Difference between revisions of "Ascians"

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The '''Ascians''', are a major antagonistic faction in Final Fantasy XIV, characterized by their black (or rarely, white) robes and masks that conceal their faces. They are powerful, mysterious, and almost-immortal servants of [[Zodiark]], the god of Darkness that opposes [[Hydaelyn]]. Many questions about these beings yet remain unanswered, for lack of evidence. The few details ''we do know'' about the Ascians are '''heavily entwined with key story details''' for all expansions of Final Fantasy XIV.


{{Quotation|Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume 1|Throughout Eorzean history, whether it be in folklore or myth, there has been mention of dark, shadowless figures known as Ascians who, with their twisted words, would incite strife between peoples-most recently teaching the beast tribes of Eorzea how to summon primals and essentially igniting a war spanning multiple continents. According to recent research by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, there is proof that the Calamities, once believed to be natural occurrences, were actually triggered by the crooked schemings of the Ascians in an attempt to bring about a phenomenon known as the Rejoining-a form of dimensional compression desired by their deity, Zodiark.}}
{{Quotation|Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume 1 (2022 printing), page 213| From the shadows, they have shaped history by imparting forbidden knowledge until mortals, stoking the fires of war while revealing the secrets of primal summoning. Throughout history they have been known by many a name, among those, Paragons, and the Bringers of Chaos.}}


The Ascians,  or [[The Convocation of Fourteen]], are what remain of the [[Ancients]], a primordial race of beings who populated the star more than 12,000 years ago. After the [[Unsundered]] survived the [[Sundering]], they regrouped and now attempt to control history to drive the [[Source]] and its [[Shards]] to a [[Rejoining]] to return the world to its unsundered state. The unsundered are thralls tempered to the elder primal [[Zodiark]].
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The standard attire of an Ascian is a long hooded black robe with markings and silver adornments. They also wear black pants and boots, and either a red or black mask that indicates their rank. The only exception to this is Elidibus, who wears a white robe.
==Overview==
Long ago, in a time well before recorded history, [[Hydaelyn]] battled and triumphed against the will of Darkness, [[Zodiark]], casting him into space, and imprisoning him within the silver Moon. In doing so, Hydaelyn tore open the dimensional fabric, spawning thirteen mirror images of the world, and effectively dividing--or '''"Sundering"'''-- the aether that made up the original world into fourteen parts. <ref name="dc">Encyclopedia Eorzea, 2022 edition, "Dimensional Compression"</ref>


Ascians have an established hierarchy, in line with who they were before the Sundering. The leaders of the Ascians are the [[Unsundered]], Members of [[the Convocation of Fourteen]] who retain access to [[Creation Magic]]. These are [[Lahabrea]], [[Emet-Selch]] and [[Elidibus]]. Below them are the remaining members of the Convocation of the Fourteen, who are also powerful in their own right but have lost the ability to use their [[Creation Magic]]. They are known as the Ascian Overlords:
==Doctrines and Beliefs== 
*[[Nabriales]]
To wake their exiled god, Zodiark, the Ascians seek to "rejoin" these mirrored worlds with the original "source" world, by breaking down the walls between dimensions, causing the mirror worlds to collapse in on themselves. On the Source, where Final Fantasy XIV takes place, this also causes Umbral Calamities.<ref name="dc" />
*[[Igeyorhm]]
*[[Hermes|Fandaniel]]
*[[Pashtarot]]
*[[Altima]]
*[[Halmarut]]
*[[Mitron]]
*[[Emmerololth]]
*[[Loghrif]]
*[[Deudalaphon]]
Beneath them are the Minor Ascians, or "Black Masks," who are much less powerful than their overlord counterparts. They are often unnamed. The Convocation members are referred to by their title, or seat, and have different personal names from before assuming a position on the council. A successor would then assume the name of the seat they filled.


As of 6.0, all of the Ascians have been either encountered or dealt with save for 5: [[Pashtarot]], [[Altima]], [[Halmarut]], [[Emmeroloth]]*, and [[Deudalaphon]].
Operating together under a ''strict social hierarchy'', the Ascians have successfully "rejoined" a recorded total of seven worlds by sowing chaos and discord on Hydaelyn, but they do not accomplish this randomly; they have clear methods, now practiced a total of seven times.


==History==
===Ascian Overlords===
Before recorded history, the Ancients were the only beings that inhabited the star. The Ancients were able to wield Creation magic, which they used to build a glorious utopia. The citizens were able to dedicate themselves to their principals of rhetoric, creation and public service. These beings were ruled over by the Convocation of the Fourteen, who were the wisest and able to use Creation magic to the fullest.
Efforts to cause the necessary conditions for these [[Rejoining]]s are led, foremost, by the three '''Unsundered''' Ascians, also known as the '''Ascian Overlords'''. The overlords are fundamentally more powerful than their counterparts because their souls were able to escape the effects of Hydaelyn's Sundering, retaining their original identities and abilities, whereas all other souls that existed at the time were divided into fourteen parts among the fourteen worlds.
 
Overlords make up the topmost rung of the Ascian social hierarchy. To them, all other beings are considered inferior, and therefore disposable.
 
===Red-masked Ascians===
The [[Ancient]] people who existed before the Sundering were governed by a structure of their own, a council of fourteen members, known as the [[Convocation of Fourteen]]. The Convocation members are also referred to by their title, or seat, and have different personal names from before assuming a position on the council. A successor would then assume the name of the seat they filled. Preceding the sundering, each of the current members of the Convocation stored their memories in crystal, a format that the ancients commonly used for information.  
 
Seeking allies for their cause in the times that came after the Sundering, the Ascian Overlords would seek out the souls that were sundered from the former Convocation members, restore their memories, and thus bring them back into the fold. Each Ascian occupying a seat on the "new" Convocation of Fourteen wears a '''red mask''' as their ancient counterparts did, with each mask bearing a design symbolizing the owner's specific seat on the Convocation. The Ascian Overlords, each being members of the Convocation prior to the sundering, ''also wear red masks'' for this reason.
 
===Black-masked Ascians===
Frequently unnamed, Ascians wearing black masks are exclusively made up of sundered peoples recruited to the Ascians by other members. ''How'' or ''why'' these specific people are recruited is unclear, and probably varies on a situational basis.  


But one day, something creating a sound that disrupted the use of their Creation magic echoed from within the star, causing the birth of malformed creatures formed from the Ancients' deepest fears. Because their magic was corrupted, they were unable to bring the creatures under control. This caused the people to further despair, creating more monsters and causing more chaos. This time of destruction came to be known as the "Final Days".
===White Robes===
Some Ascians, including the Overlord [[Elidibus]], wear white robes instead of the usual black. This indicates that the ascian wearer is an "emissary." The symbolism of the robes also dates back to the [[Amaurotine|ancients]], but the meaning used by the ascians is somewhat different.  
==Known Members==


Realizing they had little chance to bring the chaos under control, the Convocation sought to rewrite the laws of reality of the star. To achieve this, the Convocation sought to summon Zodiark, a being of immeasurable power. However, the cost to call this being forward was great, requiring the life force of half the Ancients still alive to amass the amount of [[Aether]] required. Opposing this, the Ancient named [[Azem]] left her position on the council, not wishing to take part in the senseless loss of life.
===Overlords===
* [[Lahabrea]]
* [[Elidibus]]
* [[Emet-Selch]]  


And so, the Convocation sacrificed half of the Ancients to summon Zodiark, with Elidibus acting as the ancient Primal's heart. Zodiark was able to prevent the total destruction of the star, however the Final Days had rendered the planet a destroyed, lifeless place.
===Red Masks===
* [[Pashtarot]]
* [[Nabriales]]
* [[Igeyorhm]]
* [[Loghrif]]
* [[Mitron]]
* [[Hermes|Fandaniel]]
* Emmerololth


The Convocation sought to use Zodiark's power once again to restore their home to its former glory, however there were Ancients who opposed this idea, not viewing using the primal's power as worth the cost. This group of Ancients were led by [[Venat]], arguing that the loss of life to bring back those who were previously sacrificed to summon the primal the first time was foolish.  
The remaining Red-mask Ascians appeared in a cutscene around Patch 2.3, but have yet to reappear in-game as of Patch 6.25.
* Altima
* Halmarut
* Deudalaphon
* Emmerololth -- the one exception on this list. Mentioned again in Patch 4.55, but still does not appear on screen.


From this conflict, the Ancients under Venat sacrificed themselves to summon [[Hydaelyn]], with Venat acting as its heart. They used this primal to seal Zodiark and lock his powers.
{{see also|The Convocation of Fourteen}}


The two primals were locked in an eternal conflict, destroying what little life was left on the star. This continued until Hydaelyn struck Zodiark down with all her might, shattering the very fabric of reality, splitting off thirteen reflections later called Shards. This also split the souls of the remaining Ancients across the shards as well. This came to be known as the Sundering.
===Black Masks===
* Ascian of the Twelfth Sword
* Ascian of the Twelfth Staff
* Ascian of the Twelfth Chalice
* Multiple so-called '''Ascians of the Twelfth Chalice''', and differently-classed counterparts ("of the Twelfth + [[Ascian_of_the_Twelfth_Staff|Staff]]/[[Ascian_of_the_Twelfth_Pentacle|Pentacle]]/[[Ascian_of_the_Twelfth_Sword|Sword]]) appear during multiple Summoner Class Quests from Patch 3.0<ref>'''Ascians of the Twelfth Chalice''' appear as opponents and/or in cutscenes during [[Mad,_Bad,_and_Ebon-clad| Mad, Bad, and Ebon-Clad]], [[I Could Have Tranced All Night]], and [[A Flare for the Dramatic]].</ref>


Elidibus, Emet-Selch and Lahabrea managed to survive the Sundering. But seeing the damage caused by the battle between Hydaelyn and Zodiark, they came together and vowed to restore the world and the Ancients to what they were before the Final Days. They set about finding the souls of the other members of the Convocation to bring them together once again, and planned to use the newly created life forms to summon Zodiark to Rejoin the shards back to the Source and unsunder the souls of their people.
==History==


After gathering the members of the Convocation together, the group reunited under the name of Ascians, and set off to each of the Shards to bring about large enough [[Calamities]] to force the Shards to rejoin the Source.
===A Realm Reborn (2.0)===


Each Shard was to be overseen by an Ascian. However, this changed after Igeyorhm accidentally led the heroes of the Thirteenth to being exposed to the corrupted Aether of Primals trapped within Auracite. This caused the people of the Thirteenth to go mad and attack one another, bringing about the Calamity of Darkness, turning the Thirteenth Shard into the Void. From here, the Ascians worked in groups to bring Calamities to each Shard. Notable examples of the Ascians influencing events in history are Emet-Selch starting the [[Garlean Empire]] or Elidibus becoming the first [[Warrior of Light]] in history.
Following the [[Seventh Umbral Calamity]], the Ascians became much more active in their efforts to influence the Source. The Ascians' actions were uncovered with several reports of '''"Masked Mages"''' spotted interacting with the beast tribes. '''[[Lahabrea]]''' was the first ''named'' Ascian introduced, introducing himself to the Warrior of Light within the depths of '''Toto-Rak''' during the Level 24 quest [[Into the Beast's Maw]]. It would be him, operating from the shadows, working to manipulate Legatus [[Gaius van Baelsar]] into being an unwitting pawn for his master plan. The Garleans would cooperate while being completely unaware of his true motives, seeking out the [[Ultima Weapon]] made by the Allagans, and using it to absorb the Aether of summoned Primals.


Throughout the Source's history, The Ascians have worked to sow chaos and destruction. By creating a Calamity on a Shard and a corresponding Calamity on the Source, the Shard will rejoin to the Source. So they set about sharing their Creation magic with the people to teach them to summon Primals. THe first time this can be seen on the Source is when the [[Meracydians]] summoned [[Bahamut]] against the [[Allagan Empire]].
Lahabrea struck a personal nerve with the Scions when he took possession of [[Thancred Waters]], using him as a spy against his friends for an unknown amount of time before revealing his charade during [[Escape from Castrum Centri]]. Thancred remained the unwilling vessel of Lahabrea until [[Operation Archon]]; after the Warrior of Light's defeat of the Ultima Weapon, Lahabrea attempted to kill the hero using the powers of darkness. His attempt was unsuccessful, and the Scions together, with Hydaelyn's power backing them, expelled Lahabrea from Thancred's body.  


==A Realm Reborn==
====2.0 Epilogue====
Following the [[Seventh Umbral Calamity]], the Ascians became much more active in their efforts to influence the Source. They openly worked with governments and beast tribes, taking advantage of their current issues to convince them to summon their [[Eikons]] into existance.
In the Epilogue cutscene for A Realm Reborn, [[Lahabrea]] was shown to have survived his expulsion, and ''three more named Ascians were introduced'' with their hoods down, but faces obscured. This included '''[[Pashtarot]]''', '''[[Igeyorhm]]''', and '''[[Nabriales]]''' in that order.


The Ascians' actions were uncovered with several reports of "masked mages'' spotted interacting with the beast tribes. This would usually be followed by Primal activity. The Ascians were also involved in other schemes, such as the Ala Mhigan youth attempting to summon [[Rhalgr]] or the events at [[Haukke Manor]].
{{Quotation|Cutscene dialogue following Lahabrea's defeat, during [[The Ultimate Weapon]]|<br>Pashtarot: Bahamut stirs.<br>Igeyorhm: As will the others ere long.<br>Nabriales: 'Tis not a question of whether Eorzea's champion shall yield, but of when.<br>Lahabrea: And with each passing moment we draw closer to the Reckoning.<br>(Lahabrea raises his hands, and the camera zooms out to reveal the presence of more hooded Ascians behind them).<br>Ascians: To the one true god! <br>Ascians: To Zodiark!}}


The Ascians influenced the Garleans into seeking out the [[Ultima Weapon]] made by the Allagans and using it to absorb the Aether of summoned Primals. By possessing [[Thancred Waters]], the Ascians are also able to test the Warrior of Light and the [[Scions of the Seventh Dawn]] to see if they would  be useful in their schemes. However, the Ascians' plans end up thwarted by the Warrior of Light and even lead to the defeat and destruction of Nabriales after he attempted to steal the [[Staff of Tupsimati]] to make use of its Aether-gathering abilities.
===Patch 2.1===
As the Scions are making preparations to depart for [[Mor Dhona]], the white-robed Ascian '''[[Elidibus]]''' appears within the solar and introduces himself to [[Minfilia]] as 'emissary of the Ascians.' Elidibus departs again in at the end of [[The Gifted]], leaving the Warrior of Light with some ominous words to chew on.
{{Quotation|Elidibus, during [[The Gifted]]| "As it was, so shall it be again."}} 
After this, Nabriales appears again in a brief confrontation with Elidibus, asking him why he revealed himself to the Scions.  


==Heavensward==
During cutscenes for the Extreme fights for The Howling Eye, The Navel, and The Bowl of Embers, we are first introduced to an unnamed '''Ascian of the Twelfth Staff''' and an '''Ascian of the Twelfth Sword'''. Their contribution to the plot is minimal at best.
After the attack of the [[Horde]] on [[the Steps of Faith]], the Ascians take advantage of the confusion to make a pact with [[Thordan VII]] and teach him and his knights twelve how to summon [[King Thordan]] and his holy knights into themselves. They hope to use the [[Dragonsong War]] as a way to incite the eighth Rejoining, however the Warrior of Light and the Scions manage to end the war before Thordan can use his power to attack the dragons. Fleeing to [[the Aetherochemical Research Facility]] on [[Azys Lla]], Thordan lies in wait for the Warrior of Light, however Lahabrea and Igeyorhm use the power of the Echo to fuse into the [[Ascian Prime]] and attack them first.


The Warrior of Light defeats the Ascian Prime, and, unable to maintain its form, reverts back to the two separate Ascians. The Warrior of Light destroys Igeyorhm with [[White Auracite]] and Lahabrea attempts to flee, but Thordan destroys the Ascian to absorb his Aether.
===Patches 2.2 through 2.5===
* Elidibus is credited with "granting the Echo" to a Sahagin priest, teaching him how to cheat death by possessing the body of another. Interestingly enough, this is also the first recorded case of an Ascian who does not belong to one of the "races of man", even if he was shortly subsumed by the Primal Leviathan
* In [[What Little Gods Are Made Of]], the first information is revealed about how Ascian "immortality" works, resulting in a wonderful slideshow presentation. Within this same quest is another scene with the Ascian Convocation meeting in the [[Chrysalis]], in which '''Emmerololth''' and '''Altima''' are named and shown on screen for the first time. We also get to see the first visual depiction of Zodiark, ''outside of'' his "crystal" form.
* In [[The Instruments of Our Deliverance]], Nabriales is shown observing the defeat of Shiva at the hands of the Warrior of Light.
* The scenes during [[Aether on Demand]] give us our second slideshow presentation about the Scion's plan to trap an Ascian soul within White Auracite, the first step in destroying it. Later, '''Nabriales meets his end''' during [[An Uninvited Ascian]], marking the ''first time an Ascian is permanently killed.''


==Stormblood==
===Heavensward (Patch 3.0)===
The remaining Ascians use the distraction of the Liberation War of Ala Mhigo to recede somewhat into the background. They continue to bend the ear of the Emperor, encouraging him to continue assaulting Eorzea.  
* [[Lahabrea]] and [[Igeyorhm]] work in the background for most of the expansion, teaching various parties how to summon new primals.
* During the Summoner class quests, the [[Ascian of the Twelfth Chalice]] flees Azys Lla after being defeated by the Warrior of Light. The finale of these quests results in the defeat of the Ascians of the Twelfth Chalice, Staff, Sword, and Pentacle. These scenes also reveal that the four of them are specifically servants of Lahabrea (or ''were''). Their mortal forms are defeated, but it is unclear if they are able to harness rebirth the same way their masters do.
* On [[Azys Lla]], Lahabrea and Igeyorhm use the power of the Echo to fuse into an [[Ascian Prime]] for the first time. After the defeat of Ascian Prime, '''Igeyorhm dies''' at the hands of the Warrior of Light, using a White Auracite in their possession. Following this, '''Lahabrea dies''' after being betrayed by [[Thordan VII]], who consumes the aether of his soul to further empower his primal form.
* [[Elidibus]] reappears in an Epilogue scene, shown on the Moon for the first time.


After the death of [[Zenos yae Galvus]], Elidibus entered his grave and possessed his body to bring Zenos's considerable might to bear against the Warrior of Light, while Emet-Selch possessed the cloned body of the previous emperor, [[Emperor Solus]].  
===Patches 3.1 through 3.5===


Elidibus goes up against the Warrior of Light on the battlefield, however the Warrior is able to soundly defeat him, even with Zenos's strength. Before the Warrior of Light can deal the finishing blow, however, they are knocked unconscious. Elidibus attempts to finish the Warrior of Light off, but is rebuffed by [[Estinien Wyrmblood]].
==Stormblood (Patch 4.0)==
* Ascians are largely absent from this expansion, as the Echo and its capabilities take the stage in other ways.
* An unnamed Ascian causes trouble under the sea: [[Kurenai]] of [[Sui-no-Sato]] mentions the visitation of a "man cloaked in black" in the days before a voidsent takes possession of the [[Ruby Princess]]'s body.  
* At the conclusion of Stormblood, Elidibus appears to [[Emperor Solus]] after the death of his son, [[Zenos yae Galvus|Zenos]]. Elidibus removes his mask before the Emperor, causing him shock for reasons that are not revealed within the scene.


Upon returning to the Empire, Elidibus encounters Zenos' spirit possessing another body. Rather than fight him, he flees to the [[First]] to join Emet-Selch. Zenos is able to return to his body and obtain his full strength.
===Patch 4.1 through 4.5===
* Elidibus is revealed to have stolen the body of Zenos from its unmarked grave in Ala Mhigo, and assumes his identity.
* Elidibus teaches [[Asahi sas Brutus]] how to summon a primal, leading to the summoning of [[Tsukuyomi]].
* A Garlean man who calls himself "Shadowhunter" is revealed, displaying several Ascian masks on his belt that he has taken as trophies. It is unclear if his actions resulted in the "true death" of the Ascians involved, or if he merely dispatched their corporeal forms.
* In Patch 4.4, [[Solus zos Galvus]] is introduced, and revealed to be an Ascian, and to have built the Garlean Empire specifically to further the goals of the Ascians.
* A memo from Galuf Baldesion reveals that, by casting the Isle of Val into the Lifestream, they also ensured the defeat of an Ascian known as '''Emmerololth,''' also ensuring that he would "never reform."
* The Warrior of Light does battle against Elidibus posing as Zenos. Due to an untimely vision, he deals a critical blow and nearly defeats the Warrior, but is foiled by Estinien Wyrmblood rescuing them before he can deal a finishing blow. Elidibus-Zenos returns to Garlemald afterwards.
* Upon returning to the Empire, Elidibus encounters Zenos' spirit possessing another body. Rather than fight him, he flees to the [[First]].


[[Shadowbringers]]
===[[Shadowbringers]] (Patch 5.0)===
{{section-stub| reason="Needs cleanup to align with the new format of the previous sections."}}
Emet-Selch entreats with the Scions and teaches them about the origins of his people and the reason they are trying to enact the Rejoining. They learn of how Emet-Selch orchestrated the [[Flood]] and how he turned [[Vauthry]] into a [[Lightwarden]]. It turns out that he also wanted the Warrior of Light to defeat the Lightwardens to become one themselves. When this failed, he retreated to the [[Tempest]] and recreated the city of [[Amaurot]].  
Emet-Selch entreats with the Scions and teaches them about the origins of his people and the reason they are trying to enact the Rejoining. They learn of how Emet-Selch orchestrated the [[Flood]] and how he turned [[Vauthry]] into a [[Lightwarden]]. It turns out that he also wanted the Warrior of Light to defeat the Lightwardens to become one themselves. When this failed, he retreated to the [[Tempest]] and recreated the city of [[Amaurot]].  


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Fandaniel confronts the Scions upon their return to the Source, warning them that he and his group of rogue Ascians, the Telophoroi, will destroy the Source using their [[Lunar Primals]], which they create by kidnapping the people of the Source and trapping them in strange towers, draining their Aether to summon the twisted versions of the Primals. Fandaniel, Zenos and the rest of the as yet unnamed Telophoroi ready to engage with the Warrior of Light, who intends to stop their coming apocalypse.
Fandaniel confronts the Scions upon their return to the Source, warning them that he and his group of rogue Ascians, the Telophoroi, will destroy the Source using their [[Lunar Primals]], which they create by kidnapping the people of the Source and trapping them in strange towers, draining their Aether to summon the twisted versions of the Primals. Fandaniel, Zenos and the rest of the as yet unnamed Telophoroi ready to engage with the Warrior of Light, who intends to stop their coming apocalypse.


[[Category:Lore]]
==References==
<references>
</references>
 
[[Category:Lore]][[Category:Organizations]]

Revision as of 05:29, 25 October 2022

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Reason: "Formatting and wordiness cleanup in process. Could also use some images."

The Ascians, are a major antagonistic faction in Final Fantasy XIV, characterized by their black (or rarely, white) robes and masks that conceal their faces. They are powerful, mysterious, and almost-immortal servants of Zodiark, the god of Darkness that opposes Hydaelyn. Many questions about these beings yet remain unanswered, for lack of evidence. The few details we do know about the Ascians are heavily entwined with key story details for all expansions of Final Fantasy XIV.

“

From the shadows, they have shaped history by imparting forbidden knowledge until mortals, stoking the fires of war while revealing the secrets of primal summoning. Throughout history they have been known by many a name, among those, Paragons, and the Bringers of Chaos.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume 1 (2022 printing), page 213

Meteor icon1.png Spoiler Warning : You are hereby WARNED about the SPOILERS on this page!!!

Overview

Long ago, in a time well before recorded history, Hydaelyn battled and triumphed against the will of Darkness, Zodiark, casting him into space, and imprisoning him within the silver Moon. In doing so, Hydaelyn tore open the dimensional fabric, spawning thirteen mirror images of the world, and effectively dividing--or "Sundering"-- the aether that made up the original world into fourteen parts. [1]

Doctrines and Beliefs

To wake their exiled god, Zodiark, the Ascians seek to "rejoin" these mirrored worlds with the original "source" world, by breaking down the walls between dimensions, causing the mirror worlds to collapse in on themselves. On the Source, where Final Fantasy XIV takes place, this also causes Umbral Calamities.[1]

Operating together under a strict social hierarchy, the Ascians have successfully "rejoined" a recorded total of seven worlds by sowing chaos and discord on Hydaelyn, but they do not accomplish this randomly; they have clear methods, now practiced a total of seven times.

Ascian Overlords

Efforts to cause the necessary conditions for these Rejoinings are led, foremost, by the three Unsundered Ascians, also known as the Ascian Overlords. The overlords are fundamentally more powerful than their counterparts because their souls were able to escape the effects of Hydaelyn's Sundering, retaining their original identities and abilities, whereas all other souls that existed at the time were divided into fourteen parts among the fourteen worlds.

Overlords make up the topmost rung of the Ascian social hierarchy. To them, all other beings are considered inferior, and therefore disposable.

Red-masked Ascians

The Ancient people who existed before the Sundering were governed by a structure of their own, a council of fourteen members, known as the Convocation of Fourteen. The Convocation members are also referred to by their title, or seat, and have different personal names from before assuming a position on the council. A successor would then assume the name of the seat they filled. Preceding the sundering, each of the current members of the Convocation stored their memories in crystal, a format that the ancients commonly used for information.

Seeking allies for their cause in the times that came after the Sundering, the Ascian Overlords would seek out the souls that were sundered from the former Convocation members, restore their memories, and thus bring them back into the fold. Each Ascian occupying a seat on the "new" Convocation of Fourteen wears a red mask as their ancient counterparts did, with each mask bearing a design symbolizing the owner's specific seat on the Convocation. The Ascian Overlords, each being members of the Convocation prior to the sundering, also wear red masks for this reason.

Black-masked Ascians

Frequently unnamed, Ascians wearing black masks are exclusively made up of sundered peoples recruited to the Ascians by other members. How or why these specific people are recruited is unclear, and probably varies on a situational basis.

White Robes

Some Ascians, including the Overlord Elidibus, wear white robes instead of the usual black. This indicates that the ascian wearer is an "emissary." The symbolism of the robes also dates back to the ancients, but the meaning used by the ascians is somewhat different.

Known Members

Overlords

Red Masks

The remaining Red-mask Ascians appeared in a cutscene around Patch 2.3, but have yet to reappear in-game as of Patch 6.25.

  • Altima
  • Halmarut
  • Deudalaphon
  • Emmerololth -- the one exception on this list. Mentioned again in Patch 4.55, but still does not appear on screen.
See also: The Convocation of Fourteen

Black Masks

  • Ascian of the Twelfth Sword
  • Ascian of the Twelfth Staff
  • Ascian of the Twelfth Chalice
  • Multiple so-called Ascians of the Twelfth Chalice, and differently-classed counterparts ("of the Twelfth + Staff/Pentacle/Sword) appear during multiple Summoner Class Quests from Patch 3.0[2]

History

A Realm Reborn (2.0)

Following the Seventh Umbral Calamity, the Ascians became much more active in their efforts to influence the Source. The Ascians' actions were uncovered with several reports of "Masked Mages" spotted interacting with the beast tribes. Lahabrea was the first named Ascian introduced, introducing himself to the Warrior of Light within the depths of Toto-Rak during the Level 24 quest Into the Beast's Maw. It would be him, operating from the shadows, working to manipulate Legatus Gaius van Baelsar into being an unwitting pawn for his master plan. The Garleans would cooperate while being completely unaware of his true motives, seeking out the Ultima Weapon made by the Allagans, and using it to absorb the Aether of summoned Primals.

Lahabrea struck a personal nerve with the Scions when he took possession of Thancred Waters, using him as a spy against his friends for an unknown amount of time before revealing his charade during Escape from Castrum Centri. Thancred remained the unwilling vessel of Lahabrea until Operation Archon; after the Warrior of Light's defeat of the Ultima Weapon, Lahabrea attempted to kill the hero using the powers of darkness. His attempt was unsuccessful, and the Scions together, with Hydaelyn's power backing them, expelled Lahabrea from Thancred's body.

2.0 Epilogue

In the Epilogue cutscene for A Realm Reborn, Lahabrea was shown to have survived his expulsion, and three more named Ascians were introduced with their hoods down, but faces obscured. This included Pashtarot, Igeyorhm, and Nabriales in that order.

“


Pashtarot: Bahamut stirs.
Igeyorhm: As will the others ere long.
Nabriales: 'Tis not a question of whether Eorzea's champion shall yield, but of when.
Lahabrea: And with each passing moment we draw closer to the Reckoning.
(Lahabrea raises his hands, and the camera zooms out to reveal the presence of more hooded Ascians behind them).
Ascians: To the one true god!
Ascians: To Zodiark!

— Cutscene dialogue following Lahabrea's defeat, during The Ultimate Weapon

Patch 2.1

As the Scions are making preparations to depart for Mor Dhona, the white-robed Ascian Elidibus appears within the solar and introduces himself to Minfilia as 'emissary of the Ascians.' Elidibus departs again in at the end of The Gifted, leaving the Warrior of Light with some ominous words to chew on.

“

"As it was, so shall it be again."

— Elidibus, during The Gifted

After this, Nabriales appears again in a brief confrontation with Elidibus, asking him why he revealed himself to the Scions.

During cutscenes for the Extreme fights for The Howling Eye, The Navel, and The Bowl of Embers, we are first introduced to an unnamed Ascian of the Twelfth Staff and an Ascian of the Twelfth Sword. Their contribution to the plot is minimal at best.

Patches 2.2 through 2.5

  • Elidibus is credited with "granting the Echo" to a Sahagin priest, teaching him how to cheat death by possessing the body of another. Interestingly enough, this is also the first recorded case of an Ascian who does not belong to one of the "races of man", even if he was shortly subsumed by the Primal Leviathan
  • In What Little Gods Are Made Of, the first information is revealed about how Ascian "immortality" works, resulting in a wonderful slideshow presentation. Within this same quest is another scene with the Ascian Convocation meeting in the Chrysalis, in which Emmerololth and Altima are named and shown on screen for the first time. We also get to see the first visual depiction of Zodiark, outside of his "crystal" form.
  • In The Instruments of Our Deliverance, Nabriales is shown observing the defeat of Shiva at the hands of the Warrior of Light.
  • The scenes during Aether on Demand give us our second slideshow presentation about the Scion's plan to trap an Ascian soul within White Auracite, the first step in destroying it. Later, Nabriales meets his end during An Uninvited Ascian, marking the first time an Ascian is permanently killed.

Heavensward (Patch 3.0)

  • Lahabrea and Igeyorhm work in the background for most of the expansion, teaching various parties how to summon new primals.
  • During the Summoner class quests, the Ascian of the Twelfth Chalice flees Azys Lla after being defeated by the Warrior of Light. The finale of these quests results in the defeat of the Ascians of the Twelfth Chalice, Staff, Sword, and Pentacle. These scenes also reveal that the four of them are specifically servants of Lahabrea (or were). Their mortal forms are defeated, but it is unclear if they are able to harness rebirth the same way their masters do.
  • On Azys Lla, Lahabrea and Igeyorhm use the power of the Echo to fuse into an Ascian Prime for the first time. After the defeat of Ascian Prime, Igeyorhm dies at the hands of the Warrior of Light, using a White Auracite in their possession. Following this, Lahabrea dies after being betrayed by Thordan VII, who consumes the aether of his soul to further empower his primal form.
  • Elidibus reappears in an Epilogue scene, shown on the Moon for the first time.

Patches 3.1 through 3.5

Stormblood (Patch 4.0)

  • Ascians are largely absent from this expansion, as the Echo and its capabilities take the stage in other ways.
  • An unnamed Ascian causes trouble under the sea: Kurenai of Sui-no-Sato mentions the visitation of a "man cloaked in black" in the days before a voidsent takes possession of the Ruby Princess's body.
  • At the conclusion of Stormblood, Elidibus appears to Emperor Solus after the death of his son, Zenos. Elidibus removes his mask before the Emperor, causing him shock for reasons that are not revealed within the scene.

Patch 4.1 through 4.5

  • Elidibus is revealed to have stolen the body of Zenos from its unmarked grave in Ala Mhigo, and assumes his identity.
  • Elidibus teaches Asahi sas Brutus how to summon a primal, leading to the summoning of Tsukuyomi.
  • A Garlean man who calls himself "Shadowhunter" is revealed, displaying several Ascian masks on his belt that he has taken as trophies. It is unclear if his actions resulted in the "true death" of the Ascians involved, or if he merely dispatched their corporeal forms.
  • In Patch 4.4, Solus zos Galvus is introduced, and revealed to be an Ascian, and to have built the Garlean Empire specifically to further the goals of the Ascians.
  • A memo from Galuf Baldesion reveals that, by casting the Isle of Val into the Lifestream, they also ensured the defeat of an Ascian known as Emmerololth, also ensuring that he would "never reform."
  • The Warrior of Light does battle against Elidibus posing as Zenos. Due to an untimely vision, he deals a critical blow and nearly defeats the Warrior, but is foiled by Estinien Wyrmblood rescuing them before he can deal a finishing blow. Elidibus-Zenos returns to Garlemald afterwards.
  • Upon returning to the Empire, Elidibus encounters Zenos' spirit possessing another body. Rather than fight him, he flees to the First.

Shadowbringers (Patch 5.0)

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Emet-Selch entreats with the Scions and teaches them about the origins of his people and the reason they are trying to enact the Rejoining. They learn of how Emet-Selch orchestrated the Flood and how he turned Vauthry into a Lightwarden. It turns out that he also wanted the Warrior of Light to defeat the Lightwardens to become one themselves. When this failed, he retreated to the Tempest and recreated the city of Amaurot.

The Scions pursued Emet-Selch to the city, where he showed them the Final Days. Undeterred, they continued to attack him, but were made short work of. Only the Warrior of Light was able to stand against him, appearing to be some form of reincarnation of Azem, but Emet-Selch refused to believe this, calling it "a trick of the Light". The two faced off, casting aside titles and battling with their true selves, Emet-Selch revealing his true name to be Hades.

Eventually, the Warrior of Light and the Scions managed to defeat Emet-Selch. Before fading away, he simply requests that they "Remember that they lived".

Elidibus, now the last remaining Unsundered, heads to the First and possesses the body of Ardbert and awakens the latent power of the Echo in the people of the First to continue the legend of the Warrior of Light, using their faith in the myth to strengthen himself the way a primal would feed on the faith of those who would summon it.

Elidibus, at his peak strength, attacks the Crystal Tower and summons simulacrums of the Warriors of Light from other worlds to fight the darkness with him. He and the Warrior of Light engage in combat at the top of the tower, and he almost wins. However, in a turn of events, the call that Elidibus evoked reached Emet-Selch, who pulled the Warrior of Light out of the Void to continue the fight.

The Warrior of Light prevails, and the last Unsundered Ascian was sealed within the Crystal Tower. Before fading completely, the remnants of Elidibus's shade gifts the Warrior of Light with the Soul Crystals of the Convocation of the Fourteen, sharing his memories with them. With Elidibus gone, the Ascians can no longer replenish their ranks, meaning the end of them and their plans.

After the death of Elidibus, Fandaniel begins to act of his own accord. He entreats with Zenos and convinces him to help him in his mission to destroy the Source, promising him the chance to face off against the Warrior of Light one more time.

Fandaniel confronts the Scions upon their return to the Source, warning them that he and his group of rogue Ascians, the Telophoroi, will destroy the Source using their Lunar Primals, which they create by kidnapping the people of the Source and trapping them in strange towers, draining their Aether to summon the twisted versions of the Primals. Fandaniel, Zenos and the rest of the as yet unnamed Telophoroi ready to engage with the Warrior of Light, who intends to stop their coming apocalypse.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Encyclopedia Eorzea, 2022 edition, "Dimensional Compression"
  2. ↑ Ascians of the Twelfth Chalice appear as opponents and/or in cutscenes during Mad, Bad, and Ebon-Clad, I Could Have Tranced All Night, and A Flare for the Dramatic.

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