Abalathia

[Zohar_Lahar]

So is "Abalathia" supposed to be the Coerthas Eastern Highlands, or is this a different region that isn't labeled on the Eorzea map? I was only aware of Xelphaltol and the Black Shroud being east of Coerthas. And the part that is written as "Abalathia's Spine" on the map is northwest, between Dravania and the Farreach.

[Samcaesar]

Abalathia is likely the name for for the full mountain range/region, while Abalathia's spine is the name for a specific part, maybe where the largest peaks of the mountain range are. At least, that's the way I'm seeing it, kind of like the "four thousanders" is a section of the Alpine mountain range.

[Anonymoose]

Samcaesar is correct.

Abalathia's Spine is much larger than the map would have you believe - and this is new (EDIT: New-ish; found some old stuff!) information, really. The Heavensward information caught me off-guard talking about Coerthas and Ishgard being technically part of that region (and I mean region in a general sense, not a literal map region). Though, I wonder what Abalathia is that a continent-spanning mountain range is named after it.

What are our first crazy theories!? I'll start! Abalathia is... a Goddess... like Altana from FFXI... and she's been masquerading as the Great Crystal in order to pit us against her dark nemesis Promath-I mean Zodiark. The girl below Shiva the Goddess on the Triad artwork? Abalathia. The woman behind the crystal on the ARR CE box? Abalathia!... ABALATHIA! (But then why didn't Midgardsormr pick up on it, and instead validated Hydaelyn?) Damn! Theory defeated.

Oh, how I've longed for a new name to point fingers at when I know nothing about something since Siren went and actually did show up...

[Alberel]

Samcaesar is correct.

Abalathia's Spine is much larger than the map would have you believe - and this is new information, really. The Heavensward information caught me off-guard talking about Coerthas and Ishgard being technically part of that region (and I mean region in a general sense, not a literal map region). Though, I wonder what Abalathia is that a continent-spanning mountain range is named after it.

What are our first crazy theories!? I'll start! Abalathia is... a Goddess... like Altana from FFXI... and she's been masquerading as the Great Crystal in order to pit us against her dark nemesis Promath-I mean Zodiark. The girl below Shiva on the Triad artwork? Abalathia. The woman behind the crystal on the ARR CE box? Abalathia!... ABALATHIA! (But then why didn't Midgardsormr pick up on it, and instead validated Hydaelyn?) Damn! Theory defeated.

Oh, how I've longed for a new name to point fingers at when I know nothing about something since Siren went and actually did show up...

I actually made the same mistake in thinking that was Shiva/Ysayle at the top in the Triad artwork but it's not, she's actually a part of the Goddess statue.



Here's a shot of the Goddess from FFVI for comparison:



Her pose and attire are the same. Even the sun-like disc in the background is part of the statue.

As for Abalathia, it wouldn't surprise me if that was the original name of the entire region of Dravania and Coerthas combined, with the land being divided in name when the war broke out between Ishgard and the Dragons.

[Fenral]

Oh, how I've longed for a new name to point fingers at when I know nothing about something

It's still safe to blame Ascians for everything, at least.

[Anonymoose]

she's actually a part of the Goddess statue

Well, look at that!

My knowledge of VI doesn't run very deep at all; though now that I get into it as we get closer to Heavensward, I can safely say it's one of the more underrated Final Fantasies. I should have spent more time on the sketches while perusing that FFWiki page. All I saw was this 2.4 pose (I blame the hair). I wonder if the similarity in posture is coincidental or if there's some connection.

As for Abalathia, it wouldn't surprise me if that was the original name of the entire region of Dravania and Coerthas combined

Could be! Though you'll have to account for Xelphatol in the mix as well. Found this back in 1.0 text while I was digging for hints:

The Ixal are the sworn enemies of Gridania─craven birdmen who live in the secluded canyons and valleys of the eastern reaches of Abalathia's Spine.

The choice word "spine" interests me, though it only appears in English and German (Japanese says Abalathian Mountains, French refers to it as the Abalathian Chain). I can't help but wonder if it personifies a feminine ... something. The first thing that comes to mind for me is story of the three brothers explaining the tectonic activity of the Three Great Continents, but then who's this girl all up on Aldenard, eh?

[WyrahFhurrst]

Abalathia's Spine is the mountain range itself, Abalathia being the name for the greater region that the Spine takes up. The region can then be subdivided into two smaller regions: Dravania, the western portion; and the Coerthas, the eastern region. None too complicated, but not clearly explained.

[Alberel]

The choice word "spine" interests me, though it only appears in English and German (Japanese says Abalathian Mountains, French refers to it as the Abalathian Chain). I can't help but wonder if it personifies a feminine ... something. The first thing that comes to mind for me is story of the three brothers explaining the tectonic activity of the Three Great Continents, but then who's this girl all up on Aldenard, eh?

The word 'spine' is often used in fantasy to describe long-running mountain ranges that divide regions. I'm not sure of the actual origins of the term but Tolkien's Middle Earth features a 'Spine of Arda' and the Forgotten Realms setting features a mountain range called the 'Spine of the World'. There are many other fantasy universes that have adopted 'spine of X' or 'X's spine' as a common naming convention for long mountain chains. Unless I'm missing something I fear you may be reading a little too much into this one Moose!

Abalathia's Spine is the mountain range itself, Abalathia being the name for the greater region that the Spine takes up. The region can then be subdivided into two smaller regions: Dravania, the western portion; and the Coerthas, the eastern region. None too complicated, but not clearly explained.

That is indeed how I understand it to be.

[Anonymoose]

I fear you may be reading a little too much into this one Moose!

I often do. In both cases you mention, however, "Spine" refers to the backbone of the world.

It's not Hydaelyn's Spine... So, what are you, Abalathia... </bubblepipe>

[Fenral]

It's not Hydaelyn's Spine... So, what are you, Abalathia... </bubblepipe>

I've slowly begun to think that Hydaelyn and Zodiark are the two forcefully-separated halves of some original deity, some original world (a la FFV). The Ascians' talk of restoring the world to its original form is a rather close echo to Exdeath's own plot, as well as the heroes' misunderstanding as to what the "original" world really is (as in, it's not some generic world of evil, sorry Bartz).

That is probably not Abalathia, though I suspect you're not far off in guessing "she" is some long-forgotten deity/ruler/other who was, at some point, important enough to have a large chunk of continent named after her.