The Temple Knights of Ishgard

[Zohar_Lahar]

So are they supposed to be the Grand Company of the Holy See when the original Eorzean Alliance was formed during the Autumn War? They certainly act like one given how they run temple leves and their Lord Commander is now de facto head of state.

[Anonymoose]

The term Grand Company as we know it specifically implies an ancient tradition of consolidating a city-state's resources (economic, military, political) under one banner to resist a Calamity. With that definition, I don't think the Temple Knights quality, but the way they operate isn't all that dissimilar.

From what I've seen so far, there's a hierarchy based on skill and station:

• Knights of Houses
• Knights of the High Houses
• The Temple Knights & The Knight Dragoons (Perhaps The Congregation of Our Knights Most Heavenly refers to them in combination?)
• The Heavens' Ward

We know lower nobles have knights from sidequests about town, and we know House Durendaire's knights had their own Lord Commander. The Temple Knights and Knight Dragoons are both stationed at the Congregation, but Aymeric seems to be in charge of one and Estinien the other. I can't remember if I ever found proof either way whether Estinien is bound to Aymeric's orders, but it doesn't appear that way, iirc.

[Zohar_Lahar]

The term Grand Company as we know it specifically implies an ancient tradition of consolidating a city-state's resources (economic, military, political) under one banner to resist a Calamity. With that definition, I don't think the Temple Knights quality, but the way they operate isn't all that dissimilar.

Wait.....what? The current city-states didn't even exist during the War of the Magi. Are you saying Maelstrom, etc. weren't used in the Autumn War?

[Anonymoose]

I don't really recall anything saying the Azure Dragoon is the leader, just the strongest.

Alberic
The leader of the dragoons is known as the Azure Dragoon, and is chosen by the Eye <...>

Alberic
In [Estinien's] absence, Heustienne has stepped up to lead the Order of the Knights Dragoon.

Wait.....what? The current city-states didn't even exist during the War of the Magi. Are you saying Maelstrom, etc. weren't used in the Autumn War?

Correct; the "Grand Companies of old" were re-established in Patch 1.18 (Year 1572) to meet the threat of the Calamity.

For thousands of years, Eorzea has been victim to a catastrophic cycle of destruction and rebirth that periodically envelops the realm and threatens all who live upon her soil; each time faced with a tragedy seemingly worse than the last, however, the peoples of Eorzea have found some way to persevere. One method, seemingly going back hundreds of generations, has been the establishment of comprehensive command centers which combine the military, economic and technological resources of a city-state in order to better prepare it for the coming doom. These are the Grand Companies of Eorzea.

The last recorded of emergence of the Grand Companies was nearly 1,500 years ago, at the end of the Fifth Astral Era and the arrival of the great deluge which triggered the dark period known as the Sixth Umbral Era. It was through these companies that the then warring city-states were able to put aside their bitter differences and join together to form an alliance and ensure the realm survived.

With the recent attacks by the Garlean Empire seen as an imminent threat to the realm, there have been scattered talks of restoring the Grand Companies to their former glory, but conflicting agendas on all sides have slowed progress. That is, until the appearance of an adventurer who set in motion the wheels of hope.

Before this, cities were mostly just protected by their various militant factions (Gods' Quiver, Wailing Barracks, Brass Blades, etc.) - the same ones that, when organized, put so many sellswords out of work that it gave rise to adventuring and guilds in the first place. For example, before The Maelstrom swallowed the entire structure of Limsa Lominsa, the captain of the crew that won the Trident was just the Admiral, not the Chief Admiral. And whoever was admiral headed the Thalassocratic Navy, then known as The Knights of the Barracuda.

The Archons and the future Warrior of Light were responsible for convincing the city-states to do bring back the big names (Maelstrom, Flames, Adders).

[Belhi]

In [Estinien's] absence, Heustienne has stepped up to lead the Order of the Knights Dragoon.

When does this quote happen?

Does it happen after the MSQ and does it change if you've finished the DRG job quests since Heustienne didn't and couldn't really return to Ishgard afterward.

[Daralii]

In [Estinien's] absence, Heustienne has stepped up to lead the Order of the Knights Dragoon.

When does this quote happen?

Does it happen after the MSQ and does it change if you've finished the DRG job quests since Heustienne didn't and couldn't really return to Ishgard afterward.

She did return at the urging of her father, pledging that she wouldn't let the blood consume her. She's pretty much inherited Estinien's struggle with the Eye.

I like Heustienne. I hope she's still involved later on.

[Zohar_Lahar]

Before this, cities were mostly just protected by their various militant factions (Gods' Quiver, Wailing Barracks, Brass Blades, etc.) - the same ones that, when organized, put so many sellswords out of work that it gave rise to adventuring and guilds in the first place. For example, before The Maelstrom swallowed the entire structure of Limsa Lominsa, the captain of the crew that won the Trident was just the Admiral, not the Chief Admiral. And whoever was admiral headed the Thalassocratic Navy, then known as The Knights of the Barracuda.

The Archons and the future Warrior of Light were responsible for convincing the city-states to do bring back the big names (Maelstrom, Flames, Adders).

So Maelstrom was originally founded by Nym?

[Anonymoose]

When does this quote happen?

It's part of the Hey, buddy, how's it going? optional dialogue with Alberic between

Estinien making his re-appearance after re-mastering his control over the Eye's influence and the finale of the DRG storyline.

So Maelstrom was originally founded by Nym?

You know, I never really put much thought into it, but yeah, I guess that's a pretty fair assumption, right? You can see a slightly different version of the Twin Adder symbol in some Gelmorran ruins (even in Version 1.0), so there's that. Makes sense that each city would have inherited its company from an old city in the same area.

Unless... Maelstrom is known in Japanese as the 黒渦団 (Kurouzu-dan; Black Vortex Company). Void mages confirmed! (Not really.)

I'll add that to the list of Potentially Interesting Unknowns and we'll see if maybe we can convince the Powers that Be to open up about it.

[Walluh]

Is Estinien even in charge of the Dragoons? I don't really recall anything saying the Azure Dragoon is the leader, just the strongest. He doesn't seem like much of a leader at all, and giving control of the Knights Dragoon to whoever the eye happens to choose seems sort of..silly. Strength =/= Ability to lead.

If it worked like that, I think we would be the God Emperor/Empress of The Entire World.

[Dalvy]

Is Estinien even in charge of the Dragoons? I don't really recall anything saying the Azure Dragoon is the leader, just the strongest. He doesn't seem like much of a leader at all, and giving control of the Knights Dragoon to whoever the eye happens to choose seems sort of..silly. Strength =/= Ability to lead.

If it worked like that, I think we would be the God Emperor/Empress of The Entire World.

From moogle quests, the Dragoon scouts all answered to Handeloup eventually. I don't think Estinien is the big boss, just "the chosen one".

Because of how split the power structure is in Ishgard, it's hard to say who is really in charge. But you can say that now Aymeric is the de facto leader externally, but really he's about the same in position as Raubahn internally. It would be hard to set up a proper grand company, since the city hasn't gone through its "mass mercenary legion" phase yet.