Minfilia Warde



Minfilia is a prominent Non-Player Character in the original main story line of Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. She was once the leader of the Path of the Twelve, an organization of people touched by the Echo, and offered walkers of the Path guidance in learning to utilize the Echo to bring about peace. She first appears in Ul'dah's main storyline as Ascilia, daughter of Warburton.

In A Realm Reborn the Path of the Twelve has merged with the Circle of Knowing to form the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, with Minfilia at the head.

Appearance and Personality
Her official title is "Acting Antecedent" of the Path of the Twelve. Antecedent is a synonym for "predecessor", implying that she is simply someone with the Echo who came before others, including the player, and guides them with the wisdom of seniority. Minfilia is a Midlander Hyur who keeps her blonde hair in a ponytail with long bangs hanging down the sides of her face. In Version 1.0 she wore a pink half-top, brown culottes, and fingerless gloves. She was never seen in battle, allowing her to dress more casually than most major characters in the game. In A Realm Reborn she wears a midriff-less dress, and her attire is much more decorated than her original casual attire.

Though wise and diplomatically savvy, she was often undermined by her would-be followers in the Path of the Twelve, including the player's Path Companion. This shows a complete lack of formality within the Path of the Twelve, as well as fairly shaky leadership on her part, no matter how sound her ideals may seem. Her controversial wish to see the five races join forces with the beast tribes against Garlemald was never realized.

Five years after the Calamity, Minfilia is shown much more respect as the leader of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, particularly by her peers in the Circle of Knowing. She is much more cheerful now that she needn't keep the organization a secret, although she is not aloof to the gravity of the growing conflict.

Final Fantasy XIV (Version 1.0)
Players from all parts of the world met Minfilia when the Main Scenario converged on Ul'dah.

Upon learning of the Player's ability to use the Echo, Minfilia offers them to join the Path in working behind the scenes to use this rare talent for peace.

After joining the Path and choosing a Path Companion, a few of the player's missions were given by Minfilia, including an investigation into Garlean activities in the home of the Syphs in Black Shroud and a dispatch to Gridania to meet with the Ashcrown Consortium.

During the quest "Forever Taken", it came to the Path's attention that the Garlean Empire had labeled Eorzea's indiginous Beast Tribes as the enemies of Eorzea, for they mean to summon their "Eikons" to defy all invaders, including the three city-states. Because walkers of the Patch can use the Echo to communicate with the beastmen, they were branded as heathens. Sparking controversy within the Path itself, she implores the walkers to agree to an alliance with the beast tribes to combat Garlemald. The majority of the Path responds negatively, fearing that cooperation with beast tribes would ensure they would be cast out of society regardless of Garlemald's declaration. The player and their Path Companion are among the few who follow her in this radical endeavor, although attempts to sway the Amalj'aa, and their Eikon, Ifrit, ended in failure.

After a battle between an Ala Mhigan resistance and the Empire ended poorly during the quest "Future's Perfect", she used it as a reminder to the player that Garlemald is simply too powerful for any one City-state, and that an alliance with the beast tribes is their only chance.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
After the Calamity, the Grand Companies of Eorzea retained their alliance, though their efforts were spent nigh wholly on rebuilding. The Path of the Twelve merged with the Circle of Knowing found common ground and merged to become the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, an organization of heroes left with the arduous task of beating back the Primals and filling any gaps in the forces fighting the Empire. Though they work closely with the Grand Companies in the latter effort, they defy the Primals alone.

The player character (either newly created or a Warrior of Light) is directed to the Waking Sands, the Scions' headquarters, by its members upon exhibiting clear signs of the Echo. Because Minfilia herself is blessed with the Echo, she is the first in the game to recognize Warriors of Light (the adventurers who were saved by Louisoix) while all other NPCs had forgotten their names and faces. She explains that Louisoix's spell is the cause of everyone's wiped memories of the survivors, information she also likely gained through the Echo.

Minfilia directs the player on a number of missions as a Scion of the Seventh Dawn, sending them to slay primals as well as keep the peace.

Trivia

 * Minfilia would be proven both right and wrong about the Empire's might in a different story arc. The combined forces of all three City-States are enough to pose a threat to the Imperial Stronghold of Castrum Novum. However, a mere party of eight capable adventurers is more than enough to infiltrate their stronghold and destroy the Lunar Transmitter it was built to protect. This can be accomplished with absolutely no help from the beast tribes.
 * Perhaps due to having matured five years, Minfilia's increased bust size is one of the most notable changes to her in-game render.