Path to the Past

is a Quest in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.
==Journal==
* You agree to lend your strength to the Bozjan Resistance, and Marsak wastes no time in preparing a ship to ferry you to their base of operations. He bids you meet him at the Doman Enclave when you are ready to embark.
* You find Marsak waiting for you patiently at the dock. Prepared to depart, you speak with the ferryman who ushers the two of you onto his airship.
* No sooner do you arrive at the Resistance camp than you find yourself face-to-face with Bajsaljen, leader of the Bozjan Resistance. He and his comrades explain to you their plan─to reforge the legendary weapons of Gunnhildr's Blades. Despite the scarcity of recordings relating to Queen Gunnhildr and her guard, they have made great strides in reproducing their vaunted arms. The key to their completion is a holy inscription engraved upon them, any traces of which were lost when Bozja Citadel fell many years ago. For their plans to move forward, they have enlisted the aid of an old friend─Mikoto.
* In perhaps a few too many words, and a demonstration assisted by Gerolt, Mikoto expounds further on their plans. Borrowing the long-forgotten techniques of Bozjan seers, you must use a special crystal focus to enter the memories of those who may have seen the holy inscription required to reforge Gunnhildr's weapons. The problem, however, is that anyone who had glimpsed the inscription perished when Bozja Citadel was destroyed. Or so they thought. While contemplating the possibility of survivors, Mikoto is struck by a vision of the future. In it, she sees Cid Garlond, convincing her that he is the eyewitness you are searching for.
* While strangely reluctant, Bajsaljen understands that Cid Garlond is likely your only hope of forging Gunnhildr's weapons. And so he bids you go to Rhalgr's Reach and speak with the Ironworks engineers there to find him.
* Speaking with a fledgling engineer in Rhalgr's Reach, it seems as though Cid is too preoccupied to help. Thankfully, Jessie happens to overhear your conversation and clears up any misconceptions regarding his present commitments. Before taking her leave, Jessie asks that you proceed with caution, fearful of what horrors may be unearthed from Cid's past.
* Arrangements have been made for Cid to meet you at the Doman Enclave. As you make your way to meet him, you cannot help but wonder what secrets his memories may hold.
==Objectives==
* Speak with the airship pilot at the Doman Enclave.
* Speak with Mikoto.
* Speak with Bajsaljen.
* Speak with the Ironworks engineer at Rhalgr's Reach.
* Speak with the Ironworks engineer.
==Script==
script 	script
 	
Marshak 	When you have finished your preparations, meet me at the dock and we can be on our way.
 	
Marshak 	Our destination is Gangos, the Resistance's present base of operations. To ensure we remain unnoticed by the Empire, this ship is one of the few permitted to travel 'twixt Doma and the other provinces. Should you have need to travel to Gangos in the future, I ask you come here to do so.
 	
Airshipguide 	Coming aboard, miss/sir?
 	
Baishaen 	That we should play host to the liberator of Doma and Ala Mhigo herself/himself. I did not think you could be persuaded to help us.
Baishaen 	Bajsaljen, leader of the Bozjan Resistance. Not the best choice for the job, if I'm to be frank, but I will bear the title all the same.
Gerolt 	Bloody hells, man! Ye won't inspire much confidence speakin' like that!
Baishaen 	Haha, you're quite right, Master Gerolt! While you're here, won't you come and welcome our guest?
 	
Gerolt 	Huh...? What in the seven hells are you doin' here!?
 	
Gerolt 	Don't I know ye from somewhere? ...Ah, I know! Yer that lass/bloke what saved Eorzea from the Garleans or some such. [Player Name], was it? What's the matter? Ye look like someone pissed in yer porridge.
Baishaen 	Eorzea's greatest hero and her finest blacksmith. With the two of you here, our plan is sure to succeed. Would that Queen Gunnhildr were here to witness this.
Gerolt 	Oi, [Player Name]... Just between us? I'm only here to pay off me debts to that black–hearted snake Rowena.
Gerolt 	She's been sellin' supplies to the Resistance, and they happened to mention they were in need of a smithy. So she went and told 'em I'm the greatest bleedin' smithy in the realm, with skills that'd put Byregot Himself to shame.
Gerolt 	Can't rightly say I'm even half o' what she claimed, but I'll do me damndest. They're happy to ply me with good grub and even better booze, so play along, will ye?
Baishaen 	Now that you're both here, I believe it time our plans be made clear. Misija?
Meesiya 	Yes, of course. Our goal is to reforge the weapons wielded by Gunnhildr's Blades. Simple in principle, less so in execution.
Meesiya 	The weapons themselves and most of the texts denoting the history of Her Majesty and her guard were lost to the devastation of the Fourth Umbral Calamity.
Meesiya 	That said, we have managed to obtain certain pieces of information, and coupled with Master Gerolt's knowledge and expertise, we have made great strides in reproducing these vaunted blades of eld.
Gerolt 	We've worked out the manner o' weapons they wielded, their shape an' weight─even the materials needed for me forge. But we've learned bugger all about what gives 'em spirit.
Meesiya 	It is said Queen Gunnhildr etched a holy inscription into each blade, thus granting them the power of the gods. Unfortunately, no records of any such engravings remain, but there is still hope.
Meesiya 	Though naught but pale imitations, there once existed replicas which may very well have borne these inscriptions. Alas, they were lost when Bozja Citadel fell.
Marshak 	Do you know of the Bozja incident?
 	
Marshak 	A bitter chapter in our history, for it would mark the end of Bozja as we knew it.
 	
Marshak 	That a worldly adventurer such as yourself would know of this is of no surprise. If I may, I would share the tragic tale of our homeland.
 	
Marshak 	Fifteen summers past, the Garleans were conducting experiments, seeking a means to make contact with the lesser moon, Dalamud.
Marshak 	They believed the satellite to be possessed of immense power, and a lunar transmitter was erected in the hopes of harnessing it.
Marshak 	But when the transmitter was activated and the signal sent, Dalamud responded with an immense blast of raw energy. The destruction wrought defied reckoning.
Meesiya 	The citadel, the relics of Queen Gunnhildr's kingdom... Naught was left but smoke and ash.
Gerolt 	Hope ain't lost yet, though. The citadel's been wiped off the bloody map, aye, but there's still a way for us to find those inscriptions. Or so I've been told.
Baishaen 	An explanation better left to one far more knowledgeable than I.
 	
Gerolt 	I reckon I'll leave the lass over there to you. Scholarly types like her have a knack for rubbin' me the wrong way, an' I can't hardly understand half o' what they say in the first place.
 	
Mikoto 	'Tis good to see you again, [Player Name]. Though I had hoped to accomplish more before your arrival.
 	
Mikoto 	Have I truly left so little an impression? It is I, Mikoto, of House Jinba. Do you not recall our journey together to Rabanastre?
 	
Mikoto 	You are far too kind. If not for your heroism, Ramza and Alma would have...would have...
Baishaen 	From the onset of our endeavor, it was abundantly clear that one versed in aetherology would be essential. We relayed this to the alliance, who then introduced us to Mikoto. She is said to be one of the most brilliant minds among the Students of Baldesion.
Mikoto 	And yet it is my ineptitude that demands your presence here. <sigh> I was all but certain that Gerolt and I alone would suffice in this, alas...
Meesiya 	Ahem. The matter she speaks of concerns a long-forgotten practice of the holy men who once inhabited these lands. Utilizing uniquely aspected crystals, these seers were able to provide succor for those with ailments of the mind.
Meesiya 	They possessed the ability to shape their very memories, removing those deemed harmful and replacing them, that the patient may find some semblance of peace.
Marshak 	I too dismissed the notion that such practices could exist. That is, until a recent excavation unearthed compelling evidence of their work: the crystals we believe were used in their healing.
Marshak 	Unfortunately, we were unable to discern how they are meant to be used. It was at this juncture that we petitioned for Mikoto's assistance.
Gerolt 	Well, lass? Made any progress?
Mikoto 	My initial analysis suggests the crystals were artificially created at some point in the distant past. The materials used suggest they were most likely produced by the ancestral peoples of this area.
Mikoto 	What's more, their aetherial signature is strikingly similar to the oscillatory activity of brain waves which, when made to resonate with the distinct-frequency NRR–type harmonic vibrations of an individual's─ Ah. I've done it again, haven't I?
Mikoto 	I think...a simpler approach is in order. Ahem. Every living being is comprised of corporeal aether of the flesh, incorporeal aether of the soul, and the aetherial residue of their memories.
Mikoto 	Were one to be possessed of only corporeal aether, they would be but a walking corpse. Conversely, entities comprised of only incorporeal aether are referred to in layman's terms as ghosts. In either case, they may also retain some of their residual memories.
Gerolt 	Aye, zombies and ghosts. I follow.
Mikoto 	These crystals are able to isolate and resonate with the aetherial signature of memories. This allowed the seers to probe the minds of their patients.
Gerolt 	That's all well an' good, lass, but what if their mind ain't what it used to be? Or they was too deep in their cups to remember what yer lookin' for?
Mikoto 	An excellent question, Master Gerolt. We are all possessed of two types of memory─explicit and implicit.
Mikoto 	As their names suggest, explicit memories refer to an active remembrance of previous experiences, while implicit memories are acquired and stored passively.
Mikoto 	For example, when making a new acquaintance, their appearance will become part of your explicit memory, allowing you to recall that information. Should a great deal of time pass without meeting, however, such recollection can prove difficult.
Mikoto 	Yet in that moment, your mind also takes record of the sounds and smells of the location, the temperature, and so on.
Mikoto 	Hmm... Perhaps a demonstration would better explain this phenomenon.
 	
Mikoto 	Thankfully, that will not be necessary.
Mikoto 	When I was first told of the seers and their practices, I was immediately reminded of your ability to peer into the past.
Mikoto 	I believe these people were blessed with a similar gift, and it is for that reason they were chosen to serve as seers.
Mikoto 	Though I too am possessed of the Echo, I lack the ability to peer into the past as you do, and thus have been unable to wield the power of these crystals.
Gerolt 	That's why we called ye here.
Mikoto 	Until now I could do naught but posit theories. With your help, however, I may now put them to the proof.
Mikoto 	And you, Master Gerolt, shall be my first test subject.
 	
Mikoto 	[Player Name], I would like you to recall the last time you experienced the Echo. Concentrate on that feeling.
Master Gerolt, I need you to recall a memory of the past. It may be anything you like.
Gerolt 	Ye better not go pokin' around in there, diggin' up somethin' unsavory like, ye hear, lass?
Mikoto 	Please, Master Gerolt. Focus!
Mikoto 	This is...most unexpected. For reasons I cannot yet explain, it appears the Echo has allowed me to accompany you into his memory.
Rowena 	You're a skilled smith, Gerolt, there's no denyin' that. But you hold money about as well as your liquor.
Gerolt 	Well what bloody good is money if ye can't spend it? A man has to live a little, Rowena.
Rowena 	Aye, and it wouldn't hurt for a man to use his head, neither. With all that talent o' yours, I reckon you could've amassed a small fortune by now. Could've been you sittin' on the Syndicate instead o' Godbert.
Gerolt 	As if I'd ever want to be anythin' like that dodderin' old, half-dressed─
Gerolt 	Didn't realize me memory was so sharp.
Mikoto 	As you can see, implicit memory is surprisingly comprehensive. From the clear skies and ocean waves, down to the exact words of your conversation─everything appears to have been perfectly preserved.
Gerolt 	Ye...ye weren't listenin' to that, were ye?
Rowena 	Every time someone gives you good advice, you turn around and do the complete soddin' opposite! I used to like that rebellious streak of yours, but now I see you're just a bloody idiot. <sigh> Honestly, I don't know what I ever saw in you.
Gerolt 	Whatever it is ye think ye saw, it ain't as if I've changed since then.
Gerolt 	And ye haven't neither... Still as beautiful as the day we met.
Gerolt 	Whoa, hold on a minute! I ain't never said anythin' like that! I swear on me last mug of ale!
Mikoto 	Implicit memories, while quite comprehensive, are not always true to fact. In the case of painful or otherwise undesirable experiences, they can be obfuscated to protect oneself from hard truths.
Mikoto 	Our perception of reality can also distort them as well, even when first committed to the mind. Then, as time passes, such distortions can grow. Happy memories become more joyous, sad ones all the more bitter.
Mikoto 	Explicit memory is particularly sensitive to such misrepresentations of events, for man is wont to remember what is most convenient for his worldview. That is why we seek the implicit, for there we are most like to find the truth.
Gerolt 	The truth!? Rowena and me were only here a week ago! Don't tell me my memory's that bleedin' unreliable!
Mikoto 	A self-imposed delusion, perhaps. As I said before, the mind has ways of concealing painful memories.
Gerolt 	I, er... I ain't feelin' so well. If you'll excuse me.
Mikoto 	As you can see, these crystals allow us to choose specific points in a person's past to observe at will. Unlike the Echo, however, what we see will not always be as it really was.
Baishaen 	Yet there still remains the matter of finding one who has seen the replica weapons and their inscriptions.
Marshak 	At this present juncture, we might as well be looking for a ghost.
Marshak 	After the Garlean invasion of Bozja, it was all but cut off from the world. None were allowed in or out, meaning all of its residents─and likely any who may have glimpsed the weapons─died when the citadel was destroyed.
Marshak 	...Hmm. What about soldiers stationed there who were away at the time of the incident? Bah, even if we were able to find them, I doubt they could be persuaded to cooperate.
Mikoto 	Ahh!
Cid 	No, please! Lord Varis... Nooo!
Mikoto 	You...saw it too? My visions, they...they are not of what has come to pass...but what is yet to be.
Mikoto 	Could it be the crystal allowed us to share my vision as well?
Baishaen 	Mikoto, [Player Name]. Are you two all right?
Baishaen 	Cid...? Cid Garlond? Son of the monster behind the Meteor project?
Marshak 	Come to think of it, Yugiri mentioned that Doma and the Eorzean Alliance have been receiving support from Garlond Ironworks.
Marshak 	I thought that the company should use such a moniker mere happenstance, but... You mean to say Cid Garlond owns this company?
Baishaen 	The son of Midas nan Garlond...lives...
Marshak 	He must be summoned at once. If he was at the citadel prior to its destruction, it's quite possible he may have seen the replicas.
Baishaen 	Fate is indeed a cruel mistress. Pinning our hopes on a Garlean─the get of that bastard Midas, no less. Is there truly no other way?
Marshak 	Bajsaljen, please!
Baishaen 	<sigh> ...Very well. I only hope our fallen comrades can forgive us.
Baishaen 	Please, bring us this Cid Garlond. For the people of Bozja. For all of Ilsabard.
 	
Gerolt 	If it ain't about me forge, it'll have to wait, lass/lad. I...I need to think.
 	
Baishaen 	I do not imagine he sympathizes with our plight, but from what I gather, he has no love for the Empire, either. If that will suffice in persuading him to aid us, then so be it.
Baishaen 	I hear there are engineers stationed at Rhalgr's Reach. Perhaps you can begin your search for Garlond there.
 	
Ironworks clerk	Say, aren't you [Player Name]? Savior of Eorzea, liberator of Ala Mhigo, so on and so forth? The name's Lilja, newest recruit to the Ironworks. What can I do for you?
Ironworks clerk	The chief? Too busy by half, according to Jessie. Between you and me, though, I think it's a load of─
Jessie 	Oh, do go on. A load of what?
Ironworks clerk	I was saying what a load off your shoulders it must be, knowing the chief is back from whatever he was doing. Speaking of whom, [Player Name] said s/he wanted to speak with him about...what was it again?
Jessie 	Godsdammit, Lilja. You might hear better than most, but you're a terrible listener.
Jessie 	<sigh> ...Would you mind starting again from the beginning?
Jessie 	I see. Well, you just missed him. Seiryu's Wall is due for maintenance, and he had a mind to oversee it personally. That said, any matters concerning you are top priority. I'll see if I can reach him.
Ironworks clerk	I take it this is an average day for you? Must be hard. Always having to put on a brave face as you're thrust into danger, people tugging you this way and that like some sort of errand girl/boy.
Ironworks clerk	N-Not that we don't appreciate what you do for us. Goodness knows I do. In fact, well, you see...
Ironworks clerk	I'm something of a fan. I knew the Ironworks worked with you on occasion, but I didn't think I'd have the chance to meet you in person. Can I...can I shake your hand?
Jessie 	Lilja! Cid being back took a load off of my shoulders, not yours. Don't you have work to do?
Ironworks clerk	Oh, right! Work. Duty calls, but hopefully, we'll meet again soon!
Jessie 	Chief says he'll meet you at the Doman Enclave. Not the most convenient of locations, but it'll have to do, I'm afraid.
Jessie 	One more thing. The Bozja incident is something of a sore spot for the chief.
Jessie 	Even if it was an accident, most people outside of the Empire remember it as a massacre.
Jessie 	The chief tried to put a stop to his father's experiment, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Even now he still blames himself for it all.
Jessie 	“I should've tried harder,” he'd say. “I could've saved him. I could've saved all of them.” All that genius, and the man can't find a way to forgive himself.
Jessie 	So if you're aiming to go digging through his past, be careful. I dread to think what demons he's got locked away in that brain of his...
 	
Ironworks clerk	She's tough as magitek armor plating when she wants to be, but her heart's in the right place. A shame she's always so busy.
Ironworks clerk	As are you, if I'm not mistaken. I won't keep you any longer. Best of luck!
Baishaen 	I believe Mikoto would be better suited to explaining the latter half of our plan.
Baishaen 	Unless...there is something else you wished to discuss?
Baishaen 	I do not imagine he sympathizes with our plight, but from what I gather, he has no love for the Empire, either. If that will suffice in persuading him to aid us, then so be it.
Baishaen 	I hear there are engineers stationed at Rhalgr's Reach. Perhaps you can begin your search for Garlond there.
Baishaen 	Unless...there is something else you wish to discuss?
 	
Baishaen 	Our home rests in the southern reaches of Ilsabard, to the west of Dalmasca.
Baishaen 	Our earliest records─or at least those we have been able to recover─suggest Bozja was founded at some point during the Third Astral Era. The Allagan Empire had reached the height of its power, and several tribes of the Hrothgar came here seeking refuge from their supremacy.
Baishaen 	It was Queen Gunnhildr who would keep the Allagans at bay. Her radiance would light our path to prosperity, and by her grace was the nation of Bozja founded.
Baishaen 	Alas, the Fourth Umbral Calamity would see the end of her kingdom. But those who survived slowly rebuilt, and Bozja was reborn as a city-state that would coexist with neighboring nations for centuries to come.
Baishaen 	The Garlean Empire's rise to power changed everything. None could oppose the sheer strength and versatility of their military.
Baishaen 	Their campaign began some fifty years ago, and now an entire generation of our people has been raised knowing only oppression. But now they would know freedom.
Baishaen 	When word reached us that Ala Mhigo and Doma had risen up to defy the Empire, we seized the opportunity to flee and form pockets of resistance.
Baishaen 	With Lord Hien's assistance, the several groups that had formed were merged into a single, cohesive force, and I was chosen as its leader.
Baishaen 	If the IVth Imperial Legion is able to consolidate its forces in Bozja, however, our efforts will be for naught. We have to strike back, and soon.
 	
Baishaen 	For the present, this is our base of operations, to the southeast of what remains of Bozja Citadel. When the fighting begins, we will hold the line here.
Baishaen 	For a blessing, the surrounding wetlands and the fog that persists year-round have served to conceal our operation. That is not to say, of course, we have not taken additional measures to remain hidden.
Baishaen 	In the unlikely event that their scouts should approach the perimeter, our mages have cast a cloaking spell around the area to keep us from sight.
Baishaen 	Havens such as this are plentiful along the southern coast of Ilsabard. Our facilities are rather modest, I confess, but I would like to think we have made great strides in providing for our soldiers here.
Baishaen 	Thanks to the generosity of our allies here in the East, as well as the Eorzean Alliance, we do not want for provisions or arms. All that remains is to secure the blades of Gunnhildr.
 	
Baishaen 	It was roughly twenty years ago, if I'm not mistaken. The Empire, fearful of the threat posed by primals and the tribes who summoned them, devised a plan to wipe them out.
Baishaen 	The Meteor project. Through the use of magitek, they intended to recreate ancient sorcery capable of calling down meteors.
Baishaen 	At the helm of the project was their chief engineer, Midas nan Garlond. In time, every last one of their research facilities was involved in its development.
Baishaen 	The project would take a perilous turn when it was discovered that the lesser moon Dalamud was, in fact, a satellite of Allagan design. They were determined to make it part of their plans.
Baishaen 	And so they erected a colossal transmission tower, designed to control Dalamud. Its first test would also prove to be its last...
Baishaen 	For lack of eyewitnesses, what happened next is difficult to describe. It is often described as an explosion, but the ruins showed no signs of gunpowder or magick. We only know that a terrible light shone from the heavens that night.
Baishaen 	In an instant, the citadel was gone. Its citizens and soldiers...my family...
Baishaen 	No one is certain why Dalamud responded with such destructive force, but all work on the Meteor project was halted immediately.
Baishaen 	Five years later, however, Nael van Darnus set the wheels of the project back into motion. His devotion was rewarded with the coming of the Seventh Umbral Calamity.
Baishaen 	The world has already paid too great a cost for the Garleans' ambition... They must be stopped.
 	
Baishaen 	I was born in Bozja, though I have never known a life free from the Empire's rule.
Baishaen 	Following in my late father's footsteps, I studied to become a doctor. Much to my surprise, and dismay, my academic accomplishments did not go unnoticed. I was taken to the capital, where I received a formal education in medicinal sciences. Deployment as a medic in their military soon followed.
Baishaen 	My service was ultimately rewarded with citizenship, after which I met my wife, and we started a family together. If their goal was for me to grow content and complacent, it failed, for not a day went by that I did not think about the liberation of my homeland.
Baishaen 	But I would need to bide my time a while longer, for I was assigned to the IVth Imperial Legion. There was an uprising in Nagxia, and it fell to us to quell their insurrection. It was not until after our mission was complete that I learned of what happened to Bozja. To my family...
Baishaen 	We returned as fast as we were able, but there was nothing left of the citadel.
Baishaen 	I was ordered to return to the capital, but I had to find my wife and children. I covered every ilm of that barren wasteland...and nothing.
Baishaen 	Chains and a prison cell greeted me back in Garlemald, but in spite of my confinement, whispers of what happened in Bozja eventually reached me. Of their failed experiments to control Dalamud.
Baishaen 	Stripped of my citizenship, I expected to remain under lock and key until the end of my days. Fortunately for me, they had need of more medics for their next campaign.
Baishaen 	But I would never reach the battlefield, for I escaped with a number of other soldiers to join the Resistance.
Baishaen 	Many years of service to the Resistance then molded me into the man who now stands before you. And I will continue to serve for as long as it takes to see our homeland safe from the Empire.
Marshak 	We've enlisted the aid of a scholar from Sharlayan who would be better suited to explaining the intricacies of our plan.
Marshak 	Unless, of course, you have another question for me?
Marshak 	That you should know Cid Garlond is hardly surprising. I only hope he is not so engrossed in his work that he cannot find time to assist us.
Marshak 	I will not keep you. Unless, of course, there is something you wish to ask me?
 	
Marshak 	The initial invasion of Bozja was led by Basch van Gabranth. There would be a change of commander not long after, however.
Marshak 	Thirty years ago, during the invasion of Dalmasca, his health took an unexpected turn for the worse, and his son, Noah van Gabranth, oversaw the conquest to its completion. He was a mere twenty years old when he assumed full command.
Marshak 	The IVth Imperial Legion itself is rather unique compared to most, for the bulk of their forces are not native Garleans, their present leader included.
Marshak 	Both Noah and his father were quite quick to bend the knee to Emperor Solus, from what I have been told. Perhaps it was that ardent loyalty that helped them rise to such prominence.
Marshak 	But not all were such fervent followers of the Empire. Quite the contrary, I would hazard the greater part of their soldiers were like us, seeing little recourse but to serve lest they be put to the sword.
Marshak 	Though I suppose the unwavering loyalty of the IVth Imperial Legion is what serves to set it apart from the rest. Or to be more precise, its loyalty to Noah van Gabranth.
Marshak 	What's more, you will come to find they are not wont to rely on magitek armaments like most imperial soldiers.
Marshak 	Indeed, they seem to prefer fighting the old-fashioned way, employing arcane magicks, techniques akin to summoning, and all manner of feral beasts rather than depending on heavy artillery.
Marshak 	Though if recent reports are to be believed, these will be the least of our concerns. The battalions en route to Bozja are said to be led by Lyon sas Helsos.
Marshak 	He is a strategist whose cunning is matched only by his renown as a tamer of beasts, and it is rumored that he alone is worth more than a thousand rank-and-file troops. One might say he has history with the Resistance.
 	
Marshak 	Ah yes, the leader of the IVth Imperial Legion, one of the youngest to ever take such a position. His father, Basch van Gabranth, served as legatus before him, claiming many a victory in the name of the Empire.
Marshak 	Basch was a knight of the Republic of Landis which, like so many other nations, was fast to fall at the hands of the Empire. Rather than die with dignity, he was quite quick to bend the knee to their conquerors, ingratiating himself with the Emperor and earning his place as a legatus.
Marshak 	This was quite a feat, given that he was not of Garlean blood. One can but imagine the lengths to which he went to earn their trust, but it is clear he labored hard to keep it.
Marshak 	His health took an unexpected turn for the worse during the invasion of Dalmasca, which afforded Noah the opportunity he needed to rise to prominence. And it was under Noah's leadership that Rabanastre would fall.
Marshak 	Then, when his father passed two years later, he was named the next legatus of the IVth Imperial Legion.
Marshak 	Many believe it was the conquest of Dalmasca that earned him the position, but some argue he was appointed on the recommendation of the Emperor, perhaps in recognition of his father's service to the Empire.
Marshak 	Regardless of the reason, Noah would continue in his father's footsteps. The IVth Imperial Legion would continue to be comprised primarily of foreign soldiers, and their loyalty to the newly appointed legatus was unfaltering.
Marshak 	One might expect such a legion to remain within the Emperor's good graces, but it would not be so when Varis took the throne. For several years he appointed them to the quelling of uprisings in remote provinces, as if to keep them at arm's length.
Marshak 	Perhaps he suspected an ulterior motive to the Gabranths seeking to gain such fervent adoration from the IVth Imperial Legion. I have no proof, of course, but one cannot help but wonder...
 	
Marshak 	It was once known as Alermuc Fortress, erected in the hopes of deterring the Garleans. After the Bozja incident, it would be rebuilt and given a new name─Castrum Lacus Litore.
Marshak 	Its position to the north of Bozja will make it a critical strategic point in the battles to come. If we are to have any hope of reclaiming Bozja, we must first gain control of the castrum.
Marshak 	The location was originally chosen for its natural defenses. Being surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs made Alermuc Fortress all but impregnable. Assuming, of course, one had the wherewithal to defend it.
Marshak 	When the Garleans came, their magitek weaponry was unlike anything we had ever seen. A great many lives were lost in our struggle to hold the fortress, and in the end we were simply outmatched.
Marshak 	At present, the castrum is held by Legatus Gabranth's second-in-command, Menenius rem Lanatus. An interesting choice, to say the least.
Marshak 	Lanatus is a well-known family with a long and august lineage. That is, until they incurred the ire of the Emperor, tarnishing their name and robbing them of their position in Garlean society.
Marshak 	And yet Basch van Gabranth would choose members of their family to serve under him. Mayhap he sensed their desperation to redeem their honor. If that is the case, the road to redemption is long indeed, for two generations of Lanatus have served under the Gabranths.
Marshak 	Imagine the recognition they would receive for thwarting our attempts to take the fortress. You can be sure he will do all in his power to stop us.
 	
Marshak 	I serve primarily as liaison 'twixt the Bozjan Resistance and our allies. I'll not deny there is still much for me to learn, but I will do everything within my power to see Bozja free of the Empire. If that should mean my life, then so be it.
Marshak 	You...wish to know of my past? It is no different than most, I would imagine─conscription by the Empire, which is the only reason I was not present in the citadel to die alongside my kin in the Bozja incident.
Marshak 	Some would call it a massacre planned by the Empire, but I am not ready to believe they would willingly kill so many of their own soldiers and engineers.
Marshak 	Having been raised under the Garlean doctrine, I realize that not all of them are the bloodthirsty monsters many of us would paint them to be. Though the Empire would seek to oppress us, I do not share the same animosity towards its citizens as my Resistance comrades.
Marshak 	But these are musings better left between the two of us, yes? I would not have the others think me a coward or a traitor to our cause.
Meesiya 	Are you and Mikoto acquaintances by any chance? Her explanations can be...convoluted at times, but I trust she can make clear our plans.
Meesiya 	...Is there anything else you wish to ask me?
Meesiya 	The son of Midas nan Garlond. An imperial deserter... My, what curious company we keep.
Meesiya 	Ahem. Forgive me. Is there aught you need?
Q30 	What will you say?
A30 	Tell me about Queen Gunnhildr.
A30 	Tell me about Gunnhildr's Blades.
A30 	Tell me about the weapons you plan to forge.
A30 	Tell me about yourself.
 	
A30 	Nothing.
 	
Meesiya 	During the Third Astral Era, Queen Gunnhildr united the fragmented tribes of the Hrothgar to rise up and drove off the Allagans, eventually going on to found the nation of Bozja.
Meesiya 	It should be noted that Gunnhildr was not her name, but rather a title bestowed to the current monarch of any given age. The common thread connecting all rulers of Bozja is their ability to read the stars. There were others who shared in this ability, but they were said to be the greatest seers of their respective ages.
Meesiya 	They were also said to be great warriors. When doing battle with the Allagans or any other would-be invaders, the queen could always be found commanding from the front lines.
Meesiya 	Alas, Bozja would fall in the wake of the Fourth Umbral Calamity. By some miracle, some few survived and were able to build what we knew as the city-state of Bozja.
 	
Meesiya 	They were the elite guard of the queen, masters of myriad arms and magicks, said to be the greatest warriors of their age.
Meesiya 	Their combat prowess was matched only by their devotion to Queen Gunnhildr. They would not hesitate to give their lives in her service. And, should one of these warriors fall in battle, their holy blade would be passed on to a suitable successor.
Meesiya 	Over time, their title as Gunnhildr's Blades would become synonymous with the gunblade, which gained great renown during the war against the Allagans.
Meesiya 	There is not a Bozjan alive who does not know the tales of their heroism. I have no doubt reforging these weapons will lend us both the strength and resolve we need to succeed.
 	
Meesiya 	With Master Gerolt's help, we have nearly all that is required to reforge the weapons of Queen Gunnhildr's guard.
Meesiya 	While it is true the legends of their might are duly inspiring, to simply call them the blades of Gunnhildr would do little to differentiate these new armaments from the weapons of eld. After all, we do not wish to give the impression that the originals have been recovered.
Meesiya 	After much thought, Master Gerolt offered a simple and surprisingly satisfactory suggestion of “Resistance weapons.”
Meesiya 	He also went on to make a rather curious remark about the steps to be taken in their forging: that these weapons can be enhanced further in accordance with the enemies one faces.
Meesiya 	By the sounds of it, these weapons are never truly complete until their purpose is fulfilled.
 	
Meesiya 	It has been two years since I joined the Resistance. Before then I lived as all Bozjans did─under the harsh rule of the Empire.
Meesiya 	It is the only life I have ever known, though my parents often spoke to me of what they remembered from the days of Bozja's independence.
Meesiya 	Though it was under the auspices of our Garlean oppressors, I was educated in prehistoric archaeology.
Meesiya 	While I am thankful for the opportunities it afforded me, I could not turn a blind eye to the suffering of my people. And so I left to join the Resistance.
Meesiya 	It was I who proposed to reforge the fabled weapons of Queen Gunnhildr's guard, and Bajsaljen has chosen to place his faith in my plan. I take heart in knowing all I learned from the Empire will be put to good use.
Mikoto 	Our exploration of Master Gerolt's memories was a success. Largely in part to his trust in you, I suspect.
Mikoto 	And how fortunate for us that you should also be a good acquaintance of Cid's. I'm sure there is much you must do to prepare, so I will not keep you.
Mikoto 	...Was there something else?
Q40 	What will you say?
A40 	Tell me about the seers.
A40 	Tell me about the crystal focus.
A40 	Tell me about memory exploration.
A40 	Tell me about your gift.
A40 	Tell me about yourself.
 	
A40 	Nothing.
 	
Mikoto 	Scant though they are, the records we have uncovered thus far suggest the practices of seers date back as far as the Fourth Astral Era.
Mikoto 	The region was plagued with all manner of natural disasters in those days, inciting great unrest not only amongst the Bozjans, but neighboring nations as well.
Mikoto 	It was during these tumultuous times seers first appeared. In fact, I have reason to believe they possessed the Echo.
Mikoto 	Using a crystal focus, they were able to delve into the minds of the downcast and the heartsick, seeking out their darkest memories and altering them to ease the peoples' burdens.
Mikoto 	Perhaps they saw the altering of minds as a necessity for their survival, but we must consider the ethical implications of such methods in this day and age. I have no doubt my betters in Sharlayan would consider it to be reprehensible.
 	
Mikoto 	My initial analysis of the crystals suggests they are man-made. Nothing in my data can prove the materials are unique to this region, which leads me to believe the Bozjans─or rather, the seers─created them.
Mikoto 	However, given the intricate lattices found in these crystals, it seems highly improbable that the Bozjans could have produced them, considering the methods available to them in the Fourth Astral Era.
Mikoto 	In fact, on closer inspection, it became clear that its structure is quite similar to that found in Allagan constructs.
Mikoto 	Which then begs the question: who were the seers, and whence did they come? This is but a working theory, but I suspect their roots can be traced back to the Allagans themselves─perhaps survivors of the Fourth Umbral Calamity who wished to atone for the sins of their forebears.
Mikoto 	They came to these lands seeking a means to help the Bozjans, and in doing so created these crystal foci.
Mikoto 	...Ahem. As I said, 'tis but a working theory. Though I understand if it sounds more like a flight of fancy.
 	
Mikoto 	Perhaps I should start with a simple explanation, as I did before. Let us consider the composition of a person's aether, shall we? There is corporeal aether of the flesh, incorporeal aether of the soul, and the aetherial residue of an individual's memories.
Mikoto 	Were one to be possessed of only corporeal aether, they would be but a walking corpse. Conversely, entities comprised of only incorporeal aether are referred to in layman's terms as ghosts. Of course, a ghost that possesses residual memories could likely recall its past and retain self-awareness.
Mikoto 	Using a crystal focus, we can isolate the aetherial signature of memories, much in the same way the seers did. We can then delve into and explore specific memories conjured by the subject.
Mikoto 	We must be careful of what we observe, however, for while the information stored in a person's memories can be quite comprehensive, it is not always true to fact. They can be distorted due to the passage of time, or even when first committed to the mind as a result of personal bias.
Mikoto 	That is why it is important to mark the distinction between explicit and implicit memories.
Mikoto 	Explicit memories are those consciously stored and recalled, while implicit memories are more passively accumulated by our subconscious.
Mikoto 	When meeting someone for the first time, their appearance will be kept as part of our explicit memory, though this may fade with the passing of time. Should a great deal of time pass without meeting, however, such recollection can prove difficult.
Mikoto 	Yet in that moment, your mind also takes record of everything experienced by your sensory nervous system.
Mikoto 	Unfortunately, information called from explicit memory is quite sensitive to misrepresentations of events. After all, if an individual is actively choosing to recall an event, who is to say they will not make alterations to better suit their liking?
Mikoto 	That is why we seek information from implicit memory, which is more likely to be preserved free of the bias of an individual's worldview.
 	
Mikoto 	The Echo can manifest itself in myriad ways dependent on the individual. I was gifted with the ability to peer into the future.
Mikoto 	It is a power much like prophetic dreams and divinations, and yet quite different, for such visions only tell of the future's potential.
Mikoto 	The Echo does not show me what may happen, but what will happen.
Mikoto 	Scholars speculate Mezaya Thousand Eyes too shared this gift, hence the alarming accuracy of the passages writ in her Divine Chronicles.
Mikoto 	These visions are a decidedly rare occurrence, usually containing some crucial insight into matters presently unfolding before me. For better or worse, I have never had visions of an impending threat on my life or those around me.
Mikoto 	Not that I would want to see such things, of course. Could you imagine, knowing of certain doom that cannot be avoided?
Mikoto 	I once spoke of my visions to an acquaintance─a relatively harmless glimpse of the future─and it resulted in a terrible argument. I fear I could not bear the weight of grimmer tidings...
Mikoto 	But that is neither here nor there. My gift is but a trivial thing. Nothing you should think to rely upon.
 	
Mikoto 	About me!? Oh, there really isn't much to tell, I assure you!
Mikoto 	Well, if you must know... Due to advanced placement I found myself attending the Studium much earlier than most. My research in the field of aetherology would eventually earn me the title of Archon. When I am not conducting research in the field, I conduct lectures at the Studium.
Mikoto 	Moenbryda is, er...was...my mentor. I would not be the scholar I am today if not for her. I have fond memories of the many nights we toiled together working on her original plans for the aetheric siphon. She was like a sister to me.
Mikoto 	Speaking of which, I do have a sister, actually. An identical twin, in fact. Though we have not spoken since she too was named an Archon.
Mikoto 	She was my better in all aspects of academia, but she often disagreed with the views of the Forum. I can but assume that is why she took her leave of the Studium.
Mikoto 	She was always so strong-willed and quite critical of those around her. Sadly, we never got along very well growing up. I often wonder if that is why Moenbryda was so quick to take me under her wing.
Mikoto 	I still see her, in my dreams. Always offering a warm smile and words of encouragement.
Mikoto 	If we were to use the crystal focus, perhaps there would be a way to speak with her again. A tempting prospect, but in the end, I know it would not truly be her...
Quest complete.	Quest complete.
Category:Side Story Quests in Final Fantasy XIV