The Wheel Turns

Quest giver: Thancred
Location: Il Mheg (X:13.9, Y:30.9)
Quest line: Shadowbringers Main Scenario Quests
Level: 73

Experience: 220,320
Gil: 1,139
Previous quest: Acht-la Ormh Inn
Next quest: A Party Soon Divided
Manic Pixie Dream Realm
Patch: 5.0

Main Scenario Progress: 584 / 953 (61.3%)

Shadowbringers Progress: 43 / 157 (27.4%)

“

Thancred wishes to have a word with the hero of the hour.

— In-game description

Rewards

1 Sandwich Basket

Unlocks

Realpolitik

Steps

Speak with Alisaie in the Crystarium.
Speak with Alisaie.
Speak with the manager of suites in the Pendants.

Journal

Thancred wishes to have a word with the hero of the hour.

Dialogue

Quest Acceptance

Thancred: I knew you could do it. And not only because of your blessing. You have a strength all your own, and it has seen us through many a trial. With the Warden defeated, I believe our work here is done. It is time we were going─together, needless to say.
Thancred: ...To the bitter end─the fate of our two worlds being at stake, and all that.
Thancred: Now then, I suggest we hurry back to the Crystarium. Much and more may have happened while we were frolicking with the fae folk. That Ran'jit elected to pursue us makes me hopeful the city was spared Eulmore's attentions, but I would sooner see for myself. Besides, I believe I speak for us all when I say that I've had a bellyful of Il Mheg. Let us away before the faeries think to play with us again.

Thancred: Though we've spent most of our time on the road, Minfilia and I actually have apartments here. Perhaps now we may finally make use of them.
Minfilia: All seems well, thank goodness...

Urianger: The city appeareth unchanged from when last I visited. There is the selfsame comforting hum of activity in the air.

Alphinaud: I see nothing out of the ordinary.

Speak with Alisaie in the Crystarium

Alphinaud: All seems well at the Crystarium.
Alisaie: Yes. Eulmore was plainly more concerned with finding us. How flattering.
someone is approaching

Alisaie: And you are? (Urianger puts out his arm to block in front of Alisaie)
Urianger: Were one to study the annals of Garlean history, one would find yonder visage on many a page. Though by rights its youth should long since have faded.
???: Well, well, we have a historian in our midst. That spares me a lengthy explanation.
Solus zos Galvus: I am Solus zos Galvus, founding father of the Garlean Empire. And, under various guises, the architect of myriad other imperially inclined nations. As for my true identity... (Solus puts his hand in front of his face and sweeps down, displaying Ascian symbols)

Emet-Selch: I am Emet-Selch. Ascian.
Alisaie: Gaius spoke of you! A native of the Source...
Thancred: (Thancred unsheathes his weapons) Equal in rank to Lahabrea. And you came all this way just to introduce yourself to us?
Emet-Selch: (Emet-Selch turns away from the group, hands high towards the sky) Behold the sky, restored to its former glory! Have you ever seen a more affecting spectacle? Ohhh, it is truly, deeply... (Arms fall)
Emet-Selch: (Emet-Selch scowls) ...Infuriating. Do you have any idea how much you have delayed the Rejoining? Following the Flood, the First had been listing ever further towards the Light─towards stasis. The end was in sight! Enter man and his indomitable spirit. He would haul the world back from the brink! And adding his lumpen weight to the power of growth, he duly tipped the scales, if only by a fraction. Yet a fraction was enough to spoil the perfect imbalance needed to bring about a Rejoining! Had mankind continued to live in idleness under Vauthry's rule, all the conditions would have been met... (focusing on the Warrior of Light, Emet-Selch points aggressively)
Emet-Selch: But you had to come and ruin it all! Thanks to your meddling, Light's supremacy is in doubt, and our painstakingly laid plans are in tatters!
Thancred: Well, I should begin by thanking you for confirming Urianger's theories on the inner workings of the Calamity. He will be most pleased. As for what happens next, might I suggest you admit defeat and walk away?
Emet-Selch: Happy to let me go, are you? Because the murderous glint in your eye suggests otherwise. Indeed, it is enough to make me think better of confronting you alone. Look, it did cross my mind to simply side with Vauthry and kill you all. But that's no different from what Lahabrea did. And we all know how well that ended for him. (Emet-Selch approaches the Warrior of Light)
Emet-Selch: And so, while it is liable to be troublesome, I have settled upon a different approach... (Emet-Selch leans sideways and smiles) Cooperation! I will not raise a hand to hinder your hunt for the Lightwardens. If you desire it, I will even lend you my knowledge and strength. (Alphinaud briefly looks shocked)

Alphinaud: Since time immemorial, you and yours have labored to rejoin the thirteen shards, at the cost of countless lives. Do you expect us to believe that your objective has suddenly changed?
Emet-Selch: Nay, our objective is the same as it ever was─though I daresay you do not know our motive. A war waged without knowledge of the enemy is no war─it is mere bloodletting. Just once...might we not seek to find common ground? For good or ill, I am immortal. Provided I have the inclination, I can always begin anew. Scheme and conspire to my heart's content. But this time, I thought that I might instead try to see eye to eye. To understand what drives the hero of the Source. To determine if our goals are truly incompatible. So come. Shed your preconceptions. See beyond the unscrupulous villains you take us for. When all is said and done, we may find ourselves pleasantly surprised. The proud discoverers of a path of cooperation rather than opposition. Think of it.
(Urianger throws a weapon at Emet-Selch, who disappears)
Urianger: Thou hast delivered thy proposal, and we would not dismiss it outright. If I may offer thee counsel, however: to make thy case via an illusion reflecteth poorly upon thy sincerity.
Emet-Selch: My apologies. You will forgive me if I am not entirely at ease in the presence of a famed Ascian-slayer. I felt it only prudent to take precautions. Nonetheless, your counsel is duly noted. I take my leave, friends. Rest assured, we shall meet again soon. (Emet-Selch disappears)

Urianger: That an Ascian of Emet-Selch's standing should willingly reveal himself unto us─and at this of all junctures─is...most interesting.
Alphinaud: Finding common ground with an Ascian... My entire being rebels at the very notion.
Thancred: He appears to be gone, but I won't be lowering my guard just yet.
Minfilia: So that was an Ascian... Thancred told me about them.

Speak with Alisaie

Alisaie: Cooperation? He can't be serious...can he?  Well, we've certainly been given much to ponder, but first things first: we should report to the Exarch. You can run along, [Forename]. We're perfectly capable of handling this little task. In light of your recent exertions, I'd say you've earned a rest.  Go on, take yourself off to bed. We'll see you later, refreshed and ready for more.

Speak with the manager of suites in the Pendants

Manager of Suites: Ah, welcome back, [sir/miss]. We've been expecting you. You will find refreshments laid out in your quarters. We hope they are to your liking. Will you be retiring now?
Retire to your quarters
Manager of Suites: Very good, [sir/miss]. I bid you a pleasant evening.

In your quarters

Warrior of Light glances at a table, and notices a note on it:  Handwritten Missive: "I hope the past few days have not been overly taxing. Pray take your rest and recover.“

Ardbert: From the Exarch, is it? With that mirror of his, he can watch your every move, you know. He'll probably think you're talking to yourself. Still, he's keeping you well fed. Judging by his people's faith in him, he seems to be a decent sort. But so much about him remains shrouded in mystery. Like what was he doing back in my day? There was no such person when I was around. A lot's happened since the Flood, though. Since I was...set adrift. I know little more than you do of this city's history and the Exarch's past. Not that it matters. It's Emet-Selch we should be concerned about.
Ardbert: When our world was about to be consumed by Light, the Ascian in white appeared before us. He said that the only way for us to live on was to bring about the Rejoining. Desperate as we were, we heeded his words, not realizing that the Flood was of the Ascians' own making.  They cannot be trusted. None of them. But Emet-Selch had one thing right: one should not fight blindly. That's what we did. And it cost us everything we held dear.

What will you say? Not everything. / Tell me about Seto. / You're putting me off my dinner. -> Tell me about Seto.
Ardbert: What? What about Seto? (Ardbert sighs) What is there to say...? All right.  He's done some growing. When we were traveling together, he was nowhere near as big. And he obviously couldn't speak. I had no idea how much that medallion meant to him.  What about you, anyway? You must have a friend like Seto. Chocobo, perhaps? Come on, you tell me something for a change.