An Old Friend

Quest giver: Y'shtola
Location: The Rak'tika Greatwood (X:30.4, Y:18.3)
Quest line: Post-Shadowbringers Main Scenario Quests
Level: 80

Required items: 1 Battered Broom
Experience: 22,440
Gil: 1,155
Previous quest: A Sleep Disturbed
Next quest: Deep Designs
Patch: 5.2

Main Scenario Progress: 663 / 960 (69.1%)

Shadowbringers Progress: 122 / 157 (77.7%)

“

By all rights you should be departing for the Crystarium, but Y'shtola does not seem ready to return.

— In-game description

Rewards

Choose one of the following options:

Steps

Speak with Runar in Slitherbough.
Speak with Asgeir and obtain a well-worn broom.
Take the well-worn broom to Y'shtola.
Speak with Thancred.

Journal

By all rights you should be departing for the Crystarium, but Y'shtola does not seem ready to return.

Dialogue

Accepting the quest

Y'shtola: Although we learned naught of the Ascians, the insight we gained into the Echo made our trip worthwhile.
Y'shtola: Before we return to the Crystarium, however, there is a small matter I would attend to in Slitherbough. Might I trouble you to come with me?
Y'shtola: Thank you. After we arrive, we should have a brief word with Runar.

Speak with Runar in Slitherbough

Runar: [Player]! It is so good to see you!
Runar: You've arrived at a most opportune time. I was preparing a pot of my famous stew. Come, I will ready a place for you.
Y'shtola: I'm sorry, Runar, but we haven't the─
Runar: Please, I insist! It will take only a minute.
Y'shtola: <sigh> My apologies, Pallavi. It seems our return to the Crystarium will be delayed.
Y'shtola: But perhaps only for a bit─if you assist me with my work.
Y'shtola: I say “work,” but it is rather more a chore. I must clean my chambers here in Slitherbough from top to bottom. If you would be so kind as to go and fetch a broom from Asgeir, we might finish before Runar is done cooking.

Speak with Asgeir and obtain a well-worn broom

Asgeir: A broom for...Master Matoya...?
Asgeir: I cannot imagine why she would have need of such a thing, but here you are. It is old but sturdy and sure to suffice.

Take the well-worn broom to Y'shtola

Y'shtola: I trust Asgeir was able to find a broom for us?

Y'shtola: Well worn. Good. This would prove difficult otherwise.
Y'shtola: Though I must say, I think I did rather well for not having a broom thus far.
Y'shtola: ...Yes, well, you weren't buried beneath a veritable avalanche of books when you entered, were you? Right. Anyway, it is time I finished cleaning with the help of that broom.

(cutscene starts)
Y'shtola: You didn't honestly think I'd do it the old-fashioned way? That broom is more than capable of sweeping by itself. Or rather, it will be... Ahem.

Y'shtola: Time to rise, to swish and sweep,
A tidy chamber you must keep.
To this task you shall be bound,
Until no dust is to be found.

Y'shtola: In this one particular respect, I've no objections to following in Master Matoya's footsteps.

(Runar listens through the door)
Y'shtola: In future, I may need you to remind me the pursuit of knowledge does not preclude other equally important duties... Such as maintaining clean quarters for said pursuit.

Runar: M-Master Matoya! Pardon the interruption, but the stew is ready.

(Y'shtola, Runar and [Player] gathers at the campfire)
Y'shtola: Is something troubling you? You've been rather quiet.
Runar: N-No! Everything is fine, I assure you. It has been a long day, is all.
Y'shtola: I see...
???: Y'shtola! Thank goodness you're still here.

(Alphinaud, Alisaie and Urianger show up)
Y'shtola: Alphinaud? I thought you were following Ardbert.
Alphinaud: I was, though I'm sad to say I lost track of him shortly after entering these woods.
Alphinaud: He seems determined to traverse every ilm of Norvrandt in his quest to spread the truth of the Warriors of Light and the Flood.
Alphinaud: And it seems news of your address at the Crystarium precedes him at every destination, making his task all the more simple.
Alphinaud: It remains to be seen to what end he encourages the people to become Warriors of Light themselves...
Alphinaud: ...But there is no denying that his words have struck a chord with many.
Alisaie: Well, we're all agreed that this is just another Ascian ploy, yes?
Alisaie: They've commandeered corpses before, and to no good end. I see no reason to think this time is any different─especially when it's that of a fallen Warrior of Light.
Alphinaud: I doubt we'll learn more if we remain a step behind.
Urianger: His next destination is, in all likelihood, Slitherbough...
Y'shtola: Alisaie, are you certain you should be here?
Alisaie: If you're concerned about Halric and the others, you needn't be. Their treatment is going well, but progress is slow and exhausting─for all of us. The best thing I can do now is let them rest. So─I believe we were about to discuss how to arrange a meeting with our would-be Warrior of Light?
Alphinaud: Before visiting any towns or villages, Ardbert would hunt down and slay a nearby sin eater to earn the locals' trust.
Alphinaud: Our best chance of getting ahead of him is to find one before he does.
Urianger: Thankfully, Thancred and Ryne are returned from the Empty and have taken up the search.
Urianger: Ryne believeth one may lurk beneath the boughs of Woven Oath.
Alphinaud: Then that is where we will start our search.

(Everyone starts leaving)
Runar: Master Matoya!
Runar: I...er... A warm bowl of stew will be awaiting your return.
Y'shtola: I look forward to it.

Speak with Thancred

Thancred: If you were hoping to vent your frustrations on our eater friend here, I can only apologize.
Ryne: Few as they are now, it took us no time at all to track it down.
Alphinaud: That suits our purpose perfectly. Now we need only wait for Ardbert to arrive.
Alisaie: Weren't you two meant to be attending to the Empty?
Thancred: We were, and are. But we can hardly ignore the rest of the world, so we thought we might see how things were coming along. From what we can gather, the answer is “strangely.”
Ryne: Right now, we think we can do more good here.
Y'shtola: It is heartening to have all present.
Alphinaud: Indeed! We will be glad of the additional hands should matters escalate.
Urianger: Our quarry is come.

(Ardbert arrives)
Ardbert: Hah. It seems I've lost this particular race.
Ardbert: Ah, though I suppose it's only fair.
Ardbert: When we first met, it was I who outpaced you. Ravana, was it?
Ardbert: But where are my manners? I wouldn't be here were it not for you, and I have yet to say a word of thanks!

What will you say?
1. Extend a friendly fist.
2. Ask whether he wishes Seto were here.

-> Ask whether he wishes Seto were here.
Ardbert: Poor fellow. He will be sorely missed.

What will you say?
1. Indeed... _Ardbert_.
2. I thought you were supposed to be good at this.

-> I thought you were supposed to be good at this.
“Ardbert”: Very well. Let us forgo this pretense.
“Ardbert”: After all, it was never you that I needed to deceive.

(Ardbert reveals himself as an Ascian)
Elidibus: Yes, it is I, Elidibus.
Elidibus: Through your time in Emet-Selch's imitation of our home, I daresay you have gained a better understanding of my role since last we met. Not that it matters.
Alphinaud: We understand your role, Emissary, but not your goal. What is it that you seek to achieve?
Elidibus: I seek to enact the will of the Convocation, of course. If it helps you to think of me as but another Ascian, no different in nature or purpose from the rest, you are welcome to do so.
Alphinaud: Once, I would have said your goal was destruction alone.
Alphinaud: Now I understand that you fight for something you love, just as we do.
Alphinaud: Yet though we seem doomed to clash, I bid you consider Emet-Selch's final words.
Alphinaud: “Remember that we once lived,” he said. Had he not seen some glimmer of hope in our kind, I do not believe he would have spoken thus.
Y'shtola: None better understood your plight than he. His words must surely be worthy of your consideration.
Elidibus: Emet-Selch...
Elidibus: How very unlike you, to err so gravely.
Elidibus: That one should stray at the end of so onerous a path is understandable, but I had thought you above such weakness. Mayhap you thought the same. Would that I had been present to offer correction...
Elidibus: But I shall do so now, as is my duty, and return all to its proper course.
Elidibus: As for you... Look at yourselves. Look at your history. Look back one hundred short years, to how your greatest warriors were undone.
Elidibus: And now? At but a word from me, you raise your hands in answer like the puppets you are.
Elidibus: Naught has changed.
Elidibus: You fail and you fail and you learn nothing─allow that which is most important to slip through your fumbling fingers like so many grains of sand. Again and again and again. And you would remember us? You do forget yourselves.
Elidibus: There is no common ground to be found between you and I. Nor do I require any.
Elidibus: I have my duty.
Y'shtola: Wait!

(Elidibus leaves)
Alphinaud: Well...we have confirmed the identity of our foe, at least. And 'tis safe to say his objective is the Rejoining.
Alisaie: But we still have no idea how playing the part of a Warrior of Light will further his cause, nor why he would spur others to do the same.
Y'shtola: Another visit to the Tempest may shed some light upon these mysteries.
Y'shtola: Whether we are to exchange words or blows with Elidibus at our next meeting, the fact remains: we know too little.
Y'shtola: Ere our paths cross again, I would learn more of the world that once was─and of Elidibus himself.
Y'shtola: In this, we would be best served going directly to his home, much as Emet-Selch came to ours.
Urianger: Though I see the wisdom in thy suggestion, the Amaurot we visited is but a phantom born of Emet-Selch's memory. I fear it will teach us little that we do not already know.
Y'shtola: I quite agree. Yet the ruins of the actual city remain unexplored.
Y'shtola: Given the vastness of the Tempest, I should not be surprised were there more such structures like to those in which the Ondo reside.

What will you say?
1. If there's aught to be learned, I want to know.
2. For want of a better option...
3. As long as you don't make me do any more chores.

-> As long as you don't make me do any more chores.
Y'shtola: Keep that up and I'll send you to bed without supper.

Alphinaud: Assuming we are all in agreement, then, I suggest we first pay a visit to the Ondo. If anyone can tell us where more ruins are to be found, it is them.