The Root of the Problem

The Root of the Problem
Starting NPC	Chumimi - Heavens Tower
Required Fame	None
Items Needed	Silk Cloth
Additional Requirements	Black Mage 50+
Title	Paragon of Black Mage Excellence
Repeatable	Yes, by erasing AF memory
Rewards
Wizard's Petasos

← Previous Quest	Next Quest →
Recollections	None

Toraimarai Canal

Gate of Earth

Composite map to Toraimarai Canal

Walkthrough

• Talk to Chumimi in Heavens Tower to get a cutscene. Zoning out of Heavens Tower is required after finishing the Recollections quest. You will need to be Black Mage.
• Then talk to Koru-Moru at (E-7) in Windurst Walls and trade him a Silk Cloth.
• Go back to Chumimi for another cutscene. You will receive a Sluice Surveyor Mark I, which is a magic doll.
• Head into Toraimarai Canal via the Three Mage Gate, or through Windurst Walls if you have the Rhinostery Certificate.
  • You must stay on BLM while investigating the first two ???s. At one point the magic doll will tell you to use your "BLACK POWER," and you will need to use Manafont. You can change to any job afterwards.
  • If you don't have access, you can also have someone that has access Tractor you through the Three Mage Gate. Once you Tractor said person, raise them.

The ??? Locations

• The first ??? is at (H-7) of the first map of the Toraimarai Canal, fairly close to the Horutoto entrance.
  • These are not the sparkling ???'s. Check it and get a cutscene where the doll absorbs the magic. To get the cutscene, you must be on the same side of the gate as the ???- you can receive text from either side, but only one side will give the cutscene.
• The second ??? is at (I-9) on the same map, on the west side of that gate. Check the ??? for a cutscene, use Manafont, and check the ??? once again for a second cutscene. Manafont requires you to be BLM.

*FROM THIS POINT ON YOU CAN BE ON ANY JOB TO DO THE NM FIGHT.

• Head to the third ??? at (J-8). When you examine it, the NM Magic Sludge will spawn.
• There are two ??? at the (J-8) spawn point less than a half-inch apart. If you receive the message "There is nothing out of the ordinary here" and you successfully eradicated the first two magic stagnations, you may be trying the wrong ??? and simply need to look carefully at which one you have selected.

The Fight

• It is highly recommended that you clear the room of any regular mobs before popping the NM and then pulling the NM into the hallway to avoid aggro once the mobs respawn.
• The NM is like all other elementals in that it's highly resistant to physical attacks, but is also resistant to magic. Some ways to get around the damage resistances are:
  • a MNK with Chi Blast or Formless Strikes
  • Any sword user using Spirits Within
  • A SMN using Diabolos's Blood Pact Nether Blast
• While the NM may have some magic resistance, a 75BLM or RDM is easily able to nuke the NM with little resistance.
• You also may choose to use some Poison Potions if you want to reduce the danger of the Sleepga it can cast.
• You do not have to kill this once per Black Mage; simply clear the area and have each BLM pop the Magic Sludge with sneak letting the elemental depop each time. Then when the last BLM pops kill Magic Sludge then have all Blms examine the ??? for the CS. Meaning you only have to fight once. It takes 3 minutes to depop, and you must wait 3 minutes after that to repop it. (Confirmation needed - just completed this for 2 people and only had to pop and fight the NM once)
• Defeat Magic Sludge and click on the ??? again for a cutscene.
  • If you wipe while trying to kill the NM, simply raise up, wait for full heal, and pop the ??? again. You are not required to go and check the other two ???'s again before repopping Magic Sludge. You do not have to redo the first two ??? if you have to home point.

Completing the Quest

*NOTE (4/10/2024): This optional section does not appear to be possible on Horizon at this time.

• (Optional) Zone into Inner Horutoto Ruins from Toraimarai Canal for another cutscene about an unclassifiable sealed area.
  • You can skip this cutscene by warping out or exiting through the Priming Gate into Windurst Walls. You can exit through it even if you lack the Rhinostery Certificate to use it as an entrance. You will still get your hat, but cannot proceed with the remaining cutscenes in the Optional section.
• Head back to Chumimi in Heavens Tower for the required cutscene to receive your reward.

Optional

• If you received the Inner Horutoto Ruins cutscene Talk to Kupipi in Heavens Tower, she is behind the reception desk near the Starway Stairway door, and receive an Earthen Charm (Temporary Key Items).
• Head back into Horutoto and click on the Gate of Earth (I-7) in the room full of Wendigos to get the real final cutscene.

• • You can head past the Three Mage Gate or if you have the Rhinostery Certificate, head through the Priming Gate in Windurst Walls into Toraimarai Canal.