What do you seek in Adoulin?
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin Game Trailer
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin is the fifth full expansion pack for Final Fantasy XI, and the first full expansion for Final Fantasy XI in over 5 years after Wings of the Goddess. Seekers of Adoulin is set in the western continent of Ulbuka and features new jobs, story, areas, quests and gameplay systems.
PlayStation 2 support for Seekers of Adoulin is only available in Japan. Although Square Enix was not dropping PlayStation 2 support for Final Fantasy XI as a whole at the time of release, Seekers of Adoulin content is not accessible on Final Fantasy XI for PlayStation 2 outside of Japan.
Service for Seekers of Adoulin started on March 28, 2013 (JST).
New Additions[]
Jobs[]
- Geomancer: Harnessing the elemental energies that course through Vana'diel's veins in ways that no sorcerer can, geomancers both aid their comrades-in-arms and teach their foes how deadly the forces of nature can be.
- Rune Fencer: Rune fencers are masters in the art of elemental runes. Quick with a blade as well as an incantation, these versatile duelists employ the power of arcane runes to sway the tide of battle both offensively and defensively.
.png "Job21-GEO (FFXI).png (145 KB)")
.png "Job22-RUN (FFXI).png (132 KB)")
Missions and Quests[]
Seekers of Adoulin introduces one new category of missions ("Seekers of Adoulin") and two new categories of quests. The first is for quests undertaken in Ulbuka, and the second is specifically for assignments that are taken up at the six coalitions in Adoulin.
Enemies[]
This list does not include reskinned enemies of the same genus or unique bosses.
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Areas[]
The regional map for Ulbuka.
Seekers of Adoulin explores the Primordial Continent of Ulbuka. The Sacred City of Adoulin serves as the hub in this region.
New Regions[]
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Other areas[]
- Cirdas Caverns [U]
- Rala Waterways [U]
- Yorcia Weald [U]
- Outer Ra'Kaznar [U]
Gameplay systems[]
A new set of gameplay systems were introduced which progressed players to the new item-level cap of 119, as well as upgraded old ultimate weapons and armor.
| Content | Image | Entrance Zones | Rewards |
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Coalition System
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Campaign Points
Allied Notes |
Reives
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Various Zones | Bayld
High Quality Bayld Various Rewards |
| Delve | 
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Various Zones | Delve Gear
Delve Currency |
Skirmish
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Skirmish Gear
Various Rewards |
| High Tier Battlefields | 
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Various Zones | Artifact Armor Upgrades
Various Rewards |
| Incursion | 
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Marjami Ravine | Job-Specific Capes
Various Rewards |
Vagary
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Empyrean Armor Upgrades
Various Rewards |
| Sinister Reign | 
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Ra'Kaznar Turris | Various Rewards |
| Monstrosity | 
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Various Zones | Various Rewards |
| Records of Eminence | 
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Sparks of Eminence
Various Rewards |
| Unity Concord System | 
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Various Zones | Various Rewards |
Quality of Life Additions[]
Seekers of Adoulin saw Final Fantasy XI undergo a large variety of quality of life changes.
- Alter Ego System - Summonable NPC party members could now be summoned in any non-city zone in the game.
- Fast Travel - Home point crystals and survival guides allow players to travel between them now. In addition to these, the warp ring was introduced, which allows players to fast travel back to their registered home point from anywhere in the game world.
Ultimate Weapons and Armor[]
Ergon Weapons[]
The new jobs in this expansion did not get weapons through the Mythic Weapon quest line. Instead, they were given their own special type of job-specific weapons called Ergon Weapons. These weapons utilize the new content introduced in Seekers of Adoulin. There are two weapons: the Idris, a club for the Geomancer, and the Epeolatry, a great sword for the Rune Fencer.
Ultimate Upgrade Systems[]
All of the previous ultimate weapons are upgradable through various systems introduced in Seekers of Adoulin.
- Oboro Upgrade System - Oboro is an NPC that allows Relic, Mythic, and Empyrean weapons to item-level 119.
- Sagheera Upgrade System - Sagheera is an NPC that allows Artifact, Relic, and Empyrean armor to be upgraded to item-level 119.
Characters[]
- The Adventurer, who drives the storyline forward.
- Arciela is the story heroine in Seekers of Adoulin. A member of the former royal family, she is the sister of Ygnas and a descendant of King August.
- Teodor, a mysterious aristocrat. He is frequently spotted spending time at the Mummers' Coalition.
- The gold tiger Darrcuiln. A legendary beast well known in childrens' books.
- The holy dragon Sajj'aka.
- Morimar, one of King August's eleven trusted generals.
- Rosulatia, the Queen of the leafkin, and descendant of the World Tree Yggdrasil.
- King August, the founder king of Adoulin.
- Ygnas, head of the Twelve Orders of Adoulin.
- Ingrid the Merciless, an exorcist without peer.
- Melvien de Malecroix, leader of the Order of Woltaris, and minister of finance for the Sacred City of Adoulin.
- The ferocious Naakuals who guard the lands of Ulbuka.
- The Xol Triumvirate, entities of darkness who are Hades's most loyal servants.
- Hades, dark leader of the Cimmerian Adherants
Story[]
The Sacred City of Adoulin[]
The nation of Adoulin in the Far West opens it doors to adventurers to take part in the effort to pioneer the Ulbukan hinterland. The Adventurer heads to the Jeuno Chamber of Commerce and Industry to seek safe passage to Adoulin by waypoint.
Arciela V. Adoulin
As the warping technology is incomplete, the Adventurer ends up being stranded in the Ceizak Battlegrounds, where they meet a young woman named Arciela. She points the Adventurer in the direction of Adoulin, and they subsequently register as an official pioneer with the eponymous Pioneers' Coalition.
The Adventurer's exploits in the wilderness catch the eye of Adoulin's ruling class, and they are invited to a grand feast which is held after an important assembly discussing the future of the city. At the banquet, the adventurer is introduced the Melvien de Malecroix, The minister of finance in Adoulin, who is among the few kind enough to talk to pioneers. Several of the heads of the orders mention that the current Grand Chancellor of Adoulin, Ygnas, has fallen ill as of late, and has been absent from the public eye. The adventurer meets again with Arciela, who is revealed to be the sister of the Grand Chancellor of Adoulin and a descendant of the former royal line.
The Ancient Pact[]
The Adventurer is tasked by Levil from the Pioneers' Coalition to uncover the secrets of the leafkin, and meets with Teodor, a mysterious man clad in black who claims that a black short sword carried by Arciela is the key to meeting the leader of the leafkin. The blade, known as the Otharsyne, had been passed down the royal line and represents the will of the Founder King. Teodor explains that after the founder king August subjugated Ulbuka many centuries ago, he made a pact to never tread upon its soil that was bound and honored by all his subjects, including the beings known as the Naakuals today. As such, the Otharsyne held with it the authority of the king to defy the very pact he had made.
World Tree in the North.
In an attempt to borrow the blade, the Adventurer finds Arciela in Cirdas Caverns, and she decides to accompany them in looking for the leafkin in the Yorcia Weald where they had been sighted in the past few months. There, they meet Rosulatia, the leafkin queen, who explains that a danger is about to beset Ulbuka. She explains that the world tree Yggdrasil had existed in ancient times on the continent of Rhazowa and that a second tree had been planted by King August in Ulbuka using a branch of the original tree. However, when the Orcish Empire razed the world tree in Rhazowa to the north, its connection with its twin tree in Ulbuka still existed, and this resulted in a dark disease that corrupted the World Tree.
When Arciela asks how they can help, Rosulatia replies that they should ask the king, and gifts a pome to the Adventurer.
In Adoulin, tensions rise as the rift widens between the supporters of the colonization movement and those who opposed it. A sanctioned battle held in the colosseum to resolve the feud is interrupted by Arciela when she fears that the combatants would lose their lives for naught. However, this does not quell the enmity between both factions.
Ygnas as a leafkin.
Meanwhile, a band of anti-colonization rebels are plotting to assassinate Chancellor Ygnas from their hideout in the Rala Waterways. Upon uncovering this scheme, the Adventurer informs Arciela and they infiltrate the hideout to reason with the conspirators' leader, but are instead set upon by them. After the Adventurer and Arciela defeat the insurgents, Gratzigg arrives to apprehend the traitors.
As Arciela is unable to keep her secret any longer, she calls for a meeting of leaders in Castle Adoulin in a bid to explain the recent public absence of Chancellor Ygnas. For reasons unknown, Ygnas had turned into a leafkin and his condition had worsened to the extent that he could no longer communicate normally. However, the pome that the Adventurer receives from Rosulatia allows Ygnas to speak directly into the Adventurer's mind.
Through the Adventurer, Ygnas speaks of the World Tree Yggdrasil, the need to continue colonization, and the dangers looming over the Ulbukan continent.
Shadows Upon Adoulin[]
Ingrid, one of the most respected exorcists from the Order of Weatherspoon, returns to Adoulin after a brief sojourn in the Middle Lands. Vortimere, the high exorcist, requests for the Adventurer to escort her upon her arrival to Adoulin Castle. Believing Ygnas's condition to be the curse of the Founder King for defying his pact, the leaders of the Twelve Orders had summoned Ingrid back to Adoulin in an attempt to resolve the situation. On examining Ygnas, Ingrid believes that he had been cursed by something else and sends the Adventurer to obtain materials to perform a purging ritual. However, the ritual fails and this reinforces the belief that it is indeed the Founder King's curse. Ingrid leaves in order to prepare a more elaborate ritual, and is chastised by Vortimere as the reputation of exorcists in Adoulin is at stake. Together, they see the Adventurer as a threat.
Rosulatia's pome begins to fade, and Ygnas's voice falters to the point where the Adventurer can no longer hear him speak. Before this happens, Ygnas asks them not to break the curse, warns that something dreadful is looming, and points to Arciela, suggesting that she is the key to resolving the looming threat. The leaders of the Orders bicker as to what Ygnas might mean, whereas Arciela spends her time in the library poring over books in an attempt to find out more.
Meanwhile in the Ceizak Battlegrounds, a girl stumbles towards the woods, as if possessed, but is stopped by Teodor. When the Adventurer coincidentally bumps into them as this happens, Teodor suggests this is the work of forest spirits and gets the Adventurer to seek out Arciela as her knowledge of the spirits is far more extensive. The girl is brought back to her residence.
Together with Arciela, the adventurer finds out that the girl is Nyline, the daughter of Pollimio, a leading figure in the colonization movement. At the Pollimio residence, they find out that Nyline had been acting as though she was possessed and trying to stumble towards the forest. Ingrid argues that Nyline's condition is the work of witches residing in the woods, whereas another member of Weatherspoon believes it the same curse that afflicted the Chancellor and is a directed attack due to colonization.
The Adventurer discovers that Nyline's condition only started after her father had brought back a stone from the wilderness that he had bought from a collector. He had given the stone to Nyline as she too had been captivated by it. Nyline, previously thought to have been sleeping in her room, had escaped out the window, and the Adventurer heads to the edge of the forest in an attempt to find her before it is too late.
Nyline is found in Foret de Hennetiel. She passes out after several Heartwings escape from the stone in her possession. When Nyline comes to, she explains that the faeries in the stone had taken control of her mind and that she had shared her consciousness with them when it happened. She reveals that they had hid in the rock when a pioneer had stumbled upon them and wished to return to their freedom in the forest.
The Founder King fighting against Terrcualn.
The adventurer is rewarded for their efforts in returning Nyline home safely. When the princess discovers that Teodor was the one who suggested this was the work of forest spirits, she decides to search for him to ask about her brother, explaining that Teodor is old and very knowledgeable about Ulbuka.. Elsewhere, Ingrid is furious at being upstaged by Arciela and the Adventurer once again, and is determined to make them pay for crossing her path. Levil informs the adventurer that Teodor can be found at the Mummer’s Coalition, an institution dedicated to intel gathering through attracting patrons by offering games and entertainment. Upon meeting Teodor there, the adventurer requests for Teodor’s help regarding the Grand Chancellor. Teodor agrees to give information, but only on the condition that the adventurer beats him at one of the games sponsored by the Mummer’s Coalition.
After beating him in Boom or Bust, Teodor recalls when Ygnas pointed to Arciela suggesting that she is the key to avoiding the looming threat. He asks whether Ygnas was pointing to Arciela or Otharsyne. The adventurer realizes that Ygnas was telling them that the sword is in fact the key to avoiding the coming catastrophe. The adventurer goes to the Celennia Memorial Library to do research on the founder king’s conquest of the jungles. Teodor eventually catches up with the adventurer at the library to recite an ancient passage that he believes to be important but forgot to mention at the Mummer’s Coalition.
Chapter 1: White Wings of the Swallow, Bring Glory Unto Our House!
…And so it came to be that the Founder King - may His glory blossom eternal - advanced unto the continent with eleven of his most trusted retainers. In one fell swoop, he severed the heads of a hundred beasts, and the very trees parted before his noble visage, their limbs genuflecting as he passed ever further into the jungle.
But the innermost reaches refused to yield to even one so steadfast of will and righteous of spirit as His Majesty. If He could not breach the veil, then what hope did his eleven retainers have? One by one they fell to demons with teeth as long as greatswords and claws as sharp as daggers, or brambled vines whose choking grasp injected poison into the revenue's writhing flesh.
Only one remained resolute in the face of impending doom - the unwavering Morimar of the Order of Shneddick, whose axe cleaved foe after foe in twain in the name of our king. And then the continent began to turn on them. What happened to them that day was lost to the ages. Yet the Founder King surely stared into the cold gaze of death as He lay beneath the shrouded canopy.
As the darkness clouded His eyes, he feebly rose his right hand, presented Morimar with His Blade and a tiny keepsake, and with his last breath murmured, “Never again shall man set foot into the wilds of Ulbuka.”
Morimar solemnly accepted these gifts as the Founder King bid him return to Adoulin in his stead. Morimar hurried back to this city, spreading the Founder King’s dying words to all. His duty fulfilled, he marched back into the wilds, never to be heard from again.
Otharsyne
This blade - specifically, a poniard - was wielded by the late founder king from the age of six until his untimely demise in the wilds of Ulbuka. Since then, each of Adoulin’s kings have kept the blade at their side, not just as a ceremonial object, but also as a solemn reminder of the founder king’s dying words. In more recent history, the dissolution of the monarchy means that no one man has ruling authority over the city, yet each grand chancellor has continued to uphold this most ancient of customs. Owing in large part to the circumstances of the legendary poniard returning to Adoulin after the founder king’s fall, rumors abound that the blade holds a latent potential within it - yet none have seen it do anything more than hang at its owner’s waist.
…And the biggest monster Adoulin ever did see rose up and bared its teeth at the king. How big was it? Why, it made even the biggest mountain look like the tiniest vermin nest. The founder king’s head nearly fell from his shoulders straining to look up at its face! Its fur sparkled in the light of the bright sun above. The beast gave out a might roar!
“Graaaah!” It’s claws were bigger and sharper then even the king’s sword!
“Leave this to me!” the king bellowed as he shielded his friends. And so he fought the beast all by himself.
They fought for seven days and seven nights, until the beast finally apologized for making the king mad.
“Who are you?” the king asked.
“My name’s Terrcualn,” the beast replied.
“So, Terrcualn…”
“What is it?”
“You lost, which means you must obey me.”
“Of course, Master.”
And that’s how the big scary beast came to travel with the king deep into the jungle.
Young Arciela, lost in the jungle.
While the adventurer goes to the castle to inform Arciela of all they’ve learned, they are stopped by Fremella who informs them that Arciela has left for the jungle. She explains that this is a common occurrence for Arciela, even in her youth. At a young age, she ventured into the jungle for the first time to get away from the political turmoil in her family. Search parties were sent for weeks, trying to find her, but after a prolonged absence, everyone assumed her dead from the dangers of the jungle. However, when she was found, it was noted that the jungle was unusually docile around her. Even the beasts refrained from attack while she was retrieved. A piece of cloth with the sigil of the founder king was tied to her.
When the adventurer goes into the jungle in search of Arciela, they run into an injured Ingrid. She says that she was with Arciela when a large golden tiger attacked her and abducted Arciela. While discussing this with Ingrid, Rosulatia’s plume begans glowing red, signaling a bad omen. Upon returning to Adoulin, Igrid suggests forming a search party. After some discussion, some of the maesters assign the adventurer to the search party. Soon after, maester Margret of the Scout Coalition suggests that the adventurer heads to Kamhir Drifts to seek an audience with Kumhau, the Flashfrost Naakual and lord of the Ulbukan beasts, for information regarding the golden tiger. Maester Margret gives the adventurer a tintinnabulum to ring in order to summon Kumhau.
Upon arriving in Kamhir Drifts, the adventurer rings the tintinnabulum, to which Kumhau responds. Kumhau, a massive frost lion answers the adventurer’s summons in exasperation. After initial skepticism, the Flashfrost Naakual agrees to provide some information once he learns that the adventurer is searching for Arciela. Kumhau points the adventurer to a cave deeper within the Drifts.
The adventurer gets to the cave to find that Arciela is peacefully resting at the side of the massive golden tiger. To the adventurer’s surprise, Ingrid had followed through Kamhir Drifts to reach Arciela as well. Arciela accuses Ingrid of attacking her, and had it not been for the tiger, Arciela would have been dead. Enraged, Ingrid uses a soul siphon to extract Arciela’s soul from her body before retreating. Before giving chase, the tiger begins telepathically speaking to the adventurer, introducing himself as Darrcuiln, a descendant of the golden tiger who fought alongside the founder king. Darrcuiln explains that if the soul siphon is not retrieved, Arciela’s body will remain a lifeless husk.
Kumhau, the Frostflash Naakual.
After chasing Ingrid, the adventurer catches her in a cavern where she and her men are being attacked by monsters. The adventurer saves Ingrid and her men. After seeing her life saved by the hand of her enemy, Ingrid agrees to restore Arciela’s soul back to her body. Once Arciela awakens, she forgives Ingrid for her crimes, and tells her to put these deeds behind her.
The adventurer finally informs Arciela of what they learned from Teodor and recites the ancient passage for her. Arciela explains what the passage means, and follows the instructions prescribed. She unsheathes Otharsyne at a particular location in Kamhir Drifts and holds it up to the sky. As she does, a blinding spark flies off the blade and lands in the distance where a giant beam of light erupts. From that light emerges a great white dragon who is said to be born from time immemorial in Vana’diel’s history. As the light fades, Arciela resolves to seek out the dragon.
The Truth of Things[]
Arciela and the adventurer make their way back to Adoulin. The adventurer goes on to the Pioneer’s Coalition, where Lhe asks that they help the Courier’s Coalition. There, the adventurer meets Estienneux who introduces himself as the assistant of Melvien de Malcroix, who has uncharacteristically been handing off his work to others. After gathering some materials as per Estienneux’s request, Estienneux explains that the Courier’s Coalition has been struggling with Melvien. He states that Melvien has the capacity to work with inhuman productivity, and the coalition struggles to do a fraction of his usual work without him. The conversation is interrupted by an earthquake, which the men say has been happening with increased frequency. The adventurer reports back to the Pioneer’s Coalition where they run into Arciela. She informs the adventurer that she was able to use Otharsyne to locate the white dragon that emerged; at the summit of Mount Kamhir.
The adventurer and Arciela meet Sajj'aka.
The adventurer and Arciela head there to speak to the dragon. Upon their arrival, the dragon threatens them, but Arciela raises Otharsyne and the adventurer raises Rosulatia’s plume as a sign that they mean no harm to Ulbuka. Seeing these, the dragon stays his wrath and introduces himself as Sajj’aka, a companion of king August. Sajj’aka interrogates the adventurer and Arciela about the history of Ulbuka and the founder king. While proving they have a semblance of knowledge, the adventurer and Arciela displease Sajj’aka with their overall ignorance, and the dragon banishes them from the summit.
Resolved to learn more about Ulbuka’s history, Arciela and the adventurer head back to the Celennia Memorial Library. They ask to go to the forbidden section of the library due to the import of the information. There they read several books detailing the founder king’s conquest of the jungle. They learned that he, his eleven retainers, and his companions pressed deeper and deeper into the jungle while they fought against the Cimmerian Adherents, an evil force originating from the deepest recesses of Ulbuka’s wilderness. After many casualties, the king found where the Cimmerian Adherents were coming from, a foreign Serpentine Labyrinth whose entrance was deep inside Kamhir drifts. They pressed into the Serpentine Labyrinth and discovered an abominable creature who ruled over the Cimmerian Adherents and the lord of the Labyrinth. But as Arciela turns the page to find out who it is, all she finds is a page torn out of the book. Arciela remarks on her familiarity with the description of the Cimmerian Adherents, and in her frustration with the missing information, she goes and asks for more books on the topic. The librarian states that Melvien used his authority to check out the remaining books. However, as they are informed of this, Melvien’s assistant walks in and checks the books back into the library. Arciela takes the relevant book, and finds that it details the death of the founder king.
The founder king, August Adoulin, was a charismatic personage who incited a number of valiant individuals to join his cause. This feat might have proved difficult for lesser men, but for King August, it was child’s play. His character was unimpeachable, and his gallantry nonpareil. Even those whom he defeated in combat would utter his praises before exhaling their final breath. Emplying this uncanny charisma, he was able to subjigate the ferocious beasts that prowled the Adoulin Islands, unify the warlords of the various outlying islets, and establish himself as their leader.
These former warlords numbered eleven strong, and they formed what would eventually be known as the eleven of the Twelve Orders, excepting only the king’s house. With the support of the eleven vassals, he turned his focus inward to the Ulbukan mainland and trod upon its primordial plains in hopes of taming them.
Pressing ever further into the maze of vegetation, they stumped upon a swath of woodland now known as Yorcia Weald, wherein they encountered a tiger that loomed larger than the most expansive manse of the day and whose pelt was a radiant gold that would catch the sun’s rays just right to melt the eyes of any who dared gazed upon it for more than a few moments. This massive beast claimed to be the ruler of all who inhabited the jungle, and challenged the founder king with an ear-splitting roar.
“My name is Terrcualn, and you may only proceed once I lay lifeless upon the forest floor!”
With that guttural proclamation, the creatures surrounding the king withdrew, leaving what they assumed would be the best pichings to their pack leader. As a rejoinder, August vowed to skin the feline alive if he laid a claw on any one of the king’s followers, and the two began staring each other down in a silence that finally broke half a day hence. The battle raged on for seven suns, with it ending by moonlight on the seventh night.
Neither wildcat nor warrior could deny the other’s raw power, so they stopped the duel in favor of a long-lasting friendship. As a symbol of their new alliance, the tiger entrusted his son to the care of one of the king’s eleven bannermen. This is the first known inhabitant whom the king befriended, but it is also far from the last. August continued to push deeper into the continent’s verdant abyss, where he would confront still more natives seeking to drive him from their sacred territory.
The most fearsome adversaries the king and his retinue faced during the Great Expedition were the Cimmerian Adherents.
With the aid of the aurelian tiger, King August and his forces plunged deeper and deeper into the wildlands. However, with the fall of night came heated battle with the Cimmerian Adherents - an event that was repeated seemingly ad infinitum. No matter how many victories they earned or how many foul creatures they dispatched, the night continued to bring with it an umbral assault. The abominations knew neither fatigue nor fear, and plagued the retinue to its breaking point. The fiends’ reign of terror did not stop with the king’s party, though. The creatures were said to loathe all things that drew breath or energy from the sun. they poisoned the land, blighted the trees, and massacred every animal they laid eyes upon. As the days passed, the king learned that these dark minions had also beleaguered the goldpelt and his forest for countless nights. This epiphany redoubled their determination. No longer were they both fighting for themselves, but for their companion as well.
Then one evenfall, a bloodbath rained down upon the Ulbukan jungle, tainting its lush vegetation a mournful shade of red. The event began with an enemy ambuscade. Ring upon ring of nocturnal horrors encircled the king and his followers. The danger became more palpable with each passing second as the shadowy grunts ilmed ever closer. The resplendent feline expended his remaining stamina to unleash a terrifying attack that felled all the surrounding enemies. This selfless act brought the king and his companions enough time to escape, but also cost the tiger his life.
Incited by the display of the wildcat’s bravery, his son, the king, and the monarch’s eleven stalwart crusaders pressed on in the face of the nightmarish barrage. The conflict lasted for so long that all involed lost count of the days spend cleaving chunk of flesh from their assailants. At last, however, the forces of the night were pushed back to the sorcerous ruined from which they first emerged. It was there that the explorers were met with that which controlled the entirety of the Cimmerian Adherents. This mastermind behind the invasion of Ulbuka and the destruction of it’s lands was... - 'missing page'.
…Not a sole bore witness to the king’s demise. The king and his followers stepped into those mysterious ruins, wherein the Serpentine Labyrinth - dubbed such due to the fact it contained as many branching passageways as leaves in a jungle - sprawled before them.
The hordes of uncanny terrors that crawled aboveground to corrupt the land all did so from that very labyrinth. By this time, the king’s ranks had been thinned by the droves of aberrations that had already fallen to the heroes’ blades. However, that did not the least to shorten his strides into this den of iniquity. Each footfall they took resounded with a booming determination to prevent this caliginous menace from ever resurfacing. And yet, with the exception of the one subordinate, the steps of every person who made the descent with king August were silenced within that abyssal mausoleum.
The lone person to survive was Morimar, the king’s general and tamer of the beasts. He emerged from the chaos with the golden tiger’s next of kin, and no one else. With the founder king nowhere to be seen and most of Morimar’s account lost to the slow tick of time, all we can do is conjecture about the king’s fate. That conjecture, sadly, can only be based upon the few curt words his general spoke of the terrible incident. From them, we can conclude that King August expended his life inside the bowels of the Serpentine Labyrinth, clashing with - 'Ink Blot'
Explorer after explorer in the king’s retinue was stuck down, but not before they could drag regiments of oppressors to the grave with them. King August used himself as a shield to allow Morimar time with which to return soilside. With little to no room for error and even less for respite, the monarch’s chances of climbing back up from those treacherous depths were lamentably slim.
Morimar hurried back to Castle Adoulin, the king’s cherished blade swinging from his side and a message from the sovereign on his lips:
“No more shall we colonize the hinterlands.”
With that, he passed the sword on to the callow prince and princess and primply departed. His orders fulfilled, Morimar vanished from sight, never to be seen again. Even after his disappearance, tales of his and his feline companion’s efforts to preserve the forest waft above the heads of the citizens throughout Adoulin’s bifurcated districts to this day.
The Founder King and his Generals.
The book continues; with August’s party already down a few members from the fighting to get to the ruins, they found that it was indeed infested with these horrible creatures when they stepped inside. Determined to not let this scourge back out onto the surface of Ulbuka, August and his remaining followers pressed on into the heart of the Labyrinth. All but one of August’s remaining followers would die here in this Labyrinth, with the only survivor being Morimar; August's General and Tamer of Beasts. He would emerge from the ruins with the Golden Tigers son, otherwise alone. The Founder King presumed dead and Morimar’s account lost to the flow of time.
Flipping the page to see the information, they are greeted with a massive ink stain. Someone has destroyed the evidence identifying August’s foe. August's followers would die off one by one, he would entrust Otharsyne and the Will of non-colonization to Morimar, and buy him time to escape. Morimar would deliver his Will back to Adoulin, give Otharsyne to the Prince and Princess, and then promptly depart, never to be seen again. Arciela notes that, if August’s body was never retrieved, then his grave stone in the Rala Waterways must be a memorial rather than a proper grave. This confuses her as, if a memorial was built to honor the king, there would be no reason to build it inside the sequestered aqueducts under the city. Regardless, the adventurer and Arciela feel confident in approaching the dragon once more.
Upon reaching the summit, the dragon reluctantly grants an audience. He asks them a series of questions related to the founder king, and between Arciela and the adventurer, they are able to please Sajj’aka with their answers.
Sajj’aka explains some of his past, that he was chained in a terrible domain, and it was the Founder King who set him free and allowed him to make his home in Ulbuka. He also reveals that just like himself, the Naakuals of Ulbuka did not come from this land but were brought here by August and given orders to protect six locations around Ulbuka.
The reason for these orders is not to protect the jungle, but to defend the six entrances to what was called the Serpentine Labyrinth, known also by the name, “Ra'Kaznar”. He reveals that he was with August and the party when they made their final stand, and that he and Morimar escaped. Arciela asks what the Seventh Naakual was tasked to do, if there are only six entrances. Sajj’aka explains that the seventh Naakual was different from the others. He was known as The Deathborne Xol, and was originally a leader of the Cimmerian Adherents. During a clash with August, he came to see the light, and turned on his original order to join August. However, Sajj’aka doesn’t know what the Xol’s orders were, or where he would be.
Arciela asks about the coming catastrophe that Ygnas informed them about. Sajj’aka responds succinctly; the seals placed on the labyrinth all those years ago are finally weakening, and the memories of the dark past of this land are awakening. Despite his power, August was not able to defeat the leader of the Adherents. He only managed to seal him away in the labyrinth. This leader, an entity so powerful it bested even the Founder King, is revealed to be known as Hades. A force of darkness so powerful that he corrupts the very lands of Ulbuka. Much like the struggle August fought so hard against, history is repeating itself now, as Hades slowly wakes from his slumber within the weakening seals.
Sajj’aka warns that Hades must be stopped once again. If he manages to wake fully and spill forth from the labyrinth, it will be nothing short of apocalyptic. However, the outlook is grim. Even with a freshly released Sajj’aka, a full-power World Tree, and August’s fierce crusade, they failed at stopping this threat before. He reveals that August’s spirit is chained away, in the deepest recesses of the labyrinth,and Sajj’aka believes that without the light of August to guide them, all hope is lost.
Morimar and Darrcuiln fighting monsters from Ra'Kaznar.
Sajj’aka lists one possible way to reverse the damage to the world. He explains that the World Tree is not of this land, and was planted here by August. It grew shockingly fast, reaching nearly full size in only one month. He postulates that if another sapling world tree was found and planted with an already established root system, it would grow even faster. He explains that there is a place with a sapling that he can sense, however, only he can reach it. He cannot fly there because his scales were stripped from him in the battle at Ra'Kaznar.
Arciela and the adventurer head to one of Ra'Kaznar’s entrances in Woh Gates where they find Darrcuiln. The tiger informs them that this entrance is about to open, releasing monsters from the Labyrinth. Upon their arrival at the entrance, they find a warrior with a giant axe, defeating the monsters already. The monsters prove too much, and they retreat with the warrior to Darrcuiln’s cave. The warrior introduces himself as Morimar, August’s last general, and he has been gathering info on where Sajj’aka’s scales are. They visit the dragon and inform the dragon of their plans to retrieve the scales, but Sajj’aka remains pessimistic. Morimar further explains that the monument of the founder king in the Rala Waterways is a seal, meant to weaken Hades' power in the city. He further explains that August is still alive with his soul bound inside the labyrinth. As a result, he used the power of the life stream to turn Ygnas into a leafkin. Morimar ends the discussion by telling them that the scales are inside Ra'Kaznar.
Sajj'aka retrieving the World Tree sapling.
The adventurer ventures into Ra'Kaznar and retrieves one of Sajj’aka’s scales. The scales are returned to Sajj’aka who becomes hopeful upon seeing it. The adventurer goes to Adoulin to discuss this development with Arciela before returning to the labyrinth. After an arduous trek, the remaining scales of Sajj’aka are retrieved and returned to him. After healing his wounds, Sajj’aka flies to the location of the world tree sapling, and transports it back to the adventurer. Sajj’aka tells the adventurer to ask the Leafkin how best to use the sapling. The adventurer travels to Ygnas who informs them that grafting the sapling into the existing world tree would be best. Levil in the Pioneer’s Coalition informs the adventurer of Leafallia, the home of the Leafkin, and most probable location of the current world tree.
Melvien attacks.
After navigating deep into wilderness, the adventurer finds Leafallia nestled in one of the crags in Kamhir Drifts. The adventurer is joined shortly by Arciela and Ygnas riding Darrcuiln. After some discussion regarding the world tree, Melvien surprises everyone with his presence. He accompanies everyone to the chamber housing the world tree. Resolution meets the party there and begins the process of grafting the sampling. This process is interrupted when Melvien shoots down Rosulatia. Melvien proceeds to gun down several Leafallia denizens and the adventurer, incapacitating them. Melvien aims to shoot Arciela, claiming that the Adoulin line is finished. As he fires, a forest spirit dives in the path of the bullet, sacrificing its life to save Arciela. Before he gets a second shot at Arciela, Morimar and Darrcuiln attack Melvien. Morimar manages to deal a lethal blow after a hard fought battle.
Rosulatia and her leafkin were only dealt minor injuries, and the world tree sapling is unharmed, so the process of restoring the World Tree continues. Rosulatia absorbs the energy of the sapling and the two leafkin next to her, acting as a vessel for their power, and allows herself to be consumed by the World Tree, their energies serving to restore its power. They gather once again and discuss next steps. Morimar volunteers to deal with Melvien’s body, and that they should tell others that they saw him in the wilds, allowing his death to be a forgone conclusion instead of starting internal commotion with the truth of his demise.
With the World Tree restored, the adventurer heads back to Adoulin. The adventurer meets with Arciela in Ygnas’s chamber after she informs the rest of the palace staff and ministers of Melvien’s “disappearance.” Arciela heartily thanks the adventurer. This happens while Melvien’s body enshrouds itself in a dark aura. Several days later, the adventurer reports back to Levil, who laments the state of the Couriers’ coalition and how they are handling Melvein’s disappearance. He encourages the adventurer to go and see Arciela immediately, as he fears the disorder in the Coalition will be weighing heavy on the princess.
Arciela informs the adventurer that the Geomancers of Adoulin have reported a “shift” in the geomantic activities in Ulbuka, which bodes poorly for the state of things. Unsure exactly what to make of this shift, Arciela called in the leader of the Geomancer’s Order, Ikhi Askamot to observe and report to the council. She reports that an entire section of the Waterways beneath Adoulin has collapsed. The truth of the seal beneath Adoulin, and the truth about the Founder King’s Grave is revealed to Arciela and the adventurer.
The Rala Waterways were constructed as a massive geomantic ward with the founder king’s monument as the source of its power. The flowing water channeled the energy out into the city and its populace before being carried back to be rejuvenated. This process kept the power of the Cimmerian Adherents from being able to properly wage war against the city. With this geomantic structure destroyed, no one in Adoulin was safe. After the adventurer explores the Waterways for evidence of who bombed the structure, they report back to the heads of the twelve orders to discuss the matter. After seeing what intel the adventurer gathered about the explosives, they conclude that the only one who could better inform them of the explosives is Melvien. At the mention of Melvien, Framellia, Arciela’s maid barges into the meeting acting disturbed.
Balamor emerges from Fremilla.
As one of the council begins to try and remove her, Fremilla subdues him easily, quite a shock for such a small girl, then throws him across the room to everyone’s shock. Fremilla begins to monologue before levitating off of the ground and contorting her body in inhuman ways. As she crumples, a strange shadow erupts from her body, a creature that calls itself Balamor.
With a snap of its fingers, Balamor reveals Melvien, who implies to the other council members that Arciela is hiding the truth of his fate, before disappearing. Balamor casts a dark aura around one of the council, stating that in due time, its spell will fall down on Adoulin now that the barrier protecting the city is gone. Balamor then vanishes.
The chamber erupts with everyone accusing one another of the state of things. Arciela finally snaps, begging the council members to see the big picture, but she is swiftly shut up by some of their members. Suddenly, one of the council members collapsed. With little progress being made in the meeting, accusations running rampant, and more questions than answers, the members take their leave, and Arciela retreats to her chambers. The adventurer tries to discuss what to do next, but is turned away by the palace staff.
Outside, Ingrid repremends the adventurer for not defending Arciela during the arguments with the maesters. She recommends bringing Arciela a gift in order to rejuvenate her. The adventurer goes to the library where a librarian points out a book that Arciela is fond of. The adventurer goes into Arciela’s chamber where she disregards the book that was brought. She’s given into self-pity, lamenting how her involvement always makes things worse. She states that it would have been better had the jungle taken her life when she got lost in them as a child. This infuriates the adventurer, who slaps Arciela. This shakes her out of her bout of self pity, and she thanks the adventurer. Ygnas then appears, saying that Balamor is at the Sepulcher in Rala Waterways before collapsing. A rune appears in his hand and seems to mark them. Together, the adventurer and Arciela head for the site immediately.
At the entrance of the site, the rune that Ygnas had passed to them glows and allows them entrance into the chamber with the founder king’s monument, when Balamor is waiting for them. Balamor issues a challenge to them of finding a set of scattered dolls, each possessing a monster. After the adventurer and Arciela track down the dolls and defeat the monsters they possess, they return and challenge Balamor. After losing a harshly fought battle, Balamor shares information with them. He casts a strange spell whose effect isn’t yet apparent. Balamor informs them that, if they want to rid Ulbuka of its plague, they must defeat Hades who resides in the turris in Ra'kaznar’s deepest recess. Balamor vanishes and they head back up to the city.
Into the Depths[]
After some time, a toxic miasma has permeated portions of the city, tempestuous winds have begun beating against the buildings, and unusual monsters are now appearing, threatening the city. Certain council members have also fallen into a coma, further adding to the city’s distress. The adventurer heads to the palace to formulate a plan, but is turned away by the maid who states that the Orders have restricted all palace access. The maid hands the adventurer a missive from Arciela though, stating that the founder king had seen the same effects in the city during his battle with Hades.
The adventurer travels in search of Morimar and eventually finds him with Darrcuiln and Sajj’aka at the summit of Kamhir. Morimar explains that as he was trying to deal with Melvien’s body, the world tree warned him of the true danger of Melvien, however, he ignored the warning because he didn’t understand. Sajj’aka explains that these plagues are only the beginning of Hades' dangers. The dragon believes that the plagues are being caused by two newly awakened servants of Hades, the two remaining Xol Triumpharites: Dhokmak and Ashrakk.The adventurer heads to the world tree in search of information on the Xols, and Rosulatia gives the adventurer two plumes which will guide them to the Xols.
Arciela arrives in Leafallia and Morimar fabricates a quest to keep her occupied while they fight the Xols. He does this because he doesn’t want to endanger her with the coming battles. Morimar reveals to the adventurer that it was he who kept her safe when she wandered into the wilderness all those years ago.
The adventurer heads out to face off with Ashrakk and Dhokmak. As they do, they are treated to flashbacks of generations ago, when the Xols were originally defeated by August’s Generals. As the adventurer defeats them again, a strange symbol appears from their bodies, the same that appeared when Balamor cast his spell at the King’s Grave stone. With the demons defeated, the adventurer heads back to Leafallia, where Arciela stands waiting for us. Quick to figure out Morimar’s scheme, she explodes with anger that they faced off against the Xol Triumvirate without her. Insuring that she won’t let this happen again, Balamor suddenly appears. Balamor sees the runes retrieved from the two defeated Xol generals, revealing that they are keys of sorts to the Ra’kaznar Turris, the tower where Hades resides. He encourages them to continue on their path, and then disappears. They steel their resolve, ready to end this conflict, and make their way for the Turris in Ra’kaznar.
Hades in the turris.
Upon arriving at the gate to the Ra’kaznar turris, the adventurer and Arciela decide to wait for Morimar and Darrcuiln to arrive. Darrcuiln suddenly rushed out telling the adventurer and Arciela to run. However, a spell catches all three of them, which transports them into the turris where Hades awaits. Hades explains to them that he intends to destroy all life in Vana'diel so that the strong may survive. He then prepares to confront us, however, Morimar swoops in to stop him. Morimar commands Darrcuiln to take the adventurer and Arciela and retreat while he holds Hades off. Hades proceeds to overpowers Morimar easily, and pursues them. Arciela casts an ice spell at Hades which pins him for a moment while they retreat. Hades forms a blade of darkness and impales Morimar in the chest. Darrcuiln hesitates to leave Morimar behind, but decides to trust him as he flees with the adventurer and Arciela. As they flee, Morimar tells Hades that he is happy to sacrifice himself, just as August did years ago. Hades continuously impales Morimar in the chest while the adventurer, Arciela, and Darrcuiln leave the turris. Outside of Ra’kaznar, Teodor meets them. He assures them that he isn’t their enemy, and requests that they meet him and Sajj’aka at the summit of mount Kamhir.
At the summit, Teodor informs them that Hades engraved a piece of his soul into each of the Xol Triumvirates. These fragments are the sigils that emerge from the fallen Triumvirates. He explains that, as long as the sigils exist, Hades is invincible. He proceeds to show that he too has a sigil, just like the other Xols. Teodor reveals that he is the seventh Naakual, but he wasn’t always a Naakual. He was once the third Xol Triumvirate, a position now held by Balamor. He tosses a key to the adventurer and Arciela, telling them to meet him in the Rala Waterways Colosseum, for the only way to destroy the sigil inside him is to engage him in battle. Sajj’aka warns them that the seventh Naakual is dangerous, worthy of even the founder king on the battlefield.
Teodor reveals that he is the seventh Naakual.
Upon their arrival, Teodor explains the history of Hades, who was once a mortal leader in search of power. Upon finding Tartarus, Hades drew out the Xol Triumvirates and the Naakuals by means of Teodor himself. Teodor explains that he was used by Hades, and that he wondered Ra'kaznar for so long, he lost his humanity. This all changed when he engaged the founder king in battle. August rekindled his humanity and he left Hades' armies. He then engages the adventurer in battle.
After a fierce battle, the adventurer defeats Teodor and destroys his sigil once again. After being brought to the brink of death, Teodor promptly stands back up uninjured thanks to the immortality he inherited during his time in Tartarus.With Hades now vulnerable, they make their way to Kamhir summit and then Leafallia to rally all the allies in order to storm the turris once again. Sajj’aka, having seen the light in the adventurer, has his faith restored in the prospects of defeating Hades. The adventurer, Arciela and Darrcuiln are the first to make their way through Ra’kaznar towards Hades.
Once they arrive at the throne room, Hades taunts Darrcuiln by claiming that Morimar’s death was pointless. Enraged, Darrcuiln charges in not realizing this was a trap. Balamor begins tampering with Darrcuiln’s perception, resulting in Darrcuiln and Morimar’s heartfelt reunion. Morimar proceeds to strangle Darrcuiln before the two are imprisoned in a spell beneath the Turris.
The adventurer and Arciela attack Melvien. Because of his new vulnerability, they manage to successfully confront him. He proceeds to shed his human form, revealing the true form of Hades. He releases a powerful spell, easily discombobulating the adventurer and Arciela. Before they can find their footing, Hades readies another spell. This spell is interrupted by Sajj’aka’s sudden attack, which saves the adventurer and Arciela. Teodor, arriving with Sajj’aka, joins the adventurer and Arciela. They watch as Sajj’aka engages Hades in a fierce battle. Hades manages to entrap Sajj’aka in the same spell which entrapped Darrcuiln and Morimar.
The heroes face off against Hades.
Hades confronts the adventurer, Arciela, and Teodor. Teodor tries to reason with Hades, but he shows no signs of humanity. The three square off against Hades and they manage to incapacitate him, freeing Sajj’aka, Morimar, and Darrcuiln. Hades prepares to open the gates of Tartarus, and this causes Rosulatia’s plume and Otharsyne to resonate. Sajj’aka adds his energy to the resonating objects which causes a blinding light at the top of the chamber. The founder king, August, falls from the light, skewering Hades, destroying his beastial form. Rosulatia and Teodor mend to the wounded, while August has a heartfelt reunion with his comrades.
Sparks emanate from the Gate of Tartarus, threatening to swallow the entirety of the area. August bids that they flee while he and Rosulatia stay behind to seal the gate once and for all. He gives a round of appreciation to the party, including the adventurer, then tells them to take flight and leave this place. He calls on the light, and is encircled with weapons and energies, throwing a spear of light towards the portal to Tartarus. Teodore intervenes, taking the spear through his own chest and pushing Hades out of the way. Teodor says that despite the pain and suffering he has caused, some small part of him cannot let go of the man he followed all the time ago. He cannot allow August to extinguish that flame. Swearing to keep this calamity from ever happening again, the group leaves August, Teodore, Hades, and Rosulatia in the Turris and takes their leave on Sajj’aka. The four powerful forces all combine their energies, creating a massive pillar of light that erupts from the Turris, creating a beautiful glowing tree of light where this portal to endless darkness once stood. Emanating from this tree is light that showers the land.
Arciela, free in the jungle.
After landing outside Ra’kaznar, everyone thanks each other for their valor in saving Ulbuka and the world before each going their separate ways. Upon the adventurer’s return to Adoulin, they learn that those who haven fallen in a coma were cured of their condition thanks to the light emanating from the turris. The adventurer and Arciela head to the palace to speak to the twelve orders. Rather than being exasperated with Arciela, they all thank her for saving them and their city. They ask that she become grand chancellor, however, she turns down the position because of her brother’s previous appointment. Ygnas joins the meeting, however, as a man once again, no longer trapped in August’s curse. He endorses this nomination, and Arciela accepts the position as the new ruler of the Sacred City of Adoulin. The adventurer leaves the meeting to rest in the city for several days. After leaving the city, the adventurer runs into Arciela in the jungles. She informs him of the developments that have taken place since her appointment and then bids the adventurer a farewell while she rides away on Darrcuiln’s back.
Music[]
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin Original Soundtrack
Seekers of Adoulin introduces new music for battles and areas in the new expansion. All new tracks are composed and arranged by Naoshi Mizuta.
Following in the tradition set by Chains of Promathia, a new track, "A New Direction", replaces "Vana'diel March" in the title screen. It reverts to the original title screen music after it fully plays once.
Unlike with previous expansions, Seekers of Adoulin utilizes only 1 new track for open world battles in the new areas. This track is used for solo and party battles, in both outdoor and dungeon areas.
The original soundtrack for Seekers of Adoulin was released on the same day as the expansion itself and contains only 9 tracks from the expansion itself, which is the fewest number of new tracks from an expansion thus far.
Gallery[]
