History of Blue Mage

Part 1:

With Blue Mage having just come out in patch 4.5, I had several questions as to the origin of the job. When did we see the first blue mage? How has the job evolved over the series, and how does the original concept of Blue Magic compare to what we have today? In this two part series, we will look at the origin of Blue Magic, including how it has been implemented in previous games, and look to Final Fantasy 14 and its interpretation of the job and see how previous iterations of the unique job class have influenced what we play as today.

What is a Blue Mage?

The job Blue Mage is a caster job that focuses on learning spells and abilities from monsters in the world, rather than spell books. In most games, Blue Magic is learned by observation or utilizing specialized abilities designed to copy the ability into the mage’s repertoire.

Final Fantasy V:

Blue magic in its original form was first introduced in Final Fantasy V. In this game, the job shares offensive and defensive capabilities, and can even equip weapon and armor that other casters are unable to. To learn spells in Final Fantasy V, Blue Mages need to be hit by the ability, but do not need to live through the battle. Final Fantasy V is the origin of the Domino mask appearance style we see in Final Fantasy 14 and heavily influenced the artifact armor for the job.

Final Fantasy VI:

In Final Fantasy VI, Blue Magic is utilized by the character Strago Magus. In translations for the North American release of the game, Blue Magic was renamed to Lores, with Blue Mages being called Lore Masters. Strago is able to learn abilities from monsters by observing them utilizing the skills. Some of these abilities include Blowfish, which is effectively 1000 Needles in our current iteration of Blue Magic, Aqua Breath, Level 5 Death, and Bad Breath. As Strago does not need to be hit by the ability to learn it, this form of learning Blue Magic is identical to what we see in Final Fantasy 14.

Final Fantasy VIII:

Final Fantasy VIII

Final Fantasy VIII has blue magic in the form of limit breaks utilized by Quistis Trepe.

Final Fantasy VIII has blue magic in the form of limit breaks utilized by Quistis Trepe. Unlike in previous games, Quistis is able to utilize Blue Magic after utilizing a item dropped by enemies. Additionally, the introduction of Blue Magic as a limit break option severely limits when she is able to utilize these abilities, and decisions are often needed to be made when choosing which Blue Magics to use in battle more than in previous iterations.

Final Fantasy IX:

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy IX’s blue magic is used by a strange character, Quina Quen.

Final Fantasy IX’s blue magic is used by a strange character, Quina Quen. Quina is a Qu, a genderless race in the Final Fantasy IX world, who loves to discover and eat new foods. The way Quina learns her Blue Mage abilities is by consuming enemies when they are at ¼ life or lower. Some of the abilities Quina is able to learn this way include Bad Breath, Aqua Breath, 1,000 Needles, and Mighty Guard, which at this point are staples in the Blue Mage spell book.

Written by Trypanosoma Antiquus on 2/3/2019

Special FFXIV Lore Entry: Expansion Theories

 Howdy ho, everybody! Dark again, and this time, I'm taking a bit of a tangent from my usual lore entries in light of recent revelations on forums and the newest patch regarding the future of the game. That being said, a disclaimer: SPOILER ALERT!! I usually hate being that guy, but as this is a theory post, it's inevitable. So if you are averse to spoils, you have been warned. 

     Let's start with what we know. Long before the events of FFXIV, a war for power was taking place between Hydaelyn and Zodiark. Sensing that the balance was shifting in Zodiark's favor and potentially sending the universe into the Void, Hydaelyn condensed her essence into an all-out attack, imprisoning Zodiark in the moon and limiting his influence on the world. The sheer magnitude of this attack splintered the world into 13 mirror universes, each having a different aspect of Hydaelyn, the home world.

    Since the advent of life in the universe, there has been a shadow organization known as the Ascians, whose goal is to reunite the fractured universes by thrusting them into darkness, thus collapsing them back into Hydaelyn. The resultant energy of such a collapse presents itself in the home world as a Calamity. Their goal is to weaken Hydaelyn enough to free Zodiark from his imprisonment, allowing him to exert his influence upon the universe once again. 

     With this in mind, we can safely assume that 7 of the 13 universes have thus fallen, as there have been 7 Calamities in Hydaelyn. One of these universes presents a quandary for the Warriors of Light, however: that from which the Warriors of Darkness originated. By their accounts, their universe was plunged into, not darkness, but an overwhelming light that suffered none to exist with the seeds of darkness in their hearts. Determined not to let the same tragedy befall another world, the WoD align with the Ascians to hinder the WoL, who appear to be committing the same mistakes that they had made. However, after being reassured by Hydaelyn that she would not allow such an event to take place again, the WoD could finally rest easy. 

     Thus, we come to my theories regarding the next expansion! In recent months, YouTube personalities have been abuzz with a mysterious project announced by Square Enix known simply as "Shadowbringers." Though nothing has been revealed linking this project with FFXIV directly, there's a wealth of evidence that points towards this being the title for the newest expansion to be released next summer, and this almost certainly means that we are facing a new Calamity in the game! 

     Now for the spoilers. At the end of "Prelude," the Scions are accosted by a mysterious presence that pleads for them to open the gates and allow him entry before it's too late. Following this event, which closely resembles the Echo, Thancred, Y'shtola, and Urianger all fall into a coma. As observed by Kan E Senna, though their bodies are stable, their souls have been pulled from their bodies to places unknown. Also, before falling unconscious, Y'shtola and Urianger revealed that massive quantities of aether were being drained from disparate points of Hydaelyn without any apparent catalyst. They also note the reappearance of unaspected crystals, which haven't been seen since the period leading to the latest Calamity. 

     Now, what is the significance between these new developments, established lore, and "Shadowbringers?" Well, this requires speculation, so don't take my word for it; however, I'm pretty sure my theories are sound. Though they do not confirm to whom the voice belonged to, I can be reasonably sure that we have finally been introduced to Zodiark himself. Clues? The main evidence resides in its resemblance to the Echo. In much the same way that Hydaelyn communicates to the WoL, those most sensitive to the aether were all contacted at the same time, urging them to throw open the gates before it's too late. Presumably, this voice is referring to the possibility of the home world being swallowed into holy nothingness through the actions of the WoL, which would end all life in all universes as surely as if they were sent into the Void. 

     Now, it is possible that this message comes to us from Lahabrea, but I highly doubt it. For one, Lahabrea has never hesitated to appear before the WoL in person if needed. Second, nothing so far suggests that any of the Ascians has the power to influence the living on that magnitude, much less pull their souls from their physical bodies. Lastly, most of the evidence points to Lahabrea and Elidibus posing as major players within the Empire, leaving them too busy to interact directly with the Scions. 

     And what of the draining of aether? This, I believe, is the result of the Ascian's actions. Through Allagan technology and their individual efforts, they are gathering the energy required to summon Zodiark once and for all, though evidence suggests that they are not all in agreement on the methods. Those in line with Lahabrea wish to proceed with the merging of the universes to finally restore balance to Light and Dark, thus allowing life to flourish. If the Ascians as a whole are planning on "summoning" Zodiark, evidence points to any resulting entity as but a shade of the real thing. If such a being were to exist, it could potentially have power that vastly dwarfs that of Bahamut, thus shifting the balance of power so far in the other direction that all would succumb to the Void. 

     So who are the Shadowbringers? Well, it looks as if we, Alisae, and Alphinaud are to be left with a choice: either we sow seeds of discord within the Garlean Empire (potentially putting an end to the Ascian's schemes and ushering in the Holy Calamity), or we allow the Ascians to follow through with their goal of summoning Zodiark (potentially ushering the destruction of Hydaelyn and sending the universe into the Void), or we bring the Shadow by heeding the voice and allowing the real Zodiark to exert his influence upon Hydaelyn once again, thus restoring balance to the universe (which would mean chaos to Eorzea, but would ultimately be in its best interest). 

     Only time will tell what is to come, but I for one am excited for the future of the game. A new Calamity could potentially shake up the mechanics of the world once again, revitalizing aspects that have grown stale, especially since Stormblood. What are your thoughts? Feel free to let me know! Until next time, folks. 

-Darkmaelstrom Stewart

FFXIV Lore: Religion: Hydaelyn and Zodiark

     Hey there, everybody! Dark here with the first of several installments covering a topic within Final Fantasy 14 lore that many may find interesting: the religion of Eorzea. Before I begin, I offer a disclaimer. Much of the backstory regarding the religion and backstory of the game is open for interpretation, as the game is still ongoing, and the story writers risk spoiling the future events of the game by unfurling its complete foundation. As such, many of the leading research by lore buffs such as myself are just theories, and may be discredited or supported in future expansions. 

     That said, I will try to give you the most accurate information available, based on what we know so far. My main source is Encyclopedia Eorzaea, a lore book put together by the developers of the game available through the Square Enix store. At $50, it's a steep price, but if you really enjoy this subject, I highly recommend it. I will also augment this information from fan theories offered by the YouTube personality Ethys Asher, one of the leading lore researchers on the channel. With all that out of the way, let us delve into the two main entities that allow the realm of Eorzea to exist: Hydaelyn and Zodiark!

     In previous posts, I covered the importance of aether to life in the realm, as well as its polarity, represented by astral (light) and umbral (dark) poles. Before the creation of the many universes spanning Final Fantasy 14, there was simply the Void, a lifeless space in which the aetherial sea flowed endlessly. At some point, this aether coalesced into two crystallized masses of pure aether at separate poles. Sitting in the Astral pole is the entity from which Eorzea's world is named: Hydaelyn. This entity represents life and pure creation.

     Now, I know that most would see Hydaelyn as representative of all that is good and right in the world, and that may be the case; however, as we find out through the appearance of the Warriors of Darkness in Heavensward, this is not necessarily a good thing for life in the universe. In a realm of pure light and holiness, those with the seeds of darkness in their hearts are not suffered to exist, creating a sort of void of its own where life can not feasibly flourish.

     As a balance to Hydaelyn's purifying nature, the entity known as Zodiark formed amidst the Umbral pole of the aetherial sea. Zodiark's purpose is to fold all of Hydaelyn's creations back into the Void and retain the natural state of the universe, in which its power is strongest. 

     For an untold amount of time, Hydaelyn and Zodiark existed in a state of perpetual warfare, their many battles ending in a stalemate that allowed a balance to continue within the aetherial sea. At some point, however, power began to tip toward the Umbral pole and allowed for Zodiark to potentially destroy Hydaelyn and the potential for creation. In an effort to prevent that from happening, Hydaelyn used her holy power to cast Zodiark from the world and into space, where it became the Moon, severely limiting his influence in the universe. The magnitude of this attack tore the dimensional fabric and fractured the universe into fourteen separate mirror universes, with that containing Eorzea being the original.

     Thus, Hydaelyn's creative force was left unchallenged, and from this force, life was allowed to flourish unchecked throughout the universe. However, the danger of all life being wiped out through her purifying light remained, and thus, the Ascians were born. 

     There is very little information regarding this mysterious group, but their goal is all too clear: to bring about an event known to them as the Ardor, or dimensional compression. By casting the mirror universes into darkness, they can cause the dimensional barriers between these universes to collapse, allowing them to return to the original universe, that of Eorzea. Each of these events greatly weakens Hydaelyn, and subsequently her power to continue imprisoning Zodiark. Each of these events is also marked in Eorzea by a Calamity that ushers in an Umbral Era to those living in the realm. Using this as a marker, we can safely assume that the Ascians have successfully plunged seven of these universes into darkness. If the Ardor is finally achieved, Zodiark will be freed from his imprisonment, allowing him to exert his influence upon the realm once more, destroying Hydaelyn and potentially fulfilling his goal of returning all life into the Void.

     To combat this eventuality, Hydaelyn has gifted certain life forms with the gift of the Echo, granting them her power in order to hinder the Ascians from their goal. These beings are known as the Warriors of Light. Unknown to these warriors, they are indirectly giving Hydaelyn too much power and threatening the balance even further. To combat this, certain individuals were gifted with the power of Zodiark to offset this shift, giving rise to the Warriors of Darkness. These warriors once fought on the side of Hydaelyn before their efforts plunged their realm into a state of pure nothingness. In order to prevent this from happening again, they team with the Ascians to hinder the Warriors of Light in their purpose. 

     And there we have it! The battle between these two entities is eternal and all-pervading, and only time will tell what happens to the world as the Ascians bring us closer to the Ardor. Who will win? What will it mean to the realm of Eorzea if they do? These questions remain to be answered as the game continues to unfold. In my next installment, I'll cover the religion of man on Eorzea and the birth of the Twelve. Until then, game on! 

- Darkmaelstrom Stewart

Looking at the Lalafell

The last article I wrote discussed the history of the Au Ra race, today I am going to take a look at the potato, whether you like them or not they are they are here and they are a natural race, or are they. When patch 3.0 came, out two new items were introduced that give us a better look at what a lalafell might be. The description of Aetherochemical 123 and 666 may have lore for the lalafell that is strongly incriminating if you don’t like the small race.

Aetherochemical Compound #123: This biologically engineered biomass can be found on Azys Lla. Unlike anything else on Eorzea, compound #123 is thought to be another of the Allagan Empire's failed chimerical creations. The creature seems to be harmless enough, feeding only on the tiny water lice which inhabit Azys Lla's aetherochemical pools. Its outer hide, however, has given many a naturalist pauses as it bears a texture almost identical to that of a Lalafell's skin.

This terrifying item looks a little like this.

Aetherochemical Compound #666: A king among aetherochemical compounds, and lord of the aetherochemical spill. When a specimen of what, at the time, was thought to be compound #123 began sprouting tiny...decidedly Lalafellin...hands, no fewer than three Sons of Saint Coinach naturalists turned in their resignations with the organization and have since disappeared from the public eye.

EW

So, are the lalafell horrible chemical reactions that turned into sentient potatoes? Maybe. But the flavor text from the aetherochemicals is not the only origin we have of the little creatures. According to the A Realm Reborn website it is stated that the lalafell come from an agricultural background from the islands of the south seas. Finding their way to Eorzea from trade routes. The lalafell race has two specific subraces the Plainsfolk and the Dunesfolk, and you can garner a lot about them simply by their names. Plainsfolk worked the land much like farmers, and Dunesfolk wandered the desert. Even in Eorzia you can find the Dunesfolk close to Ul’dah and the Planesfolk closer to Limsa. Being that there are two different subraces of Lala, we can possibly associate this with the two separate Aetherochemical compounds. Regarding which one spawned which creature currently, we do not know.

            Let’s look at a real-world example, the Homo Floresiensis, an ancestor of the current human. The most notable feature of Homo Floresiensis is a small body many scientist speculate that the to be on average around three foot six. Not that far off from the lalafell standing around Three foot even. Other notable features are a lack of chin and a lesser angle in the head making them rounder. Many Scientist speculate that the reason the Homo Floresiensis stand so short is because limited food resource on the island in Southeast Asia where they inhabited. Short, inhabiting islands, round skulls, sound familiar. So potentially lalafell could have evolved from the same species as Hyur but because of their limited resources on islands they were not able to survive if they grew taller. Pardon me for being a horrible person, but there is another theory that the bones of Homo Floresiensis were simply that of a Homo Sapiens’ or Homo Erectus’ with down syndrome or similar metal disability. Which also lines up with the nickname of lalafell, potato. My apologies I had to bring that up, it’s a theory.

            Whether the Lalafell grew from horrible chemical reactions, or out of necessity of dwelling is up to the player to determine. Only one thing is for certain, love them or hate them the lalafell are here to stay.

FFXIV Lore: A Quick Look at the Geography of Hydaelyn

Hey there, G! It's Dark again with the latest installment of Final Fantasy 14 Lore. Previously, I had run down the importance of aether and how it operates as the catalyst for magic in the game. Now, before I get into the true lore and history of Eorzea, there is one more topic to cover: the geography of Hydaelyn.

    Something I found myself doing constantly in the game is thinking of Eorzea as the name of the world; in reality, it is just the general name given to one of the Three Great Continents of Hydaelyn. In this world, there are three noteable collections of land, with their own unique history and people, as well as a few regions separated from these continents that become more important as you're playing through
the game.

    We begin with Alden....wait, Aldenard? Well, Aldenard is the true name given to the continent that consists of a collection of city-states more commonly referred to as the realm of Eorzea. You know them pretty well by now; you spend a sizeable chunk of A Realm Reborn playing gopher for the various leaders of this realm. However, as this
is a lore section, it's impossible to avoid talking in length about it. So buckle up, buckaroos! This is going to be my longest article yet :D

     Starting near the center of Aldenard is Gridania, a city-state situated in the forest area known as the Black Shroud. Isolated from the other city-states by its location, Gridania keeps to itself for the most part. Its people are known for their connection to the various elementals of the forest, offering prayers to them in exchange for protection from their enemies; thus, up until the advent of airships and politics between the nations, it was rare to find outsiders in the Shroud. As a result, they're primarily interested in peace, preferring the arts of healing and woodcraft, as well as
defending their land.

     Southwest of this region lies a mountainous area known collectively as La Noscea. Most notable in this area is the island Vylbrand situated off of the main continent (though before the Great Flood, it used to be attached to the mainland, though I won't go into detail here. You'll have to keep reading :p ). Here is where the city-state known as Limsa Lominsa set up camp. Known for their history of piracy and pillage, their new leader has prohibited the practice, offering harsh consequences to any caught doing so. Their navy is unparalleled, as is their penchant for battle. Thus, its people focus on militaristic arts, employing strength, stealth, and superior knowledge in the fields of magic. Also, being an island nation, they make good use of the fish in the sea, offering guilds for catching them, then turning them into culinary masterpieces.

     Above Gridania is an arid region known as Thanalan, wherein lies a society with a strong disposition for warfare, as well as a deep and layered history: Ul'Dah. Unlike the other societies, Ul'Dah is a bustling, vibrant backbone to the economy of Eorzea. Once its inhabitants found a way to turn sand into gold, it solidified their status as the capital of Eorzea and the center of culture. In times following the Calamities, they used their wealth to help make alliances with the other city-states, offering them support in a changing world; however, with wealth comes corruption, and none more
so than the elites of Ul'Dah who, despite having no official position in the government or the decisions of the Sultanate, ultimately influences both, and not always with the people in mind. Staying true to their reputation as protectors and warriors, the Sultanate reveres those of its people that show adeptness in battle, giving them positions in its Royal Guard and helping protect and fight for its citizens. The same holds true in the study of magics, as Ul'Dah houses a guild devoted to Thaumaturgy, using arcane spells in powerful and dangerous ways. Outside of military, its people still make full use of their gold-making abilities, housing centers in both alchemy and goldsmithing, as well as mining the mountains surrounding Thanalan.

     In these mountains lies the last of our current city-states: the Coerthas Highlands, where we find the land of Dravania and the Holy See of Ishgard. Once a fertile area, Dravania was hit hardest by the latest Calamity. Shifting its aetheric aspect towards Ice, the lands surrounding Ishgard have become a frozen wasteland, mostly inhospitable. As such, their people have sequestered themselves from the affairs of the other city-states, preferring to focus on adjusting to their new way of life and their continuing war with the dragons. In this solitary society, its people adhere to the codes of their church, The Holy See. Its scholars study the movement of the stars, creating new fields in healing that use celestial energy to shift the tide of battle. Their knowledge also extends to technology, known for their advances in machinery.

     Now, you may have noticed when I mentioned that Ishgard was the last of our "current" city-states. Well, there are two other city-states that share in Aldenard"s history: Ala Mhigo and Sharlaya. However, due to the Empire of Garlemald's conquest (we'll get to them in a sec), Ala Mhigo was taken as a foothold for the Empire to advance into Eorzea. Fearing that they would soon share in the fate, the Sharlayans fled to nearby continents, abandoning their centers for learning and scholarship. This unfortunate event has led to massive migration of refugees into Ul'Dah, severely straining its resources and causing a growing rift between its inhabitants and the refugees.

     Whew, this has gone on a bit, hasn't it? Well, I hope your stamina is up to a bit more, because that was just the first continent, but don't fret: as Eorzea is abundant in aether and cultivation, most occupants of Hydaelyn have made their home on its land; therefore, the other two continents don't play as much into the game's lore. To the northeast of Aldenard lies our next continent, Ilsabard, wherein lies the aforementioned region of Garlemald. Much like Ishgard, Garlemald is a cold, inhospitable land with extremely low aether. As a result, its people do not have access to the wealth of magics that flow through Eorzea. To compensate, their people invented the study of Magitek, whis infuses magic into their machinery through the use of ceruleum. When they had mined their supply of ceruleum dry, they set their sites on Aldenard, determined to take its resources from those they viewed as savages. as well as gaining access to the natural ceruleum formed from its abundance of aether. 

     But hey, if you're going to conquer one continent, why stop there? At the same time that Garlemald pushed into Ala Mhigo, they also sent their troops east to the last continent Othard, where reside the regions of Yanxia and Doma. Supported by the water that melts down from the snows that coat their mountains year-round. Their culture is vastly different from that of Eorzea, mainly due to the sheer distance between the two continents. Though connected geographically, the presence of Garlemald makes travel between the two continents near impossible. It's ironic, then, that the invasion of the Garleans sent a massive flood of refugees from Doma to sail for Aldenard, where they were met with a frosty reception from Ul'Dah, considering their tensions with refugees as it is.

- Darkmaelstom Stewart