Saints, Guardians and Legendary Figures of Eorzea (and beyond)
I've posted this already a few times on other sites, but I never ended up posting it here. If you have anything to add, please reply and I will adjust it!
What are Saints?
To simply quote from the 2013 All Saints' Wake event page!
Daniffen. Randolfe. Llafymae. These names may or may not ring a bell. If ever you have had occasion to visit the Adventurers’ Guild, however, I daresay you already know the personages to whom they belong. Aye, I speak of the saints of old who grace guildleves—the individuals revered as paragons of virtue and raised high by the Twelve themselves. Their legacy remains with us to this day, most visibly in the form of splendid stained crystals upon said guildleves. And then there is the ancient custom called All Saints' Wake.
Legend tells that, at the same time each year, the Twelve honor the saints by inviting them to the celestial realm for a feast of deific proportions. While this show of favor from the gods is no less than the saints deserve, in ascending to the heavens, they leave the mortal realm bereft of their divine protection. During this time, it is said that creatures of darkness come out from hiding to wreak havoc upon mortal kind, and with such gusto as if to make up for the rest of the year when their devilry is kept in check. Fearing for their safety, folk took to returning home before sunset and barricading themselves indoors with kith and kin until dawn arrived to banish the night.
In total there are 40 Saints to be found in Eorzea.
Ishgardian Saints, Guardians and Legendary Figures
Saint Reinette:
According to Ishgardian legend, a dragon once slew the beloved of Reinette, and naught but its blood could atone for what she lost. After much searching, she confronted the beast, and that would be the last time she wielded Gae Bolg. Upon exacting her revenge, they say she cast it aside on the ground where the dragon was felled, taking up the cloth in its place. From then on, she devoted her life to uplifting the poor and downtrodden. The Arc of the Humble was constructed that Ishgardians never forget her sacrifices, and her statue now stands in one of Foundation's two forums.
Saint Daniffen:
The Ishgardian legend of Saint Daniffen tells us that the dragoon would oft practice his lancework on the shores of the mighty Coerthas River. To better his aim that it might always be true, he sought only the nimblest of seema to serve as his marks.
Every year, pilgrims enter Coerthas to trace the steps of Saint Daniffen, who, long ago, journeyed across the realm, aiding the less fortunate.
Regarded as a children's story.
Saint Reymanaud:
Reymanaud was the first archbishop of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church. The Saint Reymanaud Cathedral now bears his name.
Saint Valeroyant:
This is—or rather, was—the statue of Saint Valeroyant, an Azure Dragoon of ages past who once drove off the great wyrm Nidhogg.
Saint Endalim:
Unknown.
Saint Finnea:
Unknown.
Saint Shiva:
Pre 3.3 Ishgardian Version:
The Holy See accused her of committing the grave sin of laying with dragons, Shiva became a patron saint to the heresy cult that sided with the Dravanian Horde.
The Original Shiva:
According to legend, an Elezen maiden named Shiva fell in love with the dragon Hraesvelgr. But as her life is but a blink of an eye compared to the ageless dragons, Shiva beseeches Hraesvelgr to devour her so her soul would be entwined with his for eternity. Though reluctant at first, Hraesvelgr honored Shiva's request and inspired an alliance between man and dragon that lasted for two hundred years. It was the calming influence of Shiva's soul that kept Hraesvelgr from participating in the Dragonsong War.
Shiva as in Ysale:
A figment of her own, and her fellow heretics, imagination.
Saint Guenriol:
The founder of the Athenaeum Astrologicum in Ishgard.
Kain:
The tale of Kain-the dragoon who abandoned his duty for honor-is well-known amongst Ishgardian children. To maximize height on his jumps, the craftsman of this clockwork automaton lined the main control springs with over-aspected wind crystals.
Ser Gorgagne:
Ser Gorgagne was a proud knight and bannerman of House Durendaire, until the fateful day when the heir of that house vanished from sight while under his care, never to be seen again. Devastated by the loss of the boy and his own failing, he put aside his blade and built this farm, where he quietly lived out the rest of his days.
Hengr:
This oddly shaped isle, floating in the eastern reaches of the Sea of Clouds, is named for the witch Hengr, a figure of Coerthan faerie tales whose cauldron its shape is said to resemble. In recent years, it has become a gathering place for the notoriously territorial toco tocos.
Haldrath:
Pre 3.3 Ishgardian version:
"It all began a millennium past, when our forebears resided in the southern plains in humble circumstances. The Fury, impressed by the spirit of our ancestors, decided it was meet that She make them Her own. So did She appear before Haldrath's sire, a man of courage and integrity named Thordan, and bade him lead Her people to the Promised Land─to what would become the great nation of Ishgard."
—Ser Alberic Bale, on the founding of the Holy See
What he actually did:
After slaying Nidhogg with his father's lance for his eyes, he regretted his decision instantly after he came to realise it had cost his father, King Thordan I, life. He decided to abdicate the throne and atone for their dark deeds by defending the people from reprisals against Nidhogg's minions.
King Thordan I:
Pre 3.3 Ishgardian Version:
"Their journey brought them to a wide chasm, whereupon Thordan and his people set to building a bridge. It was then that a dark shadow descended upon them─the great wyrm Nidhogg. Heedless of his own safety, Thordan fearlessly charged at the colossal beast. Alas, he was pushed into the chasm by one of his own, a man seduced by the wyrm, and fell to his death."
—Ser Alberic Bale.
What he actually did:
Whereas the Ishgardians and Dravanians once lived in peace, eventually driven by greed and jealously, Thordan and his Twelve betrayed the dragon known as Ratatoskr to take her eyes for her powers. This action caused her brother, Nidhogg, to seek revenge for his sister's death, what last till this very day. Thordan I did however fall in battle with Nidhogg.
The Lost Landlord - Possibly a statue of King Thordan?
This colossus stands on an island in Greensward. Its name was bestowed by the moogles, who believe it to be a statue of the "king of the land-dwellers," though no records remain that could shed light on the identity of this individual, and whether or not he ever truly walked the realm.
Sylvetrel de Dzemael:
One of Thordan's Twelve who slew Nidhogg. 'Founding father' of one of the four major houses in Ishgard.
Flavien de Fortemps:
One of Thordan's Twelve who slew Nidhogg. 'Founding father' of one of the four major houses in Ishgard.
The Forgotten Knight:
One of the Twelve who regretted his actions, threw his weapon aside and ran a tavern in Ishgard instead. His name has been lost with time, and simply is aptly named the Forgotten Knight.
Eorzea Saints, Guardians and Legendary Figures
Thavnair Legends
Zodiac:
In ages past, terrible demons known by the name "Zodiac" would appear in our world. But when they did, a hero wieldin' a shinin' weapon would arise to strike the fiends down. Do ye know that particular tale?
The Zodiac Braves:
"In an era long since ended,
When chaos reigned o'er all the land,
Did valiant souls take up the fight
To bring forth Light and cast out Dark
They numbered twelve, no more nor less."
Mirza:
When cataclysm loomed over the Near East,the hero Mirza arose to defend the people from fell fiends. Once he had torn the monsters apart, he raised a mighty empire- and fashioned a pair of weapons such as these from his foes' claws!
Yoshi:
Behold, the likeness of the longbow once drawn by Yoichi, the famed archer of the Far East! Ancient legend says that the hero could loose a shaft so true as to pierce the eye of a sea serpent, even amidst a raging tempest!
The Unnamed Zodiac Braves:
After long years spent spurring worldly desires, a Near Eastern hierarch rose to a higher state of being. And as he did, life itself quickened within his trusty staff, the very twin of which you now hold!
It was holy blood that gave divine might to the original polearm of Longinus. However it was only once the hero set forth upon a great pilgrimage to atone for his part in the execution of a saint that the gods lent him their strength.
An ancient hero seized a weaponlike this from a voidsent lord. At the time it was taken, legend tells us it was a sword. Yet later, it transformed to match the bent of its wielder and became a might battleaxe.
Ages past, a wise and just king reigned over all Ilsabard. A blade such as this graced his scabbard in times of peace, and brought terror to his foes in times of strife! And his shield? A twin to the one you hold, unwavering, unyielding, unbreaking.
Tales tell of an archmagus who struck down the voidsent queen Lilith when she manifested in our realm. As his prize, he claimed her weapon—the incarnation of which you now grasp in your hand!
The Rest
Saint Moergynn:
A Roegadyn saint and blacksmith famed for forging the Edgeless Blade.
Moergynn is depicted on the Guildleve card for Constancy.
Saint Tothor the Ratcatcher:
A Lalafell saint famed for diligently catching rats.
Saint Tothor appears on the Dilligence Guildleve card.
Saint Coinach:
Saint Coinach is a historical figure from the Sixth Astral Era that devoted his life to proving the existence of the Allagan Empire, which at the time was considered a mere myth. For this reason, he is considered one of the Guardians—patron saints that adorn Guildleves as an example of virtue.
Sharlayan Saint.
Saint Mocianne:
Sharlayan Saint.
Saint Adama Landama:
As an adventureer, you are familiar with guildleves, yes? If so, you have likely seen our Saint Adama Landama, for his wealth and munificence were such that some guildleves now bear his likeness. A strange state of affairs, though, that a church bearing the name of a rich saint should now be overrun with the poor who come to bury their dead.
Ul'dahn Saint.
Saint Allene:
After eating bread made from rye flour kept in the camp's storage tents, one of the Drybone's Brass Blades came down with a severe case of Saint Allene's Fire, only to pass away several days later.
Saint Randolfe:
Unknown.
Saint Llafymae:
Unknown.
The Warriors of Light:
Legendary heroes said to aid the world in its time of need between every Umbral Era.
Ancient records show that almost every Astral Era has had its own Warriors of Light - brave souls who appeared before forthcoming disasters to unite the people of that time... only to disappear once again as catastrophe rains down from the heavens.
Jhal Tristram:
Jhal Tristram the True, one of the three first paladins. Story goes that, when the first sultan of Ul'dah formed the Sultansworn, he had three swords forged from the same ore used to make Oathkeeper─one for each of his champions. Curtana was one of the blades, an' it was laid to rest with its master when he kicked the bucket. Rumor has it, though, that Jhal Tristram's tomb was plundered recently, an' Curtana taken.
It contains tales of Jhal Tristram's exploits. Turns out I already knew most of it. To give ye the gist of it: a young Tristram goes afore the sultan, he pledges him his sword, the Sultansworn are formed, Tristram defeats an Amalj'aa pugilist in a famous duel, then sets off on a quest to retrieve the Sacred Goblet... Things get a bit fanciful from then on, but cuttin' a long story short, Curtana does get a mention. Four crystals embedded in the guard an' the ashes of a saint in the hilt─these're the sword's secrets. In the old days, it was common practice to forge a weapon usin' body parts. A bit morbid, I grant ye, but folk back then believed the spirits of the dead offered the bearer protection.
Iron Eater:
It follows the life of Iron Eater,the legendary sellsword...or maybe sellaxe, who lived five centuries ago. The man was the ultimate warrior, if the account's to be believed. With the amount of coin Iron Eater demanded for his services, they say ye could hire a whole bleedin' army. ...That, or keep me in mead for a fortnight! Hra hra hra! A-Ahem! Anyroad, I managed to find mention of Bravura in amongst all the maimin' an' killin'. Like any warrior worth his salt, Iron Eater wielded a Bravura...but there was a tellin' difference: his axe head was forged to weigh double the usual. Not a weapon for the faint of heart, I tell ye.
Mythril Heart:
There are descriptions of the techniques used by the hero Mythril Heart, but the details are difficult to swallow. No warrior - alive or dead - can rip off a behemoth's arm with his bare hands.
Mistalle:
Founded by the legendary Wood Wailer captain Mistalle, the Lancers' Guild doubles as a headquarters for those who keep the peace within Gridania, and the greater peace without. It is to these "Wailing Barracks" that people come with matters whose resolution requires a polearm's edge, and justice meted out to those who have wronged the forest or forestborn.
Lady Urth:
Ancient writings tell that in exchange for her lifeblood, Lady Urth was able to seal the dark divinity Odin in a crystalline prison beneath a bubbling wellspring. To honor her sacrifice, the land upon which she drew her last breath still bears her name.
Many have pondered why a dark divinity with roots in northern mythology would wield a blade with a decidedly Far Eastern name. A popular theory is that Odin acquired the blade upon slaying an Auri warrior who was the first ever to notch his theretofore unsullied plate.
Thalaos & Perykos:
Though there is no proof to support the claim, rumor has these sun-bleached remains of a long-dead denizen of the deep are those of one of the legendary twin sea serpents believed to have been unleashed by the Navigator, Llymlaen at the dawn of eras to fill the empty seas (the other being Perykos).
Mistbeard:
An infamous Pirate King. Legend says that he is many men, each Mistbeard passing his legacy onto a successor. No one knows if all of the stories are true.
Ivon Coeurlfist:
Fancy yerself handy with yer fists, eh? Then mayhap ye've heard of the legendary monk Ivon Coeurlfist.
The man was mad about coeurls─proper bleedin' besotted, from what I hear. All sounded a bit...unnatural, if you ask me. Anyroad, he honed his martial prowess by wanderin' the mountains, fightin' all the coeurls he could find. An' by takin' the creatures' movements for his own, he devised a style of fightin' like no other.
But that ain't all. Ivon's, er...love of the felines was such that he had a pair o' Sphairai crafted─fists what looked like coeurls. Legends claim they allowed him to bring the sum of his skills to bear...or maybe cat, on his foes─on account of which, the design grew popular.
Shatotto:
All in the Order of Nald’thal know well the legend of Shatotto, a mighty thaumaturge from the fifth of Astral Eras. Her creation of destructive and catastrophic spells evoked as much fear as it did respect, prompting ignorant souls to call her unsavory names—Death’s Handmaiden, the Black Witch, and the She-Devil among them. She was also possessed of an otherworldly talent for crafting thaumaturgical staves. Among her creations, the Stardust Rods are by far the most powerful and coveted, believed as they are to be fashioned from the celestial remnants of a star Shatotto herself brought down to Hydaelyn and clove asunder.
Edvya Thorne:
Forty years after the founding of the Thorne Dynasty, sultan Baldric Thorne was blessed by the gods with a single daughter, Edvya, whom he loved fiercely. The history surrounding the two, now known as the "Legend of the Lost Lady" gave rise to the festival of Little Ladies' Day.
Good King Moggle Mog XII:
A mythical king from Moogle folklore, said to have held onto a mighty rope that allowed his mogkin to descend into the world below, but he was left behind.
Bradamante:
Nael van Darnus's gunhalberd, said to be named for a warrior maiden he slew.
Kerigg Roh:
Amalj'aa legend tells of Whiteknuckle Kerigg Roh - undefeated on the battlefield, he is a hero to many, including Warleader Hamujj Gah. The champion is also father of the brawling style of matrial arts utilized by the beast tribe today.
Gilbert the Godsbow:
The first archer to be called such was one Gilbert, a man who lived durin' Gridania's fledglin' days. Legend goes he slew seven Ixali chieftains with a single arrow. And if that weren't impressive enough, they say the lucky sod was blessed with the voice of a bleedin' angel to boot. On account of which, he had a bow 'specially crafted to be weapon and instrument both. This tool of musical murder was called the Artemis Bow, an' for long years it was locked away in one of the fastnesses of the Gods' Quiver for safekeepin'.
Wiyu - Possibly Lady Urth?
Did I hear ye rightly? Yer sayin' that you revived the long lost Allagan art o' summonin'? Bloody hells, I'd always thought 'twas naught but a myth... If it's as ye say, the tales I heard growin' up might well have some truth to 'em. In particular, the one about the maiden Wiyu springs to mind. 'Twas the most detailed among 'em, ye see. She was a right ravishin' lass, this Wiyu, with bright green eyes an' a fiery spirit to match. Alas, she goes on to meet a premature end. Accordin' to the tale, she an' her comrades square off against Odin, the Dark Divinity. When the battle takes an ill turn, she sacrifices herself to save her party. Right tragic, I know. Now, the encounter s'posedly took place in the Sylphlands, over in the East Shroud.
Sasuke:
It contains an account o' how a Far Eastern ninja named Sasuke brought ninjutsu to Doma. Seems ninjutsu was invented in a land far to the east of Othard's shores─same isle as where Sasuke grew up. The bloke was the best ninja about, so he gets secret orders or summat to cross the sea, an' makes his way to Doma. Life for the Doman commonfolk was shite back then, what with the starvin' an' the poverty. The worst, though, was the bleedin' tyrant what ruled the place! Well, bein' the charitable sort, what's Sasuke to do but teach the smallfolk ninjutsu so they can win back their freedom? So yer man trains some ninjas, an' together they boot the ruler's royal arse off the throne, an' put a dagger in his back for good measure.
Golbas Rombas:
Legend tells us a grimoire such as this was passed down through the mages of Nym. Indeed, Golbas Rombas, the hero who saved his people from the floods of the Sixth Umbral Calamity, was known to rely upon it as his secret weapon.
King Haraldr:
Haraldr Haddock
A tasty saltwater fish indigenous to the cold waters of the Bloodbrine Sea. Its name comes from a legendary northern king who was said to have survived to the ripe old age of seven and fifty summers eating only the fatty flesh of this grotesque wavekin.
Unnamed Badass Roegadyn King:
Megalodon
A legendary shark with a mouth so large and an appetite so enormous, it is said it can swallow an adult Roegadyn whole. This can be attested to by a former Roegadyn king who actually was swallowed whole by a megalodon before carving his way out of its belly with a dagger.
Cornelia:
As pugilists the realm wide exchange tales of the mighty Cornelia - a brawler of legend - so, too, do fishers speak of Cornelia - a boxing pleco who will only leave her place among the rocks when all other pleco have been sent down for the count.
Unnamed Ishgardian Priest:
Lake Urchin
Coerthan legend tells of a brave priest who would rush into battle headlong with his copy of the Enchiridion in one hand and a morningstar in the other. So frenzied was his slashing and whirling of the weapon, that often the spiked ball would fly from its chain and into nearby rivers and lakes. Lake urchins have nothing to do with this legend.
Archons
What are Archons?
Caught wind of all this Archon talk yet? Some folk make them for the very incarnations of the Twelve, come to Eorzea. Old prophecies and wives' tales say they descend from their heavenly seat whenever disaster threatens Eorzea, see.
Needless to say, many believe the Archons to have otherworldly powers─both of mind and body.
According to the loremasters' books, there was an age of shadow and calamity some fifteen hundred-odd years ago, when a great flood drowned the world─the sixth Umbral Era, they called it. Believers say it was the twelve Archons what came to fight the darkness then.
Ahldbhar:
They say Ahldbhar was the mightiest of the twelve Archons. Rhalgr the Destroyer himself, taken form in Roegadyn flesh─a bloody mountain of a man, and a fearsome warrior, besides.(...)
You must've seen renderings of Rhalgr at some point─in paint or stone. Looks like a bag of angry muscles in a mage's robes, right? Aye, well, those are done in the likeness of Archon Ahldbhar.
Ahldbhar fought relentlessly against a clan of wicked sorcerers that sought only to wreak havoc on the world through their dark powers. But then, something happened... Something that threw Ahldbhar into deep despair. And in the end, he turned and took up with the enemy, though none can say as to why.
What came of him after his betrayal? Well, I confess I haven't heard the end of the tale myself.(...)
Special Thanks to Sounsyy on the RPC for helping me out and allowing me to use her thread!