History will vindicate us.
Ser Zephirin
Ser Zephirin de Valhourdin is a non-playable character in Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. He is the Very Reverend Archimandrite of the Heavens' Ward, and a former commander of the Temple Knights.
History[]
Early life[]
Zephirin held a tremendous admiration for the archbishop of Ishgard, having the dream of serving as one of his most honored knights when he grew older.[2] With a further desire to follow in his father's footsteps, Zephirin entered the Temple Knights' grand tourney at the age of fifteen, and his victory was met with thunderous applause. To compensate for his diminutive stature, he wielded a massive greatsword—the traditional weapon of dark knights. Though there was a stigma associated with these weapons, Ser Zephirin the Just was not one to be swayed by such concerns.
He was the favored candidate for the position of Lord Commander of the Temple Knights, but the title was bequeathed to Ser Aymeric. Deeming a man of his integrity and skill a worthy addition to the Heavens' Ward, Ser Vellguine extended an invitation to Ser Zephirin, who accepted.[1][3]
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward[]
Following the trial by combat in the wake of Alphinaud and Tataru's trial, the Warrior of Light was brought before Thordan VII, who called upon Ser Zephirin to apologize on behalf of his knights. Ser Zephirin offered his apologies for their "gross mistreatment" at the hand of Ser Grinnaux, proclaiming that he was often eager in his duty to Ishgard in routing out heresy.
Following the fight through the Vault, Ser Zephirin attempted to kill the Warrior of Light with a javelin of pure light, but Haurchefant Greystone took the killing blow to protect his friend. Ser Zephirin left with Thordan VII and his fellow Heavens' Ward to venture to Azys Lla.
Ser Zephirin, alongside his fellow Heavens' Ward, joined Thordan VII in the Singularity Reactor after the Warrior of Light defeated Lahabrea and Igeyorhm. The knights transformed into the Knights of the Round and assisted King Thordan. Upon their defeat, Zephirin succumbed to a swell of light that ends the fallen knights.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker[]
A man bearing Zephirin's appearance was found in Saint Vaindreau's Grace, a civilian hospital in the Firmament.[4] He was attended to by a man named Loverick. The man succumbed to the corruption of dynamis between his aether, triggered by the coming Final Days. The man, naming himself "Vaindreau", was an Allagan cloned body found within Azys Lla meant to be used to resummon King Thordan, but instead the souls of the Heavens' Ward awakened inside it. When he awoke in the Firmament, he claimed to be a member of the Heavens' Ward, though he could not remember whose soul in his thoughts was meant to be his. Loverick informed 'Vaindreau' of the death of the Heavens' Ward and Thordan VII, who felt his purpose and place in the world null with is no archbishop to protect. With their souls still tempered, Vaindreau escaped the hospital, wandering into the streets of Ishgard. He was noticed by Erenville right before his transformation into the blasphemy Profane Fafnir.
As the blasphemy, the souls of the Ward flew low over Ishgard, near the rooftops of the Vault, taking refuge near the crashed airship they had used to previously flee Azys Lla, the personal airship of Thordan VII before his death. Aymeric de Borel summoned Profane Fafnir to the Vault's summit, who used the archbishop's coronet to call forth "his knights". Aymeric, Artoirel de Fortemps, and the Warrior of Light fought the blasphemy to lay the memory and souls of Zephirin and his fellow knights to rest.
Characteristics[]
Appearance[]
Zephirin is a Wildwood Elezen with blond hair and green eyes. He wears Ward Knight's attire, a form of pure white Adamantite armor with dark blue trimmings and bears his order's crest. Zephirin's armor has a golden tint to its decorative plating, as opposed to the silver plating of his fellow knights. In battle he wields the greatsword Shattered Heart, a white blade with gold and blue accents.
Personality[]
Ser Zephirin is a man of deep conviction, trusting those in power to do what is right. He leads the Heavens' Ward with resilience and courage. Though he may privately question the path the Ward must take alongside Thordan VII, he believes that the answer to the Dragonsong War will only come from fulfilling their duty and remaining steadfast in their decisions.
He is a formidable fighter, wielding a greatsword much larger than he is, and using magic by vaulting spears of light.
Gameplay[]
Ser Zephirin is fought as one of King Thordan's knights in 
The Singularity Reactor and 
Dragonsong's Reprise (Ultimate).
In Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, Ser Zephirin is fought once more as a simulacrum of memory, alongside his fellow Heavens' Ward, in the Dark Knight level 70 duty 
Our Compromise.
In Endwalker, Ser Zephirin and his fellow knights' memories lay within the blasphemy Profane Fafnir, and is fought one final time in the Magical DPS level 90 duty Ever March Heavensward.
Voice[]
Zephirin is voiced by Yasuaki Takumi in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. He is voiced by Nicholas Boulton in the English version, who also voices Raubahn Aldynn.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Encyclopædia Eorzea: The World of Final Fantasy XIV, p. 154
- ↑ (n.d.) . "Tales from the Twilight, An Empty Throne". From the Lodestone. Archived from the original on 2 February, 2022.
- ↑ Copeland, Andrew (2016, April 8). "The Lore Train – Duty Commenced Heavens' Ward and Temple Knights Lore Lowdown". From Gamerescape. Archived from the original on 22 May, 2021.
- ↑ Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Endwalker Magical DPS role quests
