A young soldier born and raised during the imperial occupation of Ala Mhigo, Fordola was promised the world—education, training, citizenship—in exchange for service. Scorned as traitors by their people and savages by their Garlean masters, she and others like her struggle to forge their own path in an unforgiving world.
Official Stormblood website
Fordola Lupis is a non-player character from Final Fantasy XIV. She is the secondary antagonist of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood and later takes a supporting role during the post-Stormblood main scenario, and in Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers. A traitor to her homeland of Ala Mhigo, she served under the Garlean Empire as Fordola rem Lupis, stationed in Ala Mhigan territories as commander of the Crania Lupi.
History[]
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood[]
Fordola's father protecting her from the Ala Mhigans.
Fordola's father had believed that collaboration with the Empire was the most peaceful way for Ala Mhigans to survive despite the rage most citizens felt. After his death at the hands of an angry mob when he was protecting her, Fordola became hardened and embittered, believing her father deserved better. Fordola resolved to make the Garleans respect her and her people despite the hardship and humiliation she had faced.
When Ala Mhigo was under the command of Gaius van Baelsar, he appointed Fordola and other Ala Mhigans born from dignitaries as honorary citizens of the Empire by serving in the Garlean militant group known as the Crania Lupi. Despite their rank, they were looked down upon as traitors to their people (who call them "Skulls") and as savages by most imperials. Fordola and her comrades believed their actions were for the good of the Ala Mhigan people and worked towards their goal of being accepted by both Ala Mhigans and imperials regardless of what it took.
After overseeing an Ala Gannha villager give tributium to her platoon, Fordola was present when the crown prince of Garlemald, Zenos yae Galvus, arrived to Ala Mhigo Castle. She piqued his interest when she offered a means to eliminate the Ala Mhigan Resistance, following that action of working with Raubahn Aldynn to take out prototype Magitek. This involved a direct attack on Rhalgr's Reach, with Fordola spearheading the assault. She dealt a blow to the rebels by killing Meffrid and injuring Conrad Kemp. She was defeated by the Warrior of Light, until Zenos arrived personally to deal with the rest of the Resistance.
Fordola receives a gunblade as a reward from Zenos.
Later capturing Krile Maya Baldesion, Fordola was awarded with one of Zenos's men's gunblades and was entrusted with Castellum Velodyna. There, either out of ignorance or to ensure the beastmen's loyalty would not sway to their Vira cousins, Fordola took the Qalyana broodmother's daughter, Anamika, hostage. After losing Velodyna when the Resistance and the Alliance staged Operation Rhalgr's Beacon, Fordola was forced to fall back with Anamika before being surrounded by the Qalyana. Anamika was accidentally killed and the Ananta primal, Lakshmi, was summoned, forcing Fordola and her men to flee. Fordola returned to Ala Mhigo palace to accept whatever punishment awaited her. Zenos spared her once having her admit her deepest desire was to make those who looked down on her suffer, and had Aulus mal Asina turn her into a Resonant.
I...I want... I want to make them pay! All of them! Everyone who ever mocked or looked down on me—I want the power to make them pay!
Fordola
Arriving to Castrum Abania during the attack on the Specula Imperatorius, Fordola relayed Zenos's order to fire on Imperatorius's main tower, knowing that her own people would be killed. When the Warrior of Light and other Scions of the Seventh Dawn members infiltrated Castrum Abania and stormed the control center, Fordola admitted her actions to Lyse Hext while revealing her new powers. Fordola wounded Alisaie Leveilleur before escaping in a Magitek while giving the Warrior of Light's group Zenos's invite to Ala Mhigo Castle for a "royal hunt". When the Scions infiltrated the Resonatium where Krile was held as the Alliance and Resistance captured the capital city, Fordola confronted them. The group used Urianger Augurelt's aetheric siphon to weaken Fordola for Lyse to subdue while others freed Krile. Fordola was taken to Alliance custody and she lived as a prisoner to see Ala Mhigo no longer under Garlean occupancy.
The incensed Ala Mhigans attempted to take Fordola's life after someone leaked info about her captivity. Raubahn stopped them and convinced the mob to stand down, citing Fordola could be aware of the whereabouts of the prisoners still within imperial custody. The Warrior of Light, Lyse, M'naago Rahz, Arenvald Lentinus, and Alphinaud Leveilleur visited her cell to discuss the prisoner situation. Fordola claimed to want nothing but death as this would unite Ala Mhigo, but Arenvald questioned her resolve as she could have died at any time, but chose not to. Fordola denied his claims when the Warrior of Light's Echo allowed them to witness her past upbringing and what caused her to side with the Empire. Fordola's Resonant powers caused her to see the Warrior's life and memories, and she was left aghast at what she witnessed and felt; the pain of losing her father dwarfed by the endless fighting and numerous betrayals and losses the Warrior of Light had suffered. Unable to grasp why the Warrior still persevered, Lyse left Fordola to continue pondering about her next decision.
Lyse rushed to her cell and freed Fordola while giving her a weapon as Lakshmi had been summoned within the throne room with the intent of enthralling everyone present. She grabbed the weapon and entered the fight, joining her Resonant power with that of Arenvald's and the Warrior of Light's Echo to shield the bystanders. With their combined might they felled the primal. She was confronted by Ala Mhigans and her Resonant power caused her to experience the pain they felt at the hands of her Skulls. Fordola dropped her weapon and started to return to her cell. Raganfrid stopped her, reminding her that she was not forgiven for her misdeeds—but on behalf of everyone present—extended his gratitude for saving them from the primal's enslavement. For once in her life Fordola had received gratitude from her countrymen, shedding a tear before returning to her confinement.
Raubahn conscripted Fordola as a weapon to aid the Eorzean Alliance against primal uprisings, as well as serving her sentence outside of a cell. As a precaution, she was fitted with a cursed choker that would strangle her should she slip loose. She was dispatched in a party alongside Arenvald to southern Thanalan in response to a summoning of Ifrit and defeated the primal.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers[]
The Warrior and Arenvald visited Fordola in her cell at Jajasamu's request to learn of their thoughts on fighting primals.[1] Upon hearing of the Warrior's journey in the First, Fordola lamented that though she wanted Resonant powers, she was burdened with guilt over those who were sacrificed. She now believed that she could honor them by using her powers for good.
The battlefield's littered with would-be heroes. At this rate, you lot'll be next. And what'll become of your precious dreams then!? They'll be gone—like dust on the wind!
Fordola to Estinien
Following Fandaniel and his towers' appearances across the Source, Raubahn assigned Fordola and Arenvald to investigate them. They journeyed to the tower at Paglth'an and discovered Amalj'aa prisoners whom Arenvald attempted to free, but unintentionally caused them to summon Lunar Ifrit. Arenvald shielded Fordola from the lunar primal, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. She later lambasted Alphinaud for his idealism, only to be called out by Estinien Wyrmblood, empathizing with her for her realistic but darkened views, but pointing out that idealists like Alphinaud had the conviction to rise above others. After bringing a wheelchair-using Arenvald to Gridania to meet with Alphinaud, Fordola—having been moved by Estinien and Alphinaud's words—encouraged him to stop feeling sorry for himself and find other ways to make the most of his life.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker[]
When the Final Days returned, many nations began to report about blasphemies. One such blasphemy was reported in Ala Mhigo. As the Warrior of Light joined Raubahn and Arenvald with the investigation, Fordola was also brought to the fold. During Warrior of Light's and Fordola's investigations in Ala Gannha, when a beast of the Final Days appeared and Fordola put it down, a young girl thanked her. Fordola tried to see if she was okay, but the girl's mother told her to stay away. This showed Fordola and Warrior that despite all she had done after the liberation, people still saw her as "the Butcher". She nearly fell to her despair that would have transformed her into a beast, but the Warrior encouraged her to not give up, believing that one day she could truly redeem herself.
The blasphemy turned out to be Charlet, an old friend of Fordola's who—unlike the other Skulls—did not enlist with them. After hearing that his friends were killed by the cannon shot Fordola had ordered during the Ala Mhigan campaign, he had fallen into despair. The despair reached a climax at the wrong moment, and he turned into a blasphemy. Fordola swore to fix this herself, as this blasphemy was born because of her.
Charlet was eventually found, and Raubahn sent Fordola and M'naago to hold it off. Fordola contacted the Warrior, telling she needed them. By the time the Warrior and Raubahn arrived at the scene, Fordola was fighting it alone, M'naago's forces having been knocked out. Fordola almost fell into her despair, until M'naago shouted that she did not get to get away like that: she still had reasons to live. With Warrior's encouragement, they, Raubahn, and Fordola brought Charlet down, and Fordola felt relief for having given her friend peace. As they returned to Ala Mhigo, Fordola was met by the girl from Ala Gannha, who had been looking for her ever since. Fordola was happy to receive her gratitude and the girl's mother was also thankful for her. Raubahn opted to give Fordola more freedom, as she had proven herself to be loyal to Ala Mhigo, and was willing to redeem herself.
Fordola took part alongside Yugiri Mistwalker in Garlemald, as the Alliance hunted the last blasphemy, Nerva yae Galvus.
Characteristics[]
Appearance[]
Fordola boasts both the dominating physique and the unflinching stance of an Ala Mhigan warrior. She wears light, segmented armor whose lack of ornamentation denotes her status as both a conscript and a commander. In battle she wields a scimitar and a small buckler shield. Her face is wrought into determined expressions, complemented by a warrior's face paint and orange hair, streaked with yellow. Fordola possesses the same tattoo as her father, likely to honor his memory and remind her what she is fighting for. Unlike Zenos Galvus, Fordola only possesses one eye that turns Resonant.
Personality[]
Fordola is forged in hardship and tempered by suffering. She carries a single-minded desire to see Ala Mhigans accepted by mainstream Garlean society and considers collaboration with the Empire to be her people's only hope. After years of conscription and servitude to the Garlean military—one who treated her as dispensable cannon fodder—she has become brutal and unrelenting in her loyalty to the Empire. This manifests in bitterness, rashness, and a fear of her own self-sacrifice. Above all else Fordola desires to survive to see her people raised above their current squalor. She is driven by the memory of her father's death.
When defeated and imprisoned by the resistance, Fordola remains defiant, wanting to be executed, feeling she has nothing left to live for. Lyse Hext, despite her lingering grudge towards her, believes there is hope for Fordola in redeeming herself. Fordola brushes off these attempts, but ultimately aids the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and the resistance against the primal Lakshmi, proving that despite her crimes, Fordola remains loyal to her homeland. Some time after being conscripted by Raubahn Aldynn, she feels guilt over wanting her "tainted" powers and over those who were sacrificed for research, but resolves to honor the fallen by using her Resonant abilities against primal uprisings.
Though having defected and working to redeem herself, Fordola remains hard-hearted and cold, even with those who believe she has potential, such as Arenvald Lentinus who wishes to befriend her. Her experiences darkened her view of the world, believing that the battlefield is no place for the weak-hearted or the idealistic.
Gallery[]
- Artworks
- Screenshots
- ↑ Final Fantasy XIV, the Level 80 Summoner quest "To Be Second Best"