The Lochs

The Lochs

     

Map of The Lochs

Type

Zone

Zone

Gyr Abania
(Aldenard)

Connects to

The Peaks (W)
Garlemald (SE)

Aetherytes

Porta Praetoria (X:8.3, Y:20.9)
The Ala Mhigan Quarter (X:33.6, Y:34.0)

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Dominated by the expanse of Loch Seld, the salt-laden waters of this region play the role of moat for the fortress city of Ala Mhigo. As a locale of strategic importance on the border with Ilsabard, the Lochs have been the site of countless battles and skirmishes.

— In-game description

The Lochs is a zone in Gyr Abania.
Level 70 Striking Dummies are located at (10.5, 20.6).

Locations

Area	Points of Interest
Porta Praetoria	Porta Praetoria Porter
The High Bank	The Firkins Demilune Sothwatch Sali Monastery The Dark of Lasting Cumber Aenadem Ei Rothlyt The Pauper's Lode Sweetwater Stacks
Loch Seld	The Saltery Lochwatch The Destroyer The Divine Audience The Ruiner The White Aisle The Drowned City of Skalla
The Queen's Gardens	Ala Mhigo
The Ala Mhigan Quarter	The Ala Mhigan Quarter Porter Gylbarde's Gate The Fourth Royal Casern The Resonatorium
Abalathia's Skull	The Third Royal Casern Cotter Tor Aenadem Ol Bloodhowe The Song of Kings The Tomb of King Manfred The Royal Hunting Grounds

Activities

The Lochs Sidequests

The Lochs FATEs

The Lochs Fishing Logs

Shops & Services

Merchant Name	Merchant Location
Independent Merchant	(X:10.6, Y:21.2)
Local Merchant	(X:34, Y:34.3)

Aether Currents

Field:

Coordinates	Description	Number
(x13.8, y21.8, z0.1)	On a small rock next to a cliff, short way north from the main road.	1
(x23.6, y37.2, z0.4)	Edge of a cliff behind Sali Monastery.	2
(x35.1, y31.9, z0.7)	Next to one of the Gatekeeper map markers.	3
(x26.7, y22.8, z0.8)	At the edge of the podium overlooking the way in.	4

A map showing the locations of aether currents in The Lochs

Quests:

Quest	Level	Coordinates	Additional Information
Are They Ill-Tempered	69	(x10.6, y22.5, z0.0)	Unlocks after completing Stormblood MSQ The Legacy of Our Fathers
If I Were a Fish	69	(x8.2, y20.5, z0.5)	Unlocks after completing Stormblood MSQ The Legacy of Our Fathers
A Rite to Rest	69	(x10.9, y21.0, z0.1)	Unlocks after completing Stormblood MSQ Upon the Great Loch's Shore
It's a Zu Out There	69	(x11.3, y20.6, z0.1)	Unlocks after completing Stormblood MSQ Upon the Great Loch's Shore
Stormblood	70	(x32.6, y22.9, z1.6)	Stormblood MSQ

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Enemies

Normal

• Abaddon
• Abalathian Minotaur
• Chelone
• Creeping Edila
• Dark Clay Beast
• Guard Bhoot
• Kaluk
• Loch Leech
• Loch Nanka
• Phoebad
• Salt Anila
• Salt Dhruva
• Soblyn
• Specter
• Vepar
• Yabby

B Rank

• Kiwa
• Manes

A Rank

• Luminare
• Mahisha

S Rank

• Salt and Light

Vistas

See also: Sightseeing Log

Players can unlock Stormblood sightseeing logs by speaking to Ulger Ironheart in Rhalgr's Reach (X:10.5, Y:13). Players must be a Disciple of War or Disciple of Magic level 60 or higher to obtain credit for these sightseeing logs. Vistas are small blue glowing orbs at which players need to /lookout or use another emote.

#	Zone	Name	Coordinate	Emote	Comment
16	Ala Mhigo	The Lochs	(X:23.5, Y:33.7, Z:1.7)	Lookout	Plateau Looking Over Salt Lake. (Requires Flying)
17	The Ala Mhigan Quarter	The Lochs	(X:35.2, Y:33.2, Z:1.5)	Lookout	Top of the tower next to the big arch. (Requires Flying)
18	Sothwatch	The Lochs	(X:13.8, Y:35.5, Z:2.8)	Lookout	Top of the Tower
19	The Divine Audience	The Lochs	(X:20.5, Y:16.5, Z:0.8)	Pray	Top of the Stairs
20	The Hidden Tunnel	The Lochs	(X:33.9, Y:30.2, Z:0.5)	Lookout	In the tunnel under the Ala Mhigan Quarter. Talk with the Ala Mhigan Resistance Gate Guard at (X:35.0, Y:31.7, Z:0.7) to enter the waterway.
21	Porta Praetoria	The Lochs	(X:5.9, Y:22.0, Z:2.4)	Lookout	Top of the south tower, west of Porta Praetoria. Directly south of The Peaks entrance. (Requires Flying)
51	The Sunken Destroyer	The Lochs	(X:17.1, Y:19.2, Z:-2.9)	Lookout	Under water at Loch Seld, on top of the statue's hand.
52	The Ala Mhigan Quarter #2	The Lochs	(X:36.0, Y:33.5, Z:0.8)	Lookout	Fall from a pillar onto it

Achievements

This zone is associated with the following achievements:

Name	Points	Task	Reward	Patch
Mapping the Realm: The Lochs	10	Discover every location within the Lochs.	-	4.0
Freebird: The Lochs	5	Attune with all the aether currents in the Lochs.	-	4.0

Images

• 

  Porta Praetoria

• 

  Loch Seld and Ala Mhigo

• 

  The Ala Mhigan Quarter

• 

  The Pauper's Lode

• 

  The Song of Kings

Lore

Dominated by the expanse Loch Seld, the salt-laden waters of this region are pivotal for the sustenance of Ala Mhigo. As a locale of strategic importance on the border with Ilsabard, the Lochs have been the site of countless battles and skirmishes.

The High Bank

Occupying the western reaches of the Lochs, the High Bank features a level path which extends to the banks of Loch Seld, and from there to the city proper. Conversely, the west half of the area rises into precipitous mountains, the heights of which can only be accessed via steep and winding roads.

Porta Praetoria

Formerly a checkpoint along the main highroad to Ala Mhigo, it was incorporated into the newly constructed Castrum Abania. Prior to the Garlean invasion, the area bustled with merchants bound for the Near East, but mercantile endeavors have since given way to military ones.

The Firkins

These cannon emplacements were built by the Ala Mhigan military to protect the city and its trade routes. Whilst an official name once existed in the records, the locals took to calling the circular structures “firkins” for their resemblance to a certain type of ale cask.

Demilune

Some fifty years ago, this crescent-shaped canyon provided a secluded hideaway for a bandit gang infamous for preying upon the trade routes. When Ala Mhigan soldiers at last discovered their camp, the resulting skirmish culminated in the death of every last brigand.

Sothwatch

A watchtower erected to guard against invaders that may emerge from the cloudy expanses to the south. In the event of a threat, a flaming arrow is loosed from the top to alert those in the city. The Garleans saw no use for the tower, however, and it has stood empty in the years following Ala Mhigo’s fall.

Sali Monastery

A residence for elderly monks of the Fist of Rhalgr, Sali Monastery also provided a home for orphaned children. Laborers who fled the Saltery also sought to take shelter here during the siege of Ala Mhigo.

The Dark of Lasting Cumber

This isolated cavern was frequented by the monks of Sali Monastery as a place of meditation. The natural stone pillars supporting the tonnes of mountain rock above are likened to life burdened by miseries, and the chamber's unusual name is the result of such a comparison.

Aenadem Ei

A location of religious significance for the Fist of Rhalgr, “Aenadem Ei” is a geographical name of Skallic origin. The meaning behind it, however, is no longer understood.

Rothlyt

Beneath this perpetual bank of clouds to the south stretches a lifeless wasteland where sunlight never reaches the ground. Traveling further south will bring one to the ocean, and the Rothlyt Sound.

The Pauper's Lode

The glinting walls of this expansive cavern hint at the existence of precious metals, but the mineral responsible for the glow is, in fact, worth precious little. A humorous reference to poor man’s misfortune took root in popular parlance, and ever after was the locale known as the Pauper’s Lode.

Sweetwater

Hidden deep within this cave system is a natural freshwater spring. Those who have drunk of the spring’s bounty describe the taste as that of divine nectar when compared to the briny waters of the loch. The remote location of the source, however, makes piping the liquid to the city an impractical endeavor at best.

Stacks

Abandoned during the imperial occupation, this now-ruined settlement housed the soldiers who manned the Pyre, as well as their immediate families. The handful of scraggly trees in the area once provided the inhabitants with a convenient source of firewood.

Loch Seld

A saltwater lake of impressive size, Loch Seld is also surprisingly deep beneath its placid surface. And lying unseen on the lake’s murky bed are the ruins of Skalla, a city of stone from the Fifth Astral Era. The calamity’s floods filled the ravine in which it was built, scouring the salt from the earth and forming an expansive body of briny water.

The Saltery

This simple village on Loch Seld’s western shore is famous for its salt refinery and high-quality salted produce. The Saltery’s operations saw a steady decline under the oppressive rule of the Empire, but Ala Mhigo’s liberation—and a helping hand from Sultana Nanamo and the East Aldenard Trading Company—has sparked a rapid return to its former prosperity.

Lochwatch

As the name implies, this Ala Mhigan-built watchtower was constructed to allow an unobstructed view over Loch Seld. History tells that many such sentinels once dotted the roadways, ensuring safe passage for travelers and merchant caravans.

The Destroyer

This towering depiction of Rhalgr was second in size only to the massive statue which stands before the Temple of the Fist. Feeling threatened by the monks' faith, however, the mad king Theodoric ordered the Destroyer pulled down, and its shattered remnants now rest at the bottom of Loch Seld.

The Divine Audience

A magnificent altar fashioned in the form of a stairway extending high above Loch Seld, at the top of which worshipers may come face-to-face with the statue of the Destroyer. Formerly a place of piety, it earned a bloody reputation when the King of Ruin took to using it as an execution site.

The Ruiner

King Theodoric proclaimed himself the mortal agent of Nymeia, She who stands above Rhalgr, and demanded his subjects venerate him in Her stead. A statue was raised in his likeness, and in the twilight days of the mad king’s reign, his worshipers, be they driven by fear or piety, flocked to pay homage.

The White Aisle

Built upon a corridor of land across the stark white loch, this raised walkway is the shortest route to the gates of the city. Heavily fortified with cannon platforms, its defenses were nevertheless powerless to prevent the advance of the Empire's airships from the northeast.

The Queen's Gardens

These gardens were planted at the behest of Queen Edila, a monarch who ruled in Ala Mhigo two centuries past. To encourage the greenery’s growth, vast quantities of the city’s precious well water was used to dampen the parched ground—a deed which inflated water prices so dramatically that many less-fortunate commoners are said to have perished from thirst.

The Ala Mhigan Quarter

A residential area situated to the south of Ala Mhigo, built to accommodate the city’s growing population. As the newest district to be added, it is a considerable distance from the royal palace, and was expected to become an enclave for the less well-to-do. Under Garlean rule, it more or less retained that status, serving to quarter the Aan—those without citizenship. During that time, it was also known as the Peregrine Quarter—a reference to the derogatory name by which the imperial occupiers called Ala Mhigan natives.

Gylbarde's Gate

The main entrance to the Ala Mhigan Quarter is named in honor of General Gylbarde and his griffin-rider regiment. Bold adventurers unlocked this gate from the inside after infiltrating the city via an underwater tunnel, providing Resistance forces ingress during the early stages of the battle to retake Ala Mhigo.

The Fourth Royal Casern

Relatively new barracks constructed at the behest of King Theodoric, this building was used to house the monarch’s elite guard—the Corpse Brigade. Owing to the Brigade’s unswerving loyalty to the letter of the mad king’s orders, the populace regarded its members with fear and bitter hatred.

The Resonatorium

Originally a temple of the Fist of Rhalgr, these chambers were commandeered by the XIVth Imperial Legion. Later, when the crown prince Zenos was appointed viceroy, he gave the facilities over to his subordinate—a man by the name of Aulus—who converted them into a research laboratory for experimental technologies .

Abalathia’s Skull

This region lies at the eastern extreme of the mountain range which stretches across the continent of Aldenard. As the expanse of Abalathia’s Spine was so named for its resemblance to the realm’s backbone, it follows that the knot at its end must perforce be the skull.

The Third Royal Casern

Built in the time of the monarchy, these barracks were occupied by the Ala Mhigan Royal Guard. For their opposition to King Theodoric’s tyranny, they suffered myriad punishments, including the summary beheading of their captain. The royal guard is also remembered for cooperating with agents of the revolution.

Cotter Tor

This rise takes its name from Anshelm Cotter, the man who conquered all the lands of Gyr Abania. It was from here, atop the tor, that the first king of Ala Mhigo gazed out across the shining loch, and chose the site for his kingdom’s capital.

Aenadem Ol

This Fifth Astral Era ruin has been rebuilt as a ceremonial site. It is believed that both the circle here, and its twin, Aenadem Ei, were once host to Skallic religious observances to honor the lost souls of the drowned city.

Bloodhowe

The largest burial site in Ala Mhigo, these hallowed grounds are lined with row upon row of heavy stone coffins—a visible testament to the nation’s enduring, history. The remains of imperial officers slain in battle, including those of the Empire's crown prince, Zenos yae Galvus, are also interred here in Bloodhowe.

The Tomb of the Errant Sword

Ala Mhigo is a nation famous for producing mercenaries, and it is not uncommon for these sellswords to perish in foreign lands. With the bodies of the slain often beyond retrieval, this cenotaph was erected for those mourners who, at the very least, wished to inter a sword or other such personal weapon as a means of honoring the dead.

The Song of Kings

Composed of a series of stately corridors, the Song of Kings is the final resting, place for Ala Mhigo’s monarchs and their families. Monks once inscribed canticles upon its walls, the words intended to offer solace to royal souls, but the crypts fell into disrepair after memorial rites for the deceased were forbidden by the Empire.

The Tomb of King Manfred

A monarch who reigned in Ala Mhigo a century ago, King Manfred would often lead his own troops into battle and was much admired for his bravery. With the custom of honoring the dead fallen out of practice, however, it is rumored that the regent’s disgruntled spirit has risen from its grave.

The Royal Hunting Grounds

This comparatively lush reserve was more than just a place to enjoy the sport of hunting—it was also a venue for royals and nobles to socialize, as well as a field for military training. Ledgers show that a resident caretaker was employed for the express purpose of maintaining the grounds and managing the population of game animals.

References

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Zones