Emblem of Steadfast Valor/Story

EventStory

A Hero's Approval!

Main article: A Hero's Approval!

Quest Description

A combat readiness liaison is awaiting your help outside the Stadium of the Sacred Flame's Speaker's Chamber...

(Talk to Irade): Irade: You're finally here, great hero!; Irade: I have waited here for a long time indeed, but your arrival has made it all worth it. Ah, the very sight of you is as rejuvenating balm!; Indeed, my timing is impeccable.; Err... So, what's the situation?; Paimon: Wow, the atmosphere suddenly got so... formal... Does Paimon, um, also have to speak really formally too?; Irade: Ah, not to worry, hero, noble guide. Allow me to introduce this situation in brief.; Irade: I am but a humble staff member at the Speaker's Chamber. Irade is my name, and I assist our Archon in the training of various tribal patrol squads.; Irade: Tradition dictates that, after a certain period of time has passed, new warriors are to be selected from amongst the youth of the tribes to join these squads.; Irade: At the same time, we must prepare sterner tests for the veteran members such that they never cease to challenge themselves and improve.; Irade: The relevant selection and examination stages are designed via cooperation between the combat readiness liaisons and outstanding warriors from every tribe...; Paimon: Yeah, alright, Paimon can see where this is going!; Paimon: Don't worry! (‍Traveler‍)'s a real pro when it comes to combat and tests of speed, so (‍heText for male Traveler‍/‍sheText for female Traveler‍) should be able to help you come up with lots of cool stages!; Are you going to send me a commission, then?; Are you going to be my client?; Irade: Hardly, hardly! I would not presume to ask you to do that which was my job from the first, great hero! That would not only be a dereliction of my duty, but a slight against you, to boot!; Irade: The design of all the exam stages has already been completed. I'd just like to request that you, great hero, help us "certify" their suitability, and, at the same time, set an example for our warriors.; Irade: Just as written exams demand perfect scores, so too must lofty targets for practical skills be set. Mighty warriors will take the lead in clearing these challenges, and this will greatly motivate their juniors.; Irade: For example, exam stages related to the Children of Echoes will be certified by "Baraka" Xilonen...; Irade: While we've asked "Malipo" Kinich and "Vuka" Chasca to deal with those of the Scions of the Canopy and the Flower-Feather Clan, which has led to many warriors gladly taking on said challenges...; Paimon: Ah, so that's what you're going for... In that case, aren't you asking (‍Traveler‍) to become— How do you say it again?; Paimon: Oh, right! "The unattainable horizon"!; Alright. This ace shall set the pace.; Irade: That's the spirit! That's our hero!; Still, Paimon, let's stay humble. Teyvat's full of skilled fighters.; Irade: Ah, such modesty — truly, you are a virtuous hero!; Irade: In that case, allow me to mark some exam stage locations out on the map. Feel free to visit them and show us what you've got!

Open-World Dialogue

One-time dialogue; the characters will disappear after the player talks to them.

Kinich

(Talk to Kinich near the Twist 'n' Spin 'n' Zig 'n' Zag challenge)^{[Note 1]}

Kinich: A courier told me that our combat readiness liaison found an excellent certification officer.

Kinich: Turns out that it's you. An encouraging sign.

Ajaw: Tsk, so they've even gone to YOU, of all people? Hey, Kinich, looks like freaks of a feather do flock together — this commission-freak never learned to say no either!

Kinich: Oh, look. A new commission notification — "to shut a noisy dragon up."

Oh, that? I just posted it.

Ajaw: You... You... So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Ganging up on the Almighty Dragonlord... Just you wait!

Oh, don't worry, you can handle that one later.

Ajaw: Hmph! Do you think such paltry flattery means that the Almighty Dragonlord will owe you one or something?

Kinich: Anyway, back on topic, (‍‍). We'd like your help certifying these stages. Their difficulty and balance should be up to par.

Ajaw: Difficulty? Where? Pfft! Don't be ridiculous.

Kinich: And what would you consider difficult? "Have them randomly pick some halfwit partner before rappelling down a mountain blindfolded"?

Kinich: And perhaps you'd also make it so that they'd only have a ten-percent chance of getting a Yumkasaur buddy, with their other options being Avatars of Lava or Geo Slimes?

That's practically begging for death.

Ajaw: Hah, haven't you been tagging along with my little lackey long enough to know that that's just what the Scions of the Canopy love doing? My suggestion's perfect for them.

Kinich: Perhaps you'd like to give us a demonstration, then?

Oooh, now we're really talking...

Ajaw: Hark! Hark! Now here's a person of refined tastes — way better than yours, at least!

But I'd love to watch Ajaw show us how a pro does it first.

Kinich: I second that motion, Ajaw. You are much more agile than the average challenger. And even if a monster gets lucky and lands a hit, not like you'll get smacked straight into an Ajaw-shaped hole in the ground, right?

Ajaw: ...Such trivial challenges are far beneath the Almighty Dragonlord's dignity. Just amuse yourselves however you please, peons!

Kinich: In any case, Irade offered me a good rate. Here's to you finding enjoyment in the challenge — and receiving satisfactory payment.

I'm looking forward to it!

Leave it to me, Kinich!

Kinich: I wish you well.

Xilonen

(Talk to Xilonen near the Indomitable Diamond-Breaking Will challenge)^{[Note 1]}

Xilonen: Phew... The weather sure is nice. This trip out was well worth it.

Xilonen: Hmm? Do my eyes deceive me, or do I spy our "TumainiHope"?

What a coincidence, Xilonen.

I took Irade's commission.

You tell Xilonen about Irade and the exam stages...

Xilonen: Ah, I see... I almost forgot. I did lend her a hand earlier. In fact, our tribe's stage is nearby.

Xilonen: At first, she only got the "Calamity of Tetlahuitl," Nkunga, and the "Sand Dagger of Seit'aad," Amuru, to help her out.

Xilonen: But those two aren't big on "mobility," preferring head-on clashes, so the resulting feedback was skewed.

Xilonen: First thing Pacal did after hearing that was to ask me to give some suggestions.

So the current stage is your work, then?

Xilonen: More or less. Pacal, Irade, and I made a few minor modifications after some discussion.

Xilonen: Now, the stages are more about getting yourself to advantageous ground quick and managing a shifting fulcrum in the heat of battle.

You... really make just about everything, don't you...

Xilonen: Eh, it's just a few simple devices. They weren't that hard to build.

Xilonen: A one-time effort on my part for a continuous pipeline of stronger warriors for our tribe? That's a good deal — especially since I can use that extra free time to work through my commission backlog...

Allow me to accept your trial, then!

Let's hope you didn't make this too difficult...

Xilonen: Please, everyone in Natlan has witnessed your strength. I doubt there's a challenge out there that could trip you up.

Xilonen: Anyway, the stage is over there. Go try it out if you're interested.

Chasca

(Talk to Chasca near the Ascend, Seek, Destroy challenge)^{[Note 1]}

Chasca: No wonder I had a nagging feeling that I should come over and have a look... Well met, "TumainiHope."

Chasca: Let me guess. You're here for the Flower-Feather Clan's warrior trial?

That's right. I'm here to certify its difficulty!

Chasca: You won't be disappointed, then. I've got nothing but the highest standards for Qucusaur Riders.

Chasca: Teaching's not my strong suit, so when I was invited to design these stages, I went with "recalling tough challenges and piling them in one after the other."

I could've come for you, for all you know.

Chasca: Oh? That so...

Chasca: So you wanna "transcend" my record, then? That's just my speed. I'll have to [sic] you know that I started by stuffing these stages full of tough challenges that I've faced in the past.

Chasca: The result was... a ninety-nine percent failure rate on the part of our tribe's warriors — on the first stage, no less. As a result... There wasn't any choice but to take Irade's advice and tune the difficulty down a notch.

Chasca: But I doubt that even the trials as they originally stood would have truly stretched you. If we wanted that... We'd have to go with situations even I would prove helpless in.

Thanks for the kind words, but I don't need special treatment!

Haha, don't put me on a pedestal, now!

Chasca: No, I do believe you worthy of such respect. I'm no teacher, but I've never misjudged the strength of those I meet.

Chasca: And as far as yours is concerned... only the most trying of challenges would befit you.

I need to consider the stages' suitability for ordinary warriors, though...

The universality of the stages is not to be overlooked either!

Chasca: ...Fair enough. You've got a task to complete, and we'll have more opportunities in the future.

Chasca: One day, I'll lay out a banquet table of battle that "transcends" the pinnacle of Qucusaur Rider ability, just for you.

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Does not appear if Archon Quest Chapter V: Act V - Incandescent Ode of Resurrection has not been completed.

[AQreq-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Does not appear if Archon Quest Chapter V: Act V - Incandescent Ode of Resurrection has not been completed.

[Note 1]