Merycidia (SPOILERS)

So being a spoiler hound who so far has never beaten T5, I looked up spoilers for coil and I noticed a pattern: Starting in Turn 5, every 4th turn has dragons adds called the X of Meracydia. Twintania has Scourge, deus has Ghost and You-Know-Who has Shadow, Sin, Pain and others using all the other dragon models up to this point but aevises and the boss himself

this has me wondering what is Meracydia anyway?

Meracydia was a continent to the south, populated by dragons.
It was attacked by the Allagans who were on a global conquest campaign.
In desperation, their inhabitants summoned Bahamut to fend them off, but it didn't work, and ended up being subjugated/used as a power source for their needs by proxy (since you know, for Dalamud; which doubled as both, a prison for Bahamut and an unlimited energy source for their empire).
The Allagan Empire's cruelty knew no bounds...

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Originally Posted by Exodus-E

The Allagan Empire's cruelty knew no bounds...

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That as probably to be expected from an empire ruled by Xande to channel darkness

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Originally Posted by Exodus-E

Meracydia was a continent to the south, populated by dragons.

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It still is a continent.

And while we know Bahamut is a primal from the dragons living there, they might just be just like our Dravanian dragons, a beasttribe among other races living there.

It is mentioned in the descriptions in a few fish caught in-game. The Angelfish is a species originating from the warm coasts of the region that has recently been caught in Eorzea following the natural upheaval of the Calamity, and the Dark Bass is an invasive freshwater species brought from the rivers and lakes of Meracydia to those of Eorzea.

It is also, more interestingly, mentioned in the description of Aloe. The plant is said to be native to Meracydia- the interesting part being that the only two uses of the plant are the described utility in Miqo'te folk medicine, and its in-game use as an ingredient in a type of Miqa'bob, a traditional Seeker dish. Given that we know that the Miqo'te in Eorzea today are descended from Miqo'te hunters who came across the Fifth Umbral Era's ice bridges from a land to the south, it may not be unreasonable to posit that the original homeland of these Miqo'te was in fact Meracydia.

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Originally Posted by Exodus-E

Meracydia was a continent to the south, populated by dragons.
It was attacked by the Allagans who were on a global conquest campaign.
In desperation, their inhabitants summoned Bahamut to fend them off, but it didn't work, and ended up being subjugated/used as a power source for their needs by proxy (since you know, for Dalamud; which doubled as both, a prison for Bahamut and an unlimited energy source for their empire).
The Allagan Empire's cruelty knew no bounds...

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Sounds like the cutscene before t12 lol
Louisoix ( forgot the spelling ) was all like bwahahahaha "start reading quote".
Then the twins were like omg pops u transcended humanity and r too good for us? Also BP is now ur butt buddy? He was like yep and now i'm gonna whoop yo ass.

I wonder if the Dravanians are descended from Meracydian dragons, since it seems like the 5 races migrated there after the 5th or 6th umbral era. Same goes for some of the beast tribe as well.

Also it seems like the inhabitants of Meracydia where the originators of summoning Primals, since it was only after conquering Meracydia was when Allagan SMN came to be

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Originally Posted by myahele

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Well, it could be that the Dravanian dragons and Meracydian dragons are cousins to one another. In fact, it seems likely. But saying the Dravanians are the descendants and not the ancestors is a bit of putting the chicken preemptively before the egg.

As to the summoning of primals, you've not quite got the right of it. The war with Meracydia was when the Allagans developed the art of summoning egi as a counter-measure for primals, but that isn't to say that the summoning of primals itself was never practiced before the war or by other cultures than that of the dragons. It was just the first time that it was brought to bear against Allag.

The absence of knowledge on Dragons in the era of The Allagan Empire lead me to assume that Meracydian Civilization was the precursor to other Dragon Civilizations that followed. IE, The Dragons of Dravania.

You are right to say that this is pure assumption that cannot be taken for granted. I can't recall where reading this, but I want to say that there was lore evidence that none of the spoken races are actually native to the continent/region of Eorzea. I believe this leads back to an Elezen belief that they were the first people to establish what could be called a civilization in Eorzea. And I seem to recall there being some evidence that the Roegadyn migrated by sea from the west, which is why there is still such a concentration of them on Vylbrand and the southern-most mountainous regions of Eorzea. I seem to remember also reading that the Lalafell migrated from islands to the south, explaining why there are fewer of them in the northern nations on Eorzea. Do these things actually have in game sources, or am I pulling this all out of my ass? Because I swear that this has been discussed here before, and that these facts are corroborated in item descriptions or fate descriptions and other, similar places we tend to find interesting lore bits. Like Fish. It's explicitly stated that the Miqo'te migrated in one big wave across bridges of ice in the umbral era of ice. The Hyur, I want to say, came in 3 great waves of migration by sea during an umbral era that brought great floods.

If none of the spoken races are actually native to Eorzea, I'd call that evidence that the Dravanians aren't native, either. Maybe not conclusive evidence, but consider what we DO know about the Meracydians. Huge Dragon civilization. Big enough to pose a problem to The Allagan Empire, apex civilization of its time. If all other Dragon Civilizations come from one, it's probably the one that was known to have been the most numerous and advanced in recorded history.

Just a thought. I'd like to hear some corroboration about the history of the spoken races on Eorzea if any of y'all can give me some. I'd appreciate it very much. I miss this stuff far too easily.

I worry more that the desperation of the Meracydians against the Allagans may be repeated with the Dravanians in the present. Another great wyrm becoming a Wyrmgod....

At the same time, there are native races to Eorzea. They're just not the playable ones. The Kobolds and Amalj'aa are endemic to Vylbrand and Paglth'an, their histories tied intrinsically to the lands their cultures and biologies adapted to, and the Sylphs have been present in the Twelveswood for millennia longer than any Elezen or Hyur. You are right about the playable races having migrated, but that doesn't really answer or provide much help on the question of whether the Meracydian dragons predated the Dravanian ones. All we have to go on is the fact that the former is recorded as having been present three thousand years ago, while the first mention of the latter is from two thousand years after that. But we also cannot rule out the possibility that dragons could very well have arisen in Dravania before, or independently to, the Meracydian dragons.

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Originally Posted by DoctaruRavenbe

I worry more that the desperation of the Meracydians against the Allagans may be repeated with the Dravanians in the present. Another great wyrm becoming a Wyrmgod....

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I can think of a prime candidate for it. But at the same time, the Scions are supposed to be watching out for it...

However, I get the feeling after we meet with Midgardsomr (butchered spelling and all) in 2.5 we may actually help out with his rebirth...

Probably old news, but it now makes sense why there many heretic herriers found in Mor Dhona in a cliff overlooking Midgardsomr and also have a stone carving of thalaik, same as loisoix staff

Well we know the Allags enslaved dragons, then followed the destruction of the Allag empire. Could the Dravanians in Eorzea be descended from enslaved dragons that got free during the Allag empires fall?

And what if Midgardsormr does return, not reborn as a living entity, but as a summon done in the same or similar way that the Moogles summoned King Mog?

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Originally Posted by Sapphic

And what if Midgardsormr does return, not reborn as a living entity, but as a summon done in the same or similar way that the Moogles summoned King Mog?

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It'd be wild if, like with Shiva, his corpse actually gets possessed by the Primal and frees itself from the airship he's wrapped around now.

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Originally Posted by PArcher

I can think of a prime candidate for it. But at the same time, the Scions are supposed to be watching out for it...

However, I get the feeling after we meet with Midgardsomr (butchered spelling and all) in 2.5 we may actually help out with his rebirth...

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I have the same feeling about this. There have been several points in the story now, most significantly when talking with Iceheart, where events have implied the dravanians are not the bad guys here...

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Originally Posted by myahele

Probably old news, but it now makes sense why there many heretic herriers found in Mor Dhona in a cliff overlooking Midgardsomr and also have a stone carving of thalaik, same as loisoix staff

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louisoix put that there. he placed all of the marker stones of the 12 around eorzea prior to the battle of canteau and bade as many people as he could to pray at them. they were his tool for channeling the prayers of the people into a useable form.

So anyway, continent to the south, possible home to tribal cat people and the origin point of Aloe? I think there's a strong possibility it's an analogue of Africa, or at least part of it.

Not sure how dragons fit into the analogy.

I always thought there were only three continents honestly, Eorzea, Othard, and... drawing a blank on the one the Garlean Empire started on. So how many continents do we know of then? Kind of curious what all there is supposed to be in terms of the geography.

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Originally Posted by Mirron

I always thought there were only three continents honestly, Eorzea, Othard, and... drawing a blank on the one the Garlean Empire started on. So how many continents do we know of then? Kind of curious what all there is supposed to be in terms of the geography.

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Ilsabard is the one you're trying to think of. And Eorzea is not a continent but a region that encompasses the continent of Aldenard as well as surrounding islands such as Vylbrand.

The three continents that end in -ard are connected by land and generally consider themselves to be the most important parts of Hydaelyn. Everything else is across one sea or another and not very well explored nor understood by contemporary Eorzeans. It's generally believed that the other continents are all smaller than any one of the three and much less civilised, but that could be a total misconception.

EDIT: As for what other continents there are, there's Meracydia, of course, and the New World to the West (basically the Americas). There's also Radz-at-han, but I think that may just be a large island, similar to Vylbrand. I thiiiink it's somewhere near Mercydia, but I really don't know.

As far as I know there's no equivalent to Australia nor Antarctica.

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Originally Posted by Nonsensicles

EDIT: As for what other continents there are, there's Meracydia, of course, and the New World to the West (basically the Americas). There's also Radz-at-han, but I think that may just be a large island, similar to Vylbrand. I thiiiink it's somewhere near Mercydia, but I really don't know.

As far as I know there's no equivalent to Australia nor Antarctica.

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Well there's a possible Australia analogue right there

What's Ilsabard the equivalent to, if Aldenard is supposed to be Europe roughly and Othard is Asia. At least that's usually how I see the comparisons go, but there isn't really much to compare Ilsabard to then.

And I always thought Radz would be the Middle East, but I don't have much to explain in regards to that, just kind of a feeling. I really like the geography, if nothing else helps to give an idea of where else XIV could go in the future. Kind of curious what they'll do next, guessing Sharlayan stuff.

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Originally Posted by Morningstar1337

Well there's a possible Australia analogue right there

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First! A correction! I got Radz-at-Han (city) mixed up with Thavnair (island).

Anyway, noooo. Australia is only an island in the sense that it's not connected to any other landmasses. Neither is Antarctica, but no one calls that an island, despite being smaller than Australia. They're continents.

Also, Thavnair is pretty clearly analogous to more Mediterranean areas. My impression leans to North Africa or the Middle East, not unlike Ul'dah. I suppose it may be where the Dunesfolk originate.

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Originally Posted by Mirron

What's Ilsabard the equivalent to, if Aldenard is supposed to be Europe roughly and Othard is Asia. At least that's usually how I see the comparisons go, but there isn't really much to compare Ilsabard to then.

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You're almost right. It seems like Aldenard and Ilsabard encompass different parts of Europe. Eorzea tends to draw on parts toward the South and East, with Ul'dah perhaps being inspired by the Ottoman Empire, Abalathia's Spine drawing on the Carpathian Mountains, Ishgard having the cold and grim fatalism Russians have long been characterised with, the Black Shroud and Gridania seems to draw influence from both early pagan and late medieval periods of the region around Romania and Hungary, and La Noscea being in part reminiscent of Greece (in amalgamation with Britain).

Ilsabard, on the other hand, seems like it might draw more on the West and North of Europe. While Garlean names draw on Latin and there are apt comparisons to be made of them with the Roman Empire, the people themselves seem more Germanic. Can you say "Holy Roman Empire"? If there is a true analogue to Rome, it's probably Allag, who the Garleans certainly have been trying to emulate.

As for the rest of Ilsabard, I don't know much, but it's probable that the cold, northern homelands of the Sea Wolves are part of or close to the continent. I don't think I need to connect the dots about how their ancestors were a bunch of vikings, do I?

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Originally Posted by Mirron

And I always thought Radz would be the Middle East, but I don't have much to explain in regards to that, just kind of a feeling. I really like the geography, if nothing else helps to give an idea of where else XIV could go in the future. Kind of curious what they'll do next, guessing Sharlayan stuff.

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I don't know about that. My inclination is to believe Othard will be the location of the next expansion, with Doma as our base of operations. Once we liberate that continent, we then push on to Ilsabard and overthrow Garlemald, and it's possible that we'll be based in Sharlayan for that. Maybe. It depends where Sharlayan is in regards to the continent and what methods of travel we'll have available to us.

But that could all be wrong! Who knows!

I'd assume we'd liberate the other two city states (assuming Sharlaya can be) before we move on to another continent, whether it be Ilsabard or Othard. But that's just my guess. It could all change in this expansion, so it's kind of hard to say. But I figure we'd want to kick the Garlean influence out of our continent first, since at the very least they have Ala Mhigo, not entirely sure on what is going on with Sharlaya, gets confusing since there are two of them.

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Originally Posted by Mirron

I'd assume we'd liberate the other two city states (assuming Sharlaya can be) before we move on to another continent, whether it be Ilsabard or Othard. But that's just my guess. It could all change in this expansion, so it's kind of hard to say. But I figure we'd want to kick the Garlean influence out of our continent first, since at the very least they have Ala Mhigo, not entirely sure on what is going on with Sharlaya, gets confusing since there are two of them.

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The Sharlayan colony in Eorzea is abandoned, so no sense in "liberating" it. But we'll probably go there in Heavensward since it's right in Dravania.

Ah. Well, that's what I get for only paying rough attention to what was going on I suppose. I knew it existed at one point. I still think tackling Ala Mhigo would make more sense than worrying about another continent though first.

What makes you think Ala Mhigo won't be in Heavensward? It's in the mountains to the North, where we are going, and it keeps the Garleans involved in the story.

Besides, it's not like they've announced everything, you know? ;) Gotta hold some things back.

I guess I just figured it'd kind of be it's own focus. Ala Mhigo seems like it'd be important enough to be the focus of an expansion pack, since it's the main Garlean Empire stronghold right now in Eorzea. That and flying lands seems like there'd be enough without adding Ala Mhigo. But they could still deal with it, I'll be curious to see how though.

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Originally Posted by Nonsensicles

What makes you think Ala Mhigo won't be in Heavensward? It's in the mountains to the North, where we are going, and it keeps the Garleans involved in the story.

Besides, it's not like they've announced everything, you know? ;) Gotta hold some things back.

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Certainly possible, but seems like it would be it's own expansion, the start of a push into Garlean territory.

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Originally Posted by Alberel

I have the same feeling about this. There have been several points in the story now, most significantly when talking with Iceheart, where events have implied the dravanians are not the bad guys here...

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I'm not sure it could possibly be more obvious that they are going with the corrupt/evil church trope. I mean they have been hammering pretty hard that Ishgard is a bad place for awhile, even early Gridania stuff hints at it with the choco handler who left there.

On the topic of real world analogues to places in the game, Thavnair seems to be a jungle region. I don't remember if it's Near East (like Radz-at-Hahn, which I agree is probably Middle Eastern inspired) or Far East (like Doma), but coeurls are said to have come from Thavnairian jungles.

You are correct. Eorzea's only native denizens are The Elementals, Fae and other supernatural entities originally inhabiting it. Whether the Beast Tribes are natives or not is unknown and largely irrelevant. However, the Dragons are the first documented "foreigners" to Eorzea as it were. Bahamut and Tiamat were the only known Great Wyrms to go south and settle in Meracydia. Hraesvelgr, Nidhogg and Ratotoskr it's believed have always settled in Eorzea in modern Coerthas and Dravania (hence the dispute between Dragons and Elezen during St. Shiva's time). Then there's a sixth member of the First Brood who's residing in Othard, whether in Doma or not is unknown. The seventh one is completely unknown, though I'd imagine they are in Ilsabard (northern continent where Garlemald is), The Old World (Sharlayan) or the New World.

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Originally Posted by Baithin

Thavnair seems to be a jungle region. I don't remember if it's Near East (like Radz-at-Hahn, which I agree is probably Middle Eastern inspired)...

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Radz-at-Hahn is the capital of the Thavnairian region. Like how Ul'dah is the city-state of Thanalan, or Ishgard for Coerthas. :)

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Originally Posted by Shibiki

Eorzea's only native denizens are The Elementals, Fae and other supernatural entities originally inhabiting it.

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Not quite. After the Lore Book, it's implied that the Allagan Empire drove the Miqo'te away from Eorzea, and that they returned during the Calamity of Ice over the land bridges formed and the Allag we dead and mostly gone.