Shedding Light on the Myth

Yes, this is truly a mystery... We know that the samiel is out there—it's left plenty of evidence of its passage. So why can't we find it?

<huff> <wheeze> Ch-Chief! We have a problem!

Yalana, you should know better than to run at full tilt! You're an academic—you're liable to kill yourself!

N-Never mind me! It's Mao—he's gone off to Il Mheg to search for the samiel...alone!

He's what!?

The other researchers, they blamed him for putting the idea of the samiel into your head. “It's because of you she's chasing some fool myth,” they jeered.

Mao couldn't bear their barbs, and in his anger, he rushed off with little more than the clothes on his back!

There's no time to waste! We must find him before he runs afoul of the faeries!

B-But, Chief! What if we run afoul of the faeries?

We'll have Forename with us. He/She has friends among the pixies. Isn't that right?

I see... Yes, we'd be much assured if you could ask the pixies of Lydha Lran after Mao's whereabouts.

While you see to that, Yalana and I will cast around by the entrance. Come and find us after you've made your inquiries. Now then, let us hurry!

End of cutscene.

Gather information in Lydha Lran.

Optional dialogue

I've only dared set foot in Il Mheg a few times. The place is at once beautiful and terrifying.

Oh, where are you, Mao?

Green-thumbed Pixie

Green-thumbed Pixie

The man with the big ears? Ooh, yes, I know the one! Was chasing him, as a matter of fact!

Unfortunately, I lost sight of him west of the lake. If I see him again, I'll turn him into a cute leafman! Tee hee!

Optional dialogue

Green-thumbed Pixie

I lost sight of the man with the big ears west of the lake.

If I see him again, I'll turn him into a cute leafman! Tee hee!

Naughty Pixie

Naughty Pixie

What!? A mortal's come here to play!? Nobody told me that! That's not fair! I'm so bored! Bored, bored, bored! I want to play with him too!

Optional dialogue

Naughty Pixie

Nobody told me about the mortal! That's not fair! I'm so bored! Bored, bored, bored! I want to play with him too!

Tricksy Pixie

Tricksy Pixie

Hmmm? That mortal's your friend, you say? Had I known that, I would've greeted him with a shove into the lake! Tee hee hee!

Optional dialogue

Tricksy Pixie

Had I known that mortal was your friend, I would've greeted him with a shove into the lake! Tee hee hee!

It appears Mao-Ladd is somewhere near Longmirror Lake. Time to take word to the others, who await you at Timh Gyeus.

Speak with Qeshi-Rae.

There you are. Were you able to learn anything about Mao's whereabouts?

Truly? Thank you, Forename! We could never have located him without your help!

Come, let's make haste to Longmirror Lake. Quickly and quietly does it...

Search for Mao-Ladd.

Optional dialogue

What were you thinking, lad? You could've been killed, or worse!

He's safe, thank goodness. It's a miracle he managed to come this far unharmed.

Forename! I'm so sorry for all the trouble!

And so you should be! The chief alone is enough of a handful—I can't chase you down as well!

B-But the others, they spoke ill of the chief. I couldn't just stand by and take it.

I know it was reckless of me to come out here alone...but thanks to that, I was able to find an actual part of the samiel!

There's...er, just one problem—in my haste, I forgot my tools. Forename, you seem to have yours. Could you do the collecting in my stead?

Lest you wonder, it's a shred of scaly skin. I spotted it in this area, Timh Gyeus, after noticing rub marks on the trees and rocks.

Gather a shred of ancient animal skin at Timh Gyeus.

Optional dialogue

I spotted the skin in this area, Timh Gyeus, after noticing rub marks on the trees and rocks. Please collect it in my stead.

While droppings can tell us much about a creature, there's no substitute for an actual piece of it. In spite of myself, I'm quite excited, I must admit!

Deliver the shred of ancient animal skin to Qeshi-Rae.

So, did you find the shred of skin?

The player hands over the Ancient Animal Skin.

Start of cutscene.

Mmm-hmmm! While it's a little on the shriveled side, this is indeed skin from the creature. It was likely molting.

A molting creature! That's one more thing we know about it! I can't wait to see what else this specimen can tell us!

The s-s-samiel! It's b-b-behind you!

Hm? I don't see anything.

Me neither.

Th-That's odd... It was there just a moment ago. And its shape—I'd swear it matches that of the shadow I saw in Amh Araeng.

I don't know how, but it literally disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Forename, you saw it too, didn't you? It wasn't just my imagination?

Truly!? It was right there, and I missed it!? Gah, of all the rotten luck!

Tell me, what did it look like? What was its color? Smell? Size?

Chief, perhaps we should save the questions for after we leave this place. Even with Forename, it may not be entirely safe for us here.

Yes, you have the right of it. It wouldn't do to have the faeries get their hands on our precious specimen. Come, let's return to the Crystarium.

End of cutscene.

Speak with Qeshi-Rae at the Crystalline Mean.

Optional dialogue

Thank you for helping us to find Mao-Ladd. I shudder to think what may have happened to him.

Anger carried my steps to Il Mheg, but it quickly gave way to terror. I'm in your debt.