Warriors of Darkness
The Warriors of Darkness appeared on the Source as adventurers who made their way across the Eorzea, antagonizing the Beast Tribes and forcing them to summon their Primals, who they would in turn slay, then repeat the process. Heroes from another realm, the Warriors of Darkness were working with the Ascians to sow chaos on the Source, hoping to save their realm from the destruction that was slowly claiming it. While the adventurer party depicted in A Realm Reborn promotional materials very strongly resemble Ardbert, Branden, Nyelbert, Lamitt, and Renda-Rae, and that was done intentionally, they are not the same characters.
History
Norvrandt
Much like the Warrior of Light on the Source, the Warriors of Darkness began as a simple group of adventurers who slowly garnered recognition for their increasingly heroic deeds. Over time, each of these heroes earned the favor of Hydaelyn and received a crystal of light, signifying their ascension to a Warrior of Light. They traveled across the land of Norvrandt, stopping villains and unmasking conspiracies to better the world they called their home. Eventually, they came upon evidence that all the misdeeds and suffering they had endured was tied to a single entity known as the Shadowkeeper. This being had been pulling the strings and orchestrating chaos, though they did not know why. After an exhaustive search, they finally discovered the identity of the Shadowkeeper; one of their own, Cylva.
As it turns out, Cylva was from another world now known as the Void. When her world fell, she was brought back to life by the Ascians and told that she could save her world by spreading chaos in another, balancing the darkness in hers with a Flood of light in another. and so she set out manipulating the Warriors of Light, slowly molding them into unstoppable heroes who would wipe out all traces of darkness on their world, throwing it out of balance and ushering in the Flood, with their final act being to destroy her. Engulfed by rage and sadness, the warriors turned on their companion.
What Cylva had not anticipated, however, was the purity of the heart of their leader, Ardbert. Instead of ending her life, Ardbert spared her, unable to kill their companion, despite her betrayal. The Warriors of Light turned their attention then to the Ascians who had orchestrated this plan: Loghrif and Mitron.
The Ascians proved to be no match for the warriors, even in their Prime form. They fell before the Warriors of Light, and the heroes believed they had finally saved their land. However, this had simply played into the Ascians' schemes, for when Ardbert felled Mitron, the light that erupted from her turned Loghrif into the first Sin Eater, and commenced the Flood of light on Norvrandt.
Recognizing that they were to blame for the rampant light that was consuming their world and transforming the denizens into Sin Eaters, they sought a way to undo the damage they had caused. This led them to eventually partner with Elidibus, who showed them the way to travel to the Source, ensuring them they would be able to save their world there. They each surrendered their mortal bodies and passed through the veil to the Source, taking up new names and the moniker Warriors of Darkness, swearing to return the balance back to their world by joining it back to the Source.
Eorzea
The Warriors of Darkness were instructed to sow chaos on the Source, creating an imbalance so that the disaster on the First would be reflected there, causing a Rejoining. And so they set about summoning and destroying Primals, hoping to burn through the aether of the land and throw it off of alignment. Rumors of strange adventurers clad in black slaying Primals caught the attention of the Warrior of Light, and they met in Loth ast Gnath, home of the Gnath people who had summoned Ravana. They chastised the Warrior of Light and engaged them in battle, being stopped short by Thancred Waters, and retreat.
The Warriors of Darkness continue their work, once again running into the Warrior of Light, who interferes with their summoning of Garuda. The Warriors of Darkness reveal their identities and their mission before a disguised Urianger Augurelt appears, telling them to return to Elidibus for the time being. Frustrated, they begrudgingly fall back once again.
The warriors were frustrated with the pace of their exploits, to which Urianger suggests that killing the Warrior of Light would throw the Source into chaos. Ardbert bids him to draw them out, and the Warriors of Darkness lied in wait at the Bowl of Embers. When the Warrior of Light appears, they are backed by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and engage the Warriors of Darkness in battle.
Though they were initially defeated, using the powers given to them by the Ascians and their crystals, the Warriors rise again and again, seemingly unkillable. At this time, Urianger bids the Warrior of Light to use their crystal as well, pulling everyone into the realm of Hydaelyn. Minfilia Warde appears, speaking for Hydaelyn, or perhaps being spoken through. She apologizes for turning away from the warriors from the First, and offers to return with them to help stem the Flood of light. Eventually, they agree. They thank the Warrior of Light and return to Norvrandt where, using the last of their strength, empower Minfilia to halt the Flood. With their mission completed, all the Warriors of Darkness faded away to eternal rest, save Ardbert, who was forbidden from participating by Minfilia, much to his surprise. Because he had surrendered his body, Ardbert was cursed to walk Norvrandt alone, unable to be seen or to touch anything, having to watch in horror as the world fell apart and the Sin Eaters attacked, unable to intervene, and unsure as to why. The people soon forgot the exploits of Ardbert and his party, cursing the name Warrior of Light instead, blaming them for what had become of their home.
Members
Ardbert
A Hume hailing from Kholusia, Ardbert was a ordinary child born to an ordinary family. He grew up enjoying fishing and dreamt of seeing the world. At the age of eighteen, he left his friends and family behind, vowing to become a great adventurer someday. Upon suffering an ambush by a band of Hobgoblins, Ardbert was saved by Lamitt, a dwarven White Mage who helped him retaliate against the goblins and later joined his party. Through his travels, Ardbert would befriend Branden, a Galdjent knight, Renda-Rae, a Mystel hunter, and Cylva, an Elven warrior. He would come to know an Elven mage named Nyelbert as a rival, and eventually as a trusted ally after a situation involving a mercenary job to stop tremors caused by a monster in Amh Araeng required the two to fight together.Ardbert also had an Amaro mount named Seto, whom he rescued from a crooked merchant. The two became fast friends, and even after he had long since gone, Seto would never forget Ardbert.
When the Flood began taking their world, he led his friends in the mission to save Norvrandt. When it came time however to give their souls to aid Minfilia, Ardbert was denied this, being sent to walk the land. And so he walked for over a hundred years, unable to interact with anything or anyone, until the warrior of Light suddenly appeared on the First. Compelled to follow them, in no small part because the Warrior of Light was the only one that could see him, they traveled across what remained of Norvrandt, and Ardbert witnessed the deeds of the Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, as they fought to save a world that was not theirs.
When the light from the Lightwardens threatened to overwhelm them, Ardbert helped to quell the lights hold on them, holding it back for a time. When even that became impossible in the battle against Emet-Selch, Ardbert joined his soul with theirs, finally realizing the reason he had been left to wander. With their souls combined, the light overtaking the warrior of Light was quelled, and they stood together against Hades, defeating him.
An unforeseen side effect of this was that when Ardbert was finally allowed to pass on, the seal on the tomb where his body was kept in Eulmore was broken, allowing for Elidibus to possess it for his own ends, namely reinvigorating the people of Norvrandt to become Warriors of Light themselves.
Branden
A Galdjent knight who was handpicked by princess Sauldia of Voeburt to act as her guardian on a journey to discover why people were being transformed into monsters. On that journey, Branden served her faithfully, but was unable to keep her safe on this mission. Though she would recover completely, he was nonetheless stripped of his rank and banished from the kingdom.
Sometime later, he would meet Ardbert and his retinue and begin traveling with them. He went on to become a respected hero throughout their journey. Eventually the party would return to Voeburt to investigate the cause behind the transformations from many years ago. In time, they came to learn that the culprit was the court mage Tadric, who sought to throw the kingdom into chaos so that he might claim the throne. Branden was swift in cutting him down, but not before he cursed Sauldia as well, changing her into a monster as well. In her last moments, she bade Branden to remember his vows, to protect the people of Voeburt. He laid her to rest and received a crystal of light, officially awakening as a Warrior of Light.
On the Source, Branden went by Blanhaerz, a name used to help him and the Warriors of Darkness blend in to Eorzean society. He fought against the Primals they summoned, and even held his own against the Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. When he returned to the First, Branden gave his life to quell the Flood. this released the seal on his tomb, and Vauthry, under the suggestion of Elidibus, exhumed his body and turned him into a powerful Sin Eater named Dikaiosyne, one of the four Cardinal Virtues.
As a Sin Eater, Branden remembered only his vow to Voeburt, and hunted down the various relics and treasures that had been looted from the kingdom after it fell. A hunter named Granson, together with the Warrior of Light, used these treasures to lure Dikaiosyne out and lay him to rest one final time.
Nyelbert
An Elf who was a descendant of a powerful magician, and was trained by masters of magic alongside his friend Taynor. From an early age, the pair were trained in Void Magic, and used in dangerous experiments. However, one of these experiments went horribly wrong, and Taynor was pulled into the Void. Nyelbert swore he would find a way to save his friend. He spent several years after mastering the arcane arts, and set out to find out how to save Taynor.
Nyelbert set out as an adventurer to see more of the world and to find the power to save his friend, when he met Ardbert and his party. Initially the two were adversarial towards each other, they both ended up taking the same mercenary contract to defeat a monster causing massive earthquakes in the mines of Amh Araeng. The two eventually had to work together to defeat the monster. Upon its death, it dropped a stone that had amassed an enormous amount of aether, and was what Nyelbert could use to bring his friend back. However, if the aether was not returned to the land, the mountain would eventually collapse and untold lives would be lost. In the end, Nyelbert destroyed the stone, and the only means to bring Taynor home. His sacrifice wasn't entirely in vain, as he was given a crystal of light, and awakened as a Warrior of Light.He joined Ardbert shortly after, and they traveled the land, helping the weak and looking for a way to return Taynor to this realm.
In Eorzea, Nyelbert took the name Naillebert to help better integrate into Eorzean society. He employed powerful magic against the Beast Tribes and the Primals they summoned in defense. Nyelbert was tasked with dealing the final blow to the Warrior of Light, however, the Warrior of Light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn worked together to stop his spell before it could be cast.
When he returned with Minfilia to the First, he gave his life to help halt the Flood. By doing so, the seal on his tomb was broken, and his body was exhumed by Vauthry and turned into a powerful Sin Eater named Phronesis, one of the four Cardinal Virtues.
Remembering his promise to Taynor manifested in Phronesis as the ability to rip open tears to the Void. After finally freeing Taynor, he and Cerigg, with the Warrior of Light, finally managed to defeat Phronesis and give rest to Nyelbert's spirit.
Lamitt
Lamitt was a Tholl from the village of Tomra. When she was young, a mysterious plague called the Stoneblight overtook the Dwarves, turning them into stone and was seemingly incurable. When the disease took her sister, Lamitt swore to find a way to heal her. Against her peoples traditions, Lamitt set out from her village as an adventurer to further research White Magic. Along the way, she came across Ardbert lying half-dead on the side of the road after an encounter with a group of Hobgoblins. After healing his injuries, Ardbert asked Lamitt to heal him while fighting the Hobgoblins. Once they succeeded, Lamitt joined with Ardbert and they traveled together as adventurers.
Over time, the two grew close. Lamitt secretly harbored feelings for Ardbert, but rather than act on them and potentially cause tension in the group, she kept her feelings to herself and became something of a matronly figure for the party.
After adventuring together for a time, the Warriors of Light came to the Ruins of Ronka, helping Lamitt seek out a powerful magic that would cure the disease. They found a very powerful but forbidden magic, and returned to Tomra. Lamitt had her reservations about the village elder's reaction over all she had done, but steeled her resolve and entered the village. With her newfound power, she healed those who were afflicted with the disease. However, as she expected, the village elder was furious, and banished her from their village. For her sacrifice, Lamitt was given a crystal of light, in recognition of her rise to a Warrior of Light.
Upon traveling to the Source, Lamitt aided in helping the group slay Primals with her powerful healing spells and White Magic. Though the group was nigh-unkillable, she still held to her duty as a healer and kept the group strong against the Warrior of Light of the Source and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Even though they had been defeated, she was ready to rise again and stand by her friends.
Once she returned to the First with Minfilia, she gave her soul in order to halt the Flood. The side effect of this was the breaking of the seal on her tomb. Under the guide of Elidibus, Vauthry exhumed her body and transformed her into a powerful Sin Eater named Sophrosyne, one of the four Cardinal Virtues.
Remembering her mission to heal the Dwarves who were affected by the Stoneblight, Sophrosyne held true to this mission by reviving and healing the Sin Eaters who were once the exiled Dwarves from her time. Killing a Sin Eater that was once a dwarf and using it as bait, Giott, with the aid of the Warrior of Light laid in wait for Sophrosyne, and engaged her in battle, stopping her self-reviving magic by forcing Giott's helmet onto her head. Upon her defeat, she dropped her crystal of light, which manifested Lamitt's memories. Giott assured her that she would be remembered as a hero of the Dwarves for her deeds all those years ago. Content that her sacrifice was not in vain, Lamitt was finally able to rest.
Renda-Rae
Renda-Rae was a legendary hunter, known across Norvrandt for the marks she and her compatriots defeated. In garnering such fame and repute, the group developed a bit of an ego, refusing to hunt anything other than the most dangerous and elite monsters. Eventually the group came up against Balam-Quitz, and charged in against it blindly, not bothering to learn how to defeat it. They had become so blind in their arrogance, they believed themselves undefeatable. Unfortunately, Balam-Quitz proved them to be wrong, incapacitating Renda-Rae and killing her friends. Alone, she tried to stand against the beast, but it simply disregarded her, leaving her alone, broken and humiliated. From that day, Renda-Rae swore to never get close to anyone again, viewing the decision to not attach herself to anyone and relying on only herself as a freedom.
Renda-Rae eventually came across Ardbert and his retinue, and chose to join them, keeping her distance and never getting too close to them, despite being unable to eventually come to respect and even care for them. One night, when the group made camp close to The Rak'tika Greatwood, she sought to head to the lair of Balam-Quitz and exact her revenge, bringing with her special arrows that would prevent the beast from roaring and incapacitating her again. Not wanting to lose the new friends she had found in Ardbert and the others, she left alone while they slept.
She came up against Balam-Quitz, and held her own against the monster. However, it still got the best of her and stunned her with a blast of lightning. Just as it was about to deal the killing blow, Ardbert and the others appeared and protected her, helping her defeat her long-time nemesis and take revenge for her fallen comrades. Ardbert reminded her that they were her friends, and told her that running off on her own was foolish, and she could depend on them to help her. Finally realizing that she could in fact count on them, Renda-Rae promised to never do something like that again, and began counting the other Warriors of Light as her family. She was given a crystal of light to mark her becoming a Warrior of Light.
On the Source, Renda-Rae adopted the name J'rhoomale to better blend in with the people of Eorzea. Using her legendary marksman skills, J'rhoomale aided the Warriors of Darkness in slaying Primals. She attempted to take out Alisaie with a poison arrow, insulting her and calling her "weak prey". Later, in the final confrontation against the Warrior of Light of the Source, she attacked Alphinaud, who blocked her attack with his Carbuncle. She was impressed, commenting that he wasn't weak.
Upon returning to the First with Minfilia, she gave her soul to halt the Flood, breaking the seal on her tomb in the process. Vauthry then exhumed her body, and transformed her into a Sin Eater named Andreia, one of the four Cardinal Virtues.
Though many hunted for the head of Andreia, none were able to claim it. Such was the fate of Lanbyrd and other poor souls who challenged the great Sin Eater. However, some of the fallen would rise again as Sin Eater compatriots to Andreia; a Hume axe wielder, a Galdjent swordsman, a Dwarf healer, and an Elf mage. Renda-Rae's love for her friends was so strong that Andreia attempted to rebuild her fallen party by creating more Sin Eaters in their image. Aiding the hunter Lue-Reeq, the Warrior of Light battled the Cardinal Virtue using Noisemaker arrows, which released a disorienting sound similar to the one that stunned Renda-Rae and her comrades long ago. Upon her defeat, her crystal showed her memories, where she talked about how hard it was for her to let someone in knowing she would some day lose them, but her newfound friends had given her the strength to do so. Seeing this, Lue-Reeq swore he would not let the memories of her heroic deeds be forgotten, and turn her from villain to hero.
Images
The Warriors of Darkness facing the Warrior of Light and the Scions
Minfilia taking the Warriors of Darkness back to the First
The Warriors of Darkness giving the last of their strength to Minfilia to forestall the Flood
Ardbert
Branden
Nyelbert
Lamitt
Renda-Rae
