Storm Biast
Taxonomy: Scalekin (Biast)
Description: Drakes are ferocious predatory creatures with powerful tracking abilities and the ability to exhale gouts of fire. They are perhaps most famous as domesticated beasts of the Amalj’aa. A biast, however, is a subspecies that exhales lightning instead of fire. They were here in the Vigil as followers of the Horde, as scalekin are easily dominated by dragons.
Shield Dragon
Taxonomy: Scalekin (Puk)
Description: Although puk such as these eat primarily small vilekin, they are fiercely territorial and will not hesitate to assault a much larger trespasser. Shield Dragons seem to belong to a wingless subspecies of Puk, as most of their kind do bear small wings.
Dragonfly Hunter
Taxonomy: Scalekin (Dragonfly)
Description: Known for their resemblance to dragons, despite having no relation, dragonflies have nevertheless gained a name in reference to true dragons. Dragonflies are perhaps most famous for serving the Dravanian Horde in great numbers, particularly as vanguard and scout forces. The name given these dragonflies might imply they were here in the Vigil in order to hunt intruders, or incautious spoken roaming too close to the Vigil.
Watch Wyvern
Taxonomy: Scalekin/Spoken (Dragon)
Description: Wyverns such as these are the inverse of lesser dragons, specializing in flight over movement on the ground. Their rear legs wither slightly, although are still substantial, and they lose their forelegs in exchange for much greater dexterity and speed with their wings. Presumably these wyverns served as leaders of the guard contingents of the Vigil, judging by their name as ‘watch’ wyverns.
Gorynich ☠
Taxonomy: Scalekin/Spoken (???)
Description: An unusual creature, there are little records on what exactly Gorynich was. It seems to bear a resemblance to the shield dragons, both in coloration, spinal ridges and land-locked nature. It was also apparently accompanied by a series of shield dragons, named in records of the Vigil’s cleansing as ‘vigil heirs’. This may further link the two by implying that these shield dragons were literally the heirs of Gorynich, thus making it an adult version of this diminutive species. Its spine was decorated with multiple iron spikes, presumably hammered into it in the past and perhaps implying previous confrontations with the Ishgardians.
Etymology Notes: Gorynich is named after the Zmei Gorynich, a class of Russian dragons. Gorynich translates to ‘the son of a mountain’ and can appear as a dragon-like humanoid or a true dragon, often opposing folk heroes of Russian myth.
Gowrow
Taxonomy: Scalekin/Spoken (Dragon)
Description: A mainline, unspecialized dragon. These beings are immensely powerful, wise as the ages and capable of elemental aether manipulation, particularly through their breath attacks. The perception of the dragon differs from place-to-place, with most people regarding them as pseudo-mythical figures of legend and romanticized adventures, but with the inhabitants of Ishgard boasting a considerably more complex perception, due to their history with the Dravanian Horde.
Etymology Notes: A gowrow is a cryptid hailing from the state of Arkansas, apparently a reptilian beast that preys on livestock and is capable of tearing trees in twain. A dragon is certainly reptilian and fierce, both physically and in appearance, so this name fits well enough.
The Heretics
Taxonomy: Spoken (Elezen)
Description: So named for their casting off of Halone’s orthadoxy in favor of worship of the Dravanian Horde, the heretics were a faction of largely elezen that worked to promote the Dravanians goals in defeating Ishgard, or at least, in the case of some of the followers, overthrowing its government. The heretics in the Vigil took many weapons and arts to their cause, including the general swords, shields and spears frequent across military endeavors, as well as the arts of conjury. The Ishgardians gave these figures many insulting names, including ‘craving,’ ‘maundering’ and ‘raving’ to signify the madness they believed had taken hold of them. There were also those who wielded dark magics and were known as ‘haranguing’ members of the draconic cult, likely for their role as thorns in the side of Ishgard. This special title is likely in reference to their ability to transform themselves into aevis, as will be discussed below. The heretics here as a whole were known as ‘harriers’ perhaps signifying their role in helping the Dravanians invade Ishgard.
Jura Aevis
Taxonomy: Spoken (Aevis)
Description: The aevis are figures of horror in Ishgardian folklore, individuals who consume the blood of a dragon and are twisted into freakish, powerful servants of the Horde whose very name means ‘devil who flies’. This is a truth, but further research has illuminated the matter further. When a child of Ishgard, descended from those who fed upon the aether of Ratatoskr’s eye, consumes dragon blood it interacts with the power latent in their lineage, turning them into an aevis. This is how the haranguing harriers of the Vigil turned into these creatures when threatened.
Etymology Notes: Aevis seems to be an altered form of aevum, a term used to label angels and saints, which may represent the dichotomy between the beliefs of the loyalist Ishgardians and the heretics. Jura is a geographical term for many regions in Europe as well as a short term for the Jurassic period of history. It may be intended to signify the resemblance between dragons and dinosaurs then.
Cuca Fera ☠
Taxonomy: Scalekin/Spoken (Dragon)
Description: When a dragon evolves for ground travel over air they become a lesser dragon, and if that lesser dragon then evolves for scale hardness they become a carapace dragon, famed for its defensive ability.
Capabilities: Cuca Fera was able to take ambient earth aether and weave it into its already-hard carapace, strengthening it further and making the dragon a true aegis against its foes.
Etymology Notes: The name Cuca Fera is a reference to a myth common in Catalonia, Spain. Cuca Fera was a beast of terrible countenance but kind and timid character, who was terribly lonely and watched the people of the mountains go about their lives. A number of adventures ensued, including saving a princess from an evil knight and a feud with a demon, but the end is more or less that Cuca Fera became a beloved figure in the regions folklore and a yearly festival is arranged around him in the town of Begues. Cuca Fera was indeed a turtle-like dragon, and so the reason for the naming convention here is quite clear.
Tursus
Taxonomy: Wavekin (Elbst)
Description: Likely a specialized evolution of the land-based peiste, the elbst is a vicious creature with razor sharp teeth and a hunger for flesh. Their proximity to Scalekin seems to have allowed the Horde to control these Wavekin.
Etymology: A tursus is a mythical Finnish creature that appears to embody disease and war. They are semi-aquatic, much like the elbst of Eorzea are.
Giruveganaus ☠
Taxonomy: Spoken (Diresaur)
Description: Utterly terrifying creatures, diresaurs were once Ishgardians with bloodlines tracing back to those who consumed the energies of Ratatoskr much like the common aevis. Diresaurs are immensely more physically powerful than their lesser cousins however, but have foregone the ability to fly entirely. Their ferocious ability in combat as well as their heretical origins have seen them become particularly hated amongst the ranks of the dragoons of Ishgard. The Giruveganus pair were likely stationed within the Vigil in an attempt by the Horde to have the Ishgardians defend the vigil instead of their own draconic champions, but this made the Vigil more vulnerable to airship attacks than the average draconic stronghold would be.
Etymology: Giruveganus seems to be named for the Ancient City of Giruvegan in Final Fantasy XII. The reason for this is unclear, though it could hint to the ancient origins of the bloodlines that allow for the creation of diresaurs.
Leave a Reply