Oh, shut up and help me remodel the Solution Nine (location) page!
Solution Nine is a city in Final Fantasy XIV, introduced in the expansion Dawntrail. This high-tech locale is home to Alexandrian citizens who reside in Everkeep, a tower presently located in Xak Tural. Similarly to Revenant's Toll, Idyllshire, Rhalgr's Reach, Eulmore, and Radz-at-Han before it, Solution Nine serves as a player hub for the endgame resources of Dawntrail.
History[]
In the Ninth reflection of the Source, Everkeep was constructed by Alexandria in the aftermath of the Storm Surge, a war fought over the precious resource electrope due to a calamity of lightning. The tower was built above the castle of the old kingdom and became the central place of authority and livelihood for Alexandria. Solution Nine occupied the ninth level of Everkeep and became its largest district, featuring areas for residences, recreation, commerce, and governmental operations.
Through the machinations of Zoraal Ja making contact with Queen Sphene, Alexandria was fused with Yyasulani and the resulting area was altered both geographically and temporally. Citizens who were in Yyasulani at the moment of the fusion became part of Heritage Found's "dome," living with Alexandrian civilization for thirty years until the "dome" was reconnected to the Source's temporal flow. After Zoraal Ja's invasion of Tuliyollal and the counteroffensive on 
Vanguard, the Warrior of Light and their allies ventured into Heritage Found to investigate what happened to Yyasulani. Sphene granted them access to Solution Nine to learn more about the Alexandrians' way of life, as well as to meet in Oblivion's headquarters to learn how they could confront Zoraal Ja.
This section is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.Gameplay[]
This section is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.Musical themes[]
The theme of Solution Nine is "Starless Skyline" (星なき摩天楼 ～ソリューション・ナイン～, Hoshinaki Matenrō ~Soryūshon Nain~?, lit. Starless Skyscrapers ~Solution Nine~), which is an arrangement of "Smile" by Takafumi Imamura. As the name suggests, the inability to distinguish between night and day in the city means that this is the sole theme that plays at all times.
"Tantalus's Theme (Dawntrail)" is the theme that plays inside the Backroom, an instanced area that serves as Oblivion's hideout.
In the preview trailer revealing Solution Nine as a new town, a prototype theme was featured that used the motif of "Dawntrail".
Behind the scenes[]
The idea of a high-tech civilization in the "New World" appears to have been planned before the introduction of Solution Nine. The Xaela tribes list posted on the official Square Enix forum in 2015 stated that the Haragin sailed east from the Azim Steppe and found a land "covered in massive grey monoliths and inhabited by fire-breathing steel demons". While the land found by the Haragin cannot be Solution Nine as it was not present in the Source at the time, it could have served as inspiration.
Being a city from the Ninth reflection, Solution Nine features NPCs who have counterparts in the Source, such as Genolt (Gerolt), Rhodina (Rowena), and an unnamed pair of characters whose interaction alludes to the relationship between Carvallain and Rhoswen.
Allusions[]
Dawntrail features many references to Final Fantasy IX, including the name of Solution Nine and its associated nation, Alexandria. Other references within the city include the following:
- A vendor selling Angel Snacks, which first appeared as a Blue Magic spell learned by Quina Quen.
- Final Fantasy IX enemies such as the Yan, Mu, and Gimme Cat are visually depicted. These enemies appear in
AAC Cruiserweight M2 (Savage), summoned by the graffiti artist Sugar Riot who brings her designs to life in battle. - In the Residential Sector, two of the specified Residential Radii are 9-14 and 9-11, a numerical reference to Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy XI which were referenced in content introduced in the Dawntrail expansion.
- During a cutscene in Memories of a Bygone Age, Dali coffee is a drink ordered at Mosaic, referencing Morrid's coffee sidequest.
- In the upper level of the Recreation Zone, there is an unnamed Miqo'te sitting on a bench who resembles Maidy, the player character of the late Akio Inaba whose story was depicted in Final Fantasy XIV Dad of Light.
Etymology[]
Solution Nine was named after Solution 9, a Trance ability used by Zidane Tribal in Final Fantasy IX.