Job Lore?

[Skeith-Adeline]

I mean like, why each job exists and what each job was... well, what was their purpose in the past and why so few of them are, around (they are exceedingly rare compared to Classes).

Edit: ...found them, but....

“In days long past, there existed an evil clan and arcane art known as black magic—a potent magic of pure destructive force born forth by a sorceress of unparalleled power. Those who learned to wield this instrument of ruin came to be called black mages, out of both fear and respect for their gift. Yet great power served to corrupt the judgment of mortal man, and so he unknowingly set out upon the path of ruin.
Adventurers who take the black will become agents of devastation, capable of annihilating those who oppose them through little more than the force of their will.”

That description though O. O. Wouldn't expect a Warrior of the Light to, yea, be one of them.

[Cilia]

I mean like, why each job exists and what each job was... well, what was their purpose in the past and why so few of them are, around (they are exceedingly rare compared to Classes).

PLD: Paladins are Sultansworn, the Sultanate's elite guards. Their organization is stated to be rather small.
DRG: Dragoons are Ishgardian soldiers, so DRG are rare to find outside of Ishgard. Specifically, you become an Azure Dragoon throughout the DRG quests, of which there is normally only one.
SMN: The art of Summoning was lost with the fall of Allag (I think). Either way, the villain of the Job Quests is a SMN going around and killing other SMN.
SCH: Scholars were Nymian tacticians before the Tonberry Plague. None exist in the present day.
NIN: It's an imported art, so there are few Eorzeans who know about and can use ninjutsu.

Now for the ones I only know about secondhand:

WAR: They come from Albathia's Spine in Ishgard's territory.
MNK: They're from Ala Mhigo, currently occupied by the Garleans.
BRD: ???
WHM / BLM: Both White and Black Magic were outlawed after they led to a Calamity (the fall of Amdapor - 3rd Umbral Calamity?).

[lololink]

SCH: Scholars were Nymian tacticians before the Tonberry Plague. None exist in the present day.
BRD: ???

Technically there is one SCH remaining, the tomberry you help and that is still in the palace, you see him in the HM version. But yes, like SMN it's a forgotten art reborn with archeological researchs.

BRD were special gridanian support units supposed to boost the moral of their troops and still throw arrow at the face of their enemies, I don't remember although why there is only one ( and suffer from PTSD or something because his friends died ), I think it's because the mogs are the one teaching the songs so only a few are chosen by them.


Also the PLD give their teaching to almost anyone capable and deemed worthy of using them it seems. All PLD aren't sultansworn.

WAR were banished because they were going berserk, WHM and BLM were banished after the 6th umbral era ( Water ), by the elementals for WHM and by the law of Ul'dah ( I don't think it is known if it is before or after the fall of Sil'dih )

The best is still to ask to all the job quest givers and read again the quest dialogues, they will give most if not all the informations about the jobs.

[Cilia]

Technically there is one SCH remaining, the tomberry you help and that is still in the palace, you see him in the HM version. But yes, like SMN it's a forgotten art reborn with archeological researchs.

Also the PLD give their teaching to almost anyone capable and deemed worthy of using them it seems. All PLD aren't sultansworn.

While Surito is a remaining SCH, he was stewing in the rancor with the rest of the tonberries until you finish the SCH quest line. The cap gives him away for non-SCH, but unless you do the quests or pay close attention in Wanderer's Palace (Hard) there's no indication any SCH are left.

PLD aren't all Sultansworn (you're technically "knighted" as a "Free Paladin," not Sultansworn) but the Sultansworn (Jenlyns) still have to approve anyone being trained in their arts and hunt down traitors. From the feel of Ul'dah, I doubt many aspiring GLD fit the bill.

[VargasVermillion]

MNKs are disciples of the fists of rhalgar, A cult that become popular within ala mhigo, the idea was that you could attain the strength of rhalgar himself with discipline and personal strength. They became popular enough that the king of Ala mhigo feared the cult gaining too much power and influence so he had the MNK temple raided and killed most of them. The garleans attempted to defeat ala mhigo for a while before ala mhgo was weakened by rebellion against their tyrannical king. (apparently gaius had some influence in this.)

[lilirulu]

snip.

Just to add to the scholar lore; Surito states he can no longer summon his fairy, Lily (a.k.a. Eos/Selene), after being turned into a Tonberry. Judging by him and all the other Tonberries (including Marberry) do not use any magic (that's not tied to the rancor) I think it's safe to say that the Plague of Nym removed their ability to use magic and that as of 2.5 their aren't any more SCH in Eorzea excluding the WoL.