The Greatest Story Never Told
Sidequest
Template:Quest
- First quest in the Winebaud's Riddles questline.
Walkthrough
Note that there seem to be a few sets of the riddles and each person can get one of them.
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD
Solve the explorer's riddle. (#1)
Checking the Windbaud's Message point of interest will reveal a series of scrambled letters above the following message:
"FIRE / LIGHTNING / WATER / EARTH / ICE / WIND
The wheel must turn anew."
This series of elements is important to deciphering the scrambled text. Valiant Hart directs you to talk to Yayaroku. He is standing in Ul'dah in the Thaumaturge's Guild.
Yayaroku tells you that the elements are from Essences and Permutations but the sequence is wrong; it should be lightning → fire → earth → ice → water → wind. By rearranging the tokens in this order, you get the unscrambled name of a map waypoint.
| Scrambled Text | Waypoint Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| REN / FLO / SPI / TEL / 'S / RE | Florentel's Spire | North Shroud, near the exit to Coerthas Central Highlands. |
| HO / OSC / BRA / N'S / EM / CE | Oschon's Embrace | Lower La Noscea, north of Moraby Drydocks |
| AL / TH / SPI / 'S / RE / TE | Thal's Respite | Eastern Thanalan, Northeast side near the South Shroud exit |
When you reach the specified location, you will find a Novice Explorer waiting for you. This character will advance the quest when you talk to him/her.
"
At long last... does the wheel turn anew? Are you the one for whom I have waited?
Praise the Twelve! Master Windbaud told me it might be years, even decades, until one came — if someone came, but I swore an oath, so I couldn't—
You don't understand; this is all so exciting! But you're not here for that, or for me. You're here for the treasure, aren't you?
This is Master Winebaud's Journal, and it belongs to you now.
No, no, that's not true. It was always yours — you had yet to claim it, is all. Keep it close, fellow explorer! This is only the beginning!
"
From the Novice Explorer, you gain the key item Windbaud's Travel Log.
Speak with Valiant Hart. (#1)
"
⌈player⌋, you've returned! Tell me, have you solved Winebaud's riddle? Where did it lead you?
The journal of the explorer himself! I knew I was right to trust in you.
I have news to share as well, though it is not quite as uplifting. I have deciphered another passage, only to find myself confronted with yet another inscrutable riddle.
But I'm sure you'll have no trouble with it, given how quickly you deduced the answer to the first one!
You'll find my translation next to the message as before. I'm counting on you, my puzzle aficionado!
"
Solve the explorer's riddle. (#2)
Checking Windbaud's Message again gives you a line of scrambled text followed by the line, "Memenugu knows the steps.".
Memenugu is in Central Thanalan at (21,25), at the waypoint Fesca's Wash. Speaking to him advances the story.
"
…So if I understand you correctly, a riddle on a statue said I know "the steps"? A riddle written by Winebaud? I'm sorry, but I haven't the foggiest what that could mean.
I swear, famed explorer or not, that old man was a bloody fool when it came to combat. This "step" nonsense reminds me of the time he tried to critique the form of my Elezen associate.
"Two steps forward, one step back. Over and over again, until the end." Gods, he said it so many times it's been stuck in my head ever since!
"
This gives you the algorithm to decipher the second coded message. For each letter of the scrambled text, either choose the next letter, or the previous letter in the alphabet, with Z and A wrapping around to each other. Starting with the first letter of the message, the pattern is (next), (next), (previous)…, as shown below.
| Scrambled Text | Clear Text | Location |
|---|---|---|
| AQPMYF KZLD GPS RQQHOFR | BRONZE LAKE HOT SPRINGS | Upper La Noscea, on the upper level of Camp Bronze Lake (31,22). |
| GNND NG SGF BNFTQMBKBV | HOME OF THE COEURLCLAW | South Shroud (30,19), in a cave north of the Takers' Rot waypoint. |
At this point you are looking for a ??? point of interest.
"Magicked runes float across your eyes, assuming familiar shapes…"
"[Windbaud's Message]
Seeker of treasure and truth, I congratulate and bid you welcome.
Who are you, I wonder, and why have you come this far? What drives you to solve my riddles, and what do you expect to find?
You must wonder what kind of man I was as well. Doubtless you have heard stories — some more flattering than others.
But I have rambled enough, and you must be rewarded! Allow me to share with you a verse written by my favorite poet:
Clandestine rendezvous leave me breathless and wanting
Obsession consumes me, a thirst for the taboo
"
Speak with Valiant Hart. (#2)
"
A message written in magicked runes? Amazing! Though the content was rather disappointing, now that I think on it. I was expecting a clue to the treasure's location.
Oh, I almost forgot! I've finished translating another riddle. Why don't you go and take a look?
"
Solve the explorer's riddle. (#3)
Check Winebaud's Message again. This gives you a phrase with some letters capitalized.
"The members of the Marauders' Guild understand the importance of etiquette."
You will find a ??? point of interest in the Marauders' Guild in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks. This gives you your next clue.
"
A treatise on cultivating interpersonal relationships and influencing others catches your eye. You open it to the bookmarked page and take note of an underlined passage:
A deliberate display of emotion, as befits the situation, can be effective in deepening your relationships with others.
"
| Capitalized Text | Capitalized Letters (unscrambled) | Location |
|---|---|---|
| HylLfyr's cUtthroAts and briGands | LAUGH | |
| All foR fen-YLL | RALLY | Below the Leatherworker's Guild in Old Gridania |