Translated Japanese ∙ Japanese

Kokuyōka: These are in the order of The Thousand Tomes in the game. Thankfully, The Thousand Tomes are ordered by topic already and I just had to give them titles. The formatting of entries is roughly the same as it is in the Japanese.

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Writing Style Note

There are some general stylistic differences between the Japanese and English entries. The Japanese entries are very straightforward and matter-of-fact. The English entries are much more prone to prolonged Purple Prose.

When it comes to characters, the Japanese entries are more concerned with what the characters are doing, while the English entries are more concerned with what the characters’ motives and emotions are. This is very often reversed when the Japanese entries are concerned with the characters’ motives.

Across all types of entries, the Japanese entries highlight the role religion plays in the setting much more than the English entries do. The entries that are the most different by far between the two languages are those that have to do with spiritual metaphysics. It is also fairly common that in entries with multiple descriptions, the English entries are either behind or ahead of the Japanese entries in the information that is presented.

Entries that are markedly different between English and Japanese are noted, as well as how they are different.

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Table of Contents

Persons of Interest

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Clive Rosfield

Clive Rosfield — First Encounter

Firstborn son of Archduke Elwin, ruler of Rosaria.

From a young age, Clive dedicated himself to mastering the blade—
—and his practice paid off when he was appointed First Shield of Rosaria, tasked to guard the Phoenix and blessed with the ability to wield a part of his fire.

Clive Rosfield — At Rosalith Castle

Firstborn son of Archduke Elwin, ruler of Rosaria.

Though all expected him to inherit the Phoenix’s flames and awaken as its Dominant, destiny instead chose his younger brother Joshua to bear that burden.
In search of a role of his own, Clive dedicated himself to mastering the blade—and his practice paid off when he was appointed First Shield of Rosaria, tasted to guard the Phoenix and blessed with the ability to wield a part of his fire.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Clive — At Rosalith Castle.

Clive Rosfield — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

Firstborn son of Archduke Elwin and First Shield of Rosaria.

Though it was his sword duty to protect his father and younger brother, both lost their lives in a tragedy brought about by his mother, Duchess Anabella.
Taken into custody by the imperial army, he was branded as a Bearer and forced to serve as a slave soldier.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Clive — The Phoenix Gate Assault. The Japanese entry has it be Anabella that makes Clive a slave. The English entry has it be the Sanbreque Army.

Wyvern — At the Battle of Nysa

A slave soldier for the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, now in his thirteenth year of servitude.

Though drafted as a frontline infantryman, the magical might granted him by the Blessing of the Phoenix quickly saw him promoted to an elite squadron of assassins,
where he was assigned the moniker by which he is now known.
Their latest mission: to descend into the Nysa Defile, where bloody battle rages between the Iron Kingdom and the Republic of Dhalmekia, and take the head of Shiva’s Dominant.

Clive Rosfield — As Imperial Deserter

An imperial Bearer turned deserter

after refusing to slay the Dominant of Shiva, choosing instead to turn his blade on his own sergeant.
As a force of Crusaders closed around him, his freedom seemed as if it would be short-lived—until the timely intervention of Cid, a man who shared Clive’s desire to see the Dominant freed from their clutches. Together they escape to Cid’s secret hideaway.

Clive Rosfield — After Ifrit’s Awakening

An imperial Bearer turned deserter,

who joined forces with Cid to hunt down the second Dominant of Fire.
However, after being drawn into a fierce battle with Benedikta, Dominant of Garuda, the power of the mysterious Eikon Ifrit awakens within him and he discovers that the Dominant of Fire he has long been searching for—
—the one who killed his brother—was none other but himself.

Clive Rosfield — At Eastpool

An imperial Bearer turned deserter.

He and his childhood friend Jill journey to their homeland of Rosaria to learn the truth of the events that shaped their histories.
Their path takes them through the village of Eastpool, where they meet with Hanna Murdoch, wife of the late Lord Commander. She presents Clive with a set of clothes that once belonged to his father.

Clive Rosfield — After Joining Cid

An imperial Bearer turned deserter.

He returns to the ruins of Pheonix Gate, where his father and brother died thirteen years before, and learns that he is indeed the Dominant of Ifrit—the one who took his brother’s life.
Anxious to atone for his crimes and filled with righteous anger after witnessing the massacre at Eastpool, he pledges himself to Cid’s cause to free all of Valisthea from its bonds—not only those between Bearer and master, but those between man and Mothercrystal.

Kokuyōka: Clive’s motives for joining Cid are missing in its Japanese counterpart: Clive — Cid’s Companion.

Clive Rosfield — Five Years On

An imperial Bearer turned ally of Cid the OUtlaw.

In truth, however, he is something much more—not only the firstborn of the Archduke of Rosaria, but also the Dominant of Ifrit, with the ability to absorb the powers of other Eikons.
In the five years since the fall of Drake’s Head and the death of his mentor, he and Jill have strived to continue Cid’s legacy, the light of Ramuh forever in his heart.

Clive Rosfield — At the New Hideaway

After Cid fell and his hideaway was reduced to rubble at the hands of Hugo Kupka, Clive took on both his predecessor’s name and role, becoming the second “Cid the Outlaw” and leader of the reestablished resistance.
Together with the other survivors and their new recruits, he continues Cid’s mission to emancipate Bearers and rid the realm of Mothercrystals.

Clive Rosfield — As Mythos

Dominant of the second Eikon of Fire, Ifrit.

Unlike the other Dominants, Clive has the curious power to absorb Eikons from their hosts and wield their strength as his own.
The being known as Ultima appears to crave this same power—identifying Clive as “Mythos,” a vessel for power unlimited. However, Clive refuses to surrender himself to Ultima’s will, making of this godlike being another enemy in his fight to build a world where people can live on their own terms.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Clive — Mythos. The Japanese entry has Clive’s motive for fighting Ultima be that he wants to be and live as a person himself. The Japanese entry has Clive’s motive be that he wants to make a world where people can live on their own terms.

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Joshua Rosfield

Joshua Rosfield — First Encounter

Second son of the Archduke of Rosaria, Joshua was appointed heir to the ducal throne by virtue of his awakening as the Dominant of Phoenix.

His love and admiration of his elder brother Clive is absolute, and he is only too proud to have him serve as his First Shield.
His love for carrots—less so.

Joshua Rosfield — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

Second son of the Archduke of Rosaria and heir to the ducal throne.

Upon the night of the imperial invasion of Phoenix Gate, the shock of seeing his father slain before his disbelieving eyes led to him losing control of his Eikon and setting the castle alight. From the flames rose a second Eikon of Fire, whose murderous rampage laid both the castle, and the Phoenix, low.

Margrace — Masked

A mysterious hooded man who many believe to be a Dominant of Fire. He is never seen outside the company of his faithful attendant.

After being captured by Benedikta’s intelligencers and imprisoned in Caer Norvent,
he slipped free from his bonds and escaped to Phoenix Gate.

Joshua Rosfield — Unmasked

Dominant of the Phoenix and former heir to the ducal throne,

Joshua was thought to have died at the hands of the second Eikon of Fire during the disaster at Phoenix Gate.
However, he is very much alive, traveling the realm even now, his true identity hidden by a heavy cowl and an assumed name—that of Lord Margrace.

Joshua Rosfield — After Drake’s Head

Dominant of the Phoenix and former heir to the ducal throne.

Joshua was thought to have died at the hands of the second Eikon of Fire during the disaster at Pheonix Gate. However, he somehow survived—appearing before his brother once more some thirteen years later in the inner sanctum of Drake’s Head,
and saving Clive from Ultima’s advances by calling upon the power of the Phoenix to seal the being within himself.

Joshua Rosfield — Following the Destruction of Twinside

Dominant of the Phoenix and former heir to the ducal throne.

Though he and Clive trod their separate paths for many years, the brothers were finally reunited amid the ruins of the Crystalline Dominion.

Joshua Rosfield — Idol of the Undying

Dominant of the Phoenix and younger brother of Clive.

After surviving the disaster at Phoenix Gate, he devoted himself to uncovering the truth behind the emergence of the second Eikon of Fire.
With the help of the Undying, he obtained a copy of the Journal of Moss the Chronicler, from whose pages he learned of the existence of Ulitma—
—the creature he was later to meet with and seal away inside himself in the sanctuary of Drake’s Head.
Now reunited with his brother, he and Clive fight as one to defeat Ultima and forge a new fate for mankind.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Joshua — The Sect Leader of the Phoenix Religious Order. The Japanese entry focuses on how Joshua came to be with the Undying and that he is its leader. The first half of the third sentence and the last sentence are missing in the Japanese entry. The English entry cuts that Joshua is the leader of the Undying and focuses on how Joshua learned of Ultima.

Joshua Rosfield — United Against Ultima

Dominant of the Phoenix and younger brother of Clive.

He researches into Ultima culminate in the revelation that the creature’s true form is one and the same with Ifrit Risen, the creature he and his brother transformed into in the skies above the Crystalline Dominion.
His grip upon the creature he sealed away inside himself by the altar of Drake’s Head ever fading, he swears to stand with Clive and fight their fate until the end.

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Jill Warrick

Jill Warrick — First Encounter

Born a princess of the Northern Territories, Jill was made a ward of Rosaria after her homeland’s incessant raids were quelled by the duchy.
She was raised in Rosalith Castle alongside Clive and Joshua, who came to love her as a sister.

Jill Warrick — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

Born a princess of the Northern Territories, Jill was made a war of Rosaria after her homeland’s incessant raids were quelled by the duchy.
She was raised in Rosalith Castle alongside Clive and Joshua, who came to love her as a sister.
When she waved the brothers farewell on the day they departed for Phoenix Gate, little did she know of the misfortune that awaited both them—and her.

Jill Warrick — At the Battle of Nysa

Dominant of Shiva and Clive’s childhood friend.

In the depths of the Nysa Defile, the two came to blows at the order of the armies that enslaved them—Jill fighting to defend the priests of the Iron Kingdom, Clive obeying the empire’s orders to take the head of Shiva’s Dominant.
Exhausted from her tilt with Titan, Jill came close to falling to her assassins’ blades, but was spared at the last moment when Clive’s memories of their time together came flooding back.

Jill Warrick — Unconscious

Dominant of Shiva and Clive’s childhood friend.

In the wake of the tragedy at Phoenix Gate, Jill was taken prisoner by the Ironblood army that marched on Rosalith and held captive on their islands. It was there that she awakened as the Dominant of Shiva
and was forced to serve as the Crusaders’ weapon in their holy wars.

Jill Warrick — Awoken

Dominant of Shiva and Clive’s childhood friend.

After Clive and Cid spirited her away from the battlefield where she was being forced to fight for the Ironblood, Jill was placed in the care of the hideaway’s talented physicker, Tarja, who nursed her back to health.
Finally awake after her long period of convalescence, she sets out with Clive to discover the truth of their past.

Jill Warrick — Five Years On

Dominant of Shiva and Clive’s childhood friend.

After Clive and Cid spirited her away from the battlefield where she was being forced to fight for the Ironblood, Jill was placed in the care of the hideaway’s talented physicker, Tarja, who nursed her back to health.
Five years have now passed since the fall of Drake’s Head, and she and Clive continue Cid’s mission to emancipate Bearers and rid the realm of Mothercrystals.

Jill Warrick — At the New Hideaway

Dominant of Shiva and trusted confidant of Clive, leader of the new hideaway.

Together, they continue Cid’s mission to emancipate Bearers and rid the realm of Mothercrystals.

Jill Warrick — On the Shadow Coast

Dominant of Shiva and trusted confidant of Clive, leader of the new hideaway.

After Clive was bested by Barnabas in the bed of the Naldia Narrow, the two fled to the Shadow Coast. It was there that she entrusted her Eikon to him,
that he might have the strength to fight their fate to the last.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Jill — At Shadow Coast. The Japanese entry focuses on Jill’s motive for fighting alongside Clive as well as Clive’s own motives. The English entry focuses on Jill’s motive for giving Shiva to Clive.

Jill Warrick — A Hidden Past

Dominant of Shiva and trusted confidant of Clive, leader of the new hideaway.

Born a princess of the Northern Territories, Jill was made a ward of Rosaria after her father the Silvermane’s incessant raids were quelled by the duchy.
She entrusted her Eikon to Clive after he was bested by King Barnabas, that he might have the strength to fight their fate to the last.

Jill Warrick — Ties to Mysidia

Dominant of Shiva and dearly beloved of Clive, leader of the new hideaway.

Born a princess of the Northern Territories, visiting Mysidia was like returning to a home she thought long lost.
This strange feeling of familiarity became overbearing when she ventured to the Aire of Hours, where the aether of the Witch of the North, Dominant of Shiva before her, filled the air.

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Torgal

Torgal — First Encounter

Clive’s faithful friend.

Brought back from one of Archduke Elwin’s expeditions to the frozen Northern Territories, where he was found half-starved and shivering in a snowfield, having presumably been separated from his pack.
Elwin gifted the puppy to Clive upon his return, and the two became nigh inseparable.

Torgal — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

Clive’s faithful friend.

Brought back from one of Archduke Elwin’s expeditions to the frozen Northern Territories, where he was found half-starved and shivering in a snowfield, having presumably been separated from his pack.
Elwin gifted the puppy to Clive upon his return, and the two became nigh inseparable—
—until the tragic events at Phoenix Gate tore them apart.

Torgal — At the Battle of Nysa

Clive’s faithful friend, now fully grown.

After the tragic events at Pheonix Gate, Clive believed that Torgal was lost to him forever.
However, their paths were to cross again some thirteen years later when
Torgal’s new master Cid came to Clive’s rescue in the depths of the Nysa Defile.
Despite their long years apart, the two knew each other as if not a single day had passed since their separation.

Kokuyōka: The second and last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Torgal — At the Nysa Gorge.

Torgal — Reunited with Clive

Clive’s faithful friend.

The two were separated on the night of the tragedy at Phoenix Gate, yet reunited thirteen years later in the depths of the Nysa Defile. In the intervening years, Torgal not only grew into a fine hound, but met with Cid, who trained him to work as a hunting dog.
After meeting with Clive again, Torgal gladly returns to the service of his former master.

Torgal — At the New Hideaway

Clive’s faithful friend.

He is fiercely protective of him and his allies, loath as he is to lose his best friend again, and never strays far from Clive’s side—
—putting the hunting skills Cid taught him to use in fending off foes and picking up trails.

Torgal — A Fine Hound

Clive’s faithful friend, who is fiercely protective of him and his allies.

When Jill came close to death in the courtyard of Rosalith Castle, something awoke within him, transforming Torgal into something akin to an Eikon.

Torgal — Unleashed

Clive’s faithful friend, who is fiercely protective of him and his allies.

However, it emerges that he is much more than a mere scent hound—he is a rare frost wolf, imbued with a sorcerous strength that he is able to call upon to defend his allies in times of crisis.

Torgal — The Blood of Fenrir

Clive’s faithful friend.

He is a rare frost wolf,
imbued with the same sorcerous strength as his ancestor Fenrir, which he calls upon to defend his allies in times of crisis.
Though the manner in which he primes into his Fenriric form is reminiscent of Dominants summoning their Eikons, Torgal calls not on his own Eikon, but upon the powers of those who have walked beside him over the years, and with whose aether he has become imbued.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Torgal — Fenrir.

Torgal — A Hidden Past

Clive’s faithful friend.

After the two were separated in the tragedy at Phoenix Gate, Torgal continued to search for his missing master—sniffing out anything that bore Clive’s scent and carrying it home to their secret island hideaway.
It was during one of his forays on the mainland that he encountered Cid, who took the lonely Torgal in, fashioning an ankle for the lovelorn pup which he treasures to his day.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Torgal — His Thoughts on Clive. The Japanese entry is missing the information about when Cid found Torgal and focuses more on why Torgal was hiding Clive’s items. The English entry focuses more on when Cid found Torgal.

Creatures

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Ambrosia

Ambrosia — First Encounter

Born in the stables of Rosalith Castle, Ambrosia was chosen by the young Clive Rosfield to be his personal steed and raised by him from a chick.
She is a proud bird and deeply loyal to her master—quickly turning her beak upon any be he should attempt to pet her.

Ambrosia — The Night of Flames

Clive’s personal steed.

During the attack on Phoenix Gate, she raced to Clive’s rescue, saving him from certain death at the cost of an eye—a price she gladly paid.

Kokuyōka: This entry is completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Ambrosia — The Phoenix Gate Assault. The Japanese entry focuses on how people didn’t know what happened to Ambrosia after Phoenix Gate Assault. The English entry focuses on what she was doing during the assault.

Ambrosia — As Whiteheart

Clive’s personal steed.

After losing her master at Phoenix Gate, Ambrosia found a new flock, and led them in defending honest merchants from beats and bandits—
—earning herself the love of the locals and the name “Whiteheart.”
Indeed, it was one local’s insistence that she be defended in turn that led to her happy reunion with Clive.

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Nektar

The hideaway’s resident moogle,

whom Cid found trapped between Fallen ruins and brought back to his deadland home.
While all others hear its words as naught but a succession of adorable “kupo”-like cries, Clive is somehow able to make sense of them—
—learning that the creatures professes to be a might hero who would see the terrible fiends that plague the realm laid low. For which purpose, it persists in drawing Clive’s attention to the Hunt Board.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Nektar. The Japanese entry has Nektar secretly follow Cid to the Hideaway. The English entry has Cid bring Nektar to the Hideaway.

Dominants

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Cidolfus Telamon

Cidolfus Telamon — First Encounter

Cornered by a battalion of Iron Kingdom Crusaders in the depths of the Nysa Defile, Clive though his end was nigh—
—until Cid appeared and spirited him and Jill away to his secret hideaway in the deadlands.

Cidolfus Telamon — Dominant of Ramuh

Founder and leader of the hideaway,

where he and his comrades labor to liberate Bearers and Dominants from servitude—
—a life that Cid knows all too well, as he bears the burden of being the Dominant of Ramuh, Warden of Thunder.
No longer does he fight for any one nation, but for all the peoples of Valisthea.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Cid — The Summoned Beast Ramuh. The Japanese entry says Cid acts according to his own beliefs. The English entry says Cid is fighting for everyone in Valisthea.

Cidolfus Telamon — History with Benedikta

Leader of the hideaway and Dominant of Ramuh, Warden of Thunder.

Born in a land beyond the Twins, Cid journeyed to Valisthea as a sword for hire.
It was here that he entered the service of Waloed, awakened as a Dominant and was finally elevated to Lord Commander of the royal army.
However, he was soon to abandon his post, and Benedikta, that he might instead create a world where Bearers and Domnants can die on their own terms.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence and first half of the third sentence are missing in its Japanese counterpart: Cid — His Connection to Benedikta.

Cidolfus Telamon — A Shocking Truth

Leader of the hideaway and Dominant of Ramuh, Warden of Thunder.

In his quest to create a world where Bearers and Dominants can die on their own terms,
he unearthed a shocking truth—that the Mothercrystals were the cause of the all-consuming Blight. He makes plans to see the Mothers fall, that Valisthea and her people might be saved.

Cidolfus Telamon — Cid the Outlaw

Leader of the hideaway and Dominant of Ramuh, Warden of Thunder.

His plan to create a world where Bearers and Dominants could die on their own terms meant destroying the Mothercrystals—an act of blasphemy that would see him forever denounced as an outlaw.
It was during their mission to fell Drake’s Head in 873 that Cidolfus Telamon lost his life to a beast from the beyond, passing the title “Cid the Outlaw” on to his protégé Clive.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Cid — Cid the High Criminal.

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Benedikta Harman

Benedikta Harman — First Encounter

Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s elite intelligencers,

who sits by her liege’s side at the highest tables of state—most recently in their negotiations with the Dhalmeks at the Zirnitra Stronghold.
But Barnabas is not the only one with whom she she shares a special bond—Beneditka also has eyes, and ambitions, for Hugo Kupka.

Benedikta Harman — With the Royal Intelligencers

Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s elite intelligencers

and a true scholar of the blade, who leads her loyal minions from the front.
After attending the negotiations with the Dhalmeks at the Zirnitra Stronghold, where she crushed the hopes of the Republican Army while encouraging those of Hugo Kupka, she parted company with her liege lord in order to lead a secret incursion into imperial territory.

Benedikta Harman — At Caer Norvent

Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s elite intelligencers and the Dominant of Garuda, the Warden of Wind.

While her dalliances with Hugo Kupka would appear to be naught but a ruse guided by the hand of King Barnabas, her love for her former Lord Commander Cid was deep and true—and left an equally abyssal hole in her heart when he fled Waloed.

Benedikta Harman — Following Garuda’s Defeat

Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s elite intelligencers and the Dominant of Garuda, the Warden of Wind.

After Clive took her power at Caer Norvent and the keep was set to fire, she and her comrades were forced into making a hurried retreat,
only to be set upon by bandits. What was left of Benedikta’s power ran amok, summoning forth the raging whirlwind within which she was at last to lose her life at the hands of Clive Rosfield and his Eikon Ifrit.

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Hugo Kupka

Hugo Kupka — First Encounter

Kupka’s awakening as the Dominant of the Eikon Titan

thrust him to the forefront of Dhalmekian politics, winning him influence over both the republic’s armies and its policy making—as well as a personal fortune.
He has little love for his country, taking advantage of his position to benefit himself and himself alone.
His for Beneidkta Harman, however, is absolute, and he would gladly betray his every ally just to be with her.

Hugo Kupka — Revenge Exacted

Kupka’s awakening as the Dominant of the eikon Titan

thrust him to the forefront of Dhalmekian politics, winning him influence over both the republic’s armies and its policy making—as well as a personal fortune. His greatest treasure, however, was always Benedikta Harman—
—so when a servant of Waloed informed him that his love has been slain by Cid, his fury towards the outlaw and his allies knew no bounds.

Hugo Kupka — In Pursuit of Cid

Permanent Economic Advisor to the Dhalmekian parliament and Dominant of Titan.

He has little love for his country taking advantage of his position to benefit himself and himself alone.
After learning that Cid the Outlaw—the man who slew the love of his life Benedikta Harman—still lives, he tasks his personal guard with capturing and torturing Bearers in order to draw out his nemesis and take his revenge.

Hugo Kupka — At Rosalith Castle

Dominant of the Eikon Titan, Waren of Earth.

On learning the identity of the one who slew his beloved Benedikta, he sends his forces to ransack Rosalith—capital city of Rosaria and Clive’s former home—in the hope of drawing him out.
Clive takes up the offer, and is able to best Kupka in battle, cutting off his hands in the process.
But before Clive can deal the finishing blow, the helpless Hugo is spirited away by a mysterious man from Waloed.

Hugo Kupka — Final Breaths

Dominat of the Eikon Titan.

After losing his hands to Clive’s blade in the crypt of Rosalith Castle, he was spirited back to Dhalmekia by his enigmatic Waloeder ally, Lord Harbard.
Clive followed after, storming Kupka’s stronghold in the heart of Drake’s Fang to finish him once and for all.
The duel that ensued—first with Titan, then with something even more terrible, led not only to Kupka’s long-awaited demise, but to that of his nation’s Mothercrystal.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Hugo — His Last Moments. The Japanese entry has the second sentence be about how Hugo goes out of control at Dazbog Castle. The English entry has it be about how Hugo got back to Dazbog Castle.

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Dion Lesage

Dion Lesage — First Encounter

Leader of the dragoons,

the most elite warriors of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, who are the first to leap into the fray when the empire finds herself under threat—often literally.
Dion is also the Dominant of Bahamut, Warden of Light.

Dion Lesage — At the Battle of Belenus Tor

Firstborn son and loyal subject of Emperor Sylvestre, ruler of the Holy Empire of Sanbreqeu, as well as leader of the Empire’s most elite fighting force—the dragoons.
Dion is also the Doimnant of Bahamut, Warden of LIght, and has oft been called upon to summon his Eikon in defense of his countrymen—most recently in the Year of the Realm 873, when Odin took to the field against them in the Battle of Belenus Tor.

Dion Lesage — Following Olivier’s Ascension

Prince of the Holy Empire of the Sanbreque and Dominant of Bahamut.

He is deeply loyal to his father, Emperor Emeritus Sylvestre, and is much pained by His Radiance’s recent coldheartedness towards both his people, and himself—a change that Dion learns was largely the result of Anabella’s scheming.

Dion Lesage — Revolt

Prince of the Holy Empire of the Sanbreque and Dominant of Bahamut.

Dion led his dragoons in revolt against the perceived treason of Empress Anabella and her son Olivier,
but was instead goaded into slaying his own father and driven to madness, transforming into Bahamut and
laying waste to much of the Dominion.

Dion Lesage — Rescued in Twinside

Dominant of Bahamut, Warden of Light.

After laying waste to much of the Crystalline Dominion in an Ultima-inspired frenzy, Clive evacuated him to the hideaway, where Tarja labored to mend his wounds.
Finally awake, he escaped to the Dominion to survey the damage he had done, and collapsed from shock—
—awakening again to find himself in the care of a young medicine girl named Kihel.

Dion Lesage — At the Sack of Ran’dellah

Dominant of Bahamut, Warden of Light.

Making good on his promise to Johsua Rosfield to join him in his fight against Ulitma, Dion rallies his dragoons to the defense of the Dhalmekian capital of Ran’dellah, saving the city from Akashic assault.
He entrusts his troops to Eugen Havel before setting out to pledge his personal loyalty to the Rosfields’ cause.

Dion Lesage — Meeting with Clive

Dominant of Bahamut, Warden of Light.

Knowing all too keenly how Ultima’s machinations are ushering the world to its doom after the events in Twinside, Dion pledges his Allegiance to Clive and Joshua Rosfield,
arriving on the Enterprise just in time to ride to the brothers’ rescue in Stonhyrr.

Dion Lesage — A Renewed Resolve

Dominant of Bahamut, Warden of Light.

Before he joined the dragoons, Dion spent his youth studying, that he might assist his father in ruling the empire.
On returning with Clive and Joshua to the hideaway, he is reunited with his old tutor, Harpocrates, who inspires in him a renewed determination to bring Ulitma’s evil to an end.

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Sleipnir Harbard

Royal Knight Lord Commander — First Encounter

Lord Commander of the Kingomd of Waloed’s armies.

He accompanied his liege to Fort Zirnitra in the Republic of Dhalmekia to negotiate the provision of reinforcements from the Royal Order of Knights.

Lord Harbard — At Drake’s Fang

Lord Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s armies,

Harbard is known to many as the Constant Knight, by reason for his unchanging icy demeanor, and his unwavering loyalty to his liege.
Indeed, he appears to command Barnabas’s complete trust, having been gifted full command of the Royal Order of Knights despite his apparent youth.
The capacity in which he evacuated Hugo Kupka from Rosalith Castle, however, remains a mystery.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Halberd — At Drake’s Fang. The Japanese entry calls Sleipnir the Immortal Knight. The English entry calls him the Constant Knight because of how emotionally cold and loyal he is to Barnabas.

Sleipnir Harbard — In Old Kanver

Lord Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s armies,

Sleipnir was known to many as the Constant Knight, by reason of his unchanginly icy demeanor, and his uwavering loyalty to his liege.
Bested by Clive Rosfield
after he and his master slaughtered the guildmasters and republican ministers in the Kanverian Agora.

Sleipnir Harbard — At the Ironworks

Lord Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s armies.

Despite apparently falling to Clive Rosfield’s blade outside the Kanverian Agora, he appeared again in the Ironworks, conjuring countless doubles of himself that set upon Clive and his allies—
—proving Joshua’s theory that the Constant knight was no mere swordsman, but a magical creation of King Barnabas.

Sleipnir Harbard — Death

Lord Commander of the Kingdom of Waloed’s armies.

He was in fact a magical creation of Odin—and when his master primed, Sleipnir followed, taking the form of the eikon’s six-legged steed.
But an egi cannot exist without its Eikon, and when Barnabas died, so too did he.

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Barnabas Tharmr

The King of Waloed — First Encounter

The aloof and unshakable Barnabas Tharmr, first of his name.
Few can meet his steely gaze without flinching.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The King of the Kingdom of Waloed — Synopsis. The Japanese entry focuses on how inspiring Barnabas is. The English entry focuses on how fierce Barnabas is.

Barnabas Tharmr — At the Battle of Belenus Tor

King of Waloed and Dominant of Odin, the Warden of Darkness.

At the battle of Belenus Tor, he not only took personal command of the royal army, but rode into the fray himself—galloping through the air atop his six-legged steed and goading Bahamut into a duel that shook the skies.

Barnabas Tharmr — Waloed’s Ambitions

King of Waloed and Dominant of Odin, the Warden of Darkness.

Thought his nation’s isolation in Ash allows Barnabas to remain aloof from the affairs of Storm—and he has oft elected to do precisely that—his movements of late would suggest that he has ambitions on the western continent.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Barnabas — The Kingdom of Waloed’s Movements. The Japanese entry focuses on how Waloed warred across Valisthea, but then stopped being involved in wars in order to watch what was going on. The English entry focuses on Waloed not interfering with the Wind Continent and how that contrasts with what Barnabas is doing now. Given that Waloed is showed warring with Sanbreque for years at a time and never really stopping being interested in the Wind Continent, the Japanese entry is likely the more accurate one.

Barnabas Tharmr — Past Uncovered

King of Waloed and Dominant of Odin, the Warden of Darkness.

Barnabas is also a feared warrior in his own right.
After journeying to Valisthea from the outer continent as a young man,
he led his people in overthrowing the ancient Kingdom of Veldermarke that once ruled northern Ash, and established his new Kingdom of Waloed upon its ruins.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Barnabas — The Summoned Beast Odin. The Japanese entry focuses more on how Barnabas destroyed Veldermark with Odin. The English entry focus more how he founded Waloed itself.

Barnabas Tharmr — Atop Reverie

King of Waloed and Dominant of Odin, the Warden of Darkness.

Scion of a tribe that crossed the seas to Valisthea from the southern continent many centuries before, Barnabas remains a zealous adherent of their ancient religion, the circle of Malius. Tasked by his god, Ultima, to assist with the perfection of his vessel, Barnabas put Mythos to the test—
—at last judging Clive worthy, and surrendering his strength to him with his dying breath.

Kokuyōka: Barnabas’ motive for making Clive absorb Odin is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Barnabas — His Final Moments.

Main Hideaway Crew

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Otto

Otto — First Encounter

Chief steward of Cid’s hideaway,

who manages the day-to-day ruining of their operation in his friends’ stead—Cid often being taken far and away by his Bearer-liberating actives.
Even when Cid is at home, he prefers to leave such busywork to Otto—much to the hard-pressed purser’s indignation.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Otto — Synopsis.

Otto — At the New Hideaway

Chief steward of Clive’s hideaway.

Otto continues to serve the same role he did under Cid,
being the primary persona in charge of all monies and information coming into and going out of the hideaway.

Otto — A Hidden Past

Chief steward of Clive’s hideaway, and Cid’s hideaway before it.

He first met Cid aboard the trading ship he worked as purser, and the two became fast friends.
However, after his firstborn awakened as a Bearer and his family gladly condemned the son he loved to a life of slavery, Otto could no longer turn a blind eye to the suffering of those touched by the aether. His friend rallied to his cause, and together, they swore to save Otto’s son and others like him.

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Gav

Gav — First Encounter

Cid’s faithful scout,

who puts his legendary nose to work in tracking the movements of slavers, soldiers, and any other object of interest to the hideaway—the ever-agreeable fellow only too gladly delving behind enemy lines if he can get a good story or two out of it.

Kokuyōka: The second half of this entry is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Gav — Synopsis.

Gav — At the Kingsfall

Cid’s faithful scout.

The ever-agreeable fellow volunteered to follow after the Dominant that Clive had long been hunting—
—only to find himself being hunted in turn by the imperials. As luck would have it, Clive arrived in the nick of time to save his life, forging an unbreakable bond between them.

Gav — At the New Hideaway

Cid’s faithful scout,

now one of Clive’s closet and most trusted allies.
He continues to put his legendary nose to work in service of the hideaway—the information he brings back from his expeditions proving invaluable for the Cursebreakers in their efforts to save Bearers from servitude.
Though he lost an eye during Hugo Kupka’s attack on the old hideaway, his scouting senses remain undimmed.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Gav — Gav’s Job.

Gav — A Hidden Past

Cid’s faithful scout,

now one of Clive’s closest and most trusted allies.
Born the youngest son of a large family, he had always longed to be a big brother.
However, just as his mother was ready to give birth to the sister he had impatiently awaited, his entire family were slain in an imperial raid on his village.
Now, he has a new family in the members of the hideaway, and swears to protect them where his younger self could not.

Kokuyōka: The second half the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Gav — The Hideaway’s Companions.

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Tarja

Tarja — First Encounter

Resident physicker of Cid’s hideaway.

Tarja is an expert in all manner of medicines and medical interventions—skills that are indispensable in their deadland home, where they cannot call on healing magicks.
After Cid brings an unconscious Jill back to the hideaway from his expedition to the Nysa Defile, she is placed into Tarja’s care.

Tarja — At the New Hideaway

Resident physicker of Clive’s hideaway,

and trusted ally of the cause.
Branded as a bearer from birth and forced to serve as a battlefield healer, Tarja put her surgical training to use in removing her own brand—a procedure she has since perfected, and offers to any other escaped salve.

Tarja — A Hidden Past

Resident physicker of Clive’s hideaway, and trusted ally of the cause.

She learned much of her knowledge of non-magical interventions in the southern isles, where she served as a Branded healer—
—with her magic next to useless in the Blighted land, a man she called her mentor taught her the true physicker’s art.
Fate brought the two together again in her mentor’s final hours. Long past healing, it was all Tarja could do to use the skills he had taught her to ease his passing.

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Charon

Charon — First Encounter

One of Cid’s most trusted allies.

A merchant who calls the hideaway her home.
With a little help form her hardworking yet long-suffering apprentice Goetz,
she can source whatever supplies the residents of the hideaway need—provided they are willing to pay.
She wears a glass eye in her right socket.

Charon — At the New Hideaway

One of Cid’s most trusted allies.

After Cid’s hideaway was laid waste to by Hugo Kupka and his minions, she and her hardworking yet long-suffering apprentice Goetz followed Clive to the new hideaway in Bennumere, where they serve him in the same capacity they served his predecessor, sourcing whatever supplies her fellow residents are in need of.

Charon — A Hidden Past

One of Cid’s most trusted allies.

A merchant by trade, Charon was born in lands beyond Valisthea. She came to the Twins as a weapons dealer, selling to anyone willing to pay—an attitude that earned her not only a fortune, but a price on her head.
It was while fleeing from her many enemies that she met Cid, who gave her refuge in exchange for her exclusive services.
Her hardworking assistant Goetz, who she calls her “right eye,” she bought from his neglectful parents.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Charon — Her Right Eye. The Japanese entry’s third sentence is about how Bogan betrayed Charon. The English entry’s third sentence is about Charon meeting Cid.

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Goetz

Goetz — First Encounter

One of Cid’s trusted allies.

A gentle giant who has a warm word for everyone.

Goetz — In Charon’s Service

Apprentice to Charon and ally of the hideaway.

A gentle giant who has a warm word for everyone, but is not afraid to put his foot down in the face of injustice.
Goetz’s every waking moment is spent in service to his “Nan,” and he can do little of his own accord without her express permission.

Goetz — A Prentice Smith

Apprentice to Charon and ally of the hideaway.

After Cid’s hideaway was reduced to rubble at the hands of Hugo Kupka, he followed his Nan in joining Clive at their new home on the lake.
He has a keen interest in smithing, and spends what little spare time he is granted heating and hammering metal just as Blackthorne showed him.

Goetz — On the Road to the Dominion

Apprentice to Charon and ally of the hideaway.

He is a proud bearer of a trader’s pass that allows him to travel freely across the realm—something that is indispensable in completing the errands that Charon sets him.
His latest task—to journey to the Crystalline Dominion in the company of Clive and Jill, using the pas to cross the heavily guarded and fortified border.

Goetz — Following the Destruction of Twinside

Apprentice to Charon and ally of the hideaway.

He aided Clive and Jill in gaining entry to the besieged Crystalline Dominion by having them pose as sellswords hired to protect an honest merchant visiting Twinside to trade in smithing paraphernalia.
Somehow surviving the chaos that was to follow, he was cooped up from the ruined city by Joshua, who transformed into the Phoenix to effect his allies’ escape.

Goetz — A Hidden Past

Apprentice to Charon and ally of the hideaway.

Charon purchased Goetz from his neglectful parents after witnessing how they abused and undervalued their child, and it has been his pleasure to serve her ever since.
His Nan feels much the same way about him, going so far as to call him her “right eye”—on the rare occasions she lets her true feelings slip.

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Blackthorne

Blackthorne — First Encounter

Resident blacksmith of Cid’s hideaway.

A sullen and secretive sort, who prefers to drown his woes in drink than to share them.

Blackthorne — At the New Hideaway

Resident blacksmith of Clive’s hideaway,

where he keeps the new “Cid the Outlaw” and his allies well outfitted with arms and armor.
Though he is usually a sullen and secretive sort, his knowledge he is happy to share with Goetz, who has long been eager to learn the art of smithing.

Blackthorne — A Hidden Past

Resident blacksmith of Clive’s hideaway.

He originally hails from Dravozd, in the far-flung desert wastes of Dhalmekia,
where he and Zoltan both prenticed,
though he has not returned for many a year—not least because his former friend still bears him a deep-seated grudge.

Blackthorne — Reconciled

Resident blacksmith of Clive’s hideaway.

He originally hails from Dravozd, in the far-flung desert wastes of Dhalmekia, where he and Zoltan both prenticed.
After an aetherflood filled the nearby mines and the town was set upon by Akashic beasts, he rode to Dravozd’s defense, settling the bad blood between them once and for all. Together, he and Zoltan forged the Ragnarok—the legendary blade whose designs were bequeathed them by the master, Vulcan.

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Midadol Telamon

Midadol Telamon — First Encounter

Student of engineering at the University of Kanver.

She is well versed in the secrets of modern and Fallen technology as any scholar in the Twins, and means to put that knowledge to use in service of the hideaway.

Midadol Telamon — Cid’s Daughter

Daughter of Cid, and student of engineering at the University of Kanver.

From a young age, Mid showed the same passion for invention as her father, and an even greater aptitude.
She is well versed int he secrets of modern and Fallen technology as any scholar in the Twins, and means to put that knowledge to use in service of the hideaway.

Midadol Telamon — As Captain

Daughter of Cid.

Raised in the hideaway, Mid learned all she could of engineering and invention from her father, before leaving for university to learn all she couldn’t.
Her studies all but complete, she put her skills and knowledge to use in building the Enterprise, a mythril engine-powered vessel for her and her father’s design, which she captains in service of Clive’s cause.

Midadol Telamon — Her Dream of Flight

Adoptive daughter of Cid,

who saved her from the streets as a girl and raised her as his own.
And raise her as his own he did, the young Mid following in her father’s footsteps in perfecting his design for the mythril engine.
Though she fears the completed engine might be used for ill if the designs were to fall into the wrong hands, the dream of flight that she and her father shared is too great to see consigned to the dustbin of history.
And so, she continues to labor, that one day that dream might become reality.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing from its Japanese counterpart: Mid — Airships.

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Harpocrates II Hyperboreos

Harpocrates II Hyperboreos — First Encounter

The hideaway’s resident historian,

whose love for books has earned him the nickname “Tomes.”
Harpocrates traveled to Valisthea as a youth, seeking to unearth the secrets of this land of legend,
and over the years has developed a deep knowledge of Valisthean geography, history, religion and folklore.

Harpocrates II Hyperboreos — At the New Hideaway

The hideaway’s resident historian.

After Cid’s death and the destruction of his home,
he joined Clive at the new hideaway, establishing a grand library within the walls of the Fallen ruin from whence he continues to share his knowledge with any who will listen. He has taken the orphaned twins Tett and Crow as his apprentices, though they have yet to prove the most attentive audience.

Harpocrates II Hyperboreos — As Imperial Tutor

The hideaway’s resident historian.

Before meeting Cid and moving in with his band of outlaws, Harpocrates dwelled in much grander surroundings: the imperial palace, where he served as tutor to Prince Dion.
He bears a deep and lingering affection or his former charge, and on reuniting with Dion in the hideaway, presented him with the gift of a wild wyvern tail that he might be reminded of the goodness within him, and not punish himself unduly.

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Vivan Ninetales

Vivan Ninetales — First Encounter

A scholar and strategist who makes her home in the hideaway,

analyzing every shred of information that comes in from the wider world in order to divine the dispositions of the realm’s armies and those who lead them. She offers her insight to Clive, that he might better understand the lay of the land.
The moniker “Ninetales,” of which she herself is fond, was gifted her by her fellow scholars in recognition of her ability to speak at length on almost any subject.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Vivian — Synopsis. The Japanese entry has Vivan’s nickname be something she uses because her real name became too recognizable. The English entry has her nickname be something other scholars called her.

Vivan Ninetales — At the Hideaway

A scholar and strategist who makes her home in the hideaway,

offering her insight to Clive that he might better understand the lay of the land.
Once a professor at the university of Kanver, her dogged pursuit of the truth earned her the enmity of some of her less scrupulous colleagues.
After learning of a plot on her life, she fled to the hideaway, and has been slowly but surely warming to her new surrounds ever since.

Administrative Hideaway Crew

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Gatute

Otto’s loyal lackey, tasked not only with keeping the ledgers,

but with reading and sorting the myriad reports that enter the hideaway and arranging assistance for those in need.
Born a Bearer, Gaute was kept as a slave to an Oriflamme tavern, whose keeper would beat him bloody. After being thrown out onto the city streets as punishment for a minor mistake, it was his fortune to be found by Otto, who took him back to the hideaway.

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Desiree

Scribe and secretary for the hideaway,

Desiree is also entrusted with the keeping of all donations to the cause from Clive’s allies and patrons.
Though she could neither read nor write when first she came to the hideaway, Desiree labored night and day to learn her letters, and now the quill is never far from her hand.
Her ever-cheerful demeanor is a bright light to those who make their homes atop the blackened mere.

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Maeve

Landlady of the Tub and Crown, the hideaway’s much-loved alehouse.

Though she was born in Rosaria, her enslavement as a bearer saw her transported to Sanbreque to work its wheat fields.
However, when the farmer was unhappy with the harvest and thought to make an example of her for her fellow slaves, the Cursebreakers stepped in to instead teach him the error of his ways.

The Cursebreakers

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Dorys

Dorys — First Encounter

Born and branded in Rosaria, Dorys now captains the Cursebreakers, directing their Bearer-liberating operations
in concert with Cole, her second in command.
While she is fiercely committed to the cause, she abhors violence and will only bloody her blade if circumstances demand it.

Dorys — In the Shadow of the Slave Trade

Captain of the cursebreakers, who directs their Bearer-liberating operations,

Dorys was raised by a Rosarian slavemaster who treated her branded charges as if they were her own children—teaching them how to read, write, and wield a blade, before hiring out their services to the highest bidder.
Though Dorys resents her former master for the terrible deeds she made her do, she thanks her for making her the strong, scrupulous woman she is today.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Dorys — Her Former Master. The Japanese entry is far more neutral and less emotional overall. The English entry is much more positive in its portrayal of Dorys’ relationship with her former master.

Dorys — At Balmung Dark

Captain of the Cursebreakers,

who directs their Bearer-liberating operations.
She learns that Chadwick, fellow Bearer and brother-in-arms who helped her escape her former master,
met his untimely end in the cursed depths of the Balmung Dark. He died the same hero he was in life, having fought until the bitter end to save the life of a young Bearer girl. Dorys swears to keep fighting herself, that his legacy might live on.

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Cole

Second in command of the Cursebreakers,

who assists with the coordination of their troops’ bearer-liberating activities under the supervision of his captain, Dorys.
Formerly a slave soldier for the Fist of the Republic
before being freed and taken in by those he now calls his brothers- and sisters-in-arms.

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August

A veteran Cursebreaker,

who often leads his own team on Bearer-liberating forays.
He also shares his wisdom and experience with Cole in assembling new units and training new recruits.
One of Blackthorne’s few close friends, who shares the smith’s fondness for a tankard or two—indeed, when August isn’t on a mission, he can most often be found supping an ale and swapping a story in the hideaway’s tavern.

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Ember

A Cursebreaker in training

who wishes to make of himself a scout, that he might follow in the footsteps of his idol, Gav.
Though his test did not proceed entirely smoothly, he showed enough promise to warrant being accepted into the ranks…for now.

General Hideaway Crew

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Obolus

An old friend of Otto’s from his merchant seaman days, now serving as ferryman between the shores of Beenumere and Clive’s hideaway.

Otto invited him to join their cause after Cid’s death that he and his trusty skiff might help them build and operate their new hideaway in the lake.

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Kenneth

Kenneth — First Encounter

Chief cook at Cid’s hideaway.

Though the range and quality of ingredients on offer in their hidden deadland home is limited at best, Kenneth finds opportunity in adversity, concocting toothsome fare from whatever happens to be at hand.

Kenneth — A Taste of Home

Chief cook at Cid’s hideaway,

who lost his life on the night of Hugo Kupka’s attack.
He was well-loved both for his ever genial nature and the toothsome fare he concocted from the limited ingredients available in their deadland home.
Indeed, many of Kenneth’s dishes remain on the menu in Clive’s new hideaway.

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Martelle

A young bearer who assisted Bohumil in his research into growing crops in the Blighted soil of Cid’s hideaway.

Alas, she was gravely wounded during Kupka’s attack on their home.
Though she was able to escape the wreckage with some of the saplings that were the fruit of their labors, she succumbed soon after.
The trees were replanted in Clive’s new hideaway, and the apples they bore named “Martelle” in her memory.

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Molly

Chief cook at Clive’s hideaway,

who inherited the role from Kenneth after he lost his life in Titan’s attack.
Molly’s true passion lies in the backing of pastries and other sweetmeats, but alas, shipments of sugar to the hideaway are few and far between.
Instead, she pushes the boundaries of her culinary repertoire by assisting Yvan in reviving the questionable dishes proffered by his questionable cookbook.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the second sentence is missing from its Japanese counterpart: Molly.

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Yvan

A freed imperial Bearer.

After the wounds he suffered in his escape were healed, he began a new life in the hideaway, working in the kitchens.
Through this, he encountered a cookbook entitled Valisthea — A Culinary Pilgrimage, which inspired in him a passion for making mincemeat of monsters—literally.

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Rodrique

Tarja’s youthful and inexperienced assistant.

A caring yet timid soul,
he is committed to saving the lives of his patients, and so quails when asked to perform life-threatening treatments
such as the removal of Breaer brands or the administration of the potent Tears of Elysia.
While he admires Tarja’s indefatigability, he fears for its effect on her health, and is shamed that he cannot do enough to relieve her burden.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Rodrique.

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Owain

One of Mid’s assistants,

tasked with bringing to life her designs for new inventions that might assist the residents of the hideaway in their day-to-day lives—and one day, perhaps, all the people of the Twins.

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Nigel

The hideaway’s resident botanist,

whose research into the medicinal properties of the flora of the Twins an how one might go about growing specimens of interest in the middle of a Blighted lake is invaluable to Clive’s cause.

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Tett

One of a pair of young twins who assist Harpocrates in the hideaway library—or at least, are tasked to. In practice, he spend most of his time reading books and teasing Tomes with his sister Crow.
Though their parents were both Bearers, Tett was spared that burden—
—alas, he was not spared the tragedy of losing both his mother and father when Cid’s hideaway was laid low.

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Crow

One of a pair of young twins who assist Harpocrates in the hideaway library—or at least, are tasked to. In practice, she spends most of her time reading books and teasing Tomes with ther brother Tett.
Born a Bearer like her parents, but spared the prejudice and persecution that they were forced to suffer—
—alas, she was not spared the tragedy of losing both her mother and father when Cid’s hideaway was laid low.

Alliants — Rosaria & Sanbreque

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Quinten

Quinten — First Encounter

The inscrutable landlord of Lostwing’s tavern,

and the leader of the village.

Quinten — A Hidden Past

The inscrutable landlord of Lostwing’s tavern, and the leader of the village.

Once a nigh-ranking member of the Sanbrequois judiciary, Quinten was ousted from his post and his family slain on the orders of the Lord Chief Justice.
Quinten swore to bring his own brand of justice upon his nemesis’s head, and it is to this end that he recruits like-minded Bearers to his cause.

Quinten — As Head of the Family

The inscrutable landlord of Lostwing’s tavern.

Though he succeeded in taking his revenge against the Lord Chief Justice who put his family to the sword, he was left bereft after the greater number of his loyal comrades lost their lives in the process, and Lostwing was swallowed by an aetherflood.
However, with the support of his surviving Lostwing “family”, he swore to see the town rebuilt.

Quinten — As Founding Member of the Triunity

A collaborator in Lostwing.

After the village was swallowed by an aetherflood, he and the survivors of his Lostwing “family” labored to build a new village in Gaultand’s Bales.
However, Clive convinces him to join his uncle’s Triunity, and put his oratorial skills to use not merely in leading Lostwing, but in restoring order to the entire realm.

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Martha

Martha — First Encounter

Landlady of the Golden Stables, the tavern at the heart of Martha’s Rest.

She is also a friend oClid’s cause, keeping the hideaway supplied with both victuals and information on developments in western Storm—
—a second string to her business that she strives to keep secret from the imperial authorities.

Martha — After Reclaiming Eastpool

Landlady of the Golden Stables, the tavern at the heart of Martha’s Rest.

The village became overcrowded after an aetherflood in the Lazarus drove the Guardians of the Flame an the Bearers they had rescued from the Black Shields’ raids to seek shelter there.
To make space, she worked with Clive and Wade to resettle them in Eastpool, where she has been supporting them ever since.

Martha — Dreaming of a Better World

Landlady of the Golden Stables, the tavern at the heart of Martha’s Rest.

Her efforts to save Bearers from the bonds of thralldom began before she met Cid, and like him, she dreams of a world where Bearers can live on their own terms.
To this end, she nourishes the seeds of a better world that she and the Guardians of the Flame have planted in Eastpool.

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Bernard

Bernard — First Encounter

A carpenter who resides at Martha’s Rest,

whose speed and skill, together with the surrounding marsh water’s deleterious effects on the planks and piles of the village’s many bridges, keep his services in high demand.

Bernard — A Man in Demand

A carpenter who resides at Martha’s Rest,

whose speed and skill, together with the surrounding marsh water’s deleterious effects on the planks and piles of the village’s many bridges, keep his services in high demand.
He was born and raised in Cressida, where his parents lie buried, and has recently engaged to be wed.

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Isabelle

The Dame — A Woman of Mystery

An ally of Cid’s cause who makes her home in Northreach.

It was she who informed the hideaway of the redeployment of the Sanbrequois legions following their chastening by Waloed at Belenus Tor—
—and it is she who will secure Clive’s passage through the Northreach checkpoint.

Isabelle — First Encounter

Proprietress of the Veil, Northreache’s foremost house of ill repute, and one of Cid’s trusted collaborators.

Isabelle is much admired by the populace for her elegance and refinement—
—qualities that have earned her the title “the Dame.”

Isabelle — A Hidden Past

Proprietress of the Veil, Northreach’s foremost house of ill repute.

Before coming to Northreach, she was “Carla,” courtesan to the nobility in the Crystalline Dominion. However, she was forced to flee when she fell in love with a Bearer.
The Veil took them in, and though her love was not to survive, her gratitude to the people of Northreach lives on to this day.

Isabelle — Friend to the Motes

Proprietress of the Veil, Northreache’s foremost house of ill repute.

She shares a long and lasting friendship with Shula—
—the former offering the latter and her people both material support and opportunities for employment.
Shen Shula confided her interest in recruiting the services of Cid the Outlaw to deliver Waljas from his torment, it was Isabelle who assisted in arranging an introduction.

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Philippe

Philippe — First Encounter

Imperial solider of the Northreach garrison,

whose heart pines for none other than Isabella.
He leads the stand against the threats Northreach faces and inspires his fellow soldiers to do the same.

Philippe — Fighting for Northreach

Former imperial solider of the Northreach garrison who left his post after the Duke of Oriflamme took over. He elected instead to form a new town watch, that he might better protect the town and those he loves—Isabelle chief among them.
After leading the defense of Northreach against a throng of thralls, he reconciles with the duke and they pledge to combine their forces to see the town safe.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Philippe — For Northreach. The Japanese entry focuses on why Philippe became a mercenary. The English entry focuses on what he does after he becomes a mercenary.

Alliants — Dalimil

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Viktor

Viktor — First Encounter

A friend of Cid’s and later Clive’s,

who keeps an ever-attentive vigil on the comings and goings in Dhalmekia from his hometown of Kostnice.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Viktor — Synopsis. The Japanese entry is much more specific about what Viktor is doing and how he feels about Clive. The English entry is very generic about what Viktor is doing and nothing else.

Viktor — In Dalimil

A friend of Clive’s cause who keeps an ever-attentive vigil on the comings and goings in Dhalmekia.

After being caught up in the bandits’ raids on Dalimil during an excursion to its famous markets and lending Clive and L’ubor his aid in bringing the town together, Viktor developed a fondness for the place.
He began making regular visits, becoming firm friends with L’ubor and earning the trust of the townspeople.

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L’ubor

The Desert Hare — Basic Information

An old ally of Cid’s who fell out of contact with the resistance after his death.

The Desert Hare spoke with Cid and Cid alone, leaving the other members of the hideaway with few clues as to their true identity—only this pseudonym, the name “Ruzena,” and the memory that Cid met them in Dalimil.

Kokuyōka: “Ruzena” is a Czech female name based on “ruze”, the Czech word for “rose”.

L’ubor — First Encounter

Forgemaster of the Briar’s Kiss, the finest smithy in Dalimil.

L’ubor is also the Desert Hare—an ally of Cid’s who once went by the name of Ruzena Dalimil.

L’ubor — Unmasked

Forgemaster of the Briar’s Kiss, the finest smithy in Dalimil.

Known to those in the know as the “Desert Hare,” from whose long ears no secret is safe.
The leadership he displayed in dealing with the bandits’ attacks led to this being proposed as a prime candidate to become the new mayor—but when the townspeople discovered that he was a Bearer, they elected to drive him out of town instead.

L’ubor — As Mayor

Forgemaster of the Briar’s Kiss, the finest smithy in Dalimil and mayor of the twon.

After his Bearerhood was revealed, he was almost driven from Dalimil by the disapproving townspeople.
However, they were convinced to change their preconceptions after L’ubor led the defense of the town from a hoard of Akashic bandits—and with the support of both the town guard and the merchant’s guild, he won the mayoralty.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: L’ubor — His Inauguration as Chief. The Japanese entry focuses more on Lubor’s own actions and motives. The English entry focuses on the townspeople’s actions towards L’ubor.

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Ferda

L’ubor’s accomplice,

who directs the espionage efforts of the Desert Hare’s loyal minions from his home in Dalimil.
Born poor and turning to banditry at a young age, Ferda was saved from his life of crime by the original Ruzena Dalimil, who gave him a new purpose serving her own, somewhat less felonious endeavors.
After Ruzena passed away, he continued to serve L’ubor in the same capacity.

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Drika

An orphan who lost her parents to the Ironblood’s most recent crusade.

She fled towards Dalimil, finding a ew family in Rens, a fellow orphan, along the way.
The two were starving by the wayside when L’ubor found them and took them in, adding a new elder brother to the patchwork family.
She is a kind and caring soul who enjoys nothing more than listening in on the conversations of the townspeople—whether they know it or not.

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Rens

An orphan who lost his parents to the Ironblood’s latest crusade.

He fled towards Dalimil, finding a new family in Drika, a fellow orphan, along the way.
The two were starving by the wayside when L’ubor found them and took them in, adding a new elder brother to the patchwork family.
He is a frank and forceful soul who enjoys nothing more than watching the townspeople at work and helping them with their tasks—whether they need it or not.

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Konrad

Master of the Dalimil kitchens,

where he serves filling yet inexpensive fare to the people of the town and the miners of Drake’s Fang.
After his town was set upon by bandits, Konrad led the faction pushing for the recruitment of mercenaries to take bloody revenge.
However, he was convinced to look instead at forming a town guard drawn from the citizens of Dalimil—of whom he became the inaugural leader.

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Natalie

Veteran trader of the Dalimil markets,
turned leader of its new league of merchants—

—the group responsible for filling and maintaining the town’s collective stores.
Though she loathes violence, and argued vehemently against the plan to hunt down the bandits who attacked Dalimil, she is passionate about protecting the town and its people.
When the bandits returned, she was the first into the fray.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Natalie. The Japanese entry focuses more on how Natalie is respected as a business woman and her skills at logistics. The English entry focuses more on Natalie’s dislike of violence and later enthusiasm for it.

Alliants — Other Dhalmekian Towns

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Eloise

Eloise — Basic Information

Owner of the Crimson Caravans, a highly esteemed porterage firm in Boklad.

Eloise has a knack for business and a head for figures, which she sued to build her business from the ground up into the success it is today.

Eloise — Her Brother’s Savior

Owner of the Crimson Caravans, a highly esteemed porterage firm in Boklad.

After her younger brother Theodore awakened as a Bearer, she helped him to flee from their family home and build a new life far from those who would see him consigned to slavery.

Eloise — In Mourning

Owner of the Crimson Caravans, a highly esteemed porterage firm in Boklad.

Eldest child and heir apparent of a successful Kanverian trading house,
Eloise abandoned her birthright in order to save her younger brother Theodore, who her parents would have seen branded after his powers awakened.
After Theodore lost his life before her eyes, she swore to continue their work to free Bearers, that his death might not be in vain.

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Theodore

Theodore — First Encounter

Porter and guard for the Crimson Caravans,

the porterage firm that he runs with his beloved sister Eloise.

Theodore — Indebted to Eloise

Porter and guard for the Crimson Caravans, the porterage firm that he runs with his beloved sister Eloise.

Many beasts and bandits have eyed his company’s caravans, but to date, he has cut them all down.
Theodore is also a Bearer, but was spared the brand after awakening late and being spirited away from his family home by his sister—an act of kindness and self-sacrifice for which he is forever grateful.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Theodore — His Thoughts on His Older Sister. The Japanese entry focuses on how Eloise and Theodore split their duties running the courier business. The English entry focuses on how Theodore awakened as a Bearer and Eloise saved him.

Theodore — A Bitter Choice

A collaborator and a member of 《The Crimson Caravans》, a courier [business] in Boklad Market.

Theodore lost his life to his own blade after being taken by an aetherflood whilst trying to protect the haven he had built for Bearers from a rampaging dragon—
—wishing his sister a long and happy life with his final breaths.

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Honza

An orphan boy of Boklad, strong-armed into pickpocketing travelers by the nefarious Cast Stones.

After being released from their clutches, Eloise elected to employ him at the Crimson Caravans to keep him from returning to a life of crime.
He pledges to become the first customer of Goetz’s forge when the trader becomes a fully-fledged blacksmith.

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Zoltan

Zoltan — First Encounter

The feared and respected chief of the smithing town of Dravozd,

where he and Blackthorne learned their craft.
After the master who the two prenticed under breathed his last, they came to blows over the future of the town, and have exchanged nary a word since.

Zoltan — Reconciled

Chief of the Dhalmekian smithing town of Dravozd, who skill in etching metal far eclipses Blackthorne’s own.

After the latter aided Zoltan and his town in overcoming the twin threats that faced them—an absence of aether that rendered their forges useless, and a surfeit of it that unleashed an Akashic horde against its gates—the two were reconciled at least, each gaining a newfound admiration for each other’s talents.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the first sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Zoltan — Mayor of Dravoz.

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Cyril

Cyril — First Encounter

A senior member of the Undying known as the Bearer of the Burning Quill,

who coordinates his order’s research into Ulimta from their headquarters in the Dhalmekian village of Tabor. At his liege lord Joshua’s command, he lends his and his order’s strength to Clive.

Cyril — Following the Tragedy at Mikkelburg

A senior member of the Undying known as the Bearer of the Burning Quill.

He and his order devote their lives to the service of the Phoenix, and do no fear death, so long as it comes n the course of their duties.
Though Clive takes exception to what appears at first glance a pointless waste of human life, the two come to see each other eye to eye—Cyril expressing a deep gratitude for the regard Clive shows his fallen comrades.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Cyril — The Phoenix Religious Order.

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Jote

Attendant to Margrace — First Encounter

Servant of a man who goes by the name Lord Margrace.

Together, they travel across the Twins to some unknown end.

Attendant to Joshua — Unmasked

Companion and protector of Joshua Rosfield, Dominant of the Phoenix.

As loyal as she is dangerous, her blade is ever at the ready for any who might mean her master ill—
—and her tonics ever at hand to heal the sickly prince’s hurts.
Joshua addresses her by the name “Jote,” but it is unclear whether this is her true name or another pseudonym.

Jote — Undying

A member of the Undying, a secret society sworn to protect and serve the Rosfields of Rosaria and the Dominant of the Phoenix who is always born in their line.

After her order rescued Joshua Rosfield from the ruins of Phoenix Gate and nursed him back to health,
Jote was tasked by her order to accompany and protect him on his journey to uncover the truth of Ultima.

Jote — A Greater Duty

A member of the Undying, a secret society sworn to protect and serve the Rosfields of Rosaria and the Dominant of the Phoenix who is always born in their line.

While it is her sword duty to serve and protect Joshua Rosfield, her true feelings for him run far deeper.
Even after Joshua relived her of her obligation to protect him and tasked her to protect Clive’s hideaway instead, still she worries for the sickly prince’s health.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the first sentence and the first half of the last sentence are missing in the Japanese counterpart: Jote — Her Thoughts on Joshua.

Rosaria

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Elwin Rosfield

Elwin Rosfield — First Encounter

Archduke of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria.

and father of Clive and Joshua.
Loved by his people for his steadfast leadership both at home and on the battlefield—which he put to good effect in quelling the rebellious Northern Territories.

Elwin Rosfield — Warming the Throne

Archduke of the Grand Duchy of Rosaria and father of Clive and Joshua.

Elwin was born before his father, the previous Dominant of the Phoenix, passed away, so he did not inherit the Eikon’s power.
Instead, he devoted himself to the study of swordcraft and statesmanship, that he might lead his country from the front—
—which he did to wide acclaim in leading his armies in quelling the rebellious Northern Territories.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Elwin — The Archduke of Rosaria. The Japanese entry focuses on why Elwin is currently Archduke, what his character is like and what he wants for Rosaria. The English entry focuses on why he is not the Dominant of Phoenix himself, what he studied and how he used those studies as Archduke.

Elwin Rosfield — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

Late Archduke of the Grand Duchy of Rosria and father of Clive and Joshua.

Elwin’s reign ended when he was beheaded by servants of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in their ignoble attack on Phoenix Gate.
Known not only for his inspiring leadership and skill with a blade, but his disapproval of the mistreatment of Bearers,
his legacy lives on in all those who oppose imperial rule in what remains of Rosaria.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Elwin — The Phoenix Gate Assault. The Japanese entry has the last sentence say that Elwin’s spirit is fading in the people of Rosaria. The English entry has the last sentence say that his spirit does live on in the people of Rosaria. Both sentences do work in the context of the story.

Elwin Rosfield — A Hidden Past

Late Archduke of the Grand Duchy of Rosria and father of Clive and Joshua.

During his reign, he strove to bring an end to the mistreatment of Bearers and his people’s reliance on magic—a mission that he knew would meet with fierce opposition from the court nobility, and would not be achievable within his lifetime.
That his sons might follow in his footsteps, he fashioned for them a pair of matching armbands, to give them strength when all stood against them.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Elwin — As a Father.

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Anabella Rosfield

Anabella Rosfield — First Encounter

Duchess of Rosaria,

wife of Archeduke Elwin, and mother to Clive and Joshua.
While she adores her younger son, she treats Clive and Jill with naught but thinly-veiled contempt.

Anabella Rosfield — At Rosalith Castle

Duchess of Rosaria,

wife of Archduke Elwin, and mother to Clive and Joshua. It was not only her beauty but her connection to a bloodline that produced many previous Dominants of the Phoenix that led to her being proposed as a bride for the young Archduke—indeed, the two are cousins.
Having known from a young age that her purpose in life was to preserve her Phoenix-bearing bloodline,
she dotes on Joshua and scorns Clive.

Kokuyōka: The first half of both the second sentence and last sentence are missing in its Japanese counterpart: Anabella — At Rosalith Castle.

Anabella Rosfield — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

Duchess of Rosaria,

Wife of Archduke Elwin, and mother to Clive and Joshua.
It was ever her purpose in life to preserve her Phoenix-bearing bloodline,
for which reason she betrayed her husband, that she might enter in league with a force she judged the mightier—the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. It was Anabella’s treachery that led to the disaster at Phoenix Gate.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Anabella — The Phoenix Gate Assault. The Japanese entry has Anabella be convinced that it is she who has the bloodline of the Dominant and has ambitions. The English entry says that Anabella knows that she has to preserve the bloodline of the Dominant and that’s why she betrayed Rosaria. We know from the story that the bloodline of the Dominants of Phoenix only goes through the firstborn of House Rosfield, and it is not Anabella’s father who was the Dominant of Phoenix, but her uncle, that is, Eliwn’s father. So Anabella is very likely wrong in thinking that she is the one Phoenix will be passed down through. That is Elwin.

Anabella Lesage — After the Annexation of Rosaria

Former Duchess of Rosaria, now Empress of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

It was ever her purpose in life to preserve her Phoenix-bearing bloodline, for which reason she betrayed her husband, that she might enter in league with a force she judged the mightier.
Now she rules over Rosaria as vicereine of the imperial province, which she rules with a cruelty and contempt for the baseborn that was unknown in Archduke Elwin’s day.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Anabella — The Annexation by Sanbreque. The Japanese entry focuses more on how Anabella betrayed Rosaria and how extreme her rule of Rosaria is. The English entry focuses more on her desire to preserve her bloodline and her contempt for lower-class people in Rosaria.

Anabella Lesage — As Holy Empress

Empress of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

Formerly the Duchess of Rosaria, before she betrayed her nation and gifted it to the empire.
For a short while after the fall of the duchy, she was taken into the “protection” of the imperial crown—a pretense that ended with her bargained remarriage to Emperor Sylvestre, the birth of Prince Olivier,
and her return to rule over Rosaria as vicereine.

Anabella Lesage — Upon Olivier’s Ascension

Empress Emeritus of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,

and vicereine of the Imperial Province of Rosaria, which she rules with an iron fist. She also long labored to see her son, Prince Olivier, seated on his father’s throne—
—a plan that comes to fruition after she schemes with Hugo Kupka to bring an end to Dhalmekia’s long siege of Twinside, and sees this triumph ascribed to the young prince.

Anabella Lesage — Death

Former Empress of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

After the fall of Rosaria and the death of Archduke Elwin, she remarried Emperor Sylvestre and bore him a son, Olivier.
It was her dream that together with Sylvestre, she should found a new bloodline—one blessed by both Bahamut and the Phoenix.
Alas, her dreams were to be crushed in the wreckage of the Crystalline Dominion, when a maddened Dion slew Oliver—and she was to end her life before the disbelieving eyes of the sons she had betrayed.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Anabella — Her Last Moments. The Japanese entry focuses more on what Anabella did in Twinside before she killed herself. The English entry focuses more on what Anabella’s long-term goals were before she killed herself.

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Rodney Murdoch

Rodney Murdoch — First Encounter

Lord Commander of the Rosarian army.

Not only is he a skilled warrior and loyal guardian of the Rosfield household, he is also a fine tutor—indeed, it was he who trained Clive in the secrets of swordplay.
While he may be a hard taskmaster, his belief and trust in the Shields that serve under him make him a much-loved leader.

Rodney Murdoch — At Rosalith Castle

Lord Commander of the Rosarian army,

outranked only by Archduke Elwin, who is not only his liege lord, but his firm friend.
The two share an unshakable bond of trust—Elwin consulting with Rodney on all military matters.

Rodney Murdoch — The Night of Flames

Lord Commander of the Rosarian army,

outranked only by his firm friend Archduke Elwin.
Murdoch and his Shields accompanied Elwin and Joshua to Phoenix Gate to perform the Rite of Ancestral Communion, only to be set upon first by imperial infiltrators, then a second, shadowy Eikon of Fire, within whose flames Murdoch was engulfed.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Murdoch — The Phoenix Gate Assault.

Rodney Murdoch — Hidden Truths

Lord Commander of the Rosarian army,

outranked only by his firm friend Archduke Elwin.
When Clive manifested into Ifrit during the attack on Phoenix Gate, Murdoch lost his life to the Infernal Eikon’s flames.

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Hanna Murdoch

Hanna Murdoch — First Encounter

Wife of Rodney Murdoch, Lord Commander of the Rosarian army.

Since her marriage, she has resided in the Murchoch manor in Eastpool.

Hanna Murdoch — At Murdoch Manor

Wife of Rodney Murdoch, Lord Commander of the Rosarian army.

Since her marriage, she has resided in the Murchoch manor in Eastpool—remaining there even after her husband’s death at Phoenix Gate.
She gladly welcomes Clive and Jill into her home, going so far as to gift Clive a set of clothes that once belonged to his father—a reminder of happier times that she would rather lived on then moldered in a closet.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Hanna — At Eastpool.

Hanna Murdoch — Death

Wife of Rodney Murdoch, Lord Commander of the Rosarian army.

Since her marriage, she has resided in the Murchoch manor in Eastpool—remaining there even after her husband’s death at Phoenix Gate.
Alas, her time was also to be cut short—at the hands of the villainous servants of Empress Anabella.

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Oscar

Oscar — First Encounter

Nephew of Rodney Murdoch, late Lord Commander of the Rosarian army.

Though he served under Sir Wade in the Guardians of the Flame, he had always dreamed of following in his uncle’s footsteps and squiring to a scion of the Rosfields. His wish is granted when Clive accepts him as squire and brings him back to the hideaway, that he might learn from Cid the Outlaw’s example.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Oscar — Synopsis.

Oscar — After Reclaiming Eastpool

Nephew of Rodney Murdoch, late Lord Commander of the Rosarian army.

Clive accepted him as squire and brought him back to the hideaway, that he might learn from Cid the Outlaw’s example.
However, after the Guardians of the Flame took back Eastpool,
Clive bade Oscar return to the village where his Aunt Hanna is buried and lend his strength to the restoration efforts.

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Sir Wade

Sir Wade — First Encounter

A loyal Shield of Rosaria,

chosen by Lord Commander Rodney Murdoch to accompany Clive on his expedition to Stillwind.
Once but a lowborn page, Wade was inspired to join the ranks after a woodpile fell on him, and his life was saved by a young Joshua.

Sir Wade — The Night of Flames

A loyal Shield of Rosaria,

chosen by Lord Commander Rodney Murdoch to accompany Clive on his expedition to Stillwind.
Though he did all he could to return the favor that he owed to Joshua for saving his life as a boy during the attack on Phoenix Gate, Wade was to meet the same fate as the prince.

Sir Wade — As Leader of the Guardians of the Flames

A loyal Shield of Rosaria.

Though he was thought to have died during the attack on Phoenix Gate, he somehow survived not only the disaster but the imperial conquest that followed. He and other like-minded Shields took up residence in the abandoned Lazarus and formed the Guardians of the Flame—brothers-in-arms who fight for the restoration of the duchy.

Sir Wade — Joining Forces with Martha

A loyal Shield of Rosaria

and leader of the Guardians of the Flame, who fight against imperial rule in the duchy—sheltering Bearers from the Black Shields’ cullings.
After the skies turned, their base in the Lazarus district outside Port Isolde was swallowed by an aetherflood, leading them to seek shelter in Martha’s Rest. In return for Martha’s hospitality, the Guardians aid the Bloodaxes in defending the village.

Sir Wade — After Reclaiming Eastpool

A loyal Shield of Rosaria and leader of the Guardians of the Flame, who fight to see the duchy restored.

After Clive assisted him and his fellow Guardians in driving the bandits from Eastpool, they and the bearers they saved from the Black Shields’ purges relocated to the village,
where they prepare not only to rebuild it, but rekindle the spirit of Rosaria.

Sir Wade — As Warden of Eastpool

A loyal Shield of Rosaria

and leader of the Guardians of the Flame, who fight to see the duchy restored.
In Eastpool, he finds a new purpose—to not merely lead his guardians against their enemies but to lead his village in pursuit of a brighter future for man and Bearer both.

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Sir Tyler

Sir Tyler — First Encounter

A loyal Shield of Rosaria

and scion of a noble family. Tyler followed in his father’s footsteps in entering the service of the duchy, rising to the position of right-hand man to the Lord Commander.
He was chosen by Lord Murdoch to accompany Clive on his expedition to Stillwind—a level head who could be trusted not only to obey the young lord marquess’s orders and keep him safe, but to help keep the fiery Sir Wade in line.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Tyler — Synopsis.

Sir Tyler — The Night of Flames

A loyal Shield of Rosaria,

who accompanied Clive on his expedition to Stillwind.
Though he did everything in his power to assist Joshua and Archduke Elwin’s flight from PHoenix Gate on the night of the attack, his years of distinguished service were to come to a close when he was swallowed by the flames of the rampaging Phoenix.

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Byron Rosfield

Byron Rosfield — Basic Information

Younger brother of the late Archduke Elwin and warden of Port Isolde, a thriving trading port in the south of Rosaria.

Byron inherited a small fortune from his noble family, which he built into a large one by virtue of his mercantile wiles and adventurous spirit.
There is not a trading house—nor a taphouse—in Valisthea and beyond that does not have a tale to tell of Lord Byron Rosfield.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Byron — Synopsis. The Japanese entry focuses on how influential Byron is as a nobelman and merchant in and beyond Rosaria. The English entry focuses on how Byron built his fortune and how widely traveled he is.

Byron Rosfield — In Port Isolde

Younger brother of the late Archduke Elwin and warden of Port Isolde.

After the duchy was incorporated into the empire and Byron stripped of his titles, he shut himself away in his manor and gladly volunteered every gil of the onerous taxes and tariffs with which he was newly burdened, all to avoid drawing the empire’s ire—
—and to keep their attentions from his support for the Guardians of the Flame.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Byron — At Port Isolde. The Japanese entry focuses on how Byron kept his social status intact by paying heavy taxes while it was his trading business that was a front for 《The Guardians of the Embers》. The English entry focuses on how Byron distracted Anabella from 《The Guardians of the Embers》 by paying heavy taxes.

Byron Rosfield — Joining Clive’s Cause

Younger brother of the late Archduke Elwin and warden of Port Isolde.

Though he kept his head low during the dark days of imperial rule of Rosaria, now that the Empress Anabella is dead and his nephews returned from the grave, he strikes out once more, enlisting his old friend Eugen Havel, Dhalmekian Field Marshal, to Clive and Joshua’s cause.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing from its Japanese counterpart: Byron — Collaborating with Clive.

Byron Rosfield — As Founding Member of the Triunity

Younger brother of the late Archduke Elwin and warden of Port Isolde.

Together with Field Marshal Eugen Havel and Master Quinten of Lostwing, he founds the Triunity: an accord that sets out how the nobles, armies, and commonfolk of Valisthea shall come together to see the crisises that blight the realm—want of food, water, security, and shelter—ended, and order restored.

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Rutherford

Rutherford — First Encounter

Manservant to Lord Byron Rosfield.

His daily duties touch all aspects of running his master’s manor—whether that be the welcoming of guests, the preparation of meals, or the polishing of the intrepid nobleman’s trophy collection.

Kokuyōka: The last item on the list is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Rutherford — Synopsis.

Rutherford — Out and About

Manservant to Lord Byron Rosfield.

In normal circumstances, his daily duties touch all aspects of running his master’s manor. Of late, however, Byron has bad him leave the safety of Port Isolde to conduct a survey into the political, military, and economic situation of Storm—
—a task in which he has enjoined the assistance of several of his fellow butlers to the nobility.

Sanbreque

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Sylvestre Lesage

Sylvestre Lesage — First Encounter

Emperor of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,

who won his throne at least partly by virtue of his son, Dion, having awakened as the Dominant of Bahamut.

Sylvestre Lesage — Following Olivier’s Ascension

Emperor Emeritus of of the Holy empire of Sanbreque.

In the wake of the events of Phoenix Gate, he married Anabella Rosfield and sired a second son, Olivier, with her,
Anabella and Olivier’s influence in the affairs of the imperial court was to only grow over the years, until Sylvestre was finally convinced to surrender his throne to the young prince, announcing him to be the latest in the long line of earthly incarnations of Greagor.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Olivier’s Enthronement as Divine Emperor as Divine Emperor. The Japanese entry has Sylvester call himself a god incarnate. The English entry has Sylvester call Olivier the incarnation of Greagor.

Sylvestre Lesage — Death

Emperor of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,

who plotted with Anabella Rosfield to slay Archduke Elwin of Rosaria and unite their nations under the imperial banner.
Together they bore a son, Olivier, to whom Sylvestre was beguiled into forfeiting his throne—much to his first son’s displeasure.
Sylvestre lost his life to Dion’s spear when he leapt to Olivier’s defense in the throne room of the Twinside capitol.

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Olivier Lesage

Olivier Lesage — First Encounter

Second son of Emperor Sylvestre of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and third of Empress Anabella, making him half brother to both Prince Dion and Clive.
His mother has involved him in the affairs of the imperial court since he was a small child.

Olivier Lesage — Following Olivier’s Ascension

Second son of Emperor Sylvestre of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and third of Empress Anabella.

After Anabella’s machinations saw the Dhalmeks’ siege of the Crystalline Dominion broken and the victory ascribed to the young prince.
Sylvestre was convinced to surrender his throne to their beloved son, anointing him Emperor Olivier, first of his name.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Olivier — His Enthronement as Divine Emperor.

Olivier Lesage — Death

Son of Sylvestre and Anabella Lesage.

Thaks in large part to his mother’s machinations, Olivier was anointed emperor of the Holy empire of Sanbreque—a fact that triggered his half brother Prince Dion to launch a coup against him.
It was Olivier’s sinister goading that drove Dion to madness and led to his own demise—pierced through the heart by Dion’s spear. As the boy died, his body crumbled into dust—proof that he had become naught but another puppet of Ultima.

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The Duke of Oriflamme

The High Cardinal — First Encounter

First and foremost of the five cardinals who make up the Council of Elders, second only to the Holy Emperor in the imperial government.
It is his role to lead the council in governing Sanbreque in the emperor’s stead—and providing the latter does not overrule his decisions, his authority is absolute.

The High Cardinal — Following the Destruction of Twinside

First and foremost of the five cardinals who make up the Council of Elders, second only to the Holy Emperor in the imperial government.
After the fall of the Crystalline Dominion and the collapse of said government, His Eminence reappeared in Northreach. Now going by his noble title, the Duke of Oriflamme, he drafted both the soldiery and the commonfolk into his plans to turn the town into a new capital for a new Sanbreque.

The High Cardinal — For Northreach

First and foremost of the five cardinals who make up the Council of Elders, second only to the Holy Emperor in the imperial government.

After the fall of the Crystalline Dominion and the collapse of said government, His Eminence reappeared in Northreach, planning to turn the town into a new capital for a new Sanbreque.
However, when the people rallied behind Isabelle instead, he realized that he must work with the commonfolk, not lord over them.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Head Sage — For Northreach. The Japanese entry has the reason be that the Head Sage saw the common people trying to protect the town from monsters. The English entry has the reason he wants to work with the common people be that they rallied to Isabelle instead.

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Sabine

Sabine — First Encounter

Only daughter of the Duke of Oriflamme

who escaped from the disaster at Twinside and took refuge in Northreach.
Her extensive education in all matters spiritual and political, and well as her overbearing demeanor, rival that of her father. Her opinion on the duke’s plan to fortify Northreach at the townspeople’s expense, however, differs from his greatly, and she attempts to enjoin Isabelle’s help to rally the people against him.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Sabine — Synopsis. The Japanese entry goes into why Sabine doesn’t like her father. The English entry goes into how she rallies the townspeople against her father.

Sabine — Fighting for Northreach

Only daughter of the Duke of Oriflamme,

who fomented revolt against her father’s plans to fortify Northreach at the townspeople’s expense.
After the duke is convinced of the error of his ways, the two are reconciled, and pledge to work together with the people of Northreach to build a town for all her citizens.

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Tiamat

Tiamat — First Encounter

A Bearer in service of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,

Tiamat is the leader of the elite assassin squadron to which Wyvern is assigned—the Bastards.
Their latest mission—to take the head of the dominant of Shiva. To this end, they infiltrate the Nysa Defile, where the forces of the Republic of Dhalmekia and the Iron Kingdom are aligned against each other.
Thought none known his true name, rumor has it that the man now known as Tiamat was born a scion of a noble Sanbrequois family, and abandoned to his fate after his powers awakened.

Tiamat — Death

A Bearer in service of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

Tiamat—or the man who now bears the name—is the leader of the Bastards, a squadron of elite assassins. It was on a mission to take the head of Shiva’s Dominant in the Nysa Defile
that his subordinate Wyvern—real name Clive Rosfield—turned upon him and cut him down.

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Biast

Second longest serving of the Bastards,

an elite band of slave assassins in service of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.
He and his sergeant Tiamat fought alongside each other for many a year, and Biast trusted him with his life.
Alas, there was little Tiamat could do to save him from the boulder that was to fall from the skies during their ill-fated mission to infiltrate the Dhalmekian Republic and take the head of Shiva’s Dominant.

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Aevis

A Branded solider for the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,

who served alongside Wyvern.
None know his true name.
He and his band of elite assassins were tasked with taking the head of the Dominant of Shiva, but he was to lose his life to a Crusader’s axe in the course of the mission.

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Terence

Attendant to the Crown Prince — First Encounter

Second in command of the dragoons, the foremost fighting force of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

His sword remains ever at the ready should anyone be foolish enough to make an attempt on the life of his liege lord, Prince Dion.

Terence — By Dion’s Side
Second in command of the dragoons, the foremost fighting force of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

His sword remains ever at the ready should anyone be foolish enough to make an attempt on the life of his liege lord, Prince Dion.
Born to a family of minor nobles, Terence entered the prince’s service as a squire before climbing the dragoons’ ranks.
He and Dion are lovers.

Terence — At the Sack of Ran’dellah

Second in command of the dragoons,

Terence is both Prince Dion’s faithful bodyguard and his lover.
He joined the prince in his ill-starred coup in the Crystalline Dominion, and after somehow surviving the disaster that followed, went with him again in the relief of Ran’dellah.
It was here that Dion finally released Terence from his service, begging him to care for the orphan girl Kihel, that those to whom he is indebted might be spared further danger.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Terence — At Ran’dellah.

Dhalmekia

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Eugen Havel

Dhalmekian Chief Strategist — First Encounter

Chief strategist and former field marshal of the Dhalmekian Republic.

While there was a time he took personal command of his troops, Hugo Kupka’s rise to prominence led to his being recalled from the battlefield by reason of his advancing age—for which he bears the vainglorious Dominant a deep-seated grudge.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: A Dhalmakian Staff Officer — Synopsis.

Eugen Havel — At the sack of Ran’dellah

Former field marshal of the Dhalmekian Republic.

While there was a time he took personal command of his troops, Hugo Kupka’s rise to prominence led to his being recalled from the battlefield by reason of his advancing age.
However, it was the battlefield that was to return to him when a horde of Akashic attacked Ran’dellah, and with the ministers either stupefied or slain, he was left with no option but to coordinate its defense.

Eugen Havel — As Founding Member of the Triunity

Former field marshal of the Dhalmekian Republic.

At the insistence of his old friend and rival Byron Rosfield,
he was convinced to return to the front lines in the defense of the realm, using his old military connections to bring the dissipated armies of Valisthea back under control.

---

The Republican Prime Minister

The Republican Prime Minister — First Encounter

Leader of the Dhalmekian parliament,

and eldest and most experienced of its members—those elected by the states of the republic, plus the Doiminant of Titan, who serves as an official advisor. Alas, Hugo Kupka does not take kindly to his “advice” being ignored.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the first sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Head Councilor — Synopsis.

The Republican Prime Minister — At Ran’dellah

Leader of the Dhalmekian parliament.

Not seen since the collapse of the republican government following the death of Kupka and the fall of the Fang—whether he was killed in the chaos of fled to save his own skin, no one knows.

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The Mysterious Watcher

Scion of a lesser noble family of Dhalmekia,

tasked by Hugo Kupka to trace the whereabouts of Cid the Outlaw, the man he believes slew Benedikta Harman.
His investigations lead him to Eastpool, where he overhears Clive and Gav’s conversation and follows them back to Cid’s hideaway.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: An Informant. The Japanese entry has this person be from a powerful family from the countryside and be wanting to gain Hugo’s favor. The English entry has him be from a minor noble family and be told by Hugo Kupka to find the Hideaway.

Other Regions

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Gerulf

Gerulf — First Encounter

Second in command of Waloed’s Royal Intelligencers serving under Beneidkta Harman,
with whom he shares a deep bond of trust.

Gerulf — Death

Second in command of Waloed’s Royal Intelligencers serving under Beneidkta Harman.
Killed by footpads while attempting to evacuate the stricken Beneidkta from the collapsing Caer Norvent.

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High Priest Imreann

High Priest Imreann — First Encounter

Patriarch of the Crystalline Orthodox,

who conducts his sinister ceremonies in the Comraich—the holy sanctuary built around the heart of Drake’s Breath.
A zealous believer in the Orthodoxy’s teachings that Bearers and Dominants are unclean creatures born of sin.

High Priest Imreann — Death

Patriarch of the Crystalline Orthodox.

A zealous believer in the Orthodox’s teachings that Bearers and Dominants are unclean creatures born of sin, he conducted the sacrificial slaughter of Bearers, claiming that he was “merely cleansing them of their corruption.”
Slain by Jill Warrick on her return to the Iron Kingdom, in answer not only for the crimes he committed, but those he forced her to commit in the name of his crusade.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Imreann — His Final Moments.

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Marleigh

Born in the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, Marleigh was kidnapped by the Ironblood during their invasion eighteen years before and taken back to the island of Drustanus,
where she was forced to serve as a handmaiden for the priests of the Crystalline Orthodox.
There she met the young Jill Warrick, and took her under her wing, caring for the terrified child as if she were the mother Jill never knew.

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Kihel

Medicine Girl — First Encounter

An orphan girl

who pays for her bread by making and selling medicines.

Kihel — After Finding Dion

An orphan girl who pays for her bread by making and selling medicines.

Her travels took her from Dhalmekia to the Crystalline Dominion, where she nearly lost her life when the city was all but destroyed by Bahamut.
After the flames died down, she labored to mend the wounds of the injured townspeople—eventually coming across a collapsed Prince Dion, who she nursed back to health.

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Edda

Edda — First Encounter

A young woman with child who made her home in the Waloeder village of Eistla—

—and is now the only surviving member.

Edda — At the Hideaway

A young woman with child who made her home in the Waloeder village of Eistla.

After the Arche sky spread across the land, her fellow villagers turned Akashic and departed for Reverie, leaving her alone, afraid, and in hiding.
By fortune, she was found by Clive and Gav, who took her back to the safety of the hideaway.
It is speculated that the reason she survived is because the child growing inside her is a Bearer, and thus more able to resist the effects of aether.

Historical Characters

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Barnabas’s Mother

Barnabas’s Mother — First Encounter

The mother of King Barnabas of Waloed—

—or at least, an Ultima-summoned illusion of her as His Majesty remembers her in life.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Barnabas’ Mother — Synopsis. The Japanese entry says that Ultima can change how he himself looks, including into how Barnabas’ mother looked. The English entry says this is an illusion Ultima summons of Barnabas’ Mother. There are other examples of Ultima doing changing his form in the story, most notably when he is the Hooded Man at both the Phoenix Gate Assault and the Eye of the Tempest.

Barnabas’s Mother — Hidden Truths

One of the few surviving descendants of the Children of Dzemekys, who fled from Valisthea and took refuge in the outer continent, only returning generations later.

She and her clan were devout believers in the Circle of Malius, whose teachings she instilled in her son—teachings, and memories, that he treasures to this day.
Alas, her beliefs were also to prove her downfall, as she was killed in a raid by the followers of a rival religion.

Kokuyōka: The last half of the first sentence and that it was followers of a different religion that killed Barnabas’ mother are missing in its Japanese counterpart: Barnabas’ Mother — The Truth.

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Moss the Chronicler

Moss the Chronicler — Basic Information

Far-fabled scholar of Valisthean history and legend.

Even to this day, much of the surviving knowledge of distant antiquity of the Twins issues from his quill.
In his later years, his writings attracted fierce criticism from certain scholarly circles, which resulted in him removing himself from public life.

Moss the Chronicler — As Chronicler

Far-fabled scholar of Valisthean history and legend.

It was Moss’s writings that inspired Harpocrates to pursue his own career as a scholar of all things Valisthean.
In his later years, he delved into the hidden history of Ultima and the Circle of Malius, but alas, his findings were denounced as baseless speculation in certain scholarly circles.
As a result, Moss’s theories received little widespread notice, and were all but stricken from the historical record.

Moss the Chronicler — A Hidden Past

Far-fabled scholar of Valisthean history and legend.

When Harpocrates was but a boy, Moss visited his village on the outer continent. Perhaps seeing something of himself in the young scholar-to-be, the great master took him under his wing.
However, their time together was soon to come to an end, for one day Moss and his journal were gone, leaving nothing but a note behind—one which read “seek knowledge.”
The young Harpocrates took these words to heart.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Moss the Historian — His Relationship with Harpocrates.

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The Silvermane

Chieftain of the Northern Territories and Jill Warrick’s father.

After his homeland’s raids into Rosaria were finally quelled by the duchy, his daughters was taken as a ward of the Rosfield family to ensure that he would never raise arms against them again.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Silver Duke. The Japanese entry has it be the Silver Duke who sends Jill to Rosaria. The English entry has it be Rosfield family who wants Jill as a ward.

Ultima

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The Hooded Man

The Dominant of Fire — First Encounter

A mysterious figure who was first seen amid the chaos of the imperial invasion of Phoenix Gate, immediately before the appearance of the second Eikon of Fire—

—the very Eikon that slew the heir to the ducal throne. Clive believes this man to be the Dominant who murdered his brother, and has sworn to take his revenge.

A Man Named “Margrace” — At Caer Norvent

A mysterious man that many believe to be a Dominant of Fire.

He is rarely seen without his heavy robe, nor his loyal attendant.
The two journey together far and wide across the realm to an unknown end.

The Hooded Man — At Ifrit’s Awakening

A mysterious man that many believe to be a Dominant of Fire.

Clive first saw him at Phoenix Gate on the night of the imperial invasion, and for years believed him to be the Dominant of the Eikon that killed brother—
—but to Clive’s eternal chagrin, he is proved otherwise.

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Ultima

Ultima — Unmasked

An otherworldly being that Clive encountered in the inner sanctum of Drake’s Head.

He addressed Clive as “Mythos”
before attempting to merge their consciousnesses. However, Clive was able to summon the will to resist the creature, before Joshua returned from the dead to imprison it in a cage of flame that he sealed away in his own heart.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Ultima — Synopsis.

Ultima — Following the Destruction of Twinside

The otherworldly being behind much of the tragedy and turmoil that has plagued Valisthea.

He means to claim Clive as his vessel, “Mythos,” by purging his will—a will strengthened by the ties of consciousness that bind Clive with others.
He unleashes Primogenesis upon the world, shrouding it in darkness and turning thousands Akashic, that these ties of consciousness might at last be loosened.

Ultima — Joshua’s Findings

The otherworldly being behind much of the tragedy and turmoil that has plagued Valisthea.

Ultima requires a vessel in which to inculcate his disembodied soul, and Clive’s curious ability to absorb the powers of other Eikons suggests that he is the very “Mythos” that Ulitma has long awaited. He wills Clive to absorb the other Eikons, that his vessel might be perfected.

Ultima — To Whom Kings Kneel

The otherworldly being behind much of the tragedy and turmoil that has plagued Valisthea—and the creature King Barnabas of Waloed worships as his god.

Ultima requires a vessel in which to inculcate his disembodied soul, and Clive’s curious ability to absorb the powers of other Eikons suggests that he is the very “Mythos” that Ulitma has long awaited.
He wills Clive to absorb the other Eikons, that his vessel might be perfected.

Ultima — Within the Interdimensional Rift

One of a race of ancient, godlike beings.
It was their creation of magic that led to the rise and spread of the Blight—the few survivors of their race fleeing to the unspoilt land of Valisthea to attempt to remake the world.
For this, they created the Mothercrystals to harvest huge amounts of aether, and sowed the seeds of humanity, that it might one day produce a vessel strong enough to channel it.
That the humans would one day develop wills of their own, they did not foresee.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Ultima — In the Space Between Dimensions. The Japanese entries continue to refer to Ultima as a singular being and instead call Ultima the “Ultima Family” whenever they have to talk about there being multiple Ultimas existing at once. The English entries swap to using plural pronouns for Ultima and refer to him as a race or species of beings after this.

Ultima — Hidden Truths

One of a race of ancient, godlike beings.
Long ago, sixteen survivors of their species journeyed to Valisthea on a ship called Origin,
that they might lay the foundations for casting a supremely powerful spell—one that might revive their fallen brethren and remake the world.
The “Ultimas” share a single consciousness, and are able to combine their already immense powers into a singular, transcendental form.

Dusk Crystal Dealers & Sagespire

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Famiel

Hooded Miner — Basic Information

The leader of a trio who appear to be involved in the dusk crystal trade.

Any attempt at identifying him is stymied by his hempen hood.

Famiel — Crystal Trader

The leader of a trio who appear to be involved in the dusk crystal trade.

After being chased from the gates of Port Isolde on suspicions of trading in contraband, they fled north, with bandits and beasts in pursuit.
Their path took them nigh to the Sagespire, an ancient Fallen tower with which they seem strangely familiar.

Famiel — At the Sagespire

The leader of the dusk crystal miners.

He and his associates Halek and Marnek have long been visiting the Sagespire to claim for their own the bounty of the Magitek Mothercrystal that sleeps within.
The darkening of the skies brought with it a sudden efflorescence of crystal, which the miners sought to take advantage of by trading their excess yield on the black market.

Famiel — After the Sagespire

The leader of the dusk crystal miners.

He and his associates hail from an isolated community driven from their ancestral homeland by the spread of the Blight, having long relied on the dusk crystals for their survival.
However, on learning that it is the crystals that cause the Blight, and knowing that it is but a matter of time before the authorities of the Twins discover the Sagespire and claim the Mothercrystal inside for themselves, he permits Clive to destroy the artificial heart.

Famiel — Mote of Water

Shula’s younger brother, tasked with venturing beyond the wall to secure funds and supplies for the Motes of Water—

—most crucially, the dusk crystals that he and the brothers Halek and Marnek mined from the Sagespire.
After their parents’ passing, Famiel was raised by his sister, who elected to put his rogueish charm and thirst for adventure to use in service of their community, in return for a solemn pledge that he would keep his true identity a secret.
As Waljas’s closet living male relative, it was Famiel’s responsibility to take the father’s role in the child’s Rite of Immersion—which, to the surprise of everyone involved, he handled with aplomb.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Famiel — As One of the People of Water.

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Halek

Halek — Basic Information

One of Famiel’s familiars—

—alongside Marnek—engaged in mining shards of dusk crystal from the Magitek Mothercrystal.
His natural nervousness is exacerbated by the perilous situations to which his “chief” is wont to expose him.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Halek — Synopsis. The Japanese entry characterizes Halek as being serious, careful and loyal to Famiel. The English entry characterizes him as being nervous.

Halek — Mote of Water

One of Famiel’s familiars and fellow member of the Motes of Water.

He and his companion Marnek were tasked with mining dusk crystals from the sleeping Sagespire—until the tower awakened, and the two came within a Fallen abomination’s fingernail of losing their lives. After being saved by Clive and returning to Mysidia,
the brothers turned their attentions to assisting their leader’s starring turn in Waljas’s rite of Immersion—somehow coming within a coeurl’s whisker of certain death in their hunt for incense.

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Marnek

Marnek — Basic Information

One of Famiel’s familiars—

—alongside Halek—engaged in mining shards of dusk crystal from the Magitek Mothercrystal.
Being strong of thew and sunny of spirit, he finds himself well-suited to physical tasks—and a good thing, too, for those in Famiel’s employ often find themselves having to run for their lives at a moment’s notice.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Marnek — Synopsis. The Japanese entry characterizes Marnek as being timid and naive. The English entry characterizes him as being optimistic.

Marnek — Mote of Water

One of Famiel’s familiars and fellow member of the Motes of Water.

He and his companion Halek were tasked with mining dusk crystals from the sleeping Sagespire—a task that came to an inauspicious end when the tower awoke.
Though his loose lips and less-than-lion-hearted nature have the habit of rousing Famiel’s ire, his enthusiasm for undertaking any adventure his leader asks of him—whether it be delving deep into a Fallen facility to mine crystals, or bearding a coeurl’s den for a sample of tree sap—remain a constant source of approval.

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The Tower

The Tower — Basic Information

The voice of the Sagespire—or at least, one heard echoing throughout its halls.

It regards Clive and his allies as unwelcome intruders and seeks to remove them—not merely from the tower itself, but from existence.
Its cold inhumanity suggests that it has no human consciousness at its core—it is naught but another diabolical device of the Fallen’s creation.

The Tower — Hidden Truths

The voice of the Sagespire—or at least, one heard echoing throughout its halls.

It is an artificial intelligence that controls the functioning of the tower’s divers contrivances, sending wave after wave of Magitk monstrosities to eliminate Clive and his allies.
However, Clive is not so easily eliminated, and after destroying the heart of the man-made Mothercrystal, the voice falls silent.

Mysidia

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Shula

Shula — Basic Information

Leader of the Motes of Water,

and author of the letter asking for Cid the Outlaw’s aid in “rescuing” the Dominant of Leviathan.
That the note was delivered via the Veil suggests that she shares a friendship with the Dame—
—though the fact that she preferred a tent upon the isolated bluffs far from Northreach for a meeting place over Isabelle’s establishment implies a need for the greatest secrecy.

Shula — Tributary

Tributary of Mysidia, final haven of the Motes of Water.

Desperately seeking a means to free Waljas from the prison created for him by her ancestors, she invited Clive and his allies into her hidden home.
Though her strength may pale in comparison to that of her Dominant guests, she is a skilled warrior in her own right, wielding both a weighty battle-axe and the spells of a Bearer.

Shula — New Mother

Tributary of Mysidia, final haven of the Motes of Water.

With Clive’s aid, she succeeded in freeing Waljas from his temporal prison, returning the child to the great river of life.
She swears to care for Waljas as if he were her own son, that she might atone for the sins of their forebears—
—but with the risk that the chaos enveloping the world beyond the wall may one day spread within it ever present, the future remains clouded for her and her people.

Shula — A New Hope

Tributary of Mysidia, final haven of the Motes of Water, and elder sister to Famiel, who she raised from a young age after their parents passed away.

With her lifelong dream of saving Waljas made reality,
she did what her forebears did not, and welcomed the child into the family by means of the Rite of Immersion. She promises to care for the boy as if he were her own son—hoping against hope that he will prove a rather less troublemaking charge than her wayward brother.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Shula — As One of the People of Water.

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Waljas

Dominant of Leviathan — Slumbering Dominant

The Dominant of Leviathan,

who Shula would see freed from an eighty-year imprisonment.
According to the Tributary’s tale, it was the Dominant’s summoning of his Eikon that brought forth the Surge—
—the frozen wave that looms upon the horizon north of Northreach—within which he sleeps even now.

Waljas — Basic Information

The current Dominant of Leviathan,

born into the family of the Tributary of the Motes of Water some eighty years ago.
Soon after his birth and awakening as Dominant, he was subjected to a sinister ritual in the hope of harassing the power that slept inside him. Alas, all did not go to plan. Leviathan ran amok and summoned a wave that would have destroyed Haven,
were it not for the second part of his family’s plan: freezing the child and the world around him in time.

Waljas — Bitter Fate

The current Dominant of Leviathan, born into the family of the Tributary of the Motes of Water some eighty years ago.

Said family plotted to transform their new arrival into the heart of a Mothercrystal, by means of forcing his Eikon to prime and freezing it in time when its aether-channeling powers were in full flow. Their plan not only failed to produce a single crystal, but also made of Waljas an eternal prisoner, whose release would spell doom for their people—drowned beneath Leviathan’s waves.
His only hope for freedom would be the coming of one who could remove his Eikon, or else best it in battle. Once such as Clive Rosfield…

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Waljas — The Truth. The Japanese entry focuses on why the People of Water thought they could use Waljas to make a Mothercrystal and how that went wrong. It is also missing the last two sentences. The English entry focuses on why Waljas was frozen in time and what would happen if his time was unfrozen as well as what circumstances would have to happen for that to be a valid option.

Waljas — A Rude Awakening

The current Dominant of Leviathan, born into the family of the Tributary of the Motes of Water some eighty years ago.

Said family plotted to transform their new arrival into the heart of a Mothercrystal, by means of forcing his Eikon to prime and freezing it in time when its aether-channeling powers were in full flow.
Their plan not only failed to produce a single crystal, bu also made of Waljas a prisoner.

Kokuyōka: This entry is completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Waljas — The Out-of-Control Leviathan. The Japanese entry describes Waljas being freed in the present day. The English entry describes the People of Water’s ceremony from eighty years ago.

Waljas — Freed

The current Dominant of Leviathan, born into the family of the Tributary of the Motes of Water some eighty years ago.

After Clive took on the power of his Eikon and Shula unwove the spell that froze him in time, Waljas’s imprisonment was finally ended. Alas, so was Leviathan’s—and with a little encouragement from Ultima, the Eikon resumed the rampage it had begun decades earlier,
forcing Clive to face the maddened serpent in battle. The strength of Ifrit proved just enough to quell Leviathan’s rage, allowing an exhausted Clive to return baby Waljas into Shula’s loving arms.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Waljas — Releasing Waljas. The Japanese entry focuses more on Ultima’s role and motives for making Waljas manifest as Leviathan. The English entry focuses more on Clive’s role in freeing and fighting Waljas.

Waljas — Rite of Immersion

The current Dominant of Leviathan, born into the family of the Tributary of the Motes of Water some eighty years ago.

After Clive and his allies effected his release from a decades-long imprisonment, Shula brought the baby Waljas back to Haven,
here he was officially—and warmly—welcomed into the family by means of the Rite of Immersion.

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Dalina

Dalina — Basic Information

Adjutant to Shula, Tributary of Haven,

who ministers to the affairs of the Motes of Water when her leader is otherwise indisposed.
It was she who informed the people of Haven of the coming of Clive and his allies, and ensured they would welcome the outsiders as if they were family.

Dalina — Keeper of the Witch’s Grave

Adjutant to Shula, Tributary of Haven,

who ministers to the affairs of the Motes of Water when her leader is otherwise indisposed—likely to be more often than not now that Shula has Waljas to take care of.
Among Dalina’s myriad responsibilities is tending the grave of the Witch of the North—a duty passed down to her from her great-grandmother, who cared for the woman in her final days, and erected the stone after her passing.
In a tale known only to the families of Dalina and the Tributary, this same ancestor once came across a knight praying before the grave—perhaps the same man who once swore to defend the witch with his life.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Dalina — The Witch’s Gravekeeper.

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Pavaat

Haven’s master craftsman.

Though his social skills may be found slightly wanting, his artisanal skills are unquestionable, especially considering the lack of supplies available in the Motes of Water’s hidden home.
His feelings for his wife Wyrda, however, are both diverse and abundant.

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Jamila

Once a courtesan at the Veil,

who ventured beyond the Mysidian glamour to earn much-needed coin for her family. There, she fell in love with a sensitive, Sanbrequois soul—
—but knowing that she could never reveal to him her true identity without putting her people in danger, she fled home, only to meet with him again in Mysidia.
Now she divides her time between cooing with Herve and caring for her sister, a new mother who has volunteered to be Waljas’s wet nurse.

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Fanet

Mysidia’s master of the healing arts,

who attends to her countrymen’s ailments with traditional medicines and charms.
Talor proved a particularly difficult patient, as none of the experimental decoctions bubbling away in her kitchens proved effective against a tonberry curse.

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Talor

Father of Pavaat, blacksmith of Haven.
In his younger years, Talor was one of the chosen few permitted to travel beyond Mysidia’s borders to trade with the outside world. Alas, on one ill-fated trip he was arrested by the Greagorian inquisition and tortured as a heretic. When the sight of Clive’s longsword reopened those old wounds, he made an offering of his Greagorian masternoster to a tonberry altar, hoping to bring a curse upon those who had terrorized them so many years earlier.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Talor.

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Rowan

A trader and all matters chocobo who works out of Martha’s Rest.

It was he who gifted Ambrosia—or Whiteheart, as he knew her—with the riding tack she wears to this day.
He is equally generous when it comes to bird food—sharing the mimett gourd Clive needed to keep Ambrosia calm on the journey to Mysidia without thought of recompense.

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Ysay

The Witch of the North — Basic Information

A woman of the Northern Territories who breathed her last some eighty years ago.

She had been employed by the northern thegns to weave a spell to stop time, that they might prevent the fall of Drake’s Eye, and hence their nation. When at last she perfected the spell, it was already too late to save the Mothercrystal—or the witch, her flesh nigh consumed by the crystals’ curse.
It was in this state, close to death and abandoned by her people, that the Motes of Water stumbled upon her. They cared for her as best they could, and in return for their kindness, she gifted them her spell.

Kokuyōka: The third sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Witch of the North — Synopsis.

The Witch of the North — Dominant of Shiva

A woman of the Northern Territories who breathed her last some eighty years ago.

She had been employed by the northern thegns to weave a spell to stop time, that they might prevent the fall of Drake’s Eye.
Though the plan failed, the vare she designed to cast it remains atop the Aire of Hours to this day—as does her aether, bearing the unmistakable signature of a Dominate of Shiva.

Ysay — Mysidian Savior

A woman of the Northern Territories who breathed her last some eighty years ago.

She had been employed by the northern thegns to weave a spell to stop time, that they might prevent the fall of Drake’s Eye.
To this end, they brought her to Mysidia, where she labored night and day to perfect the magick that might save her nation—
—watched over all the while by a knight whose thoughts were only ever of protecting his lady.

Valisthea

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Valisthea

Valisthea — Basic Information

A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals stand timeless vigil.

At the foot of each, great cities have risen up over the eons, and around them, powerful nations.
Though the land has been blessed with the light of magic since time immemorial, in recent years, a creeping blackness has begun to gnaw at its borders—the Blight.

Kokuyōka: “Valisthea” is likely the (made up) Ancient Greek term “βαλλισθεά”.
θεά (pronounced “theá”) is the Ancient Greek word for “goddess”.
βαλλισ (pronounced “ballis”) is from the verb βάλλω (pronounced “bắllō”) which has quite a few meanings in Ancient Greek. Helpfully, this is the Ancient Greek word we get “ballistics” and “ballista” from (“b” sound changed to the “v” sound as Ancient Greek evolved into Modern Greek), which helps narrow down the meaning to be either “to throw”, “to let fall”, or “to strike”.
So “Valisthea” or “βαλλισθεά” most likely means something like “fallen goddess”, “thrown goddess” or “stricken goddess” in Ancient Greek.

Valisthea — After the Fall of Drake’s Head

A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals stand timeless vigil.

Timeless that is, until Cid and his disciples commenced their campaign to bring each one—starting with Drake’s Head—crashing down, spreading chaos and confusing throughout the great cities and nations of Valisthea.

Valisthea — Following Primogenesis

A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals stand timeless vigil.

Timeless, that is, until Cid and his disciples commenced their campaign to bring each one crashing down, spreading chaos and confusing to every corner of the land.
When ill-omened clouds summoned by Ultima gathered over Valisthea, the delicate balance governing the magic-yielding power of aether was finally shattered, and the realm was changed forever.

Valisthea — Hidden Truths

A realm comprising the twin continents of Storm and Ash, over which the Mothercrystals once stood vigil.

Countless eons ago, Ultima arrived here, fleeing the Blight that devoured his own homeland,
and resolved to rebuild the world and usher in a new and final age of pure reason. It was he who placed the Mothercrystals in each corner of the land that they might harvest the aether he needed to achieve this end.

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Storm

The westerly of Valisthea’s two great continents.

With its frozen northern reaches, its temperate, marshy midlands, and the searing heat of the south, it boasts a bredth of climes and cultures not seen anywhere else in the known realms.

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Ash

Thought slightly smaller than her sister to the west, the eastern continent of Valisthea is markedly more altitudinous, her lightly wooded shores guarded on all sides by nigh unscalable cliffs. Having been ravaged by the Blight still more grievously than Storm,
the kingdom of Waloed is now her sole remaining nation.

The Hideaway

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Cid’s Hideaway

Cid’s Hideaway — Basic Information

A refuge hidden in the Blighted lands of central Storm,
from which Cid operates his secretive community of freed Bearers.

While survival in the deadlands is widely considered impossible, a combination of near-indestructible Fallen ruins and considerable ingenuity have led to the establishment of a safe haven where those who rally to their leader’s cause are only just about able to eke out an albeit meager existence.

Cid’s Hideaway — A Home for Bearers

A hidden refuge built on Fallen ruins in the Blighted lands of central Storm.
It is from here that Cid operates his secretive society of freed Bearers.

So accustomed are most so-called “Branded” to ill treatment at their masters’ hands that their first experience of something approaching freedom within the hideaway’s walls—
—be it even something as small as a hot meal or a soft bed—can come as a considerable shock.

Cid’s Hideaway — Following the Destruction of the Dominion

A hidden refuge built on Fallen ruins in the Blighted lands in central Storm.

Here, Cid and his adopted family of freed Bearers from across the Twins made their home.
That is, until the fledgling utopia was brought crashing down after its location was discovered by Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan in the year 873.
In but a single night, the hideaway was destroyed—fewer than half managing to escape the slaughter visited upon them by Kupka and his men.

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The Hideaway

Established under the leadership of Clive Rosfield, who took on the title of Cid after his fomer leader’s passing, and Titan’s destruction of the old hideaway, here a community of like-minded individuals from across the realm has gathered to build a place where people can live and die on their own terms.
Like its predecessor, it is built within Fallen ruins deep within the deadlands of central storm. Decidedly unlike its predecessor, however, it is located in the center of a lake—Bennumere—across whose waters any invading enemy can easily be spotted long before their arrival.

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Bennumere

A lake in the Blighted lands on the southern edge of the former Grand Duchy of Rosaria named for the dragon that some tales say created the basin when it fell from the sky.

Fallen airships dot its expansive waters like forgotten cenotaphs, leading some to liken it to a graveyard.
Its remote location—far from any trade route and deep inside the deadlands—made it an obvious choice for Clive when faced with rebuilding Cid’s legacy.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the first sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Bennu Lake.

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The Cursebreakers

The Cursebreakers — Basic Information

A unit drawn from those of fighting age and martial training among the residents of the hideaway,

who conduct operations to liberate Bearers from slavery.
Beginning as a loose collection of like-minded individuals in Cid’s hideaway who chose to rid themselves of their Bearer brands that they might serve the cause out in the field, the order has greatly expanded both its ranks and its operations since the move to Bennumere—
—all under Otto’s watchful eye.

The Cursebreakers — Joining the Ranks

A unit drawn from those of fighting age and martial training among the residents of the hideaway,

who conduct operations to liberate Bearers from slavery.
Beginning in Clid’s hideaway, the order has greatly expanded both its ranks and its operations since the move to Bennumere.
While Otto manages their activities, day-to-day operations are led by Dorys and Cole.
Potential new recruits must undergo rigorous training and pass an induction test before joining the Cursebreakers’ ranks.

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The Fall of the Hideaway

An assault by Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan, and his private guard, on the first hideaway of Cid the Outlaw in the year 873.

The safe haven, established amongst forgotten ruins long consumed by the Blight, was entirely destroyed,
and may of Cid’s collaborators and the Bearers they had freed from servitude were slain.

Rosaria — Key Information & Locations

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The Grand Duchy and Imperial Province of Rosaria

The Grand Duchy of Rosaria — Basic Information

A nation occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm,
with Rosalith as its capital.

Rosaria was originally formed from a collection of smaller dominions, all of which now stand united under the banner of Archduke Elwin Rosfield.
Not possessing a Mothercrystals of its own, the duchy has long been locked in bitter conflict with the Iron Kingdom over possession of Drake’s Breath, which lies still further to the west, in the midst of the Boiling Sea.

The Imperial Province of Rosaria — Following Imperial Annexation

A nation occupying the western reaches of the continent of storm, with Rosalith as its capital.

When the duchy was left leaderless in the aftermath of the attack on Phoenix Gate in the year 860, the Ironblood seized the opportunity to attack the capital.
Their campaign did not last long, however, as the Holy Empire of Sanbreque soon returned in full force to stake its own claim, leaving the once-proud duchy no choice but to submit and become an imperial vassal state.

The Imperial Province of Rosaria — Under Anabella’s Purview

The lands comprising the western reachesof the continent of Storm.

Formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, it became an imperial province after its annexation by the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in the year 861.
Anabella Lesage, once Duchess of Rosaria and now Empress of Sanbreque, was granted stewardship of her former home and the title of vicereine, a role she embraced with sadistic relish, enacting a regime of crippling taxation and constant surveillance,
along with renewed persecution of the Bearer population.

The Imperial Province of Rosaria — Following the Siege of Rosalith

A nation formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm.

With the fall of Drake’s Breath, life for the people of Rosaria grew steadily more difficult, and countless thousands were forced to seek refuge in and around the country’s already overcrowded cities.
Then, in 878, Hugo Kupka’s forces invaded, piling further misery on the downtrodden populace, but loosening the empire’s grip somewhat in the process.

The Imperial Province of Rosaria — Following the Destruction of Twinside

A nation formerly known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, occupying the western reaches of the continent of Storm.

While Rosaria has been a vassal state of the empire for nigh on two decades,
the uprising in Twinside led by Prince Dion Lesage and his loyal dragoons, and subsequent death of both holy emperor and empress in the year 878, has left Sanbreque with barely the wherewithal to rule itself,
rending the erstwhile dukedom a subject of the empire in name and little else.

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Rosalith

Rosalith — Basic Information

The capital city of the Duchy of Rosaria.

Rosalith Castle, seat of the archduke, stands at the heart of the storied settlement, whose marketplaces teem with activity.
Alas, the encroaching Blight has rendered vast swathes of the land to the north uninhabitable, driving refugees south in ever greater numbers, and placing an unbearable strain on Rosalith’s all too finite resources.

Rosalith — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

The former capital city of the Duchy of Rosaria.

Anabella Lesage, who once ruled alongside Elwin Rosfield as Duchess, now wields absolute power as Divine Empress of Sanbreque, and has established an administrative government under her command.
The majority of Rosalith’s citizens fled or were captured when the Iron Kingdom invaded, and now the only inhabitants are a handful of nobles and sundry others who have sworn allegiance to the empire for fear of retribution.

Rosalith — Following Hugo’s Assault

The former capital of the Duchy of Rosaria.

When Hugo Kupka’s forces invaded, the entire city was put to the torch, and the magnificent castle sacked,
causing many of its inhabitants to flee.

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Rosalith Castle

Rosalith Castle — Basic Information

Situated in the heart of the ducal capital of Rosalith,

it is from this towering ivory fortress that the Archduke and his family rule their nation.
An architectural feat the Founder himself would be proud of, the castle has stood since the early days of the duchy, and watched over the rise of this proud nation and the people who inhabit the city beneath.

Rosalith Castle — Following Imperial Annexation

Situated in the heart of the ducal capital of Rosalith,

it was from this towering ivory fortress that the Archduke and his family once rule their proud nation.
A well-armed Sanbrequois garrison has been stationed here since 860, when the duchy was annexed by the empire following the tragedy at Phoenix Gate and the subsequent invasion by the Iron Crusade.

Rosalith Castle — Following the Siege of Rosalith

Situated in the heart of the ducal capital of Rosalith,

this towering ivory fortress has been under Sanbrquois command since 860—although little remains for them to command since much of the capital was destroyed in the siege set by Hugo Kupka and his private guard.

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Phoenix Gate

Phoenix Gate — Basic Information

A walled keep situated near Rosaria’s northwestern border.

It was originally constructed to serve as an outpost in the wars against the Northern Territories, but its true significance lies deep within the ruins atop which the stronghold stands.
Here, in an ancient chamber accessible only to the Dominant of Fire, is held the Rite of Ancestral Communion—an important ritual in which it is believed that the Phoenix can hear the words of the duchy’s forbears.

Phoenix Gate — Following the Destruction of the Dominion

The remains of the fortress

destroyed in the year 860 on what came to be known as the Night of Flames—the castle’s invasion by Sanbrequois saboteurs and the battle between the two Eikons of Fire that arose in its wake.
The earth is still riddled with fissures and tears—testament to the ferocity of the fight that unfolded here. The Gate itself was buried beneath piles of soot-stained rubble, and with it Rosaria’s pride, falling as the duchy did to the empire not long afterward.

Phoenix Gate — The Apodytery

The remains of the fortress

destroyed in the year 860 on what came to be known as the Night of Flames—the castle’s invasion by Sanbrequois saboteurs and the battle between the two Eikons of Fire that arose in its wake.
Ancient ruins lie beneath, and are reached by means of an underground pathway. Prior to Rosaria becoming an imperial province, the Gate was of great importance to the people of the duchy, being the site of the Rite of Ancestral Communion.

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The Apodytery

A place of worship located in the depths of Pheonix Gate, an ancient stronghold on the northwestern border of the former Duchy of Rosaria.

A large mural dominates this sacred chamber, where the Rite of Ancestral communion—a ceremony carried out by the duchy’s Dominant prior to marching into battle—was once performed.

Kokuyōka: “Apodytery” is likely from the Latin word “apodyterium” which itself is from the Ancient Greek word “ἀποδυτήριον” (pronounced “apodutḗrion”), which is a changing room!

Rosaria — Organizations

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The Ducal Army

The loyal soldiery of the duchy of Rosaria.

They serve under the standing army’s lord commander, whose task it is to enact the will of their sovereign, the archduke.
Those who show sufficient aptitude, or who are blessed with sufficient nobility of birth, are made “Shields”—personal retainers to the archduke himself.

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The Guardians of the Flame

The Guardians of the Flame — Basic Information

A clandestine group of ducal loyalists who lead the rebellion against the imperial occupation of Rosaria and Empress Anabella.

Many of their number are drawn from those who surivved the imperial attack on Phoenix Gate in the year 860, who know full well the empire’s involvement in the duchy’s fall.
They make their home in the abandoned Lazarus district outside Port Isolde, from where they conduct their raids to free Bearers from the imperial yoke.

The Guardians of the Flame — As Allies

A clandestine group of ducal loyalists who lead the rebellion against the imperial occupation of Rosaria and Empress Anabella.

Many of their number are drawn from those who surivved the imperial attack on Phoenix Gate in the year 860, who know full well the empire’s involvement in the duchy’s fall.
After their base in the Lazarus district was lost to an aetherflood, they moved north, continuing their operations to revive the duchy hand in hand with Martha.
They finally resettled in Eastpool, where they now labor to revitalize the village hand in hand iwth the Bearers they and Martha freed.

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House Rosfield

The highest of the noble houses of Rosaria.

The Dominant of the Phoenix is always born into the Rosfield line, and so it is always a Rosfield who sits upon the ducal throne.

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The Seven High Houses

The highest noble houses of old Rosaria, of which House Rosfield is the first and foremost.

They have their roots in the ruling dynasties of the small independent nations that were united upon the founding of the duchy.
The houses had a prominent voice in ducal politics, but this was silenced when the region fell to the empire, and Empress Anabella took Rosaria’s reigns.

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The Undying

The Undying — Basic Information

A secretive order who serve the lords of Rosaria from the shadows.

They revere the mighty Phoenix and its Dominant, and once presided over the rites of Ancestral Communion at Pheonix Gate.
Few outside the order know of its existence—even among the highest ranking members of Rosarian nobility. And to this very day, with Rosaria reduced to a mere imperial province, they continue to serve the rightful Keeper of the Flame—His Grace Joshua Rosfield.

Kokuyōka: The nature of this group is rather different between the Japanese and English versions of FFXVI. The Japanese has them be a religious order that worships and serves the Dominant of Phoenix. The English has them be more of a secular archaeology/intelligence network that serves the Rosfields.

The Undying — A Search for Answers

A secretive order who serve the lords of Rosaria from the shadows.

They revere the mighty Phoenix and its Dominant, and once presided over the rites of Ancestral Communion at Pheonix Gate.
Few outside the order know of its existence—even among the highest ranking members of Rosarian nobility.
Their loyalty to His Grace Joshua Rosfield is absolute, and none among them would hesitate to lay down their lives for his sake.
At his command, their efforts are currently devoted to uncovering the truth behind the mysterious being known as Ultima.

Kokuyōka: The third sentence is missing in its Japanese entry: The Phoenix Religious Order — Investigating Ultima.

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Ducal Loyalists

Those who maintain allegiance to the late Archduke Elwin and work for the revival of the fallen Duchy of Rosaria.

After Rosaria was incorporated into the empire, most swore loyalty to their new vicereine, the Empress Anabella—even more converting after they saw how those who refused to change their allegiances were persecuted.
This persecution was to only grow, culminating in the burning of Eastpool by imperial troops on the pretext that their reluctance to surrender Rosalith’s Bearers to the constabulary proved their disloyalty to the Holy Throne.

The term had a different meaning in the time before imperial occupation.
Rosaria was founded by the union of several small, independent nations, each led by its own noble house. These houses remained powerful even after unification, sometimes leading to friction between loyalists who argued for the Archduke’s ultimate authority, and the separatists who pushed for a return to autonomy.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: The Archduke’s Faction. The Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what happened, and is only three sentences long. The English entry greatly expands out the “story” of each sentence… to turn it into the second longest entries in the entire Thousand Tomes!

Rosaria — Cities & Towns

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Martha’s Rest

A small settlement huddled atop a rocky tor overlooking the swampy lowlands of southeastern Rosaria.

Sellswords gather in its barracks, hawkers in its streets, while those short on work can be heard singing over flagons of ale from morning until night in the village’s eponymous tavern.
While the former duchy may want for cheer since being annexed by the empire, the Rest is a rare spot of sunshine among the gloom, and most travelers make a point of stopping over when they’re passing through.

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The Bloodaxes

The band of sellswords tasked with the protection of Martha’s Rest,

in the absence of any assistance form the nearby imperial garrison.
It falls to them to keep watch on the roads, and keep the beasts and bandits of the swamplands from Martha’s gate.

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Glaidemond Abbey

A clutch of humble stone buildings perched above Sorrowise Bay, in the Imperial Province of Rosaria’s southeastern lowlands.

The abbey was built in order to propagate the Greagorian faith after the Duchy of Rosaria was made part of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,
and as such, is one of the rare examples of imperila architecture in the region.

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Eastpool

Eastpool — Basic Information

A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria.

It was once surrounded by fertile farmland, but the southward creep of the Blight eventually drove out most of the inhabitants.

Eastpool — Following the Culling

A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria.

It was once surrounded by fertile farmland, but the southward creep of the Blight eventually drove out most of the inhabitants.
In the aftermath of the attack on Phoenix Gate in 860 and the Ironblood invasion that followed, many fled here, including Bearers who had lost their masters. The majority of that population, however, was wiped out in the “culling” of Bearers ordered by Empress Anabella, and the village now lies abandoned and in ruins.

Eastpool — After the Reclamation

A hamlet located in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria.

It was deserted after the “culling” order by Empress Anabella, with bandits eventually moving in to occupy the ruins.
The bandits were eventually driven from the ruins, and the hamlet claimed by a group of freed Bearers and Sir Wade’s Guardians of the Flame, who had but recently lost the Lazarus District of Port Isolde to an aetherflood.

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The Purge of Eastpool

The Purge was a brutal attack on the Rosarian village of Eastpool in the year 873.

Anabella Lesage, Holy Empress of Sanbreque and Vicereine of Rosaria, ordered that all Bearers being harbored by the villagers be slaughtered, along with those “ducal loyalists” who had given them shelter.
In the ensuing massacre, Eastpool’s population was effectively decimated, and ultimately the village was abandoned.

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Amber

A sleepy settlement nestled amongst the lofty peaks of southern Rosaria.

Located far from the capital, its people survive by trading what produce they can coax from the stony soil, and what little else they can gather from the surrounding hills.

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Auldhyl Docks

A once thriving village of shipwrights located at the mouth of the Talons, Rosaria’s largest bay.

Its people were slaughtered at the hands of the viceregency’s Black Shields after it was discovered that
the Guardians of the Flame were sheltering Bearers there.

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Bewit Bridge

A bridge build in the golden days of the duchy

that spans part of the bay known as the Talons, and connects eastern Rosaria with the capital of Rosalith.
It was originally meant to be part of the Trans-Rosarian Aqueduct that would carry water to northern areas affected by the Blight, and with it, employment for local craftsmen and tradespeople,
but this plan was abandoned when Archduke Elwin died.

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The Lazarus District

The Lazarus District — Basic Information

An exclusive walled residential area situated just outside the eastern edge of Port Isolde.

It was once the jewel in the city’s crown, and home to many of the nobles of the duchy.
However, after the empire moved its capital to the Crystalline Dominion, Port Isolde was all but abandoned, and this once-grand district was soon overrun with thieves and cutthroats.

The Lazarus District — Following the Flood

An exclusive walled residential area situated just outside the eastern edge of Port Isolde.

It was once the jewel in the city’s crown, and home to many of the nobles of the duchy.
After the empire moved its capital to the Crystalline Dominion, this once-grand district was soon overrun with what appeared to many as thieves and cutthroats, but were in fact a band of ducal revolutionaries known as the Guardians of the Flame. Their occupation, however, came to an abrupt end at the hand of an aetherflood.

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Port Isolde

Port Isolde — Basic Information

A port city situated on the southwestern coast of the Imperial Province of Rosaria.

Only Rosalith rivals it for size, and in the glory days of Archduke Elwin’s reign, its streets bustled with traders from across Valisthea.
Sadly, those days are long since gone, and Sanbrequois occupation has seen everything, form marketplaces to military institutions, subverted to the will of the empire.

Kokuyōka: Isolde is one of the main characters of the Celtic medieval romance “Tristan and Isolde”. “Tristan” is written in Latin as “Durantus”… like the name of the island Drake’s Breath is on!

Port Isolde — After the Empire’s Retreat

A port city situated on the southwestern coast of the Imperial Province of Rosaria.

Following the fall of Rosaria to imperial rule, the city became a stronghold of the western garrison, its gates closed to native Rosarians seekng shelter from the chaos enveloping the world beyond its walls.
However, with the collapse of the empire and the withdrawal of the garrison, Port Isolde has reverted to local rule—the sellswords in Lord Byron’s employ ensuring her gates remain open to refugees, yet closed to those who would usher the outside chaos within.

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Cressida

A village located deep within the wetlands of central Rosaria.

It was once the site of an aqueduct that was hoped would carry water to the capital, Rosalith, but these plans ever came to fruition due to both the Holy Empire’s annexation of the duchy, and a sudden influx of feral beasts displaced by the Blight’s march south through the Dim.
Now it lies abandoned, many of its residents having fled to nearby Martha’s Rest.

Rosaria — Important Incidents

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Accolade

The Rosaria ceremony wherein the Dominant of the Phoenix ordains his First Shield and imbues him with the Eikon’s Blessing.

In the Year of the Realm 860, heir to the ducal throne Joshua Rosfield awarded the accolade to his brother Clive, making proof of the deep love and respect the young prince had for him.

Kokuyōka: In the game, this is the last entry in the Thousand Tomes. I have also put it here as it involves the incident that thematically is the beginning of the story.

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The Night of Flames

An imperial attack on Rosarian forces stationed at Pheonix Gate made under the cover of night in the year 860.

Archduke Elwin Rosfield was killed in the fighting, as were his two sons, though the bodies of the latter were never recovered, having thought to have been wholly consumed by hellfire.
The attack was widely rumored to have been facilitated by the traitorous Duchess Anabella, although official explanations attempted to shift the blame onto the Phoenix having run inexplicably rampant.

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The Territorialization of Rosaria

In the year 861, taking advantage of the discord arising from Rosaria’s internal woes in the wake of the night of Flames, the Ironblood launched an attack that inflicted devastating losses on an already crippled nation, robbing it of what little power remained.
Later that same year, Sanbreque stepped in and forced the once-proud duchy to submit to one final humiliation by becoming a vassal state of the empire—just as Duchess Anabella and her imperial conspirators had planned.

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The Siege of Rosalith

An incident in which Hugo Kupka, hoping to gain his revenge for the death of Benedikta Harman, attempted to draw out Cid—whom he now knew to be Clive Rosfield—from hiding with an attack on the capital of his beloved former homeland.
The city became a battlefield, and amidst the death and destruction, many innocents lost their lives.

Rosaria — Geography

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Stillwind Marsh

An area of swampland that stretches northeast from Rosalith Castle.

The odd village could once be found here, but nothing to compare to the lively settlements that line the main roads of the realm.
And with the encroachment of the Blight and the creatures driven before it, even these scant settlements were soon deserted.

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Three Reeds

An area of marshland in the eastern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria, just south of Martha’s Rest.

Numerous shacks and hovels dotted about the swamps suggest that the area was once at least sparsely populated.
However, now most lie broken and abandoned, their owners having fled for more habitable climes once the waters began to rise.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Three Reeds Marsh.

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Hawk’s Cry Cliff

A location in the southern part of the Imperial Province of Rosaria known for its distinctive rock formations.

There are myriad theories as to how the unique stratification was achieved, from natural shiftings of the earth, to clashes of bygone Eikons, to lost Fallen magicks.
The people who live in their shadows, however—such as those residents of the tiny village of Amber—will merely tell you a rock is a rock.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Hawk’s Cry Cliff.

Sanbreque — Key Information & Locations

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The Holy Empire of Sanbreque

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — Basic Information

A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm,
with the great city of Oriflamme as its capital.

Sanbreque is the realm’s largest theocracy, and home to to the Mothercrystal Drake’s Head. Under the rule of the holy emperor,
the people of Sanbreque enjoy a life of plenty thanks to the crystal’s blessing,which they believe to be a gift from the goddess Greagor Herself.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — The Battle of Belenus Tor

A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm.

Sanbreque is home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake’s Head, at whose foot stands the Holy Capital of Oriflamme.
The empire has been at war with the Kingdom of Waloed—situated just across the Strait of Autha—ever since the Battle of the Twin Realms in 865, and judging by their clash at Belenus Tor in 873, neither side shows any sign of backing down.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — Following the Annexation of Rosaria

A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm,
with the great city of Oriflamme as its capital.

Political power in the empire technically resides with the five cardinals, but even they are bound to the whims of the holy emperor in those manners of state in which he takes interest.
In the year 860, at Emperor Sylvestre’s behest the cardinals agreed upon a plane to “liberate” Rosaria from the marauding forces of the Iron Kingdom, after which the duchy had little choice but to bend the knee and become and imperial province.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence has Sylvestre be Emperor in 860 CC. The Japanese entry: Sylvestre — His Last Moments, has Sylvester still be a nobleman at this time. It also says he becomes Emperor not long before he marries Anabella, which happens a few years after the Phoenix Gate Assault.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — Faith in the Goddess

A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm,
with the great city of Oriflamme as its capital.

Sanbreque is the realm’s largest theocracy, and home to to the Mothercrystal Drake’s Head. The empire is ruled by the holy emperor—
—the one true goddess made flesh, according to the Greagorian faith—who is served unquestioningly by the sworn knights of the blessed dragon, known more commonly as the dragoons.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Empire of Sanbreque — The Greagor All-Faith. The Japanese entry focuses more on the relationship between dragons and Greagor and the veneration of dragons in Sanbreque. It is also missing that the holy emperor is the incarnation of Greagor. The English entry focuses more on the relationship between the Divine Emperor and Greagor.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — After the Fall of Drake’s Head

A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm.

After suffering the ignominy of losing Drake’s Head to an audacious assault by the outlaw Cid in 873,
the empire set its sights on the Mothercrystal of its nearest neighbor, the Crystalline Dominion. Sanbreque’s legions duly stormed the historically neutral territory, and installed the imperial capital at Twinside.
This brazen act of conquest sent shockwaves across Valisthea, and heightened the already considerable tension between the empire and the Dhalmekian Republic.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — Following Olivier’s Ascension

A nation occupying the northeastern reaches of the continent of Storm,
with Twinside as its capital.

Apparently not continent with the upheaval caused by removing his court to the recently seized Crystalline Dominion, Sylvestre Lesage chose to compound the uncertainty by installing his second son, Olivier, as holy emperor while still a child.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque — A Son’s Betrayal

A nation occupying the northesastern reaches of the continent of Storm.

After its administrative capital moved to Twinside in the neighboring Crystalline Dominion in the year 873, an insurgency led by Prince Dion Lesage upended the political and military order, spreading unrest and disruption across the land.
This disruption was further worsened when Ultima unleashed Primogenesis, obliterating Twinside, and plunging the realm yet deeper into chaos.

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Oriflamme

Oriflamme — Basic Information

The capital of the Holy empire of Sanbreque, located in northeastern Storm

on a peninsula that dominants Ollepheist Bay and is home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake’s Head.
All the empire’s major institutions are located here, including Whitewrym Castle, seat of the Holy Emperor, and meeting place of the cardinals.

Oriflamme — Capital No Longer

Former capital of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

After its Mothercrystals was destroyed in in an attack by Cid the Outlaw in the year 873, the decision was made to move the throne and her armies south to the Crystalline Dominion—regardless of whether or not the Dominion’s citizens approved.
Oriflamme has since fallen gradually into decline, having lost the Mother’s blessing and all the benefits it brought.

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Whitewyrm Castle

The towering citadel from which the holy emperor of Sanbreque rules over the entirety of his demesne.

With the Mothercrystal rising above it and the imperial capital of Oriflamme spread out below, this ivory edifice is truly a wonder to behold.

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Drake’s Head

Drake’s Head — Basic Information

A Mothercrystal situated on the Sea of Grace in northern Sanbreque.

Drake’s Head towers over the Holy Capital fo Oriflamme, its mighty form a testament to the power and permanence of the empire.
However, mysterious aetherfloods and the specter of the ever-encroaching Blight have led some in power to call that permanence into question.

Drake’s Head — After the Mother’s Fall

The Mothercrystal upon whose wings did Sanbreque ascend to geopolitical supremacy.

It towered over the Holy Capital of Oriflamme, its might silhouette a testament to the power and permanence of the empire. And then, in the eyar 873, it fell at the hand of Cid the Outlaw.

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The Fall of Drake’s Head

In the year 873, Cid the Outlaw, along with certain of his allies, infiltrated the Sanbrequois capital of Oriflamme, bringing down its Mothercrystal in a daring and unprecedented attack. Investigations after the fact concluded that the infiltrators took advantage of the disturbance caused by an aetherflood to to gain entry to the empire’s holy sanctum.
In the aftermath of the incident, Cid was declared a wanted man, and the faction he led a criminal enterprise, to be hounded across Valisthea.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Drake’s Head Disappearance.

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Caer Norvent

An imperial stronghold located along the southern fringes of Sanbrequois territory far from its capital of Oriflamme.

It occupies a key strategic position adjacent the Crystal Belt, and is suitably formidably fortified as a result.
With its walls there are living quarters, a church, a gaol, and sufficient storehouses to see the occupants through a lengthy siege.

Sanbreque — Organizations

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The Imperial Army

The assembled forces of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

While officially under the command of the cardinals, it is Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage whom the legions truly serve.
On the battlefield, the dragoons—peerless lancers renowned throughout the realm—are the empire’s keenest weapon, descending from the skies to sow terror and disarray among their hapless foes.

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The Bastards

The Bastards — Basic Information

A unit of trained assassins

deployed to the Nysa Defile, deep within Dhalmekian territory, and tasked with the elimination of an enemy Dominant.

The Bastards — At the Battle of Nysa

A unit of imperial army assassins

tasked with taking the head of the Iron Kingdom’s Dominant, Warden of Ice, and vessel for the Eikon, Shiva.
All of its members, including its leader Tiamat, are Bearers—branded men pressed into servitude for their ability to wield magic.

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The Holy Knights Dragoon

The Holy Knights Dragoon — Basic Information

Elite troops of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, led by Prince Dion Lesage.

Drawn largely from the nobility of the realm, their status as knights of the sacred dragon affords them still higher standing in the eyes of the people.
In the Battle of the Borderlands of 873, as in so many conflicts down the years, they proudly led the charge as the empire entered the fray.

The Holy Knights Dragoon — Revolt

Elite troops of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,
led by Prince Dion Lesage.

Drawn largely form the nobility of the realm, their status as knights of the sacred dragon affords them still higher standing in the eyes of the people.
In the Battle of the Borderlands of 873, as in so many conflicts down the years, they proudly led the charge as the empire entered the fray. However, Prince Dion’s opposition to the machinations of the Holy Empress Anabella spurred the dragoons to rise up against their emperor in an insurgency which saw them fall suddenly and decisively from grace.

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Dragoon

A lance-wielding knight of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

The dragoons are trained in a unique, acrobatic fighting style modeled after the moments of dragons, which is characterized by sudden thrusts and disorienting leaps and dives.
Greagorian scripture holds the creatures to be divine—a gift from the Goddess herself—and so too are their namesakes revered by the populace.

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The Holy Order of Shields of the Blackened Pinion

The official name of the order of knights established in the Imperial Province of Rosaria, who persecute and purge Bearers and those who shield them.

Commonly known as the Black Shields after the color of their armor—a hue seemingly chosen to differentiate this new elite order from the silver-clad dragoons.
Unlike the heroic dragoons, however, they are feared and loathed throughout the imperial province.

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The Black Shields

The Black Shields — Basic Information

An order of knights instituted by Empress Anabella in one of her fist acts as vicereine of the newly established imperial province of Rosaria. They are tasked with “purging the impurities” from the province—which in practice primarily involves slaying Bearers upon the slightest pretexts.

The Black Shields — The Main Host

An order of knights instituted by Empress Anabella in one of her fist acts as vicereine of the imperial province of Rosaria. While they most often march in small groups, their main host has been known to rally together to conduct large-scale raids.
They are tasked with “purging the impurities” from the province, to which end they conduct cullings of both Bearers and those judged to be ducal loyalists.

The Black Shields — After Anabella’s Death

An order of knights instituted by Empress Anabella in one of her fist acts as vicereine of the imperial province of Rosaria. They are tasked with “purging the impurities” from the province, to which end they conduct cullings of both Bearers and those judged to be ducal loyalists.
After Anabella died and the Black Shields were left without a leader, many returned to Sanbreque, entering the service of the former Lord Chief Justice and keeping watch on Lostwing.

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The Council of Elders

Advisors to the Holy Emperor of Sanbreque, and the highest body of government in the empire.

The council consists of five Cardinals of the Greagorian church, who are intended to rule in the emperor’s stead.
The emperor, meanwhile, is expected to serve as a constitutional monarch, but there is little to prevent one who wishes to impose their will upon the council from playing a more autocratic role.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Senate.

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The Five Cardinals

The senior statesmen that make up the highest office of government in Sanbreque

after the Emperor himself—the Council of Elders.
The council is comprised of the High Cardinal, representative of central Sanbreque and the Holy Capital Oriflamme, and the for cardinals who administer the outer provinces—the northern, southern, eastern, and western sees.

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The Lord Chief Justice

The highest ranking judge in the Sanbrequois judiciary.

Quinten served under the previous holder of the office, and respected the man deeply for supporting him in his crusade to rid the ranks of corruption.
However, all this was to change when he discovered that his idol hunted Bearers for sport—the Lord Chief Justice’s backing for Quinten no more than a veil of morality to disguise the rot beneath.
Quinten turned his ire upon the man, only to be met with swift retribution—the slaughter of his entire family.

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The Viceregency

The Viceregency — Basic Information

After the incorporation of Rosaria into the empire,

Emperor Sylvestre elected not to rule the new province directly, but to make of it a viceregency with Rosalith as its provincial capital.

The Viceregency — Anabella’s Tyranny

The imperial province incorporating the lands that were once Rosaria,

ruled over by Anabella, former duchess of Rosaria.
One of her first acts as vicereine was to institute a new order of knights—the Black Shields—who were dispatched to every corner of the province to “maintain order.” They would later come to serve as her personal army, settling her grievances against Bearers and ducal loyalists.

Sanbreque — Cities & Towns

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Lostwing

Lostwing — Basic Information

A settlement located in central Sanbreque,

on the northeastern edge of the Greatwood.
Having initially found prosperity as a stopover point for traveling traders, it fell from favor when newer, better roads bypassed, and eventually fell off the map entirely.
The village is built both in and around Fallen ruins that the people of Lostwing claim was once called an “airship.”

Lostwing — A Village with a Secret

A settlement located in central Sanbreque, on the northeastern edge of the Greatwood.

Having initially found prosperity as a stopover point for traveling traders, it fell from favor when newer, better roads bypassed, and eventually fell off the map entirely.
Presently, its obscurity serves as cover to mask its burgeoning status as a safe haven for Bearers who work the nearby vineyards for Quinten—ealdorman and co-conspirator of Cid’s—
—while casks of Gaultand Rouge aged in Lostwing’s cellars provide the village with much needed income.

Lostwing — A Target for the Empire

A settlement located in central Sanbreque.

It had fallen almost entirely into run after new roads bypassed it—that is until Quinten, a co-conspirator of Cid’s, took it upon himself to rebuild it. His chief aim in doing so was to amass enough manpower to take revenge on the Lord Chief Justice of Sanbreque, and he found no shortage of others who had suffered at the man’s hands willing to join him.
Fearing this coming retribution, the Lord Chief Justice set the Black Shields to seek out the village in order to destroy it.

Lostwing — Following the Flood

At one time, this small village in central Sanbreque boasted a thriving winery, with the Gaultand Rouge produced there being prized by connoisseurs across the land.

Alas, all the years of hard work were brought crashing down in an instant when the Black shields, sent by the Lord Chief Justice of Sanbreque, turned Akashic, sowing death and destruction in their wake. However, before those few villagers who survived the assault could rebuild, an aetherflood descended,
forcing them to take refuge in the vineyards to the east. There Ealdorman Quinten seeks to start a new village with his “family.”

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The Hanged Man

Quinten’s tavern in Lostwing.

It is very much the beating heart of the village—not only do the villagers congregate here to eat, drink and make merry, it is also frequented by traveling traders seeking to load their wagons with Lostwing’s famous wine.

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Northreach

Northreach — Basic Information

A town which doubles as a defensive gateway to Sanbreque’s Holy Capital of Oriflamme.

It was originally a purely military outpost—a towering bastion constructed to prevent land-based assaults on the capital from the southwest.
To this day, a heavily guarded checkpoint ensures that non can pass through the wall without prior authorization, and as such, the need to linger here prior to entering has led to the rise of a thriving market and various other commercial enterprises on the wall’s southern side.
The garrison, however, along with the inns and brothels most of the soldiers frequent, as well as the residences of the nobles who make Northreach their home, remain on the northern side.

Northreach — Following the Fall of Drake’s Head

When Sanbreque moved its capital to the Crystalline Dominion, Northreach went from being a vital gateway to the seat of the empire to a forgotten country backwater in a matter of moons.
And with the fall of Drake’s Head, the aether was soon leached from he lands around it, leaving the fields fallow, and the once-thriving enviorons barren and lifeless.

Northreach — Following the Attack of the Thralls

A town that once acted as a defense gateway to Sanbreque’s Holy Capital of Oriflamme.

Not long after the skies took a turn for the ominous and most of the old capital was lost to an aetherflood, the Imperial High Cardinal arrived with designs to build a new empire, but at great cost to the citizens of Northreach.
It was at this time Ultima’s thralls descended upon the fields both north and south of the great wall, forcing those citizens to choose between abandoning their town, or fighting—and possibly dying—for those they loved. The people chose the latter, and after a hard-earned victory,
the High Cardinal was finally convinced to join hands with Madame Isabelle, and a modicum of order was at long last restored.

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The Veil

The Veil — Basic Information

Northreach’s premiere house of companionship.

While it is frequented mainly by Sanbreque’s nobilty and military, Lady Isabelle welcomes all with the desire—and the coin—to partake of the pleasures her skilled “courtesans” and “courtiers” offer. Few establishments in the empire are as well-loved or as oft-visited.

The Veil — Friend to the Motes

The Veil’s owner and proprietor, Isabelle, has long sought to provide her unique brand of succor to all who seek it, and as such, she welcomes into her halls those from all walks of life, be they noble or lowborn, serf or soldier.
This hospitality extends to even the exiled Motes of Water. Showing sympathy with their plight, the Dame happily offers what assistance she can, be it aid, protection, or employment.

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Moore

A farming village located in the rye fields of the Royal Meadows not far from the Sanbrequois capital of Oriflamme.

Her residents harbor a strong hatred for Bearers—more even than elsewhere in the empire—making it a very dangerous place to visit for those who bear the brand.

Sanbreque — Important Incidents

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The Battle of Belenus Tor

The Battle of Belenus Tor was a conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Kingdom of Waloed in the year 873.

Having lost vital territory to Sanbrequois forces eight years earlier in the Battle of the Twin Realms, the Waloeders launched an assault on the eponymous peak, looking to regain a foothold in the imperial lands on the opposite side of the Strait of Autha.
Both sides fielded their Eikons, and in the ensuing showdown between Odin and Bahamut, an entire Sanbrequois legion was lost, and the Waloeders regained their outpost on Storm.

Kokuyōka: Here it says Waloed regained their outpost on Storm. Later in the Belenus Tor entry, it will say Waloed failed to gain a foothold in Storm. Neither Japanese entry says what the outcome of the battle was.

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The Accession of the Emperor Olivier

The Accession of the Emperor Olivier — Basic Information

Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage handed power to Olivier, his second-born son

and only child by the Empress Anabella, in a turn of events that shocked a nation.
None were more shocked, however, than his first-born son Dion, who was presiding over troop movements in the area surrounding the Crystalline Dominion when the news first reached him.

The Accession of the Emperor Olivier — Hidden Truths

Holy Emperor Sylvestre Lesage handed power to Olivier, his second-born son and only child by the Empress Anabella,

ostensibly in recognition of the part he had played in the agreement of a peace between the empire and Dhalmekia.
While the accession of one so young was unprecedented, Emperor Sylvestre reassured those bold enough to express doubt at the wisdom of such a choice by maintaining that as “great Greagor made flesh” he would merely serve as an advisor to the young new emperor until he came of age. Prince Dion, the Emperor’s first-born and rightful heir to the holy throne, was violently opposed to the plan, but his objections fell on deaf ears.

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Rise of the Wyrm

A rebellion of the Holy Order of the Knights Dragoon that took place in the Crystalline Dominion.

It was provoked by Emperor Sylvestre Lesage’s decision to overlook his eldest son, Dion and make his second-born, Olivier, child of the Empress Anabella, crown prince in his place.
Seeing this as yet another victory for Anabella in her long campaign to subvert Sanbrequois for her own ends, Prince Dion ordered the dragoons into action. But having lost control of his Eikon, he inadvertently laid waste to the city he had tried to save.

Sanbreque — Geography

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The Greatwood

A vast forest in the southwestern part of Sanbreque.

Wildlife thrives here,
but the delicately balanced ecosystem has been thrown into disarray in recent years by the encroachment of the Blight, and the beasts driven before it. So dangerous has it become that travelers rarely venture here anymore.

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Orabelle Downs

In southwestern Sanbreque where the Greatwood ends, lie the secluded meadows of Orabelle.

Here, the soil is rich and the climate temperate, while the sloped terrain provides ample runoff for rain, making the location perfect for the growing of wine grapes—something the residents of nearby Lostwing take very seriously.

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Norvent Valley

An expansive river valley that cuts through southern central Sanbreque.

The fortress of Caer Norvent rises along its eastern edge.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Norvant Valley. The English entry says where Caer Norvent is in the valley. The Japanese entry says where the road in Norvant valley goes.

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Glorieuse

A key strategic point in central Sanbreque.

Its location just south of Oriflamme makes it a vital first line of defense against any assault on the Holy Capital.
The road from Northreach to Caer Norvent and beyond to the Crystal Belt bisects the area, ensuring a constant traffic of Sanbrequois soldiers and traveling merchants.

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The Dragon’s Aery

A gently sloping plain stretching east from the Sanbrequois checkpoint of Northreach.

As the name implies, it is heavily populated with all manner of wild wyrms, and as such the lands remain relatively unspoiled by mankind.

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The Kingsfall

Located in western Sanbreque near the Rosarian border,

the Kingsfall is a towering cataract fed by the waters of multiple converging tributaries.
Though these waters long played an integral part in the lives of nearby settlers, an influx of displaced beasts fleeing from the Blight has forced many to abandon their claim to the resource.

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The Eye of the Tempest

The Eye of the Tempest — Basic Information

A raging vortex born upon Benedikta Harman’s descent into madness and lost of control over her Eikon, Garuda.

Its power is such that not only are entire villages swept up by its passing, but the very ground beneath it is gouged and disfigured.

The Eye of the Tempest — Garuda Fallen

Here once did rage a storm born of a Dominat’s madness—a storm within which the Eikons Garuda and Ifrit clashed…and from which only one would emerge.

Their struggle saw the landscape razed as holts, farms, and villages that had stood for ages were in but mere moments struck from existence.
Now all that remains is a blackened waste somehow even more lifeless than the blighted deadlands.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Eye of the Tempest — Garuda’s End. The Japanese entry just says the tornado could have caused massive destruction to structures in the area and focuses on how the tornado disappeared. The English entry makes it sound like the tornado did cause massive destruction to structures in the area and focuses on what the area is like once the tornado disappears.

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Belenus Tor

Named for the highest of its “peaks,” Sanbreque’s Belenus Tor is a region of rolling, grassy hills slightly inland of where the Straight of Autha meets the Sea of Grace.

In the year 873, it was the site of a decisive battle in the Kingdom of Waloed’s failed bid to regain a foothold in Storm.

Kokuyōka: Here it says Waloed failed to gain a foothold in Storm. Earlier in The Battle of Belenus Tor entry, it will say Waloed regained their outpost on Storm. Neither Japanese entry says what the outcome of the battle was.

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The Breadbasket

A region overlooking the Strait of Autha in the eastern part of Sanbreque.

The bounty provided by its rich soil fed the empire for generations, until the ever-encroaching Blight intervened,
displacing thousands in the process—a disturbance which played no small part in the troubles that were later to engulf the imperial capital.

Dhalmekia — Key Information & Locations

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The Dhalmekian Republic

The Dhalmekian Republic — Basic Information

A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm,
and has its capital at Ran’dellah.

It is also home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake’s Fang.
There is no official state religion, and citizens are free to worship as they please.
Dhalmekia’s key political entity is the parliament, which is formed of ministers representing each of the states, with the Prime Minister at its head.

The Dhalmekian Republic — Kupka’s Fiefdom

A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continet of Storm,
and has its capital at Ran’dellah.

Also home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake’s Fang,
inside which stand Castle Dazbog, home of Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan and Warden of Earth.

The Dhalmekian Republic — In Pursuit of Cid

A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continet of Storm,
and has its capital at Ran’dellah.

Also home to the MOthercrystal known as Drake’s Fang,
inside which stand Castle Dazbog, home of Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan. Kupka, obsessed with finding Cid and exacting his revenge for the murder of Beneidkta Harman, co-opted the soldiers of the realm and had them commit a series of atrocities in an attempt to flush him out of hiding.

The Dhalmekian Republic — Destabilization

A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm,
and has its capital at Ran’dellah.

Having lost both Drake’s Fang and the mighty Titan, the political situation in Dhalmekia has deteriorated drastically—the government scrambling to withdraw their troops from the ill-stared siege of the Crystalline Dominion
that they might be redeployed to quell the unfolding chaos at home.

The Dhalmekian Republic — A Republic on the Brink

A nation formed from a federation of five smaller states. It is located in the southern half of the continent of Storm,
and has its capital at Ran’dellah.

After the fall of Drake’s Fang, a combined force of Akashic soldiers and orcs descended on the capital, and came perilously close to destroying what little order remained.
However, thanks to the intervention of Prince Dion Lesage of Sanbreque and his knights dragoon, disaster was averted at the last moment.

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Ran’dellah

Ran’dellah — Basic Information

Capital of the Dhalmekia Republic.

It is a thriving hub of commerce, where merchants and traders gather from across Valisthea.
Its streets bustle with life, even late into the night, when the twinkle of countless lanterns illuminates the landscape.
The nation’s affairs are managed from the Ministry of Law in the heart of the city, wherein sits the Parliament of Ministers.

Ran’dellah — Following the Sack of the Capital

The capital of the Dhalmekian Republic.

It was once a thriving hub of commerce, where merchants gathered from across Valisthea, and people enjoyed a life of peace and prosperity under the guidance of the Parliament of Minsters, who oversaw the nation’s affairs from the safety of the Ministry of Law.
Since Ultima brought about Primogensis, however, Pan’dellah’s streets have been all but abandoned to Akashic Waloeder soldiers and beastmen on the hunt for flesh.

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Castle Dazbog

A castle built within the dome-like mountain that continas Crake’s fang.

It is the primary residence of Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan, and is lavishly appointed to suit his extravagant tastes.

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Drake’s Fang

Drake’s Fang — Basic Information

One of the Valisthea’s five remaining Mothercrystals, located in Dhalmekian Republic.

Unlike its sisters who jut from the earth to tower above the landscape, Drake’s Fang is completely enclosed within the vast hollow of an ageless mountain, its citrine fingers reaching inward to the barrow’s heart.
Excavation of these crystals has, over the centuries, showered the Dhalmeks with substantial fortune, and as such, is seen as a symbol of the nation’s prosperity.

Kokuyōka: It is very likely that the inspiration for Drake’s Eye is the Richat Structure aka the Eye of the Sahara, which was formed by uplift and looks like… a real-life version of Drake’s Fang once the Mothercrystal disappears!

Drake’s Fang — After the Mother’s Fall

A Mothercrysatl that was located in the heart of the Dhalmekian Republic.

While it is widely reported to have been destroyed by Cid the Outlaw in the year 878,
rumors also abound of orcs—subjects of the Kingdom of Waloed—having been sighted there at the time.
Regardless of the cause, the loss of their Mothercrystal and the Dominant upon whom they so heavily relied soon brought the Dhalmeks to the negotiating table in a desperate bid for cessation of hostilities with the empire.

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The Fall of Drake’s Fang

Drake’s Fang, Mothercrystal of the Dhalmekian Republic,

was destroyed by Cid the Outlaw and his associates in the year 878.
Hugo Kupka, Dominant of Titan, also disappeared in the attack, and was presumed to have dead.
The loss of their Eikon led to the Dhalmeks hastening their withdrawal from the conflict with the empire that was ongoing at the time.

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Fort Zirnitra

A stronghold situated at the western end of the Nysa Defile in the Dhalmekian Republic.

In the year 873, it served as the site of a meeting convened by the Dhalmekians with their Waloeder allies in an attempt to enlist their aid in driving back the Ironblood, who had been a thorn in their side since the Battle of the Twin Realms eight years before.

Dhalmekia — Organizations

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The Men of the Fist

Dhalmekia’s standing army.

While officially an organ of the Republic, each of its five states is granted relative autonomy with regard to the management of its troops.
Aside from certain specialized squads, battle deployments are mostly comprised of small units employing a mixture of foot soldiers and battlemages. The former are known and feared for their curved swords and prodigious axes, and the deadly skill with which they wield them.

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The Men of the Rock

The Men of the Rock — Basic Information

Hugo Kupka’s personal guard.

On Kupka’s orders, they ruthlessly gutted and destroyed Cid’s original hideaway—vengeance for the brutal beheading of Benedikta Harman.
But Kupka’s thirst for revenge is not yet slaked, and it is with reckless abandon that he employs his minions to commit atrocities across the realm in a bid to drive Cid from hiding.

The Men of the Rock — Loyalty Bought

A private army under the command of Hugo Kupka.

Originally employed by the Dhalmekian parliament to guard Drake’s Fang, the bulk of the force was co-opted by Kupka when he seized control of the Mothercrystal, and has served him and only him ever since.
Most Men of the Rock idolize their commander for his political and financial achievements. After all, few can claim to have been made Permanent Economic Advisor to the Dhalmekian parliament and built a wealth worthy of several generations in a single lifetime.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Hugo’s Private Army — The Drake’s Fang Garrison.

The Men of the Rock — A Republic on the Brink

A private army under the command of Hugo Kupka.

Originally employed by the Dhalmekian parliament to guard Drake’s Fang, the bulk of the force was co-opted by Kupka when he seized control of the Mothercrystal, and has served him and only him ever since.
After Kupka’s death, his forces scattered, largely returning to the countryside where many now engage in banditry.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Hugo’s Private Army — Dhalmekia’s Collapse. The Japanese entry has them go back to the Army of Dhalmekia afterwards. The English entry has them become bandits afterwards.

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The Republican Parliament

The Republican Parliament — Basic Information

The highest council of government of the Republic of Dhalmekia.

Seven ministers are responsible for ruling the nation—
—though their will is often molded to that of their permanent economic advisor, Hugo Kupka, who leverages his power as the Dominant of titan to shape the republic’s policy.

The Republican Parliament — Dhalmekia in Chaos

The highest council of government of the Republic of Dhalmekia.

Seven ministers are responsible for ruling the nation.
After the death of Hugo Kupka and destruction of Drake’s Fang, the republic descended into chaos, and it fell to the ministers to pick up the pieces of their crumbling country.

Dhalmekia — Cities & Towns

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Kostnice

A town located in the rugged northern reaches of the Dhalmekian Republic.

Though it was once a thriving trading post, the coming of the Blight has served to both discourage travelers as well as drive off long-time residents.
All that now remain are refugees fleeing from elsewhere, the black marketeers who prey upon them, and barely enough soldiers to keep the peace—or rather, to pretend to when they’re not being bribed to look the other way.

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The Dalimil Inn

The Dalimil Inn — Basic Information

A literal oasis in the Velkroy—a desert in the western part of Dhalmekia—

—Dalimil offers goods, foods and respite to those travelers who endure the long march through sweltering sands.
In particular, the hot spring baths, fed from nearby waters, will not only ease the pains of the world, but are also rumored to cure all manner of ills, from oils and buboes, to the various afflictions to the groin—many of which are like to be contracted at one of Dalimil’s many brothels.

Kokuyōka: The entire section about healing diseases, as well as where those diseases are gotten, is missing from its Japanese counterpart: Dalimil Relay Station — Synopsis.

The Dalimil Inn — Under new Leadership

A literal oasis, Dalimil offers goods, food and respite to those travelers who make the long march through western Shalmekia’s sweltering Valkroy Desert.

Since the fall of Drake’s Fang, however, what was once a constant flow of visitors has dried to all but a trickle, leaving the town in dire straits and tensions amongts its citizens high.
When faced with a horde of Akashic bandits beating at both their gates, L’ubor, renowned blacksmith, convinced the town guard and its league of merchants to put aside their differences and join hands to fight for their people’s survival.
For his accomplishment, he earned not only the respect of his peers, but with it the position of mayor, despite being a Bearer.

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The Briar’s Kiss

L’ubor’s forge in Dalimil.

Its names is known across the republic for the quality of its steel and the skill of its smiths.
The forgemaster of the Briar’s Kiss is a man of many titles—forgemaster nonpareil, Desert Hare, Ruzena Dalimil, and dear friend an ally of the late Cidolfus Telamon.

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The Town Guard

The volunteer fighting force assembled and led by Konrad.

Unlike the Men of the Rock or the mercenaries previously charged with keeping Dalimil safe, every member of the guard is a Dalimilian born and bread and has as future of the town at heart.
Many of the miners who lost their livelihoods when Drake’s Fang fell
have found a new purpose in the guard, swinging swords and axes in place of picks.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Vigilante Group.

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The League of Merchants

The group responsible for filling and maintaining Dalimil’s collective stores, that all might be supported in these troubled times.
It draws its membership from the traders of the towns, and is led by Natalie, overseer of the markets.
It was she who recognized that Dalimil’s future could not be secured by force of arms alone—only by bringing the entire town together might they summon the strength to drive back the bandits.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Support Group. The Japanese entry focuses more on how the group was passive before partnering with the Vigilante Group. The English entry focuses more on Natalie’s role in unifying Dalamil Relay Station and fighting back against the bandits.

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Lord Underhill

Clive’s alter ego—albeit one that was forced upon him by L’ubor’s fondess for theatrics.

It was Lord Underhill of the Ran’dellah League of Merchants who made it known to Natalie that help from the capital would not be forthcoming, and that the peole of Dalimil must work together to fill their own stores.
Jill was rather more convincing in the role of Lady Jayne of the Red Wings, who planted the idea of forming a town guard in Knrad’s mind.
Both Konrand and Natalie still address Clive by this name—thought in Natalie’s case, this would appear to be naught but a courtesy to his dramatic efforts.

Kokuyōka: “Underhill” is a reference to the alias Frodo Baggins uses in The Fellowship of the Ring, by JRR Tolkien.
“Red Wings” is a reference to the unit Cecil Harvey leads at the start of FFIV.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Fire Butte Merchant Group. The Japanese entry talks about Clive and Jill’s roles equally and makes it sound like Natalie really does think Clive is Lord Underhill. The English entry focus more on Clive’s role and says that Natalie only calls him Lord Underhill to be polite.

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Boklad

Boklad — Basic Information

A busy market town situated on the northeastern coast of Dhalmekia.

Also known as the “Thousand Tables,” its streets throng with merchants from across the realm, each loudly hawking their wares to keen-eyed customers intent on finding a bargain.

Boklad — Gates Closed

A busy market town situated on the northeastern coast of Dhalmekia, where the Strait of Autha drains slowly into the gaping crater of Dzemekys Falls.

Also known as the “Thousand Tables,” its streets throng with merchants from across the realm, each loudly hawking their wares to keen-eyed customers intent on finding a bargain.
The gate at the rear of the town leads directly onto the Crystal Road, and therefore out of the republic. As such, it is heavily guarded against unauthorized entry or exit.

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The Crimson Caravans

The most prestigious portering company in the market town of Boklad,

led by the brother and sister team of Tehodore and Eloise.
For a small fee, they will move anything that needs moving—
—and if the cargo happens to be Bearers recently released from slavery, they may even consider paying it from their own purses.

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Tabor

Tabor — Basic Information

An ancient settlement in central southern Dhalmekia

that seems to cling to the very cliffs which dominate the landscape of the region. Its proximity to the Free Cities of Kanver gives Tabor a ready market for the high quality leather its tanners produce, as well as the salt and minerals mined from beneath it.
The town’s long history of isolation, however, has clouded the hearts of its residents, and to this day many remain unwelcoming to outsiders.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Tabor — Synopsis. The Japanese entry has Tabor be a place that not many people visit. The English entry has it be more that the people in Tabor are unwelcoming of outsiders. The second half of the second sentence is also missing in its Japanese counterpart.

Tabor — A Haven for the Undying

An ancient settlement in central southern Dhalmekia that seems to cling to the very cliffs which dominate the landscape of the region.

Its proximity to the Free Cities of Kanver gives Tabor a ready market for the high quality leather its tanners produce, as well as the salt and minerals mined from beneath it.
Unbeknownst to its citizenry, it is from here that, since the fall of Rosalith to the empire, the secretive coven of ducal loyalists known as the Undying have carried out their duties to the Phoenix.

Tabor — Origins

A settlement in central southern Dhalmekia that seems to cling to the very cliffs which dominate the landscape of the region.

It is famed for its leatherworking, the signature stench of its tanners ever prevalent in the canyons that lead in and out of town, and as such, skilled craftsmen abound, transforming hides into all manner of wondrous creations.
Tabor was founded by the so-called “Guardians of the Crystal,” who were later joined by nomadic peoples and hunter gatherers, creating a rich, mixed culture which gives the town its unique flavor.
It was those same hunters whose skills were employed together the raw materials on which the leatherworking industry was built.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Tabor — Its Origins.

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Ceratina

A humble settlement situated on the far-northern edge of western Dhalmekia’s Velkroy Desert.

Though long abandoned by its original residents, the so-called “League of Outlaws” had taken up residence here for a time, but the sudden arrival of an aetherflood rendered the bandits Akashic, all but sealing the village’s fate.

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Kasjlok

An old, abandoned village built on the banks of Cerdra’s Thread in the Dhalmekian Republic.

Kasjlok long served as a depot for crystals ferried up and down the river, but frequent attacks on the slow-moving transports by bandits prompted the republic to establish new caravan trails for fleet-footed chocobo coursers, essentially rendering the village obsolete.
Soon after the final inhabitants departed, wild beasts moved in; however, there is an effort currently underway by Eloise and her Crimson Caravans to rebuild the town and provide it as a safe haven for displaced Bearers.

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Kretov

A small Dhalmekian village of bean farmers and goatherds built in the shadow of Fallen ruins.

Though located at the edge of the Fields of Corava on a caravan trail that runs through titan’s Wake to the Free cities of Kanver, it has historically received few visitors, as most merchants choose instead to take the less perilous Gilded Path north.
It receives even fewer now that plague has taken the lives of most its residents.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Kretov.

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Dravozd

A town located in the rugged mountainous mining region of central Dhalmekia.

It is known for its ironwork, and armor and weaponry forged here has long enjoyed a reputation as the realm’s finest.
This is in no small part due to the quality of ore the mines produce, as well as the veritable army of local blacksmiths whose skills are said to be unrivaled.

Dhalmekia — Important Incidents

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The Southwestern Alliance

An entente formed between Dhalmekia and the Duchy of Rosaria in the year 850

with the aim of preventing the Free Cities of Kanver from claiming independence from the republic.
While the alliance eventually became a three-way affair when Sanbreque joined, bonds between the Dhalmeks and the Rosarians remained particularly strong, with Rosaria sharing the secrets of vital techniques such as irrigation, and the free flow of various diplomats between the two nations.

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The Battle of Nysa

The Battle of Nysa was short, yet bloody clash between the Iron Republic and the Republic of Dhalmekia in the year 873.

The Dhalmekians, hoping to force an end to their long-running conflict with the Ironblood, had convened a council at Zirnitra Stronghold, and entreated their Waloeder allies to aid them in their cause. However, talks soon broke down,
and the Dhalmekians were left with no choice but to rely once more on the power of the mighty Titan, to whom they already owed a considerable debt. Thus was the stage set for a showdown between Titan and Shiva—the Ironblood’s own Eikon—in which losses on both sides were too many to count.

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The Zirnitra Consult

Looking to bring an end to their long-running conflict with the Iron Kingdom, the Dhalmeks convened a council with their Waloeder allies at Zirnitra Stronghold.

However, the Waloeders were unwilling to concede to the Dhalmeks’ requests,
leaving the Republic no choice but to field its Dominant, Hugo Kupka.
In so doing, parliament further indebted itself to this already powerful player in national politics.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Zirnitra Conference.

Dhalmekia — Geography

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The Nysa Defile

A deep, arid valley located in the eastern part of the Dhalmekian Republic.

During the Battle of the Twin Realms in 865, it was the site of repeated skirmishes as the Iron Kingdom attempted to make incursions into Dhalmekian territory.

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Velkroy Desert

A vast, arid wilderness located in the Dhalmekian Republic.

The further west one travels, the deeper and more forbidding the sands grow, and the more frequent the signs of settlements long-since deserted.
To the south, water can at least be found, albeit piping hot—a quality which has given rise to Dalimil Inn and the hot springs surrounding it.
Despite the forbidding environment, trade ensures a steady flow of traffic north and south, served by various inns along the way.

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The Jaw

A wild, mountainous region of southwestern Dhalmekia,

from which Drake’s Fang can be seen looming in the distance.

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Laetny’s Cleft

A narrow sandstone valley that cuts through northeastern Dhalmekia.

At its terminus can be found the vast crater of Dzemekys Falls, upon the lip of which are nestled the bustling markets of Boklad.

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Dzemekys Falls

Dzemekys Falls — Basic Information

A vast cavity in the earth located in the Steps of the Forgotten—a desolate coastal region of eastern Dhalmekia.

Despite the fact that, for centuries, seawater from the Strait of Autha has flowed into the plumbless crater without cease, it shows no sign of filling.
The tragic tale that came to be known as the Sins of Dzemekys is said to have taken place.

Dzemekys Falls — Hidden Truths

A vast, circular cavity carved from the Dhalmekian coast,

it is here the Mothercrystal known as Dzemekys once stood.
In the age of the Fallen, man, hoping to claim the power of the gods, laid siege to the crystal in an attempt to gain entry to its aether-rich heart. Rather than attempt to fend off the assault, he instead responded by destroying the Mothercrystal and its heart—
—the great crater left behind standing as a reminder of man’s hubris.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Great Dzemekys Waterfall — The Truth. The Japanese entry says that Ultima is the one who made the Dzemekys Mothercrystal disappear. The English entry just says “he” destroyed the Dzemekys Mothercrystal, without saying it was Ultima.

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The Krojit Echoes

A bleak, ochre wilderness stretching through central Dhalmekia.

Its northern half is a veritable warren of claustrophobic canyons and Fallen detritus, lacking paved roads or outposts of any kind.
In the south, however, the area finally opens up to Rysanov Flat, and beyond it the reclusive community of Tabor. This, and the lonely trade route leading to the Free Cities of Kanver, provide the region with at least some semblance of civilization.

Waloed — Key Information & Locations

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The Kingdom of Waloed

The Kingdom of Waloed — Basic Information

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. A warlike land, its considerable military might serves to keep neighboring countries at bay.
While Waloed does maintain a notional alliance with the Dhalmekian Republic in southern Storm, it is very much a marriage of convenience.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Kingdom of Waloed — Synopsis.

The Kingdom of Waloed — Trouble in Ash

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. A warlike land, its considerable military might serves to keep neighboring countries at bay.
Not all are deterred, however, and the constant need to fight off hordes of beastmen prevents the royalists from launching a full incursion into Storm.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Kingdom of Waloed — The Kingdom of Waloed. The Japanese entry focuses more on how the Black Region encroaches on Waloed. The English entry focuses on Waloed’s military issues.

The Kingdom of Waloed — At the Battle of Belenus Tor

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. Its ruler Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, recently dispatched units of intelligencers to Storm with order to scout ahead prior to a full-scale invasion.
Having ceded territory to the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in the Battle of the Twin Realms in the year 865, the Waloeders launched an attack on Belenus Tor in 873 with the intent of regaining their lost foothold on the continent across the Strait.

The Kingdom of Waloed — Flowing Imperial Occupation of Twinside

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness, who has long harbored ambitions of extending his reach into the neighboring continent of storm.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Sanbrequois Empire’s incursion into the Crystalline Dominion prompted no immediate response from the king, who appears to be biding time and considering his next move.

The Kingdom of Waloed — At Drake’s Fang

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness,
who has somehow managed to bring the hordes of marauding beastmen that once plagued his lands to heel, and persuaded them to direct their aggression at his enemies instead. These bloodthirsty forces have been deployed as far afield as Drake’s Fang, in the Dhalmekian Republic.

The Kingdom of Waloed — Machinations

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness,
who—it transpires—has formed an alliance with the mysterious being known as Ultima.

The Kingdom of Waloed — The Beastmen Armies

The sole surviving nation in Ash.
Waloed has its capital at Stonhyrr,

home to the Mothercrystal of Drake’s Spine. It is ruled over by Barnabas Tharmr, Dominant of Odin and Warden of Darkness,
who—it transpires—has formed an alliance with the mysterious being known as Ultima. After Ulitma brought about Primogenesis, Tharmr’s combined force of Akashic soldiers and beastmen was deployed across Valisthea, tasked with sowing chaos and mayhem.

The Kingdom of Waloed — After the Capital’s Fall

The sole surviving nation in Ash.

Shortly after the death of Barnabas Tharmr—scion of Dzemekys and catspaw of Ulitma—Drake’s Head was shattered,
leaving the capital of Stonhyrr without Mothercrystal and king.

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Stonhyrr

Stonhyrr — Basic Information

Capital of the Kingdom of Waloed, located on the coast of Frigg’s Calm, Ash’s northenmost bay.

Its Mothercrystal, Drake’s Spine, sits just off shore and is connected to the city proper via a massive span that legends say required a hundred years and an entire mountain’s worth of stone to construct.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Stonehill — Synopsis.

Stonhyrr — After the Nation’s Fall

Capital of the Kingdom of Waloed, located on the coast of Frigg’s Calm, Ash’s northenmost bay.

Its Mothercrystal, Drake’s Spine, was eventually destroyed by Cid and his allies,
but by this time, the city had already been lost, its leader perished atop a distant spire, its citizens reduced to mindless thralls, and its streets claimed by Orcs and masterless beasts.

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Drake’s Spine

Drake’s Spine — Basic Information

A Mothercrystal situated in Stonhyrr, capital of the Kingdom of Waloed.

Its sheer walls strikingly similar to the towering cliffs that line the coasts of Ash, the interior can only be gained by means of a solitary stone span that stretches from the heart of the city proper.
Being the last remaining Mothercrystal on Ash, the crystals harvested from its surface are a vital lifeline for the Waloeder people, but even then their number is far from enough to state the kingdom’s appetite, thus forcing her king to seek sources elsewhere.

Drake’s Spine — After the Mother’s Fall

A Mothercrystal that towered over Stonhyrr, capital of the Kingdom of Waloed.

The fall of Drake’s Tail meant that, for a brief moment, it was the last remaining Mothercrystal in Valisthea. That moment, however, ended abruptly when the Spine fell following Clive’s otherworldly struggle with Ulitma.

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The Fall of Drake’s Spine

In the year 878, the Waloeder capital of Stonhyrr, already besieged by Akashic and beastmen, was rocked yet further by the destruction of its Mothercrystal, Drake’s Spine, at the hands of Cid the Outlaw and his companions.

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Veldermarke

Formerly the most powerful kingdom in Ash,

until Barnabas Tharmr led his armies in rebellion against its rule and established his own Kingdom of Waloed upon its still-smoking ruins.

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Ravenwit Walls

Ravenwit’s towering rampart fills the narrow valley betwixt two adjacent peaks, creating a night impenetrable barrier that serves to protect the royal capital of Stonhyrr from armies that might attempt an approach from the southwest.
Once manned by a garrison of hundreds,
the walls are now empty save for a handful of orcs and those beasts of war that managed to escape from their pens.

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Balmung Dark

A colosseum-like prison located immediately north of Ravenwit Walls in the Kingdom of Waloed.

Bearers sent here became the unfortunate subjects of an ambitious military endeavor designed to train untrainable beasts of war.
When the Kingdom fell, and the wardens lost their wills to the aether, whose same Bearers were left in their cells to starve, which most did.

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Gjallarhorn

Gjallarhorn — Basic Information

An aging fortress in the western reaches of the Kingdom of Waloed.

Due to its proximity to Storm, it is oft used as a staging point for the royal army.

Gjallarhorn — Beneath the Keep

An aging fortress in the western reaches of the Kingdom of Waloed.

Simliar to the other constructs across Valisthea, the keep appears to have been built on the site of ancient ruins, and it was in an underground chamber not unlike Phoenix Gate’s Apodytry that a fully intact rendition of Ulitma’s Eikonical pantheon was discovered.

Waloed — Organizations

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The Royal Knights of Waloed

The Royal Knights of Waloed — Basic Information

The kingdom of Waloed’s main battlefield forces,
also known as the Kingsguard.

When they ultimately answer to King Barnabas, the Knights’ orders are usually issued by their Lord Commander.
The Royal Intelligencers—a special unit led by Benedikta Harman, Dominant of Garuda—are a notable exception to this rule, reporting as they do directly to the king.

The Royal Knights of Waloed — The Beastmen Armies

The kingdom of Waloed’s main battlefield forces,
also known as the Kingsguard.

At Ultima’s instruction, King Barnabas supplemented his ranks with orcs, creating a hybrid force which he duly dispatch to wreak havoc across Valisthea.
Even after Barnabas’s death, the chaos Ultima had sown with the casting of Primogenesis continued to spread, dooming the better part of the late king’s army to end their days as mindless Akashic thralls.

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The Royal Intelligencers

The Royal Intelligencers — Basic Information

An elite unit of the Royal Knights of Waloed
led by Benedikta Harman,

who lead clandestine incursions deep into the territory of enemy nations for myriad purposes—espionage and assassination chief among them.

The Royal Intelligencers — At the Sack of Caer Norvent

An elite unit of the Royal Knights of Waloed
led by Benedikta Harman,

who lead clandestine incursions deep into the territory of enemy nations.
Unlike Waloed’s main battlefield forces, whose orders are usually issued by their Lord Commander, the Intelligencers reported directly to the king—
—or at least, they did, until their dissolution in the aftermath of Cid and Clive’s surprise attack on Caer Norvent.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Spy Unit — The Fall of Norvant Fortress.

Waloed — Towns & Geography

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Eistla

Eistla — Basic Information

A settlement situated in mining country in the center of Waloed.

The miners make homes among their excavations, and live there with their families.

Eistla — Dark Skies

A settlement situated in mining country in the center of Waloed.

The miners made homes among their excavations, and lived there with their families. However, with the advent of the Arche, its residents disappeared, and now the village is all but deserted.

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Mikkelburg

A settlement situated in the south of Waloed.

After being abandoned by its former residents, it became something of a gathering place for followers of the savior cult recently arisen on Ash, leading the Undying to dispatch an investigative mission there.

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Garnick

An idyllic mountain village in the Kingdom of Waloed—

—or at least, what remains of it.
Here an old acquaintance of Harpocrates’s made his home, quietly amassing a vast collection of rare tomes before Ulitma and Barnabas’s machinations rendered the realm Akashic and stripped him of his very will.

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Thalan

A mining settlement in the southern part of the continent of Ash.

It is known for the adamantite it produces—a resource highly prized for its unrivaled durability—but this is both a blessing and acurse, leading as it has to repeated attacks by marauding orcs over the years.
Though previously well-protected, the encroachment of the Blight has seen citizens deserting in their droves, leaving the town ever more vulnerable to attack.

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Badbach Conservatory

A dilapidated orphanage for Bearers

that sits upon a hill overlooking the verdant plains of Vidargraes in Waloed.
The children who lived here were not cared for, but rather experimented on, enduring harrowing tortures designed to turn them into fearless, mindless weapons—an education that few were to survive.

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The Shadow Coast

The forbidding cliffs that line the Naldia Narrow on the Ash side of the channel.

Though viable ascents exist, their numbers are few and the paths narrow and perilous. That said, they have more than once been used as a staging ground for covert incursions into the kingdom.
Now, the land about having been all but consumed by the Blight, it is only the boldest of adventurers who dares set foot here.

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Reverie

Reverie — Basic Information

An impossibly tall tower in central Waloed that seems to pierce the very heavens.

The few followers of the Circle of Malius remaining on Ash believe it to have been built by the gods, who would one day pass their final judgment from its heights. It has long been considered hallowed ground, whereupon mere mortals fear to tread.

Reverie — Hidden Truths

An impossibly tall tower in central Waloed that seems to pierce the very heavens.

It was built by Ulitma when he first arrived in Vaslithea.
From its heights, he examined the flow of aether through the land, and thereby determined the optimum placement for the Mothercrystals.

The Iron Kingdom

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The Iron Kingdom

The Iron Kingdom — Basic Information

Also known in the local tongue as Haearann, the Iron Kingdom is an archipelago nation situated off the west coast of Storm,
with its capital at Creag Loisgte.

The Mothercrystal, Drake’s Breath, rises from a volcanic island situated just within…or without…its borders (depending on whom you ask), and has been the subject of long-standing conflict between the Ironblood and the neighboring Duchy of Rosaria.
The Iron Kingdom’s inhabitants shun any contact with outsiders, which has given rise to a unique, if largely inward-looking, culture.

The Iron Kingdom — Faith Unbending

An archipelago nation situated off the west coast of Storm,
with its capital at Creag Loisgte.

The Mothercrysatl, Drake’s Breath, rises from a volcanic island situated just within its borders,
and is worshiped as a god, just as the state religion—the Crystalline Orthodox—dictates. This same religion decrees the use of magic to be anathema, and the Bearers and Dominants who use it to be sinful aberrations,
leading to even greater discrimination than that suffered by their brethren on the mainland.
Given their stated desire to control all the Mothers, the Ironblood’s attitude to other nations is one of indelible antagonism.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Iron Kingdom — The Crystalline Orthodoxy.

The Iron Kingdom — The Patriarch

An island nation situated off the west coast of Storm,
with its capital at Creag Loisgte.

Despite being nominally a monarchy, the Patriarch, the most powerful priest of the Crystalline Orthodoxy, is in truth the most powerful person in the kingdom.
He rules from the isle of Beinn Leodladh—more commonly known in Storm as Mt. Drustanus—on which sits the Mothercrystal, Drake’s Breath, focal point of the faith. Here, countless Bearers kidnapped from their homes in Storm and Ash are made to suffer in the name of a religion which deems them less than human.

The Iron Kingdom — After the Fall of Drake’s Breath

An island nation situated off the west coast of Storm,
with its capital at Creag Loisgte.

In the year 878, its Mothercrystal, Drake’s Breath, was destroyed in an attack launched by Cid the Outlaw.
The loss of the crystal, and of the Patriarch—chief of the priests who served it—plunged the kingdom into chaos, leaving this monarchy wanting for a leader beyond its politically impotent royalty.

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Creag Loisgte

The capital city of Haearann, or the Iron Kingdom,

located on the Boiling sea island of Ironholm, several hundred leagues off the western coast of Rosaria.
Its name means “charred rock” in the Haearanni tongue.

Kokuyōka: The “Haearanni tongue” is Scottish Gaelic. “Craeg Loisgte” does indeed mean “charred rock” in Scottish Gaelic.
“Haearann” is a combination of “iron” in Welsh (“haearn”) and Scottish Gaelic (“iarann”).

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Drake’s Breath

Drake’s Breath — Basic Information

One of Valisthea’s five remaining Mothercrystals, located on the volcanic isle known to the Ironblood as Beinn Leodladh, in the seas between Rosaria and the Iron Kingdom.

Though its occupation can historically be traced to the duchy, control of the crystal was recently wrested from Rosaria’s grasp by the Crusade following a series of bitter conflicts.

Drake’s Breath — After the Mother’s Fall

A Mothercrystal that once commanded the waters between Rosaria and the IRon Kingdom.

After centuries of bitter conflict, the Ironbood took control of the crystal and the island upon which it stood.
That is, until the year 878 when the sacred spire was brought crashing down by non other than Cid the Outlaw.

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The Fall of Drake’s Breath

The Mothercrystal Drake’s Breath, held by the Iron Kingdom since before the fall of the Duchy of Rosaria, was destroyed in the year 878.

When its heart was shattered, the ensuing destruction took with it not just Mount Drustanus, but the entire isle of Beinn Leodladh.
Imreann, Patriarch of the faith known as the Crystalline Orthodoxy, was also killed in the attack.

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Mt. Drustanus

A solitary volcanic isle rising from a brutal and unforgiving sea.

Known in the Ironblood tongue as Beinn Leodladh, it was once a province of Rosaria, but eventually fell to the Crusaders,
who consider it both a gateway to the continent of Storm, and, more importantly, the wellspring of their faith: the Mothercrystal known as Drake’s Breath.

Kokuyōka: “Beinn” means “mountain” in Scottish Gaelic.
“Leodladh” is harder to trace the origins of, but it seems to be related somehow to the the name “Leod”, the founder of a Scottish clan named MacLeod.

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The Iron Crusade

The fighting forces of the Iron Kingdom.

Ultimate command rests with the king, who issues orders directly to the commanders of each of his battalions.
Ironblood soldiers generally prefer heavy clubs and great axes over swords and other lighter weapons.
This rather brutal approach is indicative of their overall attitude, which has earned them a reputation on the continent as savage, if somewhat primitive warriors.

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The Boiling Crusade

A surprise attack launched by the Iron Kingdom on the Duchy of Rosaria in the year 860.

Rosaria was critically weakened at the time, having lost Archduke Elwin Rosield and been plunged into chaos in the aftermath of the attack on Phoenix Gate.
The Ironblood unleashed a wave of murderous destruction on the Rosarians, and returned home with human spoils in the form of countless young women and children—Jill Warrick among them.

The Crystalline Dominion

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The Crystalline Dominion

The Crystalline Dominion — Basic Information

A tiny, independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash.
Its capital Twinside is built on the tiny Isles of Ark

from which its Mothercrystal—Drake’s Tail—rises.
The lack of a Dominant has seen the dominion become the subject of constant maneuvering over the years, both political and military, and it was only through the recent convening of as council of all nations that a non-aggression treaty towards the neutral body was forged, and a tenuous stability amongst centuries-old rivals achieved.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Crystalline Dominion — Synopsis. The Japanese entry has it be the Drake’s Tail Mothercrystal all the nations are fighting over and that the nations currently have a say in the Dominion’s politics. The English entry has it be the lack of a Dominant that is why the other nations fight over the Dominion and that the other nation’s influence over Dominion politics had to do with drawing up the Non-Aggression Treaty.

The Crystalline Dominion — As the New Imperial Capital

A once independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash.

Its capital Twinside is built on the tiny Isles of Ark from which its Mothercrystal—Drake’s Tail—rises.
After Drake’s Head was destroyed in 873, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque declared Twinside its new capital in defiance of the long-standing non-aggression treaty.
While controversial, the move—carried out by Prince Dion and his Knights Dragoon—proceeded mostly unopposed, largely due to the dominion’s lack of a Dominant of its own with which to intimidate the interlopers.

The Crystalline Dominion — Following Dion’s Rebellion

A once independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash.

With the incursion of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in the year 873, its independence was reduced to little more than a pretense, but things changed once again in 878, when Prince Dion Lesage and his dragoons instigated a bloody coup.
As imperial institutions fell into disarray, so did the situation in the dominion and beyond. After five years, Sanbrequois dominance in the region ended as quickly as it had begun.

The Crystalline Dominion — Following the Emergence of Origin

A once independent state straddling the continents of Storm and Ash.

Sanbrequois dominance here, and with it, any semblance of order, was brought crashing down in the bloody coup led by Prince Dion Lesage.
Not long afterward, Twinside’s luckless inhabitants were subjected to further misfortune when the fall of the realm’s final Mothercrystal at Drake’s Spine caused an ancient construct to rise from beneath their city, sowing death and devastation in its wake, and effectively decimating the already reduced populace.

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Twinside

The former capital of the Crystalline Dominion.

After a unilateral maneuver of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in 873, it became the imperial capital.

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Drake’s Tail

Drake’s Tail — Basic Information

A Mothercrystal located in the Crystalline Dominion.

It is one of the only five remaining in Valisthea, and is the largest of its kind. Silhouetted by the setting sun, the islands of the Dominion spread out before it, the Tail is truly a wonder to behold.

Drake’s Tail — After the Mother’s Fall

A Mothercrystal that was located in the Crystalline Dominion.

It was one of only five remaining in Valisthea, and the largest of its kind.
It was lost in the chaos that followed the rebellion spearheaded by Prince Dion Lesage and his knights dragoon, but not before undergoing a fantastical transformation heretofore unwitnessed in the entirety of Valisthean history—a literal blossoming of the crystal, its shards peeling away like petals of a wyvern tail to reveal the sacred heart within.

Kokuyōka: “wyvern tail” was “snow daisy”, which is a typo given other entries in the Thousand Tomes.

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The Fall of Drake’s Tail

In 878, an insurgency by Sanbreque’s Knights Dragoon, led by Prince Dion Lesage, resulted in the destruction of much of the Crystalline Dominion’s capital, and the Mothercrystal Drake’s Tail along with it, after the prince lost control of his Eikon, Bahamut.
One curious thing to note is that many who survived the night of chaos claim they witnessed the crystal “bloom” like a flower before its demise.

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The Isles of Ark

The cluster of tiny islands upon which the Crystalline Dominion stands.

They are largely man-made, having been built on top of existing ruins,
and are arranged with an administrative hub at the center surrounded by the citizens’ dwellings, and beyond those, the slums in which various refugees make their homes.
The glistening spire at the islands’ center is home to the Dominion’s Mothercrystal.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Self-Governing Dominion’s Island. The Japanese entry is about the island inside the Ark Archipelago that Twinside is on. The English entry is about the entire Ark Archipelago itself. Also, the last sentence is very different between the two entries. The Japanese entry is pointing out how the spires in the center of the island have crystals in them. The English entry is about how the Drake’s Tail Mothercrystal is on the central island. Given only the island with Twinside on it is raised when Ultima awakens Origin, the Japanese entry is likely the more accurate one.

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Non-aggression Treaty

A pact in which was codified the agreement between nations to refrain from invading the Crystalline Dominion and laying claim to its Mothercrystal, Drake’s Tail.

It both cemented the Dominion’s position at the center of world politics, and placed checks on the ability of key players to exploit that position.

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The Crystalline Impasse

The Crystalline Impasse — Basic Information

A conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Republic of Dhalmekia in the year 878, largely concerning control of the Crystalline Dominion.

The Dominion had previously been the subject of a non-aggression pact between the Valisthean nations, but in 873, the empire claimed Twinside for its new capital,
an act which eventually spurred the Dhalmeks into military action.

The Crystalline Impasse — Following the Republic’s Destabilization

A conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Republic of Dhalmekia in the year 878.

The dispute was born from the Dhalmekians’ fierce objections to Sanbreque’s occupation of Twinside, capital city of the Crystalline Dominion. However, when the republic finally entered the fray, it found itself sorely outmatched. Cid the Outlaw’s destruction of Drake’s Fang further weakened their position, and with their homeland in chaos, the Dhalmeks were forced to negotiate a withdrawal.
Credit for this turn of events was largely attributed to Olivier Lesage, second-born son of the Holy Emperor, in light of which he was made crown prince of Sanbreque.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the fourth sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Crystalline Dominion War — Ceasefire.

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The Crystal Road

A protected trade route, designed to allow easy access to the Crystalline Dominion for travelers and merchants.

An agreement between the nations safeguards the land around it—known as the Crystal Belt—from military encroachments, and as such, it features neither fortresses nor checkpoints.
However, in recent years, it has been overrun with refugees fleeing the Blight—an issue that has yet to be satisfactorily resolved.

The Free Cities of Kanver & The Continent

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The Free Cities of Kanver

The Free Cities of Kanver — Basic Information

A federation of neighboring independent city-states located to the southeast of the Dhalmekian Republic.

While originally part of Dhalmekia, the cities achieved their independence in the year 857, hoping to step away from the republic’s internal struggles and focus instead on the commerce upon which their proespertiy had been built.
Political power currently resides with a council of guildmasters—prominent Kanverian traders and craftspeople.
The lack of a Dominant or a a Mothercrystal to covet, along with its considerable financial resources, allows Kanver to retain both its independence and neutrality in the face of considerable turmoil elsewhere. As such, it lacks a standing army, and defense of its walls having been relegated to a small, yet well-trained, city guard.

The Free Cities of Kanver — Following the Waloeder Invasion

A federation of neighboring independent city-states located in the southeastern part of the continent of Storm.

While originally part of Dhalmekia, the cities achieve their independence in the year 857. Kanver lacks an army of its own, and relies instead on a city guard formed of mercenaries hired by its merchants and tradespeople.
Unfortunately, the city guard, and indeed the city itself, were decimated in an attack by Akashic Waloeder troops in 878.
Having lost its political leaders and the bulk of its citizenry, the Free Cities ceased at that point to be a nation in any meaningful sense.

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Old Kanver

The capital of the Free Cities of Kanver, located at the tail end of Titan’s Wake in southeast Storm.

It is a hive of mercantile activity, where one can hardly move for the trade transacted on nigh every cobbled corner.

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The Kanver City Guard

A private military force employed to keep the peace in the Free Cities of Kanver.

The Guard is paid for by the cities’ merchants and tradespeople, and is employed in the absence of an official state army.
Its duties mainly consist of patrolling and maintaining order within the city walls.

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The Ironworks

A fully functioning shipyard nestled within the hollow of a sea grotto on on the outskirts of Kanver—

—the high cliffs and violent tides which surround it effectively concealing the interior from prying eyes. It is here that Mid, along with other allies from the hideaway, strives in secret to finish work on the Enterprise, a revolutionary high-speed sea vessel.

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Kanver’s Independence

The Free Cities’ bid for independence began in 849,

when several prominent Kanverian guildmasters announced their desire to secede from the Republic of Dhalmekia.
After a bitter struggle lasting eight long years, this independence was finally achieved in 857.

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The Continent

The Continent — Basic Information

A vast landmass situated from from Valisthean shores.

Aside from the most intrepid traders—and the odd particularly curious scholar—few have been known to brave the journey there or back, for which reason, the character and customs of its peoples remain a mystery to most.

The Continent — Lore

A vast landmass situated from from Valisthean shores.

Aside from the most intrepid traders, few have been known to brave the journey there or back, for which reason, the character and customs of its peoples remain a mystery to most.
Legends claim that remnants of the Fallen fled thither from the Twins when their civilization collapsed…but even the most bookish continental would be hard-pressed to explain what became of them in the intervening millennium.

Other Organizations

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Bandits

Those who make their coin by stealing from others—or from their corpses.

Banditry is outlawed in every corner of the realm, so those who turn to it must make their beds far from the eyes of the constabulary—often setting up camp in abandoned villages.
Some brigands will elect to band into small armies, that together they might have the strength to make raids upon towns and villages in search of the food and funds they need to survive.

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The Cast Stones

A band of brigands who set up camp in Laetny’s Cleft on the outskirts of Boklad,

preying on those fleeing the crumbling republic in order to line their own coffers—forcing them to either empty their own pockets,
or pick the pockets of others, on threat of death.

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The Silverpeak Consortium

One of the largest and most prestigious trading houses in Dhalmekia, who sought to scout Eloise. Their mercantile operations extend far beyond the borders of the republic,

as Eloise learned when they stepped in at the last moment to purchase the Bearers for which the Crimson Caravans had long been bargaining with the army, and sell them on to a trader from the outer continent.
In truth, they had been interested in the trade from the very start, and only withheld making their own offer as a courtesy to Eloise—
—one that was rescinded after she failed to respond positively to their offer to her.

Nautical Geography

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The Boiling Sea

The sea that lies between Rosaria’s western coast and the distant isles of the Iron Kingdom.

For centuries have the navies of the duchy and the Crusade traded blows on these unnaturally tepid waters, which lap at the foot of Mount Drustanus, home to the Mothercrystal fo Drake’s Breath.

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The Naldia Narrow

A region of sea south of the Strait of Autha, lying between the continents of Storm and Ash.

The trading ports of the Free Cities of Kanver dot its western shores, making it the busiest stretch of commercial water in all of Valisthea.
Though her currents are swift, storm-free skies and an abundance of marine life allow the Narrow to serve as the source of much of he region’s food.

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The Strait of Autha

The narrow channel to the north of the Crystalline Dominion that separate the continents of Storm and Ash.

With Sanbreque to the west, Waloed to the east, and the Dominion to the south, its shores are never short of soldiers—or political tension.

Historical Key Locations & Important Incidents

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The Northern Territories

The Northern Territories — Basic Information

A bitterly cold region in the northern reaches of the continent of Storm.

It was originally home to the Mothercrystal known as Drake’s Eye, around which a series of small nations sprang up—nations whose belligerence proved troublesome for Rosaria over the centuries.
In time, however, the Mothercrystal’s power dwindled, and with it, the power of these warlike nations. With the Blight encroaching on their territory ever more,
the remaining tribes were united and pacified by Archduke Elwin Rosfield of Rosaria in the year 854.

The Northern Territories — After the Fall of Phoenix Gate

A bitterly cold region in the northern reaches of the continent of Storm.

The loose collection of nations that sprang up around the region’s erstwhile Mothercrystal—Drake’s Eye—were united
and pacified by Archduke Elwin Rosfield of Rosaria in the year 854.
However, in the years following Rosaria’s annexation by the empire, a combination of both the Blight’s inexorable advance and Sanbreque’s lack of interest in the territories has only worked to quicken the area’s destabilization.

The Northern Territories — The Northern Territories

Once a loose collection of nations that sprang up around this region’s erstwhile Mothercrystal, Drake’s Eye,

but in the four score years following the Mothercrystal’s fall, a combination of both the Blight’s inexorable advance and war with neighboring Rosaria worked to quicken the area’s destabilization, and now only a handful of hardy survivors remain.
While most of the north has regressed into a lifeless wasteland, a small corner situated on the western shores of Oillepheist Bay, known as Mysidia, remains untouched, albeit hidden by powerful magic glamour maintained by the villagers who reside beneath the pall.

The Northern Territories — History

Once home to a handful of small but proud nations,

the northern reaches of Storm are now almost entirely lost to the Blight—her people forced from their ancestral homes to find refuge in Valisthea’s more hospitable climes. The region’s downfall can be attributed to the fall of its only Mothercrystal, Drake’s Eye, some four score years past.
While a last-ditch attempt was made to save the crystal by having Shiva’s Dominant freeze it in time, her efforts ended in failure. The ruling thegns turned their eyes south to Rosaria for a new source of power—and while their first forays were met with success, they proved no match for the might of the duchy, and were ultimately pacified by Archduke Elwin Rosfield’s armies.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The North — The Drake’s Eye Disappearance. The Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what happened. The English entry greatly expands out the “story” of each sentence.

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The Southern Isles

A nation once based on an archipelago in the ease to the south of Valisthea.

It maintained a healthy trading relationship with Dhalmekia and the Free Cities of Kanver, where its medicines, which employed plants found only on its islands, were particularly prized.
Unfortunately, the gradual incursion of the Blight destabilized, and eventually destroyed, this society entirely.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: A Tropical Island Country.

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Drake’s Horn

Drake’s Horn — Basic Information

A Mothercrystal which stood in southern Ash—an aether now lost to the Blight.

The fall of Drake’s Horn left Drake’s Spine the other Mothercrystal on the continent and sparked a decades-long conflict for control of its aetherial bounty.
After much bloodshed, it was the erstwhile nation of Veldermarke which finally subjugated the warring tribes of Ash and established a kingdom around what is now Stonhyrr.

Drake’s Horn — Motes of Water

A Mothercrystal which once stood in southern Ash.

For generaitons, the lands surrounding it were inhabited by a peaceful people known as Motes of Water.
However, the fall of Drake’s Horn three hundred years ago left Drake’s Spine the only Mothercrystal on the continent and sparked a decades-long conflict for control of its aetherial bounty.
The Motes, their homelands fast consumed by the Blight and unable to compete against the warring tribes, chose to adopt a nomadic lifestyle which would continue for the next two centuries.

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Drake’s Eye

Drake’s Eye — Basic Information

A Mothercrystal which stood in the frozen wastes of northern Storm—lands now lost to the Blight.

Soon after the Mother first fell, the tribes of the north, in a bid of desperation marched south into Rosaria, Shiva’s Dominant at their fore.
A terrible battle ensued in which fire was pitted against ice, but eventually the Phoenix and the ducal armies succeeded in driving back the invaders. For a time.

Drake’s Eye — Fall

A Mothercrystal which once stood in the frozen wastes of northern Storm—lands now lost to the Blight.

Before its fall, some eighty winters past, the ruling thegns charged their Dominant of Ice to devise an incantation that would effectively freeze time around the crystal, preventing its fall.
Yet while the Dominant succeeded in creating the spell, it was too little too late, and Drake’s Eye shattered not long after,
sending the region into chaos.

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Dzemekys

A Mothercrystal that is belived to have stood in an area in the northeastern part of Dhalmekia.

Legends tell that it was destroyed in a battle between men and gods—a battle so ferocious that it left behind the great crater that can be seen today.

Kokuyōka: “Dzemekys” is likely the Ancient Greek term “ζημῐ́ἔχεις” (pronounced “zēmĭ́ékheis”).
“ζημῐ́” (pronounced “zēmĭ́”) is from the word “ζημία” (pronounced “zēmĭ́ā”), which means “loss”, “damage”, “penalty” and “expense” in Ancient Greek.
“ἔχεις” is from the word “ἔχω”, which means “to have”, “to possess”, “to own”, and “to hold”, and it’s specifically the second-person singular present-tense form of it (English and Japanese verb conjugations are so much simpler compared to this!).
So “Dzemekys” or “ζημῐ́ἔχεις” most likely means something like “you have loss”, “you have damage”, or “you have a penalty” in Ancient Greek.

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The Sins of Dzemekys

The Sins of Dzemekys — Basic Information

An incident told of in myths and legends throughout Valisthea.

If the tales are to be believed, mankind, drunk with avarice, thought to challenge the gods, and in return for his hubris, was met with divine retribution.
The enormous crater in Dhalmekia said to have been the site of the final battle of this great conflict is surrounded by relics and ruins which would seem to suggest some truth behind the tales.

The Sins of Dzemekys — Hidden Truths

An incident in which the Fallen launched an assault on the Mothercrystal Dzemekys to claim its power, and in so doing, stoked the ire of Ultima himself. In response, the self-proclaimed god destroyed the Crystal,
leaving behind both a great yawing crater, and a cautionary legend that has since spread throughout Valisthea.

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The War of the Magi

One of many great conflicts waged near the end of the age of the Fallen

in which mankind—fielding fantastical clockwork armies fueled by powerful magicks—fought for control of the Mothercrystals.
This, however, worked to hasten the drain of the aether from the land, and thereby give rise to the Blight.
By the time the fighting had ceased and peace was restored, the wounds suffered by both humanity and the land had grown too deep to heal, and civilization began its slow, yet inevitable march into darkness. It was only a mater of winters before the thousand years of knowledge used to build the great “magitek” faded, and was eventually lost to history.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Great Magitek War. The Japanese entry just summarizes what happened. The English entry greatly expands out the “story” of the last sentence.

Religions & Faiths

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The Greagorian Church

The state religion of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque,

whose followers worship the goddess Greagor as the one true deity.
At the church’s head stands the holy emperor, voted into office by his fellow cardinals, and supposedly their equal—thought this is widely recognized to be a convenient fiction.
The followers of Greagor worship dragons as sacred servants of their goddess, and since the founding days of the empire, have both doted and depended upon them.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Greagor All-Faith. The Japanese entry has the Pope (who is not the Divine Emperor) be the head of the church. The English entry has the Divine Emperor be the head of the church.

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The Crystalline Orthodoxy

A religion dedicated to the worship of the Mothercrystals.

Its priesthood enjoy great power, with the Patriarch—leader and chief shepherd of the faithful—the most powerful of all.
While best known as the state religion of the insular Iron Kingdom, it was once practiced throughout Valisthea.
To its believers, the Mothercrystals are literal gods, and the wasteful expenditure of aether through the use of magic is strictly forbidden.
As such, those who do use magic—Dominants and Bearers both—are seen as sub-human abominations.

Kokuyōka: The second and third sentences are missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Crystalline Orthodoxy.

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The Circle of Malius

The Circle of Malius — Basic Information

An ancient religion once prominent across the entirety of Valisthea, its key ideologies were rooted in the sacred nature of the Mothercrystals, and the worship of Ultima as a god.
Though long since faded, scholars believe the faith eventually branched off into what is now widely known as the Crystalline Orthodox.

The Circle of Malius Hidden Truths

The ancient religion from which more recent savior cults grew.
Its beliefs were originally drawn from murals left behind by the people who lived near the Mothercrystal, Dzemekys. But while at one point it was a faith followed throughout Valisthea, time, and the fading memory of the ancient culture that spawned it, saw it gradually fall from favor.

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Savior Cult

A religion that has arisen in recent years in Ash,

and which has its basis in the Circle of Malius—an ancient faith whose followers worshipped Ulitma as a god. It was popularized by King Barnabas Tharmr of Waloed, who spread its prayers and rituals among his people.
Believers see becoming Akashic as a means of achieving purity, and of being freed from the torments of the mortal realm.

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The Bank of Gilbard the Great Lender

A folk religion popular in the Free Cities of Kanver.

Gilbard the Golden was a legendary trader who not only introduced the concept of fiat currency to Valisthea, but founded Kanver’s very first merchant’s guild.
When the same guild was later entrusted with administering Valisthea’s common currency they chose the name “gil” in honor of their revered founding father.
The faith is organized largely along the line of a commercial organization, and prayers tend to be aimed at bringing prosperity and success in business.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Gilbert Merchant Church. The Japanese entry focuses on the religious aspect of the organization and says people worship Gilbert as the God of Commerce. The English entry focuses on the banking and commercial aspects of the organization and makes Gilbert out to be a major historical figure.

Important International Incidents

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The Battle of the Twin Realms

The Battle of the Twin Realms was a conflict fought between the Holy Empire of Sanbreque and the Kingdom of Waloed in the year 865.

Sanbrequois forces, with the power of the Eikon Bahamut on their side, took the Strait of Autha back from Waloed, putting an end to a blockade that had lasted several decades. The Waloeders, looking to hold back the Sanbrequois advance by any means necessary, formed an alliance with the Dhalmekian Republic—who themselves were waging war against the Iron Kingdom on the western front—and prevented the empire from progressing any further.

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The Triunity of 859

A tripartite alliance formed in the year 859 between Rosaria, Dhalmekia and Sanbreque.

Its purpose was to oppose the independence of the Free Cities of Kanver, due to fears that tnis might inspire similar independence movements elsewhere in the realm.
The alliance was disbanded in 860 in light of the attack on Phoenix Gate, and the dispute over Sanbrequois culpability in the affair.

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The Triunity of 878

An alliance formed by Lord Byron Rosfield of the Seven High Houses in the comfort of his well-appointed mansion in Port Isolde.

According to the agreement reached between those he summoned to his aid, Lord Rosfield would take charge of supplies, Field Marshal Eugen Havel of military affairs, and Quinten of Lostwing would handle political affairs.
With these key angles covered, they hoped to lead Valisthea forward on a path of unity. Given their home countries of Rosaria, Dhalmekia and Sanbreque respectively, the name of the famed treaty of old all but suggested itself.

Ultima & The Finale

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The Interdimensional Rift

The Interdimensional Rift — Basic Information

A place beyond space and time—termed both a “rift between worlds” and “our darkness” by its creator, Ultima.

Clive and Joshua were forcibly summoned here by the mad deity that they might reflect upon their transgressions.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Space Between Dimensions — Synopsis. The Japanese entry has Ultima summon Clive and Joshua this space to tell them what crimes people in general committed. The English entry has Ultima summon them this space to think about their own crimes.

The Interdimensional Rift — Hidden Truths

A place beyond space and time—termed both a “rift between worlds” and “our darkness” by its creator, Ultima.

Clive and Joshua were forcibly summoned here by the mad deity when they ventured too close to the heart of Drake’s Spine.
Upon fighting their way free, the pair emerged to find that their victory over Ultima had resulted in the shattering of the Mothercrystal.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The Space Between Dimensions — The Truth. The Japanese entry is about what the characters’ motives are for what they do with and in this space. The English entry is about what the characters are doing in and around this space. What the nature of the space is and why the Drake’s Spine Mothercrystal disappeared when it did is very different between the entries.

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Origin

Origin — Basic Information

A vast structure that lay dormant beneath the Crystalline Dominion for countless centuries.

When Ulitma’s scheme reached its final stages, it was summoned from the depths, sowing untold destruction, and leaving bleak, black skies in its wake.
It eerily resembles a Mothercrystal.

Origin — Hidden Truths

A vast structure that lay dormant beneath the Crystalline Dominion for countless centuries,

and which was revealed to have been the vessel on which Ultima and his brethren first arrived in Valisthea.
Though it ceased to function while its former passengers slept, it was finally reactivated to put into motion the final stages of Ultima’s plan for recreating the world in his image.

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Accolade

The Rosaria ceremony wherein the Dominant of the Phoenix ordains his First Shield and imbues him with the Eikon’s Blessing.

In the Year of the Realm 860, heir to the ducal throne Joshua Rosfield awarded the accolade to his brother Clive, making proof of the deep love and respect the young prince had for him.

Sage Spire

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The Sagespire

The Sagespire — Basic Information

Another ageless relic of the Fallen,

the Sagespire has loomed dark on the northern Rosarian horizon for as long as anyone can remember.
Local legends about the tower being haunted abound, and as such, the remote upland moors upon which the tower stands remain largely uninhabited to this day, despite not yet having been claimed by the Blight.
Over the years, myriad attempts to find an entrance to the ruins have ended in failure, but that does not necessarily mean that someone—or some three—has not already stumbled across a means inside.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Sage Spire — Synopsis. The Japanese entry focuses on what is happening surrounding Sage Spire in the present day. The English entry focuses on the history of Sage Spire in the region.

The Sagespire — Crystals and Cores

After centuries of slumber, the Sagespire has awoken, albeit for reasons unknown.
An early survey of its interior suggests the tower is indeed the source of the realm’s dusk crystals, the specimens seemingly growing from the walls in large, uncontrolled clusters. Also identified is what appears to be a crystalline “heart,” set high upon a central dais.
Most disturbingly, however, the tower seems to exhibit a manner of sentience, reacting to those who cross the tower’s threshold and speaking to them in a language that is both at once uncomfortably similar and utterly foreign.

The Sagespire — Cracking the Core

A cursory analysis of vocal records discovered in the tower suggests that the Sagespire was a facility dedicated to the mass production of artificial crystal.
Even after the facility was abandoned following the tragedy at Dzemekys, the remaining specimens continued to slowly grow until the destruction of the spire’s heart emitted a sudden discharge of discordant resonance that led to the shattering and dissipation of all nearby dusk crystals.

The Sagespire — Hidden Truths

While the main function of the Sagespire was the mass production of artificial crystal, the Fallen facility also appears to have been used in the Magitek repurposing and weaponization of byproducts from the crystallization process.
The site was evacuated and sealed during Ultima’s assault on Dzemekys, with tower security and maintenance duties relegated to Echo-like automata—tireless machines that stalk the spire’s ivory halls to this day.

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The Dim

The Dim — Basic Information

Once a lush woodland that provided abundant game and charcoal to the residents of Eastpool, recent decades have seen the Blight gradually rob the region of nature’s bounty, leaving little but lifeless stone and blackened boughs.
Few brave the road north these days save bandits, brigands, and the occasional fool who thinks he might be the one to finally discover an entrance to the Sagespire and claim the fabled treasures within.

The Dim — An Entrance to the Spire

Once a lush woodland that provided abundant game and charcoal to the residents of Eastpool, recent decades have seen the Blight gradually rob the region of nature’s bounty, leaving little but lifeless stone and blackened boughs.
Rumor has it that with the Sagespire’s recent awakening, ruins in the area have inexplicably flung their gates open, introducing all manner of grim and grotesque creatures into the heretofore abandoned waste.

Mysidia — Key Information & Locations

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Mysidia

Mysidia — Basic Information

Long thought lost to the Blight, Mysidia is, in fact, one of the last few regions in the former Northern Territories that remains lush and teeming with life,
though one might not believe so when viewing it from across Oillepheist Bay. This is solely due to a powerful magical glamour erected by its residents, the Motes of Water, to make the lands appear to be dead from the outside, and thus discourage unwanted visitors.

Mysidia — A Century Past

Long thought lost to the Blight, Mysidia is, in fact, one of the last few regions in the former Northern Territories

that remains lush and teeming with life, though one might not believe so when viewing it from across Oillepheist Bay.
The region was abandoned almost a century ago following a failed attempt by the ruling thegns to cast a spell that might halt the decay of their Mothercrystal, Drake’s Eye, only to be claimed by the MOtes of Water but a few years later.

Mysidia — Order Restored

This remote corner of Valisthea was once home to thousands of northerners who maintained an expansive religious complex dedicated to the worship of Shiva.
Following a failed attempt to devise and conjure a spell that would prevent the Mothercrystal, Drake’s Eye, from cracking, the location was abandoned by all, save an ailing witch who died a short time later.
Why the people of the north might abandon a region that had yet to succumb to the Blight remains a mystery, but decades of subsequent assaults on Rosarian lands suggest that the thegns sought strength in numbers by consolidating remaining populations near the ducal border.

Several years after the northerners’ departure, the Motes of Water claimed the land for their own, establishing a small village, and casting a glamour about the region that made it appear to have already succumbed to the deadlands.
With their supply of crystals that powered the glamour now dwindling, the Motes now must look to restoring their ties with the outside world.

Kokuyōka: The third and fourth sentences are missing from its Japanese counterpart: The Former Northern Territory of Mysidia — Waljas’ Release.

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The Surge

The Surge — Basic Information

A towering wave, seemingly frozen in time for the past eighty years.

Due to its sudden appearance off Mysidia’s Cape Nepto immediately following the fall of Drake’s Eye, scholars generally presume the two occurrences are related.
If Shula, Tributary of the Motes of water, is to be believed, however, the wave was not only summoned by Leviathan the Lost, but that the Eikon’s Dominant still slumbers within it.

The Surge — Forbidden Rites

A towering wave, seemingly frozen in time for the past eighty years.

Due to its sudden appearance off Mysidia’s Cape Nepto immediately following the fall of Drake’s Eye, scholars generally presume the two occurrences are related.
According to Shula, Tributary of the Motes of Water, the wave was not only summoned by Leviathan the Lost, but that the Eikon’s Dominant lies trapped within—victim of a terrible ritual that sought to harness his power.

The Surge — Hidden Truths

A towering wave, seemingly frozen in time for the past eighty years.

It was summoned by the Eikon of Water, Leviathan, when the Motes of Water sought to sacrifice the baby Waljas—Leviathan’s newborn Dominant—in an attempt to create their own Mothercrystal.
Before the wave could sallow Mysidia, the Motes cast a counterspell to stop time, effectively freezing both water and child, but damning poor Waljas to an endless slumber.

The Surge — A Rude Awakening

A towering wave, seemingly frozen in time for the past eighty years.

It was summoned by the Eikon of Water, Leviathan, when the Motes of Water sought to sacrifice the baby Waljas—Leviathan’s newborn Dominant—in an attempt to create their own Mothercrystal.
Before the wave could sallow Mysidia, the Motes cast a counterspell to stop time, effectively freezing both water and child.

Kokuyōka: This entry is completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Neptune’s Wave Wall — The Out-of-Control Leviathan. Japanese entry is about Waljas waking up in the present day. The English entry is about the People of Water’s ceremony eighty years ago.

The Surge — A Child Unbound

A towering wave, seemingly frozen in time for the past eighty years.

It was summoned by the Eikon of Water, Leviathan, when the Motes of Water sought to sacrifice the baby Waljas—Leviathan’s newborn Dominant—in an attempt to create their own Mothercrystal.
Before the wave could sallow Mysidia, the Motes cast a counterspell to stop time, effectively freezing both water and child. Waljas has since been freed from his temporal bonds, but the spell remains.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Neptune’s Wave Wall — Releasing Waljas. The Japanese entry is about why Shula left Neptune’s Wave Wall frozen in time. The English entry is about the People of Water’s ceremony eighty years ago. Only the first and last sentences are similar between the two entries.

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The Aire of Hours

The Aire of Hours — Basic Information

Atop one of the region’s highest peaks sits this ancient stone temple,

awash in the glow of a mysterious blue light.
From a magicked artifact in its innermost sanctum known as the “Vare” shines a bright ray of time-altering light that extends across the forest canopy down to Cape Nepto and the Surge.

The Aire of Hours — Frozen in Time

Atop one of the region’s highest peaks sits this ancient stone temple, awash in the glow of a mysterious blue light.

Within its timeless halls is housed the “Vare”—a magical conduit through which ice-aspected aether is channeled and focused onto the seas off Cape Nepto, effectively halting the flow of time in that precise location,
as well as in the temple itself.

The Aire of Hours — Northern Culture

Atop one of the region’s highest peaks sits this ancient stone temple, awash in the glow of a mysterious blue light.

It is believed that the structure may have once been a place of worship where the ancient peoples of the north made offerings to the Eikon Shiva.
While the now-infamous “witch of the north” used the temple during her research into the development of chronomancy, the Aire of Hous did not get its name, however, until the magical Vare contained within halls was used by the Motes of Water to halt Leviathan’s rampage and seal him within the Surge.

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Haven

Haven — Basic Information

An idyllic village

situated in the center of one of the north’s last remaining woodlands. Here live the Motes of Water, a tribe originally hailing from Ash, having only arrived in the region in the last century.
A wooden palisade encompasses their isolated community to provide protection from the region’s myriad beasts and beastmen.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Village of the People of Water — Synopsis. The Japanese entry focuses on what natural features the village is built around. The English entry focuses on the People of Water’s arrival to Mysidia.

Haven — History

A small village situated in the center of Mysidia.

The Motes of Water who established the current settlement nearly a century ago found their new homes amongst the ruins of pre-existing stone architecture.
To ensure the existence of their people remains unknown, only a handful of Haven’s residents are ever permitted to leave the village, and even then, usually only for the purpose of trade.

Haven — Hidden Truths

A small village situated in the center of Mysidia.

The Motes of Water who established the current settlement nearly a century ago found their new homes amongst the ruins of pre-existing stone architecture.
The village has long been hidden from the outside world by a powerful glamour that Haven’s residents maintained with a network of stone cairns filled with crystal shards.
Now, however, with crystal in short supply, the Motes and their newly freed dominant, Waljas, must prepare for the day that glamour fades.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Village of the People of Water — Towards a New Future. The Japanese entry says the People of Water now can think about joining the outside world because they no longer have to watch over Waljas in Neptune’s Wave Wall. The English entry says they will have to join the outside world because the Mirage is fading.

Mysidia — Geography

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Cloaktop

Access to the village of Haven is limited to this narrow, poorly kept path that, following a punishing ascent, skirts the edge of the Lost Cloak,
where peril oft awaits those who pay more attention to the breathaking vistas that they do the path beneath their feet.

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Father’s Fell

A strand of primeval forest,

its name given by the Motes of Water whose fathers and grandfathers first felled the trees there to fortify Haven.
Village woodcutters still visit the area to this day, careful not to over-harvest, and always mindful to replant.
Village trappers also frequent the area to take advantage of its abundant game—game that provides Haven with a source of meat and pelts to trade in Northreach.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Father’s Fell Forest. The Japanese entry focus on how creatures have moved into this forest from other locations as the Black Region has spread in those regions. The English entry focus on how the People of Water get wood and maintain the forest. Only the last sentences have anything in common between the two entries.

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Tailwind Bay

While technically the western edge of Ollepheist Bay,

this stretch of calm ocean off Mysidia’s eastern coast
earned the name Tailwind after Leviathan primed here eighty winters past and laid waste to the shoreline with the thrashing of his mighty tail fin.

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Maiden’s March

There was one a time, long ago, when young women of the north would make pilgrimages to massive temple complexes dedicated to the worship of Shiva.
Here they would walk the Path of Ice and stand before the sacred altars to place their offerings and receive the Eikon’s blessing.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Maiden’s March.

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Riversmeet

So severe was Leviathan’s wrath eighty years ago that much of Mysidia’s terrain was forever altered. From the sea rushed in a wall of water, toppling trees, cutting new canyons, and swallowing homes. When the waters finally receded, the land was unrecognizable, lakes where there had been none, rivers joined where once they had been separate.
The sunken ruins of Riversmeet is one such place.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Riversmeet Valley. The Japanese entry is a summary of what happened in the first two sentences. The English entry greatly expands out the “story” of them.

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Languor Falls

A magnificent waterfall overlooking the ruins of an ancient northern settlement.

It was here the baby Waljas’s mother—unable to bear the pain of losing her son to sacrifice—took her life, casting herself off the cataract’s lip and into the rocks below.
A trace of her life aether, however, must have remained, as her son’s egi Thalaos was inexplicably drawn to this very spot over eighty winters later.

The Motes of Water still visit the location annually to pay their respects.

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The Lost Cloak

The Lost Cloak — Basic Information

The towering cliffs that stretch along the border between Sanbreque and the northern territories

are known as the Lost Cloak, the Giant’s Cloak, or simply the Cloak, and earn their name from their appearance—that of a mantle draped over the shoulders of a mighty titan.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: The Cliffs of the Lost — Synopsis. The Japanese entry focus on what this region is physically like. The English entry focuses on what this region is called and why.

The Lost Cloak — Sculpted Skies

The towering cliffs that stretch along the border between Sanbreque and the northern territories

are known as the Lost Cloak, the Giant’s Cloak, or simply the Cloak, and earn their name from their appearance—that of a mantle draped over the shoulders of a mighty titan.
For nearly a century, the region has been enshrouded in a magical glamour, making it appear simply another stretch of empty deadlands and discouraging all from approach.

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Oillepheist Bay

Stretching west from the former Holy Capital of Oriflamme,

Oillepheist Bay was, until recently, utilized by northern thegns to raid the wheat and rye fields of Royal Meadows. To prevent such unwanted incursions into imperial lands, the empire lined the coast with watchtowers from Moore to Northreach.
However, as the Blight swallowed more and more of the north, forcing the thegns into isolated pockets, the frequency of these raids trickled to almost nothing, and now only a handful of the towers remain.

Kokuyōka: The motive of deterring raids from the North is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Oillepheist Bay.

Mothercrystals & Crystals

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The Mothercrystals

The Mothercrystals — Basic Information

Enormous glassy mountains, five of which tower over the lands of Valisthea.

They are the source of all the crystals that the people of the Twins rely on in their everyday lives.
Not only that, but the lands surrounding them are rich with aether, making the magicks the crystals cast even more potent.
For these reasons, great nations have sprung up around each Mothercrystals and have long warred with each other for possession of their blessings.

The Mothercrystals — Their Tax on the Land

Though the people of Valisthea rely on the crystal mined from these mountains in their everyday lives and flock to the aether-rich lands around in them pursuit of their Blessing, Cid posits that it is in fact the Mothercrystals and their ability to draw aether from the earth that is the reason for the deadlands’ advance.
The few who learn the truth are hunted down by those in positions of power—those whose power rests on their control of this crucial resource.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Mothercrystals — The Main Cause of the Black Region. The Japanese entry has the Mothercrystals be the source of magic in general as well as being worshiped as sacred beings by people and is missing the last sentence. The English entry has the Mothercrystals be the source of crystal and doesn’t mention them being worshiped… or being sacred beings.

The Mothercrystals — Their True Purpose

Enormous glassy mountains that once towered over the lands of Valisthea,

providing the crystal that the poeple of the twins relied upon in their everyday lives, while at the same time leeching aether from the earth.
Clive and Joshua learn that they were planted here by Ulimta for that very purpose, that the creature might accumulate enough aether to cast a supremely powerful spell—one that would remake the world.

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Heart of the Mothercrystal

Heart of the Mothercrystal — Basic Information

The brightly shining convolution of shards that sits at the center of each Mothercrystal.

When a heart shatters, so too does the mountain around it.
Since time immemorial, sanctuaries have been built around the hearts for the worship and protection of these irreplaceable treasures.

Heart of the Mothercrystal — A Stalwart Defense

The brightly shining convolution of shards that sits at the center of each Mothercrystal.

When a heart shatters, so too does the mountain around it.
Since time immemorial, sanctuaries have been built around the hearts for the worship and protection of these irreplaceable treasures.
The hearts, however, have their own methods of self defense, replying to any attack upon them with unique and deadly magicks.

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Lost Mothercrystals

When Cidolfus Telamon put his plans to destroy the Mothercrystals in motion, five of their number towered over the Twins—three less than Ulitma set in place eons past.
The Mothercrystal of Dzemekys was the first to fall, followed by Drake’s Horn in Southern Ash, and Drake’s Eye in the Northern Territories.
Now, nothing remains of them save for the scars left behind by their passing.

Kokuyōka: The first sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Lost Mothercrystals.

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The Crystal Flower

When drake’s Tail came under attack by the maddened Bahamut, the heart of the Mothercrystal responded by delving into its attacker’s innermost thoughts
and summoning into creation that which most plagued his tortured soul—the wyvern tail that represented the trust Prince Dion’s father place in him and his duty to the realm.

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The Inner Sanctum

The Inner Sanctum — Basic Information

Sacred chambers in which the hearts of the Mothercrystals are enshrined.

Believed to have been created before the time of the Fallen, they retain a portentous air even now, long after mankind has forgotten their significance.

The Inner Sanctum — Hidden Truths

Sacred chambers in which the hearts of the Mothercrystals are enshrined.

Erected far before the time of the Fallen, when humanity was still in its infancy, their original purpose was to simply provide protection for the fragile cores.
As time passed, however, they were slowly transformed into places of worship.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Crystal Shrines — The Truth. The Japanese makes it sound like the Crystal Shrines have always been places of worship. The English entry specifies that the Shrines were first built to protect the Cores, and only later became places of worship.

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Deadlands

Deadlands — Basic Information

Barren wastes bereft of aether,

where no life stirs, and magic all but unusable. Here, both earth and water are stained black, preventing any seed from quickening.
In recent years, the Blight has spread ever more widely, displacing whole nations before it, driving once peaceable fauna to violent desperation, and leaving silent devastation in its wake.

Deadlands — Hidden Truths

Barren wastes where the aether has dried up entirely,

and no longer gives the land life. Not only does this render magic all but unusable, but the ground and water are also stained darkest black, and not even the smaller seedling grows.
Little to the knowledge of most Valistheans, the spreading Blight is in fact driven by the Mothercrystals that drain away the land’s aether for Ulitma’s ends.
Though the beings flew to Valisthea to escape the Blight, overuse of magic by the human civilizations that followed only succeeded in despoiling this last unblemished land.

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Crystals

Crystal — Basic Information

One of the most valuable materials known to mankind,

thanks to its ability to channel ambient aether from the air, allowing those without an innate power to do so to cast magicks—
—and as most Valistheans cannot live without magic, its supply and distribution is heavily regulated by governments across the Twins.
A given shard can only channel a certain amount of aether before it shatters, so the need for new crystals is incessant.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Crystals — Synopsis. The Japanese entry says that crystals are a tool that absorbs aether from the earth and deteriorates each time it are used to cast magic until it shatters. The English entry says that crystals are a material that channels aether from the air and can only channel a finite amount of aether before it shatters. Essentially, the Japanese entry makes crystals sound like aether batteries while the English entry makes crystals sound like aether conduits.

Crystal — The Black Market

One of the most valuable materials known to mankind,

thanks to its ability to channel ambient aether from the air, allowing those without an innate power to do so to cast magicks—
—and as most Valistheans cannot live without magic, its supply and distribution is heavily regulated by governments across the Twins. Though the penalties for illicit trade in crystals are severe, with demand far outstripping supply, many still dabble in the black market.

Crystal — Post-Primogenesis

One of the most valuable materials known to mankind,

thanks to its ability to channel ambient aether from the air, allowing those without an innate power to do so to cast magicks.
After Ulitma cast Primogenesis and the skies over Valisthea darkened, many of the municipal crystal that fire forges and filled wells began to fail.
In certain areas, even those rationed shards that the people relied on in their everyday lives lost their spark, making life all but unlivable.

Crystal — Supply and Demand

One of the most valuable materials known to mankind,

thanks to its ability to channel ambient aether from the air, allowing those without an innate power to do so to cast magicks.
After Ulitma cast Primogenesis and the skies over Valisthea darkened, the unbalance in the aether rendered many shards unusable, and all but ended the largesse of nations in sharing what shards remained with their populaces.
Yet such was the people’s reliance on crystals that they looked to other, less reputable means of securing them.

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Crystal Rations

Shards of crystal small enough to be held in the hand, which allow those who are not born Bearers to cast magicks.

The nations of the Twins see such shards mined from the Mothercrystals and distributed to the populace, so that every man and women of good character—Bearers, criminals, and other undesirables not included—might enjoy the gift of magic.
It is common for people to keep them about their persons in a protective case.

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Municipal Shards

Large shards of crystal that are entrusted to towns and cities across Valisthea in order to serve the populace.

Where those shards rationed out to individuals might suffice to fill a cup or light an oven, municipal shards fill wells, fire forges, and light the streets of the great cities of the Twins.

Aether & Magic

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Aether

The life force of the land and the source of all magic.

The amount of aether a spell consumes depends on its strength, which those manifesting more potent forces over a wider area coming at a greater cost.
Larger crystals can channel more aether than smaller ones, and thus can be used to cast more powerful magicks. One might use a small, rationed shard to grill a fish, but would require a large, municipal crystal to fire a blacksmith’s forge.

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Aetherial Tolerance

The ability to resist the effects of aetherial exposure.

This is higher in Bearers and Dominants, allowing them to survive concentrations of aether that would turn any human who lacks their gift.
Some animals, including chocobos, also have a natural resistance to the effects of aether—but one of the many reasons why the birds are so beloved across the Twins.

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Aetherfloods

Pools of concentrated aether that form on the land’s surface, thought to be cause by an imbalance in its diffusion beneath.

Though aether is unusually invisible, at flood-level concentrations it takes on a blue glow.
Those with a natural aetherial tolerance can survive exposure to a flood, at least for a short time, but most living things will eventually succumb to its effects, losing their minds and turning Akashic.

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Magic

Magic — Basic Information

The art of channeling aether to make one’s imagination manifest.

This can take the aspect of one of the eight elements—fire, water, wind, earth, ice, thunder, light, and dark—or more rarely, be unaspected.
While Bearers and Dominants can cast spells at will, others require a crystal to do so.
Magic is a part of everyday life for the people of Valisthea, making it all but unlivable when they are deprived of its gift.

Magic — Channeling

The art of channeling aether to make one’s imagination manifest.

Bearers and Dominants can cast magicks without a crystal, but this comes at a cost relative to the amount of aether channeled—the crystals’ curse that petrifies their flesh.
For this reason, Ulitma’s incorporeal form prevents him from casting the supremely powerful spell with which he means to remake the world—and so he seeks a vessel strong enough to withstand the torrents of aether required.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Magic — The Physical Body and Aether. The Japanese entry just flat out says that in order to manifest magic at all, one needs a physical body and aether and that Ultima just wants a body and lots of aether because even he can’t cast Raise without them. Meanwhile, the English entry says Bearers and Dominants can cast magic without a crystal at the cost of being petrified. Then it says that it’s because of this fact that Ultima, who doesn’t have a physical body, can’t cast Raise. So it sounds like English is saying that Ultima needs to have a body that can be petrified to cast Raise?

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The Crystals’ Curse

The price Bearers and Dominants pay for channeling aether through their bodies—the gradual petrification of their flesh.

It does not affect those who use a crystal to cast magicks.
Beginning with a stiffness and ache in the extremities, as the curse progresses, limbs are rendered immobile and the pain unbearable. At last, the victim turns completely to stone and their body crubmles into dust.
There is no known cure.

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Magicked Barriers

Some Dominants have the ability to call upon a part of their Eikon’s power to summon a ward—a nigh impervious barrier that no magic nor matter can cross.

However its maintenance requires a continuous channeling of aether through the summoner’s flesh, taking a heavy toll upon them—the larger the barrier, the greater the burden.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the first sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Magic Barriers.

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Glazheim Wall

Glazheim Wall — Basic Information

A vast aetherial dome created by King Barnabas Tharmr using the power of the Eikon Odin.

It is not only capable of repelling assaults both corporeal and magical, but will also consume any whom might endeavor passage aross its bounds.
Spanning form the mining settlement of Eistla in the south to Frigg’s Calm in the north, the barrier effectively blocks any approach to the Waloeder capital of Stonhyrr for hundreds of leagues.

Glazheim Wall — Evanescence

A vast aetherial dome created by King Barnabas Tharmr using the power of the Eikon Odin.

It was not only capable of repelling assaults both corporeal and magical, but also consumed any whom might endeavor passage across its bounds.
Spanning form the mining settlement of Eistla in the south to Frigg’s Calm in the north, the barrier effectively blocked any approach to the Waloeder capital of Stonhyrr for hundreds of leagues until its eventual fading following the king’s passing.

The First Shield

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First Shield

Title granted to the mightiest and most stalwart Shield of the Rosarian army.

The First Shield is entrusted with the personal protection of the Dominant of the Phoenix, and is gifted a portion of the Eikon’s power over flame—a boon known as the Blessing of the Phoenix.

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The Blessing of the Phoenix

The boon Joshua bestowed upon his brother

upon Clive’s ordination as First Shield, allowing him to wield fire-aspected magic without a crystal.
It has long been custom in Rosaria for the Dominant of the Phoenix to share a part of their power in this way, performing this “Rite of Rejuvenation” upon those they appoint as their protectors that they might serve them better.

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Accolade

The Rosaria ceremony wherein the Dominant of the Phoenix ordains his First Shield and imbues him with the Eikon’s Blessing.

In the Year of the Realm 860, heir to the ducal throne Joshua Rosfield awarded the accolade to his brother Clive, making proof of the deep love and respect the young prince had for him.

Kokuyōka: In the game, this is the last entry in the Thousand Tomes. I have also put it here as it involves the incident that thematically is the beginning of the story.

Dominants & Eikons

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Dominant

Dominant — Basic Information

Those within whom sleeps the power of an Eikon.

Though they look and think no differently to any other man or woman, they can not only cast elemental magicks without a crystal, but also transform themselves into beasts of world-shattering strength at any moment—
—a quality for which they are honored, worshiped, and feared the realm over.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Dominants — Synopsis. The Japanese entry defines a Dominant as someone who can turn into a summoned beast. The English entry defines a Dominant as someone a summoned beast’s power sleeps in.

Dominant — Awakening

Those within whom sleeps the power of an Eikon.

Though they look and think no differently to any other man or woman, they can not only cast elemental magicks without a crystal, but also transform themselves into beasts of world-shattering strength at any moment.
There is only ever one Dominant for each Eikon—a new Dominant only awakening after the previous dies.
Some awaken at birth, while others are chosen later in life, but once one is chosen, one’s life changes forever.

Kokuyōka: The third sentence is missing from its Japanese counterpart: Dominants — Awakening to Power.

Dominant — Hidden Truths

Those within whom sleeps the power of an Eikon.

The Dominants are but a stepping stone in the creation of Ulimta’s perfect vessel, Mythos.
When Ultima sowed the seeds of humanity, he imbued those assigned to protect each Mothercrystal with an elemental affinity—a power that would amplify over the generations until the Eikons eventually emerged.
Though the memory of their power remains even after it is absorbed into Mythos, it takes an increasing toll upon their persons to summon it.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Dominants — The Truth. The Japanese entry has the specialization of elemental affinities in people be a passive process that gradually developed over time. The English entry has Utlima be the one who put the different elemental affinities in people.

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Eikon

Eikon — Basic Information

Magical beings of godlike strength

who dwell within human hosts known as Dominants, only emerging when the Dominant primes.
History records eight Eikons in total, each with a unique elemental affinity.
It is commonly held that two Eikons of the same element cannot coexist,
but as none has ever witnessed all of these rare creatures together, the conjecture is yet to be proved.

Kokuyōka: “eikon” is the Ancient Greek word “εἰκών” (pronounced “eikṓn”), which means “figure/image/likeness/portrait”. In religions, it has a specific context of being an image of god or a saint… but it’s not the god themselves. That is “θεός” (pronounced “theos”).

Kokuyōka: There is a key difference between how “Manifesting” or “Priming” is conceptualized in the Japanese and English version of FFXVI. The Japanese concept of “manifesting” comes off much more like someone driving a giant armored mecha they can form around them whenever they want, and sometimes they drive it while being emotionally unstable. The English concept of “priming” is much more of a physical bodily transformation where Eikon still has a will of its own that the Dominant can lose control of. Given that the Dominant’s body still exists “inside” the summoned beast’s body and can be interacted with (like when Clive as Ifrit reaches into Garuda’s body to grab Benedikta’s necklace that Benedikta is wearing), the Japanese concept is likely the more accurate one.

Eikon — Elemental Aspect

Magical beings of godlike strength

who dwell within human hosts known as Dominants, only emerging when the Dominant primes.
History records eight Eikons in total, each with a unique elemental affinity—one warden each of fire, water, thunder, ice, wind, earth, light, and darkness.
The common belief that two Eikons of the same element cannot coexist was shaken by the appearance of a second Eikon of Fire doing the imperial attack on Phoenix Gate.

Eikon — Hidden Truths

Shattered aspects of Ultima’s power given flesh by human hosts.
It is the two Wardens of Fire, Phoenix and Ifrit, who together comprise his perfect form—
—the Eikons of the lesser elements serving as sacrifices to Mythos’s altar in order to test and bolster the vessel’s strength.

Eikon — Eight Elements

Shattered aspects of Ultima’s power given flesh by human hosts.
Eight elemental fragments were intended to test and bolster Mythos’s strength,
but one of their number, Leviathan the Lost, was forsaken by its master—judged to have been so profaned by mankind that it could no longer serve its original purpose. Clive, however, was able to draw out the final Eikon’s power from the infant Waljas, bringing Ulitma’s vessel to its full and perfect form.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Summoned Beasts — Their Whole Power. The Japanese entry says Clive was been completed as a vessel before he absorbed Leviathan, so Ultima had ignored it. The English entry says Clive was only completed as a vessel after he absorbed Leviathan and that Ultima didn’t bother with Ultima because he thought it couldn’t serve its original purpose.

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Priming

Priming — Basic Information

The act of a Dominant transforming their living flesh into that of their Eikon.

Dominants most often prime during times of war, using the immense strengths of their Eikons to turn the tides of battle.
Though it is usually done deliberately—the Dominant remaining in control of the Eikon even when primed—on occasion a Dominant will lose control of their powers and see their Eikon run riot.

Kokuyōka: There is a key difference between how “Priming” or “Manifesting” is conceptualized in the Japanese and English version of FFXVI. The English concept of “priming” is much more of a physical bodily transformation where Eikon still has a will of its own that the Dominant can lose control of. The Japanese concept of “manifesting” comes off much more like someone driving a giant armored mecha they can form around them whenever they want, and sometimes they drive it while being emotionally unstable. Given that the Dominant’s body still exists “inside” the summoned beast’s body and can be interacted with(like when Clive as Ifrit reaches into Garuda’s body to grab Benedikta’s necklace that Benedikta is wearing), the Japanese concept is likely the more accurate one.

Priming — The Eikon’s Toll

The act of a Dominant transforming their living flesh into that of their Eikon.

Priming does not require a continual draw on the aether—it is rather maintained by the constant channeling of the vast quantities of aether imbued within the Dominant’s own body. This allows Dominants to remain primed even when they enter the aetherless deadlands—but also results in the crystal’s curse taking a heavy toll on them with every act of priming.

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Semi-priming

The act of a Dominant calling upon a part of their Eikon’s power without fully transforming into the legendary beast itself.

It does not require nearly as much aether as to fully prime, taking less of a toll on the Dominant’s flesh.
Upon semi-priming, the host takes on some aspects of their Eikon—sprouting wings or becoming clad in stone.

Bearers & The Brand

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Bearer

Bearer — Basic Information

A person with the power to cast magicks without a crystal.

In Valisthea, men and women who awaken as Bearers are enslaved.
They are marked with a brand upon their cheek and used as tools—a cheaper alternative to the scarce and precious shards.
This system of slavery has persisted for centuries, and has become so ingrained in Valisthean life that few take pity upon the Bearer’s plight, seeing them as less than human.

Bearer — A Cursed Fate

A person with the power to cast magicks without a crystal.

In Valisthea, men and women who awaken as Bearers are enslaved—
—branded with a mark on their cheek that leads some to call them by the pejorative moniker “Branded”.
Though their powers do not begin to approach those of the almighty Dominants, they too suffer from the crystals’ curse—gradually turning to stone over a lifetime of channeling aether for others.

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Branded Solider

Branded Solider — Basic Information

Bearers forced to fight for the nations that enslaved them.

Able to cast powerful magicks yet entirely disposable, they are often placed on the front lines in battle,
or assigned to highly dangerous scouting or assassination missions.

Branded Solider — An Inescapable Fate

Bearers forced to fight for the nations that enslaved them.

To stymie the urge to flee, the penalty for desertion is death, and soldiers are encouraged to keep a close watch on each other to prevent others from doing so—
—the Brand upon a soldier’s cheek presenting an additional obstacle.
And so most follow their orders, turning steadily to stone with each draw on the aether—to lose one’s life to the curse being lauded as a hero’s death.

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Brand

Brand — Basic Information

The mark applied to the cheeks of Bearers, identifying them as something other than human.

The great nations of Valisthea have a longstanding accord to brand their Bearers in this way, that the slaves might be traded across borders.

Kokuyōka: The second half of both sentences is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Brand — Synopsis.

Brand — Selection

The mark applied to the cheeks of Bearers across Valisthea, identifying them as something other than human.

Newborn babes are check at birth—those who are found to be Bearers being branded and taken into the custody of the state.
Rarely, Bearers evade this test—either because their parents hide them, the testers are lax in their duties, or their powers do not awaken until later—yet most do not remain unbranded for long.

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Brand Removal

The painstaking process of slicing away the Bearer brand so that no mark remains.

Tarja, the hideaway’s physicker, has mastered the procedure, though it still entails a good deal of pain, and of risk—
—indeed, the brand is written in poison ink, than attempt to remove it should result in death.
Given this, many choose to forgo the process, even though their brand precludes them from ever leaving the hideaway.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Brand Removal Procedure. The last sentence of the Japanese entry focuses on the reasoning of the people who do chose to get their Brand removed. The last sentence of the English entry focuses on the on the reasoning of the people who chose not to get their Brand removed.

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Branded

A common pejorative term for Bearers marked with the brand.

Newborn babes are tested at birth, and those found to have the knack are branded on the cheek and taken into the custody of the state.

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The Unbranded

Most Bearers are identified soon after birth and marked with the slave brand, but a fortunate few are not, and remain unbranded.
An unbranded Bearer can live like any other man or woman, so long as their knack for magic remains a closely guarded secret. Should it be revealed, however, they are denounced as liars and impostors, and dealt the severest punishment.

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Slavemasters

Those who own and manage Bearer slaves.

A Bearer must always obey the order of his or her master, and are largely forbidden from acting independently—even from speaking without express permission.
When it is necessary to relinquish supervision of a Bearer—such as when dispatching one on an errand—masters will often affix the emblem of their house or business to the slave’s clothing, that they are not mistaken for an escapee.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: A Bearer’s Actions. The Japanese entry is more about the types of actions Bearers can take. The English entry is more about the people who manage slaves.

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The Liberation of Bearers

That which Cid and his allies strive to do—save Bearers from slavery.

To this end, they gather information about masters who most mistreat their “property,” that they might focus the rescue efforts on those most in need.
Freed Bearers are brought back to the safety of the hideaway—and though many are unsure what to do with their newfound freedom, the combination of a warm welcome, warm food, and a warm bed helps to calm their cares.

Ancient Civilizations & Technologies

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The Fallen

The Fallen — Basic Information

An ancient yet highly advanced civilization,

whose relics can be found across the length and breadth of Valisthea.
The material from which these relics are constructed is far sturdier than steel, and cannot be worked by modern methods,
so the people of the modern day have elected to build inside and around them instead.

The Fallen — Ruins Everlasting?

An ancient yet highly advanced civilization,

whose relics—said to be the remains of airships that once soared through the skies—can be found across the length and breadth of Valisthea.
Cid’s hideaway is but one of many settlements to take a Fallen ruin as its foundation, taking advantage of the sturdiness of the ceramics, which are stronger than steel. They are not, however, immune to the passage of time, and so the hideaway is in need of constant repairs.

The Fallen — Hidden Truths

An ancient civilization that thrived some thousands of years before the present day.

Though no direct records of the Fallen remain, early legends in the modern corpus speak of them as the “Menne of Magitek,” the pinnacle of whose “magical technology” was the airship—enormous cities that soared through the skies.
Comparisons of the ruins of these airships and other ancient structures connected to Ultima reveal slight but marked differences, suggesting the former is but a close copy of the latter.
Alas, it seems their pursuit of Ultima’s most closely guarded secrets led to their downfall, when they sent their fleet against Dzemekys, and ushered in the tragedy that saw their civilization fall.

The Fallen — Hubris

An ancient civilization that thrived some thousands of years before the present day.

Their “Magitek” technology began by aping those wonders left behind by Ultima many aeons prior,
and ended in their attempts to divine those secrets most inseparable from divinity: the means of crafting a Mothercrystal, and the terrible strength of the Eikons.

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Airship

Airship — Basic Information

Legend has it that the people of the Fallen once sailed through the skies in the bellies of these ships,

though all now lie shattered and silent on the surface below. The town of Lostwing is built around such a ruin.

Airship — Clive’s Hideaway

Legend has it that the people of the Fallen once sailed through the skies in the bellies of these ships,

though all now lie shattered and silent on the surface below. The men and women of the present day are wont to repurposed these ruins for their own uses—
—both the village of Lostwing and Clive’s hideaway in Bennumere being built around the wreckage of a fallen airship.

Airship — Hidden Truths

Legend has it that the people of the Fallen once sailed through the skies in the bellies of these ships,
though all now lie shattered and silent on the surface below—the Invincible in which Clive and his allies have built their new hideaway being one such relic.
So advanced was the Fallen’s technology it was nigh indistinguishable from magic, leading a historian of the early modern era to remember them as the “Menne of Magitek,” or “men of magical technology.”
It is Mid’s dream to bring this technology back to life, that humanity might take flight once more.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing from its Japanese counterpart: Airships — The Truth.

Airship — The Fallen

Legend has it that the people of the Fallen once sailed through the skies in the bellies of these ships, though all now lie shattered and silent on the surface below.
The ruins that litter the lands around Dzemekys lend weight to the theory that they were also used to wage war—
—as does the presence of several similar craft in the Sagespire, a veritable factory of death-dealing armaments.

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Magitek

Magitek — Basic Information

A term that appears in the early histories of the Fallen civilization and describes their highly advanced magical technology,

of which the airship is the best known example.
The also produced weapons all but indistinguishable from living beings—yet whose destructive power rivaled that of the gods of legend.
The early chroniclers labeled these beasts the “Eikonoklastes,” and it is from this term that the Eikons of the present day take their moniker.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: Magitek — Synopsis. The Japanese entry names the Summoned Beasts after the person controlling the magitek weapon. The English entry names the Eikons after the magitek weapon itself.

Magitek — In the Sagespire

A term that appears in the early histories of the Fallen civilization and describes their highly advanced magical technology.

Though it was long believed that the Eikonoklastes mentioned in early histories were lost to the ages, one such abomination was discovered in the Sagespire, along with the heart of the Magitek Mothercrystal that powered its world-crushing wrath.

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The Ulitma Civilization

The ancient civilization of the godlike Ultima collective.

Their discovery of magic helped them to thrive, but came at a terrible cost—the onset of the Blight.
After their cities fell and their people perished, the few survivors fled to the untouched land o
f Valisthea to lay the groundwork for their future revival.
The Apodytery beneath Phoenix Gate and the tower of Reverie in Waloed are both relics of their civilization, and far predate those of the Fallen.

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Arete Stone

Arete Stone — Basic Information

A mysterious ceramic tablet that stands in the hideaway.

Of a similar construction to other relics of the Fallen, yet seemingly not a part of the airship proper, its imposing appearance suggests some important function that has been lost to time.
Whatever strange secrets lies within it, it seems to react to Clive’s presence and urges him to unlock his hidden potential.

Kokuyōka: “arete” is the Ancient Greek word “ἀρετή” (pronounced “ăretḗ”), which means “virtue” or “excellence”.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Arete Stone — Synopsis.The Japanese entry has Clive coming into contact with the intentions of someone who is living in the Aerete Stone. The English entry just has the Aerete Stone react only to Clive.

Arete Stone — Hidden Truths

A mysterious ceramic tablet that stands in the hideaway.

Though it closely resembles a relic of the Fallen, the way in which it reacts to Clive’s presence and urges him to unlock his hidden potential suggests some connection to Ultima.
It is likely that this stone—as well as other towers of similar construction that dot the landscape—were created by the creature before he entered his slumber, in order to aid in the perfection of his vessel, Mythos.

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Obelisk

Obelisk — Basic Information

Ancient relics found across Valisthea.

Their construction closely resembles that “airships” of the Fallen, but unlike them, they do not appear to have fallen from the sky, rather to have stood in place since time immemorial.
They illuminate when Clive approaches—though for what reason, it is unknown.
After once being lit, they continue to shine with the same blue glow night and day, making them ideal for use as waypoints.

Obelisk — Hidden Truths

Ancient technology of the Ultima collective,

set in place upon their advent to Valisthea in order to guide the flow of aether toward the Mothercrystals, that the land’s life force might be harvested all the more readily.
The obelisks are separate entities to the Mothercrystals themselves, so the latter’s destruction does not affect the former’s function.
After Ultima cast Primogenesis, the resulting imbalance in the aether made these obelisks glow all the brighter.

History & Culture

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The Continental Accord

An international pact made at the dawn of the present era,

in which such matters as the treatment of Bearers and the establishment of a realm-wide currency were laid out.
It formed the basis of much of Valisthean society as it stands today, including the branding of Bearers and their status as non-persons.
It also put in place a universal calendar, marking a symbolic fresh start for mankind—albeit one which put magic-users at a crippling disadvantage.

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The Valisthean Calendar

The dating system used throughout the Twins,

which marks the “Years of the Realm” that have passed since the signing of the Continental Accord some eight hundred years ago.
In the centuries since, nations have risen and fallen and the concord between them has faltered, but the calendar persists.

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Gil

Gil has been the common currency of Valistha

ever since the signing of the Continental Accord many centuries ago.
The Accord entrusted the administration of the currency to the realm’s most trusted merchant guild, headquartered in what would later become the Free Cities of Kanver. The new currency took its name from the founder of said merchant guild, the legendary trader Gilbard the Golden. Trade flourished around the newly established mint, and over time, the worship of money grew into a full-fledged religion—the Great Bank of Gilbard the Lender.

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The Rosarian National Anthem

Perhaps the most beloved ditty in the duchy,

the Rosarian National Anthem was written for the occasion of the new nation’s founding, and is filled with patriotic imagery of rolling meadows, rising flames and stirring song.
It was oft heard raising the rafter of ducal alehouses, particularly close to closing time, where disputes over the lyrics to the less practiced third verse would occasionally end in fisticuffs.

Kokuyōka: This is a completely different entry from its Japanese counterpart: The People of the Flames. The Japanese entry is about how the people of Rosaria call themselves “The People of the Flames” in the Japanese version of FFXVI.

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The Children of Dzemekys

The tribe who once dwelled in the lands surrounding the lost Mothercrystal of Dzemekys.

This Mothercrystal communicated directly with Origin, from whence Ultima kept watch on the world from his slumber, and so those people who lived around it had a closer relationship with their creator than most. It was they who founded the Circle of Malius to keep the word of their lord and future savior alive.
After the Tragedy of Dzemekys and the first fall of humanity, the few survivors of the Children of Dzemekys fled to the outer continent, where they continued to worship their god and wait the day when they would join him paradise.

Kokuyōka: The first half of the second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The People of Dzemekys.

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Frost Wolf

A rare breed of wolf from the frozen Northern Territories

that are said to be able to conjure magicks.
An ancient fable from the region prominently features a frost wolf by the name of Fenrir who was companion to the “Queen of the Snows”—most likely an allusion to the dominant of Shiva—and defended her not with tooth and claw, but with bolts of ice.

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The Savior Myth

Among the teachings of the Circle of Malius is the story that the lord almighty delivered unto his children a prophecy of their future salvation before hiding himself away in the heavens—a myth that lived on in many of the folk religions that would later supplant it.
Though long considered to be naught but a legend, it is possible that this reflects a real, historical event—Ulitma’s final words to his humanity before he entered hibernation deep beneath Valisthea.

The few remaining sources disagree on Ulitma’s precise wording, but on four points they all align: that on some future day of reckoning, the incarnation of the lord would appear among mankind and remake the world; that the advent of this incarnation would be heralded by the emergence of several heavenly servants of great might; that the lord’s faithful should rally these servants together in order to bring the incarnation into being: and that for their loyalty, they would be rewarded with the greatest gladness.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely from its Japanese counterpart: The Salvation Prophecy. The Japanese entry just says the Malius Faith had a prophecy and quotes the prophesy with no scholarly commentary on it. The English entry doesn’t quote the actual prophecy, but rather gives scholarly commentary on the events that could have happened when the prophecy was given by Ultima as well as the similarities between different versions of the prophesy… and turns it into the third longest entry in the Thousand Tomes in the process!

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Ancient Mural

Ancient Mural — Basic Information

A wall painting found in the depths of the Apodytery under Phoenix Gate.
Who created it, and for what purpose, it unknown, but the celestial being in the center suggests some connection to a long-lost religion.

Ancient Mural — A Religious Image

A religious image found across Valisthea: not only in the Apodytery under Phoenix Gate and in the Comraich, near the heart of Drake’s Breath, but upon a tapestry in Tabor, too.
It depicts the Eikons arranged in adoration of a central figured believed to be Ultima, the god that rules above them all.

Ancient Mural — A Mural Intact

A religious image of the Circle of Malius, an ancient faith that worshiped Ultima.

It depicts the Eikons arranged in adoration of a central figure thought to be Ulimta himself, the god that rules above them all.
The image is found across Valisthea, but it was only on encountering a fully intact copy deep beneath Ash that Joshua discovered that the Phoenix does not appear among the Eikons depicted.

Ancient Mural — Hidden Truths

A religious image of the Circle of Malius, an ancient faith that worshiped both the Mothercrystals and Ultima.

It depicts the Eikons arranged in adoration of a central figure thought to be Ulimta himself, the god that rules above them all.
Joshua discovers an unblemished version in the depths of the Waloeder stronghold of Gjallarhorn, and learns that the figure thought to be Ulitma is in fact that of Ifrit Risen—Ifrit and the Phoenix united as one.

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The Founder

“Fear and uncertainty reigned in those early years following the Sins of Dzemekys. Not wanting to further incur the wrath of the heavens, and few who survived the Fall took to wandering the land, spurning magic and staying to the shadows. And so they lived for decades.
“One man, however, grew tired of this life—if it could be called that—and after bidding his companions farewell, climbed a grassy knoll overlooking a forest of beech and alder. Here he gathered a pile of rubble and used it to build a humble shelter in which he spent the night. The next morning, however, instead of abandoning his work (as was his people’s wont), he gathered more rocks, adding to the structure until the shelter had become a shack. This, he continued for days, weeks, until the shack had become a home.
“At first, those few wanderers who passed the knoll would shun him, cursing the man under their breaths for his hubris. But as his estate grew, and one building became two, and two, three, the people began to slow their steps, and it was not long before some took to joining him on that knoll. Gathering stone. Building new lives. New destinies.
“This they did without magicks or machines. Without boon or blessing. They relied on naught but their hands, their backs, their wills, and each other. And slowly house gave way to village, village to town…and town to nation.
“The man would one day die, as all men do, but those who remained continued his legacy—expanded upon it. And through his name was eventually forgotten, his spirit lives on to this day in the hearts of all Rosarians.”

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The Founder of Rosaria. The Japanese entry keeps the story short and sweet and includes its in-universe source. The English entry dramatizes it out into the longest Thousand Tomes entry! It also forgets to cite the source of it.

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The Deluge of Blood

A great war that occurred in ancient times between the “few who bear the blessing” and the “many who do not.”

It ended in decisive victory for the unblessed masses and the signing of the Continental Accord, which cemented the systematic subjugation of the “Bearer” minority.
It was not until a hundred years later that the first Eikons were to emerge—their human hosts being named “Dominants” after the savior myth of the Circle of Malius, which held that the lord’s return would be heralded by the appearance of “His heavenly servants most wondrous and most dominant.”
Such was the awesome power of these creatures that the authorities had no option but to exempt them from the system of slavery—announcing them to be something other than a lowly Bearer and deserving of the highest honor—lest they should side with their fellow oppressed and bring a second deluge upon the master’s heads.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The Blood-Mired Forgetfulness. The Japanese entry focuses mainly on the Bearers and what caused them to be subjugated as slaves, including why they were called Bearers, with only a little about the Dominants at the end. The English entry focuses almost completely on the Dominants, including why they were called Dominants.

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The Cullings

After being made vicereine of the newly annexed Rosaria territory, the empress Anabella quietly established a host of loyal imperial soldiers—the Black Shields—to maintain order.
Though branded as keepers of the peace, their true purpose is to carry out what has come to be known as “cullings,” or brutal massacres of provincial Bearers and those who show them sympathy. The killing is swift and indiscriminate, with the shields dispatched serving as judge, jury, and executioner, and the chaos left in their wake is usually enough to deliver entire settlements to ruin.

Types of Enemies

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Akashic

Akashic — Basic Information

The irreversible change brought about by a living being’s overexposure to aether.

Creatures are stripped of any intelligence or sense of self they may one have had, and become suffused with life force—usually manifesting as extreme strength and aggression.
Flora can also turn, result in in their twisted overgrowth.
Those with aetherial tolerance, however, such as Dominants and Bearers, are less likely to turn Akashic.

Akashic — Divinity

The irreversible change brought about by a living being’s overexposure to aether.

Creatures are stripped of any intelligence or sense of self they may one have had, and become suffused with life force—usually manifesting as extreme strength and aggression.
Though most regard men who turn Akashic as naught but mindless monsters, Barnabas and Sleipnir claim they are, in fact, “divine.”

Akashic — Hidden Truths

The irreversible change brought about by a living being’s overexposure to aether.

Creatures are stripped of any intelligence or sense of self they may one have had, and become suffused with life force—usually manifesting as extreme strength and aggression.
Ultima’s casting of Primogenesis turned much of mankind directly, gifting Barnabas his Akashic army—
—and with the despair they wrought, he sought to strip the wills of the rest, making them, in his eyes, “pure.”

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Akashic — The Truth. The Japanese entry focuses on how Ultima is planning to turn most people Akashic and why he wishes to do so. How successful he was at doing that is not mentioned. The English entry focuses on how Ultima did turn most people Akashic and how he was planning on turning the rest of people Akashic.

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Beastmen

A somewhat derogatory nomen given the collective group of demi-humanoid beings that includes goblins, orcs, and minotaurs, among others.

Beastmen tend to differ from most wild creatures in demonstrating a distinct intelligence—possessing the capacity for spoken and sometimes even written language, as well as complex tool-building—and many have developed unique, albeit simple, civilizations of their own.
With civilization, however, will always come the desire to expand, and it is this ambition that has resulted in countless clashes with humanity over the centuries.

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Beasts

Animals whose evolution has been warped by exposure to aether, some gaining the ability to cast magicks.

Unlike Bearers, however, they seem to have developed little aetherial tolerance, so it is not uncommon to encounter Akashic beasts in the vicinity of aetherfloods.
Wild beast are sometimes tamed by humans for use in warfare—the soldiers of Sanbreque having a particular fondness for those descendants of ancient dragons.

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Great Beasts

The behemoths and Fafnirs of the realm—large, dangerous beasts to whom all others bow.

These creatures ruled for generations as the kings of great forests or tall peaks,
only to be driven from their homes by the Blight and forced into unwelcome contact with humanity.
They tend to have little tolerance for aetherial exposure, so it is common for them to turn Akashic on the merest contact with an aetherflood.

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Echoes

Echoes — Basic Information

Strange clockwork constructs often encountered in Fallen ruins.

The question of whether or not they are truly alive is open to debate, as they do not appear to require water, nor do they feed on the flesh of their victims as beasts do, and seemingly exist solely to protect their habitat from intruders.
All echoes are encased in protective plating that is made from the same material as the ruins, and thus cannot be destroyed…though repeated blows will cause individual plates to dislodge, eventually causing the entire construct to collapse on itself.

Echoes — Awakening

Strange clockwork constructs often encountered in Fallen ruins.

The question of whether or not they are truly alive is open to debate, as they do not appear to require water, nor do they feed on the flesh of their victims as beasts do, and seemingly exist solely to protect their habitat from intruders.
Though it is widely assumed they are vestiges of the Fallen civilization, some of the structures they preside over, such as the Apodytery and the sanctuaries at the heart of the Mothercrystals, seem to predate even that bygone age.
In the aftermath of Primogenesis, beneath the blackened skies that followed, they emerge from the ruins at last, and can now be seen wandering the entirety of Valisthea.

Kokuyōka: The third sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Relics — The Rise in Operational Relics.

Echoes — Hidden Truths

Strange clockwork constructs often encountered in and near Fallen ruins.

They were once only ever found protecting such structures, but in the aftermath of Primogenesis, beneath the blackened skies that followed, they emerged from the ruins at last, and can now be seen all over Valisthea.
Though widely assumed to be vestiges of the Fallen civilization, it seems they were in fact originally servants of Ulitma, created by him in a time lost to memory, and that it was only over long years of scavenging wreckage from Fallen ruins that they took on their current form.
Since Ultima’s reawakening, they have been guided by his will, and his will alone.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Relics — The Truth. The Japanese entry focuses on how Ultima likely turned them all on after he cast Primordial Wedge. The English entry focuses more on how the Echoes came to incorporate elements of Sky Civilization technology into them after Ultima created them.

Echoes — The Fallen

Strange clockwork constructs often encountered in and near Fallen ruins.

Though originally servants of Ultima, created by the entity in a time lost to memory, the Fallen appear to have employed Magitek to successfully engineer replicas eerily identical in both appearance and functionality, casting doubt upon the hypothesis that an echo’s form is somehow a result of scavenging ruins. Despite being masterless for the better part of a millennium and a half, the automachina continue to dutifully attend to the tasks bestowed upon them before the Fall.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Relics — The Relics [Made] by the Sky Civilization. The Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what happened. The English entry greatly expands out the “story”.

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Egis

Dating back to antiquity, the term “egi” has historically been used to describe those aetherial entities that can be conjured by Dominants.

Egis are capable of casting potent magics corresponding to the elemental alignment of their creators.
Though unquestionably formidable, they will fade immediately should the Dominant who gave them being happen to be slain.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Magic Creatures. The Japanese entry says that magic creatures are made by people, including Dominants. The English entry says that only Dominants can make egis. Given that there are several monsters that are called “magic creatures” in the Japanese version of the Thousand Tomes that cannot have been made by a Dominant, the Japanese entry is likely the more accurate one.

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Ulitma’s Thralls

Ulitma’s Thralls — Masked

Twisted, glowing blue creatures that awaited Clive and Jill deep within Phoenix Gate

to try and prevent them from gaining the innermost recesses of the Apodytery.

Ulitma’s Thralls — Unmasked

Soulless automata largely composed of aether whose only drive is to see that their creator’s will is done.

They appeared all over Valisthea after Ulimta brought about Primogenesis, and the skies of the realm fell dark.

Ulitma’s Thralls — Hidden Truths

Soulless automata largely composed of aether whose only motivation is to see that their creator’s will is done.

Ulitma gave them life upon first arriving in Valisthea and immediately tasked them with defending the realm’s shores from any outside forces that might seek to interfere in his endeavors.
The deity now employs them solely to test the strength and durability of his self-proclaimed vessel, Mythos.

Social Groups & Organizations

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Cid the Outlaw

Leader of the faction believed responsible for the shattering of Drake’s Head in 873.

With this single act of infamy, Cid’s name quickly spread to the four corners of Valisthea and beyond.

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Alliants

Those who do not call the hideaway their home, but nevertheless lend their strength to Cid’s cause.

There are many in the Twins who balk at the persecution of Bearers,
but cannot find within them the courage to oppose it, knowing what fate awaits them should their sympathies be exposed.
Others take that risk, aiding Cid’s Bearer liberation efforts with information sent by stolas, monetary assistance, or direct action.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Collaborators. The Japanese entry says that everyone’s reasons for collaborating with the Hideaway is different and doesn’t judge them for it. The English entry pretty much calls the people who know treating Bearers like they’re not people, but who can’t commit to it out in the open cowards.

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Bard

Traveling minstrels who journey from place to place, performing in hostelries across Valisthea to the accompaniment of lute or lyre.

They provide not only entertainment but information on the state of the realm, oft singing of significant events and important personages.
The hideaway has its own resident bard, that the illiterate amongst its residents might remain informed.

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Slave Traders

Those who make their coin buying and selling Bearer slaves.

While the trade is highly regulated, a slave is a valuable asset, and so there is a thriving black market in stolen and unregistered Bearers.
Dorys’s former master was just such a black market trader, who trained her abducted charges as killers for hire—knowing that if the Branded was caught in the act, their ownership records could not lead the constabulary to her door.

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Astrologer

Members of the Greagorian clergy who divine the future from the movements of the heavens.

It has long been custom for the astrologers of the imperial court to share their auguries only with the emperor, granting them significant political influence—provided, that is, that the emperor of the day shares Sylvestre’s inclination to heed their advice.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Astrologists. The Japanese entry says that Sylvestre can dominate politics how he does because he listens to the Astrologers. The English entry focuses on how much influence the Astrologers can have in court if they are listened to by the Emperor. Which group is the source of the other’s dominance in politics is the opposite between the two languages.

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The Executors

A shadowy cabal who control the truth of the realm by collecting and concealing any knowledge they believe should remain hidden.

They appear to view themselves as the guardians of humanity, protecting people from what would only cause them pain.
From a Distance, the shameful history of the enslavement of Bearers, is but one of the books the Executors would see expunged from the public record.

Ships & Man-Made Objects

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The Enterprise

The Enterprise — Basic Information

The hideaway’s mythril engine-powered flagship.

Designed by the father and aughter team of Cidalfus and MIdadol Telamon, the ship is currently under construction in a hidden cove on the outskirts of Kanver.

The Enterprise — Her Completion

The hideaway’s mythril engine-powered flagship.

Designed by the father and daughter team of Cidolfus and Midadol Telamon to serve as a last hope for humanity should all of Valisthea be lost to the Blight,
Mid recruited a team of shipwrights and supervised the secret construction of the ship in the Telamon Ironworks on the outskirts of Kanver, with a little help from Byron Rosfield’s bottomless purse.

The Enterprise — Her Maiden Voyage

The hideaway’s mythril engine-powered flagship.

Designed by the father and daughter team of Cidolfus and Midadol Telamon to serve as a last hope for humanity should all of Valisthea be lost to the Blight,
and constructed in secret in the Ironworks on the outskirts of Kanver.
The mythirl with which it is fueled is a highly concentrated source of energy, allowing the ship to achieve speeds thrice that of a galleon at full mast.

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Mythril Engine

The technology designed to propel the hideaway’s flagship, the Enterprise, across the seas at heretofore inconceivable speeds.

It is not fueled by magic, but by mythril—a hard, inert substance refined from deadland soil.
Inert, that is, unless burned at blistering temperatures, whence i t releases all the energy stored within—
—for which reason, cooling is required in the form of a three-piece thermal displacement stack.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Mythril Engine. The Japanese entry says the engines are powered by a mix of the soil from the Black Region and mythril ore (presumably a type of metal). The English entry says that the engines are powered by mythril, a material made by refining the Black Region’s soil.

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The Einherjar

The Einherjar — Basic Information

The flagship of the Waloeder navy, also known as the Black Galleon.

Alongside the Royal Cavalry, it is the pride of Waloed,
and is capable of swiftly delivering elite troops onto enemy soil to make war in the name of the mighty Odin.

The Einherjar — On the Naldia Narrow

The flagship of the Waloeder navy, also known as the Black Galleon,

is a vast, seven-mastered vessel constructed of three conjoined galleys, and could aptly be described as a floating fortress.
Alongside the Royal Cavalry, it is the pride of Waloed, and is capable of swiftly delivering elite troops onto enemy soil to make war in the name of the mighty Odin.
Jill was kept prisoner here after being captured by King Barnabas.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Einherjar — In the Naldia Waters.

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Crystal Fetters

A restraining device for Bearers and Dominants

that uses precisely arranged and activated shards of crystal to disrupt the flow of aether through their flesh,
thus preventing them from priming or casting magicks.
So valuable are the materials from which they are made, and so rare the skill required to craft them, there are very few specimens in existence, and they are only employed when absolutely necessary.

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Marks

Emblems that Cid’s allies distribute to those in their circle of trust.

It is common for the rich and powerful of Valisthea to pin such marks to the Bearers in their possession, that the slaves might go about their master’s business unmolested.

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Orchestrion

Orchestrion — Basic Information

A curious clockwork contraption

that is able to perform several different musical compositions at the flick of a switch.

Orchestrion — Mid’s Opus

A curious clockwork contraption

that is able to perform several different musical compositions at the flick of a switch.
It was designed and constructed by a young Mid, and Cid labeled it her first true masterpiece of engineering.
He his his own masterpiece inside it—the final part that his daughter would need to complete the calibration of the mythril engines that the two designed together.

The Natural World

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Metia

The burning red star that sits beneath the moon.

Folklore ascribes to Metia the role of message-bearer to the moon, so it is common custom across Valisthea to wish upon the star, that one’s heartfelt desires might be conveyed to the heavens and beyond.

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Wyvern Tail

Wyvern Tail — Basic Information

The elegant, white flower that is a symbol of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

Wyvern Tail — Their Use in Branding

The elegant, white flower that is a symbol of the Holy Empire of Sanbreque.

From its roots is distilled the dye with which the Bearer brand is inscribed.
The dye is highly poisonous when it enters the bloodstream, and so it is not uncommon for Bearers to lose their lives either upon receiving their brand, or during an inexpert attempt to remove it.
While cultivated wyvern tails bear white blossoms, those that grow in the wild adopt a purple hue.

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Gysahl Greens

A leafy green vegetable loved by chocobos.

Such is the birds’ attraction to its scent, traders who transport them by the wagonload must seal the boxes tightly, let they should find themselves accosted by a flock of wild ‘bos on the road.
Though most gysahl greens are gown for chocobo fodder, they can be eaten by human’s too—provided oe trims away the toughest fibers and boils the fleshy leaves in salt water until soft.

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Adamantite

One of the hardest known materials in the Twins.

Steams of its ore have only been found in the far-flung reaches of Ash, where the forces of first Veldermarke, then Waloed, often warred with the orcs who claimed the lands as their own.
Though the metal makes for fine arms and armor, the rarity of both its ore and craftsman versed in the peculiarities of its forging ensure that adamantite weapons remain the preserve of the rich and powerful.

Communications & Fields of Scientific Research

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Missives

The second simplest method of long-distance communication used in Valisthea, after whispering one’s message to a traveling trader and trusting in the strength of their memory.

Though letters are more prone to interception than stolases, they have the advantage that they can be sent to those one does not know.
Their major disadvantage—that the majority of the common folk of the Twins can either read nor write, limiting their exchange to those of a certain level of education.
Efforts are underway to offer such an education to the Bearers of the hideaway, and many are already more confident readers and writers than their former masters.

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Notorious Marks

While afield on their expeditionary excursions, the Cursebreakers will oft learn of creatures (or somewhat unsurprisingly humans) that, for reasons varying from the loss of natural habitat or lack of food to overexposure to aether, have begun to exhibit uncharacteristically violent behavior.
Due to the threat they pose to the realm and her peaceable inhabitants, these terrors are deemed “notorious marks” and a bounty placed on their heads.

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Engineering

The technology of the Fallen civilization was highly advanced, and though many an archaeologian and engineer has sought to study the workings of the curious contraptions they left behind, little light has yet been shed on their secrets.
Engineers of the present day largely learn from each other.
Indeed, the knowledge that Mid learned in the University of Kanver, she now shares with the children of the hideaway, that they might one day stand on her shoulders.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Mechanical Engineering. The Japanese entry focuses more on what engineers actually do research into and is missing the second sentence. The English entry focuses more on how trying to reverse engineer Sky Civilization technology is difficult to do.

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Botany in the Deadlands

The deadlands are true to their name, in that no plan nor animal can survive for long in lands swallowed by he Blight. At least, that is, without effort and ingenuity.
In Cid’s hideaway, Bohumil and Martelle found some success in growing crops in deadland soil,
and others continue their legacy in the new hideaway.
Mid’s filters, for instance, make the blackened waters of the mere fit for consumption—and, much to Nigel’s relief, irrigation.

Kokuyōka: The first two sentences are missing in its Japanese counterpart: Vegetation Research.

Works of Literature

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The Journal of Moss

The Journal of Moss — Basic Information

The annals of Moss the Chronicler,

a scholar of Valisthean history noted not only for his singular insight, but for the lyricism of his writing—an exceptionalism that earned him the enmity of his fellow scholars
and drove him from public life.
Such were their misgivings towards him that only a handful of copies of the Journal were ever produced, making the tome a prized find among collectors.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Writings of Moss the Historian — Synopsis.

The Journal of Moss — Joshua’s Finding

The annals of Moss the Chronicler,

a scholar of Valisthean history noted not only for his singular insight—indeed, Moss’s Journal is one of the few histories to peak at any length concerning the ancient Circle of Malius and the creature they worshiped as their god—Ultima.
Both Moss and his Journal were all but removed from public life at the insistence of rival scholars, but at Joshua’s request, the Undying were able to track down a copy of the prized tome.

The Journal of Moss — A Hidden Past

The annals of Moss the Chronicler,

a scholar of Valisthean history who unearthed many of the buried secrets of Ultima and the Circle of Malius.
Shortly after he encountered a young Harpocrates in the outer continent and inspire the boy’s own pursuit of learning, Moss returned to the Twins, where his long years of wandering from ruin to relic in pursuit of the vestiges of Valisthea’s past finally drew to a close.

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Valisthea — A Culinary Pilgrimage

An ancient recipe book that instructs one how to make toothsome fare from the game of the realm—though the outdated tongue in which it is penned makes it difficult to divine precisely what beast is being proposed for the pot.
It was discovered in the shelves by Yvan as he hunted for inspiration to expand his culinary repertoire.

An expand it he did, summoning forth the “Chancer’s Stew”—a piquant, some might say putrid ragout of scorpion taies, whose flesh was a soft as the silt of the swamps in which they live, and the flavor similarly comparable.

The hideaway’s head chef Molly was not to be outdone, however, drawing from the Pilgrimage‘s pages a “Fried Mortress of Skyworm.” The dish, consisting of wyvern livers sautéed with saint’s bonnet, was heralded a tour de force among those who tasted it.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Valisthea Food Travelouge. The Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what happened. The English entry greatly expands out the “story”.

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The Saint and the Sectary

A beloved Valisthean fable

wherein the good knight Sir Crandall of Camelot, servant of Saint Sybil the Unshod, does battle against the evil warlock Madu.
The story was a favorite of the young Clive Rosfield, and he would often act out scenes with his uncle—the young knight naturally taking the role of Sir Crandall, and his rumbustious Uncle Byron making a convincing Madu.

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From a Distance

A tome that lays bare the buried truth of the avarice of vanity of mankind.

Upon its publication, the powers that be did everything in their power to inherit once more—along with its author.
It tells the history of the Bearers—those once worshiped and adored as “bearers of the heavenly blessing,” earning them the moniker they hold to this day—and how they came to be despised, oppressed, and enslaved by the unblessed masses.
The shadowy Executors seize any copy that surfaces, in order to protect humanity from the painful knowledge contained within its pages—or so they claim.

Kokuyōka: The original name for the Bearers is from the Japanese entry: The Blood-Mired Forgetfulness.

The Spiritual World & Ultima

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Mythos

Mythos — Basic Information

The name by which Ultima addresses Clive.

It appears to be his title for the “vessel for limitless power” that he means to make of the young lord marquess—
—but to what end he requires such a thing, only Ultima knows.

Kokuyōka: “mythos” is the Ancient Greek word “μῦθος” (pronounced “mûthos”), which means both “story/narrative” and “what is said” (word/speech/talk).

Mythos — Clive’s Power

The name by which Ultima addresses Clive.

It appears to be his title for the “vessel for limitless power” that he means to make of the young lord marquess.
The being identifies Clive as the “Mythos” he has long sought by virtue of his awakening as the Dominant of Ifrit, and having the power to absorb the aether of other Eikons.

Mythos — The Vessel’s Completion

Ultima’s name for the “vessel of limitless power” that he has long awaited.

He identifies Clive as this “Mythos” by virtue of his awakening as the Dominant of Ifrit, and having the power to absorb the aether of other Eikons.
Ultima manipulates his servants into pitting Clive against the Dominants that he might drink of their strength and bring Mythos closer to perfection.

Mythos — Hidden Truths

Ultima’s name for the “vessel of limitless power” that he has long awaited.

He identifies Clive as this “Mythos” by virtue of his awakening as the Dominant of Ifrit, and having the power to absorb the aether of other Eikons. The being created humanity for this very purpose—
—that it might one day yield a vessel strong enough to cast the spell that would revive his dying tribe and remake the world in their image.
Now he pits Clive against the other Eikons, that he might drink of their powers and bring his vessel ever closer to perfection.

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Vessel

A name that the being known as Ultima gives to Clive.

It appears to be synonymous with “Mythos.”

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Logos

Where Ultima uses “Mythos” to describe the vessel he has long awaited—one into which he can pour his soul and cast his supreme spell, “Logos” indicates its blasphemed form—a vessel over which the will of another has complete claim, making of itself a false god.

Kokuyōka: “logos” is the Ancient Greek word “λόγος” (pronounced “lógos”) which means “story/narrative”, “what is said” (word/speech/talk) and also “what is thought” (reason/logic/computation).

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Logos. The Japanese entry focuses on the nature of the type of being Clive is turning into and Ultima’s emotional reaction to that. The English entry focuses on Ultima’s logic for calling Clive Logos instead of Mythos, which revolves around whose Ego-Self has control of Clive’s body.

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Will

That which separates humans from animals and is given shape by consciousness: a sense of self, and a freedom of thought.
Even when one is deprived of other freedoms, it is one’s will that drives the pursuit of true liberty.

To Ultima, however, human will is a sickness that prevents them from taking their proper, divine form—that of the Akashic who blindly serve his own purposes.
To this end he casts Primogensis, transforming much of humanity into his soulless servants.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The Ego-Self. The Japanese entry makes this concept out to be… an individual’s desires that other people can form connections to with their thoughts. The English entry makes this concept sound like… essentially free will.

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The Bonds of Consciousness

The fellow feeling that binds a person with those they love and who love them.

So long as these bonds remain strong, so too does a human’s grip upon their will.
Ultima cast Primogensis in order to sever these bonds of consciousness, that humanity might lose their wills and turn Akashic, and that his vessel might be perfected.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Chains of Thought. The Japanese entry has these be the wishes and thoughts people get from other people, which make their Ego-Self stronger… according to Ultima at least. The English entry has these be the emotional connections people have with people who love them and that so long as people have those bonds, their will is strong.

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Sin

In Ultima’s eyes, mankind’s greatest sin is the awakening of free will—his servants straying from the path their creator laid out for them and forging one of their own.
However, Clive contends that this is a sin by which Ultima is equally bestained—and indeed, if humanity is indeed Ultima’s creation, does not their every action, every emotion stem from him?

Kokuyōka: This entry is completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The [World] Principles. And by “completely different”, I mean that the English version of FFXVI cut the Japanese concept from the story entirely. Also, the image in the Thousand Tomes corresponds to the Japanese entry rather than the English entry.

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New World

The paradise Ultima seeks to summon into creation—one free from the Blight that almost ended his race.

Though Barnabas believed that he and his fellow faithful would be allowed to join his deity there, he was mistaken.
Only Ultima and his kin shall have a place in this new paradise—a paradise freed not only from Blight, but from humanity.

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Primogenesis

Primogenesis — Basic Information

A spell cast by Ultima

that cast a roiling pall over all Valisthea.

Kokuyōka: “primogenesis” is a combination of “primo-” and “genesis”, both from Latin.
“primo-” is from the Latin word primordium, which means “beginning/origin”.
“genesis” is from the Latin word genesis, which itself is from the Ancient Greek word γένεσις (pronounced “génesis”), which means “origin/source”, “birth” or “creation”.
So “primogenesis” means something like “origin source” or “beginning creation” in Latin. This is the only place where Latin is used in conjunction with Ultima in the English version of FFXVI.

Primogenesis — Its Effect on the Land

A spell cast by Ultima

that cast a roiling pall over all Valisthea.
The unbalance in the aether that resulted not only sapped the potency of crystals and magic in those lands that remained livable, but filled the rest not only with his glowing thralls, but with aetherfloods, turning men and beasts into mindless, merciless Akashic.

Primogenesis — Hidden Truths

A spell cast by Ultima

that cast a roiling pall over all Valisthea.
The unbalance in the aether that resulted not only sapped the potency of crystals and magic in those lands that remained livable, but filled the rest not only with his glowing thralls, but with aetherfloods, turning men and beasts into mindless, merciless Akashic—
—all to sap the wills of mankind and make all of humanity into his soulless servants.

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The Arche

The dark, ill-omened skies unleashed when Ultima brought about Primogenesis.

The word “Arche” is used only on Ash, where the coming of the cursed skies has long been foretold as a harbinger of the end of all things.

Kokuyōka: “arche” is the Ancient Greek word “ἀρχή” (pronounced “ărkhḗ”), which means “beginning/origin”.

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The Remaking of the World

Many of the savior myths of the Valisthean tradition speak of the “Raise”—the ascension of the faithful to paradise.

Assuming these myths have their roots in the teachings of the Circle of Malius, one might assume that this feat is one and the same with the spell that Ultima requires his vessel to cast—
—thought Ultima’s “Raise” will not save his faithful, only revive his own race and usher them and them alone to the remade world.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Creation of the World. The Japanese entry just explains what Ultima is planning on doing to create the world. The English entry gives scholarly commentary on the different in-universe myths that mention what Raise is before contrasting it with what Ultima means.

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Ultima’s Spell

The Magick that Ulitma means to cast to raise his fallen brethren from their eternal slumber and remake the world.

To cast it, he requires both an enormous amount of aether, drawn from the land over the centuries by his Mothercrystals, and a vessel strong enough to withstand its channeling—the entity known as Mythos.

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The First Wyrm

Having conceived their plan to siphon the land’s aether and use it to restore the planet, Ultima’s brethren transformed themselves into the Mothercrystals and the hearts contained within them, leaving only Ultima behind.
To hid their true purpose, Ulitma then named each Mothercrystal after the parts of an ancient dragon, and left mankind with the legend that remains today.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: The Ancient Dragon. In the Japanese entry, Ultima names the Mothercrystals to preserve a connection between the dragon and him creating the world in the minds of people. In the English entry, Ultima names them after the dragon to hide their true purpose.

Sage Spire & The Sky Civilization

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Dusk Crystals

Dusk Crystals — Basic Information

Shadowy shards

that can be used to cast magicks just like any other crystal, but are far less resilient, cracking after only a few uses.
They appeared on the black market soon after the skies darkened, and it was from here that Charon obtained her sample.

Dusk Crystals — The Sagespire

The shadowy shards that line the walls of the Sagespire.

Famiel and his associates have long mined these crystals to provide for their people—
—the sudden outgrowth that accompanied the darkening of the skies providing a bounteous yield that they elected to sell for profit.
Their close resemblance to those shards that make up the Mothercrystals suggests that they, too, are linked to a heart—one that sleeps somewhere within the tower.

Dusk Crystals — After the Destruction of the Heart

The shadowy shards that once lined the walls of the Sagespire.

They were the product of the Fallen’s ambition to replicate the original Mothercrystals—
—and though their reproduction was far from its model equal in terms of the strength and stability of its shards,
they faded just the same when their heart was destroyed.

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Man-made Heart

Man-made Heart — Basic Information

The heart of the artificial Mothercrystals that sleeps within the Sagespire.

It closely resembles the hearts of the truth Mothercrystals,
although the Fallen chose to keep theirs inside some manner of Magitek shielding system.

Man-made Heart — Relocation

The heart of the artificial Mothercrystals that sleeps within the Sagespire.

It closely resembles the hearts of the truth Mothercrystals,
although the Fallen chose to keep theirs inside some manner of Magitek shielding system—until, that is, Clive and his allies came too close for comfort and the tower’s intelligence ordered it evacuated to an inner chamber.

Man-made Heart — Hidden Truths

The heart of the artificial Mothercrystals that slept within the Sagespire.

Like the hearts of the true Mothercrystals, it leeched huge quantities of aether from the earth.
The Fallen, however, designed their own to conjoin with their ultimate Magitek monstrosity, Omega, inspiring it to even greater limits of destructive power. Yet even with the heart’s strength at its disposal, Omega was no match for the might of Clive and his allies. After the Eikonoklaste met its brutal end, so too did the heart.

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Specimens

Specimens — Basic Information

Beasts and beastmen captured by the Fallen and held prisoner in the Sagespire.

The variety o species on display suggests that they were collected from across the length and breadth of Valisthea.
Many are barely recognizable from their modern-day counterparts, though whether this is the result of those creatures who escaped imprisonment changing over the ages, or of the experimentation conducted on those unlucky few who did not, remains unclear.
What is clear, however, is that upon being released from their cells, they will dutifully obey the tower’s orders to exterminate intruders.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the third sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Sage Spire Test Subjects — Synopsis.

Specimens — Research & Development

Beasts and beastmen captured by the Fallen and held prisoner in the Sagespire.

Research logs left behind by their captors suggest they were intended to be used in the Fallen’s experiments into crafting crystals from an organic seed. Those on the lower levels appear to have escaped much of this experimentation, being released from their cells to drive out intruders.
Those on the upper levels, however, exhibit strange, crystalline structures conjoined to their flesh—proof if any more were needed of the Fallen’s ambitions for them.

Specimens — Living Machines

Beasts and beastmen captured by the Fallen and held prisoner in the Sagespire.

Research logs left behind by their captors suggest they were intended to be used in the Fallen’s experiments into crafting crystals from an organic seed.
They existence of the Magitek heart and the dusk crystals shows that their research succeeded—the unlucky byproducts of their experiments being repurposed for military means.

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Magitek Weaponry

Magitek Weaponry — Basic Information

Arms produced by the Fallen many centuries past,

using materials and methods far more advanced than those available today.
Their capacity for destruction likewise eclipses that of the deadliest weapons of the modern era—which goes some way to explaining why the Fallen are no longer with us.

Magitek Weaponry — The Sagespire

Arms produced by the Fallen many centuries past, using materials and methods far more advanced than those available today.

These weapons came in myriad shapes and sizes, from miniaturized magical cannons intended to be wielded by footsoldiers, to failed experiments into breeding crystals repurposed as living weapons,
to the Eikonoklaste Omega—a self-propelled Magitek monstrosity designed to overthrow the gods themselves, powered by the stolen secret of creation.

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Eikonoklastes

Eikonoklastes — Basic Information

By far the mightiest of the many Magitek weapons produced by the Fallen civilization.

The name “Eikonoklaste” means “destroyer of the divine,” and this is exactly the purpose for which they were created—to overthrow the gods, that humanity might rule over all creation.

Kokuyōka: “eikonoklaste” is the Ancient Greek word “εἰκονοκλάστ”. It is a combination of “εἰκονο” and “κλάστ”.
“εἰκονο (pronounced “eikono”) is from the Ancient Greek word “εἰκών” (pronounced “eikṓn”), which means “figure/image/likeness/portrait”. In religions, it has a specific context of being an image of god or a saint… but it’s not the god themselves. That is “θεός” (pronounced “theos”).
“κλάστ” (pronounced “klástēs”) is from the Ancient Greek verb “κλάω” which means “to break”.
So “eikonoklaste” or “εἰκονοκλάστ” literally means “breaker of [religious] images”, which historically got expanded to mean being against orthodox religion in general.

Eikonoklastes — Hidden Truths

By far the mightiest of the many Magitek weapons produced by the Fallen civilization.

Scholars believe that numerous Eikonoklastes of differing designs were produced by the Fallen’s rival factions, they all were destroyed during the Magitek War and the ill-fated invasion of the Dzemekys Mothercrystal that followed.
The discovery of Omega, however, raises the possibility that other Eikonoklastes may still survive, their world-shattering power but an unlucky archaeologian’s misstep away.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: God-Revenging Summoned Beasts — The Truth. The Japanese entry focuses on why the God-Revenging Summoned Beasts were made by the Sky Civilization in the first place as well as on how other types of them were likely being made. The English entry focuses on how all the Eikonoklastes were thought to be destroyed in the Magitek War, but Omega’s discovery suggests there might be some left. It is also missing the last sentence.

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Living Flesh

Living Flesh — Basic Information

A gruesome gore found clinging to the walls of the upper reaches of the Sagespire.

Pulsating organically and glistening like lifeblood,
its similarity to the flesh of the strange beasts Clive and his allies encountered in the lower levels suggests that they may have been crafted from this very substance.

Living Flesh — Hidden Truths

A gruesome gore found clinging to the walls of the upper reaches of the Sagespire.

The Fallen were attempting to grow crystals using beasts and beastmen as seeds, and this substance appears to be a byproduct of those experiments—
—its strength and malleability proving the ideal material from which to craft living weapons.
It appears that the disturbance in the aether resulting from Ultima’s casting of Primogenesis overwhelmed whatever infernal engine produced it, resulting in its runaway growth throughout the facility.

Mysidia — Magic

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The Glamour

The Glamour — Basic Information

An aetherial dome woven by the Motes of Water to shield their hidden home from prying eyes.
While the land within teems with life, to an outside observer, it appears as if it has been lost to the Blight.
Passing through the wall is a disorienting experience akin to a sudden rush of alcoholic intoxication.

The Glamour — A Tailored Sky

An aetherial dome woven by the Motes of Water to shield their hidden home from prying eyes.
From the outside it appears as if the land has been lost to the Blight,
yet from the inside, blue skies soar over lush forests teeming with life.

The Glamour — History

An aetherial dome woven by the Motes of Water to shield their hidden home from prying eyes.
It has the origins in the magicked wards of a much smaller scale that the Motes of Water would conjure to disguise their camps during their years of wandering through the foreign lands of Storm. On settling in Mysidia, they elected to cast a similar spell over the entire land,
crafting their crystal-filled cairns and laboring night and day to attune the spell that the outside world might see the area slowly succumb to the Blight.

The Glamour — Dusk Crystals

An aetherial dome woven by the Motes of Water to shield their hidden home from prying eyes.
It is maintained by a series of aether-channeling cairns filled with shards of dusk crystal mined from the Sagespire.
Now that the Magitek Mothercrystals is no more, the Motes of Water have only a small stockpile of dusk crystals remaining to sustained the glamour. It is but a matter of time before their supplies are exhausted and their curtain finally falls.

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Chronomancy

Chronomancy — Basic Information

The secret of controlling the flow of time by means of aetherial manipulation. It was devised and perfected by the Witch of the North,

who was tasked by the thegns of the Northern Territories with finding a way to stall or prevent the fall of Drake’s Eye. After a lifetime of toil, she finally perfected the spell some eighty years ago, but it was too late to save their doomed Mothercrystal.
The Motes of Water would later put it to another, more sinister purpose: that of creating a new Mothercrystal by freezing their baby Dominant in time. Alas, that plan, too, resulted in failure—the witch’s magicks succeeding only in preventing the extermination of their people by an Eikon’s fury.

Chronomancy — Hidden Truths

The secret to controlling the flow of time by means of aetherial manipulation.

It was devised and perfected by the Witch of the North—a Dominant of Shiva whose mastery over the element of ice extended even to the freezing of time.
She taught the secret of her spell to the Motes of Water, who cared for her in her dying days. Alas, it brought them only pain—their attempt to create a new Mothercrystal ending with the Tributary’s child trapped in time, unable to be freed lest Leviathan’s fury destroy them all. Some eighty years later, Shula and Jill worked together to unweave the magick from around Waljas, letting the child live again at long last.

Kokuyōka: This entry is rather different from its Japanese counterpart: The Time-Suspending Magic: Freeze — Waljas’ Release. The Japanese entry focuses on the how the mechanics of controlling Freeze with the “keystone” works. The English entry focuses on what the People of Water used Freeze for as well as how Shula and Jill freed Waljas from Freeze.

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Glamour Cairns

Glamour Cairns — Basic Information

Glowing pillars of stacked stone found scattered around Mysidia.

The crystals within them maintain the glamour that keeps the land hidden.
They do so through a constant channeling of aether, much as municipal shards fire forges, fill wells, and light lamps elsewhere in the realm.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Mirage “Keystones” — Synopsis.

Glamour Cairns — Maintenance

Glowing pillars of stacked stone found scattered around Mysidia.

The crystals within them maintain the glamour that keeps the land hidden.
Constant maintenance is required to ensure that the spell does not fade, both in the replacement of spent shards and in the careful attunement of the flow of aether through them. The later duty is one only a Bearer can discharge—another reason why the Motes of Water embrace those born with the gift.

Glamour Cairns — Dusk Crystals

Glowing pillars of stacked stone found scattered around Mysidia.

They are filled with dusk crystals mined from the Sagespire—the magick they channel maintaining the glamour that keeps the land hidden.
Given the dusk crystals’ fragility, replacing shattered fragments is an unending task, as is carefully attuning the flow of aether through them. The skill with which the Bearers of Haven have handled this onerous duty for generations is another reason why those born with their gift are embraced by their fellow Motes of Water.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Mirage “Keystones” — Utilizing Dusk Crystals.

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The Vare

The Vare — Basic Information

The magical apparatus by which the spell freezing Waljas and the Surge in time was cast and continues to be sustained.

It was erected in the Aire of Hours, the temple that sits upon Mysidia’s highest peak—the only place that offered an unbroken line of sight at Drake’s Eye, where the spell was originally intended to be cast.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: The Freeze “Keystone” — Synopsis.

The Vare — Hidden Truths

The magical apparatus by which the spell freezing Waljas and the Surge in times was cast and continues to be sustained.

At its heart sits an immense shard of crystal cut from Drake’s Eye, through which the magick has been ceaselessly channeled for eighty years. The Vare was designed and built by the Witch of the North, who imbued her own aether within it.
On Clive’s approach, a spectral knight materialized before it, wielding a blade of ice and determined to prevent the passage of anyone who would undo her spell. Whether this specter was a fragment of the witch’s power or a melding of her aether and another’s remains an open question.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The Freeze “Keystone” — The Truth. The Japanese entry is only concerned with what the “keystone” looks like and what it is being used for. The English entry focuses on how the “keystone” was made and what it was made from. It also describes what happened when Clive and His Crew approached it in the Sanctuary of Time.

Mysidia — History & Culture

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The Motes of Water

The Motes of Water — Basic Information

The people among whom the Dominant of Leviathan is born,

notable for their ivory hair and sapphire eyes.
Histories agree that their bloodline was ended some hundred or more years ago—the Eikon that swims within it forever lost to the world.

The Motes of Water — Mysidia

The people among whom the Dominant of Leviathan is born.

Their history begins in the lands surrounding Drake’s Horn in southern Ash. After the fall of the Mothercrystal, their people set out in search of the safe haven, wandering through the alien lands of Storm for decades
until they found a new home in the unclaimed land of Mysidia. Their long history of common struggle having united their people as one, Bearers of the Motes of Water are esteemed equally to their less-blessed brethren.

The Motes of Water — A Life of Persecution

The people among whom the Dominant of Leviathan is born,

who fled from southern Ash after the fall of Drake’s Horn. Their wanderings took them to eastern Storm, where they were persecuted as heretics by the nascent Greagorian inquisition and driven to the brink of extinction.
The few survivors fled north and west, where they found a safe haven in Mysidia. Alas, their attempts to revive their people’s fortunes by harnessing the power of Leviathan to create a new Mothercrystal ended in tragedy—the babe that was to be their savior frozen in an unending torment.

The Motes of Water — A New Dawn

The people among whom the Dominant of Leviathan is born,

who fled from southern Ash after the fall of Drake’s Horn. After years of wandering through the unwelcoming lands of Storm, they finally found a second home in Mysidia.
Though the Tributary of the time’s attempt to revive his people’s fortunes by harnessing the power of Leviathan to create a new Mothercrystal may have been an unforgivable sin,
it was not an irreversible one—as Shula and Clive proved when they delivered Waljas from his eighty-year imprisonment, reuniting the family at long last.

Kokuyōka: The second half of the first sentence and the second sentence are missing in its Japanese counterpart: The People of Water — Towards a New Future.

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Elder’s Blessing

Originally native to southern Ash, these flowers flourish on the banks of freshwater streams.
Their stems yielding fine yet durable fibers and their petals a lasting blue dye, they have long been treasured by the Motes of Water as both crafting material and symbol of their tribe.
When Drake’s Horn fell and their long years of exile began, the Tributary of the time ordered that the seeds of the flowers be harvested, that their people might plant them wherever they stopped to water, bringing a piece of home to the foreign lands through which they wandered.

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The Graegorian Inquisition

In the early days of Greagorian supremacy in eastern Storm, some hundred and seventy years ago, the clergy conducted an inquisition into all heretical thought that might challenge their rule.

Their missions swept across the region, demanding all renounce their idolatrous folk beliefs and swear an eternal and exclusive allegiance to the Goddess. Those who would or could not—the Motes of Water chief among them—were slaughtered en masse to serve as a lesson to the rest of populace.
It proved an effective one, and the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, ruled over by the corporeal embodiment of great Greagor Herself, was established soon after.

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Bacchus Wine

Depending on who you ask, Bacchus Wine is either some ambrosial delight distilled by the gods themselves or a fantasy woven by vintners and liquormongers of ill repute to separate the thirsty masses from their hard-earned coin.
The truth, however, is somewhere in-between.
While Bacchus Wine does in act exist, it is only produced on the Continent, and therefore will command a king’s ransom in those few high-end inns and brothels that actually manage to procure a bottle.
As such, demand well exceeds supply, forcing innkeepers around the realm to find alternatives that will satisfy their patrons’ want for the occasional recherché drop.
This is frequently accomplished by blending a variety of lesser quality vintages, the result being not only questionable flavor, but also a tendency to induce some of the most severe headaches outside of a battlehammer to the face.

Kokuyōka: Bacchus is the Greek and Roman God of Wine!

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Bacchus Wine. The Japanese entry says that while this wine is supposedly from the Outer Continent, it’s price is cheap and it’s easy to get. Also due to it getting people drunk very quickly, many people drink lots of it! As usual, the Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what’s happening. The English entry says the wine really is from the Outer Continent and is very expensive as a result, so there are many people who call other wine mixes by this name. It therefore has a reputation of having not a great flavor and leading people to be very hungover. The English entry also greatly expands out the “story” of what’s going on.

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The Rite of Immersion

A traditional ceremony of the Motes of Water, used to welcome newborn babes into the family.

It calls for three ministrators—the child’s mother and father (or closest living male and female relative), and a trusted guardian to serve as witness (most often the Tributary of the time).
The latter is responsible for collecting three phials of holy water with which the infant’s head is anointed, representing the course of the great river of life to which the new raindrop is to be joined.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing from its Japanese counterpart: The Ceremony of Water Circulation.

Eikons

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Ifrit

Second Eikon of Fire — Masked

A fire-aspected Eikon

that first emerged in the Year of the Realm 860, when imperial forces attacked the Rosarian stronghold of Phoenix Gate.
Clad in infernal flame, the fiendish creature flung itself against the Phoenix, overpowering the Eikon with a strength and ferocity never seen before—or since.

Ifrit — Unmasked

A fire-aspected Eikon

that first emerged in the Year of the Realm 860, when imperial forces attacked the Rosarian stronghold of Phoenix Gate.
Clad in infernal flame, the fiendish creature flung itself against the Phoenix, overpowering the Eikon with a strength and ferocity never seen before.
Its reappearance was to usher in a second, shocking revelation—that its Dominant was none other than Clive Rosfield.

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Phoenix

Phoenix — Basic Information

The Warden of Fire, whose strength resides within Joshua Rosfield, heir to the Rosarian throne.

The Phoenix is always born in the ducal line, and is worshiped by the populace—not least because its flames of both destruction and regeneration have delivered the duchy from disaster many times over.

Phoenix — Hidden Truths

The Warden of Fire,

last seen on the night of the imperial invasion of Phoenix Gate in the year 860, when the young Joshua Rosfield lost control of his powers.
The Phoenix first awakened among the Motes of Fire, an ancient tribe who dwelled in the western reaches of Storm, and the careful preservation of bloodlines among the Rosarian nobility ensured that its Dominant would always be born in the ducal line.

Kokuyōka: The concept of preserving Phoenix’s bloodline among the nobility is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Phoenix — The Truth. Also, the story itself says the Rosfields do marry out into non-nobility, so…

Phoenix — Following the Destruction of Twinside

The Warden of Fire, whose strength resides within Joshua Rosfield.

Eighteen years after the imperial invasion of Phoenix Gate and Joshua’s presumed demise, the Phoenix spread its wings once more in the skies above the Crystalline Dominion—
—wings in which reside the Flames of Rebirth.

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Ifrit Risen

Ifrit Risen — United

The two Eikons of Fire united as one.

Clive and Joshua manifested this being in the skies above the Crystalline Dominion after entreating their Eikons to grant them the power they needed to quell the raging Bahamut.
It has the body of Ifrit, the wings of the Phoenix, and a might that far exceeds either Eikon alone.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Ifrit Risen — The Fusion with Phoenix. The Japanese entry has Clive and Joshu just… want more power… and then they fuse together. The English entry has Clive and Joshua ask their Eikons for more power, which results in them fusing together.

Ifrit Risen — Hidden Truths

The two Eikons of Fire united as one, with a might that far exceeds either Eikon alone.

With the body of Ifrit and the wings of the Phoenix, its appearance closely resembles that of Ultima, as depicted in the ancient murals of the Circle of Malius.
Could this be the final, true form of the vessel that Ultima requires to remake the world?

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Shiva

Shiva — Masked

The Warden of Ice,

whose appearance on the battlefield makes her enemies’ blood run cold.
The Ironblood sent Shiva against the republican forces in the Nysa Defile, where she dueled against Titan, the Eikon of Earth.

Shiva — Unmasked

The Warden of Ice, of whom Jill Warrick is the current Dominant.

With her glacial aspect and ability to conjure boreal boulders from the aether, Shiva’s appearance on the battlefield makes her enemies’ blood run cold.

Shiva — Hidden Truths

The Warden of Ice, of whom Jill Warrick is the current Dominant.

Long before the fall of the Fallen, there existed a tribe in northwestern Storm known as the Motes of Ice, among whom the Dominant of Shiva would be born.
Tales of the ice queens of the old north are passed down among the men and women of the northlands to this day.

Shiva — Before Jill

The Warden of Ice, of whom Jill Warrick is the current Dominant.

All Dominants of Shiva are born among the descendants of the Motes of Ice, including Jill’s predecessor in the role, the Witch of the North who devised the spell to freeze time.
Her aether yet lingers in the vare she constructed atop the Aire of Hours in Mysidia.

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Ramuh

Ramuh — Basic Information

The Warden of Thunder, whose power most lately awakened within Cidolfus Telamon.

The Eikon is known the realm over a symbol of judgment, no doubt inspired by its sage mien and the scepter with which it summons its levinbolts.
Folklore has it that no only are Dominants of Ramuh blessed with the command of lightning, they are also granted a deeper understanding of the true nature of the world.

Ramuh — Hidden Truths

The Warden of Thunder, whose power most lately awakened within Cidolfus Telamon.

Dominants of the Eikon most often emerge among descendants of the Motes of Thunder, a tribe who once dwelled in the lands of central Ash—lands that the Kingdom of Waloed now lays claim to.
Mayhap in part due to the tribe’s comparatively advanced learning, Ramuh is associated with wisdom and judgment to this day.

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Garuda

Garuda — Basic Information

The Warden of the Wind, who Benedikta transformed into during her ill-fated flight from the empire.

It takes the form of a fearful harpy, summoning storms and tearing into the flesh of its prey with hawklike talons.
Such in the Eikon’s frenzy for destruction that even allies of the Dominant of the day are wont to begin fleeing the battlefield when dark clouds gather overhead.

Garuda — Hidden Truths

The Warden of the Wind, who Benedikta transformed into during her ill-fated flight from the empire.

It takes the form of a fearful harpy, summoning storms and tearing into the flesh of its prey with hawklike talons.
Its Dominant is most often born among the descendants of the Motes of Wind, an ancient tribe that once dwelled in the lands spanning the Strait of Autha—what is now the Crystalline Dominion.

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Titan

Titan — Basic Information

The Warden of Earth, of whom Hugo Kupka is the current Dominant.

He takes the form of a stone-skinned giant, whose granite fists shake the earth with every mighty pummel.
Titan’s Dominant awakens among the people’s of the Dhalmekian deserts—the recipient of his strength being granted great power and status by the republic in return for a commitment to protect the nation in times of war.

Titan — Hidden Truths

The Warden of Earth, who takes on the aspect of a fearsome, stony giant.

He is known to awaken among the descendants of the ancient Motes of Earth, a tribe who once dwelled in the deserts of what is now the Dhalmekian Republic.
By far the largest and most physically imposing of all the Eikons, the Titan’s strength was the bedrock upon which the republic was built.

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Bahamut

Bahamut — Basic Information

The Warden of Light, whose power dwells within Dion Lesage, prince of Sanbreque.

In the Holy Empire, the Greagorian faithful hold dragons to be sacred creatures, and Bahamut the most sacred of them all. Because of this, as well as the protection it grants them, the Eikon is loved and revered by the imperial populace.

Bahamut — Hidden Truths

The Warden of Light, whose power dwells within Dion Lesage, prince of Sanbreque.

A tribe known as the Motes of Light once dwelled in the northeast reaches of Storm where the great city of Oriflamme now stands, among which the Dominant of Bahamut would always emerge. In modern times, Dominants are often born among the Sanbrequois nobility—most likely because the tribe’s bloodline still runs strong in their ranks.

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Odin

Odin — Basic Information

The Warden of Darkness,

who rides into battle atop his spectral steed,
and whose black blade is said to be sharp enough to split the very seas in twain.
His latest Dominant: King Barnabas of Waloed.

Odin — Hidden Truths

The Warden of Darkness who rides into battle atop his six-legged steed, black blade in hand. His latest Dominant, King Barnabas of Waloed—

—a man scholars believe to be a descendant of the ancient Motes of Darkness within whose line all Dominants of Odin are born.
However, they have as yet been unable to prove this point, on account of no records of any Odins before Barnabas Tharmr having come to light.

Ultima’s Previous Forms

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Typhon

Seemingly drawn to the destruction of the heart of Drake’s Head,

Ultima emerged from a tear in reality wearing the skin of Typhon, a withered and wizened colossus,
and drew Clive into a space between worlds wherein the aetherial entity might test his worth as a “vessel.”

Kokuyōka: “Typhon” is the Ancient Greek name “Τυφῶν” (pronounced “tūphôn”). He was a gigantic monster from Greek Mythology whose upper half was a person and whose lower half was a snake or dragon… along with a bunch of other monstrous traits depending on the writer. He is famous for being the father of lot of other famous monsters in Greek Mythology (including the Hydra, the Chimera and Cerberus) and tried and failed to overthrow Zeus, the King of the Gods and God of Thunder, in order to rule the cosmos himself.

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Infernal Eikon

A form long since discarded by Ultima

that brings to mind Ifrit, the Eikon manifested by Clive.
It is seemingly incomplete, lacking as it does the wings of the being created when Clive and Joshua combined the powers of Ifrit and Phoenix.

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Interdimensional Ultima

In order to further test the strength of the vessel “Mythos,” Ultima lured both Clive and Joshua deep into the shadowy depths of his fractured mind, where he faced the brothers clad in the remnants of his erstwhile flesh—the Infernal Eikon.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Ultima in the Space Between Dimensions. The Japanese entry says that Ultima’s motive for fighting Clive in this space is to make Clive submit to him. The English entry says that Ultima’s motive for fighting Clive in this space is to test Clive’s strength. For some reason, the English entry also says that the Interdimensional Rift is in Ultima’s mind… Given that Ultima in the Space Between Dimensions says his motive is to make Clive submit in both the English and Japanese versions of FFXVI, the Japanese entry is likely the more accurate one.

Aetherial Creations

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Chirada

An aetherial conjuration summoned forth by Benedikta Harman

when Clive encountered the Dominant of Wind near Lostwing.
Despite their size, the creature’s heavily feathered wings did not seem to hamper its movement, which was disconcertingly nimble.
More so than speed, though, it was Chirada’s array of powerful magicks that set it apart from lesser foes.

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Suparna

An aetherial creation of Benedikta Harman, Dominant of Wind.

When summoned in Caer Norvent alongside her twin, Chirada, the pair worked in tandem to attempt to overwhelm Cid and Clive,
wielding a panoply of potent magicks and deadly aerial assaults.

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Liquid Flame

The ever-shifting mass of living flame that rose from the fiery pools of Drake’s Breath

in what appeared to be response to an unwanted trespass into the Mothercrystal’s inner sanctum.
Possessed with both the swiftness and temper of an untamed wildfire, the creatures rained fury down upon the intruders, wielding the molten lifeblood of sacred Mt. Drustanus like it were but fistfuls of mud.

Beastmen

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Goblins

Goblins — Basic Information

A common species of beastman.

While at first glance they may seem like mindless predators, goblins have their own unique language, and are skilled enough to both cast magicks and make rudimentary tools and weapons.
While mostly found on the continent of Stomr, the spread of the Blight has forced them to find homes nearby human settlements—a move that oft ends in misunderstanding and bloodshed.

Goblins — Intercultural Exchange

A common species of beastman.

Found mostly on Storm, they have habitually avoided contact with other races,be them beast or man.
The continued spread of the Blight, however, has driven the creatures to find homes near human settlements, making violent encounters more commonplace.

That said, a rare few have been found to posess the ability to crudely converse—and at times even cooperate—with humankind.

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Gigas

As they are oft witnessed in the presence of goblins, many believe these lumbering brutes to be goblins themselves, albeit ones that have grown to prodigious size.

Scholars, however, deny these claims, and insist the two tribes are independent and their relationship a symbiotic one with the gigas providing protection to the slighter goblins who, in turn, provide the craftless giants with sundry arms and ventures such as the charnel carcanets created from the bones of their victims.
the spread of the Blight has seen both tribes impinge on human territory with increased frequency, and recent spottings having put them as close to civilization as Three Reeds in Rosaria.

Kokuyōka: This entry is very different from its Japanese counterpart: Gigas Tribes. The Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what is happening. The English entry greatly expands out the “story” of each sentence.

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Orcs

Orcs — Basic Information

A warlike, yet surprisingly organized species of beastman native to Ash.

They have long been in conflict with the Waloeders over control of the continent, and currently count the bulk of its eastern half as their own.
However, the encroaching Blight continues to eat into the amount of livable land, making the fight for more territory ever more vital.

Orcs — At Drake’s Fang

A species of beastman native to Ash,

orcs have historically lacked the means with which to cross the Strait of Autha and make ingress into Storm.
However, rumors of their having been sighted at Drake’s Fang have begun to spread as of late, along with speculation that they might even have joined forces with their longtime enemy—the Kingdom of Waloed.

Orcs — Under New Leadership

A species of beastman native to Ash.

Though they were seen fighting alongside Waloeder forces in both Dhalmekia and the Free Cities of Kanver, the death of King Barnabas saw a shift in their allegiances and they now bend the knee to Ulimta and no other.

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Minotaurs

Towering beastment that combine the heads of oxen with bodies eerily human.

Minotaurs are abnormally aggressive—a trait that suggests that little “man” remains within the “beast”—and roam the grassy meadows of Rosaria, doling out violence seemingly indiscriminately with their crude, yet massive clubs.
Despite the obvious danger, however, hunters still actively seek out these menaces for their lustrous manes which often command exorbitant prices at market.

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Taurus Tribes.

Plants

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Vampire Thorns

While most flora is thought of as stationary, roots binding them to the soil upon which their matron’s seed first fell, there are some species which have an uncanny capacity for locomotion—species such as northern Stomr’s vampire thorn.
Instead of drawing nutriment from the earth, these pitcher-like plants hide themselves in the undergrowth where they wait for prey to haply stumble by,
at which time they rush out, emitting a foul cloud of mind-numbing pollen and viscous sap to disorient the victim while they strike and strangulate it with a pair of frighteningly long vines.

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Morbols

The foul cocktail of bile and partially digested prey that accumulates within these giant carnivorous plants’ bellies makes their breath so spectacularly rancid that it can be used as a weapon to repel would-be attackers.
Morbols favor more humid climes such as those found on the volcanic isles of the Iron Kingdom;
however, the spread of the Blight has driven the mobile flora to cooler areas such as the swamps of Rosaria.

Arthropods

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Hornets

Most commonly found in the woodlands of Rosaria and western Sanbreque,
hornets are oft mistaken for birds due to their prodigious size.
This mistake, however, can prove deadly for the overgrown insects are extremely territorial and highly aggressive,
and will attack aught that might venture near their hive, using stingers laden with a poison potent enough to subdue creatures as large as a wyvern.

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Black Widows

Unlike many arachnids which use gossamer webbing to ensnare this victims, black widows prefer instead to cling silently to trees and cliffs and wait the passing of an animal below, at which time they leap down
and assault their prey with hooked limb and caustic spit.
They prefer dark, cool environs, and as such are rarely seen in Valisthea’s southern deserts.

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Scorpions

With pincers the size of boulders and a hooked tail as long as a chocobo is tall, merely the sight of scorpion is enough to strike fear into even the most hardened of warriors.
That said, the poison contained in their stingers is actually far weaker than those of their lesser cousins, and is primarily used to stun, rather than kill.
They favor deserts and other hotter climes, and as such, are found mostly in Dhalmekia, as well as the fiery mountains of the Iron Kingdom.

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Megalocrabs

Making a habitat of waters both fresh and brackish, these goodly crustaceans spend most of their time buried in the mud where they warm their sanguine humours as they wait for a potential meal to wander by.
Since the time of the Founder, the peoples of Rosaria have hunted megalocrab for its sweet, succulent flesh and creamy tomalley—the species having long been known amongst the smallfolk as “firecrab” for the bright red color and Phoenix-like patterns which emerge on the shells after boiling.

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Cray Claws

Found mostly in and around the lakes and rivers of Sanbreque and Rosaria,
these deadly predators are equipped with scissor-like pincers with which to dismember and eviscerate their prey.
If that were not enough, the creatures take in water from their habitat to create highly corrosive juices in their bellies, which they then spit out onto their victims’ flesh to soften it, making it easier to consume.

Birds

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Chocobos

Favored steeds of the people of Valisthea.

While they are mainly bred for riding, some are used to pull wagons, and some are even eaten, but the boldest and bravest are put forward for use by the military.
They are intelligent and fiercely loyal creatures, and tend to tolerate only their masters’ attention. Wild chocobos are no less vigilant, and will readily attack anyone who they perceive to be a threat—
—anyone who isn’t carrying a fistful of gysahl greens, that is.

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Raptors

Though still widely believed by the commonfolk of Sanbreque to be the descendants of dragons—on account of their leathery wings, meagerness of plumage, and distinct ability to spit fire—learned scholars have long since concluded that these deceptively reptilian creatures are non other than birds of prey which, over countless centuries of hunting creatures on the ground, have simply lost their capacity for flight.

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Vultures

Opportunistic avians that, like many other predatory birds, prefer to stealthily swoop down on foes from above and skewer them with their razor-sharp beaks.
Though they are thought to primarily feed on carrion, traveling in large flocks in search of the dead and dying, it is not uncommon for vultures to attack living prey when times are lean. If you happen to hear their eerily human-like caws, skwarks, and warbles, it is best to find over, and quickly.

Mammals

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Wolves

Individually lacking in both strength and speed to subdue prey of any considerable size, wolves will instead hunt in packs, communicating amongst one another as men might, so as to overwhelm their victims.
And, while forever wary of other creatures, some breeds have been found to be more willing to form bonds with humankind, and thus can be found everywhere from traveling menageries to elite infantry units in the imperial army.
Following rumors of children being mauled by wolves, the duchy ordered a mass culling of the beasts which saw their numbers in Rosaria reduced to almost none.

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Panthers

Archetypal predators known best for their brilliant spotted coats and a proclivity to lives of solitude.
As is the case with most felines, the animals are severely strong-willed and efforts by the Republican Army to harness their inborn speed and ferocity for use on the battlefield has been met with varying degrees of success.

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Coerls

Sleek-bodied creatures with coats of silken fur, coeurls are anything but soft, and will attack their prey viciously with tooth, claw, and even whisker—the latter of which can be used to generate powerful bolts of heart-stopping levin.
Though native to the arid climes of Dhalmekia, coeurls have been known to wander far in search of new territory, and rumors place them as far north as the Dragon’s Aery in Sanbreque.

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Antelopes

A large, herbivorous creature found mainly on Storm.

It has distinctive, elaborate antlers and long, sinuous limbs, which it uses to leap gracefully into the air. It attacks mainly with its antlers and rear legs,
but many hunters are prepared to face such dangers nonetheless in order to acquire the lustrous, supple pelts for which these noble beasts are famed.

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Bighorns

Found to graze primarily in the emerald meadows of Rosaria or in the windswept savannahs of Dhalmekia,
bighorns are easily recognized by the eponymous growths—the length of which can oft exceed several score hands—that jut sideways from their crowns. These horns, as well as their heardwearing hides are prized throughout Valisthea, and can be brought and sold at marketplaces all over the realm.
Caution, however, is recommended when hunting the creatures, as they are highly territorial and will charge relentlessly at anything that might stray into the line of sight.

Legendary Beasts

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Griffins

Fantastical abominations of nature, upon which the crown and wings of an eagle have been fused to the legs and lions of a ferocious land cat.

They hunt their prey on high, circling a victim unseen before descending at terrible speeds, claws-first, to tear is throat. Should the prey prove more formidable, griffins have also been known to call upon the very winds to both slice and suffocate the quarry.
Fortunately, these predators rarely descend from their mountain lairs, and sightings are few and far between.

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Chimeras

That there might exist a creature so terrible, so twisted as the tricephalic horror that is the chimera is a striking reminder of the madness of whatever deity first whispered life into them.

It is not enough that the winged daemons are both astonishingly aggressive and adept in the manipulation of aether,
but they are also able to wield their influence over other beats, commanding them like a field marshal might his regulars.
Fortunately, they are seen only rarely, and only deep in the deserts of Dhalmekia.

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Adamantoises

Enormous creatures with nigh-impermeable—and oddly fertile—shells

that play host to divers flora that provide the painfully conspicuous reptiles with much-needed camouflage in the bogs and fens they call their homes.
At a glance, these lumbering giants may not appear much of a threat, but at the first sign of danger, they will retract their heads and limbs and whip themselves into frenetic spins that have been known to flatten entire homes.

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Behemoths

Towering agents of destruction known for their distinctive dual horns and roar that can topple the mighty heavens.

Simply the mention of one has been known to instill fear in the hearts of even the most seasoned of warriors, and as such, few ever venture to hunt these beasts of legend,
leaving them to roam the blackened hills of Ash undisturbed. That is, save the scant few the royal army has somehow remarkably managed to fetter and tame for deployment on the front lines of battle.

Reptiles

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Dragonets

Lesser dragons known for their nimbleness in flight.

Those specimens of the Sanbrequois subspecies known more commonly as the wyrm, or worm, are somewhat easily tamed, and as such widely employed in battle by the Imperial Legions.

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Aevises

Middling dragons whose membranous wings are attached to their forelegs rather than their torsos,

nd end in hook-like talons used to rip apart the flesh of their prey.
Their abundance in northwestern Storm eventually resulted in mass domestication by the Imperial Legion which, alongside the spreading of the Blight, drove remaining populations south into the deserts of Dhalmekia, where they now struggle for supremacy with existing species.

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Fafnir of the North

An ancient dragon adapted exclusively for life on the ground, and as such, is encased in a thick, bony armor.

Though its kin once claimed dominion over the Northern Territories, the spread of the Blight inevitably forced this once-gentle giant south in search of prey.

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Dragons

Majestic winged beasts

that are commonly considered to be some of Valisthea’s most ancient creatures.
Albeit rarely sighted in modern times, there are countless myths and legends regarding dragons, one of the most prominent being that Valisthea itself was formed when a mighty drake fell from the sky.
According to the Greagorian faith, dragons were created by the goddess herself to serve as holy sentinels over her earthly demesne and as such,
have long been employed by the Holy Empire of Sanbreque in various martial roles within and without the Imperial Legion.

Kokuyōka: The second sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Dragon Species.

Wild Aetherial Creatures

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Bombs

Floating masses of self-contained flame

found across both Storm and Ash, these creatures lack the flesh with which we associate with typical fauna, leading scholars of the natural world to posit that they are not descended of any beast, but rather ungodly creations of the Fallen.
By suppressing their internal furnaces, bombs can allow their bodies to cool and harden until appearing naught more than simple stones unworthy of remark. It is in this form that they hunt their prey, waiting until an unfortunate soul has stumbled upon their place of rest before rising from the ground to spew forth fiery gouts of death. Oddly, should the prey fight back the bomb will not flee but rather combust spontaneously, sacrificing its own life to save the flock.

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Flan

Massive amorphous beings capable of bending and distorting their gelatinous forms into almost any shape imaginable, making them not only notoriously difficult to find,
but almost entirely impossible to kill, as most cuts merely melt back into the existing flesh within a matter of moments.
These creatures can be found in all corners of Valisthea, though their heightened sensitivity to the subtleties of their environs means that their outward hue can vary wildly from region to region, hence the variety of names—bavarois, gelato, and fool—by which they are known.

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Ahriman

With their single unblinking eye, these winged horrors ever scan the horizon, seeking their next victims,

using their singular ability to bend the very air around themselves and leap across great distances to take prey unawares.
Those few who manage to survive this preliminary assault, however, are soon faced with a second horror—a crippling curse whispered from the lips of an abyssal maw, leaving them with but moments to lament their fates.

Other Creatures

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Iron Giants

Oversized suits of armor animated by lost Fallen magicks.

Deceptively swift despite their size, they wield both sword and shield skillfully and effectively, while the otherworldly plate which surrounds their vulnerable cores provide them with a night-impenetrable defense.

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Stolases

Owls capable of transmitting the thoughts of others—specifically those with whom they are attuned.

In repose to an ancient incantation, their lithified “third eyes” store these thoughts in the form of ather, allowing them to be passed on as when required—though only to the intended recipient.
Stolases are mainly kept by royals, nobles, and other figures of authority for the purpose of sending secret or urgent messages, and are seldom available to commonfolk.

The incantation “O mia lost elan. Tu isag elythe” can be loosely translated as “My will is now thy burden. Ne’er cleft our bond shall be.”

Kokuyōka: Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find the language the incantation is in. The use of “mia” and “tu” is giving me Romance Language vibes though…

Kokuyōka: The last sentence is missing in its Japanese counterpart: Stolas.

Ultima’s Final Forms

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Ultima Prime

One of Ultima’s many discarded avatars, this iteration of the self-proclaimed deity was awaiting Clive, Joshua and Dion upon their arrival above Origin.

Though structurally similar to the Infernal Eikon, centuries within the dark crystal served to dramatically slow its deterioration, preserving both form and function.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japanese counterpart: Ultima Prime. The Japanese entry focuses on why Ultima preserved Ultima Prime. The English entry focuses on how Ultima Prime was preserved.

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Ultimalius

True name of the incarnation of Ultima that brought the last of his race to safety in Valisthea.

When Origin was buried beneath the earth in order to absorb the aether it would need to rebuild the world,
a great shrine was placed in the sky above it, from which humanity could be looked down upon. Having granted man the gift of magic and the seeds that would grow into a prophecy of the “savior” to come, Ultimalius placed his brethren into an eons-spanning sleep, that they might one day rise again.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Ultimalius. Specifically when it comes to Ultimalius’ motives for doing things. The Japanese entry says Ultimalius is the king of the Ultima Family and after he sealed Origin, he built the aerial shrine so he could operate people before going to sleep himself until he had enough aether to use Raise on his dead brothers. The English entry says that Ultimalius was the Ultima that brought the rest of his race to Valisthea and then after sealing Origin, he built the aerial shrine so he could look down on people before putting the rest of his brothers to sleep so he could use Raise on them later.

Sagespire

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Ancient Goblins

Goblins in the Dim — Basic Information

While exhibiting many of the distinguishing features conventionally attributed to goblins—large ears, hunched gait, malevolent eyes—these unique specimens encountered in the Dim can be characterized by their rotten, gnarled flesh and a shock of fiery red hair running from their crowns down the length of their crooked spines. What is more, the weapons they carry are neither twisted boughs nor rusted pikes, but rather crooks and cleavers intricately crafted from material of decidedly Fallen origin—though now the goblins might have worked the material, where mankind has historically failed, remains a mystery.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Mysterious Goblin Tribes — Summary. The Japanese entry is much more of a summary of what the goblins look like and what they are doing. The English entry greatly expands out one of the Japanese sentences.

Ancient Goblins — Hidden Truths

It has become ever more apparent that the strange creatures now roaming the Dim are not, in fact a new species of goblin, but rather an old one,

likely captured by the Fallen and imprisoned inside the Sagespire for the purpose of academic research.
They would have remained suspended in time indefinitely, bound by the tower’s arcane magicks, had not happenstance seen the locks thrown from their cages fifteen centuries after their capture.
While these goblins exceed their more modern cousins in strength, hardiness, and overall ferocity (possibly through Magitek augmentation), there is no apparent difference in mental faculty.

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Ancient Minotaur

At a glance, the quality and complexity of both the decorative markings on their skin and the goldwork they adorn implies that these ancestors of the tauri currently inhabiting the deserts of Dhalmekia achieved a much higher level of civilization than their modern-day progeny.
The crystallization of their horns and hooves, however, is clear evidence of experimentation at the hands of their Fallen captors.

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Angra Mainyu

Unlike Sigma or Omicron—creatures coaxed into existence through the miracle of Fallen science—Angra Mainyu is instead an example of Sagespire engineers imposing their wills onto an existing life-form in an arrogant attempt to stimulate or enhance its connatural faculties.
The crystal imbedded within its cranium may either serve as a source from which aetherial essence is drawn, or as a means of control by an outside party.

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Sigma

A colossal killing machine

forged not from iron and steel, but from living flesh grown in a laboratorium.
Both deceptively swift and magically adept, Sigma is thought to have served the Fallen as a guardian of the Sagespire, tasked with preventing unauthorized access to the tower’s upper levels and the secrets stored within.

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Omicron

Not content with the combat performance exhibited by their Sigma model, Sagespire engineers continued perfecting their methods until they had created Omicron—a mindless thrall similar in size and build to its predecessor, but stronger, faster, and more resilient.
The engineers also felt the need to give it a sword, and teach it how to use it.

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Omega

Omega, or “Eikonoklstic defense system Omega-I,” was the Sagespire’s last line of defense in the preservation of its most valuable asset—the artificial heart.
Capable of warping the very geometries that define our world, the Magitek construct was likely one of the most powerful weapons ever created by the Fallen.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Omega. The Japanese entry focuses on what Omega is made out of and what it was doing once it was activated when Clive and His Crew got to Sage Spire. The English entry focuses on what the purpose of Omega was in the era of the Sky Civilization and what its attacks actually do.

Mysidia

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Leviathan

Leviathan the Lost — Legend

Despite the prominence of the Dominants and their Eikons in modern politics and warfare, recent history makes no mention of an Eikon of Water.
So long as it been, in fact, since Leviathan last appeared in Valisthea that he is now almost exclusively referred to as “the Lost.”
As to where exactly he went, though, no one is quite certain.

Leviathan the Lost — Basic Information

So long has it been since the Eikon of Water last appeared in Valisthea that many have forgotten Leviathan even existed, despite much evidence to the contrary.
Old writings clearly speak of Dominants past summoning great hale-like creatures capable of swallowing entire cities with their gaping maws.
Visual records such as the famed Circle of Malius tapestry also exist, depicting the Eikon as a giant serpent alongside its elemental brethren.

Leviathan — Hidden Truths

Eighty years ago, a baby was born to the Motes of Water—a Dominant, the first to awaken after decades of silence.
Yet rather than embrace this miracle, they instead chose to use him for their own gain, subjecting him to a torturous rite that stirred the serpent slumbering inside him.
Fearing the destruction of their village at the hands of an enraged Eikon, the Motes cast a spell on the child, imprisoning him within time itself, where he remains trapped to this day, his anger stayed but not soothed.

Leviathan — Corruption

Eighty years ago, the Motes of Water committed a sin most atrocious—they attempted to sacrifice a baby Dominant with designs to create their own Mothercrystal, and in doing so corrupted both his body and mind.
Unaccepting of this taint inflicted by mankind on his once-perfect creation, Ultima spurned the child, leaving him to his cruel fate while turning his eyes to another…

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Leviathan — An Unclean Being. The Japanese entry guesses what Ultima’s motivation is and doesn’t confirm this is what actually happened to Waljas. The English entry has it as fact that the People of Water corrupted Waljas’ body and mind and that is why Ultima ignored Leviathan.

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Perykos

Perkos was first encountered by Clive following his attempt at absorbing Leviathan’s aether.
Sensing danger, Leviathan’s Dominant—the baby Waljas—summoned forth the Abyss, sending a cataract of salt and spray at Clive and his companions.
And though they did miss their mark, from one of these stray gouts emerged a horrible creature
possessed of features both human and piscine. Able to call upon the seas as did her creator, this aethereal surrogate, or egi, as their kind have oft been called, harried Clive until he succeeded in putting her down.

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Thalaos

A corporeal manifestation of the Dominant Waljas’s fear and anguish,

this waterbound elemental—or egi—carved a trail of slaughter through Mysidia’s primeval wood before arriving at the foot of Languor Falls.
According to the people of Haven, it was here that the baby’s mother was said to have taken her life upon learning her son’s fate.

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Tonberries

Tonberries — Basic Information

A race of beastmen native to the northern territories.

While distinguishing features include dark green skin, an unnaturally round head, and a slightly hunched gait, tonberries are probably best known for their unhealthy obsession with vengeance and the unnaturally sharp knives they carry to exact it.
Slighting a tonberry—even in the most insignificant of manners—will plant a foul seed in its heart that, over time, will take root and grow, driving the tonberry to madness that can only stemmed with murder.
And should you harm one of its kin? Prepare to face the rancor of the entire tribe.

Tonberries — Rancor

Vengeance is a central fixture in tonberry culture, with societal value apparently being placed on the number of individual grudges a tonberry accumulates over its lifetime. As such, most older tribe members are admired, or even revered by their younger peers.
Mysidian folklore suggests that one might redirect the rancor of these creatures to a personal enemy—or curse him—by leaving an offering on one of their many stone altars.
This, however, can come at the risk of being cursed yourself should the enemy already be dead.

Kokuyōka: The first two sentences are missing from its Japanese counterpart: Tonberry Tribes — Grudges and Curses.

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Tonberry King

Tonberry kings are not of noble blood, nor do they rule over their tribe—they are simply those individuals who have survived long enough to accumulate significant amounts of rancor.
Their hearts stained black rage, these elders tend to be not only the most violent and bloodthirsty of their kin, but also the strongest and most nimble, despite their advanced years.
Some believe that one may curse his enemy by marking an offering to these kings, but science would suggest this is pure fancy.

Kokuyōka: This entry is slightly different from its Japane counterpart: The Ritual Master King. The Japanese entry says Tonberry Kings are kings of a Tonberry Tribe and have a lot of subordinates. It is also missing the second sentence. The English entry says that Tonbery Kings don’t rule over their tribe.

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Hreidmar

Since man first settled the untamed north, he has known not to journey too deep into the black forests, for their giants roam—namely giant lizards.
With scales as hard steel, maws deeper than the deepest of wells, and a fleetness of foot that belies their enormous size, and a fleetness of foot that belies their enormous size, these aberrations of nature rightly stand at the summit of predation.
When the Blight began consuming their habitat, however, a lack of prey drove many of the creatures south into Rosaria and beyond, leaving only the strongest and most terrible to lord over what little of the north remained.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: Hreidmar. The Japanese entry focuses on how Hreidmar survived in the North after the Black Region drastically reduced his habitat. The English entry focuses on how people in the North know not to go too deep into forests because giant lizards lived there until the Black Region spread.

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The Timekeeper

The Timekeeper — Basic Information

Clad in iron from head to toe, the Timekeeper serves as both guardian of the Aire of Hours and watcher of the Vare,
defending his charge with both mighty sword and malevolent sorcery,
bending time as a cooper might a bilge hoop and descending on his victims before they can react.

Kokuyōka: “Cooper” is an old name for a barrel-maker and a “bilge hoop” is the metal ring that goes around the top and bottom of barrels to hold the wooden slats together.

The Timekeeper — The Witch

Before the Timekeeper became guardian of the Vare, he was a northern bannerman in service of the Dominant of Ice, Ysay.
When the spell ultimately failed and the thegns turned their attentions to their ill-starred assault on Rosaria, the two were separated—and when he returned to Mysidia to stand with his lady once more, it was too late.
Yet still he remained, loyal to the last, having pledged both life and afterlife to his lady, his spirit empowered with her song.

Kokuyōka: This entry is almost completely different from its Japanese counterpart: The Timekeeper — The Witch’s Knight. The Japanese entry is about the Timekeeper’s current skill set, what it is composed of and what happened to it in the Sanctuary of Time. The English entry focuses on the Timekeeper’s history as a knight before he became the guardian of the Sanctuary of Time.