Heavensward Story Spoilers
In reality, Thordan and his Knights Twelve sought to harness the power of dragons. They learned that the eyes of a dragon were the source of their power and magic, so they betrayed Ratatoskr, sister of Nidhogg, and feasted on her eyes. Empowered by her magic, Thordan's Knights fought the enraged Nidhogg and bested him, prizing out his eyes also, but at great cost. Thordan was slain as well as six of the twelve knights.

Unable to bear their sins, two of the six knights abandoned their lances and journeyed into the world. Haldrath, himself, left Ishgard to live alone and give up his father's throne. At a loss, the four remaining knights decided to act as stewards to the throne and divide Ishgard between their houses, Durendaire, Haillenarte, Fortemps, and Dzemael.

Azure Dragoon Lore

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The Azure Dragoon
The title is bestowed upon the dragoon who has drawn upon the roiling energies of the Eye of Nidhogg. While bonding with the artifact grants enormous power, it also exposes the dragonslayer to the will of Nidhogg - a malevolent influence that can be resisted only by the most unyielding of minds. Thus, it is tradition that but one dragoon - the strongest among their number - is selected to embody the tenets of the order.

Ser Alberic Bale Wrote:Tell me, Sounsyy - do you believe that these events truly transpired? Or are you inclined to think them faerie tales? I ask you this because few folk have seen dragons in the flesh besides we Ishgardians, and most would as soon dismiss them as products of the imagination. Alas, dragons are no less real than you and I, with Nidhogg perhaps the most real of all. In the course of its history, Ishgard has suffered under the creature on eight separate occasions. Each time the great wyrm rouses, the blood of countless Ishgardians is spilled.

Ser Alberic Bale Wrote:The Eye is no ordinary relic. It harbors the power of the dragon, which it bestows upon a single chosen soul─the strongest and wisest dragoon. He who is chosen is possessed of the power to fight our mortal foes, the dragons of Dravania, on equal footing, soaring the firmament as if it were an extension of the land. That man is known as the Azure Dragoon. The Azure Dragoon is the light of hope for all Ishgardians, and the paragon of all dragoons.

Aymeric Wrote:The Eye itself is secreted deep within the Vault. It is kept under heavy guard - surrounded at all times by men and women who have proven their loyalty to the Holy See.

Lodestone Wrote:There is a custom still observed in Ishgard today which ordains that the Holy See bestow a polearm dubbed Gae Bolg upon any lancer who ascends to the station of dragoon. Exactly how his weapon is forged remains a mystery, as the very few highland smiths who create them are sworn to keep their methods secret. All that is known is that the bones of dragons slain in the name of Halone are worked into both haft and head, achieving an unmatched balance between lightness and strength.

Gerolt Wrote:Fancy yerself a dragonslayer, eh? Well, I happen to know jus' the weapon for ye...but wouldn't it be quicker if ye had one of the Holy See's blacksmiths pound one out? Hm, yer expression tells me there's a reason why ye came to me instead. Well, I ain't one to pry into the affairs of Ishgard. Don't fancy being branded a heretic, see. Also, I don't reckon I'd enjoy the view from the Gates of Judgement half so much if me head was on a pike. Anyroad, it's a spear named Gae Bolg that ye'll be wantin'. I've heard tell it's made of dragon bone, but how it's forged is a jealously guarded secret. Bein' the genius that I am, though, I reckon I can unravel the mystery if I could jus' get me hands on a sample. Now then, did ye ever hear of Saint Reinette, the legendary dragoon? I only ask 'cause she's s'posed to have wielded the very same weapon, see. Story goes that a dragon slew her sweetheart, promptin' the ol' girl to seek out the beast what did it an' put it down. Havin' exacted her revenge, they say she thrust her spear into the ground where the battle was waged, givin' up the life of a dragoon to become a woman of the cloth. Unlucky for ye, the valley where the spear sleeps is Ixali territory─a stronghold called Natalan, to be precise. But if yer desire's strong, I trust ye already know what must be done.

Estinien Wrote:Behold the drachen mail, forged in the lifeblood of dragons. As blood calls to blood, so too does the armor call to the dragon within, redoubling the Azure Dragoon's strength thereby. When an Azure Dragoon hangs up his lance, ancient custom decrees that he seal away his drachen mail at the fields of his valor. You must journey to such places and claim the armor for yourself. Your Soul of the Dragoon will serve as the key to lifting the seals.

Alberic Wrote:You will recall the tale of my battle with Nidhogg fifteen years past, how the power of the dragon left me on account of the injuries I sustained. What I said was an untruth. The power did not abandon me, Sounsyy. It was I who abandoned it.

Being derived from our mortal enemies, the power of the Azure Dragoon is a double-edged sword. Even as it lends us the strength we need to smite dragons, it heightens our communion with the creatures, rendering our minds more susceptible to their seduction than ordinary men.
Even as I buried my lance in Nidhogg's flesh, our gazes locked, and mine eyes met then with a look that would fair impale a man. In that instant, I found myself assailed by a torrent of emotions not mine own… Sorrow… Rancor… Pity… They threatened to drown the man in me and leave behind a dragon. Fearing that I might turn traitor, I chose to purge myself of the power that the Eye had bestowed upon me.

Thus regaining lucidity, I was able to rout the grievously wounded Nidhogg. Alas, countless of his brethren yet remained. As if to mock me, they fell upon Ferndale with a vengeance. Bereft of my power, it was all I could do to save but one child.

Eustacia Wrote:Do you know the story of Saint Valeroyant? Ten score years ago, he served as an Azure Dragoon, and won glory by driving away the great wyrm Nidhogg. This very square still bears his name, though his image has seen better days. He was an unrivaled warrior who dealt death to dragon after dragon, but there was one that always managed to slip his clutches - Agathos, feared across the land as the black death.

Gerolt Wrote:Now then, did ye ever hear of Saint Reinette, the legendary dragoon? I only ask 'cause she's s'posed to have wielded the very same weapon, see. Story goes that a dragon slew her sweetheart, promptin' the ol' girl to seek out the beast what did it an' put it down. Havin' exacted her revenge, they say she thrust her spear into the ground where the battle was waged, givin' up the life of a dragoon to become a woman of the cloth.

Wind-Up Kain Wrote:The tale of Kain - the dragoon who abandoned his duty for honor - is well-known amongst Ishgardian children. To maximize height on his jumps, the craftsman of his clockwork automaton lined the main control springs with over-aspected wind crystals.

Alberic Wrote:Let us revisit the past once more, Sounsyy. The time is fifteen summers past, and the place Dravania. After a century of slumber, Nidhogg awakened once more to resume his reign of terror. Entire villages were razed to the ground, their inhabitants reduced to ash.
Sensing the great wyrm's unbridled rage, others of his kind began to rouse, and in such numbers as to blot out the sun with their wings. A deep, foreboding darkness swept over Ishgard.

Raging infernos painting the belly of the sky an angry red… The agonized screams of innocents fading into deathly silence… In my station as the Azure Dragoon, I was there through it all - bore witness to all the horrors. But there was no time to offer even a silent prayer. Nidhogg lingered in one place only long enough to lay it to waste, and when he took wing, so too did I pursue him, a man possessed. This game of cat and mouse continued for what seemed an eternity before I was able to force a confrontation upon the great wyrm.

The battle unfolded in a tiny settlement on the edge of Coerthas, raging on for three days and three nights with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. Remaining on my feet by sheer foce of will, I realized that it must end now else it shouldn't end well. So, marshaling my last onze of strenght, I wagered all on a single thrust. My lance struck home, burying deep in the ruin of my opponent's empty eye socket. Yet before I could withdraw my weapon, the wyrm lashed out wildly in its agony, dealing a blow that left me sprawled upon the scorched earth, nigh insensate. In that instant, I thought myself surely doomed…but Halone was not finished with me. Having lost the taste for battle, Nidhogg let loose a bloodcurdling roar before fleeing to the sky. The battle was over.

Order of the Knights Dragoon Lore

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The brave men and women of the Knights Dragoon, a subdivision of the Temple Knights, are trained to engage their Dravanian foes directly on the front line. Vowing to carry on the honorable work of Haldrath, the first dragoon, they are masters of a unique form of aerial combat in which they leap high into the air and then descend, driving their lances into their target with the full weight of their body behind the blow. The commander of this elite unit, the Azure Dragoon, is further empowered by an ancient relic of the Holy See known as the Eye. The Eye grants the Azure Dragoon strength far beyond that of mortal men, which he then brings to bear against his draconic enemies.

To even be considered as a candidate for this elite force is considered a feat in itself. Select applicants are subjected to a harsh training regimen, and fewer still are deemed worthy to bear the title of dragoon. The mortality rate for the Order of the Knights Dragoon is the highest among the Temple Knights, given their methods and the circumstances under which they are often deployed. While the Order is normally comprised of thirty dragoons, it suffered significant casualties during the Horde's most recent assaults, and there are currently only ten dragoons in active service.

Dragoon Drop Rate Wrote:When we make our rounds to the Congregation's training facilities to choose hopefuls for the Knights Dragoon, I have noticed the uptick in lowborn numbers among the new recruits. While it is good to give them the benefit of the doubt as their desperate situation allows them to take more risks than their highborn counterparts, sense it does not make to give candidates quality armor from the start—they have a nasty habit of dropping.

Exploiting the Adroit (L) Wrote:Children who lose their fathers to the jagged maws of Dravanians make fine candidates for the ranks of the dragoons, for theirs is a special contempt which cannot be found in the hearts of ordinary men. The commanders can oft tell who they are, and thus seek to nurture that hatred through painful sessions which force them to relive their nightmares. The ranks will be thinned out sure enough, hence we must make use of breeches tough enough to withstand the grazing of sharp teeth, but expendable enough for those who crack from the pressure.

Stay On Target Wrote:House Durendaire did not become known for the most powerful dragoons in Ishgard by blindly following old ways. Unlike many High Houses of that mistrustful theocracy, it seeks new knowledge—such as whether a Lominsan harpoon can be adapted against an airborne beast.

More Than One Way Down Wrote:A dragon's natural armor may seem impenetrable to an untrained eye, but a true dragoon knows well whence the vulnerabilities lie - a darkened spot, a bent plate, or if one is lucky, a barren patch. These days, too many youngbloods sign up for the training to join our noble ranks without showing a shred of decent talent, hence I have decided to thin out the crop through a trial. If the men can identify and destroy the spots on targets wrapped in scaleskin, they may continue their training. If they fail, they are to relinquish their weapon and accept pursuit of a less virtuous craft.

Puppet Show Wrote:We dragoons are a proud sort who often charge into the heat of battle, but that is not to say discretion is without merit. When shadows abound, we sometimes make use of wooden dummies with arms and wings manipulated by gears which resemble dragons from afar, to create an illusion of comrades in the vicinity. However, we lack the material to replicate dragon scales. We seek an experienced adventurer willing to journey to the Churning Mists and skin Dravanians for this purpose.

Someone Put Dung In My Helmet Wrote:The candidates for the Knights Dragoon are always under intense pressure that leaves both their heads and faith pounding by the end of a training session, to which some forget even the most common of sense. One of the youngbloods was daft enough to place his sallet next to a roped and very well-fed chocobo during his training respite. Needless to say, no amount of water or prayer is going to get the unholy smell of droppings and shame scraped out of the metal. He will need a replacement helmet posthaste.

Rage Against the Scream Wrote:As their training forces the Knights Dragoon to respond violently to the screams of dragons, the candidates to join the ranks prefer to use sallets of titanium. Rumor has it that not only is the headpiece as light as a feather, but as the wind blows through the crevices, it mimics such a wail and allows the wearer's hatred to course through their veins tenfold at the mere sound.

Daniffen's Mark Wrote:The Ishgardian legend of Saint Daniffen tells us that the dragoon would oft practice his lancework on the shores of the mighty Coerthas River. To better his aim that it might always be true, he sought only the nimblest of seema to serve as his marks.

Raising the Dragoons Wrote:At last, the final trials for the knights dragoon are upon us, and this year's candidates have proven to be the most propitious in quite a long time—all from fine bloodlines, all burning with acrimony towards their scaly adversaries. They call the trial a "mock battle," yet the only thing mocking about it is that their adversary is not a full-grown wyrm. They will have full reign to demonstrate their skills, thus the birth of a dragoon merits celebratory armor for use in the test.

Sticking It Out Wrote:Elder members of the Knights Dragoon are known to prefer lances smithed from pommel ore, a hard substance that, while difficult to wield, is believed to make the finest, sharpest heads. Unfortunately, the locations of the few remaining veins in Dravania were known only to the Sharlayans who took the information back with them to the Old World fifteen summers ago. If you were to find a vein of decent quality, I would pay much for the material.

Look Before You Leap Wrote:Among the aspiring Knights Dragoon are a talented few who practice jumping attacks in equipment crafted from adamantite, the weight of which will help them to crush a dragon's skull as an eggshell. Alas, one such youth misstepped during his training and landed among the crags, breaking both his legs and armor in the impact. Though his injuries will heal, he requires a new pair of leg guards, and I would entrust none other but a skilled craftsman with the task.

Leek Soup for the Soul Wrote:The dragoons of House Durendaire are on maneuvers, and the deaths already begin to mount. Many are too fatigued to take much nourishment at the end of the day, and so succumb to cold, a fall, a thrust they may otherwise have parried. Steaming bowls of cawl cennin may make all the difference.

Dragon Lore
Original Dengeki Article
【電撃の旅団冒険録】『FF14』のダンジョンから見る世界観。第3弾は“邪竜血戦 ドラゴンズエアリー”
『蒼天のイシュガルド』の世界観を探るダンジョン掘り下げ企画第3弾。今回は邪竜ニーズヘッグの根城“ドラゴンズエアリー”に焦点を当て、邪竜の眷属の秘密に迫ります。
By 電撃オンライン

Dravanian Wrote:Thanks to tinolqa​ for finding this Dengeki article about an interview for the design of Aery which included some interesting lore! I was able to request from Anonymoose and Vik Vicious to offer a translation. This was an amateur speed translation so there may be some errors!

– What direction did you take with this dungeon’s concepts?

The basic concept was, “the place where Nidhogg and his brood live.” This is where the scenerio’s middle areas peaked, so we wanted it to be a little scary.

– When the people of Ishgard become dragons, is there a general role for what they will become?

In terms of how powerful they will become, it goes in order Aevis -> Syricta -> Diresaur. Think of it as depending on how much of the “factor of the dragon” they inherited.

Also, drinking “dragons blood” alone has no effect. It has to be “blood poured with great magick.”

Drinking the blood of a defeated dragon, or even taking draconian medicines, there will be no effect.

In the right doses it is perfectly safe, so adventurers and even the people of Ishgard should have peace of mind when using draconian medicines.

– In the FATE chain, Darkscale refers to “Nidhogg-sama.” So, he’s positioned below Nidhogg - not one of the seven celestial dragons?

Correct. Darkscale is not among the seven celestial dragons, he is of Nidhogg’s kin.

Midgardsormr revealed in his dialogue that after the Seven had grown, they flew all over the world. Hraesvelgr, Nidhogg, and Ratatoskr chose to live on the Three Great Continents. Bahamut and Tiamat decided to go to the southern continent of Meracydia.

The names and whereabouts of the last two have been decided, but will not be revealed until later.

– The terminology for dragon (kin / follower / family) is often used, but what do they include?

It’s explanation is included in quests and such, but it’s spread out and can be confusing so I’ll go over it again. There are three basic groups in the “dragon broods.” They are the “genuine dragons,” the “people who became dragons,” and the “monsters who submit to dragon magicks.”

The “genuine dragons” are evolving creatures, so their figures will vary - but they are all intelligent.

The “people who become dragons” are the aevis and syricta and such.

Finally, we have drakes and biasts, dragonflies, and tyrannosaurs. They lack intelligence. They are basically bound, mindless monsters. The intense magickal power of the dragons causes them to submit, and though they obey and work together, they are not genuine dragons.

– In Errn Scorh, dragons appear one after another from the [glowing things]. What is that? How does that work from an in-game world-view? Egg Hatching + Hypergrowth Mechanisms? Summoning?

For dragons, across hundreds of years you have active phases and dormant phases. You can interpret these as devices that protect the body during a dormant stage. They were slumbering in that place and suddenly aroused by the magicks of Nidhogg. The sudden battle was very unfortunate for them, wouldn’t you say?


– For the seven celestial dragons, it is said that their eyes are the wellspring of their power. Is this only true for the seven?

The amassing of aether in the eyes is a characteristic of the whole dragon family. If one lived as long as one of the Seven Celestial Dragons, they might, in theory, have comparable power.

– Finally if you know something that “hasn’t been told in the game,” by all means, tell us!

It’s become a bit of a rumor that, in the Aery, you can see what look like debris of Allagan restraints. But that just blew off of Dalamud in the Seventh Calamity. It’s an interesting fate that one of the things that once bound Bahamut would end up here, isn’t it?

Dengeki Sohm Al Interview translated by Anonymoose Wrote:Sohm Al Lore
What was the design concept for this dungeon?

One of the major themes in Heavensward is reproducing the feeling of the “Party’s Journey” from classic Final Fantasy games. In the middle of this journey, there should be some dungeon that the party must overcome in order to make it to a new area. We felt that the “dungeon in the mountain” motif was the right fit for this expansion.

It’s the perfect setting for this subject - think back to early games: Mount Ordeals from IV, North Mountain V, and Mount Koltz VI. This story is about traveling to the dragon lands, so we made this particular mountain dungeon a sacred place where the dragons go to die.

We know that Tioman is Nidhogg’s consort, but what is she other than a dungeon boss? What kind of background information exists for her?

We should start with the fact that dragons don’t have a traditional concept of gender. They can reproduce alone, asexually. And after a dragon is born, over the course of a long life, their form changes radically.

For creatures such as these, a “mate” doesn’t mean “a partner for reproduction” like it does for other organisms. It’s more of a deep and spiritual bond. Even in the bond between the dragon Hraesvelgr and the human Shiva, the spiritual connection is what was important.

In the same vein, even though Tioman is presented as a “female dragon” that is Nidhogg’s “consort,” this means that she is the most important being in his life, spiritually. And it’s still slightly different from a human concept like “marriage.” These terms will probably be explored in the game, as well, as relations between man and dragon improve.

Can you give us some background lore for the new monsters we encounter? What are the gaelicats, the boss Raskovnik, and the caterpillars from Final Fantasy 11?

Gaelicats are drawn to wind aether and dark places, which is why you’ll find them in places like the Sea of Clouds and Sohm Al. Poisonous plants, including the ochu and Raskovnik, are eaten by the dragons that spit poisonous breaths (moss dragons) in order to build up the toxins within their body, and the caterpillars graze on the area’s vegetation.

Sohm Al has a lot of distinctive locations with names like the Red Crype, the Blue Crypt, the Wound, etc. How were places like this designed?

As mentioned earlier, a dragon’s form will “evolve” quite a bit over a very long time. If they favor fire, they will grow to breathe it - their scales will grow red. Such a dragon would prefer to die in a place where the attribute of fire is very strong - this is the Red Crypt. The Blue Crypt is just the opposite, a place where the element of ice is very strong.

Sohm Al itself is a mountain of crystal, and the elemental aspect tips differently in every area, creating distictive scenery.

Tioman’s arena is called “Hess Afah.” This is Dragonspeak, yes? What does it mean?

“Hess” means “to observe,” and “"afah” means “forever.” A name for this area might be “Eternal Watch.” Tioman is the guardian of a sanctuary, so the name implies that it’s a place from which she is on the lookout for intruders.

If there’s anything we haven’t learned from the game that we might find interesting, please tell us!

Remember how I mentioned that we used the old-school “dungeon in a mountain” motif? North Mountain and Drakenvale from FF5, where the Dragon Grass grows, was the inspiration behind the placement of Gaelicats and poisonous plants. In addition to Sohm Al feeling like a sacred place for the dragons, we hope that you feel a bit of mountain dungeon nostalgia, too.

Fernehalwes Kagoshima Letter Wrote:Q:
How are dragon names decided? Many of the dragons in and around Anyx Trine have names made from words in from the dragon language, but there are others--Vidofnir, Vedrfolnir, Gullinkambi--who have names taken from Norse Mythology like Midgardsormr and his children's are. Is there a reason they have their own unique names? Are names like this earned?

A:
Every dragon has a name in the base draconian tongue, including the more prominent figures such as Bahamut, Vidofnir, Midgardsormr, etc. The 'Eorzean' names have been earned through the dragons' interactions with past civilizations. The elder dragons (especially those of Midgardsormr's first brood) have spent thousand (tens-of-thousands) of years roaming about Hydaelyn. During that time, they have come in contact with many different peoples--some primitive, some advanced. Some with which they warred, some with which they fostered peace. Those peoples gave the dragons names in their own tongues. Some were based on existing words in those tongues, while others were phonetic interpretations, bastardizations, and subsequent degradations of a language that they could not accurately pronounce. These names took hold amongst the people of Eorzea, being passed down orally and in print, and effectively became the second names of the dragons. Rather than fight this, it was ultimately easier for the dragons to simply allow man to call them what they wished. Some of the dragons have even grown fond of these names, choosing to use them even when speaking with other dragons (who would otherwise know them by their draconian names).

Q:
Will we hear about the 2 remaining dragons of Midgardsormr's First Brood during the Heavensward story-line, or at all?

A:
The remaining two dragons of the first brood are alive and well...but remain far removed from all the action in Eorzea. Where are they? Why are they there? Why are they not interested in the happenings in Eorzea with their kin? Why don't their kin in Eorzea mention them? All excellent questions...but unfortunately ones we cannot yet give you answers for, as their stories are being saved for future content. So, what does 'future' mean here? Well, I've spoken Oda-san, and I'm sorry to report that there are currently no plans to have either of the wyrms appear in the Heavensward (3.x) story-line. That isn't to say that they won't appear (you never know what Yoshi-P will bring to a future patch brainstorming session), but chances are decent that you won't be hearing about them for some time. However, you never know what sliver of foreshadowing you might find in the help text of an upcoming item or minion (just not in the help text of a 3.2 item or minion).

-Fernehalwes Dragonspeak Guide and Dragon Lore

3.3 Spoilers

Jantellot Wrote:Well, if it isn't the great Warrior of Light herself! She who slew the dread wyrm Nidhogg, bringing an end to a thousand years of war - and my very livelihood! Well, go on then - strike me down and finish the job! Stab me right in the heart! I'll even lend you my spear, if you like! After all, I won't be bloody needing it!

Oh, and lest you worry, that business about me losing my livelihood couldn't have been further from the truth. In point of fact, peace is proving surprisingly lucrative! As our nation's ties with Hraesvelgr's brood have grown stronger and our interests in Dravania have begun to expand, we have seen a marked increase in the number of travelers on the road. Needless to say, said travelers require protection, which we are only too happy to provide. Granted, such work will not earn you a lordship like slaying a dragon might, but it pays well and is far less prone to end in incineration - which seems a reasonable enough compromise, all things considered.