The Spriggans
Taxonomy: Soulkin (Spriggan)
Description: Despite their seemingly corporeal nature, spriggan are essentially the animated forms of aetherial earthen energy, and are frequently referred to as being the ‘will of earth.’ That the personality and abilities of the spriggan are determined by the stones they hold implies that their primary source for this energy is derived from their constant companion.
There are a number of different kinds of spriggan within the mines, given names by the miners that once frequented them. The first is a grouping named ‘Copper Coppers’ possibly a reference to the use of the word ‘cop’ as a term for receiving or taking something, as in they take copper ore. The second group are named ‘Copper Carriers,’ a name that explains itself. Finally, the ‘Sifters’ deeper down within the mines may be responsible for sifting the shattered rocks of the mine for valuable ore.
Etymology Notes: Spriggan are Cornish nature spirits known for their mischievous behavior, a trait shared by the creatures in Eorzea as is their aspect as nature spirits.
Copperbell Coblyn
Taxonomy: Soulkin (Coblyn)
Description: What exactly a coblyn is, differs depending on who you ask. In Gridania the theory is that coblyn are beastkin who graft mineral to their flesh in order to gain a measure of armament. In Ul’dah, the prevailing thought is that they are instead true soulkin, ore that has taken on sentience and the ability to walk in order to propagate… Somehow. The Ul’dahn theory is increasingly the one accepted as fact within the halls of Sharlayan. These ones are evidently spawned from the copper that can be found throughout the Mines.
The Hecatonchieres
Taxonomy: Spoken (Gigant)
Description: Sorely mistreated slaves first of their cousins in the gigas tribe, then the forces of Thorne-dynasty era Ul’dah, the hecatonchieres’ journey terminated here in Copperbell Mines, having revolted after the binding magics in their helmets failed and then been sealed in the mines depths by overseers terrified of the consequences of their dark deeds.
There are a number of roles fulfilled by the hecatonchieres down here, likely given to them by their overseers, including that of Stonehauler, a clade that carried heavy pickaxes and likely acted as manual labor shifting discarded stone. Further in the Stonebreakers were encountered, a group of gigants that, when re-encountered carry greataxes and shields, but surely did not during their time as slaves. Perhaps they were once the bread-and-butter miners of Copperbell, but had since turned into monstrously powerful infantry. Kottos was also a particularly powerful member of the race encountered by the adventurers, and slain by them.
Etymology Notes: Hecatonchieres were a species of primordial giant from Greek mythology which bear a hundred of arms. They are linked to their Eorzean equivalent as both were buried beneath the ground, the Grecian ones in Tartarus and the Eorzean ones in Copperbell. Kottos is a reference to one of the hecatonchieres in Greek myth, whose name means ‘he who bears a grudge’ which certainly fits with the outlook of the hecatonchieres in Eorzea.
Lightning Sprite
Taxonomy: Elemental (Sprite)
Description: Essentially a mere conjoining of aether and ideal conditions, a sprite is of no relation to the powerful elementals of the Black Shroud, and are in fact as devoid of reason and sentience as the average weather pattern. Copper, the primary ore of this mine, has often been theorized by the crafters of the realm to hold some significance to the element of lighting, which would explain their presence here.
Errant Souls
Taxonomy: Ashkin (Ghost)
Description: The ghosts of the spoken that were caught in the mine collapse, despite folklore to the contrary, ghosts are actually fully corporeal creatures, solid to the touch. They are bound to the mortal world due to an unfinished purpose, and the term errant, given to them by the miners of Copperbell is merely a reference to the fact that they should not be here in the mortal world. It is unclear whether these were Hecatonchieres killed in the mine collapse now cursed to wander the halls in search of their revenge or the masters of the mine, kept here due to various unachieved goals.
Flambeau
Taxonomy: Voidsent (Bomb)
Description: Bombs are an interesting example of Voidsent, occupying the eleventh rung of the Voidal Hierarchy, they are driven to constantly replenish their internal fuel stores and are thus wildly carnivorous.
Etymology Notes: A flambeau is a burning torch, and may allude to the use of bombs by the people that ran the mines.
Blasting Cap
Taxonomy: Voidsent (Bomb)
Description: More bombs, these provide further evidence that these minor voidsent were used by the overseers of the mine for excavation purposes.
Ichorous Ire
Taxonomy: Ashkin (Slime)
Description: Slimes are produced when humors leaking out of corpses come to rest on an area enriched by earth aether. The earth aether adopts the aetheric energies left behind by the dead individual(s) and uses them to control the congealed biological material. Fiercely toxic, Slimes are completely without will and tend merely to mill around until being taken control of by a magick user.
Etymology Notes: Ichor is an archaic term for blood, in Greek mythology, particularly the blood of gods. This likely refers to the blood of the individuals who died to create this being, and its use as a term for the blood of gods may even suggest that the blood belonged to the hecatonchieres, as they are the children of Greek deities in the original myths. Ire is a synonym for anger, and may signify that the dying rage of the gigants remains within the slime.
Pit Hippocerf
Taxonomy: Beastkin (Hippogryph)
Description: It was particularly unusual to find Hippogryphs down in the mines as they are typically hill and mountain dwellers. Their vestigial wings are incapable of flight, but can propel them along the ground as they sprint. They must have been brought down into the caves to act as labor for the mines, introducing them to this subterranean ecosystem.
Etymology Notes: A Hippocerf is an odd cryptid from the real world, essentially a combination of a deer and horse that appears to be a large deer. It has been hypothesized that these creatures were actually the last remnants of the Irish Elk, an enormous species from the last ice age that some scientists believe may have remained extant until the medieval ages, inspiring their cryptid status.
Living Fossil
Taxonomy: Wavekin (Uragnite)
Description: Living Fossils are Uragnites, an odd species that are naturally rather small but have been twisted into much greater stature by the Nymians in order to farm their flesh, which the Nymians ate. Whether these are those swollen Uragnites perhaps forced below ground by the calamity or the flow of the water sources or as the name suggests, some ancestor of the modern Uragnites who dwelled underground naturally millennia ago and were naturally larger than their kin, is unknown.
Gyges the Great
Taxonomy: Spoken (Gigant)
Description: A particularly enormous hecatonchieres, the magical enchantments on Gyges helm had long since faded by the time the adventurers arrived to put him down, and he was able to turn his massive rock-smashing maul to those who represented his oppressors.
Etymology Notes: Yet another reference to an individual hecatonchieres of Greek myth, Gyges was a talented smith who crafted Zeus’ lightning bolts, Poseidon’s trident and Hades’ helm.
Leave a Reply