Although there are a handful of side quests during the early stages of the game, it is not until Final Fantasy 16 players gain access to Alliant Reports during the "Righting Wrongs" main story mission that they'll really be able to start engaging with the game's side content. Accessed via the hideaway, these special reports provide players with a list of all of the currently available side quests, which, at the time, includes one called "While the Cat's Away."
"While the Cat's Away" takes place in the Imperial Province of Rosaria slap bang in the center of Martha's Rest. Like a lot of the other early-game side quests in Final Fantasy 16, there really isn't much to it, with players simply having to partake in a fairly run-of-the-mill bar brawl in order to claim their reward. Still, for completionists and lore junkies, it's definitely worth checking out.
How to Complete While the Cat's Away in Final Fantasy 16
To trigger the "While the Cat's Away" side quest, players should fast travel to the Martha's Rest Obelisk and look for the nearby Inn Hand. She can be found near the area's shop, which is just around the corner from the Golden Stables. Speaking the Inn Hand will reveal that some bandits have been causing trouble at the tavern and she'll ask Clive to step in and deal with the issue before Martha returns from her travels.
Accepting the quest and entering the tavern will trigger a short cutscene, after which, players will need to slay the two bandits. Despite all of their confidence and bluster, neither should cause players too much trouble, particularly those who know how to utilize Eikonic Abilities in battle. Regular melee attacks will work just fine as well though, as neither bandit has too much HP.
Once the fight is over, the Inn Hand and Martha will thank Clive for chasing off the bandits and offer him a free drink the next time he's in town. Players will also get 22 XP, ten Wyrrite, and five Steelsilk, which isn't too back considering how quickly the quest can be completed. Both of these materials are pretty useful when it comes to crafting and reinforcing gear, so those who are in need of an upgrade may want to head back to the hideaway and put their rewards to good use.
Final Fantasy 16 is available now exclusively for the PlayStation 5.
