it shimmers like no gemstones i've ever seen: green as malachite and emerald but shot through with opal, gold, copper. photographs can't do it justice because of how it shines, as well as the way the actual material elements have their own dimensions. you can lean in and study all the fine lines of the circuits or step back and admire how the rearranged whole forms new patterns. it's one of the most beautiful creations i've ever seen.
I worked so hard on this, I'm literally begging y'all to read it. I'M BEGGING.
Word Count: ~1250 words
TLDR: Calyx's name forges connections with the Greek God and FFXIV character Hermes, squirrels in mythology, and Halmarut.
*Pictures included!
Hermes
Since his intro in 7.2, people immediately wondered if Calyx was a Hermes shard. Here are some interesting points:
Caduceus
This symbol is directly linked to Hermes both in FFXIV and in Greek mythology as his staff.
ā¤ The Symbol Image Itself
The symbol itself is the biggest stretch imo, but the staff/wing/snake-like pattern around the staff are all present in both designs and they could've been farther apart.
Left: Cadeuceus, Right: Alexandria's insignia, seen on Calyx's shoes and coat
ā¤ The Symbol's Meaning
It has two meanings and I think both pertain to Calyx. Caduceus is widely considered:
The symbol of a messenger/herald
The symbol of medicine/physicians
We'll dive into these separately. First, the symbol of messengers/heralds. The word caduceus itself comes from the Greek term karykeion, which is rooted in the word "karyx," which literally means messenger/herald.
Written in Japanese, Calyx's name is Karyukusu romanized, which could be simplified down into Karyx. It's basically the same word. So, Calyx's name basically means "messenger/herald" which is what Hermes is known for being, the messenger of the gods.
Secondly, it's very obvious why it's fitting for Calyx to be representative of medicine, given he wears patient scrubs and a physician's coat...which basically makes him representative of medicine as a whole, from both sides.
Responsibilities
Hermes the Greek God obviously has had many interpretations and iterations but something pretty universal is that he is a messenger between god and man, and also helps humans to get to the afterlife.
ą»ź± Messenger of the Gods
I think we can consider him a messenger of godly teachings through Preservation, especially if Halmarut was involved. This also might explain why Demetrius was so obsessed with him and wholly devoted to Preservation: Calyx was literally a herald of the 'gods' to them, bringing technology and ideas that saved and evolved Alexandria.
ą»ź± Guide to the Afterlife
Secondly, helping humans get to the afterlife...that's basically the Endless project, isn't it? Living Memory is his idea of a perfect afterlife for humanity.
Memory Manipulation
In Endwalker, we see that Hermes created Kairos to manipulate and erase memories.
Sound familiar?
Regulators used throughout Alexandria have similar functions, such as erasing the memories of someone collectively across society once they pass away.
Hermes / Fandaniel
I'm leaving out comparisons between the FFXIV Hermes himself and Calyx and keeping this to mythological lore. If anyone wants to add comparisons with Hermes from the game, PLEASE DO SO!!! I wouldn't feel qualified until I replayed Endwalker in its entirety looking specifically for Calyx connections (which I very may well do before EC).
Squirrels
Mica the Magical Mu
Though we don't have the complete history of Living Memory, it's clear it was shaped by Preservation's ideas which influenced Endless Sphene, inherently linking it to Calyx. Not only that, but we see him hanging out in Living Memory in 7.2.
And also have our final showdown with him in the Meso Terminal, which is located within Living Memory, where the last of the memories were being stored.
Calyx's connection to Living Memory is important here because the main mascot of the place is Mica the Mu.
Mica is a FATE that spawns in Living Memory, and is also all over Living Memory merchandise and branding.
A Mu is the Final Fantasy equivalent of a squirrel--here is one from FF9 (the game of which all of you I'm sure know was big inspiration for the Ninth, where Calyx is originally from).
As the one behind Living Memory, I think it's acceptable to link Calyx to its main mascot. Especially consideringā¦
Mu Plushie Form
ā¦It's revealed that Calyx has taken on the form of a mu plushie at the end of 7.4.
Though this plush is not Mica himself, it's a Calyx-ified version of it. This directly links Calyx to mus, and squirrels.
Ratatoskr
At NA Fanfest 2026, we got the first trailer for Evercold, along with a lot of concept art. The major influence everyone was quick to note was how much everything seemed to resemble Norse mythology.
In Norse mythology, there is the story of Yggdrasil, the sacred tree. Several animals are mentioned in this story, but the one of note here is the squirrel named Ratatoskr. There are many different interpretations and translations of this story that you can derive information from, but the general gist is that Ratatoskr is known to be a messenger of the tree.
He ferries messages from the eagle at the top of the tree to the dragon at the bottom of it. It's said he's delivering gossip and is stoking the flames between the two to cause drama.
As we already established, Calyx's name in Japanese, Karyx, means messenger. And, now he is literally a squirrel. A squirrel named Messenger in a Norse-inspired expansion...he's definitely got to be Ratatoskr!!
Plus, some people literally consider Ratatoskr to be "the Norse Hermes," because again, Hermes is strongly connected to the idea of being a messenger.
Squirrels in Celtic Mythology
Queen Medb is often depicted with a squirrel and bird on each of her shoulders. The squirrel in particular is a messenger of Earth to the Gods...basically Hermes, again, but switched around.
Squirrels in General
Squirrels have a reputation for gathering up a ton of resources ahead of time and preparing for the Winter. They are so overly prepared that they don't have to hibernate!
Calyx collecting Aether to sustain his Endless for hundreds of years in preparation for the Withering has similarities to squirrel tendencies! Especially because many people consider squirrels inherently greedy or selfish for taking these resources from others (parallels here to how the Scions saw Calyx's plan.)
Heralding at the End of 7.5
At the very end of 7.5, we get an unexpected visit from Calyx with some words about where they're going next, and some implications of the Winterer that's on that shard. Overall, he presents a negative view of the 4th's Winterer.
Obviously I don't know the future, but I have an inkling that 7.56 might give us a scene of Calyx talking badly about us to the Winterer of the 4th...thus fulfilling his role of a pot-stirrer lol. Even if he doesn't, it's still true that he delivered a message to us, at the very least.
Plants and Halmarut
Calyx
A "calyx" is a part of a flower.
It's not the flower itself, but the outer leaves that protect the bud of the flower while it grows and shield it from danger until it's ready to bloom.
The Barrier
We know that Calyx implemented the technology of putting up a dome around Alexandria.
In Tales under the Golden Sun (and 7.4), we find out that Tuphut made a deal with Preservation to get the technology for Treno on the Ninth, as well.
And we see this in 7.4 when we visit Treno.
In a way, the barrier dome is a lot like a calyx, protecting the bud, Alexandria or in this case, Treno!
Plants and Halmarut
Since his introduction in 7.2, folks speculated Calyx would be working with Halmarut the Sower (in charge of fungal and plant life) since he's named after a part of a plant.
Calyx and Simulant Sphene use plant-based words to describe his scheme.
His Necron creation also uses relevantly-themed attacks in 7.3 such as:
Soul Reaping
Crop Rotation
Seasons of Blight
In Conclusion
Calyx's name presents connections to karyx, the Greek word for messenger, is the base word for Caduceus, Hermes' staff (and thus Hermes himself, who is also a messenger) and the symbol of medicine, Ratatoskr the messenger squirrel, squirrels and plant life in general, and Halmarut, the Ascian in charge of plant life.
Tossing in one other (very minor) tree connection, he (through Preservation) is heavily tied to Alexandria itself whose form and story has some minor parallels to FFIX's Iifa tree.
Oh I fucking love this. There's definitely a reference to Naomi Osaka's Japanese heritage, but blended with a Parisian "New Look" silhouette & tailoring.
Iāve been slowly working on illustrating my own Tarot deck about black cats.
I have a long way to go, but Iām nearly done with the major arcana.
2026 edit: I have finished the art for The Void Deck! I am preparing to have the deck produced now. If you would like to be notified when the kickstarter/preorder launches sign up on my website. Also, Iāve got some tees and hoodies and stuff folks have said theyād be interested in available too. Iām just dabbling and only shipping to the US for the moment while I get more details sorted.
Here are some of my favorites:
I set myself a design challenge (as I often do). I wanted to limit the color palette and the brush styles to create a very consistent look.
And since each card focuses on black cats, it forces me to think deeply about symbolism and design to make sure the meaning of each card is clear and each design is unique.
But thereās still a lot of variety coming through. Itās not all class, or all silliness - just like cats
I have a forearm tattoo of the cats in this one āļø
Iām so happy with how both of these two managed to feel dark, but adorable at the same time.
And then thereās this one absolute diva:
Most of these used my own feline friends for reference.
There are more but I donāt know yet how many I want to share online. If I can actually complete the entire deck I would love to have it made. But I have a ways to go, so for now I continue to chip away, one card at a time.
Florida-based artist Cheryl Lee designs nature-inspired pieces, which pay homage to the mystical worlds of fairies, gnomes, princes and princess. Combining a group of natural elements, including seashells, crystals and the visual presence of mushrooms. She says āThe process of creation is what is special to me, while the outcome is special to you. What is this world if not a symbiotic relationship, not only to earth and sea but to you and me. ā Find her work in her Etsy shop.
