Lore Questions: Why is Gridania's Flag Yellow, and What do the 'Twin Adders' Mean?

[Enkidoh]

These two points have had me wondering even before 1.0's launch - the symbolism behind Gridania's national flag:



For a nation which places such importance in nature and the environment around them, the colours and design of the flag struck me as rather odd choices - yellow doesn't really come across as a 'natural' colour, other than that of the sun and sand, neither of which are really common in The Black Shroud. I would have thought green would have been more appropriate especially due to the fact the city itself is green all over.

Could the reason behind Gridania's flag being yellow and not green have had something to do with wanting to avoid player confusion with this flag (which also has a tree in it)?:



It's the flag of the Federation of Windurst from FFXI in case you didn't know.

As for the two snakes, what importance do they have? Is it some kind of metaphor for the elementals, or something else, more abstract? I've never been able to understand the whole reasoning behind the twin adders, especially as the other two main citystates (Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa) have flags which have literal meanings (LL's with the longboat, showing they're a naval power, and Ul'dah's with the scales balancing a gemstone and a flame, symbolizing the importance they place on industry and trade).

In any event, as a loyal Gridanian I'm rather interested in finding out the lore reasons behind the adoption of the Gridania flag so I hope Ferne or someone on the development team could enlighten us as to this.

*lays offerings to the ahriman loregod*

[Seirra_Lanzce]

too much greenish in the green forest. Yellow add contrast to it, is a matter of design choice if i'm not mistaken. Why Yellow? Snake can be yellow too, maybe is because of the Adder that yellow is a colour choice

[Catapult]

Most of this is coming from memory, but I'll field what I can, being the resident Chief Serpent Loremonger Lieutenant.

The elements of the device can be considered representations of Gridania's socio-political infrastructure. The lotus flower represents Stillglade Fane, seat of the Conjurers who are the de-facto theocratic government of Gridania. They are protected by two entities:
- The Wood Wailers, who protect the citizenry of Gridania; and
- The God's Quiver, who protect the Twelveswood from external threats.
In this way, these two entities protectively wrap themselves around that which Gridania holds dear.

Additional fun facts:
- The council of Seedseers meet at the Lotus Stand.
- Ixal lore tells how Garuda became hungry for flesh only after she saved the Ixal from a cruel Serpent. (This lore is probably just as warped by the ages as that of the Twelve, but I'm guessing there is a connection here that associates the Ixal being cast out of Tinolqa with the establishment of Gridania.)

I suspect that among the zodiac associated with Heavensturn, the Year of the Snake represents the Year of Nophica, Gridania's patron, much like how the Rabbit represented Halone and the Dragon represented Althyk, creating a reverse rotation of the gods through the cycle of elements.

As to why yellow? I'm not entirely sure and this is entirely conjecture, but I think of yellow as the colour of the earth. Nophica's elemental affiliation is Astral Earth, so a bright yellow rather than a brown would be appropriate for her.
(Ice = light blue; Water = dark blue; Lightning = purple; Wind = green; Fire = red)


Edit: Making sure to distinguish the emblem from Windurst would have very likely been a design consideration to work with, but by no means the sole reason for this appearance.

[auritribe]

This is the logo for the American Medical Association. Because I can. It doesn't have anything to do with the subject, but I'll leave it here anyway.

[auritribe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius

[auritribe]

As for the snakes, they're paying tribute to a gridanian hero from the fourth umbral era:

Kurt Russell

[Lady]

Going outside the game to interpret the symbols.
The Lotus has long represented spiritual awareness and spiritual awakening, and as the lovely Auritribe has pointed out the twin snakes wrapped around a pole is a symbol of healing.
Considering that this Grand Company is located in the twelvewood where our woodsin needed to be healed, and our own spiritual awakening to the forest, I can see the symbol as fitting on that level.

edit: as Anonymoose pointed out below me.. its not twin snakes, but a single (originally copper) snake wrapped around a poll.

[Anonymoose]

</em walks in, reads Catapult's summary, turns around and leaves, unneeded>

</em 's head pops back in>

Fun Fact: The Rod of Asclepius, the medical symbol, only has one snake. The two snakes with wings that you often see on medical things is a mistake. That's the Caduceus. The differences between what they mean can make their misuse hysterical at times.

I mean, you'd never see medical industries based on liars, thieves, and profit fo-... oh, wait.

[auritribe]

</em walks in, reads Catapult's summary, turns around and leaves, unneeded>

</em 's head pops back in>

Fun Fact: The Rod of Asclepius, the medical symbol, only has one snake. The two snakes with wings that you often see on medical things is a mistake. That's the Caduceus. The differences between what they mean can make their misuse hysterical at times.

I mean, you'd never see medical industries based on liars, thieves, and profit fo-... oh, wait.

Yeah in hindsight it makes perfect sense.

[Anonymoose]

Ey, Catapult:

You think Gridania comes from the Italian Gridare, meaning "to shout or cry?"

Wood Wailers?

Hmmmm....