After the first time through, you become "more involved" in the cutscene.
Choose one of seven different items to help you in the quest. Whichever you choose will determine your reward:
Bard's Harp -> Prism Powder. When using it on guards, choose "Recent Happy Times" for Militant Gale, "Promotion Day" for Gentle Tiger - other results are neutral/unfavorable. The first time you play for each guard, you receive a small 10 gil reward (one time only -- even repeating the quest in future "cycles" does not reset this). You can play the harp with no limit - using the songs above will allow you to progress to press the switch.
??? (Costume Kit) -> Icarus Wing. The Costume Kit is revealed after completing the quest once with each of the other available options and upon completion of Chameleon Capers. -Note- Only able to be completed once unless you restart the NPC quest.
Scope -> Silent Oil. Allows you to see which NPCs are safe to talk to for hints; useless if you're reading this page. Don't use on hint NPCs or you can miss out on getting one.
Snare -> Hi-Ether You are given several locations in which to lay the snares. This will stop the guards from even challenging your attempts to press the switches, should you place a snare at the location where a switch is. Hint: Put the snares in each of the three switch locations. The "all clear" will be automatic each time you press a switch. The snares cannot be deactivated throughout the quest.
You must examine three switches in the Metalworks a total of 3-10 times, in random order. (e.g., MLSLLSMS, SLMMMSLL, LMSSSMLM, or other random combinations.)
Switch locations:
The small switch ("hardest to find") is underneath a shelf in the Cermet Refinery (G-7), the room north of the elevators.
The medium (or "normal") switch is at the replica (G-8) near the entrance, next to NPC Quasim.
The large switch ("hardest to use") is at the kiln (F-8) just outside of the Blacksmithing Guild.
There are 5 NPCs who will give you hints to the order in which the switches must be deactivated. The nature of the specific hints will vary, but as long as you talk to them, you'll be told everything you need to know. The NPCs are:
"Say something clever" and then choose "Waiting for a friend."
Pensive Beast(Appears only when the Lucky Charm is picked as the help item): If you run into the Lead Guardsman, choose...
"Use the Lucky Charm."
Note: If you are at the wrong switch, he will catch you no matter what.
Salim(Appears in the place of the other guards when the Costume Kit is selected): When you see him...
"Use the Costume Kit" and then select one of the three items (knitted cap, spectacles, silver heels). The knitted cap will transform you into Salim's son Pabro if you're a male character, or his daughter Erba if you're a female character; the spectacles will transform you into Salim's father if you're a male character, or his mother if you're a female character; and the silver heels will transform you into Salim's wife Ulrica regardless of your gender. Any of the 3 transformations will work, and there does not seem to be a limit as to how many times you can transform into the same person during the quest.
Once you see the message "You hear a noise from the direction of the Temple of the Goddess", go back to the temple and check the ??? for a final cutscene to complete the quest and receive your reward. Miledo-Shiraddo (Nambima-Hyonbima) will give you the item you selected previously. On successive repeats of the same item, Salim will instead give you the prize.
This quest can be only be done ONCE per Conquest Tally.
If Luto Mewrilah or Miledo-Shiraddo get caught three times, you must start the quest over. Speak to Salim again and visit the Temple. (The switch order will be reset to a new random order.)
If someone gets caught, DO NOT press the switch again. This will reset all the switches. Go release the NPC that was captured (via the above mentioned method) and head back to the switch that you previously got wrong and try again. The Guardsmen may or may not be the same one.
Helpful Tips
If you are checking the switches in the correct orderand choose the correct action/response to the Galka guards, you will distract the guard, and will be able to check the switch. (Depending on the item you choose to start out with, you may get some additional characters showing in the cutscenes. The one with the Snares is particularly funny.)
If you did it correctly, you will get a message saying "The [First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh] switch has been deactivated."
Once you've deactivated all of the switches, you get a message saying "You hear a noise from the direction of the Temple of the Goddess."
If you did it incorrectly, you will still be able to hit the switch, but you will not get a message. Doing so will also reset the switches that you have pressed thus far; the order will remain the same, but you will have to start from switch #1 again.
Note: If you are caught while trying to activate an incorrect switch, the switches you deactivated up to that point will not be reset. Free whomever was caught then continue from where you left off.
For those who might be logically challenged, here is the simplest way to solve this puzzle. I recommend you make a 3 (high) by 10 (wide) grid on a piece of paper. Label the X axis 1-10 and the Y axis Small-Medium-Large. Now as you talk to the NPC's you can simply make an 'X' in the appropriate box.
Zoning after the quest is complete but your reward is not obtained (EG: Key Ring Belt is in your Mog Safe, you choose the Lucky Charm to reobtain the belt, unlock the switches and get the, "Come back after sorting your inventory." message) you will have to repeat the entire quest. Unknown if you can just click the ??? again if you drop the belt without having to zone without repeating the quest.
If you speak to Folzen first, he will tell you how many switches need to be activated, which will make the graph below easier to fill out.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Small
Medium
Large
Alternate Switch Log Information
If you do not have anything to write with, talk to Folzen first and type in the number of switches in Party Chat (This is best done when NOT in a party).
From here, you can keep track of everything by typing in S (Small), M (Medium), or L (Large) for the switch order.
EX. If Folzen tells you there are 8 switches, type in "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8" in your Party Chat.
Talk to another NPC to find out the switch order. If they reply with something like, "you hould press the smallest switch third, fourth, and fifth," you will then type into your Party Chat, "1 2 3S 4S 5S 6 7 8."
Continue this to get the full order and your list should look something like this, "1L 2M 3S 4S 5S 6M 7L 8M."
Your results may not be the same, but this should help you if you do not have any paper available to write on.
