Non-playable races

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See also: Tribal Quests and Undefining Beastmen

Final Fantasy XIV contains myriad unique races, including several that are non-playable. These include races that were initially categorized as beastmen—a racial slur—in Eorzea.

These races have their own cultures, social structures and hierarchies, and—sometimes—languages. Some of them form groups known as Allied Tribes, which are associated with daily quests called Tribal Quests.

Beast Tribes

During the game's earlier history, "beast tribe" was used to describe races that lived outside of the main city-states of Eorzea and were often in conflict with the city-states. These tribes were highly religious and each worshipped a particular primal. Due to being tempered by the primal, they often aimed to convert others to their religion. A major goal of the tribes was to summon the primal they worshipped.

Not all members in a beast tribe were devoted to summoning their patron primal. The offshoot members formed other social groups that became the first allied tribes players encountered.

History

The term "beast tribe" was officially coined in the year 1559 of the Sixth Astral Era by the sultanate of Ul'dah, under the influence of the Syndicate. At the time, the Amalj'aa sought to stop the expansion efforts from destroying and dividing up their traditional homeland, so the Syndicate created the term to identify those who interfere with the wishes of the city state, and to "protect local interests", thus sowing distrust in entire races of people. To protect those "local interests", several of these tribes were evicted from the city, and the discourse between the people and the tribes can still be seen even today.

However, there is hope that the rift between the tribes and the other races is starting to be mended. Due to the threat posed by the Telophoroi, and with the advent of the cure to primal tempering, the tribes came together with the city states and their allies to stand together. While all issues haven't been forgotten, the formation of the Grand Company of Eorzea brought all those who call Eorzea home closer together.

List of non-playable races

Races listed in bold have associated Tribal Quests.

Southern Aldenard & Vylbrand

Northern Aldenard

The Far East

Ilsabard and the Near East

Tural

The First

The Sea of Stars

Lore

The art of domestication is not exclusive to mankind, and various beast tribes across the continents have also developed the means to make use of local fauna. Domesticated species and their uses vary between beast tribes, as do methods of domestication—making the study of them all the more vital to a comprehensive understanding of beastman culture.

Complicating matters are the many controversies over whether various species employed by beastmen are truly domesticated. Opinions are divided, for instance, regarding the voidsent bombs that the kobold tribe replicate via alchemy for use in their digs. To avoid muddying the waters further, only species that the Sharlayan Studium has indicated can reasonably be classed with domesticated beasts will be discussed here.

An artist’s reproduction of a kobold bomb incubator observed within U'Ghamaro Mines. Though the kobolds have succeeded in taming and reproducing bombs, and have even used artificial selection to increase their explosive capacity, Sharlayan naturalists deem these practices more akin to summoning than domestication. [1]

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