No matter how far he goes, man cannot resist looking back on the path he has walked. The untold stories and secrets of the past can be more alluring than the promise of tomorrow. And so he braves the forests of Rak'tika in search of mystery and wonder... Of Ronka, to which all seekers of hidden truths are inevitably drawn.
Ardbert
The Rak'tika Greatwood is a forest located northeast of the Crystarium in Final Fantasy XIV, introduced in Shadowbringers. The forest is home to the Night's Blessed—a faction of people who revere the dark—and the remnants of the ancient ruins of Ronka.
Profile[]
Once, long before its towering trees were seeds, in this millennia-old forest stood the royal capital of an advanced magical civllization—the Ronkan Empire. The stony remnants of its lost grandeur can still be spied beneath the shadowy boughs.
Official website description
Story[]
Having slain the Lightwardens of Lakeland and Il Mheg, the Crystal Exarch points the Warriors of Darkness to their next destination: the dense forests of Rak'tika, once home to the mighty Ronkan Empire. This is where their old friend and fellow Scion, Y'shtola, has taken up vigil guarding a group of darkness-worshippers known as the "Night's Blessed" under the pseudonym of 'Master Matoya'.
Locations[]
Rak'tika can be accessed northeast of Lakeland and is the only entrance into the area.
Aetherytes[]
There are two aetherytes located in Rak'tika one in Slitherbough and the other located in Fanow.
Areas[]
- The Citia Swamps
- Lake Tusi Mek'ta
- The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja
- The Ox'Dalan Gap
- The K'mul Astropolis
Settlements[]
Slitherbough[]
Home of the Night's Blessed; they live in caves around the aetheryte, and have a farm in its open area.
Fanow[]
A village situated within the forest of Yx'Maja, this is the home of the protective Viis; they don't allow any trespassers within their territory and will repel any invader with lethal force.
Weather[]
Rak'tika's climate may exhibit any of the following weather conditions:
| Weather | Frequency or conditions |
|---|---|
 Fair Skies
|
40% |
 Clear Skies
|
15% |
 Clouds
|
15% |
 Fog
|
10% |
 Rain
|
10% |
 Umbral Wind
|
10% |
 Everlasting Light
|
At all times prior to completing qitana ravel. After completing crown of the immaculate until dying gasp is completed. |
 Starshower
|
After unlocking heroes' gauntlet until seat of sacrifice is completed. |
Places of interest[]
Fort Gohn[]
The original home of the Night's Blessed. Three years ago, a major sin eater attack resulted in the deaths of many of the Blessed's priests and the fort's destruction in a great fire. However, the sage 'Master Matoya' fought back against the monsters and saved many of the remaining believers, earning their steadfast loyalty.
The Qitana Ravel[]
A temple constructed by the Ronkans to "preserve the wisdom of the ancients".
Hopple's Stopple[]
In the wake of the Flood of Light, the Qitari Stewards of Note used the caverns situated under this area to store and safeguard the stelae detailing their history in the hopes of one day reclaiming it.
Fruit of the Protector[]
In the legends of Ronka, a great winged serpent tormented the people before it was stopped and sealed away in this crystal by the giant Lozatl. Over time, the serpent had a change of heart and began to use it's influence to guide and protect the fledgling Ronkans. Eventually, the Great Serpent of Ronka became regarded as the noblest of the animals of the forest and the protector of the empire's lands, a belief shared by those who carry on Ronka's legacy.
Activities[]
Duties[]
 qitana ravel |
| The empire of Ronka was a place of magic and enlightenment, of peace and prosperity. Sadly, it was not meant to last. Though naught but ruins remain, they remain heavily guarded nonetheless. The Qitana Ravel is perhaps the most sacred of these sites, home to the ancient wisdom of the past. With the advent of the Flood, however, you have reason to believe something more sinister now resides there as well. |
FATEs[]
| Name | Level | Location | Time limit | Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description Spawn conditions (if any) | ||||
 I'll Be Bark
|
74-78 | The Citia Swamps (x14 y28) | 15 minutes | Defeat Chantico. |
| The Night's Blessed thought they had seen the last of Chantico when they set it ablaze. To their horror, it has returned, more abominable than ever. Their attempts to quell its rampage have met with little success, though your timely intervention may help to turn the tide. | ||||
 We Are Venom
|
74-78 | Lake Tusi Mek'ta (x12 y30) | 15 minutes | Defeat the speckled spiders. |
| Speckled spiders bred by the Children of the Everlasting Dark for their venom have escaped from their keepers. Allowing the creatures to run amok in the Greatwood would have disastrous repercussions, so they must be eradicated without delay. | ||||
 Picking Up the Pieces
|
74-78 | The Trip (x15 y36) | 15 minutes | Deliver poison urn fragments to the Night's Blessed missionary. |
| Urns that once contained poisonous substances have been abandoned by the Children of the Everlasting Dark and have since been shattered. Pink flamingos have taken to ingesting these fragments, presumably to aid their digestion, and threaten to spread disease throughout the Greatwoood. To minimize damage to the local environs, these perilous pieces of pottery must be disposed of posthaste.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Six Fulm Turkeys
|
74-78 | The Trip (x17 y32) | 15 minutes | Defeat the gaunt atrociraptors. |
| A pack of particularly hungry-looking atrociraptors has descended on the Greatwood. Their voracious appetites mean it is only a matter of time before they turn their attention to the residents of Slitherbough. | ||||
| Dark Matters
|
74-78 | The Citia Swamps (x13 y35) | 15 minutes | Defeat the Children of the Everlasting Dark. |
| A contingent of the Night's Blessed are fighting a losing battle against the Children of the Everlasting Dark. A massacre is about to take place, unless some brave soul can intervene. | ||||
| Attack of the Killer Tomatl
|
74-78 | The Citia Swamps (x10 y35) | 15 minutes | Defeat the killer tomatl. |
| As if regular tomatls were not enough of a bother, an especially large one is making a nuisance of itself by grabbing any who stray too close to its tendrils. Reducing it to a fine purée should put a stop to its mischief. | ||||
| Barking Mad
|
75-79 | The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja (x32 y20) | 15 minutes | Defeat the foul echoes. |
| The Singing Bows have tracked down a group of echoes that have become unnaturally aggressive after contracting a strange disease. It threatens to spread throughout the Greatwood unless it can be nipped in the bud. | ||||
| Creepy Crawlers
|
75-79 | Bowrest (x32 y25) | 15 minutes | Defeat the pestilent crawlers. |
| After investigating the remains of diseased echoes, the Singing Bows discover that they were infected by crawlers that had wandered into the Greatwood. Their solution, as always, is to cull the beasts before they can do any more harm.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Pluck of the Draw
|
75-79 | The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja (x23 y29) | 15 minutes | Deliver tarichuk feathers to Myalna Bowsing. |
| The Singing Bows go through rather a lot of arrows in their line of work, and they are in need of tarichuk feathers from which to make more. Although tarichuks occasionally molt here and there, it will be much quicker to simply slaughter an entire flock and pluck them from their still-warm corpses.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
 The End of the Sentry
|
75-79 | The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja (x25 y21) | 15 minutes | Help the ancient guardian defeat the floating snapweeds. |
| The ancient guardian has patrolled the forests since the days of the Ronkan Empire. It seems, however, that some of the more depraved denizens of the Greatwood have taken umbrage with the stony protector and seek to end its watch once and for all.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Tojil War
|
75-79 | Bowrest (x35 y23) | 15 minutes | Help the Singing Bows defeat Tojil. |
| The Singing Bows find themselves in a hard-fought battle with one of the greatest threats the Greatwood has ever faced: the monstrous Tojil. With their arrows bothering it little more than bee stings, they will need all the help they can get if they are to stand a chance of slaying this gargantuan predator.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Tojil Annihilation
|
75-79 | The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja (x30 y22) | 15 minutes | Help the Singing Bows defeat Tojil. |
| Though the Singing Bows were able to repel Tojil's onslaught, the creature is far from defeated. They will need to press the advantage and slow the beast's movements to prevent it from escaping again.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Queen of the Harpies
|
75-79 | The K'mul Astropolis (x22 y11) | 15 minutes | Defeat Kelaino. |
| A huntress of Fanow has barely escaped with her life from the impossibly grotesque and immensely powerful Kelaino. The stricken woman of the Greatwood entreats you to slay the monstrous bird before it can wreak any more havoc.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Nest of Kin
|
75-79 | The K'mul Astropolis (x27 y10) | 15 minutes | Defeat the nesting gizamaluks. |
| A horde of gizamaluks are preparing to nest in the Ronkan ruins, though they have reckoned without the intervention of the Singing Bows. The forest guardians are willing to use to any means necessary to keep this sacred ground from being defiled by these foul creatures. | ||||
| Monkeying Around
|
75-79 | The K'mul Astropolis (x23 y14) | 15 minutes | Deliver Ronkan curios to the Fanow warder. |
| Wood raiders have snuck into the Ronkan ruins and have made off with several artifacts. The defenders of the ancient treasures are, as one might imagine, displeased that they have become the playthings of these dastardly simians, and go about reclaiming the relics, prizing them from the thieves' dead paws if necessary.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Shot Through the Hart
|
75-79 | The K'mul Astropolis (x28 y13) | 15 minutes | Help Salmet Quickhunt defeat the young does and stags. |
| Qilmet is teaching her protégé, Salmet, the ways of the huntress by bringing down moving targets. However, she may yet be unprepared in the event of said targets defending themselves, so Qilmet requests that you accompany her student, on the off chance that the training go awry.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Attack the Block
|
75-79 | The K'mul Astropolis (x20 y12) | 15 minutes | Defeat the Eye of Gatorl. |
| The Eye of Gatorl was created to keep intruders from entering the Ronkan ruins, but has, for reasons unknown, begun venturing far beyond the confines of the ancient temples. The Singing Bows are determined to deactivate the rogue sentinel before it can endanger the lives of innocent forest dwellers. | ||||
| Tojil Carnage
|
75-79 | The Blind Forest of Yx'Maja (x26 y27) | 15 minutes | Help the Singing Bows defeat Tojil. |
| Sensing that the Singing Bows have gained the upper hand, Tojil withdrew to another part of the forest in order to recover its strength. The pain it has suffered at the hands of the woodland guardians has only strengthened its resolve to slaughter each and every one of them.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
| Tojil Eclipse
|
75-79 | Mjrl's Regret (x24 y34) | 15 minutes | Help the Singing Bows defeat Tojil. |
| Tojil prepares to make one final stand against the Singing Bows, who are determined to end the beast's reign of terror, no matter the cost. Now that the creature is cornered, its desperation makes it all the more deadly, and it lashes out wildly, blinded by rage.
Spawn conditions:
| ||||
Daily Quests[]
Daily quests for the Qitari tribe can be unlocked after completing the quest The Stewrads of Note, which can be accessed after completing the Main Scenario Quest "Bearing With It" and the sidequest "Protectors of the Wood". The daily quests can the be recieved from an NPC in Hopple's Stopple. Unlike other tribe quests, these quests are solely for Disciples of the Land.
Enemies[]
Elite Marks[]
| Mark | Hunt | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B | [[]] Mindmaker |
"You have encountered the tomatl before? A plant which hungers for flesh, it masquerades as an earthen vessel, and bursts forth to seize unsuspecting prey, which it consumes after much softening with acid. A dangerous foe indeed, but the Mindmaker is more so. Larger, stronger, faster, more deadly by every measure it is. Why Mindmaker, you ask? I cannot say with confidence, but I believe it has something to do with its habit of devouring the heads of its prey first, and the speculation that it grows wiser with each consumed." |
| B | [[]] Pachamama |
“Pachamama is a creature of Ronkan legend. A great serpent, the harvest goddess Yx'Anpa made flesh, which claimed the Greatwood as its home. A regal creature of pure divinity through which the essence of life itself flowed, it was believed that the soil which drank deep of its blood would yield an endless bounty, and so many great warriors of Ronka sought to lay it low. The slayer of Pachamama would be afforded much glory, their deeds celebrated for generations to come. Will you be the one to claim the honor?" |
| A | [[]] Grassman |
“There are many Ronkan legends that have been passed down through the ages, including one which speaks of a great colossus. A guardian spirit bound to serve its creators. And now there are whispers this colossus walks the Greatwood once more, spurred by the discovery of massive tracks. What left these tracks remains a mystery, but I doubt it is this ancient being. Rather, it is likely one of the last remaining apemen. Their numbers have dwindled greatly since the coming of the sin eaters. Why Grassman has come to the Greatwood I cannot say, but I suspect he seeks his fallen brethren in vain...” |
| A | [[]] Supay |
“Some time ago, there were a series of disappearances. Younglings who vanished without a trace from Slitherbough. We thought them taken by the Children, but eventually learned who the true culprit was. Of the countless rails that call the Greatwood home, Supay is the largest and most formidable. Unlike its brethren, it feeds not on plants, but on flesh and blood... It is an ambush predator, striking fear into its prey with a shrill cry before attacking in full force. This was witnessed by one of our scouts. Thus did we name it for a bird of Ronkan legend whose mournful song heralds death and doom.” |
| S | [[]] Ixtab |
“The Viis are not the only ones who have safeguarded the ruins of Ronka for generations. Ancient records tell of an exalted priestess of the empire named Ixtab, a penitent woman and proud patriot. So strong was her faith that she resolved to make the ultimate sacrifice. She consigned her mortal flesh to flame, and in death rose anew, her soul eternally bound to the Greatwood. For thousands upon thousands of years has she watched over these lands. Should one intrude upon her home and by their deeds prove themselves a significant threat to peace and tranquility, she will appear to redress the balance.” |
Musical themes[]
"Civilizations" plays at all times while Everlasting Light is in effect. Once the night is returned, "Civilizations" continues to play during the day, while "A Hopeless Race" plays during the night.
"Whisper of the Land" plays while in the settlements of Slitherbough and Fanow, while "Hopl's Dropple" plays in the Qitari camp of Hopl's Stopple.
"Rencounter" plays during all standard enemy encounters in the Rak'tika Greatwood.
Gallery[]
