The Warring Triad (三闘神, Santōshin?, lit. Three Warring Gods) is a group of three primals in Final Fantasy XIV, first appearing as statues in Azys Lla in Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.
With each patch, the wear of the statues has increased, and as of 3.15, they are covered by moss. Patch 3.2 starts a Trial series based on the Warring Triad, starting with Containment Bay S1T7 where the players fight Sephirot, the Fiend. Patch 3.4 continues this with a new trial, Containment Bay P1T6, with Sophia, the Goddess being the primal fought here. The last member, Zurvan, the Demon, is fought in Containment Bay Z1T9 and was introduced in patch 3.5.
History[]
The Warring Triad were deities once worshiped by the ancient people of the same era as the Allagan Empire. They were the first three primals the empire successfully bound, a technology they later used in the construction of Dalamud. They remain bound in Azys Lla, presumably inside the Flagship at the center of the floating continent. Three statues in the middle of Azys Lla are carved in their likeness, and they are otherwise identical to their appearance in Final Fantasy VI.
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward[]
Archbishop Thordan traveled to Azys Lla to use the power of the trapped primals to become a god-king that would put an end to all conflict, but he was ultimately defeated by the Warrior of Light. His activation of Azys Lla and his drawing upon their power begins a process of awakening, and Urianger Augurelt calls upon the Warrior of Light's help.
The Warrior of Light was hailed outside Fortemps Manor with a message requesting to meet in the solar of the Rising Stones from an unknown party. There they encountered a masked boy who introduced himself as Unulkalhai. Unulkalhai, joined by Urianger, explained the history of the Warring Triad, and how Thordan's attempt to obtain their power had caused the seals placed on them by the Allagans to slowly become undone. Unulkalhai also explained that the interference of the imperial presence on Azys Lla, led by Regula van Hydrus, was also causing the seals to unravel faster. Rather than wait for the seals to unravel naturally and potentially having to deal with three powerful and potentially vengeful Meracydian gods at once, Unulkalhai, under the guidance of his engimatic master, proposed that he would help to manually undo the seals one by one for the Warrior and their allies to confront the eikons individually.
Before he would lend this assistance however, he required the Warrior to prove their skill at arms to deal with a more pressing issue. Ravana and Bismarck had been resummoned by their respective peoples in more powerful iterations, and these primals were now observed to be making advances towards Azys Lla, ostensibly to do what Thordan failed, i.e. claim the power of the Triad. The Warrior bestsed these incarnations, and Unulkalhai subsequently agreed to provide the knowledge to undo the seal. To this end, Urianger brings in Y'shtola Rhul and Krile Baldesion to join in and lend their expertise on this venture, Krile being necessary as she also had the Echo and thus would be the one to take the Unulkalhai's instructions and release the eikons from slumber.
Instances[]
limitless blue (extreme)
Trial |
As is all too often the case, a primal you felled has once again been summoned. According to Unukalhai, the stakes are even higher this time, as Bismarck's reappearance threatens to hasten the awakening of the Warring Triad—three eikons sealed within the Aetherochemical Research Facility on Azys Lla. Fortunately, you have developed a sound method for slaying flying feathered whales. The Enterprise Excelsior and your island await. |
Thok ast Thok (Extreme)
Trial |
Willed back into existence by his zealous children, Ravana, the Lord of the Hive, is risen again with ever greater savagery. Left unchecked, the Wrath of the Colony will surely seek out the Warring Triad on Azys Lla to feed upon the sleeping eikons' strength. Heed Unukalhai's warning, and slay the entity before his insatiable appetite for power unleashes destruction of cataclysmic proportions... |
Containment Bay S1T7
Trial |
Sephirot, the Fiend, was a deity once worshipped by a treelike race native to Meracydia. Brought into being for the sole purpose of repelling the Allagan invasion, Sephirot inflicted ruinous losses upon the imperial army before finally being subdued and imprisoned in the central facility of Azys Lla. And now, millennia later, this immensely powerful entity threatens to awaken, his vengeful dreams disturbed by the careless ambitions of Archbishop Thordan VII. Topple the first pillar of the Warring Triad, or wheresoever his colossal shadow falls shall be visited by unthinkable catastrophe! |
Containment Bay P1T6
Trial |
History tells of a Meracydian nation comprised of a multitude of races, the foundations of which were built on the worship of a single deity. The "Goddess," as she was simply known, graced the souls of her worshipers with perfect equilibrium, binding their disparate societies in gilded chains of harmony.
In the present day, she is better known as Sophia, one of the incalculably powerful eikons of the Warring Triad. And after five thousand years of imprisonment, her failed plans for vengeance once more threaten to come to fruition. Defeat the wakened thralls and slay the stirring Goddess, lest her divine "balance" bring all the world to equal ruin! |
Containment Bay Z1T9
Trial |
Only one pillar of the Warring Triad remains: Zurvan, the Demon. Worshipped by a Meracydian race of centaur-like beings, this eikon manifested upon the physical plane as an embodiment of eternal victory. And yet, despite his godlike might, Zurvan was captured. He has languished in his Allagan-made prison now for five thousand years, his primal desire for justice swelling in magnitude with each passing millennium...
Through an unlikely alliance with the VIth Imperial Legion, you and your companions were able to prevent a catastrophic awakening orchestrated by the Demon's thralls. But your work is not yet finished. Honor the sacrifice of Regula van Hydrus, and remove the threat of Zurvan from this world once and for all! |
Gallery[]
Etymology and symbolism[]
A triad is defined as a "group of three". The number three occurs with great frequency in mythologies and religions found across the globe.
The Warring Triad may be loosely based on the Japanese gods Amaterasu, Susano'o, and Tsukuyomi. The storm god Susano'o and the moon god Tsukuyomi are male, while the sun goddess Amaterasu is female and the strongest of the three siblings. According to myth, when Izanami, one of the first gods and wife to Izanagi, died and went to the underworld (Yomi), Izanagi attempted to retrieve her but she was unable to follow. Izanagi returned to Earth and bathed to purify himself, washing out Amaterasu, Susano'o, and Tsukuyomi, from his eyes and nose. Though the three are siblings they oppose each other, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi having a falling out when he killed the food goddess Uke Mochi, while Amaterasu and Susano'o were always locked in a feud.
In the original concept artwork for Final Fantasy VI by Tetsuya Nomura, the Warring Triad are named beyond their basic titles: The Goddess (女神) is Sophia, The Demon (鬼神) is Zurvan, and The Fiend (魔神) is Sephirot.
Sophia, Greek for wisdom, is a central idea in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Gnosticism, Orthodox Christianity, Esoteric Christianity, as well as Christian mysticism, and is commonly represented as a goddess. Sophia is also a primary deity in Gnosticism. As a feminine given name of Greek origin, Sophia retains the meaning of "wisdom", with variant names Sofia and Sophie among others in Western culture.
Zurvanism, Zurvan is the god of infinite time (and space) and is Aka Manah ("one", "alone") deity of matter.
InSephirot; also spelled Sefirot), is a plural noun in Hebrew; the singular is Sephirah (also spelled Sefira). The Sephiroth are described in the Kabbalah as the manifestations of God that allow Him to manifest in the physical and metaphysical universes. Sephiroth also means "counting" (of numbers).
Səphīrōth (סְפִירוֹת, medieval Hebrew form ofEach of the three names represents the highest levels of knowledge and power in their respective religions.