A Sentimental Gift

A Sentimental Gift

Quest giver

Hermes

Location

Elpis (X:8.2, Y:31.9)

Quest line

Endwalker Main Scenario Quests

Level

86

Experience

 488,400

Gil

 1,438

Previous quest

Aether to Aether

Next quest

Verdict and Execution

Patch

6.0

“

You needn't be an entelechy to feel the weight bearing down on Hermes.

— In-game description

Steps

• Speak with Meteion and have her accompany you.
• Examine flowers at the Twelve Wonders while accompanied by Meteion.
• Look for flowers while accompanied by Meteion.
• Speak with Meteion.

Dialogue

Hermes:

• I fear this discussion may take a while, during which time...
• Meteion? Are you feeling unwell?

Meteion:

• It's not me, Hermes. It's you...
• I won't go to the meeting. I'll stay with Telsak.

Hermes:

• Loath though I am to impose, may I leave Meteion in your care again?
• I'm in your debt. If you'll excuse me...

Meteion:

• Can you help me with something, Player?
• The meeting will make Hermes sad. I want to cheer him up. With a flower.
• Hermes likes flowers the most. Of all the creations in Elpis.
• Most creations are expected to be interesting. Or beautiful. Or strong. Better in some way.
• But flowers are different. They're designed to suit our emotions. What we feel and want to convey. Hermes likes that.
• I can't make flowers. So I'll search for one. And I want you to search with me.
• Let's start here. At the Twelve Wonders.
• Oooh, so big and bright! I love them!
• ...But they might be too bright. You have to think of the recipient. That's what Hermes said.
• No flowers... If there were apples, we could've covered them in syrup...
• Let's head outside next. Don't worry─we won't wander far.
• These would be better for Hermes...but they're hedged in.
• That means we shouldn't touch them. They're either under observation or poisonous.
• Any other place should be fine, though. Let's keep looking!
• Oh, a coneion! A flower that can move!
• When Hermes wasn't looking, it shot seeds at him. Not a good gift, maybe...
• But you're good, Player ─- at spotting flowers! We'll find something soon!
• Hmmm, nothing around here... Ah!
• Over there, Player! Something big! Huge!
• It's an adonis! The things around its mouth look like petals. But the flowers are the orbs on its head!
• When Hermes inspected it, it swallowed him up. He didn't leave his room for days. What do you think, Player? Would he like it?
• So not this one either...
• Finding a good flower... It's harder than I thought.
• I'm sorry, Player, but could we search a little more? Maybe as far as the fields over there. I'll pick something after that, I promise.
• Awww... There's nothing...
• ...Hm? The shiny thing over there. What could it be?
• Ooh, Elpis flowers! They're here too!
• Hermes likes and dislikes them. At the same time.
• Like me, they're entelechies. Like me, they feel his pain and turn dark...
• That's only for Hermes, though. For others, they're always white and bright.
• Truly!? The flower was dark in your home!?
• Then...do you have it too? A dark emotion?
• I see...
• Hermes has known the same. The feeling that a part of you is gone. Again and again. But no one notices...
• Please, Player. Won't you lend it to me? Your pain and sorrow...
• I want you to make the flower dark. In front of Hermes.
• He has been in a dark place. Since before he created me. He needs to know that he isn't there alone. That others are sad too.
• Truly? You'll do it?
• Thank you, Player! Thank you! It means more to me than I can say!
• I can't wait to see how Hermes reacts! Let's go back and fetch him!
• It seems they're still talking. Let's wait until they've finished.
• Hermes!

Hermes:

• Oh... You were waiting for me.

Meteion:

• You've finished talking?

Hermes:

• Yes. We've come to a decision.
• My thanks for keeping Meteion company.
• Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus have already retired to their rooms.
• There is a room for you too, if you would follow me.

Meteion:

• Wait! I want to show you something first.

Hermes:

• Elpis flowers...?

Meteion:

• Go on!
• You're not the only one, Hermes. Others feel sad too. You're not alone.

Hermes:

• I see Meteion has shared much with you.
• May we talk a moment?
• I do not think it wrong that we live for the star. That we strive to make it a better place.
• And yet, in carrying out my duties here, there are times when I am plagued by doubt.
• Do you recall what Hythlodaeus said, when we first spoke of my nomination?
• Death is the privilege of those who have fulfilled their purpose. A choice they embrace of their own free will. And when they depart, it is always beautiful.
• Perhaps it is...but only for man.
• Creations that he deems useless are discarded with nary a second thought.
• Some scarcely born into the world. Afforded a handful of breaths before life and potential are abruptly extinguished.
• We make an effort to spare them the pain. But they sense what awaits. Rage in anguish and cower in fear...and it is not beautiful.
• Yet no one cares. No one.
• So fixated are we upon the duty that we do not pause to question the method.
• Pain and suffering... Confusion and despair... Writ plain in the eyes of those poor creatures.
• Yet no one sees. We turn a blind eye and carry on in blissful ignorance. Naught amiss, and always─always the blossoms shine pure and white.
• A contradiction so blatant I could scream. Want to scream. How can you all accept this...aberration!?
• Then I wonder...am I the aberration for thinking thus? And I am filled with dread...
• But now I know I'm not alone. Not the only one for whom the flowers weep.
• I won't ask what you thought as you kneeled beside the Elpis. Or if you only did it at Meteion's insistence.
• Nevertheless...I thank you.
• To know that you too have experienced suffering...is a comfort.
• To so willingly lend an ear to ease my burden... You are a strange one.
• The stars in the heavens... Know you what they are?
• Though it is too far to tell, each glittering light could be a world not unlike Etheirys. A world filled with life.
• So many stars, so many lives... For us, there may be no higher purpose than to live for our world, but what of the other living beings out there?
• What is it that gives their lives meaning? That drives them day after day after day?
• To pose that question to our undiscovered cousins, I created beings of dynamis, who can traverse the vast emptiness between the stars. Meteion and her sisters.
• Aye, sisters.
• She has a great many of them, and they have already departed on their journey. Traveling to one star, and then the next, in search of life.
• As one might expect, exploration on such a grand scale is rife with difficulties, and thus far I've naught to show for it.
• But I have faith that we will make some manner of discovery ere long.
• And when we do, I should be glad to share our findings with you, in gratitude for your kindness.
• ...It's getting rather late. We had best find our beds. 'Twould not do for both of us to be sleep-deprived on the morrow.
• Come, Meteion! Let us head back.

Meteion:

• All right!