Life, Materia and Everything

Main story quest #37, level 19. 107th of 173 in play order.

Quest giver: Minfilia, The Waking Sands (X 6.9, Y 6.1).

Next: Lord of the Inferno ›

Steps

Present Minfilia's dagger to Mutamix at the Bonfire.
Deliver the materia-enhanced dagger to Minfilia.

Journal

Minfilia would like you to meet a distinguished individual.
Minfilia would like you to meet a goblin scholar named Mutamix, who she claims is responsible for introducing a revolutionary method of enhancing gear to Eorzea. Make your way to the goblin's encampment at the Bonfire in central Thanalan, and present Minfilia's dagger to him.
Arriving at the Bonfire, you are treated to a zany display by Mutamix and his students. Upon learning your identity, the knowledgeable goblin proceeds to teach you the basics of materia, a type of crystal which can be melded to items to enhance their properties. Assuming you understood correctly, only experienced Disciples of the Hand are capable of attaching these crystals. Take yourself back to the Waking Sands, and present Minfilia with her freshly enhanced dagger.
Minfilia impresses upon you the importance of being well equipped for battle, and encourages you to use materia to maximize the effectiveness of your gear. Keep her words in mind when preparing for the missions ahead.

Hidden

Lore Like all goblins, Mutamix

wears a mask. A rumor says that pulling a goblin's mask off by force sets off explosives hidden inside it.

In-game text The item text of

Minfilia's dagger adds a joke: the only thing special about the plain blade is that the hilt 'does smell quite nice'.

Title reference The title plays on 'Life, the Universe and Everything', the third Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book by Douglas Adams. Here 'the Universe' is swapped for materia.

Characters 5

Minfilia
Minfilia wants you to meet a goblin scholar she knows, so you can prepare for battle.
What you know from earlier quests 4
- #99 The Scions of the Seventh Dawn: She welcomes you home after five years, as Louisoix said. The Scions protect Eorzea from the primals, godlike beings. Your power, the Echo, shows people's pasts and lets you understand any speech. She has it too, asks your help, and shares the password "wild rose."
- #100 A Wild Rose by Any Other Name: Minfilia welcomes you to the Scions and introduces its leaders. She thinks people forget you because of the power Louisoix used to save your life. She asks you to lead an investigation into crimes in Ul'dah that may involve a primal, a godlike being.
- #101 Unsolved Mystery: Isembard says Minfilia names the Amalj'aa as the culprits behind the disappearances, so he advises you to look into them first.
- #106 Dressed to Deceive: Thancred sends you to report to Minfilia. She praises your work and says only the Amalj'aa know where the abducted were taken. She fears blood must be spilled before this is over.
Mutamix
Mutamix Bubblypots is a goblin scholar at the Bonfire in central Thanalan, famous for bringing a new way to strengthen gear to Eorzea.
Swynbroes
Swynbroes is one of Mutamix's students at the Bonfire in central Thanalan.
Kokosamu
Kokosamu is one of Mutamix's students at the Bonfire in central Thanalan.
Thancred
What you know from earlier quests 7
- #97 Into a Copper Hell: Thancred has watched you since you left Ul'dah and praises your work as envoy and your selflessness, though the rescue was a happy accident. Thancred asks about your visions, knows a woman with the same talent, and invites you to join the Scions.
- #99 The Scions of the Seventh Dawn: In one version of this scene, you come at Thancred's request, and Tataru is startled to hear the name.
- #100 A Wild Rose by Any Other Name: Thancred is an Archon, a charming bard, and the Scions' man in Ul'dah. He explains the caravan robbery and the missing people, which point to the Amalj'aa, worshipers of the primal Ifrit. He sends you to Isembard at Camp Drybone.
- #103 A Proper Burial: Thancred meets Isembard at Camp Drybone. He spoke with Ungust many times. He suspects Sister Ourcen, since people confess to her behind closed doors. Ourcen heard he took offense at the lichkeeper Marques, and he thinks he has seen that face before.
- #104 For the Children: Isembard says Ourcen's risky search for an orphan's keepsake is not the kind of evil deed Thancred would have them believe.
- #105 Amalj'aa Wrong Places: Thancred admits his suspicion of Ourcen was misplaced. While following her, he tracked a band of Amalj'aa to their camp, but he asks you to search inside. He finds the leaflet badly written and thinks the culprit poses as a priest.
- #106 Dressed to Deceive: Thancred plans for you both to pose as poor vagrants. At the pond north of Sandgate he unmasks the false priest as Ungust. He scorns Ungust for trading lives for coin, questions him, and stays to learn more while you report to Minfilia.

What happens in this quest spoilers for this quest

Minfilia lends you a dagger to take to Mutamix. She admires how much one piece of materia improves it, and urges you to use materia, since good gear can decide victory or defeat. She then turns to your next mission.
Mutamix and his students greet you with a lively show. He speaks in short, unusual phrases. He melds materia, a gear-boosting crystal, into Minfilia's weak dagger. He says you need crafting knowledge to meld materia yourself and points you to his students.
Swynbroes helps with the show, hands Mutamix the materia, and calls him Master. Swynbroes explains that materia is a kind of crystal, made by drawing the aether, or magic energy, out of a piece of gear.
Kokosamu helps with the show and explains that materia joined to gear gives it power. Kokosamu says Master Mutamix turned your dagger from something too weak to cut steak into a weapon worth wielding.

Dialogue 28 lines

Accepting the quest

Minfilia

Though we seek a peaceful solution to the primal problem, we must needs be ready to fight for our cause. That you might take to the field suitably prepared, I would have you meet with a goblin acquaintance of mine. His name is Mutamix Bubblypots, and he is a scholar of no small repute.

DE Es ist vielleicht an der Zeit, dass du mit einer wichtigen Technik vertraut wirst, um dich besser für die kommenden Herausforderungen zu wappnen. ‘Perhaps it is time that you became familiar with an important technique, to better arm yourself for the coming challenges.’ English says Minfilia wants you to meet a goblin acquaintance; German says she wants you to learn an important technique.

Mutamix is renowned for having introduced a revolutionary method of enhancing equipment to Eorzea.

FR Or, il aimerait aujourd'hui l'enseigner au plus grand nombre. ‘Now, he would like to teach it today to as many people as possible.’ English says he is renowned for having introduced the method to Eorzea; French says he now wants to teach it widely.
JA そして、それを冒険者に広めたいと考えている……。 ‘And he wants to spread it among adventurers...’ English says he has already introduced the method to Eorzea; Japanese says he wants to spread it among adventurers.

The knowledge of this method was once a closely guarded secret, but thanks to Mutamix and his students, it has now been disseminated to the great benefit of all the realm.

FR En ces temps difficiles, il a choisi de partager ses connaissances pour aider comme il peut. ‘In these difficult times, he has chosen to share his knowledge to help as best he can.’ English says the method was once a closely guarded secret; French says he chose to share it in difficult times.
FR Il a donc choisi une région dont les habitants n'ont pas de préjugés envers les Gobelins pour commencer à enseigner cet art. ‘So he chose a region whose inhabitants have no prejudice against Goblins to begin teaching this art.’ English says the method has spread to benefit the whole realm; French says he chose a region without anti-goblin prejudice to start teaching.
DE Viele waren anfangs gegen ihn eingenommen, weil er ein Goblin ist, und gegen die halten sich ja hartnäckige Vorurteile. ‘Many were set against him at first because he is a goblin, and stubborn prejudices persist against them.’ English says the method was once a closely guarded secret; German says many were prejudiced against him for being a goblin.
DE Aber er hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, unvoreingenommene Abenteurer in seine revolutionäre Technologie der Materiaverarbeitung einzuweihen. ‘But he has made it his task to initiate unprejudiced adventurers into his revolutionary technology of materia processing.’ English says the method has now spread to benefit the realm; German says he aims to teach unprejudiced adventurers.
JA ゴブリン族に偏見を持たないFF07E7AFA4E5ADA6FF0DE381A8E3818FE3818CE3818Fの士に未来を託したいと、常々言っているそうなの。 ‘Apparently he always says he wants to entrust the future to scholarly people who hold no prejudice against goblins.’ English says the method has spread across the realm; Japanese says he wants to entrust the future to scholars unprejudiced against goblins.

It would serve you well to acquire an understanding of the process. For this purpose, I shall lend you a blade. Take it to Mutamix, and bid him use it to demonstrate his craft to you.

Mutamix is ever to be found at his camp in central Thanalan─a place known as the Bonfire. Look for a pillar of smoke, and the way will become clear.

Present Minfilia's dagger to Mutamix at the Bonfire.

Mutamix

Pshhh... Shkohhh...? Who is uplander come to tent-ring of Mutamix Bubblypots?

Swynbroes

Fighty-tool drinks in airyself.

FR L'âme d'une lame porte les larmes de l'homme, Et les matérias en sont l'expression matérielle... ‘The soul of a blade carries the tears of man, and materia are its material expression...’ English says the weapon drinks in airyself; French rhymes that a blade's soul carries man's tears.

When full of airyself, fighty-tool changes to stonyshine, name of materia.

FR Changeant en joyaux la vieille pacotille ! ‘Changing old junk into jewels!’ English says the weapon itself changes to stonyshine, materia; French says materia turn old junk into jewels.

Kokosamu

If materia join with other fighty-tool...

Mutamix

Then bigeyes! Fighty-tool gains power of airyself!

DE Versuchen wir jetzt eigenselbst, ja? ‘Let's try it our-own-selves now, yes?’ English says the weapon gains power of airyself; German suggests trying it themselves now.
JA はようためしてみたいぞなー！ ‘I want to try it out quick!’ English says the weapon gains power of airyself; Japanese says he wants to try it right away.

Pshhh... Shkohhh... Mutamix is reckoning that uplander is friend of Minfilia.

FR L'aventurière/L'aventurier n'a rien à faire ici, si ? ‘Pshhh... The adventurer has no business here, right?’ English: Mutamix reckons you are a friend of Minfilia; French: he suggests you have no business here.
DE Haben wir schon Freundewerden mit Schüttelhand? ‘Have we already done friend-becoming with shake-hand?’ English: Mutamix reckons you are a friend of Minfilia; German: he asks whether you have become friends by handshake.
JA おぬしゃだれぞなにもんぞ～？ ‘Who are you, what manner of one are you?’ English: Mutamix reckons you are a friend of Minfilia; Japanese: he asks who you are.

Yesss, tongueflaps reach ears of Mutamix with fastness.

Minfilia wants uplander to see power of materia. Uplander brings fighty-tool to Mutamix, yes?

Shkohhh! Fighty-tool is unstrong as eating-tool! Make good teachy-show of power of materia!

FR Et si l'aventurière/aventurier n'y sertit pas de matéria, elle le restera ! ‘And if the adventurer does not meld materia into it, it will stay that way!’ English says the weak weapon makes a good demonstration; French says it will stay worthless without materia.
DE Pssssssshhhh, stumpfrund wie Gilmünze! ‘Pssssssshhhh, blunt-round as a gil coin!’ English compares the weak weapon to an eating-tool; German compares it to a gil coin.
JA マテリアつけにゃしょんぼいままぞ～！ ‘Without attaching materia, it stays lousy!’ English says the weak weapon makes a good demonstration; Japanese says it stays lousy without materia.

Swynbroes

The materia, Master.

Mutamix

Now eyes of uplander point at fighty-tool, yes? Pshhh... Shkohhh... Materia join with fighty-tool...

Fighty-tool gains power of materia! Fighty-tool reborn! Here, uplander take fighty-tool to Minfilia!

DE Mutagenix wird gratisschenken an Minfilia. ‘Mutagenix will free-gift it to Minfilia.’ English tells you to take the weapon to Minfilia; German says Mutagenix gives it to Minfilia for free.

Swynbroes

Materia, strictly speaking, is a kind of crystal. It is created by drawing out the aetheric constituents from a piece of equipment and then crystallizing them.

Not just any old equipment will serve, mind you. It must have sufficient spiritbond─that being a measure of how fully an item has been imbued with its owner's spirit.

FR Fixer cette cristallisation sur un autre objet perrrmet de lui conférer de nouvelles capacités, héritées de l'objet dont l'essence des souvenirs a été transformée en matéria. ‘Fixing this crystallization onto another object makes it possible to give it new abilities, inherited from the object whose essence of memories was turned into materia.’ English explains the gear needs sufficient spiritbond; French explains that fixing the crystal onto another item grants new abilities.
DE Aber sobald du Materia gewonnen hast, kannst du sie in einen anderen Gegenstand einsetzen und seine Eigenschaften damit verbessern. ‘But once you have obtained materia, you can set it into another item and improve its properties with it.’ English explains the gear needs sufficient spiritbond; German instead explains setting materia into another item.
JA そうしてできたマテリアを新たな装備品に装着することで、想いの力を受け継がせ、性質を強化できるわ。 ‘The materia made this way, by being attached to new equipment, passes on the power of feelings and can strengthen its properties.’ English explains the gear needs sufficient spiritbond; Japanese explains attaching materia to new equipment to pass on its power.

Kokosamu

When ye attach a piece o' materia to gear, ye imbue the host item with its power. That's how Master Mutamix turned that dagger o' yours from summat as would've struggled to cut steak into a weapon worth wieldin'.

Mutamix

Pshhh... Shkohhh... Uplander wishes to be joiner of materia?

Then uplander best fill braincase with knowings of crafty-making.

With knowings of crafty-making, uplander can become joiner of materia.

JA おぬしの武具はてんかいち～！ ‘Your gear will be the best under heaven!’ English says you can become a joiner of materia; Japanese says your gear will be the best in the world.

If uplander wants braincase to rattle with knowings of materia, uplander best trade tongueflaps with learny-ones of Mutamix.

Deliver the materia-enhanced dagger to Minfilia.

Minfilia

Welcome back, [name]. I trust your visit to the Bonfire proved fruitful.

Ahhh...what a remarkable difference a single piece of materia can make! Granted, the skills needed to manipulate the substance are not easily acquired, but one need only look upon the results to realize such efforts are worthwhile.

As I am sure you are aware, the quality of one's equipment can be the difference between victory and defeat. Materia may well give you the edge you need, [name], so make it your ally.

Now, it is time we discussed the matter of your next mission. Pray speak with me when you are ready to begin.

FR Thancred nous a justement contactés, il a de nouvelles informations. ‘Thancred has just contacted us, he has new information.’ English asks you to speak with her when ready; French says Thancred has just contacted them with new information.
DE Thancred hat uns gerade höchst bedeutsame Informationen überbracht. ‘Thancred has just brought us highly significant information.’ English asks you to speak with her when ready; German says Thancred has just brought important information.
JA ちょうど、サンクレッドから報告が入っているの。 ‘Just now, a report has come in from Thancred.’ English asks you to speak with her when ready; Japanese says a report has just come in from Thancred.