Kings of Lucis

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The spirits of past kings of Lucis.

There once lived a man, born to a mortal but blessed with powers divine. Conjuring a collection of glaives he dispelled the darkness plaguing our star. As a reward for his efforts, the god granted him a holy Stone—the Crystal, which he was to guard at all costs, for it would one day choose a King to see us through the coming disaster and lead us to salvation.

Cosmogony chapter "The Crystal"

Kings of Lucis, also known as Rulers of Yore, form the Lucis Caelum bloodline that wields the Crystal's powers by birthright in the Final Fantasy XV Universe. They are the monarchs of the kingdom of Lucis. According to legend, the Crystal is of divine origin and was bestowed to humanity alongside the Ring of the Lucii, which harnesses the Crystal's power for a chosen few.

The kings' spirits are referred to as the Lucii (pronounced: lucy-eye) in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret saying "He who holds the Ring communes with the Lucii and commands great power." However, the past kings are not called Lucii in Final Fantasy XV outside the lore tutorial "The Magic of the Lucii" and some of the bestiary entries, being referred to simply as "the kings of Lucis".

Some of the monarchs will be included as new boss battles in the PC and Royal Editions.

Profile

The Crystal is the divine cornerstone of the Kingdom of Lucis. The Stone has a will of its own, and channels its sacred power through the Ring of the Lucii to the monarch who bears it. Monarchs in the line of Lucis have the innate ability to conjure magical weapons. A handful of close attendants are also afforded access to this selfsame power. The magical barrier known as the Wall has long kept the empire at bay, and thereby maintained the peace, yet not entirely without struggle. Sustaining the Wall imposes an immense physical burden upon the king, but to let it fall for even a moment would be to invite destruction.

"The Magic of the Lucii" lore tutorial from Final Fantasy XV

When a monarch of Lucis dies, their spirit is taken by the Ring of the Lucii. The one who wears the ring can communicate with the spirits of the past kings and queens, and the ring links the past monarchs' spirits to the mortal realm. Although spirits that dwell in the "realm beyond" cannot usually influence the mortal realm, the past kings of Lucis are special in this regard, as the monarchs can combine their powers across generations in a phenomenon known as the bonding of the souls. The "bonding" can extend to those outside of the Lucian lineage at the monarch's behest, as shown in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV where the Kingsglaive wield some of King Regis's magic, and in Final Fantasy XV where Prince Noctis's friends share in some of his powers, such as forging weapons from thin air and using magical potions and Elemancy. During Noctis and his friends' travels, potions and elixirs gain their healing power from Noctis—without him, they would be just regular soda. In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Glaives can use some of the Lucian kings' powers via sigils said to be protective relics of past monarchs.

Prince Noctis inherits a royal arm; the "soul fragments" symbolize the bonding of the Lucian kings' souls.

The kings are entombed across Eos in hidden royal tombs, and leave behind weapons of their legacy known as royal arms to empower their descendants who seek them out. Only those of the Lucian lineage can brandish the royal arms, which glow when grasped by their rightful wielders. Using the royal arms drains the wielder's health, but they are especially good against beings of the dark, the antithesis to the Crystal and its light.

The Lucian bloodline has a special power to brandish their inherited royal arms all at once, known as Armiger, although this state can't usually be sustained for long. The weapons will materialize as crystalline silhouettes that circle the king who can rapidly attack their opponent with a new weapon each hit. According to the Final Fantasy XV Ultimania, unleashing the combined power of kings (Armiger) and the Crystal can eradicate Starscourge, the plague upon the planet of Eos.

Royal arms in their physical forms bear illustrious designs with elaborate details, including light ray indentations and protruding angel wing motifs, and hued with the color and finish of precious metals, keeping true as weapons once wielded by royalty.

The kings of Lucis combine their powers.

The Crystal is a magical stone said to be of divine origin that is a source of immense power. Though its light is said to be for the benefit of all of mankind, only the kings of Lucis have been gifted the ability to wield its power. The Final Fantasy XV Scenario Ultimania posits that rather than being able to use the Crystal's true power, kings of Lucis have the responsibility of protecting it, and that the Crystal picks the "Chosen King" when disaster comes to the world.

For the last 150 years, the king who protects the Crystal has shielded it from outsiders by maintaining the Wall, a magical barrier that isolates Lucis from the rest of the world. Upholding the Wall drains the king's life-force, accelerating their aging. Having conquered all other lands, bar Lucis behind its magic barrier, Niflheim Empire reigns supreme, only repelled by those who derive their power from the Crystal.

The Old Wall is a series of towering statues strewn throughout the Crown City of Insomnia. Honoring the ancient kings of Lucis, who dwell within the Ring of the Lucii, it activates when the city is in danger at the behest of the current monarch if they are strong enough, or one deemed worthy by the kings of old. According to the Final Fantasy XV Scenario Ultimania, the statues were created 2000 years ago to serve as coffins to each hold the soul of a dead monarch. From these coffins, the monarchs would await the coming of the "Chosen King." The statues were also intended to serve as the Wall that protects the kingdom of Lucis.

Lineage

The Immortal Accursed

The man who was to become the first king of Lucis was rejected by the Crystal before his ascension to the throne for the darkness that had come to inhabit him. He was cast aside and the Crystal chose another in his stead.

The Founder

The king who lived 2,000 years ago and the younger*(according to the Japanese version of Episode Ignis) brother of The Immortal Accursed, he was served by Gilgamesh as his sworn shield. Shield of the King from here on becomes a title given to the Lucian monarch's main bodyguard.

The Wise

The Wise.

Believed to be the first king who raised the Wall of the Lucian Kingdom. Known to wield a simple sword. His spirit in the Ring of the Lucii appears with multiple dark wings.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Wise Sigil: Dragoon Drain, allows the bearer to do a high leap into the air and it does an attack similar to Aranea's Dragoon Dive.

The Conqueror

A king said to have lived in times of chaos, who rose as a champion that united the Lucian continent and fought for his peoples, allowing them to usher in a great age of prosperity. Known to have wielded a halberd.

The Clever

A king who was said to be well versed in the arts, be it the physical, the intellectual, martial, or that of skill. Known to have wielded a crossbow.

The Wanderer

A king who found no boundary nor limit to the land and wandered the world, going where no man had gone to before. Known to have wielded daggers that could combine into an enormous besieging weapon.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Wanderer's Sigil: Cheer, enables the bearer to cheer their comrades and empower them with five status enhancements.

The Mystic

The Mystic.

The first king who rose to protect the Oracle. Known to have wielded a greatsword. Out of all the royal arms, Noctis displays a preference for the Blade of the Mystic, as he wields it the most out of all battle features in which he wields a royal arm.

The Mystic is the most prominent king in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. He talks to Nyx Ulric and is the last king standing at the battle's end. The Mystic has holes on his helmet and two wings on top of it. The back of his armor has something similar to a bony tail, like the Crownsguard does. The winged/horned helmet and the "tail" could allude to Bahamut. The Mystic statue's greatsword breaks in the last moments of the battle the Old Wall wages against Diamond Weapon, so he tosses it aside and punches the Weapon instead. Nyx digs his kukri into the Mystic's armor to follow the king warping away.

The Oracle

The Oracle.

Though the Oracles are known as the royalty of Tenebrae, one of the royal arms is the Trident of the Oracle, and one of the thirteen statues of the Old Wall in Insomnia is a seemingly female figure who wields a giant version of the trident in the battle against the Diamond Weapons. In Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Nyx and Glauca end up fighting on her shoulder, but she tosses her trident and warps away and Nyx and Glauca fall. The horn at the front of her helmet resembles a bird. The statue has a busty chest, long cape and heavier body compared to the others.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Oracle's Sigil: Healing Light, enhances the bearer's curative spells.

The Rogue

The Rogue.

Believed to be the first queen, who disliked the watch of the public eye and took to the shadows to enact her rule. Known to have wielded a shuriken.

In Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, she jumps at the arriving Diamond Weapon and threatens it enough uses its main attack. She wears high heels, and in her statue form, she holds up a collapsing cliff after Niflheim's first attack.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Rogue's Sigil: Areial Ace, enables the bearer to perform a mid-air step after attacking.

The Tall

A king known by his girth and strength, alluded to like that of a mountain. Known to have wielded a chainsaw-like greatsword.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Tall's Sigil: Aura, enhances the bearer's attack power, but prevents them from casting curative spells.

The Just

A queen who devoted all efforts to uphold peace in her rule of the Lucian Kingdom, and was beloved in turn by her peoples for her serenity. Known to have wielded a tall shield.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Just's Sigil: Omniguard, enhances the bearer to conjure a 360 degree protective barrier around the bearer and their allies.

The Fierce

The Fierce.

A king famous for his personality; to his peoples, a kind, loving, and just king; to his enemies, a veritable demon of merciless brutality. Known to have wielded a great mace.

In Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, the statue wielding a colossal mace wreaks perhaps the most damage, destroying buildings and Niflheim airships as he goes. Even after losing his arms the statue still continues, but is the only statue who is defeated. His most prominent feature is the disc on his head.

The Pious

A king known for his eponymous piousness, leading the Lucian Kingdom with a rule guided by divine principles and worked closely with the Oracle of his era. Known to have wielded a scepter that smote with a blade of light.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Pious's Sigil: Multicast, enables the bearer to cast two offensive spells in a row.

The Warrior

A king whose life was forever changed when his beloved queen was killed by assailants. Believed to have wandered the world and waged an era of global war fueled by a vendetta of bereavement, and is speculated to be the king whose worship inspired the Safety Bit accessory. Known to have wielded a katana, a weapon not of the lands of Lucis, and is the only king laid to rest outside of his home nation.

In Final Fantasy XV: Comrades, the Warrior's Sigil: Untouchable, enables the bearer to provoke the enemies and dodge their attacks. The bearer does a vacuum wave when dodging attacks.

The Father

Regis Lucis Caelum, the 113th King of the Lucian Dynasty. Known for the love of his family, and for wielding a saber-like sword. Regis made a trip across the lands of Lucis before his coronation. Regis is the son of King Mors Lucis Caelum, who consolidated the power of the barrier over Insomnia.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

The True King

Noctis Lucis Caelum is the 114th king of the Lucian Dynasty, and its last member. He is chosen by the Crystal to become the True King, the culmination of the Lucian bloodline as the member who can use the Light of Providence to eradicate Starscourge from the world.

Story

Kings of Lucis stand beside the Oracle in the painting of the prophecy.

In the Old Calendar Era, Starscourge spread across the globe, a plague that lengthens the night and turns people into daemons. The Astral gods want to purge the darkness by the powers of light, and Bahamut handpicked two people who would become able to wield divine powers to counteract the Starscourge, and to one day save the world from it. This became the prophecy of the True King.

According to legend, Bahamut picked the first Oracle from the land of Tenebrae. Her calling is to help the king of Lucis, and has the power to commune with the Astrals and heal those afflicted with Starscourge. Bahamut gifted the king of Lucis the Crystal alongside the Ring of the Lucii, so that one day the True King would be born of their lineage and banish Starscourge from the world. The Lucian kings are sworn to protect the Crystal until that day arrives, and gain the ability to use various magical abilities as facilitated by the Crystal. The Crystal exudes great magical power, and is said to hold the soul of the world.

The Lucian royalty can combine their powers across generations, as the one who wears the Ring of the Lucii can wield the powers of the kings of old. Thus, the power of the Crystal gradually concentrates until the king who wields all of the Crystal's power will be crowned the True King. The True King is said to surpass even the gods and have the power to banish the darkness from the world at the cost of his own life.

Ardyn being celebrated as a great healer.

With the plan to cleanse the world of Starscourge in motion, Bahamut disappeared. Ardyn Lucis Caelum was going to be the first king of Lucis, and believed he was chosen to save Eos. He was revered for a time as he absorbed countless daemons to save thousands across the world. He was denounced by the Astrals as unclean, denied entry to the Astral Realm, and demonized by his brother, whom Ardyn claims was jealous of him. The brother became chosen by the Crystal and known as the Founder King. As his transition rendered him immortal, Ardyn took the surname of "Izunia" and vowed to one day have his revenge on the Caelum dynasty and the Crystal.

For the next two millennia the kings and queens of Lucis expanded their territory, extending the kingdom's sphere of influence to the regions of Cavaugh, Leide, Duscae, Cleigne and Galahd. The 113th king of Lucis is Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII. Though the Wall he upholds only now covers the Crown City, his health is failing him at 50, and he only has one heir: the 20-year-old Prince Noctis. Regis ponders for how much longer he can keep projecting the Wall, but is reluctant to pass the torch onto his beloved son, knowing it would in time do the same to him. Fifteen years ago the Lucii told Regis that Noctis will be the Chosen King spoken of in legend. Regis eventually decides to accept a suspicious peace treaty with Niflheim, with whom Lucis has warred for hundreds of years, and sends Noctis away from the city before the signing is to take place to keep him safe and to give him the best chance of fulfilling the prophecy.

Ravus wants to be judged by the Lucian kings and gain the Ring of the Lucii's power.

During the treaty-signing Niflheim's forces draw their weapons upon the Lucians and war breaks out amid the Crown City. Emperor Aldercapt and Ardyn—who has established himself as the chancellor of Niflheim—steal the Crystal and the Wall dissipates. The Crown City is invaded by daemons and magitek troops. General Glauca is tasked with taking the Ring of the Lucii from the king, and it is also sought by Ravus Nox Fleuret, the former prince of Tenebrae who is of the Oracles' bloodline. Ravus begrudges Regis and his kingdom for having abandoned Tenebrae when Niflheim invaded it, and believes his heritage entitles him to the ring's powers and could make him the True King. When he acquires the ring and puts it on however, he is judged unworthy by the past kings and the ring burns him, although he survives with a lost limb.

Regis is accompanied by Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, the Oracle and Ravus's sister who has never blamed Regis for Tenebrae's downfall. She is Prince Noctis's childhood friend and considers her calling to be helping him become the Chosen King. They are protected by a member of the Kingsglaive, an elite unit of soldiers for whom Regis has lent the ability to use his magic: Nyx Ulric. Regis passes on the Ring of the Lucii to Luna with instructions to take it to Noctis. He stays behind to fight Glauca to give Luna and Nyx time to escape, and is killed, his spirit entering the ring. The Kingsglaive lose their ability to use magic.

Nyx puts on the ring and communicates with the past kings.

Nyx is soon attacked by one of his fellow Glaives who has turned against the monarchy, Luche Lazarus. Luche is tricked into putting on the ring and is deemed unworthy by the past kings and burned alive. Nyx's superior, Titus Drautos, reveals himself to be Glauca, and attempts to claim the ring. Nyx puts it on and finds himself in another dimension, where he speaks to the deceased Lucian kings and faces their judgment.

When the kings see Nyx fights for the future, at the spirit of King Regis's urging, they grant him their power in exchange for his life. Nyx passes the ring to Luna, then uses the Ring of the Lucii's power to engage Glauca. The resulting battle sees Glauca fatally stabbed by Nyx, with the empire's daemons destroyed by the Old Wall, summoned effigies of the past kings of Lucis. Nyx dies at dawn as part of the blood price of using the ring's powers.

Luna escapes Insomnia with the Ring of the Lucii and eventually makes her way to Altissia where she speaks with her brother Ravus. She asks him to take the ring to Noctis as she is collapsing from the strain of her duties, but he turns away at the sight of it, and says delivering the ring to the Chosen King is her duty. Although Ravus doesn't think Noctis is worthy of Luna's sacrifice, he has come to believe the prince is the only one who can become the True King.

Noctis is on a journey to collect the royal arms of his forebears and forge covenants with the Astrals with faraway help from Luna. He believes his mission is to reclaim his kingdom by toppling the empire, and is initially unaware of his role as the True King. He is being helped by Ardyn, although Noctis doesn't like or trust him. Though chancellor of Niflheim, Ardyn is actually Noctis's immortal ancestor and an embodiment of darkness and the Starscourge, as his soul has been corrupted by daemonic influence. Though also a Lucis Caelum, Ardyn has fallen from the gods' and the Crystal's favor and his name has been scrubbed from history books. He seeks to extinguish the Lucian bloodline as revenge, and defeat the True King. Knowing that this is Noctis's fate, Ardyn helps the prince get the full powers of the Crystal so that he could then destroy him.

Noctis wields the power of kings to fight Leviathan.

Luna calls upon the souls of Lucian kings when Noctis fights the Astral Leviathan to forge a covenant with her. The kings answer, the royal tombs across the land light up, and Noctis enters a sustained mode of Armiger, the power of kings that lets him wield all of his royal arms simultaneously. Luna releasing the magic of the tombs also returns the kings' power to the former members of the Kingsglaive.

Noctis receives the Ring of the Lucii from a dying Luna, and eventually makes his way to the imperial capital where the Crystal now lies. His mission has shifted from just reclaiming Lucis to that of saving the world, as without Luna keeping the darkness of the Starscourge at bay, daylight is rapidly vanishing from the world. Noctis believes he can use the Crystal's power of light to fight the darkness, but when he finds the Crystal he is absorbed inside it. He meets Bahamut and learns he must sacrifice his life to bring light back to the world.

Noctis sleeps inside the heart of the Crystal for ten years, during which Eos is plunged into an eternal night and daemons take over the world. People's only hope is that the fabled King of Light of the Lucian lineage will come as per the prophecy. The Kingsglaive, the power of kings now returned to them, work alongside the Hunters and the Crownsguard to protect Lucis and mankind's final surviving outpost, Lestallum.

The clash of kings.

Noctis returns ten years later and confronts the Fierce, the Rogue and the Mystic Lucii in the ruins of Insomnia. Noctis and his friends meet with Ardyn who seems to have taken the Crystal to the Citadel. Ardyn ushers the Betrayer Astral upon the retinue, Ifrit, but Noctis prevails with the help of the other Astrals. Noctis battles Ardyn both wielding the power of kings, but Noctis emerges victorious and ultimately kills Ardyn by drawing his royal arms and striking him with each one.

He calls upon the spirits of past Lucian kings to be able to confront Ardyn's spirit in the afterlife. The spirits of the old kings attack Noctis until his soul is taken by the ring, and his spirit enters a realm of full of light similar to the place inside the Crystal where he had met Bahamut. Noctis uses the power of light to banish darkness from the world and erase Ardyn's soul. The prophecy fulfilled, the Ring of the Lucii disintegrates as the Lucian bloodline ends with Noctis's death. His spirit appears upon the throne of Lucis marked Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV with Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, the last Oracle.

Gameplay

Battle against The Fierce.

The Fierce, The Rogue, and The Mystic are fought as bosses in Insomnia in the PC and Royal Edition versions.

Creation and development

The kings' spirits in the sky in the Dawn trailer.

The Lucii first appeared in the Dawn trailer shown at Gamescon 2015, where Regis holds the young Noctis at a rainy Citadel with the shadows of the Lucii looming about them. This scene doesn't appear in the final game, but appears to depict the scene where Regis learns of Noctis's status as the Crystal's Chosen.

Visual effects studio Image Engine created the 23-minute battle scene where the Lucii come to life for Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. Square Enix sent Image Engine a variety of environments and other assets at the start of production, and Image Engine commenced the animation process using body and facial motion capture provided by Square. In addition, Image Engine's own animators donned Xsens MVN suits to capture in-house mo-cap data. The animators even filmed themselves acting out fight scenes with cardboard swords, working with a martial arts expert who helped provide direction on combat choreography. Sequence director Yamamoto Kazuhito stayed at Image Engine's Vancouver headquarters to work with the team. For Insomnia, Image Engine team produced a library of buildings, many of which were intended to be destroyed by the Lucii, and populated them throughout the city based on a guide map provided by Square Enix.

Gallery

The kings' spirits in the sky.

The Fierce in the Final Fantasy XV PC version.

The Rogue in Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition.

The Father.

Royal sigils menu in Final Fantasy XV: Comrades.

King Regis and the young heir apparent, Noctis.

Ardyn Izunia.

A king on the cover of Cosmogony.

An illustration of a king in Cosmogony.

The old kings of Lucis in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

The Mystic in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

The kings explained in the tutorial.

Artwork of the statue of "The Wise" king for Kingsglaive.

Spoilers end here.

Etymology

[view · edit · purge]Lucis, meaning "of the light", is the genitive singular form of the Latin word lux, which means "light".

[view · edit · purge]Caelum means "sky" in Latin.

Trivia

• There being thirteen past kings who aid Noctis in his final struggle, as well as thirteen royal arms, is an allusion to number thirteen, as per the game's origins as Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
• The Lucian kings could also be compared to l'Cie from the Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy series to which Final Fantasy Versus XIII was part of, as they have a mission to a Crystal. "Lucis", "Lucii" and "l'Cie" sound similar, although this could be a coincidence. Both the Lucian kings from Final Fantasy XV and l'Cie from Fabula Nova Crystallis are also homage to Warriors of Light, the traditional Final Fantasy heroes who answer the calling of a crystal.
• Lucis had a more overt relationship to the Grim Reaper in earlier drafts, but this was toned down due to ratings concerns. Imagery relating to skulls still appears among the main cast's outfits and the insignia of Lucis. This may allude to the revering of the dead kings.

• The spirits of the past kings allude to the Knights of the Round, a recurring summon in the series. The thirteen Lucian kings of old appear during the final encounter, similar to how the Knights of the Round perform when summoned in Final Fantasy VII.
• Despite being referred to as the Kings of Lucis, there have been queens reported to rule Lucis as depicted in their royal arms that survived and found their way to Noctis.
• Gilgamesh can phase, similar to the power of the kings of Lucis. When he phases, he leaves behind muted red holograms.
• According to the research notes found in Zegnautus Keep, Niflheim continues developing a Wallbreaker Wave that can neutralize all magical phenomena exhibited by Lucian royalty.
• The first king is said to have reigned some 2000 years ago. Regis is the 113th king, meaning that on average, the reign of each monarch lasted less than 18 years.

References

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