Nophica - Good for more than Gridanians?

[Kyran-Varlsen]

I started my adventuring career as a Conjurer in Gridania who worshiped Nophica. Following this path I later joined the Order of the Twin Adder. So far so good right? Well, I started to develop some gripes.

Compared to the other cities I found Gridania was rather rural and, frankly, quite boring. The Twin Adder motto “Wood’s will be done” seemed trite. High Commander Vorsaile Heuloix, my commanding officer, was dim enough to believe everything that dunce in the Sylph Beast Tribe storyline told him … even the part where “I” wore a chocobo costume.

Then so much of patch 2.55 content centered on the machinations of Ul’dah that, following the climax of that whole sordid affair, I felt a change in loyalties was in order. The Sultana had personally requested I aid Flame General Raubahn Aldynn, who always had my back until the last. So the next time I met up with the Flame General it was not as Serpent Lieutenant but as a Flame Lieutenant.

[Kyran-Varlsen]

That said, I was wondering if a change in gods was therefore in order. On the one hand I have little interest in Nald'thal, but worshiping the goddess of a neighboring city-state seemed contradictory. I can use my Fantasia for such but I was thinking of holding onto it just in case sticking to Nophica was acceptable.

[Kyran-Varlsen]

I therefore wanted to preface said worship on 3 Elements:

1) Nophica functions as a sort of patron goddess of conjurers considering many of the spells are referenced to her in the Japanese version. This would also work for White Mages and it translates nicely to Paladins worshiping her as they also use conjury magic (my preferred future tank class).

2) It can be argued that Nophica is more than a farmer’s deity considering that her chief rival in the pantheon of the Twelve is none other than Halone herself. You would have to have taken a few levels in badass to be considered the rival of the goddess of war herself.

3) Nophica’s name is also used in Thanalan to refer to some depleted water sources (Nophica’s Wells) so it does not seem that she is a completely foreign deity to Ul’dah.

So what does everyone else think? Is worship of Nophica okay in Ul’dah?

[Cilia]

Worshiping any deity in any city-state is acceptable.

Eorzea is much like Hellenic Greece in that it has an array of city-states that fight among each other at times, ally with each other at times, and share a common pantheon. Thus while Nophica is the matron deity of Gridania, Nald'thal the patron deity (deities) of Ul'dah, Llymalaen the matron deity of Limsa, and Rhalgr the (former) patron deity of Ala Mhigo, all the gods have worshipers in all the city-states. It just depends on what you want to pray for.

Whether or not you want to change your personal guardian deity, well... that's another matter. But I'm of the mind that your guardian deity isn't something you "choose" so much as it is the god(dess) who favors you more than the others. (Assuming Eorzean religion isn't just a bunch of malarkey, at any rate.)

[Enkidoh]

As Cilia mentioned, Eorzeans are pretty easy going when it comes to worshiping another member of the Twelve that is not the city's chosen 'guardian' - they consider it more the important thing is that you are worshiping the Twelve period.

And, the irony is, where as the Twelve still seem to be somewhat unseen forces that may or may not exist (although Ferne confirmed a while ago that the Twelve actually are real, but not necessarily in a form that you would expect), it is Hydaelyn who instead seems to be the the very real divine force directly interacting with the player's character (after all, the player's character was given the Echo by Her, She directly intercedes to protect them on more than one occasion (*cough* Ultima *cough cough*), they are told to gather the Crystals of Light by Her, and by the end, the player is even stated as being "Hydaelyn's Champion", making whatever piddly god or goddess of the Twelve they revere somewhat moot.)

Really, your story you have came up with for you character works well so don't feel your character is 'breaking lore' by being a CNJ and moving to Ul'dah, Conjury after all comes from the elementals and not Nophica anyway (and the elementals exist in all nature, not just in the Black Shroud), so even that won't make them 'less potent' ability wise.

[Fenral]

Adding to Cilia's above comment, it was also not unheard of in the late-BCs/early-ADs for a household to worship gods across entirely different pantheons. You could have a shrine to the Greek Hera, the Roman Janus, and the Egyptian Horus, without being forced to subscribe to one over the other, all based on your personal belief in their respective dominions (or the much more directly observable influence of their followers). Why all that changed is another sad story entirely, but the long and short of it is that, historically, polytheistic religions tended to find much more commonality in diverse belief systems.

Baelsar even points out that the Twelve are technically no more valid than the Primals, not that Twelve worship was ever that big a plot point after Louie did his thing. By that same logic, you could probably get away with RP-worshipping any deity you wanted, wherever you wanted, so long as you don't start amassing aspected crystals for a summoning.

[Anonymoose]

A further addendum, religion in Eorzea is almost never a monolithic institution (barring Ishgard, generally). Even in Ul'dah, Minfilia's Path of the Twelve was able to operate relatively unnoticed because - being focused on the Twelve - they seemed completely unremarkable compared to all the other pockets of not-the-Order-of-Nald'thal and full-blown cults.

Not to mention that Nophica is the patron of all Disciples of the Land and mining is a big part of Ul'dahn culture. Attention paid to the Matron would not be strange in the least.

[Sagittarian]

Worship of Nophica in Ul'dah is fine .. they'll just call you a hippie.

Expanding slightly on the RP aspects of what everyone else said, keep in mind that a patron deity is distinct from the city-state itself which is also distinct from the grand company. Supporting one does not mean supporting either of the others. While Peisistratos once tried to take over Athens by getting a Roegadame to pose as Athena, the city-state and GC leaders are not directly chosen or sanctioned by the patron diety. So it is perfectly sensible to be a follower of Nophica who:

1. Disagrees with Gridanian politics / Kan-E Senna
2. Disagrees with Twin Adder leadership/philosophy
3. Thinks the Immortal Flames need more help given ARR events
4. Wants to support the Sultana
5. Wants to spread the "good sward" where it is needed most

As a follower of Azeyma, I'd probably fit in best in Ul'dah but rather than the harsh sun of the deserts I prefer the nurturing sun of the Gridanian woods.

.. "good sward" was a horrible pun and I feel bad about it

[Kyran-Varlsen]

Ah, well I suppose that makes sense. Thanks for the information everyone.

Still, I always wondered why they would make Halone the rival of Nophica. The two are opposites to be sure, except for the Twin Adder poster which depicts Nophica in a more warlike form as opposed to the jubilant farmer with a scythe she is normally portrayed as. Otherwise the goddesses have different territories religion wise - their ideologies should be able to coexist due to such a separation. So why would the Goddess of War feud with the Goddess of Abundance? There seems to be no obvious reason.

Nophica as depicted by the Twin Adder Below (well it is a recruitment poster )




Statue of Halone below here:

[Sagittarian]

I don't think Halone and Nophica *feud* per se. They are rivals because their traits are opposite but they don't necessarily hate each other.

Halone is a goddess of fury and ice. Nophica is a goddess of nurturing and abundance.

If you compare Ishgard and Gridania they are pretty opposite - frozen tundra vs large forests, rigid tiered society vs hunter/gatherers, constantly at war vs trying to exist in harmony. The city states here I think really embody the differences between their patrons. As you get more into the Heavensward story, keep an eye on how those trying to make peace with the dragons (a Nophican approach) are treated in Ishgard.