Dungeons, Logs and Notes: Lore Collections

[Kage]

Dusk Vigil Torn Dungeon Notes!

 

To whoever reads this─if there is anyone left to read it─let it be known that I, Ser Pascaleret Neurtaille, bore witness to Dalamud's fall. The lesser moon's descent, the black doom which emerged from within, the flames which spread across the horizon, turning night to day─it shall haunt me for the rest of my days. It is the dawn of the “Seventh Umbral Era,” according to some of the men. I told them to put no stock in the ravings of the prophetess, but even I do not know what to believe anymore.

 

The engineers are still surveying the damage, but anyone with eyes can tell that the Dusk Vigil is beyond repair. Some walls are hardly fit to be called as such, piles of crumbling masonry as they are. The officers have been pleading with Ser Yuhelmeric, asking him to order a withdrawal. He knows our position is untenable, yet he refuses. “We will hold it to the last, for we are the shields on the wall─the defenders of the Holy See,” he says. He is a brave, pious man. Less so, we who serve under him.

 

The men we rescued from the collapsed wing have not fared well. Given our dwindling supplies and this seemingly endless blizzard, we may be forced to make difficult decisions soon. This unseasonable weather grows worse with every passing day, and the toll it has taken on morale is plain. We have yet to receive reinforcements from the Holy See, and I fear none shall come. Nevertheless, Ser Yuhelmeric remains steadfast in his decision and will not suffer any talk of withdrawal. Ser Yuhelmeric's steward tells me he passes hours in the chapel, praying to the Fury for guidance... But I chanced to see him once, as he knelt before the statue. His eyes were transfixed upon the jewel in her crown, and he was whispering things I dare not write.

 

Ser Yuhelmeric has taken me into his confidence. He says I am an honest man. I wish I were a braver one. The mutiny has been quelled. Among the starving, half-mad knights were Ser Yuhelmeric's most trusted officers. He wielded the axe himself. Ser Yuhelmeric received me in the chapel afterwards. I told him we will not last a fortnight without food. He smiled and told me that the Fury has blessed us with a bounty of fresh meat, then returned to his prayers. I joined him.

 

O Halone, pray forgive your humble servant. For too long have I let fear rule my heart, and in my cowardice have I been party to unspeakable acts. I know now I shall never see my children again─nor would I want them to look upon their father's face...and what it has become. I am outside Her grace.

 

Edit: Thanks to Sounsyy, After the completion of Dusk Vigil and completing the reason why you go into Dusk Vigil

At last, it is ours once more... My parents presented this sapphire to me on my wedding day, as my wife and I presented it to Yuhelmeric on his. One day, they would do the same for their son... But for that disgrace of an inquisitor! Suspicion of heresy, what rot! He knew what he wanted from the start.

 

...By the time I secured her release, they had interrogated her for days. She...she was a shadow of her former self. But the final insult─the final twisting of the knife─was when my son took command at the Dusk Vigil and found the ice rondel to be the centerpiece of the newly commissioned sculpture of the Fury. He couldn't prove it was the selfsame one which had vanished, but, oh, he knew... But no more, no more! It is back with the family, where it belongs.

 

I've also found some 1.0 video with Yuhelmeric [and some other Ishgard knights]

GuRCH9Zw3VQ

[Kage]

The Great Gubal Library

Beauty is ephemeral, but it neededn't be. My lady Amandine knows this well, lovely creature that she is. Would that I could have the genuine article in my keeping... but alas, I shall have to settle for a pale imitation.

 

The vessel is not quite up to my usual standards, but beggars can't be choosers, as they say. I washed and anointed it per the instructions, then secured it to the bed with chains - wouldn't want her to get ideas above her station, oh no!

 

Gods, just the thought of it is enough to get my blood pumping! I can hardly wait to welcome my beloved succubus into this world!

 

The tentacles... so many tentacles! And the sound of it writhing on the bed! Gods, just listening to it is agony!

 

I've made a terrible mistake.

 

 

Chapter 1- The Six Nativities & Myriad Creation.

The spark of Lightning ignites when it strikes, and thus Fire is born.

The heat of Fire renders ash to all that it touches, and thus Earth is born.

The density of Earth shuns sun and harbors cold, and thus ice is born.

The armor of Ice melts away, and thus Water is born.

The moistness of Water mists and rises, and thus Wind is born.

The gusts and sighs of Wind gather the clouds, and thus Lightning is born.

Chapter II - The Three Conquests, Boundless and Unwavering.

Earth Grounds Lightning.

Water erodes Earth.

Lightning boils Water.

Chapter III - The Three Submissions, Timeless and Unending.

Fire is extinguished by Wind.

Ice is melted by Fire.

Wind is obstructed by Ice.

Chapter IV - Dynamic Opposites & the Bifurcation of Polarity

 

The six elements are manifest in all things great and small, and their polarity deriveth from the Astral heavens above and the Umbral depths below.

 

 

 

The rise of the Garlean Empire in the Year 1522 of the Sixth Astral Era led to significant changes in the structure of the Garlean society. This is most evident in the adoption of titles which serve to indicate an individual's place within the social hierarchy. The following information was compiled with the aid of informants within the empire and has yet to be verified:

 

Zos - The emperor

Yae - Member of the royal family in the line of succession

Wir - Member of the royal family with no claim to the throne

Military

Van - Legatus

Tol - Tribunus laticlavius or Tribunus militum

Sas - Tribunus angusticlavius or Praefectus castrorum

Rem - Primus pilus or Pilus prior

Quo - Primi ordines or Centurion

Pyr - Optio, Tesserarius, or Decurion

Oen - Duplicarius or Legionarius

 

Specialists

Nan - Chief engineer or engineer

Mal - Primus medicus or senior magitek technician

Lux - Chief medicus or magitek technician

Kir - Senior medicus or senior technician

Jen - Medicus or technician

 

Public Officials

Iyl - Dictator or Princeps senatus

Het - Consul, Praetor, Tribunus plebis, Aedilis, or Quaestor

Goe - Censor

Fae - Unknown

Eir - Unknown

Dus - Lictor.

 

This hierarchy extends to the general populace as well, though it is far less complex.

Cen - Smaller than "Ban" group, the respected artisans

Ban - The majority of citizens

Aan - Peoples of annexed territories and the title indicates that they lack even the most basic rights afforded to a citizen. However, many Garleans see the "aan" title as an opportunity rather than a condemnation, as citizenship may be granted to those who have demonstrated exceptional skills, as well as those who have contributed 20 or more years of military service.

 

 

Though there is some debate as to whether or not Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn and her League of Lost Bastards were the first Eorzeans to discover the western continent, there is no denying that their navigational charts were instrumental in establishing the major trade routes of today.

Moreover, the accounts from their expedition are widely regarded as both informative and entertaining. of particular note is their first encounter with the Mamool Ja, as well as other indigenous peoples and creatures which seemed curiously intent on their demise.

These travel journals have since inspired a legion of explorers and treasure hunters to retrace the League's journey. Yet in spite of their numbers, the existence of a "bleedin' city o' gold" remains unconfirmed...

 

 

[Kage]

The Fractal Continuum - Images taken from this gallery.

 

This exhibit showcases the various scientific advances that allow Allagans to live lives of heretofore unheard-of-ease and efficiency.

 

See the myriad marvels of Allagan military technology that have replaced flesh-and-blood soldiers' date=' ensuring that no Allagan citizen need ever again lay down their life in battle.[/quote']

 

Feast your eyes on this massive-yet-elegant automaton' date=' designed to monitor - and if necessary, dispatch - potentially violent chimerical constructs.[/quote']

 

 

A second-generation construct boasting the strength of a bear and the acute vision of an owl. As with many early efforts at synthesis' date=' lack of intelligence and a proclivity for violence limited its practical use.[/quote']

 

 

A fourth-generation construct' date=' and one of the first to effectively employ cloning technology. With high intelligence and regenerative capacity, its development was hailed as a major breakthrough.[/quote']

 

 

Among the first successful efforts in synthesizing a voidsent. Void Research remains an emerging field' date=' with future developments holding great promise.[/quote']

 

A highly intelligent construct employed by allagan engineers to perform maintenance tasks. Notable flaws include a weakness against the elements and certain genetic instabilities.

[Sounsyy]

I believe the jewel that Ser Yuhelmeric stares at is a family heirloom that he gave to his fiance(wife?). She was accused by [implied corrupt] inquisitor who was jealous and lusted after her. The inquisitor then placed the jewel into this statue that is inside the chapel of the keep that Ser Yuhelmeric was to defend. Quite spiteful and cruel, an act to taunt the Ser Yuhelmeric, putting his family heirloom into the crown of a statue of the Fury.

 

I've also found some 1.0 video with Yuhelmeric [and some other Ishgard knights]

GuRCH9Zw3VQ

 

From Wealdtheow, Yuhelmeric de Brillelame's father:

At last, it is ours once more... My parents presented this sapphire to me on my wedding day, as my wife and I presented it to Yuhelmeric on his. One day, they would do the same for their son... But for that disgrace of an inquisitor! Suspicion of heresy, what rot! He knew what he wanted from the start.

 

...By the time I secured her release, they had interrogated her for days. She...she was a shadow of her former self. But the final insult─the final twisting of the knife─was when my son took command at the Dusk Vigil and found the ice rondel to be the centerpiece of the newly commissioned sculpture of the Fury. He couldn't prove it was the selfsame one which had vanished, but, oh, he knew... But no more, no more! It is back with the family, where it belongs.

 

Ser Yuhelmeric de Brillelame was once the proud Lord Commander of House Durendaire's Knights, though he has no blood lineage to them. He also appeared prominently in 1.0's archer questline hunting down escaped heretics (and dragons!) in the Twelveswood.

 

[video=youtube]

 

 

__________________________

 

Essences and Permutations appears to be missing the fourth chapter in the Gubal Library?

 

Chapter IV - Dynamic Opposites & the Bifurcation of Polarity

 

The six elements are manifest in all things great and small, and their polarity deriveth from the Astral heavens above and the Umbral depths below.

 

 

Also your Garlean Heirarchy is missing portions of the text:

The rise of the Garlean Empire in the Year 1522 of the Sixth Astral Era led to significant changes in the structure of the Garlean society. This is most evident in the adoption of titles which serve to indicate an individual's place within the social hierarchy. The following information was compiled with the aid of informants within the empire and has yet to be verified:

 

Royalty

Zos - The emperor

Yae - Member of the royal family in line of succession

Wir - Member of the royal family with no claim to the throne.

 

Military

Van - Legatus (Commands a Legion)

Tol - Tribunus laticlavius or Tribunus militum (Commands a Cohor)

Sas - Tribunus angusticlavius or Praefectus castrorum (Commands Castrums)

Rem - Primus pilus or Pilus prior (Commands a Manipulus)

Quo - Primi ordines or Centurion (Commands a Centuriae)

Pyr - Optio, Tesserarius, or Decurion (???)

Oen - Duplicarius or Legionarius (Footsoldier?)

 

Specialists

Nan - Chief engineer or engineer

Mal - Primus medicus or senior magitek technician

Lux - Chief medicus or magitek technician

Kir - Senior medicus or senior technician

Jen - Medicus or technician

 

Public Officials

Iyl - Dictator or Princeps senatus

Het - Consul, Praetor, Tribunus plebis, Aedilis, or Quaestor

Goe - Censor

Fae - Unknown

Eir - Unknown

Dus - Lictor

 

This hierarchy extends to the general populace as well, though it is far less complex. The majority of citizens bear the "Ban" title, and there is a smaller group which appears to be comprised of respected artisans who have adopted the "Cen" title.

 

The "Aan" title is bestowed upon the peoples of annexed territories and indicates that they lack even the most basic rights afforded to a citizen. However, many Garleans view this as an opportunity rather than a condemnation, as citizenship may be granted to those who have demonstrated exceptional skills, as well as those who have contributed twenty or more years of military service.

 

 

__________________________

 

Not sure if this thread was for Heavensward dungeons only, but I thought I'd add Edda's notes from Tam-Tara Deepcroft HM.

 

Scarcely a week has passed since we returned to the village, and already I cannot help thinking it was a mistake. There was a time when this place seemed just large enough. But having see the wider world, it all feels so insufferably confined that I often find myself struggling for breath. I know that it is the same for you, my love.

The only time I feel truly alive is when I am adventuring with you. We are as caged birds in this backwater. So long as we remain here, we will never spread our wings and soar. So let us take to the road and create a lifetime of wonderful memories together.

I could not have hoped for a more romantic first visit to Mor Dhona. The crystals that pierce the landscape glowed in all their majesty, as if to celebrate our future together. And as we lazed by Silvertear Lake, watching the waves lapping at the shore, the sun took its leave behind the horizon, that we might enjoy a moment of intimacy.

"I want us to be together forever." You first said these words to me years ago, and you said them to me again tonight. I am so happy to be with you.

You have been looking deathly pale of late. The scorching heat of Thanalan does not agree with you. You were never fond of hot climes' date=' and it was a mistake to come here. Let us make for Coerthas, where the bracing air will put roses on your cheeks.[/quote']

I know' date=' I know - It is not easy being without a body. I promise to find one for you, but you must have patience. You are my husband-to-be, and there is nothing I would not do for you, so please, have faith in me. Give me time, my love, and I shall make you whole again, as you make me.[/quote']

I am sorry to keep you waiting, my love, but we cannot afford to compromise--not where your new body is concerned. Ordinary adventurers die often enough, leaving their ordinary corpses, but if you are to be like Sounsyy we cannot settle for anything less than extraordinary.

But a strong body requires an equally strong soul--as I recently discovered. Now, you are probably worried that strong souls are rare, and so they are--but never fear, for we can create one ourselves! All we need is a plentiful supply of the weaker kind, and they are common indeed. Be patient just a little longer, my love, and all will be as you desire.

With the nigh endless supply of bodies here' date=' I will make you well again, my love. Then we shall be wed as man and wife, and forever be joined as the gods intended. Of course, it is only fitting that a proper ceremony be held, with guests in attendance. i will send out invitations to all our friends. They will be so happy for us, I have no doubt they will jump at the chance to part with their souls.[/quote']

 

 

__________________________

 

Great Gubal Library

(Demon Tome)

 

Pentetolothys

Athealogicad

 

Ylk'eorz

Tetheth ctuleniacl

 

-Mesca molla nith kol atha

afah on mantha qul ta oka

millh azan thal azan ul.

-Gelli deuz tort'il am all'i

veuol gthal nk'denil ma

Thaeothelphae guil ac'til.

-Nevth'ent noctemas tel

paeth dyl xun tao zin djai

akh mael thisthe qarnic.

-Mor ann mor silvae mor.

-Morn ynn morn silvae morn.

-Tu'l qui jae tzu tao

ghollill demen atymos al

ill fhwil athac teryn.

 

 

-Dillix yn zolol nedzl sef

tolnysor devid. Molh

-Holnix xanla tildylt

usen yn vholl thaela

Li Noctologolae netheg

hyss diem alul morn

unna morn tulwal.

-Mesca molla atymos kol

mor unna mor gwyr

cthol aen dag il on al

Feryne Akyn.

 

Taehlo geomytoric

 

M'lin M'th qitha

Bellenoctol

Sempyr

 

-Benets quin jao azathi chail.

-Atymos'il fhil amdyri ox

Gothin dalam gyllo ud tempa

 

Known Dravanian words in bold. This text is written in Dragonspeak. Coincidentally, this is also the same text as the book for the 2nd Boss in The Great Gubal Library. Already cross-checked.

 

More lore on the second boss, Byblos comes from its Triple Triad Card.

A forbidding presence that guards the door to the forbidden halls of the Great Gubal Library. Presumed to be a voidsent summoned from the dark realm by Sharlayan magi' date=' it dutifully guards its post as if bound there by some dark covenant.[/quote']

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps! ^^ Love having all this stuff in one place though for easy reference Kage! My notes and lore text screenshots are starting to get kinda jumbled. (I'm trying to think of more dungeons that have text notes?? Are there any?)

[Kage]

Thanks Sounsyy for the clarification and additional info. I wonder then, why Ser Yuhelmeric stares so at the jewel in the crown if it was returned to the family. He doesn't know? Just the reminder?

 

I think my edits are getting FUBAR'd. I try to preview or full edit and it throws my spoiler and quote tags everywhere.

 

I changed up the Ban+Cen+Aan info when I wrote that section so it fit the rest of the list a tad more.

 

 

Hopefully we can use a central keep for *all* the dungeon notes! If you want to have me add screenshots etc let me know which ones~ I think the other place with notes is Toto-rak? But I don't remember anything substantial to those posts.

 

Sastasha

Copperbell

Tam-Tara NM

Halatali

Toto-Rak

Haukke Manor

Brayflox

Qarn

Cutter's Cry

Stone Vigil

Darkhold

Aurum Vale

Wanderer's Palace

Amdapor Keep

Pharos Sirius

Copperbell (Hard)

Haukke Manor (Hard)

Lost City of Amdapor

Halatali (Hard)

Brayflox (hard)

Stone Vigil (Hard)

Tam-Tara (Hard)

Snowcloak

Sastasha (Hard)

Qarn (Hard)

Keeper of the Lake

Wanderer's Palace (Hard)

Amdapor Keep (Hard)

Dusk Vigil

Sohm Al

Aery

Vault

Great Gubal Library

Aetherochemical Research Facility

Fractal

Neverreap

 

I might want to keep the Halatali HM NPC dialogue.

[Sounsyy]

Thanks Sounsyy for the clarification and additional info. I wonder then, why Ser Yuhelmeric stares so at the jewel in the crown if it was returned to the family. He doesn't know? Just the reminder?

 

Oh, sorry! The quote from Wealdtheow is from after you complete Dusk Vigil. He's the NPC that gives you the quest to go into the dungeon in the first place - to send you looking for the jewel. Then griffin smashes the statue's head and the sapphire comes rolling over to your feet. You take the sapphire and return it to Wealdtheow (Yuhelmeric's father) and he then proceeds to tell you the sad fate of his family. Hence the above quote. In the notes, Yuhelmeric is staring obsessively at the sapphire on the statue of the Fury's head. He knows it's his sapphire, but he can't take it because it adorns an idol of Halone and the Inquisitors would know immediately it was he who took it. So that, plus the torture of his wife sort of drove him slowly over the edge. Which is heartbreaking cuz he was such a sweetheart in 1.0. ; ;

[Kage]

Thanks Sounsyy for the clarification and additional info. I wonder then, why Ser Yuhelmeric stares so at the jewel in the crown if it was returned to the family. He doesn't know? Just the reminder?

 

Oh, sorry! The quote from Wealdtheow is from after you complete Dusk Vigil. He's the NPC that gives you the quest to go into the dungeon in the first place - to send you looking for the jewel. Then griffin smashes the statue's head and the sapphire comes rolling over to your feet. You take the sapphire and return it to Wealdtheow (Yuhelmeric's father) and he then proceeds to tell you the sad fate of his family. Hence the above quote. In the notes, Yuhelmeric is staring obsessively at the sapphire on the statue of the Fury's head. He knows it's his sapphire, but he can't take it because it adorns an idol of Halone and the Inquisitors would know immediately it was he who took it. So that, plus the torture of his wife sort of drove him slowly over the edge. Which is heartbreaking cuz he was such a sweetheart in 1.0. ; ;

-palm hitting face-

I completely... forgot about this. I did exactly what the devs said not to do, which was rush the NPC dialogue. I'll edit that in!!

[Elena]

Thanks for posting all these! I never really had the time before to stand around and check all these out(life of a dps)

[Steel Wolf]

In a game where dungeon runs are essentially hallways with murder in between, getting an opportunity to actually read the lore and stories behind these setpieces is most refreshing. Thank you.

[Kage]

When I get the time I'll work on compiling the notes from Toto-Rak as well as any dialogue of note (Halatali HM).

 

If you can think of others similar let me know!

[Kage]

Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak

 

Toto-Rak Expedition Notes (Day 1)

Strange lights sighted from just inside dungeon entrance. Creatures of the forest? Closer inspection reveals them to be man-made machines. Ashcrown Consortium technologist accompanying party believes them to be of Garlean design. Labels them "magitek photocells." Collect for further study.

 

Toto-Rak Expedition Notes (Day 2)

Dramatic increase in light emitted by photocells observed upon collecting fourth. Dispatched two lancers to Gridania with orders to deliver the photocells to Stillglade Fane. soon after their departure, received linkpearl transmission from pair reporting marked reduction in photocell glow as distance from Maws increased. Recalled lancers.

 

Toto-Rak Expedition Notes (Day 3)

lancer downed attempting to breach what Ashcrown technologist calls a "magitek field." Technologist advises that there should be a device in the vicinity powering the barrier. No choice but to look for it. Divided party into four teams to expedite search. Whisperings of discontent? No. Just my imagination.

 

Toto-Rak Expedition Notes (Day 4)

Device located, but one team yet to return. Barrier terminal unresponsive until technologist suggests applying set of four photocells. How does he know these things? Watch him. Lancer suggests locating missing team. Decide to press on.

[Sounsyy]

<>

Sounsyy Mirke

 

 

Sightseeing Logs

 

A Realm Reborn

 

Barracuda Piers

These docks provide safe mooring for the Thalassocratic Navy's principal squadrons, also know as the Crimson Fleet. To prevent sabotage, admittance to the area is forbidden to the general citizenry; however, on clear days, one may catch a glimpse of the armada flagship, the Triumph, from atop one of Limsa Lominsa's myriad spans.

 

The Astalicia

Registered as a trade vessel hailing from foreign waters, this battle-scarred warship captained by the lord of the region's underworld, One-eyed Hyllfyr, serves as a gathering place for brigands, cutthroats, and the purveyors of sundry other breeds of villainy. It is here that the city-state's many pirates crews find new recruits to join their ranks.

 

Seasong Grotto

"I am the waves that bear, I am the winds that guide.

I am the evening stars, I am the morning sky.

I am born of the sea, and there shall I die."

 

Nestled within a shallow cavern situated to the south of Summerford Farms sits an ancient monolith upon which is carved this, the Sailors' Requiem.

 

The Skylift

Once an endless expanse of flat, rocky meadows, lower La Noscea is now severed atwain by a sheer cliff known as the Descent. To maintain overland trade routes from the easterly outposts of Aleport and Bronze Lake, Lominsan engineers created the Skylift - a tower of wooden scaffolding outfitted with pulleys, winches, and lighter-than-air balloons.

 

La Thagran Eastroad

When the Galadion fell victim to the Navigator's fury and ran aground on the southern shores of Vylbrand 700 years ago, it was her two helmsmen, Jean De Nevelle and Guy La Thagran, who were tasked with exploring the newfound island - the former heading east, the latter, west. To this day, their routes still serve as La Noscea's two main thoroughfares.

 

The Salt Strand

When struck by a fallen shard from Dalamud's outer shell, a massive amount of concentrated aether was released from just below the surface of the Rhotano Sea, immediately fusing with and crystallizing the towering found of salt water which was expelled during the impact. City-state-funded exploratory forays into the inner crater have all yet to return...

 

Red Rooster Stead

The farmers on the Red Rooster Stead will rarely shy from testing their agricultural acumen on exotic crops or untested growing methods, and take pride in their willingness to sacrifice a harvest if it means a better yield an autumn hence. The plantation's name is said to be taken from the bloody cock fights held after nightfall by the gamekeeps.

 

Brewer's Beacon

This relatively new lighthouse was built soon after the Calamity claimed Swiftperch Tower to ensure safe passage for trade vessels carrying shipments of dark stouts and blonde barleywines out of Aleport. In addition, the candlekeeps also keep watch for increasingly frequent rogue tidal waves caused by the stirrings of the Lord of the Whorl.

 

The Leatherworker's Guild

Crafters for the realm-famous Atelier Fen-Yll, the Leatherworkers' Guild boasts the finest tawers and tanners in all Eorzea. In recent years, the workshop has come to be known for its Geva patterns, which outline methods of working and cutting hides, pelts, skins, and furs in a way that honors the Elementals within by minimizing waste.

 

Apkallu Falls

Named after a failed attempt by an ambitious Gridanian merchant to hatch and breed apkallus in the linn, Apkallu Falls is most remembered for serving as a place of medittion for the late Louisoix Levellieur, Circle of Knowing Archon and hero of Eorzea.

 

Bentbranch Meadows

Once Moogle's Gift Mounts was established and its rookery stocked with Ishgard's finest birds, it was not long before an entire settlement had grown up around the stables. The trademark balloon tethered to the main building is actually an Ixali war vessel claimed by the chocokeepers after it became tangled in a nearby tree and was abandoned by its riders.

 

The Sanctum of the Twelve

This sky-scraping ivory cathedral was built following the Age of Endless Frost - a dark period in which the realm was overrun with famine and disease - to serve as a place of refuge and respite for all who sought succor. Soon after, however, it fell into ruin and was all but forgotten... until the advent of the Seventh Umbral Era saw need for its rise once again.

 

Little Solace

Little is the solace granted to those sylphs who would voice their opposition to the summoning of the Lord of Levin. Little is the solace bequeathed upon those who would abandon their homes in the Sylphlands and shun their frenzied brethren. Thus, it is only through fraternity that those sylphs may ultimately find solace, however little it may be.

 

Royal Promenade

In times when the sultan had sole rule over the city-state, the Promenade would serve as an ersatz waiting chamber for those petitioners who sought audience with His Resplendence in the Fragrant Chamber. Now, with power in the hands of the Syndicate, the round is empty, save for the occasional tryst betwixt young nobles.

 

The Gold Court

A large atrium in the heart of Ul'dah, the Gold Court's opulence and scale make it a popular meeting place for the city's elite. The plaza was once reserved for the sultan's private balls, but has since been opened to the public due to a lack of funds to maintain the majestic hanging fountain at her center.

 

The Jewel of the Desert

The commercial hub of Ul'dah is organized strategically around the dome-shaped citadel at its center. Its towering fortifications and protective outer walls bedighted with myriad glass panes and colorful mosaics are visible for malms in all directions, and serve as a stark deterrent to would-be besiegers.

 

The Ruins of Sil'dih

The city-states of Ul'dah and Sil'dih coexisted for generations until 400 years ago when bad blood festering betwixt the two sultanates culminated in the War of the Sisters - leaving Sil'dih a smoldering pile of rubble to be claimed by the shifting desert sands. The subsequent relocation of Ul'dah placed the city-state nearly directly above her fallen sibling.

 

The Lonely Giant

Local legend claims the Lonely Giant is everything from the ghost of a Sil'dihn sultan, to the prototype for a new model of Garlean machina. Ul'dahn scholars, however, simply believe him a Coerthan goobbue who lost his bearings during the chaos of the Calamity, and after a long journey through the Black Shroud, died of exhaustion upon reaching Thanalan.

 

The Invisible City

Buried under nearly a malm of solid rock, if it not for a gaping rent torn open by the Calamity, these ancient ruins may have gone undiscovered for another thousand summers. Scholars sent to Highbridge to study the site are currently of a mind that the structures are not a city, but in fact the tomb of one Lalafuto IV, famed sultan of Belah'dia.

 

Highbridge

After the Calamity rent eastern Thanalan asunder, one of the first projects commissioned by the Syndicate was the construction of a bridge to span the newly formed chasm and restore the trade route with lands transpontine. The city which has sprung up along its edges is populated almost solely by scholars investigating the nearby ruins of the Invisible City.

 

Woad Whisper Canyon

Little more than a shallow valley but five years past, Woad Whisper Canyon was carved into a gaping gorge in a matter of moons after the Calamity drained Bronze Lake and dramatically altered the course of the Nym River. On hot days, laborers from both Summerford Farms and the Skylift will oft take respite in the cool mists of the falls... if not met by bandits.

 

Summerford Farms

When Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn rose to Admrial, one of her first decrees included the clearing of large swathes of land for new Lominsan settlements. Summerford Farms and its expansive orange groves is one of those locations - its name is derived from the man-made crossings required when late spring runoff from Mt. O'Ghomoro causes the Rogue River to swell.

 

The Grey Fleet

Sitting high atop Widow Cliffs on the southeastern coast of Vylbrand, the Gray Fleet was built to harness the constant southerly winds funneled down through the Strait of Merlthor, and use them to power the many mills which grind the region's wheat and full its wool.

 

Hidden Falls

Sheltered on three sides by towering cliffs, Hidden Falls can be found several score yalms upstream from where the Agelyss River empties into the Strait of Merlthor. Taken by its beauty, Ul'dahn plutocrat Gegeruju was quick to purchase the land and construct a stage upon which private performances for the magnate's favored clients are held.

 

Gullperch Tower

One of three beacons built along the La Noscean coast in the Sixth Astral Era, Gullperch Tower is the easternmost - warning ships navigating the Strait of Merlthor of its deadly shallows, while also serving as a watchtower for pirate and Sahagin raids on Bloodshore.

 

The Navigator

Carved centuries past by a famous Roegadyn sculptor, this massive stone effigy located in the center of Aleport's lower plaza serves as hallowed ground upon which sailors might offer solemn prayers to the watcher of the seas before embarking on their journeys across the untamed deep.

 

The Ship Graveyard

For centuries, ships wrecked off the shores of southern Vylbrand have been carried upon currents to this quiet inlet - a timeless reminder of the Deep's boundless wrath. So many are the wooden corpses which populate this watery lichyard, it is said that for every hull visible above the waves, a score more slumber beneath.

 

Camp Skull Valley

Now a strategic outpost for the Maelstrom, Camp Skull Valley was once but a circle of tents occupied by a meager Yellowjacket unit charged with surveilling the area for kobold incursions. Those beastmen foolish enough to venture down from O'Ghomoro were slaughtered and beheaded - their skulls put on display as a warning for others.

 

Tidegate

Taking advantage of the chaos left in the Calamity's wake, a large force of Sahagin rose from the seas and laid claim to Halfstone, a distant Lominsan settlement on the far-western edge of La Noscea. To prevent further swells of the beastmen forces, a massive wall was erected between the enemy-occupied lowlands and the allied Skull Valley.

 

Camp Bronze Lake

The formation of great underwater fissures during the Calamity saw the nearly half of the water comprising Bronze Lake vanish in the span of a single night. The result was the uncovering of ancient Nymian ruins submerged for thousands of years - most notably, the Wanderer's Palace, a temple dedicated to the god Oschon.

 

Thalaos

Though there is no proof to support the claim, rumor has these sun-bleached remains of a long-dead denizen of the deep are those of the legendary twin sea serpents believed to have been unleashed by the Navigator, Llymlaen, at the dawn of eras to fill the empty seas (the other being Perykos).

 

Jijiroon's Trading Post

Located on the western banks of Bronze Lake, Jijiroon's Trading Post is one of two makeshift markets peddling baubles and trinkets to those brave enough to venture that deep into kobold lands. The other is Memeroon's trading post, run by Jijiroon's estranged sibling, to whom the stubborn Qiqirn merchant hasn't spoken in twenty summers.

 

The Floating City of Nym

Suspended high above the foothills of Mt. O'Ghomoro is the Floating City of Nym - central hub of a lost civilization which prospered on Vylbrand during the Fifth Astral Era. The accepted theory was to how the city was torn from the realm involves the over-aspecting of corrupted wind crystals - a phenomenon witnessed late in the Sixth Astral Era.

 

Camp Overlook

Manned by the "meanest shite-kickin' unit in the whole damn Maelstrom," Camp Overlook serves as the base of operations for the Red Swallows - a privateer levy tasked with the surveillance of kobold activity in outer La Noscea and along the slopes of Mt. O'Ghomoro.

 

U'Ghamaro Mines

The brilliant rainbow-colored hues that permeate the otherwise bistre slopes of O'Ghomoro are a result of the endless flow of toxic slumgullion streaming forth from the labyrinthine warrens that make up U'Ghamaro Mines. As more kobolds arrive on the surface each day, there is a scramble to construct new forges to accommodate them.

 

The Hermit's Hovel

While few have ever seen the lord of this humble hideaway which rests precariously on the edge of an unscalable precipice - let alone obtained his permission for entering the premises - that has not stopped travelers from taking full advantage of the respite the location offers, whether it be a dip in the steaming pools, or a few bells' slumber on the soft goosefeather bed.

 

The Carline Canopy

Nestled cozily within the inn known as the Roost lies the relaxing Calrine Canopy, a haven for those seeking a respite from travel's travails or questing's quandaries. Figaga's Gift, the towering waterwheel found outside the cafe, powers the saws and lathes of the Carpenters' Guild, and is widely considered Gridania's grandest architectural achievement.

 

The Lancers' Guild

Founded by legendary Wood Wailer captain Mistalle, the Lancers' Guild doubles as a headquarters for those who keep the peace within Gridania, and the greater peace without. It is to these "Wailing Barracks" that people come with matters whose resolution requires a polearm's edge, and justice meted out to those who have wronged the forest or forestborn.

 

The Bannock

Built around the stump of a fallen heavenspillar, the Bannock serves as training grounds for Order of the Twin Adder initiates. There are several theories regarding the origin of the area's name, some claiming it is taken from the hard tack issued to Grand Company recruits, others that it is derived from the training stump's resemblance to those selfsame rations.

 

Haukke Manor

Long frowned upon by the people of Gridania as a symbol of excess, the Seedseers would finally submit to pressure from the citizenry, selling the deed to the manor to Lady Amandine of House Dartancours. The word "Haukke" is of ancient Padjali origin and means, "to speak without words."

 

The Guardian Tree

Having seen over a thousand summers, the Guardian Tree is purportedly the oldest arbor in all the Black Shroud, and home to the Great One - an elder Elemental who watches and presides over the forest's denizens. The fruit borne by the tree resembles a plum and is sought after across the Three Continents for its curative properties.

 

Rainbow Bridge

When struck by the rare sunbeams which happen to penetrate the thick canopy of the Black Shroud, the veil of fine mist created by one of the East Vein's myriad cataracts projects a brilliant rainbow which appears to connect the river's east and west banks. The grotto hidden behind the veil houses of the forest's most sacred locations - the Lifemend Stump.

 

The Seedbed

Illuminated in the soft glow of countless moonspores, the Seedbed is an ancient arbor-turned-nursery used by the sylphs to grow and incubate their offspring, also known as podlings.

 

Buscarron's Druthers

The Druthers is run by a disenfranchised ex-sentry-turned-tavernkeep and welcomes all manner of folk, from upstanding to unsavory, so long as they follow Buscarron Strongarm's simple rules of etiquette: sit down, forget your worries, and savor your ale.

 

South Shroud Landing

Constructed by Highwind Skyways to serve as a landing for cargo airships, this location was quickly abandoned when the imperial presence in the area became too large to ignore. Now the site is used as a makeshift market where bandits and poachers peddle their ill-gotten wares far from the eyes of the law.

 

Urth's Gift

Ancient writings tell that in exchange for her lifeblood, Lady Urth was able to seal the dark divinity Odin in a crystalline prison beneath a bubbling wellspring. To honor her sacrifice, the land upon which she drew her last breath still bears her name.

 

Quarrymill

Once a deal had been struck between the Gelmorrans and the Elementals allowing their return to the forest surface, the Elezen began unearthing large quantities of boulders to build the foundations of their new city, Gridania. The waterwheels of Quarrymill were raised to power the hammers which rendered the massive stones into workable blocks.

 

Ixali Logging Grounds

The Ixal have never taken well their banishment from the Black Shroud, and to this day continue to fell the hoary sentinels growing on the forest's outskirts. To heavy to drag back to their settlements in Natalan or faraway Xelphatol, the ill-gotten lumber is tied to balloons buoyed with Ixali airstones and flown to the beast tribe's homeland under the cover of night.

 

Fallen Neurolink

Coined by the learned men of Garlond Ironworks, these massive rings were used to dampen spiritual energies, preventing the focusing of power required to wield magicks. No less than five, each measuring hundreds of yalms across, were required to keep Bahamut silent for two full eras... but even then they proved insufficient.

 

Alder Springs

Once a vast grove of giant alders, the flames of the Calamity reduced the area to a charred graveyard, leaving nothing of the ancient holt but its name.

 

Castrum Marinum

Situated atop the roiling Rhotano Sea between Aldenard and the eastern coast of Vylbrand, Castrum Marinum serves as the southernmost outpost for the Garlean Empire's XIVth Legion. The cohort stationed on this man-made floating island is primarily tasked with the resupplying of imperial army cohorts deployed in the La Noscea and Thanalan theaters.

 

Vesper Bay

A bustling port city strategically situated on the western coast of Thanalan and maintained using funds generously provided by Syndicate chairman Lolorito, Vesper Bay serves as a gateway in and out of sultanate-controlled lands. The colossal bronze statue in the main plaza is said to be an exact likeness of said chairman (when viewed from afar).

 

Black Brush Station

A marvel of modern innovation, the steam engine has transformed the mining industry, increasing efficiency and profits thrice over. It has also led to the transformation of what was once a thinly manned aetheryte outpost into a thriving crossroads of labor and commerce - a new pillar to support the thriving Ul'dahn economy.

 

Gate of Nald

One of three main portals accessible by the general populace, the Gate of Nald is wide enough for two fully burdened chocobo carriages to enter abreast and still leave room for the flanking gateguards. Her Resplendence, Nanamo Ul Namo, has commanded that the portcullis remain open night and day, so as to welcome all who would partake of Ul'dah's wonders.

 

The Burning Wall

Once an unscalable precipice severing eastern Thanalan from the Grand Wake, the Burning Wall earned its name for the deep red glow it would emit each evening as the sun set. Toppled by the Calamity, that cliff no longer exists, in its place a queer forest of crystalline sentinels and malformed creatures shunned by Nature herself.

 

The Golden Bazaar

Once a waypoint for traders making the journey between Gridania and Ul'dah, the rise of settlements such as Camp Drybone and Highbridge have all but rendered the once prospering hamlet a ghost town. Rumors of mythril deposits in the nearby mountains and treasure in the ruins of the Invisible City, however, may work to rekindle this dying ember.

 

Thal's Respite

Overseer of wealth in the afterlife, proper obeisance to the Trader, Thal is required for those who wish to take belongings accumulated in this world to the hereafter. Thal's Respite is oft used by stout devotees of the Order of Nald'thal as a place of fasting and prayer, but its distance from Ul'dah prevents all but the most affluent from making the journey.

 

Nald's Reflection

Overseer of wealth and commerce upon the corporeal plane, it is believed that through fervent worship of the Trader Nald, one will reap immeasurable fortune in one's living years. Prince and pauper alike once made pilgrimages to this remote place of prayer in search of prosperity... until, that is, the Milvaneth Sacrarium opened a new (toll-based) temple within Ul'dah.

 

Zahar'ak

Loosely translated as "land of perseverance," Zahar'ak is a forward stronghold for the Amalj'aa host based in Zanr'ak. The beast tribe believes the scorched plains of Thanalan to be hallowed ground blessed by the cleansing flames of their primal deity, Ifrit, and as such are intent on driving from the land all whom they deem invaders.

 

The Sagolii Desert

According to the Sons of Saint Coinach, the Sagolii Desert was once a verdant sea of lush plains capable of sustaining great civilizations, as is evidenced by the ruins recently discovered in the area. How such a place devolved into a lifeless desert remains a mystery, but recent disaster tells us an ancient Calamity is the likely culprit.

 

The Sunken Temple of Qarn

Most scholars of ancient Belah'dian civilization claim this twisting labyrinth of complex chambers to be a place of worship dedicated to the sun goddess, Azeyma. Recent diggings, however, have uncovered older chambers buried beneath the new containing relics not of the Sixth Astral Era, suggesting that the temple may have been built by a different people.

 

Minotaur Malm

Local legend has that long ago, a young goatherd leading his pack to water at Forgotten Springs was set upon and chased a full malm through these caves by a minotaur. There has yet to be a second sighting of the creature, but the stories are enough to frighten away most who would consider passage through this trading post used by the Seventy-Seven Caravans.

 

East Watchtower

To power their legions of war machina, the Garleans require a steady supply of the aether-based fuel known as ceruleum. Bluefog housing the largest deposit in Eorzea, the Empire has begun their own mining operation but a stone's throw from the allied refineries, heightening tensions in the area and prompting the construction of two watchtowers.

 

Ceruleum Pipeline

Even before airships and engines were commonplace in Eorzea, Amajina & Sons Mineral Concern recognized the potential value of ceruleum and laid claim to nearly all of the untapped deposits in northern Thanalan. In an ironic twist, for many years before the Garlean invasion, the Concern's biggest customer was, in fact, the imperial army.

 

Bluefog

Though abundant on the northern continent of Ilsabard, only a handful of ceruleum deposits have ever been discovered on Aldenard, the largest being buried under the Sea of Spires in northern Thanalan. Ceruleum is a highly unstable substance and will begin to evaporate when in contact with air, resulting in the bluish haze from which this area earns its name.

 

Raubahn's Push

In the final days of the Sixth Astral Era, the ceruleum fields of northern Thanalan proved to be one of the most hotly contested areas in all Eorzea, with the Empire amassing a giant host outside of Bluefog to seize control of the local fuel refineries. Though outnumbered three to one, Raubahn and his army succeeded in "pushing" back the enemy.

 

Abandoned Amajina Mythril Mine

The discovery of mythril in a small copper mine in Bluefog triggered the Great Rush which saw would-be prospectors flock to the Sea of Spires in search of quick and easy fortune. The veins that ran through the mountains, however, were not deep, and it was but ten summers before the mines ceased to yield the precious metal, forcing many to abandon their claims.

 

The Nail

As is described in the Enchiridion, to ensure the realm of man did not drift apart from the firmament, Halone stuck the Nail through both, ever binding the two. And though assailed on all sides by great metal shards fallen from the lesser moon Dalamud's crust, the ancient peak remained standing, a testament to the land's life force.

 

The Observatorium

Three hundred years ago, Ishgardian astrologian Adaunel the Younger convinced the Holy See that he could predict the comings and goings of the Dravanian Horde by studying the movements of the heavens, and thus secured funding for the construction of the First Dicasterial Observatorium of Aetherial and Astrological Phenomena and its grand astroscope.

 

The Frozen Fang

In years past, the hot alpine summers would have seen this fallen Dravanian outflyers blown with maggots and reduced to bones in a matter of days. Now, in the endless winter wrought by the Calamity, the carcass rests in the permafrost under a thick blanket of snow, perfectly preserved since the day he was pierced through the heart by a ballista.

 

The Holy See of Ishgard

For the past thousand years, Ishgard has waged a bloody war with the dragons of Dravania. To fend off the enemy horde, a complex web of defenses, magical and corporeal, have been added piecemeal to the city proper's outer walls, transforming her into an impenetrable bastion, while at the same time, isolating her and her people from the outside world.

 

Boulder Downs

Before the Calamity, Boulder Downs was a vast sloped lea littered with moraine deposited by realm-swallowing glaciers long receded. The rain of debris that accompanied the fall of Dalamud, however, transformed the landscape into a frozen wasteland pocked with gaping impact craters and peculiar dark matter formations.

 

The Fury's Gaze

A place holy to all Ishgardians, it is believed that when a man stands within this hidden grotto, the Fury Herself will reach deep into the darkest recesses of his soul and lay out his sins before him, allowing the man to repent those failings. The Monument Tower nearby was built to protect this hallowed ground from the taint of dragons and heretics.

 

Snowcloak

The bitter cold which swept over the Coerthas highlands following the Calamity did not only blanket the region in snow and ice, but transformed the water of Twinpools and the Swiftrun into a mountainous flow of ice - a flow which has slowly crept through the western Coerthas highlands and now has completely engulfed Gargoyle Crossing, preventing passage.

 

Camp Dragonhead

Its name taken from a rocky outcropping said to be the head of a Dravanian king turned to stone by the almighty hand of Halone, this outpost acts as the central Coerthas highland's southernmost line of defense for the Holy See, tasked with fending off Ixali raids from Natalan, skirmishes by heretic factions, and the occasional yeti scare.

 

The Steel Vigil

One of four citadel watchtowers built along the Sea of Clouds, the Steel Vigil warned the Holy See of aerial attacks for centuries before being razed and gutted by the Dravanian Horde and their vile commander, Svara. Now, only the outer walls remain, leaving a bitter reminder of the dragons' destructive power.

 

Castrum Centri

Castrum Centri was erected with material salvaged from the ruins of Castrum Novum - the Garlean Empire's first major outpost in Eorzea, constructed in the final year of the Sixth Astral Era by VIIth Legion legatus Nael van Darnus. It houses several ceruleum mining pits, a magitek manufactory, and the Phantom Train, used to transport ordnance to outlying castri.

 

The Crystal Tower

As if somehow beckoned forth from its hypogeal prison by the events of the Calamity, this sky-scraping spire now commands the Mor Dhonan horizon. Through their research, the Sons of Saint Coinach have determined that the monolith, also known as Syrcus Tower, was constructed to collect and store the endless energies of the sun.

 

Rathefrost

The fall of the Agrius into Silvertear Falls not only drained the magnificent multi-tiered lake, but instantly crystallized the majority of the region's flora - a result of mass quantities of ceruleum fuel reacting with aether released upon Midgardsormr's death. What remains is a brilliant, yet dead landscape akin to a twisted garden pocked with blooming geodes.

 

The Keeper of the Lake

Maintaining a silent vigil over Silvertear Lake, the keeper is wrought from the wreckage of the imperial flagship, the Agrius, and the entangled remains of Midgardsormr. For many religious and mythological enthusiasts, it stands as proof of the existance of the gods. For most people, however, it serves as a grim reminder of the horrific power of Garlemald.

 

 

 

Heavensward

 

Falcon's Nest

From its humble origins as a lonely cluster of barracks nestled in the mountains of western Coerthas, the village of Falcon's Nest grew and prospered until the Calamity came and the icy winter took its deathly toll. Its name derives from the falconers who reside there with their snow-white charges, defending their mountain home from the Dravanian threat.

 

Camp Riversmeet

Once a key military outpost for the Ishgardian forces, this strategic location where the waters of the Swiftrun and the Coerthas flow together is home to a lone aetheryte shard, which has stood abandoned in the years since the Calamity.

 

The Dreaming Dragon

What appears to be an island floating amidst the icy waters of Ashpool is said to have once been a living, breathing dragon - magicked into slumber by the Holy See until ash enveloped its body and its limbs turned nigh unto stone.

 

The Dusk Vigil

The Calamity was not kind to this once-proud watchtower, from which Ser Yuhelmeric and the brave knights of House Durendaire once stood watch against the encroaching Horde. Since the walls fell and the chill took hold, it has come to be inhabited by all manner of fell beasts, and gods only know what else.

 

Gorgagne Mills

Ser Gorgagne was a proud knight and bannerman of House Durendaire, until the fateful day when the heir of that house vanished from sight while under his care, never to be seen again. Devastated by the loss of the boy and his own failing, he put aside his blade and built his farm, where he quietly lived out the rest of his days.

 

Hemlock

Once a bustling village and home to the woodcutters who plied their trade in the western highlands of Coerthas, this settlement - named for the large evergreens unique to the area - was abandoned when the chill came, and remains a ghost town to this day.

 

The Bed of Bones

It remains to be confirmed whether, as the tales say, yetis prefer to slumber atop makeshift bedding fashioned from the remains of their victims - in large part because prominent naturalists have been reluctant to do the fieldwork necessary to corroborate this claim.

 

Loth ast Gnath

Built from a highly viscous blend of Dravanian clay and saliva, the nests of the Gnath are surprisingly stable, able to withstand the harsh elements of the Dravanian forelands. The smoke that rises from the mound-like structures is believed to be a sort of incense with a scent that, for reasons unknown, keeps would-be dragon invaders at bay.

 

Anyx Minor

The shattered ruins of a once-proud city. The official stance of the Holy See is that it was a settlement of heretics, razed to the ground by Halone in an act of divine retribution, though scholars disagree on the historical accuracy of this interpretation.

 

Anyx Trine

Three towers unique in that they appear to have been built to house both man and dragon, an architectural oddity which would seem to corroborate the Holy See's position that they were erected by heretic witches for themselves and their dragon consorts.

 

The Hundred Throes

The rushing river has all but swallowed these ancient ruins at the base of Sohm Al, which now serve as a nest of all manner of beastkin who find sustenance in its waters, and the dragons who find sustenance in said beastkin.

 

Halo

This ancient altar sits in the fiery depths of Mourn. Once adorned by statues depicting a girl and a dragon, only the latter has survived to the present age. Lift your eyes above the structure, and the base of the floating peak of Sohm Al can be seen.

 

Tailfeather

Founded by hunters who came to the frontiers in hopes of snaring the wild chocobos of the forest, this settlement and those who call it home are shielded from the eyes of the dragons by the canopy of the majestic caelumtrees that rise high above it.

 

Sohm Al

Of all the mighty peaks that comprise Abalathia's Spine, none rise higher than Sohm Al, the highest point in all Eorzea. It is held as a sacred land by the dragons, who are said to journey here when they feel their life slipping away. Formed not of stone but solid crystal, the massive mountain floating above the ground below is a marvelous sight to behold.

 

Moghome

A settlement that sits curiously atop Sohm Al, the tallest peak in Eorzea, in the heart of the dragons' demesne. What pact might the moogles have made with the great wyrm Hraesvelgr to allow them to live here in peace?

 

The Aery

Vicious aetheric storms rage in Nidhogg's lair, keeping out all those who would dare disturb the great wyrm in his slumber - be it one of years or centuries.

 

Tharl Oom Khash

An ancient structure half consumed by crystal, its name means "crystal from remorse" in the tongue of dragons. From the sheer mass of crystallization, it has been posited that an entity possessed of aetheric power to rival the seven great wyrms laid down its life here...

 

Zenith

A majestic fortress in Hraesvelgr's domain, watched over at the great wyrm's behest by the moogles who make their home in the Churning Mists. Though the years - a thousand of them - have taken their toll, it still stands proud and strong, stirring the heart of all who lay eyes upon it.

 

The Lost Landlord

This colossus stands on an island in Greensward. Its name was bestowed by the moogles, who believe it to be a statue of the "king of the land-dwellers," though no records remain that could shed light on the identity of this individual, and whether or not he ever truly walked the realm.

 

The House of Letters

The thousand-year-old ruins of a tower said to have been built by the hand of man and dragon in the days before the war. Even now, as it lies crumbling in ruin, one can still make out the letters engraved in its walls, which have led the moogles to give it the name by which it is now commonly known.

 

The Rookery

As the moogles tell it, the place known as the Rookery was once a bustling skyport where wayfarers came and went on the backs of trained wyverns. These days, the buildings remain, but the only dragons in sight are the vicious minions of Nidhogg.

 

Camp Cloudtop

An outpost manned by the Rose Knights of House Haillenarte, who stand watch against Dravanian incursions from atop the floating islets in the sky. Boasts the Protector, a mighty airship that would avail the Ishgardians greatly in their battle against the Horde were it ever repaired to full strength.

 

The Nidifice

A nest of great migratory birds that travel with the seasons from the Near East to Eorzea and back again in search of warmer climes. IT is here that they lay their eggs, raise their young, and teach them to take to the skies before making the journey anew.

 

Voor Sian Siran

A spring formed from moisture in the atmosphere accumulated and solidified by the power of water crystals. It is said that the knight who first discovered these ethereal waters shared the story with a wandering minstrel, who declared it to be the legendary paradise of Voor Sian Siran. However, this claimed has been met with some skepticism, given the minstrel's penchant for embellishment.

 

Mok Oogl Island

An island whose name, in the tongue of the VAnu Vanu, translates to "a noise heard on high." On the island stands a monument engraved with a mark of moogle design, but no sign of the creatures themselves, leaving its origins clouded in mystery.

 

Hall of the Fallen Plume

Among the most sacred locations of the Vanu Vanu, this is said to be the spot where a single feather from Bismarck, ruler of the clouds, fell to the surface. In recent years, the elder of the violent Vundu tribe has claimed it as his seat of power, from which he rules with an iron claw.

 

Ok' Vundu Vana

Roughly translating as "high home of the Vundu," this village is home to the Vanu Vanu's aggressive Vundu tribe. Exceedingly proud, the Vundu believe that the voices of those who live highest in the skies will be heard loud and clear by the ruler of the clouds.

 

Hengr's Crucible

This oddly shaped isle, floating in the eastern reaches of the Sea of Clouds, is named for the witch Hengr, a figure of Coerthan faerie tales whose cauldron its shape is said to resemble. In recent years, it has become a gathering place for the notoriously territorial toco tocos.

 

The Arkhitekton

Once home to Sharlayan masters who fashioned aetherytes within its halls, this workshop is now home to the Illuminati, a nasty band of goblins who would wield the ancient technologies within for their own nefarious ends.

 

The Answering Quarter

This Sharlayan settlement stretches across the western banks of the Thaliak. Home to Saint Mocianne's Arboretum and a center for education and scholarly pursuits, it hearkens back to the cities of learning that flourished in bygone times.

 

The Cenotaph

A towering monolith erected in tribute to the great scholars who have passed on, leaving behind the knowledge that has shaped the realm. The names of countless men of learning are etched in the mighty stone, along with the motto of Sharlayan: "Knowledge Seeks No Man."

 

The Tipped Ewer

The spot where the melted snows of Abalathia's Spine flow emerge from their source to descend down the mountain, forming the countless tributaries that come together as the mighty Thaliak River. The name is said to come from the deity whose name the river bears and the magicked pitcher from which poured the waters of knowledge.

 

Great Gubal Library

A massive library constructed by the Sharlayans to house the wealth of knowledge they had amassed in their travels across the realm. Though the vast majority of the tomes that once lined its shelves were carried back to the motherland in the exodus, it is said forbidden texts still slumber in sealed-off vaults below.

 

The Orn Wild

A primeval forest that stretches across the northern reaches of the Dravanian hinterlands, its rich verdure sustained by the pristine waters of the Thaliak. Nigh untouched by the hand of man, its wilds stand between those who would make their way to Sharlayan without braving a trek across the forelands.

 

Saint Mocianne's Arboretum

This botanical garden built by the Sharlayans once was home to fauna and flora collected from across the realm, the study of which yielded numerous discoveries regarding our natural world. Sadly, it was abandoned in the exodus, the teeming life within left to run wild and unchecked.

 

The Gration

Flagship of the VIth Legion of the Garlean Empire, of the same make as the fallen Agrius. It now lies grounded, its ceruleum engines sealed in aetheric ice by the hand of Shiva, Lady of Frost.

 

The Fractal Continuum

A mighty warship converted to a museum, intended to preserve for eternity precious artifacts from the thousand-year history of the Allagan Empire. From everyday tools to advanced military technology, the objects within are a testament to the fallen civilization's surpassing might and prosperity.

 

Antithesis

Home to Tiamat, greaty wyrm of Midgardsormr's first brood, who fell to and was imprisoned by the Allagans. Even now, she laments her fateful decision to summon her brood-brother Bahamut back as a primal to aid her in her struggle.

 

Aetherochemical Research Facility

An ancient Allagan research facility, wherein studies in restraining dragons and mastering primals were conducted. Test subjects from failed experiments prowl its long-since-abandoned halls.

 

Helix

A massive port of sorts that stands among the wastes of Azys Lla. As the guidance node tells it, it was one of the few imperial landings massive enough to house Ragnarok-class internment hulks. It would seem the docking rings that remain are but a fraction of those that stood in bygone days.

 

Quarantine Block

This floating islet in a lonely corner of Azys Lla served as an isolation area for chimerical creations which failed to meet established safety parameters. Historical records indicate that the facility began its life as a research center for advanced agricultural crossbreeding.

 

Recombination Labs

This Allagan research facility gave birth to countless numbers of chimerical creations. Though the guidance system is quick to assure all visitors that the good behavior of the creatures born here was - at least at one point - guaranteed, recent visitors may find themselves having doubts.

 

The Pike

A monumental stone sculpture carved in the likeness of Haldrath, the first Azure Dragoon. The stonemason Percelle devoted thirty of her later years chiseling the piece, and it has stood for more than 150 years since. Even today, one cannot find a more stirring tribute to one of Ishgard's founding fathers.

 

Black Iron Bridge

This testament to the skill of House Dzemael's artisans serves the main road stretching from the capital to the Dusk Vigil. Although built primarily of solid stone, the bridge was named for its suspended metal chains, wrought from black iron impervious to the blazing temperatures of a dragon's exhalation.

 

Dragonspit

Said to be as scalding as a wyrm's breath, Dragonspit is a colorful analogy for the hot springs nestled between the cliffs near the Slate Mountains. Local wildlife has long been attracted to the warmth of the natural thermal pools, and their numbers have only increased following the advent of the long winter. The steaming springs are also frequented by Ishgardian knights, who laud them for their supposed healing properties.

 

The Slate Mountains

These mountains on the outskirts of Ishgard were valued as a mining site for slate of exceptional quality. Three years past, the knights of House Dzemael attempted to carve an Ishgardian stronghold into the cliffs, enraging the dragon Cuelebre and his followers. Remnants of the guresome battle that followed still lay scattered about the crags, unable to decay in the chilled altitude.

 

Whilom River

When asked to explain the origin of its name, the local hunters usually say that while the river courses with tranquility in the present day, it once ran scarlet with the blood of the Dravanians and their foes. Those who fraternize with the dragons refute this interpretation, asserting instead that the river is symbolic of the passage of time since the sorrowful parting of paths between man and dragon.

 

Loth ast Vath

Cast out from the main colony, a minority of Gnath known as the Nonmind built Loth ast Vath as a sanctuary for other exiles. The word 'vath' is derogatory in the Gnathic tongue, referring to those who can no longer link their thoughts to the Overmind. Possessed of individual personalities unlike their Onemind brothers, the Vath learn to live with each other's differing thoughts in the makeshift colony.

 

The Hissing Cobbles

The remaining fragment of a forgotten highway, the Hissing Cobbles have been molded by the inexorable march of time, its neatly arranged grids of stone fading into earth and dust. The hunters of Tailfeather bitterly call it such as many a tracked quarry have escaped, startled by the hissing sound of boots grating on loose gravel.

 

The Danneroad

This road leading to Anyx Trine was originally called Dran Errn, which roughly translates to "the path of dragon and man." Due to the difficult pronunciation, the road became known as the Danneroad over time, and its profound meaning was forgotten by all but the Dravanians.

 

Statue of the Unsung

A solitary statue of a dragon in the southeastern corner of the Churning Mists. While it is difficult to ascertain the circumstances which led to its creation, the sculpture's foundation bears a weathered inscription in any early script which reads "along with the memory of thine heroic sapphire wings."

 

Landlord Colony

The many dwellings here show evidence of extensive damage, likely the work of a furious Nidhogg following the betrayal of man. The moogles tell that the ruins were once home to teh 'lords of the lower lands,' although their history was lost in the great wyrm's wrath.

 

The Old Father

The moogles consider this ancient tree to be the forbearer of all flora in the Churning Mists. They believe that the Father bore witness to a time before man and dragon descended into their millennium of bloodshed.

 

Coldwind

When the Rose Knights first came to the Sea of Clouds and treated with the Zundu, they asked the chieftain what he called this islet floating northwest of Ok' Zundu, to which he responded "small island beneath which cold winds of Coerthas ever blow." For the sake of brevity, the knights simply called it Coldwind.

 

The Shattered Back

The strong seasonal winds from the north have carved the crags of this floating isle into their unique shapes. The knights of Ishgard called it the Shattered Back for its ominous resemblance to the gnarled rib bones of a great beast.

 

Provenance

When Ser Marielle was appointed to the Rose Knights of Camp Cloudtop, she spotted this heart-shaped island atop the deck of her airship bound for post. It reminded the knight of a place of provenance where two lovers would begin their journey together, and the island was named thus.

 

The Sage's Cataract

As the Thaliak River stretches north towards the Orn Wild, it spills over this grand waterfall. In the past, students would compete to see who could swim closest to the cataract's edge without succumbing to its powerful torrents. A ban on entering the waters was eventually imposes after too many accidents.

 

The Path of Knowing

This colossal bridge was once a bustling artery for researchers, students, and curators commuting to and from the Great Gubal Library. Its stone pillars suffered significant damage when the Calamity reshaped the land, causing a portion of the walkway to crumble and collapse.

 

The Daggers

An area of the hinterlands where clusters of stone columns shaped like daggers protrude from the earth. The scholars of Sharlayan had long been engulfed in a heated debate over whether the name was too simple and colloquial, but a different one was never decided upon as the proposals began to exceed the columns in number.

 

Centrifugal Crystal Engine

This seemingly indefatigable engine harnessed the power of the imprisoned Warring Triad to transmute the life force of chimera experiments into synthetic crystal. These manufactured shards would then be used to fuel the cultivation of the chimeras as part of research into the possibility of obtaining limitless power.

 

Biomass Incubation Complex

A research facility dedicated to chimera splicing experiments. Its construction was prompted by 'imaginative requests' from the Allagan Research Council and related institutes, leading to the cultivation of all manner of living prototypes. The mutagenesis nearby serves as an annex to the complex.

 

The Cathedral

A cathedral designed in a distinct Meracydian style. The architecture suggests a place of worship by a tribe of treelike beings who believed themselves 'remnants' of Sephirot. To research the link between faith and primal summoning, the Allags moved the ancient structure to Azys Lla from its original location on the southern continent.

[Sounsyy]

From The Great Gubal Library (Hard):

 

Once upon a time, there lived a free-spirited boy who loved to play in the forest with his pet chocobo. But the forests were fraught with peril, and one day, a band of brigands ambushed the boy, spiriting him away to the harsh mountains of the north.

 

Yet there be dragons there, and as they rode up the mountain path, one of those majestic beasts came swooping down from the heavens. The boy's chocobo reared in fright, sending the boy tumbling down the mountainside to his nigh-certain demise.

 

And yet the gods saw fit to spare his life, if only meagerly so. As he lay there, battered and broken, all manner of foul beasts drew near, threatening to rip him limb from limb. Just as the boy was making his peace with the Twelve, another dragon appeared. A smaller creature, yes, but even a small dragon is a fearsome opponent indeed.

 

It was then that the strangest thing happened. With a mighty roar, the dragon turned upon the circling beasts and spit forth a burst of flames that reduced them to so much ash, saving the poor boy's life. With what half seemed a smile, the dragon approached the wounded child and gently raised him up to sit upon his back, and the two flew off to the gods know where.

 

Oh, but why must the gods curse me so! By what cruel trick of fate was I given this oversized, ungainly body and sent into this world where you abide - my princess, my goddess, my everything!

 

Your delicate hands, your shapely head, your dark eyes in which I would lose myself and never return! Yes, every aspect of your being strikes me to depths of the heart I knew not I had until the day you first appeared before me. And yet, I am a Roegadyn. Could one of your kind ever love a lumbering brute such as me?

 

Good sense tells me that the answer is no, but my heart - nay, my very soul will not accept it! For bereft of your company, I fear I will wither away into a wretched husk of what was once a man.

 

O, have mercy on this poor soul, my goddess! Pray grace me with your presence when next your travels call you to Limsa. My beloved Brayflox, just say the word and I am yours forever!

 

It is widely known that the Mamool Ja boast one of the most impressive indigenous societies to be found in the New World. It would be a mistake, however, to view the Mamool Ja as a single, uniform people.

 

A careful analysis of documents brought back by explorers reveals that the Mamool Ja are more accurately described as a federation or alliance of numerous distantly related tribes, each with distinguishing physical characteristics: the brown-scaled Hoobigo with their distinctively long combs, the large-eyed, blue-scaled Boonewa, and the mottled Doppro.

 

It is further said that although Mamool Ja rarely marry outside their own tribes, such unions do occur on the occasion of certain religious observances, and are known to produce two-headed offspring that are hailed as "blessed siblings" and groomed to be warlords from a young age. Indeed, the Autarch ruler of all Mamool Ja kind, is known to be one of them...

 

"From mutton to morel, oyster to orobol, eel to eft - Eorzea does not want for delicious and delightful ingredients to stimulate the senses of any culinarian. And yet how is it that we came to know that the flesh of these creatures would pleasure our palate so? The answer is self evident: for every familiar ingredient, someone, at some point in our history, first took it upon him or herself to eat it!

 

And yet this answer raises another question: what wondrous flavors and textures remain undiscovered, just waiting for a brave soul to discover them? And so it was that I took it upon myself to investigate the culinary suitability of coblynflesh! Why coblyns, you ask? To which I say, good reader, why not coblyns!"

 

The above passage was composed by my elder brother. Sadly, they were the last words he ever wrote, for - as he soon discovered - coblyn feelers are poisonous. Armed with this knowledge and vowing that his sacrifice would not go to waste, I resolved to carry on his life's work...

 

Proceedings of the 284th Convocation of the Amdapori Council of Magi

 

A Vote was called to settle on a Name for a potent and newly-fashioned Healing-Spell. Being that said Healing-Spell was an Augmentation of Curaga, erst the most potent Healing-Spell, the following Names were proposed by the Council.

 

Curago, Curaza, Curaja, Curagura

 

Finding the afore-written Names duly lacking in Gravity and the existing Hierarchy of Spell-Names needlessly abstruse, the Council did Vote by a margin of Seventeen to Three to do away with existing Naming-Conventions entirely and adopt a new system of numerical Spell-Names, as writ below, to be used henceforth.

 

Cure I, Cure II, Cure III, Cure IV

 

It is recorded.

 

Many scholars believe that the popular children's tale of the Boy and the Dragon Gay is, in fact, an adaptation of an older Ishgardian myth, one telling of which is transcribed for the reader's reference.

 

In a bleak village on the outskirts of Coerthas there lived a shepherd boy, poor but kind of heart. One day a band of ruffians came and spirited the boy away, seeking to deliver him to a slave trader in hopes of earning some coin.

 

No sooner had they left the village than they were set upon by a great dragon. Down from the heavens it swooped, tearing the blackguards limb from limb and charring their carcasses with hellsfire.

 

But it was by no mere chance that the great wyrm had found them, no! The boy had befriended the great wyrm some time ago, and it had sensed the danger to its dear friend.

 

Alas, in the chaos, the boy had tumbled from the mountains, and lay half-dying at the base of the cliff. Seeing its dear friend lying there, battered and beaten, the dragon gave unto the child of its blood. So it was that the boy took to the skies as the wyrm's minion, flying off to only the gods know where...

 

 

_______________________________

Additional Lore and Versions of the Boy and the Dragon Gay from 1.0 and the DRK Quests:

 

Aye, I've heard the tale afore─that of the boy and the dragon. As I recall, the lad was snatched from the forest by bandits of the north before he was a man grown. Spirited him away to the mountains, they did. Yet dragons fly the northern skies, and the eyes of one such beast came to rest on our bandits and boy. It swooped down upon them from on high, wings beating and teeth gnashing.

 

Screams of terror and blinding dusts filled the air, and as the young lad's chocobo reared and took flight with fear, he was flung from its back, and tumbled from the narrow pass and down the mountainside. Yet the gods spared his life, and he awoke sometime later at the base of a great, rocky ledge, wounded and broken and unable to move. Hours passed, and before long the foul beasts what roam the crags caught scent of his blood and began to close in all around.

 

It was then, as the boy was making his peace with the Twelve, that another dragon, small and feeble, came upon him. Yet instead of tearing him flesh from limb, it charred and maimed and chased off the circling beasts, saving the boy's life. The tale ends with the dragon bearing the wounded boy on his back, and the two flying through the blue skies of the north together.

 

A beautiful enough story for an Ul'dahn audience. But milord would do well not to regale a soul with it around these parts. For it has been branded a heresy by the archbishop in Ishgard, and his Holiness has ears even in this very wood.

 

Lower your voice! Aye, I've heard the tale of the Boy and the Dragon Gay, and more times than one. But the archbishop in Ishgard has declared it a heretic's tale. Best not to recount it here, so close to the mountains.

 

I've come to hear what less controversial tales there are to be heard in Grdiania, and once I have, I'll be off to Ishgard in search of the next. If the gods are good, we shall meet again, adventurer.

 

Mayhap you are familiar with the tale of the Boy and the Dragon Gay? Hardly surprising. The archbishop declared it a heretic's tale' date=' and with good cause. It is a corruption of an older legend in which a man partakes of dragon blood and, in so doing, becomes one himself.[/quote']