In Crimson It Began

In Crimson It Began

Quest giver

Pipin

Location

The Fringes (X:9.3, Y:11.3)

Quest line

Stormblood Main Scenario Quests

Level

61

Experience

 101,000

Gil

 2,203

Previous quest

Crossing the Velodyna

Next quest

The Fires Fade

Patch

4.0

---

Main Scenario Progress: 403 / 960 (42%)

   

Stormblood Progress: 24 / 162 (14.8%)

   

“

Pipin is looking forward to the assault on Castellum Velodyna.

— In-game description

Notes

On beginning the reconnaissance of Castellum Velodyna, several cutscenes and instanced fights will run in sequence. It is recommended that you set aside approximately 25 minutes, more if you have trouble with the fights.

Steps

• Speak with Pipin.

• Aid the Resistance and find your comrades!

• Defeat Zenos yae Galvus!

• Speak with Raubahn.

Journal

• Pipin is looking forward to the assault on Castellum Velodyna.

• Mindful that intelligence is the key to any successful operation, Pipin would have you, Alphinaud, and Alisaie accompany him on a reconnaissance mission. Your destination is a cliff to the north of Castellum Velodyna, which should afford you an excellent view of the imperial installation.

• Your mission is interrupted by the sound of cannon fire from the east. You turn to see a column of smoke on the horizon...rising from Rhalgr's Reach, you realize, with dawning horror. Alphinaud's attempts to contact your comrades via linkpearl are unsuccessful, all but confirming your suspicions that a coordinated attack is underway. With no other recourse, you abort your mission and race back to the Resistance stronghold.

• Outside Rhalgr's Reach, you encounter a number of fleeing Resistance fighters, as well as Krile and Arenvald. They tell you of the chaos within the valley, of imperial soldiers cutting people down left and right, and of a last desperate stand by Conrad and the others. His face grim, Alphinaud declares your place is in the Reach, and so, joined by Krile, you press on into the bloodbath.

• Aided by your comrades, you manage to beat back the imperial forces and reach your comrades. Lyse is unharmed, and Conrad merely unconscious, but Y'shtola is on the verge of death, her lifeblood pooling beneath her prostrate form. You turn to confront the man who dealt the blow: Zenos yae Galvus, the imperial viceroy himself. Lamenting the disappointment that was your comrades' performance, he raises his blade and bids you entertain him.

• Though you endure Zenos's onslaught far longer than Pipin and Alisaie, even you are no match for him. With a flourish, the viceroy sends you flying─the only testament to your resilience the broken blade he flings to the earth as he turns his back on you and walks away. Raubahn and his Immortal Flames soon arrive, but he has seen enough death for one day, and orders his men to let the imperials withdraw and instead attend to the wounded.

• After taking in the carnage in silence, Raubahn reminds you that your actions saved lives, and that you should remember that, no matter what happens. Yet having come face-to-face with the crown prince himself, having seen the superhuman feats of which he is capable, you know exactly what it is that you will remember...

Walkthrough

The solo duty here has two phases. During the first phase, simply follow your party around and kill enemies until you get to the imperial captain Fordola rem Lupis. Upon defeating her, some cutscenes will begin, with phase two afterwards.

During the second phase, you will face off against Zenos yae Galvus, who cannot be defeated. For this phase, you must instead survive a sufficient period of time by killing swords placed around the area and/or avoiding AoE attacks. You must deal a minor percent of damage to trigger the next cut scene and complete the quest. If you notice you are running the timer out without completing it, try dealing more damage to him (keep in mind your damage is reduced significantly).

Note: If you are experiencing the inability to target enemies during the first phase. Then retry the quest and allow the party to run ahead first before running to the next fight.

Dialogue

(Optional)
Alisaie: So Marshal Tarupin means to lead the reconnaissance mission himself, does he?

Accepting the Quest

Pipin: Thank you for volunteering to join me. This should be a fairly straightforward reconnaissance mission, so long as we do not have the ill fortune to run afoul of an imperial patrol. 
Pipin: Come—our destination is beyond East End, just north of Velodyna. 

Optional

Alphinaud: Even should they be unaware of our plans, I would be surprised if their western defenses were not heavily fortified, given the presence of Allied forces at the Wall.

Alisaie: Naught appears out of the ordinary at a glance...

Speaking with Pipin

Pipin: This ought to be close enough. Now we settle in for a long watch.  
Pipin: That said...it would be prudent to keep your weapons at the ready, in the event a passing patrol stumbles upon us, or worse...

Cutscene

Pipin: Excellent...The disposition of the imperial forces is exactly as expected. I will notify Father. 
Pipin: Cannon fire! Where did it come from? 

Alisaie: Smoke! There! Is that—Oh gods, it's Rhalgr's Reach! 

Alphinaud: It's no use—I think someone's jamming our communications. 

Alisaie: You don't think.... Could this be part of a coordinated attack? 

Pipin: Too early to draw conclusions. 
We must abort the assault and return to the Reach at once. 

Cutscene

Fordola: Forward! FORWARD! Give them no quarter! 

Meffrid: >> You! <<
Meffrid: Traitor! Kinslayer! 

Fordola: You're no kin of mine! 

Lyse: Meffrid! 
Lyse: >> Hells take you! <<

Fordola: Hurgh...

Zenos yae Galvus: Well, well... 
Zenos yae Galvus: Stand aside, Pilus. This one has promise. 

Fordola: Have a care, my lord. She's not like the others. 

Zenos yae Galvus: Hm. Do not disappoint me, girl. Or I will kill you. 

Conrad: Seven hells... It's him! It's Zenos! 

Lyse: The viceroy? Oh...you are a dead man!  

Zenos yae Galvus: So spirited...and yet so empty. 

Yshtola: Lyse, run! 

Zenos yae Galvus: Ah, a magical barrier. Alas... 
Zenos yae Galvus: It will not save you. 

Lyse: >> Y'shtola! <<

Conrad: Hold the line, by Rhalgr! Hold the line! 

Cutscene

Alphinaud: Krile! 

Krile: Alphinaud! 

Alphinaud: We saw the smoke and thought we heard explosions. Are we under attack? 

Krile: The imperials were all over us before we realized what was happening. No one knew where to run or what to do—it was chaos. 
Krile: Lyse and Master Kemp rallied the guards and bought us enough time to get some of the wounded to safety, but I haven't seen either of them since... 

Pipin: Confound it! If we lose the Reach, this will all have been for naught! 

Alphinaud: Arenvald—can you escort these people to the wall? 

Arenvald: Aye, sir. 

Alphinaud: Our place is at the Reach. We must offer such aid and succor as we are able. Saving lives is now our paramount concern. 

Pipin: If we can hold back the imperials until Father sends reinforcements, we may yet turn the tide... 

Krile: I'll join you. I've done all I can for these people, and you'll be crying out for a healer in there. 

Alphinaud: I fear you're right. Come, there is no time to lose! 

Solo Duty

Straggler: Gods help us, they're killing everyone! 

Alisaie: We have to stop them while there's still someone left to save! 

Straggler: The imperials came from nowhere...started cutting people down left and right... 

Alphinaud: Reinforcements are on the way. Spread the word.
We should keep moving... 
Alphinaud: Confound it! Nothing for it but to fight. 

Krile: Twelve forfend... It's a bloodbath...
Remember that we're here to save lives! Defend the hostages! 

Alisaie: Those monsters─these people had surrendered! 

Pipin of the Steel Heart: It's not too late for the others. We must hurry! 

Alphinaud: What the─ Are those beastmen fighting for the imperials?
I've never seen them before... 

Resistance Fighter: They...they took Lyse and the others deeper inside...  You've...you've got... 

Krile: There they are! We're not too late! 

Fordola rem Lupis: Well, well. A rescue party, is it? We'll see about that. 
Fordola rem Lupis: Gah! Who in the seven hells are you!? 

Cutscene

Lyse: What took you so long? 

Krile: Alphinaud, I need your help! 

Fordola: My lord, the prisoners! 

Zenos yae Galvus: See to your men, Pilus. 

Fordola: Uh—As you command, my lord. 

Zenos yae Galvus: Your friends were a disappointment. But you... 
You will entertain me, will you not? 

Solo Duty

Alisaie: If we kill him, here and now, we can end this! 

Zenos yae Galvus: I have no need for this rabble. 

Pipin of the Steel Heart: Seven hells... Not even Father could do that... 

Zenos yae Galvus: Hm. You yet stand. Mayhap you have potential. 
Zenos yae Galvus: Better...but lacking nevertheless... 
Zenos yae Galvus: It would seem I misjudged you. This ends now. 

Cutscene

Zenos yae Galvus: Pathetic. 

Raubahn: Seven hells... 

Flame Officer: Shall we give chase, General? 

Raubahn: Nay. There has been enough death this day. See to the wounded. 

Flame Officer: Aye, sir! 

Raubahn: You all right, lass/lad? 

< What will you say? >
< I think my pride might have taken a knock. >
< Well enough. Next time, he will pay. >
< ... >

< I think my pride might have taken a knock. >
Raubahn: 'Tis no ordinary foe could best the likes of you. 

< Well enough. Next time, he will pay. >
Raubahn: Aye. I do not doubt it. 

< ... >
Raubahn: To best the likes of you... Zenos is not what I took him to be.

(All)
Lyse: Don't you die on me, Y'shtola! Hold on! 

Krile: Don't worry! It's going to be all right!  
Krile: Alphinaud! Master Kemp is all yours!  

Alphinaud: Understood! 

Krile: Don't just stand there gawping! Hold her down while I work! 
Krile: The worst is passed, but without proper facilities I can do no more. 

Alphinaud: Master Kemp too would be better served in the infirmary. 
Let us take them there without delay. 

Krile: Give us a hand, would you, Lyse? 

Lyse: O-Of course! 

Krile: I know you must be exhausted, but there will be others who need our help. Leave these two to us and look to the other wounded. 

Optional

Y'shtola: ...
Lyse: If it wasn't for her, it'd be me lying there...
...I wish it was.

Krile: You're worried about Y'shtola, aren't you? <sigh> It's too early to make any kind of prognosis, but...she's alive. For now.

Conrad: <pant> <pant> What about...what about the others? Where's M'naago? Where's Meffrid?

Alisaie: I...I'm fine, really. Never been better...

Alphinaud: Don't speak or try to move! Take slow, steady breaths, and remain calm...

Pipin: Ugh... That is going to leave a mark.

Speaking with Raubahn

Raubahn: You did well, [Forename]. You saved lives. No matter what happens, remember that. 
Raubahn: Now then—let's do what we can for the wounded. Every minute counts!