The Stewards of Note

is a Quest in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.
==Journal==
* An anxious mother in Slitherbough relates to you her plight. As she tells it, her son Valan─who you had some dealings with in the past─has once again run off with Quinfort, a would-be prophet with a penchant for the dramatic. She bids you go in search for the young man, lest he and his friend wander off too far and get themselves in trouble.
※Please note that the difficulty of this quest has been synced to your current level. Furthermore, you may not proceed with a class or job that is different from when you accepted this quest.
* Searching the forest, you come upon Quinfort and a visibly frustrated Valan. The latter is expressing his frustration with his friend's predilection for dashing off at a moment's notice with scarcely a word of explanation when─lo and behold─Quinfort is struck with another vision, and promptly dashes off deep into the forest. With an audible sigh, Valan turns to you and asks that you join him in surveying the area for any sign of the impulsive prognosticator.
* You succeed in tracking down Quinfort, who stands before a curious scene: two ratlike creatures─one old, one young─being threatened at spearpoint by a couple of Viis guards. The two introduce themselves as Qitarl Natl and Chaqurl Qhotl of the Qitari, a mouselike tribe that once served the Empire of Ronka as scribes and scriveners before being driven to the depths of the forest at the time of the Flood. Having emerged from their hundred-year exile, they now seek to unearth the Qitari stelae─massive stone tablets engraved with records of their accumulated knowledge and history, and in doing so reclaim their legacy. They are accompanied by a small, squirmy creature that is the spitting image of the Great Serpent of Ronka who Quinfort so loyally serves. The serpent then dashes off with an excited “scree,” leading the Qitari duo and Quinfort alike to conclude that the divine protector is leading them to the relic they seek. Should you be so inclined, follow along and join them in the search.
* You find the Qitari and their serpent standing near a sealed cave entrance. It is here, according to Qitarl Natl, that his forefathers stored away the stone tablets for safekeeping before fleeing the forest some one hundred years ago. He further elaborates that breaking the seal will require a relic of ancient Ronka─or more specifically, a stone housing immense aetherial power, and entreats your assistance in searching for one. You resolve to ponder their offer, and to speak with Qitarl again should you be inclined to cooperate.
* Qitarl rejoices at your generous offer of aid, his long-held wish of reclaiming his tribe's legacy finally within reach. Quinfort, struck with another burst of possibly divine inspiration, offers his hypothesis that the striped pattern on the great serpent's body might indeed be a clue as to the location of the stone you seek. Questioning his sanity but having nowhere else to turn, you strike out in search of the ancient relic that may grant you and your newfound Qitari friends passage into the cavern.
* You succeed in finding the stone and delivering it safely to Chaqurl Qhotl. Quinfort's ramblings again prove remarkably prophetic when the engraved slab sealing the cave's entrance gives way, granting passage to the grottoes and tunnels within. The Qitari explorers jump for joy, unable to contain their excitement at the discoveries that doubtless lie ahead. They resolve to call for a select group of their fellow tribesmen to assist in the excavation effort, which will be conducted on a grand scale. Should you be of a mind to aid the self-styled Stewards of Note in pursuing their life's work, they will surely welcome your continued presence at their camp in Hopl's Stopple.
==Objectives==
* Speak with Valan at Fanow.
* Search for Quinfort at the designated location.
* Speak with Chaqurl Qhotl near the Ox'Dalan Gap.
* Speak with Qitarl Natl.
* Mine in the Blind Forest of Yx'Maja/Deliver to Chaqurl Qhotl/Gather in the Blind Forest of Yx'Maja/Deliver to Chaqurl Qhotl/Catch at Mjrl's Regret/Deliver to Chaqurl Qhotl/.
==Script==
script 	script
 	
Worryingmother 	Oh, hello there. You're the sweet young lady/young man staying with Master Matoya, are you not? I've been meaning to thank you for looking after my boy that one time. His name's Valan. You remember him, don't you?
Worryingmother 	He's always running around with his friend Quinfort. You know, the one who so much enjoys hearing the sound of his own voice. Why, just moments ago, he rushed in here, then went dashing off, shouting about how he'd made a discovery “of staggering import” over in Fanow.
Worryingmother 	Valan, bless his heart, went running after him. I know these parts aren't as dangerous as they once were─and Quinfort apparently has made some friends among the Viis─but still...I can't help but worry.
Worryingmother 	Would you be so kind as to follow after them, and make sure Valan doesn't get into anything over his head? You can tell him his mother sent you.
Worryingmother 	The sin eaters do not plague the land like they once did. And yet, the Greatwood is vast, and there are any number of nasty critters lurking in the shadows. If anything became of my boy, I don't know what I'd do...
Quinfort 	How many times must I tell you, Valan!? When the will of the wood summons me, I must heed its call!
 	
Valan 	For the last time, Quinfort! Would it kill you to actually explain yourself before you go dashing around the forest like a madman!?
Quinfort 	What nonsense do you speak, Valan? The Keeper of Whispers would never be so insolent as to keep the gods waiting when They would share with me Their wisdom! Why, the mere notion is preposterous! Blasphemous, even!
Valan 	[Player Name]!? Whatever are you doing here?
Valan 	My mother sent you? Dear heavens, I'm sorry for dragging you into this. As you might suspect, Quinfort's ranting and raving about the “will of the wood” again.
Valan 	When he ran off shouting about prophecies, I simply had to follow along to make sure he didn't get himself into any trouble. The Viis said we were welcome at any time, of course, but would it kill the man to be a bit more circumspect?
Valan 	Oh, that reminds me. Whatever happened to that squirmy little fellow that Quinfort─for whatever ungodly reason─believes to be the “Great Serpent of Ronka”? Does it still travel with you, or did it get squished somewhere along the way?
Quinfort 	What ignorance is this, Valan!? The divine protector has returned to slumber in its nest deep in the heart of Rak'tika, from which it speaks to me in my dreams even now!
Tsuchinoko 	Scree!
Quinfort 	O, great one! Is it truly you, returned to grace your loyal servant with your presence in this time of need!? Truly, the wood has answered my pleas!
Valan 	If the “great serpent” has been with you all this time, [Player Name], I can only imagine what sort of dreams he's been having...
Valan 	And yet...as skeptical as I am, the Viis seem to put stock in his visions. If there's even a hint of truth to them, who knows what we're in for...
Quinfort 	Muahahaha! I know, my good friend, for I have seen it a thousand thousand times in my visions! This venerable forest is on the verge of entering a new age of harmony! For the great serpent shall let out a mighty cry, and in so doing summon forth they who did serve great Ronka in times of eld!
Quinfort 	Verily, the arrival of the heirs to wisdom ancient and true is nigh at hand! Now is the time! We must follow where the great serpent leads, and in doing so lay claim to a great future!
Valan 	Quinfort! Not again...
Valan 	I'm sorry to impose, [Player Name], but would you mind helping me go after him? There's only one path forward through the forest, so he shouldn't be too hard to find.
 	
Valan 	He must be around here somewhere...
Valan 	Look, over in that flower bed! Someone's there!
Viisguarda 	A rat who speaks? Who are you, and why do you trespass in our sacred forest!? Answer me, or we will be dining on rat stew this night!
Qitarl Natl 	Ye gads! Oh, do have mercy! I assure you─yes, most assuredly─that we come in peace!
Quinfort 	Put down your arms! If my visions speak true─and I have never known them to speak otherwise─this mousy fellow and his diminutive companion are none other than the descendants of a proud Ronkan tribe of old!
Viisguardb 	You... You are from Slitherbough, yes? One of the so-called Night's Blessed?
Valan 	There you are! I swear, Quinfort, do you take pleasure in driving me mad?
Valan 	Forgive my friend here. He simply cannot control himself sometimes. I promise you I'll give him a stern talking-to when we get home. Now, Quinfort...
Viisguarda 	Hm? Friends of the ally of Ronka, are you? You are quite bold─or quite foolish─to rush forward before the spearpoint of a Viis as you did.
Viisguardb 	And who─or what─is this one? I have not seen him nor any of his ilk before. And yet you say he is a descendant from a proud tribe of Ronka?
Quinfort 	Most assuredly so! For I did foresee his coming in a vision granted to me by none other than the great serpent itself!
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree!
Tsuchinoko 	Scree...? Scree!
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Look, Father! There's two of them!
 	
Qitarl Natl 	A Qi-what? I fear you must be mistaken. But this is understandable. After all, my people have lived in hiding for generations. Few─if any─of those on the outside are familiar with our kind. Alas, how far our noble tribe has fallen...
Qitarl Natl 	What is this? The great serpent travels with you as well? Curious. How very curious, indeed...
Quinfort 	A most auspicious encounter this is! For a friend of the great serpent is a friend of ours, yes? Pray, my good sir, do enlighten us as to the name of your most ancient and venerable tribe.
Qitarl Natl 	...Ahem. We are the Qitari. You call us an ancient and venerable tribe, and...I cannot deny that we are very much that.
Viisguarda 	The Qitari? That is a name I have heard from my elders. And yet, I was told that the last Qitari vanished a hundred years ago.
Viisguarda 	Those of us born after the Flood never paid the stories much heed, but... You say that we truly stand before a Qitari in the flesh?
Viisguardb 	However it may be, it is clear that the ally of Ronka and her/his friends mean us no harm. Let us put down our arms.
 	
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Father and I have come in search of a great arfi-tact of our past! Great stones buried deep in a cave by his father's father's father's─how many fathers were there again, Father?
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree!
Qitarl Natl 	Chaqurl! Have you forgotten your manners? It would be untoward not to introduce ourselves to our honored new friends.
Qitarl Natl 	I am Qitarl Natl of the Qitari, and this is my foolish child, Chaqurl Qhotl. Do forgive us for our impropriety.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Yes, do forgive us for our impo-priety!
Qitarl Natl 	For nigh on a century, our tribe has made its home in the shadow of the Light─deep in the forests on the far side of Qitana Ravel, by the rushing waters of Rak'tika Falls.
Qitarl Natl 	We did not always hide in the darkness─this place we now stand was once our home. Then came that fateful day when the skies were flooded with Light. Facing certain doom, our forebears fled the forests─but not before a band of the bravest gave their lives to store away our greatest treasures for safekeeping, with the hope that one day their children's children might unearth them anew.
Qitarl Natl 	These are the artifacts of which my son spoke─the Qitari stelae, mighty stone monoliths engraved with the accumulated knowledge of our people in its entirety.
Quinfort 	Of course! It is precisely as I saw it in the visions the great serpent bestowed upon me! A proud and ancient tribe of scribes and scholars! The stewards of knowledge of ancient Ronka!
Qitarl Natl 	...Oho. You are most insightful, my friend. Indeed, we were once known as the Stewards of Note─a title that fittingly describes both our duties as keepers of written knowledge, and the surpassing aptitude with which we pursued the task. Our ancestors served proudly as scribes and scriveners for many a generation of Ronkan emperors.
Qitarl Natl 	It is a role that came quite naturally to our people. For you see, we are not blessed with the longer lifespans of your kind. Thus, from our earliest days, we have been most meticulous about recording the happenings and learnings of our lives in precise and painstaking detail.
Qitarl Natl 	The Qitari stelae─or, more specifically, the carvings and etchings that grace their surfaces─represent the summation of all the knowledge and wisdom we have acquired over the years. They represent, one might say, the collective memory of our people, passed down through the ages from generation to generation.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Long have we dreamed of returning here to search for the stones, and reclaiming our legacy. And yet! Nasty, nasty sin eaters and worse stood in our path, making the journey far too pair-lious to even attempt!
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Then, one day, the skies turned dark! I trembled in terror, but next thing I knew, the great serpent was hopping and squirming beside me! He told me that a path through the Ravel had been cleared, and we were free to go home at last!
Qitarl Natl 	Precisely. And so it was that my boy and I received the blessings of our fellow Qitari, and became the first of our kind in generations to return to this part of the Greatwood. Unfortunately, we were immediately set upon by all sorts of nasty creatures, forcing us to retreat and ponder our course of action.
Viisguarda 	...Where we came upon you, and threatened you at spearpoint. Pray forgive us, allies of Ronka. We knew not who you were, nor all you had suffered to arrive here.
Viisguardb 	You intend to remain here in the Greatwood to search for these...stelae of yours, was it? Worry not. We shall tell all in Fanow of you─that you are friends, and not to be harmed. And with that, we must be on our way. Go in peace.
Qitarl Natl 	Dear me, but that was a close one, wasn't it? I was all but certain Chaqurl and I were going to end up skewered. Were it up to me, I would have left the boy behind for his safety. But he is ever a curious one, and would hear nothing of it.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	I'm not a child anymore, Father! I'm all of three summers!
Valan 	Three!? Why, when I was three, I could barely walk straight!
Qitarl Natl 	Oho! I do not doubt that is so, good sir. But for our people─the oldest of whom would be lucky to see twenty summers─Chaqurl here is almost a Qitari grown.
Qitarl Natl 	...But enough about us. If I might change the subject, you know your way around the Greatwood, yes? I have reason to believe that our forefathers buried the stelae in a cavern that extends deep into the mountains near the Ox'Dalan Gap. Perhaps you might be willing to─
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree! Scree!
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Come, Father! We must follow him!
Quinfort 	But of course! It all makes sense now! It is the great serpent who guided you here to us, and now─together─we must heed its clarion call! Say no more, great stewards of Ronka! It would be our honor to assist you in your noble cause!
Qitarl Natl 	That is most kind of you, good sir. In that case, pray allow me to oblige. Let us follow where the great one leads.
 	
Quinfort 	The mere sight of the divine protector, humbling itself so as to crawl on the ground, that its loyal servants may rediscover and reclaim their proud past! Why, it nigh brings a tear to my eye!
Valan 	Wonderful...his vision actually proved true. Now I'll never hear the end of it.
Qitarl Natl 	And so we finally return to this place after one hundred years. But what awaits us here? The mere prospect stirs my heart and makes me tremble in anticipation...
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree!
 	
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Father! Could this be the place?
Qitarl Natl 	Let us see, now... The mark on the cave's entrance appears to be an ancient Ronkan ward. This is promising, and yet...problematic.
Qitarl Natl 	Do allow me to explain. We Qitari worship Ox'Dalan, god of the dead and the world below. Our forebears no doubt believed that if they sealed away the stelae deep within the bowels of the land, Dalan Himself would watch over them and keep them safe until the day their descendants returned.
Quinfort 	Most fascinating! Your knowledge of Ronkan tradition is impressive, indeed! However do you manage to know so much, despite your chronicles of history being lost to you for so long?
Qitarl Natl 	Many ruins can be found near Rak'tika Falls, within the wood we have called home since the Flood. We have made an effort to explore and excavate them as best we could, that our Ronkan roots would not be entirely forgotten.
Quinfort 	A most admirable goal─and one near and dear to my own heart, as well! For you see, I am one of the Night's Blessed, who traveled to these parts after the Flood. I, too, have a deep personal interest in the beliefs and traditions of the ancient civilization that once flourished here!
Quinfort 	In fact, I have done extensive research looking into my own ancestors, and was pleased to discover that I can trace my lineage back to none other than the great sage Dwatl himself!
Quinfort 	And [Player Name] here is a true ally of Ronka. Why, as the Viis tell it, her/his coming was foretold by the last emperor himself!
Qitarl Natl 	The descendants of Ronka and their allies reunited across the years? Oh, joyous day! This meeting must truly be a gift from the great serpent!
Valan 	I can vouch for [Player Name] here─s/he is the very woman/man who drove the Lightwarden from these lands. As for the descendant of the great sage what's-his-name, I'd suggest you let at least half of his ramblings go in one ear and out the other.
Qitarl Natl 	Could it truly be...? But yes, our hero stands before us! We watched your battle in the Ravel from the shadows. The moment you struck down that beast of Light, we knew that a new age was nigh. Oh, never have I seen such gallantry and valor!
Chaqurl Qhotl 	I saw the battle, too! Never have I seen such vallantry and galor!
Qitarl Natl 	At any rate, my good sirs and madam/sirs... I am keen to begin the excavation, but I fear it won't be so simple. The warding seal here bars our entrance, and we will have to find a way to break it if we hope to proceed.
Qitarl Natl 	If what I have gleaned from my research is correct, this will require an object of immense arcane power. A relic that will speak to the seal, and convey that the Qitari have returned to claim what is ours. An object imbued with the mystical energies of the forest itself...
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Yes, an object with the glow of the Greatwood─as you always say, Father! I shall find it for you!
Qitarl Natl 	Your enthusiasm is admirable, Chaqurl. But let us not get ahead of ourselves. This is a perilous place, and I have no intention of seeing you get snatched up by some terrible beast.
Qitarl Natl 	And so I turn to the hero of the Ravel and the son of Dwatl. My good sirs and madam/sirs, might you know of someone who could aid us in our search?
Qitarl Natl 	Oh, lucky day! Clearly, you are not merely a hero on the battlefield, but a woman/man of many talents indeed. We would be ever so indebted to you if we could impose upon you just this once.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Yes, we would be most in-tedd-ed, my good sir/madam! Or was it madam/sir? Father, I can never tell which is which!
Qitarl Natl 	Enough prattling, Chaqurl. We must find a way to open this portal at once, that we might summon our fellow Stewards here and begin searching for the stelae in earnest.
Qitarl Natl 	O, ally of Ronka. Qitarl Natl of the Qitari bows down and beseeches you. Will you lend us your aid and help my people reclaim our long-lost legacy? I promise you the debt will not go unpaid.
Qitarl Natl 	I realize I ask much of you, and so soon after we met. Needless to say, pray take as much time as you require to consider our offer. Should you be inclined to offer your strength and wisdom to us, just say the word.
Quinfort 	The descendants of the proud Qitari, emerged from the shadows to reclaim their legacy after a century! Mighty stone monoliths inscribed with the wisdom of the ages! Why, I can just feel the wondrous secrets of ancient Ronka stirring me to the depths of my soul!
Valan 	Is there anything you can't do? No wonder Master Matoya is so happy to have you around.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	After the battle, when the skies went dark, I could hardly believe my eyes! After all, I'd never seen the...er...what's the opposite of day again?
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree!
Qitarl Natl 	I am happy to greet you again, my good madam/sir. What say you? Have you given any thought to my entreaty?
 	
Qitarl Natl 	I see. Well, that is a shame, isn't it? And here I thought we were getting on so well. But I forget myself. Of course, you are free to conduct your business as you see fit. Should you ever have a change of heart, my son and I will be waiting here...patiently.
Quinfort 	Powerfully spoken, [Player Name]! Truly, this shall mark a new dawn in the annals of Ronkan history! As the great sage is my witness, I say: let the Qitari rise to glory anew!
Qitarl Natl 	We are truly in your debt, ally of Ronka. I entrust the vital task of finding an object with the glow of the Greatwood to you. As for where to begin your search...
Quinfort 	Leave that to me, my long-snouted friend! Did you mayhap notice that the serpent your dear Chaqurl brought along has a rather distinctive pattern of scales on its most exquisite body? I have reason to believe that this pattern will indeed lead us to that which we seek!
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree!
Quinfort 	Hark unto the serpent's cry! And know that the points of light that glow amidst the stripes represent those precise spots where the aether that flows through the Greatwood is most densely concentrated!
Quinfort 	Behold! Here, in the northwestern reaches of the Blind Forest of Yx'Maja─conveniently marked by this slimy little scar─we can see what is doubtless a convergence of sorts. If anywhere, it is there we will find a specimen of sufficient power to breach the seal!
Quinfort 	Behold! Here, in the northwestern reaches of the Blind Forest of Yx'Maja─conveniently marked by this slimy little scar─we can see what is doubtless a convergence of sorts. If anywhere, it is there we will find a specimen of sufficient power to breach the seal!
Quinfort 	Behold! Here, in the western reaches of Mjrl's Regret─conveniently marked by this slimy little scar─we can see what is doubtless a convergence of sorts. If anywhere, it is there we will find a denizen of the deep whose scales are imbued with sufficient power to breach the seal!
Quinfort 	I might add that─if my encyclopedic knowledge of forest fauna serves me well─these creatures are known to have a particular fondness for fruit worms.
Qitarl Natl 	Oho! If the son of Dwatl says it is so, then surely it would behoove us to pay heed.
Qitarl Natl 	When you return with the relic, pray let Chaqurl see it once. I would have my boy gain firsthand knowledge of the wisdom of his forefathers.
 	
Qitarl Natl 	Have you had any luck in finding the relic we seek, good madam/sir? I do not mean to hurry you, but I would very much like to get on with the excavation before I die of old age.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Father says that with you on our side, we're sure to open the door and begin the ex-vacation any time now!
Valan 	I don't put much stock in Quinfort's ramblings, but even a madman can stumble upon a fragment of truth from time to time. As for whether whatever you find will serve our purposes, I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?
Quinfort 	The great serpent has spoken! Yes, it is as clear to me as a clarion call from the heavens! Ancient aetheric energy will be summoned forth, and the door shall open, revealing a pathway to great secrets of the past!
Boushitsuchinoko	Scree! Scree!
 	
Chaqurl Qhotl 	You have returned! And what's this? Do I see something glowing on your person?
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Why, it's beautiful! Oh, thank you, sirmadam─or was it madamsir? Now, Father says I need simply point it at the door, and...
Qitarl Natl 	My word... It opens! Oh, splendid! Splendiferous!
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Splen-fid-erous indeed! Look, Father! The seal is broken!
Qitarl Natl 	It has, Chaqurl...it has. And with this, after a hundred years...we stand on the verge of reclaiming our legacy.
Qitarl Natl 	But our task has only begun. There will be digging─yes, much digging─and delving. We must relay the triumphant tidings to our tribesmen, and summon them here to assist in the excavation. Yes, from this day, the Stewards will not rest until a new page in the annals of Qitari history has been writ.
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Do not worry, Father! I will work as hard as any Steward to reclaim our less-agy! Oh, Sirmadam [Player Name]─you will help us in our quest, yes?
 	
Chaqurl Qhotl 	Good [Player Name]! You must meet my mother! Mother will be running the camp and seeing that everything is in order. Isn't that right, Mother? Yes?
Qhoterl Pasol 	My son speaks true. Reclaiming our history is about more than grand discoveries of ancient artifacts. There is much that must be done to ensure we can go about our daily lives in this place. And so I would call upon you for aid from time to time, if you would not be disinclined to help us.
 	
Tsuchinoko 	Scree!
Quest complete. 	Quest complete.
Category:Qitari Quests in Final Fantasy XIV