Occuria

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December 15, 2011

Gerun, leader of the Occuria.

Undying, we Occuria light the path for wayward sons of man. Oft did we pass judgment on them so that Ivalice might endure. Eternal, we are hist'ry's stewards, to set the course and keep it true.

Gerun, leader of the Occuria

The Occuria (オキューリア, Okyūria?) are the most powerful beings in the world of Ivalice. They are referred to, by themselves and others, as "The Undying", though their existence is unknown to Ivalice at large. The Sage Knowledge available via the bestiary suggests the Occuria used to live on Ivalice among the other races before withdrawing into their own realm. The Occuria live high above the Ancient City of Giruvegan, higher than any airship can reach.

Despite the fact they are apparently responsible for much of the development of Ivalice, they only appear in Final Fantasy XII and are only briefly mentioned in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, without so much as a mention in the rest of the Ivalice Alliance. The Occuria are apparently willing to do whatever it takes to modify the course of Ivalice to their standards, including usage of phantom images of loved ones to manipulate people and sealing away insubordinate races who refused to accept the Occurian weave of fate.

Physiology

The Occuria are apparently genderless, though they possess masculine titles and voices that sound both male and female simultaneously. They have the ability to create and appear as ghosts and images, and can render themselves invisible and inaudible to anyone other than people they want them to see and hear. Their natural form is a floating specter with an ornate, armor-like appearance. Their speech resembles an archaic, poetic form of Received Pronunciation English, which is noticeably absent of particular rhotic vowels in both speech and writing.

The Occuria have no visible faces, only glowing yellow eyes floating in an empty black void, vaguely reminiscent of a Black Mage. An Occuria's physical manifestation exudes a great deal of Mist. They can possess other beings, and merge with them to drastically increase their strength and power.

Story

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

Concept art of the Occuria.

Final Fantasy XII

The treaty held with kings of old is but a mem'ry, cold and still. With you we now shall treat anew, to cut a run for hist'ry's flow.

Gerun

Many thousand years ago, all-powerful beings looked down upon the land, and their rule was absolute. They commanded all things on the earth. All was done according to their will. Then one day they withdrew behind the walls of a great city of their own making, disappearing from history's stage. In the vacuum left behind, Ivalice fell into chaos, until the march towards a new age finally began.

The Age of Gods, Sage Knowledge

Occuria are concerned with controlling the course of Ivalice's history and created the Espers as their servants. The Espers eventually came to believe they were as powerful as their creators and tried to destroy them. This revolt was led by the Esper Ultima, with the only Esper not included being Zodiark. The Occuria threw them down and bound them with glyphs.

The Occuria next tried to influence the garif. They granted them deifacted nethicite. The garif could not wield or control the magickal stones and would only worship the Occuria. The Occuria tried once again, successfully this time, to influence the world of Ivalice by offering the nethicite to a man who would destroy or subjugate other nations as they directed. This man was King Raithwall, who would become the Dynast King.

At some point in the intervening time, one of the Occuria went rogue, disagreeing with the Occurian philosophy. This Occurian, Venat, felt all races should be able to have complete control over their own history. Venat had a plan to create nethicite that was not under the control of the other Occuria, manufacted nethicite. Venat accomplished this with the aid of Dr. Cid of Archadia, with Vayne aiding them by setting up the Empire's war against Rozarria and taking the shards cut by Raithwall from the locations they conquered. Enraged at Venat's heresy, Gerun and the other Occuria decide to bring forth a new Dynast King to destroy Archadia and restore the status quo they had created.

The Occuria's choice turns out to be Ashe, whom they manipulate throughout the story. The Occuria create an image of her dead lover Lord Rasler, which she mistakes for his spirit. She eventually meets them in person, during which the Occuria reveal their intent of controlling Ivalice's history (though they explain it to her by saying that if history was not in their control it would lead to disaster).

To ensure she does what they intend, the Occuria give Ashe the Treaty Blade to cut a new shard of nethicite from the Sun-Cryst, tempting her to use its power to take revenge on Archadia and restore Dalmasca. When she reaches it, however, she realizes Rasler would not want her taking revenge and realizes what she thought was his spirit was just an illusion created by the Occuria. Though they still try and convince her to take the nethicite, Ashe bluntly informs she will not be their pawn and destroys the illusion with the Sword of Kings.

The rogue Occuria Venat meets its end as the Resistance engages the Archadian Imperial Fleets in the battle above Rabanastre. Venat fuses its powers with Vayne Solidor transforming him into The Undying, but Ashe and her friends defeat Vayne even with his enhanced powers. Vayne apologizes to Venat that he could never become a true Dynast-King, but Venat tells Vayne their goals have been fulfilled and that they will walk the path of death together.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

A relief of the Occuria seen in Revenant Wings.

The aegyl, this land—all only pawns to the Occuria.

Fran

The Occuria are shown once in Revenant Wings: while Balthier explains the origins of Lemurés, a picture of the Occuria appear. When the Occuria tried to control the aegyl like the other races, the aegyl ran away to the floating continents. Angered by this, the Occuria used the Auraliths to create a barrier around Lemurés, to trap those who would not follow them. Over the years, the aegyls' resentment towards the ones who chased them out their homelands grew.

Imprisoned above the clouds, the aegyl leader, Feolthanos, becomes consumed by his vindictiveness. Associating the Occuria's meddling with the wills of the entire Ivalician land, Feolthanos begins to plot a crusade against the "underworld" from his Keep of Forgotten Time. The destruction of the Sun-Cryst and repudiation of the Occurian mandate dissolves the barrier around Lemurés and allows Feolthanos to send the Judge of Wings to wreak havoc on the world from which the Undying exiled his people.

Spoilers end here.

Development

Early Occuria concept art.

The Occuria were first designed to be a race of mindflayers, as revealed in the Ultimania Omega. Earlier concept artwork revealed that these "mindflayers" are draped in luxurious robes and turbans. They were depicted lounging in their bar and smoking pipes. Revisions were made and the Mindflayer was placed as Marks, retaining the initial design.

Musical Themes

Template:Listen The music that plays when the player meets the Occuria in the Great Crystal is called "Abandoning Power".

Gallery

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Etymology

The name Occuria most likely derives from the word curia, a word that comes from the Latin coviria, meaning "men community". The word curia refers to the subdivisions of a tribe in ancient Rome, the Roman senate during the republic and any of several medieval councils or courts of justice, reflecting the Occuria's role as the leaders of Ivalice.

The oc- prefix of Occuria may derive from the English word occult meaning hidden or secret.

The name Occuria may also derive simply from the English words occurrence or occur as the Occuria have visibly displayed a sense of entitlement over the history of Ivalice and are known to have directly influenced its actuation until the events of Final Fantasy XII.

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