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Kinono · **10-10-2014, 10:42 AM**

Quote:Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Dunesfolk culture is its traditional dwellingsâ€”structures affixed to the backs of large beasts of burden. The luminous eyes of the Dunesfolk are the result of a glossy, protective layer which covers the pupil, an evolutionary response to the glaring sunlight of their home region. Many individuals wear a small gemstone on their forehead, representing their zodiacal sign.

As Kinono's second birthday since being created is coming up, I sort of had a lot of questions regarding this tidbit from the official Dunesfolk bio.Â

Do we know much about zodiacal signs as they pertain to individual characters?Â

Is it represented by birthdays as in the real world?Â

Are they represented by our real-life zodiac signs, as seen in the atma quest, or by the Twelve as each of them hold ownership of a moon of the calendar? For example... Assuming the same birthday, would a character's zodiacal sign be "the scorpion" or "the matron."

Would the gemstone represent their zodiacal sign due to its color, or due to a particular inscribed sign, or both?

Warren Castille · **10-10-2014, 10:47 AM**

This is another example of the lore-hungry folks looking around and shrugging collectively.

SOUNSYY. WE NEED A PRICE-CHECK IN AISLE FOUR.

Kinono · **10-10-2014, 10:48 AM**

(10-10-2014, 10:47 AM)Warren Castille Wrote: This is another example of the lore-hungry folks looking around and shrugging collectively.

SOUNSYY. WE NEED A PRICE-CHECK IN AISLE FOUR.

This is exactly what I was afraaaaaaid of. ;_;

Warren Castille · **10-10-2014, 10:51 AM**

Alright. I'm gonna make something up using circumstantial evidence!

Progressing a weapon past the Zenith stage begins the Saga of the Zodiac portion of the upgrade quest. Step one is collecting 12 atma, all bearing similarities to real-world zodiac signs.

It's not unreasonable to guess that you're on to something when you suggested that you'd just be born under "the lion" instead of Leo.

Kinono · **10-10-2014, 10:55 AM**

Aye, that's been my assumption up 'til now too. I saw the atma names as giving us in-universe labels to the actual zodiac, which... I don't think really exist as constellations in Final Fantasy XIV, though I have to admit. I haven't checked.

CrookedTarot · **10-10-2014, 11:55 AM**

My character, Zindello, is a fortune teller. And while he doesn't typically go with signs as per what god someone choses as their patron, he DOES tell fortunes based on Birthdays/Namesdays.

Of course trying to do the math off the top of my head to do the reading isn't fun but I manage~!

Point being, I don't think we've been given any zodiacal layout yet for Moons and signs.

Sounsyy · **10-10-2014, 01:27 PM**

(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.

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TL;DR: Take from that word vomit what you will. =x I've got nothing concrete for you. /grovel!

Kinono · **10-10-2014, 01:35 PM**

Hey, that's all really interesting and informative regardless! It was a fun read! I'd absolutely love if some of the more mundane aspects of life in Eorzea were made more apparent. Something that could supposedly be a part of my character's upbringing would be a great little tidbit to have.Â

It's nice to know too, that if I try to throw something out abou the zodiac to some closer RP friends, I won't necesarrily be wrong; just retconned!

Thank you for the response!

The Zodiac and Lalafell

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes