Fun Lore Facts

Hey all! Inspired by something I ran across randomly the other day in Limsa Lominsa to make a thread here that may be on the more fun side and less debate-ey. I want to hear all the little lore tidbits you've run across in game that don't have major narrative significance or even really impact anything that much, but add interesting flavor or information that you think most people are unaware of. For the purposes of this thread, NPC flavor dialogue is as canon as words from the devs themselves.

That said, my example is that Limsa Lominsa apparently has background checks required for people to purchase or own certain firearms. This tidbit is brought to you by dialogue in the Marauders/Musketeer's Guild in Limsa Lominsa where a bright-eyed young lad is complaining to a soldier about it, and the soldier tells him its the Admiral's orders. See image below.

https://i.imgur.com/nR6sQve.png

My favorite 'in-universe' lore fact is probably the existence of Syndicate member Eolande Quiveron. She appeared in 1.0 and not in 2.0, with it generally being implied that she died after the Calamity, presumed assassinated, with her Syndicate seat being taken up by Godbert Manderville. The only place she appears in the live game is as a randomly spawning enemy in Palace of the Dead, where she doesn't even get named.

She's also a Duskwight, making her one of the very few main-story Duskwight characters. In fact, she's one of only two or three depending on if you count Ysayle (ancillary fun fact: while Ysayle has a Duskwight model, the Duskwight/Wildwood split happened after Ishgard closed its gates, so she and all Duskwight-looking Ishgardians aren't actually Duskwight). And the other one is Mother Miounne.


My favorite 'out of universe' lore fact, though, I mentioned when I made a recent video on FFXIV's political environment: 'satrap' is an actual title used for a provincial ruler in a number of empires that stems from the first Persian empire. Which, given who FFXIV's satrap is, is really clever.

They didn't give the satrap a title of a lesser ruler just because it sounded cool; they gave the Satrap a title of a lesser ruler because he is one and is hiding that.

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Originally Posted by Cleretic

My favorite 'in-universe' lore fact is probably the existence of Syndicate member Eolande Quiveron. She appeared in 1.0 and not in 2.0, with it generally being implied that she died after the Calamity, presumed assassinated, with her Syndicate seat being taken up by Godbert Manderville. The only place she appears in the live game is as a randomly spawning enemy in Palace of the Dead, where she doesn't even get named.

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I didn't know some of this backstory, but doesn't part of this lore also get brought up during a couple quests and a FATE in Thanalan where someone is pretending to be Quiveron or the like? Either way, great additions, and definitely in the spirit of this thread.

The wings and fins on DRG gear are actually flight stabilizers for more accurate and powerful jumps.

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Originally Posted by Cleretic

She's also a Duskwight, making her one of the very few main-story Duskwight characters. In fact, she's one of only two or three depending on if you count Ysayle (ancillary fun fact: while Ysayle has a Duskwight model, the Duskwight/Wildwood split happened after Ishgard closed its gates, so she and all Duskwight-looking Ishgardians aren't actually Duskwight). And the other one is Mother Miounne.

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Miounne is considered to be a Wildwood according to the lore book, despite the model she's actually using. I'm not sure if that was a mistake in the lorebook or like F'lhaminn, she uses a model different than what matches what she identifies as. That leaves us with no main story Duskwights and the rest are scattered NPCs. The most notable Duskwights in the game are Atelloune who is the world's leading biologist, Foulques from the lancer quests, Liavinne from the Edda stuff joined the Scions later but then was killed in the attack, the elezen guy who hangs around Gaius in the Weapon quests, and the old Serpent Commander from 1.0 whose name escapes me.

Also A LOT of Ishgardians use the Duskwight model, not just Ysayle. But they're considered to be "Ishgardian Elezen" and not Wildwood or Duskwight since those types are isolated to the Shroud. The closed Ishgard gates are a very recent thing going back only about 15 years, but the Elezen of the Twelveswood split from the Ishgardian Elezen 1300 years ago.


Not sure I have a favorite in-universe lore fact. There's a lot of little things I want to know more about but get glossed over. I know from item descriptions that miqo'te occultists and alchemists exist and that's really neat but we haven't seen any.

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Originally Posted by MikkoAkure

Miounne is considered to be a Wildwood according to the lore book, despite the model she's actually using.

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The lore book was stated by SE to not be 100% accurate because it's the lore as the ppl of Eorzea know it, not as we experience it. So, if they ever wanna change the lore they can without lore book complications.

Meaning that it could be Momma Mi is in fact a duskwight, but due to the stigma around them, she chooses to tell people she is wildwood instead, so she is recorded as being a wildwood in things like the lore book. Which in and of itself gives us a good idea on just how the duskwights are perceived. If you have some of them denying their heritage and "passing" for wildwood, that means things are worse than we think, which mirrors the real world if you look up the history of "passing" before, during and after the civil rights movement in the US.

Re the MSK Guild, I took the 'background check' thing to be also a meta thing, a handwave meant to explain why the MSK class has never been available to adventurers even back in 1.0 (as in, players) - they'd have to wait too long to get their gun license! :p

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Originally Posted by AnimaAnimus

If you have some of them denying their heritage and "passing" for wildwood, that means things are worse than we think, which mirrors the real world if you look up the history of "passing" before, during and after the civil rights movement in the US.

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And that's projecting. I do think this is the case, due to other hints at it, but you just extrapolated that from a statement SE made to aknowledge the fact that they will eventually rewrite part of the lore (for example, how aether works), and that what's in the lore book is only true as long as we don't have other official statements. We should not use this as a foundation for how we perceive the world.

Regarding the amount of duskwights in Ishgard, it's because, as Cleretic said, duskwights don't really exist before Ishgard was founded. Duskwights are just elezens that went to gelmorra after the sixth umbral era, and eventually came back to the surface, but it's not realistic to expect an entire race staying in gelmorra for thousand of years, there are probably duskwights from different generations. Some of them must have left one or two centuries after the sixth UE, meaning they could migrate to Ishgard, some, probably like Miounne's family did, came out 5 or 6 centuries ago, and have little to nothing in common with what we call duskwights, aka those that left gelmorra one or two century ago (and therefore, refer to themselves as wildwood because they might not even know they are of duskwight descent)... Duskwights are a gradient, not an absolute.

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Originally Posted by MikkoAkure

Also A LOT of Ishgardians use the Duskwight model, not just Ysayle. But they're considered to be "Ishgardian Elezen" and not Wildwood or Duskwight since those types are isolated to the Shroud.

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From when I was a bit obsessed with poking through all the character data, I was looking up a lot of the Heavensward characters and I don't recall many being Duskwight models – from memory the only three are Ysayle, Grinnaux and surprisingly Edmont (but not his sons). Most of the dark-skinned ones are still Wildwood, and I don't recall any being distinctly grey Duskwight rather than brown.

As a giveaway that doesn't need you to look up character data, if an Elezen is wearing the large flat 'ear clasp' earrings, that's a specific Wildwood customisation option that Duskwights don't have. (I think female Duskwights might get a daintier version from their extra options though, but I'd need to check.)

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Originally Posted by Iscah

From when I was a bit obsessed with poking through all the character data, I was looking up a lot of the Heavensward characters and I don't recall many being Duskwight models – from memory the only three are Ysayle, Grinnaux and surprisingly Edmont (but not his sons). Most of the dark-skinned ones are still Wildwood, and I don't recall any being distinctly grey Duskwight rather than brown.

As a giveaway that doesn't need you to look up character data, if an Elezen is wearing the large flat 'ear clasp' earrings, that's a specific Wildwood customisation option that Duskwights don't have. (I think female Duskwights might get a daintier version from their extra options though, but I'd need to check.)

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I was certain that a lot of the super pale ones around Ishgard were duskwights. Jandelaine (the aesthetician) definitely uses a duskwight model.

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Originally Posted by AnimaAnimus

The lore book was stated by SE to not be 100% accurate because it's the lore as the ppl of Eorzea know it, not as we experience it. So, if they ever wanna change the lore they can without lore book complications.

Meaning that it could be Momma Mi is in fact a duskwight, but due to the stigma around them, she chooses to tell people she is wildwood instead, so she is recorded as being a wildwood in things like the lore book. Which in and of itself gives us a good idea on just how the duskwights are perceived. If you have some of them denying their heritage and "passing" for wildwood, that means things are worse than we think, which mirrors the real world if you look up the history of "passing" before, during and after the civil rights movement in the US.

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I don't think it's that deep. Miounne being a Wildwood would more likely be a lore book error, of which there are many. There are some things that make more sense to be "purposefully wrong lore" than someone's subrace. Considering the world's premier biologist and the prior Serpent Commander are Duskwights, I don't think there's a reason for Mionne to hide who she is. There are other duskwight NPCs scattered around Gridania per the game's character data as well.

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Originally Posted by Brightamethyst

The wings and fins on DRG gear are actually flight stabilizers for more accurate and powerful jumps.

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I recall hearing that DRGs are spiky so that when they get eaten by a dragon they still hurt it.

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Originally Posted by Beytran70

Hey all! Inspired by something I ran across randomly the other day in Limsa Lominsa to make a thread here that may be on the more fun side and less debate-ey. I want to hear all the little lore tidbits you've run across in game that don't have major narrative significance or even really impact anything that much, but add interesting flavor or information that you think most people are unaware of. For the purposes of this thread, NPC flavor dialogue is as canon as words from the devs themselves.

That said, my example is that Limsa Lominsa apparently has background checks required for people to purchase or own certain firearms. This tidbit is brought to you by dialogue in the Marauders/Musketeer's Guild in Limsa Lominsa where a bright-eyed young lad is complaining to a soldier about it, and the soldier tells him its the Admiral's orders. See image below.

https://i.imgur.com/nR6sQve.png

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Fun? Are you srs?

My favorite fun lore fact is the male viera naming conventions don't exist.

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Originally Posted by PaperMatt

My favorite fun lore fact is the male viera naming conventions don't exist.

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Sure it really should have been posted by now, but it's not like we can do anything about it for you. We already have a dedicated thread for being frustrated about its absence.

of course they don't exist they was never planned to be playable in the first place and female bunnies paid the price since they still can't use every unlockable hair sighs i rather have moon bunnies then male bunny bois what a waste of developer time

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Originally Posted by _Koneko_

of course they don't exist they was never planned to be playable in the first place and female bunnies paid the price since they still can't use every unlockable hair sighs i rather have moon bunnies then male bunny bois what a waste of developer time

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Seriously, can we keep this to the other million Viera threads?

Whether you like it or not, male Viera exist, their names exist, and there is an entire list of names that have been put into the random name generator without explaining how those names work, despite a clear pattern of surname prefixes and suffixes that must be important to the character. We have a thread for this (which is also not the place to complain about their basic existence).

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Originally Posted by Iscah

Seriously, can we keep this to the other million Viera threads?

Whether you like it or not, male Viera exist, their names exist, and there is an entire list of names that have been put into the random name generator without explaining how those names work, despite a clear pattern of surname prefixes and suffixes that must be important to the character. We have a thread for this (which is also not the place to complain about their basic existence).

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i'd have no problem with male bunnies if they actually finished female bunnies first but they didn't their creation came at the cost to the female bunnies they shafted the females to appeal to the whiners you still can't even wear your iconic redmage hat as a female viera disgraceful

I'm glad that not even this thread could stick to its intended purpose for more than like three posts.

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Originally Posted by Beytran70

I'm glad that not even this thread could stick to its intended purpose for more than like three posts.

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at least its not another venat derailing.

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Originally Posted by sidurgu-12

at least its not another venat derailing.

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Don’t tempt me Sidurgu, I will find a way to not shut up that I can promise.

An interesting fact would be about that hundred Gil coin we see in game, it is stamped with the face of not a monarch or historical figure, but with Nymeia the Spinner, which was decided by a council of experts. Gil itself has its origins in the Allagan Empire but was readopted in the Sixth Astral Era as a universal currency.

... That salt rock is photoshopped, right? It's been years, but I feel like I'd remember that.

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Originally Posted by EaraGrace

Don’t tempt me Sidurgu, I will find a way to not shut up that I can promise.

An interesting fact would be about that hundred Gil coin we see in game, it is stamped with the face of not a monarch or historical figure, but with Nymeia the Spinner, which was decided by a council of experts. Gil itself has its origins in the Allagan Empire but was readopted in the Sixth Astral Era as a universal currency.

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again almost everything ties back into the allagans lol. though its a surprise nymeia was chosen instead of naldthal.

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Originally Posted by Alleluia

... That salt rock is photoshopped, right? It's been years, but I feel like I'd remember that.

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It was indeed, lol. This however wasn’t.

https://i.imgur.com/Q6Pcdxl.jpg

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Originally Posted by sidurgu-12

again almost everything ties back into the allagans lol. though its a surprise nymeia was chosen instead of naldthal.

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Agreed! Though perhaps because Uldah likes Naldthal in particular it would’ve been seen as too biased in their favor.

Nymeia is the goddess of luck after all though, and a coin is very symbolic of that, so it makes sense to have her visage on the 'heads' side (also, she was not worshipped by any of the citystates, save for that brief time in Ala Mhigo, so it might have been decided to choose her as a neutral figure rather than 'playing favourites' with another deity who happened to be a guardian of one of the cities, like Nald'thal).

Also, I suspect gil is far older than even the Allag, seeing that npcs back in Elpis give it in quest rewards and that gil is accepted by the stores there (altough that could just be for gameplay purposes, like in ShB how G'raha said the stores in Norvrandt would accept gil even though it's not their native currency due to the relative value), and, given that the Allag was founded by Emet originally....

That's just my own musings though.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

Nymeia is the goddess of luck after all though, and a coin is very symbolic of that, so it makes sense to have her visage on the 'heads' side (also, she was not worshipped by any of the citystates, save for that brief time in Ala Mhigo, so it might have been decided to choose her as a neutral figure rather than 'playing favourites' with another deity who happened to be a guardian of one of the cities, like Nald'thal).

Also, I suspect gil is far older than even the Allag, seeing that npcs back in Elpis give it in quest rewards and that gil is accepted by the stores there (altough that could just be for gameplay purposes, like in ShB how G'raha said the stores in Norvrandt would accept gil even though it's not their native currency due to the relative value), and, given that the Allag was founded by Emet originally....

That's just my own musings though.

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Ooooo good point. I can see Emet being the type to have an old friend used as the basis for Menphinas portrait as little act of remembrance. I’ll be interested if anything from the Twelve Raid series will impact that.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

Nymeia is the goddess of luck after all though, and a coin is very symbolic of that, so it makes sense to have her visage on the 'heads' side (also, she was not worshipped by any of the citystates, save for that brief time in Ala Mhigo, so it might have been decided to choose her as a neutral figure rather than 'playing favourites' with another deity who happened to be a guardian of one of the cities, like Nald'thal).

Also, I suspect gil is far older than even the Allag, seeing that npcs back in Elpis give it in quest rewards and that gil is accepted by the stores there (altough that could just be for gameplay purposes, like in ShB how G'raha said the stores in Norvrandt would accept gil even though it's not their native currency due to the relative value), and, given that the Allag was founded by Emet originally....

That's just my own musings though.

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Hmm. Maybe there's even something inherent to Nymeia's presence on the Gil that makes it more valuable... or makes it seem more valuable? It is just a coin to most, objectively, but with the blessing of the Goddess of Fate it is recognized as universally valuable. Almost universally valuable, at least, for notably groups like the Beast Tribes do not accept Gil except for more basic items, so there could be something to them that negates said blessing such as their choice to worship their Primals instead. Big think.

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Originally Posted by Beytran70

It is just a coin to most, objectively, but with the blessing of the Goddess of Fate it is recognized as universally valuable.

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The Eorzean goddess of fate. Why would it have any inherent meaning at all to a culture that doesn't revere the Twelve?

Personally, Gil being a not just universal, but multiversal currency is one of those things I just sort of hand wave away as a gameplay convenience thing. Lore need not apply (see also, aetherytes in Elpis, etc.)

The coins can just be valuable because of the metal in them. That's the official explanation for why our money is accepted in the First, and can easily apply anywhere else that Eorzean currency is unlikely to be valued in its own right.

Right. It's incredibly unlikely that gil has existed for thousands of years and is actually the common currency the world over. I mean, who would regulate it, mint it? How would it get to all the obscure places where vendors exist in the first place? It's much more likely that Thavnair, Hingashi, etc all have their own money but accept and pay out Eorzean gil as a gameplay convenience. Are those NPCs in Yanxia really giving me gil as a quest reward, or are they giving me the local currency and the game converts it automatically for ease of use?

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Originally Posted by Brightamethyst

The Eorzean goddess of fate. Why would it have any inherent meaning at all to a culture that doesn't revere the Twelve?

Personally, Gil being a not just universal, but multiversal currency is one of those things I just sort of hand wave away as a gameplay convenience thing. Lore need not apply (see also, aetherytes in Elpis, etc.)

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I whole heartedly agree with the "don't confuse gameplay and lore", BUT don't forget Azim and Azeyma do sound a lot like like Azem. We just might meet Nymphea or whatever, Azem's best side chick, that travelled with them or whatever and eventually got remembered as the goddess of fate much like Azem became the representation of dawn/the sun. I'm not saying it's a fact, just that we can't conclude yet that Nymeia is revered only in Eorzea, but may be revered in other continents under another name.

The three grand companies have different operating procedures, so much that after setting camp in Castrum Oriens, they had initially a hard time working together. In particular, Gridanian soldiers were in charge of the rations, and while they are nothing but hospitable, the vegetarian meal they served were considered monotonous by the Storms and the Flames.

And I think that's the moment when I decided Stormblood sidequests are amazing.

There's an NPC at the Canopy complaining about Gridanian food being bland too, though apparently Mother Miounne makes great desserts.

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Originally Posted by Kakurady

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There's an NPC at the Canopy complaining about Gridanian food being bland too, though apparently Mother Miounne makes great desserts.

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Something like that is mentioned (the food being bland or hinted at in Endwalker also) there's a scene in Garlemald where one of the twin adders says the soup is basically too spicy for them and another comments that their taste buds suck (not exactly worded that way but you just know they're ripping into him for his lack of taste)