Void vs. void – The “Void” beyond Eorzea

[Onizuka]

Hello, adventurers of the localization team!

A couple of days ago I made a trip to Coerthas for gathering and while I was there I went to the entrance of the Dzemael Darkhold, to explore and speak with the characters there.

Dyrstweitz told me a few interesting tidbits about the story behind the Darkhold, like here:

“Over decades, countless new tunnels and chambers were dug, expanding the subterranean fortress for malms in every direction. Expansion, however, was cut short when a sapper's incendiaries tore a hole in the aetheric plane, simultaneously flooding the area with toxic concentrations of aetheric fumes, and granting admission to a legion of nightmarish creatures from beyond the void.”


I can't enter the Darkhold yet, but during my adventures in The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak, I always noticed that when, after placing the 4 photocells into the terminal, it says: “All nearby creatures have retreated to the Void.”, with the first letter of Void in upper case.

So I started to wonder: is it void or Void? Is it just the same place?

...But more importantly – and this is the main reason I'm reporting this, I admit – what exactly is the Void in Eorzea?

I always read the dev team posts here, so I remember that you also shed some more light on certain aspects of Eorzea, like the interesting explanation on Roegadyns' names.

I always asked to myself how does it work, for monsters, when they die in battle. Like, once I defeat them, they die and go to this “Void”, and maybe can “return” to their previous spot like we adventurers do with the Return command, using the aetheric energy in us to decompose our bodies and teleport (at least, this is the explanation I read more than a year ago by the old dev team, if it's still valid).
While some other times, a new fiend appears, maybe sent by the Void to let rest and/or aid the defeated one.


Well, all right, I've a lot of fantasy, but nonetheless I'd be really interested to know an official explanation on this matter, so if you can give it to me and to the other adventurers that might want to know, it would be Great.

Thanks for reading!

[Lienn]

I believe here the Void refers to an entity...just like FFXI's "Emptyness". Its not the ipsis litteris meaning of void...so much the Arcana here id named Voidsent. i'd just assume that Void here would be the embodiment of darkess.

[Fernehalwes]

Thanks for the question Onizuka!

I have a few minutes before I dive back into patch 1.19 work, so I'll tell you what I can about the "void."

The "void" is the generic term that inhabitants of Eorzea have given to a dark realm they believe exists beyond their own. This domain is different from the heavens (where the Twelve reside) and the seven hells (one of the destinations to which those who do not follow the teachings of Nald'thal believe the body goes upon death). Little, however, is known about the void or what it contains, and thus creatures deemed too queer or unnatural to be "of Eorzea" (such as ahriman, imps, phurbles, etc.) are often categorized as "voidsent," the common belief being that they were sent by some sinister force from beyond the corporeal realm. Recently, Eorzean scholars have begun pointing to the high concentration of voidsent in the Dzemael Darkhold as evidence of the void's existence, though concrete proof (beyond the Ishgardian sapper's claim) has yet to be uncovered.

I know you guys are dying for more, but that's all I can give you for today!

(Oh, and I'll fix that instance of "Void." You're right, it should be lowercased. Nice catch!)

[Sigmakan]

Thanks for the question Onizuka!

I have a few minutes before I dive back into patch 1.19 work, so I'll tell you what I can about the "void."

The "void" is the generic term that inhabitants of Eorzea have given to a dark realm they believe exists beyond their own. This domain is different from the heavens (where the Twelve reside) and the seven hells (one of the destinations to which those who do not follow the teachings of Nald'thal believe the body goes upon death). Little, however, is known about the void or what it contains, and thus creatures deemed too queer or unnatural to be "of Eorzea" (such as ahriman, imps, phurbles, etc.) are often categorized as "voidsent," the common belief being that they were sent by some sinister force from beyond the corporeal realm. Recently, Eorzean scholars have begun pointing to the high concentration of voidsent in the Dzemael Darkhold as evidence of the void's existence, though concrete proof (beyond the Ishgardian sapper's claim) has yet to be uncovered.

I know you guys are dying for more, but that's all I can give you for today!

(Oh, and I'll fix that instance of "Void." You're right, it should be lowercased. Nice catch!)

Almost done with that 1.19 patch work? *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink*

[Griss]

phurbles. I knew there was a reason not to trust the blasted things, there to cute for there own good.

[zaviermhigo]

phurbles. I knew there was a reason not to trust the blasted things, there to cute for there own good.

I have still yet to see one and I've been playing since CE, though I haven't tried to look, they're so adorable. I miss pixies, they should make phurble/snurbles like them.

[Lienn]

Another awesome lore post of Ferne, great eorzean oracle! @_@ Too bad he seems to not like usage of FFXI terms here (i noticed what you did with voidsent examples..."They're not arcana only")...i'll try my best to stop using them.

[Anonymoose]

One more taxonomic term down! <scribbles phurbles into proper category> I was starting to get nervous that we'd only ever be told the proper names for mobs and not their correct Kindred assignments.

[AdvancedWind]

Exdeath approves of this thread, please continue.

[Onizuka]

Thanks a lot for the explanation, Fernehalwes, really appreciated!

Hehe, yeah, I'd really like to know more about the void or that other thing I mentioned, the “place where every monster go after death and how they return to their spot”; I think it would be cool if one day this would be explained and not be simply something like: “They return to give you skill points.”.

If tomorrow or another day you'll find the time to give us even more details – and I'm sure you know a lot, being yourself a voidsent – it will be a great pleasure to read it all, rigorously in one breath.