Final Fantasy XIV - Sharlayan and Thavnair / Characters

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/FinalFantasyXIVSharlayanAndThavnair

Sharlayan is a nation of scholars located on an island north of Eorzea; the Circle of Knowing^noteLater becoming the Scions, Sons of Saint Coinach, and the Students of Baldesion all have their origins here. They established a research colony in the Dravanian Hinterlands, although it was later abandoned, with the remains taken over by the goblins and turned into what is known now as Idyllshire. Old Sharlayan still stands but has remained isolated from the world.

Thavnair, with its city-state Radz-at-Han, is an island south of Ilsabard and partway between Eorzea and Othard. Known for its traders and alchemists, Thavnair has historically had a strict neutrality that has kept it out of political affairs with the rest of the world, and thus, has maintained peace with Garlemald.

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Old Sharlayan

Sharlayan in general

Knowledge Seeks No Man

—Sharlayan motto

Considered the capital of academic knowledge, Sharlayan is a democratic nation that was once part of the Eorzean Alliance. But Sharlayan broke away from the Alliance and abandoned Eorzea when Garlemald conquered Ala Mhigo and would not be swayed from their campaign with words. They have ever chosen a lifestyle of nonintervention with the rest of the world, living by the axiom "to chart the course of history, never change it".

Cordon Bleugh Chef:
- While Sharlayan does collect culinary knowledge from other cultures, their own cultural dishes are made to be as nutritious as possible at the expense of enjoying any part of actually eating the food. Tataru follows a recipe for bread that includes ground-up fish and vegetables, and the resulting loaf is noted to be incredibly dense and foul-tasting.
- In Endwalker, it's revealed that Sharlayans are so used to this type of food that there isn't a single restaurant serving actually delicious meals on the island save the Last Stand, a cafe founded and owned by a Studium dropout who got sick of Sharlayan food. Alisaie remarks that it's very Sharlayan how the Last Stand is still the only restaurant on the entire island since her departure back in A Realm Reborn. According to Ameliance, the meals served at the Studium were even worse in the past. When exchange students start attending the Studium following the events of Endwalker, many of them, including Miladeen, would rather starve themselves than eat Sharlayan cuisine.
- The title of one book in the Great Gubal Library reads, "The Culinary Applications of Coblyns". As for why anyone would want to eat a tentacled creature with bug-like eyes and a maw of razor sharp teeth used to consume any number of potentially toxic minerals, the author writes, "Why not?" This introduction is followed by a note that these are the last words he ever wrote, as the original author of the book died as coblyn feelers are poisonous when consumed. Despite this, the second author vows to finish their brother's work.
Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The white marble stylings of their architecture as seen in the Hinterlands evokes Ancient Greece, as does Sharlayan's strong scholarly tradition. It's mentioned in idle dialogue in patch 5.55 that before the Forum was created, they operated on a basis of direct democracy reminiscent of Athens. They even have a statue of Thaliak towering above their harbor in a manner reminiscent of the Colossus of Rhodes.
Food Porn: The Last Stand serves up some incredible delicacies that stand in stark contrast to Sharlayan's nutritionally-rich yet otherwise unpalatable foods, including pizzas and burgers. One cutscene in Endwalker is dedicated to the Scions enjoying a banquet of The Last Stand's dishes at the Baldesion Annex.
Good All Along: Conservative elements in certain questlines aside, Endwalker reveals that they've been in contact with the Moon for some time already, and planned with Hydaelyn a means to evacuate at least a good amount of people away from the planet should they fail to find a way to stop the Final Days. While the Forum refuses to take culpability for their stinginess and rude ways of handling their duty, individual researchers fully acknowledge they probably went about the process the wrong way, not helped by their lack of info on the Scions changing the state of Eorzea so much thanks to their isolationism.
Head-in-the-Sand Management: Sharlayan, for all the knowledge at its disposal, is notorious for this response to crisis. When Garlemald invaded Ala Mhigo, the response of the Dravanian colony was to spend the next five years planning to evacuate (and then doing so) rather than lend Eorzea their assistance. Ever since Sharlayan has maintained a staunchly isolationist stance, it initially appears that they plan to continue this policy in Endwalker even with The End of the World as We Know It looming. But it turns out that they've been proactive about preparing an ark to ferry the people of the world to safety should the Final Days come, albeit being obstructively secretive about it.
Hypocrite:
- As the Astrologian questline shows, despite their bravado about being a race too civilized for violence, a powerful faction of conservative fundamentalists called the Bibliothecs is more than happy to order the imprisonment and assassination of those who challenge their beliefs and share forbidden knowledge with the outside world. Sevestre, the leader of this faction, had Leveva's father killed and her grandfather locked away for breaking Sharlayan's tenets.
- Despite their pacifist stance, Sharlayan continues to develop military weaponry, as shown by the Sage job's nouliths, which can be used to both heal and inflict harm on others.
- Defied in one instance. The Forum's punishments for people trying to uncover their secrets or other restricted information is little more than a slap on the wrist. They live in a nation that holds learning and seeking knowledge as the highest virtues, they can't blame their citizens for trying to know more about important matters.
Irony: In no small way, they are not unlike the Ancients and Amaurot, a seemingly perfect and pacifistic democracy where everyone's opinion is supposedly heard and they consider themselves keepers and researchers of all knowledge, and some element of this is likely deliberate. Even their condemnation of those that aid the outside world is not unlike what the Convocation ended up doing to Azem. The difference is that it's clear that some element of this is for the Sharlayan self-interests rather than fear of too much influence, and a cocky sense of superiority over the "savages" of Eorzea not unlike the Garlean Empire's self-wrought proclamations of supremacy. Their non-intervention is also seemingly and completely indolent, whereas the Ancients planned, acted and sacrificed to the bitter end once they were forced to, concerned about what was to come the whole time. Though in the end even Sharlayan is also working to prevent the end of civilization, but with an actual game plan provided by Hydaelyn instead of fumbling about aimlessly.
Jerkass Has a Point: The Scions aren't exactly happy when the Forum outlines they won't be evacuating people who will inevitably cause conflict to the moon but concede that given the close quarters of the ship and tight timetable of the evacuation, it's not an unreasonable precaution.
Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge: The Forum considers their entire civilization this, deciding that not only does Sharlayan need to hoard the bulk of the civilized world's knowledge for itself, but that other cultures are undeserving to do so because they are violent savages who will misuse it. This is the point that when pressed for assistance about the end of the world itself by the Scions, the Forum doesn't just not help, but actively impedes their efforts to uncover any information about it. The Astrologian questline explains that this is because of the influence of a powerful faction in Sharlayan politics called the Bibliothecs, who advocate a hardline stance against sharing knowledge with other nations. So much so that they're willing to have people assassinated and tortured for breaking their isolationist tenets.
Martial Pacifist: Although direct military intervention and violence is strictly avoided as a whole by Sharlayan, the nation is home to powerful sorcerers well versed in the martial application of magic for the purpose of self defense and archonships can be awarded for excellence in martial expertise like Thancred and Yda.
Neutral No Longer: After the events of Endwalker Sharlayan is no longer burdened with being charged to ensure the survival of the people of Etheirys, allowing them to no longer sit by as mere observers of history but active participants. Forchenault comments that the Forum will begin voting in favor of joining the Eorzean Alliance and lead the charge to turn the moon into a grand repository of all the world's knowlege.
Noah's Story Arc: Sharlayan was founded by a group of survivors of the Fifth Umbral Calamity led by Archon Nyunkepf and the rest of the twelve Archons of the Sixth Dawn who foresaw the Calamity and built an ark to evacuate as many people as possible from the massive flood. The ship itself can be found in the Peaks of Gyr Abania, where the ship settled when the waters subsided.
Obstructive Bureaucrat:
- G'raha quickly figures out that — due to a member of the Forum personally travelling to Gridania just to say "no" to a request for aid and stating that "they would know if the Final Days were upon them" — Sharlayan knows more about the Final Days than they let on. And by hook or by crook, they plan to keep that knowledge to themselves.
- Subverted in Endwalker. Following the events of the main story, the heroes lament that their efforts to gain access to the Isle of Haam and tap its vast reserves of aether to tear open a hole to the Thirteenth's moon will likely be stymied by the Forum's debate over the subject. To their surprise, Fourchenault comes a short while later to inform them that the Forum has agreed to grant them access so long as they cull the beasts that have overtaken the island. Given the heroes' past efforts, the Forum saw fit to lend their full support.
Omniscient Morality License: As the wisest and most knowledgeable nation in the world, the Forum feels like they have this and anyone who disagrees with their plans simply doesn't understand them well enough or isn't wise enough to appreciate them. Turns out to be more accurate than it seems at first, as the Forum's plan to evacuate the star was directly ordered by Hydaelyn and the Scions' apparent opposition is them unknowingly defying a divine mandate. On the flip side, when Hydaelyn supplies the Scions with the means to avert the Final Days, Fourchenault takes it as a given that the Forum will vote to support their, now divinely approved, mission.
Perfect Pacifist People: A ruthless subversion: Sharlayan specifically derides war as pointless because of how it scars even those who survive it and looks down on those who would use violence, but their disdain extends even to situations like Eorzea defending itself in the face of Garlean aggression. Because of this, they come across as holier-than-thou and Jerkasses since Sharlayan's geographic isolation and cordial relationships with its immediate neighbours has left it never needing to defend itself as Eorzea has. Indeed, as revealed in Endwalker, their true plan to deal with the Final Days is to flee the star; not unlike what they did with Idyllshire, only on a planetary scale.
Poor Communication Kills: The Forum's refusal to acknowledge the Final Days and extreme attempts at stonewalling the Scions' attempts to gain any knowledge about it from them makes the Sharlayans appear they have something sinister, or at the very least self-interested to hide. Turns out their plan to flee the star was actually well-intended - even approved by Hydaelyn herself! - and they were going to pull as much weight to save the fauna, flora, and even the peoples of Etheirys as a whole. In their hubris, they simply refused to accept that anyone outside the Forum was worthy enough to be let in on the plan, let alone come up with a better one that could help prevent the Final Days instead of just running from it.
Proud Scholar Race: Of the scientific variety. Sharlayan prides itself in its strong scholarly tradition and shuns conflict as the mark of more barbaric societies, hoarding its knowledge to prevent the outside world from 'misusing' it. They were also hoarding knowledge to preserve should the end of days come upon them.
Screw This, I'm Out of Here!:
- Their solution to their Dravanian colony that would eventually become Idyllshire in the wake of the Garlean invasion was to simply abandon it and evacuate back to Old Sharlayan.
- In Endwalker, their plan is to evacuate the survivors of the planet to the moon, which is in truth an ark created by Hydaelyn to ferry her people to safety in case the Final Days could not be stopped for good.
Skewed Priorities: First on the list for evacuation from the star is Sharlayan's accumulated knowledge, coming in before the star's population will be ferried to the moon. Y'shtola seems to be struggling to bite her tongue to avoid an argument on the subject before moving on to the other details of the evacuation.
Story-Breaker Power: A more understated case than most but Sharlayan's boast about the depths of their knowledge is no iddle boast, once the Forum is convinced to cooperate with the Scions there is very little answers that Sharlayan can't provide, even to matters that in ARR or Heavensward would be considered impossible to solve. Indeed once the Forum aligns with the Scions the story kicks the threat in overdrive to compensate for this seemingly endless supply of knowledge they can now Access.
Team Switzerland: They will take place in no conflicts, in no wars. Theirs is the duty only to record the course of history... and are insufferably arrogant about how this makes their society more noble than others, even ones who have to reluctantly defend themselves from aggressors. Although this does not stop the most extreme factions from assassinating and torturing those who threaten to share their secrets with the world.
Technical Pacifist: The Sharlayans consider themselves above violence, but the astrologian questline shows the members of their most extreme factions have no qualms with ordering assassinations upon those who violate their tenets and share forbidden knowledge with the outside world.
Tongue-Tied: An enchantment prevents members of the Forum from divulging their Homeworld Evacuation plans to outsiders. The effects can only be dispelled if the vast majority consent to its removal. This was to keep rumors from spreading and sowing panic before the evacuation plans could be finished.
We Have Become Complacent: Due to their Head-in-the-Sand Management, many Sharlayan scholars have expressed the view that despite their knowledge, Sharlayan society has stagnated to the point of Stupid Neutral. Many of the significant Sharlayan allies encountered by the Warrior of Light left specifically because they were frustrated by the nation's refusal to get involved in the affairs of others. Thanks to the Warrior of Light and the Scions, they do get their heads pulled out of the sand in time to help support a new Game Plan against the Final Days, rather than just running away like they originally intended.
Workaholic: A common trait among Sharlayan scholars. A big reason Archon Loaf is so popular despite its terrible taste is it's a quick meal, allowing for more time to study and research. A popular self-help book tells the reader not to ignore eating properly and exercising in favor of research, because if you stay healthy you'll live longer and have far more time for research in the long run.

Fourchenault Leveilleur

Voiced by: Kenyū Horiuchi (JP), Anthony Howell (EN), Olivier Bénard (FR), Felix Würgler (DE)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ffxiv_fourchenault.jpg

Race: Wildwood Elezen
Discipline: Sage

"Come what may, we shall live on. We must."

A high ranking and respected member of the Forum of Sharlayan, eldest son of Louisoix Leveilleur and father of Alphinaud and Alisaie.

Action Dad: He finally gets to show his skill in somanoutics in 6.1's cornerstone Role Quest, and he's even more talented than his son, capable of putting up a barrier that lasts a long time against the turned Nerva's attacks.
Anger Born of Worry: The whole reason for the way he treats his children in the lead up to and during Endwalker. In Fourchenault's eyes, he is doing all he can to ensure his children have a future, knowing that an inevitable doom approaches. Their refusal to see reason with him is not just a conflict of opinion, it's an insult to everything he has worked towards for their sake, with his disowning them done out of perceived ungratefulness. However, in the end, Fourchenault is furious because he loves them and is simply stubborn enough to believe his ideas are the only way they'll have a chance to live. When it becomes apparent the twins' conviction is ironclad, that they are more capable than he initially perceived, and that they really can stop the Final Days, Fourchenault accepts their desire to face the threat head-on rather than run from it and reconciles with them.
Bait the Dog: His immediate reunion with his children is a positive one; he takes some pride in their wellbeing and kindly relates news of their mother back at Sharlayan. But then the topic turns political and things take a turn for the worst.
Blaming the Victim: His attitude towards Eorzea's war with Garlemald is disdain for choosing violence, because of how many lives are lost in war. Never mind that Garlemald marched first and had every intention of conquering the whole of Hydaelyn before Zenos caused it to collapse, or that far more lives would be lost if Eorzea simply rolled over and let them conquer; he scorns Eorzea for choosing to fight back against an oppressive regime and the complete destruction of their culture, even if the Warrior of Light points out that the other option is to "wait for the axe to fall".
Cannot Talk to Women: In his Studium days, Fourchenault was known to be as insufferable as he was brilliant. But as Ameliance grew closer to him, he constantly averted his eyes in their conversations even while they were assigned to work together on a project.
Deadpan Snarker: Fourchenault has a very dry sense of humor that tends to come out when he overhears other talking about him. When Kokkol Dankol complains that the Forum can't so much as wipe their arses without going through the proper procedures, Fourchenault walks in and remarks, "You may be assured that my backside is immaculate."
Defrosting Ice King: He starts off very cold towards the Warrior of Light, believing that they've been a terrible influence on his children. Later on, he realizes that nothing could possibly be further from the truth, and that they have helped the twins grow into splendid young adults that Fourchenault is impossibly proud of. He warms up significantly after this.
Didn't See That Coming: Despite having all of Sharlayan's knowledge and his own cleverness at his beck and call, he gets caught flat-footed several times during Endwalker, usually signaled by a subtle widening of his eyes before he recollects himself.
- After Thavnair recovers from the second wave of Blasphemies, Fourchenault asks to speak with the Satrap, expecting (the recently deceased) Ahewann to step forward. When Vrtra steps up instead and introduces himself instead, he's visibly caught off guard at the realization that despite being from the world's vanguard of knowledge this secret never leaked in the centuries both civilizations have existed and that he now had to entreat a request for mass evacuations from not just a dragon, but one of the 7 Great Wyrms of the First Brood.
- After the Scions save the Garlean and Thavnairian refugees from the Blasphemy assault in Garlemald, Fourchenault has had a firsthand view of what heroes his children had actually grown into, Alphinaud in particular with the leadership skill he displayed in the process, leaving him clearly questioning everything he'd convinced himself about the Scions. As he's walking away Estinien twists the knife further with a "He'll be coming after your seat on the forum next", causing Fourchenault to stop dead with an expression of shock like his eyes are about to pop out of his head, before recollecting himself and continuing on.
- For all his posturing he's stunned when he meets the Lopporits and finds out that they're, well, them, and is left suffering quiet frustration when they proceed to treat Sharlayan, one of the most advanced societies on the planet, as preschoolers, even calling one of the biggest technological advancements the world had ever seen a "teeny tiny toy boat".
- He thinks he's just sent the Scions on a Snipe Hunt when they agree to find enough refined adamantite for the Ragnarok in exchange for an audience with Hydaelyn. He absolutely wasn't expecting just how strong or how far-reaching the bonds his children and the Warrior of Light had forged were and is left flabbergasted when he sees nearly every nation and organization on the planet bring far more than what was needed, and with the equivalent of one phone call to boot. This finally forces him to eat crow and have his Jerkass Realization.
Disproportionate Retribution: It's bad enough that his political beliefs clash massively with his children, but his reason for disowning them isn't solely for believing they're too far gone in their beliefs. It's also for loudly imploring Fourchenault to reconsider his decision to not act in the face of the end of the world. The very thing that starts him off on his Kick the Dog tirade is considering this to be disrespecting and raising their voices at their elders, despite them not even trying to be rude about it.
Does Not Like Spam: A Level 84 Culinarian levequest at the Scholar's Harbor, "A Stickler for Carrots", is posted by his wife, Ameliance, who asks for help in getting her husband, a man "possessed of towering intellect and unassailable logic", to eat his carrots.
Early-Bird Cameo: Players who picked up Encyclopedia Eorzea may have quickly recognized him in the trailer owing to his hairstyle and skin tone matching his picture in the book, in addition to being exactly where he was said he would be.
Fiction 500: The Levellieurs are more or less the Sharlayan equivalent of the Kennedy dynasty as a family of rich, influential politicians with immense sway in Sharlayan politics. They're so wealthy that Fourchenault doesn't notice when Ameliance starts sending excess funds to bankroll the Scions. Their Big Fancy House is also so huge that a foreign visitor mistakes it for the Studium when they first arive. Fourchenault can even go an entire month without noticing that Ameliance is housing Miladeen, a foreign exchange student from Radz-at-Han, there.
Foil: To the Garlean Legatus Quintus van Cinna. Both men are stubborn and prideful men who uphold the values of their respective countries and absolutely refuse the help of less "enlightened" countries due to these beliefs. Both men have plans to try to help their people and refuse to deviate. They even put Alphinaud and Alisaie through terrible events; the twins even realize the similarities between the two. However, when Quintus sets his suicidal plan into motion, it's completely derailed and he's Driven to Suicide in despair due to his pride. Fourchenault, however, realizes just how much can change with everyone's help and he apologizes to the twins for his actions.
Former Teen Rebel: Fourchenault may be a stuffy stickler for rules in the present, but Ameliance remembers when she'd accidentally bumped into him in Noumenon while she was finishing up her thesis. He'd been using the Vanish spell to pore through the forbidden archives without permission. He nearly died of embarrassment when Ameliance accidentally caught him in the act, begging her to keep it a secret. Ameliance agreed... on the condition that he take her to dinner.
Head-in-the-Sand Management: His response to Y'shtola asking him about the upcoming threat? He is perfectly fine with waiting it out, certain his people will be okay, and he and his are willing to let the rest of the world burn - a far cry from his father or children's attitudes. It's subverted when it's revealed he wasn't just laying down over the threat; instead, he was secretly in contact with the Loporrits on the moon and setting up an escape plan for the world's people along with the rest of the Forum. He was merely putting up a front - like the rest of the Forum - to ensure their preparations went by unabated.
Hidden Depths: He doesn't truly hate his children or his father; his worry for the future of his children overtook him when they came into the world so he did everything he could to try and push them into not risking their lives, revealing that in the event of the exodus to the moon, he'd have dragged the twins kicking and screaming onto the ship were it not for them proving they had grown capable to actually stand a chance of stopping the Final Days. He also named the ship in his father's honor. And the Sage nouliths and soul crystal Alphinaud receives in Endwalker? Those used to be his; the sage's job quest reveals that sages have their potential drawn from the desire to protect their loved ones, which fits his true feelings for his family.
Humble Pie: Gets a serving of this in Garlemald. His attempts to counter the Blasphemies' attack by extolling the crowds to stay calm and disciplined have no real effect and he has to get bailed out by the Scions he's opposed, including the children he disowned, using the violence he disdains to save the day. To his credit, he takes this with decent grace, giving them sincere gratitude for doing what he couldn't.
I Have No Son!: During the first meeting the Warrior of Light gets with the man, Fourchenault disowns Alphinaud and Alisaie for — in his eyes — Going Native and becoming like the violent savages of Eorzea. Plus, they implored their father to reconsider the Sharlayan decision to not help avert the Final Days, which Fourchenault called "showing disrespect" to their elders. Fourchenault reverses this after realizing how much the twins have grown, and it comes to light that he was at least partially putting up a front to ensure that the Sharlayan work continued without interruption.
Insufferable Genius: Fourchenault is a man of great intellect worthy of the Levellieur name. In his Studium days, Ameliance said he was known to be "unbelievably cantankerous, stubborn, unapproachable, and overall quite insufferable." She goes on to say that all of these things were true, but this made her even more interested in getting to know him. She tells her children if they want to win him over, they shouldn't try arguing, as he's far too convinced he's always right, and instead go out and get results he can't deny.
Jerkass Realization: When everyone the Scions and the Warrior of Light have helped throughout their adventures show up at Sharlayan with all the refined adamantite they could find, Fourchenault finally realizes what a monumental asshole he was for disowning the twins and how much of a difference they and the Warrior have made in so many people's lives, baring his soul to his children and saying how proud he is of the people they've become. He even smiles for the first time since you've met him while doing so.
Locked Out of the Loop: At the end of Ameliance's Custom Deliveries questline, Ameliance reveals that Fourchenault is completely in the dark about her foreign exchange student project and that she plans to keep it that way.
The Medic: He is an accomplished Sage and can be seen treating refugees in Garlemald when the Final Days come.
Minored in Ass-Kicking: Forchenault will let you know he is not actually a stranger to the martial applications of magic because his duties to the forum have taken to many places where the necessity of self defense is needed. Ameliance also says that his concentration at the Studium was somnautics, the use of sage arts for both combat and healing. You get the chance to witness his skills in action in 6.1's final Role Quest.
My New Gift Is Lame: Was once the deliverer of this trope. During the 2023 Starlight Festival, it's revealed that Forchenault once gave the twins "puzzles complicated enough to stump half the Studium" - when they were still young enough to lie awake trying to catch the Saint of Nymeia visiting their house. Alphinaud breezed through his, but Alisaie couldn't even be bothered to open hers.
Ameliance: And that was genuinely his best effort at gift-giving!
Nerves of Steel: When the Final Days reach Garlemald shortly after his own arrival, he's one of the few people in the crowd not panicking or running for their lives — and he's entirely unarmed. If anything he's quite annoyed at the development, and tries to direct the refugees.
Never My Fault: When first met in Endwalker, he refuses to take any responsibility for his actions in 5.5, instead putting the blame for him disowning his children squarely on the Warrior of Light for having "corrupted" the Twins. He drops this once he realizes just how much the Twins have grown thanks to the Warrior of Light's influence.
Parents as People:
- Over the course of Endwalker, it becomes clear that Fourchenault truly loves his children even after disowning them for speaking out against him. His secrecy, frosty exterior, and dismissive attitude toward them are all rooted in the burden of his "sacred duty" to Sharlayan as a member of the Forum. Alphinaud and Alisaie both remember when he'd constantly fret over their wellbeing when they were younger. His wife mentions that the thought of hearing about the twins' adventures in Eorzea makes him turn pale as he clears out of the room to not think about the danger his children are putting themselves in. When he's released from that burden following the Endsinger's defeat, he shows a much warmer side to him as he finally acknowledges how far Alphinaud and Alisaie have come.
- Ameliance notes that he felt awful about not being able to attend the twins' graduation from the Studium due to an emergency Forum meeting and spent the entire next day baking ginger cookies for Alisaie in hopes of cheering her up.
Pet the Dog: Despite being a firm believer and advocate for Sharlayan's isolationism, he is also a strong proponent for people being able to make their own choices, so he did not try to stop his father and children from going to Eorzea to help its people... though he later states he should have never have allowed the latter to leave.
Retired Badass: It comes as a bit of a surprise that Fourchenault is a retired Sage and Alphinaud's new nouliths were once his. When the crowd of refugees he's shepherding come under attack by Blasphemies, he's cool as a cucumber despite the danger.
So Proud of You: After he realizes just how much Alphinaud and Alisaie have grown during their time in Eorzea, he tells them this almost verbatim.
Tea Is Classy: One levequest in Old Sharlayan has Fourchenault's wife Ameliance request the finest quality medicinal tea to help him deal with the stresses of being a member of the Forum and the patriarch of House Leveilleur, one of the most prestigious families in all of Sharlayan.
Toxic Friend Influence: He sees the Warrior of Light as this, accusing them for being the reason the twins are doing what they're doing. Once he has his Jerkass Realization however, he realizes that the Warrior has been nothing but the exact opposite of a toxic friend, and sincerely apologizes to them for his behavior towards them.
Trademark Favorite Food: According to Ameliance, Fourchenault is so fond of Archon loaf that he would've ended up with a gut if she hadn't personally cooked his meals during their Studium days.
What the Hell, Hero?: Apparently gives the rest of the Forum quite the talking to about how they want to ban Y'shtola from the restricted section just because she was trained by Matoya even after she was instrumental in saving the entire world. He seems a little embarrassed when Montichaigne brings it up.
When He Smiles: He smiles for the first since you met him during his Jerkass Realization above, and it's like he's a completely different person than the stone-faced bureaucrat you met in Gridania.

Ameliance Leveilleur

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka (JP), Gemma Whelan (EN), Christèle Billault (FR), Ilka Teichmüller (DE)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ffxiv_ameliance.jpg

Race: Wildwood Elezen
Discipline: Arcanist

"Safe travels, my children. Eat well, stay warm, and keep your friends close."

Fourchenault's wife and the loving mother of Alphinaud and Alisaie. While her husband is busy with his duties at the Forum, it falls to Ameliance to manage the day-to-day affairs of the Levellieur Household.

Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Downplayed by the time of the main story, if not outright defied. She proudly admits that the Twins' initial matching clothes were for her own enjoyment, but accepts that the two have grown too mature for such things, even gifting them entirely different outfits in support of the people they've become.
Anonymous Benefactor: Tataru reveals that Ameliance was sending excess family funds to bankroll the Scions even before they were formally an organization, much to Fourchenault's disbelief.
Badass Bookworm: We never see her in battle, but like her husband and children, she is prodigious in magic (specifically, arcane arts) and she's implied to be an Archon, as she was working on her thesis when she met Fourchenault.
Benevolent Boss: In one sidequest, the servants of House Levellieur reveal that Amelliance considers them all family and is happy to share the contents of her children's letters with them. Meeting the Warrior is like seeing an old friend for the first time in a long while and it's clear that they all have Undying Loyalty to the Leveilleur household. Of note is that they fully support and follow Ameliance behind Fourchenault's back and without his knowledge, in activities clearly against his wishes but for the greater benefit of the family, despite her having married into the family and estate.
Friend to All Children: In addition to doting on her own children, Ameliance is concerned for the welfare of other children in the aftermath of the Final Days. To this end, her Custom Deliveries are devoted to providing a host family program with free supplies to allow the brightest students from abroad to afford attending the Studium.
Good Parents: Loves her children immensely and welcomes them openly despite the controversy created by her husband. She even takes them into their estate behind her husband's back, simply because she wanted to see them again so badly. When she acts as a host mother to Miladeen, an exchange student from Radz-at-Han, Ameliance cares for her as though she were her own child. She calls Mila family and decides to personally prepare Mila's lunches after seeing how badly Sharlayan's Nondescript, Nasty, Nutritious food is disagreeing with the Hannish girl.
Happily Married: They may have opposite opinions of their children's exploits, but it's clear that Fourchenault and Ameliance are deeply in love with each other given how well she knows him.
Hidden Depths: While she primarily handles the Levellieur estate in the present, it's clear that Ameliance is an intellectual peer to her husband in both oratory and skill at magic. In her Custom Deliveries questline, it's revealed that she specialized in arcane magics during her time at the Studium. She is not only able to cast magic without a focus, but effortlessly manipulates a training mammet only designed to rise in response to healing magic to offer words of encouragement to a distraught girl. Then there was the moment she put Rowena in her place with a business dealing that benefits Sharlayan's education system.
High-School Sweethearts: She and Fourchenault first met during their Studium days while she was studying the arcane and he somanoutics. Despite his reputation as an Insufferable Genius, Ameliance found him fascinating after they were assigned to work together on a group project. Meanwhile, Fourchenault was awkward about how bubbly and outspoken she was, averting his eyes constantly when the two of them were speaking to each other.
Informed Flaw: Alisaie mentions that Alphinaud inherited his Innocently Insensitive streak from their mother, but in her time on-screen Ameliance is never anything short of insightful, well-spoken, and considerate of those around her. Implying that this might be more a case of Alisaie misunderstanding the scale her mother's subtly skillful social abilities, who on numerous occasions has deliberately invoked Innocently Insensitive mannerisms when steering an entire family of stubborn headstrong individuals who are easy to embarress.
Let Us Never Speak of This Again: She shares all sorts of embarrassing stories about her husband in her Custom Deliveries questline on the condition that the Warrior never breathe a word about them to anyone else. She also asks them not to say anything about her request to borrow any clothes they have that could fit her, especially the ones that could get a rise out of Fourchenault.
Open-Minded Parent: In contrast to her husband's tendency to flee the room whenever Alphinaud and Alisaie send letters home about their adventures, Ameliance is eager to learn what her children have been up to. When the Scions return to Sharlayan, Ameliance is happy to greet and welcome the people Fourchenault derided into her home, asking the Warrior to regale her with stories about their exploits. She also invites Estinien over for tea thanks to Alphinaud's glowing praise of him.
Only Sane Man: She's the complete opposite of her husband in almost every way, warm, welcoming, and a caring mother instead of an obstructive bureaucrat. Even after Fourchenault disowns their children, Ameliance happily welcomes Alphinaud and Alisaie back into her home and gives them some helpful advice that lets them eventually get through Fourchenault's stubbornness.
The Social Expert: Her advice to her children on how to get through to Fourchenault along with managing to twist Rowena, a notoriously shrewd and miserly merchant, around her little finger show that Ameliance is an expert at seeing through people and manipulating them in a conversation. She even displays a degree of Hyper-Awareness, picking up on the faintest bit of gauntness in Miladeen's cheeks despite the girl's attempts to hide it from her.
The Tease: At the end of her Custom Deliveries questline, she asks the Warrior if she could borrow any garments they find in their travels for her to wear. She goes on to say that if it puts Fourchenault to the blush, all the better.

Montichaigne Mongrignois

Montichaigne

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (JP), Phillip Jackson (EN), Philippe Vincent (FR), Holger Franke (DE)

Race: Wildwood Elezen

"I've always believed that curiosity should be nurtured, not stifled."

A member of the Sharlayan Forum and an old friend of Galuf Baldesion, Matoya, and Louisoix Leveilleur. He is the headmaster of the Studium, Sharlayan's finest learning institute.

The Archmage: He's considered one of the greatest and most powerful mages that Sharlayan has ever produced, casually weaving constructs of aether like a pen and paper out of thin air.
Bait the Dog: A minor, humorous case of this. When meeting Krile and the Leveilleur twins for the first time in a long while, he praises their growth and states their respective grandfathers would be very proud. He then turns and, still very much in earshot, praises the Warrior of Light for having the patience to put up with them and their antics.
Cool Old Guy: He's a member of the liberal faction of Sharlayan politicians who prefer direct intervention and assistance much like his old friend Louisoix. When the Scions are put on trial for snooping around Sharlayan, he alone rises in their defense, presenting an argument that convinces a slim majority of the Forum to allow the Scions remain in the country.
Cool Teacher: Gives a fascinating lecture about aetherology to the Warrior, Krile, and the twins. According to Alisaie, his "tricks" and thought-provoking lessons are what inspired her to attend the Studium in the first place.
Loophole Abuse: While he can't reveal what he's been magically sworn to keep secret, that doesn't mean he can't offer Krile and the others more access to Sharlayan resources under his sponsorship.
Not So Above It All: In the 6.1 patch, he offers his full support in petitioning the Forum to allow Y'shtola and the Warrior of Light access to their most forbidden records, largely because he considers researching the creation of a stable gate to explore the Voidsent-infested, Darkness-consumed hellscape that was the Thirteenth to be just as exciting as they do.
"Not So Different" Remark: He jokingly notes that many of the Scions the Warrior is now working with were once troublesome students when they were younger and sympathizes with the Warrior for being in the position he was when he taught them. He even lightly offers some tips on how to handle 'problem children' like Y'shtola and the Leveilleurs.
Putting the "Pal" in Principal: He's by far the most friendly member of the Forum to the Scions and the kindly head of the Studium. While he does agree with the Forum's "sacred duty", he also goes out of his way to provide resources useful to the Scions' investigation into the Final Days.
Reasonable Authority Figure:
- He's quite supportive of the Scions and makes it a point to give them a fair shake during their tribunal. He decries his fellow Forum members for trying to turn the matter into a moralistic debate and steers the conversation back to the facts of the charges against them, pointing out that there's no evidence whatsoever the Scions are actually guilty of the crime they were accused of. Notably, he's more supportive of them than Alphinaud and Alisaie's own father.
- This works against the player in the Faculty of Archelogy questline, where even though Montichaigne thinks there's nothing to the tribunal against Rurusha, he still carries it out because he's not going to ignore the complaints of so many of his staff.
So Proud of You: He's very pleased to see how skilled Krile, the twins, and Y'shtola have become.

Dickon Denman

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2022_02_09_01_04_18_949_witchsmoonforgameplayalt.png

Race: Highlander Hyur
Discipline: Culinarian

"Welcome to the Last Stand. As the final—and some say, only— bastion of fine dining in Sharlayan, we guarantee a quality culinary experience found nowhere else in the city."

The proprietor of the Last Stand, the only restaurant in all of Sharlayan that doesn't ascribe to the city-state's nutrition over flavor culinary philosophy.

The Bartender: The Last Stand serves drinks in addition to non-alcoholic fare like tea and coffee. The number of rumors and tidbits he hears on a daily basis makes him a mandatory stop in the Scion's search for information on what the Forum is hiding. He regrets to inform Alisaie that he's heard nothing specific, but allows the Warrior to go undercover as a server to see what else they can pick up from his patrons.
Passing the Torch: Dickon didn't found the Last Stand, but inherited it from its previous owner, Mervyn, before the latter passed away.
Serious Business: The Last Stand is a household name in the city-state as the only place that openly flouts the intense emphasis on function over flavor in the Sharlayan cuisine. It's not merely a business model to Dickon and his patrons, but an open attack on Sharlayan's monotone and utilitarian approach to food.
Dickon: [to the Warrior and Debroye] Listen, the Last Stand was named so for a reason. We're a cultural outpost—the final defense against those who would condemn Sharlayan's diet to blandness and mediocrity! If you share Mervyn's dream—and I believe you do—then I implore you to carry on his legacy!
Supreme Chef: Dickon is the finest cook in Sharlayan as the head of the Last Stand, which all refer to as the last bastion of fine dining in the entire country. His restaurant is shown to produce a wide variety of mouthwatering dishes from lobster to baked goods to enormous hamburgers. All Sharlayans who are sick of Archon loaf and other bland but nutritious foodstuffs flock to his restaurant. Debroye, a member of the Faculty of Nutrition and a part-time chef at the Last Stand, consults Dickon for advice on how to make Galveroche's revolting panaloaf edible.

Erenville

For information on Erenville see Final Fantasy XIV Tural

Margrat (Unmarked Spoilers for Endwalker!)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/margrat_ff14.png

Race: Highlander Hyur
Discipline: Propulsion Aetherologist

An aetherologist speciailizing in propulsion engineering based in the Sharlayan Hamlet. She and her team were part of efforts to construct a secret project on behalf of the Forum. But after the events of Endwalker, she starts working with Garlond Ironworks in developing faster, more efficient airships. She enlists the Warrior of Light's help in making working conditions in the Sharlayan Hamlet more comfortable for the sake of health and productivity, acting as the third Custom Deliveries client for the expansion.

Absent-Minded Professor: She's a brilliant scientist but also rather spacey. When you first meet her during the main story, she's so sleep-deprived that she's Laughing Mad and dancing the yol dance, with the Warrior remarking that only sleep can save her now. At the start of her Custom Deliveries questline, she completely fails to notice who the Warrior is because of how desperate she and her co-workers are for back pain relief after being hunched over their desks for so long.
Ascended Extra: She's initially a nameless, but humorous researcher you encounter while helping to finish the preparation for the Ragnarok. She then becomes the focal point of a Custom Deliveries questline detailing what exactly the researchers of Labyrinthos are up to now that the threat of the Final Days is past.
Benevolent Boss: She was the leader of one of the teams responsible for building the propulsion systems of the Ragnarok. When you first meet her again in her Custom Deliveries questline, she's ranting and raving at the Theosauros, the facility that dispenses supplies researchers need, for not providing more than the bare minimum of necessities for the researchers in the Sharlayan Hamlet. After this, she commissions the Warrior to make supplies and aid her in making her co-workers happier and healthier with scrips from her own pockets.
Berserk Button: Deadlines for her research. She screams and threatens to impose a deadline on other's lives if you start a conversation with her about them.
Cuteness Proximity: While requesting the Warrior to make miniature monster figurines for Ibuki, Margrat requests permission to hug any plushies that the Warrior makes.
Failed a Spot Check:
- She's been so overworked that she never got to watch the Scions board or disembark the Ragnarok. As a result, she mistakes the Warrior as just another gleaner or adventurer brought in by Theopauldin until she finally slows down enough to ask the Warrior their name. Learning exactly who they are has Margrat wishing Rhalgr would smite Theopauldin for not telling her that she was commissioning sources of back pain relief from the savior of the universe.
- After this, she invokes this to have some fun teasing her colleagues. She introduces the Warrior as an "exclusive gleaner" whom her coworkers eagerly commission help from because of their various woes. She only brings up the Warrior's name after they complete the request, getting a laugh out of watching the others be just as embarrassed as she was. The real reason she did this is to allow her co-workers to meet the Warrior and get to know them without preconceptions or misgivings caused by the Warrior's reputation. By the end of her Custom Deliveries, she has the entire Sharlayan Hamlet greet the Warrior, who'd been previously walking around virtually unnoticed, and have them all thank the Warrior for saving the universe.
Labcoat of Science and Medicine: Like many of the researchers in Labyrinthos, Margrat can be seen wearing the Cauldronfiend's Set, consisting of a white labcoat over a leather waistcoat to indicate that she is a scientist and a scholar.
Large Ham: Margrat is very talkative and highly expressive when worked up. She has unique animations showing her angrily shouting while clenching her hands into claws.
Motor Mouth: When Margrat is worked up, she has a lot to say, with Theopauldin calling her explanations "exhaustive" as an Understatement. Her ability to exposit several paragraphs worth of dialogue in a short period of time can have the Warrior asking if she'll shut up if they make her a comfortable chair.
Ms. Exposition: She's a senior researcher in Labyrinthos and tells the Warrior (and the player) about what each of the scientists have been getting up to and their role in the construction of the Ragnarok.
Soul-Crushing Desk Job: Downplayed. Margrat is clearly passionate about her work, but Sharlayan's emphasis on cost-effectiveness over comfort means that life in the Sharlayan Hamlet is miserable even for the most engrossed researchers. Her manic raving about creature comforts that was initially Played for Laughs gains more sobering context when you learn that she and her co-workers worked themselves to the bone to finish the Ragnarok. Until the Warrior walked into the Theosauros by chance, she never even got to catch a glimpse of the Scions, much less see them off.
Stress Vomit: At the end of her Custom Deliveries questline, Theopauldin confides in the Warrior that Margrat and the other researchers suffered horrific psychological stress due to the looming deadline of the Final Days. Their worries about making a mistake that could get the Scions killed led to insomnia, nausea, and vomiting. This stress did not end until the heroes returned home from Ultima Thule.
Uniformity Exception: Invoked. When she gifts the Warrior a fashionable gleaner's uniform, she makes sure to dye the top a brilliant shade of turquoise blue in contrast to the earthy greens most gleaners wear. This makes the Warrior standout among all the other gleaners in Labyrinthos when she calls for all the researchers in the Sharlayan Hamlet to meet them and offer their thanks.
Walking Spoiler: It's difficult to talk about her without mentioning her part in constructing the Ragnarok as an ark to the moon and later a means for the Scions to take the fight to the Endsinger.

Thavnair

Thavnair in general

Embrace the Many, Thrive as One

An island lying in the Near East, its city-state Radz-at-Han is famed for being the birthplace of alchemy and is a bustling trade hub between Eorzea and the Far East.

Bedlah Babe: The Thavnairian gear set and the level 80 Dancer artifact gear are this for females.
Early-Bird Cameo: Although added as a major zone in Endwalker, Thavnair was technically first visited in Stormblood. The treasure hunt Uznair areas are located here.
Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The jungle environment, brightly-painted buildings, and several elephant motifs call to mind India, something emphasized in the English cast as they contain many Indian voice actors. There are also bits of "Arabian Nights" Days present in Thavnairian clothing. Southeast Asian dishes like kal-jiao and telur balado are also mentioned as staples in Thavnairian cuisine. Of special note is the city of Radz-at-Han, whose multi-color aesthetic, architectural designs and layout seem very much inspired by the ancient historical sites of the Indian state of Rajasthan (especially given the fictional city's name), which much like Thavnair was also once renowned for its masterful masons and the quality of material from its quarries (and argueably today as well).
Foil: To Ul'dah. Both cities are home to many merchants who make a living in selling and trading goods. Ul'dah has a lot of merchants who are dishonest and greedy while looking out for themselves. Thavnair's merchants aren't shown to be shady (they were at first due to the nation falling on hard times but even that is less than skillful and quite blatent in its desperation, showing a lack of practiced nuance in such matters) and generally have a good work ethic. In terms of leadership, Ul'dah is run by a group of wealthy merchants that generally look out for themselves and other rich citizens while the leaders of Thavnair do their best to make sure everyone is doing okay.
Informed Attribute: The governance of Radz-at-Han is explained to the Scions (and the player) as being ruled by the people with the satrap being merely a mediator, albeit a highly respected and influential one. In the story, however, the satrap is presented as the de-facto king of the city. He lives in a palace, commands the army, and issues edicts to the people with no sign of another governing body in sight. Though this might be because we only ever see it in a state of emergency and recovery after the Final Days heavily afflicts the region. With Ahewann's death, Vrtra is extolled to openly replace him as satrap because the people need a leader to direct and guide them through the devastation and loss of life caused by the Final Days.
Merchant City: Radz-at-Han's claims to fame are its alchemical facilities and unique position between Eorzea and the Far East, making it an important trade hub between two of the Three Great Continents. Thavnairian merchants can be found across the setting with many materials being exported to and from the nation (particularly crafting materials).
Team Switzerland: They remained neutral in Garlemald's conquest of the three continents, leaving them free to trade with both the Empire and unconquered nations.

Vrtra

Voiced by: Jun Fukushima (JP), Nigel Betts (EN), Jonathan Gimbord (FR), Martin Schubach (DE) (as Vrtra)
Jo Ben Ayed (EN) (as Varshahn)

Race: Dragon
Discipline: Satrap (Gladiator, Dragoon)

The youngest of Midgardsormr's First Brood. He made his residence on the island of Thavnair long before even the Arksasodara arrived on the island.

Aliens Speaking English: Unlike his siblings, Vrtra speaks the tongue of man rather than the language of dragons. This reflects his closeness with the people of Radz-at-Han as its secret ruler through the line of satraps.
Artifact Alias: After the ruse is revealed, he continues to be called Varshahn while piloting his mammet body, by both the interface and other characters. The Scions end up asking him which name he prefers, and he says he doesn't mind either way.
Ascended Extra: Prior to Endwalker his existence was only known through the Encyclopedia Eorzea lore book, which lists him among the members of the First Brood.
Berserk Button: The first time Vrtra is truly pissed in the story is when Scarmiglione and Barbariccia brag about consuming the aether of a dragon in front of him. The thought of his sister Azdaja being used as a mere commodity lowers his voice to a snarl.
Big Brother Worship: Vrtra was especially close to his elder sister, Azdaja, who looked after him after their sire went dormant. Since Vrtra had yet to hatch at the time, Azdaja warmed his egg and doted on him as a parent would.
Big Little Brother:
- Even after the true nature of the position of satrap is revealed, the Radiant Host still view Varshahn, and thus Vrtra (despite being millenia older than everyone in Thavnair), as a little brother of sorts. This is why they swear to defend Thavnair in Vrtra's absence to give him a chance to rescue his sister, as she's their family too.
- Played straight when he rescues his sister, Azdaja. Due to Azdaja's new body being no bigger than a newborn dragon, she's still the older sibling to Vrtra while he plays the role of the bigger but younger sibling.
The Chains of Commanding: After the events of Endwalker, Vrtra reveals that he tried to open a gate to the void with the aid of Radz-at-Han's alchemists in hopes of finding and rescuing his sister, Azdaja, after she plunged into an Allagan voidgate to put a halt to the endless flood of voidsent summoned by the empire. But after failing to find her, he gives her up as a lost cause because of his responsibility to keep Thavnair safe from voidsent incursion.
A Day in the Limelight: While not exactly a minor character in 6.0, for the 6.x MSQ he becomes one of the main characters and has a deeply personal stake in the conflict.
Decoy Leader: In public, the nation of Thavnair is ruled by the people, with any conflicts being mediated by a lineage of satraps. In truth, the satrap is merely a proxy through whom Vrtra passes his judgments and has done so since the nation of Thavnair was founded. Varshahn, his "servant", is also an alchemical construct in which Vrtra places his eye so he can dictate his will through "him". After several years go by, said "servant" is "sent abroad" so people don't get suspicious of the construct's lack of aging.
Dragon Hoard: Following Endwalker, it's revealed that Vrtra possesses an enormous hoard of treasure hidden in ruins submerged in the depths of the Bounty. This treasure, collected over millehnia, is essentially an enormous rainy day fund in the event that Thavnair found itself in a crisis. Even more importantly, it conceals a voidgate he'd once had his alchemists develop in hopes of finding and rescuing his sister, Azdaja.
Dramatic Curtain Toss: Upon meeting the satrap of Radz-at-Han, Estinien demands that he end this charade. The satrap attempts to deflect, only for Vrtra to agree with Estinien, resulting in the satrap pulling up the curtains to reveal the great wyrm.
Eating Machine: To sell the illusion that Varshahn was a real person, the alchemists who designed the remote body gave it the means to eat and digest food, or at least simulate the act in a convincing manner.
Everyone's Baby Sister: Varshahn is considered this by the Radiant soldiers stationed around Radz-at-Han, who often voice their concerns over his apparent youth and worry for his wellbeing. Taking the form of a Au Ra child only compounds it.
- This comes back around again in 6.1. Learning of Vrtra's turmoil between leading his people and the possibility to rescue Azdaja from the Thirteenth, the Radiant Host and the other members of Thavnair's governance offer to run the nation in his place. Whether Dragon or Au Ra, they all consider Vrtra/Varshahn like family, and will not abide him abandoning his other family members for their sake.
Eye Scream: Subverted. When the heroes meet him, the first thing Estinien notes is that Vrtra seems to be missing an eye, asking if someone had torn it out. Vrtra denies this, assuring Estnien that it's simply implanted in "Varshahn", his artificial "servant" and proxy through which he observes and subtly helps others in Thavnair. He gets a more lingering, but willing version of this in 6.5 when he sacrifices one of his eyes to give Azdaja's soul a new body. After this point, he notes that going forward, while he still has every intention of using Varshahn as he has been, doing so leaves his real body completely blind.
Face of a Thug: A point of anguish for him is that he's so threatening-looking that he fears that mankind would never accept him no matter how kind he is to them. His fears are compounded by the bloody events of the Dragonsong War, resulting in him refusing to show his face to the people of Thavnair. When Estinien convinces Vrtra to reveal himself to be the true satrap of Thavnair, the wyrm is astonished to find that the people he's protected for so long quickly accept him and appreciate him for all he's done for them. Estinien then remarks that Ysayle would be overjoyed were she present to see this.
Fangs Are Evil: Inverted. Despite having huge, prominent fangs unique to him among his siblings, Vrtra is the most personable of the First Brood met in the story, showing neither Tiamat's self-loathing, nor Nidhogg's hatred, nor Hraesvelgr's cynicism and apathy toward humanity. He has benevolently ruled Thavnair since its very founding, personally ending the war between the Matanga, Au Ra, and Hyur factions and laying the groundwork for it to become a hub for culture and trade.
Freakiness Shame: Though he loves the people of Thavnair more than anything, he is afraid that his nature as a dragon will bring ruin upon the country if his identity were commonly known. So he chooses to hide behind the line of a family of Au Ra who publicly serve as the wise satraps of the country but are actually just carrying out his orders. It takes the death of the current satrap and much encouragement from Estinien for Vrtra to gain the courage to publicly reveal himself to his people. Fortunately, they accept him as their ruler despite his nature and the deception.
Foil: To his brothers, Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr, when it comes to their view on man. Nidhogg sees man with pure hatred and contempt while Hraesvelgr is apathetic and indifferent towards them. Vrtra is the total opposite where he sees man as precious beings that he must guard and watch over while helping them flourish and grow. Notably, he only ever speaks the language of his people, never the language of dragons, unlike Hraesvelgr and Nidhogg who only ever spoke in their natural tongue.
Guest-Star Party Member: As the now-adult Varshann, Vrtra follows the Warrior of Light and his friends through Troia Castle, filling either the Tank or DPS role. He functions a Gladiator (though with unique moves thanks to his draconic aether), or a Dragoon respectively.
Kill the Ones You Love:
- When the Final Days begin, Vrtra is forced to slaughter the Terminus Beasts that were once his countrymen. He struggles to do so at first, only relenting after Y'shtola informs him that there's nothing left of the original person, not even their souls. Even so, he does this with heavy heart and laments the cruel and capricious fate that has befallen his people.
- While he doesn't say it outright, it's easy enough to hear in his tone that beside having to think of Thavnair, part of the reason he abandoned searching for Azdaja in the Void was the saddening thought that if she was alive at all, she would have long since turned into a voidsent and he feared having to do this to his beloved sister and caretaker if he found her. When Y'shtola's experiment proves this may not necessarily be the case because of how hardy great wyrms are, it gives him hope for the first time in millennia. When his fears come true in 6.4, Vrtra noticeably cannot bring himself to raise any aggression towards her, only dodging while trying to reason with her and nearly ends up dead for it.
My Species Doth Protest Too Much: Vrtra lacks the condescension and animosity toward humanity that the Dravanian horde have. Rather than live removed from humanity, he has a pact with them to serve as an ally to the people of Thavnair, willingly offering his dragon scales to the alchemists at Great Work. He notes that while he indeed heard Nidhogg's cries for vengeance, Vrtra chose not to join the Dragonsong War despite his brother's righteous rage because Vrtra loves the people of Thavnair too much to bring himself to attack humanity, even though he too mourned his sister.
Nice Guy: Vrtra is by far the friendliest and most welcoming of the great wyrms, and even among the mortal cast he stands out for his kind heart. His compassion and mercy are described as "boundless" by those who know him and he treats the Scions with nothing but respect. Whereas the Dravanian horde is often condescending and dismissive toward humanity, Vrtra loves the people of Thavnair so dearly that he initially cannot bring himself to kill the Terminus Beasts who were once his countrymen. He’s so nice in fact that a crying and terrified baby calms down simply by being near him. In 6.2, his initial reaction to Barbariccia's attack on Zero's domain is to mourn the voidsent while everyone else is focused on the inevitable fight with her.
- In the Omicron beast tribe quests, when N-7000 needs to find a friendly dragon to talk about their world before the Omicron invasion, he is one of the two options the Warrior of Light can suggest - the other being Vidofnir.
No Biological Sex: Vrtra explains to the heroes that dragons are capable of reproducing asexually, which makes notions of "male" and "female" largely irrelevant. Despite this, many dragons develop masculine or feminine voices and mannerisms. As such, he and the other dragons use gendered pronouns and refer to each other as "brother" and "sister".
Non-Standard Character Design: Not Vrtra, but his Remote Body, Varshahn. Keen-eyed players may notice that Varshahn has green horns, which, in addition to contrasting against the bone-white Raen scales, neither Raen or Xaela Au Ra can have. This is a clue that there is more to the boy than meets the eye. His adult body in 6.2 has a softer face that stands out from pretty much every other Au Ra man in the world, lacking the sharp gaze and the chin scales they typically have.
Not So Stoic: Seeing Y'shtola's summoning ritual leaves him staring in open mouthed shock. When she asks him a minute later to open the Voidgate he seems to need a moment to collect himself before complying.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The first time we hear him talking in Dragonspeak is when he finally sees Azdaja again on the Thirteenth's moon, thankful that she's still alive. He later does so again after she's transformed into the Shadow Dragon, pleading for her to come to her senses.
Papa Wolf: As the true satrap of Thavnair, he loves his countrymen as though they were his children. After struggling to bring himself to kill the Terminus Beasts, he's eventually convinced to lay waste to them with Estinien's help, clearing the skies of hundreds of the monsters almost single-handedly.
Physical God: As one of the seven great wyrms on Hydaelyn, Vrtra is among the most powerful creatures in the setting. The Endwalker trailer depicts him blasting away an entire horde of Terminus Beasts with his breath.
Plot-Relevant Age-Up: Before storming Troia Castle, Nidhana gives Varshann an upgraded body which looks like a young adult, in order for him to accompany the Warrior of Light, Y'shtola and Estinien through the Void. He switches back to the younger body when he returns to the Source though so that maintenance can be done on the older body.
Reasonable Authority Figure:
- Compared to his siblings, Vrtra cares deeply for humanity, his people especially, thanks to ruling the nation of Thavnair for over a millennia from the shadows. As such, he is honest and upfront about his intentions to the Scions and offers them as many Warding Scales as he can provide to combat the oncoming threat in exchange for freeing his people from the Tower of Zot. He's also accommodating enough to allow the Scions time to deliberate and prepare, knowing full well that the task he's entrusting to them is unbelievably dangerous.
- In 6.1, we get to see him in his element as a proper leader. With the immensely massed wealth from Alzadaal's Legacy, he immediately sets about to help his ailing kingdom recover from the final days; after telling his men to trade the treasures for practical coin, he mentions giving all of the citizens a cash stimulus, commissions a new merchant fleet to help Thavnair's ailing sea trade to bring wealth back to the country, and an immediate priority to open an Orphanage of Love for children who lost their families to the Final Days who would otherwise be left to suffer and die in the gutters (which gets so much attention put on it it's apparently up and running in hours). To cap all of this off, he (at your suggestion) names the entire thing "The Khalzahl Foundation" after the deceased consortium baron - insistent on letting him be remembered as a Benevolent Boss who brought great wealth and joy to Thavnair, rather than the first Blasphemy that kicked off the Final Days in earnest.
Remote Body: Varshahn is an alchemical construct in which Vrtra has implanted his eye. This lets him secretly observe the people of Thavnair whilst he rules from the shadows, aiding them through his "servant". He's been doing this since Thavnair was founded, sending each construct "abroad" every few years so people don't notice its lack of aging. He eventually gets an improved, more mature body to use for the trip into The Fell Court of Troia as a Trust member.
Robo Speak: Upon revealing that "Varshahn" is an artificial Remote Body Vrtra controls through his eye, Varshahn goes from speaking normally to speaking without inflection, emphasizing that it is just a puppet for Vrtra to use. Averted by 6.1 though, where Varshahn speaks normally, even after his true identity is public knowledge.
Stealth Pun: His DPS role in Duty Support is listed with the icon for Dragoon despite him lacking jumping attacks and generally acting more as a Lancer. Since the Japanese name for the job is "Dragon Knight", Vrtra still fits the job description by being a dragon who is also a knight.
True Companions: By the end of Endwalker patch content, Vrtra considers the Warrior of Light and the Scions true friends, both for aiding Thavnair in the final days and for saving his sister, during which he also had a lot of bond-building adventures with them. The latter in particular, plus taking part in the Trust system as Varshahn, effectively makes him a Scion in all but name by the time it's all said and done.
Try Not to Die: When chaos comes to Thavnair, Estinien volunteers to ride Vrtra's back and help him clear the skies of the Terminus Beasts unleashed by the Final Days. Vrtra tries to dissuade Estinien, but the dragoon is adamant about accompanying Vrtra. The great wyrm eventually relents, advising Estinien to keep a grip of iron on his back.
Walking Spoiler: It's difficult to talk about him without revealing that he has been Thavnair's secret ruler since its very founding.

Ahewann

Ahewann bin Alzadaal

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (JP), Ben Turner (EN), Mario Bastellica (FR), Johannes Hamm (FR)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ffxiv_ahewann.jpg

Race: Raen Au Ra
Discipline: Gladiator

The current satrap and ruler of Radz-at-Han with a lineage dating back to the founding of the nation. As satrap, he only wields his authority in times of crisis to mediate a solution, while the nation is mostly run by the people themselves.

Decoy Leader: Vrtra is the true satrap and ruler of Radz-at-Han with Ahewann acting as his proxy in public, a role his family has faithfully carried out since the founding of the nation.
Heroic Sacrifice: Is killed by a Blasphemy while protecting a grieving father during the attack on Radz-at-Han.
Gory Discretion Shot: The shot cuts away to the ground as he is about to be eaten by the Terminus monster, with the sound of a chomp while his sword clatters to the ground.
Royals Who Actually Do Something: While the line of satraps aren't explicitly kings, they are the chief authority within Radz-at-Han. Ahewann is shown to be devoted to his role and will even take to the frontlines to defend his people from beasts and invaders.
Universally Beloved Leader: He's beloved by the people of Thavnair as a kind and benevolent mediator and leader in times of crisis. The Scions are actually surprised by just how popular he is, given the political turmoil in Eorzea. Vrtra, a milllenia-old dragon, even considers him his closest friend and personal confidant, from a long line of such people from each generation of Ahewann's bloodline. Even after Ahewann's death, the people of Thavnair can't stand the thought of anyone badmouthing Ahewann when Varshahn prepares to reveal the true satrap's identity. There is no information on whether he has remaining family or if the ever-dutiful Satrap bloodline died with him.

Nidhana

Voiced by: You Tachi (JP), Sheena Bhattessa (EN), Jessie Lambotte (FR), Anika Lehmann (DE)

Race: Arkasodara Matanga
Discipline: Alchemist

"It is not a surrender, but a recognition. For it is only in acceptance that we find the strength to move forward."

A senior alchemist at the Great Work in Thavnair and a friend of Krile's. Nidhana and her team have been working on ways to counter Fandaniel's towers.

Benevolent Boss: She's the most senior member and head researcher at the Great Work, showing care and compassion to her co-workers and clients alike. She volunteers to be a Professor Guinea Pig for the Warding Scales above the protests of her fellow alchemists, not wanting to risk their lives and knowing that they can continue her work should her experiment fail. The worst thing that can be said about her is that she... ah, shares her colleagues' exuberance for research, and often joins them in working to exhaustion on a given question or vexation instead of reminding them to do things like "sleep" or "eat" or "avoid passing out at your desks". Even this is largely played for comedy, however.
Damsel in Distress: Just as she's celebrating the success of the Warding Scales, she's seized by Fandaniel's aetheric chains from within the Tower of Zot and forcibly implanted into it like the Amal'jaa at the tower in Paglth'an.
Economy Cast: As the leader of the Great Work and its most experienced member, Nidhana represents them in story-related matters and is the only alchemist of the Great Work to get significant screen time.
Face of a Thug: Downplayed. She's a compassionate and caring person, but she's also a hulking elephant woman. She briefly terrifies a very confused Zero who mistakes her for some kind of fiend. She's quite aware of it, but is unbothered by it to the point where she lightly jests at Zero's reaction to her.
Foreshadowing: After the initial arc of saving her from the Tower of Zot, she brings up the concept of "akasa", or emotional energy, as an entire Exposition Dump about the concept. Under the ancients' name for it, dynamis, it ends up being the crux of the Final Days and the main goal of the heroes to understand for the rest of the expansion.
For Science!: Following the events of Endwalker, the Warrior and Y'shtola deliver to her a forbidden text of House Daemir detailing instructions for creating an artificial voidsent used to expand a planar fissure and enable travel from the Source to the void. When asked to help with this dubious task, Nidhana doesn't need any convincing, as of course forbidden knowledge is fascinating for her to explore. If anything, she is more excited than Y'shtola is about it. Later on, she needles Varshahn over keeping her in the dark about a gate to the void hidden in the depths of the Bounty, citing the potential research value it could've provided had she known about it.
Nidhana: A forbidden tome filled with forbidden research, and you put it right into my unsuspecting hand!? [Beat] I can hardly wait to read it!
Informed Attractiveness: According to Matsya, Nidhana has eyes "you can drown in" and the cutest little trunk, implying that she's gorgeous by Matanga standards. Despite this, her model isn't noticeably different from the other Arksasodara aside from her choice of clothes. Lampshaded by one of the quests she gives you, as she looks at you "with those eyes you can drown in."
Mrs. Exposition: Her appearances bring up the core tenets behind the main story of Endwalker, and how they tie in to what's going on around them. It helps the Scions of the Seventh Dawn eventually understand what's happening with akasa/dynamis, and how the Final Days can be stopped.
Nice Girl: She's nothing but helpful and grateful to the Scions for their aid in her experiments. She also readily explains the things she's doing and about how emotions can trigger things.
Professor Guinea Pig: Despite the risk, Nidhana insists on being the first test subject for the Warding Scales designed to stave off the effects of tempering, reasoning that people will not be able to trust in the alchemists' efforts if the researchers themselves don't have faith in their own work. That said, she's aware of the risks and asks her fellow alchemists to continue her work should she "not return". She also has the Warrior of Light accompany her so that someone can knock her out and drag her back if need be. Thankfully, it doesn't come to that, as her experiment is a resounding success.
Silk Hiding Steel: She's not a fighter and she's a gentle woman, but she still insists on being the test subject for the prototype Warding Scale.
Small Role, Big Impact: She and her team of alchemists create Warding Scales that immunize the bearer to tempering. Thancred is quite pleased that, for the first time, the Scions can fight on equal footing against Primals. She also introduces the concept of "akasa", an energy derived from emotions. Akasa, known to the ancients as "dynamis", eventually becomes critical to both understanding the threat the world faces and the key to countering it. Following the events of Endwalker, she and the rest of the alchemists of the Great Work volunteer to help enlarge a gate to the void, both to launch an expedition to rescue Vrtra's sister, Azdaja, and to discover a means of safely traversing between the Source and its reflections.
Team Mom: She cares deeply for her team, even taking on dangerous experiments so they don't have to risk themselves.
Walking Spoiler: It's hard to talk about what happens to Nidhana without discussing her monumental role in countering tempering by helping to create the Warding Scales, and the inclusion of dynamis as a source of energy (referred to by Hannish alchemists as "akasa").
Workaholic: She and the other alchemists of the Great Work conduct their experiments until they collapse on the ground from either overwork or a lack of stimulating work. When the Scions stumble upon this scene, they assume the alchemists been attacked or put under sleeping magicks until Varshahn arrives with a basket full of dragon scales for the alchemists to work with. Nidhana and her colleagues quickly awake before taking the scales and rushing back to work.
Nidhana: When a project like this comes along, we give it our full and undivided attention. Sleep? Pah! Who needs it!

Matsya

Voiced by: Chihiro Ueda (JP), Jay Saighal (EN), Grégory Laisné (FR), Arne Lenk (DE)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2022_04_12_14_33_00_034_off.png

Race: Arkasodara Matanga
Discipline: Fisher

"Should your heart quake with sadness, cast your mind to the heavens and remember."

A Thavnairian fisher hailing from a humble village on the coast of Thavnair. The heroes encounter him while investigating the Tower of Zot.

The Chosen One: Played for Laughs. Kalika believes that Matsya is the destined hero who will save Aloalo Island from ecological devastation after Matsya found and began nursing Kalika back to health. Matsya know that he's anything but and asks for the Warrior of Light's in fulfilling his supposed destiny.
Cowardly Lion: Matsya is, by his own admission, incredibly awkward in conversation and has severe confidence issues. However, underneath his anxious demeanor is a man of surprising conviction when pushed and is willing to brave all sorts dangers to assist his loved ones, to his own surprise. He even takes a child all by himself and runs with it back towards safety, despite being so terrified that he starts becoming a Terminus Beast. The timely arrival of Estinien and Vrtra saves Matsya's life, but he was still pushing himself far beyond what he thought were his limits to do so, which earns him praise from the Scions.
A Day in the Limelight: He's the main focus of the Aloalo Island Variant Dungeon. He's been chosen by Kalika, servant of Aloalo's Speaker, to save the island from being overrun to the ground by its wildlife. Unfortunately, Matsya has no combat experience, so he turns to the Warrior of Light to help do the fighting for him.
Despair Event Horizon: He barely avoids hitting this when fleeing with the child of a woman slain by Terminus Beasts during the Final Days. Although he tries to keep his spirits up with the tenets of his religion, the fear and despair becomes almost too much to bear as the child in his arms also succumbs to fear from losing her parents. Only Estinien and Vrtra's timely rescue saves both Matsya and the child from a terrible fate.
Heroic Bystander: He may be timid and easily startled, but when Thavnair is besieged by the effects of the Final Days, he keeps the spirits of the people of Palaka stand up in the midst of the crisis. By preventing them from succumbing to panic, he also prevents them from turning into Terminus Beasts.
Mr. Exposition: Despite this insistence that he's a terrible storyteller, he provides a wealth of information on the Thavnairian religion, especially the Magus Sisters whom the Arkasodara worship. This knowledge proves valuable to the Scions when they inevitably fight primals modeled after the Sisters in the Tower of Zot.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: After Vanaspati, as the first wave of blasphemies is suppressed inside Radz-at-Han, Ahewann attempts to reassure his people, including a woman afraid for the life of her grandson at Palaka's Stand. Immediately afterward, Matsya runs in and makes a panicked announcement that Palaka's Stand is surrounded by blasphemies, causing the woman to succumb to despair and transform into a blasphemy in the middle of the crowd. This in turn sets off a chain reaction of transformations and many are killed in the resulting chaos, including Ahewann.
Self-Deprecation: Matsya is painfully lacking in confidence and is prone to putting himself down.
Survival Mantra: Literal mantras in this case, as he often recites Thavnarian scripture to himself in order to help cope with his social anxiety. This becomes vitally important when the Final Days visit Thavnair, as he manages to rally his countrymen by reminding them that their faith preaches to fully accept the suffering and joy of life in their entirety, and to find true strength from times of hardship.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: When he loudly announces the attack on Palaka's Stand, he inadvertently causes a chain reaction of people turning into blasphemies in Radz-at-Han. Of course, given that the Scions themselves had only just pinpointed that despair was the cause of the blasphemy transformation, Matsya had no way of knowing that he was about to cause such a disaster.
Vocal Dissonance: He has a very youthful, boyish voice in the Japanese dub.

Kalika

An uolosapa native to Aloalo Island, Kalika sailed many days from the remote isle to the shores of Thavnair in search of a great hunter and hero. His unconscious form was found by Matsya, whom Kalika becomes convinced is the destined hero. Kalika introduces himself as the servant of the Speaker, the will of the island manifest, and asks Matsya to cut down the ravenous beasts that threaten to devastate Aloalo's ecosystem.

The Chooser of the One: Kalika believes that his savior, Matsya, is the chosen hero who will save Aloalo from ecological devastation. Unfortunately, while Matsya is kind, he doesn't have the bravery or strength of arms to complete the deed. He asks the Warrior of Light to help him in this quest.
Creating Life: Rather than being an Uplifted Animal, Kalika says that he was created by the Speaker to serve as its emissary to the people, awakening within the deepest shrine of Aloalo Island with the ability to speak.
Determinator: Kalika sailed for several days in a coconut to reach the shores of Thavnair in order to find a hero who would save Aloalo Island.
Jerkass to One: Kalika is outgoing and friendly to most people, but is inexplicably rude to Pasasun, Matsya's friend. The sparrow constantly disparages Pasasun for no reason even as the alchemist coos over him and tries to nurse Kalika back to health.
Older Than They Look: Kalika is an adorable little sparrow who recounts events like legends of a great rime that threatened to consume Aloalo Island, forcing its settlers to flee. This means Kalika is old enough that the Calamity of Ice was still in living memory, making him older than even Ancient Mhach and Amdapor.
Undying Loyalty: Kalika is completely loyal to his creator, the Speaker, a jewel that acts as the source of Aloalo Island's overflowing vitality. He is so determined to find help to save the Speaker and the island that he sails for days in a coconut through stormy seas. It's not until he reaches Thavnair that he falls unconscious even with his wings tattered enough to make him unable to fly.

Characters / Final Fantasy XIV - Sharlayan and Thavnair

Old Sharlayan

Fourchenault Leveilleur

Voiced by: Kenyū Horiuchi (JP), Anthony Howell (EN), Olivier Bénard (FR), Felix Würgler (DE)

Ameliance Leveilleur

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka (JP), Gemma Whelan (EN), Christèle Billault (FR), Ilka Teichmüller (DE)

Montichaigne

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (JP), Phillip Jackson (EN), Philippe Vincent (FR), Holger Franke (DE)

Thavnair

Vrtra

Voiced by: Jun Fukushima (JP), Nigel Betts (EN), Jonathan Gimbord (FR), Martin Schubach (DE) (as Vrtra)
Jo Ben Ayed (EN) (as Varshahn)

Ahewann bin Alzadaal

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (JP), Ben Turner (EN), Mario Bastellica (FR), Johannes Hamm (FR)

Nidhana

Voiced by: You Tachi (JP), Sheena Bhattessa (EN), Jessie Lambotte (FR), Anika Lehmann (DE)

Matsya

Voiced by: Chihiro Ueda (JP), Jay Saighal (EN), Grégory Laisné (FR), Arne Lenk (DE)

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Characters / Final Fantasy XIV - Sharlayan and Thavnair

Edit Locked

Old Sharlayan

Fourchenault Leveilleur

Voiced by: Kenyū Horiuchi (JP), Anthony Howell (EN), Olivier Bénard (FR), Felix Würgler (DE)

Ameliance Leveilleur

Voiced by: Rie Tanaka (JP), Gemma Whelan (EN), Christèle Billault (FR), Ilka Teichmüller (DE)

Montichaigne

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (JP), Phillip Jackson (EN), Philippe Vincent (FR), Holger Franke (DE)

Thavnair

Vrtra

Voiced by: Jun Fukushima (JP), Nigel Betts (EN), Jonathan Gimbord (FR), Martin Schubach (DE) (as Vrtra)Jo Ben Ayed (EN) (as Varshahn)

Ahewann bin Alzadaal

Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (JP), Ben Turner (EN), Mario Bastellica (FR), Johannes Hamm (FR)

Nidhana

Voiced by: You Tachi (JP), Sheena Bhattessa (EN), Jessie Lambotte (FR), Anika Lehmann (DE)

Matsya

Voiced by: Chihiro Ueda (JP), Jay Saighal (EN), Grégory Laisné (FR), Arne Lenk (DE)

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Voiced by: Jun Fukushima (JP), Nigel Betts (EN), Jonathan Gimbord (FR), Martin Schubach (DE) (as Vrtra)
Jo Ben Ayed (EN) (as Varshahn)