Weather, Geography, and the Calamity

[Mysterysword]

I'm sure my questions are all already answered in other threads, but I do have some specific questions regarding changes in the landscape before and after the Calamity.

For now, I'm looking to find out about the lore behind changes in Thanalan's geography in particular, though I will be asking about other regions later on. More specifically, I wanted to know about Nophica's Wells.

I can't remember much, except for what may have been an NPC saying that it used to be an oasis pre-Calamity, and then it got drained by the landscape changes? But then the lorebook comes in and says something about a cave-in of underground caverns, which may or may not have been caused by the Calamity.

Also, how did weather patterns in Thanalan change between 1.0 and 2.0? It rains quite a bit in-game now, but was it the same in 1.0? Why is Drybone still "dry" when I distinctly recall questing in the middle of a torrential downpour in-game?

How do dust storms affect Central Thanalan, but never affect Ul'dah when they're right next to each other?

Getting into theorycrafting here, but where does Ul'dah get its freshwater from? Do the Wells and rainfall supply everything? Why does the Goblet have a massive waterfall in it? I can't remember seeing anything like a water purification plant in-game, but is it possible for something like that to exist, given the presence of their alchemists?

[Anonymoose]

I wanted to know about Nophica's Wells. <...> may have been an NPC saying that it used to be an oasis pre-Calamity, and then it got drained by the landscape changes? But then the lorebook comes in and says something about a cave-in of underground caverns, which may or may not have been caused by the Calamity.

Most of Thanalan's surface was the same copy-pasta sand, but what was under it varied by location. There were mines, antling tunnels, natural tunnels, small caves, connected cave systems, etc. It was one of the places that the lower variance in textures and limited number of area shapes became less obvious (but the lack of content in them moreso).

Western Thanalan had a lot of mesa in the northwest - most of the zone you traversed regularly was actually at the same elevation as Cape Westwind. If you go up there and look out today, you can kind of see that a lot of the zone used to be that high up. However, below was a massive series of tunnels that had been eroded away. You could try to sneak through all of the antlings and drakes there, but there wasn't much to see (that could be accessed, anyway). The Calamity caused a lot of these caverns to fall in on themselves, as if the mesa was held up by pillars that were knocked down. This is especially obvious if you look at the dig sites you run through between Horizon's aetheryte and Vesper Bay. These NPCs are exploring what was hidden under them for years.

Nophica's Wells was in the southeast of western Thanalan, always at a lower elevation than the rest. It was a natural drainage basin full of cenotes. There was a ramp you'd run down into the valley and three of those hollowed-out-cliff things like what make up Little Ala Mhigo (they had those copied-pased all over the landscape and rotated a bit to hide that they only came in a few shapes, some were connected, others not).

You used to have to go north through central Thanalan, then west, then south, to reach Nophica's Wells and the Silver Bazaar. The Calamity collapsed the middle and you can just go west straight through what's left of it.

Also, how did weather patterns in Thanalan change between 1.0 and 2.0? It rains quite a bit in-game now, but was it the same in 1.0? Why is Drybone still "dry" when I distinctly recall questing in the middle of a torrential downpour in-game?

From Patch 1.18 onwards, the weather patterns in Eorzea got progressively more erratic. Whereas rain in Thanalan was rare (if ever seen), sudden downpours there became common to show just how off things were getting. At one point it fell for several earth days straight. The team also adjusted where water appeared, removing it from some places (such as Nophica's Wells, and placing it in places where it hadn't been previously. These relatively easy but obvious changes were mostly a way of showing that something was very wrong, especially because many still associated flooding and Calamity via the previous Umbral Era.

How do dust storms affect Central Thanalan, but never affect Ul'dah when they're right next to each other?

Cities are usually immune to things that make it harder to find your way around, there are new players there after all. So ... walls ... I guess ><

Getting into theorycrafting here, but where does Ul'dah get its freshwater from?

This area of Thanalan has a bit more in the way of drainage basins, springs, aquifers, etc. Access to these sections of the water table was a primary factor in the war between Ul'dah and Sil'dih, as the latter had better access and cut off the former's in some places.

[Powe]

EDIT INCOMING (Organizing sections)

"grabs popcorn" oooooo I can't wait!

[Enkidoh]

Further adding to Professor Moose's excellent explanation about pre-Calamity Thanalan, there was a quest in version 1.0 which stated that Thanalan was originally forested like the Black Shroud an inderterminable time in the past, but had gradually become arid until it was the semi-desert savannah seen in 1.0 (and the even more arid version it is now).

Hence there was a sincere attempt in Ul'dah by ecologically-minded souls (one of whom was fittingly from Gridania) to try and make Thanalan green again by planting trees, efforts that were constantly being frustrated by vermin eating the sproutlings (specifically, dodos, hence the player was tasked to kill the vermin as part of the quest.). I haven't seen this information stated anywhere in ARR though, so whether it is still canon I am unsure.

EDIT: the 1.0 quest in question was called 'An Inconvenient Dodo' and the entirety of the quest dialogue is recited below:

U'bokhn: "Parched much? How's about a cold beverage to slake that adventurer's thirrrrst?"
U'bokhn: "What is it then? You think I enjoy this? Doling out drinks to passersby? It ain't the most glamorous work, I grant you that. But it's got to be done-for the sake of the Desert Shade."
U'bokhn: "Never heard of the Desert Shade have you? See, there? You have only proved my point. Well, I'll enlighten you. It is a group of concerned souls fighting for the ecology of Ul'dah. We do what we can to stop these arid lands becoming even drier."
U'bokhn: "I hail from Gridania, myself. I couldn't believe me own peepers first time I laid eyes on Ul'dah. Never knew there to be landscapes without the merest trace o'green."
U'bokhn: "Willing to wager you didn't know this whole area used to be forests, either, did you? Aye, well it was. It pains me heart to think of all them trees and shrubs and whatnot, slowly drying up and dying."
U'bokhn: "And look at this hellish-hot, barren wasteland left in the wake of it all."
U'bokhn: "That's why I gathered together all those who felt like I did, and founded the Desert Shade. Even got sanctioned by the Botanists' Guild so as we could register guildleves and get you willing and able-bodied adventurers to help our cause."
U'bokhn: "Trouble is, on the rare occasions when we are able to get seeds to sprout in these fallow barrens, those damned stuffed dodos come along and gobble 'em up! It's enough to make you think Mother Nature don't know what's in her own best interest!"
U'bokhn: "The most recent success we've had is over by the Nanawa Mines. I'm asking every adventurer to kill me eight stuffed dodos. You look capable enough. What do you say?"
(after accepting)
U'bokhn: "I see there's a bit o' green in your heart! I'll mark the lands we fertilized on your map."
U'bokhn: "Hurry along now, and kill the vile little buggers before they polish off all of our sprouts!"
(Upon completion)
U'bokhn: "Parched much? How's about a cold beverage to slake-oh! It's you!"
U'bokhn: "Tell me, have you killed those winged vermin that have been eating our sprouts?"
U'bokhn: "Magnificent! May their blood feed the soil! Thanks to you, the Desert Shade's efforts won't be for naught!"
U'bokhn: "You've done Eorzea a great service. I thank you-and the land thanks you too. Here, take this."

[Mysterysword]

Thanks, I also realised I mixed up Rootslake and Nophica's Wells a bit in my initial post. So if I have this right, the part of Nophica's Wells between Horizon and Scorpion Crossing is the result of a massive cave-in during the Calamity, and not natural riverbed erosion?

Looking at Vesper Bay now, it seems to be situated underneath what would've been a mesa pre-Calamity. Was it actually built underground in 1.0 as well, or simply reconstructed in its current location afterwards? Same questions apply to Crescent Cove, although I doubt the village was ever moved or reconstructed.

Also, speaking of the Silver Bazaar, was it more populated in 1.0? Are the islands that we see off the coast from there the Cieldalaes?

[Enkidoh]

Pre-Calamity, Vesper Bay actually... didn't have much there. From what I remember, there was a couple of tents that served as the entrance to the docks, the dock itself (where the Limsa-Lominsa ferry departed from and arrived at), and a non-functional chocobo carriage station whose npc pretty much told you to take a hike in no uncertain terms if you asked about riding it. Other than that, it was pretty empty and desolate (like most 1.0 hamlets were).

EDIT: and after looking through my screenshots of 1.0 it appears I was wrong, there was at least one substantial structure there - the dock ticket office building. Whether there was more though I'm unsure (I can't see any others in the screenshots I took).

[Enur]

While we're talking about old 1.0 settlements, are there any compiled comparison between the 1.0 villages and their 2.0/3.0 counterparts? I'd love to see an actual comparison.

1.0 seemed like such a big world. Albeit a copypasted world, but big none the less. Its a shame i didnt hear as much as a mention of ffxiv until HW came around.

[Clethoria]

All that lore

Thank you for all your posts. I love reading them. Makes me feel like I have the lore book.

[Sounsyy]

More specifically, I wanted to know about Nophica's Wells. I can't remember much, except for what may have been an NPC saying that it used to be an oasis pre-Calamity, and then it got drained by the landscape changes? But then the lorebook comes in and says something about a cave-in of underground caverns, which may or may not have been caused by the Calamity.

There's not a ton of lore on Nophica's Wells, but here's what I have on the region.

ノフィカの井戸について
スレッドの主旨とは少しこと違うのですが、良い機会ですので「ノフィカの井戸」について。
Not related to main topic of the thread but since it's good opportunity here's some info on Nophica's well.

十二神信仰は、地域ごとに差はありますが、基本的に多神教になります。自分の都市の守護神を、特に大切に扱うのが基本ですが、だからと言ってそのほかの神々を信じていない、ということではありません。（例外的に、守護神以外を格下と見る地域もあります）
There are differences in the twelve depending on the region but basically have multi god religion (?) You normally would protect/keep in mind of the guardian related to your city but it doesn't mean they don't believe in other gods. (Some region looks down on other gods)

ザナラーンという乾燥した地域に、忽然と水が湧き出る土地があったことから昔の人々が、「豊穣の女神ノフィカ様が、作物を実らせるために井戸を作ってくれたに違いない！」といった感覚で名付けたのが、例の地名になります。
For a dry region such as Thanalan there was a land that had water and for that reason the people thought that the goddess of harvest Nophica built a well for us so we can grow crops! so that's the reason behind the naming for that region.

Nestled between Hammerlea and Horizon's Edge, Nophica's Wells is a natural basin created by the recent cave-in of a massive network of underground caverns. As a rare source of water in the deserts of Thanalan, the area is lush and verdant, as if blessed by Nophica, the goddess of abundance.

Popoto fields in the remote area of Nophica's Wells have fallen victim to feral flocks of ravenous dodos who rip up the plants' leaves, then dig up the tasty tubers with their powerful legs and beaks. In order to protect the fields which feed the sultanate, the Brass Blades are seeking adventurers willing to travel to the area, locate the flock, and slay the troublesome cloudkin before they can cause any further damage.

Faeces left by dodos who use the pools as drinking water have begun to poison Nophica's Wells. As this is also the only source of water for those yeomen living in the area, something must be done before the poor men and women are forced to abandon their farmsteads. Volunteers are sought to hunt down the dodos and drive off the cloudkin using any means necessary.

Also, how did weather patterns in Thanalan change between 1.0 and 2.0? It rains quite a bit in-game now, but was it the same in 1.0? Why is Drybone still "dry" when I distinctly recall questing in the middle of a torrential downpour in-game?

Moose already touched on this, but the Calamity did have an effect on the weather across Eorzea, namely bringing more rains in the otherwise arid desert. This gets brought up in 2.0 as well:

Increased rains in Thanalan since the Calamity have seen the population of cactuars explode, putting more and more travelers in danger of becoming victims of thousand-pronged attacks. The Brass Blades request the aid of well-armored adventurers to seek out the seedkin and return them to the soil. It is recommended that volunteers come dressed lightly, for when threatened, cactuars will often attempt to flee, and heavy armor will only prove a burden to the pursuer.

But Drybone isn't strictly named because of how frequently it seems to rain nowadays. It has more to do with the blistering sun and the more frequent hot days. There's several levequests that also go into Thanalan's normal climate, talking about how Ishgardian traders often burn or die of thirst and other such heat-related disasters faced by the Seventy-seven Caravans etc. Anyways, according to an NPC in Drybone, this is the reason for the camp's name:

The sun is as hot hands pressing down on you here. There's naught left of those who succumb to the heat but dry bones, hence the camp's name. I don't envy you adventurers in the slightest, what with all that gear and armor you must be carrying.

there was a quest in version 1.0 which stated that Thanalan was originally forested like the Black Shroud an inderterminable time in the past, but had gradually become arid until it was the semi-desert savannah seen in 1.0 (and the even more arid version it is now). I haven't seen this information stated anywhere in ARR though, so whether it is still canon I am unsure.

Though the Desert Shade organization hasn't made a reappearance that I'm aware of, U'bokhn's story is corroborated by the Sons of Saint Coinach and Encyclopedia Eorzea.

Never heard of the Desert Shade, have you? See, there? You've only proved my point. Well, I'll enlighten you. It is a group of concerned souls fighting for the ecology of Ul'dah. We do what we can to stop these arid lands becoming even drier. I hail from Gridania, myself. Couldn't believe me own peepers first time I laid eyes on Ul'dah. Never knew there to be landscapes without the merest trace o' green.

Willing to wager you didn't know this whole area used to be forests, either, did you? Aye, well it was. It pains me heart to think of all them trees and shrubs and whatnot, slowly drying up and dying. And look at this hellish-hot, barren wasteland left in the wake of it all. That's why I gathered together all those who felt as I did and founded the Desert Shade. Even got sanctioned by the Botanists' Guild so as we could register guildleves and get you willing and able-bodied adventurers to help our cause. Trouble is, on them rare occasions when we are able to get seeds to sprout in these fallow barrens, those damned stuffed dodos come along and gobble 'em up! It's enough to make you think Mother Nature don't know what's in her own best interests!

The Sagolii Desert
According to the Sons of Saint Coinach, the Sagolii Desert was once a verdant sea of lush plains capable of sustaining great civilizations, as is evidenced by the ruins recently discovered in the area. How such a place devolved into a lifeless desert remains a mystery, but recent disaster tells us an ancient Calamity is the likely culprit.

Recent discoveries of the skeletons of large plant-eating fauna in the Grand Wake have some scholars convinced that Thanalan's modern-day deserts were once a lush grassland lost in the fires of the calamity that ended the Second Astral Era.

Now, whether Thanalan was a complete desert already by the time of the Allagans I don't know, but the Miqo'te inhabitants of the Sagolii confirm that the region was a desert by the time of the War of the Magi.

Every night around the communal bonfires, children of the U tribe are regaled with epic tales of ancient battles fought by wizards riding the backs of magicked dune mantas. If the children's claims are to be believed, such mantas still swim the dunes of the Sagolii as they did in ages past.

Getting into theorycrafting here, but where does Ul'dah get its freshwater from? Do the Wells and rainfall supply everything? Why does the Goblet have a massive waterfall in it? I can't remember seeing anything like a water purification plant in-game, but is it possible for something like that to exist, given the presence of their alchemists?

Mainly they steal it from the expertly created Sil'dihn aqueducts which run beneath the city-state. Then a newer system of pumps and channeling forces water from the deep reserves beneath the ground up into the city. Ul'dah wasn't always so strategically placed near water though. Roughly 400 years ago the sultan of Sil'dih, Lalawefu Sil Tatawefu the King of the Springs, enacted a series of dams and aqueducts to divert a portion of the Yugr'am River to feed their city-state, but diverts it away from neighboring Ul'dah. By direct causation or by pure happenstance, Thanalan faces a severe drought soon after and Ul'dah attacks Sil'dih over water. Very, very long story short, Ul'dah wins and later relocates Ul'dah on top of the fallen Sil'dih to utilize their water systems already in place.

The Gold Court
Through the brilliant channeling and pumping of water with fountains and siphons, a portion of the region's invaluable water supply is redirected to this garden area which neighbors the imperial palace. There it sustains a collection of beautiful flowers and lush shrubberies, a rare sight in the midst of such a desolate landscape. In former times, the Gold Court was used exclusively by sultans and sultanas for balls, galas, and other such events. But given the lavish expenses incurred by maintaining the gardens, and the recent financial hardships which have befallen the royal coffers, it has since been entrusted and opened to the citizenry.

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.

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

Looking at Vesper Bay now, it seems to be situated underneath what would've been a mesa pre-Calamity. Was it actually built underground in 1.0 as well, or simply reconstructed in its current location afterwards? Same questions apply to Crescent Cove, although I doubt the village was ever moved or reconstructed.

Yes, ish. The lower marshy area known as the Footfalls (where the Silent King is located) was in 1.0. And you did have to go down a slope down into this lower area, seen in this picture. But western Thanalan had a lot of these mesa/ravines that you actually had to backtrack from this location through a series of caves and tunnels. One of them lead further west, and like in ARR came out at a dock, though not nearly as big a "town" as the Vesper you know today.

Also, speaking of the Silver Bazaar, was it more populated in 1.0? Are the islands that we see off the coast from there the Cieldalaes?

The Silver Bazaar hasn't changed drastically, actually. In 1.0 it had about ten people there. It was once a bustling sea port and was noted as being the heart of Ul'dahn sea trade. That is until the popularity of Vesper grew and the decline was largely blamed upon the Ala Mhigans, many of whom took refuge there. In 1.0, the hamlet was practically a second Little Ala Mhigo. As for the islands seen off the coast, highly unlikely that those are the Cieldalaes. Those are much further southwest.

The Silver Bazaar was once the heart of Ul'dahn sea trade. However, few vessels put into port at the hamlet's lonely docks anymore, sailing instead for the deep harbor at Vesper Bay. Of late, the town is a refuge for those who saw their dreams shattered in Ul'dah and are trying in desperation to pick up the pieces.

In times long past, the merchants of the Silver Bazaar would light a great bonfire on a hill adjacent the hamlet in order to see ships safely to port. At the height of Bazaar's prosperity, money was donated by shopkeeps and ship captains alike towards the construction of a mighty lighthouse that stands atop that selfsame hill.

Nowadays, The Silver Bazaar's nothing but a refuge for Ala Mhigans. And so what if it is? All the better, I say. They work hard and complain little. Not like Ul'dahns.

While we're talking about old 1.0 settlements, are there any compiled comparison between the 1.0 villages and their 2.0/3.0 counterparts? I'd love to see an actual comparison.

A while back I put together this very basic Settlements overview for newer folks to see what was around when and where prior to the Calamity versus today. If you're speaking strictly of pictures comparing 1.0 to ARR I don't really know of any compilation like that. I'd suggest maybe taking some of these settlement names and typing them into google, something like "ffxiv silver bazaar 1.0" and scroll until you find something?

There was the original 1.19 update that introduced several "new" settlements (that may or may not have already been there for some time depending) that has some pictures, so I can link that for a general idea!

-Eorzean Settlements Overview
-1.19 Introducing Settlements



Hope this helps! ^^

[Mysterysword]

Hope this helps! ^^

Thanks! This is helping so much more than you think, I'm so glad I read all this before writing something in my fanfic that I'd have to go and retcon out later on. Especially all that info about Ul'dah's water source. I always assumed Eorzeans must have internal plumbing, because they do appear to have the technology for it, and I've seen what appears to be drainage grates on the sides of Ul'dah's roads, in particular.

What about Limsa Lominsa's water, though? The only reference to it I can recall is that FATE in Lower La Noscea in the pond next to the Moraby Drydocks, saying that fresh water is hard to come by on Vylbrand.

Also, unrelated to the above, where exactly is the Goblet located? I know Mist is just on the other side of some cliffs from Lower La Noscea, and I assume the Lavender Beds are on an island in the middle of the Jadeite Flood?