So You Want To Be A Scholar

[Larson]

(I thought I'd share some things about Scholars for everyone. If you have more to add or change, feel free to comment and I'll work it in.)

What is a Scholar?

 

If you were to go by the Wiki information, you might assume “Scholar”directly correlates to “uses fairy magic and healing”. Well, that is the current school of magic based on old Nymeans teachings and make up the Scholar as a magical class, but there is much more to it than this.

 

A Scholar is an academic. While other professions and jobs seek out practical magic and power, Scholars are the historians, researchers, scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers that seek to understand magic rather than be the master of it. Scholars may travel to distant lands in search of ruins of lost cultures, or may spend lots of time learning from books and even people. The ultimate goal is the oh-so-Sharlayan pursuit of knowledge in the world.

 

Where do Scholars come from?

 

If you look back into Eorzean history, the two nations famous for academia are Sharlayan and Nym, but in modern Eorzea, a scholar can come from any background. The only requirement is the desire to learn and discover.

 

The focal magic of scholars stems from Nym. Even the common attire of a Nymean scholar reflects the origins (mortarboard hat y'all).

 

What about Fairies?

 

In the Scholar job quest, the PC researches the ruins of the Floating City of Nym, where he/she stumbles upon a fairy who immediately forms a pact.

Fairies are elementals created by the Nymeans from energies and elements in the world. They would then be bound to the scholar. It is likely our PC's fairy Eos lost her master to the Nymean plague and bound herself to a new one to give herself purpose.

 

Unfortunately, this kind of thing is wildly uncommon though not impossible. Fairies in Eorzea are extremely scarce and thought to border extinction. No matter their actual population, a fairy that currently exists is will be hard for your Scholar to come by. You may find it a personal struggle to explore the world trying to find one.

It is also semi-possible to create a new fairy as the Nymeans did, but that magic is not readily available at this time.

 

Fairies in Eorzea, as far as the PC’s familiar is concerned,appear to possess the ability to perform a paradigm shift at will. The two personalities we meet are Eos, and Selene.

 

Eos’ type is friendly, helpful, and strives to protect. She is drawn to noble heroes like the PC.

 

Selene’s type throws a little mischief and mystery into the ring. While a fairy like Eos dedicates herself entirely to protecting her partner, Selene alters the flow of battle and affects the magic rather than shield its target. She is likely more interested in those whose moral principles are nebulous and gray.

 

But remember: You do not have to have a fairy companion if you do not want it, nor is it even possible for every scholar to have one.

 

Unknown: It seems like your fairy familiar can either be like Selene or Eos, but it is unknown if those are general names for the type of fairy or the names of the PC's particular individual fairy.

 

Okay…then what is Scholar magic?

 

The thing is, just because the PC uses Nymean magic taught by a fairy does not necessarily mean you HAVE to. Nymean magic is new to common knowledge (only discovered this year ICly) and you may well have other magic your character utilizes. It could be divination, healing, rituals, telepathy…anything you can imagine a studious individual needing. But remember, Scholars will most likely have support and healing abilities due to the nature of their job. Your character could technically have roots as a White/Black mage, a Summoner, or an Astrologian and still be a Scholar.

 

Do I need to wield a book?

 

You most certainly do! A scholar’s greatest weapon is the knowledge it seeks, and your research has to go somewhere, right? Like an arcanist, the spells a scholar uses in daily life are more potent when the tome in hand is well read. The more care put into the book, the finer the metals in the ink use to write in it, the stronger the channeling will be. The book is the scholar’s tool because it symbolizes and contains everything the scholar stands for.

You could have the ugliest, crappiest looking tome made out of dried feces, and it would probably work as long as the ink was on fleek and/or the geometries were drawn with precision.

Thing is, silver ink is expensive and hard to come by, and writing spells requires a lot of math and a steady hand. Your character may struggle without these.

[Desu Nee]

Considering Quki is a great thaumaturge, and a scholar at heart, this was a seriously useful post. Thank you!

 

 

I do have a doubt though? Is there any other recognized scholar circles around Eorzea, or is Sharlayan Scholars (and Nymian in an extent) the only true Scholars?

[Larson]

Considering Quki is a great thaumaturge, and a scholar at heart, this was a seriously useful post. Thank you!

 

 

I do have a doubt though? Is there any other recognized scholar circles around Eorzea, or is Sharlayan Scholars (and Nymian in an extent) the only true Scholars?

Well I just found some stuff that Sounssy posted that I'll use to rework all of this, but it seems like Garlemald, Nym, and Sharlayan are the big three in magical development. Nym was of course wiped out by a plague, and Sharlayan was abandoned. Only Garlemald continues to develop as a unified force.

 

With that said, there are most likely other societies and cultures that have wonderous magics to explore.

 

I also discovered that Fairies were CREATED by man and are not natural beings.

[Desu Nee]

Gods bless Sounsyy. I lost count of how many threads I favorited cause of her stuff.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Garlemald....kinda can't use magic. Because your average pure-blooded Garlean cannot manipulate aether. Just throwing that out there.

 

I would advise caution between trying to group a scholar to be the same thing as a SCH though. While a Scholar (job) is certainly a scholar (one who studies), the same does not go both ways.

 

SCHs are a particular brand of scholars studying the lost Nymian magic from the 5th Astral Era.

[Gegenji]

SCHs are a particular brand of scholars studying the lost Nymian magic from the 5th Astral Era.

 

Which itself is a derivative of the same mathemagical arts of the Allagan Summoners, if I recall. Arcanima as it is currently in Eorzea is a derivative of these two ancient arcane practices.

 

And yes, a Fairy is an artificial elemental created by the Nymian Scholars, not unlike a more "advanced" version of the more primitive Carbuncle of the Arcanists.

[FreelanceWizard]

Well I just found some stuff that Sounssy posted that I'll use to rework all of this, but it seems like Garlemald, Nym, and Sharlayan are the big three in magical development. Nym was of course wiped out by a plague, and Sharlayan was abandoned. Only Garlemald continues to develop as a unified force.

 

Note that only the colony Sharlayan created in Eorzea (which, confusingly, is called Sharlayan) is abandoned. The city-state of Sharlayan continues to exist on its isolated island. It doesn't help that some of the Scions were born in the colony, others were born in the homeland, and still others were born on the island and trained in the colony. It can all be quite confusing. :?

 

Nym fell in the War of the Magi in the Fifth Astral Era. The other Fifth Astral Era civilizations were Amdapor (users of White Magic; destroyed by the Great Flood with ruins sealed by the elementals until the Calamity) and Mhach (users of Black Magic; destroyed, likely by the Great Flood, and begat Belah'dia, which begat Sil'dih and Ul'dah).

 

Currently, the great researchers of magic are the four guilds in the city-states and Sharlayan. Garlemald uses magitek, not magic, as Unnamed Mercenary pointed out.

[Larson]

I'd still like to know...in the first quest, Eos and Selene seem to be the same being but able to interchange. Are there other types of fairy in the world? Are they all named Eos and Selene?

 

It also just hit me (derp) that their names relate to mythos of Sun and Moon. I would assume then that fairies have solar and lunar forms which are a common theme in Eorzea.

[Warren Castille]

It is important to make the distinction with capital letters. My Uncle Jack can tell you all about that. You can be a scholar without being a Scholar.

[Gegenji]

I'd still like to know...in the first quest, Eos and Selene seem to be the same being but able to interchange. Are there other types of fairy in the world? Are they all named Eos and Selene?

 

The Fairy itself that the MC gets actually has a name - Lily, if I recall. And yet it is still referred to as Eos and Selene when you have it summoned in its respective "forms." Likely it's just there for ease of identification and the mechanics of how the summons work (every other summon is a different thing with different movesets, unless you also consider your two Carbuncles as ACN to also be the same creature). Still, I like to think they're more like stances than anything else, not unlike the Diurnal and Nocturnal Sects of the Astrologian.

 

That and giving the Fairy a name gives it a more... personal feel to it. Gogon's is named Ezra, for example. :lol:

[Larson]

I'd still like to know...in the first quest, Eos and Selene seem to be the same being but able to interchange. Are there other types of fairy in the world? Are they all named Eos and Selene?

 

The Fairy itself that the MC gets actually has a name - Lily, if I recall. And yet it is still referred to as Eos and Selene when you have it summoned in its respective "forms." Likely it's just there for ease of identification and the mechanics of how the summons work (every other summon is a different thing with different movesets, unless you also consider your two Carbuncles as ACN to also be the same creature). Still, I like to think they're more like stances than anything else, not unlike the Diurnal and Nocturnal Sects of the Astrologian.

 

That and giving the Fairy a name gives it a more... personal feel to it. Gogon's is named Ezra, for example. :lol:

I'm slowly editing to draw the distinction between scholars and Scholars. I;m completely exhausted and my mind isn't forming it well, but itll change.

 

Also this is great news! I shall name Thoreaux's fairy Nell. She likes to wander around and not sit with Thoreaux. #youcantsitwithus

[Zanther]

Good to know of this.

 

Zazanther's Fairy is named Tilly. You are right about being rare and stuff for IC purpose. I found mine while wondering around in WP a few years back and he found a Sch stone. I have an intresting story that involve my Char and Tilly. Tilly use to be Zanthers, back when his soul was in the body of a Nym Citizen who was killed cause he was turning into a Tonberry from the plague.

[Gone.]

I also discovered that Fairies were CREATED by man and are not natural beings.

 

And yes' date=' a Fairy is an artificial elemental created by the Nymian Scholars, not unlike a more "advanced" version of the more primitive Carbuncle of the Arcanists.[/quote']

 

This is not quite true... it's significantly implied that a fairy is its own being, not a manifestation of the caster's creation:

 

 

 

Then there's original SCH story arc and skill names such as 'Fey Covenant' to back that.

 

I actually don't even know of anyone that plays an IC scholar outside of myself and one other friend. It's a shame because Lily (totally coincidental choice on my behalf, I decided on that name before I had finished out the SCH quests) plays such an important part in Foxglove's RP; it's essentially a second, complimentary character alongside the other and there's just so much you can do with that, especially when the companionship is full of all sorts of contrasting visuals and emotions.

[BumblingSeaBiscuit]

I actually don't even know of anyone that plays an IC scholar outside of myself and one other friend.

 

My character Simi is a Scholar (aka, someone with a fairy). It's an extensive part of her characters history and present roleplay. :3

[Nebbs]

I actually don't even know of anyone that plays an IC scholar outside of myself and one other friend.

 

My character Simi is a Scholar (aka, someone with a fairy). It's an extensive part of her characters history and present roleplay. :3

 

While I don't play the archetypes in the game I do have my characters capable in the arts. I have always gone with the entity being from elsewhere and it is given form in this realm through aeither.

 

Nebbs had a whole part if her story being her link with her fairy (Xym) that all she could manage was a carbuncle firm initially. I even then created a whole realm of the fairies. Given they are provided with a form you could stretch thus to minions, witch familiar black cat anyone

 

For Sumi, she sees things as spirits, and summones them to aid her. Mechanics are the same just the casters perception is different. Her fairy being her spirit guide.

[Sounsyy]

I also discovered that Fairies were CREATED by man and are not natural beings.

 

And yes' date=' a Fairy is an artificial elemental created by the Nymian Scholars, not unlike a more "advanced" version of the more primitive Carbuncle of the Arcanists.[/quote']

 

This is not quite true... it's significantly implied that a fairy is its own being, not a manifestation of the caster's creation:

 

It is, actually, true though.

 

Q: To follow up on a question from the stream earlier- the taxonomy that fairies fall into. Is there an origin to how they become fairies of Scholars. Were they fairies and then bound to scholars? or did the scholars create them?

 

MCKF: Yes, the second one. Fairies again, while they fall under the taxonomy of elementals, they are actually beings that were created. They did not exist before. The Scholar would take the energies and elements from around them and would basically create these beings that were made of the elements.

 

So, yes, the original Faeries were created by the Nymians. But the faeries they created were sentient beings, so their control over them and their magic was not 100% - just like Alka Zolka says in your referenced screenshots.

[Kage]

I also discovered that Fairies were CREATED by man and are not natural beings.

 

And yes, a Fairy is an artificial elemental created by the Nymian Scholars, not unlike a more "advanced" version of the more primitive Carbuncle of the Arcanists.

 

This is not quite true... it's significantly implied that a fairy is its own being, not a manifestation of the caster's creation:

 

 

 

 

 

Except Word of God says it is so.

Lore from God aka Michael-Christopher Koji Fox aka Fernehalwes

A: To follow up on a question from the stream earlier- the taxonomy that fairies fall into. Is there an origin to how they become fairies of Scholars. Were they fairies and then bound to scholars? or did the scholars create them?

 

MCKF: Yes, the second one. Fairies again, while they fall under the taxonomy of elementals, they are actually beings that were created. They did not exist before. The Scholar would take the energies and elements from around them and would basically create these beings that were made of the elements.

 

 

 

An implied statement, especially from an NPC who does not know everything can be wrong in FFXIV. The lore team has stated that they will deliberately misinform players through NPC dialogue and even monster names to give Eorzea the feeling that not everyone knows the answers, especially NPCs. In which this case, he doesn't know the nature and origins of the Fairies. There's even cases of monster names being changed because a regular Lominsan wouldn't know about Allagan technology so they just assume Leviathan drowned (temptered) someone.

[Shayrei]

 

From the level 30 quest: 

 

 Alka Zolka's interest in history is a practical one, as he seeks to research the military tactics of Nym, an ancient civilization said to have repulsed would-be invaders time and time again. He had hoped that an arcanist might help analyze any text pertaining to magical arts-- that is, if he were in possession of any texts to translate. However, Alka Zolka had not anticipated the appearance of an otherworldly creature, one which seemingly burst forth from a crystal you found with the tablets. Hastily translating one of the tablets, Alka Zolka explains that the creature is a faerie, one which once served as the companion of a Nymian scholar. Alka Zolka explains that the crystal you found was the Soul of the Scholar, and that with it, you can call upon the faerie at will. Reasoning that an experienced arcanist would be in a better position to preserve the lost arts, he decides to entrust the crystal to you.

 

Sorry on a phone, quoting is a pain.

 

You dont just "stumble" upon a faerie that decides you're cool. You find the soulstone to which the faerie was bound. It's because of that (and the fact that you're a skilled arcanist) that you're able to summon her as you need.

 

[Sylentmana]

The scholar archetype is actually my favorite one to play and most of my characters are scholars, especially Cecilia who is a Scholar and a scholar.:lol:

[Larson]

I will hopefully edit all this today. Work drama blah.

 

Also, I noticed someone mentioned using Lily in RP. Unfortunately you cannot interact with Lily ICly. She is one individual fairy created by a Nymean scholar whose soulstone the PC finds. You must either find another soulstone or create your own fairy.

 

In my case, Vyce created Nell. But because Nymean magic is still mostly misunderstood, Nell is a bit incomplete. She can only manifest in a Selene form, and is currently able to act as she chooses. Vyce cannot control her actions and must live with a sentient being who is capable of mischief at will. He still cares about her.

[LiadansWhisper]

I will hopefully edit all this today. Work drama blah.

 

Also, I noticed someone mentioned using Lily in RP. Unfortunately you cannot interact with Lily ICly. She is one individual fairy created by a Nymean scholar whose soulstone the PC finds. You must either find another soulstone or create your own fairy.

 

In my case, Vyce created Nell. But because Nymean magic is still mostly misunderstood, Nell is a bit incomplete. She can only manifest in a Selene form, and is currently able to act as she chooses. Vyce cannot control her actions and must live with a sentient being who is capable of mischief at will. He still cares about her.

 

I think she meant that she named her fairy Lily before she had finished the scholar quests, and stuck with it anyway.  But it's not the Lily from the quests.