The Beast That Mourned at the Heart of the Mountain

Main Scenario Progress: 365 / 853 (42.8%)

Heavensward Progress: 124 / 138 (89.9%)

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Shifting nervously from foot to foot, Ga Bu struggles to meet your gaze...

— In-game description

Walkthrough

You must queue for and complete the level 50 trial The Navel (Hard) as part of this quest. This is NOT the level 34 version nor is it the (Extreme) challenge mode version.

Great minds think alike, and both Alphinaud and Ga Bu conclude that stealing the kobolds' crystals may offer the best hope of preventing Titan's summoning. The child proudly declares that he knows where the crystals are stored, and charges off towards U'Ghamaro, eager to guide you and the twins to the first cache.

Alphinaud and Alisaie make short work of the kobold sentries, leaving you to secure the crystals while they stand guard. Though the beastmen appear to be unaware of your presence for now, there is no telling when a patrol may stumble upon you and sound the alarum.

You pack up the crystals and signal your readiness to move on. Ga Bu duly shouts for you to follow him deeper into U'Ghamaro, and you and the twins give chase, albeit rather more cautiously.

After shoveling the contents of the second cache into your pack, you and Alisaie turn to Ga Bu and prepare to press on. Alphinaud, however, lingers for a moment, crouching over the now empty crate with a puzzled expression on his face. Rising at length, he states that the container once bore Ishgardian seals, which someone took great pains to remove. Reasoning that the kobolds would not journey to Aldenard to obtain crystals, much less bother with such precautions, he deduces that the crate must have been smuggled out of Ishgard and transported across the sea─likely at the behest of the Ascians. Alas, there is no time to dwell on the implications of this discovery as the third cache of crystals awaits.

Ga Bu leads you to what he believes to be the location of the third cache, only to find that there is nothing there. A thorough survey of the area serves to confirm your suspicions: the crystals have been moved. Alphinaud can only assume that they are now deep within O'Ghomoro, at the site of the summoning ritual. That being the case, you have no recourse but to breach the Navel once more and seize the remaining crystals by force. Before you launch your attack, however, Alphinaud insists that you hand over the crystals in your pack, reasoning that it would be reckless to take them with you into the enemy's midst.

With the crystals in his possession, Alphinaud departs for Camp Overlook, promising to return after warning the Maelstrom forces to prepare for the worst. Together with Alisaie and Ga Bu, you continue onward into the U'Ghamaro Mines, towards the beastman aetheryte which will deliver you into the heart of the mountain.

Having been rejoined by Alphinaud, you all teleport into the Navel and order the kobold patriarch and his minions to surrender. Ga Bu duly demands to see his parents, but realizes to his horror that you have arrived too late, and that they and the other prisoners have already been executed. Even as Alphinaud makes a final attempt to reason with the patriarch, the kobold child cries out over and over again for his parents to wake up, his wailing filling the chamber, growing louder, more intense─and then, as if in answer, the gathered crystals begin to glow. Moments later, the aether begins to coalesce, dragging the rocks towards a single point, until the Lord of Crags stands before you in all his terrible fury. With a mixture of joy and confusion, the kobolds look on their Great Father, who fixes them with his burning gaze...before casting them from the platform in a fit of rage. You and Alisaie move to defend the distraught Ga Bu while Alphinaud conjures a Carbuncle to distract the raging primal, and as Titan claws at his face, the four of you make your escape.

As Alisaie tends to Ga Bu, who remains unconscious following his ordeal, you and Alphinaud discuss how best to proceed. While summoned with far fewer crystals than intended, the Titan born of the child's anguish is nevertheless a threat which cannot be ignored, for he will only grow stronger as he draws aether from the land. And so it falls to you to return to the Navel, and there put the rampaging avatar of grief out of its misery.
- ※The Navel (Hard) can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

As the primal's form gradually fades from existence, his final despairing pleas echo in your ears. Though justifiably relieved, the shadow of the tragedy which granted him life yet looms large in your thoughts, and you know not how to feel. Nevertheless, Titan is no more, and you are free to return to Camp Overlook and the others.

Although Ga Bu has at last awakened from his torpor, the child has spoken nary a word. With great trepidation, Alphinaud gives voice to the unhappy possibility that Ga Bu may have fallen prey to the primal's influence. Should that prove to be the case, you will have no choice but to surrender him to the Maelstrom for summary execution. For the time being, however, you can but watch, wait, and pray that he recovers.