Au Ra Origins: The Dawn & Dusk Theory [Spoilers]

[Khyzen]

Au Ra Origins: The Dawn & Dusk Theory

The following is an argument in favor of the Au Ra race being draconian in nature, citing new evidence from the Encyclopedia Eorzea, and offering conjecture and speculation in the areas where we still lack information. I've seen some people mentioning tidbits of this here and there, but I haven't seen anyone pull everything together so I'm going to take a shot at it.


The first and primary argument comes from comparing the Au Ra Creation Myth with descriptions of Bahamut and Tiamat during the Third Astral Era.

The Dawn Father and the Dusk Mother

"Auri creation myth tells of a world formed by the Dawn Father Azim and the Dusk Mother Nhaama. These two deities came to quarrel over which should rule the new world, and created mortals to serve as soldiers in their war by proxy. These were the first Au Ra - the Raen, children of the Dawn Father, and the Xaela, the chosen of the Dusk Mother. Though they waged a bitter struggle in the name of their creators, they eventually put aside their differences and learned to love one another, giving birth to a new generation. On seeing this, Azim and Nhaama returned to the heavens, leaving the world below in the custody of their children." - Encyclopedia Eorzea pg. 90

The Dawn Wyrm and the Dusk Wyrm

“Bahamut – One of the first brood, Bahamut lived for countless centuries as a ruler of the southern skies until being slain by the power-hungry Allagan Empire. When the dusk wyrm Tiamat learned of her beloved's untimely fate, she, with the aid of Meracydia's remaining dragon horde, chose to ignore the warnings of her kin and attempt a summoning of the spirit of Bahamut. Her sorrow and anguish, combined with the rage of her kin, however, corrupted the spirit as it returned from the Lifestream – the result a mad tyrant little resembling what had once been the dawn wyrm.” - Encyclopedia Eorzea, pg. 26

Here we have our main point of evidence that the Au Ra are not only draconian but are in fact direct decedents of Bahamut and Tiamat, based on the matching titles/genders. It is also not a stretch to think that when Azim and Nhaama “returned to the heavens,” they were in fact dragons that flew off into the sky. There are, however, still a number of issues with this theory that need to be cleared up.

Bahamut & Tiatmat vs. Azim & Nhaama

“'Azima' is an Arabic female name, coming from the word asim meaning 'protector.' Since Azeyma goes by the title "The Warden," it is likely that her name was inspired by this.” - http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Azeyma

Azeyma, the Warden, the keeper of the sun and the goddess of inquiry, commanding the element of fire. I would propose that Azeyma was actually inspired by Bahamut, the ruler and guardian of the people of Mercydia, who certainly commanded the element of fire, and whose symbol was the sun. Or, if you prefer, the dawn. And who the first Au Ra likely called 'Azim.'

Tiamat as Nhaama I'm still trying to work out. My best conjecture at this point is that Nhaama may be the Auri word for 'night.'

Relations with Dragons

"Upon release into the world so many eons ago, Bahamut chose to venture south with his kin Tiamat. The people they found there venerated the dragons, and thus a bond of friendship grew betwixt dragonkind and man. This bond was so great that scholars have reason to believe it was none other than the great wyrm himself who led the mortals of Meracydia against the invading Allagan armies..." - Encyclopedia Eorzea, pg. 207

Through Heavensward we know it's possible for a dragon to fall in love with creatures outside its species. Given the emphasized strength of their bond with the Mercydians it's not a stretch to assume that Bahamut and Tiamat felt the same.

Dragon Reproduction

“Although dragons will identify their gender as either male or female, be it for the sake of convenience or individual preference, every member of the species is capable of reproducing asexually. The offspring produced in this manner is considered the same “race” as the parent, but over the course of its prolonged existence, a dragon undergoes a series of metamorphic changes that may result in a creature of vastly different physiology. - Encyclopedia Eorzea, pg. 268

“While capable of procreating with the physical need for a mate, dragons place great value on emotional and spiritual connections. There are instances of individuals bonding as a pair, though the significance of such a relationship is difficult to compare to the marriages that take place between mortals.” - Encyclopedia Eorzea, pg. 269

The make takeaway here is that while it's agreed that dragons CAN reproduce asexually and on their own, the wording strongly implies this is not their ONLY way of reproducing. I suspect the Au Ra are the result of producing through mating with Hyur, Elezen, or possibly Meracydian.

Scale Color
Another issue is the hereditary scale color. As we see can see from Bahamut in his primal form, his scales are fairly dark.

http://imgur.com/K45FYHA

However if you take into account this artwork of the first brood, Bahamut is actually much lighter in scale color here.

http://imgur.com/FMrXIho

I believe it may be possible that due to the anger and grief of Tiamat and their brood during Bahamut's summoning, his form was actually darkened and changed. Which would align with the Raen inheriting their brilliant white scales. As for Tiamat and the Xaela, well...

http://imgur.com/FXQVgCy

Looks pretty close to me.

Mercydia vs. Othard
And now we come to the largest issue with this theory.

“Together with my brood-brother Bahamut, I journeyed south to Meracydia. And together, we brought forth innumerable children into the world.” - Tiamat

It is stated that the ancestral home of the Au Ra is the Azim Steppe, where the Xaela have stayed and the Raen eventually left. However, Bahamut and Tiamat by all accounts wandered south to Meracydia and never left. So either

• A) Some Mercydians fled their lands during the war with Allag and made it up to Othard

• B) Bahamut and Tiamat traveled first through Othard, got into some kind some kind of epic lover's quarrel, created the Raen and Xaela to fight each other so they wouldn't have to. But when the two clans put aside their differences and learned to love each other, Bahamut and Tiamat made up and flew off into the sky (eventually traveling to Meracydia), leaving the Au Ra to take care of themselves.

“Each great wyrm, however, rules its brood in a different manner, with some choosing to command their hordes with dictatorial authority, while others remain aloof, granting their spawn almost complete autonomy.” - Encyclopedia Eorzea, pg. 269

I'm more inclined to believe option B. And I believe the Eorzean Scholars haven't realized this because Bahamut and Tiamat were known by different names in Othard.

Summary

• Bahamut & Tiamat share the same titles/gender association with the Auri Creation Myth.
• The Au Ra had different names for them in their language than what is commonly used now.
• Dragons have been shown to naturally form strong bonds and even fall in love with peoples outside their species.
• Dragons reproduce asexually, however they very likely can reproduce with a mate as well.
• Xaela scales line up with Tiamat. Raen scales may line up with Bahamut in his original form.
• Au Ra are either originally from Meracydia, or Bahamut and Tiamat traveled to Othard before they made their home in Meracydia
• Au Ra were released with Heavensward, the expansion specifically about dragons.

Based on all the above evidence, I propose the Au Ra are draconic, not demonic in nature, and that they are direct descendants of Bahamut and Tiamat. Of course, this is a theory. Disagreement and discussion is more than welcome!

[FJerome]

We know from Azys Lla that the Allag were experimenting on dragon-based chimera and we know from the Lore book that by the end they were also experimenting on the spoken races. Their scientists had unfettered access to Tiamat as a sample and they may have also had access to Bahamut's corpse.

The Au Ra may be in the same situation as the Ixali - they're descended from chimerical Allagan creations, they just don't know it, and what they do remember is filtered down through thousands of years of oral history.

[Naria]

My encylopeadia is still in the mail, so the following might no longer be accurate.

Part of the problem with trying to figure out the origins for the Au Ra is that they changed in development--the Au Ra were definitely draconic when they were first conceived, but as development for Heavensward went on it became apparent that having an openly draconic PC would just not work in Ishgard. It could be that they were originally suppose to be the descendants of Bahamut and Tiamat as you are proposing and that later got changed. It could be that they still are, but the Au Ra are purposely downplaying their draconic heritage for reasons, or have even forgotten it. We can't rule out that some of the spoken races are in whole or part the result of Allagan gene tech until we can conclusively identify which races existed prior to the Third Astral Era. Right now all we have is myth and hearsay. Of course the revamped theme of Au Ra being demonic is possibly even more problematic than them be draconic as the in-game analog for "demons" is voidsent.

Personally I feel that the Au Ra are draconic and I would like for them not to be the result of Allagan experiments, if for no other reason to help develop plot threads other than the "somehow it is always the Allagans' fault (except when it is Ascians)". I don't really have any reasoning for this besides personal preference.

I hope as the game goes on, we continue to get more history of the various races of Hydealyn.

Edit:
On second thought considering Midgardsomr is probably from another shard (maybe even the thirteenth) voidsent vs draconic is likely a wash.

[Balipu]

Actually Naria it's probably the Ascians' fault even when it it is the Allagans' fault. Their shtick is turning everyone into power hungry jerks.
Khyzen: How much do we know of the first few calamities? Is it possible that Meracydia and Othard were a single continent before breaking off due to some cataclysmic event?

[Khyzen]

Actually Naria it's probably the Ascians' fault even when it it is the Allagans' fault. Their shtick is turning everyone into power hungry jerks.
Khyzen: How much do we know of the first few calamities? Is it possible that Meracydia and Othard were a single continent before breaking off due to some cataclysmic event?

That's actually a pretty good angle. Just glanced through the lore book (love this thing), but there's no mention of continental drift or a Pangaea-like supercontinent that the main three continents split from. Good thought though!

As for the change in development, that's also definitely an issue. Just to copy my argument from elsewhere, they never said they were draconian, but they never said they weren't either, they left it up to player interpretation. But now with the lore book and the fact that those titles are the same, I think we have a look at what was supposed to be the original intention. Because they're right, with the expansion the way it was it would have taken way too much time to fit in a backstory for the Au Ra and (probably) have different dialogue depending on if you were one or not. Better for them just to leave it vague. But I do think this is along the lines of what they were going for, and I think it has far more substance and weight against the argument of Au Ra being demonic.

[Naria]

Actually Naria it's probably the Ascians' fault even when it it is the Allagans' fault. Their shtick is turning everyone into power hungry jerks.

Eh it is still the same thing really, I'd like the for every plot thread not to be tied up by the same source.

Why I'd prefer it otherwise I think if the Au Ra are draconic and descendants of Bahamut and Tiamat they probably are via Allagan genetic manipulation. None of the dragon npcs single out an Au Ra PC as being different as any other "spoken" (I understand that this is because of programing reasons, but it still doesn't happen). The theme is spoken/men betraying dragons in Heavensward and it would make more sense if the Au Ra are draconic that it is through reprehensible means like the Ishagardians than the result of a Shiva/Hresvelgr type of pairing or willing creation by Bahamut and Tiamat. It would be a bit odd if the latter was the case and none of the dragons ever brought it up in Heavensward and kept grouping the PC with "them" instead of "us" or even "one of us that became one of them". There is still the third Auri clan that is hinted at being more draconic or less manlike than the other two.

[Morningstar1337]

The Au Ra may be in the same situation as the Ixali - they're descended from chimerical Allagan creations, they just don't know it, and what they do remember is filtered down through thousands of years of oral history.

First the Lalafell, now the Au Ra? What's next? The Miqo'te? Did the Allagans invent every single race in the game? /rant

[myahele]

I suppose one thing to consider is that there's another -much older- clan of Au Ra hiding in Othard; though that was mentioned by Oda-san in an interview and not mentioned at all (yet) in lore.

Though, isn't Tiamat supposed to be the Green dragon in the Celestial Dragons artwork? It's just that her location/lighting makes her look rather dark.

[Balipu]

First the Lalafell, now the Au Ra? What's next? The Miqo'te? Did the Allagans invent every single race in the game? /rant

No, but the qo'te are rumored to be Meracydian. And the Allagans hated them.

[Atoli]

No, but the qo'te are rumored to be Meracydian. And the Allagans hated them.

So the Miqo'te are Meracydians that angry Allaghans cross-bred with Ceourls?
"The Allaghans did it" is starting to go too far ;-;