The Unending Journey

After much painstaking preparation, the time has finally come to infiltrate Castrum Centri and rescue your fellow Scions. Don your imperial pot helm and short robe, and proceed to the rendezvous point east of the stronghold.

You have succeeded in entering the castrum undetected. Next, you must gather information on where your comrades are being held. Approach three imperial soldiers and greet each with a disarming Imperial Salute.

Based on what you have learned, Minfilia and the others are being held within the storage tower. Accessing this tower requires a special identification key, which you must somehow obtain from the imperial centurion. Approach the forbidding fellow and win his good opinion with a perfectly executed Imperial Salute.

Through deft use of the magic word, you succeed in convincing the centurion to loan you his identification key. Biggs will know what to do with it.

Using the identification key, you have gained access to the sector in which the storage tower stands. Enter the tower via the steel gate, and set your friends free.

Though the rescue mission was a success, the shocking revelation that Thancred has been possessed by Lahabrea has cast a dark pall over the Scions. Painful though this blow may be, you have no choice but to take it on the chin and forge on for the sake of Eorzea.
You have safely arrived in Ul'dah. Speak with Minfilia to learn her mind.

None can say how the Alliance leaders may respond to the threat posed by the Ultima Weapon, but Minfilia is certain of one thing: so long as it exists, Eorzea shall never know peace.

In urgent tones, Minfilia reveals to you that Gaius van Baelsar has issued the Alliance leaders with an ultimatum. Even now, they are discussing how best to respond. Lest they make an uninformed decision and inadvertently seal Eorzea's doom, it is imperative that Minfilia be given an opportunity to plead her case. Make haste to the Royal Promenade and ask Batholomew to admit you to the Fragrant Chamber.

Owing to your timely intervention, Eorzea's leaders have resolved to fight the Empire to the last. Return to the Waking Sands in Vesper Bay, and speak with Minfilia.

The path ahead is now clear-- all that remains is to walk it. Join your fellow Scions in preparing for the battle to decide the future of the realm.

So begins Operation Archon, the Eorzean Alliance's eleventh-hour bid to purge the realm of the imperial menace. Suffice it to say, your role in the counteroffensive will be crucial to its success. Proceed to the Immortal Flames encampment north of Vesper Bay, and speak with the allied communications officer to receive your orders.

The Immortal Flames stand ready to launch their assault on the imperial outpost at Cape Westwind. Make your way to the staging point situated before the enemy stronghold, and report for duty to Lieutenant Adalbert.

Phase one of Operation Archon is now in motion. Enter the imperial outpost and fight your way through to the innermost sector.

The path leading to the innermost sector of the imperial outpost is now open, and a confrontation with Rhitahtyn sas Arvina awaits. Proceed when you are ready and strike down the praefectus.

※Cape Westwind trial.

At the end of a fierce struggle, you deal Rhitahtyn his death-blow, consigning the first Roegadyn to hold the rank of praefectus to history. Phase one of Operation Archon has ended in success.

With Rhitahtyn's demise, the forces garrisoned at Castrum Occidens have been thrown into disarray. For now, withdraw to the Immortal Flames encampment north of Vesper Bay, and report to the allied communications officer.

The time has come to commence the second phase of Operation Archon. When you are ready, request further orders from the allied communications officer.

The allied communications officer informs you that the Alliance garrison at Camp Bluefog is in low spirits and would be better for a hero's visit. Make your way to the camp in Northern Thanalan, and make yourself at the disposal of Sergeant Cracked Fist.

Arriving at Camp Bluefog, you present yourself to Sergeant Cracked Fist, who wastes no time beseeching your help in raising the morale of the garrison. The duty of a hero is truly manifold.

Desperate to raise the garrison's floundering morale, Sergeant Cracked Fist has taken a lesson from Gridanian history,and humbly requests that you make a stew and distribute it among the troops. First, obtain the three required chunks of basilisk meat.

You have obtaiend enough basilisk meat. Take it to the cookfire just outside Camp Bluefog's northern gate, and add it to the bubbling cauldron.

It will take a little while for the meat to be cooked through. Watch the cauldron until the stew is ready.

Your keen instincts tell you that the basilisk stew is now ready. Scoop it from the bubbling cauldron.

You have three steaming bowls of basilisk stew expertly balanced in your hands. Make your way around Camp Bluefog and give them to the neediest soldiers.

You have doled out all the basilisk stew, which seems to have had the desired effect. Report your success to Sergeant Cracked Fist.

A jubilant Sergeant Cracked Fist thanks you for inspiriting his troops. They now remember their purpose, and stand ready to do their part in the impending phase of the operation.

Sergeant Cracked Fist bids you deliver a message to the two watchtowers that lie en route to the Ceruleum Processing Plant. Seek out Private Wymund on the west and Private Hopeful Dawn on the east.

You have successfully delivered the message to both watchtowers. Continue on to the Ceruleum Processing Plant and report to Lieutenant Edelstein.

You have spoken with Lieutenant Edelstein, who informs you that the Flame General himself has arrived at the plant.

You learn that Raubahn arrived at the Ceruleum Processing Plant a short while ago, and is presently inspecting the garrison. Report to him and see if he has need of your services.

Raubahn bids you rally the garrison at the Ceruleum Processing Plant as you did at Camp Bluefog. Make your way around the plant and psych up the green recruits whose resolve appears to be failing.

Your visceral gesticulations have helped the recruits steel themselves for the battle to come. Now go to Lieutenant Edelstein and psych him up as you did the recruits.

Lieutenant Edelstein admits that the fire of his resolve had grown dim, and thanks you for making it rage anew. With both the Bull of Ala Mhigo and your good self present, the entire garrison is fairly ablaze with determination.

The enemy's presence at Raubahn's Push is proving an impediment to the operation's progress. Lieutenant Edelstein bids you vanquish three imperial vanguards and three imperial soldiers, that the main host might march upon Castrum Meridianum unhampered.

You have sufficiently thinned out the imperial presence at Raubahn's Push. Proceed to the operation's staging point and report to Raubahn.

You find the Flame General standing in the shadow of Castrum Meridianum. The final battle for the future of Eorzea will soon be joined.

So begins the penultimate phase of Operation Archon. While the main Alliance host wreaks havoc without, you must steal inside Castrum Meridianum and disable its magitek field generator.

※Castrum Meridianum dungeon.

You have successfully disabled the magitek field generator protecting the Praetorium, and defeated Livia sas Junius into the bargain. Though you are eager to press on with the fourth and final phase of Operation Archon, you will require the use of an airship if you are to reach the Ultima Weapon's resting place. For now, make your way back outside and report to Raubahn.

After gruffly reaffirming his trust in your abilities, Raubahn declares the third phase of Operation Archon a success. All that remains is the small matter of finding and destroying the Ultima Weapon.

The Enterprise stands ready to bear you to the Praetorium-- the fortress within a fortress wherein the Ultima Weapon sleeps. Prepare for the fight of your life, and report to Cid at the Ceruleum Processing Plant.

You have arrived at the Praetorium, the stage upon which the fate of the realm shall soon be decided. Fight your way into the depths of the structure, in search of the Ultima Weapon, and when you find the Allagan relic... send a piece of it to each of the seven hells.

※The Praetorium dungeon.

With Gaius van Baelsar slain, and the Ultima Weapon destroyed, it would seem that Eorzea may finally look forward to an era of peace. Yet even as the people of the three city-states gather to celebrate their deliverance, a deafening roar reverberates throughout every corner of the realm... A dread primal has awakened.

What fearsome primal is this that has been roused? Perhaps Minfilia will be able to shed some light on the mystery.

In troubled tones, Minfilia reveals to you that shortly after the roar was heard around the land, an aetheric disturbance was observed, bearing a disquieting similarity to a phenomenon recorded five years ago. It would seem that your struggles are far from over. Steel your resolve anew, and set forth to shine the Crystal's light upon the realm.