Secret of the Ooze

Secret of the Ooze

Quest giver

Sawney

Location

Rhalgr's Reach (X:11.7, Y:11.9)

Level

70

Required quest

Stormblood

Experience

 0

Gil

 4,500

Previous quest

An Overgrown Ambition

Patch

4.4

“

Sawney has ventured far from his usual haunt to find you.

— In-game description

Rewards

Unlocks

• 
  Saint Mocianne's Arboretum (Hard)

Walkthrough

Despite the (Hard) in the name, the dungeon is not actually more difficult than any other story-mode dungeon. It is easily completed blind with the Duty Finder. This is also the last time the developers use the (Hard) designation on a story-mode dungeon.

Steps

• Rendezvous with Sawney at Saint Mocianne's Arboretum.
• Enter Saint Mocianne's Arboretum (Hard).
• Speak with Sawney at Saint Mocianne's Arboretum.

Journal

• Sawney has ventured far from his usual haunt to find you.

• A familiar face finding himself in unfamiliar surroundings, Sawney has traveled to Rhalgr's Reach to petition your assistance. It seems that trouble is once again brewing in Saint Mocianne's Arboretum and you are the person most qualified to handle it. Not wanting Sawney to have made a wasted journey, you agree to meet him in the Dravanian hinterlands.

• Sawney is soon joined by Midnight Dew, who has a grime-covered korpokkur in tow. The Idyllshire residents explain that this seedkin emerged from the Arboretum exhibiting erratic behavior, which local botanist Edgyth attributes to the layer of mud covering it from top to bottom. This strange substance seems to invigorate plant life, a property Midnight Dew believes could prove beneficial in efforts to cultivate produce in Greengrub Mudplots. Unfortunately, it also affects the korpokkur's more bellicose brethren in a similar fashion, rendering the inner reaches of the Arboretum a potential death trap for anyone foolhardy enough to enter. Ever eager to lend your assistance, you make ready to venture forth and whack some weeds.

• ※Saint Mocianne's Arboretum (Hard) can be accessed via the Duty Finder.

• After contending with the sweltering humidity and cutting swaths through the flesh-eating foliage, you emerge from the Arboretum victorious yet desperate for a bath. But before you can call it a day, one final task remains: You must report news of your triumph to Sawney.

• Following your successful expedition into the deepest recesses of the Arboretum, Midnight Dew and Edgyth were able to carry out a thorough investigation of the mysterious, vitality-bestowing mud. Research materials found within reveal the Sharlayans had created a concoction that acts as a catalyst in the decomposition of plant matter into nutrient-rich compost. Having discovered the secret of the ooze, Edgyth is confident that she can use these findings to revitalize the depleted soil around Idyllshire. Perhaps it will not be long before the locals enjoy the fruits─and vegetables─of your labor.

Dialogue

Accepting the Quest

Sawney: [Forename]! You're a hard [woman/bloke] to find! I heard you'd thrown in your lot with the Resistance, so I came here lookin' for you.
Sawney: Truth is, we've run into a spot of bother back at the Arboretum and could use your help.
Sawney: If you're not too busy breakin' your fast on Garleans─or whatever you've been doin' out here─we'd be glad of your expertise. If you fancy lendin' a hand, I'll be over at Saint Mocianne's.

(Optional)
Midnight Dew: Sawney managed to track you down, did he? He's waitin' for you by the entrance to the Arboretum. You go on ahead─I'll join you [two/boys] in a bit.

Rendezvousing with Sawney at Saint Mocianne's Arboretum

Sawney: I knew you couldn't resist! Now, before you go slayin' everything in sight, let Midnight Dew explain our predicament.

Cutscene

Midnight Dew: It's good to see you back in Dravania, [Forename]. The place hasn't been the same without you! 
Midnight Dew: You're probably wonderin' why I sent Sawney to fetch you. It's all down to this mucky little korpokkur.

Sawney: When I saw it come boundin' out of the Arboretum, the first thing I noticed, besides it being covered in grime, was how bleedin' lively the little sod seemed to be.

Midnight Dew: We had our old friend Edgyth take a look at it, and she reckons that layer of mud is what's makin' it so excitable.
Midnight Dew: It's got this daft seedkin jumpin' around like a mad poroggo, so imagine what it could do for our crops at Greengrub Mudplots! And that's where you come in.
Midnight Dew: There should be more of this gunk inside the Arboretum, but we have one small problem─ It also affects the more troublesome species of flora, makin' them downright lethal.

Sawney: We want to send Edgyth to look into it, but it's not safe with a bunch of botanist-eatin' plants makin' a nuisance of themselves. What say you, [Forename]? Fancy givin' them a bit of prunin'?

(Optional)
Midnight Dew: You'd best be on your guard. Sounds like there'll be all sorts of crazed seedkin runnin' amok inside.

(Optional After completing the Arboretum (Hard))
Midnight Dew: All finished? I hope those mud-covered menaces didn't give you too much trouble. Edgyth should be almost done in the Arboretum, so let's go and see how she got on!

Speaking with Sawney at Saint Mocianne's Arboretum

Sawney: Fresh air at last! I tell you, it's clammier than a goblin's arse crack in there! I got out a few moments ago, but I won't be goin' back in any time soon! 
Sawney: I saw that you'd cleared a path for Midnight Dew and Edgyth, though. Hopefully they'll be on their way back about now.

Cutscene

Midnight Dew: Sorry to have kept you waiting.

(If the player is a Botanist and has completed "Edgyth's Winning Streak")
Edgyth: [Forename]! How wonderful it is to see you again! Although I must say I'm dreadfully sorry for all the trouble we've put you through, especially considering how much you've helped us at Greengrub Mudplots already. Thanks to you, we've made a valuable discovery.

(If  botanist and has met Edgyth)
Edgyth: [Forename]! I was very impressed by the way you tackled all of that bothersome foliage! And thanks to you, we now know the truth of that gloopy substance.

(If has not met Edgyth)
Edgyth: Oh, you must be [Forename]. I'm Edgyth, a botanist of sorts. Perhaps Sawney or Midnight Dew mentioned me? Or perhaps not... Anyway, I'm very grateful to you for helping us discover the secret of that bizarre ooze.

(All)
Edgyth: You see, the research materials we found mention a concoction for rapidly turning plant matter into compost. It seems the mud was used to cultivate the ingredients for the formula.

(If Botanist)
Edgyth: There was just one minor oversight. And by minor, I mean "quite major," actually. This mud also causes alarming behavioral swings in seedkin, making them go positively berserk!

(If not Botanist)
Edgyth: According to the Sharlayan reports... Well, I'll spare you the details of its botanical jargon. Let's just say the mud makes seedkin, in a word, angry.

(All)
Sawney: Growth formula for plants is all well and good, unless they're the sort that's liable to bite your bloody head off.

Edgyth: Yes, I'm surprised the Sharlayans didn't keep it in a safer place. In any case, we can use their findings to breathe new life into the soil of Dravania. As for the seedkin, a little water washes the mud right off. Allow me to demonstrate!

< What will you say? >
< A shame you can't wash that stupid expression off it's face as well. >
< How about a bit of pruning instead? >

(Both)
Sawney: I'm with [Forename] on this one. Covered in muck or not, it's a bleedin' nuisance either way.

Midnight Dew: Now, now, leave the poor thing alone! I'm sure it'll behave itself. And more importantly, it looks like we've found a way to improve our dwindlin' harvests. 
Midnight Dew: And we couldn't have done it without you, [Forename]! I'll make sure that when the locals start tuckin' into all those lovely crops, they'll know who to thank!

Trivia

• This quest's title is a reference to the 1991 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.