Character Creation - Halone: "Halone, mover of glaciers and goddess of war, is the guardian deity of Ishgard. She commands the element of ice and is associated with the first moon of the Eorzean calendar. Halone is the daughter of Rhalgr, and a bitter rival of Nophica. She is most often depicted as a relentless warrioress armed with a bronze greatshield. Her symbol is the three spears."
Havak Alvak: “Halone, the Fury. This goddess governs glaciers while contemplating conflict. She is especially esteemed in Ishgard, where people pray for Her well wishes in war.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Religion: “The fervent worship of Halone, mover of glaciers and goddess of war, and the teachings of the Enchiridion, the holy scripture of the church, are at the core of Ishgardian society. Although members of the Ishgardian church will readily acknowledge the existence of the other eleven deities of the pantheon, they firmly believe that the power of all other gods is eclipsed by the might of the Fury.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Creation: “And for many days and nights was the world calm, the gods content in the order which now reigned supreme. That is until the Whorl woke from its slumber and beckoned forth two final deities - Byregot and His younger sister Halone. It was feared that the untamed and ambitious siblings might once again usher chaos unto the world, so to see that they were properly disciplined, Nymeia quickly made them wards of Rhalgr, the Destroyer.
Though more open to Her new father’s teachings, Halone, too, grew restless, longing to test Her strength. An opportunity arose when Oschon invited the young goddess on one of His journeys. It was during these travels that Halone’s ambition slowly transformed into a lust for battle. While on the road, She would challenge every creature She met, honing Her skills and methodically devising new techniques for killing.
When Nophica, mother of the life, learned of Halone’s wanton destruction of Her creations, she was angered beyond words and swore revenge, but the Fury ignored the Matron’s challenges, widening the rift between the two. Oschon, feeling responsible for this rift, devised a plan to calm Nophica. From within the mountains of His creation, Oschon summoned a fount of magma which spewed forth onto the land. Upon cooling, the magma took the form of the Twelfth and final god - the dual aspected Nald'thal. With Nald'thal, Oschon had provided a god to oversee the souls of those who met their deaths and provide them with peace in the afterlife. Satisfied that Her creations would no longer wander the void aimlessly, Nophica agreed to a truce with Halone.”
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.”
Jocea: “On a clear night, have you perchance looked to the heavens and spied a constellation of cobalt-silver stars? That, my friend, is the realm of Halone. In Her halls dwell the heroes of Ishgard, those valiant souls who gave their lives to defend us from the Dravanian Horde.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Bird of Paradise: “The Enchiridion states that the brilliantly colored cloudkin known as the Bird of Paradise is the gatekeeper to Halone’s heavenly realm. In actuality, it is a ruthless killer with an insatiable appetite for flesh of any kind, from paissa to man. To make matters worse, the Bird of Paradise also possesses the uncanny ability to generate impenetrable mists using ambient water-aspected aether - an ability it utilizes to take its victims unawares.”
Hoplite: “While the shape of this wavekin's shell may resemble Halone's fabled shield, it is not recommended for use in battle. While the metallic shell of this wavekin offers protection from aquatic predators, it proved ineffective against the ingenuity of fishers, who found a market for the rigid material among those who require protection from terrestrial dangers. The sight of it floating just under the water's surface evokes the image of Halone's shield, but divinity only commands so much respect in the face of profit.”
Coerthan Oyster: “A bivalve mollusk native to the lakes of Coerthas, and prized as a delicacy by Ishgardian nobles. The shells of these freshwater mollusks are so impenetrable that local fishers have dubbed them ‘the Fury's shields.’ Luckily, prying them from the rocks upon which they live is as simple as sliding a knife beneath their shells and giving a slight pull upwards.”
Endoceras: “An ancient sea-dweller with a body like a lance and a temper like the Fury's.”
Iliette: “We are born of our father's seed, and raised on our mother's love, yet it is the Fury who instills our lives with purpose. As long as we embrace that purpose, we need not fear death, for it is but one of the ways in which we may serve the goddess.”
Elde: “The Fury tells us no one need fear death by the dragon's maw, for those who are slain by the fell beasts are granted a place within the heavens. Yet doubt not that I will soak my shift in poison each morning, that I might send the vile dragon who takes me to the seven hells even as I ascend.”
No Accounting for Waste: “Halone may be all knowing, but Her servants seem to need a great deal of paperwork. They are forever calling for more ink, and who can gainsay the need? Most knights of Ishgard go to their reward ere the ink is dry on their pledge—and then more must be spilled to record the death.”
Loloma: “The Fury shuns those who refuse her call to arms, deeming them as traitorous as the First Dragons. If you, too, are an unbeliever, you will find no succor within our hamlet's gates.”
Yuhelmeric: “Our war with the dragons is not yet won…but if we are willing to give all that we have, and sacrifice all that we are in the service of Halone, victory shall be ours! For ours is the Fury!”
Coat the Harm (L): “A dragon claw or chocobo's talon to a soft stomach will speed a man towards his congregation with Halone unless a remedy known as Mother's Mercy is ingested in time.”
A Squire to Inspire: “There have been whispers in the Pillars of an assassin, some say sent from a High House, stealing away in the night to the manor of Haillenarte and tried to stab a knight clad in naught but her nightdress. The blade was diverted by the woman's squire who took the knife in the knight's stead, saying, ‘So as long as Halone blesses your sword, your death shall be by dragon claw and not by a sullied man's hands.’ The blasphemy-monger was swiftly dispatched and the boy treated, but so moved was I by this remark of virtue that I will pay a purseload of coin to the armorer who can craft me a set of tassets to honor the squire.”
The Eats of Authenticity (L): “While battles that spill the blood of dragons are the most highly regarded, any Ishgardian victory is worthy of Halone's pride.”
Emerissel: “No one man can defeat a dragon on his own, but if we stand together, the Fury will guide us to victory. Even an unbeliever may redeem himself in the eyes of the goddess thus.”
Hourlinet: “Would you pledge your fealty to the Fury, or would you walk the path of the unbeliever - to be cast from the heavens upon your passing, doomed to wander the seven hells for eternity?”
Striped Goby: “A brightly striped freshwater fish native to the rivers and lakes of the Coerthas and Mor Dhona regions. Coerthan legend states that the striped goby was not always a fish, but once a brightly plumed bird cast to the bottom of the seas by the Fury for flying too near Her realm.”
Sightseeing Vista #73 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.”
Sightseeing Vista #75 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.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Fury’s Mercy: “One of the mighty ballistas protecting the city, the Fury’s Mercy is said to strike its target with a force so great that it dies instantly, and thus feels no pain.”
Heart to Heart: “An Ishgardian wedding is nigh, therefore I would ask you to harvest some giant artichokes for me from the floating isles. Why artichokes, you ask? Well, I shall forgive your ignorance just this once, outsider. There is a tale of a humble bride, who traveled with her knight lover to the battlefield because she did not want him to cease his cause in the name of Halone. It was there in the camp that she shirked a flowery bouquet, commenting the flowers were far too decadent and instead took an artichoke in hand. She admired its resilient and spiked exterior that enveloped the plant's soft, pure heart, and she remarked the beauty of Halone was indeed similar to this plant, and thus should be her bouquet. Many Ishgardian brides are so inspired by the tale that there are often requests of the church to place the thistles near the aisles to represent a humble but fiercely devoted deliverance to the Fury.”
Lancefer: “When a widowed man or woman takes back the ring of troth, the dead are free to wed again in the afterlife. She was young still and merry of heart. I would that she finds a mate again, though my heart cries out for her to wait for me...”
Roll On Initiative: “The fickle weather in the Sea of Clouds can give cause to either rejoice in Halone's benevolence or contemplate the trials She sets before us.”
Don’t Come Back: “Praise be to Halone, for our knights' have been saved by Her hand! The contingent had been caught in a blizzard, and as they rubbed their frostbitten hands together and steeled themselves for the end, a blessed creature loomed in their presence: the Last Yak, so named as the knights thought it the last thing they would ever see. But there is no doubt that Halone had sent Her blessed messenger to answer our prayers, for the beast allowed the freezing men to climb onto its back. As they clung to its warm, shaggy hide, it trudged through the biting winds and delivered the men to safety.”
Ser Pascaleret Neurtaille’s Journal: “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 suffer no 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 men 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.”
Ice Faerie: “A tiny ‘winged’ slug commonly found in ice-ridden freshwater lakes. Despite its angelic appearance, this tiny transparent sea slug is a ferocious predator which uses a circle of razor-sharp teeth to slice up its prey as it swallows it whole. This furious display has resulted in a second name─Halone.”
Neale: “And now folks won't stop going on about their latest bloody recruit - some flame-skinned Roegadyn come down from the forsaken crags of the Farreach, apparently. Few have actually laid eyes on the man, but them as have reckon his veins must course with the blood of the Fury, for none can stay his axe once he takes the field.”
The Fury’s Anthem: “When sung, invokes the hand of Halone, turning back time and resetting any PvP actions learned.”
Allagan Runestone - Halone: “A small, smoothed stone featuring in its center a single carved symbol representing Halone, the Fury.”
Furymint: “Named after the spear-like shape of its leaves, this variety of mint has a cooler, less biting flavor than its darker-leaved cousin peppermint.”
Halone Gerbera: “A flowering ornamental plant said to be beloved of Halone, the Fury.”
Rage of Halone
Lulutsu: “<sigh> The matches Greinfarr gave us when he was in his prime were the best there have ever been. And that technique of his─the old ‘lost blade’ maneuver. It would make his opponents think he'd called it quits, and they'd come charging in to deliver the killing blow...and that's when he would strike! Imagine the suspense! Hearts aflutter, the people look on... To everyone's eyes the fight is all but won, and then... Yaaaaaargh!!! Greinfarr cries out, his sword finds its mark, and just like that, victory is his. The crowds would go absolutely wild! Any clod with a blade can learn the technique. But it takes a master to execute it in battle. Why not try your hand at it?”
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Hope this helps! More lore on the Ishgardian Orthodox Church, the Enchiridion, the Halonic Inquisition, and Ishgardian Saints can be found below the cut!
For more Ishgardian lore, please check out @hasty-touch ‘s Ishgardian Lore Compilation! It is truly an invaluable resource.
You can find more of my lore posts at the Lore Index!
Mytesyn: “Seven hells! It's that damned Qiqirn again! I swear to the Fury, if I ever catch that slippery rat, I'll skin his arse and boil his bloody bones down to glue!”
Landing the Big One: “Outside of the capital? Halone forbid! No, no, I have been invited to the manor's expansive ponds, stocked with the best and built by Dzemael hands.”
Rose Never Lets Go: “O Halone, what have I done to deserve such animosity?”
Francel: “What in the Fury's name is happening here?”
Prudentia: “You look as if you've walked straight from a bout of fisticuffs with the Fury herself… But I can tell you this - you haven't truly experienced war until you've fought on the front lines of a kitchen siege.”
Widigast: “I long to see the faces of my children back in Ishgard. Yet the arcbishop's recent sealing of the Gates of Judgement has robbed me of the means to send so much as a word to them. I can only pray that they remain safe behind the stone walls of the cloud keep. May the Fury seem them emerge stronger than the day they entered.”
Wannmaga: “I cannot believe they would deny me passage! This is a matter of holy adoration! I must be allowed to meet my goddess Halone! Then would you be willing to complete my pilgrimage to Saint Reymanaud's Cathedral, and pray before the statue of the Fury in my stead? Ah, my beloved Halone... Beseech Her to watch over my companions.”
Patrick: “Farewell, and may the Fury give you strength.”
Curious Gorge: “Good luck, and may the Fury be with you.”
Cailean: “The speed of the Fury to you, and Her ruth as well.”
Stephannot: “Oh, for the ruth of Halone...”
Ludovoix: “Halone have mercy, are you still here?”
Yuhelmeric: “Praise be to Halone for seeing you here safe, friend.”
High Adjudicator: “The Fury has spoken! Blessed are we who receive of Her wisdom and see justice wrought by Her divine hand!”
Ser Pascaleret Neurtaille’s Journal: “O Halone, pray forgive your humble servant. For too long have I let fear rule my heart, and in my cowardice I have 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.”
Sidurgu: “No one is truly outside Halone's grace, don't you think?”
Rielle: “...I will pray for you, Mother, that you might find peace in Her halls. O Halone, receive of us this woman, Your humble servant. Raise her up to Your bosom and grant her glory everlasting...”
Note: Stone & Steel Artbook scans courtesy of @eniphina-old
The Ishgardian Orthodox Church
and The Holy See
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Foundation: “The Elezen who settled in Coerthas had already been worshipping Halone as their patron deity for some time. As their population swelled and their settlements expanded, so too did their centers of worship. The clergy recognized the need for more structure, and perhaps an organization that could standardize the teachings of the faith: namely, the Ishgardian Orthodox Church.”
Fernehalwes: “The same can be said regarding religion. Each city-state has a patron (matron) deity, and most people in that city-state will follow the teachings of that god or goddess. There are, for the most part, however, no strict religious codes that must be followed. Some Eorzeans will choose to worship a deity connected to their profession (for example, weavers often follow Nymeia the Spinner). Some follow the deity associated with their nameday. There are even some Eorzeans who choose not to follow the teachings of the Twelve, but they are few and far between…and often will not admit it.
The exception to this rule can be seen in Ishgard, where they take the teachings of Halone very seriously… to the point that the church and state have become inseparable. They go as far as calling those who do not follow the Fury ‘unbelievers,’ and those who are found to have communicated with the dragons of Dravania (the mortal enemies of Ishgard), are branded as heretics and in some cases executed.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Religious Institutions: “Eorzeans worship a pantheon of gods known as the Twelve, and it is customary for individuals to choose a singular patron deity whom they revere above all others. This decision is generally influenced by the divinity’s association with a number of key factors, including a person’s origin (homeland, race, or clan), nameday and other special dates, or the nature of one’s occupation or calling in life.
Even as each of the major city-states is identified by its chosen patron deity, one can also encounter sizable religious institutions founded upon a more dedicated form of worship. The dragon-besieged city of Ishgard, for example, adopted Halone not only as its guardian goddess, but also installed Her as the central figure of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church--the nation’s official religion.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Ishgardian Orthodox Church: “The Ishgardian Orthodox Church is the dominant religion of Ishgard, and the archbishop, the church’s elected leader, has also traditionally served as the nation’s head of state. Once an institution of undisputed authority, the tumultuous culmination of the Dragonsong War exposed deceptions woven throughout church-sanctioned history, leaving the clergy reeling in the aftermath of the damning revelations.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Ruling Body: “Until recently, clergymen and women of the Holy See of Ishgard regulated the teachings of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. The newly formed republic envisions a more strict separation of church and state.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Precepts of the Faith: “The primary mission of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church is to ‘spread the teachings of Halone and to glory in Her works.’ To that end, the Holy See promotes a comprehensive--and officially sanctioned--historical education, and any accounts which contradict these established facts are considered heretical.
However, following the shocking revelations regarding some of the most celebrated figures in Ishgardian history, the church was subject to unprecedented criticism. While the people remain devoted to Halone, it remains to be seen what place the church as an establishment will have henceforth in Ishgardian society.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Church Structure: “The leader of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church is the archbishop, who also serves as the Ishgardian head of state. However, unlike the kings of eld, his title cannot be passed down. Upon an archbishop’s death, a conclave comprised of high-ranking clergy and representatives from the four High Houses is convened to select the successor. As such, despite being bound to observe the will of the archbishop, the nobility has significant influence over who shall rise to the position.
The archbishop presides over Ishgard from the Vault, which functions as both the center of the church and of the government. There he determines major public policy, which is then carried out by senior officials in various dicasteries, as well as the Temple Knights and the inquisition. Additionally, there are two unique groups to whom the archbishop may turn should the need arise. The Synod, a council comprised of seven bishops of Saint Reymanaud’s Cathedral, serves to advise His Eminence on matters of policy. The Heavens’ Ward, on the other hand, is a select group comprised of twelve handpicked knights who serve as his personal guard.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Heavens’ Ward: “The Heavens’ Ward, the personal bodyguard of the archbishop, serves at the pleasure of His Eminence and answers to none but him. Under normal circumstances, the knights of the Heavens’ Ward exist outside the normal hierarchy of the Holy See, but when charged with carrying out the personal directives of the archbishop, they may act with his authority and issue orders to Temple Knights and others.
In keeping with the tradition established by King Thordan I, the Heavens’ Ward is comprised of twelve knights appointed by the archbishop himself. However, after appointing Ser Zephirin to lead the current Heavens’ Ward, Thordan VII instructed him to select the remaining members for their skill at arms only, without regard for their character or familial connections, which the young archimandrite then did, with the assistance of Ser Vellguine.
As a rule, married men are forbidden from joining the Heavens’ Ward, and like members of the clergy of the Holy See, the knights must swear an oath of celibacy. Ultimately, they must dedicate their lives wholly to the service of the archbishop, the sole interpreter of the will of Halone.”
Tales from the Dragonsong War - What Remains of a Knight: “Gazing out over Ishgard from the highest battlements of the Vault, Ser Vaindreau scarcely felt the icy sting of the night air upon his cheek. For what felt like the hundredth time, he asked himself what it was to be a knight of the Heavens' Ward…only for the rote reply to chime in as it always did.
We are the champions of the Holy See. We embody the virtues of the knights twelve who fought alongside King Thordan against dread Nidhogg. We are the chosen guardians of the archbishop, keeper of the one true faith. The Fury's shield and Her spear both…
But the creed said naught of an archbishop who consorted with the servants of chaos! He had heard the man discussing the finer points of a summoning ritual - intent not on calling forth Halone, but another. And although the exact nature of this blasphemous deity had escaped him, he knew that even to contemplate such an act violated the Church's most sacrosanct law.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Holy See: “The Holy See often describes its relationship with the people as one with ‘maternal’ and ‘paternal’ facets. In its maternal role, the archbishop and his clergy nurture and guide their people through the teachings of the church. In its paternal role, the archbishop strives to dictate policy that protects his people from the Dravanians and preserves the city-state’s sovereignty. However, in light of recent efforts to disentangle church from state and reduce the church’s direct influence over military affairs, this paternal role is likely to be reduced, much to the consternation of some clergy.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Sacred Heart of the Faith: “The seat of Ishgard’s theocratic government, the Vault brings the administration of the church and the running of the state under one roof and one leader, the archbishop. Rising from the heart of the Pillars, the city’s upper level, it has long stood as the shining symbol of the nation.
Ordinarily closed to the public, an exception is made during religious observances such as the Starlight Celebration, when citizens are granted entry to Saint Thordan’s Basilica, the church on the ground floor dedicated to the founding father. By special order, its doors were also opened to those who had been displaced by the fires that ravaged the Brume district.
In contrast, but a privileged few outside the clergy have set foot on the upper levels. Accessible via lifts, the area is considered a holy sanctum, housing such facilities as church offices and prayer gardens, as well as the chambers of the archbishop himself. Situated above all of this, crowning the Vault - and indeed Ishgard - is the Hall of the Spear. Built in the image of the ice palace the Fury is said to have carved with Her spear, the temple sees use in official ceremonies such as the coronation of an archbishop.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Vault: “The Vault is both Ishgard’s seat of government and the residence of the archbishop of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. Saint Thordan’s Basilica on the first floor is open to all acolytes, who may gather for services. Access to the upper levels is strictly controlled, as they contain the offices of senior clergy as well as the chambers of the archbishop himself.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Hoplon: “The largest plaza in the city, the Hoplon takes its name from the bronze shield borne by Halone. Ceremonies are often held below the steps leading to the Vault to the north, and generations of archbishops have taken their oaths beneath the watchful gaze of King Thordan’s statue.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Ishgardian Orthodox Church: “Bearing the name of the church’s inaugural archbishop, Saint Reymanaud’s Cathedral is said to have been built on a base of the very stone used in the construction of Ishgard’s founding temple to Halone. With every facet of the Enchiridion now called into question, however, the veracity of this statement is the subject of much debate.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Saint Reymanaud’s Cathedral: “Formal mass is conducted in this majestic cathedral, named for the first archbishop of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. The adjacent Saint Endalim’s Scholasticate provides a comprehensive theological education to those who wish to don the robes of the clergy.”
Bruvagnon: “The Saint Endalim Scholasticate is where gods-fearing men and women come to seek a proper theological education. We are an equal opportunity institution, I might add. Here you will find the sons and daughters of great houses studying side by side with those of more humble origins. All that is required is a recommendation provided by one of the clergy. Our curriculum encompasses a diverse range of subjects, from the fundamentals of Ishgardian theology to the intricacies of canon law.
We also offer more specialized instruction for those who wish to focus on medicinal or magical fields. However, to ensure that seminarians are adequately prepared for these studies, they must first complete both the trivium and the quadrivium: rigorous courses comprised of grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, astrology, and music.”
Bruvagnon: “I have received word that the headmistress has returned to her office in the cathedral. I would ask that you introduce yourselves. But there is something you should keep in mind when speaking with Headmistress Elviane. She was appointed to her position by the former archbishop, thus her views on the curriculum are quite traditional. I would advise you to discuss matters regarding the Holy See with the utmost care.”
Mathye: “The scholasticate is the cornerstone of education within the church, and all members of the clergy must pass through its doors.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Ishgardian Orthodox Church: “Orthodox cathedrals are not considered complete without at least one towering statue of Halone, girt for battle. Gallant warriors who fell in the holy war against the Dravanians were believed to enter the gates of the Fury’s palace, and receive warm welcome in Her icy halls.”
With a Noise That Reaches Heaven (L): “As I sighed over the repeated pilfering of the prayer-beckoning bell, I had an epiphany of sorts─the soundings of the handbell were sweet and mild, but a clockbell would be much more difficult to steal, and one crafted in the likeness of Halone's shield, encrusted with sparkling jewels and polished brighter than the sun─now that would certainly heighten the avidity of prayer! Such a testament of the Fury's splendor cannot be had without a large quantity of hardsilver ingots. Bring them unto me, and I will see to it that the Holy See pays you well for your labors.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Industries: “Stonemasonry: Ishgardian architecture has been deeply influenced by a millennium of war with the Dravanians, and the need for stone fortifications capable of withstanding the enemy’s attacks. Moreover, the church has a long tradition of funding religious works of art, which accounts for the massive sculptures that can be found throughout the capital and beyond.”
A Spire for New Heights (L): “When asked to describe Ishgard, most outsiders will recall the lofty lance-like spires that pierce the very Sea of Clouds. Yet Ishgardians themselves, who routinely turn their eyes to the skies in passionate prayer, pay the centuries-old constructs no mind.”
Not So Crystal Clear (L): “Halone forgive, this absolutely will not do! The Holy See has ordered a grand restoration of the stained crystal windows of the church, but the last miner I commissioned brought in stained crystal in quality that is much too hedonistic! If excess of white light is allowed into the church, then the eyes of the prayer-bearers will become more focused on the rays reflected on the fairer sex instead of upwards towards the heavens, thus vanity will distract from our faith when the Fury demands the eyes of all men! Bring me the right stained crystal and I shall pay you double what we paid the last miner. In the meantime, I suppose I will send this wasted batch to the inquisitor's quarters—they never seem to decline refuse of the sharp, broken variety.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Fury’s Grace: “Symbol of the leader of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church and sovereign of the Holy See, this holy crozier has been handed down to each archbishop. Embedded in its center is a rare sapphire of ultramarine hue, known as the Frozen Tear. The staff was so named for the legend that it was bestowed upon Archbishop Reymanaud I by a divine messenger of Halone.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Archbishop Thordan VII: “The seventy-four year old archbishop came from modest origins, the son of a lesser house pledged to House Durendaire. A lover of traditional Coerthan cooking, in his youth he studied swordplay, and perhaps could have achieved moderate success within high society. However, as the youngest of five, he stood to inherit little, and so with his parents’ endorsement he entered Saint Endalim’s Scholasticate. He graduated as one of the Trinity and successfully entered into the service of the Holy See, and was quick to take part in the power struggles inside the Vault. As he grew more successful and influential, he gradually rose within the clergy’s hierarchy until he was named a bishop in his forty and second year. However, it was also at this time that he was rumored to have broken his vow of celibacy and fathered a child with a lover. Well aware that such a scandal could be used as a weapon by his political rivals, he made every effort to suppress them until after he was elected archbishop.”
Cardinalfish: “A freshwater fish, so named for its resemblance to the vestments worn by the cardinals of Ishgard's orthodox faith, easily recognizable for its vivid black and white stripes.”
The Archbishop: “A king among cardinalfish, and lord of the waters of the Comet's Tail. Every time the largest of their school is caught, the cardinalfish hold an underwater conclave to select a new Archbishop. Or so the Vault's pious tell their bastards in the Brume before tucking them into bed.”
Mitre Slug: “Recently discovered and named by knights of House Haillenarte dispatched to explore the islets floating above Ishgard, the shells of these snail-like creatures bear a close resemblance with the holy mitre worn by the archbishop.”
Bruvagnon: “You see, most men and women of the cloth go on to live fulfilling lives as pastors, academics, and poets. However, those who graduate from the scholasticate with the highest marks are given an opportunity to serve in the Vault and perhaps one day rise to prominence. The stakes are quite high for those who seek such prestige, for they know full well that their academic performance may determine their future. It is they who strive for the top three seats that are granted the scholasticate's official endorsement: the Trinity.”
Briardien: “And so those who wish to guide Ishgard's faithful spend their days cumulating marks through academic pursuits, while at the same time honing their skills to persuade others to share their interpretations of scripture.”
Bruvagnon: “Up until now, it resulted in no more than the occasional lively debate, for the Holy See was ultimately responsible for dictating doctrine. Ranking was naturally determined by one's familiarity with said doctrine. However, in light of recent events, that is no longer an option. Simply put, we cannot currently assess their academic performance in the traditional manner, as a significant portion of the curriculum has been called into question. As a result, we have been forced to consider more...subjective methods.”
Father Saturnois: “When I was young, I too was taken under the wing of Father Choisseau. It was by his good graces that I gained admission into the scholasticate, not unlike yourselves. I devoted myself entirely to my studies, that I might prove myself worthy of his kindness. My dedication was rewarded when I graduated at the top of my class, and secured a prized position in the archives, alongside some of the Holy See's most esteemed individuals.
It was there that I met the man who would become my closest friend and confidant. For ten years he had toiled in the See's darkest recesses, working to see that the ugly truth of Ishgard's past would never see the light of day. Until the day the burden grew too great to bear, and he took his own life. For years I was torn between grief and anger at not being able to save him from his fate. Fearing my anguish would consume me, I found succor in my religion. Day and night I'd pore over scripture, and soon I found myself back in these very halls, not as a student, but as a teacher.”
Briardien: “The answer to that would lie in his past. Over a decade ago, Saturnois graduated top of his class and was welcomed into the ranks of the Holy See. It was there, he was assigned work as an expurgator.”
Elviane: “Expurgator? What are you taking about? In all my years serving the Holy See, I've never heard of such a post.”
Saturnois: “I would be more surprised if you had. Her Holy Body of Decency─a sector that is comprised of a few select individuals─is perhaps the best-kept of Ishgard's many secrets. Its existence is known only to a handful of people beside the archbishop himself. Though I must correct you on one account. I am no expurgator, but rather one of the so-called ‘watchmen’ consigned to guard them.
That said, we shared a similar fate. Both expurgator and watchman alike were struck from official records and confined in the bowels of the Holy See─damned to live out our lives in the shadows as pallid husks of the men and women we could have been─all so that someday we might fulfill one task. Where written records were deemed too dangerous, expurgators would serve as living documents, orally passing down our nation's greatest secrets. When the time came for the archbishop's successor to ascend the throne, we would briefly emerge from our isolation to pass from our mouths to their ears all we knew of Ishgard before sinking back into obscurity.
Of course, no highborn man or woman would be condemned to this fate. No, this was a destiny reserved for commoners─orphans with no ties to the world above.”
The Life and Lies of Father Saturnois: “Thus all was laid bare before the public─the atrocities suffered by expurgator and watchman alike, along with the hand the scholasticate and the Holy See had in their terrible demise revealed to all of Ishgard by the deacon herself. So it was that a new path was forged that day─one that would see a renewed faith in the church and its teachings where the citizens would come to learn that all men should be regarded as equal not only in the eyes of Halone but also by one another.”
Pets Are Family Too: “It is the custom among the scribes of the temple to take for a companion beastkin such as hounds and cats, who are declared pure in the galled eye of the Fury. A snowshoe mouse that serves as handwarmer and helpmeet to an elder scribe has been lost on the wintry plains of Whitebrim, and must be retrieved.”
History Needs Some Revisions (L): “It would seem the Temple Knights have cleared a path in the Churning Mists near an ancient cavern said to be thousands of years older than our nation's birth. To my dismay, they have begun thoroughly inspecting the reclaimed site without close observance nor approval from the Order of the Friars Templar! It is we who are the custodians of the church's sacred Halonic history! It is we who should be the ones to carefully scrutinize and preserve the ancient word and ensure our modern teachings hold no inconsistencies with those clues of the past. Unbeliever, you are blissfully ignorant to those pieces which may be a key to returning to Halone's embrace. Make for the Churning Mists and secure any relics you may find before any other can take hold of them. In the meantime, I shall write a letter to the lord commander to notify him of this blatant breach of post.”
For Vares Beyond Compare (L): “Where twelve vares stood, only one remains. 'Tis a pity, as Ishgardians once made pilgrimages to each of the standing towers, to present offerings to the church. The ruins must be restored to their former glory so the faithful may again be compelled to walk the path of the holy.”
Last Priest Profaned (L): “Halone forfend! Not again! A high priest of the Holy See traveled to the Chocobo Forest to visit the chocobo breeding grounds to give blessings to the hatchlings of reputable stock that had been chosen to become holy warriors of Ishgard. What should have been a revered event was ruined when a gang of barbarous imps anticipated the arrival and prepared a low-tied vine during the ritual of ground purification, tripping the poor man and causing him to fall into a nearby watering trough, his sanctity soaked to the very core.”
Nectar of the Goddess (L): “I fondly recall when the church would hold an anointing service, whence sweet-scented nectar was rubbed lightly onto the forearms as a way of making one presentable in their prayers. Alas, I wonder if those days are history, as the flower which provided the nectar has been driven nearly to extinction sithence Coerthas has withered under winter's icy grasp.”
Needs More Prayerbell: “No sooner had I completed preparations for vespers had I discovered the chamber was bare of a large silver handbell that pleasantly informs the friars of the sacred hour. Objects for use in the worship of the goddess must be crafted in the presence of a church official to ensure the Fury's will is properly imbued into the tool...along with drops of Her humble servant's blood.”
Gibrillont: “Even the penitent can appreciate wine from time to time. Take Gerraldieux, for example. Surely you've heard of him. No? He's a monk who offers succor to the poorest of the poor in the Brume. A man of many vows, but none which prohibit spirituous beverages. Aye, if ever there was a man who deserved a drink, it'd be him. There's no shortage of suffering in this world, is there? Yet all too often, men of means are happy to turn a blind eye.”
Through Sashes Come the Ashes (L): “Not all priests of Saint Reymanaud's Cathedral are cut from the same cloth. They may all seek to spread the word of the Fury and guide Her chosen along the righteous path, but some harbor a burning desire to join the fray, and have gained mastery over combat magicks. Now that the Holy See has called them to battle, they are on the cusp of realizing their dreams.”
Scripture Is the Best Medicine (L): “There are priests by occupation and there are those who are chosen─to whom Halone has given the gift to provide succor to the sick and blessings to the frail. Alas, we live not in a time of wanton charity, and such precious talents are best employed to heal our knights in battle. Priests who have been blessed so are drafted to serve as chaplains in the field, and these chosen men and women are in need of weapons that will amplify their miraculous powers. Worry not for the smallfolk, for they still have the comfort of scripture.”
Persuasion of a Higher Power: “A priest has arranged for an audience with the lord commander regarding an urgent matter. 'Twould seem the church is looking to enact self-flagellation as part of the training exercise of every knight in the order. While I am all for religious devotion, I can see the lord commander grimacing at the thought of adding it to the already intense drills.”
Abrupt Apprentices (L): “The engineers of the Skysteel Manufactory who bear on their shoulders the daunting task of repairing the dragonkillers before the next imminent siege have made an urgent request to the Holy See to allow for their children to forgo prayer school so that they may start learning the trade early.”
Spirituality Inspector: “The work of the blacksmiths does not escape the strict oversight of the Holy See, and one priest in particular has been a thorn in my side. Miserable of his duty, he worries more of dirtying his robes than the production of equipment for our victories. During one of his inspections, he was disgusted by the dustings of soot of one of the shops and ordered all of the smithing tools to be discarded for ‘lack of spiritual purity.’”
Needs More Fervor (L): “With a string of losses in recent days, the Holy See has declared that there is not enough fervor on the battlefield for Halone's great task and announced an hour of mandatory observance of prayer for all knights until the Fury is sated in their worship and turns the tide of the campaign.”
Framoncis: “[Madam Glenda]’s a widow of a noble, and the most devout soul in Ishgard. I imagine you'll find her in Saint Reymanaud's Cathedral. It is a comfort to know that a soul as devout as Madam Glenda stays in Saint Reymanaud's Cathedral for bells and bells, praying for Ishgard.”
Saturnois: “I am Father Saturnois. In addition to teaching the fundamentals of Halonic polity, I also oversee fund-raising for the stipends of underprivileged students.”
Loaves and Fishes (L): “The strategy meetings between the Holy See and the Temple Knights make for quite an awkward exchange, and the gap of perception is even wider come supper. The high cardinals always insist on naught but the finest gourmet dishes served on silver platters with La Noscean wines drunk from bejeweled goblets while we knights have been disciplined to live on stale bread and our own determination.”
Unleash the Hydro Cannons (L): “Upon witnessing the wavekin's ability to cast water through the air, a high-ranking cardinal ordered pools of the recently discovered fountfish placed atop every home in the Pillars, declaring that the fish would save Ishgard from the flames of the Horde. Coin to fund this grand undertaking was diverted from a new Brume orphanage, but the Vault still requires someone to actually catch and deliver barrels of the wavekin back to the capital.”
Bloodspot (L): “The church takes great pains to reach out and provide spiritual comfort to men of every class, yet even among the lowborn does treachery fester and boil. I had not seen it myself, but an impoverished heretic knelt before the church and cried out that the blood of Ishgard's youth was on the church's hands before slitting his throat and falling forward onto the steps of Saint Reymanaud. Though the friars had thoroughly scrubbed the steps after the incident, the taint and hushed rumors yet linger. Hence we raise the call for miners to bring us more stone so that we may replace the steps entirely and wash our hands of this matter.”
Halonic Drake Handlers (L): “It would seem the priests of the Holy See have taken to more desperate measures ere fewer Ishgardians have been seen worshipping in the church, and have taken to the streets to torture a dragon-like scalekin in chains wearing naught but their acolyte robes, showing if one believes in the superior powers of Halone, they will come to no harm in their massacre of the dragons. As hospitalier, I cannot condone these actions, but there are none to object to the will of the Holy See and its ministries. I suppose I will need extra sets of gloves on hand to address the emergency surgeries that will follow.”
Transposing Theology: “A priest with a penchant for capturing the hearts of the common people through conjury of ice and fire during his recitations of Halonic scripture has requested two staves for his faithful altar boys so that they may practice and participate in the sermons. Given that his reception by the lowborn has led to increased attendance, I would pay you greatly to provide me the proper wands for thauma─er, religious purpose.”
Please Halone, Tell Me I’m Still Asleep: “Upon discussion with one of the priests of the church, some of the younger acolytes have been creating a distraction by drifting off during particularly heavy sessions of prayer. It appears that inexperienced faithbringers who are not yet in full control of their intense worship can become lost in their minds, eyes rolling and gesturing widely as they fall entranced in their Halonic visions.”
Curbing the Contagion (L): “A bevy of women and children burst into the church in hysterics, having been showered by the blood of a dragon felled by a ballista strike. Wailing that the dragon's essence may have been absorbed into their skin and turned them against the Fury, they have been bowing unceasingly in prayer for nearly a bell now. As a member of the clergy, I could not possibly forsake them in their time of need—and when they are so willing to pay the proper fee for a cleansing ritual. Forsooth, bring me holy water and I shall reward you thus.”
Hallowed Water: “Water blessed by an anointed Halonic Orthodox priest. Used to exorcise evil spirits from worldly items.”
Just Rewards for Just Devotion (L): “After the siege on the capital, repairing the harrowing havens of the Brume is left to those who live there. Although their woodworking is not the quality of noble engineers, their labors towards rebuilding Ishgard have not gone unnoticed, and I would like to reward them in some way. Mayhap they may find some solace in the greater power of Halone if they were to be given cedar necklaces to use in their prayers.”
Soup’s On (L): “Men who have not the coin for bread to fill their empty stomachs are more inclined to fill themselves on the bread of the forbidden word. The See tends to see heretics as more detrimental to the war than the hungry, thus a plan has been writ to serve the needy and rekindle faith in the Fury. Find me a dish worthy of the poor's tastes yet easy enough to prepare and distribute throughout the capital.”
Gerraldieux: "Outlanders are often surprised to learn of our ministrations to the poor. They find it to be at odds with the more militant activities of the faith. To them I would say judge not the teachings of Halone by the actions of those who would claim to know Her will."
Gerraldieux: “Though the Temple Knights had opened their infirmary's doors to the public, full many citizens could not afford to pay for healing. In response, our priests began collecting donations for the express purpose of covering the costs of treating the poor. The church truly has changed, and for the better.”
Rasequin: “They say there used to be a couple who had a farm in the central highlands. By the sweat of their brows, they came to grow the finest rolanberries in the land. Yet though they were blessed with bountiful harvests, they weren't blessed with children. And so, when they became too old to work, they donated their farm to the church. Since then, the farm's been run by men of the cloth, and the profits are used to operate this orphanage. And that's how the place got its name.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Dusk Vigil: “A sculpture of Halone, the Fury, is consecrated at Saint Guenriol’s Chapel deep inside the Dusk Vigil, within whose helm is set a priceless sapphire known as an ice rondel.”
Wealdtheow: “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.”
Heresy and the Halonic Inquisition
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Inquisitors: “All who pass through the Gates of Judgement must abide by Ishgardian law, and the inquisition is responsible for investigating any potential violation. Those suspected of the grave crime of heresy are thoroughly interrogated, and if the accused is confirmed to be a Dravanian sympathizer, he must be held to account for his deeds.
For a city at war, any who question the Holy See are akin to festering wounds which threaten to corrupt the whole. Therefore, the inquisitors have been granted extraordinary license to conduct their work, and they are even allowed to detain - albeit temporarily - members of the High Houses should they be suspected of blasphemous intent.
On the other hand, the protection afforded under these special powers makes it difficult to evaluate whether the inquisition’s interrogation methods are effective, much less appropriate. As a result, the clergy - as well as the general populace - tend to view their work as a ‘necessary evil’ at best or a ‘shameful profession’ at worst, and the inquisitors themselves understand they have been placed in a delicate position.”
Haustefort: “The Holy See has decreed that the inquisitors are the arbiters of Halone's will. They are to be afforded every courtesy and the utmost respect.”
Bloody Encyclical: “The envelope contains what appears to be an official papal appointment to the position of inquisitor.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Supreme Sacred Tribunal of Halonic Inquisitory Doctrine: “The Tribunal serves as the Holy See’s hall of adjudication, wherein the guilt of the accused is ascertained through myriad means, including trial by combat. The lower chambers of the tribunal also serve as the headquarters for the inquisitors, hunters of heretics and experts at extracting confessions.”
Cyr: “The inquisition has a rather large collection of heretical tomes, including many of Sharlayan origin, and I had a mind to scour them for information on temporal magicks.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Ser Charibert de Leusignac: “Orphaned when his parents perished in a fire, Ser Charibert spent his childhood and adolescence in a priest’s orphanage in the Brume. There, he whiled away the hours learning how to read and write, immersing himself in holy scripture and governance under the Articles of Halonic Polity. He was particularly interested in the arcane elements of scripture, having discovered as a child his own latent talents for conjuring flames.
When he came of age, his former teacher provided him with an official recommendation to enter the Supreme Sacred Tribunal of Halonic Inquisitory Doctrine. Coincidentally, at roughly the same time, his childhood orphanage was gutted by a fire of unknown origin. The inherent grace with which the thirty-three year old knight wielded magic (a skill likely perfected during his extended sessions with his prisoners) was unparalleled, and it was for this talent alone that he was inducted into the archbishop’s personal guard.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Cyr Blyme: “A brilliant graduate of Saint Endalim’s Scholasticate, Cyr should have joined the upper echelon of the Holy See by rights. However, he made one small mistake on an important missive, and found himself consigned to the inquisition instead. The Midlander worked long and hard as an assistant, and became a true inquisitor when his superior was invited to join the Heavens’ Ward. Now of twenty years, he labors tenaciously to ensure the longevity of his organization.”
Cyr: “Receive your orders, detain your heretic, meet your quota… Fury take me, it used to be so simple.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Melisie de Ghivains: “An Elezen baroness of forty-two summers born with uncommon magical powers, she believes her gift to be a clear sign of the inherent superiority of the highborn. After graduating from Saint Endalim’s Scholasticate with high honors, Melisie joined the Inquisition, where she distinguished herself to the degree that she was talked about as a prime candidate to someday assume the post of Chief (First?) Inquisitor.”
Cyr: “’One must remain vigilant for heresy, for it can manifest in myriad ways. 'Tis a vile, insidious sickness which must needs be burned out ere the infection takes hold.’”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Witchdrop: “Those accused of heresy under Ishgardian law are sometimes made to answer to a higher power, and are thus cast into this gorge. If they are deemed innocent in the eyes of Halone, their death will be quick, and their soul gently guided to Her halls. However, if the accused is indeed guilty of consorting with dragons, then they will surely spread their fiendish wings to save themselves from the sharp crags below. Their absconsion will surely be fleeting, though, as the presiding inquisitor is often accompanied by a skilled bowman to shoot any who try to escape.”
Inquisitor Guillaime: “It is for Halone to judge if you speak the truth. Prove your innocence in the eyes of gods and men. Leap from the cliff and entrust your fate to the Fury. The righteous shall take their place in Halone's halls, while the wicked shall reveal their drachen forms and be put to the sword!”
Lord Tedalgrinche: “I am accompanied by a priest of the Holy See, who shall ensure that the trial proceeds in accordance with Ishgardian law.”
Ishgardian Priest: “Should the machinists of the Skysteel Manufactory satisfy the conditions of this trial by combat─either through victory or valorous death─then shall your innocence be proven and your honor redeemed. Should you choose to flee, however... I trust I need not elaborate further? We shall oversee proceedings from on high, that I might judge thine actions evenly and with uninterrupted view. May justice be served.”
Bibulous Bloke: “I was a knight in the service of a proud noble family. That is, until my dear lady was accused of heresy. Everything changed after that. Their prestige, their pedigree, everything was stripped away...including me.”
Title-stripped Noble: “Would that I could do more for him, but alas, I have lost nearly everything. My title, my land...my wife... She was accused of heresy, and I did all within my power to advocate her innocence. But in the end there was naught I could do to forestall the hand of judgment. I was a man of great station, and yet I had never felt so low...so helpless. But the Fury has spoken, and to refuse Her is perhaps a greater crime than those thrust upon my beloved wife.”
Title-stripped Noble’s Son: “Father insisted we leave immediately, but I had to see for myself. This is where they took my mother to receive Halone's judgment. He said he would fight for her, that justice would be served... But in the end, justice took my mother away from us. Perhaps if I had been stronger, I could have won the battle that my father did not...”
Oncenedl: “O adventurer! I claim your time in the name of the Holy See. Search the body downstairs for personal effects and deliver the lot to the Gates of Judgement. He was a heretic in life; you need not be gentle. Usually we leave the carcass for the crows, but…as you well know, there has been some trouble of late and now we’re told to rifle through these lousy pockets.”
Chaunollet: “Ah, the leavings of unbelievers, most excellent. You have served with honor. Let us hope there is to be found here a clue… Long have I hated unbelievers, but no more, for they too serve the Fury─if not in life, then in death. What ruth has Halone to grant them such a chance!”
The Wages of Sin: “Unbelievers are thieves of sorts, they say, for they withhold the sweat of their brows from the crusade. What has been stolen must be given by another. These sempstress' shifts are for the wives, mothers, and sisters of unbelievers, to wear in penitence in the workhouse of the Holy See.”
Daimbert: “I am a knight of Ishgard, the sworn lance of the Holy See, the scourge of unbelievers, and the foe implacable of dragonkind. It has ever been my dream to be one of the glorious dead, and receive my just reward from Halone in the heavenly garden. Yet life is sweet, and my friends are dear to me─none more so than my steed and her chocobokeep Maucolyn. The clerics say birds do not go to heaven, and to want otherwise is heresy─which makes an unbeliever of me if they but knew.”
Patrick: “Under Inquisitor Guillaime's watchful gaze, unprecedented numbers of heretics have been unmasked and brought to justice. They say he goes days without sleep, so great is his devotion. Blessed are we to have such a goodly, righteous man to protect us.”
Alive and Unwell: “The special inquisitors’ office of the Holy See of Ishgard writes that they are in need of single-spell wands ‘to preserve life in the heretics until such a time as their ultimate fate can be determined by the laws of gods and men.’ I am bound to honor our contract. All the documents are in order.”
Can’t Sleep, Inquisitors Will Eat Me: “A man accused of lying with a dragon has lingered in the confessional for nearly four days. My thought is if such claims are true, his spirit should burn so brightly with the dragons' lust that he would require no sleep for days, a common symptom - or so scripture states. He remains lively still in his deprivation, occasionally pounding the door and screaming out his innocence. I tire of his claims in the face of the hard evidence, hence I beseech you to produce for me a grimoire with a high level of aetherial conductivity to lull him to sleep. Permanently.”
Allow No Fallacies (L): “With the good graces of the Temple Knights, an entire den of snakes has been discovered through an intricate ring of finger-pointing, leading to the arrest of an entire lesser House under the provisions of guilt by association. However, there are simply too many family members to question at once to enable a ‘speedy trial.’ Thus we harbingers of justice request grimoires of potent writing, made from dragonskin in accordance with Halonic law, but that also store up an incredible pool of aetheric energy for every lie the heretics spew forth.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Halonic Exorcist’s Rod: “Long, Ishgardian steel rods such as these were once carried by those priests of the Holy See tasked with exorcising the blood of the Horde from heretic prisoners - a process that ended with a ‘blessing’ of cleansing flame, and most often resulted in the death or extreme disfiguration of the victim.”
Cyr: “No magick can truly return the dead to us! At best, you can animate a corpse─and I need not review the precepts to declare that the products of necromancy are abominations in the eyes of the Fury!”
Armantel: “The hamlet's residents do not take kindly to outsiders nor unbelievers. If you have business here, you had best make it quick, then take your leave. The end is nigh, and only they who keep faith in the Fury shall know a new beginning.”
Forlemort: “Sharlayan astrology has no place in Ishgard. It has no place in Eorzea. It has no place in this world. It is dangerous and it serves no purpose but to take our eyes off what is truly important─using astrology to free us from the dragon menace and ensure man's return to Halone's Kingdom.”
Hubairtien: “A man must gaze not upon the eyes of a dragon. A man must hearken not the words of a dragon. A man must lay his hands not upon the flesh nor blood of a dragon. The archbishop, his Holiness, declares thus, and thus is it law.”
Janlenoux: “The unbeliever is not to be given succor. The unbeliever is not to be given absolution. Woe betide he who cowers before the lesser moon. Woe betide he who lives in thrall to fleshly desires. The archbishop, his Holiness, declares thus, and thus is it law.”
Cautionary Cutlery: “No matter how enticing a plump dragon’s flesh may seem to a unit of starving knights, one must never consume its flesh for it amounts to both treason and madness with both a just cause for beheading.”
Alphinaud: “To even acknowledge that you heard the voice of a Dravanian is a grave but necessary risk. Lest we forget, men have been executed as heretics for declaring as much.”
Imperious Inquisitor: “We stopped these two dragons attempting to enter the Holy See. The larger claimed to be related to this woman. Thus did I bring her hither to verify the truth. If this dragon is in fact a man, 'tis more than likely that he is a heretic and must be punished harshly. As must his kin.”
Francel: “Forgive me, inquisitor, but mayhap you were absent when the lord speaker made his declaration. In light of the peace we have forged with dragons, those accused of heresy are to be accorded fair hearing, and not punished out of hand.”
Cyr: “I must confess some small desire that we instead unearth a lingering pocket of heresy. Of late there have been virtually no confirmed instances of heretical misdeeds... It's gotten so bad that some are speculating our funding may be reduced─or worse, that the inquisition's operations might come under review. That is why, Halone as my witness, I will find and bring a heretic to justice, and prove that our order still has value in these uncertain times!”
Tutubuki: “The Ishgardians’ way of life is based on a false myth, in whose name they fight and die. For them, those who serve nobly in life are rewarded with eternal glory in death. Preaching the Order of Nald’thal’s words there is tantamount to heresy, and punishable by death.”
Georjeaux: “Those taken prisoner are heretics, plain and simple. They decry the faith of Ishgard, and are eternally condemned for it. That is why they fled and sought refuge in the Twelveswood.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - 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.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Stained One: “An enormous toppled statue of a dragon, it has been said that the Stained One is the last of seven figures which graced the forelands nearly a millennia ago--an ancient tribute to the First Brood. However, the Ishgardian Orthodox Church is quick to dismiss this as yet another heretical fabrication.”
More lore on the various heretical factions of Ishgard can be found here!
The Enchiridion, Teachings of the Church
Fernehalwes: “Publication: The Enchiridion
The holiest of Ishgardian scripture, this tome outlines the teachings of Halone.”
Alberic: “Before we commence, however, it is only fitting that you are edified regarding our origins. It all began a millennium past, when our forebears resided in the southern plains in humble circumstances. The Fury, impressed by the spirit of our ancestors, decided it was meet that She make them Her own. So did She appear before Haldrath's sire, a man of courage and integrity named Thordan, and bade him lead Her people to the Promised Land - to what would become the great nation of Isghard.
Their journey brought them to a wide chasm, whereupon Thordan and his people set to building a bridge. It was then that a dark shadow descended upon them - the great wyrm Nidhogg. Heedless of his own safety, Thordan fearlessly charged at the colossal beast. Alas, he was pushed into the chasm by one of his own, a man seduced by the wyrm, and fell to his death. Taking up his slain sire's lance, Haldrath hurled himself at Nidhogg, even as tears streamed down his face. The confrontation ended when the young man, his hand guided by Halone, landed a mighty thrust that prized out Nidhogg's eye. With a terrible roar of pain, the great wyrm took wing and fled, while jubilation reigned below.
Ishgard's priceless relic is none other than the eye taken from Nidhogg that day. It is a veritable wellspring of dragon power - even so removed from its owner, it can exert control over the hearts of men. Haldrath himself felt its malign influence, but his love of justice brooked no corruption, and he prevailed over the power, claiming it for his own. And so it was that the first Azure Dragoon was born. Being derived from our foe, the power of the dragon is a thing to be loathed. But as Haldrath proved to us all, so long as our hearts burn with justice, we need not fear being taken in its thrall.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - House Fortemps: “Their sigil, a red unicorn on a black field, is derived from a legend that it was a horned stallion which guided the Elezen to Coerthas. It is said that the unicorn lead them to where Camp Dragonhead now stands...”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Providence Point: “According to the Enchiridion, the vision of the Promised Land which King Thordan received prompting him to lead his people to Coerthas was of this very vista overseeing the Sea of Clouds.”
Loanne: “The crusade consumes the knights of Ishgard, body and soul. The fish of that sublime sea belong to the noble knights of the crusade, not to lowly birds and beasts. The Fury has given us dominion over all creatures of this land, and the Dravanians too will understand this truth.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Age of Communion: “Ishgardian scripture teaches that King Thordan answered the call of Halone to lead his people to the Promised Land in Coerthas one thousand years past, which would place the area’s settlement around the latter half of the sixth century. This, however, has since been proven by historians to be erroneous, as newly unearthed evidence dates the Elezens’ arrival in Coerthas at least two hundred years earlier.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Ishgardian Orthodox Church: “According to scripture, the Ishgardian Orthodox Church was founded in the 545th year of the Sixth Astral Era by its first archbishop, a man later canonized as Saint Reymanaud. In an announcement made by Ser Aymeric de Borel, lord commander of the Temple Knights and speaker of the House of Lords, that date was revealed to be false - with a true history marking the church’s establishment at over one-hundred and fifty years prior. It was roughly around the year 360 when the Elezen, forced north into Abalathia’s Spine by Hyuran expansion, began the standardization of their faith with the construction of a temple to Halone in the highlands of Coerthas. The settlers’ decision to adopt the Fury as a patron deity was likely influenced to no small degree by the ever-present threat of hostile dragons. A decade later, however, the tragedy of Saint Shiva and the great wyrm Hraesvelgr prompted a truce between Elezen and dragon, and for the next several generations, the church’s teachings centered upon the principles of peaceful coexistence.
This harmony was shattered in the year 545 with King Thordan’s heinous betrayal of the First Brood, and his subsequent death. Bereft of a monarch, the remaining knights twelve--the forefathers of the four High Houses--colluded with the high-ranking clergy to elevate Reymanaud to the position of archbishop, and confer upon him the powers of the throne. They then proceeded to fabricate and disseminate a history which concealed the wrongdoings of the past, and supported the creation of the type of bureaucracy necessary to govern a nation at constant war. Ultimately, the corruption of the faith’s core precepts was simply a means to paint the Dravanians as villains, and lend a holy legitimacy to the atrocities of the Dragonsong War--justice and morality played no part in its evolution. These truths have summoned forth a storm of reprisals, and sweeping reform is taking place under the newly established government. Adherents are seeking to restructure the Holy See and reevaluate its teachings to bring the Ishgardian Orthodox Church back to its roots.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Morkinskinna: “Though it is impossible to tell when exactly the tome was penned, Sharlayan scholars have concluded that Morkinskinna was most likely compiled during the Sixth Astral Era’s fourth or fifth century. In addition to Allagan incantations and glyphs, the volume contains invaluable information on the myriad wars waged by the ancient Elezen kings ere their arrival in Ishgard.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Tyrfing: “Halonic scripture describes an episode in which, upon defeating a voidsent prince, Ser Moulignauge - one of Thordan’s knights twelve - commands the foul creature forge him a blade that will cut the scales of a dragon like fire through newly fallen snow. Considering recent revelations as to the Enchiridion’s origins, the validity of this tale, among others, has come into question.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Svalin: “Fabled shield of Ser Moulignauge, member of Thordan’s knights twelve, there is no mention of the item outside the Enchiridion, its whereabouts lost to the mists of time. For many winters, the Vault actively funded searches for the shield and other so-called holy relics, but since the Church’s recent reformation, these endeavors have been placed on permanent hold.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Grasitha: “Describe in the Enchiridion as one of the lost treasures of the See, Grasitha is said to have been created on the battlefield by Ser Branthuc the Meek during the final march of Thordan’s twelve. Having shattered his sword on the scales of a mighty drake, the knight reshaped the sundered blade into a spear using naught but the warhammer of a fallen companion and the pyre upon which his brothers burned.”
Aymeric: “...There are those who believe that faith is a renunciation of free will─that unquestioning devotion is required of all who would live a life in service to the Fury. Such righteous fervor may well serve a knight on the front line─less so a leader of men. We are all at liberty to interpret the scriptures as we will. I choose to believe that the Fury would value the lives of Her followers over the deaths of Her enemies. But I would not presume to speak for the knights of eld. 'Twas a different time─nay, a different era─and scripture tells us only so much.”
Sister Gaetelle: “The foundation of our great city-state rests upon the wisdom of the Enchiridion. Alas, the lowborn in particular have suffered greatly as a result of erroneous interpretations. Some have even begun to wonder if all our precepts have been thus distorted. We of the scholasticate are wont to reflect upon these revelations deeper than most. Although we live as scholars, we had grown complacent, accepting a single interpretation set forth by the archbishop and his predecessors. Although we are openly reevaluating our teachings, our students continue to be targeted by those who feel they have been deceived. As you yourself have no doubt seen, there are those who would rather purge the city of all clergy, regardless of their guilt.”
Father Saturnois: “Countless lives were lost in the Dragonsong War. We must needs purge the church of any who espouse the false ideal that all men are not born equal, that the sins of our past are never repeated and that the clergy might be restored to their former glory.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Avalonia Fallen: “A multitude of structures scattered across the western forelands give weight to the scholars’ claims that Avalonia was once home to both dragon and man, despite the Ishgardian church’s vehement assertion that most were erected by blasphemers and traitors. In the present day, the territory is solely occupied by the dragons.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - A Chronology of the Sixth Astral Era:
ca. 360 - “Elezen settlers come to the Sea of Clouds, where they commence construction of the mountainside sanctuary to Halone that will later become Saint Thordan's Basilica. Small villages spring up in the vicinity, laying the foundation for the nation of Ishgard.”
ca. 370 - “The great wyrm Hraesvalgr consumes his Elezen lover, Shiva, entwining their souls for eternity and ushering in an era of peace between dragon and man.”
545 - “According to Ishgardian holy scripture, 545 marks the year when King Thordan is visited by the goddess Halone, who beseeches him to guide his people to the Promised Land of Coerthas. As the legend is told, the great wyrm Nidhogg attacks the caravans on their journey, and King Thordan and half of his men are slain before the dragon is valiantly driven away. The remaining knights, including the king's son, Haldrath, guide the Elezen survivors to their destination.”
ca. 550 - “In truth, King Thordan and his knights twelve ambush and slay Ratatoskr of the First Brood, devouring the she-dragon's eyes to acquire preternatural wisdom. Enraged by this betrayal, the great wyrm Nidhogg pursues and kills the king and half of his company, heralding the end of the era of peace and the beginning of the Dragonsong War. The Holy See employs the power of twenty and four dragon eyes to erect a great arcane ward—later to be known as Daniffen's Collar—that envelops the entirety of Ishgard, as the city steels its defenses against the coming raids by Nidhogg's brood. The progenitors of the four High Houses join together with the clergy of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church to pen a historic narrative that omits details of the betrayal and slaying of Ratatoskr. This new myth of the nation's founding is indoctrinated through the education of Ishgardian children.”
ca. 563 - “The sanctuary to Halone undergoes extensive reconstruction and is renamed Saint Thordan's Basilica.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Arc of the Worthy: “The main gates to the city of Ishgard are more than mere stone and steel; Ishgardian scripture states that only those who have been judged worthy in the eyes of Halone are granted safe passage into the city as children of the faith.”
Sightseeing Vista #68 The Nail: “As is described in the Enchiridion, to ensure the realm of man did not drift apart from the firmament, Halone struck 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.”
Cyr: “As you may or may not be aware, ancient Allag is portrayed in the Enchiridion as a cautionary tale─a great empire brought low by its vanity and hubris. However, there are certain apocryphal texts in which the Allagans are cast in a more...sympathetic light, if not outright exalted.”
Smiling Seminarian (Ulaa): “’Of the Fury's love will all men receive, and by the balance of Her spear will all be set free.’ So it is written in volume eleven of the Seventy-two Articles of Halonic Polity.”
Theomocent: “We must strive to love our neighbor even as we love ourselves, just as Halone does. To do otherwise is to defy Her will.”
Sincere Seminarian: “The lessons of volume eleven seemed to resonate deeply with Ulaa. She would oft stay up into the small hours reading and rereading them... For some, merely to learn is enough. Others, meanwhile, feel compelled to put every teaching into practice. Needless to say, Ulaa falls into the second category.”
Mathye: “Said client has requested another volume from the Seventy-two Articles of Halonic Polity. There are fourteen in total, and try as I might, I cannot recall which one they specified.”
Theomocent: “The Seventy-two Articles? Why, yes, I've been poring over volumes twelve and thirteen. The subject matter is quite dense─hardly something that could be handled in a single sitting. The subject matter of volumes twelve and thirteen is quite perplexing. But to become a clergyman requires diligence and great sacrifice.”
Janchette: “You are studying the Seventy-two Articles as well? <sigh> I suppose that makes one of us. I require volume four, but it has yet to be returned. It outlines the canon laws of the Ishgard Orthodoxy. In truth, these books are all rather dense, especially after the eleventh volume. You must memorize the teachings of the fourth to set a foundation for everything that follows.”
Crammevoix de Maintigny: “’Equal under Her ever watchful gaze.’”
Lebrassoir: “And such desperation that they would desecrate a tome in this manner! You would expect a seminarian to treat any holy text with the utmost care─even if [The Parables of Saint Daniffen] are but children's stories.”
Sister Gaetelle: “Surely one who desires to join the clergy would not be foolish enough to stoop to such behavior. The Fury knows all and sees all.”
Theomocent: “The Fury forgives not those who kill their fellow man for wanton purpose. Permit him to address your grievances with coin, and you may have your justice without sin!”
Consecrating Congregation: “As the time to raise new knights draws near, our minds again turn to the words of the Enchiridion that mark holy water as the sweat of the Fury's brow. It is this, Her gift of succor, that the highest of clergymen need for the ceremony, to bathe the blades of the valiant young and welcome them into the fold.”
Polished Till They Shine: “There is a well-known excerpt in Halonic teachings which states, ‘If thou hath not suffered much of battlefields, worry not of the Fury's discontent, for in Her halls may yet be thy sanctuary. Grasp in thine hand a coarse sapphire and paint thy mind with those who forsaketh Her name. Should thy wish be pure, the stone's surface shalt smooth in time, and grant thee a vision of Halone's halls, O Fury's gift, sated by thy wish.’ While the stone resembles a lifetime of ‘polishing’ dedication and prayer, so inspired are the nobles of the High Houses that they never tire of their want for star sapphires fashioned into rosaries and decadent adornments worn from head to toe. Of course, none but the church can provide baubles of saving grace that have been properly blessed (and hence taxed accordingly). I shall pay you in full should you bring me quality star sapphires so that those gentle lords and ladies may be given some salvation from the comfort of their homes, in lieu of joining the battle.”
Halone’s Jewelry Box: “Among the dusty tomes of the church library, I discovered a sacred contraption lost to time; a set of complex and beautifully ornate metal boxes intended for none but the most exalted. He would be seated with hands and feet shackled and his head held pointed to the sky, propped up with a tightened iron collar. The only light that penetrates the dark casket is shone through a large-grade star sapphire, set into the top of the box. When the morning light hits the stone just right, it reflects its radiance into the holy man's eyes, and allows him to see a grand vision from paradise. The tome's excerpt said a handful of priests in history have even been given the gift of a vision so holy that their eyes are burnt blue and can see the dregs and impurity of this world no longer!”
Fashion Patrol: “Oh, to have been around during the era that Haldrath walked this land, a time when women were pure and wore clothes devoid of flamboyancy and men were driven to prayer rather than drink. 'Tis a pity we have let ourselves succumb to overindulgence at a time obedience to Halone is needed foremost.”
Old-School Spooling (L): “While Ishgardian society is more or less accepting of women who wish to take up the sword in the name of the Fury, there are ladies of the manors who fiercely protect their traditional roles laid out in divine scripture, and thus are coveted as women who shine most brilliantly in their elegance, purity, and modesty. They are known to spend their days sewing tokens of their affection for Temple Knight suitors of noble blood, weaving with scented thread that lingers long after their dainty fingers had put needle to cloth. Theirs is a wellspring of morale that cannot be acquired from the rallies on the battlefield, and thus I would send them quality sewing needles to stir the hearts of our men.”
No Margarine for Error (L): “The infantrymen are accustomed to braving the elements and finding themselves yalm-deep in mud, sand, and dragon corpses. Yet you would be surprised what improved hygiene does for the morale of the troops, as even those who march to their deaths would prefer to greet Halone with their beards in some form of upkeep. Hence I ask for a large quantity of fermented butter not for culinary purpose, but for the men stationed in Cloudtop where scarce water cannot be used for a clean shave. It may not be the finest of lathers from inside the capital, but Halone has always taught us to be humble in our appearance and over-indulgent in our combat.”
Clothing the Naked Truth: “One of the scholasticate instructors took too literally the scripture which reads, ‘Man shall not indulge in excess while Her will remains undone,’ by refusing to change his modest robes for years. While he took baths with some regularity, the moldy stench which wafted from his robes was so overpowering that he was given his own office out of consideration for his peers. By the grace of the Fury, a flamboyant gesture near a lit candle saw it turned it to flame and soot within seconds, leaving him in his altogether.”
Dreams of War, Dreams of Liars, Dreams of Dragon Fire: “As legends would have it, the swords and pikes which brought forth the birth of our nation were forged in the likeness of the Fury's own. Every true Ishgardian knows the holy scriptures speak of dust that falls from Halone's slumbered eyes into the bowels of the realm as she is stirred by the prayers of her people. It was with handfuls of that sacred sand that the great weapons of the twelve had been created, and it was those weapons that rendered Nidhogg impotent. While the stories speak of Halone's dust, the twelve's arms are a stark reality, and real swords smelt with real sand.”
Keep Up with the Mechanics: “The Skysteel Manufactory requests a smith worthy of creating some sort of flintlock that will accommodate their machinists' new-fangled art. Such weaponry is a mockery of the gifts of war that Halone has bestowed upon us, and thus the blacksmith guild that serves the temple knights has declined to take up the offer to forge the strange contraption.”
Unconventional Weaponry (L): “Machinists. Bah. While we've no qualms about introducing advancements from the Skysteel Manufactory to our arsenal, any knight worth his salt knows the weapons ordained by the Fury Herself—the bow, the sword, and the lance—are the ones most like to please the goddess in rendering a more painful and excruciating death.”
Lake Urchin: “Coerthan legend tells of a brave priest who would rush into battle headlong with his copy of the Enchiridion in one hand and a morning star in the other. So frenzied was his slashing and whirling of the weapon, that often the spiked ball would fly from its chain and into the nearby rivers and lakes. Lake urchins have nothing to do with this legend.”
Chirurgeon Hand in Glove (L): “The acolytes who remain under tutelage in the scholasticate long after the mandatory elementary lessons on the sacred word can be considered the realm's foremost theological experts. Name any problem and they will quote the correct passage of the Enchiridion by heart to guide us on Halone's path. Yet there are some among them who hold a special skill that would have even a chirurgeon baffled. The Congregation has noticed through evoking the words of the holy scripture in their tomes, they are able grant succor to the ailing, and have thus recruited them to the ranks. Provide me with the proper gloves for them to use in their blessings.”
Prayer and Prejudice (L): “I believe not in the nonsense of the ill fasting for the sake of Halone's mercy. While those knights who feel humiliated of their injuries may find spiritual comfort in it, naught but a steady diet will see them back to their duty.”
Summoning the Courage to be Different: “While Ishgard's scholars are quite adept at manifesting Halone's blessings from their ancient grimoires, summoning an entity from a tome is something that had fallen entirely outside the realm of permissible magics, as heretics oft use them in their occultist plots. However, with more liberal interpretations for the sake of our advancements in the war, the scholasticate under the auspices of the Holy See has been granted special permission to experiment so as long as they are wrapped in the skin of a fallen dragon to remain faithful to the teachings of the Enchiridion. They request three volumes at once.”
Halonic Hermeneutics: “There is some divergence in interpretations of the Enchiridion, yet all lead towards one doctrine writ in dragon blood. Regarding magic, there are those who believe thaumaturgy puts the clergy's prayer to action, and those who believe prayer alone is sufficient to manifest the Fury's miracles. After the recent incursions by the Dravanians, I tend to favor the ‘burn and destroy’ school of thought, and would ask you supply us with staves with which to practice fighting fire with fire.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Balisarde: “There lived a hot-headed young knight who, in a fit of rage, stabbed the archbishop’s nephew during an argument over the interpretation of a certain line of Halonic doctrine. Fearing the executioner’s blade, he fled to Ishgard for the Aurum Vale, where he hid until succumbing to the grot’s foul vapors. For his dark deeds that day, Ser Renaut of the White Mountain is a name that will live forever in infamy. His exquisite sword, however, need take none of the blame for its master’s misdeeds.”
Corentieaux: “Honor is in how justly we treat others who serve the cause alongside us, in life and death. Out of honor flows all that makes a man of a boy, a woman of a girl. Surely when we meet Halone in the afterlife, 'tis honor She judges, not pride.”
Outreguerlain: “I realize there is much of our people you do not know, and we would not force our views upon you. Rather, we ask you not decry our pursuit of our destiny─the righteous path we walk by the grace of Halone, our truest savior.”
Theomocent: “I dreamt of teaching our people to walk in Halone's grace. But when the scripture itself has been called into question, how am I to find my own way?”
Funerary Rites of the Halonic Faith
Breathe Deeply: “Last services have increased thricefold for the faithful who perish from the Red Throat, a disease that spreads so seamlessly that the families of those who succumbed became so fearful of its wrath so as not to attend the ceremonies of their loved ones. The teachings say the absence of one's kin prevents the deceased to return hastily to the bosom of the Fury. Thus to quell the worries of family members, the Order of Friars has taken to placing charms wrapped in a tuft of saint's breath upon the scarlet mouth of the deceased, ensuring Her protection for the living so that the last ceremony would be well-attended. After all, it is only those who have not the faith in Her divine will who will be vulnerable to the disease from within the sanctity of the church!”
These Boots Are Made for Hawking (L): “'Tis with great sorrow that I have received a letter from a commander who writes that we lost scores of men in the western highlands during a skirmish with an enormous dragon. While the fiend was vanquished, the carnage was such that the deceased cannot be returned to the capital, and we have no choice but to bury them in the field. Other armies may leave their dead to rot as they press on, but Halonic law states that all knights are to be prepared for their ascension to Her halls, and thus I have asked for a handful of priests to join the mortuary contingent, who must needs replace their thin slippers with something more formidable for the journey.”
Blinded Veil of Vigilance (L): “An ill-fated excursion to the Dravanian forelands by a foolhardy young captain led to a scout's discovery of the bodies—charred, brittle pieces of the knights they once were. He said 'twas a great wyrm, yet I know too well there would be naught but dust and ash if that rang true. The unit must have been caught unawares. Nevertheless, the brave souls are deserving still of the high Halonic funeral procession for knights killed during the divine task, enshrouded in chimeric felt, and brought home to their families with dignity.”
The Clothes Off Her Back: “A chirurgeon was returned to Ishgard after a patrol on the mountains suffered a brutal attack, leaving her the sole survivor. I listened to the woman, who persevered to prepare her fallen comrades for their ascension to Halone's halls by cutting pieces of fabric from her dress with which to cover their eyes, leaving her clothes in tatters.”
The Anointing of the Dead: “Temple Knights who have fallen during combat with the Dravanian Horde are given the most exquisite of funerals, for it is they who have made Her most pleased in their courageous deeds. In preparation for the knight's journey to Her halls, the body must be made suitable for the Fury's presence and therefore bathed in a fragrant oil.”
Bearing the Blue: “The day of remembrance for fallen knights is close at hand, and every member of every house has lost at least one of their kin in the noble cause in the name of Halone. House Fortemps seeks to decorate the manor with a display of pride for the thousand years of service their knights have done our capital...”
Meduil: “Fall to a dragon, go to heaven.
Fall to aught else, who gives two hells?
...That's the Ishgard way. He was a scout, and a good one I'm told. But he died a fool's death and fools deserve no justice. They found him, and left his things where they lay─left him where he lay. His own comrades.”
Saints Blessed of Halone
VALOUR - Valor
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Saint Daniffen and the Basilisk: “When the basilisk came, the fishermen’s poles which once bristled on the banks of the Velodyna River vanished from view, replaced with a sprouting of mercenaries’ spears. Yet even these hardened fortune-seekers could find no counter to the beast’s deadly gaze, and a forest of petrified flesh soon crowded the riverbed. Just when it seemed none remained to challenge the monster, there appeared an itinerant knight by the name of Ser Daniffen. The peril lay in meeting the creature’s eyes, not in being seen by them, he proclaimed, and thus did he pad his helm’s visor to render himself blind. Tracking his prey by the sound of its scraping claws alone, the knight stalked and slew the terrible basilisk. Daniffen was celebrated for his valor and daring, and raised up as a saint blessed of Halone.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Weeping Saint: “Ishgardian legend tells that this grotto was where Saint Daniffen came to mourn the maiden he loved that was murdered by a basilisk, and later vowed retribution on the fiend and its kin. The icy waters which trickle down from the mountains and form pools are said to be the saint’s tears, and they are often collected for use in the church’s purification rituals and in the production of sacramental wine.”
Daniffen’s Tears: “Holy water gathered from the basin of the Weeping Saint.”
In the Saint’s Wake: “Every year, pilgrims enter Coerthas to trace the steps of Saint Daniffen, who, long ago, journeyed across the realm, aiding the less fortunate. And, every year, a lustful creature known as Rongeur hides in the shadows along the roads to prey on these pilgrims.”
Daniffen’s Mark: “The Ishgardian legend of Saint Daniffen tells us that the dragoon would oft practice his lancework on the shores of the mighty Coerthas River. To better his aim that it might always be true, he sought only the nimblest of seema to serve as his marks.”
Mountain Kraken: “For centuries, the legend of Saint Daniffen and the Kraken was thought to be only that─a fantastical tale spun by the See to beatify the life of an otherwise kindly, yet ordinary, man. That is, until a giant cephalopod was found lurking in a mountain lake.”
Pagan Pastries: “While the Holy See frowns on rites from the early days of Ishgard, it must turn a blind eye to the Feast of Saint Daniffen, or risk widespread discontent. On this day, the placid sunfish reigns over the most warlike of states–they say even Lord Fortemps consumes piles of the apple-filled pastries.”
CANDOUR - Candor
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Golden Crown of Saint Endalim: “In the midst of an apple orchard, a confrontation was brewing. On one side stood the peasants, tools raised in revolt; on the other, the lord of the land, flanked by his men-at-arms. Bloodshed seemed inevitable, until an elderly knight strode onto the field and planted himself between the feuding parties. The soldiers threatened the old man with a beating, but their blustering soon fell quiet as their lord sunk to his knees, pale-faced and stammering. Even without the golden crown atop his head, he had recognized the face of Archbishop Endalim IV. The archbishop had learned of the lord’s mistreatment of his farmers, and sought to mediate the dispute not as a monarch, but as a man of the people. Celebrated for the impartial candor of his methods, Endalim was raised up as a saint blessed of Halone.”
CONUICCION - Conviction
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Final Stand of Saint Finnea: “The fortress hold’s defenders fought valiantly against the dragon horde, but as the battle wore on, the stench of desperation began to permeate the air. It was then that a fluttering pennant bearing the device of a white swan appeared from behind the curve of the mountain path - the lady knight Finnea had arrived with reinforcements. Though yet a novice with the blade, Finnea was possessed of a spirit seemingly incapable of conceding defeat, and had proven her mettle on the field time and again. Thus did her presence serve to reignite the flagging courage of the defending soldiers, and inspire a miraculous retaliation against their winged foe. Revered for her unyielding conviction, Finnea was raised up as a saint of Halone.”
Kenwrec: “The Convictory? Why, it’s a haven for highborn and lowborn alike. Our order isn’t recognized by the Holy See, so we needn’t be too picky about who we let join. Disenfranchised nobles and their retainers, penniless vagabonds and half-mad sellswords. Aye, we’re a contemptible lot of cads, bounders, and dragon stabbers─evil dragons, of course, not nice ones. Ahem. But we are all committed to the cause, may Saint Finnea watch over and keep us safe. She’s our patron saint, lest you wonder. Held the Dusk Vigil against the Horde when more pragmatic folk would’ve fled. But Saint Finnea wouldn’t have it, oh no. She was the soul of conviction─and so are we!”
Gerolt: “If I ain’t mistaken─an’ I rarely am─this is an adamantite blade. Pure, too… Whatever smeltin’ technique the ancients used got it purer than most modern smitties could. An’ yer askin’ if it can be made battle ready again? I’m afraid it ain’t possible, lass. Can’t be done with that sword, an’ that’s that.
But don’t toss it jus’ yet. The hilt’s special─a reliquary. …Means there’s a saint’s bone or summat inside. Reckon this sword is a treasure because o’ that. So, what happens if ye forge an adamantite winglet in the exact shape an’ size as the original an’ enshrine the saint’s remains in that?”
Fremondain: “Repairs are out of the question, then? Hmmm. I believe the bone in the hilt is Saint Finnea’s. It was rumored that House Jervaint owned such a reliquary. Well, if the soul of the original can be passed to a new blade, then the sword must be remade. I daresay milady’s ancestors would find no fault in us for doing so!”
Ishgardian Saints
In addition to the aforementioned saints, there also exist eight(?) other saints canonized by the Halonic church. At this time, it is not clear if these saints are also canonized by the Council of Loetstym or if the conclave has a separate system of canonization which overlaps with the aforementioned Sharlayan council.
Saint Thordan
Encyclopedia Eorzea - A Chronology of the Sixth Astral Era:
ca. 360 - “Elezen settlers come to the Sea of Clouds, where they commence construction of the mountainside sanctuary to Halone that will later become Saint Thordan’s Basilica. Small villages spring up in the vicinity, laying the foundation for the nation of Ishgard.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - The Sacred Heart of the Faith: “Ordinarily closed to the public, an exception is made during religious observances such as the Starlight Celebration, when citizens are granted entry to Saint Thordan’s Basilica, the church on the ground floor dedicated to the founding father.”
Saint Reymanaud
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Saint Reymanaud’s Cathedral: “Formal mass is conducted in this majestic cathedral, named for the first archbishop of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. The adjacent Saint Endalim’s Scholasticate provides a comprehensive theological education to those who wish to don the robes of the clergy.”
Outreguerlain: “The Holy See of Ishgard is home to myriad patron saints for which many places are named. In fact, this cathedral was named for the first archbishop to oversee the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. They are a testament to the unshakable will of our people, to our unity in the battle against the Dravanian Horde. I realize there is much of our people you do not know, and we would not force our views upon you. Rather, we ask you not decry our pursuit of our destiny─the righteous path we walk by the grace of Halone, our truest savior.”
Saint Reinette
Encyclopedia Eorzea - A Chronology of the Sixth Astral Era:
1146 - “The lady dragoon Reinette carries out her revenge on the dragons who killed her lover. She then lays down her spear Gae Bolg and takes a vow of poverty, living out the rest of her days as a nun in service of the poor and downtrodden.”
1189 - “Lady Reinette, the former Azure Dragoon, expires in a nunnery at sixty and six.”
1289 - “Lady Reinette is canonized by the Holy See a century after her death. Unpopular with the clergy for having abandoned her duties as a dragoon at a young age, she is beloved by the commonfolk for having devoted her life in service of the poor and downtrodden. The See elevates her to sainthood, in what is widely seen as an attempt to distract the public from corruption within the church.”
Gerolt: “Now then, did ye ever hear of Saint Reinette, the legendary dragoon? I only ask 'cause she’s s'posed to have wielded the very same weapon, see. Story goes that a dragon slew her sweetheart, promptin’ the ol’ girl to seek out the beast what did it an’ put it down. Havin’ exacted her revenge, they say she thrust her spear into the ground where the battle was waged, givin’ up the life of a dragoon to become a woman of the cloth.”
Gerolt: “The text ye brought me contains an account of Saint Reinette's painfully pious life. Seems to be part of Ishgard's holy scriptures. Be true to the Fury, live in virtuous penury, dedicate yer life to the blah-bloody-blah… The book fair put me to sleep, and not even eleventeen flagons of mead can do that.”
Fury-fearing Elezen: “Then let me start with the statue which stands before you here. This is Saint Reinette, a dragoon of great renown said to have wielded Gae Bolg. According to legend, a dragon slew her beloved, and naught but its blood could atone for what she lost. After much searching, she confronted the beast, and that would be the last time she wielded a lance. Upon exacting her revenge, they say she cast it aside on the ground where the dragon was felled, taking up the cloth in its place. From then on, she devoted her life to uplifting the poor and downtrodden. I daresay there has never been a man or woman so selfless as she in our history. And so the Arc of the Humble was constructed, that we should never forget her sacrifices.”
Saint Valeroyant
Encyclopedia Eorzea - A Chronology of the Sixth Astral Era:
761 - “The Azure Dragoon Valeroyant repels an attack by the wyrm Nidhogg, who had been dominant for several decades.”
787 - “The Azure Dragoon Valeroyant leaves Ishgard to defend a small village from the Dravanian Horde, but is slain in battle protecting a group of shepherds.”
817 - “Thirty years after his death, the Azure Dragoon Valeroyant is canonized as a Halonic saint by the Holy See.”
Eustacia: “Do you know the story of Saint Valeroyant? Ten score* years ago, he served as an Azure Dragoon, and won glory by driving away the great wyrm Nidhogg. This very square still bears his name, though his image has seen better days. He was an unrivaled warrior who dealt death to dragon after dragon, but there was one that always managed to slip his clutches - Agathos, feared across the land as the black death.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea II - Agathos: “Nigh eight centuries ago, Saint Valeroyant served as an Azure Dragoon, and won glory by driving away the great wyrm Nidhogg. He was an unrivaled warrior who dealt death to dragon after dragon, but there was one that always managed to slip his clutches - Agathos, feared across the land as the Black Death. Naught has been seen of the creature since Valeroyant’s passing, but in recent years, rumors have been spreading of a shadow of Agathos’s size and shape appearing in the clouds above Dravania. Could this be our chance to bring Saint Valeroyant’s legend to a close?”
Fury-fearing Elezen: “This is─or rather, was─the statue of Saint Valeroyant, an Azure Dragoon of ages past who once drove off the great wyrm Nidhogg. Surely you’ve heard of the Azure Dragoon, chosen by the Eye to lead Ishgard’s dragoons in the fight against the Dravanian Horde. <sigh> But alas, much like this one, a number of statues in our fair capital have been defaced during a recent attack. Not that we could ever forget in whose name they were erected, mind you.”
A Crown For Every Head (L): “These days, the church finds itself busily preparing for the Feast Day of Saint Valeroyant, that legendary dragoon and, as some believe, the patron protector of youth. An outsider such as yourself may be unable to comprehend such reverence, but on this righteous day, it is tradition for the Temple Knights to take to the streets, passing by the residences and adorning the little ones’ heads with flower crowns, intricately woven from freshly plucked tufts of saint’s breath. Hence as the festivities draw nigh, the order must lose no time in braiding and blessing the protective charms, as there must be a wreath for every child in the capital. Bringing us ricks of the grass posthaste, we shall reward you most graciously.”
Saint Guenriol
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Athenaeum Astrologicum: “Founded by Guenriol de Durendaire, who confirmed the link between the coruscations of the dragon star and the movement of the Dravanians, the Astrologicum is the center of learning for students of the Ishgardian school of astrology. For expanding upon the theories of Adaunel the Younger and building the foundation of the modern school, Guenriol was later venerated as a saint.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Arc of the Venerable: “It is said that Saint Guenriol, after a long and storied tenure as a noble knight and slayer of mighty dragons, passed through this gate and founded the city’s first astrologicum.”
Saint Shiva
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Love Transcendent: “Shiva was but an Elezen maiden when she fell in love with Hraesvelgr of the First Brood and was therefore branded an apostate in holy scripture. As the tale goes, she was enchanted by the dragon’s sagacity and wisdom - the wyrm by her compassion and conviction. Yet Hraesvelgr despaired at the great disparity which would deny them happiness everlasting, for to a dragon which might pass tens of thousands of years without a thought, the life of an Elezen human which might span a century at best was but a fleeting moment. Seeing this, Shiva sought to end her lover’s sorrow by imploring him to devour her that the maiden’s aether and soul might be entwined with his ever after. In the end, with a heavy heart, Hraesvelgr did as she bade.
Their tragic love became a symbol which moved man and dragon alike to set aside their differences and come together to build a society such as Shiva would have wanted. The ancient ornate structures found throughout Dravania and the Churning Mists are remnants of that time when man and dragon lived in harmony.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Greensward: “Greensward is a memorial to Saint Shiva, the Elezen maiden who strove to build a bridge between man and dragon. Although her life was brief, her sacrifice inspired her people to build a grand memorial to her on the isle, that the peace for which she stood would never be forgotten.”
Encyclopedia Eorzea - Mother of the Sheave: “The Mother of the Sheave is an enormous statue towering over the Churning Mists, carved in the image of Saint Shiva. The saint’s likeness has been somewhat glorified, as it was erected nearly a century after her death, and the great wyrm and his brood contend that the effigy bears no resemblance to the real Shiva.”
Shiva Card: “The Enchiridion, holy scripture for the Ishgardian faith, brands Shiva the Original Heretic─the first to succumb to the temptation of the dragons. Her followers, however, venerate her as a saint who tried, yet failed, to bring together man and dragon through selfless sacrifice.”
Taciturn Temple Knight (Lucia): “…Have you not read a single line of the Enchiridion, Master Alphinaud? Shiva was a traitor to kith and kin─an apostate who lay down with dragons.”
Haurchefaunt: “Now, now, we cannot expect all foreigners to know Ishgardian scripture so well─particularly when it concerns the patron saints of heretics.”
Saint Roelle
Note: There is currently no lore known for Saint Roelle. Their name appears in the Firmament, a destroyed section of lower Ishgard called Saint Roelle’s Dais.
Saint of Nymeia (?)
Starlight Celebration Crier: “The Starlight Celebration can be traced back to ancient Ishgard. Long ago, a terrible battle claimed countless lives, leaving thousands of children orphaned in the harsh cold weather of Coerthas. Unable to bear their suffering, Ishgardian knights would offer these children board and lodging within their barracks. Of course, this was expressly forbidden, but the knights devised a plan to sneak them in, disguising the children in jackets of their scarlet uniforms. Owing to their generosity, the children survived the winter and lived to pay forward the kindness they received. The former orphans would adorn themselves in scarlet uniforms, delivering gifts to children on the coldest week of the year. Thus, the Starlight Celebration was born.
Over the years, the celebration has undergone gradual changes. The snowy-bearded captain of the kind-hearted knights has become known as the ‘Saint of Nymeia,’ and children believe that he delivers their hopes and prayers directly to the goddess Herself. Similarly, his red-jacketed knights have become the ‘saint’s little helpers.’ They are particularly beloved by the younglings, for it is their role to bring gifts to every child who sends a prayer to the Spinner.”
I made this for use in my own fic, but I've decided to share it in case it is useful to someone else!
Compiled mainly from MSQ scripts and incidental NPC dialogue. Contains all sworn references of either curse or blessing to Halone or the Fury in MSQ, and some from non-MSQ content. If I am missing any, please feel free to send them my way!
Offering an alternative interpretation that may hit the right spot for some of y'all.
In most real cultures - both historic and today - people really don't care about boys and girls spending time together until they're at an age to "get into trouble", at which point parents start to get concerned. In historic cultures (and some cultures today), this is the age when a wall has to go up between girls and boys. At the time of Phoenix Gate, Clive was certainly past that threshold, and Jill was approaching it quickly. It's fairly safe to assume that some combination of Elwin, Rodney, and whatever other instructors Clive had in his life would have taught him that he needed to treat Jill "like a lady", keeping his hands to himself, no funny business. Clive, being the boy scout that he is, would have adhered to the rule like his life depended on it, and would have probably expected to adhere to that rule until/unless they became formally betrothed and married. Based on how Jill treats Joshua and Clive, she probably did not have those talks (though based on her physical maturity level, she would probably have gotten similar talks in a year or so).
When we get to The Barn Scene, it's been thirteen years, but Clive has probably never reconsidered the rules he was given because they've been completely irrelevant for the vast majority of said thirteen years, and during the few days that Jill has been back in his life and conscious, he's had a lot of other things to think about. So when Jill nudges his personal space - something she was never specifically instructed to not do - he defaults back to the rules he had been taught as a teenager: keep your distance, hands to yourself, don't do anything you wouldn't do in front of your parents, etc.
We can tell at the end of the second timeskip that he has realized that these rules don't apply any more, and he's much more tactile with her.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 3/6
Fandom: Final Fantasy XVI
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Clive Rosfield/Jill Warrick
Characters: Clive Rosfield, Jill Warrick, Shiva (Final Fantasy XVI), Isabelle (Final Fantasy XVI), the whole Hideaway crew
Additional Tags: "and there was only one bed" the multichapter story, far too many words for the sole purpose of plausibly explaining why Clive has only one pillow, POV Jill Warrick, talkative Shiva, Internalized Misogyny, Non-Sexual Bed Sharing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Sex Negativity, Vague References to Past Canon-Typical Sexual Abuse of Minors, References to Past Hypersexualization of a Minor, too-tired-to-think Clive is fully-awake Clive's best ally
Summary:
Five times Clive and Jill slept together, and one time (not the time you're thinking of!) they "slept together" (not the way you're thinking of).
Rated M for references to mature subjects, including references to the canonical Ironblood abuses.
--
Chapter 3 is up! Featuring an awake Clive, for once.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 2/6
Fandom: Final Fantasy XVI
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Clive Rosfield/Jill Warrick
Characters: Clive Rosfield, Jill Warrick, Shiva (Final Fantasy XVI)
Additional Tags: "and there was only one bed" the multichapter story, far too many words for the sole purpose of plausibly explaining why Clive has only one pillow, POV Jill Warrick, talkative Shiva, Internalized Misogyny, Non-Sexual Bed Sharing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Sex Negativity, Vague References to Past Canon-Typical Sexual Abuse of Minors, References to Past Hypersexualization of a Minor, too-tired-to-think Clive is fully-awake Clive's best ally
Summary:
Five times Clive and Jill slept together, and one time (not the time you're thinking of!) they "slept together" (not the way you're thinking of).
Rated M for references to mature subjects.
-----------------------
New chapter posted! I honestly was worried I’d give up after the first.
One of the things I don't like about Discord is what it's done to fandom. Most Discords are enclosed communities, for all practical purposes. It's hard to find them, and even if you know they exist it's hard to join them because you have to find non-expired public invite links. But that's where most of the talking is going on. That's where people are finding their beta readers, learning about what canon resources may be available, etc.
...all this to say, if anyone knows of any joinable Warfield Discord servers, please let me know, because I think my partner might revolt if I ask them again whether they think Clive and Jill would prefer to settle in Eastpool or Mysidia.
Here's my "best guess" on how everything she wears is put together. On one hand...it's a Final Fantasy costume, and we all know it's all about aesthetic over pragmatism, but because I'm writing something that needs a layers breakdown, I might as well do it here.
(This is heavily based on staring way too long at the art book, so at least I do have some basis for my assumptions.)
Invisible underlayers: I'm positive she has on some kind of undershirt with at least short sleeves and probably some kind of lower-body undergarment as well, in addition to stockings/hose/socks. The fabric of the white tunic is too rough and its construction too structured to be right next to the skin. And since she wears snug leggings, she's surely got something underneath for chafing purposes. These would be of a plant-based material.
Leggings/Breeches: I think these are navy, but some illustrations in the art book portray them as off-white. I'd assume them to be wool, but in the 18th century a lot of working men wore chamois leather breeches (which appear kind of a creamy off-white when new) because they were hard-wearing and would stretch/mold to fit your body. Either way, I expect they button just below the knee (because as anyone who's worn knee-high boots with trouser-legs tucked in can tell you, a long trouser leg just ends up bunching up towards your knee over the day) and the rest of her leg is covered by the stockings/socks. Experienced wearers of 18th century men's clothing have informed us that properly-fitting breeches buttoned below the knee are, for most people, perfectly adequate to hold up knee-high stockings without additional garters.
Shoes: Flat shoes of brown leather, I'm guessing no more than ankle-high (more on that later). Jill Bearup would be proud.
Gaiters: These appear to be dark-blue leather and button up the side. They cover the top of the shoe and the stockings and serve as a protective layer. There's really no reason to have thigh-high gaiters if you also have high boots, which is why I suspect her shoes aren't as tall as you'd imagine.
Gaiter-garter: The brown cuff just below her knee is probably a separate piece that keeps the gaiters from falling. A lot of early tall boots required some form of garter to keep the looser and floppy stand of the boot from sliding down to the ankle.
White tunic: I believe that both the white blouse-portion and the white skirt-portion are all the same garment as they appear to be the same texture and color. The drape of the sleeves reminds me of crepe crepon (a textured weave with a bit more body than most crepes), and my gut says it looks like silk crepe crepon but it would make more sense if it were a wool crepe. It would be constructed from a fitted, interlined yoke and unstructured front and back panels, cut shorter on the front panel than the back panel. Structurally-speaking, the yoke looks to be too close-cut for her to be able to pull it over her head even if she took off the ribbon...but eh. Final Fantasy game. If I were making this for cosplay I'd probably just make the neck slit go a teeny bit lower than would be game-accurate.
Overskirt: This is the bright blue miniskirt and long black sash-y bit. I can only chalk up the long black sash-y bit to it being a Final Fantasy game needing to be Extra (tm), but the blue miniskirt would have the benefit of providing some weight to help keep the white tunic from flying up during activity. There's a lacing closure at her left hip. I'm assuming it's wool due to the weight.
Fitted leather bodice: This layer probably provides most of her torso protection as well as bust support. The belt below the bust certainly suggests that bust support is one of its functions; having worn medieval and Renaissance clothing quite a bit, I can verify that you don't need a garment right next to your skin to provide all your bust support even if you're generously-endowed (which Jill is not). It has a "belt loop" over her left hip to suspend her sword-belt.
Sword belt: Leather sword-belt that suspends a chainmail panel backed with white fabric. I can't get a good look at the texture of the fabric, but it would make sense that they'd back the chainmail with some kind of fabric to protect her clothes underneath since the texture of riveted chainmail is really destructive to basically everything; that panel of backing fabric is probably cheap and rough stuff intended to be replaced.
Sleeve garters, glove, and vambrace: self-explanatory. The lacey bit at the gauntlet of the glove is probably glove lining.
Fabric belt dealies: There's an illustration of these in the art-book: a white triangular pennant with embroidery on it and a blue rectangle wrapped together and suspended over her left hip. I am assuming these have some kind of personal significance, but I don't know what they are.
Final Fantasy 16 canon-divergence fanfiction ideas up for adoption, lighting round
AKA every AU idea I can think up in twenty minutes. Most of these will be terrible.
Clive and Joshua retain enough self-control to become Ifrit Risen at Phoenix Gate and prematurely stomp Ultima.
The entire court (including Jill) goes to Phoenix Gate for Joshua's entry to the Apodytery. Shiva awakens when Ifrit and Phoenix do, and ice is able to contain at least some of the fire.
The Undying rescue both Joshua and Clive after Phoenix Gate and try to keep Clive's nature as Ifrit hidden from him.
Shiva awakes during the Ironblood razing of Rosalith and repels the invaders. Rosaria tenuously retains its independence with Byron as Archduke; Jill remains in Rosalith.
The remnants of the North invade Rosaria; roughly half of the duchy becomes Northern territory, and the rest is overtaken by Sanbreque (the marshlands creating a natural barrier).
Benedickta stops the Ironblood from killing Clive and Jill instead of Cid, taking them away to Waloed.
Clive and Cid run into Joshua at Caer Norvent.
Joshua arrives on-time at Phoenix Gate.
Joshua arrives on-time at Drake's Head.
And my favorite, which is so divergent from canon it might as well be its own thing...
Ultima does not exist, the Blight is a periodic natural phenomenon that comes and goes. Ten years after the war between the Northern Territories and Rosaria that saw the Northern Territories' defeat, the Blight is retreating, and the North becomes determined to get their princess back.
Can someone explain to me this FF16 timeline problem?
From my wiki-reading it looks like Mid was born in 862 on the Outer Continents, where Cid is originally from. But also per the wiki, Cid was already in Valisthea in 860 to meet fifteen-year-old Benedickta, and in 863 he was in Waloed specifically to swear to Barnabas (since Benedickta was with the Royal Intelligencers when she was eighteen). Did Cid travel back to the Outer Continents with Benedickta between 860 and 862? Are the dates and ages wrong? We're led to believe traveling to and from the Outer Continents is an extremely dangerous and time-consuming prospect, so that sounds like an awful lot of travel.
(But for a little moment of cuteness, take the time to imagine Cid and Benedickta showing up in front of Barnabas...while Cid's holding baby Mid with the arm that isn't holding Benedickta's hand, radiating pure Girl Dad energy.)
I have verified that the only part of Clive's chamber in the New Hideaway that isn't visible from the walkway outside it is the corner near the bookshelf (a place player-controlled Clive can't squeeze). Fanfiction writers, do with this what you will.
Some people are very quiet during Pride Month for their own safety or the safety of those close to them. Some people have living situations they can't readily escape that would become extremely abusive at any indication of queerness or "queer sympathies," where even the slightest peek outside of the closet might put them in grave danger.
So please do not take silence from a particular person as confirmation of not caring.
What kinda age differences are appropriate when you’re shipping two (fictional) adults?
1-3 years
4-6 years
7-10 years
The two options on the top
All three options on the top
Even more than that
results
Voting ended onMay 14, 2024
Note from Anon:
“Please say your opinion in the tags! I’m asking cuz I have two oc ships and I’m afraid that the age differences might be a problem, the first is a 28 year old x a 31 year old the other is a 41 year old x a 46 year old.”
it depends on their ages (13 and 17 is very different from 53 and 57) and some other factors (is there another power dynamic involved as well! how old were they when they met?) but the ones you described are literally 100% fine
All's good in fiction (ship a rapid-aging 1 year old with a 10,000 year old vampire, I don't care), but the fact that people think 28&31 or 41&46 even meaningfully constitute "age differences" between humans makes me want to walk into the ocean.
There's something that gets said often in the otome isekai genre (where trying to find a love interest who isn't abusive is pretty difficult) that I don't see talked about enough in other genres: a lot of what we like in fiction we like specifically because it isn't healthy. Stories are interesting because there are pretty substantial problems going on. The imperfections in people are what create plot. Tragedy and horror are genres for a reason!
...but all this to say, it is wild to me that there are people who think that a 28 yo and 31 yo is a predatory age gap. That was literally my fiancé and I six months into dating; at no point have I ever felt like I was in a more vulnerable position for being three and a half years younger.
I think that Cid suspected that Clive = Ifrit even before they first met.
I stumbled on this theory thinking about the fact that Cid was able to recognize Clive...from a thirteen-year-old description of Clive's impressive skills as a teenager. They'd never met before; Cid had never seen the Blessing of the Phoenix before. Cid also mentioned having heard rumors of Clive having survived the massacre that killed almost everyone else and there being a second Dominant of fire who caused a lot of the destruction during that massacre.
While I think it's unreasonable to assume that Cid knew, Clive being that second Dominant of fire (because it's a lot easier to survive a massacre caused by an invading army and a giant fire kaiju if you become said fire kaiju) is a plausible enough theory with the information Cid had to hand that he would likely consider it worth his time to investigate. I'd even go so far as to theorize that finding Clive was already on Cid's to-do list. That's why Cid was able to recognize Clive immediately from the Blessing of the Phoenix: Cid had done some research on it and had been thinking about it recently enough to be able to distinguish it from any other fire-attuned Bearer magic.
(i dunno how many people can see this post but if you can see it thank god)
some friends at the warfield stans discord servers and i am opening applications for a clive/jill fanzine, and we'd like to reach out to as many interested to join the project.
the applications will close on the 15th of this month, and the zine will have art, fics, digital merch as well as other types of art including craftwork, cosplay, collection showcase. you can find the applications through the link here.
Why it's taking me so long to write Proximity Chapter 2 (Brain Transcript)
All right, time to write.
...wait, I need to write out exactly what happened to Jill with the Iron Kingdom so that I make sure I keep her traumas and trauma reactions consistent.
...wait, I also need to at least outline Clive's traumas and progress to make sure he's consistent too.
...wait, I need to write out what Cid and Jill talked about on the journey to Oriflamme, because that might have had her make at least a little progress working through her traumas.
Fandom Fodder @quillandsaber - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
