Quest Explained Wiki

Side questLevel 15

Mountains out of Molehills

Quest giver S'nairoh in Western La Noscea

Summary and analysis

SummaryAnalysis

S'nairoh mistakes harmless hedgemoles for an attack of adamantoises (giant tortoises) and must stand down again. She hopes to become an officer, but fears losing pay she spends on ale. Blaming too much ale-fed blood, she rushes off to be treated with leeches.

Private S'nairoh's blunders

Comic relief at Aleport's garrison that introduces Commander Falkbryda of Camp Skull Valley.

Aleport Docks

Aleport and Camp Skull Valley (Ch. 7): the coast where the envoy's tour begins, facing the Sahagin and pirate smugglers.

Pirates and the AdmiralBeast tribes and primals

What happens, step by step

  1. Storm Private S'nairoh smells of salt, malt, and bad ideas, and appears intent on securing your services again.
  2. Despite your misgivings, you accept a task from S'nairoh. Leave her to her dubious schemes, and slay five hedgemoles.
  3. With the grace of the Twelve, you prevailed against these mostly harmless creatures. Report the happy news to S'nairoh.
  4. The hedgemoles had no designs on Aleport. They must be commended for fighting so bravely for their lives. Not all is lost, since the good private will now spend her diminished coin on leeches rather than ale.
Where it leads

Next in the play order: Walk of Shame. S'nairoh asks you to carry her report to Commander Falkbryda at Camp Skull Valley.

Key lines explained

The lines worth a second look, in the order you hear them, and what each one means.

Report to Private S'nairoh

S'nairoh“Stand down forthwith”? Not again! But surely these adamantoises are a clear and present─ ...Hedgemoles? You're certain? Well, but, that's like an adamantoise except, ah, weak and not at all dangerous...
Easter egg

The phrase 'mostly harmless' is what The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy says about Earth. S'nairoh stops at 'clear and present'. It comes from the common phrase 'clear and present danger'.

S'nairohWhy, oh why? Perhaps I have been cursed by some enemy? Not very likely for a mere storm private, second class or no. Now the commander will dock my pay and leave my whistle dry as dust.
Remember thisPirates and the Admiral

S'nairoh's 'storm private, second class' is a real Maelstrom rank. If you join the Maelstrom later in the main story, you start one rank below her. You start as Storm Private Third Class.

S'nairohWhat? It could be that my humours are out of balance from a surfeit of ale? And thus─I see it now─there is excess blood, which has overfed my martial zeal! your name, your learned ways have shown me the light! Much thanks─I go now to receive a leeching!
Easter egg

S'nairoh blames too much ale-fed blood and rushes off to be treated with leeches. This jokes about medieval medicine based on humours, or body fluids. It used leeches when the humours were out of balance.

More about this quest

LoreTrade and the city

Just as its name says, Aleport does a good trade in grog. Low taxes on many kinds of brewed drinks help this trade.

In-game text

Encyclopaedia Eorzea says adamantoises are huge tortoises from the island of Thavnair. They were brought to Eorzea by mistake. They came mixed in with a shipment of dodo eggs.

Title reference

To make a mountain out of a molehill means to make a big fuss over nothing. Here it happens almost for real. S'nairoh thinks a few hedgemoles are an attack of adamantoises, which are giant tortoises.

Characters

Who they are, and what they do in this quest.

S'nairoh

Storm Private S'nairoh, smelling of salt and ale, wants your help again. Her commander has warned her pay is at risk after the puk mix-up.

S'nairoh mistakes harmless hedgemoles for an attack of adamantoises (giant tortoises) and must stand down again. She hopes to become an officer, but fears losing pay she spends on ale. Blaming too much ale-fed blood, she rushes off to be treated with leeches.

Falkbryda

Falkbryda is a commander over S'nairoh. S'nairoh only mentions her; she does not appear.

S'nairoh says Commander Falkbryda threatened to cut her pay if she caused another false alarm. After the hedgemole mix-up, S'nairoh expects the commander to cut it.

Other languages

The game was written in Japanese and rewritten, not just translated, for each language. Here is what the other versions say, next to the English.

Japanese黒渦団新兵、焦燥す
‘Maelstrom Recruit, Fretting’
FrenchHéritaupes encombrants
‘Cumbersome Hedgemoles’
GermanDer übereifrige Sturmmariner
‘The Overeager Storm Mariner’
English, S'nairoh

Well, I made a right mess of things the other day. Commander Falkbryda said she'd dock my pay if I pulled something like that again. At least I didn't get tossed in the brig like C'mell.

German

Für meine etwas übereifrige Handhabung der Haubitzen habe ich einen ordentlichen Rüffel von meiner Vorgesetzten kassiert.

‘For my somewhat overzealous handling of the howitzers I got a proper telling-off from my superior.’

Japanese

独断でカノン砲を使おうとした件で、上官に怒られ、これ以上やると減給だと警告されてしまいました……。

‘Over the matter of trying to use the cannon on my own authority, my superior got angry and warned me that any more would mean a pay cut...’

German names the offence — overeager handling of the howitzers; English stays vague and mentions C'mell in the brig.

Japanese says exactly what she did: tried to fire the cannon without orders. No C'mell or brig.

English, S'nairoh

I have been very chary since, you can be certain of that. I've little enough coin as is in the pay purse to slake my thirst with. But this time, aye, there's a real attack on Aleport, and off I go to arm the cannon!

German

Deswegen traue ich mich auch nicht, ihr von der neuesten Bedrohung zu erzählen ...

‘That is why I don't dare tell her about the latest threat ...’

English says she has been very careful since; German says she doesn't dare tell her superior about the new threat.

English, S'nairoh

Save Aleport from those bloodbaths on four legs, and we'll see what the commander has to say about my pay then!

Japanese

早く認めてもらって、エラくならなければ……。

‘I must get noticed fast and rise in rank...’

焦燥 (shōsō) is anxious impatience, and S'nairoh shows it. The English S'nairoh only thinks of her pay.

English, S'nairoh

Save Aleport from those bloodbaths on four legs, and we'll see what the commander has to say about my pay then!

German

Die Stadt, nein, ganz La Noscea ist verloren, wenn wir nicht sofort handeln!

‘The town, no, all of La Noscea is lost if we don't act at once!’

English hopes saving Aleport will change the commander's word on her pay; German cries all La Noscea is lost.

English, S'nairoh

Well slayed! Or do I mean slain? I shall need to know these things if I'm to be officer! I've got the powder and ball loaded and primed! Now for the slow match─hark, a dispatch!

German

Dann besteht noch Hoffnung für La Noscea!

‘Then there is still hope for La Noscea!’

English jokes about "slayed" or "slain" and becoming an officer; German says there is still hope for La Noscea.

English, S'nairoh

Well slayed! Or do I mean slain? I shall need to know these things if I'm to be officer! I've got the powder and ball loaded and primed! Now for the slow match─hark, a dispatch!

German

Ich werde die Angreifer in tausend Stücke ...

‘I will (blast) the attackers into a thousand pieces ...’

Japanese

よーし、今度こそドカーンと……。

‘Alright, this time for sure, with a ka-boom...’

English has a dispatch interrupt her; German has her start to vow the attackers will go into a thousand pieces.

English has a dispatch interrupt her; Japanese has her about to fire the cannon with a boom.

English, S'nairoh

“Stand down forthwith”? Not again! But surely these adamantoises are a clear and present─ ...Hedgemoles? You're certain? Well, but, that's like an adamantoise except, ah, weak and not at all dangerous...

German

Was sagst du da?

‘What are you saying?’

German: the adventurer tells her there is no attack; English has a written stand-down order and her adamantoise mix-up.

English, S'nairoh

“Stand down forthwith”? Not again! But surely these adamantoises are a clear and present─ ...Hedgemoles? You're certain? Well, but, that's like an adamantoise except, ah, weak and not at all dangerous...

Japanese

もしかして、また放っておいてもいい魔物……?

‘Could they be, once again, monsters that can simply be left alone...?’

Japanese has no stand-down order and no adamantoise mix-up; she just realises they are harmless again.

English, S'nairoh

Why, oh why? Perhaps I have been cursed by some enemy? Not very likely for a mere storm private, second class or no. Now the commander will dock my pay and leave my whistle dry as dust.

German

Sollte ich mich etwa wieder vertan haben?

‘Could I have got it wrong again?’

Japanese

ああ、また空回りしちゃった……。

‘Ah, my zeal came to nothing again...’

English wonders if some enemy cursed her; German wonders if she made a mistake again.

English wonders if some enemy cursed her; Japanese says her eager effort was wasted again.

English, S'nairoh

Well, my lady most gallant/my good man, it is called Aleport. I've spent a deal of time admiring the undersides of many a tavern table, I can tell you that!

Japanese

……このエールポートでは、酒税が優遇されてるんです。だから、エール取引が盛んなわけで、そうすると、ついついグビグビと……。

‘...Here in Aleport, liquor gets a tax break. That's why the ale trade thrives, and then, before I know it, it's glug, glug...’

German

Ich möchte nicht daran denken, was für eine Standpauke ich diesmal zu hören bekomme!

‘I don't want to think about what a dressing-down I'll get this time!’

Japanese

……このエールポートでは、酒税が優遇されてるんです。

‘...In this Aleport, liquor taxes get favorable treatment.’

S'nairoh explains Aleport's low tax herself, and keeps drinking.

English tells you the town is called Aleport; German dreads the scolding she will get this time.

English just says the town is called Aleport; Japanese says Aleport gives liquor favorable tax treatment.

English, S'nairoh

Well, my lady most gallant/my good man, it is called Aleport. I've spent a deal of time admiring the undersides of many a tavern table, I can tell you that!

German

Mir wird sicher der Lohn gekürzt!

‘My pay will surely be cut!’

English jokes she has spent much time under tavern tables; German says her pay will surely be cut.

English, S'nairoh

What? It could be that my humours are out of balance from a surfeit of ale? And thus─I see it now─there is excess blood, which has overfed my martial zeal! your name, your learned ways have shown me the light! Much thanks─I go now to receive a leeching!

German

Ich habe in letzter Zeit ein bisschen zu viel davon gekostet und es trübt mir die Sinne.

‘I've had a bit too much of it lately and it clouds my senses.’

Japanese

実は最近、遠くを見ようとすると目がかすむのです。

‘Actually, lately, when I try to look into the distance, my eyes blur.’

English blames excess blood that overfed her martial zeal; German says the beer clouds her senses.

English blames excess blood that overfed her martial zeal; Japanese says her eyes blur when she looks far away.

English, S'nairoh

What? It could be that my humours are out of balance from a surfeit of ale? And thus─I see it now─there is excess blood, which has overfed my martial zeal! your name, your learned ways have shown me the light! Much thanks─I go now to receive a leeching!

German

Oh je, ich bekomme schon wieder Durst!

‘Oh dear, I'm getting thirsty again already!’

English has her leave to be leeched; German has her getting thirsty again.

Full dialogue

Read all 9 lines, with the notes

Highlighted words have a note: click one to open it under the line.

Accepting the quest

S'nairoh

Well, I made a right mess of things the other day. Commander Falkbryda said she'd dock my pay if I pulled something like that again. At least I didn't get tossed in the brig like C'mell.

S'nairoh

I have been very chary since, you can be certain of that. I've little enough coin as is in the pay purse to slake my thirst with. But this time, aye, there's a real attack on Aleport, and off I go to arm the cannon!

S'nairoh

Save Aleport from those bloodbaths on four legs, and we'll see what the commander has to say about my pay then!

S'nairoh

Adventurer, for Aleport and glory, slow down the horde! I'm certain to be ready by the time you slaughter five!

Report to Private S'nairoh

S'nairoh

Well slayed! Or do I mean slain? I shall need to know these things if I'm to be officer! I've got the powder and ball loaded and primed! Now for the slow match─hark, a dispatch!

S'nairoh

“Stand down forthwith”? Not again! But surely these adamantoises are a clear and present─ ...Hedgemoles? You're certain? Well, but, that's like an adamantoise except, ah, weak and not at all dangerous...

S'nairoh

Why, oh why? Perhaps I have been cursed by some enemy? Not very likely for a mere storm private, second class or no. Now the commander will dock my pay and leave my whistle dry as dust.

S'nairoh

Well, my lady most gallant/my good man, it is called Aleport. I've spent a deal of time admiring the undersides of many a tavern table, I can tell you that!

S'nairoh

What? It could be that my humours are out of balance from a surfeit of ale? And thus─I see it now─there is excess blood, which has overfed my martial zeal! your name, your learned ways have shown me the light! Much thanks─I go now to receive a leeching!

Later in the storyspoilers
Same NPC: On a Wing and a Prayer
Commander Falkbryda of Camp Skull Valley: she takes over S'nairoh's chain (Nest We Forget) and returns at the end of Ahldfoet's (Scythe Extra Large, I Hereby Relieve You).

Where it sits in the play order, on Quest Order Wiki