The demons and dark gods who are said to have ruled over the world in ages past. They are immortal and possessed of immense power, but whenever they have threatened to engulf humanity in the chaos of conflict, the Zodiac Braves have risen up, sacred stones in hand, to banish them back to their realm.
Terms in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
The Lucavi are a race of demons in Final Fantasy Tactics working in secret under the cover of the Church of Glabados to revive their dead leader, Ultima the High Seraph. There are at least seven Lucavi, though one of them, Serpentarius, does not explicitly have association with the others.
Each Lucavi is connected to a shard of auracite, also known as Zodiac Stones, which serves as a conduit for that Lucavi to exist in Ivalice. Each Lucavi also has a human host, allowing them to interact with others in Ivalice without drawing attention. The Lucavi can switch between human and demon form via their auracite. They speak with an archaic speech pattern, denoting their age.
In the ancient Ivalician language, Lucavi means "Transcendent One".[1]
Lucavi return as Espers in other Ivalice games, notably Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, though Elidibus is known as his summon, Zodiark.
Profile
The original Lucavi (PlayStation)
The names of the Lucavi are written in Ivalice writing in the background of the saving screen (picture of the circular zodiac sigil at the top of the page). The Lucavi associated with Taurus, Cancer, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Pisces can be known by deciphering the language. The demons associated with the stones never make a physical manifestation within the game.
| Zodiac Sign | Lucavi | Ivalice Name |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | BELIAS | 
|
| Taurus | DUMA | 
|
| Gemini | ZALHERA | 
|
| Cancer | ZEBBEB | 
|
| Leo | HASHMURIM | 
|
| Virgo | ULTIMA | 
|
| Libra | SEL | 
|
| Scorpio | CUCHRAIN | 
|
| Sagittarius | ROPHOCHEHE[note 1] | 
|
| Capricorn | ADRAMELECH | 
|
| Aquarius | CHERAUB | 
|
| Pisces | LEVIATHAN | 
|
- ↑ The name Rofocale (or Rofokare in the PlayStation version) appears between Cúchulainn and Adrammelech in the game's data. It appears to be a dummied Lucavi that would have been associated with the Sagittarius Stone. His name was given to a undead time mage who fights at Yuguewood.
Origin
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift provides a description of the origin of the Lucavi. The following text is given to Luso Clemens by Lezaford:
- There are worlds within our world of Ivalice that we cannot touch or know as we know our own bed, home, or town.
- The Netherworld, the Empyreal Plain, the World of Illusion... these are together known as otherworlds, unseen by eye; untouched by hand.
- The order of creatures known as scions hails from these otherworlds. They are found in many places, in many lands, and they count among their number emissaries of the gods, protector spirits, and even greater doers of evil.
- Though the otherworlds are not normally accessible from Ivalice, if certain requirements are met, it is possible to give otherworldly power a physical manifestation in our world. This is most commonly seen in the pact made by the summoners who calls down an Esper to fight for them.
- From the legend of a great mage in the far eastern realms who sundered a magickal seal, thus receiving a scion as a servant, it would seem that they, too, operate by these same principles.
- In Jylland, it has been discovered that that summoning of scions is possible with the use of a particular magickal device. However, it is certain that the power manifested through this means is only an echo of the scion's true power. To evoke the true power of a scion, it would be necessary to harmonize oneself to the scion's being, fusing not only one's purpose with the scion, but one's own body and mind.
History
The Lucavi's ultimate goal is the resurrection of their master, Ultima, whose essence lies in the depths of the Necrohol of Mullonde, trapped inside the corpse of her former host, Saint Ajora Glabados. Once that is done, the demons will have no need of auracite or the vessels they inhabit, as they will be able to come and go as they please. Under the leadership of Ultima, the Lucavi's plan is to dominate Ivalice. In Ultima's absence, Hashmal led the effort to revive her. By possessing the leader of Knights Templar, Folmarv Tengille, Hashmal manipulated the events that led to the War of the Lions as means to obtain the Zodiac Stones to bring forth his Lucavi brethen to Ivalice and seek a suitable host for Ultima, which he found in Alma Beoulve, whose presence reacted to the Virgo auracite that Folmarv was carrying.
Ramza Beoulve ran afoul of the Lucavi by discovering their plan to gather the auracites and was forced to fight and defeat the Lucavi one by one. By the time he caught up to Hashmal, the demon was dangerously close to reviving Ultima due to the countless lives reaped during the war, which were needed for the resurrection to work. After being defeated, Hashmal succeeded by committing suicide to fulfill the ritual. Ramza, Alma, and Ramza's companions battled Ultima, who awakened her true monstrous form.
Ultima was ultimately destroyed, though the resulting explosion devastated the remnants of the Necrohol of Mullonde, seemingly killing Ramza, Alma, and their allies. However, Orran Durai briefly spotted Ramza and Alma afterwards. The Enhanced mode of The Ivalice Chronicles version expands on the ending, showing that Ramza used the power of the stones to teleport away from the exploding Airship Graveyard just in time, with Reis Duelar also saying that the auracite could be used to escape.
The Lucavi
Cúchulainn, the Impure, also known as Queklian, the Impure King. He is associated with the Scorpio auracite and has possessed Cardinal Delacroix.
Belias, the Gigas, also known as Velius, the Warlock. He is associated with the Aries auracite and has possessed Wiegraf Folles.
Zalera, the Death Seraph, also known as Zalera, the Angel of Death. He is associated with the Gemini auracite and has possessed Marquis Elmdore.
Adrammelech, the Wroth, also known as Adramelk, the Ghost of Fury. He is associated with the Capricorn auracite and possesses Dycedarg Beoulve.
Hashmal, Bringer of Order, also known as Hashmalum, the Regulator. He is associated with the Leo Auracite and has possessed Folmarv Tengille.
Ultima, the High Seraph, also known as Altima, the Bloody Angel. She is associated with the Virgo auracite. Ultima originally possessed Saint Ajora, but upon his death, she was sealed inside his corpse. As such, the other Lucavi try to revive her host and transfer her soul to a new one, Alma Beoulve.
Serpentarius, the Keeper of Darkness, also known as Elidibus, the Legendary Wizard. He is associated with the Serpentarius auracite. In the original and War of the Lions versions, he retains his own name of Elidibus. He also summons Zodiark, the Esper who represents Serpentarius. He is an optional boss who can be battled between Adrammelech and Hashmal on the final floor of Midlight's Deep before the player goes to Orbonne Monastery in chapter 4, "In the Name of Love".
Abilities
The Lucavi have access to powerful, ancient magicks and abilities that are inaccessible to others in current Ivalice. In particular, their signature Fear/Dread command allows them to inflict status ailments by attacking the minds of their targets. They can employ spells of unmatched power, such as Flareja, Quake, Tornado, Gravija, and Dispelja, amongst others. Even spells that can be learned by humans, such as Ultima, are vastly more powerful in comparison when employed by the Lucavi. Alongside their unparalleled magicks is their monstrous physical strength, capable of inflicting lethal damage despite not using weapons.
The Lucavi's primary ability is to possess compatible human hosts, with this serving as their main method to manifest themselves in Ivalice as they reside in an alternate realm. The resurrection of their leader, Ultima, is said to allow them free passage between both planes, but this is not seen in-game.
In earlier versions of the game, it was hinted that possession by a Lucavi meant the demon took over the host's body, but The Ivalice Chronicles portrays a more nuanced reality. The possessed individuals, for the most part, retain their sanity and personality traits, but the more negative aspects are amplified while their desires become wicked and corrupted.
Alphonse Delacroix's faith becomes twisted into worshiping the Lucavi and Ultima and he mocks the Church's teachings as false stories and boasts about fooling scores of followers. Wiegraf Folles's desire for vengeance after the loss of his sister and the abuse of the nobles is intermixed and twisted; he sees power as the only means to achieve liberation and his vision for equality is twisted into granting power to the commoners by turning them into demons. Dycedarg Beoulve has his hatred for his father, along with his delusional sense of self-importance, increased to the extent that he is proud of his deeds and shamelessly blames his brothers for his actions.
Upon possession, the Lucavi have access to their hosts' abilities while in human form and can, in turn, transform into their demonic forms through the auracite's power. Their demonic forms have immense power, said to rival that of entire armies. Folmarv Tengille, upon assuming Hashmal's form, kills around 500 soldiers under Duke Gerrith Barrington's servitude and maims their bodies with such brutality that the chemists conducting the autopsies are incapable of comprehending what had transpired. Folmarv is later shown to be in perfect condition, implying that the hundreds of combatants were hardly a match for the Lucavi's second-in-command.
The Lucavi are capable of bestowing power unto other individuals who are not their hosts. The procedure is unclear, but it is hinted to be through devilish pacts in exchange for their souls. In the only two known cases, the receptors are resurrected from the dead and have noticeable differences. Barich Fendsor is brought to life, but otherwise remains normal. Argath Thadalfus is granted the power of darkness, becoming a deathknight (a stronger version of the fell knight).
Although powerful, the Lucavi are far from invincible, which is best evidenced by how Ramza, an otherwise normal human, is able to fell each one of them in combat alongside his company.
Underlings
The Lucavi employ many underlings, with the most notable being the Archaeodaemons and Ultima Demons. Both are of considerable power and the Ultima Demons can even cast the spell Ultima. During the battles against Ramza, Belias summons Archaeodaemons to help him, while Ultima summons Ultima Demons to help her. In addition, Celia and Lettie, who serve Marquis Elmdore, are Ultima Demons and, if defeated in human form during the battle with Elmdore, will transform into demons and continue fighting. Both Archaeodaemons and Ultima Demons are summoned by Folmarv to help the undead Zalbaag.
Individuals who sell their souls to the Lucavi effectively become servants in exchange for power. Both Argath and Barich were granted command over monsters and demons, implying that they were deemed as high-ranking servants of the Lucavi command structure.
Musical themes
"The Pervert" (named "Helldance" in the in-game sound test mode of The War of the Lions version) is the Lucavi boss battle theme. It begins to play as any Lucavi-possessed character transforms into a Lucavi form and stops playing right before the defeated Lucavi explodes. The theme is in minor key. It begins slowly and becomes faster partway through, only to become slow again just before it repeats.
During the slow part, there are four beats to a measure and during the fast part, there are only three. It also switches keys twice during the fast part before reverting to its original key. The combination of these irregularities works well as the heroes are in the presence of something unholy whenever it is being played.
Cúchulainn, Belias, Zalera, Adrammelech, Elidibus, and Hashmal use this theme. Ultima has two themes of her own, which are used instead for the battles against her.
In addition to "The Pervert", the Lucavi also have a laughter sound effect. The laugh is a remix of Kefka Palazzo's laugh in Final Fantasy VI.
Other appearances
Final Fantasy XII
Some Espers are based on the Lucavi. Most do not have a storyline role, but they appear to be in service of the Occuria. The ones based on the Lucavi are:
- Belias, the Gigas: Guardian of the inner sanctum of the Tomb of Raithwall. It is said that Raithwall placed him to guard the Dawn Shard, a fragment of deifacted nethicite. When the party approaches Giruvegan, Belias must be summoned to break the seal on the entrance.
- Adrammelech, the Wroth: Part of an optional quest in the Zertinan Caverns, located at the center of a radar-warping Mist pocket and a cyclone. He summons Shambling Corpses to slow the party's assault.
- Zalera, the Death Seraph: Encountered deep in the ruins of the Barheim Passage.
- Cúchulainn, the Impure: Part of an optional quest whose last leg requires solving the Garamsythe Waterway.
- Hashmal, Bringer of Order: He guards the way to the top of Pharos.
- Ultima, the High Seraph: She is an optional Esper who makes her abode at the bottom of the Great Crystal. Like her counterpart in Final Fantasy Tactics, she is the one who rallied the other eleven Espers to rise against their creators and, thus, is implied to be the Espers' leader.
- Zodiark, Keeper of Precepts: The Esper that represents the hidden thirteenth zodiac, Serpentarius, is the last and the most powerful optional Esper. It alludes to the mysterious Zodiark summon from Final Fantasy Tactics. Although not a Lucavi, Zodiark in Final Fantasy Tactics is related to one: Elidibus.
Final Fantasy XIV
Argath Thadalfus as the Lucavi, Duma.
The Lucavi in this setting are transfigured individuals from the use of auracite relics. The creatures appear as bosses within the "Return to Ivalice" 
Alliance raid series and the Zadnor 
Field operation duty series, with a majority of their designs based on their Final Fantasy XII appearances.
Mateus, Hashmal, Rofocale, and Duma appear as bosses inside the Royal City of Rabanastre. Famfrit, Belias, and Yiazmat appear as bosses within the Ridorana Lighthouse. In the Orbonne Monastery, several of Ramza Beoulve's companions became Lucavi versions of themselves to both keep Ultima sealed and to test the heroes who would seek to vanquish her. Lastly, Adrammelech, Shemhazai, and Cúchulainn appear within Zadnor.
The shape they take is determined by the individual and their heart's most earnest desires, not the auracite, with most Lucavi emerging in the form of creatures of Ivalician legend. Mateus, Hashmal, Famfrit, Belias, Cúchulainn, and Shemhazai were created by the IVth Imperial Legion from the use of unnamed zealots who worshiped Ultima and were exiled from Dalmasca years ago. Rofocale was formerly a high-ranking Dalmascan general before being transformed by the Duma. Duma and Yiazmat were created from Argath Thadalfus and Ba'Gamnan, respectively. Agrias Oaks, Mustadio Bunansa, and Cidolfus Orlandeau used auracite to transform into Lucavi versions of themselves. Lastly, Sadr rem Albeleo used auracite to transform himself into Adrammelech within Castrum Lacus Litore.
Additionally, several IVth Legion-made Lucavi copies were made to fight against the Bozjan Resistance within Zadnor. Among them was a second Famfrit created from a IVth Legion onmyoji named Yamatsumi after being influenced by Gilbrisbert Buteo.
While not appearing in the "Return to Ivalice" raids, a boss by the name of Cúchulainn appears inside the Void Ark raid as notable voidsent. This has been explained in lore as the two figures sharing the same name being no more than coincidence.[2]
Pictlogica Final Fantasy
The Lucavi appear as enemies.
Final Fantasy Record Keeper
Some of the Lucavi appear.
Behind the scenes
While the original PlayStation title made it seem like the bearers of the Stone are consumed by the Lucavi, The Ivalice Chronicles expands on it, revealing that in the holder's personality merges with the Lucavi's personality seemingly to a variable extent and they still keep their sense of self, which may imply that each host gave in to evil of their own will. At least some of those in the Stones' thrall appear to believe they have achieved godhood and immortality, with Barich Fendsor being shocked that he can be killed even after "transcending".
Etymology
The Russian word lukavy (лукавый) means "deceptive". It is commonly used as a euphemism for the Christian Devil. It is related to the Greek word lykaugea, which means "twilight".