hasn't he?
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
Kleon: You've chosen to stay, then? Wonderful! I realize we've only just met, but I feel such a bond with you, [Forename]!
Kleon: There is one more concept I need to finalize, and I could think of no other entity I would rather have at my side during these ever-so-worrisome evaluations...
Kleon: You have my io somewhere nearby, don't you, Alkaios?

Alkaios: Yes. Maira keeps that one under her watchful eye, but I know the spot where it usually roams. Come along, we need to cross the stream here...
-quest accepted
-optional start

Maira: Hm? Well, that's strange.

Kleon: Oh, I don't see my io anywhere...which seems impossible, considering how big she is.
-optional end
===Speak with Alkaios.===

Alkaios: How odd. This is where it usually spends the greater part of its days...

Maira: Yes, she never strays far from this spot. Perhaps the scent of unfamiliar visitors has made her wary?
Maira: Let's split up and try to find her—“her” being a shaggy, four-legged beast with rather majestic horns.

-optional start
Alkaios: Albeit rarely, a creation will sometimes display unexpected behaviors. This is exactly why we conduct thorough evaluations here in Elpis before setting them loose upon the world.

Maira: Come on out, girl! No one's going to harm you!

Kleon: Am I considered an “unfamiliar visitor” now? <sigh> I always thought of myself as the father of my creations, but I suppose I will never be their true parent...
-optional end

===Search for the io.===
-cutscene start
System: You find a shaggy, four-legged beast, and the horns really are rather majestic... This must be the io.

Kleon: Ah, there she is, the naughty thing! Nicely tracked, [Forename]!

Maira: Hello, my lovely. Come to Maira, now.
Maira: Well, would you look at that. I think she's taken a liking to you, [Forename].

Alkaios: And I see that Kleon has a liking for stout and stocky designs.

Kleon: Yes! The heftier, the better! The io is one of my favorites—round and robust, and bristling with spiky protrusions! A truly powerful beast!
Kleon: I envisioned her dominating any habitat she entered. What do you think?

Maira: Ah, she's certainly an imposing specimen...

Alkaios: Its physical strength is readily apparent, yes, but more than muscle is needed to dominate a territory. The creature's field of vision is obscured by that mass of wiry hair and curling horns, preventing effective use of its natural weaponry.
Alkaios: In the wild, being unable to hunt and catch prey in a consistent manner culminates in a slow death by starvation. It is our recommendation that you redesign the io as a grass grazer and resubmit the concept as a candidate for livestock.

Kleon: Livestock...

Alkaios: Unsurprisingly, the io here is susceptible to nutritional deficiencies, and we must administer regular aetherial supplements. As you appear to have gained its trust, would you mind doing the honors?
Alkaios: You needn't convince it to eat anything—simply splash the creature with this solution.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Alkaios: Supplemental aether is absolutely essential for such a poor hunter. We wouldn't want the io to collapse now, would we?

Maira: Such a good-natured creature...which is a large part of the problem, I'm afraid.

Kleon: If I must change her into livestock to see her released into the world, then that is what I must do...

-optional end

===Use the aetherial supplement on the io.===
System: The aetherial supplement is absorbed into the io's body...
-optional start

System: Although difficult to tell, you think the io looks somewhat healthier...

-optional end
===Speak with Kleon===
Kleon: Thank you for tending to my creation, [Forename].
Kleon: My io would likely thrive as a livestock animal, but I did so dearly want her to become an apex predator...
Kleon: Oh! Maybe there's still hope! You have an eye for these things—could you offer any more of your insightful suggestions?
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=UQZdLWLt-Sg}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

File:Batrachoi.jpg

2026-05-29T06:13:34Z

Mintd:

== Licensing ==
{{Square Enix image|screenshot}}

File:Alkaios.jpg

2026-05-29T06:12:11Z

Mintd:

A Better Batrachoi

2026-05-29T06:10:50Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = A Better Batrachoi
| description = [[Kleon]] looks at you expectantly.
| image = An Expected Guest.png
| quest-giver = Kleon
| related-npcs = Alkaios;Batrachoi;Maira
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 8.7
| location-y = 17.7
| type = side
| quest-line =
| journal-section = Sidequests
| journal-category = Elpis Sidequests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 6192
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 80
| quest-sync = true
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp = 168300-190575
| gil = 935
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = An Expected Guest
| next-quest = Meekly Majestic
| release = Endwalker
| patch = 6.0
| id-gt = 70048
| id-edb = 9432d8e17f3
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Alkaios]].
*Give the [[batrachoi]] a solid [[Poke|/poke]].
*Speak with [[Kleon]].

==Journal==
*Kleon looks at you expectantly.

*Kleon explains that he is concerned for the fate of his creations─namely, a concept he has named the “batrachoi.” It seems you are to follow the Amaurotine visitor to Rumination's Ramble, where Maira's brother, Alkaios, is tending to the observational subject in question.
**※Please note that the difficulty of this quest has been synced to your current level.

*You find Alkaios with the batrachoi, but he is pessimistic about the creature's final evaluation. To demonstrate why, he asks that you give the batrachoi a solid poke.

*Although designed to act as a guardian of waterways, the lack of response to your deliberate provocation has revealed the batrachoi's extreme docility. Kleon is devastated at the thought of having to abandon his beloved concept, but your suggestion to impart an aggressive attack to the creature may just have saved it from being retired altogether.

*Kleon thanks you enthusiastically for your assistance, and hopes you will stay around to help him with another of his creations. Meanwhile, you try not to linger on the fact that you may have helped inflict the ancestor of the gigantoad upon the world...

==Trivia==
Given that batrachoi is greek for "frogs" and the creature is a [[Gigantoad]], the "aggressive attack" the [[Warrior of Light]] is suggesting is probably {{action icon|Sticky Tongue}}.

==Related NPCs==
{{Related NPCs}}
==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Maira: Thank you for your continued assistance.
-optional end
===Accepting the quest===
Kleon: Thank you for agreeing to accompany us, [Forename]. Shall we?

Maira: Certainly. Now, what was the name of your creation again...?

Kleon: The “batrachoi”! A delightfully roly-poly pudding of a thing!

Maira: Ah yes, the one over at Rumination's Ramble! My brother, Alkaios, is in charge of tending to it. Right this way, if you please.
-quest accepted

-optional start
Kleon: There's my beloved batrachoi! Did he miss me, I wonder!?
Maira: This is my brother, Alkaios. He might seem a tad gruff, but don't be fooled—there are few more gentle or kind than he.
System: The toad-like creature placidly endures your scrutiny.
-optional end

===Speak with Alkaios.===

Alkaios: You must be [Forename]. Maira has told me so much about you...in an impressively short span of time.
Alkaios: As you have likely already deduced, I am her brother, Alkaios.
Alkaios: And you are Kleon, yes? The architect of this “batrachoi” as you call them?

Kleon: Yes, yes I am! You think them ready for release? I would so love to see their endearing, rotund forms bouncing around free in the wild!

Alkaios: I've completed my report for the main evaluation criteria. The final decision will be made after a committee discusses the results, but based upon my personal observations...? No, they are not ready.

Kleon: No!? And might I ask why!?

Alkaios: [Forename]? Would you be so kind as to give this batrachoi a solid poke? The creature's lack of familiarity with you will help prove my point.

-optional start
Alkaios: Go on, then. Before it hops away.
Maira: Alkaios would never ask if he thought you might be hurt, but do be careful of your toes—at that size, even a passive creature can be a danger to those around it.

Kleon: Do as he says, [Forename], just...not too hard!

System: You feel Alkaios's gaze upon you, silently judging... Perhaps you should settle for giving the batrachoi a simple '''poke'''.
-optional end
===Give the batrachoi a solid [[Poke|/poke]].===
-cutscene start
Alkaios: You see? No response to external stimuli. The creature is far too placid.
Alkaios: What was the concept behind the batrachoi? A defender of water sources?
Alkaios: In its current incarnation, it has neither the instincts nor the means to defend itself, much less fend off entities intent upon fouling the waterways.
Alkaios: I cannot, in good conscience, certify a subject so poorly equipped to carry out its intended purpose. In fact, I suggest you redesign your concept entirely.

Kleon: Thank you for your candor. <sigh> And I was so invested in this darling ball of pudgy flesh. Such a pity...

Maira: [Forename], as Azem's familiar, you must have seen your fair share of the world and its inhabitants.
Maira: Without altering its physical form, what do you think the batrachoi could do to become a more effective guardian?

Question: What will you say?

> It could use its tongue to grapple opponents.
> It could secrete an immobilizing slime.
> It could use its weight to knock things flying.
---

Kleon: Brilliant! What an innovative mind you have, [Forename]!

Alkaios: Yes, that may suffice. The introduction of an effective offensive measure could very well tip the scales towards a favorable judgment.

Kleon: Truly!? Then I shall modify my concept at once!
Kleon: May I bind this one and take him home with me? Once I've finished making the necessary adjustments, I'll resubmit my request for observation and evaluation.

Alkaios: Of course, you are free to do as you wish. I will make a note of it in my logs.
-cutscene end

-optional start
Alkaios: I sense your suggestion was based on personal experience—a most valuable source of wisdom.

Maira: Well done, [Forename]. What a helpful familiar you are!
Maira: Kleon seemed so very pleased.

-optional end
Kleon: Thank you for your creative assistance, [Forename]. I knew bringing you along would be a good idea!
Kleon: Why, I almost wish I could have you as my own familiar! It's a shame Azem hasn't published your concept for the world to see...
Kleon: But seeing as you're here now, would you mind lending me your talents a while longer? There is one other creation of mine that I feel may benefit from your unique perspective.
-quest complete
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=dgAkgH6zvg4}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]

Familiar Fate

2026-05-29T05:54:19Z

Mintd: /* Dialogue */

{{Quest infobox
| title = Familiar Fate
| description = [[Charmion]] has one last question to ask you.
| image = Touring Anagnorisis.png
| quest-giver = Charmion
| related-npcs = Sokles
| location = Elpis
| location-x = 24.8
| location-y = 26.2
| type = side
| quest-line =
| journal-section = Sidequests
| journal-category = Elpis Sidequests
| journal-genre =
| sortkey = 4114
| organization =
| class =
| job =
| level = 80
| quest-sync = true
| req-quest =
| req-items =
| requirements =
| exp = 168300-190575
| gil = 895
| unlocks =
| prev-quest = Familiar Food
| next-quest = Methods of Mourning
| release = Endwalker
| patch = 6.0
| id-gt = 70046
| id-edb = 21fe55c7db3
}}
==Steps==
*Speak with [[Charmion]].
*Browse the documentation. 0/3
*Speak with Charmion.

==Journal==
*Charmion has one last question to ask you.

*Charmion, it seems, has saved her most philosophical question for last: how do you feel about your place in the grand scheme of things? To help you better understand her own calling in life, the inquisitive observer bids you follow her northwest to the Anagnorisis archives.
**※Please note that the difficulty of this quest has been synced to your current level.

*The archives in question contain rows of what appear to be administrative records. Charmion has given you leave to browse these documents at your leisure...

*Upon perusing the documentation, you discover a staggering number of observation logs─many of them written in Overseer [[Sokles]]'s hand. Charmion waits nearby, eager to hear your thoughts.

*Now that you have some inkling of the sheer volume of the overseer's work, Charmion admits to some trepidation at being chosen as Sokles's successor. For his part, however, Sokles has full confidence in her knowledge and ability, and credits you for helping prepare the way for his “return to the star”...

==Dialogue==
{{Dialogue|<nowiki>
-optional start
Sokles: The exchange of knowledge is quite mutual, I assure you!
-optional end

===Accepting the quest===
-cutscene start

Charmion: [Forename], I feel we've grown to understand each other...
Charmion: But there is one last thing I wish to know.
Charmion: As you've seen, our purpose is to improve life on this star, and we each have our own way of approaching that purpose.
Charmion: Familiars, too, exist for a reason—often a very specific one—and I just... I wonder what you feel about ''your'' place in the grand scheme of things.

Sokles: Charmion, perhaps you can provide our friend here with an example of what you mean. Such a nebulous question requires a more recognizable foundation from which to answer.

Charmion: Yes, you're right, of course! We must not skip the journey in our haste to reach the destination.
Charmion: Where to begin? Broadly speaking, we study the wisdom and magicks of our forebears, and choose our path as our interests and talents begin to crystallize.
Charmion: Even among the observers of Anagnorisis, however, Overseer Sokles and I share a similar calling...
Charmion: ...Again, it may be more beneficial to simply show you what I mean. Please accompany me to the archives in the northwest.
-cutscene end
-optional start
Sokles: Never a dull moment with Charmion, is there? Still, her boundless enthusiasm is what makes her such a fine observer.
-optional end

===Speak with Charmion.===
Charmion: This is where we keep all of the administrative records.
Charmion: Any of these documents will help give you an idea of what we consider to be our defining purpose. Feel free to browse.
Charmion: I shall just be...awaiting you outside.

===Browse the documentation. 0/3===
''Bookshelves''
System: These books appear to contain detailed observation logs. The name “Sokles” is written on each of the spines.

''Observation Log 6124''
System: You pick up the log and flip to a random page...
System: ''Today there was an incident involving the hippokampos. The creature is extremely territorial, and four observers sustained light to severe injuries from water-based magicks as a result of their perceived intrusion into its domain.''
System: ''A report has been sent to the Words of Lahabrea outlining the dangers inherent in continued observation of their nominated subject, and the intent to shift our focus to the smaller—and considerably less aggressive—hippe.''

''Unshelved Books''
System: A stack of half-finished observation logs. Judging by the penmanship, the author is someone other than Sokles.

===Speak with Charmion.===
-cutscene start
Charmion: Ah, [Forename]. Did you find the observation logs enlightening?
Charmion: Overseer Sokles has built up quite a library, hasn't he? He's logged comprehensive observations on every living being in Anagnorisis—not only objective physical descriptions, but also his personal thoughts and impressions.
Charmion: And that's why I'm here: to carry on the overseer's invaluable work.
Charmion: When it comes to the continued success of Anagnorisis, our purposes are very much aligned.
Charmion: I cannot help but worry, however, that I lack the same degree of perception and ability; that I am unfit for the task I have chosen. Even being in the same room as those logs is enough to make me feel uncomfortable.
Charmion: My insistence that you examine ''your'' purpose was, I think, born from the trepidation which surrounds my own.

Sokles@???: An uncertainty you need not feel.

Charmion: Overseer Sokles!

Sokles: As one of our newest arrivals, you have ever been quick to doubt yourself.
Sokles: Yet you were able to guide [Forename] here on an engaging tour through the intricacies of our duties, which clearly demonstrates the depths of your understanding.
Sokles: If all I wanted was someone to emulate my work, why, I would simply continue doing it myself. No, the reason I asked you to assume my role is because I believe you can take our projects in new and novel directions.
Sokles: Raising you as a competent successor is the final step of ''my'' purpose in life. Do me proud, Charmion—it is your growth, your efforts, which will facilitate my return to the star.

Charmion: I will do my best, Overseer!
Charmion: But don't be in too much of a rush to leave us! There are still so many things I need you to teach me...
Charmion: ...And speaking of teaching! Thank you, [Forename], for this wonderful and enriching visit. It's been a pleasure learning about you—not to mention a few things about myself!

Sokles: Yes, you also have my gratitude for the part you've played in training my young colleague. You are welcome to return whenever you wish!
-cutscene end
</nowiki>}}

==Video Archive==
{{quest video archive|id=zUZv153-GSE}}

[[Category:Has_datamined_dialogue]]