Fear and Delight

Fear and Delight is a level 15 All Saints' Wake event quest. It is obtained in Old Gridania by speaking with the Adventurers' Guild Investigator in Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre.

Description
The Adventurers' Guild investigator is deeply suspicious about...something.

Objectives

 * Speak with the Impresario at Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre.
 * Search for the Circus ahriman near the Jadeite Flood.
 * Speak with the troupe voidtamer.
 * Ride the ahriman and cast its Sort-of Dread Gaze upon bystanders. 0/3
 * Report to the troupe voidtamer.
 * Speak with the Impresario at Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre.
 * Report to the Adventurers' Guild investigator.

Journal
You speak with the Adventurers' Guild investigator, who is─not for the first time─keeping a mistrustful eye on the Continental Circus, a troupe dedicated to celebrating All Saints' Wake. He reasons that, as its members are known to be voidsent fiends in disguise, the troupe must be up to something...though he admits he hasn't a clue as to what that might be. He asks that you inquire with the Impresario directly as to this year's events and ascertain what might be suspicious about them while he continues to skulk about the periphery.

※Please note that you will not be able to complete this quest after the seasonal event has ended. For details, check the Lodestone.

Though you do speak with the Impresario, his poetic monologue about the terrible delights of All Saints' Wake is interrupted before he can divulge anything of import. The source of said disruption is the troupe's voidtamer─who has discovered that the Circus ahriman has gone missing and is taking it rather personally. The Impresario requests your assistance in tracking it down, and as you certainly have no other investigative leads, you head to the Central Shroud to search.

You locate the Circus ahriman near the Jadeite Flood, where it has apparently fled due to anxiety over inadequacies in its job performance. A mysterious pumpkin-headed personage is having some success in comforting it─until the Impresario and troupe voidtamer appear and she vanishes into the shadows. Upon your fixing him with an annoyed glare, the Impresario remarks that you would be a suitable instructor for the ahriman, which must learn to utilize its dread gaze to fearsome effect if it is to perform its role in the Circus. This may as well happen, at this point, so you agree to try your hand at training it.

After instructing you to help the ahriman practice its dread gaze on hapless bystanders, the voidtamer assists you in climbing atop its head. Perhaps a bit of friendly encouragement will help it channel its inner horror. Or something.

※Speak with the troupe voidtamer in the Jadeite Thick to mount the Circus ahriman.

The Circus ahriman casts its somewhat less-than-dreadful gaze upon three adventurers in the Shroud. Though it fails to inspire more than mild surprise, it does serve as a festive reminder of All Saints' Wake, prompting all of them to dash off to celebrate the holiday. Were the Continental Circus's goal actually as straightforward as encouraging seasonal revelry, rather than terrorizing the populace to bring about the return of the Night of Devilry, you imagine the ahriman would make an excellent member of the troupe.

You report the training as a success to the voidtamer─which is not technically a lie, depending on one's perspective. Fortunately, he witnessed the three adventurers running past and assumed that they were fleeing in terror, and so is inclined to take you at your word.

You speak to the Impresario, who is more than willing to believe the voidtamer's interpretation of events, and at last recognizes the ahriman as a valuable member of the troupe. However, for what is likely a multitude of reasons at this point, it conveys that it would rather stay at your side instead. After some all-too-audible consideration as to whether this would further the Circus's goal of blanketing the realm in terror, he acquiesces.

The Adventurers' Guild investigator is pleased to hear that you have liberated one of the Circus's would-be instruments of terror and, understanding that the ahriman's gaze poses no actual threat, authorizes you to keep it. It will make a delightful companion for celebrating All Saints' Wake amongst humans and monsters both.

Achievements
Completing Fear and Delight awards the achievement I Have the Evil-ish Eye.