Estinien Varlineau

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Estinien Wyrmblood (エスティニアン, Esutinian?) is a non-playable character from Final Fantasy XIV.

The current Azure Dragoon, and mightiest hero of Ishgard. Bearer of the Eye, an ancient relic plucked from the great wyrm Nidhogg, he wields the power of dragons. Long absent from his post, he has returned to Ishgard to drive back the ancient enemy of his people.

Originally a character introduced in the Dragoon job quests, he has a greater role in the events of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.

Profile

Appearance

Estinien is a young Elezen man wearing a full set of black Drachen scale armor with golden details, befitting the Azure Dragoon. His facial features are obscured by his helmet, although it can be seen briefly in select cutscenes that he has steel blue eyes. He has shoulder length white hair, which was first mentioned in Tales from the Dragonsong War, and later shown in-game.

Personality

Estinien is a stoic character, often speaking in a brusque manner. He has little respect for those as he sees as weak, and does little to hide his disdain when speaking to them. He has spent the majority of his life being driven purely by his desire of vengeance against Nidhogg, and thus sees little need for companionship with others.

His personality softens somewhat, however, after spending time traveling with the Adventurer and their companions. Though his rude manner of speaking never changes, he eventually admits that it was through these friendships that he was able to move past revenge being his sole motivation. Though he often speaks insultingly to him, he forms a close bond with Alphinaud. Aymeric suggests that Estinien sees Alphinaud as a reflection of the younger sibling he lost to Nidhogg's flames, while Alphinaud sees Estinien as the older brother he wishes he had.

Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

Twenty years ago, born in the town of Ferndale, Estinien lost his family to Nidhogg's flames and resolved to become an Azure Dragoon to avenge them. He was taken in by Ser Alberic Bale, who felt guilty for the boy's loss as he relinquished being the Azure Dragoon prior out of fear of losing himself during his battle with Nidhogg.

Estinien trained as a Dragoon, serving in the Temple Knights alongside Aymeric de Borel, before being named the current Azure Dragoon.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

That Ishgard would resort to sending coin-starved adventurers after me... I know not whether to laugh or feel insulted.

Estinien

When rumors of Nidhogg's awakening reached his ears, Estinien stole the Eye of Nidhogg from the Holy See to direct the dragon to focus on him rather than Ishgard.

Estinien encounters the adventurer when Ser Alberic requests the hero's aid to get Nidhogg's eye, the aftermath of their confrontation at a small Ixal encampment east of the Observatorium convincing Ser Alberic to train the adventurer as a dragoon. Estinien later sends word to Alberic asking for a parley at Boulder Downs and reveals his reasons for stealing Nidhogg's eye. He hopes to join forces with the adventurer, as he believes two Azure Dragoons could put an end to Nidhogg. Under this advice, Alberic and Estinien send the adventurer on trials to obtain Drachen armor.

By the time Nidhogg is about to awaken, Estinien requests a rendezvous with the adventurer at the Steel Vigil. Though Ser Alberic wanted to finally admit the truth of what happened in Ferndale, Estinien points his spear at his mentor while revealing the eye showed him the events of that day. Estinien begins to lose control of his emotions with the adventurer clashing with him at the ruined vigil. Losing the duel, Estinien begins to call out for power and—in response—Nidhogg offers power to enraged youth. The spirit of first Azure Dragoon, Haldrath, appears in the adventurer's place, and banishes the wyrmking's influence in a burst of light with Estinien no where to be seen.

Estinien resurfaces and joins Ser Aymeric at the defense of Ishgard. If the adventurer has completed the Dragoon job quest, he will acknowledge them as a fellow Azure Dragoon, and not be prepared to cross blades with them again. Following the defeat of Vishap at the Steps of Faith, Estinien notes that Nidhogg himself did not join the assault, and vows to hunt down Lady Iceheart for damaging the wards around the city-state.

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

Estinien using Nidhogg's own eye against the great wyrm.

After learning that the adventurer and Alphinaud Leveilleur are planning to meet with Lady Iceheart to attempt to parlay with the Dravanian Horde, Estinien volunteers to go with them. After making contact with Iceheart, who goes by her true name of Ysayle while with the group, the four begin the long journey through Ishgard and Dravania. Estinien often clashes with Ysayle over their differing attitudes of the ongoing war between Ishgard and Dravania. They are led to meet with Hraesvelgr, Nidhogg's brother and the beloved of Saint Shiva, who tells them the true history of the war.

Estinien after slaying Nidhogg.

After learning that Nidhogg was motivated by vengeance, and thus can never be reasoned with, the group concludes the only path remaining is to slay him. Estinien travels to Nidhogg's lair, the Aery, alongside the adventurer, on manacutters provided by Cid, Biggs, and Wedge. The two face Nidhogg in battle with Estinien using his own stolen eye against him. Although Nidhogg threatens to possess him again, Estinien resists his influence and slays him. His armor stained by Nidhogg's blood, Estinien remarks that, though slaying Nidhogg had been his life's goal, he found no satisfaction in it; learning his mortal enemy's past had made him realize they had a common link in being driven by vengeance for their families. Nidhogg had been blinded by Haldrath, and was powered by of one of Hresvelgr's eyes all this time, and Estinien is concerned with the true fate of Nidhogg's other eye.

Nidhogg consumes Estinien's body.

After the group returns to Ishgard, they share the truth of Ishgard's past with their allies. When Ser Aymeric insists on confronting the Archbishop with this knowledge, he is arrested and imprisoned. Estinien joins the adventurer and others in a rescue. He later accompanies the group to Azys Lla, as they need the power of the Eye of Nidhogg to power the aetheric ram used to break the floating island's barrier. When he is forced to hold off a group of Garlean soldiers under Regula van Hydrus, he loans the eye to the adventurer, who uses it to destroy Igeyorhm.

After Thordan has fallen, Estinien retrieves Nidhogg's right Eye and intends to take both it and the left eye somewhere they could not be found by man or dragon. Nidhogg's spirit takes advantage of Estinien's moment of weakness and consumes the Azure Dragoon's mind, using his body to regain physical form with both eyes restored.

The Gears of Change

Nidhogg's Shade

In the guise of the Azure Dragoon, Nidhogg interrupts the peace conference between Ser Aymeric and Vidofnir. Leaping from the battlements, he impales the white dragon with a spear, then deflects an arrow fired by Ser Aymeric. In the process, he reveals to have the two Eyes grafted onto his form, one of his right arm and the other on the left shoulder. Returning to the battlements, he condemns Vidofnir for trying to make peace with the sons of Thordan. He then declares to all present -- with the distorted voice of Estinien -- that the final chorus will begin and none shall escape his vengeance. He then shifts to his great wyrm form and flies off.

Revenge of the Horde

As Nidhogg prepares for his final assault against Ishgard, Alphinaud again proclaims his determination to try to free Estinien from Nidhogg's possession, even at the risk of his own life. After gaining the aid of Hraesvelgr, the Adventurer confronts the Nidhogg-Estinien amalgamation at the Steps of Faith. During the battle, Nidhogg is able to shift between his dragon form and a dragon-human hybrid, but is eventually defeated, reverting back to Estinien's form. Estinien is able to regain control of his body long enough to keep Nidhogg from attacking, and implores the Adventurer and Alphinaud to slay him while they have the chance. However, the two instead try to pry Nidhogg's eyes from his body. With the assistance of the souls of Haurchefant and Ysayle, they are successful, destroying Nidhogg's soul for good and freeing Estinien. Though greatly weakened from the ordeal, he is expected to make a full recovery. While recuperating, he thanks his friends for all they did for him, albeit in his usual gruff demeanor. The possession by Nidhogg made him realize that the two of them were much alike, both driven purely by vengeance, and had he not gained the friendships that he had, the two would have been identical in spirit. His hunt for Nidhogg now over, he relinquishes his title as the Azure Dragoon. He is later seen, now bereft of his dragoon armor, observing Aymeric's ceremony that changes Ishgard from a theocracy to a republic, before leaving Ishgard.

Gameplay

Estinien is fought in a duel during the level 50 Dragoon quest "Into the Dragon's Maw." Aside from other Dragoon abilities, he possesses a unique "Skydragon Dive" skill that leaves a ring of fire in its area-of-effect.

Estinien is an NPC ally in the last battle of the Aery, where he uses Nidhogg's eye to suppress the great wyrm's power and must be protected. When Nidhogg prepares his ultimate attack, Massacre, several dragons must be eliminated so Estinien can focus a draconic barrier to shield the party from annihilation.

He also appears in later solo instance battles, such as "Close Encounters of the VIth Kind" as an NPC ally.

Spoilers end here.

Voice

Estinien is voiced by Robert Vernon in the English version of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.

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