Tamamo Gozen, the Yanxia's most well-known auspice.
Auspice (瑞獣, Zuijū?, lit. Auspicious Beasts) is an animal that have exceeded its lifespan by decades and achieve a sense of self in Final Fantasy XIV. The auspices are part of Far Eastern folklore, they are notably remembered by the Tale of Tenzen.
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The Four Lords represented on the world map around the Hingashi archipelago.
According to Far Eastern superstition, a beast who lives for decades exceeding its natural lifespan will obtain a whisper of spiritual power and a flicker of self-awareness. Those who live for one thousand years, however, gain a measure of divinity and power beyond man's understanding. Such beasts, having undergone a transformation legend calls "the change", are generally referred to as "auspices".[1]
Over the course of a thousand years, such creatures gradually amass a mystical strength, until one day they awaken to powers of divine magnitude. Auspices are considered deities in their own right, as awe-inspiring and respected as any kami. These ascended animals are, however, plagued by a dual nature. When the boundless calm, the Nigimitama, comes to the fore, an auspice often serves as a benevolent guardian, protecting the people from malicious entities. But when the primal rage, the Aramitama, takes over, the auspice runs wild, wreaking disasters of divine proportions. Many a folktale and minstrel’s verse is the recounting of a heroic effort made to contain these rampaging beings.[2]
Amongst the auspices’ number, the most commonly witnessed, and thus most frequently recorded in legend, are those of the fox family. It is common for foxes that have endured for a century or more to gain the ability to shapeshift, and they often take the form of a person when wandering in populated lands.[2]
Notable auspices[]
- Byakko - a powerful white tiger auspice said to guard the western frontier. He was the first companion of Tenzen and the Four Lords.
- Genbu - the guardian of the north, he is a tortoise auspice and the oldest of the Four Lords.
- Kinko Kugane - a furious fox auspice who lived in the south of Shishu. She was killed when resisted against deforestation for the construction of Kugane. Her spirit continued to bring plagues until she was sealed by the geomancer Kazan.
- Koryu - a powerful kirin auspice that was sealed by Tenzen and the Four Lords.
- Seiryu - one of the Four Lords and the guardian of the east. He is a powerful snake auspice often described as a dragon with cerulean scales and worshipped as a god of geomancy.
- Suzaku - one of the Four Lords and the guardian of the south. She is an auspice bird with fiery red plumage.
- Tamamo Gozen - a powerful nine-tailed fox auspice. Tamamo is believed to be the guardian deity of Yanxia as well as Doma.
Lesser auspices[]
- Furi - an auspice raccoon dog of 1250-years-old, he has a power of transformation capable of taking on the appearance of any living being or inanimate object, no matter the size or complexity.
- Ginko and Kinko - a pair of fox auspices who serve Tamamo Gozen.
- Inugami - a dog auspice of 1450-years-old, he was once feared by some people of Othard as a god of indiscriminate vengeance, and by others as an arbiter of divine retribution.
- Kamaitachi - the youngest auspice of Temple of Reisen, he is a weasel that has lived for a thousand years, and possesses the power to manipulate the wind.
- Komainu - one of Reisen Temple's twin guards and the sacred crystal. While both stand their posts at nearly all times, he is technically charged with the temple's defense during the night, whereas his brother is more vigilant during the day.
- Kudagitsune - a fox auspice that lives in the Reisen Temple. He is a friend of Tamamo.
- Nue - a 1400-year-old red panda auspice, he can command lightning and wind, making him a formidable enemy.
- Qitian Dasheng - a monkey auspice who has lived some two millennia, Qitian Dasheng is the former disciple of another auspice who created the tamate-bako of geomancy. After his master's death, the monkey took it upon himself to safeguard the relic sequestered deep within the Swallow's Compass.
- Rissai - a squirrel auspice that appeared in Gridania during the Starlight Celebration.
- Senri - a cat auspice of 1600-years-old, she prides herself on her impressive memory, which has led her compatriots to dub her a keeper of knowledge.
- Sotan - a sand fox auspice living in Idyllshire, he is commonly known as "Faux Commander".
