Halmarut is a character from Final Fantasy XIV. She is an Ascian and member of the Winterers.

History

Before Final Fantasy XIV

Originating from the usundered Etheirys, "Halmarut" is a title rather than a name, and was given to the member of the Convocation of Fourteen who specialized in fungal and plant life. The phytobiology wing of Akadaemia Anyder was host to the research of the position's followers, the Words of Halmarut.

Before the current Halmarut, the original person to hold the title was a man lauded for countless advancements in phytobiology, as well as a landscape gardener. He was famous for his botanical mazes, and to protect them from pests he used the ancients' creation magic to create the world's first carnivorous plants. His students expanded on his techniques to create various forms of ambulatory plants.^[3]

This Halmarut was the one who held the position during the Final Days. Along with the rest of the Convocation, except for the erstwhile Azem, Halmarut summoned the primal Zodiark in an effort to stop the catastrophe and return of the ancients' former way of life. During the Sundering, following the battle between Hydaelyn and Zodiark, Halmarut's soul was split into 14 shards and spread across the Source and its thirteen reflections.

One of the shards of Halmarut's soul was presumably found and raised to the position of an Ascian, having her memories restored.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

After the Endless Calyx and his primal based on a concept of the fear of death, Necron, were defeated by the Warrior of Light, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Dawnservant Wuk Lamat, and Sphene, Calyx transferred his memories from Meso Terminal to another location. Halmarut approached him, having "smelled the scent of his defeat". Calyx would give his report to their Winterer peers.

When the Warrior of Light visited Treno in the Ninth, Halmarut observed them disguised as a civilian, but ran off when their eyes met, feeling that the Warrior of Light had recognized her as a threat. Following this, Halmarut discussed the incoming catastrophe that would befall the Ninth and other worlds due to the "silence left behind by the will of the star" with Calyx, now inhabiting a mu doll she carried.

After the Warrior of Light and the Scions quelled the voidsent invasion in Mare Lamentorum, Halmarut approached them. Thancred Waters pulled his weapon, but Halmarut used creation magick to envelop his gunblade with flora. She revealed her identity, and even though, as an Ascian, they were sworn enemies, she claimed she only wanted to talk, and asked the Warrior of Light to lay down their arms. Y'shtola Rhul guessed that she was the one who had taught Calyx about summoning and reflections, which Halmarut confirmed, bringing Calyx down as well. Alphinaud Leveilleur asked what she wanted. She pointed at Etheirys, saying she had approached them because they, out of all people, knew about the Source and its reflections, which were sundered in ages past. She claimed that now that Hydaelyn, who had sundered Etheirys and sustained the worlds, was no more, nature was causing the Source to yearn to be made whole again, drawing the remaining reflections to be rejoined. Unlike the Rejoinings the Ascians had caused through Umbral Calamities, these new rejoinings would cause Etheirys to return into a state where mankind had yet to emerge. The result would be for everyone in the Source and its reflections to perish. She called this phenomenon Solstice.

The Scions were skeptical, but asked why Halmarut was willing to share this information with them. She claimed she cherished man's journey, how they had always been strong and yet weak, having survived despite hardships. With the survival of mankind at stake, Calyx told them about the Winterers, a group of individuals across the reflections who had similar desires to Calyx, willing to extinguish a world if it meant their own survival. Urianger Augurelt realized that Halmarut was planning to cause a premature rejoining; that way, many would die, but some, like the Winterers, would survive. The Scions did not agree with this, which Halmarut had expected. She turned to the Warrior of Light, and told them she would allow them to deal with the reflections as they saw fit, thinking it would fill their ambition. She conjured Zenos Galvus's scythe, and reminded the Warrior of Light how Zenos had achieved his by bringing the world to the brink of ruin just to face the Warrior of Light. She and Calyx then left.

Later, in Mor Dhona, Calyx appeared to the Warrior of Light, revealing that he and Halmarut were planning to travel to the Fourth, a reflection covered in ice, whose inhabitants had fled to the skies and established a new civilization there.

Characteristics

Appearance

Halmarut appears as an Au Ra with red hair, greenish scales, and large round glasses. Her horns are more outward compared to other Au Ra. She wears an old-fashioned dress, which Calyx deems is an out-of-date style. Halmarut claims she chooses to forgo her Ascian robes because such attire would immediately identify her.

Personality

Halmarut is timid towards the Warrior of Light, knowing they are the Source's vaunted hero and responsible for the defeat of many of her Ascian brethren. Strangely for an Ascian, Halmarut lacks a sense of forethought as she appeared in Treno, a town filled with only the Milalla people, in the form of an Au Ra, which made her stand out and easy for the Warrior of Light to notice. Calyx would mock her for this.

Unlike her Ascian brethren, Halmarut is sympathetic to mankind in its current sundered state, claiming she cherishes their journey, and does not want it to end. Nevertheless, she is willing to use any means necessary to ensure mankind will survive the Solstice, even if it means causing mass death and destruction. She is, however, open to other means of achieving her goal, and in this regard, she challenges the Warrior of Light, encouraging them to deal with Solstice their way.

Voice

In English, Halmarut is voiced by Nina Yndis, who previously voiced Uimet in Shadowbringers and Benedikta Harman in Final Fantasy XVI, while in Japanese she is voiced by Saori Hayami, who previously voiced Arciela V Adoulin in Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia and Alma Beoulve in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles.

Etymology

Halmarut was named after Halmarut, the Arbiter, the scion of light in opposition to Exodus, the Judge-Sal from Final Fantasy XII.

Citations