Fiend Lyrics & Lore Book Updates

Hello all!

Fernehalwes here. Allow me to apologize for the extended radio silence. The lore book has had a rusty dirk to my kidney these past few months, threatening to gut me should I even let my thoughts stray from completing my mission.

That does not mean, however, that the LOC team and I have not been keeping a close eye on the forums...which is precisely where I realized (albeit a few months too late) that we had yet to release the lyrics for the Sephirot battle theme, Fiend. So, without further ado, here they are:

What is it like when you pull back the curtain
And realize every wrong is a right?
Your world is rusted like a dirty razor
The edge is calling tonight

The edge is calling tonight
The edge is calling tonight
The sun is setting, darkness taking over
A date with chaos and you're dressed to the nines

Salt of the earth salting your own fields
Road to destruction that is true and tried
You walk the path laid before you
The call of reason, you refuse to abide

Necessity is an inventive mother
Promising sanctum that She cannot provide
She is the hand that rocks the cradle
The wind that breaks the bough and leaves you to die

And there She leaves you to die
And there She leaves you to die
You'll find slumber when the world comes tumbling down
Sweet dreams, baby. Sleep tight!

Retreat where lesser men lead
Flee from what you do not see
Heed the dark within your being
Turn away
Disobey

I'm the end and the beginning
The faith that feeds the unbelieving
A tightening knot to staunch the bleeding
Say my name
Say my name
Sephirot

The seventh hell's become your seventh heaven
Rose of redemption but a thorn in your pride
Waste no more time fighting your demons
Lay down your arms and let the evil inside

And then you let it inside
And then you let it inside
You let it eat you till there's nothing left at all
So you can feel that you are truly alive

Better to serve in a waking nightmare
Than rule in their paradise
What is gold, always glitters
But it still comes with an unpayable price

Treading out upon the stagnant waters
Our savior waiting for a turn in the tide
You are the night at the end of the tunnel
The empty void where the serpent lies

Where the serpent lies
Where the serpent lies
The angels graze in the meadows of excess
They must needs go that the devils drive

Retreat where lesser men lead
Flee from what you do not see
Concede your mind unto the fiend
Turn away
Debts are paid

I'm the end and the beginning
The drug that gives the wretched meaning
The answer every soul is seeking
Say my name
Say my name
Sephirot!

And, while we’re here, how about an update on the lore book as well? I thought you’d never ask!

As I mentioned in my PAX East interview with Gamerescape, the book is planned to clock in at a little over 300 pages of content. Going by what I’ve written so far, each page will have, on average, between 600 and 700 words, along with several illustrations. Only about 10% of the written content will be taken directly from in-game text or Lodestone/official website articles. The rest is all new. Now by “all new,” I do not necessarily mean “never-before-seen.” Our plan behind the lore book is not have it serve as a comprehensive guide to Eorzea and her history, which means we’ll be touching on a lot of stuff that (if you’ve paid attention during quests) a lot of players are already familiar with. That said, I’d still estimate that at least a third of the info you’ll find in the book is completely new...or at least things that have been hinted at but never actually confirmed in an official forum

The next month will be a mad dash to get the remainder of the text translated (such as the bestiary I’ll be tackling this week), edited, and formatted...as well as put the finishing touches on some text regarding the Deck of Sixty and its minor arcana that I was asked to write in English first and translate into Japanese for the JP version. All this needs to be done by the end of July... ULP! Then we’ll use part of August to do the final layout editing before sending the finalized PDFs to the printing press to make sure those books are done in time for the Las Vegas Fan Fes. I’ll try to see if I can’t get an OK from the team to post some early images from the book once font licenses, etc. have been worked out.

Until then, have fun everybody! Deep Dungeon is coming!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fernehalwes

Snip

---

Hey Fern, I don't know if you can answer this or make the suggestion or if you'll even reply to this post. But the orchestrion roll for Fiend has different lyrics than what you listed above.

The first chorus verse it says "concede your place in history" and there are a few other lyrical differences, is there any specific reason for that? No I'm not mishearing the lyrics either, the orchestrion version is genuinely different.

Thanks for the updates! Can't wait f- BESTIARY? Ohoho... I look forward to seeing how badly I butchered Raimdelle.

Ugh...can't go to Fan Fest, but really want to get my hands on one of those books ASAP...

Thanks Khalithar!

We've got people looking into that as we speak. Hopefully we can have an update on that issue for you sooner than later.

I also hope there is a way to get the book or at least a digital version for those of us that cannot make it to the fanfest. I am a sucker for bestiaries!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fernehalwes

Thanks Khalithar!

We've got people looking into that as we speak. Hopefully we can have an update on that issue for you sooner than later.

---

Wait, that's considered an issue now? Like a defect or bug type issue? Whether or not it's "fixed", maybe you guys could put both versions in the next CD, the original orchestrion version being a bonus track?

I still feel like Fiend has some of the most ambiguously meaningful lyrics of XIV battle themes.

Thank you for your hard work!

Can't wait for the Lore Book! Oh my goshhh~

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fernehalwes

Thanks Khalithar!

We've got people looking into that as we speak. Hopefully we can have an update on that issue for you sooner than later.

---

Too late, please put both versions on the Blu-ray!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fernehalwes

Sephiroth battle theme

---

Wrong baddie :p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tadacho

Wrong baddie :p

---

Sephiroth is what they call him in JP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

I also hope there is a way to get the book or at least a digital version for those of us that cannot make it to the fanfest. I am a sucker for bestiaries!

---

I'm fairly certain we will. I think the first art books were at Fan fest first but later placed on the web shop.

Now if this book also gave info like enemy abilities, HP, etc, then i'd be a happy camper. One can dream.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

Now if this book also gave info like enemy abilities, HP, etc, then i'd be a happy camper. One can dream.

---

I dunno, though - I suppose it all depends on how in-universe the whole thing is, because if it leans in that direction, then stuff like HP and abilities could really take the reader out of the world it's trying to present. I'd honestly rather a book about lore avoid game mechanics and the like, especially since that stuff is so widely available online.

Anyways, always excited to know more about the book! I'm glad to hear it'll be heavily illustrated, too. Hopefully there'll be enough copies for me to grab one at FanFest so I have something to get me through the plane ride home.

I hope the lore book has a significant amount of information on Garlemald, Garleans and Garlean half-breeds - giving us insight into the 'other side' and their viewpoint in the process.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Theodric

I hope the lore book has a significant amount of information on Garlemald, Garleans and Garlean half-breeds - giving us insight into the 'other side' and their viewpoint in the process.

---

Which raises the question - if this is being written from a certain perspective (which I think likely, given Ferne's comment that it's not aiming to be some comprehensive history text), whose perspective will it be?Prediction: we'll get plenty of Garlean stuff tucked in there, but not written BY the Garleans, so it'll be the usual spin on them.

We might get some info on how they got started or something, though. I know you're gonna hate this idea, Theo, but what if the book were written by an EX-Garlean, ala Cid? That's not much less bias, but given that it was certain "steps too far" that caused everyone's favorite expat mechanic to jump ship, I could see it potentially providing the most balance possible, outside a straight, omniscient presentation of the world and its history. It would give us better insight into the inner workings of Garlemald without outright requiring Garlean propaganda.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hinoto-no-Ryuji

-snip-

---

I'd be fine with it provided that there will be more lore books available in the future since it's inevitable that we'll be leaving Eorzea at some point. I do hope, however, that no matter which perspective Garlemald is detailed from we get a sympathetic element to them. I have faith that they will, though, especially since they've done that with...pretty much everything so far; Ascians included.

...and hopefully much of Garlemald will be inspired by The Archadian Empire from FFXII which is one of the best fleshed out 'Empires' in a fantasy setting as far as I'm concerned.

Hopefully if they write from a perspective it will be a scholarly one so while bias might exist we still have some factual basis. I would prefer something not too pro or anti Garlean. Any perspective too strongly in either direction will either whitewash or ignore flaws or demonise and ignore virtues.

Anyway, even if we didn't get a huge amount of new info out of the book it would be really valuable just for the sake of confirmation on topics and as a reference. There's a lot of stuff we think we know which really could do with official confirmation.

I really hope this'll be available for those not going to fanfest.

That said, if the book is being presented as if from someone's point of view, I would imagine they'd be a Sharlayan Scholar. It's as close to unbiased as you'd get in-universe, and as thorough in detail as you could hope for.

Has Arazlam Durai been referenced at all in game yet? I know there's a Durai memorial TT tournament but that's about all I can think of. I could see the lorebook being written from his perspective as some sort of Sharlayan scholar. Would be a nice little fan service nod. :D

Off the top of my head, I can't recall any direct references to Arazlam or Orran. You would think, though, that there would be a living Durai since iirc all the other Triple Triad Tournaments are named after living people? Well, there's Rowena, Manderville, and the Spinner's Pull to go with the Durai Memorial. The last one doesn't fit the pattern, bah. I wouldn't be surprised if the Durai Memorial was a sort of reference to the fact Orran was an Astrolger in FFT and Astrologians in FFXIV use cards.

Maybe. I don't recall if we know anything about the "founders of Sharlayan Astrology" so that might be a good fit for Orran? Which'd also still set up the cute nod with his descendant, Arazlam chronicling the story of Hydaelyn.

Someone on the team must love Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Can't blame him. :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toranja

Someone on the team must love Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Can't blame him. :-)

---

Alright, I'll bite.

Evangelion simply drew from the same source for symbolism as the FFXIV lore team did for Sephirot. I highly doubt there's any direct correlation between the two.

Oh, no. It's not about that. But in these lyrics exactly, you have "when the world comes tumbling down". You won't find them in the Talmud or Bible.

But in the game itself, the most glaring nod was the ending cutscene of 3.0. That was just too perfect.

Only one way to find out anyway - gotta ask Koji. And if I had to guess, I would say this is Oda's doing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toranja

Oh, no. It's not about that. But in these lyrics exactly, you have "when the world comes tumbling down". You won't find them in the Talmud or Bible.

But in the game itself, the most glaring nod was the ending cutscene of 3.0. That was just too perfect.

Only one way to find out anyway - gotta ask Koji. And if I had to guess, I would say this is Oda's doing.

---

Nah, still not buying a connection.

The phrase "tumbling down" is a big part of Komm, Süsser Tod, it's true. It's also not exactly an uncommon turn of phrase in and of itself, and it isn't used by The Fiend in a way that would even subtly imply a reference to Komm, Süsser Tod; it follows a totally different lyrical pattern without any of the repetition, and occupies a place in the song nowhere near as isolated, central, or distinct. As for the cutscene, I can only assume you mean the bit on the moon, with the half-buried Zodiark statue. That's probably MORE likely to be an Eva shoutout than The Fiend's lyrics, but...well, "the moon" carries a central role in so much fiction that it would have to do a lot more than just take place there and have an old statue to scream "Evangelion Reference". In fact, given FFXIV's fondness for appropriating past franchise elements into its own world and narrative, I'd say it's more likely that someone on the team loves FFIV.

I know Evangelion is a still a huge pop cultural touchstone in Japan, and I'm as big a fan as any, but nothing about The Fiend (or the Ascians/Zodiark on the moon) seems an obvious shout-out.

Yeah I don't think there are any Eva refernces, most of the horrors are pretty much traditional and I feel that the plot if more transparent/easier to follow than that of Eva.

Though it would be interesting if the Ascians reviving Zodiark has anyone capable of sapience being merged into him as a side effect, espeicly if the writers decide to copy certain plot points from XI

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fernehalwes

Better to serve in a waking nightmare
Than rule in their paradise
What is gold, always glitters
But it still comes with an unpayable price

---

Loved this part, thanks a lot for the lyrics!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fernehalwes

Hello all!

And, while we’re here, how about an update on the lore book as well? I thought you’d never ask!

As I mentioned in my PAX East interview with Gamerescape, the book is planned to clock in at a little over 300 pages of content. Going by what I’ve written so far, each page will have, on average, between 600 and 700 words, along with several illustrations. Only about 10% of the written content will be taken directly from in-game text or Lodestone/official website articles. The rest is all new. Now by “all new,” I do not necessarily mean “never-before-seen.” Our plan behind the lore book is not have it serve as a comprehensive guide to Eorzea and her history, which means we’ll be touching on a lot of stuff that (if you’ve paid attention during quests) a lot of players are already familiar with. That said, I’d still estimate that at least a third of the info you’ll find in the book is completely new...or at least things that have been hinted at but never actually confirmed in an official forum

---

Fernehalwes,

I noticed on the latest PB Blog update about the upcoming Fan Festival. It mentioned the FFXIV Book of Lore as some rewards, I was wondering if these will be available online to purchase around that same time (other than at Fest Fest) as well.

Another question, will the book be available for order on Amazon and others (like which ones if you can say), whenever it does get a street date. I'm planning to pre-order it once that becomes an option, I guess I'm just curious as an option.

I'm incredibly excited for this book and can't wait to get it and read it!

Thanks for everything and all that you do.

Thanks,
Brad
Vaprotan Luzaf - Gilgamesh

Hey, I'd like to elaborate a little bit on the Durai Memorial. As people theorized, the "Durai" mentioned is Orran Durai, the famous Astrologian of Final Fantasy Tactics. That's only where the story starts, however: in Final Fantasy VIII, by going through some of the SeeD sub menus, you can find a short history of Triple Triad. Shown on this page is a low resolution version of Orran Durai playing Triple Triad with a Black Mage and a few other classes originally shown in FFT. The text states that Triple Triad began when Orran modified simple Tarot cards to be used as playing cards for troops at war, as something to do between battles.

With all this in mind, it's reasonable to say that the Durai Memorial is a reference to Orran Durai and the character's original creation of Triple Triad. Like Milleuda, we can theorize that it's probably not the same Orran Durai for lore purposes, but a XIV version highly based on the original game's design. This is what I know for now!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheGrimace

Hey, I'd like to elaborate a little bit on the Durai Memorial. As people theorized, the "Durai" mentioned is Orran Durai, the famous Astrologian of Final Fantasy Tactics. That's only where the story starts, however: in Final Fantasy VIII, by going through some of the SeeD sub menus, you can find a short history of Triple Triad. Shown on this page is a low resolution version of Orran Durai playing Triple Triad with a Black Mage and a few other classes originally shown in FFT. The text states that Triple Triad began when Orran modified simple Tarot cards to be used as playing cards for troops at war, as something to do between battles.

---

Now I wonder if XIV's astromancy began with him

Still waiting on an update as to why the Orchestrion version is different! And if I can replace the one I got with the one I want (the original).