As Stubborn as Stone

As Stubborn as Stone

Quest giver

Sayer

Location

The Peaks (X:21.7, Y:5.9)

Level

61

Experience

 25,250

Gil

 800

Previous quest

The Fires Fade
Saint Sayer

Next quest

The Sound of the Quarry

Patch

4.0

“

Sayer is oddly confident about his plan's chances of success.

— In-game description

Steps

• Speak to the villagers on Sayer's behalf.

• Report to Sayer.

• Speak with Sayer.

Journal

• Sayer is oddly confident about his plan's chances of success.

• Sayer is steadfast in his belief that the villagers will come around after seeing the soulstones for themselves. However, he is not quite as confident in his ability to get them to hear him out. You are persuaded to approach the inhabitants of Ala Gannha on the old man's behalf.

• You talk to a few of the villagers, enjoying varying degrees of failure. It is made abundantly clear that while you were more than capable of taking on a group of uroliths, most villagers are not. You begin to realize that the general consensus of the village has long been that there is no future in mining. Finally, you happen upon Sayer's granddaughter, Swetelove, once again and discover that she would like nothing more than for her grandfather to retire once and for all.

• You return to Sayer to report that you have passed on word of the quarry's increased levels of safety. Regrettably, none of the villagers except Swetelove choose to follow you back to him. She does her best to convince her grandfather to give up on his dream of restoring the quarry, but her words only serve to further stoke the fires of Sayer's paranoia. Eventually Sayer gets so frustrated arguing that he storms off, leaving you and Swetelove alone. She bids you go and try to calm him down on her behalf.

• You find Sayer mumbling to himself about youthful ignorance. Upon seeing you he quickly embarks on a trip down nostalgia lane, reminiscing about how the quarry used to provide for the entire village. It is these memories which convince him of a new solution to his current predicament: work songs. You contemplate this new plan's chances of success as the former quarrier becomes increasingly more confident in the power of music.

Dialogue

Accepting the Quest

Sayer: Right, time to present these soulstones to the village. Let them know that the Sleeping Stones is ready to be restored.
Sayer: Although, it's been quite some time since anyone here truly lent me their ear... Would you mind gatherin' the villagers for me?

(Optional)
Sayer: No one will bother listening to me, but an upstandin' adventurer such as yourself may be able to persuade the villagers to give me another chance.

Speaking to the villagers on Sayer's behalf

Carle: What's that? The old fart's saying he wants to restore the quarry? Like I haven't heard that before.
Carle: You might've been able to single-handedly take on a group of uroliths, but most of us aren't heroes of legend. What do you suggest we do should the beasts return? Or are you planning to give up adventuring and become the quarry's very own protector?
(Optional)
Carle: Must be nice living in whatever world of make-believe that geezer inhabits. Some of us are more than busy enough just trying to make ends meet.

Hodgkin: The quarry? Sorry to disappoint, but I'm far from interested.
Hodgkin: There's no point placing the village's future in the hands of a dead industry. Honestly, how many people do you know that are desperate to get their hands on stone these days? Sayer's time would be better spent working out how to sell off all the leftover rocks we already have cluttering Ala Gannha.
(Optional)
Hodgkin: There's a reason you don't see young people here anymore─it's only the old fogies that are senile enough to think this place has any kind of future.

Swetelove: What did you just say? Did my grandfather put you up to this?
Swetelove: Ugh, he sends me mad sometimes... 
My apologies that he bothered you with this, kind adventurer. Would you mind if I asked your name?
Swetelove: Well, [Forename], you have my thanks for humoring the wild ramblings of an old man. I'll make sure to tell him again that he needs to stop bothering strangers with his fantasies.
(Optional)
Swetelove: He's old enough now that I really wish he would give up quarrying altogether. I perish the thought of him injuring himself, or worse, while working on something.

Reporting to Sayer (Cutscene)

Sayer: Heh heh, back from spreadin' the good word, are you? Cannot wait to see the looks on their mugs when they have a gander at these soulstones.

Swetelove: Grandfather, let's stop this, shall we? No one's going to come; you'd be better served heading home and having a nap.

Sayer: And you say I'm the one spouting nonsense! I know what this is. You've banded together with all the others that think me mad, haven't you?

Swetelove: How could you even think such things!? I only have your best interests at heart, Grandfather! The fact of the matter is that you can quarry as much as you want, if there's no one willing to buy the spoils, then it's meaningless!
Swetelove: You're not as young as you once were and this fool's errand is doing your health no favors! I can't bear to watch you waste your life away any longer...

Sayer: F-Fool's errand!? You consider it foolish to work towards a brighter future for Ala Gannha!?
Sayer: [Forename], tell me, do you share my granddaughter's opinion?
Sayer: No need to hold back.

< What will you say? >
< I agree, Ala Gannha's future lies in quarrying. >
< I think Swetelove may be right. >
< ... >

< I agree, Ala Gannha's future lies in quarrying. >
Sayer: I knew the woman/man that saved Wercrata would understand me! There's no use sittin' around waitin' for things to improve; the future is in our hands!

Swetelove: Grandfather, she's/he's clearly only saying that out of pity for you. Please don't get carried away.

< I think Swetelove may be right. > OR < ... >
Sayer: I expected more from the woman/man that saved Wercrata... I suppose it was foolish of me to think an outsider would understand what quarrying means to Ala Gannha.

(All)
Swetelove: Listen, we all understand you're just trying to do what you think is best for the village, we do. But you're going to have to accept sooner or later that nothing lasts forever.

Sayer: Hmph, I was a fool to ever even consider asking others for help. You can hardly expect your words to mean anything to those who live without hope... Yes, it's up to me to show you all how it's done!

Swetelove: Why does he have to be so thickheaded? It feels like every interaction we have nowadays inevitably ends in a row...
Swetelove: He has this nasty tendency of refusing to speak to me for hours after a fight as well. I'm truly sorry to involve you in this, but do you think you could talk to him in my stead?

Speaking with Sayer

Sayer: That girl makes me wonder if I too spouted so much gibberish at her age.
Sayer: Come to hear a story have you? Oh, I'll tell you a story, my friend.
Sayer: A tale of a time when the quarry was the heart of Ala Gannha. Yes, those were the days. It didn't matter how long you spent quarrying away, there was always more stone to be cut, and people willing to pay for it. The industry supported many a family, let me tell you.
Sayer: There were even some days when I'd take the cold, hard floor of the quarry as my bed, instead of going home. Why, the only thing keepin' me goin' half of the time were the work songs we used to sing...
Sayer: By Rhalgr, that's bloody it!
Sayer: If the villagers hear those work songs once more, they're sure to change their minds about the quarry! Heh heh, bet you're glad you were here to see the very moment I saved our village from ruin.