Altissia

Altissia is the capital of Accordo in Final Fantasy XV. It is surrounded by water, being characterized by waterfalls and canals. Altissia has many and varied locations, such as cafes, ship-bourne market places and parks. The city is of a considerable scale and has a complex maze of streets. Visitors can ride the gondola to see the sights.

The player can take the gondolas to move about the city and some locations can only be visited this way. The gondola riding animations can be skipped, but sometimes the party will wave at people on walkways while they are on the gondola.

The player visits Altissia in Chapter 9, and can return there later by calling upon Umbra. Altissia also hosts the Moogle Chocobo Carnival.

Altissia
East side of town, on a cafe table occupied by two conversing men, a bit of southeast from Palsino Street gondola station.


 * Capital city of Accordo Protectorate, a league of towns located on an island south of the Lucian continent. Although technically under imperial control, the city is afforded considerable autonomy, enjoying political, economic, and religious freedom.


 * Legend has it Leviathan sank beneath the Celluna Cascades and entered into a deep slumber after the War of the Astrals. For that reason, the sea goddess has come to be revered as the tutelary deity of the town. The Tidemother's followers believe she takes many forms—fluid like the waves she controls—and have erected various statues in her various images.

Altar of the Tidemother
Northeast from Leville hotel on a marble bench.


 * Ancient religious structure jutting out into the Celluna Cascades. The government has apparently taken a vested interest in safeguarding the shrine, forbidding all unauthorized access. 


 * While the shrine is now widely known as a place for showing reverence for the sea goddess Leviathan, its history is shrouded in mystery. The bollard-like poles posted around the altar suggest this spot may have once been used for mooring boats. Others postulate it may have been an astronomical observation point from which seafarers studied the stars to strengthen their celestial navigation.

Story
After Lady Lunafreya is reported to have died in the attack on Lucis, Prince Noctis's party travels to see her in Altissia where the two were to be wed. Lucis was attacked by Niflheim during a treaty-signing ceremony, during which Noctis and his friends were already heading to Altissia. As the ferry from Galdin Quay doesn't run under the present circumstances, Noctis has the late King Regis's friend, Cid Sophiar, take them on King Regis's royal vessel. They use Cid's old travel documents to get past the border control, and Noctis and his friends head off to find Luna, who is being sheltered by the local government.

Though the town is bustling and peaceful, daemons have begun appearing within the city at nighttime, something that used to be unheard of. Hunters and tourists have gone missing, and there are rumors a local painting has become possessed. When Noctis and his friends explore Altissia, they have a chance to see Luna's wedding dress on display and meet Weskham Armaugh, King Regis's old acquaintance who manages a popular restaurant in town.

Lunafreya is accompanied by Gentiana, and is under watch by both city officials and imperial forces, as part of a compromise for the summoning ritual to take place. Lunafreya wishes to rouse the sea goddess, Leviathan, to have her grant her blessing to Noctis. She was met by her brother Ravus Nox Fleuret who works for the empire as the high commander. Ravus disagrees with Lunafreya's conviction to help Noctis at the cost of her own health, not believing the prince to be the True King. Nevertheless he hides her from Niflheim so she can continue, and urges her to deliver the Ring of the Lucii to Noctis by herself when she begs him to take on the task. Ravus visits the Altissia church and Chancellor Ardyn Izunia asks if he has had the chance to see Luna, but Ravus answers no.

The people of Altissia are peaceful and have been long uninvolved in the global conflict. Though considered part of the empire by Niflheim, Altissia has its own government. To this end, First Secretary Camelia Claustra is cautious to grant Lunafreya succor, and is reluctant to allow her to commune with the sea goddess after the destruction that awakening Titan brought to Lucis. After learning the king of Lucis is in Altissia, the first secretary seeks him out at a local restaurant and asks Noctis to visit her manor for negotiations. Noctis must convince her to allow Luna to go through with the ritual, presenting himself in a way befitting of a king.

To invoke Leviathan, Altissia keeps a sacred trident that they allow Lunafreya to use in the ritual of communion. As a commotion is expected, Noctis's vassals are put on evacuation duty while he prepares to forge a covenant with Leviathan with Luna's aid. The empire assaults the city as Leviathan is summoned, angering the Astral goddess, and Lunafreya cannot speak sense to her. Destroying Leviathan is Ravus's mission as the high commander, but he is pursuing it for personal reasons to save his sister.

Leviathan goes on a rampage, and the city is rocked by surging waves and invaded by imperial forces. Ardyn stabs Lunafreya with the intent for Noctis to witness it. Luna is still able to call upon the past kings of Lucis using the trident, and Noctis is granted power from the kings of old to put a stop to Leviathan. After Noctis wounds Leviathan, Titan appears from beneath the waves and the gods' clash sends out a tidal wave that destroys the majority of the city.

Leviathan accepts a covenant with Noctis and disappears after Titan appears to protect Noctis from the Tidemother's tsunami. Noctis is left lying on the broken altar when Luna crawls over to him and heals him with her last strength. Before dying, Lunafreya passes on the Ring of the Lucii to Noctis. Noctis's friend Ignis Scientia tries to make his way through the chaos to Noctis after being separated from his friends. High Commander Nox Fleuret of the imperial army orders a retreat, but General Brigadier Caligo Ulldor resists, as the empire has yet to capture the Ring of the Lucii. The general plots to get the ring for himself, but is unceremoniously killed by Ravus after the former's battle with Ignis. Ravus and Ignis join forces to reach the altar, where they find Luna has died, and Ignis receives a vision of the future from the Messenger Pryna.

Ravus flies into a rage, blaming Noctis for his sister's death, but is quelled by Ignis. Lunafreya's spirit departs, but Ravus laments she won't rest in peace until the prophecy has been fulfilled. Ardyn arrives, at first disguised as Ignis's friend Gladiolus Amicitia, but Ravus sees through the ruse. Ardyn and his magitek soldiers overpower Ignis and Ravus, but Ignis retaliates with the power of the Ring of the Lucii, losing his vision as the blood price of gaining its power. Noctis awakens in Altissia days later to hear Luna has died and to discover Ignis's disfigurement. Noctis leaves Altissia and heads toward the imperial capital of Gralea to find the stolen Crystal of Lucis and save the world from the forces of darkness.

After Noctis disappears Starscourge takes over the world, enveloping it in an endless night. Altissia becomes disconnected from the empire, and is taken over by daemons. Its people, along with people from many other lands, congregate at Lestallum in former Lucis territory where the power plant keeps the daemons at bay, though many boats carrying people to Lucis are attacked by daemons and sink.

Maagho
Maagho is visited on the gondola, where Weskham acts as the local tipster who commissions hunts.

Carliano
Carliano is an accessories shop near the docks.

JM Market - Altissia
JM Market doesn't operate from a red pickup as in Lucis, as Altissia has no cars. Leisure Goods' prices are unaffected by Noctis's fishing level. The shop sells another cactuar sculpture that can be give to Talcott.

Gamberetto's Catch
Gambretto's Catch is a grocer on the boat southeast of Maagho. It sells some rare seafood ingredients.

Old Gobunant's Boat
Old Gobunant's Boat is a grocer on a boat in Maagho. The player can either access it by walking up to it while in the restaurant, or while passing by on the gondola. Unlike the other grocer at Maagho, Gobunant's Boat doesn't sell anything rare. It does, however, have a cookbook for Ignis.

Culless Munitions - Altissia
Culless Munitions is a weapon vendor that for once doesn't operate from a van, but from a boat, as Altissia has no cars. It is operated by a woman by a canal southeast from the Leville Hotel.

Sondonda
Sondonda operates from a kiosk near Totomostro to sell gridanta horns used in its monster-betting minigame.

Arena Galviano
By betting on the monsters the player can amass medals that can be exchanged for various goods.

Totomostro
The coliseum in Altissia is a place where the player can play a minigame where monsters fight against each other, and the player participates by betting on the winner.

The Cursed Canvas
In a quest given by Vyv, a journalist in Lestallum, the party heads out to take a photo of a haunted painting called Lakshmi. The player can accept the hunt for it from Maagho restaurant. The painting is under the first secretary's manor, where the party fights Chadarnook. The quest is an allusion to Final Fantasy VI, that also had a haunted painting.

Oracle Ascension Coins
Noctis can exchange the Oracle Ascension Coins he has collected with Barter at a cafe where the player can also play Justice Monsters Five. New items, most of them Auto Parts, were added in patch 1.21, marked with a * in the list below.

Artist


Scattered around Lucis are small drawings the player can spot. When found, Prompto will always photograph them. They are by an artist in Altissia, whom the player can approach to get a picture of the party. She is in the northern area across the light blue gondola line, at the bottom of the stairway in front of a metal sculpture for a photo op. She appears during daytime when it doesn't rain in Chapter 9.

The player can find ten hidden drawings made by her around the world.

Fishing
Altissia is the last place on Noctis's journey where he can fish, and the city has numerous fishing spots.


 * Sonelio Plaza
 * Gondola Marina

New recipes
Eating Wood-Smoked Fish in Maagho teaches Sea Bass Sauté to Ignis. Eating Fettini de Cernia teaches Tide Grouper Carpaccio. Eating Fine Caviar Canapé teaches Royal Banquet Canapé.

Purchasing Iron Shelf Recipes Vol. 5 from Gobunant's Boat (Maagho restaurant) teaches Marrowshroom Chowder.

Another sea god
After the player has used the royal vessel as Noctis in the Windows and Royal Editions, a quest appears at Maagho for finding Bismarck, a legendary whale. Finding Bismarck lets the player fish Styrial Bluefin Tuna.

Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis
Episode Ignis is a downloadable episode where the player takes control of Ignis as he seeks to reach Noctis. Most of the episode takes place in Altissia, with only Verse 2 taking place elsewhere. During the first chapter, the player can collect documents that give lore details.

Creation and development
Altissia based on the city of Venice, Italy and has numerous canals streaming through the city. The artists sought to make it original by employing multi-tier sea levels and three-dimensional city structures. Localization director and lead writer Dan Inoue turned to Square Enix's Italian localization team for help to get the feel of Altissia right.

The E3 2013 trailer depicted a concept of the Leviathan battle in Altissia, which is different from the one seen in the final game.

The English voices for the end of Chapter 9 events were recorded in one day. The actors didn't get to see the finished scenes while recording, and for the scene where Luna gives a speech, the actors only saw three people in the crowd all surrounding Noctis, of the exact same character model. At the end of the scene, Ignis had randomly appeared and looked at Noctis and the "triplets". Noctis's voice actor Ray Chase has described it as one of the hardest scenes to have voiced for seriously, due to the absurdity of the unfinished version that they saw while recording.

Omen
Altissia briefly appears decimated in a premonition King Regis Lucis Caelum has of his son Noctis's quest. The king wants to avert this future he has glimpsed.

Moogle Chocobo Carnival


Altissia hosts the Moogle Chocobo Carnival free downloadable content until February 20th, 2017. Noctis attends the carnival with Carbuncle and can do various minigames.

Gallery

 * Artwork

Etymology
Like all naming choices for Final Fantasy XV, the name derives from Latin.

Trivia

 * If viewed from behind (not possible in a normal playthrough) the picture of Lunafreya is upside down at the back of the framed photo.
 * Lunafreya's wedding dress is said to have been designed by Vivienne Westwood, called Altissia's premier designer. This is actually a fashion industry collaboration, Luna's dress being a real-life dress from Vivienne Westwood.
 * The Leviathan Monument in Altissia resembles Bismarck. Altissia also has numerous angel-like statues. According to the Almanac, the statues depict Leviathan who the locals believe can appear in various forms.
 * There is a monument in Altissia depicting a winged woman holding a sword commissioned by Emperor Aldercapt.
 * A goddess as merciful as the sea is wide.
 * May Leviathan long protect this land.
 * Peace be unto the Province of Accordo.


 * Iedolas Aldercapt, Emperor of Niflheim