The Imperial Legions

[Cassar]

One of the topics that interest me the most in the story are the Imperial legions, especially the ones we haven't heard anything about. I'll try to make a quick reminder of what we do know and please make sure to correct me if I'm wrong or if I missed something!

Ist - Led by Quintus van Cinna, who took his own life after realizing the Xth wasn't joining them. Fought against the IIIrd for the throne after the death of Varis.

IInd - Responsible for conquering Corvos. Were eventually overwhelmed by the beasts during the Final Days and some of the survivors fled to Garlemald.

IIIrd - Fought in the civil war with the Ist. Formerly led by Nerva yae Galvus, who was turned into a blasphemy after the defeat of Anima. Currently led by Virgillia Corculum.

IVth - Led by now deceased Basch van Gabranth*. Responsible for the conquest of the regions of Bozja, Zadnor and Dalmasca.
*Some people believe Gabranth might still be alive

Vth - Unknown, but it seems they were to join the Xth when aiding the Ist in Garlmeald during the events of Endwalker.

VIth - Led by now deceased Regula van Hydrus. They were responsible for exploring Azys Lla and finding the secrets to bind primals. In theory the rest of the VIth is still trapped in Azys Lla.

VIIth - Originally led by now deceased Nael van Darnus. Responsible for the meteor project and the seventh calamity. Later Valens van Varro resumes the weapons project during the Sorrow of Werlyt, but is ultimately defeated by Gaius.

VIIIth - Unknown

IXth - Unknown

Xth - Briefly mentioned as the main legion that would come to aid the Ist during the events of Endwalker.

XIth - Responsible for invading Nagxia, where they commited brutal atrocities and slaughtered many towns. The massacre of Dagluk, in Nagxia, was particularly brutal and denounced by Varis.

XIIth - Led by now deceased Zenos yae Galvus. Responsible for the dominion in the far East such as Doma, and also in Ala Mhigo.

XIIIth - Unknown

XIVth - Originally led by Gaius van Baelsar. Responsible for the Ultima weapon project and the dominion over Eorzea.

So, do you think we'll see one of the unknown legions in 7.0? Assuming we go to the New World or Meracydia I think it could happen. What could have happened to them after the defeat of Varis? Are there some rogue legions still?

[KageTokage]

The second legion is mentioned in the final EW role quest as having been decimated by the Final Days due to occupying Corvos at the time.

The only thing that's really been said about the remainder is that they're still ruling over some of the provinces but simply waiting to see what happens before they commit to any greater course of action.

[Necrotica]

I guarantee you care more about the Garleans than the developers do.

They are the BAD GUYS! Stop caring about them!

To be clear, I am on your side. Garleans are the most interesting group in this game and I would sunder an entire planet to be able to play as them.

[Cleretic]

While I'm not as against the Legions getting more spotlight as I am the Ascians, because there's a lot of new and interesting ground to cover in an 'empire's dead, now what' situation--Gabranth's and Quintus' angles are far from the only ones--I don't think we'll see them take center stage soon. Or at least, I think it's a bad idea for them to.

7.0's got that ugly challenge where it has to define what FFXIV looks like after its whole defining story is done. It's like where the MCU was right after Endgame, or where Kingdom Hearts goes... well, right now, actually. I think 7.0 needs to stake a bold claim somewhere the game's never gone at length before, just to show that it can. I think if any of the Legions turn up anytime soon, it'll be at about the level of the VIth back in Heavensward, possibly even smaller.

It's hard to judge where the Legions are in the devs' minds right now, because we're only really looking at their homeland. Where I think they do have a genuine and earnest interest in where the Garleans go now, and a love and respect for them as 'not the bad guys', but for understandable reasons aren't going too hard on it. That's just not really a story that suits being right in the middle of a game like this.

[MikkoAkure]

About the Xth legion, the wiki claims:

they banded together with the IVth Imperial Legion, Vth Legion, VIIIth Legion and the remnants of the XIIth Imperial Legion in an effort to reclaim the city.

I don't remember that and hope someone here may have some insight if this was actually stated in the game or not. I've seen suspiciously canon entries in it before...

If true, that may knock out a bunch of legions because the Xth's legatus surrendered to Eorzea and gave us the code phrase to have the Ist legion stand down. If all the other legions were with them at the same time then there's basically no Garlean military power left and Eorzea is left as the most powerful bloc in the world.


If there is still a legion out there, what kind of story would be told with them that hasn't been done already? We've already fought multiple loyal legions directly, fought another that had rebelled and were doing their own thing separate from the Empire, and another two we fought at first and then teamed up against a bigger threat.

I guess if we go further afield to a different continent it would be neat if we meet up with a Garlean legion who doesn't care we're Eorzean or that the Empire has fallen and we work with them from the very beginning.

[Cleretic]

About the Xth legion, the wiki claims:


I don't remember that and hope someone here may have some insight if this was actually stated in the game or not. I've seen suspiciously canon entries in it before...

...that's literally the exact thing that doesn't happen. Those Legions are the ones that contacted the Alliance to say 'we give up' that led to Quintus' suicide because he was convinced they were coming.

[SaitoHikari]

If there is still a legion out there, what kind of story would be told with them that hasn't been done already? We've already fought multiple loyal legions directly, fought another that had rebelled and were doing their own thing separate from the Empire, and another two we fought at first and then teamed up against a bigger threat.

I guess if we go further afield to a different continent it would be neat if we meet up with a Garlean legion who doesn't care we're Eorzean or that the Empire has fallen and we work with them from the very beginning.

I'd at least be willing to bet that there has to be at least one Legion that left to explore the world beyond the Three Great Continents, and they'll provide us a means to travel to one of the other major landmasses in the world. Considering their technological superiority, I can't imagine the Garleans wouldn't have sent at least one group to fly across the oceans, in the name of following the footsteps of the Allagans or something.

[YianKutku]

If there is still a legion out there, what kind of story would be told with them that hasn't been done already? We've already fought multiple loyal legions directly, fought another that had rebelled and were doing their own thing separate from the Empire, and another two we fought at first and then teamed up against a bigger threat.

I guess if we go further afield to a different continent it would be neat if we meet up with a Garlean legion who doesn't care we're Eorzean or that the Empire has fallen and we work with them from the very beginning.

That's kind of the usual trajectory in history for military-focused empires, though; once they fall, it goes almost immediately into warlordism, where every imperial general declares for themselves.

Hence the IVth Legion in Bozja, as you mentioned. So it's entirely plausible for another Legion somewhere to set up their own little fiefdom, and possibly (if unlikely, given how Garlemald chooses its Legatuses) also not an invading force or warcrimes manufactory, thus making it easier for us to work with them.

It doesn't even have to be in a different continent; there could be something happening in Corvos, since we don't know what the situation is there now. It sounds like the IInd Legion were acting all imperial and colonial before getting wiped out by the Final Days, but I can imagine some (very minor, very soft) retcons into "actually we're trying our best to rebuild while helping the former subjugated". It would be a nice affirmation of the theme about working together to make something better.

[Enkidoh]

I'd at least be willing to bet that there has to be at least one Legion that left to explore the world beyond the Three Great Continents, and they'll provide us a means to travel to one of the other major landmasses in the world. Considering their technological superiority, I can't imagine the Garleans wouldn't have sent at least one group to fly across the oceans, in the name of following the footsteps of the Allagans or something.

Except we know cereleum was a major limiting factor to the Empire's outward progress of international conquest beyond Islabard and Othard. This is why their initial forways into Eorzea were conducted at very specific targets - namely Ala Mhigo as the initial bridgehead and then into Lake Silvertear in Mor Dhona - it was to establish refuelling bases where cereleum was plentiful that they could easily secure cereleum supplies for their airships and machina to power the rest of the conquest of the realm. This whole strategy however ultimately failed for reasons already well known.

It is also why Seiryu's Wall worked as as a strategy against the Empire reclaiming Doma and the Far East - it didn't block the entirety of Othard from Garlemald/Islabard, but it did seal off the most quickest and fuel-efficent route into Othard by air via the Burn - forcing Garlean forces to have to instead travel either into northern Othard via the Azim Steppe where the xaela clans had already agreed to harry the Garleans relentlessly (and thus cause the Imperial forces to waste precious time and fuel fighting them needlessly), or else take the even more circuitious and fuel-wasting over-ocean route (where the Confederacy, already no friends of the Empire, willingly agreed to ensure any Garlean cruise over the Ruby Sea came to a sudden stop).

Likewise, because Eorzea was not placated and under Garlean control, that cut off the most quickest and easiest route to the New World via air, and with Limsan pirate fleets making life a living hell for Garlean-flagged maritime shipping, yeah, suddenly Garlean jingoism comes to a shuddering halt (or at least a screeching brake). Accordingly I very much doubt we'll find any missing Garlean legion in the New World to be honest... although... stranger things have happened!

[Thighland]

If there are going to be more stories told in Garlemald, I really hope they bring back Gabranth.
But that seems unlikely since they abandoned the Dalmasca storyline