Dalamud (ダラガブ, Daragabu?) was the smaller of two moons orbiting Hydaelyn in Final Fantasy XIV. Originally, the moon was colored white, but during Legacy's "Seventh Umbral Era" story, its color changed to red and citizens of Eorzea could witness it growing larger by the day.
This change was said to be affecting sea currents, crops, and even the behavior of monsters and their size, as well as a shift in the flow of Aether. It was the most prominent figure in the Seventh Umbral Era story arc. Main antagonist Nael Van Darnus sought to use it as part of his plan to destroy and purify Eorzea.
Story
Origin
Dalamud was constructed by the Allagan Empire ages ago under orders from its resurrected emperor Xande for the purpose was to collect solar energy and channel it to the Crystal Tower so Xande can open a portal to the World of Darkness. Dalamud also served as a prison for the Elder Primal Bahamut, who serves as a mean collect solar energy. But due to a miscalculation, Dalamud caused a power surge had resulted in a catastrophic earthquake which marked the Fourth Umbral Era and ended the Allagan civilization. In the eras that followed, Dalamud would remain dormant in the heavens with its true origin and function forgotten with time.
The Seventh Umbral Era
Picture showcasing Dalamud's changes after patch 1.18.
Due to this noticeable change on the moon, as well as the prophecies regarding the Seventh Umbral Era, Cid nan Garlond believed the Garlean Empire was using its magitek technology and forbidden arts to use Dalamud as a Meteor of sorts to purge Eorzea of its "taint". This is later confirmed to be the doing of Nael Van Darnus, with Gaius Van Baelsar hesitant to follow the idea as the Garleans had not discovered how to control where Dalamud will fall if the spell was used. Later events confirmed that Nael had succeeded in initiating Dalamud's fall to Hydaelyn by a Lunar Transmitter within the Garlean stronghold Castrum Novum which has locked Dalamud's descent over Mor Dhona. Though the adventurers from the now-allied Grand Companies of Eorzea were able to destroy the transmitter, Nael no longer needed it as he is then infused with Dalamud's power while using Allagan technology to control Dalamud with "Lunar Fragmens".
In response, the Eorzean Alliance sent a party to meet Nael at his floating platform, "Rivenroad". Here he explained his plan to use Dalamud to purge Eorzea entirely, beyond and in spite of Garlemald's desire to conquer a viable land. After his apparent defeat, Dalamud empowered him once more, transforming him into Nael Deus Darnus. This was not enough, as Nael was destroyed by the Eorzean forces, but Dalamud continued to descend. At first it caused luminous auroras and shooting stars throughout the skies, but as it breaches the atmosphere all other weather disappeared. Day and night were only barely distinguishable beyond the gray clouds and the burning red form of Dalamud, later accompanied by flashes of lightning.
Bahamut emerges from Dalamud.
Eventually, the Seventh Umbral Era occurs when the bulk of the Eorzean Alliance engages the VIIth legion in a final battle to expel them from Mor Dhona and secure suitable grounds for the summoning ritual to stop Dalamud's descent. But the plan fails with Dalamud breaking apart upon entering Eorzea's atmosphere with Bahamut freed and Eorzea's landscape altered in the calamity that followed. In the aftermath, several large fragments of Dalamud have remained scattered across the realm. Notable sites include the Agelyss Wise in Eastern La Noscea, the Burning Wall in Eastern Thanalan, Finder's Bluff in North Shroud, the Nail in Coerthas Central Highlands, and the Singing Shards in Mor Dhona. To study these lunar derelicts, Gaius Van Baelsar had Castrum Occidens constructed in Eastern La Noscea to investigate a large cavern containing Dalamud's surviving components.
Lambs of Dalamud
The Lambs of Dalamud are a cult that sprang up when Dalamud first began showing signs of its descent. They believe that the scent of fresh blood will attract "Menphina's Loyal Hound" and bring it down upon the land to purify it. For this reason they have sent followers to the city-states of Eorzea to lure adventurers to their dooms under the pretense of having them save kidnapped family members.
Though some of its members are known to use swords, the Lambs are predominately Thaumaturges who use the blood of their sacrifices to generate their spells.
The Lambs of Dalamud do not fear death, believing that Dalamud will recognize their sacrifice and descend into the Gates of the Seventh Hell to resurrect them as servants in the Seventh Umbral Era. Their last known ritual was practiced in Gwyr-Aen, coincidentally where the symbol of Menphina appeared, before an adventurer slew them. They accepted their deaths readily upon realizing that they gave their own blood in service to Dalamud.
Despite the passing of the Calamity, the Lambs of Dalamud did not disband, instead remaining in denial and continued rituals within places like Tam-Tara Deepcroft and Amdapor Keep.
Appearance
A consistent part of each update involved making Dalamud appear closer in the sky. In 1.19 and 1.20 the change could easily be overlooked, but thereafter it grew to a size that was impossible to miss when the skies were clear, larger even the sun. It appeared deep red against the blue of day or black of night - it orbits in sync with the planet's rotation. It is locked in its descent on Eorzea.
Furthermore, the closer it got, the more its artificial nature became apparent. By 1.23 and the End of an Era trailer, its mechanical nature was entirely evident. Nevertheless, the "Lunar Fragments" with which it showers the planet seem to be chunks of burning rock.
Dalamud is also depicted in the symbol for Menphina as the smaller circle overlapped by the larger Moon circle.
Gallery
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Trivia
- A nearly identical scenario to Dalamud's fall appears in Final Fantasy IV: The After Years in which a red moon, not the planet's main moon, threatens to crash to the planet.
- The Astrolabe, a staff made only by the most skilled Goldsmiths and restricted for use by Level 50 Thaumaturges, is, as its name implies, a celestial model depicting Hydaelyn, with moons Menphina and a tiny red Dalamud orbiting. In this model, the two moons swing around Hydaelyn via magic. It should be noted that the model's moons act independently of each other, even though before 1.19 Dalamud appeared leashed by Menphina's gravity as a static part of her being.
- Dalamud was referred to as "Menphina's Loyal Hound" by NPCs due to its relationship with the larger primary moon. In later patch cycles, citizens began giving it less kind titles (such as "Menphina's damned mutt") because of the environmental issues Dalamud's proximity was causing.
- Dalamud was always in the southeastern sky during its descent, no matter what part of the continent the player views it from. One would expect its position to change with perspective while it was closer to the land, but it appeared to be falling southeast of Thanalan, possibly in the Sea of Ash just south of Ul'dah. During the End of an Era video, however, its true position is clearly over Mor Dhona, as an object fell from it and landed on the battlefield.
- "Dalamud" and "Bahamut" are phonetically similar, with only a few consonants changed. This is likely because Dalamud served as Bahamut's container, although the exact reason is unknown.
- Dalamud was intended to have a different role on the game's original storyline and content plan. However, once Naoki Yoshida decided they would close the original version with an "End of the world" scenario, he asked if it was okay to "bring it down".
- Curiously, "Dalamud" is one of the most blatant name-changes between the Japanese and English versions. In the Japanese script, the moon is referred to as "ダラガブ"; most literally transliterated as "Daragabu", and more conventionally as "Dalagab". There is no way to get a "mud" sound from "ガブ"; this represents a conscious decision to change the name. Why this was done has not been explained.
- This is made even more strange by the lyrics to Rise of the White Raven, which are consistent across all language options - the lyrics clearly and audibly state "Testate adventu Dalamud" at the end of the chorus, with no room for interpreting the final syllable as "gab". Why the name would be different in two different regions, when all regions hear the same lyrics (and name) to the song, then, is unclear.
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