The incident at Bozja Citadel of 10 summers past

[Onizuka]

Greetings, voidsent fellas.

It's been a while since I opened a lore post, but answering to one in General Discussion made me remember about this matter I've been wanting to ask.
Sorry if it's not an in-depth post as my previous ones, but time in this timeless rift is running low (what?).


If I remember correctly, the first time Bozja Citadel was mentioned was during the Maelstrom quest “Alive”, where I learned more on Garlemald's Meteor Project (the one involving ancient magicks that legend says could lure stars from the sky and have them crash on land):




10 summers past, also the same time when a primal was summoned for the first time – and that should be Year 1562 of the Sixth Astral Era – a failed attempt to lure Dalamud to Eorzea had Bozja Citadel completely destroyed, killing off every soul in it.

When I learned this, I started to wonder: What happened exactly? Where was this city located? How was it destroyed?

This last question was answered during the “To Kill a Raven” quest:



Was that beam of light from Dalamud Gigaflare? Megaflare is the one used also by Nael van Darnus, but it seems too weak to wipe out an entire town (yes, even if the citizens were all medicated with Lunar Curtains).

As discovered by reporter Oliver Goodfellow, in one of the Gods' Quiver records it's written that 10 years ago an archer on night duty in the East Shroud noticed the reddish color of Dalamud, but by dawn the phenomenon was already over and never recorded again (that is, until the recent moons).
So that night was probably the time the incident at Bozja Citadel happened... Yet, for the current 7th Umbral Era, Dalamud took several moons to descend, while in 1562 the Garleans and Darnus (who actually should be a keeper of the Allagan knowledge) managed to make a mess in just 1 night and then return everything back to normal.

What exactly happened back then?

Were they really using the ancient magic Meteor or simply the lunar transmitter left by the Allagans? Actually, was Meteor ever used or was it just a name to reference the legendary magic? Could Darnus not control Dalamud even if his house descended from Allag perhaps because he was lacking the tomestones? Or maybe the Citadel was destroyed purposedly?

I feel like I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle here...


Those questions remained unanswered, like the ones about Cid's father, Midas nan Garlond, who was leading the old Meteor Project (and died during the incident, if I'm not mistaken) and who was referred as a “close friend” of Gaius van Baelsar. Indeed I'm also eager to know more about those 2 chaps, as well as Cid's involvement in the relationship (since he was raised in the imperial court, thus staying close to the Legatus).
For that, though, I'm afraid it would be asking too much... Answers may arrive in the new storyline that will revolve on the Empire and Baelsar.

But about the Bozja Citadel and my unanswered questions, I was wondering if I could have some clarifications, not being sure those matters will be mentioned again in A Realm Reborn.

Thanks in case you'll be able to shed more beams of light on that incident, as a voidsent-lore Xmas present.

[Warlock]

I think what happened to Bozja Citadel was an accident ,i think they didn't follow Allagan instructions and tried to do it on their own they momentarily awoke Bahamut thus turning the moon red ,the machine itself they used to try make Dalamud descend could have destroyed the Citadel in an explosion of the energy the Garland Empire use to power Agrius ..a beam of light like when Midgarsormr died.
Cid wasn't there so he doesn't know exactly what happened..the beam didn't descend it when from the ground up ..maybe..and i'm willing to bet they didn't know Bahamut was inside of Dalamud for them it was just a weapon of mass destruction forcing it to crush into Hydaelyn

[Babydoll]

Very interesting lore post Cloudio! I hope we can get more story regarding this in ARR..or maybe Fernehalwes will be kind enough to shed some light onto this

[Momita]

In the Immortal Flames Quest there is: Like Father, Like Son where Cid and Darnus have a talk in Tomb of the King of Allag in Mor Dhona..

Cid said this:
"Bozja Citadel... An entire city gone in the blink of an eye. All the literature left to us of Allag, the lunar transmitter, the testing facilities-all gone without a trace. not a page or stone remained. Nor even a corpse."

Like you can read seems even 10 years ago Garleans used a transmitter.. but Bozja destroyed in only one night :|
Or maybe they had the transmitter but they hadn't used, and tried the ancient spell Meteor...
Surely every information and machina left from Allag seems was in Bozja Citadel, and now seems lost forever, But always in "like father, like son" Darnus ask to Cid to tell him the secrets of Allag.. Meteor..

Cid: "So you've found me. And what now, Raven?"

Darnus: "Ah, but you already know full well. You know Garlemald seeks to save this world-to cleanse it of the eikons' taint." "And you also know that to do so we require the ancient secrets of Allag. Secrets said to have died with that Empire long ago-secrets of which you know quite a deal." "So come, Master Cid, and tell me what it is I wish to know."

Cid: "The secrets of Allag..." "Meteor... You truly mean to do it, then? To bring down Dalamud?"

Darnus: "How shrewd. Good. You will save us much time. Long have we sought to rediscover knowledge of the Meteor sorcery. For years it was Midas nan Garlond who led our efforts. You father was both a genius and a patriot."

Cid: "I know who my father was-just as I know he was killed serving Garlemald's blind ambitions."

So, Cid know the secrets of Meteor..

I think that night, 10 years ago, they don't bring down Dalamud (of course) but awake Bahamut give to him a lot of Aether, but Dalamud was too far to control where Flare hits (or maybe Bahamut hits where the aether's source is, like now in Mor Dhona), and Bahamut hits with Flare over Bozja, destroying everything in one shot..
The only question is: How Bahamut can cast Flare from the inside of his prison? Dalamud haven't this purpose? Prevent the power of Bahamut?

But the real question has pounding me is: Garleans know Bahamut was inside Dalamud?? Reading recent quest text and cutscenes dialogue seems Darnus and Baelsar know something was inside... So, Why use an Eikon to destroy the Eikons?? This not be more wicked?

PS. Sorry for my confusing english

[Warlock]

~snip~

I had no idea those two meet in-game..that's quite interesting ...only Cid and Nael Van Darnus knew what was inside Dalamud...Gaius only suspected it was something vile and that it influenced people...Nael was been possessed by Bahamut completely more so after "Together We Stand" where his eyes turn bright red just like Bahamut's...

About Eikons destroying Eikons ..they are rivals so is easy to assume they are full willing to battle each other ..and Bahamut been a Elder Prime must see the rest of them as inferior beings

[Momita]

Cid seems didn't know inside Dalamud lies Bahamut..

Of course Primals wanna be the only God and there's bad blood between them, but Garleans hate all Primals (Eikon), so Why use Dalamud? I really think no one knew there was Bahamut inside, maybe just Louisoix and others Archons.. And like you said Gaius starts to suspect something in the end of the story...
But I think neither Cid or Darnus didn't know of Bahamut

;_____; I can wait for 2.0 ;______;

[Onizuka]

Members of House Darnus have Allagan blood in their veins, and Nael often referred to Dalamud as “He” and as his god, so he definitely knew Bahamut was sealed inside.



Yoshida spoke of the dragon as an “elder primal” (like Odin was called when he was first announced in the Reborn Eorzea), so I don't know either why Nael worshipped him and despised the “lesser” primals.
My guess is that he simply believed Bahamut to be a true god, not even comparable to the normal eikons, probably a history dating back to old Allag's time.

The cultists of the Lambs of Dalamud (digression: another unsolved mystery on what happened to them) also referred to the red moon as their god, so I think they, too, knew Bahamut was inside.




OK, now waiting for the Ferne... *draws the fishing rod and puts a golden monocle as bait*

[finiteHP]

I don't think any of them necessarily knew what was inside Dalamud. They could have just as easily been worshipping Dalamud itself as a thirteenth god. It's not too much of a stretch for people to go from accepting a keeper of the moons (Menphina) to accepting a moon as a diety, especially as it gets closer and influences people.

[Fernehalwes]

Hey guys,

I wish I could answer all your questions right here and now, but I've just received a call on the Red Phone to remove the keys and delete the launch codes from my lore bomb control console...

The good news is, I was able to confirm that there will be a quest line in 2.0 that reveals more on what happened that fateful night back in 1562. YAY!

[Catapult]

Hey guys,

I wish I could answer all your questions right here and now, but I've just received a call on the Red Phone to remove the keys and delete the launch codes from my lore bomb control console...

The good news is, I was able to confirm that there will be a quest line in 2.0 that reveals more on what happened that fateful night back in 1562. YAY!