Cloud Strife:
No way! That thing's just a machine.
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Raubahn seems unconvinced by the Qalyana's sincerity.
Quest description
Return of the Bull is a Quest in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.
Journal[]
- Wary of Qalyana treachery, Raubahn is minded to bolster security for the forthcoming meeting. Arenvald duly volunteers to round up your fellow Scions, and bids you assemble with them in the Ala Mhigan Quarter.
- At the appointed location, you rendezvous with Arenvald, who has succeeded in enlisting the aid of Alphinaud, Y'shtola, and Thancred. Deeming it best to have eyes both inside and outside the throne room, you proceed to divide your forces into two groups. Thancred and Y'shtola will keep watch without, while you and the others take up positions within. Make your way to the palace's rear entrance, on the eastern edge of the quarter, and identify yourself to the guard on duty.
- In the midst of the meeting, the Qalyana broodmother somehow summons forth an incarnation of Sri Lakshmi, plunging the throne room into chaos. Too late, you realize that the guards entrusted with keeping the area free of crystals have themselves been enthralled. As the only warriors present blessed with the protection of the Echo, you and Arenvald must occupy the primal whilst your companions defend the visiting envoys from the Qalyana and the enthralled guards. Rally the hesitant Arenvald, and make your stand against the Lady of Bliss!
※In the event that you leave the palace, speak with the Resistance guard in the Ala Mhigan Quarter to re-enter the throne room. - Try as you might, the need to protect your allies from the primal's baleful influence renders you powerless to wrest the initiative from your foe─until, that is, Fordola arrives to even the odds. Swallowing your questions, you engage Sri Lakshmi together, and succeed at last in banishing her to the aether. The battle is over, but the Butcher still stands before you, free of her fetters, weapon in hand...
- After a taut moment, Fordola surrenders her sword, and returns to her cell of her own accord. It would seem the danger has passed. Ask Lyse if she and her guests are unharmed.
The battle against Lakshmi.
- After thanking you for your efforts in the throne room, Lyse returns to conclude her meeting with the envoys from Gyr Abania. No longer needed, you retire to the rooftop gardens, where you are joined after a time by Raubahn. The General tells you of the council's decision to form an elected government, signaling the end of his time in Ala Mhigo. You subsequently pass Nanamo on your way to speak with Lyse, and sense that Raubahn's plans to return to Ul'dah are about to encounter a sultana-sized wrinkle...
- As you and your companions discuss the day's events, Nanamo arrives, flanked by Pipin and a rather sheepish-looking Raubahn. After some prompting by the sultana, the gruff warrior duly announces that he has been dismissed as leader of the Immortal Flames, and stripped of his seat on the Syndicate. Shocking though these revelations are, it does not take long for the assembled company to make light of them─and small wonder, for Ala Mhigo's dearest son is finally home. Speak with Lyse, and learn of her plans for the future.
- For the moment, it seems that Lyse intends to return to Rhalgr's Reach. Follow Alphinaud's lead, and join her at the Resistance stronghold.
- Lyse declares that her time as commander of the Resistance is over, and that she means to invite Raubahn to take her place. With Nanamo's resettlement project also proceeding apace, all present agree that the seeds of hope have at last begun to quicken in the war-torn land of Ala Mhigo.
Objectives[]
- Join your fellow Scions in the Ala Mhigan Quarter.
- Speak with the Resistance guard.
- Speak with Arenvald.
- Speak with Lyse.
- Speak with Lyse in Rhalgr's Reach.
Script[]
| Return of the Bull script
| |
|---|---|
| Arenvald | Turning the Qalyana away now would've made a mockery of Lyse's promise to give everyone a say. She couldn't not let them in. |
| Raubahn | This Qalyana elder's intentions seem at odds with all we know of her tribe. What think you, [Player Name]? |
| Raubahn | Aye, it is said that once a creature has fallen under the sway of a primal, there is no salvation. And I strongly doubt the Qalyana have suddenly broken free of Lakshmi's will. |
| Raubahn | You believe an understanding can be reached? ...'Tis not entirely unheard of, I suppose: those who followed Saint Shiva eventually sought reconciliation with Ishgard. |
| Raubahn | Whatever the truth, I would take no chances. The guard must be strengthened─ideally with people who know a thing or two about primals. Can we rely on the Scions? |
| Arenvald | I'll round up our comrades, and send them to the Ala Mhigan Quarter. You can go on ahead if you like, [Player Name]. |
| Raubahn | My thanks. I will see you in the palace. |
| Arenvald | [Player Name]! I've brought reinforcements. |
| Alphinaud | Arenvald told me of the arrival of our unexpected guests, and I agreed that it would be prudent to call upon Y'shtola and Thancred as well. |
| Yshtola | One can never be too careful when dealing with the enthralled. |
| Thancred | I am not familiar with the Qalyana tribe myself, but Alisaie's report suggested that they shunned contact with other races. Despised it, in fact. Even compared to other Ananta. |
| Alphinaud | Indeed. This apparent reversal in attitude is most curious. No one expected a response to our invitation, much less an envoy, and I imagine Lyse was forced to make some rather hasty arrangements in order to accommodate them. |
| Arenvald | Speaking of which, how should we deploy ourselves? |
| Yshtola | If the meeting is to be held in the throne room, 'twould seem wise to have eyes both inside and outside the palace. |
| Thancred | Y'shtola and I can stand guard without. That leaves the three of you to keep watch over proceedings in the throne room itself. |
| Alphinaud | Understood. We should join General Aldynn inside, then. |
| Arenvald | [Player Name], do you know of the rear entrance to the palace? It's on the eastern edge of the city, at the top of the stairs. The guard there should have been instructed to let us pass. |
| Alphinaud | If we could somehow come to an understanding with the Qalyana, it would represent a great step toward resolving the primal dilemma in Ala Mhigo. I only hope they are sincere in their intentions... |
| Arenvald | The rear entrance to the palace is just up these steps. The guard should wave us through. |
| Yshtola | As fortune would have it, I was visiting Rhalgr's Reach to look in on Alisaie. She sends her regards. |
| Thancred | Leave external security to us, [Player Name]. I scouted around the palace quite extensively while I was searching for Krile, so I know the lay of the land. |
| Resistancegateguard | You're with the Scions, miss/sir? General Aldynn left orders that you were to be escorted inside. If you'll follow me... |
| Resistancegateguard | Will you be entering the palace now? |
| Arenvald | How do we fight her without leaving our allies wide open? We can't stay on the back foot forever... |
| Arenvald | ...No, dammit, if I think like that we've already lost. I have the Warrior of Light at my side! W-We can do this! |
| Arenvald | Isn't that right, [Player Name]!? |
| Lyse | Well fought, [Player Name]. Arenvald. That was a near thing. |
| Raubahn | Aye, our stand against the Qalyana would have been brief indeed had you not volunteered for guard duty. |
| Raubahn | We'd be enthralled as surely as our sentries were. They must have planned this far in advance... |
| Lyse | Security was my responsibility, and I know how dangerous primals can be. I should have─ Gah! It's my fault. My stupid mistake. |
| Raubahn | Nay, lass, we were all caught unawares. We will take this as a lesson, and watch our own more carefully in future. |
| Raubahn | You can be sure that the lackeys who smuggled the crystals into the throne room weren't the only thralls in our ranks. The soldier who first spoke up in favor of the Qalyana keeping their weapons springs to mind... |
| Yshtola | A primal's servant is betrayed by his aura. If you mean to conduct an investigation, I can identify any others acting under Sri Lakshmi's influence. |
| Lyse | Thanks, Y'shtola. We'd appreciate the help. |
| Arenvald | Speaking of help, I almost fell over when Fordola turned up. What was she even doing there? |
| Lyse | I asked her to come... |
| Arenvald | Well, that explains it, then. |
| Lyse | It's sad, but Raganfrid was right: her victims will never forgive her for what she's done. |
| Lyse | But I don't think Fordola picked up that sword looking for forgiveness. She just...she wanted to fight for her country. |
| Lyse | If you say the world in which Fordola grew up is partly to blame for what she became, then as an Ala Mhigan, I feel responsible for improving that world. |
| Lyse | We can't ignore what's happening right now─we have to show people a better way than vengeance, or we risk giving birth to a new generation of Skulls... |
| Lyse | I know it's idealistic, but I want to help people to let go of their old grievances and make peace with each other. And I'll hold a thousand meetings and talk till I'm blue in the face if that's what it takes. |
| Alphinaud | 'Tis a long and arduous path you have chosen, but one well worth walking. Rest assured that I will do what I can to help you reach your destination. |
| Lyse | Thank you, Alphinaud. The first step will be to get our representatives back in the throne room. They're a little shaken, but not one of them seemed ready to run. We're all determined to finish what we started. |
| Raubahn | I will see that you're not interrupted. [Player Name]─you and the Scions are to stand down. Get some rest. You've earned it. |
| Alphinaud | Arenvald is of an age with Fordola, both of them born Ala Mhigan. One never wanted his Garlean blood, and the other tried to become Garlean but could never be. |
| Alphinaud | Similar yet opposite─which would go some way to explaining the tension between them. |
| Arenvald | I went to see Fordola in her cell again. She did turn the tide of the battle after all, and I thought it only right to thank her. |
| Arenvald | But she wouldn't listen─said she neither wanted nor needed my gratitude, and that I should go away. I don't know if I'll ever understand her... |
| Alphinaud | Lyse must be overjoyed to know that General Aldynn is staying...though I suppose I shouldn't call him “General” anymore. |
| Arenvald | Raubahn is the veteran of a hundred battlefields. Lyse couldn't ask for a more reliable ally to have at her side. |
| Nanamo Ul Namo | I have asked enough of you, [Player Name]. My only words for you now are those of gratitude. |
| Pipin | I must assume Father's responsibilities without delay, lest our rivals─both inside and outside Ul'dah─treat his dismissal as a window of opportunity. Rest assured, they will find Tizona's edge just as sharp in my hands. |
| Raubahn | It seems my road has come full circle. I appreciate the support you showed for my earlier decision, overruled though it was! |
| Lyse | I think it's about time I headed back to Rhalgr's Reach. What's next for all of you? |
| Alphinaud | Alisaie will be eager to hear of recent events, so I shall join you, if you've no objections. |
| Lyse | I'd welcome the company! [Player Name], why don't you come along to the Reach as well once you've said your farewells to Nanamo and the others. |
| Lyse | Well, here we are again! |
| Alisaie | Alphinaud has regaled me with a thrilling tale of hidden treasure troves, mid-meeting betrayals, unlikely alliances, and joyous homecomings. It would seem I missed...everything. |
| Mnaago | I was patrolling the palace grounds with Thancred and Y'shtola when we heard the report of a primal in the throne room. I honestly doubted my own ears. |
| Mnaago | As others have said, we were lucky to have our Echo-blessed champions nearby this time, but we'll need to keep a closer eye on the Qalyana... |
| Lyse | You can say that again. This whole episode has reminded me just how far apart our kinds still are. It looks like centuries of fear and mistrust really can't be washed away in a day. But someone has to make an effort at reconciliation if these conflicts are ever going to end. |
| Lyse | Naturally, a lot of people are crying out for vengeance, but I've been doing my best to calm things down. Violent reprisals will only lead to more summonings. |
| Alphinaud | Indeed. Violence will ever beget violence─as the Empire has learned to its cost in recent times. |
| Lyse | In any case, summoning Lakshmi was the broodmother's doing, and whoever replaces her might not be so keen on the idea. We'll just have to watch and wait. |
| Lyse | Which isn't to say we won't be putting the safety of our allies in the Vira and M tribes first. I plan to have Resistance scouts keep track of the Qalyana's movements at all times. |
| Mnaago | My parents will be relieved to hear that. What are your plans for the rest of the Resistance army, out of interest? Are we to prepare for imperial counterattacks? |
| Lyse | That would be a question for the Resistance's newest recruit─a military commander with far more experience than me! |
| Mnaago | What? The Bull of Ala Mhigo!? |
| Lyse | We call it an army, but the Resistance is really a collection of smaller, independent groups. And when Conrad passed his command on to me, that authority only extended to the freedom fighters based in Rhalgr's Reach. |
| Lyse | He just happened to be serving as the Resistance spokesman at the time, and needed someone to take over the role while everything was in disarray. But that time has passed. |
| Lyse | When I speak with the other leaders about reforming the army under the new government, I'll be nominating Raubahn as the overall commander of our forces. He has more experience than the rest of us put together, and we stand to learn a lot from him. |
| Alphinaud | Indeed. He is in all respects the ideal choice. Assuming he accepts the post, Ala Mhigo will have added a formidable weapon to its arsenal. |
| Alphinaud | And given the progress of Nanamo's resettlement initiative, I see great cause for hope. The seeds which we so carefully sowed have begun to quicken, my friends. |
| Lyse | I like that. We tend to our promises, and watch as Ala Mhigo blooms. |
| Gosetsu | I do give thanks to the kami that my makeshift raft withstood the fury of the seas... |
| Gosetsu | But there their generosity ended. Without coins in our pockets for new attire, we are doomed to look like so much jetsam. O, woe betide the poor man in a city of rich merchants... |
| Yotsuyu | These dango are delicious! Will you have one? |
| Gosetsu | Hm!? More sweetbreads!? I surrendered my blade to secure what few coins we have! |
| Gosetsu | Bah! 'Tis like talking to a child... |
| Gosetsu | Why fate saddled me with this burden I shall never know...but I am alive, and I must return to my master's side! |
| Gosetsu | Come, Tsuyu. We shall find a ship to carry us across the Ruby Sea! |
| Garleanleaderd | Have you read the reports? First Doma, then Ala Mhigo─and Lord Zenos put to the sword! |
| Garleanleadere | Do not believe everything you read. I hear the viceroy was merely wounded, and that he has already returned to the capital. Naturally, the savages beat their chests, and boast loudly of taking his head, regardless. |
| Garleanleaderd | Nay... Lord Zenos lives? |
| Garleanleadere | Deplorable. That our own officers should be fooled by Eorzean misinformation... |
| Garleanleadere | Small wonder the provinces have begun rising up in rebellion. We must prepare an official, and above all accurate announcement to quell these pernicious rumors. |
| Garleanleaderd | They would wage war with empty words...
Let them produce the viceroy's remains, then! We shall soon put the lie to their claims. |
| Quest complete. | |