Upon speaking with the Ironworks Pilot, a solo duty will start. The duty (including cutscenes) is around 25-35 minutes long, so plan your time accordingly.
The solo duty consists of 3 phases as described below. The duty is also checkpointed, meaning that if you fail at any phase, you may restart from that phase (instead of having to restart from the beginning.) Note that this checkpoint is lost if you log out or enter any other instanced duty.
Phase 1: You fight as Thancred and have to sneak through a camp and set explosives. You need to use sneak past the troops without them seeing you too often. Sneak up to guards and incapacitate them. With the dogs you have to use a bomb. Once explosives are set there is an exit right beside you.
Phase 2: Next you will play as yourself defending the carriages. You will progress forward three times to progress through this part of the battle.
Phase 3: Finally, you will help the rest. This phase takes place in a closed arena. The boss will do checked attacks. She then will do area AOE circles that spread out. At around 30% health she will retreat and call adds to attack the two khun chuluus; defend them until Sadu completes her Falling Dusk cast to complete the duty.
Tataru is desperately trying to retain her composure as she prepares to see you off on another perilous journey.
You stand on the cusp of another adventure into parts unknown, where Tataru's lovingly woven garments may be your only protection against the unforgiving climate of the frozen north. Thankfully, most of the journey will be made by airship, and your pilot stands at the ready.
Almost immediately after landing in Ilsabard, you are drawn into a confrontation with a sizable force of tempered imperials. Thancred's bravery and ingenuity are instrumental in tipping the scales in your favor, although Vergilia and her IIIrd Legion troops prove stiff opposition nonetheless. Having taken them into custody in order to cure them of their tempering, your contingent marches onward to Garlemald.
Your party decides to make use of an abandoned village to establish a temporary base of operations, which is granted the moniker of Camp Broken Glass for the constant sound of ice cracking underfoot.
※You can now travel to Garlemald by speaking with the Ironworks pilot in the Ala Mhigan Quarter.
With the airships safely moored and the tempered imperials receiving treatment, Alphinaud informs you that Lucia wishes to decide on a course of action with the Scions. Before that, you must round up Y'shtola and G'raha Tia, who have been exploring the vicinity.
Y'shtola is particularly sensitive to disturbances in ambient aether, and since drawing close to the imperial capital, she has been beset by a strange malaise. She posits that it is likely caused by the monstrous tower looming on the horizon, where she senses vast amounts of aether gathering. Fortunately, she should still be well enough to participate in the meeting, and she agrees to join you soon.
G'raha Tia has busied himself investigating the nearby residences, and his findings strongly suggest that much, if not all of the local populace, has been tempered. Without any villagers present to verify this theory, however, the current evidence can only be considered circumstantial at best. Putting aside his work for the time being, he makes his way towards the meeting place.
Now that you have successfully infiltrated Garlemald, Lucia outlines the contingent's plans for scouting the vicinity. She assigns you, Alisaie, and Alphinaud the task of searching for survivors in the outskirts of the capital, which despite being within the city walls, are largely covered in vast swathes of ice and snow.
Alisaie, like many members of the contingent, has yet to acclimatize herself to the unrelenting cold of Ilsabard. As she points out, even the people of Garlemald would soon perish in such conditions if deprived of warmth. Though you know not what awaits in the frozen wastes, you grit your teeth and prepare to venture forth.
Dialogue
This key section of the article is incomplete. You can help the Final Fantasy XIV Wiki by expanding it. Reason: Verify we have all the job/quest/etc-dependent optional dialogue that can appear during this quest
I modeled your clothing on what Alphinaud and I wore when we journeyed from Lord Haurchefant's “Falling Snows” to Ishgard for the first time.
In those days, I barely knew one end of a sewing needle from the other, and as you've always had very...individual tastes, I let you pick your own outfit.
I'd like to think my skills have improved since then ─ but do you know what's more important than skill? Heart and soul! There's plenty to be found in each and every one of my works!
It's an honor to finally meet you! We of the Garlond Ironworks will be ferrying you and your contingent across the mountains and into Garlemald.
For many of us, it will be something of a homecoming. Our illustrious founder was only our most notable imperial defector.
For that reason, the company is committed to the success of this expedition.
Our resources are at your disposal, and if there is aught we might do to be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask!
If you are ready to depart, I will ready the engines.
Upon boarding the airship, several cutscenes will play in sequence. It is recommended that you set aside sufficient time to view these scenes in their entirety.
In addition, you will be required to participate in battle. Your progress will be saved at certain points. In the event that you are defeated, you will be able to try again from the most recent of these.
Please note that if you enter battles associated with other quests or log out from the game, this progress will be lost.
Duty calls. Commence battle for "A Frosty Reception"? ※Level sync is in effect. If you are above the maximum allowed level, it will be synced as follows: Level : 82
Quite right. Soldiers or no, they are people of Garlemald. The very ones we have come to aid.
Direct confrontation is unavoidable. Nevertheless, we must make every effort to limit casualties on both sides. Rather than kill them, I would remove them from the field.
He did. He and the other scouts have already infiltrated a supply depot some distance beyond the imperial detachment's current position.
Stored within is a stockpile of magitek armaments, and once we give the signal, Thancred's team will destroy them all. In so doing, we will deprive frontline troops of materiel, and likely force the detachment to send men to investigate.
Once the scouts have finished their preparations, we will split into two groups.
The first will form the vanguard, while the other brings up the rear with our supplies.
As for the Scions, I ask that you lend your assistance where you deem it needed most.
I would prefer, however, that you accompany the rear guard, and be prepared to join the van at a moment's notice. Kept in reserve as our trump card, so to speak.
Y'shtola always did have a flair for the dramatic. She's not an easy woman to please, but I shall do my best to satisfy her thirst for fireworks.
All right. Once more, for my peace of mind.
Our first objective will be to rig the enemy's magitek with explosives. After we've withdrawn to a safe distance, we'll detonate them remotely.
Our second will be to issue a deactivation command to the automated units via the control terminal. If our calculations are correct, this signal should reach those deployed on the front line, giving our friends a much-needed upper hand.
The blizzard will help us stay hidden, so let's aim to get in and out before it passes. Trust in the plan, and we should all live to see tomorrow.
In the meantime, I will relay messages back and forth as the situation unfolds. You'll forgive me if I ask again, but...are you certain you wish to play the lone wolf?
Assuming there is nothing else you wish to confirm, we may commence the mission as soon as you are ready.
What will you do?
Go over the finer details of the plan.
In the coming battle, you will fight as Thancred. You have two objectives: 1. Place explosives on the imperial magitek. 2. Deactivate the frontline magitek units via the control terminal.
If the guards detect and pursue you, enemy forces will become more aware of the threat you pose, as indicated by the threat awareness gauge.
The gauge will gradually fill until you defeat all alerted enemies.
If the gauge is completely filled, the guards will call for reinforcements and the mission will end in failure.
Use Swift Deception to avoid detection as you go about completing your objectives.
Learn about mission-exclusive actions.
Success in this mission hinges on the following points:
Swift Deception renders Thancred invisible and increases his movement speed.
While active, enemy soldiers and magitek will be unable to perceive Thancred's presence, even if they are within close proximity. However, it has no effect on the guard dogs' acute sense of smell, and they will be able to detect Thancred regardless.
Moreover, this action can only be used outside of combat. It will also be unavailable when Thancred attempts to deactivate magitek fields or execute certain other actions.
Thancred's Silent Takedown will instantly render a soldier unconscious. It can only be used while Swift Deception is in effect.
Though it cannot be used on magitek or guard dogs, utilizing Silent Takedown whenever possible is essential in clearing a path to your objectives.
As guard dogs can detect Thancred even when Swift Deception is active, you can instead use a Bewilderment Bomb to distract them and sneak past unnoticed.
Conversely, Bewilderment Bombs have no effect on magitek or soldiers, so take care to choose the right tool for the situation.
Well, this is the path our young charges would have us walk─and that we all agreed to follow. You knew it would be hard, yet still you pledged your lance, did you not?
The roads leading beyond the city walls would have been used less in recent years. Nevertheless, this was one of the most important gateways into the capital.
We must remain as mobile as we are able in such temperatures as these. I fear that if we stand still for too long, the ice and snow may freeze our very bones.
I knew we'd find the capital in a bit of a poor state, what with the aftermath of the civil war and a veritable “army of darkness” skulking about, but this is just ridiculous! No one said anything about automated warmachina stalking the ruins!
Mind you, if anyone's brave enough to take them on, they should serve as a decent source of spare parts and whatnot. The machinists will be chuffed to bits!
We Domans owe our freedom to our Eorzean allies, and I was one of many to volunteer for this endeavor. We will be glad to lend our assistance wherever it is needed.
Many of us took quite a beating on the Magna Glacies, but we all helped each other hobble through the snow and wind, sparing nary a thought for which delegation we each belong to. From now, we're all firm comrades, through thick and thin!
We finally managed to set up camp after marching through all that snow. I hope that whoever lived here doesn't mind us using the buildings for shelter.
It's not only the tempered that need care, a fair few of our own were wounded on the Magna Glacies. If only we hadn't needed to defend the supply caravan, a lot more of us could've joined the front line.
Shouldn't be long before we have a half-decent camp with so many helping hands. I was concerned the snow might hinder our progress, but our Ishgardian friends are used to working in conditions like these.
Hells' bells, this place is bloody freezin'! Rather be tied to the topmast in a storm than suffer this cold any longer! Anyone what can spare a swig o' rum? That'll sort me right out!
The tempered soldiers are sleeping soundly while they undergo treatment. There are too many to attend at once, but I and the other healers will see to all eventually.
This is all that remains of Laterum... Homes become empty husks. If this is the state of the outlying villages, I dread to think what has become of the capital.
We've asked the Ironworks members and some of our other comrades to stay with the airships. In the event we are discovered, we must be ready to move them swiftly to a safer location.
Raubahn taught me a lot about military strategy during exercises in the Fringes. Coordinating units with wildly different capabilities, surveying and securing hostile terrain, that sort of thing. Now, I have the chance to put his teachings into practice.
Vergilia is in our care, along with the rest of the tempered. “Glory to Garlemald, glory to Garlemald,” they still whisper in their sleep, even as they writhe in pain...
A meeting? Yes, I'll make my way over once my head has cleared.
In truth, I've been feeling out of sorts since we arrived. The air is thick with a palpable aura of malevolence...
'Tis the monstrous tower on the horizon. Jagged, hideous, unholy... Even at this distance, its presence is overwhelming.
Much like the sensation I felt in the Tower of Zot, only far more terrifying. Aether flows unceasingly towards it, converging into a swirling mass of unfathomable power.
...For a blessing, the constant chill in the air is helping to anchor my senses in the here and now. Tell the others I shall be with you in a few moments.
You will be pleased to know most of the tempered have been quartered inside the nearby buildings and are receiving treatment as we speak.
I do however feel no small amount of guilt for commandeering civilian homes. The occupants may be long gone, but everything is exactly as they left it...
Considering the length of time that has clearly passed since, one would expect to find them ransacked. Strangely, there are no signs of anything having been stolen.
It's possible that everyone fled at the first sign of trouble, though it seems to me they left far too many useful possessions behind... Aye, although there is no conclusive evidence, I strongly suspect they were tempered.
Sorry, I was merely thinking aloud... You mentioned a meeting? I will make my way there.
But before we proceed further, we must learn what has befallen this city, for therein lies the key to understanding and combating the Telophoroi's designs.
No, no, I am sure we will manage. Better that you take my place in the field. The noxious aether of this place disagrees with me, and as I shall need to draw on my own for the treatment, 'twould be prudent for me to remain within the camp.
This talk of curin' the tempered is all well and good, but I reckon the cold is a more pressin' concern.
All the houses 'round here are fitted with ceruleum heaters that could keep us warm and toasty. Problem is, the machines seem to have given up the ghost ─ and if we keep sittin' around, freezin' our arses off, we'll be next.
My smiths reckon that with the right parts, they can have 'em workin' again, but it won't be easy.
In any event, we'll find no answers standing around here. Urianger, Estinien, and myself have visited Garlemald recently, so we'll lead the reconnaissance efforts. Perhaps bolstered by a few Bozjan and Dalmascan scouts from my previous excursion for good measure.
Well now, this is turning out to be a rather sizable team. With such numbers we should be able to cover a wide area with relative ease, including that surrounding the imperial palace.
How about you, G'raha? I've a feeling we'll find a use or two for that vanishing spell of yours.
Hmm. As ever, you do not want for enthusiasm. But given your experience traipsing about through Coerthas, I should be surprised if you let a little inclement weather dampen your redoubtable spirits.
And even if that were the case, the promise of hot soup upon your return would surely spur you to action.
It was not the Garleans who named this place the Eblan Rime, but rather nomadic peoples in times gone by.
When my ancestors were forced to migrate here, they refused to accept this land as their new homeland. As such, they made a conscious decision to retain the original name.
Though the meaning of “Eblan” has been lost over the years, it has been theorized that it refers to the harsh conditions here, in much the same way the Magna Glacies was named. One thing, however, is certain─both regions are equally hazardous, so I bid you take all due care.
I've never thought myself much of an explorer, though I suppose my adventures have taken me to all sorts of strange and distant places. With that in mind, traversing an ice field should be a simple feat!
There's this odd perception that Ishgardians have lived their whole lives in the snow, but it really wasn't that bad before the Calamity. And afterwards, well, I was rarely more than a few paces from a raging fire...
This dreadful place, on the other hand, is nothing but cold, cold, cold! And it's my understanding that Ilsabard has always been this way. Gods, can you imagine!?
The machinists reckon all the interior heatin' was just left there consumin' ceruleum till there was none left. There were even pots sat on stoves, all the food inside burned to soot.
In any case, even if we had plenty of fuel, it's the magitek itself that's buggered. We'll have to either look for spare parts or make them ourselves.
Searching for survivors? Hmph. If they are truly strong, they will not require our aid. While you are gone, we will guard the camp against any man or beast foolish enough to challenge us.
My duty as sentinel will afford me little opportunity to seek my Nhaama, though perhaps one among our ranks─come bearing a hot meal or such─will prove worthy.
Standing atop an enormous edifice to cast their eyes down upon their dominion... These Telophoroi and the Oronir have much in common, yet even Magnai and his ilk would not stoop to stealing the minds of their subjects and enemies.
When the time comes to storm their stronghold, I shall lead the charge and leave naught but ash in my wake!
Most of the members of Lente's Tears and the Bozjan Resistance have joined the other scouts in the field.
And since Lyse and Pipin's troops are already keeping an eye on the airships, we of the Steppe shall guard the camp against intruders. Though in truth, it is we who are intruding in these lands...
Additional NPCs will be interactable and have optional dialogue depending on the player's progress through various class/job quests and other side stories:
Several of the Temple Knights are off on reconnaissance at present. We Ishgardians have seen our fair share of frost in the past years, so we are more than ready for this icy bout.
The Hrothgar from Bozja, on the other hand, are having a devil of a time adjusting to these chilly climes. The warming stones we lent them seem to have helped, though.
Gods be good... If it's this cold with Tataru's clothing, I dread to think how we'd fare without it! I must remember to thank her when next we meet.
It makes me realize, too, that while the people of Garlemald have spent their whole lives in conditions like these, even they'd be hard-pressed to survive away from the warmth of their homes. If there are any survivors, we must find them, and quickly.