Echoes of the Past

“

Cerigg wears a flustered expression on his face.

— In-game description

Steps

As Cerigg tells it, the child who you rescued from the hollow is resting safely in Mord Souq, but there is a rub: the boy seemingly remembers nothing save his name─Taynor. Cerigg sent him for a stroll around town to see if it might help to jog his memories, and encourages you to check in on him. Track down Taynor and see if he has met with any success in piecing together his past.

You and Cerigg speak further with Taynor, who unfortunately can still recall nothing of where he came from. Cerigg further explains that according to the carer who examined him, the boy apparently possesses considerable magical powers. Drawing the conclusion that he doubtless has a master or tutor somewhere out there, the bounty hunter proposes speaking with a traveling merchant in town to see if anything might be gleaned as to your young friend's origins.

The merchant tells of something he overheard when sojourning at the Inn at Journey's Head─that of an ill-fated mage who was attacked by a sin eater and was separated from his child in the process. Believing that this could very well be Taynor's father, the three of you resolve to make for the Inn and investigate further.

You arrive at the Inn to learn that the son of the wounded mage has already been found─the man was not Taynor's father after all. The kindly boy offers to show Taynor around the premises in hopes of further rekindling his memories. Once the boy is gone, Cerigg, dismayed at the unfortunate turn of events, proposes entrusting Taynor to the care of another so that the two of you might return to hunting Phronesis─and continue the search for Taynor's family in the process. Cerigg offers to break the news to the unfortunate child himself, and you agree to accompany him.

Events have taken yet another distressing turn, as Taynor is nowhere to be found. As it happens, your young charge got into a heated quarrel with the other boy, and subsequently dashed off on his own to the gods know where. Together with Cerigg, you make for the Fields of Amber, that you might track down Taynor before he comes to harm.

Arriving in the Fields of Amber, you find Taynor under attack by nasty-looking sin eaters. Vanquish the fiends before they devour the poor, frightened child.

You successfully dispatch the sin eaters and rescue Taynor from harm. In the aftermath of the battle, you are granted a vision of Taynor's past through the power of the Echo. There, you see that the boy was a young mage training under the same teacher as Nyelbert, one of the erstwhile Warriors of Light who now roams the area as the baleful Phronesis. Understandably perplexed by these recent developments, Cerigg proposes a return to the Inn at Journey's Head, where you might discuss matters further in safer environs.

Back at the Inn, Taynor and the other boy apologize to each other and make their peace, and the latter departs for his new home at the Crystarium. The remaining three of you make plans to return to Mord Souq, where you might think over the knowledge you have recently gleaned and unravel the mysteries behind the enigmatic child's past.

Back at Mord Souq, Cerigg explains to Taynor that, as bizarre as it may sound, the events of his memory must have taken place over one hundred years ago. Convinced now that your young companion is the key to vanquishing the dread Phronesis, Cerigg has a change of heart and proposes that the two of you officially take him in. Taynor welcomes the offer, thanking the two of you profusely for your kindness and promising that he will lend you whatever aid he can. For your part, you resolve to further hone your command of the magical arts while waiting for the lad's memories to recover further.