Lore Book Revelations

[Belhi]

Where was the original Ul'dah located? I can't imagine they literally moved the entire city, brick for brick.

[Sounsyy]

Where was the original Ul'dah located? I can't imagine they literally moved the entire city, brick for brick.

Looking at old lore on the King of the Spring, as well as the new stuff from the lore book, I think we can best estimate Ul'dah's original location was somewhere southeast of the Burning Wall, on the edge of Paglth'an. This might be why the Ul'dahns and the Amalj'aa have such a long history of war and violence between the two.

Year 1162
Lalawefu takes measures to secure a stable water source, and is hailed by his people as the "King of Springs". The act deals a serious blow to Ul'dah, as Sil'dih's water supply is diverted from upstream of their sister sultanate's own reservoir.

The biggest river flowing south out of the Twelveswood and Paglth'an, and dividing into tributaries that stretch across much of Thanalan, is the Yugr'am River. Supposing Sil'dih diverted the Yugr'am's flow into the direction it is today and away from Broken Water to the south, it could be used as a rough indicator for where Ul'dah was situated at the time.

As to the how they moved the city, brick by brick, I think the answer might be the enslaved hecatoncheires:

Unfortunately, it was not riches the powder kegs uncovered, but sheer terror, for when the smoke cleared, out poured an army of raging giants from the darkest recesses of the mines. The hecatoncheires - thralls of the lost Thorne Dynasty - were, at last, free from their lightless prison, three hundred years of hate fueling their madness.

Year 1270
Ul'dah relocates its capital atop of the ruins of the fallen Sil'dih.

Year 1272
The enslaved hecatoncheire giants of Copperbell Mines revolt against their masters when the enchantments on their helms wear off, and the miners force a cave-in of the lowest depths to seal the giants within. The mine is shuttered under the pretense that its veins have run barren.

Similar to the giants, the hecatoncheires were also once thralls of the gigas. Some three hundred years ago, however, history tells that these gigants were sold as slaves to the Thorne Dynasty. Their monstrous strength controlled by means of ensorcelled helms, the hecatoncheires were forced to toil with pick and hammer in Copperbell Mines.

Now, granted, the only mention of them revolves around their mining operations in Copperbell, but it's not hard to imagine that these gigants didn't have other uses. The timing of their enslavement coinciding with the relocation of a major city is too much for me to ignore.

[myahele]

Where was the original Ul'dah located? I can't imagine they literally moved the entire city, brick for brick.

I never thought about this until now, but you're right. Where was the original Ul'dah located? We see ruins of Sild'hih, Belah'dia and even Allagan (or older) ruins in Sagolli, yet no mentions of where Ul'dah was originally located.

Although, it would not surprise me at all if the Ul'dahns demolished their building and used the stone to built up the new Ul'dahan (to save money) and whatever remained of original Ul'dah swallowed up by the sands after 400 years of neglect.

[Fenral]

My hometown had a castle on a hill that was, as the story went, shipped over brick by brick from Europe when it was inherited by someone who was rather pleased to suddenly have a castle, but not-so pleased at it not being in California. True or not, it makes for a good story, and I suppose it's not impossible.

But I can't imagine the current Ul'dah being architecturally identical to the original, either way. For one thing, the engineering is far too modern.

[Belhi]

Question for the people with the Lore book:

How old is Varis Zos Galvus? Cause a Famitsu interview from Fanfest seems to be suggesting that Zenos is Varis's son.

[Theodric]

Question for the people with the Lore book:

How old is Varis Zos Galvus? Cause a Famitsu interview from Fanfest seems to be suggesting that Zenos is Varis's son.

He's 46 years old according to the lore book.

[FJerome]

He's 46 years old according to the lore book.

Sorry to echo the conversation I've already started elsewhere but that's really interesting to me because up to now the Garlean Empire has appeared to be, with certain strict limits, at least *somewhat* meritocratic, especially compared to the other known nations, but if we're translating that correctly that opens up two possibilities;

1) Varis had a kid while ridiculously young.

2) Zenos himself is ridiculously young, mid-twenties at most, at least for someone who's just been put in charge of Ala Mhigo and, by extension, the western and most-active front of imperial expansion. Arguably Varis may have chosen him because after the civil war he's in a position where he can only give power to those he trusts absolutely but it may explain the resentment and attempts at undermining that Regula van Hydrus has had to deal with.

[Cybylt]

Varis really dips hard into the nepotism to keep his power base it seems. At the same time I'd say it's hard to determine what's the norm for an empire that's only into its second emperor.

[Theodric]

Varis really dips hard into the nepotism to keep his power base it seems. At the same time I'd say it's hard to determine what's the norm for an empire that's only into its second emperor.

Regula rose to power through merit alone as revealed during the Sophia quests in 3.4. It's reasonable to assume that Zenos did as well - especially since he's heavily implied to be a major antagonist during 4.0. To qualify as one he'd need to be a genuine threat. That he's the Emperor's son and Regula is Varis' best friend likely plays into it to some extent, sure, but not to the extent that many may lead themselves to believe.

[myahele]

Not quite lore book, but nice revelations here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...ida_after_nas/

Zenos is the biological son of the current Emperor. I suspected as much but nice to see confirmation this soon