1.0 factions disappeared

[Raistlin]

I was trying to find any reference to the Azeyma's Shields but found nothing. Are the Brotherhood of the Broken Blade, Azeyma's Shields, and The Horn and Hand deleted from the lore?

I thought that they joined together to form the Adventurer's Guild by Lodewicus the Leal but this was in 1557 after Ala Mhigo fell, but we were playing in these Factions in 1.0 just before the Battle of Carteneau 1572.

There is no reference to these in the Encyclopedia Eorzea either, is there any info about what happen to the factions and their NPCs or this is retcon?

[ItMe]

Retcon?
No.
I may be mistaken but I don't believe those groups survived the Calamity.
Not that all members died, but that the groups weren't active/had split after Dalamud.

[MikkoAkure]

Factions were all pre-Yoshida story that were probably left by the wayside along with a lot of other things from that time period.

They had their own leves and the Grand Companies have basically taken over everything they were responsible for both in the lore and gameplay.

[Anonymoose]

"Not retconned out, but not important enough to mention ever again" is I think the most accurate way to say where they're at.

They did have a brief mention in ARR, though.

Eorzea plays host to numerous civilian organizations, both great and small, which represent the many and varied interests of her people. Three of the largest and most influential of these take a keen interest in adventurer activity. They are the Brotherhood of the Broken Blade―a group of vigilantes who are convinced the beast tribes will one day destroy the realm, unless they destroy them first; Azeyma's Shields―self-proclaimed protectors of the weak and enemies of evil; and the Horn and Hand―a band of scholars and scientists, merchants and moneylenders who seek to gain fame (and fortune) by aiding in the outfitting of adventurers. To extend their influence throughout Eorzea, each of these “factions” sponsors levequests which coincide with their particular area of interest.

As you can see, they don't offer much to the current story either mechanically or lore-wise that isn't outdated or done elsewhere. Would be fun to see them repurposed. But if going by the Tales from the Twilight, we may see the father of all outdated organizations get a nod first, lol.

[Enkidoh]

To be really honest, I'm not sure they were really ever that important to the lore in 1.0, and were basically just dressing to give some interesting names for levequest petitioners (in fact, I don't remember them ever being mentioned anywhere else in 1.0 other than a name on a levequest - please counter that if that is wrong though!).

The Grand Companies (which were added later in 1.0's life after Yoshi took over) pretty much ended up replacing them anyway so I guess it's no surprise the old leve factions kind of fell by the wayside as yet another 'Tanaka-era' 1.0 idea that Yoshi ultimately abandoned.

Having said that, if it makes you feel better, I always preferred Azeyma's Shields over the other two because... reasons...

[Vyrerus]

Horn and the Hand just sounds like it's the Adventurer's Guild haha.

[LystAP]

I assumed they got folded into the Grand Companies. The Brotherhood of the Broken Blade particularly would be weird to have around given recent events (5.5).

[Frizze]

I assumed they got folded into the Grand Companies. The Brotherhood of the Broken Blade particularly would be weird to have around given recent events (5.5).

I dont know, that sounds easy enough to fold into the drama of the 6.0 narrative. To quote from Moose: "Brotherhood of the Broken Blade―a group of vigilantes who are convinced the beast tribes will one day destroy the realm, unless they destroy them first" - that sounds like a group that wouldnt be happy with us having made peace with the beast tribes. They show up and cause trouble with one or more of the tribes, we talk to them and try to get them to see reason. Probly ends in a fight. Maybe even a fight that gets interrupted by the Telephoroi and our opposing sides have to team up to face them down - possibly with the beast tribes help. That could literally be the story surrounding the lvl 81 dungeon, and itd fit just fine. Or these old factions could stay forgotten, and very few people would ever notice.

[Shadotterdan]

To be really honest, I'm not sure they were really ever that important to the lore in 1.0, and were basically just dressing to give some interesting names for levequest petitioners (in fact, I don't remember them ever being mentioned anywhere else in 1.0 other than a name on a levequest - please counter that if that is wrong though!).

The Grand Companies (which were added later in 1.0's life after Yoshi took over) pretty much ended up replacing them anyway so I guess it's no surprise the old leve factions kind of fell by the wayside as yet another 'Tanaka-era' 1.0 idea that Yoshi ultimately abandoned.

Having said that, if it makes you feel better, I always preferred Azeyma's Shields over the other two because... reasons...

The name on the leveplate thing reminds me, just spitballing here, but do any of them show up as the people requesting the leve? I know there's some group like Maisenta's traders that only really show up in that lore.

[Enkidoh]

The name on the leveplate thing reminds me, just spitballing here, but do any of them show up as the people requesting the leve? I know there's some group like Maisenta's traders that only really show up in that lore.

No, as far as I remember anyway - each normal city-issued levequest had a specific affiliation towards one of the three, and thus you got points called 'Faction Credits' towards each depending on the affiliation of the leve you did when you completed a levequest; eventually you would earn enough points to then do special 'factional levequests' requested by that specific faction that would reward even better items (stuff like the old Onion doublet gear came from them originally).

But the leveplates themselves were issued at the leve counter in the Adventurer's Guilds, you never saw any of the factional representatives themselves, at least, I don't remember any, and my memory is less than reliable, so do not take that as gospel! :P Either way, the Grand Company leves basically replaced them, kind of like how Guildhests replaced 1.0's Behest system, it's just another old 1.0 idea that ARR replaced with something similar, but not.