Hrothgar

Hailing from the distant shores of Ilsabard, the Hrothgar are a burly people of lionlike appearance—or the males are, at least. Females number staggeringly few among their population, and thus are rarely so much as glimpsed by the other races.

The Hrothgar's imposing countenance─mitigated not at all by their sharp claws and still sharper fangs—incited panic amongst Eorzeans upon their arrival. As they were also unable to communicate, initial interactions with the commonfolk often escalated into conflict. It was not until the Hrothgar gained mastery of the common tongue that fears were allayed, and in time they would be as neighbors, welcome in all corners of the realm. The bulk of Hrothgar remain concentrated in the areas in and around Bozja, where they continue to struggle to liberate their homeland from the empire and rebuild.

The Xbr'aal, a group of Hrothgar with shared ancestry to other Hrothgar, reside in Yak T'el within Tural.

On the First, this race is known as the Ronso after the Final Fantasy X race on which they were based.

Originally, only male Hrothgar were playable beginning in Shadowbringers, but female Hrothgar were added with the release of Dawntrail.

History

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The Hrothgar have inhabited the Bozja region of Ilsabard for generations, forming strong communities around their queens. Their way of life was shattered several decades ago, however, when their lands were absorbed in the Empire's inexorable expansion. Forced to endure poverty and hardship, the Hrothgar's suffering reached its peak in the "Bozja incident"—the sudden and catastrophic destruction of their former capital. A full tally of the casualties has yet to be made, but it is known to have devastated the Hrothgar population.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, p. 66

The Hrothgar are separated into two social groups, the Helion and the The Lost. In ages past, the Helions of southern Ilsabard served under a singular matriarchal rule, their lives revolving around their queen. Helions tend to have golden colored fur, but this is not a defining trait.

By contrast, The Lost are a nomadic clan known to undertake many trade professions, from peddlers to mercenaries. They're hesitant to take up occupations that restrict their traveling. Their cold fur is said to be a symbol of their independent nature, driving them away from the warm embrace of their queen. However, similar to Helions, their fur color is not a defining trait.

The Gunbreaker job originates with the Hrothgar, who have passed the art of the gunblade from generation to generation. Originally employed by Queen Gunnhildr's personal guard, the weapon combines a sword with a firing mechanism, emitting a range of magical effects by utilizing aetherically imbued cartridges.

Clans

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The concept of clans is nonexistent in Hrothgar culture, as they consider every individual of their race kin. There are simply the Helion—those who are devoted to a queen—and the Lost, who are unbound to any monarch. As this status is reflected in their names, however, other races have mistaken this convention as a marker of innate differences.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, p. 66

Helions

The Lost

Main article: Helion

Main article: The Lost

Culture

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Even amongst the diverse races of the world, the Hrothgar are notable for their pronounced bestial appearance. Unable to easily blend into other societies, their people have developed a strong sense of cultural identity. Their low rate of female births is speculated to have resulted in an instinctual drive to protect the few female Hrothgar, which in turn gave rise to a matriarchal society. As their communities are often tightly knit, Hrothgar may be perceived by outsiders as standoffish and exclusionary.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, p. 66

Hrothgar cannot choose hairstyles, as they are tied to the Face option, though the aspects can be customized more freely, such as locks and fringes. Their fur patterns can also show up on their tail and the length of their canines can be adjusted. Initially, headgear was invisible on the Hrothgar's model due to their unique look, but after feedback, the development team made adjustments so that some would appear, such as glasses, visors, and circlets, as well as a few helmets.

Language

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Although the Hrothgar of Bozja once communicated in their own unique language, their assimilation into the Empire meant that the younger generations were educated in Garlean and the common tongue. Few of their number still speak the language of their forebears, and fewer still speak it well, this being especially true ever since the Bozja incident claimed the lives of many of their elders.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, p. 66

Hrothgar forenames are based on old Slavic names, though the word "glory" in Hrothgar is "thgar" instead of slav.

Due to the unique nature of the "clan" conventions of the Hrothgar, their names were sorted by social status by scholars of other races rather than a native invention.

Male Helion surnames are based on the queen they served as, the "clans" named by scholars after the way their lives revolve around their queen, much like celestial bodies to a sun. Helion queens themselves are given the letter A as a prefix, meaning "in service of". If their queen is alive at the time of their birth or still living as acting queen, their name is to be prefixed with A. Examples include:

• Amira
• Azora
• Avesna
• Azorya
• Astana

As Lost do not serve a matriarch, their surnames are given the suffix "sch" meaning lost, replacing the prefix A used for Helions. Examples include:

• Zlatasch
• Liubasch
• Brankasch
• Tirasch
• Ratyasch

The Xbr'aal in Tural use an entirely different nomenclature.

Dress

Main article: Hrothgar Starting Set

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A thick layer of fur gives the Hrothgar considerable protection against the cold. As physical strength is prized in their culture—particularly amongst the males—they favor harnesses and other such garb that allows them to proudly display their powerful physiques.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, p. 66

Gallery

Male

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Female

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Class and Job renders

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Notes & Trivia

• The Hrothgar are primarily based on the Ronso from Final Fantasy X and are named as such on the First. Due to limitations, the Hrothgar's fur is mostly short and relegated to tufts of fur covering their limbs and collarbone.

• The Hrothgar were revealed as a second playable race alongside the Viera during the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival in Tokyo in March 2019 for the Shadowbringers expansion. Like the Viera, the Hrothgar would be genderlocked as a male-only race, though like the Viera, the opposite sex exists for lore reasons, but are rarely seen. The Hrothgar were added due to fan request to have the option to choose a more bestial race amidst the various humanoid options. While beastmen races were in the game since Legacy, they were mostly relegated to antagonistic NPC roles due to lore reasons. Due to resource and time constraints, both Viera and Hrothgar were genderlocked to make room for both, as Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida had confirmed that they would be the last two races added to the game, taking into consideration the amount of work it takes to create a new playable race with their unique customization options and animations, as well as having to modify hundreds of individual pieces of gear to fit their unique models. The decision was met with mixed reactions, but Yoshida did not entirely rule out the possibility of adding in the opposing genders later down the line.
  • Due to their unusual, animalistic heads, Hrothgar struggle to wear much Head equipment. All items my be equipped and used, but only a subset will visually display on the character.
    • For related technical reasons, only some of the unlockable Hairstyles are available for Hrothgar.

• In the Final Fantasy XIV 2021 Fan Festival, the male Viera were unveiled as a playable option. However female Hrothgar, although also confirmed, were said still be in development and would be released some time after Endwalker. They were officially revealed in the 2024 Japanese Fan Festival as part of the following expansion, Dawntrail.

• Interestingly, despite the Helions being described as loyal to the Queen, the Bozjan Resistance's Hrothgar membership is made up mostly of The Lost clan members with the exception of a few; the Resistance Commander, Sjeros, the Resistance Secretariat and Dmitar, all found in the Bozjan Southern Front. While Radovan was the first Helion clan member spotted, he has avoided participating in the Resistance effort.

• A number of The Lost, such as Marsak Apella, use Helion names. This, along with Helions using the Lost names, is explained by the fact that the two Hrothgar "clans" are semi-fluid social groups instead of being defined by geographical or outward appearance.
  • Other examples: Stanik Alubov, Blaz Azetina, Velibor Azetina

References

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Playable Races

Hyur

Midlander • Highlander

Elezen

Wildwood • Duskwight

Lalafell

Plainsfolk • Dunesfolk

Miqo'te

Seekers of the Sun • Keepers of the Moon

Roegadyn

Sea Wolves • Hellsguard

Au Ra

Raen • Xaela

Viera

Rava • Veena

Hrothgar

Helions • The Lost