Remus of House Galvus | Bold Name, Weak Blood

[The Darkstar]

[Spoilers below regarding Garlean Empire and House Galvus]

 

Hi all!

 

I've been diving into the game and the lore since my introduction here, and have been able to flesh out some more of my character's backstory in broad strokes. I do have some questions I was hoping to get some clarity on to help me defining finer points, and was hoping any red flags in this backstory could be addressed. 

 

In brief summary: Remus wir Galvus is the Garlean/Hyur heir of an off-shoot branch of House Galvus with no claim to the throne. His father was a partially disowned engineer and pacifist of little renown and his mother was a gifted Hyur scholar/medic with Eozean lineage. While his family advocated against imperial conquest by war and violence, they were loyalist that envisioned a united Hydaelyn - under the Garlean banner - where the wonders of Magitek and Aether could co-exist for the benefit of all living beings. Overshadowed by the policies and notoriety of Solus, Titus, and Varis this branch of the family was never given a platform to advocate or steer policy. In fact, they were often shamed as the forgotten or lesser line, brought to a point by the introduction of Hyur blood via Remus's mother. 

 

Remus grew-up with ambitions to redeem his family's status. He held Varis (1st cousin once removed) and his policies in high regard despite his father and mother's pacifist advocacy. He joined the imperial army as a young boy where his name gave him some privilege and position albeit nowhere in the same capacity of Zenos of whom he was of age with; and while Zenos surely didn't even know he exited, Remus developed a one-sided rivalry and rose in the ranks of his own imperial legion in a race for glory.

 

Over the years however Remus tranquil upbringing would come into direct conflict his battle-lust and he would have a severe identity crisis, culminating in a disillusion for war after the death of his mother. Unable to wash his hands of the bloodshed he once sought, he would fake his death during a battle [need help here] and fade from existence around the start of the 7th Umbral Era during of after the calamity. 

 

Remus now lives as "Remy Waters" in Limsa Lominsa: a secretive and charming dagger for hire well ingrained in the criminal underbelly of Eorzea. While he follows Garlean current events (almost laughing at the events surrounding the War of Succession) he takes no part of any politics or grander conflict, remaining largely neutral. His lineage is kept secret but to his closest comrades, including his fellow defector Auri, Animaus the Darkstar[ my other character]. This is where we find him now. 

 

Your general thoughts are appreciated. I know making my character a Galvus is borderline Godmodding, lore-breaking, and generally taboo, but I'm genuinely very intrigued/enraptured with concepts of family houses, lineage, stories of succession. Things like Balthier's arc in FFXII, or the political intrigue of House Solider in the same game, or concepts of family names and bastards in the Song of Ice and Fire series of books (aka Game of Thrones). This is just subject matter I love and I think I would really enjoy playing a character in the midst of this in the FF14 setting. Moreover I feel like you would enjoy playing across from Remy as well. I promise I don't have anything grandiose lore-shattering plans.  The lore behind House Galvus is pretty open and wide as it stands and I hope to slip in the cracks unnoticed. 

 

A few questions: 

 

1. Would wir be the correct title here? Would it be replaced by his rank in the Imperial Legion? Is "wir" reserved for spouses? 

2. Do we know if female Garleans take the surname of their husbands? Would it be possible to Remus to carry the Galvus name through a female line? 

3. Is there a legion outside of Zeno's XIIth that would fit the timeline I'm trying paint for Remus? I don't want him to become a Legatus or anything but someone of notable rank in a Legion whose lore is vague enough to make sense that he would go unmentioned but seen its share of combat.

   3a. Per my comment above, is there a battle and conflict around the time of the calamity in which Remus could have been "killed". While the Battle of Carteneau is the obvious choice, that was largely against the VIIth and XIVth legion, correct? I feel like Remus wouldn't be part of either of those without it being lorebreaking. You would think someone whole mention a high ranking Galvus in those legions, no? Open to thoughts. 

4. It's well know that Solus's first born died of an illness. Can you confirm this was Varis' father? It's a little unclear to me. Also is it safe to assume that Varis was an only child? 

5. Besides Varis' father and Titus, is there any indication that Solus did (or did not) have any other children? 

6. Would Remus's ability to harness aether by way of his mother be a construed as a positive or negative among Garleans? Would the Imperial army accept or disapproved of its use? 

7. Lastly, I'm portraying that the marriage of Remus's Garlean father and Hyur mother is a source of great shame. Would this be an accurate assumption?

 

These are all questions I couldn't quite find the answers to, but I apologize if they've been answered in one way or another somewhere else. I'll be happy to read any links or pieces of lore. 

 

Thanks all, 

Darkstar

Edited June 28, 2020 by The Darkstar