The Merchant's Tale

The Merchant's Tale

Level: 90 (Sync: 100)
Item Level: 0 (Sync: 765)
Difficulty: Normal

Party size: Flexible
1-4 man • 1-4
Unsyncing: Not Allowed
Time limit: 90 minutes
Phoenix Down: Available
Duty Finder: V&C Dungeon Finder
Tomestones: 40 25
Req. quest: A Spellbinding Read
Patch: 7.45

“

Your latest odd job commission brings you together with one Y'nazqha, a gleaner who finds herself in possession of an unusual book inherited from her father and mentor. It contains a rendition of The Merchant's Tale, a fable passed down through generations in Corvos. While the beautifully illuminated pages of the manuscript set it apart from common storybooks, its most singular feature is the enchantment which can pull the very mind of its readers into the story.
And so it is you are thrust into the role of bodyguard for Y'nazqha, who becomes the eponymous merchant while journeying within the tale. Together you must travel through a world steeped in folklore and find a treasure of immeasurable worth─treasure grand enough to stir even the most hardened heart.

— In-game description

The Merchant's Tale is a level 90 variant dungeon introduced in patch 7.45 with Dawntrail.

Level Sync

Unlike the three previous variant dungeons, The Merchant's Tale allows players to level to up to 100.

The level of all participants will be adjusted upwards to 100, and item level will be adjusted upwards or downwards to 765. Gear is not item level synced; instead, players are given fixed stats (per equipment slot) appropriate to their job. This also means materia bonuses will be ignored, regardless of the item level of gear affixed with materia. Please ensure that a full set of gear is equipped, as empty equipment slots will provide no stats.

Experience will be gained based on a player's unsynced level and rewarded to the class or job equipped upon defeating the boss and completing the duty. Players with an unsynced level of 100 or above will receive Allagan tomestones as a reward.

Objectives

The party may unlock up to one entry in the Corvosi Folklore Record per instance.

The left path is the first answer option (residential area), the middle path is the second (great gate), and the right path is the third (marketplace).

#	Name	Path	Solution
1	A Land of Abundance	Left	After the first boss, interact with the damaged fence next to the personal spoils coffer. Wait by the bird nest for the Willful Wind to spawn and attack it before it finishes casting Flee.
2	A Carpet Soars	Left	After the first boss, interact with the damaged fence next to the personal spoils coffer. Ignore the Willful Wind and allow it to steal the apple. Continue normally.
3	A Foe of Flame	Left	After the first boss, take the main path through the gate and allow the Wisp to hit you with its AoE while standing next to the damaged stone railing on the left side. Take the path through the now broken railing.
4	Fragrant Fruits	Left	After the first boss, take the main path through the gate and continue forward without any interactions.
5	The Sunlit Expanse	Right	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "The seaweed won't steer us wrong." Allow the goobbue to cast Inhale and swallow the 4 clusters of colorful rocks around the island.
6	Treasure at the Ocean's Floor	Right	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "The seaweed won't steer us wrong." Kill the goobbue without it swallowing the rocks.
7	Ruler of the Radiant Sea	Right	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "I'd fancy a stroll on the beach." After killing the first pack, interact with the Giant Conch Shell.
8	The Ocean's Bounty	Right	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "I'd fancy a stroll on the beach." Do not interact with the Giant Conch Shell and continue to the boss.
9	Valley of Extremes	Middle	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "Let the mushrooms guide us true!". The Stone Puppet (golem) will cast Magentic Rock, a small AoE around the main threat. Have this AoE hit the three large rock clusters around the cave.
10	A Blade Engraven	Middle	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "Let the mushrooms guide us true!". Kill the Stone Puppet normally without lighting the rock clusters.
11	Master of the Unyielding Blade	Middle	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "Floating rocks warrant a closer look." Stand near the three large rocks protruding from platforms until they start to glow. Note: There is a path to the west side of the room to get to the upper rock.
12	In a Harsh Nature	Middle	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "Floating rocks warrant a closer look." Do not stand near the large rocks.
13	The Eye of the Beholder	Right	After the first boss, tell Y'nazqha "The seaweed won't steer us wrong." Once you reach the altar prior to the seaweed barrier, perform `/bow` Then, in say chat, say `I am returned!` Five shapes will appear - stand on four of them, each in order: Coral - Conch - Starfish - Pearl.

Enemies

Left Path

Middle Path

Right Path

Bosses

Failing any boss mechanic will result in a Vulnerability Up debuff.

Genie of the Lamp

First boss, found on the left and right paths. The right path is guaranteed to lead to the Genie, while the left path will lead to this boss if the party did not go down the path with apples. On the right path, the boss's mechanics will change depending on whether the Self-destruct AoE from the Blue Bombs (used upon death) hit the large blue rock formation directly to the right of where the bombs spawn.

Mechanic	Description
Fabulous Firecrackers	The boss will brandish cannons on both arms. The glowing side will be hit with a late-telegraphed half-room cleave, while the non-glowing side will be hit with a smaller, 60 degree cleave originating from the boss.
Parade of Wonders	Party-wide magical damage.
Spectacular Sparks	A set of cannons will appear on the east or west wall, followed by a second set on the opposite wall. These will do late-telegraphed line AoEs in the order they spawned, leaving alternating gaps in between to dodge.
A Sailor's Tale	Spawns three lanes on the arena and three Airships at the start of each lane. Parts of each lane will glow purple, and the lanes will also be joined. The glowing regions will denote where the airships will late travel through as a line AoE (wider than the size of the lane). Initially, there will be two safe spots.
Chart Course	The boss will tether one of the levers near each lane connector, causing the airship on that lane to travel straight instead of switching lanes. This leaves only one safe spot for the Voyage line AoEs.
Explosive Ending	Party-wide magical damage.

The battle then diverges depending on which path this boss is fought or previous interactions.

Mechanic	Description
Pyromagicks	Spawns three "exaflare" markers on one wall, leaving gaps, followed by two markers in the previous safe zones. Another two sets of exaflares will spawn in the same pattern. An easy way to avoid these is at the wall where they spawn.
Lamp Lighting	Immediately before the third set of exaflares start resolving, the boss will face a random player and used a telegraphed frontal line AoE.

Mechanic	Description
Aetherial Blizzard	Several Dousing Spirits will spawn on adjacent walls, then each begin casting a late-telegraphed line AoE in front of them. Each wall will have two gaps, creating four small square safe spots.
Lamp Oil	The Dousing Spirits will respawn in a different pattern and use the same attack, which is combine with five circle AoE telegraphs (one middle and on each corner), which limits the number of safe squares down to two.

Mechanic	Description
Rainbow Road	Spawns two large adjacent circle AoE telegraphs. After these resolve, a rainbow will originate from them and end on the location where a follow-up late-telegraphed AoEs of the same size will resolve. The follow-up AoEs will always be adjacent to each other.
Fanning Flame	The Rainbow Road sequence repeats again but is combined with this attack, which are four alternating conal AoE telegraphs, followed by another four telegraphed AoEs in the previous safe spots. This require the party to dodge the second set of cones after the final circle AoEs resolve.

The rest of the encounter is shared between the paths.

Mechanic	Description
Fanning Flame	Four alternating conal AoE telegraphs, followed by another four telegraphed AoEs in the previous safe spots. Used immediately after the second Chart Course.
Spectacular Sparks + Fabulous Firecrackers	A fast combination of both previous attacks. Fabulous Firecrackers resolves immediately after the second set of cannon AoEs.
Supernatural Surprise	Party-wide magical damage.
Rub Burn	Telegraphed physical tankbuster.

Rukhkh

First boss, found on the left and middle paths. The middle path is guaranteed to lead to the Rukhkh, while the left path will lead to this boss if the party went down the path with apples. On the middle path, the boss's mechanics will change depending on whether the Water III AoE from the Unsettled Spirit hit the bombs in the left room, immediately before the boss.

Mechanic	Description
Sphere of Sand	Spawns three untargetable sand balls in an equilateral triangle around the center.
Sandplume	Two sets of telegraphed conal AoEs with gaps in between. Two of the sand balls will be hit and enlarge, indicatred with The spheres of sand grow massive in size...
Sand Burst	Each sand ball will release a late-telegraphed point-blank AoE (Sphere Shatter) around itself. The ones from the larger balls will be much larger. Melee range is not safe.
Sphere of Sand + Banishing Mist + Sandplume + Sand Burst	Spawns another triangle of sand balls, but one will disappear after a few seconds (The spheres of sand fade out of sight...). The rest of the mechanic resolves as before, but players will need to remember where the invisible sand ball is and whether it is hit by a cone find the safe spots from Sand Burst.
Banishing Mist	The boss will disappear, begome untargetable, and leave behind moving white particle effects, denoting where it will emerge a few seconds later and use a massive, late-telegraphed point-blank AoE.

The battle then diverges depending on which path this boss is fought or previous interactions.

Mechanic	Description
Windborne Seeds	Summons 8 seeds in a 3x3 grid, leaving one cardinal empty. The boss will use Banishing Mist to make the seeds disappear. Players must remember the area without a seed for later.
Dry Typhoon	Spawns several conal AoE telegraphs in a rotating pattern around the arena. Dodge into the first telegraph after it disappears, then run around the middle back to the starting spot, because another set of telegraphs will spawn in the same order and location.
Seedsprout	The seeds will become visible again and each use a late-telegraphed point-blank AoE, then withdraw. Dodge in the area without a seed.

Mechanic	Description
Beaksbane	The thieves from earlier will reappear and spawn three circle AoE telegraphs, followed by another three circles in the previous safe spots. Being hit by these will inflict a 15-second cleansable poison.
Biting Scratch	Another two sets of circle AoEs will spawn. The boss will also face a random player and use a late-telegraphed wide frontal conal AoE. Get behind while avoiding the poison bombs.

Mechanic	Description
Big Burst	The thieves from earlier will reappear and spawn three bombs, each of which do telegraphed proximity AoE magical damage.
A deep rumbling sound comes from the cliffs...	Arrows will spawn from the slope in the background, indicating that half of the arena will be hit by rolling boulders.
Biting Scratch	Another 3 lanes of arrows will spawn, leaving safe gaps in between. The boss will also face a random player and use a late-telegraphed wide frontal conal AoE. Get behind while being in a safe lane.

The rest of the encounter is shared between the paths.

Mechanic	Description
Sphere of Sand + Banishing Mist + Sandplume + Sand Burst	Similar as before, but all three sand spheres will disappear. Two will still be hit by cones and emit much larger AoEs later.
Streaming Sands	Party-wide magical damage.
Banishing Mist + Biting Scratch	Similar to before with the boss disappearing, but will immediately follow the large point-blank AoE with Biting Scratch.

Bewitching Flame: The Pari of Plenty

Second boss of the left path. Shortly after pulling the boss, the arena will be surrounded with a dangerous AoE that inflicts bleeding.

Mechanic	Description
Heat Burst	Party-wide magical damage.
Flying Carpet	Spawns an untargetable Flying Carpet that is used for mechanics throughout the fight.
Fireflight	Briefly shows three lines with magic carpet symbols, indicating the trajectory of the boss as three sequential late-telegraphed line AoEs (Carpet Ride).
Sun Circlet	After the boss finishes charging, it will use a very fast cast of a donut AoE. Determine the boss's ending position when it shows the line trajectories and get close to it at the end.
Left/Right Fireflight: Two Nights	The boss shows a narrow line AoE telegraph, followed sequentially by two rotation indicators (blue for counterclockwise, orange for clockwise), which indicates how the initial AoE will sweep to make a half-room cleave. To solve: Go opposite the line AoE telegraph and preposition to the first safe half away from where it initially rotates. If the second arrows are the same color as the first, then swap sides after the first cleave. If the second arrows are the opposite as the first, then stay on the same side after the first cleave. The name of the cast indicates the location of the initial AoE telegraph: "Left" for west and "Right" for east.
Charming Baubles	Spawns a red gem on a tile that will use a telegraphed plus-shaped AoE. This is combined with Fireflight, during which two more gems will spawn and resolve in order. The third gem's AoE will bisect the safe spot of the Sun Circlet donut.

The fight then diverges based on the route.

Mechanic	Description
Gale Force	Five untargetable Capricious Chambermaid adds will spawn and travel to the corners and centers of the arena, each using a large telegraphed point-blank AoE. The telegraphs will initially cover all of the arena.
A massive bird seems to be fighting on your behalf!	The Legendary Bird from before will use a line AoE through one diagonal that will defeat three of the adds and leave two opposite corners safe from their AoEs. The remaining two adds will reposition and cast Gale Force again, but the bird will defeat them before they go off.

Mechanic	Description
Transcendent Flight	An untargetable Capricious Chambermaid adds will spawn and then be targeted with a large circle AoE telegraph, also spawning the Legendary Bird from before. The bird will tether the chambermaid and pounce on it four more times as large, late-telegraphed circle AoEs. The chambermaid will reposition each time it is pounced on, so take note of where it is.

Mechanic	Description
Strong Wind	An untargetable Summoned Spirit add will spawn and use a massive telegraphed circle AoE on one area, with arrow indicators denoting where it will move later. The AoE will spawn a tornado that will move there. This attack is then repeated but combined with two plus-shaped AoEs from Charming Baubles.

Mechanic	Description
Four Magic Carpets	Spawns four untargetable Flying Carpets.
Charming Baubles	Spawns three red gems on different lanes, leaving one lane safe.
Thieves' Weave	The magic carpets will cover each gem, with one magic carpet covering nothing. The magic carpets will then exchange places three times. Players will need to keep track of which carpet does not have a gem within, as they will use Unravel and the gems will immediately resolve as late-telegraphed plus AoEs.

Afterwards, the following mechanics are shared regardless of the route.

Mechanic	Description
Left/Right Fireflight: Three/Four Nights	Similar to before, but now has three or four half-room cleaves instead of two (based on the cast name). Stay or swap sides after each one as necessary.
Spurning Flames	Party-wide magical damage and gives the boss a Fury buff (mostly for flavor).
Impassioned Sparks	Spawns four sets of expanding circle AoE telegraphs, each centered on random tiles. The AoEs will resolve once they become slightly larger than the size of the tile.
Scouring Scorn	Party-wide magical damage and removes the Fury buff.

Fang of the Lion: The Lone Swordmaster

Second boss of the middle path. Shortly after pulling the boss, the arena will be surrounded with a dangerous AoE that inflicts bleeding.

Mechanic	Description
Malefic Quartering	Gives each player a 33-second Malefic N/E/S/W debuff and draws four sectors around their character, one of which is red. Being hit with certain directional attacks from a red sector will deal heavy damage. The orientation of the sectors is fixed and does not change based on where the player faces (unlike with the more well-known Analysis mechanic in previous encounters).
Vanishing Horizon	Two opposite telegraphed 90 degree cleaves, then two more telegraphed cleaves hitting the initial safe spots.
Will of the Underworld	The arena will be split in half, one half being hit with an eastward-directed AoE, and the other westward-directed. Players must go to the half that prevents their vulnerable sector from facing the AoE origin, or they will take much greater damage.
Crusher of Lions	The arena will be split into four quadrants, each being hit with a directional AoE from the center. Players must go to a quadrant that prevents their vulnerable sector from facing the AoE origin.
Earth-rending Eight	Two telegraphed circle AoEs near opposite corners, immediately followed with telegraphed 8-way "starburst" line AoEs in the same locations.
Waiting Wounds	Spawns three vertical sets of three circle AoEs, each covering a little over a third of the arena. Start in the third set that spawns and dodge into the first.
Heavens' Confluence	Marks a player for a spread AoE, which is combined with a telegraphed point-blank into donut AoE (or vice versa).
Malefic Quartering	Now gives each player a 48-second Malefic N-E/S-E/S-W/N-W debuff, causing two adjacent sectors to be unsafe from directional attacks instead of one.
Unyielding Will	Each player is targeted with an L-shaped AoE. If the AoE will hit a vulnerable sector, they should move through the AoE telegraph (flipping the L) so it hits the opposite (safe) side. Prior to the AoE resolving, each player will be bound for 2 seconds.
Steelsbreath Release	Party-wide physical damage. Combined with several additional effects based on the route (see following).

The fight then diverges based on the route.

Mechanic	Description
Negative / Positive Charge	Each player will be inflicted with a 34-second Negative Charge or Positive Charge. In addition, the arena will be divided into quadrants (2 diagonally opposite with positive charge and the others negatively charged). Players will levitate when they are on a quadrant that matches their charge debuff.
Concentrativity	Physical damage and a telegraphed knockback from the boss. If the player is standing on a quadrant opposite their debuff, the knockback will be very weak. However, if standing on a quadrant matching their debuff, they will be knocked into the wall. This knockback can also be prevented with knockback immunities, but since this attack is used twice in proximity, it will only work for one.

Mechanic	Description
Plummet	Multiple sets of smaller and larger circle AoE telegraphs will spawn at random locations. This is combined with Heavens' Confluence and ends with a proximity AoE centered on one corner.

Mechanic	Description
Negative / Positive Charge	Each player will be inflicted with a 15-second Negative Charge or Positive Charge.
Magnetic Rock	Magnetic Rock adds will spawn on each corner. Two will be positively charged, while the others will be negative. Each player will be tethered to one random add, and then either be pulled towards it (if the player's and rock's charges are opposite) or pushed away (if the charges are the same). Players will be stunned for 3 seconds after being pushed/pulled.
Concentrativity	A telegraphed radial knockback from the boss, which cannot be prevented with knockback immunities. Players should position so they end up near the center of the arena when being pushed/pulled from the magnet tethers and positioned to be knocked back towards a corner.

Mechanic	Description
Malefic Quartering (on boulders)	Four circle AoE telegraphs will appear, each spawning a rock. Each one will have a weak sector on either its east or west. In addition, players will be given a 20-second Malefic E-W debuff, causing two opposite sectors to be unsafe.
Vanishing Horizon	Opposite conal cleaves that spawn two directional AoEs. Due to their Malefic debuff, players will be unsafe from these AoEs if by themselves, so they will need to stand behind a rock to block them. Only rocks that do not have a red sector facing a line AoE origin will be safe; the others will be destroyed.

Afterwards, the following mechanics are shared regardless of the route.

Mechanic	Description
Maw of the Wolf	Telegraphed 180 degree frontal cleave aimed at one corner.
Will of the Underworld x2	The arena will be divided into quadrants, each with two directional AoEs 90 degrees apart. Players must stand on the safe quadrant that prevents both of their vulnerable regions from being hit.
Sting of the Scorpion	Telegraphed physical tankbuster.
Crusher of Lions + Unyielding Will	Players will be given a single-direction Malefic debuff and must position for both of the these attacks in sequence. There are a few seconds to adjust if needed after Crusher of Lions resolves.

Shattering Siren: Darya the Sea-maid

Second boss of the right path. Shortly after pulling the boss, the arena will be surrounded with a dangerous AoE that inflicts dropsy.

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

The fight then diverges based on the route.

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

Afterwards, the following mechanics are shared regardless of the route.

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

Midnight Maw: The Deadly Dandan

Secret second boss of the right path.

Mechanic	Description
WIP	WIP

Loot

This duty uses personal loot, so players must interact with and loot each coffer by themselves. If the party chooses the same starting path as the NPC, they will receive a bonus personal spoils coffer immediately prior to the final boss.

Genie of the Lamp

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Corvosi Potsherd	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Corvosi Parasol	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Magic Lamp	Minion	N/A	ABasic	1

Rukhkh

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Corvosi Potsherd	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Little Mermaid	Minion	N/A	ABasic	1

Pari of Plenty

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Corvosi Potsherd	Other	N/A	ABasic	2
Pari of Plenty Card	Triple Triad Card	N/A		1

Lone Swordmaster

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Corvosi Potsherd	Other	N/A	ABasic	2
Lone Swordmaster Card	Triple Triad Card	N/A		1

Darya the Sea-maid

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Corvosi Potsherd	Other	N/A	ABasic	2
Darya the Sea-maid Card	Triple Triad Card	N/A		1
Little Mermaid	Minion	N/A	ABasic	1

Deadly Dandan

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Corvosi Potsherd	Other	N/A	ABasic	2
Deadly Dandan Card	Triple Triad Card	N/A		1

Personal Spoils Coffers

Name	Type	Item Level	Rarity	Quantity
Magicked Prism (Ribbons)	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Corvosi Parasol	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Corvosi Crystal	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Corvosi Fan	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Corvosi Sofa	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Green Corvosi Carpet	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Imitation Corvosi Shisha	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Purple Corvosi Carpet	Other	N/A	ABasic	1
Little Mermaid	Minion	N/A	ABasic	1
Magic Lamp	Minion	N/A	ABasic	1

Achievements

This duty is associated with the following achievements:

Name	Points	Task	Reward	Patch
Through the Carpets and Flames	5	Defeat the Pari of Plenty in The Merchant's Tale variant dungeon.	-	7.45
Singing with the Fishes	5	Defeat Darya the Sea-maid in The Merchant's Tale variant dungeon.	-	7.45
Master of Masters	5	Defeat the Lone Swordmaster in The Merchant's Tale variant dungeon.	-	7.45
The Strife Aquatic	5	Defeat the Deadly Dandan in The Merchant's Tale variant dungeon.	-	7.45
A Storied Collection	10	Unlock all folklore records in The Merchant's Tale.	The Faces We Wear - Comfortable Eye Mask	7.45
Mapping the Realm: The Merchant's Tale	10	Discover every location within The Merchant's Tale variant dungeon.	-	7.45