Final Fantasy 14’sEtheirys is a world that predates the Source and its thirteen reflections. It is the world that Ascians hope to restore byawakening Zodiark, and the world that ancients hail from. Throughout both Shadowbringers and Endwalker, a lot of revealed about this fallen world, from its destruction to how life was before all was sundered.
WhileFinal Fantasy 14’sEndwalker has wrapped up the story of Hydaelyn and Zodiark, there is still much that fans want to know about Etheirys. A lot was revealed in Amaurot and Elpis, and it seems more will be in store through the Pandaemonium raids. What is known so far is that Etheirys was a world incredibly rich in aether and its inhabitants had the ability to weave reality as they saw fit with creation magic.
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Amaurot
The first look into Etheirys that players got was Emet-Selch’s illusion of Amaurot. Based on the Ascian’s words, Amaurot was the greatest city in Etheirys and served as its capital city. It was the home of the Convocation of 14, which worked a lot like a government that made decisions on behalf of the people and every member was an expert in a certain field. A lot about Amaurot seems to beinspired by the Latin book,Utopiaby Thomas More. There are several references of the book around the city, such as the names of locations within Amaurot such as Achora, Polyleritae, and Macarenses.
In Shadowbringers, it was revealed through Amaurot that Etheirys was not built on capitalism. No individual wealth existed, in fact, individuality in terms of fashion also was not encouraged. All ancients wore the same clothes to foster an idea of equality and community. Masks were included so that the differences in their faces were also hidden. Within Amaurot is a place called the Akadaemia Anyder, which unveils a lot about how ancients practiced their creation magic. They did so under supervision in institutes, where they could safely experiment with different forms of life. Throughout the dungeon, players see creatures of aquatic life, plant life, and those that can fly.
Based on cutscenes in Endwalker, it is shown that Amaurot is also where the sundering started. Venat is shown moving through the city during its destruction, and she meets a group of people sacrificing themselves to Zodiark. In retaliation, she sunders them and splits Etheirys into 14 different worlds, including the Source, where the most of the MMO takes place on.
Elpis
Elpis gets its name from Greek mythology, as Elpis was a woman who served as a spirit of hope after Pandora’s box was opened. In her depictions, she is often carrying flowers. With that symbol in mind and the nature of Endwalker, Elpis is a very fitting name for this other part of Etheirys players get to explore. Like the Akadaemia Anyder, Elpis is a location for ancients to test our their creations from plants to animals and beasts. Unlike the Anyder, though, most of the creations roam free. There is a place called theKtisis Hyperboreiawhich is a research building some creations are kept inside.
Through Elpis, it is learned that it is not unusual forancients to have familiars that they have created for certain duties. These familiars can range from beings akin to pets to more like children and servants. While most ancients work in a structure of equality, Eplis did have a kind of leader. Hermes was the head charge of Elpis before he joined the Convocation of 14 has Fandaniel.
In Elpis, creations are studied for what usefulness they can add to their environment. Those that are deemed too dangerous or lacking in purpose are destroyed at a lake called Lethe. However, there are some creations that are too valuable to destroy even if they are dangerous. Those creations go to afacility under Elpis called Pandaemonium, which is overseen by Lahabrea.
The Convocation Of 14
The Convocation of 14 were an important part of Etheirys, as they basically served as a governing body that determines policies for Etheirys. Emet-Selch explained it as “Our goal is to ensure that all is right in creation, that our star may know a brighter future.” Every person on the Convocation is chosen for having great ability and depending on which position in the Convocation, they are sometimes required to be an authority figure in a certain field. Once someone is assigned to a seat in the Convocation of 14, they give up their old name to adopt the name of their role (for example, Hermes became Fandaniel). After the sundering,surviving members of the Convocation became Ascians.
During their time in Elpis, players learned about the seats fromEmet-Selch. He explained there is Mitron, who specializes in aquatic life, Loghrif, who specializes in terrestial life, Halmarut, who specializes in plant life, Emmerololth, who specializes in medicine, Lahabrea, who specializes in creation magic, Altima, who specializes in the arts, Igeyorhm, specialist in rhetoric, Pashtarot, specialist in discipline, Fandanial, specialist in extant phenomena, Azem, specialist in travel, and Emet-Selch, specialist in the realm of aether. Ones he did not mention included Elidibus, Deudalaphon, and Nabriales. Altogether, by the Elpis chapter in Endwalker, the names of all 14 Convocation members are revealed as well as most of their specialties.
Final Fantasy 14is out now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
