19
On to Summerford
Main story quest #2, level 4. 19th of 102 in play order.
Quest giver: Baderon, Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (X 11.6, Y 11.1).
Steps
- Speak with Staelwyrn
at Summerford Farms.
Journal
- Baderon, proprietor of the Drowning Wench, wants you to lend a hand at Summerford Farms.
- Staelwyrn, the owner of Summerford Farms, is in need of a helping hand. Leave Limsa Lominsa through the Zephyr Gate and pay a visit to the hardworking farmer.
- Staelwyrn explains that many of his workers were once the crew of his pirate ship, a vessel lost in the destruction of the Calamity. With the former buccaneers less than eager to embrace life on the land, numerous problems are cropping up across the orchard. Seek out those who are struggling with the unruly farmhands and lend what aid you can.
Hidden
plan to ban piracy. Pirates stuck on land are put to work bringing land back into use. This policy keeps coming back in Limsa's story. asks you to 'impress the old bastard'. Before you can say a word, Staelwyrn greets you and calls himself just that. Old friends know each other. Roegadyn name means 'Still Snake'. It fits a sly old pirate captain who now quietly looks after an orchard.Spoiler about later in the story
Foreshadowing Keep in mind that Staelwyrn's farm workers are his old pirate crew. They feel pulled back toward piracy. The whole Summerford chapter, steps 3–9, is built around this.
Characters 3
Baderon, owner of the Drowning Wench, wants you to go and help at Summerford Farms, an orchard outside the city.
What you know from earlier quests 4
- #1 Coming to Limsa Lominsa: Baderon registers you at the Adventurers' Guild. He says the Calamity, a disaster, blurred everyone's memories, even of the heroes called Warriors of Light. He shields you from a suspicious Yellowjacket. He is the only son of Lodewicus, the guild's founder, and left home young.
- #10 Close to Home: Baderon sends you to touch the aetheryte, a travel crystal, to see Swozblaet
with an old 
octant, and to visit the Arcanists' Guild. He blames the Calamity, or the ale, for his poor memory. He urges you to help people in need. - #11 Glory Days: Baderon laughs at the gift: he has hated
aurelia umbrellas since his days as a sellsword, a fighter for hire, when even salt and a campfire did not help. Few sellswords keep all their fingers, so he earned the respected nickname "Tenfingers". - #15 The Rats in the Wharf: Baderon pays you from a huge sack left by a stranger, who said the rats' scurrying noise was driving him mad. Baderon thinks the man was already a bit unwell in the head and doubts he can ever find peace.
Admiral Merlwyb is not in this quest in person; only others speak of the Admiral.
What you know from earlier quests 2
- #6 Edelweiss, Edelweiss: The Encyclopaedia Eorzea says Admiral Merlwyb gave an order that banned piracy. After that order, a group called the Upright Thieves became the Rogues' Guild.
- #10 Close to Home: Murie
says Admiral Merlwyb keeps several arcanists on her personal staff. Fearing their art would die out, as it passed only from master to chosen student, she ordered an official Arcanists' Guild and paid for research and training.
Staelwyrn owns Summerford Farms, an orchard outside Limsa Lominsa. He has asked his old mate Baderon
for an extra pair of hands.
What happens in this quest spoilers for this quest
- Baderon: Staelwyrn, the farm's owner, is Baderon's old mate. He runs it with mostly reformed pirates, trying to bring life back to soil the Calamity ruined. Baderon gave you a glowing recommendation and tells you to work hard and impress 'the old bastard'.
- Merlwyb: Staelwyrn took Admiral Merlwyb's offer to put pirates stuck on land to work in the fields. The panel notes add that Summerford is part of Merlwyb's plan to end piracy by giving former pirates land to work.
- Staelwyrn introduces himself as the 'old bastard'. Many workers are his old pirate crew; the Calamity wrecked their ship and badly hurt him. He took Admiral Merlwyb's farming offer, but his men never took to the soil. His name means 'Still Snake'.
What the French and German versions say 4
French
EN 'Ah, you must be the adventurer Baderon promised to send along. [name], wasn't it?'
FR «Hé, salut ma jolie/petit gars ! Je devine que tu es [name]. Ce vieux briscard de Baderon m'a prévenu de ta visite.», 'Hey there, sweetheart/sonny! I'm guessing you are [name]. That old warhorse Baderon told me you were coming.'
Ex-pirate Staelwyrn is over-familiar from the first word, with the familiar «tu», 'you'. The English Staelwyrn politely checks your name.
German
EN 'I'd like ye to visit an orchard by the name o' Summerford Farms.'
DE „Viele der dortigen Siedler sind ehemalige Piraten, die sesshaft geworden sind. Ackerpiraten werden sie manchmal genannt.“, 'Many of the settlers there are former pirates who have settled down. Field pirates, they are sometimes called.'
An Acker is a ploughed field, and the word is also the German title.
EN 'Well, it turns out you can take the pirate away from the sea, but you can't take the sea away from the pirate.'
DE „Manche sind auf einem Schiff geboren und allein der Gedanke, festen Boden unter den Füßen zu haben, machte sie schwindelig. Landkrank, sozusagen.“, 'Some were born on a ship, and the mere thought of solid ground under their feet made them dizzy. Land-sick, so to speak.' · „seekrank“, 'seasick'
Staelwyrn's ship-born men are seasick the other way round.
EN 'But the Calamity did for our ship, like it did so many others, and I was sore wounded into the bargain.'
DE „Beinah auch mein Leben, aber alle Sirenen der Weltmeere waren mir hold und ich wurde gerettet.“, 'Nearly my life too, but all the sirens of the seven seas smiled on me and I was rescued.'
Staelwyrn thanks the sea spirits, like a true sailor. The English Staelwyrn only says he was badly hurt.
Dialogue 11 lines
Accepting the quest
Baderon
Still in Limsa, are ye, [name]? 'Ow'd ye fancy a trip outside the city walls?
I'd like ye to visit an orchard by the name o' Summerford Farms. Ever 'eard o' the place? The owner, Staelwyrn, is an old mate o' mine.
- DE Viele der dortigen Siedler sind ehemalige Piraten, die sesshaft geworden sind. Ackerpiraten werden sie manchmal genannt. ‘Many of the settlers there are former pirates who have settled down. Field pirates, they are sometimes called.’ An Acker is a ploughed field, and the word is also the German title.
'E's got 'imself a crew o' mostly reformed pirate types, if ye can believe that, and 'as been tryin' to bring a bit o' life back to the fields after the Calamity ruined the soil. 'E mentioned needin' another 'and or two, and yer name sprang to mind.
I gave ye a glowin' recommendation, so make sure ye work 'ard and impress the old bastard. Ye need directions? The place ain't 'ard to find: just take the Zephyr Gate out o' the city, and follow the road northeast.
- FR Passe le bonjour à Staelwyrn de ma part quand tu le verras. ‘Say hello to Staelwyrn for me when you see him.’ French just sends friendly greetings; English tells you to work hard and impress "the old bastard".
Speak with Staelwyrn at Summerford Farms.
Staelwyrn
Ah, you must be the adventurer Baderon promised to send along. [name], wasn't it?
- FR Hé, salut ma jolie/petit gars ! Je devine que tu es [name]. Ce vieux briscard de Baderon m'a prévenu de ta visite. ‘Hey there, sweetheart/sonny! I'm guessing you are [name]. That old warhorse Baderon told me you were coming.’ Ex-pirate Staelwyrn is over-familiar from the first word, with the familiar «tu», 'you'. The English Staelwyrn politely checks your name.
You honored his word, so that's a good start. I'm Staelwyrn, the “old bastard,” as Baderon likely described me, and this here is my humble orchard.
A good number of the lads and lasses workin' here once terrorized the high seas. And if you're wonderin' why I employ these scrags, well, they used to crew my pirate ship.
But the Calamity did for our ship, like it did so many others, and I was sore wounded into the bargain.
- DE Beinah auch mein Leben, aber alle Sirenen der Weltmeere waren mir hold und ich wurde gerettet. ‘Nearly my life too, but all the sirens of the seven seas smiled on me and I was rescued.’ Staelwyrn thanks the sea spirits, like a true sailor. The English Staelwyrn only says he was badly hurt.
I had to feed myself and my crew somehow, and Admiral Merlwyb's initiative to get us landlocked buccaneers workin' the fields seemed too fine an offer to refuse.
- DE Also setzte ich mich bei Admiral Merlwyb dafür ein, dass sie sich in dieser Gegend als Landwirte niederlassen durften. ‘So I lobbied Admiral Merlwyb for them to be allowed to settle in this area as farmers.’ English: he took up Admiral Merlwyb's initiative; German: he himself lobbied Merlwyb to let them settle.
Well, it turns out you can take the pirate away from the sea, but you can't take the sea away from the pirate. A lot of my blokes just never took to tendin' the soil, you see.
- DE Manche sind auf einem Schiff geboren und allein der Gedanke, festen Boden unter den Füßen zu haben, machte sie schwindelig. Landkrank, sozusagen. ‘Some were born on a ship, and the mere thought of solid ground under their feet made them dizzy. Land-sick, so to speak.’ Staelwyrn's ship-born men are seasick the other way round.
And unfortunately, the botanists I called in to train 'em have been wringin' their hands in black despair. With so much work pilin' up, I need a tougher soul like you to step in and help where it's needed.