As in most MMORPGs, there are countless NPCs in Final Fantasy XIV. Some of them have such tragic stories that players have had to shed tears because of them. Here are 5 of them.
In the over 7 years since the reboot, Final Fantasy XIV has produced countless NPCs. Many of them carry no significance for the game’s story. However, some are prominently featured and have become dear to FFXIV players.
We introduce you to 5 NPCs whose stories are so sad that many Warriors of Light have cried because of them.
Ysayle Dangoulain
Addon: A Realm Reborn and Heavensward
Who is Ysayle? Players encounter Ysayle for the first time before the story of the first expansion Heavensward. She belongs to the opposing faction of heretics who rebel against the city-state of Ishgard and is known under the name of Iceheart.
Throughout the story, Ysayle joins the player character and their group because they want to end the thousand-year-long war between Ishgard and the dragons together. She becomes an ally, and one even befriends her.
Why is her story sad? Ysayle turns out to be a tragic character in Heavensward. She is introduced as a villain and even transforms into the primal Shiva. However, she has good intentions. She wants to end the senseless war and reveal the lies of the Ishgardian authority.
However, she acts too rashly, and innocent people die because of her, making her realize that she was on the wrong path. In the end, she sacrifices her life to atone for her crimes and to save the player character and their companions.
And even after her death, her soul continues to help us when she aids in freeing the Dragoon Estinien from the influence of the dragon Nidhogg. For that, we will never forget her.
Haurchefant Greystone
Addon: A Realm Reborn
Who is Haurchefant? The bastard son of the noble Edmond de Fortemps is a knight who leads Camp Dragonhead. His stepmother never accepted him and demanded that her own legitimate sons keep their distance from him. However, this did not prevent Haurchefant from adopting his father’s knightly virtues and training hard to be elevated to knighthood.
Players encounter Haurchefant very early in the game. Already in the story missions of the first reboot patch 2.0, one meets the cheerful Elezen and quickly becomes friends with him. We help him prove the innocence of his friend, and he later offers us shelter in the story.
Why is his story sad? Few NPCs have caused as many tears as Haurchefant Greystone. From the beginning, he is portrayed as a loyal friend of the players in the story, always there when we need him. In many solo battles in Heavensward, he rushed to our aid and always believed us without question.
How much greater was the shock when Haurchefant sacrificed his life for us. When one of the Azure Knights in his primal form attempted to impale the player character with a magical spear, Haurchefant threw himself in between. But his shield was not strong enough, and he died in our arms, before the eyes of his friends.
His death also deeply affected other NPCs. His father could not bear the loss of his son and stepped down as the head of House de Fortemps. He gifted us Haurchefant’s ruined shield, which now rests at his grave.
Rielle de Caulignont
Addon: Heavensward
Who is Rielle? Players learn about Rielle as a silent and mysterious girl. She accompanies the Dark Knight Sidurgu Orl, who protects her from the templars. They aim to kill the girl at all costs.
Throughout the story of the Dark Knight job, it is revealed that she is the daughter of a noblewoman. Rielle’s mother, Ystride, is a fanatical follower of Halone, while her father is a heretic. When Ystride finds out, she swears to mercilessly hunt her daughter to purge this “sin” from the world.
Why is her story sad? Even though Rielle is not one of the NPCs from the main story quest of FFXIV, her story is still very tragic. She is shunned and scolded by her own mother for something she cannot control.
She has no one to turn to, and Sidurgu only protects her at first because he knows that the templars will pursue Rielle, giving him the chance for revenge against them. Until the end, she hopes that her mother might have a little love left for her.
But Ystride remains unyielding and swears during the final battle against her that she will hunt Rielle forever. Subsequently, Rielle prays one last time for her mother, who is then killed before her eyes.
Emet-Selch
Addon: Stormblood and Shadowbringers
Who is Emet-Selch? The mysterious Emet-Selch belongs to the hostile faction of the Scians in FFXIV. Like his brothers, he has manipulated the events of world history for millennia to trigger disasters. He was responsible for the Allagan Empire and also the rise of Garlemald.
In the Shadowbringers expansion, Emet-Selch joins us because he wants to test us. He wants to see if we are strong enough to absorb the excess light from the first shard world within us. Because perhaps there is hope to end the conflict with the Ascians without further bloodshed.
Why is his story sad? Even though Emet-Selch is initially introduced as a villain in the game, one learns about his motivation during the journey through Shadowbringers. He is one of the last beings to have witnessed the cruel downfall of the old unshattered world.
He watched as everyone he loved and who mattered to him either died or sacrificed themselves to summon Zodiark. The first primal was their only hope to save their dying world.
Driven by sorrow and despair, Emet-Selch desperately wants to reunite the shard worlds to bring his brothers and sisters back to life. Even if it means destroying a former friend. In the end, however, he fails and dies with a smile on his face.
Yotsuyu goe Brutus
Addon: Stormblood
Who is Yotsuyu? The cruel regent of Doma is introduced to us in the Stormblood expansion. From the first minute, players learn to hate her. She is sadistic, ruthless, and seemingly kills for her own enjoyment. During the recapture of Doma, she, along with the samurai Gosetsu, is buried beneath the rubble of the palace and seemingly dies.
However, both Gosetsu and Yotsuyu survive, although she loses her memory in the process. She becomes an innocent girl who likes sweets and cares for the old samurai. Until her brother arrives in Doma under the guise of an ambassador.
Why is her story sad? In the beginning of Stormblood, the game only shows Yotsuyu’s cruel, ugly side. However, as the expansion progresses, we uncover more and more of her horrific past and the abuse she endured from her family and husband. They turned Yotsuyu into the monster she is.
The only warmth she experienced in her life came from Gosetsu, who protected her after her memory loss. Deep down, she feels that she has done something terrible and continuously apologizes for it.
In the end, her memories return and she transforms into the primal Tsukuyomi, believing she must accept her monstrous side, feeling she does not deserve Gosetsu’s kindness. She dies by our hand, but not before killing her brother, who was responsible for much of her suffering.
Tell us: Which NPCs did you find the saddest? Are there any missing from this list? Write them in the comments!
If you feel too sad after this list, check out our Top 10 of the Craziest FFXIV Mounts. It will cheer you up.
