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

Kilieit · **10-05-2017, 06:43 PM**

(10-05-2017, 06:39 PM)Kallera Wrote: The blast that destroyed Bozja(sp?) Citadel, and the blast that leveled the Isle of Val. Was it proven that they were different phenomena, or could they be the same?

Bozja was destroyed during tests of Dalamud's capability. Dalamud had already fallen by the time the Isle of Val disappeared (it wasn't destroyed; it just vanished, remember). Ergo: they can't possibly have been the same cause.

Sounsyy · **10-05-2017, 11:03 PM**

(10-05-2017, 06:39 PM)Kallera Wrote: The blast that destroyed Bozja(sp?) Citadel, and the blast that leveled the Isle of Val. Was it proven that they were different phenomena, or could they be the same?

The blast which leveled the commercial hub of Bozja in Othard was the first iteration of Garlemald's Meteor Project in 1562. The blast was caused by a surge of 5000 years worth of pent-up energy amassed in the moon, which vaporized the city and nearby area. The magicks which destroyed the Isle of Val are currently unknown, though it is almost assuredly the work of Ascians. The only text speaking of Val's obliteration likens the magicks to the destructive force of Ultima, so it's likely that the Heart of Sabik, a relic predating Allag, is involved.

The Bozja Incident

Encyclopedia Eorzea pg53 Wrote:1562 - On the continent of Othard, Grand Minister Midas nan Garlond conducts the first field test of the Meteor Project at the Citadel Bozja. A massive quantity of energy is released from Dalamud, obliterating the tower and the surrounding city, causing heavy casualties.

Encyclopedia Eorzea pg41 Wrote:The Meteor Project was soon drafted and the tantalizing prospect of an all-powerful weapon was met with broad approval within the Imperial Court. Mere days after receiving the Emperor's blessing, nan Garlond would soon travel to the Garlean city of Bozja to conduct the first attempt to communicate with Dalamud. The immensity of the satellite's power was indeed confirmed that day, but at a disastrous cost. Nearly five millennia-worth of amassed energy was directed by the moon to the citadel's makeshift transmission tower. The beam emitted by Dalamud was so intense that not only the tower, but the entire city was evaporated in an instant. Efforts were made by the Imperial Censors to hide the event from public scrutiny, but the vanishing of a major commercial center was too big a secret to suppress. News of the catastrophe quickly spread across Hydaelyn and later became known as the Bozja Incident.

Cid nan Garlond Wrote:Bozja Citadel... An entire city gone in the blink of an eye. All the literature left to us of Allag, the lunar transmitter, the testing facilities - all gone without a trace. Not a page or stone remained. Not even a corpse.

The Isle of Val

Urianger Wrote:Grave tidings from the Sharlayan motherland, my lady. It doth concern our distant allies, the Students of Baldesion. My lady... the Isle of Val, which for many years hath been the order's home, is no more. I relate only that which hath been conveyed unto me by our agents. An aetheric wave of the highest magnitude was recorded in the region. Soon thereafter, 'twas observed that the isle had ceased to be. 'Tis postulated that a magick was evoked, like in power to Ultima.

Encyclopedia Eorzea pg74 Wrote:Several members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn remained missing, and to find them they sought the assistance of a Sharlayan scholar newly come to Eorzea: Krile, a member of the Students of Baldesion. She had been present during the attack on the Isle of Val, when a magick of immense power akin to Ultima obliterated not only the order's headquarters, but the isle itself. However, like the Warrior of Light, she possessed not only the Echo, but had availed herself of the blessing of Light's protection, and in so doing managed to survive.

Hope this helps! ^^

Yian Kutku · **10-06-2017, 01:57 AM**

(10-05-2017, 11:03 PM)Sounsyy Wrote: the Heart of Sabik, a relic predating Allag

Tangentially, do we know anything more about the Heart of Sabik, such as who Sabik was in the first place? There might be some old FF reference or lore interview I'm not aware of.

Arashin Kujqai · **10-09-2017, 01:37 PM**

I've been searching these forums and using google(surprise right?) but I cannot find the source for this. I know about the area mentioning how au ra horns work as well as tails but I was curious where it was mentioned about them confirming that au ra don't shed. I vaguely recall there being a confirmed source for this but I cannot find it whatsoever. Or I'm imagining things, if there is a source though, could anyone hmu?

Kilieit · **10-09-2017, 02:43 PM**

It's all from the same Q&A answer, from Las Vegas Fan Fest 2016:

Quote:Q: Tell us about Au Ra a little more! How likely is it that their horns and tails are damaged/removed? Do they feel sensation against them, or are they a solid material? Should said tails or horns be damaged, do they grow back or are they lost forever? Just how good is Auri hearing? I'm assuming that the horns are hollow.

A: More info in the lore book, but also: it's hard for a tail or horn to be removed. They don't shed. They grow continuously until they reach a certain size then stop. They don't grow super long. If they're damaged, in a fall or in battle, they will slowly regrow until they reach the maximum size again. The horns themselves are hollow and the vibration of sound inside them aids their hearing. Is their hearing better than a lalafell who are supposed to have the best hearing? No their hearing is about as good as a hyur, just in a different way / hear it / process it differently. More in the lore book!

In other words, the thing about au ra not shedding was with regards to their horns/tails, not their scales. (Also, spoilers, there wasn't anything more in the lore book about it.)

Arashin Kujqai · **10-09-2017, 10:14 PM**

(10-09-2017, 02:43 PM)Kilieit Wrote: It's all from the same Q&A answer, from Las Vegas Fan Fest 2016:

Quote:Q: Tell us about Au Ra a little more! How likely is it that their horns and tails are damaged/removed? Do they feel sensation against them, or are they a solid material? Should said tails or horns be damaged, do they grow back or are they lost forever? Just how good is Auri hearing? I'm assuming that the horns are hollow.

A: More info in the lore book, but also: it's hard for a tail or horn to be removed. They don't shed. They grow continuously until they reach a certain size then stop. They don't grow super long. If they're damaged, in a fall or in battle, they will slowly regrow until they reach the maximum size again. The horns themselves are hollow and the vibration of sound inside them aids their hearing. Is their hearing better than a lalafell who are supposed to have the best hearing? No their hearing is about as good as a hyur, just in a different way / hear it / process it differently. More in the lore book!

In other words, the thing about au ra not shedding was with regards to their horns/tails, not their scales. (Also, spoilers, there wasn't anything more in the lore book about it.)

Damn, that's what I thought. That was all I could find too, welp ty xD.

Arashin Kujqai · **10-20-2017, 01:04 PM**

So I couldn't quite find any information about Sidurgu's tribe other than the events that he claims took place for the 50-60 quests. I was wondering a couple things in regards to this.

1. Is the only information we have about his tribe that it's just pretty much wiped out now?

2. So it was to my understanding the Xaela pretty much easily overwhelmed Garlemald and they ended up giving up trying to take over the steppe because of the amount of effort and etc reasons it'd take. Xaela are a hassle cuz they're tough and the lands are made for toughies :p. Now Sidurgu supposedly was with the group of doman refugees that I thought was escaping the wrath of Garlemald's reign in the east... Why did his tribe go all the way to Ishgard(and how frankly, they'd have to get through ul'dah or further up north where the garlean threat would likely have spotted them) just to find peace when he could have easily been in the steppe away from it all? Or is there some explanation he says why he came to Ishgard specifically or why he was a refugee, maybe to get away from the xaela tribes?

Suren · **10-20-2017, 05:54 PM**

(10-20-2017, 01:04 PM)Arashin Kujqai Wrote: So I couldn't quite find any information about Sidurgu's tribe other than the events that he claims took place for the 50-60 quests. I was wondering a couple things in regards to this.

1. Is the only information we have about his tribe that it's just pretty much wiped out now?

2. So it was to my understanding the Xaela pretty much easily overwhelmed Garlemald and they ended up giving up trying to take over the steppe because of the amount of effort and etc reasons it'd take. Xaela are a hassle cuz they're tough and the lands are made for toughies :p. Now Sidurgu supposedly was with the group of doman refugees that I thought was escaping the wrath of Garlemald's reign in the east... Why did his tribe go all the way to Ishgard(and how frankly, they'd have to get through ul'dah or further up north where the garlean threat would likely have spotted them) just to find peace when he could have easily been in the steppe away from it all? Or is there some explanation he says why he came to Ishgard specifically or why he was a refugee, maybe to get away from the xaela tribes?

Lorebook entry on Sidurgu Wrote:Race (Clan): Au Ra (Xaela)
Gender: Male
Age: 26
Epithet: Sidurgu of the Obsidian Heart

As a child, Sidurgu lived with his family in a frontier town of Othard, until their settlement fell under the subjugation of the invading Garlean Empire. Unable to endure the stifling regime of their conquerors, his parents bundled him into a cart along with their meagre possessions, and fled into the wilderness soon after his sixth nameday. For five years they wandered, seeking a place to belong, before their journeys eventually brought them to Eorzeaâ€™s shores. Like many of their race, they found themselves drawn to the plains of Coerthas, where they hoped to adopt the nomadic ways of their ancestorsâ€¦ but neither fate nor the Ishgardians were kind to the Au Ra.

Molded by a life of tragedy, the displaced Xaela found himself well suited to the mantle of a dark knight. Now bereft of family, master, and fellow apprentice, Sidurgu wears his stern demeanour like a suit of armour, impenetrable to all perhaps but his young charge, Rielle.

That clears up some of it, such as why they gravitated toward pre-calamity Coerthas. AFAIK, we don't know what happened to the rest of the Orl tribe, or what other tribes/groups arrived in Ishgard and were killed alongside Sidurgu's family. Since Orl is not seen on the official list of known tribes, it's possible that they were wiped out earlier and his parents moved to Othard to escape the slaughter, but that is purely speculation.

Sounsyy · **10-20-2017, 08:57 PM**

(10-20-2017, 01:04 PM)Arashin Kujqai Wrote: Why did his tribe go all the way to Ishgard(and how frankly, they'd have to get through ul'dah or further up north where the garlean threat would likely have spotted them) just to find peace when he could have easily been in the steppe away from it all? Or is there some explanation he says why he came to Ishgard specifically or why he was a refugee, maybe to get away from the xaela tribes?

(10-20-2017, 05:54 PM)Suren Wrote:
Lorebook entry on Sidurgu Wrote:As a child, Sidurgu lived with his family in a frontier town of Othard, until their settlement fell under the subjugation of the invading Garlean Empire. Unable to endure the stifling regime of their conquerors, his parents bundled him into a cart along with their meagre possessions, and fled into the wilderness soon after his sixth nameday. For five years they wandered, seeking a place to belong, before their journeys eventually brought them to Eorzeaâ€™s shores. Like many of their race, they found themselves drawn to the plains of Coerthas, where they hoped to adopt the nomadic ways of their ancestorsâ€¦ but neither fate nor the Ishgardians were kind to the Au Ra.

Molded by a life of tragedy, the displaced Xaela found himself well suited to the mantle of a dark knight. Now bereft of family, master, and fellow apprentice, Sidurgu wears his stern demeanour like a suit of armour, impenetrable to all perhaps but his young charge, Rielle.

A few things to point out: the Orl tribe doesn't appear to have been living on the Azim Steppe during the Garlean invasion. It's possible they could've lived on the "frontier" between northern Yanxia and southern Azim Steppe, an area where Garlemald might have gone. Also that it mentions that the Orl tribe hoped to adopt the nomadic ways of their ancestors further separates them from the other Xaela tribes we know of.

How they got there isn't exactly clear. They wandered for five years, which implies they traveled mostly by land routes through Garlean occupied territory. Did they just keep their heads down and act as travelling merchants? Did they avoid patrols the whole way to Eorzea? Did they only go so far and then come the rest of the way by boat? We don't know the specifics.

I'm also adding Sidurgu's own rendition of his tale to the lore book's:

Sidurgu Orl Wrote:The first Ishgardians to encounter Au Ra saw Dravanians. We had fled Garlemaldâ€™s armies only to come to a land where we were mistaken for another nationâ€™s mortal enemy. They bared steel and came to kill usâ€¦but we did not die so easily. We spared them and sent them on their wayâ€¦and how do you think they repaid our kindness? With fire and blood! With death for every man, woman, and child!

â€¦I was about Rielleâ€™s age when I came to Ishgard. My parents, theyâ€¦they said we would find a better life here. When the Temple Knights we had shown mercy returned, they let us choose the order in which we would die. That would be their mercy to us, they declared.

I watched my parents kneel in the dirt. â€œLook away,â€ they said. But I could not. At last, when it was my turn, I knelt and prepared to follow them into death. I closed my eyesâ€¦but when I opened them, a man in black stood before me, hand outstretched. And so I took it. â€œDefend the meek.â€ â€œPunish the wicked.â€ â€¦Mayhap it was all but a convenient excuse to indulge in vengeance. She deserves better than me. But there is no one elseâ€¦

Sidurgu's version makes it seem like the Temple Knights either returned in greater numbers or took the Orl by surprise.

____________________________

(10-20-2017, 01:04 PM)Arashin Kujqai Wrote: Now Sidurgu supposedly was with the group of doman refugees that I thought was escaping the wrath of Garlemald's reign in the east...

Not the same group. According to the lore book entry, Sidurgu traveled with his tribe, the Orl, and this event took place many years before the recent Doman refugee exodus roughly a year ago. If Sidurgu is 26, and the tribe fled when he was six, this occurred 20 years ago in 1557. The same year Ala Mhigo was conquered. Five years of journeying to reach Eorzea places them reaching Ishgard in 1562. This coincides roughly with the 8th Awakening of Nidhogg, the razing of several Coerthan hamlets including Ferndale, and a severe rise in dragon attacks which prompted the Holy See to eventually withdraw from the Eorzean Alliance and close their gates to all foreigners. As Sidurgu points out, it was a very bad time for a black-scaled race of people to arrive in Ishgard.

____________________________

(10-20-2017, 01:04 PM)Arashin Kujqai Wrote: So it was to my understanding the Xaela pretty much easily overwhelmed Garlemald and they ended up giving up trying to take over the steppe because of the amount of effort and etc reasons it'd take. Xaela are a hassle cuz they're tough and the lands are made for toughies

Yes and no. It's suggested that the Garleans never actually made any serious attempts to occupy the Azim Steppe. There was no benefit in it versus the cost of going head to head with what the rest of Othard considered vicious warrior people. Similar to how Garlemald takes little interest in expending their armies to take over island nations unless provoked. The Empire is stretched thin as it is, they can't afford to fight everyone.

Yugiri Wrote:Oh, I assumed you knew. The Azim Steppe has been home to the nomadic tribes of the Xaela since antiquity. More than fifty roam these lands, and though they do not constitute a nation, there is a hierarchy of sorts, determined through ritual combat.

Lyse Wrote:If they're so busy fighting each other, you'd think the Empire would be able to march in and take the Steppe with ease. I wonder why they haven't...

Gosetsu Wrote:Perhaps they see little value in it, especially given the fierce reputation of the Xaela warriors who would fight tooth and nail to oppose them.

Yugiri Wrote:These lands were not made for men. The soil is thin, and the weather unforgiving. The Xaela found ways to survive, it is true. But they are made of sterner stuff than most imperials - conscript or citizen.

Arashin Kujqai · **10-20-2017, 09:54 PM**

Well that clears up a lot. Does seem like a stretch that they somehow survived/wandered for 5 years and made it to Coerthas. Kinda makes me wonder if the Orl's ancestry was akin to living in colder regions given how it's worded there. I instantly want to play DRK now and have mad respect for Sid now q.q <3.

Sounsyy · **10-20-2017, 11:02 PM**

(10-20-2017, 09:54 PM)Arashin Kujqai Wrote: Kinda makes me wonder if the Orl's ancestry was akin to living in colder regions given how it's worded there.

Assuming all or most-all Au Ra claim the Azim Steppe as their "ancestral" home regardless of where they live today, I'd say the Coerthas of fifteen years ago most closely matches the Steppe in geography and climate. Both higher elevation grassy areas with freezing cold winters and hot summers, lots of sheep, and plenty of beastkin to hunt.

[Image: maxresdefault.jpg]

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Children of the Dusk Mother of Auri creation, the Xaela have to this day not abandoned their ancestral home, living a nomadic life as hunters and gatherers on the vast Azim Steppe. With suitable grazing land sparse, conflict between individual tribes is common, with tribes forming, disbanding, and dying off in a ceaseless cycle of war and bloodshed. At last observation, Xaela tribes numered fifty-one, though there is a high likelihood that recently splintered or merged tribes have rendered that count outdated.

Arashin Kujqai · **10-21-2017, 09:17 AM**

(10-20-2017, 11:02 PM)Sounsyy Wrote:
(10-20-2017, 09:54 PM)Arashin Kujqai Wrote: Kinda makes me wonder if the Orl's ancestry was akin to living in colder regions given how it's worded there.

Assuming all or most-all Au Ra claim the Azim Steppe as their "ancestral" home regardless of where they live today, I'd say the Coerthas of fifteen years ago most closely matches the Steppe in geography and climate. Both higher elevation grassy areas with freezing cold winters and hot summers, lots of sheep, and plenty of beastkin to hunt.

*snip*

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Children of the Dusk Mother of Auri creation, the Xaela have to this day not abandoned their ancestral home, living a nomadic life as hunters and gatherers on the vast Azim Steppe. With suitable grazing land sparse, conflict between individual tribes is common, with tribes forming, disbanding, and dying off in a ceaseless cycle of war and bloodshed. At last observation, Xaela tribes numered fifty-one, though there is a high likelihood that recently splintered or merged tribes have rendered that count outdated.

Oh that's right, I keep forgetting Coerthas wasn't frozen over back then lol.

Stormblade · **11-08-2017, 04:04 AM**

All magic users draw from aether, right? So is the difference between them only how they turn the aether into a spell?

From what I've heard, arcanists use sigils and designs recorded in a book to turn a little aether into a big spell. Conjurers slowly absorb aether through their staves to cast spells. White Mages and Black Mages draw aether directly from the world. Thaums use rituals to the same effect as arcanist's designs. Astros draw aether from the stars (???), and Red Mages use... their sword? Not sure about those.

Also, what are arcanist/scholar/summoner summons? I thought Carbuncle was just a semi-independent mass of aether, customized by the arcanist with whatever designs and patterns they carve into the gem they use for the summoning - so, depending on how the arcanist shaped the gem and what formulas they use, their Carbuncle might be obedient or willful or affectionate or stubborn.

And I guess Egi's are smaller versions of the Primals, which the arcanist/summoner can create because they were exposed to that Primal's aether and are basically making a smaller "copy" of it.

But what are faeries? Are they like Carbuncles, or are they like Egi's?

Valence · **11-08-2017, 05:31 AM**

Yes, all magic users draw from aether and the difference between them is the school and techniques used to cast something. A conjurer will not proceed the same way as a gladiator with Flash or a monk with chakras for exemple.

Arcanists do indeed use sigils and geometric patterns they draw on a book to channel their own aether into finely tuned spells, or to summon aether made entities called carbuncles (also classified inside the higher genus "elementals" like faeries, spriggans or elementals, if I'm not mistaken, I don't have the lorebook with me right now).

Conjurers channel the aether of the land around them through their canes or wands: Nature's bounty, borrowed from elementals and whatnot through prayers and stuff. This is a moogle art originally, taught to Gridanians, but other forms of conjury and healing exist across the world, like ishgardian chirurgeons or ala mighan shamans. Conjury is mostly categorized into two main fields: healing and curative spells, and elemental spells (earth, water, fire, ice, etc, some of them like fire probably harder to draw upon depending on the land around, and frown upon by gridanian conjurers).

Thaumaturges channel their own body aether reserves (vary a great deal depending on the individual, some have almost none, some have plenty) into the gem of their staffs, channeled through the aether conductive materials of the staff itself, like bone or electrum (gold does the opposite though, it's insulating). They burn quickly through their own limited aether, but can regen it better, especially through the Coco brothers school of thaumaturgy which implies swap between astral and umbral elemental states, but that's only for thaumaturges of the newest generation teached at the Ossuary in Ul'dah. Older thaumaturgy is rather different, and other cultures can also have their own flavor. Thaumaturge magic is elemental and can be mostly comprised of all the elements, even if the Coco brothers only use half of them (fire ice and thunder).

Black mages draw their aether directly from the planet indeed, and considering the raw, powerful energies implied, if they don't have a gem of Shattoto with them (the soulstone), their most powerful spells will cook them from inside. White mages also draw their aether from the planet, and wether their method is more gentle or if the soulstone is also mandatory just to even cast white magic spells, is left to speculation. I suspect the later considering the WhM 30-50 quests, where the soulstone has to be specifically bestowed by elementals to the WoL so that they can access the arcanes of that magic, like padjal do.

Astrologians draw their aether from constellations and stars yes. These are apparently powerful sources of magic and can be called upon by trained sharlayan astrologians. A personal theory of mine is that ast magic is actually purely astral (diurnal) or umbral (nocturnal) magic, which gives aspected spells like aspected benefic and whatnot, but that's not specified in the lore per se. Astrology is actually in essence a time magic, using various time distortion and manipulation effects to change the states of things, or steer future possibilities to their will.

Red mages channel their aether exactly like thaumaturges/black mages: through their swords that act as staffs, and the gem at the top. While they can definitely draw upon the land like their white and black mages ancestors can, they refrain from doing so mostly by personal ethics, considering how the War of Magi leaded the world to the 6th Umbral Era. Their swords also act as special caralysts forged to channel their specific blend of white and black magic into potent spells, without having to draw from the land.

Carbuncles are mostly what you described yes. Egi and Faeries don't make exception and are in essence similarly created. Faeries just tend to exhibit more personality and intelligence (close to Spoken/humans, where carbuncles are closer to animals). Egi are infused with primal essence that the summoner has to have basked in before being able to summon them.

Stormblade · **11-08-2017, 07:05 AM**

Thank you! That cleared up a lot about the different magic practices.

(11-08-2017, 05:31 AM)Valence Wrote: Carbuncles are mostly what you described yes. Egi and Faeries don't make exception and are in essence similarly created. Faeries just tend to exhibit more personality and intelligence (close to Spoken/humans, where carbuncles are closer to animals). Egi are infused with primal essence that the summoner has to have basked in before being able to summon them.

So, is the difference between arcanist and scholar just the ability to summon a faerie? A summoner would need to be exposed to Titan aether, which presumably very few people are in a global scale, but from reading about the job quests, it seems that 'faerie summoning' was just sort of a lost art.

You mention that BLM and WHM can't really use their spells without suiciding if they don't have the job crystal, but could an arcanist learn how to summon a faerie without needing the crystal?

« Next Oldest \| Next Newest »
Pages (50): « Previous 1 … 43 44 45 46 47 … 50 Next » Jump to page:

General Lore Questions

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