Sorry to bother, but do you have anything on Menphina and the lore surrounding her?
Menphina, the Lover
Daughter of Althyk, Sister of Azeyma, and Divine Lover of Oschon.
Character Creation: “Menphina is keeper of the twin* moons and the goddess of love. She commands the element of ice and is associated with the second moon of the Eorzean Calendar. Menphina is the sister of Azeyma, and the divine lover of Oschon. She is most often depicted as a maid carrying a round skillet. Her symbol is the full moon.”
*The “twin” moons refers to the Greater Moon Menphina and the Lesser Moon Dalamud. The ARR character creation text has removed the word “twin” from Menphina’s description as we now know that Dalamud was not a natural moon, but an ancient Allagan machination to imprison an Elder Primal.
Havak Alvak: “Menphina, the Lover. Monitoring multiple moons─well, two─this divinity is dotingly disposed. She is the preferred personage of the Keepers of the Moon. If your love life is lacking, you might consider calling on Her cooperation.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea: “Dalamud has long had a place in Eorzean mythos. Before its fall, the lesser moon was widely believed to be the loyal hound of the goddess Menphina, and as such appeared in many religious works of art. Needless to say, discovery of the moon’s true origin forced many of the realm’s more devout denizens to question their faith.”
The Raven: Dalamud Nigh: “For those who are unfamiliar, legend holds that the greater and lesser moons are respectively the goddess Menphina and her loyal hound, Dalamud. Since time immemorial, the two have been engaged in an unending dance across the heavens.”
The Raven: The Curse of Dalamud: “Those who have an interest in astrology will know Dalamud to be the celestial body that orbits the moon in perpetual dance. For others the name will recall childhood tales of the loyal hound of the moon goddess Menphina, who would put to flight in a flurry of torn flesh and gushing blood those who meant his mistress harm.”
The Raven: Dalamud Nigh: “Ever since Dalamud began taking on a crimson hue, countless theories have been in circulation seeking to explain the anomaly. A great many believe that Menphina’s hound is bathed in the blood of a vile fiend who had designs upon his mistress’s life, even as others swear that the changes portend the Seventh Umbral Era.”
O-App-Pesi: “Legend holds that Dalamud is the loyal hound of the goddess Menphina. In art and literature, he is ever depicted protecting his mistress from vile fiends. One cannot help but wonder, what becomes of the goddess if Her defender should leave Her side?”
I'nairoh: “When night falls and I can no longer work the vineyards, I oft gaze up at the moons and follow their celestial dance across the heavens. It is commonly held that the larger of the two is the embodiment of Menphina, the Lover. The legends surrounding the smaller moon vary, though. While there are some who believe it to be Menphina’s daughter, others swear that it is her lantern. However, the most popular tale tells us the moon is actually Menphina’s loyal hound, Dalamud, ever vigilant in his watch over the goddess. Grapes picked on the mornings when Dalamud’s eyes shine brightest are said to produce the finest of wines, which is why many of us here in this hamlet rise before the cock’s call and check the skies before attending to the day’s tasks.”
1.0 Character Creation (Miqo’te): “The nocturnal among the Miqo'te have dubbed themselves the Keepers of the Moon. Shying from the garish light of day, they revel in the shroud of night, with most offering their piety to Menphina the Lover, goddess of the moon.
They are distinguishable from their diurnal cousins by their darker fur, larger ears, rounder eyes, more pronounced canines, and longer, skinnier tails. The ritual application of war paint to the face is still regularly practiced, as it is believed the vivid colors grant lunar powers. The Keepers are known for their reticent and brooding personalities, but are also respected and sometimes feared for their tenacity.”
Moon In Rouge: “We Keepers of the Moon have a long history of decorating our faces with colorful paint before going into battle. We do this not only to honor the traditions of our clan, but to also let the gods know that we are prepared to serve them as warriors in the afterlife, should we fall at the hands of our enemies. The paint we use is taken from the inedible red berries of a herb known as ‘soldier’s sore’ that can be found growing in the South Shroud. My unit is willing to pay handsomely for any who can harvest the fruit and deliver it to our barracks.”
Moon Daisy: “Moon daisies are often hung to rafters, trees, or other elevated locations to represent the celestial body when performing holy rituals to the goddess Menphina during daylight hours.”
The Harbor Herald: The Bonds of Love: “Words may be wind, but wind reaches all, and the hushed winds that have reached the Herald tell us that the chocolates are now being prepared at the Bismarck. Some say that the gourmets there have learned something of the divine concoctions made by the maiden servants of Menphina, goddess of love. Still others claim that a rare and valuable spice extracted from Meracydian gold is used in the baking. All that can be said for sure is that a truly unique and amazing recipe has been devised.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Creation: “Yet Althyk would not be alone overlong, for soon from the Whorl did another step forth. Her name was Nymeia, and She was but a mewling babe who could do naught but weep, and soon Her tears had created a vast lake. Althyk, seeking companionship in the empty realm of His creation, took the young goddess under His wing and cared for Her as one would a daughter. As Nymeia grew, so, too, did their love for one another, until it could no longer be contained, culminating in a divine coupling which resulted in the birth of two holy daughters - Azeyma, the sun, and Menphina, the moon - and with their advent, was day and night conceived.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Hells and Heavens: “Every god and goddess of the Twelve is associated with one of the six controlling elements. When the deities deemed Their work on Eorzea complete, They proceeded to create the firmament, the result being six astrally aligned heavens aspected to each of the six elements, and a final seventh heaven to rule them all. However, a residual product of these heavens were six similarly aspected hells, ruled by an all-encompassing, umbrally aligned seventh hell. The six “lower heavens” are represented in the sky by six constellations - star formations which astrologians also perceive as gates that, when opened, can allow a person to become attuned with the heavens and manipulate their aether. These constellations revolve around the pole star which is believed to be the gate to the seventh and final heaven.While some sects of Twelve worship have different views of the afterlife, most believe that the righteous are promised a place in the heavens while sinners are doomed to an eternity of punishing trials in the hells. A belief made popular by a famous theologian and playwright of the Sixth Astral Era states that upon an evil man’s death, he will fall to a hell that corresponds to the sins he committed in his lifetime. Once suffering an eternity in payment for those sins, he must journey through the remaining five “upper hells” and witness the sins of his brothers, before finally arriving at the gate of the seventh hell, where his heart will be weighted. If it is heavy with sorrow and repentance for what he has done, he will be sent to the heavens. But if it remains light, he will be admitted to the seventh hell where he will suffer forevermore.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Hell and Heaven of Ice: “In the center of this heaven rises a lofty palace of ice - ice made of frozen moonbeams and carved with the Fury’s own spear. Here reside epic heroes and gallant knights, the benevolent and the faithful. From Halone’s gelid palace do piercing icicles plummet to the Pit, creating the Hell of Ice. Here suffer cowards, deserters, and adulterers.”
Leveva: “The Spear is the gate to the sixth heaven, where the Fury resides in a palace of ice carved by her own spear – ice formed of moonbeams collected by the Lover, Menphina. The Spear fills us not only with the power to overcome our enemies, but also the compassion that is necessary to grant those same enemies mercy.”
Leveva: “Before we set forth on this task, I wish to teach you of a second set of stars─the nocturnal sect.The nocturnal sect contains those celestial bodies ruled by the two moons. I say two, because since the dawn of astrology, disciples of our field have used Dalamud in their readings. Now, even after the false moon’s fall, its position…or should I say, its absence, yet has influence over our fates.
Whereas the sun and the diurnal stars represent the self, expression, the active─and the moon and the nocturnal stars represent the unconscious, the passive─Dalamud represents, and still does represent the uncontrollable. Its power has the ability to quicken the senses, as well as provide added protection from the unknown─things beneficial when pursuing one’s fate.”
Navigator’s Brand: “Cousin to the Navigator’s dagger, fishers believe that this wavekin was the blade that Llymlaen threw at Oschon in Her fury at having Her naked form espied. The incident led to the latter taking Menphina as His lover.”
Joldewin: “Now, you do know that the moon is the embodiment of the goddess Menphina, yes? Well, the smaller celestial body that keeps an eternal vigil over her is Dalamud, her loyal hound. Great changes are afoot, however, and I fear they are not for the better. Dalamud has taken on a vivid crimson hue of late, you see, as if he were drenched in blood. Has an enemy of the goddess made an attempt on her life, that her hound Dalamud should be forced to spill blood in her defense? The affairs of the gods may be beyond our knowing, but this much is clear: something wicked this way comes.”
E’qawhau: “Oh? You’ve not heard of Dalamud? He is the faithful hound who forever attends to his mistress Menphina, whom you may know as the goddess who appearrrs to us mortals as the moon. There are some who would have us believe that Menphina and Dalamud are just rocks, the latter in orbit around the former, but such talk is outright sacrilege! If you require proof of his true form, you need only turn your eyes towards the night sky. The crimson hue that veils him of late—it is the lifeblood of the wicked creature that sought to harrrm his mistress, whom Dalamud bravely vanquished. This is an ill omen, I tell you. It’s only a matter of time before the same evil befalls us—before we, too, are made to bathe in blood.”
Fullmoon Sardine: “A tiny saltwater fish native to the waters of Vylbrand. Unlike other wavekin, they feed only at night, their activity increasing as Menphina waxes.”
I threw in the Sardine quote at the end, as well as E’qawhau’s quote, to emphasize that the celestial body itself is referred to as Menphina, just as we have names for Jupiter’s moons - Io, Europa, etc. The moon’s name is Menphina, after the goddess who embodies the moon.
Anyways, hope this helps Anon! ^^
| Azeyma | Rhalgr | Nophica | Nymeia | Althyk | Byregot || Thaliak | Oschon |
