Relic and Zodiac Braves Weapons - Consolidated lore post

[axemtitanium]

Figured I'd just pull together all we know about the relic and Zodiac Braves weapons. Add to it please; I know there are tons of gaps in my lore knowledge!

Curtana + Holy Shield & Excalibur + Aegis Shield

Long has the sacred sword Oathkeeper been bestowed upon the commander of the Sultansworn, vowed protectors of Ul’dah’s ruler. Yet it is not alone in its greatness. At the time of its making, three other swords were struck from the same ore and forged in the same fires. These brethren blades, Curtana among them, were then gifted to the three noble paladins by whose hand the brotherhood of the Sultansworn was founded.

Fancy yerself a knight in shinin' armor, eh? Whatever floats yer boat, I s'pose... Anyroad, it's Curtana ye'll be wantin'. 'Twas the blade wielded by 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. I'd wager a flagon of mead it was them Amalj'aa what did the deed. Fair makes me blood boil imaginin' some filthy lizardman struttin' about Zahar'ak with such a fine blade.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. 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. Unlucky fer ye, the relic's hilt was in 'specially bad shape. I tried to make do with only the host weapon's, but it seems it weren't enough. Ah, but never ye fear─with me bottomless well o' talent, I'll work somethin' out yet.

The first row displays life-size recreations of the three legendary Sultansworn known collectively as the first paladins. Of particular interest are the blades that they brandish. Three blades forged from the same steel, one each bestowed to the three great warriors who would attend the Royal House by the hand of Sasagan Ul Sisigan, first of his name and founder of our nation. Curtana, Joyeuse, Durandal... Eras have passed, monarchs have risen and fallen, but the legends of these blades─and the men who did wield them─live on to this very day.

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.

The player's Curtana appears to be the genuine article, recovered from the Amalj'aa tribe who sacked Jhal Tristram's tomb. The spirit of the original blade was imbued into the replacement weapon the player provided to effectively become the real weapon. It is unknown if the weapon wielded by Solkzagyl in the Paladin quests is one of the three sister blades of Oathkeeper with the same appearance as Curtana.

Sphairai & Kaiser Knuckles

The celebrated monk Ivon Coeurlfist passed his days in ascetic seclusion atop the mountains of Gyr Abania. It was there, legend tells, that he sought out coeurls with which to vie, in a bid to advance his training. In time, he came to incorporate the natural movements of the beasts into his fighting style, and in so doing established a legacy in the martial arts which has known no rival since. Ever at his side was his beloved Sphairai, a pair of deadly striking weapons shaped in the likeness of coeurl heads.

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. But now that tradition's in danger of dyin' out, what with Ala Mhigo's fall to the Empire an' all, leavin' nary a weaponsmith as knows how Sphairai are forged. If yer to have any hope of gettin' yer mitts on a pair, it'd be from among the Amalj'aa host at Zahar'ak. The lizardmen are known to round up enemy soldiers for the sake of their twisted amusement. Wouldn't surprise me none if they've claimed a pair o' Sphairai or three from their victims. Them lizardmen might be savages, but even they ken a fine weapon when they see one.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It outlines Ivon Coeurlfist's martial philosophy as set down by the man's foremost disciple. Accordin' to the writer, the Sphairai ain't no ordinary weapon. Apparently, they're tools for tappin' a monk's “chakra”─whatever the hells that is─throwin' open the floodgates...or summat. Buggered if I know how it works. But I do know the fists need some crystals embedded in them. Eh? Chakra's the aether what courses through yer body, ye say? Huh... That explains the bloody crystals, then.

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!

Sphairai is a style of weapon popularized by Ivon Coeurlfist, though the techniques to make it have been lost with the fall of Ala Mhigo. The player's Sphairai is a copy based on a decrepit pair found in Amalj'aa territory. Widargelt also wields a pair of Sphairai, probably genuine.

Bravura & Ragnarok

Hidden deep amidst the mountains in the northern reaches of Abalathia’s Spine there once lay a village of stark warriors, among whom lived a line of blacksmiths bound by family and forge. It is said they used molten rock given forth from the bosom of Hydaelyn to heat iron fallen from the heavens, with which they forged axes bearing a tensility and edge unlike any other. This proud line of warrior smiths has long since died out, however, and with them all knowledge of how the great axe Bravura was made.

Fancy yerself a dauntless warrior, like they had in the olden days, eh? So the rumors're true, then─the Company of Heroes did have one in their ranks... Bloody hells. I'll tell you what, though─we weaponsmiths like a good axe, and them warriors' axes were better than good. Ain't no weapon more fearsome to look at, I reckon. An' of all the kinds out there, there's none I'd take over Bravura. Aye, from the intimidatin' form to the destructive power, 'tis everythin' a warrior could ever want. There's jus' one snag: the only blacksmith clan what knew how to forge Bravura died out years ago. The last of 'em didn't quite get 'round to trainin' a successor, see, an' the hapless sod took the techniques to his grave. Might be some warriors out there bear the axe still, but if I was them, I wouldn't willin'ly part with such a prized possession. Nay, not for all the mead in Eorzea...or would I? Anyroad, if yer to have any hope of gettin' a Bravura to call yer own, it'd be through the kobolds. The creatures're renowned for their skill at the forge, an' it jus' so happens they also have a penchant for scourin' ancient ruins an' mines for artifacts, precious ores, an' the like. To find what we need, ye might try venturin' into U'Ghamaro Mines. Mayhap the kobolds have a Bravura stowed away in a repository or summat.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. 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. Needless to say, the thing was a bugger to wield. But gods, if ye had the brute strength to swing it... Hoo hoo! Ye could make a proper mess o' someone!

An ancient hero seized a weapon like 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.

Like the Sphairai, Bravura appears to be a style of weapon wielded by "warriors of old" and forged by a presumably Hellsguard blacksmith clan. The version in particular forged by Gerolt is based on Iron Eater's hefty axe with a double weight head. Curious Gorge and his brother Broken Mountain both appear to wield Bravuras.

Gae Bolg & Longinus

There is a custom still observed in Ishgard today which ordains that the Holy See bestow a polearm dubbed Gae Bolg upon any lancer who ascends to the station of dragoon. Exactly how his weapon is forged remains a mystery, as the very few highland smiths who create them are sworn to keep their methods secret. All that is known is that the bones of dragons slain in the name of Halone are worked into both haft and head, achieving an unmatched balance between lightness and strength.

Fancy yerself a dragonslayer, eh? Well, I happen to know jus' the weapon for ye...but wouldn't it be quicker if ye had one of the Holy See's blacksmiths pound one out? Hm, yer expression tells me there's a reason why ye came to me instead. Well, I ain't one to pry into the affairs of Ishgard. Don't fancy being branded a heretic, see. Also, I don't reckon I'd enjoy the view from the Gates of Judgement half so much if me head was on a pike. Anyroad, it's a spear named Gae Bolg that ye'll be wantin'. I've heard tell it's made of dragon bone, but how it's forged is a jealously guarded secret. Bein' the genius that I am, though, I reckon I can unravel the mystery if I could jus' get me hands on a sample. Now then, did ye ever hear of Saint Reinette, the legendary dragoon? I only ask 'cause she's s'posed to have wielded the very same weapon, see. Story goes that a dragon slew her sweetheart, promptin' the ol' girl to seek out the beast what did it an' put it down. Havin' exacted her revenge, they say she thrust her spear into the ground where the battle was waged, givin' up the life of a dragoon to become a woman of the cloth. Unlucky for ye, the valley where the spear sleeps is Ixali territory─a stronghold called Natalan, to be precise. But if yer desire's strong, I trust ye already know what must be done.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains an account of Saint Reinette's painfully pious life. Seems to be a part of Ishgard's holy scriptures. Be true to the Fury, live in virtuous penury, dedicate yer life to the blah-bloody-blah... The book fair put me to sleep, an' not even eleventeen flagons of mead can do that. Anyroad, one bit touched on ol' Saint Reinette's time as a dragoon. That's where I found a passage describin' the relic spear Gae Bolg. Turns out the base of the spearhead─that's the bit what looks like wings─ain't jus' for show. Apparently, it helps dragoons get their arc jus' right when they're leapin' on their prey.

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.

Gerolt appears to reverse engineer the smithing process for Gae Bolg from the original item belonging to Saint Reinette, even though Ishgardian blacksmiths have canonized the exact procedure. Thus, the player's Gae Bolg is the inheritor of the original, even though other characters like Estinien wield copies based on the same forging techniques. Also, it's important to note that Haldrath, the first Azure Dragoon, most likely did NOT wield a Gae Bolg since the story of Saint Reinette post-dates his time.

Artemis Bow & Yoichi Bow

Godsbow—a name of great honor given only to those most accomplished with that weapon. According to the annals, the first to win that title was Gilbert, a bard celebrated for his honeyed yet thunderous voice. He is credited with having fashioned the likeness of a lyre into a bow, forming an instrument of war he simply called “Artemis.” Upon Gilbert’s death, the weapon which loosed the arrows that killed countless Ixal and played their requiems both, was taken for safekeeping by the Gods’ Quiver of Gridania.

A bow-bendin' bard, are ye? That's a rare sight in this day an' age. Well, I happen to know jus' the weapon for ye. But tell me, have ye ever heard the word “Godsbow”? 'Tis an epithet what's given only to virtuosos of the bow. 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'. Alas, some while ago, said fastness was overrun by the Ixal, who struck from above in their war balloons. They gave the place a thorough ransackin', an' took the relic with 'em back to Natalan. If ye can but retrieve the Artemis Bow─even a part of it─we'd be well on our way to restorin' yer relic.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains the complete works of Gilbert the Godsbow, the great archer-bard. Porin' over the tome, I couldn't help but wince at the man's prudish bloody rhymes. There weren't a bawdy ballad among 'em! But personal preferences aside, I was able to track down the information we're after. The final pages contain what appears to be the Godsbow's commentary regardin' the finer points of performance. The man wrote that the weather─heat, humidity, an' what have ye─greatly affects an instrument's timbre. An' the same's true for bows─they're more or less flexible, see, which can be the difference between an arrow in yer enemy's eye, an' one stuck in the ground half a yalm in front of him. For this reason, Gilbert had tunin' pins installed on his weapon-cum-instrument. This much was written in the text. Truth be told, I thought the bloody things were jus' elaborate riggin' for the strings. Who'd've thought ye could learn summat useful from a book of verse, eh!?

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 player's Artemis Bow seems to be derived from the timeworn original artifact stolen from Gods' Quiver storehouses by the Ixal. It's not clear what the origins of the similar looking weapon wielded by Jehantel are. Though he carries the title "Godsbow", there's no evidence that all such people with the title are given a copy of the Gilbert's weapon.

Yoshimitsu & Sasuke's Blades

Fancy yerself a ninja, eh? Well, drown me in wine an' call me a moogle─ye'll be wantin' a pair o' Yoshimitsu, then, won't ye? That's two tricksy pieces o' steel! I tell ye, only a few in Eorzea have even heard the name. A few more know that old rhyme about the bloke what forged them. Mayhap ye are among them? No? Ah, well, it goes somethin' like this... There once was a Far Eastern smitty, Well versed in makin' blades pretty. “Far thicker than most,” O' his dagger he'd boast... And its thrust was well known in the city! Hmmm... Might be the prick in that poem ain't the point o' no blade. Er, anyroad, the man forged fine steel what bears his name. Fact of it is, his daggers have graced the hands o' many a hero an' heir to a high house. Ye know, Yoshimitsu daggers have been on me mind o' late. Down at the tavern, I heard somethin' about Lominsans raidin' a Garlean ship, an' plunderin' a pair o' blades from her hold. Seems the privateers lost their booty when they ran afoul o' the fishbacks, though. Now, the whole thing reeks o' grog─an' that oughta mean somethin' comin' from yours truly! But if there's an onze o' truth to the story, then yer daggers'll be somewhere in the Sapsa Spawning Grounds.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. 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. Well, with the dynasty dead, yer ninjas go lookin' for the spoils o' victory. An' what should they find in the palace vaults? Aye, a pair o' Yoshimitsu! After that, the lot o' them headed to the outlands o' Doma to build a hidden village, so's to live as ninjas away from pryin' eyes. 'Tis there they wrote a bit on the Yoshimitsu, enough that I know now what's wrong. Seems the rhyme about the smitty ain't about his member's thickness: The daggers themselves are too damned slim! See, the vamper's knives make a good host, an' what ye got now will slip 'twixt a man's ribs jus' fine. But Yoshimitsu were made o' folded steel what could pierce armor without shatterin' nor crumplin'. A thick blade─aye, that's what yer weapons are wantin' for.

Sasuke, the hero who freed a people from a tyrant's reign, wielded blades like these. The ninja himself bore the blood of ancient heroes, and his own descendants bore the daggers for long generations after he passed away.

This seems to be the only relic and Zodiac weapon with a continuity of lore between the two stages, while also revealing some interesting things about Doma and the ninja. Doma is not the origin of ninjutsu; it came from an island even further east. Paradoxically, Sasuke's Blades appear to be the weapons Sasuke used during the Doma rebellion while Yoshimitsu (also the name of the smith who forged them) were found in the vault of Doma's tyrant king after the rebellion was over. Oboro also wields a pair of Yoshimitsu, implying that the smith forged multiple pairs over the course of his lifetime. Thus, Sasuke's Blades are a unique one-of-a-kind weapon while there are multiple pairs of Yoshimitsu in the world.

Thyrus & Nirvana

For generations, the staff known as Thyrus was passed down as an heirloom in House Cant, a proud lineage which yielded Gridania several Padjal, those chosen of the wood. Some decades ago, however, the then head of the House Cant, A-Towa-Cant, disappeared suddenly and inexplicably, and the legendary Thyrus along with him. To this very day, none know for certain what became of the Padjal, or his treasured weapon.

...Eh? ...A relic weapon for white magic? Never heard of one. Ye sure ye ain't been on the drink? ...Hm? What's that? Uh-huh... So, this A-Towa-Cant was the keeper of white magic, was he? If it's as ye say, it might be as I know of jus' the thing: the enchanted staff Thyrus. It's a priceless heirloom what belonged to the Cant clan, one of the foremost families in Gridania. Thing is, it went missin' some decades ago, along with its owner, none other'n A-Towa-Cant. The bloke was known for bein' a bit of an eccentric among his kind. Whereas most Padjals live out their days in the Black Shroud, he went off in search of elementals in distant lands. With Thyrus for company, he roamed the realm, lendin' a helpin' hand to the folk he met on his travels. Seems, though, he couldn't do much to help himself out when he set foot in O'Ghomoro─the man was never heard from again, an' neither was his staff. As fate would have it, A-Towa-Cant was the last of his blood, an' his line guttered out with him. Right tragic, I know, but we can shed tears for him another time. Gettin' back to the matter at hand, it seems a fair bet that Thyrus is lyin' around somewhere in U'Ghamaro Mines, just out of the poor sod's skeletal grasp, like─gods rest his soul.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains the writin's of a thaumaturge of Arrzaneth Ossuary. The bloke wrote of his meetin' with our Padjali friend, A-Towa-Cant, who was payin' visit to Ul'dah at the time. Can't blame the man for wantin' to have himself a bit of fun, eh!? Their conversation bored me nigh to tears, but ye'll be pleased to hear the name Thyrus did eventually appear. As yer no doubt aware, wood's the most common material used in the makin' of conjury arms. But on seein' that A-Towa-Cant's staff was wrought of stone, our thaumaturge decided to inquire as to its makin'. 'Course, bein' a Padjal, A-Towa gave his “answer” in the form of a bloody riddle... But I'll spare ye the headache an' give it to ye plain: Thyrus is made of petrified wood, an' therein lies our problem. I went an' used ordinary stone to fill in the missin' bits, see, an' it obviously didn't do the trick.

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!

Thyrus is the personal weapon of A-Towa-Cant, who naturally wields it in his appearance in the White Mage quests. The player's Thyrus inherits the spirit of the original when the player finds it in the final resting place of A-Towa-Cant, the U'Ghamaro Mines.

Stardust Rod & Lilith Rod

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.

What? A relic weapon for...black magic, the arcane art of destruction? Sorry, lass, but that's a new one on me. Hm? What's that ye say? Uh-huh... So this Ququruka bloke had a rod what looked like a comet, did he? Well, that could only be a Stardust Rod─assumin' yer admirably vivid description was accurate. A number o' these were made, accordin' to tomes datin' back to the Fifth Astral Era. Ages ago, there lived a female mage of no small repute who was known by all sorts of unsavory epithets. “Death's Handmaiden” was one, “The Black Witch” was another...an' the proper half-wits called her “She-Devil.” Her name was, er...Shantotto. Or was it Shatoto? Ah, right─Shatotto. Aye, that's the one. The woman's credited with devisin' countless destructive magicks, an' for a pastime indulged in creatin' enchanted arms, the most famous among 'em bein' the Stardust Rod. This goes without sayin', but none save their creator knows how they were made. Lucky for us, though, I have an inklin' as to where we might find one of the actual relics. An' once I've got one in me hands, I doubt it'll take me long to unravel its secrets. Some years ago, a Stardust Rod was put up for sale at a Lominsan auction for plundered goods. No one knew for sure if it was the genuine article, but it didn't take long for the various bidders to talk 'emselves into thinkin' it was, an' a proper scramble looked to be in the offin'. Ah, but ye'll never guess what happened: scarcely a bell afore the auction was due to start, kobolds attacked the pirates' storehouse an' plundered all the plunder. Irony at its finest, eh!? Anyroad, in all likelihood, the rod now rests inside U'Ghamaro Mines, collectin' dust. So that's where ye'll need to take yerself.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains endless anecdotes of Shatotto's spine-chillin' endeavors. As ye likely know, the woman was unsurpassed in her gift for destructive magicks. What you might not know is that she was also prone to fits of boredom─a fine recipe for mayhem. Durin' one of her many bouts of ennui, Shatotto thought it'd be a jolly jape to cast Meteor, the ancient spell used to bring down a star. An' cast it she did... When even that didn't cure her bloody boredom, she decided to forge a rod usin' fragments of the fallen star─which is how the Stardust Rod came to be born. If we're to do a proper job of restorin' the rod, we're gonna need fragments of a star. But even assumin' we could bring one down, I ain't sure we should─like as not the bloody thing would fall on our heads. Ah, but don't despair, 'cause the text goes on to reveal more. It says that the star what fell shattered into a million pieces, each of which merged with whatever it touched. Aye, ye guessed it─dark matter. 'Course, I used plain ol' metal to patch the rod up, which is clearly where I went wrong.

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!

Shatotto created many Stardust Rods using fragments of the Meteor she called down for funsies. The weapon wielded by Ququruka as well as the player's Stardust Rod are likely originals made by Shatotto and restored to working condition. This quest also reveals that dark matter is just regular matter infused with Meteor particles.

The Veil of Wiyu & Apocalypse

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. Assumin' there's any truth to the tale, might be as the grimoire used by Wiyu's still lyin' out there somewhere. To be sure, the Allagan Empire's three eras gone, but there ain't no harm in takin' a look, eh?

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains the many trials an' tribulations of our green-eyed heroine. As ye might expect, the tome tells ye a fuller story than ye'd get from yer grandmama. Thankfully, one o' the chapters happens to describe Wiyu's grimoire in detail. I thought that the studs what adorn it were only good for holdin' the bloody thing together. But it turns out they're meant to channel the wielder's aether as well. Ye learn summat new every day, eh? Anyroad, it should be easy enough to replace the studs with summat more suitable for the job.

Who penned the original of this grimoire in times of eld is a mystery. Yet it is said that the predictions of world's end it holds are so dark as to destroy weak men's wills!

The Veil of Wiyu is the legendary weapon of the ancient Allagan summoner Wiyu, the original of which the player discovers in the Sylphlands. The only other summoner in the game, Tristan, uses a copy of Ifrit's Grimoire.

Omnilex & Last Resort

Fancy yerself a scholar, eh? Like one o' them as helped the nation o' Nym preserve its sovereignty durin' the War o' the Magi way back when? I know a bit about 'em, as it happens. They were a right clever lot, those scholars. Thanks to their brilliant strategizin', the Nymians never failed to throw back would-be conquerers no matter how badly they were outnumbered. Like I always say, it ain't the size what matters, but how ye use it. A-Ahem! Aaanyroad, 'tis a copy o' the Omnilex ye want, a right bleedin' rare grimoire what's supposed to contain all the military tactics ever conceived by man. Unlucky for ye, though, they don't make 'em like they used to. Which is to say, not anymore. But if yer heart's set on a copy, ye might try rootin' about western La Noscea. If I remember rightly, the Nymians used to have a port over there, but it's long since become a Sahagin lair─the Sapsa Spawnin' Grounds, 'tis called.

[later]

But what's done is done...or in this case, not done. Anyroad, let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains accounts o' the major clashes what took place durin' the War o' the Magi. The entry on the Battle o' the Gods' Grip jumped out at me. This was when the Nymians took the Amdapori host by surprise as it made its beach landin'─takin' the siege to the besiegers, as it were. As they're wont to do, the scholars played a key role in the victory, though that didn't interest me near as much as the passage what touched on the Omnilex. Turns out the patterns on the cover are meant to improve the flow of aether from the wielder's hands. An' I'd thought 'em merely decorations. Ye learn summat new every day, eh?

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.

Copies of the Omnilex appear to be standard issue battle codexes for high ranked scholars of Nym. As well-maintained copies of said book are no longer extant, the player restores one retrieved from the former Nymian port in the Sapsa Spawning Grounds, both in text and in form. It's possible and even likely that Golbas Rombas' Last Resort is merely a rebinding of the Omnilex with improved aetheric conductivity designs on the cover, since the standard issue version already contains "all the military tactics ever conceived by man".

The Zodiac Braves
There are twelve Light-bearing heroes known as the "Zodiac Braves" who arise "when the world lies upon the brink of destruction [...] to banish the Darkness". As there are twelve heroes and ten weapons currently in the game, it stands to reason that at least two of the new jobs introduced in the expansion pack will wield weapons imitating the Zodiac Braves'. I don't want to speculate too much on this so I'll just leave the poem from the Trials of the Braves books and Sphere Scroll:

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

I will continue to update the OP with new information as it is discovered.

[axemtitanium]

Shameless self-bump. In poring over the old 1.0 Lodestone ahead of its imminent demise, I stumbled across this page with some info on the seven relics from 1.0. Not a lot of new info here but interesting nonetheless and I've added it here for completeness. Of note, we learn that Bravurae are smithed using magma AND meteor fragments. Also, it's confirmed that Gae Bolgae have dragon bones in them somewhere.

[Toranja]

Thanks for the compilation. Much appreciated.

[RiceisNice]

Looking at the final inserts from the zodiac weapons, it's just giving me more of the feeling that the zodiac steps feel really inferior aesthetically to the relic ones; very generic models for most classes and almost no depth or build up behind the new weapons.

Eithercase, appreciate the lore posts.

[BillyBones]

Looking at the final inserts from the zodiac weapons, it's just giving me more of the feeling that the zodiac steps feel really inferior aesthetically to the relic ones; very generic models for most classes and almost no depth or build up behind the new weapons.

Eithercase, appreciate the lore posts.

There is not much lore about zodiak weapons yet, I agree with that. However, keep in mind that 2.51 will introduce a new step and will most likely reveal more background information. Relic weapons have a lot of steps, that's why there is so much more lore to them than the zodiak weapons. I'm looking forward to see how they will develop. Good job on collecting all the info.

[RiceisNice]

There is not much lore about zodiak weapons yet, I agree with that. However, keep in mind that 2.51 will introduce a new step and will most likely reveal more background information. Relic weapons have a lot of steps, that's why there is so much more lore to them than the zodiak weapons. I'm looking forward to see how they will develop. Good job on collecting all the info.

Except all of the lore for the relic weapons were in the initial quest. Beyond that, the quests were then just strengthening your weapon to varying degrees, some that make absolutely no sense (looking at you, Atma and Animus) and none of it even mentions the weapon itself, let alone expand on the lore.

[ColdestHeaven]

Except all of the lore for the relic weapons were in the initial quest. Beyond that, the quests were then just strengthening your weapon to varying degrees, some that make absolutely no sense (looking at you, Atma and Animus) and none of it even mentions the weapon itself, let alone expand on the lore.

^ this, although I really hope that they do make an effort to expand - whatever Jalzahn says about the weapons is really nothing compared to the original relic's info given by Gerolt.

What are your thoughts about most of them not being linked to the job anymore? Just SCH and NIN seem to have the original weapons being wielded by their ancient counterparts.

[RiceisNice]

^ this, although I really hope that they do make an effort to expand - whatever Jalzahn says about the weapons is really nothing compared to the original relic's info given by Gerolt.

What are your thoughts about most of them not being linked to the job anymore? Just SCH and NIN seem to have the original weapons being wielded by their ancient counterparts.

They're still restricted to the jobs, even though the weapon itself doesn't look like a weapon suited to that job. Ninjas went from a pair of ningatos to bigass cleavers, Bards went from a compound bow that doubled as a harp (which we didn't use as harp mind you) to a generic longbow.

[AntiRivet]

[Lore Intensifies] :'^)