The Unending Journey

Ser Joellaut, the injured knight currently recuperating in the infirmary, previously tol you of the night when Inquisitor Guillaime first arrived. When you relayed this account to Alphinaud, he found several questionable details which he cannot reconcile. He asks that you retrace the path the inquisitor is said to have taken that night, and see if it sheds any light on this mystery.

Your investigation leads you to a frozen corpse in the chasm which bears a striking resemblance to Inquisitor Guillaime. If you inspect the body, perhaps you will find some clue to his identify.

You find a bloody encyclical on the corpse which suggests that the man was newly appointed inquisitor. Present the document to Alphinaud and see what he makes of it.

Alphinaud declares that your discoveres prove that the Inquisitor Guillaime you know is an imposter. However, his true identity and objectives remain unknown.

Although you have discovered proof that Inquisitor Guillaime is an imposter, Alphinaud wishes to determine his true identity before speaking with Lord Drillemont. Confront Ser Joellaut with the bloody encyclical and see what he has to say.

Ser Joellaut refuses to consider the possibility that Inquisitor Guillaime is not who he claims to be. He bids you speak with Ser Prunilla, the knight who helped the inquisitor carry his unconcious body to the infirmary that night, if you still doubt his story.

Ser Prunilla claims to know nothing of the bloody encyclical, but her nervous fidgeting suggests otherwise. As time is of the essence, you should cease with the pleasantries and doubt her account with fervor.

Ser Prunilla confesses that she knew of Inquisitor Guillaime's true identity, but was unable to reveal the truth out of fear for her loved ones.

She was also aware that the inquisitor was framing innocent Ishgardians and sentencing them to death, but could not bring herself to act until Lord Francel came under suspicion. Even then, she could only afford to tamper with shipments bound for Skyfire Locks, in the hopes that the draconian rosaries she stole from the inquisitor's chest and hid within the parcels would be discovered and used as evidence of a conspiracy against House Haillenarte. Having learned of the inquisitor's hidden supply of draconian rosaries, search the area southeast of Whitebrim Front and see if you can locate the chest.

You find the hidden chest as Ser Prunilla described. Open it and see what secrets it contains.

The chest is filled with draconian rosaries, which Inquisitor Guillaime has doubtless used to condemn countless innocent Ishgardians to death. Having obtained incontrovertible proof that the inquisitor is in fact a heretic, you can now approach Lord Drillemont and convince him of the truth.

Lord Drillemont is devastated by the revelation, and wastes no time apologizing for misjudging you. But before he agrees to grant you permission to enter the Stone Vigil, he asks that you help him bring the false inquisitor to justice.

Lord Drillemont has asked you to accompany him to Snowcloak, where the heretic masquerading as Inquisitor Guillaime is said to be conducting another interrogation. if the imposter refuses to surrender, Lord Drillemont intends to use force. Prepare for the worst and rendezvous with the knights at Snowcloak.

Faced with Lord Drillemont's accusations, the false inquisitor declares that he cannot betray that which he owes no allegiance, and that all Ishgardians must be held to account for their persecution of the heretics. With that, he summons his Dravanian allies and endeavors to defend himself, going so far as to use his magicks to assume the form of a dragon. The ruse serves only to anger Lord Drillemont, however, and with his aid you dispel the heretic's glamour and slay his scalekin accomplices. Defiant to the last, the nameless heretic rejoices in the vengeance he wreaked, predicting with his dying breath that you will meet your end in the Stone Vigil. Return to Whitebrim Front and inform Alphinaud of the imposter's demise.

Alphinaud refuses to revel in your victory over the false inquisitor, declaring that there will be time enough to celebrate when the Enterprise has been secured. Happily, your path into the Stone Vigil now seems clear. All that remains is for you and your companions to pay one final visit to Lord Drillemont.

Now that the matter of the false inquisitor has been resolved, naught remains to prevent you from entering the Stone Vigil. Alphinaud instructs you to seek an audience with Lord Drillemont, vowing that he and Cid will follow shortly.

Lord Drillemont confirms that according to Ishgardian records the Enterprise was indeed seized by the troops garrisoned at the Stone Vigil shortly after the Calamity. However, it has now been some time since the outpost fell to the dragons, and he cannot vouch for the airship's preservation or even its presence. Though it may all be for naught, you have little choice but to search the ruins regardless. Make your way to the entrance to the Stone Vigil, which stands to the northwest of Whitebrim Front, and speak with Ser Nathelain to gain admission.

Ser Nathelain confirms that you may enter the Stone Vigil whenever you wish.

※The Stone Vigil dungeon.

While fighting your way through the Stone Vigil, you stumble upon the Enterprise, which appears to be in one piece. Unfortunately, that piece is situated dangerously close to a vast sleeping dragon. Leaving you to keep an eye on the beast, Cid and Alphinaud sneak aboard the airship and begin preparing it for departure. It is at this moment that Lahabrea appears. After remarking that you of all mortals may well have the strength to defeat Garuda, the Ascian uses his magicks to awaken the dragon, and you are soon locked in a desperate struggle with the creature as Cid and Alphinaud look on.

After a titanic struggle, you somehow succeed in slaying the dragon, earning yourself the praise of Alphinaud in so doing. Your elation at having survived the encounter is dampened somewhat by the revelation that the Enterprise is more badly damaged than had been hoped. Thankfully, Cid manages to make sufficient repairs to the ship to enable you to make the flight back to Gridania. Speak with Alphinaud, and together determine how best to proceed.

Despite Alphinaud's claim that recovering the Enterprise would be a cause for celebration, the young Sharlayan seems disinclined to revel. Instead, he reminds you that your work is far from done, and that the airship was only ever a means to an end. Next, you must find a way to restore the Enterprise to its former glory.

In its current condition, the Enterprise cannot endure the tumultuous winds which encircle the Howling Eye, Garuda's sanctuary. To breach the barrier, Cid has devised a plan to harness the power of a corrupted crystal. While he himself has no idea where to find one, he knows a man who might — the scholar, Lamberteint, who resides in Camp Drybone.

After learning of your shared interest in corrupted crystals, Professor Lamberteint seems eager to discuss his work. With any luck, your time in Thanalan will be brief and forgettable.

According to Professor Lamberteint, corrupted crystals emit harmful energies which can be hazardous to one's health. Before you can begin your search, you must fashion a vessel to carry the crystal. He suggests that you browse the Golden Bazaar for a common clay pot, which would adequately serve.

In yet another curious twist of fate, you come upon a merchant forcing passerbys to accept his old pots free of charge. Conceal your delight lest he changes his mind and deliver the pot to Professor Lamberteint.

The "unremarkable piece of rubbish," so dubbed by the good professor, will suffice for your purposes. Now, watch and be amazed as he uses science to transform the pot into something far greater.

With a liberal application of Professor Lamberteint's secret alchemical sealant, the pot is reborn as a corrupted crystal containment device. Duly armed, proceed to Highbridge and introduce yourself to Hahasako, one of Professor Lamberteint's dedicated pupils.

Hahasako's annoyance turns to delight as he realizes that the professor bade you seek him out. Interpreting his mentor's decision as a tacit acknowledgement of his expertise, Hahasako struggles to regain his composure so that he might aid you.

Hahasako explains that the Burning Wall is filled with corrupted crystals. However, if you wish to obtain the highest-quality sample, you must journey to the deepest depths and search for a corrupted cluster. Then, wielding the quarrying maul given to you by the scholar, you must fracture the cluster so that a smaller piece can be removed.
In the name of science, you strike the shimmering cluster with all your might. Sections of the fractured cluster can now be easily wrenched free.

With a sharp tug, you remove a fragment of the corrupted cluster and seal it within the warded pot, thus shielding you from its harmful energies. Of course, this does nothing to counteract the prolonged exposure to the cluster that you have already endured. Try not to ponder the potential ramifications of this fact as you make your way back to Highbridge and present the crystal to Hahasako.

Hahasako has naught but praise for your specimen, which he bids you show to the professor as well-- at which time he expects you to recount to his mentor how instrumental his instructions were to your success.

Professor Lamberteint explains that your efforts in Thanalan have yielded a corrupted crystal that will only serve to strengthen Garuda's barrier. As this would be contrary to your goal, you have essentially wasted your time, regardless of what the good professor would have you believe.

Betraying no signs of remorse for his previous oversight, Professor Lamberteint tells you of another location where corrupted crystals might be found. Another pupil of his, Ceana, claims to have discovered a promising site in western La Noscea on the Isles of Umbra. Journey to Aleport and search for the scholar.

Ceana, like Hahasako, claims to be the greatest pupil of the good professor. Like the Lalafell before her, the accuracy of this bold claim remains to be seen.

Ceana is certain that the area surrounding Pharos Sirius on the Isles of Umbra is replete with corrupted crystals. However, she has yet to test this hypothesis, as all access to the isles is prohibited at present. As she lacks your charming wit and way with words, she bids you question the Yellowjackets of Aleport in her stead, and attempt to discover the reason behind the travel restrictions.

The three Yellowjackets you elect to question speak of spirits and undead infesting the Isles of Umbra. Relay this disturbing news to Ceana.
Ceana is quite perturbed by the revelation that undead abominations are the cause of her troubles. Hopefully this will not deter her from aiding you in your quest...

While you were questioning the Yellowjackets, Ceana was enjoying a pint at the local pub, where she heard tell of a man named Skyfryn, recently returned from the Isles of Umbra, who was detained for unknown reasons. She asks that you speak with Skyfryn in an effort to learn how he obtained permission to travel to the isles.
Skyfryn does not respond to your questions and instead rambles incoherently about a woman he desires desperately to see again. In a rare moment of lucidity, he gives you a golden feather and bids you give it to a man named Mimidoa, along with his apologies. Return to Ceana and see what she makes of Skyfryn's words.

Ceana knows Mimidoa, and states that he grabbed her arse at the pub the other day. Refusing to have any further interaction with the man, it falls to you to discover his connection to Skyfryn.

Mimidoa was dispatched to Aleport so that he might oversee the work being performed at Pharos Sirius. However, the craftsmen have all abandoned their work or simply vanihsed, presumably due to the rumors of an undead infestation. Upon learning that you wish to visit the Isles of Umbra for your own purposes, Mimidoa offers you a writ of passage on the condition that you look into the rumors on his behalf. Share this good news with Ceana.

Thought skeptical of Mimidoa's claims at first, Ceana recognizes that the writ of passage is genuine. She wishes you well on your journey to the Isles of Umbra, as she has no intention of accompanying you herself.