Question regarding the map of Eorzea

[Addicted]

While checking out the map of Eorzea I noticed something on it I never paid much attention to. On the lower left corner of it you have this:



Those 4 symbols at the top are obviously the 4 main city-states, but what about those below? Hamlets? I don't recall the Hamlets having their own flag though.

[Hanzzo_Kai]

Thank you for asking! I always wondered when I looked at the map, but never got around to asking.

/call the lore masters

[Anonymoose]

[W]hat about those below?

I wouldn't discount the smaller symbols as being cities/townships. The "big four" there are the official members of the Eorzean Alliance, which was originally founded to combat the over-bearing military might of Ala Mhigo. That would explain why those four take prominence in the design, both in detail of the city-states on the map as well as the larger flags. The first version of this map was drafted in 1506 Sixth Astral Era, so perhaps that timing lines up.

The blue/white one is familiar but I can't quite place it yet...

Based on the grouping of the Eorzean Alliance members, I think it's also safe to assume the others are grouped according to some relation. What can we make of those groupings?

[Magnesium02]

Deities? Battle/crafting/gathering guilds? Beastmen? Character Races?

No idea, but it is interesting

[Addicted]

I originally attributed those symbols to actual places because of these symbols in the map:





Unfortunately, the resolution is far too low to see if there's any resemblance to the ones I posted.

[Anonymoose]

If you look at the ships sailing into Limsa Lominsa, they bear the blue and white flag. Why is it so familiar to me...

We also see a small red rectangle off the western coast of Thanalan and to the south of Sharlayan, and a small yellow/orange one off the coast of Mazlaya (off the west coast of Thanalan), which could be two of the flags in this smaller box.

I believe the red flag with the white mark in the center may be Sharlayan, as we see the red rectangle next to where text-descriptions in game place the city and a ship sailing away from this location bears the same flag on its mast...

Looks like I'm getting to work!

[Starts a new wiki page and puts on his translating hat.]

[StianGold]

Its linkshell marks! The Blue and white. Maybe that is why its so familiar to you? I once saw a thread on the fourums with the Eorzean Alpahebth but i cant find it now.. God i should start making bookmarks.

If you look at the ships sailing into Limsa Lominsa, they bear the blue and white flag. Why is it so familiar to me...

We also see a small red rectangle off the western coast of Thanalan and to the south of Sharlayan, and a small yellow/orange one off the coast of Mazlaya (off the west coast of Thanalan), which could be two of the flags in this smaller box.

I believe the red flag with the white mark in the center may be Sharlayan, as we see the red rectangle next to where text-descriptions in game place the city and a ship sailing away from this location bears the same flag on its mast...

Looks like I'm getting to work!

[Starts a new wiki page and puts on his translating hat.]

[Addicted]

Its linkshell marks! The Blue and white. Maybe that is why its so familiar to you? I once saw a thread on the fourums with the Eorzean Alpahebth but i cant find it now.. God i should start making bookmarks.

That gives me an idea, especially since the symbols in question are associated with ships. Perhaps they're related with trade routes or merchant organizations? It's a bit odd they'd be below the 4 city state flags but it's something to ponder. I don't really recall if the named merchant organizations in Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa had crests or the like.

[Lucke]

That fourth flag is probably Ishgard. Note that it has spears on wither side. Ishgard is famous for it's dragoons right? I'm also thinking those smaller icons could be the class/job symbols.

[NoloeTazier]

As Moose says they're mostly likely associated to Hamlets, small cities/townships. Places Roddard Ironheart would have stayed as he journeyed across Eorzea mapping the details. The odd thing for me is the detailed drawings of Ishgard, Gridania, Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa and the vague copy/paste city design for Sharlayan and Ala Mhigo. Maybe he wasn't allowed into these cities for details or maybe a sting of the Autumn War still hung around Roddard so he gave preference to the 4 City-States.

The flags are at least grouped together...4 -> 3 -> 2 -> 2 -> 3...but as Moose stated the Blue Flag with the White Stripe looks to be associated it with Limsa or at least the ships near Limsa. So they aren't in order of the City-State, so I don't know the exact order, but a few places I think could be considered:

Ul'dah:

• Golden Bazaar
• Silver Bazaar
• Camp Blackbrush --- This is where "outcast" and poor Ul'dahns live.

Limsa Lominsa:

• Wineport
• Aleport
• The Cieldalaes --- Seems to be mostly fishing villages, I just include it in this list cause of the region.

Gridania:

• Quarrymill
• Hyrtsmill

Ishgard:

• Owl's Nest
• Eagle's Nest
• Ferndale --- The town Nidhogg eventually destroyed.

Just a few examples I mostly wanted to toss in Fern(e)dale.