NPCs Involved
|
Maps
|
|
Jenomis cen Lexentale, Gijuk, Rinok, Alma bas Lexentale, Lina Mewrilah, Bwagi, Ramza bas Lexentale, Orran Durai, Delita Heiral, Alma Beoulve, Ramza Beoulve, Mikoto, Montblanc, Hurdy, Fran, Noah van Gabranth, Imperial Architectus
|
|
- Jenomis is crestfallen at the thought he might never see his son again. See if there is aught you can do to put his mind at ease.
- A timely Echo-induced flashback gives you insight into Ramza Beoulve's final confrontation with Ultima, the High Seraph, and how Orran Durai and King Delita Heiral worked to see their companion's legacy both erased and preserved. The only path left for you...and all of Hydaelyn is to confront the Angel of Blood once more beneath the Orbonne Monastery.
-
- ※The Orbonne Monastery can be accessed via the Duty Finder.
- Ultima is defeated and the land rid of her foul presence once and for all. Ramza, however, has yet to regain consciousness. All you can do now is wait.
- Aetherial visions of the hero Ramza Beoulve and King Delita appear to grant you and the Lexentales their thanks before returning once and for all to the Lifestream.
- Jenomis, despite having fulfilled his lifelong desire to discover the truth behind Ivalice and his ancestor Orran Durai, has second thoughts about revealing his discovery to the world. He instead elects to tell the tale in an all-new final act of his renowned play, The Zodiac Brave Story. After witnessing the Majestic Theater Company rehearse this heartwarming scene, both you and Lina Mewrilah are at a loss for words...or at least you are.
- Lina Mewrilah is thoroughly satisfied with the outcome of events, and decides she will remain in Kugane for as long as her employers at The Raven will foot the bill. Who knows, perhaps before that time comes, another opportunity for adventure with the Lexentales will arise?
We need to do something...but what recourse is left to us? The only means we had of protecting ourselves could not even prevent my son from... My son from...
|
Cutscene start.
|
I am sorry, Jenomis. My design was...flawed...
|
Not necessarily, Sharlayan. We all saw how it succeeded in drawing Alma back from the rift and shattering the Otius. The loss of the boy is not yours to bear.
Our focus here should not be on our failures, but what we have learned from them. The being beyond the rift─it spoke before claiming Ramza. It referred to you as the “blood of its invokers.” Could it be your ancestors are responsible for Ultima's summoning?
|
Most certainly not! I have discovered no such inference anywhere in the Durai Papers! Besides, tales of the High Seraph existed far before even the earliest of Ivalician legends.
|
Then who exactly did summon Ultima, and why does she think them your kin?
|
I have a bad feeling about this, kupo!
|
THE ECHO BEGINS
Ramza, dead!? You lie about as well as you carry yourself in battle, Orran.
|
I did not say he was dead, my Lord Delita, merely that he had abandoned his mortal vessel, entrusting his aetherial soul to the auracite.
|
But why would he do such a thing? Peace is finally come to Ivalice! There is naught to be had from further sacrifice!
The kingdom is won, and this victory is as much his as it is mine! He risked life and limb to shield me from the dark that would have seen me perish.
Without him, I would not be standing here before you. It is my duty as both king and colleague to see him saved!
Knights, to me! We ride for Orbonne!
|
My lord! Wait!
Ajora Glabados, first of the Zodiac Braves, was not the hero the church would have you believe. He betrayed Mother Hydaelyn for the promise of coin and power, summoning forth a terrible evil from the depths of the celestial abyss.
It was believed only one of the land's chosen─only a Warrior of Light might stand against this threat.
Yet while victorious in battle, Ramza was unable to see the darkness vanquished. If failure was all that awaited our Warrior of Light, then what chance do you presume any other might stand?
|
Are you saying I should do nothing, then!?
|
No, my lord. Ramza is. My brother's final wish before he surrendered to the aether was that his name be struck from the annals of history.
|
Alma, you're unhurt! But I was led to believe none but Orran returned from Orbonne. What is this you speak of your brother's wishes?
|
When it became apparent that we were powerless to truly defeat the High Seraph, we chose the only path left to us─to do what Hydaelyn Herself did countless centuries past: imprison Ultima.
And as you are aware, my lord, a prison is only as strong as the seal on its gates...
|
Ramza sacrificed his body to ensure that the Angel of Blood would never again walk the land, and he believed that if people knew of this sacrifice, it would only inspire them to seek out the Holy Stones and repeat the mistakes of those come before.
If you truly avouch yourself his friend, then you will honor this, his final plea.
|
No! Ramza should not be forgotten! He should be raised up as a hero for his deeds and claim his rightful place at my side. Only he might be my Knight Gallant!
|
Before Ramza was your friend, before he was my brother, he was a Warrior of Light. He did what he did for Hydaelyn, and for those who would one day, too, heed the Crystal's call.
|
Claim the throne, my friend. Become ruler of Ivalice and restore peace to this war-torn realm once and for all.
|
Wait, Ramza! Don't leave me! Please! I beg of you!
|
You will make a fine and just king, Delita. See you do not stray from that path.
|
Ramza!
The stones in these two necklaces, you are certain they will guide the heroes of a new era to Ramza?
|
'Tis what Ramza wished, my lord.
|
Orran, I do not believe I can bear another farewell this day. Will you not reconsider my offer to remain as a member of my court?
|
'Tis but a matter of time before the Cardinal and his Temple Knights grow wise to my past. I would not have my presence here implicate you as well.
Ramza beseeched me strike his name from history, but like you, my lord, I could not bear the thought of future generations blind to the truth. As such, I penned this chronicle of the hero's journeys.
I fear the world, however, is not yet ready for the gospel contained within these pages; nor would the church ever allow its circulation. In fact, I believe they will confiscate every existing copy and lock them away in their library.
|
And what better way for the words to remain forever preserved than in one of the most highly guarded vaults in all the realm? Then, one day, when the church has fallen out of favor, the chronicle will be discovered and truth shall prevail.
|
I must admit, your plan is intriguing, Orran...but once the church learns it was you who penned the chronicle, your life─
|
THE ECHO ENDS
'Twas the Echo, wasn't it?
|
The removal of Ramza's name from the history books, the Durai Papers, the pendants...it was all set in motion by Orran himself!
|
And if the liberator's visions are to be taken as fact, it also appears we now know what the High Seraph meant by “blood of my invoker.”
|
She was not speaking of ancestors in the sense of actual kin, but the line of those chosen by Hydaelyn to serve Her as Warriors of Light.
|
But then why abduct Ramza...or even Alma? Unless...there is something you haven't been telling us!
|
She was using us...to lure Forename. It is herhis vessel the High Seraph desires.
|
Matron's teats, Alma, how long have you been awake!?
|
<sigh> I've been a fool...
I told our leader that it did not matter if our request for aid was refused, for I had an alternative ploy.
|
It is all right, Bwagi. My intention was to claim one of these auracite in the name of the resistance and use its power to lay waste to the Garlean occupants. Only now do I realize how flawed my ambitions were.
|
You mean this whole time you were playing us for fools!? Why didn't we see it earlier!? Never trust a woman with ears longer than mine, I always say!
|
You've every right to be angry, and I apologize for misleading you. But believe me, I no longer have any desire to deceive you and yours. I shall see you to the Orbonne Monastery, and ask naught in return but that you let me join you in your rescue of Ramza.
Do not misunderstand me. I do not do this for any one of you.
I do it for my people in both Golmore and Rabanastre─people who may die if this High Seraph is allowed to return to power.
|
Cutscene end.
|
It pains me as a father that I am powerless to save my own son. Forename, I have asked much of you these past moons, but naught is more important than what I ask you now. Please, find Ramza.
|
Speak to Alma bas Lexentale
This is all my fault. I was convinced it was Ramza and my father who were bedeviled by the auracite...when in fact, it was me all along...
|
You are wrong, Alma. The auracite held no power over you. It never did. Your concern for your family was justified, for they allowed their desires to cloud their own judgment.
You needn't blame yourself for matters beyond your control.
|
But what of Ramza? He's gone because he tried to save me...
Please, Forename. You must bring back my brother. I...I don't know what I would do if I lost him, too...
|
|
|
If your vision is true, then not even the Zodiac Braves—Warriors of Light themselves—could defeat the High Seraph. Are you certain we should not just allow Ramza's seal to endure? No... That would mean abandoning Ramza...but then what options are left us?
|
High Seraph? Hah! You've defeated tougher opponents on both Aldenard and Othard! Ultima will rule the day she rose up against the one and only Warrior of light! She will... won't she, Forename?
|
Speak to Montblanc or Hurdy
You're right, dear brother! We must do something! Er...might you have any sugestions, kupo?
|
We must do what moogles do best—dance! Dance, I say!
|
|
|
If you need help finding Ramza, do not hesitate to ask. We are here to help. I like to think it is what Ba'Gamnan would
have wished.
|
Is the boy's father well? I cannot imagine what he is going through. Losing his daughter, only to lose his son moments after her return...
|
Cutscene start.
|
He's awake, kupo! ...But is it truly him?
|
Thank you. Thank you all for coming to my aid.
|
And you have my thanks, noble Warrior of Light. You have achieved what I could not.
And you, bearer of my blood and the blood of House Durai. Thank you for seeing my final wish fulfilled.
My sacrifice has finally been given meaning...
Now, my friends, let us retire to Mother Hydaelyn's bosom, that we may finally rest.
Farewell. You are the true heroes of this story.
Delita. How I have missed you, old friend.
|
Forgive me, Ramza! You deserved better than what history gave you. I...I could have done more... I am truly sorry...
These countless centuries did I long for the day that we might meet once again. And now, that time is finally come. Hydaelyn beckons us both.
|
Cutscene end.
|
You slew the she-devil who brought those unholy stones into the world? Then Ba'Gamnan can finally rest in peace. Thank you, Forename.
|
My only regret is that if we had grown wise to the High Seraph's presence sooner, perhaps our captain, too, would be here to enjoy this victory...
|
You're alive! Oh, but of course you are. You'd think that after this many triumphs, one might grow tired of saving the world. Consider us all fortunate that you have not! Ah hah hah hah!
|
Forename. It is almost sad to see our quest come to an end, though we have given the land's scholars much to consider. Sharlayan will have to open a school of Ivalician studies, are we to keep up.
|
Speak to Montblanc or Hurdy
But they were there, Hurdy, clear as day─the hero Ramza and good King Delita! Why would I lie about something like that, kupo?
|
My question is, why wouldn't you? Still, after what we've all been through in the past few days, I might be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt...this time, kupo!
|
|
|
I owe you an apology, Forename. I was wrong to doubt you.
Whether it be in a council room or on the field of battle, you have proven yourself more than worthy of the many praises the bards sing. I am glad to have counted you an ally, for I would not wish you upon even my worst enemy.
|
Despite what Lady Fran says, I had no doubt that you would come through in the end. It has been an honor, Forename. I only wish Ba'Gamnan were here with us to celebrate this day...
|
And here we are, Forename. I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for my family...and that is before you saved me from the High Seraph!
|
You rescued my brother, and for that I shall ever be indebted to you. You will be in my heart, always, Forename.
|
Cutscene start.
|
I am so sorry, Ramza. Alma. I convinced myself my research was the most important thing in my life, all the while you two were standing before me. Can you find it in your hearts to forgive your father?
|
It is all right. We are still here, are we not?
|
And we triumphed. We proved your theory true. Ivalice existed. Ramza existed. And Orran Durai was not a heretic, but a hero. Now all that remains is to tell the world!
|
No, my son. We needn't burden ourselves further.
|
But Father! We cannot allow our ancestor's name to remain─
|
And we will not. Yet simply not in the manner you think.
I shall be adding a final act to The Zodiac Brave Story telling of how Ramza the forgotten hero and his chronicler Orran Durai smote the Angel of Blood and saved Ivalice from an age of darkness, before quietly embarking on a final journey that would take them far beyond the horizon.
And of course, I shall not leave out those nameless heroes who fought alongside Ramza─without whom the young noble would have surely perished.
|
Is that what you truly want, Father? For the story to end?
|
It will only end on the stage, my dear, and live on in the hearts of the crowd.
|
King Delita and Orran envisioned the Virgo as a beacon which would lead future generations to the truth about the founding of their kingdom. They were right. And just as the pendants guided us, now we shall guide the masses through our play.
|
And now you see, my son.
I would offer you my thanks again, Forename, but thanks are not nearly enough to express my gratitude for all you have given us.
Perhaps after I complete The Zodiac Brave Story, I shall pen a tale about the legendary Warrior of Light and herhis adventures across the Three Great Continents.
|
Then you'll have your work cut out for you, my friend. Forename has enough battles under his belt to fill at least three tomes, if not four.
|
Would you stop doing that, Cid?
|
And his tale is far from over, isn't it?
|
All right, this is our final dress rehearsal for the night. Make it count. Positions, everyone!
|
Lights! Music! There will be no more mistakes from you two, am I clear?
|
Montblanc and Hurdy
Mothercrystal clear, kupo!
|
They are going to perform the new final act!
|
What ever will we do? The church has branded us heretics. No home awaits us in Ivalice.
|
We shall embark on a journey─a journey together!
|
Together! The Crystal's call has been answered and evil vanquished from the land. We are now free to soar like the griffin!
|
By casting off our noble names and forging a new path─one not bound by fate!
And on that path we shall meet new friends, make a new family.
And unto them we shall entrust the true tale of our deeds that they may carry on our legacy...for all eternity!
|
Sword in hand, a warrior clutches stone to breast.
|
In sword etched he his fading memories.
|
In stone he tempered his skill.
|
By sword attested, by stone revealed.
|
Ramza bas Lexentale and Alma bas Lexentale
Their tale can now be told!
|
Bravo! Bravo! You both were wonderful!
|
I am inclined to agree with the Lady Mewrilah's sentiments, but there is always room for improvement. Back to your positions, everyone! Again from the top!
|
Again? I've had enough of this! I was promised a starring role, kupo! It is in my contract!
|
Oh, hush, Brother, before Jenomis has us back to polishing boot buckles again!
|
Meanwhile, in the Clockwork City of Goug...
|
Sir! Further research will be required to reach a positive conclusion, but preliminary tests show that the technology utilized here bears striking similarities to our own.
|
Excellent. Let the Eorzeans play with their baubles. True power lies within these very walls.
It appears our ancestors were as cunning as they were ruthless.
A weapon powerful enough to carve a gateway to the land's very core. His Radiance will be eager to test this “Tartarus,” wouldn't you all agree?
|
Cutscene end.
|
It won't be simple uniting the factions, but when has war ever been simple?
Once we are a united front, we still have to figure a means of besting the most powerful army in the world. And if, by some miracle, we achieve that, then we have an entire nation to rebuild...starting with the smoldering heap I used to call home.
But then again, it sure feels better than being a sky pirate. Let the next time we meet, Forename, be in the Desert Sapphire 'neath the royal Dalmascan standard!
|
Reports are that the IVth Legion has marched on Valnain, making the commercial center their new temporary base of operations. If that is so, then that is where we strike next!
We had our past misgivings, Forename, but in the end we all learned to work for the same cause. I hope we can do so again, soon!
|
It has been an honor to serve one as brave and just as you, Forename. I only hope my contributions to this most recent endeavor have proven of value.
Before this assignment, I would spend my days alone in the library poring over texts, learning of others' accomplishments, but never recording any of my own.
But witnessing you and all you achieved in our short time together has inspired me. When I return to Sharlayan, I will put in a request with the Students of Baldesion for an increase in field research!
But I think I shall start with something in lower La Noscea! Thank you, Forename!
|
If Ba'Gamnan were here, he'd smile and slap us both on the back. You'd probably fall on your face. I miss the captain.
I'm not as optimistic as my brothers as to our chances of meeting again, but know this, Forename: I will not forget you, and hope that maybe you will say the same.
|
I owe you an apology, Forename. I was wrong to doubt you.
Whether it be in a council room or on the field of battle, you have proven yourself more than worthy of the many praises the bards sing. I am glad to have counted you an ally, for I would not wish you upon even my worst enemy.
In fact, our paths may cross again sooner than expected. I received word earlier that the Eorzean and Eastern alliances have agreed to assist Lente's Tears, though not in the manner my leader first sought.
In fact, our paths may cross again sooner than expected. I received word earlier from both the Eorzean Alliance and Doma that they have agreed to assist Lente's Tears, though not in the manner my leader first sought.
They will be providing refuge for those displaced by the fighting. Children, elderly, the wounded─I have been assured that all are welcome.
Unlike our demand for soldiery, both Lady Tataru and Lady Yugiri seemed much more amicable to this request. Perhaps they remembered how only recently Eorzea received refugees fleeing from Doma and Ala Mhigo. And perhaps it was I who reminded them.
As for now, I must return to Dalmasca with these tidings, and somehow not only convince the myriad resistance factions to cease their infighting, but also cooperate in the organization of a method in which refugees might be transported safely across the borders.
Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me. But even then, this is only the beginning. Once the refugees are safe, there is still a war to be fought...and won.
And when that time comes, do not be surprised when I come again calling.
|
I hope the new act was to your liking. It may still change, seeing as we have yet to finish our rehearsals, but I believe Father has another masterpiece on his hands.
I have always admired my father, but never more than I do now. I finally have come to understand why it was so important for him to tell the tales that he did, even if those actions did see him driven from his home.----
Still, I worry that we may never find our place here in this foreign land, that our voices may never be heard. Everything we knew is gone. Everything we worked for, behind us.
Will the people of Othard and Aldenard accept us for what we offer, in spite of who we were? Will they flock to our stage to hear our stories? Will they laugh at our jests and weep for our losses?
I know it is childish to fret over such matters, but perhaps I am still a child, desperate for the acceptance of strangers...despite the fact I am already accepted. Accepted by my friends and family...
Something happened that day I laid hands on my mother's necklace. My father would have me believe it was the hero Ramza's auracite─the Virgo─that dispelled the fear and hate in my heart and replaced it with love.
I would like to believe that it was not only the holy stone, but me...growing up. Journeying to a new land, meeting new people, learning of new cultures and customs─these things ignited a flame inside me. A flame of change!
You, Montblanc, Hurdy, Mikoto, Master Cid, Bwagi, Fran...even Lina. You have all helped fan that flame, that they may rise into a conflagration to burn away the old Ramza, leaving what stands here before you now.
My father spoke of one day authoring a play that would chronicle your adventures. I believe I will tell him to abandon that endeavor...for I wish to author it myself. That is...if you will allow it.
You are welcome here any time, Forename, and I hope that you will take time to visit and tell us more of your deeds. I shall be waiting.
|
Thanks are not nearly enough for all you have provided us, but sadly, they are all I have to offer. Thank you, Forename.
You watched our rehearsal, so you have witnessed firsthand the fruits of my father's labor. It is now on us, the players, to see their seeds cast across the realm.
From fleeing the Empire to searching for a new audience... From finding the truth of our ancestors to bringing back my mother to saving my brother... Many paths were walked on this journey, but ultimately they all led here.
Was it merely the auracite that guided us to the Orbonne Monastery, or was it, dare I say...fate?
Our exile, our arrival in Hingashi, my father's disappearance...without even a single one of these things, our paths may not have crossed. If that is not fate, then...
Now that Ramza's desire has been fulfilled, the auracite set in this necklace appears to have lost its blessing. Perhaps it is for the best, but I am simply glad that a piece of my mother remains.
I shall not say farewell, for I would not have this meeting be our last. Allow me instead to offer a prayer.
“Mother, abandon not Your wayward children of Ivalice,
But deliver us from our sins that we might know salvation.”
|
Yesterday, Ivalice was a legend. Today, it is history. And this is all thanks to your selfless efforts. No longer need I hide my heritage, for you have shown it to be noble.
I only pray this final act I have penned proves worthy of them and their deeds. Granted, it still requires much polishing.
And yes, I am fully aware that my conclusion to Ramza's tale differs from that which you saw in your vision and learned in the halls of Mullonde, but that was rather the point.
I wanted people to see Ramza in control of his own fate, ending his story on his own terms. Entrusting faith into future generations is noble, but it diminishes the accomplishments of Ramza and his companions. Which is why I granted them the victory they deserved.
History remembers those who prevailed...and thus will his name endure.
Now, was there aught else you wished to ask of me?
What will you ask?
1) What was the relation between Ramza and Delita?
2) What was the relation between Ramza and Orran?
3) How did Ramza use the auracite?
4) What was the Orbonne Monastery?
5) What is the Golmore Jungle?
6) Who is the High Seraph?
7) What was the Necrohol of Mullonde?
8) Who were the guardians of Mullonde?
As I believe I have explained before, the hero Ramza Beoulve and the pauper-become-king Delita Heiral were the closest of companions throughout most of their adolescence.
Ramza was the youngest son of House Beoulve, an old and respected bloodline of warriors. Delita was the son of farmers in service to the Beoulves. Normally, one mightn't expect the paths of two with such different backgrounds to cross, but fate chose to intervene.
When Delita's parents fall victim to a terrible plague, Ramza's father takes the orphaned boy and his sister into his home and raises them as his own. Sensing greatness in young Delita, Barbaneth elects to enroll him in the Royal Military Akademy with Ramza.
However, not but several moons before their graduation does great tragedy befall them both.
Noble children from across the realm are being abducted by a radical faction of dissident knights and ransomed to their families. Amongst those kidnapped is Delita's only sister, Tietra, mistaken to be of high birth for her place at Barbaneth Beoulve's table.
Or at least so they thought. It turns out the whole affair is a plot set in motion by a petty noble by the name of Argath Thadalfus. Yes, the very corse you encountered deep within the ruins of Lesalia.
You see, Argath and Delita were classmates at the Akademy, yet the former despised the latter, jealous of the baseborn upstart who was always first in his class from swordplay to letters.
And so Argath approaches the renegade knights and tells them of Ramza's sister...only instead of describing Alma's features, he gives them Tietra's that they might kidnap his true rival's kin. And they do.
However, when the commander overseeing the rescue efforts of these noble children learns that it is not Alma, but Tietra they have taken, he abandons all attempts at peaceful exchange with the brigands, refusing to waste valuable resources on a mere commoner.
Ramza and Delita plead with the officer to reconsider, but the order to storm the knights' hideout and burn it to the ground are carried out with cold precision. The mission is a success, and the dissidents─including Argath─are slain to a man...but so, too, is poor Tietra.
Having learned the true “worth” of his blood, Delita leaves both the Akademy and his friend Ramza behind to forge a new path...one that would ultimately lead to war.
Five summers will pass before the two meet again...
|
According to my ancestor's writings, Tietra's passing did not only serve to shape Delita, but Ramza, as well.
Ramza was possessed of two older brothers, both who had built reputations for themselves as fearless and cunning warriors worthy of the Beoulve name.
However, soon after the raid that sees Tietra slain, Ramza learns of his brothers' involvement in the affair.
The shock upon realizing his own kin's disdain for the common man is too much to bear, and Ramza abandons his duty as son of House Beoulve, choosing instead to consign himself to a life of wayfaring. It is while serving a band of mercenaries that he meets Orran Durai.
Orran, adoptive son of General Cidolfus Orlandeau, is tasked by his father to discover the identity of those truly behind the War of the Lions. Though, what he discovers will mark him for life.
Orlandeau was long an enemy of House Beoulve, but the general had always been a proponent of peace. On many an occasion did he attempt to stave the hands of conflict by providing resolution that would benefit both sides...only to find his efforts thwarted by a force unseen.
Throughout all this, the church maintained its neutrality, openly refusing to endorse either order. Yet this was little more than a facade. The truth was they silently wielded their influence over both sides, seeking to draw out the war that the armies might grow ever weaker.
It is during this time the church begins its search for the Zodiac Stones, or what we now know as auracite. Their aim is to gain support of the war-weary smallfolk by dangling the promise of peace delivered by legendary warriors descended from the heavens─the Zodiac Braves.
Orran Durai suspects the plot might bring great harm to the realm, but lacks the proof he requires to implicate the church in any wrongdoing.
When all hope is nearly lost, Orran encounters Ramza─already branded a heretic by the church for his discovery of several of the clergy's inconvenient truths─and learns that together, they might be able to make a difference, for Ramza holds a shard of auracite.
Threatened by Ramza's actions, but unable to successfully subdue the young man or his auracite, the church turns their attention to Cidolfus Orlandeau and condemns the general as they did Ramza in a ploy to drive him from the kingdom.
This betrayal by the church only serves to embolden Cidolfus, and it is not long before he joins Ramza and his son in their efforts to prevent the auracite's blight from spreading further.
|
While Delita waged his war for all to see, Ramza remained hidden, choosing to deal with the Lucavi from the shadows.
When the tiny fellowship was not hunting the horrors spawned by the Holy Stones, they were hounded by knights and brigands set upon them by the church.
Yet despite this, Ramza oft found his thoughts returning to his old friend, Delita─now an intelligencer with the Order of the Southern Sky. Delita had also not forgotten about his childhood companion, learning of both Ramza's troubles and the church's schemings soon after joining the order.
He could not, however, come to Beoulve's aid. Heiral had proven himself a capable warrior and a charismatic leader, and was using this momentum to silently orchestrate a play for Ivalice's throne. If he were to openly oppose the church, it would prove disastrous.
Ramza, though, had already been branded a heretic. Through Ramza, Delita might freely raise his sword against the church without consequence to himself, as long as their allegiance remained unknown.
Now, one might view this as the future-king simply using his companion to see his own desires to fruition. Why, even Orran himself opines on the matter in his papers.
However, both Delita and Ramza were quick to recognize that as long as the blight engendered by the auracite was allowed to spread unchecked, that true peace could never be realized. Their solution was ingenious.
Delita took his place on the field of battle to bring an end to the War of the Lions while Ramza took to the shadows to excise the otherworldly cankers that befouled the realm from within.
|
The Durai Papers tell us that the Orbonne Monastery overlooks a grand cataract on a river known as the Zeirchele. The building was allegedly ancient in Orran's time with no record as to exactly when or by whom it was constructed.
We do know, however, that the building had deep ties with the Atkascha dynasty─rulers at the time of the War of the Lions─and was oft used by the royal family to house prisoners...before finally being converted into a place of worship─a tradition that seemingly continued even after the conversion.
Orran writes that Princess Ovelia Atkascha, the last rightful heir to the Ivalician throne, was confined to the cloister for much of her young life before her eventual marriage to Delita.
Yet though the cenobites at Orbonne were part of a contemplative order within the Church of Glabados, they remained oddly exempt from the High Confessor's authority.
Now, you may ask, if Orbonne was a monastery, then why was Ovelia─a girl─admitted? Well, it appears early scholars may have misinterpreted an important term. In ancient Ivalician, the word for both “monastery” and “convent” are the same. However, seeing as Orbonne was inhabited not by monks, but by nuns, 'twould have been better suited had the word been rendered as “abbey,” which itself is more encompassing.
In addition to their daily prayer, these nuns crafted ales and wines from ingredients grown on their land, and sold them to desert townships that lacked ready access to potable water.
While the Durai Papers indicate the monastery─or abbey─as Ramza's final destination before his disappearance, it does not state why his journey was to take him there.
It is only through the vision provided to you by the Echo that we now know the reasoning behind such an obvious omission.
Unable to destroy the auracite or its creator, Ramza realized it only a matter of time before others would be lured by the promise of power offered by the stones, and so he bid his companion strike him from history that none might be tempted to follow in his wake.
Yet Orran did not heed his friend's final wish, opting instead to tell the young hero's tale in a chronicle that would be passed down in secret for countless generations...or at least most of the tale.
|
The Golmore Jungle is an endless swath of pristine emerald situated in the southeastern corner of Dalmasca on the Nagxian border.
The hot and humid climes of the region have given rise to a nigh-impenetrable expanse of towering sentinels and noisome bogs in which all manner of flora and fauna is allowed to flourish without the interference of man.
Our very own Montblanc, however, claims that on his short traipse through the region, he stumbled across numerous ruins of unknown origin. From what we have learned from our own research and expeditions, I would surmise these sites are somehow connected to ancient Ivalice.
While it is true that the Durai Papers make no mention of a jungle the likes of Golmore, more than a thousand summers have passed since my ancestor penned this chronicle. Any number of things could have given rise to a marked change in the environment. Even one of your calamities, perhaps.
Ah, and one cannot speak of Golmore without mention of its enigmatic inhabitants. As you know, the rain forest is also home to the Viera, self-proclaimed guardians of the wood.
Though, those who claim that title count themselves fewer with each coming spring, as more and more of the leporine abandon their ancestral homes for the comforts of the cities.
Still, many Viera continue their adherence to a strict code that has governed their people since ere the age of Ivalice─none may enter their jungle, and none may leave.
To the Viera, Golmore is sacred ground, and they will not suffer what they view as the desecration of their sovereign domain by outsiders. This is especially true for those who would dare hunt their lands.
|
The Durai Papers contain but a single passage on Ultima, revealing how it was the High Seraph who created the auracite and cast its shards across the face of Hydaelyn.
While your encounter with the darkness in Mullonde confirms this claim, we remain blind to the purpose for which the stones were forged.
That said, it appears the auracite itself contains no evil─the stones merely serve as an amplifier of sorts for the desires of those who come into their possession.
If that desire is one swollen fat with rage─one of dominance or revenge─then it is made manifest as a Lucavi. Such was the case with Argath and Ba'Gamnan.
Conversely, if the wielder's intentions are just, then they are rewarded with what can only be described as miracles. Legend provides us with countless tales of the Zodiac Braves granting succor to those wounded...or even fallen in battle.
Perhaps this is why history cannot decide on the alignment of the stones' creator.
If the being truly hails from some other plane of existence, as Mikoto suggested, then we would be fools to think she might be beholden to the same values we hold dear.
Now, as to what events saw the High Seraph contained within Mullonde in the first place, I would gather there is much room for speculation on the subject─starting with a reason why the Necrohol was exiled to an altogether foreign dimension.
|
Several centuries before Delita Heiral united the lands of Ivalice under a single crown, the realm was ruled by an entity known as the Holy Ydoran Empire.
As the empire grew older, so did its ruling class grow ever more corrupt, seizing the wealth of the land for their own until the weight of their greed became too much for the common man to bear.
In answer to the smallfolk's pleas did twelve brave men and women rise to stand against the upper class. Under the leadership of a hero named Ajora, the fellowship declared the empire enemy of the people and for their efforts soon came to be known as the Zodiac Braves.
While it is not clear if each wielded an auracite of their own, Ajora himself was possessed of talents far beyond those of mortal men. His prognostications earned him the love of the masses, and it was not long before he declared himself a “son of the gods.”
By the time the Zodiac Braves' struggle with the empire had entered its twentieth summer, the legions of Ajora's followers numbered in the tens of thousands.
And then, in a single night, it was done. The imperial capital of Mullonde was not only destroyed, but sunk 'neath the waves of the very sea upon which the city sat. The empire was no more.
Yet the celebration was short-lived, for Ajora had perished in this final assault. Following a period of realm-wide mourning, Ajora was elevated to a saint that his efforts might never be forgotten. Thus did the dawn break on a new era.
There were still many questions left unanswered. What terrible magicks did Ajora unleash to see an entire city vanished from existence, and how did he lose his life? Later, several of the original Zodiac Braves would come forth to express dismay at their leader's decision to invoke forbidden rites of summoning, and that it ultimately was not Ajora who saw his people to victory, but a devil to which the hero had sold his soul...
Might it be this devil Ajora summoned was Ultima? And might it be that upon the realization of their leader's misreckoning, that the remaining Braves joined to exile the city to a plane where the High Seraph might not exert her influence upon Hydaelyn any longer?
Ah, but this is all simply conjecture. With the Angel of Blood now defeated, we may never know the truth...but you have to admit my theory has some weight, considering all we have learned, no?
|
This is purely speculation, but I have reason to believe they were all companions of Ramza Beoulve who accompanied the Warrior of Light on his mission to put an end to the church's machinations.
Judging from your descriptions of the individuals, I would say you encountered Mustadio Bunansa, Agrias Oaks, and Cidolfus Orlandeau, known by some as the Thunder God.
Mustadio hailed from the Clockwork City of Goug, where he lived with his father. The young machinist joined Ramza in his efforts against the Church of Glabados after being rescued by the hero.
While known for his jovial nature, the self-assured Bunansa was never afraid to let Ramza know when he disapproved of his decisions, and would oft question the hero when he believed there to be a better path.
Although Mustadio was a peerless marksman, his true talent was repairing damaged machinery─as one might expect given his formal training. If my ancestor's writings are correct, the iron construct you encountered in Goug may have even been restored by Mustadio himself.
Agrias Oaks, on the other hand, was cut from an entirely different cloth than the young machinist. An elite Holy Knight in service of the throne, she was tasked with not only the safeguard of Princess Ovelia, but also the royal heir's education during her time at Orbonne.
Upon learning that the Black Lion, Duke Druksmald Goltanna, kidnapped her charge, Agrias set off to save the princess, only to learn that Delita had orchestrated the plot. After making her peace with the future king, Agrias pledged her sword to Ramza and his fellowship.
The Holy Knight has long been a prominent character in Ivalician legend, though her role has become highly romanticized in the countless retellings of Delita's tale.
The Durai Papers, conversely, speak of Agrias as a noble and trustworthy warrior to whom duty came first.
Finally, there is Count Cidolfus Orlandeau. High general in one of the realm's two most powerful armies, his unmatched skill on the field of battle earned him both the titles Sword Saint and Thunder God.
As you may recall, my ancestor Orran Durai was the count's adoptive son and the two worked together to discover the true architects of the War of the Lions...until they were discovered by the church, stripped of their titles, and sentenced to public execution for crimes of heresy.
In the legends, this is where Orlandeau meets his end; however, my studies would suggest that Cidolfus somehow escaped the headsman's blade and joined Ramza.
The proof, I believe, may lie in the Durai Papers where Orran writes, “and even in his twilight, could no warrior best this God of War.” Not the description one might expect for a man who died while in his prime, I say.
|
|
Well, wasn't that an adventure, Forename? It is sad to think we must soon part ways, what with all we've been through these past few moons.
Satisfied with the city's unwillingness to turn him over to the Garleans, Jenomis has decided to purchase a permanent berth above Kugane for the Prima Vista. Supposedly he has already received petitions from hundreds of geiko and geinin to join the company.
And then there is the matter of my assignment. You will be delighted to learn that I am...almost finished. What? How do you expect one to write an exposé when off battling forces of evil from beyond the void? Don't you worry, though. A few more weeks and I'll have a draft! All right...an outline.
Until then, I'll stay here in Kugane a while longer...at The Raven's expense, of course. Farewell!
|
|