The Ivalice Alliance and the Aisen Thirteen

[Skyblade]

While going through FFTA, you can't help but notice the legend of the Aisen 13. Thirteen knights, including the Hero Gaol, owner of the Ayvuir Red and the Ayvuir Blue. His story is a quest item, and following in the footsteps of some of his adventures make up a chain of quests in FFTA. Gaol's partner, the moogle Lini, also appears and is a recruitable character, though with little additional story.

In FFTA2, Aisenfield returns, and the descriptions of it once again mention the legend of the thirteen heroes of Aisen and Gaol, and his blades appear once again, though the legend is not mentioned more than that, and the details of the adventures of these legendary heroes remains a mystery.

However, one cannot help but notice the repetition of the number thirteen. Thirteen being the number of the Espers of FFXII (and the Scions of FFTA2), and the number of the Lucavi of FFT. And there was another group of legendary heroes in the world of Ivalice, who numbered twelve, those being the Zodiac Braves. The Zodiac Braves fought in an age before Ivalice was united, defeating and banishing a great demon.

Was there some connection between the heroes of Aisen and the Espers? Could the Aisen 13 have been the Zodiac Braves spoken of in the legends of the church of Glabedos, with one of their number having been forgotten in the mists of time since the cataclysm? Mayhap the heroes of Aisen fought alongside the Occurians in ending Ultima's initial rebellion? Alas, with so much of Ivalice's history lost with the end of the Galtean era and the destruction of the cataclysm, we may never know the truth about these heroes, but if anyone can shed some light on these forgotten legends, it would be appreciated!

-Skyblade, Curious Historian

[G13]

Dang dude, you're really perceptive. That's a good theory! I unfortunately can't say that I know if it's right. It sounds right though.

[Del Murder]

I don't think we're meant to know. I think they leave these things open ended on purpose so that historians such as yourself have something to do.

[qwertysaur]

The worls of Ivalice is very open to more stories that will not conflict with what is already established, unlike the Compiulation which takes Canon as a guideline

[Wolf Kanno]

Its quite possible. The Zodiac Brave story or at least the tale of a band of heroes numbered the same as the astral signs is a recurring theme in the series. Its a shame the TA series has done little to expand on his tale. I'm trying to remember if XII made mention of Gaol and the Aizen 13.

P.S. Every time I see Aizen 13, I think of Bleach

[Zeromus_X]

It sounds interesting, hopefully they'll shed some light on it in another Ivalice game.

[qwertysaur]

Its quite possible. The Zodiac Brave story or at least the tale of a band of heroes numbered the same as the astral signs is a recurring theme in the series. Its a shame the TA series has done little to expand on his tale. I'm trying to remember if XII made mention of Gaol and the Aizen 13.

P.S. Every time I see Aizen 13, I think of Bleach

remember, Aizen is everything, just you don't realize it until you really think about it

[Skyblade]

Oh, as an additional note, the main-story mission "Rumors Abound" from FFTA2 specifically calls them the "Dozen-and-One Knights of Aisen". Perhaps just a fancy way of calling them the Aisen 13, or perhaps an indication that there was one somehow different from the others? Which would give us the twelve Zodiac Braves and a thirteenth, who carried Serpentarius, the unique symbol.

And thanks a lot for the interest, guys.

[CimminyCricket]

*bookmarks this thread for future reference*