Hellsguard and technology

[Enur]

In my search to learn everything hellsguard, ive come across a few facts

-Hellsguards are adebt at magic
-Hellsguards live secluded in abalathias spine
-Hellsguards are practical, cares not for pretty designed armor
-Hellsguards holds negative views on alchemy, thinks its against the gods (cannot find sourcing on that one, several rp sites just list it as a thing)

This leads me to believe that hellsguards would also hold technology up as something blasphemic.
Would a traditional hellsguard care to pick up a gun? i have my doubts. while i know that the typical answer is "Oh youre a player character, you can do whatever you feel like" that is now what im looking for. i am looking for what a stereotypical hellsgard would do.

we know that hellsguardian culture by no means is an uneducated one as proven by the Warrior wuesltines where they have taught both common eorzean and ancient roegadyn languages.

How would a typical hellsguard regard advances in technology? like an ordinary man?

[Sounsyy]

Here's every bit of lore on the Hellsguard I've collected. I don't truly have an answer to your question though on their inclinations towards technology. It may be specific to the clan, village, or individual Roegadyn ultimately. For instance, Garlemald has made use of mountain-dwelling Ilsabardian Roegadyn for hundreds of years and, while not technically Hellsguard, they did not seem to mind the Garlean technological revolution and rise of magitek. It could be that the Roegadyn, who are said to exalt feats of strength, view the might of machina as a display of strength. Afterall, magitek, guns, and various clockwork machina have been made to conquer mighty nations and empires the world over throughout time. So would a Hellsguard from Abalathia's Spine? Perhaps, or perhaps not.

In any case, I hope the collection below is helpful!

Massive and heavily muscled, the Roegadyn are easily the most imposing of Eorzea's races. Oft seen vying with one another in feats of strength, they can appear barbaric to the uneducated observer, but in fact are known to be an honorable and compassionate people. The histories are filled with tales of Roegadyn warriors and their courageous deeds.

The Roegadyn are a maritime people hailing from the bleak isles of the Northern Empty, their name meaning "people of the rain." They still maintain a strong presence in their ancestral home on and around Aerslaent ("First Land" in the old tongue), whence many Roegadyn fled seven centuries ago to free themselves from the reign of a despotic tyrant. As is often told, they came ashore on Vylbrand, and the city of Limsa Lominsa rose to prosperity not long thereafter. Many, many years prior to this, an entirely different group of Roegadyn had crossed over to the continent and settled in the mountains, where their descendants - the Hellsguard - reside to this day.

The Roegadyn are roughly grouped into two clans: the Sea Wolves, descended from the seafaring peoples of the north, and the mountain-dwelling Hellsguard - though those belonging to neither clan can be found elsewhere in the Three Great Continents. This includes Garlemald, where Roegadyn officers can be sighted wreaking havoc on the battlefield in the name of the Empire, having been assimilated under the Garlean yoke.

Survival was no small task. In desperation, the Garleans began to employ Roegadyn magi from the central mountains to bolster its own army where it was weakest. They also waged war from the shadows, sending spies to incite conflicts betwixt the surrounding nations. For centuries, Garlemald prevailed, using every tactic at its disposal.

ca. 930 - The Republic of Garlemald is dealt a crippling blow when its capital is raided by the Hyuran nomads of the north.
935 - The Republic forges an alliance with the Roegadyn mountain clans, enlisting Roegadyn battle mages as mercenaries to fortify defenses around the perimeter of the capital.
937 - Bolstered by the strength of the Roegadyn battle mages, the Garlean army succeeds in repelling the nomads.

From the angry seas of the Northern Empty to howling mountain peaks, the Roegadyn have historically made their home in rugged, inhospitable climes. Theirs is a culture that exalts the strong and looks down upon the weak, both among their own kind and outsiders. This is by no means limited to feats of physical strength - even a wee Lalafell might win a Roegadyn's respect with a display of mystical power or strength of will. Those who show no such qualities, however, will find it difficult to convince a Roegadyn to so much as give them the time of day without an exchange of coin.

Blessed with the same bulk and brute strength as their Sea Wolf cousins, the Hellsguard can be distinguished by the color of their skin, which often takes on reddish hues akin to molten rock. Many Hellsguard partake in ascetic firewalking, training from a young age to bring out their latent mystical talents. It is doubtless due to this age-old tradition that the Hellsguard have produced so many great mages, in addition to the fearsome sword and axe-wielding warriors for which their kind are best known.

In contrast to the Sea Wolves, the Hellsguard have adopted names rooted in teh common tongue, that they might be more easily remembered and addressed by other races, in particular the masters they serve as sellswords. Names consist of two words, with male names typically derived from the natural world ("Tall Mountain") and female names often taken from flora ("Blue Lily"). Surnames are rare, perhaps owing to the fierce individuality of those that choose to leave their home behind. Though few in number, there remain some who still speak the old tongue.

With vegetation scarce in their mountain home, the Hellsguard believe in letting nothing edible go to waste, and have traditionally shown little interest in culinary developments or delicacies. Their preferred attire shows a similar propensity for rugged functionality, and consists predominantly of unadorned clothing fashioned from animal skins. The influence of the unforgiving climes they call home on their culture is readily apparent, as they value reticence and perseverance above al virtues.

Few in number but burning with the fierce pride of warriors, the Hellsguard make their home in the desolate reaches of Abalathia's Spine. Their name is derived from the fiery peaks amidst which they founded their village - mountains of flame which they believe to be the gates to the underworld itself.

The Hellsguard are a small clan of Roegadyn that have carved out a home in the north of Abalathia's Spine. It is clan tradition to enter the mercenary trade; thus the Hellsguard took to giving themselves easily remembered names made up of words in the common tongue. They are a common sight on the streets of Ul'dah, earning a living as sellswords or bodyguards.

The Hellsguard are a Roegadyn clan with body and mind tempered by the unforgiving heat of the volcanic regions they inhabit. Believing these mountains of flame to be gates to the underworld, their line has for centuries stood vigil to prevent the passage of souls back to the realm of the living.

As the harsh environs of their homelands produce little sustenance, the second- and third-born are often sent forth from their mountain villages, with many and more making their way to the great cities. It is there that their sheer girth and steely demeanors place them in high demand as soldiers and sellswords, allowing the young of even the largest families to surpass their eldest siblings in prosperity.

There is no mistaking the Hellsguard among the Roegadyn. Their skin is as fiery red as their name implies. They hail from the northern mountains of Abalathia's Spine, where generations among the volcanoes have endowed them with rugged bodies and steely resilience.

Here in Ul'dah, they can oft be seen working as mercenaries and sellswords, or armorers and blacksmiths for those with no taste for violence. I suppose the forges remind them of home... The greatest hindrance in studying the Hellsguard is that they have no patience for Phrontistery members. They regard the alchemical trade as dark and sacrilegious sorcery that spurns the Twelve. I must find a way to study them closer. If only I could somehow procure eight live specimens... <sigh>

Fascinating weapons, halberds. Did you know they were a Hellsguard invention? Their marauders first used them to repel mounted units. A skilled wielder could easily pull a rider from his saddle.

In generations past, warriors seeking fame and glory would journey out into the untamed wilds of Abalathia's Spine in search of the giant grizzled bears that roamed the mountains, and wrestle the bears into submission, riding their prizes back to civilization. That is, or die trying.

A traditional Hellsguard staple consisting of a raptor leg smoked with aromatic wood chips.

[Enur]

I cannot thank you enough for that collection.

It does imply that the mountain clans are ok with technology, even outsourcing their magi to garlean forces. Though knowing garlemald they may not have had a choice.

[Belhi]

This is just my guess but I would say that probably they wouldn't have a problem with technology as a whole. Alchemy is a pretty specific thing, dealing with altering or manipulating the Aetheric properties of matter. Generally your not going to get into cloning or raising the dead with the tech behind firearms.

Its worth noting that ingame quests seem to point towards Ala Mhigans not exactly having a particularly high opinion of Alchemy either and they were known for being a rather advanced nation before there collapse and occupation by Garlemald.

[Enur]

Thats an excellent point belhi. 10% of ala mhigans are hellsguard, and ala mhigo were among the most advanced city states at its prime even more so now that the garleans took it.

[Ghastly]

Amazing! I always wanted to learn/talk about hellsguard lore and all this information is perfect thank you!

It really makes me to want to switch from machinist to black mage (I have both leveled but might make black mage my main dps now).

Wow I didn't know the hellsguard helped out the garlean so much. But it's not surprising since hellsguard are strong warriors that earn a lot of respect and demand.
And alchemy is a no no

I hope that when we visit Aerslaent (roegadyn homeland) that they also let us visit the Farreach where the hellsguard live...would be a shame if not :x

[PArcher]

Hmm. I'm finding it interesting that Roe have been part of the Garlean war machine for a long time, and many are officers in the military. Yet, Gaius was worried about his troops abandoning (don't have game open so not butchering spelling, but you know who I'm talking about). This just because he was a "newer" conquest, or something else going on?

[Sounsyy]

Yet, Gaius was worried about his troops abandoning (don't have game open so not butchering spelling, but you know who I'm talking about). This just because he was a "newer" conquest, or something else going on?

The reasoning wouldn't be because of Arvina's race, in that case, but because he achieved the highest rank possible for a conscript from an annexed territory. Gaius handpicked him, specifically ignoring his birth origin, something that many of his fellow Garleans or subordinates might not do.

Though native to a territory subjugated by the Empire, Rhitahtyn nevertheless serves as praefectus castrorum of the XIVth Imperial Legion. The Roegadyn was awarded the rank by Gaius van Baelsar himself, the legatus more interested in recognizing the mercenary's exceptional martial prowess than the origin of his birth. Rhitahtyn wields a unique gunshield named Tartarus.

Sas - Praefectus Castrorum - Commander of a castrum stationed in or near enemy territory, and the highest rank attainable by a citizen not of Garlean ancestry.

[Enur]

Rereading those info boxes i cant help but draw the corellations twixt what we know of red mage and hellsguards.

We know that ilberd/raubahn uses one handed swords with fire enhancements, raubahn even using "ancient bladedancing techniques"
Its says in the encyclopedia that hellsguards are known for their sword and axe useages. Warriors dont use axes, red mages do. Ilberd/raubahn are both from ala mhigo and (what a coincidence) ala mhigo has a 10% helsguard population. Going further down the rabbit hole it also states hellsguard undergoing firewalking rites.

Its feels too perfect for the lorebook to mention hellsguard sword useage and ancient ala mhigan bladedancing

[ReclusiveMage]

This was really insightful learning more on Hellsguard. Although, the whole Hellsguard forming an alliance with the Garleans in their war does not sit well with me. ._.
I don't look forward to having to maybe put down my fellow Roebros somewhere in the Stormblood expansion.
Still though, very enlightening. Thank you for this.