(still isn't finished researching Tiergan's last request)
You guys ask really difficult questions. I love it. Kinda.
In short, I've got no clue. But I can take a stab based on what we've got?
Represented in the game we actually have possibly up to 3 canon zodiacs. The Twelve Deities, the Twelve Atma, and the real world Chinese Zodiac.
Each month in the calendar year is represented by one of the Twelve gods of Eorzea.
1 - Halone (Ice)
2 - Menphina (Ice)
3 - Thaliak (Water)
4 - Nymeia (Water)
5 - Llymlaen (Wind)
6 - Oschon (Wind)
7 - Byregot (Lightning)
8 - Rhalgr (Lightning)
9 - Azeyma (Fire)
10 - Nald'thal (Fire)
11 - Nophica (Earth)
12 - Althyk (Earth)
In 1.0's character creation (idk if this still is a thing in 2.0) your default Patron Deity was selected based upon your selection of birthday. So say you put in 22nd Sun of the 5th Astral Moon (9th Month) your default patron deity would be Azeyma. This of course could still be changed to your personal preference in the next step anyways.
At the start of the Zodiac Weapon questline we are tasked with collecting twelve Atma, crystalline objects from Thavnairian legend. These are taken directly from the western Zodiac.
Atma of the Ram (Aries)
Atma of the Bull (Taurus)
Atma of the Twins (Gemini)
Atma of the Crab (Cancer)
Atma of the Lion (Leo)
Atma of the Maiden (Virgo)
Atma of the Scales (Libra)
Atma of the Scorpion (Scorpio)
Atma of the Archer (Sagittarius)
Atma of the Goat (Capricorn)
Atma of the Water-bearer (Aquarius)
Atma of the Fish (Pisces)
I thought the colors of the Atma might relate somehow to their element or to the Twelve but it's a difficult stretch to compare, as discussed in this thread here. However, one poster suggested that because the western Zodiac consists of only 4 Elements (Fire, Earth, Wind, Water) and Eorzea has 6 Elements (Ice, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, Earth) that SE combined Ice into Water and Lightning into Fire (since that actually makes sense logically) giving us something that looks like this:
1 - Halone the Fury / Ram (Aries) (Lapis colored Atma)
2 - Menphina the Lover / Fish (Pisces) (Lapis colored Atma)
3 - Thaliak the Scholar / Water-bearer (Aquarius) (Lapis colored Atma)
4 - Nymeia the Spinner / Maiden (Virgo) (Lapis colored Atma)
5 - Llymlaen the Navigator / Goat (Capricorn) (Peridot colored Atma)
6 - Oschon the Wanderer / Archer (Sagittarius) (Peridot colored Atma)
7 - Byregot the Builder / Crab (Cancer) (Ruby colored Atma)
8 - Rhalgr the Destroyer / Scorpion (Scorpio) (Ruby colored Atma)
9 - Azeyma the Warden / Scales (Libra) (Ruby colored Atma)
10 - Nald'thal the Traders / Twins (Gemini) (Ruby colored Atma)
11 - Nophica the Matron / Bull (Taurus) (Topaz colored Atma)
12 - Althyk the Keeper / Lion (Leo) (Topaz colored Atma)
Note: the above is pure speculation, nothing canon.
Finally, this leaves our third canon zodiac, based off of the Chinese Zodiac. In the four years that FFXIV has been online, the Heavensturn Seasonal Event has paid homage to the Chinese New Year. The four Heavensturns so far have been the Rabbit (2011), the Dragon (2012), the Snake (2013), and the Horse (2014).
This follows the lore of the Eorzean Calender stating that Eorzeans do not cluster years by increments of 10 like in real life, but rather in groups of 12. Every 12 years is an Epoch and is associated with one of the Twelve. This is all according to Lewphon of Sharlayan's book series The Five Ages - An Eorzean Chronology.
EDIT: However, the obvious issue with this association between the RL Chinese Zodiac and the IG Heavensturn Seasonal Event is.... well, if it was the year of the Dragon in 1572... and then ARR takes place 5 years later... shouldn't it be the year of the Rooster in 05 7UE or the year of the Dog in 01 7AE?? SE made a whoopsy.
______________________________________
TL;DR: Take from that word vomit what you will. =x I've got nothing concrete for you. /grovel!
You guys ask really difficult questions. I love it. Kinda.
In short, I've got no clue. But I can take a stab based on what we've got?
Represented in the game we actually have possibly up to 3 canon zodiacs. The Twelve Deities, the Twelve Atma, and the real world Chinese Zodiac.
Each month in the calendar year is represented by one of the Twelve gods of Eorzea.
1 - Halone (Ice)
2 - Menphina (Ice)
3 - Thaliak (Water)
4 - Nymeia (Water)
5 - Llymlaen (Wind)
6 - Oschon (Wind)
7 - Byregot (Lightning)
8 - Rhalgr (Lightning)
9 - Azeyma (Fire)
10 - Nald'thal (Fire)
11 - Nophica (Earth)
12 - Althyk (Earth)
In 1.0's character creation (idk if this still is a thing in 2.0) your default Patron Deity was selected based upon your selection of birthday. So say you put in 22nd Sun of the 5th Astral Moon (9th Month) your default patron deity would be Azeyma. This of course could still be changed to your personal preference in the next step anyways.
At the start of the Zodiac Weapon questline we are tasked with collecting twelve Atma, crystalline objects from Thavnairian legend. These are taken directly from the western Zodiac.
Atma of the Ram (Aries)
Atma of the Bull (Taurus)
Atma of the Twins (Gemini)
Atma of the Crab (Cancer)
Atma of the Lion (Leo)
Atma of the Maiden (Virgo)
Atma of the Scales (Libra)
Atma of the Scorpion (Scorpio)
Atma of the Archer (Sagittarius)
Atma of the Goat (Capricorn)
Atma of the Water-bearer (Aquarius)
Atma of the Fish (Pisces)
I thought the colors of the Atma might relate somehow to their element or to the Twelve but it's a difficult stretch to compare, as discussed in this thread here. However, one poster suggested that because the western Zodiac consists of only 4 Elements (Fire, Earth, Wind, Water) and Eorzea has 6 Elements (Ice, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, Earth) that SE combined Ice into Water and Lightning into Fire (since that actually makes sense logically) giving us something that looks like this:
1 - Halone the Fury / Ram (Aries) (Lapis colored Atma)
2 - Menphina the Lover / Fish (Pisces) (Lapis colored Atma)
3 - Thaliak the Scholar / Water-bearer (Aquarius) (Lapis colored Atma)
4 - Nymeia the Spinner / Maiden (Virgo) (Lapis colored Atma)
5 - Llymlaen the Navigator / Goat (Capricorn) (Peridot colored Atma)
6 - Oschon the Wanderer / Archer (Sagittarius) (Peridot colored Atma)
7 - Byregot the Builder / Crab (Cancer) (Ruby colored Atma)
8 - Rhalgr the Destroyer / Scorpion (Scorpio) (Ruby colored Atma)
9 - Azeyma the Warden / Scales (Libra) (Ruby colored Atma)
10 - Nald'thal the Traders / Twins (Gemini) (Ruby colored Atma)
11 - Nophica the Matron / Bull (Taurus) (Topaz colored Atma)
12 - Althyk the Keeper / Lion (Leo) (Topaz colored Atma)
Note: the above is pure speculation, nothing canon.
Finally, this leaves our third canon zodiac, based off of the Chinese Zodiac. In the four years that FFXIV has been online, the Heavensturn Seasonal Event has paid homage to the Chinese New Year. The four Heavensturns so far have been the Rabbit (2011), the Dragon (2012), the Snake (2013), and the Horse (2014).
This follows the lore of the Eorzean Calender stating that Eorzeans do not cluster years by increments of 10 like in real life, but rather in groups of 12. Every 12 years is an Epoch and is associated with one of the Twelve. This is all according to Lewphon of Sharlayan's book series The Five Ages - An Eorzean Chronology.
EDIT: However, the obvious issue with this association between the RL Chinese Zodiac and the IG Heavensturn Seasonal Event is.... well, if it was the year of the Dragon in 1572... and then ARR takes place 5 years later... shouldn't it be the year of the Rooster in 05 7UE or the year of the Dog in 01 7AE?? SE made a whoopsy.
______________________________________
TL;DR: Take from that word vomit what you will. =x I've got nothing concrete for you. /grovel!
