Toughening Up

Toughening Up

Quest giver

Ardashir

Location

Azys Lla (X:7.4, Y:11.5)

Quest line

Anima Weapons Quests

Level

60

Required items

1   Animated Hauteclaire
1   Animated Prytwen
1   Animated Parashu
1   Animated Deathbringer
1   Animated Brionac
1   Animated Rising Suns
1   Animated Yukimitsu
1   Animated Berimbau
1   Animated Ferdinand
1   Animated Lunaris Rod
1   Animated Almandal
1   Animated Seraph Cane
1   Animated Elements
1   Animated Atlas

Experience

 0

Gil

 848

Previous quest

Soul without Life

Next quest

Coming into Its Own

Patch

3.15

“

Ardashir seems curious to see how the anima will develop.

※Changing classes or jobs will prevent progress during this quest.

— In-game description

Rewards

Depending on job:

• 1   Hauteclaire Awoken
• 1   Prytwen Awoken
• 1   Parashu Awoken
• 1   Deathbringer Awoken
• 1   Brionac Awoken
• 1   Rising Suns Awoken
• 1   Yukimitsu Awoken
• 1   Berimbau Awoken
• 1   Ferdinand Awoken
• 1   Lunaris Rod Awoken
• 1   Almandal Awoken
• 1   Seraph Cane Awoken
• 1   Elements Awoken
• 1   Atlas Awoken

Walkthrough

Main article: Awoken Weapons/Quest

Steps

• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter Snowcloak.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter Sastasha (Hard).
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter the Sunken Temple of Qarn (Hard).
• With [your animated weapon] equipped, speak with Ardashir in southern Thanalan.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter the Keeper of the Lake.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter the Wanderer's Palace (Hard).
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter Amdapor Keep (Hard).
• With [your animated weapon] equipped, speak with Ardashir in the South Shroud.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter the Dusk Vigil.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter Sohm Al.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter the Aery.
• Equipped with [your animated weapon], enter the Vault.
• With [your animated weapon] equipped, speak with Ardashir in the Pillars.
• With [your animated weapon] in your inventory, speak with Ardashir in Azys Lla.

Journal

• Ardashir seems curious to see how the anima will develop.
  • ※Changing classes or jobs will prevent progress during this quest.

• The anima now residing in your weapon is as a newborn babe in mortal terms. In order to foster this fledgling spirit, Gerolt suggests that you treat it to some good old-fashioned combat. Knowing that you have been involved in more than a few titanic battles over the years, he recommends revisiting the sites of some of your most memorable encounters. Hearing this, Ardashir asks to accompany you to ensure the anima's development does not go undocumented. When you subsequently look back upon your past exploits, the frost-rimed halls of Snowcloak spring to mind. Perhaps Coerthas would be a good place to begin the anima's education.
  • ※You may not proceed with a class or job that is different from when you accepted this quest.

• With anima weapon in hand, you fight your way through Snowcloak's frozen chambers, and emerge none the worse for wear. While contemplating your next destination, a glinting fish in the half-frozen water nearby catches your eye, and in that moment you decide where to continue the anima's education: the Sastasha Seagrot.
  • ※The prerequisite quests for Sastasha (Hard) must be completed before continuing with this quest.

• The drowned Reavers of the Seagrot are no match for you and your new weapon. Soaked to the skin from your aquatic adventure, you elect to continue the anima's education in a warmer and dryer location. And where could be warmer or dryer than the Sunken Temple of Qarn?
  • ※The prerequisite quests for The Sunken Temple of Qarn (Hard) must be completed before continuing with this quest.

• You fight off the wildlife now roaming the halls of Qarn, avoiding the perils of still-lingering traps and snares along the way. While such feats are all in a day's work for the Warrior of Light, the same cannot be said of Ardashir, who has done well to follow you to this point. Trouble him for his thoughts on the journey thus far.

• Ardashir asks if you have noticed any changes in the anima since the start of your journey, but you have nothing of note to report. Undiscouraged, you resolve to revisit the Keeper of the Lake, and drive off any Garlean forces that may be salvaging the wreckage there.

• Unable to stay your advance, the Garleans retreat, and the Keeper of the Lake sleeps soundly once more. For the anima's next lesson, you decide to revisit the Wanderer's Palace, to ensure that the Mamool Ja pose no further threat to the tonberries.
  • ※The prerequisite quests for The Wanderer's Palace (Hard) must be completed before continuing with this quest.

• With the aid of the anima weapon, you drive the Mamool Ja out of the Wanderer's Palace, leaving the tonberries in peace. When you subsequently pause to consider a suitable venue for your next lesson, you are reminded of a malevolent force which once took hold of Amdapor Keep. Never quite convinced that the darkness had been truly banished, you resolve to make for the Shroud.
  • ※The prerequisite quests for Amdapor Keep (Hard) must be completed before continuing with this quest.

• Once more, Amdapor Keep has been purged of foul spirits. As you pause to catch your breath, you notice that Ardashir seems oddly distracted. Ask him what is occupying his thoughts.

• Despite the ever-present danger of death, it would seem that Ardashir has been struck by the beauty of Eorzea. Plainly, her wonders are easier to appreciate when you are not the one doing the fighting. With nothing to report on the anima's development, you turn to leave, but pause to look back when you sense a familiar presence nearby. Seeing no one, you dismiss the feeling as a trick of the imagination, and ponder where to go next. In the end, you settle on the Dusk Vigil, that once-proud fortress left to the wild beasts of Coerthas.
  • ※The prerequisite quests for the Dusk Vigil must be completed before continuing with this quest.

• Wielding the anima weapon with consummate skill, you leave the living denizens of the Dusk Vigil dead, and the dead ones in pieces. Soon after, with the enemies of Ishgard still fresh in your mind, your thoughts turn to dragons. Perhaps some remnant of the Horde lingers on the slopes of Sohm Al...

• On the slopes of Sohm Al, you lay low the minions of Nidhogg in what you hope to be an educational fashion. The threat of dragons still looms, however, and so you journey to the Aery to strike once more against Ishgard's greatest foe.

• Though your visit to the Aery severely taxed your strength, it is not yet time to rest. Nevertheless, you bid Ardashir make for the safety of Ishgard, for where you mean to go, he cannot follow. Rather than face the enemies without, you choose to face the enemies within─your memories, that is. Using the power of your mind, you will relive your battle in the Vault.

• Though your reenactment of the battle in the Vault only loosely corresponded to the actual event, you are hopeful that the experience was of some benefit. When you subsequently reflect on the lengths to which you have gone to nurture the anima, you suddenly recall a strange occurrence in the Black Shroud which you suspect may be significant. Speak with Ardashir and tell him what you saw.

• Ardashir's eyes grow wide with wonder upon hearing your account of the anima. He leaves immediately for Azys Lla, and asks that you rejoin him there as soon as you are able.

• Upon arriving, you find Ardashir abuzz with excitement, much to Gerolt's evident irritation. You interrupt the pair's bickering with the revelation that the anima can speak. While Ardashir is dumbstruck by the implications of this discovery, Gerolt wants nothing more than to go home, and asks for your weapon that he might make some final adjustments. The blacksmith duly gives the thing an exceedingly thorough pounding, his arm granted new strength by his thirst for ale, but even he is unprepared for what follows. Without warning, the weapon begins to glow as if alive. Though you sense the fledgling anima still has some way to go, you look forward to seeing it grow.