Was Fordola given Gaius' Gunblade, Heirsbane?

[Rau]

I wasn't sure if this was explicitly stated, or simply hinted at, but considering Gaius' history with Ala Mhigo, his Title being "Black Wolf", and Fordola's surname being Lupis(Latin for Wolf), is it safe to assume she was given Heirsbane?

Is there any further history between them?

[Grayve]

The gunblade she was given was just a standard issue, it looked like. Xenos just ordered one of his legionnaires to give her the gunblade the legionnaire was wielding.

[Daralii]

The gunblade she was given was just a standard issue, it looked like. Xenos just ordered one of his legionnaires to give her the gunblade the legionnaire was wielding.

But Fordola says something like "Is that...?", like she recognizes it. Would she have that kind of reaction for a standard-issue gunblade?

I was also wondering if it was Heirsbane, because of Gaius's relation to her and the Cranea Lupae.

[Anonymoose]

While the name (Fordola rem Lupis / Fordola Wolf, Pilus) and unit (Crania Lupi / Skulls of the Wolf) refer to Gaius, the gunblade is likely a coincidence. Gaius was forced to share many things that were at first unique; in the end, he didn't even get his own musical theme. (EDIT: ...YET )

Every solder standing there has a copy of Heirsbane. (See: The Swift and Secret Departure, Cutscene # 2)

Moreover, he specifies to the Pilus Prior, "Give her your weapon."

Hydrus had one, too.

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

Now that I think about it, there's even a line of Zenos' that implies a less-than-fortunate fate of the blade's previous owner, which I found weird at the time, because nothing bad happened to the person whom he took the blade from. I can totally see the Heirsbane hints.

[Grayve]

But Fordola says something like "Is that...?", like she recognizes it. Would she have that kind of reaction for a standard-issue gunblade?

I was also wondering if it was Heirsbane, because of Gaius's relation to her and the Cranea Lupae.

I took her reaction to be because getting a gunblade is a symbol of merit or recognition.

[Lucke]

Now that I think about it, there's even a line of Zenos' that implies a less-than-fortunate fate of the blade's previous owner, which I found weird at the time, because nothing bad happened to the person whom he took the blade from. I can totally see the Heirsbane hints.

I remember it too. Something like "Perhaps it will serve you better than it's previous master." Kinda weird to refer to just some nameless Garlean like that. But then, how did that garlean end up with Gaius' gunblade?

[Anonymoose]

A bit of a digression for a moment.

The term "centurion" is an umbrella with a large shadow - many titles are actually specific subtypes of this role. There are 60 centurions total in a legion (1 per century, thus 2 per maniple, thus 6 per cohort). Most of these have the title quo. Fordola's title rem, combined with them referring to her as "pilus" a few times, indicates that she is one of the more important centurions in a legion - the centurion of a cohort's 1st Century, and in command of that entire cohort in battle.

In order for her to be primus pilus, she would have to be the senior centurion of the entire legion and in command of its first cohort. Gaius was in command of the XIVth Legion. Zenos is in command of the XIIth. It is unclear which Fordola belongs to, but she's unlikely to be the primus pilus of either. Even if Gaius did promote Rhitahtyn to praefectus castorum and set a precedent for high-ranking foreigners in the XIVth, the 1st Cohort was wiped out at the Praetorium after they went rogue. The 9th and 10th Cohorts of the XIVth Legion were never encountered, probably left behind to secure Gyr Abania. I posit that the Crania Lupi are one of these two Cohorts on official documents - perhaps absorbed into the XIIth later, perhaps not. This means that Fordoola is most likely a pilus prior, and that the Crania Lupi are a cohort numbered between the 2nd and 10th, whatever their official designation actually is now.

The soldier that Zenos strips of the gunblade when gifting it to her is himself a pilus prior. He is thus likely equal to Fordola in rank, but probably considers himself better than her by virtue of probably being of Garlean birth, or probably being a member of the XIIth Legion, or perhaps both.

Now, look again at what Zenos says:

A reward given in recognition of your service. I trust you will prove more capable than its former owner.

This could easily just mean, "Good job capturing Krile. I will reward you with a gunblade, the choice weapon of true Garlean officers. In fact, please, help yourself to the one my officer here is presently wearing, considering you're apparently more capable than him."

It's an action that inspires hope in Fordola's dream of the Ala Mhigans being seen as equal to pureblood Garleans as members of the Empire by virtue of their strength and battlefield merit, as Gaius would have warped her to believe was the best possible outcome for her people. It raises her up to, if she fails (and she will) cast her down hard enough to break her and fill her full of hate. Likewise, if she succeeded, it would have done the same to his men - inspired them to be stronger, more ruthless, more rabid and violent in the Hunt - more vicious in the great game that Zenos saw the world to be. Recall that he flat out killed people who didn't exemplify this behavior.

The XIIth is no place for the weak.

The XIIth is no place for cowards who count their lives more precious than the cause.

[Cilia]

Seeing as Gaius had Heirsbane with him when he died, unless the XIIth was somehow able to grab his corpse from the ruined Praetorium and get Heirsbane out intact... I find that a hard sell.

[Grayve]

I just used centurian because I couldn't recall the official title the officer had... probably just should have used officer.