Dragons

Alberic: Ishgard's priceless relic is none other than the eye taken from Nidhogg that day. It is a veritable wellspring of dragon power─even so removed from its owner, it can exert control over the hearts of men.

Alberic: Haldrath himself felt its malign influence, but his love of justice brooked no corruption, and he prevailed over the power, claiming it for his own. And so it was that the first Azure Dragoon was born. ~Lance of the Fury~

The Dragonseye is the source of all Azures to date that we know of in 1.0, there is only ever 1 Azure at a time as far as we are made aware, until you as the player become an Azure. It chooses who are worthy to become the Azures. Why?

Estinien: I suppose I must give thanks, for it was the Eye that revealed to me the truth -- a truth so damning as to undo a lifetime of trust. I loved you as a father... but I can ill forgive you for Ferndale.~Into the dragon's maw~

There was only one other we know of that was at Ferndale and capable of telling Estinien the truth, Nidhogg. The eye again is his and so perhaps he understood that Alberic abandoned the dragon within before the last moments of the fight. If he is able to commune through the eye then perhaps all the choosing was his design from the beginning?

Whatever the reason it would appear that the Dragonseye was lost when Estinien dissappeared. Which means no new Azures can be made unless it is found or another method for their creation is discovered. It may not be possible to find it as Nidhogg may have reclaimed it.

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Originally Posted by Alaltus

Which means no new Azures can be made unless it is found or another method for their creation is discovered. It may not be possible to find it as Nidhogg may have reclaimed it.

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Let's just go take his other one; best case scenario we get two. That'll teach those scalekin bastards to influence weak-minded Elezen to drop moons on my continent.

I can't wait to get into the class and job quests.

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Originally Posted by Alaltus

From as far back as the Rapture techdemo Dragons have been a part of FFXIV. So lets pester Fernehalwes with dragon related questions and speculation here. =D

What i want to ask is, how does classifications/hierarchy of dragons work in Eorzea?

Bahamut is the wyrm king as his reference in coerthas confirms?
Does wyrm denote kingship of dragons in Eorzea?

What kind are the dragons from the 1.0 cgi? and will we see them ingame in the future?
From rewatching the 1.0 cgi i've noticed:
1: They breath fire.
2: They have 4 limbs, wings and legs. They tuck in their legs while in flight.

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The dragons that tuck in their legs while in flight reminds me greatly of the black dragons from Drakengard.

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Originally Posted by Sanadaiyeve

The dragons that tuck in their legs while in flight reminds me greatly of the black dragons from Drakengard.

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Hard not to think of either Panzer Dragoon or Drakengard watching that whole scene. Dragons + high tech floaty empire air ships = instant win. All we are missing now is the dragon mounted shooter aspect... and a giant UFO at the end piloted by Pupu.

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Originally Posted by Alaltus

Whatever the reason it would appear that the Dragonseye was lost when Estinien dissappeared. Which means no new Azures can be made unless it is found or another method for their creation is discovered. It may not be possible to find it as Nidhogg may have reclaimed it.

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To be fair, there's nothing to indicate that you have to make contact with the eye to become an Azure dragoon. I got the impression that the eye "rousing" in our proximity was more how the dragoons knew we'd been chosen than how we were actually chosen. Regardless, you do raise an interesting point...

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Originally Posted by Alaltus

It chooses who are worthy to become the Azures. Why?

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Things we know:
- The Eye chooses new Azure Dragoons.
- Until now, only one Azure Dragoon has been chosen at a time.
- The Eye awakens the dragon within and attempts to corrupt whoever it chooses.
- With Estinien, the Eye/dragon within is winning, and he's being corrupted.
- Only an Azure Dragoon can battle an Azure Dragoon as an equal. (Eye of the Dragon|Alberic: None can challenge the Azure Dragoon and conceivably prevail save another Azure Dragoon.)

We know of only two Azure Dragoons before Estinien. Haldrath was like the paragon of all things virtuous and had a personality like a paladin, so no corruption there. And Alberic didn't get corrupted either. At the absolute worst he started to slip and then he lost all of his powers so he never became an issue.

We're not told any cautionary tales of Azures who failed to resist this and caved. Until now. Maybe because Estinien is the first to actually get this far. Stealing the Eye is kind of a big deal.

As soon as an Azure Dragoon started going all darkside, the Eye picked another Azure conveniently bestowing on us the power to beat back Estinien.

So... if the Eye really is still connected to Niddhog in more ways than just giving dragoon-y powers to one (or two) lucky people per generation, then what does this say about his/its(/general dragon?) motivations? For a creature so intent on burning Ishgard to the ground, sure sounds like he wants to give it the tools to protect itself.

I specifically recall information here and there stating that the Dragons are pretty much their own Beast tribe despite not being humanoid - Midgardsormr was supposed to be a well respected dragon among their numbers and Bahamut has always been the "King of Dragons: so to speak so I'm sure we'll see something related to the Dragons and their giant, scary, and pissed off God King.

(I originally wrote a a ton and lost it all to my firefox acting up, got all it down again though i think...)

I went back and looked at the unlock quest, he didn't realise straight away but he does say that his soul of the dragoon glowed in the presence of you, so there is that.

I don't agree that he is corrupted by the eye, that suggests he was acting out of character. Where SE go into a lot of detail as to his motivations. Estinien allowed his desire to avenge Ferndale consume him, he became an Azure thinking justice and vengeance were one and the same. Something his peers failed to realise until it was too late. He talks about having a premonition from the dragon within, that Nidhogg would come seeking the Eye. He stole it so he could confront the great wyrm and deliver vengeance upon him. He sought to kill dragons to awaken and strengthen his dragon within. So he could be not only strong enough to defeat Nidhogg, but kill him once and for all. When he learned the truth that Alberic could have prevented Ferndale's destruction, he too becomes an object of his vengeance. You stand in his way between him and his vengeance so you do battle.

After being defeated something speaks to him, telling him to look to his anger and hatred for the power he seeks. I'll admit he does something untoward, he calls for Nidhogg to bestow upon him his blood so he could kill the wyrm's foes. So consumed by vengeance he submits to Nidhogg that he might continue on, having no love for Ishgard or anyone to return to. Something grants his request presumably Nidhogg, because Nidhogg too is consumed by the desire of vengeance, and in that they share a sort of kinship. Haldrath's soul resonates with yours as you cut him down. Alberic later speaks of the voice that laments the divide between dragons and men but it's not made clear who it came from.

The story tells why a Azure Dragoon (Dragon Knight) must not allow his lance be guided by vengeance. You as a Azure only kill justly/to protect others, Estinien killed to satisfy his need for vengeance, and so in the end all he had was his vengeance. Atleast thats what i think, i wouldn't say he couldn't have been corrupted to some degree, but Alberic certainly wasn't aware of it if he was. Alberic even pretty much forgave him and hoped he was ok out there some where, an ever loving father.

Nidhogg's motivations... I want to say it's so he can recover his pride from his first defeat by defeating a greater man than Haldrath, and he realised Estinien wasn't that man. But who knows, Nidhogg does seem to still have some sort of connection with the eye as Estinien seems to think he would pursue him for it, rather than head straight to Ishgard in search of it.

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Originally Posted by Kavaskous

I specifically recall information here and there stating that the Dragons are pretty much their own Beast tribe despite not being humanoid - Midgardsormr was supposed to be a well respected dragon among their numbers and Bahamut has always been the "King of Dragons: so to speak so I'm sure we'll see something related to the Dragons and their giant, scary, and pissed off God King.

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Yeah they did say that, Migardsormr and Nidhogg have both been called dragon kings and wyrms at one time or another. The assumption is that Bahamut is the one above them, but i don't think we have had confirmation yet. Could be that the elder primals do not get worshipped by any single race and that there is a dragon primal yet to be revealed.

Altalus can you check Estinien's last phrases a second time? I am very sure that he doesn't mentions "kill my foes" but he mentions "kill your foes", at least that is what memory tells me hence asking for your clarification since you got that saved. That'd indicate a very deep 'giving in' in name of revenge.

Also, most of you probably didn't notice by an NPC in front of Aurum Vale mentions that the Garleans were moving into Dravania as well and wonders if that was because the dragons themselves had a primal (which is why I had been speculating that Bahamut was a primal for a long while).

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Originally Posted by Skies

Altalus can you check Estinien's last phrases a second time? I am very sure that he doesn't mentions "kill my foes" but he mentions "kill your foes", at least that is what memory tells me hence asking for your clarification since you got that saved. That'd indicate a very deep 'giving in' in name of revenge.

Also, most of you probably didn't notice by an NPC in front of Aurum Vale mentions that the Garleans were moving into Dravania as well and wonders if that was because the dragons themselves had a primal (which is why I had been speculating that Bahamut was a primal for a long while).

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That is what it says or thats what i ment, i'll try to edit it so it's more clear. I agree with you on the giving in. Edit: there hows that?

Interesting. Besides Bahamut there is Shinryu that i know of that has been described as a dragon god. The paragons who we still don't know who are, are said to have taught the beastmen to summon their Primals. We have to believe that includes the dragons until we know otherwise. Just seems odd to be taught to summon something that can't be?