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Have the laws of man grown so twisted in my absence that it is now permitted to lay hands upon an emissary?
Elidibus
Elidibus is a character from Final Fantasy XIV. An Ascian, he claims to be an Emissary for the "one true god". He was introduced in Patch 2.1 for A Realm Reborn.
Profile
Appearance
Elidibus dresses in a typical Ascian garb but white rather than black. He wears a red mask over the top of his face.
After possessing the body of Zenos yae Galvus, commenting that his new body makes an equal to the Warrior of Light, Elidibus resembles a man in mid 20s with a youthful face and fair complexion with long golden hair. To maintain his cover as the prince, Elidibus wears Zenos's suit of armor.
Elidibus possess an Ascian mark. His mark is more elaborate with a strong Egyptian aesthetic. The mark resembles the design on the back of his white robes.
Personality
Elidibus is polite and diplomatic, attempting to meet Minfilia Warde and the Warrior of Light on peaceful terms. This seems to be at odds with the other Ascians, who are cold at best toward the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Elidibus is secretive and enigmatic, and invested in the balance of Light and Darkness. He claims that while he serves with utmost loyalty, a world riddled with darkness or light does nothing for his master.
Elidibus deviates from the methods of his black-robed brethren, and is not close or loyal to them, as he states to Emperor Varis that should the Garlean Empire raise a hand against the Ascians, he would not stop him. Elidibus is nonetheless a dangerous and cunning foe to the Warrior of Light and the Scions. Even when his plans do not go accordingly, Elidibus is foresighted and intelligent enough to gain an advantage. According to Emet-Selch, while Elidibus may be a "worrier" and an "insufferable bore," he is no fool and the choices he makes are rarely wrong. Elidibus does possess the typical Ascian overconfidence when appearing to have the advantage, as after possessing the body of Zenos, he mistakenly believes he can easily defeat the Warrior of Light. Likewise, Elidibus fails to foresee Zenos's return or stop him from reclaiming his body, forcing the Emissary into fleeing.
Nonetheless, Elidibus is persistent and patient, as even after learning of the demise of his Paragon comrades, Lahabrea and Emet-Selch, Elidibus only becomes more determined to restore Zodiark and reestablish the balance between Light and Dark.
Story
Early life
The Amaroutine calling himself Elidibus was a member of the Convocation of Fourteen, a group that served as guardians of the city of Amaurot and the world. Falling into despair when seeing their world besieged by a calamity from within, he joined his fellow Convocation members and devised a plan to halt the calamity: summon the will of the planet, the primal Zodiark. The price to accomplish this feat of summoning, however, would be grave, and caused one member to leave in dissent. Half of their people were sacrificed to offer up the necessary aether to complete the ritual. The original Elidibus sacrificed themself to become Zodiark's heart while he took up his name.
The deity succeeded in its primary purpose, but then enthralled those who summoned him into becoming his devout followers. The Convocation resolved to sacrifice another half of their people to replenish their ruined world. Next, for Elidibus and the Convocation to restore the lives of those originally sacrificed, Zodiark would require even more aether; aether that would come from the new life being born into the world. This disturbed the dissenting member of the Convocation, who felt that the sacrificial costs were already too great, and that the world now belonged to the lives birthed in it. The dissenting Convocation member thus summoned Hydaelyn in opposition to Zodiark, and the resulting conflict ended with Hydaelyn's final attack shattering reality, sundering the world and nearly all life on it into the Source and its thirteen shards.
Elidibus survived the Sundering intact along with two of his fellow Convocation members, Emet-Selch and Lahabrea, while everything he knew and loved was either sacrificed to Zodiark, or fragmented into what they consider flawed parodies. Elidibus works with the other Paragons and their Ascian followers to orchestrate the Rejoining of the shards with the Source to restore both their god and their home.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Elidibus before Minfilia inside the Waking Sands.
Elidibus appears to Minfilia Warde as she prepares to leave the Waking Sands to the new Scion headquarters in Revenant's Toll. As she prepares the shattered staff of Louisoix Leveilleur, a voice laments how he never could meet the late great sage. Minfilia is startled to see an Ascian in the Waking Sands, albeit one with white robes. He notes she is gifted enough to perceive him, though ignorant of his station as Emissary. He confirms that Lahabrea wasn't fully vanquished at the Praetorium, and remarks that "he may yet learn from his mistakes".
The Warrior of Light encounters Elidibus.
Tataru Taru enters to confirm she's ready to depart, but is unable to sense the Ascian's presence. Elidibus notes she could not perceive him because to those not attuned to the Echo, Ascians are "indistinct". He claims the Echo is a gift, but one that Minfilia and others have yet to master: if they did, there would be no strife between them and the Ascians. He bids his farewell, hoping they will meet again as friends. As he turns, Minfilia rushes toward him, and in reflex he knocks her out with dark magic. As she lies stunned, he muses how it is a mercy that Hydaelyn shields "Her children" from "His grace," and ponders if it was by her hand they survived the "Ardor".
After the Warrior of Light checks on Minfilia, she implores them to find the enigmatic Ascian. He is spotted in the town square of Vesper Bay, unnoticed by the townsfolk. He recognizes the Warrior of Light is strong in the Echo, and bids them to head north into Parada's Peace, warning that they may be tested by assailants. After progressively fending off groups of voidsent and Ascians sent to judge, the Emissary remarks on how only one strong enough to best Lahabrea could endure the "examination".
Elidibus behind the Archbishop.
As the Warrior of Light assumes a combative stance, Elidibus asks if the laws of man have twisted to permitting one to bear arms against an Emissary. Reminding that the Warrior of Light saw his meeting with the Antecedent through the Echo, he points out he acted in self-defense. Changing his tone, he admits that Lahabrea's actions are not so easily excused, though he cannot wholly condemn his deeds as it allowed them to discover one strong enough in the Echo to banish an Ascian. The Emissary notes how Hydaelyn has been waning and that the world will soon change. He introduces himself as Elidibus, and concedes that the Warrior of Light may doubt his words and motives.
Elidibus is confronted by fellow Ascian, Nabriales, who questions his intentions of approaching the Scions. He reappears presiding over a meeting of the Ascians in the void, and Lahabrea and Elidibus flank the throne of the Archbishop of Ishgard, implying they are manipulating the affairs of the Holy See. Elidibus also informs Lahabrea of Nabriales's fall. After the overlord leaves, he speaks with Urianger Augurelt concerning fate.
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward
Elidibus with the Warrior of Darkness.
Elidibus stands on the surface of the moon, sensing that both Igeyorhm and Lahabrea have fallen, with him left to clean up their mess. The imbalance of Light and Dark from the Warrior of Light's actions will prevent them from proceeding with their plan. Elidibus sends the Warriors of Darkness to restore the balance by having them terrorize the beastmen into summoning more primals, before deciding that pitting them against the Warrior of Light is ideal.
Though the Warriors of Darkness are defeated and the Word of the Mother agrees to aid their world, Elidibus is pleased by the outcome and intends to watch Hydaelyn's emissary carefully. Prior to this, he had them recover the Eyes of Nidhogg from the ravine outside Ishgard, which he bequeaths to the Ala Mhigan extremist known as "The Griffin," assuring that as a man of deep despair and boundless rage he is best suited to inherit them.
Elidibus also sends his disciple, Unukalhai, to join the Scions to aid them in defeating the ancient primals knows as the Warring Triad.
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood
Elidibus in Zenos's body.
After the liberation of Ala Mhigo, Elidibus took the corpse of Zenos yae Galvus as a vessel. He presented himself to Emperor Varis (Zenos's father) while bringing back the Ascian that assumed the identity of Solus zos Galvus (Emet-Selch) to help him get their plan of an eighth Rejoining underway. Elidibus uses Zenos's face and influence to undermine any attempted rebellions in Garlemald's surrounding provinces while sabotaging Varis's peace treaty with Doma; he manipulates Asahi sas Brutus into orchestrating his sister Yotsuyu goe Brutus, recognized as a Doman citizen, to summon a primal unto herself.
Even though Maxima quo Priscus learns of the true Zenos's death, Elidibus assures a furious Varis that he has things under control as he sent the imperial guard to make an attempt on Alphinaud Leveilleur and the Populares, driving the political party out of Garlemald. Now unopposed politically with no one to expose the truth, Elidibus instructs Varis to give the word and bring down the might of the empire on Ala Mhigo, but Varis is hesitant and silent. Unable to egg him on, Elidibus leaves Varis, stating that should he act, it needs to be soon. When the assault commences, Elidibus personally leads the second wave of Garlean soldiers to battle.
After a brief battle against Hien Rijin, Yugiri Mistwalker, and Lyse Hext, Elidibus confronts the Warrior of Light, but is overwhelmed. The Warrior of Light is immobilized by a being called to by a voice. Elidibus tries to exploit this opportunity to kill the Warrior of Light, but is stopped by Estinien Wyrmblood. Elidibus and Varis return to Garlemald, the former scolding the emperor for abandoning the battle, while vowing the Warrior of Light will not escape him again.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
Elidibus remains in Garlemald consorting with Varis on how to exploit the Warrior and the Scions' absence from the Source to use the Black Rose, a Garlean bioweapon: poison gas that kills those who breathe it. The real Zenos, whose artificial Echo allowed him to possess another body, confronts Elidibus to reclaim his original body. Upon sensing Emet-Selch's demise, Elidibus abandons his vessel while imparting his knowledge to Zenos. Lamenting that he is now the only remaining Paragon, Elidibus resolves to destroy the Warrior of Light so the Rejoining can properly resume.
Aware that the Warrior of Light and the Scions who have departed to the First (one of the reflections of the Source world) now call themselves the "Warriors of Darkness", Elidibus decides to repeat history by bringing in warriors from a different reflection, newly brought warriors of light, to defeat Eorzea's hero and the Scions. To this end, he takes on the form of Ardbert and journeys to the First, slaying the remaining sin eaters and calling himself a Warrior of Light. He arrives in the Crystarium to the entire crowd just as the Warrior of Darkness told them all the forgotten truths of the original Warriors of Light and spurs them all to follow in their footsteps before leaving. He is later intercepted by the Scions at the Rak'tika Greatwoods and his deception undone when the adventurer challenges his knowledge on Ardbert's more personal history, not knowing for example that his old amaro companion was still alive. He claims that he came to invoke the will of the Convocation. Alphinaud says he understands that Elidibus is fighting for those he loves and asks him to reconsider and take Emet-Selch's dying request to heart, believing that he saw some glimmer of hope within man. Elidibus however bitterly scoffs at the notion, believing him to have erred and visibly angry at the notion of man being capable of understanding or remembering their plight. He intends on staying the course and leaves.
He later appears again at the Crystarium and casts an illusion of a starshower and speaks directly into the minds of those who were spurred by his words previously, announcing to everyone present that they were all Warriors of Light. When Urianger presses him for information, he claims that Hydaelyn does not actually bestow the power of the Echo to others so much as She casts the image to those sundered and awakens the power dormant within them. When they ask him what his plan is, he simply refuses to tell and states he isn't their foe, but just another Warrior of Light and leaves.
Musical themes
Like the other Ascians, Elidibus's appearances are accompanied by "Without Shadow".
Gallery
