Snakes in the Grass

Snakes in the Grass

Quest giver

Quinfort

Location

The Rak'tika Greatwood (X:20.9, Y:27.8)

Quest line

Qitari Unlock Quests

Level

70

Required items

1   Blood-soaked Parchment

Experience

 54,000-57,240

Gil

 861

Previous quest

Snake the Lead

Next quest

Protectors of the Wood

Patch

5.0

“

Quinfort seeks further enlightenment from the great serpent.

— In-game description

Rewards

Choose one of the following options:

• 2   Baguette
• 2   Blood Tomato Juice
• 2   Pixie Apple Pie
• 2   Nut Bake
• 3   Nightworld Silver Piece

Steps

• Search Dyers' Wash for signs of trouble.

• Speak with the Children of the Everlasting Dark.

• Search for the Children of the Everlasting Dark.

• Search their belongings for clues.

• Deliver the blood-soaked parchment to Quinfort.

Journal

• Quinfort seeks further enlightenment from the great serpent.

• Quinfort's pleas for a sign are answered when he notices the scar on the serpent's belly is gone and another has appeared near its tail. Judging by its shape, he is convinced dark forces are gathering somewhere near Dyers' Wash. Valan agrees that it is worth investigating.

• Shortly after arriving at Dyers' Wash, you spy two mages dressed in black. No sooner do you approach them than two spiders appear and assault you. The two mages seem to take delight in your struggles, but their smiles soon fade when the two arachnids are brought low.

• The two mages panic and flee into the woods at the sight of your victory. You give chase in the hopes of uncovering their scheme.

• You finally corner them after an arduous trek through the woods. The air is electric as the mages sling spell after spell at you, but their attempts to stave you off are futile.

• Among the mages' belongings, you find a scroll outlining a plan that spans the breadth of Rak'tika. You rush back to Slitherbough to inform Valan and Quinfort of what you found.

• Valan and Quinfort look over the scroll and are horrified at what they see. A plan to sever all flows of aether to Slitherbough, which would not only cripple the village but irreparably upset the balance of the forest. Despite the difficulty involved in explaining where they learned of this plan, the two have every intention of informing their betters. Quinfort once more offers praise to the great serpent, but he turns to find it vanished. Though the mystery of this snake-like being remains, they are content in the knowledge that the Greatwood is safe.

Dialogue

Quest Acceptance

Quinfort: The will of the wood would see us bring Slitherbough and all of Rak'tika back from the brink. O great serpent, show us the way! Show us how we might deliver our people from certain destruction!
Great Serpent of Ronka: Screee!
Valan: Shhh! If anyone sees that thing, they're going to kick it out of the village. Then where would we be?
Quinfort: We have precious little time to concern ourselves with the others. What's more, the great serpent has blessed us with another sign of what's to come.
Valan: What is it this time?

Quinfort: Behold the scales of its belly, and you will see the scar that marked Lozatl's Conquest has vanished. However, a new scar has appeared closer to its tail. The Children would threaten another site of great power, and judging by the shape of this scar, I have no doubt it is near Dyers' Wash. They must be stopped.
Valan: Agreed. Though I fear only one of us is actually up to the task. And are you certain about that scar? I didn't see anything of the sort on its tail...
Valan: At any rate, I think it'd be for the best if you went to investigate. We've already found proof the Children are up to something. It would be foolish not to press further. Perhaps the will of the wood will give us another sign while you're away.

Search Dyers' Wash for signs of trouble

Wild Child of the Everlasting Dark: Fool! You cannot stop us!

Speak with the Children of the Everlasting Dark

Willful Child of the Everlasting Dark: [He/She]'s defeated our spiders! Let us away! There is still work to be done!

Search their belongings for clues

Among the Children's belongings, you find a scroll detailing their plans to cleanse the forest.

Deliver the blood-soaked parchment to Quinfort

Quinfort: You are returned, though that is no surprise. I entreated the gods for your protection with a hymn from the Gospel of Quinfort. They would not─could not─deny my plea. 
Great Serpent of Ronka: Scree! Scree! Scree!
Valan: Shadows give me strength... [Forename], were you able to find anything?

Valan: A coordinated strike to cut off all flows of aether to Slitherbough...
Quinfort: It beggars belief that they could love the forest so, yet be so blind to its needs.
Valan: We need no further proof of what the Children are up to. We have to tell the others. Defend the sites they mean to befoul and destroy those magicked containers.  Explaining how we came to know all this will prove difficult, of course, but I'll not see all your hard work wasted.
Quinfort: We must also give thanks to the great serpent who first sensed the Children's ill intent.  The divine protector who thought us worthy vessels to carry out its work. My heart swells to know the will of the wood smiles upon us so.

Valan: Your pet─I mean, the great serpent. It's gone...
Valan: It was here just a moment ago. We should go look for it.
Quinfort: No, my friend. The great serpent has fulfilled its duty in protecting the Greatwood, and so it returns to slumber.
Valan: Is that so? Perhaps it really was the great serpent.
Quinfort: If you truly mean that, Valan, then perhaps you are ready to learn the truth of its origins...
Quinfort: And I would start from the very beginning!
It begins with the sizable crystal in Lake Tusi Mek'ta we know as Fruit of the Protector. If the legends are true, it dates back to a time preceding the empire of Ronka...
Valan: There he goes... I suspect I'll be getting an earful for the rest of the day. But I think our work here is finally done. I wish there was some way I could repay you for all your help. Though I should probably go while he's still swept up in his lectures. Take care, Small. Hopefully we'll meet again soon.
Quinfort: ...Though this is largely an assumption based on my visions noted in chapter two, verse seventeen in the Gospel of─ Come back here, Valan. I still have to tell you about the serpent's influence on the founding of Ronka!