Through the Grapevine

Quest giver: Saturnois
Location: Saint Endalim's Scholasticate (X:6.2, Y:5.9)
Quest line: Scholasticate Quests
Level: 60

Required items: 1 Volume Eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity
Experience: 0
Gil: 550
Previous quest: Divine Reckoning
Next quest: A Familial Resemblance
Patch: 3.4

“

Father Saturnois wears a troubled frown...

— In-game description

Steps

Speak with Lebrassoir in the Pillars.
Deliver volume eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity to Briardien.
Question the residents of the Brume.

Speak with Briardien.

Journal

Father Saturnois wears a troubled frown...

According to Father Saturnois, the scholasticate is awash with rumors that Archombadin was complicit in Ulaa's disappearance. Reasoning that the youth would never involve himself in anything which might endanger his reputation, nor less bring dishonor to House Dzemael as a whole, he is convinced that an outsider must be responsible, and implores you to look into the matter. Wasting no time, he ushers you in the direction of Lebrassoir, who has been frantically searching for clues as to the identity of the true culprit.

Unsurprisingly, Lebrassoir is adamant that Archombadin had nothing to do with Ulaa's disappearance, and he duly bombards you with evidence of his friend's innocence. However, he soon catches himself and abruptly changes tack, and after making you swear to tell none but Briardien what he is about to divulge, he produces volume eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity, which he confesses to having found in Archombadin's room. Insisting that Ulaa must somehow be responsible for both the recent rumors, and the sudden appearance of the book in the prefect's dormitory, he hands over the tome, and beseeches you to find Ulaa so that Archombadin's name might be cleared. Now would seem a good time to apprise Briardien of all that has occurred.

Briardien is both impressed and slightly flabbergasted to learn that you have found the missing volume. Though he is somewhat skeptical of the seminarians' grand conspiracy theories, he acknowledges that speculation will avail you naught, and that further investigation is in order. While he seeks to learn what he can from the tome, he bids you make your way to the Brume and see if any there know of Ulaa─or failing that, know of any unusual happenings, for one can never be too well-informed.

Some of the residents of the Brume are more forthcoming than others, and while none of their information seems to pertain directly to Ulaa, two accounts in particular give you pause─one of a poor man come into a small fortune, and another of a rich man offering far too much for a simple errand. Though it seems unlikely that these incidents have any connection to Ulaa's disapperance, perhaps Inspector Briardien will think otherwise.

Briardien informs you that Ulaa was the last person to have removed the book from the library─a fact which could lend credence to Lebrassoir's claims. Still, it is a far cry from conclusive evidence. Seeing as how the power of the Echo will avail you naught under these circumstances, you have no choice but to rely upon the traditional methods of continuing to search for clues and question persons of interest...

Walkthrough

Talk to Lebrassoir at 12.3, 12.0

Dialogue

Accepting the Quest

Saturnois: Mistress/Master [Surname], just the woman/man I was hoping to see. I am sorry to say that a rather disturbing rumor has been circulating around the scholasticate of late─one which claims that Archombadin arranged for Ulaa to be, ahem...taken away.
Saturnois: That the boy scorns those who favor different interpretations of the scriptures I do not deny, but I labor to believe he would go so far. To engage in such conduct would risk not only his own position as prefect, but the very honor of House Dzemael, both of which mean a great deal to him.
Saturnois: Regretfully, no one seems to know whence these ridiculous rumors came. They could have been concocted by anyone...and for any number of reasons.
Saturnois: In any event, with many still unsure what to make of Ulaa's sudden withdrawal, these wild accusations have only served to deepen the divide between our seminarians.
Saturnois: At this rate, I fear others may decide they no longer wish to remain at the scholasticate... And so I would be most grateful if you would consent to investigate this matter.
Saturnois: Should you oblige my request, I suggest you begin by speaking with Lebrassoir. I am told he has spent the past few days looking into Ulaa's activities prior to her departure, likely with the intent to absolve Archombadin of suspicion.
(Optional)
Saturnois: Lebrassoir will be in the Pillars, like as not. He often goes there to ruminate.

Speaking with Lebrassoir in the Pillars (Cutscene)

Lebrassoir: Let me guess... You caught wind of the rumors, and thought you would come and investigate, yes?
Lebrassoir: Well, I'll have you know that Archombadin is innocent! He has nothing─absolutely nothing─to do with any of this...this nonsense!
Lebrassoir: I have known him since childhood. While he might occasionally seem somewhat high-handed, mayhap even callous, he would never do anything to harm anyone!
Lebrassoir: If that is not enough, there is also the fact that in the days and weeks prior to Ulaa's disappearance, I was not out of his company for more than a few moments. He could not possibly have committed the crime of which he is accused without my knowledge.
Lebrassoir: Whoever orchestrated all of this clearly planned for the blame to fall squarely on his shoulders─that much is certain! Yet numerous as the enemies of House Dzemael are, I struggle to think who would resort to something so underhanded...
Lebrassoir: Unless...it was the girl herself! Don't you see? What better way to besmirch the good name of one of Ishgard's foremost houses and win over your peers than to vanish and later spread rumors that he was somehow responsible, and then to go and plant─
Lebrassoir: That...that is to say... Oh, by the Fury, I pray I am not making a mistake! But first, I would have you swear to tell none but the inspector what I am about to reveal.
Lebrassoir: I...stumbled across this─volume eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity. It had been conspicuously placed in Archombadin's dormitory room, with Ulaa's favorite bookmark tucked between its pages.
Lebrassoir: I need hardly tell you what would happen if people were to learn of this. 'Tis but a mercy that I chanced upon it and not one more credulous.
Lebrassoir: However, now that we have deduced who the perpetrator is, it should be simple enough to restore Archombadin's reputation! All we need do is prove she and her revolutionary friends are responsible!
Lebrassoir: Were I a braver─and more foolish─man, I would march down to the Brume and demand answers. But you, a hero blessed with the strength of a hundred need not fear for your well-being there as I do.
Lebrassoir: You are my only hope. Please, I beg of you, take the book, and use it to find the girl and prove these foul rumors false.

Delivering volume eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity to Briardien

Briardien: Ah, [Forename], you are returned. Please tell me your inquiries have been more fruitful than mine own.
<Hand Over Volume Eleven of the Articles of Halonic Polity>
Briardien: This... It's the missing volume! How ever did you find it?
Briardien: ...So Lebrassoir believes that Ulaa or one of her “revolutionary friends” planted it in Archombadin's room as part of an elaborate scheme to defame House Dzemael?
Briardien: I continue to be amazed by what ridiculous conspiracies these children can convince themselves are true. As if the future of Ishgardian society shall be shaped by the actions of some few ambitious seminarians...
Briardien: Anyway─I will allow that she may have been “consorting” with others who supported reformation. And were she persuaded to engage in rebellious acts, the dormitory prefect would have been an ideal target.
Briardien: Alternatively, Archombadin was so arrogant and careless that he thought nothing of leaving incriminating evidence in plain sight. He would hardly be the first.
Briardien: Needless to say, speculation will avail us naught at this juncture. First, I must see what I can learn from this book.
Briardien: In the meantime, I would have you go and speak with the people of the Brume. See what they know, if anything, about Ulaa─where she might have gone, whom she might have visited, and so forth. Failing that, keep your ears open for news of unusual happenings. One can never be too well-informed.
(Optional)
Briardien: If a young woman like Ulaa has spent any time in the Brume, someone is bound to have taken notice. Nevertheless, if you fail to learn aught of value, it may be prudent to ask for the latest gossip.

Questioning the residents of the Brume

Goldin: You're not about to ask me to do you a “favor,” are you? You'll forgive me for being suspicious, but just the other day, a man draped from head to toe in fine silks approached me, all nervous and twitching.
Goldin: He tossed a purse at my feet saying the gil in it was mine for the taking. All I had to do was head to the Crozier and buy him a couple phials of cough syrup. Tempting as it was, I wasn't about to risk getting involved in someone's shady schemes, so I told him to piss off and that was that.
(Optional)
Goldin: Anyone with an onze of sense would've done the same. There's always a catch, friend, and for that much gil I reckon it could've been fatal.

Ben: Leave me be! I've got nothing to say to the likes of you!
Ben: Eh? What was that? You think I might've helped kidnap some highborn girl? Godssakes...
Ben: You and Theomocent make a fine pair, you do, acting all high and mighty, pretending you care. But the only time you come around is when you're looking for someone to blame!
Ben: Sorry to disappoint you, but I've got nothing to do with this Ulaa's disappearance. If you ask me, you'd have better luck harassing those blue bloods in the Pillars─after all, they know better than anyone how to deal with “inconveniences,” eh!?
(Optional)
Ben: Why are you still here? Haven't you bothered me enough for one day?

Gibrillont: ...I distinctly recall telling you once that my patrons appreciate their privacy. Still, I know you wouldn't ask if it weren't important, so this time I'll oblige your curiosity.
Gibrillont: This hasn't got anything to do with your missing girl, mind, but a few days back, this one fellow comes and pays his tab in full. A surprising development, as I'd long since written it off as a loss. Came into money, he says, and has a mind to settle his debts. Pleased as I am by his changing fortunes, all the while I'm wondering who he left bleeding in an alley to get that much gil at once...
(Optional)
Gibrillont: Tales of honest men going from rags to riches are just that─mere faerie tales. He didn't say how he got it, and I didn't ask.

Speaking with Briardien

Briardien: Excellent timing, [Forename]. I have findings to share.
Briardien: While Ulaa's bookmark suggests that volume eleven was within her possession at some point, it does not tell us when that point may have been. With this in mind, I decided to pay a visit to the seminary library.
Briardien: Sure enough, her signature was in the logs, indicating that she was the last person to have borrowed the tome. I compared the handwriting to samples from her old assignments to be sure, and found no irregularities.
Briardien: One might argue that this supports Lebrassoir's “theory,” but it is far from conclusive evidence... <sigh> I suppose you cannot use those vaunted powers of yours to grant us a vision of the past and spare us further hardship?
Briardien: I thought not. Then we shall rely on the more traditional methods.
Briardien: So─what came of your inquiries in the Brume? Do tell.
Briardien: Nothing...but that is to be expected, is it not? Again I am reminded how ridiculous the two scenarios presented to us purporting grand conspiracies truly are. Is it not more likely that both the girl and Archombadin are innocent of wrongdoing?
Briardien: We must continue searching for more clues. Even the most insignificant tidbit may be all it takes for the pieces of this puzzle to fall into place!