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A map is as precise
As the malms walked in her making,
Yet I fear these feet
Have but far too few between them
May she serve faithfully
Any who would employ her for good,
And shun all who would fill
Her borders with blood
Twelve see the steps taken
By those who heed her humble guidance
Ensure her legacy endures

Roddard Ironheart, In One Are Twelve

Roddard Ironheart was an Eorzean explorer and cartographer mentioned in Final Fantasy XIV. In the year 1506 of of the Sixth Astral Era, Roddard explored and thoroughly mapped Vylbrand and Aldenard.

History[]

Roddart was born to a pair of performances who belonged to a traveling troupe, his father a lute player and his mother a dancer. Due to being raised on the road, Roddard never settled in one place for long. When Roddard came of age, he inherited his father's lute, and struck out to travel the roads alone.[1]

Eventually Roddard would try to venture into the plains of Paglth'an. Due to an inaccurate map of the terrain he had purchased, Roddard was lost in the deserts of Thanalan for four days, until he collapsed from exhaustion and was rescued by a passing caravan. The experience instilled within Roddard a profund respect for the importance of preparation and dependable cartography, and it was shortly after his misadventure that Roddard Ironheart, would embark upon a lifelong expedition to draft a true and accurate rendition of all the lands of Eorzea.[1]

As a cartographer, Roddard was the first person to map with some degree of accuracy the realm of Eorzea, which he was reportedly fascinated by. His maps have since been annotated and updated in the more than 70 years since they were first drawn, including the mapping of the three great continents of the world, including Ilsabard and Othard. However, the foundation of his maps themselves has stood the test of time.

During the dusk of the Sixth Astral Era through the Sixth Umbral and into the Seventh, Roddard's descendants continue his legacy as an explorer, with his son Ulger and grandchildren Millith, Nedrick, and Kester becoming explorers in their own right.

Maps based on Roddard's work[]

Behind the scenes[]

Roddard and his descendants are an extended reference to Gwynham Ironheart from Final Fantasy XI, a historical explorer that mapped much of Vana'diel.

References[]

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