Five years have past since the fall of Dalamud, commonly dubbed by its survivors as "the Calamity". The memory of the Battle of Carteneau Flats still haunts most of the realm, yet not a single soul can remember how exactly Bahamut's wrath was sated, or what became of the Elder Primal. The only thing numerous survivors can agree upon is a blinding flash of light…and then Bahamut was nowhere to be found. Although Eorzea avoided complete annihilation from the wrath of the Dreadwyrm, things were not at all right in the world…

Our story starts with our characters entering their city of choice…but not before being shown a little of how the world works: aggressive tribes of beastmen roam the wilderness outside of the three city-states, attacking any who encroach on their territory. Upon entering our starting city, we're tasked with running some errands around the towns, getting a glimpse at how the world has slowly, but surely, started its recovery from the Calamity.

In the course of our treks through the city-state story lines, we're attacked by creatures seemingly at random. Upon their defeat they drop a crystal, causing us to have a vision involving a mysterious meteor shower, and the Mothercrystal: Hydaelyn.



Following our introduction to the Mothercrystal, we're brought into contact with a malicious masked mage that summons a golem to attack us. We reign victorious over the golem, and are eventually informed that the masked mage that has been harassing us is known as an "Ascian". Who these Ascians are, and what it is they want is shrouded in mystery….nonetheless, our deeds in the cities are eventually recognized by the leaders of the Grand Companies, who give us a description of the Battle of Carteneau, and the fact that the adventurers that fought on the fields (Legacy players) are forgotten by all. There is an Echo vision at this point from the viewpoint of the GC leaders, in which it's revealed that an Ascian was watching the havoc caused by Dalamud's descent…

Following this, you're tasked with clearing out a pirate/sahagin alliance in the Sastasha Seagrot, wiping out the fanatical Lambs of Dalamud cult from the Tam-Tara Deepcroft, and suppressing a gigas rebellion in the Copperbell mines. A mysterious neutral organization known as the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, a group made up of the Circle of Knowing and the Path of the Twelve after the Calamity to help restore Eorzea drafts you into its ranks, truly setting the story into motion.

Your first act as a Scion is to investigate the Amalj'aa, who have been robbing and kidnapping people from Camp Drybone, assisted by Ungust, a man posing as a priest in order to convert people to becoming sacrifices for Ifrit. Ungust sells you out to the Amalj'aa, who attempt to sacrifice you and the Immortal Flames to Ifrit. Ifrit attempts to Temper you, but the Echo, granted to you by Hydaelyn, shields you from Ifrit's influence, which allows you to slay the primal. News of your deeds spread, causing representatives of the Grand Companies to jockey for your membership. The celebrations don't last, however, as the Garlean Empire has stirred again, after laying dormant for so long….



Rumors reach the Scions of the Sylphs attempting to summon their Primal, Ramuh, which causes some friction between them and Gridania, who have their hands full with the Ixali. The Scions are tasked with helping out the Sylphs so they don't complete the summoning of Ramuh. The Sylphs reveal that their Elder has gone missing, trapped in the Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak after fleeing from a Garlean patrol. Deep within Toto-Rak, you encounter the Ascian, Lahabrea, who summons a giant banemite to capture the Sylph Elder. You prevail over the banemite and rescue the Elder who fills you in on the Sylvan situation: the Garlean incursion into the Sylphlands spooked a faction into summoning Ramuh for protection. Ramuh inadvertently Tempered the Sylphs that summoned him, but all parties involved desire peace with Gridania, unless they invade the Sylphlands first. Having resolved the Gridania-Sylph issue, the Scions head back to the Waking Sands with a Sylph ambassador.



Following the successful peace talks between the Sylphs and Gridanians, the Scions turn their attention to the Ascians, who have seemingly been involved with every ill that plagues the realm since the Calamity - and much more open about their involvement too. The search for info on the Ascians leads the Scions to Little Ala Mhigo, a refugee camp in Southern Thanalan housing displaced individuals that fled the Imperial occupation of Ala Mhigo some time before the beginning of the story.

Once there, it's revealed that an Ascian has taught the youth of Little Ala Mhigo the method to summon a member of the Twelve: Rhalgr, the Destroyer, patron god of Ala Mhigo. The Ascian assures the youths of Ala Mhigo that with the power of Rhalgr they'd be able to defeat the Amalj'aa and eventually take their home back from the Empire. After a fierce skirmish with the Amalj'aa, the youths realize the mistake they were about to make and swear off on summoning Rhalgr.

Convinced that following a trail of blood is the best method of finding the Ascians, Minfillia instructs you to go to the Black Shroud, where young women have been murdered and taken to Haukke Manor after the arrival of a masked mage…it is learned in the manor that Lady Amandine, owner of the manse that was disfigured during the Calamity, was using the blood of maidens in a "rejuvenation
ritual", but wound up posessed by Voidsent, or demonic entities.



After the trip to Haukke Manor, word reaches the Scions of Titan, the Lord of Crags, being summoned by his Kobold followers. Seeking information on Titan's defeat after the Calamity, you seek out members of the Company of Heroes, a mercenary group that was able to slay the Primal without the benefit of the Echo's Tempering protection.

You find Wheiskaet, a former member of the now disbanded company, who sends you on seemingly random menial tasks as a way to test if you're capable of defeating Titan, despite knowledge of your victory over Ifrit being spread. After being sufficiently proved of your worth, Riol, another member, provides information on how to penetrate the Navel, where the Lord of Crags waits.



Upon returning to the Waking Sands to report the fall of Titan, you're greeted with a ghastly sight: the bodies of numerous Scions strewn throughout the place. Using the Echo on Noraxia, you learn that the Empire conducted a raid on the Waking Sands, looking for the PC and taking Minfillia and the other Scion leadership hostage. In your quest to honor the dead by giving them a proper burial, you meet with a veteran of the Battle of Carteneau Flats named Marques, who is an amnesiac Cid non Garlond, defector from the Empire and engineering genius. Alphinaud, grandson of Circle of Knowing leader Louisoix, declares his intention to rebuild the Scions to deal with the threats that plague Eorzea when the city-states are unable or unwilling to do so.

Resolve renewed, you head to Coerthas with Cid and Alphinaud to search for the remnants of the airship Enterprise, Cid's ship from before the Calamity, for the Ixali are rumored to have summoned Garuda, and the Scion leadership is in need of rescuing.



The Scions find little in the way of hospitality from the Ishgardian forces stationed in Coerthas and the Noble families alike until you start to get involved in the politics of the region. Ishgard has been fighting a thousand year long war against the Dravanian Horde, and anti-dragon sentiment is high in the region, not at all aided by the fact that dragons are intelligent creatures capable of "enthralling the weak minded" and casting glamours to disguise themselves.

That all changes when you uncover one of Ishgard's inquisitors as being a Dravanian agent in disguise, framing patriotic citizens and knights as a way of getting revenge against Ishgard for their treatment of heretics. The false inquisitor is slain in battle, earning you the trust and respect of the Ishgardian forces on the front lines of the Dravanian campaign, who allow you to enter the overrun Stone Vigil, where the Enterprise has been found. The airship is guarded by the dragon Isgebind, who was awoken by the Ascian, Lahabrea.



Access to the sky now secure, you set off to face Garuda, only to find a surprise after the Primal's defeat…



With the Empire revealing their Allagan super weapon, the time has come to rescue the Scion leadership and plan an offensive on the Empire before they have time to unleash its true power. The Scion leadership is found in Castrum Centri in Mor Dhona, where the adventurer, Cid, and his assistants Biggs and Wedge release the Scions from captivity, but not before discovering that Lahabrea was in fact possessing Thancred as a physical vessel.

After escaping from the Castrum, Gaius delivers an ultimatum to the leaders of the city-states: surrender to Imperial control, or be destroyed by the Ultima Weapon. Shaken by the prospect of being forced into war so shortly after the Calamity causes the Grand Company leaders to falter momentarily, until the newly released Scions come to a meeting held between the leaders and give them all a pep talk, noting that the Empire's reliance on force of arms will only make the beast tribes more desperate in their prayers to their gods, strengthening the Primals instead of diminishing their influence.

The leaders of the Grand Companies destroy their surrender notifications and begin planning their counterattack: Operation Archon, a plan in which the Grand Companies work together to assault all of the Empire's Eorzean encampments to draw attention away from the Praetorium, where the Ultima Weapon is thought to be housed. After defeating Rhitahtyn sas Arvina at Cape Westwind, Livia sas Junius at Castrum Meridianum, and forcing Nero tol Scaeva to flee after battle, the confrontation with Gaius and the Ultima Weapon finally begins.



Although successful in repelling the Garlean invasion and destroying the Ultima Weapon, shadows linger over Eorzea still, looking to spread chaos in pursuit of their goal…



Edit: this took a bit longer than I figured it would, so I'm separating the patches instead of having one giant post. Please send any feedback you have, especially about the amount of videos I used. Also, speaking of the videos - I apologize if the quality was lacking. Not too familiar with movie editing or anything like that. Anyways, hope you enjoyed and I'll get started on the patches shortly!

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Awoken (2.1)

Following the defeat of the ancient Allagan super weapon, the Ultima Weapon, word spread throughout the realm of the Scion's involvement, causing groups from all over to attempt to hire them as mercenaries or to get involved in the affairs of the individual city-states. The Scions determine that moving to neutral territory, like Revenant's Toll in Mor Dhona would be the best course of action to show their intention of working for the good of the realm as a whole. Minfilia is opposed to this idea until her foster mother F'lhaminn is found and encourages her to support the move.

During the move to Mor Dhona, the Scions receive information from a moogle near Gridania that the Mooglesguard has summoned Good King Moggle Mog XII, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Primals: he intends to temper the moogles and turn them against the Gridanians.



With the adorable fluffy menace dealt with, the PC returns to the Waking Sands to accompany Minfilia to Mor Dhona when she's confronted by Elidibus, an enigmatic Ascian garbed in white…



Following Elidibus' departure, the Scions finally make their final move to the Rising Stones, locating inside the Seventh Heaven bar in Revenant's Toll. Urianger gives Minfilia a news that does not bode well for the Scions: The Students of Baldesion have yet to respond to their request for information, which worries Minfilia greatly…

During an audit, it's revealed that a cache of crystals has gone missing from the Amajina & Sons Mineral Concern. After some investigation, it's revealed that Sea Wolf Roegadyn bearing blue tattoos made off with the crystals. Having a theory on the culprits, Y'shtola returns to Limsa Lominsa to investigate.

At around the same time, refugees from the nation of Doma on the continent of Othard land at Vesper Bay, seeking asylum. The leader of the refugees, a masked female named Yugiri, reveals to the Scions that Emperor Solus zos Galvus has died, causing a war of succession in the Empire. The Domans saw this as a prime opportunity to revolt against the empire, but they were defeated, and the empire razed Doma to the ground to serve as a warning to any other potential rebels.

The Domans implore the Syndicate of Ul'dah for asylum, but they are turned down due to the city being filled to the brim with refugees. Revenant's Toll has been in desperate need of laborers and soldiers for defense, so they settle there, despite the inhospitable environment.



Y'shtola returns with news that the crystal thieves are none other than the Serpent Reavers, pirates under the thrall of the Sahagin, and that they plan to summon Leviathan, Lord of the Whorl. Admiral Merlwyb petitions the Scions to assist in a stealth mission to assassinate the Sahagin priest who will carry out the summoning ritual.

The group makes it deep into the Sapsa Spawning Grounds right as the summoning ritual takes place. A strange feeling fills the air as Merlwyb takes the initiative in taking the priest out…



With Leviathan in open water, preparing to cause a tidal wave capable of destroying the coastline, Admiral Merlwyb's second, Storm Marshall Slafyrsyn suggests using corrupted crystals do disrupt Leviathan's control of the aether in the sea so the fight can be taken to the Primal, as he heard Mistbeard, the pirate king once did.

Enraged that mere mortals attempt to disrupt his control over the oceans, Leviathan strikes against the PC aboard the Whorleater.



With the Lord of the Whorl defeated and the Domans having a place to settle, Yugiri wishes that you pass on her thanks to Minfilia so she can proceed to study the fighting style of the "secret fraternity" that Thancred mentioned. Arriving at the Rising Stones, however, you are met not with congratulations, but with more bad news…

Amidst reports of aetheric disturbances in the Black Shroud suggesting the presence of a Primal, a group of refugees from Ul'dah come to the Rising Stones, seeking asylum much like the Domans before them. Along with the refugees comes word from Ul'dah that a refugee riot broke out recently, which Alphinaud was injured in. Fear of reprisal for taking in potential rioters along with Revenant's Toll not being able to accommodate the additional refugees forces Minfilia to deny them. Journeying to Ul'dah to check on Alphinaud, he shares information on the long simmering tensions between the refugees and citizens of Ul'dah.



Upon investigating the riots further, it is revealed that a merchant has been traveling around the refugee camps, provoking and supplying arms to the refugees in an effort to spark riots. When confronted, the merchant at first denies any involvement, but as soon as he's threatened even a little, he's ready to spill the beans in exchange for protection. Before he can divulge any information, however, he is assassinated from afar by a cloaked archer, who vanishes in the chaos.

Raubahn summons you to share the findings of your investigation, as well as to report his own.



Despite the revelations about Teledji Adeledji's motivations, it is seen as too early to move against the Syndicate member, so the Scions turn their eyes back to the Black Shroud. It appears that the tempered Sylphs have summoned Ramuh, and you are tasked with confronting the Primal, only using force if necessary. The Primal expresses a dismissive attitude at the current state of man, and challenges you to a trial by combat, to prove their worth.



Following your victory over Ramuh, you make your way back to the Rising Stones. There, Urianger outlines his theory for killing off Ascians for real. Meanwhile, the Ascians themselves meet up, noting the increasing strength of Hydaelyn's Champion, while Hydaelyn herself grows ever weaker…



Alphinaud approaches you and puts forth a radical idea: to make a new Grand Company, an expanded Scions of the Seventh Dawn, that would better serve to take down threats to the realm as a whole, not being bound to any one nation or its disputes. The leaders of the three city states are in agreement, and the Crystal Braves are born, although with little fanfare, and some suspicion.



Haurchefant Fortemps, a staunch supporter from Coerthas, sends word of shipments meant for the Scions being attacked and stolen by a band of Dravanian heretics lead by an enigmatic and charismatic leader simply known to the Ishgardians as "Lady Iceheart". Investigation into the heretical group yields little results, but Haurchefant decides to send a second shipment to Revenant's Toll as a symbol of friendship.

Back at the Rising Stones, Alphinaud formally inaugurates the Crystal Braves, born with the hopes that Eorzea may truly be united as citizens from all the nations (Riol, former member of the Company of Heroes, Wilred, one of the Ala Mhigan youth who attempted to summon Rhalgr but is now seeking to make amends, Laurentius, a former Wood Wailer who was selling information to the Garleans but seeks redemption as well, and many others) band together to be Defenders of Eorzea.

However…despite Haurchefant's continuous support, all is not right in Ishgard…

As soon as the Crystal Braves are established, they receive an anonymous tip about a Garlean spy infiltrating one of the Grand Companies. Investigations by the Braves discovered that the spy was a high ranking member of the Immortal Flames, and that "Ivy", the spy's codename, had recruited several other spies into the fold.

Word spreads that the Garlean War of Succession is near its end, causing the Eorzean Alliance to redouble their efforts in keeping spies and traitors from their midst, to avoid giving the Garleans any advantages as they initiate their war machine again. Finding and capturing Ivy is seen as a priority, so Alphinaud's second in command, Ilberd, suggests that he and the Warrior of Light inform Raubahn of their suspicions in person, hoping to lessen the feeling of betrayal from having a close associate being outed as a traitor. Raubahn gives the Crystal Braves free reign to investigate the Immortal Flames, since Ul'dah's corruption isn't lost to him.



After the meeting with Raubahn, Alphinaud contacts you with very strange information: the incredibly secretive and isolated city-state of Ishgard is reaching out for help from other factions since the Battle of Silvertear Skies. Haurchefant sets the Scions up to meet Lord Aymeric, Lord Commander of the Temple Knights of Ishgard.

Much to Alphinaud's disappointment, the meeting isn't about Ishgard rejoining the Eorzean Alliance. Instead, Ishgard wishes for the Scions and Crystal Braves to watch the corpse of the great wyrm Midgardsormr. Ishgard's astrologians see in the stars that the Keeper of the Lake would soon come back to life. In exchange for keeping tabs on the wyrm, Ishgard promises that all shipments from House Fortemps bound for Mor Dhona will receive knights as an escort. Alphinaud agrees, seeing this as an opportunity to bring Ishgard into the Eorzean Alliance.



You join the investigation into the attack on the supply caravan, where a surviving knight claims to have heard a heretic speaking of "Shiva's resurrection", Shiva being the "patron saint" of the heretics, an apostate said to have "laid with dragons". Fearing that Shiva will be summoned as a Primal, the Crystal Braves join the Ishgardian forces in the search for Shiva. You run into Lady Iceheart in one of the tunnels, who claims that she's doing whatever must be done to end the Dragonsong War, and to save Eorzea and Hydaelyn before teleporting away….



While trying to find where Iceheart went, you are called back to hear from Ilberd, who claims to be close to finding the true identity of "Ivy", along with the news of the end of the Garlean war of succession. A new emperor has been crowned, Varis soz Galvus, formerly the High Legatus of the Imperial Army. This news gives the Grand Company leaders some worry, since Varis was almost obsessed with conquering Eorzea, as well as his military prowess.



Ilberd reveals his findings about "Ivy" - it's none other than Grand Marshal Eline Roaille, Raubahn's second in command within the Immortal Flames. A manhunt for the traitor ensues, with Eline eventually being captured with the help of Yugiri and the Domans. She is placed under arrest, and Minfilia calls us back to the Rising Stones to meet a new Sharlayan scholar by the name of Moenbryda.



Moenbryda's crazy plan with the broken Aetheryte works, and Iceheart is confronted in the Ahk Afah Amphitheater. Shiva is summoned, and unlike other Primals, she uses Iceheart's body as a vessel through the power of the Echo.



The revelation of Iceheart's possession of the Echo and her ability to harness the power of a Primal leads to a multitude of questions that all seem to lack answers. Minfilia deems it wise to keep Iceheart's powers under wraps in order to avoid fear and confusion, and more importantly the ire of Garlemald.

No sooner does the threat of Shiva disappear that Eline Roaille escape from captivity. She flees toward Castrum Meridianum, but is routed by you, the Crystal Braves, and Yugiri and her Doman compatriots. Eline's tendrils are revealed to have been in all sorts of events since the Calamity: she was acting as a spy for the XIVth Legion, but undermining it for Varis, and selling Imperial secrets to Eorzeans, while ALSO having ties to the Ishgardian heretics. With Ivy imprisoned however, Raubahn gets to work on dismantling her spy network, while Nanamo Ul Namo discusses the future of Ul'dah with Merlwyb and Kan-E-Senna.

The Crystal Braves have grown quite nicely since their inauguration…but with an increase in size comes an increase in responsibility. They've started dealing with issues outside of the Garleans, Primals, and Ascians. One such job is a mission to stop an arms dealer, something suspiciously similar to the merchant that incited the refugee riots before…based on the knowledge that Ilberd supplies, the shipment of weapons will be quite large. The mission goes awry however, and the merchant dies mid-transaction, and the "large shipment" of weapons turns out to be a single crate. Riol, a member of the 4th Crystal Braves Unit, finds it odd that the information his group was given was different than the other groups present, the 1st and the 3rd, but before they can look too deeply into it, you're called to the Rising Stones.

Lucia, Aymeric's second-in-command of the Temple Knights is waiting at the Rising Stones, requesting a thorough investigation of the Keeper of the Lake, for the astrologians of Ishgard say that that the star that foretold Midgardsormr's rebirth is shining with an alarming intensity. After fighting your way through several dragons, imperials, and magitek weaponry, you reach the top of the Agrius, and come face to face with the corpse of Midgardsormr…which comes back to life and attacks.



Moenbryda's white auracite project is almost done, but the problem of containing vast amounts of aether within the auracite is still a problem. It's determined that corrupted crystals like the ones found across the realm might be the solution they've been looking for. While Moenbryda experiments on the crystals, Nabriales appears, but senses that the Blessing of Light is gone and uses this opportunity to forward his own agenda by means of "the staff".

That staff being Tupsimati, the former staff of Circle of Knowing leader Louisoix, you and Moenbryda hurry to the Rising Stones and arrive just in time to see Nabriales accosting Minfilia. The Blessing of Light also hid the Scion HQ from the other Ascians, except Lahabrea and Elidibus, who are "of this world". Nabriales impales Moenbryda with a tendril of darkness and takes Minfilia and Tupsimati through a dark portal, which you use to follow Nabriales to The Chrysalis.



Although Moenbryda died, she gave the surviving Scions a means to defeat the Ascians.