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Hello everyone and welcome back. While Ginger from... October? November? Hold on, let me check.
November, evidently. Anyway, while Ginger from almost 3 months ago goes through the rogue quests, let's keep up our progress through the MSQ. This next arc is hilariously short. I recorded it the other night and it took me a whole hour! And a not-insignificant amount of that was travel time and even doing the next MNK quest.
And it's 15 quests. So we're gonna speed through these suckers pretty quick.
The guide on Reddit that I'm referring to combines this arc and the next one into one giant list. That list is 23 quests long. It's... not a lengthy arc and a large chunk of it could have been cut without losing a lot.
FFXIV-ARR.txt y'all.
I am afraid there is no rest for the weary, Ginger. We must delve further into the motivations of the masked man--the Ascian known as Lahabrea. This is an ideal moment to do so, while our hands are not bound dealing with another primal. At present, we know little and less about the Ascians--only that destruction follows in their wake. I should not be surprised if these beings are behind the chaos that racks the realm. If my fears prove to be reality, we must do all in our power to stop them.
Earlier, I sent word to each Grand Company to solicit cooperation. The Immortal Flames responded to the effect that they have information on a potential sighting. This is intelligence that we can ill afford to ignore. Go speak with Flame Commander Swift at the Hall of Flames in Ul'dah to inquire further. How you go about the investigation thereafter, I leave wholly to your discretion. But whatever you do, never forget that we are dealing with the unknown. You cannot take too many precautions. Be safe, Ginger.
You can always tell when an area is congested. My potato toaster of a PC will do this when it tries to load a shitload of players all at once. I have no idea why Ultros was so packed at 2:30 AM. Usually it only does this when I first log in, but like now it has been known to happen occasionally when transitioning between areas.
As for what we're looking at? The camera is pointed at Ginger's feet. It eventually clears up, but takes a while. I should note that I have zero control while this is happening... even to chat.
Reason #238947 why the Flames are the best GC: you can just do this for a shortcut to the NPCs.
The masked man? Ah, you are come on behalf of the Scions, of course. Yes, as we've already relayed to Lady Minfilia, there has been a sighting of this rogue near about eastern Thanalan. A Brass Blade stationed at Highbridge described him in detail when he alerted us to suspicious activity. I would point you to the witness, but I'm afraid he died not two days ago, slain by a marauding horde of Qiqirn. Fate can be a cruel mistress.
But do not be too quick to despair. Being situated on a trade route, Highbridge sees its fair share of travelers. Folk are always coming and going, and some among them may well have caught a glimpse of your target. You could do worse than to speak with a merchant named Hihibaru. The fellow's always starved for customers, and he'd no doubt welcome your attention, whether or not you have coin or the mind to spend it.
Over in East Thanalan, there's a huge bridge separating two parts of the zone. That's Highbridge. Our contact is at the bottom.
Welcome to Highbridge, adventurer! Whatever you seek, I, Hihibaru, can provide it. ...Probably!
You're after a masked man? Hmmm, I'm not sure I have one of those in stock... Ohhh, you're after a masked man! Why didn't you say so sooner? Such an individual might have featured in one of the many rumors I've heard. If you linger awhile, mayhap you'll learn a thing or two, eh?
For some reason, quests occasionally give you random dyes as a prize. If we ever want to dye anything of Ginger's (checks notes) salmon pink, then we're covered! All jokes aside, it's a decent enough reward and it'll make us a little spendin' money on the marketboard. 
When the Order of Nald'thal began excavating the ruins below, I had hopes that Highbridge would turn into a bustling hub for pilgrims. But thanks to the nigh-endless beastman raids, folk are too afraid to come within a malm of here. I sold everything I owned to get my venture started, and I'm loath to give up without making an earnest effort to stick it out. But if things keep going as they are, I'll be bankrupt before the moon is through...
Whining won't do me any good, though. No, for my business to survive, I need business. Speaking of which, perhaps you'd like to browse my wares! Spend a bit of coin to help a struggling merchant! ...The masked man? Bah, Thal take your bloody masked man! I know what I said before, but vague rumors are all I've got. If you want to know about him, go and ask the other merchants!
Rude.
The first NPC is just down a nearby hill, at a small campfire.
Aye, I've heard tell of the masked devil. Seems he's been appearing not only around Highbridge, but elsewhere about Thanalan, too. Enough folk have reported seeing him to convince me he's more than a figment of the imagination, but little is known about him otherwise.
The next one is up on the bridge proper.
On the trail of a masked man? Aye, I've heard of him...but only in hushed tones and faint whispers. It's said he wears a black hooded robe, an' looks right suspicious. An' that's about all I can say, little though it is.
The last one is up here, minding his own business in the shade.
Have I seen a masked man wearing a dark robe? No, I haven't, nor do I wish to. Business is bad enough without shady characters lurking about. Folk have been giving Highbridge a wide berth because of all the Qiqirn raids. None but the most devout of pilgrims are willing to come here anymore.
I love early ARR quests. They're so short and bite-sized!
Judging by your expression, I take it you didn't learn much of use. Look, I'm sorry for my rudeness earlier. It's just that things are tough for us merchants at the moment. The Qiqirn raids are so constant, so organized, we're beginning to suspect that someone is orchestrating it all. I tend to put my own welfare first, like most of us do, but that doesn't mean I'm a bad person. I promise to keep an eye out for your masked man. If I see or hear anything, you'll be the first to know.
Not bothering to do sidequests really makes the MSQ fly by. There's an arc coming up soon (it's gonna be after the next arc, after this current one) where you're sent all around the world in a test of resolve. In the process of doing so you're sent to 4 or 5 different quest hubs, each one with 8-13 sidequests each. 
But let's focus on the current MSQ. This arc is actually nice and snappy. There used to be a quest called "Ratting it Out" that no longer exists, and it came right after Highbridge Times. It got removed in the rework. Now that we're past the Sylph arc and have firsthand experience with the crap they felt was vital to the experience... how bad was Ratting it Out that it was completely removed instead of being reworked?
I've finally got some honest-to-gods information on your masked man! Why so confident? Because I saw him with my own two eyes! I was out for an evening stroll, minding my own business, when I noticed a column of smoke rising from a cliff over at Thal's Respite. Curious, I took myself there to find a masked man--your masked man, I'm sure of it--standing by a fire.
As if in answer, some Qiqirn appeared soon after, and the group began talking at length. I'm afraid I was too far out of earshot to hear much of anything. After the group had dispersed, an idea came to me: if you were to use this smoldering coal to start a fire, you might be able to arrange a similar meeting. It will be dangerous, I shouldn't doubt, but you've proven yourself more than a match for a pack of rats. So, what do you think? That's some sound, reliable information, even if I do say so myself. Well worth all the lingering about you've been doing, wouldn't you say?
Up the bridge and onto the adjoining landmass we go. Then we follow the road most of the way to the South Shroud border before we run across the meeting spot. And, yes, the South Shroud is actually north of East Thanalan.
It can be difficult to read because of the resized resolution, but that's a man in armor. He's a Corpse Brigade Footsoldier.
We're gonna be learning all about Ala Mhigan history in this arc, so we can get the particulars then. But the important details are that shortly before Garlemald invaded and subjugated Ala Mhigo, they rebelled against "the mad king" their tyrannical ruler. The Corpse Brigade were the mad king's personal guard, and they fled Ala Mhigo after the rebellion was successful in seizing power. They now operate out of Southern Thanalan as common bandits.
It's very not good that one answered the summons.
God I love sunsets in this game. They're so pretty... and orange!
Back so soon? Were you able to find any clues leading to your masked man?
*hands over scroll*
<gasp> Th-This scroll! It bears a prayer to Rhalgr, the Destroyer! In case you're unfamiliar, Rhalgr is the guardian deity of Ala Mhigo, which is currently under Garlean rule. It's highly uncommon for folk of other nations to revere Him. I'd wager my last gil that your assailant was Ala Mhigan.
It seems this masked man of yours is very well connected. I must confess, the merchant in me envies such a diverse network of contacts. That selfsame merchant also senses danger ahead...and darkness besides. Are you certain you'd rather not take things nice and slow here at Highbridge?
I hate sometimes how fucking dark this game can visually get. It makes capturing screenshots of prominent characters next to impossible.
The Ala Mhigan bandit you had a run-in with is somehow connected to your masked man of mystery. So, it stands to reason that if you want to pick up the trail again, you should head toward Little Ala Mhigo, over in southern Thanalan. Just so you know what to expect, the settlement is the favored destination for those refugees who couldn't...well, adapt to life in Ul'dah.
The hearts of the denizens are said to be as barren as the wasteland they live in. And for all intents and purposes, it's a lawless place. Be prepared for a not-so-warm welcome. Now, I'm not certain how much a help she will be, but it just so happens I have a daughter who has, er...relocated to Little Ala Mhigo. Her name is Hihira, and it shouldn't hurt to seek her out first. And while you have her attention...I'd be obliged if you could send my love. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her.
I suppose this is it, then! I had hoped that you would linger here a while--cull some fiends, spend some coin, what have you-but something tells me you're destined for greater things. Wherever it is you end up, I wish you the best!
Down, south of Highbridge we roll.
Little Ala Mhigo should look familiar. Ginger came here during her pugilist training to set up dummies for Hamon.
Inside and to the left we find Hihira.
...Hm? Why, yes, Hihibaru's my father... He said what? <sigh> I wish I could be a better daughter to him. It's just that- Oh, I'm sorry... I shouldn't bother you with family matters. But I am grateful to you for delivering the message. Now then, what brings you here? A masked man? I'm afraid the description doesn't ring any bells, but one of the others here may have seen something. I would recommend you first speak with Gundobald, the leader of the settlement. I must warn you, though, he isn't exactly...accommodating to outsiders.
Translation: we're gonna be told to pound sand.
I mentioned that I hated taking screenshots in the dark and this is why. Gundobald is an important character... one who deserves a portrait. There are no good shots of him. Ever.
Who are you? State your business, and be quick about it.
*explains*
Looking for a masked villain, you say? And why should we help you, pray? We struggle enough without having to answer the whim of every outsider. You are not welcome here. Begone.
When you exit the cutscene there are no nearby main scenario quests. So you have to go hunting. This guy in the main chamber is the next contact.
Well met, adventurer. I'm Gisilbehrt, head of security here at Little Ala Mhigo. I heard tell that you had business with Gundobald. Knowing the bristly old bear, I don't doubt he told you to bugger off. Owing to their hardships, the refugees don't trust anyone but themselves. Not even my men and I can get so much as a word of thanks out of them despite watching the place day and night.
But thanks or no, I try to help my fellow man when I can, and you seem a decent sort. If you tell me what's brought you here, might be as I can lend a hand.
*explains the situation*
...On the trail of a masked villain, you say? Hmmm, can't say that sounds familiar, but I have men on lookout for Amalj'aa to the south of here. If there's been any suspicious activity, they are like to have seen it. I had a mind to take them each a cup of sweet Thanalan tea so as to lift their spirits. If you were to run this little errand in my stead, they'd be all the more willing to tell you what they know.
All the quest delivery NPCs are down south of Little Ala Mhigo.
Who the hells're you? I'm tryin' to conserve energy here, so leave me alone.
Tea time!
Well, ain't ye considerate! My thanks, friend! ...What's that? A masked villain? Hidin' among the refugees, like as not. Me compatriots as live here go about as though they're dead on their feet. 'Tis near impossible to tell what's on their minds. For all I know, they're all up to no good.
Next guy is on the border of the level 45 part of the zone, spying on the Amalj'aa.
You there! Are you an Amalj'aa? No? Then carry on!
Tea for thee!
Ahhh, this sophisticated aroma! It has been forever since I had a drop of sweet Thanalan! I'm going to enjoy this! What? A masked man? Don't know, don't care! Unless he's got dark scaly skin, stands ten fulms tall, and has the face of a lizard, then I don't give a mummer's fart!
And the last guy is even farther south. Though it's still safe for lowbies to be here. It's just the appearance of danger!
Shoo, shoo! Don't bother me! If the Amalj'aa overrun us, I'm blaming you!
Cup tea for me! Cup tea for you! I have a cup. You have one too~!
For me? You shouldn't have! ...Sorry? A suspicious masked man? As a matter of fact, I caught glimpse of someone fitting that description during patrol. Well, I couldn't quite make out whether it was a man or not, what with the mask and the robe. But assuming it was a he, he was talking with some Ala Mhigans. I assumed he was one of them.
Ah, you're back. So, did my lookouts have aught to share with you?
Eh... kinda?
...Hmmm, that doesn't sound like much to go by. If you're to get any further in your investigation, seems to me you'll need the cooperation of the Ala Mhigans. For this, you'll need to win their trust, and that won't be an easy task.
We're 5 quests into an arc that's 15 quests long. This update is still shorter than several I did for the King's Quest 6 thread. So while I had been intending to stop here, my length counter in Notepad++ says I'm only over 16k characters. So... we'll do some more!
Ginger hits level 35 on Monk, so now she learns the Fists of Wind ability. Until the recent rework, high level monks needed to use this for complicated mechanics reasons. But that's in the past! Now it's just something that's moderately useful. Fists of Earth reduce the damage Ginger takes by 10%, while Fists of Wind makes her move 10% faster at all times.
Come level 45, she'll learn Fists of Fire and will never stop using it. I'm sure you can hazard a guess what that does.
So you're determined to press on with your investigation? Then I have some advice to offer. As I said before, you won't get far without the Ala Mhigans' trust. And the best way to win that trust is to get a compatriot of theirs--someone they respect--to vouch for you.
Coin does the talking in Ul'dah, but the Ala Mhigans are bound by something far stronger, if not as tangible: a common purpose. That purpose is, of course, the liberation of their home from the Garleans. Gundobald belongs to the Ala Mhigan Resistance, so your best bet would be someone who's part of the same crew. If you know any well-connected people, you might want to start by asking them.
Translation: pray return to the waking sands in all but name.
We'll deal with Minfilia later. Because I can, we're gonna do the next MNK quest now. Feel free to compare the "story" in this to the ROG quest from last time.
I'll have plenty to say about this move in a little bit!
Ah, just the pupil I was hoping to see. I was a hair's breadth from setting out on my own. Hmmm, to look at you... Yes, I daresay you appear to have been growing in brawn at the expense of brain. Right, well, let us measure some aether, shall we? And by we I mean you. Oh, and the monk simpleton, of course. Though, contrary to his nature, he has already set out for the destination I assigned him.
Thinking perhaps that you are far too stupid to take, much less understand, aetheric readings? It is true--you are stupid. But the aetherometer shall do all the work for you, and transmit the data back to me. As souls more, ahem, suited to action, the monk simpleton and yourself need only carry the device on your person and set about beating on things as you always do. It shall capture data as you trudge about hither and yon. Aether is not only the source of all magicks, but also the fount of all life. Yet despite its ubiquity, it remains imperceptible. When a living thing dies, the aether comprising its life is released. When this discharge takes place, a portion of that aether remains, lingering in the physical world.
No doubt you have...<babble>...aetherial crystallizations...<babble>...physical manifestations... ...Apparitions of the deceased...<babble>...luminescent glow...<babble>...known as the aetherial threshold! In short: the more violent and dramatic the loss of life, the greater the amount of aether left behind, either in its imperceptible form or in crystallizations. And where are the most lives lost in this manner?
Graveyards?
Cemeteries!? No, false, you idiot! Battlefields! Do you not see? With aetheric readings of those locations, we can discern the scale and more of the battles that took place there! As for those fool beliefs the monkhood keeps--chakra and spiritual energies and whatnot--if I were to allow that they truly exist, I would be inclined to say they are one and the same as aether itself. The aether churning around these ancient battle sites comes to naturally settle in the surrounding life-both plant and animal, though more so in the latter. It accumulates within them. Felling these beasts then releases that aether, causing a surge that resonates with the aether within you, causing it to expand-the so-called opening of the chakra. By this, the very power of life itself within you grows.
A watered-down explanation, but adequate for one of your mental prowess, I believe. Mine own wife never had the patience for such things either, nor my passion. She cursed me and my work, took our children, and returned to Ala Mhigo... <sigh> But now is not the time for that tale. The area I am placing in your charge is Bloodshore in eastern La Noscea. Place this aetherometer in an appropriate location, and after a spell, retrieve it and bring it to me.
I obtain the data I require, and you and the monk simpleton are afforded the chance to indulge your-how shall I put it?--charming little backward fantasies. All are happy. Ideally, I would prefer you have a knowledgeable understanding of Bloodshore's history, but I fear we lack the time for me to educate you. I need hardly tell you that my research takes precedence over your schooling.
Damn but that man loves to hear himself talk.
A pity, it's night at Costa del Sol. Here, have some music while I take care of the quest.
Ruby Sunrise
Mekkah Dee's videos come in so handy! And they've been up for years at this point, so they're typically pretty safe to link to.
This quest is simple enough. We just need to kill several jellyfish. Seriously.
Seriously. The only "wrinkle" is that there's two of them at once.
It's not exactly a handicap, so this is pretty easy overall.
The first group dies and more spawn.
And because we spent like 2 minutes killing some enemies, we unlock a new chakra!
Remember to grab the device for Erik.
Back in Ul'dah! Being able to trim out traveling is so nice.
Have you brought the aetherometer?
*hands it over*
Hmmm... It seems the device has suffered some damage. I suppose such things are unavoidable in this line of work. I must see to its repairs at once. That is, after all, why I put up here at the Goldsmiths' Guild. My aetherometer is no ordinary device. I came up with the elaborate design myself, had the finest engineers at Garlond Ironworks draft the schematics, and then commissioned the most talented goldsmiths to fabricate it.
Widargelt delivered the results of his outing not long ago. I must insist that you take your leave of me now. There is a wealth of data for me to analyze, and I fear that simply having you nearby will somehow affect the processing power of my brain. Repairing the aetherometer and determining which locations to next investigate will require some time. Why don't you go and train those muscles of yours or whatever it is you do in my absence?
Shoulder Tackle is a gap closing move. Bosses in this game frequently require melee to move away to dance around the floor for mechanics. So being able to instantly return to the fray once the danger has passed is invaluable! It also deals a pittance of damage, and most guides for top-end raiding will tell you to keep it on cooldown because that extra 100 potency is needed.
If 100 potency every 30 seconds is make-or-break, then the healers in your raid need to actually get up off their rear and deal damage.
Back to Vesper Bay we go. We need to talk to Minfilia, and while we're here, I grab a quest for an optional dungeon in South Thanalan. I'll cover this later on after the arc is over! You need to be 35 to even queue for it, so we only just qualify.
Welcome back, Ginger! How fares the investigation?
*explains with a very long sigh*
...I see. Given all that they have suffered, it is of little wonder the Ala Mhigan refugees have lost faith in their fellow man. They have had their homeland taken from them, and for the past two decades have had to see it remain in the enemy's clutches. To compound matters, none of the three city-states have the means to take in all those who were displaced. As a result, a great many Ala Mhigans now live on the margins of society, suffering poverty and discrimination.
<sigh> Would that more could be done to ease their hardships. I fear that nothing short of reclaiming their homeland would be a lasting solution. But let us deal with one problem at a time. Returning to the matter of your investigation, it just so happens there is an Ala Mhigan native among the Scions. I should be pleased to introduce him to you.
Minfilia is technically of Ala Mhigan blood, but her name wouldn't carry much weight with the resistance.
Come to think of it, so is Yda. And Arenvald. But we aren't being sent to talk to any of them. But that can wait for another time. Also I want to point out that this last shot is 30 minutes into the recording. The whole thing is only 62 minutes long! I told you, this arc is hilariously short.
NEXT TIME: More rogue story!