The Road Forks

Walkthrough

 * This is a long mission, with a lot of legwork and two uncapped NM fights.
 * This mission is divided into 2 parts - San d'Oria route and Windurst route. Route details are given below.  You can complete the routes in either order, and you can even do them both at the same time.

3-3A: San d'Oria Route: "Emerald Waters"

 * Vicissitudes (3-3A1)
 * Enter Northern San d'Oria to start this leg of the mission. You will receive a cutscene as soon as you zone in.
 * Talk to Arnau, the priest giving sermons in the Cathedral's main hall.
 * Talk to Chasalvige in the Manuscript Room (off to the the left side as you enter the Cathedral; Chasalvige is on the dais in front of you as you enter the room.).
 * Descendents of a Line Lost (3-3A2)
 * Go to Carpenters' Landing via the (E-6) entrance in Jugner Forest. Look for a NPC called Guilloud beside a boulder at (H-10). Talking to him will spawn a Morbol NM named Overgrown Ivy.
 * Overgrown Ivy can use constantly has the two-hour ability Hundred Fists active.
 * Overgrown Ivy will spam Bad Breath at around 15% health remaining.
 * Those at the general base level for this mission (level 40 or so) may wish to consider partying (perhaps even forming an Alliance?) or bringing higher-level help for fighting this NM.
 * Overgrown Ivy will build a tolerance to sleep after subsequent casts.
 * Overgrown Ivy is soloable by a level 70+ job with NIN or WHM subjob.
 * Overgrown Ivy was taken down by 70BLU/35THF very easily by starting the battle off with 100% TP gained from monsters in the area, using Sheep Song as soon as Overgrown Ivy is popped and activate Sneak Attack, Chain Affinity, and Cannonball for 900+ damage. The rest is simply Frenetic Rip, Head Butt and Hysteric Barrage one or two times each.
 * Overgrown Ivy was also easily soloed by a 65 SMN/WHM by carbuncle kiting it around and using Meteorite.
 * Overgrown Ivy was very easily taken down by a lv75smn using predator Claws.
 * Overgrown Ivy was easily soloed by a 75 PLD/WAR wearing a DD setup with no risk of death.

This ends the San d'Orian leg.
 * Louverance (3-3A3)
 * After defeating Overgrown Ivy, talk to Guilloud again, then head to Southern San d'Oria and speak to Hinaree on the second floor of the manor at (B-6).

3-3B: Windurst Route: "Memories of a Maiden"

 * Comedy of Errors (Act I)(3-3B1)
 * Enter Windurst Waters to start this leg of the mission. You will receive a cutscene upon zoning in.
 * Head to Rhinostery's (located on the south map of Windurst Waters)right-hand room (J-9) and talk to Ohbiru-Dohbiru.
 * Next, go to Windurst Walls and talk to Yoran-Oran at his house (E-5). You may need to speak to him 2 times, you'll know you've got it when you get the Cutscene.
 * Go back to Windurst Waters to Timbre Timbers Tavern (F-10) and talk to Kyume-Romeh, you may be required to talk to him twice too, the correct conversation will be a cutscene.
 * Comedy of Errors (Act II)(3-3B2)
 * Go to the house of Honoi-Gomoi from the back entrance at (E-7), in the southern half of Windurst Waters. Talk to him to receive the Key Item Cracked Mimeo Mirror.
 * Return to Windurst Walls and speak to Yoran-Oran again to learn the method for repairing the mirror.
 * Enter Attohwa Chasm through the Maze of Shakhrami entrance in Tahrongi Canyon (K-5).
 * While on this part of the mission, consider obtaining a Flaxen Pouch from Jakaka at (G-10), near the zone entrance. Trading this to the "Cradle of Rebirth" that you will visit later on will give you an item tradable back to Jakaka for a Key Item that will grant access to the BC area Boneyard Gully. You do not need this for access later in the Promathia missions. Access will be granted because of the Promathia Missions.


 * Head to the East section, then work your way to (K-8) and find a target named "Loose Sand." Checking the target will spawn an Antlion-type NM named Lioumere.
 * A tank is recommended to spawn the NM with, as the Lioumere will use Pit Ambush on the spawning member as it appears. Sneaking the tank to avoid initial aggro will not work in this instance.
 * The Lioumere will "lose" all hate and return to its Spawn Point after it uses a weapon skill. If the Lioumere is allowed to return to its Spawn Point he will recover all HP.. The antlion is susceptible to bind, gravity, and sleep, and is easily soloable as a 60 RDM/WAR, a 75 SMN/WHM, a 70 WHM with roughly 120 enfeebling magic didnt miss a single cast (and gravity stuck for the entire fight), a 70 BLU/NIN (Auto Refresh, Magnetite Cloud, HP Drain Spells, 300TP Chain Affinity+Vorpal Blade+Hysteric Barrage and Store TP Combo Trait).
 * A high lv THF can also solo this mob using Shadowbind appropriately after the mob unleashes its ability. Granted you may not always have tp before it, but is rest assuredly another alternative.
 * Provoke can serve to return Lioumere's attention to the tank.
 * A Beastmaster's Snarl works as well. Just as long as the Beastmaster was attacking.
 * If you have a melee job that can solo it, it's possible to sub Beastmaster and bind it using Charm to keep it from running back to the sands.
 * The Lioumere can be very easily Stunned, using the spell (and all other known methods, most likely). Stun can be used to buy time for Provoke, making the two a potent combination.
 * Spell-voking can't usually work, as the Lioumere returns to the spawn at a rate of movement that places it out of range before most useful magic can be cast.
 * The White Mage spell Flash is ineffective.
 * Pulling the Lioumere as far from the spawn as possible can be known to buy some hate-returning time. (It would be good for a party to ensure that the area they're pulling to is clear of mobs before luring the Lioumere there, however. The Lioumere can link with other antlions regardless of family.)
 * By pulling back and to the left, you can force Lioumere through a small gap in the rocks and turn him around to ensure you can get a hit in as he tries to move through you. It is also an excellent idea if you're a melee job to use your Adventuring Fellow, as they can attack Lioumere when he's moving and interrupt him, since you can't.
 * A DRG/RDM can make Gravity stick as well, it's a good idea to save your Jumps for when he uses a weaponskill. Make sure you pull it a good distance before you stand to fight him.
 * A SMN/WHM at 75 is another very good asset to have as avatars can move and attack much like NPCs and mobs. Since the celestial avatars are past level 70, they have their most painful pre-merit Blood Pacts, namely Garuda's Predator Claws.  With a Summoner the fight lasts at the very most one minute.
 * When fighting it on top of the ???, it recovers after every weapon skill without any prior warning.


 * Upon defeating the Lioumere, check the Loose Sand again to get the Key Item Mimeo Jewel.
 * Next, you'll need to climb the intricate mountain Parradamo Tor. From obtaining your Jewel, you will have 1 hour (Earth time) to reach the "Cradle of Rebirth" target on the Tor's summit before the Jewel breaks.
 * NOTE: On my run (8/1/07) the jewel broke on one of my party members after 30 minutes.  This may need more confirmation


 * You will be warned at various intervals of the Jewel's status. If you can't get to the top in time (you will receive a message that the Jewel has "grown completely dark and shattered"), you'll have to return to the Loose Sand, obtain a new Mimeo Jewel, without having to fight the NM again, and try to climb again.
 * It seems that while you have the Mimeo Jewel key item and disconnects/logs off, you will lose the key item and you would be required to get it again before you climb the mountain.
 * On successive runs (unless there is a new member of your party between then and now who has not yet fought Lioumere), you will not need to fight the NM a second time to get a new Jewel.


 * The starting point for the climb up is located in the northwest corner of (K-9) not far from the Loose Sand. The path is very narrow with no natural barriers to keep you on the trail; one wrong step and you will fall off, or onto an earlier part of the path.
 * Be very careful with your camera control while on the Tor. It's just as easy to fall off the Tor through a misaligned camera especially around corners as losing your way.
 * It is advised not to completely trust auto-follow (Command/follow) in this situation, moving along the Tor manually. This way, if one of your leading members makes a mistake and falls off the Tor (which can be more often than one would think), you will maintain your position on the path.
 * While on the Tor, you will be out of aggro range of most (if not all) mobs. (If you're on a path close to the ground, however, you may wish to check mob positions, using Sneak and Invisible if necessary.


 * Along the way, you will encounter vents of miasma that block your path, similar to the vents in the area surrounding the Tor itself. Unlike those, however, there are some on the Tor that stop venting for a moment, allowing you (very brief) access.
 * To distinguish between a "permanent" or "temporary" vent, wait about one minute while pushing against the vent; if you do not pass through, the vent is permanent. If you encounter a "permanent" vent, it usually indicates that you need to continue by carefully falling off the side of the Tor, landing on a path below. Try to run at an angle with the wall so you keep rubbing against it. This prevents you from getting to far of the narrow path and falling. Be extra careful when crossing the bone bridges as one bad step can cause you to fall.
 * The first two vents you will encounter on the proper path are "permanent."


 * Try to work your way around the Tor in a counter-clockwise direction until you land on a path very close to the base. Stay on it; as soon as you find a ramp leading upward, climb it, then move clockwise as soon as you get off that ramp until you reach the summit.
 * A guide on climbing to the top of the mountain can be found here: Mountain Guide by Grimrising. Also, a video of the climb can be found here.
 * With Sprinter's Shoes, it is possible to reach the summit in about ten minutes. Using them is not necessary, but may allow you a couple of attempts if you were to fall off.
 * Check the target marked "Cradle of Rebirth" at a crack near the center of the summit. After a brief waiting period, you will obtain the following Key Items:
 * Mimeo Feather
 * Second Mimeo Feather
 * Third Mimeo Feather

The Windurstian leg of the mission is now complete.
 * Exit Stage Left (3-3B3)
 * Return to Windurst Walls and talk to Yoran-Oran.
 * Go to Port Windurst and talk to Yujuju (M-6): You may need to speak with her twice.
 * Go to Northern Windurst Waters at (G-8) and talk to Tosuka-Porika, inside the Optistery.
 * Return to Windurst Walls and talk to Yoran-Oran again

Completing the Mission

 * In order to complete the mission, talk to Cid in Bastok Metalworks.

Game Description

 * Mission Orders:

To capture the mysterious boy, you must first locate the fourth mothercrystal. To do this, you have been ordered to travel to the nations of Bastok, Windurst, and San d'Oria to learn of the Multinational Expedition that was held nearly thirty years ago.