Legendary Creatures

See also: Lore

There exist not just in Eorzea, but across the world, tales of powerful creatures beyond mortal ken. Though the mind may know them for fiction, the heart yearns to pursue them.

Fact or Fiction?

Some creatures are the stuff of myth: never seen, only spoken of. Though the storyteller may detail their forms, and the artist depict them alive with power on canvas, he who seeks them will find naught but whispers on the wind...or so it was believed. Recent years have seen shocking reports of the discovery and subsequent taming of once-legendary beasts. This section will discuss what is currently known of those beasts who have leapt from the pages of storybooks to reality.

The Kirin

See also: Kirin

Often treated as the king of all beastkin in Far Eastern legend, the Kirin is reputed to bear the visage of a dragon, frame and antlers of a stag, hooves of a horse, and tail of an ox. It is said to be the most gentle and noble of beasts, and reviles killing such that it will tread not upon even the smallest flower, allegedly preferring to stride through the heavens instead. It is also known as a blessed portent, which will appear before only the sagest of heroes and most benevolent of lords—so naturally, it makes an appearance in many an epic. Rumor has it that an adventurer of good repute has succeeded in calling, forth the Kirin; however, though there are a fair few eyewitness accounts of an adventurer riding atop a “godlike” stag, opinions are split over whether the beast is truly a Kirin. Some Sharlayan theologians posit that it is in fact created from its master’s aether in the fashion of a Carbuncle, via an enchanted fife carved by a Far Eastern sage.

The Firebird

See also: Firebird

The Firebird, as the king of all cloudkin, is of equal stature to the Kirin in Far Eastern myth. According to legend, it can set its own body alight with flames that burn bright as the sun and be born anew, rendering it effectively immortal. As such, it has come to be associated with the concept of restoring the dead to life in folklore, and is often used as a symbol of rebirth throughout the Far East. It is to be expected, then, that those in search of immortality should pursue it. More than one tale features a hero set on hunting the divine creature, either for himself or a powerful lord offering riches in exchange for the key to life eternal. Recent reports tell of a magic whistle that tames the Firebird, but as with the Kirin fife, it could well be a tool that merely summons a look-alike conjured of pure aether.

Coeurlregina

See also: Coeurlregina

Tales of Coeurlregina, a towering horned coeurl, have been passed down among those dwelling along Abalathia’s Spine for ages. Legend has it that her horns hold a powerful magick, and can cure any illness if boiled for consumption by the ailing. Sightings of Coeurlregina were long thought mere superstitious delusions, but a recent influx of adventurers to Dravania has produced a vast number of eyewitnesses. In fact, the rumor that Coeurlregina was defeated by a group of stalwart adventurers but has returned to wreak havoc as a vengeful spirit has been attested to by so many that one cannot but believe there is some measure of credence to the tale—enough, at least, to advise caution when traveling to the Dravanian forelands.

Ixion

See also: Ixion

This legendary stallion is said to gallop upon a mighty levin-bolt, though sources differ as to whence his might came. According to the Fist of Rhalgr, Ixion was once the beloved steed of Rhalgr, the Destroyer, and through him gained the ability to command lightning and raze the land as he would. Ancient Mhachi tomes, however, make mention of an experiment in which voidmages successfully imbued a warhorse with the power of levin. It further explains that the horses bred for this purpose were, in fact, unicorns, and that selective breeding made their horns jagged—a trait Ixion shares. But whether he was Rhalgr’s erstwhile mount or a remarkable feat of ingenuity, one thing is certain: a levin-footed steed has been sighted repeatedly during and since the Ala Mhigan liberation.